I like to juggle. Who am I kidding? I suck at juggling. I don't like to juggle. The thought of it sounds cool, but the balls start flying and I get all anxious. Anxious about the WHAT IF!
What if I drop a ball?
What if I drop all the balls?
What if someone sees me drop the balls?
What if they laugh?
What if...what if...what if...
This, in theory sounds crazy. Stressing out about juggling balls, but in real life this is REAL. I wear a lot of different hats, and if you are like 99.99999% of the American population, you wear a lot of hats too. Case in point, it's 8:00am and I have already been a workout partner, a friend, a cook, a hair stylist, a tutor, a butt wiper, you get the point. A lot of stuff has happened in the 3 short hours I have been awake. No doubt, there's a lot of other stuff that I still have to do, and will forget to do. It's inevitable.
When the overwhelming feeling of all the jobs, all the chores, all the things I need to get done well up in my anxious self, I have to STOP. Easier said than done. Really. I have to not only stop, but tell myself to stop, then follow my own directions and prioritize.
Almost always I find myself in an anxious mode when I let life run it's course in my head. I get distracted. I forget what I'm doing. I start something else. Get distracted. Forget what I'm doing again. Pick up something else. Get distracted. Then BAM!!! It's bedtime and I have all these half done jobs and nothing gets checked off my mental list.
There's my problem number one. I keep a mental list instead of an actual tangible list where I can cross things off. Problem #2? I forget to be present in what I'm doing.
Presence is the very key for me living a balanced life. I feel anxious when I let my thoughts and to-dos run wild in my head, instead of focusing and being present. Over the last two years, I remind myself often to be present in my activities. In the time with my kids. In the time I spend working. In the time I spend being a friend. In the time I spend with God. In the time I spend at church. In the time I spend being a wife. Sounds super great, right? Uhhhh...notice I said I have spent TWO years working on this! I am a multi-tasker by nature so the art of being present is something I work on DAILY. Funny thing is, when I practice being present, I am not anxious. I get WAY more done, and my family is happier.
So today, I'm practicing presence...again. Something tells me I will be working on this tomorrow too.
And, because I work on a better me for these guys (and I like to show off my kids and nephews like trophies) you get a pic of the Torres Kids!
February 19th: Chicago Marathon opens registration. I registered Steven.
May 27th: Official Training for the Chicago Marathons begins.
October 13th: Race Day
When I think about the 8 months that passed from the time Steven committed to the training until the time he actually ran the race, I am astonished. He set a goal and he achieved it. Erica set a goal and she achieved it. Sarah set a goal and she achieved it. 40,000 people set a goal and they achieved it. Watching dreams come alive as they ran was unbelievably touching.
The actual day of the race, Mark, Erica, Steven, and I woke at 5:30am and headed downtown. Since the spectators and racers were expected to be over 2.7 million, we decided not to take the rental car and use public transportation. We took the bus a few blocks and then hopped on the train.
{Waiting for the train to Magnificent Mile}
When we came up the stairs to street level all you saw were runners...and spectators...and more runners. It was madness. The excitement was mounting whether you were running or not. However, rarely do you pass the Art Institute of Chicago on your way to a race. I had to have them stop for a pic. At this point Steven had his 'race' attitude on. Asking him to stop for a pic was a stretch, but he did it. I'm sure now he is glad to have this moment captured. There's a lot of emotion wrapped up in this pic...
{Mark, Erica, and Steven}
A few blocks away from this pic is where we dropped Steven off for his corral. This is where I lost it. I was getting ready to let my husband navigate through thousands of runners and begin the hardest physical challenge he has ever known by himself. By. Himself. I held on to him, prayed over him, and cried. CRIED. I'm crying now thinking about it. He worked so hard. I was so proud of him, yet I was also so nervous. As he turned to walk through bag check, I put on my big girl panties and walked with Erica and her husband to find Sarah. After a few phone calls and texts we found her, snapped a pic and let the ladies get to their corral.
