A Tale of Two {Totally Unrelated} Races

It is so hard to find time to blog! That's why, in one awesome post, you will hear of two totally unrelated races. Well maybe not totally unrelated. They were both in Oklahoma; they were both ran by Joey and myself; they were both fun; and they were both, well, races. Other than that, however, they were totally unrelated:-)

Race Number 1: St. Paddy's Day race in Poteau, OK --not on St Paddy's Day

On March 9th we attempted another family 5k. This was quite brave of us after the fiasco of the last one but what the heck. It was a smaller race and I checked and double checked that strollers were, indeed, allowed. And it was a daytime race, unlike that other one that still gives me nightmares. Still, I was nervous in the days preceding the race. The verdict? It was an absolute BLAST!!! The kids had fun. Strollers were really no problem. The race was well organized and most importantly the people were nice. Everyone in our family PR'd, Even Josiah, since I pushed the stroller slightly faster than last time:-) Joey, Kara, and Andrew all placed second in their age groups. We ran with three friends, all of whom placed first or second in their own age groups! Pretty successful little group:-)

So for your entertainment, here are some pictures:


The Chronics. Aren't we an awesome bunch:-)
*Note: Ignore how absolutely unflattering this picture is.

Kids love medals. What of it?!

The Victorious Runners!

Josiah testing my medal to see if its real gold.



Race Number 2: Snake Run in Tulsa, OK --on St. Paddy's Day, no snakes {whew}

I had been looking forward to this one for about six or seven months. Originally, it was going to be on my birthday (this Saturday!) but, alas, they changed it to March 17th. My madre watched the kiddos so that Joey and I could spend Saturday evening in Tulsa and not have to drive there early on Sunday morning. That was pretty awesome since we had not been on a trip by ourselves since before Josiah was born. 

 

Anyway, back to the race. The Snake Run is actually a trail race on top of Turkey Mountain in Tulsa. You have three hours to complete as many miles as you can. The only thing you HAVE to do is complete 4.2 and you get a nice, slightly disturbing medal.

 

I didn't sleep well the night before. I kept having disturbing dreams about not running the race and leaving Paula high and dry in Tulsa. (*note: Her husband was there with her so I don't know how we would have left her high and dry, but there you have it.)  Well, as it turned out, we very nearly missed the race because we decided that we knew exactly where we were going and ended up hiking (climbing may be more accurate) in the wrong direction (mainly of the uphill variety) for about a mile and a half or so, only to have to hike back to the beginning and drive to where we needed to be. Long story. Suffice it to say, we were a trio of fairly intelligent people and we nearly missed our race. No race route markings, no aid stations, and yet we kept going. Finally, I brilliantly pulled out my phone with its Google Maps app and we got some directions. I say 'brilliantly' very facetiously because I had the blasted thing the entire time and it had only then occurred to me to use it.

 

Not to worry though. We made it to our race with plenty of time to spare. Seven minutes to get your chip attached and your bib pinned is plenty of time. I was not a happy racer lining up at the starting line but I did it. And in that three hours, I completed 11 brutal, bone-jarring, tiring, excruciating, treacherous (that's only a slight exaggeration), fabulously fun miles. I tripped before the first mile and have a nice bruise to show for it. I turned my ankle before the fourth mile and kept going. By the 8th mile, I wanted to quit. I had already earned my medal. But I kept going because I wanted to get to mile nine. Then I talked myself into mile ten. I even successfully talked myself into mile eleven, even though I was in pain and my back hurt with every step I took. There was only three minutes left at that point so I knew I could stop and be satisfied that I had given it all I had.

 

I was sore and stiff almost immediately. I could barely change into clean clothes and shoes. But I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. I was sore the next day but it wasn't so bad. Paula and I were already discussing the next Snake Run. Yeah, I know, we're crazy, but I'm not sore anymore and I still have that sense of accomplishment. Totally worth it! So time for more pictures:

That's right. Snake Run = Snake Medal.
Scary, isn't it?

This was at the Trail Head that we erroneously took.
Appropriate don't you think?
*Note: Photo credit goes to this blog because I was too
tired to snap a picture and this one is good:-)

 

I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way!

Okay, so I'm not a Gaga fan at all. Not even a smidge, but even I have to admit that song is pretty catchy.

What a great week! Andrew and I started karate again Monday and it was awesome! I wasn't even as stiff as I thought I would be. And we remembered everything! Mostly, anyway. Both of us had a lot of fun.

Tuesday, we started a new Couch to 5k group at work. They totally kicked butt! I love seeing people go out and do things that they didn't think they could do. And I love seeing them get excited about the possibilities. Especially when one of them is my very good friend who is determined to be healthy. She has made some changes over the last six months that has definitely gotten her on the right track:-) I couldn't be more proud of her.

After we finished the C25k run, I decided to run a little longer. I mean the sun was shining and I was already warmed up, so I couldn't resist. I felt so good that, about a quarter of a mile in, I decided to do a mile test. This is something I do on occasion to see where I'm at on getting faster. I was pleasantly surprised that I was only 4 seconds slower than my current record! And I felt great! And that was running against a head wind for a large part of the distance. Seriously, I turned a corner and got smacked in the chest by the wind. Had I not had forward momentum at the time, it would have knocked me back a few steps.

