Saturday, September 29, 2012

A little weekend fun

This weekend, we were able to take the camper out for a night. We probably could have gone two nights, but with church on Sunday and SB having Hang Time practice, we stuck to one. It was probably a good thing considering how much rain we've gotten...it might have gotten a little crazy being stuck in the camper that long.

After school Friday, I ran an errand and then headed home as fast as I could to pack up the kids' clothes and things and continue the loading Chad had already started. He was able to take off a little early, so we both worked on loading the camper. By 4:45, we were ready and drove the camper to pick the kids up from his parents' house.

We got the the local state park a little after 5. Having pretty much the run of the place, we drove around to pick a site and then texted the family to let them know where we were. They met us out there for a family cookout to celebrate the fall birthdays.

My dad brought out his small grill and he manned the hot dogs, sausages and brats. We set up the spread under the camper awning and ate under it and another awning. It sprinkled on us some, but it wasn't too bad.

My brother came bearing gifts from his recent Kenya trip...knives for the guys, wooden animals for the boys, and cloth bags sewn by a widow for the girls. It was neat to see some of his pictures from his trip and hear about his time there.



We made s'mores over a little roasting log. It was the girls' first time to actually roast s'mores! All the kids enjoyed the treats...as did most of the grownups :)

It was great having everyone out there, having a chance to visit and catch up and watching the cousins play together. They loved having a little open space to roam and play.

Everyone left by 10 and we took down the outdoor stuff, knowing we had a good chance of rain overnight. Ryan was so tired that he pretty much put himself to bed. SB took a little longer, and we could hear her talking to herself for a while. I was pretty tired myself. I slept ok until major heartburn woke me up...guess that's what happens after you've eaten pretty healthy for a while and then eat something with a little more fat than you're used to. A little Zantac and I was sleeping soundly again...until Ryan woke me up complaining his nose was running. I ended up holding him so he could breathe better sitting up, first on my bed and then on the couch. Not much sleep there for me, but he finally let me put him down on the couch. A little more sleep...and then Chad started rustling around because he couldn't sleep. He went outside where I joined him a little later.



Even with the gray skies, the kids didn't sleep as late as I expected. We ended up walking down to the lake, coffee in hand, where the kids had the most fun jumping in every puddling along the way and back. They were soaked! After a quick rinse off, we started breakfast outside. We ended up eating inside because the rain had picked up.



It pretty much stayed that way the rest of the day. We colored and played with some Flexeez toys I had hidden away for a day like this and played cards. We kept waiting for the rain to let up so we could unhook and leave...but finally Chad just got out there in the rain and took care of everything.



It was a much needed getaway...as short as it was. I have to say, in the past, the rain might have "ruined" my plans. This time though, I enjoyed it for what it was. The kids loved the chance to jump in puddles, and I enjoyed just going with the flow. For once.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Shortgrass Scamper Race Recap


The cousins at the start line

Getting ready















Friday night, Chad had to shoot football and Ryan informed me that he did not want to run the next morning, so Saturday's race was just SB and me. We got there and got our bibs and swag bags (which were awesome, by the way...far better than many big/expensive races I've fun). SB had two cousins running the one mile and decided she wanted to run with them and not me. I was fine with that. It was very cool to see her have a chance to be independent and do something without me. I'm sure if she had run with me, she would have complained and walked...but not with them! She ran her mile in 11:00 :) I think that is awesome! She and her cousins took the first, second and third places in their division...she's so proud of her medal!

If we hadn't been in my small hometown, I would not have felt comfortable letting her run without me or hang around the start/finish while I ran. However, she had grandparents, cousins, and lots of family friends around, so it was a great for both of us.

The quarter marathon and 5K started a half hour after the one-mile, so I was able to see her finish. I started the QM with my sister, who ended up having to push her 1-year-old in the stroller. My Garmin wouldn't turn on right before the race, so Carrie was my Garmin. However, that only lasted to about the half way point, and off she went. My sister-in-law also ran, but I could only see the blur of her orange shirt ahead of us.

I felt very slow, like moving through quicksand, especially in the middle. My foot wasn't  hurting, but I could feel it, if that makes sense. I'm pretty sure when my mom planned the course, she went out and found every hill possible. The QM course ran the 5K course and then looped back and ran it backwards. So every hill we went down the first time was uphill the second.



