Race For A Soldier Re-Cap

My mind is a little bit all over the place with this race...lot's of emotions and excitement about finishing and reaching my goal!

The facts:
-Well organized.
-Supports an awesome cause (PTSD treatment for soldiers).
-Challenging yet fun course.
-Plenty of bathrooms.
-While it didn't start on time it wasn't their fault...it was mother nature.  There was a downed big shrub/tree thing on the course that had to be cleared away.
-We totally got lucky with the weather, only a little bit of rain and only a few windy spots.  Was ready for it to be so much worse!
-Amazing community support with spectators and groups cheering you along the majority of the route.
-Parking is no fun, but that is the case with most races around here.
-Early bird registration is a reasonable price, even though I don't remember what it was I remember feeling good about it.
-Free pacers.
-Love the heavy dog tag medal.

-This is a run every year race for me.  While it's a really challenging course with one killer hill, and lot's of other not so fun ones thrown in, the community support and beauty of running in Gig Harbor make it totally worth it!

Staying warm with throw-away shirt and blanket before the start.  Yes I know I look like a hobo.

 

It's emotional because running a 1/2 is a still a big deal for me (actually running any race is a big deal still!).  It takes so much effort and determination to train, run the race, and finish that it feels like a major accomplishment.  Finishing this race was a double accomplishment because not only was I crossing the race finish line, but I was crossing the finish line of my running goal for the year...Half Fanatics!  

 

It's official...registration fee paid and the sticker is on my car to prove it!  

 

The biggest reason I was near tears multiple times though is because I got to run all three races (and almost all the training runs) with Michelle!  Not very many people would go from "I'm going to run my first half and see if I like it or not" to "I'll run 3 half marathons with my friend and be a Half Fanatic with her" at the drop of a hat!  Who does that?!  Michelle that's who! 

 

It's still amazing to me that we only started running a few years ago, and back then we only wanted to do 5K's.  Running more than 3 miles was such a big deal that we would leave her car at one end of our training route and mine at the other, so we wouldn't have to run an extra half mile or mile to get back to the car once we hit our 3 miles.  Now, we run 1/2 marathons!!!

 

The best part about yesterdays race was we went into it relaxed with the only goal being to finish.  Time/pace was a non-factor.  This last race was primarily about qualifying for Half Fanatics, and not about the race itself.  Totally took all the pressure off.  It was really nice to have fun, enjoy the course and the support, and accomplish a goal with my best friend.   

 

Thank you Michelle for being such an awesome friend and running partner.  2013 will forever be our summer of running!   

 

A big shout out to Elya who ran 30+ weeks pregnant!  Girl you inspire me.  I'm so proud of you pushing yourself to get through this one!  Now, rest and relax...Whidbey Island 1/2 training starts before you know it!  :)

 

To keep this from getting too long and emotional Thank You to Mark, Bob, the kiddos, Dad, Fleet Feet Sports Tacoma, the Stroller Running Group, Yannick (was waiting near the finish with my 1/2 fanatic window sticker for my car...he is an awesome run supporter!), Amy, Jodi, Mom, Elya, Eleanor, Skinny Runner (perfect advice on how to handle the short time between race #1 and #2), everyone who posts on FB/Instagram/sends text messages/emails/calls offering support/encouragement/good luck.  It all helps get me to the start of each race and carries me through to the finish!   

 

Enjoying a rest day today...knees are a bit sore from all the hills...and then tomorrow starts a few 30 day challenges.  More on that tomorrow though.  :)

 

P.S. This is so silly I probably shouldn't even share it...I got to do two things I have always wanted to do at a race 1. Rip clothing off and toss it aside as I warmed up, and 2.  We got the silver space blanket things as we finished...totally made me feel like a "real" runner wrapped up in my silver blanket...because running a 1/2 isn't real runner enough.  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 



Race For A Soldier - We Did It!

Finished in 2:24:42, not bad for a very hilly/easily the hardest 1/2 course I've run ever!  I'm pretty proud of Michelle and I for not walking once during the race.  There were some walk worthy hills let me tell you, but we chugged along and got it done! 

I'll do a proper race review in the next day or two.  For now I have an email to send to Half Fanatics with my qualifying races, beer and pizza to enjoy, and a painful date with the foam roller.  I'm already way more sore after this hilly one than I have been after the other races. 

Felt good to finish this one!

Running In The Rain

That is exactly what Michelle and I will be doing tomorrow, as will Elya who is very pregnant non-the-less!

So, yeah I don't love the forecast for tomorrow, but whatever.  I can't control the weather, but I can control my outlook.  I wouldn't be much of a PNW runner if I wasn't ok running in the rain, wind, snow, cold, and dark more often than not.  I mean we all practically have webbed feet here in W WA anyway, so a little rain aint no thang!  ;-)

The 40mph wind predicted for tomorrow threw me for a bit though.  I don't really know how to dress to account for wind chill.  If this were just a normal run, and not a race, no problem I would overdress and just tie my shirt or jacket around my waist when I'm warm enough.  But, I'm not willing to do that for a race let alone for 13.1 miles.  I don't like doing that, but I do a lot of things I don't like on training runs simple because I don't have aid stations etc when training. 

Running rule of thumb...dress for 20 degrees warmer to account for getting all hot and sweaty.  So this is what I'm going with. 

Long sleeve top, skirt with knee highs, and a hat to keep the rain out of my eyes.  My thinking is the shirt will keep me warm without overheating since it's breathable, and because I have the skirt on instead of pants.  Plus, I haven't run anything over 6 miles in any of my pants.  I'm not about to test them out on a rainy race day!

