too late, Philly Marathon

Really, I am a blog mommy blog blogger. Really. I just have not written for a long, long time. I never got around to race reports from the National Half-Marathon, the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, the George Washington Parkway Classic, the Capitol Hill Classic... I'm sorry. And now it is too late. Ah, well. I'll get on it next time. Next race is the Sun Herald City to Surf in Sydney.

But now I have done something that scares me a bit: I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 23. Hm. I have not run a marathon in six years -- not since getting married and having kids. I run a lot, and I have a good strong base. I am as fast as I was when I ran my first marathon in 1999. But marathons are scary. From personal experience, I know anything can happen after about 18 miles. No matter how well-trained one is.

I ran one fabulous marathon, my first, in NYC. I did not finish my second in NYC. Then I finished, but had a truly miserable time after about 19 miles, the Washington DC Marathon (the one in March of 2002 that had only one official running; the race organizer went bankrupt the next year). Half marathons are fun -- and tough -- but not out of control. I love half marathons.

So I am scared. But I am going to do it. I think. I hope. What training plans do people swear by? I have a strong base now -- I can cover 12 miles "easily", and I even completed 15 a week ago. Week one of an 18-week plan starts on August 4 -- when I will be away in Sydney, Australia, (alone with my 13-month-old) sorting and clearing my mother's apartment. So I can't get crazy-serious until I return, on August 13.

Crumbs: Sprint Triathlon Race Report

Last week, upon realizing I had a Sprint Triathlon in 5 days, with nary a training plan in site, I flipped out and completed a Brick Workout to end all Brick Workouts. (Okay, exaggerated a bit, but in my mind, I was in the Olympic Trials.)

In keeping with the idea of a "tri," I hopped on my bike and sprinted the 3 miles to my gym, swam for 30 minutes straight, headed to the treadmill for 3 miles, then sprinted home on my bike.

I was exhausted...and couldn't walk the next day. So...back to tapering. And by tapering, I mean not exercising at all. No amount of training could help me just a few days before an event...if anything, it would just fatigue my muscles, so I changed my attitude about this race.

You see, I'm moving out-of-state in 3 weeks. My good friend and running buddy talked me into this race as a "last hoorah." This would probably be my last chance to see the people I've confessed more to than my husband and all those folks who I feel like I know because we see each other on the trail or at races. I began to accept that I wouldn't break any of my records, so I might as well just enjoy the ocean view while I have it. It was a "Farewell to Miami Party" and I was going to try to have fun.

And amazing things happened.

• I slept great the night before. (Traditionally, before races, my mind competes against my body: nightmares about oversleeping, getting lost on the race route or not being able to find the starting line.)
• I didn't want to vomit at the starting line. When the gun went off, I jumped in and actually swam freestyle (normally, my heart pounds SO hard in fear that I can't breathe, so I do the backstroke).
  
• I started passing other women on their mountain bikes and even some road bikes.
• On the run, I didn't feel like taking walk breaks. Instead I chit chatted with runners around me.
• I didn't long for the end of the race to come.

I had actually competed with the attitude that "This is recreation!" (Something I have often preached but more often forgotten on race day.) And, as I checked the scores, I was even astonished that I placed 3rd in my division.

I think I have found my perfect training plan!


(sorry -i'm having font/size issues!)

Beach Running......with the double!!!

Yes!! I am alive! We safely moved to NC and now live on a lovely island. I miss my SMR friends in VA sooooo much. I was afraid my motivation to run would wither up and die.....alas.....It didn't!! I've been hitting the road and beach several times a week and having a great time. Of course, since I am new to the area and have no pre-school to scurry one of the little tikes off to, I am pushing the double stroller. Last week I found a 3 mile route that includes one mile on the beach. Admittably, it is a little struggle to get the stroller over the dry sandy area to the wet compacted sand, but once it is there it is heaven. The little guys like to get out and "run" the beach area which at first I fought, but now we just delight in that part of our "run" until they wear out and climb back in. We re-emerge at the community club house that has an outdoor shower area to rinse off in. At that point I feel like a 16 year old boy with his first car.....I rinse my stroller thoroughly, then once home I dry her off with a soft cloth as to avoid the corrosion of the salt air....
Anyways, if anyone has any pointers on beach running, I'd love to hear them. In my new community most of the other runners are in their 50s and 60s which makes me the youngster.....gotta LOVE that....maybe that is why my motivation hasn't withered away!!

Blog Mommies Blog

To all the wonderful Readers of See Mommy Blog -

It may not be clear if you're stopping by the blog for the first time, but there are over a dozen contributors to the See Mommy Run blog. You might say that it should be called See Mommies Blog. If you look down at the very bottom of each post, you'll see the author's name. Also, a list of us all can be found just to the left.

Just a small explanation for those who wondered if schizophrenia was at play here.

Crumbs: I'm Home! Oh, God, I'm Home!

I've been on tremendous 10 day vacation to Portland, Oregon.
Oh, Pacific Northwest, how I love you so!
You bike, you run, you walk, you kayak, you hike, you have public transportation!

Anyhow, I only slipped one delicious run in, but my training took a different twist. I had to carry my 43" inch tall, 45 lb 3 year old (yes...he measures as a 5 year old) around A LOT. I mean for many, many, many hours....day after day after day after day, etc. My arms & shoulders are still sore, but definitely stronger. Not the workout I'd recommend, but hey, just making lemonade.

Unfortunately, it was after several weeks of...well...casually exercise (to be generous), that I have recalled that I am registered for a sprint Triathlon this weekend. In 5 days, to be more precise.
Oh, God, I'm home...and have to compete complete!

So my training will effectively be backward: taper, taper, taper, panic & brick workouts 5 days in a row.

If I don't write by next Monday, send help.

How To Run Downhill

Pushing your jogging stroller uphill probably gets more thought than running downhill, but there are a couple important things to consider to run as quickly - and safely - as possible downhill.

How steep is the hill vs how heavy is your stroller? The first hill we go down at the start of our regular route is so steep that I actually walk backwards down it with the jogging stroller.

Generally, however, downhill is a great opportunity to cut a little time and to practice faster turnover (i.e. how quickly you put one foot in front of the other). This is just one of the reasons why jogging strollers have a hand brake and a runaway strap.

Even if it makes your arm get sweaty - ALWAYS USE YOUR RUNAWAY STRAP!

To use your hand brake effectively, you need to lean INTO it. As you squeeze the lever with your left hand, consider using only the palm of your right hand to push rather than gripping the handle which could inadvertently apply a downward force. This keeps the front wheel in contact with the ground (the only way the brake will work) plus it will put less pressure on your knees and keep your form better. You will maintain much more control than either trying to pull the stroller back or simply trying to run as fast as the stroller rolls.

My First Half-Marathon

What follows is the description (as listed on the website) of my first half-marathon, to be run in April of 2009:

THE ESCAPE ROUTE


The Escape Route: Escaping from Prison Hill is a daunting task….much like a real prison break. But before you are sent to “prison” you must do the crime! The first part of this course is a “crime”. For the first 3/4 mile you will find yourself on a fairly flat, dirt/gravel road that circles the interior of the Silver Saddle Ranch. As you complete this section of the race you get a little sloppy in your work and the authorities begin chase. Life gets a bit tougher here as you begin your initial ascent onto Prison Hill. You begin this section with a climb via single-track onto Prison Hill in an effort to thwart the authorities. For approximately the next 4-1/2 miles you are faced with a series of “small ups and downs” that will begin to test whether or not you even considered training for this event. Finally, you complete this section of the course (by thwarting the local authorities) and begin to enjoy the fruits of your labor…or so you think. You will now begin a descent along the western face of Prison Hill, approximately 1 mile. Once here, you continue to “live it up” along the mostly flat terrain for the next 2 miles, thinking that you will never get caught.

