running – Page 5 – Movin' it with Michelle

Three things, Thursday

July 18, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I haven’t slept worth crap (is sleep really worth crap? I digress…) this week. I can pretty much pin point the problem, but it’s a good problem if that makes sense…

1. I am breaking up with my love of my nightly glass (or 2 or 3) of wine. For those that know me, you know I LOVE wine. I love researching vineyards, checking out new wines featured in the “Wine Spectator” magazine, and my husband and I enjoy attending wine dinners. And so my habit formed, and I saw myself downing at least 2 large glasses in the evening, which of course let to a “good night’s sleep.” But was it good? Nah…I wake up feeling unrested, and sluggish. Hung over? Nah…I’m not THAT bad, lol. But unrested regardless. So this week with my goal of not only having fun training for my hubby’s first half marathon, I decided we needed to cut back on our other passion…sorry wine…you and I will still meet up, but at a lesser frequency.

2. Sometimes, people will hurt our feelings. I will leave this one a bit vague…but I will say I have a teenage daughter. (Enough said? lol)

Despite having a great day at work, my heart got the best of me, and I let attitudes and looks nearly ruin my day. I went upstairs to change in to my running clothes, yet really I just wanted to sit in the bathroom and cry silent tears. I splashed water on my face, got my gear on, and came downstairs to get ready with my husband for our 4 mile run. Thursdays work perfectly for our run as we drop our youngest off at the Park District at dance class for an hour, which is just enough time to run and peak in and see her dance for a few minutes. But my oldest saw my face…and knew I was upset after I finished getting ready. “Mom, can I have a hug?” Of course…I love my daughters dearly…#sigh

3. My husband and I had a GREAT run. Neither of us has been feeling very rested…between the wine, and working more hours than we can count, we decided tonight’s run we would take it easy. We did our speed/hill work out Tuesday, so tonight we planned on settling in with him letting me dictate the pace. My goal was to keep it under a 9:30 pace, with a desired average pace of 9:15. We finished at a average pace of 9:18, and the best part? Him looking at me nearly bewildered saying, “That was a GREAT run, and I felt like I could’ve kept going!” WIN. During our run along the Fox River we spotted several fisherman that had 6-8 fishing poles set up. My husband remarked, “Just think, some of these guys are probably relying on those fish for dinner.” And suddenly my piles of student loans and debt seemed very small…and I silently slapped myself in the head for always wanting more…

Oh, and my hubby has learned this lesson too during his long runs…LOL

How is your week going? Do you use speed/hills in your training? How do you prevent chafing? (I use good ole Vaseline) Have you counted your blessings tonight? There is still time…

❤ Michelle

running, Uncategorized

Running and flying, in no particular order

July 16, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Tuesdays are typically our speed/hill work runs. We are remaining pretty consistent with our training, and I have to give my hubby a huge shout out for not giving up with his first half marathon training. Yet with the humidity the Chicagoland area has been hit with lately, it’s been hard for me to keep my breathing steady and my legs not feeling like I am carrying 2 bricks as I run. So today, when walking out of work I was hit with a cool breeze that slapped me in the face and I smiled. We were going to have an Epic run tonight. Despite the huge blister on my second toe that I acquired in last year’s 20 mile training run (20 miles of running in torrential downpour rain, with thunder and lightening to boot) that I’ve had to now bandage as it’s resurfaced with all the rainy runs, I knew this one would be good.

We laced up for our 4 miler as soon as we got home from work, and hit the road running. I knew immediately my intuitions were spot on, and even the first mile felt GREAT. This NEVER happens for me. My goal for us on this run was an average of a 9 minute mile, as this is our race pace goal. Our course is laden with 2 significant uphill climbs that I incorporate for our hill work outs. I love doubling both hills, with speed as it makes the run tougher…but in turn it makes us stronger runners.

