My first half marathon

 In July of 2020 I ran 7 miles, in August I ran 8 miles.  Guess how many I ran in September?  Yup, 9.  Prior to that I hadn't ventured much past a 10k, just an occasional 7 miles.  I wanted to see how many miles I could do.  There was no training plan I would just do at least one run each month that was one mile more than the prior month. If I go through the full year then I could do a half marathon, right?  

I honestly don't remember much about those long runs though I do recall being proud of how much I had run.  December was tough as it was getting cold and I had to fit it in around the holidays.  

I continued adding one extra mile in January of 2021 with the goal to run the half marathon at the end of February.  Although I did some additional runs throughout the week there was not strategy to my training. I figured that the long runs would get me through.  I completed 14 some time in February, I have a vague recollection that it was around my cousin's neighborhood as I was house sitting for her. 

I did not map out my runs, I had a little Timex watch, no GPS.  I figured that I was running at a certain pace and that was close enough.  A good friend of mine who was a seasoned marathoner gleefully listened to my stories of running and encouraged me to keep running.

I chose a race on Cape Cod to test my endurance.  The race had a half and full marathon, back then the runners could run the full and qualify for the Boston Marathon that year!  Many of the runners were training for Boston or another spring marathon.  The night before I stayed at my sister's and had a hearty dinner of potatoes.  

I woke up in the morning to a winter storm, as luck would have it the cape was getting the brunt of this storm.  I drove to the race and went in to the hotel to wait for the start.  I remember seeing Dick and Rick Hoyt, legends in the Boston running community.  I would be running among them, so cool. 

I toed the line bundled up and my hood placed over my face as the sleet was pelting me.  The gun went off and so did I, this was the start of my first half marathon!  I was excited, nervous and angry that the weather was so bad (because New England is known for it's mild winter weather?). A friend of my running friend saw me and we chatted for a while, I tried to keep pace with her but she was a bit too fast.

While I remember parts of the race and certain moments, like the horrible wind.  What I remember is struggling, and being really disappointed, and embarrassed. I had to walk some and was passed by someone I knew who encouraged me.  I had trained for this, I should have done great.  Right?  Wrong!

Now I know that I did everything right, even the stuff that I did wrong.  I didn't train properly, I went out way too fast and I didn't set realistic expectations nor did I adjust for the weather.  Classic first-timer's mistake and that is okay.  I attempted a goal and I ultimately achieved it, albeit not in the way that I expected.  I was guaranteed a PR, I just had to finish.  

Having run about 20 or so half marathons, a handful of marathons and a zillion shorter races I am better at training, preparing and setting expectations.  I have failed and I have succeeded and I have learned a lot, oh and I have had fun doing it- even in the stormy weather.   

I ran the race again the following year.  The weather was a warm, I was not trained and I don't think that I did much to improve my time.  

Caution Runners on the Road at Night

 I just did my first in-person road race in over a year; a half-marathon in NH.  It was cold and my time was okay considering my limited training.  As I ran around the streets of Hampton Beach I was overcome with many memories of running in the area for Reach the Beach.  Reach the Beach is a relay race that goes from the mountains of NH to Hampton Beach.  Over 200 miles of running divided among a team of generally 12 runners.  There are a lot of logistics to it, easiest to sum it up with my team's name "Run, Rest, Repeat".  Also we all smell really, really bad for 2 days and we are so tired and punchy.  

I was asked to join RRR for my first RTB (keep up with the acronyms) in 2003 by some friends I had met while doing a marathon in Alaska (yes, that Alaska).  So one Thursday night I went to NH to meet 9 new people (2 of the runners I knew) with whom I would be spending the next ~48 hours.  Having just ran a marathon I assumed that I was all that and a bag of chips in the running world, I was wrong.  My first run was a 7 miler from Attitash to Echo Lake State Park, I love this run and rave about it each year.  Somewhere I have leg diaries about this.  I was slow but got the run in.  

My next leg was around Midnight.  I ran alone with flashlights, peaceful and amazing with the solitude and beautiful night light.  Living in a more urban area I don't get the opportunity to run like this at night; over the years I have really enjoyed my nighttime run (except for the one time when I fell). Occasionally I would get passed by a runner and vans would go by giving quiet encouragement. Signs were posted along the route warning motorist "Caution Runners on the Road at Night", definitely odd if one didn't know the event.  A teammate or two may have taken a sign after the event. 

I was concerned because I was so slow and thought that my teammates would be upset that I was not running as fast as I had thought.  They had stopped along the side of the road to cheer me on and give me some water.  I came up to them ashamed and hoping that they were not mad that I was so slow.  The amazing captain, David, and his trusty side-kick, Mike were patiently waiting for me and were more concerned that I was okay and felt safe, it didn't matter what my time was just that I enjoyed it.   This is what it is all about.  Whether it is running or another activity, most people who participate are encouraging and love the camaraderie of it.  Running is a solitary sport yet we have an amazing community of people. I made some amazing friends through RTB and have so many stories from the event.  While I am not sure if I will participate again I hope to connect with the wonderful group of people again.  

