Two More List Items Complete

I was so happy to see that we were on the 14th floor when we got to the hotel. It was a good sign, seeing that Brad's football number was always 14. Yes, some superstitions reign in life... and the number 14 is one of those. For some reason, every time I see a 14 when I'm nervous about something, I take it as a good omen or good luck sign. :) For instance, when we went to the emergency room about my eye a few weeks ago, we were both slightly relieved when they put us curtain area numbered 14.

And, 14 comes through for me again. It was a happy sign for me as I marked two more things off my list - a girls weekend away and running a half marathon. 

As I mentioned last week, Dawn, Maria, and I made our way to Nashville for a girls' weekend and to run in the Country Music Half (and Full, in Maria's case) Marathon. 

Nashville is a great city. We didn't waste any time when we got to town... we had to check in at the marathon expo to get our stuff ready for Saturday and then we headed straight down the street and found dinner, drinks, and music. Little did we know that Thursday night would be our "night out" instead of Saturday. :) I am so glad that we were able to get out on the town that night. We had dinner at Cowboy Saloon and drinks at B.B. King's. It was a great night of laughing, getting to know each other better (especially in my and Maria's case), and just relaxing. 

I spent all of Friday and most of the post-race time focused on three things... food, more food, and rest. I think I ate as much as most men do while we were gone... and I swear, I didn't actually feel completely full until Sunday night when I got home. :) On Friday, we ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a time span of about 7 and a half hours. :) We were getting fueled up and ready. :) And, we wandered around Broadway, checking everything out. 

And, even bars can remind me of my favorite kiddos... :) 

Saturday came early. We were up and at it at 4:30 a.m. (5:30 Eastern time). Nervous. I was so nervous. I thought about throwing up a few times. I kept moaning and groaning. I'm quite sure that Maria and Dawn were ready to knock me out to just get me to shut up. :) I think they were a little nervous, too, though. ;) 


Apparently, at 4:30 a.m., one of my eyes is smaller than another. lol 

We walked to the finish line (it was close) and caught the shuttle to the start line. I thought I'd have a nervous breakdown when they had us unload from the bus we were on to get on another bus because ours was having some technical difficulties. Great omen. haha. 

By the time we waited in the line at the bathroom (porta potties) and made our way to our spot at the start line, the race started. Ugh. I was so nervous. I was so excited, but so so nervous. 

And, then it was time. 

I started running... feeling good... I knew the first couple of miles were downhill and flat. Dawn and I ran together, which was great. We were giving each other pep talks most of the way. I told her when we hit the 2 mile mark that the next mile was uphill and that it should flatten out after that. 

Well... 

... that was just not true. The race, from mile 2 until about mile 9, was mostly ALL UP HILL. Sometimes we would get a slight decline, but most of the race was at an incline. I really thought I was going to die. I didn't want to sound like a complete wimp, but by mile 8, I thought the hills were going to kill me. So, I mentioned it to Dawn, and she agreed. She (having run the Chicago and Boston Marathons) said that the course was one of the hardest she's ever run... that made me feel so much better. :) So, we walked a bit off and on... because truly, I didn't think I'd make it. We kept a good pace, though, even with walking. My foot didn't bother me... really, at all. :) YAY!

I had hoped at the beginning of my training to run the half in 2 hours and 20 minutes. I actually was really wanting to get 2 hours and 10 minutes, but I figured 2:20 was more reasonable. So, I was pretty pumped when Dawn and I were on pace to get 2:20. We kept running together (I totally could not have made it without her) until mile 11. We got separated there. The last couple of miles were tough, but I was so relieved to know that we were so close to the finish. When one of Jake's favorite songs came playing on my iPod, I just started smiling and ran as hard as I could. I was reminded that I was running for my little "heroes." And, it felt amazing to cross that line. I was thirsty (I had salt all over my face) and I was hungry. I was hoping for oranges (they had the BEST ones I think I have ever had when I was running on the course). :) But, I settled for a handful of other items, like bananas, apples, granola bars, etc. 

