Inside the Miles

I know a lot of you follow this blog to keep up on what's happening with our family.  For those of you who are interested, I have created a separate blog that will center around running, fitness, weight loss, body image, and health.  You can find my new blog, Inside the Miles, here.  That's where you will be able to read about any races I complete and how my training is going, so make sure you head on over there and become a follower.  Thanks!


That's it from Boomerang Drive!


-- Holly

Wineglass Marathon Race Report

Last October, the boys and I went to visit my parents in Bath, NY for the weekend. I remember that at the time, I was training for my first half marathon, and I completed a 10-mile training run while we were visiting. I remember our ride home very clearly. It was Sunday, October 3, 2010. It was a BEAUTIFUL, crisp, cool day. The beginning of fall in New York. As we were driving home, I suddenly saw hundreds of runners on the next road over. It dawned on me that we were driving parallel to the Wineglass Marathon course, and it was in fact race day. I felt overwhelmingly proud of those runners. I was moved to tears, and I knew that I HAD to become one of them. It was at that moment that I knew I was going to run a marathon.

I continued training for my first half, the Amish Country Half Marathon, and completed it in November. I did another, the Garden Spot Village Half Marathon, in April. Finally, in June, I officially registered for the Wineglass (thanks Dad and Deb for being my sponsors!) and began an 18-week training plan. I have already written here before about my summer of running, getting up at 5am and running 14, 16, 18, 20 miles to prepare. The runs were long, and it was hot. But I told myself that after running 20 miles in the heat and humidity, running in the 50's in October in New York would feel awesome.

On our way up, we stopped in Corning at the race expo and picked up my goodies: a long sleeved tech tee, shopping bag, wine glass, and champagne.


So last night, we arrived here in Bath, and I started to get nervous. Not so much about the fact that I was about to take on something monumental, but about the weather. It was raining and cold, with gusty winds when we got here, and it was NOT supposed to stop. I didn't like this forecast one bit! I was imagining 5 hours of freezing, wet feet, wind whipping in my face. This is NOT what I had practiced. When I went to bed last night, I really didn't want to ever wake up and have to go do this marathon thing.

Fortunately I packed some extra clothes and was able to borrow an ear warmer from my sister. I got myself layered up.

Layer 1: shorts and a short-sleeved tech tee.

Layer 2: added a light weight, long sleeved tee.


Layer 3: added a running jacket with nice big pockets to hold all of my stuff.


Layer 4: a trash bag. Super cute.


My dad drove me as close to the starting line as possible, but they had it blocked off, and the runners actually had to walk -- I'm guessing between 1/2 mile and 1 mile -- to the starting line. I took my place in the back of the pack and waited. Of course, at 8:00, they announced that they weren't ready to start. And yes, it was cold and raining pretty hard at that point. So we stood and waited, a bunch of idiots waiting around in the rain to run for hours and hours. The race ended up starting at about 8:13.

I set my Ipod on shuffle. I always like the surprise of not knowing what song will start me off. Today it was U2's "Beautiful Day". The irony made me smile.

The first few miles were easy, and I was surprised when I found myself at the 4-mile water station. I couldn't believe how fast the first miles had gone. My family was cheering me on at mile 4.5 (which is where they took the photo above of me running). Originally the plan was for them to come see me at various viewing points. However, I knew that the boys wouldn't enjoy standing around in the rain for hours -- and Alex already has a cold with a pretty bad cough, so I told them not to bother with it. As long as someone showed up at the end to give me a ride home, that was good enough!

I made it comfortably until about mile 9, when we passed through the town of Savona. After that, we were on a country road with no crowd support, and the runners had thinned out. I really felt like I was running all alone on a rainy day, and it was semi-boring and not that much fun. Still, I held strong and kept running.

Throughout the morning, there was a steady rain. Fortunately, though, it was manageable. The gusting wind I had feared was not there. The downpours never came. Somehow, although it rained and rained and rained, it was never more than I could handle. I was warm enough in my cozy garbage bag. My feet were wet but amazingly not too uncomfortable. I was so happy to see mile 13 and realize I was halfway there. And when I got to mile 15, I noticed that the rain had slowed to a slight drizzle. Shortly after that, it stopped, and stayed away for the rest of the race.

Miles 15-20 were pretty good. I took some short walking breaks when needed, mostly after water stops. I felt good knowing that I had the majority of the race behind me and I started a mental countdown: 10 miles to go, 9 miles to go, then 8, etc. When mile 20 came, it was a big deal for me because that was the longest distance I had ever run in training. I knew then that I could make it to the end. At that point I walked a little bit at about every half mile, but I didn't walk too long. I made myself get right back to running.

At mile 22 I got HUNGRY. I wanted the pizza that was waiting for me at the finish line. This surprised me, I don't usually feel like eating right at the end of the run -- and this time I wasn't even done yet and I wanted to EAT! I did have fuel throughout the course -- one Gu, two Shot Blocks and one pack of sports beans. I'm sure those helped me keep going, but they're not actual FOOD.

