Thinking Through Thursday.....

• i'm happy it's almost friday

• i'm (still) shocked that a guy in my office 'shooshed' me today.   are you serious?   did you really go there???????

• i'm having fun watching the blog hop grow, and want to give credit where it's due. i found this one on one of shawn's blogs, and followed the steps to meeting new blogging buddies.  thanks for sharing! *and in all fairness, my buddy over at fabulous n free has been trying to get me to blog hop with her for weeks(!)... oops. FAIL.

• i'm thankful for nice people like *evie at work who gave hubs and me passes to a free screening of the new movie 'life as we know it,' a romantic comedy coming out soon.  yay!!  date night next week!  :) 

• i'm counting the number of BlackBerries i've had in the past 12 months.  ummm.....that would be 3 with #4 looming as #3 breathes its final breaths.  *sigh*

• i'm happy i managed to squeak out 3 1/2 miles this week... not much, but working my way back into a routine, and counting the days (51) 'til the women's half marathon in st. pete.  getting the head back in the game sure can be tough.... 

• i'm thankful to Dorcas White @ women's running magazine for making a lost gift subscription 'right' today... thank for the awesome customer service(!)... ajh, your magazine should be on its way!! (at last!)

• i'm excited to have found an over-40 blogging community during my romp in the blog hop.  check out this list if you're looking for some senior buddies.... hee hee!  :)  just kidding!  and look for the button on my blog...

• i'm happy to see The OYJ Project blog's readership grow every day... are you owning your journey???

• i'm THRILLED that ....
  

is here! 

• and finallly (saved the best for last!).... i want to say THANK YOU and BIG *HUGS* to cg the foodie for the awesome package i received recently.  she does something that i think is particularly cool:  giveaways for current followers *to*say*thank*you.*  NICE! 

i recently won and a few days later, this ........

arrived in the mail.  (i love getting things in the mail, ups, fedex... you name it! don't you??)

it's a little blurry because i was soooo excited to open it!  LOL  okay, it's the over-40 shakes!  but you get the idea... and darn if the hubs didn't jump right in and check out the things HE liked!  (cg, he says the allegro tea rocks!)  thank you, friend!

enjoy the rest of your thursday! 

(it was kind of fun ignoring grammar rules today!)

happy running, friends...

robin

own your journey. one run at a time.

Blog Hopping ... Make New Friends!

This post is a little off the running path, but it's always fun to meet new blogging buddies. Check out these fine folks, add your name to the list if you like, and expand your circle. *Hugs* from Orlando!

V is for....VOLUNTEER!

And now.... 

Back to our happy, upbeat, inspirational format! 

What's the next best thing to running an event?   

We learned earlier this month that  

Volunteering 

is pretty fun, too!

Recently, 

a different sort of 5K came to town when 

Parenting Magazine hosted the

Fit Generation 5K Run/Walk & Family Festival.

As the sun peeked over the horizon on a clear Saturday morning, the SUV and minivan crowd began to arrive. Strollers were unpacked, loaded up with kids, water bottles, and snacks, and set off in the direction of check-in and the start line.  But before they could get started, WE had to get started ....

In the predawn hours, Hubs and I arrived to get these .....

And eventually were sent out with our instructions to meet our water station team and begin setting up.......

Notice the precision and skill with which they fill the cups. Hubs (in the white hat) uses the one-arm-behind-the-back technique... I think he learned this in bartending school!

We had a great group at our water station: families, and a handful of high school students earning their community service hours ... 

With so many talented teammates, we set up the required 1,000 water cups, being careful to keep fingers out of the cups and to fill only 1/3 of the way.  (We received special training before we got started.)  Paper cup artwork....

We took the job very seriously!

Then, we waited. 

And waited.   Hear the crickets *chirping*??

And waited.....

Is that a yawn???

Until finally we saw ....

 Notice the first runner right behind him??

We were pretty happy to finally get this party started!! 

And in a flash (No, really. It was a flash.. Look how the  first runner saw US.:  just a blur as he sped past us!)...  the race was underway.

