Okay, I gotta do something. I have seriously been one the laziest people I know for the past four months. For the past three years I have had the pregnant/nursing/new mom excuses, but now that sweet Lil is 15 months old (already?!?!?), I really can't justify that anymore. So it's time to find my inner-runner... the one who used to crave the pavement, live for the long runs, and not hesitate when signing up for a race. She's in there somewhere I'm sure.
My friend and fellow blogger, Jan, has become quite the runner herself over the past two years. She was inspired by a blogger she reads frequently and followed suit by committing to doing 13 races in 2013. I guess I'm just one more to jump on the bandwagon and join this revolution. I figure it can't be too terribly hard. I mean, even last year when I actually was a new mom I still managed this list:
Plus, I considered, but didn't sign up for, the Sharks on the Run 5K right here in the neighborhood and the Reindeer Ramble 5K. If I just commit to repeating that list, it covers half of them already. And here are some other ones that I'd consider:
I'm sure there will be a few other 5K's that pop up here and there, and those are easy add-on's to meet this goal. But dare I say that maybe in the fall one of these will happen:
Yikes. Throwing around that M-word again leaves me a bit nervous, but I figure that I've done it before, so surely I can do it again, right? And if you notice, I'm not even considering one of those until the fall considering this lady needs plenty of time to get back into that state of mind. But it's a definite possibility... we shall see.
So cheers to finding my passion for running again in the new year! And cheers to 13 in '13! Who's in?
Those words have been fueling my husband now for over two years. Yes, you read that correctly... this dream has literally been brewing for years- the dream of accomplishing the Ironman- a 2 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run... all in under 17 hours. It's quite the undertaking. In fact, there have been people who have finished this race in 17 hours and 30 seconds and they don't get the title... could you imagine the heartbreak? And there are many who don't finish, sometimes due to poor training, lack of nutrition or hydration, mental breakdown, or even bad luck. We've seen many of those scenarios in our own family, as well as experiencing the sweet taste of victory, and we couldn't wait to have one more Ironman in the family. Thankfully, after this trip, that dream came true for my husband. And before you read the race-day recap, you might want to clear some time because it will be lengthy... but I wanted to include every detail because I never want to forget it.
This past weekend our family packed up the car and made the drive to Panama City Beach for the Ironman Florida event. The fact that we were even registered for it was a miracle in itself after our Ironman Louisville debacle, but as with anything else this family does, we were not going to quit until we acheived what we set out to do. Besides, sometimes you have to help make the miracle happen.
The first couple of days of the trip were just spent relaxing beach-side. Jake decided (after much convincing) that he loved the ocean, but Lil was not a fan. Josh's dad and our friend Austin made the trip with us, so we had extra hands to help with the kids, which was awesome. We had a couple of great seafood dinners, but mostly stayed close to our condo as it was right on the beach. I spent most of my time on the balcony as kids napped... it was blissful.
The day leading up to the race involved much preparation, filling transition bags, dropping his bike off, etc. I'm used to half and full marathons where you get to just show up on race day, but this takes pre-race requirements to a whole new level!
On race day, Josh, Austin, and myself were all up bright and early, heading to the start line around 5:30 am. Austin took care of fighting traffic and parking while I stayed with Josh as he got his special needs bags turned in and got his body markings taken care of. Austin found us and we headed over to the beach. It was still dark out, the sand very cold on our feet, but the stars were out and there was a buzz in the air. There is nothing more energizing than a start line of a race. I love that atmosphere with every fiber of my body.
It did not take long for the crowds of people to come filing out... spectator and athletes lined the shore until it was almost time to start. As the sky lightened, we noticed that the water was much choppier than it had been the morning before and that they would be in for quite a swim. I am not sure who was more nervous- Josh or myself- but if he was then he certainly did not show it. We heard them call the professionals to the start, so we told him good luck and parted ways. We found a spot near the water with a good view of the action and watched as the professionals took off.
Next, someone sang the National Anthem, and then off they went! I think the most intimidating thing about Ironman Florida has got to be the mass swim start. 3,000 athletes all take off at the same time into the ocean! They looked like a school of sting rays with just elbows, heads, and legs breaking the surface. Josh later told us that for the first mile he just got beat up, his goggles knocked off, and felt like it took forever to get past the breaking waves. And then to make matters worse, they all had to get out of the water, run over a timing mat, and do it all over again. I think after lap one that would be difficult to do, but again, this race is all about the battle of the mind.
If you look closely in this one you can see them getting out of the water (left side of the screen) and going back in again. It did not look like fun!
Since we couldn't tell the swimmers apart, we headed to the swim-out chute, where the athletes come out of the water and run toward the bike transition. I love seeing people come out of the water... most of them are smiling and some look really worn out. It was fascinating to me to watch the "peelers"- the volunteers who literally pull wet suits off of the swimmers. Each athlete strips it down to his or her waste and then sits on the ground where a volunteer pulls it the rest of the way off. It was crazy and I know those volunteers got a good arm workout that morning! In the video below, they are the volunteers in the yellow shirts, but I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it in action. Thankfully I was able to find Josh, exactly at the time he had estimated to finish the swim, smiling as he made his way out of the Atlantic. Leg one- done. Only 138.2 miles to go.
