Settled In

We're finally settled in and able to go back to life as normal. I'm enjoying working from home and saving on gas (although, I do go stir crazy and make Josh go on walks almost every night just so I can get out of the house). Josh starts his five week training/school on Tuesday. We won't see each other for that entire time. Much better than a deployment but still sucks. Since we don't know anyone here, Jax, Zoey, and I are going to have to figure out some major bonding time.

Last week we ran the Army 10 miler and somehow, I placed 7th for overall female...what?? I'm not competitive and have never run to place. All the glory goes to Josh for pushing me and Alabama for being at sea level. This 31 year old has still got it! :)

We've also made some steps towards our adoption. We've picked an agency and begun some of the application process. At this time, we're really focusing on saving as much money as we can. Coming out of a very expensive IVF, we want to be smart about this. As much as I'd love to start the homestudy now, we're going to wait until we've saved more money. We're so blessed to have wonderful family and friends who are excited for us and support us through this process.

And now, I shall leave you with some pictures.

 Fishing...because that's what people do here

Call us crazy

So Josh and I ran a half marathon last Sunday in 18 degree weather. To make it worse, it was hilly, icy, and I was sick. We also only trained for 3 weeks for this thing.

Even though we were sore (me more than Josh) and tired, it was actually fun! I love that we have the opportunity to run in a beautiful state. We've grown to love Colorado and are going to miss it when we move to Alabama. No matter where the army takes us, we'll definitely eventually make this state our home.

New (Good) Changes

Lots has happened since my last post. But the most important (and most exciting) event was the return of Josh! We were so blessed to have him come home two months early, making it a 7 month deployment. It's amazing how much shorter 7 months seemed than the last 9 month deployment and especially the 1 year deployment prior to that. There's nothing better than the whirlwind of excitement that happens with coming home ceremonies. Here's to hoping that he's able to stay home longer than a year this time. :)

I also ran my second marathon three days after his return. I cut 29 minutes off my first marathon time. I was definitely more prepared this time plus it helped that I lost quite a bit of elevation. It was also so much fun to have Josh cheering me on along the course and even running a few miles of it with me!

1/2 Marathon + Birthday = Great Sunday!

So yesterday was the first birthday I've been able to celebrate with Josh since we met. Crazy! Four years in a row, I've celebrated without that man! It was exciting to actually have a birthday with him home. We started the day off early. I had a half marathon in Denver that morning so we had to leave early enough to drive there and pick up our packets. Most people think I'm crazy for spending a good portion of my birthday running. I love it! Races are fun for me. And it was even better to have my husband waiting for me at the finish line this time! Again, he's been gone for most of my races too (thank you Army).

I also PR'd in this race! I'll be the first to admit...I'm a slow runner. The fastest I've ever run a half marathon is 2:30. I ran this one in 2:16! wahoo! It was a great feeling...especially knowing that the older I get, the faster I'm getting. Age is nothing folks! Why do so many people complain about it? Kidding...kidding.

We ate lunch on a rooftop patio in Denver. It was a gorgeous day! The rest of the afternoon we spent lounging (my choice). Cuddling on the couch with my husband is one of my all time favorite things to do. :)

Pre-Race

 Post-Race

4th Half Marathon

I have a half marathon coming up in a few weeks and I'm definitely the least prepared for this one out of the three I've run. I'm still getting my long runs in on weekends but weekdays have me bogged down these days. With the entire process of buying a house and moving, I've had no time to get my normal runs in. This can be soooo frustrating!

One of my goals this year is to pick up my running speed. I'm pretty slow (around a 10 min/mile). I'm very comfortable with this pace and usually can go very long distances without getting tired. Lately, I've been picking up my pace to about a 9 min/mile. I've actually been pleasantly surprised that I'm able to keep up with this min/mile. Like they always say, your body can do far more than your mind thinks it can. So far I've been able to keep my 9 min/mile for about 3 miles. If I keep this up, maybe I can run a half marathon in under 2 hours. Crossing my fingers! I'll keep you updated on my half and post pictures. Pictures of our house renovations are coming too!