By mile 2 I felt the wind not only fighting me, but fueling me to push harder…and suddenly I was flying. I settled in as we barreled up the first of two hills at an 8:58 pace, where just last week we were at a 9:06 pace. The second hill was tougher as it is in the last mile of our run. I looked down at my watch, and we were clocking a 8:46 pace…KEEP PUSHING…I had to stop briefly to stretch my calf, but we took back off full force towards our house…and as we hit the last half mile, I took off…I didn’t think…I didn’t look at my watch…I just RAN. I peeked out of the corner of my eye, and there was my hubby holding steady next to me…so I ran faster…I flew…we finished our last mile at an 8:33 pace, which is probably my fastest mile in several years. After several high fives, and a sweaty kiss we finished our run with huge smiles and a great feeling of satisfaction and pride. Our splits were: 9:11, 9:00, 9:03, 8:33

Do you incorporate speed and hills in to your training?

dedication, goals, moving forward, running

Weekend wrap up

June 30, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Sometimes (often times) I find myself needed a weekend, well, FOR my weekend. This one was one of those weekends where we were on the GO all weekend. So this post will be mostly pics, filled with my little tid bits throughout the way…

Friday my husband had to go to a dress rehearsal for the wedding he was performing “Saber arch” detail in. So after dropping off my oldest at her BFF’s for a sleep over, I decided to embrace the moment and take my youngest out on a date. I asked her where she wanted to go to eat…SUSHI of course. We had such a nice time eating dinner, and walking the streets of Geneva window shopping and I treated her with well deserved ice cream.

We wrapped up our date with shopping for “Lucy” her American girl doll, and we found a beautiful hand made outfit.

We got home a bit late, and I was tired. I worked a few hours of overtime this week, and knew I had a long run scheduled for the morning. So I set my outfit out, fuel was ready, and I went to bed at 10 p.m.

Sadly, my husband came home late from his practice, and I wasn’t able to sleep…AT. ALL. I may have gotten two hours of sleep Friday night…MAYBE.
I got out of bed at 5:45 with baggy eyes and heavy legs. My long run was GOING. TO. SUCK. (and it did)
I met up with the Dick Pond run club gang, and we headed out promptly at 7 am. It was hot. It was humid. And all I wanted to do was go back to bed. But I ran. And thankfully Melissa stayed with me for the majority of the run. There were several walk/water/want to stab myself in the eye breaks. Here we are at mile 4, with a bug planted firmly underneath my eye. New make up scheme? I think…NOT.

Around the six mile mark, I sent Melissa on her way so she wouldn’t have to witness my epic fail of a long run. I couldn’t hold pace and the mental demons were winning. But I finished…8.18 treacherous miles logged.

And then. There was the food. Yes, I devoured this egg sammich like a mad women.

I wanted to nap when I got home…but we had a wedding to attend. Here are some highlights.

Today I was blessed to be able to take a NAP this morning…Morning you say? Yup, hubby got up at 6:30 for his long run and I got my youngest breakfast and settled. I may, or may not have napped until 10:30 a.m. I forced myself out of bed, showered, cleaned, and went to a dear friends housewarming/Mary Kay Party. I love my friends. Have I said that lately?

I came home to THIS dinner…Grilled steak, Egg plant, and quinoa…Can you say yum?

Yup...my hubby made this! — Yup…my hubby made this!

I finished the weekend with a 12.5 mile bike ride. I needed to find my happy place, which I can usually find during a long run…so I needed to feel the wind on my face, the sun on my back…and all that jazz…So I dusted off my bike, and hit the trails. My bike sucks, I’ll just say it, but it keeps me moving regardless. My pace was slow, but I felt great being outside as the sun started to set. I captured THIS awesome moment tonight….

And as I flew down the hill on my Walmart bike I realized…I can fly…I can run…I can ride. And as always, I keep movin’ forward.

❤ Michelle

dedication, food, goals, moving forward, running

Top 10 things I’ve learned as a 40-somethin’ year old-pictureless post

June 3, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

This post may seem a bit “common sense” like, but I felt compelled to share things I have learned in my 4 decades of being blessed to live on this earth…Some are fitness related in the relative sense, while most are a part of my mantra of #keepmovinforward

1. Do what you love, and do it with all of your being. No…we all can’t have those dream jobs of being (for me) an executive Chef or famous writer. But I do my job to the best of my ability and spend the rest of my time focusing on things I love. I love to run, I love to write, I love to cook, and above all I love sharing all of these passions with my family and friends.

2. Leave the past where it belongs. In the past. But…yes, BUT…learn from your past mistakes, your past situations, and your past hurts. Don’t let yourself repeat the past…Learn, let go, and move forward from things that may have caused you pain.

3. Embrace what you’ve learned from #2, and allow these past hurts to fuel your future. Have you racked up your credit cards? Have you lost your job? Have you found yourself in a failed relationship? Learn…pay off those cards and put the credit card DOWN. Let go…it sucks being layed off from a job, but don’t give up! Get out there and keep looking for where are meant to be! Is your relationship causing you complete and utter pain, day after day? LET IT GO. Life is too short…(these of course are just a FEW examples).

