Running Stroller to High School Cross County

Hi there running Mommies! This is a time of new beginnings. My 3 year old started preschool so I have 3 mornings a week all to myself. First time in 16 years. I almost always get a good run in. The biggest news is my oldest started high school and to keep in shape for soccer I signed her up for summer cross country training with her high school team. She moaned and groaned and was so annoyed with me. She goes to a huge 5A school and all the sports are highly competitive here in Texas so I wanted her to have speed and endurance. As it turns out-- she has running genes!!! She loves it. She's thinking of not even trying out for soccer now and turning all her attention to running. We bought spikes-- who knew they had such a thing for cross country, but I had a field day in Fleet Street ooing and ahhing over all the cool running gear. This is a girl who flat out told me she hated running after doing track last year. She has her own mind, her own everything and I get to watch!!! She is no longer waiting at the finish line for me-- I'm there waiting for her with the camera..... Oh delight!

Running - 35 Weeks Pregnant

This past Saturday marked the 35 week mark in this pregnancy. 35 days till my official due date. The date is subjective and I don't take much stock in it, but nevertheless it gives me a concrete date to count from.


My due date is like knowing that Marine Corps Marathon is on 10/31/10 only it could randomly change at a moments notice and come sooner or later.

At this point in the pregnancy sleep has become invaluable. At about the time that my daughter started attending full day school, my son decided to stop napping. This means NO breaks during the day.

Heartburn and feeling uncomfortable stops me from getting a full nights sleep most nights. I don't set the alarm on the weekends. If I wake up in time to run, then great. If I don't, well then I don't.

I'm a self proclaimed morning runner - if I don't wake up and get it done, chances are I won't get it done at all. Sunday morning Miles woke up screaming for me. I decided - I'm up - I'm running.

I debated back and forth about whether or not I should go meet up with my running club to run or just go alone.

Would I be the slowest person there? Would I have anyone to run with? What if I was running alone - will I wish I had just started from my own house rather than driving to Starbucks? What if I can't keep up with the others I am running with and have to embarrassingly admit that they should just leave me? Why is that embarrassing - I'm 35 weeks pregnant?!

All these thoughts played out in my head - till I yelled STOP - silently. I would go - I would face my fears - because admittedly I know they are silly, though very real.

I was happy to see another pregnant runner, who has over the course of the past couple of months become someone I would consider a friend. Miles spent running give you plenty of time to get to know someone. Coincidentally she has a son named Miles as well. BEST.NAME.EVER.

Before we took off, another friend who I have gotten to know through running over the course of this summer, arrived. Hooray - I had people I could run with, or at least attempt to keep up with for a mile or two.

I started chirping. I talked the whole first mile and paid for it in the second. Half way through the second mile I decided to give myself an out. Guys I'm going to have to walk when we hit mile 3. I was giving them an OUT too - in case I was dragging them down.

Much to my surprise my body started to feel better. I got over the first three miles. Those miles are always the hardest for me, pregnant or not. I did not need to walk. I ran and ran and ran and got happier with every step. I can do this. I am strong. I am a woman. Hear me roar.

5 miles later I was elated. I knew inside though that I could not give myself the credit for this run. I would have stopped at a mile had I been alone. It was running friends who helped me achieve something I did not know was possible for my body. 5 miles running, not wunning at 35 weeks - I'll take it!

Mile 1 - 10:12
Mile 2 - 10:43
Mile 3 - 10:53
Mile 4 - 10:51
Mile 5 - 10:13


How do your mommy friends help you achieve things you did not know were possible?

Visit my personal blog at:
www.mile-posts.blogspot.com

Current Giveaway: Free GU http://mile-posts.blogspot.com/2010/10/gu-energy-giveaway.html

Halloween Costume Run - Burke Lake

Burke Lake Park and South Run Recreation Center team up again to host the…
4th Annual Halloween 1-Mile Fun Run
(*Must be in costume to participate*)

When: Saturday October 30, 2010
Check-in begins at 8:15 am
Race begins at 9:15 am SHARP!
Where: Burke Lake Park - Shelter A (near the large playground)
Cost: $10 per child 12 and under
Parents are encouraged to accompany young children for no additional
charge.

Refreshments, face painting, and arts and crafts will
be available following the race. Everybody wins a
goody bag!

