A first ever!

I ran my very first marathon on Sunday November 16, 2008. The San Antonio Rock N Roll Marathon was a humbling experience. I realized many things along the way. Since I do better with lists, here goes my "Things I learned through my Marathon Experience"

• The world is bigger than you and me
• A sea of humanity is a pretty big sea.
• A body can be pushed beyond what you think is possible.
• The body can also survive and thrive on a banana, Shot Bloc's, 2 Oreos, and CytoMax
• Never under estimate the power of a "you are doing a great job", It may be what you need at that point in your life.
• It is okay to cry, out loud with tears streaming down your face. That doesn't mean I am going to quit, it just means I am overcome by the moment in my life.
• Crossing a finish line, any finish line, is a fantastic feeling that should be taken by everyone at any time in their life!
• It really is mind over matter!
• 26.2 miles is purely mental. Eat the bear one bite at a time, do not try to consume the whole thing at once, or it will consume you!
• After 13.1 miles, knew I was tough, after 20 miles I knew I could finish, after 26.2 miles I knew I was too tough to kill!
• You have many miles and hours to contemplate life, or just yell in your head, "This sucks, what the hell were you thinking?"
• I realized that San Antonio's Mission Trails are extremely brutal and the marathon course coordinator is a sick sadistic bastard!

I know I am too tough to kill on the course! I did it and only a small percentage of the population can say they did I did on Sunday. What were you doing on Sunday?

Wow! It has been a while!

It has been a while since I last rambled so I thought tonight would be perfect...

I have decided to complete a full marathon. That's right boys and girls 26.2 miles in San Antonio no less. I hate hills, I hate running on hills, but I will complete this challenge.

I was planning on just doing the half...I am comfortable with the half...I own the half (and have the medals to prove it!). But my friends Dawn and Angie, will not let me rest on my laurels. So here I am going to do a full marathon.

In between there, I have 2 masters classes, a new job at work, my old job at work, and trying to get my apartment repaired. So you can see I am a busy Runner Girl! I had to get new shoes and the makers of Muzuno's are godsends to my feet right now! Gotta love it!

A sense of Normalcy?

What is normal? Is it the ability to sleep at night without listening with one ear for the sound of looters at night? Is it the ability to go to the grocery store and get anything you want? Is it the ability to drive around town and not have to see the destruction of a beautiful city?

Before the hurricane, I think the city of Houston and Galveston became complacent with hurricane season. We would breath a sigh of relief when a hurricane formed and went elsewhere. Not that we wished ill will on others, but we know how bad it can be.

Our once beautiful area is now littered with broken street lights, down power poles, broken water mains, mosquitos the size of a small dog, blue tarps stapled to roofs, people in line to get basic necessities that you don't normally see. It is not normal to see a Lexus in line to get ice, it isn't normal to see a cement slab that should have a house on it.

So I beg the question, "What is normal?"
I think it is when the city can finally sleep with electricity and not having to sit up with a shotgun in your lap to protect your property. there is a very big sense of uneasiness when the sun goes down right now. I would love to get rid of it. I want to feel safe where I live, not that I don't please do not get me wrong. I love where I live and I would gladly pay the price again in a heartbeat. But I want to feel that I can sleep without worry. Drive down the street without trying to figure out if a red light is working. Look out and not see dead limbs of trees or trunks of former trees in the yards.

Just rambling tonight. Sorry!

167 hours later...

7 days and 167 hours after Hurricane Ike. Boy how things have changed. I went for a 5 mile run this morning in League City. It seems to have weathered the storm remarkably well considering they are on the coast. It felt great to get out and stretch my legs, and forget about the "hurricane aftermath" for a while.

Half and Hour and a Flyswather later...

Since Ike decided to come ashore things haven't been the same. Walmart is closed at 6. It is powered on a generator. HEB now has milk and eggs and people have been scrambling to it like white on rice. Sam's has cold stuff, although the cheese seems to have weathered the storm (not sure I would eat it, but what ever floats your boat!). Things are nuts here!

