Run fast for your mother; Run fast for your father

Since I was a child, I've always admired anyone who could run with speed or endurance. It's always seems like a super human power to me. And I've always wanted to "be a runner." Well, at the age of 30, I decided to actually give it a go. I sort of ran out of excuses...had the money to get the shoes I needed, a work at home job (flexibilty!), and 3 iPods to choose from! In high school I could run a pretty quick mile and not feel too badly, so I thought it wouldn't be too difficult. I learned quickly that a 30 year old body is very different from an 18 year old body. I've had a baby by c-section and laparoscopy in addition to being 12 years older and almost 20 lbs heavier.

My new journey (I say new b/c I've tried running consistently several times) in April of this year. When I began, I ran intervals...tried the Couch to 5k, which didn't work too well for me. Then at the end of April, I had a laparoscopy, and that put me on the couch for more than 2 weeks. I started walking after about 2 weeks and the first time I broke out in a jog, I felt something in my abdomen pull that didn't feel normal, so it took me a while to get back to just running/walking intervals.

My first 5k (Jason Hicks Memorial 5k) was at the end of May. While I had started running some before, it had only been a few weeks and I again had a strange pain the day of the race, so I walked it. My friend, Hope Bell, walked it with me and still probably thinks that I could have run it if I had wanted to, but really, I couldn't. My dr said to listen to my body and that day my body said, "running will be dangerous today."

At the first of June, I started running intervals again and have run/walked every week for 3-4 days except one week, where, frankly, I was just lazy. My step dad, Haskell Manly, and I are doing a 5k this Saturday and I'm so excited. I can tell my body has responded to me pushing it. And Haskell has given me great advice on how to run with endurance. He asked me, "Why do you stop?" and that was probably the best thing anyone could have said to me. I was stopping because that's what Couch to 5k said; I was stopping because I was giving into my body's cues telling me I was too tired or too weak. Haskell has built up to running 5 miles a day, which is awesome. I'm not there yet. I'm still doing 3 miles and still have to walk about .5 - .75 miles in the middle of the run.

Tonight though, I ran the best I could, and finished 3 miles (I know...need to get that last tenth in there for the 5k) in 34 minutes. I know to most runners, that may be turtle speed, but to me, it was a huge accomplishment. When I started in April, it took me almost an hour to run/walk 3 miles. I felt exhilirated and like I would vomit at the same time.

It may take me signing up for a 5k every month or so to keep motivated, but something tells me, running may just "stick" this time.

Top Ten Reasons I Love Working From Home

Since Kevin and Griffin have been home this summer, I've been thinking about why I love working from home. Here's my top ten list:

10. I can sing as loudly as I want...usually. Kevin and Griffin do not appreciate my singing so much.
  9. I control the temperature, except when Kevin makes it really cold.
  8. I can wear whatever I want as long as I don't get little hints like, "Baby have you showered today?"
  7. I can watch TV on my couch on my lunch break. It's usually Avatar, but hey...
  6. I can take a conference call any space Kevin and Griffin are not using.
  5. I get home cooked meals daily because somebody has to feed Kevin and Griffin.       
  4. I am only interupted when Griffin wants to show me a new trick.
  3. I get to do all the laundry and dishes.
  2. I get to wake up a few hours before everyone else in my house.
And, my number 1 reason:
      Every day I get to see two of my favorite people all day long.

What a blessing in our very busy, hectic, overly scheduled world.