Mom's Little Running Buddy

15 Month Update -Doctors, Hockey, Toys and Hair

2012-01-26T10:39:00.000-08:00

I figured after that heavy post about regret, I'd turn things around a little bit and show you some adorable E pictures. After all, this blog did start as a way to give family an update on how he was doing.

E is 15 months now and continues to make us laugh. The things he does are just hilarious and scary at the same time.

His new thing has been to climb up on the ottoman that's in front of the couch and LEAP off it onto the couch. He thinks this is great fun. I, on the other hand, just see this as the precursor many other dare devil type activities which I'm sure are bound to give me a head full of grey hairs. I've been trying to get a video of it. I'm confident that I will succeed.

He also seems to have a bit of my klutzy tendencies. He was playing last night before bed when I captured this sweet little video. The end of the video is hilarious. Totally something I would do.

Last week we had his 15 Month doctors appointment and as always, I'm instructed to get him undressed down to his diaper. In past months, he'd sit patiently on my lap, wrapped up in a blanket. Not this time. As you can see, it was all about rearranging the office and climbing on whatever he could find. He did get a shot which upset him for all of about 5 minutes then he was fine.

The other major event of the weekend was the haircut we tried to give him. I don't have pictures of that because I was too busy trying to keep his hands out of the way of the stylist. Terrible! You would've thought I was going to let her cut his ear off. We only got the sides done. Until yesterday, the top was still long enough to Mohawk.

After I had tortured my son with a haircut, I figured we should make it up to him with a run to the yogurt place. That is where I learned a new technique for eating yogurt. For those times when just one spoon isn't enough, E introduced us to the two spoon method.

E's eating habits are picky at best. I continue to try an array of things but his favorites right now are edemmame, pears, string cheese and turkey.

We are also working on turning the cute adorable gibberish that we have now into words. He's saying easy things like Ba-Ba and Dada but I can't get him to say much more. He knows though. I told him that if he wanted to get in the bath he had to take his shirt off and he immediately tried lifting it up over his head. We will get there.

Yesterday, I came home from work to find that S had decided to try to correct E's bad haircut. This is the best picture I could get yesterday but if you can tell, he got a buzz cut. All that pretty hair is gone. Oh well, it will grow back.

Here's the before:

I am having so much fun as a mom. He lights up my day in a way no one else can (S comes in a close second). I'm such a lucky lady to have two great guys.

Here's the after:

Regret can be a Strangely Motivating Thing

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

My motivation for this post is coming from the pressures of school that I'm feeling right now. There are only a handful of things I regret. I can say that honestly because I've tried to live my life with the motto of no regrets. I don't want to look back and wish I would've made a different choice.

I thought about it a lot for this post and really and truly just a couple things. The reason I bring it up is to help you see that doing this kind of assessment is not only good, but motivating as well. It's good because there comes a time when you have to learn a lesson and just let it go but getting to that point, at least for me, was tough. I thought I'd share a couple of my stories to help you get started...

College Volleyball..I loved (and still do) volleyball.
In high school it was, by far, my favorite sport. I loved it so much that it was my one and only goal when talk of college came up (did I mention I don't think I was great?). None the less, I ended up going to my local Junior college for 2 years and walked on their team.

In two years, I went from walk on to a stating setter (an accomplishment I still take a little pride in) to a highly recruited prospect. (I know...you're asking where the regret comes into play? Don't worry, it's coming).

Anyway, I again, became very short sighted by only wanting to play for, what I considered, a good division 1 school even though there were a handful of amazing schools that I could've gone to. I made my choice and trained all summer as prescribed by my coach. Once preseason started I was beyond excited and physically prepared. What I wasn't prepared for was the mental toughness I would need. I was playing on a level unlike any I had ever experienced. (to illustrated, the coach would make us watch game film of the Chinese national team which at the time was on top). I wasn't prepared. The pressure became too much and I cracked. The team tried to help, I got a sports phycologist but it was too late. I went running home with my tail between my legs and it's bothered me ever since. This is one scenario that I usually don't even like to talk about because I'm embarrassed. In the time since this has happened I can look at how I approach a challenge and see positives and negatives of this experience coming through.

Fitness Competition...after college I got back into fitness full time through running and weight lifting. I worked out at a gym that was home to an amazing fitness competitor who often talked about the sport with me. So much so that I decided to give it a try. With memories of my volleyball debacle still fresh, I approached it with an optimistic reality. I worked and worked and got to a pivotal point where I felt I had to make a decision.

At the time, I felt that there wasn't room in my life for everything I was doing (technology consultant career)and a fitness career. I made what I thought was the more conservative decision to "retire" (if you can call it that) and focus on my technology career. The part of this decision I regret isn't the decision itself but rather that I couldn't see that with a little flexibility I could've made it work. Hell, today I am juggling a career, a family (toddler included), grad school and charity work. I'm pretty sure I could've done it. But again, now I have to lingering sinking feeling every time I think about it.

So you may ask why do I let some of these memories continue to live on inside my head?

First, I can't get rid of them, they won't go away. They live right next door to my moms voice (aka my voice of reason) and that's where they'll stay. But I prefer it this way.
Every time I want to quit or give up on a goal, I remember how I felt in the scenarios above and that is usually the exact kick in the pants I need to get up and over the hump.

