Recently I heard a comment about growth. I wasn’t thinking the growth was really my growth, rather the growth of another. Boy was I wrong.
I had to take some time to think about the growth opportunity. We were at a crossroads of sorts. Her learning to fly. Me letting her fly solo throwing caution to the wind. Whether near or far as a mom you always have a eerie sense of worry for your kid. It never really goes away. My mom is in her eighties and she still feels the worry of her kids.
Nonetheless, adjusting my comfort zone to let another sink or swim on their own was as much about my growth as hers. As you have a child become an adult, you can only hope they remember every life lesson you gave them. Direct or indirect lessons of all kinds. The life experiences along the way. The life lessons that should influence solid decision making. That is just so easy to say. The reality is always much different.
Despite what you teach along the way, it is ultimately on them to find their moral compass. To make good choices. To surround themselves with a tribe that is good company. Sometimes this doesn’t happen on day one. Sometimes there are mistakes or bumps along the way as they spread their wings.
All you can do is guide, cheer and support from a distance. The passenger seat. You don’t get to choose their spouse. You don’t get to choose if they have kids. You don’t get to choose where they live. Your life and role in their life shifts. This is as much about your growth as theirs.
Girls may grow through this phase of life at different speeds than boys. No two kids are the same despite the same upbringing. I should know this myself just by looking at myself and my siblings as adults. So many differences yet same household growing up. Each of us took different paths. Each totally different lifestyles. None of which are wrong. Just different.
I’ve been at peace for a while on what I can control. What I can teach in the final days. What could be on the horizon. Once that peace is engrained in my mind, I am able to focus on what’s next for me.
This is my growth opportunity. New hobbies. Time to travel. Goals to achieve. Time to prep for my next adventure stage of life. Things will be different. There will quieter times. There may even be gaps in excitement. This is where I again need to refocus on what’s important for me now. How do I grow?
Cleansing my mind.
Letting go.
Closing my eyes to see what I desire.
The day dreaming.
The growth.
The opportunities.
My time has arrived.
Her time of need is in the shadows.
Off to college she goes. Off to master life as an empty nester for me. Each flying solo in their way. Why did it take me to today to realize this?
I took a yoga class on the ocean. My first yoga session by the water. It was amazing.
The sounds of the waves.
The chirps of the birds.
The cool breeze of the wind.
The smell of the sea.
The light beeeze.
A little bit of sand on your body.
The ambience of it all.
The yoga session was simple. Geared towards the intermediate yoga level. Letting your body move and flow with your breath. Letting your mind settle. Letting life set aside while you unwind. Such a blissful time as you allow yourself to get into that sacred shared space of mind, body and spirit. I definitely think the ocean setting helps me to reach that space quickly.
Focusing on the views. Allow my sit bones to sink into the earth. Rising with strength. Lengthening my body. Leveraging my breath. It was all peaceful and fun in such a weird way. The instructor’s voice even had a calming tone. I felt like I had reached such a meditative state.
The ending is always my favorite part of yoga class . The zen moment of reflection. Each instructor always has a different spin or take on it. Today was a one word closing, gratitude. I always like what the instructor gives for thoughts regarding the closure. Almost like a prompt to write about in your mind. Today was all about gratitude. One word. Keep it simple.
The reflection.
What does gratitude mean to you.
In this moment.
The quiet pause.
The simple breeze.
The feeling of freedom.
The moments of reflection.
Close your eyes.
Drift.
Breathe.
Enjoy.
That’s what I did. That’s what I will do again tomorrow. I am greatful for the opportunity to wake again and repeat. Yoga is great way to physically stretch your body but also your mind.
I don’t even know where the time has gone. I can’t believe that I’m writing that I enjoy the running now. I look forward to it in a way. Whether I’m tired or not doesn’t matter. I’m enjoying the challenge. The thrill of a race. The anticipation of can I do it. Of course how long can I go with my two feet. It’s definitely exciting and I’m so glad I decided to document the process as I’m having a blast looking back. Even a week ago seems like 5 years. Heck I even enjoy the air runner now.
Three solid months of running and overall fitness. Funny my annual physical was this month as a coincidence. This means I get to see how I fare with the good old doctor. Such an important life step as you age. Making sure the girls (boobs) are healthy. No bad cholesterol. Blood pressure and other vitals holding firm. The whole dog and pony show. I passed with flying colors. Yeah me!
