When I was growing up, I was always told that I needed to be independent of anyone else. My grandmother used to tell me that I shouldn't depend on anyone else to make things happen in my life. I would and should be the one to figure out my own way and how to get there. I've always taken pride in being independent and remaining true to me. Even though I'm a mom and a wife, I try to remind myself constantly that I am also me.
Being a military spouse is a bit of a funny thing. There are about a gazillion stereotypes and so many different things that we're told we should be. Even though I volunteer a lot with the spouse clubs and try to stay involved in base happenings, I tend not to classify myself as a military spouse--to me, I'm just a spouse; regardless of military. Sure, it can make things challenging at time, but I think that there are other situations that can be just as challenging (if not more so) than being associated with the military.
Today, I did something I never thought I would do. I turned down a job interview. I had applied for a really neat-sounding job. It was something that seemed right up my alley, and at the time, it seemed like a good idea. We'd be able to pay our debts down and everything would work out. But as the time passed, the husband's work schedule became more erratic and less predictable. At our previous base, I became so busy with work, volunteering, school and kids, that often my schedule dictated the family schedule. That's not how it's supposed to work in this lifestyle. Needs of the military/needs of the Air Force usually come first. After realizing the true reality of his new job, I knew that while I was ready and willing to go back to work outside of the home, my family is not. My kids had a hard time adjusting this summer with the move. It has taken the little one 4 months to finally get her behavior stabilized. She talks about her friends that she left behind constantly. It has taken 4 months for my son to finally make a friend that he wants to have over after school. Am I ready for all of that to change simply because of something I want? Do I turn their lives all crazy again just because of me? Am I sheltering them too much or smothering them?
In the end, one thing has remained constant for most of their lives...I have been home. I have been able to help with homework and calm them down when their world turns upside down. I show them how to make farting noises and put bright yellow Spongebob band aids on their scraped, no longer model-ready legs. If nothing else, this has been one singular constant that they can depend on. So, when the hiring manager at the MWR marketing department called with an eager voice hoping I could schedule an interview, I politely declined. Yes, I could have gone through the process, just to go through, but it's not right and not fair to take time that could belong to someone else. I just didn't realize how much I really did want the job.
I'm not trying to be a martyr...oh pity me for staying home...I know that I am incredibly lucky to be able to stay home and raise my kids. In this day and in this economy, I am so grateful that someone--anyone--would have wanted to grant me an interview. I feel that I may have lost a little piece of "me" today by saying no to something that I wanted, and thus giving my family something that they needed. I know that sounds selfish and maybe it is. Tonight is one of the first times that I truly felt like a "military" spouse. In my heart, I know that I made the right decision. It may take awhile for my head to catch up, but it will get there. I'm not resentful or angry at all and I just need to quiet the "what-ifs" in my head.
I know that staying at home is okay. I don't sit on my couch eating bon bons and watching soaps all day. I'm proud of my kids and proud of the hubs. I just need to be proud of me too. Even if I'm not independent, at least I'm co-dependent. The hubs brings home the bacon, and I cook the meal. It works for now and that's what matters. Maybe there is something bigger and better on the horizon and maybe this is it. I have a few ideas I've been batting around in my head, so maybe this is my chance to explore those options. I just have to have faith that it will all work out in the end.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Hike 4: Koko Head Crater
Koko Head. Not quite the Haiku Stairs (aka: Stairway to Heaven), but I guess if you were to do that one, then Koko Head would definitely be a good warm-up or precursor to it. I had seen a few sites about it and have heard that it a fun-challenging-kick-butt kind of hike. More of a workout than a hike. So, when the OSC gals picked this for the September hike, I was totally for it. I think I may be a bit of a sadomasochist:
There were 6 ladies in our group, so we kind of split off into 2 groups going up: some that were super, uber athletes that probably could have run up the blessed steps and the rest of us that, well, weren't quite as athletically endowed or gifted (read slow as molasses and afraid they'd have to be carried back down). Obviously, I don't have athletic prowess, so I chose to bring up the rear (read take my sweet ass time and stop a lot).
When you first start, you don't really think to much about it. After all, my house has stairs. I go up and down them multiple times a day. However, my stairs are maybe 6 inches apart and are carpeted with a railing. These are old, decrepit, rotting out rail tracks that are at least a foot or more apart. The view the entire time is pretty well worth it though (this one is about 1/3 up the hill):
About halfway up the hill, there is a little bridge that has a drop off underneath it. There is a dirt path that goes to the right side that you can take if you don't want to go over it. I decided that I'd be brave and go over it on the way up, but would be smarter to go on the trail on the way down. Now, I have to make a side note here: there is a firing range just down the road from here. The sounds of the gunfire ricochet off the hill sides, so it sounds like someone is firing a gun at you. Let's just say that with the adrenaline running through you and the noises from the firing range, you feel a bit like someone in an Indiana Jones movie. After I crossed the bridge, I took a peek down:
We kept plugging up the steps and about 1028 steps later, with a 1,035 ft. elevation gain in 1/2 mile, we made it to the top:
It was so pretty! You could see the ridge that we had climbed in a previous hike. The day was clear enough to see the outlines of Molokai and Lanai in the distance:
There was a little path that went up a little further, to the tippy top of the hill, where the bunkers used to be. We stood on the top of the roof of the old bunkers and could see an amazing view of Hawaii Kai, the back of Diamond Head and the eastern part of Honolulu.
Amazing views definitely made this hike worth it. It's not a long hike, by any stretch of the imagination--just over a mile for up and back. But it is quite a workout. We saw a lot of people actually running up and down the steps. One woman was on her second trip up that morning as a part of her workout regimine. That's either crazy dedication or just plain crazy. What goes up, must go down. I think that going down is almost harder than going up--especially if you have knees that aren't in tip top shape. Unfortunately, my knees aren't in the best of shape, so it was pretty hard on the knees. It was a good reminder for me to start hitting the weights before doing any serious training for races.
I'm sure I'll probably do this one again sometime...just not within the next few weeks. But, I'm proud to have conquered this bad boy and check it off the list!
There were 6 ladies in our group, so we kind of split off into 2 groups going up: some that were super, uber athletes that probably could have run up the blessed steps and the rest of us that, well, weren't quite as athletically endowed or gifted (read slow as molasses and afraid they'd have to be carried back down). Obviously, I don't have athletic prowess, so I chose to bring up the rear (read take my sweet ass time and stop a lot).
When you first start, you don't really think to much about it. After all, my house has stairs. I go up and down them multiple times a day. However, my stairs are maybe 6 inches apart and are carpeted with a railing. These are old, decrepit, rotting out rail tracks that are at least a foot or more apart. The view the entire time is pretty well worth it though (this one is about 1/3 up the hill):
About halfway up the hill, there is a little bridge that has a drop off underneath it. There is a dirt path that goes to the right side that you can take if you don't want to go over it. I decided that I'd be brave and go over it on the way up, but would be smarter to go on the trail on the way down. Now, I have to make a side note here: there is a firing range just down the road from here. The sounds of the gunfire ricochet off the hill sides, so it sounds like someone is firing a gun at you. Let's just say that with the adrenaline running through you and the noises from the firing range, you feel a bit like someone in an Indiana Jones movie. After I crossed the bridge, I took a peek down:
We kept plugging up the steps and about 1028 steps later, with a 1,035 ft. elevation gain in 1/2 mile, we made it to the top:
It was so pretty! You could see the ridge that we had climbed in a previous hike. The day was clear enough to see the outlines of Molokai and Lanai in the distance:
There was a little path that went up a little further, to the tippy top of the hill, where the bunkers used to be. We stood on the top of the roof of the old bunkers and could see an amazing view of Hawaii Kai, the back of Diamond Head and the eastern part of Honolulu.
Amazing views definitely made this hike worth it. It's not a long hike, by any stretch of the imagination--just over a mile for up and back. But it is quite a workout. We saw a lot of people actually running up and down the steps. One woman was on her second trip up that morning as a part of her workout regimine. That's either crazy dedication or just plain crazy. What goes up, must go down. I think that going down is almost harder than going up--especially if you have knees that aren't in tip top shape. Unfortunately, my knees aren't in the best of shape, so it was pretty hard on the knees. It was a good reminder for me to start hitting the weights before doing any serious training for races.
I'm sure I'll probably do this one again sometime...just not within the next few weeks. But, I'm proud to have conquered this bad boy and check it off the list!
Hike 3: Makapu'u Lighthouse - September 2, 2011
We have definitely been bit by the hiking bug. The Friday before Labor Day, Mark had the day off, thanks to the "Rope Yarn Days" that the Navy tends to give over the long weekends. Definitely a perk for him being an Air Force guy in a mainly Navy office on a Marine installation. Since the kids still had to go to school, we decided to go exploring. There are a lot of hiking spots and trails over in the Hawaii Kai area of the island (East Oahu). We mapped out the day: Makapu'u Lighthouse trail, Whole Foods for lunch and then a little bit of shopping if the day allowed. We headed down the highway and stopped at some of the scenic spots. There was a scenic area that was completely empty, so we pulled over and broke out the camera.
When we drove into the parking lot, we noticed quite a few cars parked there already. A lot of groups were starting there way down the trail, as the sun was blazing over head. The only bummer about hiking these trails during the day is that the sun is usually pretty toasty. There is often very little shade unless you do one of the loop trails or if you do a ridge trail. Thank goodness for the sunscreen. We started up the trail and noticed the view. That's Koko Head Crater in the background:
After much huffing and puffing in the sun, we made it to the top of the trail and there were a lot of interesting markers at the top:
What's funny about this trail is that the lighthouse isn't actually at the top of the trail. There's a side trail that you can take, but you can't actually reach the lighthouse. It is federal property and as such, the feds decided to close public access to it. The trail looks to be in slight disrepair leading to it and there is a locked gate with barbed wire fencing around it. I'm sure that there is a way around, but viewing it from a far was good enough for us:
This was a relatively easy trail. It is paved the entire way, which is great for families that have wee ones in strollers. It's not a very long trail either, so good for beginners for sure.
When we drove into the parking lot, we noticed quite a few cars parked there already. A lot of groups were starting there way down the trail, as the sun was blazing over head. The only bummer about hiking these trails during the day is that the sun is usually pretty toasty. There is often very little shade unless you do one of the loop trails or if you do a ridge trail. Thank goodness for the sunscreen. We started up the trail and noticed the view. That's Koko Head Crater in the background:
After much huffing and puffing in the sun, we made it to the top of the trail and there were a lot of interesting markers at the top:
What's funny about this trail is that the lighthouse isn't actually at the top of the trail. There's a side trail that you can take, but you can't actually reach the lighthouse. It is federal property and as such, the feds decided to close public access to it. The trail looks to be in slight disrepair leading to it and there is a locked gate with barbed wire fencing around it. I'm sure that there is a way around, but viewing it from a far was good enough for us:
This was a relatively easy trail. It is paved the entire way, which is great for families that have wee ones in strollers. It's not a very long trail either, so good for beginners for sure.
Hike 2: Diamond Head - August 28, 2011
After doing the first hike, the kids asked me what hiking was. I told them that it was basically like taking a long walk outside. Sometimes you get to walk through the forest, along the beach and sometimes you can climb to the top of hills and mountains. Both of them told me that they wanted to try it sometime. Mark and I looked at each other and said, "Okay!" Diamond Head it was!
We got up early on a Sunday and decided to head on over. It was kind of a mixed morning--misty and sunny. When we got to the parking lot, this is what awaited us:
The trail was a little busy, but we were grateful that we got there early. After we hit the gravel part of the trail, Gavin took a quick look up:
Because we had the kids, we decided to make it fun and to take our time. We didn't want to push them too hard and make it not fun. If we saw something interesting, we'd stop and take a quick breather.
We made it up the switch backs and it started to sprinkle on us. Luckily, the kids have become very much accustomed to the rainshowers here. Basically, if it rains, you just wait about 5 minutes and it'll be over. I've been told that during the winter that's not always the case, but since we're in the summer/fall, that's pretty much it. We made it up the "Stairs of Evil" (as my son so eloquently called them) and through the bunker tunnel. Lauren was wearing her Sketcher Twinkle Toes shoes, which happen to light up. It was pretty funny...every time she took a step, she twinkled. We climbed through the bunker and up the last small set of stairs and then we made it to the top!
