And on to the Next Challenge!

So, with the race over, I need a new challenge for the Year of Movement.
Last Monday I began Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It's a great workout and I can tell I'm already getting stronger. Last Monday I could barely do 6 pushups and now I can do 15!

My goal is to gain strength this next month, so my recovery is easier. At least, that's my goal.

Take Jillian's 30 day challenge and see how your body can grow stronger! You can get the video at Target, Costco or online. You only need one set of dumbbells (I use 5 pounders) and a mat, which can be optional.

Let me know how you do!

Half-Marathon in Boston

Back in January I had signed up with Tiff to do the Bay to Breakers race. I wasn't being too motivated to work out and that really seemed to fit the bill. Tiff emailed me a training program and I thought, ya, I can do this, so I signed on for the race.

About the same time Madison was talking about doing a half-marathon in Boston just a couple of weeks after the San Fran race. I got to thinking and decided why not do both?! Goodness, I don't know what I was thinking, but doing a half-marathon is something I've kinda always wanted to say I've done, so I asked Mad if it was ok for me to do the race with her and I was off and training like a fool.

My sister moved to NC last year and I convinced her to do the race with us, so the three of us, along with Maddie's friend Julie, all ran/walked the Boston Race to Remember half-marathon on May 30. In case you weren't sure, a half-marathon is 13.1 miles and that really is a rather long way to go, even if you're just driving! I didn't run the whole thing. In fact, I was one of the slowest people in the race, but you know what? I finished the darn race and that's more than a lot of people can say. I also did my best time. My sister, who could run circles around me, was entertaining me during the race, pointing out landmarks, saying hi to people in the crowd and talking to her family on the cell phone at least four different times. At one point, she asked if her talking was bugging me. I told her no, I just wouldn't pay attention to her if it bugged me. I took out my ear bud nearest her, so she must have brought some entertainment value.

I am really glad for this opportunity, to not only spend time with Madison & Carey, but to learn that sometimes it takes time to get to the point you want to reach. Destinations don't always come quickly. Sometimes the journey is the more important thing (Carey demonstrated that to me on the run and some day when I can run like her, I'll look up from the asphalt and notice my surroundings. It's a goal). And even if my legs hurt really, really bad, the pain will eventually go away and I'll be stronger than I was when I started the journey.

Walking in Boston

It is so nice to visit towns where you can walk to where you want to go. That's one of the fun things about Manhattan and Boston. If you don't want to walk, you can always take the subway or a taxi. Boston has a really pretty downtown. Very clean and well kept. Our hotel was on the waterfront and so we were near the race's starting line, which was in front of the World Trade Center Boston.

While in Boston, we took a walking tour and a bus/harbor tour. The above building is my fave in Boston. I love the unicorn and lion at the top of the structure. The Declaration of Independence was read from that balcony. Oh the history!

The Ames family had a presence in Boston with a street and a tavern named after our clan :)

Madison & I at the Common Gardens (at least I think that's where we were). It was a lovely garden and it started out as a common place for the people to graze their cattle.

When I got to NC to visit with my sister, I was soooo lucky to be able to drive and meet my friend Sarah in Mount Airy! We had a great day catching up and looking at all the little stores. Mount Airy is famous for being the birthplace of Andy Griffith - it's all Mayberryafied.

Bay to Breakers

Last Sunday was Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco. 7 miles of fun, frivolity and the fantastic! The sheer number of people who were walking or watching was amazing. I don't think I've ever been in a crowd like this before. It took us 30 minutes to get to the starting line from where our corral was. The race's winner ran it in 35 minutes, so by the time we got to the starting line, he was 5 minutes away from winning!

Large hill full of people. The folks who lived in the houses lining the race would lean out of windows, stand on roofs and hang out in front of their homes to watch the race. Some had large, dj type, speakers blaring music. There were also live bands along the way.

Mile marker 7! Almost finished! The last three miles, we followed (not on purpose) a naked man. We couldn't seem to get in front of him. Every time I wanted to take a picture in front of a mile marker, he would be there having his picture taken. I had to have my picture strategically taken, so as to block out his exposure.

