Mondays are not my best running days

So as I mentioned before I ran my first 5k on Saturday April 9th.  Well I was so excited and could not wait to run on the following Monday.  I had a lapse in judgment that day, and decided that I would take a strength training class before I ran that day.  I once took a pilates class before I ran and that turned out to be a horrible idea.  My legs felt like jello while I was running and up to that point it had been the hardest run I have ever done.  I had taken a strength training class at the YMCA before and it was a great class that only really worked my abs and arms so on this Monday I thought what can it hurt?  I found out it hurt me more than I imagined.  About 3 minutes into this class, I realized I made a BIG mistake choosing to take this class before I ran. Every move and I mean EVERY move including squats and heel raises. I knew the run on this Monday morning would not be a pretty one.  I had too much pride to leave the class 5 minutes into it.  I have seen people leave Zumba classes 10 minutes into the class and I always think "poor person can not keep up."  I was not going to be that person.  So as I met my  friend Monique following the class I think the first words out of my mouth went a little like this, "I do not know how good I am going to be, I do not know what I was thinking taking that strength training class.  All she did was work my legs the whole hour!"  Now one of the best things about having a workout partner is the encouragement.  She just said, "That's cool, we will just do what we can."  Then we were off...for a minute.  It was not too long into the run I just felt like my legs would give out so I had to slow down to a walk.  Then I would run a little. Then I would walk.  This went on the whole workout.  I felt horrible not only because I had just ran a 5k and it was an amazing accomplishment for me, I felt like I was holding Monique back from doing her best, and I also felt like I was letting Jase down.  One thing that Monique said to me when we had finished our walk/run (but more of a walk on this day) was this, "Shellie you are going to have good days and bad days and this was just a bad day."  What a great friend!

Before I go on I want to add that we are night nurses so we not only run...but we run after we have worked all night...just had to throw that in there.

So I woke up that Monday night to head to work and I could hardly even walk on my Right foot that night.  I had the phone in my hand to call in twice, but I am not a person who likes to call into work so I just sucked it up and went.  I would like to say this was a running injury but I am pretty confident that it was from the squats and heel raises from earlier in the day.  So I went to work and was in a large amount of pain at the beginning of the shift, but the more I walked on it the more it worked itself out so by that morning I had a minimal amount of pain.  End of injury.

So with my "injury" Ben told me I had to take Tuesday off. Tuesday is a cross training day so I was going to take a Zumba class. Going is the key word. I was a good girl and listened to my husband.

Wednesday was a running day.  I met Monique at a park that has a beautiful running trail.  I believe our workout was to run for 30 minutes.  I ran with no problem this day.  It amazes me what your body can do from one day to the next.  Just two days before I could hardly run 5 minutes.  Then on this day I could have probably ran more than 30.  We are training for the hospital hill 10K.  This morning we decided to go downtown and check the route out. In my mind I had pictured this huge hill that you could not  see the top of it because it was in the clouds.  So I am glad we decided to go check it out.  No hills to heaven on this route.

Then Saturday was a long run.  A 40 minute run.  Did I mention how cold it was outside on this day?  It was cold.  No running outside for me.  So off to the Y to the indoor running track.  Now 40 minutes on this track was probably over 50 laps. Yes 50.  The only thing that kept me from being too bored is that I could see Addison playing in the kids center.  She is so cute.  Just thought I would throw that in there.  The only mishap I had on this day is that I had to stop to tighten my knee bands.  Yes I wear knee bands.  I am old.  I ended up running over 3.5 miles.  After we ran they had an Easter egg hunt for the kids.  It was so much fun to watch Addison hunt the eggs.  She told me last night, "Mom I need to hunt Easter eggs again because I am good at it."  How cute.  If anyone knows of any Easter egg hunts in Kansas City or St. Joe this weekend let me know so Addison can show off her mad Easter egg hunting skills.

Then back to yesterday, Monday and as you can probably guess from the title of my blog that this was not a good day for me.  I told Monique that she could run on her own or wait for me.  Robert Pattinson was on Regis and Kelly so I had to watch that first.  She thought I was nuts and decided to run on her own.  I understand no love lost.  So after Regis I headed to the trail.  When I took my Ipod out of my bag I realized that I had left my receiver for it at home.  It is the device that tracks my runs.  So I headed home.  Now I could have run without it, but I like to track my progress and I do not log a single mile without it.  So I came home and ran around the seminary campus.  It was windy and there are some hills.  It was hard.  I had to cut my run short because my legs could not go anymore.  I was dripping with sweat.  I did not feel as much like a failure this day because I realized that on our long running day I need more than a day of rest in between. It is not that I failed, I was just listening to my body.  So I texted Monique and said we have to change our running days.  So we are going to mix it up a bit and see how it goes.

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Easter. While Easter egg hunts and Easter bunnies are fun. Lets not forget what we are really celebrating.

Then the angel said to the women. "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here he has risen just like he said."
Matthew 28:5-6

Happy Easter
Shellie

Jase last Easter. We sure will miss him this year.

Jase hunting eggs with daddy last year

Addison and Jase hunting eggs last year.  In Kansas City last year it rained so we had to do the Easter egg hunt inside.

Why I am doing this blog

On June 10, 2010 my life was forever changed! My beautiful  19 month old son went to be with Jesus. Nothing can prepare a parent for the death of a child and I would not want anyone to ever have to experience it.  Jase was a sweet, caring, and beautiful little boy.  He passed away peacefully in his sleep from a rare virus. He showed no symptoms and did not suffer. If a parent has to lose a child...I could not think of a better way to lose him.

Now lets back up to earlier in the summer of 2010. I decided that I would TRY to run.  Crazy I know.  I used see the same lady run down a busy highway everyday and think, "SHE IS CRAZY!"   So I had started the program Couch to 5k. On June 7th, I remember running around the seminary campus thinking, "Why am I doing this exactly?" When I was done for the day and walked in the door Jase and Addison were both so happy to see me I had my answer...  "I am doing this for them."

After Jase passed away I wanted to run more than ever. I had started something and I was not going to quit because I did not want to fail him.  During the summer I was improving at running and I could run almost 2 miles without walking and to me, that was a big deal.  Then winter hit. Winter in Missouri is not good for runners...its cold.  Cold and I do not get along. I never quit running, but I ran less and less.  I hated treadmills.  I tried to run on one once  and it turned out to be disasterous.  Let's just say it is a good thing I do not go to the gym to impress people because no one was impressed that day!  I was always thinking to myself  "I wish I had an indoor track to run on."

 I started a new job in December. One day one of my co-workers had come to work and was talking about the gym she joined had an indoor running track.  YES! I knew I wanted to join. Not only did it have an indoor running track it had an amazing area for kids and that is important because I wanted to be able to take Addison to the gym too.  I came home and talked to Ben about it and he told me to make it worth the money I would have to go to the gym 5 days a week. Well ok then!  I joined the next week!  The co-worker I had talked about is not only a co-worker, she became a dear friend. We started running together.  I restarted the Couch to 5k plan again.  I remember how long the 5 minute run seemed, but the runs became easier and easier!

Now fastforward to yesterday.  I reached my first goal, and ran my first 5k with my new running partner/friend.  My time was 34:36.  Now to some that probably seems slow but to me it was a huge acomplishment!  There was a fairly good size hill on this run that I was not anticipating, and there were times that it seemed like I could not go on.  I would just picture Jase's sweet beautiful face, pray to God for strength to go on and I did!  He gave me the strength to go on as he has many times since that day in June.

I named this blog Running for Jase, but I run for Addison too!  I am going to make a runner out of her and someday we both will be running for Jase.

They loved each other so much



Handsome