26.2 miles...DONE!

I'm so excited to have another thing to cross of my bucket list - a marathon! I can't wait to have an entire week off of exercising and eating healthy food! I know that sounds horrible, but you have to be so dedicated when training that I'm tired of being "good."

Here's a recap of my weekend. Friday afternoon, my friend Karen and I drove up to Denver. I'm so thankful to have a good friend that wanted to be there with/for me. It shows a true selflessness. Although I'm sad that Josh couldn't be there, I'm happy that I was able to share this experience with Karen (and Sarah, who showed up later). We checked into our surprisingly nice hotel in downtown Denver. We quickly put on some deodorant and lipgloss and walked a few blocks to the convention center where the packet pick up was. We then walked downtown and finally decided on dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Here's a picture of me carb loading!

At Cheesecake Factory

We went to bed pretty early that night. I actually slept pretty well that night - apparently I wasn't as nervous as I thought. We got up the next morning at 5 a.m. and headed to grab some coffee, bagels, and fruit. After breakfast, we got ready and walked a few blocks to the starting line. I'm so thankful that it wasn't very cold that morning because I don't do well in cold weather. The weather was actually perfect. 

Beginning of the race

Re-adjusting my bib

Running with a picture of Josh

I'll cut out some of the boring details and just get to the actual run. The first 3 miles were a breeze and I was running at a 9.5 minute mile. I actually had to make myself slow down a few times so that I could avoid getting tired too quickly. The first 13 miles were pretty easy. I think this was because I've done a few half marathons and always know what to expect. Miles 13-16 were ok....but kind of boring. I was also feeling pretty sore and had to stop a few times to stretch. After mile 16 was when I had to talk myself into continue running. My hardest miles were 16-20. I think after 20, I realized that I only had 6 miles left. Those 6 miles were hard but not as bad as the previous miles had been.

I ran most of the way, but there were a few times where I did stop to walk for a minute. I got to the point where walking hurt worse than running. I guess my body was so used to running at that point that even walking hurt.

After mile 24, my speed picked up. It's funny how much more energy you have than you think you do. Crossing the finish line was a great feeling! I'm pretty sure this won't be the last time I do a marathon. As hard as it was, the outcome makes it all worth it.

 Finished!

Video of my finish

Marathon Training

So my marathon is a frightening three weeks away. To be honest, I'm not really sure if I'm ready. Sometimes I think I am...and then I second guess myself. My longest run was 18 miles. According to everything I've read (which is a massive amount of material), you don't need to run any more than 18-20 miles in order to prepare for a marathon. The last month before the marathon you are supposed to start tapering your runs. Last weekend I ran a half marathon. It was a pretty slow pace (I was running with a friend who wasn't as prepared as I was). I felt really good at the end of the half marathon except for some tight muscles.

This month I'm working on running shorter distances in a faster time. You'll be more prepared if you strengthen yourself than if you try to run long distances. If I survive this race, I'll definitely post about it. I'm excited/nervous! I'm sad that Josh can't be there for me, but my good friend Karen is coming along to cheer me on.

And lastly, I can't wait to have a little bit more time to myself. Training for a marathon takes up a huge amount of time!

One last thing...I miss my hubby terribly. I find myself thinking more and more about his homecoming the closer it gets. Three months people!

I should be doing homework...

So I'll blog instead! :)

Update on the 1/2 marathon yesterday—it was painful! The name was definitely misleading. It ended up being a difficult run. I think a lot of it had to do with downhill running not being very good for your joints. Around mile 6 my knee started killing me. I ran on it the rest of the way, but I'm paying for it! I'm walking like an old lady :).

Here's some pictures:

Slacker Half Marathon

Tomorrow I'm running the Slacker Half Marathon with my friend, Karen. This is my second 1/2 marathon and I'm beyond excited! It should be a fairly easy run (mostly downhill) with a gorgeous view.  We're driving up tonight, staying in Frisco, and then getting up bright and early to run.  I'll update my blog with pictures and stories after the run!