Other outdoor family fun:
Enjoy the Ghost Train Ride* (10am-5:15pm) provided by Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, spooky music, the parade of costumes, a playground, arts and crafts and face painting. *Ghost Train Ride: $4.50/person; pay this fee at Burke Lake upon riding the train

Reservations required. For more information and registration contact South Run Recreation Center 703.866.0566. (Laurie Strickland- Event Director)

Double Time: Road to San Antonio

My father was a military man..well, boy.  He lied about being 18 so he could run away from his drunk father and join the Coast Guard.   He craved order, fair discipline, and rituals like unloading the dishwasher the moment it finished its cycle.

My mother was...well, the opposite.  She was an untamed, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants, wild-child who would rebel just for the sake of rebelling.

Clearly, it didn't end well.  But before their impromptu marriage fell apart, they managed to raise a daughter who sees no point in making the bed every morning, but who tries to do it because that's what you're supposed to do.

Which is exactly why, when I could not find a running group that fit my schedule, I made my own.  You see, I need the discipline of a group.  I find comfort in knowing that every Friday at 9am I must be ready to help my group tackle the next incremental step on our training schedule - a schedule that I devised.   I need the ritual of dropping my 5 year old off at Kindergarten, and zooming down to our meeting spot 20 minutes before the others arrive in order to sap the last bit of baby's on the stairs.  I love working on group communication e-mails that offer weekly tips and remind me to practice what I preach.   I crave the high that comes from looking down at my watch and reading that we've already done twice the miles than I realized because they melted away in conversation.

Otherwise, there's an awfully strong chance I would say To Hell With It and get stuck at 6 miles.   Without others counting on me, I don't push myself as hard as I should; my log book doesn't have as many miles in it (if I'm writing in it at all).  Of course, I WANT to run farther and faster, but I can't help but getting distracted by the rest of my life, including that ridiculous voice that says Go on, check Facebook one more time, maybe something fantastic popped up.  Or Oh, run tomorrow, today let's drag the kids around a new part of town on a whim despite their protests.

So, for 8 weeks now, 10-15 of us have been on the Road to San Antonio.  We're training for the November 14th Rock & Roll Half Marathon that tours the art district, several missions and of course, the Alamo.  We started at 5 miles and have worked our way up to 10 so far.  Each week, our gang varies slightly according to their schedules, but we have a strong 6 person core group on which the others depend.   They all expect me and the baby to be there, ready to talk their ears off (or as I like to think of it, distract them through the miles).  And they all apologize profusely if they've missed a run, promising to make it up the next day.

I guess we get along so well because we have a common bond.  We all make our beds...unless, of course, no one is looking.

Athem Great Pumpkin Kids Dash 2010

Saturday morning the alarm crowed. Literally crowed. The rooster on my phone seems more fitting these days to wake up to than a loud alarm bleeping.


The alarm meant it was finally time for Chloe and Miles to run the "kids race" they had been looking forward to.

I get giddy on race day. Whether I'm running or not - just being at a race brings it on. My husband calls it chirping. My mood is happy. I don't stop talking. Talking about everything and nothing all it once.

I felt giddy despite being a bit more stressed. After all, it is much harder getting two kids out the door early on a Saturday morning for a race than it is getting just myself ready.

That morning I felt I was giving my children a gift. My first race was in 2000 at the age of 18. Chloe's first race was 10 years later at the age of 4. I'm giving my children the gift of a head start on being healthy and athletic. They may never be runners. They might not even like sports. I am giving them a no-pressure option of learning early so they can decide for themselves.

Chloe is convinced that her and her best friend Ava won the race. In a sense they did. They won their own race. They ran their little hearts out for 100 meters and finished proud and confident. That is what winning is all about. Not being the best, but being their best.

In reality they really were among the first girls to cross the line. My competitive nature made sure that my friend Meredith and I were at the very front of the starting line with Ava, Chloe, Miles and Sophie. We didn't want any strollers, parents or kids who were out for a jog getting in our way. They wanted to race and we wanted them to.

Miles and Sophie are also convinced they won the kids 2's division. Miles the boys and Sophie the girls. There can be so many winners on race day. Male, Female, Age Groups, First Time Racers, PR's -- The list goes on.

Next time you race, think of these four children. They won. We didn't lie to them. They won. For winning is not always about crossing the line first but about your attitude about your performance.

