When I worked as a nurse in Critical Care, I would frequently take care of patients after having major abdominal surgery. One of the most critical parts of their healing, and often the most painful, was for them to get out of bed and go for a walk. This often happened in steps. First, just sitting up on the edge of the bed. Next, getting from the bed to the chair. The next day, getting from the bed to the chair and then taking a few steps. I remember telling a patient one day about my running adventures and her telling me how easy it must be for me to do what I was asking of her. I told her, everyone’s marathon is a little different. For me, yes, it was 26.2 miles, but for her that day it was 26.2 steps. It takes time, hard work and an incredible amount of patience to meet the goals we set for ourselves. It doesn’t matter how big or small our dreams might be, only that we have determination to chase them!

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February was an exciting month in meeting some run club goals. We met with Luis Escobar, the founder of All We Do Is Run (and a runner himself,) and started our planning for a local, fall trail run! His group will put on the event, we’ll be there to help and learn about what it takes to put on a race, and a portion of the registration fees go directly back to Templeton Run Club! The Tierra Redonda Mountain Trail Run will take place the weekend of November 18th-20th. This event will feature a runable 10k, 21k, 24 hour and 48 hour run on a dirt, single track, loop course out at our ranch! (Located in North San Luis Obispo County in between Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio.) Bring your tents or travel trailers and let’s make a weekend out of it!

Other goals for the next few months include reaching out to potential run club sponsors as well as working with the Templeton Rec Department to start planning a kid’s summer run camp! If you are interested in either becoming a sponsor or want to help plan the run camp, please email me at rosaliesmith@templetonrunclub.com. My time is dedicated to the Templeton High School Track and Field Team right now but I’d like to get back on track (ha!) with getting some of our run club ideas rolling!

The 126th annual Boston Marathon is right around the corner and while many of us are finally starting to taper, there are many more of us that are gearing up for Mountains to Beach Marathon and Half at the end of May. I ran Boston in 2016 and while it was an absolutely incredible experience, I struggled with the training leading up to it and that was reflected in how I felt during the run. Some of you that have known me for a while have read this before, but I’ll leave you with this Boston Marathon Race Recap I wrote on the plane ride home.

Katie and I were laughing about my race experience on the plane ride home…..so if you have some reading time, here’s my 2016 Boston marathon race recap!

 

Mile 1: Oh no! What have I done?? I’m in NO shape to run a marathon! …oh man…25 to go…

 

Mile 2: It’s hot out here! Why is it so hot? My left shoulder is hurting…am I having a heart attack?? So soon?? I didn’t fill out the emergency info on my bib…I wonder how long it’d take for them to get to me….

Mile 3.1: Enjoy the down hill…enjoy the downhill…but not too much….5k done!! …how many 5k’s in a marathon? Wait scratch that…it’s just 5 miles 5 times…5 miles 5 times…

 

Mile 4: Ashland…this is a cute town…oh look…kids! High five kids! Whoa and adults …and more kids….move to the center! Move to the center!

 

Mile 5: First five miles…Honey stinger time…five miles five times…what does that make that? Just over 20 miles to go…ok just stop counting…

 

Mile 6.2: It’s still hot! Rosalie–you like the heat…suck it up…ooo ooo guy with the garden hose! Over here! …NOW it’s 20 miles to go…20 miles!!!

 

Mile 7: This is the “easy” part…pace under 9…if I can just keep this pace…keep this pace and you can stop at mile 10…

 

Mile 8: I like mile 8…I don’t like THIS mile 8, but I like 8…this is my 8th marathon…8 is my favorite number…geeze I’m still not feeling this! I usually feel good by mile 8!

 

Mile 9: Mile 10 Mile 10 Mile 10

 

Mile 10: YAY! 10 miles!! Break time! Where did all these people come from?? I can’t stop now! You go town of Natick! Look at all the cool old buildings!

 

Mile 11: Is my knee hurting? No…my knee isn’t hurting…really?? Nope…not hurting…

 

Mile 12: What’s that sound?? Ooohhhh….Wellesley….already?? I thought these girls were later….hi hi hi girls!

 

Mile 13.1: HALF WAY THERE!!!!! (Glances at watch) ugh…under 4 is going to be tight…

 

Mile 14: Mile 15 Mile 15 Mile 15…..

 

Mile 15: GU time!! Bleh…oh my gosh I just breathed water…seriously?? I have water up my nose during a marathon! This is not a swim Rosalie!

 

Mile 16: ok…just a few more to go until mile 20…THANK YOU headwind! I think I’m starting to feel like I can run this thing…

 

Mile 16.2: stop looking at your watch…

 

Mile 16.4: you’re slowing down…

 

Mile 16.8: seriously?!?!!

 

Mile 17: ok…mile 17…all downhill until mile 17…bring it on Newton…oh hi Santa Claus…whoa he really looks like Santa!

 

Mile 18: O.M.G. That hill sucked…Quick check…breathing?…mediocre…knee?…not hurting (what the hell?? Do I make this stuff up??) …legs? Kinda crampy…feet? Think I have a blister…or 4…so much for toenails!

 

Mile 19: ok…almost to mile 20…stretch break at mile 20…ahh! Is that a sprinkler tunnel??

 

Mile 20: Stop to stretch…(race volunteer checks on me…you doing ok ma’m??) Yep just stretching! Wow…these guys are on top of it!

 

Mile 21: Heartbreak hill time!! Where is it……Wait…is this it?! Woo-hoo! Downhill coming up!!

 

Mile 22: FOUR more miles!! I want to stop SO bad but this crowd is AMAZING!! Just keep running..doesn’t matter how slow…3 more miles til Joe and the kids…

 

Mile 23: oh my gosh my legs hurt!! Will I make under 4?? Not likely, but keep pushing just in case!! 3 more miles!! No no random stranger…not 3 and a half…3.2…are we still moving downhill???

 

Mile 24: Someone just said “welcome to Boston!”…I’M IN BOSTON!!!

 

Mile 25: Where are Joe and the kids?? Maybe I missed them….one more mile… one more mile…the freaking longest and best of them all….oh there’s Joe! Hi kids!!! Hi!! ONE MORE MILE!!!

 

Mile 26: oh my gosh…oh my gosh….oh my gosh….this is so freaking awesome!!

 

Mile 26.2: YAAAYYYYY!!!! I made it!! (Knee…how you doin??…still walking…not hobbling around! Woo-hoo!!) THIS CITY IS AMAZING!!!!

 

Official time 4:03:17….not a PR but considering the challenges in training, by far the smartest and most inspiring race I’ve run!! So so happy!!

Happy Running Friends,

Rosalie Smith

rosaliesmith@templetonrunclub.com

 

Templeton Run Club

PO Box 522

Templeton, CA. 93465

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