I came in second in my age division...because there were only two of us. And if I had realized at the 6 mile mark that the chic passing me was in my age division, I would have stuck with her! However, I finished in 1:09:21. I didn't think that was too great, but when I entered it into DailyMile (remember, no Garmin...no pace info), I realized that it was a 10:43 pace...for 6.55 miles. I've been running 11/11:30 pace, so I was pretty happy with that. Plus, I came across that finish line strong and felt good.

Overall, this race is so well organized (and I'm not just saying that because my mom is in charge!). Plenty of water stations and volunteers on the course made it nice. The shirts this year for the new QM distance were tech material...and teal! And like I said, the swag bags were great!
We had to pair up with our "matching medal" kid :)

I'm hoping to get some more pictures from Mom since she had her camera there too...plus, they had a photographer at one of the intersections we crossed a couple of tiems, so there should be some action shots too.



Monday, September 24, 2012

Worth

How is it that the pile of dishes glaring up at me as I left the house this morning could make me feel so inadequate? I'm finding that it's not a problem limited to me. Women in general allow themselves to build up expectations no person could fulfill. Instead of celebrating what we do, or what we can do, or what we have done, we look at what hasn't been done, what we don't do well, and what we aren't.

I'm just as guilty of this as the woman next to me, frantically juggling kids, work, health, fitness, church...and the list goes on.

I do this when it comes to my role as a mom and worry that I don't do enough with my kids. I do this in my role as a friend and am afraid I don't reach out enough. I do this with my running and point out my slowness. I do this with my role as a homemaker and see all the unfinished projects.

I know I shouldn't focus on these things. Just this morning, I did laundry, started dinner in the crockpot, dressed two kids, sat down and had breakfast with them, and still made it to work on time. I got most of my papers graded. I ran 6.5 miles this weekend at a 10:43 pace. I was able to do what I love doing most, encouraging others, this weekend. I have been reading my Bible daily and doing a devotional each night.

Instead, we should celebrate who we are, who God made us to be. We are powerful. We are strong. We are wise. We are organized. We are loving. We are nurturing. We are helpers. We are beautiful.

It's about time we as women supported each other in all that we are and do. And it's time we gave ourselves the credit we deserve. Let's face it...we do so much and never celebrate it!

What are you celebrating today?

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sunday Set Up

After a busy weekend, it's time to set up this week for success.

Monday-run 3 miles
          -gymnastics/Body Combat?
          -room mom meeting (good thing I've got a crockpot meal planned!)
Tuesday-do we really have a free day?
Wednesday-run 3.5 miles
          -cross country practice
          -family night; get ready for the weekend camping trip
Thursday-cross country practice
          -football game
Friday-camping! We'll celebrate fall family birthdays with a cookout.
Saturday-camping!
          -7.5 miles
Sunday-home/church

Thursday, September 20, 2012

5 New Healthy Foods

Even though I haven't been as consistent as last month, I'm still trying to blog more, and one way I'm doing that is with Fitness Cheerleader's blog challange again. Today, it's about new healthy foods.

Some of these may not be "new," but they are things I didn't eat before I started eating better and running.

1. Oatmeal. I never liked the stuff when I was younger, but now I love it...especially the chocolate Lavish one.
2. Yogurt. Again, I didn't eat yogurt growing up. And now I make my own with a super easy crockpot recipe. I love it with a little fruit and granola. I don't eat the flavored storebought kinds...only mine. I like knowing what is (or isn't) in it.
3. Bagel/Sandwich Thins. I love these with a little peanut butter and sliced banana before a long run or for breakfast. I also found a mini pita pocket that has only 80 calories.
4. Sargento's ultra thin cut cheese. I know cheese is high in calories and fat, but having these ultra thin cuts helps me from overeating on something I really enjoy. One slice is just 40 calories, and one slice is plenty for a sandwich. It sure beats the 100 calories in a piece of American sliced cheese.
5. PB2. This is a brand new find for me, and I love it. I've had it with an apple and on a bagel thin with banana already this week. With just 45 calories and 1.5g of fat, it keeps me from overindulging on a good thing.

