Post Marathon~ When honesty gets RAW~

16 weeks are gone, Bayshore is soo yesterday. While I still rest on the skirt tails of my personal victory it too has passed. The beauty of achieving something that has been so much work and is worth so much to us is that it supplies you with lasting gratitude and appreciation. Great achievement carries so much weight and it holds so much value. 

The harder the work, effort and ability to reach our victory combined with the amount of heart we invest in it defines our response to it. 

Emotionally my cup runneth over.
Physically I am on the mends. 
Muscle soreness
The soreness depends on the individual, his state of training and the activity. The most likely causes after a marathon are depletion of energy reserves and the accumulation of fluid in the muscles.

You can relieve soreness by icing, massage, light activity and slow gentle stretching. This helps increase circulation through body which also gets things moving! Drinking fluids will help flush the waste products from the body. After the marathon I doubled up on my Juice Plus to promote healing.
My quads are still sore..Oh steps How I HATE YOU.
I know tomorrow I am going to have to get out there and run and loosen up. Any exercise will promote circulation and aid healing and recovery for my poor body.
POST RACE: light and easy exercise...I have yet to do any..I did walk with "Kelli" Tuesday at work about 1 mile.
 

Other Post Race Recovery Tips

• Ice baths
• Massage
• Aspirin
• Compression garments
• Foam Rolling!! 

There are guidelines to when you should run after a marathon. Andy is currently upset with me because I am registered for a half marathon on Sunday. This means I am NOT following the guidelines. These are not designed as the only mold for every runner. It is a personal preference but here they are:
 1-day-for-every-mile you race to get back to normal. 
I would say, on the whole, this is true but more for a beginner runner. Certain parts of the body/mind recover faster than others. 
It also depends on the course and conditions—courses with a lot of camber and downhill can beat you up far worse than those that are gently rolling or flat. Also the temperature of  marathons is another element to recovery. I recover better in hot weather than cold or rainy weather. 


Well I really want to see my Thursday girls tomorrow. So I am going to attempt to run tomorrow. I am going to ask if we can run/walk. 

"And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." 1 Thes 5:14

I wanted to say PERSONAL THANK YOU'S to those who took a minute to say anything encouraging. 
THANK you DANIELLE, KATIE, 
Those who sent encouragement on my FACEBOOK: Sara M, Melissa H, Lisa H, Deb B,AuntLo, Mom, Rachael P, Kay G,Linda H, Meisha M, and the others out there. 
And those on Daily Mile: Rebecca, Fritz, Zachy, Scott, Lori, and the many many others.


WHO Have you Encouraged today?? If you struggle encouraging others I challenge you to ASK YOURSELF WHY?? What keeps you in the shadows of someones victory? What prevents you from edifying someone? 
I am an Encourage. And encouragement to me is like fuel. It is so energizing. I respect and love people for being able to to it. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1 Thess 5:11

"Kerry W" said it best to me on Tuesday after the marathon. Kerri ran the Bayshore also. She saw me chatting it up laughing and having a good ole time with some guy... turns out that was"Jay"!! She was so mad at me for laughing when she was feeling her IT band flaring up. She was happy for me but she was mad at me. She was so honest. She wanted to be encouraging but in her pain she was mad at me. She wanted to feel good, she wanted to laugh, she wanted what she didn't have. She was so raw at first..but I thought what she said was so very honest and in so many ways how many of us feel about others. "Kerri" dropped out at mile 22. I was heart broken for her. She tearfully walked off the course humbled and crushed.  I appreciated her honesty..It took a lot of COURAGE to be so honest. 
Have you Encouraged someone today?? If not WHY Not??? You could be someones GIFT...Give it. 
Anita

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works," Hebrew 10:24

Anita

Bayshore Marathon..FINDING Anita, BIB 859!

It was 5am and Andys cell phone was making an obnoxious alarm noise. It was our good morning wake up call- our call to Rise and Race. Bayshore 2012. Traverse City Michigan.
Andrew had to leave to catch his shuttle at 6:15, so dad and him were up and gone.

My partner just left me. For the last several weeks we have trained at least one day together. We shared our long runs together helping to keep each other sane on those long, painful and mentally challenging runs.
But now we were separated by the race but not by the run. I would not see Andy take off at the starting line of his half marathon but I would be looking forward to passing him on the course. The Marathoners and Half Marathoners pass one another on the course.

Dad came back to pick up the rest of us, mom, me and the boys and drop me off at my starting line. Casually we all strolled out the hotel and into the car. I had no prerace jitters and I even forced a half of a banana and a Luna bar down. "Danielle" (my running partner) gave me a Luna bar and some coffee in a care package and I had been waiting to enjoy them on my race. I wanted to have a little piece of her with me.