The only downside of the Florida course is that there are not many great places to see the triathletes on the bike course. At the Louisville event we found a spot where they'd pass twice, but the race guide for this event advised not to even try. Considering that he was on the bike for seven hours, this was a long gap for us. Plus, I felt a little bit guilty about relaxing in the condo watching movies with the kids while my husband was traveling 112 miles on a bicycle! Josh's dad and Austin did explore a bit and saw him pass by at around mile 70, so that was great!
We wanted to get back down to the transition area to see him come in on the bike and out on the run, but they got stuck in traffic (due to the race) for about 40 minutes on the way back. The craziest part about being in the condo during this time was that I actually watched the winner cross the finish line while Josh was still on the bike! This guy broke a course record for the bike, completing it in 4:04 (roughly averaging 28 mph on a bike!) and completed the entire course in 8:07 and some change. I am in awe of that athleticism and endurance! Just amazing.
Once we knew that Josh was out on the run (thanks to the live tracker on the Ironman website and an app on my phone), we packed up the kiddos and headed to a spot on the course where we'd see him at mile 3, 10, and 16. It took about 3 minutes for Jake to find a big dirt-hole to play in and Lil was content in the stroller as long as she could shake the cow-bell (because you always need more cowbell, right?). We cheered on the participants we didn't know, calling them out by name as we read their bib numbers and trying to give smiles and encouragement where we could. About 15 minutes after getting there, Josh came by and stopped to chat for a minute. He told us his legs were starting to lock up a bit, but he still felt hydrated and in a good place mentally. We gave some more encouragement and off he went again!
And this is where our spectating got a little rocky. After waiting all day, Jake did not understand why his daddy only stuck around for five minutes. He cried when Josh left and then Lilly cried because Jake was crying. I took her out of the stroller and strapped her onto my back, fished out some bubbles for Jake and everyone calmed down a bit. Well, for about five minutes. Jake then started dumping the bubbles on his already filthy shorts and Lilly started throwing herself backwards in the carrier. It was clear that they weren't up for the long haul. Thankfully my father-in-law took them to the condo while I waited around for lap two. We still had a long day ahead of us.
When Josh passed by again, I almost missed him, but thankfully he saw me. It was starting to get dark and everyone started looking alike. Since I was by myself at this time and his legs would cramp if he stood in one place, I ended up walking next to him for about a mile as he filled me in on how he was doing. What I will say is that he still had his wits about him, which was impressive at that point. I've only run a marathon in comparison, and even in that 5 hour stretch I found myself in some very dark places, but he still seemed confident and upbeat. Even so, we knew that he still had another lap to go and just like the swim, it's very tough mentally to pass by the finish and have to keep going. I left him around mile 12 and told him I'd see him again at mile 15. During this time I had Austin deliver my running shoes to me and pick up the camera bag and chair I had abandoned at my last spectating post. I seriously could not have supported Josh to this capacity if it hadn't been for him and Josh's dad. They were amazing... supporting me as I supported him.
When Josh came back around and saw me again, he was running! At this point, any forward movement was impressive, but I was so proud to see him moving at that pace! I again wanted an update but did not want to make him stop, so I just started running next to him. It was dark out and I figured that nobody would even notice that I wasn't an official competitor, and this allowed me to see how he was feeling without slowing him down. His quads were cramping pretty badly at this point, so he was running as far as he could and then walking when he needed to, still averaging 12 minute miles, even with the walking mixed in. I could tell that he was to the point that he just wanted to get it over with, but he did not complain. He did mention that he could hear people finishing when he made the turn and I know that had to be frustrating... especially with 13 miles still left to do. It was kind of crazy at that point to be amongst the runners that were all fighting their mental battles. Most everyone around us was doing a run/walk mix by this point, and several of them were encouraging each other as they passed. I love the comraderie on a race course, and every one of them needed that from everyone else. It was pretty awesome. When we got to a road that I knew was close to our condo he told me that he had it from there and that he'd see me at the finish. We parted ways again and I headed back to round up the troops and head to the finish line. I certainly did not want to miss that!
If you have ever been at the finish line of a half or full marathon, you know that the energy is amazing. This, I have to say, was just like that but on steroids! I think my favorite part about this race was seeing people who did not have anything left in the tank suddenly find a reserve of energy and sprint to the finish. Many cried, several jumped for joy, a lot of them kissed and hugged their families who were on the sidelines, and one man even did a cart-wheel. Josh, in true Josh fashion, was no exception of course. After running over and dishing out kisses and hugs, he leapt over that finish line, screaming for joy at the top of his lungs. And hearing that announcer finally say, "Joshua Mauney, YOU are an Ironman!" was a long-awaited, sweet reward.
Um... do you think he was just a tad bit excited based on this finish???
I can honestly say that even though I was not a participant in the race itself, the entire day and that moment in particular was one of the coolest experiences of my life. A lot of people do not realize the time and money that goes into preparing for one of these things... Josh's training was literally like another full-time job and then you have to add in the race fees, gear, equipment, and nutrition that you have to purchase to make this happen. Plus, in this case, there were travel expenses as well. After all was said and done, however, I think we'd all say it was worth it. Josh is the man in my life who always encourages me to go for my dreams and always inspires me to do more. So many people in this world are just one "yes you can" away from pursuing their dreams and I am thankful that I could be that for him, since he is that person for me. I may not have gotten a medal, but I sure feel the same satisfaction that he does for this accomplishment. It was a big day for this family and I could not possibly be more proud.
