Returning to my Roots

One year-old Running Granny Green

Several decades ago a baby girl was born in the Golden Triangle of Montana along the Eastern Front of the Rocky Mountains not far from the Canadian border. Her family moved away in her first year of life and she never expected to return – yet here I am! Much like a salmon returning upstream I find myself residing only miles from the place of my birth! Who would have ever foreseen this? I truly am returning to my roots!

My Montana Home

In the past weeks and months, I have been occupied with packing and unpacking boxes, purchasing and selling homes, saying goodbye to dear friends and making new acquaintances, and simply adjusting to life on the other side of the Continental Divide!

There are bears here! There are also antelope, deer, bald eagles, pelicans, bats, Canadian geese (of course), and the occasional river otter. The river otter is subject for another blog post. I have yet to spy a bear, but my better half spotted one on the way to work recently. I was both frustrated and jealous. Jealous that he saw one before me and frustrated that I may, indeed, need to carry bear spray!

The wind blows – a lot! I have learned that if I am going to run regularly I will have to brave the wind. I’ve done my share of complaining about it in the past. How silly of me!  Treasure Valley winds cannot compare.

I have a lake! Well, its not my own private lake, but its about a half mile from my house, so its kind of my lake. But there’s bears, so …  And lots of wind, so … white caps! However, it gets so cold here that the lake freezes over in the winter. I may be ice skating again!

Huckleberry ice cream! Enough said.

Lake Frances at sundown

Some things that haven’t changed …

My cinnamon rolls. Once I located my bread machine I was back in baking mode. They turned out just right!

Laundry. That never changes!

Interesting friends. Wherever I go there are good people to get to know. Although I miss my friends from the “Old Country,” I know they will forever be in my heart and in my phone contacts! I’m looking forward to getting to know my Montana mates. I have not yet found one who wants to run with me. Tragic!

Running and injuries. I’m fighting a foot problem right now. I guess I’m still learning to have patience. At least I have an excuse not to run in the 25 mph winds today!

I will be sharing more of my adventures in coming weeks. Watch for things returning to Montana (besides me), my view from Valier, escape from a river otter, and more! Until then, remember to embrace whatever opportunities for adventure come your way. Who knows? You may also get an opportunity to return to your roots.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!


Happy Running!
Carol - aka Running Granny Green

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Tuesday's Training Tip: Find the Joy

Why do you exercise? Is it for the joy, the pure pleasure of the experience? I am a runner. I am not certain I have ever felt the Runners’ High. It eludes me. It might be a myth. I have, however, felt good after a workout. I have felt fantastic while doing other activities because running helps make me strong enough to enjoy them. Hence the phrase, “I don’t love running. Running loves me.” I run to make my life better.

I often find myself dreading the daily run. (Perhaps I should dub it the Sporadic Run because that is often more descriptive.) Recently I flopped down on the living room floor and had a pep talk with myself regarding the reasons I needed to go for a run on that very day. I had to employ my most coercive techniques before I reluctantly agreed that I would feel better after the run than if I lazed away on the sofa for the afternoon. I got off the floor and went for my run and I felt better the rest of the day.

I had a conversation with a couple the other day. I guessed they were in their mid-sixties. Both were in very good physical condition. They mentioned that they go to the gym several days a week. “It’s the best feeling you’ll ever have! And it’s the best $20 you’ll spend all month!” Really?

First - I would like to know the name of that gym that only costs $20 per month! It would be a lot more expensive for me because there is travel involved.

Second – The best feeling in the world is doing something I love with my grandchildren, or maybe eating chocolate! Both of these things are better if I run. I have greater endurance to spend time with my grandchildren, and … well, chocolate consumption has less guilt attached if I run.

For me, the joy usually comes after the run. Sometimes it is immediate as in, “Yay! We’re done!” Often the joy comes when I am doing something different like waterskiing or eating chocolate.

Not all satisfaction or reward in life is immediate. We usually have to wait a time for the payoffs. Exercise is no different. Be patient. Wait for the joy!

Tune in every Tuesday for more training tips and visit my Training Tips page to find all the tips you may have missed.

Question: Do you have a training tip you would like to share? Post it in the comments below.

Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: The Christmas Tree writes about magnifying your talents

I’m happy to be writing this guest post today for Carol.  After all, it’s my season to shine! I stay tucked away in storage for eleven months, but when December rolls around I get to exercise my talents to their fullest.  I have only a few, but that doesn’t stop me from making an impact on the lives of those around me. I try to do my best and so should you.

Let’s look at what I do well …

Patience. I await my season with grace.  I don’t make a commotion when the Shamrock gets his turn. I let him be the star of his show. He has a rough go of it as he has to share it with the Leprechaun!

