Tuesday Twelve 2-21-12

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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My 12.12 miler today went well. Seemed like there were a lot of interruptions. Traffic lights took forever, my phone going off, construction, not wanting to run up hills, cars that don’t pay attention, the wind kicking in and 25* temps….  But I PR’d.  9:08 minute miles average.  My last PR was 9:14.  Running is interesting.  Sometimes I feel like it’s going fantastic but in the end the time isn’t great.  Other times – like today – I felt like there were tons of interruptions but in the end the time was great.  You just never know.  I’d also like my half marathon time to be closer to my 10K time which is a minute per mile faster….

Right??!!

We all have different things that motivate.  I ask other runners what keeps them going.  Running is hard.  It’s worth it, but it’s hard.  Most of them say food and alcohol.  I don’t drink and I don’t love food so much that I run to eat.  My biggest motivators after vanity and shallowness are my kids.  I want to be a positive example to them.  I screw up, I raise my voice sometimes too often, I don’t do some things as much as I’d like but I do try to be a good role model.

Last weekend we all drove to Walmart to people watch get supplies.  I showed my kids my Tuesday morning route.  They know it’s 12 miles but what does that mean to a child?  I showed them the monster hill I run up.  At the 5K/10K this past Sunday all three of my kids that ran it told me when they hit the hills they thought of me.  “If Mom can do that other hill, I can do this”  “Mom runs a bigger hill than this one.  I can do it”  “I’ll push it like my Mom does”.  It wasn’t a PR course.  It’s a hard course.  But they not only finished it, they pushed it.  My daughter Olivia (15) passed three guys with their shirts off on the last hill.  Badass in training??!!  I think so.

So when I saw that hill this morning, I thought “They’re counting on me to do this”  “If they pushed it Sunday, I can push it today” “My kids know I can do this, so should I”.  And I PR’d.  They motivate me to be better than I am.  Running facilitates that.  What motivates you??

This is how I”m starting my Week

20 Monday Feb 2012

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So much in life is attitude (not necessarily aptitude).

BOO-YA!!!

You’ve Gotta Be Crazy 5K/10K

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Yup. Did the race today in Verdi, NV. Have done this one before and it’s a great race, difficult but with fantastic support.  Tomorrow is our anniversary so this was our anniversary run.  Since Chris is leaving town tomorrow for the week it was nice to have today to spend with the family.

Olivia (15), Alana (13) and Gabrielle (11) did the 5K:

Olivia: 32:17  She came in 3rd for her age division; Alana:  35:44  She came in 4th for her age division;  Gabi 40:28 she came in 2nd in her age division.  YAY THEM!!!!  They rocked the house.  All of them wanted to PR but this course isn’t a great PR run – too hilly.

Christian (hubby) and I ran the 10K.  We’re both 28 for the 13th time which you would think (using simple math) equals 41 years old.  Not so, my friend.  It quite obviously equals 28 for the 13th time.  End of story.  My kids are just catching up to me and then we’ll all be the same age.  Groovy.  (that didn’t age me exponentially!)

Christian:1 hr 51 sec. 9:48 min miles    ME:  54:10 avg. 8:43 min miles.  2nd in my age division.

A 4th grade fieldtrip & 5K Training

17 Friday Feb 2012

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I had the privilege of going on my daughter, Kezia’s 4th grade field trip to the NV Children’s Museum.  It was completely hands on – how can you not love that – as well as interactive with teaching moments on electricity and defying gravity.  We packed a lunch, ate lunch there, rode the bus and played with everything.  It was a blast.  I’m so blessed to be able to do these things with my kids.

My kids 5K training is going really well. 3 of them are running a 5K this Sunday because they want to have one pre-Mother’s Day 5K.They gave up going to the Monster Truck Rally to do the 5K.  Seriously.  That’s big time.   We run every Thursday together and they get in 2 other times a week usually at the same time as I’m running but we run our own paces. It’s been so fun to see how much they’ve improved!!  Look for their race times for this coming Sunday!

 

Hump Day Hills….

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

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4 miler today. Same hill route I always run. It was just my son and me today. Cold, a little windy, snow and ice still on the ground. I felt awesome and was kickin’ some serious butt when I looked behind me at Taylor and saw him fixing his shoe. So I went back to him. You know when a run starts out feeling epic and then one seemingly innocuous thing happens that changes it all??  Could be your Garmin battery dies, your playlist is way off, your headphone rubber bud is gone for no apparent reason, your shoes are tied too tightly, you feel a monster blister…..  Doesn’t matter what the reason is really.  There are runs I can push through no matter what happens.  I can roll with it.  And other times one thing is off and my entire run is in the crapper.  Such was Tay’s run today…….

