This is my RUNNING story.

Hi, I'm Andrea and this is my running story!!

It's April of 2009 - I am sitting in the waiting room getting an IV put in my hand.  Today, I have double jaw surgery scheduled.  I'm a nervous wreck, but I am trying super hard not to let my mom, who has come with me, know.

They wheel me in to surgery, lay me on the table, and ask me to start counting backwards from 10; I am not sure I got to 7.  I awake to two ladies asking me nicely to open my eyes - it felt like the most difficult task I had ever been asked to do.  Eventually, I was able to look in the mirror.  *gasp*

Before surgery I looked like:

I woke up to this:

Aren't my bruises pretty??





This face is after my upper jaw had been severed, bone removed, jaw moved up, four plates, and eight screws.  Then, lower jaw severed on each side, bone removed, jaw pushed back, and nine screws.  This procedure left me with a numb lower jaw; as in I couldn't feel my face from my bottom lip to the bottom of my chin.  Could not - as in you could stick a steak knife in my face and nothing.

This picture to the left here, is one week post surgery.  That is me smiling as big as I possibly could.  Yay!!

At my six week check up - I asked the doctor if I would ever get feeling back in my chin, and what I could do to expedite the process.  He stated that if I tried some cardio - eventually it would help.  At that point I did nothing with the information.  It hurt too much to do anything, and I really wasn't in the working out mood.  Also, I thought "certainly this will go away.  It's still early in the game."

Fast forward to September 2010 - still no feeling.  I call my friend (eventually my coach), and say "alright Joe, I am going to start running.  How do I even start?  What do I do?  What do I need?  Oh, and I think I want to run a marathon."

Joe laughed, was patient, and told me to head out to a field of grass and run for 20-30 minutes four days a week.  He told me to call him after I finished my first two weeks.  I'll admit - I was not an athlete.  Not only was I not an athlete - I had hardly worked out at all my entire life.  Sure, I had a gym membership - but I went sparingly.  I'm talking once, twice, a month.  I was a couch potato.

That first two weeks was so hard.  My legs felt like lead, my lungs screamed, and my heart damn near tried to beat out of my chest - but I kept running.  Over the next couple months the runs became a little more challenging, and a little more frequent, and eventually I was allowed to run on the pavement.  By that time, running was no longer about restoring feeling in my face, it was about healing my soul. 

I know, I know - that sounds terribly cliche, but that is exactly what happened.  With every step I took, with every mile I logged, with every set of 100 I completed - I began to believe in myself just a little more.  I was able to turn off my brain chatter, and enjoy the silence.  I felt grounded.  I felt at peace.  It was a mental transformation that I have a very hard time describing.  It was as though I was meant to do it, and I found myself asking why I hadn't been doing this all along.

On December 4, 2011 I completed my first full marathon. 

I have never been as proud of myself as I was crossing that finish line - that day.  I knew that all the sweat, tears, moments of clarity, moments of chaos, snowy runs, runs in the rain, perfect runs, blisters, lost toenails, tired muscles, hungry tummies, and moments of pure joy - had been worth it.  I knew that if I set my mind to anything - I was crazy enough to get it done.

This is me today.  I don't LOOK a ton different, but my insides have changed.

Today, I am a runner.

PS:  On 05/05/13 I finished my 3rd Marathon in 3:57:29 - now, I've got Boston in my sights..... just need to shave off those last pesky 23 minutes :)

My Christmas card to each of you.

Well, it happened - I forgot to send out Christmas cards.  I think about one in every ten years you get a free pass.  So, instead I invite you to watch the video below. It might be the happiest performance of a Christmas song EVER!!! How can you not help but smile, and dance, and grab the nearest object to help drum out a beat with the band??  That "band" by the way is Roots - great band, but let's just say this isn't their typical scene - but hey, when the world hands you a kazoo, you play.

So Merry Christmas!!! May the spirit catch you singing and dancing, may you celebrate with those near and dear, may you go easy on the eggnog and crazy with the love in your heart, and may your days be merry and bright.

and 1, and 2, and 3...

Did you not about die when the kids poked their heads up?  OMG I need a sock monkey hat!!!

New Year's is coming!!!!

