Time is on my side

Sometime in 2013, a rash of "40 before 40" lists popped up with my friends, inspired by my great friend and Platonic Life Partner (and bad idea bear) Kari Kidrowski. I usually hate these things - sorry all friends who wrote kickass lists. I'm not sure why, but they've never quite appealed to me yet. And yet, I was driving home from Kalamazoo a few weekends ago and I found myself daydreaming about what would be on my list.

I'm coming up on 35 in April, and I've got some good things on the horizon, but I think there are plenty left to be accomplished. I reserve the right to add, delete, edit, censor or chuck this list altogether. Would you expect anything else?

1. Travel to Europe Boom! Done, Dec 26, 2014 - Jan 4, 2015

2. Roast a turkey successfully

3. Run a 10:00/mile. Just one. :)

4. Read Ulysses (I faked my way through a test on it in undergrad. It's time to read it) 

5. Can fruits and veggies for our own pantry

6. Run another marathon in another city

7. Start to learn Spanish

8. Learn to play a new instrument (piano? guitar? bass guitar?)

9. Censored

10. Brew my own beer

11. Learn to do a headstand

12. Finally take that vacation to the Bahamas 

13. Run a trail half marathon Done! 8-22-2015, North Country Trail

14. See Paul McCartney in concert (on deck, October 17, 2015)

15. Redacted

16. See Troy, Jessica and the kids more than once a year.  An annual goal, but managed it in 2015

17. Have a 30 day running streak November 27 - December 26, 2014

18. Uhh yeah... no

19. Try out for a local theater production

20. Run a sub-2:30 half marathon

21. Finally meet some of Mike's Navy friends that we haven't visited together

22.Create a living will/advance directive - encourage family members to do the same

23. Become a proficient and confident swimmer

24. Super Secret ;)

25. Vacation at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! April 2015!

So I only got to 25, even after letting this sit for a few weeks. I'll add more as I they come to me - hopefully not everything will be an athletic pursuit. I think 5 1/2 years is enough time to get most of this done. Really, I just need one AWESOME running year and I'll knock several out.

Holiday Run Streak is in progress!

Photographs and Memories

Tis the season... for year end reviews, retrospectives, and resolutions.

While 2013 was my most exciting year in recent memory, with a some AWESOME accomplishments and life changes, I find myself at the end of it feeling a little, well, blah. And definitely ready to move on to 2014. Many of my friends are ready to shove 2013 out the door, as they have faced significant challenges - with the hope that things can only look up. But I think that is what we hope for every year, no matter how successful the previous one was -- that things will get better.

So maybe we'll have a brief photo recap of 2013 and some thoughts on where to go next. Sound good? Still hanging with me?

The year kicked off right with the Sgt. Preston Yukon King 6 mile run on New Year's Day. Clock (in red) and I came in last. It was pretty awesome.

And I escaped the Michigan winter in January to visit Mike in Arizona - he was still living and working there.

Sunset heading towards Tuscon

But by March... he was on his way back to Michigan for good!

Just under 2000 miles from Phoenix to Kalamazoo!

I was already hatching my plans to run the Marine Corps Marathon and had set my sights on running the 5/3 River Bank 25k. As I wrote about before, the training didn't go well and my first half marathon of the season was rough. The weekend of my 33rd birthday was spent in Bloomington, IN for the Hoosier Half.

April came and went and Mother's Day (and Riverbank) was upon us! 

Kari's first 25k, my second 10k

As June rolled around I was finally ready to kick my running into high gear and I hit one of the low points of the year. On June 8, 2013, my grandmother passed away. 

Jamie, Jessica, Troy and Grandma
at Troy and Jessica's wedding reception, Aug 2010

The summer became an endless cycle of work, running and car trouble. In July, Mike and I took a much needed vacation to California to visit Troy, Jessica and Nolan (of course!!) and to do some sightseeing around the Bay Area. It was my first time visiting Yosemite and Alcatraz. We hit many of the San Francisco highlights in one whirlwind day, including Golden Gate Park, which clearly doesn't impress Nolan.

