Where I Have Come From....

Over the last week, I have been feeling frustrated on my runs. I just don't feel like I am getting faster. I know I am still getting back into it, but I just feel like even my short runs are being run at a long slow pace. After further thought, I remembered that 3 weeks ago I had questioned whether I was at a place where I could run a 10K, and now I find myself signed up for a 1/2 marathon and having completed a 10 mile run with only minor complaints. I know the speed will come as my endurance builds and I begin to work speed workouts into my routine.

I had a pretty good workout today considering my legs were still pretty sore from Sunday's run. I did a brick workout in the form of 1 hour of spin class followed by a quick 15 minute run. I did the run around the track at our gym and did not bother to check my pace, but I felt relatively quick. Depending on how my legs feel tomorrow will determine if I lift weights or take the day off. If I go for the latter, I will be doing my weights on Wednesday and Friday instead of Tuesday and Thursday as initially planned.

Double Digit Bliss

It has been a few days since writing, but all is indeed well. The in-laws are in for a quick but fun-filled visit. Yesterday was a great day despite the rainy weather. We headed over to the state park with the boys to let Andrew wear off some energy followed by lunch out. We attempted church at 5:30, but unfortunately Andrew decided not to sleep during naptime, and after about 30 minutes of tantrums, I ended up taking the boys home and put Andrew to sleep. He was in bed by 6:15 last night and I did not hear from him until almost 7:45 this morning. The little guy was pooped.

Today was a much needed run after a few days off in a row. Despite the cool and windy weather, my running buddy Jennifer and I hit the trails for a 10 mile run. It went well and we had lots to chat about. I was not really 'up' for the run today, so I was very glad to have someone to do it with, and by the end was feeling pretty good about it. Next week we tackle 11 in preparation for our half marathon in less than 4 weeks.

After the run, we headed to brunch with Grandma Connie and Grandpa Ray. We tried to get a family picture. Grandpa Ray even tried to bribe the boys. We did the best we could.

This afternoon we even did an Easter egg hunt. We had a great time visiting with the grandparents and are looking forward to seeing them in a few months in Wisconsin.

One month to go...

It is hard to believe, but in one month, I will be running the Nashville Half Marathon. After last weekend's 9 miles, I was brimming with confidence, but I have been pretty wore out the last few workouts. Tuesday called for a 30 minute run which went only okay. I felt like I was struggling to find a good tempo and pace. I did an out and back run and realized more on the way back that it was slightly downhill which meant on the way out, I was at a slight incline which may explain some of the difficulty I was having. I also was pushing Parker in the jogger, so that can also explain some of it. Parker is teething and has been up quite a bit throughout the night, so I know that is contributing too.

Today I did a brick-45 minute bike followed by a 15 minute run. I felt pretty good, and while the boys napped I did my weights and core workout. I didn't feel as strong as I have the last few weeks, but due to family scheduling, I am now 'off' for 3 days before my long run on Sunday. I think it will be a well enjoyed break.

Is It Happening Already??

First off a quick recap on my training. Yesterday was a 60 minute bike ride that went well, but I definitely need to have some adjustments made to my gears. I rode on the trainer while I watched a wonderfully awful movie on Lifetime. Today I took a 60 minute spin class at the gym and then headed home with the boys to enjoy this great weather. While they napped, I lifted total body and did my core workout followed by a good long stretch. Training is definitely going well.

Back to the title of today's post. On the way home from the gym, Andrew said "I don't have any friends." I was taken aback and immediately shocked. I asked Andrew why he said that and he said the boy told me that. During the 20 minute ride back, we recounted all the friends that he had. I know it affected me more than Andrew, but it made me sad that someone would say that to a 2 1/2 year old. After Andrew's nap, I asked him about it to make sure he was okay and not still thinking about it (like his mom was), and I was happy that he started naming all of his friends, and was not upset at all. He actually said, let's talk about the Little Einsteins.

The rest of the day has been gorgeous here. We have been spending our evenings playing outside each night and today was no different. While I pushed Parker on his swing, Dad and Andrew played in the sandbox. They built a big sand hill. Andrew fell on it and started yelling, "Oh no, oh no, I broke Bays Mountain." (Bays Mtn is a local mountain with a nature center and trails we frequent.) It is so cute to see his imagination hard at work.