We took our time going back down the hill and stopped and snapped a few more pictures. The kids had a great time and have told me that they most definitely want to do it again.
Diamond Head + Kiddos = Hiking WIN!
We got up early on a Sunday and decided to head on over. It was kind of a mixed morning--misty and sunny. When we got to the parking lot, this is what awaited us:
The trail was a little busy, but we were grateful that we got there early. After we hit the gravel part of the trail, Gavin took a quick look up:
Because we had the kids, we decided to make it fun and to take our time. We didn't want to push them too hard and make it not fun. If we saw something interesting, we'd stop and take a quick breather.
We made it up the switch backs and it started to sprinkle on us. Luckily, the kids have become very much accustomed to the rainshowers here. Basically, if it rains, you just wait about 5 minutes and it'll be over. I've been told that during the winter that's not always the case, but since we're in the summer/fall, that's pretty much it. We made it up the "Stairs of Evil" (as my son so eloquently called them) and through the bunker tunnel. Lauren was wearing her Sketcher Twinkle Toes shoes, which happen to light up. It was pretty funny...every time she took a step, she twinkled. We climbed through the bunker and up the last small set of stairs and then we made it to the top!
We took our time going back down the hill and stopped and snapped a few more pictures. The kids had a great time and have told me that they most definitely want to do it again.
Diamond Head + Kiddos = Hiking WIN!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Hike 1: Kuli'ou'ou Ridge
So one of my brilliant friends told me that I should start blogging my hikes. I decided to join the Outdoor Adventure/Hiking group with the Hickam OSC (Officers' Spouses' Club). I hadn't gone on a hike in many moons, but hey, when in Rome, right?? Hawaii has a lot of trails and a lot of things to do outside, so it's time for me to try something new and stay outside.
The first hike that we went on was back in August and we went to the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail. We met at the O'Club on base and there were 5 of us that went on the hike. We all piled into one car and off we went. Since I wasn't quite familiar with area, I tried to pay attention to where we were going. We drove on H-1 until it ended. We kept on going into the Hawaii Kai area and turned into a neighborhood. That's one of the funny things about the ridge trails--a lot of them start in the backs of neighborhoods. We saw the trailhead and started.
It was a good incline to start off. Long switchbacks going up. The path was pretty well worn, so it was easy to follow. There were a lot of rocks and at times the cliff below was a little intimidating. We reached a clearing about 1/2 way up and took a quick breather. You could see the views of the ocean and how beautiful it was.
Aimee, our guide, assured us that it was even better at the top. We traversed up the trail some more and it was definitely a lot more rugged. No switchbacks, but more climbing over roots and rocks. Right before the we reached the top, there was about a 1/4 mile of steep stairs that went to the top. The stairs were uneven and a little slippery. At times you had to almost jump to try and get to the platform of the step. The trail narrowed down and the wind picked up. Then we reached the top.
We stayed up at the top and took some pictures, had a snack and rehydrated. Then we realized that we needed to go back down the same way we came up. The clouds had moved over the ridge at this time, so it made the trail more slippery. We came up the saying that unless your butt hits the ground, you didn't actually fall. We could hear each other's feet sliding every now and then and would check in to make sure that everyone was okay. We made it down the trail a lot faster than going up. It was a beautiful trail. I don't think I'd take the kids on it, as it gets a little steep at times. I would love to take Mark on this one on a day off that the kids are in school. This hike definitely rekindled my love of hiking and nature. :)
The first hike that we went on was back in August and we went to the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail. We met at the O'Club on base and there were 5 of us that went on the hike. We all piled into one car and off we went. Since I wasn't quite familiar with area, I tried to pay attention to where we were going. We drove on H-1 until it ended. We kept on going into the Hawaii Kai area and turned into a neighborhood. That's one of the funny things about the ridge trails--a lot of them start in the backs of neighborhoods. We saw the trailhead and started.
It was a good incline to start off. Long switchbacks going up. The path was pretty well worn, so it was easy to follow. There were a lot of rocks and at times the cliff below was a little intimidating. We reached a clearing about 1/2 way up and took a quick breather. You could see the views of the ocean and how beautiful it was.
Aimee, our guide, assured us that it was even better at the top. We traversed up the trail some more and it was definitely a lot more rugged. No switchbacks, but more climbing over roots and rocks. Right before the we reached the top, there was about a 1/4 mile of steep stairs that went to the top. The stairs were uneven and a little slippery. At times you had to almost jump to try and get to the platform of the step. The trail narrowed down and the wind picked up. Then we reached the top.
We stayed up at the top and took some pictures, had a snack and rehydrated. Then we realized that we needed to go back down the same way we came up. The clouds had moved over the ridge at this time, so it made the trail more slippery. We came up the saying that unless your butt hits the ground, you didn't actually fall. We could hear each other's feet sliding every now and then and would check in to make sure that everyone was okay. We made it down the trail a lot faster than going up. It was a beautiful trail. I don't think I'd take the kids on it, as it gets a little steep at times. I would love to take Mark on this one on a day off that the kids are in school. This hike definitely rekindled my love of hiking and nature. :)
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Move
Well, we did it. Unless you live under a rock, you probably know that we've made the move from our home in Louisiana to our new home in Hawaii. We arrived on island in July (and for this I apologize in the delay of writing this update) and have been busy with school, vehicle registration, finding housing, moving into housing, unpacking and just trying to get adjusted to our new home. Here are a few things that have taken getting used to:
1) Navigation. I get seriously mixed up with my north, south, east and west. I have no idea why. I know that I live on the south centralish area of the island. For the life of me, whenever we're in downtown or in Waikiki, I always get discombobulated. I know I'll get there eventually...and hey, we're on an island! I'll get home eventually.
2) Food. All the Asian food a girl could ask for. There is never a shortage of bok choy here. There is a Chinatown in Honolulu and man, is it awesome!
3) Groceries. $6 for a gallon of 1% milk. I wish I could say that it was purchased at Safeway or something, but alas it was purchased at the Commissary. Yowsa.
4) Time difference. For the last the 10 years, we have always been at least 2 hours ahead (in Okinawa, we were almost 14 hours ahead) of friends and family. Not anymore. We are currently 3 hours behind our West coast peeps. It will change when daylight savings time ends, as they don't do daylight savings time here.
All in all, there really aren't too many complaints. There are deeper issues to delve into, but I'll save that for later and for a different post. We are all getting adjusted and enjoying what the island has to offer: lots of beach time and lots of hiking. Just know that the door is always open here!
1) Navigation. I get seriously mixed up with my north, south, east and west. I have no idea why. I know that I live on the south centralish area of the island. For the life of me, whenever we're in downtown or in Waikiki, I always get discombobulated. I know I'll get there eventually...and hey, we're on an island! I'll get home eventually.
2) Food. All the Asian food a girl could ask for. There is never a shortage of bok choy here. There is a Chinatown in Honolulu and man, is it awesome!
3) Groceries. $6 for a gallon of 1% milk. I wish I could say that it was purchased at Safeway or something, but alas it was purchased at the Commissary. Yowsa.
4) Time difference. For the last the 10 years, we have always been at least 2 hours ahead (in Okinawa, we were almost 14 hours ahead) of friends and family. Not anymore. We are currently 3 hours behind our West coast peeps. It will change when daylight savings time ends, as they don't do daylight savings time here.
All in all, there really aren't too many complaints. There are deeper issues to delve into, but I'll save that for later and for a different post. We are all getting adjusted and enjoying what the island has to offer: lots of beach time and lots of hiking. Just know that the door is always open here!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Barksdale
We came to Barksdale in September 2007. It seems like it was a lifetime ago and in a way it was. Definitely a different kind of lifetime any way. When we came here, we were fresh off of a 9-month separation. Mark had been on deployment, gone to school and finished up everything in Japan. I had done an early return of dependents and had spent the past 9 months living with my mom and dad. Gavin was my sweet 4.5 year old little boy and Lauren was my curious little 18 month old with a big ol' baby fro on her head. I remember telling Gavin that this wasn't our forever house...we would be moving again when he turned 8.5 and when Lauren was 5.5. At the time, it seemed like 4 years would take a long time to get through. This would be our longest assignment...4 years. Some of our friends equated it to almost a prison sentence. What had we done or who had we pissed off in order to get sent to "Barkatraz"? It's funny--we never thought of it that way...we were happy to be assigned here and 4 years later, I can honestly say that I fell in love here.
It's amazing to see how much we have evolved here. Gavin is growing into a tall, lively almost 9 year old that loves soccer and anything Mario. Lauren is a fiesty and imaginative 5 year old that loves Harry Potter and casting spells. We gained a family member: Abby Dog joined us in 2008. I think she was destined to be a part of our family. She's just as quirky as the rest of us. Our family quickly gelled into an awesomely cohesive unit. We discovered how to make things work as a family and how to confront challenges head on, while keeping things together. Mark and I both decided to change our lives here. We got tired of being just okay and doing just enough to get by. We decided to challenge ourselves and to shake up our routine. We started eating better and we started running. Between the two of us, I think we've run the amount of distance it would take to get from here to California and almost back again. Mark has completed 2 marathons (California Internation Marathon and the USAF Marathon), a 10-mile trail run and several 5Ks. I've completed 2 half marathons (Rock N' Roll San Antonio x 2), 2 full marathons (Mardi Gras Marathon and Rock N' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon) and several 5Ks as well. Life is happier and healthier.
Barksdale taught me many things. It taught me that it's okay to let my guard down. I met so many amazing and incredible people here that I may not have ever met otherwise. It's okay to be involved...okay, I probably overdid it on this one toward the end. But again, I did so many things and met so many great people that I may never have originally. Barksdale taught me patience and forgiveness in many different ways--some ways that I wish I could forget, but never will.
To all of the fabulous people that I have met here at Barksdale and in the Bossier/Shreveport area, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my friend and for being a part of my life. Thank you for the fun playdates with kids, Bunco nights, BOSC functions and fundraisers, girls nights out, BBQs, coffee dates and for just being there. Every single one of you has impacted my life and I am forever grateful to have you as a friend. Thank you for welcoming and hosting the Roman Family with such gusto and flair for the past 4 years. It is difficult for me to consider any other area beside California home, but you have managed to make me feel as though this is home.
Thankfully, with the advent of email and Facebook (and let's face it--we all know that I am on there WAAAAAY too much), we don't have to say goodbye. Honestly, I don't think my heart could handle goodbyes. Instead, I will leave it at, "Thank you and I'll see you again soon." If you're ever on island, look us up. You're more than welcome at Casa de Roman. Mahalo and laissez les bons temps rouler! :)
It's amazing to see how much we have evolved here. Gavin is growing into a tall, lively almost 9 year old that loves soccer and anything Mario. Lauren is a fiesty and imaginative 5 year old that loves Harry Potter and casting spells. We gained a family member: Abby Dog joined us in 2008. I think she was destined to be a part of our family. She's just as quirky as the rest of us. Our family quickly gelled into an awesomely cohesive unit. We discovered how to make things work as a family and how to confront challenges head on, while keeping things together. Mark and I both decided to change our lives here. We got tired of being just okay and doing just enough to get by. We decided to challenge ourselves and to shake up our routine. We started eating better and we started running. Between the two of us, I think we've run the amount of distance it would take to get from here to California and almost back again. Mark has completed 2 marathons (California Internation Marathon and the USAF Marathon), a 10-mile trail run and several 5Ks. I've completed 2 half marathons (Rock N' Roll San Antonio x 2), 2 full marathons (Mardi Gras Marathon and Rock N' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon) and several 5Ks as well. Life is happier and healthier.
Barksdale taught me many things. It taught me that it's okay to let my guard down. I met so many amazing and incredible people here that I may not have ever met otherwise. It's okay to be involved...okay, I probably overdid it on this one toward the end. But again, I did so many things and met so many great people that I may never have originally. Barksdale taught me patience and forgiveness in many different ways--some ways that I wish I could forget, but never will.
To all of the fabulous people that I have met here at Barksdale and in the Bossier/Shreveport area, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my friend and for being a part of my life. Thank you for the fun playdates with kids, Bunco nights, BOSC functions and fundraisers, girls nights out, BBQs, coffee dates and for just being there. Every single one of you has impacted my life and I am forever grateful to have you as a friend. Thank you for welcoming and hosting the Roman Family with such gusto and flair for the past 4 years. It is difficult for me to consider any other area beside California home, but you have managed to make me feel as though this is home.