Now that it's over our crazy family is already looking toward what's next. Although he's trying to convince me that it's my turn, I was somewhat relieved to see that Ironman Florida 2013 sold out in less than a minute and I'll have to miss out next year (oh darn!). But now that he gets to actually just work out for fun again, I think we'll probably find a few events to put on our calendar next year and maybe even do some of them together. I'll never say never, but what I will say is definitely not any time soon. I have a whole new respect for what it takes to accomplish this race and will let this Ironman enjoy his glory for awhile.
I know this post was long enough as it is, but if you want to read his take on the day, you can find it on his blog (here)! I also hope to post the (much better) photos from my nice camera (these are all iPhone photos) as soon as my card reader decides to work again!
I copied this list from my friend Jan over at Running on Fumes who copied it from Carrie at Family Fitness Food. I don't think the original author realized that she had created a questionnaire of sorts, but I'm all out of things to blog about this week, so I thought I'd blog about one of my favorite (although abandoned here recently) past times).
My favorite running:
1. Fuel: I'm probably the wrong person to give nutrition advice as I only use it on super-long runs (20+ miles). If I'm on my own, I prefer Sport Beans (yum!) but if I'm on a race course I look for the banana-station. I had a piece of Nestle Crunch bar at about mile 22 of a marathon once and thought I was going to throw up... not such a great idea. I also grabbed an icee-pop from a random spectator during the Flying Pig Half this year and that was pretty awesome.
2. Race Length: 5k, 10k, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon, Ultra or Other? I did my first 10K this summer and loved it. I'm not fast enough to place well in a 5K and have a long way to go before I can do anything spectacular in a 1/2 or full marathon. In a 10K, I feel like I can compete, although for me that just means beating my own personal records. I like to compete with myself.
3. Workout Bottoms: Capri running tights are my favorite, but I dress for the weather.
4. Sports Drink: I'll grab the Gatorade on a race course, but if I'm on a training run it's usually just water. I also alternate sports drinks and water during a race... too much Gatorade-type stuff makes my belly hurt.
5. Running Temperatures: HEAT or COLD? Probably heat. Maybe that's because the bulk of my marathon training in the course of my life has been done in South Florida... in the summer.
6. Running Shoe Brands: Asics or Nike, although I should probably go to the running store here and get my feet looked at again. If you're going to start adding major mileage, getting your foot fitted to the right shoe is key.
7. Pre-race meal: A half a bagel with peanut butter, a banana (if it's a half-marathon or more), and coffee. If you're a coffee drinker, do not skip it on race day!
8. Rest Days: I firmly believe in rest days. Not just because they're good for recovery, but because sometimes I'd just rather sit on the couch.
9. Music: I've always trained with someone until now, so I'm adjusting to running with headphones. I spend most of my time changing the song though so I get really frustrated very fast. I was recently told about the website RockMyRun and think I will be downloading some mixes in the very near future!
10. #1 reason for running: It's my escape... sure, it's tough sometimes and some days your body just doesn't cooperate the way you wish it would, but my best thinking time can be done on the open road, especially now that I have kids. Now if I could just find some time to have it in my routine again, I'd be all set! Hopefully doing this questionnaire will give me some motivation to get back out there.
For an entire year we've looked forward to this. For an entire year I've watched him spend countless hours training, giving up his mornings, evenings, and weekends to swim, bike, or run. For an entire year he has read numerous books by experts in endurance racing. And to prepare for an IronMan properly, you really do need that entire year... how else could you ever prepare to complete a 2.1 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run (all in a row!) under 17 hours??
Look closely... swimmers in the distance
On the spectating end, my sisters and I hit the road before six to make the trip over to Louisville and see the start. I had been fighting off strep throat and even that could not keep me away from being out there all day to cheer on my favorite guy, as well as a few others we knew participating. We were wearing matching t-shirts that we designed for this special day and had a car full of snacks and signs to encourage the athletes. We arrived, parked, and got there in time to see the competitors jump off the docks and into the Ohio River and watched as they swam downstream, like tiny little buoys all in a line. And then we walked over to the first transition area and celebrated with the masses as they came out of the water, sometimes one-by-one and at times in droves, some smiling and cheering, others not looking so happy to be there. And then up and out came Josh, looking like a ball of energy, an ear-to-ear grin plastered on his face... as if the 2-mile swim had been a walk in the park.
Us girls piled back in the car and headed east to Oldham County High School, which ended up being such a great place to watch the bikers zoom by! We found a shady driveway and set up camp right across the street from a water/nutrition station, which would allow us to see them come by at around mile 35 and 65. Bikers typically slow down to pick up what they need from the volunteers at these stations, so it made it a little easier to spot our athletes from down the road. We knew approximately what time to expect them all, so as those times drew near we'd really focus and pay attention to who was riding by, trying to remember what color their bikes, helmets, and shirts were. It may sound crazy, but it was seriously mentally draining to search for the four riders we knew amongs the thousands out there! Three out of four of them passed us on loop one looking strong. In fact, Josh was enjoying his day so much that he even stopped and chatted with us for a few minutes, letting us know that he was feeling strong and pacing himself before zooming off again. Our fourth rider, already a two-time IronMan, was not feeling like he could go the full distance this time around and decided to stop and spectate with us for the rest of the day instead of making himself miserable (and potentially sick) to see how far he could get. I think it takes a lot of guts to make that decision and we are all proud of him for being humble enough to listen to his body. We had a view of a medic tent not too far from us and we saw many that apparently did not do this and ended up with IV's in their arms after overheating and dehydrating. The event is gruelling to say the least, and the 90+ degree heat did not help.
