I run happy.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Starting Fall Afresh...

It's already mid September???  


August 6, was my last post.  Where did the summer go?


23 kindergartners marched into my classroom a month ago and continue to stay, and stay and stay!  After many poop problems(the kids, not me), I can officially say, we're ready to start having SOME FUN!  Bring on the juice boxes, the baggies of milk from the cafeteria!  Bring on the ABC's, the people colored crayons, the GLITTER, LOTS OF GLITTER(I love that commercial)and the sniffles, lice and wobbly teeth.  KINDERGARTEN has begun!


My healthiest vice/respite/escape/drug has been my 5k/10k cross country training.  I'm mixing it up with some **FUN** 40+ masters runners and have found that their speed and inspiration only fuels me to work harder!  I've never been a part of a running team, it was actually a little scary to try something new like this.  I shy away from too much competition in this sport.  Would this group of women have the maturity, strength, compassion, fortitude and WILL to put others above themselves?  I've seen groups of women in other competitive situations and it wasn't pretty.  It gets petty.  It can get ugly.  I didn't want to commit to something that would be DRAMA with a capital DDDDDD.  That being said, I know these athletes and they are all STELLAR women.  Big hearts, enthusiastic 40+ women who are out for speed, FUN and the chance to be there for one another.  


Our first three races have NOT been a disappointment but rather, a privilege.  It's going to be a NEW season for me for running, a new adventure.
  
SO
much
fun!

I feel like a high school runner again!!!  Even though I didn't run in high school.

The San Diego Track Club Dirt Dog Series 

Race #3 for the team was last night, the SUN DOWNER.  The CHANCE to run under the light of the moon for 3 plus miles over grass, along dirt paths, along the street and back onto the grass.  JUST LIKE HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTY. Loved it.  My training has been much, much lighter this summer/fall, as I had decided NOT to run a fall marathon.  I'm following a cross country running schedule which gives me the speed work AND the flexibility to throw in hills and more farleks if I feel like it.  I'm down to a 12 mile long run on the weekends...just might skip it today though.  See?  I can be flexible like that now.  Love it.

I was determined to run this 5k all out.  My present PR is 20:18 and I knew the hills in this course were too much to even expect a personal best out of this race.  HOWEVER...I was EERILY close...somewhere in the range of 20:20 or so.  Since I ditched my GARMIN so that I could run by heart and feel,  I'm not sure how I really did but let's just say I was ECSTATIC to cross the line so close to my PR, having worked the hills as I did.  Still ecstatic.  Even today.  

The BEST part of the race though, was watching those in front cross the finish, hear the announcements from the director as I ran all over the hills in the dark and being there to see other friends cross.  Our team should STILL be in first place this week...most had terrific runs last night.  Those that couldn't run came to cheer and one, in particular, I hold in high regard.  As I crossed over the street and neared the finish, I heard these particular words...and remember,  to a 46 year old women, these words are NEVER taken lightly...

"You look awesome!  You look so strong!  You could run like this for 10 more miles!"  Oh my gosh, you are rocking it!"

We are all there for each other.  The good times and the bad. A team is like that at times, a family.  

Thanks for making this 46 year old feel like 17 again, if only for 20 minutes or so.  I think that's just enough time.  

Have a happy week, missed you all. Keep looking for new adventures...
meg


19 comments:

  1. So glad that you are back and that the little people are busy playing with glitter once again. Groups of women can be the BEST or can be the absolute WORST! Wonderful that your group falls in the former category and that you are having a blast and continue to be super speedy!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome back! Are you sure it is September already? I haven't noticed.
    Congrats on "close to PR"! The main thing is that you enjoyed the race, right?

    ReplyDelete
  3. THis sounds very exciting! You are fast for sure.
    I have had a great start to my school year. Hope yours is good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Meggie...
    Love the excitment in your words, I can actually picture your cute voice saying them and know you are just in a really good place right now. I hope when you DO marathon train, you keep your group to do these runs together, I think it is exactly what your marathon training needs - a little diversion from your norm! Congratulations on an almost PR...let's just call it a PR on grass and hill. You are wicked fast and getting stronger and stronger. Age means nothing to you, nothing at all!

    Keep on being you! Hugs to you and BS!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What an uplifting post...your group sounds amazing and you are definitely FAST! Wow! Loved reading this and glad that you are doing so well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like you've found just the right group. I love running with women of all ages now. It's less about competition and more about support.

    Great run too - I can understand why you're walking on air.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glad you're back! I need to follow your lead and do the same. :) August became busy for many of us, so it's nice to have some sense of normalcy again! Have a wonderful new school year!

    ReplyDelete
  8. That team sounds like the perfect fit for you! Awesome run! And yes, it's September...although it still doesn't feel like it. I'm sure it'll hit us sometime soon...along with the glitter, of course! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Glad to see you posting again, Meg! Sounds like a wonderful group to train and race with. I have been doing 5k-15k training too this summer and haven't been missing the long long runs too much. Been too wiped out from speed work!

    Have an awesome school year :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. All is right with my world now that you've returned to blogging!

    Your team sounds super fun!

    ReplyDelete
  11. So glad my Kindergarten teaching, fast running, Inspirational MEG is back!! WAhoooo! We missed you. So glad you are loving where you are at right now too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a great and inspiring post! Like you I shy away from teams, fearful really of the ugly side of competitive sport, but you make it sound fun and challenging and incredibly supportive. Keep it up Meg - I'm 40 in a month and you are my inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've missed you Meg, was about to leave a comment this week where you were and here you are.

    I want to be in your running group too! This sounds like so much fun. I don't belong to a group because I don't want the competition because I run for ME and no one else but your group sounds so much fun.

    Do hope you will blog regular again because you're to fun and sweet to stay away this long.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your group sounds like mine...I would so be lost without their support and nuttiness.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Whew, good to know you're not having poop problems ;)

    I would love to have an adult XC team like this... Even if it's unofficial.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You are 46? You don't look a day over 25!
    In all seriousness, you look so young and you certainly kick my booty in the running department!
    I am glad that you found a group of women to that you can run with; sounds like a ton of fun. I'm also happy to hear that they are not competitive and drama queens. Women can be a little too petty sometimes. Sigh.
    I am glad that you are back to blogging! Thanks for the sweet comment on my post. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. So awesome Meg! I'm so glad you are loving the short races and team atmosphere! It's a blast and when you get a team of girls together that aren't petty and can have fun, you know you have something special! Can't wait to cheer for you and the other ladies again!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, Meggie! Wish you were my KinderBubble's teacher! I am sure you rock the classroom like you rock everything else! (Can you believe she's a Kinder already? Don't breathe or Sandy Pockets will be there, too!) xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh my gosh, I just love this post so much! I mean you just sound so happy, refreshed, inspiring!! Fabulous!!

    I mean now I just really want to leave work, put on my shoes and run long!

    ReplyDelete