{Jeremy, Sarah, Erica, and Mark}
From here Jeremy, Mark, and I walked a few blocks to catch the runners at Mile 2. So many people told us it would be nearly impossible to see your runner. We still stood there scanning through all the racers. I'll let you figure out if we saw them or not...
Who is that crazy lady yelling for my husband? Who am I kidding? I was so stoked to see him running. He looked amazing. Proud wife moment for sure. I was so excited about seeing him that when Erica and Sarah came I stuck out my hand for high fives, but didn't get a video of them. I'm a bit mad at myself for that.
After the girls passed we headed to the train to try and get a glimpse of them at Mile 8 near Wrigley Field. As soon as we arrived, I quickly learned Steven had already passed Mile 8. I hung around for Sarah and Erica and we got to see them. They looked amazing. After them chunking their outerwear at us, we headed back to the train. This is when I realized if I hoped to see Steven again I would have to separate from Mark and Jeremy. Jeremy, being the only one who has lived in a big city, showed me the best way to catch the train by myself to see Steven. I was so thankful for him taking the time to get me where I needed to go. I got to Mile 23 and waited for Steven.
By this time I could tell he was hurting. My heart hurt. Seeing your loved one in pain is not easy. Maybe that's how he felt as I was popping out his 3 kids...
I hopped back on the subway by myself and headed to Mile 26. Right when I got off the train my phone died. I thought for sure I would catch Steven at Mile 26 right before he turned the corner to the finish line. I waited and waited and waited. I saw many runners he was with at Mile 23. I waited a bit longer. I never saw him so I headed to the Runner's Reunite area to wait for him.
He never came there either. I stood there by the 'S-T' sign for 2 hours. I was afraid to leave. I had no phone and was surrounded by foreigners waiting for their loved ones. My only thoughts were, "If I leave here, we'll never find each other." So I stayed. And stayed. And stayed. It was the most awful wait ever. I began to think something happened. Why wasn't he coming to the Runner's Reunite area? Just as I was beginning to find a race worker or Chicago PD I spotted Erica's husband. He knew where Steven was and took me to him.
Just as I was about to wrap my husband up and tell him how proud I was, he grabbed me and CRIED! Steven didn't recall the conversation we had about a meeting spot. When he realized I was no longer with the husbands he looked up the location on my phone and saw it was at the train station. He thought I had been taken. Like the movie Taken. He called his uncle, a retired Chicago detective, and cousin, a current Chicago PD officer, and they were beginning to contact other officers to find me.
Now it's funny. Then it was not. My heart hurts that at the time he should have been celebrating his biggest accomplishment, he was so stricken with fear that his wife had been kidnapped. On the other hand, at least I know he cares. OR, maybe he was worried that he was going to have to raise these hooligan kiddos all by himself.
Once he realized I was safe, he let his guard down and began to show how hurt he was from the race. His hammies cramped up during the race right after Mile 23 causing him to stop and stretch them out multiple times, and his knee was in bad shape. It was hard to watch him in so much pain, but he did it. It completed a goal he had been working on throughout the entire summer and beginning of fall. What a man!
The above picture was taken by Steven's aunt and uncle. They were able to catch him out of the exit gate. I am thankful for them traveling from IN to cheer him on. We seriously have the best families ever.
Steven, I am so proud of the work you put in. Your determination and mental toughness makes me strive for better personal achievement. You set the example of toughness and a 'Can Do' attitude for our children. Thank you for pushing us all to be better.
Let me be very clear. I did NOT run a marathon. My man of steel husband and tough as nails friends ran a marathon. Instead of pushing myself to physical exhaustion, I decided to relive the past. I became a cheerleader...again. Only this time I did not wear a uniform(no one would want to see that).
Just mulling over the things I would like to share with you has a lump in my throat and big crocodile tears wellin' up in my eyes. I can't even begin to describe to you how incredibly proud I am of my husband and friends. The opportunity I had to train halfway through allowed me to get a minor glimpse of how incredibly difficult the physical and mental aspect of this race would be for my husband and friends. I am thankful for that knowledge. It allowed me to appreciate them all the more.
