Staring a new decade down

I was commenting last night to the hubby that something about birthdays makes you retrospective.  You look at your past, evaluating your choices, judging your actions.  It's a process we all probably go through from time to time but especially so on those milestone birthdays.  As of yesterday, I am officially in my 40's.  Wow...when I was a kid that seemed so old!  But now that I'm here, it's not bad.  I feel like my stupid choices and decisions when I was younger somehow still landed me square in the middle of a pretty awesome life.  I say it so often that I know it must sound cliched, but I am blessed.  So many times in life, it's easy to get caught up in the trials of parenting, stresses of what family issues can bring, work stress, etc, etc that we have to work extra hard for those glimmers of the blessings in our lives.  Negativity grows like a weed without much prompting, but a positive attitude needs to be nurtured and fed to keep growing in our lives.  I choose to focus on the good because why let the bad ruin my day? 

For my birthday, I have been showered with so much love from my friends and family.  It's hard not to feel positive when you're surrounded by good wishes, flowers and notes! 

I was just having fun taking photos of them!  Looking around and seeing such loveliness is an instant mood brightener!  And then we spent the morning walking around the local garden show - so excited we got to talk to some beekeepers and are one step closer to getting our own apiary.  So many new things on the horizon for us - creating terraced gardens on the hillside to get more veggies growing, adding bees to our property, going all organic with our food and just making some changes that make our life more sustainable, more back to the earth.  It feels good! 

So, today we're off to run at a new park we've not tried yet.  I can't wait to scope out some new trails...less than 2 months til the marathon and I can't wait!  I'm so excited.  Life is good - even as a 40 year old!  :)

And he's off!

The boy now has a car.  So far today he has driven to get gas, to get oil, to exchange an oil filter from the oil trip earlier, and now is visiting a friend.  Think he's excited to be driving?  It's so funny watching him - sometimes he seems just so darn old, and then other times I can still catch a glimpse of my little boy in that big almost-a-man's body.  Before I know it, he'll be off doing more and more on his own, not needing us to take him, pick him up or whatever else we used to do.  It's a strange feeling when the kids fly off on their own.  I guess at least we've got the dogs - they still need us!

Cally, Junie and Troop playing

So, besides spending all of our time looking for a car for the boy, we've really been upping the running!  As of now, I'm at 62 miles for the month...but it's been some cold runs!  Friday's run was exceptionally difficult with the wind gusts.  We'd geared up for trail running, thinking we'd have some protection from the wind in the woods, but when we arrived at the park, the gates were closed.  I called the park office and was told it was closed because of the high wind advisory - so we headed to a park that has a cross country course but the openness of the fields plus fierce wind made for a really, really grumpy Sheri!  After 3.5 miles, I was seriously done.  So, we decided to call it a day, swap our 6 mile run for the 3 mile run the next day and I was so glad.  It was one of those runs that makes me question whether or not I'm really a runner, and I HATE that voice in my head.  Hubby had to remind me of the quote "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right"  And I can do it and I did it.  What a great quote because it's so true. 

Luckily, the park was reopened the next day and I had a fabulous trail run until 5.75 miles in when I rolled my ankle pretty badly.  Yuck!  What a way to wrap up what had been a wonderful run.  But I finished it out running and babied the ankle the rest of the evening.  But, we'd planned to run 14 miles at another park the next day and with time constraints because of getting the boy's car and my ankle, we swapped it for a road run.  Yeah!  It was so cold that my water bottles froze in my fuel belt but it was beautiful, sun-drenched run - one of my favorite loops to do from home.  I was so thankful to be out there, to be running, to be part of the stillness of a Sunday morning.  It's just a feeling that can't be described only felt.  There are times when I'm running that I really forget I'm running - that I just keep moving and thinking and praying and thinking some more.  It's "me" time at it's best.  I am thankful every day for my life, for my family, for my career and that I get to be thankful for so much.  I know I must sound so sappy and overly sweet and sentimental but sometimes in life you just endure so much, propelling yourself forward only for the sake of moving forward because that's just what needs to be done.  And, then, to realize that you made it. You're there, living the life you never thought you would be, is just an amazing thought.  I love my life.  Plain and simple.

