Today's Motivation

RUNNERSWORLD.COM'S DAILY KICK IN THE BUTT:

When you hit a rough patch, try to imagine yourself as an Olympic athlete who's headed towards the finish line. Envision your running form as smooth, graceful, and relaxed. Think of a runner who you really admire and imagine yourself running just like him.

Christine Luff, Mental Tips for Long Runs, About.com Guide

Wheat Belly

It's time for me to own this. Remember all those tweaks I was making to my diet at the end of the summer? Particularly the juice fasting and trying to go gluten-free?

Well, I've rebounded off of it. Hard. As in, I've gained about 10 pounds since August. And that really ticks me off because I had FINALLY gotten down to below 170, after four years of working at it.

Soon it will be the new year, and I will be trying again to lose "that last 10 pounds" like millions of other people. At least I'm in good company. In the meantime, I'll just try to get through the holidays without gaining too much more. Hopefully the long runs I have planned for the day after Christmas and New Year's Day will help somewhat.

Experimenting over, time to go back to what I know works. Count calories! So simple, yet so effective. I don't think that all calories are the same, that I can eat whatever junk I want just so long as I stay in a "caloric deficit" day to day. I think of that as the "Diet Coke" mentality (it's calorie-free, so it must be good for me!) and I just don't believe it. But, I also can't eat unlimited amounts of anything and expect to lose weight. And I certainly can't eat unlimited amounts of homemade pizza or Cookies and Cream. So, after the holidays, first thing I'm going to do is go back to logging my meals daily at My Fitness Pal. (jhmomofmany <-- Look me up!)

I'd rather live happy and die OLD.

It's been a few months, but one of the most inspiring movies we watched over the summer was Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead a Joe Cross Film. I'm not going to do a complete review- feel free to check it out yourself if you're interested- but one particular scene has really stuck with me.

Joe is visiting a diner in Oklahoma, talking with a table of patrons and asking if they would consider changing their diet if they knew it would extend their life expectancy. One of the middle-aged men says he would rather "die happy", and the others agree.

First of all, I believe many people would be healthier we could get rid of this idea that bad habits somehow enhance our life. "At least I'll die happy." So says every smoker, drinker, druggy... and obese binge-eater.

But will you really be happy? Visit the hospitals and nursing homes. Ask those suffering from cancer, diabetes, liver disease, emphysema, or heart failure if they are dying happy. Unfortunately, premature death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person who persists in bad habits or harmful addictions. Even worse is the pain and suffering that usually accompanies these diseases, sometimes lasting years. I find it hard to believe that anybody would actually choose to "go out" this way. Who would do that to themselves or their family?

Of course some people end up with chronic or terminal disease through no fault of their own; I'm not pointing fingers at them. But I'm convinced that nearly all of us have the ability to make choices that will better our own odds of living a longer, healthier life. Get real! We all know the difference between habits that are healthful and those that are not. And really, is that THAT much harder to order a salad rather than a huge entree and appetizers and beers and dessert? Is yet another night of flipping through three hundred channels of reruns really more fun than hitting the gym or going for a walk?

Me personally, I'd much rather give up the junk food and alcohol (already gave up smoking years ago) and live free from these addictions. I want to LIVE happy. And, God willing, in a hundred or so years I will die happy.

Dusty Dashboard

I would be lying if I said I've been meaning to write and just couldn't get to it. Fact is, I haven't felt like writing at all lately.

Thanksgiving was this week, but we did turkey dinner just today. I used to plan for Thanksgiving with an anticipation that was one part excitement, two parts dread. It was different this year. All the hoopla of cooking a complete "from-scratch" turkey dinner just isn't all that different from every day cooking. I did more planning, but the preparation, execution, and clean up was almost like every day.

Think about that. Nine people- three meals almost always eaten at home by all of us. Not counting seconds, that's 27 plates per day! There were nine hundred twenty-five MILLION people who went hungry last year. We eat like kings by global standards, and I quite often complain about it. I should be thankful, and today I am.

I tried to run today on the treadmill. Our treadmill is awesome, but it just can't beat the great outdoors! We may be getting a bit of snow overnight tonight, but I'm going to go out for a run tomorrow. A real run. Another blessing!

