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2015 Is Game Time!

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I’ve been enjoying all the running over the past couple of years more than ever.  I’m not sure what brought the whole thing to such a high, but I’m really enjoying the ride!  Lifting and running have always been a favorite for me.  I’ve described in past blogs how I came to be a runner.  It’s no secret to those who know me that I would rather run than lift any day of the week!  I have, however realized that the two really do go hand in hand.  In order for me to maintain my happy running and stay injury free, I need to keep my strength up.  All runners need a good strong core in order to keep going during the long grueling runs.  The beating that the body takes during a half marathon or a full marathon can be intense!  I’ve also learned that the body is an amazing machine and will respond when you ask it to.  Feed it properly, keep it moving and take the best care you can.  The reward, many happy years of activity!

Now back to the build up.  I pushed myself towards the end of 2014 to see if I could hold up by doing 5 half marathons over 8 weeks.  Not only was I able to complete the task, I felt wonderful!  I knew I wanted to challenge my body again for the upcoming year and was thinking; I’ve been running for 30 years, why not run 30 races!?  To add to that, I decided to take the focus off of me and put it on something even more important.  People in need.  I contacted Mobile Meals of Toledo and asked if they would be interested in helping set something up to help raise money for them.  After a couple emails and a sit down, the runzombierun.net website came to life!  This blog (30races.com) was started with the help of my wonderful cousin Marilyn Matevia.  In short order, things seemed to be falling into place.  I couldn’t be more proud.  Along with that, a small amount of stress.  The stress is placed upon myself to succeed!  Not just to run the races but to make a serious difference for the charity that I’ve chosen to help.  Mobile Meals of Toledo is a great outfit that really takes a tiny budget to do great things!

So…It’s Game Time!  2015 is coming up quick!  My body is ready to go!  I’ve cut down on my eating, picked up on my gym workouts, kept my running at a steady pace, I think I’m good to go!  I plan on being a very lean and well oiled machine by the end of the adventure.  I have great hopes and dreams of doing a good thing in my life.  Making a difference!  So stay with me people!  Enjoy this adventure with me…because 2015 Is Game Time!

Zombie

An investment in health

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While wrapping up the Holiday season, I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels a bit on the over stuffed side…lol!  I love the end of the year Holidays but at the same time dread the feeling of so much sugar and crap going into my system.  Could I avoid eating this stuff??  Why yes!  Why the hell would I want to do that to myself though?!  It’s really the only time of year I get crazy and eat everything, so what the heck!

Moving on…the new year is approaching quickly and I have races to run!  I’ve decided to change-up my diet, drop 15 lbs. and get leaned out so that I can speed up!  I do this pretty much every year but this year it’s more important to me than others.  I have dedicated my time and efforts to Mobile Meals of Toledo and don’t want to let them down.  Cleaning up my eating and doing regular exercise is just an investment in my own health anyway!  I plan on sticking around for years to come and I have mountains to climb yet!

The gym will be a 3 day a week thing for me.  Push movements, pull movements and leg day!  Running will move to a 3-5 day a week depending on how I feel and races.  I’ll keep one run a week as a long run and the rest will just be maintenance.  Dropping the extra weight will also give my joints a break and help me to recover quicker.  Less weight to lug around means less hurt!

I urge all of you to make a plan for this next year and go for it!  Bodies were made to move!  Don’t buy into the lay around and do nothing thing.  It’s just a slow and terrible way to rot away.  I don’t care what you do as far as exercise…just move!  Invest in you!  If you’re doing something, grab a friend and get them moving with you!  Invest in their health, make a difference in their life.  Remember to just keep moving!  Join the Zombie Runvolution!!

I received a GoPro type camera for Christmas so look out!  Youtube videos will be added to the runzombierun.net websit in January!  There’s a head strap and a chest strap for the camera as well, so this should be fun!  When I run, hike, race or just go on a training run, you just might see some of it!  I’ve seen some wonderful sights in my life and look forward to many more.  Now, you’ll get to see them as well!  Happy Running Everyone!

Zombie

Trying to keep everything together

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Well, we have the Holidays upon us!  Shopping, wrapping, making cookies, planning family get togethers, everything is in full swing.  Somewhere in there I need to find the time to keep my training going.  Working the morning shift always turns things upside down for me.  I need to wake by 3:15 a.m. in order to wake enough to go out and get my run done or do weight training at the gym.  I can’t just blow it off…there’s too much riding on this next year!  I’ve committed to helping Mobile Meals of Toledo and refuse to let people down.  Along with that, I have 30 years worth of running mileage on this body.  That means that some days the lower back is tired, the feet hurt a bit, muscles want to cramp, just kind of beat up.  I’ve made a return to the gym a priority to keep the muscles strong.  I’ve been going to see my favorite massage therapist (Becky-Massage Works) on a more frequent basis to keep the moving parts moving!  A little Advil and a lot of praying!  2015 needs to be great!

