Last Lunch from Lynn

I enjoyed the last of my three free lunches from Lynn. We enjoyed Thai by Thai again, the same lunch we had for my first free lunch back in August. Lynn is still looking sad about having to pay up...

But as I've said before, Lynn's bet is what kept me going all summer long. So I owe him thanks for paying up and providing me with three, free yummy lunches, as well for the additional motivation.
Adam- you are next! I'm saving it for something really good and expensive too :)

New Year = New Running Toys

It's been awhile, too long. I'm still running...although not as consistently as I'd like.

What can I say, I am a work in progress. Maybe is it time to make another bet for some added motivation.

But I do have some new running toys that I received for Christmas (and one for my birthday) that will hopefully help with the consistency issue.

The first new toy was a case for my Ipod touch. This is an excellent case and it is easy to change songs through the plastic screen.

Second and MUCH needed toy, new running sneakers!! I had put a couple hundred miles on my old Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10 running sneakers, but I absolutely LOVED the sneakers.

After wearing Asics and Sauconys for previous half marathons, I tried Brooks based on a recommendation from a running store here in VA. Boy, am I glad I tried them, I am never going back to anything else. So I asked Santa for an updated version of my Brooks, the GTS 11. And this time I asked for a brighter, more exciting color. I love them and so do my feet.

This was a birthday gift from my cousins, Ali and RJ. Ali is into running like me and a friend has suggested she read this book. Ali thought I would like it too. I have yet to start it, but I am told that after read parts, I will want to just get up and RUN! I hope so!

Running. Unplugged.

As I headed out for my run Saturday morning, I realized that my Ipod was dead. Totally dead. It did not even enough power to get through a mile with me. Waiting around for the Ipod to charge was not an option as my cousin was getting married in just a few hours. So...I headed out without music (gasp)!!! Rarely do I run without music or my running partner Tom.

But that morning I was thankful that my Ipod died and that I was forced to run unplugged. I was able to hear the rain drops from an early morning rain dripping off the trees on to the path. I heard the birds chirping and animals moving in the bushes.

But most importantly I was able to reflect on the wedding ceremony taking place that afternoon in which my cousin Rj and his beautiful bride Ali would (finally) tie the knot. Ali has been with Rj since I was in middle school and she's felt like family to me for such a long time. I was grateful for the ability to quietly contemplate Rj and Ali's marriage and their future as I ran. They are an amazing couple who has many years of happiness ahead of them.

I found (surprisingly) that I enjoyed myself while running unplugged (and had a great pace per minute). I've now committed to running at least one run per week unplugged.

Here are a few pictures of Rj and Ali's Day-

The Bride and Groom

All seven of my grandparents grandchildren on the same weekend they married many years ago- wish they could've been here to celebrate with us.

Me with the beautiful Bride, Ali!

Your presence is requested at the Wedding of Sarah and Andrew today on A Wedding Story

My final trip to Buffalo ended last weekend with the wedding of my dear friend Sarah Utzig

(oops- I mean Sarah Lanigan).

We LOVE weddings! The morning of her wedding was spent reminiscing about our days back in high school when we'd watch episodes of The Wedding Story on TLC after school, singing the cheesy theme song to each other, and dreaming of our own weddings to be.

Sarah's wedding was incredible! I think she took notes about the good, the bad, and the ugly from all those episodes of The Wedding Story because her day was perfect! From the dress to the cake (that she's wanted since she was a little girl).

A perfect wedding turned into a not so perfect run the following day.

We left Buffalo late in the afternoon, but for good reason- we spent the morning visiting with family and friends.

We headed back to Virginia around 2:30 in the afternoon and 8 1/2 hours later we arrived home. But not after we (I mean Brendan) drove the last 3 1/2 hours home in pouring rain, thunder, and lightening. Also, as we reached Route 15 (an hour from home) the traffic was at a standstill. After waiting 25 minutes and moving .5 miles we turned around to go a different route adding an hour on to the trip. None of this seemed to bother Brie, she spent most of the time in the car like this...

After pulling in and unpacking at 11:30pm, I had 30 minutes left to get my run in for the day.

The streets are not well it around our home. So, I ran the sidewalk that runs in front of our condo- back and forth, and back and forth (about 12 times) to make it to a mile, all while it continued to rain.

However, the long drive home and the late run were well worth it.

The countless episodes of The Wedding Story we had watched together over the years had nothing on Sarah's perfect wedding story- it was amazing and I am thankful that I was able to be a part of it all.

Flora and Fauna

One thing that I've come to really enjoy about my daily runs is the amazing plant and animal life that thrives along the paths surrounding my house.

I don't run on the paths every day and I never run the same route two days in a row for fear of encountering a creeper. But the days that I do run the paths I enjoy taking in all of the amazing scenery.

Here is a partial list of the wildlife that I've enjoyed watching throughout my summer runs:

Animals

Deer (one so close the other day I could have reached out from the path and touched it)

Chipmunks

Squirrels

Groundhogs

Birds- and this is just a small list, I cannot identify all of them- but I kinda want to take up bird watching as a hobby now (who cares if I am not a retired old man)

Bluejays - my personal favorite

Cardinals

Orioles

Crows

Kingfishers

Sparrows

Woodpeckers

Morning Doves

Carolina Chickadees

and lots of different butterflies.

