Black Dagger Brotherhood

I'm stepping away from blogging about running for one post... if you're lucky.

This summer I, like many women, found my 'inner goddess' through Fifty Shades of Grey.  I was grossly addicted to all three books for the two weeks it took me to read them.  The problem with a good book or series is it's almost a let down when I move on.  After I read the Twilight series, I had a hard time finding a book I liked as much.  Same thing after the Hunger Games Trilogy.  After Fifty Shades, I moved on to the Crossfire series.  Very good, however it isn't complete yet.  So, I preordered the next two books and moved onto my next series. 

Through a recommendation of a friend, I found myself back in the vampire world.  Only this isn't the young adult vampire world.  This is Twilight crossed with Fifty Shades.  Need I say more?

Come to find out Katie, my overly literate sister (actually Kim was too), had a jump start on me.  She's been reading them for years.  When I questioned her why she never introduced me to Wrath, Rhage, Vishous, Phury, Zsadist, Torhment, and many others, she thought they were to risque for me.  I laughed and I'm pretty sure she blushed or threw up. 

It's been two months and I'm on the seventh book.  Only three more and I'm caught up.  Running isn't the only thing that keeps me down to 6 hours of sleep a night.  Some books are better than others.  I'll refrain from explaining what makes some books better than others. 

Katie is proud.  Growing up I never was a reader.  As an adult, I can't read enough.  I even have the Nook app on my phone so I can read if I'm in road construction or unexpectedly waiting.  If I could read and run at the same time, I'd be up to marathon distance by now.  I'd never want to get off my treadmill. 

Now back to Rehvenge....  can't wait to see where his story takes me. 

Des Moines Half Marathon

 13 weeks exactly.

Almost 3 months to the day.  

Never would have guessed I'd be standing (barely) at the finish line to my first half marathon of the year. 

13 short weeks ago I was laying in a hospital bed after being ambulanced to the hospital for extreme hemorrhaging following the miscarriage of our twins two weeks earlier.  I vividly remember that day and the look on Michael's face.  I have never seen him that frightened.  I've never asked, but I think the thought of me never leaving the hospital alive may have crossed his mind.  I prefer to not know.

I knew there was only one thing that would pull me through the funk and depression that was coming.  RUNNING.  Within two days of my lets-spend-all-Sunday-in-the-ER-then-have-surgery-at-8:00 PM ordeal, I was walking.  By two weeks I started running again.

This half was my goal.  It was far enough out I had time to train, yet close enough I had to push and stay on our training schedule.  There was no time to wallow in self-pity.  It was 'get off your ass and get moving' time.  No matter how down I felt/feel, I always feel better after my endorphins kick in.  

I've found clarity when I'm at a cross-roads. 
It's my reason to get up in the morning (at 4:35 AM).  
It's passed the time required to let my body heal.
It's help define me as a person.




I have incredible partners.  We are there for the ups and downs of each others' lives.    


They are as responsible for my addiction to running as my fetish for new shoes (running gives me reasons to buy new shoes guilt-free).

We don't listen to music.  Only conversation.  When running 5 or 6 days a week, we don't have much left unsaid.  Our husbands would blush if they knew what we discussed.

Somedays they are the only other adult I talk to besides Michael.  He's thankful for the extra ears.
I look forward to many more years of running as we pound out the decades of our lives, one mile at a time. 

Last but not least.....

My parents are rock stars for coming to support.  Well, my dad was there to support.  My mom ran the 5K so she didn't have to wait the whole time.  I love they are a part of my running life.  It's great sharing experiences with my mom.  I know how much she loves it.  And, it was awesome bragging how she places at almost every race.