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