March 8th, 2015 – UCLA Move and Groove 5k

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

It has been quite a while since I’ve posted but I have been running with some regularity. I have to confess that my running schedule has taken a serious hit over the last few months.

For some reason, I thought that when my children got a little older and more independent, I would be able to do my own thing more often.

That has not been my experience.

Aside from the figurative chess match that Chris and I have to play with Jordan to anticipate his next move so that we can thwart it, his social and overall extra-curricular activities keep us pretty busy.

He plays flag football with the Y and he’s a force to be reckoned with, I must say. Also, he is on the relay team for Junior Olympics as well as the softball toss.

Oh wait! Why yes, I did say the RELAY TEAM!!!!!

I seriously don’t want to overstate it, but this may be the best thing that has ever happened to me. Like, Ever!

I know, I know….. This is Jordan’s thing and I certainly don’t want to get in the middle of it. But I have always (since Junior High) *LOVED* track and field!!! I was never a superstar by *any* means. But I was reasonably good at hurdles and long jump.

I was *NEVER* fast enough to be on the relay team!!! So when Jordan made the team, I was ECSTATIC!!!

But I have to keep that under wraps. I don’t want to stress him out. Don’t want to put pressure on him. I will be happy with whatever he does, but OMGoodness, if he wins, I will lose my mind!!!

I problem is, I’ve never seen him in this kind of element. I’m not sure where to place my expectations. Should I expect him to blow everyone away? Or should I just be satisfied if he doesn’t flub the hand-off or drop the baton? Or Heaven forbid, step out of his lane!!!

So more often than not, I find myself just trying to be the encouraging and supportive Mom.

This takes a lot more time than you might imagine. Jordan keeps us pretty busy, but hang on! His is not the only “game” in town! We also have sweet Jayda, who is in Tech Week for the Spring production of “Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” She has two parts. She is a Silly Girl and she is a Napkin for the “Be Our Guest” number. Well obviously, this is the social event of the Season and is not to be missed!

Look at my babies!

And now, On to the Run!.....

This run was, as are most of them, very important to me. It seems that ever since I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer almost 2 years ago, every race is a milestone and a BIG deal!! Perhaps I should have always thought them big deals, but I didn’t. They were a matter of course for me. Taken for granted. I will never do that again.

This race was a good one. I was happy with this race. Ever since I underwent surgery and treatment, I have been trying to get back to what I called “My Old Self”. I feel like I have fallen short quite a lot frankly and for a number of reasons.

I have been on a chemical therapy drug called Tamoxifen for about a year now. There are several side effects that would affect an athlete: Elevated blood pressure and heart rate, blood clots, cramping in the feet and calves, dizziness and fatigue are just a few. Let us not even talk about mood swings or my menstrual cycle!

Fortunately, for me, these side effects have been pretty manageable but I can’t say that my running schedule has not been affected. But I don’t know that I can blame Tamoxifen for all if it.

My cancer story started in my 40th year. The 40th year is when things typically start to change for most people, healthy or otherwise. So I can’t be sure if I am more fatigued or if I can’t run as long or as fast or if I just don’t feel like gearing up, is an effect of Tamoxifen or just getting old!

I had a hard time training for this race. Finding the time was difficult, but even when I had the time, I found myself completely unmotivated.

Every time I did muster up the spunk to go out, I felt like a bona fide badass!! So running still holds its charms for me and the high is still a high.

With all of that under my belt and in my head, I set out for the Campus of UCLA. The Start Line was in the Wilson Plaza, off of Kauffman Hall. It was a beautiful day.

And here I’m thinking: I am under trained and ill-prepared. But I’m here. And when you’re at the Start Line, there is no complaining. There is no whining. There is no griping about what you could’ve, should’ve or would’ve done. It’s too late for that. All that matters now is the Finish Line.

So I got myself checked in and I still had about 15 minutes before the gun was due to fire. So I cranked up some Michael Jackson cuz he still gets me pumped and ran a quick ¾ mile just to get myself warmed up.