The last few miles were tough -- my legs were sore, my feet hurt, but I was able to keep going. I knew that I just had to keep it up and I would be there soon. At mile 25, I took off my Ipod so I could just focus mentally, hear the sounds around me, and most importantly, hear the sounds at the finish line.

Once I got to the bridge in Corning, I knew the end was coming. Sure enough, when I rounded the corner to Market Street, I could see the finish line ahead. It was still a ways off, but there was so stopping to walk now. I held a consistent, steady pace and kept my eyes on the goal. Right before the finish line, I saw my family. I waved to them and coasted through the finish line.


I had NO idea what the time on the clock was going to say -- I didn't take my watch with me, and there weren't time clocks along the course. I am really glad, though -- I ran the race that was the most comfortable for me, without the pressure of time. I didn't have a goal for this race exactly. I pretty much expected that it would take me between 5 hours and 5:15. When I crossed the finish line, the time said 5:11:44. I was super happy to see that, especially since I had started at the back of the group. I didn't really care what my time was, especially with the weather forecast, and I was just thrilled with the time I got. A solid first marathon for me. (As of writing this, I am still awaiting the official results).



Shortly after the finish line, I saw my friends Mary and Alexis waiting for me. I was so happy and surprised to see them. I went to talk to them and then had to stop for a minute -- I felt like I was going to have an asthma attack, I just couldn't get a breath in. I didn't have any problems breathing while I was running, but I guess the stress of what I had just done caught up with me. After a moment, though, I was fine and was able to stop and talk and pose for photos.



The next thought I had was, "I NEED PIZZA!" I proceeded to the runners' recovery area and chowed down. I was slightly annoyed that they had run out of chocolate milk, but I made do. Pizza hit the spot.


I got full quickly and couldn't finish what I had taken. I stretched a bit, put on some warmer clothes, and we then walked a couple of blocks to my parents' van. After about 5 minutes of riding, I realized I was starving again, and we stopped at McDonald's for a Big Mac and a coffee. We drove home along the marathon route, and it was amazing to see how far I had just run.

When I got back to the house, I felt so loved when I saw the many signs around the house congratulating me. It is amazing to have such a supportive family!




Somewhere along the race, a person had made a sign with a Bible verse on it. It comes from 1 Corinthians 9:25-26. They paraphrased it a little bit, and took it from 2 different translations I think, but it said something like, "Run in such a way as to get the prize, with purpose in every step." I LOVE that!!! Wish I had known about it during my training.

Some other photos of today's race can be seen here.

So that's it. I am proud of myself beyond belief. I set a goal, worked hard, followed through, and did what I said I was going to do. I am a marathoner. 26.2, baby. And no one can EVER take that away from me.


EDIT: Official time: 5:09:40. #1306 out of 1447 finishers. Not quite last!

That's it from Boomerang Drive's newest (and quite possibly only) marathoner!

-- Holly

Three Weeks, Time to Taper!

I haven't written much about the running I've been doing all summer, but today I hit an important milestone and I felt it was worthy of a blog post. Today I ran TWENTY MILES.

Let's back it up a minute. In June, I began plugging away at an 18 week marathon training plan. The plan involves 4 days of running and one day of cross training each week, with 2 rest days. The runs each week include 3 shorter runs (usually 3, 4, and 6 miles) and one longer run (progressing from 8 up to 20 miles, with one shorter one every few weeks to give me a break).

Of course, I was training over the summer, and it was HOT. My solution was to get up early and get the runs done before the weather became unbearable. But let's face it, the humidity is still there even before the sun comes up. Some of those runs were quite uncomfortable.

So on many, many days this summer, my alarm went off at 5:00. I got up, ate breakfast (a waffle or banana with peanut butter), got dressed, and headed out the door while it was still dark. Although I felt like it many times, I never ignored the alarm and went back to sleep. With the exception of sickness and family issues, I got out there and stuck to the plan as close as possible.

Today I accomplished the biggest goal of the 18 weeks (other than the marathon itself). I ran 20 miles. It took me almost 4 hours. I ran at a slow, steady pace, stopped to refill my water a few times (it took me 60 ounces of liquids to get through it) and took a couple of shorter walk breaks when I needed to. I was dreading this run, was nervous about it, and now I'm DONE. It's interesting that you only have to run 20 miles in training in order to complete a 26.2 mile race. I'm sure I can do it, but right now I can't imagine it. The 20 was hard enough -- adding another 6.2 is a little daunting.

I have to stop and give credit to the one person that has made all of this possible for me: my wonderful husband. There have been many, many days when he has had to get up and take care of the kids all morning when I was running -- and often he keeps them out of the house longer than necessary so that I can stretch and relax when I get home. A few times I have headed out the door during dinner time, or just as he has gotten home from a long day at work, and he is always so sweet about it and never complains. Without his support, I could never accomplish this goal!

