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Wow!!

I am going to toot my own horn tonite. So far, and I plan on running 5 miles tomorrow, I have run 95 miles this month. To me that is amazing, I feel like I can now really call myself a runner. I finally feel like I have earned it. I know, as long as you run, you're a runner - I tell my fellow running mama's that all the time, but before this month, I really questioned my ability to run. Even training for my 1/2 last year, I never ran more than 30-40 miles a month, and even that amount was a rarity. I am in awe of people who run 100 mile runs, it's truly amazing and they are awesome.

I'm also going to brag about my oldest son. He PR'd at his cross country meet on Wednesday. He's in JV, and he came in first of our JV team, and 78th out of all the JV's running. He ran 2 miles in 18:52. He actually beat out 2 of the varsity runners on his team. He's hoping since his run was really good that he might be bumped to varsity for the next meet. On this runner's high, he has committed to run a 10K in December and  a 1/2 in March. I'm really excited to share these experiences with him.

My youngest son ran a 5k last summer and came in first in his age group, and is planning on running a 5k again in October. I know he's going to want to run the 10k, but I just am not comfortable with him running that kind of mileage at his age. Does anyone have any information about children running long runs? I definitely don't want him running that many miles if it will be detrimental to him.

Miracle Miles 15k Race Report

I ran my first 15k this morning, the Miracle Miles 15k race. The minute my sister in law and BFF, Kerri mentioned it to me, I knew I wanted to do it. One, it was right in line with my training plan, and two, it benefits the women and children's hospital, Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando. The race was set to start at 7:20, so I was up at 4:30 and out the door by 5:00 to meet up with Kerri and head to the race. Traffic was a bit rough when we got there, but we quickly found a spot and out we went to talk to the start/finish line. Wow, I was thoroughly overwhelmed with the amount of people. I had heard that they anticipated 3500 people combined for the 5k and the 15k, but I guess I just didn't realize how many people that really was.

5k went out first at 7:00 am, and more than half of the runners were off. About 10 mins later, we began to line up for the 7:20 start of the 15k. I was shocked that right before we were to set off, 3 of the 5k runners were finishing. Amazingly quick - if this was any inclination of what the competition was like in the 15k, I was in trouble. Not that I expected to place, anyways - this was just for fun. 7:20 hit, but by the time I crossed the start line it was about 7:25. Definitely not used to that.





















We started off with a nice, easy pace, and some good conversation. This was how we started our very first race together, a 5k back in 2009. We both did well in that race, and it was so enjoyable. We did 3/1 intervals and just kept a pace that was comfortable. No reason to start off too fast, and not be able to finish. Off through downtown Orlando we went, over brick-layed roads, out to almost Lake Underhill and then back down past Lake Eola. It was really fun race, and I felt pretty good through all of it. When we got close to the finish line, I decided that I was going to run my hardest and so did Kerri. We finished, at the same time, with a clock time of 1:54:44, and a chip time of 1:52:54. Placed 1355 out of 1698 overall, 128 out of 165 in my division, and 708 out of 956 in my gender, and got some pretty nice bling. Not too shabby for my first 15k.

Front of Finisher's Medal

Back of Finisher's Medal

It's been a while

So, it's been a little while since I last blogged. That was my thought earlier today, and I was wondering why? Have I been too busy? Not really. Do I have nothing to say? More like it. Things are going good, so 1) I have no conflicts to write about and 2) I don't want to jinx myself. But, the more I thought about it, I need to blog my easy times, as well as my hard times. My youngest is having mostly good days, still a few really rough ones, though. I have been great at keeping on my training plan. I do not want to have a repeat of my last 1/2 marathon - I felt like I was dying
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I don't run to kill myself, I run because I enjoy it. I am not competitive enough to kill myself to win. I run to de-stress, and I race to keep myself reaching for a goal. My next 1/2 is the weekend after Thanksgiving, and already my monthly mileage is almost twice the amount of my training mileage for my last 1/2. It wasn't that the training plan didn't call for more mileage, it was more that I didn't have enough confidence in myself to do it, so I was okay with quitting, and not completing the mileage scheduled. This time I am determined - not to win or even place in my 1/2, but to feel good doing it, and if I PR then that's another plus. I feel ready, I am excited to do this 1/2.

But, I have done something to scare myself. I have committed to my sister in law, and best friend, Kerri that I will do my first marathon in 2013. I have picked the Disney marathon, because 1) I think it will be fun, with less expectations to do extremely well, and 2) I'm cheap, and I wouldn't do any Disney 1/2 marathons because they cost the same as the marathon. If I'm going to spend that much money, I am definitely going to get my monies worth. But back to, I'm scared. But, I'm no more scared than when I committed to do the 1/2. So, yes, I know I can overcome and do it, but will I continue to be scared throughout. Hell yes I will. Until I do it once, I won't be sure I can do it.