Red lights that should be redlights are either twisted the wrong direction, not working or totally demolished. Everyone treats them as 4 way stops but at the working redlights people still treat them as 4 way stops because we are so use to them now. At night it is a journey just to go somewhere. You almost need someone else with you. One person to drive and one to look for unpowered redlights.

All of this said to point out the obvious. It took me 3 stores and half an hour to return home 4 blocks to buy a flyswater. Normally I don't have flys and I pride myself on this accomplishment. (I need to find some pride in this situation!) So I have never had a use for them. I thought CVS would have them, but alas they didn't. Went to Kroger down the street, they were closed at 5:30 so I went to Walgreens in the same parking lot. Jackpot!!!! A flyswater and a Dr. Pepper and I was in business, only to hear "we are closing in 10 minutes" you have to be kidding me? It was almost 6. Go figure.

This is our new normal kids. Stores closing at odd hours. Curfews for Webster between 10 pm and 5 am. People trying to go to work before 5 and being pulled over by great upstanding police officers trying to do their jobs.

Boy, will I ever be glad when things get back on line and I can watch Oprah without hearing about "Overcoming Ike", "Road to Recovery" and my personal favorite..."Ikes Wrath". Every station has 24/7 coverage. If I have to see the same boat on the same lawn again, or the same stretch of 45 with a couch, office chair, and 2 by 4s strewn across it again I may just loose it all together!!! A girl just wants to watch Oprah! is that too much to ask???

Ike and His Wrath!!!

I know it has been a long time since my last post. I have been engrossed with work and Football Season and that should be no excuse. I just need a place to put my thoughts about Hurricane Ike that roared ashore on Friday September 12th and lasted until Saturday September 13th.

When the storm turned toward the Texas coast we all became concerned. The meterologists couldn't tell us where it was going, how strong it would get, or when it would get here. Finally 72 hours before landfall we had an accurate (we thought) picture of what we would deal with. Big winds, big rains...period.

I was in a mandatory evacuation zip code because I am in a low-lying area. I left and went to my parents home in Baytown (30 miles east of Houston, think the top tip of Galveston Bay). I left on a Thursday (a week ago tomorrow).

Friday, me and mom when to find ice and Baytown as a ghost town. Boarded up establishments, Lowes and Home Depot had run out of everything related to the storm and closed. We went home and froze any container we could find for ice.

Friday afternoon the winds picked up and the clouds rolled in. I have never been through a strong storm before and had no idea what to expect. At about 10 pm the winds picked up and my dad went to catch a few hours of sleep, the entire house was asleep except me who was on "wind patrol" checking for breaking windows and flying debris.

About 11:00 I noticed a pair of steel french doors my parents have in the living room starting to move when the wind would pick up. Investigating this further, I found that they were bowing when the wind hit the house. Mom, Dad and I switched to "fix it" mode and tried to find a way to fix the doors from flying open and compromising the integrity of the house in 70 to 80 mile an hour winds. We found a piece of steel from my brother's dismantled bed in the garage and wedged it under the door handle. Then the wind became right down terrifying!!!

Have you ever given a kid one of those long plastic horns that make that really deep whistling sound? That was the sound the windows made when the wind kicked up. That went on until the eye passed over Baytown. I still jump when I hear a whistling sound, be it from a person or from a sound similar to it. Finally the winds changed direction almost immediately after the eye passed over.

I have never been more terrified in all my life. I was praying so hard to God and my Grandparents to watch over us that I think they got tired of me praying and were trying to tell me to let them handle it. They did and we came out of the ordeal with water leaks in my parents house, a fence down at my sisters and my screens on my patio twisted inwards.

Let me tell you a few things about Houstonians and Galvestonians:

• We handle things ourselves and try not to lean on others.
• We volunteer to help a neighbor we may not know.
• We come together without fanfare or praise for what we are doing.
• We rebuild what is ours because that is what it is...ours.
• We do not blame others for our choice of location to live.
• We accept that hurricane season is part of our lives and there isn't a person down here who doesn't know when hurricane season starts or ends.
• We all have "hurricane kits" with emergency supplies (or we do now)
• We do not ask for government assistance or blast the government on TV...we are too busy cleaning up afterwards.
• We look forward to the future...what will rise from the ashes.
• We do not whine on TV for help, what you see are Texans helping Texans.
• We are patient with our first responders and help feed them when they have no food or water.
• We help our communities even if our properties are damaged or we haven't seen them yet.
• We know that our elected leaders are doing just that...leading us to safety and security afterwards.
• We house our neighbors without electricity, or run extension cords over roads to power their freezers so all is not lost.
• We volunteer at POD's to provide basic necessities to our friends we do or do not know because it is the right thing to do.

