Changing Form - Week 4 Day 2

Have you ever been on a journey and something just didn't feel quite right?  That's how I was starting to feel towards the end of last week.  I have been running for 4 weeks now, and to my surprise it wasn't being winded that was taking a bit of a toll on me, it was my knee.  Almost from the beginning at Week 1 it has been bothering me and during Week 3 at times the pain was almost unbearable.  I was worried I would have to stop for awhile because I didn't know if I had actually injured myself.

A friend of mine told me some forming tips that she thought might help.  One of them was focusing on making sure I was running heal first.  When I went for my run last night, and started to focus on that, I realized that I had been running  toe first alot of the time. That one change of form helped my entire experience.  I went faster, ran farther, and hurt less then any other time before.  This morning I woke up, and I am not hobbling around like I was.

You can relate this to many things.  For me it was running, but you could relate it to any aspect of life.  What journey are you on?  If it's so difficult you feel like you may need to quit, check your form.  One small adjustment can sometimes make the world of difference! 

My First "Oh Crap" Moment

The title of this blog got you didn't it!   It got you wondering, "ok what did she do now?"  Well read on and I'll tell you.  Thankfully it wasn't like I fell in front of anyone, like I've done before while trying to rollerblade.  However, that included a huge hill, lots of traffic, and my ego shattering into a million pieces!  It's also a different story, and has nothing to do with what happened Mon. night.

I was already feeling a bit apprehensive because this is Week 3 Day 1, and I was going to have to run longer then I had before.  Throw in the fact that it was "that time of the month", and Sean wasn't going to be able to run with me, so I was by myself for the first time.  However, I'm feeling very dedicated to doing this, so I put on my ipod and headed out the door.

All was ok during the 5 minute warm up walk.  I knew that I would head all the way down Princess Way, and turn towards the school.  I also knew that right before I hit the school my trustee little person would pop up on the program and tell me to start running.  What I didn't know was that there would be about 30 plus football players practicing in the field where the track was!  So there it was, when I saw all those guys in uniform, my first "oh crap" moment.

First of all, at this point I would not want to run in front of anyone, except Sean, because let's just say it's not pretty.  I'm over weight, awkward, slow, and I shuffle.  Second of all, I escpecially would not do it around a track during football practice.  I figured I had approximately 30 sec. to figure out what I was going to do, until "the voice" demanded me to start running.  Was I going to run back from where I came (which would have been uphill)? Was I going to quit?  Then the thought came to me that I could just run back and forth on the street that the entrance to the school was on.  It was about a 4 block straight stretch.

And that is what I did.... Yes I had to dodge people parking and getting out of their cars.  Yes I also had to pass by people working in their yard a few times over. Yes I had to do this all the while being by myself the first time.  But, yes... I DID IT!

Week 3 Day 1 complete without interruption!

Week 2 Day 2 (Couch Potato to 5 K)

This morning I woke up and am definately feeling the effects of our run last night.  Everything from my knees down is sore.  Sean said it may be shin splints, I'm not sure.  I am down 4 pounds now, which I'm thrilled about! Since I'm exercising I thought I'd probably better eat healthier to. lol  The two seem to go hand in hand. 

This week we are running 90 seconds, and then walking 2 minutes for 20 minutes.  It seems almost easier then last week, however, I am dreading next week a bit.  Week 3 I will be running 3 minutes then walking 90 sec.  I know I am really out of shape.  To some of you that probably sounds like nothing.  Hard to believe in only 6 more weeks I should be running 45 minutes non stop!  It'll be interesting to say the least.

My friend decided to join us yesterday.  Though she is not actually running with us, she is doing her treadmill at her home.  Super proud of her!  She was pretty excited when she texted me this morning.

Tomorrow we will do it again, and so Week 2 will be complete.  I think of where this could all lead to, and it's pretty exciting.  The most important thing though for me still is to be healthy and active for my family.

Day 3 / Week 1 Complete on Couch Potato to 5 K

This morning I woke up and one of the very last things I wanted to do was run. For scheduling purposes we decided to do a morning run instead of an evening time one. I always thought of myself as a morning person, however I suppose that's when I'm in my house drinking a cup of coffee, not on the track.

I knew going out it was going to be difficult. I was sore from the run we did Thursday night, and my head was threatening to have a headache coming on. Luckily for me, I have Sean, who today was the coach who pushed me to do something I didn't want to. Accountability is a good thing! My anticipation of a hard time became reality. By the time we ran half way around the track on our first lap I thought I may die. of course, then you're thinking if I feel like this now, how in the world am I going to do this four more times?