So, I will enjoy the simple, quiet moments with my husband now that the boy has a car and will be gone every chance he gets, and the girl is gone so much, working on the next chapter of her life, because that makes me appreciate all the crazy moments when we are all together even more.  We all went out to dinner Friday night and it was the best time in a long time even in a crowded restaurant, stuck next to the bar listening to the drunks, because we were together, just sharing our day, enjoying the moments and I just want to hold all of those moments close and remember them.

Because all too soon....they're off.  :)  Enjoy those little moments, today and every day.

Running, running and even more running

I feel like half of our vacation week was spent running.  We logged almost 44 miles in the past ten days.  That is a lot of running, folks!  But, other than a very bad 4 mile trail run on Christmas Day, it has been a delightful 40 miles.  I have run with Troy, with friends, alone and sometimes all three in the same run which makes for a fun time.  I am looking forward to the next 4 months of marathon training with some trepidation, but mostly with bring it on!  I am ready for this.  I know that some days it will be hard and I will have to force myself to do it, but as a friend and I were sharing yesterday on our 12 mile run, running really is so much mental.  You have to psych yourself out sometimes into thinking that some of the runs aren't really that far.  I mean 12 miles is nothing compared to 26.2, and then when you get there I guess you have to think that 26.2 isn't as far as a 50K and so on and so on. 

We're lucky to have a great group of friends around us who share our passion for getting out there and logging miles - whether on a bike or on foot.  I'll let you in on a secret - one of my friend lists on Facebook is called "Fitness Freaks" so I can limit how much I harass the rest of the world with my meaningless stats.  I hope they know who they are, and I'm glad to be counted among them!  I love this crazy life of mine...pushing harder to do more and finding new ways to overcome the obstacles - time, light/darkness, obligations,etc.  Whatever they are.  Overcoming them is a constant reminder of how important it is to make that time to run, bike, walk, hike or whatever we're doing that day.  Whatever it is, it's worth it because it's important. 

So, no matter what, make time to be healthy, be active and be happy!

Saturday Recap - with a Wildcat 10K RR

It's a week until Christmas and I am pretty happy with where we're at.  There are only a few gifts under the tree - my kids have gotten to that point where what they want doesn't always go easily under a tree and sometimes it's the experience of getting the gift for them that's more important.  Lyndsay and I went to the outlets Friday night to get her Coach bag and it was fun just being there and helping her choose what she wanted.  I will take those moments over the unwrapping around the tree any day! 

Really, one of the most special things we did this year as a family was adopting a family at the local domestic violence shelter and buying gifts off of their Christmas list for them.  It is a gift to be able to help someone else, and I feel so blessed in my own life, and wanted to pass that on.  I hope the kids love their gifts and I hope that this coming year is a blessed one for them and their mom.  They deserve to have that chance.  No matter how little the difference we can make in someone else's life, it's worth making the effort to do it.  It can mean more than we realize.  We dropped off our gifts for the family Saturday morning and I got a little emotional about it.  I've been there and it's a tough thing to go through.  God bless that family.  They'll be in my prayers, not just now at Christmas, but often. 

Then it was time to get ready to run!  Back home for some snacks and to get dressed.  Brr....it was still chilly so it's always the shorts/long pants debate.  I think Troy and I were both happy we chose longer pants when we actually got there, as well as being glad we grabbed hats and gloves on our way out the door.  I was pretty anxious about this race because I'd been hearing horror stories about the hills.  And, now that I've run it?  Yeah, the hills were tough.  Especially that middle one from halfway through mile 4 up to a bit past mile 5 but it wasn't as awful as I'd been told to be prepared for.  I had a great run, even running the first two miles with the hubby before I cut him loose to pick up his pace. The atmosphere was nice, people were chatty and the cars were respectful for the most part.  And the subway cookies post race were pretty awesome!!!  So, I came in at an hour for my first 10K.  Technically my race time was 1:00:28:96 but all I care about is that 1:00 because my goal was an hour or less.  I was so happy as I pushed to the finish that it was an hour...and then it was time to pack up and head to Starbucks for a mocha to warm up.  That's the way to wrap up a chilly Saturday run! 