We are Texans, we will rise from the ashes of this tragedy and rebuild our communities bigger and better understanding that we live on Mother Nature's property. We just rent from her and she can take it back when she has the desire.

A couple of Sudafed, a dead computer, a dead pair of running shoes, and this list goes on!!

Okay, I have had sinus and allergy trouble for about a week now (living in Houston will do that to a person). So my old allergy med's put me to sleep all day when I didn't want to sleep, so Doc switched me to Zyrtec, which keeps me up all night. Gees! Cannot get it right to save my life. Sudafed seems to be doing the trick right now so I continue on with that.

One big thing I learned on my 4 mile run this morning...SUDAFED AND RUNNING DO NOT MIX...EVER!!! I have never felt so light headed, giggly, exhausted, and headachey as I did this morning! I was singing to my iPod (never have the energy to do), headache creeped up at mile 3 so I walked the rest of the way in with a friend and never felt guilty for doing it. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body, even if your mind says something else. My shoes are now officially retired. I got 8 good months out of them so I am pleased. Not pleased that they don't make my style anymore, but building a bridge to get over it!

I am also taking 2 master's level classes in 4 weeks. It is a version of academic h**l! Papers, projects, group projects, reading... Wow! But it will be over soon and I just keep looking to the future. My computer died this week (mourning a bit on all fronts, now that I think about it!)
It was 8 years old (in computer land, I hear that is retirement home age). I now have a fancy smancy computer that can do everything but find me a date!

Anyways, going to work on a terrible project on Microsoft Access. I hate that program!!!!!

Who knew????

Okay, I started this little blog for me to reflect on my running and triathloning. Little did I know that some people actually read it besides me. I am so sorry to say that I didn't look at the posts I already had and didn't know that people commented. I cannot believe that people read my ramblings and find something. So now I will look from time to time.

I also don't post as often as I should. But I have football season coming up and trying to write 9 minutes of straight Flag Corps choreography can get hairraising. But I plan to run and swim and bike at the gym after practice and classes....

Oh yea!!!!! I forgot...I am finishing my Masters in Educational Leadership in a year and 1/2. I have 12 hours completed already and taking 6 more starting tomorrow. Will be busy!!!

Wednesday game and a dollar hot dog come at a price!

Last week i was in dallas attending a conference for the teaching position I accepted at my school. AVID is Advancement Via Individual Determination. It teaches 1st generation college students how to get into college, study, work in a study group and write. I was there from Sunday to Friday, which was eventful in itself. Monday started with a wonderful 2 mile run on a track outside at a 13 minute pace. I was so beside myself I was so excited! Nikki and I went back inside to find the entire guest list of the hotel downstairs and no elevator working. Apparently there was a fire on my floor, the 14th no less. So I did 2 miles and 14 flights of stairs back to my room. I was exhausted just from the workout alone! :)

Tuesday was just fine. But Wednesday...glorious Wednesday!!!

The Texas Rangers are having a stellar season to say the least. They were also having a special for educators. Free tickets!!!! So my friends Teresa and Ryan, and my principal Mr. Stock load up in Teresa's car for a ballgame! We ask for the best seats we can get for our free tickets. They gave up 35 dollar seats between home and first. And....drum roll please...dollar hotdogs!!! Since the district was paying for dinner, I was getting the most bang for my buck. I had 2 hotdogs (You really didn't think I could eat 13 hotdogs and a coke right?) Anyways, bottom of the ninth Rangers are 1 run down, 1 man on and two outs and Hamilton came up to bat and hit a two run homerun to win the game!!! It was amazing! He is a former alcoholic who sobered up so he could play the game he loves. His comeback story is amazing! His idol is Roy Hobbs and his favorite line is "I just want to play baseball, because I love the game!" (tear tear!)

