Run baby, RUN!

My better half posted this on my BookFace wall with the comment "I think this is how we are on the running spectrum".

Agreed.

Running: my one true love.

Okay, so today's title isn't completely true.  I love other things like my husband and my kids and an empty laundry basket but for the purpose of today's post let's assume that all those other things are well, assumed and let's focus on running.

I started hitting the streets (with my running shoes, not in a hooker sort of way) about 7ish years ago.  I'd been walking most days with a few friends and that helped to take the baby weight off and keep me sane but I wanted something more.  I made the mistake of talking about this to a super runner friend of mine and she told me about a half marathon at the end of summer.  It was still early spring so I figured it was doable.  Never mind that I had never run more than 2, maybe 3 miles and if I did run once a year I figured I was almost an Olympian.

So let's review: didn't run consistently, check.  Not a distance runner, check.  Not in super great shape, check and check.

Long story short, I did the race, thought I was going to die, swore to do something evil to my former friend and I sort of broke my foot in the process.  BUT, BUT, BUT wait, when I finally crossed the finish line I felt so good.  Not physically but emotionally, man I was flying.  I couldn't wait to do another race and soon please.

After rehabbing the foot and learning the importance of good shoes I started running again and this time I followed training plans, I ran with friends and most importantly, I consistently ran.  My running partner and I have a saying "time on the legs".  One of the most important things that any runner can do is just run.  That's what will make you a better runner.  That's what makes you love running.

So here's my advice if you're just getting started, just start.  Be kind to your body.  You're starting something new and it takes time to get comfortable.  Take lots of walking breaks and don't feel like you have to run for hours, leave that crazy stuff to the marathon weirdos!

Most of all, have fun! Remember what it was like to be a kid flying down the hills?  That's your goal, to feel that way again.

Happy running!

Kristen

PS- go here for an excellent beginner plan.

Week 4, or is it 3? I'm confused.

The picture I took yesterday was the fourth picture but today is the beginning of the fourth week in the contest so should this picture be titled "week 3" because it shows the results of the third week or because it's the fourth picture am I correct in calling it "week 4" or maybe the first picture (which you will probably never see) should be called "the beginning" and then the last picture will be "the end" (original, I know) or maybe I should just relabel all the pictures with simply the date or maybe no one actually cares and I am the only one who lays awake at night worrying about these things?

I'm going to go with the last one.

So are you ready?  Brace yourself, it's impressive.  This past week with all of my exercising and eating healthy and making better choices I lost, drum roll please... NOTHING!  Yep, that's right.  Zero.  Yay me.

You do get to see my baby's bear and his high water pants.  I wanted to show you the ensemble he chose for church.  Seriously, he chose his shirt and bow tie all on his own.

I'm passing my knack for throwing random colors together on to the next generation.

If you guys have any diet, exercise, matching, photography advice, I'm open to suggestions.

Happy Monday!


Kristen


PS- Half marathon training started today for the Thanksgiving Point race, I'm doing this training plan again.  It doesn't suck, well the hills do but hills always suck.

It's starting again...

SOJO Half, Fall 2011 Check out the Wasatch Mountains, I get to see those everyday.  Lucky me.

Have I ever told you about the marathon I "ran" a few years ago.  Don't take the run part seriously because I'm pretty sure old men in wheelchairs were passing me, with broken wheels.  When I FINALLY crossed the finish line I swore on the heads of all my children that I would never do anything that stupid again. 

Well... maybe I was a little too hasty.  Maybe it wasn't that awful and maybe if I trained better and chose a better race and maybe if I had better music and maybe...

Maybe, someday, probably, I think I'd sorta, kinda like to do another one. 

I think.

Kristen

How to do your interval training in the middle of the night (the G- rated version).

*update: she's healthy now and even better, seems to be the only victim!

QUICKLY wake to the sound of your daughter coughing.
LEAP from your warm bed.
FLY down three sets of stairs.
LUNGE toward daughter's bed.
GRAB the puke bucket.
METHODICALLY hold back child's hair.
CAREFULLY walk to the nearest bathroom.
REPEAT as necessary.

Happy Wednesday to me!

Kristen

The "Weighting" Game

Have you ever had reality smack you in the face?  I have and let me tell you, reality isn't very kind.  It's like a giant hand with long fingernails and warts and sharp, poky rings.  It hurts.  I've been trying to lose my baby weight for a while now.  Okay, two years and it just isn't going anywhere.  If you had asked me a few weeks ago what my diet was like I would (slightly smugly) have told you that I always eat a healthy, high fiber breakfast, never drink less than 3 quarts of water a day and I certainly rarely eat anything with sugar or fat. 

Ya, not even. 