9 DOWN.

Well, WE did it. I definitely have to say WE because I am not sure I would have made it without a good friend to keep me company and entertained. Jennifer and I started a 9 mile run just after sunrise this morning. It went well, actually better than I thought it would. I do have two blisters that began around mile 5. I was breaking in my new shoes, and it may have been prudent not to do so on a longer run, but I wore them for a 3 mile run earlier in the week without difficulty. I was scared the blisters were going to be big by the time I finished the run, but they really are not too bad.

Tomorrow I have a 60 minute bike ride. I had originally thought about heading outside, but after some minor bike maintenance today, I have changed my mind. I am going to bike on the trainer tomorrow so I can practice clipping/unclipping my bike shoes and changing gears without the fear of cars, dogs, or falling. I am going to try to maintain a positive outlook on my cycling this season.

Happy Spring!

Happy First Day of Spring! It is hard to believe it is spring and not winter with the cold weather we are having today.....okay, so it is currently 57, but it feels colder. Fridays are music class days, and we had a great music class. Andrew tends to be shy in a new situation, but I think he is over it (class #3 today), and was fully immersed in participating and interacting with the other kids. After class, we went to the local state park where we met friends for some cold play time and a nice little walk. I should have known I would be doing a lot of chasing of Andrew when we pulled in and he said "this is the running away park". It has a HUGE playground and Andrew is determined to cover every square inch of it. Due to the cooler weather, it was empty for most of the time we were there, so he was able to cover a lot of ground. We also met a friend's new baby boy-only a week old today. It is incredible to me how small we all start, and how fast we grow too.

Today's workout consisted of full body lifting and a core workout along with my daily stretching. I felt pretty good, and can definitely tell I am gaining strength, especially in my core. I may not have a 6 pack, but I have come leaps and bounds since my surgery just over 4 months ago.

Tomorrow will be a true test. My friend Jennifer and I will be attempting....scratch that, running 9 miles. The course we will be doing is relatively flat with a few small hills, but nothing too intimidating. I am so grateful to have a buddy to pound the pavement with and keep me going. It is supposed to be a very cold night tonight and we are going to be starting with the sun tomorrow, but it will be good to get it done and spend the rest of the day with our families.

I am also hoping to sneak away on Sunday for about an hour to take my bike out. The last time I rode was in October of 2007 during my last triathlon. I stopped biking right after that because I was pregnant with Parker. I am sure I will come away with a few battle scars, but hopefully nothing permanent.

Happy Birthday to You!

First off, Happy Birthday to my big sister Johanna today. I recall teenage arguments over clothes or the phone, or really anything, and my mom saying 'someday she will be one of your best friends'. I guess mom was right.

Second, Happy 9 months (and 2 days, but today was his check up) to my sweet little Parker. It is hard to believe he has been with us for 9 months, but I barely remember life without him. He is growing well. His weight was 20.0 lbs and length was 28.5 inches which puts him right at the 50th percentile for size.

Today was my day off from working out. I look forward to a day off, but then struggle not to do a quick run or some other kind of workout. I know the days of recovery are really important, but I think I am so new back to my training that I am scared a day off may lead to many more. The further I get into my training, the farther back in my mind this thought is pushed.

Here are some pictures from the last few days enjoying the great weather outside.

A New Day

Today's workout called for a brick. This is a triathlon term referring to a short run session after a long bike session. Basically, your legs feel like bricks as the blood flow to your muscles adjusts to the change from biking to running. I biked for 75 minutes followed by 15 minutes of running. I was not sure how 75 minutes on an indoor bike would go, but when you have kids and a husband that works, you can only expect so much freedom on the weekends. (I am planning to do a 9 mile run on Saturday morning and an approximately 1 hour bike ride on Sunday.) It went better than anticipated and I even felt pretty great on the run portion which was very surprising. I left the gym once again feeling like a triathlete. It has been a long hard road back, but I definitely now know I am back.

To make the day go even better, I received a phone call after returning from the gym that took a huge load off my mind. November 17th, I had back surgery for an extrusion to my L5-S1. I had experienced back pain for 11 months prior to surgery and had been in PT for almost 8 of those months seeing my physical therapist on a weekly basis. Anyways, about a month after having surgery, I received a call from my insurance company letting me know my case was being reviewed and there was a chance it would not be covered. I have not shared this with a lot of people because I did not really want to talk about it or think about it since there really was nothing I could do but wait. Well, the call came today to let me know my $40,000+ surgery/hospital stay/testing would be covered completely.

I am hoping to get some pictures of the family up tomorrow. It has been so nice here and we have spent the last few nights playing on the swing set and in the sandbox after dinner. We are all ready for summer.

Finally, a great quote that Connie shared with me today.