I am heading into the final 3 weeks of the plan, what is known as the "taper". This means that I now ease up on the schedule and allow my body to rest and recover, so I will be strong on race day. The longest run I will have to do between now and the big day is 10 miles. I am so ready to taper, because I am tired and need the break!

3 weeks. Three weeks from today I will be a marathoner.

That's what's happening on Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Girls on the Run

I am excited to be a part of something awesome this fall: I'm going to be an assistant coach for the Girls on the Run (GOTR) program.

What is Girls on the Run? It's an after school program for girls in grades 3-5. The mission of Girls on the Run: "We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running." Lancaster is one of 183 GOTR councils across the US and Canada. Last season, almost 100,000 girls participated.

The girls meet after school two days per week (since I have the boys to find child care for, I will be only coaching one day each week). There is a designed curriculum that focuses on positive self image, team building, healthy habits, reaching for your goals, and other life skills that are important for girls at this impressionable age. Each meeting involves a lesson, team sharing, and a fun filled workout. At the end of the program, the girls celebrate with a 5K!

I am so excited to be able to volunteer for this amazing nonprofit organization. Not only is it a chance for me to be involved with elementary school girls and be a positive influence, since I have been out of the classroom for a few years now, but it is a great opportunity for me to share my love of running and fitness. I know that even as an adult, I struggle with body image and self esteem on a daily basis, and I will probably take just as much away from this program for myself as I am giving to the girls!

That's it from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

4th of July

This morning, Erik and his family took the boys to a 4th of July parade. If you're wondering why Alex has a Halloween bucket in the picture, it was his idea to take it to catch the candy that was thrown.


I stayed at home and ran in the Ephrata Firecracker Run, a 5-mile race. We have lived in Ephrata for almost 6 years now, but this is the first time I've done the race. I really enjoyed it. I don't have any detailed race report for you, because I actually don't have much to say about it. My time was 52:51 for 5.05 miles, which was about a 10:15 pace, and I felt like I gave it a solid effort the whole way through. I haven't been worried too much about speed lately while training for the marathon, focusing more on long, slow distance runs, so it was nice to do a shorter race for a change.

Happy 4th of July from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Race Against Racism 2011

Time for the 13th annual (and our second annual) Race Against Racism! This year, I ran again with Mark and Ken, and this time Erik walked with the boys in the double stroller. Like last year, it was a beautiful day, and a very crowded downtown Lancaster.



One mistake we made was that when we got started, we didn't run over the metal plate that activated the timing chips on our shoes. Without the chips activated, we only had the time on the clock, not our individual time. The difference is that when the race officially started, we were way in the back, so we were actually standing still -- and then walking slowly for a bit -- while the runners in the front were already going. So the time clock did not accurately reflect our individual times. The problem was that the timing plate was on the center of the road, but it was crowded and we were off to the side, so we didn't know we had to try to move to run over it. Oh well. We all feel like we did better than last year, but we'll never know!

We went into the race with the plan that we should just all run at our own pace, and we would meet up at the finish line. It turns out, though, that we were pretty much together the entire time. Every time I glanced back, the guys were RIGHT behind me. When I saw the finish line, Mark was right next to me, and Ken had fallen back just a little bit. I started picking up the pace, and Mark did, too. When we got really close, I thought to myself, "I'm going to sprint and beat Mark!" But guess what? That was HIS plan, too! And his sprint was faster than mine, I couldn't make my short legs go fast enough. He beat me by 3 seconds! It was SO fun for me at the end, usually at a race I'm by myself and just running -- it was fun to actually feel like I was RACING someone! Ken was only about 24 seconds, I think, behind us.


We then waited for Erik and the boys to finish with the rest of the walkers. The worst part of the day was trying to get out of the parking garage. We sat there for literally an hour! Plus, we were slightly worried we would run out of gas, we had forgotten to get gas on the way in. And Alex ended up having to go to the bathroom, so Erik took him out of the parking lot to a nearby hotel to go to the bathroom while Thomas and I were waiting in line to get out of the garage. It took forever!

It was a fun day, though, and a great race. Erik and I, and the boys, always enjoy having Mark and Ken here to hang out with us.

I now have one month of doing whatever I want, running wise, and then my marathon training plan will begin!

And that's race day from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Garden Spot Village Half Marathon Race Report

I am WIPED OUT. Today I completed my second half marathon.

I woke up this morning at 6, had some breakfast and got dressed, and got to the race at about 7:15. I like to get there early just in case, and to make sure I have time to use the bathroom first. I did have some standing around to do, and it was chilly, but not as cold as the 2 races I did in November. Temperature was 44 degrees and skies were overcast.

