Taking it Easy

After last week's low HBBC points I decided to try bringing my workouts back to normal. The weeks before I was trying to squeexe in 2 or 3 workouts a day and right now I don't have the time or energy to do that.

Today I went out for a long run with my friends. We ran 4 before one of my friends had stomach issues so we walked 4 back to the house. It wasn't too cold out and was really nice just to walk and be outside. The rest of the week is going to be harder, I'll try to squeeze in some workouts with the kids. I would like to run a couple more times but probably just short runs. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to blog so if I don't make it back on here I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Running Slump

I have had a very off week, between a stomach bug, renovations, personal issues, and baking dozens of cookies, running has taken a hit. Monday my stomach hurt and I wasn't hungry, I still tried going to the gym and running but I only made a few laps before I slowed to a walk. I was ok walking so I did 1.5 miles and then hopped on the bike for a few slow miles. Tuesday was about the same, I managed 2 on the treadmill before I started walking. The same on Wednesday, I ran 2 and walked a half mile.

Thursday I had a long run with friends, I was very nervous after this week how it would go. I am so thankful that I have them to run with because I wouldn't have made it a mile otherwise. We ended up running 7.5 before I was done and they decided to walk the rest of the way with me.

Today I was feeling better but still unsure what would happen. I ran on the treadmill and after .5 I was feeling great so I decided to run intervals. I ran 1-2 minutes at a 7:30 pace with 1 minute at 8:30. It was just what I needed, I felt great afterwards. Hopefully I am back to normal now.

-14 F

That was the temperature today when my friends and I started out on our long run. We debated on running inside but the thought of running 150 laps around the track to make 10 miles was too much for us. We bundled up and took off, we had to run up a big hill in the first mile which helped warm us up. Overall it wasn't bad, I didn't get too cold and with the exception of cold hands and cold feet for the first few miles my friends were ok too. The hardest part I think is keeping my face warm, I have my face covered but then I have a hard time breathing. If anyone has any suggestions on what to wear I would appreciate it. We made our entire 10 miles outside and felt great afterwards.

This weekend is going to be busy with insulating our house, trip to see Santa and the Christmas parade. I am hoping to squeeze in some running but probably won't be around the computer. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

7 Days in A Row

Last week, thanks to the HBBC, I ran 7 days in a row for the firt time. I think I have become just a little obsessed with earning points! I have also been walking after I run to add points. I think the walking has been a big help, I need to do it all the time. I have also been stretching more which is great, I need to add the foam roller back into my routine. Saturday was my seventh day of running and when I started on the treadmill with hopes of running 4 I didn't think I could do it. My legs were tired and my lower calves were sore, but right at 2 miles something changed and I felt great. I ran 4 and thought about running more but I didn't want to push it so I slowed to a walk for another half mile.

Yesterday I took my kids to my mom's for the day so JR could tear apart more walls. This forced me to have a rest day since I didn't have my treadmill and it was freezing outside. I needed a rest day though and I feel much better today. My mom watched Brooklyn while I went to the gym. I planned on running 6 on the track, but 3 miles in I wasn't sure if I could do it. I felt fine physically but the thought of 45 more laps was getting to me. Then my friend showed up and we had a great run, I ended up running 7 total and could have done more. I decided to bike for awhile since I didn't have to worry about daycare and ended up doing 6 miles, then walking for a half mile. I left feeling great and ready to tackle cleaning my house.

Sounds like JR is making another mess, I better go help!

Renovation and HBBC

This week has been another busy one, I finally have some computer time so I am trying to catch up on everyone's blog. I am reading, just not always commenting.

Yesterday my mom watched Brooklyn so I was able to tear out the rest of the ceiling. It took me 3 hours to tear it apart and my shoulders hurt today. I basically held a shovel over my head the entire time unless I had to move the ladder. Then I had 4 hours of bagging the insulation. I was whipped, but I had to get in some HBBC points so I managed to run 2.5 miles before I picked up my kids.

The HBBC is a great motivator, but I am getting tired! I have been working out at least 2 times a day, even if I only walk for a mile at night. My legs are tired, but seeing everyone else's points is really pushing me forward. I love reading about how everyone is fitting exercise into their busy schedules.

Thanksgiving

The last week has been busy, we went to JR's dad's house for Thanksgiving. We had a great time visiting with family and of course eating! Before we left we started tearing down walls so when we came home we worked on it some more. Eventually we will redo our upstairs completely but for now I just wanted to open up one side of the house so our living room will be bigger. While I knew this would be a big job I wasn't planning on the foot of blown in insulation in the ceiling. JR and I knocked out drywall and picked up 30 bags of insulation yesterday, we still have a quarter of the cieling to go. I'm hoping to work on it this week if I can find a sitter for Brooklyn.

I didn't have a chance to run as much last week but I did get strength training and more walking in so I didn't do too bad. The HBBC is on and it really helped get me moving. I was also able to eat at least 7 fruits or vegetables every day, somedays were easier then others. I love having the challenge, it is keeping me motivated!

Morning Run

Yesterday my mom watched my kids while I had the oil changed and tires rotated on my vehicle. I took full advantage and went for a run outside during this time. It was only 9 in the morning so it was still chilly, around 20 degrees. The sun was shining and the wind wasn't blowing so I bundled up and it was great. I ran around town on the bike path and up a dirt road with a gorgeous view of the mountains. It was just a great run! During one point the path goes through the trees over a river, I glanced to my left and about 10 feet from me stood a deer. He just watched me run by, I'm not sure I've ever been that close without the deer running away.

I ran 6 miles, then went to pick up my vehicle. It wasn't ready so I walked .6 miles, it still wasn't ready so I decided to run another half mile. That was hard! My legs felt like jello by that point but I finished my half mile.

We spent the day at my mom's, my kids had a great time raking and jumping into a leaf pile. They were exhausted by the time we came home, to a new front wall and door! I love it!

Remodeling

Well I was able to run 7 miles today which will help with the POTM challenge. Tomorrow I will be staying at my mom's so I will be able to run outside, if I can handle the cold. It's been aroun 9 degrees in the morning but it's suppose to be warmer tomorrow. Our house is being worked on right now, an addition, new roof and siding. We have a very old house which is not even on the ends so tomorrow they are planning on tearing out one wall and rebuilding it. I will be glad when it's all done, it's hard to accomplish anything at home with all the banging and having stuff everywhere.

Gavin came home sick today with a fever so I guess he will hang with us tomorrow. We'll see how that goes, last time he missed school he cried.

Time Change

The last couple weeks have gone by fast. The time change messed my family up and my kids have been waking up at 5:30 every morning. I have had a hard time staying awake at night, I've been ready for bed by 8 and have to fight to stay up later. This weekend my kids stayed in bed until 6 so hopefully we are adjusting, they've always been early risers. If I can get them back to 6:30 that would be great!

Running is going well, I've been around 30 miles the last couple of weeks. I thought I was doing great until I plugged in my miles on the POTM challeng. Wow there are some amazing people out there running 50-60 miles a week. I can't imagine running that much! I have decided after this month to cross train some more. I would like to run 4 times a week and swim, bike, and cross country ski 1-2 times a week. I have been strength training 2-3 times a week, usually upper body and core. There is a new bootcamp type class at the gym that I would like to try out. It's at night so I haven't had a chance yet but am hoping to go this week.

Swine Flu

I am pretty sure that Gavin and I ended up with the swine flu last week. We were not tested but it is going around town like crazy. We were sick for a whole week and this week we are still feeling tired and drained. So obviously running has not been going well. I tried to run at the beginning of last week when I was still in denial about being sick, body aches, being very tired, and the chills? Flu? I don't think so, yeah right! Once I finally came to terms with the fact that I was sick I didn't run anymore and I tried to get lots of rest. Fortuneatly JR was home and he took Brooklyn out on a Daddy/daughter date Friday. I don't know how but neither one of them got sick and she needed to get out of the house.

Finally on Monday I tried running again, I managed 3 miles before I was toast. I ran 4 on Tuesday, did Jillian's shred video on Wednesday, and barely did 3 yesterday. Today I had a long run with some friends, they both have races coming up the next couple of weeks and we planned on running 12. It was 34 degrees this morning with winds at 26mph and bursts of 38mph. We still decided to tough it out and it wasn't too bad, just depended on where the road turned. I could only handle 6 though, I was still tired and my lungs are sore? I know that sounds weird I'm just not sure how to describe it. I'm planning on taking tomorrow off and hopefully will be back to myself on Sunday.

My friend is trying to convince me to run the Rock and Roll Marathon in Pheonix in January. That's only 11 weeks away, I'm not sure if I'm up for that. I did sign up for the Pile on the Miles challenge for November, I am hoping it helps me get out of this funk I'm in. It better, I won't be getting very many miles in if I continue to feel this way!

Kids and Running

I have not done a very good job posting lately. Life has been going well, just nothing exciting to write about. Gavin has a 3 day weekend (hunting day today), it started out great. I took the kids swimming, the gym to run around, and out for Mexican food on Friday. They both fell asleep in the car at 6 that night! Saturday we went to the park, rode bikes, made Halloween cookies, and had dinner with family. Around midnight Gavin came to my room with a fever so we stayed home and relaxed yesterday. Today he still has a fever so looks like another day at home, or 2 since he can't go back to school for 24 hours after his fever breaks. Poor kid I feel bad for him.

Running has been going well, I haven't had any problems getting my miles in. I have been running a lot on the indoor track and I might have to switch to the treadmill more often. It takes 15 laps for a mile so there is a lot of turning which starts to bother my feet and knees after a few miles. I have been adding more strength workouts in and am hoping to add swimming and biking in for variety. So far I haven't found the time, but next week I should be able to fit one in.

Snow, Snow Go Away

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. I have thought about blogging numerous times but just haven't found the time to sit down at the computer. Running is going well, I have kept in my 25-30 mile range the last few weeks. I also managed to do Jillian's shred video 3 times last week. Hopefully I can lose the few pounds that I have gained, it's way to early in the season to gain weight! I had started eating before bed and I think that's where it started.