4. If you want to be better at a certain task-WORK for it. Enough said…No one can make you stronger at ANYTHING. More times than not, you have to be your own rock.

5. Do you dream of a happy life? MAKE IT SO…No ones life is unicorns and glitter all of the time. But embrace those moments that make your heart sing, and let the rest BE. Example? I had a rough day at work today…Monday’s are always my nemesis for disaster it seems. But today, after thanking one of my employees for her extra hours I found myself in awe listening to HER thank ME for being the best boss she’s had…I had to hold my emotion inside as I genuinely thanked her. This made all the “ick” go away in a heart beat. Find your moments each and every day…and hold on tight to the wonderful feeling they give to you.

6. Stop chasing people wishing for acceptance or praise. If you want to chase something, chase that runner in front of you in your next half marathon, but let the acceptance and praise come naturally. Not everyone was built to give out those warm fuzzies that we all covet. So be it…yet there are SO many souls placed on this planet for that VERY reason…I am grateful to have several in my corner who do just THAT.

7. Find your niche in life, and GO FOR IT no matter what the outcome. Here are some examples:
I love to cook, so I’ve worked hard these last several years to hone my skills. Am I a Master Chef yet? Not by a long shot…but I love it, and after a hard day at work I find nothing better (other than a good run) than to get in my kitchen and create. I rarely if ever use recipes, I simply cook by taste, touch, and the feeling I get from creating something wonderful for the people I love. I love to run, but will I win a race anytime soon? Probably not…but I will continue to work hard, run faster, and push myself to my outer limits to win MY race. I love to write but will I publish an award winning book? My guess is no, lol…but I love it, so I DO IT.

8. Don’t wait for tomorrow to start exercising and eating right. Life is short, and we are given ONE chance…take care of your body as it truly is a temple of God. I let myself go this past winter, and realized what a mistake I’ve made. It takes MONTHS even YEARS to get in good shape both mentally and physically…yet you can throw that away so quickly if you let yourself go. Don’t let life’s struggles serve as an excuse to let your body/mind go to the crapper.

9. Allow yourself the little moments of ‘ick’ but don’t let them steal your joy completely. We are all human, have problems, issues, kid drama, etc…see #2.

10. Don’t try to change people. Either embrace who they are and what they offer to your life, or decide that they aren’t a good fit in your life and let them go. Yup…see #2. again…

11. Yes, I said the top ten things…BUT…if your 7 year old comes running down to you, crying that there is a HUGE spider in her room and she needs you to help her, GO…save her from that monstrous spider, and kiss her sweet face goodnight. Because all too soon our children grow up and no longer need us in a sense…but if we show them we are here for them NOW, they will continue to reach out…don’t let those moments pass by…

As always, keep movin’ forward, learning, letting go, and moving forward with all of our life blessings.

moving forward, running

Great Western Half Marathon 2014, the good, the bad, and the ugly…

May 5, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Race day started a little like this:
I woke up this morning just before 3 am to pee…and couldn’t fall back to sleep. When I retain water, I feel it first in my hands and as soon as I woke up I realized I couldn’t get my rings off…the scale confirmed added water weight, and immediately got nervous. I tried to go back to sleep with no luck, so I was starting race day with about 4 hours of sleep. Ack.
I got up at 0540 hrs and slowly started getting ready. My gear was all set out, so thankfully I didn’t have to think about too much. I was ready…
I came downstairs, had my Nuun water and scoop of peanut butter with chia seeds…it’s my go to pre-race fuel as my stomach often likes to act up on race day.
I met the girls at the school where the buses were shuttling runners to the race, and we were lucky enough to have Katy’s husband drop us off. We were there with a good 45 minutes to spare, so we checked our bags and made our way to the porta potties. It was windy, overcast, and quite cold but made for perfect running conditions (minus the wind). I did a 1/4-1/2 mile loop to warm up, and soon it was time to settle in to our respective starting time waves.

I went into this race with NO expectations. I wanted to finish, and not die. My winter running has been sporadic to say the least, and the polar vortex of Chiberia kept me indoors most of the winter which meant 2-3 miles on the dreadmill, and walking the halls of the hospital on lunch break. Thankfully the last month or so I have managed to get my long runs in on the weekends, but the longest I’ve done in 2014 is 10 miles. I have, however, been working on my speed work outs ensuring at least 1-2 of my short runs were at desired race pace or faster. I worked so hard to get my speed last winter, which often curtails in the summer due to full marathon training and heat which slows me down. This year, however, I will NOT be running any full marathons, so my goals early in the year were speed. Yet I digress…back to the race.

