Advice from the Future

Wednesday, May 29 marked the 20th anniversary of my high school graduation.  I know that it seems cliche to say this, but it really does not like it is even possible.  I don't feel any older, in fact, I am probably healthier and definitely stronger than I was back then.  I was listening to The Ticket as I was getting ready for work and they were reading from an interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar published in a recent edition of  Esquire magazine.  The article is titled 20 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Was 30.  It is a terrific article, go read it now -- I'll still be here when you get back.  The timing was uncanny as I was already thinking of my high school graduation and it made me think...what advice would present day me give to high school graduate me?  I  had some thoughts, but I thought that it would be interesting to see what others would say to their future-self  and I posed the question to my friends via Twitter and Facebook.  The responses varied from the very serious to the hilarious.

• Find out what makes you happy even if it means failing. ~Marci
• Seriously, I would tell myself not to take myself so damn seriously.  Chill out and enjoy the ride. ~Mama C
• Bust your ass and quit your complaining. ~Gretchen
• Learn to say "no." Then say it loudly and often! ~Mary
• Take a small loan for college so you don't kill yourself working and taking 19 hours each semester. ~Carolyn
• No one is scrutinizing you as much as you think, so relax.  Plus follow my mom's advice and put on, as she would say, a little lip estick. ~Chriselda
• Take opportunities as they come, because you might not see them again. ~Emily
• Don't have tunnel vision - most people at 17 don't know WHAT they want to do - explore your options! ~That Pink Girl
• Don't work during your summers - you have the rest of your life to work and you will wish you had summers as a grown up. ~Melissa
• Slow down, don't be in such a rush. ~Byron
• DON'T CUT BANGS!!!! ~That Pink Girl
• Stay off the Internet. ~Brian (reminded me that we didn't have the Internet in high school...ouch.)
• Don't steal that cop car. ~Mr. K

Thank heavens for contacts & hair products

Hindsight seems to be 20/20 for many of us as far as our health goes:

• I'd tell high school me to take better care of my body and when people who love me express concern over something, there's a reason. ~Lesley
• Stay in shape and 20 years from now no one will believe you when you say you graduated 20 years ago. ~Brian
• Take care of your teeth and your back.  Run everything else into the ground and enjoy the ride. ~Josh
• Even though it's hard to conceive of it now, it's highly likely that you WILL live past 40.  You only get one brain/body...treat them well - they have to last a long time. ~Debby

Some practical dating advice:

• Don't date just one boy your freshman year. ~That Pink Girl
• Break up with him. Like, yesterday. ~Christina S.
• Embrace the slutty college years. ~Name hidden to protect the innocent
• Put yourself first! Leave him behind and go to school with a fresh start. ~Amanda
• Babies are cute but they can wait.  Enjoy being young first! ~Stephanie

Homecoming Senior Year -- Texas Style

Downright inspirational:

• Be the LOVE.  Say thank you, I'm sorry, I forgive you, I love you.  Be the change you want to see in the world.  Success is often disguised in overalls and looks like WORK. ~Yvonne
• Find your passions and follow your instincts.  Don't put so much stock in what others think you should do or be.  You know you best! ~Julie
• To be much more worried about making a difference in their life and the lives of others than how much money they make. ~Dustin

And a few of my favorites:

• You can't have it all. They will tell you that you can, and you will see people who seem like they do, and what you will find out the hard way, no matter what I tell you, is that IT'S A LIE. SOMETHING has to give. And that's okay. Just make sure that you're at peace with the part you have to let go and then embrace what you do get to have. ~Mama C
• You're gonna be just fine.  You're life is gonna be great. Smile, have fun, and try not to be so rebellious....you're not good at it. ~Erin
• Get your head out of your doo-pa, break up with that girl, don't get a credit card, and pick up a guitar. ~Andrew
• This is the last time the Cowboys will be good.  Switch teams now! ~Mike (also...ouch!)
• Give em hell! ~Heidi

Seems like yesterday....

All of this is great and probably just exactly what high school graduate me needed to hear.  I would tell myself to not take life so seriously and that I don't have to be perfect all the time. I would tell myself that it is okay to make mistakes, most of them can be fixed and the world will not stop turning.  I probably should have blown off that "permanent record" fear of mine and had a little more fun.  I realize now that, if you are lucky, you will have a few good friendships that are strong and last forever...instead of having many shallow friendships.  I would have told myself that it is okay to speak up for yourself and not to be so scared of reaching out to others.  I would have also told myself that the best gift you can give family and friends is your time.

I have been blessed beyond belief with opportunities, experiences, friendships, and love in these last 20 years.  I can only hope that the next 20 brings more of the same.