Tomorrow I am running 10 miles, hopefully a friend will be able to join me. It is suppose to be cold with a high of 40 degrees, winter is coming! This past weekend it snowed 4-5 inches, most of it has melted but there is some left. This is not a good sign, we'll probably have a couple feet of snow by Halloween! I love winter but I am not ready yet.

10k Results

We had a great weekend starting with the 10k. My sis kept the kids while I went ran, I had great hopes of running with them for the 1 mile but the race started late so I didn't make it. The course is one that I am familiar with and it starts off at the lake and goes back to town. The weather was perfect, sunny and starting in the 40s and quickly warming up. We were bussed to the finish and I ended up on the last bus. We were loading the bus when the race was suppose to start so we started as soon as we arrived. Once I made it past the walkers I found my pace, for the first 2 miles there was a boy about 9 or 10 who I kept playing leapfrog with. He would start to slow and I would gradually pass him which would spur him on and he would fly by me. We were running at an 8:00 pace, I was very impressed with him! He finally slowed down after 2 miles and I didn't see him again. At this point I really needed to use the bathroom but I did not want stop. I kept going and was feeling ok, I was pushing it and could feel it especially uphill. I finally had to stop at a restroom, I was afraid it wouldn't be pretty at the finish line if I didn't. The last mile is always the hardest because it is flat, I kicked it in at the end and passed the only other person I saw.

I finished in 49:33, which is a new PR. The official race results aren't posted on the website yet but I think I was in the top 5.

When I had about .4 left I passed Gavin who was running with the front pack! He had left my sis and Brooklyn behind at the start, she was about a block behind him. When I finished I ran back to find him, the kids were coming in and he still wasn't there, I found him as he was taking the last corner before the finish and ran in with him. He was so tired, he asked me if it was ok to walk so we did until he caught his breath then we ran into the finish. I found out later he didn't turn where he was suppose to. My sis couldn't catch him with and left the stroller and Brooklyn with a lady from church and had to run after him. He ended up running about an extra half mile. At the finish he received his medal and was so proud. Soon after Brooklyn came running in. They can't wait to do it again next year.

A Great Day

Today is the 10k, not sure how I'll do, I am not nervous and kind of feel like it's just another run. Maybe once I am surrounded by other people I will be a little more excited. The weather is suppose to be nice and my son is so excited to run the 1 mile, he wants to win. Trying to tell a little boy it's not about winning is hard, I tell him it's just about having fun and doing your best and he's says I know and in the next breath "Mom I want to win"! My sis and niece have been in town for a couple of days and she is going to walk with them.

The best news of all is that my hubby is coming home today. He will be here this evening after 2.5 weeks. I don't know how long he will be home but I am glad he can be home for now. Hope everyone has a great weekend and good luck to anyone who is racing!

Training

This weekend is the 10k and I am excited to run it. I am hoping the race starts on time and I am able to take the kids on the mile run afterwards. Their aunt and uncle are going to watch them while I run and they said they will take them if I can't and my sis will be here. I tried talking her into runnning/walking the 10k but I didn't have much luck. I have been keeping my mileage where I want it and have done a few speed and tempo runs, I really need a training plan to follow. I use way too much mental energy deciding on what I should run everyday, I at least need to plan a week in advance after this.

I have not been very successful with the weight training. The week starts out great and but seems to be busier as it goes on and I have been only managing 1 session a week. This week will is another busy one but I lifted yesterday so only one more to go.

Unplugged

What started out as a plan for the weekend has spilled over this week, spending less time on the computer. With the remodel I have moved the computer to the kitchen which makes it very tempting all day to look at blogs or email for just 5 minutes. Of course 5 minutes is never long enough and before I know it 20 minutes have passed. With Gavin being in school and JR gone the kids really need more attention, especially Brooklyn. So I decided to unplugg the computer for the weekend, this went well, I ended up turning it on for a recipe and to let the kids watch a movie Saturday night. I must say it was nice not to feel the need to catch up on what everyone else was doing. The kids and I spent time with my mom, played games, read books, and went for a bike ride. It was a nice weekend.

Now I am trying to find a time to spend on blogging/email/facebook without taking time away from the kids. This is becoming difficult since they have been waking up at 5:30 and Brooklyn didn't go to sleep until 9:30 last night. I am trying to catch up on everyone's blog and post more, we'll see how it goes.

As for running I logged 30 miles last week and am hoping for at least 25 this week. I did another speed workout yesterday, 1x200, 1x400, 1x800, 1x400, 2x200, 1x400@ 7:30 pace. I am planning on an easy 5 miles today and a long run tomorrow. The last 2 weeks I have been trying to start up a strength program, I would like to lift 2-3 times a week. I have been doing various dvds and am enjoying the variety.

New Activities

We had so much fun bike riding, not sure why it's taken so long for us to go. We had planned on riding a lot this summer it just didn't happen, although it is much easier pulling only one child instead of two. The boys are both about 40 lbs so that would have been hard! I also decided that I really need a new bike. The difference between my cheap bike and my friends was huge, even riding downhill I had to pedal to keep up with her. We rode for over an hour and felt good, I was ready to get out of the seat by the end though. I would like to ride more this fall and cross country ski this winter. I have been loving running and really want to keep my miles up, at least 25-30 a week, but I also want to incorporate some more activities that I love. I just have to find a way to fit it all in so I am not driving to town everyday.

Speedwork

Yesterday Brooklyn fell asleep at nap time (amazing!) so I was able to squeeze in a run. I decided to do intervals and after doing mile repeats all summer I wanted to do some shorter ones for the 10k. I ended up running 2x400, 2x800, and 2x400 @7:30 pace. I loved it! Shorter repeats are so much fun and it's nice to run them on the treadmill so I can control my pace. When I run outside I usually have a hard time slowing myself down on the first couple, then I can barely finish the last, if at all.

Today a friend and I are going bike riding. Her son is in preschool this year, so now she has some time with her daughter as well. This should be interesting since I haven't rode a bike all year and maybe went once last year. Nothing like riding over hills while pulling a kid!

Lazy Weekend

This weekend has been all about relaxing! Saturday JR and I took the kids to the park to play and have a picnic. Then JR set off for hunting camp and the kids and I played and had movie night. They were in bed early, Gavin is still catching up from school, and I watched tv the rest of the night. I had a whole list of things I needed to do but just no ambition to do it. It was nice just to kick back for the evening.

Yesterday we went to church, and hung out until JR came home. I went out for a 6 mile run last night. After sitting around all weekend it felt great, the only weird thing was is mile 4 my right foot started tingling. Not sure what that was about, it lasted around a mile then went away.

Today we are going to the pool and just going to enjoy the day before JR leaves for work tomorrow. Not sure when he'll be back, probably in 2 weeks. Since hunting season has started maybe that will help bring him home!

Planning

Now that the half marathon is over I am feeling a little lost without a set training plan. I have a 10k coming up at the end of the month but then that's all for the fall. I have thought of looking for some races in Oct or Nov that are close or just following a training plan. I have been running this week but I want something a little more scheduled so I don't think about it all the time. Every morning I have been wondering when, where, and how long I should run, I don't want to think about it all the time! Next week I am going to do some intervals and maybe some bike riding, I haven't done that all summer. Then I'll come up with some plan to start after the 10k.

Gavin has also started kindergarten this week and that has left Brooklyn and I staring at each other wondering what we should do. Gavin is loving school, although he is exhausted by the time he comes home. Brooklyn just really misses him, so I am trying to plan some fun things to do with her. We just have this open schedule right now and I need to do some planning so we don't waste this time.

Race Shirt

The shirt is a nice tech shirt, gotta love that! My kids have had a great time with the "necklace."

As for running I tried an easy 3 miler on Monday and I hurt by the end of it. My right calf was sore after the race and I really felt it after this run. Yesterday I lifted for 30 minutes, legs were still sore so I took it easy on the leg work. Then I ran an easy 3 on the treadmill after the kids went to bed. My plan for the week is to go slow and maybe mix in some other workouts, then next week hit it hard.

Logan Race Report

My friends and I went to Logan on Friday, we arrived at the hotel and looked at the map for the park where are packets were. We decided we weren't very far and decided to walk, after the 3.5 hour car ride we were ready to stretch our legs. After a couple of miles we decided we were going the wrong way. We went back to the hotel and drove around looking for the park, after calling onstar(didn't know where to go), and stopping at 2 gas stations for directions we finally found the park. They had the packet pickup set up nicely and we all were ready within 5 minutes, so we were off to dinner. I had some yummy pasta and a pomegranate breeze, made with tequila, pomegranate green tea, and cranberrry, Yum! My friend said she needed a margarita, it was her good luck drink the night before a race so I decided it wouldn't hurt. After we received our bill we thought we could do without it, hers was 10.50 and mine was 9.50, for very small glasses. Then it was off to watch some tv and sleep.

The next morning started early at 4:45, we were shuttled to the park, then up the canyon. The first 6 miles are running down the canyon and it was beautiful. When looking at the map we thought it would be mainly downhill and while there were downhill stretches it would also flatten out or go uphill throughout the 6 miles. There was over 2000 runners and the start was a little crowded, it took about 2 miles before I wasn't passing too many people. The miles were going great and at mile 8 I had my shot bloks, that's when my stomach started turning a little. The course at that time was flat, we were out of the canyon running by houses and on the highway. Around mile 10 I started to fade and we started going up in mile 11. There wasn't a steep uphill, just gradual for over a half mile. At about mile 11.4 I wasn't sure if I would make it, my stomach was turning so I walked for about 15 seconds and caught my breath, when I started running again I tried to go slow. Then we finally started going down again and we turned a corner and could see the finish, with a little over a mile to go. The finish seemed FAR away, just had to put my head down and go. During the last .4 as we were headed into the finish and people were lined up I had to go to the bathroom, all I could do is keep going and hope I could make it. I managed to kick it up and pass a couple people. I finished and ran to the bathroom.

