Baby it's cold outside- still

This morning I got up bring and early at 5 to go for a 5 miler of course. I put on my cold weather clothes ( really need to buy another jacket) and headed out by myself with my faithful ipod. I really am enjoying the morning. I was going to try to run with the Lakewood Ranch Running Club but my options were run from 4:30-6 a.m. or 6-7 a.m. and one was too early and the other too late for me to get home and get the kids ready. I planned on going at a slower pace and I did not disappoint myself. I really wanted to roll back over and stay in bed but I am working on the mental aspect of pushing myself when I don't really want to do things so out the door I went. I passed 2 runners on my way back in and we each did the obligatory wave. By the time I got home I had run 5.16 on the trusty Garmin and I was still cold.
I am really excited for the weekend and the reappearance of running in my shorts. Oh how I am missing my shorts!

Happy Running!!

The road to good intentions

Did I mention that I live in Florida? Did I also mention that the temperature has been consistently below 40 degrees for the last 2 weeks? Did I mention that I have been running consistently in weather under 30 because I usually run before the sun comes up to avoid the wind? This has been my crazy running life and I do not know how people up North or anywhere the temps stay cold do any long distance exercise outside. My run times have been quicker than normal because I guess I have been trying to run faster to avoid being outside. Luckily I have had my FIL here to watch my kids so I haven't had to push them in the jogger for some time. I do know however, that those days are coming to an end but I also think that the cold weather is coming to an end too. I am not quite sure exactly how many days until the Princess Half but I do know that as long as I stick to my plan and don't get hurt that I will be just fine.
Bad news is M broke her knee cap so sadly she will not be running it with me (she did break it falling while running). This just means that mentally I need to prepare to running alone. I did an early 5 miles alone this week and it went really good. I think I am also becoming a morning runner since cheerleading is taking up every evening during the week.
My plan is usually to get up around 5 a.m. and depending on the plan- running, then coming home getting my kids up and ready for school, and then being the bus driver I am the rest of the day, until cheer practice hits at 5:30 and we usually don't get home until 8ish, then bed routines with meals interspersed throughout the day. So the morning it seems is the only time that I have to be able to get my miles in and if I don't BEWARE of the cranky mom!

This weekend is mandatory cheer practice because Monday night Ash has her first CHEER competition. If you all remember from earlier, I was not too thrilled to be forced into this new role as cheer mom and I don't really think I make a good one. Well this will all be getting tested this coming Monday at the Manatee County Fair. Yes, I said the fair- you know with livestock and carney rides and weird people. Why wouldn't I want to parade by beautiful daughter decked out in her short cheer uniform in front of these strange people. Did I mention my daughter is 6? Needless to say, I have already told Ashley that I will not be letting her out of my site during the entire time that we are at the fair and that as soon as we are allowed to leave - we will be! I know, not the best attitude going in -but I am working on it.

Ryan's birthday is in about a month and we are throwing him a party at the local bounce house place. I feel that he gets the short end of the stick sometimes so we are going all out for my boy to turn 4. He really has no clue that he is having this party (it's not a surprise) but he really doesn't care about things like birthdays, presents. If you were to ask him what he wants he will probably tell me something like he wants a ball or something silly like that. I love my boy and am so sad that he is growing up.

Alexis- oh my lord the child can get into some trouble. She usually warms up to people pretty quickly BUT not my FIL. It has taken her 2 full weeks to not cry when he is in the same room. That also has contributed to my 5 a.m. running since I couldn't leave her with him crying for an hour straight. She also is now walking everywhere and she has given up on baby food for good. She shakes her head NO when trying to feed her anything with a spoon because she feels that it is baby food (even when it isn't). She gets into EVERY cabinet in the house and the nail polish I have under my vanity is her favorite thing to bang on the floor ( and she did break one when I was with Ashley at cheer and I left her with my FIL!) She is also the smiliest baby I have ever had and her little giggle cracks me up.

That is what we have been up to lately I WILL be better at updating- I WILL!!

Happy Running!!!

2010 - wow

So, I am a blog slacker- sue me (but please don't)! It seems as though as each day passes the busier that i become. Being a stay at home mom is a crazy job. Winter break is almost over (HALL-E-LU-JAH!!!) and my kids will be going back to school in 2 days. I have survived visits from every member of our immediate family and have come out of it almost unscathed. We have had people in our house for the last month and we have at least 2 more weeks of our last visitor so running has been my saving grace these last few weeks.

I have found that if people start to really bother me I can leave my kids with them and run out all of the frustration then come home and be the loving family member that I am.

Lexi started walking this last week and although I am sad about it, I am also happy that I do not have to lug her around everywhere. Ashley has her first cheer competitions this month and I still don't think that I am ready for it. Ryan is COMPLETELY potty trained- no diapers at all which is pretty impressive for me right now.

