Frozen Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving! The boys wanted to run with me today, their first 5K, so that was a treat. Little did I know it was going to be a freezing 23 degrees this morning. We bundled up and headed out. Once we started we were quick to warm up so the temperature wasn't a big factor. We stayed together and it took us a while but we made it!  Rigsby learned that three miles is a long way for little legs. Michael enjoyed the race energy and can't wait to do another. I am thankful for my boys and what could be a new Thanksgiving tradition for us!

 

Treasures

Last Saturday I ran in the Race 2 Recycle at Piedmont Park. Pretty funny as I am getting quite the reputation at school for recycling. My principal calls it hoarding but I like to think of it as creative upcycling.  Trash is a highly underestimated resource and we are making great treasures from recycled materials.


As part of a team building exercise, the first graders at

Westside painted on large sheets of recycled blue prints.
 

It was the first run for me in several weeks and it felt great. The leaves were falling, the park was quiet and a small group gathered to run. The entire route was within the park which was refreshing. And...I love this park! As much as I dream about moving to a smaller city, Piedmont Park makes me fall in love with Atlanta every time I'm there. Besides all of the great spaces, Mike and I were married there and it fills my heart with joy just thinking about it.



A truly great day at the park!

A Single and a Double

The end of September, I completed race 5 while catching up with a dear friend. Our busy lifestyles have taken us in different directions the last few months so it was much needed time. The course was an 8K in an area of Atlanta which will eventually be part of the Beltline. While it was great catching up and seeing a different part of the city, I could feel myself coming down with something. It was a struggle but thankfully had my faith and friend to motivate me to keep running.  I rallied for the next two weeks to get through the end of the first grading period at school and then my body crashed. That something turned into Bronchitis and Sinusitis. I missed a trail run that I wanted to do at Serenbe and rested for an entire week during fall break. At the end of the break, I was determined to fit in a Saturday and Sunday run. Enter race 6, the Spooktacular Chase and race 7, the Morningside Mile...not a good decision! I was still not feeling well for the Spooktacular Chase but was set on running. It was cold and rainy and I had a pounding headache. I could hear every footstep and deep breath from the runners beside me. Dogs were barking and race support was cheering. Ugh...I just wanted to be done so I could go home and crawl back in bed. The Morningside Mile was better weather wise and shorter in distance but I still wasn't feeling 100%. I'm not sure I would do this one again or perhaps if I did, I would bring my kids, too. It started late, was point to point and a bit crazy with all the jogging strollers and kids weaving back and forth.

Because of my lingering cough, I missed another race last week that was an all girls nighttime run at Piedmont Park. Sounds fun, right? I was very disappointed but took the advise of my family members who encouraged me to make good decisions. Now after my second round of antibiotics and taking two steps back, I'm checking the race calendar and hoping to move forward before the end of the calendar year.

Party Hats in Heaven

Today is my grandma's birthday. She passed away in May, just months shy of celebrating her 90th year. I am thankful she is with her maker and many loved ones but I selfishly long for one more conversation, one more letter, one more hug. Although heart breaking for those she left behind, I feel certain they are wearing party hats in heaven!
To honor her today, we wiped away the tears and we celebrated. Happy Birthday, GG. We love you!

 

Slow and Steady



The boys saved their money this summer to buy two turtles at the beach.

They reside on our counter and are a constant reminder of a slower pace.

It's been said that slow and steady wins the race. In my case, slow and steady finishes the race. My fourth race was the Fitness for Literacy 5K in Grant Park. My performance wasn't pretty but it was for a great cause and temporarily cleared my mind of all the noise. September has been a crazy month for me. The crazier my days, the less time I set aside for myself. In fact, if it wasn't for the challenge of 40 races in my 40th year I would not have run at all this month. This was a wake up call for me. As fast as I've been going at work and home, I would've preferred a running pace to match but I had nothing left in the engine. I got the message loud and clear.  I plan to set aside some time this weekend to delete the unnecessary in my calendar, get organized and add weekday training runs as if they are doctor's appointments. With any luck, my running pace will increase and my daily pace will be more slow and steady.

My Pillow's Deep

My fourth race was supposed to be on Labor Day but it wasn't meant to be. I woke to the sound of dueling alarms and loud thunder. Although I felt a bit like the character in the book, I am Not Going to Get Up Today! by Dr. Seuss, I got up anyway. I got dressed and was ready to go but was talked out of it by my husband who plans his day based on the weather channel. I'm sure I would have been  fine but instead, I went back upstairs, crawled under the covers remembering the words in the book..."The alarm can ring. The birds can peep. My bed is warm. My pillow's deep. Today's the day I'm going to sleep."