After a couple of hours (yes hours!) we estimated that it was time to see our three riders again. The first came by as expected, then the second, and I knew that Josh should be about twenty minutes behind him. So we waited and watched... and waited and watched... and waited... and waited. I had my sister check her phone to see if any new times at check-points had been posted but she had nothing to offer. I tried not to get nervous as another twenty, then thirty, then forty minutes passed. At one point the entire group even swore we saw him come up the road, pull over, get off his bike, and our guess was that he was using the port-a-potty. Then two of us were pretty sure we saw him walking around without his helmet on... near the medic tent. I ran over there to check on "him" and this mysterious look-a-like was nowhere to be found! Feeling even more nervous by then, I joined the rest of the group and was relieved when they started pointing at someone coming down the road. I turned around and to my relief he was coming up the road, flashing a number two with his fingers. He pulled over just to quickly tell us that he had already changed two flats due to tacks in the road. Apparently (according to the stories he heard as he changed his tires) some locals did not like that they closed the roads for the day and came by throwing tacks to pop the tires of the bikers- and Josh fell victim twice in 100 yards. If you've ever done any kind of distance race or changed a bike tube for that matter (which is a challenge in itself), you know that mentally this could completely derail you. I was pretty impressed to see that even though he was clearly frustrated, he was still in pretty good spirits and determined to push through. We watched him ride away and were all completely stunned by what had happened- who would ever do something like that? Actually, who would ever even come up with something like that? I didn't know whether I was outraged, sad, mad, or disgusted, but my heart hurt for Josh. More than that, I was so proud that he had kept going. Feeling a little deflated ourselves (and being tired and hot didn't help), we packed up the car and headed back down to the river for the next transition.
After a sandwich and a bathroom break at Subway, the group perked up again and we all headed back out to start watching for our racers come in on their bikes. Friends of ours from Lexington had called to say that they were there and I left the others and went to meet up with them for a few, telling them about the day so far, talking about how awesome the whole event was, and cheering on the bikers that we didn't know as they came by. And then my phone rang and a Louisville number showed up on my screen. I don't think I expected it to be Josh, but that's who I heard on the other end, telling me that he was out of the race after snapping a shifter cable, probably due to it weakening during the multiple tire changes. I seriously could not believe it- still can't two days later- and tried to hold it together, letting him know that I was proud of him and would be waiting for him at the transition area while he caught a shuttle back. I then spent the next twenty minutes calling all of our friends from Lexington who had been planning to come down for the finish as well as the families watching our children, letting them know the news. We saw our other two racers come through and I mustered up a little bit of enthusiasm as they passed by. Then we just sat and waited.
It was almost another hour before Josh met up with us again, and once he was with us we got more of the story. He said that in about a 50 yard stretch, there were about 25 bikers changing flats. The tacks were not just tiny thumb-tacks, but large enough to also take out three sherriff cars and an ambulance, which had someone in it. When his blew the second time, the man next to him had his blow at the same time, lost control, ran off the road, flipped and broke his collar bone... so I consider us lucky. Josh rode back in a shuttle full of mostly dehyrdrated athletes on IV's, and one other victim of bike issues, but he was out after his fourth flat tire due to the tacks! It was just unlucky.
I have to hand it to Josh... he was clearly disappointed and even admitted to throwing himself a little pity party before coming back and joining the group, but he wanted to walk over to the finish with us, grab some dinner, and hang out a little before heading back. He told us stories from his day and even said that the Louisville police officers were fantastic, offering up apologies and telling him that they hoped this did not reflect on the entire city's attitude toward the triathletes and really hoped he'd come participate again next year. Something tells me the cops are a little more interested in who did this now that many of their own were affected as well! We didn't stay to see our other two guys finish since we had two little ones to get home to, but we did receive a text message around 11pm that they were both now IronMen!
So our day didn't go quite the way we had planned, but that really is the beauty of this race. Whether it's a story of triumph, defeat, or in our case, disappointment due to circumstances out of our control, the course and the race takes on a life of its own. Every athlete at the end of the day has a story to tell, and all are distinctly different. We saw some finishers walking around downtown smiling proudly with their medals around their necks and others being held up by friends, barely able to walk. We watched a woman sob on the neck of a volunteer after she crossed the line, a man jump across wearing a superman cape,and others who practically collapsed after finishing. I knew going in that it would be an emotional day, but had no idea it would translate into what it did, but that's our unique story this time around. There will be another one down the road whether it's in a month or a year, and my husband will earn that medal that will hang around his neck. But to me, he's already an IronMan, and I could not be more proud.
