Thursday, October 20, 2011

Let's do this!

First things first......It's been a while. It is kind of hard to blog when there is so much going on in your head but couldn't really put it into words. Life has changed a bit since I started blogging 5 years ago, (Wow just read my first blog post.), my life is completely different. Maybe ond day I'll put it all in a blog, maybe not. The 3 or 4 people that read my blog probably already get the daily/nightly text messages so we'll leave it at that for now.

In 2009 I was on an all girls Portland to Coast team. I loved every minute of it. We counted shorts in our spare time, (Which I now own about 7 and LOVE.), we slept on hard grange floors with snoring men, we ate AMAZING ham and cheese sandwiches and I did something I never thought I would do. I spent the weekend in a van with 5 other women. It was awesome. It was emotional, tiring and amazing all at the same time. I was so motivated and felt good about myself. I was ready for PTC 2010 and I hadn't even got home yet. 2010 sign ups came and shortly after we cound out half the ream was pregnant, ok really only 3 but that is half a van. Needless to say I lost my motivation and only walked every now and then. Running wasn't even on the radar at that point. Well I thought about it a little.
When 2010 PTC ended a 2011 team was quickly put together and ready. A few had even taken up running and signed up for the Shamrock Run. I convinced myself I had enough time to train for a 5K and could do it. Mid-January I signed up and ready to train. January 27th I left for NY for one of my biggest trade shows. I ran probably 3 or 4 times that week. February 5th I came home from NY, February 6th life took a turn and changed a bit. Time got away from me and March 13th was here.

It was the day of the Shamrock Run I was up at 5am and just a bit nervous. Kim and I ran together most of the race, I did ok. I didn't do great, needless to say I almost puked. I was proud of myself for actually trying and finishing with an ok time. I did ok for not doing anything really leading up to the run.

Now it was time to train for PTC. I ran every now and then training for PTC but focused mainly on walking. About 8 weeks before PTC I realized I had the hardest ranked legs on our team. I was a little nervous but up for the challenge.

My fist leg was a flat, 7.13 miles, down hwy 30, mid day, in 92 degrees. I did it and I rocked it. My second leg was 6.11 miles, straight up hill, straight down hill, at 3am. To be honest I was a little bit, scratch that a lot a bit nervous. I was NOT looking forward to this walk at all. All said and done it was my absolute FAVORITE in the 2 years I have done PTC. Durning the walk is when runners started catching up to us. I kept thinking one of these years I am going to run Hood to Coast.
 
When I finished my last leg all I kept thinking was I wanted to keep going. Oh wait I did run up and down the shoulder of the road with Lindsay looking for Van 2. :) We hadn't finished PTC and I was ready for PTC 2012.
 
That weekend was by far one of the BEST weekends. I don't know what hurt more, the HUGE blister on my foot or my stomach muscles from laughing at all the AWESOMENESS. Maybe it was the side of the road stretching at 5am.


 
When we got home I stll had 2 weeks till Warrior Dash......NOW that I was nervous for. I was still a little tired from PTC weekend but got in a couple work outs.
 
The morning of Warrior Dash I thought I was going to puke. The thought of climbing over a 10 foot rope wall scared the crap out of me. Oh and there wasn't just 1 10 foot wall, there were at least 6. Truly the walls were not the problem. It was the hills we had to climb. I think at one point I thought I was close to death. We finished and we did AWESOME!!! "Thank you!"
 
I decided to try another 5k so I signed up for Run Like Hell on Oct. 23rd. I will let you know Monday how it goes. I ran my first full 5k last night, not bad I might add. I think I can actually say I can do this.
 
Oct. 12th was approaching and the 2012 PTC email came from Erin. Erin also mentioned they were putting together a 2012 HTC team if they could get enough people. I thought about it. I thought about it a little more. I've always wanted to do it but not sure I ready yet. I thought about is just a few more minutes as I made up excusses why I wasn't ready and I text Erin. I am going to do HTC......What the hell I have 11 months to train. Let's do this.
 
Now.....we wait. Fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed. Will we make it?