Double digits! #marathontraining The B Team

We are in the double digits now! By that I mean no more short long runs! Our marathon is not until "next year" & I know "we still have plenty of time" but it's starting to get tough! Our 3 weekday runs are easy 3-5 miles but that Saturday long run is now packing a punch! 

It's still so hot & humid in our Sweet Home Alabama & our Crimson Tide Bama Boys kick off this weekend! Marathon training is now a trending topic for the Butler weekly calendar! We may have to split up for a few long runs! 

This is one of our long run game plans! The hubby will take to the streets in the wee hours while I get the food together for the weekly football party! He will come home and get a shower & get ready for the game! He will set the DVR on get all the electronics on the right channels! I'll finish up my miles & roll in just in time for a quick shower & the kick off! Lunch will be served at halftime! Desert of course will be Victory Pie !

Football season is perfect timing for our marathon training! We're the B team! We've got our game faces on! We've got our plan together. We're ready to tackle the double digits! We will work that #goal26.2 every week one mile at a time! We will stay focused and end up with a winning season! Bring on the miles. Bring on the football! #rolltideroll

Peace love & Grandmary

10 miles at Sea

A few weeks ago we went on a last minute cruise! Sometimes you just need an impulsive break from it all! Nothing better than a husband with the same Gypsy genes as me who likes to read travel websites!   He found a good deal and I had a few days off from work! Voila! Sounds like a #roadtrip to me! We boarded the Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas on Friday afternoon right in the middle of our marathon training schedule! We packed our running gear along with our fancy dinner dress up clothes! No problemo!

Shortly after we boarded we settled into our stateroom easily!  At the Captain's announcement we headed promptly to Deck 5 Muster Station 7 for the mandatory life jacket safety drill! For the record we are old pros at that! We spotted the running track with a big sign that said NO JOGGING on this deck! What??? Why not? We went thru the motions of life jacket training, returned our life jackets to our stateroom & headed out to find our Saturday morning 10 mile running route! Deck 10 around the pools looked like the place to be! We took a casual stroll as the ship set sail! Ahhhhh. Stress be gone!

I set the alarm for 6:45am! I know. Crazy. Who gives up the most peaceful drifting at sea slumber to run around in circles on a cruise ship for 10 miles? Well we do some crazy stuff sometimes! That's how we roll!

Saturday morning up & at 'em! We were ready! The sun was just beginning to rise. The breeze from the ocean was perfect! Of course we were not the only runners so apparently we aren't that crazy! Good to know. 

My Math lovin husband counted out the mileage equation. 4 laps equals 1 mile. 40 laps equals 10 miles. I already felt like a hamster running on that little squeaky wheel! But the scenery was bliss so I voted we should run every long run on a cruise ship from now on! And I voted by proxy for Johnny too just in case he didn't vote! He's such a procrastinator! Seriously it was an absolutely perfect morning!

Good Morning Enchanment of the Seas! 

We kept a really good run/walk pace for the first 4 miles.  The Windjammer Cafe suddenly came alive with the smell of coffee and bacon!  Time for the sunrise breakfast cruisers! We headed to the Park Cafe on Deck 9 for a 'water stop' & an energy snack. Fresh fruit was plentiful! Nice! 

Miles 5. Halfway there! The Windjammer filled the ocean air with the sweet aroma of maple syrup! The waffle lovers were awake! Mmmmmmm. Nothing like waffles as incentive to get it done! 

By mile 6 we had a fan club! The pool chairs were out & the early sunbathers & book worms were beginning to stake a claim on their spots for the day! As we made our way around the track we heard Good Morning! Way to go! You guys are looking good! A cheer squad at sea! We also had several people ask us why were we running so many times around? The usual folks that think runners are nuts! It was fun to tell them we were training to run a marathon 26.2 miles! They never really understand that! 

Miles 8 , 9 & 10 were tough. We were really feeling our sea legs! The wind had picked up & we were running against the gusts. The waves were getting bigger too! The sun was full force & hot. Deck 10 was the place to be! The pools were open and the fun party music was blaring! It was hard to run & not give in to the Electric Slide & Cupid Shuffle! To the right to the right to the left to the left. Now kick now kick! You can't do it when you are running! We had fun singing along! Good good times! 