As our wave took off, I watched Janel and Melissa take off at breaking speed…I smiled, knowing my own limitations of having to hold myself back the first few miles in order to save gas for the end. Katy and I hung together the first couple miles, and around mile three it was time to break away and run my race.
I. Felt. Great. I was running at a pretty constant pace of 9:20 the first few miles…breakdown of my miles: Splits were 9:20, 9:22, 9:37, 9:26, 9:33, 9:16, 9:16, 9:04, 8:52, 9:02, 9:02, 8:39, 8:48, 7:45 for the last .2
I hit mile 6, and I was no longer running…I couldn’t feel my feet hitting the crushed limestone, yet the beautiful sounds your feet make when hitting the ground lulled me into a beautiful rhythm,…I found myself once again, flying. I was running physically, but my body was flying, singing, dancing to a beat only I truly understand. Seeing my friends both on the way out, and coming back gave me an added perk in my step, and I saw a possibly sub 2 in my horizon. At mile 8 I felt my calf cramped up so I stopped at the next aid station to take salt tabs and walk it off. I walked (fast) all of the water stops, and wonder if this lead to the demise of my sub-2 dream…
Yet I kept pushing, nearing the point of losing what little was in my stomach several times (for half marathons I fuel with sport beans only every 4-5 miles to save my stomach), but I was NOT going to give up…I saw Janel and Melissa at mile 8-9 and gave them a quick pat and smile as I barreled through the trails and runners, to finish this race strong. The last mile and a half was beyond difficult, with the slight up hill curve and the wind picking up and deciding to slap me in the very tired face…but I kept movin’ forward. I felt my Garmin vibrate signaling the 13 mile mark, and watched my sub-2 goal fly by in the wind. I crossed the finish line at 2:01:09, and after getting my medal I had to choke back the tears.

People tease the fact I am so emotional at times, but I have come to love who I am, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
This race was tough for me, being under trained after a tough winter both in running, and in life.
But I proved to myself today, that no matter what happens, I don’t quit.
That sub 2 marathon WILL be mine…it’s just a matter of not giving up.

I did celebrate with my daughters, and TRIED to eat this…my poor stomach said otherwise, LOL.

BLT, not so much...LOL — BLT, not so much…LOL

All in all, it was a GREAT race…
Despite some glitches in registration, the race staff and volunteers were AMAZING, the course was well marked, and aid stations were plentiful. This was my second time doing the Great Western Half, and it won’t be my last!

❤
Michelle

moving forward, running, strength, training

T-1 Week-Not feeling ready…

April 28, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I haven’t posted all week. Ack…my goals of posting twice a week just didn’t happen this week, but I am allowing myself a touch of slack. Work has been crazy busy, and I am still trying to find my way. We are in our inspection window, and I am a bit terrified to say the least not knowing all the ins and outs of the lab. But all I can do is my best, right?

I didn’t feel ‘myself’ this past week, feeling extra bloated, tired and yucky to say the least. I still managed to run 3 times logging my last long run of 8.3 miles yesterday before my half marathon this coming Sunday. I woke up yesterday with the sun, so decided to get up and go to run club. Most of my run club friends are super speedy on Saturdays so I don’t feel guilty if I miss attending, because often times I end up running alone. A friend offered to run a slower pace of 10+ minutes miles with me, so I happily joined the group at 0645 hrs. for our group run. The first few miles are always tough, but I found myself able to settle in and able to run at a ‘chatty’ pace the next couple miles. Around mile 6 my ITB started to get pissy, so I stopped to stretch quick and kept going. This by far was not my strongest run, but I felt great to be out there running with friends. The added nearly 10 lbs of winter weight is NOT helping me at all, and I am having such a hard time shedding said pounds. Between 2 years of marathon training, weight gain, chiberia and eating like I am still training for a marathon (which I am NOT), I am finding myself in an unknown place. I have only been ‘overweight’ after having kids. I don’t know if it’s being over 40, loving food too much, or WHAT…but I am struggling.
I wanted to work out today, but have had a sick little one all weekend so my last two days were spent taking care of her vs. doing anything enjoyable sadly. It just goes to show all weekends can’t be great ones. My weekend was spent cleaning the house, cleaning up puke, and tending to an unexplainable fever…fun? No…but I pray my little one feels better soon.
My half marathon is one week from today, and for the first time in two years I am terrified of the distance. This isn’t my first rodeo, but I feel undertrained, overweight, and SO NOT READY.
Here’s praying the half marathon God’s are with me on Sunday…I’ll need all the help I can get.