The first day of the month I almost didn’t run. It was the first week of the CrossFit open and my body was worn out. Then on a whim I ran a mile at 5pm. 3 months ago I wouldn’t have consider that an option. Today it seems like a necessity. Crazy! I had a great week leading up to week two of the CrossFit open and my DEKA competition. I felt physically strong and healthy. Then the curve ball hit.
First injury was logged on 3/7/24 after CrossFit open workout 24.2 around 7pm. A bad landing on a double under was all it took to jack up my left Achilles, calf and knee. A trip to the hot tub didn’t help. KT tape eased the pain but the injury was still there. Leg sleeves. Ice. Rest day by force. Not a happy girl on this day before a big competition. Limited mobility for a big run, lunges, burpees and high box step overs is not good. My run cycle was broken at day 26 pissing me off a little more. A let down of sorts. One day before my competition. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. It wouldn’t be so bad if my competition wasn’t with a partner. That way I wouldn’t feel so bad. Life moves on. I will compete broken! At least my colorful KT tape might make me smile a little.
DEKA Fit competition held in Knoxville, TN on March 9, 2024. Less than 48 hours post injury. A few miles to run and continuous stretching of my will for almost a hour. I wasn’t sure I could do it at 8am. What an adventure. A little travel. A few friends. Some hard work. A little running mixed in. A bum leg to fight with. 100 percent adrenaline to finish the event. A good health check on where I stand on my fitness journey since this was a decathlon event with running built in. Nothing beats that live competition. Race or otherwise. I tend to thrive in competitive environments of all kinds, however today was about completing the competition since I was injured. I also had a chance to try light therapy on my injured foot prior to my event which I think helped.
Earning my medal had new meaning as I fought hard to get it. Even beat my anticipated time by a few minutes. My partner was great working with my injury which helped. Again I wasn’t sure I could compete let alone finish. Somehow I finished. Onto to more training as I heal.
Just when my Achilles started feeling better my right knee decides to not cooperate. Then a head cold. Out of commission for four days and I’m not happy. Putting emphasis on stretching and rest while my body mends and while I kick my head cold. Not fun at all. The weather outside is beautiful yet I’m not moving outside like I would normally. The frustration builds. I was more upset that I couldn’t run than my body was injured. What an irony.
Failure seems to be on my mind. I’m failing to do what I want to because my body isn’t cooperating. I want to run. My legs aren’t ready. I want to breathe freely but my sinuses are stuffed. My lips are chapped. My mental strength is dwindling. It sucks to be in a state of blah. If I had a dollar for every time I sneezed this week I’d be rich! 24.3 the last Open workout is on the horizon. I’ve been out of commission all week. I may have to throw in the towel on this one to preserve myself long term. Another let down but maybe the smart choice. Jury is still out on this one.
I put in the effort for 24.3 in the Open. Not my best showing but I showed up. I showed up for me. I walked some in the coming days. I rested more than usual as well. I focused on healing. My mind. My body. My ego. All of it. Being off my routine has taken a toll. My eating is off. My sleep is off. Each day I’m getting closer to 100% but I’m not there yet. I still have a visible injury in my left calf. I’m moving better but my gait is off.
Celebrating milestones was important this month. Passing 100 miles run even after my injury was a quiet celebration for me but yet a big one in my mind. I fought so hard for those last 10 miles. It took many more days than it should have. Again if it was easy everyone would do it. For that reason I celebrate me.
End of month 5k knocked out to check off a box on 3/30. I proved to myself I can do hard things. A little time crunch to catch my flight but I still ran to say I did it. A quick trip to Jamaica for my first out of the country run. A much needed break from reality based on just reading above. My time was 37:49 for the 5k. I didn’t have expectations here since I’m still recovering from my injuries and now allergies. I was excited to see how I progressed in my running in the first 90 miles until I got hurt. Guess my progress will be validated on my next race. A few friends in tow always make it better even if we don’t have the same pace we still cheer for each other for getting out there on race day. Photo ops at the end to celebrate is also a must do.
I somehow slid a 10k Super Mom race into the calendar for May. A little Mother’s Day gift of sorts to myself. Just another training exercise to test me and gauge my progress as I near the halfway point of the year. Also it will mark a larger run for me to see how I hold up. Hoping to squeeze in another race day 5k before May as another health check. I can’t even believe I’m actually doing this and enjoying it. Seems crazy when I reflect back.
