Gobble, Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving 2012!

Yeah I know it's been awhile, but, Oh my Gosh!  I did it.  I completed my first 10k!  That's news.  Who would have ever thunk?  It seems like such a short time ago when I was not even so certain about running 3 miles (5k) distance, and here I am today to tell you that I ran 6.2 miles, non-stop.  It was the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot and I can't think of a better way to spend the morning, earning that meal.

I used the 10k101 training podcast program by Todd Lange, which is the followup to the 5k101 program I did previously, to train for this round.  I'm not going to lie to you.  It was hard.  When I made the leap and jumped into the 5k program I was so fired up and positive and my attitude made all the difference in my success, I do believe.  I never said I couldn't do it, even if I had those thoughts sometimes, I was determined never to tell anyone that and to keep the focus in the positive.  This time around, I had doubts and I actually found myself saying the words, "this is so hard," and you know what?  I could tell the difference.  When I said it was hard, it was.  My mindset followed.  There came a point when I knew I had to somehow drag myself up out of that negative energy I was letting creep over me.  I had already registered for my chosen 10k so I was in and wasn't getting out of it.  I could either make it really, really miserable for myself.  Or I could find whatever it is deep, deep down inside of me that got me this far in the first place.  When I started to find it again, there was a night and day difference in my runs, and my attitude about them.  

One drawback I have right now is that it's starting to turn into winter.  So far I've only had to run on the treadmill twice, which is good, because honestly I don't know how people do it.  I was whining to no end those 2 days over it too, but then I had to pull myself back and go, "whoa, I am so blessed.  I've been running for 4 months and I only end up having to run on the treadmill 2 times because of weather in that time.  If all I can do is complain, then something is seriously wrong.  Check yo'self."  I still hope to keep treadmill runs to the bare minimum over the winter.  Luckily there is an indoor track pretty near me (I've never used it though so I'm not sure how that would work out) and I've run a couple times in pretty cold weather but if you have the right clothes it's really not that big of a deal and it's so nice to get outside.  Besides, it's kind of fun to go running and have people drive past you and stare at you like they think you are crazy.  Guess what?  We're runners.  We are all totally insane, and we like it.  Winter hasn't completely hit, but I'm thinking it will be manageable.

I was at work and one of my bosses was asking how my race went because she knew I was a little bit nervous about it.  See, technically, I didn't actually finish the last 2 weeks of my 10k training due to getting sick, my husband going out of town for work, weather, blah, blah, blah.  It just kind of went to pot.  So I hadn't actually ever run the full distance.  The most I had run was 5.5 miles.  I knew I could do it, it just wasn't going to be easy.  Well, how did it go?  Amazing!  Everyone kept telling me, "well, the worst that could happen is you might have to walk a little.  It's ok."  Guess what?  I didn't have to walk at all.  I ran the whole 6.2 miles.  And I beat my expected finish time.  I hadn't timed myself in a long time so I didn't know if I had gotten any faster since my first 5k or not, but I have always been pretty consistent with my pace.  Well, I improved my pace by a full minute, and finished in 1:09.  I am so happy with that.  I was kind of anticipating 1:15 so that was a nice little bonus.  I know I'm not fast.  I don't try to be.  I just take it slow and steady, and for the most part, I'm ok with that.  My boss said, "You can run for a whole hour?"  and I said, "well, apparently I can."  That's really something when you consider that when I started this journey I was proud of myself for running 1.5 minutes at a stretch that first week.  That's how far I've come.  And it wasn't even a really big deal.  I felt so good that day.  By the end, I wasn't dead, I could have kept going honestly.  

Of course one of the big questions everyone keeps asking me is if I am going to keep going after a 10k, and what they really mean is, am I going to run a half-marathon?  I've always said I'm on a wait and see basis.  I wanted to see how the 10k went and if I "felt" it.  I'm still not 100% sure, but....stay tuned...an announcement may be pending.

There was one moment during the race that was kind of funny, there was one corner that as I came around it, I was literally the only person running.  I saw probably 15 other people and every single person was walking.  And I was thinking, "um, what's going on?  Is there something I don't know?  Am I doing something wrong?  Am I supposed to be walking too?"  I was looking over my shoulders and stuff.  I don't know.  It was funny.

