As I may have mentioned, I have been attending a 1 hour strength training class every Wednesday since the first week in October. When I first started, it was something new to try. I knew that my core and girdle were weak, and I figured, what better way to work on that in the off season?
So. One hour. Once a week.
Not to belittle the class at all - I sweat my ASS off in that class, and shake and grunt and sometimes I CAN'T do what he wants us to do.
But really? It's only once a week.
I figured it couldn't hurt my running, right? I mean, other than being a little sore in the couple days after class. It might even help a little.
It might even help A LOT.
Seriously, in the last month, not even 2 months after starting the class, I can COMPLETELY feel it in how I run. I have more speed. More endurance.
I FREAKING RUN BETTER BECAUSE OF A ONCE A WEEK STRENGTH CLASS.
On Saturday morning, I set out for at least 8. The skies were ominous and it was supposed to rain all day long, but it was unseasonably warm, with temps in the 50s. I drove to my favorite spot and set out. It was supposed to be a longish run, so I was keeping the pace easy, but running by feel, not looking at my watch.
Just after mile 4, I turned back around, just in case the skies opened up. But it was still not raining when I got closer to my car, so I took a side trail and tacked on another couple miles. When I got back to the car, I was so close to 10 that I turned around to run the little it'd take to get there. The whole time, I was feeling good. Strong. Easy.
Imagine my surprise when I uploaded my workout! My splits were 10:52, 10:40, 10:18, 10:20, 10:13, 10:36, 10:13, 10:04, 10:04, 10:22. My fastest miles were 8 and 9. I freaking negative split a 10 mile run.
And the amazing thing isn't that I did that. The amazing thing is that it DIDN'T feel like work.
At all.
I'm a believer...
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
A Tale of 2 Turkey Trots
I guess I needed a bit of a blogging break? It's been so busy - it's that time of year I guess - and something had to give. Needless to say, the computer time was the first to go.
***
Last Saturday was the first of 2 turkey trot 10k races that I'd registered for this year. The Clear Water Outdoor Turkey Trot is the same race I walked last year with Kim and Tori. (We didn't MEAN to walk it, but Tori hurt her knee early on, and it turned into a giant gab fest, with us coming in dead last). It's held in Big Foot Beach State Park, right along Lake Geneva in WI.
This was going to be my friend Sarah's very first 10k race ever. it's nice, local, and relatively inexpensive, with the race shirt (a long sleeved tech tee) as an optional add on. The downside, if you can call it a downside, is that it's on real trail - not HORRIBLY difficult, but most certainly not easy either. They do a great job keeping it clear, marking roots with spray paint, and the route is well marked. There are some tough hills in there though, and the course changed from last year, making it tougher on the back end. (garmin data) I had warned Sarah about the course, but I don't think she REALLY knew what she was in for...
Sarah offered to drive, and picked me up plenty early. The race started at 9:30, and we were out my door by 7:30, with about an hour drive.
Well, an hour drive IF you stop where you are supposed to.
We were gabbing gabbing gabbing, and before you knew it, we'd turned off on what we thought was the right lake road. We SLOWLY made our way around the lake, and I began to doubt. Pulled out my cell phone, and turned out we were one lake PAST the lake we were supposed to be on.
Well, shit.
By the time we made it back to where we needed to be, it was just after 9, and we still needed to pick up our bibs and stuff. Which wouldn't have been a big deal, except for the 30 car back up to get into the state park.
Nothing like a little stress to get your blood pumping on race morning.
But it was no big thing - there were LOTS of people behind us, so they ended up delaying the start by about 15 minutes. We got our stuff, waited in line for the port-o-potty, brought extra stuff back to the car, and only had to wait for about 5 minutes before the race started. Just enough time to connect with a bunch of running club people who were there too.
The run itself was fairly uneventful. I let Sarah know right away that I was NOT racing, that I was there for her as fast or slow as she wanted to go. She'd hoped to finish with less than 11 minute miles, but quickly figured out that that was unrealistic. The first half of the course we shared with the 5kers which was crowded and rather obnoxious. Sarah hung in pretty good, even when the hills were kicking her butt. She only walked up a couple of the steeper hills at the end, and we finished in 1:15 and change. 10 people finished behind us, which was a definite improvement from last year.
