I felt like a little kid lost at an amusement park looking for my Mommy. Technically I was at an amusement part and there were a lot of kids and it was on Mothers Day, so I guess that was about right. The feelings are probably close to right on as well because I couldn't find the start line and I was missing my Mom because it was an all women Mothers Day 5K.
I also got to the 5K WAY too early, probably due to my nerves, and found myself sitting on the creaky bench of a half rotted picnic table. This 5K turned into a family event with Dad's toting around their little tikes and cheering on their wives as they stretched and chatted at the start line. Grandma and Grandpas lined the cement of the small family friendly amusement park staking out the best spots to view the finish line. I just sat. No cell phone on me and my car key in my sports bra (hopefully it didn't jiggle itself out) waiting for the race to start. A girl looking to be about my age, but with long blond hair, and skinnier then I sat kind of diagonal from me on the opposing picnic table. I figured this was her gajillionth race because she had a Nike running hat on and earphones (that's know you know their hardcore). I decided to say hi because she was sitting alone and I figured that was one thing we had in common. Come to find out this was her first 5K. Automatically feeling like the "veteran" having run only one more 5K then her, I shared what my first 5K experience was like (see blog "5K NO WAY"). In turn she shared her own story. In the last 2 years she had lost 70 pounds! Instantly being knocked off my high horse I asked her to share some tips and explained my own weight loss journey and troubles.
We talked till a few minutes before the race and I asked her if she wanted to run together. I felt like I was asking someone to prom which was weird because I never attended prom. She said yes and waved to her Grandma who was their to support and also offered to hold my lone car key so the "twins" wouldn't fight over it and lose it during the race. I realized once I handed over my key to my (newly) loan paid off car that I had no idea who this Granny was, and maybe this was the ploy of my new friend and her and her Granny had targeted me from the time I pulled in the parking lot. I just shrugged my shoulders and said to myself "oh well, I can run faster then her anyway."
The race started and my new friend and I were off. Out of the amusement park and into the neighborhood of Sellwood, which is just south of Portland, OR. I brought my purple Wal-Mart watch that doesn't time me after 30 minutes of running just to keep some variables the same from my last successful race (I'm not superstitious...well kinda). I was trying to stick to the same strategy as before and was going to walk at 10 minutes. When the time came my friend turned to me and say "no let's keep going." At first I thought "wow Miss I just met you bossy pants!" Then I was like " no, Jill you can run stop crying and GO!" I'm glad I did because before I knew we were at the 1.5 mile mark. A new goal for me, I ran a whole 1.5 mile without stopping YIPPIE! Then I needed to walk. I was getting very winded and tired from my insides cheering and leaping for joy (or was that the Goldfish crackers I had for breakfast?) Anyway, I finished strong in 33 minutes and 33 seconds, (Larry Birds number twice...I'm just saying thought that was pretty fitting and lucky) and wearing race number 242 (24 is my favorite number and my current age. Coincidence? I think not) My friend ran the whole thing the whole time and if i remember right finished in about 31 and something minutes?
Either way it was a great race with an amazing supportive atmosphere. After the race every woman received a carnation in honor of Mothers Day and everyone was walking around saying Happy Mothers Day. Oh yeah, even better then that IT DIDN'T RAIN! Always a success in Oregon.
Can't wait for my next!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Rook...Enough Said
I can't believe it's been over a month since I blogged! I know my vast following of fans and readers must be deprived like dangling a piece of white wedding cake in front of a fat kid. I heard your demands and am here again to feed your hungry appetites. I won't spill everything that has happened in the month. You will have to wait in anticipation for each blog. (Plus it looks way cooler to have many small blog posts then just one really long one.)
