Fall Frenzy

It has been forever since I've blogged. I'm hoping I'm not the only mom here who is feeling the frazzled effects of September and all it brings. The start of a new school year is always a hectic time but this year it seems I've been running around like a crazy person more than 'normal'. I've now got two kids in elementary school - my youngest now in kindergarten and my oldest in 3rd grade - which is great but brings along a routine totally new to me. Feed the kindergartner lunch at 10:30? That alone is a strange thing for both of us to get used to. Also this year, both boys are involved in sports. I have a very crazy (and I must say time consuming) baseball schedule for my older son and a soccer schedule for my youngest taped to the fridge. Oh, then there is the homework that seems to have doubled in size from second to third grade and I think they are 'easing' us into it. Then there is the running. I have a half marathon to run in two and a half weeks. Must fit those miles in! Nothing like an extra bit of stress to get you through the day. Fortunately, the running helps keep my head (somewhat) clear. Getting out there on the trail helps me organize all my thoughts and mental 'to-do list'. Until I'm done...then it all comes rushing back at me and that old feeling of panic sets in. Hope you all are enjoying your September!

The Illusion of Choice

Back to my blog's original mission: how to get your kids to sit in the jogging stroller! Dealing with children and adults alike, the most persuasive of people understand that you have to give the illusion of choice. Make them come to believe it was their idea all along. The key factor is only giving choices with outcomes that you are happy with.
Imagine! I sometimes meet some resistance from my 2-year-old when we are loading up the stroller for a run. I offer, "Spencer, do you want the big streets or little streets?" He answers, "Big streets!" Do you want to bring Goldfish or Cheerios? OK, we're off.
Now, the most likely pitfall is that your child will change his or her mind. Don't show a minute's hesitation. Be firm. No changing.
What other choices do your kids like to make for themselves?

Good Morning

It's 6:15 am.  I'm waiting for the coffee that I prepped last night to brew.  My house doesn't usually wake up for another hour and a half or so, but today is Sunday: my long, slow run day.

It's my ultimate "Me time".  This morning it's 12 miles listening to my feet plod down the street.   I hate the first 2 minutes of waking up, but then my mind is ready to shuffle out the door.  All my stuff is laid out, all I have to do is finish my coffee and put it on.

By mile 6 my head will come up with brilliant things to write on here.  Too bad I'll forget them by mile 10.

One last sip.  Bye.

In Case You Need Some Inspiration:

Check out the blog of 29 year old Triathlete, Rebecca. She just completed the Duke 1/2 Ironman, coming in 2nd in her age with the AMAZING time of 5 hours 21 minutes, a personal best even.
Cool, huh?
Did I mention she gave birth to her daughter in January 2008?

A race like that is pretty time consuming. But she has some great posts describing how she squeezes sessions in.

"...if I need to do a run longer than 30min, I do the first part outside and once I get home I put her down for a nap and then hop on the treadmill with the baby monitor."
...
"I start my ride during her first nap of the day. Once she wakes up, she starts her own session in the Jumperoo which sits next to me in the garage while I bike. Her Jumperoo tolerance has decreased from 40min to 20min so most of my rides are only about an hour long. I did go longer today though and got 1hr 27min. My trick was to haul the Pack 'n Play out to the garage so she played in that for about 20 mins. It helps that I have playlists on YouTube of all her favorite kid music such as Laurie Berkner and the theme to WonderPets."

Anyhow, I dig this Ironmanmom.

Texas mamas

Texas mamas - how are you holding up?  I'm worried about you and the uninvited guest you've had recently.

