2.5 miles

I love this time of the year, where each day it seems to stay a little lighter then the day before. Today all my kids were picked up by 5:30 and as I locked up the front door for the night I realized it was still light! I ran upstairs and change and ran down praying it was still light. IT WAS! I headed out for a much needed run. Today was ONE of those days....I decided that I was not going to wear the garmin watch even though I love to track my miles, I wanted this run to just be me. No heart rate monitor telling me to slow down and no watch telling me that I didn't go as far as I wanted. I know from running where my mile marks are. So with that in mind I hit the road. Just about to clear my first mile it started getting dark. The street lights started to turn on. I ended my 2.5 miles in the dark but I'm so excited that the time will change and it the days will start becoming lighter longer and longer!!

On Feb. 11 I will run a virtual race for Sherry Arnold. She is with me even tonight on my run. I think about her so much. What happened to her is my nightmare, my fears and worries. I don't think I'll ever run again without thinking about her. My prayers are with her family and her kids, her friends and students. Everyone including all the runners out there that now think it fear.
I look forward to running in her honor.

Learning about myself

Today I realized something for the millionth time, I NEED exercise!!
When I started running last year exactly this time it was for the Susan G. Komen race. My goal was to run it and in a decent time. I did that, and in that became my love for running. Now I'm not a stranger to exercise. I actually love to exercise. I grew up playing soccer and after the high school years I had gym memberships and ran here and there. But after this last year of running and really setting time for myself each day to escape I've found without it I'm low with patience and in a really foul mood.

Now...I'm not a mom yet...but I do watch 4 babies daily. Sometimes because of when they get dropped off I don't get a run or even walk in. But thankfully I was given a jogger and like today I was able to get out and at least walk. Turn up my music and just have some ME time, even pushing a little one.

My running has slowed down thanks to this baby inside me. My runs are almost fast walks but either way I will continue doing it. Walk or run I keep learning over and over again that I need to do this, not just for me but others around me. I truly am a better person when I am active.

I can't wait for the 5k in March and when this baby comes out I am ready for my second half. And come April 2013 I will do a full marathon!

But most of all today out of all days I'm thankful for learning and relearning something that I seem to always forget, I LOVE TO RUN!

Welcome 2012! 

I finished 2011 with a 2 mile slow run. Bringing my total miles for 2011 to 458. Not bad! I had a ton of races I wanted to race this year but the baby inside me is making me take it slower then I thought.
So slow is what I'll do!

Today a year ago my husband and I go the keys to our new home! We walked in excited and ready for what this house would bring. We started with lots of "to do" projects and as we talked last night about all the changes we've made to it, we couldn't be happier. What a great house this has been for us.
We enjoyed all our summer swim parties with friends and family.

This summer I also started my in-home daycare. I have always dreamed of owning one. But that dream became my reality as I quickly filled up and I enjoy every moment of it. Even the hard times.
Who would have know what one house could fulfill in our lives in one year.

2011 Welcomed: Isabella Elisabeth Kouyoujdian May 10th
                            Connor Dean Fudge August 16th
                            Bayley Addison Sullivan November 26th

In 2012 will welcome: Baby Wu Due May 4th
                                     Baby Cracraft Due July 2nd 
                                     Baby Tucker Due August 30th

                 Praying for save delivery's and  healthy, happy babies!!!  

Last weekend, Sunday the 23rd I ran a 10k. I wanted to do a long run and my friend Caroline was doing this race so I joined her.

What I didn't expect when I signed up for the race earlier that week was that Saturday morning I would find out I was pregnant!

My husband I have been trying for 6 months. This was the golden 6 month. I felt off last week but didn't want to take a test. It wasn't until my husband said he thought I should that I did. We are excited but.....I'm not ready to stop running.

So Sunday came and I ran.

I did decided that time was no longer a goal and just completing the run/ran will be my goal. The doctors say not to get your heart rate up past 140-160 so will try my best to stay in the 160's. At least until I'm out of my first trimester.

