Saturday Sampler: Fun Run

Runners just do it - they run for the finish line 

even if someone else has reached it first.  

~Author Unknow

Today was a local 5k/10k and kids run to raise funds for local high school athletics. It was held at a lake and the course was partially on asphalt and partially on trail. I would guess there weren't more than 200-300 people there? I am terrible with numbers. Any how, I charged my Garmin last night and suddenly decided that I was going to go all out and shoot for a PR. This morning I got picked up by my SIL who was going to run with me and headed to town for the run.

We got there, registered, started strong and the SIL was not feeling it. I was totally feeling the vibe on the course. Lots of kids, lots of fun and energetic people and realized the vibe was not from just running, it was being there. I saw parents and children, classes running with their teachers, siblings, friends etc. So when the SIL couldn't run, I naturally teased her about it. I pointed out the small children who were passing us, the folks that looked less able passing us and the people in costumes passing us. It was pretty fun. We poked fun at each other, skipped, walked and more importantly laughed. She needed the break and I needed another race that was just fun. I needed to run with company.

Ignore the terribly placed food stain on my long sleeve.

Running is so social for me and I was glad that we had fun. Having fun on that course made me want to run another 5k, not a distance of which I am a big fan. After the grown up run, there was a kid run and my baby who just turned 2 yesterday ran it. It was a mile long so I pushed her in the stroller .9 and let her run the .1. She loved it. 

 My son ran his first 1 mile run. He hasn't done anything more than a half mile and is only 4 so I was not sure how he would do. He did absolutely fantastically. He ran the whole way, save for 5 seconds of walking after being distracted by a squirrel. LOL

Also joining us last minute for the run were my two nephews who are 10 and 8. The 8 year old came in third, running with his hands in his pockets. He is a little shy so I don't think he wanted to "go all out" and the hands in his pockets was because he was wearing jean shorts and they were falling down. It was too cute. He is such a sweet boy and I was so blown away to learn of his natural talent for running. I plan to scoop him up and take him with me anytime there is a kids run so I can foster his natural ability. Total bonding activity for us.

Obviously such a wonderful morning deserved one of my favorite lunches. Salami, Cheese, Crackers, Grapes, Boiled Eggs and for an added treat, mini Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with basil olive oil. 

The Big Picture: It is so not about who crosses the finish line first, or me running my bestest, fastest race. Some times it is just about being there. Toeing the line, traipsing through the course with a smile and crossing the finish line holding hands in the air with a friend pretending we just won.

Why I Kick A$$: Because I happen to party and indulge before races, but always show up. Apparently my daughter has learned this same trait. She partied last night and despite an ice cream cake hangover from last nights 2nd birthday celebration, my bug ran in her first kids race.

Thankful Three

1. For an evening with my husband tonight
2. For children who embrace outdoor activity
3. For fun runs with a local fundraising agenda
   

Monday Motivation: The Belly Rules

The belly rules the mind.

~Spanish Proverb

Day one of my diet. Why is it so hard?! Like the quote says, the belly rules the mind. For fun let me spell that out for you:

1. When my belly is hungry my mind is focused on eating
2. When my belly is stuffed so is my mind, hence food comas
3. When my belly gets organic food, heavy fresh fruits and vegetables then my mind is clear and energetic
4. When my belly is round and plump, then that is all my mind thinks about

I am so preoccupied with number 4 right now. My belly has rounded out to needing a pant size up...eew. This has all happened in the last two weeks. I am hoping that it is a short lived, but you never know. Who is to say that these aren't the 10 pounds that lead to 20, 30 or 40? I haven't really paid attention to the 5 pound swing. I mean I am cognizant of it and it can be frustrating, but as long as I was kicking it in my size 10's I really didn't care. Well the need arose and I had to spring for a couple pairs of size 12's. Honestly, the 5 on top of my regular 5 lb swing caught me by surprise and I haven't been totally motivated to jump on fixing the situation. I don't have a totally organized plan other than to workout more and eat less, but I am working on one.


Yesterday I was feeling motivated, despite not having worked out yesterday. In my moment of motivation I seriously considered getting up to swim with my TRI club at 5:30 am. My Bug had different plans and crawled into bed with us at 3:00am. I laid her down in her own bed at 3:45 and low and behold the Duder crawls in our bed around 5:00am. I was not up to getting out of bed to swim in the dark. I did however make it to the gym tonight for a a short 25 minute elliptical workout, 40 minute yoga session and a good 10 minutes of abs. It was one of those perfect nights at the gym where I could have stayed for hours. I could totally be one of those gym rats that workout for 4 hours a day, but I do not have that luxury of time.