The rest of our Saturday was just as nice - headed to Sonnewald for some groceries, going shopping for some good deals, (more running stuff, lol) a little white pizza for a late dinner, and an epsom salt bath with a glass of wine to round it out.  Life just is sublime sometimes even when it's nothing special at all.  Just having people around you that you love, and remembering to enjoy the routine of life makes every little moment special.  And I love my life!

Like coming back home...

So, I tried blogging here, I tried blogging there, and everywhere and in the end, I like blogging here.  So, I'm back.  I still will keep my cooking blog separate because I like having a purposed blog and also a blog like this that just lets me ramble on. Just feels like home.  :-)

Life right now, in this moment, is pretty darn good.  I feel like I'm in a good place.  Love that I have a fantastic hubby who just gets me.  Even in those moments of insecurity, doubt, fear and even anger...he knows how to say what I need to hear.  And, although my kids can make me want to pull out my hair, having both of them around me makes my heart happy.  Last year was so tough that I never want to go through anything like that again.  I love my kids more than I could ever convey to them in words.  I'll just leave it at that. 

But to say that I've been sitting around thinking all lovey-dovey, gushy thoughts about life is not true.  We have been busy planning out new adventures to accomplish this coming year!  Troy is going to do a triple crown run on the same day I'm running my first marathon at White Clay State Park in Newark, DE.  The triple crown will be a few miles short of my marathon, but I think more challenging because it's three races in succession...a half-marathon, a 10k and then a 5k.  More power to him!  I am excited and nervous about my first marathon - excited because I know I can do it but nervous because it's 26.2 MILES!  Just thinking about it makes me feel a little woozy.  And then, just to keep things interesting, we're headed to Richmond, VA two weeks - yep, two whole weeks - after the marathon day to do the Cap2Cap century ride!  So, not only are we marathon training all winter but we're bike training all winter too AT THE SAME TIME!  Gotta find some way to keep the motivation going, I suppose! 

So, tonight was my first time on the bike trainer in a few months.  I did 5 miles and was pretty happy with myself.  Heck, only 95 more and I got this in the bag!  We did a metric century over the summer so I know I can do it, just the combination of the marathon while bike training gets me a little nervous.  My massage therapist, Shana,  just loves how I drag my abused body into her every month already after running after the kids, running after the dogs and just running in general. She's practically forbidden me from ever doing another nighttime trail run.  I can't wait til I get to hatch this plan to her tomorrow night! 

I did mention to Troy that the bright side of all of the training is we just need to hone up on the swimming and we'll be ready for that Tri I've been batting around in my head (oh, and out loud to him,  he's a lucky guy!) so it's all just banked training for the next event. 

So my training plan for this week:
Monday - Massage night so pretty much a rest night.  Maybe some gentle yoga/pilates
Tuesday - Run at least 3-4 miles and pray for a bit of light. 
Wednesday - Bike trainer.  I'd like 10 miles if possible.  And some light weight training.
Thursday - Neighborhood run loop - 5 miles only because it's puppy class night
Friday - Bike trainer most likely.  Depends on the time issue as always.
Saturday - 10K run for York Winter Series.  I hear there's hills and lots of them.  Woohoo.
Sunday - Rest probably.  Maybe some weights or a hike if we're up to it.

Best laid plans are set now.  Let's see how it goes!

Wow....