I had no idea what my time was. The race had a set up where you could receive text messages with your times... so, when I called Brad, he told me what my finishing time was. I started crying when he said, "2:20:53." I couldn't believe that I was that close to my goal, after all the setbacks. Dawn and I met up and commiserated, celebrated, and headed to the hotel to shower. We wanted to get back quickly to see Maria cross the finish line. 

I can't begin to explain the emotions that went through me that day. I felt everything during the run - anxiety, nervousness, frustration with the course, happiness about my pace, etc. Not one of those emotions compares to the feeling that I got when Brad told me my time. No. I wasn't even remotely close to being fast. Hell, I have probably run faster more regularly. But, I was so excited to be close to where I wanted. I couldn't believe I had finished... but to have finished near my goal... well, that was just icing on the cake. And, emotions run high at these things. I cried watching complete strangers cross the full marathon finish line. A few people would be injured and hobbling over the line... I'd cry. Two girls were running together, holding hands and crying... I cried, too. I was so happy that Dawn was just as bad as me... we both are big crying babies. lol. 

And, when Maria came running down that last stretch, Dawn and I were going crazy! We yelled at the emcee and asked him to cheer her on down the last stretch, we took photos, and we yelled for her like nuts. And, then, of course, I choked back tears and I think Dawn just went ahead and cried. haha. 

It was great. We had done it. We were all hesitant to say we would again... but I knew that wouldn't last. Dawn and Maria are already planning... planning... planning. :) I'm holding out on any commitments, but I know that another one will definitely be in my future. The full thing? I don't know... but I would say its a very likely probability. :) 


All in all, it was a great trip... a great race... and a great weekend. We were in bed on Saturday night, after a HUGE dinner and a few beers, at 9:30 p.m. Yes. Our girls' weekend... the only one I've had in 7 years... and I was happy, no THRILLED, to be going to bed. We were all so exhausted. But it was a great exhaustion. 


And, to end the weekend on a wonderful note, I came home to two awesome babies and an incredible husband, all claiming to be proud of me. They had a great weekend, too. They spent a ton of time with my mother-in-law, Kathy, who was so great and helped me SO much by picking up the kids from school and making sure they made it on Friday. They all had a great time (even though I'm sure Kathy probably felt like she ran a few marathons by the end of the weekend). :) Brad also took the kids to visit my parents and to my cousin's little boy's first birthday party. I hated to miss it, but I was so pleased that the kids got to go. They had a great time, as you can see. 

The pressure of the race is off, which feels great. But, I am already itching to figure out the next step. More to come on that when I figure it out. :) 


Thank you guys again for traveling with me on this journey... I would never have finished this half without all of you. Love you for reading... but love you more for supporting me! :)

Why Run? My Story...

Sorry for the duplication if you read both this blog and Our Cups Runneth Over, but I had to post this on both blogs. All of you that have been here, reading and supporting me over the past year... I love you. Thank you for always being there. :) 


It is incredible how much life can change in just one little year.


Last year, at this time, I couldn’t run up the block without being winded. Now, I’m preparing for my first half marathon (13.1 miles) in Nashville, Tennessee TOMORROW.
My favorite question that people ask me is “why?” You know, why run? Why run that far? Why run at all? Why run?


It’s not an easy question to answer. It takes a lot of explaining to do. And, typically, I don’t bother going through it all with people, because it would take a LONG time. Most of the time, when people ask me why I run, I answer with something like, “I dunno… I just started doing it and loved it… and kept running,” or “I love it because it’s my time away from everything else,” or “I run because I can… and one day I probably won’t be able to.”


All of those short little quips of answers come from a bigger story… they are small indicators of the real reason that I run… that I LOVE to run so much. Yes, that’s the red flag you should be seeing… this could be a long post. :) Get cozy.


How it Started


It was almost a year ago today that I sat and stared into my computer. This very same computer, actually, and contemplated what I considered a life-changing, risky post. It was something I had been toying with for months… an idea to really define my life… to find a path that would lead me to fulfilling all that I wanted and was always “too busy” to do.
I was not yet brave enough to announce my life list. It wasn’t that I was worried about someone thinking my list items were crazy. I knew some of them were, but that most of them were things that I think many people would love to do. It was merely a commitment issue on my part… a fear that I would announce this list of goals and then accomplish none of them.


