why do we do it?

My sisters just got to spend  a quick (less than 24 hours) day with the Michigan branch of the family. They spent the time kissing Brody, playing with Ella, drinking wine, and visiting with Aly and Alex. I would be a little more envious if I hadn't just seen Brody a few weeks ago, and if Aly wasn't flying back to Nebraska tomorrow. I do miss having spring break with my teacher sisters, though - darn job.

But anyway, I was visiting with Aly late this afternoon, and she said that Gail asked her why she was training for a half-marathon (she and Emmy are doing the Chicago Rock-n-Roll Half in July) when her body hurts. We talked about it a bit, and everyone has their own reasons. You'll need to follow their blogs, Here Comes Happiness and The Swallow Flies to learn about their journeys, but it really made me stop and think. Seriously. Or srsly:

couldn't help it. i haven't posted this guy in awhile and he cracks me up!

All kidding aside, my body is orthopaedically a wreck - although it has been fixed and put back together a number of times. For a 58-year-old I'm, well, okay. I was always an athletic kid; one of the first picked for teams in elementary school, and I was pretty fast. Then puberty hit, and back then, girls couldn't play organized sports. My school had a basketball team that started in my junior or senior year in high school, but by then I had a job (and was fat). But in the past several years, I have done things that I just didn't know I could. Half-marathon? Cathy Harder from Aberdeen? 

How can I explain to someone the excitement of being at a race, much less being in one? I get tears in my eyes when I am just a spectator! The old grandpa in his Dockers at last year's race, the grandma in her jeans. Well, then there are the Kenyans, but also everyone in between. (Where I am for the time being, before I get to be that little old grandma who is inspiring everyone.) 

Having a goal keeps me accountable. I would be too easy for me to just think - and read this in a whiny voice - "I don't feel like working out today." It would be really easy to just take a nap. But I know if I don't put in the time, I will pay for it. Big time.

Take this weekend, for example. I had a 10-miler scheduled, so went out and hit the trail. It ended up being 10.16 thankyouverymuch, and the last two miles were pretty much awful. I came home and told Dwight that I think I broke an ovary because every step I took it felt like something was stabbing me in my lower left abdomen. Dr. Dwight thought it was a groin pull and his treatment involved taking advil. Me, not him. (Although sometimes I think he wants to: I told him there wasn't much running at the end except when I came upon people who were walking slower than I was. I told him I had to jog around them so they wouldn't think I was eavesdropping on their conversations or stalking them. He just paused, looked at me, and said, "What goes on in your head?" I told him he just didn't want to know.)

So getting into my car was pretty hilarious. First of all, after I do more than three miles or so, my right knee doesn't like to bend. I opened up the car, grabbed my right thigh to lift my leg into the car, then realized omg my broken ovary won't let me pull my left leg into the car. I kinda sat on my hip and rolled in, all the while laughing hysterically at myself (if it didn't hurt so much). But a little ice, a lot of advil, some rest, and I'm ready to go again. 

All this doesn't answer Gail's question to Aly. I guess the short answer is because - right now - I can.

Some breakfasts:

2 scrambled eggs, half an avocado, berries, and salsa

2 hardboiled eggs, a carrot cake vitatop, and an orange

 An actual lunch:

chicken sandwich, carrot sticks, and cucumber kimchi

My hours at work have changed this past month; instead of going in at noon, I go in at 11:00. I was okay eating lunch at 11 when I had to be in at noon, but I just can't eat lunch at 10. I'm trying to figure it out. At first I brought a sandwich and some yogurt, but I am busy with my hands all the time so can't really take a break to sit down. After some trial and error, what I figured out was to eat a pretty substantial breakfast and take something portable and non-sticky for lunch. Not an apple. But carrot sticks and sugar snap peas work well, along with a (don't judge me now) Special K chocolate mocha protein shake. I tell you, it is 190 calories of deliciousness.

A snack:

green monster: 8 oz almond-coconut milk, handfuls of spinach, scoop of  vanilla protein powder, about a teaspoon of chi seeds, a banana, and a glob of plain fat-free yogurt

Some dinners:

taco night: sour cream (actually nonfat yogurt), vegetarian refried beans, lettuce, cheese, salsa, diced avocado, tomatoes, taco meat with jalapenos, and some taco sauce. for some reason i just love this stuff. i think it reminds me of taco john's, which was a popular spot in high school

blackened shrimp, roasted sweet potato wedges, and brussels sprouts sauteed with shallots

Time to go spend some quality TV-watching time with my husband.
TTFN!