My advice here is if you're holding on to regret, figure out a way to see the silver lining or the lesson you learned that you learned and then file it away only to live on when you need it to.

Use it as a tool to help you reach your goals, not a crutch to fail.

Make sense? How do you deal with regret?

Execuses for NOT Exercising Debunked

2012-01-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year I had a chance to guest post on MizFitOnline. I think it's worth sharing if it means, you get inspired to head to the gym. Enjoy!
______________________________________

Hi my name is Katie and I can’t work out before 5:30 at night.

All Respond…Hi Katie

That’s right I said it. I can’t get up early and workout like some many other amazing fitness junkies. I tried a few times and it was a complete bust for me. My lungs don’t seem to want to wake up until at least 6:30 a.m.. So that means that I’m forced to SQUEEZE it in sometime after work, but before dinner.

Luckily, my husband is also an evening exerciser so we usually plan to go together and my son E gets to go to the nursery where he plays and makes a mess which someone else gets to clean up. In my mind, it’s a win-win. Between the time I leave work and get to the gym, my mind goes through a series of checkpoints (otherwise known as excuses that are quickly overruled). I thought I’d share those with you to help you get over the hump and get to the gym.

Excuses for not exercising in the evening debunked:

1. Many people will say that “if I don’t go straight from work, I won’t go at all” That’s NEVER been the case for me. Fitness is a priority and always will be. Because of that, I go home, I change, I get my husband and child ready and we all turn right back around and head to the gym. No excuses. So that’s my first recommendation for you: MAKE FITNESS AND YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY

2. I’ve also heard…”well, by the end of the day I’m exhausted. I don’t have any energy”. Another excuse that can easily be overcome. First off, GO TO BED!! Get your sleep. Sleep is essential to making sure that your day goes smoothly. Secondly, watch what you put in your body throughout the day…If you’re feeding your body lots of artificial sugars then you’re not even giving yourself a fighting chance. Try adding an apple to the mix if you’re looking for something sweet. Refrigerate it if you want something cold. Add some peanut butter for added protein. My second recommendation: EAT TO SUCCEED

3. The third excuse I hear and again, you can work through it is…”I’ve had a terrible day, all I want to do is go home and veg”. UMMM, no! Sorry. When I’ve tried doing this, I’ve found that I just sit and stew about the bad day that was instead of moving on. Work is work is work. When you walk out the door, try to put it all behind you and move on to the next part of your day. Part of what makes fitness great is that no one is going to bite your head off for pushing yourself. Beside the sweat you’ll produce cleanses yourself of the terrible day’s toxins that might have built up. My third recommendation: SWEAT IT OUT!

4. Finally, there are days when you just need some help, some motivation, some energy and some support. My final recommendation: Use social networks (I can be found on Twitter at @momslrb) for motivation, have a quick pick me up (for me it's 5 Hour Energy) and hug someone. Then off you go!!

Now what were you doing again? Head to the gym…it’s waiting for you.

A 5K Training Plan Anyone Can Follow

2012-01-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

One of the things I'm asked often is "How do I get into running?" When I hear the question, I get that little Mona Lisa smile, and my brain starts cranking away. I have plenty of opinions and advice on this topic as I'm sure most runners do. I've tried to provide the most important nuggets but if you have specific questions, don't be afraid to ask!

Couple key points first:

See a Doctor Please make sure your healthy enough to be engaging in exercise. (Sorry I had to make sure you knew.)
Set A Goal and by that I mean, if you want to do a 5k, find one and SIGN UP. I'm a fan of deadlines. If you know you've committed and spent the money, you're less likely to give up.
Be Optimistic and Realistic. Becoming an avid runner doesn't happen over night. It takes time to build up your mileage. It's important to start every run with a positive attitude but it's even more important to know that you're not going to conquer the running world today. Work hard and celebrate your achievements.
Reward Yourself. Call me selfish but when I do something that I think is worthy, I reward myself. That usually means new workout clothes or shoes. When you set a goal, celebrate when you achieve it. Figure out what your reward will be and you'll probably work that much harder to get it.

Need a little extra motivation? - Check out 5 Reasons why you should do a 5K

8 Week Training Plan - Link to PDF
There are lots of resources out there to find free training plans. I tried creating one that I felt was truly easy to follow but would challenge you in a way that you'd see results.

Ideally, the workouts will be done every other day (Monday, Thursday, Saturday). If you're feeling motivated, add a cross training workout in there too (elliptical at a challenging page/resistance for 30 minutes). Try not to let more than 2 days go between workouts. I'm trying to find the reference but I've read (and I feel it) that you can lose any running fitness you've built up in as little as 2-3 days.

Let me know how this works for you. Hopefully you will have so much success you ask for a marathon training plan!

Happy Running!!

What's For Dinner?

2012-01-15T20:54:00.000-08:00

I promise we'll get back to our regularly scheduled fitness topic soon (I've been trying to get my hubby to help me video a vlog for a while).

I don't know about you but one of the biggest pains of my week is planning the weeks menu. I wrote an post last month about how crazy our week can be which is why planning dinner options is so tough. There are days where we don't get home till almost 8 which means I have 20 minutes to get dinner on the table.