My goal is to run an 8 minute mile by the end of the year. For some people, like Joey (cough, 6 minute mile, cough), that's kinda slow. But for me, that would be a huge improvement. My current mile record (as an adult, not as a pretty fast teenager:-) is 9:51. That's a considerable goal but I will try to attain it.

Today (Thursday), we ran the C25k again. We had even more join us! I was so excited and it was so fun:-) And, of course, they did awesome! I explained to them that the other runners that were running ahead of us were the very same people who balked at running for 60 seconds back in September. And now those runners are consistently running 2 and 3 miles with no problem. I'm not sure our newbies believed me when I told them they would reach that point if they stick with it. But they will. I know they will. I've experienced it myself, so I know they can.

After we were done, I decide to run a mile with Paula to see how long I could hang with her. HAHAHAHA! That was rather foolish and I only made it .60 miles. And I'm pretty sure she was holding back a bit. She's my running hero though, so I'm okay with that. I mean she recently got bit by a dog on her long run...AND KEPT GOING!!!!

All in all, it was a pretty good week. And Saturday, the family and I will be running a 5k together. Here's hoping it doesn't become the disaster the last family 5k became.

~KC

Sunshine, Blessed Sunshine

Wow! Its been two whole months since I posted anything. No Merry Christmas, no Happy New Year, not even a runniversary post {Yes, that's a word:-}. I don't even know where to begin with this post. Maybe I should start with the reason its been so long since I posted. Or at least what I strongly suspect is the reason.

I recently discovered that I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or seasonal sadness. This is really weird for me because I really am a typically happy go lucky kinda girl. However, I haven't been lately. And I haven't been able to figure out why. I don't want to run, I don't want to go to G-Fit. I really don't want to do anything except sleep and eat junk food. Maybe I should back up and explain a little.

Last February I began to think I was losing my mind. I was irritable. I was sad. I was tired all the time. I didn't want to be around people. I was trying very hard to lose weight and I couldn't, which just made things worse. Sometimes I was angry for no reason. I started to think that I was possibly experiencing postpartum depression a few months too late. Then I realized that I had been feeling that way for a month or so but I had been faking my way through it. You know, the fake smile, the fake laugh, the random joking around to make others laugh, which is normal for me except my heart just wasn't in it. The 'I'm doing great! How about you?' That kind of thing. The faking it finally got to me and I couldn't fake it anymore.

But there was no way I was depressed! No way! I had a new baby and a great life with a wonderful family. Sure, it wasn't perfect. But what is? Plus, I didn't believe in depression. I mean really, life is what we make it. If you're sad, get over it. Stop complaining and do something about it. Right?!?!?!

Boy was I ever wrong. I want to take a second and apologize to anyone who has ever felt a sadness that they can't seem to kick. Its not necessarily something you can just 'get over'. Sometimes it can be so overwhelming that it makes you feel claustrophobic, even in open spaces.

But then I did get over it. Just a couple of weeks after I realized what was going on. Just like that, I was okay. Not sad anymore. Having fun. Truly laughing. So I forgot about it. But I have been feeling that way again. Its been building for a month or so. Same thing. I don't want to run, which I love to do. I go to work and I do my job well but I don't really want to be there. I don't really want to talk to my friends. I fulfill my calling as First Counselor in the Young Women Presidency at church but I don't really want to. Honestly, its only a sense of responsibility that has kept me doing all of those things. They have to be done. End of story. Good thing I have that sense I guess. And if I'm a bit snippier and shorter of temper, well, I'm allowed. My life is very busy and full of craziness. That can make a person irritable. {I should clarify that I have not, at any point, felt suicidal. Just apathetic and a bit lethargic.}

Then I made a comment to a friend/co-worker about needing some sunshine and being a creature of spring. He said his wife has seasonal sadness. I immediately thought, whoa, is there such a thing?! So of course, I Googled it. And lo and behold, it described me almost to a tee.  The lethargy. The apathy. The crazy craving of carbs in any form. The weight gain (even when I abstain from the carbs that I crave, which of course leads to NOT abstaining from the carbs I crave). The sadness that I can't explain. Then there is the not understanding why I feel this way that makes it all that much worse.

Wow, the winter makes me sad. I mean, yeah, I hate the winter. Really hate it. Its not awful in Arkansas because its usually fairly mild with a lot of sunny days and a few snowy/icy days mixed in. But there is also a lot of dreary days. I hate the winter. I love the sun. I need the sun. I was born two days after the vernal equinox. I am a child of the spring to my core. Did I mention that I hate the winter. But to realize that the winter affects me this way? That's a lot to fathom. Its not always been this way. I mean, I've always hated the winter, don't get me wrong, but last year was the very first time that I can say I felt legitimately depressed because of it.

It is nice, however, to know whats wrong with me. To have an understanding of WHY I feel the way I do. I think that will help me get through it. It also helps to have a supporting husband. Even though I'm sure I've yelled at him more than is absolutely necessary. Regardless, I should feel better in a few weeks anyway. In the mean time, I will go run, even when I really don't think I want to. I will go to my G-Fit classes, even when I really don't think I want to. And Andrew and I will start our Karate classes again tomorrow ( we only had to give it up because of time but Sensei changed the class time, so we can start again!) Because this will pass and the exercise is a natural anti-depressant. Yay for endorphins:-) And if I'm not as quick to laugh, or my smile seems a little shallow, that's okay because the sun will shine and soon I will feel like a new person. I will find myself again and the things that I love will make me happy again. I know this to be true. My faith assures me of this.

~KC