I have the day off tomorrow and will be hitting the gym with my girlfriend before getting things ready for my hubby's birthday. On the schedule: drop off kids at school, go to the gym, run errands, sushi lunch with Super Hubby, then a wonderful stew for dinner and maybe some cherry pie a la mode. Yes you just read that right, after all the "day one" of my diet business, I am talking about food and feeling so hungry doing it! Actually, sushi won't be that bad and I am making the stew so I am all about using fantastically good ingredients...I may have to skip cherry pie a la mode. Actually that won't be hard, I don't like it much, but it is one of Super Hubby's favorites.

What kind of diet do you follow? Convince me.

The Big Picture: I have 10 lbs on my body I am not super excited about, but I made pretty good decisions today and it is the small decisions that make the most impact.

Why I Kick A$$: I was supposed to meet my friend for yoga and decided to get there early for some cardio. 25 minutes of cardio is way better than no minutes.

Thankful Three

1. For gym partners
2. For Halo Bar-Rocky Road Flavor
3. For the kick ass dinner I made tonight

Sunday Summary: Inspired

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. 

Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

Tonia's post over at Racing with Babes HERE and Amanda from Running Hood HERE have me completely inspired. One talks about owning who you are while the other encourages you to be more of who you are. There are other things I have swirling around my head and I think they are the things that are swirling around all those bloggers I follow. Common interests. I want to be as fit as Tonia and as balanced at Amanda. There is a little something about each blogger that I follow that I want to make part of my life. Like Tonia's post says, there is someone out there that wants to be little like me too. I usually shrug off the compliments I get about running or how fit someone thinks I am.

I have loved the last three days of my life. I spent alone time with my hubby in a fancy hotel and the next day sat on the kitchen floor drunk with my cousins reminiscing about high school and celebrating another addition to the 30's club. I learned a lesson Saturday and that is that grown up hangovers totally suck and the "bounce back" I had in my 20's did not follow me into my 30's. I spent time with friends at a nice adult evening out last night and spent one on one time with my little girl today grocery shopping and going to farmers market. I love that I can squeeze in a little of everything now and then, but I also envy those that have great routines and schedules.

I struggle with routine and find myself wanting other people's routines so much that I momentarily forget how good I have it. I have an ultra-amazing-super-duper husband, a gorgeous and brilliant son and a confident and joyful daughter. I love my job, I am good at it. I love my home, it suits our family even though I catch myself wanting more space. What is wonderful is that the "things" I do want and feel like I don't have, I am in complete control over having them. One thing that worked well for me at the beginning of the year was to have my goals written down. So I am not sure how I will achieve the following, but I want to lay a few things out there that I want:

My Own Space. I want a space that is mine, a creativity fort if you will (thanks Amanda). Right now my only guess at how that will work for me is if I use our sitting room. I love the couches there so when I need quiet time to read it is the perfect space. I need to get some drapes for two windows and I think if I go out and purchase them, it will feel like a step towards making it mine. I may start blogging in there too as it lends itself to more uninterrupted time.

My Dream Schedule. I know I can't do this because I have a full time job, but maybe if I take a day off every now and then or do this on a weekend with some variation, I might get my fix of what I wish most days could be like.

8:00 breakfast-steel cut oats, fresh fruit or smoothie with toast with peanut butter
8:45 drop kids off at school
9:30 gym workout or outdoor workout
12:00 lunch with the hubby-sushi, or cheese plate assortment with fresh fruits
1:30 nap for about an hour
2:30 read, write, blog while drinking iced tea or hot chocolate if it is winter
5:00 dinner-I love rich meals, pot roast, stews, heavy pastas, bread, roasted vegetables etc
7:00 kid bath time, playing, reading etc
8:30 kid bed time
9:00 30 minutes of yoga or stretching to relax and hang out time with the hubby
11:00 bed time

So that I don't leave this out there as an I wish, here is what a "with work" daily schedule could look like if I focus myself and had discipline with my sleep schedule.