We celebrated our imaginary Finish Line with a big high five! A few people clapped & cheered for us! 

Back to our spot in the cafe on Deck 9 for food! Breakfast was delicious! We had a table with an ocean view! Fresh coffee is just better at the ocean! We headed back to our stateroom to change clothes then spent the rest of the morning at the pool and hot tub! After a short recovery nap we spent the afternoon in the shopping district of Nassau Bahamas.  The only money we spent was at Starbucks! It was a fun day. 

We spent the evening in the same place we spent the morning. Deck 10. But this time we found a few lazy chairs propped our feet up & watched the beautiful sunset. We did it! 10 more marathon training miles in the books. 10 miles at sea!  xoxo  Life is good. 

peace love & Grandmary

Marathon Training in #the60's. We seem to be compatible.

We've been together for almost 4 decades! He's my dearest friend. But I wasn't sure we could train for a marathon together! It's safe for me to say over the years we have been through every kind of stressful situation there is! And then some. We have had some major blowouts! We have worked it out! We think alike, we think completely opposite!  We agree about everything, we disagree about everything! We have kids & grandkids together!  Life has been busy! We're married!  Bottom Line, I love him and he loves me! but a marathon????  

My husband, Johnny, aka the hubs hit the big 6-0 almost 5 years ago. He retired from work on his 60th birthday. He's an active guy though, plays the guitar, plays golf, babysits grandkids, takes a lot of walks. He's busy. I have finally caught up with his age group! I hit the big 6-0 about 3 months ago. I haven't had the opportunity yet to retire from work, & I haven't had the chance to slow down yet!  I'm a runner! It seems I'm always on the go & most of the time, he's on the go with me! But I can already see, being in #the60's is different! It's a different part of life. 

As we enter our 60's together, we decided to make some healthy changes in our marriage. We are keeping what has been good over the years and changing some of the negative things. Rekindling the flame in several areas I guess you could say! We're finally realizing we are certainly not teenagers anymore!  We are going to grow old-er together and we want to stretch it out for as long as we can! And be as healthy as we can be together! We are still going to keep doing the stuff we love to do that keeps us who we are as individuals. But we needed a hobby or a project, something that we could commit to together! We talked about all kinds of things, like a puppy or a remodeling project or a garden or another big trip. We have done all that. We needed something new. Something challenging. 

I registered us both for a marathon! How about that for a challenge! The Walt Disneyworld Marathon, January 2015. Why not I told him! We love Disney, we love to run, we can do it, it will be fun! I admit it, I love all those things. (I was going to register for the marathon anyway.)  I told him it would be great for me to have a partner to run with me and I wanted him to be my partner! He does love Disneyworld, but he has never had a desire to run a marathon. Never. He doesn't really love to run! He doesn't care if I do, but he's not a huge fan of running if he is the one running! I pointed out how much fun we will have training and getting healthy and I even tried to convince him this will be the best thing we will ever do together. We can eat right and get in shape and have soooo much fun! And we can run and run and train and......  And for some reason he thought it was a great idea! A great idea! I was shocked! 

Up until now, we have only actually ran 5 miles together, and that was in 2009. My running partners are my daughters & my girlfriends now! I don't run with husbands! How in the world were we going to train together for a marathon? I have ran 2 marathons. The same one I'll be running in January 2015. Walt Disneyworld Marathon. Just because it says Disneyworld, it is still 26.2 miles! There are no magical short cuts to the finish line!  I already know how hard the training is. Every single week. Every single weekend. Mile after mile after mile. How in the world will be able to spend that much time together? We don't really hang out that much together! We hang out with other people together! How in the world will we do it?  What was I thinking?! 

But again, back to the lets get healthy together thing in #the60's. We're registered! We needed to get busy training so I labored over a training schedule. We somehow had to start out equal and build up distance and speed. Together!  Johnny hasn't been doing too much running in the last few years!  I'm miles and miles ahead of him, so to speak.  But we're in this together and it won't hurt me to back up and start over! All the way back to mile 1 if  that's what it's going to take! 