Afterwards, we found that they'd run out of nearly everything including water. I think the turnout was WAY more than they had anticipated, which was great for them - proceeds go right to the park. I love this race, and next year, I'd like to RACE it. As for this year, I was SO proud of how well Sarah did, and I know that she'll kill her next 10k.
***
I ran a new to me hilly trail route with Kim on Sunday. I had really missed running with her, and it was so great to catch up.
Then, this week was school breaks and John off from work and conferences for my older 3 and Thanksgiving prep; even though I didn't host this year, there was still so much to do. John was completely focused on finishing odds and ends in the basement. My niece spent the night Wednesday.
Basically, all the workout plans I had for the week, including my strength class, went right out the window. (which means by Wednesday night I was a complete bitch. seriously.)
***
Thursday morning, I got up after a crappy night's sleep. I felt crappy. I was blah about my next race, the Mayor's Turkey Run put on by the Kenosha running club, along with a 2 mile race. I ran this one with Riyanti, a running club member (with a new blog). I still hadn't decided if I was going to race it or run it for fun.
We made it up to Kenosha plenty early, and they had the museum open so we could hang out in the heat and use indoor bathrooms, which was really nice since it felt MUCH colder than they had said it was going to be. I was pretty worried that I'd really under dressed. (I wore my screaming green turkey trot tee from Saturday's race and capri's. No jacket. No gloves.)
Riyanti and I run a really similar pace, which is great. We decided to start together, and I told her I'd know later in the race if I was going to push for my sub-60, but the goal was start out pretty easy. We lined up towards the back.
This turned out to be my only mistake of the day.
The first mile was a cluster. This was a pretty decent sized race (almost 2000 total with 600 10 k racers) and we spent way too much time dodging and weaving and getting COMPLETELY stuck. I didn't care at the time - we counted it as a warm up mile. It clocked in at 10:27.
By the second mile, I was finding a good groove. We were still passing people, but it had thinned out a lot. I wasn't pushing it, so I was surprised when garmin beeped 9:55.
They had a water station that we hit twice at the beginning of the third mile. We skipped it here. (We ended up skipping it later too.) We were feeling good, and pushing the pace a little. We were cheering for all the runners coming back off of the turnaround. We hit mile 3 at 9:36. I started to consider the possibilities....
After the turnaround, we were following some girls running just the right pace. I was just keeping up with them. Passing runners right after they were. Not paying attention to my watch except when miles beeped done. They were having a random conversation about bikini waxing. Freaking hilarious! It kept me laughing the whole mile. Didn't pass them until they peeled off for a photo op, and then never saw them again. Mile 4 = 9:42.
Right at the beginning of the 5th mile, I decided to see just what I had in me. I was feeling good. I was hitting the hills perfectly. I was feeling comfortably uncomfortable, aiming now for flat out uncomfortable. Why not? I left Riyanti behind in this mile. 9:29.
Mile 6 hurt. But in a totally good way. I was passing people like CRAZY. Me! Passing people. At the END of a race. Who is this girl? I was chasing 2 girls, picking off others one by one. It felt amazingly good, but strange. I was watching my average pace creep down to where I needed it. Just before the mile marker one of the girls dropped an eff bomb because her shoe was untied. She kept running, and I passed them. Hit mile 6 at 9:17.
Her friend was having NONE of me passing them. They passed me back, and urged me on with them. I laughed and said I was down for the chase. We TOOK OFF. All I could think was that I started my kick way to effing early, but it was too late to do anything but hang on. Untied shoe girl peeled off to hurl. I was right behind her friend til we crossed the finish line, gasping. The last 0.24? Yeah, I did that (almost a quarter mile) at a freaking 7:46 pace. Yes, I did.
Once I caught my breath, I congratulated my 2 rabbits and cheered Riyanti over the finish. We both PR'd. Perfect.
Official finish time: 1:00:21
Garmin time: 1:00:22
Pace: 9:44
Half Split 31:03
414/600 runners and 22/31 in my age group
I couldn't be prouder of how I executed this race. Had I lined up farther ahead (which I would have if I'd decided I was racing before the start) I could've hit it under an hour. Next time...