6:00 run
7:00 shower, get ready, family breakfast-usually eggs, toast etc. (hubby is all over this job!)
8:15 take kids to school
8:45-5:15 work (I almost always have lunch with my hubby-only 30 minutes=mostly fast food)
6:00 dinner-varies, but usually not a heavy meal
7:15 bath time, play, reading
8:30 bed time
8:30 yoga stretch
9:00 hang out with hubby
10PM-6AM=8 hours of sleep

This plan works. I have done it successfully. It takes lots of planning. You have to stick to the sleep schedule, I think that is the hardest part for me. Stay up late one night and it is tough to get up and run. Miss a morning run and there is little or no room to do it later in the day. Definitely have to plan the menu for both breakfast and dinner or you lose time staring in the cabinets. I wish I was one of those people who could live off of 5-6 hours of sleep, but as I age (I am only 32) and my fibromyalgia flares ups more and more, I really do need the 8 hours of recovery. Other alternatives include letting the hubby drop off kids and go to work 7-3:30 and hit the gym or road after work. I also miss breakfast with this schedule, but get more quality family time at night that way. I keep coming back to the idea taking some vacation time with my lunch every now and then for a mid afternoon work out, but haven't tried it yet. I am excited to figure this out and I think writing it out has already helped.

Do you thrive on routine?

The Big Picture: I have a pretty clear picture of how I want things in my life and usually I get it. This fact alone makes me an incredibly fortunate person. If I want more, I just have to make it a priority and go after it.
Why I Kick A$$: I thought I had let this feature go, but Amanda made mention of it and I realized I already miss it. So reason's I completely and totally Kick A$$ today? Oh let's just say it is because I am the girl who has everything.

Thankful Three

1. For new olive oil flavors from Calivirgin
2. For a lazy day with my kiddos
3. For motivation to get back into a routine

Friday Five: Decisions

The doors we open and close each day 

decide the lives we live.  

~Flora Whittemore

1. Good Decision: took a short day at work yesterday and a full day off today
2. Good Decision: tried a new cocktail, a Sidecar is my new favorite drink
3. Bad Decision: ate at Texas Road House, came home, stepped on the scale then started trying on outfits for an event tomorrow night-bad, bad, very bad idea...feeling so fat lately
4. Good Decision: taking a few minutes to write this short blog and catch up on a few others
5. Bad Decision: Waiting to start fixing the fat thing. easy fix. run. gym. eat better. instead, I am eating, eating, lounging, eating and have quite a bit of drinking on the schedule for the next couple days. I am going to double count this as a good decision because I am having so much fun and have so much fun planned for tonight and tomorrow.

Big Picture: Good Decisions and Bad Decisions they are both choices and while I am not too please with the extra 10lbs I'm living in, I am loving the time and space I am in, the family and friends I am spending time with and the balance that is being integrated back into my home and work life.

Thankful Three

1. For my night away with the hubby
2. For October, it's my favorite month
3. For a lazy day

Monday Motivation: Best DNF ever!

Focus on the journey, not the destination. 

Joy is found not in finishing an activity but doing it.

Greg Anderson

So after some deep consideration, I opted out of my marathon on Sunday. I was a totally schizo about making the decision. There is a quote somewhere that indecision in time becomes the decision. I think I knew deep down I didn't want to run the marathon, but I had peer pressured myself into thinking if I didn't I would be the biggest loser of all time. This pressure was horrible and totally stressed me out. I didn't realize how stressed I was about this event until I decided not to do it. Well actually not to bail on the event completely, but to complete the half distance only. On Saturday morning I called the 800# on the website and with only 1 ring I got through to a live person. Kudos Nike! She said it was fine to bail early. She said I would get my Tiffany's necklace, a marathon shirt since the orders were placed back in April I couldn't have a half finishers shirt, and a finish time on the website. The only downside was not being listed as an official finisher since I did not complete the distance I registered for. D.N.F. This was my 2nd DNF, my first was at a TRI back in 2009 where my bike crank fell off and I couldn't do the ride. The Tiffany's swag for a DNF at the NWM was way better than the oreos & fruit at the TRI.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not that easy on myself that I would let myself off the hook for making a decision to do the half only. Nope, I thought at miles 3, 6, 9 and even 12 that I could totally rock 26.2. Good thing my body reminded me it wasn't the best idea. I had a little right knee bursitis that threatened to to flare up on the uphills between miles 6-8. On the downhills of 10 and 12 my left IT decided to protest, but not enough to sideline me.

On Saturday before I headed to the city my 4-yr old son gave me a penny for good luck and since I wasn't planning to win any races I snapped a few photos of me and my lucky penny. Ignore the slow time in the background. My unofficial half time was 2:44 and change. Lots of walking. Lots.

