Monday, September 6, 2010

Countdown To...

My new netbook delivery - 1 day (yay!)
Buffalo Stampede 10 mile race - 27 days (eek!)
Maui - 53 days (woohoo!)
Maui Day of Hope 10K - 61 days (love that I get to run a race on Maui!)
Seawall Half Marathon - 75 days (double eek!)
Austin Half Marathon - 166 days (eerily calm about this)

Guess what I'm freaking out the most about? None of the above. Actually, what has me in a bit of a tizzy is the prospect of running longer and longer distances with my running group. I don't know why, exactly - I've run as much as five miles without stopping (the 10K I did with Barbara had several "enforced" stops due to crowd congestion...and, truth be told, I was perfectly happy to have to stop running for a bit). I guess it's knowing that I WILL BE DOING THIS. No stopping, no quitting, no shortcuts, no adjustments (like lessening the amount of weight on the bar in the gym) - this is all me, baby. It's where the rubber meets the road. Am I ready for this? Or, as I phrased to Kyle in an email, "I can do this, right?" His answer: "Do this? It's done." I'm hanging onto that encouragement plus some extra that I received from another friend (thanks, Kraken) - I'm trying not to, but nerves are hitting me. I have a feeling that I'm not only going to be practicing my running, but Stress Management 101 as well.

OK, since I know y'all are interested in the rest of the list: the netbook is a purple Dell with a matching sleeve case (swoon!) - Sam's Club had an awesome online deal. I hope to have a picture of me in Friday's Mishmash, with new netbook, posing at a local cafe with coffee in hand - the baristas also serve as photographers, right?

Um...what else? Race, race, race - oh yeah, MAUI!!! I cannot believe that nearly a year to the day from our first-ever trip to Maui, we are getting to go again - and again, it's courtesy of my parents. Last time, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. This time? We, along with my brother and his wife, will be celebrating my parent's 50th wedding anniversary! They actually lived in Hawaii for the first four years of their marriage, thanks to my dad's stint in the Navy. I was also born there. And after Jeff and I went and had such a great time and couldn't stop talking about it, they decided to go revisit Hawaii - and invited us to come along - how nice is that?!? They will be hitting Oahu first, and then we all will fly into Maui for 10 days - we are even staying at the same hotel as last year - loved it so much. Then we will fly home while my parents, brother and wife and several of their friends will all fly to the big island and stay in a rented house for another week.

We are really, really lucky to get to go to Hawaii again, especially so soon. This time, all of us are planning on going zip-lining - I wanted to do it last year but funds were really tight and it's kinda spendy. Luckily, my parents are springing for this as well - and I think it will be a blast to get all of us - even you, Mom - on that zip line!

Another fun thing is that there will be a 10K race while we're there and I'm going to run it - after all, how can I be on Maui and not run a race while I'm there?!? Actually, since the trip is so close to my half marathon, I will be doing a lot of running on Maui - I remember seeing people do that last year, and how cool - I will be one of them this time!

And you know what else is cool about this year's trip to Maui? I'm pretty happy with where my weight is and what my body looks like - even in a swimsuit. It's not perfect and it certainly isn't that cute teenage body that I used to have, and I haven't lost that much more since last year's trip - maybe 15 pounds? - but with the workouts and running, I'm pretty content with what I look like. Sure, there is excess skin but I try very hard to not focus on that and instead marvel at my strength and muscles.

So, to recap: freaking out (slightly) over running but not being in a bathing suit. Will wonders never cease?

17 comments:

  1. SO SO SO FUN and so so great to read that you are content.
    IMO thats what this is about.
    life in general I mean.

    yes there are the moments of mindblowing brainsplitting happiness :) but the clients I had who waited to LIVE until they were "skinny" (their word) because they just knew THEN they'd be overwhelmingly joyous all the time....were disappointed even if they nailed their goal weight.

    life is about contentment huh?
    much better, IMO, and stronger and longer lasting.

    hmmm.