I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged.  So, so many things have been happening, it's hard to find time to sit, let alone write.  But today, I've got some time, and, so, I will write.  :-)

Summer is here and although I love it, it's hot.  And humid.  I head out for a run at 5:30 am and come back dripping all over.  I will never complain again about a chilly winter run where I can't feel my fingers.  Okay, okay, so I still will.  But, it will take awhile for that to happen.  Also, somewhere along the way I've become a biker.  Not just a rail trail when forced biker but an actual roadie.  As hard as it is to imagine myself out there amongst the cars and trucks loving the feeling, I am.  And I do.  It's a nice change from running because it's about endurance, but in an entirely different way.  It's covering more ground, more scenery and enjoying the world in a new way.  As a kid, I loved biking.  Then I had a horrendous crash that left me with a rather large scar on my shoulder - it involved a steep hill, lots of gravel and some late braking - not a pretty sight.  But I hadn't biked on a road since then because I was terrified.  Okay, so I still eek down the hills but I'm out there and I'm overcoming.  Just don't let me see any gravel or the panic attack starts to take over.  Not entirely, but I feel that tightness in my chest and have to will myself to keep pedaling. 

So, I bought a new bike and we've put a few miles on it. I even demo'd a bike and if you knew me at all, you'd know that was a leap.  A giant leap.  I was always terrified of biking in front of people, let alone not on my own know-it-like the back of my hand kind of bike.  I'm still working on overcoming the mountain biking fears but one thing at a time!

I don't know what's come over me this summer but I feel like I can just do anything!  With the hubbys help, I started a garden this year and it's tremendous.  Truly is a wonderful thing to go outside and get fresh veggies to bring in for a meal. Or eat while you're weeding, not that I'd do such a thing....  I'm like a little kid discovering all the new buds and blooms.  I have a cucumber and I check on it every single day.  Once I have more than one I'm sure I won't be quite as attentive but this little one is my main focus!  And the tomatoes, oh my the tomatoes.  They are like a jungle plant.  You can't even see the cages anymore because they have grown soooo huge!  I can't wait for that first hint of color change.  I just love the garden and it's been a great stress reliever for me.  Something to check on and tend to that needs my touch to keep it going.  It's lovely. 

Aside from the garden, I've started a compost bin, done some canning of various jams and jellies, picked strawberries, and just really am enjoying my life.  It's a great life and I'm so glad it's mine.  God has been generous with his blessings on us and for that I am thankful each day.  This year has reminded me that we only get one shot at this life and even when things seem bleak or overcast, the rain is making us grow and giving us a chance to branch out our roots and be able to stand firm and tall when we we'll need that foundation.  Life isn't meant to be just endured or "gotten through" it's meant to be experienced.  So, with a fantastic husband at my side and the best friends anyone could ask for in my life, I'm ready for whatever's next.

It's Cold Out There!

Well, today was a scheduled 4 mile run on my training plan and I was determined to keep to the plan.  But 21 degrees?  Really, that's a little chilly.  So my husband suggested I could use the treadmill...and I suppose I could have but where's the fun in that?  I checked out the weather channel, debated whether or not 4 degrees of warmth was worth waiting a few hours for, determined it wasn't and went off to get dressed.  I upgraded to my fleece hat, not my wool knit one that is my usual garb and actually layered under my UA coldweather shirt.  The dogs noticed my shoes and starting begging to go.  I took Junie, the "littler" lab, because I didn't feel like being yanked around on the ice by Cally, our bigger lab.  So, Junie and I set off and that first blast of wind about sent me back inside!  I think even Junie was wondering why she had wanted to head out instead of staying in her usual spot on the kitchen rug hogging the heat from the vent.  But we pressed on...

The first two miles were okay.  Chilly but not unbearable.  I even got some creepy catcalls from some old men outside smoking their cigarettes.  That was good for a laugh.  I'm not sure in my bundled from head to toe mismatching outfit I was worthy of a catcall, but I guess it was some excitement in their morning. 

But then, after about 3 miles, we hit the coldest, darkest spot of the entire run and I swear we picked up the pace by about a minute to get out from under that cloud and away from the howling wind.  Back in the sun I actually felt warm and the last mile was pretty easy and comfortable.  Junie even enjoyed it I think!

As is usually the case, I'm glad I pushed myself out there and did it.  The feeling of accomplishment you get from making a plan and keeping to the plan even when it would be easier not to is the best in the world!!