Epically Challenged

My brain (and body) seems tired this week, yet, I am committed to writing (and running). This is a late entry to The Pic and a Word Challenge #149 – Epic. I kept on checking to see if Patrick had already posted the links and the new challenge – he hasn’t as of today. Patrick, this was a true challenge this week – I may have to revisit this prompt at a later date! For what its’s worth, here is my offering for this week: a limerick (inspired by Patrick’s whimsical poem “I Rhyme with Orange“).

*****

An epic poem recounts the tale of a hero

Alas, my brain is coming up with zero

I’ve no stories to tell

Really? What the hell??!!

Maybe I just need some more vino

Facebook is making changes and I won’t be able to directly link up my blog posts to my personal page. If you’re my FB friend and want to keep reading what I write, please consider subscribing using your email or following on WordPress. Links are on the blog if you need!

I’m a Runner, Not an ADDer*

*ADDer as in one who adds, not the venomous snake.

****

On Saturday, my RB, Michele and I, were supposed to do 6 miles as part of our training program for the Hershey Half Marathon. We had run 2.5 with the rest of our MRTT group before we veered left on the trail to get more miles. Going right would have been about another mile back to our car.

So, we’re running and talking and discussing how many miles we had to do before turning back. We’re tossing numbers back and forth and finally decided to go out 2.5 then run back to get our 6 miles. Easy, right? Well…

If you do the math:

2.5 (done) + 2 (going out from split) + 2 (coming back to split) + 1 (from split off point to the car) = ….. wait for it…

7.5 miles on Runkeeper! Hmmm, overshot the required 6 miles by a tad…

Thank goodness Michele and I had a lot to catch up on! Another fabulous run in the books!

(Notice anything different about our “before run” and “after run” pictures? How did you get that answer? Show all work for full credit.)

*****

Redemption! Went out for a quick 5k on Thursday with Michele. It was the first non-rainy day since the weekend. Humidity was high! The cloud cover definitely helped.

We did our usual route however one part was closed off due to construction. As we turned back, I worried that I would not be able to get my 3 miles in. Michele said not to worry, that I would hit 3 miles on the way back to the car. Lo and behold – 3 miles done, just like she said!

In conclusion, runners need to know how to do math, especially adding. Not only is it helpful in figuring out mileage, we also need to know how much we’ve spent on race registrations! 😁

Gestures

I’ve been thinking about this prompt all week and it finally came together today! Thank you again to Patrick for his Pic and a Word Challenge #48.

Jaw set

Brows coming together

Looking straight ahead while around her

Kids are squirming, tearing, jeering

She rubs her forehead, right above her nose and closes her eyes

The gesture of acceptance

Out numbered defeat

Head tilted to the side

Eyes squinted

Staring into a face that doesn’t believe in her worth, her rights, her existence

She crosses her arms, juts her hip and taps her foot

The gesture of defiance

Disbelief that in this day and age

Mouth agape

Neck outstretched

Listening to advice and false promises yelled by witnesses to her body’s treachery

She swings her arms and shuffles forward

The gesture of persistence

Knowing pain is temporary

Afterwards, she sits still

Listening to the quiet sounds

Of trees swaying and not breaking

Her breathing deepens

Her arms raise to the sky

The gesture of triumph

Self determined

©️iido 2018

Organic: Can I have what she’s having?

Inspired by Pic and a Word #147 – Organic. Again, Patrick’s lovely picture and prose lead me down a different path. This ode is to a practical struggle that some people (especially parents, I think) grapple with every time they go to the grocery store. (Also, if you don’t get the reference in the title, then you and I are not of the same generation!)

******

I didn’t buy it

Despite the warnings

The “shoulds” of good motherhood

Like wipe warmers and vaccines

It’s a well educated privilege

Yet

The expense – Is it worth it?

You know, it’s a conspiracy, right?

We didn’t grow up that way

Don’t spoil them

A little dirt is good for you

But

It’s more than dirt

It’s more than chemicals

It’s molecules and manipulations

And making money

Still

The 9 haunts me

The butterfly taunts me

I should have just bought organic

©️iido 2018

*******
As a runner and a mom, healthy eating is important to me. However, following through on every food related recommendation can be daunting, especially when you have numerous mouths spouting (and sometimes shouting) competing requests.

This summer, I’ve been endeavoring to eat more non-processed foods, especially for the snacks. I was inspired by the book, Nutrition Performance for Runners. I’ve been buying organic, non-GMO foods when it doesn’t break the budget. Steering the kids (and myself!) towards whole fruits and veggies instead of fruit snacks and bars is constant retraining.

