I have been a negligent blogger. But I have good reasons, many of which I’ll update you with soon. To get caught up, I’ll take a page out of my how to scrapbook file and tell you about the most recent stuff first.

Today, I got up early and met my regular walking girlfriends on an early morning walk. The weather threatened to rain on us but we were fortunate and missed it. It started raining just as we got back. We even got to enjoy some sunshine.

This was a walk that took us all through downtown Bellevue, parts of the really pretty residential areas, and down by Meydenbauer Bay. There were some parts of the walk that were deceptively tough – that, or I’m out of shape again. I think it’s the former. I hope it’s the former.

By the end of the 6.2 miles – although I think we really did 6.5 because we had to backtrack at one point – my lower back was really tight and my hips were stiff, so I’m writing this while icing my back and drinking a coffee.

Here are some of the pretty scenes from my walk. If the quality is poor, blame HTC’s camera phone functionality.

Some of the beautiful mansions – I won’t call them McMansions because they were all different. I think all these homes are gorgeous, but I wouldn’t want one. I get tired just looking at them let alone thinking of what it takes to pay for them and maintain them.

This one had a fountain in the entry. I thought that was kinda cool.

So, this one (below)… this is very close to what I pictured my dream house being when I was a little girl. I loved – still do – dormers on homes. Not sure how practical they are in the inside, but they are one of my favorite architectural features on a home. This also probably wouldn’t necessarily be the style of home I’d choose today, if I were buying, which I’m not. But still lovely. Makes me think of Home Alone.

Heading down toward Meydenbauer Bay

A glimpse into Meydenbauer Bay.

More shots of Meydenbauer Bay, looking west toward Seattle.

This one is looking east into Bellevue.

This park is in the middle of downtown Bellevue. Gorgeous with that waterfall there. The water looks like one of those Infinity pools.

Seriously? Me? A runner?

My blogging buddy over at My Angle had a couple really good posts recently (here and here) about whether or not you are a real runner and it gave me some food for thought.

The first thing that always comes to mind when I think of myself as a runner was when I was a teenager living in England and going to an all girl’s English school. We had the uniforms, ties and all. One day a teacher said there would be a cross-country run that weekend and they wanted some of us to participate. As is pretty typical for me, I volunteered, having no idea what I was in for but it sounded like “fun”.

My friend and I showed up in our school PE uniforms and stood out like sore thumbs were shocked to see what we had signed up for. Here we were, complete with our PE skirts and shoes next to girls in sweats, running pants, who were stretching and warming up, and we stood around having no idea what to do. But we ran. And we ran. Up hills, down hills, slow, not so slow – don’t think we ever got to even moderately fast – and we finished at least an hour or more after everyone else finished, but we finished.

My dad and I laughed about this scene for years to come because of the incongruity of our participation in the event. We had no training, we’d never run before – other than in school sports and that was limited (I was a swimmer, not a runner) – and we obviously didn’t know what we were doing, and we certainly didn’t have the appropriate attire for the sport.

The point is none of that mattered. I just jumped in with both feet and did it. At the time, I cried when we were done because I was so exhausted. I pushed myself to finish something I didn’t wanted to do once I’d started it.

A few years later, when I went to a boarding school in the south of England (that’s the actual school in the picture), a class mate and I did some more running. We’d run a few miles through the English countryside, and then she taught me how to sprint the last jog back downhill into the school parking lot.  It was during one of those sprints at the end of a run that I experienced what I’d call my first “runner’s high” where there was so much energy and vitality and oxygen going through my system that I literally felt as if I was walking six inches off the ground.

Fast forward about thirty years.

Here I am, nearly 80 pounds lost, and I’m running. I’ve done two 5k runs now and am starting to train for a 12k run in December. I have no idea whether I have the right technique, whether I’m wearing the right clothes – although I do have the right shoes – or if I’m breathing right or running fast enough. But I’m running. Clearly, that drive to do something I’ve never done before without totally knowing what I’m letting myself in for has not left me. I still tend to do things because they sound fun with very little thought given to whether I have the physical ability to do it or not.

