Ahhh! Temperatures have soared into the 20's out here in sunny Minnesota! Guy and I are in Rochester for the weekend with Bobby and Ally - Ally is swimming in the President's Day "A" Meet. Not doing really well - she was home two days this week with a 102+ temperature, but now she just has a really bad cold. She has swum in 3 events so far (will be 7 total), and all were slower than her qualifying times. But that's ok. We are still really proud of her just for getting here. Go Ally! We love you so much! UPDATE 5:00 p.m.... Ally just swam the 100 yard breaststroke in a Championship Qualifying PR!!!!
Anyway, this morning at dawn we headed out, intending to run 15 miles on the Douglas Trail. It was nicely packed by the snowmobilers, but it was still a lot of work: a good ankle-strengthening work-out for ultra runners, and I do say that like it's a good thing! So we hopped on and off the trail, running on the streets as well as on sidewalks in and around the old neighborhoods. It was SO nice outside that we ended up with 18 miles~! Yea!
We were especially proud of ourselves because we've been running just a fraction of the miles we used to over these last 10 months with all the changes in our lives that needed tending to. It hasn't been easy, as we've had to work our way back from SCRATCH. Like, we struggled with our first 3 and 4 mile runs on the dreadmill. But after today, our confidence is back, and WE are back, baby!
We used to be "marathon-ready," even "Ironman-ready" all year round (I did 5 Ironman triathlons and over 20 marathons in 2 1/2 years), but we completely lost all that conditioning in the strange year we look back and call "2010." It's been a long road back. So we really, really needed that confidence-building run, and today we got it.
In two weeks, Guy is heading down with some buddies to Oklahoma to do a 50K on Saturday and a trail marathon on Sunday - 57 miles in two days... sounds like old times, honey! Have fun and good luck!
Hope you all got your long runs in this beautiful weekend! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Training for Chippewa
Ok, what's my identity here? It started as an Ironman training blog, then an ultra running blog, then an I Love Jesus blog... now I think it's time to blend all these things that are or were important to me and start blogging again!
It's just been such a weird year, 2010... death in the family, the settlement of bills, the reorganization of all the household "stuff", knowing what stuff to throw out, and what to keep - both tangible and intangible. So much just had to GO. It was a shocking, freeing, revealing year. And here's what I ended up with:
- A man who loves me so much more than I ever thought I could be loved.
- Kids who love me - still - even though they are 10 and 12 and I hear that this is the stage where they start to pull away, but I have really lucked out - they still think (and tell us) that they are the luckiest kids in the world cause they have us for parents. I am so thankful I get to be their mom and I tell them everyday!
- An extended family who loves us - including cousins, aunts, sisters-in-law, and Grandparents who go overboard making sure my kids feel treasured.
- We are so blessed.
Deep breath. Now that I have all those comforts, I can get back to training. So here is what is planned:
Guy and I are registered for several races in 2011 - starting with Chippewa 50K in April, Superior 50 mile in May, and Grandma's marathon in June. We took some time off and had to work our way back up the milage charts, but I am up to 11 and Guy is up to 13. I can leisurely work my way up to race day in April...
...But in a couple of weeks Guy has to be back up to 50K cause he and a couple of trail runner buddies are doing a crazy road trip race-weekend in Oklahoma that is a 50K on Saturday followed by a road marathon on Sunday. Now that is jumping back in the saddle. Glad I am staying home watching kids!
I've been treadmilling most of my runs as we have had a lot of snow, like pretty much everyone else in the USA. I can't wait to get back outside - and back on TRAILS. Chae, who is doing Chippewa with us, has been keeping her miles up, too, and we'll all be ready come April.
Gonna feel good to actually pin on a real race bib again.
It's just been such a weird year, 2010... death in the family, the settlement of bills, the reorganization of all the household "stuff", knowing what stuff to throw out, and what to keep - both tangible and intangible. So much just had to GO. It was a shocking, freeing, revealing year. And here's what I ended up with:
- A man who loves me so much more than I ever thought I could be loved.
- Kids who love me - still - even though they are 10 and 12 and I hear that this is the stage where they start to pull away, but I have really lucked out - they still think (and tell us) that they are the luckiest kids in the world cause they have us for parents. I am so thankful I get to be their mom and I tell them everyday!
- An extended family who loves us - including cousins, aunts, sisters-in-law, and Grandparents who go overboard making sure my kids feel treasured.
- We are so blessed.
Deep breath. Now that I have all those comforts, I can get back to training. So here is what is planned:
Guy and I are registered for several races in 2011 - starting with Chippewa 50K in April, Superior 50 mile in May, and Grandma's marathon in June. We took some time off and had to work our way back up the milage charts, but I am up to 11 and Guy is up to 13. I can leisurely work my way up to race day in April...
...But in a couple of weeks Guy has to be back up to 50K cause he and a couple of trail runner buddies are doing a crazy road trip race-weekend in Oklahoma that is a 50K on Saturday followed by a road marathon on Sunday. Now that is jumping back in the saddle. Glad I am staying home watching kids!
I've been treadmilling most of my runs as we have had a lot of snow, like pretty much everyone else in the USA. I can't wait to get back outside - and back on TRAILS. Chae, who is doing Chippewa with us, has been keeping her miles up, too, and we'll all be ready come April.