When I need a race attitude adjustment or just a reminder of what winning is really about - I think back to Marine Corps 2008 when I qualified for Boston for the first time with a 24 minute marathon PR. On the way home I turned and said to my husband "I feel like a champion" -- I did and do to this day feel like a champion, even if I am just a champion in my own mind.

Visit my personal blog at:
http://www.mile-posts.blogspot.com/

34 Weeks Pregnant - Still Wunning

Wun: A wun is defined as any attempt at a run that despite all your best intentions turns into a run/walk. wun's commonly occur during pregnancy.

Monday morning I headed out in the dark for a solo run. I love running early in the morning before the sun rises. I find peace in the quietness and darkness surrounding me. My goal was to run 2 miles with out stopping for a break. Goal completed.

Mile 1, 10:52, seemed relatively easy compared to my wun's on the treadmill.

Mile 2, 11:34, was a struggle. I had no music, no one to distract me, so I was forced to be alone with my own thoughts.

Mile 3, 18:52, was a walk - no running - no wunning - a walk.

Here were my thoughts:
1. I am proud that at 34 weeks I can still run a mile. When my body gives me more I will be grateful.

2. The last time I ran 10 miles when I was pregnant with Miles was when I was about 7 weeks along at the Army Ten Miler 2007. The last time I ran 10 miles(running not wunning) this time around was when I was 26 weeks pregnant. I am no longer running to try to have a quick recovery back to my training and racing. I am running to be fit for myself and for this baby.

3. I know my fitness will come back. 6 months and 2 days after having Miles I ran a 24 minute marathon PR and qualified for Boston. Some of the worlds fastest women, put forth their best performances in the years immediately after having children.

4. So what if I have gained 30+ lbs?! I'm proud that I am a runner who once-upon-a-time in-the-not-so- distant past did consider herself small and that I DID NOT and DO NOT have an eating disorder. It truly makes me sad when I see women happy about only gaining a couple of pounds while pregnant. Weight gain during pregnancy helps your baby grow. Miles was 8.18 lbs when he was born! I'm excited to see how big this baby is going to be. My guess is bigger than his older brother.

5. I miss my friends. I miss training with them. I'm only 28 so I'm hoping that leaves a good 70 or so more years for me to run with them. I need to have patience.

Visit my personal blog at:
http://www.mile-posts.blogspot.com/

Oops I Did It Again*

I broke another Dreamer Design Double jogging stroller. While it is still unfortunate that they went out of business (can't redeem the lifetime warranty on the frame) it is not so unexpected. Apparently not the highest quality product? In their defense, I've run this stroller into the ground. At the time of death, there was about 80 pounds of child running 30 miles/week on mixed roads and trails. It was on its second set of tires, but the stroller was only used for a year and a half. More importantly - NO ONE ever sat on the foot rest this time around and the welding still came apart at the same spot next to the front wheel. This is a big vote for strollers with a solid frame or, like our Kelty, bolted together at the joints.

I was really hoping to squeak the rest of October out of this stroller since I still have several weeks until my fall marathon, but alas. My husband and I brainstormed the possible options for holding the stroller together (duct tape, drill and bolt a metal tube, etc.). While I hate the waste from an environmental point of view, fixing the welding isn't practical. We would have to remove the already torn fabric (i.e. flammable parts) which is riveted to the frame and then re-attach it afterwards. Plus, do you happen to have the ability to weld in your garage? Not unheard of, but also not common. We do not.

So, like tearing off a band-aid. It is done. My double-stroller days are over. Sniff. Sniff. No, really. Most people are like, "Oh! Are you so happy..." I actually start to cry a little when I think about it. If you've been in a position with multiple small children, you'll know what I mean: that stroller was like my life-line for 5 years. That red stroller gave me freedom to get out of the house and to work out and get/stay in shape and even just to walk to the store or the park.

Now it is just me and Francesca cruising in the ol' purple single jogger while the older kids are at school. We've even gone to the gym (agast!) when it was pouring rain...you know, like a normal person...


* Thanks Brittany Spears

Running - 34 Weeks Pregnant Minus A Day

Tomorrow will mark 34 weeks. I'd be lying if I said I didn't already feel like it's the end. It's not. I have 6 full weeks left till I am 40 weeks pregnant.

So soon, yet so very far away.

