Toilet Paper is fascinating...apparently.

Ever since Mickey was a pup, I have given her the toilet paper roll to play with after the T.P. was gone. She gnaws on it awhile & when it starts to become edible, I trade her for a little treat. Well just this week I have found her standing in the bathroom staring at the T.P. roll. I've told her she needs to wait until the toilet paper is all gone, but she doesn't seem to get it. That's what happens with toddlers, I guess... She keeps me laughing anyway. Love that pup!

WHAT DOGS COULD TEACH US:
1. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
2. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a ride.
3. When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
4. Let others know when they have invaded your territory
5. Take naps and stretch before rising.
6. Run, romp and play daily.
7. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
8. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
9. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
10. When you are happy, dance and wag your entire body.
11. No matter how often you are scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.
12. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
13. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
14. Be loyal.
15. Never pretend to be something you are not.
16. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
17. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Graduation from "Boot Camp"

Woohoo! My last day of boot camp! No more getting up at 4:45 AM. It was only for 1 month, and "only" 3 days a week, but it was rough getting up so early & then going to work! (Especially today when I just walked 12 miles yesterday!) But even in that short amount of time, I improved my 1 mile run/walk time, and the number of crunches, etc. per minute, so it was worth it. I loved the variety of activities & will probably do it again in the fall when it's cooler & I can go to an after work class. Here's a pic of my class: (our trainer Kat is in front w/thumbs up, I'm standing w/pink shirt)

Baby Keenan is Due Any Day!

My niece Brianna & her husband Sean are expecting their 1st baby any day. She had a wonderful baby shower today, got lots of great stuff, and I thought I'd post a couple pics. Her due date is in 2 wks. but the Doc says their son is already about 7 lbs. so if she goes 2 more weeks, Keenan will weigh 8-9 lbs! By the way, Sean is VERY irish with a nice O' last name, thus the great irish name of Keenan. Here's Bree with a sign made by Sean's sister, me with my other niece Amanda, & Bree opening presents. Oh, and a pic of Daddy Sean from the wedding.

Before and "After?"...and Boot Camp!

Struggling with my weight has always been an issue for me, but as you get older, it’s not just about how you look. You also start thinking more and more about your health. In Dec. of 2005 I saw one of those “enlightening” photos of myself that shocked me into reality. A week later in January 2006 (yes, the month that everyone starts a diet!), I decided I had to do something. I signed up for Weight Watchers. The progress was slow but steady, lost 20 lbs. by April, then I didn’t try very hard & stayed the same for a few months. Back on track and over the next year I lost another 30. Late last year, after my marathon training & bored with “training”, I started putting it back on, and was shocked to see that 10 lbs had returned without any effort. That’s the problem, no effort. It really is a CONSTANT struggle. I know that this is not “a diet” that I can quit when I get to my goal weight, because it has to be a forever lifestyle. So now I’ve lost the 10 I gained, plus a few more. I wrote “After?” in the title the way I did because I don’t think I’m “there” yet. I don’t think it will be a certain number on the scale, I think I’ll just know. A few weeks ago I signed up for an outdoor "Adventure Boot Camp for Women." It’s a 4 week class held M-W-F at 5:30 AM. It’s been really interesting…hikes, jump rope, kick boxing, running, situps, lunges, & oh so much more. But it’s actually kinda fun. It’s NOT fun when the alarm goes off at 4:45, but I feel good after I have completed each class. Just 5 more classes to go! Here’s my “before” (July '05)and “so far” (July 08) :-) picture (both taken at Disneyland , by the way!) Now that I’m documenting this for the world to see, maybe it will give me accountability. And if you’d ever like to join me for a 5K, 10K, or even a ½ marathon, let me know!