My finishing time was 1:47:48, 29th in my ag. I am very excited, I did not think I would break 1:50 and if I wouldn't have slowed down for that mile I would have avg 8 minute miles. My friends also beat their goal times and we have decided we will have to run this course again if we want a pr! Overall it was great and I would like to run it again.

Hot!

I just checked the weather for Saturday and the low is 54 and high is 90! Thankfully the race starts at 7 am, we have had such a cool summer that I am not ready to run in anything over 75 degrees. Today I did my last tempo run, suppose to be 3@ 8:32 pace but I went faster. I ended up running 7:42, 7:47, and 7:46, the last mile was hard. That was not my plan and I kept telling myself I should slow down but I just had a hard time doing it. Tomorrow I have an easy 4 mile run and I am going to take it easy! Afterwards I am taking the kids to my sister's house for the weekend. We will drive to Utah on Friday and be back Saturday night. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

What's Next?

One week left until the half marathon and I'm excited to run it. This past week I have been really thinking about what is next. I have had the thought of a full marathon all summer but then August rolled around and decided that wouldn't happen this year. JR is going to be traveling a lot and with working on the house and spending more quality time with Brooklyn I thought that I would wait. Now that the race is almost here I am feeling the need to train for something and last night I talked to a friend who is also running the half with me. She is thinking about training for a full this fall and wants me to do it with her, so of course I am thinking of doing it. I would love to train with someone, especially to have someone to run with on long runs, it has been a lot of fun this summer. She wants to bq and I have no doubt she can do it, I just want to finish a marathon but it would be nice to run with her. We are going to wait and see how the half goes and then I'll have to see how much it will cost, the budget is a little tight right now. I am also debating on running the local half or the 10k in September. The course is much harder then the one in Utah and it's only 4 weeks after this one so I am thinking I will probably do the 10k. I am holding off on deciding until after this race.

This week will be an easy running week with a few 4 milers and one 5 mile tempo. I will be doing a lot of cross training though, I have put up hay the last 2 days and this week we are tearing apart the house . Mix in soccer games for Gavin and enjoying his last week of summer and this week should fly by.

Great Tempo Run

Since JR is coming home tomorrow, YAY!, I have been trying to watch as many tv shows as I can that he won't watch. This of course has to be done after the kids go to bed so I have been up way too late the last 2 nights and I am feeling it today! Yesterday Carrie and I took turns watching the kids while we did our tempo run. I was nervous since I didn' t have much sleep but I only had to keep a 8:37 pace which is fairly easy. I started the first mile with mostly uphill then settled into a nice rhythm and enjoyed the next 6 miles. This run was great because now I feel confident keeping a similar pace in the half. I ran faster then I needed too and didn't feel strained at all, most of the run I was trying to slow down and stay in the 8:30 range. My splits are:
9:30
8:29
8:09
8:21
8:24
8:19
8:25
9:01

Today will be a busy day cleaning and finishing the siding. Tomorrow is finally suppose to hit 80 degrees so I want to have everything done so I can do my long run and take the kids to the lake. Today will probably be a treadmill day, I am suppose to run 5, unless my mom keeps my kids tonight. I had better get busy, have a great day!

Weekend Recap

Friday morning was long run day and Carrie and I decided to find a route similar to the race. We drove up to the mountains then ran back to town, just like in the race this was downhill with on big hill around mile 10. The weather was perfect with blue skies and starting in the 40s and ending in the 60s. We were worried how our quads would feel but neither of us had any problems, the run just felt great and went fast. We did 13.29 in 2:03 which felt easy, I think we are ready for the race.

Afterwards I loaded the kids and we set off to Brandi's house. We stayed the night then went to the mall to finish school shopping(a total of 5 hours away from my house). When we arrived back at Brandi's house Saturday night I was so sore. Sitting in a car for that long after a long run was not the best idea. We stayed Saturday night and came home yesterday morning.

My uncle was here to help me take the siding off my house, we did half yesterday and will finish the rest today. I did run 5 on the treadmill last night after the kids went to sleep. I did not want to run, I was tired from the weekend but once I started it felt so good, I wish all of my treadmill runs could go like that. I hardly looked at the distance I just got into my zone and ran. Today is suppose to be 8 miles with 6 at tempo but I'm not sure I'll have a babysitter so I might wait until tomorrow. Carrie and I usually swap babysitting to run outside for tempo runs so hopefully tomorrow will work for her.

Only 3 Weeks Left!

That's it, 3 weeks until the half marathon and when Gavin starts kindergarten. Life is becoming very busy and a little emotional, I can't believe Gavin will be in school all day. The time with Brooklyn will be nice but I am going to miss my little man. My plan for the next 3 weeks is to be on overdrive, I want to cram as much summer fun as possible while training, organizing the home remodel, school shopping, visiting family(it seems everyone is coming to visit in August), oh and did I mention JR is out of town for 2 weeks working. He's only been gone since last Tuesday and it feels like months already. JR's aunt and uncle took the kids camping on Saturday night and it was wonderful. I was ready for a break and I was able to clear out some of the house, I have to empty a couple of rooms for the remodel and it is a struggle to find space for it all.

As for running I am still logging all my miles. Last night I did my tempo run on the treadmill when the kids went to bed. I did my mile warmup then 5 miles at 8:26, it was so hard not to look at how much farther I needed to run. The pace was fine but I just couldn't keep my eyes of the distance so it was a very long run. When I finished the sun had set but it was still light outside and so beautiful so I decided to run my cooldown outside. The door is right next to the kids' bedrooms so I opened it in case they woke up, which would have been highly unlikely. Then I set off and made a loop down my driveway and around my house, it only took me 6 times to do a mile which was great since the indoor track in town takes 15 laps for a mile. The kids are up now time to go!

Speed Work and Long Run

The half marathon is only 3 weeks away and I am getting nervous. I really want to beat 2 hours, but I will be happy if I am close to 2 hours. This week I had mile intervals on Monday. I was suppose to run a total of 8, 1mile warm up and 1 cooldown and 4x1600 at 8:55 pace with 800 jog in between. JR was home so I was able to run in the afternoon. There was a storm coming so it was cloudy and not too hot, just a little humid. I started out of with the miles at 7:34, 7:41, and 7:49, however the last mile I was tired. I should have brought water with me because I was thirsty! The mile started out ok but then the wind picked up, I felt like I was moving backwards then I saw lightning ahead of me and just mentally fell apart. I started walking with the intention of running faster but I couldn't do it. I ended up doing .61 at 8:12 and decided just to take it easy the rest of the way but after a quarter mile I decided to sprint a little more and did another .26 @ 7:57 pace. Then I slowly made my way home.

Yesterday I did a 4 mile run, probably faster than I should have at 9:13 pace. Today was my long run, which was suppose to be 12 but I ran out of time before the kid's swim lessons and only did 11. I just had a hard time, I was by myself and my legs and hips were sore. I kept circling around my mom's house trying for a better route and that made it hard, I prefer to run in town but I didn't have time. My pace wasn't bad though at 9:37 with 3 huge hills in there. Now I just have a couple of easy 4-5 milers to finish the week.

Fair

We had a great time at the fair, it has really grown since I was a kid. When it started it was just livestock and crafts, now they have carnival rides, dog shows, a rainforest show with monkeys, leapords, and a tiger. They also had a hypnotist, very funny, and a kid town with various things like bean bag toss and bowling. The kids had a great time and of course they loved all the animals. I was really glad for a happy day with them, this week has been a little trying. I think these long summer days are getting to them, they need a little more structure.

JR has a golf tournament this weekend so that meant running 6 on the treadmill last night. I was tired and it showed, I averaged a 9:35 pace. I was very happy when it was over. Today is a rest day, I might do a strength workout, and tomorrow is another 6 miles.

The kids and I are going to Brandi's house today. They are having a fair as well so we will do it all again, plus a trip to Wal Mart.

Hungry!

This is a rest week for running, the plan calls for easy 6 mile runs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Carrie and I switched babysitting on Monday and had a great run while the kids played at the park. On Tuesday I did 3.5 on the treadmill at an easy 9:30 pace, then ran that evening when JR came home. That one was way faster than planned, I did 3 miles and I started out ok at 9:08, then picked it up to 8:52(uphill), and 8:17 to finish. I felt that run, my legs were tired afterwards. Yesterday I lifted and took the rest of the day off. This week I have been exhausted, not sure what the problem is. I have also been starving and maybe I am not eating enough. Yesterday I ate every 2 hours and I finally didn't feel like I needed to chug coffee all day long. I thought I had been eating enough, but maybe not. I have been eating a lot of junk, I am sick of food, bored with all of my regular food, the only thing I have been craving is big juicy cheeseburgers.

Today Carrie and I are taking the kids to the county fair. Should be a fun day and I just might have a cheeseburger after all!

Weekly Recap

This week has been great, very busy but with a nice balance of running, playing, and working. Monday I ran 7 with 5 at tempo, the pace was suppose to be 8:32, however I averaged 8:12. Then I had my long run on Thursday with some friends. We did 12 and I was really tired when we started out so I was nervous but I felt great throughout the run. Yesterday was an easy 4 and today an easy 5.

Yesterday I ran early, then went golfing with JR. We use to golf a lot before we had kids but I think I've only gone once since having Gavin 5 years ago. We golfed with 2 guys JR works with for a charity tournament. We did not do very well but we had fun. Our team ended up with the "most honest" award. Afterwards I took the kids to a friends house to play, they had a big bouncy slide set up and the kids had a great time.

