13.1 Day 1

40 Weeks, 273 days to be exact!

That's how much time I have to train for my newest adventure.
On August 30th 2015 I will be doing my very first 1/2 marathon, 13.1 miles.

I'll be doing the Women Rock Minnesota 1/2 with at least one of my friends that ran the Hammer with me back in October. A 1/2 marathon has been on her before "a certain age' bucket list and she'll hit that number next year so it's kind of something we need to make happen in 2015.

I never think about how friggin' tall I am till I see pictures like this.

I found a 20 week, 1/2 marathon training program that I really liked and decided to take 1 week of training and stretch it out over 2 weeks. I know my body and do much better with a slow and steady pace. PLUS it'll allow for those inevitable days when things don't go according to schedule and I won't be stressing out over missing a day.

My week will begin on Sunday and look like this; Rest, Cross Train, Rest, Run, Rest, Cross Train, Run. Luckily, Zumba is cross training and already built into my week on Monday's and Fridays. I've been doing some beginning weight lifting after each Zumba class and plan on continuing with that. I'm also adding in a little yoga for runners, which has been awesome for my perpetually tight ham strings . Here's what my training day looked like today.

Pre-run yoga, run, weighted plank, post-run yoga

I have a treadmill we inherited from Blue Eye's folks so I don't have to go to the gym, or outside in the cold for running days. I'm not fast by any means, but I figure it's better than sitting on the couch. 5 mph is the pace I'm reaching to maintain by race day. I like to catch up on the latest episode of Scorpion or watch a movie from the library while I run. It's extra nice when Matt is home because we can visit while I run and he does his gaming from his computer. When he's not home the kids get some t.v. time while I run. Here's what my set up looks like.

Yep, those are t.v. trays AND my hammer right underneath my growing collection of race bling.

I'm really not THAT into running, unless I'm watching something interesting or running with friends. BUT I do like a good challenge and I guess if I'm going to do it, doing it with my gal pals to check of an item on a bucket list is certainly that way to go.

Bad Attitude and a Song

So, it's turned cold and snowy here in Minnesnowta, and while it's certainly not unexpected, I still don't like it. Never have. Never will. Period. I've had a craptastic attitude about it thus far and basically feel trapped with no hope of release ... ever. Blue eyes was born and raised here and his personality is such that I probably can't even begin to fathom the depth of the roots he has planted in this arctic place. So, no. Moving somewhere warmer is probably not in the cards for us. Thanks for bringing it up and rubbing salt in the wound. 

The only things I can do until summer weather once again visits us for a very underwhelming two months is layer my clothing to the point of looking like the Michelin Man, drink copious amounts of hot tea, make our water bill skyrocket from all the steaming hot baths and camp out in front of my lightbox so I don't go bonkers from the lack of vitamin D. 

All I know is Pa and Ma Ingles must have been nuts. No one in their right mind ever goes "You know where we should move the family to? MN!!!!" To which an even more mentally challenged person replies "That's a great idea! Lets do that!" *sigh* 

Anyway, in an attempt to pull myself up by my bootstraps I decided to record a new song on my beloved Uke. And if any of you tell me "But think of how much time you'll have to play your instruments during the winter!" I will reach through your computer screen and El Cabong you with my tiny guitar. 

 Now, if you will excuse me, I have to waddle my way back to the kitchen for another cup of tea. 

Mother's Monody

Distractions pull at grey matter edges

Echoes of past and whispers of future

Words unfinished, unwritten, unspoken

Notes unheard, unplayed, unrelished

Unsung melodies drifting in time and space of could and would

So many weights to be carried, balanced

Broad shoulders make lighter load

but strength wanes quivering with no respite

Crown jewels are races reward

but glittering things shine dimly to the weary

Stephanie Neher

A Voice Mail Poem

My Dad brought it to my attention yesterday that it had been quite a long time since I had written anything on here. January 5th to be exact.

Yep, it's been that crazy busy, apparently. :-)

Matt and I got our first smart phones this week and we're quickly trying to catch up with the rest of society on how to use them. The first call I received on my new phone scared me to death as I'm not familiar with the ringtone yet and then I couldn't figure out how to answer it. Apparently I was tapping when I was supposed to be swiping. lol

I needed to record a new message for my new voice mail and of course a regular ol' standard "leave a message at the beep" just wouldn't do it for me. SO, I wrote a poem and after recording it on my toy, I mean phone, I thought it'd be fun to share it here. :-)

Busy

A voice mail poem by Stephanie Neher

Cooking, cleaning, laundry too,

always lots of things to do.