Friday Five (plus a couple): Scenes from Ironman Texas



I've told you time and time again that I have some pretty ridiculous friends.  That was illustrated once again as I was fortunate enough to have no less that six (that's right, SIX!) friends competing in Ironman Texas in The Woodlands last Saturday.  Many of you are aware of what makes up an Ironman, but here's a crash course for those of you who are aren't -- 2.4 mile swim, followed immediately by a 112 mile bike ride, followed immediately by a 26.2 mile run.  All of the aspiring Ironman athletes have a strict time limit of 17 hours to complete this feat.  Texas weather came through once again and provided the us with an especially humid 90+ degree day.  Staying cool was impossible and I was merely a spectator.



The Luebs almost made it look easy!



Fi & I demonstrate proper jingle skirt/instrument matching

Stude on his final approach to Ironman Glory

 

Ironman Number 3 for Jason and his beautiful wife Karen

 

FIGJAM Central -- we had a premium spot on the run course along the canal

Erin & me with Buc-ee -- no trip down I45 is complete without him!

All in all it was a pretty incredible day.  There were tears of absolute joy for some and tears of utter heartbreak for others.  This was my second Ironman event to spectate in person and I can honestly say that I have walked away overwhelmed with energy and inspiration each time.  I have no doubt that there will be more of these adventures in my future and I can't wait!



'Nuff said.







Shiner GASP: She's. Going. All. The. Way.

It is becoming quite clear that I approach cycling in a completely different manner than I approach running.  I follow all of the "rules" of running, do my speed work diligently, and follow my training plans down to the very quarter mile.  Running is serious business around our house.  When I got my bike last May, the goal was to just have fun with it.  The only rule was that there would be no rules.  All this to tell you how I found myself signed up for a century ride almost two months before I was planning it.  The FIGJAM gang was planning a trip down to Austin for Great Austin to Shiner Pedal (Shiner GASP) and I really wanted to be part of the fun.  There was a "Half GASP" option, but it would be logistically difficult as the ride is point-to-point and requires leaving cars in Shiner.  Ninja and the girls would be driving the "Swag Wagon" so there would be an "out" if anyone couldn't make it the whole way.  I think that the deal was sealed with Fi said "you either ride until you get tired and then hop in the car, or you ride your first century." Sold.

I get the typical amount of nervous energy before a race, but the feeling I had on Saturday morning was different.  This time I had a little more fear....as in the "you might not be able to finish this ride" kind of fear.  I've never really gone into a race before without complete confidence that I could complete the distance.  Sure, I always worry that I might not make my time goal -- but finishing is never a question.  The unpredictable Texas weather treated us to a cold front on Thursday and record low temperatures on Friday and Saturday.  It was a very chilly start at 40 degrees, but this would do us some huge favors later on in the day.  We did some pre-ride planning and decided to skip the first aid station and to stay together...until we were not.  I am usually pretty nervous in the beginning of large bike rides, I just don't always trust the people around me.  That being said, I felt way more comfortable during this start.  Maybe I'm growing more confident on my bike, or maybe this crowd was a little more savy that your usual bike rally--either way it gave me a great feeling about the day.  I just worked hard to keep Mr K, Erin, and Fi in my sights as they made moves to get around groups of riders who were going slower than us.  Before we knew it we were stopping at the 2nd aide station, 28 miles into our ride.

Our Goal....Beer Motherland.

One of the toughest sections of the ride for me came between mile 28 and the next stop at mile 45.  I was trying so hard to keep up with Mr K and Erin.  I could see that Fi was hot on their tails too, but was just a little behind them. The wind was blowing in our faces and the hills were worse than they had been in the beginning.  I got pretty frustrated with myself and probably spent a little too much energy during these miles.  My competitive nature was doing me more harm than good and I had to have a little chat with myself.  I backed off the pace and reminded myself that I didn't have to go fast, I just had to go all day.   Once I settled down, I felt much better and coasted into the halfway aide station in tiny McMahan, Texas.  We were all looking forward to this stop as it held the promise of cheese pizza!  Most of our group arrived here within a few minutes of each other and we had a brief reunion over pizza, oranges, and cookies.  It was also here that Ninja and the girls in the Swag Wagon found us for the first time.  Fi and I decided that we would ride together the rest of the way as neither of us was interested in trying to keep up with Mr K and Erin. 

