Squat Jumps

My trainer's name is Shireen. Twice a week she shows up on my doorstep with a big smile and a cheerful "Good Morning!" She is making me stronger and tougher and more confident. Sometimes she tells me to do things that I think I can't do. Like jump up onto things. Jumping up onto things scares me. But we did it today and I survived. 

She does the workout with me. My old trainer at Lifetime just watched me (and gazed around the club) but Shireen is doing it along side me and breathing hard with me and it feels more like a team effort and less like I am suffering alone. She laughs at my jokes about how wobbly I am on the bosu and that makes me feel better. 

I dread exercises with the word "Jump" in it: Jumping-Jacks, Side-Jumps, Jump-Up-Onto-This-Scary-High-Thing. Shireen makes me do Squat Jumps (squat, hands on floor, then jump and try to touch ceiling). I hate them and always complain and we joke about how terrible they are. They are terrible. Just try to do 10 right now. But a few weeks ago I decided to say "Yay! I love these! I only get to do 24 of them!" and smiled and acted like it was fun and guess what? It was SOOO much better! Really, it was such a huge change I was almost embarrassed that it worked so well. 

The power of self-talk is amazing. 

That picture of Shireen was taken at the top of the incline. Shireen is going to drag me up to the top one of these days. I am already starting the positive self talk about this. Lots and lots of positive self talk!

Bolder Boulder 10K

We did it! I ran about 4.2 miles - that is one mile longer than I have ever run. Roland ran the entire thing and ran fast after he left me at the 5K mark. Noah is the fastest but had to stop at a porta potty. Ike is fast too and said he wants to do lots more races like Bolder Boulder. I don't think there are any other races like this.

The boys complained a little the day before the race and I was worried that they were going to try to back out. But they woke up early Monday morning (we had to leave the house by 5:00 AM) and were wired. We drove to Broomfield and took a shuttle into Boulder.

There were 56,000 racers. Quite a few of them dressed up in costume. I think Roland ran the entire race because he wasn't going to be passed by an old man in a tutu.

This picture was taken right before our wave started. There were 80 waves and we were in the NE wave. I think there were at least 200 people in our wave. I had butterflies in my tummy and Noah was dancing around full of energy.

Roland "helped" Ike do the YMCA dance.

That is my ponytail. I think this was at the 3 mile point and I was feeling good. The first mile is always so hard and I want to quit, but then when I hit mile 2 I get in my groove. Can you see the speed limit sign on the right side of the road? It was posting people's speeds at 5 or 6 miles an hour. I was going 4 miles an hour. Woohoo!

Bolder Boulder tracks your progress every mile so I was able to track my 5K time which was 3 minutes faster than the Garden of the Gods race 4 weeks ago. That made me happy.  I walked miles 4 and 5 and ran mile 6 so I could come into the stadium running.

The view entering the stadium. I got a little teary at this point. People were hooting and cheering and so very happy. By this time our family was spread out on the race. Noah came in first and then Roland and then Ike, and finally, little old slow poke me. Roland would have been at least 10 minutes faster if he hadn't run the first 5K with me.

Roland and Ike waited for me at the finish line. It was a pretty big deal. We were all quite happy.

After a healthy sack lunch provided by the race we watched international professional racers finish the race in 28 minutes. That is just over a 5 minute mile for 6 miles! My fastest mile was 13.36 minutes. Those runners were very impressive. Two of them collapsed as soon as they crossed the finish line. The altitude is killer.

Then they celebrated Memorial Day. There was a 21 gun salute, 6 parachuters, and 56,000 people singing along with "Proud To Be An American". It was very touching.

Next year you should join us.

We are going to wear dedications to Grandpa Wade and his brothers, Gene and Roland on our backs.

I'm gonna run the whole thing next year.

Bolder

We just registered the family for the Bolder Boulder. It's the 2nd largest race in the US. It's 10K. Last year 53,000 people ran.

I'm nervous.

We Did It!

Before the race. 

Kelly, Joyana, Michelle, Me, Debbie, Angie, Shay, Linda

I did it! We did it! It's hard to believe that 12 short weeks ago I couldn't even run for one minute and I ran (most of) a 5K!

Beautiful Garden of the Gods. The start line - about 830 runners - we were near the back.

