4 Miles Baby!!

So yea. I'm innocently walking my class back from PE this morning when one of the 6th grade teachers comes walking down the hallway and asks me what I'm doing this weekend. Well. This isn't just any 6th grade teacher. This is the MARATHON RUNNING 6th grade teacher. Ya...she did the New York marathon this year, the PF Chang's, the Rock'n Roll, and just 2 weeks ago an ULTRA marathon, which is 31 stinking miles. She's pretty amazing.

So I was a little concerned about where this question was leading, but I told her I wasn't doing anything. So she asked........if I wanted to join her group for the Ragnar Relay. What the heck is the Ragnar Relay you ask?  Well, it starts in Prescott. There are 12 people on a team (or 6 if you're super crazy and like torture), and you each take turns running different legs of the race. Not little legs mind you. Big fat legs. Until you make it back to Mesa about 36 hours later. Non stop. 

She told me I would be doing the shortest leg. That would be 4 miles---3 different times! One of them even in the middle of the night.  I told her that a runner, I am not. Yes, I've been training for a triathalon, but the running is seriously my weakest area. My downfall, if you will. But I told her I'd think about it.

Well, the thing is I couldn't stop thinking about it. CRAZY. WHY was I even thinking about it? The last time I ran 4 miles in a row was in high school! But, it kept poking its way back to the front of my brain. Plus, she's hilarious and I knew we'd have a blast. So I told her I would do it. WHAT??? Am I insane? Possibly.

We leave Friday morning at 4:20 am (yep), and we won't stop or get home until Saturday  night. I will run 3 different times, the first 3.6 miles, the second 4.6 miles, and the last 4.2 (I think). 

I decided that I better just try out a run at the gym tonight to see if I could seriously do this without completely dying. (I did assure her that I was a crappy runner and I'd probably have to walk, and she told me it was fine. Apparently our team is called the "Halfast" group...half the speed, twice the fun...which is great for me! But really they're all part of this running club, and I am definitely not).

I decide I'm going for 4 miles (are we remembering here that the last time that happened was almost 20 years ago???).  I turned on my iPod, set the speed for 5.5, and off I went. I upped it to 6.0, then 6.5, and wouldn't you know it...I ran FOUR MILES! In a row. With only a SLIGHT stop for speed walking halfway through. And guess how long it took me? 45 minutes and 35 seconds. That's about an 11 minute mile in case you didn't want to figure out the math. Seriously? I have NOT been pushing myself hard enough apparently, because I did it! And I felt good! I was tired, yes. But I did it.

The funny thing is I've "hated" running for so long that I never gave it a chance. This made me think I might not actually hate it after all.  I can't explain the euphoria felt after that accomplishment tonight. Am I still scared to death for this weekend? YES. But at least I know I can do it. It is possible. And I won't die.  

Who knows? Maybe after this triathalon I'll join that running club. Nothing seems impossible anymore. I did it. I'm proud.

But let's hope I'm still alive on Sunday. :)

My Body Hates Me

OK, so it's official. I've decided my body has it in for me. I know, I know. It's my own fault. I've abused it for too long by filling it up with junk food and garbage. But still! You'd think that it would thank me for trying to fix that, and for trying to make it more healthy with exercise all the time. Nope. It hates me. 

I suppose it's just gotten used to all that extra fat, and it's become attached to it emotionally. I don't know. But I do know that it's TICKING me off!! I mean, come on. I have been diligently working out 5 days a week for 6 weeks whilst training for this triathalon. I have been a trooper on these fitness/food challenges that Dixie has been throwing at me (no soda, no eating after 7 pm, 5 a day fruits and veggies, no snacks except fruits and veggies, writing down my food/calories, and now no sweets). I haven't been perfect on the challenges. I've struggled with the fruits and veggies, and finding time to write things down has been tough. But I HAVE stopped the eating just because crap.

So I ask you...should NOT my body LOVE me for this and help me out by shedding a few of those unwanted, unnecessary, unseemly, UGLY fat pounds?? The answer, my friends, should be a resounding yes. But unfortunately for me, my body says NO! I LOVE the fat and want to keep it. Stupid body.  

You know what it's done? It's shed a MEASLEY 2 pounds since beginning this training on Jan. 1st. Just 2 pounds! On Saturday it was 3 pounds, but today when I weighed, it was back to just 2. Two. T-W-O. Dos. A Couple. Twins. A pair. 

Now, I'm not giving up, but I'm telling you my motivation and dedication are wavering in the face of this stubborn body of mine. I am biking, swimming, running, and weight training diligently and getting no results. For the love of all that's holy, people, what's wrong with me??

Never fear. I shall persevere, and eventually I will wear my body down so that I will be the champion. I WILL lose the weight, and I WILL look hot...eventually. Wish me luck, though, because right now my body is laughing at me and holding those two pounds in front of my face with a taunting jeer saying: "See these, sucker? I want them back, and I'm not giving up any more!" And I'm trying with all my might to look that body in the eye and stare it down with fierceness and shout back: "2 pounds is 2 pounds, jerk! Just watch out because IT. IS. ON!"

But I'm kinda struggling...

I need a boost. This will all work for me eventually, right? 

Or should I just blame it all on that blasted diabetes?! Ya...that's the reason....

GRRRRR!

Facebook is Addicting!

So, I realize I'm a total slacker when it comes to my blog, and I haven't posted for a while. I have to say that Facebook has officially sucked me in! It is addicting.  Here is the weird thing, though. I had someone "friend" me and could NOT figure out where I knew her from, or if I actually knew her. I waited to confirm until BINGO! It hit me! It was a student of mine from when I first started teaching...12 years ago!!

She's all grown up and engaged to be married. Who feels OLD??? Yep, me. So then I visited her page and looked at all her friends (like 400 something), and I found LOTS of my old students. It was so weird to see them all grown up, kissing boys, dressing...not like 10 year olds, etc. I still picture them as 4th graders, ya know??

Anyway, they are doing great, and I'm seriously enjoying catching back up with them...because after all, I spent 180 days of their formative years with them, and I'm pretty sure I'm the reason they're doing so well....KIDDING! But honestly, where does the time go??

Shouldn't everyone stay their innocent little selves forever? Ah well... 

Carpe Diem and all that.

Mrs. Crandell