Three Things Thursday - Sick Kid, 9000 miles & A Good Read

Having a sick little one is so challenging, physically and emotionally.  I've wanted nothing more than to help him feel better but I knew it would just take time.  That didn't help LBM when he was unable to eat anything because his throat hurt so much.  Thankfully yesterday we turned a corner and he seemed much more like himself.  We even got outside for a while!  The fresh air must have helped him because I had to negotiate all afternoon and evening to keep him settled down for fear of a relapse.

What the geese were thinking: 

Yeah, right we are the ones that they blame bird flu on.  Go back inside before you infect us all!

 

With LBM feeling better I wanted to get back on track and get a planned run in but the super secret spy had an evening activity so it was the treadmill.  I've been keeping the miles lower and slower the the training plan calls for due to a really aggressive training run this Saturday.  Have I mentioned that although I am not fast, running slow really sucks.  Running really slow on the treadmill sucks even more.  That was how I felt at .94 miles.  I seriously wanted to stop.  My mind was making all kinds of excuses about why I could stop.  I mean LBM wasn't completely better.  Never mind the fact that he was running around the basement playing like a mad man while I was running.  I told myself that I had 40 mountainous miles to run this Saturday.  But I also knew that if I ran my scheduled miles I would hit 9000 miles for my streak.  So after a little online whining and thankfully some votes of confidence telling how I could do it, I rallied, pushed my pace and finished my 10 miles.

9,001.70 streak miles - 2/27/13

 

 After having so much trouble getting my run going I decided that I needed to reset.  I needed to remember that I am excited about pushing for the 100 this year.  At times I get so focused on how much work I need to do, how intimidating the goal seems, how I feel so unworthy of accomplishing it, that I forget I want to do this because I love it.  I love running through the woods.  I love playing in mud.  I love challenging myself now not waiting until...fill in the blank...there are hundreds of excuses.  So I refueled with some yummy fish tacos and re-read some Relentless Forward Progress. 

 

Great book for ultra runners at any level.

 

What do you do to get over those mental excuses?

Do you find yourself using your kids as excuses to slack?

Fish tacos?  Love'em or not so much?



A treadmill is NOT just for running

When you workout at home you do things and think that everyone else is doing them to but yesterday as I was posting my workouts from the day on the HBBC FB page

 

 

I found out that I might be doing something that isn't quite as common.

 

With planks seemingly all the rage but extremely boring and my mommy tummy not getting any tighter on it's own, I wanted to raise the bar on my core workouts without the expense of say, a CorBench.  

 

I've call them walking planks and a quick google shows me that others do them too so I'm not crazy.  They are crazy hard.  Since this amazing lady is much nicer to look at we will use your video as an artistic interpretation of how I look doing them.  

 

 

 I start standing right behind my treadmill with the belt running. Remember to start slow you can always work up to a faster "walk" in time. Safety first. I then simply do a plank over the moving belt. First with my hands on the side rails and then once I'm set in position, I start "walking" with my hands on the belt. Even if you can only go for a short time, try walking for X length of time and holding plank on the side rails for X length of time. That way you can work up to longer "walks."

 

 

 

Another thing I do while on the treadmill is basketball drills. Lateral side shuffles and running backwards. Lately I've been doing a lot of lateral side shuffles in a squat position.   I usually do this drill after my run portion so my legs are a bit tired.  I squat slightly and side shuffle turning sides every minute with a backwards run inbetween. 

 

 

 

Lastly I do agility drills to practice the needed "fast feet" while running on rocky technical trails.  Which simply means taking several strides on the belt and then stepping once on alternating side rails then right back onto the moving belt.  Remember safety first.  Start slow and work up to going longer and faster as your ability allows.

These are just a few ways I try to keep my treadmill workouts hitting different muscles and keep my brain more active while running in one place. 

A Copper Lining

How many photos does it take to get to the bottom of my outfit?  Too many.