I had talked about different ideas with Brad… different thoughts about how to incorporate these plans into my blog. Everything seemed so daunting and so risky. I felt like I would HAVE to do the things on my list if I posted them, as if someone out there was holding me accountable. And, while I was terrified of that accountability, I loved the way it made me feel like I would actually accomplish those items. Yet, I still couldn’t commit.
And, then, one day, I picked one thing on the list. I woke up and looked at Brad and told him I was going to train for a triathlon.


Yes, he laughed out loud, too. I had never run so much as a mile in my adult life. I had never swum more than the full length of an Olympic-sized pool (and don’t ask Cilla about our lifeguarding class that we dropped out of nearly immediately in college). I didn’t even own a bike.


And, I was going to train for a triathlon. My poor husband… he tried to be patient and understanding, but I’m pretty sure that he was at a loss for words when I made this declaration. Brad, trying to be the supportive husband and not completely discourage me, suggested that I train for a 5K first. Then, progress on if I enjoyed running.


So, I announced it on my blog. I was going to train for a 5K. A non-runner, strictly speaking, was going to start something new. I downloaded the Couch to 5K program and started working.


Immediately, I fell in love. I loved it all… the burning feeling in my legs and chest, the quietness and aloneness that I rarely had elsewhere, the sound of decade-old music coming from Brad’s outdated mp3 player, and the feeling that I truly was going to accomplish something new. I loved it. I became obsessed with it.


And blogging about it made me feel even better. Every time I started to skip a day, I remembered that I needed to do it because someone might be reading my blog and would be disappointed if I couldn’t finish the 5K. It truly did hold me accountable. Blogging about it made me want to do it more. (Thank you people... I love you again!)


How it Changed Me


I can’t even begin to describe the feeling I had the day I crossed the finish line on my first 5K. It was at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort and Rebecca and I ran it together. It was great. It gave me a high that no drug could ever provide… it made me feel full and alive… and happy. It was my drug - adrenaline… accomplishment… strength… whatever you want to name it, running had given me this new desire and love for life. As soon as I finished the race, I was plotting my next move… thinking about how I wanted to get faster and go farther. Yes. Running became a part of me… it became a passion.


And it really kick started my list. The high I got from accomplishing that one list item pushed me into full speed overdrive to work on the list. I became more confident about my list. I felt like blogging about it was THE way to make me do the items on my list… THE way to make me live the life I wanted to live. So, I did it.


I announced my life list… and I started working on things on the list… marking off some small things, marking off some bigger things, just focusing on finding ways to stop procrastinating all that I had wanted to do with my life… and just DO IT.


How I Struggled


Running wasn’t easy for me. As Dawn alluded to in her post about starting out running, 
there are times when you shouldn’t push yourself too far, too fast, or you will get injured. I have weak ankles. Anyone who knows me from my childhood is probably laughing reading that, as I’m sure they remember me being on homebound from school for over a month in the sixth grade. Not only did a tear a ligament in my left ankle while in gymnastics, as it was healing, I thought it would be a great idea to jump on a trampoline with my cousins, and chipped a bone in my right ankle… all resulting in me having two weak ankles that have been sprained way too many times to count over the years. :) Combine that with my inability to be patient or stick to a training plan, and well, you get injured Andrea…. On repeat.  I struggled with ankle problems throughout the summer.


Once I was ready to really run again, I started having stomach problems, which resulted in a gallbladder surgery. I was frustrated. I felt like every time I would get into a rhythm, I’d hit a roadblock. But sometimes, you can find the silver lining if you look for it. While doing some bloodwork for my gallbladder, the doctors discovered that I am positive forSjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that is similar to Lupus, but not typically as debilitating. I am barely positive. The doctors say I could have it without symptoms, it could be a false positive, or I could start having symptoms at any point. When I learned this, I was afraid. Naturally, no one wants to hear that they could have a disease, no matter how life-altering it might or might not be. I started reading (of course, on Google) and learned a lot about it. I’m still learning about it. Many people don’t have symptoms until they are much older… and some of the worst of the symptoms include increased fatigue and exhaustion.


