Maier Family

Saturday, August 1, 2009

New Leash on Life 10k (6.2 miles) Celoron, NY

Just to be honest... this was one of the rare times I actually had company while running during this race. No, I wasn't so far ahead of everyone else either! The point of my race was simply to finish it without walking. I was hoping for a pace somewhere in the 9's over the 6.2 mile course. Some moderate hills throughout and the weather was sunny and hot.

Adon found ways to stay busy during the race. I mean, can you say "jungle gym junkie". Luckily at the 1/2 point he and Ashley were able to wave as I heard "Da Da DA!" cheering me on!

By the picture you can see that I didn't quite get my goal pace. In fact, the first 4 miles felt pretty good despite the heat and obvious slower pace. The last 2.2 were really difficult. Yet my overall goal remained... not to walk any of it. Ashley honestly and lovingly later said, "It was kind of a fast walk jogging thing that you did at the end". I was lifting my knees... it wasn't walking! The absolute best part was having them both there at the finish line!

Pool Time

Monday, July 27, 2009

It's been busy... but here's an update!

The family is growing! ~ Not what you were maybe thinking... but be we are excited to welcome home Adon's new cousin on his mommies side of the family, Makeda Rose Hirut Hausman! Ash's cousin Val just adopted from Ethiopia and returned home last Friday. Makeda joins her cuz's Adon, Flannery, and Colden (Nate's pup)!!!

Teen Camp ~ Year #5 as a counselor at teen camp was again very rewarding and very difficult. It becomes harder and harder to leave Ash and Adon... especially knowing how much work that puts on Ash when she has to single parent. Thanks Momma H. for coming down and helping out a few days! This picture is one of many embarrassing and potentially career limiting photos now circulating the internet. It was a contest to see which counselor could keep 3 Alka-Seltzer and about 3 oz.'s of Sprite in their mouth the longest. I'm flanked by Heidi and Colleen who went on to be the final 2... I was the second person who erupted!

Strep-Throat ~ I came home from a week at teen camp totally exhausted but feeling rather well despite that. Life was slow to resume as it's no longer "sleep in all day Monday" with Adon around. Business as usual when Wednesday rolls around and my throat is a bit scratchy. Went for a run that night with Robert and Andy only to feel like a truck had hit me at mile #2 of the 4.2 we ran. Came home and just started to fall apart... woke up at 1 AM with fire shooting out of my throat... Doc's at 9 AM... Amoxicillan at 10 AM. Serioulsy... I haven't had strep throat since I was 12.

Running ~ This Saturday, August 1st, is my first ever 10k [New Leash on Life 5k/10k Celoron, NY pic is of the park where the race will start and finish on beautiful Lake Chautaugua]. Prior to camp and the plague we (coach Robert and I) had gotten my pace in the 9:40 range. Post the 2 above mentioned experiences I'm back up into cruise-control pace but that's OK. It's never been about racing... always about finishing... so that's what I hope to do on Saturday. Looking forward to boosting my fitness as much as I can this week for a nice smooth run. Robert keeps saying, "Just take your time and then start picking people off the last mile!" This also means I have about a week to decide if we keep pushing the training and register for the Kwik-Fill half-marathon in October here in Warren!?!?!? Gotta be honest, the thought of having just started running in May and then doing a 5k, 10k, and my first 1/2 marathon in 5 months is a pretty crazy and possibly doable goal! Remember, God told to me to run... because on my own I never would! I'm finding more and more that if "it" is something we would never think to say or do on our own... there's a strong chance God is behind it!