Couch to ATHLETE!

My favorite holiday is right around the corner. There is nothing better to me than enjoying my family without any expectations other than just hanging out. Next week, I will get to see all SIX of my nieces and nephews, my parents and all of my siblings in one place. The together time will be short lived, and that is why it is even more important that I enjoy every moment I have with them over the weekend. The next time we are all in one place at once might not have for a year or more. Anyway, I know many people who feel as though being outwardly thankful in November is silly because you should technically be thankful all year round. I would agree with the spirit of that statement, and although I am thankful all year round, I don't necessarily shout from the rooftops because being thankful doesn't have to be public. Just because people choose to be thankful individually, doesn't mean they aren't thankful, they simply are choosing to do it behind the scenes. I like to ...

What? Stuck in the future? Is this even possible? Well, let's take a step back here...  Last week, I was cleaning out another section of my house. While cleaning out, and purging, it is not uncommon to run across old memories. To that point, I happened to run across a CD that was made for me by an ex several years ago. The funny thing is I have never listened to this CD until this past week, in fact I didn't even know it existed until last week. It was a fun find that I have listened to several times at this point. What made me even more curious was that several people asked me if I was going to contact my ex to say thanks for the CD. Why the heck would I do that? It was the past, and it was a wonderful and no so wonderful time all at once. I'm thankful for the time, but reaching out is only something I would do if I were still hanging on to that relationship. At some point you just have to let it go, and let it go I did, several years ago!!! I can certainly be than...

We all have had those moments when we literally feel like our legs have been knocked out from under us. I'll never forget the time I had to do a reading at church, during the most revered priest's funeral mass, with a full house. I felt honored to be chosen to do a reading, but something about that moment gave me weak legs; I literally thought I was going to fall over while walking back to my pew. And then there was that other time when I did my grandma's eulogy... Quivering voice, short of breath, shaky legs, thinking I was going to tip over at any given moment. Maybe it is just funerals that make me feel that way, some could argue, however there have been other random moments of shaky legs... A surprise breakup several years ago, a car crash a couple of weeks ago, a MS diagnosis a couple of years ago, being selected to serve on a jury for a murder trial, forgetting to do that important task at work, having to tell my dad I screwed up (and this has happened countles...

DLF, ever see that acronym before? No, seriously it is a thing, it means Dead Last Finish. I don't think I have ever heard of it before, or if I did, I simply forgot about it. My friend and I were talking about what it feels like to come in last place at a race, especially when you know you are last from the start. I can say so many things about the feeling of coming in last place, after all, it has "happened to me" a handful of times during this short athletic life of mine. Let's first reflect on one of the 'greats' who came in last place... Remember this guy?   He was the amazing dude who kept going for 17 hours, just to cross the finish line of the Chicago Marathon in 2013. He was determined, and simply kept going... I heard he has finished other marathons over the years, which is amazing to me, because at what point do you give up? Today, I was talking to a colleague about the 5 mile race this weekend, in which I tied for last place with my bestes...

Everyone is inspired by different things and people, which is natural, because let's face it, if we all liked the same things, life would be pretty boring. While watching all of the people who went out to see an Olympic Athlete in Columbus this week, I learned that I am absolutely not inspired, nor interested, in spending my time going to see a professional athlete who has spent her life as a career runner. Career runners just don't do it for me. Is it cool that they are fast enough to run in the Olympics? Yep. Is it cool that they have won several marathons? Yep. Is it cool that they traveled the world? Yep. But watching career runners, who spend their life chasing after the fastest finish line, simply doesn't do anything for me... If it does something for you, enjoy the experience!!! So, what/who inspires me? Well, let me tell you... Kayla Montgomery - HS runner who has MS - This is a girl who doesn't hold back. She runs despite the difficulty she experiences pos...

I'm so determined right now. Determined to make excuse after excuse for my current condition. Up 25 pounds of the 100 plus pounds I originally lost. Unable to comfortably run more than 4 miles. Skipped a big race several weeks ago because I wasn't ready. Why, you may ask? Well I'll tell you... I'm tired, had personal trauma, enjoy cookies (especially when I am having personal trauma), not comfortable running alone, couldn't get to the gym, and have been uncomfortable for weeks. A friend of mine just texted me and said something like: 'Your body doesn't do heat. Apparently mine doesn't do cold.' I totally understand what she is feeling!!! It sucks when your body doesn't react as intended. Here's the thing, my body does do cold, so much so that I keep my house at a frigid 65-68 degrees all times of the year; and then all of a sudden it doesn't, do cold that is. This week for example? I walked around thinking, 'damn, I'm uncomfo...

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...