For the first time ever I'm wearing a throwaway top and blanket.  I'll toss the blanket as we cross the start line and keep the long sleeve flannel shirt on until I warm up.  I know it's going to be cold standing around waiting for the race to start and I don't want to feel miserable. 

I'm also ditching the watch.  It's not waterproof, and given some of the downpours we've had today I'm not willing to risk my Garmin when I'm being timed anyway.  I don't need it for pace...this course is hilly enough there is no risk of going out too fast, it just isn't going to happen.

I'm so excited to be running this race...with Michelle...qualifying for Half Fanatics...the rain can't dampen my spirits.  Just my hair!  :-)

P.S. I'm also pretty excited about the beer, pizza, and steak waiting for me post-race tomorrow!

Sky pic of the day...

It was nice to spend a day with my Mom, and clearly Sky loved coloring in her coloring books with Grandma!

I hope everyone is having an awesome weekend!  If you're running or racing have fun rain or shine!

What's your favorite post-race/long run food? 

Mine is for sure beer and steak...med rare with chimichurri sauce.  I like pizza too and plan on having pizza for lunch and steak for dinner tomorrow.   


   
 

Packet Pick-Up Friday & From The Kitchen

I love packet pick-up day.  Even though it's no surprise what will be in the goody bag: bib, chip, flyers for upcoming races, maybe a few samples of gel/bars and glide etc.  It's still exciting to go get the packet and start laying stuff out for race day! 

It's especially exciting when you get to make a "day" of it.  Since pick-up is in Gig Harbor, and my Mom is visiting, we are going to hang out in the harbor for a bit and take a peak around at some of the new shops, maybe get some coffee. 

Speaking of being excited I finally got the cookbook I have been waiting weeks for! 

When we were in Santa Barbara Mark's sister Kim made an amazing dinner for us from this book.  After spending some time looking through her copy I knew I had to have it! 

Cinnamon Beef Stew with Orange Gremolata, what we had at Kim's.

 



 

Things I love about this book:

 

-The pictures are really pretty!

-Each recipe has suggestions for sides and what the dish pairs well with (all are other recipes from the book).

-Most recipes have a Notes section so you can make your notes as to changes/substitutions etc.

-It's Paleo which means it's gluten and dairy free = perfect for Mark!

-The Cinnamon Beef Stew will be just as yummy if we sub in Elk or Venison!  It's hard to cook with wild game because the fat content is so low and I sometimes have a hard time finding recipes that work well, but there are several in this book that seem like they will work. 

 

I'll share the Beef Stew recipe once I make it myself with some Elk roast. 

 

A note regarding Paleo, no we are not switching to a strictly Paleo diet.  It's simply an avenue for me to find some new and different recipes that work for Mark's food allergies.  It's pretty easy for me to convert traditional recipes to gluten and dairy free, but dang it, sometimes I don't want to have to think about it.  I just want to follow a recipe and not figure out what to replace certain ingredients with.  So, yes I'll be delving into Paleo, but I'm not about to start eating cauliflower potatoes or spaghetti made from squash.  I have my limits!

 

Sky has her limits too, and I pushed them yesterday!  We ran errands and grocery shopped pretty much all day.  Not very fun for her, but she was a champ and only had one real melt-down around nap time...cue to go home and take a break from running around!

 

 

When she asked to watch Cars we were only too happy to let her...she earned it after hanging in all day with me!  I love that she is snuggled  up with one of her Steelers blankets!

Who's racing/running this weekend? 

What is your favorite cookbook/recipe? 

Thankful Thursday

Picture free post because I didn't ask permission to post a picture of the person this post is about. 

Today's Thankful Thursday is just a little bit sad.  Sad because it's time to say goodbye to someone I'm thankful for every week. 

Jena, the manager of Fleet Feet, until tomorrow, is moving on to a dream job!  I'm so excited for her because it sounds like an amazing opportunity and she is really excited.  Not only is it the perfect job for her, but it works well for her personal life as well. 

Brooks Running is lucky to have her!

So many things about Jena that I'm thankful for! 

-Her support and guidance in getting the stroller group up and running, and walking! 

-The complete and undivided attention she gives Sky when we're in the store. 

-Being the first person to fit me into the one and only running bra for me!

-Knowing which lines I love and pointing out the new items the second I walk in!

-The fact that she is herself an elite runner but you'd never know it unless someone else told you/you found out some other way than from her.

-That while she is a strong, fast, competitive runner she treats everyone like their accomplishments are a really big deal, and like they are elite themselves.

-In a world that sets ladies up to be competitive with each other she is willing to be everyone else's cheerleader.

Thank you Jena for helping me settle into leading the stroller group.  I'll admit I felt like I was getting in over my head and like I wasn't enough of a "real" runner to lead anyone else on a run.  Your support and enthusiasm of the group and of me made a world of difference.  Thank you for being so wonderfully you!  Sky and I will miss you, but we are so excited to see all that you accomplish with Brooks! 

Last Trainig Run DONE!

Now it's time to rest, stretch, foam roll etc. and run a race Sunday!  So close to my running goal for the year being accomplished! 

Last night I got 3.56 miles in with the run group.  The .56 was extra due to a wrong turn.  While it wasn't negative splits it was a fast pace (for me) from start to finish. 

Mile - Pace
1 - 9:25
2 - 9:40
3 - 9:50
4 - 5:20

It's a new route for the group, and feels like it's uphill both ways.  I know that isn't possible...maybe my legs are tired, or the weather change makes every run seem hard, or I ran without music.  I don't know why, but it felt harder, even with the faster pace, than I feel like it should have.