Ha!! You fell right into the arms of the authorities. Someone is going to prison. If you are doing this event solo, it is you. If you are part of a relay team then your partner is going to prison. The next 1/2 mile is a series of short, fast, rolling hills that bring you to “Prison”…a 1 mile ascent on the south slope of Prison Hill with 800 feet of altitude gain. Once at the top you realize that you just can’t stand it anymore and you begin your “ESCAPE”. You begin with a spectacular descent down the south-eastern slope towards the Carson River, thinking that by dousing yourself in the river you will lose the dogs that are following your scent. For approximately 1-1/2 miles you try to evade your followers but it doesn’t work. They’re hot on your trail. You make a dash across the Mexican Dam and run a flat course back towards the Start/Finish thinking that you’d be lost in a crowd. It begins to work…for 1-mile that is. Just when you think you’ve eluded the authorities you’re faced with one last challenge. You begin a 1/4 mile ascent on a single-track that actually takes you away from the finish. You can’t believe it. You ask yourself if it can get any worse. Actually, no! With just over a mile to go it’s mostly flat with a final 1/4 mile into the chute. You’re finally done! You’ve ESCAPED!

I chose this race because my father lives in Carson City and I thought this would make for a nice trip.

If anyone has any training tips, feel free to throw them at me! Right now I'm working on running to the tune of Free Bird--easy pace and then speed it up all the way through the guitar solo.

Motivation

People often equate pregnancy and/or labor with running a marathon (including Natalie Morales of The Today Show in the Aug 08 Runner's World). How much one buys into that probably depends on whether you've ever run a marathon, but one thing that is for certain is that both require MOTIVATION to stay positive!

During my second pregnancy, my two-year-old daughter came over to me in bed one morning, looks at me and says, "Are you mean mom or nice mom today?" That was a wake-up call! I guess I was pretty grumpy. So now I'm on my third and I am in an entirely different state of mind.

How does one stay motivated while running or otherwise? Can you see “the light at the end of the tunnel”? Sometimes seeing that n-1 mile marker or even the finish line is what you need. Of course, in pregnancy, the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel is actually the headlights of an on-coming train!

So working out helps me stay positive about the tail end of pregnancy. I stay motivated to work out because I know how much easier it will be to recover post-baby. I stay motivated to push that HEAVY jogging stroller because it is making me so much stronger and faster whenever I have the chance to run stroller-free. And I stay motivated to race because I am just so darn competitive. The faster you run, the faster you’re done!

Snotspot

Now that I've found it, I'm not sure how I ever lived without it! Just what in the heck is she talking about, you're wondering. The Snotspot! I cannot wait to try this product out!

In Honor of Babette

I just have to take a moment here to mourn a lost athlete. Although I barely knew her, she inspired me greatly.

When I tell the story of my first-ever triathlon last Summer - of how I started in the "leftover" wave filled with first-timers, Athenas, mountain bikes and age 40+ women - it often turns into a comic display. I explain that since each athlete's age is marked on her calf, I knew that the woman next to me in the corral was 64. Babette introduced herself when she could see how nervous I was and told me that I would be just fine. She gave me some tips on how I should be warming up and then took her place at the waterline.

From there, the story painstakingly details how Babette clobbers me at each stage and how she is in fresh clothes by the time I cross the finish line. Babette is the reason I signed up for the next Key Biscayne triathlon a month later. She is the reason I vowed to go to spin class twice a week and why I bought fins to train better in the pool. And after she trampled me effortlessly again, she was the reason I signed up for the third and final race of the Trilogy.

But although it was disappointing to be bested by someone over twice my age, Babette's poise merited utter respect. She contested atrophy with each climb into a new age category. She was at once motivating and formidable; youthful and seasoned. She loved the sport for the sake of the challenge and for the community that builds itself around it. Babette makes you remember that "Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Babette Kulka died last Wednesday, training in the choppy ocean waters of Hollywood, Florida.

Are we there yet?

Hi Mommy Runners:

It's me Trice-- sort of back from the dead. I made it to Texas, did not find a house yet, but am still looking. I'm truly happy to be in Texas-- where I discovered my running self (All the runs prior to 1999 were for the Army - they do not count).

I am thinking about "The Woodlands" as a neighborhood to move. I saw lots of neat running Moms out there and lots of trails.

I'm computerless and in the library right now. The geek squad has my laptop so it may be a while before I can see how well you are all doing.

Happy summer running!
Best,
Trice

A Call to Arms Legs!

"From every continent, all over the world at the very same time, someone will be running with you! Join a truly global community of fellow runners in a free, non-commercial event that celebrates the joy of running, with the challenge of a race! Share your local experience with a world-wide audience of fellow runners in the Phedippidations World Wide Half Marathon and "Kick the Couch" 5K road race!"

Okay - this is a Call to Arms Legs for those of you who are ready to commit to your first 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles) or Half Marathon (13.1 miles). This virtual race takes place ANYWHERE you want: your neighborhood, on the first half of the Chicago Marathon, at a local race. You can run the whole way, you can run with set walk breaks, or walk the entire length. YOU choose your challenge.

For an in depth description of this cool race, check out the Extra Mile Podcast (Episode 23 & 24) here or subscribe on iTunes.

So tell me:
Will you be signing up for "Kick the Couch" 5K?
The World Wide Half Marathon?
or THIS other cool virtual 10K?

We have 11 weeks until the Phedippidations (pronounced: "Fed-Ip-Id-Aye-shuns") World Wide Race.

Need help with a training plan? Check out Runner's World Smart Coach HERE.

Need training partners? You should already know where to find them!!!! But in case it slipped your mind....click HERE.

Wait...Training.

Ladies and Gentlemen (if there are any) - I have officially become unrecognizable to my former self, that is, the person I was a decade or two ago. I hold in my hot little hand a "Liftlog," which not only implies that I am lifting weights, but that I plan on doing this on a recurring basis. I know that the old me would openly mock the new me, but I'm okay with that.

Now, if you wouldn't mind, let me have a personal word with the Crumbs of yesteryear:

Dear Crumbs -
At 20 years old, you are a loner in the world, finished with college, following bands from festival to festival, thinking you can make it as an artist. You're filled to the brim with cynicism, have zero tolerance for fashion and think sports are for meat heads. You wouldn't run unless a tiger was chasing you, however you'd probably be too occupied making sure no one hurt the tiger instead.

Well, times are a changin' and you'll soon find happiness in the most unexpected places. You'll discover windsurfing, kayaking and yoga. You'll start using your bike as transport and realize it's kind of fun. Turns out, you'll get married and have a baby (and it won't be snowing in hell).

And more shocking than anything, you'll find joy in running...even when nothing is chasing you. Running will introduce you to a world of new people, new attitudes and an entire sports wardrobe complete with running skirts. Your new friends will sign up for marathons, and you'll join them. Then you'll try a Tri. You'll even run past the tigers at a race at the Zoo. And one day, before you know it, you'll go to the gym and use the weights...but you still won't care if the meat heads think you don't fit in.

Go FOGO Go!

12:30pm (Idaho time)
I was feeling a bit sluggish on my 5 mile run this morning...until it occurred to me that today is the Ironman at Coeur D'Alene and I've got a bunch of friends there swimming 2.4 miles, THEN biking 112 miles and THEN running 26.2 (yes, the distance of a marathon).

I logged on to check out how they are doing most are mid-way through the bike.

So here's to you, FOGO DO MIAMI!!! They've been featured in the local media and if you're looking for inspiration or are tripped up on the idea of "I could NEVER be able to..." or "I'm too overweight", check out their stories. Here are just a couple:

Tim

Victor

6pm (Idaho time)
UPDATE:

This blows my mind.
Tim swam for an hour, was on the bike for 6 hours and is near the end of a marathon right now.
Teresa swam for 1 1/2 hours, biked for EIGHT, and started her run just an hour ago.
Eddie swam for 1 1/2 hours, biked for 7, and probably has another 2 hours left in his marathon.


I'm exhausted just following them online!


FINAL RESULTS UPDATE:
Eddie: 14 hours 52 minutes
Mark: 11 hours 48 minutes
Tim: 12 hours 56 minutes
Teresa: 16 hours 50 minutes
Victor: 14 hours 19 minutes

What a journey!

The "In-Crowd"

I feel like I’ve been voted off the island.

Last weekend, I could still jog whenever I saw other people on the trail – which was frequent. Then I walked when no one was looking. I made it 5 miles and even passed a couple other joggers along the way. I was happy. Then I was sore for days.

Despite my greatest aspirations to run until the day I delivered, I think that I’ve crossed over the line of doing more damage (to me – not the fetus) than good, so today I walked. Unfortunately, my 8-months-pregnant belly is not yet bigger than my pride, so I’m a little sad to be out of the club.

