18 miles down, 8.2 to go

After last Saturday's debacle, having to stop running at mile 4 of an 18-miler, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to run today, but I did.

Tessa, a woman from Duxbury on the Children's team, was with me through mile 17 but then she had energy and I didn't. The wind was bad and we were coming back through the Newton Hills. I looked at my Nike + band and I was at a 10:53 pace ... I think I walk faster than that.

The great news is, I did it. Pink compression sleeves on my calves intact. 9 minute mile average. All good. And now, I have surpassed my second fundraising goal. First it was $2000, then, $3500. Can I make $4000? The next few weeks, well 5 weeks and a day to be exact, will tell. I think I can. I would like to.

More important than all of this is that last I heard, Sally was going back to school on Monday. She and Emma had a great visit last Sunday evening ... so cute together and so real ... something only 10 year olds can be. Adults on the other hand, often not-so-real.

Bad week

It started on Monday around 7:45 when I got the first call at work that there was an error on a menu ... my bad totally, but I hate that. Tuesday night I left my cell at work overnight which was probably a good thing in the long term but at the time, I was annoyed. Wednesday was a typical hump day when I heard from a friend that I am no longer friends with which is a good and a bad thing I suppose. Thursday night was when I first felt my calf tighten up during a 7 mile run in Hyde Park and Milton during which I got slightly lost and panicky. Friday was interesting as I went on a job interview in the middle of the day. Not sure exactly how I feel about that. And then today, I fell while turning onto the sidewalk just outside Wellesley and then a short time later, my calf screamed at me. I don't think the two moments were related, but after walking about a mile back toward my car, a nice man who was dropping off his shirts offered me a ride back to my car which was still 3 miles away.

I am icing, resting, compressing, and elevating though not really in that order and I know it will be fine, but it still doesn't make me feel any better. The marathon is 6 weeks from Monday which the coaches pointed out this morning right before they said don't run through pain at this point since it's close. It's all going to be fine and probably great, but there are some points when I wish it was just easier, but then would I be bored? Will I ever be satisfied? Hard to say and I will never know as I will always be wondering what is coming next.

A little extra free time this weekend is a good thing, but now my head will run wild since my body didn't. : (

"Saturday night and I ain't got nobody ..."

To those of you who are old enough to know that song ...

So last week at this moment I was with the girls laughing my ass off, having eaten and drunk enough calories to negate the fact that I had run 17 miles that day, getting ready to head over to Jacques for a drag show. Tonight, I am home, watching a Law and Order SVU marathon and avoiding the 5 loads of laundry that are all over my bed. I purposely dumped them there so that I would HAVE to fold them before I go to sleep tonight.

Life is funny ... especially as a single woman in her mid 40's working hard to make a living. 2011 has been an interesting year so far and not in a good way. The running is going well as is the fund raising, because it's the only thing I am enjoying right now. Emma is awesome, but very busy already living her own life which I applaud, but it means I am on my own more than ever.

Work SUCKS. Did I say that loud enough? Funny thing is I really like my job ... it's just crazy where I work and I have enough crazy in my own life : ) I don't need more of it all day at work. We'll see how it goes, but I am not optimistic. 4 W2's in 2010 say I am at least employable.

I look forward to the snow being gone. I look forward to seeing Emma on stage in Sound of Music and Cinderella. I look forward to running the Boston Marathon, averaging 9 minute miles or less. I look forward to changing the way things are right now. I look forward to seeing Sally feel better and her parents enjoying the 4th of July Road Race in Dedham (on my 46th birthday). I look forward to so much. I just have to keep that in mind.

My patient partner's Mom

We ran together today on the trails of Hale Reservation. It was beautiful, both because it was sunny and mild, but also because Camille brought her dog Bandit along and he ran with abandon as we trailed after him. It was great to tackle a different type of running for a change since I am usually on the street.

It was also nice to run with someone. We talked about all kinds of things, but I learned more about what she and Sally and the rest of their family are facing every day. Sally has a 60% chance of recurrence with the type of cancer she has. She is also younger than most people who get diagnosed with osteosarcoma so they don't have any real statistics about what works and doesn't work. Sally is undergoing chemo weekly right now and she seemed strong today. Like any good 10 year old girl, she was bored because her friend couldn't come over because she was sick.

