Born to Run

I’ve been running 3 and half years and I have just gotten around to reading Born to Run.

Well listening to it that is.  I downloaded it from Audible and really enjoyed it.  Have I mentioned how much I love Audible? In the past, I would get books on cd from the library.  I even got them once or twice from Cracker Barrel.  But Audible!  It’s the bomb.  For only $14.95 per month, I get to download one book each month.  After that, I can get more books and enjoy 30% off.  It’s actually not that cheap compared to FREE at the library and only $3 at Cracker Barrel but you do get to keep the books forever and you can get best sellers and not have to wait on the library’s waiting list forever.

Anyway!  Back to Born to Run.  It was absolutely amazing.  A very inspirational book for runners and non-runners alike.

The book is about this person known as Caballo Blanco (White Horse) and his love for running.  Christopher McDougall, the author, is one of the best storytellers I have ever heard.  All through the book, I felt like I was right there with them all.

I won’t pretend that I can give a synopsis of the book but what I can tell you is you will learn about the Tarahumara Indians of northwestern Mexico and their amazing ability to run long distances.  You’ll learn all about the beautiful Copper Canyons and be ready to somehow hike them for yourself one day.  You will meet a guy named Barefoot Ted and get so excited  you will be ready to bust out of your shoes and try barefoot running.  You’ll become entranced with this woman named Ann Trason better know to the Tarahumara as la bruja (the witch).  You’ll meet the party kids, Billy and Jenn and be ready to fill your fuel belt with Mt. Dew and Coke.  You’ll get to know Scott Jurek, the deer.  (And by the way, Scott is my hero.  I read his book Eat and Run last fall and was so inspired.)  You will learn so much about running the facts will make your head spin.  You will be inspired.  Go out and get Born to Run.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

My sister and I often listen to the same books at the same time and we love to have our own little book club chats.  It wasn’t long after I had finished the book, she was calling me to get my take.

I told her what I got out of the book was to truly excel at running or anything really, you had to find the joy it it.  She said she agreed but what she took out of the book most was that you must be humble, giving and compassionate.

In the very last part of the book, Scott catches up with one of the Tarahumara runners and instead of speeding past him, he slaps him on the back, gives him a huge smile, and says, “Come on!”  Then Scott goes over to another Tarahumara and gives him a slight bow, a gesture to let that Tarahumara know how much he respected him.  Jenn saved Billy a sip of her Coke.  Barefoot Ted and one of the Tarahumara become best friends.  One man hikes 5 miles just to give Chris some mango juice.

Yes, I think my sister is right.  Compassion and love for each other is the key.  It is the key to the universe.  It’s the key to opening your heart and letting God flow to you and through you.  The key to letting you leak Jesus as I am learning in my new book, Love Does.

Love Does is a fast one.  Full Review coming soon.

Happy reading.  Happy listening.  Happy running.  Happy Memorial Day Weekend Friends!

Teacher Trot 5k

Have I mentioned lately how proud I am of our oldest daughter Andie Rose?!

Andie is the lucky mom of our beautiful grandson, Mason.  She just finished up her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education.  Her concentration was in Science and Math and she minored in Psychology.  Andie graduated Magna Cum Laude and even before graduation, she had principals from 2 different schools offering her a job.

She is going to be an awesome teacher.

Andie’s internship was at Trask Middle School in Wilmington, NC.  One of her friends was organizing a group of Trask friends and families to get together and run in the First Annual New Hanover County Teacher Trot.  One call to me, and I was in.  Great way to support the public school system and have fun with my daughter and grandson.

Andie and I practiced all week.  Before that week, I had only pushed Mason one time while running.  Boy, is it a workout!  For the race, our strategy was to switch off and take turns pushing.

Andie pushed the 1st mile and then I took over.  At mile 1.5, we had the turn around and since Andie had locked the front wheel of the stroller, she said she’d take the turn for me.  After the turn, she was feeling so good, she said she’d keep pushing.

Andie ended up going a lot faster than me even though she had Mason.  I told her to go ahead and enjoy her race.

