Eugene Marathon 2009

Well, here I am, a few weeks later, finally getting around to posting about the marathon. Sorry it's taken so long, things have been crazy and overwhelming in the Nack house as of late. Hopefully things will be slowing down soon and we'll be back to our usual happy selves. :)

The marathon (half, but whatever) didn't go as well as I would like. It started out great, a little rainy, which I think is great cause it cools me off, and tons of people cheering us on. I made great time my first 6 miles or so and was right on track of making my goal time.

Around mile 10, I pulled a muscle in my right thigh, which was extremely painful. This is the leg that usually gives me trouble, but not that muscle. At that point, it was walking time. Walking time makes me sad :( But it was good because I got to spend some time with my crazy/wonderful boss who ran it even with pnuemonia!! I did finish, and I'm really proud of how the first half of the race went, so we're just gonna take the happiness from the first part and roll with it into our next race:

Here are some pictures for your general enjoyment:

Before the race

Mile 2 or 3 maybe...

Water please! Mile 8

Looking like I'm dying at the finish!!

After the race :) Thanks for the flowers Mom and Dad!!

I'll try and be better about posting, and keeping you updated on my training for Seattle, but that's all for now!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

My mom, my friend, and often my partner in crime! I love you Mom, Happy Mother's Day!

Baby Duck

Happy May Day!

So Thursday night (April 30th) we were sitting here on the couch when i get a text from my super fabulous best friend Trey. Our conversation goes something like this:

T: Are you still up? (it's 1130)
S: Yeah, why, what's up? (this late, it must be an emergency)
T: I'm over by your house
S: ok....
T: As in, I'm in your driveway

So I run outside, and there she is, with a handful of paper flowers that she had made with her super cute 2 (almost 3!) year old, Stella. It was a May Day Surprise!!! She had intended on leaving them in our planters and letting us find them in the morning, but then she saw our light on and didn't want Sean to hear her and think she was a burglar (and shoot her!) :)

Here's a glimpse of her handiwork!




Thanks Trey, you're the best!!!

Adios, au revoir, go away

Peace out April. You were a sucky month, and we're glad you're leaving. HELLO May, welcome welcome! Bring your sun and your flowers and your lack of doom. That'd be swell.

Thanx :)

Crafty Easter Deliciousness

Ok, I know I have really fallen behind on my postings, Easter WAS a week ago after all, but it's been a long tough week and I'm just now getting around to having some me time :) Besides, this super fun and EASY treat can be made anytime! I just rolled out the rice krispies on a cookie sheet, used an egg shaped cookie cutter, dipped the egg shapes in self-hardening chocolate, added some fancy-dancy sprinkles and we were good to go! I love having other people's kids to spoil with stuff like this, and highly recommend it as an easy, tasty treat! Try with flowers, hearts, whatever you'd like!

:)

Updates and changes...

So I know it's been FOREVER since I've posted anything about running, and that's cause lots, and yet not a lot, has been happening. As we all know, training got interrupted for a while thanks to sickness and such... well, the cruise definitely didn't help that. I was able to get one good long run in before we left, and planned on running while on the boat. Well, sea sickness, a tiny gym with 3 treadmills for 1600 people, and a flooded running track (yep, flooded. storms are awesome) all combined to make for lousy running conditions. In fact, no running occurred while aboard "The Awkward Ship," which did not make me a happy Stephi.

SO. Fast forward to a week or so ago, April 4th. My first time back with the running group in 6 weeks, an anticipated run of 9 miles, and the hopes of running the full still in my head. I got there early to check in with my coach Jill, and we talked about how I still wanted to go a few more weeks before deciding that the full was the way to go, or dropping down to the half. Last year, you had until the day before the race to make up your mind, so I knew that I had a while. Off on my run I went, and it was grand. Great weather, good pace, strong legs, I was feeling great. I got to the 2 mile check in point, and Jill says to me "Um, so I just learned something." She had been talking to our other coach about me waiting a few more weeks to decide if I was going to stay with the full or drop down, and she let Jill know that the Marathon committee had decided that the deadline for people switching races was April 10th. Um, wait one second. That was FRIDAY. A full week before my endurance testing, goal crystalizing, ability confirming 22 mile run. How was I going to make an informed decision? I was devastated. I knew (know) that I have the ability to finish a full marathon, but after the gap in training, was I going to finish in a way I was proud of? Can you be proud of a marathon if you walk a large part of it because your body isn't ready? Would I be proud of my finish if I barely made it? My stubbornness would take me across the finish line, I knew that, but would my heart be in it?

With those questions and the sudden loss of a weekof confidence building running weighting on my mind I quickly lost all the awesomeness my run had possessed. I just wanted to go home and cry. I did cry a bit on those trails, not sure what to do. I walked another mile, gave up on the run completely, and turned around, resigned to running the half and being heartbroken about it.

I got back to where Jill was waiting, and she was surprised to see me so quickly. I told her my decision, and she thought it was the right thing to do. She knew how hard it was for me, and she knew I could have done it, but she wanted me to be proud of myself, and she knew I wouldn't be if my finish at the marathon was mediocre, or worse. Instead, she gave me a plan.

So ladies and gentleman, bloggy friends and family, here it is:

I am going to run the Eugene Half Marathon. I am going to run it well, because I will be more prepared, and am able to more easily train for a race of that length. I will enjoy my experience, instead of dreading it, because I know where I stand, I know what I can do, and I will easily be able to measure myself against my performance last year. And when all that is said and done, the race ran, the celebration celebrated, I will continue on, to this:


The Inaugural Rock 'N' Roll Marathon in Seattle, June 27th. I have registered, hotels are booked, I AM IN. We have made the Half Marathon simply a stepping stone on a path to still achieving my goal, albeit in a different setting, but it's a Full, it's the Rock N Roll, and I am excited! So keep an eye out for our newest graphic addition, as I update you on my progress, and finally become a marathoner!

#14

At work, we have a competition known as the Ei3 program (don't ask me what it means, I don't remember). You are ranked individually, and as a branch, based on your completion of your annual goals. Every month we get an update of where we stand, and then at the end of the year the winners get prizes and a big dinner, etc. Well, back in February we found out that my branch (woot N Delta!!) was one of two finalists for Branch of the Year, along with our Pioneer branch (way to go Lane County!!). What did that mean for us? It meant a party!!! We went on a swanky dinner cruise in Portland aboard the Crystal Dolphin, where there was food and dinner and music and an all around good time. And, fantastically enough, it was a chance for me to accomplish something on The List: #14, find an occasion to wear my little black dress. So here you have it, me looking about as fancy as I get :)

On the charter bus ride to Portland

Melinda and I are on a boat! :)

I'm hoping to get more pictures soon, and if so I will post them, but in the meantime, here's a little hint of a great evening, and one more thing I've checked off :)