I was happy that the race started on time. I started out at a nice, easy pace in order to have enough energy for the 13. I really enjoyed the first half of the race. I felt strong, was comfortable, and enjoying the scenery. The one thing I did NOT like was the hills. There were 2 pretty decent hills, the first of which was at mile 5. I just powered through it, slow and steady, knowing that I was almost at the halfway point. I was still feeling good.

I got to the halfway point, had some Gatorade, and made the U-turn to complete the second half. And then came the NEXT big hill. And suddenly, at mile 8, my legs were TIRED. I envisioned myself not completing the race. I thought about how much I wanted to go home and crawl into bed. I took a walking break and tried to get my head together. I knew that not finishing was not an option.

I continued struggling through miles 8-10. This was the hardest part of the race for me. Somehow, at mile 10, I started feeling a little better. I had a few M&M's for a little sugar and motivation. I have not tried the energy gels and things that a lot of runners use to get through races yet. I'm not sure if they would have helped me or not. I will definitely be trying them soon!

The last three miles were okay. Not terrible, not great. A steady pace, although slower, with a few walking breaks. I really didn't care what my time was at this point, I was just so happy to be finished!

Official time was 2:34:27. Places 395 out of 506 runners. WAY slower than my first one, and it felt harder. Lessons learned: get off the treadmill, get outside more, do more hill work!

But still, I have to be proud of myself for once again completing something that lots of people can't do. I put in the hours, completed the training, and finished the race. So now I can say I've completed 2 half marathons. Will I be able to run a full marathon? Time will tell. I have 6 months to be ready. I have some serious, serious work to do.

And that's it from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Bye Bye, March!

Wow, look at my fabulous postings for March. Not only have I not written anything, I have barely taken any photos. In fact, this month I have taken fewer photos than in any previous month since Alex has been born. Can you tell March has totally kicked us in the butt?

It started off well. My mom and brother Mike were able to come spend a week with us. Let me ask you, if you had a week of vacation, would you choose to spend it at our house? I'm not sure it was as relaxing as a true vacation would be. I think my brother left realizing that he and Susan are NOT ready for kids yet! But seriously, we had a great time. Mike and I ran in the Shiver by the River 5K in Reading, which was his first race. We enjoyed running through showers and a flood warning! Every night, we stayed up late playing games together. We truly loved having them here, and it was sort of like a mini-vacation for us, a little break in routine. We had so much fun that the day they left we were EXHAUSTED and pretty much became couch potatoes for a day.

And 2 days later, Erik got sick. We thought it was just a cold, but was something else -- the flu, maybe? -- that lasted over 2 weeks! He is just now starting to feel better, but really, after 18 days, is not completely normal yet. He has been existing in this cloud of exhaustion,and with a sore throat, trying to make it through school, trying to come home and be with the family, in the midst of leading guitar ensemble and teaching private lessons. It has just been way too much. I, fortunately, just got a cold which didn't last too long. I am feeling pretty good.

We are always slightly on edge with budget cuts looming in Erik's school. 5 teachers in his district have already been cut, with the threat of 10-15 more coming soon. We are fairly confident that his job is safe, but there are no guarantees. And it looks like this stress will continue in the coming years, as we keep hearing that Pennsylvania's school budget crisis is far from over.

My half marathon is 10 days away. I think I'm ready, I've certainly put in lots and lots of training. I am not at all confident that I'll beat my previous time, due to the fact that I've slowed down a bit lately and have been training more on the treadmill and not outside as much as I was in the fall. But still, I'll have 2 half marathons under my belt, and that's pretty cool.

So we are done, done, DONE, with March, winter, sickness, all of it! We are SO ready for spring, outside time, parks, and sunshine. I'm hoping that April is much, much better for us!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Running Plans

I didn't make New Year's resolutions this year, really. I mean, there are things I am working on, I feel like we can ALWAYS better ourselves and strive to be more like God's image in every aspect of our lives. But that's an ongoing thing, not a new year's thing. What I DID think about as the new year approached was my plans for running this year. Here's what I came up with:

1. Run at least 15 miles each week, unless I am sick, injured, or following a training plan that calls for a lighter rest/taper week.

2. Run 1,000 miles this year.

3. Run another 5K and beat my best 5K time of 26:57.

4. Run a 10K and beat my best 10K time of 58:45.

5. Run another half marathon and beat my previous half marathon time of 2:17:37.

6. Run a full marathon.

Whew. Sounds like a lot, huh? Well, the 15 miles a week is actually pretty easy for me. I have been running that mileage consistently for the past few months and am very comfortable with it. I actually put in 21 miles this past week and didn't feel like it was too much. As I get more serious about training for a half, and then full, marathon, my mileage will increase even more, allowing me to reach 1,000 miles for the year.