Ran 2.7 miles with the stroller group this morning at a pace that felt great.  We changed up the route a little too.  We wanted smoother roads and found a pretty route through UPS campus instead of on the street.  It was so pretty, and because we were distracted by the beautiful campus that stretch of the run flew by!  The perfect last run before race day!

Now to re-map it for the 3rd time.  Usually I pre-run the routes, pretty clear to me that slacking this time around was not a good idea!  This will be the 3rd change...although the 2nd change was due to construction not my slacking.  I have run all these streets before, just not all put together in a route, lesson learned.

I sort of feel like I get to coast the rest of the week.  Time to dial things down and rest the legs, body, and mind before race day.  Also time to hydrate and pay attention to what I'm eating leading up to Sunday. 

I decided these are the perfect pre-race carb load food!!! 

Seriously if you haven't tried them yet go get some right now.  Run, don't walk to the store!  Totally see a bag of these and my book happening this afternoon! 

Speaking of books Sky's new thing is reading her books to me.  She grabs a book and says "I read to you" and goes through page by page telling you all about it.  So cute! 

 

I got kicked off the couch yesterday so she could read to Mickey and Pooh Bear.  Reading books is apparently a very serious thing...

...until she gets to her favorite page and just can't contain herself.  Mickey and Pooh look pretty excited too! 

Anyone else running/racing this weekend? 




  

Gluten Free Eating...Here's What I Know

I don't talk a lot about it here but we are a mostly gluten free (gf) house.  Years ago Mark found out he was allergic and has been gf ever since.  Any meal the 3 of us eat together is gf, if it's just Sky and I we may or may not eat gf.

Over the years I have figured out a few things, and since I get asked to email tips and info to friends, and friends/family of friends when they are going gf I thought I would do a blog post and share with the masses, or with all 5 of my readers.  ;-)

Disclaimer-I'm not a dietician, healthcare professional, and I don't have it all figured out.  These are just tips that work for us/Mark.  They may or may not work/be appropriate for your situation.  Which brings me to the most important point of all:  Know why you are going GF!!!!

You have to know if you are Celiac or not!!!  If you are a true celiac then every bit of gluten that you take in is causing permanent damage to your intestinal tract and slowing killing you.  (Yes that means lipstick and other cosmetics, body wash, shampoo/conditioner etc.)  If you are celiac your life depends on you living a 100% gluten free life.

Mark does not have Celiac disease, but he does have an allergy or intolerance to gluten.  So, while it doesn't destroy his digestive tract, it does wreak havoc on his digestive situation and makes him feel miserable.  I'll leave the symptom description at that! 

It's worth having your Dr. run the test(s) to determine if you have Celiac or not.  If you aren't then it's nice to know that if you accidently have something with gluten it's not causing damage.  If you are you need to know the seriousness of your situation so you have the motivation to develop good gluten avoidance strategies from the get go.

I have learned a few things over the years for sure! 

-You don't have to give up your favorite cookbooks and recipes.  There are so many gf products out there now that chances are really good you will be able to adjust your favorites to be gf.  I still get all my cooking magazines, and buy non-gf cookbooks all the time.  I just switch out items as needed to make it gluten free.  I have a rule though...if I have to switch more than 3 items I don't bother.  I have found that after changing that many ingredients your not even really making the same recipe anyway.

A couple of great cookbooks that have lot's of great gf options:

-Read the labels on everything you buy!  It was shocking to me to find out that soy sauce has gluten in it!  There is gluten hiding in almost everything it seems.

-If you are celiac then some gf items won't work for you if they are processed in facilities that process other items that do have gluten in them.  The labels will say something like this: GF, processed in plants that also process wheat products/tree nuts/dairy etc.  Mark can eat these items they don't bother him, but celiac's shouldn't.

-We have found Asian and Mexican food work great!  Asian food tends to be rice based and with Mexican food you can swap flour for corn most of the time.  (Although corn is an inflammatory so if your system is really sensitive then corn tortilla's and pastas are not going to work well for you).  BTW - Trader Joes has the best white corn tortillas period.  I refuse to use regular corn tortilla's from any other grocery store.

    Rice sticks are awesome!

 

Tamari soy sauce is great and GF!  It is much richer and has deeper flavor than regular soy sauce though, so when cooking with it I use a bit less than what's called for.

 

-You can still eat pasta!!!  Surprisingly we still eat a ton of Italian food, because gf pasta is so much better than it used to be!

 





We really like the Tinkyada brand (we have spaghetti, fettuccini, lasagna, and elbow mac) and have found that rice based pastas cook and taste better than corn based. 
 
-GF baking is still hard for me.  The consistency and density is just different.  While I have found a few recipes that are good for the most part baked items are still not our favorite thing.   Good thing I'm a home chef and not a home baker!  But, we have found a few things that work well.

I have never gone wrong with Bob's Red Mill GF products! Although I will say that the all purpose baking flour doesn't have xanthan gum in it, so you need to add it when baking. 

 

 
Bread is hard.  It is either way too dense, too dry, or doesn't toast well at all.  The bread pictured is Costco's gf bread, and while it's good it doesn't toast as well as Mark would like.  His favorite (I don't have a picture of it) is Franz Bakery gf bread.  The only place I can find it is Fred Meyer.  At the UP store it's on the same aisle with the bulk items...not on the gf aisle. 

-You can still eat out!  Red Robin has an awesome gf hamburger bun, the best we have found!  Subway's gf bread is really good!  Sushi is great, just watch out for tempura.  Steak houses are always a good option just verify the marinades, rubs, or any sauce they serve with it are gf.  Most places offer gf options now days, but be aware if you have Celiac then cross contamination is always a concern.  Unless it's a 100% gf establishment, and that's all they serve, then there is always a risk.  You can always call head and talk to the manager/chef before showing up for dinner. 