    I think I tangented :)

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  2. Wow, you've got some great stuff to look forward to! I love that you're doing a race in Maui, and love even more that you're feeling content with yourself.

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  3. I remember how much fun you had last year on Maui, so cool you get to go this year AND do a race there. That's my next goal after my first half: run halfs in as many countries as I can :)

    Who knows maybe Texas one day?

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  4. Awesome stuff you've got ahead of you! That is a lot of running, but you will do great! And as Kyle said, it is done.

    I love your attitude and contentedness. I bet several years ago you had no idea that you would feel that way? I'm very happy for you and all the good things that are coming your way.

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  5. Ahhhh, the benefits and joy of gambling!

    And, like, you're not even sweating about these marathons.

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  6. Love the last sentence--so stinkin' true!

    And I really get how you could be freaking out about the running club and not the races. The running club--something more real/accountable/personal about it. In a race you can be kind of incognito.

    Pretty cool about going to Hawaii again. Can hardly wait to hear about your ziplining. That really interests me.

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  7. I love the contentment thing. Wisdom and experience can bring you contentment. And you certainly have worked hard for that bod to show off in Hawaii!

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  8. Love that you have so many wonderful things in your horizon!!

    So happy you'll be running in Maui too!

    Hope you are enjoying this weekend,

    Hugs,

    Biz

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  9. I too am not far from a vacation with my husband this year, we are like 60 some days away and I can't wait. It's the first time we will be away from our kids for longer than a couple of days, it will be hard but I am so looking forward to some R & R!

    Good for you for keeping up with the running. Sorry it's been a while since I left a comment Shelly, just been ill and busy with the challenge. I do read but sometimes don't comment.

    I also wanted to say that I absolutely love the picture you have attached to your comments, you look beautiful, stunning and very happy. Good for you girl, you deserve it!

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  10. What an awesome list, looking forward to seeing pics Friday of your new purple net book.

    Maui again is so cool and what a grreat opportunity to spend a awesome place with your family.

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  11. Ooooh! A race in maui! I am so jealous! We'll be in Maui next month but no races for me. :)

    I hope one day I can say the same thing about being in a bathing suit though!

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  12. I sure hope you're going to take lots of pictures. Even one in your swimsuit!

    I've never been to Hawaii (not anywhere west of the Rocky Mountains!) and considering how I've developed a flying phobia, I probably won't.

    Countdown! Vee at http://veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

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  13. The contentment just oooozes out of this post. So lovely.

    Best thing about a bathing suit?

    Most of them are made out of spandex so they hold loose skin in. I bet you'll look marvelous darling!

    No worries on the running thing, you'll do fine. You are going to be shocked at how easily you transition into longer runs, really.

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  14. Running is half physical and half mental. You can do it. You've already done everything you've set your mind to do. No worries. You got this.

    Color me pea green with envy!!! Maui? Can I sneak onin your luggage? :)
    OK, a family trip to Hawaii remind me of the episode on Modern Family. LOL Did you see that one?
    You're going to have so much fun. It is a MUST that you get pictures of you on that zip line.

    So many exciting things!!! Go, girl, go!!

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  15. Guess what? I had those same thoughts about my beginners 5K running club. Every Wednesday afternoon, I'd just get kind of teary-eyed and freaked out about how much longer we were going to run that day than we had the week before. And well? I'm running my race this weekend and I'm not even scared. How awesome is that? So, even though you're going to be going longer and stronger than I am, you're going to do it. And you wont' believe the camaraderie the running group provides. Every single time I wanted to stop, one of those ladies would just say, "One foot, then the other foot." And we'd all make it. You can do it! And I bet you'll be encouraging someone ELSE along the way in no time at all.

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  16. How wonderful you get to celebrate with them by going to Maui and I TOTALLY want to Zip Line. Once I get down to the "limit" I am going to do it - they have it in Santa Cruz I think... :-D

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  17. What joy to have some peace with your body.
    Quite the race schedule. You are going to kick some Maui butt out there!!

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