On Sunday, I sit down and scour my brain, the Internet and all my cookbooks for dinner options. Some of my favorite cookbooks are from Pampered Chef, Betty Crocker and Family Circle. There are weeks where I feel like getting crazy and will find something new but usually fall back on one of my guaranteed stand by options. This week I'm trying a new Chicken Noodle Casserole in the February Better Homes and Garden.

Then I make the grocery list and off we go. Usually it's a family affair because S thinks I don't "get anything good" (i.e. junk food) so he and E escort me. This week, S was especially bad, by throwing a couple items into the cart that I think, if you look closely, you can find.

We usually eat pretty well. Most of our meals consist of a lean protein (chicken), veggies (steamed broccoli, salad, green beans) and a start (couscous).

I thought I'd share my list of stand by dinner options in case you're looking for a change. Let me know if you have any ideas I can add. My criteria is that I can prep and cook in 20-30 min and unfortunately, we don't have that sophisticated of a palette, so we have to keep it simple.

Main Dish:

Italian Beef (this is the easiest crock pot recipe, add beef, water and Louie's P&R seasoning packet, when we come home, it's ready).
Flank Steak marinated in McCormick cracked peppercorn
Pasta Roma (Vegetarian,Whole grain pasta (always) and lots of cheese)
Turkey Meatballs, bocconcini and orecchiette
Grilled Chicken Pita with cucumber sauce
Pesto Chicken Pasta
Pot Roast with Carrots, Potatoes and Celery
Italian Turkey Sausage, peppers and pasta
Hamburgers
Sloppy Joe
Unstuffed Geen Peppers
Spaghetti
Grilled Pork Chops
Steak and Potato Spinach Salad
Panko Breaded Chicken Strips

Side Dishes:

Italian Salad
Spinach Salad
Steamed Broccoli with lemon juice
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
Sauteed Broccoli, carrots and pine nuts
Tomato, Cucumber Salad
Pasta Salad
Tater Tots (Told you we weren't sophisticated)
Flash Steamed Green Beans
Green Beans with Almonds
Couscous
Brown Rice

Ok, I think that's about it. So what's on your stand-by list? How do you plan your meals? Any favorite recipes or meal sites? I'd love to know. If you want any detailed recipes above, let me know through comments and I'll provide. Happy cooking!!

Had to share one of my favorite grocery store memories. This is when E just learned to walk. He was so proud.

Baby Registry Revisited For Moms To Be

2012-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

E is now almost 15 months old and live changes everyday. I remember before E came around thinking about all the things I thought I would need in order to care for the little guy. I added them to my registry and went along my way. Now that I look back at it, there are some definite winners and losers from the list and somethings that I didn't even think about. I should tell you I'm not getting paid in anyway for mentioning these products. This is from one mother to another.

Big Winner: B.O.B. Stroller

Before I had one, I had heard that you MUST have one. But I knew they were expensive so I questioned it. My family bought us one and I have to say that I LOVE IT. If you are a runner/walker or thinking about becoming one you really should invest in one.

I have more miles on this thing than my bike at this point and it handles every mile like a champ. It's easy to push, easy to control and E seems to really like it. In fact, I think so many pictures of the stroller (and E of course).

Little hint...look on ebay and craigslist. These hold up really well and sometimes you find a deal.

Other Greats:
Medela In Style Breastpump

If you're a breastfeeding mom, I highly recommend Medela's In Style pump. I used it everyday for 9 months. It traveled with me on business trips, we were joined at the hip. I never had any issues with it. Very reliable.

Little hint...I borrowed a pump from my sister in law. I know they say you aren't necessarily supposed to but I wasn't sure if I was having more than one child so I didn't want to invest and she was willing to share (I just bought new pump parts, hoses, etc).
JJ Cole Car Seat Cover:

If you're having a baby in the winter months, this is a MUST. It saves you from having to try to put a coat on them, and get them strapped in. It also does shield them from the elements while keeping them warm and cozy. We loved it!

Arm and Hammer Diaper Pails

This kept E's room smelling odor free all the time. It has a little pocket of Baking Soda that drops down every time you put a diaper in it. Ours has a weird hang up with it closes. It makes a lot of noise and doesn't close smoothly. We even bought a different one and the smell was so bad we went back to this one and just deal with the weird, clunky close.

Boppy Bare Naked Pillow

Can you say awesome? This was so versatile. I used it when I was breastfeeding but also, I used it to allow E to sit up when he wanted to play on the ground or do tummy time with. I highly recommend having one.

Baby Einstein Discovery Center Entertainer - Around the World

E loved this thing. In fact, he still does. He walks up to it and plays around with it still. It's a little pricey but a great toy that can be used long beyond their first year.

Levana Video Baby Monitor

Let me preface this. I love my video monitor. I wish I had this one that was color but the one I have is great. I think a video monitor can be used for years. Especially as they grow out of their cribs. My plan is to keep E's setup so I can see what he's doing when he's just playing around or supposed to be taking naps.
Mine has this clamp on the bottom of it that is supposed to secure to the crib but it doesn't stay in the secured position so often times, I found myself looking at the wall. Here's a small clip of what mine can capture. I would love this one which has an eye that just sits on a shelf.