The entire event was amazing to me, from the shuttle to the start line to running into Roland's arms at the finish line to the celebratory breakfast in Manitou Springs. It's all I've thought about the last 48 hours. My friend, Diana (who is having her baby as I type), told me this is called a "Runner's High". I never would have thought that those two words, Runner's High, could be associated with me! But gosh darn-it -- I've got Runner's High and it feels great!

Linda (pink jacket around waist)  finished first in our group.

Joyana (in black) looks like she is strutting across the finish.

Right before the race I had to use the bathroom, you don't want to run with a full bladder, and nerves  made me need to go. The line for the 8 porta potties was at least 15 minutes long and the race started in 5 minutes so Joyana, Debbie, and I ran into the bushes and did our business right in front of 830 racers. I thought we had picked a private place to go, but it was next to a trail that lots of people used - sorry if I flashed you. Debbie flashed lots of people!

When the race started I was shivering with nerves, excitement, and fear. I ran all but the steepest hill and walked part of one long hill. I saw people cheat the course but no way would I do that. The people who ran the 5 mile race zipped past me like I was standing still. It was thrilling to hear them come up behind me, huffing and puffing and grunting with effort and then watch as they bounded past - beautiful. If you've never run in a 5k I highly recommend you do it just so you can be next to those amazing runners who run twice as fast as you.

The finish! 
Coach Michelle crossed with me - she ran back and forth through the race checking on all of us. Such a great gal.

I passed people too. I was told that I should try to pass people but I thought that would be impossible, it was a miracle that I even showed up, but I did pass them. And then some of them passed me.

We are pretty happy - Debbie, Joyana, Michelle, Kelly and me.

Angie and Kelly, both fast capable runners, stayed with me the entire race. It must have been painful to run so slow. I love them for that. They both would have ranked near the top of their age group, but they stayed with me, coming in very last in their age group. Such dear loving friends. I insist that next time you both run your own pace ok?

I ranked 17th in my age group with a time of 46.49. I was disappointed with the time, but that was gun time so I think I can take a minute and half off my time cause I was near the back at the start. Also, lots of people told me that because the race is so very hilly (very) that the time is slower for everyone.The oldest woman to run was 73 years old and she finished in 39 minutes! My hero.

Sweetheart Angie

When I saw the finish line and heard the music and the announcer, I got goose bumps. Roland was standing right at the finish with the camera - I couldn't wait to get to him. Ah, I do love that man.

Coach M

Christine, Jen, and Cumorah cheered us on and Jen gave us all leis as we finished. The running group (officially called "Weak In The Knees" as we nearly all had knee trouble last week) gave me a huge bouquet of flowers. It was quite the celebration, my cheeks hurt from smiling. There were lots of pictures (check us out on this guy's site) and hugs and even a few tears of joy.

Michelle, Shay, Debbie, Angie, Me, Cumorah, Joyanna, Jen and assorted darling children.

Can't wait for the next one!

Running Club

I started a running club a month ago. We are doing the couch to 5k program. It is hard and I have wanted to quit every week. But I am hanging in there. I hope one day it feels like this (the first minute is silent):


Onwards from AKQA on Vimeo.

What CAN You Eat?

Fortunately most everyone who knows we are doing this seems excited and interested (maybe just being polite?). They are surprised too. We don't really look like vegans, what ever they look like. I think the stereotype is stringy hair, gauges, piercings, tattoos, hemp necklaces with crystal charms, and t-shirts with slogans like "I like animals more than people". But most of the vegan-ish people I have met the last few weeks have glossy hair, clear skin, slim bodies, and are generally cheerful, energetic, and quite hygienic. One guy needed a bath, but he was making me a vegan sushi roll so I didn't mention the bath.

Image from pharmacy-in-vegetables.com

But nearly everyone asks: What CAN you eat?  This:

As much as I want:
Fresh Vegetables (try to get 1 lb a day - really hard to do!)
Cooked vegetables (again with the 1 lb a day - again, hard to do!)
Fruit (at least 4 a day )
beans, legumes, bean sprouts, and tofu
eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes

Limited:
Cooked starchy vegetables and whole grains - 1 cup  (oatmeal, squash, corn, potatoes, brown rice, breads, cereals)
Raw nuts and seeds - 1 oz
Avocado - 2 oz
Ground flax seed - 1 tablespoon

I usually have a couple of pieces of fruit or a smoothie for breakfast, a big salad with all kinds of goodies for lunch, and another big salad for dinner with soup and a veggie side dish. Hummus and toasted whole wheat pitas are quickly becoming a favorite too. There are so many wonderful recipes to discover.