Aged To Perfection

Last night was special.....it was really no different than any number of nights in my 20s but last night because I was able to appreciate without time restraints the beauty that is my circle of friends of many many moons. I think we are fairly unusual because we are a large mixed group of people...from many walks of life..in many different stages of our lives....that have managed to remain in contact. A few have drifted in and out but the usual suspects stay the same.

Last night we celebrated the 40th birthday of Sylvia. I met Syl through Julie so it's coming up on 20 years that we've known each other. She is a beautiful soul that I would trust with my life and love even more. She is one of those special people that would do anything for you....or nothing but listen to you whine...depending on your need at the time. She's been at my baby showers, I watched her marry her husband Jeff with tears in my eyes....and the number of nights we've slobbered into beer with each other is too numerous to count. I remember one particular night....not the specifics really....but one of us was upset....and as we were driving away...her, Julie and I....that Bob Marley song 3 Little Birds came on the radio...and we all started singing. And it was lovely...and fixed whatever was wrong...at least for right then. She is one of the few people that I would openly sob like a bitch in front of...with no worries of judgement...and true pain for my pain in her heart.

But it got me wondering....what is it that draws us and binds us together? What makes them welcome ME back when I run off and cocoon myself in Racine for months at a time without seeing a soul but work people and family? What makes people that came together as teenagers, grow older together? Celebrate life, mourn deaths, marriages, divorces...daily bullshit?

And as I looked around a garage full of people staring out at the rain....laughing, joking...just happy to be together....again...I still don't know.

I made vegetarian stuffed peppers and brought them to the party...and after eating...my friend Scott came up to me and says "those peppers were great! they just needed a little meat." Funny guy....maybe that's all it is...we make each other laugh.

Trail Running, CC and Dom's 14th

So yesterday after bailing out of work at noon I headed over to Petrifying Springs to run as far as I felt like going...no real plan. I knew there were tons of off road trails back in the woods but had not seen any of them since highschool when we used to drop acid and sneak in there at night to tromp around. So I pulled up and put on the NBM....and happened to look up and see what could sort of pass for a trail heading straight up....cool. I ended up doing 5 miles on off road trails all over the damn place and LOVED it. Took forever but it felt incredible and I was a dirty puppy when I was done...exhausted as well....good stuff there..

Today cross country was cancelled for both the boys due to the air quality drifting over from the Minnesota fires...damn shame...such beautiful country burning away.

Vincents coach started running him with the faster kids this week and stopped over last night to drop something off for V and hopped out of his truck to chat a bit. This dude loves to talk...holy smak! But he was saying to me that he bets V shaves a minute of his time from last weeks meet and I kind of chuckle....looked him in the eye and said.."bet it's more than that." And I bet it is too....he's itching to race and now that he knows his hip is better...he's throwing himself into his training and I can't wait to see what he does this weekend. He wants to go varsity this year....he needs to run an 18 minute 5K to do that. His fastest one ever was 21 and some change when he was 13 years old. He ran a 21 minute 5K this last fall with NO training...I'm thinking the 18 minute one won't be too big of a reach. The big thing that sucks...is that his schools cross country squad is so small that they don't even have enough guys running varsity to score points at the MEETS! How freakin lame is that. They have 3 varsity guys...they have to run 5 in order to score points. There's some fast kids on JV....Vincent took 3rd out of 7 for the JV squad...but damn. How crappy to do all this training without any hopes of doing anything with it. If V bumps up to varsity they'll still be 1 short. Blah..drives me nuts...they have a million kids out for their shit football team.

Dom's first meet is next Thursday. We ran 400 meter intervals on his birthday to celebrate. He didn't even complain. I've said it before and I'll say it again...if you have to have kids....have a Dom...can't beat him. And he'll be at that meet....rocking his ghetto Vibrams and running till he barfs...cause that's how he rolls.

Each year on their birthdays...or pretty close to it....I write each of the kids a letter and tell them about their year...what the accomplished...places they went....things they liked. And as I was writing Dom's last night...I was marveling again and how blessed I am with all my children...but him especially. He was not born under the best circumstances...my ex-husband and I were already separated and had a divorce in the works, among many other things....so he had shit stacked against him before he even got here. And in spite of that...or maybe because of that...he has turned into the most remarkable person. Overflowing kindness, trustworthy with a heart that barely fits in his chest. I remember when he was really young...maybe 4 or 5...and at church before they went off to their Sunday school class they would go up and sit with the pastor and he would tell them a story. Well this particular Sunday the pastor had a little throne up there and he let a few of the kids sit there and tell what they would do if they were king. Dom was the last kid to sit in it...and when pastor asked him...Dom put his hands on the arms of the chair....looked out into the congregation and said clear as a bell " I will save the people."

And you know what? I think he will.