After several wonderful days of outside runs I was forced inside thanks to the plummeting temperatures and heavy rain.  It was honestly a nice break from pushing the jogger and negotiating with LBM about how much faster I should be able to run so it can be his turn to run.  I also got the opportunity to wear my Tommie Copper calf sleeves for the longest run yet, 12 miles.

I have been lucky enough to have several piece of Compression wear from Tommie Copper to review over the past few weeks.  I have been wearing the compression shirt under my tops at work.  Before I switched shoes and my heel/ankle started aching I had been wearing my ankle sleeves in the evenings and through the night.  I even wore my knee and calf sleeves at the same time during and after several runs to test how they compared to my typical brand of compression wear.

I wish Tommie Copper came in styles like S'ghetti Girl's socks.

I was feeling a little T while rocking calf sleeves AND a skirt!

Calf and Knee Sleeves:  After having the opportunity to wear the calf and knee sleeves in both recovery and running situations in my experience I felt a boost of energy from the compression while running and I enjoyed the compression of my tired muscles post workout.  The level of compression is not like what I am used to wearing and at first I felt both sleeves were not tight enough however after having them on for a while the compression seemed more noticeable.  I give both these items a thumbs up.  They will be a part of my regular running/recovery wear.

Ankle Sleeve:  I loved this.  Maybe because I used it and my ankle/heel stopped talking.  Positive results often favor a positive review.  Whether it was the copper, the compression or a coincidence I know that before I started wearing the ankle sleeves my mornings were filled with tender slow steps due to my sore ankle/heel.  But after using the sleeves two nights, bye bye sore ankle/heel.  I give the ankle sleeve huge thumbs up and a permanent place in my daily routine.

Compression Shirt:  Just as a positive result garners a positive review, a non-result garners a blah reveiw.  This piece may just have been a bad fit for my body.  Even with my unwelcomed extra pounds the medium that I received just wasn't snug.  It did however want to curl up at the bottom which caused me to be continually pulling it down.  So an item I wanted to wear and be invisible to others kept drawing attention to it's self.  I did not wear this to run as I mentioned the rolling up issue.  Whether there was any benefit to wearing the shirt I have yet to realize one but I do think with my positive result with the other items had this one fit properly I may have noticed more of an effect.  I give this item a question mark.  You'll have to decide for yourself on this one.  This item will probably not make the cut for my regular wear.  Although I will probably give it another try when I work through Insanity again.  Everything deserves a second chance, right?

Over all, I loved the products that fit my body and feel that they helped support me in my active lifestyle.

What piece of Tommie Copper compression would you like to try out?

Do you think rainy days have copper silver linings or do they just ruin your plans?

Numbers

Last evening with the rain pouring outside and the 2 little kids behaving wonderfully I set out on my new-to-me-treadmill for a longish run since my run the night before was cut short due to the Big Kid's run in with the tractor trailer.  11.24 miles and 1 hour and a 1/2 later feeling successful

I was done running. 

The little kids had entertained themselves and grumbled that they wanted more time to play without mom's interference. 

what can I say, sometimes I get lucky

I entered my numbers into my database and was happy to see that I was over 50 miles for the week so far.  With 2 more days of running, a week in the mid 60 mile mark would be in the books. 

Since S'ghetti Girl was off school today we enjoyed staying up 30 minutes later than usual.  We watched Aladdin,

read stories, got bathed, packed for the weekend and played the kids computer math games. 

Icing my busy Big Girl work day with all that and I was 100% tired.

When it was finally time to go to bed LBM asked, "Mommy 1 more minute?"

I was about to reply something to the effect of how he needed to do what Mommy had told him to do when I thought of something I tell myself a 1000 times when I get tired during a long run, I can do anything for 1 minute. 

I reminded myself that I had given myself 90 minutes of mommy time when I said, "Okay.  What do you want to do with your 1 minute?"

Surprised LBM ran to his bedroom and came back with a big book

best "1" minute of my day.

3TT ~ I'm seeing 3s Edition

This morning was day #3 of 5th grade. 