It’s almost time!!!  It is almost New Year’s Day!!  You know what that means right??  PEOPLE!!!!! (and my birthday)

The nice quite noon time workouts will be hectic, the machines will all be taken, the weights will all be in use, the tracks will be full, the people will take to the streets in masses (well maybe not with all the snow), and your normal routine will be all jammed up.  *shaking fist*

I don’t normally get into New Year’s resolutions (of any real substance) – this year my resolution is going to be to learn to play the air guitar.  Yep, air guitar. 

BUT – I’ve had a thought.  What if all of us come together?  What if we help those that are new (who are excited about trying), and give them support, and woot woots, and random high fives.  Let’s encourage all the new folks to keep going!!  You very well know it is so hard to take the first step in trying to make life changes, and I can imagine that it is even harder when you have a whole gym of experienced folks giving you the stink eye, or sighing deeply, or waiting for you to finish - hand on hip.

We finally get to be the cool kids (I don’t know – maybe you have always been cool), and we should make the most of it.  We should offer a hand, some help, some words of encouragement, a smile, a buddy, and maybe make a lifelong friend along the way.  Let’s turn this into a wonderful opportunity, and not a reason to be frustrated.

I challenge each of you, each one of you that may not be looking forward to the masses of resolution folks, to encourage one person to come with you, to run with you, to workout with you, to sign up for the local 5K.  If someone has a spark – then let’s fan the flames.

... and then magic happened.

I am a sucker for a flash mob.  I love them!!  They are my favorite.

Yesterday, a video was brought to my attention - it is now my favorite flash mob of all time.  Here let me share:

Now, this isn't my favorite because of the clever dance moves, or the great choice of music.  But it is my favorite because of the man who just believes that sometimes the world gives you dance parties.

That is me. 

You are walking along, thinking "today's a great day, but you know what would make it more awesome? A DANCE PARTY."  Then, BAM!  The world breaks into a dance, and you can no longer contain yourself.  You MUST participate.

My favorite part is when he takes off skipping through the middle of the group.  To me, he's saying, "here I go - this is my big moment" - and it's brilliant.

My wish for you is, that your life suddenly turns into a dance party, and you get your ass off the wall and DANCE!

Cranky Pants.

I am in a BAD mood today. 

Yesterday I suggested that we should all be a little kinder, a little more understanding, a little more awesome to each other - and I still believe that.  I really think it's time to quit USING SHOUTY CAPS, and questioning each others morals, and leaving rude comments to each other on facebook.  Is it really that hard to be nice??  Promote what you love, talk about the people that you care about, the causes that mean something to you.  Leave the bashing, the sarcastic asshole funny, the taking people down a notch, alone. 

Here, let's make this super simple.

Namaste.

Random Acts.

We've all had a lot of time to think.  To reflect.  To ponder.  To wonder.

I've been thinking a lot about the what ifs.  What if we were kinder to each other.  What if we changed our tone.  What if we tried to understand each other.  What if we promoted tolerance instead of fear.  What if we stopped fighting so hard to make others believe that our way is right, and theirs is wrong.  What if we promoted what we love instead of bashing what we hate.

I've decided to partake in random acts of kindness, this week, and next year.  It will be my goal to do something nice for strangers at least once a week: buy someone a coffee, tape a dollar to the vending machine, scrape a windshield, give out high fives, bake cookies for the students, foot the bill for the person behind me in the drive through. 

Because what if that's all it took.  Because what if someone pays it forward.  Because being kind is the easiest thing we can do; it's what we should do.

Sometimes you just need a song.

There are days when my words don't work.  When I've worked really hard, given it all I had, left everything on the track, or trail, or sidewalk, and I have nothing to say.  I've emptied my heart of all its heaviness, my problems have evaporated with my sweat, and rest will bring the only peace I need.

It is in times like these that I find music that says everything I could have hoped to.  It takes the words in my heart, puts them to a fancy beat, and blasts it out for the world to know. 

Here is that song today:

We NEED to talk about chickens.

 I like chicken.  Chicken is great, versatile, yummy, etc.  However, I have noticed a branding thing lately that is driving me CRAZY!!

"Anti-biotic, organic, vegetarian chicken."  The first one is great - we should probably not over medicate food that we intend to eat.  The second one - great, so we know that this chicken is a living thing and not plastic, hooray!!  The third is flat out bullshit.  Chickens, by their very nature, are not vegetarians.  This is not natural.

WHAT?!?!?!? 