***
We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving at my sister's with her family, my parents, and John's Dad too. It was a lovely afternoon with all of my family. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I know it.
Hope your Thanksgiving was as good as mine!
***
Last Saturday was the first of 2 turkey trot 10k races that I'd registered for this year. The Clear Water Outdoor Turkey Trot is the same race I walked last year with Kim and Tori. (We didn't MEAN to walk it, but Tori hurt her knee early on, and it turned into a giant gab fest, with us coming in dead last). It's held in Big Foot Beach State Park, right along Lake Geneva in WI.
This was going to be my friend Sarah's very first 10k race ever. it's nice, local, and relatively inexpensive, with the race shirt (a long sleeved tech tee) as an optional add on. The downside, if you can call it a downside, is that it's on real trail - not HORRIBLY difficult, but most certainly not easy either. They do a great job keeping it clear, marking roots with spray paint, and the route is well marked. There are some tough hills in there though, and the course changed from last year, making it tougher on the back end. (garmin data) I had warned Sarah about the course, but I don't think she REALLY knew what she was in for...
Sarah offered to drive, and picked me up plenty early. The race started at 9:30, and we were out my door by 7:30, with about an hour drive.
Well, an hour drive IF you stop where you are supposed to.
We were gabbing gabbing gabbing, and before you knew it, we'd turned off on what we thought was the right lake road. We SLOWLY made our way around the lake, and I began to doubt. Pulled out my cell phone, and turned out we were one lake PAST the lake we were supposed to be on.
Well, shit.
By the time we made it back to where we needed to be, it was just after 9, and we still needed to pick up our bibs and stuff. Which wouldn't have been a big deal, except for the 30 car back up to get into the state park.
Nothing like a little stress to get your blood pumping on race morning.
But it was no big thing - there were LOTS of people behind us, so they ended up delaying the start by about 15 minutes. We got our stuff, waited in line for the port-o-potty, brought extra stuff back to the car, and only had to wait for about 5 minutes before the race started. Just enough time to connect with a bunch of running club people who were there too.
The run itself was fairly uneventful. I let Sarah know right away that I was NOT racing, that I was there for her as fast or slow as she wanted to go. She'd hoped to finish with less than 11 minute miles, but quickly figured out that that was unrealistic. The first half of the course we shared with the 5kers which was crowded and rather obnoxious. Sarah hung in pretty good, even when the hills were kicking her butt. She only walked up a couple of the steeper hills at the end, and we finished in 1:15 and change. 10 people finished behind us, which was a definite improvement from last year.
Afterwards, we found that they'd run out of nearly everything including water. I think the turnout was WAY more than they had anticipated, which was great for them - proceeds go right to the park. I love this race, and next year, I'd like to RACE it. As for this year, I was SO proud of how well Sarah did, and I know that she'll kill her next 10k.
***
I ran a new to me hilly trail route with Kim on Sunday. I had really missed running with her, and it was so great to catch up.
Then, this week was school breaks and John off from work and conferences for my older 3 and Thanksgiving prep; even though I didn't host this year, there was still so much to do. John was completely focused on finishing odds and ends in the basement. My niece spent the night Wednesday.
Basically, all the workout plans I had for the week, including my strength class, went right out the window. (which means by Wednesday night I was a complete bitch. seriously.)
***
Thursday morning, I got up after a crappy night's sleep. I felt crappy. I was blah about my next race, the Mayor's Turkey Run put on by the Kenosha running club, along with a 2 mile race. I ran this one with Riyanti, a running club member (with a new blog). I still hadn't decided if I was going to race it or run it for fun.
We made it up to Kenosha plenty early, and they had the museum open so we could hang out in the heat and use indoor bathrooms, which was really nice since it felt MUCH colder than they had said it was going to be. I was pretty worried that I'd really under dressed. (I wore my screaming green turkey trot tee from Saturday's race and capri's. No jacket. No gloves.)
Riyanti and I run a really similar pace, which is great. We decided to start together, and I told her I'd know later in the race if I was going to push for my sub-60, but the goal was start out pretty easy. We lined up towards the back.