And not that any of the tack-throwers are reading this, but I just want to clarify something. A triathlete, or any endurance athlete for that matter, and especially those tackling a challenge this big, are a special kind of people. Sure we spend thousands of dollars and give up sleep and time with family to have the right equipment, travel to events, and train properly, but that's only a tiny part of it for us. What you don't understand is that there is a really special spirit of victory that lives within us- one that won't give up no matter what the odds, one that keeps fighting after we're knocked down. Yes, you ruined our race this time around, but it won't stop us from getting back out there and trying again. It's an unfair thing that happened, but even more upsetting is how dangerous something like this is- those tacks nearly killed at least one man, and it's not just a harmless prank at that point. I honestly just feel sorry for whoever would do this as they obviously do not understand the potential danger that they cause and hope that the race officials can figure out a way to deter this behavior in the future. But at the end of the day, we're fighters and we bounce back. If anything, you've just fanned the fire of a future IronMan, and his day will be even sweeter when it comes.
For Josh's take on the race, you can check out his blog post here and for more information about the IronMan Louisville incidents, it's showing up on several message boards if you just do a Google search, and keep in mind that all kinds of crazy opinions are posted on a message board!
A few weeks ago we officially kicked off "Race Season" with the Keeneland Half Marathon Relay (which you can read about here). Racing used to be a huge part of Josh's and my lives, particularly at the point in our lives when we met. I was much more into running than he was, but he started signing up for races with me so that we could spend some more time together. His passion has always been cycling, so as his running increased, so did his interest in triathlons. And then we had kids... and putting in the time and commitment to train for these things got a little more difficult!
To say that we're excited to be back in the swing of things is an understatement. With all of our focus going into our family and our church plant over these past few years, it's nice to get back to doing things just for us- the things we love most. And there are very few things that I love more than a race day. When we're missing on a weekend (although we're back for church on Sunday of course!) chances are you can find one of us up ridiculously early and out on a course somewhere.
Like two weeks ago... Josh ran the Music City Marathon in Nashville and the babies and I cheered him on.
It was a ridiculously hot and sunny morning, the course was hilly, and he rocked it! I love watching him race almost as much as I love racing myself. Almost.
And then this past weekend I went up to Cincinatti and ran the Flying Pig Half Marathon with my group of Florida girls, which made for an awesome reunion weekend- complete, of course, with tutus!
I had a friend comment the following day that we're all crazy. She said that she would never understand why a person would want to get up crazy early and willingly run long distances, particularly since we're not being chased by something. And although I couldn't explain it at that moment, I do know that there are countless reasons why I love these events.
I started off this particular race with the girls. I love to encourage people. I love to motivate. And I love to have side-by-side conversations. Sometimes I can hash out my biggest problems or frustrations with a running partner. It's like therapy.
Around mile 5 we cruised through downtown Cincinnati. The streets were lined with people and I thrive on that. I love seeing the faces and hearing the cheers from spectators. I love the little kids who get excited that you high-five them. I love reading the signs- the ones that will make you laugh and the ones that will make you cry. And I love being near someone when they see someone they know along the way and it totally changes them from feeling like they can't do it to knowing that they can.
After that span, I felt pretty good and ended up pulling ahead. I put in my headphones and just ran for awhile, my brain completely thoughtless. My body moved mechanically, because it has done this a thousand times before, and I just ran on autopilot. I love being "in the zone." I love that God created us with bodies that can move like this and accomplish anything that we're willing to put in the work for.
Then, I started to break down. We went uphill for a ridiculously long time. In fact, they say it's the equivalent climb of a 41-story building... so yes, maybe that part was a little crazy. And as I took my very first walk-break, my brain started telling me that I couldn't do it. That I was hot. And my feet and back hurt. That my lungs could not keep up with the oxygen support. That I could fake an injury and not finish or lie and say I waited in a really long port-a-potty line, which made my time so slow. And do you want to know why I love the breakdown? Because at some point, I stare it all down in the face, put one foot in front of the other, and start running again. And whether it's thirty minutes or three minutes before I start walking again, I ultimately overcome those thoughts. And at the end of the day, I cross a finish line.
We joke a lot that I do this for the "bling," as I do love the shiny medal at the end, but it's so much more than that. For me, it's uninterrupted time with my thoughts. It's listening to praise music and lifting my hands in the air to the God who created me, even though I know I look like an insane person to anybody watching. It's thinking about my babies, and how proud they would be of me for finishing. I think about how I want to stay young and healthy enough for them to be around for a long, long time. I reflect on my marriage, on how much I love my husband, and the ups and downs of things. This past weekend came with some trials for us, but after mulling over a lot of it on the race course, I knew that there would be goodness that came from the struggle we encountered. I knew that running out my frustrations would put me in a calm place to talk about our feelings and better understand one another in the long run (which has already happened actually). I think about my Aunt Barbara, whom we lost a few years ago to cancer, and how she would have loved to have been running this race with us. I think about ways that I can do more in this world, serve others better, reach out farther, and make a difference and an impact. The open road has always been kind to me. My best ideas find me there, my solutions to life's problems meet me there, and my most fervent prayers are said and heard there. It's a special place and one that I miss when I'm away from it, an old friend that never lets me down. So it's okay with me if you think I'm crazy because the truth is, I know that I would actually go crazy without it. In fact, I may or may not have already been online looking for the next race... because I know that it will be amazing no matter what the clock says at the finish line.