I am training for the half-marathon at Disney on March 7 and training is going extremely well. My goal for 2010 is to be more consistent in the things that I choose to do and blogging is one of those things, so keep coming back because I can guarantee that there is going to be a lot of fun going on here this next year!!

Happy Running!!!

Jingle Bell 5K

It was first and foremost a lot of fun!!
There was a lot leading up to this 5k because my parents were not able to come and watch my kids and I DO NOT leave them with people I don't know. So then M was going to watch them for me and that ended up falling through too. So there I am with a race and 3 kids. T worked it out so that I could leave Ashley with her parents and kids during the actual race and we decided that I would run pushing the baby jogger. At the time the thought of pushing the jogger wasn't too bad (although I dislike pushing the jogger under normal circumstances). Of course the circumstances became not normal when the temperature dropped to 55 instead of 85 and I started having mommy guilt over pushing my munchkins in that temperature.
I decided to just go and have fun. I went to good old Target and got hats for my kiddies brought a blanket to wrap around them and we were ready to go.
What I wasn't prepared for was the amount of people involved in this 5k. The first mile I spent trying to dodge walkers (yes I said walkers) and not hitting those who took off to quickly and felt the need to just STOP in the middle of the street. Mile 1 was fun to run but not to race and definitely not easy with the jogger. Mile 2 was along the street that was covered in Christmas lights and then went along the river. It was windy and chilly but the kids thought it was so fun. We couldn't even actually cross the finish running at Mile 3.1 because everyone had stopped and were chit chatting and I did hit the lady who just STOPPED right in front of me ( i apologized).
T and I ran the whole time and finished in 33 minutes which considering the jogger and maneuvering the masses I thought was pretty good. Did I mention that it was fun?
I would love to run it next year-minus my kids (i love them but i don't like pushing them).
Happy Running!!

Yes, I took a break :)

Mostly I just took a break from blogging because I really had nothing interesting to say. We have been in crunch mode around our house. Dave had foot surgery so instead of taking care of 3 kids I have been taking care if 4 kids- haha! I have been running and I actually went for a 10 miler tonight with T. It was so much fun for me (don't know if T thought the same). It was only supposed to be 9 but we got a little lost (really need to just buy the garmin) and ended up doing 10. We have Ashley's first cheer competition this weekend. I am so extremely nervous for her and since I honestly have no clue how she does the things she does I am also so proud. So after this weekend I am going to start blogging a little more consistently again. Dec 14 officially starts training for the half marathon but I feel like I could do one next week so I am just going to enjoy following a plan again and enjoy running with my buddies.

Thanks for being concerned about me but I am doing really good.

Happy Running!!!

Remembering...

I have wanted to sit down and write this post for 2 days but I didn't have a second to myself (which I think was a good thing). On October 30, 2008 I went into labor and I staying in labor for 3 weeks. I remember that day as clearly as if it was yesterday and in many ways to me it feels like it was only yesterday. I was 33 weeks pregnant and enjoying my day. I picked up Ash from kindergarten and started having contractions. I came home and laid down, drank some water, but they were getting closer together so Dave and I shuffled the kids to our emergency people, called my parents to come get them and went to the hospital. If you had told me then that I would have to stay there I would have laughed in your face. I figured we would go in, get a shot, maybe be admitted for a day and go back to my life until Lexi was ready to come out. Soooo not what happened.

I did go in and get the shot, many of them but the contractions were still there pretty hard but not painful and they were not stopping. I remember the nurse telling me they were going to put me on MAG and that I would want to die for 3 days and then I would feel better. Dave asked how long I would have to stay and she said "you may be here for 2 weeks" and we chuckled.

They started the MAG and they have to get you in a "theraputic" and yet not "toxic" range. First bolus put me in the "toxic" range. Oh yeah did I mention it makes you REALLY HOT (I still think I am recovering from this). I could not lift my head because it makes you really dizzy, I felt like my skin was being burned off (which it was from the heat coming out of my pores) I could barely function and I honestly don't remember much from those 3 days. I was violently ill and scared that any sudden movement would cause my water to break. The weird part is that I was never worried about Lexi. I knew that she was fine because I had daily ultrasounds for the next 2 weeks during my stay. I had really great nurses who always tried to talk with me and would let me know my options (although leaving was never one of them). I had contractions for the next 2 weeks at least 12-15 maybe more an hour but my body didn't feel them. I was on an antibiotic which apparently I was allergic too which no one figured out until I went into labor. I stayed on the dreaded MAG for those 2 weeks. My body was HOT but they kept my room at about 50 degrees. People would visit me in parkas and I would sit there in my gown and no blankets.

