Movin' it with Michelle

Here lately I have had people asking for my lemon vinaigrette recipe-which I have found to be so versatile, and my go to dressing for salads, fish, and even chicken/pork/steak.

What you’ll need:
The juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon (to taste) of apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch of Mediterranean oregano and basil

Lightly mix, and whisk in a couple tablespoons of a good extra virgin olive oil

Serve over your favorite salad or protein! Delish!!

Here is a pic of my latest creation that I dressed with this vinaigrette.
I got a new “noodle” gadget tonight, where you can take veggies and make them into noodles! It’s GREAT!
I “noodled” 3/4 of a zucchini, added 1/4 thinly sliced red onions, and some sliced roasted (gluten free) roasted turkey as well as some cherry tomatoes! Looking forward to lunch tomorrow!

This took only 10 minutes or less to prepare!!

Hope you all enjoy!

This week starts back to better eating and exercise…although I’ve done pretty well with my running, I know my eats haven’t been top notch! Here’s to more recipes and better adventures to share with you all!!

❤
Michelle

dedication, food, goals

Sammiches and Speed, in no particular order

June 4, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

The new season of Master Chef is upon us, and after watching the first episode last week I decided it is time to step up my game if I ever want to even DREAM of trying out. Regardless of whether or not I try out-I plan on upping my recipe collection and continuing to work on someday writing my own e-cook book. This cook book will encompass not only recipes for fancy dinners, but recipes for people on the MOVE.
So last night for dinner, I made Panini’s.
What you’ll need for a family of 4:
4 chicken breasts, pounded out thin with whatever have in the kitchen…I use a meat tenderizer hammer/gadget
–season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil and pan fry with avocado oil until lightly browned on each side-set aside
4 pieces of genoa salami
8 pieces of Ezekiel bread (or your favorite bread of choice)
thinly sliced parmesan cheese, 2-3 pieces per sammich
2 thinly sliced tomatoes per sammich
1 cup of baby arugula lettuce, 1/4 cup for each sammich give or take…
For the spread:
1/2 cup light mayo, mixed with one clove of garlic minced, 1/2 of a lemon juiced, pinch of oregano, basil, and cayenne pepper.

Preheat your griddle on high, and butter the bread lightly with unsalted low fat butter. Compile your sammiches with the above ingredients, lightly coating each piece of bread with your yummy spread. Once browned lightly, place on a cookie sheet, and see the attached pic for my make shift Panini press.

Cook at 325 degrees with the sammiches pressed for about 10 minutes at 325 degrees. I served with pita chips and stuffed tomatoes! The tomatoes were seasoned with evoo, salt, pepper, and stuffed with low fat mozzarella cheese/parmesan cheese and seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, basil and parsley.

Quick, easy, and healthy all around for the most part…:-)

Today was run night, so after work I came home and made a quick dinner of tacos and beans before heading out to get our miles in. I can’t eat before I run, so we ate after our run.
I warned my husband who has started his half marathon training full force that I was feeling pretty tired and wasn’t sure about how fast I could go…he nodded, put in his ear buds and we took off. We had a 3 miler (ok, 5K because I can’t just run 3 miles lol) scheduled, and starting out I felt oddly strong. It normally takes me a few miles to warm up yet as we took off I felt strong. We finished our first mile in 8:51, and suddenly my goals switched from easy miles to running our 5K in sub 9 minute miles. Our second mile was a 1/4 mile of up hill so we clocked it at 9:02…I wasn’t going to let this sway my goal of a quick speed work run at this point, so we pushed each other the last 1.2 miles with a 8:50/7:58 min tick.

As a previously known ‘solo’ runner, I have found an inner peace and a new found respect for my husband as we train TOGETHER. We push each other, encourage each other, and at the end of each run we end it with a sweaty high five and “good job.” I still enjoy running alone, don’t get me wrong…but having my husband along side of me during these runs has given me an added boost that I really needed coming off a fall injury. I started to doubt myself this winter, wondering if I would ever run another distance race…wondering, questioning, asking myself CAN I DO THIS ANYMORE??