-Trader Joe's, Fred Meyer, and Wal-Mart all have really good gf options.  I like FM and WM the best because they have dedicated gf sections, but they also have gf options on the regular aisles as well.  Wal-Mart has the lowest prices I have found, and they carry Glutino which makes really good gf snack food.  The pretzels are the best!  Trader Joe's is sprinkled through the store, so it's a little harder for me to find stuff there, but it's always good when I do. 

-There are gf markets here and there, Tacoma has one on Tacoma Mall Blvd, but they tend to be more expensive.  I only shop there if I need a specialty item that I can't find in regular stores.  Amazon also has some gf groceries on line that when ordered in bulk can be a better price.

-Costco has some great options.  The Kirkland brand of fruit and nut bars are gf and yummy!  We also like these chips...

-If you need bread crumbs you can toast quinoa and use that in place of bread.  You can use corn flakes as well, and I found some good gf bread crumbs at Wal-Mart, but don't have a picture of them to share.    

-If you live with others who eat "regular" food they need to be really careful.  No double dipping knives in butter or peanut butter (or anything else) if they are spreading it on regular bread.  If you have celiac then your sig other may need to reconsider some of their toiletries, chap-stick etc.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, and at first it will be.  But, once you get used to it, find a few items/brands that you like it will get easier!  After you get a feel for how to cook gf pasta, and bake with gf flour you will know just by reading a recipe if gf substitutes will work well or not. 

It gets easier and now it's such a part of how we eat that it's second nature in my shopping and cooking.  It will be for you too! 

I could keep going on and on, but these are the highlights.  If you have specific questions please leave a comment!!!   

Any other GF readers out there?  Any advice/tips you have to share?     





  

Scones!

I may have created a monster by ordering Sky her first mini vanilla bean scone from Starbucks.  Every time we go in or drive-through all I hear is scones, scones, scones. 

I think she was equally excited to be enjoying a scone as she was to finally get out of the house.  Thankfully her cold symptoms are much better so we were able to have our play date. 

I'm a little sad that the turn in weather means Jodi and I can't walk to Starbucks, but I have to say listening to Reagan and Sky sing and talk in the car makes driving so worth it! 

Any Monday that includes Starbucks and a play date with Reagan, Jodi and Harrison is automatically a great Monday!

Firs Day Of Fall!

I ordered my first hot Mocha today in at least 5 months.  It's that time of year.  Holy moly yesterday was still summer and it was a sunny lovely day.  Today is Fall and it's cool and raining like crazy.  Gotta love living in the PNW.  I was holding on to the last little bit of summer with both hands, but now that it's officially fall...bring on the boots, Pumpkin Spice latte's/Salted Caramel mochas, trench coats, hats, gloves and scarves!

Good thing I got this top Thursday night!! 

I sort of thought I was being silly and girly insisting on wearing it today for my 8 miler...I didn't really think it was cold enough.  But, I wanted to wear my new top.  Good think I did wear it though, it was a cold, wet run.  The long sleeves, knee socks and skirt combo ended up being perfect.  Started out a little cold, finished a little warm, but not overheated. 

If the forecast is for cooler/wet weather race day this is the outfit.  If it's just cooler but no rain then I'll go with a t-shirt otherwise I will get too hot.

Feels good to have the last "long" run done!  I'm excited for race day!  Mostly I'm excited that I'm going into the 3rd one feeling this healthy and strong.  Absolutely the most confident I have felt going into a 1/2!  Not that I think I'm going to blaze through, on the contrary it's a hilly course and I wont' be surprised if this is a significantly slower race for me, but I'm not worried about anything either.  Not worried about hills, weather, any of the mental stuff I had after the first disaster of a 1/2, blisters, aches or pains.  I feel really good, love running this time of year, and Michelle and I have run some of the hilliest routes I have ever done.  I feel like we have given ourselves the best opportunity possible to have a fun run and accomplish our ultimate goal of Half Fanatic!  Bring on RACE DAY!!!!!  

Sky seems to be doing better today.  Her nose isn't nearly as runny, and only has a little bit of a cough.  Still taking it easy just to give her time to rest and recover.  Stickers have proven to be an amazing sit still activity! 

 

Part of why it keeps her quiet for so long is it's really hard for her to peal the stickers off with her casted hand, and she doesn't want help most of the time.  BTW - $1 store sticker books are the bomb!  She loves the Cars one!  I'm going to go get more because she is asking for stickers all the time now.

Since it's so yucky outside it really is the perfect "watch football all day" weather!  Any other season I would be thrilled that the Steelers are on Sunday Nigh Football, but with all the injuries, and other issues they are having, I don't see the game going our way tonight.  I'll still watch, but I'm more stressed than excited about it. 

Any other football fans out there?  What game are you watching? 

Last Day Of Summer

I hope everyone is out enjoying this last lovely day of PNW summer!  The sun is out and it's a truly lovely day. 

I'll admit I may have had a little bit of a brat fit, in my mind anyway, about not being able to go to the park/water front/hike etc today to really make the most of the last day of summer.  The gray months here and really gray and seem to go on forever, so I hold on to summer as long as I possible can. 

But, with Sky having a cold, and not sleeping or breathing very well, going out is not in the cards.  It made me sad until I realized two things:  1.  Sky being sick is forced pj day for me, with tons of snuggles and letting go of the to do list.  2.  Nap time  = this...

...what you don't see is me sitting in the chair reading my bon appetite and new cookbook while watching ND football through the door to the deck! 

