Taking the Plunge

Well, I'm finally joining the ranks and switching to the new blogger.

I was holding off because I wasn't too crazy about some of the things I was experiencing when trying to comment on every else's blogs, but now that blogger is out of beta, I figure I'd have to switch eventually anyway.

So, here's to a new year on the new blogger.

And for those of you that have been wondering, Running Rabbit is not lost. She just changed her URL. I've updated the link on the side of my blog... just click and there she is...along with all of her colorful and descriptive posts.

I'm So Excited.....

and I just can't hide it. I'm about to lose control and I think...

Whoops, sorry about that. I got a little carried away there!

Talk about perfect timing.

Talk about fate.

Talk about destiny.

The boyfriend and I have been talking about going on vacation together for a long time.

Like, for over 2 years, long.

And I finally decided that enough was enough. We were going. SOON!

So, I sat down at my trusty computer and searched until I found THE PERFECT vacation...

A 4 night cruise to the Bahamas, that just so happens to coincide with the world's most wonderful boyfriend's 29th birthday. (Yes, I'm older than him!)

I would have loved to make it a surprise, but I wasn't quite sure how I was going to manage to request vacation time for him. So, I pretty much had to tell him so he could put in the request.

So, the cruise was booked on January 2. Then...

On January 3, I decided that I was running the Bayshore Half. I wasn't positive where the training would fall with the cruise, but I figured I'd just make it work. I'd run circles around the deck or run on the treadmill, and cheat the days a bit to do the long runs before and after. And I'd decided that, while it might come close to killing me to not partake of copious amounts of alcohol while on the cruise, I was willing to make the sacrifice to be able to do both things.

Then yesterday, I got out the calendar so I could start figuring up a training schedule. And guess what ....

We get back from the cruise on a Tuesday, and I will start "official" training the next Monday.

Can't get more perfect than that!

It was just meant to be.

Woo Hoo!

Warped Sense of Reality

I was talking to the boyfriend last night and told him the big announcement.

I explained to him that I was ready to start running again. I told him how I had been missing it, and wanted to get back to it. I said how much happier I feel when I am running, and I just feel like a better person.

Then I said that I was going to do something small because I'm not ready to commit to another marathon just now. I can just feel that deep down I'm not ready yet and I'd rather wait it out than commit too early and be unsuccessful a second time.

So, then he asked me what I was going to run. And I told him that I had signed up for the Bayshore half.

And his response was basically.. "A half marathon?!?! You're going to run another half marathon?"

I guess we have different ideas of what constitutes a small race. I think he was expecting me to tell him that I signed up for a 5K.

We runners have a warped sense of reality!

Bring It On

I'm back!

It's been an agonizing past five months for me.

Suffering the ankle injury back in July, and having to bow out of running the Chicago Marathon was crushing for me.

I had finally... finally ... found the determination to reach for my long time dream of completing a marathon only to have it come crashing to an end before I really even got going. And something inside of me just cracked, and I quit. I basically just shrugged my shoulders and walked away because it hurt too much to do anything else.

But then the quitting hurt, too. I'm not a quitter! I could never have gotten to where I am in my life with the mentality of a quitter. When things get tough, I don't walk away. I grit my teeth, dig in my heels, and come out swinging.

So, why the different attitude now?

Something seemed to change in me the day I had to quit training for Chicago. I'm not good at failure. I've spent a life time avoiding things that I'm afraid I won't be good at, so I don't have to admit to failing at something. And failing at my first attempt at a full marathon was tough for me to deal with. I had a hard time internalizing it. I had a hard time admitting to the defeat. And I think I lost my confidence along the way, and to be perfectly honest I'm still not up for a second try.

But I have reached the point where the quitting is worse than the failing, and that says a lot. Quitting on something that I love just feels wrong. Missing something so badly and denying myself from doing it doesn't make any sense.

I failed.

SO WHAT!

So, after licking my wounds, and feeling sorry for myself, and sulking for the past 5 months. I'm ready to dust myself off and hit the ground running.

And even though I'm still suffering from a bruised ego and a lack of confidence. And even though I'm not ready to stare down the marathon demon. Yet.

I am ready to run again!

I miss it more than words can say, and I can't wait to get back out there and start training again.

So, I've picked a race!!

Yep, you heard me. I've finally made a decision about what's next for this runner girl.

Drum Roll, Please.....

I will be running the Bayshore Half Marathon in Traverse City, Michigan on May 26, 2007.

Bring It On, Baby!

Can't Catch a Break!

So, I finished up my round of antibiotics on Monday night.

Only to start another one last night.

Yep, that's right.

I'm still sick.

Now it is with a bladder infection; which, I must say, is much more horrific and painful than anything I have experienced in a long time.

Please let this thing go away very very soon.

Until then, you will find me in the bathroom, as it has become my new home since I now have to pee every 30 seconds.

Well, Finally!

Those of you following along for the long term will remember the post months ago about my weight loss efforts. I haven't given up, but it's been slow going!

I'm happy to report that I FINALLY crossed over to that 10 pounds lost mark.

GO me!

I'm not sure how much of the credit I can really take since it is mostly a result of being so sick. I haven't actually eaten anything other than soup and crackers for about 3 weeks, but I'll take it anyway it comes.

And to make life even sweeter, I'm feeling much better. Only 2 more days of antibiotics left, and I can breath again. Almost. At least one side of my nose is functional. And it no longer sounds like I am days away from coughing up a lung.

Things. They are a lookin' up!

Still Sick!

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!

But, this cold seems to have taken hold and I just can shake it. Just when I thought I was getting better, it seems to be getting worse again.

So for now, I'm just taking it easy and trying to recover. I've put everything else on the back burner, and I'm going to wait until I'm feeling better to make any decisions about when I'm going to start training again, and what race I'm going to do.

Until then, my cross training will consist of stopping my running nose, coughing up a storm, taking my medication, and changing the TV channel.