Running

So I have been running for a few years now.  Not too seriously to be honest.  In the past year, I would run 3-6 miles a week, normally around 3.  I do not enjoy running.  I do not enjoy the feeling after I run.  I only enjoy the fact that I accomplished something.  And that, my friends, makes it all worth it. 

When I was 17, I was a competitive swimmer with some knee problems.  After doping up before and after every practice and trying ice, Ben Gay, and many other tricks, I finally went to an orthopedic surgeon.  Consequently, it was the same physician that the Buffalo Bills used.  After many tests and X rays, it was determined that I have a bad patella tracking issue.  My knee caps do not sit on top of my legs bones properly.  Basically, every time I take a step my knee cap rubs against the bone of my lower leg (I thin it is the tibia) After years of doing the breast stroke kick, sometimes during entire practices, I messed up the tendons which hold my knee caps in place.  I was told that I had to stop swimming right then- after my junior year.  Running and any other hard surface sport would clearly be out of the question.  I went to physical therapy for a few years to try and strengthen those tendons but I am not sure it ever did much good.  The reason I am writing this is to say- I KNOW RUNNING HURTS.  It hurts everyone!  My pain in bearable.  I don't limp anymore.  I do not know if this amount of running that I have been doing has strengthened other muscles in my legs. 

All that being said, I have been training for a half marathon for the past 7 weeks.  To even get to this point, I really haven't done a plan.  I started running one mile.  After 2 weeks, I forced myself to run 2 miles.  After 3 more weeks- I ran 3 miles.  Case closed.  It was hard, again- I hated it...but that is how I did it.  I recommend doing anything to get you to the 3 mile point.  A lot of the couch to 5k apps seem to be great for many of my friends.  To train for the half marathon, I am using the Hal Higdon plan.  I follow it to the letter.  I do exactly what my chart says.  I think the best part of running is to find a partner to run with you.  It is hard to recruit people and it seems everyone is busy.  My long runs are normally with people who run better and faster than me.  It is a challenge keeping up sometimes but I think it makes me a better runner.

I still do not consider myself a runner.  Maybe once I put a 13.1 sticker on the van- I can say, "Yeah, I'm a runner."

Bottom line-  get off the couch...push through the pain....be a good and healthy example to your kids!

other things

Here are a few random thoughts for the day

Other things than annoy me:
*When we are talking on the phone and you continually talk to your kids.  I mean the entire time. I feel very awkward and I want to just hang up

*When you bring peanuts to an event when you KNOW I am going to be there.  Next time, I will bring out a loaded revolver and point it at your kids head.  NOW you know how my son feels.

*When people say I talk to loud

*When kids are not properly restrained in their car seats

And here is something I wanted to mention about sports.  I think as parents we often toy with the idea of forcing our kids to do a sport or activity.  I can say from personal experience my parents forced me to swim.  I would say 80% of the time I hated swimming and I hated them for making me swim.  It was very time consuming and strenuous.  I made some AWESOME friends and had some amazing times throughout my swimming career.  I cannot type this without smiling and thinking of all the shenanigans we did.  Looking back, I AM SO GLAD my parents never let me quit.  As a matter of fact I had a full scholarship to a Division One school for swimming which I turned down.  That is one of my biggest life regrets.  I could have left school with zero student loans....but alas....I should really get to the point.
Our son was ready for t ball when the sign ups started when he was 5.  He was one of THE WORST on the team as far as throwing and fielding.  He knew this and after the season was over, he totally wanted to quit.  When the next season rolled around, we just signed him up again to play without giving him a choice.  He has SUCH a good time socially at baseball but really wasn't all that good.  He loved the games and the competition but he was ready to retire after the season.  When you are 6 in our county, you must moved to machine pitch where a machine pitches the ball at 45 miles per hour.  He was not interested in playing but OF COURSE I signed him up.  His skill level was actually starting to improve to be as good as the other boys.  Where we live, this pee wee league is like major league baseball.  There are fights and disagreements and many teams are out for blood.  For his entire career, on the way home, my husband and I would tell him all the things he did wrong during the game.  And I cant say anything once.  I would say it again...and again...and again. 
Before this season started (sometime during the winter) I read an article about a study done on division one college athletes.  The #1 thing these boys dreaded most as a child was the car ride home.  It stuck me like a knife through my heart.  Oh no!  He knew he messed up!  He didn't need to hear it one hundred and seventy times from me.  I made a pact with myself.  and myself....and my husband.  Lets not critique him.  Lets leave that to the head coach.
We started out the year with THE BEST head coach.  He is good natured and kind.  I vowed to blood my lip after the games.  This was what I would say, "I loved watching you play today." 
When he was up to bat- I would say- I believe in you....you can do it buddy.  Eventually it caught on and the other parents laughed at me. But guess whose kid rarely struck out?  Chicken little Allen.  MY boy.  3 years of forcing him to play has paid off.  He loves the game, he loves the kids, he is learning life long skills.  His brother starts t ball in 2 months.  Different kid....more stubborn....and you can bet your ass I am going to make him play.