Sunday, May 19, 2013

That's a whole lotta running

I spent all day Friday and Saturday in a van with 6 other people, running occasionally. For those of you who have never done a 200-mile overnight relay, it's one of the greatest, craziest, most exhausting things ever. And those are only some of the positives. I participated in my third such event for the last two days. This one was the "easy one" because it wasn't the first and I wasn't doing the longest legs. I still lost it before the third leg for a few minutes but then went out and ran it faster than most would. Thank god for caffeine. I helped us be organized and enthusiastic and still managed to get the requisite hour and a half sleep. And, I may do it again next year, if something better doesn't come along ... like the 2014 Boston Marathon. Can't believe I haven't posted since Marathon Monday, the day that truly changed my world on so many levels. I was 3 blocks away from the second bomb that went off on Boylston Street, where they stopped the runners. Though I am lucky that my running family and friends and I are all safe and sound, every day I find out something new about it and it still makes me angry, frustrated and sad. And that order changes depending on what I learn. What all of this means of course is that I want to run next year. My qualifying time from Chicago 2012 still counts, but I am only 3 1/2 minutes ahead of the required 3:55 so it's possible that too many faster-qualified runners will register before I get a chance. The TIRs have a lottery for the 2 bibs we get and I will try that if I don't get registered on my own. Otherwise, I will work the mile 4 water stop and zoom to the city after and stand right where I did on April 15, 2013 and cheer and shout and take pictures of all those that get to run. And I will be proud to be a runner and a Bostonian. And what do I do with these? I pulled them out of the drawers and cabinets that they have been stashed in since I started seriously running in 2008 and want to do something purposeful with them. Though I am certainly proud of all the accomplishments (some age group winners I had totally forgotten about), the hardware isn't that important to me. If anyone has a suggestion about what I can do with them besides displaying them or making them ornaments, please let me know. And now, it's time to bike. I need to train for the MS Ride which is now just over 6 weeks away ... very scary. No intense running for me between now and then. I am going to try to ride and hour a day minimum 3 days a week, and go hard core on weekends. I am so afraid of getting on the bike on day 2, I don't know how to get over that except get on the bike a lot between now and then. And then, get back to running. Training for Dublin starts in July with the Boilermaker. Boom!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Friends

Busy day on the brain so I am going to get it out. 7 years ago, I started my weight-loss journey which continues today, because keeping the weight off is much harder than losing it. Every day I make conscious choices about what to eat, what to do for activity, and how much rest to get, though the rest part is some times out of my control since the brain takes over in the middle of the night and prevents me from sleeping, so that I can stay healthy and enjoy the best life possible. I am so lucky and I know that, but there are still those days that I don't know how to appreciate it and today is one of those days. I ran this morning with a friend and it was a good run despite the 18" of snow that fell yesterday. Then I came home and actually spent a minute or two on my foam roller while I baked chocolate chip cookies that will be dropped with groceries at another friend's house. When I think about why I am doing this today, it makes me sad. My little friend Sally is fighting for her life every day and she's not even 13 yet and I am just doing something to help her and her family get through today and maybe have some snacks for the next few days. I wish I could do more. Last week, I raised $2000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - another great thing. It was a great party and I had fun and I think everyone who was there did as well. So why isn't it enough today to make me feel good and important and worthy? My 13-year-old is awesome and her teachers and her friends' parents all tell me all the time that she is, and I have to have something to do with that, right? I don't want to take any credit for that though, because it is all her. I think the key to good parenting is letting the kid be the kid. And now it's time to pick up a birthday cake for another friend.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

I am the mother of a teenager

As my daughter left for a movie date with a friend who was wearing more makeup than I did last night on my "big night out", I realized I am a lucky, lucky woman. I don't remember most of my childhood for one reason or another, but I know it wasn't "a happy one" for the most part, and 7th grade especially conjures up all kinds of bad snippets of memory. My girl, on the other hand, has been having a great 7th grade. She brought home her 2nd near perfect report card. She has many friends, often spending no time at home on weekends. I guess I am lucky she is at my house mostly during the week when there is homework to be done and Dance Moms and Switched at Birth to be watched. We have funny conversations sometimes when she is taking a bath ... they are the best. I learn so much about her then. All that said, I know there will be a moment in the not-too-distant future that she can't or won't talk to me and I will want to metaphorically throttle her. It's the nature of mothers and daughters and I don't imagine that I am so special that I will not be tortured by her at some point. I tortured my mother and my daughter will torture me, but then I hope, like I did, later on, when she's old enough, she'll realize how much I love her, how much I respect her, and how proud I am to be her mom.