This turned out to be my only mistake of the day.
The first mile was a cluster. This was a pretty decent sized race (almost 2000 total with 600 10 k racers) and we spent way too much time dodging and weaving and getting COMPLETELY stuck. I didn't care at the time - we counted it as a warm up mile. It clocked in at 10:27.
By the second mile, I was finding a good groove. We were still passing people, but it had thinned out a lot. I wasn't pushing it, so I was surprised when garmin beeped 9:55.
They had a water station that we hit twice at the beginning of the third mile. We skipped it here. (We ended up skipping it later too.) We were feeling good, and pushing the pace a little. We were cheering for all the runners coming back off of the turnaround. We hit mile 3 at 9:36. I started to consider the possibilities....
After the turnaround, we were following some girls running just the right pace. I was just keeping up with them. Passing runners right after they were. Not paying attention to my watch except when miles beeped done. They were having a random conversation about bikini waxing. Freaking hilarious! It kept me laughing the whole mile. Didn't pass them until they peeled off for a photo op, and then never saw them again. Mile 4 = 9:42.
Right at the beginning of the 5th mile, I decided to see just what I had in me. I was feeling good. I was hitting the hills perfectly. I was feeling comfortably uncomfortable, aiming now for flat out uncomfortable. Why not? I left Riyanti behind in this mile. 9:29.
Mile 6 hurt. But in a totally good way. I was passing people like CRAZY. Me! Passing people. At the END of a race. Who is this girl? I was chasing 2 girls, picking off others one by one. It felt amazingly good, but strange. I was watching my average pace creep down to where I needed it. Just before the mile marker one of the girls dropped an eff bomb because her shoe was untied. She kept running, and I passed them. Hit mile 6 at 9:17.
Her friend was having NONE of me passing them. They passed me back, and urged me on with them. I laughed and said I was down for the chase. We TOOK OFF. All I could think was that I started my kick way to effing early, but it was too late to do anything but hang on. Untied shoe girl peeled off to hurl. I was right behind her friend til we crossed the finish line, gasping. The last 0.24? Yeah, I did that (almost a quarter mile) at a freaking 7:46 pace. Yes, I did.
Once I caught my breath, I congratulated my 2 rabbits and cheered Riyanti over the finish. We both PR'd. Perfect.
Official finish time: 1:00:21
Garmin time: 1:00:22
Pace: 9:44
Half Split 31:03
414/600 runners and 22/31 in my age group
I couldn't be prouder of how I executed this race. Had I lined up farther ahead (which I would have if I'd decided I was racing before the start) I could've hit it under an hour. Next time...
***
We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving at my sister's with her family, my parents, and John's Dad too. It was a lovely afternoon with all of my family. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I know it.
Hope your Thanksgiving was as good as mine!
Monday, November 14, 2011
This and That
It seems that with the loss of giant looming goals, I've kind of run out of things to say. Weird. It isn't like there's nothing going on around here...
Last week, the crisp Fall air and sunshine were overshadowed by gray and gloom and rain. I didn't manage to run until Friday. When I ran just over 7 miles, where I felt like I could run forever. No walk breaks, AGAIN. Average pace in the 10:30s, and my last mile was the fastest of the day, coming in at 9 something. I think I just might be starting to figure this this out!
On Saturday, I went out for 8 with a new running club member. I started out too fast, and crapped out at the end. But it still felt good - it's been in the 60s! It's crazy. Summer's last push. And with that poorly executed run, I'm learning more about what exactly I need to manage a successful one.
On Sunday, Jenna, my 12yo, wanted to run with me. So we hit the trail on a gorgeous 67 degree afternoon. I started slowish, around a 10:40 pace (my easy cruising pace) and she complained that I was going SO SLOW. I smiled. About a half mile in, she was complaining that her side hurt SO MUCH. Yeah. Take it easy kiddo.
So we walked for a bit, and talked over where she was going wrong. We set out to do some easy 400s, where I made her run super slow. She finished each of those, and we were so close to 2 miles in by the end, SHE wanted to finish it out. So we ran 2 miles (I stopped my watch while we walked) with an overall pace of 11:59. I was really proud of her for letting me push her a little (so not her strong suit - she is her mother's daughter, after all) and for finishing strong.