AND I CHANGED

it is really hard to explain how. I felt guilty for not being home with my kids and husband. I think that was the worst part of the whole ordeal was that I was stuck there. I often said it felt like prison to me because I could not leave. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to go through and I was lucky. My Lexi was healthy. She was active and growing and when she graced us with her presence at exactly 36 weeks she was gorgeous.

and look where we are today...

I am thankful for her and I am still a different person than I was on October 30, 2008. A friend told me that there are scars and there are but what a great prize right?

Oh and one of me and the brood :)

Happy Running!!

Tower of Terror Recap

I loved it!!! my M not so much :(

Dave and I drove over Saturday morning and checked in to the Gaylord Palms ( favorite hotel ever!) and then went to packet pick up at the Wide World of Sports. At this point we found out that we could buy tickets to the post race party so Dave could see me finish and I think this is where I became really excited to do the race. Earlier in the week I didn't think he would be able to be at the finish so after we bought his ticket I was so relieved that he wouldn't have to waste an hour and a half in the parking lot that I just vowed to relax and enjoy.

We met up with M and J and their significant others and went to Wolfgang Puck for lunch at Downtown Disney.

*I definitely had a nutrition goal for my pre-race and it went wonderfully.

I had the best pumpkin ravioli and some bread for lunch- it was seriously so good. M and J went to packet pick up and then we went back to the hotel for naps. Yes the naps that didn't happen because I could not turn my mind off and I kept going over the course in my head. Well my body was able to relax I guess which may have helped too. We went to Columbia for dinner and I had more bread and a salad. At this point it was getting close to 7 and we had to be at the park by 9 p.m. (normally in bed by 9)

We went back to the hotel to get dressed and I had a major dilemma- what to wear. I had my outfit picked out but it was a little cooler than usual, about 67ish and I didn't know if I should wear capris or a shirt over my running tank. Decided to just run in my original outfit and my Zensah leg sleeves.

WE got to the MGM parking lot and waited for J to arrive. I really had to use the restroom so I ate my hammer bar, kissed my hubs goodbye and told him i would see him at the finish and went to meet J at the start . I was still not feeling as nervous as usual but excited. Asked someone where the porta potties were and they said we had to use bathroom by MGM. So we walked that way then were told that those bathrooms were closed (in a rude manner) and that we needed to go back the way we just came from. By now I really had to go so I wasn't in a joking mood with the Disney workers. Finally found the potties which were right next to the starting line. Not the best place for the porta potties because it created a big mass of people right where we were supposed to be corralled for the race.

I used the potties and stood in line in the corral with J and M. WE all had our ipods in case they had to drop back or if we got separated. I was planning on staying with M to the end unless she had to stop but I am getting ahead of myself. At 10:30 the fireworks went off and we started, well we walked to the start because there were A LOT of people lined up WRONG and that was a tad annoying. We started and I already had gone over the course so I knew were every mile marker was. My plan was to take 2 chomps at the start, 1 at mile 4, and 1 at mile 7 to get me to the finish. Miles 1 & 2 were just getting out of the crowd of people and at 2 we had to run down a dirt path leading back into the Wide World of Sports. Miles 3 & 4 was running through Wide World of Sports fields. We were on the sidewalk running and then ran around a track, at this point J decided that she was going to fall back which was cool. She did a great job! At mile 4 we took out chomp and M said she felt ok. I knew that from mile 4-6 it was the MOST BORING part of the whole course. We were on the main road leading to MGM and we had to run up and down the ramps. M started to hurt about this time and I was trying to encourage her to do what she felt she needed to. Mile 6 was right outside of MGM and we had just run this 2 weeks ago. I was feeling really good still but M was not. She told me to go and that is just what i did.
I felt awesome so I picked up my pace and I had the BEST 2 MILES EVER!! I was running faster than I ever have and I was having so much fun. I was passing people left and right and I just kept picking it up. I got to mile 7 and took my chomp and I did my last mile in 8 MINUTES!!!!! There was a hill leading up to mile 8 but I was totally mentally prepared for it and was having so much fun that it might have been flat ground for all my body knew. I flew up that silly hill saw the 8 mile marker and knew I was only a turn from the finish. My endurance was definitely built up because I wasn't even tired. I crossed the finish smiling because my watch said 1:24.01 and Dave was there taking my pic and telling me great job!! I really feel like I could have ran 5 more that night. I have never felt better running than during the 13K. M came in at 1:35 and J at 1:39. M was having knee issues and could barely walk so we went back to the the hotel and I had to take Dave to the airport the next morning but since I was still on my running high not sleeping wasn't much of a problem.

M is taking about a month off but I ran today and realized that I still love it. I love running 3 miles just as much as I did the 8.

They aren't doing this race again but there is a replacement and I will definitely be signing up for it when registration opens Nov 16th.

Happy Running!!