But, let me start at the beginning...
We left early Friday morning for Chicago. We were all so excited to navigate an airport sans kids and kid gear. We got to our local airport in plenty of time to have some coffee and talk. This is how cool parents act when they are childless. They decide to take pics of themselves. Most of the passengers waiting to board the plane were staring. I'm sure they thought we were celebrities.
When we arrived in Chicago on Friday afternoon, we went straight to the Runner's Expo. That place was every runner's dream. Nike, New Balance, Saucony, and Mizuno gear, stretching equipment, snacks, refueling products, videos, technique training...anything and everything related to running was under one roof. We walked out with a race day outfit and The Stick (thanks to a sneaky friend). We also walked out with some major excitement. So many runners picking up their packets and so much anticipation. I got nervous, and I wasn't even running the race.
{Steven and Erica at the entrance of the Expo}
{Steven checking in to get his race day packet}
{Nike's cool photo op}
{Erica, Steven, and Sarah...the runners with the course map and distance}
After we had explored the Expo we headed downtown to enjoy Chicago. There is something about walking the streets of Chicago that ignites my inner 'city girl'. Let's be honest. I'm an OK city girl. In Chicago, I'm a country girl. It's all relative. Of course we did the tourist pics making all the locals wait before they could cross in front of us. YOLO!
{Erica and I in front of the famous Chicago sign}
{Seriously? Do you see that hunk next to me?!?!}
{Sarah, me, and Erica at Giordano's Pizza. These two ladies are beyond selfless}
{Gigantic Chicago style pizza. Can I get a holla for my husband's facial expresssion?)
After a morning of travel, the Expo, sight-seeing, and shoving our faces full of Chicago style pizza we were all ready for bed. We headed to Steven's uncle's home right outside downtown for some rest.
The next morning we were up and ready for a morning of shopping at Lululemon. If you have never experienced the feel of Lululemon on your body, you are missing out. As frugal as I am, I will splurge on Lulu attire. Good news...they have a clearance section. I helped myself to a new jacket, running shorts, and two tanks. At first Steven rolled his eyes until I handed him a pair of men's running shorts and insisted he try them on. The look on his face when he opened the dressing room door was priceless. Needless to say, he gets it and now owns his first pair of Lululemon running shorts.
{Erica and I being brand snobs with our Lulu bags}
Once we had our fill of shopping and realized Erica and Steven needed rest, we headed back to the house and prepped for race day. Steven taught Erica his pre race ritual...laying out his race attire and gear the night before a run...
The jitters were really beginning to set in. The next day was going to be the most challenging physical feat for Steven and Erica. I slept very little. My stomach was in knots thinking about what they were about to do. Words cannot express the emotional roller coaster of watching your loved ones push themselves beyond pain and suffering.
Tomorrow I'll share race day, then on Friday you can read about post race day. Erica is working on writing a post from the actual runner's stand point. It is all very different for her. This is all completely from my spectator view. However, being a spectator is no joke!
Why is it that Dashing through the snow, sounds so much better than Dashing through the mud? Or in this case mud, rocks, sticks, and manure.
Last Saturday, Steven and I along with a group of friends and family complete the OK Warrior Dash. I signed up for this event a long, long time before (like 9 months) and set a goal. I wanted to finish the entire 3.1 mile obstacle run in under 50 minutes. It is said that the average person completes the race in about an hour. Since I wanted to be above average, I set my goal at 50 minutes.
During the actual race I was pretty irritated. It was hot and humid and I loathe running in heat. I get mad. So there I was running through someone's ranch that had brush hogged a path for runners, sticks sticking up everywhere, tons of rocks, cow patties on my left and right, AND I was hot. This made for an unhappy Amanda Torres. However, I kept focused on moving because I had one chance to beat my goal. I didn't want to fail.
