AnyBODY is able to finish a marathon

I was out on my favorite trail, San Leandro Marina this past Saturday and I saw a midget running on the trail who appeared to be training for a marathon. At least, I think she was a midget who was training for a marathon. I mean...she was geared up with the water packs around her waist and I think she was sporting a TNT button, but I didn't get a clear view. I am not in anyway trying to be funny, but it got me thinking.

I hear so many people say when I tell them that I've completed marathons or am training for one, 'I could never run or walk a marathon'. I beg to differ! I usually respond with, 'I was more than 20-30 lbs heavier when I completed my first full marathon in 2004'.

As I've completed these marathons, I'm always amazed by the people I see on the course. I've seen a blind runner on the course, a man with a prosthetic leg, I've seen pregnant women on the course (varying belly sizes), and I've seen large people and petite people on the course. All with one goal in mind, to cross the finish line.

The point I'm trying to make is this. If you've got two legs (real or other) and are able to move, YOU CAN complete a marathon! You have to want to do it rather than make excuses why you can't.

I did it and so can you!

I did it...as in 'Just Do It'

I completed my first post 40 marathon on October 17th, the Nike Women's Marathon (NWM) . NWM is the most coveted event women want to enter each year. Why? The big sell is the Tiffany Finisher's Necklace at the end, which is handed out by a San Francisco Fireman. There were some okay looking men there, but I didn't see any brown fireman and I know SF has them. But oh well....

This was the first race I've done where I've felt really good on the course. Even in the rain! Yes, it was miserable. Yes, I was cold. Yes, I had to listen to others around me BMC (bitch, moan, complain) about the small hills and the rain. But for me, the bigger picture was why I was out there in the first place.

I walk half marathons to achieve a goal of maintaining good health, but I also remember where the fees of my race entry go. NWM is a huge fund-raising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team In Training (TNT). As a TNT alumni, I've met some great people along the way. I've heard some great stories of triumph of people surviving blood cancers and I've also heard the devastating loss of family members whose loved one didn't make it.

I know people don't forget why they're on the marathon course, but for me, this event just yelled at me why I was there!

I was there to cross the finish line of great health and to get the big hug I always receive at the end from my mom who is always waiting for me.

Here's to my 8th half marathon! What's up next???? P.F. Chang's Rock n Roll in January or the Oakland Half in March. Stay tuned everyone!

I finished See Jane!

I know this entry is so late in coming, but I was actually reminded to post the outcome. I was so glad to be done, I forgot that I was blogging about my experience.

I didn't run the See Jane 1/2 marathon, but I feel I met my goal of completing a half marathon by my 40th birthday, which is 8 days from today. I learned during this journey that I'm not a runner and I'm so okay with it. The most important thing I learned was to continue a level of fitness; to maintain good health.

I'm a walker, a sashay-er, a girl who will get to the finish line...eventually. I'm happy when my event is over. I'm happy when I get some good free stuff at the end of the event. I'm happy when I can take my shoes off and slip on my flip-flops. I'm most happy when I shower, take a nap, and wake up with minimal- to no soreness.

And so...I prepare to do it all again. My first 1/2 marathon after turning 40 on October 17th. I have six weeks to get it together as I've been a total slacker. I'm confident that I will get it together to cross another finish line. I'm confident that I will get it together to continue to maintain good health.

Walk it out

So....Coach mom and I had a training run...well....walk this past Saturday. We went to the Alameda Bay Trail.

I've resolved with myself that running isn't really for me, afterall. I told mom and coach mom that the last month and a half has taken it's toll and keeping up with a running schedule was a bit much for me. With work and school on my plate I didn't have the time needed to prepare to run a 1/2 marathon. I will walk my upcoming event. I am not ashamed, nor embarassed. I set out to complete a 1/2 marathon by my 40th birthday, which I will. However, I will not run it. I am okay with that and I've shared it with mom that I am okay with not running. Coach mom thinks I will run/walk as we've set out to do from the beginning.

What's been most fun about the last six months is spending a few Saturdays with my mom. We didn't always talk while on the trail, but mom was always encouraging. Sometimes, we went to the farmer's market, breakfast, or to Target after our trainings. Sometimes Saturday mornings turned into all day with a trip to the mall and lunch/early dinner. It was our time to hang out and talk when needed. She, mostly. (sorry mom, but it's true). It was a time to enjoy my mom alone.