Anyone have a favorite place to run?

It's a Bird. It's a Plane. It's Superdad!

During my trip to Buffalo back in June I put the bug in my father in law's ear that I would love to run with him when he and my mother-in-law came to visit for a long weekend in July.

Reston has amazing running paths that can take you all over the city. Earlier this summer, I finished 4th in my age group in a Reston Pathway race. Ironically, it was the Run with Dad 5k and this post is all about my father-in-law. To me though, he is simply- Dad.

I know, some people might think "why does she call him Dad, when it's her father-in-law?"

But I have a million reasons to explain why I prefer to call him Dad and I'll just leave it at that.

So, back to their visit (which was last weekend). They arrived Thursday night and during dinner I inquired as to whether or not Dad had packed his running gear- he had. YES!

I didn't say much more about the possibility of running together over the weekend.

Although, Friday morning I had changed into my running clothes and began to gather my Garmin, RoadID, etc. to head out for a run when Dad said he'd join me. WHOOPEEEE!

I guess now is the part where I should explain why his running with me is so exciting and meaningful to me (and why I've determined that he is "Superdad").

Just a few years before Brendan and I met, his Dad had a massive heart attack while camping with Brendan and his brothers in the Canadian Wilderness. And when I say the wilderness, I mean it- check out where Allanwater Bridge Lodge is on GoogleMaps! Basically the middle of nowhere.....

As a result of the heart attack, he underwent QUADRUPLE bypass surgery.

Dad had been running for years prior to these health complications- even competing in a marathon in Ontario. But a heart attack in the middle of nowhere and quadruple bypass surgery certainly did not make Dad to hang up his running sneakers! He was still running and participating in road races when I met Brendan a few years after the heart attack and surgery.

As I have mentioned before, when I met Brendan, running was part of the family culture.

So, I began to attend the Turkey Trot and Shamrock Run with Brendan, his dad, and a crazy/wildly entertaining group of Dad's friends. I still remember my first road race and not being able to walk down stairs for days after! I must add too that Dad has beat me at every road race we've attend together.

I am getting to why he is "Superdad." In addition to his heart attack, this past fall he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His diagnosis was more serious than most men who have prostate cancer and so he began intense radiation treatments on Dec. 23rd. Needless to say, running was not a priority and not much of a possibility either.

So- when he agreed to run with me last Friday (it was his first run since the summer of 2010) it was exciting and extremely meaningful.

Not only did he run with me on Friday, but Sunday too! Sunday we did the entire mile together.

An entire mile may not sound like a big feat for an experienced runner (and I know that Dad wishes it could be more than a mile- and it will be with time), but for all that life has thrown at Dad in the last few years I think he deserves to be forever referred to as...

SUPERDAD!!!

I look forward to more runs and road races together in the future. I look forward to Dad's grandchildren (I am going to hope that they inherit Brendan's athleticism and not mine) sharing a love for running and participating in road races with their grandfather.

Although, I am not sure about exposing young children to Dad's wild bunch of friends that attend road races with us...we may need to do something about them ;)

Superdad-

Thanks for getting back out there and allowing me to experience that with you.

Get your sneakers ready, I'll be home in 2 weeks and we can log more miles together.

Love,

Katie

What do Navy Seal Team 6, extreme couponing, and running a mile every day have in common?

Believe it or not, all 3 do have something in common....they are my goals for the summer of 2011.

I know what you are thinking, Navy Seal Team 6? As a 5'0'', 110lbs woman my chances of being a Navy Seal, let alone a member of the elite Team 6 is slim to none. But, #1- it's good to dream and #2- I can wish to be as bad-ass them, right?

Extreme couponing is certainly more attainable than my previous goal. Yet after hearing what I consider horror stories, of coupons in file cabinets, binders, etc. and 20+ hours a week spent researching and organizing coupons- that goal was removed from the list too.

**I still plan to spend more time this summer following local grocery store ads and being more aware of available coupons, but not to the point where I become known as a crazy coupon lady!

So- I am left with the more feasible goal of running at least one mile every day of my summer vacation. Running a mile each day may seem like a drop in the bucket to many runners. Actually, most of my high school students who run track and cross country chuckled at my plan for the summer. But this girl has struggled with running consistency for a long time and I intend to break the cycle.

I did not plan to blog about my experiences this summer until my goals came up in a conversation with colleagues a few weeks ago. The reaction to my goals were a good mixture of, surprise, support (not so much for Team 6), and teasing. Not to mention, comments such as: "I think you are funny, but crazy", "Team 6, huh?", and my favorite reaction (the catalyst for the blog)- "you cannot run every day, it is against human nature."

This quote came from Lynn, a fellow teacher, whose constant banter with me is a running joke in our department. I decided to challenge him and the outcome was the following bet: I run everyday at least a mile, he buys me two lunches when we return to school. But, if I miss even one day, I buy him two lunches. Another member of our department couldn't help but get in on the bet too- Adam will also buy me one lunch or vice versa if I lose.

The outcome of the bet is not what will drive me this summer- it will be the sheer pleasure of proving Lynn (and "human nature") wrong.