The first T-shirt campaign went well and I’m working on a test shirt to start the year off with.  It will be geared for those that prefer tech shirts over a regular t-shirt.  The first couple I hope to have ready shortly after the beginning of the year.  I know that I must have them ready before my 10 miler on 1/25 and for sure before the A1A Half Marathon down in Florida!  I want people to see the shirt and ask questions, become interested and maybe even pledge a few bucks!

Remember that the Website runzombierun.net has a donation page that links directly to Mobile Meals of Toledo.  No monies go to me what so ever!  This is all about the charity and helping to make it stronger.  You can do one time donations, or you can just pledge a set dollar amount for each race I run…however you want to do it!

The first race will be the Midnight Special 5K run and is listed on my events calendar on runzombierun.net.  It actually starts on New Years Eve but finishes in the wee hours of New Years Day.  I’ll work on getting some video going for the first couple runs and have that added to the website and probably Facebook as well.

I hope everyone has a warm and wonderful Holiday season!  Christmas is always a special time of year.  (Even if it is cold and dark most of the time!)  Keep in touch, don’t be scared to follow this blog on a regular basis.  Sign up and get email notifications!  Everytime I do an entry on here, it goes to Facebook as well.  Share the website and talk about this crazy idea I’ve come up!  Even better, come out and run along with me at a race!  Love having peeps with me!

I’ll get on here again in the next day or so.  If you don’t read then, Merry Christmas to you and yours.  Be safe!

Zombie

Why Zombie–The story behind the name

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Some of you may be wondering “why the name Zombie?”  No, it’s not because I’m part of the Walking Dead nor have I been bitten by any such creature…lol!  I’ve worked a great many strange shifts during my time on this earth.  Most of them have been during the dark hours.  I’ve also worked and still work swing shifts!  This can make one become a little on the sleep deprived side, cause dark rings under the eyes and maybe a bit cranky.  Years back after working a long stretch of late night shifts, I went to a get together with friends.  I could not recall the day of the week and obviously looked a bit rough.  I was given the name “Zombie” that day and it’s stuck all these years later!  I’ve embraced the name and actually become very proud of it!  You’ll find it on my license plate (for both cars), on numerous shirts that I own and I still answer to it at work or at home.

I know it’s probably not the exciting story you all were looking for.  I felt that I should at least explain the origin though.  I wear it like a badge of honor now!

RunZombieRun is the perfect depiction of who I am and what I love to do.  I have plans to run until I can do it no longer, to try to bring awareness to good causes and hopefully to inspire some people along the way.  “Inspire before you Expire!”  I’m not sure what the life expectancy is for a Zombie but I’m not taking any chances!  I want to live with no regrets and enjoy every mile!  Running is truly a blessing and being able to share it with others…priceless!

Feel free to join the Zombie Revolution!  Get out the shoes!  Walk, Bike, Run, Donate, make a difference!  Be proud of your inner Zombie…you know you have one too!

Zombie

Holidays, running and the challenge!

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We’re about to start a line up of Holidays that can cause a few issues.  Over eating, good old stress, of course the lack of sun due to time change and weather!  I say again…”Keep Moving!’  I plan on getting out both today and tomorrow for some nice runs.  Today because the wind is light and work is crazy busy!  I come to work in a better mood and better frame of mind after a nice run.  The plan for Thanksgiving is to get up and run with my sister for our weekly long run.  We have a set goal of no less than 9 miles on our long run day.  Hoping to go 10 miles + tomorrow!  It’s easier to consume a few extra calories when you’ve gone out and burned some 1,000 to 1,500 calories first thing in the morning.

We get through the Thanksgiving hangover only to go right into shopping mode for the Christmas season.  Everyone loves to cook and bake during this season and I won’t lie, I love me some cookies!!  While Christmas is always special and I enjoy seeing family that at times I may only see once a year, I still like to find my time to get some running done.  This year will be even crazier because of this plan I’ve come up with to run 30 races during 2015!