Thankfully, with the advent of email and Facebook (and let's face it--we all know that I am on there WAAAAAY too much), we don't have to say goodbye. Honestly, I don't think my heart could handle goodbyes. Instead, I will leave it at, "Thank you and I'll see you again soon." If you're ever on island, look us up. You're more than welcome at Casa de Roman. Mahalo and laissez les bons temps rouler! :)
Friday, June 3, 2011
Anxiety.
Anxiety sucks. Plain and simple. Normally, I like to consider myself a pretty easy going chick. I like to be on time, I like to have things done in a certain way, but for the most part, I can roll with the punches. Except when it comes to moving.
I like moving. It's one of the perks that my non-military friends think would be one of the most annoying. For me, it's one of my favorites. My mom used to call me her nomadic gypsy. I think it is a title that definitely suits me. We get move itchy usually halfway through an assignment. We start to wonder where the next adventure will be and when we'll get to close a chapter and start a new one. This upcoming move has been a testament to my lack of patience and has strained my anxiety level. Everything has been done very last minute. The folks here have been doing things last minute and the folks at Hawaii have been sitting on things until the last minute. Had this move been a "drive-to-the-next-state-over" kind of move, then I probaby wouldn't care. However, this isn't one of those kind of moves (We haven't done a "simple" move in 10 years). We have 3 different packers/shipments for our house. We have 2 car shipments, a dog in quarantine and not a clue as to what awaits us as far as housing goes. It gets very convoluted and very complicated.
To put the cherry on top, we are down to one car (which Mark needs most days) and the kids are on summer break. The daytime temps have been in the 100s, thus creating no way to play outside without suffering heatstroke by just stepping outside. We have 10 days left in our house before we move over to the Temporary Lodging Facility (TLF) for another 10 days. Yes, it's awesome that we get to move to Hawaii...but the process to get there is really crap.
Everything eventually will fall into place. We won't be homeless, our stuff will go where it needs to go and the dog is coming with us. I know that it will all work out. I just need to remind myself to "Goosefraba" every now and again and to try and take things with a grain of salt.
I like moving. It's one of the perks that my non-military friends think would be one of the most annoying. For me, it's one of my favorites. My mom used to call me her nomadic gypsy. I think it is a title that definitely suits me. We get move itchy usually halfway through an assignment. We start to wonder where the next adventure will be and when we'll get to close a chapter and start a new one. This upcoming move has been a testament to my lack of patience and has strained my anxiety level. Everything has been done very last minute. The folks here have been doing things last minute and the folks at Hawaii have been sitting on things until the last minute. Had this move been a "drive-to-the-next-state-over" kind of move, then I probaby wouldn't care. However, this isn't one of those kind of moves (We haven't done a "simple" move in 10 years). We have 3 different packers/shipments for our house. We have 2 car shipments, a dog in quarantine and not a clue as to what awaits us as far as housing goes. It gets very convoluted and very complicated.
To put the cherry on top, we are down to one car (which Mark needs most days) and the kids are on summer break. The daytime temps have been in the 100s, thus creating no way to play outside without suffering heatstroke by just stepping outside. We have 10 days left in our house before we move over to the Temporary Lodging Facility (TLF) for another 10 days. Yes, it's awesome that we get to move to Hawaii...but the process to get there is really crap.
Everything eventually will fall into place. We won't be homeless, our stuff will go where it needs to go and the dog is coming with us. I know that it will all work out. I just need to remind myself to "Goosefraba" every now and again and to try and take things with a grain of salt.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Anatomy...
...of a break up. Breaking up is hard to do. It doesn't matter if you are the dumper or the dumpee. It sucks. No one ever enters into a relationship or a friendship thinking, "Hmmmm....when is the right time to dump this person?". Eventually, it comes down to realizing that both people in the relationship are no longer on the same page. Often, one wants more than what the other can give. That's when you hit the breaking point. Either you support the person and try to make it work, or you don't.
I have had 3 significant break ups in my life. One in high school, one right after college and one very recently. The one most recently is probably the most complicated and convoluted one to date. I won't go into too many details, except to say that one party wanted more than what the other could give. Rather than support, words were exchanged and it came to the point that I couldn't make it work. Even had a break in the relationship ensued, it would never have recovered to the point that it would have been beneficial to either side. Too many hurtful things had been said and too many truths exposed that could not and should not be hidden. I had to cut the tie. It hurt, but it was necessary. I don't regret this person in my life at the time that this person was in my life. I regret that it had to end so verbally violent on behalf of the other party. Sticks and stones break bones, but words will always stay. I tried to take the high road, but apparently, that road was still under construction.
I write about this because I hadn't yet. Break ups aren't something that people like to talk about, but you realize that once you externalize it, it makes sense. Break ups hurt no matter which side you end up on, but in the end, they prove necessary. In the end, it cuts out unnecessary drama from your life. You learn from the mistake and hopefully don't repeat it.
I have had 3 significant break ups in my life. One in high school, one right after college and one very recently. The one most recently is probably the most complicated and convoluted one to date. I won't go into too many details, except to say that one party wanted more than what the other could give. Rather than support, words were exchanged and it came to the point that I couldn't make it work. Even had a break in the relationship ensued, it would never have recovered to the point that it would have been beneficial to either side. Too many hurtful things had been said and too many truths exposed that could not and should not be hidden. I had to cut the tie. It hurt, but it was necessary. I don't regret this person in my life at the time that this person was in my life. I regret that it had to end so verbally violent on behalf of the other party. Sticks and stones break bones, but words will always stay. I tried to take the high road, but apparently, that road was still under construction.
I write about this because I hadn't yet. Break ups aren't something that people like to talk about, but you realize that once you externalize it, it makes sense. Break ups hurt no matter which side you end up on, but in the end, they prove necessary. In the end, it cuts out unnecessary drama from your life. You learn from the mistake and hopefully don't repeat it.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Angry
I don't usually post political rantings or my views on that sort of thing. Beware: I'm breaking my rule. I am angry. I am ashamed, disappointed, frustrated and simply pissed off. When the grumblings of a possible government shutdown started, I didn't worry about it. There's no way that the higher ups in the echelons of government would let it happen. After all, didn't they agree to work together? Oh wait. This is Washington we're talking about. Silly me. I was wrong. We are now on the eve of a shutdown and I was wrong.
I've never felt the panicky feeling when something was happening out of my control. I like to think of myself as fairly level headed and calm in the time of crisis. If the government shuts down, we lose half of a paycheck next week. Then we will lose entire paychecks until the powers that be can finally reach an agreement. What makes me angry is not only the fact that we are left to scramble, but the fact that the men and women in the service protect the freedoms of those that are screwing them over. The hypocrisy and irony is enraging to me. These senators, representatives and even the president are the ones that begged to be elected to these posts. They were chosen to do a job that they are not doing. I don't care about blame. I don't care. Just do your job that you were begging us to elect you to do! If you can't do it, then let someone else do it that can. I can guarantee you that I will not be voting for any of these clowns that are involved in this debacle.
I care about the families that will not be able to pay bills, rent and mortgages. I have seen so many postings that have to deal with how to make sound financial decisions in the event of a shutdown. While news outlets are concentrating on national parks closing, there are many military and other government affiliated workers that are worried about putting food on the table and that have barely been able to scrape by in normal circumstances. How is any of this okay? There were protests in Wisconsin over collective bargaining rights. Where are the protests right now? Where is the outrage and the protests about the fact that our troops are expected to work without pay, yet our politicians will be collecting pay for doing NOTHING?
While we are not as dire as other families, we will have to call the banks and advise that we will not be able to make payments on time. We may have to tap into resources meant for our children or our retirement and pay penalties for that. So, dear politicians in Washington, thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes and helping me to see how conniving and cold you all are. Thank you for helping me make a sound decision in the next election. Thank you for hurting millions of families when we have done nothing but support and protect you.
Monday, March 14, 2011
"Furlough".
"Furlough: to lay an employee or worker off from work, usually temporarily; a temporary leave of absence authorized for a prisoner from a penitentiary." The word furlough has always made me giggle. The fact the the word "fur" is on it makes me think of furry animals scurrying into hibernation or something. I also thought that it was something that I'd never have to contend with.
I have been "furloughed" from my job, as the president of the company eloquently put it. I knew that it was coming, but I can honestly say that I did not anticipate it coming so quickly. I had hoped to keep working through May in order to help offset some of the costs that we are going to have eat on this move. For instance, we will have to ship one of our vehicles out of pocket. The government will pay for one vehicle, so we have to pay for the other. My financial aid for school has run its course after this next class, so I will have to begin paying out of pocket for my classes. Had I been able to work through May, we could have easily saved money and been able to pay for everything without feeling a squeeze. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
My kids are happy that I won't be working for the foreseeable future. I think deep down, I am too. The loss of income will be sorely missed, but I now have more time with the kids, more time for studying, more time to get life back together and get everything in order for when we hop the pond to Hawaii. I think that I'll be able to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. You'd think that I'd be able to know by now, but sometimes I think being a jack of all trades is fun.
This is the first time that I have ever been "furloughed" or laid off. I have always been the one to terminate my employment, usually for another position or because of the hardships associated with the life of a military spouse (virtually impossible to have a stable career). It's a strange feeling and hopefully, one I won't have to go through again. But, we'll make do. Everything happens for a reason--even if we don't understand it at the time. It'll all work out in the end. This prisoner is escaping the penitentiary for a little while.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Aloha.
By now, the news has been plastered everywhere...no, not Crazy Charlie's hysterical one liners while he's on a bender. We are moving. The assignment gods at AFPC (Air Force Personnel Center) have bestowed their judgement to us peons. Their decision? Hawaii. We are moving to Hawaii. Even as I type those words, it still hasn't sunk in that it's real. We were actually apprehensive to say anything because we're so afraid that they'll take it back and say, "Oops! Our bad! You're not going there...you're going to some crap ass base with tons of snow in the middle of the country!" Let's hope that's not the case.
When Mark called to tell me, I was completely elated. Not just because of the tropical locale, the awesome food and the kick ass beaches. Yes, obviously, anyone would be stupid to NOT want to go. But we were happy for another reason: Family. Simply put, we are finally going someplace near family. In the 10 years that Mark has been in the Air Force, we have never been near family. We haven't had the weekend drop offs and visits, nor the quick trips home in the car (by plane, yes...which racks up the bills VERY quickly). Mark's parents live on the Big Island; so while we'll still be a few islands away, we're still in the same state. Plus, Mark's brother is 90% for sure transferring to Oahu in December. One big happy Roman family!
We will be departing Louisiana most likely sometime in late June. It is bittersweet. Sweet because it is time to move on and we were able to get the number one choice. Bitter because it means leaving behind friends that we have come to know and love as family. It is always the hardest part of the move. However, this time is proving especially difficult--some of these friends are like sisters to me. I let my guard down and became incredibly close to many of them. Now it's almost time to say, "See you soon!" I can't say good-bye...it's too final and too depressing. But if I say, "See you soon, or see you later!", then it's not *quite* as bad. :)
Mahalo Louisiana for the memories and the experiences. Aloha, Hawaii!
When Mark called to tell me, I was completely elated. Not just because of the tropical locale, the awesome food and the kick ass beaches. Yes, obviously, anyone would be stupid to NOT want to go. But we were happy for another reason: Family. Simply put, we are finally going someplace near family. In the 10 years that Mark has been in the Air Force, we have never been near family. We haven't had the weekend drop offs and visits, nor the quick trips home in the car (by plane, yes...which racks up the bills VERY quickly). Mark's parents live on the Big Island; so while we'll still be a few islands away, we're still in the same state. Plus, Mark's brother is 90% for sure transferring to Oahu in December. One big happy Roman family!
We will be departing Louisiana most likely sometime in late June. It is bittersweet. Sweet because it is time to move on and we were able to get the number one choice. Bitter because it means leaving behind friends that we have come to know and love as family. It is always the hardest part of the move. However, this time is proving especially difficult--some of these friends are like sisters to me. I let my guard down and became incredibly close to many of them. Now it's almost time to say, "See you soon!" I can't say good-bye...it's too final and too depressing. But if I say, "See you soon, or see you later!", then it's not *quite* as bad. :)
Mahalo Louisiana for the memories and the experiences. Aloha, Hawaii!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Race Report: Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Marathon
Distance: 26.2 miles
Time: 5 hrs. 25 mins. 27 secs. <--PR by 29 mins and 22 seconds!
