The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
What should appear in my email yesterday?
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Now who wouldn’t want to go and sign up for that?
I spent yesterday at my Daughter’s School for the WATCH D.O.G.S program, which put off when I could get this out! After my run with the boy on Saturday, we did not give up on our running already!
I am trying to keep in mind that my son is just starting out, and is only 11. Consequently I had him pound out a mile on the treadmill on sunday, keeping a steady 6mph. He did unfortunately get a side cramp, but he didn’t let it stop him! He rocked right through it! Not only did he pound it out, but he did so right before he had to get ready for a concert with the Maryland State Boychoir!
Me? I jumped on for a quick 5k, running at an 8:30/mile. The part that surprised me, is that other than dealing with the boredom of a treadmill, it wasn’t the least bit difficult! Breathing was easy, keeping the legs moving was easy… Apparently I didn’t lose as much as I thought I did from my extended post-marathon break! Maybe this weekend I will try to pound out 10 or more miles and see how that goes.
I had the following in my GMAIL box yesterday!!!
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Note: You may have already received a receipt from MarathonGuide.com – this is your official confirmation and followup.
Dear Once and Future Runner:
Congratulations! You have been chosen in the lottery and are officially registered for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run on April 6, 2014. We are looking forward to a spectacular day in the Nation’s Capital.
If you haven’t already, you’ll receive an additional email from Marathonguide.com, our registration provider, outlining your credit card charges. Please note that the charges will show as being from “Marathonguide.com” on your statement.
If you did not enroll in our free ten-week Online Virtual Training Program for the 10 mile or our On-site Training Program hosted by Potomac River Running, you will have an opportunity to sign up in January. Read more ›
Bryce and I running the Resolution Run, January 2012
I know New Years is a few weeks away, but bear with me. See, running-wise, the marathon (and the lethargy following it) was the end of an “era” of “First-Marathon” training. So this is my running “New Year” as I begin running again as a Marathoner!
Toward the end of the “era” of my Marathon training, my son mentioned that he wanted to run with me again. This made my heart sing (as any running-parent understands!) Sadly, running 20 miles (and other “end-of-Training” runs) are a bit long for a 10-year-old just getting into running. On top of that – the idea of doing additional runs while running that mileage didn’t appeal too much either. This really inhibited by son being able to go out with me.
But fast forward to today, I am not training for a Marathon.
Friday night I told him I had signed him up for 5k Resolution Run (I lied.), and he was more than ok with it! Being a bright kid, he did have one concern. He knew he hadn’t been running lately, and questioned his ability to run a 5k, a concern I did not share. So, how to prove it? Well, thanks to Runner’s World “What to Wear,” yesterday the Boy and I headed out for our run appropriately garbed for the weather! I hadn’t let him know how far we were going, and strangely he didn’t ask. My plan was to do 5k, so that he could stop his worrying.
He did AWESOME. We had to stop just after mile 1 for him to walk, but that was the only time out of 3.8 miles!
The run went a wee bit longer than planned, as we both (mutual agreement, not a dicator-decision!) wanted to see what Crofton Park, a park that we have run by, had in store for us. A worthy side trip! (Exploring is one of the best parts of running, isn’t it?)
I was very pleased with the pace he was able to keep the whole way, and look forward to seeing where he is in a month’s time of regular running! Now I have to get him signed up for a 5k Resolution Run!
So, its been interesting being a non-runner. It definitely has its perks, don’t get me wrong – but I don’t think I like it.
It has been nice to NOT go outside in the cold.
It is nice to have more time to play video games, watch TV and rediscover the joy of reading.
There has been more time to spend with the family, and our road-trips and weekend events are easier to plan.
Less Laundry to do, and it doesn’t smell nearly as bad.
Now the down points: Read more ›
Friday evening, my wife and I headed out to the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile Run Kick Off reception. (That totally needs a shorter name.) I am not even embarrassed to admit our first date-night in Eons, was to a running reception – you all know what a run-nerd I am already right?
