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One More Step...


What do you do the day after your best run in a long time? Or when you don't have a car? Or when you are hiding from your cat because she has decided to aggressively nibble on your toes? Or when you are avoiding a mountain of laundry? Or when you just finished reading a book? Well, one might hang out on the couch and watch TV, but instead I've decided to start thinking about an event schedule for 2016.

It has been a long time since I have intentionally planned a race schedule, and I figured it is time. It is time to get off my butt. It is time for me to make goals again. It is time for me to get athletically organized again. It is time for me to acknowledge that MS isn't holding me back, I AM holding me back.

When my best buddy told me recently that she wanted to start running a little faster, I said No Problem... Let's do it. Low and behold, we took the challenge to heart without even knowing it. Thirty seconds faster per mile, and we both have survived. Ask me if we kept it up for our 5 miler... If we did? Well, I will congratulate us both with a pumpkin donuts (whoops, not supposed to reward with food), or a big hearty pat on the back! Or a trip to Australia (need to win a million dollars for this one)!!!

This thirty second change in pace doesn't make us award winning runners, but it certainly gave us some confidence. And so here I sit writing some goals.

Because I need to be mindful of the cost related to these events (registration fees, bike tune ups, gym memberships, running club membership, new shoes, travel to, hotels for a couple of nights, replaced bike gloves, new sunglasses every week, new wetsuit if I lose weight, new swimming suit, etc.), it is best that I begin my planning now!

My best buddy and I have already talked about doing the Cap City half marathon again. This is a great race, and even better because it is close to home!

I was also talked into doing another half iron distance tri in 2016 to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday. And because I have some awesome supporters in this world, another friend of mine has agreed to do the race!!! And others have committed to cheering me on in the process. The event and date are yet to be determined, but my mind is committed to making this happen! Shoot, I was training for a half iron distance race through being prodded and tested for MS. I did my half iron distance race less than two short weeks after being diagnosed... It is time to prove that I can still do it!

AND, no summer will happen without a significant bike ride. This too is in the planning phases, but I'll be planning to do another ride in 2016. Because I don't run in the summer, that much, I'll be looking for a ride late in the summer.

I realize that my best buddy will probably read this and jump up for joy, because she knows she is going to be recruited for the bike ride, too. But I am also sitting here, jumping for joy (that was supposed to be funny) because this planning is one more step to taking back control of my athletic life...


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