I want to meet my new little man. I want him to stop kicking me so hard at night so I can sleep. I want to be able to have a run where I don't feel like the earth is shaking with my every step.

Chicago is this weekend, and though I certainly do NOT miss that race, I am missing all the marathon hype that goes on during October. It's marathon season - the time of the year when I am usually at my fittest - this time I'm 30+ lbs over that fittest point.

In the end I know my reward is greater than any marathon medal hanging around my neck. Though I still find myself wishing that in 3 weeks some nice marine was saying congrats ma'am.

I ran/walked for 30 minutes today on my treadmill. It really looks like he's getting a bit dusty. I think he misses me too. He's thinking why is this girl not running for 3 hours at a time anymore? Why is her running speed the speed she used to walk?

When they say you will do anything for your kids, it's true. There are only 3 people in this world that I would gain this much weight for, be this uncomfortable for, sacrifice my running for, and deal with my semi-out-of-control-emotions for. Two I have met, and one I'm just patiently, or not so patiently waiting to meet.

Visit my personal blog at:
http://www.mile-posts.blogspot.com/

Run Like A Mother

I'm excited to share my latest news!

Run Like A Mother picked me to be their Follow This Mother last week.

When I read my answers to their questions online I cried. It was one of those moments when you realize something about yourself. Who I am can be summed up into four words - I am a runner.

CLICK HERE to read the post.

When did you first decide you were *officially* a runner?

It makes for a story

An inaugural run is the unknown. The course is unknown. Race organizers, as excellent as they are, might miss something, misjudge something. Whatever the unknown brings, good or bad, it makes for a story.

The course of the inaugural Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon, which was held yesterday, was known for the first 8 miles or so, since it covered the same course as the George Washington Parkway Classic 10-mile race.

I knew I’d start downhill and then face hills from miles 2-5. I knew miles 5-8 would be flat. Then I had to trust the course and elevation maps for clues as to how I might feel, the experience I might have. But maps can’t reveal the nitty gritty.

I assumed the first half of the Wilson Bridge would be uphill. Race organizers even dubbed this portion “The Rude Awakening” after “The Awakening” statue that had moved from Hains Point in DC to the National Harbor complex in Oxen Hill, MD, where the race finished. We all ran past a sign announcing “The Rude Awakening” at the entrance to the footpath on the bridge. But that hill was almost nothing, a gradual uphill that was easy to stay strong on – even though there was no shade, and the late summer morning was heating up.

Here is the trick, which I anticipated pre-race, but the rational expectation didn’t much lessen its impact: When we came over the bridge and hit the 10-mile mark, we could see National Harbor and the finish line in the distance, but it was still 3.1 miles away. We were still required to wrap up and around the National Harbor complex. No matter what I know rationally, the sight of the finish line affects me. And my subconscious brain has far too much influence on my body. Sometimes I have to fight to stay in charge. But I sped up, almost without noticing, enough that I felt ill and dizzy for a moment around mile 11. I think I’d run a 7:15 mile (slow to some, fast for me). So I slowed down. Then I felt as if I were crawling. But I fought to stay in control.

Then I was faced with a steep hill going up and curving to the right. I couldn’t see the end of it. I decided to walk for a moment. A very sweaty man (sweat was dripping off of his soaked shorts), considerably older than I, maybe in his 50s, shuffled by me and said, “Come on, just jog up it.” I replied, sounding much more cheery than I felt, “I’ll make it!” I did know I would make it, but I just needed a moment. But I listened to the wise runner, and I jogged. I passed him on the hill, thanking him as I went past.

From there, I knew the course was all downhill or flat. I let myself fly down the hill – leaning in to take advantage of gravity. A fantastic cooling breeze kicked up off the water.

But then I faced the last rude awakening, almost a mile on gravel, a bleak, under-construction stretch. These were grey, chunky stones, deep and loose enough that we were kicking them up, leaving distinct footprints. I felt forced into running on my toes, which I find uncomfortable and tiring. I kept going at a quick pace and just hoped that portion would be over soon and that I wouldn’t fall. Of course, I made it through. I was elated to see the cement sidewalk going along the harbor. I feared a turn to the right was going to be an uphill to the finish, but a quick left averted that and led to another left, where the finish was. The finish line snuck up on me a bit, but I was happy to see it. 

