Category Archives: Family

February 21, 2015 · 12:06 AM

Thoughts from the 40’s and Words of Advice to my Kids

*I began writing this last year as I transitioned from my 30’s to a new “age group”. For several reasons, I never ended up publishing it on my birthday as I had planned. There isn’t much running talk in it (well, maybe a little) but contains a lot of things I’ve thought about while out on my runs. As I read over it today, I decided to add a little more to it now that I’m staring 41 in the face.

My sister, Kim, and me on my 2nd birthday.

Do you remember when you were little and it seemed like your birthday would never get here? Even if it was a week away, it seemed as though it was taking FOR-EV-ER. Funny how that changes as you get older. I’m writing this exactly 1 week from my birthday, btw. I’m not sure when it all changed but I do remember there was a time several years ago that “I can’t wait!” turned into “I’m in no rush….” That’s not really a bad thing though, you know? Things are so rushed these days. Everything has to be Now, Instant, Overnight and On Demand – which, I’ll admit, can be nice sometimes (like 2 days before Christmas and you still can’t find a specific gift except on Amazon). It also can make it hard to enjoy life too. I use my wall calendar a lot to keep up with everything I have going on every month and there are days that I literally feel like I can’t catch my breath. Does this have anything to do with being 40? Well, not directly since I’m still 39 while I write this. I guess what I’m trying to say is that life goes by so fast already. Being crazy busy with a million things to do doesn’t necessarily make your life more fulfilled. If anything, it may cause you to miss out on some of the little things, the stuff you can’t buy. I’m only saying this because I’m guilty of doing it.

It’s funny how our way of thinking changes as we get older (for most of us, at least 🙂 ). Here are a few things I’d like to share with my kids (and you) now that I’m *almost* 40:

Slow down when you can. Life goes by in a hurry, despite what you think when you’re in your teens and 20’s. You believe you have all the time in the world and before you know it, you’re 30 something and at your 20 yr high school reunion trying to figure out where the time went. *It’s also very unpleasant when your favorite songs from high school are on the “oldies” station.

Enjoy your kids. The time that your kids are little goes by in a flash. I know that it seems like some days feel like they last 48 hours and it’s hard – I still have days like that – but they don’t last forever. One day, you’ll look back and wish they were still big enough to climb into your lap and rock.

Take a lot of pictures. I know in this day and age, it seems like something pointless to say since just about all of us own a phone that has a camera, a tablet with a camera, a laptop with a camera, etc….but I’m not talking about our “I just finished working out/running 15 miles and I’m really sweaty selfies” or “This is my delicious food I’m about to chow down on” pictures. (There’s nothing wrong with those, btw – I take those too.) Just be sure to take some of you and your spouse when you’re out on a date together, your kids when they’re learning to ride their bike, picking flowers, drawing with sidewalk chalk or doing silly stuff. Memories. Things that they will want to look through when they’re all grown up and, when they do, they’ll smile and hopefully share them with their children.

Zach was showing us his jumping skills while at the beach.

Write stuff down. My mother has been telling me this for years. “Write it down because one day you’ll forget when this or that happened, even though you think you won’t.” She’s right. I’m glad I listened to her and wrote *most* things down. There are so many things that I think will forever be etched in my mind but then other wonderful things happen and if it weren’t for writing those milestones down, I’d forget some of them. Here’s what I mean: I’ve had 5 kids start 1st grade, 4 kids lose baby teeth (Zoe’s still hanging on to hers.), 4 trips to Disney World that was a 1st time trip for one or more of the kids and don’t even get me started on all of the funny and unique words each one has had for this or that when they were younger. As you can imagine, this old mommy brain starts getting overloaded. Besides, I just don’t remember things as well as I used to. (Although, I do tend to remember things better while I’m running. You knew I wasn’t going to go a whole post without mentioning it, didn’t you? 😉 )
Take care of yourself. This may seem like another given but sometimes we are so involved with taking care of everyone else that we forget that we need to make sure we’re eating well, sleeping, exercising, etc. This is something else I was guilty of for a long time too. (I’m still guilty of not getting enough sleep…) I focused so much on taking care of my kids/home that I completely ignored my deteriorating health. What I didn’t realize was that I was slowly sidelining myself from life, not to mention setting a terrible example for my children. I now hope I’ve set a different example for them. For my older kids – I hope that you can see that you can turn things around and make changes even when it seems almost impossible. This doesn’t just apply to physical health – this applies to life. For my younger kids that don’t really remember the unhealthy me – I hope you see that I want to take care of myself so I can take care of you to the best of my ability. I want to run with you, ride bikes with you, go exploring in the woods and, instead of spending money on doctor visits and medicine for me, we can spend it on trips to the zoo or the Children’s Museum. I don’t think choosing to take care of yourself is a selfish thing. I think it’s making a choice to be healthy so you can play an active part in the lives of the people you love. Find something active that you enjoy doing and do it! It doesn’t have to be running but it certainly is fun. 🙂

Zoe running like the wind.