Today we took the boat out and had a nice relaxing time. Gavin is getting braver, he likes to float in the water holding on to the ladder(with his life jacket on). He finally wanted to ride on the tube today and had a blast. He kept telling me he wanted to go faster. Brooklyn of course jumped right on the tube and before long she was sitting up and not holding on. She is not scared which of course makes me scared! Now we are waiting on pizza and are going to watch movies. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Speedy Long Run

Yesterday was long run day, Carrie and I had 11 scheduled and we found two other ladies to run with. We didn't know what pace we would be doing but we were supposed to do 10:00min/miles. One of the ladies was sick so she made it about 2 miles before she turned around, we couldn't believe she had even attempted to run. The rest of the miles flew by, we had a great time and when we stopped our time was 1:39:24. That is 9:02 avg! We could not believe we ran that fast, it felt like a great pace. Now we'll see what we can do next week!

The bad news is that my garmin is not working, it will not turn on. I tried plugging it into the computer-nothing. I'm hoping it can be fixed because I can't afford another one, and I have become addicted to it!

This weekend we are headed out of town for a family reunion. JR's uncle has some cabins and lodge in the mountains so it should be a good time.

Some Much Needed Sleep

This last week my to do list has been growing, both what I have to do and what I want to do. This means something had to go and it has been sleep! I have been averaging 6.5 hours of sleep a night which is not enough for me! I have been functioning alright but mentally have been struggling, especially with running. I just haven't wanted to run. When I do my times are ok, Monday I had a 6 mile run with 4 at tempo, 8:30 pace. Carrie and I switched off running and watching the kids. She went first and it was getting hot, when I set off I knew it was going to be hard. Within the first mile I was really wanting some water, I started the tempo and did ok but I only managed 3 miles. I just couldn't run anymore, I had stomach cramps and a headache and just couldn't mentally make myself continue, I know that I could have physically. My time for the tempo miles: 8:12, 8:25, 8:15, so maybe I was pushing too hard?

Last night my mil watched the kids for me so I could go for a 5 miler. The first 2 miles were hard, I just wanted to quit. The end went better and I felt good when I was done. The kids were wiped last night so I put them to bed early, did some laundry and went to bed. JR is out of town this week so I didn't have to get up at 5:30. I finally slept for 8 hours! Woohoo! I feel like a new woman today, which is good because I have a lot to do. I'd better get after it, have a great day!

New PR!

The last week has been very busy. My sis and her fam were here for the 4th and we had a great time camping, they stayed until yesterday morning. I have had a lot going on a more personal side, and just being summer time with the kids have kept me up later and rising earlier. I am tired! Thursday was my long run day and I managed 11 miles/9:35 avg, overall it went well although I think I picked the hilliest road ever! I did not feel like running that day and really fought the first few miles mentally, however the last half felt great.

This weekend is Rendevous and there is a 5 mile walk/run. The alarm went off this morning at 5:30 and it was all I could do to drag myself out of bed. My goal was to beat last years time of 45:32. The course is hard with the mostly uphill the first 2.5 miles, it's a tough way to warm up! When you reach the top of the last hill, the biggest one, and turn around it is easy. Racing downhill felt great, I was still tired but just let my legs go. I ended up finishing in 43:03. My splits:
9:03
9:14
8:54
7:58
7:36

Afterwards we went to the parade and tonight we are going to the rodeo. Tomorrow will be a 4 mile run and hopefully kicking back on the boat for the afternoon. Have a great weekend!

Hiking, Camping

I met with 4 other ladies yesterday for a hike. We had a great time, stopping at the base of the mountain where we watched the waterfalls. We have had a lot of rain and still have a lot of runoff from the mountains so the lakes and rivers are full. It was beautiful and a place I had never been before. We ended up hiking 7.5 miles and are already planning our next adventures.

Today we are going camping for 4 days. I can't wait, it will be nice to be at the lake without tv, computers, or the phone for distraction. I will miss reading everyone's blogs(I love all the motivation!), but I am ready for some downtime with my family. Now I have to go pack and I have a 6 mile run this morning. Hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend!

Easy Week

I can't believe it is July already, where did June go? This week is an easy running week which I am very grateful for. Cutting the mileage down is hard but I have been tired so I just keep telling myself that my body needs the rest. I ran 6 on Monday at 8:00 pm, the sunset was beautiful and I really enjoyed it. Yesterday I ran 5 on the treadmill, not as great but I made it. Today is an off day, I am planning on strength training, tomorrow is another 5 and I am planning on hiking with some ladies from church. We are planning on the same hike I did last Thursday. I'm sure it will be better without the kids, now hopefully the bugs will stay away!

Back To Normal

Everyone left yesterday, now my house is quiet! I dropped Carrie and fam at the airport yesterday morning and had great plans of cleaning house. I did some grocery shopping, came home, put the kids down for a nap and crashed for 2 hours. Napping was a much better idea! We woke up and went out for pizza, then I went for an easy 5 mile run. Now today I have to get busy!

We had a lot of fun and I managed all of my planned runs, even the 10 miler, followed by a 2 hour hike. The mosquitoes were horrible so the kids were miserable the whole way up. We had sprayed them before we left but somehow forgot most of their heads and forgot to take the spray with us. When we reached the top, overlooking the mountains and lakes below, the bugs were still with us so we quickly snapped a few pics and headed back down. Fortunately the sun came out so there wasn't as many mosquitoes on the way back, this really helped the whining! Friday it poured for about 5 hours so my driveway was on big mud puddle. The boys were going crazy in the house so I put some old clothes on them and sent them outside. I looked out a few minutes later and they had found a mud puddle to use as a slip and slide. They would run and slide head first into the puddle, very funny! When I find my camera cord I will show some pics.

Now I am back to the routine, I have a very messy house that needs cleaned and a lot of errands to be done now that I am back from "vacation." Have a great week!

Multiple Workouts!

When my sisters and I are together we usually have great plans of exercising and eating healthy, and not gaining weight! However after days spent cooking, cleaning, and just taking care of the kids we usually resort to junk food and sitting whenever possible. This trip our kids are big enough, with the exception of Marlee that they can entertain themselves more and don't need our constant attention, although they still want to eat every hour it seems!

Monday we took the kids on a hike, and they did great. I had to carry Brooklyn on the way back but we went a couple of miles. Rylee wanted to climb to the top of the mountains and was a little disappointed when I told her that would take 2 days to climb to the top and back. We had a picnic and came home. Then it was time for my run, I had to run 6 with 4 at tempo. The pace was suppose to be 8:42, I finished the 6 in 50:38. My tempo splits were 8:07, 8:15, 8:15, 8:08. When I was done I went for a run/walk with Carrie. She wants to start running so we are planning on going everyday. She did great, especially dealing with the altitude.

Yesterday I ran 5, then we took the kids to the park. During nap time we did Jillian's shred video level 1. Afterwards we started on the cocktails, after dinner JR took care of the kids and we continued drinking when Carrie had the bright idea of doing level 2 of the shred video. Very interesting after a few drinks!

Today is my rest day, I told Carrie I would run with her again and then we are going to the lake. The water will be freezing but it is suppose to be in the 80's today, for the first time this year!

They Arrived

Carrie and her kids arrived last night, her kids are so big! It's going to be a fun week, hopefully my running will fit in somewhere. I ran 4 on Friday and 5 on Saturday and Sunday. The first 2 on Friday my legs were tired from the long run the day before. I usually take the day off but needed to make up some miles, by the last 2 I felt like I could go forever. Yesterday I woke up at 5:00 and took off, I am still not adjusted to running so early in the morning, it takes a couple of miles to warm up. I had planned on doing the same today but my daughter decided to wake up with me so I am drinking coffee and blogging instead. The sun is FINALLY out and we are planning on going to a lake so hopefully I can run at some point. I am suppose to run 6 with 4 at tempo, it will probably be easier later in the day.

Marathon?

Thanks to road construction I have been without phone/internet service for a couple of days, not that it is back on I am buy reading everyone's blogs again. I am also trying to clean my house since my sisters are coming this weekend. Brandi and Marlee will be here tonight and Carrie and her kids will be here Sunday. I can't wait, we haven't seen them in 2 years(they live in Wisconsin) and I can't wait to see those kids!

I went for my long run this morning with my friend Carrie. We did 10 miles, it was raining when we started but quit within the first mile. We took it nice and slow, it is really nice to run with someone. I can't wait until the half and lately I have been considering a marathon. Gavin will be in kindergarten this year so I would have to find a sitter for Brooklyn. I have never ran longer then a half and am nervous about those long training runs. Right now I am reading 50/50 by Dean Karnaze and that has me thinking about a marathon along with the last Runners World with the marathon training plan. I need to look around and see what marathons are close to me in Oct or Nov, I have time to decide. I will also have to continue to read inspiring books, magazines, and blogs to help me!

Rain, Rain, Go Away?

We have had 3 weeks of rain already and according to the weather report it's not suppose to let up until next Saturday. My garden is in desperate need of some sun and Gavin wants to know when it will be summer so we can go to the lake. I have mixed feelings, I am ready for some sunny days but it has been nice running lately. The highs have been in the 60s and there it is cloudy most of the time. Thursday I ran my long run with a friend, which was great, the miles flew by even though it was a slower pace, and we felt great. I suppose I'll just have to enjoy the cooler temps this week.

Running has been going well, just following a plan from runner's world smart coach. I did finally run as slow as it calls for on my long run, it is hard to run slow! I haven't been to worried about it and am just trying to go with how I feel.

Early Morning Run

JR has been working crazy hours lately so I have been talking about running before he goes to work for awhile now, however when the alarm goes off at 4:45 I usually hit the snooze. Today I did not want to run on the treadmill so I managed to drag myself out of bed this morning. I dressed in a few layers(it's been cold), and was putting my shoes on when Brooklyn woke up. I tried to have her lay back down which sometimes works, but not today. JR took her to bed with him and I was off. The first few miles were slow but it was nice to be out so early listening to the birds. When I came home both of my kids were in bed with JR watching tv, after staying up late last night they should have been sleeping! They may be going down for a nap early today! I love not having to worry about running today and not having to run on the treadmill so I am going to try to run early a couple times a week.