Some dirt got in his shoe and was hurting him.  We got it out the second time but after that things just unraveled.  His body ached, the Valentines Day chocolate he ate pre-run felt like lead in his stomach, his head wasn’t in the game.  I stopped and waited for him several times, talked to him but some days it just doesn’t matter.  So I told him he could stop at our house (about half way through) and just be done.  We all have off days and it’s really no big deal.  Don’t get worked up aout it – tomorrow’s a new day.  Nope.  He wanted to finish it so I kept going and he took a shortcut that popped him out ahead of me.  Then he finished the last mile close behind me.  I averaged 9 minute miles, which considering how much I stopped with him was pretty good.  And he felt good that – even though he cut off some mileage, he finished.

Running is supposed to be fun and although at 41 I can push through and tell myself to suck it up, I’d never say that to one of my kids – especially in the initial stages of finding joy in the sport.  So what if we have an off day??  So what if a run sucks big time??  Tomorrow is indeed a new day

My daughter Kezia was at the bottom of the driveway cheering us on today

Taylor waiting for me near the turnaround. How many times have I wanted to just sit down and say "forget it"??? But he finished it!

Tuesday Twelve 2-14-12

14 Tuesday Feb 2012

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Today when I got up and called the airport for the weather it was 32*!! WOW! I’d like 55* but 32* at 6 am is warmer than I’ve run in a long time. My 12 miles felt great – what a nice way to start Valentines Day! I averaged 9:19 minute miles and I took a long walk break to have a V-Day conversation with my kiddos. I told them I was over 7 miles into my 12 miler and that I was on the biggest hill. Gabi said, “Mom, remember to take smaller steps and kind of hunker down like you showed us so that you don’t waste all your energy. When you go down the hill take big strides and go super fast”. Man are they awesome!!!

Chris brought my stuff to the shop (purse, laptop, money bag, etc..) like he does for me every Tuesday when I run to work (because he’s the bomb) and he surprised me with an Orchid plant. It’s beautiful!! We don’t really do V-day for each other. I love the love but don’t love the commercialism and pressure. So that was sweet.

We had dinner together, took a quick trip to Walmart and now I get to lounge in front of the fireplace and watch Justified with him. Such a great day!!

I have the most amazing sister in the world!! She sent me this today! I love her the most-est!!!

Running Love Letter To My Family

13 Monday Feb 2012

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It’s almost Valentines Day. I love this holiday with my kids but dislike it with my husband. I honestly feel like we should treat each other with love and respect every day, get each other little gifts when the desire randomly hits us and try to be romantic regularly. I don’t like how prices quadruple on this holiday and people feel required to do something nice. Chris has gotten me V-day gifts in the past, but not out of a feeling of necessity.  I know when he gets me something it’s because he wants to.  I love, love, love getting presents “just because”.  It makes me feel special.  V-day is like that for my kids.  I just want them to know how special they are to me and although I try to project that daily, nothing says love like a heart shaped box of chocolates.

Dear Family,

I wish there were words to express how much I love you.  I gave up my body to bring you into the world and opened my heart to adopt you in.  In the end I love you all with a ferocity understood only by other mothers.

To my children:  I love running.  It’s my passion.  You’ve grown  up surrounded by healthy food and Mommy taking off for another run.  When you were little it probably didn’t make much sense.  Now that you’re all getting older and I no longer push a stroller you’re joining me.  Sometimes on your bikes, sometimes to crew me (which I love!) and some of you are beginning your own running journey.  I hope you grow to love it as I have.  I hope that it is a place of solace and joy like it is for me.  I hope you understand that I am a better Mommy when I get back from a run because I was able to selfishly carve out some time for me.  I’ve witnessed each of you at the finish line, watched some of you get awards and even felt pride in watching a couple of you pass me.  When we run together I have to slow down but that doesn’t matter.  The conversations we have are priceless, the questions you ask me about running because I”m the “expert” make my heart swell.  Seeing the progress you make, sharing your energy, teaching you – the entire experience is so rewarding to me.  You try to use Gu or Sports Beans during your runs and always drink a chocolate milk after your runs just like me.  You’ve learned about wearing wicking material and all want to go get new running shoes.  You keep taking my running clothes and asking me when we can get more (kids after my own heart).

8 of the Kids

Chris, you run with me more now.  At first I didn’t like it because running was my thing, but now I really look forward to it.  You’re stubborn and although I want to pass on my vault of knowledge, it’s been easier to wait for you to ask.  I see how your time and distance improve and it makes me proud.  I think you’re enjoying yourself more as time goes on.  I like comparing notes, planning our runs, having a schedule.  Even though we don’t run hand in hand (which would be ridiculous) I like knowing you’re there with me.  You support me in my insanity, you offer suggestions, you read my blog and take pictures when I ask.  You sit with me while I try on running shoes I won’t buy (yet), and let me talk about gear.  I love you and running makes me feel closer to you.  Thank you for always being there.