Route: Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Marathon, New Orleans, LA
Number of Ninjas: 0
I beat the alarm clock. The past few weeks, I haven't beat the alarm clock. I rolled out of bed at 4:40am and got ready to go. I knew that it would be cold at the start, so I brought a sweater that I had intended to donate to Goodwill...that way I could chuck it at the start and know that it would for sure get donated. I had a long sleeve base layer, the t-shirt and capris. I had my trusty Bubba Gump hat that has become a trademark and a good luck charm. Don't worry, I wash it after every race. So the funk isn't quite that bad. I grabbed my iPod, a wheat bagel and peanut butter and was out the door. I met Stephen (my friend Kathy's husband) downstairs at 5:30. He was running too, so we decided to walk to the start together.
Damn. It was freezing. The good thing about modern running shoes is that they ventilate and wick moisture wonderfully. The bad thing is that they ventilate a little too well. Meaning, by the time I went to my start corral, I couldn't feel my toes. I wish I had worn some gloves, but I like my new ones and didn't want to chuck them or have to carry them the whole time. Oh well. I knew they'd warm up eventually. I wished Stephen good luck (he was 5 corrals ahead of me) and walked back to mine. I recognized a girl immediately...turns out she's the vet tech at the vet's office that we go to! Such a small world. She was running the half with her sister and friend. I wished her good luck and we made our way to the start line. I chucked my sweater to the side about 20 feet from the start. The sun was coming up and I knew that I'd warm up soon.
I crossed the start line at 7:31am. What a fantastically beautiful morning! The weather gods did not disappoint us! I didn't use my Nike+, but I used my stopwatch on my wristwatch instead. I started off strong...probably a little too strong. I ran my first mile in about 10:20. I decided to slow myself down. I had a long way to go and I knew that I couldn't keep that pace up. By the second mile, I had to pee. Really. Bad. I looked at the lines for the porta potties, and I guess everyone else did too. I noticed that most of the people in line were halfers, so I decided to wait until the full marathon split off from the half marathon. It proved to be a wise decision, but I was still mad at myself for having to stop. Luckily, it was the only one I had to make during the race.
We split off from the halfers at mile 5 and ran through Audubon Park. We approached it from the opposite direction that we had come from 2 year ago. Still just as beautiful! I noticed a girl that was running about the same pace I was. We kind of went back and forth for a mile...she would go in front for a bit, then I would go in front. Finally, I asked her if she minded if I paced her and ran with her for a bit. She happily said yes and we ran for a bit. Her name was Kaylee and she lived in New Orleans. She was recovering from a pulled hamstring and hadn't run in 10 days. She was a really nice girl and had a good, upbeat attitude. We ran together until mile 12. Her mom was cheering her on and she stopped to walk and talk with her mom. I wished her good luck and kept going.
I spotted our cheering section at the halfway point. I was quite happy to see them. At this point, I was tired, but physically still felt pretty good. I gave the kids high-fives and kisses and off I went. I figured now it was all downhill...less than halfway to go. And yes...it really did go a little downhill from there.
The full course met back up with the halfers at Decatur Street, which runs on the outside of the French Quarter. It wasn't quite as awesome as running directly through the Quarter on Bourbon Street, but it was still pretty cool. We ran by Margaritaville and I thought of Mary. She runs with me every time I run...I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. I always think of her...especially on the long runs. I think she is my sister from another mother. :) I thought a lot of my friends back home...not in a wistful way, but in a fun trip down memory lane kind of way. Before I knew it, I was coming up on mile 15. I saw the mile marker and I started to get tired. My quads hurt and I was just tired and felt thirsty. I had regretted my decision to forgo the camelbak during the race early on, and was really regretting it by mile 15. They had an ample amount of aid stations, but I was just so used to being able to take a slurp any ol' time I needed to. Note to self: bring it next time, if there is a next time.
Right before mile 16, I spotted a familiar person. It was Stephen! I was happy to see a friendly face, but I knew that because I had caught up to him, that he was probably in a good amount of pain. I asked him how he was doing and he said that his knees were killing him. He had decided to run a mile and then walk a half mile, run a mile, walk a half mile in order to be able to finish. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that I was alright minus the fact that the quads were hurting and I was just tired. He was still running a little ahead of me at mile 18 and then he stopped to walk. I felt horrible for passing him. He wished me well and I returned the sentiments. I kept plugging away.
By mile 19, I saw the faster runners coming back from the lake and recognized one of them--Justin Ball. I yelled good luck to him and cheered him on when I saw him. He waved and kept going. I was starting to slow down. My legs were in pain and I was really tired. I would walk through the water stations and then run between each one. However, each stop became more and more painful and it hurt to start running. I didn't care though. I knew the fastest way to finish would be to push through the pain and just keep running. At mile 21 and 22, we ran along the shore of Lake Ponchartrain. It was so pretty. It kind of reminded me of running through Balboa Park in San Diego. It was just so beautiful in its own way. It was hard to believe that something so beautiful could wreak so much havoc during Hurricane Katrina. When we turned around to go back from the lakefront, I realized that this was pretty much the homestretch.
I kept telling myself that I could do it. After all, there were only 3 miles left...c'mon girl! You've got this! You run 3 miles all the time! When I broke it down into the small increments, it helped. I never hit the wall and I am so grateful for that. I didn't hit it last time and I didn't hit it this time. When I ran to mile 25, the cheering squad was there. I saw Lynley and Kathy and the kids. All the kids were cheering and Gavin, Payton and Dallas ran a little ways with me. I gave them all high fives and kept going. I had to walk just a little...there was a slight incline that my quads were yelling at. I saw them at the chute through mile 26. Then I ran through the chute and across the finish line.
I finished it in 5 hours, 25 minutes and 27 seconds. I had initially hoped to break 5 hours, but when I checked my split at the halfway point, I knew that I wouldn't be able to do it. However, I quickly adjusted my goal to just trying to beat the projected finish time of 5:30. I'm really happy with my time and with my finish. I'm happy that I ran the race I wanted to run. Of course, being a Virgo means that I am a perfectionist. I can think of a million things that I could have done differently and maybe if I do another one, then I'll make some minor adjustments. But for now, I'm telling that perfectionist to shut up and eat some cake, because damn it, I just finished my second marathon. That is a feat in itself for this girl. For someone who was never a runner, I'm proud to say, I'm a runner.
Time: 5 hrs. 25 mins. 27 secs. <--PR by 29 mins and 22 seconds!
Route: Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Marathon, New Orleans, LA
Number of Ninjas: 0
I beat the alarm clock. The past few weeks, I haven't beat the alarm clock. I rolled out of bed at 4:40am and got ready to go. I knew that it would be cold at the start, so I brought a sweater that I had intended to donate to Goodwill...that way I could chuck it at the start and know that it would for sure get donated. I had a long sleeve base layer, the t-shirt and capris. I had my trusty Bubba Gump hat that has become a trademark and a good luck charm. Don't worry, I wash it after every race. So the funk isn't quite that bad. I grabbed my iPod, a wheat bagel and peanut butter and was out the door. I met Stephen (my friend Kathy's husband) downstairs at 5:30. He was running too, so we decided to walk to the start together.
Damn. It was freezing. The good thing about modern running shoes is that they ventilate and wick moisture wonderfully. The bad thing is that they ventilate a little too well. Meaning, by the time I went to my start corral, I couldn't feel my toes. I wish I had worn some gloves, but I like my new ones and didn't want to chuck them or have to carry them the whole time. Oh well. I knew they'd warm up eventually. I wished Stephen good luck (he was 5 corrals ahead of me) and walked back to mine. I recognized a girl immediately...turns out she's the vet tech at the vet's office that we go to! Such a small world. She was running the half with her sister and friend. I wished her good luck and we made our way to the start line. I chucked my sweater to the side about 20 feet from the start. The sun was coming up and I knew that I'd warm up soon.
I crossed the start line at 7:31am. What a fantastically beautiful morning! The weather gods did not disappoint us! I didn't use my Nike+, but I used my stopwatch on my wristwatch instead. I started off strong...probably a little too strong. I ran my first mile in about 10:20. I decided to slow myself down. I had a long way to go and I knew that I couldn't keep that pace up. By the second mile, I had to pee. Really. Bad. I looked at the lines for the porta potties, and I guess everyone else did too. I noticed that most of the people in line were halfers, so I decided to wait until the full marathon split off from the half marathon. It proved to be a wise decision, but I was still mad at myself for having to stop. Luckily, it was the only one I had to make during the race.
We split off from the halfers at mile 5 and ran through Audubon Park. We approached it from the opposite direction that we had come from 2 year ago. Still just as beautiful! I noticed a girl that was running about the same pace I was. We kind of went back and forth for a mile...she would go in front for a bit, then I would go in front. Finally, I asked her if she minded if I paced her and ran with her for a bit. She happily said yes and we ran for a bit. Her name was Kaylee and she lived in New Orleans. She was recovering from a pulled hamstring and hadn't run in 10 days. She was a really nice girl and had a good, upbeat attitude. We ran together until mile 12. Her mom was cheering her on and she stopped to walk and talk with her mom. I wished her good luck and kept going.
I spotted our cheering section at the halfway point. I was quite happy to see them. At this point, I was tired, but physically still felt pretty good. I gave the kids high-fives and kisses and off I went. I figured now it was all downhill...less than halfway to go. And yes...it really did go a little downhill from there.
The full course met back up with the halfers at Decatur Street, which runs on the outside of the French Quarter. It wasn't quite as awesome as running directly through the Quarter on Bourbon Street, but it was still pretty cool. We ran by Margaritaville and I thought of Mary. She runs with me every time I run...I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. I always think of her...especially on the long runs. I think she is my sister from another mother. :) I thought a lot of my friends back home...not in a wistful way, but in a fun trip down memory lane kind of way. Before I knew it, I was coming up on mile 15. I saw the mile marker and I started to get tired. My quads hurt and I was just tired and felt thirsty. I had regretted my decision to forgo the camelbak during the race early on, and was really regretting it by mile 15. They had an ample amount of aid stations, but I was just so used to being able to take a slurp any ol' time I needed to. Note to self: bring it next time, if there is a next time.
Right before mile 16, I spotted a familiar person. It was Stephen! I was happy to see a friendly face, but I knew that because I had caught up to him, that he was probably in a good amount of pain. I asked him how he was doing and he said that his knees were killing him. He had decided to run a mile and then walk a half mile, run a mile, walk a half mile in order to be able to finish. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that I was alright minus the fact that the quads were hurting and I was just tired. He was still running a little ahead of me at mile 18 and then he stopped to walk. I felt horrible for passing him. He wished me well and I returned the sentiments. I kept plugging away.
By mile 19, I saw the faster runners coming back from the lake and recognized one of them--Justin Ball. I yelled good luck to him and cheered him on when I saw him. He waved and kept going. I was starting to slow down. My legs were in pain and I was really tired. I would walk through the water stations and then run between each one. However, each stop became more and more painful and it hurt to start running. I didn't care though. I knew the fastest way to finish would be to push through the pain and just keep running. At mile 21 and 22, we ran along the shore of Lake Ponchartrain. It was so pretty. It kind of reminded me of running through Balboa Park in San Diego. It was just so beautiful in its own way. It was hard to believe that something so beautiful could wreak so much havoc during Hurricane Katrina. When we turned around to go back from the lakefront, I realized that this was pretty much the homestretch.
I kept telling myself that I could do it. After all, there were only 3 miles left...c'mon girl! You've got this! You run 3 miles all the time! When I broke it down into the small increments, it helped. I never hit the wall and I am so grateful for that. I didn't hit it last time and I didn't hit it this time. When I ran to mile 25, the cheering squad was there. I saw Lynley and Kathy and the kids. All the kids were cheering and Gavin, Payton and Dallas ran a little ways with me. I gave them all high fives and kept going. I had to walk just a little...there was a slight incline that my quads were yelling at. I saw them at the chute through mile 26. Then I ran through the chute and across the finish line.