3rd and 10

 

I completed my third race, Run for the Park, on the 25th. I love Grant Park but it was not the cool crisp morning it was the previous Saturday. Instead, it was hot and humid. The August weather finally caught up with us in the south. My sister decided to join me which was a real treat. She hasn't run in over 10 years and her gift to me was a race a month in my 40th year. After taking a decade off, and originally planning to do the Vinings Downhill, I hope she is still excited for the next 11 months.

 

A few highlights...

• I saw first hand the super fit mom, who pushes a TRIPLE jogger, bob and weave her way to the front of the pack. Her reputation proceeds her and I knew I was bound to see her at a race. I'm guessing her children are between the ages of 1-6 and she's pushing close to 100 lbs. You go girl!
• After completing the race, I enjoyed seeing the Parkview High School ROTC cross the finish line. The group ran in formation the entire way keeping a steady pace until the last 25 yards where it was an all out sprint. Fun!
• I got to cheer my sister on as she completed her first 5k in her 40's. Way to go!

A Couple Firsts and a Second

Last week I completed my first week back in the classroom since having the boys. I am teaching art at a brand new charter school in the area so it was both my first week and the school's first week which was quite exciting. Although thrilled to be back in the classroom, everyday was like a marathon. Between being on a cart and working through the logistics of a new school, I learned a lot daily. I left each afternoon thinking of ways to make the next day better. I woke each night visualizing different projects, better cart prep and creative storage options. Both my mind and body seemed to be going nonstop. By Friday, I had nothing left. I was reminded of something my husband used to say about doing Ironman races. He started doing triathlons and Ironman races before they were household names. People thought he was a bit crazy. He always said that doing an Ironman was a lot easier than a day of work in his line of business. That same thought went through my mind several times last week. Yep, you heard me. Swimming, biking and running a total of 140.6 miles may be easier than teaching kindergarteners!

As exhausted as I was, I was looking forward to my second race. I rallied and gave it all I had in that moment. Thankfully, it was the Downhill 5k. Although not all downhill, there was enough to keep my momentum going. My sweet friend and I kept a good pace for two tired moms and enjoyed the run in the cool crisp air, knowing that this would be the easiest time of our day.  It was a fast, family friendly race and a Peachtree qualifier so a good one to remember for next year. The race is point to point instead of a loop and there is a nice walk back to the start, which has a steep hill at the end (I knew we eventually had to go uphill). All in all, it was a great second race and my mind and body were refueled.

First of Forty

My first race is under my belt and it was inspiring. Not only was it my first of forty but it was my first trail race ever. I absolutely loved it! I was not the fastest or the fittest but I think my heart was the fullest. 

 

It started at Red Top Mountain State Park on Lake Allatoona. Another first as I've never been there and was amazed by it's natural beauty and super close proximity to the city. The race was sold out and parking was limited so I got there early.The summer air was cool and crisp, just perfect for running. I decided to run without all of the gadgets; no watch, no heart rate monitor, no iPod or iPhone. I wanted to be in the moment and enjoy the sounds of nature and the rhythm of my steps. In that moment I was filled with an abundance of peace. The trail was my sanctuary and all of the hustle and bustle of life was nonexistent, a perfect way to start the year.

Officially Forty

I'm excited to celebrate my birthday this year. Even though I'm officially 40, I feel a surge of energy. Is it because I'm over the hill? Have I been climbing up hill the last few years and now gaining momentum as I start to roll down? If that's the case, it's all down hill from here, right?

It's a busy day with school and work but we'll make time to celebrate. My boys and I are painting a canvas together, a new birthday tradition. I'll have a big unveiling when we're done.

My soles got new running shoes, very fitting. They will get quite a workout this year as I embark on my 40 races.

And it wouldn't be a birthday celebration without cake, and boy does my family love cake!

My 8th birthday - when parties were simple, cakes were homemade and school started after Labor Day.

Inspired by Others

It is about to be the beginning of a new decade for me, and I am grateful to have my health and beautiful family. I am inspired by the memory of my grandma and my mom to be my best self. My maternal grandma passed away in May of this year at the age of 89. We were supposed to be in upstate NY this weekend to celebrate her 90th with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. My grandma was strong, both mind and body, and I thought for sure she would out live us all. She took care of almost everyone in the family at one time or another and was a loving friend to all.

 

My grandma with my boys when they were 3 and 5. They love their great grandma, 'GG'.