Riding bikes with the kids.

February 18, 2015

Forgive yourself. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve messed up in the past – especially when I was younger. Some of them were huge, horrible mistakes and some were just dumb. I find it amazing that even when God and everyone else around us forgives us, we (or at least I) want to keep drudging it up and agonizing over it. I’m here to tell you that no matter how many times you feel bad about it, wish it didn’t happen, or tell yourself how big of a dummy you were – it still happened. It’s true. I’ve tried it. What I’ve learned is that distraction and discouragement are two of the most powerful tools the enemy uses to try and create a sense of defeat. (We have some powerful tools too, by the way: Ephesians 6:10-18.) I will still unfortunately make mistakes and mess up at times because I’m human. I do feel like I’m a little wiser though and, as my pastor put it last week, sometimes instead of asking yourself “Is this good or is this bad?”, you should ask yourself, “Is this the wise thing to do?”. That made so much sense to me. (Example: Is running a marathon bad? No, it’s a life changing experience. Is running a marathon with no food or water when you’ve never run over 2 miles the wisest thing to do? I’d say no. It could actually be a life ending experience.)

For my daughters, don’t be your worst critic. (This applies to my sons too but I see it so much more with girls.) I’ve said this so many times but if you wouldn’t put down your best friend and say terrible things to them, why would you do it to yourself? There’s a distinct difference in saying, “Ok, I need to really start watching what I eat because I’m not eating like I should and I need to be healthier.” Instead of saying, “I hate myself. I’m fat and I wish I looked like this or that.” Once again, it’s not that I haven’t said that last statement in the past but the only results it brought me was depression. If you aren’t where you want to be, then, as I said earlier, you can do something about it. Be thankful for who you are and what you’ve been given even if you do wish your feet were smaller or eyes were this or that color. You’re you for a reason. You’ve been put on this earth for a purpose! Also, don’t participate in this horrible frenzy of girls putting down each other constantly. (My daughters already know it’s not tolerated in our home.) Tearing someone down doesn’t make you a stronger or better person. Truly strong, confident women build each other up. Talking about someone and putting them down for how they look or what they do or don’t have is mean and it’s wrong – whether you’re in middle school or middle aged. Period.

We found these rocks while out on a long run.

Don’t assume that you’ll have tomorrow to tell someone you love them, forgive them or ask for forgiveness. Last year, I nearly lost my dad because of a cardiac event and my husband in a car accident. Thankfully, they are still here with us but it really reminded me how life can change in a blink of an eye. As a teenager, I had the chance to talk with a friend of mine and apologize to her about a silly disagreement we’d had a few weeks before. The next day she was killed in a car accident. As devastated as I was, I was also so thankful for that opportunity to make things right with her that night before.
Don’t make decisions when you’re angry or promises when you’re happy. (Not my quote but I think it’s something important to remember.)
Just because you’re having a bad day or week, doesn’t mean you have a bad life. There were times in my life that I had so many bad days in a row that it felt like I was in the movie Groundhog Day. I felt like things couldn’t possibly have gotten worse but the truth is that they could have. I’m grateful to have gotten through the hard times because it makes me truly appreciate the good times.

Find something to be thankful for everyday. In our home, we have a dry erase board with all of our names on it. I encourage the kids to write at least one thing that they’re thankful for that day. It usually turns into several things. Sometimes, it’s major things like a loved one being ok after surgery and other times it may be pizza. The main thing is that I want us to always realize how much we have to be thankful for, even on days that aren’t the best.

Don’t let getting older mess with your head. I have to admit that this time last year when I began writing this, I was FREAKING OUT about turning 40. Turns out, 40 has been really great. I didn’t suddenly need bifocals or turn grey overnight. I’ve had the privilege of being with my family another year, celebrating my granddaughter turning 1, made new friends, was in 2 major motion pictures as an extra, had lots of new opportunities as a runner/blogger, won my first masters award in a race and even got a PR in my last marathon!

