Disneyland 5K and Half Marathon 2008

Baby Keenan is HERE!

My niece Brianna & her husband Sean had their baby today! (She did all the work.) He was born August 4th at 5:20 AM, 7 lbs. 3 oz., 20 1/2 inches. I may be a little biased, but I think he's pretty cute. Brown wavy hair, long fingers, and kinda chubby legs for a newborn. Why are chubby thighs so darn cute on a baby! Can't wait to meet him. See for yourself:

Toilet Paper - Part Two

Tonight Mickey was barking. Not all that unusual, however this time the bark was not coming from the front door or the back patio. So I followed the bark to investigate and found this. It seems I had committed the grave offense of not giving her the empty roll & she had to let me know. One smart dog! OK, so she's chewing on a t.p. roll. I'll bet you've got some family members who can't seem to ever replace the paper, right? Or they put the milk carton back in the regrigerator even when it's empty. Mickey would never do that.

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!