Dad dropped me off about 6:45. All morning long Andy had been saying my race was at 7:30. So thinking I had plenty of time I decided to get into the port-a-potty line and try to squeeze out one last little bit of whatever I had in me! I had been in line for about 5 minutes and things just didn't feel right. I just suddenly got out of line.I have no idea why I just did. The National Anthem came on. I stopped in my tracks put my hand over my heart but now I was really thinking...This is not sung till 5 minutes before starting. I started following the crowds to the school track area where I assumed the starting line was. I noticed people were dancing around, looking at their watches, appearing nervous. I asked someone when the race started and they said any minute!!! Ohh crap. Instant guilt filled me as I quickly looked for my place in the corrals, I just told a guy 10 minutes ago the race didn't start till 7:30. I felt terrible. I didn't even have enough time to think about anything other than getting my Garmin on and with satellite. Too late, the gun was off. "COME ON..get satellite, come on come on..." I crossed the starting mats and was running no signal....

As I ran with my head down I got to a tenth of a mile and had a signal, it was time to focus on my training and my pace. I thought of different people who helped me with my journey the last few months. I said a prayer for Andy and Katie at they were running the Half. I thought of "Danielle" and how the last marathon I ran was Boston and I literally ran into "Danielle" on the course. (A schoolmate from 20 years ago who has sense become a weekly running partner and dear friend.) Then I thought of "Melissa" she had just posted words of wisdom on Facebook and it really spoke volumes to me. "Run your own race...."

I am saturated by the race. I absorb all the elements of the moment. I feel the crisp air across my bare arms and legs, I listen to the runners talk about their goals and training,Lilacs everywhere, they are so fragrant. Then I look out over the clear sky and think ...24 miles to GO!!! I need music!!  I gotta get into my groove. I turn on my iPod and Calvin Harris sings into my ears.

 I feel so close to you right now 

It's a force field I wear my heart upon my sleeve, like a big deal Your love pours down on me, surrounds me like a waterfall 

 And there's no stopping us right now I feel so close to you right now

Oh No! Here is comes..The lump..The Tears..The words to the song...Yes, Gratitude, gratefulness to God for all these elements, for this experience, for the abilities I have been given. "Right Now..God I feel Soo Close to YOU, There is NO stopping us RIGHT now!!"

I felt so strong, I felt powerful and elite. I can not explain the emotion I was overcome with but it came with tears and humility.  

Right now, today, I was going to put my body through a living hell, I was going to do something that less than 1% of people ever do, I was going to keep my head up, and rely on my training and God to pull me through the next 24 miles and Love every minute of it. I was going to love the fight, the scenery, the runners, the crazy voices in my head, and even love the pain. 

I had to break up the marathon in my mind to have mini goals to look forward to.

1. SEE ANDY roughly Mile 8 or 9  
2. Double digits..Mile 10..duh!
3. Half way mark..Mile 13 
4. See Katie ...between mile 14 and 15
5. Mile 20..Its where you assess yourself mentally and physically! 

I LOVE this PIC...Mom with open Arms!!

As we were coming to mile 6 the half marathoners were coming down the course towards us. It was so exhilarating to watch these first few elite runners passing us at such hyper speed. I felt so energized by their speed and smiles. As we ran farther I started looking for Andy. Just then I see my family. I see dad fumbling for the camera and the boys shouting :"MOM, Its MOM" I am overcome by emotion, I didn't think I would see them. I actually stop to hug them and tell them I love them. But they shew me away yelling "Go mama, GOO!"
 I see this tall guy reach his hand out coming towards me. He is screaming and pointing at me..."Oh my" I thought..."Thats Andy!" He looks amazing as he cheerfully shouts "HOW YOU DOING NITA?" I am chuckling as I respond "Good, I am GOOD!!!" 
And just that quick he is gone!
That was at mile 8.5. 
I was loving having all these runners coming at me. I screamed "GREAT Job", "Today is Your Day", "Looking Good" and whatever else I could come up with to cheer them on. It was like a endorphin boost. 

So quickly I was past mile 10 and could see our turn around, Mile 13 already, WOW!
Half way mark. I feel pretty good. I had been following this woman with pink shorts for several miles now. At mile 6 she was massaging her hips and I said a prayer for her, it must have helped because as we took this turn around she sped up her pace. 

Ran unto the course to greet Katie, her last half mile!!

I had not even gotten to mile 14 when I saw "Katie. I actually did a double take. She was cruising to be that close behind me. I was concerned she had taken that first half way to fast. I was so happy to see her though. We worked so hard the last few weeks together. I had been helping to train her for the last 16 weeks. She was not only working, going to school full time but also was training for her first marathon with me. It got me all choked up like a mother to see her doing so good. I loved seeing her 13 miles to victory!

I was getting a little warm. But everything was in working order. It is amazing what we are capable of doing when we work hard. I wish everyone would set a goal and just do everything it took to achieve it. It is the most amazing feeling in the world. No excuses, no procrastinations, set up a plan and work hard to achieve it. We have all gotten so used to having what we want, there is no work involved, we don;t push our self to the next level, we do not try to excel. WHY?? There is so much LIFE out there just waiting for you to come and get it, to see it, to feel it...to earn it. 

