2016

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

This…just this…pause for a second and remember I have dystonia.

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Life’s lessons.  Every year I vow to post more, to write more, to share more and every year life gets in the way.  One thing is certain though, I always write a year in review at the end of the year and a year of resolutions in the new year, so 2016 you rocked my world!

For 2016, I had set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal, I’ll let you the reader tell me if I succeeded, I ran:

  1. January – Disney Half
  2. January – Miami Half
  3. May – Brooklyn Half
  4. July – Chicago Half
  5. September – Philly Half
  6. October – Halloween Half

I had one more to do but life got in the way and just couldn’t make that race.  But 6!  Yes 6, I am so proud of myself.  Prior to this year, I had run a total of 5 halfs!  I am not without saying thanks to my tribe, my run squad, my tribe of girls that what’s app daily about what workout or run we should do today.  I am beyond grateful to all my friends and family that come on this journey with me.  Thank you to everyone that supported me on this journey.

So why this many? Because I needed to prove to myself that with the right diligence and training, I could do anything if I worked hard enough.  I needed to stop the chatter in my head of “I can’t”.  I needed to realize I wasn’t going to come in last.  I needed to prove to myself I am a runner.  So as of 2016, I call myself a runner.  I don’t say “oh I run/walk”, that’s irrelevant. What is relevant is lacing up and running.” Just do it”, as simple as Nike’s mantra.

2016, thank you.  You taught me I can be greater than I think.  You taught me I can be a runner.  I call myself an athlete now, I earned it.  Every 4:30am alarm during the summer for a long run, every evening run, every speed session, every strength training session, that was all me.  That was my input.  My output was running my best times at age 41!

I won’t be running for the next 3 weeks, due to a back injury but this rest is earned.  I am not the only athlete that gets benched many great ones do.  I call my rest period my chance to get a tune up, to start 2017 even better and stronger.  So what’s for 2017? I guess we’ll have to wait and see in my next blog!

 

 

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October 13, 2013

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

Keep smiling, keep shining…

SO we are one week away from race day and for all those of you that have raced with me….knows how i get race week and esp race day…I am getting those butterflies already for so many reasons, the hills, the fact that I am racing by myself but I am going to think about the song – that’s what friends are for….my friend Heather will be coming out to cheer for me and those of you that have nothing to do at 8am at the finish line, come cheer for me…but all kidding aside these last 3 weeks are the 3 weeks for me to smile, for me to shine and for me to lean on my friends and just surrender to race day, surrender to the crowd, surrender to my inner strength…

But more than that, I surrendered myself to fate on April 4, 2006 and if anyone had ever told me I would be one of the lucky 30,000 to get chosen for the Nike race, I wouldn’t have believed it…so I surrender myself to what race day will bring me, and I do know I will keep smiling, keep shining….

here is the link to the video…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGbnua2kSa8

October 3, 2013

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

Why I run…

Today’s blog was going to be the big splash – exactly 1 month from today I will be retiring, blah, blah, blah..but instead things have happened in the last 24 hours that have changed the theme of this piece tonight.  Life has a way of throwing you curve balls and seeing how you react…the funny part though is that in today’s world those twists and turns get delivered in a text message.  So instead of letting everyone know that I can conquer the DBS world, run for all of those that can’t, I just want to let everyone know Dystonia is a test of one’s strength everyday.  It throws you curve balls in physical twists and turns, in ways that you just can’t anticipate.  I have struggled with this disease all my life and someone recently pointed out to me that I refer to myself and the disease, not just “carrie” and that struck me.  Dystonia is me, part of me, nothing different than having blue eyes or brown hair.  So I no longer refer to the disease I just talk about myself now (albeit 7 days)!  And after my last half, I’ll be running my 10K in Napa and 10K in Marin for me, to be healthy to be sporty and to have fun – not for THE disease not to prove that I am stronger than The disease, but because I can and they are fun!

I wanted to share a comment, I received tonight the comment couldn’t have been more timely, tears of joy and happiness streamed down my face all at the same time but wanted to share.  I am sharing because there are so many ways I can spread the word about Dystonia and my sister does it in her own special way as well!  So to the sisters that sometime believe that hope is a strategy for a cure to Dystonia!  Scottie, thank you, your timing was impeccable!