Mind Over Hills

The October 2008 Runner's World Magazine ranks "The greatest, most daunting hills in U.S. races". I can't find it on their web page so I will list them for you:

1. Heartbreak Hill, Boston Marathon (Boston, MA)
2. Hayes Street Hill, Bay to Breakers 12K (San Francisco, CA)
3. Queensboro Bridge, NYC Marathon (New York, NY)
4. Doomsday Hill, Lilac Bloomsday 12K (Spokane, WA)
5. Mt. Washington Auto Road, Mt. Washington Road Race (Gorham, NH)
6. Cardiac Hill, Peachtree 10K (Atlanta, GA)
7. Hospital Hill, Hospital Hill Half-Marathon (Kansas City, MO)
8. Gallows Lane, Litchfield Hills Road Race (Litchfield, CT)
9. Diamond Head Avenue, Honolulu Marathon (Honolulu, HI)
10. Hurricane Point, Big Sur Internat'l Marathon (Big Sur, CA)

Whoa! Have you been to Mt. Washington? That is not even on the same scale as these other hills! I understand that there is a big mental component to "daunting" beyond simple elevation gain or percent grade, but only #5? Really? Admittedly, I've never had to run up Heartbreak Hill at mile 20, but my CAR could barely DRIVE up the Mt. Washington Auto Road. (Side note: NH's Presidential Range is where I got engaged.) So that is almost 8 miles, rising 4,650 feet. Mt. Washington averages 12% grade vs only 4.5% for Heartbreak Hill (less than 90 foot elevation gain over 0.37 miles).

I've run over Diamond Head Ave (#9) many times both with and without my jogging stroller too and that it ranks a measly 4 places after Mt. Washington also baffles me. It just isn't that hard. In the marathon, it is dark the first time you go over, so that barely counts. Perhaps that I have run over it so many times with Maddie in the stroller, makes the races over it that much easier. At least I was by myself!

So run big hills with your jogging stroller! It will be much easier when you are racing later and not pushing those extra pounds on wheels! But who will hold your water?

Fun song to run to..

My 17 year old cousin shared this song with me and I could NOT wait to put it on my IPOD!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L0CJfQGWZ0

What's the name of that book?

Runningfor3's recent post has gotten the little hamster in my mind racing in crazy hamster wheel circles. I cannot find that book I read. Let's see, if I was sixteen, then the year was 1986...I found a book similar in title, but it was first published 10 years after I allegedly read it. I say allegedly because I am seriously beginning to question my own sanity.

Book Recommendations

This could also be called "How to Get Motivated to Do Crazy Hard Athletic Stuff".

You probably don't have tons of time for pleasure reading, but if you can squeeze a page in while on the elliptical machine at the gym or one chapter at a time after the kids go to bed, I highly recommend these books I've read recently:

The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb
Ultimate Fitness by Gina Kolata
Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox
Why We Run: A Natural History by Bernd Heinrich
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-night Runner by Dean Karnazes

None of the are how-to books. There are no training plans or diets. Just stories about athletes. I'm sure there are many others that I just can't think of at the moment.

What books you would recommend to inspire one's inner athlete?

New! Improved!

The crazy zoning in this town required that my girl change schools. She was really apprehensive about. It seems that some kids had painted a picture of bullying and rampant drug use for her. None of it true. It is an amazing school and she loves it. The best part is that she gets to ride her bike everyday to and from. Daddy took her shopping and she hooked herself up with this really great red retro Huffy with white fenders and white wall tires. It is so rockin, the only bike like it at the bike rack. She has to cross two major streets and, since the cross guards aren't yet on duty, ol' Mom here laces up and runs with her. Not much of a run as far as distance, but the speed...let me tell you, when she feels like she's behind schedule then, hooboy, Mama's got to get some game on.

Also, we have become vegetarians and are on our way to being vegans. Our original reasons were for health, but we now find ourselves settling quite nicely into this wonderful and inspiring lifestyle. Last night I made the most delicious portobello burgers ever. The daughter was not excited in the beginning. She definitely played the part of victim with relish (no pun intended--get it, I'll have a victim with relish--okay, not funny. I've been pushing my brain to put together a plot all day and this fatigue of thought is the result) I'd really like to blog about the whole vegetarian thing and I will as soon as I get this darn book that I've been working on finished. In November I'll have been working on it for four years. It's funny the route a book takes to get written. I am such a slow writer.