With this last Saturday's walk at the Alameda Bay Trail, it was peaceful, calm, and enjoyable. The weather was good, we chatted a good portion of the six mile walk, but most importantly, it was a pressure free walk for both of us.

Our event is this coming Saturday, June 5th and I'm as ready as I can be. My best friend, Yvette has even caught the marathon bug and will be out there with us, too. We will be getting our race packets this week and will soon be talking about what time we will meet. I'm sure this entire week will be spent talking about this Saturday's event.

Thanks mom/coach mom for your encouragement and here's to a great run/walk this Saturday.

I Love You!

Trail Kindness

Last Saturday, Coach Mom and my sister participated in the Stepping Stones run/walk for Developmentally Challenged Youth. It was a well attended event and the San Leandro Marina (SLM) was a bit more crowded than usual. I didn't participate in the event (cause I am a cheap-o), but that was my training run/walk spot for the day. I took off for my 7-mile run/walk way early than the event started as I don't really like it when the trail is super crowded.

I am run/walking, doing my thing grooving to my ipod and making some great time. I am at the 4-mile mark and I make an adjustment, but in the process, I drop my phone.

Meanwhile, I'm still run/walking along in an area I hadn't been before and it looked a little sketchy. Not in a total dangerous way, but in a way that told me to not go too far along this portion of the trail. I checked my pocket to grab my phone for the time and realized I dropped my phone. I was not up to buying a new phone this day and I was thinking about the many numbers I hadn't memorized...petty thoughts, but my thoughts, never the less. I hadn't gone too far from where I had previously dropped my phone and there weren't too many people along the trail behind me. My phone could be on the trail. I traced my steps back and back again, but to no avail.

I saw a man and a woman talking and asked if they had seen a phone along the way and neither did, but the man let me know that someone on a bike had mentioned to them that he found a phone and was going to try to the owner. I was more than excited. I asked if I could use their phone to call my phone hoping the finder would answer. Sure enough, he did! Ironically, I saw the kind man along the way, twice pedaling along!

The kind gentleman told me to finish my run/walk and to call him, on my phone, of course so I could get his address to pick up my found phone.

I was so thankful that he found my phone. He didn't make any crazy calls, called my work and left a message of a lost phone found on the SLM trail, and took a message for me!

I had many kind encounters on the trail this day. The man who mentioned the biker picking up my phone, a lady who let me use her phone, and the man who found my phone.

There are kind people out there.....I met thee kind people on the trail. Thank you all very much for being kind.....

Phenomenal Woman

I just wasn't feeling my training this weekend. I don't know what my deal was, but I gave it a shot. After about one mile into my run/walk, I let Coach Mom know that I wasn't feeling it. She suspected something was up because she asked me multiple times if I was tired as we drove to Alameda Bay Farm. Yes, I was tired because I went out the night before. But the truth of the matter, I've gone out on Friday's, before and had no problem training the next morning. I let Coach Mom know that I will do our planned course, but I would walk and run if I could. I began to walk and the sun began to emerge from the clouds. I couldn't help but notice my shadow. My mom, not Coach mom in this case, always told me that I don't walk, but I sashay. After checking my shadow walk, I couldn't help to notice that mom was right! I do sashay!

I went for a walk, today, too. Sunday's are usually a lazy/rest day for me. My schedule will be a bit off the next two weeks because I have school, so I decided to hit the pavement. I'm so glad I went out today. The weather was good, I felt good, and my feet felt good. I got some new sneaks!

I couldn't help but notice my shadow, again today. While listening to my ipod and sashaying along, I thought of Maya Angelou's poem, 'Phenomenal Woman'.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I couldn't remember the exact verse, but I certainly was able to remember that I am a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

Monterey Trail....

I ran my longest run to date yesterday along the beautiful Monterey trail. I don't know the official name of the trail, but it was along the beach and sand dunes of Monterey. Oh what a view! I saw a TNT group on a training walk, cyclists, people playing beach volleyball, and folks learning how to kayak. I'm just a cruzin up the trail enjoying the view.

I felt great knowing that while I was on a get away, I still committed to myself to train for an endeavor I set out for myself in January. I was most excited to call Coach Mom to let her know what I accomplished. She was very proud of me. I was proud of me!