The Awakening statue looked much smaller at the harbor than it used to at the tip of Hains Point. But there was my husband and my two boys, aged 6 and 3. I ran to the side and lifted the 3-year-old up and over the fence. He reached for me, until he realized I was sweaty and scrambled to be handed back to his father. I pulled the 6-year-old up and over, and he, too, wanted to go back. He doesn't care if I'm sweaty, but the statue of the buried giant was more of an attraction. At this point, race volunteers reprimanded me, telling me to keep moving. I didn’t argue, and I got moving, assuming I could find my way back. I’ve done the find-the-family-in-a-packed-finish-area thing many times before.

"Getting Chicked"

According to Runner's World Magazine, "Getting Chicked" is trail-running lingo for
"Being outrun by a woman. This can only happen to men. It's best when it happens to macho men. It's even better when the woman is wearing a skirt. Tough trail women wear skirts. And look hot. And beat men."

I will one-up that. I like to pass men while wearing a skirt, looking hot, AND pushing my stroller! It happens! Often!

31 Weeks Pregnant and Still Running

6 Miles running/walking this morning, all while pushing my 4 year old daughter in the single stroller.

31 weeks today!

Mile 1 - 10:07
Mile 2 - 10:14
Mile 3 - 12:50
Mile 4 - 10:15
Mile 5 - 12:54
Mile 6 - 11:53

Life is still getting in the way of running, hence why I was unable to run alone this morning. I'm praying that my husband will heal soon, so he can handle the kids alone.

I'm still hoping that my body will give me one more 10 mile run before this baby is born. I think I could have done it today had I been alone. I felt amazing. I'll be grateful for 6 today though. Thankful I only had to push one child instead of two.

half-marathon respect

How do you approach half-marathon training?

I am a distance woman, so running 13.1 miles is not a huge stretch in a pinch. I usually run at least a 10-mile long run every other week when I’m not “in training.” But, this past spring, I realized that I was disrespecting the distance. Between the National Half Marathon at the end of March and the Zooma Annapolis at the beginning of June, I was smacked down. I finished the National Half Marathon, but I had to take walk breaks after mile 9. I still finished in less than 1:50, but those were a brutal last 4 miles; I felt like I was finishing a tough full marathon. The Zooma Annapolis race offered two distances, a half marathon and a 10K. At race start, it was already 80 degrees, very humid and sunny, but still. About a half mile past the 10K turnaround point, I stopped, turned, and chose to finish the 10K course instead.

I didn’t start either race too fast. I think I was simply cocky. I hope I have learned the proper lesson.

I decided to treat the half as I would a full marathon. So, for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon on Sunday, I have actually been following a training plan (Hal Higdon’s, if you must know, but I think the plan matters less than the following of one; they all seem similar).

I still may not sleep the night before (which may be the true culprit of my recent harsher race experiences), but I hope I have paid the proper respect to the distance.

4 Mile Pregnant Double Stroller Run

Last week I emailed my local running group, asking if anyone wanted to meet up for a run later in the morning. It's not that I don't want to run at 5:30 am, I do - I would, but for our family 5:30 doesn't work. I was pleased when another mommy runner emailed back and said she could meet up for a stroller run at a 10:00 - 10:30 pace. Wooo Hooo.

If you knew me in high school you would probably have described me as either shy or stuck up. I wasn't stuck up, far from it, but sometimes my shyness was interpreted as me being *too good* Over the years I have worked hard to come out of my shell and have forced myself into many an uncomfortable situation. This helped me to learn to have confidence when meeting new people, speaking in small groups and then later speaking in front of large groups. It's a journey that I can't believe I was capable of making, but I have. [I will admit, at times it still feels like a never ending journey]

After I had agreed to meet up - I had anxiety - would this mom like me? Would I be able to keep up in the running stroller for 3 - 4 miles. Goodness knows that some days a 2 mile run/walk is hard enough. I let my fears get the best of me and came up with excuses of why I should just email her and let her know I couldn't run.

I set the alarm this morning and hurried around the house. A run with two kids is not an easy feat. Yes the running itself is work, but the prep beforehand is equally hard.

