This page is dedicated to those of you who have become a part of my journey by sharing personal insights, embarrassing stories, words of wisdom, pivotal moments, etc. Please keep them coming - you're the best readers a girl could hope for.
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"I can take experiences like yours to motivate me to not only get back to where I was but to work to exceed it.
Thanks for the ride to the race but more importantly taking me along for the ride to better health. I appreciate it, and your success this weekend is exactly what I needed to get myself back on track."
~One of my running besties
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last>dnf>dns>did not train :)
~Luke
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I always smile at people on the running path, even when my inner monologue is cursing like a sailor. If you smile long enough, you start to feel happy!
~Jennifer
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Hi! In response to your request, here is ONE of my funny mishaps trying to get fit again after about 7 years of laziness. In an interval spin class, you do weights work and balance work for 30 mins and then bike work for the last 30. I love lifting and working to music with a group of people. The first try is usually hard tho, and mine was. I was leaning back on an exercise ball doing butterfly curls with small hand weights and when the teacher told us to get back up ("just roll yourself forward,") I could not do it. I tried reeeeally hard but didn't have the core strength to get up. I fell off to the side, smiles all around,no worries. I can't say that was my favorite class, but I kept going back and I haven't fallen off since. :)
Here is one more, much more recent. I am trying most of the classes offered here. It is time to try yoga, a class I've stayed away from because the instructor has a reputation for being tough. (Is yoga supposed to be tough?hm.) Anyway, she is! I am not flexible, strong, or well balanced. But dammit, I will try, and I will get better too! During my first class with her, she asked me, what's wrong? Do I have a spinal problem? Haha! Nope, just a "beginner problem!"
~Katy
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My morning run around Burke Lake - a story of triumph (and near death from exhaustion).
9:00 a.m. - Drop Jack off at Nature Secrets Camp at Burke Lake. Stalk parents in parking lot in search of sunscreen and bug spray. The excitement of running in nature resulted in my forgetting to apply said sprays and lotions on my son this morning before leaving the house.
9:05 a.m. - Found a parent to lend me lotion and spray - can go running now without feeling guilty about Jack possibly burning to a crisp and getting devoured by mosquitos.
9:15 a.m. - Hair tied back, muscles sufficiently stretched, here we go! Plan to run to 1.5 mile marker and turn around to complete my usual 3 miles. no problem.
9:25 a.m. - This feels easy - nice and shady, no big hills, maybe I'll run past the 1.5 mile marker.
9:27 a.m. - Pass 1 mile marker - looking at beautiful lake - this lake doesn't look that big, I'll bet I can get all the way around it. Why not? Still feeling pretty good at this point.
9:35 a.m. - Pass 1.5 mile marker - feeling a little hot and sweaty, but now that I've passed it, feel like I should keep going. What else do I have to do this morning?
9:40 a.m. - Noticing that I am being passed by other runners. Feeling very slow. A very tan, fit 20-something girl passes me in the opposite direction. Da*& it, I'm not that old - I can do this!
9:42 a.m.- Pass 2 mile marker - feeling thirsty, hot, sweaty. Noticing that other runners are carrying bottles of water - cursing self for not doing same. Look out at lake. At this point turning around seems pointless - after all, it's only another 2.5 miles to get around the lake. How hard can it be? Who needs water anyway?
9:44 a.m. - Feeling envious of the middle aged ladies leisurely walking around the lake, pointing out various plants to each other.
9:55 a.m. - Pass 3 mile marker - feeling exhausted. Wishing I had water. I could swear that runners who passed me earlier are passing me again. Am I that slow or am I hallucinating? How long does it take for dehydration to set in? Only 1.5 miles to go, but I feel like the opposite side of the lake has not moved. Where the heck am I anyway???
10:03 a.m. - Suddenly out on a terribly sunny stretch with no shade in sight. What kind of cruel joke is this to put a path in the blazing sun during the last mile of the run?? Water, I need water. Hip flexors start to cramp. Not running so much as skipping, limping, something. But if I stop to walk it will take even longer to get back to the car. I press on.
10:10 a.m. - alleluia - the 4 mile marker!!! Tan 20-something girl passes me again - what is she doing, running around the lake 10 times? Not paying attention and almost run smack into a dad pushing his kid on her tricycle - instead of dirty look dad just smiles and waves. Restores faith in humanity.
10:15 a.m. - an hour later - I am back at my car - sweaty, panting, disheveled, limping. Jack's camp counselor is standing nearby - I smile and wave and say triumphantly "I just ran around the whole lake!!" She smiles back and says - "oh, yeah, I do that all the time. It's great." Grrrrrr.
10:20 a.m. - Finally driving home, air conditioning blasting, tired but elated - farthest I've ever run without stopping. 4.5 miles!!!!!!
~Alina
