So Far Behind

October 14, 2008 By 2 Comments

So I’m very far behind with my blog lately! Of course that happens when you try to move and continue to work and take care of the kids at the same time!

I have gotten some really great jobs for some really great companies lately. I’m doing a blog right now for a company that is involved in the music industry and it has been a lot of fun – and good listening! Many of the things I do for them brings up music links, of course, and I have heard some great tunes in the process.

I just took another blog design job that will begin in the next day or so. It’s a clean up job really, fixing up a blog that someone started and didn’t finish. I’m doing these types of jobs right now, easy blog designs and quick web design projects, since we will be moving and I don’t have time for a full website design project.

I have been exercising, but am skipping the gym today. The Santa Ana winds, the ones responsible for all of this damage and for spreading these fires in LA, makes everyone sick, and my oldest daughter who never gets sick is not an exception to this rule. She has some type of allergic reaction right now, stuffy runny nose and coughing. So, we are homebound. I think we may go tot he park for a bit to get out of the house since we took it really easy yesterday. I’d like to pick up these two lap tray type devices they had at michaels for the trip across the country. They’ll need a place to keep their papers that they color and the books they want to read as we drive.

Later I’ll add more to this post, but time to get the girls some breakfast!

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12.4 Miles, Donuts and a Lite Brite

October 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Today’s long run was great. I woke up feeling a bit like I had last week when I questioned whether I wanted to go so far. But I have learned that even if I question this I should get out of the house and go. And I did, and it turned out great. I ran all the way up to the Huntington Beach pier, which is about 6 miles from my house. I thought it was 6.5, so the entire run would be 13 miles, but even going out onto the pier didn’t get me quite to 6.5.

On the way back toward land as I ran on the pier I looked off to the right. The sun was rising, and I had this fantastic view of the Pacific Ocean and the sun rising over the mountains and I realized how much I will miss Southern California. Some parts of it, anyway, like the way the land rises and falls, and the great weather in the winter when it cools down and the days are not blistering hot.

I realized, too, that though I have always lived the gypsy life, never having stayed in one place for longer than three years, and although I am always antsy to move on to the next thing even before I actually do, I always miss what I leave behind. I started considering the things I will miss, like my friends and the runs I have had, but then I realized that we are moving toward something new in our life. It’s exciting, and once I got home I realized how ready I am for the next step.

So I did a total of 12.4 miles. Why that amount? I was planning to go to thirteen but decided to stop at the donut shop and pick up some snacks for the kids and husband. I had these two bags in my hand and about half a mile to go – and I was at mile 12 – when I ran into the yard sale. I found a lite brite and a huge dinosaur puzzle for a dollar each. So then I ran the rest of the way home with the two bags of donuts, the Lite Brite and a dinosaur puzzle box in my hands.

It was a great run. It’s amazing how much I love those distances. I was cruising toward the end, running between 8:30 and 9:15. I ate a Power Bar, vanilla crisp, throughout the run. I also had some gatorade but I have found that I can’t drink the amount they say to drink to keep myself hydrated. It’s so much that it sloshes in my stomach, so instead I drink what I need and when I feel thirsty, a little at a time.

Now we are off to find something to eat for dinner. Husband wants our standard Saturday night pizza. I’m not a big pizza fun, so I’m hoping for something else. There is this great little Cuban restaurant down the street, with sweet fried plantains and black beans and rice. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! But I bet we do pizza again. Oh well, I’ll soon be back near Florida, which has some of the best Cuban food in the world!

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Missing in Action!

October 11, 2008 By 1 Comment

I have been missing in action this week.
We are winding down to our big move. I’m trying to get everything set up on the east coast, and everything set up on the west coast. The car had to be fixed, we are packing up our clothes, and we are going through the things we want to get rid of before we move.

I’m pooped! I have been working out. I missed one swim this week while they had our car. Had a great bike ride the other morning, though, in place of the swim.

Tomorrow my plan is 13 miles. We’ll see how it goes. I’m heading to bed now, but wanted to check in with everyone and let you know I am alive and I WILL BE BACK!

Happy Running Trails . . .

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From Bad to Good, and Bunions Suck

October 4, 2008 By 4 Comments

Once upon a time there was a runner (that’s me!) She ate a lot of pasta and ice cream on Friday night, went to be at 9:30 and thought that by doing all of this she would have a great Saturday morning run.

After eating, she felt like this:

This runner has a love of distances and always looks forward to going each Saturday.