The week in a nutshell...fantastic!

Feeling so froggy lately!

Who knew? I really like training but lately...not so much. I need to get off my ever growing rear and get out there. I haven't swam since COMBAT and I have Summertime Blues in a few weeks. I need to get on my bike and ride but that has been two weeks. The only bright side is that I ran last week. I need to start recommitting to running during the week. Period. End of story. I need to work on my nutrition. I have to start eating something before I run. Yuck...hate doing that but there is no other alternative. Sorry for the ranting.

I am a triathlete!!!!!

Okay, I know it has been a while since I wrote my great perils of wisdom (yea right!) but hey...their mine and if you don't like it. Well...I am a triathlete, what are you? That is right, I trained, I swam, I biked and I ran and completed the COMBAT Triathlon!!!! I found out that I am a decent swimmer, suck big time on the bike, and after all that I cannot run worth s**t! Seriously, I was in pain on the bike, because of the wind, and I continuously was cursing out loud to myself as no one else was around. I would have made a sailor blush and my mother angry at me for months!!!! But I finished...what did you do today?

Angie's Half Crazy Update!

Wow! It has been a while since I have posted. Okay, had some training runs, had to some cross training due to Triathlon training. Today was the first hot run this year. Wasn't ready for that at all! This was the first Half Marathon that a friend has put on and she did a fantastic job! I encounted a very angry crawfish on the road, lots of road kill, some Superheros,and a bunch of beach bums from Margaritaville today. Overall a great race. A bit over the time I wanted but due to injury to my left foot I had to slow down about mile 11. I was on track for a time that was 5 minute faster than my previous PR. Then it fell apart faster than the BearStern! Oh well, it was just for fun!

A run to suck wind royally!!!!

This past Saturday's run sucked royally! I started and did well. Got to the turnaround feeling good, ran quite a bit and felt great. Then my legs told me I needed new shoes...badly...in a horrible way!!! They are on their way and I should have 2 new pair of my recently discontinued shoes tomorrow. I plan to brick tomorrow afternoon. That is 10miles biking and 1 mile run. I may make it 2 miles to feel something. Anyways...here's to hoping tomorrow is better!!!!!

Wow...it's been a while!

Let's see what has been going on lately. I finished Surfside and felt like it totally tore up my knee and legs. I recovered the following week by joining Texas Gulf Coast Running Club. A FREE running club, not a "returning member fee of $90". Decided to start training for triathlons. Bought a bike, rode it a few times. Really like that with the swimming thing and not sure I can do all 3 in one day but will give it the good ole college tri!

Here

More Free Graphics at pYzam.com

Why I run...

I saw this thread on Runners World and thought it would make an excellent entry given my current mood.

I run so that I can tell my future children what it is like to complete a race....
I run so that I can spread the word about cancer...
I run to keep my spirit alive and kicking...
I run so that I can be a role model to my students to strive for the impossible...
I run to keep in shape and know that I am alive...
I run to destress from work...it is just me and the pavement and miles to cover.
I love to run to feel the wind on my face and the sun on my skin.
I look forward to the Saturday LSD's...
I love the feel of a new bib tacked to the front of my shirt...
I run to hear the gun go off and start running behind the crush of humanity...
I run so that I can say "I did that!"
I run so that I can silence the naysayers telling me I am not good at it...
I do it to raise awareness for different causes.
I run for those who have had their bodies beaten up by a disease that they cannot control...
I run to allow others the chance to experience the thrill of a race!

I RUN BECAUSE I AM A RUNNER....PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!!!!!

Contemplations and one new running club!

Things have been crazy since Surfside. My knee has been bothering me since the race and I know that it is from running in the sand. Oh well! At least I know that I did a great job! Anyways, I had been thinking of starting training for a Triathalon next year and maybe a duathlon this year. A friend looked at me and said "We are doing this!" after sputtering I said Okay and it started. Apparently I am going to go nuts and train for 3 disciplines. Oh well! I have this running thing down. I know what I have to do to get the job done. Now on to swimming and biking!

