Category: Writing

10 Personal Running Questions (Tagged from SUAR)

Shut Up and Run had a post about personal running questions so I thought I would take it and “run” with it! If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, Beth is so hilarious – even if you aren’t a runner you’ll find yourself laughing! Love this gal’s sense of humor!

So here are my responses to the following running questions:
Best run ever?
Every run holds the potential to be the “best run ever”. Most all of my runs have an epiphany or two or are just chock full of so many endorphins I’m high for a week! Two runs tie in my book as my “best ever”: The Val Nolasco half marathon because I was able to train and run with my Battle Buddy Katy! (You can read her success story here).  And then the Honolulu marathon (of course). I will never forget the feeling of crossing that finish line (albeit an ungodly time) knowing I had finished what I had started. Best. Feeling. Ever.
Val Nolasco Half with Katy! We did the dang thing!
Honolulu Marathon 2011
 
Three words that describe your running?
Escape.
Sanity.
Freedom.

Your go-to running outfit? 
Lululemon “Groove” pant (WAY over-priced capri stretch pants) and a tank top. If it’s nice out I do love the Lulu running skirt.
Quirky habit while running?
I like to smile big when I see the camera peeps. Does that qualify as quirky? Maybe just a ham. 🙂

Morning, midday, evening?
When Eric is home, I definitely like to get up and get ‘er done first thing in the morning. Gives me energy for the day and then I don’t ruminate all day trying to decide when to fit it in around the kiddos. Now that I usually run with them in the stroller – I just shoot for the closest to nap time so they’ll have a better chance of falling asleep and not fighting in the BOB. Snacks help!
I won’t run outside when it’s ____________
Dark. Just don’t feel safe. This may pose a bit of a problem for me when it’s dark at 4 in the afternoon in the dead of winter in the Pacific Northwest. Ugh. Dreadmill time.
Worst injury—and how you got over it.
Knock on wood – I’ve never been seriously injured. Had runners’ knee and shin splints due to ill-fitting shoes/bad form when I first started.
I felt most like a badass mother runner when _________ 
When I was able to keep up with Katy’s hubby Curt in the Honolulu Great Aloha Run (GAR) When I first started running he gave me lots of tips and pointers and his level of running was just way ahead of where I was. To be able to run with him for 8 miles and keep up and not want to die was AWESOME!
Next race is __________
The Tough Mudder September 30th in Seattle. I’m dreading it. Only because I am afraid. I’ve never finished a race/mud run and said – “Dang, I really regret doing that.” That is the thought that is keeping me from bailing.
Potential running goal for 2013?
Not potential, actual. I will be a triathlete. The minute Eric returns – training time baby! I’m doing it!
So now it’s your turn! What are your answers to the 10?
Best run ever?Three words that describe your running?Your go-to running outfit? Quirky habit while running?Morning, midday, evening?I won’t run outside when it’s ____________Worst injury—and how you got over it.I felt most like a badass mother runner when _________ Next race is __________Potential running goal for 2013?
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Spiders

