Friday, May 30, 2008

You haven't by chance seen a black bear have you?

I was biking home from working out at CORE the other night, CORE is about 4 miles from our house, so I've grown accustom to biking there, doing some kind of workout, and then biking home :) On this particiular night, I biked to meet some freinds to help weight train, and do some more cardio, and then would bike back home on the bike trail.

As I was leaving core it was around 8:50 almost dark, but since it only takes me 10 minutes to get home from there I figured I would be okay, i was biking along, enjoying my ride, a little darker than I would have liked, but all was well.. and then I came to a part of the trail that is kind of a blind corner going into it, I usually slow down before it because it is usually particuallarly muddy around that area and sometimes water can be on that trail, but this night I slowed down because there were lights on the trail, like headlights, I wondered who they were..

As I came around the coner it was a police car sitting with his headlights on and his spotlight on, looking deep into the woods, I wondered what in the world is he looking for, and then I thought he was going to issue me a ticket for not having a headlight on my bike.. but I slow down, he pulls over a little off the trail I slowly approach his vehichle, and he then asks.. "You Haven't by chance seen a black bear have you?" I looked at him quite odd I am sure, and said umm.. nope.. sorry and continued my ride.. I thought.. what in the world, the entire rest of the ride home I was trying to figure out what he really asked, because he coudln't have possibly asked me If I saw a bear?!? I live in Iowa!

but then Yesterday.. people are telling me there might be a bear in north liberty.. i smiled and said.. ohhh right... and I guess there are articles on it, oh the crazy things you find out while exercising :)

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/NEWS01/80529012/1079

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

5 Miles!



Last night I ran my first 5 miles ever!!!!!!! - I have to say that it was waaaaaay easier than I ever thought 5 miles would be :) (Did I just say that?)

I never really thought that I would ever be able to run much past 3 miles, infact when I picked out my training plan for my 10K run, I picked a training plan, that would take a long time to get up to 3 miles, that would have plenty of time to get me ready for a 10K, I thought it was the perfect plan!

The one day as I approached the weeks where you hit 3 miles, I realized that shortly after you hit 3 miles, the runs just get longer and longer, and not by like .25 but by like a mile! Mentally I just don't think I was ready to run 4 miles, and so I would so ohh I can't do that week yet, and I would repeat a shorter distance week, and then the 4 mile week would come back.. but then...

I started to run out of time, my tri, as long as all goes well with registration and such, is only like 3 1/2 weeks away???!!!?!? I need to get up to 6 miles before then.. and be able to do it after swimming a mile and biking 25!!

And so last week.. I accomplished 4 miles, it felt pretty amazing, but then 2 days after the 4 miles I had to run 3.. and the 3 was Horrid ( I got overheated waaaaaaaay over heated to quickly) and most of the last part of the run I was thinking.. am I insane! Am I really going to try and run 6 miles after I bike 25??!? my legs will be like Jello, and why am I doing this again and I have a lot of work ahead of me, and not to mention.. I am doing this willingly :) Have I gone insane?

But then... last night I ran 5 miles!! the big 5!! at times it was hard, sure, I am still nursing a knee that is hurting, but it felt pretty good other than that, at times it felt like I was running on air, it felt like if my knee didn't ache I could go for another mile, it even crossed my mind.. but I did it... I did 5!!! It feels soo good, and most of all I felt as though I was perservering, and it remindinded me of somethign I heard earlier in the day from James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

May all your trials of all kinds develop your perserverance!

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Ronald McDonald 5K Race Report

The Ronald McDonald is a special 5K for me, 4 years ago, it was the first 5K I ever walked, which I didn't train for, but never thought I would complete it, I was way overweight, and out of shape, but I did it with coworkers and friends, and it was okay, it wasn't that bad. Three years ago was the first time I ran the race, I again did it with friends, it was good, and I enjoyed it. It was the first time I ever ran a 5K and it set me on fire for racing, and a new passion!

However this year was definitly different, this year, I too ran it with friends, but I ran it with people who I helped train to run it and for some of them, it too was their first ever 5K. For some it would be completeing a task they too never thought they could complete.

All of the days leading up to race day this year were different, but good. Instead of focusing on all the things I was normally worrying about, weather or not I was trained enough, weather or not I was going to make it all thru, I was more worried about getting the info I needed to give to my people I was helping training, etc. It was definitly a learning experience for me, and I truely enjoyed it.

Even racing was different. I encouraged all of my people to have a mantra, my mantra for the day was I am not going to give up, I am doing great, I can do this, I can do all things thru Christ who gives me Strength. All of which played over my head at times, but most of the race, I was thinking about my people, watching them, wondering how they were doing.

For the entire race except about 1 minute at the beggining of the race I could see Dana she was about a 2 tenths of a mile ahead of me, I watched her, It made me smile, she was running strong, she had good form, I would think, she looks strong, I wish I could yell GO DANA right now but I don't think she could hear me.. if only I could get a little closer, and then I would run harder, but then as I got closer she would run faster :)

I was soo encouraged by how strong she looked running thru the course, how she would make it all the way to the finish line, it gave me great joy. I wondered at times where the others were but I too felt, and had confidence they were doing great, when I crossed the finish line, there they were, and shortly after me (less than 30 seconds), came in the last one! Everyone did great, it felt sooo great to see all of these amazing people running and pushing past things they never thought they could accomplish. I finshed in 33:44 cutting just under 7 minutes off last years time!!! :)

It's the first race of the season, and everyone did great!! I am excited to see what else is in store, and whats next! I have a lot of races planned on my calendar this year, so that is exciting but kind of scary all at the same timg, but I know it will be fun, especially with friends along the way!

CongratS! EVERYONE!!!

P.S. - I thought this would be fun, its amazing how many changes you can make in such a short time :)