My granddaughter, Aubree, and me.

After marathon #4 this year.

My sister, brother and cousins with me on my 9th birthday.

My 10th birthday.

It’s funny that I’m nervous about posting this. It’s a lot easier to stick to what we’re used to (like writing about running) but as we runners know, when we push ourselves out of the comfort zone is when we start seeing progress. Although my kids have heard me say most of what I’ve written many times, I felt the need to put it in writing.

I don’t know what 41 will hold but I do know that I won’t face it alone, whether good or bad.

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Filed under Family, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged as being a 40 yr old runner, birthdays, masters division, runner mother, thoughts on 40, turning 40

July 8, 2013 · 3:52 PM

Trust Your Intuition Official Book Release

I am so excited to officially announce that I am a contributor in a newly published book: Trust Your Intuition 25 “Natural Medicine Confessions” from Influential Women Who Use Healing Remedies For Their Families! It will be released July 17, 2013. There are 24 other women besides me, who have also contributed, and we each share a story of why we chose to use natural alternatives for a health issue or challenge in our homes.

In this book, there are situations that these women have encountered and they have shared how they have used natural medicine to resolve the problem.

My chapter is about Chia Seeds and how I use these tiny, nutritional powerhouses to fuel my running. I also discuss how I lost weight through running and making healthy changes to my diet.

I am amazed at the powerful other stories in the book. I would like to introduce you to a few of the other contributors as we get ready to launch the book.

Author Spotlights

Jenni Wilson, Natural Medicine Mom, is a master herbalist, wife of an ER doctor and mother to 7 children. She teaches women (and a few brave dads) how to use natural tools, and especially essential oils, to care for their families and enjoy more confidence, control and effectiveness in their home health care. She is an author, speaker and blogger at Natural Medicine Mom.

Tens of thousands of health-conscious women have learned from Katie’s expertise to embrace the Wellness Mama lifestyle. She has helped clients lose weight, increase athletic performance, improve fertility, and more. She shares many of her valuable tips for using natural tools for healing in the book.

One of the amazing women contributing to my book is Rachel Parrish. Rachel is a mother to 2 children and a wife to a wellness doctor. Her passions are faith, family and health. She supports her husband in helping to change the way people look at their health and uses her blog, Day2Day Joys, as a tool to do that. In her chapter of the book you will be able to learn more about how to maximize your living.

Corinne is a successful, fashion designing mom and an inspiration to so many people who are fed up with traditional medicine. Being a child of excessive exposure to antibiotics, her immune system suffered. She empowered herself by seeking help and guidance from natural remedies experts, educated herself on various techniques, and has been able to keep her family the healthiest they have ever been. From Corinne’s chapter she will tell you how she got back her immune system and shares her exclusive recipe for infection fighting. Her website is Persnickety Clothing.

Stay tuned for more details as the release date gets closer! Also, there will be free gifts available when the book is ordered on July 17th!

For more information, you can check out Jenni’s website: Natural Medicine Mom .

5 Comments

Filed under Blogging, Books, Family, Nutrition

Tagged as chia seeds, Jenni Wilson, natural remedies, running, running nutrition, Trust Your Intuition, Trust Your Intuition Book, weight loss

July 31, 2012 · 11:37 PM

Goodbye July!

My mama always told me to never wish my life away but I can say that I’ll be glad to see July in the rear view mirror. It has been a horrible month! Not just for me but for lots of people that I know. Obviously, I know that a day is a day and that just because tomorrow is August doesn’t mean that the weather will be automatically cooler (especially here in MS) or that anyone’s troubles will be any less but it does kind of feel like we can hit the reset button. Don’t get me wrong, there have been good days and fun times too but overall, it was a stinky month, lol!