A Circuit Workout

This is the Circuit workout I performed today, along with weights used and reps completed:

Warm Up, five minutes
Standard Squat/Curl combo: 10lbs, 30 reps
One-arm Wall Push-Up: 15 reps each side
"Plyo" Wall Push-Up: 30 reps
Wall Squat: 1 min.
Side Lunge with Lateral Raise: 5lbs, 30 reps total (15 each side)
Row/Deadlift combo: 20lbs, 30 reps
Static Plank: 1 min.
Plie Squats with X-Press: 10lbs, 30 reps
Chair Dips: 3 sets of 10 reps
Chest Press in Bridge: 20lbs, 20 reps
Lying Down Triceps Extension in Bridge: 10lbs, 20 reps
Pilates Hundred
Oblique Crunch: 20 reps each side
Concentration Curl: 13lb, 8 reps with strip set of 10lb, 12 reps

I'll be turning 35 in a week. The scale has been going the wrong way the last few weeks, so my present to myself will be getting back into maintenance mode. My goal is to lose two pounds this week. Shouldn't be too difficult. *grin*

Flaming Foxy Lady

I haven't been on the computer much lately. No reason, really- that's just the way it goes, even for this social networking addict. Actually, we are now using a new operating system, which means I need to re-do my browser (Firefox). I hate changing things up on the computer. My tech-savvy Hubby does all the updating; I think if it were up to me, I'd still be using Windows 95.

I got out today for an easy run. I ran intervals yesterday on the treadmill, so I wanted to keep it low-key today. It was really a beautiful day; a little on the cool side, but that's perfect for running anyway. We are really fortunate to be having such nice weather this late in the fall. We haven't even had any snow yet!

Today is the Feast of All Saints, and I wonder if there is a patron saint for runners. I'm sure there is, I just need to look it up. I'm not sure running is all that important for my sanctity, but it sure helps my sanity. I only wish I could handle doing it every day. Maybe that will come with time.

Fit for Real Life

Yesterday we made firewood. The wood was already cut into rounds; it needed to be split, carried to the woodshed, and stacked. We heat with wood only, and winter is closing in, so this isn't a job that can be taken lightly. When you live in the North Woods, having enough firewood is quite literally necessary for survival.

I went for a run, threw meat in the oven for lunch, assigned jobs to the kids, and got to work. Three hours later, another full cord of wood (more or less) was sitting neatly in the shed, ready to keep us cozy this winter. It's a tough job; lots of lifting, throwing, shoving, carrying, and walking. The boys helped a lot, but this time, I chose to do a lot of the work myself.

What's the point of weight lifting if I can't (or won't) lift firewood? If I can do an hour of cardio, but can't tolerate a few hours' labor around the house or yard, can I really say I'm fit? If all my physical activity for the day takes place in the context of a structured workout, then something is out of balance.

Part of this attitude comes from the fact that, for me, working out is "fun" and scrubbing the bathroom or cleaning the yard is decidedly "not fun". All the time, I'm telling the kids that life is not all about having fun. There are some things you do just because you have to do them, and you might as well make the best of it. I suppose it is time for me to start actually listening to all this fantastic advice I'm constantly doling out.

For now, my workout plan is something like this: run every other day (alternating fast, easy, and long runs); cross-train with weights or yoga on non-run days; and something active (house or yard work, trips to town, whatever) every day.

Just real quick...

* This fall was nice, but it is over. The pretty leaves are gone. The weather has been cold and wet. And the snowbirds are back, darn them. "Snowbird" is a local term for these little gray birds (maybe Juncos?) that flock around the roads this time of year- they migrate south just ahead of the snows, and usually arrive about two weeks before the first flurries.

* I'm having a hard time deciding what to do now that there are no races to look forward to and, therefore, no training schedule to follow. I'm still doing something every day, but I feel like there is no focus, other than just doing what I enjoy when I can get to it. Maybe that's not so bad.

* My "middle child" turned 12 last week. In one more year, I'll have three teenagers. I sure do love you, Pumpkin... always have and always will. Also, yesterday was the anniversary of Robert's discharge from the hospital. He wasn't even five pounds yet!

* I am really fascinated by CrossFit, although I haven't tried any of the WODs yet. These folks are freaky-fit!

* Finally, a quote I came across and want to remember: "If it is important to you, you will make time; if not, you will make excuses."

The Plan, Revised

Monday: go to town, go to work, skip working out and throw private pity party instead (done)
Tuesday: go out of town, skip working out, eat 1800 calories in cheesecake (done)
Wednesday: run to VFW and back (2.2 miles, done)
Thursday: maybe cross training in the a.m.; maybe yoga in the p.m.
Friday: maybe easy 3-mile run; weekly weigh in
Saturday: we'll have to see what happens
Sunday: maybe long run

Lazy ass, just hanging out.