Supportive. The Christmas Lights and Ornaments attract all the attention, but without me to hold them up they would lie in a heap of confusion on the floor. As I support them, I become more beautiful!

Loyal. I keep confidences. When the mother of the house has a meltdown for taking on too many projects I listen and hold my tongue.  I don’t even tell on the children when they snoop in the packages beneath my boughs.

Fulfilled. When my turn is over I quietly snuggle back into storage until the next December. I know it is unattractive to stay longer than I am welcome!

Humble? Maybe not so much … but I am working on it!

I’d like to check in next year to see how well you have magnified your talents.  I’ll be working on humility. How about you?

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a fulfilling New Year.

The Tree

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

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Tech support, passwords, and privacy! Oh, my!

I’ve been expanding my technical horizons and reaching out of my comfort zone this week. I’m attempting to design a website and it is challenging me a bit. I also upgraded my cell phone.  That was the real challenge. It’s a password thing.

When my husband returned home from work on Tuesday he found me in a state that he referred to as, “A gibbering idiot!”  And I was …

You see, I usually defer all telephone changes and upgrades to my tech guy – my eldest son. I had confessed to both hubby and son that I was afraid to activate my new phone.  I waited a day and attempted the activation.  My apprehension proved valid. 

The instructions said, “Call this number to activate your phone.” Okay, I did that. Something went wrong and eventually a live person came on the line.

“What is your password?” I gave her my password that I had recently changed because I could not remember the old one.  “That’s wrong.”

“But … that’s my password.”

“No, that’s your online account password. I need the other password.”

“What other password?” I was confused.

“The password for your account.”

“I just gave it to you!” Bother!

“I need the account owner’s password. Is he there?”

Of course he wasn’t there.  He was at work.

“Well, I can’t help you. I need to talk to the account owner.”

I informed her that the account owner set up the account fifteen years ago and that I make all the upgrade decisions, pay the bills, and otherwise manage the account. I left out the part about my tech guy.

“But you’re just the account manager. I can’t make any changes without speaking to the account owner.”

“Okay, well how CAN you help me?”

“I can tell you how to do it online. It’s really easy.”

Great.  Why didn’t she tell me that in the first place? She gave me the instructions and assured me again that it would be really easy. It wasn’t.

When I thought I had completed the activation, I discovered that I had merely turned off my existing phone.  I tried activating the new one – again.

Nothing.

I sent a Facebook message to my tech guy (because I had no phone!)

“I’m at work.  I can probably help you when I am free.”  Cool!  Now I was getting somewhere.

Later … “Okay, I’ve almost got it. You need to remove the SIM card from the old phone and put it in the new phone.”

“How do I do that?”

“There is an oval box on the side of the phone with a small pin hole in it.  Open that.”

There was no such box.  I know he thinks I’m afraid of technology – and I am – but there was no box!  He patiently explained where I would find the box.  It wasn’t there. I even watched the YouTube video that showed the box.  My phone had no such box!

My tech guy gave up.

I waited, becoming more frustrated and agitated as the hours passed. That’s when my hubby came home.

“Kevin, I hate change!  I hate it! Hate IT!” He kind of already knows that.  It’s the same reason that my waterski is 28 years-old and my life vest is following close behind.  It’s the reason I don’t move furniture around. I could go on, but that is a discussion for another post.  This post is about tech support, privacy, and passwords.

Hubby patiently got on his phone and called the provider.

“What is your password?”  He didn’t know his password. How would he know his password? It’s been 15 years!

“What are the last four digits of your SSN?” He gave him those numbers.

“What is your password?” Again with the password question!

“I can give you a hint …” The hint didn’t help.

“Can I change my password?”

“Sure!  What would you like it to be?”

Are you kidding me? I waited all day when I could have grabbed anyone with a man’s voice and had him make a call on his phone?

In the end, I have a new phone. I haven’t added all the apps I’m used to or put any music on it yet. I managed to upload a few random photos from the other phone and I have contact info from people I don’t even know. 

What I don’t have is the authority to make changes to my account with a phone call unless I have the account owner’s password! Guess who chose the password?  That’s right – I did! I feel SO much safer now.

Question: What changes do you struggle with because they don't prove as easy as promised?

Happy Running!

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A few words about cold weather running

Cold weather running has taught me to be patient during times of difficulty. Either the trial will pass or I will gain strength to overcome it. Unfortunately, unlike running, it is difficult to measure how long patience must be exercised during life’s difficulties. When I run in the cold, I can expect that by the time I have completed the first mile, my digits will no longer feel frozen. Life experiences are not quite so predictable, but if you keep running or enduring, sometime the pain may become bearable.

You can read more about the lessons I've learned while running in The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny.

Happy Running!