The point is I’m doing, which is way more than I’ve done in years past. When my friend recently said to me “You’re a runner now”, I almost corrected her but then I thought about it. Yes, I am. I may not be a marathon runner like Kara Goucher (yet?), or the fastest runner in my category. I’m no longer sitting by dreaming of getting off my butt and moving, watching my life go by like I’ve done for years, but I’m stepping out and living it. I don’t care (much) what my speed is unless it’s to improve upon my own personal best.

I’m putting one foot in front of the other and moving, and isn’t that the point? (Oh, yeah, and to want to have a body like Kara’s doesn’t hurt either.)

I know Kirkland fairly well – my mom has lived there for the past 16 years – so I figured that I knew this route really well. I do, however, I underestimated how much of a gradual uphill that whole first mile is. Then from mile 1 to 2, it’s downhill, then the last mile is flat with a quick slight downhill sprint into the finish line.

This run definitely felt harder than my first one. I think possibly because yesterday I walked nearly 7 miles with my friend, and have been feeling a bit run down after all the worry and stress surrounding my mother’s surgery and aftercare. I made sure to get plenty of sleep last night so I’d be as rested as possible, hoping to improve my time from July, where I completed the 5k in 38 minutes.

I succeeded. My time for this event was 36 minutes, about an 11 minute mile pace. I started by taking off fairly hard, but it was uphill and only managed about the first 1/2 mile before I had to walk t0 catch my breath. But throughout the whole race, I only walked a few paces each time, and quickly picked back up running, and sprinting as hard as I could the last bit across the finish line.

I really wanted to do this one for a variety of reasons. First, it was in Kirkland. Back in May, I saw runners finishing a race there and finally understood what these things were all about. (Read my post about that here.) This race was my chance to experience this for myself.

Also, a friend of my daughter’s is expecting twins, plus we recently had some fetal testing done for my other daughter’s baby. I felt running in this race was my tribute to both of them. Incidentally, the doctor who performed the placenta tissue test on my daughter was there at the race as a featured speaker and also a runner.

Next year, I want my grandkids to join me and do the Kids Fun Run. It was so darling – they essentially just run around the block, but a cute guy about 6 or 7 won the fun run. I can just see my grandkids doing this. I got really choked up watching that.

Now,I’m looking for one to do in November. Funny, they had a brochure in the SWAG gifts bag. Guess I’ll check that one out next.

So the stress I’ve been in has eased up momentarily, at least enough for me to drop 2.2 pounds. That’s a net loss of about a half pound in one week, so that’s fine by me. A healthy weight loss is about 1/2 to 2 pounds per week.

I’ve also picked up my activity this week. Getting out and moving is a fabulous stress reliever for me. This week, I ran my regular running route twice (3 miles), climbed the stairs at my mom’s nursing home (almost 4 flights up to her floor) at least twice a day (I never take the elevator there anymore), walked from her nursing home to the mall and back (about 6 city blocks one way).

This morning, I went on a 10K Volkssport walk with my regular walking buddy. This was a beautiful walk. I lived near this area for 10 years and never knew any of these trails were here. Some of the walk was almost like hiking up in the Cascades or something. The weather was perfect for a fall morning as well with the clouds breaking away and the sun coming out to a soft 70 degrees. We started out at 9 and finished up about 11:45. Straight walking would take me probably an hour and a half to do 6 miles at a 15 minute mile, but we stopped now and then to follow the map and to let this little one take a break.

Yes, Little Miss Lily came with me on her first Volksswalk! I’ve brought her with me before, but usually just left her in the car because I wasn’t sure how she would do, and I didn’t want to carry her the whole 6+ miles. This time, since the majority of this was off road, she came along and she did awesomely. She walked nearly the whole way, and, as my mom said, she probably could have walked the whole way – it was just in my head that she couldn’t. She was so cute too – getting all sorts of compliments.