Now it looks like we are finally going to have a nice, sunny day after days of rain. I am off to enjoy it with my kids, hope everyone has a great day!

I Lost 5 lbs!

After being sick for 1 day I am down 5 lbs! This would be great if I wasn't so weak and shaky. I started feeling better Thursday night and my kids wanted to go for a walk, I made it about a quarter of the way down my driveway before I had to turn around. Thankfully I was better yesterday, and my mom watched Brooklyn while I went for a run. I was running late so I ran 3.6 in 32:22 before I had to pick up Gavin from preschool. We went to my mom's and I decided to try for 6 so I headed back out. That 2.4 was much slower, in part thanks to a huge hill, time being 22:27, total time 54:57. Overall that was good, I didn't feel to bad and I tried to run slower but am having a hard time with that. Today I am hoping to run 7, as long as it doesn't start raining! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Missed Long Run

This week has been raining and my hubby has been working crazy hours so I have been stuck to the treadmill for 2 runs this week. The first was 5 miles total with 3 at tempo, and the second was 4 easy miles. I really struggled with both mentally, I just wanted to be outside! I guess I am going to have to get up early and go because I never know when JR will be home. Today was suppose to be my long run, I was really looking forward to it. My kids were going to go to their uncle's house and I had planned on running with a friend, a rare treat, but it wasn't meant to be. Last night my son didn't feel well and it wasn't long before he was racing to the bathroom, poor guy was sick all night. He slept maybe 2 hours, so of course I slept maybe 2 hours. He finally fell asleep at around 5 this morning, but not until he gave me the flu. Not fun, I haven't had the flu since high school? Gavin seems to be better now and hopefully this will pass soon and I can find a way to run tomorrow.

Camping

We had a great time camping. The mornings were sunny and hot with clouds in the afternoon which was nice for sitting around talking. Saturday morning was the 2 mile walk for the pregnancy center in town. Brandi and I left our kids and husbands at the lake and went in for that, I was a volunteer at the registration table. The weather was perfect and we had a good turnout, I decided not to run this year and instead I walked with a friend and Brandi. Afterwards we went back to camp and some friends came up for the afternoon. They brought their kids and they all had fun and were exhausted by that evening. We didn't do much but sit around and talk and it was nice just to relax. Unfortunately the days activities took a toll on little girl and around 12:30 that night she threw up. Brandi and I cleaned her and her bed up and I took her to bed with JR and I. She ended up getting sick 3 or 4 (I lost count) more times through out the night. JR moved to Gavin's bed after the first time. Sunday she was still feeling bad so I brought her home and when she woke up from her nap she had a temp. So the evening was spent trying to make her drink, today she is better but still not her perky self.

As for running, I didn't run at all on Saturday, yesterday I went out for an easy run in the afternoon. I was tired and my legs were sore so I was hoping to make 3 miles. It was hot so I just kept telling myself to go slow, I ended up doing 4 miles and by the last one I was feeling good. I as still looking at training plans and I think I am going to try the plan from the smart coach on runner's world. The easy runs are very slow though at 10:07 min/miles so I'm not sure I'll stick to it.

Time Outside

Wow it's been awhile since I posted! So much has been going on I'm not sure where to start. Summer is finally here and I am loving it, we have been busy outside and away from the computer. I realized that I was spending way too much time in front of the computer so I have been spending more time with the kids and doing the other things I want to do. Running has been going well, I have been doing 20-24 miles a week and am hoping to find a new training plan to start next week. I have been enjoying the little break but am ready to have my workouts planned out again. Last night I went for a run at 8:00, I was not fueled properly and tired from the days activities but it felt so good to be out at that time. I didn't realize how much I missed that time, last summer I did most of my runs at night. Running at night is a great way to destress the day, the only problem was that I was up later then usual due to the extra energy boost and didn't want to get up this morning!

Today will be a busy day, running, playdate at the park, cleaning the camper and getting ready to go to the lake when JR comes home. This will be our first camping trip of the year and I think we are all ready. Hope everyone has a great weekend, good luck to all who are racing!

Results are In

The results for the race were posted yesterday, however my time is wrong. My official time is 48:21 which puts me right ahead of a friend that ran and I came in behind her at the race. So I am going with my garmin time, 51:28, which put me 11th overall, 6th woman, and 3rd in my age group. I am happy with that!

This week I have been taking it easy, I tried out a circuit training class on Monday. I had been wanting to do this class for awhile but with my training plan I didn't have time to fit it in. The class was fun, I had a chance to socialize and got in a good workout. Yesterday I ran 2.24 miles on the treadmill before I ran out of time, I planned on running a few more miles when JR came home but he had to work late. I also did yoga, which was focused on the core- ouch! My abs were feeling it after two days in a row. Today my mom took my kids for the day so I did 10 miles this morning, avg 9:28 which was great with all the hills I ran. I was trying to go slow and even let myself walk up one hill, without thinking I need to run it. Now I am off to clean my house and maybe have a chance to enjoy it for a hour or two before my little mess makers come home!

I Did It!

We left for Idaho Falls on Friday, our room was by the river and the kids loved the geese and ducks by the water. The geese have people feeding them all day so they are not afraid of people and will come right up to you. We didn't have any food with us Friday night but I promised that JR would buy some bread so they could feed them while I ran. They were so excited that night it took awhile to get them to go to sleep and then of course Gavin was awake at 5:58. So we were off and running.

After breakfast Brandi and I went looking for the start. We knew the race was around the river but I thought it started by our hotel. We finally asked some runners if they knew where the start was and they told us on the other side, so we booked it over there. The race was small, just a fun run/walk and most of the people were doing the 5k. The course was mostly flat and looped around the river with an out and back section. I felt good for the first 5k, I was going fast and kept thinking I should slow down. The out and back section was hard, it was on a narrow sidewalk next the the highway and I found it hard to keep my pace when you had such a sharp turnaround. The second 5k I passed a few people and then was alone for most of it. I don't have my official time yet(it's not on the website) but according to my garmin I did 6.36 miles in 51:28, avg time 8:05min/mile. I planned on an 8:30 mile, but really wanted 8:00. I am very happy with my time and when I find the official time I'll let you know. Either way that is a new PR for me!

We finished the weekend with the zoo and lots of shopping! It was a lot of fun and great to get out of town. Now I am exhausted so I am off to bed! Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Need to Run Fast

Now I know why I was dragging so much after my long run, I am sick! Right now it's all in my chest and I just hope I can kick it by this weekend. I have been taking emergen-c and resting more which usually helps. I don't feel to bad when I run which is good, Tuesday I did intervals and didn't have any problems. Yesterday I ran 4 miles then had 4x200's. I felt tired until the 200s which felt great, maybe I just need to run fast!

Today I am cleaning and packing, tomorrow we'll go to Idaho Falls. The race is on Saturday, afterwards we are going to the zoo, and on Sunday shopping! I can't wait I am ready to get out of town for a few days. I probably won't post again until Monday so I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Mother's Day Weekend

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day! We had a good weekend. My kids stayed the night with their aunt and uncle on Friday, so I was able to run in the morning. Running in the morning is harder at first but it is nice to be done so I can enjoy the rest of the day. Then it was off to pick up the kids and take Gavin to a birthday party. He had lots of fun and we all crashed when we came home. That nap was just what I needed, I woke up feeling great and cleaned the house.

Yesterday my hubby forgot it was Mother's Day. He was suppose to get up with the kids so I could go for my long run, however he is not a morning person and I could not get him out of bed. When he finally got up Gavin reminded him that it was Mother's Day. Then we just played outside, JR worked on my garden beds (needed to be level), and I cleaned my car. I went for my run in the afternoon, my plan called for 9 miles which I did in 1:19:21. That is an average of 8:57 pace, by far the fastest long run I have ever done. The run felt good but afterwards I was very tired, I should have backed off a little. I also had a negative split, yeah! This week I have shorter, faster runs and my 10k is on Saturday.

Sunny Morning

We woke up to sunny, blue skies yesterday morning after a week and a half of clouds. I really didn't want to run inside so after dropping Gavin off at preschool I decided to try pushing Brooklyn in the stroller. She didn't want to ride of course, she prefers to walk so I had to bribe her with a sucker. Once we were off she had fun looking at all the trees and birds, she loved the bridge over the creek and chattered the whole time. I walk with the kids in the stroller all the time, however I have not run with the stroller since last summer and I remember why, it is hard! It is amazing how much you use your arms in running and it is really difficult when you can't. I tried not to worry about speed and just enjoyed the morning with my little girl, after 2 miles she was done. She wanted to walk and was not going to stay in the stroller anymore! My training plan called for 4 miles so I planned on finishing on the treadmill. On the way home my friend C called and we made plans to take the kids to the park and take turns watching them so we could run outside. That worked out great, we were able to enjoy running outside, the kids had fun and since the clouds and rain rolled in by 12 we were really happy we played outside in the morning.

Slide Workout

As my miles have increased I felt like I could use a day off on Monday, usually on my off days I strength train or do yoga. Finally by Monday night I was feeling better and wasn't tired anymore. Gavin and I needed some one on one time so I took him swimming. I ended up getting in a workout after all. He wanted to go down the big slide so we did, with 32 steps we went up 7 times it was a good leg workout. On the way down my abs were working by half sitting up as we spun around, my abs were actually sore yesterday!

Yesterday was tempo run which I did on the treadmill. I did 2 10 min and 1 5 min at 8:12-8:07pace, I was suppose to do 3or4 10 minute tempos but out of boredom I quit. I did 2 miles warmup and about 1 1/4 mile cooldown for 7 miles at 8:42 pace. Today I have 4 miles and I would love to run outside, but not sure if that's going to happen.

I have been trying different recipes for energy bars and haven't found one that is really good. The batch I made yesterday is ok but only if I am really hungry, otherwise I am not sure I would eat it. If anyone has a great recipe let me know!