By the time I was corralled and swaying to the National Anthem, I was warm and ready to go!

It was a beautiful run. Hilly but not insane. I have absolutely no tolerance for hills so I was not at all surprised that Mile 2 was most challenging for me. Here are my splits.

All in all, a great run for me. Even at the top of my fitness, this would not have been a PR for me, but I would have been happy with this pace on a hilly course.

For the first time since I was diagnosed, I consider myself completely recovered. Completely. Recovered.

Say it with me: Completely. Recovered!!!

And for the first time in a very long time, I feel like an athlete.

See ya on the next run. And get your Mammogram!!!

December 14th, 2014 – Santa to the Sea Half Marathon

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This entry has been a very long time in coming and I am so so *SO* grateful to be posting it!!!

As you know, a year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). The last 18 months have been about figuring out just how bad things were, what to do about it, doing something about it and recovering from what was done about it.

It has been incredibly rough. Not just physically and emotionally, but mentally as well.

Along with my awesome family and wonderful friends, running remained a constant companion. Even when I couldn’t sit up by myself, let alone walk across my room, running remained very close to my heart and waited patiently for me to return, much like a devoted lover.

My actual devoted lover is also cool. This guy’s my hero! This is us, lookin’ fly (Yeah… I said “Fly”. I’m a proud child of the 80’s. Gnarly!) at our Company Christmas party a few weeks ago. *KISS!!!*

He did one of the most loving things he could have done for me. Upon guessing and stressing about what I might want from Christmas, he asked me, “Do want to do a Half Marathon for your Christmas gift?”

Just like that! Like it was a matter of course that I could train ….. And finish!

I was glad that he felt so confident. I sure didn’t. I hadn’t run more than 6 miles since I was diagnosed. But once my registration was paid (Thanks again, Babe!! <3), that had to change. So, I started running. And running. And running. I ran in the morning. I ran in the evening. I ran on my lunch break, to the apparent chagrin of my co-workers! This is me after a lunch break run, supremely unconcerned that I must reek to the heavens!!

But that’s ok. I was in training. Training for myself. Training for Survivors everywhere. Training for everyone who’d been bullied by something they couldn’t control. Training for the Half Marathon. Training so I would know, really know, that Breast Cancer hadn’t beaten me.


And I did it! I finished!

It was not pretty. Actually the first 10 Miles were rather nice. It was really chilly, but one of the side effects of the Chemo (Tamoxifen) is hot flashes. So I was quite comfortable in a running tank and some thermo sleeves.

This is me with some Muddy Dragons. I ran into a whole adorable group and they were quite bundled up. Aren’t they cute?

Now, off to the Run….


Like I said, it was quite chilly. And were shuttled to the start. This is me on the Shuttle.

This was a little surreal for me. Actually surreal. The first 6 miles went by like a dream. A really pleasant, highly effective dream.

This whole race was more of mental thing than anything else. On some level, I’d kinda talked myself into not being affected by it until I’d finished the first half.

Because once I got through Mile 7, it was actually possible that I might finish!! Especially if I felt good at Mile 7.

And I felt GRRREAT!!!

Still, I knew that Mile 10 is usually when I hit The Wall.

Mile 10 came and went.

I still felt great. I’d refueled at Miles 4 and 8. I thought it might be wise to consider refueling again at the 11.5 Mile mark.

Then right as I passed the 11 Mile Marker, I hit The Wall. Hard.

But it was ok. Honest.

I expected to hit The Wall. It was comforting to find that I could push myself to The Wall. And keep going.

And keep going, I did.

My pace faltered about 15 seconds, but it never stopped.

This is me…. At “The Finish”. And it truly was the Finish. The Finish of me feeling like I’d never be the same again.

August 17th – 23rd – 6.56 Miles Total & A Swim

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”







If you speak with me for more than 5 minutes, you will learn 5 Things About Me:








1) You will learn that I believe Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

2) You will learn that I believe my husband is the sexiest man alive.