Happy Birthday Dom

xoxoxo

Cross Country and Kicks

So according to facebook...I ran my first barefoot mile a year ago today...happy nekkid feet anniversary to me.

Lots has been going on...and in turn...not much has been going on. I took a hiatus from running with the exception of running with Dom 4 times a week to the tune of 2 miles a night to get him ready for cross country. It wasn't really pleasant running because he whines so much....told me he hates me when we're running because I don't let him stop....but loves me when we're done because he feels so good. I'll take it...he's ready...his first meet is this Thursday...so proud of him.

After football camp being a complete bust I pulled V out and told him he was running cross country instead. He was ok with that and went to the first practice where he proceeded to do something bad to his hip. Ice, Advil and stretching followed the rest of the week while he still went to practice. By Friday I pulled him because it wasn't getting any better...but worse. Talked things over with his coach and tried to get him in with the school athletic trainer and was told that the athletic trainer was for football....come again? Now let me point out that Case's football team has not won a game in 37 fucking games. They can't get hurt....the barely play. I was beyond pissed. Thank god that I have enough medical connections that I had both a physical therapist and athletic trainer on him in two days. After an early morning assessment with my PT friend conducted on my living room carpet we discovered what I already figured...nothing broken....weak hips...weak core...at least a week off. Strength training and yoga stretches daily for the next week...and I started running him lightly about 1.5 weeks later. Gave him back to the coach after two full weeks off and rehabbed. Basically his legs are faster then his hips and core could handle....nothing serious...just needed to even out his body. So he practiced with the team conservatively and ran his first meet yesterday. It was his slowest 5K ever...a 23 flat...but that's ok. Now we know he's healthy and ready to train. Told the coach it's time to lower the boom and start working him. I told him to run this one slow and make sure he feels ok...we'll worry about beating people and getting the time down later.

So on the first day of school....my official return to running....I ran 5 barefoot miles along Racines beautiful lake front....and it went well until about mile 4. All in all it felt really good to just go run without time restraints and worry in general. I'm taking alot of my yoga off the mat these days and all in all I feel more at peace with just about everything. Yesterday after dropping V off at the highschool at quarter to 7 I left my car there and ran 5 more miles in my ghetto Walmart water shoes. The weather is starting to turn here...and I think that really helps. But it also poses its own set of problems as to what I'm going to do with my barefoot running when it's not possible to do here anymore. I can't bring myself to buy another pair of loaded running shoes when they don't make me happy....even if they make me faster. So after trying the Merrell Pace Gloves and an interesting shoe made by Altra...I ended up buying the New Balance Minimus trail shoe. I haven't had a real run in them yet....so I really have nothing to say except that I had to buy the mens version because they didn't have the womans....and I preferred the fit to the Pace Glove and the Altra. I'm going to run with Dom tomorrow night on his birthday...14...lord help me....and I'll know more then.

The VERY loose running plan...is as follows.

Continue my barefoot running for as long as the weather allows. I know this lasted into November last year but who knows. Start introducing the Minimus during this time. Sign up for a spring half...possibly the half of the full I did last year.....and PR at the half marathon distance in minimal shoes. I want to follow an actual training plan. I had to kind of dump my marathon plan about half way through due to shin splints and other issues...and I really want to include all the bells and whistles this time and see if I can shave that time down. I don't think it is my destiny to be slow...I know I have some speed in me somewhere....and just like I told Vincent after his race yesterday....it's baby steps dude...we just have to tap it.
Hope everyone is well!

Falling Out of Love

So the big plan for today was to try to revive my running passion....it totally didn't happen. I was talking to Skip wondering out loud what the hell was wrong with me anymore. Skip took Tate up to work with him and I had to drive to get V from his dads....so i headed out a 1.5 hours early...give or take...and decided it was going to be my longrun comeback. I brought my Mizunos...thinking that maybe all the barefooting was just making me lazy...and slow. So I got myself all psyched up to run 10 miles...and when that went awesome....planning something to get me back on track with my running...another marathon perhaps....or a faster half...or even my first 10K. I was actually excited....loving the thought of mindless running that comes when I put something on my feet.

I got to the highschool and parked my car....laced up....which was weird in itself...got my gear and headed out. I felt decent for approximately 1.5 miles. After that it was pretty much downhill. I took half a gel at 3.5...and when that did nothing to perk me up...took the rest at 4. Nothing helped. I ended up cutting the run short just shy of 8 miles with a slower pace then I run barefoot. I was actually shaking when I was done. I don't know what to do anymore....I hate running in shoes and am now just as slow as I am barefoot. I ran 26.2 miles only a couple of months ago and now I can't even run 8 freaking miles. I think I may need to just hang it up for a little while....because I've tried different things and nothing seems to help. I'm in turn...frustrated as hell...or just not giving a shit. Neither of these things work for me. The only thing I like to do is yoga...maybe I should just stick with that. Is it possible that I've fallen out of love with running? Can you do that? People fall out of love with each other...why not fall out of love with a certain type of exercise. I don't think it's lazy factor....because I'm not afraid of sweating and working hard. I don't know what the hell the deal is.

