May18
And here I go again on my own. (cue Whitesnake)
Posted on May 18, 2012 by thatlauragirl
And here I go again on my own. (cue Whitesnake)
Where to begin? Where to begin? The last few months haven’t really gone as expected. There’s been lots of phsyical and emotional challenges and along the way, I put this little project on the backburner. It’s time to resurrect it.
I’m going to be changing up the blog a little bit, though. I can’t write about running all the time. Let’s face it, it’s not the most fascinating topic in the world. One foot in front of another and all that jazz. Andplusalso, I’m not exactly an authority on the subject. Still, it’s the focus of what I’m doing so I’ll share my misadventures and tales of woe as I try to make my way.
In addition, I’ll be blogging about my adventures with Weight Watchers. I joined a month ago and have really enjoyed the program. It’s helping me identify my issues (emotional eating) and helping me develop a plan to eat healthy for the rest of my life, not to diet. Of course, there will be tales of woe on this subject as well.
Finally, I’ll be chronicling my countdown to the 2012 EPCOT Wine & Dine Half Marathon in November. Do any fellow FSU buddies remember the days of SigEx and the general anarchy that tended to follow us around? Whelp, we’re back!!! Melissa, Shelley, Amy, Heather, Karen, Kayla and I are going to be running a half marathon together. Yep, drink it in! The only thing I can guarantee is a) we’ll be fashionable b) there will be hilarity involved and c) no race has ever seen anything like this group. While Mel is a veritable running goddess, let’s just say the rest of us are already trying to figure out how to outfox the balloon lady that pulls people from the course that aren’t running the required pace. Hmmm.
So, that’s it for now. This is really about the journey of finding my way to a healthier and happier self. And we all deserve that, don’t we?
If you’ve read this far, here’s a little something for your time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gin-l4LDdXQ
Cheers!
August 28, 2011 by thatlauragirl
Thoughts and Musings on my First 5k
Just some random thoughts from my first race…
Random Observations:
•Why in the heck are these races so early in the morning? Race registration started at 6:30 and I had an hour drive. Yawn.
•Pulling into the parking lot was a revelation. Not only are these people running fanatics, they’re also morning people! Argh! Everybody was so peppy while jogging around and warming up with big smiles on their faces.
•If registration starts at 6:30 and the race doesn’t start ’til 7:30, aim for 7:00.
•I was kind of bothered by the amount of trash thrown around near the finish line. Banana peels, cups, you name it… all strewn around. Dude, there were trash cans everywhere. Hope this isn’t the norm.
•These runners are crazy. After the 5k many of them were still running around like little Energizer bunnies.
Thoughts on the Lowry Park ZooRunRun
•The $25 entrance fee seemed fair to me and had to be a big fundraiser for them with the amount of entrants.
•Registration was very organized (unlike our last experience there for the Wazoo Beer Fest)
•They had posted that nobody with jogging strollers was allowed in the race and would have to participate in the 8:00 walk. However, I saw numerous strollers. Either enforce the rule or don’t have it.
•The portion of the run through the actual zoo was very fun! Besides seeing all the animals, it was neat running on different surfaces: wooden bridges, sidewalks, trails, and even through the underground manatee exhibit.
•There was a great mix of people with all different abilities, which made me a lot more comfortable.
•The only downside: when I got to the finish line, they had run out of water! How the heck does that happen?! They were apologetic and said the earlier runners were taking 3-4 bottles a person. Ummm, how about someone hand out water so that doesn’t happen? It was insanely hot and humid and I had that awful tingly feeling the last .5 mile. Thankfully I had a Gatorade in my SUV but it was a long hike to get to it.
What I learned for next time:
•I need to figure out something to do with my hair so that it doesn’t bug me when I’m running.
•I also need to figure out how to carry stuff with me. I had my keys and my cell phone and nobody there to hold them for me. What do people normally do with these items during the race?
•Starting off, I need to pay more attention to sticking to my own pace instead of trying to follow others. I started off way faster than my normal pace for the 1st mile and it wore me out.