dedication, goals, moving forward, running

Finding myself on the trails…

April 20, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I haven’t blogged all week…yes, total blogger fail as my goal this year was to blog at least twice a week. But I found some inspiration on the trails tonight, and feel compelled to share it with you all…

I am 41 years old…or young, depending on how you look at it. My outward appearance shows the normal signs of aging, with crevices deepening under my eyes, and on my forehead. But my heart and soul, although wise with age, state otherwise…

Today I had an 8 mile long run planned, and I had to giggle at the fact I was a bit daunted by my last two long runs…last weekend was a 10 miler, which was plain HARD. Last year at this time I would say when someone asked me how far I was running that I was “only” going 8/10 miles, but after a winter in Chiberia and lack of running long, I have a new found respect for distance running.

That being said, I found out a lot about myself today during my 8 miler…

1. I love to run.
2. Running can be hard.
3. Waving and high fiving other runners is something I will always do…
4. Respect others on the trail as much as you respect your own space. We are all out there MOVING for a reason…
5. There comes a time during nearly every run (for me) that I forget I am running…and suddenly I am flying, dancing, and moving with the wind…the trails are simply my platform, and I find a joy in that moment of euphoria that compares to nearly nothing…
6. Sometimes, if not nearly always, you need to forget all the reasons you ‘can’t’ and push forward to all the reasons you CAN.
7. Take all the negative energy, lack of support, and naysayer CRAP, and use it as fuel to keep you moving forward.
8. Prove ’em wrong, always, and prove to yourself that fear is simply fuel for your success.
9. Run with your heart first, and your legs will follow suit.
10. Respect, Love, and Embrace every single distance.

Here are some photos seen from my run today…

Keep Movin’ forward, gang…

❤ Michelle

food, goals, moving forward, running, strength

Two things, Tuesday…Gluten Free goodness and more!

April 9, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Something…is different. But we will get to that a bit later.

Topic number one is….DINNER!
As I spoke about in my last post, I am working making quick yet healthy meals during the week since my work hours no longer allow 2 hours of prep time and cooking in the kitchen.
Although I am not gluten intolerant (at least by what I know medically) I do know that avoiding it has helped my IBS tremendously. I try to buy all gluten free pasta, quinoa, rice, sauces and dressings when I can find-them which is more times than not as the selection has truly grown 10 fold in the last few years. I picked up some gluten free soy sauce last weekend, and figured a nice stir fry was in order for dinner tonight.
What you will need:

A Wok for the stir fry
A sauté pan for the chicken
1 pot to boil your water for the noodles

Ingredients:
1 package of skinless chicken thighs, cubed into 1 inch pieces (place in a bowl)
ADD to the chicken:
2 teaspoons of Chinese all spice seasoning, pinch of kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of gluten free soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Mix well, and set aside to marinate

Veggies:
What is in your fridge? The selections are limitless!
I used:
2 cups of shitake mushrooms, sliced
6 radishes, julienned
1 baby Bok Choy, sliced at an angle
1/2 of a red onion, chopped
2 cups of fresh broccoli
2 scallions, chopped, and set aside for garnish

Pasta:
One package of Gluten free rice Pad Thai noodles

Next, fill 4-5 cups of water in your pot to boil for your rice Pad Thai pasta…
Then, quickly sauté your chicken in a skillet until cooked through, and set aside, should take about 10 minutes.

Your water should be boiling now, but before your drop in your pasta, heat some light oil (avocado or Grape seed) in your Wok on high heat.
Drop your pasta in salted boiling water (cook for about 8 minutes or until al dente), and then stir fry all of your veggies in your Wok. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, and a dash of the gluten free soy sauce. The last 2 minutes add your chicken to heat through
Drain your pasta, and serve the delicious stir fry mixture over the top! Garnish with the reserved scallions, and serve! Quick, and easy and on the table in about 30 minutes.

