goals

A goal is the desired result that a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve: a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.

It is roughly similar to purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value. (Wikipedia)

I started walking years ago

as a way to get outside in the fresh air

and get a bit of exercise.

To clear my mind

and have some alone time.

Goals.

I walked through my entire cancer diagnosis, surgeries, and treatments.

Walking was a way for me to have control;

I didn't have control over losing my breast or hair

but, I had control over feeling sorry for myself-

for curling up in a ball and giving up or

getting off the couch and getting outside.

I started out slowly.

As the years went by, I began to add

mileage and speed to my walks.

A few years ago,

my Mother in law was in the deep, ugly depths

of Alzheimers;

my sweet and loving  husband
 became one of  the main decision makers
and caretakers.

It was hard.

It was stressful.

It was sad.

I used walking as a way to

escape and decompress.

I walked.

I prayed.

I cried.

I sang.

I was renewed.

Out in the fresh air

I could let it go.

~~~

One day a friend of mine asked if

I was interested in doing a half marathon.

What?

No way! I can't run that far!

He encouraged me to just walk it.

So, I signed up and walked that 13.1 miles.

It was the beginning.

I wouldn't say it has become an addiction...

but,  it's close! Ha

I have done 4 half marathons since then 

and am signed up to do 2 more this year.

One I am even traveling to another state to do it in!

Goals.

~~~

In 2015

as

 New Year resolutions

started circulating,

I decided to commit to participating in a 5k every month!

I am happy to say that I did it!

Even when visiting my daughter in Vienna, Austria:

I did a virtual 5k while my grandson, husband, and daughter

played in a park.

At one point,

my grandson who stopped to watch me

as I lapped around the park

asked me,

"granny are you racing?"

"Yes, I am!"

"are you winning?"

I laughed and said,

"why, Yes I am!"

Goals.

Currently,

I belong to three separate online running groups.

We challenge and support each other.

Because of one of the groups

I have committed to 

walking/running

2,016 miles in 2016!

Goals.

I have now moved on to 

longer walks

and can now run a complete 5k

without walking!

This is huge for me!

Little by little.

Step by step.

Mile by mile.

I have become stronger.

Goals.

My youngest daughter texted me

a while back.

She wanted to know

about all these goals

and how I found out about these

5ks.

She said she had seen my posts

on Facebook

and that I 'inspired' her!

What?

I almost cried!

We never know who is 

watching.

Wow.

Last week I participated in a 5k

with 4 of my friends.

We had to be at the Seattle Space Needle

by 5:30am.

Two of us ran it

and the other three 

walked it.

At the finish line

I discovered that I had 

run my fastest 5k 

and PR'd.

I still am not a fast runner

but, I always say:

"Faster than everyone sitting on their couch!"

