Another long overdue update

Again, I jump forward in time by 2 years. Much has happened in two years, some good and some not so good.

In the two years since my last post, I can happily say, I retired. It was a good ride and that chapter in life is over. Surprisingly, I do not miss it at all. I’m sure my dear husband misses having the abode to himself at times but I do have a few volunteer projects in the wings that keep me excited, intrigued and happy.

There is so much to say about retirement and I am sure that I will in the future. But the biggest advice I could give is to start to curate interests before you retire. Otherwise you are flailing around trying to find volunteer opportunities that excite and at the same time trying to find a community. I can easily see how retirement can be lonely and why people move into retirement villages for the sense of community.

Happily I can say is that I am still running. Monday through Thursday, I run a loop near my house (guaranteed bathroom stops!) or a paved trail near my house. And, surprisingly, I do not listen to anything and just focus on being present. On Saturdays I meet up with a running group mostly of retired folks, many who I would call my friends.

I am also toying with another marathon. It’s funny when you run a marathon. You get excited at the proposition that you can actually do it. The training at my age is grueling, that’s for sure and I am not bouncing back as much as I used to. I do remember that every single marathon I have run, during the run, I keep questioning my sanity of why I am doing that.

But I love the idea that I can run. I love that I can hammer out 8 miles without too much trouble and in a pinch 10. But what would the next marathon look like? Hills and mountains do suck, so I need to find a course that is flat. I also prefer to run with a friend group. I have run so many races solo and I can easily say, a support group is the best.

As winter weather hits, remember it isn’t bad weather, it’s just an opportunity for different gear.

A Long Overdue Update

I’m glad that I named this blog, “Old Woman Running Blog” because the only thing that has really stayed the same is that I have become older.

I’ve continued to run. I run in the mornings before work. The cool, rainy mornings of the PNW draw me out to start my day at 5:30 before work. I clear my head, I plan my day and I work out all the issues that lay before me.

Because of my running I have made life long friends. I had a steady running partner for quite a while that I met at a running event and when covid hit, she retreated to Eastern Oregon to her life there. I literally ran into an older group of runners and they invited me into their group where I am discovering new friendships and I find that exciting.

I ran the Vernonia Marathon last year and came in first in my age division. I ran on an Elite masters team for Hood To Coast (don’t be too impressed, there was only three of us in our division) and again, I met such a wonderful group of women.

So looking ahead, I see lots of adventures (I have one planned with my best friend in Yosemite this May) with my new friends. I see reducing my work hours and finding a way to be with my retired husband more. I plan on having many more adventures with him. (Right now we are both sick in different rooms so we won’t bother each other so this isn’t one of those fun adventures.)

But since my last post, I have to tell you, I am leaving behind my sister Laura. My sister Laura was my best friend. She was my confident. She was part of my retirement plan. She and I have always been the closest in our sister group. I do have a wonderful sister, Juanita (or Jay) but she has an intelligence that shines so bright, Laura and I were dim compared to her. So eventhough we were the three musketeers many times, Laura was my pal.

But Laura was an alcoholic. Jay and I had been bearing the brunt of her emotional rollercoaster for years. Jay and I had already been through this with an alcoholic/abusive mother and seeing my sister go through it as well was beyond tough. Laura’s health was fading, it was clear she had liver damage. She didn’t share how sick she was. She went on a life long trip she always wanted to take to Bejing the summer before she died.

But the alcohol that she allowed to take her life, consumed her. We had watched as it consumed her intelligence and her life. She couldn’t keep a job. She couldn’t stop lying about most everything. Myself, my stepmom and her son, Mark were constantly bailing her out.

But we loved her fiercely. But that wasn’t enough.

She was picked up for drunk driving, thrown in jail, was released. And then she went home and drank everything in her house until it all killed her. She even drank the turpentine under her sink. They found her a few days afterwards.

And now she is left behind. And I am still at a loss of. That hole in my retirement plan is still there. And I miss her so greatly.

As I texted with Jay, I told her that it doesn’t feel real anymore. Almost that its like she never was. But I know she was. My sister said that she thinks of things as present, past and future. Laura is now only exists in the past as we do in the present and future. It’s a good way to put it and I miss the path she could have had with us.