Now, the other really cool thing about the day is that this ended up being a family affair.  I am so proud of my 13 year old niece Megan.  She ran her first 5k also.  She's the first person to take on my challenge and follow through.  She had been a little nervous too because training didn't go exactly smooth for her either and she wasn't sure if she was going to make it, but I assured her that it is totally ok to walk if you need to.  She ran the first half and then ran/walked the rest of the way and she was grinning from ear to ear when I saw her, so I'd call it success!  She was faster than I was in my first 5k and was 9th her age division.  (Ok, 13 year old vs. 35 year old, so she's a little bit faster).  

They also had a 1k kids race and Megan's sisters Madison and Courtney, and my 5 year old son Cody all made their racing debut as well.  Madison was very proud of herself for running the whole thing.  And Cody and Courtney also ran a good portion.  Everyone received medals and we all have the race bibs to prove we were there.  It was just a fabulous day overall.  I'm still beaming over it.

Now I want to reflect a little on my inspiration for this whole deal:  My sister Nicole.  Anyone remember her?  Well, Nicole has been really busy lately, getting engaged, getting a new (awesome) job  and moving to Park City, trying to get her life set up so that she can get down to this Snowboarding business.  She has so much work to do.  She just realized that she doesn't have enough PTO (paid time off) from her job to go to the competitions that she has to in order to do all the qualifying and everything.  She also doesn't know how she is actually going to fund it all.  It's kind of like a huge leap of faith at this point and just dive right in and hope that everything will fall into place.  I haven't been able to talk to her about it, but there's something about some rule made by the paralympic committee or something about the competition rules that puts her at a huge disadvantage because she is an AK (above-the-knee), instead of BK (below-the-knee) amputee, and the weather isn't doing much right now to help them out and give them any snow to start training on.  So right now, she is feeling a little down and out I think.  This is why right now, as winter is about to hit and may make running a little harder or more inconvenient, I have to show my commitment and enthusiasm even more and persevere.  And so in that light, I will now close with my dedicatory song for this post, Calling All Angels by Train.  I won't share all of the lyrics just the first half, but I feel like this is so applicable to right now where Nicole and I are in this, whatever you want to call it.  I have this song on my running playlist because I love the chorus part where it says, "I won't give up if you don't give up," and that is something that I play inside of my head all the time when I'm needing a reason to keep going. (I also kind of like the soaring eagle in the music video, inspirational, if a little cliche)  So Nicole, do you hear me?  I WON'T GIVE UP IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP!

I need a sign, to let me know you're here

All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere

I need to know, that things are gonna look up

'Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup

When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head

When you can feel the world shake from the words that are said

And I'm, calling all Angels

And I'm. calling all you Angels

And I won't give up, if you don't give up

I won't give up, if you don't give up

I won't give up, if you don't give up

I won't give up, if you don't give up

I need a sign to let me know you're here

'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear

I want a reason fro the way things have to be

I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me

And I'm, calling all Angels

And I'm, calling all you Angels.....

....I won't give up if you don't give up

See Me Run!

Here I am coming up to the finish line.  And you can see me at the start of the race.  I'm that blonde second back behind that giant pole in the blue shorts by the fence.

I had a hard time choosing a race for September.  This was race number 2.  I had scheduling issues because I had committed to doing an Autism walk with my sister's family back in May which was one weekend in September, which actually didn't happen.  My brother's wedding is on the last weekend of the month.  And then Nicole's boyfriend was going to run with me but the two of them were going to NYC another weekend of the month.  (I'm still waiting for the boyfriend to make good on his promise, by the way).  I was really humming and hawing about my options because nothing was really screaming out, "Ooh, pick me."  I think this one was just meant to be, because I had been searching and searching all over the race websites with little luck, but suddenly one day this race just popped up that I swear had not been on there before.  It could not have been more perfect.

This was a fundraiser for 16 year old Porter, who has bone cancer.  He just had his right leg amputated, and loves sports, including snowboarding!  Ok, in case you need a refresher, my sister Nicole had bone cancer, is a right leg amputee, and well, she's a snowboarder, duh!