As I stumbled through the last few cold miles of the half marathon along the water I was reminded of our Den Mother running with me on my last leg and quietly talking me through it.  I smiled at the start of the race when we ran through the sand, I had been the anchor leg a few times to the screaming cheers of my teammates feeling like an Olympic athlete.  The celebration of chicken and a beer after, the hugs as we all say goodbye and thanks for the memories.  The drive back from Hampton Beach, sometimes driving North to only turn around and head South since the logistics of this thing is a bitch.  I am blessed to have done this event and blessed to have some many running memories in NH and blessed to have found running. 

Shy kid

I was quiet, painfully quiet.  I had imaginary friends, I was weird.

It can be tough being a quiet kid, I did not understand why I was so quiet and I did not know what to say to people.  I would wait for other kids to ask me to play rather than initiating.  I was never sure if they liked me; I think that they did.  I would marvel at the kids who would boldly ask for things and advocate for themselves, I still do.

My imaginary friends?  Yeah, that is a therapy session in itself.  I had one friend and we were thick as thieves, we hung out all of the time (what else was she doing).  My family thought that it was funny and my siblings encouraged it.  Suddenly I had more imaginary friends and came up with all kids of stories, mostly to entertain my family.  There is a lot of psychology about imaginary friends, I have not delved much into it but it they say that it is natural and healthy.  One would think that with all of the the creativity I had as a child I would be do something creative but I am in accounting.  My family still brings up my friends like somehow I reunited with them on Facebook.

I started kindergarten when I was 4 1/2 years old, just making the cut off.  I was also tiny so I looked funny getting on the bus and heading to school.  Back then kids were allowed to roam around more and I took full advantage of this- early alone time.  I would go for walks around the neighborhood and take off into the quiet area of my backyard.  One day I decided to go for a bike ride even though I only had one lesson, police were involved and I didn't ride my bike for a year.

I was also weird because I played with the Fisher Price people and my doll house for longer than I should have, honestly I do not know the age I stopped but trust me it was longer than most.  I loved the people, much like my imaginary friends, and has all kids of stories for them.

I had a hard time making friends because I was so quiet and did not initiate friendships or invite friends over often.  I was, and still am, a loyal friend though.  I think that this is true of most introverts, we tend to have a close group of friends. 

As I have gotten older and forced to meet and mingle I have gotten out of my shyness but will always be an introvert.  One of the best ways that I escaped being shy is my "I don't give a sh!tness".  I am more comfortable with my quirks.

Oh Gee, Wally

I have been watching Leave it to Beaver in the morning while working from home.  There is a comfort to the show that helps me start the day.

As a kid in the 80s the show was on in the afternoon and I fell in love with it.  It must have been making a resurgence since they did reunion shows around that time.  I am not sure what drew me to it but it was funny and as a child I did not necessarily understand the innocence of it.  

As an adult I would occasionally catch the show or read about the actors.  This would bring up nostalgia about my childhood and watching the show.  I knew that it was on in the morning and on the rare occasion that I was home during the week I would try to catch it.

When I started working from home I turned it on as I would have breakfast and read through work emails.  At first I was guilty about watching TV during the day and was going to stop watching.  I wisely decided to keep it on; it was the only thing that I watched in the daytime and sometimes the only thing that I watched all day.  It brings me comfort.

Why does a show based in the late 1950s/early 1960s bring me comfort?  I am sure that part of it is the nostalgia from childhood watching it, though I do not get the same enjoyment from watching other shows that I watched back then.  I think that the simplicity of the show appeals to me, especially during these "uncertain times" (yeah, I hate that too).  We were forced to slow down and stay at home, eat dinner together as a family.  Kids were no longer over scheduled, much like the kids of Mayberry.  They got by with one car, they rarely went out to dinner or got take out.  Life existed that way; and I know that the Cleaver household is an exaggerated version of this time.  

I do cringe a little at the women who dutifully kept house and worried about the husband coming home to a warm meal.  There are no minorities and they talk only of heterosexual relationships, quite common at the time.  

Recently Ken Osmond, the actor who beautifully played Eddie Haskell, passed away.  It brought a weird sadness as I felt as though one of my friends had died.  Someone who had been a part of my life was gone.  

Much like the warm cup of tea that I have in the morning LITB (that is what the cool kids call it) helps start my day off 

Introduction

I am not sure why I have decided to blog, except that it may be therapeutic.  I am an introvert, I like my alone time.  I have a lot of thoughts in my head (maybe this is why I am blogging).  Quarantine and social distancing is a dream for us introverts, we can be alone.  Yes, I can be lonely at times but this is my happy place.
It has taken me a long time to realize that being an introvert is not a bad thing.  Being comfortable with it and explaining to people (especially anyone I would date) has taken a while but now I am confident with it- kinda.  Introverts aren't necessarily shy, though I was as a kid.  Introverts can be friendly, I can be very welcoming.  Introverts aren't quiet, I actually have a loud voice.  We just like our alone time and can be uncomfortable in a crowd.
Anyway, here are some of my thoughts if you care to read them.   Enjoy!