The new website will be going live, I’ll still be working on getting sponsors and blogging of course.  Then there is the matter of setting up the race schedule.  I’ve started a list of some of the local runs coming right into the beginning of the year.  Here are a few that are on my list:  The kick off race will be the Midnight Special 5K.  It’s held on New Year’s Eve and runs through the midnight hour!  I thought that would be kind of cool!  I don’t drink or party, but I do run!  That will be the kick off of the 30 races!  I’m looking into doing the Dave’s 10 Miler on 1/25/15.  I may find time to get one more in January.  Also looking to travel to Florida in February to visit my sister and run the A1A Half Marathon down there!  Sunrise at the beach…yeah…I’m there!  That’s 2/15/15.  I will for sure be running the Black Swamp Festival of races on March 21, 2015.  I fell in love with this race last year because of their “memory mile”.  Runners are given the opportunity to list names of love ones they’ve lost over the years.  The entire last mile of the race is covered with signs showing  the names and a message on them.  I was in tears the whole way in last year…so touching!  I will of course plan for the big one in Toledo, The Glass City Half Marathon on 4/26/15!!  Once the website goes live, I’ll list any and all races on a calendar right on the site for all to check and hopefully follow!  Busy but in a good way!

Don’t forget to be kind to one another through the Holiday Seasons!  It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day!  You never know what they might be going through and you could be the difference…and really, don’t we all want to make a difference?!

Keep talking about my 30races.com to anyone and everyone!  Talk about Mobile Meals of Toledo and the fine work they do!  Keep following and buy a Run Zombie Run T-shirt for a Christmas gift!  It all goes to Mobile Meals of Toledo…nothing for me but happiness knowing they we’re making things better.  https://www.booster.com/mobilemealsoftoledo

Zombie

The First Fun Shirt is a go!

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I’ve set up just a quick fund-raiser for Mobile Meals on my Facebook page Run Zombie Run.  It’s through Booster.com…a part of Customink!  They’re fun 50/50 T-shirts that say Run Zombie Run!  Done in a safety green/yellow color so that you’re noticed when out walking, running or biking.  All profits from this will go directly to Mobile Meals of Toledo!  So it’s really a win, win!  YAY!!  https://www.booster.com/mobilemealsoftoledo is the page.  I’ll be looking into doing more shirts and some decals as well.  Tech shirts and decals I’ll go through some local companies and give notice when they’ve become available.  This is just a great start and I’m super excited! 🙂

Zombie

Running alone or with others…it’s all good!

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I went out this evening and ran my weekly long run with my sister Patti.  9.5 miles in the cold and yes…SNOW!  While the conditions were less than favorable, the scenery and company were spectacular!  Running with my younger sister has given us a special bond.  While we are siblings, we are runners and that, in it’s self is a special bond.

Running together gives us time to discuss our wonderful jobs. (slight bit of sarcasm there!)  Time to discuss family, friends, upcoming runs, holidays…just about everything.  As the miles pass by, you kind of get in a zone.  You might continue to talk or sometimes just have moments where you’re just taking it all in.  Chatting or in silence, it’s truly special time together.

Several years back I had the opportunity to train with my older sister Gini as well.  This was a unique challenge.  She wanted to do a full marathon!  The catch…we were going to walk instead of run.  Due to physical issues, my sister is unable to run but has the iron will and drive that I felt could carry her through the training and eventually over the finish line.  We trained for an entire summer together and wow…what fun we had!  When the day came for the marathon (The Dayton Air Force Marathon) I told her to treat the day like any other training walk.  I gave her heads up on all the strange and exciting things that she would experience during the miles ahead…including the dreaded “WALL” at 20 miles!  Oh buddy did she hit that…lol!  To this day we still talk about that walk and I still beam with pride whenever she tells stories about our summer of training.

I’ve spent many miles out on the road alone.  I find the peace and quiet to be special, but special in a different way then when I’m with my family or friends.  The time doesn’t always pass as quickly as it would with a partner, but I can just focus on my training, my problems, my victories…just focus on me.  I can plan out my day, think about upcoming races, even day dream about Corvettes…lmao!

There is no right or wrong here.  There are many wonders to discover…both alone or with friends.  I’m a big believer in when someone ask me to run with them, I run their pace.  I refuse to leave my partner behind…ever!  If I’m special enough to be invited into someone’s world, I want to leave them with good memories and happy thoughts!

So get out there!  Walk, Run, Bike!  Go on your own if no one else will go!  If someone invites you, take them up on it and be the best running/walking/biking partner ever!  If you find yourself in need of a run, call me up, I’ll be more than happy to meet up with you and I’ll never leave your side…I promise! 🙂

Zombie