So my blog posts for the most
part this year will be in reference to turning the magic age of 65!! I have dedicated this year to being 65 and
joyfully bold. Thus the #65joyfullybold. I am not sure what all of that will mean or
entail, but I guess we will see as the year progresses. I am hoping more funny stories than sad
stories, but my intent is to capture them all in words, for no other reason but
to commit them to my memory.
I am determined that this is
going to be a “good” year for me. I can
feel confident in saying that, because I am determined that I am going to MAKE it a good year for me. Anything can be happy or sad, but I believe
how one perceives it, is what it turns into in reality.
I turned 65 on February 9. Each year I sign up for The Triple Crown of
Road Races. Since I live in the
Louisville, Kentucky area, this is the beginning of the season for Kentucky
Derby. I am not a runner!!! I have never been a runner, and I am
certainly not a runner at age 65. However,
I am a walker. I walk, and I walk, and I
walk, and I walk. For a little history,
in April 2014 I joined a wellness program, and it was a life changing event for
me. I lost 70 pounds and I have
maintained that 70 pound weight loss (give or take a few pounds, depending on
if the scale is being a brat or not!) for 4 years. As part of my wellness journey, I paired
healthy eating with healthy lifestyle, including working with a personal
trainer and exercise. I have learned to
love it, and I mean LOVE it!!!! I do not
have to make myself go to the gym. I
have to make myself not go to the gym.
So, in keeping with each of the
past 4 years, I signed up for the Triple Crown of Road Races again this
year. First race was a 5K. It was held on March 10. The weather that day
was very cold, but at least it was dry. We had had some sleet and rain in the
previous days, so we did have black ice along the route. I finished that race in 56:41. A little behind my normal walking pace, but
being cognizant of black ice, slowed me down a bit. The 10K race followed on March 24. It was a torrential downpour the entire
time. Wind gusting, puddles, and continuous rain, and I do mean rain! Miserable.
Finished that race in 1:47. Again
not bad for the condition, and I was never so happy to see my car. The next race was April 7. The 10 miler!!! Just when you think it cannot
get any worse, guess what? It did! Snowing, blowing, and freezing temperatures
the entire 10 miles. The worst part is
3.5 miles of that particular course is in Iroquois Park, which is uphill. Uphill with blowing snow and blustery wind in
our faces. When I reached the 5-mile
marker toward the top of the park, my first thought was, “dear Lord, I don’t
have 5 more miles left in me.” On I
walked, maintaining my normal pace. I
have learned to count in my head while I walk, so I know I am maintaining the
pace that is healthy for me, depending on the distance. When we exited the park, the first mile marker
I saw was the 7-mile marker. Again, I
contemplated if I had three more miles left in me. I literally prayed, yes, I prayed. I asked for strength, I prayed that I could
do it, and I told myself, “If you can walk 7 miles, you can walk 8. “ When I got to 8 miles, again I told myself, “If
you can walk 8 miles, you can walk 9.”
Fortunately, when I got to the 9-mile marker, I could hear the loud
speaker at the finish line cheering folks on and saying, “You are almost
here.” When I crossed the finish line,
my purple fleece top was completely white and snow covered, and my hat had
icicles handing off the brim. My first
comment, truthfully, to myself (since my friends were a bit behind me) was,
“I’m not doing the mini marathon (13.1 miles).
I am done. I have no more miles
left in me.” My time for that race was 2:58. Eleven minutes slower than last year, but
considering the conditions, I will take it.
It is now two more weeks before
the mini marathon, and guess what? I
have changed my mind. Oh heck yes I am
doing it! With the grace of God, I will
do it, and I will finish it. If I can
walk 10 miles, I can walk 13.1 miles.
When I am done with that one, the series is over for this year, and I
will take a rest.
I have already planned another adventure,
in fact a trip out West to drive down Hwy 1 of the scenic Pacific Coast, is
scheduled for May. And, I will have more
stories to tell about that adventure.
Even though this series of races
could have been a bad experience, and at the time, I definitely thought they
were, I have made them good. I got a free
banana after every race!!!! (Except the
10 miler, I could not walk any further to the booth to pick one up.)
So I guess my closing thought for
this post is … all those races sure were a heck of a lot work for a
banana!!!!! But #65joyfullybold …