Modified Bath Towel

So this isn't something you can buy at Amazon but it is great. My friend made them for me and I made them for my Sister in Law when she was pregnant. It's a regular bath towel (I picked the softest white towel I could find), with a strong grosgrain ribbon sewn creatively on to the middle of the towel in a loop big enough to put your head through. The reason...it makes it so easy to use both hands to pick up your wet baby and pull him close to you. Saves you from having to lay him down and try to wrap him up.

Nest Diaper Bag

Nothing makes me happier than buying a nice purse but when baby comes along my purses got retired for a while. My husband bought me this diaper bag and I LOVE it. It's huge and doesn't look like a diaper bag.

Buy yourself a nice diaper bag. It makes a mommy happy. Might I suggest the Nest Diaper bags? If I could, I'd own every one of them.

Hmm..wonder if they need a bloggy spokesperson. Doubt they need my help.
Not So Greats:

First Years Bottle Warmer

For us, this was a bust. I didn't think it worked fast enough. It just wasn't convenient. I ended up having more success running hot water in the sink and submersing the bottle. Now I will say, I did use the cooler on the back side of the warmer because it does fit bottle perfectly and now that we live in a 2 story house, I would take 2 bottles up just in case E woke up in the middle of the night. Saved me lots of trips up and down.

Summer Infant Swaddlers

We noticed very early on that E was NOT a fan of swaddling. When I could get him to do it, I found that using one of our receiving blankets was easier for me. So these for us, were just not worth it.

Ok, so that's some of the big ticket items. I obviously have a ton of opinions on lots of products but I don't want to make this post a novel.

What are some of your best and worst baby products?

Weekend Run Down - When Worms Attack

2012-01-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday (I'm sure you can't sense my sarcasm but it's there). I wanted to just post a couple cute pictures from our very relaxed weekend (which I still plan on doing) but you'll see when you see the pictures that our weekend didn't end well.

First tons of cuteness. Saturday, my mom and I watched the babies so my sister could get settled into her new home. On the way back, Baby M fell asleep and her head kept falling..Looked very uncomfortable. So we got smart and used E's baby neck pillow to prop her up. So cute!

Then once we got to the house, all the kids came back to life and wrestled the stuffed worm (he obviously provoked them). I think the kids won.

Then Sunday night I made dinner and E wanted to help so I put him in charge of making the pasta.

Ok, maybe not, but he did get countless minutes of enjoyment out of the empty box

Then after a great dinner, we went to bed and everything was good. But then, it hit at about 10:30, E started crying. I went him swooped him up, we took our place in the rocker and he lost his dinner all over the place.

This continued through the night and into this morning. He was pretty pathetic but I did LOVE how cuddly he was.

It's amazing how ingrained it is in us to want Mom when we're not feeling well. Hell, at 32, I still do. I guess that's a sign of a good mommy.

Anyway, we're on the mend now and seem to be getting better. Hopefully we can just make it through this week successfully. We have work, dentist appointments, 2 grad school tests, 2 days of school and a Crystal Ball on Saturday just to tie a nice little bow on all the work we're doing.

On a side note, I did manage to get in a nice run on Sunday. The weather here has been so unseasonably warm that I couldn't resist going outside. Gorgeous!

Hope you're all doing well. Don't miss tomorrow's blog. I have an amazing compound exercise for you to try. I had my husband record it the first time but the angel wasn't right. I think I'll have E try it. He might be more successful.

Guest Post on MizFitOnline

2012-01-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it, I had the opportunity to guest post on one of my favorite fitness blogs: MizFitOnline.com

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Celebrate Fitness - Giveaway

2012-01-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

If you're in the St. Louis area or are looking to take a road trip, why not get involved in an amazing event, support a great cause and get a good workout in with 1200 or so of your friends.

Celebrate Fitness is on March 10, 2012 at the Washington University Field house (Doors open at 7:00, Event start at 8:30) and allows you to sweat it out by participating in a 90 minute workout of your choice:

Bootcamp
Yoga
Zumba/Hip-Hop
Water Aerobics
1M Fun Walk
5K/10K (10K is new this year)

Who's invited to attend?
This event is open to all (Men, Woman, Families) and teams are highly encouraged. Prizes are awarded to the teams that raise the most money.

Why am I giving away a free entry?
I personally have had many family members touched by cancer and I'd love nothing more than to never see someone suffer from it again. This funds from this event go to support research and education at the Siteman Cancer Center.

Because of my connection to this terrible disease and my love of everything fitness, I decided to get involved. I sit on the organizing committee and I couldn't be more proud to do so.

What's new this year?
I'm excited to introduce a 10K to the event lineup this year and to celebrate, I'm giving away a free entry to the event ($30 value). A winner will be picked at random on January 12th.

In addition to our top finishers in the 5K and 10K race, we'll also have awards for the top finishers in the Stroller division (for those of us that take our little ones with us everywhere).

What's in it for you?
For $30, you get your registration paid for, participation into the event of your choice, and a highly coveted goody bag or tech t-shirt. (No really, these goody bags are amazing and always filled with lots of goodies). Mine is still one of my favorite bags but every year it's different.

