TIME TO REFRESH AND REFOCUS

Oh my goodness....It has been forever since I wrote on this blog. Everytime I come to my sight, I end up just feeling bad about not making my goals. Well, now it is time to do something about it. Ever since Frank left, I have let so many things get in the way of my runnng goals. I have decided to pick a new marathon and start training for it. I have been looking on the Marathon Maniac sight, but havent decided on one yet. OK...to start this new journey, I am setting my alarm clock and going running with the run club in the morning......More to follow

MM# 544

UPDATE

HI!!!
Well, I feel good this weekend. I was able to run 10.2 miles on Saturday and 5.5 on Sunday. I have felt a little tightness in my hip and glutes, but NO PAIN!!!!! I am so happy about the no pain thing. I also spent a good part of the weekend studying for my promotion board next week. I am so excited and a lot scared. I really want to do well and put myself in a good position for promotion. If all goes well, I should see a promotion around October or November time frame. It would be nice to get it in December also, so Frank could be here for the ceremony. OK, I am putting the cart before the horse. My boss is gone all this next week and the schedule is slow, so I will be studying a lot at work. My board is on Friday.
Everything else is going good. The kids still don't have their rooms clean and they still don't listen. It is amazing what they think they can get away with while Dad is gone. They are finding that mom is not willing to do too much for them right now. I guess all of this is minor in the whole scope of things.
I am able to talk to Frank every day or every other day. I also get to see him on the webcam pretty often now. He is doing well and is staying very busy.
I don't have a major run calendar going right now. I am doing the 1/2 marathon on Fort Lewis in September and of course we have the San Francisco Marathon in October. I will probably sign up for more marathons as the weather cools. I don't like running in the heat of the day. Maybe I will add a few stars to my Maniac profile this next season.

Anyways, with all things as good as they could be, I am signing off after a positive, productive running week.
MM#544

GOOD NEWS

OKAY, I was told it was about time to update my blog. I really haven't had a lot to write about. I have just been adjusting to single parenthood and everything that goes along with having a depolyed husband. Today I found out some good news. My left leg is 5mm longer than my right. Why is this good news? It means that there is a real simple problem for the pain in my left leg and I can get a heel lift in my right shoes that should alleviate all the problems. I am tired of being in pain and having to cut back on something I was relying on so much to get me through some tough times. So there it is.
Frank is fine. He is homesick. He really misses the kids. He is busy and keeps in touch. Other than that, there is not much to report. I am just going to get my heel lifts, work on my running and my distances and keep counting down the days.

HI

I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who has written on my blog and offered up such wonderful thoughts, suggestions, and support. I am truly blessed ( and I don't use that word lightly) to have found such an extraordinary group of people. The more I run and the more runners I come in contact with through races, blogs, etc, the more I know that runners are the greatest group of people. I was very intimidated about joining a running group because I am a back of the packer. our group took me in with the biggest welcome. Thank you

Now, I haven't been hibernating this last week. I ran a couple miles on Monday and I was in pain all day. I am staying off my knee as much as possible and will start running and building up miles a little at a time. I have accomplished so much with 3 marathons and one ultra. I would have never imagined accomplishing so much. Next season I will add more stars to my profile on the Maniacs sights. The rest of this year is more about enjoying the company of the people I have the honor of running with.

I have gotten so much done since Frank left. Mostly, all of the stuff he was supposed to do before he left. This weekend I cleaned out the garage, made two trips to the dump, and one to the Goodwill. The front and back yard are mowed and my list of things to keep me busy this year will fill up a book. I have talked to him a couple times this week and he says he is homesick already. On a very personal note, he broke down a bit before he left and told me about his fears and feeling about being away from us. This was unlike him. He usually has that "I am a soldier and I do what I am told and it doesn't affect me" kind of attitude. That drive me crazy because he makes it look like it is easy to go. When he finally showed some weakness, I was able to step up and say, "Don't worry, We will be OK and I will take care of things."