I can't wait till the time change happens and I can start my morning runs again. I still plan on doing my 2 half marathons in Feb. and May. The May one might end up being a walk not run but we will see how I feel!

The baby will be born July. 

This year will be a exciting year!

Long Beach half marathon

            This weekend was big for me.

It all started in February of this year, 2011. I kept seeing a facebook post for a breast cancer 5k on a friends page. I felt a little out of place asking her if anyone could join her team. She was a mom of a family I have worked for over 5 years. She, Caroline, of course said anyone could join so I started to round my friends up and start to run. My goal was to just be able to run it without stopping. I wasn't concerned on my time, though I know I wanted to do a pretty good "average" in for my age group. So a month before the race my journey began. March 6th the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure started. I finished 12 in my age group with a time of 29:31. I was super proud and left addicted.

The next race was a gladiator mud run.  May 7th This was with friends and my husband. We did it together and had a blast.

Then came the Fontana 5k on June 4th and my dad and father in-law and a good friend Loan joined me. I did my PR that race and it was a lot of fun to do with both dads. Both have been long-time runners and were excited to be doing it together.

About this time my arthritis became worse. I wake up some mornings not being able to walk but yet the drive to not let it take over my body I continue to set out and run. I have RA. I noticed it around the age of 21 and it started in my hands. Sense then it has moved on to my right foot. I go to the doctor often for it and hope that one day I can say I live pain free. But until then I live one morning at a time.

July 4th came and I rounded up yet again a group of good friends and my father in-law. We set out to do the Claremont Village 5k. This race was HOT and uphill and not fun. But it was completed and I felt ready to move to a 10k.

My friend Caroline is amazing and has races lined up almost each month. She has allowed me to follow her in these races throughout the summer.
The Cypress 10k race was set for July 23rd. My dad and father-in law again set out to run with me. I finished that in 54:32

I started to join Caroline on long runs after that. Either Sat. or Sun. we would set out. She would run longer then I would but together I started to build the miles. After a few runs I felt confident to sign up for the Long Beach Half Marathon. Caroline and both dads signed up. The real training had began.
I felt ready to "try" and my dad set my goal pretty high. Under 2:00
My RA doctor has informed me that though he can't say for sure if running is making my arthritis worse it definitely is not making it better. He has encouraged me to cut down the amount of running due to the extreme pain I have been in. However, I cannot imagine doing that at this point. I've worked so hard to get here and don't want to stop. I will run day-to-day. Some days are better and some days it takes all of me to just walk. This I know will be a life long struggle that I plan on not letting defeat me.

8/8 Last night was a long night. I was nervous, excited and really just plan scared. I knew I could run it but that fast? I didn't know. I woke up every hour thinking about the race and then came the morning. I got up and my husband wished me a good luck and promised to meet me at the finish. My dads picked me up and we were off. My dad has to go to the bathroom A-LOT on race days and I seemed to pick up his nervous habit. After the bathroom we met up with Caroline and headed to the start. We started and I was amazed by the amount of people that were there. I asked when it started to fan out but it never did. We rounded around people going up on the side walks in the sand and grass. Keeping a steady pace was hard when trying to get around people. The last 1.5 miles was HARD! I felt sick and wasn't sure I could keep my dads pace but mind over matter I pushed through. My dad and I sprinted the last leg of the race and in almost of a game way we tried to beat each other. I did....by one second.

My father in-law beat his goal by 7 mins. So proud of him and Caroline who had a Keith Urban concert the night before did amazing, even though she will say she didn't. She continues to inspire and push me!
Next race.......Surf City. Though one might come a little sooner then that. I have loved this journey and love that I can!

I've realized that even though this is an individual sport I couldn't do it without that support and love from my family and friends. I've come to love waking up at 5:30 to go meet Caroline and my dad to run. I've enjoyed the hours of conversation and companionship that this has brought. I love seeing how far my body can be pushed and the strength that come with it.    
I'm Ready to Run.....