You get to entertained in the opening ceremonies, get to take advantage of the complimentary massage services, do some shopping and get to enjoy being around 1200 of your closest friends. The atmosphere is electric and I'll personally welcome you to the event, when you get there if you let me know you signed up. I'd love to meet you!

If you can't wait to till the 12th to find out if you're a winner, head on over to Celebrate-Fitness.org and sign up. Hurry! Space is limited and events will fill up quickly!

How do you enter the giveaway?

1. Leave a comment telling me which event you'd participate in.

2. Follow Celebrate Fitness @CelebrateFitnes on Twitter and leave a comment letting us know you've done it (with your twitter name).

3. Follow me @momslrb on Twitter and leave a comment letting us know you've done it (with your twitter name).

4. Tweet the following:

I registered for a chance to win a free entry to @CelebrateFitnes on March 10th at Wash U in #STL from @momslrb. Check it out!

5. Update your Facebook Status with the following, then leave us a comment and your Facebook URL:

I registered for a chance to win a free entry to CelebrateFitnes on March 10th at Wash U in St. Louis over at Momslittlerunningbuddy.com. Giveaway ends January 12th, go check it out.

At Work Move of the Day - Single Leg Stand

2012-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Make sure that you take your heels off. Then slightly lift your left leg first, engage your ab muscles to keep your balance, and stand up. Repeat 10 times then switch sides.

Today's Move: Single Leg Stands

Tomorrow I'm promising an upperbody move to cap off our week of office based fun.

Also, Saturday, I'll be guest posting on MizFitOnline. Check me out!

At Work Move of the Day - File Cabinet Sits

2012-01-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

First off, make sure that your file cabinet (or office wall) isn't going anywhere. It should be stable and anchored. Then, just like at the gym, roll down into a seated position (ladies, take your heels off) and hold.

I usually hold at least 30 sec or closer to a minute if I can afford the time.

Today's Move: File Cabinet Sits

Can you feel the burn? I can. Cubicle butt will be gone soon enough.

At Work Move Of The Day - Chair Dips

2012-01-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

As a way to help everyone try to squeeze in a little extra fitness, I'll let you in on some of my favorite moves to do during the day at work. If you have any you do, send them to me and I'll share them as well.

Today's Move: Chair Dips

I do a set of ten each time I do them. I'm not even going to tell you how many sets to do. Do as many as you can.

What are your favorite moves?

Ready? Go for it!

My 2012 Bucket List

2012-01-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

This year, I'm taking a different approach to the typical new years resolutions because, lets face it, something always happens to through you off course. Besides, with school running the entire year, I'm not going to be able to do much more than what I'm doing right now. So at the end of the year, these are the things I'm hoping to have done, my 2012 Bucket List.

Fitness:
1. Record at least a mile for every day of the year (maybe 2). Total - 730 miles Minimum.
2. Complete 2 Half Marathons and 2 Triathlons
3. Get in whatever workout I can on those days that just get so busy
Family:
3. Teach E to say "Mama"
Fun:
4. Decorate 2 rooms in our new home. I'm thinking my office and the master bedroom need some sprucing up but the entryway is on the list too.
5. Increase my completed Pinterest Project List. I've got a couple that I've been trying to do for a while.
6. Learn to work my new Sillouhette Cameo machine. It's just waiting to be utilized. I just need to sit down and focus. Any projects you recommend?

So that's it. I've been thinking about it and that's all I'm comfortable committing too. What are you doing? What are your resolutions?

Vacation Is Almost Over

2011-12-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

We will be leaving soon but we've had a ball. E has loved playing with his cousins. He finally got use to the ocean enough to walk down to the edge and let the waves lap over his feet. He'd giggle apprehensively. It's so much fun to watch him learn. We talked about shells and sand and everything in between. So much fun!

Today the entire family went down to the pier today. It was a little brisk but still always a lot of fun. Check us out!

We looked liked a stroller brigade walking down the street. Don't mess with the "gang".

E also seems to be having some issues with teeth. He's been very clingy. Seems that when all he wants is me, there's usually something wrong. We might even run by urgent care tomorrow just to make sure it's nothing major.

Because of the clinging, I haven't been able to run as much as I'd like. Sometimes you just have to choose family. I know that so I'm trying not to beat myself up over it too much. It sucks but not as much as watching E suffer.

We wanted to give you a little glimpse of the great weather we're having here so E and recorded a couple small vlogs. Hope you enjoy!

Day 1 on the Beach

2011-12-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

I look forward to this week every year. It's the one time of year where I get to just relax. I don't worry about anything. We're surrounded by family and we have NO set plans. We just hang out. Today the weather was gorgeous in the morning so we took the kids to the beach. They loved it. Then I got to run. It rained but I loved it. I can't tell you the last time I ran in the rain. It was just the perfect mist. I just felt so rejuvenated. Wonderful. Here's a few fun pics from the day. Enjoy!

Getting ready to go outside!

The cousins playing in the sand

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!! I can take a good picture every now and then.

This is fun. Can you tell I took it?

This is cousin Jack. He's pretty much adorable!

Career or Home? What Would You Chose?

2011-12-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks I've been grappling with a decision that I have to make and it's not an easy one. Basically, I've been offered a different position in the company that provides a different type of challenge but is as important as the work I currently do from the companies perspective.

