How do you do 26.2?

It has been a quiet few days. I'm still keeping up with my running.

I am even trying to slowly increase the time and distance of my runs--however, diligently following the "10 Percent Rule", is VERY difficult... Like anyone else who is trying to increase their times and/or distances--limiting increases to only 10 percent, just seems too insignificant in the short-term. On the other hand, I have been prone to shin splints in the past and want none of that, ever again if possible. So 10 percent rule, it is! But boy, it sure is slow.

My goal has long been (since I completed the first one) to run another marathon. I ran my first one in June of 2005 and I know that I could have done better than what I did. So my parents ask every year if I want to run another one, and I think this fall is it. It's going to come up so quickly, even though it seems eons away, but I can always walk some of it.

However there is one thing that I know without question, no matter how fast or slow I am, I can go another 26.2!

Happy Running!

Hugs and Congratulations to My Nieces, H & M!!!

So, with a little training and a lot of encouragement, my two nieces ran their first 5K races today.

I am so incredibly proud of both of them!!!! My youngest niece, M (age 7) was the youngest in the 14 and under age group, made up by fifteen runners, total. Three nine-year-old girls, including H, were the next youngest. Everone else in their age group were 13 and 14 (save one 12 year old). Further, the other two 9 year olds were DNF (did not finish).

Again, I say... there are not words enough to express how incredibly proud I am of my nieces today!!! Here's a shot of them with their mom after the race (displaying their free post-race goodies)!

For such young ages, and this being their first 5k's their times were really quite remarkable.

Here are their stats (Names and City have concealed for their protection).






Congrats again, H & M!!!!
I am SO PROUD OF YOU!!!

Happy Running

Born to Run

So, several things of note have been going on in my life, of late and because of all of them, I would have to conclude that; for the moment, my life is really quite blessed.

I’ll start small and work my way up:

My nieces (aged 7 and 9) have taken to running. M, the 7 year old, really has a knack for it already. She’s a natural born runner, and it takes my breath away for her. I say this particularly because she’s one of those painfully shy (unless she knows you, but that’s not a 100% guarantee) kids who never seems to require anything that requires any sort of mental or physical stimulation. A fact that is difficult to watch, only because she is a smart, beautiful little girl. While she might often get involved with sports, she’s not really one to give it a whole lot of, well… energy. When it comes to running though, it seems to put M on a whole different plane of existence. I was emailing with her mom the other day, and here’s what she was telling me:

Just wanted to update ya on the running. The girls ran on Monday, after soccer.

M ran 1.5 miles in 15 minutes! She is a natural, I know - shocking! She puts on her ipod and gets into a rhythm and it is amazing: great stride, great gait, very natural. She runs this, and only complains of hunger. She has a toothless smile on her face and loves every minute of it. She loves it.

When she is in the mood to do it, she can actually run circles around H. Mainly cause M can pace herself. Already, she can pace. I told her not to go to fast so she wont get pooped. "Steady pace wins the race!" I keep telling them. Ha!

…M ran 1.8 miles, then made me run another half mile to school with her for a poetry reading she was in. She was a little running maniac. She didn't want to stop, she has the bug!

I have to tell you, there are not enough words to express how utterly joyous I feel when I think of this kid loving something so physical. I grin from ear to ear, in fact! Finally, FINALLY there is something active that this kid is good at and is LOVING! I realize it’s pretty early on in the process of them starting to run, but trust me, for M, THIS IS HUGE!

The fact that she was so confident that she could actual told her Mom that—if they (Mom and H) slow down, she will follow the crowd and run ahead of us and finish on her own and meet Joe at finish line—is nothing short of astounding!

But that kid, M, my niece, was born to run!

Happy Running!

Learning to Run.

When it comes to running, I will be the first to state that I have a clue. I don't know what I'm doing. I have minimal understanding regarding the form or function of running. What I do know is this, when it comes to running, I just DO.

Let's face it, I'm not going to set any world records with my running, nor am I going to be an Olympian.

But I do know this: Anyone can run. They may not be fast, graceful, light on their feet, or even pretty. But ANYONE can run.

Anyone.

I know this, because I run. And frankly, if I can run... Well, I'll let you figure out the rest of that sentence.

Don't believe me?

Try it. If you can only run for 60 seconds before you need to take a break, you can run. Try it. Maybe tomorrow you'll be able to go 90 seconds, and the day after that maybe you'll go for 2 minutes.

Learning to run is all about taking it one stride at a time. Try it, you just might learn that you're a runner, too!

Happy Running!

So Here I Go Again....

Running Redux

So the funny thing is, that even though I haven't really run with any real regularity (or sometimes even AT ALL) in the past couple of years, I still very much consider myself "a runner." It's a part of me.

I've run away from it--forgive the pun, it was unintentional--but in the past five years, running has very much been a defining characteristic of who I am. Even when I had effectively my back from it. If you were to ask me what I enjoy doing, I would say 'going for a run'.

The hardest transition for me came in the fact that I moved from Cleveland, which is the home of huge, lush, glorious Metroparks. Yes, I did say Cleveland! Their park system is absolutely amazing and gorgeous and FREE (here is the official link for the Metroparks). But when I moved to southeastern Michigan, it just was not the same. Thus, I was quite disappointed in Michigan's parks (beautiful, but not as hilly, lush, abundant, or pretty) that don't think that I ever really transitioned to that. There are no hills here--OK, that's not true, but they are not big hills, in a great, big metropark, that just make you WANT to go out and run...

Regardless, I'm feeling (or trying to, at least) feel re-inspired of late. Because while it may not be Cleveland, but there are some nice, flat, trails literally right out my front door that I'd previously all but ignored.

But, I keep plodding along, trying to get back into the rhythm of it all. and so far, so good.

Happy Running!