IT GETS A LITTLE WEIRD HERE: Part 2

At mile 15 ish this guy comes up to me and says "I have been following you almost the whole time, you are a good pacer." I say "Thank you" and then he asks my name. When I ask him his name he says this "JAY, Jay Cramer from Evansville Indiana, this is my 6th marathon....". I am thinking in my mind "NO STINKING WAY!" I QUICKLY interrupt him "Jay, did you eat last night at the Blue tractor?" He responds "AHH Yes...." Totally freaked out now I finish saying, "You were in the bathroom with my kids and my dad..." Then he interrupts me "YOU guys were sitting in front of me and my family, you have 2 boys..." Ha ha, we are yelling and laughing at this like we have lost our marbles-which is a normal occurrence about this part of the marathon anyway! I say to him.."Yup You are Jay Cramer who has a new baby and is doing the marathon in every state thing, you are like 33 aren't you?"  My father and kids were so impressed by his story in the bathroom I remembered everything they told me. Jay was cracking up. 
We chatted and ran together for the next few miles. We shared our goals which were only about 8 minutes apart. But his goal was sooner than mine so we said our good lucks and promised to get a picture for the kids at the finish line. As he pulled ahead he shouted "Phil 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And I belted forward as Loud and Proud as I could Jere33:3 "Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things which thou knowest not."
I had told Jay before he left that the girl in pink shorts was really good at pacing because we had been beside each other the whole time also. I decided to say "Hi".
From that point I learned everything about her also. "Sarah" Age 43, 61 marathons. 16 at Bayshore and this was quite possibly her last. She talked and smiled the whole time. She never stopped for water, to take a GU and refused to look at her pace or time. Every time I looked at my garmin we were running a 7:45-8 minute pace. I fearfully decided I could not carry this and had to "Run my own Race" So I told her I was going to walk through the water stations to go ahead. 
The entire race I was very disciplined in drinking at every water station and taking a Chomp every 2-3 miles. I accredit this to why I still felt amazing at mile 18.
But I decided to walk through to get my water, Jay was doing this and it has been said it can be more helpful to you to do it this way. And each time I did this I still caught back up to  Sarah.

At mile 23 I was feeling it. I was next to "Sarah" who was not even sweating. It was the last water station. I grabbed my last water and walked and drank. "Sarah" looked untouchable. I felt ok. I put my head up high and focused on her pink shorts and strong legs. It felt personal to catch up to her. I dug deep and picked my pace up reach her. Slowly I was closing the gap. I felt a connection with "Sarah".  I caught up to her at mile 25. It was as if she was waiting for me. She welcomed me back and suddenly there was Andy and Austin joining us on the course. I was tapped. They were cheering me on and encouraging me. Austin took my right side and Andy took my left. "Save some for the finish hunny" I could barely respond, "I am trying, I am trying." My lungs were so heavy, I felt like I was going to puke. "I think I am going to puke." I cry. "Sarah" now joins in, "You got it, You are almost there, Less than a mile." Andy and Austin are still running next to me. It was incredible. "Anita, there is the track, you are almost there, save yourself for the track" and that was it, they separated.
My feet touched the track with "Sarah" in front of me. I didn't know if I could pull it in that last 200 meters. This was it. "Shut up and run Anita" The stands were full, people were everywhere. This is victory...I crossed the finish line with all my heart. God carried me not only across the line, he carried me the whole race directing people in my path to encourage me and support me. From new faces to family faces every detail was orchestrated perfectly.

JAY..JAY CRAMER!!!

WHY IT IS CREEPY???? 
Because if you read my blog a couple days agoThere is no Anita???bayshore Marathon....You will see my bib never worked. It never registered. My story was just that a story. There was no proof I ever ran because I was not on the results!!!
I had to email the timing company every bit of information I had. For some reason I remembered "Jay Cramer" And Finished with "Sarah" age 43!!! 
It was THAT information that lead them to FIND ME!!!!! 
God just wanted me to TRUST HIM! SEE People have Glitches...But God doesnt!!!

By the way 
Anita Harless. 9th in my age group.
285 overall. 
8:03 pace, 1:45:26 SPLIT
Total 3:30:52 Chip time. 
That is not only a PR..but also a BQ!!!

Family support

I was encouraged by others, by my mom and dad, husband & children who sacrificed for me and love me even if I am a bit whacked wanted to endeavor 26.2 miles, They do not get it but they get me. I am also encouraged by other runneres, "Katie" and "Danielle" who are the best partners a girl could ask for, so committed and dedicated, all those December and January runs they were always at Indian Springs with smiles, rain, shine, snow, and sweat.  
But ANDY..He is my Partner in Life. This was our 16th wedding anniversary Gift! I love sharing the same passions as HIM..I couldn't do it with out him...Or God.

KATIE AND I!

Anita 

There is No Anita??? Bayshore Marathon

Bayshore Marathon. Andy had a tag thinging that you could check your results out instantly. So after the race he punched in his bib number and BAM there were his results. I was on the edge of my seat for him to check mine. At first I thought he was joking when he said "There are no results for that bib number." Only he repeated his self.

6:30 am. half awake boys!

I realized this was not a joke and there was nothing funny about it. I was stuck in the car and wanted to cry. I just ran 26.2 miles and the only crying I did was in total gratitude towards God for giving me this opportunity. These were real tears, painful tears, tears of desperation. How could I train for 4 months and it all be in Vain. How could I just run the most incredible run I have ever ran and it be of no worth. How could I qualify for Boston and it not be counted. No..No this could not be happening. I was overcome by more emotions than I had been all day, all week.