I have already added some races to my schedule. First up is a "virtual" 10K the week of February 14. Organized by one of the women on an online forum I visit, you basically run a 5k or 10k over the course of the week and report back telling the others how you did. It's for anyone -- even just to complete it by walking is great -- just to get active. I look forward to approaching this as a real race and improving my time.

Next up, on April 9 I will be running in my second half marathon, the Garden Spot Village Half Marathon. Now that I already have one half under my belt and know I can do it, I look forward to seeing improvement on my time on this race as well.

Somewhere between April and September I would like to run another race -- maybe another 5K with my brothers in law, if they want to, or another 10K. We will see.

Finally, I haven't signed up just yet, but I am seriously thinking about the Wineglass Marathon in NY on Sunday, October 2. I think once I run the half and see how that goes, I'll make the decision. I would REALLY like to do it, though.

A special thanks to my mom and Doug for sponsoring my half marathon (these things aren't free, unfortunately, do you know that people actually PAY $65 to go run 13.1 miles?) and to my wonderful inlaws for paying for my new running shoes (which, at this rate, will need replacing every 6 months, another thing that is not cheap!) I appreciate the help and support!

My cousin Casey invited everyone on my mom's side of the family to be part of a "5k challenge" this year. I want to extend that to everyone reading this blog. Make it your mission this year to run or walk a 5K (3.1 miles) this year. You don't have to be a runner, and I know that EVERYONE reading this has the ability to walk that distance, or even do a run/walk combo. So start thinking about it. What a great gift to give yourself in the new year!

And that's it from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

November Ups and Downs

I have been meaning to get a post in for a while now, but November has been a pretty crazy month, with highlights swinging from the very, very fun to the beyond miserable.

First, fun . . .

The month started with a visit from Nana (yay!) that we always enjoy. The best part was that she was here over my birthday. Erik and I got in some date time on the Saturday before my birthday -- lunch at El Serrano (my favorite Mexican restaurant), followed by a rare opportunity to see a movie (Inception) and coffee at Borders. A great day!

On my actual birthday, I asked a friend to watch the boys for a few hours, and my mom and I got to have lunch and shopping by ourselves. We had a great time, and both thought it went way to quickly! We then came home and had pizza, and some delicious cake my mom made me. I got some fabulous presents (mostly running related stuff). Another fabulous day!

Now, the miserable . . .

We went to spend the day with Erik's family on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We went to a Thanksgiving parade, which the boys really liked. (Okay, not the miserable part yet).


We then went back to the Schlosser's home to hang out and play games while the boys napped. Then, all of a sudden, I got a stomach virus. I have no idea where it came from, but it was awful. I spent all day in bed on Sunday and am thankful Erik was able to watch the boys. That was the first day since before Alex was born that I was sick enough to stay in bed all day. I couldn't stand up or even sit up for more than about a minute before I had to lie back down. Erik then got sick, of course, and had to stay home on Monday. We were both (sort of) functioning by Tuesday, and were ready to go to NY on Wednesday. We packed both boys up although their stomachs were borderline. And, despite our best intentions, we managed to share the virus with our NY family. :(

Another SUPER FUN thing for me . . .

I ran in a 5K in Corning on Thanksgiving morning. Erik offered to stay at home with the boys so my dad could drive me down and watch the race. It was about 35 degrees, I think, with snow flurries. You can see that waiting for the race to start, I was just a bit chilly.



My goal for this race was to finish in about 28 minutes. That in itself would have been a good improvement -- my time for the 5K I ran in April with Mark and Ken was almost 31 minutes. I ended up with a time of 26:57! You can see from this great picture my dad took that I was thrilled with the time. I LOVED this race, I think it was my favorite so far. It was such a fun experience!


And that was November. We are home, healthy, decorated for Christmas, and excited for all of the fun holiday stuff coming up.

And that's what's been happening on Boomerang Drive this month!

-- Holly

Running Plans

Okay, I promised you more running stuff to read about. :) Now that I've had a few days to rest (well, not really), I'm ready to answer the question "What next?"

First up is a 5K on Thanksgiving morning! I will be running in the Pie and Glove 5K in Corning, NY, while visiting my family there. It is named based on the prizes: pies for the first 3 runners in each category, and gloves for all finishers. It will be interesting for me to do something that is really short compared to the half marathon. I will be really focused on improving my speed. My time in my last 5K (when I ran back in April with Mark and Ken) was 30:55. I should definitely be able to improve that this time.

Over the winter, I plan on continuing to run at least 3 times per week, one of which will be speed intervals. At least twice a month, I would like to get out for a run that is 10 miles or more. This will help me keep a good running base for next year's race season.

My goals for next year, ASSUMING everything goes as planned -- no injuries, major illnesses, unforeseen events, etc.: run another half marathon in the spring, at least 2 smaller races (5K/5 mile/10K) in the spring/summer, and a full marathon in the fall. As of right now, I have my sights set on the Wineglass Marathon in October in Corning. Of course, that's a year from now, so we'll see what happens!