Yet this Saturday morning, something had changed. As she stood on her tiptoes and peered out of the bathroom window to see what the weather was like outside, and she saw the darkened sky and the fog that had been creeping over the Pacific throughout the night, she thought this:

“Maybe I should stop doing all of these distances.”

Where did this doubt come from?

As she stepped out into the cold morning, she thought, “I’ll just do six miles.”

She’d eaten a half peanut butter sandwich, loaded up with her Gatorades and Fig Newtons, but realized she’d forgotten her Ipod.

“That’s okay, ” she told the stars, “I’m not going that far.”

So she ran. And she ran and she ran and she ran. She ran like she had wings.

She ran like a Super Hero (only with smaller breasts).

Eleven miles later, when she returned home, she wondered why she had doubted her long distances at all.

The End.

How does this happen? How is it that you can start a run feeling like crap and then, somehow, somewhere, it changes?

I don’t wake up feeling like I don’t want to run. I never feel this way. I love running. It’s my life. I read a story about this guy in Runner’s World last month who had his leg amputated because he could no longer run. Now he can run. At first I thought, holy crap! I don’t know if I could have that nerve!

Then I thought, On the other hand, imagine a life with no running.

I don’t know what happened with all the self doubts this morning, but I’m glad it all got turned around during the run. I had a GREAT run. I could have done 13, which is what I was going to initially do, but decided to get back a bit early and see how the family was doing.

And they were fine.

Husband was up, kids were up, and all was good in the home.

No more doubts. The weight, I have to deal with that. It is my nemesis. I know that it is frustrating to be overweight, but it is also frustrating to be underweight. Yet I was thinking today, I bet everyone is frustrated about their body, somehow, something that bothers them. The key is to live with what I have and make the most of it. To learn to accept it and move on.

Bunion Surgery:
I had bunion surgery on both feet about 15 years ago. I wasn’t running then. Active, but not jogging or running.

The pain from surgery was excruciating. I’d almost rather have another C section than go through that again, except then I’d have to take care of another baby and I’m not sure I have the energy for that lol! At least with a C section I was given pain meds.

With bunion surgery I was sent home with Tylenol and codeine. Now, I am not a medicine popper. I don’t take ibuprofen for headaches, Motrin for cramps or cold medication when I have a sneezy nose. I don’t take any medicine, ever. Unless I’m in excruciating pain.

Cutting open foot, removing part of bone, stitching back up = excruciating pain. Wanted meds.

Anyway, the last few long runs I’ve had I’ve noticed a pain in my right foot where the bunion was. When I visited the foot doctor the last time I trained because my toe was going numb, he said, “Wow, you really have some large bunions.”

“I had them removed when I was about 24.”

He shook his head. “Well, I wouldn’t say they did the best job. If they don’t hurt your okay. If they start to hurt you may have to have another surgery.”

Needless to say, I’m ignoring the pain. I don’t want to go through surgery again. I’d rather eat glass. So, let’s just hope this is a distance thing, getting used to going farther (even though I am staying around the same mileage), and that my feet will adapt and overcome.

Mileage:
I’ve been at the same long distances, between 9 and 11 miles, for about a month now. I like it here. I think I’m going to try to keep my long distance runs at 10 miles at least, in the double digits, so that when we get to Georgia I can start training from there for the Disney marathon. Then, I’d ultimately like to remain at these numbers for good, so that when other races come up I can start training from there. Plus, I really enjoy runs lasting about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Over that and it’s hard to get up early enough to get home early enough.

Anyway, those are my Saturday stories and I’m sticking to them. I got in a nice hour long nap while everyone rested and now I’m taking the girls to the park for some swinging and sand play. It is cold here, so I can’t wait to wrap up under the covers tonight and watch some good TV with the husband man. Hope you are all having a great weekend. Stay fit!

Filed Under: Long Distance Running, October 2008, Reflections on Running, Training for a Marathon Tagged With: , , ,

Friday’s Fun Fitness!

October 4, 2008 By Leave a Comment

On Fridays I don’t do cardio, since I do such a long run on Saturday. I don’t work on my legs either, just abs and arms and a mini warm up using my kettle bell and jump rope.

Today my kids joined me for stretching and ab work lol. It was funny. I love it when the youngest, who is almost two, almost bends in half as though it is no problem! I wish we stayed that flexible through life!

Thought it would be fun to share fun fitness ideas on Fridays. Today’s is about being a mom and trying to fit in a workout-and doing so at the park!

At times I run with the jogging stroller, and we go to a park down the street. When I do my workouts like this I use the park as my gym! I thought I’d list a few of the exercises I do when I’m at the park and dressed in workout gear.

