Why?  Because of Chris.  We’d agreed that in our relationship we wouldn’t “geo-bach” – which is to say, become a geographic bachelor aka someone who lives a significant distance away from their partner/family due to work reasons.  My Dad has geo-batched for a large portion of my life.  That is an incredible sacrifice that he made for my family.  So I’m not going to leave at this point in our relationship and start geo-batching.

So I’m turning down an amazing job opportunity for the man I love.  And I’m more than good with it. 

But it’s kind of ironic that all of this comes at a point when I’ve been diagnosed with scoliosis of the lumbar spine.  You see, from around June on, I’ve been experiencing crippling pain during and after long runs.  I feel my back seize up, then my stomach and by the time the run is over, I’m curled up in a ball, unable to stand, walk, sit or eat.  It really came to a head when I did the Army 10-Miler and couldn’t sit through breakfast with my best friend and her husband.  i was in pain and I was mortified – seriously embarrassed. 

So now I’ve been diagnosed, the treatment is yoga, pilates, crunches and swimming.  Anything and everything aimed at strengthening my core so that I can walk upright, run again and do so without pain. 

Also, my doctor has ruled out heels for work.  Which has been a jolt to my system because I love a good sharp heel for work – it just looks so good with my business suits.  But if not wearing heels means that I will be able to walk pain-free for a good portion of my life, I’m all for throwing the heels in the trashcan. 

So this is the current status quo – no Italy, no running, more love and some yoga.

Enjoy the pictures:

Chris and I before the race

Chris and I after the race

Determination

Is often a result of motivation:

Somewhere around mile 7? or 9?

Because the finish line is so sweet:

Sweet relief

I was more concerned about how cold I was at the start than whether or not I could or would finish.  I ran with Chris – my boyfriend – and he ran with me the entire time.  He’d trained better than I had for the run.  Combination of exhaustion, screwed up ankle, knees, hip flexors and back – oh and the new job that has me hauling from 0700 every day meant that some days when I’d get home from work, I had nothing left in the tank.  But Chris said that ‘we started the race together and we will finish this race together’.  Granted, I’d bugged him every mile from around mile 3 forward to leave – to go run the race he’d trained for. But he stayed right by my side. 

After two straight up suck-tastic years, I finally feel like I’m on solid footing again. 

Chris and I have embarked on an incredibly ambitious and exciting training program.  We have races  that we’re going to do, races that we’re kicking around doing and races that are on the ‘damn, wouldn’t that be cool’ list. 

Here’s the current race schedule  – through October…but we’ve got races we’re thinking about for 2012…

Current Race Schedule:



March

Shamrock Half Marathon        Virginia Beach (0700, 20 Mar-Sun)  DONE!!!!

Wounded Warrior 5K              Virginia Beach (0900, 26 Mar-Sat)

April

May

Muddy Buddy 6.5                   Richmond (0700, 1 May-Sun)

Williamsburg Half Marathon   Williamsburg (0730, 22 May-Sun)

June

Breezy Point Sprint Tri                        Norfolk (0800, 5 Jun-Sun)

July

Allen Stone Run/Swim/Run     Virginia Beach (0730, 16 Jul-Sat)

August

Mud Run 8k                            Little Creek (0800, 13 Aug-Sat)

September

Rock & Roll Half Marathon    Virginia Beach (0700, 3 Sep-Sun)

October

Army 10 Miler                         DC (0800, 9 Oct-Sun)

Newport Marathon                   Newport (0800, 16 Oct-Sun)

1) What do you think of Boston:

I think that I’ll never compete in Boston.  I will never be that fast – but that having been said, I think that for the folks that have trained and suffered to hit the 3:30 marathon should be given credit for working their ever living butts off.  But rules are rules.  And if the people that control Boston say that a 3:20 is now the minimum, then that’s the minimum.  My overall issue is that with the volume of people who have started running and are now attempting to train.  10 minutes doesn’t seem like a big deal to people who aren’t runners.  BUT IT IS.   10 minutes over the course of 26.2 miles, assuming that you can already maintain a roughly 8 minute/mile is a major test of strength, conditioning and overall physical capability. 

I will never run Boston.  I’m happy if I can maintain 10min/miles for my half marathons.  And you know what, I’m ok with it.  I love running and the time it gives me to spend with my dogs.

Question 2: “Why do you hate puppies”

I will inflict the pain of dog pictures on you…here:

And finally question 3:  Faster = Smarter?

Answer:  Hardly.  persistance + dedication + honesty = Happiness.