Have you been to farm??  Have you seen a wild chicken??  They scratch the dirt for worms and grubs, not potatoes.  They eat bugs, not cornmeal. (I do realize that as birds they naturally eat a little bit of everything - that they aren't strictly carnivores).  Do I think that chickens should be fed chicken, or diseased animal by product - nope.  Do I think that they should be allowed to eat what chickens normally eat - sure do.  Will I be lured by marketing statements that are laced with tomfoolery - no way. 

We are smart people, and vegetarian chickens don't make sense!!!

I, for one, will be seeking out local chickens that have gotten to be chickens - bugs and all.

It's beginning to look a lot like....

Training!

It's beginning to look a lot like training.

I thought today could perhaps be a funny blog, but nope, not happening.  With training heading to full on crazy mode, it's all I can really think about.  Where am I going to run?  How far? What will the conditions be like?  Will I have to run 80 laps on the track?  So many variables!!

Truth be told - I love this.  I am certainly a person that works much better under pressure.  The more complicated something is, the more I will enjoy it.  I kinda like that "I'm a badass" feeling you get from training.  I also really like to plan - which gets tricky during the days of weather unpredictability.

It's time.  It's time to drag out my serious gear, and prep food schedules, and find mid-run fuel, and create longer playlists, and make sure all my cold running pants are clean, and kick some booty.

Here's to training in below freezing temps, to long runs, to mile repeats, to stretching and sore hips, to carbo loads and electrolytes, to gear checks and re-checks, to being awake and running and living.

The Current Playlist

I just realized that I have failed to share my current playlist with you.  Either that, or I have forgotten that I did post it and this will be a recap.

I have found that once I find a good playlist it's really hard to make changes.  It's hard to move on from *perfect*.  (I know - you all are thinking, "perfect?  really?)  I have made some additions - mostly because my runs are becoming longer, and I think I have heard "Written in the Stars" over 150 times.  So, here you go:

*this is a running playlist, and I usually am looking for a certain beat*

Enter Sandman - Metallica
The Distance - Cake
Written in the Stars - Tinie Tempah
I'm So Excited - The Pointer Sisters
Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol
We Found Love - Rihanna
Otis - Jay-Z and Kanye
Untouched - Veronicas

That is a super solid 30 minute playlist.  Want Part Duex??

Feel So Close - Calvin Harris
Tightrope - Janelle Monae
Sandstorm - Darude
Kernkraft 400 - Zombie Nation (I wanted this song forever. Finally had to google "oh oh oh oh oh".  BAM!
Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys
50 Ways to Say Goodbye - Train
Hall of Fame - The Script
It's Time - Imagine Dragons
Anything Could Happen - Ellie Goulding

So, there you have it.  That is what is blasting through my ear buds.  Enjoy!!

In depth - rules.

I have already talked to you about rules.

You know that I love rules.  That I follow rules.  You don't ask questions - those are the RULES.

Here is where I am driven to the brink of insanity; when someone doesn't follow the rules - and doesn't get in huge amounts of trouble.  Don't make rules if you aren't going to follow through on shunning the rule breakers.

When you, as a race, say "no headphones" - I expect that those people running by me with earbuds in will be struck down by the race gods, and give a big, fat, DNF.  I've never seen that happen.  I've never so much as seen an official ask them to take them off.  SO WHY MAKE THE RULE!!!!!

I could go on and on with examples, but I'll just leave you with this.  For those that follow the rules - thank you.  You make my world a happy little place.  I appreciate your respect for the rules.

For those of you with blatant regard for rules... may your underwear ride high 65% of the year.

All the reasons not to.

My legs hurt, my hips are sore, I have asthma, the weather is terrible, it's raining, it's windy, it's too dark, the arthritis is my jaw is too painful, my shoulders ache, I'm tired, I'm busy, I have to work 12 hours today, I need to clean the house, I need to wash the laundry, I want to watch tv, I want to bake, my feet hurt, my toenail is coming off, I JUST DON'T WANT TO.

These are all the reasons that I have come up with lately for why I could "get out" of running.  Yes, I have all those ailments, those distractions, those obligations.

It's odd how that happens, right?  How something that you know you love to do, that brings you so much joy, can become nagging.  I find that most of the people make their lists of "why nots" and don't. 

But there are those of us that keep coming back to this:  I have to.  I need to.

... and that is what keeps me going.  The knowledge that I will be complete at the end of the run.  I will be whole.  I will remain sane.  For now.

Find and embrace the "I have to-s".

Namaste Y'all.