Gonna feel good to actually pin on a real race bib again.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
More gifts... 206...
206). Listening to Guy talk on the phone to his old friend Doug, who lives in Charlotte. He and Doug have been friends for ages. I hope we get to see them this summer. Guy has relationships that go so far back, and that says so much for what kind of person he is - that people still want to be friends with him over the decades.
207). Love.
208). Wishing I could let go easier.
209). Today's sermon at Plymouth Covenant Church was about realizing that your ONLY, ONE true thing that will satisfy you is a relationship with Jesus. That is a comfort to know the answer. To like, the biggest question mankind has ever asked.
210). What will bring you contentedness? I have tried placing that on people, on accomplishments, on things, etc. And none has brought me the contentedness that my relationship with Jesus has brought.
211). Finally "getting it" that it really IS all about Jesus. You don't have to keep wondering and looking!
212). Knowing and fully accepting that He is the one! That even though I screw up often, He knows my heart, He knows I try, He knows I will NEVER be perfect, and He still , STILL loves me.
213). It is a gift that I keep getting blessed beyond anything I ever prayed for, or even thought of.
214). That anyone who reads this, only needs to get quiet, listen to the silence, ask for Jesus to reveal Himself, and THERE HE IS. Seriously - that is all it takes. There He is. Talk to Him! He loves it! And trust me, you will, too!
215). It is a gift that I am making a comeback in running. We are up to 8 miles as of yesterday - woo-hoot!!
216). That our (10-13 year old) kids think 70's music is cool. They were pulling it up on their laptops in the kitchen on Friday, and as the music would start, Guy and I would name the tunes! And it would SOOOO take us back to high school! It was the best family night ever.
217). Taking a nap this afternoon for 90 minutes.
218). A clean house.
219). A clean kitchen counter.
220). The sound of our kids laughing. We took them all to see Triple Espresso last night at the old Loring Theatre. They had no idea what it was about, so I just told them I'd give them 5 bucks if they could go through the whole show and not laugh. Eager for 5 bucks, they were CERTAIN they could collect. Bobby had both hands on his cheeks, for the first few lines, and kept looking over at me to see if I saw him laughing, but after about 5 minutes he just smiled at me and said no way - I lose this one!
221). Watching our kids TOTALLY cracking up, like leaning forward and back in their seats, laughing - is a priceless gift.
222). The fact that I first saw this show before I even HAD kids, and it's been running so long that now we have teenagers who loved it.
223). That ANYONE can make shadow figures as funny as the character Bobby Bean did in the show last night.
224). Having two washers and dryers. Laundry for 5 students/ workers/athletes can pile up pretty fast, and you can get twice as much done!
225). That Bobby loves reading The Message Bible for pleasure.
207). Love.
208). Wishing I could let go easier.
209). Today's sermon at Plymouth Covenant Church was about realizing that your ONLY, ONE true thing that will satisfy you is a relationship with Jesus. That is a comfort to know the answer. To like, the biggest question mankind has ever asked.
210). What will bring you contentedness? I have tried placing that on people, on accomplishments, on things, etc. And none has brought me the contentedness that my relationship with Jesus has brought.
211). Finally "getting it" that it really IS all about Jesus. You don't have to keep wondering and looking!
212). Knowing and fully accepting that He is the one! That even though I screw up often, He knows my heart, He knows I try, He knows I will NEVER be perfect, and He still , STILL loves me.
213). It is a gift that I keep getting blessed beyond anything I ever prayed for, or even thought of.
214). That anyone who reads this, only needs to get quiet, listen to the silence, ask for Jesus to reveal Himself, and THERE HE IS. Seriously - that is all it takes. There He is. Talk to Him! He loves it! And trust me, you will, too!
215). It is a gift that I am making a comeback in running. We are up to 8 miles as of yesterday - woo-hoot!!
216). That our (10-13 year old) kids think 70's music is cool. They were pulling it up on their laptops in the kitchen on Friday, and as the music would start, Guy and I would name the tunes! And it would SOOOO take us back to high school! It was the best family night ever.
217). Taking a nap this afternoon for 90 minutes.
218). A clean house.
219). A clean kitchen counter.
220). The sound of our kids laughing. We took them all to see Triple Espresso last night at the old Loring Theatre. They had no idea what it was about, so I just told them I'd give them 5 bucks if they could go through the whole show and not laugh. Eager for 5 bucks, they were CERTAIN they could collect. Bobby had both hands on his cheeks, for the first few lines, and kept looking over at me to see if I saw him laughing, but after about 5 minutes he just smiled at me and said no way - I lose this one!
221). Watching our kids TOTALLY cracking up, like leaning forward and back in their seats, laughing - is a priceless gift.
222). The fact that I first saw this show before I even HAD kids, and it's been running so long that now we have teenagers who loved it.
223). That ANYONE can make shadow figures as funny as the character Bobby Bean did in the show last night.
224). Having two washers and dryers. Laundry for 5 students/ workers/athletes can pile up pretty fast, and you can get twice as much done!
225). That Bobby loves reading The Message Bible for pleasure.
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