I'm babbling.

Home Sweet Home

If I had to list features of what I considered important in creating my ideal town, it would look something like this:

• Hot (or at least warm - 80+ F) most of the year
• Enough cool coffee shops/bakeries around that the staff don't say: "Wow - I've never seen anyone fill up their frequent user card in 3 days before!"
• Townies who will say hello when you look them in the eyes
• Bike lanes ...and riders of all shapes & sizes who actually use them
• Drivers who allow pedestrians to cross at crosswalks and elsewhere
• Band fliers stapled to light posts (honestly, that's a real standard for me)
• Festivals, Festivals, Festivals
• Creeks or rivers without a single alligator
• Police aren't summoned when there is a guy on the main drag in drag.
• Restaurants and other businesses in old houses (I'm a sucker for it).
• Really creative graffiti. 
• And of course, lots of runners.

You can see why I have settled down nicely in Austin, Texas and why my husband will need back up from the National Guard to pry me away from this incredible town when his two year grad program at UT is over.

Of course, I have been humbled.  My pace on these mountains* has gone from "slow" to "She's mighty sweaty for a walker."   I met up with a group last night for their "Slow run," for which their website description is as follows: 

You know you're a slow runner if:
* Your shih tzu is waiting for you at the next water station.
* The dust from your grandma's walker has already settled.
* Your 8GB iPod starts repeating the same songs.
* You started at 5 o'clock and the bats have already flown.

Unfortunately, their prose is more entertaining than accurate, for I ended up huffing and puffing a mile behind them, trying to signal "I'm okay! I'll catch up!" in between hills.   But that's fine.  It's good for me to try harder and check out the scenery.  Besides, without the distraction of a group, I was able to people watch and read from the flier whose playing at Stubb's tonight.

  

*Okay, I know locals call them "hills", but this former Miami runner begs to differ.

31 Days until Army Ten Miler

31 Days until the Army Ten Miler.  A long while back, I recall we had a discussion about it.

Anyone running?

Cross Training to Recover

4 weeks post-partum: my brain is ready to run again, my stroller is ready to roll, but my body is not.

My first inclination was to throw caution to the wind and jog anyway. I've done this recovery thing 2 times before and I ran up until just couple weeks before delivery so I was feeling a little cocky until I got the rebuke. My wonderfully level-headed midwife had a very compelling argument about internal organs and connective tissues. So, since there is no strength training I know about for internal organs of the abdominal region, that seemed like advice I should heed.

Plan B: Low-impact cardio and strength training to prevent injury when I can eventually resume running. While it is obvious that my abdominal muscles are weaker post-pregnancy, my hips have been also stretched and my quads have been rested, so everything needs to get a little stronger. This is especially important since when I do start running, as I will be just a little heavier than at my athletic peak ;)

It is still probably unwise for one to begin a brand new sport at this point, but I resumed Step aerobics to target leg strength and low impact cardio. I also resumed moderate weights for upper body and core conditioning. All core exercises are approached with caution at this point since the goal is basically just to get the two side of my abs back together and to support my back.

Finally, I've been walking, of course. I'm happy to report that I'm faster than I was three weeks ago when the man with the cane passed right by me. This is also good practice for the baby to work up to running in the jogging stroller.

So, perhaps this is old-hat to me, but there is some consolation in remembering that it is new for little Francesca, so for her sake, we'll take it slow.

Run Safe

Most of us are nervous, if not fearful, to run alone. Thoughts of accidents or abductions might come to mind. So we run or bike in groups to be safe. But sometimes, the group mentality can distract you from your focus or hoodwink you into thinking that your company will keep you safe.

Wait. I don't really know how to get my point across for this post. I'm incapacitated because my running community lost another and I'm no longer living close enough to my friends to cry with them. Carlos was hit by a car...while with a group of 20+, who were actually just one subgroup of over 600 runners in the marathon training program. He was crossing the street in the wee early morning, the last in his group, when a car plowed through. My friend heard the driver say that there were all these people in the road and he didn't know where to go so he had to hit someone. It was the shock talking - perhaps the car rolling three times - but my god, he realized he had to hit someone?