My best friend and running partner in crime

Lazy Sunday

12 Sunday Feb 2012

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Today was a great day. The kind I cherish. Sleep late (8 am baby!!), stay in a tank top all day, clean a little, watch a little golf, lay around, graze on food, read some of my book, hit on my husband, get some cards ready to mail. No shower (Gross, I know)…. Sigh…. Heaven…. Then Chris asked if I wanted to walk our old, blind dogs on their 2 mile “it’s all they can handle anymore but they love to get out still” loop.

Hiking the blind, old dogs

We live up against BLM land and private property so there’s next to nothing behind our house. Love it!! Today, however, a sheriff (a really cute sheriff that has stopped and chatted with Chris when he’s walking the dogs alone and I think she’s crushing on him – how cute!) stopped us and told us they were out in force with dogs looking for a “runner”. How nice!! I’m a runner!!! Oh, not THAT kind of runner…. Gotcha.  The bad kind with felonies.  I’m the other kind of runner.  The badass mom kind of runner.  Just sayin’ hot sheriff who’s eyeballing my husband.

We went on hyper alert and kept our eyes peeled and naturally I went on Ninja mode.  Man, wishin’ I could pack me some heat!!!  They were pretty much everywhere but since we weren’t guilty of anything except not showering we did our walk.

To wrap up our evening we hit Genghis Grill which I love.  We used to frequent there on our steamy dates and got burned out.  It had been a long time and when Chris suggested it I did my happy dance.  The dance is mostly because I don’t have to cook or clean up but no one needs to know that….  Interesting tidbit we noticed.  It’s a healthy place to eat but people aren’t very healthy.  Made me glad I am.  Since I felt that way we finished off our evening at Baskin Robbins.  Almost never go there.  Not healthy but it was fun.  Now to curl up on the couch and people watch the Grammy’s.  So nice to lounge in my wife beater and talk smack about the rich and famous.

Me and Mr Robbins

10K in honor of Sherry

11 Saturday Feb 2012

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Over 20,000 race bibs were printed for todays virtual runToday thousands of people all over the world ran for Sherry. Her story is heartbreaking, maddening, discouraging, disheartening.  It is a fear buried within each runner that burst to vivid life when Sherry went missing.  It’s quite likely that the earth truly did move today as over 20,000 bibs were printed.

Sherry's cousin Beth designed this shirt so I thought it fitting to wear today

My race bib

Chris with his race bib

Chris and Me pre-run

Chris and I ran a 10K today in honor of Sherry.  It was 42*, drizzling and overcast.   The weather kept most people off the bike path and in warmer environments today so it felt lonely out there.  The landscape, bare of leaves, absent of the suns rays and lacking any snow looked bleak and foreboding.  Almost ominous.  The light drizzle and wind increased throughout the run.  The climate outside did nothing to diminish the drive I felt inside.  To bring Sherry’s killers to justice, to find her body and bring it home and give her family some semblance of peace in a time that has been tumultuous for them.

The landscape while running

Looking at the bleak, nearly barren landscape made it seem as if I were resplendent as I ran.  Sherry gave that to me.  That gift.  She loved to run – something she will never again enjoy.  But I did – we all did – today for her, with her, in memory of the beautiful person she was.  It didn’t seem like I was pushing myself today but I PR’d.  I averaged 8:16 minute miles.  Chris pushed and also had a PR at 9:23 minute miles.  Sherry must have been there with us – an angel to guide us all.

I'm not a big crier but 1 mile before the end of the run I started to cry. Then the song "Survivor" came on which insprired me but made me cry more. Then I saw my time. 8:16 minute miles. And here, at the end, crying, I thanked Sherry

Garmin Time!!

 

Thankful Thursday

09 Thursday Feb 2012

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I love my kids. So much. Chris read a study recently (I have no idea who takes these studies, how they’re done, etc…) BUT “studies show” that 80% of married couples are unhappy with their lives, but happy about their children. Sad. Truly. I could have made different choices but I can’t imagine my life any different. I love my life, who I am, my husband and my family.  It’s hard.  But it’s worth it.

The kids are training for their next 5K on Mothers Day.  It’s 3 months away but they like training for something like I do and it’s so much fun to spend that time with them.  Taylor’s training for his first 10K so he’s running more than the other kids and is in more pictures (because he’s running more than the other kids).  Two of my kids are doing the fun run so they ride bikes while we train.  I mapped out an out and back 1.5 miler that’s flat and easy.  Today was so beautiful out that as soon as we got home from school we snacked, changed and left.  Homework can wait….  We need to train!!  Taylor and I stayed at the back and he told me I was right (DUH!) that going slower feels good and it’s nice just to “get the miles done” and not stress.  The other kids paced themselves.  Olivia finally did her own thing and crushed it!!  Alana and Ashlea stayed together and did awesome.  Gabrielle and Kezia stayed at the rear and were slow but consistent.  No worries – we have plenty of time to train.

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