Momma Tri-ed Embracing 40

This was a piece of birthday cake. Especially when you have great co-workers that go out of their way to not only decorate your office for your birthday, but pull off a surprise "Map Room Fiesta".  This is what I saw as I rounded the corner to my office on my 40th birthday.  What I didn't immediately see was the 10 or so people that were just inside the office and the pot luck spread that they had brought for the day.

Momma tried not getting down about turning 40.  It's the youngest I will ever be at this point.  I can't change my age, but I can change how I look at it.  It's just a number ladies.  Haven't accomplished everything you wanted to by 40?  Who has? I certainly didn't (OK I know some of  you overachiever have).  But, what I also didn't do was let that define me.  What I wanted for myself at 40 when I was 15 or 20 years old is certainly NOT the same thing I want for myself now that I am 40.  I want happiness, a healthy life and a loving marriage.  I want my kids to be respectful, productive, and independent.  It all takes constant work and determination.  Sometime you get it right and sometimes you have to try it again.

Momma Tri-ed the First 5K

My first running partner Scott

  Originally, the 5k goal was just to complete a 5k.  That's where Scott came in and said make it measurable. Our church, Crossroad Church, has a 5k every year to raise money for a random ministry within our mission field.  The fall 5k was usually October or November so I thought, plenty of time to prepare.  I started running again with a purpose.  I had a goal in mind that I wanted and knew I could achieve it.  Fast forward 6 months and 4 days.  I'm texting with Scott's wife Cheryl as they are on their way down to the lake for 4th of July weekend and I am getting ready for a weekend camping trip with extended family.  Scott and I had both committed to running the Crossroads 5k and had been running on our own.  This time it was Cheryl's encouragement that got me going.  She said we both were ready and could do one sooner than November, so I jumped on Active.com and found that there was a 5K in nearby Kennesaw that benefited Wounded Warriors.  As a former sailor, anything military has a special meaning to me.  THIS IS THE ONE I WANTED!

Scott, somewhat reluctantly, jumped on board and we were set. August 4, 2012, came and I was anxious.  Would I be able to run the whole thing? It's August, in Georgia, what was I thinking? Hilly course or flat course?  Where do I get my number?  What if I don't have a number?  What if I have to pee along the course?Most of those worries were for naught, however, they couldn't find my number.  Being the good folks they are, they just wrote my name on bib and handed me some pins.  I was so nervous, I wasn't even sure how to pin on by bib!  Long lines delayed the start, but eventually we got going.  I always seem to think I'm a lot faster than I really am, but Scott has a pace that's more what I should be running.  We zigged and zagged our way around strollers and walkers for at least a mile of the mostly flat course. The temperature stayed cool for the morning run and I made it to the finish line in 36:09 with only about 30 seconds of walking total and Scott finished less than a minute behind me.

It was done!  I had finished!  I didn't have a heat stroke!  I didn't have to pee!  I helped raise money for a worthy cause!

Most importantly, I tried something I had never done before.  Running 3.1 miles with a thousand strangers and one really good, encouraging friend.  I learned that ALL shapes and sizes and physical abilities can participate in a 5k. You don't have to run the whole thing, heck you don't even have to run the first step.

So now it's your turn to try.  The Couch to 5k app is an excellent resource for getting started.  My daughter used the Zombies Run! app which tells you a story while you are conditioning that involves being chased by zombies.  Both are available on Apple and Android.  When you are ready to try your first 5k, check out Active.com for a race near you.

Click here learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

    A couple of years ago, I turned 40.  It didn't bother me at all, not like 25 did.  I guess I just got it out of the way sooner than most.  On December 31, 2011, I made a goal list.  It wasn't a New Year's resolution, I resolved years ago never to make a New Year's resolution.  But, it was a list of goals I wanted to accomplish in the next year.  The saying is true that if you set a goal that's attainable, you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment.  Setting unrealistic goals is just setting one's self up for failure.  Lord knows we fail enough as it is, why create failure.
   So with a little tweaking from my friend Scott, here was my list.  Originally I had just generic items on there, but he encouraged me to define them more.  He said it would give them credibility and make them specific and measurable.

   For the most part, I did pretty well.  I didn't accomplish everything exactly as I had it written, but came close.  There are two that I took great care in accomplishing.  The first was to run the Crossroads fall 5K and the second was to embrace 40.