That group OWNS the street on Saturday mornings. Each weekend at 6 am, they are out there, 600 hundred of them, running and talking and socializing. Like a sea of salmon swimming against the flow of traffic, thinking about races and gu and politics and family or about nothing but the steps they are taking. The power of numbers deludes you into believing you are invincible.

But the problem is drivers think they are invincible, too. They are able to text or talk on their phones, they can yell at the talk radio, they can turn right from the left lane, they can roll through stop signs or like witnesses to the crash believe about the driver, they can drive themselves home from the bar.

So be safe out there. Keep your head up and one earbud out. Don't assume they see you or think they can stop in time. Change your mantra to: Run Safe.

Forehead Slap

My boys are major scooter addicts. Usually, I grab a book or magazine and sit on the front porch while they zoom up and down the street at lightening pace. Well, today, they wanted to venture out a bit further so I threw on my running shoes and off we went. We flew up to the local tot lot then right on past to the middle school where they are doing some work on the fields that once were there. There is an old concrete track and in the middle, there are huge mountains of dirt. The boys went around the track twice on the scooters while I ran then they played happily on the dirt mountains while I continued to run around the track. When they announced they were done, they scooted home while I ran. In all, I think I got in about 3.5 miles...not bad for a day when squeezing a run in seemed impossible! All I kept thinking was, "Summer is just about over and I'm just coming up with this plan now?!" Just goes to show, a little creativity can go a long way!

Joggers

Do they do anything for your arms?

the bright spot: Sun Herald City 2 Surf

You'd think that a trip to Sydney, Australia, would be lovely. Usually it is. My mother was Australian. I am half Australian (a dual citizen, even). I love, love, love Sydney. Almost as much as my hometown, New York City.

I have probably mentioned before that my mother died on July 11, 2007, from ovarian cancer. She had moved back to Sydney when I was 19 and in college. I went out often. She came back often. She was fabulous (not to idealize -- she also could annoy me more than anyone else).

This trip was the first I could make to sort and clear out her apartment in Redfern, a suburb in the city. "Suburb" means a neighborhood -- it is a proper part of Sydney, not outside of it.) I am her only child, so I was pretty much on my own, though I cannot slight the help of my uncle and my step brother (whose father died 10 months before my mother did -- this is turning in to a bummer of a post, anyway...).

I was there for a mere two weeks, with my younger son, Az, who is now 14 months old. I left husband and 4-year old Iz at home. (Iz needs action, structure, not sorting and packing.) No way I was going to get everything done. I was non-stop (well, except for stopping every 30-60 minutes to feed, entertain, comfort Az or get him to sleep -- as non-stop as a mom can be). I sorted boxes in the two-car garage underneath the building. I sorted the office of a writer (my mother was an excellent one -- look her up, Glenda Adams) -- including the notes, the novel in progress, the copies of books, the reference books. It was incredible. And I could not throw out her writing. No way.

What does all of this have to do with running? Well. Since I started running, my mother encouraged me to run the Sun Herald City to Surf in Sydney. And I did twice while she was alive. And she would be at the Lamrock Cafe when I finished, waiting for me with a flat white coffee.

The race covers 14 kilometers, or 8.7 miles, from the center of the city to famous Bondi Beach. I have now run it three times, in 2000, 2003 and 2008 (just a week and a half ago). My best time, go figure, was the most recent. Five years older, two kids later, sleep deprived because Az was waking up at least three times a night. I finished 6,000 and something out of 70,000 registered runners. (Yes, 70,000 -- it is a crazy-huge race. This may explain the few moments of rude behavior I experienced -- deliberate elbowing, running into, etc.)