"Run Through Redlands" - May 4, 2008

I had previously done the Redlands 5K and the 10K, so I decided it was time for the 1/2 Marathon. The course already had a reputation for being pretty hilly, and they supposedly changed it for this year to make it less hilly. I don't believe them. The weather could not have been more perfect. Cool, breezy, clear...but it wasn't my day. It started out great. Actually that may have been my problem. I ran several times rather than just walking fast, since I felt this extra bit of energy, but I really hadn't trained like I should have. Not enough days pounding the pavement and not enough hill prep. Around Mile 10 I started to feel really nauseous and that never went away. I knew I might be dehydrated, and I drank more, no relief. Also this race is NOT geared to walkers. Instead of cars having to drive on the other side of the road, or take a detour, there were times I was having to stop on the side to let THEM go by! About 3/4 of the way through I was feeling all alone out there, wondering if anyone was actually still on the course. Then at about mile 11.5 I heard footsteps. (smile) There was someone BEHIND me! Woo-hoo! (BIG Smile) After awhile I hear, "Do you keep about a 15 minute mile pace?" "Yeah, I think so", I said. "You're fast, I can't keep up with you!" Ah, music to my ears. I felt a little spring in my step. But it didn't last. About a mile later he passed me. :-( At mile 12.5 they told us we had to now walk on the sidewalk. They were opening up the road to traffic. It was really ridiculous because, according to my time we were no slower than a 15 min. mile pace, which is usually the cut-off. So finally I cross the finish line, about 10 seconds behind my new walking friend. Ironically, it turns out I finished faster than either of my 2 previous 1/2 marathons - 3 hrs. 15 minutes. There were actually people as much as 45 mins. behind me. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that we got medals because I thought we were just getting a ribbon. Not much in the way of after race refreshment. I had to hunt down water & some orange slices. Redlands usually does a great job with events (They're also host to the Redlands Bicycle Classic, drawing cyclists from all over the world.) I think I just have to chalk this up to not being a "walker's race". I'll do the 10K again because it really is a beautiful walk, but I'll skip this 1/2.

50th Birthday Celebration with the Girls

On the weekend of my 50th birthday, Kim, Becky & I celebrated together by staying overnight in Laguna Beach. We stayed at the Surf & Sand...a splurge...but I'm worth it! :-) When Becky picked me up, I noticed that her clothes were a bit...odd...then I saw her makeup & glasses. We then met up with Kim, and well, I'll let you see for yourself...

Once we arrived in Laguna, we dropped off our luggage (room not quite ready) & went on to have lunch at Las Brisas Mexican restaurant. It was a gorgeous day and we dined on the patio. Oh, the girls decided NOT to change their clothes. Yes people were staring. Most of them "got it" and laughed along with us, but some were not sure. A margarita, yummy food, presents. I could get used to this!

The hotel & the view from our room was AMAZING!

Cool, sunny walks on the beach. (OK, well Becky RAN!), Breakfast at "The Cottage"...

Kim is a busy mom & wife, and Becky is a realtor with a very busy life as well, but they took time to get away and celebrate with me. I am truly blessed by God with great friends...

"SOAK CITY" Half Marathon - Feb. 3, 2008

OK, it was really the Surf City (Huntington Beach) Marathon, but if you were there... Days before we knew the forecasts were saying BIG TIME RAIN!, but we just kept living in our fantasy world & hoped it would change. Hey, it's happened before! Well, not this time. We woke early to see a light mist outside. If only it had stayed that way. Kim, Becky, Karen, Jeff & I headed out. By the time the race started it was windy, cold, and raining, and it only got worse. You know the kind of wind that you're leaning into, and the rain that slaps your face? Around mile 1-2 I was already having doubts I could finish, something I've never done before.

So we all trudged on. Karen finished her 5K is less than an hour, Jeff finished in just a few hours (1/2 marathon), and Kim, Becky, & I finished in about 3.5 hours. Considering the conditions, it wasn't a bad finish time for a race walker. Here's a video sampling of what it was like, and a pic of us afterwards. Once again, medals (which were cool surfboards, by the way!), and showers can do wonders!

Joining the 1% - Nike Women's Marathon October 2007

After 5 1/2 months of training, it is now history...I DID IT! And this is my race report...(I realize that only a few may be interested in the nitty-gritty details, but here they are.)