It has been very challenging to make time for working out lately. There's what I want to do, what I need to do, what I think others expect me to do, and what I tell myself I should do; all these "To Do's" have been competing for my time and pulling me in different directions. It's like being drawn and quartered only less blood and more Mom Guilt. Why do I insist on feeling inadequate because I can only do one thing at a time, and sometimes I'm going to choose to spend my time "selfishly" working out. It's not silly or a waste: it's cheaper than therapy and healthier than drinking. I have to get through the day somehow!

But, still, rather than thinking of my weekly plan as a "Do or Die" list, I need to approach it as a possibility. If I accomplish my goal, that's great! If I don't, I can just try to figure out what didn't work and why, and how to make it work better next time.

The Plan

It is Sunday again already. Wonder of wonders, the weather is still really nice for October. The Aspens are yellow, and most of the other trees are already bare, but the temps are still above normal for this time of year. I just love it!

Here's my workout plan for the week:
Sunday (today): active recovery with easy yoga (done!)
Monday: long run (6 miles)
Tuesday: cross training
Wednesday: easy run (4 miles)
Thursday: cross training in the a.m. and yoga in the p.m.
Friday: quick run (2 miles)
Saturday: rest day

That's the plan, anyway. We'll see how that works out in real life.

Crazy. Just crazy.

This turned into a difficult week, and I'm not even sure what happened. Did I have a string of bad days because I skipped working out? Or did I skip working out because I had a string of bad days? Does it really even matter? Is there anything I can learn from this week? Will this entire post be composed in rhetorical sentences?

Yes, yes, no, yes, and no.

The important thing is that today is better. Laundry is caught up, dinner time was enjoyable, and the family is not afraid to talk to me. I got out for a 3-mile run today. My smile is back.

:o)

Indian Summer

Fall is in full swing here in the glorious U.P. We are at peak color, and this week we can expect clear weather and highs in the 70's.

My goal this week will be to exercise outside every day: running, walking, biking, or hiking.

How is the weather where you are? Do you plan to get out and enjoy it? I hope so; this is as good as it gets!

Four Quick Things

1) A new poll is up. Vote! Don't be shy!

2) We have been wheat-free for one week, and I like it. My skin is clearing up, my energy levels are improved, my digestion has been better, and, so far, this doesn't seem to be having a negative impact on our food budget.

3) Hubby and I have been doing an Upper Body and Core routine that I put together all by my little amateur self. Basically I chose three of my favorite weight training exercises for each of the major muscle groups of the upper body (or at least the ones I could think of): chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, back, and abs. We do these moves in quick succession through three circuits. It's a fun way for me to start learning to design my own workouts, and I enjoy working out with my favorite buddy in the whole world.

3 1/2) But it is totally unfair that hubby is already stronger than me.

4) I've figured that, in order to get to an "athletic" body composition, I need to get down to 147. That means a loss of another 23 pounds. I don't know if that's a realistic goal, but I might as well keep it in mind.

Juice Name Fail

One of our favorite vegetable juices is based on the recipe called "Mexican-Style Jugo" at the Reboot website.

I decided to enter it in the database at My Fitness Pal, which one way or another led me to look up the word jugo. (It means "juice". Duh.) But thanks to Google, I was taken to this definition, courtesy of the Urban Dictionary:

pedota jugoso: an extravagantly powerful and juicy fart.

I decided to name my entry "Mexican Style Veg Juice". In case you want to try it the way I make it, here's what you put through your juicer (wash and prep as needed, of course):

• one bunch cilantro
• two large cucumbers
• one bunch celery
• two poblano peppers
• two jalapeno peppers or six serrano peppers
• two limes or two lemons (not both)
  

This makes about two quarts of juice. It's so spicy and good- it never lasts long.

We have been wheat-free for three days now. I can only speak for myself, but it hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be. Meal planning and prep is a lot more important when you can't just throw a frozen pizza in the oven. (Going to the Drive Thru has been impossible since we moved here; frozen pizza was our fast food.) When they ask, "What's for [insert meal name here]?" I need to have a good answer or God help me because Betty Crocker can't. That is about the only drawback, and it really isn't a drawback. A little more discipline in the kitchen certainly wouldn't hurt any of us.

What's for dinner? (and breakfast and lunch and snacks)

This week's poll is up. Please share your opinion on diet and eating habits! I'd love to hear comments, especially if you vote "Other".

