Making a Plan...Setting a Goal...

MARATHON here we come!

Chasing The Night

Last night the road runners ran for the first time with someone outside our usual group. Three someones actually. Part of Abbie's family,her father her brother and one of her sisters joined us at the third annual firefly run in Plano. However her whole immediate family was in attendance for moral support. Her mother her other sister and her brother-in-law. Oh and her hubby Blake. Missy's husband John also joined the cheerleader section adding extra support.

I had thought about how nice it must be to have family on the side cheering for you coming out to maybe or maybe not catch a glimpse of you as you along with throngs of other people pass the finish line. But it wasn't until I typed the sentence Oh and her hubby Blake that I realized that I did indeed have family there. It's not that I forgot he was my brother I just think to have described him first as my brother and then as Abbie's hubby wouldn't have been as smooth a transition for writing purposes to then tell about Missy's husband John being there.

Just rambling here. I guess I mean to say that I suddenly realized I did have my own sort of personal cheerleader there (of the blood related family sort) and that makes me happy. Although next time Blake could you wear that little red and white skirt and top combo and bring your pom poms?

Thanks bro.

We had an excellent time. Last year we ran a 10k at the firefly and it was our first and it took long and we missed the after party. We finished just in time to catch them dumping out the ice. We had an impromptu party of our own and took advantage of that pile of ice. Sticking our tired swollen feet in and letting our melody of 'aaahhhhhhhs' float off into the night.

The memory of being cut off from running the .2 because they needed to re-open the road and not truly finishing sticks with me.

But this year...this year was good. They only offered a 5k and we could relax as a 5k length race has become an easy race for us. We each casually mentioned to our husbands how this race was 'no big deal' or how it was 'just a little 5k' and each of our husbands reminded us that they remembered a time not too long ago when we sang a different tune.

That reminds me of huffing and puffing just trying to get to that blasted half mile mark on the sidewalk. One of us thought surely someone must have misplaced the mark. Or moved the sidewalk.

When I say easy race I mean to say easy distance. I wouldn't describe last night as easy. The runners all 7000 of us breathing in and out the same air made for a stifling run. Running hard the first mile dodging the walkers and strollers. Worrying about the little ones,hoping no one would trample them. Trying to remember the turns so we could save some distance and hug the corners. Avoiding stepping on dropped glow sticks.  Focusing on getting to a place where the people would thin out a bit,giving us some elbow room while also trying to stick together. Taking turns being in the lead. Who ever found a hole to dart into would shout an 'over here' or 'this way'. Continually checking in with one another Is Courtney here? I'm here! Where's Beth? I'm not sure I don't see her!  When it's dark and everyone is blinking or glowing you learn to look for clues. Missy: clump of glow sticks in her pony tail,blinking on her left arm. Abbie: belt of flashing lights,her pony tail swish a familiar sight. Beth: tall,look up. :)

After that first mile we spread out some. I was alone for a bit. Then I spotted Abbie and Missy. I ran hard to catch up. I relied on the entertainment from the man dressed in a grass skirt shouting from behind me telling us all to not give up and saying something or other about margaritas. Then an unexpected fire truck and ambulance distracted us and we all had to scrunch right letting them pass. A right turn,I hugged the edge. I lost sight of anyone familiar and was alone. Third mile done and in the home stretch. Someone said my name and touched my back. I thought it was Beth. It was Abbie. Not sure how she got behind me but glad she was there. I tried to get myself into our normal competitive end of the race show down but the air was hot and sticky and sucking air took precedence. She went ahead. People started shouting at us,we were almost done. I told myself speed up you might shave off some seconds and meet your goal! But the heat got to me. I didn't slow but I couldn't sprint it. I just wanted it to end.

I heard my name from the sidelines. I looked and feebly waved in response. I saw the clock. I heard the beep and then Missy was there. Someone gave me water and we moved away from the crowd to try to spot Abbie.

I'm always so glad when it's over but after I catch my breath and can feel the breeze again I wish I had just given it a little bit more. One extra umph.

It took a bit to re-organize our group. When we all came together some exciting news. Abbie's brother who had decided to start near the front instead of in a pack of sardines had placed 79th over all! Finishing in 22 minutes and some change. 79th out of 7000 is really really great. Oh to be 17 again.



Our finishing times if you care to take a look are below:

Anselm-22.45

Missy-30.41

Abbie-32.02

Courtney-32.08

Beth-36.34

Mr. Bradley-40.07

Great job everyone! Now when is our next race?

{Courtney}

A Nice Run

Today I decided it would be a good day for a run in Ethiopia. You can find out more about what I am doing in Ethiopia here.

It was dry and dusty but not any hotter that some of the runs I've had back in Texas with Abbie and Missy. It was a hilly run. I ran with my new friends Jonathan and Alex and Laura.

Ciao

Courtney

One Year And One Day

I planned ahead. I schemed. I was ready for our anniversary.  I found out some hard news about a friend and I got distracted. But today I remembered and today I would like to recognize the three of us for making it to our one year mark by remembering some more.

Remember the time we ran in a downpour?

Remember when Missy used to run in trail shoes?

Remember when we ran in COTTON socks?!?

Remember that we still do?

Remember when I fell and broke a nail?

Remember when our water was stolen?

Remember the 5k that was uphill both ways...barefoot in the snow?

Remember our passion for picnics and early morning smoothies?

Remember when we thought we won in our age bracket?

Remember our photo shoot that produced such embarrassing photos Abbie never even showed us?

Remember that man and the calves pushing the stroller?

Remember the lady who could walk half the time and still beat us?

Remember the chalk art that was most likely just for us?

Remember the Alamo?

I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

Remember the ice?

Remember quad-C's?

Please add you "Rememberies" if you would like. :)

Happy Anniversary and A Day!!!

Has it been a whole year already?!

Today marks one year since Courtney and I began running...who would have thought that we would still be consistently running a whole year later?! We now run 3 days a week plus have a day of strength (on our new training schedule) and have honestly only missed maybe 4 or 5 weeks the whole year (due to weather, holidays, sickness, etc..) even when Courtney was injured she would still walk while we ran until she recovered! Plus, especially at first, we were running more like 5 or 6 days a week (crazy, we know ;)). I am proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to reaching new goals and growing even closer in our friendships this next year! :) Happy 1 Year Running Anniversary!

-Abbie :)

Our Friend Rocky

We have started training for our first half marathon- we are about 2 weeks into the new schedule and we plan to run it in May. We are following a training plan and for Sunday it had a 4 mile run so we set out on one of our old familiar roads that Courtney had found for us last summer- it's 4 miles exactly and we know it well. It's a nice run with only one big hill right around 1.50 into it. On our run Sunday we made a new friend- "Rocky Road" is her name...Rocky for short- she ran almost the entire 4 miles with us and hung out with us until we left. :)
We will try to blog again soon with more details about our new training schedule and our list of up-coming runs!

-Abbie :)

13.1- our 1st half- the planning begins!