While we mention cross training I do most of my training in Nike Metcons. The Free version for 2024 to help with running workouts and air runner intervals on days I don’t want to change into my running shoes. These are also what I compete in. Lifting, box jumps, short runs, rowing, etc. They have been a great shoe for me. Light enough in weight but also enough cushion for short runs. I of course have two pairs in rotation which keeps me happy. Current day these white shoes are much dirtier as they are used 5-6 days a week.
Over 106 miles in 2024 so far.
I got stalled at 90 miles while I battled a tough cold. This nearly broke me!
I didn’t quit yet.
I battled my first injury. Ironically not running.
I had to mentally manage being out of commission with a sickness and injuries.
Let me repeat that. I didn’t quit yet!
I’m growing as a person and loving the challenge and the experience that goes along with it. Enjoying time with fit friends. Milestones. Memories. This journey should show any person they can do hard things and train themselves to be better. Documenting this process has been so gratifying. It’s also an experience I’m sharing with my small group of fit friends and our bond and connection has grown immensely. Another unexpected benefit that I value.
I ran in 3 states. Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida.
Missed my fourth state due to resting from an injury. Guess that makes me a busy girl this month. I’ve also been training with a girl in her 20’s. Just keeping up at my age is another big celebration in my mind. Finding that person to push you is so good for the soul.
My mindset is locked in and focused on improving my running pace, distance and overall fitness. I seem less focused on my one mile time although I like to check in here and there to see we where I am. I seem to like a 5k as short and faster run, although I’m really not fast. I’m building my distance in my training runs focusing on slowing the pace down to endure longer. I might have been a 200 meter girl when I started the year. Now I’d say my comfort zone is a 5k. My pace but nonetheless I’m not bothered by a 5k. I can do it and not be knocked out for the day. That’s yet another celebration.
Best memory so far is really witnessing the rippling effect of my running project. The cascading of others running, supporting and cheering for you as you tackle something big.
Worst memory so far has got to be my first non running injury and cold at once.
Shoes update: loving my Brooks. No plans to change, just add shoes in rotation as the mileage builds.
Weather changes means more daylight. More pollen. Warmer days to run outside. Less rain. No gloves needed. Just a new climate to train in I suppose.
I thought I’d add an equipment tidbit this month. I have already mentioned the importance of shoe quality and the running vest. Now I’m going to talk about a stopwatch/interval counter. The reminder to run/walk at preset intervals to not lose sight of pace and goals. Such a great tool while training on longer runs. This is critical for somebody liek me with attention issues. A beep or vibration that doesn’t drain your music battery or cellular service. The most helpful and easy 5 mile run I did on my first usage. Highly recommend.
Balancing life is getting harder. Work travel. Busy events schedule. Personal travel. Fit adventure travels. Eating on the go. Busy season is here, but I can run anywhere which is great. Balancing the run and the travel. Just making the time and doing the work.
I’m currently getting ready for my next CrossFit Competition in April. The Festivus Games. A trio of three working hard to compete against others. None of us are extreme athletes yet all of us are committed to being the best version of ourselves in the competition. Lots of training on the front end for certain movements while keeping up with miles to run. Again to keep up with my strength training vs solely running. Another health check of sorts to see where I am on my fit journey. A little benchmark. No running in this competition but I can see if 100 days of running or so has helped my cardiovascular fitness and/or endurance. Fingers crossed!
As I move into April, I’m looking to increase my weekly mileage in preparation for longer races. That 10k is just around the corner. Making sure I can keep my focus for the duration. I’m going to have to find tasks to practice on the keep my attention for six hours while taxing my body to its limits in a marathon this fall. Little by little I’m working toward my running goal. How many miles will I achieve this year?
300 miles?
500 miles?
700 miles?
more?
Guess you have to follow me for a few more months to find out the ending of my story. Or maybe it’s just the beginning of something bigger.
My goals this year have me embracing the idea of a racecation…seeing the country (and maybe the world) by traveling to great races all over.
The first installment of racecations took me to Little Rock, Arkansas for the Little Rock Half Marathon. I had several firsts on this trip…first half marathon in 5 years (and second half ever!). First time in the state of Arkansas. First half marathon of my racecation series. And to make it extra special, my oldest daughter ran her first half marathon with me, along with her long time best friend (who also ran her first!)
It may seem like a random race to travel to, but once we figured out that my daughter’s friend could make it work (she lives not far from Little Rock), it all came together. I had earmarked this race because it was rated high based on crowd support, organization, fun, a not-super-hellish course, cool medals / swag, and a generous time limit. I am definitely a “back of the pack” runner by most standards, and freaking out about being taken off the course for moving too slow is something I don’t want to worry about.