This week's poll was inspired by a book I got from the library called "Wheat Belly". Modern wheat is evil, and you must never, ever, ever, ever eat it if you value your health and/or digestive organs. That's the basic gist of the book. I predict I will be writing more on this topic in the near future.

Ultimate Workout

On this day four years ago I spent a few hours pushing out an eight-and-a-half pound baby girl.

Happy Birthday, Mary. We all love you lots!

Over the Hill and Through the Woods: Race Report

Today I participated in a race at the Jeffers High School in Painesdale. (Go Jets!) What a beautiful, kick-butt course! And I got a great shirt out of the deal.

First of all, the race is a little more than 5K, and somehow it manages to be almost all uphill. About the only steady downhill part was on a trail that was so rocky and rutted I actually had to keep slowing down to avoid twisting my ankle or landing on my fanny. Then, after that, we were running through sand. (!?) Once we were off the trail and back on the road there was another killer hill, but then it was downhill for a fast couple of blocks to the finish. The official times have not been posted yet, but I'm pretty sure I heard them yell 33:40 as I went through. If so, that's a pace of 9:54 (given the 3.4 mile distance).

I'm pretty sure that finishes out the race season for me. I'd love to do more, but there just isn't that much in the area. Maybe a change of focus will do me some good anyway. I'm really, really grateful to my husband, who supports me in everything I do and has been particularly encouraging with this passion of mine. Thank you, sweetie! I'm also thankful to the big kids who watch the little ones so Mommy can "go for a run".

I love you all.

Photo Journal: Night at the Grocery Store

6:30 p.m. Dinner Time


7:30 p.m. The store is quiet, but it is too early to start closing chores. Dessert time? Oh, well, maybe I could just have a little something. Fruit would be good.

7:35 p.m. That pear was okay, but what I'd really like is a beef stick. Okay, two. And a Tootsie Roll.


10:30 p.m. Home from work, children in bed, and I sit down to finish my food log at MFP. Only problem is, I didn't write it down at the time, and I (intentionally?) lost count after the third Tootsie Roll.

Today, 7:30 a.m. I will move more, eat less. I will not let a few bad choices bring me down. I have a clean slate.

Encouragement

I gotta go to work today. Drag. But I did get my run in- two miles at a 10 minute pace. It was pretty easy. Just a few months ago, two slow miles was the most I could do. I've actually made a lot of progress this summer.

Go, me! :o)

Last Daze of Summer

The apples are ripe, we've had our first frost, and geese are gathering to head south. Yep, summer is almost over, but not today. Today it is hot! And what better way to spend what may be the last hot Saturday of the year than sitting by a large body of water, sipping alcoholic beverages of your choice while your spouse watches the children just outside auditory range? Of course! Going for a long, hot, sweaty run and then blogging about it!

I think of some really weird stuff when I'm out running. It's just a shame that I can't remember much of it later on. Maybe I need to take one of those little voice recorders out with me. There's lots of little gadgets that might make your run easier or more entertaining, but it could easily get out of control. Watch, heart rate monitor, GPS, CamelBak, fuel belt, iPod, cell phone, key carrier, ID holder, and that nifty little jacket that folds up in its own pocket (in case of rain). All designed to be lightweight and strap on to your body one way or another.

I don't own most of that stuff. My watch-slash-heart-rate-monitor stopped working, so I just borrow my son's watch. We have a GPS, but it wasn't designed to be worn and so in order to bring it with me I have to stuff it in my bra where it will not bounce around (as much). This always makes me feel self-conscious. I can only hope that anyone driving by will assume that I am using some type of device that is supposed to be carried in one's bra. I don't usually carry water with me; I own a CamelBak but the darn kids lost the reservoir so until I can buy a replacement it is really just a very small, worthless backpack with a hole in it. I guess a belt of some type would be convenient. Because of where I live and run I don't really need to carry ID or keys or cell phone with me, but it would be nice to have a place to keep chapstick other than the other side of my bra.

Best Mile Yet

Just a quick post to record my current personal best mile: 8 min, 12 sec.

Yes, I am patting myself on the back.

That is all.

Now What?

Unfortunately, the racing season for my area is pretty much over. I know, bummer! There is a 5K on the 17th that I'm considering. Runner Me would love to do it, but Mommy Me is still debating, and Mrs. Me is waiting for hubby's input on the subject. (I love you, honey!)

