getting my sniz kicked, one monday night at a time...

The original FWRs (that would be the running jessica, the running katie and yours truly) decided to renew our relationship with a personal trainer about five weeks ago. As a group (it's how the name Fair Weather Runners even came about actually) we had a trainer a good potion of 2008, up until Katie had her baby, and then we took quite a hiatus.

We have a new trainer this time around. She is evil and wonderful and hardcore and.... a runner. I'm pretty sure we all have a crush on her. This trainer is amazing, I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate running drills, plyometrics and weights in order to get to my running goals. It's been hard to fit it in during my ridiculous summer schedule. Until now. Our trainer incorporates it all in one nice neat little hour, which I can later repeat on a different day all on my own, just like the big girls.

Not only that, BUT... yes a big amazing but, because we are already clients, our trainer lets us join her running club for training in the lazy river every thursday night. And holy snack does that kick your sniz. WOW. PAIN. Running in chest high water, against the current, is no walk in the park. I hurt for an entire week after doing this. Things hurt that I didn't even know I had!

Speaking of pain, I usually hurt for days after our regular Monday night sessions with our trainer. This week is no exception. But after just five weeks I can already tell I'm getting stronger, not sure if I'm getting faster, but am feeling really strong overall. So it's worth the pain. Most days.

I'm hoping all of this, and the miles I've been trying to get in, will get me to my fall goal of running the Wichita Half Marathon in 2:00, or less. But I'm saying 2:00 because the Wichita Half and I have a sordid past (i.e. someone either under trained, or left town for two weeks before the race and didn't run a step, or wound up with a stress fracture, before the past three wichita half marathons, but i'm not naming names), we'll see who prevails this year. This race is the only race that has ever made me cry tears of sheer anger... for an hour. Literally. Yeah... I'm eyeing you Wichita Half.
____________________________________________________

Fair Weather Runner Shoes for the World Drive
I'll be collecting shoes until mid-august for my shoe drive so you have plenty of time to donate!

My goal is to collect a hundred pair of shoes to send to Shoes4Africa. If you are interested in donating, send me an email at fairweatherrunner@gmail.com.

why i'm quite busy and imporant...

As the head of the fun committee at my job (ummm, yeah....), it was my job to create certificates telling everyone why they are great! I'm making them to give out at our work retreat we are having in KC for the rest of the week. So if you are wondering why I haven't been blahgging it's mostly because I'm VERY busy and important at my job and I am preoccupied creating very busy and important items.

SIDE NOTE: While in KC I'll be skipping out on my work peeps to have a blahggie meet up lunch with Ashley at Journey to a Better Me. Don't worry we will document this momentous occasion. We decided it's like a blind date match.com style, only it's blogspot.com style. I hope she doesn't try and touch my arm.... or wear a flannel shirt, cut off jean shorts and hiking boots, that might get awkward.

To continue, below is my latest creation, and if you need a pick-me-up feel free to print this off and put it in your own office. Just use white out on the "clear channel" part.

In other news, I'm staying on track with building miles, running consistently in the mornings lately. Point of fact, I ran six miles just this morning. It was delightful.

Now I'm leaving you again for an undetermined amount of time... I'm a total tease.

bigger than me, shoes for africa…

I have no idea what has gotten into me lately. I don’t know if it’s being 30 and having nothing more to worry about other than how fast I can get this summer, or a self-serving two week vacation. But lately, I feel like a life sucking waste of humanity. Yes I know that is absolutely dramatic, but come on, if you are new to my blog you need to know this, I am dramatic.

So in waste of humanity news, I’ve been thinking that my life is so self-serving that it almost feeds the feeling of being a worthless human being. I have so much in my life, but instead of looking at what I have, I look at what I don’t have. This has been a struggle for me for the past month, feeling so self serving, yet having so much. I am truly blessed in so many ways.

One day last week I realized that I am sort of a shallow yuppie-like waste of space, for so many reasons I don’t’ even want to list them here, it’s embarrassing really. And while I’m worrying about myself, some 16 year old rape victim in Africa is trying to figure out how to feed and clothe her baby.

Enter Fair Weather Runner, determined to no longer be a waste of space. I’ve been trying to think of ways to step outside myself, stop focusing on ME so much, and find a way to help others.

