Half Marathon

It's over. My fifth time running the Pacific Crest Half Marathon. I was nervous about this event as my knees were acting up and my training was not even close to what it's been in the past. Not sure what happened but I felt great and was able to post my second fastest time in that event.

Cooler weather than years past, intrinsic motivation and my new constant running partner (My Dad) helped me to avoid injury and finish much stronger than I had expected. I was able to finish 103rd out of about 900. That put me 9th in my division. I've always said "I'm not a runner" but I'll keep on pretending to be one in hopes that it will help me in my continued goal of keeping fit and staying healthy overall. Oh, my time . . 1:45.

So what's next? I guess Hood to Coast. I'm running with a great team this year and hope to have as much fun as I did last year. Who knows perhaps I'll find another event before then to keep me motivated. Until then I'll get my running in chasing Izzy and Amelia around.

More later . . .

A New Beginning

I'm feeling compelled to write. Getting my thoughts out in a journal format seems to be just what I need.

I lost my Dad this month to a heart attack. I miss him and his presence in my life and the lives of my children more than I can express. Going through his personal items, looking at old photos and being in his empty apartment took a toll on me. I know the pain and void I am experiencing will not go away immediately but I look forward to the days when I am more happy than sad.

In an attempt to learn and grow from this life experience I have been doing a lot of thinking about my life in general. I've decided that life is short and the best thing about my life is the various people in it. My goal is to be the best friend and family member I can. To listen to everyone and see the positives as they appear rather than focus on negatives. To help whenever possible and enjoy as many interactions as possible. My hopes are that these positive times will enrich my life as well as the lives of others around me. This is not necessarily a new approach but more of a focused and conscious approach that I hope will soon be very natural, thus producing the positives I am hopeful for. This is what I consider a new beginning.

This weekend the family headed to Sunriver. On Saturday I will run the Pacific Crest Half Marathon for the fifth time. I'm a little worried as my knee is a bit swollen from a 10 mile run on Monday, thus I am not a 100%. Training was hard to come by this time around but I'll still give it my all, and run this one for my Dad.



Fitzy Family Follies will be updated more regularly.