I am still waiting for my official race photos to come to me via email -- if I like them I will post!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Amish Half Marathon Race Report

Well, it finally came! My long awaited race day was today. I know you're all dying to know all of the details, so here goes!

It was dark and about 35 degrees outside when I left the house this morning. The race was scheduled to start at 8am, and I got to the starting area at about 7:30. I basically used the bathroom and stood around freezing and waiting. It seemed like everyone around me had come with a friend, making me really want a running buddy! At 7:50 they announced that we were 10 minutes away from the start and that the runners should make their way to the starting line. We got in a big 1,000 runner crowd, ready to go. They then announced that due to traffic coming in, we need to delay the start for a few more minutes -- some of the runners were stuck in their cars! It ended up to be about 20 more minutes, so I basically spent 45 minutes standing around freezing, and started the race with numb toes.

Once we got going, I kept hearing this little voice in my head saying, "Pace yourself." Everything I have read or been told about races has told me, "Don't go out too fast." When doing long runs in my training, I made sure to take the tempo a little slower than with a fast run, just to make sure I had the endurance to get through the miles. I was nervous about starting too fast, and then getting tired and burning out before the finish. I started the race at a comfortable tempo, not worrying about passing people just yet.

During the race, they have rest stops in case runners need to use the bathroom. In this particularly quaint race, the rest stops were actually the outhouses for the one room Amish school houses we were running past. When I got to mile 3, there was a rest stop and a sign that said "next stop 5 miles". I kinda had to go, but figured I'd just keep running and stop later. I was still feeling good. That may have been a mistake, though, because ALL I could think about for the next 50 minutes was that I really had to go!

When I got to the next stop, at mile 8, there was a line at the outhouses. I figured that would take me 3 or more minutes, and I didn't want that added to my total time. I stopped to grab a quick Gatorade and a few bites of trail mix and willed myself to forget about it. That actually worked, I got back into running mode and kept on going. At this point, I knew that I was a little bit behind the pace I wanted to keep, so I made a mental note to start pushing it a little bit.

Let me stop to say that my original goal in training to run a half marathon was to be able to run the whole thing without having to stop and walk. After my training, having improved my speed on my shorter runs, I determined that I should be able to complete it in 2 hours and 10 minutes, or less if I pushed it.

I continued running, still feeling good. Just hanging out and enjoying the run. It was a brisk, bright sunny day in Lancaster County. Started to get tired legs around mile 10, but it was easy to keep going knowing that the end was in sight -- only a 5K to go.

Another side note: one of the coolest things about this race was that we were traveling through Amish country. While it was a closed course, and there were few spectators throughout, many Amish families came out of their homes to cheer on the runners. It was adorable to see little children, dressed in their conservative clothing, with very serious faces, watching us. The water stations were also Amish run, and there were probably 10 Amish people at each one holding out cups and yelling "water!" and "powerade!" very excitedly.

I was very excited to see the mile 12 marker, and really picked up my pace for the last mile. I made it to the finish, heard the announcer call my name and town (although he mispronounced Ephrata), got my medal, and found my cheering section (Erik, Mark, Alex, and Thomas). They had a great tent set up with food for the runners -- apples, bananas, yogurt, bagels with peanut butter, and pizza). They had a live band playing music. I needed to stretch but didn't really get to do much, because sitting down on a cold, muddy field wasn't appealing. I was plenty warm while running but quickly became cold once I was standing around.

And that's it!

I got home, took a LONG, HOT shower, had lunch, took a blissful nap, and then headed out to Barnes and Noble with Erik and the boys, where I enjoyed a nice, big latte. Right now I am feeling great -- sore, but in a good way. In a way that reminds me of all I did today. :)

I have to say that if there is anything I regret about this race, it's that I didn't push myself harder. I was so nervous about getting tired and not being able to finish, or having to walk, so I think I ran too conservatively. I almost want a redo because I KNOW I could have done much better!

BUT . . . that's not to say I'm not proud of myself. I picked a goal, had a plan, and accomplished it. By myself. I ran over 200 miles in preparation for this race. And not only was I able to run the 13.1 miles without ever feeling like I needed to stop and walk, but I could have run another mile or two if I had to. So to me, that is a HUGE accomplishment. And you know what? That to me is a great time for a first half marathon, and will give me a lot of room to improve for next time.

That's right, I said next time. If you thought that you would finally be done listening to me talk about running, you're wrong! I've written enough today, but soon I will do a post about my upcoming goals.

Final stats:

Chip time: 2:17:47
Overall place: 750/994
Division (females 30-34): 68/92
Out of all females: 371/556

And that's the race report from Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Training Update

One month to go!