So that's what we're doing! We are 8 weeks into training now! 8 weeks into running together! 8 weeks or so into #the60's! It's working! It seems that we are compatible!  We are running partners! Who knew we could be running partners! We have a walk run type schedule. Running 60-70% of the distance. We have a ratio that I don't really understand. He is setting the pace. I can't keep up with timers! I get mixed up if it's time to walk or run! Johnny is great with keeping us on pace! He's really good with intervals! Who knew?!

It's been really nice to have such a committed running partner! I've missed a few middle of the week runs due to work & weather. He hasn't missed any! We have not missed a single long run together! It's been great to have him out there with me! I asked him last week at mile 6 in the rain if I was getting on his nerves. He said, Nope, not yet! I believed him! He hasn't made me crazy yet either!

The gate opens early at Lakeside Park!  8 miles on the run schedule!

During a walk interval. My running girlfriend snapped this one!

At the end of 8 miles! It was a great run! And look we are smiling!

I'm really proud of him! He's losing a little weight and getting stronger with every run. I am too. Maybe my old lady fat will finally go away! We are eating much healthier. We are paying attention to proteins, carbs & calories and staying away from the sugars & fats.  When we talk about our runs, it's obvious we have our own goals and are in our own little worlds but we are doing it together!  I really think we can do it! I really think we are compatible! Who knew?!

Peace, love & Grandmary

Wordless Wednesday #TrainingToBeAwesome

Marathon training is in full swing. I've been staying pretty true blue to the training schedule lately. It's hard. But that schedule hanging on the fridge with the red chip clip magnet screams & nags at me every time I walk by it! I hear it...3 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles, 8 on Saturday. Loud & clear! And when I don't hear it yelling at me, its crazy but it haunts me!

So this morning, I slept late! I'm off today! Take that training schedule! I drank 2 peaceful cups of coffee, ate some Rice Krispies, snap, crackle, pop! read all my devotional stuff, beat the next level on Frozen Free Fall, & got ready to hit the pavement. HaHa! I'm the real deal! I know, right!

It's Wordless Wednesday, so I figured I'd spare my hubs the complaining & just get out there. No complaining about the schedule!  He got up early & beat the heat! I already know what he will say, it's my own fault its hot! He's right, but I won't tell him that!

Sometimes I just like to run to think about stuff. Theres a good bit of quiet time when you go for a run! I've been thinking that I need to get better. Apparently, better happens around age 62! I have a few friends already retired, writing books, modeling, cranking out 10K's, running Triathlons, or biking from here to kingdom come!  I'm not there yet. Still working.  I'm just training for a marathon. With my husband. No books. No modeling jobs.

But I can be better right here, right where I'm at. Today I worked on increasing speed & distance for time! I did a run/walk pattern, mostly running, with a time to beat with every interval.  And I beat it.  Everytime. 4.2 miles. I'm already better than I was a little while ago!

Running down my street! I hope I don't get a ticket for speeding! 

Somebody told me I was awesome this week, because I ran 10 miles last Saturday in the rain with my husband. I thought about that today during my speed intervals. I thought about that a lot. No, I'm not really awesome. I'm like everybody else. I have old lady fat that won't go away! I need to lose 6 pounds. OK not a whole lot to some people, but I still need to lose it! I am slower than I wish I was. I really wish I was faster. I'm working on it. I caved in & ate a PB&J crustable yesterday, all right, I really ate two, but who can resist those? PB&J heaven, with  the middle just a little bit still frozen. I like to be lazy in the mornings. As in why does my training schedule not have official Lazy Day Today penciled in!! My house is a mess, my laundry is pile up high. Let's not even discuss dusting! So, no I'm not really that awesome.

But I'm motivated to being better than I am. I thought about that today too. What motivates me? What motivates you? What makes you more awesome than you already are? One of these days, when I'm 62, I'll have my book published, I'll laugh at my skin tight wetsuit, I'll ride with my feet up on the handle bars! But right now, I'm where I'm at. Not arguing today with my training schedule, #TrainingToBeAwesome. Running a few miles a little faster. I'm OK with it.  Life is Better.