Nicole wasn't there at the finish line this time because she was busy having a yard sale.  Guys, she needs to come up with so much money in order to make it the Paralympics, and well, she's pretty much on her own to figure out how.  We had another yard sale for her a couple weeks before and I was able to get rid of a lot of my junk in her behalf.  Boy, was Jeff happy to see it go!

I think I could get used to this race thing though.  It really is fun, I will admit.  I wasn't really trying to beat my time, but I improved by 3 minutes from my first 5k.  I finished at 34:27.  (Last time was 37:32).    This one wasn't really officially timed though so I don't know how much I'd trust that.  There was a monster hill.  I was determined to make it up, and you know what, I did!  At least to the top of the first long section.  I don't know how long, but to me, who hasn't been training on hills, it really was a beast. At the top there was a water stop where it turned the corner and that's where I stopped and walked for a bit because it was still a climb and I was breathing pretty hard by then, but as soon as it leveled out I ran for it, all the way into the finish line.  I had read on a website about how to use your arms going up a hill by holding them tight to your body and swinging your hands into an upward movement and that's supposed to help pull your knees up or something, and then you take really small steps and kind of spring off with each step.  I probably looked really stupid, and I probably interpreted what they were saying totally wrong, but it got me up that hill while pretty much everyone else was walking, so I was happy.

I'm learning more and more all the time.  I really am amazed at how much there is to this running thing.  It isn't just tie up those shoes and take off, not if you really want to make it anyway.  It's serious business.  But I felt really good about running this time around.  I finished strong.  I didn't feel like I was at my very limit getting to the finish line, like last time.  In my training, I'm now able to run 4.5 miles, which is amazing to me.  It wasn't only the hill that was a real test for me this time either.  I always run with music to keep my pace and words to encourage me.  But I forgot my headphones, so I had to make an emergency phone call to Jeff and I was lucky that he was right near his work so he could pick up some from his office on his way out to the race.  I was feeling pretty anxious about not running with my iPod.  In fact, I shamefully will admit that I had a moment where I considered not running if he didn't get there in time to bring me the headphones.  Ouch!  Fortunately, he made it just in time.  But they didn't stay in my ears very well so I ran with both headphones for probably only 1/2 a mile.  Then I ran with only 1 headphone for the next mile and 1/2 and then a gust of wind was the last straw so I ran the rest of the race iPod free for the first time ever.  And you know what?  I did it, and it wasn't really as difficult as I had imagined.  That's something that I have wondered about too.  I'm still not sure about running completely without music all the time, but I could possibly ease into that and get away from being dependent on it.  I can now see that happening for a 5k.  10k, maybe.

What an adventure I am on.  I registered for the Thanksgiving Day 10k and I am now officially training for that.  I did my first "tempo" run today, where you run for 8 minutes at a faster speed than you would normally run, then take a walking break, then do it again, a bunch of times.  Wow, was that a killer.  I'm a pretty slow runner.  My mantra has pretty much been, "Slow and steady, Freddy."  But it was a good kind of hard.  Fortunately, you don't do the tempo runs every time.  My next run is a nice and easy 30 minute jog.  Compared to my 4.5 mile runs I've been doing, I'm going to feel like I'm not doing enough, I think.  But it was good to hear my "coach's" voice again today.  I used the 5k101 podcasts to train before, and now I'm using the 10k101 program by the same guy, Todd Lange.  He is so awesome, in case you haven't read my earlier posts where I drool over how much I loooove 5k101!  I highly recommend any of his stuff which you can check out at http://runningmatemedia.com/

I would like to end with another song if you don't mind.  Today I'm dedicating a song to Nicole and Porter, Fighters by Kris Allen.  It reminds me to keep fighting the battles in my own life, because I have what it takes, even if I don't feel like I do.  It's there hidden inside of me somewhere.  That's a lesson I learn from Nicole is to keep on fighting, no matter what, and to remember her battles and then to say, "so get out there and do this.  Always remember, if she can, I can.  I have to.  I will."

POW! Take That!