Like I said, I know these aren't all "new" foods, but they help me keep my diet on track.

Monday, September 17, 2012

This week's plans

I have to get back in the habit of setting up my week on Sundays, both in my head and my house. It helps so much to check the calendar, plan a few meals and snacks, and get things ready.

I'm also in between training plans...not races, though. I have a half marathon training plan that was much too lofty post-surgery and with foot issues and a catch-up plan that I'm actually ahead of. It would help immensely, if I'd write out my plan, a combo of the two I currently have. Maybe I'll get that done today, if all else goes well.

And I know that planning my meals and snacks really does help me stay on track. We're at the last weigh-in of the Lose a (Half) Marathon contest with Run with Jess...and I didn't come near my goal. I lost 4 pounds total, fluctuating back and forth with a couple of pounds constantly. I know I have to add something to my exercise routine in order to make any progress. It's finding the time that is the problem.

So, here's this week in a nutshell:
Monday--run 2.5 miles
     snack: oops...forgot to pack one...maybe a protein bar?
     after school: gymnastics/Body Combat (here's to hoping my son will actually go to childcare)
     dinner: baked potatoes with chili
Tuesday--picture day at school
     snack: PB2 and an apple
     after school: Choice Tour at school
     dinner: crockpot southwest chicken and dumplings
Wednesday--run 3 miles
     snack: grapes and almonds
     after school: faculty meeting/cross country practice
     dinner: eat at church before Hang Time
Thursday--run 2 miles
     snack: ham rollups
     after school: cross country practice
     dinner: Date Night!
Friday--
     snack: trail mix
     after school: fun time with the kids :)
     dinner: bbq hotdogs
Saturday--Shortgrass Scamper Quarter Marathon! and small group
Sunday--church...and my brother will be home from Kenya!

Ok, so you really didn't need all that, but I sure did :)

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Five Faves

Today's Fitness Cheerleader blog post challenge is "What are your five favorite veggies?"

To be honest, until I started trying to lose weight 3 years ago, most of my veggies were rather boring and mostly canned...green beans, corn, carrots, peas. That was about it, with an occasional salad.

Now, here are my five faves:
1. Spinach, raw only. I add it to sandwiches, eggs, wraps, smoothies, etc. Love it.
2. Broccoli, steamed with a little salt.
3. Zucchinni, grilled, roasted or sauteed.
4. Carrots, raw. Now a total standby for snacking and lunches.
5. Tomatoes.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Weekly Weigh-Ins

I have always done weekly weigh-ins, which has worked well for Run With Jess's Lose a (Half) Marathon challenge. However, here lately, I've been weighing in more than that, mainly because I've been making a lot of bad food choices and my runs have been sporadic, at best.

I haven't decided if that is good or bad for me. Once a week is plenty, but seeing the day-to-day fluctuations reminds me that one bad weigh-in doesn't mean my weight loss goals are ruined. I think too often can be a problem, though, because our weight does roller coaster up and down so much. It's easy to get frustrated with that.

I think it all depends on your mindset. If you can handle the up and down, then whenever is fine. But if you're like me, once a week is more than enough.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

10 Things

Inspired by today's post on Another Mother Runner, here's my ten things:

1. Best run ever: It's a toss-up between three races, my second 10k, my first half, and my last 5k. Or maybe when I ran a sub-60 10k right at the end of the year to reach my goal.



The second 10k I ran was awesome in that it was pouring rain, I had an incredible support crew of my husband, kids and parents there, and I knew I was going to beat my previous time.



The first half was awesome because it felt good...the entire time! I didn't hurt or tire out and enjoyed the whole run.



The last 5k I ran was awesome because I ran it with my Daddy in Kansas City and beat my time goal of a sub-30 5k. Plus my husband, mom and kids were waiting at the finish line. And it was a kicka*( course of hills.

And that sub-60 10k was just perfect. I did it on my own right before the year ended. It proved to me that I could do it...that I could run faster. It was a much needed boost after a somewhat miserable RnR Vegas Half just a few weeks before that.



2. Three words that describe my running: Early. Struggle. Sanity.


3. My go-to running outfit is: black shorts (like tights, but shorts...do these have a name?), tank, and usually a BondiBand. That makes it sound so simple, but when I "gear up" to run outside, there's also a Garmin, pepper spray, a Road ID, a water bottle and a visor involved.


