Good to be back!

It's been a long time since I last visited. Surgery in the fall stopped my running fun for a bit. Seemed like forever! I never thought I would look forward to putting miles under my feet but now I know that this is important to both my physical & mental well-being. I was able to start back on the treadmill January 1. Since then I have put in a few miles. Trying to work up to more miles on some ventures and better speed on other nights. I can't seem to get past the 20 minute mile. I will, though, in time. Just over 70 days left until the 1/2 marathon. Better start training with a plan. Peace & love.

April 2012 1/2 Marathon

Getting back to normal after two weeks of a sinus infection that morphed into an inner ear infection is no easy task.  Amazing how the inner ear is so small and yet can hurt so much!

Time to start training for the 1/2 marathon in April 2012.  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential 1/2 Marathon is 6 months away.  I need to develop stamina and increase my speed during this time period.  I have scheduled runs through October & November for short term goals to help keep me motivated.  Needing to get some winter wear so that forcing myself out the door in February won't cause me to freeze to death!  I know it is 6 miles from the Elkhart Blacktop to the Stagecoach.  Realized that from about Fancy Prairie to the Stagecoach is around 13 miles.  WOW.  Who would ever, in their right mind, train to go that far?  ME!  Setting my sites on a Disney 1/2 Marathon in the next few years.  How cool would a Disney park be after dark?

I have always planned short terms goals that feed into long term goals.  The shorter races and training leading up to the 1/2 marathon are one of these plans that I am working on now.  Hoping this leads to better health in my senior years is a longer term goal as well.  Planning on being 70 and still running.

WOW! It's been a while - that's what happens when you loose your password. LOL!

We made it through the 10K at the fairgrounds. Sondra & I have participated in several 5Ks - women's Distance, Scheels, Edinburg (in the rain) & Mt Pulaski. Going to participate in a 5K in Clinton this weekend and are signed up for the Red Shoe (Ronald McDonald House) and Red Ribbon plus some others. I am feeling pretty good physically- can walk up & down stairs without huffing & puffing. What I really feel better about, though, is that each event we have participated in benefits some group. The entry fees are used to help schools, medical research and, in the case of our upcoming run, to help a family experiencing severe medical bills.

Someone commented they would never pay to run in an event. I consider it a win/win. How better to get my health in order than by helping others??

Be safe!

The Agnew Girls

Several of the names within my FB friend's list are more than they appear. These people share a common thread, memories and stories. Who are these people & why are they special?

They are my daughters, sister, nieces & nephews and . . . The Agnew Girls. My earliest memories include many of The Agnew Girls. Some of us live in IL - a few local & others spread from the southern region up to near Chicago. Others have ventured from sunny Arizona to snowy New York. It matters not the miles between us for in our hearts we are near.

Facebook has given us the opportunity to get to know one another regardless of the distance. I love pictures of Debbie's family, Cathy's stories of the historical gala's & Mona's visits to the theater. It's fun to discuss posts with Sondra & Sally - hoping Peg joins us someday. I can't help but think that Melissa chuckles at many of the posts that our techo-party line share. Being an Agnew Girl rocks!

My lovely nieces may never meet their awesome cousins yet the cousins are deep within the nieces.

I Can't to Hell Yeah!

What do I consider when I'm thinking about tomorrow's 6.2 mile training run? I consider the time Amanda, Cassie & Katie have put forth in helping us learn during the past 11 weeks. Amazing young women :-). I visualize the start of the race, I smell the excitement in the air and I feel the blood flowing through my heart. My subconscious says 12 more days, 12 more days.

I think back to the first training night when 2 miles seemed like hell. I remember the night my calves bellowed for the whole evening. During the past 11 weeks I have learned so much . . . the difference between a hill & an incline, the sound a duck makes when it laughs at runners, the distance from the Elkhart blacktop to the Middletown tavern . . .

In these past 11 weeks I have come to realize that I often put up imaginary roadblocks that seem so real. The words "I can't . . ." have rolled off my tongue fairly easily. A year ago I would have said "I can't join a running club". I would not have gotten up at 5:30 on a Saturday to run down the blacktop. I would have missed spending the most awesome moments ever with my sister & best friend! What other opportunities have I missed due to the "I can't" thought process? Hoping I am able to remove the "I can't" and insert "Hell Yeah! Let's try!" instead.

A milestone?

I'm feeling incomplete. How can that be? Let's see: a drink with Gail & Andy on Friday night. Breakfast with Diane & Cody on Saturday followed later by a trip to Bath's Redneck Fishing Tourney. Sounds like a nice family weekend.

What's missing? Answer : Saturday morning's run! My right foot started feeling uncomfortable on Friday evening. I expect that stepping hard into one of Buddy's holes may have been the cause. I decided to not go out for my planned 6 mile adventure on Saturday & now feel like something with my weekend is incomplete.

I never thought that I would be missing the sweating & cramping that resulted from an adventure on the blacktop. How could I know that I would look forward to the one on one time with Trigger? I miss seeing the level of the water in the field waterways. I haven't seen which corn fields have changed from the lush green to the drying shades of brown. My iPod songs haven't been sung outloud. I've realized that I miss my time running, singing & reflecting.

This very minor setback may well have been a milestone. It may have came at a point where I was taking my Saturday morning training for granted and not realizing that this solitude with nature was an experience that was important to my inner-being.

Two Hot Mammas

Sondra & I somehow managed to complete almost 5 miles in 102 degree heat index weather.  The humidity was really high.  I was so glad when we finished - not so much because we were done for the night but more because we conquered another challenge.  The hills are still terrible but knowing that we can continue once we have passed them gives me hope! 

We will go through the course again on Wednesday night.  Hopefully our calves won't be as grouchy on Wednesday as they were on Monday and we can jog more.

My excitement grows as we come closer to race day.  At first I wanted to run most of the way.  Further into training I wanted to not be last.  Now I am not as concerned with time, pace, etc as I am with crossing the finish line.  Cassie, Amanda & Katie have given so much of them selves to allow us to get this far.  Remarkable young women - my life has been enhanced from knowing them.