15 Miles so far this week, and surprisingly...I'm still alive! Even better, I'm still able to walk! I'd be lying if I said that my legs weren't feeling a bit like rubber this morning, but I did just get off the treadmill, so I'll write that off to adjusting to terra firma.
I'm getting excited to head home to Colorado for Thanksgiving. I leave on Sunday, and get to spend a whole 9 days with family and friends! There's something about the Rocky Mountains that inspires and lifts my spirit like nothing else can. When I am there, I am home.
I'll also be home to watch the next two Bronco games, which is FANTASTIC! Patriots, and then Chiefs again. Both should be great, anxiety inducing battles, and I'm excited to watch them with fellow Bronco fans!
I'm a little nervous about training at altitude, particularly because I basically have to get off the plane and run 6 miles on Sunday...but I will just maintain my training philosophy that the distance is key, and listen to my body for the speed. At very least, training for 9 days at altitude should help me out when I get back to the low lands. There is a reason they sell running paraphernalia in CO that says "Sea Level is for Sissies!"
Wish me luck!
Love to all, and if you care to donate to LLS in support of my journey, please visit my fundraising page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ri/wdw14/anelson9oh
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Bullet Proof!
This week has been tough. My life now revolves around running, and the more I run, the more intimidated I am about the distance that I've committed to. 13.1 miles? What was I thinking?!? I've done a couple of 10K's (6.4 miles) but other than that, the longest run I've ever done before was just under 5 miles.
My body isn't cooperating either. When I was running back in my triathlon days (just 2.5 years ago!) my goal was to get my mile time under 9:30. Now I'm lucky if I can run a mile in under 11:00, and improving my stamina and strength seems to be so much harder, even at the shorter distances. Getting old bites!
So...I had to make some adjustments to my expectations.
1) Slow and steady wins the race. It doesn't matter how fast I am...as long as I'm not so slow that they pull me off the course...but I'm pretty sure I can maintain a pace faster than a 17 minute mile. :)
2) Intervals are my friends! It's the distance that matters. If I have to walk a bit to get to the the distance, that's ok!
3) My only competition is ME. I can't compare my pace or performance to anyone else. This is my challenge, and I'm the only one that can get in my way.
That being said, I've hit some milestones that I'm proud of this week! Today I reached the 5 mile mark! It wasn't easy, and it wasn't fast, but it was FIVE miles! To be honest, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be.
I also have new kicks! Visited Rhode Runner this week and had my friend Jim hook me up with some great new shoes. I loved my old ones, but something was just not quite right with them the past few weeks. The new shoes made their debut on my 5 mile run today, and I love them!
My body isn't cooperating either. When I was running back in my triathlon days (just 2.5 years ago!) my goal was to get my mile time under 9:30. Now I'm lucky if I can run a mile in under 11:00, and improving my stamina and strength seems to be so much harder, even at the shorter distances. Getting old bites!
So...I had to make some adjustments to my expectations.
1) Slow and steady wins the race. It doesn't matter how fast I am...as long as I'm not so slow that they pull me off the course...but I'm pretty sure I can maintain a pace faster than a 17 minute mile. :)
2) Intervals are my friends! It's the distance that matters. If I have to walk a bit to get to the the distance, that's ok!
3) My only competition is ME. I can't compare my pace or performance to anyone else. This is my challenge, and I'm the only one that can get in my way.
That being said, I've hit some milestones that I'm proud of this week! Today I reached the 5 mile mark! It wasn't easy, and it wasn't fast, but it was FIVE miles! To be honest, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be.
I also have new kicks! Visited Rhode Runner this week and had my friend Jim hook me up with some great new shoes. I loved my old ones, but something was just not quite right with them the past few weeks. The new shoes made their debut on my 5 mile run today, and I love them!
I have to give a shout out to one of my Cheerleaders, Janet, for giving me her training hint to use music as interval markers. Run a song, walk a song. I run until I need to take a break (today it was about 1.2 miles) and then start the alternating intervals. It was like magic for me, and kept my pace up really well! It also helped me run 11 miles total in the last 3 days, and I don't feel like I'm going to die!
I also discovered that music is an amazing motivator. The right music. Today, the right song was Bullet Proof by La Roux. The reason? Andrew. Brittany and Andrew sing that song together at the top of their lungs, particularly in the car where they can torment Taylor. Every time I hear it, I think of Andrew...being a silly, happy, healthy kid, and it fills me with joy. Today it was especially poignant as I listened to the words from his point of view. No longer did I hear lyrics about protecting a heart from potential heartbreak. I heard an anthem of courage and strength, vowing that cancer was not going to win.