When we got home, my 6yo wanted to run with me. So we went around the block (0.55 miles) and I cheered her on the whole way. She was whining a ton by the time we finished, but I talked her out of it, and she was so proud of herself. :)
THEN, James, my 4yo wanted in on the action. Now, he has pretty little legs, like I can WALK as fast as he can run. But I was astonished! He ran the whole thing! And when I'd walk (since it was almost easier than running that slow) he would have NONE of it. "RUN, Mommy!" he's admonish me. So freaking cute.
So I ran a 5k with 3 out of my 4 kids this weekend. A highlight, for sure. I love that they want to run with me. I think Jack was actually a bit bummed that he didn't get a turn (he was playing with his friends outside, and cheered for the munchkins as they went by).
When we got all finished, I asked Julia (my 6yo) if she'd like to run a race some day. Her eyes got huge. "Mom! I can't run 26 miles!" she said. I laughed and told her that they had shorter races too. Even ones for just kids. She got all excited about that and ran out of the room to tell her dad...
***
James has been such an up and down kid lately. I think he's reaching a couple turning points. We've had a few successes at the potty (yes, my 4.5yo is still in pull-ups) and he's both excited and terrified by that. He's been doing beautifully in school, most of the time. Amazing progress from last year, really.
But he's still James. Case in point, we went to church yesterday. We've been terrible about making this a priority as a family (mostly BECAUSE of James) but we went. We got half way through Mass, and he pitched a fit because I was SINGING. In CHURCH. He screamed, and I promptly removed him, and when we came back, he pitched a fit because the kneeler was down. Seriously. BUT. This fit was quiet. So he's getting it. Slowly. A lot of that is my fault - once he knows the routine of church better, he will handle it better.
***
I have at least one, maybe 2, Turkey Trots coming up. I'm excited to race a 10k. The first is a trail run (one I did last year) so there will be no racing. But the second one is a road race. I've grown to love the 6ish mile distance, so I'm excited to see if I can execute a race as well as I've executed some of my training runs at that distance. My unofficial 10k PR is 1:01:41. I'd like to come in under an hour. We'll see.
Last week, the crisp Fall air and sunshine were overshadowed by gray and gloom and rain. I didn't manage to run until Friday. When I ran just over 7 miles, where I felt like I could run forever. No walk breaks, AGAIN. Average pace in the 10:30s, and my last mile was the fastest of the day, coming in at 9 something. I think I just might be starting to figure this this out!
On Saturday, I went out for 8 with a new running club member. I started out too fast, and crapped out at the end. But it still felt good - it's been in the 60s! It's crazy. Summer's last push. And with that poorly executed run, I'm learning more about what exactly I need to manage a successful one.
On Sunday, Jenna, my 12yo, wanted to run with me. So we hit the trail on a gorgeous 67 degree afternoon. I started slowish, around a 10:40 pace (my easy cruising pace) and she complained that I was going SO SLOW. I smiled. About a half mile in, she was complaining that her side hurt SO MUCH. Yeah. Take it easy kiddo.
So we walked for a bit, and talked over where she was going wrong. We set out to do some easy 400s, where I made her run super slow. She finished each of those, and we were so close to 2 miles in by the end, SHE wanted to finish it out. So we ran 2 miles (I stopped my watch while we walked) with an overall pace of 11:59. I was really proud of her for letting me push her a little (so not her strong suit - she is her mother's daughter, after all) and for finishing strong.
When we got home, my 6yo wanted to run with me. So we went around the block (0.55 miles) and I cheered her on the whole way. She was whining a ton by the time we finished, but I talked her out of it, and she was so proud of herself. :)
THEN, James, my 4yo wanted in on the action. Now, he has pretty little legs, like I can WALK as fast as he can run. But I was astonished! He ran the whole thing! And when I'd walk (since it was almost easier than running that slow) he would have NONE of it. "RUN, Mommy!" he's admonish me. So freaking cute.
