It's been a while...

I haven't checked in for a while so I thought I'd drop by. I am officially training for a marathon! In about six months I will be running Portland marathon, 26.2 miles. I have started training and to be honest, the final distance scares me. I've done 1/2 marathons and finished strong but we are talking about twice that distance! It will be a lot of work and time. So far it feels good. I like being scheduled and working toward a goal. I am only up to six miles for my longest training run so far but this week that goes up to 7.5 miles. Not a terribly long distance but the start of some longer, harder runs. Wish me luck!

I ran again today just two miles but I felt like I could run forever partly to the mild weather (almost 60 degrees!) partly to my running partner James. He is 14 some odd pounds of canine energy belonging to my sister Brooke. They are visiting for the month and I plan to recruit James as motivation for my training for the race in may. What do you think 5k or 8k? It is amazing how your state of mind effects your perceived fitness. There are days when two miles feels like one hundred and other days when it feels like nothing. I think everything is like that really. We make things so much harder than they really are just with our thinking. When I used to waitress there where times when every table was full and there was a line out the door. I would start to get flustered, making mistakes. Then someone said to me "When every table is full you can't get any busier. You might as well relax and do your best." It is the most true thing. It is all your thinking weather it is running, waiting tables, or anything else. If you can relax and move through you task and think positively you will do better, and feel beter doing it.

This morning, while Elio was at school, I took Saul for his first run along the river. I was running a bit while i was off for maternity leave, but have found it difficult to find the time since i have been back at work. I decided I would sign up for an 8k to get me motivated. I found a race at the Oregon Zoo. called the Cheetah Run. It's perfect! There is a kids run too. So time to start thinking about getting back in running shape.

It was a beautiful morning. The sky showed layers of clouds and patches of blue. I planed an ambitious five miles. About two miles into it Saul decided it wasn't for him. We stopped at a bench to nurse and see if he would calm down so we could get back on the road. It was a lovely place for a rest and watch the cars pass over the bridges. When Saul began to smile again I thought it was time to get moving again. I got him back in the jogger but he was still a bit tearful. We turned around and headed back to the car. Saul cried off and on the whole Way back. We maybe did three miles. I may be a little generous on that. It felt like I hadn't run for a while but I am sure glad I did it. Something about running makes it feel like you can breath a little deeper.

I am hoping getting back into a running routine will help my stress level around the house.Keep my energy going till the end of the day. Help me have more patience. Give me a little time for me? I hope so especially the patience part. Often by the end of the day I feel so drained I just want to push everyone away. You just can't do that when you are the parent. Maybe taking care of myself more will help me do better taking care of the little people around me. I hope so.