I know I'm a little behind writing about this huge milestone and getting a picture posted for you guys, but here's the proof.  I did, in fact, complete my very first 5k, and it was awesome!  It was a glow-in-the-dark race.  How can you go wrong?

This is me standing at the finish line with my superstar sister, Nicole and it truly made my night when I came across the finish to see her there.  I had no idea that she was going to be there.  Nicole, thank you.  It meant so much to me!  Yes, I'm a big baby.  All of us in the family are and I was pretty emotional.  I just wish I could convey how huge this is for me.  And then I wish I could adequately express why Nicole is such a hero and inspiration to me.  It's not something I really expect anyone else to fully understand, not even Nicole.  But maybe I'll try and write about it in another post soon. 
So how did the night really go?  It was so amazing.  I finished in 37:32 and I was 5th in my age group.  (Ok, so it was only out of 13 people in my age group and female, but still, this was my first race ever, and for someone who just barely started running 2 months ago.)  I was pretty proud of myself, guys.  I feel like I'm pretty slow, but I was pushing it that night, too.  I have to admit, it feels pretty good when you start passing other people.  My pace actually ended up being right on target with all of my training though.  And I proved a lot of things to myself that night.  Some having to do with the actual running, others more metaphorical to a bunch of challenges that have been kicking my butt in life for a long time.

I was sporting butterfly tattoos on my hands and cheeks and you'll notice my shirt says, "I <heart> butterflies."  The butterflies are really significant.  Just so you know, I will be wearing some form of butterfly paraphernalia in every future race.  Why?  Well, you may have missed my first blog post where I shared a song called "She's a Butterfly," by Martina McBride.  This is a song that I have dedicated to Nicole and butterflies have now become kind of our symbol.  (But the most awesome accessory I had was definitely my glow-in-the dark argyle socks.)  Let me share some of the words to that song:

She remembers when she first got her wings
And how she opened up that day she learned to sing
Then the colors came, erased the black and white
And her whole world changed when she realized

She's a butterfly, pretty as the crimson sky
Nothing's ever gonna bring her down
And everywhere she goes
Everybody knows she's so glad to be alive
She's a butterfly

Like the purest light in a darkened world
So much hope inside such a lovely girl
You should see her fly, it's almost magical
It makes you want to cry, she's so beautiful

God bless the butterfly,
give her the strength to fly
Never let her wings touch the ground

If you don't know Nicole's story, basically she had bone cancer when she was little and so her leg was amputated above the knee, a decision my parents let her decide on her own at 8 years old.  She also has permanent hearing loss due to the severe chemotherapy she went through.  She started snowboarding for the first time 10 years later, and was told that what she wanted to do was impossible.  A couple years in, she basically obliterated her "good knee" in a dirt-biking accident and it's pieced together.  She also has a broken wrist that never healed properly.  She not only has defied what no one thought was possible she has stood on the medal podium against people who were snowboarding at an elite level long before they became amputees.  I'm not saying that to downplay anyone, but just to say why I think what she does is so remarkable. 


I finished the 5k, but then we took off to Yellowstone for a week, so now I need to get the momentum going again.  But don't worry.  I have more places to go, more goals to meet.  I'm running my next 5k in September. And I'm committing to training to run a 10k.  But here's my big pledge.  I will run 1 race every month until Nicole goes to the Paralympics.  That's 18 races.  Come on, guys. Who will cheer me on?  A cheer for me is a cheer for Nicole and all the amazing parasnowboarders that will be making history in Russia in 2014 and are getting the chance to show their amazing spirit to the world.

POW is short for powder and is common lingo in Snowboardese.  So POW.  Take that!  I'm gonna run like mad.