Also, the group I had been training with has undergone a "change of management" so to speak. Since I cannot get behind the new management I chose to leave. Now I run with Gulf Coast Running Club. There are about 30 to 40 of us and we run out of a local high school on Saturdays. Can't wait for the good times!

Surfside Half Marathon or bust!!!!

Okay, I have never run in the sand before. Much less in a race fashion. But...it was awesome! It was a tiny race (less than 500) and it was an up the beach down the beach to go back up the beach to the finish. Everything was cranking along, had Jana and Angie as running buddies today and we were trucking. Dawn was playing the role of cheerleader because of a knee injury. By mile 7 Jana jutted out and Angie and I finished together. I have to send a big "thank you" to Angie because at mile 11, I think, a dense fog rolled in. First it started behind us and looked like it was going to storm. Okay, can deal with that... have before. But about 10 minutes later you couldn't see 2 feet in front, beside, or behind you. Kind of scary because you couldn't see what was coming up, or who was coming up. We ran closer to the water, who knows why, maybe to duck away from crazy lunatics that might attack a racer on the beach?!?! I couldn't even see the finish line until it was right there! 3 hours 30 minutes. Not bad but no PR for me! Wasn't expecting it for this race anyways!

An awesome Saturday Run!

I had one of the best runs of my life today. The weather was perfect, about 60 once the sun came up, and little humidity and sunny. I went about 8.5 miles and enjoyed it. I ran by myself intentionally so I could simulate the race next Saturday. I cannot find my watch right now and refused to look for it last night. So I ran a "Zen Run" today. I ran more than I have in the past and was able to shave 30 seconds off each mile. I was very excited and felt great afterwards! I enjoyed my Einstein Bros Bagel afterwards!!!!

Running Surfside alone! Whatever shall I do?

I guess I am all alone in the big race. Okay, I can run by myself but why? It is so much better with a comrade in crime. Makes the time pass. Some people enjoy the solitarity, not me. I like talking and cutting up and laughing while I am out there. I am not all "Little Miss Serious Runner", you know the kind, all decked out head to toe, can't stand a slow person around them, no need for aid stations they are tougher than that. My theroy on half marathons is "If you cannot have fun, why are you doing this??" My running partner, we will call her "Cheery Carrie" cannot run or even walk because the doctor says no. She begged and pleaded (kinda reminds me of me!) and to no avail. Okay so it will be my iPod(yes, I am a proud iPod user and USATF will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands!), the waves of the Gulf of Mexico and 499 of my closet friends there! It will be tough but I will persevere!!!!

Spirit of the Marathon Movie

I went to see "The Spirit of the Marathon" movie on Thursday. Not knowing what I was in for, after only seeing the trailer, it looked promising. I was suprised beyond belief. There were pieces of me being shown (not literally!). They interviewed Deena Kastor, Paula Radcliffe, Katherine Switzer, and various non-elites who were training for the Chicago Marathon. It was awesome because everyone in that theatre knew the pain, sweat and tears it takes to complete 26.2 or 13.1. There were "oh, that is so me!" to "I love that shirt!" I think it caputured why we do this. Because others say we can't, or shouldn't.

I think that in pushing our bodies to do what others feel is impossible, is when I truly feel free!

Rainy, nasty and a broken window...

I went to go meet my runnin' buddy and as I turned the corner to go to the school, a whoose of cold air came in the car. I looked back and the passenger side rear window broke...down. Now it is misting pretty good. So she went to the gym and I headed to the car dealership. After dropping the car off I ran back (literally) to my apartment complex which is about 1/2 mile away. Luckily, I could handle the mileage! So I used the terrible, horrible treadmill. Can't stand it. Oh well, got the time in (40 min.) and left. And ran back 1/2 mile to the car dealership to pick up the car. The guy at the dealership thought I had lost my mind. Probably have. I have a personal addiction...it is called running....try to catch it!

