Couch to ATHLETE!

Well, it has been about a year since I have run a half marathon. I have made a decision to do a half marathon every year because running long distances in the heat is just not fun right now... So, this weekend I went out and took on the promised 'flat' course in Toledo. We will get to the flat situation in a few minutes, but what I will say is that this race was fantastic on so many levels! First, and most importantly, I got to spend another weekend with my closest friend prepping for another race that we would again start and finish together. Her with patience of steel as I bought and lost items within minutes of each other, and me crying for no reason minutes before the race even started... But what else made this race great? Another very close friend of mine came up to take on Toledo!!! The awesome thing about Chris doing the race is that she ran my very first half marathon, ten half marathons ago. Those are just the starters!!! This race started out with dogs on t...

The heat hit Columbus today... This is a big deal to the runner who has Multiple Sclerosis. First, I have to admit that had a video been taken during this run, that video could have been placed next to the word whiny in the dictionary to demonstrate the meaning of the word. I tried wearing cooling bands on my wrists to keep me cold, but they were warm within the first two miles. I also announced two miles into the run that I was only going to run five miles instead of the intended six... To say I was a pleasant running buddy is an understatement! Here are a couple of interesting facts about heat and multiple sclerosis: 1) In the early days, people were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis by taking a bath. I'm not kidding either!!! The idea was, submerge a person in a hot bath and track their neurological symptoms, and if they worsen, the person probably has MS. This explains a lot!!! When I take baths, the chapters of the book I was reading often have to be re-read after the f...

While everyone celebrates Easter, I am sitting here reflecting on some of my goals. Easter has a way of getting me to think about renewal. Perhaps it is the nice weather, that is allowing me to sit on my back patio while I type this, but I feel fresh, I feel excited for what is next! I spent last week in Colorado, and boy was it a blast... from skiing with my cousins and sister-in-law, biking with my brother and company, hanging out with my brother!!! I couldn't have asked for a better vacation! The thing is, I always end up thinking about what I want for my athletic self when I spend weekends so physically active, as I was in Colorado. I had a conversation with my friend about it just yesterday morning, and the honest truth is I simply want to enjoy every athletic pursuit I embark on. I love my bike, I love running, I love swimming... I love putting my hands in the dirt, I love my cat, I love spending time with my friends, I love house projects, and I love rest. Can I have ...

I don't really like running without my running buddy, but it is necessary from time to time. Yesterday was one of those circumstances... 9 miles with my running club, but my running buddy (awesome friend) was no where to be found! With very good reason though!!! I have this whole long post about sportsmanship, but it is about the demise of sportsmanship, but based on what I experienced yesterday, I do think it more important to talk about the positive influences first! I woke up at 7:35 for an 8:00 run with my running club. I debated even going because I literally did not think I had the energy and I didn't want to park very far from the finish of the run. We were advised to arrive early because of a competing event that would take up a big portion of the parking lot, and I woke up AFTER our advised arrival time. Anyway, I left my house about 8 minutes before 8:00 and made the decision that if I got there and the parking lot was full, I would drive on and try to get my 9...

Mmm... Cookies! I like cookies. Do you like cookies? Well, actually, I LOVE cookies. You know what I like more? A good deal... Now, I'm not a big shopper, and try to do it only when I have to, but I can tell you that when I see a good deal, I like to take advantage of it. For instance, if I can buy two cookies for four dollars or ten cookies for eight dollars, I will always choose the 10 cookies... Wouldn't you? Similarly, If I find an awesome pair of pants that are on sale, and fit well, I'll search for a different color and buy a few pair. So, when I'm training for an event, and I'm putting in mile after mile, I may as well train for several, don't you think? It is kind of like getting a good deal. Train for a half marathon, but squeeze in a 10 miler and a 5 k while I'm at it? Why not? First of all, I am a finish line lover, not an addict because I don't need a finish line every weekend, but it certainly feels good when I cross a finish line...

I was trying very hard to keep my two blogs separate. I honestly did not want to turn my athletic blog into something that it wasn't, a focus on multiple sclerosis, but I'm learning that the only way I can share my current athletic story is by acknowledging that having MS has impacted my athleticism. So, any good merger requires a name change. I had a ton of wacky names run through my head... Well actually only one; I was thinking of calling my blog the clumsy athlete, and then my friend put me in check, and so the name which was carefully selected over several hours of discussion... OK, OK, so it was a three text, text exchange... 'The Determined Athlete' was born. As I move forward, I will be posting about the determination is takes to tackle various athletic pursuits. I will also cover topics related to multiple sclerosis, because it is important, at least to me! So, why waste time... Let's just dive in! The next few posts are already in process. Get ready...

Two of my three favorite sisters! If you know anything about MS, you know that it is a progressive disease that attacks the nervous system causing physical and cognitive challenges to people who are impacted by the disease, and so it may be a surprise to you that there are MANY athletes who have MS. Here is a short list: Stan Belinda - Former MLB player, played for two years post diagnosis. Josh Harding - NHL Player, has his best of his career one year after being diagnosed. Lori Schneider - Mountaineer, first person with MS to successfully climb Everest. Chris Wright - MBA player, who currently plays basketball professionally in France. Kelly Sutton - NASCAR driver, and was diagnosed when she was sixteen. Demitrius Omphroy - Soccor player and star of a Justin Beiber video. Kayla Montgomery - A high schooler diagnosed and then joined the track team. Click on her name, watch the video. And my favorite? Sarah (Me) of course - Former couch rider with a discovered ...