3) You will learn that I believe my father is the best pastor in all the world. No offense to any other pastor. My Dad’s just better

4) You will learn that I believe the only real athletes are runners. Everybody else is just playin’ with their balls.

5) And you will learn that I believe that Michael Jackson is THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER WHO EVER LIVED!!!!!!!


You will learn these things because I am passionate about them. Therefore I am always talking about them. Seriously, don’t get me started on my husband! Or my Dad! Or Michael Jackson!!!

But we’re here to talk about running.

But just wait! I have to tell you! A friend of mine won at auction 8 (count them EIGHT!!!!) Limited edition Michael Jackson Lithographs with certificates of authenticity!!!!

And he just GAVE them to me!!!! I couldn’t believe it!! When his wife (my good friend Cynthia, who I used to work with many moons ago and who is also a survivor. Diagnosed at about the same time I was) showed up at my door with this TREMENDOUS gift, I screamed so loud, I triggered a hot flash!

I *love* them!!!! Can’t wait to get’ em all framed!!

Now, off to the Run.

August 17th – 3.51 Mile Run

This was a BEAUTIFUL run! I was visiting my in-laws in Camarillo and on the way to their house, Chris dropped me off 3.5 miles away from the house and I ran it in.

Camarillo is a Runner’s Paradise. Always temperate. Wide, smooth sidewalks. Miles and miles of running trails. Beautiful homes in quiet neighborhoods. Well lit streets. Very little crime. And hills.

Lots and lots of hills.

But there’s also the agriculture, so if you’re looking for something flat and easy on your knees, run the beautiful strawberry fields. It’s lovely.

I took my time on this run. It felt great. The only problem I had with this run is that it wasn’t long enough.


August 19th – 3.05 Mile Run
This was a regular Maintenance run. Nothing to report, really. My legs felt heavy after the hills of Camarillo, so I was just happy to get out there and get the miles in.


August 21st – Swim

I usually track my distance but I didn’t this time, so I’m not sure how many laps I did. I met my friend Kathy at the pool. She is training with her family for a Tri next month. She’s awesome! I have no idea how she got her entire family to train with her!! She’s my hero.

I am still dealing with shoulder impingement issues, so swimming is a little rough for me but it was great to be out there and I plan to do more of that!

I love Kathy!!

QUERY!

About socks: Do you always wear socks when you run? Ever since I started wearing Under Armors, I stopped wearing socks, they feel so good on my naked feet and I've never had any issues with blisters. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with running without socks, but for some reason I tend to think running without socks is something only naughty girls do.


I still tape my toenails on long runs, though. After all, a Pastor's Kid must have *some* decorum! And I'm not hardcore enough to not care if I lose toenails!

August 11th, 2014 – 3.30 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was just a regular Maintenance Run, except I got to take my BIG Boy with me!!!! It was so fun!!!

For me…. Not Him.

He’s grounded. I won’t go into the details out of respect for my little man, but it was enough to generate some residual consequences and repercussions!

Usually this means he has to go running with Mom! Mom *loves* having Jordan as a running partner. He really is the greatest. I have a mad crush on him and for the moment, I’m faster than him, so he stays with me the whole time.

One day very soon, he will overtake me and I will be thrilled to pieces. But for now, I have to slow my roll pretty significantly if we’re going to actually run “together”.

Anyway, he hated it. It took us an hour to complete the 3.30 Mile loop. I had to wait for him to catch up many times. During those times, to keep my heart rate up, I would dance to whatever jam was being pumped into my brain.

But then when he caught up to me, he had to dance vigorously with me for at least 60 seconds. Often longer. He had to shake the hips, raise at least one hand and sing at least one refrain… Loudly.

We sang “Hungry Like The Wolf” by Duran Duran, “Roar” by Katie Perry, “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys and a myriad of Michael Jackson Tunes.

And we don’t live in out in the country. We live in the decidedly middle-class bedroom community of Simi Valley, where people walk their dogs, ride their bikes, visit parks and run on the streets. So we had an audience for most of our performances.