"The truth is you can always run faster...and the truth hurts."

Back from the dark side....

The stomach bug proved to be a 24 hour bug afterall. It was a rough 24 hours, but I think it is over. I was moving a bit slow this morning, but still managed to get a 30 minute run in tonight. If both kids are still healthy tomorrow, I should be able to get a bike ride in at the gym tomorrow morning and hopefully a lifting and core session as well.

Not too much more to say, but I did want to share a quote I saw today and liked.

"Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got, and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you."
William James

Sick Day

Lord I hope it is only a day. On Saturday night, for the second time in his 2 1/2 plus years, Andrew threw up....A LOT. It was actually only one time, but it was everywhere and seemed to be everything he had eaten in the last week. That followed by 24 hours in which we used over 30 diapers on his poor little bum but only one more episode of vomiting, and he seems to be good to go. I have been so busy watching Parker for signs of sickness that I failed to see that I was putting on 3 layers to hang out in my 72 degree house today and still freezing. I thought maybe I just needed coffee to shake off my chills, but my tummy quickly said "NO THANKS" in my kitchen sink. So, hopefully tomorrow I will be back at it and this will truly be a 24 hour bug.

Mission Completed

This morning was the Chasing Snakes 10K run in Johnson City, TN (20 minutes from us). It was a cool and very rainy day, but a success nonetheless. Pictured here are Jess (in red) and Jenn (blue) along with me in green. This is post race and if you look at my shirt, you can get an idea for how wet we got. I did many pre-Parker/Julia (her daughter) runs with Jenn and we are just now getting back into it. We had a good time running together and were able to catch up quite a bit. I accomplished my meager goal of running the full 6.2 miles. I kept telling Jenn that I think come August we will laugh at the effort it took to run at that pace, but I am still proud of all of us. I think more in passing than anything else, Jenn mentioned that she was doing the Nashville Half-Marathon April 25th and thought I should do it too. I shrugged it off, but I kept thinking about it all day. I did not think my sister Johanna who lives in Nashville was doing it because she is doing a full a few weeks later in Green Bay, WI, but after chatting with her today, she said she was all signed up, and now I am too. I think that was what gave me that last little nudge to go for it. It feels so good to be back racing (mainly against myself obviously) and working up a sweat.

Time to go stretch out. I think I will be very glad in the morning that I did.

Warm Thoughts Please

Tomorrow is the Chasing Snakes 10K race in Johnson City. It seemed like such a fantastic idea last week when it was sunny and 75. The forecast for tomorrow morning is rain, rain, rain....oh yeah, and cold too. The meteorologist on the local news gave the rain chance at 100%, so we will be wet. Other than that, I am looking forward to it. So, send your warm thoughts my way. I am off to stretch.

Today was a surprisingly nice day...not 70s, but 60s with no rain, so we were able to have some fun playtime outside after the gym. I did 45 minutes of cycling today and it went well. The plan was to do about 12 miles, but I pushed it a bit and did 13. I have 14 1/2 weeks until the half-ironman, and I know I will have good and bad days, but hopefully I will continue to enjoy my workouts.

Here are some pictures from this weekend. We were playing on the screen porch, and

Andrew started walking around with these plastic envelopes from his Little Tikes house on his feet and saying they were his 'roller coasters'. I had no idea what he was talking about until he started making skating motions. I realized then he meant they were his rollerSKATES. He has such an imagination.

Also a huge congratulations today to our friends Amy, Andy, and Drew who welcomed Baby Quinn into their family.

Baby Steps

I think it is really important to have goals and to break those goals up into little tiny goals and steps. Today I enjoyed what looks to be the last 70 degree day for us for at least a week. (I know you Wisconsinites and Minnesotans feel awful for me.) My schedule called for a 30 minute run. I was determined to do this as a full 30 minutes of running, and to increase the challenge, I chose the hillier of the two routes on the Greenbelt. It is not terribly hilly, but there were some tough moments. I had Parker along in the double jogger (it is just that much better than the single we have) and took off. I started off way too fast and had to use my Garmin a lot to pull back and find a pace I could maintain. The first 5 minutes were a little bit rough, so I broke my 30 minute goal down a bit-if I could run for 15 minutes, I could stop and take a 1 minute water/stretch break, but I HAD to make it 15 minutes. Well, by 15 minutes I was feeling pretty good, and I was at 1.42 miles (I did mention I am not fast right?). I figured I should at least go until I hit 1.5 miles, so that was the next step.