We are fortunate enough to live in an area with a lot of farmers’ markets and roadside farm stands. However, not all these farms are organic or non-GMO. I’ve found it is important to ask questions about how the food is grown. I still go to the supermarket and reading labels has become second nature to me. Needing to balance time (how many farmers’ stalls can I visit and still have time to stop at the store before picking up the kids?) and budget, factors into my food buying decisions.

Am I alone in this dilemma? A lot of people seem “all or nothing” regarding what to buy (as well as where. Did I mention we just got a Whole Foods market that is already causing traffic?).

First Time

(An ode to my older daughter)

The first time I saw you

I thought

Perfection

Your stand up hair

Your knowing eyes

Your pouty lips

Your teddy bear belly

Your crinkled toes

Your peaceful breathing

I made you

(With help of course!)

I grew you

As I continue to watch you

In wondrous

Perfection

You hold me

You teach me

You admire me

You humble me

You forgive me

You better me

I am broken

I am healed

With each First Time

You remind me

You are already

Perfection

I should just stand back

And watch

©️iido 2018

******

My older daughter joined me for a group run with my MRTT chapter. It was her first time running with me and my running friends. One of the other moms also brought her daughter (which is what inspired my daughter to join us). While this run was more of a walk, it was refreshing to see this route – that I had run many times before – through my daughter’s eyes.

I remember running in high school gym class. You needed to run a mile in under 20 minutes. We ran the laps indoors. I was the last one to come in at 19 minutes. And I collapsed on the floor when I crossed the finish line. One of the other students (Rob H – whatever happened to him?) came over to see if I was ok. I felt like I was going to die – from exertion and embarrassment.

I hope my daughter will never have to experience the Double E. Right now, she doesn’t absolutely love running (lol – in fact, her runs are more like “walking with some short running intervals”) but she is not daunted by running. I can see her getting stronger (in body and mind) and that sense of accomplishment at this age is priceless. The first time I realized that I could overcome the Double E was in my late 20s when I actually trained and ran my first 5k.

They say you never forget your first time – first run, first race, first PR. What running first do you remember? Was it a happy, sad or maybe even a double E memory? I’m looking forward to more runs with my daughter. She is my inspiration!!

Clouds

A poem inspired by Pic and a Word Challenge #146. While Patrick’s optimism shines through in his writing, mine took a slightly different turn…Thanks for another great prompt, Patrick!

*******

Amorphous clouds engulf me –

My true hand unseen

My heart frozen, unloved

My breath stilled and unworthy

My solid form deemed weak

What was supposed to shade me

Protect me

From the bleaching hanging sun

Now hurts my skin with its

Wispy viper tendrils

I thought you were my friend

But I missed the forecast for

Cloudy with a chance of

selfish entitlement.

In conclusion….

Our vacation is over and I must say, I feel quite accomplished! Besides the customary over-eating, I was actually much more active this vacation than most. I hiked and walked. I read books. I wrote posts for this blog. I even did laundry…

I read this book by Lauren Graham (of Gilmore Girls game) called, In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It.

It was a very light read but with some good messages. Like this line about progress being found in the “small, seemingly uneventful accomplishments”.

I’ve found this to be so true about running and staying healthy and about life in general. It is all about these small accomplishments that add up to being a better runner, a better mother, a better person.

It’s what gives me hope that people are still inherently kind and considerate of other people. What might be a small accomplishment to you, could be a huge life changer for someone else.

Yes, those are unisex bathrooms (from 2 different locations). They are just like the unisex bathrooms you have in your home!

When I was the chapter leaders of the San Jose MRTT Chapter, I started these daily posts where I would recognize the accomplishments that the women posted or told me about. Sometimes it was a mom going for her first post partum walk with her newborn. Sometimes it was a woman who ran her first double digit mileage run. Sometimes it was a mom who was able to workout and shower in the same day. Our small accomplishments can be so often overlooked by the people in our lives so I think, having it recognized by a group of like minded women was something that was really appreciated.

What was your small accomplishment today? How are you recognizing it?

Here are mine:

– finishing this post which I started last week.

– not being late for my appointments today.

– running for 1.75 miles straight with no walk breaks.

– setting aside time for reading with my kids.

– eating salad with minimal dressing for lunch.

So in conclusion, don’t worry, be happy…Small accomplishments can lead to big rewards!