Apparently I've been deluding myself into thinking I eat the way I did when I was training for a marathon and successfully losing my twin baby weight.  Sure, I eat oatmeal for breakfast but I might also have a handful or three of the kid's cereal or maybe I'd have a few pieces of toast.  Then I'll have a few snacks throughout the day but I don't know if you can call them snacks when they're full size meals.  I don't ever drink soda (I don't like the taste) but I haven't been drinking enough water either.  If I were planning my emergency water supply based on what I've been drinking, a pint or maybe 2 would be sufficient.  And apparently I eat some sort of junk food like cookies or candy or toast with a ton of butter and cinnamon sugar every day.  I think I felt that because I go to the gym everyday and run outside whenever I get the chance that somehow I got a free pass on the food.  My head knows that's a bunch of bull but apparently my face didn't get the message. 

I'm tired of deleting half our pictures because I don't like the way I look.  I'm frustrated with all the clothes that don't fit.  I hate feeling like I could run faster and further if only I wasn't carrying this extra weight.  Most of all I hate that food has such a hold on me.  It scares me.  

So now that I know what I'm really eating, it's time to make some changes.  I'm back in the habit of tracking my food and water.  I'm also trying to slowly change the way my family is eating.  They've been mirroring my habits and that's just not cool.  So we're slowly switching all of our bread to whole grain, I've been spending more time in the produce section and I'm taking the time to notice how I feel and what works and what doesn't.  I think one of my problems has been that I'd follow all the rules and stick to the plan for um, a day and get angry that I hadn't lost all the weight so I'd quit.  Mature, I know. 

Losing weight takes time, it takes focus and most of all it takes hard work.  So any suggestions?  What has worked for you?  What should I try?  I'm not interested in pills or magic shots just real food.  I would also like to know how I can get my kids to eat better. 

Wish me luck!

Kristen

One of my many, many issues

I really like lists.  It might be an addiction.  I can deal with anything as long as I have a dang list, dadgummit!  Here's my current "Someday, when I get more time and am more motivated" list.

• go to Italy, cuz it looks pretty in pictures
• run another marathon, this time under 4 hours and without feeling like crud the whole time
• swim in the ocean, any ocean, I'm not picky
• load the whole family in an RV and road trip for an entire summer
• dance with my husband, we've taken lessons, we've practiced, it's pathetically sad
• get LASIK, my contacts are bugging me right now and the thought of being able to see without them is a fond dream
• learn to look outside myself and serve the people around me 
• tell a decent joke, or even a bad joke without cracking up before I get to the punchline
• raise children that become adults I would like to hang out with
• do a triathlon because it scares me
• read the Bible cover to cover, not just bits and pieces
• learn how to properly capitalize a title
• get a master's degree, of course I should probably finish the bachelor's first
• take a nap

Doable?  Sure. 

Today?  I might be able to manage a nap during WordGirl but I think that's it for today.  By the way "take a nap" is on every list I make. 

Grocery list:  take a nap. 

Packing list:  take a nap. 

Birthday list:  take a nap. 

I could go on.

Happy Friday!

Kristen

Why I run. No really, why do I run?

I've been running for 6 yearsish, give or take a pregnancy or two.  I love it and can't ever imagine doing anything else.  Then I hate it and wonder why any fool would ever put themselves through torture like it willingly.  Usually I feel the above and more during every run. There are a few benefits that I've discovered along the way.  Here they are in a completely random order, because after all you shouldn't expect anything less than random around here.

• awesome looking calves
• better math skills:  when you're driving somewhere you automatically calculate how long it would take you to run and what route you would take if you were running
• Saturday doesn't start until you've had your long run, anywhere from 20 miles to 1
• you can start collecting race shirts
• when meeting a new person and discovering they are also a runner, you automatically feel an unbreakable bond especially when you start talking wounds
• all of a sudden the people at the aid stations holding out sticks covered in Vaseline become your new best friends, raise your hand if you know what I mean
• your kids think you won the race because you got a medal, they don't realize they give those to every fool who limps across the finish line
• you get to know your body better, what works and what doesn't
• it's just you and the road/ treadmill/ field/ dirt path
• the injuries and the cool stories like the one about the day I met the troll that lives under the road (there was blood involved)

I love running, I really think I do.

Kristen

I have this friend

This friend, she's a nice girl.  She's also a runner, hey, what a coincidence so am I!  About this friend, now that it's warming up she likes to go for long runs in the evenings.  She's not very fast but she tries, bless her heart.  However she has this self destructive flaw.  It's a doozy, let me tell you.  Here it is:  she's not known for her nutritional wisdom.  I've tried talking to her, begging, even pleading.  It just doesn't work.  Would you like to see an example of what she considers a good pre run snack?  Here it is.

Yes, my friends.  That is a cookie almost as big as the plate.  I, uh, I mean she eats that before a run and then wonders halfway through why she wants to drop to the sidewalk in the fetal position and wait for some passing ambulance to pick her up.  It's a mystery.  Before you start thinking she just takes one bite and calls it good, let me show you another example.

Poor girl.  When will she learn that a banana would be so much better?


Don't be like me, her, whatever.

Kristen

PS- yes, I might be in denial, that's okay right?