At 1.5 miles I was smack dab in the middle of the big hill on the route. A golden rule I have is I never stop running on a hill. I can stop once I have crested it, but I don't walk a hill. This has helped me in many triathlons to beat my competition. (I once had a girl that placed second to me in my division tell me that after I passed her on the hill (she was walking), she knew she would never catch me.) I crested the hill and told myself if I could run up the hill, I could definitely run on the flat section too. Next thing I knew, I was at the turn around point and still running (no walking at all or stopping). The nice thing about the hilly route is the way back is at a slight downgrade, so you feel fantastic which I absolutely did. When I hit the 30 minute mark, I still felt great; Parker was asleep; and I was at 2.91 miles.

I decided I should at least finish out the 3. At that point, I was still .6 miles from my car and had planned for this to be a nice walk to cool down. I decided I should just slow my run down and jog the cool down. I felt so great when I came to my car that I just kept on going a tad bit further and finished out the run at 4 miles with .5 mile walk to cool down after that. To be honest, if time was on my side and I did not have a zillion errands to run today, I would have went for at least 5 miles.

It feels so good to be back working out hard and not having any pain in my back or hamstrings. I am really looking forward to the run on Saturday. I think a 10K will be a great distance at this point and give me ample time to catch up with my good friend Jennifer who is also running it with her sister and brother-in-law.

Tomorrow's workout calls for 45 minutes on the bike. I will be doing this at the gym since both kids will be with me tomorrow (no preschool for Andrew) and it is supposed to rain. In case anyone is wondering, no I have not been out on my road bike this year. I sort of fear my bike. I fell on it quite a bit-once in dog poo- when I first started clipping in, and I know that there will most likely be some spills as I get used to it again. So for now, I am once again delaying the inevitable.

(For my northern friends, as I write this at 8:20 PM, I am sitting out on my deck in 73 degree weather. Miss you all. :))

Good Times

What a gorgeous weekend we were lucky enough to have. Kevin was on a golf trip to South Carolina, but he enjoyed equally nice weather, just not with the kids. Yesterday we headed over to the state park for a run/walk and some playground time. I had planned to do 3 miles, but after 2 Andrew was dying to get out and play on the playground that we could see across the lake. He had been so good up to that point and the day before while I did my five miles, so I decided to indulge him. We were the only ones there for the first hour, and it was great to let him have a little bit of extra freedom. After about 90 minutes, he was ready for a snack, so I loaded the boys back into the stroller and took off again for Duck Island. The ironic thing is there are often many more ducks on the shore opposite of Duck Island-whatever. In total yesterday I clocked 3.5 miles, so I was more than pleased since that was more than I intended to do. I also ended up running more than I intended to as Andrew is proving to be a tough coach. When your 2 year old is yelling, 'go mom go, come on run faster', it is hard to say no.....especially with an audience commenting how cute it is.

Today we were once again blessed with fantastic mid 70 degree weather, so after a 1 hour spin class that left me with blisters on the top of my feet, we came home to play outside. Tomorrow is supposed to be our last 70+ degree day for the next week, so it will be an outside run with Parker while Andrew is at school.

It's a Small World

Yesterday was a nice day spent with the kids. The day started out with music class and from there we headed to the local park/zoo/nature center at Bays Mountain. It is a nice nature park that has wolves, bobcats, fish, owls, turtles, and other animals from the area.

Today was a beautiful day and we took full advantage of it. We started out the day with a fantastic run/walk at the Greenbelt of 5 miles with both kids keeping me company in the stroller. Andrew kept saying "Go Mom Go", and if I would stop to walk, he would say, "We should run again." I was pretty pleased with how it went and really felt pretty great. After that we grabbed lunch from Panera Bread and headed home for some quality swing set time. Perhaps the best part of the day was running into Jennifer with her sister/bro-in-law, Becky, Meredith, and Claire, and finally Fonda and Aidan. Everyone was fully enjoying this gorgeous weather.

Tomorrow is supposed to be another nice day, so I am planning to take the kids on another stroller run at the State Park. I am going to try to limit it to around 3 miles. I also have moved my weights session for Tuesday and Thursday to tomorrow and Wednesday so my legs are a little fresher for the 10K on Saturday.

Quick Post and Some Laughs

Just a quick post tonight. I had a good run at the gym today. I only had to do 3o minutes. I was a little concerned because I 'fought' the treadmill for the first 20 minutes before I felt comfortable. At the end of 30 minutes, I definitely felt as though I could keep going a lot longer, so I consider it to be a good run, still not anywhere near fast. I also had to do weights for upper and lower body today along with a core workout and 20 minutes of stretching. By the time I had completed everything, I was pretty worn out, so tomorrow will definitely be low key. My training plan gives me the next two days off, but it is supposed to be in the mid to high 70s here, so there most certainly will be an outdoor run with the boys.