Fear can drive a lot of things… and it probably plays way too large of a role in my life, but in this one instance, I think it’s a good thing. It gave me a shock. It was as if someone said, “Hey… one day, if you really do have this disease, you might not be able to run. You might not be able to enjoy a lot of the things you love in life.” And, you know, it doesn’t matter if it is Sjogren’s or breast cancer (yes, I’m high risk there too) or if it is no disease at all, there WILL come a time in life when I might not be able to do the things I love. And that includes running. Where is that silver lining I was talking about? It is in the realization that I’m blessed to be able to do the things I love… to have a family who supports that… to have a life that is full… full of love, happiness, family, friends… to have my cup running over.


The Half


With that all on my mind and in my heart, I just about jumped out of my chair in excitement when Dawn, my friend who I met only because of running and blogging and through my best friend, Cilla, e-mailed me and asked if I would want to do the Country Music (Half) Marathon in Nashville in April. Heck yes.  A girls’ weekend… a great run to train for… NASHVILLE – a town I have wanted to visit my entire life (have I mentioned that I lived on the Country Music Highway in Kentucky growing up… and I LOVE country music?). :) Absolute and unequivocal yes, I will train for the half marathon in Nashville.
Digging up a training plan online, planning out our trip, figuring out my schedule and how to incorporate it into Brad’s  and the kids’ busy schedules… all of this had to be done. And, it was. I had it all planned out… and the plan was going great. Then, in March, I started having foot problems. A little more than a month from the race… I was running 10 miles on my long run… almost completely ready for Nashville… and I have a metatarsal stress fracture in my left foot.


Humph.  The doctor tells me I must take time off… and to basically consider myself out of training mode. He said I might be able to run some of it, but not likely that I’ll be able to run the entire half in Nashville, if any of it at all. He tells me to prepare for the possibility of being out.


Depression. Anger. Frustration. Anger.


Three solid months of training… hard training… missing time with my kids kind of training. Gone.


Then, on April 11, I went back to the doctor. I had coped with the idea of being disappointed. He tells me I can ease back into running, but to not consider myself ready for the half… to make sure that I walk as much as I run. Of course, he knows I’m probably not going to adhere to that, so he gives me instructions on how to train so that I can actually finish the half (as well as possible, anyway). I had virtually given up on the hope that I might be able to run some of it. I had even contemplated not walking or running any of it at all, but just going down to the race and being a spectator for Dawn and Maria. And, there I sat, hearing the doctor give me news that I *might* be able to do some of this. I listened (kind of :) ) and now I’m ready. Well, I hope I’m ready. I’m as ready as I’m going to be. I want to finish this without walking so bad. I mean, to do this would make me feel so gratified in all of that work. BUT… I’m not going to be disappointed about whatever my finishing time is or if I have to walk for portions of it. I’m just going to enjoy it, have fun, and realize that I’m blessed to be there and able to run as much as I can.


Why Run…


… because it makes me feel alive, strong, confident, and happy…


… because one day my kids will think it’s pretty awesome that their mom could run 13.1 
miles (or in the translation I give to them these days – from Mamaw Kathy’s to Granny Dale’s house – a completely rough estimate)…


… because I have worked so hard to get here and I don’t want to turn back…


… and, because I can.


Tomorrow – Saturday, April 30 – at 7 a.m. Central Time (8 a.m. Eastern Time), send some positive vibes our way. :) Dawn, Maria, and I will all be running, alongside 30,000 of our closest friends (hehe) in Nashville, Tennessee. And, while you are at it, hope for some good cool, DRY, weather for us, too!


And, while I’m at it, thanks to Dawn and Maria for pulling me through all of the struggles of training for this half. There’s no way I’d be nearly this excited or positive or ready without you girls! Oh… and thanks to Brad for putting up with me, too. I know he’s had to listen to a lot of whining when he didn’t really want to. :) Well, that really goes for Cilla, my parents, my brother, basically anyone who has talked to me over the past month and a half. Lol. I promise to stop whining so much in May. Hehe.


We will post our results on Facebook and give you a little wrap up of our time away next week! Fingers crossed!