And for me my equation works out like this:  Kick ass, amazing women as friends + crazy but completely mine dogs + warmer weather = one happy me.

I have run ONE time since I pissed off my ankle by tripping on a root during a gorgeous 70 degree day.  And the one time I did run on it – even with the brace on it – it swelled up like a grapefruit.  Well maybe not as big as a grapefruit, but definitely persimmon sized.  

And I have a 14K on Saturday – the second to last J&A Racing Series race - it’s a good race (a little loop-y for my tastes but it’s closer to home) and if I get this run in AND the Shamrock 1/2 marathon – I will have completed the Series.  I didn’t run 10Miles in friggin freezing weather to fail.

Oh yeah…and I have day shift EMS on Friday and Sunday.  So no really good reason why my ankle should be tender right??

And a new job that starts on Monday.

It started with this:

Hi. I'm here. Recognize.

And this – this wasn’t bad.  It was actually kind of cute and snuggly to have this guy come lay down in your lap and love you and you love him.

But then things changed.  Apparently I was slacking off at the attention-paying job.  He escalated his demands to the point where they could not be ignored. 

This happened last night and my brother-in-law graciously took a picture:

I will make it so you can't see anything but me

Yes, that’s an 84lb blue Weim sitting on my recliner on me.  Technically he sees the recliner as ‘his’ since he prefers to curl up there whenever he can.  And since I was sitting there, what better time to exercise his demands? 

I’m definitely being bossed by the two four-legged critters in my house.  And you know what, it’s pretty dang awesome.

Defensive Running.  Yes, that’s right.  Defensive Running. 

This means:

- Assume that drivers DONT see you – regardless of the reflective clothing / vests / headlamps / flashing lights and such that you wear.

- Always assume that drivers will turn toward you.  If your looking to cross the street, just figure that the car will turn at you – as if it’s a cruise missile with some sort of homing beacon fixed on you.

- Dusk is more dangerous than dawn to run.  Somehow the setting sun coincides with reduced brain activity amongst drivers.  This is dangerous for runners.

- Attention drivers – the turn signal is NOT a decoration – it’s an INDICATION.  Use it appropriately – this means if you are going to make a turn in the next mile, don’t leave it on until you’ve gone a mile and therefore made me guess which of the 12 side streets you’ve passed you’re going to turn onto.  ALSO, don’t expect me to mind-read what your next move will be.  I am a runner.  I streamline – which means leaving my crystal ball at home.  Which, now that I think of it, is probably safer for you.  Otherwise your idiotic driving  habits may compel me to smite you with the crystal ball. 

So please – I am a runner.  I run with my two dogs.  I wear day-glo green reflective jacket and my dogs wear reflective vests – and when our combined reflective gear is assessed,  we could be the landing crew at any airport.  I have a leash that flashes / strobes to better enable YOU to see US.  So please – use your turn signal.  Give me more than the concrete edge of the street to run in – hell, I’ll run on sidewalks when they’re available.  But please for the love of all things holy – use your motherf*cking turn signal.  I don’t want to be your hood ornament.

But perhaps people would better see you then….

(go get a paper towel and wipe off the computer monitor.  They get fussy when you spit your coffee up on them…)

You’re back now?  Fresh cup of coffee?  Good. 

So I had a blind date for this past Sunday and we were going to meet for coffee.  So he picked the coffee place and I met him there…except that didn’t happen precisely like that. 

He picked the place and got there before me.  Which is when he texted me to say that it wasn’t open and did I mind going to another Starbucks.  I text-while-driving  (eeek!) to say no, but let me know if I should get off at exit A or exit B.  He says to just meet him at the original location and we’ll go to the new place.  Ok says me. 

Except the new place was Target.  Where we sat for 1.75hrs to have coffee. 

I remarked on the way out that this had to be the first time that I’d ever been to Target and walked out without anything. 
So now I can say that in addition to the usual first dates locations, I’ve been to Target.

We don’t do resolutions because it’s too easy to break them but we do set goals and objectives for the new year.  Here are ours:

1) Keep work and play in better balance.

2) Make workouts as much fun as they are essential.

3) Manage money better.  Get out of the living paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

4) Continue the focus of getting into better shape.  Ignore the number on the scale or the size on the tag of the clothes.

5) Be grateful.

So now that we have our top 5 goals, it’s just a matter of putting them into action.  Since I have today off from work (hooray for stand-down!), I want to figure out what Jersey, Stanley and I are going to go do today.  Maybe a hike? Running on the beach? Whatever it is, we’re going to enjoy today!