Even though it's not Thankful Thursday I'm once again thankful for a few things:

-We waited until we were truly ready to start our family.  I may have missed a friends birthday celebration last night (I do feel bad for missing it), but I don't feel like I was missing out in the least.  And, I don't feel like I'm missing out on summer fun today.  When it comes right down to it I'm always going to pick Sky and Mark over anything and everyone else!  (Yes even running...gulp.)

-That our house, deck, and TV allow for sitting in the sun outside and still being able to clearly see and hear the TV.  It's no secret how much I love sports...It feels pretty decadent to lounge outside with wine and magazines and watch football! 

-I'm also thankful that I was able to turn my fit into something positive.  It took a cup of coffee and a deep breath or two, but as soon as I realized I could skip hair/makeup/clothes and hang in pj's with my favorite little girl on college football day...well there is really nothing to have a fit about is there?!  Especially when I remind myself that she isn't early as cranky as she has a right to be for a little girl in a cast (I can tell it's starting to get on her nerves) with a cold who isn't sleeping or breathing worth a darn.

How are you spending the last official day of summer?

From The Kitchen and Other Stuff!

From The Kitchen:

Two things I'm sort of obsessed with right now.  I put one or the other on pretty much everything I eat lately. 

It  has to be the Buffalo flavor of Frank's, although I have the regular Frank's in the kitchen as well.  I put it on eggs, avocado toast, tacos, nachos...basically anything that needs a little kick. 

 

I love anything Penzeys!  Their spices, rubs, herbs etc are the best.  End of story.  The Mural of Flavor may be my favorite thing though.  If I'm not putting Frank's on it then I'm putting Mural of Flavor on it!  It's especially good on Trader Joe's White Cheddar macaroni and cheese.  Sky likes hers plain, but I like to sprinkle on some Mural of Flavor to make it more grown up. 

I received a Penzeys gift box for Christmas last year and have been in love ever since.  I know you can order on line, and they have a store front in Seattle.  I really want to visit the store in Seattle and see what other wonderful stuff they have! 

Other Stuff:
Fleet Feet Diva Night was so much fun!!!  I met a couple of awesome ladies at the wine hour before hand.  Totally excited for the referral to a chiropractor that adjusts feet and tib/fib!  He works on lot's of runners/athletes, and best part is he is in Lakewood!!!  Can't wait to make an appointment.

Amy, one of the girls I "knew" from Tuesday Night run group, but had never met, was super awesome!  Turns out there were several of us who all wanted the same shirt, thankfully we needed different sizes, since she paid her bill first she ran down to the store and snagged the size I needed and held on to it for me until I could pay my bill and get down there.  Good thing because my size/color were gone by the end of the night.

I LOVE my new Oiselle Flyte top! 

 

Best part is it goes perfectly with my new Athleta running tights (pictured above and below)!  I like color for sure, but the grey will go with all my running tights and all but 1 or 2 of the skirts.  I really like how long it is, and the sleeves have thumb holes which is a bonus feature that I love.

 

Close up of the detail on the pants.  There are reflective strips as well, and the pattern is repeated down by the ankles also.  There are also mesh vents at the back of the knee to help cut down on overheating. 

I'm so excited to have some updated cold weather gear.  I already cleaned out the old pants and tops that were smelly/stretched out/didn't work that great in the first place.  There are a few more tops on the bubble, but I'm going to give them one more run before tossing them.  

I may need to break out the  new top Sunday.  Last long'ish run before the last 1/2 of the summer and it looks like we will get rained on.  It will be my first run in true rain in 3 or 4 months!  I'm not sure I'm ready for running in the rain yet! 

I also won a hour Foot Zone Therapy session in the drawing last night!  I had to come home and look up what it even was! 

Zone Therapy is precise, directed pressure to the various “zones” of the feet. The Zone Therapy practitioner observes the foot and interprets the “messages’ it conveys through discoloration, texture and tenderness.  More info can be found HERE

I'm really looking forward to it.  It sort of reminds me of the Craniosacral Therapy (more info on that HERE) I had after my concussion.  I wonder what the foot zone person will think of the nasty blister scars I have?!   

A couple of non-running purchases, because life isn't all about running.  

My skin needs a little help, especially with all the time it spends covered in salty sweat.  I have been looking for a papaya based treatment for a long time.  I had one I liked but they went out of business years ago, so was excited to be able to order this from Birchbox.  I had some points saved up to use so thought I would give this a try.

Fall makes me want to wear boots.  All. The.Time. (And drink salted caramel mochas.)  I had a pair I wore 3 or 4 times a week, but being clumsy I had scratched the toes up pretty bad catching them on stairs or what not.  They were not fixable so I've been looking for a replacement pair all summer.  Finally ordered these from MakeMeChic.com.  They are a dark brown color, the picture almost makes them look black.

 

I have always had really good luck with makemechic.com  The prices are crazy good.  I know the risk with that is the quality can be crazy bad, but so far I have been really happy.  Since I'm not all that hard on my shoes they last a long time.  I have had my black ones from them for 3 or 4 years now, and the ones I just replaced I had for 3 or 4 years.  Not bad for boots under $30!  Thank you Dad! 

I also have some new cookbooks on the way that I can't wait to share recipes from.  Get ready for all things Paleo!  It's a great GF/Dairy Free option for Mark.  There isn't anything in a Paleo diet that he can't eat, so I'm going to give it a try and see what we think! 

No Sky pics today...she has a nasty little cold going on and not fun to take pictures of right now. 

Questions for you:

What do you have planned for the weekend?
We did have a night out planned for a friends birthday, but with Sky being sick I'm staying home and Mark is going to represent for us.  I don't mind though because I was out last night, and I like being able to cuddle her to sleep when she is sick. The rest of our weekend plans have been cancelled as well except for my Sunday morning run, not going to cancel that!    