It. Was. AWESOME!!!

His humiliation was just so….. Delicious!!!

Don’t get me wrong, I want my son to behave properly in all situations, but if he’s going to act a fool when he is away from home, then he’s just going to have to dance with his Mom on street corners. It’s unlikely that I’ll ever get tired of it.

And the lesson is: “If you don’t behave in school, instead of making your own rules, you will spend the rest of your life being told what to do. And sometimes it’ll be humiliating.”


That is solid parenting! I love my boy!!!

August 9th, 2014 – Strides for Breast Cancer 5K

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”


It has been quite some time since I’ve posted and there really is no excuse for that. I should be posting after every run. It’s much easier to identify tends with consistent documentation.

Also, it is easier to keep track of goals. Here are a couple I’ve been kicking around:

2014 was supposed to just be about getting used to being a runner again. Making it a priority and pretty much just staying in my jeans. But we all know that running is a seductive lover and the more you do it the more you want it….. Whether or not you actually do more, you always want more.

Ooooh, yes Baby! Right there. YES!

Ahem! 'Scuse me. Where were we? Goals, right!

Goal #1: Get the miles in. I’d like to get to a point where 4 miles is my regular maintenance run and 6 or 8 is my long run that I do at least once a week.

Right now, 3 miles is my regular maintenance run and I have no designated long run.


Goal #2: Run every day that I can. Being a busy wife and mom, it doesn’t work out every day. But there are plenty of days when it could work out but I still don’t go for one reason or another: I ran the day before, I’d just had a race, I’m not feeling super well, Grey’s Anatomy is on, etc.

Enough of that!!! I need to be at least walking every day that I have the time. It never fails that when I think I’ll be able to run the next day, something real comes up and I can’t go.


Goal #3: Do hills. I am hesitant about this one. The last time I claimed that 2013 would be The Year of the Hills, I got diagnosed with Cancer. I’m not superstitious, but any excuse to skip doing hills is alright with me. I hate hills. Still, that’s the goal.


Goal #4: Start looking for races. In 2015, I would like to do one organized race a month for the entire year. I did that in 2011 (and part if 2012) and I *loved* it.


Goal #5: Blog more. It helps.


Now, on to the Race!!!

This was not really a “race”, but a Walk. A fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research. I’m all for running for a cause but this one is, of course, very dear to me. Many of the organizations that helped me with my journey were represented there. So I was happy to be there with many other Supporters and Survivors.

I ran it. Most people walked it. It was an out and back course, which is not my favorite but it was a beautiful day in Thousand Oaks, so you can’t really mess it up.

The run felt good. It wasn't super well marked but there was plenty of support staff so there was no chance of getting lost.

There were beautiful people there and it was a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning. I kept it around a 12-min pace, which is good for me, and finished in decent time.

All in all it was pretty good.

June 22nd, 2014 – 5.76 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”


This run was really fantastic! It’s the first time I’ve run with Race Pace since I was diagnosed, so it’s been over a year! Race Pace was *extremely* warm and generous to me when they learned that I’d be fighting Breast Cancer. There were ladies on the team who had never met me before but were adamant about being on the list to drop of food and words of encouragement while I was recovering. I am forever in their debt and even though I don’t run with them often, I’m proud to know them and to be a part of the Team. I love Race Pace!!!

Lisa was one of my biggest supporters. She dropped off food and healthy snacks while I was recovering and she sat and chatted with me (in person and online) many many times. And she never saw me as anything less than amazing. I love her for that. She believed in me and never lost faith that I’d be back out there in no time.

She was right. But right along with my fitness, my confidence had taken a major hit whilst I was recovering. And for quite a while, I didn’t feel like I was ready to run with the Team.

Don’t get me wrong, at the absolute *height* of my fitness, I could never keep up with the Team. They are AMAZING!!! I mean, Boston Qualifiers are Pansies amazing! I ran the L. A. Marathon, came home and gave birth, then ran the San Diego Marathon a week later amazing! I’ve completed so many Iron Man Competitions, they should start calling it “Iron Me” amazing!

