Princess Cara RUNS!

My Princess is turning into a regular athlete – and a bling seeking one at that. Wonder where she got that notion from?

 

I’m so proud of my little athlete.  Princess Cara always wanted to go with Mommie on her workouts/training sessions and so I got her some gear and took her with me when I could or put her on the treadmill…and now, since I gave her my old bike, I have her on the trainer as she learns to shift and break on a road bike. (Going from a Barbie bike from To.ysRU.s to a road bike is a BIG.DAMN.DEAL in my book)

 

And I’ve created a monster. What kid do you know that gets a ‘tude cause I wouldn’t let her get her workout in on the treadmill at 9:30pm on a school night? Only my kid would ask you about her next race and, when you present her some options, want to see what the bling looks like before even considering it. Only my kid NEEDS to go shopping for a coordinated outfit before the race AND wants her own sparkle gloss for her lips “like mommie.”

 

Careful what you say and do around your kids. They are sponges and mimics. I can’t help but laugh…if swim, bike, run for bling with coordinated outfits and gloss is what she got from me…I’ll take it.

 

 

These pics are from the Tridelphia Ridge Elementary School Retriever 5K Run – the PTA’s largest fund raiser for the year and first 5k. It was well put together for a first time event and Princess Cara was excited to run it with her BFF Sam (in the Gap sweatshirt).

 

Imma tell ya what…I see track star or distance runner Olympic hopeful in her future. Well, that’s the Ambitious Mother with dreams of scholarships and going to the Olympics talking. She might just only want to do it for grins, giggles and bling like her Mom. We will see. What I do know is the Princess is FAST. Gazelle fast. And makes it look effortless. (*secretly hates her guts* – HUMPH). Almost every picture I took of her, shows her feet not even touching the ground. She moves as if she is gliding along on the air. Speedy.

 

So, when I see her coming round the corner almost at mile 1, leading the adults and dusting the kids, I’m thinking she is gonna TAKE ‘DIS RACE. Like 1st in her age group and I’m jumping up and down like a RunMom wishing I had more cowbell and a horn.

 

…and just like that, her BFF said she just couldn’t go that fast any more. So, the Princess stops and says “Don’t worry, I will wait for you. I won’t leave you. We can do intervals.” As my hopes were dashed of a 1st place win, my heart soared that I had trained and raised her up to be a good BFF and running partner. I know she got that interval business from me (cause she is WAAAAY faster than I am and she needs to stay with momz when we run).

 

Princess Cara never left Sam and walked/ran with her until they got near the finish line – where she brought it in like a champ. It was way slower than I know she could have finished it, but she finished with her friend (who, I found out, had never ran before that day).

 

Princess Cara RUNS!!

Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever

This years adventures in swim, bike, run have been plagued by injury, pain and now illness. I have spent the better part of the year since mid-January telling myself that pain in temporary, pride is forever during a race and trying everything – ANYTHING to be able to train/walk without reinjuring my foot; without walking with a limp.

 

And my training and fitness have suffered for it. Yet, setback after setback – I keep pushing through.

 

The Cherry Blossom Ten Miler was last weekend. Princess Cara has Spring Break the week prior and she had a head cold/productive cough the entire week (didn’t hold her back at all though – HUMPH). The Friday before the race I was starting to feel a bit run down, but didn’t think much about it. Sunday morning of the race, I woke up and my throat was swollen and it hurt to swallow. I wasn’t feeling all that wonderful, but hey, I’ve felt worse. I shrugged it off and thought that a little breakfast and a coffee (or two) and I’d be right as rain.

 

Not so much. I look at this picture of me riding the metro into the DC and I can see it on my face. I’m tired, I’m sick…but I’m pushing through.

Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever.

 

Yeah, well. I probably should have stayed home and regrouped. After totally falling apart during this race – I pretty much decompensated after mile 4/5, I was wiped out and out sick for a damn WEEK. A WHOLE DAMN WEEK…SICK AS A DOG SICK. Just pitiful. Looking at my stats for this race is a study in depression and how injury and illness will set you back BIG TIME.

          

On the left is Oct 2012 Army 10 Miler –------ Right is April 2013 Cherry Blossom 10

 

I have never been Speedy Gonzalez, but with the foot injury in January, half azzed training as I nursed and cajoled the foot and now sicko, I am now truly slower than frozen molasses.

 

I’m feeling much better now. Took an entire week, but I’m back and it’s time to START OVER. START ANEW.

 

The Challenges are REAL! …but the fear & worry associated with them are a CHOICE.

 

I am choosing to not let these setbacks hold me back. I am choosing not to net negative, worry or fear enter my psyche. BACK TO WORK, BABY!

 

How are ya’ll doing? Any setbacks that have gotten you off your game? How have you dealt with the adversity?

 

See ya out there!

IM70.3Cozumel & Marine Corp Marathon–HERE WE GO!!!

April 1st…April Fools Day…is as good as any other day to get started on the journey for the IM70.3 Cozumel Redemption Race AND if I wasn’t crazy enough I added the 38th Marine Corp Marathon (rather I was punked into it – I’m such a sucker).

       

I’ve pulled out my training plan from last year and incorporated my 18 week Intermediate MCM Training plan that doesn’t really begin until June 20th. Putting the two together, I will be way prepared for the MCM and have a great head start into the training. I started today with a 60 min hill ride with TriBecca who then forced me to do core work too. HUMPH. Yeah…we got work to do cause that headwind and those Hills of Howard County were NO FRIGGIN JOKE today.

 

We set some goals for the MCM after having a blast from my past moment… 27 years ago, I ran my first marathon – the 11th Marine Corp Marathon. This was before they gave out bling – you got a certificate. I can’t believe I ran 26.2 miles in those shorts and then got on a bus for a 6 hour ride from DC back to West Point. CRAZY CAKES.

So, I wasn’t last…I beat the bridge and 366 other people to finish in 5:19:07. Can I work towards finishing in 5:30/5:45? YES I CAN. That would be an avg 13 min pace. YES I CAN! Wouldn’t that be a hoot!!!

 

Here is the schedule leading up to IM70.3 & MCM:

April 7: Cherry Blossom 10m

June 23: TriRock Philly

July 14: Maryland Olympic Duathlon

Aug 17: West Point Sprint Triatlon

Sept 8: Rock Gap Iron Girl (Relay – Swim)

Sept 22: IM70.3 Cozumel

Oct 27th: MCM

 

Let the games begin.