5k Mud Run

September was a busy month....with very little time for blogging.  I'll give a fast re-run of the month, but more importantly, talk about a mud run I did (yes, the run even trumps our vacation).  As everyone already knows, we moved into our house at the beginning of September.  I would just like to add that we've only been here for a month now and I've already locked myself out of the house twice....TWICE, I tell you.  The last time I did it, I waited outside for three hours until Josh came home. I had a lot of thinking time in those three house (most of which I spent deciding where I was going to hide our extra key).

Josh and I traveled to Naples, Florida and the Florida Keys for our one year anniversary.  We were accompanied by some friends who also were celebrating their one year anniversary.  Between swamp tours, alligators, manatees, and sunburns, we had a great time. I think our friends finally realized how old (lame) Josh and I really are.  Even on vacation, we still managed to be in bed by 10 p.m. most nights.  I snagged some alone time with Josh one morning when we ran 2 miles to the beach and picked up a cup of coffee on our run home.  I'm not going to lie, I crave these times with Josh especially now that deployment is creeping up on us.

On a more melancholy note, my grandmother passed away the day before we left for vacation.  I was blessed to have seen her only a few months earlier.  I am also so grateful that I left with such happy memories of her.  We didn't do much together - just talked a little and played some games - but I'm thankful that she was so bright and cheery for the little time that I was there.  She will be missed, but I'm happy knowing that she is in eternity with God.  One of my favorite verses is Rev 21:4. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

At the end of September I ran a 5k mud run.  I was on a team with a few other army wives.  I'm only writing about this so that I can post pictures, more than anything.  I'm proud of my army crawl through the mud leaving me dirty from head to toe.  The course was a pretty easy run (some uphill) with about 10 obstacle courses.  These courses ranged from wall climbs to mud pits.  Why did I pay $65 to get dirty?  I'm not really sure, but it was worth it!

Pictures from the Mud Run:

Josh and I on the pier in Naples:

Running

I like to call myself a runner....although I'm not sure I can truly claim that title.  Maybe my expectations are too high.

I hated running in highschool.  I'd do it here and there, but I really wasn't a fan.  I envied people like my dad and sisters who were able to whip out miles of running so effortlessly.  I wanted to be that person.

Fast forward a few years.  I was in my early twenties and decided that I would make myself enjoy running.  I signed up for a few 5ks which were always fun, but I was SLOW.  My motto was always "slow and steady wins the race".  Come to think of it, that is still my motto.

I ran my first half marathon in 2009.  I was by no means the fastest person there, but there was such a huge sense of accomplishment after completing the run.  It was after that, that I decided that I wanted that "high" more often.  Thankfully, something switched inside of me and I can truly say that I enjoy running now.

Two months ago, I hurt my foot playing volleyball.  I never should have been out there in the first place; my hand-eye coordination is bad....no horrible!  I left the game hobbling on a swollen foot.  I stayed off my foot for two month, per the doctor's orders, hoping that I could begin running again.  Ok, I lied.  I didn't stay off my foot like I should have.  Two months later, and my foot is still not completely healed.  As most runners know, this is torture!  My impatience has gotten the best of me and I've begun running again.

I know.....bad!

Here's to hoping my foot heals soon so that I can accomplish a 5k dirty girl mud run in September.  I'll post pictures of this amazing event when the time comes!

9th Annual Platte River Half Marathon

I'm not really one to make new years resolutions, but I do enjoy pushing myself to do things I wouldn't normally do.  I've decided that this year I'm going to run two half marathons.....which pretty much is a whole marathon (2 halfs equal a whole, right???).  I ran a half marathon in 2009 with my much faster and more athletic sister.  I may not have finished in the fastest time, but I DID finish.  Here's a picture of me crossing the finish line:

The first half marathon that Josh and I will be running is in Littleton, Colorado on April 10th.  My goal?  To beat my time in 2009 and learn to love running!  I'll keep you updated!