The race is gorgeous. Especially once it gets to the water. The course is very, very hilly along the southern shore of Sydney Harbour. Heartbreak hill is a kilometer long, curving, winding up a headland. That may not sound long, but that is only the longest hill, not the lone hill. Volunteers handed out heart-shaped sponges soaked in cold water. Ahhhh.

Did I mention it is winter there? And winter is mild. Maybe 60 degrees at the height of the day. So the hill could have been worse, especially in August in the Washington, DC, region.

The race finishes at Bondi. We hit the northern end of the beach at the 13 kilometer mark -- still a kilometer to go. Sounds like nothing -- but six-tenths of a mile is not insignificant when you feel ready to sprint to the finish. Still, I felt great. But that beach is darn long.

My step brother's girlfriend was at the Lamrock Cafe waiting for me. (My uncle had Az, but we met up with them nearby.)

The race was the one bright spot in a very hard trip. Though breakfasts at Cafe Zoe were also excellent. Oh, and the oatmeal cookies at the Bourke Street Bakery. And runs in Centennial Park. (I rented a jogging stroller.) My mother would have been pleased at the little moments I grabbed.

Olympic Proportions

I, too, have been watching the Olympics (though intermittently due to the new Wii Fit that's monopolizing my time!), but it's gotten me thinking: 2 1/2 hours or so to finish a marathon? Seriously? My time ranges from 4:30 to, I'm thinking, 6:30 this coming October. Doesn't that mean us Penguins are better athletes? We have greater endurance! Right? RIGHT?!
;-)

Athlete. Mom.

I've found this summer's Olympics to be very encouraging. Though the gymnasts are mere babes, there are many other highly competitive athletes at these games that are still older than me AND they have a child!

Photos of Olympic Moms
http://www.newsweek.com/id/148834

Now add to that list yesterday's winner - by a lot! - of the women's marathon, Constantina Tomescu. In addition to having a kid, at 38, she was the oldest competitor to ever win this event.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/16/AR2008081602507.html

Stroller Maintenance

So, we are careful to maintain our cars as per manufacturers recommendations to change the oil, rotate tires, etc. And my husband is particularly neurotic about taking care of his many bicycles. Yet, the jogging stroller receives very little attention until things really start to fall apart.In anticipation of putting an infant in our loyal double jogger, I replaced all 3 tires (yes, you can see the wires underneath the worn-away rubber) and the brake caliper (rusted open), brake pads (large chunks were worn away) and brake cable.*

I suppose that occasionally washing off the mud, lubricating moving parts and rotating the tires wouldn't hurt...

* Customer service at Dreamer Design has been VERY helpful with ordering replacement parts.

Howdy- I'm now a Houston Running Mommy

Hello Running Mommies! I've missed reading your blogs and seeing how everyone is doing with the heat, running, and the uplifts.
We made it to Texas and 80 houses later we bought a foreclosure and will close hopefully next week. At first running trails were very important. Later pools, bedrooms for visiting elderly family, and walking distance schools won out. In the end we were picking up a friend for a play-date who was visiting from KY and saw a foreclosure next door. I peeked in the window and quite honestly the hardwood floors had me at hello. It needs work, but it has the pool, strange floor plan, etc.. but I'll have to run on the street to get to sidewalks, hmmmm. Will this work? I did find a very cool park with running trails in the shade that will entail getting the running stroller in the car.

I've injured my left knee too-- never had this much time off from running in 20 years. I almost thought about becoming a walker and saving the knees (Runner's World insists running does not cause knee problems and I believe them).

Well, I'm off to find some running Moms in Houston who do not think I'm too geriatric to run with. We're civilians now- Army over civilian life lets go!

Trice

Let's do a SMR top 10!!

Anyone want to contribute to "Top ten reasons NOT to run in the heat of the day"?