Thankfully, our friends Jeff and Kristi started us out with a super fast pace. It helped keep us on track the entire time. Not to mention Steven slowed his uber fast pace down to slacker level so we could be together. He stayed just a few feet in front of me to keep me moving. Once we came to the first obstacle after about 1.5 miles, I was in a groove and looked forward to the next obstacle. Until we came to a pond and I realized we would be swimming through that pond. The pond that probably had snakes, leaches, and other creatures ready to dine on my filthy body. Not to mention my shoes were about to be drenched making it even harder to run.
I guess I should note that I may be a bit of a diva runner. I kept thinking, "Where is the finish and why did I sign up for this?" You think I'm kidding? I'm not. I was pissy.
Then we rounded a corner and I heard the music and saw people. Yes. The finish was there. I leaped over the two fire obstacles and crossed the finish line just a few steps behind Steven. Then I tried to figure out if I beat my goal. There was no time at the finish and Steven's watch stopped mid-race. I would have to wait for the online results. Fooey!
As Steven and I hung out around the finish line waiting for our friends and family, I began to feel pretty good about the race. Then my mind played a little trick on me. Mud caked and nasty I had a thought, That was fun. Really. I thought that. After the pain and suffering and heat and manure and mud, I realized it actually like the feeling of accomplishment more than the suffering. I guess I'll be doing it again next year.
And for those of you wondering how nasty one can be from a race, here's a visual.
{L to R: Steven, me, Kristi, Jeff, Lindsay, Rene}
You see that tank top I'm holding up to cover up with? It was white. Pretty gross, huh?
You see that guy next to me? He's my baby daddy. Pretty hot, huh?
He's gonna kill me ;)
And, if you're wondering if I beat my goal. I did! By almost 14 minutes!!! I was shocked and excited. Final time 36:25. I finished 17th out of 1050 in my age group. That was also a big shocker. I guess all that suffering was worth it. Hard work pays off and is worth it! Whatever you are challenged with today, put in your hard work and reap the rewards. There are very few things that feel better than accomplishments. Accomplish something today!
I'm a closet Kelly Clarkson fan. I like this song. I like to hear it while I'm working out. It gets me going. Yes, I admitted it. Yes, it's embarrassing.
Contrary to popular belief, I do not enjoy pain. I don't particularly like running 3 miles multiple times a week. I don't like working my legs or arms until feel like they are going to fall off.
I like working out for one reason. The after feeling. I feel stronger. I feel revived. I feel less stressed. I feel better about my body (You know the one that popped out 3 kids). I feel like I made time for me.
Since I know how I feel when the alarm goes off early in the morning, I can identify with the reason why people shy away from doing what's necessary to keep our bodies healthy.It's really easy to make excuses. It's really easy to talk yourself out of working out. It's really easy to want results. What's not easy is taking that first step.
That's where I'd like to encourage you. I'd like for you to know that you won't regret that first step. You may hate the pain you feel while working out, but you won't hate how your feel afterward. In all reality, your pain is your gain. Like Kelly says, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." It's kinda true.
I'd like for you to experience the high of doing work. I'd also like to workout with you. I've talked about my friend, Erica, who began her own business, F.I.T Boot Camp. She knows how to get you results. She knows how to encourage. She cares about your health.
She offers her classes 3 mornings a week, and her next session begins Monday. This is your chance to get the change you want. She also began a Refer-A-Friend Program that I would like to share with you. By sharing this, I receive absolutely nothing. This is something that I want to share with you because I have benefited from Erica as a trainer and as a friend. You won't just be her client. You'll be her friend. It's just how she is. So here's her new program. Now call her up!
We have a lot of fit people in our neighborhood. A LOT. We see lots of runners, and if I got up at the butt-crack of dawn I'd see a neighborhood boot camp group out at our 10 acre park. Fortunately, I'm not crazy so I stay in bed. Not that those ladies are crazy. They are just super duper dedicated...and not lazy. I am not dedicated, and lazy. Which brings me to my point.
I see a whole lot of these in the neighborhood...