You’ve probably noticed that runners typically acknowledge an oncoming runner with a quick wave or grunt or something…anything. At 3-years-old, my daughter even noticed that runners generally acknowledge one another in passing with a quick greeting: “Hi!”, “Good morning!”, or “Nice day!” “How about 'Macaroni and Cheese'?” she suggests. So for the rest of that day we said “Macaroni and Cheese” to each person we passed.

It seems, however, as soon as you are a “walker” you become invisible to these other runners. I’ve now noticed this phenomenon at different times and in different places, with and without my jogging stroller, and whether or not I attempt to greet them first. Have you noticed this?

I can’t remember specifically, but I only hope that when I was out running miles and miles, I gave an equal-opportunity grunt to runners and walkers alike.

More Socializing Opportunities!

What? What? What? There is a message board on See Mommy Run!!!!!
I have REALLY been under a rock. (Log in to see the Nationwide Message Board)


Sweet! See you there!

Supermom

How cool am I? I can have a baby via C-section and run a marathon the same year. Go me. Woo hoo. After reading about the mom who had sextuplets (via C-section, as well as heart failure during delivery) and still ran the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon - and looked good while doing it - I'm not even impressing myself! Well, at least I can try to beat her time of over 5:30.

I Broke Up With Running

I broke up with running, just like the ads say.

We saw too much of each other, day after day.

And then when I got sick, it didn't nurse me like I expected.  Up until that point, running always made me feel better: my health and self-esteem.  I started to resent running.

Miami spring days turned molten and soggy - running didn't make me happy anymore.  The time on my watch dripped by and each step drained me.  I tried the treadmill at the gym, but the halogen lights made our affair seem so contrived.  I tried signing up for races to be inspired, but they came and went without sparking anything.

So I stopped.  I rested.  I cleansed my system.  Then I watched it rain for three days.  In the height of the storm, in torrential monsoon rains, I decided it was time to run again.

I am in love again.

Go Maddie!

The other evening my hunk-a-hunk-a-burnin-love hubbie and I were sitting in the hof enjoying the cool evening air when he remarked that he had noticed my lack of use of his Walkman. (Yes, I said Walkman. We are the beautiful ages we are and we think we're better people for it.)
It's true. I haven't been utilizing the Walkman hook-up on my Jeep jogger because the batteries ran out. Instead I've been listening to my slider phone radio.
Feeling guilty, I changed the batteries. To see if it worked, I put in a CD by Evanescence. As soon as the music started, my wonderful dog perked up her ears and got a really excited expression on her face. Yes, my dog has expressions.

Wow.

"Are you feeling it?" I asked her.

So today we went for a run. Me, Maddie and my beautiful son in the jogger. At first I listened to the radio through my ear buds and Maddie just wandered off into the trees and did her doggie thing. As soon as I switched to Evanescence, bam, she was there beside me, pacing me. I mean, right there beside me, following the trail with me, turning in tandem. It was amazing. When I stopped, she stopped, grinning as I hooked the leash back on her.

I love my dog.

OK I know we are all about the LURKING here

not so much the commenting BUT Id love your input.

two words: RUNNING SKIRTS.

five words: love em or leave em?

inquiring carlamind & all.

Not Quite as Informative

This little post may not be nearly as informative as the one below (I am so impressed with the awesome instructions for how to fix a jogger tire!!!), but I hope it is useful to some...specifically those who have never run or have taken a break from running to, say, wallow in pregnancy. I am just here to say, give it time. You can get your mojo back. You really have to just do it and it really will get better. After too much huffing and puffing, I can now exit my house and run for a quick 20 minutes just to squeeze something in. And the more I do this, the longer I can run on weekends, which is a good thing, because my training buddy rides a 2 wheeler now - and he's fast!

Flat Tires

Oh no! You have a flat! You could
a) Quit running.
b) Bring your tire to a bike store and PAY someone to fix it.
c) Fix it yourself!

Here's how:

Step 0: Remove wheel from the stroller. The front wheel probably has a quick release lever and the back wheels probably have a quick release push button.

Step 1: Use a set of tire levers to remove the tire from the rim.
Step 2: Remove flat inner tube from tire.
Step 3: Carefully check the inside of the tire for any sharp objects that may have caused the flat. (You can also add air to the old inner tube and submerge it is soapy water to find the location of the hole.)
Step 4: Partially inflate new inner tube* before placing between tire and rim. This will decrease the chances of pinching it and causing another flat.
Step 5: Starting with the valve in the rim, slide new inner tube into tire.
Step 6: Lever tire back onto rim, being careful not to pinch the inner tube.

Step 7: Re-inflate to desired pressure (read the side of your tire for how many PSI are right for your tire. Ideally, use a hand pump with a meter. Try to avoid air compressors like the ones at gas stations as they are very strong and are likely to over-inflate your small tires.

* A note about inner tubes. If you can locate the hole on your old inner tube, you can patch it with a kit available at any local bike store. Sometimes it is just easier to buy a new tube. If you are not sure what size wheel (usually small = 12", medium = 16" and large = 20") you have, just pop it off and bring it with you to the store. It might even be the same size as your older child's bike wheels.

Thank you to my friend, Eileen, for taking the pics!

Ashamed Part 2

Here it is:
I decided I WOULD run it........I went out 6 days before the race to see how 10 miles would go and it went FABULOUS!! I was soooooo excited. I felt like I could have continued on the rest of the 3.1 without issue. I couldn't believe it......am I really a runner, be it slow, for real!?!?!

Then life happened. .....as described before, it has been so crazy here, drugs would be justified (LOL)!! I took son #2 to his Peds Cardiologist Electrophysiologist for the final check before moving on his pacemaker ( he has congenital heartblock, on his 3rd pacemaker). This appt should have been very routine with plans for follow on care in NC with a new doc..................Except..............after hooking him up to the computer, we discovered his pacer isn't quite working right and now we are doing more monitoring with probable surgery before we leave for NC, which by the way is in less than 4 weeks.
The original plan was to leave the hospital in DC and drive to Alexandria to pick up my race package. We left the hospital with a heart monitor and drove the 30 miles which took 2 1/2 hours (Friday evening DC traffic) to the package pick up location. My mind was a blurr, not knowing what I was going to do.......still drive the 2 hours to the race the next night before and run....but what about my son being a heart monitor with an appointment the day after the race in DC again.......Plus, he is a tough little guy but these things scare him and he just needed his mom too. Anyway, I was still gonna get that package and then decide exactly how to handle things. I parked across the street from the shop leaving my 11 year old son in the car since he didn't want to be seen by anyone with his monitor ( he thinks it looks like a purse and he is a bit of a manly boy!!)......somewhat still on the adrenaline rush from all that was happening to find out I went to the wrong freaking town!! They offered to give me directions to Arlington, but I just said forget it, obviously Karma was trying to tell me something. Race day was officially cancelled.

I did end up having a friend pick up my package in Annapolis the following day since she lives there, so at least I'll still get the T-shirt for the race I didn't run.

We'll know more Tues when his heart monitor results are evaluated. He is such a great son that being there for him if only to listen or sit near was worth giving up my goal of a first 13.1

PS. Did I tell you my ferret of over 6 years is being euthanized in the morning for his adrenal cancer?! Seriously, I need a break, or a drink!

Now That Blogger Fixed it's Photo Bug.....

I can show you my new friends in Fredericksburg! Meet three of the fantastic members of Fredericksburg SeeMommyRun! From left to right, me (yikes on the posture!), Jamie, Laura and Stephanie. Thanks again ladies!
And one last photo...my mom sent me this one of me and my 8-year-old, Carter. This was the first time I saw the kids after the race. It was so fantastic to have my boys their and for them to see mommy do something other than laundry! All of us running moms are setting a fantastic example for our kids!

IM BACK!

running.

not racing.

baby steps to a marathon? I can only hope.

Wii Fit

Has anyone tried the new Wii Fit? I got one this weekend. The first step, after entering your height and birth date, is to get on the board and have your weight measured giving the Wii your BMI. After that, you take a "balance test". It somehow puts all these things together and gives you your "Mii Age". After plugging in my height, and standing on the board for the various measurements and tests, I got my results: I am underweight, 55 years old (my actual age is only 38), off balance and 'much weaker' than I should be. Ah yes. That's the way to start my morning off right! I wonder if the folks over at Wii know about my medal??