I was surprised it actually got a bit easier by the time I was done. It requires some focus and determination, but I am proud to say that the first week of this program has been complete.

When I got home Sean showed me a video that he had watched last year when he started running. It was so inspiring that I wanted to share it here. It's about a man who was extremely overweight and one day he decided to run. Then the next day he decided to run again, and again and again. You'll have to watch it to hear his story and see the finished result.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbXgQqbOoU

It's hard to believe that this time last week it hadn't even entered my mind to run. Don't ever under estimate the power of a thought that comes to your mind suddenly. It may just change your life.

Running Day 2 (Journey from being a Couch Potato to Running a 5 K)

When my husband started running last year he would come home and tell me how relaxing it was. I thought he was crazy! How could running 3 or 4 miles, sweating profusely, and cramping be relaxing? I got a taste of what he was talking about last night. I'm still only at 1 mile, and that's walking half of it, but being outdoors and seeing the beautiful colors of the sunset WAS so relaxing - even though I was sweating profusely and cramping!

I feel as though I am breaking through barriers in my life. Things I never thought or even cared to do. I was sharing w/ Sean this morning that not one time in my entire life have I ever ran 2 miles. To think that in a few short weeks I could possibly be doing that is awesome to me! I know I am still at the "exciting" stage, and that it's ONLY day 2, but I have made a commitment to do this, and write about it, and so today I am excited of the possibilities.

Couch Potato to 5 K - Something New

When was the last time you started something new? We were driving in our car on Sunday morning heading to church when my husband nonchalantly mentioned he was going to start running again. Earlier in the year he had began running consistently, and even participated in the annual Pear Blossom 10 Mile Run. But, summer had come, vacations were happening, and he hadn't been running in a couple of months. When he stated that he would be starting up again the next day, that is when it happened. I popped off with the comment, "maybe I'll go with you." I thought he may have to pick his jaw up off the ground.

Let me explain...I am NOT a runner. If anything, I am the opposite. I even went as far as faking a knee injury in High School so my Mom would write me an excuse to not have to run the "Huff and Puff", a mile and a half run they did on Fridays in P.E....for 4 years! Pathetic, I know, but true. I don't know why I said I would join him, but I did, and so now here I am on a journey. It's called the "Couch Potato to 5 K" journey.

This really is a plan. It's a 9 week plan that claims to take someone like me, 3 days a week, and ease them into being able to run a 5 k which is 3 miles. I am not doing this necessarliy to lose weight, though that will be a benefit. I am doing this mainly because my family has expressed concern that if I don't exercise there is a high chance of me becoming immobile the older I get. At 37, I already am faced with issues like stiffness, sore joints, back problems, etc. In 20 years from now, they want to see me healthy and active, and I just began to realize that so do I.

Day 1 is complete now... I did it, and it wasn't that bad. I am sore and moving a bit slowly, but I am very excited to pursue this. I plan to write through my journey, not to get "pats on the back", but because it keeps me accountable. I loved having Sean there with me, he is a great coach. It also helped having Bruno Mars blaring through my Ipod singing "girl you're amazing, just the way you are"! lol

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Little Details

Have you ever caught yourself noticing all the little details of something? Whether it's the paint on the wall, the trim in a house, the way a plate looks when it is dished up, or even the way someone's hair is cut? Maybe you don't notice these things, but, for a painter, carpenter, chef, or hairstylist, that's probably the first thing they see. One thing I do notice, however, as I'm sure every Mom does, is the little details about my children.

In my son Timothy, I notice his deep brown eyes, quarkey sense of humor, and his very detailed mind. Chris, my oldest son, is very compassionate towards people who are hurting or feel left out, and is extremely smart. Emily has a small red vein that pops up in the middle of her forehead when she is upset. I noticed it literally the day she was born, and still to this day, it is there. Anna, my youngest, is a clean freak. She loves to organize and color coordinate her closet and bathroom drawer. Her idea of fun is dusting and doing the dishes. Trust me, I am taking full advantage of this! My question is this. What do you notice about your children?

It was so fun seeing some of the responses I got to this question on my Facebook page. One person commented they could list little details they notice about their kids for hours. It's true, we love them, and ponder them, and even though at times we can get so irritated with them, there's nothing we wouldn't do for them.

Where do we get the ability to notice these things? I am convinced that we get it from the Lord. We serve a God who is very detailed, and we are made in His image. When He created us He knew exactly what He was doing. Those little details like, the quarkey personality, the compassionate heart, the little red veins, and the abilities to organize, all come from Him. One of my favorite Scriptures that talks about this is in Psalms 139.

Ps 139:13-18

13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.