Not to be outdone, the first female runner soon followed.  Typical for a 'race,' she looked like a seasoned competitor, but in this venue, she was running solo.  (And looked awesome!!)

 

Then came the families.  We were able to fine-tune all that training we had gotten just an hour before.  The cup hand-off  went something like this ....

And this... 

Like a good dance, we were well choreographed. Check out the bent arms and foot placement.

We got to meet lots of neat people along the way, including the runners with babies on board (literally).  Look closely, BOTH ladies are with baby bumps.  These were the only two we saw.  Did they have a special start time just for them?  Or do they run in packs as a general rule??  And are they both carrying girls (pink tops)?  Just wondering...

Then came the "little babes" 'running' with their parents.  They all seemed to be relaxing while their parents ran hard...

What's up with MOM pushing the stroller??  Maybe they were trading off?

Go cat, go!

Wow! Mom and Dad are sure breathing heavy!  I wonder why....this is such a nice ride.

  

And the moms in sync weren't to be missed ....

Fist pump... Yay!

We also met the little runners who ran the entire 5K ... and looked totally cool as they did!

We even offered extra customer service at our water station: 

 We tied shoes, and .... 

gave out free *hugs*!  

How cool is that??

Before long (well, it was actually quite a while, but who's counting), the last of the runners and walkers passed by and it was time to get rid of the extra water-filled cups.  This was the beginning of trouble....

Often, my "twelve-year-old-boy personality" jumps out... and here it was!  TROUBLE.

Take that!

But getting us back on track (while Hubs kept taking pictures), Ross (husband of Lori , GOTR council director/see below) grabbed the garbage can, and we cleaned up.  Thank goodness for common sense! 

In no time, we were cleaned up and heading back over to the postrace family festival.  There were lots of vendors for kids and their families, with lots of healthy stuff.  

How many postrace events hand out loaves of bread?  Hubs was feeling 'relaxed and healthy' in this shot...

We stopped by the Girls on the Run Orlando booth to see Lori, our local GOTR council director (and wife of Ross) ...

 and cheered on the future runners as the kids' run got underway.  Check out these running stars.   They were so much fun to watch!

Look at their faces... just like adult runners. Some just having a good time and others so serious & focused!

This little guy was amazing ... out there all by himself and he ran the entire distance, up and back.  Look at his shadow, like another runner with him.  :)  

We had such a good day and learned so much by working behind the scenes as volunteers.  Totally different perspective than being a runner in the race or spectator at the finish line.

The other thing that made this event extra special for me was the focus on families, particularly children.  In a sport where strollers are typically not  allowed in races for safety reasons, it was fun to see so many families running/walking/strollering together.  

And as the obesity rate continues to climb in our youngest sector of the U.S. population, I think it's soooo important to teach kids the fun and satisfaction of healthy living, including running and walking. 

So if you haven't yet (and I imagine many of you already have!), I invite you to sign up to be a volunteer on race day.  You'll be glad you did!

 

**Have you ever volunteered at a race/tri event?**  

What tips would you share with others?  

Happy running, friends....

Robin

Own your journey. One run at a time.

P.S. ~ Speaking of volunteering, did you happen to catch the article about Girls on the Run in the Sept/Oct issue of Women's Running Magazine?  You can read more here.  What an awesome organization!  I finally reached one of my 2010 goals and signed up to volunteer my time. I'll be meeting coaches and young runners in a few weeks... so excited!

Mon Motivation ~ Week 38: Giving it Your All

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, 

because you get out of it 
what you put into it."

~ Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and marathon finisher

Yes, Ms. Winfrey, I'm feeling this sentiment right about now! 

Putting little in (lately) has resulted in getting little out (physically),

but I'm working on changing that!

How about you, friends?

Are YOU giving it ALL you got....

in life and on the road??

Own your journey.  One run at a time. 

 

Dear Body and Soul: An Open Letter to Myself

Dear Body and Soul,

I owe you an apology.  The past four months have been a roller coaster emotionally, and the roller coaster has taken its toll physically.  I've been unfair to you, ignored you, some might even say ~ abused you. 