Shortly after returning from California, decided to get off the car repair merry-go-round. I bought my first ever new car (not hand-me-down from a family member), a 2013 Chevy Cruze. Kari suggested the name "Penelope Cruze," and she has treated me well the last few months. The downside is having an actual car payment and the car insurance hike that comes from having a car newer than your high school diploma.

I don't know about you, but I think the most logical thing to do after buying a new car and incurring a bunch of expenses is to change jobs and move. No?? Well I was never one for taking advice.

In late August, I accepted an offer at United Way of the Lakeshore, where I started my United Way career in 2009. I left my great colleagues at United Way in Kalamazoo after 3.5 years. It also meant leaving my running group, EcoTrekkers, friends, Jaycees and roomies, Heather and Shark.

Oh and I had to move. I hate moving. Dad and Mike hate it more.



My move to back to Muskegon put Mike's plans for home improvement on the fast track, as there were several projects he hoped to have done before Crookshanks and I arrived. Fast and furious work on painting, carpets and the kitchen, as well as some exterior updates took place over a 2-week period.

Crookshanks approves these updates

Throughout the summer, the move, the changes, I was still rolling towards the Marine Corps Marathon goal. I had my injury setback, detailed here, but was able to have some beautiful training runs.

Summer was quickly coming to a close and I was raising money like mad for the Epilepsy Therapy Project. I also spent a lot of time in little engine mode when mentally preparing for the marathon: I think I can, I think I can. One more race and it was time to head to DC.

Too good not to post - the Grand Rapids Marathon Relay Crew. And Mike's thumb.

I've detailed the marathon here, but there are more photos to share and always more story to tell.

Welcome to DC!

What?? You finished a marathon? You can still stand up? You're kidding!!

Ok, maybe that was just my internal monologue, but honestly, this was one of the best days of my life so far. I'm so glad that Mike, Mom, Dad and Kari were on the adventure with me!



It seems that the whole year was all about the marathon, but really, it was only about 6 months. Haha. Now that we've gotten through October and the REALLY BIG THING, as I had taken to calling it, I could focus on ending the year strong.

The runner ladies and I took to the apple orchards again this year for the Dirty Duel Trail Race. No action shots, but I think this will suffice:

With the holidays approaching, Mom, Dad, and I took a trip out to California in early December. We celebrated Christmas with Troy, Jessica and Nolan by completely spoiling the little bugger, eating all the cookies that Jessica made with no help, and having Thai food for Christmas dinner. Mike had already made plans to attend the Big 10 Championship game in Indianapolis to watch MSU beat Ohio State, so he didn't make the trip with us.

Nolan is ready to go

Aunt Jamie and Nolan spend some quality time

Almost the family Christmas card

With the holiday season properly kicked off, I returned home in the "spirit" and convinced Mike we had to get a Christmas tree. We HAAAADDD to get a Christmas tree.

Umm... isn't that the most awesome Christmas tree you've seen yet today? Yes, it does need an angel or a star. We're working on it.

I don't have many pictures from Christmas itself or the various festivities, so you'll have to trust me that this is a good representation. This is most of the Helsen women at our annual cookie exchange (and also the day of our holiday gathering). It was the first Christmas without Grandma, but we had 50 people at the house celebrating, so a wonderful celebration!

That's about it for the photo retrospective, kiddos. They're mostly rehashes, but a good reminder of where I've been this year and how lucky I am. 

In 2013 I was blessed with health, opportunity, endurance, encouragement, friendship and love. I don't know if I can ask for more out of 2014. Perhaps it's best not to get greedy and instead try to build on the abundance of gifts I have in front of me in these closing days of 2013.

My final words on 2013 come from the later verses of the traditional New Year's Eve song, Auld Lang Syne:

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty friend!
And give us a hand o' thine!
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Happy New Year!