So next time you catch yourself walking into a place and noticing the paint on the wall, the way a food is dished, or the little things about your children, know that you also have a God who sees, and ponders, and notices all the little details about you.

Valentines Day Stories

I asked some followers of Krista's Corner to send in some stories or memories that they have of Valentines Day. In this blog I am going to post these stories, and ask you to vote for your favorite. The winner will be announced tomorrow and will receive a $20 gift certificate to Applebees, so they can go out to dinner with their loved one. Before I share those, I thought it would be only right if I shared one of mine. However, I don't qualify for the gift card (that would be wierd). lol

The Valentines Day that sticks out most to me is in 1991. It was the first date my husband, now of almost 19 years, and I had. We only had 30 minutes for this date because it was on our lunch period when we were Juniors at North Medford High School. We jumped in his little grey Toyota, and headed off to the buffet at Pappy's Pizza. I was 16, and at the time pretty skinny. My, how time changes things! While we were at the buffet he saw me go up not once, not twice, not three times, but four times to get more food. I figure I was thinking if I only had a few minutes, I better eat quick! Disgusting I know...I have learned since then not to do that. (sort of - thus the reason I'm not so skinny anymore) Apparently right after he saw me wolf down 4 plates of food, I excused myself to the bathroom. He later told me that he thought I was bulemic! Thank God he didn't go off of first impressions, and gave me the chance to go on a second date! Now 19 years and 4 kids later, he is still my Valentine who I love with all my heart.

Here are some other heart warming stories shared by some others.

The first is by Molly Niemann

Well, where do I start. Kevin had left to Egypt for his first deployment. We had only been together for 18 months and I was so torn up knowing the man I loved was going to be taken so far away from me. I knew I was in for a long haul being alone but I kept myself busy as much as I could. We didn't get to talk a lot cause of phone lines and how tied up they got it was down to about 2 times a month. I was kind of feeling down knowing valentines day was coming up and didn't know if Kevin would be able to call or anything. But then on that special day. I got woken up by a phone call from him and then not even 5 min later a knock on the door. There 3 red roses being delivered to me with such a sweet note that brought me to tears. I was able to talk to Kevin for about 20 minutes before he finally had to go. I was so emotional and so excited that I didn't think the day couldn't get better but I turned on the radio and about half hour later I heard kevins voice. He had called and gotten through from Egypt and talked to the lady about where he was and us. He said I wanted to tell my fiancé molly how much I love and miss her. They played it on air and I got to hear his other sweet surprise and a sweet song just for me from him. It was one of the best days I could of asked for with him being so far away from me. Well it's kind of long but that is a memory I hold so close to my heart.

The second is by Jan Martinez

Our first Valentines Day....30 years ago didn't start off to good! Denny failed to get me a gift or a card. I was so devastated. You know when you are first married you have these high expectations of what your first Valentines Day will be like!! Well I was sorely disappointed, it seemed that Denny had never really been taught the ways of Cupid! So after he realized his great blunder he left the house. Of course this just complicated my misery. He was gone for hours. Now please remember that this was way before the days of cell phones or pagers of any type! So there I sat in a pitiable state of distress. My fantasy of Valentines Day had been shattered and I was all alone setting on my couch. As the hours passed my self pity grew. Finally I heard the car pull into the driveway, I was mixed with feelings of relief he was home and with the feeling of how wretched he was to have done absolutely nothing on this special day. But he redeemed himself! He came home with a giant card. He had gone to the store and bought all the supplies to make me a card. He then went to a park and assembled this giant and I do mean giant card. He had bought poster board and used that for the pages. He had been gone for hours because he isn't exactly what one would term "crafty" so creating a card of this magnitude took some time and thought. Of course when he told me the story and confessed that he had blundered almost beyond repair, all was forgiven. Our first Valentines Day that started off so bleak turned into my favorite memory of Valentines Day! For the record, I always get a card on Valentines Day!!

The third is by Amy Miller (Creekside Whimsies)

Pete and I don't necessarily do anything fantastically amazing on Valentine's Day, so sorry to say I don't have any mushy story along those lines. Everyday is Valentine's Day for us...I know, sounds cliche. :)