She was quite some distance ahead of me but I kept them in my sight.  Then before long, I had caught back up with them.  I’m not fast, but I sure am consistent.  Andie was tuckering out so I slipped up beside her and cheered her on to the finish line.

She went over to check her stats and was so happy that she placed 4th in her age group.  She actually was a little bummed that she missed getting an apple trophy by only 8 hundredths of a second.  I think that is pretty darn awesome considering the other 3 were probably not pushing a jogging stroller.

When she came back and told me her stats, and I knew we had finished right at the same time, I just knew I had placed in my age group.  But I was wrong.  I ended up 9th among my peers.  The first, second, and third place ladies in my age group finished in 23, 24, and 25 minutes.  23 minutes!  Can you believe that!?  Wowzer!

Andie and I finished in 32:11 and we had an absolute blast!  Mason loved it too!

Next up Andie and I  are going to try out that Color Run 5k that I’ve been hearing so much about.

Happy Running!

 

Oh, the best laid plans!

 

April came and went and when May came around, I wanted to do better.  I decided to focus on 4 areas and really concentrate.  I wanted to grade myself and try to shoot for the Honor Roll.

Well, there you go.  Here’s my report card and friends, I haven’t done much better.

In Running class, I either showed up or didn’t.  Gave it my all or totally skipped class.  Not counting my planned rest days, I ran 7 times and didn’t run 7 times.  So, that gives me a big fat 50%.  Not so good at all.

In Cross Training class, I only cross trained one day and that was today.  I did a 30 minute dumbbell workout.  Glad that I gave it an effort today but so bummed that I continue to find excuses and look the other way in this department.

Now as for rest.  I’m getting so much better at this one.  I used to have a very bad habit of staying up way too late.  I’d end up getting on the computer or watching TV and the time would just slip away from me.  Not sure how I’m doing it but somehow, I’m getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night now.  So proud of this accomplishment.

Nutrition is my best class.  After about 4 years of focusing on eating better, I’m really getting the hang it.  I’ve got my go to meals memorized and most every day I make really good choices.  The B on May 4th was a celebration day.  I did eat a piece of Mason’s birthday cake and then that night at Andie’s graduation celebration at The Cheesecake Factory I had half of a piece of cheesecake.  Considering all the damage I could have done on that day, I view my choices as a success.  The F was on Mother’s Day.  I ended up going to Cook Out and had a burger, onion rings, hush puppies, and a Chocolate Cobbler Fancy Shake.   I have no idea why I made those choices that day.

I’m blaming it on hormones. 

May has 13 more days in it and I’m hoping I can turn things around.  No more cutting runs and no more blowing off cross training.

If I could just get up early and get my exercise completed before work, I think I would find a breakthrough.

Race of Grace 2013

Yesterday I ran the Race of Grace 5k with a group of my close friends from church.

We had a blast!

This was the 10th annual Race of Grace and of those 10, I was running my 3rd.  This year the Race of Grace teamed up the House Your Neighbor 5k and raised money specifically for Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.  The mission of the Race of Grace and House Your Neighbor 5K is to help those who lack affordable housing through education, inspiration, many-a-donation, and perspiration! (source)

Back in April of 2010 when I was in my first Race of Grace, I had been running for about 5 months.  I was training myself to run my first marathon using this book as my guide.  I was following it to the best of my ability but I was increasing my mileage way too fast for a beginning runner.  My ITB rebelled and I experienced my first injury.

That race, I was new to everything and since I was nursing the strained ITB, I walked the whole route.  I was with 2 of my friends from church who were also walking and I had a great time walking and talking with them.

In 2011, the Sunday of the Race of Grace, our grandson was born.  Needless to say, I skipped that year.

Last year, I had just finished up co-leading a 5k Run for God class at our church.  We used the Race of Grace as our celebration and ended up having a very large turn out from Mt. Zion.  Here’s a shot of the 2012 group.