So I ran a 5k with 3 out of my 4 kids this weekend. A highlight, for sure. I love that they want to run with me. I think Jack was actually a bit bummed that he didn't get a turn (he was playing with his friends outside, and cheered for the munchkins as they went by).
When we got all finished, I asked Julia (my 6yo) if she'd like to run a race some day. Her eyes got huge. "Mom! I can't run 26 miles!" she said. I laughed and told her that they had shorter races too. Even ones for just kids. She got all excited about that and ran out of the room to tell her dad...
***
James has been such an up and down kid lately. I think he's reaching a couple turning points. We've had a few successes at the potty (yes, my 4.5yo is still in pull-ups) and he's both excited and terrified by that. He's been doing beautifully in school, most of the time. Amazing progress from last year, really.
But he's still James. Case in point, we went to church yesterday. We've been terrible about making this a priority as a family (mostly BECAUSE of James) but we went. We got half way through Mass, and he pitched a fit because I was SINGING. In CHURCH. He screamed, and I promptly removed him, and when we came back, he pitched a fit because the kneeler was down. Seriously. BUT. This fit was quiet. So he's getting it. Slowly. A lot of that is my fault - once he knows the routine of church better, he will handle it better.
***
I have at least one, maybe 2, Turkey Trots coming up. I'm excited to race a 10k. The first is a trail run (one I did last year) so there will be no racing. But the second one is a road race. I've grown to love the 6ish mile distance, so I'm excited to see if I can execute a race as well as I've executed some of my training runs at that distance. My unofficial 10k PR is 1:01:41. I'd like to come in under an hour. We'll see.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
A letter for G
For G,
This weekend you are running a marathon.
I was totally going to write you a pep talk letter. You know, the kinds of letters you've written to so many of us? But then, then you went and wrote yourself one yesterday, so that part is pretty much covered.
So instead, I'd like to go back a couple weeks, when I commented on one of your posts. This one. One of many you've written where I feel like you somehow live inside my head.
In that comment I called you "my running idol." Later, you kind of blushed and brushed it off, but it IS true, and I think maybe I should tell you why.
To be fair, the blogging community has blessed me with MANY running idols. And some of them I've even had the pleasure of running with and some have become SUCH good friends. It's definitely the best thing to come out of all this bloggity goodness, and frankly, the most unexpected.
But back to you...
You are my running idol because you started where I started. A mother, not so sure about this running gig, just seeing where it'd take you. Determined. But not fast. Not yet.
Over the years you've built an enviable support system. You've worked hard and trained hard. You've made running an integral part of who you are. And you have gotten SO STRONG. You show me what is possible.
But what I really love is how you share your love of running with everyone. You reach out, over and over, to virtual friends. You build us up. You support our dreams, and relish in our successes and lament our failures. You offer advice. You pay it BEYOND forward.
You are a great writer. A great friend. A great runner.
This weekend, it's your turn - your race, your way, with your crew all around you.
You are going to CRUSH it.
And while you're killing it, remember that you have all of us there with you too, pulling for you, believing in you.
SAVOR your run!
This weekend you are running a marathon.
I was totally going to write you a pep talk letter. You know, the kinds of letters you've written to so many of us? But then, then you went and wrote yourself one yesterday, so that part is pretty much covered.
So instead, I'd like to go back a couple weeks, when I commented on one of your posts. This one. One of many you've written where I feel like you somehow live inside my head.
In that comment I called you "my running idol." Later, you kind of blushed and brushed it off, but it IS true, and I think maybe I should tell you why.
To be fair, the blogging community has blessed me with MANY running idols. And some of them I've even had the pleasure of running with and some have become SUCH good friends. It's definitely the best thing to come out of all this bloggity goodness, and frankly, the most unexpected.
But back to you...
You are my running idol because you started where I started. A mother, not so sure about this running gig, just seeing where it'd take you. Determined. But not fast. Not yet.
Over the years you've built an enviable support system. You've worked hard and trained hard. You've made running an integral part of who you are. And you have gotten SO STRONG. You show me what is possible.
But what I really love is how you share your love of running with everyone. You reach out, over and over, to virtual friends. You build us up. You support our dreams, and relish in our successes and lament our failures. You offer advice. You pay it BEYOND forward.