Perhaps you have noticed that I "forgot" to post my weight and measurements. You are just too polite to say anything. I weighed in yesterday, measured my waist, and stopped there. The fact is, I gained last month (only a bit, but still), and rather than get all bummed and mopey and punish myself for that, I'm just going to tell myself "lesson learned" and continue on.

And so, it is time to come up with some new goals. I'd like to work on increasing my running base and just maybe be ready for a half or even a full marathon next year. I'd also like to do another full round of P90X, and I've heard good things about Turbo Fire. Bellydancing? There are so many possibilities!

First and (Almost) Last: Ed Hansen Race Report

Today was my first 10k and my longest run to date. The day dawned cloudy, wet, and windy. Breakfast, coffee, drive to Ontonagon. Check in, dig through the goodie bag (ooh, a little watch thingie!), easy warm up, one last trip to the PlastiJohn. Soon, it is time to line up.

Bib number one- guess which excited newbie runner sent in her registration ridiculously early? Note the yellow watch thingie.

The Firehouse Alarm sounded, and we were off. About halfway through the first mile, the excitement of the start wore off and I fell into an easy trot. I had lined up at the back so it was easy to pick who to keep pace with. I reached the one-mile marker at about nine minutes. I walked through the first water station at Mile Two; I haven't mastered a technique for grabbing those little water cups without breaking stride. My trick has been to drink the water while counting 50 steps- or 100 steps if I really need a break.

In the Third Mile, my legs started planning a mutiny.
My Legs: "Why are we doing this again?"
My Brain: "Because it's good for us and we enjoy it!"
My Legs: "Easy for you to say, we do all the work while you just enjoy the ride! Hey, there's the 5K track. Let's just take a shortcut. We're dead last anyway."
My Brain: "No, I'm pretty sure that lady in the blue shirt is behind us somewhere. Besides, cheating would be a dumbass thing to do."
My Ass: "Leave me out of this."

And then, there was one mile to go. Oh, dear Mile Five, you were my favorite. My brain had talked my legs into cooperating; the air whooshed effortlessly in and out of my lungs, three strides in, three strides out; the woman that smelled so strongly of fabric softener was no longer directly upwind. The course went into a thickly wooded area and I swear I felt that the trees knew who I was. They watched me pass, indifferent and aloof but not unkind. The very wind seemed to boost me along, willing me to go faster and stronger. Maybe I experienced just a bit of that euphoria I've heard about, a runner's high effected by the beauty of the surroundings and given to me like a gift.

Before I knew it, I was approaching the last corner, and there was my family, cheering for me. "Go, Mom! You're number one! Run faster!" Picking up the pace seemed to require no effort at all; I think I was going all out at that point, but it didn't really feel like it. The fatigue of my effort was right behind me, though. As soon as I stopped my whole body felt shaky and weak.

In the end I finished last in my age group, gender rank 19 out of 20. I came in right behind a seventy-year-old man with a limp. I'm just kidding; he's really 61. My time was 1:02:59, my pace 10:09 per mile, so I was a little off my goal pace of 10 min/mile, but that might have been unrealistic anyway. I didn't win any awards- not even a door prize- but I feel like I came away from this with a great deal. I'm so thankful to be a runner, no matter how slow.

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Yeah, baby!

Easy does it...

Today was my last short run before Sunday's race. My body said to take it slow and easy, so I did a walk/run even though it was only two miles. My body complained of being stiff and a bit sore so I will give it a sauna and some extra stretching this evening. My body also said it wants cherry schnapps in 7Up (a.k.a. the Dirty Doctor), but I decided to ignore that request. Listening to My Body is not always a good thing.

It is the beginning of the month but I am postponing taking my weight and measurements until Monday. I'm a little nervous about what the outcome will be; I've been working my butt off but feeding my sweet tooth. (I can afford this Snickers- I ran today!) I had a personal goal to avoid the scale this month in order to focus on fitness rather than weight. I'll be sure to record the outcome of my little "experiment".

Weekly Poll

Brought to you by Wow, Mom!

If you're like most people, you enjoy voicing your opinion on various topics. That's why a Weekly Poll will be featured on this blog. Sometimes serious, usually silly, always relevant to running, or sometimes coffee. I'll (try to remember to) post a new poll topic every Tuesday. Cast your vote on the upper right-hand side. Be heard!

Ouch!

My knees are really hurting today, so I'm taking it easy. I don't think this is an actual injury; they both hurt the same, and they started hurting after my run yesterday, not during. I'm hoping by tomorrow they will feel better. I'm supposed to run three miles tomorrow, then two miles on Thursday, then rest two days before Sunday. I'll see how it goes.

