Must Have Gear

Today I had a great run.  Mostly because I really didn't want to run, but I did it anyway.  I've been so tired this week.  I haven't wanted to get out of bed for work, I've been dragging all day at work, and by the time I've gotten home I've been so exhausted I just want to collapse in bed.  Except I can't, because I'm a mom.  I know the other moms out there will understand. 

Today I got home a good half hour before the hubby and kids got here and I was so, so tempted to lay down on the bed and watch some trash TV or just "rest my eyes" until they got home.  It is so rare for me to have the house completely to myself.  The silence and privacy was so very tempting!

But, I laced up my shoes and hit the road.  It was only a 2 miler scheduled for today so I used that to my advantage when I was playing the mental game to get out the door.  I ended up finishing the 2 miles in 20:12 which I find to be awesome for someone who didn't have the energy to run in the first place!

I got a new product in the mail a couple days ago.  I mean, I bought it and the Fed Ex man delivered it to me.  I don't have sponsors beating down my door or anything.  Anyway, after the run in with the dog last week I decided to order a SPIbelt.  With warmer weather teasing us, I know shorts weather is just around the corner.  At least I hope it is.  And when I start wearing shorts, I stop carrying my cell phone.  It makes me beyond nervous to be out by myself without too, in case of emergency.  So, enter the SPIbelt:

It is A-MAZ-ING!  I've used it twice so far and it is awesome!  Once you put it on, you forget that it's there.  It doesn't bounce or ride up.  It doesn't squeeze your waist.  You don't feel it at all.  In fact, tonight I came home and cooked dinner with it still on because I forgot it was there.  And look how deceptively small it looks.  But it expands to easily hold my iPhone:

And if I had been going on a longer run I could have easily squeezed a few gels in there, my car keys, and probably even more stuff.  It is deceptively huge.  I couldn't be more pleased with this purchase!  If you have ever stressed about how to carry everything you need for a run, especially during shorts weather, get one of these now!  They are FAB!

Nope, I didn't get paid or reimbursed in any manner to brag on this thing.  But I wish I would.  SPIbelt = new love of my life.

Too. Much. Chocolate.

Today I ate half a bag (you know...the big bag) of peanut M&M's.  There was also a run in with a Caramello Bar and a bottle of Yoo Hoo.  And some hot chocolate.  And a couple bites of cadbury dairy milk.  I don't know what got into me!  Tomorrow I plan to pack a giant salad to eat at work for lunch.  My body needs veggies and protein before it shuts down from the sugar overload.

Today I ran a quick 3 miles outside before taking T. to dance class.  I decided to get back to the basics thanks to something I read at The Hungry Runner Girl today.  I couldn't go all the way, I mean I didn't leave my Garmin at home or anything crazy like that.  But I did decide not to look at it, except when it sounded the alarm at the mile markers*.  I did not watch my pace, I did not stress that I was running too fast or too slow, I did not count down the tenths of miles until I would be back at my car. 

Instead, I ran what felt good.  If it felt too easy, I picked up the pace.  If it felt too hard, I slowed it down a little.  I appreciated every foot step, and even had a monologue going on in my mind about how each and every foot step was literally getting me closer to my immediate half marathon goal and my more distant full marathon goal.  I appreciated the nature around me...even if I wasn't happy that it was snowing!!  And the entire run felt amazing.  It wasn't one more check on my To Do list.  It was me, enjoying myself.  It was the best solo run I've had in a long time.  And my time wasn't too bad either, even without checking the pace every 20 seconds.  Go figure.

3 miles in 32:13.  Average Pace: 10:45. 

*I just learned how to set my Garmin to automatically chime at me at the mile markers on Saturday.  Yes, I have had this watch for two years.  No, I am not ashamed.

My Treadmill Lives the Good Life

Saturday night (technically early Sunday morning) I was up with a stomach bug.  All night long I felt TERRIBLE.  It was horrible, and all I really kept thinking was "NOOOOO!!!  I have to run today in order to get my four running days in!!".  Sunday was a rainy day, but fairly warm so it would have been a great day to run which made it even worse.

I laid around all day Sunday, watching TV, napping, not eating and generally feeling miserable.  Finally at the end of the day I sucked it up and got on the treadmill to run 2 miles.  I figured even if I didn't make it the whole way, I could still say I ran four days for the week.

I had a pretty sweet setup going:

Why yes, we DO have 3 TV's in front of the treaddy.  Ok, technically it's two TV's and a laptop.  The big TV is really for the kids to watch because you can't see it from the exercise equipment.  The top TV is the one that is actually high enough to see from the treadmill or spin bike, so is the one we usually have on.  The laptop is because sometimes a girl's gotta watch Hulu.  I missed Survivor so I had to catch up, obvs.

I had the speakers right there on the treadmill so I could hear REALLY well when Phillip and Francesca started going at it and proving themselves crazy right from the get go.  Note the fan, aimed right at my face.  It might be my favorite part.  There's the yellow post-it note to keep the pulse sensor from going wacko and giving me pulse readings, even when I'm not actually touching the sensor.  And my motivation: the big tacky piece of paper that is taped on that says MARATHON:



"When the guy says go, you start to suffer -- or you might as well not be out there. It's a small piece of your life, make it hurt."
~Aaron Cox, Winner of US Mountain Biking Championship

That's the setup that let me pound out 2 miles in 21:15 (10:38 pace) even while sick!  That made 12 weekly miles in 4 days of running.  I felt proud.  And tired.