Tomorrow I have to get up early and head off for my second official 5K run. This one is for the Fetal Hope organization – a new cause close to my heart. In my first 5K run, I timed at 38 minutes. I’m hoping I do as well this time, if not better, but there is more uphill in this route. Plus, I feel like I’m starting to get a head cold, and that is bothersome to me. Anyway, at least I’m getting some activity and hoping for another loss at the scales on Monday. And if not, that’s okay too – it’s about getting healthy, not just the number on the scale (although I like that too…)

I was commenting over on Run 4 Change (My Angle on Weight Loss) blog about how I did three miles in thirty minutes the other day. I didn’t think this was so impressive because I didn’t have anything to measure it against. However, according to Jason, “doing your three miles in 30 minutes is major booty kicking”. Tee hee hee. That led to further discussion about my legs feeling heavy when I run at times and to mentioning that there are hills around me where I go. He also added:

And one more thing Claire. Hills do slow you down substantially. Not that this is a bad thing at all but I am just saying that if you were to be going on a flat course your pace would be even faster.

And one more thing: A 10 minute mile pace is GREAT.

He is so encouraging – do go check him out and follow him. I know you will feel inspired!

So, as I promised him, I took some shots of my route I go on when I run around my neighborhood. I certainly didn’t do a 10 minute mile today because a) I kept stopping to take pictures and b) I had to wait for the crosswalk lights and c) it was hella humid out and hot and d) I walked more than I ran today. Still, I did my route in just under 50 minutes. I guess I’m doing better than I thought.

Here’s the hill right at the start of my route. I used to huff and puff just walking up this hill, and now I can run it almost all the way up. Today I did it twice because I started going, realized it was hot, and then went back home for water. (And you should see the cars spinning out on this hill when it snows. I just sit back and watch. I never attempt to drive out of the neighborhood when it snows – that should give you some more indication of its grade.)

As an aside, this is the view looking the other way down the hill.

This next shot is at the top of the first hill. I usually walk fast for a few paces here, then pick it up again at about the playground sign. This area is flat with a very slight downhill grade before I get to the first crosswalk.

First crosswalk, looking up the next hill. On this hill, I usually do a fast but I’ve been trying to get more running paces in going uphill. I am certain that’s helping with my steady weight loss efforts too. By the time I’ve hit the top of that hill just around the corner I’ve done about 2/3 of a mile.

Here you can see the crest of the hill and the beginning of the downward descent. Usually I’m walking fast across this little crosswalk and start picking up to running again at the second lamppost up there.

Around the next bend and downhill. I run down this for as far as the eye can see all the way to the traffic light, which is hidden from view. That traffic light is my turnaround and halfway point for the three mile route.

Turning around and looking back from whence I just came. and I always make sure to stay within the speed limit when I’m running. Bwahhahahaha.

At the bottom of that long hill, having just crossed over and looking back up.

Another closer view

Halfway up the top.

Some high school girls out trying to be like me. (Just kidding.)

Heading back down the final stretch. Glad to be seeing some level road and downhill. That long stretch of gradual uphill is a beast at times. But an excellent challenge. Eventually, I want to have the strength to run it all the way uphill.

And there you go – that’s pretty much my route. Three miles round trip. I can make it four if I go to the farthest stop light instead of crossing where I usually do – that adds on another one mile loop.

Now it’s time to rest those heavy legs…. which are getting lighter by the weigh-in.

The last few days in the Pacific Northwest have brought a welcome break to the 100+ degree temperatures we saw recently, but it cooled down so much that it felt a bit like Fall. I don’t like that – except that with Fall comes football, and that I like. But the cooler weather is perfect for gardening, so that’s what I did Saturday. Seven hours straight of weeding, reapplying more bark mulch, and hosing down the driveway. You know those little cracks in the driveway where the weeds sprout or grass grows? How does that stuff grow on concrete? I dug out ever last little shred of the nasty things. By evening, I was a very, very sore girl. I know where the expression “back-breaking work” comes from now.

