My idea of fun

Wow, my idea of FUN has changed... some.

Last year at this time if you would have told me that I would run a half marathon for fun (or that I would be running at all), the day after Christmas, I probably would have died from laughing so hard.

Well that is what I did, I ran/walked Operation Jack Half Marathon on Dec. 26, 2011.

This has been a wonderful life changing year. I started with the Couch to 5K at the end of January 2011, I remember my first 30 seconds of straight running and I thought, Holy Crap!!!! How the heck am I going to get up to a full mile? Well I did after a few weeks. I then signed my son and I up for our first 5k race, the Shamrock Run 5k in Portland, Ore. I was excited to run this event as my first race and that my son was going to do this with me.

The announcer called the 5k runners to line up and as we lined up my son turned to me and said you are ready, I smiled back and nodded, trying not to think about hurling. He then was very focused on a cute little blonde gal with a very tight green t-shirt the read “Rub for Luck” across her chest.  And as we crossed the start line he turned to me and said “see ya at the finish” and he was off.  WHAT??? You are going to leave me for this cute blonde gal????? I thought to myself. Oh I was crushed for the first few minutes till my lungs started screaming at me, reminding me to pay attention and I slowed my pace down to where I could breath . As I started up the bridge to the turn around, my son was running down and as he passed me he shouted “Awesome Job Mom!”  Then he was gone again. As I ran I kept thinking “What the heck am I doing?” and before I knew it I could see the finish line. It was an amazing feeling to cross that finish line, but the best part was that my son was waiting for me at the finish line, with a hug. I forgave him for ditching me.  That is how my running year started. Since then I have ran several races, met so many new friends and found a great running partner.

Can’t wait to see what next year brings.

Oh ya, I signed up for my first full marathon June 17, 2012. Vancouver USA Marathon!!! :o)

So a big hug and thank you to my husband and son for all their support. And to Robin for the after work calls to meet up for a run, the great races, Sunday morning meet ups and everything else.

The Killer (to me) Workout A.K.A Danielle’s Smack down

The Killer (to me) Workout    A.K.A Danielle’s Smack down

I have been running for 11 months now and new that I really needed to add some strength training to my workout. So, I went through my gym to find a trainer and about passed out when he told me the cost. $1500., for 3 months. Not happening.  

So………..

Last night I enlisted the help of a co-worker/friend/fellow runner, Danielle. She has been posting on Dailymile all her awesome strength training workouts. I have used the excuses like, I can’t do sit-ups, so ab work is out of the question (I know it is a stupid excuse). I really can’t do anything where my tail bone comes into contact with the ground, it causes an unbelievable pain that can last weeks.

Well I have that excuse no more. Danielle introduced me to the Stability Ball (Oh My!!!) We did dumbbell curls, triceps dips, pushups on a stability ball (dear God), single leg squats, walking lunges, single leg calf raises, weighted squats on a stability ball, hamstring raises on a stability ball, crunches, and weighted oblique twists (who the @%*& came up with this). Then to add to the torture she showed me how to properly use a foam roller. Apparently sitting in a corner collecting dust is not its function. Who knew?

I am happy to report that I am alive, I did survive, the abs are a little sore along with the glutes, but it was a great workout, Thanks to Danielle. Now I need to remember everything and do it again and again and again……