Italian Okie

2009, the year of the Blogless

2010-05-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

I have finally decided that 2009 was the year of the Blog-less. That would mean I blogged-less than the previous year, which I really did not blog much at all. I really enjoy writing, as I do reading. The challenge is to make myself do it. I feel like I am a doer. There is not much physical doing in reading or writing. Hmm... maybe I should make myself blog more often in 2010.

The ironic thing is that I teach technology at a local private elementary school. I teach blogging to fourth graders! How funny, a technology teacher that teachs blogging to fourth graders but does not blog herself.

I have decided to blog this year because I have a lot of exciting things coming up in my life. I want to document them. I want to write my thoughts and feelings while I am going through them. What are they?

My first is traveling home for five weeks this summer. This date is quickly approaching. Three weeks and three days, to be exact. I will be going to Italy to visit my family. I am really excited about this adventure. Traveling with three kids for 19 hours on an airplane by myself sounds like an adventure I want to definitely document.

Second is my training to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I have looked over my previous blogs that talk about training and running. What fun it is to see the progress that I have made in running and triathlons :-) I have just recently completed my lastest half marathon beating last year's time by 16 minutes, and my previous year's time by 19 minutes. I ran a 8:38 minute mile average for 13 miles. My next goal is to run a full marathon at a 8:45 pace. Can I do it? I am going to try. The exciting thing is that I am going to try it at the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C. in October of 2010.

All that being said, we will see if I can keep up the blogging to document these fun events.

My Triathlon Experience

2008-09-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

My triathlon was an exhilarating experience. Three hundred different people getting in the same pool in an hours time. Everyone swimming as fast as they can to get to the finish point in the pool; doing what they can to trample others for that 10 second lead. It was reality TV on steroids, a demented "Survival" episode. And I was doing the doggy paddle. Not because I wanted or needed to, it was because some enormous over exuberant, steroid injected, 250 lbs, African American, man passed me on the second lap--and would not let me pass him again. He was slow but big. He was not about to let a girl pass him in a triathlon. Moreover, 5 other people were trying to pass me. At one point, a guy grabbed my hips and pulled me underwater. All I wanted to do was get out of the water, call "time out" and start all over. But it was too late. The race was on.

The biking part of the tri was great. I knew the route, the terrain, and had the technique down. I stayed tucked down (I don't know the technical term) for almost the whole 13 miles. The transition points were fine. I had practiced transitioning in the duathlon.

The running was a different story. It was hot, and unlike Oklahoma, not windy. At this point, I was tired. I felt overconfident on the run since it was only 3 miles and I run more than that 3-4 times a week. But after swimming the doggy paddle and riding a bike, running becomes a new challenge. Imagine bricks tied to the bottom of your shoes, now try to run... as fas as you can....not easy.

In the end, I made it. The frustrating parts makes me want to try again. I think I was 8th out of about 20. Not bad for a rookie. I will work on perfecting my technique and getting into shape. This is just the begining of my adventure...

Where has the Time Gone?

2008-09-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

I just now had the chance to look over my last blogs. It has been three months since my latest update. My, things have changed.

I was planning to going to Chicago to do the half marathon with my sweet friend, Lauri. We were going to do a girl's trip. Not attractive to many girls that I know since it did not include shopping or sightseeing. It had one thing on the agenda: running 13.1 miles. We started training for the run and a couple of months into it.... Well, long story short, we had to cancelled our trip since the date conflicted with Lauri's husband's couples office trip to Colorado.

In desperation, I looked for another goal to fulfill. I needed something exciting but local, something challenging but attainable. I started my search and decided that I wanted to try a triathlon. My thought process went like this, "I know I can run. It can't be that hard to ride a bike. I need swim lessons." I swam quite a bit in high school. I can do the backstroke. I know that the backstroke does not in a triathlon but at least I can float.

My next thought was who can I convince to do it with me. Lauri was the first person I thought since she owed me one-since we cancelled our girl's trip. Kari, my experienced running friend, was my second thought. After a week of coaxing my friends, I convinced them to do it with me.

It started out pretty funny in the dressing room, Kari and I were trying out tri-clothing. We both hesitated to step out of the room so we could look at each other. Wow, those outfits are tight!

We had six weeks of training. The triathlon was 500 meter swim, 13 mile bike and 3 mile run. I knew that I can do the run since I was logging 15+ miles a week. The swim was 20 laps in the pool was another issue. I could only swim a half a lap without stopping. As far as biking, I did not have a bike until 4 weeks before the race. The most significant obsticale to me was falling since my shoes were clipped on to the pedals.

This whole challenge took up any free time I had this summer. Training became more that just running in the morning. I became almost fanatical about working out. I took one day off a week. The rest of the days were at least one workout, if not two. I was in the best shape I have every been.

On August 3rd, I completed my first triathlon. I was able to convince my "non-running" husband to do it also. It was a great experience (more on that later). I completed it in 1 hr and 36 min.

It was a celebration of the end of the summer for me. The beginning of a new season approaching. I took the time to prepare myself for a personal challenge and completed it.

What will my next challenge be? Soon to come...

LOVE/hate

2008-05-28T17:50:00.001-07:00

The title describes my relationship with running. New Balance hit it right on the head.