I love the zen state that I can get into when I’m gardening or exercising alone. I can just push out all the worries of the world and my little life, if just for a short time, and it’s such a better alternative (even with the broken back) than sitting on the couch eating and watching TV.

I woke up this morning and my back was pretty stiff and my legs were sore from all the squats and lunges that accompanying weed pulling and bag lifting. So, what did I want to do? It was tempting to stay indoors as the clouds overhead threatened rain. However, I didn’t  but went for a three mile walk instead and ran about two of those three miles. Man did that ever feel good and it actually loosened up the muscles that were so stiff.

Finally, I got stir-crazy and decided to get my butt out of the house again. I’ve been wanting to hit the local thrift stores and see if I could find any goodies like I see some of my favorite blogs (such as Thrifty Decor Chick) find and repurpose. So off I went. Boy did I find a treasure!

This little lovely was sitting there waiting for me. Look how that blue matches my walls.

She has a big white globe on the inside and I’ll need to spray paint the fixtures from this ugly brassy color to a hammered bronze or black to match the rest of my house (any suggestions?)

Aaaaand let’s take a look at the price tag…

Yessirreee. $12.99 No, the decimal place wasn’t off and there were about 5 of those stickers all over the lamp. I swear I feel like I hit the lottery jackpot. I’m so excited.

There’s not a crack on her and she just needs a gentle cleaning, then hung from where the ugly builder-installed light is over my dining table and I’ll be all set! (Assuming she works – and if she doesn’t, then I’ll have new project of rewiring her.)

Oh, and Lily (my Chihuahua) says hello.

Summer TV usually is stale and dry, full of re-runs or silly reality TV shows, with one exception: So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD). Why? Because of the gifted, talented dancers they find on this show. This show is unlike other competitions, I think, because they really do scout out and find the top dancers, not just those who will be entertainment or drama for reality TV. These young people have trained for years and are skilled, athletic performers.

The way these dancers can add unspoken lyrics to the music by moving their bodies in precise, measured, fluid movements is most often breathtaking, moving, and deeply emotional for me. Not with every dance and not with every dancer and certainly some choreography is better than others.

This season, the top two dancers (in my opinion) were Brandon and Jeanine. Look at this dance they did on the finale show. For me, this just about sums it up. Passion, fire, intensity, sensuality, anger, love, lust, primal emotions, even a tinge of playfulness in there if you look closely enough. I just love it.

So how does it inspire me? These dancers push themselves and their bodies harder and harder each week. The leaps, the pirouettes, the flips, the lifts – it all looks so effortless to me. But what we don’t see are the hours and hours of dedication they put into this. They pour their hearts and souls into their dance.They listen to and heed the advice of experts who have gone the route before them. They adapt and change and bend to learn new techniques and to grow as dancers, and by doing this, they grow as people. They don’t give up even after a bad critique. They come back stronger, and even in the face of adversity, they persist and over time they become confident and successful.

There are lessons for me in watching these young people dance:

• Persist even in the face of criticism; that is, don’t give up.
• Listen to those who know more, who have been at it longer, and for whom whatever-it-is has become second nature.
• Follow directions.
• Be grateful, courteous, and gracious – always.
• Thank people for opportunities given, even if they don’t work out as hoped.
• Know your weaknesses as well as your strengths
• Live life full of passion, all the way to your toes.

These are lessons I need to keep remembering because I don’t do them all the time. I forget. I get fearful. I get arrogant and think I know everything. I’m human. But when I see dancers such as these, I’m inspired to be a better person, to be more humble, and to be grateful for all the gifts I do have and to use them to the best of my ability.

Now, I’m off to find a Zumba class and get my dance on.

This is always good advice, no matter what the endeavor, but especially when it comes to exercise. This may be obvious to some, but to me, it really makes sense. Babies aren’t born being able to run a marathon or go on a 50 mile bike ride. What makes us think that as adults we should be able to do that without working up to it? And also – not everyone wants to run a marathon or go on a 50 mile bike ride. Some of us just want to be able to move a little more, a little more easily.