Burke Lake Bingo

So, here's one activity we've used while running with the kids in the stroller. Grab a crayon and print out a copy for each kid. Just click on the above picture or paste http://www.tekfamily.org/jenmisc/BurkeLakeBingo.pdf into your web browser.

You can't change this PDF, but I just use Microsoft Word clip art to make different versions depending on the season or what types of things you see along your run. Have fun!

Desperate run

I've been feeling so crummy since I cut back my runs/workouts to just 2-3 times a week, so I decided, come hell or high water, I HAD to go for a run this morning. I had 1 hour between dropping my son off on his last (sniff) day of preschool and getting back for his party. Unfortunately, the sun was up and it felt like I was running on it!

I literally ran from shade to shade, zig zagging down the street and then finally settled on running along the main traffic vein because the cars zooming by created a breeze. That's desperate. After an ice-cold shower and lots of water, I feel great! I'm sick.

Here are some crazy statistics from my run this morning:
Miami weather: 95 degrees F
Humidity: 68%
Run time: 55 minutes
Body Temperature POST-run: 101 Degrees F
Water weight lost: 2.5 lbs

GOALS

If you're going to make a goal, then, by-golly, make it a good one! And in that spirit I hereby announce my goal of running my first half-marathon in the fall of 2009 in one of my best friend's hometown of Udine, Italy. Take a look real quick. I'll wait. Are you back? No, I don't speak Italian either but I've asked my friend to translate the page for me. Of course, our common language is German...but, no matter.

Ashamed

I have to confess.....I haven't been blogging much because I haven't been running much......and I too am suppose to be running my 1st 1/2 marathon in less than two weeks. I have a plethera of excuses.......husband works in another state M-F, Four kids, Moving to said other state in a month, trying to get house rented, hurt my knee "again".....blah, blah, blah.........

Part of me wonders if I should just bail and try for one in the fall or if I should just go do it and if I gotta walk some, I gotta walk some.

I am so proud of you other first timers who diligently did your training......jealous too!!!! Therefore......so ashamed................

Fredericksburg SeeMommyRun Rocks!!

On Sunday I ran in the Marine Corps Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I've been training and stressing for this, my first half marathon, and have been filled with excitement and anticipation since November. Then on Sunday, it finally happened. Setting a goal is one thing, actually accomplishing it is something else. One year ago, I couldn't run one mile without stopping to walk at least 3 times. One year ago! Yesterday I ran 13.1 miles. Every single one of them. The last time I felt like this, I had a new baby in my arms. OK, maybe that's a bit much...that baby thing was a lot more work, but you know what I'm saying.

Thank you all for your well wishes and good advice that you gave me before the race, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. When I was younger, I was involved in sports and various clubs but it wasn't until I discovered running that I found a community as friendly and supportive as this. When I found SeeMommyRun, I was thrilled - finally, women in the same place as me, with the same goals and time constraints but still managing to do what they love!

Having said all that, I have to tell you about a member of SeeMommyRun, as well as a member of the Astavita running team, who helped me achieve one of my biggest goals ever. Jamie lives in Fredericksburg and saw my post where I was looking for advice (yeah, I might have been freaking out) about the race. Not only did she give me some great advice but when it became obvious to Jamie (which I'm guessing was pretty quick) that I was a little more nervous then might be normal, she put out a hand.

To try and make a long story short, I was driving from D.C. down to Fredericksburg the day before the race. I had no idea where my hotel was in relation to the starting line; I had no idea what running a half marathon was like; I had no idea what 5,000 people in one place looked like; I didn't even know that "baggage drop off" meant "give them the bag they gave you when you got your shirt and random stuff instead of bringing your own big black bag that you can't write your name on you silly rookie". In other words, Jamie saved me. She saved me from myself. I was already nervous beyond belief. All of the things about a big race that most people already know about and have experienced were exactly the things that were potentially putting me over the edge - it wasn't the 13.1 that had me shaking, it was the logistics of getting there and finding my way through. Jamie read my post and held out her hand. In a simple leap of faith, in what she probably thinks was no big deal, she helped me more than she knows. This thing we have...this connection called running...as corny as it sounds, builds bonds that touch us each in different ways. What Jamie did for me was huge. I hope she knows that and I hope that some day, I can do that for a new runner.

When we got to the race yesterday morning, Jamie introduced me to her fellow SeeMommyRun, Fredericksburg, friends and they all couldn't have been nicer. Thank you Jamie, Emily, Laura and Stephanie for accepting me into their club for the day (I'm still trying to post a photo, but blogger is giving me a hard time. I do have it posted over on my running blog though if you want to take a peek.)! And to you, Jamie...you are what they call 'good people'. Thank you. The memories of my first half marathon will always include you.

Oh, and for the record, yes, I had an incredible time! I loved it, every minute of it. Except for maybe the last 3.5 miles...those hills were not fun! But, I set a goal of 2 hours and I finished in 1:54:48...I'd call that a success!

Training Plan

This week I crafted a marathon training plan for my husband. Though we are hardly elite runners, like the couples highlighted in a recent Runner's World article (read it here), our dual participation does give me the opportunity to try out my skills as personal trainer, nutritionist, and coach in addition to the more traditional responsibilities of a wife and mom (chef, chauffer, maid, cruise director, etc.).

I'm a big fan of cross training to prevent boredom and injury. I also encourage running with the jogging stroller to increase strength, but strangely enough, he doesn't seem to prefer that to running alone.

So if you are considering a summer or fall race, my general plan looks something like this:
Sun: off Mon: short run Tues: medium run Wed: XT Thurs: medium run Fri: XT Sat: long run

The actual distances will depend on your experience and the distance of your event: maybe only 12 miles/week for a 5K and up to 40 miles/week or more for a marathon. Your days will depend on your own schedule, but I rarely run two days in a row. You may also choose to include speed work. If you do run with your kids, they can be great coaches too, but I'll save those thoughts for another day.

Mommy still running

Hi Everyone:

I'm headed to Houston TX-- a great running town. Rocky retires from the Army and we become civilians - yahoo!!

Best,
Trice

Sunday is Fast Approaching

On Sunday, I will be running in my first half marathon. The first thing most people ask (well, after you get past the first thing non-runners ask which is always, "Why?") is "Are you excited!?" and I always say, "Yes! Super excited!!" which is mostly true. But I'm also very nervous. Probably more nervous than is healthy. Why? Well, the obvious reason is that this is my first half marathon...13.1 miles brings a certain level of fear. The other is that I just have no idea what to expect in a race this big. I'm the kind of person who loves to know what is going on, I'm a planner. I make spreadsheets of all things that need to be packed whenever we go on vacation. Before parties, I set out platters and dip bowls as a kind of staging ritual...you know, to make sure I've got enough, etc. I was the kid who drove my mother nuts with questions like, "Where are we going?", "What is it going to be like?", "What are we going to do once we get there?" and so on, and so on (OK, now I'm starting to sound down right anal!). So, the fact that I'm running in this big thing in a place I'm unfamiliar with (Fredericksburg, VA), running it alone and will need to get myself there without 'Team Renae' - my husband, boys, mother and step-father will all be there but no way am I going to drag them to the starting line at the crack of dawn. So, like a kid going to kindergarten for the very first time, I'm feeling a bit vulnerable.

Here is where all my fellow Mommy runners come into play! Help me pack! Help me focus! What did you learn after your first big race? I've got my bottle of Advil packed, a choice of two outfits (this past week has been more like late fall than spring in VA!) and I even painted my toenails hot pink. I know, no one is going to see my toes but something about that hot pink makes me feel fast! And spunky. Gotta have spunky!!

Children of Heaven

This may not seem like a Mother's Day post. It may not seem like a running post. But it is indeed both.

"Children of Heaven" is a movie my mother repeatedly recommended to me. For years. I didn't resist -- I just never got around to it. She wanted me to watch it for the running. I just watched it -- for Mother's Day. It was amazing.

Two Iranian children -- a boy, around nine years old, and his younger sister, maybe seven -- come from a very poor family. The film opens with the sister's shoes being repaired -- very worn pink mary-janes. The brother loses the shoes on the way home. So the two share his very worn white sneakers and never tell their parents. They could not afford a new pair. The boy's solution to the lost shoes: He enters a road race for school boys -- a 4K -- for which the third place prize is a pair of sneakers, which he promises to trade in for a girl's pair. The road race takes up a scant 5-10 minutes of film time.