Our family is still struggling a bit with the new routine.  S'ghetti girl is still hard to get moving in the morning.  LBM still wants to be awake through the middle of the night and then sleep when it's time to be getting ready for his day.  I am still an epic fail on my morning runs and workouts.  BUT it is only day #3 and I know that what is important to each of us will get done.  It may take a few weeks to have the school schedule become habit but it will happen and then we will wonder why it ever was a challenge.

Today God willing will be my third day of double runs. 

Okay, Monday I did a mini-double too but a mile with LBM didn't really count.

I have been enjoying my outside hilly route each evening and then hitting my new-to-me treadmill to finish my miles.  After my mysterious sore thigh episode I am treading lightly on getting what I feel is some lost leg strength back.  I notice the issue most on my hilly 6.5 mile route when I hit the uphills.  My left leg just doesn't have the "push."  I can keep going but the strength to keep my pace up simply isn't there when I hit those hills.  So I have been easing back into my hills.  And if last night's run is any indication, it is working.  I didn't do a warm up typical I simply started running and felt blah.  I thought this run might be another effort but once I hit my first short steep hill something clicked.  It was practically audible!  It was like that place you might be lucky enough to have visited during a run that just goes your way.  It might happen some where in a long run or on a beautiful trail when your mind seems to forget your running.  Your body seems to almost effortlessly move forward and your mind is lost along the way in daydreamy thoughts or familiar scenery that is transformed into something now magically captivating.

Last night my neighbors might have seen me running my "normal" hilly loop but inside I was running some place extraordinary.  And I hope to find my way there again tonight!

Three years ago today it was Labor Day. 

Three years ago today was my labor day and I welcome LBM into the world for the first time.  It was the first time I could hear his voice, smell his LBM smell and hold his little body.  That morning was the first time I could feel him "love me back" after having loved him for over seven months already LBM was early. 

This morning I woke up with LBM in my arms again.  He slept with me sleep being optional at points through the night last night.  I woke up to that same sweet face, those same sweet smells and feeling that love he sends to me.  But today as he turns 3 years old he can tell me he loves me.  One of my favorite ways is when he says,

"Mommy,  You are my favorite!"

Happy Big Third Birthday LBM!

Someone push the reset button

This week I needed to reset. 

I have been needing to reset myself to find a few things I felt like I was losing.

Speed and Drive

After successfully completing my A goal in April of running my first trail 50 miler HERE at the Bull Run Run I began to look towards my next goal and the steps I'd need to get me there successfully HERE.  I had my eyes set on the Laurel Highlands Ultra a little 77 mile jaunt through the woods. 

HOWEVER, my family (READ: Hubbs) didn't feel that this was THE year to make the push towards another goal simply because I had been successful so early in 2011.  Due to the fact that I belong to a family and they all have feelings and desires too, I agreed that racing would go on the "back burner" and family fun would be the main event over the summer.

Well, summer is over and running uncharacteristically has been about training this week. 

Gone are the stress melting morning runs in the fog.  Forget about easy 9 minute miles pushing the jogging stroller.  Over are the weeks of less than 50 miles.  Don't even mention stopping during a run to visit with a neighbor.  This week has been spent on the new-to-me treadmill, dripping through 10+ mile runs every night this week.

and I am so glad they are almost done!

But I am so happy that I did them. 

The loss of a few evenings outside is well worth the reset that these runs provided for me. 

When I am running simply for the joy of running I sometimes find that I will allow my "normal" pace to slow as the weeks pass if I don't force myself to run a reset run.  Usually these happen when Biking Sherpa is along and she is chatting through an issue, we some times unknowingly put in speedy paces and Voila' my pace will reset.  This summer with a lack of Biking Sherpa runs my pace slowly headed south and for a little while I was okay with that.

NOT ANYMORE

This week I got serious again.  I don't have any smiling photos of my runs this week because there weren't any.  I don't have cute outfits or LBM's adorable face because that wasn't part of my runs this week.

And I figured I spare you the photos of the disgustingly drenched with sweat version of me.