My point is……. AMAZING!!!! And more than just a little intimidating.

But Lisa wrote me last week and asked if I was going to run with the Team on Sunday. My first reaction was, of course, “Hell no! I can’t run with them! There’s no way I can keep up!”

Lisa, who was still recovering from her last marathon coaxed me around by telling me that she would tell rest of the Team that they didn’t have to stick around and wait for us to finish and that she would stick with me all the way through it.

Not only that, this weekend was not to be one of their typical 10, 15 or 20 miles runs. This was to be a very doable 5 to 6 mile run.

Also, Rochelle, who is one of my all-time fitness heroes was to be leading the run. Rochelle is beyond amazing. Learn more about her here and vote for her in the “Women’s Running” Cover Model Contest. You can vote once a day every day, until July 2nd. Go Rochelle!!!

Rochelle also wrote and asked if I would run with the team.

Oh, fine!!! As long as everyone knows what my limitations are, and we’re not running all the way to the beach, I’m in!

So I got up early on Sunday morning, fueled up with some good carbs, lean protein and half a cup of coffee and headed out the door to run with Race Pace for the first time in over a year. Was I crazy?? Why drive all that way, just to end up running by myself?

I could run by myself in my own neighborhood and at a more reasonable hour!

But God bless Lisa, she was as good as her word and she stayed with me the entire time. Normally, Lisa and I are pretty evenly matched. But with me recovering for so many months and trying to get back to my old self, she can run laps around me now! But she was recovering now too, so she let me set the pace and we had a very nice relaxing run.

It was great. Best time I’ve had running in a very long time, which I hadn’t expected. Like I said, I love the Team, but I am not at all a social runner. With a busy daytime schedule and a very young family, frequently, my run is the only Alone Time I get during the week and I love it like that…. Alone.

But Lisa is an ideal partner for me. We stick together, we run our course, we really like being together and we don’t expect each other to hold a conversation. We don’t see each other much outside of a workout and that’s ok with us too.

Thanks for getting me out there, Lisa! It was great!

And Christina and Rochelle stuck around and waited for us to come in!! Thanks Ladies, you rock!

May 20th, 2014 – 3.03 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

I have been remiss in getting my blogging underway, but in my defense, you cannot expect me to be undistracted when Michael Jackson reaches from beyond the grave to not only produce a new album, but to also appear “Live”, onstage at the Billboard Music Awards, performing “new” material!!!!

SEE IT HERE!!

After I got over my initial Weekend-At-Bernie’s vibe , that was slightly creepy, I loved it!!! I thought it was amazingly well done. Technology is miraculous and I can only imagine where this will take us in the future.

Someday soon, I’ll be able to send my Hologram out for an Easy 3 when I’m not in the mood. But until then…..

Off to the Run!!

Since I last wrote, I have been running regularly and I have been working on form and speed. I have even run one organized race. I’d like to run a 10k early next month, but I have not yet registered for it. I’ll post the details when I do.

This is me at the 2014 EIF Revlon Walk for Women’s Cancers. This is me, my mother-in-law and two cousins at the race. This was amazing good fun for me. Halle Berry was there, Bruce Willis, Samantha Harris and a myriad of other celebs who support research for womens’ cancers.

It was a lot of fun. This is me at the Finish. I was proud to wear my “Survivor” hat & bib, but there were far too many “In Memory” bibs.

I walked the first 2-miles with my family, then ran the last mile. It felt great.


My last run (this 3.03 Mile run) was a regular maintenance run. Jordan has one last major project to do before the school year is through, so he works on it at the public library while I get in an easy 3. It’s a beautiful area and makes me love where I live.

My goal on this run was to keep it under a 12 min/mi pace and I was able to do that. I felt good. If I can keep that pace for 6 miles, the 10k PR is in the bag!!!

See ya on the next run…….. and get your Mammogram!!