Growing up we lived in a few different houses, but one in particular was a magnet for spiders. It was nestled in the woods of the pacific northwest on the side of a lake. One of my chores was to sweep the decks and clear out spider webs out of the railings. There were always webs and more often then not, a big (or what I considered big at the time) fat spider waiting for me to gulp down my stomach and screw up my courage to plunge him off the deck. I hated this chore. Not because I disliked the work necessarily, but rather my irrational fear and loathing of spiders.
And then they would climb up the bathtub drains and oops! As you go to brush your teeth while still a little sleepy – there is your good friend Mr. Eight legs. Yuck and a half.
I’m not quite sure why I dislike them so much. I think it may be because of the creepy-crawly nature of those 8 disgusting legs. Blegh. And really?! I know that all of God’s creatures serve a purpose in the food chain, but I could have done without spiders thank you very much. It seems their only purpose is to make me wig out like a lunatic in need of a padded room. Oh – and cock roaches. Not a fan of those vermin either.
So fast forward 30 years and we are living in Hawaii and have a little “encounter” with a cane spider. Here is what they look like if you are not familiar:
Yeah, even putting that picture up is giving me the heeby jeebies. Hlghhahghhgalablegh! (Yes, that is word!) The rental we lived in when we first arrived to Oahu was INFESTED with roaches. (climbing up drains, on garbage cans – EVERY.WHERE!) Upon several visits with our friendly Terminix representative, he surmised that the cane spider was probably attracted to our home due to the infestation of roaches. Needless to say – we didn’t stay long and I gladly paid to break the lease and move into base housing the following month.
This past Saturday evening, the kids and I returned from a mini vacation. We unloaded the car, played with toys we hadn’t seen in a week or so, I did 64 loads of laundry, got the kids fed, bathed and tucked in bed and finally sat down to watch a little television. And then I see it. Just a little movement in my peripheral vision.
Nah, I didn’t see that, did I? It was just out in front of the couch and I think I saw it crawl under it. But no, couldn’t be. I continued watching t.v., nearly willing it to not be what I thought it was.
Then the dang thing decided to make a beeline from under the couch to under the television stand. Okay. Breathe. It. Was. Huge.
Bigger than any other spider I’ve ever seen in Washington. It wasn’t a cane spider or anything, but it was the size of my palm. Big.
It’s 11pm, I’m in my jammies, feeling vulnerable. The kids are in bed, I’m barefoot and I HAVE to do battle with this thing. Hubby is deployed. (This is SO his job!) Kids are asleep and there is NO ONE to come save me from this thing. So I scramble to the kitchen (with my toes severely curled) and grab my lethal spray bottle of…..409?
Yup. I sat on the couch with my feet curled up under me with a bottle of 409 and waited. Again, screwing up my courage to do what I have to do. Cause there is no way on God’s green earth that I can go to sleep knowing that thing is crawling around down here. It has to go. (Or I could check into a hotel for the remainder of the deployment….ha! I wish! Although maid service has me considering it seriously for just a moment!)
Then I see it crawl up the wall behind the t.v. Okay – do or die. I look at the thing for a moment. I say out loud to the spider, “Dude! Do you seriously have to be that big?!” He didn’t not answer me back. I shot him with the 409 while simultaneously doing the silent scream. You know that scream that you have to get out, but really don’t want the repercussions of waking up the kids? That’s the one I did.
409 didn’t do the trick. He just stood there frozen on the wall. So I RAN into the kitchen, grabbed the wasp and hornet spray that kills on contact and shot him with it. He curled up and fell to the floor.
Breathe again. For about 5 minutes I just sat on the opposite side of the room. Finally I gathered myself to ensure his demise. I successfully sucked up the carcass in the vacuum and then he made his exit via trash bag to the garbage. He has since been picked up by my good friend Mr. Garbage Collection Technician. He is my hero!
And since I won this victory against arachnids everywhere, they seem to be launching a counter attack because I have seen at least one spider everyday since we have been back. A fat one (although normal sized for Washington) up in my sink drain, another on the ceiling in the laundry room and I found a cluster of babies in the garage. And just this morning a little 8-legged fellow graced my front door. I screamed in shock as I almost touched the thing when I walked out the door this morning – much to my kids delight. They think its hilarious when I freak out or shriek or get injured. What is up with that?! Crazy kids!
Not really sure why I felt compelled to share my arachnophobia with the world other than perhaps by sharing my heebie jeebies – I can stop thinking about it and get some sleep!
Notice to all arachnids: I am seriously not a fan and not your fan. Please stop visiting me. I don’t want you. GET OUT! Thank you!

Little Lines….

I have fallen in love….

With mowing the lawn.

Yowza. I really do lead a crazy exciting life… There is just something so awesome to me about that feeling of accomplishment: getting it done for another week, getting dirty, smelling that fresh grass and dirt smell, being physical- all of it.  (Yeah, and I’m one of those weirdos that actually likes the smell of gasoline, too!) Maybe it’s just because I’m all high on endorphins from my run this morning. I keep waiting for the “novelty” of mowing the yard to wear off, but even after 4 months – I still look forward to it.

I used to hate mowing the lawn as a kid, but I have to admit – I’m so glad now that it was one of my chores!

Life Lessons Learned from Little Lines:

1.) Hard work will yield results. (Even when you have to do it repeatedly.)

2.) Yard work yields great sleep!

3.) Mowing the lawn forces me to be a bit mindless. I can think about all kinds of things, plan dinner, plan the day – whatever – all while I mow the grass.  I think just being is good for my sanity. I’m a better mom when I’ve had “just be” time.

4.) If I’m truly honest – yeah, there is a competitive side that likes it when I get to my yard before the neighbor does so mine looks better, if only for a day! Ha! (Admit it! You’ve thought that too!)

5.) The satisfaction level is directly proportional to two factors: Riding lawn mower vs. push mower and the size of the yard. Push mowing and large yard = more accomplishment and greater satisfaction!

6.) Edging nicely adds the icing on the yard cake!

7.) Seeing lines in my grass reminds me all day how productive I’ve been. Even if that’s all I do ALL day!

8.) Gets me fresh air! The kids get fresh air. And it forces them to find something to do independently.

9.) Ice water, lemonade, sweet tea, or an ice cold beer never tastes as good as after mowing the lawn on a hot summer day!

10.) I’m reminded of a trainer who did a lawn mower cord pull move. She said, “Get that mower started with just ONE pull! Get Stronger!” I think of her EVERY TIME I start that thing!

11.) Knowing I don’t have to do it again for a few days is a nice bonus!

12.) For me personally, I thought when we first moved in we might pay to have a yard service not knowing how I might manage with the kids during deployment.  EVERY TIME that lawn gets mowed I am reminded that I AM strong. I CAN do this (and more). And I can ENJOY it!!!

Part of my freshly mowed back yard!

Running is….

Running is many things to me but as I was in the middle of the last 10k races my mind filled with all kinds of adjectives that a year ago I would have never thought possible…. So, here are a few from my list:

Running is ____________.

Therapy
Alone time
Cathartic
Exhilarating
Mind numbing
The way I lost weight
Fun!
Hard
Challenging
Endorphin inducing (duh!)
That feeling of accomplishment that I get from no other source
Passion
Exhilarating, especially when I PR!
Painful
Exhausting
Freeing
Body Shaping
Character building
LIFE!

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