Since I have not ran 13.1 or 26.2 miles, I've never thought about putting one on my car. After all the longest race I've ever ran non-stop was a 15K, or 9.3 miles. That was enough for me. I was pretty content with never having a sticker until I thought...
I have, technically, ran 13.1 and even 26.2 miles over the course of my lifetime. Heck, if you add up all my mileage it would be near the Ultra-Marathon level. So why can't I have one?
Pretty smart, huh? No one would really know if I have or have not ran a half or full marathon. I could get some massive respect on a technicality. I'm such a genius.
Then I started thinking even harder. I wonder how many people actually cheated and just put the sticker on their car. That would be so stinkin' hilarious! So if you see me around town with a sticker like the ones above, just know I cheated, and I think it's funny!
With Little Man attending his first ever schooling experience this year, I am now in a very different role. I'm a parent. Not a teacher. I am subjected to a whole different set of rules. I am on very different side of the boundary line. I am not the one making the rules, nor drawing the boundary lines, but the one that will follow. As I think about what this upcoming year will look like for Little Man, I am not the one doing the planning. Definitely a new role for me, and a new role for Little Man.
Looking back as a teacher, I realize there were common mistakes that well intentioned (and some not so well intentioned) parents in every class made every year. I vow not to make these same mistakes this year or the years to come.
I will not suggest how the teacher should run her classroom to better my child. Yes, I may know what's best for my child, but I do not know what's best for all the children in that classroom.
I will not automatically believe every story that comes out of my child's mouth. I will first check with the teacher to get his/her side.
I will not go above the teacher's head without first discussing the problem with them.
I will stay within my time limit during conferences. Even though my child is my most favorite topic, I will realize there are 20+ other parents who want to talk about their child as well.
I will NEVER discuss issues I may or may not have with a teacher in front of my child. There is nothing more detrimental to my child's learning when children are subjected to hearing negative things about their teacher.
I will not request my child to be moved from one classroom to the next just because the other class is doing more of the 'fun' stuff.
I will not knock on the teacher's door after school has already started without permission, even if it's just to drop off a quick item. The office is more than capable of getting items to my child without interrupting the classroom.
I will not take my kid out on a day of fun just because they missed a goal and didn't earn a reward. If my child fails to receive a reward they will sit at school and see how it feels to underachieve. I will not reward them underachievement.
I will accept responsibility for my child's poor actions. I will not ask who else participated in the poor behavior. All that matters is my child chose to participate.
I will not allow my child to use extra-curricular activities as an excuse for homework not being complete. If they are not able to get their work in on time because of sports, then they won't be doing sports. Believe me, that will be a hard one. Sports are important in the Torres household.
I will not do my child's work or projects.
And, I think that's it. For now at least. It's a lengthy list, and I know I may be tempted as a parent to cross one of those lines, but in order to have the best possible relationship with my child's teacher I will follow these guidelines.
{One of my classes @ Tsa La Gi}
And, if you're wondering, all of the above items I witnessed either through my own classroom or my fellow teachers. They happened every single year. Sometimes by the nicest of the parents, and sometimes by the biggest buttheads. In the end, it always hurt the child more. They pick up on parent behaviors and start to model them. Not a place I want my child to be.
I'm sitting here watching Dancing With the Stars. Alone. Completely Alone. I'm rarely in the house alone. It feels weird. As I'm watching Kirstie Alley cry over dancing it makes me think what I would be like if I were on the show. I don't think I would cry. I'm not a crier when I get frustrated. I get mad instead. Thank you, Mom, for that quality. Do I need to remind you of the greenhouse we put together Sunday night?
Anyway, the whole Dancing With the Stars thing has me thinking of things I would like to do and things I have done. Since I often write about topics that are mindless, I thought I'd share.
