Mission Accomplished (kind of...)

MISSION #1:

The first accomplishment is finishing my masters!  After 18 months of frustration setting in when football, lacrosse, baseball and scouting lasted too long, patience leaving when bath time was interrupted with fighting siblings, phone calls, etc, putting the kids to bed no later than 8:30pm then reading and typing late into the night and then grading and planning for my other job, I have finally FINISHED!!!! 

I even managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA...which NEVER happened in my previous educational experiences. 

THANKS to Brady, Cole and Alyssa for their patience and understanding of mommy always having to do homework!  Thanks to Brian for giving up bed time talk to me "clucking" on the laptop all night long.  Thanks to my mom for answering grammatical questions and offering opinions and suggestions on various assignments.  Thanks for Liza for listening to all my complaining throughout the entire process and for thinking that I'm "smart".  Thanks to Kayrn and George for watching the kids so I can do homework and get caught up.  Thanks to my colleagues, Jess, Steph, Abby, Ellie & Andrea with whom I completed the program with.  We began this adventure as strangers and we ended as great friends!  Thanks to all my friends at school that reminded me to EAT lunch and visit with them instead of doing homework and being such a nerd! :)

We had a little party to celebrate my masters.  Notice my floor 'mat', for my MAT (Master in the Art of Teaching), my mother is so clever!  Thanks for the celebration and Liza, THANKS for the cake.  You obviously did some research....Marygrove College MUSTANGS! :) I didn't even know that and obviously the horses were found in my basement..so creative! 

 

MISSION #2: This is the "kind of" accomplishment.

I set out to run a 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) three years ago.  The first attempt led me to a stress fracture in my foot.  Running came and went and then came back again this past January.  After running in the St. Patrick's Day 4-miler with Tyler, I decided to keep on running and to attempt the 1/2 marathon once again.  I had a bunch of friends running an event in May, but that was the weekend I went to Guatemala to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday.  So after running a few 5ks throughout the spring and summer, I decided to keep on running and begin training for an event in August.  Everyone kept telling that it is too HOT to train in the summer.  However, this summer was actually an exception.  Running in the early mornings or late evenings was awesome.  I really enjoyed training this summer, even on long 8, 9, 10 & 11 mile runs, it wasn't hot at all.  August 16th finally arrived along with the typical HOT August sun and humidity.  I thought I was trained well, I hydrated a LOT leading up to the event, "carbed" up plenty and yet I disappointed myself! 

I finished the 1/2 marathon, although not by meeting my goal!  I walked way too much and I basically gave up after 9 miles. 

 
slowly recovering.....

THANKS mom, Liza & Katy for being there at the finish line routing me on and for making me signs.  I really needed that last motivation and cheers to finish what I started.

 

The 11 most important things I've learned after running and training for a 1/2 marathon:

1.  Running with a friend or a group of friends to motivate you and encourage you to continue is a MUST!

2.  Don't ever expect your feet / toes to look pretty AFTER running 13.1 miles.  I gained two new appendages...along with a few calluses.  Sorry about the funky pics, but I just had to share! Notice my "this little piggy stayed home" toes, I even have a bruise under my "this little piggy had none (referring to roast beef)" on my right toe and a callus on my big left toe. 

3.  Running long runs of 11 miles between the hours of 7-9pm at 70 degrees is TOTALLY different than running 13.1 miles in 85 degrees, with the sun beating down on you, while being offered warm water.  Train in the hot weather, IF I'm going to run an actual event in the middle of August. is needed. That 11 mile run felt GREAT, what's another 2.1, in the heat, sun and humidity...VERY different!

4.  What you eat and drink the day BEFORE a long run is VERY important.  Carbs from beer doesn't count as good fuel for the body!

5.  Inviting your kids to ride their bike with you during a 8 mile run is a bad idea...they can't last past 6 miles!

6.  Giving up at 9 miles and stating to a myself, NEVER AGAIN at the 9 mile marker isn't a great motivator to finish strong.

7.  Socks are just as important as shoes....another funky toe pic after an 11 mile run...a bloody toe!  The weird thing...my toe wasn't even hurting.

8.  Take ibuprofen for the aches and pains about 2 hours before a long run to help with the knees and then some Tylenol PM to sleep through the night.

9.  Stretch, stretch, stretch..even during off days.

10.  Update music on your iPod so that when you are running a 1/2 marathon, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpey and the rest of the cast of High School Musical aren't your running partners.

11.  Pedicures are a MUST throughout your training.  Especially the kind Monsi gives because she massages your calves and the bottom of your feet!  Thanks Monsi and by the way I REALLY NEED another pedicure!!

Five days after running, my blisters are gone, my muscles in my arms, quads and shins have stopped hurting and I am actually desiring the burn in my lungs from breathing deep again...I know...kind of a weird desire!  I look at is as a smoker needs to inhale nicotine..I feel the need to inhale air deep into my lungs while running to feel the burn!!  Five days ago, I said NEVER again to quite a few people (during and after the run)....but now that I look back at the whole experience, I NEED to do it again to satisfy myself and to live up to what I think and know I'm capable of doing.  I'm not making any commitments...BUT there is another event in October.  Or I can give myself a break and wait until next May.  Something to think about!!