I finished it in 5 hours, 25 minutes and 27 seconds. I had initially hoped to break 5 hours, but when I checked my split at the halfway point, I knew that I wouldn't be able to do it. However, I quickly adjusted my goal to just trying to beat the projected finish time of 5:30. I'm really happy with my time and with my finish. I'm happy that I ran the race I wanted to run. Of course, being a Virgo means that I am a perfectionist. I can think of a million things that I could have done differently and maybe if I do another one, then I'll make some minor adjustments. But for now, I'm telling that perfectionist to shut up and eat some cake, because damn it, I just finished my second marathon. That is a feat in itself for this girl. For someone who was never a runner, I'm proud to say, I'm a runner.
Prelude.
Because we had such an adventurous weekend, I decided that I needed to split the race report into two sections...prelude to the race and the race itself. :)
We had a crazy week that led up to taking off to New Orleans. We had snow days, busy work days, busy school days and a birthday! Lauren turned 5 and the weather turned ugly. We had a snow day that was minus snow. Go figure. :)
We left for New Orleans on Friday morning. Kathy and Stephen (Stephen ran the full marathon as well) and their family had gone down the night before. Lynley and her gang (awesome cheerleaders) were supposed to leave around 11am or so. We dropped the dog off at the vets office and off we went. I got a text from Lynley and it turns out that they were right behind us! We did a few stops and poor Bean just wasn't herself that day. Her eyes kept watering and she wouldn't eat anything or drink anything. By the time we got to the hotel, she looked miserable. We hung out for a few minutes and she seemed to get a little better. We decided to hit up the aquarium with Lynley and her crew. We figured that Friday would be better than Saturday. I think we're a little spoiled. While the Aquarium of the Americas is cool in its own right, but the $60 it cost to get in wasn't quite worth it. We've been spoiled by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Churami Aquarium in Okinawa. The kids had a great time though (the adults did too), so that's all that mattered.
It was still a little early, so we decided to head over to the Riverwalk Mall and eat an early dinner at the food court. We stopped at a sports store and I noticed that Bean just wasn't looking too good. I held her and walked outside. We sat down and she was sitting on my lap. Then I heard it. A burp followed by the chunkage. Yep. She horked. The poor kiddo. Lynley ran inside and told the store clerk what had happened and the clerk managed to call security. In the meantime, she managed to nail pretty much the entire length of Mark's sweatshirt. He took the poor girl outside and the security guard came over and called housekeeping. At least he was able to go home with an amusing tale of a bunch of tourists standing around a pile o' puke.
We debated on what to do next...she said she felt better, so we decided to head upstairs and grab some dinner. Mark grabbed a fried shrimp po-boy and I had some red beans and rice. Gav was the smart one and had a slice of pizza. We decided to hit up the Cafe du Monde in the mall to grab some beignets to go. You can't come to New Orleans and NOT have beignets. That's pretty much sacrilege. We made it back to the hotel and Bean was looking a little better, so we gave her a nectarine. Which in turn, came back up maybe 5 minutes after she consumed it. :(
The next morning, she still wasn't looking too good. She didn't eat much for breakfast and sure enough, she ralphed when we got back to the room. I decided to head to the race expo with the Hunts, while Mark and the kiddos took it easy. I walked down with them and then grabbed my stuff and headed back. I told Kathy to just go ahead and do stuff without us. If Lauren wasn't feeling good, then Mark and I would pull shifts with her. I got back to the hotel and what do you know? That little stinker is 99% herself. She's eating and drinking water and keeping it all in. So, we decided to head down to the French Quarter. We didn't want her overexerting herself, so we drove down there. We ate at Hard Rock Cafe and then meandered around the Quarter for a bit. Then we headed over to the Louisiana Children's Museum for a bit. I started to get a little tired, so we headed back over to the hotel. Mark took the kids swimming and I took it easy.
For dinner, we got take out from a restaurant across the street. Reginelli's Pizzeria is AWESOME. Decently priced and EXCELLENT chow. I had pesto tortellini and Mark had a calzone. Kathy had the same as myself and Stephen had pizza. We also got the garlic spread and the Spinach-Artichoke dip. It was fantastic! Will definitely go back there for noms. Seriously good. We went back up to the room to get ready for the party. The three girls (Payton, Lauren and Raegan) all have February birthdays, so Lynley bought a cake and we had a little birthday celebration for them...complete with presents! :) Chocolate + presents = happy campers.
...and this is where this blog ends....time to race. :)
We had a crazy week that led up to taking off to New Orleans. We had snow days, busy work days, busy school days and a birthday! Lauren turned 5 and the weather turned ugly. We had a snow day that was minus snow. Go figure. :)
We left for New Orleans on Friday morning. Kathy and Stephen (Stephen ran the full marathon as well) and their family had gone down the night before. Lynley and her gang (awesome cheerleaders) were supposed to leave around 11am or so. We dropped the dog off at the vets office and off we went. I got a text from Lynley and it turns out that they were right behind us! We did a few stops and poor Bean just wasn't herself that day. Her eyes kept watering and she wouldn't eat anything or drink anything. By the time we got to the hotel, she looked miserable. We hung out for a few minutes and she seemed to get a little better. We decided to hit up the aquarium with Lynley and her crew. We figured that Friday would be better than Saturday. I think we're a little spoiled. While the Aquarium of the Americas is cool in its own right, but the $60 it cost to get in wasn't quite worth it. We've been spoiled by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Churami Aquarium in Okinawa. The kids had a great time though (the adults did too), so that's all that mattered.
It was still a little early, so we decided to head over to the Riverwalk Mall and eat an early dinner at the food court. We stopped at a sports store and I noticed that Bean just wasn't looking too good. I held her and walked outside. We sat down and she was sitting on my lap. Then I heard it. A burp followed by the chunkage. Yep. She horked. The poor kiddo. Lynley ran inside and told the store clerk what had happened and the clerk managed to call security. In the meantime, she managed to nail pretty much the entire length of Mark's sweatshirt. He took the poor girl outside and the security guard came over and called housekeeping. At least he was able to go home with an amusing tale of a bunch of tourists standing around a pile o' puke.
We debated on what to do next...she said she felt better, so we decided to head upstairs and grab some dinner. Mark grabbed a fried shrimp po-boy and I had some red beans and rice. Gav was the smart one and had a slice of pizza. We decided to hit up the Cafe du Monde in the mall to grab some beignets to go. You can't come to New Orleans and NOT have beignets. That's pretty much sacrilege. We made it back to the hotel and Bean was looking a little better, so we gave her a nectarine. Which in turn, came back up maybe 5 minutes after she consumed it. :(
The next morning, she still wasn't looking too good. She didn't eat much for breakfast and sure enough, she ralphed when we got back to the room. I decided to head to the race expo with the Hunts, while Mark and the kiddos took it easy. I walked down with them and then grabbed my stuff and headed back. I told Kathy to just go ahead and do stuff without us. If Lauren wasn't feeling good, then Mark and I would pull shifts with her. I got back to the hotel and what do you know? That little stinker is 99% herself. She's eating and drinking water and keeping it all in. So, we decided to head down to the French Quarter. We didn't want her overexerting herself, so we drove down there. We ate at Hard Rock Cafe and then meandered around the Quarter for a bit. Then we headed over to the Louisiana Children's Museum for a bit. I started to get a little tired, so we headed back over to the hotel. Mark took the kids swimming and I took it easy.
For dinner, we got take out from a restaurant across the street. Reginelli's Pizzeria is AWESOME. Decently priced and EXCELLENT chow. I had pesto tortellini and Mark had a calzone. Kathy had the same as myself and Stephen had pizza. We also got the garlic spread and the Spinach-Artichoke dip. It was fantastic! Will definitely go back there for noms. Seriously good. We went back up to the room to get ready for the party. The three girls (Payton, Lauren and Raegan) all have February birthdays, so Lynley bought a cake and we had a little birthday celebration for them...complete with presents! :) Chocolate + presents = happy campers.
...and this is where this blog ends....time to race. :)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Meltdown.
I think we're all entitled to a meltdown every now and again. Sometimes people have spectacular meltdowns: you know the kind where the waterworks are flowing, yelling ensues and possibly the breakage of a few treasured items that you may come to regret in the morning. Other times, the meltdown may be more silent, no yelling, no breaking of things and no waterworks. These kind of meltdowns, while definitely more secretive are just as spectacular.
I think I may be in the middle of a spectacular silent meltdown. My brain seems to be going into shut down mode, even as I type this. Everyone knows that I'm a busy person. I get a lot of comments about how crazy I must be and yadda yadda yadda. Yes. I'm busy. Yes. It was my choice. Yes. I made a HUGE mistake in over scheduling myself. Yes. I TOTALLY regret it. I thought that Mark's job would basically be keeping away from the house at all hours of the day. He's done this kind of job before and I was completely unprepared for it. He would leave at 6am and not come home sometimes until 9 or 10pm--only to get up and do it all over again the next day. Weekends consisted of him going in at least one day. Needless to say, I decided that I didn't want to be left with a lot of time on my hands to wallow in self-pity. So, I did what any other spouse would do--I decided to keep myself busy.
Busy is very much an understatement. I work part time, take classes for my master's degree, volunteer with the Barksdale Officers' Spouses' Club, raise the kiddos and run. Any time leftover is usually dedicated to inhaling food or sleeping. I thought I had it under control until yesterday. For some reason, yesterday is when everything seemed to unravel in my brain. It wasn't any one thing in particular. I have 2 papers due today and have only partially completed one. I know that I will finish them today (and most likely, they will be total crap), but my brain just doesn't want to cooperate. I want to veg on the couch with the kids. I want to be able to roam a store without having to run to a meeting. I want to just escape for a little while. The only problem is that if I escape for a little while, I know that everything will just pile up and still be waiting for me with an even greater sense of urgency. Again, I realize that I did this to myself, so I am expecting absolutely no pity whatsoever.
Things went over the top this morning. I have had some *ahem* girly issues that have been off and on for the past 2 years. I thought that they had resolved themselves, as I have not had to go in for almost 18 months. However, yesterday it reared its ugly head again. I had hoped that when I woke up this morning that it would have magically disappeared. It didn't. I know that I need to see the doctor, as my referral to the OB/GYN has expired. It is a vicious cycle with Tricare...you go to your Primary Care Physician, only to get referred to the on-base OB/GYN. The OB/GYN on base is mean and nasty and will then refer you to an off-base provider. The whole process takes about 6 weeks to finally get seen by the person that you need to see. I am exhausted just thinking about having to go through all of this all over again. I have 6 days until the marathon, 2 papers due today, a social tomorrow night and a fundraiser that I am trying to solicit donations for in my spare time. My silent meltdown has commenced and I just don't want to play anymore.
The papers will get done, the marathon will be run, the social will be fun and the fundraiser is whatever it is. I have already started the ball rolling with the doctors. I have an appointment at 10:20am tomorrow morning and I'm hoping that they can prescribe the first round of meds to see if it will help, AND that they can put in a direct referral to the off base provider. I know it's a lot to hope for, but stranger things have happened. I just know to not do this again to myself. Consider the lesson learned.
I think I may be in the middle of a spectacular silent meltdown. My brain seems to be going into shut down mode, even as I type this. Everyone knows that I'm a busy person. I get a lot of comments about how crazy I must be and yadda yadda yadda. Yes. I'm busy. Yes. It was my choice. Yes. I made a HUGE mistake in over scheduling myself. Yes. I TOTALLY regret it. I thought that Mark's job would basically be keeping away from the house at all hours of the day. He's done this kind of job before and I was completely unprepared for it. He would leave at 6am and not come home sometimes until 9 or 10pm--only to get up and do it all over again the next day. Weekends consisted of him going in at least one day. Needless to say, I decided that I didn't want to be left with a lot of time on my hands to wallow in self-pity. So, I did what any other spouse would do--I decided to keep myself busy.
Busy is very much an understatement. I work part time, take classes for my master's degree, volunteer with the Barksdale Officers' Spouses' Club, raise the kiddos and run. Any time leftover is usually dedicated to inhaling food or sleeping. I thought I had it under control until yesterday. For some reason, yesterday is when everything seemed to unravel in my brain. It wasn't any one thing in particular. I have 2 papers due today and have only partially completed one. I know that I will finish them today (and most likely, they will be total crap), but my brain just doesn't want to cooperate. I want to veg on the couch with the kids. I want to be able to roam a store without having to run to a meeting. I want to just escape for a little while. The only problem is that if I escape for a little while, I know that everything will just pile up and still be waiting for me with an even greater sense of urgency. Again, I realize that I did this to myself, so I am expecting absolutely no pity whatsoever.