Peace, Love  & Grandmary!

Princess Running Season! It's that time again!

I run better during Princess Season! Today I registered for my 7th Princess Half Marathon! I'll still be 'perfect' in 2015! It's Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Registration time again! It's a registration frenzy! Today was early registration for Annual Passholders & Disney Vacation Club Members. The trick is to be online first & hurry up & fill out the registration form. Then click Submit as fast as you can! After that, it's OK to resume breathing! You're in! Whew. Or at least that's how it is for me! I'm in. I can breathe again!

Pink New Balance Minnie running shoes & a Tiara! That's how I roll during Princess Season!

It all started in 2009. My daughters convinced me to register for the Inaugural Disney Princess Half Marathon. My first half marathon. Actually, my first run longer than 3 miles! I had about 5 weeks to 'train' for it. Until then, I had only run a few 5K's and had no idea how to run anything longer than 3 miles, much less train for a half marathon. How far was a half marathon anyway? But I have to admit, they had me at Disney Princess! So, absolutely, of course I was in. And don't ask me how, but I did it! It was brutal, I was a mental case, I was exhausted, I was way out of my league, but I did it! I ran a half marathon! I surprised myself at how much I actually ran, not just walked! I was slow as Christmas but I finished. And I got my first beautiful Gold Tiara Princess medal! Oh my goodness, it was a life altering moment for me! My daughters were waiting for me & proud of me & that too was life altering!  I'll share the whole story in another blogpost soon!

I learned something very valuable out there on the Inaugural Disney Princess 13.1 mile course. I was all by myself! It was up to me. No one said I had to run 13.1 miles. No one would be devastated if I had not finished.  Deep down I knew that. At mile 10, I had a complete mental come apart! By myself. What if I couldn't do it? What if I couldn't finish? What if I just needed to quit? I had enough self doubt to stop the whole race at that point. But somehow, somewhere I found what it took to finish. I just kept going & didn't quit. My legs were aching, my feet burned with every step! I was pretty positive my hips would never ever ever speak to me again! Every single step hurt hurt hurt. Mentally, I was just not prepared for the physical pain! And I felt myself start to crumble, as in I was so frustrated I started to cry! I remember thinking, Oh Great! Now I'm really having a fun time! Crying. In a half marathon. A Princess Half Marathon! With no Kleenex either. Wonderful. My only option was to get on the bus & quit. That's when I came out of my pity party & stumbled up on mile 12!  Seriously?? ONE mile left? That was less than a 5K!

I started to RUN! The whole last mile. I felt like I was flying! I'm sure it was a snails pace in reality! I was oblivious to the pain!  I heard the finish line before I saw it & cried all over again! I crossed the finish line like I had just won the Olympics! I was a half marathoner! I was a finisher! I was a Princess!

This event taught me more about my little self than I knew! I can do more than I think I can. I am very competitive with myself! There  is no quitting! The truth is, you must Set your own goals. Run your own race! It's your finish line. I will run this race every year. I will revisit my weaknesses out there and my self doubts. And I'll tip my tiara to them along the way. All the way to the finish line!  Because that's what a Princess does! 

My favorite Princess Half Marathon Picture!

Marathon Training in #the60's Starts Today!

Hello June 1st! Hello Marathon Training! Let's get this party started! So who runs a marathon in #the60's anyway? haha! We do! Since me and Mr. Husband are BOTH in the BIG Six-O's now, we figured we might as well do something really spectacular! We both decided to make some changes! Getting very healthy was tops on the list. Oh, all the other things fell in next, like hitting the jackpot, winning the lottery, taking month long trips & cruises to every nook & cranny of the world, you know the stuff you dream about your whole life! But if you break it down into simple terms, we need to be around to be able to enjoy all that other fun stuff! So.....the goal for #the60's is to get healthy!

We registered for the Walt Disneyworld Marathon. January 11, 2015. Yup. If we're going to get healthy, we might as well have fun! And of course, for us, anything that has the word fun in it, usually has the word Disneyworld too!