5 Things I Used To Be Able to Do
The splits
A standing back tuck
The ability to sleep past 9am
Sit alone in my house and feel comfortable
Get up and go without thinking of two little people
5 Things I Have Done
Bungee jump
Ridden on a motorcycle
Pushed out two kids
Danced on a desk to celebrate my students' accomplishments
Ran a 15K (9.3 miles) without stopping
5 Things I Would Like To Do
Skydive
Outdoor repelling
Take a 3 week trip around the world with Steven
Sail in the middle of an ocean for a week
Relearn a standing back tuck (My #1 goal for this year)
I have been in my house for four days now. F-O-U-R days. Can you hear the desperation??? Even though I like having my tiny family together in our house, we get bored. However we found a gem. A real gem. A free gem, and who doesn't like free gems?
If you're friends with me on Facebook, you've probably already seen mention of it. I'm currently in love with the Free Zone on our cable. More specifically, I'm in love with the Jillian Michaels workouts. More specifically, specifically, I love to hate the Jillian Michaels workouts. She's one bad mamba jamba. My legs, deltoids, and abs are so sore. Like really sore. Like really, really sore.
{The infamous Jillian Michaels}
I've been contemplating this whole snowed in phenomenon, and I realized that I would have one rippin' body if I were snowed in on a consistent basis. I could even look like Jillian Michaels. Well, maybe not exactly. I sure do love baked goodies and tasty fattening foods. Living off 100% raw foods just doesn't sound like a life I am interested in living. No sirree. Not for me. So for now, I'll just stick to the workouts in hopes that the cottage cheese on my thighs magically changes over to rippin' quads. One can always hope.
I do have one more little personal tidbit to share today. Simply because the cottage cheese on my thighs is not personal enough. After completing the 6 Week, 6 Pack Abs workout, which should be renamed 'Full Body Workout That Incorporates an Ab Workout' workout, Steven thought we needed to do even more. Graciously, I found the dancing section of the Free Zone. I promise, I wasn't doing this for comedic purposes. Okay, you know me too well. I totally did this for comedic purposes.
Steven *thinks* he can do two things really well...sing and dance. So I chose the Hip Hop workout. Let's just say, I got another great ab workout. Steven was cracking me up trying to get his feet together with his hands and counting out the music. I really wish I would have grabbed the camera. Words cannot possibly express what was going on over here. Extremely comical. Although Steven's not a terrible dancer, he definitely could not make it on So You Think You Can Dance. However, he seems to think he's ready to hit the clubs with his new found moves. Be warned Tulsa area. Be warned. Steven Torres could be out in the clubs soon...
Well after two weeks of big girl panties, I think it's safe to say I have a potty-trained two year old. It's one of my greatest accomplishments in life. Aside from potty training this one...
{Little Man, age 20 months}
And this one too...
{Steven Torres, age 385 months or 32 years, 1 month}
Maybe I didn't potty train him, but I certainly trained him to put the stinkin' lid down! That's an accomplishment in itself. The big question is what do I do with the rest of my year??? I mean, I've already accomplished my New Year's Resolution. I set the bar pretty high, didn't I?
For those of you wondering how we did the whole 'potty training' thing, I'll include the details. If you are not a parent of a child in diapers, just stop reading now. There is no one in their right mind who should ever be interested in the bathroom habits of others unless you are teaching one to quit peein' and pooin' in their diaper.
Little Miss really didn't show any signs of readiness, other than telling me, "I poopy, Mama." Of course, she'd tell me AFTER she'd done the deed. Poop just grosses me out. Like totally.
I have a friend, Natasha, who potty-trained both of her children by 18 months. I went with her plan. It goes a little something like this...HIT IT! Sorry, I had to throw that in ;)
Day 1:
As soon as your child wakes up, put them on the potty and get rid of that diaper. Straight to undies/panties. Set a timer for every 20 minutes and increase the amount of liquids your child drinks throughout the day. When the timer goes off, go potty. I had M&M's ready. In fact Little Man was M&M manager. If Little Miss went, he'd run and get one for her. He'd also tell her what color it was. Consequently, she learned the colors associated with M&M's and how to potty. My heart is full!
IF Little Miss did not go, I'd set the timer in 5 minute intervals until she went. Do this for the entire day. It's is exhausting. It is a pain in the booty, BUT you will be glad you did it.
