Genuflecting No More

Prologue:  I was raised Catholic - so Catholic, I had 10 brothers and sisters (no twins, all from the same parents and yes we had TV), so Catholic - I went to Catholic school for 8 years, so Catholic that there was a time I went to church every day and liked it, so Catholic that my friends thought my Dad was a priest, so Catholic that my Mom lived in a convent and almost became a nun before she met my Dad .... you get the point.

At the start of a taekwondo class (and at the end) the highest-ranking belt tells us to face the flags and bow, face the instructor and bow, then the next high-ranking belt tells everyone to face the high-ranking belt and bow. 

Today, I was the second highest ranking belt in class although I went through the motions and told everyone to bow to the highest rank belt.  I did not.  Although I caught myself doing a kind of head nod, I did not bow.  (No one notice I didn't bow - because they were all bowing :) Why you ask - or I ask since I think I'm the only one that reads these - the man who was the highest-ranking belt broke two ribs of my friend because his ego got in the way when she was beating him in sparring. 

As I walked home from class I thought - he did not deserve my respect.  Bowing is respect.  But I have no respect for this man- if you want to call him a man, more of a boy, no control.  Granted I never liked him.  Call it intuition or not, either way he did live up to what I expected from him.  He can try and beat me up because he has a higher rank but really - I believe I can whoop his ass and look forward to sparring (sparring is my least favorite of my training).  Alas, the instructors won't let him spar with the women anymore perhaps because men can't break ribs?

The thought of not bowing made me think of my teen years when I was forced to go to church by my parents and before I used to sneak out of mass.  I refused to genuflect.  I refused to genuflect to the alter, I refused to bow my head at the name of Jesus.  I look back on it now and realize, I was not mad at Jesus, he had good teaching and all-around nice guy, however I was mad at the church - I had lost or should I say threw away my respect for the church.  Still have no respect for it.

Anyway, as a child you do things impulsively and then many years go by and you realize - you know, that explains alot.

I'm One with the Trail

Bad News:

I lost my watch so I'm guestimating my time.

Good News:

Sunday I was suppose to run 5 miles, my hubby guessed where the 2.5 mile turn around was, we ended up running 5.94 miles.  Awesome!  about 12 minute miles

Bad News:
I fell on the trail today.  I was halfway through my 3.25 jog and woop there I go.  Scrapes on my leg and hands, it hurts and cleaning it was nasty but I kept jogging .......

Good News:
I still kept to my 11 minute mile.  Not bad.

Since I lost my watch I'm debating whether to get an ipod touch.  I've always wanted one but it may be a waste of money, since most people tell me you need a service to really get use out of it. Hmmmmm.....

I ROCKED IT!!

After a couple of months of running 12 minute miles I was at my wits end on Tuesday.  Everyone I know seems to run 9, 10 and even 7 minute miles.  Granted this is my first year running ever, I know I've done a 10.5 minute mile but I have not been there in months.  Close to tears I call my sister.

Two things changes for me this morning:

First, my sister reminded me that it is not the time but the finishing I should be focused on.  I must admit I would come out strong and then be so wiped by the time I headed back that I ended up walking most of it.

Second, I took a slightly different path because I was curious about a trail I had not been down before.  While on it, my mind turned to wow so this was paved once and this trail looks under used and why did they put a fence there to separate the McMansions from the rest of us :).  When I got back on to my normal trail, I was surprised to find most of my running was done.

So now I think it is time to start switching my routes occasionally to keep the mind active while running.  OH I FORGOT TO MENTION ..... I RAN A 10.8 minute mile for 3.25 miles. WOO HOO!!!!

Vacation This Week

I went on vacation this week in the mountains and I forgot my running sneakers.  I didn't run but I hiked and walked and went tubing (which is work in some ways).  This morning I am all in disarray because today is our big moving day.  I can't find any clean clothes and we are preparing the house still for the movers arrival (lots of lifting).  I like to think that because I am constantly moving, it is contributing to my physical well being but not doing alot for my mental.  I will say this moving is taking a toll on me and maybe if I could conquer the stress of moving, it will help me with the mental aspect of running.

96% Humidity

I'm not sure if it was correct but my thermostat said 96% humidity.  I ran up to 17 minutes with my interval training and then I was lucky to run 1 minute.  I hit a wall hard.  Strangely enough I ran 3.24 miles in 37.2 minutes, even with my erratic running in the end.  This makes me believe that I was running a pretty fast pace in the beginning.  I wonder what it would have been if I was able to keep the running up.

An acquaintance of mine started running after she swore she would never run further then her 25 minutes a day.  She loves working out, taekwondo, P90X and now running.  I told her in June that I was training for the Disney half marathon and if I could do it she could.  That I hate running but I'm doing it.  No no she said, I could never run that far.  I bumped into her yesterday and she is now running back to back 20 miles a day, 7 minute miles, and will be running her first marathon in October.  (She lost a toenail and is losing another one .... weird.)  I feel quite confident that she thought, damn if Joanne is doing it should be easy for me :).  I know that is true and I'm happy for her but feel she is stealing my thunder.  Sigh, I still persist.


I thought of her on my run today, thinking that perhaps I can push myself out of my boundaries and make the get past my 5 mile wall that I have not past.

3.24 miles in 37.2 minutes
11.43 minute mile

Starting a New Training Program

Since my foot got me off track for a bit, I needed a new plan to keep me motivated and goal oriented.  I found a half marathon training program the Marathon Rookie website.  I copied it over to a spread sheet and put in dates instead of Week 1, Week 2, etc. I like it this way because I seem to be able to visualize what is going on in my life during these months.  This week is:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday 3 miles
Wed:  rest
Thurs:  3
Friday: 3
Sat: Rest
Sunday: 4

So I did a bit more then 3 miles today, I did 3.24 in 38 minutes.  The last half mile I felt really sick, like wanting to throw up sick.  When I got back I saw it was 70% humidity.  It had just rain and the temperature was 80, so steam was coming off the road and I guess it was hard for me to take.  Luckily I was in my last half mile.  I thought of George S. Patton, "....the body is always tired..."

And I guess I will see you tomorrow for my next 3.24 miles.

Running in the Heat

As most of you know this summer has been a scorcher.  I've decided to take it easy.  My girls are showing their sheep at the fair and we just moved into a new house.  I am frazzled.  I've decided to just run a couple of miles every other day.  I continue to go to taekwondo which we do some running there as a warm up.

Starting next week I hope to get up before the sun to run.  We'll see.  I almost think I need a week to recover from this week.  Alas, with the new house I think we will be constantly moving for a month.  I want to go away for vacation but when the hubby is stressed he gets sick.  Of course, if I don't get away, I'm going to go insane, so what do I do?