You are a great writer. A great friend. A great runner.
This weekend, it's your turn - your race, your way, with your crew all around you.
You are going to CRUSH it.
And while you're killing it, remember that you have all of us there with you too, pulling for you, believing in you.
SAVOR your run!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Versatility
I've been tagged! The fantastic XLMIC, who I recently discovered after the blog world took HTC by storm, tagged me with the Versatile Blogger award! Thanks! (and if you don't read her, go CHECK HER OUT!)
1. I loathe shopping. It does not make me happy. Even when I am shopping for something I REALLY want, it's not fun for me. If I had the cash, I'd gladly spend it on a personal shopper, for real.
2. Some of you may already know this, but after calling myself a runner for more than a year and a half now, I have never in my life run on a treadmill. While I am oddly proud of that fact, I kind of want one. But then again, I kind of don't.
3. I got married in Vegas. And although I did NOT get married in an Elvis chapel (which I will admit a teeny part of me regrets now), my husband still managed to bring Elvis into the day...
 |
| They wore those glasses when I walked in with my Dad - I totally cracked up |
 |
| Please ignore the crayon drawing I scanned for my daughter that you can still see - I am much too lazy to rescan... |
5. Besides my aspirations for a career in the music biz (*snort*) when I was young I wanted to be a doctor. Right up until college, when I was registered "pre-med." I wanted to be a pediatrician. Somewhere near the end of my sophomore year, I realized JUST how much school (and DEBT) that involved. So I bailed, and ended up with a Medical Technology degree (read: lab rat). I'm not sorry, and if I were to go back to med school, I think now I'd probably end up an ME instead of actually working with the living...
6. One of my very earliest memories is camping with my family. I was laying there VERY early in the morning before anyone was awake, watching a spider snake its way down a string of web just above my sleeping bag. I'm still afraid of spiders.
7. After dealing with sickness this week (hence the radio silence) I can honestly say that I'd take 4 sick kids over ONE sick husband. Any day.
I'm supposed to tag people, but I am a lazy procrastinator, so I'm opting out. Play along if you want to, though, and let me know - I LOVE reading these!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
One Goal Left
And just like that, it's November!
Since I skipped any mention of my yearly goals last month, a quick recap is in order. The weight is officially off (plus 2 extra pounds. GO ME!), I completed my marathon goal back in June (with a PR of more than 1 hour and 6 minutes), my house is still a mess (sigh), I've done pretty well spending 1 on 1 time with my kids, and I'm working on cross training via a strength class I started at the beginning of October, which I am LOVING by the way. So that leaves one teeny tiny goal left for the year: 1000 miles.
In October, I managed 74.39 miles of running. I am a little disappointed in that, but it is what it is. Truthfully, I kind of needed the break, and while I didn't run a LOT of miles, the miles I DID run were so so GOOD. So. That brings my 2011 total miles to 843.22, which means I need to run 156.78 more in order to reach 1000. 80 miles a month. Easy peasie, right? I hope so...
This past weekend was full to the top with Halloween goodness. Backing up a bit, on Friday, James' teacher called me at home after school, just to tell me how proud she was of him! They had gone through a haunted maze that was set up in the gym, and James had participated and then gone back for more. AND he'd been trying all kinds of new food in their classroom (they've been having pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, apple, all kinds of fall treats) and he's tried them all (and even liked some!). For James, this is huge progress, and it makes me so happy.
For Halloween, we had the Mad Hatter, Harry Potter, Kung Fu Panda and a cute little witch. Everyone had a great time, and the weather cooperated JUST long enough to get Trick-or-Treating done before the rain started. James freaked out initially, but after sitting with me and handing out candy and running costume-commentary, he settled down and went back out for a while. I have entirely too much candy in my house, and yesterday, I gave myself full on permission to indulge. But today? NO. No more candy. (I am unable to ration myself. It's sad really, but I do much better when I can't have any than I do when I tell myself I'll have just 1, which inevitably turns in to just 1 MORE.)
