A great way to start

Indra

Alright, so today on the way home from school I was like "I am going to go for a ride when I get home." When I got home I finished my homework then decided to go on a run instead. I got dressed(In all pink mind you) and headed out to the barn. I think Erin and I have now proved that horses are great companions and transportation :-) I spent about five minutes catching Allegro then headed of at a good paced jog down the driveway. Allegro was trotting beside me and I was listening to an awesome song! I headed out of the driveway and crossed the road. The dogs had gotten distracted by something and had wondered off into the fields...A few minutes later they were running beside me. I didn't stop the whole run and after a mile- my stopping point I could barely breath I had been running so hard. Arriving home a little while later my pony jogging next to me, I knew it was the right decision to go on the run instead of the ride. in the beginning my plan had been to run the first mile then ride back home for the second mile. All in all I am very happy that I didn't choose to ride home, and ran the whole way. I feel great now and about two minutes after I finished the run I was feeling normal. This was a great first independent run and I plan to do one or two more in the upcoming week.

Running As a Pair

Erin and Indra's successful run

Erin
Hi, my name is Erin, and I am really good friends with Indra. We are a lot alike, physically and mentally. We do a lot of the same things, including horseback riding, skiing, and now running. After a fun sleepover last night, we both felt in the mood to run. So, this morning, we decided that we would run from my house in Plainfield to the Cummington Creamery. At about 8 a.m. we were ready to go, dressed in our running attire and equipped with money for breakfast. We started running, and after about half a mile, we both started to get a slight cramp. The funny thing was, we were almost 100% in sync, with both our running, and where we got our cramps. I think it has something to do with the fact that we both got the same amount of sleep last night, had the same amount of food in our bellies (none), and were (and are) about the same height and weight. So, we continued to push through, running with our identical cramps. We pushed and pushed ourselves, but about a quarter of a mile away from the Farm Stand, Indra felt as though she couldn't make it. I started doing things to distract her, which also helped me to continue running with out thinking about the stitch in my side. I talked about nonsense things, and helped her to keep going at the same pace. By the time we made it to our break point, we were exhausted, but there was no pushing away the sense of pride that we felt. It was then that I realized how helpful it can be to run as a team. If either of us had been running by ourselves, I knew that we would have just given in to our discomforts, and we wouldn't have felt so accomplished!

Indra: On October 13, 2009 I made a resolution to run a full marathon by the time I was 15. And now on May 1, 2010 I have made another resolution. To run a marathon by the time I am 15 with Erin. As a team. While on this run I realised how much motivation and a goal helps you complete what you want to complete. Erin and I decided that we were going to run to the farm stand without stopping for a break once. And Ta-da, we did it! Motivating each other the whole way.
After re-hydrating at the farm stand we walked into the road and started to walk. We had decided that we would have the same goal as the last time, to jog the whole way. After prepping ourselves we started to jog Pacing ourselves, judging by how the other was doing. After the water break we were both re-fueled and ready to run! We were talking to each other, making the time go by faster. We would talk about how when we could see a certain spot how far the Creamery was away from that spot. We turned the bend and could see a new road. A change of scenery. We thought, sighing. We tentatively pulled onto Rout 9, knowing that we would arrive at the Creamery soon. Turning the bend to the little town operated store I was wheezing and both our breath was coming in short. As soon as the Creamery came into view we saw a green truck, "That is our finish line." We told each other. I lagged behind as Erin picked up the pace. I saw her body position change as she touched our 'finish line'. A couple seconds later I touched the dark green truck to Erin's 'cheering.' High-fiving we walked/stumbled into the Old Creamery Grocery to eat breakfast. Entering the door we knew we ha and were Running As A Pair.

ahhh spring BOSTON MARATHON!

So spring is really here. Garden work is truly happening and ALL of the animals are shedding. Indra just finished her spring vacation week and is primed for summer. There was not a day this week that she was not on a horse. She and her friends were riding all week back and forth and all around the hill towns. She even managed to ride in Hopkinton at the mile marker of the Boston Marathon.

Some very good friends who grew up in Hopkinton invited us out for a play date to socialize and watch the Boston Marathon, and collect clothing from the race. This year was not my year for Boston due to injury but next year, next year, next year!!It was incredible to watch. We stood at the crest of the first uphill really in the race at the mile marker. The first crew to come were the folks who were seriously impaired. There were people walking with oxygen tanks, folks in wheelchairs only using their legs, people with prosthetic limbs. Then came team Hoyt and one other person pushing an adult in a jogging chair. Then came the wheelchairs! Flying at first. The folks in the lead make it look so effortless but it clearly is not, in the second wave of wheelchairs there were many people struggling mightily to make it up that first hill, rolling back a bit to make it up a bit. Next came the hand crank wheelchairs, amazing again. The came the ELITE WOMEN. Totally amazing to watch. Then came the elite men, then came waves and waves of every day people running and trying and succeeding, and finally chucking off massive amounts of clothes that we all harvested and stocked up on for running. Really it is amazing the mountains of clothes people throw off.

The marathon inspired Indra's friend to train more and we have set up a plan to work on getting her ready for a half marathon. She is motivated, strong, and enjoys running so i am excited. Let the fun begin!

it feels good to kick a**

As Silly as it may seem, those of you who know the power of the words spoken to me today will understand, it made my day. I was running up one of local mountains, hills to you west coast ladies, and as i was running up i met another woman doing a side step down in the snow. She looked great, athletic and strong. She looked at me shook her head and said,"You are hard core woman!" I smiled and said thanks. Maybe she knew that her simple words made my run 10 times easier and way more fun, maybe she didn't but i owe my early March attitude shift to her. I had been contemplating my lack of hard core-ness recently and wondering if i would ever see it again. Maybe i will never believe it entirely myself but having another woman athlete tell me just is excellent!

It feels good to kick ass! Why? I am not sure, i think there are myriad of different reasons for different people. For me currently i think it is validation that life is still long and bountiful. That i have so many more opportunities to do things with my body even though my children are growing up.

Today i was having tea with a dear friend and she was talking about having an emotional reaction to watching the olympics. Her reaction was based on her pre kids devotion to skiing and that she has not gotten on a mountain nearly enough and hasn't had a chance to tear it up in a long time. We immediately made plans to spirit away a few hours from work and children to ski our butts off. It changes everything that feeling of freedom and strength.

The pictures above are of Skinner Mountain in South Hadley, and me right after running up and down it. If you look a little to the left you will see the Summit house up there looking small. It was beautiful and completely quiet up there today.

Here is an invitation to anyone reading this to tell their transformational moment to me. I would love to hear them.