Half-way!! Julie, Erin, Mr K, Fi, and Me

As soon as Fi and I took off a bee ran smack into her knee!  I think that I would have cried, but Fi pulled the stinger out and kept on pedaling.  The She-Ninja is tough, y'all!  Some of the best roads came right after the half way point -- smooth surface, barely rolling hills, and a nice tree line to block the winds.  We were both sad to see that part of the ride end!  The roads got worse after that, but we soon heard a car behind us and the familiar voices of the Ninja girls cheering on their mom and me.  It was certainly a boost to see them when we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere!  My legs were growing tired and my sit bones were growing weary, but I still felt pretty darned good.

My cycling buddy - Fi

We saw Mr K and Erin taking off as we cruised into the mile 75 aide station.  Those two were crazy strong, I hope that I can keep up with them someday!  Ninja was waiting for us and the Swag Wagon was fully stocked with Coke, ice, and sunscreen--special thanks to Ninja for all the great support! We picked up Julie here and she hung with us until the end (or rather a little ahead of us).  It became apparent that I was going to go all the way when Ninja said "See you in Shiner!" I got a boost of energy with this thought and we set off on the last bit of our journey.

Mile 75 with Fi and Julie

I am certain that the last 25 miles of a century ride is the cycling equivalent of the last 6.2 miles of the marathon.  I so close....yet still two hours of saddle time left.  These moments are a great test of my patience and mental strength.  I just couldn't wait to see that finish line...but I had to keep on doing the work.  There were moments where I just wanted to pull over and sit on the side of the road for a little bit, but I didn't.  I don't think that Fi and Julie realized just how much they kept me going there in the last 20 miles. Whoever named Flatonia, Texas has a real sense of humor...Flatonia? Not so flat.  The last 20 miles of this ride are just brutal -- tons of uphill with no downhill and a strong headwind.  Just like angels, pickle juice people appeared at the top of one of the toughest climbs.  Never tried pickle juice on a hot day?  Try it, I dare you. Life changing.

Almost there!

We traveled from Flatonia to Shiner on Highway 95.  I have fought a few battles out on this highway, it is a wicked stretch! The hardest 5.74 miles I have ever run were on this stretch of highway, headed in the opposite direction, with a 30 mph headwind, during the Texas Independence Relay.  How is it even possible that the wind can be in my face both times from opposite directions?  Julie had gotten pretty far ahead of me at this point and Fi was just behind me.  I felt like I was moving at a snail's pace, but the finish line was getting so close that I could nearly taste it.  Finally...I could see the top of the Spoetzl Brewery...the finish line.  I was going to make it.

I rolled across the line and was reunited with Mr K, Erin, Julie, and Fi.  This might have been the best finish line party that I have ever experienced.  Sitting on the grass under the big pecan trees, feasting on sausage, listening to a live band, and drinking plenty of Shiner--this is heaven, right? 

A little slice of heaven on Earth!

I love Texas and on days like this I love it even more.  This is, hands down, the best way to experience the beauty of the hill country and the huge hearts of the small towns along the way.  And then there's that moment...the moment when you realize that you are going to accomplish a goal that seemed impossible. That is what keeps me coming back for more.

(Special thanks to Ninja and Erin for some of the photos that appear here.)

Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon: Running With My Heart

After experiencing the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon for the first time last year, we decided that it was an event that we hoped would become an annual tradition.  There are just so many good things about the weekend: the city really takes alot of pride in the race, the cause is very special and meaningful, the course is great, and we always have a good group of frunners who also make the journey north.  After the events surrounding the Boston Marathon, I was even more excited and determined to run this race.  Those events rattled all of us and for the first time I felt as if I had been personally attacked by an act of terrorism. 

Mr K and I made the drive to OKC on Saturday morning and made it there in time to meet Marci and Mama C (and a surprise visit from Byron too...) for our traditional lunch and visit to the expo.  It was a beautiful day in Oklahoma, cooled slightly thanks to a perfectly timed cool front.  We enjoyed looking around the expo and stopping in to hear the famous Dick Beardsley and Bill Rodgers tell stories about their marathon glory days during a panel discussion.  It is always cool to see the legends and hear them tell their tales.  After hanging out at the Oklahoma City Arts Fest for a bit, we had dinner with a huge group of runners from Oklahoma.  The Italian restaurant was an interesting mix of marathoners and prom goers...each giving the other a curious glance. 

Mama C, Dat, Marci, Me, Mr K, Fiona, and Ninja after dinner

I had not been training specifically for this race, rather just maintaining my base mileage that has me ready to run a half marathon on any given weekend.  In fact, I had not run more than nine miles at once at any time in the month of April and all of my March long runs were on trails (it was trail month, after all).  I was somewhat frustrated after Cowtown as I had been "stuck" at a 1:55 plateau for almost two years now.  I decided then to shift my goal from that of "new PR" to merely getting over my 1:55 hump.  I was not sure what to expect from this race and decided to just run by feel and let my body dictate the pace, running free--no looking at my watch to check my pace.  I am not obsessed with my watch, but do tend to check it every mile or so during a typical race.  I know that it can be the recipe for a good head game as I think that I tend to become defeated if I am slower than the goal or get a case of the "I can't do thats" when I am running faster than the goal pace.  I wore the watch, I'm still a sucker for my data, but I did not look at it....not even a single time!