Yes, I got up at 5 am

to

Run for Chocolate!

~~~

As far as long term goals.

I have one huge one.

I have decided I want to do a full marathon.

I picked a 'milestone' birthday

to complete it by;

which gives me

three more years

to actually get

this goal accomplished!

I have decided

by the grace of God,

I will do it.

I can.

I will.

I am determined.

Age ?

Yeah, I believe

that age...

 is only a number!

Goals.

goals

this past sunday i competed in my third 1/2 marathon!
oh yes, i did!!!

i actually did this same 1/2 marathon last year and couldn't wait
to do it again!
it is 13.1 miles of lovely scenery; older homes and a stint along the waterfront!
a beautiful course and i did it!

this year, my daughter and my niece walked along side me
and my daughter and i actually went through the finish line together.

i loved sharing this whole experience with her too!

i also, bettered my time from last year too.
which always is a good thing!

i feel great-
setting a goal
and tackling it head on!

all the training paid off.
i finished and still had energy to walk
the 3 blocks back to my car! ha.

now, what's next?
i think i've been bit by the 1/2 marathon bug! ;)
i do know, i am competing in another 5k
in ten days! :) :)

nothing feels as good as completing a task
that once seemed so big and scary!

as a two time survivor to breast cancer
i felt like i didn't have any control of that part of my life.

but, this...this i have control of.
i choose to get up and exercise.
i choose to stay fit and healthy.
i choose to find joy in it all!

yep, bring it on!

packet pickup day.

shirt. number bib and socks!

my daughter, myself and my niece

and my daughter and i

before the race.

jam-packed.

this last weekend was quite the jam-packed one,
i can tell you that!

my mother in law turned 90 on April 10!

a few of us decided to throw an open house
for her; inviting the community and it was
quite the day!
(my husbands sisters and families
came and stayed with us for the weekend, too)

there were people from all over
who came to wish her a happy day
and it was so nice to see her enjoying herself too!

it was a beautiful day and with teamwork from
some of my husbands siblings we put on
a wonderful affair that i think my mom in law
will treasure. :)

me with my mom in law and hubs

i was pretty tired that evening after cleaning up
the church where we had the open house...
i really wanted to crawl in a corner and take a nap. ha.
but, family was here from oregon and we stayed up
pretty late; even though we all knew i had a BIG day
the following morning. :)

you see, i woke up the next morning at 6
and was out the door by 7 to meet up
with some of my best friends from high school
(yes, H.S. was a VERY LONG time ago)
but, there are a few of us that have kept in VERY close contact
and we decided we were going to do a HALF Marathon together!
We met at one of the parents places, a block from the starting line
and we walked to the event.
We did the 13.1 mile marathon (we all walked it) and we had such
an amazing time, laughing and visiting...
we ALL are excited and
cannot wait to do it together again!

after finishing the race, we all walked to a restaurant
approx. one mile away from our cars and then we all
walked back to our cars again after lunch! LOL

i was pumped and still full of energy! (skipping part of the way to
the restaurant!) still laughing and giggling all the way there and back! :)

4 out of  6 of our YA-YAs

 all

 participated in and finished

the 13.1 miles! 

we are YaYa- STRONG!

missing 2 of the YaYa friends

who had other commitments.

but, we will get them NEXT time!!

hehe

this morning, i woke up fully intending to take the day off;
maybe work in my yard and read...but i woke to a beautiful
sunshiny day (which we don't get a LOT of here in the PNW)
so, i donned my gear and headed outside.
i wanted to enjoy the sunshine and just stretch those muscles a bit
but, i wound up power-walking well over four miles. ha!

so the past weekend was quite the busy one!
we accomplished a lot as well-
family visits along with all of us putting on a huge Open House!

then finishing off the busy weekend by walking in a
half marathon with my YaYa friends!

beautiful. life. is. just. beautiful.
and i am thankful.
oh, so thankful.

just me. that's all. me.

a week from today

i will be participating in my 2nd half marathon. :)

i will be doing it with

a group of friends this time...

a bunch a gals who can talk

a mile a minute.

should make the 13.1 miles go by

pretty quickly.

i walk six days a week

well, most weeks anyway...although

living in the PNW there are days when

the rain is coming down in SHEETS

and i decide exercising

in the house sounds good

or sitting in front of the fire 

with a good book

sounds even BETTER!! ha.

since faithfully power-walking for the past year

my distance has increased

along with my speed.

my husband says:

i walk faster than a lot of people jog! :)

although i must say,

i am competing with no one

but, myself.

truly.

i am competitive by nature, though.

it could be growing up the only girl

in a house of boys?

regardless,

i am fairly competitive

and am usually pretty good at sports.

that being said, 

i set out each morning

to just get a walk in!!

nothing more than that.

just to get out and walk.

not competing with someone else...

just me.

truly.

i am not comparing myself to anyone else:

 not how many 

days someone else walks

how FAST they walk

or how FAR they walk...

just getting outside by myself.

hitting the road and walking-

mile after mile...

walking clears my head.

it helps me stay fit.

i  also use walking 

for contemplation,

and alone time, with God...

not to mention the happy endorphins! :)

it doesn't matter how far or how fast i go...

really it doesn't.

as long as i get out and do it.

you see

i am not competing with

anyone

except myself!

trying to be the best possible

me, i can be.

i walk

for me.

and ONLY for me.

no one else!

i am not trying to be better than anyone else.

just a better, melody!

that is all.

again

last september
i walked in my
very first half marathon
and said, "i can check that
off my bucket list"

well, again
i can say it! :)
this time i will be
participating in a local event
with a bunch of my high school friends;
we call ourselves the ya-yas and have
been close friends...some of us
since grade school!

i have promised
to not walk my 'normal' pace
with them
and to take my time and have
fun visiting...i am sure that will not
be a problem. ha.
we never seem to run out
of things to talk about! LOL

so, again...
i will do a half marathon
and am thinking maybe i
will be doing more and more
in the future!!

lookout.
here i come!

here is a picture from
today's instagram.
i love, love, love that my
new workout leggings
remind me of
mystique from x-men!!! :)


have a wonderful week
my friends.

we did it!

yes.
the bellingham bay marathon
is now under our belt!!

i did this with my husband, our best friend,
his daughter, her husband
and one of her friends
and
we did it!
we made it!
we finished the race!

we walked in the rain;
(yes, remember i live in the PNW)
they were predicting a rain AND windstorm
but, we missed it.
we still had rain, mostly a light sprinkle
and some wind
but, nothing that made it miserable!

we had over 5500 people participate.
i broke my record even though i was
only trying to complete a half marathon
it was my fastest long distance walk,
according to my runkeeper app! :)

yay!

we did it!

now we

can chalk that off

our personal bucket list! ha.

i am not sore at all today
although a bit tired.
today i will take the day to
mend muscles and sit by the fire :)

enjoy your monday!
it is the beginning of a new week.
a fresh start.
a new chance at something wonderful!

smile. shine. see beauty!

we picked up our bib numbers and shirts the day before.

we parked and walked to the starting line.

excited and ready to go!

two grandpa's and one granny. :)

my hubbie and our best friend!

we have been best friends with him (and his wife)

for 23 years!

the 'team'

we met up with 

our friends daughter, son in law and her friend

yes, it was raining as we waited

to get started.

afterwards.

13+ miles later;

we are still able to smile! :)

our medals for completing the course!

screen shot of my 

runkeepers app!

i love how on the bottom it says:

your best time!