•Conversely, I think I might need to push myself harder durring the middle because I think I had too much energy at the end. The last half mile I started picking up my pace and ended up passing a load of people.
•Socks matter. I need to find some better socks for running. I have blisters where my toes meet my feet from my feet sweating and rubbing. Hurts pretty bad right now.
All in all, a great learning experience and I look forward to the next one! It was so amazing to think what a difference a year can make!
Aug26
Retrospect.
Posted on August 26, 2011 by thatlauragirl
Retrospect.
Laura Brazinski Demers
We’re having a baby today!!!! Just got the news that they’re going to induce me this afternoon; I failed the preeclampsia test badly. Would appreciate prayers for Gavin’s safety and well-being. We’re soooo close at this point! Will update as I can.
26 August 2010 at 09:39
That was my Facebook update a year ago today. A year!!! It feels like the blink of an eye. Last year at this time I was hooked up to multiple monitors, IV’s, and other medical equipment and hoping that my heart would hold steady and that Gavin could hold on just a little longer.
Tonight? I’m putting the finishing touches on decorations for his party tomorrow. And gearing up to run my 1st 5k race tomorrow morning.
I will run to celebrate the birth of my amazing little boy.
I will run to remember Gavin’s twin whom I hold in my heart although I was never able to hold him in my arms.
I will run to put the past away: the pregnancy complications, the miscarriage, the scary hospital stays, the painfulness, the postpartum depression. Things that I have overcome through God’s help.
I will run to show that I’m stubborn: it doesn’t matter if I’m not the fastest or the strongest. I will finish. When it comes to determination, you can’t beat me.
I will run because I can.
Aug10
Positive thought for the day.
Posted on August 10, 2011 by thatlauragirl
Positive thought for the day.
“I often hear someone say I’m not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner.” – Bart Yasso
This was just what I needed to see this morning. I’ve been getting discouraged the past 2 weeks. Yes, I’m improving by leaps and bounds. Yes, I feel myself getting stronger every day. And yes, I’m becoming a runner. But that seed of self-doubt always kicks in: I look around at everyone faster than me, stronger than me. I fear people look at my run times and roll their eyes. But that’s the voice inside my head that I need to defeat. I’m running for myself and for my son. No one else matters. I might be slow, but I’m steady. I think if I can overcome the voices of doubt in my own head, I will clear a major obstacle.
Jul27
And so it begins…
Posted on July 27, 2011 by thatlauragirl
And so it begins…
Did you ever wake up and wonder what happened to the last 2 years? That’s where I’m at right now.
Two years ago I was still a single gal, enjoying my summer and looking forward to getting married in the fall. At 30 years old, I’d had a chance to live my life – I’d graduated college, traveled the world and had time to get established in my career. I figured the transition to married life would be a breeze. I’d had my “me” time and was ready for “us” time. I was also looking forward to starting a family – what could be better than being a new wife and mother?
I married Will on October 24, 2009. We had a lovely honeymoon in the Southern Caribbean and settled down to married life, hopeful that we could become pregnant in the next year or two. On December 24, 2009 we got our Christmas miracle - our new family was rapidly expanding. Wow, things do change fast!
Fast forward two years to present: I’m married to the love of my life and we’re both head-over-heels in love with our outrageously adorable little boy. Life is truly good. However, there’s a little part of me that wonders what happened to Laura? In my quest to excel as Will’s wife and Gavin’s mommy, I realized that somewhere along the way I’ve lost sight of me, the individual. And that makes me sad.
So here it is: my quest to figure out how I can be the best wife and mommy possible while still holding on to my identity as an individual. What’s my plan to accomplish this? I’m going to run a half marathon. Never mind the fact that I’ve never run more than 5 miles. Never mind the fact that I’m hopelessly out of shape after a high-risk pregnancy riddled with bedrest and emotional trauma. Never mind the fact that I don’t even like to run. I somehow got the idea that this was the way to go so I’m pressing forward.
Laura. Wife. Mom. Runner?