Hi Carrie. It’s so nice reading your story and that you have run so much to spread awareness for such a horrible disease. I too have had DBS for my dystonia. And that little sister of your’s, well let’s just say I know a little about her. She has been my person pushing me to fight and tell the drs when something isn’t right. Suzie is such an awesome person and I know firsthand how proud you make her when you run. I always had a vision that when I got out of my wheelchair, that I would do what I always thought I hated and that’s run!!! I found out you were doing this run in SF because I was searching for a run myself because I have found the joy in running. Maybe it was being in a wheelchair. Maybe it’s because I felt I took it for granted that at one point I could get up and run “if I wanted to”. (And that was rare). But I do know what inspires me now…..YOU!!! You see I don’t worry about if this joy will last. I’m here, like you, standing as one of the fortunate ones that have been given this second chance at doing something positive for others. I had this goal in mind that I would run to spread awareness as long as I could and well, you beat me to that. I now see myself as the one who will carry on in your place, spreading the same awareness and hopefully do what you have been able to do, change lives. So good luck in retirement and enjoy your down time with Suzie. Relax and let others continue what you have started. You are a HERO to many of us!!!

September 30, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

Yay!  Yay! Yay!  First time I ran today in 6 weeks and it was awesome!  The G-trainer rocked my world.  I felt like a complete athlete running at an 8:30 pace and sipping on my gatorade!  This treadmill was amazing!  You can adjust the amount of weight that you put on your foot, so for a runner recovering from an injury, it is a great transition into the running world again!  Above all that though, I felt like I was a complete athlete ready for my race next week!  Great way to end the month!

September 14, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.

–-Steve Prefontaine, American middle and long-distance runner

The Chicago half marathon has come and gone and I am still alive and smiling!  I didn’t fail in my endeavor to want to try to run the half, I am in great shape, smaller than I have been in years and healthier than I have felt since my twenties  but my foot just wasn’t ready for extreme training.  I didn’t fail, I will now train all year round and not cram my training as though I have a midterm exam.

Sitting still in the last several weeks hasn’t been easy and everyone says ” you know you can take a day off, right?”  I know I need to and that I can, but what people forget is that for 20 years I never experienced fitness…I get excited to move these legs everyday and I will lace up and run again but today the bike was just fine!

August 29, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

Sometimes you just have to take a break…my 1st and only half marathon for the year is in less than 2 weeks and of course I am struggling with a stress fracture…the legs are fine and are incredibly strong these days….I am looking forward to lacing up my shoes and getting out on the course in the next two weeks!  It won’t be a fast race but I am looking forward to crossing that finish line and smiling 🙂

Happy running!

August 22, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

10K – done and done!!!! I finished!!!  It wasn’t easy, I can’t lie. I definitely have some sort of stress fracture and won’t take care of it until after tough mudder.  I am so thrilled to say that I was happy with my mental energy believing in myself. I started out strong and by mile 3, I felt the “I can’ts” kick in…it didn’t last for too long though, I remembered why I was running.  I remembered it was about me, it was about every person that has always told me that I couldn’t, it was for the staff at equinox that tells me hello everyday when I walk in to train and it is for my own personal fan club.  I thank all of you for believing in me, when I start doubting my strength, I think of all of you and I take a breathe, smile, cry and run away!

Next up – half marathon on Sept. 12th

August 20, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

Tomorrow is my first 10K of the year!!! I am so excited…I am wearing 6 Dystance for Dystonia pins and excited that tomorrow starts the first race of many for me this summer/fall!!!  There is nothing more exciting than making a race mix on my IPOD, getting my outfit ready and thinking about tomorrow’s finish line!  I know I am going to cross that finish line and get goose bumps as always…this is never about time, but it is always about running because I CAN!!!

August 18, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

My fan club..that’s my inspiration daily to get it done!  I love working out because I can.  Others complain and moan about it, I love heading to the gym every day because it is my second home, my family!  Everyday when I walk into an Equinox to get my daily workout, I look forward to seeing the faces of Jason, Rayme, Lois, Tonya, Don, Fabienne, Lisa, their smiles greet me to my second home!  To the minute I am told to “have a great workout”, I get down to business.  My half marathon is in less than a month and I am running for everyone that can’t.  But on  a daily basis, the team at Equinox gets me going, they make me want to go back..they cheer me on!  and for that I am thankful!  Find your daily cheering squad, it makes it more fun!  and to the Equinox 900 team…thank you, you inspire me and make me want to be a better athlete!!!

August 15, 2010

Posted on by Carrie Siubutt

New beginnings, learning to let go…sometimes running just doesn’t help you solve all your problems but it does help you clear your head.  I had a bad fitness week last week and definitely feel like i am on a slow train to a stress fracture but going to start icing.  also going on a 12 day detox…to help me drop some weight which will take some pressure off my foot.  Mud is right around the corner, but my 10k is this week…lots to do, lots to think about and lots to achieve for myself this week!

Happy running this week!