Week Four: Mom’s Birthday, Registration, Week Four and snow storms

Saturday, January 21st is my Mom’s birthday. I won’t mention her age, but she did put the year on her facebook page. I am not sure she knows she can hide the year from viewers.

My mom is really one of those exceptional people. My sisters and I had a surprise birthday lunch for her a few years ago and I called her friends to invite them and one by one, they would say, “Oh, I just saw your mom, I am sick and she brought me a casserole,” or “She was JUST here, I had a small surgery and your mom made the nicest dessert.” She is really one of the most giving people that I know.

All the time, she will do little things for me and it will make me feel very special, and I realized that she does that will all her kids – and grandchildren too. It’s a gift to make those around you feel included and loved, and I’m picking up small hints from her through all the years.

With four kids, growing up, her schedule looked more like a puzzle than a calendar of days. There were certain days she would jump from one function to the next to the next. She never missed any of my volleyball, games, track meets, sorority dinners.

I remember one track meet, in the pouring rain and a long commute and my mom shows up. I told her, “Mom, why are you here in this weather.”

“I wouldn’t want to miss it,” was her response.

Me and Mom in Ohio for 2011 Christmas

Christmas Eve, the first Christmas miracle was that I was still awake at 11pm and made it the late night service. Mom sings in the choir and plays the bells and I just felt like “I didn’t want to miss it.” The look on her face when she saw my sister Pam and me was really the best Christmas gift I have gotten in several years. Well, that and my Steelers pajamas.

Happy Birthday Mom, your one of god’s angels sent to earth to teach selfish people like me, how to be a little less selfish.

REGISTRATION: I finally registered for the Pittsburgh 2012 Marathon ! I got a little nervous as I was doing it, the words “NO REFUNDS” seemed like they were screaming at me from the page. I was already thinking, what is my number, but remembered I won’t know until I pick up my number.

WEEK FOUR
3-5-8

I am finishing up week four with an 8 mile run tomorrow, hopefully in Central Park. New York City is expecting a 2-4 inch snow storm tonight, but I have decided to just get up in the morning and look out the window. I don’t want to sound like a wimp, I just got sick twice last year running outside. I bought all the gear, but I just don’t feel like I can afford to get SICK !!

I had a 5 mile run yesterday at the gym, which I found grueling. The irony is that I have always liked treadmill runs, well, that is until four weeks ago. I seriously cannot even imagine eight miles on a treadmill. UGH ! And the funniest thing is that I read my workout calendar wrong and didn’t have to run 5 miles until next week, so will have to do it all again.

My three snow storm approaches are:
1. Wake up tomorrow and see what the weather is like and take it from there
2. “IF” I have to do an inside run due to weather, I am going to take the advice of an article I read earlier in the week…just take it slow and go mile by mile.
3. Consider Sunday

All I know is, the 8 miles, the snow storm, Mom's birthday, “I wouldn’t want to miss it.”

Love ya Mom, your the best !!

All my best to you all,

Stephanie Caroline