Perspective

Good things happened this past week, along with some very big firsts.

My family threw me a race-themed birthday party, complete with all my medals, race pics, and race quotes scattered around the kitchen. We feasted on grilled chicken and salad. I then did something I've never done: I had one piece of strawberry cake and we threw away the rest. It felt good, but don't think I wasn't contemplating pulling a George Costanza and digging it out of the garbage for a second go 'round.

Another first: I ran in the am as opposed to 10 at night. I got up at 5:30 and actually ran in the morning, watching the sun come up. It was a beautiful and enjoyable experience and I made progress on the whole phobia-of-running-where-people can-see-me thing. And it will come in handy in two weeks when the Gumtree gets here. More on that fear when the time comes.

I completed the first month of Kickstarter. My ending numbers were good. I shed a few pounds, a few inches from the mid-section, hips and thighs, and shaved off over a minute from my magic mile. I signed up for another month beginning this week and I'm looking forward to seeing more progress. I thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie and support received from the teachers and women in that group and it has absolutely helped keep me focused and motivated. We concluded with "Burpees for Boston" in the park where we did a burpee for each injured and five for each death. We rounded up to 200 and did it in teams. And I survived. And I was proud. And I couldn't walk the next day. But I was happy.

My husband and I got to see a Dave Matthews concert Saturday. The whole concert. Reminder: we went to a concert in Atlanta a few years ago. And due to the fact that we had children and I was breastfeeding, we made it to the concert that night just in time to see the ENCORE. It was awesome and we weren't pissed at all (sarcasm font). SO we redeemed ourselves and got there early and pretended to be 21 again and I laughed at all the women wearing heels in the mud.

See? Me laughing at all the women wearing heels in the mud, and double fisting my......water. Yeah that's water with limes. I was really thirsty :)

We also celebrated a huge accomplishment for Jack, my six year old. As many of you know, my Jack is autistic. And sweet and kind and quirky and cool. At the beginning of this school year, Jack still couldn't write. He couldn't draw or color. He couldn't even hold a crayon or pencil with enough force to do anything. But after much work with his teachers, Jack learned to draw. He learned to color. And his artwork was displayed at the Gumtree Art Museum this week. I can't begin to express the amount of gratitude and pride I have. Jack continues to amaze and inspire me by learning to do the very things that he at some point, could not do.

We also had a field trip with Jack's class this week that I was blessed with being able to attend. His class, a special education class, went to a farm. Now I say this with the utmost respect and sensitivity to the issue as possible: everyone should be able to experience a day with special needs children. It will inspire you, give you perspective, and help you to see the joy and beauty in life and will make your problems seem so miniscule and trivial that you will feel guilty for ever complaining about anything. You don't want to exercise or run? Remember there are children who will never get the choice. You want to use your words to hurt someone or complain? Remember there are children with no voice, no ability to communicate their thoughts. You want to be grumpy? Remember, there are children who find the greatest joy by being outside, by petting a dog, or by simply being in the company of those that are different as well as similar to them. You don't want to support someone? I had the honor of experiencing a group of special needs children cheer and clap each time one of their classmates was able to sit atop a horse. These children can teach you everything you need to know in life: what's important, what's not important and how to live life to the fullest.

Do something this week to honor those in the world who can't. We owe it to them and to ourselves.

Quote of the day:
“It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view.” - George Eliot
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” - Abraham Lincoln

Song of the day:
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"- Monty Python- seriously go read the lyrics

For Boston and the Sport

True story. During my first half marathon at Disney, I rounded the corner of mile 5 and took a walk break. I saw a woman in the crowd, a spectator by herself, and she yelled at me "what are you doing Lisa? You didn't come here to walk did you? Get moving!" Two things immediately went through my head: how do you know my name, and why the hell are you yelling at me? I stopped right in front of her. She put her hands on my shoulders and said "this is what you came here for! Run girl, you're doing great!" I high-fived her and I ran faster.

Another true story. At mile 6 of that same race, I got behind a fellow runner. She had a certifiable marathoner's body. Beautiful, long, and lean. A body that you mostly saw way ahead of my pack. And I noticed she was coughing. Coughing blood. And that's when I noticed that she was bald under her running cap. She was suffering from something terrible. Something I assumed to be cancer. She bowed out right before we reached the Magic Kingdom. I cried. Hard. Then a stranger yelled "Don't cry Lisa, you made it to the Magic Kingdom!" I cried harder and ran faster.

I then realized that's why they put your name on your bib. So spectators can cheer for you. People you don't know, who line the race route to cheer for their loved ones also cheer for everyone else in the race. It's a beautiful beautiful thing.

During that race, and every race since, I have been inspired by the circumstances of people that surround me. I've seen a couple running with t-shirts that say "We are running in memory of our Anna" with a picture of a beautiful toddler whose life was cut short by leukemia. I met a young couple who had written on their legs in markers "We are running in honor of our son with autism." I bonded with those people for a mile and we left each other in shared tears of pride, sorrow, and a renewed desire to succeed for our afflicted children. I've seen groups of women holding hands and crying, and while not knowing their exact reasoning, I was moved by their solidarity. I am brought almost to my knees whenever I see a runner in a wheelchair, some peddling with their arms because they are amputees.

