I could say it was because school keeps me crazy busy.
I could say it was because being a wife and momma and teacher and...and...and...takes every minute of my day.
I could say it was because it was "Chicago Fire" night...
Or "Parenthood" night...
Or "Downton Abbey" night...
And those are important nights! No writing on those nights!
I could say it was because so many times in the last
Let's face it. Any of those could apply to so many of us, and to so many others, who blog.
The truth is probably buried in parts of all of the above.
So here I am, back in the groove. There is an inspiration, and I'll get to that.
But first...a quick recap of the last 16 months...
- Brian's broken ankle. Enough said about that.
- Adventures in kindergarten at the school where I taught for 5 years became adventures in third grade this year when I transferred schools. Good bye to driving 35 miles daily...hello to driving 35 miles WEEKLY!
- Elementary school G became middle school G. Choir, Latin, orchestra, and books are her loves. Oh, and Auburn football. How could I forget Auburn football?!?
- Finally took the house off the market after a year of trying to sell it. So Momma, Brian, G, and sometimes M&M along with 2 cats and a dog (and a partridge in a pear tree?) are still in a two bedroom townhouse. THank goodness there are two bathrooms! (OK...there are really 2.5 bathrooms, but that .5 doesn't count...it belongs to Screamer and Hannah Cat and they don't like to share.)
- Screamer is still Screamer and up to his usual no good. Hannah Cat has morphed from classy princess cat to unclassy princess cat who rules with a sharp claw and a healthy dose of fear from the humans and the canine. Cookie gave us a health scare recently, but she is fine now...and she thinks she owns the sofa and the bottom bunk bed, both of which she will begrudgingly share with the humans in the evenings.
- Trips to Epcot, Memphis, and Big Canoe were fun get away times.
- There were birthdays and snow days and holidays.
- Choir concerts and musicals and orchestra concerts
We certainly stay busy!
And now, we run.
Yep. You read that right.
We. Run.
(OK Facebook folks...you know that...so that's not really a surprise...)
Last spring--May 3rd to be exact--Gloria was participating in a Girls on the Run 5k run. I felt so bad about not being able to be her running buddy, instead relying on one of her teachers. The next day, Brian and I were fitted for our first pair of running shoes and started running. That first "run" was mostly walking. A tenth of a mile of running was nearly impossible and required a lot of recovery walking. Two miles took 32 minutes 59 seconds. Yesterday, those same two miles took me 23 minutes 3 seconds, and there was no walking involved.
In the past 7 months, I have logged 286 miles over the course of 91 activities that I have tracked on my Run Keeper. I have run in 21 5k races (and unknowingly killed a crab during one particular race at the beach). We have completed 2 half marathons. And I might have spoken the word "marathon" earlier this week...as in "I think I would like to try to train for a marathon this year."
I NEVER thought, hoped, aspired, considered, dreamed, contemplated, desired becoming a runner. Yet here I am. Because it feels good. It makes me feel good. (I don't always agree 100% with that last statement...such as when it feels like 100 degrees with 100% humidity or when it is 22 degrees and windy...both of which we have run in...) It gets the crazy out. It helps me keep that 32 pounds that I lost OFF! It means I can have a glass of wine, or a margarita, Brian's "special" popcorn as G calls it, or some extra chocolate when I want it. (Or those blasted conversation hearts that appear on store shelves this time of year, which I just can't resist...)
When I go running, it is my own time. Gloria won't run with me...she says I run too fast for her. And even if we head to the greenway together, I don't run with Brian because he runs to fast for me! That leaves me with time to plug in to my playlist and get lost in my run. It is time to think, to pray, to plan, to dream, and even to cry. But I don't recommend crying while running. That's not a good combination.
We have planned several weekend trips around races...Isle of Palms, SC. Virginia Beach, VA. Hampton, VA. This weekend, we will be in Atlanta, GA, for the Hot Chocolate 15k. And I. Can't. Wait! In March, we will be back in Charleston for the Cooper River Bridge Run. And in April, I finally get to go to the Outer Banks of North Carolina...all because we are participating in the Flying Pirate Half Marathon weekend.
Sometimes I think we've lost our minds.
And maybe we have.
But it's fun. And it's healthy. And it's fun.
Call me crazy. That's fine. But you'll have to catch me first! :)
1 comment:
Running is a great adventure and I have totally enjoyed getting into this past year. Next month's Gasparilla 5K in Tampa will be one year for me. I love it.
I've been seeing the Hot Chocolate 5K and so wanted to do it but none are near me. I tweeted to them and ask when one is coming to central Florida.
Keep running my friend.