Is everyone dressed appropriately? Do they need sunscreen? Hats? Do we have enough snacks? Water that won't spill? Lollipops in case they get whinny? Shoes that won't fall off[we have lost a croc before and had to retrace our entire run to try and locate it]? Will the snacks/lollipops keep them occupied or should I bring some toys and books? Do I have water? Where is my cell phone[always a good idea to bring along when you go on a run with kids]? Did I bodyglide[the body moves in strange motions when trying to push 100 lbs up a hill - I don't want to chafe]? The list goes on. It took 50 minutes to get out of the house this morning, a number I was actually impressed with.

The whole time I was getting ready, I kept checking my phone. It was overcast out and I was wondering if she would call to cancel....was I hoping she would? I don't know. I will admit that the shy girl from high school/college was rearing her ugly head and was making me nervous. Why?!? She didn't call, so we headed to the meeting point.

Fast forward to the end. I ran 4 miles total, we chatted the whole time, she was lovely, her daughter was adorable, and I found myself really, really happy that I had taken a chance and met a new person to run.

And who knows maybe she will even want to meet me again?[though I know I did chat her head off - I think it's a reflex reaction to being nervous?!]

Ummmmmmmmmmm and can you believe I ran 4 miles pushing two kids while 25+ weeks pregnant? I certainly can't. On Monday with Miss Becca I pushed the kids for 2 miles before having to start walking. I was really really proud of myself for just that!

Here's to praying that tomorrow's run is just as cool and that my body cooperates as it did today :)

Mile 1 - 10:05
Mile 2 - 10:02
Mile 3 - 9:49
Mile 4 - 10:17


Are you pregnant now? Still running? Tell us your due date!!

Health Benefits of Exercise

Just wanted to share a great article I found on Oprah.com about the health benefits of exercise!!

Hope you all are staying cool in this heat. I think it may be the worst summer ever to be pregnant ;)

Visit my personal blog to enter the GoLite Hydration Giveaway. Giveaway ends 8/20/10

The Life You Have Imagined

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you have imagined.

~Henry David Thoreau

What does the life you imagine look like? Where do you want to be in a year? 5 years? 10 years?

I've never really made lists other than the typical to do lists or the must loose X lbs as my New Years Resolution, but about a year ago I made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish in my life. I knew most of them would not be ones I could cross off easily, but I wanted them on paper anyways. [here are a couple]

~ Go under 3:15 in the marathon
~ Become a race director
~ Really truly inspire someone

I'm constantly reminded that this is my one-go-round at this thing called life. I'm reminded every time I see someone who is overweight and wants to loose it, I used to be that girl. I'm reminded every time someone picks up and starts running for the very first time, I used to be that girl too. I'm reminded when someone says to me "oh I'm not a fast runner like you," I was that girl also.

The first step in moving past the person you are now and growing is setting goals, imagining the life you want to have, and just go after it inch by inch, mile by mile. Maybe your life is just perfect the way it is, kudos to you, but I'd like to argue that you still have room for growth. Maybe your goals could be to be a nicer person, to not skip the last mile of your cool down on your track work out, and so on. Maybe the person you are today is someone who you like but you think you could feel better inside, have more happy days and less sad ones. Imagine your life. Go after it. Or maybe just maybe you are reading this and you feel beyond hope, you don't even know where to begin or what changes to go after. I say - just go - start. Start with anything. A walk around the block. A smile when someone holds the door for you. Little things will turn into big things and soon enough you might just find that the life you couldn't imagine is easier to imagine.

Over a year ago I had the dream of starting a blog. I loved running and loved talking about it. I wondered though if there was anyone else who would be interested in what I had to say, who would care about whether I had a good run or a bad run, whether anyone could or would be inspired by a girl who couldn't run a mile, let alone 10 feet with out wanting to stop when she started running, but now craved the feeling after 26.2 of those miles.

And so began my journey of bearing my soul to those closest to me, and those who I've never met before. It all began with a dream. As I look back to my first entry - there are ZERO comments. It's okay. I started this not only to share with you my journey and hopefully create a site that you can return to time and time again for inspiration, motivation, and information - but also to see myself grow as a runner, a student of life, a child of God, and a mother of two amazing children.

As you go about your day today, think of this quote and set forth on your plan of living the life you imagined.

Never let the odds keep you from doing
what you know in your heart you were meant to do.