Although we lived in different states, my grandma spent a lot of time at our house when I was growing up. My mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was 5. After being told she had a year to live, she fought for 11 years. My mom died at the age of 41 and even though it was a long battle, it was way too young to die. It seems even younger now that I am about to be 40 and my sister is 41. My mother was my rock. She was beautiful, strong, smart and the most positive person I have ever known.

 

Me (3), my mom and my sister (5). It was always funny to me that my mom was a brick wall for Halloween. I'm not sure her intentions, but as I look back, it was a symbol of her, solid and strong.

When I was brainstorming about my 40th year, I knew I wanted to do something that would bring me joy and physically challenge me at the same time. Running does that for me. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with it. I may not always want to run but I feel like my best self after I do. This challenge is a gift to myself - a gift of time to me and for me - to find the inner strength and positive energy to be my best self.

The idea behind the 40 races was inspired by several blogs, one of my favorites is Jenni's 52 Canvases in My 40th Year. Jenni Horne is a local artist, teacher, mother and multi-tasker extraordinaire. I bought a couple of her paintings a few years ago and love her work. Last year I had the pleasure of taking a painting class from her which was a lot of fun. As I watched her 40th year progress through her paintings and blog, the seed was planted for my challenge.

Another inspiring blog is 100 Days of Real Food. I love that a family of four pledged to do it together and are still going strong. It is not easy cutting out processed foods, especially with a busy schedule.

When we were vacationing with friends this summer in Kure Beach, a neighbor's son, Ben Shaw, surfed everyday for a year and raised money for Ocean Cure while doing so. You can read about his story here. He met his goal in May and when we were there in June he was still surfing daily. If I lived a block from the beach, I think I would want to surf everyday, too! My son is still trying to figure out a way to get us relocated to the beach.

Prologue: Glow-in-the-Dark 5K Dance Party

In preparation for my 40 races in my 40th year, I decided to do a prologue, and the Glow-in-the-Dark 5K Dance Party seemed like the perfect event! My dear friend and long time training buddy decided she would run it with me however she was limping prior to the race from a recent fall. We have both had three surgeries in the last two years and haven't run much since so we are quite the duo.

Dressed in black, we arrived at the race with plenty of time to get our numbers and our glow on. My friend was in no shape to run but she remained loyal, got a bag of ice and waited at the finish. Based on the crowd, I don't think middle aged mommas were the target demographic but I was excited to be there, a night on the town of sorts. When it was time for the race to start, we all lined up in a corral and waited.  I was decked out in glow-in-the-dark necklaces and ready to run. The start time came and went and we were still waiting in the corral, a lot of dancing, loud boom boom music and wave action but no sign of a start. Little did I know, despite the posted start time we were waiting for the sun to go down. Seriously...this was two days after the summer solstice and one of the longest days of the year! Between the loud music and late night start, I was trying to remain cool and blend in with the crowd but soon realized that at the end of the day, I would prefer to be winding down for the night than gearing up. The race finally started in waves and I was off. Since it was dark, I wasn't sure the exact course but soon discovered that we were snaking our way through the parking lot, through more corrals, much like a line at Disney World. We went around the surrounding streets of the Braves stadium and through more corrals in another parking lot to the finish line where there was a big glow-in-the-dark dance party.

This event was clearly more social than sport but was a fun and unique prologue for my year of races. One thing I learned for sure is that this mom prefers to run in the morning on fresh legs that haven't been chasing children all day. Night or day, trail or road, I can't wait to start my first of 40 in August.

A Year Long Celebration

Some celebrate their birth day, some their birth week, others their birth month; this year, I plan to celebrate the entire year!

This summer I'll be forty! It's hard for me to believe but I'm going to rejoice and enjoy this new chapter. I'm not a fan of big parties or fancy dinners so I plan to celebrate by racing; 40 races in my 40th year. I'm trading in my flip flops for running shoes. It will be a year long celebration and rewarding journey for my heart and soles.

In my late twenties and early thirties, I loved to race. I enjoyed running races, bike races and triathlons. I loved the energy and excitement surrounding the races, the training runs and rides with friends and the way a good workout made me feel like a million bucks. I'm not ultra competitive but always tried to push my mind and body a little more each time. After having children, the balance between work and family made racing a bit challenging. I didn't make it a priority and I miss it. I miss the training, the spirit of the race and the friendships that form along the way. I'm on a year long journey to reclaim that love. Come celebrate with me!

Check out the race page where I'll list local races and update my schedule.