Do you go to the State/County Fair? 
I haven't been to ours in 10ish years.  I don't like the hassle of the crowds, parking miles away, $$ to get in, the smell of fair food makes me sick, as do the rides.  But, Sky would love all the animals.  We are running out of time though, so I think it's a pass this year for us once again.

When do kids start sleeping with pillows? 
Sky still doesn't but was wondering if it would help to elevate her head a bit and make breathing easier when she is sick?



 
 
 

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for cute little girl toes...

...time spent watching it rain...

...and the reflection of her smile in the window...(now I must go clean said window!) 

P.S. I'm also thankful that the new running tights I ordered fit!  I'm always a little worried that the old ones only fit because they have been worn/washed so much. 

Tell me one thing you are thankful for today! 

Stroller Run Group

We had an awesome run/walking group today!!!  Yannick (sp?) guy in the yellow shirt, is a regular at the Tuesday night run group, but he loves us so much he comes and volunteers to push strollers so the running momma's get a break!!!  How awesome is that?! 

Something else awesome is the support from Umpqua Bank we had today.  We run past their windows every week and apparently that has been a source of inspiration for them.  So, they brought us brunch, prizes, and giveaways after our run/walk today! 

I love our stroller group!  I can't believe it's almost been a year!  I should probably come up with a way to celebrate a year of Stroller Running/Walking!!! 

I took a peak at the shirt I want to get tomorrow at Diva night, and yep I still want that shirt, and they have 2 of them in the color/size I want.  You better believe I'm going to be there right at 7:30 to get one of them!  After the wine happy hour though, for sure hitting the wine hour first!  So excited to blend girls night with running fun!!!

Time for a caption contest!!!  Ok it's not much of a contest because I don't have a prize, but this picture is too funny!

What do you think is going on in this picture?! 


  

 

Running Excitment

Had another awesome run today!  It was supposed to be a nice easy slow, post long run, pace.  But, the pace that felt good was faster than normal.  Every time I tired to slow it down I felt terrible so I just kept going at what felt good. 

4 miles and it felt so easy!

 

I have been conducting an experiment with my Boost shoes.  Running without any blister prevention, no spray/powder/band aids.  Unheard of!  My findings so far...zero hot spots or blister issues.  Granted I haven't done more than 5 miles, but in my other shoes the hot spots start up on 3 mile runs.  I'm not willing to test it on a super long run until after the 1/2...just too close to race day to risk it.  But, I can't wait to do a 10 miler without all the blister prevention time suck pre-run! 

 

That's great news because that means there is a shoe that is perfect for me!!!  It's not great because they are the most expensive shoes possible.  Of course I have expensive taste.  At least I'm not running full marathons, so I'm not adding miles to them as fast as I could be. 

 

Speaking of expensive have you seen the new Garmin 620?! 

 

Check out what this watch can do!!! CLICK HERE

It’s the next best thing to having your own personal running coach. Forerunner 620 offers advanced features like recovery advisor, race predictor and VO2 max estimate to help you train smarter and achieve new race goals. When used with the HRM-Run monitor¹, the 620 also provides feedback on running form by showing your cadence, ground contact time and vertical oscillation. For indoor training, the 620’s built-in accelerometer tracks distance, so you don’t need a separate foot pod.

I'm not going to lie, even though my watch is only a year old, I want the 620 bad.  I love that it tracks your cadence, ground contact time, tells you when you should take a rest day, and offers training plans.  All the benefits of a coach without someone telling you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.  I don't like being told what to do at all.  I know what I need to do, but love the idea of having a watch that gives me prods while running!  It's got a hefty price tag though.  $450 with the monitor.  YIKES!  I'm hopeful that by the time I save my money over the next few years that the price will have come down a bit.  Might be able to get a used one by then too, or get a job with Garmin.  ;-)  (No that's not a hint that I have anything in the works, just wishful thinking for the future.  I have a very short target list of jobs/companies and they all have to do with running or coffee!) 

Something I can afford though, thank you Dad, is new cold weather running tights!  They should be here any day and will post a picture as soon as I have them.  You can check theme out HERE in the mean time.  I also know what long sleeve top I'm getting on discount at Diva night Thursday, so will post pics of the whole outfit! 

I can also afford, again Thank You Dad, some race registrations.  Especially when I get the early bird screaming deals!!!  St. Paddy's Day 5K for $17 and the Whidbey Island Half Marathon for $29!!  Holy cow you can't run 1/2's around here for that price!  It's the 13th anniversary though so they rolled back the price to the price 13 years ago.  Elya and I jumped on that!  Since it's near my birthday Mark was on board for us affording the lodging as my birthday gift and making it a family trip with Elya and her family!  I'm hoping we can find a house or cabin to split with them.  I'm sure the options are limited on the island so we had better get on that pronto!

I now have races on the books for March, April, and May!!!  Just a few weeks ago I was sad because I had no idea what my 2014 race life would look like, and now it's starting to take shape! 

Something else I'm excited about...

  
...Sky, just wanting to hang out in bed and giggle.  She loves to lay on our bed, and sometimes she wants to be left alone, but more often than not she wants company.  We have great conversations and lot's of cuddles.  Even when she is having a bad day, and is hitting/biting/crying about everything deep down I know she has a heart full of love and all she really wants is my/our full attention, and to know we love her back.  Love this little girl so much! 

What races do you have on the books for 2014?

What running gear are you craving?

 

 

  





3,000+ Miles With A 2 Year Old!