The film is visually stunning and captures the nuances well -- like a good novel would: showing, not telling. The race was perfectly captured: quiet, with only some panting and soft music (no "Chariots of Fire" loudness -- though that has its place). The hills! The scrum of runners! The course markings! The race officials! The finish line! My body reacted as if I were running a race. I felt my adrenaline surge, my focus hone in on the runners and the road (though small on the screen). Such an odd feeling, especially since I was lying down with my 11-month-old. The context was completely off.

I loved the movie. Please rent it. Even if you don't often watch foreign films.

But why does this have anything, really, to do with Mother's Day? Well, my mother died last July. This is my first Mother's Day without her. I am her only child. We were very close. I have been reading and gathering books she gave me in one place. The time had come to watch the movie she always wanted me to see. Thank you, Mum. Happy Mother's Day.

Southern Hospitality

I waited a couple weeks to write about my trip to Nashville's Country Music 1/2 Marathon because I couldn't think about it until now without my stomach churning.

Now while writing about a town as kind and hospitable as Nashville, that sure sounds like a nasty thing to say, until I explain something: From the Thursday before the Big Run until the Monday after the Big Run my stomach was a' turnin.' It started with waves of nausea and then tsunamis of nausea and by Saturday morning (race day) it became all too clear that I had the stomach flu. But there I was, in my $7 disposable rain coat and lucky Pearl Izumi Shines standing in what I imagined to be the population of most towns in Tennessee: 30, 000 people. Even before the time my wave began, my Lamaze breathing and sweating had secured me ample personal space in which to start the journey of 13.1 miles.

Here is the amazing part: there was so much energy and excitement in the air, I made it through the first mile. Then the music really kicked in and I completed the second mile without consciously focusing on keeping my water down. By the third mile, my right leg started cramping because I hadn't exactly stockpiled carbs the last few days...but it was alright because they handed out these little tiny tambourines so people could play along with the music. I grabbed one and tapped it on my side on every step I took up that huge hill*. It became my mantra: "zzring, zzring, zzring, zzring." By then, I noticed - truly noticed - the crowds of people standing in their yards cheering and waving signs.

"Sarah - You Can Eat Fries After the Run"
"My Mom is Faster Than Your Mom"
"This Sign is For You: You're Doing Great!"*

People along the side seemed honest-to-goodness into the whole thing. There were costumes (God Bless Elvis and his too tight white pants at mile 10 or so) and heavy set ladies in rubber gloves handing out Lube on a wooden stick (the thought of that made me chuckle at least a half mile); Mr. Howell's long lost brother was drinking champagne on his lawn and there were girls with the cardboard sign that read "Where does a crazy runner train? -- On a Psycho Path."*
I saw Gretchen Wilson standing by a stage and heard the country version of Rocky's theme song while running up another brutal mountain hill.**

I could name a thousand other things that I witnessed on that run. But my point is that despite being weak, the town and the course made me want to keep going. Despite throwing up at mile 8 (special thanks to the redhead who let me cut in line to use the port-a-let), I chugged along to experience what was around the next corner (how huge was that dog? Anyone else see it?!?!?!). But when I could see the Finish line in the distance from the bridge, I was in so much pain I started to walk and weep. A spectator started walking with me and said "Come on, you've come so far, OF COURSE you can finish. You made it to the starting line, didn't you? THAT was the hard part. You can do this." It was enough to help me get there. And although I missed the goal time I trained for, I actually finished in the same time as my January race thanks to a beautiful course, the best organized race I've ever been in, and the downright warmest Southern Hospitality known to woman.



*I train in Florida, were we count jumping onto a curb as going "uphill."
**Okay, maybe these weren't word for word, but I was delirious! I only remember the sentiment!

Chocolate shake and fries...

You know you're fit when everywhere you go people start commenting out loud about how they 'should' take the stairs instead of the elevator...when the people around you unconsciously straighten their shoulders...when you can fit (even barely) into the Cruel Girl jeans you bought three years ago hoping to someday be able to wear them.

In the exact same way you were were so certain that a mistake must have been made at the factory and the size 14 stretch jeans you're about to pop out of are really size 4s.

You know you're fit when you touch your thigh and it's solid muscle and it's time to get new shirts because your shoulders are so broad.

You know you're fit when the pain of working out sounds far more appetizing than a chocolate shake and fries. Ickkkkkk! :P

Feed the Machine

So, when I take the kids running in the jogging stroller, I always remember to pack them a snack for the ride, but I rarely pay enough attention to what I am going to eat before a run. Well, we went jogging the other morning not too long after doing the 28-week glucose test and that was a good run! I think that the very yummy orange drink is equivalent to at least 3 or 4 Gu packs.

One would think that it would not be hard to remember which pre-run foods worked well, but I find that I often forget. That I've eaten cold pizza before running more than once proves that. I think that it is time to actually write a list of "Go Foods" and hang it on the fridge. PB: good; oatmeal: good; yogurt: bad; Cheerios: useless.

What do you eat before morning runs?

Re: This is who I am

Before I take the recycling out, I wanted to pass on a book review I read in yesterdays paper. The book is called This Is Who I Am by Roseanne Olson. Haven't seen it myself but I think it's a concept we can all relate to.

Define Success

One pair of running shoes bought over the Internet: $85.00
One French Horn rented from the school: $100.00
One Weimeraner/Chow/CharPei mixed
breed dog bought from the back of a car: $15.00

One run with dog up a hill at 6:45 am
while carrying the French Horn
that you left in the front
yard and the bus is amost here: Priceless

Darn Near Perfect Weekend Long Run

My big kid turned 8 Saturday (oh my gosh - I have an 8-year-old!!) so rather than go for my long run, I enjoyed bowling, pizza, ice-cream and potty humor from 8-year-olds (ok, maybe I didn't enjoy that last part so much.) It actually worked out for the best because Saturday was very humid, pushing 80 degrees and very sunny.
Sunday, I woke up to a major temperature change - 56! - a fantastic breeze and no sun to be had. Ideal for a long run as far as I'm concerned. I even got that misty rain relief when I was getting a little hot. I ran my butt of and got just under 12 miles covered. I'm pretty pleased with how the run went. I really wanted to focus on pace so I didn't shot out of the gate, just took it nice and slow the entire time. Also, the hills in my neighborhood didn't feel quite as awful as they normally do. Don't get me wrong, had there been a bench at the top of the worst one, I happily would have curled up on it, but I didn't get that overwhelming feeling of wanting to walk home after it like I used to. That is progress my friends!
This was my farthest outdoor run and boy can I feel the difference in my legs compared to long runs on a treadmill. Last Sunday after running 13 on the treadmill, they just felt a bit tired. Today after covering close to 12 outside, they are like over cooked spaghetti noodles.
The best part about my long Sunday run? When I got home, I opened the door to the sound of the vacuum cleaner. Now, you tell me, is there a better sound than that of someone else vacuuming your house? I think not! There was my husband, in full weekend cleaning mode vacuuming his little heart out. I had mentioned that I was going to tackle the house after my run but he beat me to it. Now that's hot! I quickly jumped in and mopped the floors downstairs (an interesting way to recover from a long run) and we had that house totally shiny in no time. Nothing like teamwork!

Hello. My name is Shelley & I am a slacker mommy blogger.

The first step is admitting your problem, right?

I don't have a good excuse - just lots of little ones that add up to the only excuse I have.

I'm a slacker mommy blogger!

Anyway, not to dwell (the guilt is already weighing me down and I surely don't need any more weight on these bones), but I apologize to my fellow seemommyrun bloggers. I promise to do better and I plan on starting now.

Yesterday I ran (yep, ran the whole way) my first half marathon! The Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville, Tennessee - where I live.

I am amazed at myself. As I've said before, I'm not the typical runner and would have NEVER thought I could do what I did yesterday. But I did it! And I now feel a sense of accomplishment I've never felt before. I also plan on using that enthusiasm to spur on additional goals - losing the rest of these "pregnancy pound" (my twins were born 5 years ago - don't judge me), posting more on my blog and blogmommyblog (did I mention my guilt), finding a career that works with the girls' school schedule in the fall (apparently impossible in this area). I truly feel like I can do whatever I set my mind to.