I couldn't do anything about it and I knew that. But I couldn't find any peace. We went to breakfast, had a nap and even went to the downtown area but I knew until we went to Running Fit my mind was a loss. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was stealing my focus.
We arrived at Running Fit about 5 pm. I spoke to this guy, Daniel. He released so much tension with his calming voice alone. I was in shear panic as I spoke to him all my concerns. I could feel myself choking up all over again. He gently assured me this happens all the time. The official results do not come out till Wednesday because of this sort of thing.  "Just email us all your data that you have, with your name and number and anything you have and we will get back to you to figure this all out." He made me feel so much better when he added "We also have a video start and a video finish and will be able to get to the bottom of it, do not worry."  My shoulders dropped, my hands relaxed, I felt air release from my lungs as I exhaled all my concern and grief.

So I will give my low down later, I have a really cool story. God always shows himself and encircles me with incredible people...Angels..

My unofficial Garmin time:

Time-3:29

Pace: 7:59

Distance: 26.1

NOTE: My Garmin is off a tenth of a mile because I could not get satellite!

Anita

The night before..

 

 We left the bed and breakfast after an amazing breakfast they prepared for us and topped off with French Press coffee. Divine

We left there and headed to a museum. Only I already forgot the name of it!! ha ha

I was excited to head to Ludington State Park which was on the way to Traverse City. We thought a nice strolling bike ride would be fun.

Well here it goes. I am still up so I will give you the day  in pictures! 
Yes, I am nervous.
I have continued to check the weather.
And it has a 30% chance of rain.
My last meal consisted of fish and chips and coleslaw in Traverse City at the "Blue Tractor".

 I Found Katie at the expo!! I am so excited for her! This is her 1st marathon!!

 We Enjoyed our dinner reunited with mom and dad and the kids. By this time Andy was so wound up from the horrific traffic we had a totally different Ora around us.
Today was our actual Anniversary.  16 years. We are total Polar opposites. on the outside looking in we look like the weirdest couple, like Lucy and Desi..But it works. By the Grace of God it work.
We both got each other race registrations. I got Andy the Fall colors Race across the Mackinac Bridge and He got me "Get down and Dirty" AND a pair of sunglasses!! My first pair ever!!! So excited.
I think I will wear them tomorrow!

The lights are off, Andy is rolled over, and I think it is time to TRY and sleep. I actually have to brush my teeth but it is occupied and has been for a bit too long for me to go near it...if you get what I mean.

Good night.
Nita

Lighthouse Run in Ludington

HELLO LUDINGTON!!

You pack, clean, organize and prepare and no matter what something gets forgotten, misplaced or lost.

Andy and our not so fun run!

I am always forgetting something. I try to come across like I am organized and prepared. And I think I am. I am not sure though..I am a bit confused about who I am and who I think I am. Who I am and who I want to be.

I had to have a  run to Lighthouse!

Before we got to the end of the street Andy had already asked 2 times.."Anita, did you turn the water off after you watered the flowers?" My obligatory response to any of these types of questions is always, "Yesss Andy.." Then my wheels start turning. "I think I did, Yes, You did..Did I??" So by the time the second time comes around  that he asks I am soo scared I didn't shut the water off..Or whatever I was suposed to do in any particular occasion like this one. But for today the second time he asks me all confidence leaves me..."Ahh, maybe we had better go check."
Did I SHUT the Water OFF???????
Yeah...No I didn't! I wanted to..I planned on turning it off, I thought I did..
But I felt so much better about my forgetfulness when Mom and Dad called to ask where the Boys' suitcase was back at our house. Andy packed them with us! (Mom and dad are bringing the boys up tomorrow to meet us in traverse City.) Even Smarty pants Andy has "Nitaism Moments"

Master suite w/jacuzzi tub

We left a day early for a night alone. We did something we have never done before. We are staying at The Ludington House. This is our first time at a bed and breakfast and it is better than I had imagined.
We arrived shorty after 4 pm after our massages that Andy surprised me with! It was awesome.
When we arrived to the 1887 house the owner greeted us sweetly at the door. After giving us the history of the house she finished by telling us unfortunately our room had sprung a leak! Then she calmly added "So we upgraded you to the master suite. Like a 3rd graded I grinned at Andy (when she wasn't looking at me) and started lightly jumping and shaking with excitement!

All I could think of was running to the lighthouse. Andy and I quickly changed into our running clothes and headed out.
About 2 miles into what was meant to be our last run and a fun run Andy says "Anita, this is NOT a fun RUN! There is Nothing fun about it!"
We were running a steady incline, with 20 mile an hour winds and 87 degrees! The sand was blowing into my eyes but it was still fun for me. I was with my favorite person doing one of my favorite things, Running. And running in a new place even tops it off!

Just arrived in Ludington

Today is my last run before Bayshore one Saturday. The weather is a bit iffy and if I don't quit checking it I may drive myself more batty than I already am. Not like I can change it. We ran 4 miles at a 9:15 pace.
Tomorrow I will be conscious of everything that goes in my mouth. From water to protein to carbs. Carb loading started over a week ago, I hope I have enough storage's.
If you can remember to keep me in your prayers.

