Wild animal on the loose

With a house full of danish guests, it hasn't been easy getting my weekly runs in. A few of our guests arrived on Saturday afternoon. I was lucky enough to sneak a 10 mile run in before they rang the door bell.

It felt akward running 10 miles, when i had not put in my weekly short runs. I missed a 3 and a 7 mile due to cleaning toilets, making beds and grocery shopping. I tried not to beat myself up for it, but you know how that went.

I woke up Saturday morning, saying to myself, you are going to run today or die. After making stawberry pankcakes for the girls, i finally put my shoes on, snapped my nano into place, opened the front door and smelt the newly fallen snow. I felt like a wild animal escaping out of a cage.

Mile 2, every single negative thought was magically erased.
By mile 7, i was thinking, you are a goddess.
By mile 10, i had solved all the problems of the world.
Don't you just love those kinds of runs?

My own calcutta for this upcoming week:
I vow, even though i have company for the next 7 days, i will stay on my running schedule (3,7,4 and 15 miles).

Visitors from Denmark... ahhh the memories.

When you've had the priviledge of living in another country as long as we have, that country some how becomes your own. I am an American and i always will be, but Denmark shares a very special place in my heart for "home". For example when i think of Christmas, i think of the sweet smell of warm rice pudding and clemintines. Summer... hay topped roofs, long walks & talks, laughter on the beach, and delectable food.

We recently have danish visitors in the house. It brings back so many memories of lovely Denmark.

Our 2009 summer trip to Denmark...





                                                                  

Farrah the machine -hardly.

Todays goal: 3 mile speed work on the teadmill.
Warm up for 1 mile, then 1 minute on 9 mph, rest for 4 minutes on 6 mph and hit it again for a total of 6.

Would my body cooperate?
No!
Could i find my cute running pants that keep the junk in the trunk?
NO!
Could i run without stopping every 3 minutes?
NO!

The moaning and groaning comes from Saturdays perfect run and now this.
All 3 miles i kept on repeating, "you've got to be kidding me".

What really irks me is, I didn't wake up this morning saying, "Not feeling it today."
I was feeling it -all over.
When my body doesn't cooperate, it isn't a "what gives" feeling.
It's an all out war.

To punish it, i did an extra half mile and then another half mile at 4 mph on incline 12.
Take that!

Reflective thought for the day: Farrah you are not a machine. You are a human who deserves to have a bad hair day, a lousy attitude day, a fat day, and a bad running day. Go get em' tomorrow!

On the seventh day He rested

On the 7th day she rested.

Resting means no running; not living.

7:00  Coffee and computer

8:00  Knee strengthening exercises (yes my knee is still bugging me)

8:30  Take a shower, only to find my diamond has fallen out of my wedding ring.

9:00  Head out the door for church with a bowl of flaxseed cereal

9:30  First service

10:45 Teach Sunday school. Lesson is about washing the disciples feet. On hands and knees washing 20 little stinky feet and suddenly i feel very humbled.

12:45 Head home to grap a bite and hit the RV show with family

2:00 In and Out burgers for lunch (remind myself i deserve it after 13.1 yesterday)

3:00 RV show is worth the overpriced $9, as it gets me excited for upcoming camping season and hikes/runs

5:00 Transmission blows out of my car (crap, there goes $2,000 dollars)

7:00 Husband makes amazing dinner (soy marinated tri-tip, home made french fries, bulgar salad), while i do absolutely nothing on the couch.

9:00 Have a cherished moment with the girls when we discover My Fair Lady on tv. Bella starts dancing, Olivia cuddles up in my arm and asks a zillion question about the "oldin' dayz" movie.

10:00 Fall asleep in Bella's bed with her arms wrapped around me.

13.1

Leapin' lizards! 13.1 this morning.

I ventured out on a cold rainy morning with my new amphipod, a honey stinger and my nano.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The longest i've ever run is 11. When i ran 11 miles last Saturday my legs were jello by mile 10. I didn't know if i could make it.
But this morning i kept telling myself.. no failure farrah. It's not an option.

My hard hitting hills are luckily early on in the run (about mile 6). After i powered through that last hill, i got scared to death by another runner who came up on my right side. She politely pointed to the ground in front of me. I assume in running edicate this means, i will be placing my feet here and running in front of you.

I don't know what came over me because i felt as if she was saying, "i will be passing you because you are slower than molasses and i am faster... hahahaha (evil laugh)!" I was pissed.

I ran to the nearest gas station. Popped the honey stinger gel in my mouth, threw it in the garbage, took a few swigs of water, and hammered it.

I don't know if it was the gel or the lady but i hammered through the next 6 miles with ease. By mile 13, my legs were beyond jello. I was wet, cold, and i wanted food. I kept running even though my legs were screaming, "stop, stop!". My time: 2:03.

I am beyond proud.
My own calcutta today was... running 13.1 miles with an awe and respect for my body.

"What now?"

We all run for different reasons.
Anyone who says they run just for fun, is lying.

My reason started at the begining of the holiday season last year. After a year and a half of begging and pleading for a third child, my husband finally looked me in the eyes and said, "It's not going to happen -ever! Let it go." I was crushed. A bullet right to the heart. How do you let go of something when you want it so badly?

At the begining of Christmas break, i ended up at a crossroad.
I could:
1. Have another "oops" and feel the rath of my husband for the next 9 months.
2. Accept it and move on.

Then something magical happened. Yes, magical. The light bulb went on. That moment was so profound it still gets me up and running on those cold dark days. I asked myself this simple question which infact started my running journey:
"What now?"

"WHAT NOW!!!!"
I am 34.
I have a beautiful house.
I have an amazing marriage.
I have my dream job.
I am at peace with god.
I have the dog, the white fence.
A trailer, a boat.
Crap..."What now?"

Is this all life has to offer?
I suddenly panicked and thought, if i live until 100, what else do you do with your life???

Then it hit me like nothing has hit me before... you run. That day i looked up a training program for a half marathon. And started running.

Eight weeks later, it has changed my intire perspective on life.
It's a world that i didn't even know existed.
If i'm going to live until 100 (you bet i am!) then i 'm going to be running until i get there.

Like i said, anyone who says they run just for fun, is lying.

Redemption

Today was redemption.
After a 2 day break from training, it was time to get back on the horse. Valentines day threw me for a loop. I only had 3 miles to run, but did I? Ofcourse not. I ended up spending a cozy night curled up to husband, The Bachelor and a box of chocolates.
Now 8 weeks into my marathon training, i feel as though i am slipping. It's not perfect. That irritates me.
For some reason when my running plan says 3 miles, 6 miles, 11 miles, well I have to run it or it is not perfection. I am slowly trying to let go of this thought process.

I keep asking myself this, "Farrah was that bigmac you devoured on wednesday in 4 seconds flat, perfection?
No, no it wasn't.



Todays run was goooood. It was uncomfortable to run 7mph for 3 miles. I need to be uncomfortable or i will never get out of my 10 minute mile rut. It felt nice to be pushed.

I went by runners corner today . Wow -what friendly people! I went in for a hand held water bottle and gel, and ended up with a form class. She said you are video taped on an indoor track, running with shoes, and then barefoot and then back to the store to disect your form.
I hope they don't disect the celulite on my legs!?!?

My own calcutta today was... joining a running form class.