It's amazing what a motivator that crazy kid is for me. This week they got the results of his annual full body MRI. CLEAR! His body is most definitely not free of the scars left behind by Cancer, but it is free of Cancer, and that is reason for celebration.
I think I'll have to pad my running playlist with more "Andrew" songs. If nothing else, it's good for my psyche.
From here on out, the runs are only going to get more difficult, so a positive outlook is a necessary tool. I'm doing this race in 8 weeks, dang it, and I'm GOING to finish it!
Thank you so much to those of you who have showered me with encouraging words and support, and to Wilkie for patiently accompanying me on my long runs! I don't have the words to express how much it means to me!
Additional thanks to those of you who have so generously contributed to my fundraising! I'm over 1/2 way to my mandatory fundraising total, and closing in on 1/2 way to my personal goal! You all amaze me!!
On that note, if any one else would like to contribute to an amazing cause, while supporting my journey, please feel free to visit my fundraising page here:
Love to all of you!
Amy
Monday, November 4, 2013
Gratitude
It's the time of year when Gratitude is in fashion. I don't mean that in a bad way. It's refreshing to hear/read about the things that people are grateful for as they make their lists and post their 30 Days of Gratitude Facebook statuses.
I think we, as a society are far less grateful than we should be, and I am one of the worst offenders. If I focused on only a portion of the things I have to be grateful for, I would have zero room in my life for self pity, frustration, annoyance or crankiness.
As it is, I whine, I get frustrated, I am often annoyed, and I definitely get cranky.
Even still, that being said, I am also grateful. Today, in particular.
Today is Andrew's birthday. He's 14 now. If I had no other thing in life to inspire gratitude, that would be enough. We still have Andrew. Our own, perfect miracle. Andrew beat cancer. How can there be room for anything but gratitude?!?!
Then I sit back and think about some of the other challenges life has brought. For all of the joy and peace that Andrew's miracle has brought, there is sadness and pain as we watch our mom fight a different form of the same monster. Cancer is a vicious adversary, and it's showing its teeth as it steals moments, days and years from her.
I say as "we watch", but I'm sheltered from the daily reminder that life is so fragile. She's 2500 miles away, being gently cared for by my amazing siblings. I get to be removed from the reality, experiencing it through text updates and occasional phone calls. For that reason, I find another thing to be grateful for.
I am grateful for an amazing family who loves big. Their love makes life's challenges a little less daunting and a whole lot less painful.
Life is good, because I have love.
I sat down to write a bit about my training progress. To tell you all about how difficult it is for me to break the 3 mile barrier, and how I'm starting to get nervous about adding distance to my runs in enough time to make 13.1 by January...but now I'm thinking...that's a piece of cake!
So, I will run. I will run for Andrew. I will run for my mom. I will run for my family, and I will run for love.
How could I ask for better inspiration?
That being said, I still need your help to support LLS in my journey! :) Feel free to check out my fundraising page if you're so inclined!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ri/wdw14/anelson9oh
Thanks for reading, and much LOVE!
Amy
I think we, as a society are far less grateful than we should be, and I am one of the worst offenders. If I focused on only a portion of the things I have to be grateful for, I would have zero room in my life for self pity, frustration, annoyance or crankiness.
As it is, I whine, I get frustrated, I am often annoyed, and I definitely get cranky.
Even still, that being said, I am also grateful. Today, in particular.
Today is Andrew's birthday. He's 14 now. If I had no other thing in life to inspire gratitude, that would be enough. We still have Andrew. Our own, perfect miracle. Andrew beat cancer. How can there be room for anything but gratitude?!?!
Then I sit back and think about some of the other challenges life has brought. For all of the joy and peace that Andrew's miracle has brought, there is sadness and pain as we watch our mom fight a different form of the same monster. Cancer is a vicious adversary, and it's showing its teeth as it steals moments, days and years from her.
I say as "we watch", but I'm sheltered from the daily reminder that life is so fragile. She's 2500 miles away, being gently cared for by my amazing siblings. I get to be removed from the reality, experiencing it through text updates and occasional phone calls. For that reason, I find another thing to be grateful for.
I am grateful for an amazing family who loves big. Their love makes life's challenges a little less daunting and a whole lot less painful.
Life is good, because I have love.
I sat down to write a bit about my training progress. To tell you all about how difficult it is for me to break the 3 mile barrier, and how I'm starting to get nervous about adding distance to my runs in enough time to make 13.1 by January...but now I'm thinking...that's a piece of cake!
So, I will run. I will run for Andrew. I will run for my mom. I will run for my family, and I will run for love.
How could I ask for better inspiration?
That being said, I still need your help to support LLS in my journey! :) Feel free to check out my fundraising page if you're so inclined!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ri/wdw14/anelson9oh
Thanks for reading, and much LOVE!
Amy
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