Ugg....onwords.

Updates

I forget sometimes how blessed I am.....and then I see something....or hear something...or even feel something.....and I remember.

For many months I had this Bethany Hamilton quote on the top of this blog.

"Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness,heart, talent, guts. That's what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice."  ~Bethany Hamilton~

I never new anything about her...not even that she was a surfer...I just loved the quote. It was recently brought to my attention that the movie Soul Surfer was based on her life....and still I never rented it for the kids. Tonight Tate and I were at the grocery store and she was begging for a Redbox and I relented....and am so glad I did. There are so few movies these days that make you feel good....or make you think...or for shits sake actually gives you hope....but this was one of them. Anyways....although not fantastic acting....it was fantastic content. The boys loved it and I loved the message it was sending out. His ways are mysterious...and known only to him....I needed to see that for some reason last night....and maybe the boys did too

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Other Good Stuff

V-
Is running cross country. I really can't begin to explain how incredible this makes me feel. Football was such a wash last year...and when he was dragging his feet about going out this year we kinda pulled his football card....and gave him a new one for CC. I spoke at length with the coach today and told him a bit about V and he is very excited to meet him. I told him about V's running career and how he could really stand to have a whip cracked on his ass that wasn't being held by his mother. I'm one excited girl to see how this season plays out. Practice starts this Monday...booofreakinya.

My Running-
Is quiet, peaceful and just kind of there. I have no desire to train for anything...no passion right now...and that is ok. I have been thinking about doing a half this fall barefoot but I don't think my feet will be ready....and this doesn't bother me either. I figure that probably next year...if I can get my bare feet on the ground a little earlier in the year....I should be able to do a barefoot half the end of next summer. I can run 6 miles barefoot right now...and if I can find a minimal shoe that I can stomach...things will be good. I imagine my mileage will pick up when it cools off....I can not stand summer running. I can't say I exactly miss my drive to run....its very time consuming to constantly train and assess and demand so much of yourself....and I think that my mind may be giving my body the break it needs. Will I actually train for something again? Am I just over the run? I don't know....I kind of doubt it. I've been at Tae Bo for 13 years but every once in a while I'd take a unplanned break of about 6 months where I just goofed off. I think I over trained myself for my marathon....went almost directly in Lighthouse Run and finally my body just said fuck it and my mind went right along with it. I am now in wait and see mode.

My Eating-
I guess finishing my first full month of non-meateating puts me in the vegetarian category. Not vegan, I think the official name is lacto-octo-vegetarian...or something like that. I eat dairy and occasionally eggs. I feel amazing and my adjustment to this way of eating has gone completely smoothly for me. My family on the other hand....not so much. After being hassled by Skip for the umpteenth time I cornered Dr. Foster to get a medical standpoint on it to give Skip. Dr. F proceeded to print off a number of things from the medical association and went through highlighting things for Skip. Basically told me to make sure i was getting enough protein and to take care with my nutrients and it's all good. I brought home everything for Skip and he hasn't said boo since...HA! If it was only always that easy.
 
So that's it.....anyone have any good news?

Updates Updates Updates

After some interesting conversation today….Skip asked me when I was ever going to update my blog….I guess it’s time. Things they are a changing….especially me…and it seems like some people don’t like it.

Let me back up.

Vacation-
Good times were had by all. Kentucky was very beautiful but was one of the first places I’ve visited where I just couldn’t see myself. Weird but true. Everyone was able to do what they wanted…fishing for V and Skip, swimming for Tate, Dominic got to go horseback riding in the mountains….and I got to relax. We got to spend time with Skips son Patrick and his fiancé Crystal….it was awesomeness. On the way home we went through Louisville and crossed another thing off my bucket list...seeing Churchill Downs.  Don't know if I've ever talked about it in this blog but my entire youth was consumed with my wanting a horse.  I watched every Derby and read anything I could get my hands on about horses...so this was HUGE for me. 

This little dude wandered up to our campsite the first morning.

All my eggs in one boat?

And there it is...I about threw up.

My three little jockeys.

Running-
I have been completely barefoot for the last month with the exception of 2 runs that I did in water shoes after rainfall. One in Kentucky…damn it’s hilly there. And one this morning with Lori. I am relaxed….enjoying running…and honestly not doing to terribly much of it. 3 or 4 five mile runs a week…that’s it…and that is awesomeness as well. I told Lori and Skip that this is my summer of *I just don’t give a fuck*….and I don’t. Running for the joy of it…not killing myself..not being so desperately driven. If I don’t feel like running….I don’t. Although I did break an hour for 5 miles barefoot the other day…and I did like that…HA!