Topic number 2…are you ready?
I have been retired from the Air Force for almost 3 years now. In those 3 years I have felt lost, tired, and have lacked more motivation then I care to admit. Frankly, it was tough to hang up my uniform, and put on a different ‘hat.’
It’s early to judge…but so far, I am really liking my new hat. I am letting go of things I can’t control, and embracing the future.
It is a pretty cool feeling…

Sweet dreams, Movers…

❤ Michelle

dedication, goals, moving forward, running

Today…

April 6, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Today I found myself waking up with very little sleep and my long run of 7 miles looming in the horizon…
Today I wanted to go back to bed after snoozing my alarm twice, but a reminder that I set for myself on facebook made me get up and run my farthest run this year, of 7.26 miles. I was blessed to run with my friend, Melissa K, as well as enjoy hugs, conversation, and a great cup of green tea with amazing friends.

Yup...pretty proud of those miles... — Yup…pretty proud of those miles…

Today I could have tackled house work, but instead I rounded up my mini’s while my husband was at reserve duty and spent the day going out to brunch and shopping for spring clothes and birthday gifts.
Today I allowed myself a one hour nap that although didn’t result in sleep, provided some much needed rest.
Today I fought with my wardrobe, truly realizing I have gained far too many pounds during this tough winter.
Today I looked away from the mirror, and found myself sad…I immediately smacked myself virtually upside the head as I know inner beauty beats out outer physique.
Tonight, I surrounded myself with a group of local friends that have moved past the often named “running friends” to “darn good friends” and celebrated the birthday of my sole sister Melissa while sharing laughs, good food, and even better conversation.

If I could quantify the value of the hugs, laughter, smiles, and love I felt today between my family and friends, I could tell you easily that I a millionaire ten fold, and twice again on Sunday…
I have hard times, bad times, times I wanted to give up…
But today…tonight…these amazing people reminded me why I keep movin’ forward. I don’t have to force anything…I simply have to remember that I have all of this awesome support because I do my best to give it back in return.
Today, I decided that if I want to move forward, I have to leave the negative behind me, and hang on to all the amazing people I have supporting me, because I have some pretty amazing people in my life…TODAY.

Keep Movin’ forward…

❤ Michelle

dedication, goals, moving forward, running

New Chapters…

March 28, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

This will more than likely be a pictureless post, unless something tickles my fancy while I write.

My week in a nutshell…
Monday-ran 2 miles in my neighborhood just to stretch my legs. Kept my pace under 10 minutes (9:37 min/mile) despite tummy issues, so I was pleased.

Tuesday-cross training with 220 sit-ups, 90 push-ups, 3 sets bicep curls, 3 sets of tricep extensions.

Wednesday-ran 2.75 miles on the dreadmill as it was only 12 degrees outside, and I am officially over layering x3 to go outside to run. (9:32 min/mile)
Also knocked out my pushups (90) and sit ups (100).
After which I traveled about 45 minutes to my favorite consignment shop to by some new (used) clothes for work. Less than 100 dollars for 2 pairs of dress pants, and 9 shirts, and I left feeling very proud of myself for my frugalness…is that I word?

Thursday-(today) was my rest day. And as I finish up my second week of glorious time off in between jobs, I treated myself with TWO dates with my girlfriends. I met my friend Andrea for lunch at a place we run past – ALL the time, yet have never visited called Pal Joey’s. We had a great couple of hours of conversation, and funny enough realized it was the first time in 2 years we’ve hung outside of running together. In attempt to enjoy every last minute of my free time, I met up with Carolyn at our favorite local eatery in St. Charles called “The Office” for a light dinner and great catching up time. Less than 25 dollars spent for 2 meals, filled with priceless conversation and memories was money well spent.

Tomorrow, I am heading downtown with my friends for our packet pick up for the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago. I rarely get to make it to city race packet pick ups, so this should be a blast. I’ll be up early in the morning to get ready, and meet my friends to take the train downtown. This will be only my second time taking the actual train, so I am super excited. We’ve figured out the logistics so that those of us with kids can make it home in time to pick up our munchkins. Let’s hope the weather cooperates and we are able to have a nice morning downtown! Although I plan on “racing” this race, I know by no means am I truly ready to RACE nearly 5 miles…between the winter, and my injury last fall I have found myself slow going coming back to being a ‘runner.’ Thankfully, I have never quit…and as always, I keep movin’ forward.

Despite set backs and road blocks, I truly believe in never giving up. If you are true to those you love, they in turn will be true to you….In happy times, sad times, ugly times, and downright terrible times…give support, and you will find it come back to you ten fold.
I am nervous, scared, and excited to embark on my new job, but I know I have so many wonderful people backing me up. ❤ I am an Overcomer…(Mandisa)

❤ Michelle

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