Run like a slow animal is chasing you!

Yesterday was the 36th annual River Bank Run! It was also my first 25k race. Or... not. As my loyal 10 (being generous, more like 5) readers know, my spring training has been plagued by inclement weather, life stress and general low motivation. I struggled through the last weeks with the thought of running 15.5 miles on May 11. Sure, I had completed a half marathon in April, but I swore I would not run another race so unprepared in the future. So in the end, I took the easy/hard way out. As a ridiculously stubborn person who is hell-bent on pushing my limits, it took a lot to pull back - and it was the best thing! Instead of dreading yesterday and fretting about it all week, I approached the 10k race knowing with confidence I could finish it, would be able to walk straight today, and would not mess up my approaching marathon training.

The joy and sense of accomplishment that runners get is the #1 reason to do it. Not the t-shirts. Not the medals. Not the ability to eat and drink 1,500 calories guilt free. The 25k was hanging over me, weighing heavy on my mind and on my legs. So I decided to trade the sense of accomplishment of running my longest distance with bringing back the joy. Bring in 'da noise, bring in 'da funk, bring in 'da joy, so to speak. Dreading the race was keeping me from properly preparing. The thought that at 12.something min/miles the 25k would take 3+ hours was horrifying. Like that little girl from "The Ring" crawling out of your TV. "Psycho" shower scene. Severus Snape being a good guy. Yeah, that bad.

I went to the Race Changes booth and they just crossed off the "25" and replaced it with "10" on my bib and ensured that I'd be entered into the computer to change my race distance. I was able to trade in my 25k tech t-shirt for the LAST WOMEN'S MEDIUM 10k shirt. This is very important, as I told the woman that if I got and wore the 25k shirt, it would jinx me and I'd never finish a 25k. She looked at me like I was insane, but did not slap me (as I would have been tempted to do, if a woman was shrilly freaking out about a damn t-shirt). That was that. I'd run the 10k, just 6.2 miles confidently and hopefully smiling.

In short, the pre-race was great, seeing my Aunt Jean, Aunt Beth and cousin Justin who were running the 5k. We found Uncle Gary and my cousins Ross and Lauren who were competing in the 10k as well. I was so cheerful in the morning and on the ride there that Mike and Kari were genuinely concerned that it was a sign of the end of days. Luckily, by the time we reached our destination, I was back to my cranky morning self and was swearing in a church parking lot. The world made sense again.

The race was a little chilly with the wind on the river, but I race confidently, but not quickly. I was afraid to push it in the first half, not sure how I'd do in the last 3 miles. I'm glad I didn't go out too fast, as I've not done any speed work this season and would've had a tough time. I did, for once, have enough to kick during the half mile and smile for the finish line cameras, so I was happy with the finish. My only criticism of the finish line area is that they didn't have pretzels. I always want pretzels. If you organize a race, have pretzels. PLEASE.

The absolute best thing that came out of this race will be 12 months from now. With all the Helsen family members already at the race, we got an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful *awful* idea. Oh wait. That's the Grinch. This was just a wonderful idea. Next year, we'll round up as many of our 60+ members to enter the River Bank Run 5k for Mother's Day. Call it the Mother's Day 5k. Call it Forced Family Fun. Whatever you want. Whether you're a kid, a grandkid, married into the family, or just hang around the family of Ike and Dorothy Helsen, be at the River Bank Run next year. We'll have t-shirts. At least 15 people are already in. We've got some babysitters committed.  And we will run, walk and jog the 5k as a FAMILY. Kick ass, y'all.

That's it. I ran 6.2+ miles yesterday. Probably walked over 3, given how far away we parked. And it was great. And about 1/2 a mile from the finish, somebody had a sign that said Run like a slow animal is chasing you. I pointed at her, yelled, "HEY! That's ME! I'm that person!" and kicked it into gear. Pretty good little Saturday, if I do say so myself.

