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Friday, June 13, 2014

A Childhood Dream...

After I graduated nursing school last month the hubby asked me what I was going to get myself.

I thought, "A gift of my choosing...hmmmm"

I asked him what he was going to get himself when he graduates next year.  His answer was simple.

"I'm going to buy a nice guitar and learn how to play again"

That really got me thinking.

When I was a child I always wanted to take piano lessons.

I never took lessons though.  For one, we didn't have a piano and two, I'm not really sure my parents thought I was serious about learning.

When our son came to us a few years back and said, "I'd like to play the violin" I never thought he was serious either.  So I let him try it for a year, we rented the violin since we did not want to invest in something he may not like in a year.  Well he likes it.  He still plays (his very own violin now) and he wants to play more instruments.

So when the hubby asked me what I was going to get myself I said, "I want learn how to play the piano"

After my first day of work I came home to a brand new keyboard the hubby picked up that day.

I had my first lesson on Wednesday.

I can play two songs already.

I love to sit and play them over and over.

I'm pretty sure if I don't learn how to play another song the boys may make me wear headphones while I practice.

I'm also pretty sure I smile the entire time.

So every week I will go to lessons until I can play independently.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be able to sit down and play the piano.  But I can.

So it's true, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

I wonder how many more tricks I have up my sleeve.

I think I'm gonna name her Ruth after my grandmother.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

A Tuesday Freebie!

Today I got something for free that I've wanted for a while.

While searching the storage area at the hospital for our new office space, I came across this...


A bosu ball!!!!!!

I politely asked the guy what it was doing here.  He didn't have a clue.  Then he turned to me and said, "if you want it, take it, it's been here for months and I don't even know what it is"

I turned to him and said, "It is mine!  That's what it is!!!"

Score!

I've been wanting one for our home gym and was too cheap to buy one!!  Those things are expensive!!

So it is residing in my house now.  I feel like I've struck gold!!

Now I need to read up on some exercises!!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

4TW5K Race Report!



Yesterday was the race I've been training for like a mad woman!  4 The Wounded 5K is a race I've done for the past four years and I was going to make this year the best time ever!  (and beat the hubby's course record)

This race is one of the TOUGHEST races I do every year.

First of all it's in June, which is very iffy here in Virginia.  It could range from 60-100 degrees easily.

It has two different courses, one trail, one road.  I've always chosen the trail.

It has a very long hill after a very long downhill (you run down first really fast, then turn around and run back up it!!)

Trails freak me out a bit and we had a few rainy days last week and all I kept thinking about was that the trail was going to be muddy and slick (like my last trail race which ended horribly and resulted in a broken bone)

But it's for a good cause.  100% of the proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project, which I've said in the past is a cause near and dear to me.  This year just the participants raised $117,000.  Final numbers will be announced later this week.

So yesterday I woke up and it was a beautiful sunny day around 65 degrees!  Woo Hoo!

I was feeling excited to beat my old PR (27:24) and to beat the hubby's course record (27:01).

Let me tell you...beating a 27:01 on a trail is no joke.  I've been trying to beat him for 2 years!

I brought in an expert for this race (my friend/coach) and she wrote me a training plan to beat him.  Of course her comment was, "You will run fast, but you are crazy and you do crazy races, so hopefully you will beat the hubby"

So I did what she said.  Most days I liked her, on speed work days (Tuesdays) I hated her, like cursed her most of the way...in my head because I had no air left in my lungs to actually say the words.

But then yesterday something happened.

I ran fast.

Really fast.  (For a trail race)

I ran down the hill super fast...like a 7:43 pace.  This is the ONLY consistent mile on road.

Then I turned around and ran up hill only to be met with the trail at the top of the hill.  Ugh.

Every year I run this race I think to myself, "Why in the hell do I subject myself to this pain?'

Then I think to myself of all the soldiers that don't have legs or arms.  Soldiers that have PTSD.  I've never been to war but I'm so thankful for those that do.

Then all the pain goes away.

So I ran.  And I ran hard.  I ran as fast as my legs would let me.  I breathed as deep as my lungs would allow.  And I ran.  I owned that course.  I made it my bitch.

And I won (so I didn't actually win any awards, but I won bragging rights)

I ran a 26:46...ON A TRAIL!!!  I was in beast mode.  An 8:39 pace...on a trail.

My fear of trails have somewhat subsided...for now.

So it's official.

I finally beat the hubby's course PR.

Finally.

Me and the hubby.  Matching shirts...yes.

Steph and I, no matching shirts.