I saw a few t-shirts when I went to the registration expo the day before the race. One of my favorites had a saying printed on it that I loved - "This sounded like a great idea three months ago." I thought that was hysterical, but - to tell you the truth - it still sounds like a great idea and I can't wait to do my next 1/2 marathon!

It is about the snack after all.

Last night I was in charge of the after baseball game snack. I am always tense about this because I think it really sends the wrong message to give kids junk food after a sporting event. I have banned all items containing red dye 10 years ago, but people keep trying to feed my kids red juice. I've brought watermelon a few times, nuts, usually pretzels, always water... blah blah. As I contemplated how this has been bothering me for 10 years now (all the snacks at school/every where you turn really add to the obesity issue I think)-- I went back to 2003 and my finish at the NY City Marathon. I had a tough time of it compared to the year before in Houston and was definitely fussy. I was 45 minutes beyond what I expected to finish and just really cranky. As I came into the finish area-- a water bottle was thrust in my hands, but no bagel, no banana, no orange. I kept walking the mile to meet my family (and nurse my baby)- still no food. It was 4pm. I had not eaten anything but gels for 10 hours. I was a nursing-running Mom. I was downright hungry and I guess I'm writing this because I have never forgiven NY for not having any goodies for me. I'm sure they had all run out by my late arrival.

Nashville...Here I come!

It's 10pm here in Miami...and I'll be heading to the airport in just 6 hours with two girlfriends. We're headed for Nashville and we're not coming back until we've completed 13.1 miles.

It's been a wavering few months for us. Between the three of us there has been a job lost, a smashed up car, a return to the workforce, overtraining and undertraining, an impending move, perhaps a new child; celebrations and defeats. Or since we consider ourselves runners: uphills and downhills. So I find it fitting that we're headed to our last race together (so we think) in a town whose course has what we "Flat Staters" call mountains.....because hopefully we'll notice that other people are just running up and down hills....and we'll go home and deal with our situations the same way.

(by the way: Good Luck Shelly - I hope you have a great race!)

Help!!!!!

I am wanting to put together a "life instruction booklet" as a suprise to Travis, my oldest son, as he leaves the nest to venture out into the world without mom right there. YES~~~ I have one in diapers and now one going to college........maybe someone should have given ME a life lesson book!!! I am looking for ideas/instructions on various life skills. I am thinking things like: how to sort/do laundry, tipping, avoiding credit debt, how often to get your car checked out for various things......blah, blah, blah. Any ideas would be sooo appreciated. You can also e-mail them to me at channelmarkerrn@hotmail.com
Thanks!!!!

Destination Running

I’ve been hearing a lot more, “No stroller!” lately from my son, but if we are loading up to run to the playground, that’s a different story…

So here’s my biggest running secret for increasing mileage with your kids in tow…shhh!...destination running! The easiest way I’ve found to get in 30-40 miles a week with my kids in the stroller is breaking up each run in half. Our destination is usually a playground in the spring and fall and the pool in the summer. Wherever it is, hype it up! While doing two 5 mile runs is probably inferior to running all 10 miles at once, it is certainly better for distance training than running only the initial 5 and then calling it quits. The way I see it, everybody wins. The kids don’t have to sit still for more than about 45 minutes at a time and I get my miles in. Plus we are out of the house for a while.

Since you’ll be out for a while, you’ll want to be well-provisioned and prepared for any likely changes in the weather. (Check out my older post, Don’t Leave Home Without...) Remember to bring enough water and nourishment for yourself as well. If you don’t like being soggy, you may even want a change of clothes for yourself. It helps if your destination has rest rooms. And if you have any *special* snacks, don’t let your kids have them until the return trip!

Though I am running closer to 12-15 miles a week right now, I am still doing destination running; our destinations are just a little less ambitious! Give it a try!

Ive been silent because I havent been running.

Ive lost my ME-TIME later in day and just am NOT one of those run-in-dark-with-reflective-gear folks (are you? tell me about it!).

I keep telling myself that a jaunt on a treadmill will do until this streak of Toddler Up At 5a ends (wont bore ya with the story).

what WILL I bore you with?

click the dots above and read about the cool new biodegradable running shoes by Brooks.

101 things to do in 1001 days

One year ago, I stumbled upon the kind of inspiration a work-a-holic turned stay-at-home mom needs. I discovered the 101 Things to Do in 1001 Days. Basically: come up with 101 grand but achievable things you'd like to complete in the next two and three quarters years.
Now, while I have several sports related goals that I've proudly completed (see #8, 22, 47, and 51), it is number 63 I am most proud of (red notes are my updates):

• 63. Run 600 miles this year (starting 4/22/07 - 4/22/08) 8/15/07 200 miles, 10/10/07 310 miles, 12/16/07 460, 2/4/08 584, February 11th 2008 I reached 601 miles!!!!!!!!! Final Tally for year: 758.25!

Now, I average a 10 minute mile. That's 7582 minutes of running or 126 hours of foot-to-pavement. I wonder if I can put that on my resume when I return to the workforce full time?

Boston Marathon

I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to run in the Boston Marathon. It has to be the most incredible feeling ever. Did you know that you can watch the marathon via the web on WCSN? Just register for a free account and you are in! Good luck to all the runners!

dream runs

When my alarm woke me at 5am this morning, I considered my running options. I thought, “Why don’t I add that loop I used to run to my run this morning?” Then I realized that loop didn’t exist in reality, only in my mind. I had never thought of this before: I have dream running routes – not idealized running routes, but ones that exist in my dreams.

As I ran my real 7-mile run, I considered these alternate runs. There are only two, but I run them in my dreams, repeatedly (though nothing like every night) – as one would any real running route.

The first route I have not “run” for a while. It is a city park-style run – not quite Central Park, not quite Rock Creek, but that type. I remember one hill – a lovely gradual hill – which required some effort, but I always felt strong on it. It came after a split in the road – a wide island of very tall leafy trees separated one side of the road from the other. While, in theory, there would be one-way traffic on each side, there were never any cars.

The second route is a suburban town style run – on winding roads with light traffic, lined by houses and trees, with loops that can be added on a whim to add a half mile, a mile, to make that 6-plus-mile run happen. It had hills, like my town does. But none of those roads exist in Cheverly.

I feel odd – recognizing that I have had these recurring dreams – having never done so before. And they seem to be about nothing but running – my dream self getting out for some exercise.

More Mumnesia

I remember someone wanted to do a team for the Army 10 Miler, but I forgot who, and I couldn't find the post. Please excuse this shout out to non DC Metro runners, but what's the status on this? I ran 2 miles today and have an adrenaline rush. I want more. More running! Must run 10 miles soon!!!

This morning, I grabbed a cup of coffee and checked my email. Guess what I found? My email confirmation that I need to print out and bring with me to Fredericksburg in order to pick up my bib number, etc. Holy crap. I'm totally shaking in my boots!

I haven't had a good run since last Wednesday. I started last week right - had a nice 10 mile run on the weekend, ran 4 on Monday, 6.2 on Wednesday then it all went down hill. I woke up on Thursday with the beginning of a horrible head cold. I tried to run on Friday. Managed a whopping 2 miles before deciding to quit. The 2 miles had several walk breaks in it. It was really awful. I felt horrible. Then on the weekend, I still felt pretty bad plus we had our big trip to Philly to take the boys to the Franklin Institute where they have a Star Wars exhibit going on.

Anyway, I have no idea what happened to Monday and Tuesday this week other than that I'm having a party on Friday night and I've been so wrapped up in the planning and stressing for it that going for a run hasn't even crossed my mind. Until today.

I was already feeling stressed about what errands I needed to try and squeeze in while Quinn was at pre-school and then I got that email and I just flipped out. "I'll never be ready!" I think the stress of party planning plus not having run, my total stress reliever, got the better of me and my mood went down hill fast. I was getting mad at Quinn for not getting dressed fast enough, for not getting his teeth brushed fast enough, for us running late, etc etc...it was bad. The plan was to drop him off then head to Costco but once I got to his school, I decided a major intervention was needed so I came home instead, changed into my running gear and headed out. Thank goodness I did. I forgot about the party, the race, everything and just ran for the mental relief and it did me a world of good! I finished 6 miles and felt like I had run 20. I was so happy, so relaxed and all was right with the world again! Did I get all the stuff done that I wanted to? Nope. But I could care less.