Last year my time was 31:45.  Yesterday my time was 30:58.  My goal for the race was to not stop for water and to run all of the hills.  (Downtown Raleigh is very hilly!)  I slowed way down on the up hills but I didn’t stop.  And, I flew on the down hills!  Even though I always want to run a sub 30 minute 5k (and I only have 1 time in my life), I was very happy.

I hadn’t trained as much as I wanted to and to be honest, I was afraid to look at my time.

April 2013 will go down in my running log as my lowest mileage month in the past year.

Only 25 miles in the whole entire month!  That is most assuredly NOT the place I want to be.  If I want to get faster and you all know that I do, I need to be at 25 miles per week or more!

I cannot wish and hope my way into faster times.  I’ve got to put in the effort and make the commitment.

So here you go.  I’m making a firm public promise.  May is going to be better.  I’m going to check in each week and report some good miles.  I’m even going to grade myself in 3 other areas.  Rest, Nutrition, and Cross Training.  (I saw another blogger post a report card of sorts and I thought it was a wonderful idea.  Hope that’s ok with you Running Inspired Blog)

Happy Training Ya’ll

Trains!

Our grandson, Mason, is crazy about trains!

So, since his birthday is in a couple of days.  And since I found this cool train set and table on Craigslist.  I just couldn’t help myself!  Happy Early birthday Mason.  Grandpa and Grandma love you so much!

Mason and Andie came home last night and he played with it for several hours straight.  He had to sleep with some of the trains and then this morning he went right back to it.

Mason loves trains so much I’ve had a Pullen Park trip planned for quite some time.  Today was the day!

Pullen Park is the very first public park in all of North Carolina!  It’s nestled right next to the NCSU campus not far from downtown Raleigh.

Pullen was closed in 2009 for extensive renovations but re-opened in November 2011.

First order of business was to ride the “real train” as Mason put it.

Jonathan met us there and we all had a blast!  (Notice the wooden train in Mason’s hands.  He is never far from one.  Ron says it’s his security blanket of sorts.)

Next up were the boats!

He loved the boats dare I say it, maybe even more than the train.

Then we moseyed on over to the carousel.

This Dentzel carousel is a wonder.  So Beautiful!

A little time on the playground and then one more ride on the boat rounded out the day.

What a glorious day!

Happy Happy Happy

Just popping in to say hi!  I feel so great and so productive.

I took Kitty to get her rabies shot today at the shelter.  (They were having a free event.)

Next, Ron, Lydia, and I went to Benson Park for a gorgeous 3 mile run.  (Lydia will not ever let me take pictures of us running.)

Then, we went to Remedy Diner for brunch.

Ron had “No Huevos” Rancheros.

And Lydia and I both had a Breakfast Burrito.

(We each order out own but I only snapped one picture as they were identical.)

As usual, Ron enjoyed some local beers for his treat and Lydia and I hit the vegan dessert menu.

 

So papilla Cheesecake for Lyds and Peanut Chocolate Pie for me.

If you’ve never been to Remedy, you have to try it!

Now we’re off to REI.  Ron has a $48 dividend check and a 20% off coupon that is burning a hole in his pocket.

Happy Happy Happy!

Lucky!

It’s my lucky day every day when I get to have a green smoothie in my Green Man Brewery glass!

And tonight was extra special lucky because after a lovely 8 mile run, I used Ron’s very own Homemade Protein Powder mix in a glass of green sludges of goodness.

In the glass was 1 cup of almond milk, 1 orange, 1 scoop of protein powder, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1 packet of Truvia, and a handful of ice cubes.  Blended to a perfect icy treat in our handy dandy Vitamix.

But let me get back to the Homemade Protein Powder.

I’ve been reading healthy living blogs for a few years and one of my favorites is Daily Garnish.  I read this post ages ago and have wanted to make our own mix ever since.

Ron finally went for it and went NUTS!

Look at all this stuff he ordered!

Everything from dates to quinoa to hemp powder and chia seeds!

I just love this little company.  Such cute packaging!

Ron mixed all the powders up just like Emily did in the post I linked to except he left out the stevia and the PB2 powder.

It is really good and for only about 53 cents per day it is very economical.

 

Have a Lucky Day!