New Role Positives:
1. More Day to Day Stability. It's more in keeping with that "clock in/clock out" work model. The group is more supportive of work/life balance.
2. The group, as a whole, is more supportive of each other.
3. Some gratification from being able to make a difference.
New Role Negatives:
1. The work itself can be thankless. More often than not I'd be delivering an undesirable message.
2. Opportunity for advancement is not as good.

In my current role, I'm in a high profile role. You've probably read about it in the newspaper. It's that big. It's constantly changing and because of that, requires constant contact. Even on vacation next week, I've got 3 meetings scheduled that I can't miss.

BUT, I'm playing with the "big boys". I'm getting a good understanding of the company rather than just a segment of it.

So the question in my mind becomes...is it career or family? If you have been reading my blog, you know that I'm already taking on quite with this demanding job, graduate school, family, blogging/social networking and organizing a charity event for 1100 (Celebrate Fitness, check it out!!). So the idea of adapting to a new role might be more than I can take. Yes, my current role is crazy but it's a known entity. The other isn't.

If I'm looking to take the next step, I'm in the right place. That means though that there will be sacrifices.

If I'm looking to be more of a homebody, than I chose the new role. My fear though is that my personality wouldn't adjust well to the new role. I always want more. And that dissatisfaction at work would effect my home life. See what I mean? I'm torn. I think, in my heart of hearts I know but it's not the easy answer, but it is consistent with my approach to my career now.

I know this is very vague but I was hoping that writing it down would change my opinion but I'm starting to notice the calm come back and that's how I know I'm going in the right direction.

Ok. Thanks for listening. Any advice or tips? I'm always looking for new perspectives.

14 Months and Crazier Than Ever

2011-12-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

E turned 14 months yesterday and he seems to be following the milestones pretty well. He's started throwing tantrums which I'm choosing to avoid when possible.

Need an example? I decided that E needed a new car seat. So at 5:30 on a Sunday night the week before Christmas (yesterday), I decide that we are going to embark on a trip to the Toys'R'Us just up the street from our house. (ROOKIE MOM MISTAKE #1). I didn't realize that it would be crazier than the zoo on a summer day. Nor did I realize that the people in that store were going to act like the animals at the zoo. I should've turned around at the door.

Then, I get a cart, the last one there. You know the one, the one that has the bad wheel and is all rusted. Yep, I put my child in that. (ROOKIE MOM MISTAKE #2).

Then we bob and weave our way to the VERY back of the store where the car seats are and then I realize I've made ROOKIE MOM MISTAKE #3. Here's a hint, the car seat boxes are bigger than the cart, which is containing my crazy child and I told my husband he didn't need to go because "I can handle it" Crap!!

So after some finagling, I get the box which I'm sure we could turn into a small condo for E when we get home in the cart and attempt to hold E, who is squirming and screaming to get down, and push this cart, which I can't see over due to the large box.

As we start back up the isle in the store, I realize I'm leaving a trail of casulaties behind me because this store crams the isles with every crap toy they want you to buy right into the isle. As E is screaming, I decided to grab whatever stuffed thing I can reach and hand it to him in hopes that it will calm the toddler. It does (Rookie Mom Mistake #4).

Finally, we get to the checkout. I'm sweating, E's not screaming, momentarily and I realize I have to get through the maze of checkout desks. Seriously?! Finally I spot an open lane, E and sprint over there, the lady scans the car seat so I don't have to take it out of the cart and I pull the toy out of E's hand (which I never had intentions of buying) and ask the lady to restock it. (ROOKIE MOM MISTAKE #5). I quickly became the mom of "that child" yesterday. You know the one you use to judge under your breath because she couldn't control your child. Yep. That was me.

I hand the lady a wad of money and head for the door. The Second we get outside, E turns back into a normal kid. I start to question what they are pumping into the air of that god foresaken place. We get in the car, and head home. I turn on some Christmas music and my little monster promptly starts to sing. As we head home, I'm convinced that was an isolated incident and my child would never do that.. Yep, that's what I'm telling myself. (Rooking Mistake #6).

Oh well. I didn't get one of those cute pictures of E sitting with a stuffed animal or anything because I'm an unorganized mom but I did get one of hiim opening gifts with his cousin and then the standard angelic sleeping picture. Enjoy!

2012 Race Schedule Part 1: Scheduling How To's

2011-12-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

You've waited with baited breath to see exactly what races are on my 2012 calendar. The wait is over.

Before I unveil though, I have to say, it was really time consuming to put this together. Two years ago, when I did this, I flew right through. I just jotted them down and started planning my training plan. This year, with a family and school and already known engagements, I had to reference and cross-reference every calendar I could find to see what Absolutely wouldn't fit. I haven't showed this to S yet. I figure he will want to know the training schedule as much as the race plan so that we can plan babysitting duties accordingly. More to come on balancing the training plan.

The way I plan for a race season starts by asking:

What known events do I have to work around?

For me, this year, it's weekend classes, birthdays, weddings and other currently known events.
Then I mark off all races that conflict.

Then, it's determining what my goals are going to be and aligning the races to those.