But I do have a Valentine's Day memory. Actually, it's a series of memories from when I was growing up. My brother was a few years older than me, and he had Cerebral Palsey. He was every bit as intelligent as the next person, he only had physical limitations. But it didn't stop him from enjoying holidays throughout the year. Valentine's Day was no exception. Every year, he and I looked forward to whatever little Valentine cards Mom would pick out for us. You know, the kind that little kids would give out to all their friends? Anyway, Mom would sit with both of us at the dining table when it was time to go through and sign all those little cards. Because by brother wasn't able to sign them himself, Mom would put a pen in his hand and hold his hand, signing his name "Jason" on every card. He loved it. He had so many friends in school, and he would always get so excited about the growing stack of cards that he was going to take for his friends. I remember whizzing through my cards, and then sitting and watching Mom, with her incredible patience, help my brother finish his. I used to get so impatient. It seemed to take them forever to get them done. And, of course, when all the Valentine's Day class parties were over, my brother would bring home an incredible haul of little Valentine cards. Classmates, friends, teachers, teachers' aids, even people in our church would give him cards...it was amazing. He got cards from some people that I didn't even know existed. But they knew him, and thought enough of him to wish him a Happy Valentine's Day.

To all of you who are reading this today, have a Happy Valentines Day! Whether you are married, single, engaged, or to young to even think about it, take time to make a memory. God Bless!

Barbara

Have you ever known a person who everybody called Mom? I remember growing up, my friends would call my Mom that. When I first met my husband, there were always a ton of people at his house, and every single one of them called his Mom, Barbara, Mom. Little did I know back then that she would be one of the most important people who would ever come into my life. Not only to me, but to my children, and countless numbers of others.

It is impossible to try to describe Barbara in one word. So these are some of the few I think of when I think of her, as I'm sure those of you who know her would agree. Giving, thoughtful, patient, trustworthy, funny, faithful, and something maybe not everybody knows...a dancing queen!

It makes me sad when I hear about people who don't get along with their in-laws. I am so thankful I have never had to experience that. Sean loves my parents, I love his, and vice versa. Don't get me wrong, we are by no means a perfectly happy family all the time...but...we are a family. When there are differences, they get worked out. When feelings are hurt, there is forgiveness. When someone does something stupid, we laugh at them!

One thing I love about Barbara is she knows what she wants. When it comes to her kids, grandkids and friends she always wants what is best for them, and to see them succeed. When it comes to vacations, if she can't be in Hawaii, she wants to be at the coast. When it comes to clothing, she wants to be classy and comfortable. And last but not least, she wants Diet Coke instead of Diet Pepsi. (Trust me, every waiter or waitress sees the "look" when they say, "we don't have Coke, is Pepsi alright?)

Some of the friendly family competitions we have is on Barb's birthday or Christmas we like to see who's gift can make her cry. She has no problem with expressing her emotions. I should clarify one thing though. It's not really a competition, Ben (Sean's brother) ALWAYS wins. We have succumb to the defeat though, and usually will get her one of her other favorite things...flowers.

For 20 years now, I've been blessed with having Barbara in my life, and I'm looking forward to the next 20. She is an amazing woman of God, who would give you the shirt off her back in a heartbeat. I know now why every one of Sean, Brandon, and Ben's friends called her Mom. It is because she is a Mom, in every single way.

I love you Barbara - Mom!

Routine or Spur of the Moment?

I took a survey on my Facebook page recently, asking the question, "Are you more of a "schedule" or "spur of the moment" type person?" I asked this because I noticed in my life how much of a "routine" type person I am. I like things a certain way, at a certain time, in a certain order. Now to "spur of the moment" type people (who I have in my immediate family) this drives them nuts I'm sure. I mean, how boring, right! If my routine gets messed with I can handle it for a bit, but then I tilt. Someone answered the question on my page, "I am a routine person who longs to be more of a spur of the moment type". That is how I feel also. But, at 36, I still get up at the same time, walk in and turn on the coffee pot, and do a lot of the same things every day.

My daughter, who is also very much a routine person in some things, is right in the middle of her gymnastics competition season. She will always eat Chicken Alfredo the night before a meet, and eggs the morning of. She eats a Power Bar in the car on the way, even though she hates them. She won't touch a sweet the week before a meet, but during the awards ceremony you may see her bust out a bag of Sour Patch Kids. Routine right? This last weekend we were in Washington and she did what I long to do. No, I'm not talking about a backflip, I would break myself! I'm talking about busting out of the normal, and still handling it well. She had the opportunity to stay with a friend at The Great Wolf Lodge, which has a huge indoor water park, the night before the meet. That's the first break of routine. She's never not stayed with us. Then that night for dinner she had a Burger and Fries (or something like that) and most likely a lot of sugar. That's number two. The morning of the meet she only had a bowl of fruit. That's three. Then finally, the meet itself was probably the most "not normal" meet for her personally that she's ever had. However, with all that, she got her highest All Around score to date for the level she's in. When I asked her afterward if she had fun even though it was so different, her comment back was "IT WAS A BLAST!" She had the most fun ever, and has talked about it over and over again.