If you follow me on Daily Mile you know that by the middle of the week I thought my 50 miles in 5 days was a stupid idea.  But you also would know that after a few days of putting in a max pace of sub 7s, I was able to run low 7s much easier and 8 minute miles felt conversational! 

I look forward to getting in some trail miles this weekend to see where my pace is at running off road.  While I my trail paces will be slower than treadmill paces, I know that my RESET will carry over to my offroad paces.  And this week's efforts will result in easier more enjoyable running as I run my way closer to my fall races.

So far registered for...

Fire On The Mountain Trail 50k - October 30th

Stone Mill Trail 50 miler - November 19th

How do you RESET your pace and drive?

Who Am I?

This is me.

I send my hubbs a 'Fun Foto for the Day' most every morning since he is usually waking up without us.  Occasionally I send him a photo of just me.  This was the photo I sent him yesterday morning when I wanted him to see my new shirt.
After sending the email, enduring my first earth quake (check Live through earth quake off my life list!) and finishing my day at work; I was taking photos of the kids with a new toy and I saw the above photo of myself.  I had just emailed a friend of my husband's who is getting ready for his first 50 miler and I wondered, who am I?
Not in the who-do-I-wanna-be-when-I-grow-up kinda way but in the who-the-he##-am-I-to-be-giving-ultra-running-advice-let-alone-running-ultras kinda way.  

Do you ever find yourself wondering, who the he## am I?

Apparently some times I do.

I'm not anyone special.  I'm just a girl who discovered that this running thing was a whole lot more than just a running thing.  The amazement I feel when I step back and see the things I have been allowed to accomplish at time surprises me. 

I caught myself watching the miles tick away on my odometer when we were traveling and thought, "Gee, I ran that far once!" as I saw 50 miles click away.  There must be some level of confidence within me because I am signed up for my next 50 miler in November

The Stone Mill 50 Miler

because I won't get past thinking, "Who the He## am I?
with a thought that ends in ONCE.

EQ in VA

LBM holding on for dear life!

Okay we didn't feel it quite that much but we definitely felt the earth quake that hit Virginia today.  Odd timing for such a big quake to happen nearly centered under where; after 8 years of stalling, our family may finally all reside together.  The lack of natural disasters is a big selling point of the wonderful area I call home. 

It just reminded me that we never quite know what the day will hold for us.  I often get caught up in my daily routine and miss out on the moments that life provides me.  But lately with so many big decisions being made, I have been noticing just how every day is really special.

Yesterday when I got home after work I was eager to jump on the treadmill while the kids played.  I have a couple days of double digit runs to put in and I really just wanted them done.  Since the little kids are so accustomed to my running they quickly went about their way playing.  But yesterday they decided to go through the boxes of "old" toys that are stored in my workout room.  They played as if I wasn't even there.  I turned down my headphones and eavesdropped on their imaginary conversations with each other via their dolls.

yes, LBM was playing with a barbie doll too

Their conversations flowed as if scripted, filled with kindness and fun.  Each one seeming to want to encourage the other to continue to play and keep their imaginary world going. 

I thought about how that was exactly what I had been doing for the past 8 years; keeping my imaginary world going.  An imaginary world where everything is safe and predictable as long as nothing changes. 

A world where I don't NEED anyone else.  But just like today's unexpected earth quake, sometimes a little shake up is exactly what we need to achieve the proper perspective.

Day # 471

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Late to the Party

I am not much of a crowd follower. 

That is really my only excuse for not knowing what all the fuss was about a few years ago.

However, this morning while running on the treadmill I finally figured out why a world full of women fell in love with two young boys.

Twilight

I am finally watching it and now

I get it.

I have all three movies.

Looks like some long miles for me this weekend

but wouldn't you know it, the weather is going to be perfect for running outside with the jogger. 

I guess I'll run faster knowing when I get back I'll get to watch!

Realign

This weekend, Saturday to be precise, I almost thought that this streak was over.

