I ran the Rock!!!

This is the picture after we all finished the marathon on Sunday. It was amazing!!!
The official results said this: We finished at 5 hours 12 minute and that averaged at a pace of 11:56. The four original women on our team are not runners, we had one fill in that is a runner. She ran a total of 11 miles (6 just for fun!). Our starter says she crossed the start line 15 minutes late so that put our real finish time under 5 hours.

I was more nervous about this day than I have been about anything in a long time. I was responsible to find everyone and pass out our stuff and then had to wait around for my time to run. In this day and age of knowing when everything is happening, having cell phones and internet it was amazing to be in a position where you would run just as soon as your runner came- and you could only have an educated guess on that time. So my nerves were on high alert all morning. Then my runner came and it was my turn and it felt great to start out.
As I warmed up in the first mile a guy passed me that had no legs! No legs [only two prothesis], and he was doing great-I thought if he can do this so can I.

I had not run a full five miles in my training and I was realistically worried about how I would do. The last mile of my leg was supposed to be the hardest with two hills called the Dolly Parton's. At one mile in I knew I could do it-I felt great. The rest of the race was exciting, challenging, and strangely relaxing. I would get goose bumps when I passed people cheering us on. Little kids on the side giving high-fives made it fun.

I ran longer than my two on and two off. It was hard to stop running sometimes because my team was counting on me and everyone around me was telling me I could do it. It was a great race, I want to do it again.
We are all hoping to do more races in the spring. I hear a 10K is coming up in February in Fort Worth-it would be great to run closer to home.
Thanks for supporting me-keep reading, I'm not quitting.

Not Running

It has just been harder these last few weeks to run in the morning and then impossible to do it any other time. I don't know what all of my excuses are but here I am nonetheless. I am 5 days away from the Rock and I have yet to run a five mile stretch. This is not where I envisioned myself when this all started-I thought I would be in much better shape and in much better mental preparation for this run and I am not. I am excited about it but more nervous that I will let down my team now that the time has come. Now, these girls are all in the same boat I am, busy with life, kids, husbands, families and engagements and we all are feeling like we are not quite up to snuff. All I want to say is praise God none of us are doing a marathon all by ourselves. Together we can do it and I'll do my best on my part.
So even though it is supposed to be bone chilling cold in the morning I am going to go run. It may be my last run before the Rock and that will just have to do.

Turkey Trot

We got up on Thanksgiving morning at 5:50 am and were at the trot by 6:25am. It was cool but we knew it would be a beautiful day. It warmed up by start time and I was in my short sleeves by the end of the race. It was thrilling to be among 10,000 runners and all the bodies moving and shuffling to get started. I loved seeing the families with children out and all the strollers and such. It was also great to pass people who were slower than me!!!! My final race time was 40.34 I was 78 out of 137 women in my age group and I was the 550th person to cross the line. I ran at 13.04 mile.
At the end of the race, when I saw the finish line I got all these goose bumps. I was so excited that I had finished my race-something that I have overcome, something to show my girls and my husband that I could do. They were in the line and cheered me as I finished. My grandmother also came and cheered and cried with us. I then sat and we only waited nine minutes when we saw my parents cross the line as well. This was a great start to Thanksgiving, we are so thankful for health and bodies to do this. It just might become a family tradition!

four mile thursday

Kevin has an MD appointment this morning and doesn't have to leave till 8. I ran four miles with the extra time I had this morning. I really think 4 miles and a 45 minute run feels better than the 30 minute run I usually do. Why is that? It was cool this morning but I warmed up quickly and the sun rise was magnificent. One week and I will be trotting with the rest of the turkeys!!! It will be a good race.
Meanwhile I came up with a few more Christmas gift ideas today on my run. yeah!

Stroller Again

Big M was in the bed with us this morning and turned off the alarm for us...what a sweety-she already knows how to snooze the alarm for us and was just helping. So I missed my jog time. I bundled up the girls and went for a jog after Kevin left. It was not a breezy day so I had a better time jogging. I did not do my full jog but I went far enough. I always think the hardest part of exercising is getting your shoes on!
My mom has decided jogging is not for her so she is going to walk the trot. Her trainer that was going with us just busted up her hamstring at a marathon this weekend so I may be trotting by myself on Thanksgiving. Kevin is very supportive-it will get me in gear for the big day in December.
Thank goodness I jogged today I guess I will try again tomorrow.

Turkey Trot

I signed up for the Ft. Worth Turkey Trot this week. It is a little over 3 miles and early in the morning. I guess the idea is that if you run that morning you feel less guilty about eating all that pie later in the day. I am excited. It will be a good warm up before the BIG run on Dec 14th.
I am keeping up with running, not as often as I should, but I am doing it still. Four miles takes a bit longer than I can dedicate during the week, but weekends will be where I can train longer these next few weeks.

We have been going and going and going all week and I am going to take a bit of time today to do what I want. We leave in the morning for a wedding in Austin and next week I am not doing a thing!!! (yeah right!)

Little M is 6 months old

Hello there,

It is the 11th of the November, which means little M has turned 6 months old! We can not imagine our family or life without her. Yet it has been such a short time she has been with us.

This past weekend we made the trip to Amarillo for my grandmother Ione to finally meet little M. They got along great. You can see in the picture that they had a fun time getting to know each other. Little M is GG Ione's third great grandchild (She will get two more this week when my brother and his wife adopt their kids on Thursday!) Little M didn't really like being in her car seat for 6 hours on the drive to and from Amarillo but she made the best of it. Big Sister always has fun on these trips and was a trooper this time as well!

In the pictures you can see how she is growing, she is scooting around on her belly, she may be like Big M and never really crawl. And she is eating now. We love the pictures where she looks like "what is this stuff???" She enjoys eating though and it has helped her to sleep through the night more regularly. Her first tooth broke through just yesterday and the second is not far behind I am sure.

Kevin is very active with our girls in the evening and they have all been piling into the big leather chair and reading stories before bed lately. Little M loves the stories and touching the books. She is growing so fast and we are loving every minute of her. We hope that this finds you and your family well as we gear up for Thanksgiving-I just saw a woman yesterday at the store buying more chicken broth than should be allowed. Please know that you are in our prayers-may you have a Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are.

Happy Veterans Day today!