We arrived in San Francisco on Fri., went to the Nike Expo and did a little sight seeing on Sat., a team meeting, then to our TNT (Team in Training) Pasta Party on Sat. night where Joan Benoit Samuelson spoke, then tried to get to bed at a decent hour for our early morning on race day, Sun 10/21.

As a walker and member of TNT (Team in Training), we had the option of an early start, which we took advantage of. Without the early start it's nearly impossible for a walker to make the time deadline, and they won't let you finish if you don't get to Mile 19 by the cut-off time. But I'm getting ahead of myself....

2:15 AM: Alarm goes off and I’ve had about 3 hours of sleep. Coffee & 1 piece of bread with peanut butter & honey.

3:45 AM: Meet the early start group (walkers) in the lobby. After pictures, instructions, ½ bagel, we walk to the start line a few blocks away. It’s really cold, a little windy, and very dark. We huddle to stay warm, & take 1 more potty break. My friend Julie (who came with me to San Francisco to be my support) went down to the lobby with me, then went back to room & met us later at the start line for a few pics (wearing a "GO BETH GO!" shirt that she made, covered with pics of my friends and family.) :-)

5:30 AM – START! Here we go! There are so many people we are packed together for quite awhile. My walking buddy Ashlyn & I took advice from coaches to just enjoy the race & not worry about time. So, lots of pictures (there’s only one “First” time!)

Miles 1-6 are really dark, so we can’t take many pics but of course I tried anyway. At Mile 6 we get to the Oxygen Bar. What the heck, let’s try it. I breathed in some of the “Ocean Blast.” At first you actually taste it, then it’s just like brisk, fresh air. It actually felt good & opened up the sinuses.

Good thing because the next FOUR miles, Mile 6 through 9 are ALL up hill! Really BIG hills. I’m thinking, boy we didn’t do enough hill training, then I try to tell myself that this is just like Smiley Heights, where we trained… but that only works for awhile. I’m thinking these hills will NEVER end. Puff puff puff. Ashlyn (who is about 30 yrs. younger, by the way!) is now 10-15 feet ahead of me, and I know she is just having to keep going. In between these 4 miles there’s 1 downhill & I catch my breath, but it’s short lived. Up we go again! Finally Mile 10 and we’re flat for awhile, then this GORGEOUS view downhill and over the ocean! Aaaaah. Miles 11-16 are through Golden Gate Park. Everyone tells you that you’ll probably have a “Bite Me!” moment at some point, which is aimed at your friends and/or family. My friend Julie is with Ashlyn’s boyfriend Dean, her Dad, & Stepmom. They told us they’d meet us at Mile 12 & we told them we needed Gatorade. Just B4 mile 12 there’s a water stop but we skip it because we know we’ll see them around the corner. Mile 12 – no one. Mile 13, 14 = no one. We finally hear that they’re at Mile 15 or 16! BITE ME! Part of the problem was that they were told wrong info about where they were because of the ½ marathon course mixing with our course, & partly because they couldn’t get through on the closed roads. It wasn’t their fault but at this point you don’t care. We get our Gatorade & all is better, all is forgiven.

Mile 15.5 was cool as went through the “Nike Tunnel.” We heard Lance Armstrong encouraging us to keep on, and inspirational messages projected on the walls.

Mile 17-19 Great Highway. Beautiful ocean view, but it’s long. We know that Mile 19 has a cut off requirement, but we’re OK on time.

Mile 19 entering the circle around Lake Merced.. Oh my gosh, the lake is HUGE! Full loop is Mile 19-23. We have to go around THAT?!!!” There is a beautiful view & I ask Ashlyn to take a pic and ask if she wants a pic. She says, “I’m over the pic thing.”