Everywhere you look you see stories of inspiration, loss and triumph. And this, quite simply stated, is the universal reason why people run races. Races celebrate the best of people. Whether its reaching goals, raising money for a good cause, running in honor or memory of someone; everyone has a story and a reason. And everyone has spectators cheering them on. Strangers and loved ones alike celebrate this trial with the runner. It's part of the magic and romance of a long distance race. 

And this, this is the beauty that someone tried to kill on Monday. They didn't try to kill the people. The way the bombs were made they were meant to injure, to maim,and in a horrific twist of irony, meant to sever limbs. They set out to kill the human spirit. And to kill the beauty and majesty of the marathon. 

But much like 9/11, these disasters thankfully have the opposite effect. We do indeed mourn the tragic loss of life. But terrorists haven't figured out that these acts cause a surge of spirit and patriotism and a renewed sense of strength and passion for the very thing they try to destroy. 

I've always respected and admired the tenacity, drive and dedication of a runner. It's part of the reason why I want to be one when I grow up. Runners have to carry a constant level of discipline that you know carries over into every other aspect of their lives. I found it oddly inspiring to see runners so close to the explosion still cross the finish line and reach down to tap their garmin. That's dedication I thought. That's love and respect for the sport. A sport that will carry on and triumph through life and adversity and way past 26.2 miles. 

Quote of the Day: "And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!"- William Wallace in Braveheart

Song of the Day: 

"Carry on" - FUN 

"Sweet Caroline" - Neil Diamond -->Go Red Sox!

 

Kickstarter: Kicking my Butt

Coming to you from the Hyatt Hotel. Jackson, MS. 4:11 in the am. With the stomach bug. Yes it finally got me. I spent all week watching it hit every one of my boys, knowing that my time was near. And instead of complaining about it, I'm going to tell you the positives. #1- Since I can't sleep, I finally have time for a blog entry. #2- It reminds me that I'm needed. Call me crazy but when my children are sick, I'm comforted by the amount of need they have for me. Not just for meds, clean underwear and a timely puke bucket, but they need my comfort. My hugs. They look into my eyes and actually say "I need you mommy." My heart swells and I'm reminded how and why I love being a mom, even in the middle of out of control bodily functions. #3- For a day or two after the virus is over, I see a number on the scale that I haven't seen since I was 20, and that gives me a cheap thrill and makes me daydream about how proud I would be of myself if I actually earned that loss in weight instead of puking that loss in weight. And #4- That's it. There are no more positives to a stomach virus.

So, this week I feel the need to distinguish where I am exactly on the fitness scale as I start my journey. The bad news? It's pretty much at the bottom again. Where I started two years ago. The good news? Lets see, the good news.... I have no where to go but up (?) I found out I was pregnant last March. And that was the last time I ran, exercised, showed restraint at a buffet, etc. It is what it is. I needed help. Which is why I signed up for Kickstarter through the Crossfit in Tupelo. If any of you have looked into it on-line, it looks freakin scary right? But they have a boot camp just for women and we meet at the park three nights a week. And it's exactly what I needed. An organized, structured routine that kicks my arse into gear and into pain. Led by two super in-shape, super hot ladies who could be fitness models in a Title 9 catalog, they lead you in group, timed workouts that push you to your limits and are often partner-related that motivate you to go hard. The cool thing is the workouts actually only last about 20-30 minutes. But you go balls to the wall and fast for those 30 minutes. It helps with my accountability as well, which really is a powerful tool for anyone trying to get in shape.

The things I've learned my first week with Kickstarter:
1) If I survive this, I'll be smoking hot
2) I might not survive this
3) I have no-repeat NO ab muscles. I went to do a sit up and literally couldn't lift my torso.
4) because of #3 I reminded everyone there twice over that I just had my third baby a couple of months ago. Okay 4 maybe 5 months ago. Whatever
5) having a fitness model type measure your bare belly is a necessarily humbling experience (and no I'm not posting starting numbers. I know I want honesty and full disclosure but I'm not a masochist)
6) I would rather do braless jumping jacks than burpee broad jumps. Not that we do braless jumping jacks, I'm just using it as a point of reference.

**I was going to leave the previous paragraph as is. But after much deliberation with myself I've decided to stay true to the process, the spirit of the journey and my attempt at being real and include my beginning numbers. So it is with a heavy heart, an embarrassed mind and a hesitant hand that I give to you my starting measurements:

Weight: 158. That's right I said 158.
% of body fat: 32.3
BMI: 27.1
Arms: 11.5 (R) 11.25 (L)
Waist: 39 (I know right?)
Thighs: 20

There's just no explanation or discussion needed. It sucks. But that's what I'm here for right?

As part of the program, they also provide us with detailed meal plans that follow the Paleo diet. Honestly, it's time consuming recipes that aren't really conducive to working with three kids and barely making it to class at 6pm three nights a week. I pick two or three recipes to try each week and every other meal consists of foods from the prescribed list. But they arm you with all of the info needed to be successful. You definitely have to plan ahead. A unintentional plus to this program is it teaches you about time management and the importance of being prepared.