I am borrowing this video from a friend's blog. It is definitely worth checking out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus
It puts a lighter spin on our current economic state and the sense of entitlement many Americans feel. Enjoy!

Slight Change of Plans

After finishing my blog last night, I jumped on a local runner's website and came across a 10K run next week in honor of St. Patrick's day called Chasing Snakes. An interesting bit of trivia-it is named this in honor of St. Patrick of Ireland who is said to have cursed all the venomous snakes in Ireland and forced them into the sea where they drowned never to return to the Isles. Why am I talking about this run again? Oh yeah, so after I discussed the importance of not over training, I decided I should run this and signed up for it. It is not too much of a stretch considering my schedule calls for 45 minutes of running, but let me tell you, 6.1 miles most certainly will not be done in 45 minutes at this point.



I e-mailed my favorite running buddy who is also currently speed challenged due to recently delivering a baby girl-Julia. After some rearranging of her schedule, it looks like she will be running it too. I am really looking forward to this run. I really enjoyed running with her pre-Parker/Julia, and it will be great to do it and enjoy some girl talk. I did realize that this will be the first time I have done a race run over 5 miles other than in a triathlon, so I am not sure how this will be, but my one and only goal will be to finish comfortably running.



Today's workout was 45 minutes of cycling which again was done at the gym due to the cold/lack of a babysitter. I am pleased to say that it felt good, and as much as I hate to cycle, I am looking forward to getting outside on my bike and enjoying some scenery.

The Plan

Yesterday after looking at my 12 week training schedule slated to start March 28th to prepare me for the High Cliff triathlon, I was left with the feeling of 'now what?' I am the type of person who wants to have a plan for each workout. I decided to make some adjustments and instead of having 4 weeks of a base, I will now have 8, so , I have now begun my official training.

Today consisted of a 45 minute run, not real fast, but four miles nonetheless. I was pleased, not necessarily due to my speed, but I maintained a consistent pace, and I felt really good. I could have kept going, but I thought it was best to stick to my plan and not overtrain too early. I also lifted upper and lower body as well as core, and finally a 20 minute stretching routine which I am hoping to implement daily. If my back surgery taught me anything it was that stretching and flexibility is VERY important.

On a more personal note, Kevin was out of town for some work training overnight. He has returned home. It was more than enough time for me to realize I do NOT want to ever be a single parent.

I am looking forward to this weekend. It is supposed to be a very nice weekend with temperatures in the high 60s and 70s. I will probably try to get in a short outdoor run with the boys. My schedule actually calls for me to take the weekend off, but I don't think I will be able to resist.

When the Cats Away the Mice Will Play

Kevin is out of town, so I had solo bath time with the boys. This is actually the first time that the boys have taken a bath together (without Kevin or I in the tub with them to moderate). I hope that in the future Parker will appreciate what a great big brother Andrew is, and that Andrew will continue to be such a wonderful big brother. Andrew shared his bath toys and also helped to wash Parker. I am sure there will be many more shared baths to come.

The other 'adventure' of the day came this morning while at the gym. I just cannot battle this cold weather on a bike. I decided to take a spin class at the gym to get in some much needed cycle time. I was pleased with how it went, and realize that although I still have a long ways to go, I will enjoy the journey.

By Popular Demand.....

I don't really have too much to say today. It was pretty dreary and cool here today. We were lucky enough to avoid the snow, at least for now, but it was just kind of miserable out. I have had quite a few requests for pictures, so enjoy.

PARKER

Parker is teething and chews on anything he can find including the picnic table.

Parker with Minnie Mouse.

This piano was given to Andrew by his Godmother Johanna for his second Christmas, and Parker absolutely loves playing it.

Parker ready for church.

ANDREW

We recently had our master bathroom remodeled (a 3 month project) and after seeing the "worker guys" everyday, Andrew has really started to enjoy Handy Manny. Notice the crayons behind Andrew's ears-like Handy Manny.

Andrew eating breakfast before church-this picture shows how long his legs have gotten. (No, he is not eating TWO Nutragrain bars, he just has to pick each day.)

Andrew wanted me to take a picture of him in front of his 'artwork' on the window. At Disney we found window crayons. He uses them daily to make pictures for me to look at.