Before the Halloween festivities started Sunday, I snuck out for an 8 mile run with some running club people I hadn't seen in forever. It was THE BEST run. I felt strong, I paced perfectly, and I ran 8 miles. With NO walk breaks. Without even feeling like I NEEDED to walk. This is HUGE for me (don't laugh - really!) and in fact is a personal distance record for me for running without walking at all. Which seems crazy, but I've always taken them. Every mile or 2. So I'm not sure if it's the weather, or the strength class, or smarter pacing or just BELIEVING I COULD, but it felt so so good. I averaged a 10:38 pace, and hardly varied from that the whole run. And it felt easy. New goal? A half marathon with no time goals, but no walk breaks.
And one last question for the parents of middle schoolers out there. What is your take on make up? My oldest is 12, and she doesn't wear much, but would really like to. Some of her friends wear full on war paint ("She wears too much make-up. Makes her look like a whore." Movie, anyone?) and I think that it's ridiculous. Still others have parents who say it's just a "little" and I'm thinking, REALLY? Looks way more than a little to me. So. Am I being over-analytical? Should I just stay out of it? Is 12 old enough to let her do what she wants as far as make up is concerned? I need some advice please! :)
Since I skipped any mention of my yearly goals last month, a quick recap is in order. The weight is officially off (plus 2 extra pounds. GO ME!), I completed my marathon goal back in June (with a PR of more than 1 hour and 6 minutes), my house is still a mess (sigh), I've done pretty well spending 1 on 1 time with my kids, and I'm working on cross training via a strength class I started at the beginning of October, which I am LOVING by the way. So that leaves one teeny tiny goal left for the year: 1000 miles.
In October, I managed 74.39 miles of running. I am a little disappointed in that, but it is what it is. Truthfully, I kind of needed the break, and while I didn't run a LOT of miles, the miles I DID run were so so GOOD. So. That brings my 2011 total miles to 843.22, which means I need to run 156.78 more in order to reach 1000. 80 miles a month. Easy peasie, right? I hope so...
This past weekend was full to the top with Halloween goodness. Backing up a bit, on Friday, James' teacher called me at home after school, just to tell me how proud she was of him! They had gone through a haunted maze that was set up in the gym, and James had participated and then gone back for more. AND he'd been trying all kinds of new food in their classroom (they've been having pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, apple, all kinds of fall treats) and he's tried them all (and even liked some!). For James, this is huge progress, and it makes me so happy.
For Halloween, we had the Mad Hatter, Harry Potter, Kung Fu Panda and a cute little witch. Everyone had a great time, and the weather cooperated JUST long enough to get Trick-or-Treating done before the rain started. James freaked out initially, but after sitting with me and handing out candy and running costume-commentary, he settled down and went back out for a while. I have entirely too much candy in my house, and yesterday, I gave myself full on permission to indulge. But today? NO. No more candy. (I am unable to ration myself. It's sad really, but I do much better when I can't have any than I do when I tell myself I'll have just 1, which inevitably turns in to just 1 MORE.)
Before the Halloween festivities started Sunday, I snuck out for an 8 mile run with some running club people I hadn't seen in forever. It was THE BEST run. I felt strong, I paced perfectly, and I ran 8 miles. With NO walk breaks. Without even feeling like I NEEDED to walk. This is HUGE for me (don't laugh - really!) and in fact is a personal distance record for me for running without walking at all. Which seems crazy, but I've always taken them. Every mile or 2. So I'm not sure if it's the weather, or the strength class, or smarter pacing or just BELIEVING I COULD, but it felt so so good. I averaged a 10:38 pace, and hardly varied from that the whole run. And it felt easy. New goal? A half marathon with no time goals, but no walk breaks.
And one last question for the parents of middle schoolers out there. What is your take on make up? My oldest is 12, and she doesn't wear much, but would really like to. Some of her friends wear full on war paint ("She wears too much make-up. Makes her look like a whore." Movie, anyone?) and I think that it's ridiculous. Still others have parents who say it's just a "little" and I'm thinking, REALLY? Looks way more than a little to me. So. Am I being over-analytical? Should I just stay out of it? Is 12 old enough to let her do what she wants as far as make up is concerned? I need some advice please! :)
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