For me, my goals are very simple...stay active. Again, with school and homework and family, this year just participating will be enough to make me happy. I set my goals optimistically first then I layer on some reality.

After I've identified the races that align to my goals, I look at the things I just want to do. usually for me it's the shorter races/events that are sprinkled in along the way.
Then I prioritize. Sometimes the races conflict with each other or lay out in such a way that makes you have to choose. That's where the A,B and C come in. A's are the ones I'll try my HARDEST to get to. If I do nothing else, I hope to come back to you next year and report that I completed my A races.
I also look at the entry fees and note the races that have early registration discounts and put a reminder on my calendar to make a decision by then.
Once I've figured out what I want to do, I share with the support team (family and friends) and get their buy in. With a child this is a CRITICAL step. I can't take E with me swimming and biking so someone has to watch him.
Last but not least, plan to train. Now that I know what I'm doing, it's time to lay out how I'm going to get there. How much training and when. I have a library of books at home I use to help me. I've never hired a trainer (I'm too cheap). I just lay it out and do everything possible to get there.

All of this is laid out nice and neat in a spreadsheet (imagine that). If you'd like to see the details, leave me a comment with your email and I'll pass it along.

Some of my favorite books and resources are:
Triathlete's Training Bible, by Joe Fiel
Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: Advice, Plans, and Programs for Half and Full Marathons, By Hal Higdon

I also follow a lot of other athletes and coaches through the Blogiverse and twitter. They also have great tips and tricks.

Ok, that's it. What do you think? What's your plan look like? What are your favorite resources?

Wordless Wednesday: Santa Round 2

2011-12-15T10:35:00.001-08:00

Last year, E was pretty young so sitting on Santa's lap was a non event in his little life.

This year was a little different story.

Poor kid!

linking up to A Good Life Blog

A Run in with an Awakening

2011-12-12T21:14:00.001-08:00

I've been trying to blog about something that happened to me at the gym for almost a week and am finally able to sit down and write it. I had gone to the gym to get a quick run in and while I was on the treadmill, I looked over and saw a girl crying on the bike. I'm not one to get into other people's business at the gym but something about her compelled me. I decided to jump off the treadmill to make sure she was ok. I had no idea what I was about to get.

Turns out, she is anorexic and struggling to stay strong that day. She was fighting the overwhelming urge to go step on the scale for fear the meals she ate that day had been too much. (um...I was expecting to hear about a soar knee,not this) I was blown away and speechless. Then I remembered having run into her a few moths back when the hydrostatic weighing van had come to the gym. She was ahead of me and had asked the lady running it not to tell her the weight, instead just wanted to be told if she was in a "healthy" weight range. She was but had slipped off the bandwagon some.

When I ran into her again at the gym last week I did the only thing I knew to do, I tried to offer her my support and commended her on her inner strength and the drive to fight it. So from now on, anytime I see her (I still don't know her name),I plan to provide whatever motivation I can.

I left the gym that day realizing that above all else, you HAVE to love yourself. You're not so bad after all. Sounds easy enough but for some of us, it's easier said than done. We have those days when we're just not feeling it but I challenge you to put it in perspective. Don't be so hard on yourself. I think you can only improve when you accept where you are. I'm going to learn how to better support someone with this sort of issue so I'm better prepared.

Day In The Life of a Crazy Busy Running Mom

2011-12-07T19:54:00.001-08:00

I've been asked a couple times to share my "typical" day. I don't know if there is anything "typical" about it but here it is for your enjoyment.

6:13 - Alarm goes off. I set it at this time because I know I can hit snooze at least once and still manage to get out the door in a reasonable time. Usually by 6:30 or so I'm up and getting ready for work (on a good day, E will still be sleeping up till the time we have to leave.)

Not pretty but this is my reality. :)

7:30 - Hopefully by 7:30, I've packed the car, gotten E up and ready, made myself look presentable, let the dog out and packed my breakfast, which you'll see in just a minute.

I drop E off at the babysitter and head to work.

On my way, I enjoy my breakfast. And yes, that is a Diet Dr. Pepper and a Planters Nut-trition energy bar. I'm obsessed with them. Then I finish it all off with a nice piece of gum. What a wholesome breakfast but It does the trick.

Today is a particularly crazy day at work, we have an all day meeting. Started at 8:00 A.M. and finished around 3:00. Oh did I mention I'm coordinating and facilitating this meeting of 30+ people? Oh yeah, makes for a very exhausting day. But when 5:00 hits, I'm out the door. Usually getting home around 5:45 or so.

S usually pics E up and so that when I get home I'm greeted by the biggest smile ever. Then we all change and head to the gym.

Usually we're at the gym by about 6:30 or so, stay for about an hour and head home. Today I get to do some speed intervals on the treadmill, and weights. There is NO slacking at the gym. My theory is that if I'm going to be away for E any more time in the day it better be worth it otherwise, I head home. That's it.

Once we get home, I usually start on dinner right away and S and E bond. Now normally there is more activity going on but E's teething (molars) so he's in a very cuddly mood so this is was the peaceful scene while I cooked.

On the menu tonight...Sloppy Joe, Organic fries, and Steamed broccoli. I know, we're real sophisticated eaters. Usually it's about speed, and what can I get made quickly. We're usually eating by 8:30, tonight it's 8 so E can squeeze in his bath before 8:30 bed time.