Speaking of reset buttons, I definitely need to hit it when it comes to my training. I know the saying that floats around Pinterest and Facebook that goes something like, “If you want it you’ll make time, if you don’t you’ll make excuses…” Hmmm, I guess I don’t? But I do, I really do. Lately, it’s just been hard to get my running done and some days hard to want to do it. Honestly, I have been feeling drained lately – mentally and physically. Trying to sell a house (which is more work than I ever imagined on our part) and buy a house before school starts has been one of the most stressful things I’ve ever experienced. I’m also dealing with Zoe not wanting to go to sleep at night. She’s the type of child that wants someone with her while she goes to sleep and so is Zach. Problem is that neither one has been particularly sleepy when bedtime rolls around and Zoe has taken it to the next level. By the time she’s either asleep or Jason has gotten Zach to sleep, it’s easily 10 or 11 at night. So that’s when I’ve been running, when I do run, which isn’t often. I think you’ve heard this story before on a previous post of mine, lol.

I don’t think you’ve heard me complain about this yet, so here goes: I haven’t been on a run outside since May 5th. MAY 5th – and I LOVE running outside! I like to feel the actual wind blowing on my face instead of the occasional stale “breeze” from the treadmill fan. I am grateful that I have a good treadmill to run on but I’d be really excited if I didn’t have to use it quite so much and could get back outside again. Sorry for the little rant but I do miss it.

With August, school comes and even though that keeps us busy, it also means a better schedule for everyone, including me. I’m looking forward to maybe getting outside and running during actual daytime hours again.

Half marathon training is going to start soon so I have got to get my booty back on a normal training schedule. If not for the sake of ~~being able to finish a half~~ a good half marathon time then for the sake of my sanity and everyone else’s around me, lol!

Oh and guess what? I didn’t run again tonight. I really wanted to but since I couldn’t, I’ve decided that maybe I should not run again until next month. Yep, I think that’s what I’m going to do. 😉

I know this post has been a little off the wall and silly but sometimes you just have to stop being frustrated and laugh a little. Truthfully, my life is really, really great. I’m so thankful for every single day that I’ve been given. Sometimes it helps me to vent a little on here because then I see how small my “problems” are once they stop swirling around in my head.

I’m sure there will be plenty of highs and lows next month and I doubt it will be any cooler but I am hopeful that there will be more highs than lows and that even if it’s just 5 degrees, maybe it’ll be cooler too. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll get back into my running groove again. :)

^“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12

New International Version (NIV)

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Filed under Family, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged as finding time to run, goodbye july, hot weather, running, treadmill

June 18, 2012 · 4:21 PM

Everything but running…..

Lately, it seems if I were a cartoon, I’d have ten arms – each doing something different. Of course, running hasn’t gotten in the way of all I’ve had to do because I’ve still been recovering from bronchitis. Btw, I think I’m finally ready to try and run again this week. I tried a little too early a couple of weeks ago and it was a big mistake. I still have a little cough now and then but I think (I hope) I’m well enough to start back.

We recently decided that we wanted to put our house up for sale and who knew what a major undertaking that would be? We have been cleaning out closets and giving tons of stuff away. Of course, by dragging everything out, an even bigger mess gets made. Add to the pressure of scheduling the realtors to come look at our house the night before we leave for vacation and you could say I’ve been pretty stressed out.

What really makes things hard for me is that our home is my fortress of solitude (even if we do have a houseful of kids, lol) and it’s really hard for me to open it up and let strangers examine every nook and cranny. I know it’s necessary but it certainly takes me out of my comfort zone! Maybe I’m just weird? It’s also extremely hard to have our house on “display mode” with small children. I never knew how hard until I started trying to keep it that way, lol. The morning after we got home from vacation, the realtors called and said that they had someone that wanted to look at the house as soon as possible. Of course, we were still in pj’s, nothing unpacked, and things in disarray from coming back and basically unloading the van and nothing else. Within 20 mins or so, they were here waiting on our front porch so they really got to see things as is. Yesterday, someone showed up after lunch wanting to “just poke their heads in” but ended up taking the grand tour. I guess I’ll get used to it but for now, I’m not liking this at all.

Ok, enough with that, lol! I just had to get it off of my chest. 🙂

Vacation was wonderful! We left last Saturday when it was flooding like crazy down there (Florida) and really wondered if our entire week would be filled with clouds and rain but things finally started clearing up by Tuesday and we were able to enjoy lots of sun and beach time.

This was our view of the sunset on Sunday afternoon after storms had passed.

I brought my running clothes, shoes and watch, just in case but besides being completely worn out by the end of each day, I probably needed an extra few days to get well. The way I looked at it, I was on the move nearly the entire trip. If we weren’t in the water playing with the kids, we were out walking and trying to keep up with them. Zoe, my 2 year old, could be a race walker if she wanted to be, lol!!