For those of us who are so scheduled, I want to leave a thought. What would happen if we broke out of our routine? What if we tryed something new or switched things up a bit? Could it be that possibly we would have a blast? For those of you who are very spur of the moment, what if you got in to some sort of routine? Would it help things be more organized or peaceful? No matter who you are, and what "type" of personality you have one thing is for all of us. Love life, laugh hard, and make each day count!

Mother's

It has been said that a mother's love know's no bounds. What we will do when it comes to our children will go beyond, strength, perseverence, or any other meaningful attribute we express. We will do just about anything for them.

My Mom has always been my best friend. I realized at a young age how lucky I was to have her. Not every mother/daughter relationship is good, and I knew that what we had, and still have, is a blessing.

I'm sure she would tell you that I was the perfect daughter and by all means never did anything to give her grief. LOL! If you know me, you know I'm kidding. In my teenage years, the saying "a mother's love knows no bounds" was especially true. The times when I would get so mad at her because she wouldn't let me do what "everybody else's" parents were letting them do. Or the times when I would blow up at her because my hair wasn't cooperating and it was time to go to school. Yes, there were tense times growing up, but there were also very meaningful times. The nights we'd take walks along the bike trail and talk about anything and everything, the mother/daughter trips we took to the coast "just because", and the times she'd get a sleeping bag and sleep outside under the stars with me and we'd see who could count the most airplanes, satellites, and shooting stars.

My Mom was always the one who could make me cry. When I was pregnant with my first child and the doctor told me to go home, pack, and come back, because he was going to deliver the baby that day, I stayed fairly composed...until I called my Mom. As soon as I heard her voice, the tears came. Why? Because there's a bond there that breaks down any walls.

As an adult woman who has been married for almost 19 years and now has 4 kids of my own, (the oldest being a teenager now) my Mom is still one of my best friends. If I'm sick I still want her to bring me 7-up and crackers, if I've had a bad day, talking to her always makes it better, and the awesome thing is...she feels the exact same way about her Mom.

One of the passions in my life is to be a great Mom. My kids mean the world to me, and I would do just about anything for them. When it comes to my kids, I can be mean, but nobody else better be or they'll see the bear rise up in me. (LOL, I'm kidding...somewhat) They have wonderful people who pour into their life, like pastors, coaches, teachers, etc...but nothing compares to Mom. That's something I would never change.

In the long seasons of raising your kids, whether they're newborns not sleeping through the night, potty training, teenagers, etc. , never forget there is no greater joy then being a Mom. Those hard times will be passed up by the meaningful times. When they're older, maybe they can say the same thing about you that I say to my Mom...I love you, you mean the world to me, and your love has shown no bounds.

Don't Let Things go Unattended

Have you ever had a situation that you didn't really want to face? In your mind you succeeded in tricking yourself that if you ignore the problem it will just go away. Recently that happened to me. Infact, I'm in the middle of it right now. Before I tell you about it, let me just say one thing. If there's something in your life that you know needs to be dealt with, just do it. It might not be fun, it might even be painful, but in the end it's worth it.

A couple of years ago I had 2 root canals done on my back teeth. Not the ideal way to spend time or money, but I was happy, because the pain had become unbearable. The price was almost $2000 to get it done, and I was under the impression that it was for the entire procedure...getting new caps and all. So, when I called to make the appointment for the caps to get done, they said it was going to be around another $2000. I don't know about you, but coming up with an extra $4000 for teeth isn't easy. So, instead of getting them done, I let it go. Afterall, the pain was gone, and though it was pretty inconvenient when the temporary filling fell out, I still left it unattended. That was about a year and a half ago.

Over that period of time, I could tell they were in really bad shape. One ended up falling out, but never healing correctly, and the other just wasn't right at all. About 3 weeks ago I could tell something was going on with them because it started getting a little painful again. Then on Tuesday night, last week, I looked and they had abcessed. On Friday, I ended up at the Ortho Surgeon, and had both removed permanently.

Why am I sharing this? It's pretty gross, pretty personal, not many people want to hear about infected teeth...but, I share this because in many areas of our life we think if we ignore it, it will just fix it self or go away completely. That usually isn't the case. Whether it's in a marriage, raising kids, our health, our careers, our relationship with God, etc. leaving things unattended is never the answer. Sometimes we do just enough to make the pain go away, but never go as far as we need to, to resolve it totally.

This has made me think, and I am determining to look at every area in my life, and ask the Lord, "What am I not wanting to deal with? What have I let go?" I don't want to wait until the infection is so bad, that "emergency surgery" has to be done. What about you?