I’ll be writing about several races this year, so I’ll focus on the highlights of each:
This race has a different theme each year. The current theme is dinosaurs which was a little funny, but I loved how the expo and all the local neighborhoods embraced the theme with enthusiasm. People ran in dinosaur costumes. Some of the pacers were dressed as Flintstones. The medal, known for being exceptionally large and heavy, was a sparkly triceratops. Easily a favorite.
There were great groups and signs along the way. Even a lipstick stop at the end where a well-known sorority was handing out lipsticks to make sure your finish was picture-perfect. The course was relatively flat. I loved running over the bridge, which also allowed us to cheer for the faster runners and wheelchair racers who were on their way back over as we made our way across.
I have been training with the Galloway run-walk-run method. The group of people running near me were in the same vein. It was pretty cool to hear a chorus of beeps and bells throughout the run and see people of all shapes and sizes getting their run on. I felt like I was in the right place. The weather was awesome, cool but not cold.
I had a great race and loved being congratulated by my daughter and her BFF at the end. They enjoyed their time together…it’s fun to see the two of them as girls who enjoy taking on adventures and challenges together too. Fit and adventurous friends are the best! Such great memories.
The only downside to this race was actually the town. Little Rock didn’t seem to have too much to do. There were hikes and caves and outdoor sports, but we couldn’t really take advantage of those since we were saving our strength for the race. We did enjoy Arkansas cheese dip after the event and an ice cream flight. I would 100% run this race again! Next stop: Disney!
Month 2 is complete and I’m still reaching for new milestones. I can’t even explain how excited I am about how far I’ve come in such a short time. First in-person race completed. The Hot Chocolate 5k on 2/4/24. This seems like a lifetime ago to me and why I am so glad to have this blog to reflect on. Rain and wind in the forecast but warmer than it’s been lately. I guess it wouldn’t be exciting without battling the elements. Just one week after my virtual 5k. I originally signed up for the cool swag bag and to run with friends well before I set a running goal for 2024, but it definitely puts miles in the log book and gives me another 5k time to catalog. Great start to the month and I’m content running a 5k currently as a race day event while I still focus on my 1 mile time and just improve my running overall. Longer distance races can come in time, when I feel I’m ready and my body is prepared. 20 gym pals teamed up for this run which made it so much fun! Too many pictures to post here but so many memories. Lots of celebrating at the end and maybe some great hot chocolate.
My 5k time was 37:37 on 2/4/24. I almost forgot how slow the start of a race is with all the people and the weaving you have to do to get around the swarm of people at the start area. Definitely wasn’t a straight line to mile 1. Bloody lady after a face plant before mile one was sad. An ambulance, fire truck and police car dodging runners at a cross street. Me being one of them was new for a race day. Just a day in the city on race day I suppose. So much fun with a group of friends and a repeat from 2020 for a handful of the same people. Chocolate at the end to celebrate. Can’t complain about that. Definitely cold before and after but hot during the actual race. Cute purple skirt for a little flair, a little glitter on the face to sparkle, and a great play list to go go go. Great Sunday run-day was had by all. Ready for the next one.
Maybe I’ll work my way up to 10k or 4 miler on race day, but for month two we are sticking with the 5k and hoping to build up to that half marathon I signed up for in November 2024 with a few friends. This month I will also be faced with a new challenge. Training for the DEKA Fit competition in Knoxville, TN in early March. This is a unique competition with 10 fitness segments with running built into it. A 5k will be completed in conjunction with the 10 fitness segments. Luckily I will have a partner to divvy out the work with but this will be another test of my running and overall conditioning. More to follow on this next month. Lots of interval training this month with a few longer runs built in.
My 1 mile pace was 9:57 on 2/6/24 on the air runner. Hard to believe but no outside elements I suppose.
I ran in just one state.
I ran 19 days in a row. This seems so crazy to me because never would I ever have expected to be this consistent when I started.
I ran over 40 miles this month. A goal I scribbled on my calendar that seems like a stretch was now a reality. I did it!
I’m at a year-to-date total of 76 miles.
I did my first longer run (4.5 miles) in a vest with water. That was new and took some getting used to. The sloshing of water was definitely a new distraction.