Long Run

My kids and I spent Saturday at home so I had to run on the treadmill during naptime. I did 5.5 miles at 8:49avg and felt really good afterwards. It was a very challenging weekend with the kids and that run really helped put me in a better mood.

Yesterday my MIL watched my kids for my long run. Outside was cloudy but not cold and was only a little muddy after raining/snowing the night before. I zigzaged my way through 4 miles before I decided to run on the highway due to mud, mangaging 9 miles at 9:09avg pace. That is a really good time for me. The run felt really good and I am getting excited for my 10k. My times have improved and I am loving all the speedwork.

Intervals

My mom wanted my kids yesterday so I was able to run outside,yay! I thought about doing the intervals outside but it was hard last week because I kept looking at my garmin to see how far I had gone and what my pace was. Instead I decided to run outside for the warmup and cooldown and run on the treadmill for my intervals. The clouds were starting to blow in during my warmup but it was the perfect temp, around 45 degrees. The intervals went great, I did not have any problems. Although I don't think I could keep this pace for miles it didn't feel hard to run at a 7:30 pace.
1x1200
1x800
2x400
2x200
4x100 strides

Then I headed outside for a cooldown. Since I didn't have to hurry back for the kids I went for a couple miles. By this time the wind was blowing, I had 1 mile that felt like I was going backwards. I still managed a 9:05 but I was tired. Overall I did 6.62 miles in 57:35 so I am happy.

Today is an off day for running and my legs were sore so I decided to do some yoga. Since I needed to squeeze in a strength workout I decided to do Jillian's Shred video as well. I felt good after doing the video(level 1), but the yoga was hard! I did yoga for runners and my quads were burning with all of the warrior poses. My legs feel much better though, I really need to add more yoga or stretching to my routine.

Catch Up

Wow I just opened my reader and I am way behind on reading everyone's blogs! Hopefully I can sneak in some time throughout the day to catch up.

This morning I am going to help a friend move, and try to keep my kids entertained. They have been bouncing off the wall since they woke up this morning. I also have speed work today, I am planning on doing it on the treadmill so I can monitor my pace better. This should be a tough on since it is all at 7:30 pace, wish me luck!

Birthday

Where has this week gone? My son's birthday was on Friday and we had his party yesterday. This week has been perfect weather, until Saturday! His party was at the park and it was around 40 degrees and cloudy. The kids were fine but all the grownups were freezing! Gavin loved it though and that's all that matters. My sis and niece have been here since Wednesday so that's been fun.

Running has been going well, I had intervals on Thursday which I did at my mom's. I realized that I have a very hard time pacing myself. Everytime I would start I would be running way to fast so then I would try to slow down but I would run to slow! Guess I'll have to work at that. Here's my splits:
800 3:52
1200 5:59
800 3:54
400 1:51
400 1:52
200 :51
200 :52
200 :52
200 :53

The 800s and 1200 were suppose to be at 8:00min pace, the 400s and 200s at 7:30 pace. Overall I averaged a little under , which is better then over! Yesterday I was suppose to do a long run but I didn't have time so I think I'll do a long run today. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Spring Is Here!

We are loving the warmer temps right now, I can hardly keep my kids in the house. Yesterday we were outside all morning, even walking down to uncle's house and back, about 1 1/2 miles. They came home, ate a lot, and crashed for a nice 3 hour nap! I lifted for about an hour while they were sleeping, then after dinner a friend offered to watch them while I went for a run. I had 2 mile warmup, 2x3 10 min tempo, 2 mile cooldown. It was hot and windy and I was struggling. I decided to go farthter behind my house thinking it would be flatter, but I was wrong! I started my first tempo run on a dirt road that was very uneven, lots of bumps and holes. I really had a hard time but I managed a 8:14 pace. The second tempo run did me in, I could not keep a steady pace. Every time I looked at my garmin I was going 7:30 so I would slow down then it would feel harder. I only did 1 mile at 7:56, then I ran a 2 mile cooldown. I was starving when I set out so I had a Hammer gel(which I really liked), but my stomach was rumbling half way through. Lesson learned, eat more food during the day, and try to rest a little if I have a longer run at night. I don't think I stopped yesterday.

Today I have 4 miles which I think I'll do at the indoor track with my friend C. I would love to run outside again but I don't want to wait until tonight, it's going to be another busy day and I want to get it over with. Plus running with someone makes the miles fly by. Have a great day!

Week in Review

This week has been busy, my kids have been bouncing off the walls so I've been trying to keep them active while not tearing my house or each other apart. We have had snow all week and the sun has finally come out yesterday, yay! Thursday GG and I planted seeds in her greenhouse during a snowstorm, it just didn't seem right!

Running has been going well, I did hill work on Tuesday which was hard! On Thursday I had speed work which I did on the treadmill, it was fine until I had 200m and 100m repeats. It's hard to get the treadmill up to speed fast enough so I am sure I went over but that's ok. I kept it at 8:00mm for PI and 7:30mm for SI.
1x1200 PI
2x800 PI
4x200 PI
4x200 SI
4x100 SI

Yesterday I did 8 miles and today I have 5 miles with 6 strides. The sun is shining and I hope to get some work done outside, and let my kids run around and burn off some energy! Hope everyone has a great weekend, good luck to everyone racing.

Easter Weekend

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! The weekend was great here, filled with family, friends and food! My sis and her family were here, Marlee is so big! We went to some friends house Friday night for dinner and games. We stayed up way to late so my Saturday morning run was hard, between being tired and my legs were sore from Thursday's speed work. I did an easy 4 mile then it was time to take the kids to the Easter egg hunt in town. They loved it, especially seeing the Easter Bunny. Then it was off to my nephew's wrestling tournament. We didn't have a chance to watch him wrestle because my daughter was ready for a nap. That evening we hung out and Brandi and I had a chance to go for a long walk. We always have the best conversations then so it was great.

Sunday I was up early playing the easter bunny, the kids had fun finding eggs, and then we were off to church. It was a great sermon and really had me thinking about what Easter is about, also in tears a couple of times. Afterwards we went to my mom's house, then on to my hubby's aunt and uncle's house. We stayed there most of the afternoon and it was nice to catch up with everyone.

We came home and I set out for a run, I planned on a longer run of 7-8 miles but I was just to tired so I did 4.5 miles with 4 strides and will do the long run next Saturday. My kids are waking up so I am off to start another week, hope everyone has a great one!

I Can Run That Fast?!?

The snow melted and I had a chance to run outside yesterday so I took it. I went to town to run on the bike path and just went back and forth on the flat part. I was suppose to do intervals at race pace, which I am thinking will be about 8:30. The first mile was a warmup and then I just ran at a hard pace that I could maintain, I ended up going at a 8:00 min pace or slightly lower. I was really amazed that I could do that, especially on the 1200m. Here's the breakdown.

400 1:53
800 4:00
1200 5:52
800 4:03
400 1:56

Today is a rest day and I am planning on weights and yoga if I have time. My sis and her family are coming for the weekend so I have to clean. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

More Snow!

Last night was another snow storm, dumping about 6 inches. The weather report is calling for snow/rain for the next 5 days. Tuesday was beautiful and I was able to run outside, I had 2 miles, 10 min tempo, and 2 mile cooldown. My average time was 9:03 for 5.25 miles. My tempo time was around 8:10 so I was happy with that. Yesterday was an easy 4 miles and today calls for intervals at race pace. With all this snow I guess I am on the treadmill today, unless it all melts by this afternoon and my Mom will watch my kids. I love running in the snow but not for fast runs!

Upcoming Races

Today I signed up for the 10k race in Idaho Falls on May 16. I am really looking forward to running a 10k, I ran/walked one other race about a year and a half ago. So this will be my first real "race." I am also hoping to do a 5k on Mother's Day weekend in Jackson and there is a 2 mile run/walk on May 30 in Pinedale. There is also the 5 mile in July in Pinedale. In May I am doing a half marathon in Utah and I am hoping to find another half in the fall.

Today was a rest day and I did The Firm's Power Yoga dvd. Yoga was just what my sore muscles needed. I would love to do yoga throughout the week I just have a hard time finding the time. Something to work on I guess.

It's All In The Attitude

Friday night I stayed up until midnight(very late for me) watching movies. My kids were up Saturday morning at 6 so I let them watch cartoons while I drank coffee and tried to wake up. After a couple of cups things were looking good, the wind wasn't blowing so I had high hopes of going outside. I then discovered that the upstairs bathroom was clogged thanks to my son. I worked for an hour, scooping brown water out so I could plunge it, I was still covered in poo water by the time I was done. I went and woke JR up and told him I could not fix it, so it was his turn. While he was working on it I jumped in the shower, when I came back upstairs my daughter had her poopy pullup off and was trying to clean herself with the wipes. She was such a mess I threw her in the shower, she was covered from her shoulder to her feet! That was when I had to laugh, it was not the way I wanted to spend my Saturday morning but what can you do? We just decided it was a poopy kind of morning. Oh and my hubby had to use a snake to fix the toilet, it was clogged that bad.

After we were cleaned up we had some food and went outside. The skies were still gray and it was only 30 degrees but the wind was not blowing! The kids and I walked down to their aunt and uncle's house and we talked for awhile. Then it was time to head home and naptime. I was able to go for a nice 5 mile run. I am very grateful, the only 2 days the wind hasn't been blowing(somewhere around 25-35mph) is on Thursday and Saturday. Those are the 2 days I had a chance to run outside. Today I am planning on a 5-6 mile run, we woke up to 5 inches of fresh snow so I'll have to wait and see what happens to my road. I am really ready for spring but I am just focusing on how pretty the snow is for right now. It's all in your attitude, right?

Gray Skies

I am so ready for some sun! Today started out good, I woke up ready to go. I took Gavin to school , Brooklyn and I did a Crunch ab dvd, we went to toddler tumbling, picked up Gavin and came home. Then I was done, between the gray skies (for the fifth or sixth day?), new dvds from Netflix, and new magazines in the mail all I have wanted to do today is sit on the couch. I did manage an easy 3 mile run but that's it. It's almost bedtime for my kids so I am going to curl up and watch movies. I remember when that would have been a horrible Friday night but now it sounds great!