Mile 23 – I don’t know if this is “The Wall” but now my knees really hurt! Ashlyn & I are both especially feeling it in our left knee. It’s not like it was all at once. It came on slowly but there was 1 point when my knees started to just buckle underneath me. That was a little scary, because it’s physical & you can’t do much about it except to keep going. You hear people talk about your body being like a machine. It’s kinda like that just you just keep moving your feet, one step at a time, don’t stop, don’t stop.

The last 3 miles were really HARD. Playing music in iPod just to create a distraction, but not sure how much it’s helping. The phone messages and texts that I received (even if I didn't answer) from friends really helped keep me moving along.

Mile 25 – we see Coach Ron! YEAH! We needed that.!

WE CAN SEE THE FINISH LINE! Just keep going, one step at a time.

Cross the line! WE DID IT!!! Cute guy in tux gives us a Tiffany box. Oh yeah! Time: 7 hrs. 3 min.

We get our timing chip clipped off, then head over to the TNT tent to check in but realize we were supposed to go straight first to get our “FINISHER” shirt, so we have to back track. At this point you don’t want to walk 1 more step. Get shirt, go to TNT tent for check in and 26.2 pin. Pick up some snacks, then meet Julie & Ashlyn & her family again. Heading towards shuttle area which is about 2 blocks away (seems like another 26.2!). We get there & find out they’ve MOVED the shuttle area to be at finish line. CRAP! That’s where we came from! Ashlyn’s family gives us a ride instead, so there’s 6 people in a little pickup truck. Takes a long time to get back to hotel with traffic, 1 way streets, & closures.

Back in room. Julie orders pizza & gets me some ice while I take a shower. I am glad there’s a handicap bar in the shower to hang on to! After shower we eat pizza, snack a little more, then get ready for Victory Party. The party location is 3 blocks away & we can’t bear to imagine walking that far, so I decide to pay for a cab. As we walk through the hotel you can spot the marathoners. They have what is called the “Marathon Moon Walk” – it’s kind of a waddle. We take the cab from Marriott to Moscone Center & eat good food. The cab fare was about $5 but I gave the driver a $10. (each way) – It was SO worth it! The food was plentiful & it was good to see some of our teammates, 90% of whom are waddling.

Going to bed it’s hard to get in a comfortable position. I prop my knees with a pillow behind my knees, take ipuprofen, & ice my knees. That felt good, and with the exception of the difficulty of changing positions, I slept great.

I raised $3,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and am so thankful to everyone who contributed with the finances and prayers

Did you know that only 1% of the population have completed a marathon? Feels good.

Dad's 90th Birthday Celebration

Today was Dad's 90th birthday party. About 50 family & friends attended. It was a lot of work, but well worth it. How blessed am I to still have my Dad in my life! He is such an easy person to be around, everyone likes him, and I'm sure his friends would say "Norm's a great friend!" He's always had a great sense of humor, so he keeps us all laughing. Here's a few pics from the party:

Disneyland Half Marathon-The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Just a little over 1 month before my marathon in San Francisco, Kim and I participated in the Disneyland ½ marathon.
The GOOD: Kim & I wore Mickey tattoos :-), and were really excited about the whole Disney thing. The race started by going through Disneyland and California Adventure, characters & cheering everywhere. FUN! Then we headed out onto Ball road and right into the sun. Hot, Hot, Hot. After a few miles we were already beet red & sensing how hard this would be. When we got to the Angels Stadium at Mile 10, it really lifted our spirits. Sat in the dugout for pics, saw ourselves on the Jumbotron, cheerleaders…
then we left the stadium & the rest of the race was pretty much concrete.
The BAD: The temp at 6:30 AM was already at about 85 degrees. Not a good sign. Speaking of signs, they posted warnings about what could happen.

At the start of the race, we were already at the Red Flag warning. I heard rumors that it really did reach Black Flag conditions during the race, but they didn’t call it. First Aid assistance and ambulances were a common sight.
Many stations ran out of water, or the water was hot because they hadn’t had time to put it on ice, so people were taking ice to put on their heads, in their own water bottles.

The UGLY: OK, well let’s just say we weren’t “pretty”, but we were just happy to have survived!