The Rock n' Roll series takes over Seattle this weekend. Caitlin and the Nuun team sold a truck load of Nuun at the Expo yesterday. I ran by the Expo on my lunchtime run and the place was swamped. I said "hello" to Sally at Oiselle, and to Caitlin of course! Running expos are a great place to meet lots of new and old friends (yeah, most of my friends are old). It's also a great place to see what's new in running.. shoes, clothes, food, drinks, healthcare.
But as my friend Peter (yep, he's old) says.. All Rock n' Roll is music, but not all music is Rock n' Roll. And yes, all marathons are 26.2 miles... don't you love it when you tell someone you ran a marathon and they say 26.2 miles? Yep. My friend Janet has run a marathon in every state. When she tells people that (not very often - she's shy), they say, "what even Alaska?" Yes, Alaska has been a state for a while!
Meeting Janet was a turning point in my life. I had just run my first marathon in 6 years; Janet had just run her 100th marathon in the 50th state (yes, there are 50 states!). While Janet is not very fast (yet) she is an inspiration to be around. I am now on my quest to run a marathon in every state. Sixteen done and 34 to go, if my math is right! Janet will complete the states for a 2nd time as I do my first round (only round). Can't think of a more fun person to go with to so many marathons.
This is the third Seattle Rock n' Roll marathon and half marathon.. remember to run your own race and if you don't like the band, keep running, there's another one up the road! Good luck to you all out there.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Being an "athlete"!
I never thought I was athletic as a little girl. Growing up in England, girls played Netball or Field Hockey. I never made the school Netball team and got hit in the face with a hockey stick! We would have "Field Day" in elementary school (called Primary School in England). I was quite good in the Sack Race (a preview of things to come! Yes, I know what you're thinking.. not that sack race!!), but excelled in the high jump. Thinking I would be a high jumper I went along to our local athletic club where they took one look at me and laughed. Oh just kidding.. they said.. distance runner: maybe had something to do with being 5' 4" and about 95 lbs at age 13.
I found my sport. Running didn't require much coordination, but a desire to push myself and a good set of lungs. My little sister, Monica (more about her another time) won her first race, so the pressure for me to do well in my first race was huge. It was a one-mile cross country race after just one week of training. I pushed myself so hard I thought my lungs would explode. I passed a girl with about 100 yards to go.. she yelled at me "you can't" .. at least that's what I thought she said!! I finished 3rd, and became an "athlete".
To this day I never listen to anyone who tells me I can't do something. I just go out and show them I can!
Do you remember your first race? I would love to hear about it!
Happy miles my friends..
I found my sport. Running didn't require much coordination, but a desire to push myself and a good set of lungs. My little sister, Monica (more about her another time) won her first race, so the pressure for me to do well in my first race was huge. It was a one-mile cross country race after just one week of training. I pushed myself so hard I thought my lungs would explode. I passed a girl with about 100 yards to go.. she yelled at me "you can't" .. at least that's what I thought she said!! I finished 3rd, and became an "athlete".
To this day I never listen to anyone who tells me I can't do something. I just go out and show them I can!
Do you remember your first race? I would love to hear about it!
Happy miles my friends..
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Tina's First Marathon
Sunday, June 5th my long time friend Tina Gall ran her first marathon. She finished 5th woman in 3.31.58! A very respectable first effort. She told me today she's already thinking about running another one. What is it about the marathon that we (at least most of us) can't do just one?
I ran my first marathon almost 29 years ago. And I got slower every time after that! I never thought I'd run a marathon for "fun". Come on, what's fun about running 26 miles.. without stopping?
I'll tell you what's fun.. being with great friends before and after; making new friends along the way; achieving things most people think they can't do; overcoming your fears.
My second marathon was The World Championships in Helsinki in 1983. A Russian woman named Raisa Smeknova placed 2nd that day (I was 7th). I saw Raisa in Tokyo for the Tokyo Women's marathon 3 months later. We became friends, even though neither of us spoke the others language. Running was our common bond.. we knew each others pain and joy.
What is your favorite memory of your first marathon?
Enjoy your journey.. happy running!
I ran my first marathon almost 29 years ago. And I got slower every time after that! I never thought I'd run a marathon for "fun". Come on, what's fun about running 26 miles.. without stopping?
I'll tell you what's fun.. being with great friends before and after; making new friends along the way; achieving things most people think they can't do; overcoming your fears.
My second marathon was The World Championships in Helsinki in 1983. A Russian woman named Raisa Smeknova placed 2nd that day (I was 7th). I saw Raisa in Tokyo for the Tokyo Women's marathon 3 months later. We became friends, even though neither of us spoke the others language. Running was our common bond.. we knew each others pain and joy.
What is your favorite memory of your first marathon?
Enjoy your journey.. happy running!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Welcome!
Writing a blog is the last thing I ever thought I'd do. But with a suggestion from Kim Williams at Nuun to my daughter Caitlin Bonney, it's happening!! So, thank-you to Kim for the suggestion and big hugs to Caitlin for starting it up so fast!
I've been a runner since I was 13 years old, and as Caitlin pointed out I'm now 54! So that's a lot of miles on this body.. of course you'd never know it.. or maybe you would, because I look about the same as I did at 13, but with a few laugh lines on my face!
I started running at age 13, all because my little sis won her first race and got her picture in the local paper.. competitive genes.. yes!!
I feel I've come full-circle with my running. I started out as a competitive run .. oh wait.. I'm still competitive (just not as fast!).. I've always loved to run mainly because I didn't have the coordination for other sports. But what I get most joy out of now is inspiring others to run and to find the joy in just running.
Stay tuned for more stories of my 4 decades of running!
Happy miles!!
I've been a runner since I was 13 years old, and as Caitlin pointed out I'm now 54! So that's a lot of miles on this body.. of course you'd never know it.. or maybe you would, because I look about the same as I did at 13, but with a few laugh lines on my face!
I started running at age 13, all because my little sis won her first race and got her picture in the local paper.. competitive genes.. yes!!
I feel I've come full-circle with my running. I started out as a competitive run .. oh wait.. I'm still competitive (just not as fast!).. I've always loved to run mainly because I didn't have the coordination for other sports. But what I get most joy out of now is inspiring others to run and to find the joy in just running.
Stay tuned for more stories of my 4 decades of running!
Happy miles!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
National Running Day
It is fitting that I, Caitlin, help my mum, Regina Joyce, start her blog on "National Running Day". She is one of the most inspiring athletes I've ever had the pleasure of being around...and I'm so lucky to be her daughter. She's instilled in me a love of being fit, and always encouraged me to be active. If I am in half as good of shape as she is at the age of 54, I will be SO happy.
While she's experienced running success at the highest of levels, one of the things to be most admired about my mum is her ability to inspire people to love running. Her running group - Run By Regina - helps her do just that, and this blog will hopefully be another vehicle for spreading her message that you don't need to run fast, but you need to enjoy what you are doing, to be successful.
Stay tuned for workouts, advice, stories and much more from Regina!
While she's experienced running success at the highest of levels, one of the things to be most admired about my mum is her ability to inspire people to love running. Her running group - Run By Regina - helps her do just that, and this blog will hopefully be another vehicle for spreading her message that you don't need to run fast, but you need to enjoy what you are doing, to be successful.
Stay tuned for workouts, advice, stories and much more from Regina!
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