Yoga-
One of the wonderful things I did in Kentucky was take my yoga mat…run the mile to the beach…and do yoga on the beach at 6 in the morning. Nothing but me…the water…and sweat…incredible. I’m still taking my class on Thursdays and am expanding my home library. I’m doing lots of reading and I feel stronger, calmer…and definitely more flexible. I don’t know if it’s the yoga or me or growing older….but it takes me hours to become a spaz again afterwords.

Diet-
This is where the interesting conversation came in. Mixed in with all the reading I’ve been doing was a book called Transition to Vegetarianism. I grabbed it at the library mostly because it had a picture on the front of a carrot in a hotdog bun. It’s an idea I’ve toyed with on and off over the years and having not ever been a huge meat eater it really isn’t much of a transition..but tomorrow it’s been a week…with the only exceptions being a couple of eggs and a salmon patty one night…I’ve been meat free. I feel good..and this book gave me lots of insight on how to do it smartly…and without becoming deficient in anything.

So Skip and I were at breakfast this morning and Tate offered me a piece of bacon…and I told her that I was not eating meat. Skip looks up from his plate like WTF? And makes a comment about how he didn’t marry a marathon running vegetarian. To which I was like WTF? No…he didn’t marry a marathon running vegetarian…he married an overweight, smoking, drinking, meat eating person that wasn’t taking care of herself. That had family history of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. And for some reason he seemed to like that better. I guess I’m still a little salty about that. We’ve both changed…it’s impossible not to when you’ve been together for awhile….you have to love the core person because the outside is going to shift around a bit. I didn’t marry a globe trotting desk jockey that people look to and listen to….so there you are. Good thing I adore that man.

So that’s my update in a nutshell. 5 miles on tap for the morning…or possibly..not.

Hope everyone is well!

Early Morning Stoned Pimp

So today I am crossing something BIG off my bucket list. Going to see Kid Rock at Summer Fest. I am so excited I am about to burst! And on top of doing this incredible thing that I have wanted to do for about 20 years……I’m going with Julie..one of my BEST forever friends whom I NEVER run out of things to talk to about. Don’t know which I like better….so I am choosing to like both best.


Running News
I have not had shoes of any kind on to run in over 2 weeks. My max run has been 4.5 miles and the going is slllooowwww. Not that I’ve ever been what you would call speedy in shoes…but going from 9 plus minute miles to pretty consistently over 12 minute miles can be a bit hard to swallow. But the enjoyment factor cancels out the slowness factor I like to think. And with the heat climbing up into the 90s some days…not having hot shoes and socks on is awesome. So much easier to just jet out the door and go. I’ve had few issues with the exception of a pretty ugly blister that came from running when the ground was too hot…but it’s healing….ugly but healing. I’m hoping to be up to running a fall half marathon without shoes but we’ll see. That seems pretty larger right now and I don’t know if my feet will be tough enough by then…..but on the flip…my determination is pretty large as well.

Yoga News
I am officially smitten. I love going to the studio for my once weekly class. I really thought I may hate classes but they’re good. The chics in the advanced class are rocking yoga broads that can do all sorts of crazy shit and gives me something to work for. And I’m getting better….my balance and strength are growing every day and poses that I couldn’t even think of doing a couple months ago are slowly coming to me. I did my first shoulder stand this week and though not pretty…or very straight…..it felt incredible because I had NO idea I could do it. A modified crane or crow pose that didn’t end up in a face plant….good stuff. And it’s pretty easy to do lots of yoga when you can’t run very far.

Tattoo News
Not shoving my feet in running shoes after having it redone has done wonders. It’s been two weeks today and although still healing, I think the second coloring did the trick. Would I ever get another foot tattoo? As a runner….probably not. But I do love the way they look.

Family News
On Wednesday morning we’re leaving on a family vacation to the Daniel Boone National Forrest in Kentucky. Never heard of it? Me either. It’s 9 hours from here by car and we’re breaking up the trip both ways. We’re leaving Wednesday morning and driving to Indianapolis and staying the night in a hotel..and then driving the other 4 hours to the campground or whatever the hell it ends up being….the next morning. We borrowed Skips moms minivan because damned if I’m going to make that drive with the three kids stuffed in the back of my Charger. The thought of going anywhere in a minivan just about brings me to tears but I will suffer through for the cargo room.

Another high note is that Skips son Patrick and his fiancé Crystal are driving from Virginia and meeting us to camp. How cool is that? We have no real firm plans except that Dominic and I are going horseback riding at some point and I also want to do some kayaking if I can find a place that rents them. I really want to buy a kayak. I will be a barefoot, yoga doing, kayaking runner. How’s that for rounded?

Have a great fourth everyone!