Can You Believe It?

It's Week 12!  As some of you may recall, I wrote an entry titled It's Official back in February announcing my registration for the Cancer to 5K training program for this spring.  We got started on March 16 & here we are--12 weeks later.  Our Race Day is Sunday, June 5...just a few days away.

I know I haven't reported my progress in awhile.  I thought I'd just share some highlights of the past month...

As we started the month of May, Coach Bob had me running about 4 minutes at a time with a 3 min recovery & I was up to about 35-40 minutes of these intervals.  Then I get an email asking me to come to one of the group workouts, if possible, because he has a "special" workout he'd like to do with me.  The one Wednesday evening that worked for my schedule happened to be the day after I turned half of 70.  I showed up & while Coach gave everyone else their prescribed workouts for the evening, he waited to tell me that I would be doing the 12 minute test.  What's the 12 minute test?  It's running--for 12 minutes.  I said, "Coach, I've never run more than 4 minutes at a time."  And his response was simply "Great, this will be just like doing that 3 times."  Exactly.  Not.

Well, long story short--I ran that damn 12 minutes without stopping once.  It was not fun.  It was not neat.  It was terrible.  Coach was very "I told you so." My emotions were so out of whack I literally cried when I got in the car.  But I did it.  Thus, Coach named me "a runner."

You see, after that workout, my prescribed workouts changed at home.  That was a Wednesday.  Friday my workout was to run for 25 minutes--to just see how long I could run.  Guess what.  I ran 26:07 that day.  Was I the slowest runner ever?  Yep.

Next week, more of the same.  In fact, on Saturday the 21st my workout was 40 minutes--just run.  We were in VA Beach visiting family.  Kiddos were preoccupied so Joel set out on the park trail to run with me.  First comment "This warm up thing is kinda nice...I'm not used to this."  Yeah, my warm ups tend to be on the long side of warming up as I have to psych myself up for long runs.  Then we started running. Hubby did good--he was quiet & kept his comments to himself.  He offered to carry my t-shirt & water bottle for me. Only once did he offer a suggestion & my quick response was "Shut up.  That's not what Coach Bob says."  So he did.  In case you're wondering, NO, I did not make it the full 40 minutes without stopping to walk.  I walked a total of 3 1/2 minutes out of the 40.  Not too terrible for a new-to-running 1/2 of 70 yr old woman.  As we were cooling down, I said to Joel, "Thanks for being patient with me today."  His response, "No problem, but it's not easy running that slow."  More than 15 years together and the man still doesn't think before he speaks...

I survived the run--Joel survived running slowly with me.

So here we are--5 days till the race.  My goal on Day 1 was to be able to run the whole 5K without walking.  I don't know that I've gotten myself to that endurance level yet, honestly.  But I do know, I sure can run a long way--at least 2 miles before I have to stop because I've done it more than once.  And that's more than I can say for 5 months ago.  Joel also mentioned that my walking pace was faster than ever before during our warm up.  I just have to believe that the simple act of me walking at a faster pace will save our marriage as we attempt to walk 60 miles over 3 days together in November!  

I have learned a lot about myself in the past 12 weeks.  Those 17 pounds I had gained when I went to see my GYN in January?  Well, I don't know that I've lost much of that weight, but I've seen a change in my body & my endurance.  What's most important is that my kids have watched me working toward this--always asking if they can come outside to exercise with me (my girls biked 12 miles the Saturday Joel & I ran together)--and they'll be there on Sunday to cheer me to the finish line.  I don't want my girls to get caught up in their weight & body image issues, but to just have role models showing them how to live a healthy life style.  

Race Day

Sunday, June 5: 7am 

Capital Crescent 5K in Bethesda Maryland  

Wednesday, June 8 is Surgery #6 for Round 2.  It's minor & outpatient but will throw me off my game for a few weeks.  I don't know if I'll continue running when I'm released to workout again.  Stay tuned...stranger things have happened!

Half of 70

Last week I told Joel that 35 sounds so much older than 34 to me.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not all caught up on age, but it just sounds older.  And he said "Well, it IS half of 70...you're gonna be half of 70."  Wow, that's neat. 

Over the weekend we saw some friends & were talking about my birthday & the fact that I'm going to be 1/2 of 70.  I joked that it won't be long before Joel will want to trade me in for a yonger model.  One of the guys standing there said "Are you kidding?  He just got all new parts on this one!  Why would he get a new model?" 

Well, I guess that's one way to look at it!  I've had my "tune up" and am all set for the next 35 years!  Bring it!