She was very proud of her dress and sunglasses. She kept us on the move!

I’d like to say that I ate great and didn’t eat anything unhealthy the entire time but hey, it was vacation and I’ve always said that I will never starve myself or not eat something once in a while that isn’t on the healthy list. I did try to stay on track with drinking water though. All in all, it was lots of fun getting to spend time with the kids. Jason and I even got to sneak away for an hour (or more some nights) after the little ones went to sleep and the big kids held down the fort.

Waiting for the fireworks show at the Emerald Grande on Thursday night.

Zach watching fireworks. It was raining but still beautiful.

My swimming buddy for most of the time at the beach.

This week I’m hoping we can get back on a regular schedule….at least until Thursday, which is our anniversary and we’ll be going away again! (Only overnight this time though.) 🙂

Have a great week!

I nearly forgot to remind you that I will be directing the Race for Grace 5k again this fall. Look for an announcement soon on the official date! This year, proceeds will be donated to the children’s home Grace International is opening in the Philippines.

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Filed under Blogging, Family, Running

Tagged as emerald grande Destin, fireworks at the emerald grande, Florida, recovering from bronchitis, vacation in Destin

May 17, 2012 · 6:52 PM

Why my blog has been MIA lately….

You might have noticed that there has been a huge lag in blog writing lately from me. It’s not that I haven’t tried. In fact, I have at least 4 that I’ve been working on and several that I haven’t even had a chance to start on. (One is my marathon recap, another is a giveaway and the list goes on…)

Things are normally busy around here but lately, it’s been in overdrive! The end of school always seems like a time when activities pick up and there are more places we have to be and things to do. Factor in my oldest son graduating from high school on the 19th and my 6 yr old graduating from kindergarten and it gets really crazy. Oh, I didn’t mention that on the 7th my husband came down with pneumonia. He’s actually doing better but is still really weak and can’t run for a while, which is driving him crazy. My 2 yr old also got sick on Tuesday and has had a really high temp, throwing up and sore throat. The doctor said it was a “strep-like” virus which basically means that she’s having the same symptoms of strep throat but there’s not medicine to get rid of it. We’re also trying to get our house ready to possibly sell, which is turning out to be ~~extremely~~ a tad bit stressful as well. I’m also trying to fit my running into the schedule, which has been about 9:30 or 10pm…or later.

So, that’s basically a run down of what’s going on here and why I can’t seem to do a lot of writing. I am trying to make sure my SITNF Facebook page stays current and updated, which is a little bit easier to do than to sit and write a detailed race recap. Although I’m DYING to do that!! I want to tell you about the Crescent City Classic, the Rock and Roll Marathon, a crazy 10k where I got lost on the course and then the Okatoma River Run 5k, which I’d trained like crazy for and tell you what the outcome of that race was…in case you don’t already know, lol. I’m also working on a post about how I nearly didn’t make it to the marathon. I started to include it in my marathon recap but decided that you’d probably rather read a shorter version and go back and read the other part later. I will get it all done eventually but my family and the many things we have going on always comes first.

Of course, I wouldn’t trade these busy times for anything (I would like a little more time in the day though! Maybe 26 hours?). Even when the days seems long, I know these moments are fleeting in the grand scheme of things. It seems like yesterday that Tyler was Zach’s age….now he’s graduating and going to college. My 14 yr old will be in high school next year and Zach will be a 1st grader. Those nights, which are usually most nights, when I’m hanging off of the bed on my side and Jason is propping his head on the night stand because Zach and Zoe have gotten in the bed with us, can be exhausting but I know that one day the night time visits will be over. It’s those little things that are so important. They are the things that now seem to be just the normal part of the day (or night) but in the blink of an eye, it will seem like so very long ago. As you can tell, I’m on quite the emotional roller coaster, lol. You always know your kids are growing up but it’s the milestones that can really hit hard.

I hope all the moms had a wonderful Mother’s Day on Sunday! Mine was great. Tyler had his graduate recognition and then later that day had his Baccalaureate ceremony. That evening, the kids and Jason gave me my Mother’s Day gifts which included a pair of Nike Free Run 3.0 shoes in bright pink!

Here’s a picture from my Mother’s Day that says it all. This was not staged, by the way, lol! It’s how most of our attempts at group pictures turn out.