I don't know who snatched my body but she was not a runner!

I had the entire day to get out and put in 20ish miles on the trails.  The whole day.

What did I do to keep from getting out the door?  Well, I...

1.  slept in

2.  didn't fuel my body

3.  I gathered tax documents

4.  I started to clean the bathroom...

...S'ghetti girl's room...

...the cat box....

...the kitchen...

...the dishes.

5.  watched parts of 6 movies

6.  I opened the front door 25 times to check the weather.

7.  started to take down the Christmas tree (yes you read that right!)

8.  took a long hot shower.

The excuses...

1.  I must have needed the sleep since LBM still gets up most nights.

2.  I don't like to eat before I run anyway

3.  I promised myself I would get the papers together this weekend

4.  It was dirty...it was dirty...it was dirty...it was dirty...they were dirty.

5.  The tv was on and I got sucked in.

6.  It was freezing rain.

7.  Okay is there any excuse for having a Christmas tree still up on February 5th?

8.  I thought it would help me get motivated.

I know the suspense is killing you but of course I did run.

2 miles

on the treadmill very late Saturday night.

All this reminds me that sometimes I just need to realign my thinking.  I was not happy that I allowed the freezing rain to keep me from doing what I have scheduled.  I know that as a working mom I have to take advantage of the opportunity to run when I have.  I also know that I will not pick the weather on race day.  So I have to be willing to run in less than perfect conditions however I am willing to admit that on any given day you just don't know what kind of runner you'll be.

So I took an unexpected step way back week.
So I disappointed myself with an unproductive day.
Sunday I got right back on track with 10 miles and this morning I got up early and got in 4 steady miles.
I realigned my attitude and put myself back on track.

No fair weather fans here!
This morning I am back on track and Steeler Proud.

It's the little things

Today is day 261.

Through everything I am still running.

It really is the little things that help us through the difficult times in life.

I spent the weekend finishing this blanket for S'ghetti girl.  She had been waiting a very long time.  It reminded me that it doesn't take much to make a child happy.  They want to be happy. 

Some grownups are the same way.  They want to be happy.

It doesn't take much to put a smile on their face.

I am one of those people.

It doesn't take much to make me happy.

So despite the rough road, I have been running.  Then yesterday morning I decided to take a risk. 

A leap of faith that might just make me happy.

I entered a lottery

The Bull Run Run 50 Miler

Dusting off a few Dreams

I am often finding inspiration and encouragement in unexpected places throughout my days.

Yesterday I received an email from a running friend.  He and his wife are people I admire a lot.  Don't take that last sentence lightly because I do not admire many people.

I find inspiration in others.  I see examples of how to do certain things in others.  I received motivation from people around me but rarely do I admire someone else.

I typically feel that I am capable of similar accomplishments if I were given the same opportunities.

Let's be clear, I do not feel that I would win the Nobel Peace Prize if given the opportunity.  I am talking about people of a certain character who share the same interests that I do.

This friend sent me an email unknowingly at just the right time.

It was filled with positivity and encouragement.

I'll share the final sentence with you.

"So how about your dreams? Dust a few of them off and bring them out in 2011!! This is the year!!!"

As regular readers you will know that I am hopeful to make the leap from 50ks to a 50 miler this year.  I have registered for two trail 50ks in March.  My plan had been to use those two relatively close races as a gauge of my ability to make that leap perhaps in the fall.

This email has created a fire in me that I had lost over the past few months of entrapment.

I have allow other people and their opinions and judgments to direct how I have handled my winter running.

Sometimes it's hard not to do that.

Allow others to influence my behavior.

But after this email I am reminded that not all influences are negative ones.

I have already thanked my friend for the much needed "you got this girl" email.

So I do not type this to thank him again, I don't think he reads anyway.

I do type this so that you, faithful readers will be reminded that you never know what kind of impact you might have on someone by doing just the smallest of kind gestures.

So send that email, make that call, write that thank you, go for that visit, or invite someone to run because you never know just what an impact you might have.