I have actually ran the Walt Disneyworld Marathon twice. First in 2011 and then again in 2013.  The first time was so much fun. The second time I struggled. But I did it. Johnny & my grandson Mason followed me around the course taking pictures and chEARing me on so he basically ran a marathon of sorts that day too! But this time we're doing it together.

We're using June as a warm up month. We've got an easy schedule. Sunday's & Friday's are rest days. Monday Tuesday Wednesday's are easy 3 mile runs. Saturdays are 4-5 mile runs. Then July will progressively move forward with a few more miles each week.

I have worked a lot this week, so I started Sunday out with no alarm clock! When I woke up and fixed a cup of coffee my hubby was lacing up running shoes and heading out the door. Without me! He started the training without me! So I hurried through my coffee thinking 'what about Sunday REST day? Really, 3 miles today? What about the REST?' Oh well, he was gone & circling the neighborhood!  Might as well finish my coffee! I laced up my own running shoes and finally caught up with him just as he was finishing his last few steps! I guess I need to review the schedule with him again! Specifically that REST word!

Marathon Training! These are the shoes of marathon runners!

I got my miles in a little later at our local Lakeside Park with a friend. Johnny took a short nap and spent the afternoon doing guy stuff!  I'm glad the training has started! I guess you could say we have taken our first steps toward getting seriously healthy in our 60's! 

I'll be wearing my Mouse Ears alot! I'll try to be serious!

Join us over the next several months as we pound the pavement! Come run with us! We've got a long way to go! The goal is 26.2 miles! See ya at the finish line!

peace, love & Grandmary

Celebrating the 60's Day 2!

Day 2 of our 60th Birthday Celebration at Walt Disney World found us at Epcot. It's our favorite park to go to when we are not in a rush. It's always the least crowded. We always start out at the Fountain for coffee! Years ago it was a little ice cream shop, but recently it has become Fountain View & Starbucks! That is totally ok with us!

Happy Birthday to me from Starbucks & Disney Parks!

No trip to Walt Disneyworld is complete without a visit with Mickey & a few of his pals! Especially when it's your birthday! I'm pretty sure they knew I was coming! They were so happy to see me!

Lots of xoxo from Mickey!

Awwwww. I love this Goofy guy! It was his birthday too!

We rode all the fun rides! Spaceship Earth is always first! I never get tired of taking a trip through all of that history! The digital adventure at the end is just silly! Next was The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Who doesn't love a ride in a clamshell?! We spent the majority of time in the Land. We watched the Circle of Life, Rode Living with the Land and everybody's favorite Soarin. That is still just the best ride ever. I always feel like I just came home from a quick California trip when I get off of that hang glider! I walk out of there humming the song! I think everybody does! Lunch in the Land was next. There is plenty to choose from in Sunshine Seasons. We finished the afternoon with Figment & Captain EO!

 Next we headed over to the World Showcase. Thats always so much fun! It's like taking quick day trips to different countries! You will always see something different each time you go! We got Creme Brûlée in France, stopped for a quick photo in Japan and then ate dinner in Italy! 

Japan

The Trevi Fountain....its beautiful in Italy

We passed through jolly old England and stopped to visit with Mary Poppins! She agreed I was practically perfect in every way! My name is Mary, of course!

Its a jolly holiday with Mary!

We found a perfect spot in Mexico to take a Frappaccino break & wait for Illuminations:Reflections of Earth to begin.  We don't like to miss this! It is a wonderful fireworks show that celebrates the spirit of humanity! It is shown in the World Showcase Lagoon and lights up the whole sky. The pictures never real do it justice!

Perfect spot for a Frappaccino! I think so!

You just have to be there for this!

After the show, we like to just take our time walking out of the park. We are never in a rush in this park! I love the music We Go On blasting on the speakers as you exit! and of course waiting at the exit is the Geosphere, all lit up! It is really just beautiful!  

We close this park down every time!

Another perfect day at the happiest place on earth! Happy Birthday again  & again to me! I'm going to keep celebrating the 60's! 

xoxo Grandmary