One more day until the Relay for Life...

I am starting to get excited about the event ~ just hoping the weather cooperates and it doesn't rain.  Otherwise my hour walk from 1:00-2:00 AM will be less than enjoyable!  Since this is my first time at this event I had no idea there were so many things to do during the 24 hours!  Limbo, lip sync, crazy hair, ice cream eating, etc.  I guess I won't be sleeping much, but that is part of the fun. 

I doubt there is anyone out there whose life has not been touched by cancer and the havoc it can wreak on a family.  I have had family members, friends, and even Gracie my whippet was lost to cancer.  Any and all charities fighting these diseases are where my support will always be directed and I hope that we can come up with more successful treatments in the near future. 

Of course when I was getting the dog's breakfast ready this morning I managed to wrench both knees...not just the bad one.  How did I do it you ask?  I tried to step over a toy Anneke had left on the kitchen floor and to my dismay I stepped on it and a knuckle bone that was hiding underneath.  I am ashamed to admit it...but I said some very bad words.  I will just have to take it easy tomorrow and walk more slowly than my normal pace.  I have already told my teammates that I will not be partaking in any running, sack racing, skipping, or limbo a little lower now...so they will have to take up the slack there. 

Have a great weekend everyone.  Hopefully I will have some great pictures to post.

Feeling much better now...

My knee still hurts some, but nothing like it did last week.  Kind of felt like the knee cap snapped back into place and then everything felt better, more stable, and stronger.  I have an appointment with an Orthopedic Doc on June 9th, but if it is still feeling better I will cancel.  My thought since 1991 has been that I won't have more surgery until it simply breaks and I have no choice.  I am still going with that for now.

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Now you've done it...

I have now hurt my knee in a completely new and interesting way.  Not sure how I did it, but it doesn't feel very good.  I'm back to wearing a brace 24/7 and walking very carefully up and down stairs.  Not sure where to go from here - I need to rehab and then come up with a new plan.  Damn!  Getting old sucks.

I am contemplating joining the YMCA near my office so I can at least swim...but swimming and I have never been on very good terms with each other.  It does seem the best option at this point...now I just need to find the money to give it a try.

I did have a good weekend though - took HotRod & Anneke to a dog get together.  Anneke was the life of the party.

Vancouver BC Marathon was great!

Even though I was not able to compete in the half I went along as cheerleader/sherpa for my friends running in the half and full marathon.  It started out with my first train ride...which was delayed several hours due to a train vs pedestrian accident south of Bellingham.  Then we had two of our group miss the train!  A ride was found for them and they made it not long after we did.  On top of that the train was over booked and we were told to find seats wherever we could.  We ended up all in different cars, but luckily I was able to sit with one friend.  I didn't have to just stare into space for a couple hours.

Once we arrived in Vancouver on Saturday it was really nice just hanging out and walking over to the expo to pick up packets and do a little shopping.  Sunday arrived dark, cold, and rainy.  I hate to say it but I was secretly happy that I didn't have to run in that downpour.  It took a little bit of coordination to get those running the half off the line at 7:00 and the full marathoners at 7:30.  We then had about an hour to get some coffee and breakfast before it was time to head back to cheer them on to the finish line.  We were yelling for everyone who passed by, and it was really cool to see how much people appreciated having their name called and encouraging words to get them through that last 200 meters. 

We gathered our half runners and went back to the Hotel so they could shower and get warm.  By the time they were all ready we needed to get back down to the finish to cheer on the first of our marathoners.  Several had run at least one before but my friends, Dawn & Bill Wefer, were running their first (and most likely last) one.  They did great and I am unbelievably proud of them.  It seems a little cruel, but you have to walk up a huge stairway to get back up to the Hotel area.  It hurt me just watching a few of our friends navigate their way.  Then it was lunch and off to the train to go home.  Of course there was another delay on the train...someone had something in their checked bag that they should not have...the Conductor wouldn't tell us what it was.  It was a bit intimidating when they brought the sniffer dog on board and then all of a sudden there are about 6 Homeland Security Agents standing in the aisle.  They left her aboard and didn't take the suitcase, so it must have been something innocuous in the end.

It was quite the whirlwind weekend and a bit like herding cats keeping everyone going in the same direction, but I had a blast.  I do intend to be one of the competitors next year - the 40th Anniversary of the Vancouver Marathon.  Now I need to set a new shorter term goal.

Missing another goal...

One week from today is the Vancouver, BC Marathon...and I won't be running.  I will be there cheering on my friends - who will be running their first full marathon. I am very excited for them.  It will be a fun weekend, but missing the run is disappointing. 

Somehow I need to get past the annoying little injuries and get back out there, but I am not going to beat myself up over it - I have a lot of years left in me and plenty of time to get things turned around. 

I will also be taking my first train ride and I am kind of excited about that.  Should be a fun weekend all the way aroung.

Feeling Better...

After a few weeks of feeling pretty lousy and trying the new diet I seem to be feeling much better today.  I spent all day yesterday in the blazing sun wrangling crazy whippets and other breeds at race practice - along with walking and walking and walking.  I was a little light headed in the morning, but that seems much better. 

Trying to keep this thing going has been a real struggle, but I will not give up.  I intend to have a happy healthy life for many more years to come.

Hope everyone out there is out there doing everything they can to improve their life too.

Today I ran and I ate healthy!

I am quite proud of myself.  I do not love a lot of vegetables, but I am learning to eat them anyway.  My Mom will be very proud of me - we used to have incidents where she wanted me to eat a vegetable...just one bite...but I simply wouldn't do it.  I could sit at that dinner table for a very long time until she gave up and let me be excused. Not proud of it, but that is how it went down.

I went to the grocery store with a list - and shopped as if I was a vegetarian.  I bought tomatoes, cilantro, spinach, a bag of lettuce, and some quinoa.  Below is the fruit of my labors.  It's not pretty, but it was tasty and I did NOT pick out the tomatoes.  Hooray for me!!!