In May, I was excited to finally tackle my fears and sign up to start training with other people, with a group.  I first wrote about my excitement and nervousness here, and the first few weeks were amazing. 

I learned. 

I overcame my shyness and fear. 

I grew okay with running my pace with other people.  

I learned I could get off the porch and run. 

I wrote about the first week here, in my school analogy.  

I was plenty excited!!!

Then Life Happened. 

In a way I wasn't prepared for.   

But isn't that how it usually happens?  

 We're going along and then "Wham!" Out of nowhere something so unbelievable upsets our apple cart.  

Truth is, it really wasn't a complete surprise. It was a fear that came to realization much sooner in my life than I had expected. 

The details aren't important because they're inside my head ~ playing out again and again as a bad memory. No, it's not really a memory because we're still dealing with it, and life for me has changed for good.   What IS important HERE is how I reacted emotionally, which led to physical fall-out.

I allowed you (body and soul) to become the victim in what was happening around me.  I ignored you. I just expected you to maintain, in spite of how I was treating you.... But you refused to let me have my way without consequences. 

Four months have gone by since life started careening out of control.  I tried to hang on.  I tried to stay in control. But I failed miserably. 

Three of those months saw negative behaviors take over at every turn.....

• I stayed awake more nights than I slept, resulting in missed training runs most mornings.
• The missed morning runs were followed by skipped afternoon runs.
• I quit running with my Galloway group. 
• I quit running with my new friend, Kim.
• I ate what was quick, easy, and satisfying (often, comfort food or junk food).
• I stayed in a high state of anxiety 24/7, resulting in high blood sugar levels.
• Anxiety shared center stage with depression, which took a toll w/ Hubs.
• Having to cancel upcoming race events due to new financial responsibilities really ticked me off. I was angry. I stayed angry. 
• My training mileage decreased.
• My weight increased:  8 pounds in 3 months

Now I'm dealing with the consequences.  I had to forfeit the 15K that I had been looking forward to for a year because I'm out of shape and September's mileage was the lowest ever:   6 1/2 miles TOTAL going into the race.   

Can I just say how eye-opening it is to see those numbers here???  

I started to pout more and refuse to run the event at all, but decided late Friday afternoon to put on my Big Girl Pants (which have a whole new meaning lately as my butt continues to expand!) and do the 5K.  It was for an excellent cause, and being selfish just wasn't working for me. 

It was a tough run. Not impossible, but definitely the result of three months of neglect, crappy diet, stress, fatigue, apathy, anxiety, depression, and anger.  

It's time to get my act together.  

It's time to be respectful and mindful of my body and soul. 

It's time to run with others again. 

It's time to remember that when I 

 treat you (body and soul) badly,

I WILL pay the price.

We were watching a taped Joel Osteen show this morning, and he was talking about perspective.  He said lots of stuff in his usual story-like manner, and I started thinking, as a follow-up to yesterday's Miracle Miles race (more on that in another post... what a powerful experience!), but also in response to his sermon..... 

I'm a firm believer in perspective and while I tried to hang on to mine in a positive way during this awful summer of life, I realize that I didn't, and as a result, I abused myself ~ my body and my soul. 

As I often say (and as he said this morning), 

This too shall pass.

Whether it does or it doesn't (with family, we know it's usually a lifetime ...), I  realized the events of the summer are part of MY journey, intricately interwoven with others, and I learned this lesson:  

I must take care of me.

And will keep reminding myself.....

Running gives me strength. 

Love and *hugs* to you, my body and soul,

~ Rob

P.S. I REALLY hope you'll accept my apology and allow me to get my act together because we've got EIGHT weeks 'til the Women's Half Marathon in St. Pete!  Time to get serious!!

Happy (healthy) running, friends.... 

Robin

Own your journey. One run at a time.

Isn't it Ironic? Traffic Mishaps, Continued ....

  

It happened again.  

In fact, it's the third time it's happened. 

 

Car vs. runner. 

One way street.  

Right turn.

Driver looking left. 

Runner approaching from the right.

Can you see it in your mind?

Maybe you've experienced it....