This weekend also marks a first for me on races. I will be running the Miracle Miles 15k. While I know for sure I can run 9 miles (did it in my training plan last weekend), it will be my first 15k. Because I have actually run the mileage, I am not nervous, yet, but more excited because this race is benefiting something I really believe in - children. This race benefits the Winnie Palmer Hospital, which is a women and children's hospital. I am actually more excited, than nervous, to run this race. I think I am at the point now where I know I won't place at races (I did at my first 5k and it was so cool), and I'm okay with that - not that I wouldn't love to place - I'm just too slow :)

So, I will continue training, and hopefully stay as motivated as I have been. And I hope that my next few racing experiences will be awesome, no matter where I come in. Like I said, life has been good, so there is no drama to talk about. Yup, my life is boring right now, but you know what, I really like it this way.

Everything seems to be flowing

So right now, life is good, really good. My youngest seems to be doing well on his meds, he seems to be more even keeled, and accepting of life's rules. My oldest, while not achieving everything he wants, is happy, and well-adjusted (like normal :) )Hubby and I are doing awesome, we both seem to be on the same page. I am graduating in December with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Safety Administration. And, 1/2 marathon training is right on track.

So why am I waiting for the other shoe to fall, and I really one of those half empty people? Expecting everything to mess up just because everything is going good right now. Why can't I just enjoy the good times? Everything is going so good right now, I'm scared that something will mess it up. At the very least, I'm afraid that an injury will happen and my 2nd 1/2 marathon dreams will go straight out the window.

I'm very disappointed in myself, that I just can't enjoy happy times and be excited that finally my life is going in the right direction. I'm loving my running, my boys are behaving, hubby and I are getting along great, and I am going to be a college graduate. So what's the problem, absolutely nothing. So, I'm literally kicking myself in the ass. Maybe I feel guilty, because in these hard times, so of my friends are really having it rough, and luckily I'm not. Believe me, I thank God every day that I don't have to struggle like many others do right now, but I'm so afraid that something is going to happen, and I am going to have to struggle financially. It is a scary time right now, and I am so glad that both hubby and I still have secure jobs.

So the point of my blog today; I don't honestly know. I just had the urge to write and get out my feelings. I apologize if it didn't make any sense. When I write, I usually go on feelings alone, so sometimes it may not make any sense. My blog is my release and you guys are just along for the ride. :D

9/11

While I didn't personally know anyone that risked their lives that day, my husband and my dad did. I am originally from Connecticut, and my husband was raised in Flushing, Queens before moving to Long Island, and finally settling in Connecticut where I met him. My husband was a volunteer for a fire department in Connecticut, and was lucky enough to ride along with Rescue 2, FDNY a few times and got to know some of the firefighters in that company. Unfortunately, some of them paid the ultimate price on that tragic day. So, while, no I do not know anyone, people close to me were affected that day.

I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the first plane hit one of the twin towers. I was at work, and my boss came in and told us he just heard that it had been hit. Our first reaction was that it was an accident, and immediately turned on the news, just in time to see the second tower get hit. We were in disbelief - this surely couldn't be an accident, but what horrible person could actually do this on purpose? I don't think we went anywhere that week where we couldn't stay glued to the tv, to hear any information on this tragic event. To this day, it still chills me to the bone.

My husband and I have been watching the documentary on the rebuilding of that site, and to me it is truly amazing. So much thought has been put into how the buildings are constructed, and the placement of the fountains, down to the position of each victim's names. We have also been watching all the memorial shows that have been all day - honestly, I cannot pay complete attention to it. I am a very emotional person, and I am still affected to this day. I feel for all the families of the victims, and the fellow firefighters and police officers that have lost their brothers. They were all so brave that day, thinking only of the victims in the towers,  the pentagon, and the plane that did not hit the intended target. Everyday, I thank God for those people - they ensured that no one else was killed that day.

One of the lovely ladies in my running group started a challenge on daily mile. We started out wanting to run 343 miles, as a group, for the firefighters that lost their lives. Well the response was so overwhelming, that we had over 200 miles within the first couple of days, so we decided it to include the police officers that lost their lives, and finally we decided to extend the challenge until the end of the month to include all the victims of that tragic day. So as a group, we will be running over 3000 miles this month as a tribute for these selfless people. I am in awe how quickly my running friends jumped in to run for this awesome cause. Even with this, I wanted to do more as a tribute. So, I had read on facebook how another runner friend was running 3.43 miles for all the firefighters, and I thought that was an awesome idea, but being that my father is in law enforcement and I work for a police department, I wanted to include the police officers that lost their lives, which was 23 NYPD and 37 Port Authority. So I ran the 3.43 miles for the 343 firefighters, and then I ran .60 miles for the police officers, without walking. It was the least I could do as a tribute for these brave men and women.

As this day winds down, I am saddened for the family members that lost people that day, but I am proud at the amount of patriotism that I have seen. I just wish that this patriotism wouldn't just last this one day, but continue on throughout the year. While there are many issues going on in our country right now, it is still a great country because we are free. Free to express our admiration or discontent, and that is pretty awesome to me.