Hot Wheels

Check out my new (possibly changing) theory: My jogging stroller makes me faster.

Not just by conditioning through the resistance training; no, I mean, during races...while actually pushing my 45lb son. As I've said before, no one likes to be passed by a stroller. Even if they are close to having a heart attack or muscle spasm, they will push themselves as I push closer. It's like a wave in a pool: as the stroller approaches, the pace picks up, rippling through the area. So, as I begin to notice people going faster around me, my instinct is to accelerate, too. And although it's less enjoyable uphill, I find myself hauling tail to catch up with my runaway stroller on the way back down (even with the leash).

The stroller makes me faster. I have no other way of explaining why I've PR'd the last two races while pushing the stroller.

First Day Back!

After 3 months off of work, today is my first day back (I really should be getting to that...not blogging!). Today was also my first day back to the gym (I went 2 weeks ago but was "off" for vacation last week). I'm feeling good. I'm motivated. I made my family crazy this morning. You would have thought Vince Lombardi was in the house trying to get a 3 year old to put his own socks on! But I digress. Today is another new beginning (how cheesy). I am going to strat fresh, and work my way up again. I'm mostly talking about mileage here. Ugh! The new shoes aren't making teh running any easier. It's hard work! I remember when 10 miles was an easier day! Now 10 minutes is hard!

Running Confessions

While the theme of Confession has come up:

I'm a big fan of long distance running. I crave the miles sometimes. My husband says I dream about it on my off days because I kick him at night. The thought (or the reality) of a three hour run doesn't make me tremble anymore. But, of course, I am no speed demon. The Penguin speaks my language. The time my friends and I did a 5K under 30 minutes (and I mean, seconds below) we went out to celebrate. None-the-less, I feel strong.

But I have to confess that I WANT to be faster. No matter how much I know "I'm just racing myself," it really stings to get spanked by someone 40 years my senior. Truth be told, I've come a long way. I started just a couple years ago, and I've dropped major units of time off my races. Part of it was ditching the stroller race days, part of it was ditching my fear of getting hurt, and part of it was actually training. These improvements, though, take me from the back of the pack, to the back of the middle of the pack.

My running partner called me not long ago and asked if she could ask a personal question. "You've been running for about a year longer than me. Do you ever feel pangs of competition? Are you ever jealous of others' speed?" She had lowered her voice, like she was confessing sins.

Our team's creed is always about Finishing and Socializing. And, although we regularly talk about race times, there is never the sense of competition. Honestly, I'm very thankful for that. To voluntarily get up at 5am every Sunday morning, I have to be going to something I really enjoy. But, after every race, I habitually pull up the results page and study my times & splits. I replay the event, wondering if I could have done better and comb through the names and their position relative to me. I'm wounded by seeing my name so far below others I know who spent little time preparing themselves. I'm secretly jealous. I'm silently competitive.

Thankfully, for the love of my running friends and of the sport, I'm able to keep it to myself. I'm able to keep self-fulfillment in perspective and be mostly happy with my accomplishments; it does make me proud to get to the starting line. I know I'll never place in a race (unless there are only 3 of us in my age category), but I keep dreaming of that run where my body transcends it's boundaries and I can pull up the results to see I've run a sub 8 minute mile.

"Mumnesia"

So, I forget a lot of stuff. I think that a lot of moms feel like that. So much so, they did a study on it (click here to read the article). I like to think that none of it is gone permanently.

Second to moms, the next most forgetful group of people must be runners. Who does a second marathon without forgetting the pain of the first?

Constantly hounded by the feeling that I might be forgetting something, I am delighted when I remember something! Yesterday I went jogging by myself and you know what I had sort of forgotten? It is a LOT harder running with the double stroller than running solo! It turns out that my difficulty isn’t so much all the “baby weight” I’ve gained being pregnant, but the 75 pounds of child plus related equipment I’ve been pushing! I just didn’t notice it so much before.

So, pat yourself on the back if you went jogging with your stroller today! Plus it burns more calories than running alone….

Go Andrea Go!

Andrea, I'm so PROUD of you!!! What a thrill to see you running with the Olympic Torch!! I just read about it in the paper here in Portland Oregon and just about fell off my chair - yay for you!!!

I also have to admit that I'm so thrilled to see the publicity for See Mommy Run (and the logo we worked on together! Woo hoo - my first design job goes national!). ;-)

Shelly

The cup needs to be filled

Howdy Running Mommies!

How is that for a Bostonian talking Texan? I've got to get ready for the big move. Today I was contemplating my Mommy skills as I had three children on 3 different sports fields and a baby on my hip and I needed another Mommy to back me up in case I exploded. I called my friend, Lina, who agreed to take my eldest home from soccer if I failed to show. I remember having it all covered and thinking I was always going to do it all and not ask for help. I like to give help. I like to be in the black at all times and secretly I think those who are always asking for help or cannot get their acts together are not having a good Mommy time. But here I am sometimes needing to ask for help. It is humbling and it is REAL. Thank God for other Mommies out there who had children before me and "get it." I remember my good friend, Leslie, telling me in 1999 that we may not get to be friends because her youngest was the same age as my oldest and that I'd need to learn not to be uptight. We forged on and she is still a good friend. She turned 50 this month and looks and feels better than she did 10 years ago. She has it together big time.

See Y'all Later,
Trice

Sooo Proud of Andrea!!!

http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=238715#videoid=235604

check it out!! It is Andrea and the Olympic torch!!!!

Spring is Springing.....Maybe?

So we have had two nice days in a row and I'm really starting to think that Spring may have actually arrived for good this time! Unfortunately, along with the perfect running weather I got a sick 5-year-old and my husband is out of town so I haven't been able to take advantage of the weather with outdoor runs. Nothing like running on the treadmill at 8:00 at night...yuck. Anyway, this weekend, I'm taking the boys up to Philadelphia where at the Franklin Institute they have the Star Wars Exhibit going on right now. Exciting, no? Yeah. So has anyone been to the Franklin before and have any tips for us? Anything else I should be sure and take the boys to around the museum? I'm thinking I'll be a total tourist dork and run up the Rocky steps! Hey, if I have to endure 3 hours of Star Wars, my boys can endure mom being a dork, right?

Reaching....

Hello Running Mommies: Great day to be alive. It is sunny and Monday. I had an interesting weekend. I belong to a homeschooling group (I always feel like a fraud since I only homeschool one and two are in school), but that is another story. Well the group put out a request for judges for a debate/speech contest. I smiled. I grinned. I thought finally something I can actually do!! I'm not crafty, I do not sew, knit, glue anything, I barely sew buttons on and most of these women are amazing at it. I flunk art and music on a regular basis. I casually fill out the judge form and the regional folks sign me up and seem thrilled that I'm a lawyer with some speech/debate background. I use the opportunity to take my 9 year old son with me and he has not seen me in a suit very often and never seen me as a lawyer. We show up and get taken to a neat hospitality room where he pigs out and I get coffee. I notice a middle-aged woman talking to some of the other judges and she's asking for background. They all eagerly chirp away and she happily takes notes. She gets to me last. I am not sure exactly what to tell her. She sees by my nametag that I'm a lawyer, but she wants to know more. I tell her I grew up in Boston, went to law school there. I blah blah blah on awards, trial advocacy, my time as a Law Professor, my time as a federal Prosecutor.... but she keeps looking and wanting more. I'm starting to ramble a bit and wonder if she needs to know that in 1989 the Dean of my law school nominated me as the Most Outstanding Female Law graduate. I'm feeling a bit sweaty here thinking what more?? I homeschool, I clean the house, I do all sorts of mundane things now. I'm just not that intersting, but heck I run. Sooo.. I dropped it on her. I said, "I run Marathons." Ok, so I've only run two marathons, but that is technically plural. She stopped looking at me like I was a fraud for being there. She was impressed. Running and debates?? No correlation. No connection. But, she was clearly not a physical person and running finally got me past her. Then after introducing the other judges to a packed auditorium-- she forgot her notes on me and just gave my name, which she mispronounced. It was pretty funny.

confessions II

Routes in this town are just plain hard to put together. It's as if all the developers have this antagonistic view of each other. Where one subdivision ends, another begins but never, oh never, do they blend. Of course, I live downtown (when envisioning downtown, keep your mind from conjuring up images of, say, New York, Miami, Los Angeles. Think more Americana...a place that is at least trying to maintain the small town America of yesterday.) and everything is blended here. People, streets, neighborhoods, financial brackets.