The Big Picture: If I was that relieved deciding I was going to do half vs. full, can you imagine how happy I could have been for the weeks leading up to the race when I knew I was not only under trained, but not on track to be even remotely ready. Making decisions equals a happier me.

Thankful Three

1. For my brother-in-law and future S-I-L's couch the night before the race
2. For my hubby who put up with my procrastination and drove to the race to pick me up
3. For my mom who babysat last minute

Monday Motivation: For 12 easy payments of $34.99

Sometimes you get what you pay for and 

sometimes you get way more.

~me

I am so glad  blogspot is free, because friends are expensive...and so are nieces. Do you have trouble making friends? I am terrible at it. I am not super social, although my husband would beg to differ. I see people working out and I would love to strike up a conversation and meet these fast feet folks that pass by my house everyday, but I don't. I chit chat with people at work about common interests, but never pursue it beyond work chit chat. My niece is 19. She is awesome and happens to be going to school in my town and stops by often. She wants to get fit and I love that she seeks my advice. I have a gym membership at 24 hr fitness, the Biggest Loser sponsor gym. Did I mention, I NEVER  use that membership. Really, I maybe go a few times a year. I don't go, because I don't have anyone to workout with and prefer company. Not that we have to hang on side by side treadmills or anything, but I like the accountability of meeting someone at the gym. My niece thought about joining, but picked a different gym that she and her friends go to *SAD FACE*

Not a picture of us, thank you google images for providing a wide array of pictures to steal borrow.

Then one night when her friends weren't available to workout she called me to see if I wanted to use her 7-day guest pass. Heck Yeah! Yay!!! I know how these things work. You can use the guest pass, but only after meeting with a "counselor" who will try and sell you on the gym. We had planned to go to the gym at close to 9PM so I told my niece she should call and see if there were any stipulations associated with her guest pass. Sure enough I would have to meet with a counselor and magically one would be there until 9PM. Score one for gyms sales folks, 9PM. Really?!

We got there, and with almost no haggling I walked out with a 1 year membership at the 3 year perk price and it was an ALL Club vs. single club membership AND there were no enrollment or registration fees, ooh and I got an extra month for free. Not too Shabby. So for $34.99 a month I have gym partner, $34.99 a month I have the flexibility to now work out with those co-workers who go to this gym not 24 hr fitness. That same week, a friend of mine re-joined 24 hr fitness, for less than $34.99 LOL. Hopefully, between meeting up with my friend and my niece I can make a real go at getting strong this fall/winter. I have suffered aches and pains to end (so it seems) and really the stronger I can make myself, I bet the fewer and further between these aches and pains will be. I feel old and I don't like it. Aging should be graceful, but apparently that takes effort, ibuprofen, calcium vitamins, a multi-vitamin, adequate rest and sense of humor.

The Big Picture: For $34.99 I get to spend time with my niece, doing something healthy and enjoying each others company before she goes off to a 4-yr university.

Thankful Three

1. For Columbus Day-Don't judge me for what he did, I just appreciate the day off
2. For Hot Chocolate
3. For Dexter

Tuesday Tidbit: The Happiest Place on Earth

When you can dream...Then you cant stop! 

A dream is a wish that you make with your heart! 

- Cinderella

I always feel like apologizing when I haven't blogged in a few days, but the fact of the matter is that even when I am super on top of things I don't blog everyday so if I post 2-3 times a week I think that is success. Hurray for new definitions of success. So anyway I haven't posted in a few days because I was out celebrating with my future sister in law. It was bachelorette weekend and it was AWESOME! Girls night Friday night with fancy cheeses, Sangria and chick flicks, Saturday I went to Disneyland for the first time in over 10 years and Sunday was the road trip home. I always say how much I love California and where I live. Each time I have included destinations like San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes etc., but Anaheim is amazingly, not that bad of a drive 5 hours and I was in the Happiest Place on Earth!

The Big Picture: Family is not limited to the name you are born into, it is who you choose to let into your life and in a few short months I get a new sister. I have always been the baby in my family, bossed around and teased by my older sisters. On the flip side, as the youngest I got whatever I wanted and rarely had to share. I am looking forward to being a big sis...I will try to limit the bossing and teasing and try to figure out this sharing thing. Hopefully I will still get whatever I want:)

Thankful Three

1. For the new friends I made this weekend
2. For not puking on the rides
3. For being home, I missed my family