Day 2:
Day 2 is almost identical to Day 1 with the exception that you will increase the time between potties. We did 30 minutes and it seemed to work well.
Day 3:
Little Miss didn't have any accidents on Day 1 or 2, so I stopped setting the timer. Instead I would periodically ask if she needed to go. She had a few accidents on this day, but she would come and tell me as soon as it happened. Good sign!
Day 4-7:
Same as Day 3, but we asked less frequently if she needed to go. By the end of the week, she was able to hold it for longer intervals and was telling us when she needed to go. Success!!!
I won't say this works 100% of the time, but the people I know who have used this method have also been successful. If you're looking to get rid of diapers, give this a try. It may just be the trick!
I survived! I ran the Tulsa Run. The entire thing. I didn't stop one time. Not even to grab water. Even though it took me 1 hr 52 minutes (slow and steady), I was super pleased I accomplished my goal. Never in my life have I ran that many hills, and definitely didn't train for hills, but I looked at this run like childbirth. You can't quit in the middle of that so I wasn't going to quit in the middle of this. When Satan's Blvd came up at mile 8, I looked down at my feet so I wouldn't notice how much I had left. Soon enough, I was at the top of the hill and noticed the BOK Center. I was almost finished!!! Such a great feeling!
Now for the menu this week. There's really nothing new, but you should definitely try the Bacon Chicken Cresent Ring. It's simple and tasty!
Chunky Monkey is two today. TWO! I just can't believe it. My babies, and my nephew are growing too fast. Way too fast. We'll be celebrating Chunky Monkey today by adding his name to the #2 birthday decoration. Yes, it's still up in my house. After six hours of work, I just can't bring myself to throw it away. It very well might be moved into Little Miss' room as a permanent decoration.
Back to Chunky Monkey...Since he's apart of this family, he'll get the same crazy birthday singing at every meal complete with two candles. I can't get enough of him. He's amazing and funny and passionate and chunky. I love him. Seriously, how could you NOT love this...
{Chunky Monkey's mascara artwork}
Now it's time to say goodbye. Tomorrow is my 15K race. 9.3 miles. The end of the race is Satan's Blvd times two. An incline that I know I can run up, but I won't make promises if I will survive or not. So this is goodbye. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be back on Monday for Menu Monday. In case I'm not, you can find awesome recipes here and here. I love you all dearly!
A while back I decided that since the half-marathon never happened, I needed to at least do a 15K. I have been training like a mad woman getting ready for this race on October 30th. I'm pretty pleased with myself so far. I'm averaging about 15-17 miles a week with my longest runs at 7 miles. I've come to learn that after about mile 6 you're legs just keep moving whether you want them to or not. Occasionally, I take a peek just to see if I even still have legs. Surprisingly enough they're always down there staring back at me. Although I wish somehow Heidi Klum's legs would appear, it never happens.
I've also come to learn that at about mile 5, I get bored. Utterly bored. B-O-R-E-D. BORED. BoReD. Bored. Bored. So bored that I thought about how many ways I could write bored on this blog post. I came up with many, many different ways, but I didn't want to bore you. You all probably have a life so these things never cross your mind.
Remember this? I figured I've taken a long enough break from running, and needed to start training...again. Let me tell you what's different this time.
I'm not making any other life changing decisions (i.e. We're not building a house).
I have more time on my hands (i.e. I'm not making decision regarding the building of a house).
I'm not nursing a child so Steven can do bedtime without me (i.e. I can run in the evening without having to be home in time to nurse a baby with a sweaty boob).
I've already paid my entry fee for the Tulsa Run 15K (i.e. We all know how frugal I am. I would never pay for something and not do/use what I've paid for).
My husband isn't letting me 'slack' (i.e. When I try to sleep in and avoid my morning runs, he yanks my bootay out of bed. I appreciate him for that...after I'm finished running).