A. was tired too.  We had to wake her up from her nap and she promptly snuck into the chair and fell back asleep.  It was too adorable...so I just let her go back to sleep!

The Same, But Different

Today we watched a home movie from when T. was a baby.  She was getting burped, and after she obliged I said "Good Girl!!!" (insert baby talk here) and she jumped a MILE.  On the video, I crack up and even snort.  In real life while watching, I cracked up and even snorted.  It was like surround sound all of a sudden because I sounded exactly like I did six years ago.  It was weird, especially since I feel like I've changed so very much in those six years!

Yesterday, the hubby and I got a babysitter so we could go run together, kid-free.  We set out to run 6 miles on a gorgeous, sunny, COLD day.  It was 34 degrees and Dave normally won't run in that weather but he did it anyway and it was great!  We ran 6 miles on some stellar paved trails in the next town over.  The scenery was gorgeous and runners were out all over the place. 

Dave wanted to start out slowly (he's only resumed running within the last couple weeks) so we were aiming for 12:00 miles to begin with.  We stopped at 3 miles to get a drink, chew some energy and turn around to come back.  Dave ate some Shot Bloks, I took a strawberry Clif Shot w/caffeine.  And I nearly gagged on the taste and texture (it was my first time).  I have weird issues with texture anyway to be fair, but man that thing was nasty.  But with that said, I did get a kick and we busted out some major negative splits for the last 3 miles.

Mile 1: 12:00 (hit it exactly, I should totally be a pacer)
Mile 2: 12:12
Mile 3: 12:17
Mile 4: 11:29
Mile 5: 11:24
Mile 6: 10:25

Total time: 1:09:49, average pace 11:39. 

We both felt good, and I for one have no soreness today (Tiger Tail baby!!).  I've been running 6 miles for a while now on Saturdays and I wanted to keep doing that until it felt good before I started growing the distance.  I finally think I'm ready to move up, so next week we've decided to tackle 7 miles!

A couple miles today will finally accomplish my much sought after 4 day running week!

Lazy Friday Night

I'm having a fun, happening Friday night...how about y'all?  Sitting in my AE fleecy pants with a heating pad on my hip, catching up on last night's Grey's.  Actually, it's heavenly!!

We did manage to drag ourselves out to get some dinner.  Hubby hates when I take pictures of him eating.  Bahahaha!!!!!

I may have eaten copious amounts of bacon cheese fries and ranch dressing.  Pre-long run fuel baby!

Excuse the poor quality of the iPhone pictures.  Oops.

Tomorrow morning the hubs and I are running 6 miles.  I hope the cheese fries don't come back to haunt me.  No porta's on this route!

After the run we're meeting up with Dave's sister and her husband to try out a new Mexican place.  I love going out to eat after a long run.  The hungrier you are the more yummy food you can sample :)

Happy weekend!

I had some, and it was Popplicious

I have been on a quest since I was 6 years old.  [That's a 24 year long quest, in case you're not keeping count]. 

We used to have a lovely little place called The Dairy Barn.  It actually had the look and feel of a barn (it's a midwest thing) but inside was a lovely world of ice cream and sherbet galore.  It was my favorite ice cream joint, because they had Grape Sherbet and I love love love all things grape! 

I can still remember the last time I went there because it was such a traumatizing experience for me.  You see, after we had our Grape Sherbet and left The Dairy Barn, I realized I had left behind my beloved Popple.  It was purple and awesome and I was a mess!  This was well before the days of a cell phone in every driver's hand, and it was a long drive to The Dairy Barn from our apartment.  We couldn't just go back, and we couldn't call until we got home. 

By the time we made the call, it was gone. 

A sad story, to be sure.  BUT!  The Grape Sherbet has lived on in a special place in my heart.  Every grocery store, every ice cream shop, I was always looking.  Could this be the day I would find Grape Sherbet and re-live the childhood memories?  I mean, that stuff was yummy and when I find something I like I prefer to stick with it thankyouverymuch.

This story has a happy ending.  Because on Tuesday night, I found my Grape Sherbet.  And it was every bit as intoxicating as I remembered!

Oh yes, Bruster's Real Ice Cream, I will be back.  On Saturday.  After a 6 mile run, I deserve your grape-y goodness.

Tuesday workout: 2 miles, 20:46 (10:23 pace)
Wednesday workout (same route, but accompanied by hubby): 2 miles, 20:48 (10:24 pace)

Unfortunately, the two in a row has my hip all kinds of bummed out.  But, today and tomorrow I rest from running and pick up spinning so I'll have fresh legs for Saturday's run.  I will run 4 days this week!!

Three Tangent Tuesday: Valentine’s Day Addition

In honor of yesterday’s holiday, St. Valentine’s Day, I present to you three things I LOVE:

1. I LOVE emptying the tray on the hole punch.  Weird, right?  When you take off that tray and the thousands of little circles fall out it is just so satisfying.  I mean, it is a visible clean slate.  You put the empty tray back on the hole punch and you start over fresh.  Every time.  It’s sort of poetic.
2. I LOVE going out to eat at restaurants.  I know it’s more expensive than eating at home.  I know it’s usually less healthy than eating at home.  But it’s so fabulous to not be the one cooking and cleaning up.  So fabulous.
3. I LOVE the smell of clean laundry.  Be it a Clean Cotton Candle or actual warm, fluffy clothes fresh from the dryer, there is no better smell out there.