Half marathon training has been going really well. I have been running four days a week and have had the privilege of working with a trainer online. I "met" Mari through a moms' forum, and at some point running came up. She herself is an accomplished marathoner and is currently training to run an Ultra Marathon (50K). She offered to give me free advice, and I'm gladly taking it! Each week I check in with her, at which point we discuss my progress and she gives me a workout plan for the week.

Last week's workout plan looked like this:
Monday -- 4 miles at race pace with a sprint for the last .25 mile
Tuesday -- treadmilll work -- 30 minutes with speed/hill intervals
Wednesday -- teach aerobics class
Thursday -- 6 miles at race pace with a sprint for the last .25 mile
Friday -- off
Saturday -- 10 miles
Sunday -- off

I love having someone guide me, because I feel like each workout has a point. No run is wasteful, they all serve a purpose. The runs "at race pace" are called "tempo" runs -- they should be at my goal pace that I want to maintain at the race, or even a little faster. The sprint at the end prepares me for kicking it into high gear when I see the race line on finish day. The speed/hill interval workout prepares me for hills, obviously, and helps make me faster overall. The long run increases my endurance and is considered the most important of all runs.

I have enjoyed the training so much. I am no longer running because I feel like I "should" exercise, but because I want to run. I have shifted my focus from calorie counting to seeing how fast and how far I can go. I feel challenged, motivated, and a little bit like a rock star when I run.

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Half Marathon Training

Hi everyone! I hope you're liking the new blog design. Last night I was just online with nothing in particular to do, and ended up pressing a few buttons, and voila. A new, fresh blog. I'm hoping this will inspire me to post more. I love the blog and being able to look back at the past few years and see everything that's happened.

You will notice two new "widgets" on the left. They are from a website recently started using, www.dailymile.com. The first one will show you my most recent run completed, and the second tracks my total miles (starting September 1). I am hoping that by making my training public, it will keep me motivated to reach my goal: running my first half marathon.

I am signing up for the Amish Half Marathon (http://www.usrahm.com/Events/amish.htm) on November 6. I am working on a training program now, so that I can slowly get ready without reinjuring my foot. I am running 3 days a week and am gradually increasing my mileage. I would like to run more than that, but I am teaching an aerobics class once a week now, so that adds to the impact on my foot. I am confident, though, with 3 days a week running, and proper rest days, I will be ready for November 6! Mark your calendars, I would LOVE to have some supporters there for the big day!

I will be keeping you guys updated as to how it's going, and as always, how it's going with the rest of the family. A link will be posted for September photos once I actually take some!

And that's what's happening on Boomerang Drive!

-- Holly

Race Against Racism

This past Saturday, I ran in the Race Against Racism, a 5K, with my brothers in law, Ken and Mark. We had a great time. It was the first race for both of the guys, and they did great! I finished in 30:55 and was in 776th place (out of 1308 runners). Ken was 4 seconds behind me in 789th, and Mark was only a minute behind us, in 854th place. Click here to see all the race results:

http://www.ywcalancaster.org/pdf/RAR%20Results.pdf

I am looking forward to my next race, the Red Rose Run, a 5-miler, on June 5. I am trying to convince them to run again with me! I'm not sure if they're up for it or not. If not, there are vacancies . . . anyone else want to be my running buddy?

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

Just About Everyone Was Wrong . . .

It's a BOY!!! We (along with most of our voters) thought we were having a girl, but we are thrilled that Alexander will have a little brother! It should make things pretty easier around here, being able to use the same clothes and toys (although I'm sure I will be buying my new little guy some cute new outfits as well). We are pretty sure that everything looked good, according to the ultrasound. Their measurements had me estimated at a September 3rd due date -- a little earlier than my September 8 due date given to me by the doctor. So we'll see!

In other news, I ran in my 5 mile race on Saturday. I was able to finish in 52:47, which is only about 3 minutes slower than the race I ran in a year ago, when I was not pregnant and in much better shape. I came in at 232 out of 251, but I am just happy I was not last! Considering that I only trained for 3 weeks, I am extremely proud of myself. I am looking forward to really picking things up next spring.

So that's it! We are excited and working on some baby names (which, quite possibly, may not start with A, and which, of course, we will not be telling!)

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

April Already?