I just wanted to share how God has blessed me with some awesome people. Some people do not run. Some people will read this and just read it for no other reason but curiosity. But there are some people who will pray for me, who have been praying for me. People who could care less about running but care for me. I have been blessed with some angels around me. I have been given gifts and cards from people who for some reason love me, support me and want me to know they believe in me. People who do NOT run and have no intention of running.
Thank You to "Danielle" my running partner who gave me a very thoughtful care package and card on our last run. I am just so thankful. I am humbled and blessed.

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thes5:18

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7

Anita

This is where the Rubber Meets the ROAD!

4 months. That is what I have been training now to run Bayshore Marathon.
I have trained 45-50 mile run weeks. I have ran every Thursday with my running girls "Katie" and "Danielle"
I have done 4 months of stretching, training, sweating, rolling, praying, and RUNNING.
This is it. You have either put your training to the test or you haven't.
You can't cheat the marathon.
It is 26.2 miles of pavement that will eat you up and spit you out with no remorse!
I Respect the marathon. I am humbled by its magnitude.
I am so small in comparison. I can only conquer you One Mile at a Time. One Breath at a Time. One Step closer to your Splendor. I love you and I hate you. I embrace you and I fear you. I could never come to you unprepared.
I Believe I am ready to Run Your Course.
But I am not coming alone.

 "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."

My God is bigger than you. He never leaves me.(Deut 31:6) He strengthens me (Phil 4:13) I seek him and he hears me."Matt 7:7-8) I call unto him and he shows me great and mighty things. (Jere 33:3) I am well and able to overcome (Numb 13:30)

I will see you in a couple days. This is it, 4 months later we meet. I look forward to your beauty. I embrace your greatness. I come humble yet boldly. I am confident we will enjoy our time together and you will see my passion in my pain. I know you will inflict pain upon me. You will not destroy me and you will not discard me. I have worked way to hard for that. I will not give up. I will fight. I will run. I will persevere..

This is where the rubber meets the road. I have nothing else. There are no ancient shining secrets to get me painlessly across the finish line. It will take me over 3 and a half hours.
But this I ask. My one last request...I have prayed ...I ask you to pray for me.
Please remember me in your prayers. For Strength, Perseverance, Confidence. To stay strong minded and quick footed.

Anita

In the Heat of it. When running feels like Hell.

  Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. - William James

A canopy of shade!

6 days to go till Baysore. Today I was suposed to run 12. I did 11.
It was 88 degrees- without a cloud in the sky. I ran at high sun, 1pm.

Track shorts Lululemon

"Run in the sun shorts"

It was terrible. This did not turn out to be a great run. What made it great was getting it done and being done!

What made it a little more tolerable was getting to wear my new purchase from Lululemon.
I wish I could afford to shop there more. They have some incredible goodies. But the reality is I had a gift card from them for a pair of pants I returned. Because the pants are no longer being made they gave me almost double my purchase price! So I actually bout 2 pairs of shorts!

What NO NO do You see Andy did? Notice the sweatband-that was smart for saving the eys.

Andy and I took off together. I felt pretty good other than a mild headache and a runny nose I was ready to go.
Andy on the other hand..Not so good. I passed my cold off his way. He was not feeling so hot...YET!!. I decided to do 12 and he was wanting to run between 8 and 10.

Andy was too hot to focus on zooming in-to show you my skirt. Overall it did really good.

We took off together running towards as much shade as we could find. Dirt Road we welcome you, we implore you and we seek you!
The dirt roads were a a bit of a let down with the last few days of heat they were dirty, dry and dusty. Because of where the sun was positioned we were hardly sheltered from the stifling heat.

You could feel your heart beating in your chest and your legs had that tingling feeling through out them. We found our self looking forward to our waking breaks every 10 minutes.
At almost 4 miles Andy and I separated on Lahring rd. It was time to kick it into gear. I put some music in my ears, tried to embrace the heat and suck it up. I was able to convince myself that "I Got This" for about 3 miles..till I saw Andy coming toward me on Belford rd...
"Why the heck is he coming towards me?" "Did something happen??"
As I approached him I asked him with the small amount of energy left in me, "Why are you here? You should be heading home?" Andy replied breathless, "I was worried for you." But the crazy part was he looked way worse that I did. He had to come up a significant mound to reach me and he was feeling it. Truth is, I was more worried for him.
I checked our water and we were both almost out. CRAP! This was not good, we had more than 4 miles to go without water and running without any covering from the smoldering sun was looking like a death sentence.
I had to make a decision.  With Andy not feeling good, I decided to run ahead of him and seek water at the nursery about a half of a mile down hill. I let my legs guide me down leaving Andy cautiously behind. I was genuinely concerned for him. There are not many times when running fast really become an asset other than racing like they did now.
The nursery ladies were very kind to the sweaty chick in a pink miniskirt and sports bra coming off the street. I can only imagine what was going through their mind! They filled my 20 oz bottle from their hose and I was off again.
I could see Andy up ahead. From the distance he looked tall and strong. I had about 700 feet to catch up to him. I was refreshed from a cold drink but knew I had to put it into high gear to catch up and get him some water.

