Where I'm at

A month ago I got a dreaded ear infection. Went to the doctor, took my meds and it cleared up for a few weeks anyway. Since then I've had ringing in my right ear. Sometimes it keeps me awake at night. With all the wonderful internet medical information sites I researched ringing in the ears and found that it goes away in time. So I chose to live with it for the time being.

Sunday I ran 21 miles in the pouring, freezing rain. When I came home my limbs were frozen in place. I showered, put my pajamas on and decided to just spend the rest of the day home waiting for pneumonia to set in but oh so proud for finishing 21 miles in those conditions. Well worth it! Not really. Monday morning I started getting ear pain again. I really don't want to go to the doctor so I make excuses. By Wednesday morning I'm in enough pain to make the phone call to the doctor. The next available appointment is in 1 1/2 hours. I have to run 14 miles that morning. So what do I do? I run 7 miles to the doctor's office see the doctor and promptly run 7 miles home. Now that's what I call multi-tasking! So I looked a little crazy in the waiting room. I tried to keep my distance so no one would have to suffer from my body odor! Of course my doctor has nasal samples for me to take with me on my journey. It must've looked like I was carrying my lunch!

So where I'm at is a state of lunacy as you can see and midway through this training cycle. Right smack in the heart of training!

~For my dear friend Paulette~

Footprints

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

Stay strong P. You WILL get through this.

My new upgrade

For Valentine's day Tom gave me moolah to buy new sneakers. I love how he listens when I casually mention I'm going to need new ones soon. So sweet! So here they are in all their glory. Brand spanking new Mizuno Wave Creation 10's. An upgrade from the Wave Creation 9's that were pink & orange. Notice the orange and silver. Silver like a bullet.They feel and smell better than the pics by the way!

Six miles tomorrow morning in these new beauties! Ahhhh!!

Don't Stop Believin'

I know it's been a whole week since I posted last.
Here's the deal. As I increase the miles in training I start to have more self doubt. I don't understand why but it happens with every training cycle. This week I successfully ran 51 miles with no physical problems. My crazy little brain, however, chooses to have a pity party. This is only compounded by comments from people who see me "running everywhere." If only I could be invisible when I run!

So this week's pity party included a little sobfest. What the heck get it over with right? For my own purposes I'm writing about it to remind me of the drama I choose to put myself through. What makes me think that I can qualify for Boston? Yeah I finished Steamtown in less than four hours but that was all downhill! NJ is flat. I'm going to have to dig deep and maintain my pace with no gravitational pull. I'm only getting older and not breaking any world records anytime soon. I'll probably finish within minutes, or worse, seconds of qualifying time. If I finish this training cycle with no problems there are still variables on race day that could affect my performance. Blah, blah, blah. See the pattern dummy? Again, this is what I choose to put myself through.

Thank goodness for my trusty Ipod. Steve Perry breaks my insanity to remind me-


Then it all comes back to me. I've run 4 marathons and countless races. I've placed as recently as November. A 7:29 pace is nothing to be ashamed of even if it's only for 3.1 miles. Realistically I know I'll never maintain that pace for a whole marathon but I put it all out there anyway. I've been through hell & back in my 39 yrs. I know I can do this. I do believe in myself. I have a wonderful family that believes in me. A great husband who reminds me that I can do it when I lose faith. I'm only out to prove it to myself. Everyone else is already impressed and in awe of my accomplishments. It's time I am too!

Open letter to the Girl in the Blue Shirt

Dear Girl in blue shirt,

About halfway into my 13 mile run yesterday you passed me at the turn around. It was early in the morning and there are very few runners on that long desolate road as it is. Dozens of bikers but few runners. I've only seen 4 runners since I've run that road. But you, you're different. You wizzed past me with great form. A stride like no other I've seen. You were in "the zone." You were also fast! You ran past me at the point that I started feeling aches & pains. I was focusing on those aches and pains and mentally tearing myself up. Then our paths converged. Suddenly I felt that fire in my belly. "I'm going to catch up to the girl in the blue shirt" is all I kept thinking. I amped up my pace trying to remind myself this is an LSD not a race. No matter I wanted to catch up to you. Even if I kept an even pace at your heels I didn't care. I managed to stay within a quarter mile of you for about 5 miles. At each winding turn I dug in deeper hoping at the next bend I'd be even closer to you. The inclines were ahead of us and I thought for sure you'd slow down. You just kept me going. Then there was a fork in the road. I though is this where we diverge or I continue the chase. Unfortunately my road takes me back to Mayberry, your's back into another town. So long Girl in blue shirt!

I do want to thank you for the challenge. Thank you for diverting my attention even just for 5 miles. Thank you for pushing me a little harder. Thank you for reminding me I could work harder. I hope we meet again, very soon.

First Ski Trip of 2009

Cost of New Retainer = $340

Cost of Speeding Ticket = $150
Memories (& laughs) with Family = PRICELESS

It was quick. It was fun. It was NOT uneventful. In keeping with tradition we did not avoid disaster. All I have to say is keep a very close eye on your child's retainer when they wrap it in a napkin. Visualize Tom & I weeding through hotel garbage bags looking for a pink & green retainer. Oh the JOYS of parenting! After rummaging through bags of garbage, with the wonderful staff at the hotel of course, we didn't find it. So we have to suck up the cost of a new retainer for the child. Add that to the cost of a speeding ticket I got for doing 70mph in a 50mph. Guilty as charged. Tom was glad I was driving and not him! A friend suggested I should've told the cop "You think that was fast? You should see me run!"

All in all we did have a great time. The kids love skiing. They are so good at it and can't wait to ski again.

On the running front. I did manage to get my long run of 17+ miles in on Monday after we got back. Kinda brutal after skiing all weekend but you know I got it done! Cutback week that I'm calling "catch up" week since I need to get back on track.