A few weeks ago Nicole graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.  It's been a long time coming.  It's just one more example of who she is.  She has been working towards this for a long time.  She's taken years of traditional on-campus and online classes, worked lots of long hard hours and graveyard shifts and taken crappy positions to earn the dollars to get through school, pay the rent, and try to find some time and way to get on a snowboard.  She hasn't taken any free rides.  She finally found her answer to school through Western Governor's University.  If you haven't heard of 'em, you probably will, because I went to her graduation, and they really are doing some extraordinary things.  (And my husband is working on a degree from there too.)  When the status quo wasn't working, she found another way to do it.  That's kind of the story of this school.  It's awesome.  And it's exactly just like her and snowboarding.  When she didn't want to be confined to a sit-ski, she saw snowboarders, and said that's what she wanted to do.  But she was told there was absolutely no way an above-the-knee amputee could ever snowboard, that it had never been done.  So she set out to do it.  And it was hard.  She went out every day, all day for an entire week and never got up on the snow once, while everyone smirked and said, "we told you so."  And she persisted with all her bruises and tears anyway.  And she went to the snowboarding Nationals competition the next year, the first above-the-knee amputee snowboarder to compete and stand on the podium.  She makes it work.  She finds a way.  That's all, whatever it is.  (Have you ever seen a beautiful girl that carries duct tape, wrenches, and a power drill in her purse - her prosthesis has an uncanny way of collapsing at key moments) And guess what?  

She is already working on her MBA!

Just one more reason why Nicole amazes me.

So, am I still running strong?  Well, I just finished 5k101 last night.  It was tough.  But I stuck with it faithfully for 8 weeks.  And in 5 days I will be running my first 5k.  Aaaaghhh!  I have a number of running goals and plans that I will let out of the bag as the time comes.    But for now, let's just get through the first 3 miles.  Am I addicted to running yet?  I don't even think so.  Do I like it yet?  Well, I don't loathe it.  It definitely has started something for me

I also told you in a previous post that I'm horribly sentimental, and along with that I'm really moved by music.  So as I continue along this little journey, I want to share with you some songs that are meaningful to me.  I'm not exactly sure what I'll do yet.  But I'd like to start with Uncharted, by Sara Bareilles.  This song is so perfect for Nicole.  It epitomizes her spirit, from the very beginnings of trying to snowboard, her path through school, and especially the fight she has been a part of to get snowboarding into the paralympics.  I had someone ask me the other day if Nicole was scared of going out and talking to people or something to that effect, and the basic question I think is that, do things scare her.  The answer is yes, absolutely.  But she jumps in and faces things that terrify her head on anyway, all the time.  Because sometimes she just doesn't have any other choice.  It's either she does it or nobody does.  So she just does it.  The one thing you can always count on though, Nicole will always be smiling!  (I hope you enjoy this little music video.  Because it not only is a great song that says a lot about her, but it's also kind of funny, and that's just how every minute is that you spend with Nicole.)

So, are you wondering how this thing is panning out?

I found a wonderful running coach in the form of a podcast, called 5k101.  Check it out at

http://runningmatemedia.com/5k-101/

It's great because it breaks training for a 5k down into 8 weeks, running 3 times a week, and the guy coaches you all the way.  He tells you exactly when to run and when to walk and even gives you pointers on how hard/easy you should be running and how you should be feeling, instruction on proper breathing, lets you know it's ok to repeat a week if you are really struggling but challenges you to move through the program and get through each interval.  It's awesome.  I'm an absolute beginner but so far this makes me feel like this is something that even I can achieve.  Mind you, I just completed the 2nd week.  If you have an iphone or ipod touch you can download it as an app and customize it with your own tunes.  I'm not so fortunate so I have to stick to the pre-programmed music but I'm ok with that for now.  And once I'm done with the 5k they also have 10k101, so I'm planning on checking that out eventually too.  But first things first.  So there's my informercial.

So am I out running miles and miles yet?  No.  If I tell you what I actually have run it might sound kind of pathetic, but remember that 2 weeks ago, I had never run before.  So right now I can actually only run for a couple of minutes at one time before I have to have a walking break, but the training program breaks it up that way into intervals, so I can totally push through it.  Not that it's easy, but it's also not nearly as hard as I thought it would be so far either.  I think I imagined that I was going to be so sore I could barely walk and that I would barely be able to run 30 seconds before I'd be so out of breath I'd want to die.  I can see how it's definitely a head game.  I'm happy to report that I have been feeling strong and pumped, and dare I say it, even a little excited.  On my days off of running I've gone for a couple bike rides and done some resistance training because I feel like I need to do something.  It just feels wrong to sit there.  I can also see that I need to work on what I'm eating so I will have the energy I'm going to need once I start really getting up the distance.  Eating is so hard.  I hate it.  (There's a lot of otherwise healthy things I can't eat because of allergies.)  Can't someone just hook me up to an IV and I don't have to think about it?  J/K

And, I actually registered for my chosen race.  So I'm in.  There's no turning back or giving up.  I'm running the Legacy Midnight Run on August 3rd.  It's a glow-in-the-dark race.  How cool is that?