But I can now say…YES. I can do this…I CAN break my sub-2 half marathon goal THIS year…I don’t NEED anyone other than myself, to say, YES I CAN. But it sure is nice to get accolades from fellow runners, page owners, and blog posters. THIS, brought to you by Run Nerds Rock…he posted it on my page today and I had to choke back the tears…THIS dude, that just ran a 100 miler was telling ME I am bad ass…LOVE it.

And I tell you what…I feel pretty darn bad ass. I am no Kenyan, but my progress makes me proud regardless, in speed work, in the kitchen, and in my life.

Keep Movin’ forward gang…always…

❤ 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.

dedication, food, goals, Uncategorized

Breaking up with the past, and more…

May 28, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I didn’t blog last week…we all have those weeks that catch up with us and we find ourselves too busy to have time to unwind.
And this blog, is my unwind/rant/let it all go type of space.

Last week I only logged 10 miles. 2 runs with my hubby, and a five miler on my own. I see myself getting stronger, and a tad faster despite the impeding humidity. We gave ourselves the weekend off, as my hubby was suffering from a pretty sore knee and I don’t want him to get injured before official half marathon training starts next month.

Last week I cut out nearly all gluten, processed foods, and wheat to see if it helps my tummy issues. So far, not a big change, but I am continuing on my search for a healthier me. I am down 1 lb. with 8 more to go.

Last week I let some unnamed ghosts of the past haunt me, and I have since then kicked my own tail, and have decided to quit chasing relationships that don’t exist and focus on the great people in my life instead. It’s a daily struggle, but I’ll keep movin’ forward.

Last weekend, I spent the weekend with my family having fun in the city, and working hard on our home. We also enjoyed some yummy octopus that I can proudly say my kids ate and loved. I was also blessed to attend church with my family and friends, who have become family to me in these last three years of living in the Midwest. I even attending my running sister’s first Mary Kay party! What fun to be pampered for 2 hours!

me and the hubs at our favorite place in Chicago!

Carolyn's first MK party! — Carolyn’s first MK party!

Final dish, grilled octopus served over an arugula and escarole salad with sautéed shitake mushrooms, garnished with a red pepper relish

my amazing daughters that will try anything I put in front of them!

Memorial day we spent the day staining our deck, weeding the garden, and trimming the hedges that have somehow have TREES growing in them…WHAT? I have the scars to prove it, LOL. I got nearly 2 miles in before some major storms hit, and kept my pace in a sub 9 min mile pace. My goal is to keep that pace for many more miles, but I am starting this goal with realistic expectations.

Last night, my husband and I watched my all time favorite show, “The Master Chef” and I was reminded of my desire to be a professional Chef/cook one day. Besides running, I find myself at peace the most when I am in the kitchen ‘creating.’ He urged me to try out last year, but sadly real life can get in the way of our life goals and dreams sometimes and we have to keep plugging forward in jobs that satisfy the ultimate purpose of paying the bills, not fueling the life passions we may currently covet.

Tonight, the hubby and I ran our 2 miles in a gazillion percent humidity at a 9:18 min mile average pace. Not our best, but we got out on the trails before we were hit with some crazy storms.

As much as I preach it, I am still learning myself…to Keep. Movin’. Forward.

dedication, food, goals, moving forward

New kicks, and first double run today

May 19, 2014May 19, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Weekends always seem to fly by in my house. There is so much to get done in the short two days we call “the weekend.”

The hubby and I got new kicks this weekend for his upcoming half marathon training, and what will more than likely (unless I sign up for another before hand) my 10th half marathon this fall.