I had misjudged the Metro-trip time, so we did show up about 30 minutes late. As one should be to a gala, we were fashionably late.
There was a pretty good crowd there, although my blurry picture doesn’t make that as easy to tell – so trust me on this one. Read more ›
I have crossed a new boundary in run-nerd-dom. Seriously.
We all like to run.. Some of us even like to write about running. But I got this email a while back:
It’s Time to Start Thinking About the 42nd Running of the
Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run
and 5K Run-Walk
at our
Fall Kickoff Reception Read more ›
Two weeks ago I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. I set that goal 22 years ago, and struggled through various obstacles over the last rhree yeats to cross that finisy line.
It was a huge success, and an achievement I am very, very proud of. The thing is, I think it broke me.
I have read countless descriptions of “the wall.” The feeling of the pain, the agony and the fear of failure. The way that an idea penetrates your mind, the idea that despite the training, the dreaming and the work – you really can’t finish it. No matter how many times I read variations of the mental “thud” of the wall – I was not ready. I can still feel the pain and fear in mile 23 and 24.
I finished the race, and struggled through.. The thing is, I don’t feel that I broke through the wall. I feel like it beat me. I feel like I walked. I feel that pain that kept me from being able to run. I honestly do not recall any point in life where I felt that level of pain.
For the last two weeks I have thought about running. I have missed running. I have NOT run, because I knew I had to heal after torturing my muscles through a two-mile walk, preceded by 23 miles of running and followed by 1.2 miles of.. stumbling in a haze of pain and exhaustion.
On the Weds. after the Marathon, I knew I could go for a 30 minute run. Thanks to a wonderful article I found online – I knew that every 3 days, I could run for 30 easy minutes. It’s amazing how easy it was to find excuses to not run, all the while I was missing the running feeling. In my head I couldn’t move past that memory, if it makes any sense.
Today – I finally got my butt out there, and tried to tackle that, while heading out there to embrace that running feeling.
I hated it.. and loved it. It felt exhilarating.. and terrifying.
The funny thing, is I didn’t realize any of this until I had hit the first mile marker. It felt so good to have the road beneath my feet, to feel the (cold) wind. My legs were questioning hwy I was out there of course, but that is to be expected after 2 weeks of no running. My mind started thinking (isn’t that why we run?) and wondering why I hadn’t run, and in a moment of clarity I understood. Unfortunately that dawning of understanding did not resolve everything for me. My run became moments of enjoyment (when my mind wasn’t going) and wallowing in that fear.
I will work through this, have no doubt. I could feel that enjoyment wanting to come back out..
But I think my marathon broke me.
It has been over a week and I think its time for my first post regarding the Marine Corps Marathon.
I am pleased to say that I made it across the finish line! I beat the bridge!
While my time wasn’t what I might have hoped – I honestly don’t care. It was my first-ever marathon – and I learned a LOT! Both about running a race that long, and about myself (But this part will come in later posts.)
I have to say that 30,000 people in a race is a lot. (Just in case it wasn’t obvious enough..) Just getting TO the starting line involved walking in a crowd!
You can see the pack of people behind us. It was even worse going the other way!
That crowd had such an incredible energy! Read more ›
2013 Was an amazing year, for me, So I am really looking forward to 2014!
Empowering communities, reforming systems, and standing with those who need it most.
My journey to 48.6 miles through 4 parks in 4 days
Running, more running and a bit of Rugby League!
colorful creations and the stories behind them
A runner proving that having a hysterectomy doesn't mean retiring your trainers
Traveling the world looking for the meaning for life (and whatever else I might find along the way)
Fitness, Family, Fashion, Food & Fun
The worlds No1 site for advice, support and resources for overweight runners
Exploring the great outdoors, by Andrew Gills (continued)
Health and fitness made simple
The thoughts of an aspiring mid-life runner and triathlete
Eat less; move more; live longer
Life Through the Eyes of a Running Momma.
Adventures in running...faster
enjoying every second of life and running
I run like an elephant but damn it, I'm running!
Once and Future Runner 