The Long Road - Waddling Forward

I'm back? I AM BACK. It's been 10 years since any serious training, racing, or working out. Many attempted comebacks. Why now? What's different? Motivation?

I have no answers, but it began after volunteering at Ironman Tulsa and watching many people, including my friend, finish.

I started slow. I began by just walking in June. My neighborhood in Oklahoma has a .5-mile loop. I did it twice, 3-4 days per week. After 3 weeks, I increased it to 3 loops. Woohoo, 1.5 miles. In the 4th week, add another loop to do a 2-mile walk. 

I felt like now that I needed a goal, some kind of target on the calendar. So I signed up for a 5K run back in Vegas on September 16th. I also talked a good friend into signing up also. Why go down alone? 

It was time to start adding the run back in. I do Interval running and follow the Galloway method. So I started with a 3-minute walk: 30-second run interval. With this, I was averaging about a 20-minute mile. Really slow- just waddling. 
 

Fast forward to now, I am up to 3 or 4 miles on Saturday or Sunday. The longer run interval is 2:45 walk: 0:45 run. The Shorter run interval is a 2:00 walk: 0:45 run. My pace is getting faster at 18-19 minutes per mile. *small steps, no injuries*

Just saying- "I AM BACK." mostly over and over to myself.

Waddling Back.....

It Has Begun....Focus Achievable





Beginning Again



Wow! January 1st. I am sitting here reflecting on 2016 before continuing to 2017. I will not waste much time looking in the rear view mirror but it is necessary to reflect.

 

Last year was not a bad year but there were many disappointments. I found myself signed up for many things that completion was not possible due to family issues, personal problems, work, and injuries. I use this as a reminder not to sign up for much in 2017 and what I do sign up for it needs to be personal, achievable, and dependent on myself alone not others.

 

I am the kind of person to get sucked into doing something because of a great deal or others participating. I have almost pulled the trigger on several races but talked myself back. As I am still not able to run, pain is still overwhelming, I will not sign up for any run only events until this has changed. I am able to bike and run without pain. This has made me decide this years focus will be Triathlons. I have put 1 one on the schedule. I am planning Batavia Tri on June 11 even if I have to walk the 4 miles. I KNOW I CAN DO THIS!. I have other on my sights but not committing until I am Running again.

 

Waddling to Achievable....

2017 Planning

Setting Goals 2017

Coming back to Triathlons.

I think this time of year brings much reflection and planning. I always feel it is important to have a plan in place. It may be in pencil (Old school) and need changes but it is a must. This is not just for training but for life.

I have 2 major goals for the year. Hoping my recovery from injury proceeds.

I approach every goal with 3 plans in pencils:

·         Plan A- Everything goes according to plan on paper and schedule. No adjustments needed. Life never interferes. No injuries or major life crisis involved. (95% of the time never works but provides a beginning and goal)

·         Plan B- Most goes according to plan. Minor edits are needed. Once a month maybe the pencil needs to come out. No major injuries or life problem that may involve some time off. (45% of the time this works)

·         Plan C – Basic idea of plan works. Editing is needed often. Every week or 2 changes are made. Work, weather, and other things add too changes. Pencil is out almost every 1-2 weeks. At least 1 crisis or illness or injury or work, causes some unexpected days off. (Works the rest of the time)

Not sure where 2017 will lead but here we go. 

Waddling with a plan……

IT HAS CONTINUTED

What has continued? My motivation!!! For over 2 years, I have launched multiple comebacks. They have all failed. This time since September, my mojo has stayed. What has changed? The first is that my work and travel schedule has lightened up. This has happened before but what is different this time? The BIG difference is I now have met a great group of people to run with!! They are the Bolingbrook Fun Run Club.

I have known about the Bolingbrook Fun Run Club for several years. Due to a crazy schedule and fear of running with a group again, I did not go to any of their meet ups. In August, I noticed a meet up for a Turtle Group. They met in a park that had a 1.2mile loop. This was my chance. I went and encountered a group of around 15 people. The group Leader was a friend, Gladys. I was made to feel so comfortable and I felt like I fit in. I made it 2 loops doing a walk:run. I was never happier.

Now it is December and I am for the first time since 2011 planning for next years races. I am so excited. One of the highlights of 2015 will be doing the Ragnar relay from Madison, WI to Chicago with a team of 12 runners. Depending on the lottery, I hope to add the Marine Corp Marathon. and also, I am actually working on a training schedule and rejoined Lifetime Fitness!!

I plan to blog about this entire journey!! Let's do this. My friend gave me a bracelet last night that is our motto-- "Harden the F*** Up" It's go time!

Waddling with the Bolingbrook Fun Run Club.....

On the Run....

One of the biggest lessons that I have learned in my returning is to lower my expectations. I cannot compare anything to the past. Today I ran 3 miles. Very slow pace. Most importantly- I got out the door. It is not how far or how fast.

Bucket list items- Ragnar Relay. This week the running group that I belong to decided to form a team for the Chicago Ragnar. I got all the information. Money not an object. Time off not a problem. I think training is do-able. But then I saw minimum average pace= 11 min/mile.  Holy Crappers. Then I looked at the distance choices for each of the 12 runners and it also showed difficulty. Only saw 2 or 3 options possible for me on my very best day ever. Disappointment set in. maybe this item will not get marked off my list. I emailed the team captain for more information but my optimism is not high and I am disappointed. My family is always- you can do it.  I understand that age and reality are different. We will see.

I will go out and run again tomorrow. Other goals and bucket list items are still there.

Waddling still.........

I AM COMING BACK....

Where have I been?

A new job, a new grandchild, and a variety of other things gave me plenty of excuses to have a sedentary lifestyle. For almost 2 years I have been basically a couch potato. I know that has to change.

Where I am at?

I am on a journey to dig out of an overweight and unhealthy hole. It's sort of dark in here but I am beginning to see some glimmers of light. I have met an awesome group of very supportive runners who are helping me climb.

Where do I want to be?

I have set many goals in the past year that I have not achieved which makes digging out even tougher. Now it is time to be realistic. I did survive a 5K in September doing a run/walk. I want to run the entire 5K(short term). 2 long term goals- Marine Corp Marathon and Ragnar Relay.

Waddling on a new journey.......

GO AWAY 2012!

This is one of the few times in my life that I am ready for a year to finish. Not that I am wishing my life away. It just sucked in every aspect.

The worst part was the decline of my father's health leading up to his passing in August. I know that he was 90 but he was so full of life. In March, he fell in church and was not found by anyone for hours. That seemed to be the beginning of the end. I was blessed to spend many weekend with him and he was able to take a veterans trip to DC with my son. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of him many times.

I did not do any triathlons this year and just felt crappy. Finally, I  believe to have found a huge problem with infections around my teeth. This led to having all my teeth removed the week before Christmas and implants put in. Due to a problem encountered, I will be on a soft diet until November of 2013. I so far have lost 11 lbs. and everyday feel an improvement.

Tomorrow, I am of restrictions since the surgery and can begin to work out again. It will be digging out of quite the hole but I have some exciting goals for 2013.

I hope to blog more to make me more accountable.

Waddling quickly out of 2013....