I miss her insights and I feel incredibly alone with out her.

I loved my sister Laura and I miss her terribly.

Musings on Running

It is a funny thing.  When I am running, I can actually come up with some really wonderful stuff to reflect on but when I get back home, the excitement of committing any of it to “paper” is gone.

I think this will be the year that I actually keep this blog going.

Last year I ran a disastrous Hood to Coast (heat exhaustion) and then recently entered the lottery for the New York City marathon.  I’m running in the Yellowstone half marathon in June which was  a total mistake.  I have absolute brain fade and mixed it up for a Yosemite half marathon.

Trail running is now high on my priority list.  I did book the hotel for the half for my good friend and I so that is taken care of.

But in each of these new races, I have a new outlook on running.  I am going to run them to have fun, I will not be racing them anymore.  Pushing myself to hit certain times or even place can squeeze the fun out of any run for me.  When just running for fun, I am definitely slower but so much more enjoyable and I don’t have to really prove anything to anyone.

Thoughts on running for the New Year?

Friends

What we would be without our friends, our partners in crime, our soul sisters, our solemates, our running buddies and our lifelong squeezeamundos?

We pull each other into adventures, missteps and journeys we will never forget.

This year, my very best friend ran the Tinkerbell Half Marathon and Pixie Dust challenge.  I  joined her for the second run, the Tinkerbell half marathon.  I would have never thought to run such a race if it hadn’t been for her.  Friends always challenge us in good ways and I will always cherish them for that.

 

Before my friend became a runner, she was always my cheerleader and my advocate.  I’m so pleased now that we both share the love of running.

Next week I head off to my fourth Hood to Coast relay and I wish my friend was joining me but I am lucky to count friends I will be running again with.

 

 

So off to another adventure and a future blog about the Hood to Coast 2016. Like I say every year, this will be my last one, but I’m sure that this will be my last one.  17 miles, no sleep, crammed in a van, having to use porta potties, and I simply get cranky.  And this year after turning 55, I think that this is one for the archives.#HoodtoCoast

 

Why do we run…?

I have just finished reading In the dark, dark wood by Ruth Ware.  Her protagonist , Nora, is a runner.  Nora talks about why she runs – to hammer out problems, to escape the claustrophobic feelings four walls can bring and to make problems fade into the background.

I know that I feel better after running.  Problems disappear with the sound of my feet hitting the ground.

But more importantly, I run because I can.  I can run 12 miles without a thought.  I can sprint a 5K at a 7:30 pace (okay, I will flop over afterwards).  But after never being an athletic child or adult, I am now.

I am amazed at what my body can do.

Again, I run because I can.

How about you?

 

 

 

 

So I ran a marathon…

Oh yeah, look at that big smile.  Is that a smile of happiness, satisfaction and accomplishment?

Nope, it was a smile that I was done.

 

Portland Marathon 2015

It had been a long 4 hours 23 minutes of looking down in paranoid fits to see if my timing strip had fallen off my shoes.

It had been a long 2 hours and 23 minutes of trying to keep my left leg straight because my IT band syndrome had decided to up its game.

It had been 4 hours since I realized one of my super powers was that I could identify empty porta potties from 50 yards away.

It had been 4 hours since I realized I had to drink electrolyte water or I was going to hit the wall (and hence the discovery of above super power).

It had been 30 minutes since I saw a running mentor and told him my knee was now completely blown and I had to walk down  hills.

It was 30 minutes since I realized I wasn’t going to Boston qualify.

It had been 4 hours and 23 minutes since I had thanked my lucky stars that it was going to be a unseasonably warm day and not a typical fall Portland day.

It was 4 hours since I laughed at the silly pirate themed entertainment cheering us along.

It had been 3 hours and 30 minutes since I waved at friends who were cheering me on.

It had been 15 minutes since I crossed the finish lines with the encouragement of the fans.

It had been mere minutes since my husband told me I was amazing.

After 4 hours and 23 minutes of second guessing myself and months of training, I crossed the finish line.

I.Did.It.

And I would do it all again.