Summer 2015

Summer of 2015

The summer of 2015 definitely beat the summer of 2011.  I know that I have not blogged in a while.  I know that some of my biggest fans like to know how I am doing.  Here is my latest update.

I met with my oncologist and breast surgeon this past July.  I am happy to report that they both said that I am doing well.  I went for a breast MRI and the results came back clean. 

We did another summer of camp mommy.  A great time was had by all. We did bike riding, picnics, swimming, library time, Hershey Park, drove a boat, cut my hair and donated it and visited friends and family in the northeast.  I visited with my brother in Wisconsin and ran NJ's toughest 5k (and finished the race). Of course there were a few days where we did nothing.  There were mornings were we slept in and nights were we stayed up late.  It was a successful summer!

This summer I joined a group called Moms on the Run of Essex County.  It was really a game changer.  

I met some really awesome people. 

I met up with people in the mornings for early runs.

 I met up with people for Sunday morning runs.

I met up on the track on Mondays with our kids to exercise and train as a family. 

Running doesn’t come easy for me.  It is hard for me to find sneakers that help ease some of my foot pain. There are so many times that I just want to stop running shortly after I start. (I know that others feel this way).  I read this great article written by a young lady about running.  It discussed her love/hate relationship with running. It hit home on so many points.  Here are my thoughts on running.

 I hate getting up out of bed when it is still dark out to go run.

I hate running up the hills back to my house. 

I hate running in the humidity. 

I do love the feeling after I have completed a run.

I think it is awesome that I can get 12,000 steps by 7:30 in the morning. 

I love the fact that I can run.  I may be slow but I can do it.  There are so many people that don’t have the ability to get up and run.  It wasn’t that long ago that it was really hard for me to even walk a block without getting exhausted or winded. 

Running with these moms have helped me regain my strength and not be so lazy this summer.  My children are older and I could have slept to eight or nine on a regular day. Joining this group has sort of forced me to get moving early on. Lori has been so inspiring and so encouraging.  She has run with me at my slow pace but has pushed me to run a little faster each time.  She has helped me get my family up and moving this summer.  My daughters both have run three miles.  That is a huge accomplishment for them.  That would not have been possible without Lori and her constant encouragement.  Kathleen is pretty comical to run with.  She is not a running fanatic.  She is always making us smile and laugh as we take on the next challenge.  She might complain about not being a true runner but she is pretty darn awesome! Carole is the only person I know that can go away on vacation for a month and come back in better shape.  She is always trying new things to challenge herself.  Her challenges end up challenging the rest of us.  It has turned out to be a pretty awesome group of people I have met this summer.

I think one of the most important outcomes of this group is that it has held me accountable this summer.  Without a current race on my calendar it is hard to get motivated to run. Feeling like others are counting on you to show up at 5:30am makes you get up out of bed.  Knowing that others are there and will make you work hard and challenge yourself and also laugh is very motivating.

This coming September I will be running a 5k with E.  We will walk/run it.  If you are local and want to run with us, please let me know.  Even though I don’t have a race locked into place, I have a few challenges that I have set for myself that I hope to accomplish over the next few months.  Challenging oneself is always a good thing. 

 

 E ran three miles and did the first mile without stopping.  She has truly amazed me this summer. 

It has been a great summer. I am sad to see it go.  I am looking forward to all the fun that awaits me in the future. Here is to a great 2015-2016 school year.

 I love seeing all these smiling faces when I enter my classroom everyday!

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