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Filed under Family, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged as blogging, family, kids

March 27, 2012 · 3:24 PM

I Quit!

That’s how I’ve been feeling when it comes to my running lately. Ever since the marathon, I’ve not been in a regular running routine. Of course, I know that I’m not supposed to go back full throttle right after one but I do think I’m supposed to be running a little more than I am.(Jason went for a 12 mile long run last week….) My normal running time has gotten interrupted lately by my 2 yr old that has decided not to go to sleep until really late most nights. My husband helps me out with her but can’t until he’s gotten our 6 yr old to bed. (Zach says he can’t go to sleep without his daddy lying beside him. 🙂 )

I guess things felt extra bad yesterday because I hadn’t been able to run since last Tuesday or Wednesday and I was feeling the grouchiness emerge. On top of that, I was STARVING yesterday, all day!! It’s one thing to feel that way the day after a long run because I feel like I can pat myself on the back and say, “Eat up, you’ve earned it.” But when I’ve done nothing that day or the day before, it’s not a good feeling to feel like my stomach is a bottomless pit. Last night, after Jason got Zach to sleep, I was still in bed with Zoe, who was still not asleep (but I had been). He told me he’d take over with her so I could get my run in. At that moment, I didn’t care if I ever ran another step. I was frustrated, not at Jason, not at Zoe…. I just was in general. In my best Eeyore impersonation, I declared, “I think I’m just going to give up on all of this. I think I’ll just see how much weight I can gain.” Of course, about 10 minutes later I had my running clothes on and ran 4 miles of frustration off.

I didn’t really mean that I was going to give up and my new goal was to eat as much as possible. I think what I really meant was I’m scared to death that this whole running thing is suddenly going to stop one day and I will turn back into the person that I used to hate looking at in the mirror. Honestly, I can’t go down that road again….I won’t let myself. I think that’s why I start feeling like the wheels are coming off the wagon if my routine is thrown off.

What I’m saying is that I’m quitting at being a quitter. It’s silly for me to let a few days get me down and instead of bellyaching and moping, I’m going to do what I can when I can. This isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way but I wanted to share it with you this time. I wanted you to know (in case you didn’t already) that if you feel like this, you aren’t the only one and you can get back on track. Don’t let a few bad days ruin a good thing.

I’ve got a 5k race this weekend and then the next Saturday is the Crescent City Classic 10k. I haven’t trained as much as I have in the past for it but I know I can run 6 miles, I know it’ll be fun and I know if I skipped out on it I’d really be let down.

I feel much better today, btw. It’s a good thing I waited to blog about it now instead of doing it yesterday like I thought about doing.

Thanks for the reminder, Nike.

I’m going to do what I can, with what I have, with the time I’m given and I’m going to be grateful for it. 🙂

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my Train Like a Mother giveaway!

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Filed under Family, Running

Tagged as don't quit, frustrated with running routine, getting back on track, running

March 22, 2012 · 9:56 PM

Train Like A Mother Giveaway and 1st Blogiversary!

Since today is my 1st Blogiversary, I wanted to celebrate in a big way by giving away a signed copy of Train Like a Mother! These are the awesome ladies who also authored Run Like a Mother. In TLAM, Dimity McDowell and Sara Bowen Shea offer up realistic training plans that are helpful and add a big dose of humor, which every mom needs….I know I do!

Here’s a quick description of the book that Amazon.com provided (where you can buy this book, btw, if you don’t win it):

Since the publication of their first book, Run Like a Mother, the authors have built up an engaged, vibrant tribe of women runners–more than 10,000 fans on Facebook and an average of 2,500 daily visitors to anothermotherrunner.com–who are clamoring for another book. At its core, Train Like a Mother will comprehensively cover how to train for a race, including training plans for four race distances (5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon) for both beginner and more experienced runners; the importance of recovery; pre- and post-race nutrition; strength training; injury prevention (and rehab); and everything busy women need to know to add racing to their multitasking schedules. It is all presented with the same wit, empathy, and tone the avid fans connect and identify with.

The book is divided into 13.1 chapters -the distance of a half-marathon, the sweet spot for many mother runners -narrated by both Sarah and Dimity. Like the first book, Train Like a Mother chapters have plenty of sidebars, including Practical Motherly Advice (helpful information about training and race-related advice), Take It from a Mother (advice and answers from the growing tribe of running moms), and Racy Talk (entertaining, race-related stories from the authors and other moms). The .1 sections are entertaining “commercial breaks” celebrating the sport of running and the added thrill of racing.