When I started Weight Watchers in March of 2008, I had been inactive for years. I’d been working at a computer-based job for years, and commuting two hours daily, and then spending my evenings just watching TV, so there was a lot of just plain sitting on my bum. In addition, I have fibromyalgia, and this deterred me further from doing any activity.

Week two at Weight Watchers is usually when they start talking to you about activity, encouraging you to add activity to your weekly plan. I sat there and told myself that activity was great for the rest of you guys, but me, I was going to lose my weight without activity, just you wait and see. And that’s exactly what I did for the first few months. And I did lose weight, but I didn’t do any activity. People talking about joining gyms, weight lifting, walking 5Ks (gasp!) and more just turned me off and fired up my rebellion streak and I wasn’t going to do all that stuff. Besides, I’d tried joining gyms and got bored with them and never went. I tried the Gazelle at home and it was a great clothes hanger. All that equipment and membership dues was just a total waste for me. I still don’t like gyms.

Then one week, our leader at the time started talking about small ways – baby steps – that you can use to incorporate activity into your daily routine. Here are some of the things she came up with were really workable – and free – that I could see myself doing. They were realistic, small changes that I could try without a huge time commitment or cost.

Five easy ways to add steps to your daily routine.

• If you have two bathrooms, one on each floor, go to the one on the opposite floor (or opposite end of the house – or office)  when you need to. You’ll be amazed how many additional steps this incorporates into your day.
• Most people already know this one, but park at the far end of the parking lot when you go to the store. Added bonus: your car doors don’t get dinged.
• Take the shopping cart all the way back to the store instead of leaving it in front of your parking space.
• If it’s suggested to get a half hour of activity in a day, break it up into smaller pieces. Walk five or ten minutes at a time, two or three times a day. It all counts.
• Vacuum your floors more than once a week. You’d be surprised how many steps you take when you vacuum.

I did all these things when starting out and the amazing thing is that gradually, over time, I was able to do more. Twenty minutes turned into two miles and so forth. The point is, just get started. Start small, start with what you can do right now.

Here are the pictures my daughter took from my 5K run on Saturday. What a great weekend this has been.

Getting ready to go!

Coming in for the finish. Check out the eagle flying overhead. Do you suppose my father was around in spirit cheering me on? (I’m the pink speck way out there.)

Hot and sweaty, but feeling fantastic.

Now to rest my body, work, and get ready for Weight Watchers tonight.

I had the greatest time in this run. Wow, the energy, the people, the excitement. The one thing I didn’t expect to feel was the energy of the crowd taking off after the gun start. I just seemed to flow right along with them. I ran nearly the entire 5K with just a few pauses walking briskly – usually up a slight incline, but even one of those I ran. It was quite hot, and I tried to find the shady spots to run in, but even with that, this route was quite easy, really. I think the training route I’ve been doing on my own has helped, which has some extended hills.

Another observation – anything goes in these things. Seriously. There are all kinds of participants. There are serious runners, family runners, teams, walkers, walkers or runners with dogs or strollers. I even saw one little boy about the size of my 4 year old grandson who ran the whole way with his mommy.

My daughter, her husband, and my two grandsons were there to cheer me on and take pictures and were there when I crossed the finish line. I didn’t see them when I came back because there were so many people. (Stay tuned for a later post with pictures.)

My daughter told me that she cried when I started the run – that she was so proud of me and how far I’ve come. I cry just thinking about how proud she is of me.

And I’m proud of me – check out these results? How cool is this that I came in about middle of the pack for my first race ever. This is just awesome for this 49 year old woman with fibromyalgia. Goes to show with determination, perseverance, prayer, motivation, healthy choices, and the support of a loving family and friends, a person can do anything.

Oh, and after the race I felt GREAT! No sore feet, no sore legs or back – only a slight ache in one muscle, but that’s going away. Just feeling great.