Moose

This week has been busy. I have upped my mileage to about 25 miles a week and next week I start a training plan for a 10k. I am going to try the runner's world fastest 10k plan and am excited to start speed work again. Today I went out for a 6 mile run, I really struggled at first. I just had a hard time mentally, my mind has been spinning lately. I have had family issues and had just heard some really sad news at bible study. I had to walk a couple of times in the first couple of miles. I thought about stopping but I just kept pushing and finally found some peace in the last couple of miles. I also saw a moose laying in someone's yard about 50 feet from where I was running. That made me get up the hill without stopping! I didn't see a baby with her so I thought I was safe but I didn't want to take any chances. This is the third moose I have seen on my runs. The first time was a giant bull moose, he was about 100 yds away laying in the willows. Seeing them so close does make the heart speed up and makes you run a little faster!

Pumpkin Bread

Yesterday was a typical March weekend here, we had a nice snow storm. It snowed a couple of inches and the wind was blowing an average of 20 mph. I kept looking out the window for a little break in the wind and since it wasn't letting up I decided to make pumpkin bread. It was so yummy I kept taking little slices off of it and by dinner I had eaten about a half a loaf. After putting the kids in bed at 7 the wind finally quit so I decided to go for a run. I was feeling very full and bloated which is part of the reason I wanted to get moving(and I was afraid I would keep stuffing my face!). I ended up doing 3 miles, the first mile was really rough on the stomach. I just kept going though and was very happy when I was done. Now I just need to put the rest of the pumpkin bread in the freezer!

Week Recap

We had fun at my sister's, we just hung out. The first night we took my kids to the park. It was cold, 40 degrees and windy! They didn't care though, the next day it snowed a couple of inches and the high was 22 so we stayed inside as much as possible. We did make a McDonalds run, gotta love the playground it saved the day! Yesterday we took them to the children's museum. Gavin really loved making pizzas and being a doctor.

While the kids napped on Thursday I went for a run. It was slushy, wet and at spots I was running through snow drifts. I kept thinking I needed 4 miles and was struggling through the slush. Then I hit the bike path and the turn around point. I don't know what happened but as soon as I turned around I picked up the pace and it felt great. I decided to run a little more and ended up with 5 in 45:17. Then I started thinking about last summer when I did a 5 mile race. My goal was to finish in 45 minutes and I think my time was 45:24 or :44? When I finished that time it was all I could do, this week I felt like I was just hitting my stride and could have ran a few more. My last 2 miles were 8:30 or under. Don't we all have to remind ourselves how far we have come? It is so easy to become discouraged when our runs don't turn out the way we want but I am sure if you look back you can see how much you have improved.

Today I have a 6 miler planned. It is suppose to be cold which is ok as long as the wind doesn't start! Have a good weekend!

Spring Break

My little man is on spring break this week. We are doing all the fun things we aren't able to do normally, like staying up late, swimming, play dates. It is fun but I am getting tired! Running has been going well. I ran 3.5 on Sunday, did yoga Monday, ran 4 yesterday and lifted for 50 minutes(while watching Biggest Loser). Monday I was exhausted and sore so it felt good to rest and stretch.

Today we are going to see my sister and her family. I'm hoping it is warm and we can take my kids to the park. Hope everyone is having a great week.

Painting

That is what I am spending my weekend doing. Painting kitchen cabinets takes a long time, especially with 2 little ones who demand attention. I started painting at 7 yesterday morning and actually got quite a bit done since I took my kids outside for an hour, went grocery shopping, and just the various interruptions during the day like feeding my family.

I put my kiddos to bed last night and it was so nice outside I went for a run. The sun was setting and it was beautiful. The snow on the mountains looked blue, I've never seen that before. The run itself was hard, I was just tired. I have to finish painting today and hopefully will be able to sneak out for a run sometime today. There is suppose to be a snow storm coming today so I'll have to see what the weather is like. Happy running everyone!

More Food?

I have heard that you should nap after your long runs, because you are tired and to recover faster. I have never been able to do this. Right after my long run I am usually tired but as soon as I eat I feel great. I have more energy then usual and am not really hungry for the rest of the day. The problem is the following day when I feel sluggish and just want to sleep and eat. I try to eat normally the day of a long run with a little extra afterwards but I wonder if I am not eating enough. Or is this normal? Is everyone a little tired the day after?

Long Run

Today was a good day, the weather was beautiful. My mom took my kids last night so I slept in today which I needed. I have been staying up late painting. I went to bible study then rushed to my mom's to run a couple miles before meeting my friend for a long run. She wanted to run 5-6 miles and I planned on 8 so I did 2.5 miles and then we took off. We ended up doing a little over 7 and it was great. The time went fast, I really enjoyed running with someone. Hopefully we'll be able to fit in some more runs together. When it is a little nicer and the snow melts we are planning on running at the track. Then we can take the kids and they can play while we run. I am just really happy to have someone to run with.

Mud!

The weather has been wonderful lately, the snow is melting! I am loving it and I even feel like I am able to add trail running to my week. I live on a dirt road and with it has been a mess. I went out for 3 miles on Saturday and Sunday and felt like I ran 10. I encountered ice, slush, mud, mud puddles, and a lot of ruts! My legs were so sore on Monday so I decided to rest them. I did a Cathe video off of Fitv, the pyramid upper body and core max. Ouch! I am still sore! I went to the gym with a friend yesterday and we ran 1.5 miles and elliptical for 30 minutes. Then we took our kids swimming which is always a workout in itself! JR had the day off so later when the kids were sleeping I couldn't resist going for another 3 miles. It was in the 40s here! I went to town to run so I didn't have to deal with the mud and I ended up doing 3 in 26:15, yay! I am hoping to do my long run with a friend today or tomorrow, just depends on if we can find someone to watch our kids. I am excited, I've never had anyone to run long runs with.

Dogs!

I just got back from a 3 mile run. I felt sorry for my dog because he has been cooped up so much so I took him with me. He does fine on the leash, usually runs ahead of me staying in a straight line. The problem is the dogs we pick up on our runs. There is one dog I know will come run with us, and he has gotten better the last few months. Today there was a new dog that joined us. So I spent most of my time pulling on the leash and dodging dogs since this new dog wanted to play with mine the whole time. At one point I dropped the leash and let them go because I was so annoyed. When I stopped to pick up the leash I forgot to restart my garmin so the last half I ran without it. I think I am going to start running on my own and taking my dog out for a walk with the kids. My runs are my stress reliever and this run just caused more stress!

Ok enough with that. The weather is beautiful today! It is suppose to be in the high 30s today which feels like summer! Ok not that warm but you can run around without a coat. Hopefully we'll have time to get out and enjoy it. Hope everyone is having a great Saturday.

Hurry!

My sister made it over, so our life is all about the baby right now! My kids are loving her so much, Gavin insists on sitting next to her and protecting her whenever she is awake. They sing and read books to her, it is so cute.
My sister is starting a plan that will ease her into running. She never has been a runner so it starts out slow, with lots of walks and then yesterday 5 minute walk and 30 second run for 30 minutes. I told her I would go with her after my run. I planned on 6-7 miles, the longest I've ran since January. My sis stayed at my mom's Wed night so after bible study I went over there. I packed everything we could need except for my running shoes! So I came home to get those, I live 10-15 minutes away from my mom. I change at home and am ready to go when I get back to my mom's. I turn my garmin on and set it on my mom's bumper to locate satelites and run into the house for a minute. My mom takes off to town at this time, I think she is in a different truck so I don't think about it. When I come back outside both my mom's and Steve's truck are gone! I panicked, called Steve and thank the Lord my Garmin was still on my mom's bumper! After I got my watch back I set off. It was getting late by then and I still had to walk/run with Brandi so I ended up running faster then planned. I guess I need to be rushed everyday!
6.51 miles
58:16 minutes
8:57 pace

No More Snow

My sister and my sweet little niece are coming today(if the roads cooperate). I can't wait, I haven't seen Marlee in 3 weeks! I'll bet she's so big! There was a snow storm yesterday so Brandi couldn't make it over the pass(chain law in effect). There is a chance of snow today so hopefully Brandi can make it over.

I am planning on running a few easy miles today. My plan is to keep the miles slow and gradually up my mileage. I have to say I really miss speed work, I never thought I would say that! Last summer I never did speed work. Oh I had great ideas of doing it, but when I would start it would hurt too much and I would back off. I finally started this winter and I loved it, crazy! I am thinking though that my miles need to be more right now and I don't want to add both and injure myself so I'm taking it easy. Yesterday I did a Crunch bootcamp video, it was a good workout. My arms are sore today which is always good. Hope everyone has a good day!

Mellow Day

Last night the kiddos stayed at their aunt and uncle's house so JR and I went to a friend's house for dinner. It was fun, I had not been out since January so it was good to relax and know the kids were having fun. I think we went to bed at 1 and of course I was awake at 6 which is now 7 with the time change. I vegged in front of the tv for awhile then decided to go for a run before I had to pick up the kids. My legs and hips were sore and tight, I even did yoga yesterday! I haven't been doing the foam roller the last few days and I need to. I have been stretching more but it's not enough. I managed 4.75 miles in 9:30 pace. I actually thought I was running slower so I am happy with that. It was cold, 15 degrees with slight wind so I had to pull out my balaclava(is that how you spell it?). I picked up the kids and played with them for awhile then went to take a nap. Now I'm up and everyone is sleeping so I am off to get my house in order.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

House, Horse, or Race Car?