I promised a post about how to road trip with a 2 year old.  I'll admit I spent a good amount of time stressing about how to make this work so that we all had fun, and I'm happy to say that the pre-planning paid off! 

Tips and Tricks:
-Decide how many hours your little one can handle on the road.  Sky is good for about 6 so we planned our hotels accordingly.  (Know that 6 hours of driving is actually a 7 to 8 hour day from point to point). 

-Plan enough quick little potty breaks, but avoid too many unnecessary stops.  By the end of the day/end of the trip the more we had to get her in and out of the car seat the crankier she got! 

-Plan for a long lunch and play break.  Packing our own lunches for the trip really helped with this.  Every time we needed to stop for lunch we were able to pick the best playground/park and not worry about nearby food options.   

Lunch in a park...so happy for a break from the road!

-Plan entertainment!  I packed a goody bag a day full of books, toys, stickers, crayons, coloring books and anything else that was different or new that I thought she would like.  The $1 Store is great for this!  

-Make the most of nap time!!!  If we didn't stop she would stay asleep, so we made sure we were able to drive 2 to 3 hours without potty/food breaks during nap time. 

Sleepy little girl.

-Pack the must-have comfort items!  I forgot the blanket and Violet dog in the back of the truck the first day and it was not a good thing! 

-If an unexpected items becomes a toy and it won't hurt or ruin anything, then let it be!  Sky loved playing with the sun shade for the front window, kept her happy for 20 minutes at a time easy!

-Have snacks on hand and ready to go!  I pre-bagged morning and afternoon snacks in single serve zip-lock bags, and had a small cooler with water and milk in sippy cups ready to go.  I had snacks and drinks ready to go for Mark and I as well.  

-Buff up on favorite songs and games.  There are a few she likes from Play To Learn, so anytime things got tense I busted out in her fave songs. I'm sure Mark's ears are still recovering! 

-Turn off the radio and just talk.  I think sometimes Sky just wanted to know we remembered she was in the back seat.  Mark was really good about turning off the radio and talking with her about what we were seeing on the road, doing numbers and ABC's with her, and playing peak-a-boo in the rearview mirror.

-Be flexible!  A movie every night in the hotel room is a great reward for making it through the day..even if movie night at home is only once a week.  We had to skip a few stops we really wanted to make because she was asleep or because she was doing so well that we didn't want to mess it up by getting her out of the truck.

At the end of the day and the end of the trip we wanted to feel like we all had fun, it's her vacation too, and since travel and long road trips are part of what we enjoy we want to make sure she grows up enjoying them not dreading them! 

What tips do you have for road-tripping/traveling with little ones?

Solo Long Run

It's pretty impressive that I'm almost done with the 3rd 1/2 training cycle and just now did a long run solo.  I have some awesome ladies in my life that run when pregnant, singe up for races at the drop of a hat, are up for a last minute text from me asking them to run, and are happy to ride in the stroller which means I don't run truly alone very much.

Eleanor would have joined me for 9 today, but a friend gave her their registration for You Go Girl because they were too sick to run.  We were both running at the same time, just not together.  She is awesome...hasn't run more than 10 miles in months and knocked out an awesome, only in my dreams, 1/2 time!

9 miles were on the schedule for this weekend, and due to Mark's work schedule this week/weekend and Bob hunting Michelle and I just couldn't make it happen.  So I set out on my own. 

First let me just say that I did everything I could to talk myself out of doing this run.  I figured that since I wasn't meeting anyone it wouldn't matter if I didn't show up, no one to let down.  EXEPT MYSELF!  Even after I got myself out the door and was in the car I almost turned around and bagged it.  But, I forced my foot to stay on the gas an keep driving. 

I almost called it a day in the parking lot because my tummy acted up, but thankfully I accounted for that possibility and picked a route with lot's of potty break options.  I wasn't done trying to get out of it there though.  After 2 miles I thought about turning around for a total of 4, which when added to the 5 I did Thursday would have given me the 9 I needed.  But, for some reason I just kept going. 

And you know what...I would have cheated myself of one of the best runs I have had in weeks!  It's been really hard getting back into it since taking two weeks off for vacation.  Every run since then has hurt, felt hard, and I just haven't been into it.  But something happened after about 4.5 miles today. 

I Did It! 

My normal average pace is 10:15 - 11 for long runs, so to hit 9:52 is super speedy for me!

 

Ultimately I needed this solo run.  I needed to prove to myself that I'm able to push myself and keep going because I wanted to, and not because I'm scared I'm going to let the person I'm running with down.  The first half of the run is rolling hills with one hard steep uphill, and one long not as steep, but still steep uphill and those miles were slower.  This is the taper after all and I didn't want to kill my legs.  Once I made it to the 5 mile point though I knew I was home free.  My legs felt strong and I started dialing up the speed.  So irritated because the Garmin site is having issues and todays run is lost off my watch and the site, so I can't see the actual splits.  IRRITATED!!!!  Glad I took a shot of the summary.

 

Even though I can't post the splits to prove it every time I checked my pace the last 4 miles I was 8:15 to 8:45.  It felt hard, but it also felt amazing.  I kept looking at my watch to verify I was running as fast as I thought I was and was amazed and honestly really proud.  (I'm an average runner at best, most of the time 9:45 to 10:00 is fast for me, so to drop below that is hard work.)  I wanted to practice my finish line kick so at .5 to go I kicked it up even more to finish with a 8:10 pace for that last .5. I was literally yelling at myself, out loud for the world to hear, "Go, go, go", "You got this", "You can do this, push it girl, push it."  Thankfully the thunder and lightning had started so I was totally alone.     

