On The Run

It's back folks. The "100 Miles A Month" will be returning to The Wilder Side of Life on September 1st and it's going to be a banner month! I started August barely able to run one mile and am now easily running 2 with a 3rd walking down the country road our RV park rests on and I can't wait for September to boost me up to higher levels of distance and speed as I return to my favorite running spot: San Gabriel Park.

Roccy really has inspired me. You should read how she's plowed through her challenges and reached amazing heights through blood, sweat and tears. Returning to the "bootcamp" that I left hanging several months ago, I made it through 3 grueling weeks of Brian's tutelage and then life (and my dread) got in the way of the other 3 weeks. I learned a tremendous amount about pushing myself much farther than I ever thought I could -and that Brian is insane- but I let life and leisure (and wine and chocolate) get in the way and finally decided to take up the reigns again. Driving to Houston the last weekend of July and feeling my fat rolls bulge over my jean shorts was all the motivation I needed to get this rear (and mouth) back in gear and return to a level of health and fitness I enjoy being at.

I've loved running the country road our RV park is on, surrounded by cows, horses, jackrabbits, butterflies and a couple of half-retarded dogs that bark at us 4 times during our walk. There's a cow that continually escapes, grazing beside it's fenced-in pasture, staring us down as we cross on the other side of the street. Though the boy has a growing set of horns, Brian assures us that he won't charge us like those spanish bulls -though I am ready to sprint and hide the stroller behind the nearest telephone pole whenever I cross him. Strollers -that's another thing. Ever since I started running again after Wilder was born I feel incomplete and naked running alone, so I nearly always have a child with me. Wilder continues to love being outside on a ride and Waverley is just now big enough to sit in the running stroller and enjoys watching the world pass by. I've always treasured that time together with the kids, whether on a walk or run. It's precious getting to see the chickens and birds, insects and livestock as the sun rises in a beautiful morning haze.

So now, I'm proud and excited to welcome my 3rd "100 Miles A Month" for this September. That's 3.33 miles a day, though I know I'll take 1 day off a week and have to make up for it on another day. San Gabriel Park has excellent mile and 0.10 mile markers along the bike path and I have favorite spots I run to. It's exciting to introduce Waverley to the trail the same time I did my first 100 mile challenge with Wilder. Both of them were/are about 7 months when I started. The fun and freedom of my 100 mile goal is that as long as I do the mileage -whether walking or running- that's all that matters. I usually increase my running as the weeks go by because I simply want to get the blasted miles over with. This time starting with a strong 2 mile accomplishment I hope to increase my running distance quickly while working on picking up my pace. I can trod a decent 10 miles an hour, but it would be awesome to get down to 8. Can I do it? I'll certainly try!

This will be my first "100 Miles A Month" with Brian here and I know that I will only improve farther in my goals than ever before with his encouragement and expertise. I'm going to do a "before" and "after" shot to mark my progress and it will be thrilling to see how far 1 month and 1oo miles will take me this time. Baby fat -bye, bye!

And what do I REALLY want to conquer next? A 1/2 marathon. That's what I'll tentatively be training for.