My poor knees. I think they have aged twice as quickly as the rest of me. Actually, almost all my joints pop and crackle without provocation, but especially my knees. It's a little embarrassing when I'm trying to do squats or lunges and whoever is in the room asks, "What's that noise?" It's not a bowl of Rice Crispies cereal or somebody tearing apart celery; it's just Mom's old knees.

Dress Rehearsal

Today was my last long run before next weekend's 10k. Last night I got my gear together: pants, check; bra, check; shoes, check; chapstick, check. I tried to make it feel like I was getting ready for race day. I even felt a little nervous. Until today, my longest run was 5 miles; the idea of going farther than that worried me.

From the minute I got up, I was trying to make excuses as to why I couldn't go on a long run today. I was too tired. (I wasn't.) The baby was going to be grumpy. (She was happily playing with big brother.) I have to work tonight. (So what?) I was getting myself ready to run while simultaneously talking myself out of running at all.

For breakfast I had some leftover juice from last night (cucumber, celery, beet, and grapefruit with some lemon juice), a small banana, espresso with half and half, and a small spoon of chunky JIF. I waited about 45 minutes, did a quick warm-up, and arranged for Thomas to be my "Water Station". I decided to go south on our road as far as the VFW, then north past the house to the stop sign, then home. I figured that would be not quite 5.5 miles, but I fully intended to cheat and call it close enough.

It was a perfect morning to be out, but I just wasn't feeling it at all. The entire first mile I was wondering who I would have to call or e-mail to switch from the 10k to the 5k. I was carrying Chuck's GPS with me, and I kept checking it about every quarter mile without really even seeing what it said. Thomas was waiting at the driveway with some water for me; that cheered me up, and I started actually enjoying being out.

As I neared home I realized I didn't want to cheat on the distance. "F-ck you, I can do this," I said out loud, and turned up Juno Road instead of just going home. I'm not sure who that was directed to. Maybe I was talking to my feet who were begging me to just get OFF of them for a minute. Maybe the road, for its indifferent uphillyness. Most likely, I was talking to myself. Or, rather, that part of myself that would so much prefer to spend a Sunday morning eating pancakes and sausage and syrup by the gallons and then trying to read a good book but falling asleep in an insulin stupor.

I am proud to say that the Active Me won out over the Apathetic Me. I ended up doing 5.73 miles (plus a cool-down walk) in one hour, seven minutes and change. I will not be calling anybody about changing my race registration. I may be the slowest 10k runner, but I will finish that race!

Rest Day

I'm still here. Even when I'm not running, I'm running.

Always running.

Run With Me

Here are the things I was thinking about this morning, running down and back up the road.

Wow, that sun is hot today. It's nice out here, though; that wind is nice and cool. I love it out here. Thank you, God, for this day. Now I'm going to run. I love God with my heart, my lungs, and my legs. [...] It's hot out here. That fly is obnoxious. I guess he's drinking my sweat. I'm thirsty. [...] Wonder if the neighbor has had her baby yet. The car and the van are both there, so I guess probably not. I'll have to ask her if she'd like a meal. Wish I would have eaten breakfast before I left. [...] I'm so thankful I can do this.

Wow, first mile in 9:25. I better try to slow down or I'm not going to make it. That sun is really hot. Thank God for the wind or I'd be burning up. My feet sure are hot. I wonder if I need bigger socks. [...] That darn right hip. Didn't I read that runners who run on the road have more problems with their right hip? Or was it their left hip? Something about the way the road is paved to allow water to run off. I'll have to google that. [...] There's that old guy that wears that "Grumpy Old Fart" hat. Oh, he waved at me. Well, that's nice. [...] I got up that hill pretty easy. I remember when I had to walk that one. Don't trip on the train tracks.

Halfway there. Time is 15:25. I'm tired now. Better walk for a minute, but just for a minute. There's a lot of cars on the road. Wish I had my sunglasses, feels like a disguise. That's silly, as if everybody doesn't recognize me. I'm the tallest person in town. *giggle* [...] Wow, that wind feels good, but geez, it's going to be hard getting back up the road. I hope Chuck has coffee for me; he said he would. My head hurts. [...] Don't trip on the train tracks. [...] "Against the wind. See an old man run! Against the wind, runnin' against the wind." [...] Oops, glad nobody is behind me. I wonder, what is the etiquette for farting during a race? Chuck would say it's my secret weapon. *giggle* Almost there. [...] Damn wind.