Oh! What a Night!

There are days when I really wonder how on earth I survive.

okay, that's an overstatement I know many have it much more difficult than I but...

Take last night for example, after dragging myself through work working all day, the kids and I went to the grocery store (I really dislike running errands after work!) and then headed home. 

That is to say we got home later than usual.

I got the kids settled in and even though I have a cold I hopped on the treadmill with movies from RedBox.  After the first mile or so I could breath so much better and the kids were playing contently and I was completely engrossed in the movie Inception.  I might have ran a bit longer than I should have.

Once I realized I'd better stop I did want any runner first parent would do I rounded out my miles stop as soon as I could.

A quick dash into the shower and thanks to a easy to make supper we were quickly eating while doing homework.  Well, S'ghetti girl had actually gotten most of her homework done solo and I simply had to check it while wrangling/feeding/swatting/cleaning LBM.

Then it was off the baths and dealing with S'ghetti girl's rat's nest long hair.  After removing the tangles from hair and dirt from bodies I thought I might actually get our evening back on schedule.

But no.

That's not how it is when you are doing the married-single-parenting-must-run-a-zillion-miles-a-week thing.

The house was filled with white smoke.

Our pellet stove.

God Bless trying to do the earth friendlier thing.

After way too much time and another round of smoke filled house I gave up and decided that I would at least get to see my daughter before she went to bed. 

And that is about all we got to do, see each other.

Do I regret running and taking that time for myself?

Not for a minute.

I know there will be days when I don't get it all placed neatly within the lines.

I know there will be days when I feel like I can do everything and love it.

But mostly there will be days filled with experinces.

While the kids didn't enjoy the smoke filled house, they got to see mommy handling it, they got to help and honestly it was nice to see how well we worked together to try and get it all done.

Day # 240 ~ Tuesday p.m. run before the smoke

This morning we started a new day.

I wonder what experinces it will bring.

What kind of day are you having?

Our Holiday

Our holiday activities started bright and early with the cousins breakfast.  My younger sister started a tradition of taking her nieces and nephews out the morning before Christmas for breakfast.  What started as a group of four has grown a little over the years.  Although she is now accompanied by her husband, Hubbs and I decided to join the fun and offer another set of hands to help keep the little ones under control plus we got to visit and enjoy a healthy breakfast together. 

Christmas Eve ~ Day # 229 ~ 10 miles

I know you love the headphones!

And by healthy I meant completely yummy but not so good for me so after breakfast Hubbs and Army son went to finish shopping and the little kids and I went home so I could run.

(Runner first)

After Christmas Eve service at church we all gathered at my mother's house for our gift exchange. 

Biking Sherpa loves Hello Kitty.  Could you guess?

Christmas Eve at my mom's is another wonderful tradition that we all love.  We mostly love the hanging out in our pjs part.  The guys don't join in that part.  This year's main event was my BIL cutting himself with a knife trying to open a toy for his little boy.  Today's packaging, that's a post for another day.

BIL ended up going for 4 stitiches and otherwise is fine.

Christmas morning we woke up to a steady snowfall.  It really made it feel like Christmas.

LBM was not so sure about the need to get up early and Army son has been enjoying going to bed and awaking up when he wants to, a luxury he will not have for very long.

But S'ghetti girl could not have waited another minute! 

She was just a excited to give out her gifts as she was to get them.

Our Christmas day was wonderful.  We exhanged gifts in the morning and enjoyed a day spent together.

We shared another lingering meal with our families and left the distractions at home.

I'd say one of the best gifts we received was simply the gift of time.

Time to be together.  Time to actually listen to one another. 

Time to take a breath.

Time to see who we each really are and what we mean to each other.

Day after Christmas ~ Day # 131 ~ 15 miles

....and time to run!

Just not one of those runs

Last night I was plodding along - in one place - on the treadmill.  Army Son was out doing his Christmas shopping and the kiddos were playing upstairs.  I hadn't gotten out in the morning so I had more miles than I wanted to put in yet to do. 