Have No idea what this little fella was, other than really slow and dumb. Someone lost their mama:(

By the time I reached him I was toast. I handed him the water bottle and he wanted to ask me a couple questions. All I could muster was "SHHH."
I couldnt talk for about 2 minutes and all that came out was "When can we walk?"
Disappointed with his answer I just trailed behind him. He started begging me to go ahead and leave him. To go at my own pace. He said he didnt think he could make it the remaining 3 miles home. There was no way I was going to leave him, we stopped completely on the side of the road. Andy needed to relax, calm down and refocus. McDonalds was less than a half a mile up the road. As we pushed off we drank more water and even took in a chew I made another descision. I decide I would leave Andy yet again and run to McDonalds for ice and water for our bottles. I didnt get an arguement from Andy and I even took his 2 8oz bottles along with my 20 oz bottle.
This time I was feeling like I was not getting very far fast. I occasionally looked behind me to make sure Andy was ok. But I focus on the Golden Arches.
As I approached the building I noticed the sign..No shirts..."Hmm, I thought, I technically have a shirt..it just looks like a bra."
Without much more thought I went in and marced to the fountain machines and started filling. By the time I got out Andy was waiting. He drank the icy water like it was liquid gold.
The last half a mile I made one last decision. I decide I was not running 12! Nope, Not gonna happen today.

 
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."Galatians 6:9

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Well that's what they say. I believe in running in the elements. It shows you what your pain factor is, you endurance is revealed and you challenge yourself mentally on difficult runs, strengthening your mind. But you have to use your head. You have to be open to changing or bending your run to stay safe.

TIPS ON RUNNING IN HEAT:

• Look for shaded trails or back road
• Stash Ice water ahead of your run in places you will be passing
• Girls wet your hair down, wear a Ice bandana, even a bandana just to keep sweat out of your eyes is helpful.
• Light weight clothing, light color, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
• Pain attention to your stress signals. dizziness, light headed, confusion...
• Remeber to pack some gels, chews or electrolyte pills.
• Be prepared to adjust your goal. Allow yourself some grace in the heat.
• Think about maybe hitting the Dreadmill instead!

 Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.
- Newt Gingrich
Anita

Runnin With Bill. Angels Place Race

I have been cutting "Bill" and his families hair for years now. They are a beautiful family. The first time I cut his hair his wife "Rose" gave me a picture of Kevin Costner and said she wanted "Bills" hair to look like his! We all laugh to this day about that! My husband of course would bring in a picture of Eva Mendes!!
"Bill" has been running for a few years so this year he decided he was going to run his first Marathon! The Detroit Free Press in the Fall! He is inquisitive and wanting to know how to run longer, faster better.
Bill came in a few weeks ago and mentioned he was doing a local race. I told "Bill" "Hey, I will race it with you." I don't think he really thought I was going to RUN it WITH him.

Bill server our country in the Army flying helicopters

I work every Saturday but my manager was really awesome about letting me take my morning off to run with "Bill".
At 8:20 I called his house to confirm that he was coming. When "Bill answered the phone he not only confirmed he would be coming he inquired about me. "Anita. You are not going to run this with me..You are going to run your own race..." I responded..."NO, Bill..I am Running with YOU."

65 Degrees and Pure beaming sun! The race, Angels Place Race, was very organized and had several volunteers. They had 2 water stations set up on the 10K course. And they were well used in the heat.


Running with "Bill" was the best part of my day. I get a little insecure that I might drive him nuts with all my mantra and excessive encouragement. I can't help it. I love to watch people challenge their selves.
"Bills" goal was to finish in under 58 minutes. This course was very demanding. It was a beast with the wild elevation. The hills went from little rollers and soft inclines to what felt like you were Bear Grylls and mountain climbing.

"Oh crap...Is that another hill??"

"Bill"  did awesome. Every time he came to a hill I would try to encourage him. He asked what I do when I come to a hill.."Where do you look Anita." "Bill" said he looks down. I replied "I look Past it."
When we came to hill I said to "Bill" as he was doing exactly what he said he does..looking down. "No Bill. You know better than anyone, you gotta look your enemy in the eye and conquer it."

 "The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." Vince Lombardi

 

We didn't finish the race in under 58 minutes. We finished in 101 minutes. He was so disappointed. He is so hard on his self. 

So we pick our self back up, we analyze the play, and then we decide what we need to do differently or what we need to do more!  That is why it is so fun to work with people like "Bill".

The first full sentence out of his mouth was. "So where did I go wrong?" He just wants to grow, learn, and continue to challenge his self with personal goals. I love that. 

Running HILLS!

•  Lean into hills
• Keep your core strong...Running with core
• Shorten leg stride slightly, using small quick steps
• Pump your arms, your arms dictate your pace!
• Look ahead of yourself up the hill
• Learn to Love Hills!!! Train them, make a date with the hills till you learn to love them!

