February 17, 2024

Race Medal Project

This project appeared from nowhere but fits perfectly in baby life - no time limit, can be done in tiny interrupted chunks, very low effort!

Here's how it started - too many medals I do not want to keep:

And here's what's in the mail to me now!
I managed to find some race photos in my photo collection - I separated photos by year on my computer.  I also moved everything off google drive and onto my actual computer, and will try to go through and delete and consolidate.  But I was so pleased that past Rachel had put some photos in date-sorted folders!
Also, when I look at these photos it's a reminder of the fact that I actually was pretty fit in my 30's! I always thought I was the out of shape poser just hanging on... but I ran with really fast people.  I wasn't a really fast person, but I was a decently fit person.  I wish I could go back in time and say "Hey past Rachel - you ARE in great shape because you are running half marathons.  Even if they take 2 hours and 30 minutes.  Not everyone can do half marathons!"

And I'm in the process of figuring out how to get rid of the medals - putting them in the bin seems a waste but I'm not sure they can be recycled.  Maybe add magnet on the back and make them into fridge magnets?  I have thrown away all the small ones and all the non metal ones.

Today I finished week 1 of couch to 5k.  8 weeks left to go.  I am excited to get back into running again.  It's not super fun here like it was in the US (I had such good running buddies there!) but it's still something I enjoy and want to enjoy again.  

9 comments:

  1. What a fantastic idea and project. Love this!

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  2. I remember tagging along with you and Andy to a climbing gym in Portland and we watched you hanging upside down but somehow still climbing up. I said something like "wow" or "that's crazy" and Andy said, "Rachel's really strong."

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    1. I still remember dragging you around welsh mountains that time. Sorry my total lack of self perception almost killed you. I always figured I was the least fit person in any situation and if I could do it then spritely people like you would find it easy. Thanks for staying my friend!

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  3. Your athletic prowess and your energy for projects amazes me! I'm eager to get back to feeling like an athlete and being a person who accomplishes things, but right now it's a challenge just to come anywhere close to the latter. - Kat

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    1. I think my life is currently far more defined by the things I am not doing than the things I am. Also that photo album which is 20 pages long, no formatting and no text, took almost a week.

      also I wouldn’t be getting anything done if the babies didn’t have such an early bedtime, or if I tried to leave the house on a daily basis.

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    2. Fair point. I do find myself going out most days, and I suppose I don't want to trade that for getting more done (yet). I relish that I can go out; I need that huge contrast to staying at home all the time with baby Althea.

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  4. Having running buddies makes all the difference! I ran a lot by myself when I first started running and I got it done, but it was not fun. Then I met running buddies and man, running got easier! Then my group kind of went their separate ways and so I am back to running alone and it just doesn't have the spark that it used to. Have you tried finding a neighbor or a Meetup maybe? That is where I met my first running friends! I was so nervous but it turned out to be a great thing in the end.

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    1. I never liked running untill I moved to the states and joined a running club. I joined because everyone I know who liked running was in a club. Eventually I liked running too. I've done a few of the clubs here and it's been OK but I think I liked running in the states because all the clubs were from bars and I loved running followed by a beer. It always feels a bit empty here to run and follow it with... a high 5. When my evenings are more free I'll see if I can get some neighbors interested in running and then having a beer in our gardens (cheaper than a pub too!)

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  5. Oh, I love that you made a race book with all the medals... what a wonderful memory! And I love the idea of turning the medals into magnets.

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