 

I totally felt like a real runner today.  I tend to feel that way on runs that I have to really work for.  Don't get me wrong I love the "easy" runs that you coast through when your breathing and stride just fall into place.  But, when I have to fight for it mentally and physically it feels more legit, more hard core, like I really earned it. 

 

What I learned today is physically I'm able, my body is strong and capable.  It's my mind that can F it all up.  I have to work on the mental game, and I guess today ultimately was a mental success because every time I thought about bagging it I quickly thought about why I should keep going.  Promising myself Starbucks if I did all 9 may have helped as well. ;-)  

 

And, so this isn't all about me...here is the cute Sky pic of the day...

 

 Rock Star training!

 

I have wanted to paint her nails for months.  It doesn't hurt at all that she let Daddy do it.

Such a Daddies girl!  I love that he was willing to do it for her!

 

 

      

 

Sporty Spice

First a shout out to my cousin Tracy...she ran her very first 5K today!!!  I am so proud of her and so excited to run a race with her in the near future! 

I'm for sure way more Sporty Spice than Posh Spice!  Especially since becoming a SAHM.  Running cloths, sweats, and compression socks are way more practical and let's face it way, way, way more comfortable!  I remember fighting it the first 6 months or so.  I even told my Mom I don't want to be thought of as the gym mom, but apparently being thought of as the running mom is A OK! 

Because my Posh Spice shoes were not being worn very often, ok more like never, I decided to do this.

It only took me two years of being irritated about having to dust my high heels/fancy shoes to come up with this solution!  Whey didn't I think of this a long time ago?  And why didn't I take the labels off the bins?!  I don't know if they are going to stay on the shoe rack or move to the upper shelf of the closet, but at least they are in dust-proof boxes for now.  BTW Fred Meyer has the bins for $1 each right now! 

I'm not apposed to my heels, I love them all actually.  But, now that I'm not leaving the house for work every day (had to dress up for work) and not going out for drinks after work, I just don't need to dress up very often. Plus, when I do wear them I feel it in my running the next day.  My hips, knees, and feet just don't love the high heels.  I care more about being able to run 13.1 than I do about wearing sexy shoes.

I did put a pair on in Utah though, for our grown up dinner night when the 4 of us left the kiddos with the babysitter and lived it up, until like 8pm.  Vacation Posh Spice right there!

Actually for Marks sake I put on make-up, do my hair, and put on something other than running/workout cloths or pj's, at least once a week .  You know so he remembers how hot I am.  :-)

I forgot to share this from a few days ago...

...We found in Utah that Sky really loved Michelle's Kendall.  There were kid friendly/educational apps on it that she LOVED.  We talked about how that may be a good birthday gift for her next year, but then I remembered that I had this old Ipad that came free with the last computer we purchased.  It's too slow for me, but perfect for Sky.  So Mark put a bunch of toddler friendly apps on it and gave it to her.  Clearly she is thrilled with it! 

It's almost scary how tech savvy little ones are! 

What Spice Girl are you?

What technology does your little one have access to?

Tacos!

I have a new cookbook that I just LOVE!!!  It's all about one of my favorite foods in the whole world...Tacos! 

The more time I spend in the kitchen and more comfortable I become with the ethnic grocery stores the more I want to branch out and cook more authentically.  This cook book is perfect for capturing true authentic flavor and is stretching my skills after only one recipe!

The pictures in this book are simple, yet beautiful, and they alone make me want to try the recipes! 

Perhaps my favorite thing about the book though is the footnote at the bottom of each recipe.  (My other favorite thing is that I got this book in Santa Barbara and is the only real souvenir we have from our trip). 

It tells you what kind of tortillas to use i.e. soft/hard, yellow/white, corn/flour (ours are always corn no matter what since Mark needs GF), what the sides/sauces should be, and what to drink i.e. red/white wine, type of tequila to use in the margarita if is calls for margarita's, chilled/room temp wine, red/white sangria. 

It's really easy to make a complete meal with notes at the bottom!  The only mild complaint I can come up with is there is a ton of prep work for most of the recipes.  Almost all of them call for fire roasting/dry roasting/oil roasting tomatoes/peppers/garlic/cactus etc.  I have to give myself extra time for all the prep cooking before I can actually start cooking the meal.  The first recipe I tried called for charring peppers and tomatoes, roasting garlic, and dry roasting chili peppers.  All new techniques for me.

I'm not sharing the recipe because it was a hit and a miss.  I liked it, but Mark didn't care for it much.  I think I could change a few things so he would like it, but given how labor intensive the recipes are I would rather forge ahead and try some of the others and find some we like as they are.

I'm excited to learn and grow in my cooking with this cookbook!

Sky Update:

We started our day with a visit to the Ortho Surgeons office.  Sky was super excited about the coloring table, but she was not thrilled with being back at the Dr.  Thankfully he didn't even have to touch her today.  Just wanted to review the x-ray's, the game plan, and ask a few questions about how she is doing. 

We go back in 3 weeks to take the cast off, thoroughly examine all her joints since they are all way flexible, and possible cast the other arm to help prevent future dislocations.

Afterwards I was able to stop by my old office and say high to a few co-workers.  It was really nice to see them!!!  While I love not clocking in and out every day I really do miss my co-workers.  It was a great group of people to work with, and be friends with! 

Running:
9 miles and I have no idea how or when it will happen this weekend.  Mark may need to work this weekend and that's too far to push Sky, so could be an early morning run, but I'm not sure.  I'm kinda over pre 7am runs.  That's what happens after 3 back-to-back training cycles I reach my done point and I'm getting there with alarms going off before 5am. 

Shout out to everyone running You Go Girl this weekend! 

What are your weekend plans?