Tree Stretch: You guessed it, I use the tree to do the leg stretch I wrote about yesterday!
Sprinting: The kids run and I chase. They love it and so do I!
Squats: As they climb the stairs and go down the slide, I do squats! Then I tickle them as they are on their way down!
Pull Ups: Pull ups on the monkey bars, of course!
Abs: I do abs in the grass while we play ring around the rosies and other games in the grass. For some reason my girls love doing ab work with me lol!
Push Ups: Against the concrete, while we use sidewalk chalk.

Hope these give you some fun ideas for the next time you have a park day and can’t figure out how to squeeze in a workout!

Filed Under: Friday's Fun Post, October 2008 Tagged With: ,

Mini-Tri, Stretching and Why Can’t I Master that Flip?!

October 2, 2008 By Leave a Comment

This morning’s workout went well. I did a two mile run, but spent the second mile doing sprint training. I have to start sprinting and then continuing to run at a slower pace in order to keep my body used to going faster.

I did a bike ride next, going for six miles. I tackled the hill I ran yesterday and it was a heckuva lot easier to run up than bike up!

Came home, had coffee and breakfast, then headed to the gym with the girls. I did a thirty minute swim and then sprinted for about five minutes or so, resting in between 25 and 50 meters. I worked on form, and I think I am doing better with the continuous motion even when breathing that I realized I was having trouble with the other day (Thanks again Shirley!)

Today’s Stretch: Legs

As a runner I often get tight muscles, particularly in my hamstrings, as well as some knee pain when I do too many squats (which I probably shouldn’t be doing at all but simply can’t give up!) So, I do this stretch after my runs and also when I do my yoga routine at night to help stretch out my legs.

Place hands flat against a wall. Extend arms so that they are straight (don’t lock elbows). Place legs behind your body, so that you are pushing against the wall. Your legs will be about four feet from wall or so. Stretch! Do both legs together and then work one leg at a time. Remember, though, don’t stretch until your muscles are WARM. So, if you are going to stretch BEFORE a run, then do a three to five minute warm up job before you begin stretching. I generally stretch after a run and then in the evening with my yoga routine.

Swim Flip:
What the heck? I practiced today. I’m too afraid to get so close to the wall. I got it partially down. No longer do I get water up my nose and sputter and come up flailing like a dying fish, but I just can’t get close enough to the wall to push off, and then when I did at last, I couldn’t remember if I was supposed to immediately turn over or swim upside down for a bit!

I guess I’ve got a ways to go on this!

Filed Under: Biking/Cycling, exercises, October 2008, Swimming, Thursday's Stretch, Training for a Marathon, Triathlon Training Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

When I Workout . . .

October 1, 2008 By 4 Comments

I thought it would be fun to start a Wednesday Reflection Question. I’d love to hear everyone’s views and ideas. Some days this will be focused on fitness but sometimes it will be just for fun!

Today’s Reflection Question is more of a thought: When I Workout . . .

I’ll go first!

When I Workout . . .
I set the mood for the day. I wake up wondering if I have it in me, and then I do it, and I understand I can do anything. That mood carries forward. I have more energy when I workout, and so I can do more with my kids. When I workout in the morning, I am happy mommy and happy wife. I feel I have had time to myself to do what I need to do to make me healthy. But best of all, when I workout I am showing my daughters that they can be strong women.

Update on Nodule: Mom seems to be fine. They could not find the nodule. yay! She may have to have another mammogram but thankfully all appears well.

Update on Keeping Track of Calories: Sorry, just couldn’t do it. While it was definitely a great thing to do that week to see how much I am taking in, I just don’t have the time to input the food into SparkPeople and list it on here and do the calculations, etc . . . Instead I have been watching the scales and right now still seem to be hovering where I should be. If that changes I will go back to the journal.

This morning I did a 3.5 mile run, then sprinted for a few minutes, stopped and did some push ups against the curb, did the crab crawl in the middle of our street a few times. I’m sure the neighbors think I’m weird. But hey, I kind of am lol!

I had a scary moment. I ran up to a different area of town this morning. It was pure dark of course, and I did a hill workout, which was good. On the way back down I spotted a dog up ahead, to the left, but cars were coming toward me on my right so I couldn’t cross. I got to the section where I had seen them, a driveway, and there stood the biggest darn German Sheppard ever.

Thankfully it didn’t pursue me, but if you run outdoors and you come up on a dog or two you know how scary it can be. I had my keys in hand ready to poke at eyes. I’ve never found out, but does pepper spray work on dogs?

Filed Under: October 2008, Wednesdays Reflection Question Tagged With: , ,