I am excited that I am running for a cause, but more specifically in honor of Sally who will be 11 two days after the marathon. It's going to be great to get to know Sally's family, and I look forward to when Sally and Emma get to meet in person because they have so much in common even though at this point, their lives couldn't be more different. They are both strong girls with strong Moms which I think is a very good thing.

Training again

I was one of the 20,000 people who managed to register in the 8 hours that it took to sell out spaces for qualified runners for the 2011 Boston Marathon. So now it begins ...

I ran today in the Blue Hills with friends I met through my running club, the Thirsty Irish Runners. Strange that I am a) in a running club, b) I chose to run for fun and c) am pretty good at it. I felt great today after not feeling that great yesterday so it's amazing what a difference a day makes. Though I am not currently following a plan, I am challenging myself to run 70 miles this month, doing probably 15-20 every weekend since I am not good at finding time during the week.

It's been 3 years since I lost about 60 pounds. Though I don't always make the perfect choice, I do make conscious choices and work on a balance so that I have kept the weight off through eating well and exercising more when I don't. Now if I could only do it in the rest of my life.

I am dreaming about UNO menus, which is no good, and I know it, but I have not found a way to stop myself. Today along with running, I am putting together some spreadsheets, marking some edits, and watching Harry Potter movies in preparation for seeing HP 7 with the ladies on Friday night at the Lux Level. I know I shouldn't be multitasking so much, but it's hard not to ... it's what I get paid the big bucks for. And I am pretty successful most of the time so it's hard to stop.

We took a quiz today in my WW meeting to see how we deal with stress and I fell between B & C - getting anxious when things change, but still seeing change as an opportunity to grow and learn. It's a good thing I can deal with change since it's the only thing that is a constant : )

Senior Manager, Traffic, Fulfillment, and Production

Pretty impressive huh? Especially considering that my last title was Account Executive and before that it was Packaging Specialist.

My first week at Uno Chicago Grill has been awesome. Nothing less. My boss is great, enough crazy to keep her interesting, but knows her stuff. Her boss seems genuinely convinced that I am a capable, responsible adult capable of accomplishing great things ... odd I know.

After two days in the Waltham location, expediting for lunch, taking the food class the new servers take, and then spending the next day in the front of the house with the managers, I realized how much more interesting my life can be. Back in the office, there's never a dull moment, and thanks goes to Joe Sengotta who taught me the phrase "help me help you".

I have ideas, and plans, and things I want to accomplish ... maybe I needed the last 7 months of total tedium and boredom to appreciate that.

Summer is officially over

And what a couple of months it's been. I can't believe Labor Day is tomorrow.

July and August went by really quickly. Emma spent two weeks in VA with her cousins and my Aunt and Uncle's house. Camp Grampy was a huge success for all involved and helped Emma be much happier and DCH Day camp for the rest of the time.

I spent most of the summer torturing myself over my very boring job. I am hoping in the next week this will change, but I don't want to jinx it. I wish I could be one of those people who just accepts things, but I can't. I always want more.

I am doing my first (and hopefully last) Sprint Triathlon next Sunday. Swimming is not my friend and I am going with the less is more approach at this point. I know I should rent a wet suit, but the concept of zipping myself into neoprene is more scary than swimming 1/4 mile in the Hopkinton Reservoir. If I live to blog about it, you will hear more next week.

It's been a great summer ... Red Sox games, sushi class, travels to Virginia, Camden, ME to see karen and Stephen, and then to New Orleans, LA to drink and take photos ... mission accomplished. Now that it's September, there will be soccer games, running events, and I hope many other things.

Yesterday, I helped my running club run a blood drive in honor of a neighbor's 10 year old daughter who has cancer. I saw photos at a museum in New Orleans about the victims of Katrina five years ago and cried. I am a lucky lucky woman ... and at 45 years old, I truly know what that means.