Look, I'm aware that I've probably bitten off more than I can chew. I'm aware that I should set my goals more incrementally. Someone told me this week, flat out, that I couldn't do it. And they may be right. And while I am a proponent of honesty, I'm also a huge believer in if you don't have goals, lofty or not, you got nothing. You're not progressing, not bettering yourself, not moving forward, you're just there-taking up space. And at least with this goal I'll be moving toward something that will make me better. It will make me stronger, fitter, leaner, and most importantly, wiser. I may not finish that race. But I'll try. And you know- I think with any goal, with anything you want to become, a good motto is 'Fake it till you make it.' This isn't a wise motto if you want to become a brain surgeon, but pretend to be a runner, actor, writer, happier, sober, nicer, etc. for a period of time, and eventually you will be. Yoda voice: you_will_be.

PS. We are officially registered for the Walt Disney World Marathon January 2014.

Quote of the day: "The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt
Song of the Day: I Won't Back Down- Tom Petty

              
 

2^nd Installment of Born to Run…….

It’s been two years ago this month that I posted my race day report to my 1^st half-marathon. A lot has happened since then. I’ve completed two more half-marathons; another Disney Princess Half and a race in Santa Barbara that can only be described as a torturous 13.1 mile mountain climb. We bought a new house, had our 3^rd baby boy, discovered Mumford & Sons, gracefully survived some heartache and tragedy, and I’ve re-entered the work force as a paralegal in my husband’s law office, completely disregarding the degree I earned in favor of discovering the ever entertaining  law of MS. We are all healthy, happy on average four to five days out of the week, and moving right along in this thing called my Gen X mid-life crisis.

I begrudgingly decided on a second installment to this blog. I recently stopped breastfeeding our newborn, Charlie. This time limiting it to three months instead of the “Oh my God you breastfed how long?” time frame. I’m ready to be active, healthy and set some goals to get rid of the three baby muffin top. This year, we are coming out of the gate swinging. My husband and I, along with some very dear and equally insane friends, have decided to do the full marathon in January 2014 at Walt Disney World.


“But Lisa, you barely made it through the half!?”
“But Lisa, 26.2 is a helluva lot of miles!”
“But Lisa, you like cupcakes and beer too much!”

And I would agree to all of the aforementioned concerns. But I’ve concluded this: It’s now or never. My good friend Buddha says “The trouble is you think you have time.” We don’t. No one does. We are all just aging, procrastinating amoebas who put everything off until tomorrow. We also are unassured of that tomorrow.  I’m 34 and I have a rather large bucket list. And my current life motto is ‘Get busy living, or get busy dying” - Via Shawshank.

So here’s my second mission, should I choose to accept it, which I have or I wouldn’t be wasting our time. Train and actually run in a full marathon. I will keep this blog as my journal. I’ll do this for two reasons: 1) Accountability- wow, the fear of embarrassment is a powerful motivation. The few who read this blog the first go round encouraged me, inspired me, called me out and kept my head in the game. A game I would not have finished had it not been for the accountability factor that this blog provided. The more people aware of my goals, the less likely I am to fail. 2) This blog absolutely helped me emotionally. I accosted some of my personal demons during the training process and writing them down allowed me to explore and overcome some of those issues that had previously led to my failures. It also allowed me to see just how often I thought about Shipley donuts. It was my therapy, my compass, and at times an embarrassment to myself and those around me.

This leads me to the ground rules; Same as last time. 1) Update at least once a week. 2) Be brutally honest. 3) Not apologize for being brutally honest. Many of you that know me readily admit that I lack a verbal filter. At times it has cost me- I’ve lost FB friends just this week due to a difference of opinion and lack of decorum on my part. I lost readers of the last blog due to my oversharing about boobage and bladders.  But that’s the beauty of the 1^st Amendment. I can say what I feel. These are my words, spoken freely and I do not edit. 4) I WILL talk about boobage, bodily functions, curse words and child rearing problems. 5) I will not discuss religion or politics. 6) I’ve invited my husband to contribute on occasion. We are doing this race together and I’ve always secretly wished to have a successful co-blog where he’s like Bill Simmons the Sportsguy who writes crazy good, intelligent long reads and I’m the Sportsgal who only talks about useless things like the Bachelor and trashy girls on trashy television and other really useful topics. Because that’s kind of what we are in real life. He’s the yin to my yang, the Sonny to my Cher, the Kanye to my Kim.

I’m excited about this journey. There are already many plans for the month ahead. I’m starting a kickstarter program through a local cross-fit this week. We have trips and concerts on the calendar, along with a vasectomy and a breast reduction that I cannot convey the amount of excitement I have for. (See? TMI galore)

And so it begins…. Time to pull out the double layers of bras, the body glide, the Stuart Smalley pep talks and reach to the back of my closet for the running shoes. It will be ugly, hard to watch and harder to read, but this will happen, one day, one step, and one cuss word at a time.

Song of the day: “Guess Who’s Back?” – Eminem

Quote of the Day: “Haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potate.”.- Mallory Davidson