Then my sister sends an email out to friends and family, she and her husband are going to South Africa for vacation in a few weeks, but while there, they are stopping in Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. They have decided to gather clothes to take with them for people in Zimbabwe. These people are desperate for clothing, especially for children.

Last night I started going through our closets (yes all three of them, full of clothes), I grabbed everything we haven’t worn in a year and stacked them in a pile. Then I stared at my seven pairs of old running shoes, and threw them on the pile (all but my marathon pair). This feeling alone was something I can’t even begin to explain. I got excited and had this wonderful feeling, of course in a round about self serving way (so screwed up, I know) it made me feel good to gather these things I didn’t need for these people I’ve never met.

It inspired me to email my running buddies this morning, asking them to contribute to my pile. To gather their running shoes, old clothes and for the mommy’s I know, asked for children’s items. Just in about an hour this morning I have had enough response from my amazing running buddies, that I’m worried my sister won’t be able to take all of the things I’ll be sending her.

Beyond the box I’m gathering for my sisters trip, I started thinking about how many of us have running shoes sitting in our closets. Hoarding them for memorabilia, or ‘just in case.’ Just like I have been. But there are so many people in Africa, and all over the world, in desperate need.

It inspired me to think deeper, think about how I could take my passion and use it to help. I stared to wonder what would happen if I asked local races if I could take a box so runners to bring their old shoes to donate. I could gather and gather old running shoes until I had a huge box to send to Shoes 4 Africa, or any other organization that distributes shoes around the world for the needy.

Then I thought, what if I simply started with my blog, asking runners to send me their shoes. What a difference we could make, and how much sacrifice would that take on our part? The answer for most of us is zero. Shipping cost, that is it. And a shipping cost that is likely cheaper than the lunch you will eat today, or the Starbucks you bought this morning.

In regard to this, I would like to announce the Fair Weather Runner Shoes for the World Drive (hey, I rarely go small, why limit ourselves to one country). I would like to extend an invitation for all of you runners who read my blog to sacrifice just ONE pair of your old running shoes. Send them to me, and in a month I’d like to send them to an organization that distributes them to those in need across the world.

If you would like to mail me a pair of your old running shoes, just comment on this post (so i can keep track of contributers) and email me at fairweatherrunner@gmail.com so I can send you my mailing address.

Cheers to being blessed runners who have the ability to help others.

okay, maybe i was wrong...

I think I should have taken a longer blahgie hiatus. I'm having too much fun enjoying my summer, my runs are slacking, I'm neglecting my blahg... It's all gone down hill really (in that sense). So just know I'm here and alive and well (i'm sure you were horridly worried) and simply enjoying my summer, having a great time, and have been really busy. Because I'm also planning the trip of MY lifetime, the trip I've been waiting to take for about 10 years now. Which I'll share more about as well. But it has been quite time consuming.

Speaking of, just now I'm off to the farmers market (yep skipped my 8 miler this morning) and am then heading to the lake to camp for the rest of the weekend with Ed and some of our good friends! Maybe next week I'll return to blahgie land... or maybe not. Happily this week will bring my last week to summer teaching, then I'll have a bit of a break. However, no empty promises this time, only maybes. Although I am working on a few projects behind the scenes, that although will be a long time coming, hopefully it will be worth it.

Happy Weekend Blahgesphere!

friday photo: it's sparkly...

I've always loved sparklers, I've been fascinated with them since I was a kid. Instead of rice at our wedding, we had sparklers (idea was courtesy of my cousin Kimbe who did it first!)

So here is a picture of me on the 4th, helping my cousin's daughter Kayleigh with her sparklers. She was a little timid at first, but I think she liked it by the time I handed over the second one. This picture sums up a great weekend at Beaver Lake with the Family.

***If you want a bloggie giveaway check out Marlene's Blog HERE!***

best part of my.... week?

Shoving my face full of 18 pounds of fried food and pints of delicious Shocktop after spending a beautiful evening outside pretending to watch softball.

Considering I actually made it my six miles this morning without
1) throwing up
B) having a diarrhea explosion emergency

I say: beer and food-a-palooza = 0, Running = 1

I'mmmmmmm baaaaaaaaack interwebs.... you may now commence with your sigh of relief. Or eye rolling, you pick.