Things went over the top this morning. I have had some *ahem* girly issues that have been off and on for the past 2 years. I thought that they had resolved themselves, as I have not had to go in for almost 18 months. However, yesterday it reared its ugly head again. I had hoped that when I woke up this morning that it would have magically disappeared. It didn't. I know that I need to see the doctor, as my referral to the OB/GYN has expired. It is a vicious cycle with Tricare...you go to your Primary Care Physician, only to get referred to the on-base OB/GYN. The OB/GYN on base is mean and nasty and will then refer you to an off-base provider. The whole process takes about 6 weeks to finally get seen by the person that you need to see. I am exhausted just thinking about having to go through all of this all over again. I have 6 days until the marathon, 2 papers due today, a social tomorrow night and a fundraiser that I am trying to solicit donations for in my spare time. My silent meltdown has commenced and I just don't want to play anymore.
The papers will get done, the marathon will be run, the social will be fun and the fundraiser is whatever it is. I have already started the ball rolling with the doctors. I have an appointment at 10:20am tomorrow morning and I'm hoping that they can prescribe the first round of meds to see if it will help, AND that they can put in a direct referral to the off base provider. I know it's a lot to hope for, but stranger things have happened. I just know to not do this again to myself. Consider the lesson learned.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
NOLA Week 12: Last chance workout.
Distance: 8.6 miles
Route: Teague Parkway
Time: 1 hr. 34 mins. 41 secs.
This was it. As Bob and Jillian say, "LAST. CHANCE. WORKOUT!!!" Every time I hit the last run before a race, I always have that mantra running through my brain. Not that I fear getting voted off the island, but that I won't be ready and won't be able to go the distance the way that I want to. Before Sparky says anything, I am ready for this race. I feel that I am as prepped as I can be at this point and I will do the absolute best that I can next Sunday.
This morning, I didn't get up at 5:30am for a change. I didn't rush out the door and I didn't prep all of my gear the night before. I got up at 8:00am and took my time getting out the door. I think I made it to the trail at 8:45am. I haven't started a run this late (minus last week) in awhile. I wanted to enjoy it and just kind of savor the last run before the marathon. I didn't use my Nike+, but I did time it with my watch. I started up and quickly realized that I had overdressed for the occasion. The sun was shining and it was warming up. I just kept the layers on, as I didn't want to have to figure out how to squish it all into the Camelbak. I decided to run in the new kicks and was happy that I did. It didn't hurt my feet and I could tell that I was overdue for new shoes.
I hit the boat launch area and felt nice and warmed up. I saw a lady by the restrooms talking to 2 other guys and didn't think too much. I noticed that she was wearing the same shirt I was (the Mardi Gras Marathon shirt) and smiled. I kept on trucking and knew that I would probably get passed. Sure enough, the woman came up on my left and I moved over a little so that she could pass me. Instead of passing me, she started talking to me and kept her pace even with mine. I chatted for a few minutes and thought that she'd pass me again, but she just kept right on talking and kept running next to me. She asked how far I was going and I told her that I was doing the whole trail and she mentioned that she was doing 10 miles and would I mind running with her? I told her that I didn't mind the company and we kept going.
Her name was Brenda and she was probably in her 50s. She was shorter than I and had on running tights, shorts, t-shirt, baseball cap and a garmin. She told me that she was from the area and grew up around Natchitoches (which is an hour south). I told her a little about myself as well and mentioned the kids a few times. Then things started to get a little umm...well...awkward? She blew a snot rocket. Now, I don't mind if you blow one. I don't mind if you blow two or three. However, she kept blowing them constantly. I mean one every 30 seconds. After the 7th one, I started to get a little grossed out. As we reached the turnaround, she told me that she really needed to pee. I mentioned that they probably had unlocked the bathrooms at the boat launch by now. She said that she was going head down by the river. I made the assumption that she was going to run a little further, so I just hit the turn around and shot my Gu. I looked down by the river and saw her "watering" a tree. Yep. Didn't mean to see that. Awkward.
She rejoined me and we kept chatting. We were about a half mile from the end when my mouth opened and I said, "Wow! You're really a pro at the whole snot rocket thing!" Cripes, Stacy! Really? Open mouth, insert foot. She looked over at me and I quickly said, "I just make a mess if I try! However, I can hock a good loogey!" Luckily, she thought it was funny and just kept right on gabbing. I seriously need to learn how to keep my mouth shut.
I finished the run and felt good. I was tired, but then again, I hadn't run since Wednesday, so the muscles were a little tired. There it is, my friends. The last. chance. workout. Eat your heart out Bob and Jillian!
Route: Teague Parkway
Time: 1 hr. 34 mins. 41 secs.
This was it. As Bob and Jillian say, "LAST. CHANCE. WORKOUT!!!" Every time I hit the last run before a race, I always have that mantra running through my brain. Not that I fear getting voted off the island, but that I won't be ready and won't be able to go the distance the way that I want to. Before Sparky says anything, I am ready for this race. I feel that I am as prepped as I can be at this point and I will do the absolute best that I can next Sunday.
This morning, I didn't get up at 5:30am for a change. I didn't rush out the door and I didn't prep all of my gear the night before. I got up at 8:00am and took my time getting out the door. I think I made it to the trail at 8:45am. I haven't started a run this late (minus last week) in awhile. I wanted to enjoy it and just kind of savor the last run before the marathon. I didn't use my Nike+, but I did time it with my watch. I started up and quickly realized that I had overdressed for the occasion. The sun was shining and it was warming up. I just kept the layers on, as I didn't want to have to figure out how to squish it all into the Camelbak. I decided to run in the new kicks and was happy that I did. It didn't hurt my feet and I could tell that I was overdue for new shoes.
I hit the boat launch area and felt nice and warmed up. I saw a lady by the restrooms talking to 2 other guys and didn't think too much. I noticed that she was wearing the same shirt I was (the Mardi Gras Marathon shirt) and smiled. I kept on trucking and knew that I would probably get passed. Sure enough, the woman came up on my left and I moved over a little so that she could pass me. Instead of passing me, she started talking to me and kept her pace even with mine. I chatted for a few minutes and thought that she'd pass me again, but she just kept right on talking and kept running next to me. She asked how far I was going and I told her that I was doing the whole trail and she mentioned that she was doing 10 miles and would I mind running with her? I told her that I didn't mind the company and we kept going.
Her name was Brenda and she was probably in her 50s. She was shorter than I and had on running tights, shorts, t-shirt, baseball cap and a garmin. She told me that she was from the area and grew up around Natchitoches (which is an hour south). I told her a little about myself as well and mentioned the kids a few times. Then things started to get a little umm...well...awkward? She blew a snot rocket. Now, I don't mind if you blow one. I don't mind if you blow two or three. However, she kept blowing them constantly. I mean one every 30 seconds. After the 7th one, I started to get a little grossed out. As we reached the turnaround, she told me that she really needed to pee. I mentioned that they probably had unlocked the bathrooms at the boat launch by now. She said that she was going head down by the river. I made the assumption that she was going to run a little further, so I just hit the turn around and shot my Gu. I looked down by the river and saw her "watering" a tree. Yep. Didn't mean to see that. Awkward.
She rejoined me and we kept chatting. We were about a half mile from the end when my mouth opened and I said, "Wow! You're really a pro at the whole snot rocket thing!" Cripes, Stacy! Really? Open mouth, insert foot. She looked over at me and I quickly said, "I just make a mess if I try! However, I can hock a good loogey!" Luckily, she thought it was funny and just kept right on gabbing. I seriously need to learn how to keep my mouth shut.
I finished the run and felt good. I was tired, but then again, I hadn't run since Wednesday, so the muscles were a little tired. There it is, my friends. The last. chance. workout. Eat your heart out Bob and Jillian!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Gossip
Gossip is a funny thing. I liken it to a STD. It spreads like wildfire and it's not good. Military wives are notorious gossips. Half the time what is said has come down from many different sources to the point that it's manipulated and twisted and the real story is completely convoluted. I have been both the parlayer AND the victim of gossip. After being the victim of vicious gossip, I have chosen to never spread things about anyone. I will not tell anyone anything without checking first. I figure if someone wants to know something, then just ask the person yourself. If you don't feel comfortable asking, then maybe you should think as to why.
Case in point. I have a friend that is going through a rough patch. It may or may not be something serious, but right now everyone is okay. She texted me to let me know what was going on because she didn't want me to hear it from the gossip circle or from someone else. I appreciated her telling me, so that way I can be there if she needs my help. However, I decided that what they are going through is for them to tell...not me. I can't even tell you how many people have emailed me, texted me or Facebooked me asking me what is wrong with her. Really? Don't ask me. Ask her. Ask HER what you can do for HER. They are very private people and trust me....I will NOT tell you. I realize that for most people, it can seem like I'm being a bitch or mean by not telling. But put yourself in that position for a second. Would you want some indiscriminant person asking about your private, personal life and then having it blabbed all over the place? I know I wouldn't. I respect my friends. Do you?
Case in point. I have a friend that is going through a rough patch. It may or may not be something serious, but right now everyone is okay. She texted me to let me know what was going on because she didn't want me to hear it from the gossip circle or from someone else. I appreciated her telling me, so that way I can be there if she needs my help. However, I decided that what they are going through is for them to tell...not me. I can't even tell you how many people have emailed me, texted me or Facebooked me asking me what is wrong with her. Really? Don't ask me. Ask her. Ask HER what you can do for HER. They are very private people and trust me....I will NOT tell you. I realize that for most people, it can seem like I'm being a bitch or mean by not telling. But put yourself in that position for a second. Would you want some indiscriminant person asking about your private, personal life and then having it blabbed all over the place? I know I wouldn't. I respect my friends. Do you?
Saturday, January 29, 2011
NOLA Week 10: Taper Time
Distance: 12.07 miles
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway
Time: 2 hrs. 12 mins. 13 secs.
You gotta love the weather in the South. Really. One hour it is beautiful and the next it's snow. You wake up and it's pouring and then 2 hours later it's stifling. I had originally scheduled this run for Sunday, but seeing as Mother Nature has had a wicked sense of meteorological humor as of late, I decided to move it to Saturday. The only catch was that Mark had a 10-mile trail run at Lake Bistineau (30 mins away) at 8:30am. So, I'd either have to do it super duper early or just wait until later in the day. The day was so beautiful that I decided to wait until after Mark's run. Can I just say that Lake Bistineau is stunning?! Mark did great on his run...no ninjas, no veering off-course and lots of splashing through mud and pine needles.
When we got home, I threw on my gear. It was 72 and perfect outside, so I opted for shorts and a tank top. I haven't had to break those out in a REALLY long time. I made sure to slather on the sunscreen and also filled the camelbak all the way. I had a feeling that I may end up using all of it. I decided to reverse the route. I started down at Hamel Park and ran the big loop at the park and then headed up toward Sciport. There was no shade at all. Luckily, there was a breeze, so that was a nice saving grace. Lots of people out today...walkers, bikers, runners. It was nice to see. I hit 4 miles and my left foot started bothering me. I think it's leftover from last week when I tried the new shoes (I ran in my old shoes today). I tried to ignore it as best I could.
I was on my way back and saw a dad biking with his three kids. I was at the hill right before Stoner Boat Launch when one of the kids veered off the trail and ate it right in front of me. I ran over to him and helped him shake it off and helped pick up his bike. His dad thanked me and I just smiled and said no problem...I have two kiddos myself. They went on their merry way and I went on mine. I started to get tired around 9 miles. I didn't prep myself as well as I usually do for long runs, so I was getting mentally tired too. The sun was beating down and I just kept reminding myself of how nice it was to be warm rather than freezing for a change. I made it back down to Hamel Park and did another loop to make sure that I got all of the mileage in.
It was nice that it was 12 miles today. Taper always freaks me out because I feel like I need to be doing more and pushing harder and harder. Taper is time to rest the muscles and let them recover. This way they'll be able to perform optimally on race day. I didn't hit the gym this past week, and I can tell the difference without having done weights. I need to make it a point to do a little cross training and some weights. I think I feel more well-rounded when I do.