I got two pairs of shoes-both Saucony-the fast witch 7’s for shorter runs, and the Guide 6’s for distance. After shoe shopping we headed out to lunch as a family, saw the movie Godzilla (great movie!) and then came home to do a few hours of yard work. We live on an acre and a half lot, so while the hubby mowed, the girls and I trimmed hedges, planted seeds, and weeded the garden. I have an electric hedge trimmer, and I’ll admit my arms were on fire this morning after 2 hours of trimming, LOL! I am so glad we are finally seeing spring weather!
I was woken up by my hubby this morning after letting me sleep in until 9 am for our run. We had 5-6 miles on deck, and I am so beyond proud of my husband for logging 6 miles today. It wasn’t easy, but he didn’t give up. I had him try Sport beans for fuel at the four mile mark, which he quickly spit out, LOL. I guess we need to research fuel for him!!

For dinner, we had roasted chicken with a cucumber salad and Brussels sprouts.

Here is the recipe:
You’ll need:
8 skinless/boneless chicken thighs
The juice of 4 lemons
2 sprigs of Chinese celery chopped finely
4 cloves of garlic, minced finely
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

Whisk all the ingredients (minus the chicken) together, and pour over your chicken in a sealable container. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Roast at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes and let rest.

Brussels sprout recipe:
You’ll need:
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 strips of bacon, diced
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
3-4 cups of Brussels sprouts cleaned, and halved
Sautee your onions, garlic, bacon, and red pepper flakes until crispy.
Add your Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned

Cucumber salad recipe:
You’ll need:
8 mini cucumbers, halved and diced
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 of one small red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
dash of salt, pepper, oregano and basil
dash of white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving

I needed a couple more miles to keep up with where I’ve been, so after dinner I laced up my new Guide 7’s with an added surprise of having my eldest ask if she could join me. We did an easy 2 miler, and although she struggled with her breathing I am so proud she decided to run with me tonight.

And, at the end of the day I find myself counting my blessings. I don’t have the picture perfect family with my kids getting uber grades or winning amazing awards in sports or music. They struggle with grades, school, social crap that I think we all struggle with in life. BUT…we struggle like champs…we don’t pretend to be something we’re not…we take the good with the bad, and we continue to hang on to each other which I believe has made us stronger.
BUT…we keep movin’ forward, and that is what counts, right?

dedication, food, goals, moving forward, Uncategorized

Hubby, hills, and hellha-smiles

May 16, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Wednesday went a little like this:
Today was a busy day…we’ve got turnover in staff, stress, and work piling on…and I LOVE IT.
I nearly broke under pressure, but regrouped quickly…and was even told what I good job I did presenting an issue to one of our VP’s. #lifeisgood

But in all the chaos, running errands after work, and getting things settled my amazing husband said, “We are running.”
I am so proud of his dedication to our pre-half marathon training.
I had a terrible headache. I was tired.
I ran 4 miles with my amazing husband who has embraced my craziness.

But most of all, I shared my passion with the person who knows me best. He looked at my around mile two, and had a smile from ear to ear and my heart sang. He realized where my running joy stemmed from…
We ran hills, and on the downward stretch I found myself “WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEING” all the way down.
I love to run. Even more so, with my people…my persons. My HOME of all homes.

Fast. Slow. Steady. Stopping.

There is something to be said about the constants we have in life. And I. Have many…Family, friends, food, fitness, fotos….my constant passions and reminders that I have a greater purpose in this crazy world…

Tonight we went out to dinner not for a special occasion really, but more so to celebrate how far we’ve come in life, in our marriage, and in being able to tackle so many struggles.

Check it out…

Lamb loin with fiddleheads? Yes please... — Lamb loin with fiddleheads? Yes please…

We spent the evening (our rest day) surrounded by what some would call strangers. But we talked, laughed, and conversed with members of our local community we had not yet met before, yet became fast friends.

The owner of the vineyard remembered us from a previous wine dinner nearly two years ago. She welcomed us passionately, and I was reminded why I fell in love with Fiddlehead Cellar winery. It’s premise is passion…and you can see it in the owners eyes. We were blessed to sit with her at the head table during a wine dinner two years ago along with her Mother, and the memory will forever be engrained in my heart and mind.