Rundown

Pace: 9:50

Distance:6.2

Time: 1:01

 Big Congrats To Bill!! WTG!! And also "Rose" his wife for coming out to support him.ALSO..Congrats to KEN K and his wife and Dale D who also were out there this morning running!!
Anita

Training tips: How to Anticipate your Finish Time.

I"M STILL SICK..A little chesty now. And by chesty I mean it is all settling in my lungs. UGH!
I won't bore you with my whining, I think I did that enough yesterday.

Lets talk about something meaty..Like Running..Training. Goals!

Lets talk about a couple different training topics!
Questions I have helped others with:

ANTICIPATING YOUR FINISH TIME!! 

A runner who has been consistant in thier training and has been running 3 to 4 times a week can often predict their marathon time within minutes.
*Multiply a recent half marathon time in minutes by 2 then add 10 minutes!
(For Beginners to be on the safe side add an additional 10 minutes.

There are  couple ways to do this. I shared this with "Michelle" today.
She has a GOAL marathon time. 

TRACK WORK!!

According to Bart Yasso, he claims that if you do 800 meter repeats-6 of them- with a walking lap in between you can achieve your goal..

If your goal is a 4 hour marathon you need to be doing the repeats in 4-4:05 minutes.

So for me to qualify for Boston I had to run my repeats in 3 minutes and 40 seconds...all 6 of them.

This is the strategy I used to qualify for Boston and it worked. I had the pleasure to meet him right before I did my marathon!

This Goal can only be met if you train consistently for the next few months. But if you do everything your are supposed to do, doing this once a week you should achieve your GOAL!!!

Goal Setting

"The great and glorious masterpiece of
man is to know how to live to purpose." Michel de Montaigne

It is time to start picking out your races. Whether you are deciding which marathon to run in the fall or looking forward to a Pr on your next 10k the time is now. It is runner fever. 

I found this Acronym for Goal Setting..Hope it helps you design a summer or fall running plan!!

S-SPECIFIC- Is your Goal Clear and Concise??

M-MEASURABLE- Can you determine whether you reached your Goal?

A-ADJUSTABLE- Can the Goal be modified if needed? 

R-REALISTIC- Is the Goal appropriate for you, your level of fitness, surroundings, resources, ect?

T-TIME BASED- Is the a time frame around the Goal?

E-EXCITING- Are you looking forward to achieving the Goal?

R-RECORDED/RECITED- Have you written down this Goal or shared it?

Nutrition Nuggets!

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” ~ La Rochefoucauld

Eating before you run has 3 main functions: It tops up the muscle, liver and glycogen storage. This ensures adequate blood sugar levels..And trust me I have made the mistake of NOT eating properly and end up 3 miles from home in a full blown panic attack because I can feel my sugar dropping. I get shaky, confused and loose my focus.  Note: this is why I drink Chia Water on long runs also. it helps stabilize my blood sugar longer.

Your Pre-running meal should be low in fat, low in fiber (you dont want any tooting or bad belly issues) and high in Carbohydrates.

1 ww bagel, 1 banana= 55g carbs

1 Cup Greek Yogurt=38g carbs

1 Cup cooked oatmeal=30g carbs-w/ brown sugar add 25g for 1.5 tbsp

8 oz OJ-30g carbs

1 ENERGY Gel=25g carbs

High in antioxidants this is my Power drink right now!

Here are some Races I am running..What Races Are you signed up for??

Angels Place-May 19

Bayshore-May 26

Dexter Ann Arbor -June 3rd

Rundown:

Distance: 3:39

Time: 29 min

Pace: 8:28

Ran with Andy tonight, I wasn't feeling it at all. Andy begged me to keep going..I tuckered out and went back home. 

Anita 

 “O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You have healed me. Psalms 30:2

My Body Hates ME! It started 3 days ago. My throat started hurting and I thought I could control it. Mind over matter I tried to convince myself.. "I Got This"
Green tea, Unprocessed honey ( thank your Melissa H), hot bath, Juice Plus....

Last night it hit hard. My mind coudn't convince my body to quit sneezing.
First yesterday, I helped out and ran with the Cross Country kids and decided that after that I would further punish myself and make it to Alecs Baseball game directly after.
By the time we arrived at the baseball game I was full on convulsing. My body was jerking over and over again as it went into a sneezing fit. I could feel the sneeze come on and there was nothing "Lady Like" about the obnoxious man noise that exploded from my mouth. No, It couldn't just be 1 cute high pitched girly sneeze. It had to come as a onslaught of germy, spit flying explosiveness. I quickly tried to regain control of my seizing body but it was too late. People were looking, they quit saying God Bless You...I think now they were saying."God Please bless me." 
I had blown my nose so much I had a cup holder of moist snot rags compacted together. Also very "Unlady like!"
As if the physical symptons were not bad enough now I felt the whiny baby coming out. I hate the whiner in me. I try so hard to bury her but I felt her arising.

My body was rejecting me. It was no longer listening. I could not control my body and make it better. Today was tough. I was booked at work. I think I blew 2 layers of skin off my upper lip. GROSS. Where does all that snot come from anyway??
Today it was 80 degrees out and I had chicken skin like Tyson. I was freezing. I sounded like a 3rd grade geek as I squealed each word out  I didnt even recognize my voice it was so distorted by my plugged up nose.