The Lonely Run

It seems I’ve been training for a half marathon all year!  Actually, I began in March and hit a road block about the time I was due to run my first six-miler.  After recuperating from a couple of setbacks, I began again and reached the six-mile long run last weekend.  I had recruited a running buddy because long runs can get pretty lonely.  Unfortunately, there is a strange phenomenon surrounding the six-mile run.  Running buddies tend to disappear for six-milers.  I think I know the reasons.  It isn’t because they are wimping out (well maybe) rather they have reasons not to run six miles.

#1 – They are not training for a half, so six miles is just a random run.  It is not their goal.

#2 – Unless you can run a six minute mile (Most of us can’t) it takes a while to run six miles. Sometimes a long run just doesn’t work into your day.

#3 – Recovery.  Six miles takes more out of a body than three, or four, or even five.

This time my running buddy had something else come up and she had to cancel.  That happens, too.

That’s why I found myself alone on the road with only the voices of Alan Jackson, Sarah Brightman, Roger Miller, The Beatles, David Essex, and George Jones, to name a few.  I have an eclectic taste in running music!  I chose a route I had not traveled for many moons.  Long runs are typically done at an easy pace.  Their purpose is to build strength and endurance. I think they also have a purpose for building patience – something I need to work on.

Blooming Russian Olive Tree

 I started slow.  At 1.5 miles I was still slow and tried to pick up the pace a bit. Somewhere around mile three I got lost in my thoughts.  This was strange because somewhere around mile three I realized I had a 2 mile stretch that was bordered by blooming Russian Olive trees!  Like this one.

This was a problem because those innocuous yellow blossoms have a sickening sweet aroma that wreaks havoc on my head!  I dislike blooming Russian Olives with a passion, which is unfortunate because I am trying to bridle my passions! I thought, perhaps, this 2 mile stretch would be my undoing, but I just kept moving.  I ignored the trees and focused on … I don’t remember.  I think I let my mind wander, enjoying the assorted tunes bouncing in my ears and wondering what the uphill mile at the end of the run was going to feel like.

It felt fine.  In fact, it almost felt good!  The best part was the time on my watch at the end of the run.  It was the fastest I had ever covered six miles – 10K races included!  The slow start, the Russian olives, and the uphill mile at the end, were all a part of my lonely run and they combined for success.  I was satisfied with a sense of accomplishment afterwards, yet I had no buddy to whom I could brag, but then, if I had done the run with a buddy my time would have been slower because I would surely have been chatting along the way.

Innocuous Yellow Blossoms

A Run in the Sun

Ah, the beauty of a run in the sun!  The weather has been wreaking havoc on my training as of late.  I am afraid I will have to postpone my next half marathon for a bit. The cold temps and wind, coupled with a gimpy knee have really slowed me down.  Today was warm and sunny and I was determined to go for a run.  I chose to leave my watch and music home and attempt to run in tune with my body – most particularly, my knee.  Rather than attack the run (This is relative.  My “attack” compares to most runners “recovery run.”) I would take it slow and easy and pay attention to twinges so as to stop before they became full blown pains.  As I was preparing to step out the door, my Running Buddy Julie messaged me, offering to run along.  Julie has also been treating some injuries, so she made for a good partner today.

We took it easy, only running (slowly) until the first twinges manifested themselves.  Walking for a bit, we resumed running when the twinges subsided and ran again until they whispered their presence once more.  It wasn’t much of a run, but we covered a good three miles in the sunshine.  We caught up on our visiting as we hadn’t seen each other in a couple weeks.  It felt good to be outside and moving.  It is encouraging to know that the running isn’t over, it has just tapered off for a bit.  I still want to run that half marathon sometime – I really want a do over after the High Desert Half – but for today, I am happy that I can run, that the weather is nice, and that I had a buddy to run with me.  We will see what tomorrow brings.

Injuries! Ugh!

 

I try to be patient.  I really do!  It isn’t something that I was blessed with.  All of the patience I ever exercise requires effort.  That’s why I struggle when exercising requires patience!  Last week it was my back.  This week it’s a knee.  It is hampering my half marathon training and I’m beginning to worry that I may have to reschedule.  I don’t want to do that!  Last time I rescheduled until the half marathon available was this one! I would rather opt for a road race this time. 

Fortunately, the weather is nice enough to bike (easier on the knees), so today I donned my biker gal gear,

 

, grabbed my buddy Julie, and we hit the road.  I couldn’t believe how green the pastures are already!  We saw lots of black beef calves, some kind of brown geese, and water in the ditch.  Ah, life in the country!

 

 

It wasn’t the six mile run I needed to do, but it was good to enjoy the scenery, hang with my friend, break in the bike muscles.  The bike seat, however, I could do without!