I'll start with a recap of my AM today....
I awoke bright and early to get in a run while also running an errand to the local ACE hardware to pick up picture hangers ( I Love to multi-task....it makes me feel so smug! HA, HA day, I got two things done!!!). However, instead of donning my running shoes right away, I got on the computer and had some coffee......over 2 hours later, I headed out....in Eastern NC, in Aug, after 9:45....
More than half way through the 6 mile round trip, I found myself really hot and obviously it was affecting my normally "good" judgement......I found myself running on the roadside, trying to get closer to the traffic for the incredibly great feeling breeze the vehicles created as they drove past............I really need to go out earlier!!!

Finally

Thanks for the tips on getting back into the running groove after a week long break. Today was finally the day. I started to notice I was getting more and more inpatient with my boys and getting on them about stuff that normally wouldn't bother me...well, not enough to yell anyway! Also, the coffee pot brewing a new pot at 4:00 in the afternoon (every day!) because I was feeling so sluggish was a bit of a sign as well that I needed to get those shoes back on and give it a go. I parked the kids in front of a table full of star wars figures and hopped on the treadmill. It was the best thing for us all. I now have 5 miles under my belt, a smile on my face and no need for coffee! How did I get through the stresses of every day mommy-hood before running?

Getting Back Into Shape

Recovering from pregnancy can be tough. For some of us, especially those who may be a bit, uh, top heavy, running may not be enough. Running might tone your legs, but what about your arms, chest, etc. I am a BIG fan of Pilates and have been since before people knew how to pronounce it, but I've also got a need for speed. I found just the thing: Postnatal Power Tae Bo Workout! Don't laugh. It works! It's not so high speed that I'm too tired to turn it on after the kids are asleep, and it's not too slow that I fall asleep. And, best of all, it has also accomplished what I thought could only happen through surgery: it's gotten rid of the "side-boob." I'm sure some of you know what I mean. It can make running difficult. After just a few Tae Bo workouts, I've gotten rid of that and have whittled my waist so much that I no longer need to run with banded yoga pants and a tight running tank on top of my sports bra. Three cheers for Shellie Blanks!

Run, Solve, Run

So, I'm very excited about an upcoming run that I'm running organizing. (You see, sometimes, I want all the social aspect of races without all the exercise, so I plan Hash Runs.) This month, I have a guest of honor; a great friend who asked me months ago to help her celebrate her birthday with a fun run. I've decided to step it up from a simple hare & hound chase, to a treasure hunt. A guerrilla race that will send runners through a Miami village in the dark picking up envelopes and solving riddles. Think Amazing Race. Think Herald Hunt. Think "Run Think Run." Now add beer & wine and lower your expectations.

I guess I'm pretending like I'm still being paid to lead corporate team building events. I've been writing cryptic crosswords, scrambling sentences, compiling photo puzzles and holding onto a big fat grin. So far, around 40 people from our running community have RSVP'd. If you're in the Miami area this Thursday night and want to come out, send me a note. It outta be a fun night!

Post Vacation Blues

We just returned from a fantastic vacation at the shore and now I'm totally unmotivated to run. It's horrible. I ran 3 times while we were gone. All three were at the beginning of the trip...back when I was still super motivated girl in training. But it didn't take long for the lazy beach days, loads of snacks and zero schedule to turn me into a total slug. I told myself I was getting exercise by slepping the kids and 9 million toys to the beach each day. And we all know how much effort it takes to get 2 kids covered in sun screen...that has to burn at least 300 calories each time! So now that I'm back and it's 95 degrees and humid, how the heck do I get back into it? Short runs? I just know the first time I give it a go, I'm going to start panting one block in and get down on myself. I'll try and look on the bright side....at least I'm tan!

Even though they will leave me in the dust...

I am so excited to get back out and run with a seemommyrun group this Saturday at 6:30! It's been a long time since I've run with a group, and I need the speed and motivation a group provides, and the comraderie. Now, if only I can get that alarm clock to go off....

Choosing a Jogging Stroller

If I had a nickel for every time someone has asked me about what type of jogging stroller I think is best...I would have at least a dollar. But that is a lot of times to write the same email. If only I had saved them...