4. Quirky habit while running: Does putting on my left shoe and sock first every time count?


5. Morning, midday, evening: Morning. Very early morning. Maybe 4 am is really night. It's the only way to fit it in, and I like starting my day with a run.


6. I won’t run outside when it’s: dark. I'm a chicken. When I first started running, I did run in the dark and got freaked out by one guy in a trench coat. That did it for me. I've tried it since, and I can't handle hearing noises and not being able to see where...did I mention I'm pretty much nightblind?


7. Worst injury—and how I got over it: Before last month, I would have said IT band issues which plagued me after my first couple of 5ks. However, I'm now battling the dreaded PF. It's a constant effort.


8. I felt most like a badass mother runner when: I ran four miles less than a month after surgery this summer.



9. Next race is: Archer City's Shortgrass Scamper in my hometown. It's a local race my mom is in charge of. This year, there's a new distance...the quarter marathon. I'm guaranteed a PR, right? It's about a month before my half, so I'm doing that distance for sure...even if I have to crawl to the finish. I'm doing it as part of Team World Vision and don't want to give up on it.


10. Potential running goal for 2013: I would have said marathon not too long ago, but this PF is causing me to rethink a lot of things. I love to run and want to be able to run as long as I can. I'm not sure a marathon would be a good idea right now. So, my potential goal for 2013 is 1000 miles. I did 800 last year, won't come close to it this year, so I have some miles to make up.


Sunday, September 9, 2012

On My Own

Today's blog post challenge from Fitness Cheerleader asks, "Do you work out with others or by yourself?"

Because of when I run, I tend to run alone. During the school year, I run before school two or three times a week on the treadmill in the garage. That's totally me. I try to get in one long run on the weekend. For the longest time, I did those alone. But somewhere along the way, I started running with my sister for the long runs. I totally enjoy those runs!

But I don't mind the solitude of running alone. It gives me time to think or to zone out, depending on the day. It also pushes me mentally...there are no distractions, no conversation, and nothing to push me farther. I need that sometimes.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Keeping track

I didn't start off keeping track of my runs. I probably should have. It's great to be able to look back and see how far you've come.

When I first started trying to lose weight, I used a service from my health insurance to log food/exercise. I earned points and an awesome gift card during that first push for weight loss. I've used that site off and and on since then, earning more rewards.

I started using DailyMile last year to keep track of my mileage. I reached over 800 miles last year, surpassing my goal of 1100k in 2011. I don't think I'm going to reach that this year, but I still log my miles on DailyMile.

A friend convinced me to start using MyFitnessPal. I love the convenience of the app on my phone and iPad, as well as the website. I also love being able to scan a barcode. For now, I'm sticking with it, although I may double log to earn more points. Can't pass up free stuff, can I?

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Training Plans

I'm normally a runner who sticks to her plan and always has to have one. However, with this foot issue, I've had to put the plans on the backburners and do what I can when I can. Lately, that hasn't been much.

However, I'm so thankful that Team World Vision sent out a "catch-up" plan this week. I needed that. It gives me hope that maybe I can finish the half marathon after all. That's my goal...run, walk, crawl, finish!

Don't forget I'm still taking donations for Team World Vision. Just $50 provides one person in Africa with clean drinking water for their entire lifetime! We probably spend that much each year on bottled water...and we don't drink bottled water regularly. I know our filter on our fridge costs about that much each year. Won't you help me provide someone with that precious necessity?

Monday, September 3, 2012

Everyone needs a little something

I think we all lack some of the minerals and nutrients and need a little help in that department, which is why I take several supplements...when I remember.

Here's what I take:
-women's multi vitamin with metabolism support
-B complex (my happy pill)
-magnesium (keeps my headaches away and helps with muscle recovery)
-probiotic

I take Vitamin D when the time changes and I never see the sun.

I also take Lysine when I have ulcers in my mouth.

I'm supposed to be taking Fish Oil for my sky-high cholesterol, but I haven't gotten in the habit of that one at all.

I'm probably a little too pill happy, but these things seem to work for the purposes I need.