Bath time is so much fun. Usually he plays for about 10 minutes or so then gets cold and wants out.

Then we start the routine..Vitamins, brushing our teeth, reading a book, saying our prayers and rocking while drinking a little milk. After he's had enough, I usually get to cuddle with him for a while. Now, I know I should probably put him down right away but after working for 8 hours, and then the gym, this is the most time I get to spend with him so guess what..we cuddle and I LOVE IT. So what!

Once I've gotten adequate cuddle time in, I lay him down, take a deep breath, thank God for what I have and move on to the next item on my list...shower and studying

I think most of you know but I've gone back to school to get my MBA. Why? I'm not exactly sure but I am and all in all, I like it but I do have to do some studying every night. Tonight it's Business Communications oddly enough. I have a big test on Friday that I have to be ready for. So I'll study for about another hour and a half then call it a night around 11:00 or so.

That's my day in a nut shell. It's not glamorous but it's honest. If I was being honest, what I'd tell you is that I wish I could get up and workout in the morning but I'm just not that person. Never have been never will be. I can't do it. What is your day like? Tell me I'm not the only crazy person out there.
Link up, let me know!!

Do You Remember Your First Time...

2011-12-03T19:55:00.001-08:00

Running that is. Get your minds out of the gutter. I was thinking about this today on my drive home from my parents. Now I'm not talking about the first time you ran. The laps around the gym in high school and college don't count. The 10 min warm up on the treadmill before practice doesn't count either. No, I'm talking about the first time you went for a "run". The nerves, the anticipation and the feeling when you were actually going. Do you remember?

I do. I'll never forget it. I was fresh out of college and trying to get over the burn out I was feeling after participating in sports my entire educational career. I could barely must enough motivation to go to the gym and when I did go, I wasn't very productive. I just felt like there was something missing. I wish I could remember who recommended it but the idea of a "run" was brought up. Up to this point, the longest run I'd ever done was the 1 mile time trial that I had to do each week to qualify to play ball each week. It was essentially punishment so the thought of recreational running seemed comical but I decided it was worth a shot.

So with no preconceived notions about what I was about to do, I set out. No music, no GPS, just me and the road. I did a 5 minute walk warm up and then just went. I started running and found myself loving the consistency of each step. After about 10 minutes, I had found a groove and was loving it and I haven't stopped running since.

The reason I bring it up is that sometimes we get ourselves so involved in training for the next race, timing intervals or running hills, that we forget about the enjoyment that made us want to start in the first place. Feeling like you need a little pick me up? Take a trip down memory lane and remind yourself of your "first time"..

GoSportID Vlog Review

2011-11-28T18:58:00.001-08:00

I did my first Vlog today just so I could show you my new GoSportID. I know, it's pretty amateur but that's what I am. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

2011-11-27T20:55:00.001-08:00

If you're looking for some super cute pictures of babies, and family then you've come to the right place.
My fitness objectives this week were to just do what I could. Luckily with all the family around, I got a run in on Turkey Day and Spinning the day after.

Ok, now on to the cuteness..

As you can see, it took a few takes to get the shot. Keeping 3 under 3 is not all that easy to do.

What a sweet little face she has.

Just so you know, we didn't just hijack some one's wheel chair. This is my grandmothers and she was more than willing to let the kids go for a stroll (numerous times).

The family shot. That's our nephew on S's side in the corner. He's a doll too! I wish I would've remembered to get one of just he and E together.

This is S's family. What a good looking group!

All Aboard The Fitness Bandwagon NOW

2011-11-24T20:47:00.001-08:00

I might be jumping the gun a little on the New Year's Resolution Speech but there's good reason...I think you should start now. If your resolution has anything to do with fitness, my recommendation is to find your rhythm now. Here's why:

1. Avoid the Gym Madness - Because everyone is joining the gym in January, the place is cramped and can be overwhelming. By signing up now or at least making it a priority to get back in there before the new year, it gives you time to get reacquainted with your favorite exercises without having someone breathing down your neck. Then when the all come scurrying back, you'll be the seasoned vet. (I love that feeling) and don't worry, they'll be done in a month and you'll still be going strong.

2. Adding Structure to Chaos - I know, I get it...life is crazy right now but even more of a reason to challenge yourself to squeeze it in. I don't care if it's a 20 minute walk or 1 hour sweat session teaching yourself to make the time during the holidays will give you the confidence needed to be successful all year. If you can do it during the holidays you can do it anytime.

3. Provides a Boost To the Metabolism - Don't lie, most of us indulge a little more during this time of year. I'm not telling you change. What I am telling you is why not burn a few extra calories? My general rule of thumb is 10 of jogging burns 100 calories. Now that's not an exact science but it's enough to help you figure out how much you'll have to do to burn off that extra piece of cheesecake.

Hopefully, that's motivating you enough to give it a try. I'll be doing the same. Just to be completely honest, I'm working with a lot of constraints too...a VERY demanding job, graduate school, holiday prep activities, shopping, planning a charity 10k and all the other things that have to be done. It will be challenging for me too but I promise if you do it, I will too.

See you at the gym!!