2nd Half Marathon in 2014

 Saturday I did something that I never would have dreamed possible 2 short years ago...I finished my 2nd Half Marathon in 2014. That's 13.1 miles, not once, but twice!
In January, I ran the Rock & Roll Half Marathon in Phoenix, AZ with my friend Christa. I picked that race for my first one since it was supposed to be really flat and easy. It was the hardest thing I'd ever done and was so freaking proud of myself for crossing that finish line. I had a time in my head that I wanted to finish, but unfortunately, I missed that goal by 2 minutes. I was bummed.
Well this last weekend I tackled it again. This time it was the Seattle Rock & Roll Half Marathon. Those of you that know Seattle meant there were going to be some hills in this race, which there were. The race itself was much better than the one in AZ, but again, once you hit Mile #10, it gets really challenging. There is a battle in my head between the side of my brain that wants me to stop and the side of my brain that refuses to let me stop. Even with the hills, I finished the Seattle race 4 minutes faster than I did the AZ race, beating my goal time.
I can't believe how far I've come in the past 27 months. When I started this journey I weighed 50 pounds more than I do now and I couldn't run down the block. I've now run over 1200 miles in the last 2 years and I've run 15 5Ks, 2 10Ks, a 12k, a 15k, and 2 Half Marathons. Every time I'm training for one of these races, after I finish, and especially when I'm out there running it, I swear I'm never going to do it again. Then a funny thing happens a few days later, I go looking for the next challenge. I think I'm over Half Marathons, but I do like the look of those pretty medals. My friends keep asking me to do another one, so who knows what the future brings. I wouldn't have thought it would bring the last 2, so I better be open to anything coming down the road!

Cousins Visit!

Seattle Wheel
Derek, Tim, Christina, Craig, Charlie, Rose,
 Derek, Shelby, Trever, Kaitlyn

Last weekend we had a memorial service for my sister. Although the occasion was sad, the good part was that my niece and 3 nephews came back to WA! Other than my trip to Indy when my sister died a couple of months ago, I hadn't seen the kids in years. I don't think Kaitlyn had seen them in about 8 years. The kids are awesome, especially under the crappy circumstances they've been living in. It was just like old times when all the kids were little, they just aren't little anymore! :)
Kaitlyn had a blast with her cousins. They were here for a week and all of them spent as much time as possible together. One afternoon we headed to Seattle and put them all on the Big Seattle Wheel.
I wish they lived closer!

10k #2 - The Shore Run

The weekend I ran in my 2nd 10K. The Shore Run runs along Lake Washington from Seward Park under I-90 to Madison Park. The route is lovely, with the exception of the 3 hills, the one at the 5 mile mark is the WORST!
I was trying to beat my last 10k time and finish in under an hour. Unfortunately, I missed that goal by 8 freaking seconds! I did beat my last 10k time, but I finished in 60:08. Still, it was 49 seconds faster than my first 10k.
I am now retired from races for the summer. It's time for boating season, BBQs, and fun runs, without the stress and time of preparing and running in a race.
Rest assured, I'll be back at it in the Fall. :)

Run Like a Mother

Mother's Day 2013 ~ Doesn't everyone's Mother's Day start off with a quick 5K run? Mine did! My friend, who has a 22 month old and is 22 weeks pregnant, celebrated her Mother's Day with me at Run Like a Mother in Magnuson Park. I've run with Teresa twice before, and both times she beat me. Yesterday, however was my day! I beat her by a whopping 46 seconds. Heck, I'll take it. So, she's 5+ months pregnant, that worked in my favor! I had my best time yet at 27:30. Awesome! I think the course was a bit short, but even so, it was my fastest time. I finished 9th in my age bracket of 44 women and 85th overall in the pack of 423. Tim and Kaitlyn both got up early to support me in my run.  After the run, the 3 of us headed to Starbucks for some much earned caffeine and breakfast sandwiches. Later my Mom came over for steaks on the grill and family game time.

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Goodbye Big Sis!

Teresa Jean Ferrel
September 9, 1965 - April 21, 2013

No farewell words were spoken.
No time to say goodbye.
You were gone before we knew it,
and only God knows why.

May you finally be in peace!

Say "Hi" to Dad and Darlene for me!

Kirkland Shamrock Run

Last Saturday my friend Teresa and I ran the Kirkland Shamrock Run 5K. For someone who is 14 weeks pregnant, just moved the weekend before, and has an 18 month old toddler at home, it was AMAZING for her to get up on a Saturday morning and run with me.