Total Excitement in the Corral with Fi, Mama C, & Marci

The starting line of the OKC Marathon is filled with emotion on any given year, but this year was even more special.  They hold a traditional 168 seconds of silence (one for each life lost in the 1995 Murrah Building bombing) and this year they added an additional 3 seconds, one for each life lost at the Boston Marathon. The race organizers also suggested that we wear red sock, for Boston. I tried to soak it all in as we started running--there was so much to see: the firefighters who would be walking the entire marathon in full gear, the shadow of the Bombing Memorial, the banners that lined the course-each with the name of a person who had lost their life in April 1995,  and the many spectators.  The starting song was Beautiful Day, an all-time favorite of mine and I took that to be a good sign for the day. 

Team K Pre-Race

I started at a fairly conservative pace, mostly because I was soaking up all of the good start line vibes.  I have made the mistake of going out too fast in the past and I didn't want to do that again today.  My first mile ended up being my slowest mile, which I think is a great way to do it.  I worked hard to run the tangents as much as I could during the race.  I think that this is a great course and we cruised through Bricktown and by the Oklahoma State Capitol all within the first few miles.  I appreciated the spectators more than ever and got a kick out of looking at all of them and reading their signs.  They were an energetic group and I drew upon that energy several times during the race.

Traditional FIGJAM Pre-Race Hotel Photo

I rarely run with music, but thought that I would bring some along this time for something different.  I usually run alone as Mr K is faster than me lately, and I knew for sure that I would be alone today as he was pacing our friend Marci.  I threw together a playlist that included a few upbeat songs that held a special meaning to me and then I put the playlist on shuffle.  It really was great when one of those "special" songs would come up.  The weather was just about perfect at 50 degrees and very little wind so I didn't have to slow down for water until I got to mile 7.  I had forgotten that my friend Melissa would be volunteering there and I randomly ran to someone who was holding out a cup of water.  It was Melissa!!  Here smile and positive words were a real boost to me and I headed off to conquer the second half of the race.

Post Race Smiles (and cheeseburgers)

I really felt great for most of the race--strong and steady the whole way.  I had no idea what my pace was or if I was hitting even splits, I just ran with everything I had in my heart.  It felt amazing. It was just one of those races--where you feel like you are kind of floating along as the miles click away.  I remember the later portions of the course and remembering how much I struggled last year as the heat and humidity made for a rather ugly crash and burn.  I couldn't have felt more different this year, thank goodness.  That floaty feeling did start to wear off around mile 10 or 11 and I knew then that my job was to keep on pushing--so close now!  Before the race I was twittering with Andrew and Mark L (who went on to OWN his marathon in Eugene) and Andrew left us with these words of advice:  Run the first third with your head, second third with your personality, and the last third with your heart. Even though I felt as if I had run the majority of the race with my heart, I really drew upon my heart in those last few miles.  The finish line at the OKC Marathon is one of the best and it was such a welcome sight again this year.  I gave it one last kick, passed a few more targets, and finished strong.  The official race clock was reading 1:55-something so I felt pretty sure that I had made it past my 1:55 hump.  A glance at my watch brought confirmation-- 1:54:03 -- my fastest half since running 1:54:55 in May 2011.  Plateau. Busted. I was one happy runner.  The official results would later tell me that I ran the first 7.6 miles at an 8:50 avg pace and the last 5.5 at an 8:38 avg. (Squeeeee!!!) and placed 39th out of 839 women in my age group.  I am a little sad to see half marathon season end, I feel like I really figured some things out in the time between Cowtown and OKC.

I ran with my heart.

As I stood near the finish line waiting for Mr K, Marci, and the rest of the gang I took a moment to look around.  The streets were full of people, vibrant, and you could feel the positive energy.  I couldn't help but to think about the people who created such terror in these same streets on April 19, 1995 and how this was the very scene they were hoping to eliminate.  I am so proud of the people of Oklahoma City for fighting back and for not letting evil win.  I am a firm believer that good will win over evil. Every. Single. Time.  Events like this marathon prove that over and over again. 

They call the OKC Memorial Marathon and Half "A Run To Remember" and it certainly lives up to that name.  I can't wait to come back again next year.

We Run To Remember

(Thanks to Mama C for the terrific photos!!)