I hit the snooze button this morning at 6:30. Ugh, I was not ready to get out of bed and run. Then I heard the beautiful sound of pouring rain. It never sounded so good. In a normal circumstance, I cringe at the sound since it normally means that three kids will be in bed with me in no time.

But this morning it meant I was getting a "hall pass" from God to take a break!!

I did end up swimming 9 laps at the pool. I had forgotten how swimming can be so hard cardiovascularly. I also worked out with my trainer this afternoon so I guess I really did not write off this day.

After 30 minutes with my trainer, he gave me a running plan for this week. Here it is:

Thursday - 3.5 miles total
1 mile warm up @ 10:00
1/2 mile @ 9:00
1/2 mile @ 9:30-9:45
1/2 mile @ 9:00
1/2 mile @ 9:30-9:45
1/2 mile cool down

Friday - Circuit weight training
Saturday - 5 miles sub 10:00
Sunday - Off
Monday - Circuit weight training
Tuesday - 4 miles @ 9:15-9:30
Wednesday - Trainer

I will keep you posted. I am glad I have goals set to keep me motivated because right now, all I want to do is lounge at the pool with the kids.

Training Schedule

2008-05-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

I ran my fastest the other day in my neighborhood. My average pace was 9:14 per mile. I ran for a total of 3 miles. Can I do it for 13 miles? I have 3 months and 3 weeks to get it down. For now my training schedule is: run 3-4 times a week, circuit training once a week and work out with my trainer once a week.

My trainer and I did an assessment yesterday. I lost 4% body fat since January. Yay! My goal is 2% more by September.

Maybe this is my mid-life crisis kicking in. I have never been athletic, strong or worried about my body fat.

Goals, Goals, Goals

2008-05-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have decided that my personality needs goals. I cannot be the typical person that decides that they need to get fit by working out regularly. No, I need to have crazy goals in order to be committed to the mission of being fit. I am driven by goals. I am committed to goals. So have have some new goals in my running future.

#1 - Finish the Chicago 1/2 Marathon in under 2 hours. (Sept 2008)
#2 - Finish the Scottsdale 1/2 Marathon just having fun... (Jan 2009)
#3 - Finish the Oklahoma City Memorial Full Marathon (Apr 2009)

We will see how this goes. But I will commit to documenting my adventure.

My Husband, the Good Samaritan

2008-05-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

It is crazy how certain things happen to people. Philip, my husband, has a tendency to see bazaar situations, car accidents, and more. Moreover, he is the Good Samaritan that helps everyone and anyone out!

Yesterday, he was driving and saw a car that had run into a pole on the side of the road. It was on an extremely busy intersection but he manages to pull his iPhone out and take a picture. He figured the guy had too many drinks and hit the pole the night before. As he drives past the car, he notices in his rear view mirror that there was someone still in the car! He slams on his breaks, pulls to the side of the road, and floors it going in reverse. He jumps out of his car and runs toward the scene of the one car accident.

The driver was the only person in the car and was nearly passed out. He calls 911 and reports the situation. He crawls in the passenger's side of the car to turn off the engine. He stands by this man's side until the Fire Fighters, EMT and police arrives. He talks to the guy in the car in the whole time trying to keep him conscience. Philip manages to get the man's wife's phone number and calls her to let him know what was happening.

In the mist of all this, a Christian friend drives by the accident. Philip tries to flag him down. His friend waves and continues to drive. Not only that, there were probably hundreds of cars driving by, not one person pulling to the side to see if anyone needed any help.

What kind of world to we live in? What kind of Christians are we? Would I have stopped to see if I could help? Or would I have been like the other hundreds of people that would have stared and continued to drive? What would you have done?

All that being said, KUDDOs for Philip for being the Good Samaritan.

(The crazy thing is, after he told me this story, reflecting on our life together I can think of 5-7 other times that he stepped in and was the Good Samaritan)

God Talks About Running

2008-05-18T14:09:00.001-07:00

I packed up all the kids and went to church this morning. Philip has been out-of-town so I have felt like a single mom for the past four days. We made it on time, and I had time for a Starbucks coffee. Unbelievable for someone that struggles to be on time!

I walked into the sanctuary and picked up the sermon outline. I laughed to myself. It was entitled "Run!" How appropriate considering my new addiction. I have decided that God likes my new addiction =).

The passage was so interesting to me. "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witness surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

I did not know that God had an opinion on running. This verse is so encouraging on a running perspective as well as a life perspective.

Run encouraged

Run unencoumbered

Run undistracted and look on to Jesus

Hmm... maybe running is Holy =)

God's Strength

2008-05-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.... but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." Isaiah 40:29-31.

My New Addiction

2008-05-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

I have never been good at sports. It has never been my strength. Being a home school, stay-at-home mom, I have tried to keep myself in shape. I have struggled to do this, so this Christmas I decided that I would train to run the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon in April.

So the addiction begins. I purchased my first running shoes and went on my way. I ran for the first time two miles on the treadmill. "What in the world was I thinking," I thought after 25 minutes of torture.

The weeks went on and the training increased. I ran 3 races before the half marathon. I panicked a few weeks before the race since I did not follow all of the directions and mileage recommended in the training program on http://www.runnersworld.com/.

My goal was to finish, to run the whole way, and not to finish last.