And at the end of the day I realize life is all about passion, constants, and moving forward.

Find your passion, and run with it like the wind…

What’s your passion?

Uncategorized

Leibster award nomination!

May 14, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I’ve been blessed to be nominated for the Leibster award for a second time, so thought I’d play along as I find it fun to get to know everyone! Here are my 10 questions…

1. Why Blog?

I blog to express myself, in fitness, cooking, photography and writing. If I can inspire just one person-my purpose is complete.

2. What is your preferred fitness activity?

I am a runner by nature, but also love to bike, weight train, and do yoga (never thought I’d say that)

3. Who do you admire?

I admire many people…but I’d have to say my husband is my biggest inspiration. He works hard, no matter what set backs he may encounter, and never stops movin’ forward.

4. If you could have one food everyday, what would it be?

Sushi. Hands down.

5. Who is on your playlist?

Everyone from Mandisa, to Eminem and Linkin park mixed with a little bit of country.

6. What is your favorite meal/dish?

Anything grilled! My husband is our grill master, and I love complimenting his food with my side dishes.

7. If you can travel anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?

Italy. No question.

8. What would you do with your winnings if you won the lottery?

I would invest half…donate a quarter, and use the remainder to put my kids through college!

9. What do you do in your down time?

Downtime? I don’t have a lot…but I make sure to run 3 times per week, walk, cook, and take pics of my amazing family!

10. Morning person or Night Owl?

Night owl all the way…it’s such a curse for a runner to be a night owl sometimes, LOL!

Now, 10 random facts about me…

1. I don’t have cable, and only miss the foodnetwork/cooking chanel

2. Although I seem outgoing, I am very much a homebody surrounding myself with my “people.”

3. I’ve never been anywhere outside of the United States besides Mexico and Canada

4. I grew up a tom boy, with guns, fishing poles, and dirt under my nails more times than not.

5. As a kid, my favorite show was “Little house on the Prairie” and I still love this show/books

6. I started writing poetry in 6th grade, and love the written word.

7. I am a believer in the United States, the military, and all things patriotic.

8. I never thought I could finish a full marathon…ever…yet I’ve completed 2 full marathon races.

9. I am my biggest enemy, and biggest supporter. It’s a never ending battle.

10. After suffering from some pretty tough times, I have refocused my energy on inspiring others with my quirky story.

My Nominees are:

http://barbweickselsgiftofgab.wordpress.com/

http://www.thegoodlifegirl.com/

http://lakefronttrail.blogspot.com/

http://www.xaarlin.com/

http://ilaxstudio.blogspot.com/

http://confessionsofamotherrunner.com/

http://babywilt-eatlessmovemore.blogspot.com/

http://bostonboundbrunette.blogspot.com/

http://andsoitburns.blogspot.com/

Ok, here are the questions I’d like to see you answer!

1. What is your favorite distance to run/walk/bike?

2. What made you start blogging?

3. Cooking or takeout?

4. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

5. What is your biggest pet peeve?

6. Who has been your biggest supporter in your life goals/challenges?

7. Name one food you can’t live without-healthy and unhealthy…ok, that’s 2 foods!

8. Do you prefer to work out in groups, or solo?

9. Name your best accomplishment, of all time!

10. If you could turn back time and change one thing, what would it be?

Now it’s your turn…answer the questions if you’d like, and nominate some of your favorite pages!

Uncategorized

Obligatory Mother’s day post, and more…

May 12, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I never thought I would be a Mother. I never wanted kids growing up…it just wasn’t a life goal of mine. I have always considered myself a free spirit, and one who wanted to fly by the seat of my pants. I never used to be good with commitment…I have had so many failed relationships in my life both growing up, and in my 20’s that I found counting on myself was my best bet…

But in 1999 I was blessed with a gift…after more miscarriages then I can count, my life changed with a positive pregnancy test just after Christmas of ’99. September 22nd I was blessed with a child, a gift from God, and a reminder that life is a miracle. Just months later I found myself divorced, alone with an infant, and scared out of my mind.