One more long run remaining, and even then, it's not too long. I have 8 scheduled for next Sunday (provided I don't have to build an ark between now and then) and then the race is set for February 13th. I received my race confirmation and bib number. So, if you get bored and feel like checking up on me, my number is 17116. :)
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway
Time: 2 hrs. 12 mins. 13 secs.
You gotta love the weather in the South. Really. One hour it is beautiful and the next it's snow. You wake up and it's pouring and then 2 hours later it's stifling. I had originally scheduled this run for Sunday, but seeing as Mother Nature has had a wicked sense of meteorological humor as of late, I decided to move it to Saturday. The only catch was that Mark had a 10-mile trail run at Lake Bistineau (30 mins away) at 8:30am. So, I'd either have to do it super duper early or just wait until later in the day. The day was so beautiful that I decided to wait until after Mark's run. Can I just say that Lake Bistineau is stunning?! Mark did great on his run...no ninjas, no veering off-course and lots of splashing through mud and pine needles.
When we got home, I threw on my gear. It was 72 and perfect outside, so I opted for shorts and a tank top. I haven't had to break those out in a REALLY long time. I made sure to slather on the sunscreen and also filled the camelbak all the way. I had a feeling that I may end up using all of it. I decided to reverse the route. I started down at Hamel Park and ran the big loop at the park and then headed up toward Sciport. There was no shade at all. Luckily, there was a breeze, so that was a nice saving grace. Lots of people out today...walkers, bikers, runners. It was nice to see. I hit 4 miles and my left foot started bothering me. I think it's leftover from last week when I tried the new shoes (I ran in my old shoes today). I tried to ignore it as best I could.
I was on my way back and saw a dad biking with his three kids. I was at the hill right before Stoner Boat Launch when one of the kids veered off the trail and ate it right in front of me. I ran over to him and helped him shake it off and helped pick up his bike. His dad thanked me and I just smiled and said no problem...I have two kiddos myself. They went on their merry way and I went on mine. I started to get tired around 9 miles. I didn't prep myself as well as I usually do for long runs, so I was getting mentally tired too. The sun was beating down and I just kept reminding myself of how nice it was to be warm rather than freezing for a change. I made it back down to Hamel Park and did another loop to make sure that I got all of the mileage in.
It was nice that it was 12 miles today. Taper always freaks me out because I feel like I need to be doing more and pushing harder and harder. Taper is time to rest the muscles and let them recover. This way they'll be able to perform optimally on race day. I didn't hit the gym this past week, and I can tell the difference without having done weights. I need to make it a point to do a little cross training and some weights. I think I feel more well-rounded when I do.
One more long run remaining, and even then, it's not too long. I have 8 scheduled for next Sunday (provided I don't have to build an ark between now and then) and then the race is set for February 13th. I received my race confirmation and bib number. So, if you get bored and feel like checking up on me, my number is 17116. :)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
NOLA Week 9: Twice as Nice...
Distance: 20.08 miles <-- yep, I earned those .08 miles.
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway Trail x 2
Time: 3 hrs. 42mins. 23 secs.
I didn't blog my run last week, mainly because I kinda punked out. No, I take it back, I didn't punk out completely. My mom came to visit! The last time she came to see us was when Lauren was born. I got up early last Saturday with every intention to do 14 miles, but alas, it was beginning to rain and I decided (wisely) that spending time with my mom was much more important. She left on Sunday, and of course it was pouring down rain all day. I hit the gym and did 4 miles of intervals and then did 8.3 miles on Tuesday. Kind of made up for it, but I decided to let bygones be bygones and focus on the run scheduled for today.
20 miles. Sometimes it's hard to fathom how far 20 miles is. When I write it, it looks almost easy. Kind of like "Pshaw! 20 miles...what's the biggie?". To put it in perspective, 20 miles will take you from our house to the Texas/Louisiana state line. For my California peeps, 20 miles is equivalent of going from Dixon to Travis AFB or from San Diego International Airport to the Mexican border. The sad thing is that isn't even the total mileage for a marathon. I get to add a 10K (6.2 miles) to those 20 miles in order to equal a marathon.
I woke up at 5:20 this morning and got all my gear together and hit the road. I decided to run Clyde Fant today. You may ask yourself, how on earth do you get 20 miles out of a 10-12 mile trail? Simple...you do it twice. I was getting a little tired of the base trail and I knew that I needed to see other life today. Often on the base trail, you're absolutely alone. I think in the past 6 weeks on the base trail, I have only run across one other person. Clyde Fant is also more challenging, as there are rolling hills and I'd have to be in the game mentally the whole time since I'd have to run it twice.
It was cold outside when I started...34 degrees with a windchill of 26. My mom had bought me a new pair of running gloves, so I was happy that I got to try them out this morning. :) I felt pretty good. The legs were good and I warmed up pretty fast. I didn't check the time, as I really just didn't want to know. I made it down to Hamel Park and shot my first Gu. I ran the big loop at the end of the trail just to make sure that I got enough mileage in. I did my first turn around and headed back to my starting point. I saw my car and shot my second Gu. Once I did my second turn around, it was really hard. I'm not used to doubling back, and the lure of the car was pretty strong. It was still cold out, so I didn't need to deposit anything to the car and I just kept going. By this time, the wind had picked up and it made it a little more difficult. I hit the boat launch area and started to get a little tired. I realized that I only had 2 miles until my final turn around, so I just kept plugging away. I hit my final turnaround and shot my last Gu. I made sure that I had a caffeinated one just to make sure that I had enough umph to get me through the last 4 miles.
At this point, my legs were getting tired. Kind of sad, considering that during the race, I'll have 10 more to go. I shook that thought out of my head and just focused on the run I was currently doing. I hit the finish and was quite happy to be done. It was a beautiful morning and a really good way to finish the ugly training runs. I did an ice bath on my legs this morning and I'll be rolling them out before I go to bed. I feel pretty good while I write this, but I know tomorrow morning may be a whole different story. :)
So, there you have it. No ninjas, no crazy people or animals. Just a good run all around. Taper starts next week...12 for next Sunday, 8 the following and then the marathon. I'm as ready as I'm going to be. :)
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway Trail x 2
Time: 3 hrs. 42mins. 23 secs.
I didn't blog my run last week, mainly because I kinda punked out. No, I take it back, I didn't punk out completely. My mom came to visit! The last time she came to see us was when Lauren was born. I got up early last Saturday with every intention to do 14 miles, but alas, it was beginning to rain and I decided (wisely) that spending time with my mom was much more important. She left on Sunday, and of course it was pouring down rain all day. I hit the gym and did 4 miles of intervals and then did 8.3 miles on Tuesday. Kind of made up for it, but I decided to let bygones be bygones and focus on the run scheduled for today.
20 miles. Sometimes it's hard to fathom how far 20 miles is. When I write it, it looks almost easy. Kind of like "Pshaw! 20 miles...what's the biggie?". To put it in perspective, 20 miles will take you from our house to the Texas/Louisiana state line. For my California peeps, 20 miles is equivalent of going from Dixon to Travis AFB or from San Diego International Airport to the Mexican border. The sad thing is that isn't even the total mileage for a marathon. I get to add a 10K (6.2 miles) to those 20 miles in order to equal a marathon.
I woke up at 5:20 this morning and got all my gear together and hit the road. I decided to run Clyde Fant today. You may ask yourself, how on earth do you get 20 miles out of a 10-12 mile trail? Simple...you do it twice. I was getting a little tired of the base trail and I knew that I needed to see other life today. Often on the base trail, you're absolutely alone. I think in the past 6 weeks on the base trail, I have only run across one other person. Clyde Fant is also more challenging, as there are rolling hills and I'd have to be in the game mentally the whole time since I'd have to run it twice.
It was cold outside when I started...34 degrees with a windchill of 26. My mom had bought me a new pair of running gloves, so I was happy that I got to try them out this morning. :) I felt pretty good. The legs were good and I warmed up pretty fast. I didn't check the time, as I really just didn't want to know. I made it down to Hamel Park and shot my first Gu. I ran the big loop at the end of the trail just to make sure that I got enough mileage in. I did my first turn around and headed back to my starting point. I saw my car and shot my second Gu. Once I did my second turn around, it was really hard. I'm not used to doubling back, and the lure of the car was pretty strong. It was still cold out, so I didn't need to deposit anything to the car and I just kept going. By this time, the wind had picked up and it made it a little more difficult. I hit the boat launch area and started to get a little tired. I realized that I only had 2 miles until my final turn around, so I just kept plugging away. I hit my final turnaround and shot my last Gu. I made sure that I had a caffeinated one just to make sure that I had enough umph to get me through the last 4 miles.
At this point, my legs were getting tired. Kind of sad, considering that during the race, I'll have 10 more to go. I shook that thought out of my head and just focused on the run I was currently doing. I hit the finish and was quite happy to be done. It was a beautiful morning and a really good way to finish the ugly training runs. I did an ice bath on my legs this morning and I'll be rolling them out before I go to bed. I feel pretty good while I write this, but I know tomorrow morning may be a whole different story. :)
So, there you have it. No ninjas, no crazy people or animals. Just a good run all around. Taper starts next week...12 for next Sunday, 8 the following and then the marathon. I'm as ready as I'm going to be. :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
NOLA Week 7: Old Houses and Half-Ninjas.
Distance: 18.01 miles
Time: 3hrs 19 mins 08 secs
Route: Base Trail (Museum - Capehart Housing - Museum)
Number of Ninjas: 1/2
I had a choice to make regarding this run. Either run in cold weather or run in blizzardy/icy cold weather. I like to think of myself as having a smidge of common sense, so I moved the run to this morning instead of tomorrow. Whether or not these conditions will even happen remains to be seen, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. :)
I got up early and headed out. It was cold this morning, but I figure if the weather is 30 degrees on race day, I will have a bunch of practice under my belt. I actually warmed up a lot more quickly than usual. I was feeling pretty good by the time I hit the East Gate. I did my loops at ALS and still felt really good. I was about a mile from Cullen Park when it almost happened. My right ankle rolled and had I not been wide awake it would have most likely been a full ninja. I heard the nice crunchy sound in the ankle and ended up doing a couple of hops on my left foot in order to keep myself from falling. It was probably the smart thing to do. I stopped and walked it out for about a quarter of a mile. My ankle was hurting pretty good when I tried to run on it, so I decided to walk a little more. I reached the park, debated on calling it a run and decided that I wouldn't quit. Even if I had to walk the whole MFing thing, I was going to finish it. I did a run/walk routine until the top of the hill by the shoppette and by then the ankle went numb, so I went back to running.
When I reached the Capehart Housing area, it was eerily quiet. The houses are slated for demolition, so it is completely empty and very desolate. They have fenced off the side roads and the houses, so I had to do the main loop through the housing (which was perfect, since halfway through was my turn around spot). I always love walking/running by these kind of places. When we lived in Texas, they were demolishing old houses. We used to take walks through them and even walked through a few places. So much life has been lived in these old houses. Many different families have come and gone...oh the stories these houses could tell! I'm sure some are haunted, but they just fascinate me so much.
The second half of the run was pretty uneventful. I shot another Gu when I hit the park again, but I've realized that I probably should have brought another one. By the time I hit the flightline, my legs were really tired and I was ready to be done. I was still good to go mentally (aside from the various expletives that would escape every now and then), but my body was just tired. I was very happy to hit the static displays and finally the museum. I looked down at the time and was very surprised to see that I had PR'd. The fastest I had previously run 18 miles was in 3:38 and I was running with Sparky in Sacramento. She's quite a bit faster than me and she helped push me on that one. I think maybe I was channeling her a bit today. :)
A good run, half-ninja and old houses to boot. I thought a lot about my sisters today, two in particular that are having some rough times. I'm sending a lot of good juju, since I can't send myself. :) Week 7 is done and it's time to just keep moving forward. One foot in front of the other.