Signing off with a better outlook and looking forward to running again. MM #544

THE 15 MONTH COUNT DOWN BEGINS

I haven't posted anything for quite a while. Today's post is nothing to do with running....or very little. This morning, my family and I drove my husband to Fort Lewis and said our goodbyes. He will fly out of McCord this evening to Kuwait. He will be there for about 8-10 days and then on to Mosul, Iraq(northern). He has gone once before and ended up staying ony five months due to injury. It was the longest five months of my life. Imagine Murphey's Law times ten. I am trying to stay positive and overall I am dealing with this better than last time. I just have to keep reminding myself that I could be going any time. Like I have told most people...I am a good soldier and will go where I have to, but I am a horrible Army wife. You would think that I would be better considering I am in the service too. In my opinion, it is easier to be the one to leave than to be left behind. Don't get me wrong, leaving isn't easy. I have wanted to call his cell phone several times already, but it is here sitting next to mine because he will not have service there. I am not good at feeling helpless or not in control.
I am not throwing a pity party, just venting. I fully intend on going running with the running club on Sunday and trying to put everything in place. I have to see what my knee is going to do. I ran the R2R relay with Bustin' for Ruston team last weekend and my IT band tightened up after my first 4 mile leg. I ended up having Margaret finish my second leg because of the pain. I definitely don't want to over do things, but running is a huge part of my coping strategy for this next year+.
Signing off for now. I will post some pics from today when my daughter gets them to me.
MM 544

Another Sunday

Here it is, another Sunday. Rick and a bunch of others are going to run the Capitol City Marathon today. A lot of the Y run club is going to watch. Me, I am sitting out here on Fort Lewis wishing I was there to cheer everyone on. This week has been a great learning experience. Yesterday, we had 40 "patients" during a mass casualty exercise. I have realized that I remember a lot more medical stuff than I thought I would, but I still have a lot of reviewing to do. It is hard when you are not working on patients and actively in healthcare. You lose skills and a lot of knowledge is pushed into the far recesses of your brain. Anyways.....I can tell I haven't run in a week in both my body and my spirit. On the up side, my knee is much better. I am going to start doing a lot more training runs to build back up before I do any more marathons. At least that is my plan. I am out of the field on Wednesday or Thursday.....I can't wait. then I will be at the track and back to the run club next weekend. Best of all, I will be at coffee. Starbuck's doesn't deliver out here.

Tacoma City Marathon

This is going to be a very short race report. I am leaving for the field in the morning, I am in a lot of aipn, and I'm just tired.
Thank you and Congrats ot all who put this all together and worked tirelessly to make Tacoma Marathon a success. Rob did an awsome job. Sonja was there to give support as always.....thank you. Geoge was on his bike and provided motivation. There is always so much support from the Y Run Club.
The morning started out great. I opted for the early start and boy am I glad I did. I really cut is close. I don't know what my time was because my only focus was getting to the aid tent, but it was about 5:45-ish. The course started out in downtown and went up and around, through Wright Park, Stadium High, fireman's park and then wound down to Ruston Way. On the early hills, I could feel my knees. They didn't hurt. They were tight and just letting me know they were there. When we got down along Ruston I felt a sharp sudden twinge in my left knee. It only lasted a couple seconds. I have never had trouble with my knees on runs, so this was a little unnerving. We went through the tunnel and up the hill towards Point Defiance. Right before Point Defiance, I was shocked to see the Doctor I used to work for cheering along side the road. He of course had no idea I was running. I yelled out to him and gave him a quick hug. This pleasant surprise gave me a bit of energy. Around mile 13, I pulled away from the others. I felt like me knee would do better if I stretched it out a bit. This worked for a while. I had a lot of energy and was feeling good.....that was until I was walking through a water station. It got very hard to start back up again. The uphills were wearing on me and the downhills weren't as easy as in the early miles. My left knee was hurting more and more. I stopped at an aid station and wrapped it with some tape. That helped for a little bit. I found myself walking more and more. I was geting very frustrated. I went back and forth between reasuring myself that it was just important to finish and telling myself to suck it up and stop being such a baby. At about mile 22 or 23, I stopped again and had an EMT wrap my knee with an Ace bandage.

After much more walking and as much slow jogging as I could handle, I made it down the hill. I saw Eric talking to a motorcyle cop and he told me the finish was two blocks away and my whole family was there waiting for me. My son met up with me and ran the last couple tenths of a mile in with me. I got a hug from Lenore Dolphin. ***Oh, today was the first day I wore my Maniac singlet. I didn't feel like I was representing it very well, but I did finish. I got iced up at the aid tent and quickly headed out. I was, and still am, in a lot of pain.

The biggest thanks goes to my husband and my family who have supported me in this jouney and made Mother's Day great. Happy Mother's Day to all.
MM#544