The weather was pretty mild. There was a slight wind, but the big wind and rain didn't start until after the run, thankfully!
The run through downtown Kirkland was UPHILL for the first 2 miles. I'm not kidding. It was BRUTAL! The last mile was downhill, but too late to make up enough time for me to get another PR. I was only 1 minute off my PR time, but those hill killed my time.
Teresa finished 1 1/2 minutes before me. Not bad considering that the last time we ran together she finished almost 10 minutes before me! I've gotten better and her being pregnant worked in my favor! :)
After the run, "the baby" was hungry! Worked for me! We went to Hector's for breakfast - and a Mimosa for me! All in all, it was a great morning with a good friend and a little exercise!

Before the race at the "famous" Kirkland Cow & Dog statue.

The only photo during the run we are both in. Teresa passed me up this hill and I didn't see her again until the finish!
 

Belles of the Ball

The Belles! Paulette, Christa & Kris

Rainier Yacht Club Commodore's Ball - I can't believe I went to a Ball! It was actually really fun, like a grown up Prom, except drinking was legal! We had a great time with our friends.

Grown Up Prom Photo
Paulette, Ryan, Christa, Leo, Kris & Tim

Off to the Ball - Self Portrait!

A New Boat!

WHY? Because Tim wanted one! Seriously, that's the only reason. There was no need for us to get a bigger boat. Tim found a "great deal" on a Repo and decided it was his Dream Boat. Whatever! Me, being the good wife, went along with it and let him buy it. The only problem was that we were buying a new boat before we sold our old boat. That made me more than a little nervous! Thankfully, our old boat sold within a few weeks. Whew! The new boat, as a repo, needs some TLC. Tim has to keep reminding me as I am cleaning other people's dirt (and it is DIRTY!) that I am making $20,000+ in equity by cleaning it. That seems to be logical to me!
Her name is Scoring Points. I heard it was back luck to change a boat's name, so we are leaving it as is. She is a 1999 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge. She is about 45 feet overall in length, has 2 staterooms and 2 heads (that's a bathroom in boat lingo!). There's even an electric pull out couch in the salon (living room) so we can technically sleep 6.
Our first boat adventure is scheduled for next month for the Daffodill Festival in Tacoma. Just wonder how much its going to cost us in gasoline to go through the lakes, the locks and to Tacoma and back. I'm frightened to even think about it!!!

First Ever 10K!

My first ever 10k! Tim and I flew to San Diego last week so I could run in my first 10k on Coronado Island. It was a great event with about 3000 people. Tim ran the event too.
My goal time was 66 minutes. I finished in 60:57.
I was so happy to be done and so proud of myself for accomplishing something I never thought I could do. I even got a little emotional on our walk back to the hotel.
I NEVER have to run again! But, I realized that I actually like doing these events and pushing myself. So.....time to plan the next one!

First 5K of 2013!

MLK Day 5K at Magnuson Park - I finished in my best time ever...28:59! Tim, Emily and I all braved the 32 degree temperature to run yesterday. It was cold, but each of us finished faster than last month!
The "big" race is next month in San Diego where I am crazy enough to try at 10K! Wish me luck!

~ Clam Lights ~

Last night we went to Clam Lights at Coulan Park in Renton. We boated over from our friends' home on Lake Washington and walked through the lights at the park. On the way we had a delicious stew dinner, adult beverage and amazing lemon cupcakes for dessert! It wasn't raining, which made for a great night for a walk in the park. It was cold, but that's what coats, gloves, and adult beverages are for!

Last 5K of 2012 - Holiday Fun Run

Emily & Kris

It was a freaking cold December morning on the shores of Lake Washington at Magnuson Park for the Holiday Fun Run 5K. Battling the wind and rain, Emily, Tim and I all finished the 5K. I finished at my fastest pace of the year 9:38/mile! So proud of myself for 9 races in 2012! Bring on 2013!!

All my 2012 Race Bibs!

Turkey Trot 5K

The rain held off for the 5K at Marina Park in Kirkland today. Kaitlyn, Tim and I met up with my friend from work, Blair this morning and we ran with hundreds of other people from Marina Park to Carilon Point and back. The rain started back up again as we hit the car for the drive home. Amazing!
I had my best 5K finish time yet, at 29:49. :)

Pumpkin Push 5K

It was pouring down rain this morning and we still got out there and ran...with about 730 other crazy people. This was the first of my 7 5Ks that Tim actually ran with me. It was fun to do it together. Our friends Christa and Leo joined in the wet fun too. The race was around Seward Park and then up into the middle. The hill was brutal and killed my time. I am just thankful I survived and finished the darn thing. Didn't even throw up this time! 31.29 Following the race, in our soaking wet clothes, looking like drowned rats, the 4 of us went out for breakfast. That was the best part of the morning! :)

My best 5k time is the Haunted Hustle that I did just 2 short weeks ago with Kaitlyn and Charlie. I finally broke the 10 minute mile and finished in 30:34 - that's a 9:52 mile. I'm not going to win any prizes, but it is a heck of an accomplishment considering 7 months ago I couldn't run around the block! :)

 

All Grown Up!

This is what 19, 20, and 21 looks like!