Wow, where did the month of March go? Only one blog post? I had better get it back into gear! I'm sure I'll have more to report this month, since in only 12 more days we will (hopefully) get to find out if we're having a little Agatha or a little Archibald. :)

It has been interesting around here lately. First news is a change in schedule. At 19 1/2 months, we have finally moved Alex to one nap a day. It was nice while it lasted. Every day for the past 19 months, I could count on at least an hour and a half every morning, and another hour and a half to two hours to myself every afternoon. This was how my house stayed clean, dinner was made, my shower was taken, etc. But Alex is old enough to do one nap now, so what we are trying to do is take him out for some type of activity every morning, when he normally would have taken his nap, in order to distract him and help him stay awake and refreshed. Then he is taking a nap at 1:00. He is doing surprisingly well with this, although he is still not taking as long of an afternoon nap as he needs to. It's typically about an hour and a half at this point. Then he wakes up and is not very well rested, which makes for a long night sometimes. I am hoping that he will soon settle into a little bit of a longer nap -- we'll see. It is definitely an adjustment. The one nice thing is that we are able to get out and do things in the morning, when before we never left the house before 11:00. This opens up more opportunities for play group and activities with the moms club. And hey, now we can go out to breakfast! :)

Another fun development -- Alex has a new favorite word. What is it, you ask? Mommy? Daddy? Dog? Well, no. The word is "No." Alex LOVES to say no. He is now realizing that he has choices. I am trying to get him to play more independently, so I can get some things done around the house, since he is napping less. So I will say, "Alex, go play with (whatever toy I suggest)" and his answer will usually be "No, no, no, no, no!" SO much fun.

On a non-Alex related note, last week, Erik's friend Jamie sent me a message and asked me to run in a race with him in Lititz next Saturday, April 11. My first thought -- "Yeah! I love races." My second thought -- "I haven't run since I got pregnant and started feeling sick. I doubt I can do it after sitting around doing nothing for 3-4 months." My third thought -- "Well, maybe it's just a 5K (3.1 miles). I could probably do that." So I find out it is a 5 mile race, and for some reason I agreed to do it, just figuring that I'd have to run slowly and take some walking breaks. So after getting the okay from my doctor, I started running again. Yesterday, I ran outside (partially because of the beautiful day, and partially because my treadmill is broken and ended up smoking the last time I was on it), and I was able to run the 5 miles without stopping at all! Definitely slower than my previous pace, but hey, I can still do it! I owe a lot to Jamie for giving me the motivation to get started again. I didn't realize how much I missed running!

Also, at the end of April, I am walking in a 5-mile walk with our local moms club in March for Babies, which benefits the March of Dimes. If you are able to contribute a small donation, please let me know!

So, that's it . . . some adjustments, and looking forward to some nice spring weather . . .

And that's what has been happening on Boomerang Drive over the past few weeks!

-- Holly

Off and Running

Well, Alex is not "off and running" per say, but it's coming soon! He is able to pull himself up to a standing position very easily now. He is actually not very interested in his toys at the moment, but would rather practice his standing skills! He likes to visit whoever is sitting on the couch (usually Lucy). He has a lion toy that you stand and walk behind, and he has started doing that a little bit. Before you know it, he'll be all over the place! Keep checking in for future posts about his checkup with the doctor (this Wednesday) and "Aquababies" (his baby swim class!) which starts next Monday!

I was "off and running" yesterday in my first race! I ran in the Red Rose Run in Lancaster city, which was a 5-mile race. I came in 794th, I think, of 1,026 people. I beat about 150 or so women, and 100 men. It took me 49 minutes and 57 seconds. I can run a little faster than that usually, but this race included some hills I wasn't really prepared for, plus it was very humid! I was just impressed that I didn't have to stop for any walking breaks, like some people did, or throw up after the race, as I saw 2 people doing! I loved running, felt very alive and challenged, and can't wait to do another race. I am planning on doing another 5-mile race in July, and training for a half marathon (13.1 miles) in October.

So that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly

On the Move

Well, Alex is becoming more mobile. Although he is not officially crawling yet, he is certainly getting around! He is rolling all over the place, of course, that's nothing new. And he can "scootch" forward, to the side, and backwards. He just needs a little motivation -- like when mom is sitting on the floor near him reading a magazine, and he wants it! Then there's no stopping him!

Another new development -- Alex is able to get himself into a sitting position after all of this rolling around. Not every time, but more and more, he is able to sort of roll himself onto his side, prop up on his elbow, and then pull his body back up. Yesterday, when I went into his room to get him up from his morning nap, he was just sitting up in his crib, looking around. I guess we need to get that mattress lowered down, before he decides to try climbing out!

Mom and Dad are on the move as well. I (Holly) have been running on my treadmill almost daily, to get back in shape, and have entered to run in a race! Lancaster city is having it's annual Red Rose Run, a 5 mile race, on May 31. Now, I'm not entering at all with the intention of winning or even placing in the first half of the participants, just to complete the race. I have been able to run the 5 miles on my treadmill, now I just need to get outside and continue my training there. I am very excited and hope this will be the beginning of many running events I will enter.

Erik has been on the move back and forth to school practically every evening for the past month, first with the high school musical, and then with the student talent show, Follies. We have barely seen any of him, and are glad he's home!

Now that the weather's getting nicer, we're looking forward to being "on the move" as a family -- we just got a baby backpack carrier and are looking forward to taking hikes and trips to the park with the baby and the dogs. Come on, spring!

And that's what's up on Boomerang Drive this week!

-- Holly