End of the race! We did it! Tiff and I walked the 7 miles. Kim ran it and left us in the dust. It's a good race to walk and talk and gawk.

Day before the race, at the Expo.
Next Sunday is the Boston Race to Remember half-marathon!

Faves in May

Some current faves:

J.R. Ward - Covet
Kelly Clarkson - I Want You
The Queen's Lair
My new desk and bookcases
My books organized in the Queen's Lair
My husband holding my hand
Walking six miles instead of 12
Going out to dinner with friends
www.lovevampires.com (check it out!)

Man O' Mine

How can I adequately explain to you why I love this man o' mine so much?

A running list, by no means complete:

He painted the Queen's Lair and had new carpet installed
He search out and found the perfect desk for me
He cleans the house and doesn't expect me to do anything on the days when I have my big walks
He makes me laugh
His Sean Connery accent (Schlesinger 7)
He puts up with my wackiness (it's, of course, reciprocal)
He thinks I'm beautiful
He indulges me
He's ok with me being in charge when I want to be (which is often)
He comes up with restaurant ideas when I can't think of anything and I'm starving
He's kind to me
He picks up after himself
He doesn't complain about my messiness (just points out the cindybombs, every now and then)
He's fun to be with
He knows I'm high maintenance and deals with it
He's ok with all the reading I do
He supports me in all the things I do (well, most things)

Sigh, yes, I've got it good :)

Journey of Enlightenment

This is what I think I am when I work out. I think that I'm powerful, fast, strong, lean and can go for miles.

Unfortunately, that image of me is only in my mind. In real life, I have more of a Rubenesque type body. One that prefers laying on the couch reading than being up and out running.

I have spent years exercising and dieting and trying to achieve this runner's look to have it come for a fleeting period of time and vanish the moment I let my guard down.
image at: www.shoeguide.co.uk/.../womens_running_shoes

I thought I was going to have another opportunity to get this body during my Year of Movement. In January I started training for a 12k race and a half marathon. I thought, surely I'll lose weight! I have to be committed and keep exercising in order to show up to the races and be able to finish, right? Well, during the past four months I have lost one pound and gained three! How can that be possible with a consistent training schedule of running or walking from 9 to 20 or more miles in a week?!

Sometimes you just have to say it is what it is and move on. Some thoughts I've had during this journey I'm taking as I'm preparing for the races and things I've learned about myself.

1. I'm more about the destination, than the journey.

When I'm traveling, I like getting to my destination in the shortest amount of time possible. If I could click my heels three times and be there, that would really make me happy, but life's not like that. Most things take time and I'm learning to enjoy the moment. When I begin an 11 mile walk, like I did this morning, I know it's going to take me a few hours to complete my journey. I put the destination aside and concentrate on being in the present, not the future.

2. Pain is momentary and I can get through it.

When I began this training program, I planned on running the races. I thought if I just show up and do the time, I'll be prepared. As I struggled to lengthen my runs from two miles to three, pain would show up and I would just tell myself, as soon as you stop running the pain will be gone. Just go a little farther. And I did.

3. It's important to know when to listen to the pain.

Our bodies give us signals for a reason. Mine usually has to clobber me over the head to make me listen. As I increased my mileage to five or more miles, my body decided it really didn't like running and the pain increased to the point where I could no longer run. I injured my knee and rather than push myself to the point where I will be recovering long after the race is over, I've decided to walk both races.

4. Paradigm shifts are necessary at times.

Remember the above picture? Ya, that's my head and my body just wasn't having any of it. Remember, it's a Rubenesque body that prefers couches and it when it began complaining very loudly (you should hear my legs complain!) my head just didn't want to listen. Finally, after a week or two, body convinced my head that the whole point of the race was to finish and finishing it in one piece without complications it was threatening sounded like a really good idea.

So, my journey of enlightenment has led me to some thoughts:

Enjoy the moment I'm in. Be present in the present. Set lofty goals and enjoy the struggle it takes to achieve those goals. It's always ok to revamp goals if necessary. Some pain is ok, it'll stop when I stop, so why not go a little further?