On the other side of the highway are the subdivisions. The box houses. The McMansions. It's also where the plastic surgeons have their offices, where the big-box stores are.

(I am not knocking it. That's what I'm trying to say. Keep reading.)

On Saturday (beautiful, inspiring, Saturday) I chose to lengthen my run by *gulp* crossing the freeway...baby jogger and all (no taking off into undeveloped fields...).

I would go through an under construction subdivision, down the hill by the high school, take a short shimmy through the park, cross at the Central Expressway, up (and, yes, I acknowledged to myself the bitch of hill I would be running) through the Country Club (where hubby used to Super), along the busy thoroughfare and then over the Central Expressway and then...

But wait...as I approached the stoplight set amongst the box stores just outside of the Country Club, I realized that there wasn't a sidewalk where I could have sworn I had seen one. So I pushed the 'cross the street' button (does that button have a name? does anyone know?) and waited. And I looked humorously at all the poor 'rich' people trapped in their BMWs and air conditioned SUVs. I crossed.

(previous scene repeats itself, except this this time character has lost some of her jovial patience.)

Set free again, I scurried for about 20 feet. And then that sidewalk ended, right before the bridge to go over the freeway. The sidewalk to get over the freeway was on the other side. Of course, there was no sidewalk leading up to that point.

So I turned around, feeling like a total dweeb, naturally. Aware of all the eyes watching my numbskulled 'progress'.

This is where I encapsulize. (Not sure if that's an actual writing term. Maybe it just became one.)

Called husband, hinted that he should pick us up, bravely asserted that we would make it. (Ah, my flair for drama.)

Back through Country Club. Passed a group of teenagers, felt good about myself when they said, "Cool!" as I whizzed by (ha-ha. no whizzing there. lots of walking, though.) But had unkind thoughts--despite my efforts to self-edit--about the young, unencumbered beauty that jogged so daintily from one of streets.

Finally. Across the d*****d Central Expressway, jaunt along the park, back by the high school, but this time...this time I said, "Ah...to hell with it." And I pushed the jogger over the grass (fully aware that a thorn just might puncture my tires.) until I got to part where the sidewalk began. And then finally home. Where I found my husband doing some heavy duty yard work.

Shortly thereafter we both collapsed into the bed, explaining to each other which of us was the tiredest and why.

The run was just work. That's the way it is before a route is worked out.

I love being a runner. It explains the rest of life to me.

confession...

Confession coming tomorrow or the next day.

You know what? I can't keep a secret to save my life. Isn't that horrible? But it's true. I can keep a secret if I don't think it's a secret, but if I know it's a secret, like an act of deception, then the guilt simply overtakes my conscience and *boom* secret's out.

I am what I am. At first that statement seems full of arrogance when heard coming from the conscience of another person. But it is actually quite...humbling.

I am what I am. It means that I don't have to pretend, that I don't have to impress anybody.

I am what I am. It means that I am what I am and everyone else is what s/he is but in the end we're just the same and I have to respect those differences.

It means I did my best on my run today.

I did. It was my best. I have to be honest with myself: I gave everything I could.

If I'm not happy with the fact then I need to change it. Period.

But that's not the confession, that's just what it's about: My struggle with the threat of defeat. (Luckily, I'm in good company, my fellow running mommies...)

So maybe tomorrow, but more likely on Monday, I will ramble and drone on about my stupid, below my expectations of myself run today...Monday, when a roast isn't in the oven, the socks don't need matching and whatever else isn't demanding to be done in that precious slot of time before the posse bustles through the door fresh from a Wal-mart run.

You Bars

(oh great and mighty SMR Organizer PLEASE delete this if youd prefer I didnt link!)

I did wanna say that my YouBars arrived since I was semi-snarky in the comments when someone posted about them before.

They took a while (I think 8 weeks? 6? Im old and mamabrained :)) but I love them.

If I did this correctly I think you can click the dots above and see my videorambles about the bars.

(I also read in the video what I added/used to create them as I cant recall here off the top of my fingertips)

Two thumbs up!

On On

Last Friday night
8:15pm - Gathering in the glow of a side street's lamp post, about 20 folks hovered, handing around a clipboard and studying enigmatic icons on the wall. A kitchen timer was set for 13 minutes, entrusted to a guy with a pocket, then activated before two women went scurrying in opposite directions. Dressed in black, saddled with packs & headlamps, the two met up a few blocks away, squatting at every intersection to mark up the ground with chalk. They wove through the hip urban sidewalk cafes, barged past tourists, and disappeared down a Ficus-lined street.

Just beyond the coral church, they unveiled the night's first cache: a keg of beer & cups. Looking at their watches with cups in hand, they were confident in their lead and agreed to slow their pace. They nodded to the late night dog walkers, even chattering & shuffling to appear harmless. Street after street, they laid the course in chalk: real trails with encircled arrows, false trails with frowns and checks backs with encircled plus signs. They ran past haunting old Florida homes with elaborate gardens, and Spring Breakers lost in the labyrinth of side winding avenues. Up ahead, they saw a familiar face...and the second table of supplies propped in a friend's yard: oranges slices, bananas, and more beer. By their 3rd cup, they had miscalculated their lead. In the very near distance, the pounding of 40 feet could be heard. A dozen flashlights could be seen turning the corner, descending on the two like a lynch mob.

For a half mile, the women sprinted, having only enough extra energy to scream once. They clung to their rattling bags and abandoned a fallen headlamp. With hearts pounding, they looked back to notice they were alone again. In order to keep that lead in the last mile, they had to slow the others down. Squatting, one drew a triangle and instructions for the hunters to sing. A little bit down the path, the other drew a triangle and directed them to sit for 60 seconds. The commands continued, back through town, past the singles bars, past the adult kickball league, past the random Spring Breakers handing out jello shots (why, yes, thank you, I would love one!), past the sailing club and the marina.

There they stopped. They wiped the chalk off their clothes, giggled about the adventure, swayed to the cover band on waterfront patio and waited for the hounds to buy them a beer.

Ups & Downs

So, perhaps it is only a momentary reprieve, but I am up and running (literally) again. It is much reduced from the fall, but probably as strong as I could expect at 5 + months pregnant while pushing two 35 lb kids. It may seem counterintuitive, but I am finding that hill workouts are more successful than flat runs.

Given that I have to take walking breaks intermittently anyway, the hills help to keep my heart rate up while I walk. Second, different muscles are utilized in the up vs. down vs. flat so it does not feel like it is tearing things up as much as the repetition of running on flat terrain.

You might feel tempted to avoid hills while running with your stroller, but it is awesome mental training too. Then when you are heading up a hill in a race or just on your own, you can really tell yourself how it could be so much harder….

Most importantly, the kids still get the running-fast downhill-rush which keeps them happy. They’ve been getting fidgeting with this walking thing.

A Cup Of Comfort

Hey Writer Mamas! Just wanted to give you a heads-up. You know your journey to and through motherhood is beautiful, here's your chance to tell it and see your name in print!

Army Ten Miler

Crumbs has thrown the idea out that we (SMR mommies) converge on the Army Ten Miler in October in Virginia. Running around the Pentagon sounds like fun! I am unable to commit right now (with luck, I'll be making a trip to So. Cal. in Nov. Details to follow as necessary ;) ) but it seems like a good goal to aim for. Is there momentum out there for this?

The way I was

Hello Running Mommies:
I'm picking through things and trying to get ready to move. I came across a bunch of pictures that included three taken during the Houston Marathon in 2002. I stared at those pictures a long time. I only had two children then. I lived in Texas then. 9/11 was only a few months earlier. I've had two more children since then. I was 38 years old. I felt strong. I was strong. Did I love my weight or think I was in shape then? No. I have struggled with this whole idea this week as I feel like I'm struggling with body image and weight. I look at those pictures and want to look the same. I'm only 3 lbs off from then, but do not feel that strong. Why do I feel so torn up about caring that I'm not the same. I've grown. I'm growing. I want my daughters to be healthy about mind and body and I need to set the example.