Ugh.

That was kind of the theme of the entire run.  I simply couldn't get into the right state of mind.  I was thrilled when a delivery interrupted the run.  I was happy when LBM needed a diaper change mid run. 

It just wasn't one of those kind of runs.

Day# 227 ~ 3.5 am rum

This morning however, I popped out of bed to get S'ghetti girl off to school.  LBM slept through it all.  

Hummmm?

Army Son was still in bed asleep.  So I did what any running mom would do.

I quickly pulled on my gear and ran out the door.

OUTSIDE

Now this morning was one of those runs! 

The bonus:  they never even knew I was gone.

Have you ever done that?  Left kiddos in bed to go for a run?

please note that there was still a semi-grown up available for a screaming little kiddo who might wake up

Days in my life

In typical holiday fashion life has been busy.  I have been putting in my miles both inside and outside keeping my base mileage around 50 - 60 miles per week through the holidays knowing that March and my first known races of 2011, will be here before I am ready for it. 

We are blessed to have Army Son home with us through the holidays.   

The family hasn't been together for about a year so we have a lot of catching up to do in what little time we have.  Army Son has a large group of friends to spend time with also and he's need to find some solitude before he goes back to share nearly every minute of life with his battle buddies.

We all made sugar cookies at my sister's house.  The kids have fun decorating each cookie and everyone enjoys testing the end results. 

It is a really nice way for all the cousins to get together, share a tradition and make memories. 

LBM currently believes he IS Buzz Lightyear.  He worn his Buzz outfit all weekend long.  Last night I finally got him to let me wash it!  I told him the lasers wouldn't work if it got any dirtier.

Day # 225 ~ p.m. run 10.5 miles

And that brings me back to running.  Last night on the treadmill since my helper Army Son was out visiting with friends.  I am getting used to the routine but miss taking LBM out in the stroller. 

Who knew that I would actually miss pushing that heavy ackward thing?!

Soon enough, right?

What are you asking Santa for?

Sunday ~ Day # 210

This weekend was filled with a lot.

A lot of running in one place.

A lot of wind and blowing snow.

A lot of housework.

A lot of playing.

A lot of preparing.

But finally Sunday morning we did what we haven't been able to do very often lately, we took time to slow down.  After church we attended a lunch and we lingered.  We visited with friends and family.

We even had a visit from Santa!

The cousins enjoyed getting to play together.

S'ghetti girl thinks maybe she is too old to sit on Santa's nap. 

But not too old to share her wish list with him!

LBM wasn't into sitting on a guy's lap but did enjoy his present! 

And made sure to tell Santa a few things on his wish list.

Thanks Santa.

It wasn't the weekend that I thought I might have.  I had been hoping for a early anniversary gift from Hubbs.

The half marathon kind.

But I didn't hint quite hard enough.

And to be honest, I enjoyed the break

of simply running

and stopping when I wanted to.

With the holidays we all are doing more than our fair share of racing around so my next race for now will still be Seneca Greenway Trail 50k and the the Hat Run 50k both are in early March. 

On my Christmas list this year, a strong mind and tireless legs.

What are you asking Santa for?



Run like a child

S'ghetti girl has been working on her fitness.  We have been doing Wii Fitness in the evening and running on the weekend.  It is nice to see her taking pride in working hard and pushing herself while having fun too.

She is always so upbeat and happy when we are done.

All most all my running this week has been inside on the treadmill.  While I am getting great workouts in I am not feeling as good after my run as I had been.  I thought perhaps it was the streaking taking a toll on my mind.  I thought maybe it was my increased mileage.  I just couldn't figure out what I was missing.

And then I saw this photo.  It's not a good photo at all,  the subject is barely in the frame and out of focus

BUT

this photo shows everything I have been missing in my recent runs.

It shows the beautiful outdoors of course and that

JOY

that running simply because it feels great to do it expression on my daughter's face.

Here's praying we all find it on our next run and then share it with someone else.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Isaiah 40:31 (King James Version)