Oh, thank God, I'm home. I can walk the rest of the way, it's not cheating it's cooling off. I'm going to go in, drink a bunch of water, have some cereal with almonds and some coffee, and come up with something brilliant to put on my blog.

Sunday Thanks

Five things I'm thankful for:

1. Chuck's new bike, which allowed us to go for a great ride this afternoon.

2. My job, which really isn't that bad, despite how much I complain about it.

3. Lucy is so cute walking, something she couldn't really do just a week ago.

4. These beautiful days of late summer that make me feel I really do live in the most beautiful place in the world.

5. Lambrusco.

Today's Post

In Which I Lose 45 Pounds and my Lofty Ideals

When I started working out after Mary was born, I had noble goals. I realized I was dangerously out of shape when I couldn't even get upstairs without losing my breath. The thought of developing diabetes, heart disease, or even cancer scared me; I just wanted to "be there" for my kids. It suddenly became important to me to care for my body as a Temple of God (which, indeed, it is... see 1 Corinthians 3:16) so that I would be prepared to do the Lord's work. I told myself it wasn't about a number on the scale; it was how I felt that defined my success. Being slimmer would help me achieve my true objective, improved health, but was not the end in itself.

Now I can admit, I also was tired of looking like this:


Yes, that is me in April, 2007. To be totally fair, I was three months pregnant for the seventh time. But wow... I was "healthy" in the Urban sense of the word. It is no coincidence that my frumpy, dresses-only phase and my fat phase occurred at the same time. Further self-analysis will have to wait for another time, but it does feel good to admit that I can be shallow and vain, too.

So if you compliment me on my weight loss, I will smile and demurely thank you and stretch for just the right reply. But inside I'm thinking , "Yes, yes, yes, YES!" Feeling good makes me look good, and looking good makes me feel good. That's not such a bad goal.

Bonk!

"Macho, macho Mom! I've got to be, a Macho Mom!"

I totally ran out of steam on my run today. In the fitness industry this is known as "bonking". I think they should come up for a different name; bonking sounds almost like fun. "Hey, wanna go bonking after lunch?" "Sure! I'll bring the gin and you bring the horseshoes!" Bonking doesn't feel fun. It feels more like trudging through your own personal nightmare where you're running as fast as you can but getting nowhere. The monster gets you in the end.

I made three mistakes today. First, I tried to do a two-mile tempo (I think that mean "faster than usual") run immediately following a 36-minute circuit session with weights. I should have given myself at least a little time to recover.

During that time to recover, I should have made sure I was sufficiently hydrated, and maybe I should have had a snack- an apple or something light like a Snickers bar.

It worked for Ben Husby!

And my third mistake, potentially the most critical: I forgot to apply fresh Chapstick. Because any misery is made even more miserable by dried, flaky lips.

We have a spelling program (Sequential Spelling- it's great!) that uses the motto "Mistakes are opportunities to learn". Tomorrow I rest, Saturday I cross-train, and Sunday I run five miles. It's going to be an awesome weekend. But today, I'm bonking. Now... where did I leave my gin?

Life is a Bike Ride

I've got an hour before leaving for work, but I told myself I'd write every day and I'm only like four days in on this blogging thing, so this is going to be a fairly half-assed post rife with grammatical errors and puerile simile.

Chuck, Raechel, Joseph, Thomas, and I went for a bike ride today. We went "around the block" which is actually about 7.5 miles practically all uphill. I am the proud owner of an old Bay Point 3-speed bike. It looks exactly like this only it has a little turn signal thingie that doesn't work and a pink plastic basket wired up front, the kind of basket that really belongs on a bike for a toddler girl. A neighbor gave it to us last week, but this was the first time I've really taken it out for a ride. It was so much fun, much easier than running!

I've decided that life is a lot like a bike ride. Sometimes you're going uphill; the effort is daunting, exhausting, and the bigger the hill, the less sure you are that you're even going to make it at all. But then you do make it. Then you get to fly downhill, your feet sticking out to either side and the wind in your hair and just when you think it is the MOST AWESOME MOMENT EVER a bug flies in your mouth and ruins the whole thing and then you're stuck slogging uphill again.

But that's just life. Enjoy the ride.