We have quite a bit on the summer calendar already... feel free to join us if you'd like:
May 12th
- [Josh] Olympic Triathlon (Taylorsville, KY)
June 23rd
- Warrior Dash (Elizabethtown, KY)
July 7th
- [Josh] Half Ironman (Muncie, IN)
August 11th
- Midsummer's Night Run 5K (Lexington, KY)
- [Jake] Fastest Kid in Town (Lexington, KY) - this should go better than last year!
August 26th
- [Josh] Ironman (Louisville, KY) - can't wait for this!
I am sure some 5K's and 10K's will be added throughout the summer, but I'm so excited to see these events on my calendar again. Let me know if you'll be at any of these or if there is something out there that we shouldn't miss!
I know I didn't do a Biggest Loser post this week, but as you can see, I did work out and am still moving in the right direction! And don't forget that the first Mama's Month post will be up tomorrow! I hope you post, too!
It's official... I am back in the game when it comes to running! Yep, yours truly has re-entered the world of road racing, and boy does it feel good! Aside from the Race for the Cure last October, I have not participated in any sort of race since I was pregnant with Jake in 2009. I ran occasionally after he was born, and then was pregnant again before I knew it. After Lilly came along, I took my time getting back into it and then kicked it into high gear over the past ten weeks, ramping up my weekly mileage and starting to feel like me again. When I heard that the Lexington Half Marathon had a four-person relay team option, I thought it might be the perfect way to get my feet wet again.
There are very few things that I love more in this life than a good race day. And knowing that the course was through Keeneland (a horse racing track surrounded by gorgeous horse farms and gardens), I knew it would be a beautiful place to run. But race days are more than that for me. Some people dislike having to bob and weave their way around runners of different paces, but I had forgotten how much I love that. It's like a little game to me, and it gives me something to focus on other than the run. And oh the energy! There is such an excitement at any race that it's almost palpable and this one was no different. Whether it's your first race or your 100th, those butterflies and jitters are still there. But more than anything, my favorite part of any race day is the comradery between all of the participants and the spectators. Since I was part of a relay team, I had to wait at a checkpoint for about 35 minutes until my partner finished the first leg and handed off our timing wristband. But while a group of about 40 of us stood there, we got to watch as the first guy zoomed by, literally sprinting. We all cheered and clapped, proud of this total stranger. Then two more came by and we shouted words of encouragement. Maybe the biggest applause came when about the sixth man ran by- get this- pushing a DOUBLE jogging stroller! Wow. You are my hero, dude. And then of course we got to see the first women come by and that set us all off into a frenzy again. We continued to clap and cheer as the crowd thickened and then I screamed my brains out when I spotted Josh. That would be him in the pink sleeves. Because as you know, real men do wear pink.
I spent the next few minutes looking for my relay partner and somehow spotted her before I did. Yeah, we all wore light blue tee-shirts, which did not stand out in a crowd at all. Something to remedy next year. I grabbed the wristband and off I went, filled to the brim with bound up energy. And even though I knew the course was supposed to be hilly, I think I underestimated what that actually meant. Holy hills, Batman! This course is... in a word... insane. When I would get to the top of one hiull, I could see three more ahead of me, laid out like a roller coaster. The uphills are slow, steady, and brutal. The downhills are wonderful and frequent, but quickly followed by another trek upward. I ran my first two miles much too quickly, averaging a 9:10 pace. By the third mile, I was walking the uphills and running the downhills and flats. And when I finally handed off the wristband to my sister, Angie, I was pretty sure I was done. Josh was at the leg 3 checkpoint waiting on me, having had run legs 1 and 2. One of his relay partners was there, too, so the three of us chatted about our runs and complained about the hills for a few minutes. Both of us had wanted to use this run as our long training run for the week (he's training for the Nashville full this month and I'm training for the Flying Pig Half in May) so after about ten minutes, we decided to set out, at least to the next checkpoint. I had heard that my leg was supposed to have been the hilliest, but leg three was no better. Up and down we went, and one hill in particular went up for what seemed like forever. Josh and I haven't run together since before Jake was born and we had a blast being out there again. He high fived everyone on the course, we blasted music from my iPhone, and at the checkpoint for leg 4, we decided to just go to the entire way. Why the heck not.
This race was perfect for training in a lot of ways. I'm sure you all have heard of "hitting the wall" in a long run. Well, I had forgotten what that was like. And while I didn't go all the way to that dark place on this run, I did stand on the brink of it. I had the moments where my brain started going from "you can do anything" to "you're never going to finish this." I'm not entirely sure how, but I shut it off, zeroed in on the finish, and just kept going. I'm glad I got a taste of that again, just to be reminded of how quickly that mentality can creep up on you. But even more so, I'm glad that I could shut it off this time at least and finish strong.
Which reminds me what else I love about race day: crossing the finish line. There is seriously nothing like it in the world. Running down a chute of people cheering for you, well, is exhilarating to say the least and it felt good to be a runner instead of a spectator again. And getting a medal doesn't hurt either. I am a sucker for good bling.
In the end, I ran about nine and a half miles and Josh ran the full distance, but this was just what I needed to gain my confidence back. I now know that I will be able to finish the full distance in May, even though it probably won't be in record time, which is fine by me. Over these next few weeks I just need to work on pacing myself, not starting out too fast, and finding a sustainable speed for myself.