In the middle of April, Mom and Kyle flew to California as they often do when I'm not able to join. This time the whole family decided to road trip it up the west coast to see me. Fearlessly traveling in the silver bullet of a van was Grandma Coral, Grandpa Vernon, Mom, Kyle, and Uncle Jon (I think he said he wants his nick name to be "Uncie" ? not sure...or am I sure if that is how you spell it?) anyway...They stayed at the Oregon Gardens in Silverton, Oregon. I thought Grandma would especially like this place because she is into flowers, birds, trees, all of nature in general. It also was one of the closest places to where I lived. I got 2 days off of work and was able to hang out with them.
They arrived on a Monday and we went straight from my work to camp. I felt very proud to be able to show them around. They really liked camp in general. The bunkhouse wasn't the most luxurious smelling place but I told them that your nose just gets use to it.
The other 2 days were filled with hiking at Silver Falls, flower looking at-ting, and each night was capped off with game after game of Rook. I capitalize Rook because I didn't want to tell my family this, but I was SUPER looking forward to playing Rook. Grandpa Vernon taught me how to play and to say that this game was a family game is an understatement, it is a lifestyle, a legacy, Rook might as well be the Scheffel family crest. Don't get me wrong, I loved seeing my family and were so glad they took the time to come see me. But the fun we have playing Rook, eating bags of black licorice, and diet drinks at a not so good hour of the night is priceless to me.
When we weren't playing Rook, looking at waterfalls, and meeting a cousin of Grandma Corals we had never met before, we explored the little town of Silverton. There are many cool shops, and we found a restaurant that has an outdoor decks that looks over a river. The highlight of my lunch was throwing ice cubes from my Diet Coke over the railing and watch them plop into the water like bungee jumpers whose cords broke. The little splashes were so cool to watch!
Well the long and short of it is that the 2 days went by way too fast! I wish they could have stayed, or even better, I could have jumped in a suitcase and gone with them. Because let's be real...I live in Oregon where the sun can shine and it still be raining, and southern California is boringly always a sunny 70 degrees. Still sun never the less.
I miss my family and love them more then they know...even more then Rook (and that's saying something)
In the middle of April, Mom and Kyle flew to California as they often do when I'm not able to join. This time the whole family decided to road trip it up the west coast to see me. Fearlessly traveling in the silver bullet of a van was Grandma Coral, Grandpa Vernon, Mom, Kyle, and Uncle Jon (I think he said he wants his nick name to be "Uncie" ? not sure...or am I sure if that is how you spell it?) anyway...They stayed at the Oregon Gardens in Silverton, Oregon. I thought Grandma would especially like this place because she is into flowers, birds, trees, all of nature in general. It also was one of the closest places to where I lived. I got 2 days off of work and was able to hang out with them.
They arrived on a Monday and we went straight from my work to camp. I felt very proud to be able to show them around. They really liked camp in general. The bunkhouse wasn't the most luxurious smelling place but I told them that your nose just gets use to it.
The other 2 days were filled with hiking at Silver Falls, flower looking at-ting, and each night was capped off with game after game of Rook. I capitalize Rook because I didn't want to tell my family this, but I was SUPER looking forward to playing Rook. Grandpa Vernon taught me how to play and to say that this game was a family game is an understatement, it is a lifestyle, a legacy, Rook might as well be the Scheffel family crest. Don't get me wrong, I loved seeing my family and were so glad they took the time to come see me. But the fun we have playing Rook, eating bags of black licorice, and diet drinks at a not so good hour of the night is priceless to me.
When we weren't playing Rook, looking at waterfalls, and meeting a cousin of Grandma Corals we had never met before, we explored the little town of Silverton. There are many cool shops, and we found a restaurant that has an outdoor decks that looks over a river. The highlight of my lunch was throwing ice cubes from my Diet Coke over the railing and watch them plop into the water like bungee jumpers whose cords broke. The little splashes were so cool to watch!
Well the long and short of it is that the 2 days went by way too fast! I wish they could have stayed, or even better, I could have jumped in a suitcase and gone with them. Because let's be real...I live in Oregon where the sun can shine and it still be raining, and southern California is boringly always a sunny 70 degrees. Still sun never the less.
I miss my family and love them more then they know...even more then Rook (and that's saying something)
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