OUCH!

Hey, look here I have remembered to get on my blog and write.  Well I don't have much else to do except heal.
I have been on track with my training for the Chicago marathon and the mornings here in the midwest have been absolutely beautiful.  So Sunday I get up early and head out the door debating whether I should run out "Roadkill Way" (which is a beautiful run except for the hills and road kill) or should I run my favorite scenic lake route. I choose the lake route. Kiss the husband goodbye, let him know the route and head out the door.
I am running along at my usual pace, feeling good, and loving the sunshine.  Pass a few friends jogging and biking.  I am having a great morning.  Hit the half way point! Change my music, get a drink of water from bottle and think to myself "I am on time and I am gonna make it to church on time!" I am not good at being on time.
Now I have been running this route off and on all summer and just went this way last week with cousin Barb and her husband.  They are city folk and love to get out into the country to run. Never once have I encountered a dog on this route. Until Sunday! A house that is usually quiet, in fact I often wondered if anyone actually lived there, had 4 dogs a boy and and old man on the back porch.
Three of the dogs ran across the yard, across to the far side of the road and proceeded to viciously bark at me. I stopped immediately, firmly told the dogs to get. BAM the first dog bit me. I was shocked. Never had I been bit by a dog runnning before.  This dog never even hesitated! Luckily, after the dog bit me a van came along saw what happened and put themselves between me and the dogs while the boy called the dogs back.
These good Samaritans helped me stop the bleeding and waited with me until help arrived.  So thankful for my iphone because all I had to do was called 911 and it hooked me directly to our county police.
So, I ended up with a total of six stitches and ALOT of bruising. Spend the entire morning in the ER and with the police.  Had to get the rabies series because dog has not had vaccines.  Lots more to the story but I am not going to go into it in case I end up taking the case to a lawyer. 
I really am beginning to feel a victim.  I have never really experience anything like this before.   
So I hope and pray I heal quickly and this doesn't put too much of a delay in my training.  Hope to get to the gym by the end of the week and try a work out on the elliptical. Have a great Holiday weekend!
My plans have totally changed from Kayaking to reading my book.

Active Busy Summer

I really need to remember to write on here more ofter.  Can't believe that it has been a month since I updated. Also have to learn to hook up links and pictures.
It has been a busy month.  Camping with daughter, husband and grandkids (ages 10 and 8) Great fun.
Sent "the boy" off to Purdue University to be an engineer. Through it all I only missed on run on my training schedule. It was a short hills day so I think I might survive.
I already feel like I am better trained for this years marathon than last years. I have more miles in and have upped my weights on cross training day. 

This weather has been a runners dream.  I had the pleasure of my cousin and her husband visiting us from Chicago.  They are runners also.  We ran out to one of our favorite lakes where the views are gorgeous.  It was so wonderful to run my favorite route with my favorite runners. We followed that by a 4 hour kayak trip down a near by river.  Kayaking here is more like keeping the boat straight and avoiding tree limbs.  We made several stops to eat, drink and swim.
I grew up in the city but have found that I love living in a rural area where I can run, bike, swim, and kayak.  I feel really blessed.
I am still working on raising my funds for World Vision and their water filter project.  We in the midwest are surrounded by water. (even though it is low this year.) We take clean water for granted.
visit my support site at: support.worldvision.org/goto/RobyneSpillers

How active has your life been this summer?

Summer Rain

I really thought that I had posted in June but it is nowhere to be found.  I am new to the blog thing.  I read plenty of other folks but I need to stay on top of my own.
We have had a very dry summer.   It is like we live in a bubble or the burmuda triangle.  Everytime rain comes our way it splits off and goes a different direction.  We are really begining to understand what a drought really is.
We here in the Midwest have always had an abundance of water. We have the great lakes on either side of us.  I also live in an area with several large lakes that provide recreation and tourist income for us. 
But now we are beginning to understand how a drought can effect our lives.  The lakes are down at least 8-10 inches.  Friends of mine have their boat stuck on the lift because the water is too low.  The grass is yellow, the trees are loosing leaves, and we have a no burn law in effect. ( No smores here!) We don't get city water at our house, we have a well.  I have had thoughts of how long can we go before our well begins to go low or dry?
I have run 4 Half-Marathons and 1 Marathon.  Those I ran for me, to see if I could accomplish a goal.
This year I signed up with World Vision to run for the water projects that they sponsor.  They provide water filters (large and small) and drill wells in areas around the world that do not have water.  Water is our life line to health and wellness.  Quite a coincidence that I decided to run for water in a summer where my neighborhood is starting to feel the effects of a lack of water.
Join me in supporting World Vision and water projects around the world.
Support.worldvision.org/goto/Robynespillers

It is now officially marathon training season.  Just finished setting up my training schedule.  I was in maintance mode all winter.  But now the serious training begins.  I scheduled two half marathons this year and one marathon.  Chicago here we come.
I choose to follow the training plan from the book Marathoning for Mortals by Jenny Hadfield and John Bingham.  Great read that I highly recommend.  It helped me through my first 1/2.
I am currently reading Accidental Athlete by John Bingham.  The book kept popping up everywhere I looked so just had to pick it up. I can totally relate to John.  I am not the most talented, fastest runner but I do it with heart.
More to come on how I got to where I am with my running and where I am going.
Come by again later.