How would I raise a child on my own, when I never even dreamed of having kids? I didn’t have family close to help, so I held on dearly to my Air Force family that helped me raise my little J for the first 3 years of her life…

And then…I met my soul mate in 2003, and my life would be forever changed. He not only fell in love with me, he fell in love with my daughter who would soon become his first born. I was told to never try and have more kids…yet we tried in 2004, with our first attempt resulting in a miscarriage. I wasn’t sure I could try again…but WE did…and a second miracle graced herself in our life, and we are now a family of four +1 furbaby.

Today I was woken up to my family dressed in running gear, with gifts of running gear for Mommy…I held back the tears, changed my clothes, and hit the trails running/walking with my family. MY family…my “persons” knowing what I love best, planned a beautiful day of running, going out to breakfast, and BBQ’ing in our backyard…

I USED to think my life would always be in turmoil…I had a couple decades of very tough years…heck, haven’t we all?

But I changed my mindset, and in doing so, I changed my life. I continue to surround myself with positive forces, friends, and family who keep me movin’ forward.

Tonight, we signed up for a half marathon…but not just ANY half marathon…my husband decided to run a half marathon WITH me…YAHOOO! I can’t wait. Fox Valley half here we come!!!

After a nice week of rest, this week start back at it with training!

What are you training for?

dedication, goals, moving forward

The end of an era (or 2)…

May 9, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I have struggled keeping my Facebook page alive these last few months with the changing algorithms FB is has forced on us…the pages that don’t pay to promote or boost have been shoved to the back of the line, with the sneakiest of moves-magically unliking my page from my closest friends, and hiding it from nearly everyone.

I built my page back in late 2012, as an outlet to give motivation and inspiration to those who may need it at any given moment. I, having been at a pretty dark place in my life more times then I can count know how important it is to get positive feedback. Some scoff at sharing motivational pics, posts, etc…but I have come to enjoy sharing cool pictures I find, and even ones I’ve made myself.

But the FB gurus and powers that be, have decided which pages to keep movin’, and which to sideline. Mine, was a choice of the latter sense, and it left my heart rather heavy, and admittedly with a few tears. I won’t take the page down…no. I’ve worked to hard for it…but I will focus more on other outlets to reach those in need…

Why, you ask? I was the person in need once (ok, more than once)…and I was told to “suck it up butter cup.” “Put your big girl panties on.”
I was told I was OK…I was told, YOU. are fine. But I wasn’t fine…for a long time. I was terrified, scared, and suffering from nightmares I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. Just wait…My book on PTSD and the lack of help the military provides will be authored, one day…yet again, I digress.

But I kept moving forward. Somehow by the grace of God, I didn’t give up…

And THAT was the premise of my FB page.

But FB wants happy stories of butterflies and unicorns…and I just can’t keep that promise daily.

So tonight, I sidelined my work out for something much more important: My eldest daughter’s last band performance. She’s decided to give it up as she tackles her high school career so as a family we attended her last concert. I laughed, teased from the audience, and made her giggle as the younger grades performed. She (I think) loves the fact that her family is so darn silly…
But then, the 8th grade was ready to perform, and I saw and heard my baby girl play beautifully, and I had to choke back the tears of pride.
My kids have given me a run for my money this year…school has been a struggle for them both between academics and social interaction. BUT tonight, I watched my baby play her flute at an 8th grade level, and found myself beaming. She’s kept movin’ forward too…and I couldn’t be more proud.

I leave you all with this…people will try to steal your joy, rain on your parade, and expect more than you can often offer….
My advice?
Keep Movin’ forward…leave the negative behind…and always, believe in yourself.

❤ Michelle

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

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