I ran intervals with friends a few times a week and really enjoyed settling into a rhythm. I feel like my breathing and pacing is improving. Run at an easy pace. Run for longer, slower. Simple concept. Harder to apply when you live the fastest girl in town lifestyle. Walk without dropping my heart rate too much in between intervals. I felt like I could endure for a while. I didn’t test my theory for maxing out, but maybe I will in the coming months. This seems like a good approach for me when tackling large mile runs and most likely my game plan for my big races. Continuing to work on my strength in cross training as well. Added a few sprints at the end some days too. I can definitely feel a change in my endurance now that I’ve been running more. Shoulders are thinning out a bit from the running, but I’ll never have the runner physique.
I also focused my training on 500-meter segments to better prepare for my competition next month as well as improve my run times by focusing on interval training in a 500-meter distance chunk. Then fatiguing myself with weight bearing exercises and continuing with the run/work scenario. Slightly different form of intervals that were noted above with a run/walk scheme. Just a little training shift this month I suppose. Still progress no matter which way you look at it. Every step is forward no matter which way you look at it. Unless I’m doing backwards lunges which I loathe.
This is my birth month. 52 wise/wise ass years behind me. I was aiming to hit 52 miles by my birthday this year as a mini-milestone. I was already pleasantly surprised I went over 30 miles last month which meant I was over half way to 52. I ended up with 67.75 miles by my birthday. I actually hit 52 miles on 2/12/24 and I was over the moon excited. I was definitely pumped and felt so much accomplishment just to get here, let alone achieve the goal early. So much encouragement along the way. My fit friends texting or getting together to run. My pal who gives me motivation notes to view for each mile I complete. The list goes on. I am truly one lucky girl just having the ability to run. I know some pals who would love to run but can’t for one reason or another. For that reason, I’m motivated to move because I can.
Self-discipline is something worth writing about. Not everyone has it engrained in their soul. I can’t do this subject justice exclusively in this post, but many work at it. Some need more of a checklist to stay on track. I’m definitely self-motivated. I work and rework my plan and offer myself rewards for efforts. I celebrate milestones and I try hard not to compare myself to others. My journey is unique to me. Keeping the focus on what I can control keeps me disciplined. I can always help others. I can show others how I stay on track. What I can’t do is the work for others. That’s the difference. A self-disciplined person can work hard solo. To improve themselves. No strings attached. No comparison needed. They can make the finish line without something or someone pushing them over the line.
Another footnote for this month is I’m officially signed up for my first full marathon in Savannah, GA in November 2024. 6 friends participating along side me and a few more thinking about it. Different paces but a common goal of completing the marathon. Not too far away and the same month I have a half marathon so hopefully my body can withstand both. I guess my half marathon is now my training run for the marathon. Here we are month two into my running project and I’m signed up for my first marathon. What’s next? Here’s to making memories and achieving milestones. One step at a time.
And for those who want to know why, it’s because I can and I have the will to tackle the challenge. I’ve never set my mind to running thus running 2024 was a good goal for me to take on. Time will tell how I fared. How my overall fitness was impacted. I have hope that I can endure the grueling 26.2 miles and earn my medal. Maybe I’ll make it two marathons to hit 52 miles for my year of 52.
Since I’ve now signed up for a few races my medal rack seems a little crowded. Retail therapy to the rescue. I now have a 2024 race bib display and medal rack mounted and waiting for each and every bib and medal I earn this year. It’s gonna be a great year of running. It’s gonna be fun to flip back throught the medals and bibs at year end to reflect on my accomplishments. I can feel the success in my soul/sole already. I’m doodling on the back of each bib with my race time and splits to see how I improve in time. A fun data point to look back on in the years ahead.
The end of February also marks the start of the CrossFit Open. An annual event that I partake in. Year 8 for me. Some years are better than others but I put my best foot forward each time. 3 weeks of testing my strength in the CrossFit world while balancing running and training for the DEKA Fit competition. Never a dull moment over here. Moving. Training. Writing. That’s my agenda for the immediate future. And for curious minds, I work full time. This means I train at 6am, nights, lunch breaks, weekends and whenever my schedule allows. The balance is also part of the challenge this year.
Balancing strength training, work, family, paddle sports and running isn’t for the weak at heart. That’s for sure. Almost forgot to mention I’m eating clean to make sure my body is fueled to endure the demands I’m putting on my body. On top of that I’m making sure to take time to get a massage and pedicure at regular intervals to keep everything in sync. I’m also not forgetting to spend time stretching. A very important step to continuing to build those miles. Busy life.
Stay tuned for what’s lurking at the end of the first quarter.
2 Chicks and a blog 