10k Results - Would have been a PR, had nature not called while I was at the John Ball Zoo water station.

Cousins! Check out Ross' sexy legs!

One year later

I've had a blog post sitting around, half finished for more than 5 days and it wasn't writing itself. It wasn't so much a case of writer's block as it was of "thinker's block" or "runner's block." See, I'm still having some trouble with my running and some struggles in my personal life, but the negative tone the post was unsettling me. This weekend was a bit of a breakthrough, however.

Saturday I woke up with my "I hate running" face on. Thankfully, Shawn had made me promise the night before that I would be at his house at 9am for a 6 mile run. So at the crack of 9:15, I was there. It was my first run with Shawn in a long time and my first run ever with his friend Jen, a genuine rabbit if I ever met one (even nursing a knee injury). I did my best to slow them down and after 6 difficult miles and a huge breakfast at Nina's, I begrudgingly admitted the run was good. Back on the horse, so to speak.

Yesterday was nothing short of inspiration. For the first time, I went to an actual cheering station for a marathon. Our local store of all things craft beer, wine and gourmet local food, Beer and Skittles served as a water stop and cheering station for the Kalamazoo Marathon. About Mile 14.5. Again, I went with Shawn, Jen and her family joined us. A trip to the dollar store on Saturday night provided the world's most annoying noisemakers that I passed out to all the kids - and saved some for our group too!  We arrived early enough to see the first runner pass and I stayed for two hours, until at least 80% had gone by.  The most inspirational moment was when a woman came through around the 4:45 pace (nearly 11 min/mile - not part of the fast group) stopped at the corner, hugged her two school-aged kids who gave her snacks, took her discarded hat and then her mom (I'm guessing) took a picture of all three before giving her a huge hug and sending her on her way. The pride on the face of mom was clear from across the street. I'd bet all the dollars in my purse that it was a first time marathoner. The scene choked me up for longer than I expected - I have a fear I will cry through my entire marathon, especially when I see my family. Especially at the end. Oy.

But the walk back home is what inspired this post. See, last year I ran the 5k on the same day as the marathon. It was my first official race in 11 years. Here's a brief retrospective on the races/runs I've entered in the past year:

May 2012: Borgess Run for the Health of it 5k - the one the started it all!
May 2012: Girls on the Run 5k - slowest, most fun 5k EVER
June 2012: Kalamazoo Klassic 10k - first ever race longer than 4 miles
June 2012: Seaway Run 5k - a Muskegon summer tradition
August 2012: Color Run Grand Rapids
September 2012: Warrior Dash - Seriously, what was I thinking??
October 2012: Grand Rapids Half-Marathon - This is why I ran all summer!
November 2012: Red Bull Trail Daze Adventure Run
November 2012: Muskegon Turkey Trot 5k
December 2012: Run Through the Lights 5k - Santa and his reindeer sang through the entire course!
January 1, 2013: Sgt. Preston Yukon King 6 miles - longest run since the 1/2, also the only time I've ever been last (since high school track).
March 2013: St. Patrick's Day 5k - very informal, came with a free beer at Bell's afterwards!
April 2013: Hoosier Half Marathon - Happy Birthday to ME!!!

So, when I'm beating myself up for not doing enough over the past year, for not making progress in my times and my endurance, I need to look back and see what I accomplished in one short year. I've gone from barely being able to run 2 miles to THIS. And I think it's an impressive body of work.

Now, if I can just get back on a training schedule, perhaps the short, medium and long runs won't seem so difficult.  :)

Seaway Run 2012: Love Muskegon!

Many people have joined me on these events: Kari K., Shawn B., Stephanie H., Dave W., Angela C., Jen W.,  Heather T., Jen V., Cari D., Amy N., Sarah N., Adam N., Beth M., Brian H., Kylie S., and others. Thank you all!

To donate to my Marine Corps Marathon Fundraising efforts, click here!