Woohoo!  I'll be there.  Will you?

If the shoe fits...

So I surprised a few friends with a Facebook post that said I am "about to undertake a venture I said I would never do."  Then I posted this pic.  I bought them.  These shoes.  Do you get it yet?  In case you stumbled over here, curious about what all this is about, there are a few things I should tell you.

I am not a runner.  I have never been a runner.  I loathe running.  The very thought of running makes me want to throw up.  I love my walks  In fact, I lost 45 pounds, just from walking.  I actually resent feeling like I must be somehow inferior when I am out walking and everyone else is whooshing past me.  I simply have no interest in taking it to the next level, so to speak.

So then, why?  What the?  Where is this coming from?

This is why.  I have a sister.  Her name is Nicole.  She kicks butt.  She has a dream.  It's about to come true.  And, she's a butterfly.

See, I am horribly sentimental.  I always give her butterflys for her birthday, because there is this song by Martina McBride called, She's a Butterfly, and when I first heard it I knew it would have to be a special song about Nicole.  And you need to know that I have a hero, and her name is Nicole.

Still, this isn't making a lot of sense to you.  Why would I want to take up running?  Well, I also have a really awesome sister in law.  A couple of years ago she had back surgery, twice.  The first one failed. Within a year, I believe it was, she ran RAGNAR.  I don't think she had ever run before.  Before her surgery she was literally confined to bed. She couldn't even sit in a chair or walk or anything.  Yeah.  Wow!  At this point, between the two of them, I'm feeling like a pretty big wimp, right?

So, Nicole finally has the chance within her grasp of going to the Paralympics in Sochi Russia in 2014. This has been no small feat.  The para-snowboarding athletes have been fighting for this for like, 10 years.  It's been a huge uphill battle.  And at the very moment when all hope seemed lost, a miracle came about and Russia changed their mind and now they are going.

When my SIL was training for RAGNAR the idea popped into my head that if snowboarding did ever make it in to the Paralympics I would run a race for Nicole.  So now here it is, and I guess I have to run.  Because I am so sentimental, this is both very literal, and very figurative for me.   I have some big goals.  But dang it.  If my one-legged sister can snowboard (which I tried once BTW) at the Paralympics, then this two-legger can run, right?

There's a number of reasons I see for doing this.  Maybe a little healthy sibling rivalry, perhaps.  Or maybe I can help give Nicole a shot in the arm once in a while when things are feeling a little tough for her.  Yeah, while she is amazing, she has those days too.  Or, maybe I can help get her name out there because she needs exposure for her cause.  (The para-snowboarders, unlike many other olympians, are completely on their own when it comes to funding).  Or, what would be the coolest thing of all is if I could figure out some way to turn this venture into some sort of fundraising campaign for her (and the other para-snowboarders).  I'm not exactly sure what this could become because I've never done, or been involved with anything like this before.  But I guess it's time to get huffing and puffing.  First order of the day is to pick a 5k and find a training schedule that will work for me.  My skill level is like zero, nothing, never done it, running for idiots.  But whatever this is all about, the only thing I know is Nicole is a survivor.  Truly.  She doesn't climb mountains, she conquers them.  It's just what she does.  So this is just what I'm going to do.

So now you kind of get it.  The shoes, the butterflys, the title of this blog.  This oughta be interesting...

To hear "She's a Butterfly" by Martina McBride click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W41OSTgrfNQ&feature=related  

And please check out more about Nicole and her cause at http://www.nicoleroundy.com/

Check back to see what happens...
(oh and sorry Nicole, hope you don't mind that I stole the picture from your Facebook page)  ; )