Teaching, driving, dancing, playing,

reading, writing, bills need paying.

I'm exhausted! How bout' you?

I'll call you when my nap is through.

Resolution Haters

I am a resoluter (Isn't that a cool word? I think it would mean "one in the act of making a resolution" or something like that), and I have a difficult time keeping my eyes from rolling back in my head when I hear someone say something along the lines of, "I don't believe in making new years resolutions!" Maybe my own insecure voices are breaking through, but I can't help but hear other things between those words that sound derogatory and snobbish, contemptibly being fired at all the "other" people. If you happen to be an anti-resoluter, I apologize for stomping all over your toes just now and I love you despite your resolution......less.....ness lol. But let me ask you this, aren't you making a resolution every time you deiced to brush your teeth, and then much to the delight of your dental hygienist, follow through? How bout when you flush your.....business, before you leave the john? Ever wanted to make something specific for supper and then feasted on that very thing later that evening? How bout planning a road trip, or a play date or a wedding? All of those things require us to make a resolution, a decision on a desired outcome, and then take action accordingly ensuring it's successful completion. Yes? So you DO make resolutions! You're just averse to the new years variety.

Why is that I wonder? What is it about a new year starting that gets everyone all bat guano crazy about the whole thing? Is it the weight of social expectations? Is it the life-overhauling, often totally unrealistic, magnitude of ones made this time of year? Is it the reminder of past failed attempts and fear of further defeat? Maybe it's a little of all those things, but no matter what your stand on this global craze of fresh start possibility you ARE a resoluter because at it's rawest form a resolution is nothing but a decision with the elbow grease of follow through generously applied to it. Like just now, you probably resolved to either finish reading this blog post or not.

Oh good, you're still here! I'm so glad, because I really wanted to share the things I resolve, decide, aim, intend, purpose, have the courage, moxie, guts, or any other word you might prefer over another, to do in 2014. If I achieve them...GREAT! If not, that's OK as well. All of us could probably use nothing more than a great big heaping helping of grace when we fall short of our perfectly impossible ideals. 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

If you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time. 

A goal without a plan is just a wish. 

Ok, I'll stop with the cheesy motivational poster quotes now. You get my point.

As I was thinking about what I might like to resolve for this year the usual suspects came up, food and fitness being the top two. I thought "I could probably stand to be stronger, more muscular, eat more organically, or locally, or meatless-ly." But to be completely honest I'm very happy where I'm at right now. I already eat very low carb and zero processed sugar, there's not a whole lot of improving I could do on that area. I work out anywhere from 3-6 times a week depending on the season, and I like my body. I'm pleased with how look and feel in my clothes, as well as out of them. I've already worked really hard to get where I'm at right now and I see no sense in pushing myself that much more when I don't need or want to. So, I began to look at other areas of my life that I WOULD like to improve, and here's what I settled upon, or did they settle on me? At any rate they felt appropriate, fitting, and not unattainable. These would be in no particular order of importance.

1. I enjoy running and would like to have it in my life much more consistently than it was in 2013. So, I will run once a week, on Wed to be precise. I have a treadmill so there really is no good reason for it not to happen.

2. Get back into the habit of a 1 minute plank every day.

3. Complete the Warrior Dash,which I'm already registered for, this summer without dying.

4. If I get to this one it means #3 didn't leave my children motherless, and I can now consider attempting to survive the Hammer Race.

3. Make my devotional time a priority again. This one probably doesn't need any explanation.

4. Schedule time on my calendar to work on my writing projects once a week.

5. Attend a local writing group.

6. Schedule a regular monthly deposit into Matt's retirement account.

7. Put any extra money into our emergency fund. Baby steps, right FPUers?.

8. Get our will taken care of.

9. Based off this article, express myself truthfully even when I'm afraid to do so.

10. Practice the piano and ukulele every day.

Hi! My name is Stephanie, and I'm a resolution maker. 

And you know what? I think it could be a really great year.