Fast Eddie

Fast Eddie Rousseau visited with me at the store last night. He was a Mass City boy who now lives in Minneapolis. I didn't think to ask his permission to mention him on my blog, and I don't want to sound too gushing, but he is my running hero. You can read about him here or here. (At the very least, click the first link to see an awesome picture of him passing a younger runner; Ed is gritting his teeth, giving it all he's got, while the kid is clearly wondering where the hell the old man came from.)

My run today was three miles. I had Chuck drive me 2.8 miles out, then I ran a quarter mile past our house and walked back. I am fortunate to live where I do; plenty of country roads, no traffic, beautiful views. At just over a ten minute pace, I was going nice and slow. I always go slow. I read training schedules that talk about running in different paces; 5k pace, 10k pace, marathon pace, tempo pace, etc. I have three paces: jogging, running as fast as I can (which I can't keep up for long), and walking. At this point I've been running for less than six months, so I guess I should expect to still be slow. Trying to be encouraging, Raechel pointed out that the slow and steady tortoise won the race, to which I replied, "Yeah, but the snail wasn't even invited!"

I may be slow, but damn it, at least I'm out there trying. And maybe in a few years when I'm able to run faster and longer, just maybe I can inspire somebody who wants to run but has too many excuses. Reading about Fast Eddie two years ago, I thought, "If he could do it, so can I." Well, if I can do it, so can almost anybody.

Rodney Yee and Me

I've been using this 10K training schedule to get ready for the Ed Hanson Memorial Run in Ontonagon on Sept. 4th. Today, Monday, is stretch and strengthen, so I combine the two with a little yoga.

I really enjoy yoga. It reminds me of my years of ballet; get into a really uncomfortable position and then "hold, hold, hold, forever, forever, forever"... and then do a push up. I always work up a gooey sweat doing yoga, even though I'm basically standing, sitting, or even lying down on a mat only a little bigger than a bathtub. If you like twisting, reaching, perspiring heavily, and breathing only through your nose, yoga is the workout for you.

The Yoga X workout from the P90X system is a great routine, if you have an hour and a half to spend on your practice. I like Tony Horton's style as an instructor, and the routine is by far more complete than any other I've ever done. But it is 90 minutes long!

So, today I did Rodney Yee's Total Body Power Hour Starring Rodney Yee's Really Tight Blue Shorts.


That's not what the DVD is actually called, but it's something like that. This is a "Three Bears" workout: not too easy, but not too difficult. Just right for Mondays when I have an hour and a half to write a blog post, hang more laundry, cook lunch, nurse the baby, and get ready for work.

While I was twisting, reaching, and perspiring, Chuck and some of the kids went for a bike ride. When they got back, Daniel flopped himself on the couch with a sigh and said, "I need a recovery cookie." Joseph accidentally made way too much oatmeal for breakfast, so we are going to try this recipe for Leftover Oatmeal Cookies. Healthy and frugal. And since they are oatmeal cookies, I won't be tempted to eat the batter.

Out for a Sunday Run

Today was my 4.5 mile "long" run. For breakfast I had my usual glass of juiced grapefruit and lemon, plus a piece of leftover homemade pizza from last night. Robert started off with me; we walked up the hill for the first quarter mile as a warm-up. He didn't want to jog, but I went ahead. The first half mile was not too fun, but after that I got in the groove. Raechel caught up to me with Mary on her bike. Then Thomas and eventually Joseph came along on their bikes.

Usually my run is "my" time, and I guard it jealously. I'm not the type to run with a pack- I prefer to set my own pace and let my mind wander. But today I enjoyed their company and constant chatter. Being able to talk with them helped me realize that I was, indeed, staying at an easy pace.

I had to take two walk breaks up two hills in the last mile. I could probably have pushed through them, but I decided to be conservative on account of the twinge I was feeling in my right hip. I did manage a nice little kick at the end. Wow, does that feel good! My time was 50:04- pace was 11:07.

Now I think I'll go take a nap.

First Post

I always feel a little weird starting a new journal or diary. Should I introduce myself? Do I need to provide background information or context? Or do I just dive right in?

Since this blog will mostly be for me (although I hope others enjoy reading it, too) I've decided to just jump right in. Anybody who follows me will already know me or, if they hang out long enough, will come to know me. "What you see is what you get."

I promise two things: I will write regularly (not necessarily daily), and I will always be honest. This blog will be my food diary and exercise journal as well as my place to write about my fitness journey, races, and whatever else is on my mind. It might not always be pretty, but it will be real. Wherever the road leads, I hope the journey is a beautiful and sweaty one!