Celebrate

I tend to get many touching cards this time of year.  From April 24-May 10, I celebrate my wedding anniversary, Mother's Day & my birthday.  Each of the cards from family & friends near & far reminds me how blessed I am.  But today I received the sweetest card from my Grandma & I just can't stop thinking about the words inside.  I hope you enjoy them too...

Celebrate the world around you

each & every day,

Celebrate the things you've seen

and done along the way,

Celebrate your joys & sorrows,

every memory, too-

And don't forget to celebrate

the joy of being you!

Teachers

It's Teacher Appreciation Week--and I think that's across the country, not just here in our county.  And while I love this week, I have to say that one day or one week is not enough to show teachers our appreciation.  I admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for teachers--funny thing, right?  Not only do I personally come from a teaching background, but my Mother-in-Law & 2 Sisters-in-Law are both teachers as well.  Musicians & teachers--what can I say?  We have a passion and it's not for money obviously!!

Anyway, during this week each year my girls' elementary school does various things for the teachers, including having the classes make a booklet for their teacher, goody bags full of treats & a luncheon mid week which is completely provided by parent volunteers.  Now, this is also the exact elementary school I taught at for two years before I came home full time & I admit that I don't remember much about Teacher Appreciation Week standing out in my memory.  But I've had a different take on the "appreciation" of a teacher now that I'm on the other side.  While I'm not in charge of anything, I make a point to be "on call" if the volunteer coordinator needs a fill in--whether it's to sit at the grocery store booth for a couple hours on a Saturday or pick up a couple bottles of salad dressing.  I also am "on call" for the teachers.  It made my heart smile this year when Jackie's Kindergarten teacher said she was disappointed she didn't have Josie on her class list because she loves having ME as a parent!

So, here's the thing.  I made a lasagna Jackie's first 2 years of school for the luncheon.  And that's a from-scratch-lasagna that I only make on special occasions for my family & only if you've been hospitalized if you're a friend.  This year, because of the lack of "main dish" offers, I went ahead and made two.  My kids couldn't believe they didn't get to eat one of them.  My husband only allowed it to happen because I promised him one on this birthday next week!  But if making 2 lasagnas shows my appreciation to my kids' teachers & support staff, then I'll do it.  I'll supply the whole darn meal, in fact.  I am trusting these people with the care of my own flesh-and-blood children for 7 hours a day/5 days a week!

Teachers are amazing people.  I loved loved loved my job as a teacher.  Watching little people learn something new for the first time & seeing their eyes light up is magical.  The only thing I love more than teaching is being able to be my own boss so I can have time flexibility for my family because they come first.  But teaching is very rewarding.  And if it weren't, no one would teach.  Three months off in the summer?  HA!  Once you add on snow days & in service days & extra summer workshop days & classroom work days, teachers get about 6-8 weeks off, NOT 3 months.  And that's only if they're not taking 3 college classes working on their Master's Degree during the summer months to fulfill state requirements.  Daily hours 8-3?  HA!  Not only are those the hardest 7 hours of the day, but they're also only the beginning.  My school bag used to get so heavy with the stuff I carried to & from work that I had to sometimes leave it in the car & bring in one thing at a time. If they're a band director, like so many of my friends & family, then there's many after school & weekend activities to be planned & attended.   Big money?  Double HA!  Not only are the paychecks small, but much of that personal paycheck goes right back into the classroom.  Teachers have the biggest hearts out there.  They are truly special people.

So, I ask that if you have a child who has a teacher, that you do something special this week to say thank you.  Next time you're at the store, grab a box of pencils or an extra box of tissue & just send it to school in your child's backpack.  That's what your child's teacher does...for your child.

TEACHERS--I thank you!  From the bottom of my heart I know that you have a tough job & I have worked with some of the most incredible teachers there are!  Thank you for all you do--SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!!!!

Compromise

Last night Jackie was doing division for her math homework.  That simple part of math hit me that she is REALLY growing up.  DIVISION?  I'm not ready for this!  But, I didn't realize how well we've prepared her for being a grown up until I overheard her doing vocabulary later with her Daddy.

The word was "compromise" & I don't know the exact way it was defined in her second grade handbook, but according to Webster's New World Dictionary compromise is a settlement in which each side gives up some demands or makes concessions.


Joel was giving Jackie a real world situation in which a compromise would need to be made in order for her to better understand the meaning.  He said, "Sometimes when me & Mommy go to the movies, she wants to see a chick flick & I want to see an action adventure.  So we have to compromise.  What do you think that means?"

Jackie answered, "You go see the chick flick."

While I'm certainly not ready to release my 8 year old child into the grown up world yet, I can rest peacefully at night knowing that I've taught her the ways of marital compromise & she has a complete understanding of how it works.