~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Summers Off

I've had the opportunity to run without my jogging stroller (agast!) this August as I did last August. Due in part to my accommodating husband and in part to waking up before dawn, I've some lovely experiences with solitude and summer sunrises. The hard lesson I learned last September, however, after enjoying this luxury all summer, was that kids keep growing all summer! I can remember how hard that first day back with the jogging stroller was last September.

So, we packed up the family for a family run the other morning. It's good to get the husband out with a stroller from time to time too (empathy). My response was that it was good to keep the stroller pushing muscles fresh and perhaps more importantly, keep the kids in the habit of riding. My husband's response was, "These kids need to learn how to ride their bikes!" Also true.

So, a couple tips as you re-enter your fall schedule (or start running with your stroller for the first time):
1. Destination running (to the park, pool, store, etc.) is a good step to get the kids psyched up again and keep each trip shorter.
2. It is still hot. Bring everyone their own water or somehow you'll end up with none.
3. Start with relatively flat, straight routes. Add the hills as you regain comfort. If the kids are indeed heavier than when you left off in the spring, downhills are just as much a change and the uphills. Be careful.
4. Hide secret snacks/toys that the kids only get on the way home/second half.
5. Try running longer routes more frequently (i.e. 6 miles every-other day rather than 3 miles everyday). It is easier to keep going once everyone is already packed up and the kids won't drag their feet about the stroller so much if it is not EVERY day.
6. Check tire pressure. Air leaks out when you don't use the stroller for a while. Like a car uses more gas when your tires are under-inflated, pushing the stroller with flat tires makes it much harder.

Good luck.

Stroller Marathon Training*

I'm signed up for the Marine Corp Marathon - again - this year and we are now inside of 16 weeks so I guess I should start making my plan. Like with cooking, I am notorious in my house for finding a recipe and then only sort of following it. Plans are more like inspirations. I used to be a big planner: very detail-oriented and the like. Three kids later...

I have run 5 marathons before - 2 of which have been the Marine Corp. The wrench thrown into last year's training was appendicitis. At least I can count on that not happening again. I figured the first place to start with forming my training plan was considering what I did last time. My husband, who has a knack less for planning and more for recording afterwards as though he planned it all along - has a great athletic log.


A while back I cut out "Marathon Training for Busy People" from Runner's World Magazine. Subtitle: "Running by Time, Not Miles, Lets You Get the Most Out of Every Minute". It peaks with about "6 hours 30 minutes" rather than the more traditional "40 miles" +/-. It allows faster runners to get more miles in...you get the idea. It is, in essence, a very traditional plan, however. It mixes tempo runs with easy runs and long runs on weekends. It has 2 rest days, but little suggestion about cross training.

What I am proposing is entirely different. This year, I am considering running my son to school which is an 11-12 mile round-trip. Three days a week plus just a couple 20-milers on the weekends might do the trick. I really like my gym days despite waking at 4:30 am so that takes up Wed and Fri. Sundays I like yoga after church. I like my schedule, why change it? It is working. I haven't suffered any running injuries. So, here's the gist of my Marathon Training with Jogging Stroller:
Mon 10-12 miles
Tues 10-12 miles
Wed weights gym
Thurs 10-12 miles
Fri weights/bike gym
Sat 15-20 miles
Sun yoga gym

*Not racing with the stroller - the race organizers don't allow it. PLUS I'm not talking about a single stroller with a cute little 15-pounder riding along like those dads that have those record marathon-with-stroller times. I'm using a double stroller with a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old weighing a combined 75 lbs +/-.

Lift Your Sole Jewelry Giveaway

Head on over to my blog www.mile-posts.blogspot.com to win a runner girl charm from Lift Your Soul!

Hope all you mommies are staying cool in this crazy hot weather :)

Slow to try new things

Greetings Running Mommies! I finally got into a store and got some great new running shoes and I even bought a running skirt!~!! I was never going to do that-- thought they were for sissies or fake runners and they just grew on me. I ran 5 miles this morning and it was fun/fine and I felt covered and good. I'm so slow to try new things. I only recently threw out the t'shirt I wore in my first marathon in 2002. I guess I do not want to rush into these things. Now for fall training. This will be the first fall in 15.5 years that I've not had a baby or toddler or homeschoolers in my house every day. My 3 year old is going to preschool three days a week. Oh my, what will I do with the time! My oldest is going to high school, one starting middle school, one starting first grade-- I have chills!!!