As the driver

OR

As the runner

I poked fun in 

Monday's post (here) 

about morning drivers and runners,

but the truth is....

Drivers are driving,

Runners are running. 

The two are a deadly combination. 

In fact, ironically, last year, nearly to the week, I wrote about runners and drivers in a post about Jenny Crain, an accomplished runner whose step off a curb  at the end of a run changed her life forever.  Read about it here to see how deadly the combination of cars and runners really is.... 

Runners lose every time.  

Yesterday, Hubs and I headed out for work, as we do every morning, each in our own car (his commute continues well past mine), one behind the other, we took our usual route through our downtown neighborhood, jig-jagging through the back-streets, avoiding the suburban folk who know only the main streets... another normal morning, right? 

Then it happened. 

On a familiar corner, with no cars in sight, Hubs (in the lead on this particular morning), looked LEFT on the one-way street, to check for approaching buses/cars.  None coming.  

 

And proceeded to pull out, letting off the brake.....

Behind him, I sat, waiting my turn, and in what seemed like s-l-o-w motion, 

it happened.

As his car moved forward, a runner appeared.  Out of seemingly nowhere.  On the right front/corner  bumper. 

 

GASP!

In that one brief second, I saw what was happening. I stepped on my own brake (which was already in place), gasped, hands to face, eyes wide.  Stomach turned. Nausea rose. Panic and endorphins instantly took over. 

OMG!!

And just that fast, it was over.

The runner dodged and weaved to avoid the front bumper.

With a look of disgust, he ran around the front of the car.

(A look and feeling I've thrown at drivers myself)

With great concern, Hubs rolled down his window and shouted,

"Buddy, I am soooooo sorry!"

And of course, he was. 

As most drivers would be.

But truth is, "Sorry" wouldn't have mattered if:

the car had been moving faster

the runner had not been paying attention 

the runner had assumed the driver saw him

the driver hadn't made a full stop at the corner

the driver would've stepped on the gas faster 

All of these scenarios happen every day.  Many of them at the very same corner.  Over and over and over again.

Case in point:  I had the very same near-miss at the very same corner a few months ago.  

Now, I stop and look both ways every time I approach that corner.  And I am a runner.  Yet, as a driver, it didn't occur to me to look for a runner coming from the right on a one-way street with traffic approaching from my left.  I'm a driver.  I'm looking for vehicles.......

Until it was nearly too late.  

Until I nearly hit a fellow runner. 

 Here it was, a few months later....

and it happened again.

 

Friends, my message is a simple one, especially for our newer running buddies....

Watch out for drivers! 

Always assume they don't see you.  

Daylight.  Darkness.  Doesn't matter.

They aren't looking for YOU.

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that this was the third time it happened.  On another corner (same one-way traffic pattern), the same nearly-tragic scenario played out several months ago: one way street, right turn, driver looks left, runner approaches from the right. In a split second (thankfully), the driver and the runner saw each other ..... as the runner grazed the car's front bumper.

I was the observer from the same vantage point: behind the car that was about to become the runner's worst nightmare.  

Friends, be careful on the road. Look out for fellow runners/walkers/bicyclists when you're driving. 

Remind your fellow drivers.

We must be our own advocates.

 

Look out for drivers when you're running.  Wear your RoadID.  Don't have one?  Get one!  For $25.00, you and your family can have peace of mind in the tragic event that a driver doesn't see you in time.  I shared my thoughts on this and other things I've learned while running here.

Oh, and for our rural and/or trail-running friends, I think you would agree:  a truck or super-fast moving bike can come around a corner in a flash, with similar consequences....... be careful out there!

 

Happy (safe) running, friends....

Robin

Own your journey. One run at a time. 

Monday Motivation ~ Week 37: Morning Running, According to Rita

 

"I don't think jogging is healthy, 

especially morning jogging. 

If morning joggers knew how tempting they looked to morning motorists, 

they would stay home and do sit-ups."

- Rita Rudner 

Look!  Runners...... Get 'em!

 

So, be careful on your next morning 'jog'! 

(Don't you just love that word?? LOL)

Happy running, friends....

Robin

Own your journey. One run at a time.