The Last Day of My 30's

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So this is it. The last day of my 30's. I'm managing my grief. I really don't mind turning 40 although I am NOT happy about being categorized as a "master" (age 40-55) runner. There's still bounce in my step. See? See???

In honor of the changing of the decade, I thought perhaps a quick ode to the 30's and a preview of what I'm looking forward to about being in my 40's. 

What I'll Miss About Being In My 30's:

  • A fast metabolism
  • Feeling there's still plenty of time to figure out what I want to do with my life
  • The possibility that (if I weren't married) I could still date someone in their late 20's and it wouldn't be completely icky
  • Being able to giggle and still sound girlish instead of mentally  imbalanced
  • Being able to tell people that I'm in my 30's

 What I'm Looking Forward To In My 40's: 

  • Losing the desire to please others
  • Increased self-confidence
  • Best health of my life
  • Living more in the moment versus trying to plan for every contingency
  • Continuing  to consciously surround myself with people that motivate and inspire me 
  • Winning the battle of the grays. (Be warned gray hairs on top of my head: I have cash flow, access to a salon, and an abundance of hair dye that I'm not afraid to use)

Tomorrow has the potential to be brutal. I received a package in the mail today from my dad from a store called "Over The Hill" and my sister called to say she can't wait to call me tomorrow and rub it in. (I miss the days when being the older sibling conferred all the advantages on me.) 

Anyway, 30's were grand, 40's will be even better. Forty and fabulous? You betcha!

Cat Paperclips

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Okay... new nomination for coolest gift, ever. Cat paperclips! My writer friend Laine Cunningham ran across a huge bin of cat and dog paperclips in a craft store and stood there and separated out all the cat paperclips so she could present me with a huge bag of them.

That's a good friend. 

I'm not one to expect (or give) presents on birthdays, anniversaries, or major holidays, but I absolutely love the "random gift." I think it means more when you offer someone something because you saw it and immediately thought of them, versus buying a present because the date on the calendar tells you that you have to.

And how cute will it be to hand out copies of my card at book signings with a paperclip cat attached to it? Awesome gift, Laine. Thanks!!

Some Thoughts On Discipline

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Okay, so I wrote this blog post that's really whiny and boring. If you have trouble sleeping, click on the "Read More" link and view the original post. Really, all I wanted to say was this:

I wish I could lose 4 pounds before Boston. Doing so would require me to alter my diet. I lack the discipline to do so. I wonder why? I can run 20 miles and not eat meat for 22 years but not eating rice or bread (or eating less of them) for three weeks is out of the question? 

How is that possible? Why can I be so hardcore disciplined in some areas of life and feel I have no control in others? 

That's all I really wanted to say. 

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Did I Just Imagine that Knee Pain?

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ASICS 2009 poster - Click to orderIt did happen, didn't it? Saturday? Where my right knee decided it was taking a vacation, checked out and went bye-bye? 

You'd never know it.  I got on the treadmill today and slammed out some speed work like it was going out of style. Not a bit of pain from the knee. Not even a twinge. 

So what happened? Here's my best guess: I psyched myself out. 

Early in Saturday's run, maybe around mile 7 or 8, my thoughts turned toward Boston. They weren't happy thoughts. I questioned whether I really wanted to run it. 26.2 miles is one thing when you're excited to make it happen. It's something else when you're dragging your butt to the start line. I looked at everyone around me and wished that I was almost done with my run, like they were. That I could join them for bagels and coffee instead of trudging through another 10 miles in the cold, alone. My legs were sore and I was tired. Boston did not sound fun. It sounded like something I wished I'd never signed up for. Stupid race.

Then mile 12 - knee blow out.

Well guess what? Guess who figured out that she really does want to run Boston? Guess who is ALL ABOUT kicking some Boston ass? Guess who has done a 180 degree mental flip and is ready to bring it? 

That's right, me, whiny knee girl. When it was actually put before me that gee, I might be injured and not be able to run, I freaked. I would be incredibly disappointed not to run Boston at this point. I've trained, I've made friends, and I only have 8 weeks left to go. All of a sudden I am ALL ABOUT BOSTON. Which is right where I need to be.

So maybe my knee pain, while quite real, was my body's way of telling my mind to put up or shut up. Message received. 

Let's hope that's all it was. Otherwise all you readers can look forward to months of moody posts about how I was soooooooo ready to nail Boston if only I hadn't been hurt. ;)