If you are looking for a beautiful half marathon to run, this is probably it. We passed mansions, vineyards, horse-filled pastures, and barns that probably cost more than any house I will ever live in. If you want a challenging course with plenty of elevation, this would be perfect. But if you're just looking for a run run with your friends, I'd steer clear or recommend the relay option. The course is a true loop with no real way to get to the middle without driving on the course, so there isn't much by way of spectators or entertainment. The water stops were frequent enough, which I appreciated, but aside from the scenery, it's just you, the other runners, and the open road. I did appreciate the three little girls that sat out on a fence rail and cheered everyone on around mile 10. They had made signs for their parents obviously, and then another one that just said, "Go Moms! Go Dads!" I had to smile at that one. Oh yeah, another thing I love about a good race day are the little things like that. And it feels so good to be a part of it again.
So it's official... race season has officially begun and I have no excuses this time around. I am not pregnant, and although I'm nursing, I'm far enough through the process that if my milk supply depletes due to training I'm okay with it. My husband has signed up for a few big races and now my girlfriends from Florida (who I miss dearly!) are all planning a girls' race weekend in May. Pressing the "sign me up" button is proving more difficult than I would have anticipated.
You see, I have this problem. The last race that I ran was Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge a few months before Josh and I got married. For those of you who don't understand how crazy I am in the head, that's a half marathon (13.1 miles) on a Saturday and then a full marathon (26.2 miles) the very next day. I was smart about it and decided to walk most of the half in order to be able to run the full, since that would use some different muscles, and even though I did fall apart from about mile 16-20 in the full, I finished both in a decent time. The point is, I knew I could do it. I wanted to do it, to prove to myself that I could. And if you've ever been with me during a race, you will see a stubborn determined attitude that I don't really display at any other time in my life.
So what's the problem? I realized the other day that my body is not quite connecting to my mind. In my mind I am still that girl. In my mind, I could set my alarm this coming Saturday and go out to run 9 or 10 miles, and even enjoy it! It's something that I was good at the last time I tried, and I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that my body and my brain are disconnected. Since that time in my life I have spent the majority of my time pregnant. As much as it pains me to admit, I'm about ten pounds heavier than I was on that race day. And quite frankly, there is not even a small part of me that has the motivation to get out there again. Because I know in my heart of hearts that it will hurt. And it will not be fun. And I won't be great at it right away. Like I said, failure is not an option, and I have found myself in a place where I am afraid to try because I might fail.
I look back on these past 6 months and realize that this is the only area of my life that I have allowed this attitude to creep in. It's almost comical that I will fret about something as minor as fitness, yet when Josh wanted to move our family three states over to start a church I didn't hesitate. In fact, I proposed that we do it sooner because I felt it was the right time. I was pregnant with our second child knowing full well that there would be three months of very little pay mixed in there. And this was on top of about six months (minimum) of no pay for Josh! We had a house to sell in a market that wasn't moving and yet, the idea of it did not scare me one bit. For the first time in a long time I was nothing but excited.
It's my goal to find that excitement about racing again. I know that it will be hard, as there have been times in these past months that have been challenging. I know it won't be fun, just as being home alone with two babies while Josh works 70 hours isn't always fun. But I know in the end that there will be joy and pride, just as there will be an abundance of that when we launch on February 12th. For all things that are worth it in life, work is involved.
So this morning I got up earlier than I normally would, laced up the (new!) running shoes, and hit the pavement. I started out at what I thought would be a slow pace for me. At about a mile in, I told myself that I only had to make it two. And then I walked the second mile. I tried to remind myself that I'm carrying extra weight, have not really worked out hard for over two years, and am not used to running in the cold, but again, my brain and my body were not connecting. Plus, I was sweating profusely since I have no concept of what to wear in 44 degree weather... I was dressed as if I was heading out to the arctic tundra, which makes sense considering my last real run was in northern Illinois in the winter... so basically the arctic tundra. Everything hurt- my lungs, my throat, my ears, and I kid you not, even my ponytail. But as I rounded the corner into our driveway I was satisfied that I had done it. I put the effort out there, and that's half the battle.
Even through the frustration of it all, I felt at peace. Kids weren't pawing at me, chores couldn't be done, and my Blackberry was still turned off since my workday had not yet started. Nobody needed me and I could just think wonderful, lovely thoughts of my own. I listened to worship music and praised God that I had the ability to do this and (eventually) do it well. And I asked him for a little bit of motivation. And that's when I realized that even when my mind and my body are disconnected, the spirit of that runner is still within me. That spirit is what pulls me through.
I can honestly say that these same struggles apply to my Christian life. My brain tells me that I should go to to church, read my Bible, pray more, and volunteer. But on some Sunday mornings after a long weekend, my body decides to rebel. Or sometimes before bed, I fall asleep while praying because my body is exhausted. Just like everything else, calling yourself a Christian takes work. I don't think people like to hear that, but it's true. For a long time I felt like I was a "bad" Christian because I didn't spring out of bed on a Sunday morning to make sure I had the front row seat. I would read a chapter of my Bible before giving up because I did not understand what it was saying. And probably my worst offense is my inability to sit still long enough to pray to to the God who created me. It sounds silly, but even keeping my eyes closed for three minutes during a prayer seems like work... and that's because it is. But I've come to realize that it's okay, as long as you're doing the work. And God, knowing that we humans have this disconnect, was wise enough (I mean, He is God... of course He thought of everything!) to send down his Holy Spirit- that spirit that lives inside us. And that spirit is always willing... we just need to get our minds and our bodies to stop battling each other and actually listen to it!
