New Goal for me......

Yes, I myself can't believe it, but I am going to set a goal to do another 1/2 Marathon.
I Haven't done a 1/2 mara since October 2013 - The Huntsville Marathon.
  Our Son Rocky Jay has got me convinced that I need to do the San Francisco Marathon with him.  He will of course do the full mara, but I will , of course, do the Half.  
I signed us up so that makes it a full blown Goal or commitment for me. Anytime you put down money - that gives you the incentive. (well, it does for me....:-)

   So yesterday I started the 12 week course of getting myself ready.  I walked/jogged 4 miles.
Then today I walked 2.5 miles.  I also lifted a lot of rock today (landscaping outside). So I'm counting that as cross training .....:)   I guess I'm kind of following the plan and also kind of making up my own plan.  (nothing wrong with that, I hope)
I know I need to keep up 3 or 4 miles every other day - so I hope I can keep the commitment.  It has been hard for me to keep up my walking this year, because of moving and going on so many trips in the car.  It is very difficult to keep up your fitness plan on the road.  Unless you get up early in the morning before everyone else that you are traveling with........nope, that's not me.  Anyhoo, I  will do a long walk within the next week. I got in the car today and clocked out 10 miles for myself.  If Jay drops me off at Huntsville Park and I walk back -that will be my 10 miles.  I'm excited to start doing the long walks again.  I soooooooo miss my long walks around the Columbia River in Wenatchee, WA.   But those days are gone for me now.  I have to find my  new favorite walking ground.   There are a lot of beautiful trails and nice places around here, but since I walk alone - a lot of the trails will not work for me.  I have to walk out in the open where there are a lot of other people around and animals on leashes.....:)   Yes, I've been bitten by dogs before.  It is no fun!

Well, enough of my walking talk.  Now I will have to report back to this blog and hopefully that will help me accomplish this goal.  I don't want to say that I didn't do the Marathon.

 The above pic is of the Apple Trail Loop in Wenatchee.......I miss you.

This one is of my daughter and me after the Huntsville Marathon.

Pain that we Suffer......Thought for April

"No Pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted . It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility.  All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God....and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in Heaven..
by Orson F. Whitney

I like this quote.  It makes me feel a touch better about pain. We have to go through pain in this life.
I read C.S. Lewis's book  " The problem of Pain"   It wasn't an easy book to read. But it did make me realize that - if we didn't have suffering (pain)..... We probably would have a tough time becoming humble and we need to be humble to be more Spiritual.  It's all part of the Plan of Happiness.
 How would we know Joy, if we didn't have pain?

Well, that's my thought for this month. We've had a pretty good month, but are still trying to figure out this Retirement thing.  It is hardest on my husband.  He is use to going to work everyday. We just have to keep him busy and find a new normal.....:)
We had a good week at Disneyland with our daughter Staci's Family.  Jay and I did notice that we were very worn out and tired, tho.  I guess we can't keep up with these youngins'.  But we tried our best.