Even though the Tulsa Run is 3.8 miles shy of a half marathon, it's still pushing my limits. Have I ever mentioned to you how I don't enjoy running? I haven't? Well, news flash! I don't enjoy running.
I do enjoy how I feel afterward. It's a great feeling mentally calculating how far you could run vs. driving in your car. For example, I could run to the QT 4 miles away, get a donut, eat the donut, and run back. Surely the donut calories would be cancelled out with all that running. The calories definitely wouldn't count if I upchucked the donut. Scratch that. No donut!
Another aspect of running I enjoy is getting to know the neighborhood. I can tell you what kids wait on what bus stop, who leaves when for work, and what family activities people like to do after work. Yep, borderline stalking, but what else am I supposed to do while running? It's a long time people. I have to do something to keep my mind busy.
In conclusion, even though I do not enjoy the actual activity of running, I do enjoy challenging myself and that 'runner's high' you have after you complete your training runs. We'll see how this Tulsa Run thing turns out. You very well may see me on the news as the girl who passed out during the race. If that happens, someone please wave a donut under my nose to help regain my strength.
Back in December I decided that I was going to run a half marathon in May. I needed something to challenge myself. To push me beyond my comfort zone. At the beginning, I was really shocked with what my body was able to do in the early stages of training. I just knew that I would get in all the mileage by March and then maintain the mileage until the race date.
Well, life got in the way. Between moving and a horrendous winter, my training has gone from a steady pace to almost non-existent. I'm only up to 6 miles (I need to be around 10). I'm really going to push myself this month to see how far I can stretch myself. However, I'm beginning to realize that a half-marathon might not happen for me in May. If not in May, it will happen this year. It is a goal, and I'm not one to let goals just slip away...
The area we live in was hit with a nasty blizzard. This has killed my training. Since I haven't been able to run outside, I had to hit the gym. Normally I only go to the gym for Zumba so the thought of going to get on treadmill was exasperating. I LOATHE the treadmill. It makes me feel like a hamster running a wheel. You don't go anywhere, and the scenery stays the same. B-O-R-I-N-G!!! My attitude was horrible about starting, but I remembered the whole reason why I started this goal of running a half marathon...to get my mental toughness back. I set that treadmill for an hour. I ran, and ran, and ran. It felt so good to get over the hump of doing more than my mind wanted to do. I'm definitely sore today, but I'm way ahead of where I wanted to be at this point in my training. Originally I wanted to be able to run for an hour by the end of January. Here it is not even January, and I've already accomplished my January goal. So here's the new goal...keep on, keeping on!
I sure hope you have set a goal for your life in some way. I loved reading a fellow blogger's post on her goals for the future. You can read about it here! Happy New Year!
Steven and I have always been goal oriented people. At least once a year, we evaluate where we are in all aspects of our lives and discuss where we want to be in the future. However, there has been one area in my life that has lagged behind, or just been plain forgotten. And that area my friend, is mental toughness.
I didn't even realize I had a problem in this area until I was watching The Biggest Loser (love, love, love this show). I was sitting on the couch (probably eating cookies) watching these once obese, and still overweight individuals run a MARATHON! I mean, really? What kind of psycho chooses to run a marathon. Then it dawned on me. These contestants never saw themselves doing this either. This was a real challenge for them.
After the show was over, I started reflecting on the last time I really challenged myself beyond my physical limits. The answer to that was back in high school! I do work out regularly, but it's the typical workout. Nothing too much. So I began entertaining the idea of running a half-marathon. Now, I loathe running, but this is one area that would take major endurance and training on my part. I have purchased some new (and very flashy) running shoes, and recently started training. I'm up to 3 miles, but need to get to 13.1 miles by May. I'll keep you updated as the training continues.
There are two reasons why I posted this (I was planning on keeping this private until I accomplished my goal).
Reason #1-You now know what I'm going to do so it keeps me accountable. Reason #2-I'm super curious what kind of goals you have for yourself. Tell me, tell me, tell me (which means you are required to LEAVE A COMMENT, you lovely blog lurkers :))