If you are like I was, I know you’re going to be so excited to finally get your hands on this book! (Don’t forget it will be signed too!)

Have a piece of virtual cake (click it) and get signed up for the giveaway!:)

6 Comments

Filed under Family, Giveaways, Racing, Running

Tagged as run like a mother, run like a mother the book, train like a mother, train like a mother book giveaway, train like a mother the book

February 24, 2012 · 11:19 PM

Respecting the Marathon

When I began running, completing the distance of a 5k was a huge milestone for me. (Some days it still is!) Never in a million years did I think that I would be preparing to run my first marathon in a little over a week.

What’s funny is that when I would bump into my non-running friends some of them would say, “So I hear you’re running marathons now?”. My instant thought was, “I am??”. Of course, I knew what they meant – “I see you posting constantly on Facebook about running so obviously you are one of those maniacs that run like Forrest Gump.” – but I was quick to correct them. “No, no, no. I don’t run marathons. That’s 26.2 miles…nope, not me.”

~Insert nervous laugh here.~

So… here I am, counting the days down until March 4.

I’m still without the 26.2 under my belt but I have gone as far as 20 and it.was.ugly. I think I didn’t take in enough sodium or something because I was cramping like I’ve never cramped before. In fact, if it had been race day, I couldn’t have gone one step more. My body closed down shop and was finished. Of course, that is haunting me now and I’m desperately trying to figure out how to make sure that it doesn’t happen next weekend. *Btw, if you have any suggestions, please let me know!*

I have tons of respect for the runners that have gone before me: the fast, the slow, the walkers, the ones dressed up in a full mascot costumes. If you’ve done it, I tip my cap to you. What people don’t understand, and I’m talking about non-runners and runners that haven’t experienced long distance running, there is so much more involved in running super-long distances than just throwing on your shoes and going for a run. On my long run days, I start preparing the day before. I eat and drink a certain way and start preparing myself mentally. The day of my long run, it’s on my mind constantly. I practice in my head how far I will go and even imagine myself at the turn around. (I’ve run that trail so many times that I know where most turn around spots are for each distance.) I pack my SPIBelt like I’m going on a little trip and wear a headlamp on my head. I make sure the older kids (who are watching the little ones) understand that I will be gone “x” amount of hours and I’ll either have something ready for everyone to eat for dinner or I’ll pick up something on the way home. I bring treats with me (Chocolate Zico coconut water, a banana &/or a Clif Bar) for when I finish my run so I can eat right away. And even if it wasn’t a great run, I leave with a feeling of calmness and accomplishment. It all sounds crazy when I’m typing it out…. and maybe I am a little but I love it!

I’m nervous, excited, worried, hopeful, scared, curious and really, really in awe that some folks can actually run these things in the amount of time I can run a half, lol.

My goal is simple: Just finish.

If I can finish with a smile on my face and that medal around my neck, I will be pleased.

If you have any advice or helpful tips, I’m all ears!! 🙂 Don’t forget to check out my GU giveaway that’s going on right now!!

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Filed under Family, Giveaways, Racing, Reviews, Running, Uncategorized

Tagged as 26.2, cliff bar, long distance running, marathon, rock and roll marathon new orleans, running, SPIbelt, Zico Coconut water

February 3, 2012 · 1:05 AM

11 Random things about me x2 (Because I was tagged by some awesome Team Touch Chik bloggers)

I haven’t been on Team Tough Chik long but I’m already finding out what great ladies they are! We have our own page that we talk about our sports we love, ask questions, get tons of encouragement and in the process, we’re having lots fun getting to know each other. I was honored to be picked by 2 of my teammates in as many days to write 11 random things about me, then answer 11 questions that she has for me and then write my own questions and pick some chicks to do the same for me! Journey of a Canuck Mom on the Run was the first to tag me and then Larissa Milano Fitness.

I’ll answer questions in the order that I received them. 🙂

Here is how it works:

1. Post these rules.

2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them.

6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 Random Things About Me:

1. I LOVE shoes but I have very large feet – size 12 (11 sometimes). I’ve always had trouble finding shoes that fit me because all of the cute shoes don’t usually go up that high in size. Unfortunately, if they do have them, when they are super enlarged, that don’t look that “cute” anymore, lol. I’m always so excited when I find the exact running shoes that I want in my size and don’t have to get the men’s style.