So here I lay. Defenseless. The cough is now starting, The nose still a hot mess, my belly is quirky from the drainage and I am a big stinking CRY BABY!

Ok..I am done whining to you all about it. I was hoping it was "Allergies"...But who knows! I am throwing in the towel, going to bed early and Praying Hard!

No Running for me tonight Nita~

Being a Mother is not for the weak..

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Austin, Me and Alec

Mothers Day.
Being a Mother is NOT for the weak.
It is the marathon of all marathons. You run after them as toddlers and soon they are running YOU all over town. They run fevers and You get run down! Some days you feel like you are running in circles and other days you feel like you have been running your mouth and no one is even listening.
 
But the fact of the matter is that being a MOTHER is a very big and very important job.
It is not a job that shouldn't be taken lightly. It is a selfless job. A job where it is "Never Fair", and "Your Time" comes very very rarely. It is a job where it is no longer "About YOU."


My boys are the last thing I think of before my eyes close and the first thing that comes to my mind before my eyes are even fully awake.

Me, Mom and Maw Maw..

My boys remind me to respond properly to others, to control my tongue and actions that come out of my mouth. And to remember they are watching and taking inventory or every action, non action, response and emotion that I birth. And Trust me....they Remind ME!

Everyday I see this world and remind myself  THEY are what I fight for. That I will run the race of a mother stronger and harder than any run I have ever done. I will dig deep, try hard, Pray consistently and occasionally let the tears flow. I will remember the FRUIT of the Spirit as a mother for my children to see.
I will Die to MYSELF. I will ask God to be merciful to me and patient with me when I fail. I Pray I can learn from my mistakes and that God will show me wisdom and grace.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

I Pray I can remember that I am a huge influence to my kids. That I have to be strong, controlled, loving and patient.
Being a mom is a difficult job. It does not come with a big ribbon or trophy. But I have my "Medal Moments"
Today at brunch a woman came to out table. She looked directly at Andy and started out with "Is That Your Son?.."
We were just waiting...nervously waiting for her to finish her sentence before we had to discipline Alec. She finished adding "I just wanted you to know he held the door open for me."
AHH...we all exhaled! She could see the distress in our faces and laughed with us.
This is a little "Medal Moments" that God gives us to remind us to Keep Running hard.

There are many CHOICES we have to make every day. When we make them Do We have our children at the forefront of our hearts?
Are we thinking about the impact we have on our children?
Are we a good influence?
Not everyday is a Good Parenting Run. But we get back up, wipe off the dust, dig in a little harder, Pray..Pray and Pray, Seek God with all our heart, Suck IT UP, and Move foreward. Yesterday is gone, we can only learn from it and build a bridge and Get over IT.

Mothers Of Influence to ME:

Andys Mom- She has loved me like her own. This has been hard for her to do at times. But it means soo much to me. 

Deb (Andys sister)- She has always been so strong in her Faith no matter how disappointing life has been. She has been hurt so bad as a mother and yet she still loves like no other.

Mabel- My Grandma- WOW.Such a woman of GOD. All her children were alcoholics and abusive. She Never quit loving them...She was the STRONGEST woman I knew...I miss her so.

Becky, Aunt Lois and my Aunt Mary. All loving and generous mothers. Sacrificial. 

NIKE Elites!! Woot woot!

Guess I am crazy..Dexter Ann Arbor 1 week after Bayshore!!!

RunDOWN:
Pace: 9:03
Distance: 16.01
Time: 2:25
Mothers Day RUN! I always get a run on Mothers Day. It is a good time to Remember my mom, be Thankful for Andys mom and Be Grateful to be a MOM~

Anita

X CC..Sometimes it s fun being on the side lines!

So we have all established I LOVE running.
I love everything associated with running.
SWEAT, Medals, Finish Lines, New Shoes, magazines, blisters, blogs, tee shirts, timing, and the list can go on forever...
But something I love just as much as running is encouraging others.
If you tell me you are "Thinking" about wanting to run I will try and come up with a plan to help you!
I love helping people achieve their goal or even helping them design one.
God gave me a set of lungs and a big mouth!! What God gave me a heart to help others. I am as much a CHEERLEADER as I am a PARTICIPANT!
God Gave YOU one too.....

Today Danielle an I ran at Kensington. I loved running next to her. We were both struggling. But the more I found myself encouraging her the more I noticed I was gaining strength from my own words.
Her steps side by side to mine, her breathing echoed corresponding to my breathing, together we shadowed each other never loosing a step through the rolling hills of the metro park.

Encouragement, support, companionship, coaching, cheering, edifying,,,
I love it..ALLLLL!!

RUN HARD!!!!

Todays X county meet: 

TURN THEM OVER!! Go GO!

 

DIG DEEP! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

r

 

TODAY IS YOUR DAY!!!

THATS MY BOY!!! GO AUSTIN! RUN HARD!!

The Rundown:

Pace: 8:06

Time:1:09:

Distance:8:51

Anita