The Aramco Houston Half Marathon Experience

Where to begin??? My runnin' buddy and myself intentionally started at the back of the black wave of half marathoners. This totally scared me because I was afraid of being left by the police cars. Anyone who lives in Houston knows that Houston traffic is no place for a lonely pedestrian, much less a half-marathoner. We walked for the 1st mile to wait for the jackrabbits of the group to fall off the pace. The first mile felt great! I had never seen so many people out doing one particular sport, an individual sport, in all my life. 17,000 of my closest friends were there cheering each other on as we attempted to do what seemed the impossible...run a half-marathon. The elites were done with the half by the time I made it to the 3 mile marker but that was fine with me. I was running my race and racing my plan. I was on target for a 3:15 finish or a 15 min. mile. I enjoyed the marching band that came out in the blistering cold (40 degrees with a breeze), I enjoyed the Child Advocates group with there blue and white hand clappers screaming and yelling loudly that we could do it and we were looking great! We came upon some of my students from the high school I teach at, there were 40 that ran, and that was a proud moment that had to be captured on film via my throwaway camera. Tear, Tear!

We came upon White Oak and saw families out in their yards holding signs or just clapping and cheering, there was even a "Marathon Party" going on complete with beer (probably from the night before) and party goers! The atmosphere was amazing.

Then the turnaround that never ends...like the song! We started up Studewood that turns into Montrose. There were more people there than I could ever imagened. My running buddy's family was there, so we stopped for a picture. Then I kept looking for my family. This was great because it totally took my mind off of the fact that my 10 mile wall was coming. I usually start to fall off my pace around this time. Not this time... one my wonderful running coaches came over a took a picture and a hug. The other was yelling Congrats on your first Half! I also came upon a co-worker who was bravely standing in the cold to cheer on kids and teachers alike. She will be out there next year! There were live bands, people dressed up, just general yelling. Saw my parents, shead some clothes and my trusty Amphipod that really wasn't necessary, since the aid stations were stocked! (Thanks for that!) My parents had signs, my brother was taking pictures and love was abound. Then the wall hit... my legs almost couldn't handle the interval I was pushing so Shot Bloc's to the rescue. It did the trick. Turned onto West Dallas and then onto Allen Parkway (Hills yuck...) I had already encountered those before with the Koala/Houston Half Relay. Then the sign....1.5 miles to go. I hate that sign....really do. We turned into downtown and now my mind is freaking out because I had never done a training run past 12 miles. At 12.1 miles I started crying uncontrollably, telling myself that I just couldn't do it and didn't want to finish. I think I remember asking the rickshaw driver to take me to the finish line! We turned onto the homestretch. I don't remember hearing the crowd, saw them though, their signs and screams were great even if they weren't for me! I saw the end and couldn't believe it! My running buddy just kept telling me I could do it, and keep going, we were almost there! She grabbed my camera, went across the line and took one of the most rewarding pictures there ever was, me completing my first half marathon. This is something most people would never push themselves to do and I did it! She grabbed me and almost squeezed the last of the life out of me! I was so proud of us! Me, my running buddy who never gave up on me, and everyone else who ran! Got my medal, wore it all day, and Monday (a bit of a cheese but who cares!) I COMPLETED MY FIRST HALF-MARATHON!!! HOW ABOUT THAT!!!!! :)

Bittersweet Symphony

Today was the last official training run from my group for the Houston Half Marathon. I am ready...as Dr. Seuss says I have feet in my shoes and brains in my head... My running partner got sick this week so I was flying solo today. April ran with me and things were great! We did a 2 min. run with a 5 min. walk inbetween. On the run we saw 3 packs of bikers who looked to be training for the MS 150, lots of mud, rain, and humidity. Today was the first day that I found salt deposits on my face after the run. They say it is from eating something salty the day before and not hydrating enough (Oops!). I crossed the finish line with my group that came back to get me. Thanks Dawn, Jim, Jana, Shirley, Dawn, Shannon, Reagan, Betty and anyone else who has supported me this season! Your words of encouragement has meant the world to me while I try to accomplish the seemingly impossible. I am still running in the off season, I have two more races scheduled. Oh well, miles to go before I finish....