Yesterday I decided to workout to Cathe on Fitv. These worlouts are challenging, especially when I have not done them in awhile. I think I did the muscle endurance one. My kids like to exercise with me, I give them my box step which breaks down to 2 pieces so they each have one and they play with bands. They do jumping jacks, jump rope, and occasionally like to follow along to the video. Brooklyn did lunges one day and it was the cutest thing ever. Gavin did his first real pushup yesterday, I was impressed! While they are good about letting me work out they are bored towards the end. That's when they like to run circles around me and things like that. While doing the leg press(stepping up on the box) Gavin decided I needed extra weight and grabbed on to my leg. I am not that strong! When it was time to do pushups I became a horse for Gavin and a house for Brooklyn. During chest flys I was a pirate ship and a race car. I guess as long as I keep working this will all help me get stronger, right?

No Pain!

During nap time I ran on the treadmill. I started off thinking I would maybe make 2 miles because of my leg but about 1.5 miles into it my pain went away! I don't know if it what was the motrin I took an hour before or the fact that I wrapped my leg or what. I just kept going and made it 4.3 miles, yay! I ran slow, I did find that when I tried to go faster I would feel a little pain. Now today I feel great, I am hoping to run a few more miles today and lift weights. I am trying not to become to excited and do too much, but that is hard!

Spring Fever

The weather has been so nice the last couple of days, we are entering mud season! The kids and I went played outside all morning yesterday. I thought of a million things I want to do, although it is still to early to start. I did chip away all the ice on the deck and some of it from the front yard though, that was a good workout!

Today I am going to run a few easy miles and lots of cleaning. I did the shred video yesterday, level 2. It was hard at the end, my arms were shaking! I need to start doing pushups again, I slacked off the hundred pushup challenge. I don't know if I'll finish it but I do need to start adding more pushups in.

I'm off to drop off my son at preschool, then on to cleaning!

Busy Days

Saturday we went to Walmart to stock up(2 hours away), and when we got home we took the kid swimming. By the time we came home and had dinner we had been going all day. The kids passed out by 7 and I thought about jumping on the treadmill or at least doing a strength workout but instead I decided to crawl into bed and watch a movie. I fell asleep before 9, I guess I needed sleep! So I didn't make my mileage goal for last week.

Sunday we went to church, came home and cleaned, then went for an easy 6 mile run. The weather was great and I really enjoyed being outside in it. My leg was hurting a little, I was feeling really good this week and then on Friday I slipped a little on some ice and tweaked it again. I am so over being hurt! It's not as bad as at first I just don't want to start training and have it flare up again. I am going back to cross training a lot this week and hopefully that will be enough time to finish healing. The weather is suppose to be warm this week so maybe the ice will melt and then I won't have to worry about slipping!

Adding up the Miles

Running as been going well this week. I am looking at having 20-23 miles this week. I have a 3 mile run today and a 6-8 mile run yesterday, it will depend on how much time I have. Yesterday I ran on the treadmill, I started at 9:14mm then slowly made my way down to 8:27 then back up to 8:49. I ended up doing 3.4 miles in 30 min so I was happy. Last night I did Jillian Michaels Shred video, level 1. I have been adding this video in the last 2 weeks and I finally did level 2 on Tuesday. I barely finished! I was drenched in sweat and my arms were like rubber. I will try again in a couple days, I just felt tired last night so I stuck with level 1 which is still an awesome workout.

Put The Food Down!

I have been eating way too much lately and the scale is showing it. I don't know why but I have just been hungry lately. I have even been eating before bed which I don't normally do. While I have been working out it's no match for the food I've been consuming so it is time to pay attention to what I am eating!

I ran 2 miles at the track yesterday with a friend and 30 minutes on the elliptical. Today I am planning on running and weights. We decided on a 10k in May and a half in June so I am just trying to add the miles back in. I really miss having a training plan, it helped keep me motivated. I just want another week or two before I start one, I want to stay injury free!

Lazy Day

Yesterday we hung out at home all day, I love those days where we don't have to go anywhere. JR took the kids outside for awhile while I did a little cleaning, then nap time I went for a run. I started out feeling tired(the kids and I are sick), and I wondered if I could make it 3 miles. It was beautiful outside though and I didn't want to come back in the house so I made it for 5. I did a little sewing, cooked dinner and we just hung out for the evening.

Today we have church, am planning on getting together with a friend for a little while, we have to let our kids see each other it's been way too long. We only live 1/2 mile apart but are on different schedules so we haven't seen them in a long time. Otherwise it's suppose to be warm again today(30 degrees, yay!) so I am planning on an easy 3-4 mile run and weights today.

Mixing It Up

Yesterday I did the elliptical and then the spin bike for 30 minutes. I haven't rode for that long before and I felt it! I hope to ride more and I really want to ride my bike more this summer. I basically stuck to running last year and want to mix it up a little now. While I have missed running it has been nice to do other activities that I enjoy but I quit doing. I would really love to take a spinning class but the gym that offers them doesn't have childcare, so maybe someday.
I am tired tonight, I have to tuck my son in and then I can go to bed! I had bible study this morning so my Mom took my kids for the day. I am very grateful she keeps them for me and is usually asking when she can have them. After bible study I came home cleaned a little then headed out for a nice 5 mile run. I am so happy to be running again! I got back and cooked dinner then went to play racquetball with JR, picked up the kids and came home. Now I am ready to kick back for a little bit.
There is a contest going on at nhershoes, it ends tonight so hurry over! It's for Win detergent, who couldn't use that? I know my running clothes are stinky, even after I wash them.

Snow, Snow, Snow

My hubby's uncle watched the kids for me today so I went for a 4 mile run. It snowed here off and on all day and there was a few inches of fresh snow on the ground. Half way through my run it started snowing again, great big flakes. My glasses soon fogged up so I took them off and squinted through the snow. It was great! I arrived back to pick up the kids soaking wet, I just was dripping everywhere. Brooklyn wanted me to pick her up immediately and she made a face and just kept saying "Mommy all wet" over and over. I tried to keep an easy pace and I ended up averaging 9:49mm with a negative split so I am happy. It was just a great run.

Now I'm off to do upper body and core work followed by the foam roller. I love lifting while I watch the biggest loser, it's much better then eating while watching!

Getting Back To Running

I went running! On Saturday I went out for a veeeerrry slow 3 miles. The sun was shining and I was so happy to be out there. I only had minor discomfort in my leg, yay! I did abs and pushups on Sunday and I went to the gym with friend yesterday. We ran for a mile then did the elliptical.

I am planning on running today an easy 3-4 miles and strength training. I am trying to ease my way back into running. I am also looking at new races in the area and I think I have a couple friends that want to run with me. Last year I always ran by myself so I am excited to have someone to run with sometimes.

I Miss Running!

It has been a week now and my mind is craving the peace I feel afterwards. I have been exercising, lifting, swimming, and cardio, but it's not the same. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and I wanted to be out there so bad, but I restrained myself.

Thursday night I played basketball with my hubby, sis, and brother-in-law. I knew it wasn't the best idea for my injury but I went for it anyway. We weren't 4 minutes in when my sis pushed/tripped me and I felt my hip pop. Major pain! Ididn't want to be a wuss so I kept playing(or hobbling around). Amazingly after a few minutes my thigh/glute felt better. I woke up yesterday feeling only a slight twinge which soon went away and was fine the rest of the day. Today is the same, was my leg just out of place and needed to be readjusted? I don't know but I am happy to be feeling better. I am going to try a nice slow short run today, that will be the test!

Recovery Days

Ok so I planned on running a lot and jumping back into my training plan this week, it didn't happen. I don't know if it was the 7 miles on Sat or the bootcamp workout on Sun but I must have pulled my injured muscle again. I tried to run on Monday and it felt like it did that first weekend. So I have not run at all this week and I think I am going to try to not run until at least next Mon or Tues. I'll just have to wait and see how I am feeling. I am thinking the half that I had planned is out so I am going to search for another one. I do have one planned in June and I think I can find some more that are close to home.

I have been doing yoga and strength training this week. Today I am planning on swimming. My sis, her husband, and niece are coming today for the weekend. I am so excited to see Marlee, she is already 2 weeks old, I can't believe it! So I am planning on lots of family time and hopefully I can sneak into the gym occasionally. That is one of the hardest things about not running, having to go to the gym to work out instead of just taking off outside when I have a chance or jumping on the treadmill when the kids are sleeping.

Time To Get Moving

I looked at my calender last night and realized I only have 8 weeks until my planned half marathon. I'd better get to work! I did a boot camp video yesterday and I have hill repeats today. My leg is a little sore today so I am going to wrap it and hopefully I'll be fine. I think I am going to order some compression shorts since it's hard to wrap my thigh/glute. I am planning on ramping up my milage this week along with 3 strength workouts and yoga, if I am going to run this half I want to have a good time. My goal is around 2:05, although I would love to break 2 hours.

On the home front I am clearing out the upstairs so we can start tearing out walls. Our original plan was to add on but I am not sure if we can do that this year financially. We live in an old house that has a lot of little rooms, now that the basement is finished we are going to turn the extra bedrooms into one big living room. I can't wait! Right now it is hard to have more than 2 people over without being crammed into the living room.

7 on the 7th

My company my hubby works for had a sledding party, so we took the kids and had so much fun. It was a beautiful day, staying in the 20's. We got a workout in just running up and down the hill pushing kids off and catching them at the bottom! We wore everyone out, my kids were asleep before we left the parking lot on the way home!

Once we were home and the kids in bed I went for my run. The sun was going down soon but it was still so nice I had to run outside. I was able to run 5.4 miles outside before it was too cold and I couldn't see so I finished on the treadmill. I am very happy with my time, I think I posted my goal as 1:04 and I finished in 1:01:12! I am really surprised at that because I had been eating cookies and hot dogs all day at the hill. I also had only drank maybe a cup of water all day. I did feel it during my run! I also realized why I run faster on the treadmill, I have better form! Outside I end up slouching, with my head down watching the road. When I am on the treadmill I stand up straight looking straight ahead and I am always focused on my abs and shoulders. I really tried to focus when I was outside and it helped a lot, I just had to keep reminding myself. Now if I can just remember all the time my runs would be a lot easier!