Time: 3hrs 19 mins 08 secs
Route: Base Trail (Museum - Capehart Housing - Museum)
Number of Ninjas: 1/2
I had a choice to make regarding this run. Either run in cold weather or run in blizzardy/icy cold weather. I like to think of myself as having a smidge of common sense, so I moved the run to this morning instead of tomorrow. Whether or not these conditions will even happen remains to be seen, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. :)
I got up early and headed out. It was cold this morning, but I figure if the weather is 30 degrees on race day, I will have a bunch of practice under my belt. I actually warmed up a lot more quickly than usual. I was feeling pretty good by the time I hit the East Gate. I did my loops at ALS and still felt really good. I was about a mile from Cullen Park when it almost happened. My right ankle rolled and had I not been wide awake it would have most likely been a full ninja. I heard the nice crunchy sound in the ankle and ended up doing a couple of hops on my left foot in order to keep myself from falling. It was probably the smart thing to do. I stopped and walked it out for about a quarter of a mile. My ankle was hurting pretty good when I tried to run on it, so I decided to walk a little more. I reached the park, debated on calling it a run and decided that I wouldn't quit. Even if I had to walk the whole MFing thing, I was going to finish it. I did a run/walk routine until the top of the hill by the shoppette and by then the ankle went numb, so I went back to running.
When I reached the Capehart Housing area, it was eerily quiet. The houses are slated for demolition, so it is completely empty and very desolate. They have fenced off the side roads and the houses, so I had to do the main loop through the housing (which was perfect, since halfway through was my turn around spot). I always love walking/running by these kind of places. When we lived in Texas, they were demolishing old houses. We used to take walks through them and even walked through a few places. So much life has been lived in these old houses. Many different families have come and gone...oh the stories these houses could tell! I'm sure some are haunted, but they just fascinate me so much.
The second half of the run was pretty uneventful. I shot another Gu when I hit the park again, but I've realized that I probably should have brought another one. By the time I hit the flightline, my legs were really tired and I was ready to be done. I was still good to go mentally (aside from the various expletives that would escape every now and then), but my body was just tired. I was very happy to hit the static displays and finally the museum. I looked down at the time and was very surprised to see that I had PR'd. The fastest I had previously run 18 miles was in 3:38 and I was running with Sparky in Sacramento. She's quite a bit faster than me and she helped push me on that one. I think maybe I was channeling her a bit today. :)
A good run, half-ninja and old houses to boot. I thought a lot about my sisters today, two in particular that are having some rough times. I'm sending a lot of good juju, since I can't send myself. :) Week 7 is done and it's time to just keep moving forward. One foot in front of the other.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Resolution Schmesolution.
It's the start of the New Year. I've always wondered whose brilliant idea it was to come up with a resolution for the new year. If you break it down into two words you have the prefix of "re-" (which means to do again) and "solution" (which, duh...is an outcome or answer to something). It seems kind of funny...resolve to fix something that is broken in your life. I guess with the start of a new year, it's like starting over--you get a clean slate and voila! All is new again! Only, it doesn't quite work that way. For instance, my bills don't get wiped clean from last year. Not only that, but usually, when you make them, you break them within 48 hours of making them. Where's the fun in that?
This year, I resolve to not make any resolutions. Sure, there are things that I would like to do, but I need to fix a few things in my life before I can do anything. I am VERY proud to say that I am starting this new year 27 pounds lighter than the last one. I have lost 3 sizes and I feel fantastic. I did not do any crazy diets or go hog wild on the exercise (no...marathon training does NOT count here). I watched what I was eating and more importantly how MUCH I was eating. Stomachs are small. Why am I putting a ginormous shovel of processed crap into it, only to feel like a ginormous pile of processed crap later? Yes, I still eat pasta. I still eat meat. I still have dessert. But the important thing is that I don't have to have ALL of it, so I don't. I always keep it in my mind that I am fueling my brain and my body. I don't need it for anything else but that. :) Depriving yourself isn't good. Binging yourself isn't good either. The happy medium is to have just a little bit. Then, get up and move. It sounds simple and you know what, it truly is. We are all busy, and sometimes you have to find a spot to stick it in. But eventually, it becomes a habit. Running has become a part of my life. I am planning this training as the last marathon for awhile. I won't say that I'll never do another one, but this one is it for awhile. So, basically weight loss = Watch what and how much you eat + Getting Butt off Couch and Moving. :)
On to this year with the non-resolutions. Instead of saying, "I resolve to become debt-free sometime in the future--preferably in the year", I'm saying that I need to curb my spending habits and not incur anymore debt. I'm really good at rationalizing purchases. I'm the queen of "If I put it on the card and just pay it off next month or put a bigger chunk on it next month, then it's okay to buy". In reality, I don't pay it off and I don't put the bigger chunk on it next month. It has gotten us into trouble. When the douchebag skimmed my ATM card, it may have been a blessing in disguise. We went through all of our finances: checking, money market account, credit cards and auto loans. We have come up with a monthly budget, so we'll see how well we do with it. I have removed the credit cards from my wallet and have made them inaccessible to me. Well, I have access to them, but it would require me to thaw them out. We refinanced a loan for a lower interest rate and managed to pull enough equity of it to pay off a credit card. It feels good to have a plan.
In addition to curbing spending habits, one other non-resolution is the word "No." I am a big doormat. I hate saying no to people. I am a people pleaser. If you need my shirt, here you go. If you need me to make you dinner, what would you like? You want my Christmas presents, just jot down your address. Okay, I wouldn't go quite that far, but if you have a compelling reason, then probably. Unfortunately, because of this inability to say no, I have a) incurred a lot of the aforementioned debt and b) managed to completely overwhelm myself. I like to stay busy and I like to be social. But there has to be a line drawn. For instance, working and helping out in a child's classroom is busy and social. Working, going to school, volunteering for the OSC, being a stay at home mom (I work from home), as well as all the day to day nitty gritty is stupid and effing insane. Seriously. Because of my inability to say no, I sometimes resemble the living dead. There are days when I will come home from a social and literally pass out. I just can't do it anymore. It's not good for anyone. So here it is: no. No. NO. NO!!!!! See, it is possible. Now, I just need to make sure that I do it when it really counts.
There you have it. I don't have to re-solve anything. I just need to fix the things that need a little tweaking here and there.
This year, I resolve to not make any resolutions. Sure, there are things that I would like to do, but I need to fix a few things in my life before I can do anything. I am VERY proud to say that I am starting this new year 27 pounds lighter than the last one. I have lost 3 sizes and I feel fantastic. I did not do any crazy diets or go hog wild on the exercise (no...marathon training does NOT count here). I watched what I was eating and more importantly how MUCH I was eating. Stomachs are small. Why am I putting a ginormous shovel of processed crap into it, only to feel like a ginormous pile of processed crap later? Yes, I still eat pasta. I still eat meat. I still have dessert. But the important thing is that I don't have to have ALL of it, so I don't. I always keep it in my mind that I am fueling my brain and my body. I don't need it for anything else but that. :) Depriving yourself isn't good. Binging yourself isn't good either. The happy medium is to have just a little bit. Then, get up and move. It sounds simple and you know what, it truly is. We are all busy, and sometimes you have to find a spot to stick it in. But eventually, it becomes a habit. Running has become a part of my life. I am planning this training as the last marathon for awhile. I won't say that I'll never do another one, but this one is it for awhile. So, basically weight loss = Watch what and how much you eat + Getting Butt off Couch and Moving. :)
On to this year with the non-resolutions. Instead of saying, "I resolve to become debt-free sometime in the future--preferably in the year", I'm saying that I need to curb my spending habits and not incur anymore debt. I'm really good at rationalizing purchases. I'm the queen of "If I put it on the card and just pay it off next month or put a bigger chunk on it next month, then it's okay to buy". In reality, I don't pay it off and I don't put the bigger chunk on it next month. It has gotten us into trouble. When the douchebag skimmed my ATM card, it may have been a blessing in disguise. We went through all of our finances: checking, money market account, credit cards and auto loans. We have come up with a monthly budget, so we'll see how well we do with it. I have removed the credit cards from my wallet and have made them inaccessible to me. Well, I have access to them, but it would require me to thaw them out. We refinanced a loan for a lower interest rate and managed to pull enough equity of it to pay off a credit card. It feels good to have a plan.
In addition to curbing spending habits, one other non-resolution is the word "No." I am a big doormat. I hate saying no to people. I am a people pleaser. If you need my shirt, here you go. If you need me to make you dinner, what would you like? You want my Christmas presents, just jot down your address. Okay, I wouldn't go quite that far, but if you have a compelling reason, then probably. Unfortunately, because of this inability to say no, I have a) incurred a lot of the aforementioned debt and b) managed to completely overwhelm myself. I like to stay busy and I like to be social. But there has to be a line drawn. For instance, working and helping out in a child's classroom is busy and social. Working, going to school, volunteering for the OSC, being a stay at home mom (I work from home), as well as all the day to day nitty gritty is stupid and effing insane. Seriously. Because of my inability to say no, I sometimes resemble the living dead. There are days when I will come home from a social and literally pass out. I just can't do it anymore. It's not good for anyone. So here it is: no. No. NO. NO!!!!! See, it is possible. Now, I just need to make sure that I do it when it really counts.
There you have it. I don't have to re-solve anything. I just need to fix the things that need a little tweaking here and there.
NOLA Week 6: Rain Delay
Distance: 6.78
Route: Teague Parkway Trail
Time: 1hr 12mins 19secs
Number of Ninjas: 0
It was a good run. I'm a few days behind the curve on posting this one, but we've been out of town for a few days, so I'm finally getting down to it. I did this run on Friday. I meant to do 12, but Mom Nature had a different idea.
I slept in a little and hit the trail around 7:15am. It was really warm outside for this time of year...almost 72 degrees. It was humid, cloudy and windy. I miraculously found my Nike+ receiver, so I turned on the iPod and off I went. I had a tailwind for the first half of the run. I made it to the marina and looked up at the sky. It was looking pretty threatening and the wind was starting to shift direction. I ran past the marina, up to the third pagoda and then decided it was probably best to turn around. Often, these kind of storms have thunder and lightning embedded in them, and I don't mess around with that. Rain doesn't bug me, but lightning and thunder do. I made it to just past the marina when the rain started. I passed some folks that started yelling at me that it was raining. I looked at them, smiled and just kept right on going. A) I can obviously see it's raining; B) going back to the marina won't do me any good when my car is parked at the other end; and C) it's only rain. :) I was about a mile from the car when the wind shifted direction AGAIN and this time I had wind and rain smacking me in the face. I finished and looked down at the time. I was pretty surprised. I felt like I was going a LOT slower than what I really was. My legs had felt heavy the whole time and I was just a little tired. It was a good run though.
Six weeks under the belt and six weeks left to go. I have 18 miles this upcoming Sunday, so we'll see how it goes. I haven't run at all with the base group, but I'm actually okay with it. I thought it would be lonely doing it alone, but it gives me time to just think about things and sometimes just let my mind wander. I miss my running buddy, but it's important for her to heal herself before she jumps back into anything. :)
All right. Let's get this party going. Bring on the pain for next week.
Route: Teague Parkway Trail
Time: 1hr 12mins 19secs
Number of Ninjas: 0
It was a good run. I'm a few days behind the curve on posting this one, but we've been out of town for a few days, so I'm finally getting down to it. I did this run on Friday. I meant to do 12, but Mom Nature had a different idea.
I slept in a little and hit the trail around 7:15am. It was really warm outside for this time of year...almost 72 degrees. It was humid, cloudy and windy. I miraculously found my Nike+ receiver, so I turned on the iPod and off I went. I had a tailwind for the first half of the run. I made it to the marina and looked up at the sky. It was looking pretty threatening and the wind was starting to shift direction. I ran past the marina, up to the third pagoda and then decided it was probably best to turn around. Often, these kind of storms have thunder and lightning embedded in them, and I don't mess around with that. Rain doesn't bug me, but lightning and thunder do. I made it to just past the marina when the rain started. I passed some folks that started yelling at me that it was raining. I looked at them, smiled and just kept right on going. A) I can obviously see it's raining; B) going back to the marina won't do me any good when my car is parked at the other end; and C) it's only rain. :) I was about a mile from the car when the wind shifted direction AGAIN and this time I had wind and rain smacking me in the face. I finished and looked down at the time. I was pretty surprised. I felt like I was going a LOT slower than what I really was. My legs had felt heavy the whole time and I was just a little tired. It was a good run though.
Six weeks under the belt and six weeks left to go. I have 18 miles this upcoming Sunday, so we'll see how it goes. I haven't run at all with the base group, but I'm actually okay with it. I thought it would be lonely doing it alone, but it gives me time to just think about things and sometimes just let my mind wander. I miss my running buddy, but it's important for her to heal herself before she jumps back into anything. :)
All right. Let's get this party going. Bring on the pain for next week.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)