Anyway, here are my thoughts on jogging strollers:
1. Terrain: Do you primarily jog on smooth roads or bumpy trails? Knobby tires will only require more energy to push so you don't need them if you aren't on bumpy roads that require greater traction and resistance to flats. Furthermore, though suspension sounds great, unless you are actually running on very bumpy terrain, it will just make more work for you to push through the suspension in order to make turns. Your kids can take it.
2. Storage: No problem here if you just roll it into the garage, but if you have to fold and/or carry the stroller at all, consider weight, ease of collapse and folded dimensions. Stick with 16" wheels rather than 20" which will take up much more space.
3. Cost: You could easily spend over $500 on a double stroller, but consider if you really need that. If you anticipate that your stroller will get relatively light use, there is no need to buy the most expensive on the market.
4. Wheels: The swivel front wheel makes turning easier if you primarily walk, but it is inferior to the fixed front wheel for running. Though you can usually lock the swivel wheel into place, the chances of it tracking crooked are greater than a fixed wheel and these strollers are often heavier.
5. Uses: Is this stroller exclusively for exercise or does it also go on errands and such? Lots of storage space and pockets plus a slimmer width for doorways are both helpful if this stroller is going to the grocery store.
6. Separate sun shades: If you have 2 kids, you'll want to be able to adjust seat backs and sun shades separately.
7. Accommodating an infant seat: Personally, I consider this totally unnecessary. How fast do you really think you are going?
8. Where to buy: www.joggingstroller.com has a huge selection and fantastic customer service.

Some brands to consider:
Baby Jogger Performance strollers are ideal for high mileage road runners.
The cost of a BOB stroller is not necessary unless you actually run on trails - which I do without a BOB anyway.
Dreamer Design and Kelty are good compromise options.
In Step is a good low cost alternative, but may not hold up well to heavy use.
Would YOU want to be the kid in the bottom seat of a Phil and Ted stroller?

Non-running blog...sorry....need advise of on-line buddies

Ok.... I decided to re-enter the work force. Only 8-12 hours a week as a clinical nursing instructor at the local community college. I accepted the job and then, and only then noticed the other clinical instructors name on the schedule..........
Have you ever had a co-worker that just rubbed you wrong in EVERY POSSIBLE WAY??? I mean really...... I don't like to use the word "hate", but I really get that feeling when I am around her. Well, I should say, I haven't seen or worked with her in over 5 years..............
What should I do?? I almost turned the job down, but is is a good stepping stone to better instructor positions in the future...
Please help and tell me how you'd all handle such a mess!!

Ice Marathon

Are you tough? No, really, are you tough? Could you do this?

Well, could you?

Having run in sub-zero temperatures, I suspect that the suits needed to keep warm initially would at some point become excruciatingly uncomfortable and the focus of the run would become a concentration on temperature, with everything else forgotten.
Which might actually make the run bearable.

I'm all about allowing my mind to escape. Otherwise I might find myself weighted down by that daily marathon we all run.

How tough are you?

That's your baby, Mama

The first time we flew together, she was one year old and two days. That flight was from Frankfurt, Germany to Dallas, Texas followed by a puddle-jump to Midland. The first flight, from Frankfurt, was over 9 hours long and the little angel didn't fall asleep until 45 minutes before the plane landed. She didn't fuss and scream, she was just awake and very alert and in the final stages of learning to walk. The armrests were perfect, and so we toddled...up and down and up and down...the aisles of that plane for HOURS.
I was a much younger woman then, just beginning to appreciate the beautiful gift of exteme patience being taught to me moment by infuriating moment.
Airline rules were different then, too. I won't write now of my first international flight post 9/11. Just know that I cried once we got past security and into the sequestered area of Frankfurt's airport reserved for airlines of American origin.
A significant change in flying, one that I'm sure would have sent my cup of patience overflowing is the need for child restraints.

I wish you great peace of mind if you are going to be traveling with a young one.

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?