Following Jesus is a lot like running (stay with me here). Or working out for that matter. In order to make it a habit, you have to stick with it. You have to train, which takes time and dedication. Eventually your body will function better and you'll be healthier over all because you're taking care of it. The spirit is no different. You have to dust off that Bible and read it, which takes time and dedication. Eventually your spirit will function better and be healthier over all because you're taking care of it. Maybe to be a better runner you have to rid yourself of things that get in the way- junk food, long spells in front of the TV, etc. Well to get your spirit "in shape" you may have to rid yourself of bad influences, addiction, "friends" that pull you down with them. It won't be easy. In fact, at times, it will be downright no fun at all and you'll wonder if it's worth it. But at the end of this run, when we turn the corner and pull into the driveway, there will be a deep satisfaction because you put the effort out there... and that's half the battle. And maybe, just maybe, if we keep up the effort and let the Spirit guide us, this journey will end with this:
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21)
So be encouraged and be blessed in this new year. Pick a goal and stick with it. But most importantly, feed the Spirit, and you will be abundantly blessed in return.
And in 15 weeks when I run that first half-marathon in a very long time, remind me to read my own words, okay? Because a lot of the time, I'm writing them for me, because I need to hear them.
As most of you probably know, one of our favorite past-times in Mauneyland is racing- well, marathons and triathlons mostly. I realized today that I started this blog a little over two years ago and this has never been a topic because I've been on a two-year hiatus due to always being pregnant or nursing! But once upon a time, there was not much that I liked better than a race day. Josh and I have run several together and a few separate and have plans for more in the future.
After the 2009 Disney Marathon
So it was much to our delight that we heard that one of the biggest summer events here is the "Midsummer's Night Run" downtown. The event includes a one-mile family fun run, a 5K, and wait for it...... the Fastest Kid in Town Race...... complete with a division for 1-year-olds! As soon as I heard this, I knew that it was time to introduce our little boy to something that his mom and dad love so much! And then to make it even better, my sister and brother-in-law decided to come down for their night and enter Adam into the race, too! It's one of the perks of having us all living close to each other again!
At first, I think Josh was a little nervous that my competitive streak would come through and I would become some crazed lunatic about this whole thing. However, I was surprisingly okay and just wanted to see Jake have a good time. We went downtown plenty early and got the boys signed up. The best part? They even got official race bibs and numbers... how cute is that???
Our little racer... built for speed!
Adam is ready to go! He even practiced "ready, set, go!" all week.
It was quite hot outside, so by the time race time rolled around, Jake was losing it a little bit. We knew that it could go either way... he was either going to love it, or have a complete meltdown. I stood at the other end of the racing field, which was quite a bit farther than I expected them to have to run! I knew that Jake would never be able to see me from the other end, but at least I was at an angle to take pictures! After the kiddos and their parents were all lined up, we heard "On your marks, get set, go!" and off they went! Well... most of them anyway. Thanks to Adam's training, he set off at a dead sprint (well, for a 1-year-old) and we pretty much thought it was in the bag. About halfway to the finish-line, however, he noticed all of the folks on the sidelines cheering and clapping and became far more interested in clapping and cheering along with them than he was in running any farther! It was incredibly cute (and comical). Jake, on the other hand, took about three steps and just stopped! I started yelling his name as loud as I could, but he just stood there! There was another kid standing back there, too, and I could tell that Josh just couldn't get Jake to move! Finally (after a winner was already determined) he came charging down the field and all was fine and good until he fell. At that point, he was over it! I ran out to try to coax him to the finish, but as soon as he saw me, his arms went straight up and he wanted to be carried the rest of the way. Oh well... I guess our little bruiser wasn't built for speed after all!
Mindy and Adam on the far left, Jake and Daddy STILL standing at the start!
Go, Adam, Go!
Later I did learn that (as I should have expected) our little man was sabotaged. The dad of the kid next to him had a sippy cup, and as soon as Jake spotted it, that's all he could focus on. In retrospect, we should have come prepared with an apple or Goldfish to bribe him with since our kiddo loves to eat so much! Oh well, maybe next time. Josh ended up running the 5K later in the evening (along with many others in our family) and I took the boys home to bed... they were pooped! And let's be honest, so was I just from standing in the hot sun for awhile! The entire event was so much fun though and we're already excited for next year. Aside from the races, there was some other fun that our little man was a big fan of as well:
Wheeeeeeee!!!!
Mmmmm... a cherry sno-cone. Yes, please!
Once our little Lillian comes along, I hope to pick something to train for and get back into the race world again... it's been too long! But I did enjoy being a spectator for once and think that I could get used to doing that more often as well! All I know is that when the race rolls around again next year, we'll be ready! Look out 2-year-olds... here we come!
If you want to see a video of the cuteness, you can check out the post on my sister's blog here.