2. I have really curly hair but it only became this way after my last 2 children were born. My hair was wavy before but now it’s out of control!! I don’t really like how it looks on me so I straighten it constantly. Of course, as soon as I sweat or go outside in the humidity, it curls again. Sigh.

3. I broke my arm while out for a run November 1, 2011 and I had to have a metal plate with screws put in it. On November 19, 2011, I ran in a 5k race. It hurt like heck but it was for a good cause to help a very sick lady. My time wasn’t that great but I showed myself that I can do whatever I put my mind to.

Getting a pic with my friend, The Fittest Fat Chick, after the race.

4. I eat ketchup with my scrambled eggs.

5. I chew the same type of gum (Orbit peppermint) every time I run and I freak out ~~just a little~~ a lot if I forget it or have to chew a different flavor.

6. My favorite super hero when I was little was Wonder Woman. I would dress up in my Wonder Woman Underoos with my golden lasso (gold jump rope) and watch her tv show. Ok, I still love Wonder Woman. In fact, I dressed up as her in the Jazz Half Marathon in New Orleans last October! 🙂

7. I love Scrabble and finding out about Words with Friends a few weeks ago has been like Christmas for me, lol! I currently have 16 games going on right now with various friends. Is that normal? I hope so.

8. I didn’t go to Disney World for the first time until I was 30 yrs old. I cried when I saw the castle, when we watched the fireworks, when I had my picture made with Mickey and when we had to leave. We’ve gone back twice after that and I still cry, especially when it’s time to leave.

9. I took voice lessons for 8 years and during that time, a little 4 yr old girl and her sisters started taking lessons too. Her name is Lacey Chabert. After she got older she played the little girl in Party of Five, was one of the daughters in Lost in Space, was of the Mean Girls and was in Daddy Day Care. I tweeted her last week and she messaged back and remembered me after all these years. Kinda cool! 🙂

10. I’d like to go back to school one day and become a psychologist – even though I might be 70 when I find time to do it, haha. I love to listen to people and try to help them (if they want it). I also love meteorology but I think psychology is better suited for me.

11. I cry at parades. Not just at Disney World. All of them. I don’t know why but I do. :p

Journey of a Canuck Mom on the Run’s Questions for me:

1. Did you have a childhood nickname? What was it? Yes. Gina-poo haha

2. What is the weirdest thing you have ever done while driving? Oh wow. Driving ~~plowing into~~ a police car at a red light during a snow/ice storm in Wyoming. He was so nice and knew that I couldn’t have stopped. (I was freaking out!) He told me that the important thing was that we were both ok and that a car can be fixed.

3. Do you have any strange phobias? What are they? Yes. I don’t like honeycombed shaped things. It makes me nauseated. I don’t like spiders either but at least they don’t make me want to throw up!

4. If you could travel to anyplace right now without worrying about finances or how long you are gone, where would you go? Why? Wow, that’s a really hard question. Since time and finances wouldn’t be an issue…..(U.S) I’d love to go and stay in Florida for a few months and go to our favorite places, like Disney World and Destin but also hit up the other wonderful parts of FL too. Then, I want to go back to Colorado and spend time there. I’d go to California and go to Beverly Hills (to shop) and Hollywood. I’d also go see the Grand Canyon since I’d be on that side of the U.S. (Worldwide) I’d love to go to Ireland, England, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. I’d also like to go to Australia. 🙂

5. What was the last movie you saw in the theater? A Dolphin’s Tale with my sweet 6 yr old son. (He wants to be a dolphin trainer when he grows up.)

6. What song always makes you happy when you hear it? Why? It’s a tie. I’ll post the 2 videos and let you decide. 😉 There’s a Playtpus Controlling Me & Candace Party

7. If you had to move to another state right now, where would you move and why? Probably Florida….or Tennessee. I think I have a decision making problem, lol. Why would I pick these places? I think they are beautiful places and I love the people there.

8. Salty or sweet? What is your favorite? Salty. My favorite would be almonds with sea salt or popcorn…the really ~~unhealthy~~ good kind at the movies.

9. Do you have any pets? What are they are? Oh yes. We have 3 outside dogs that are all rescues. Two came to our home and we took them in. My husband found the 3rd one, Jake, by the side of the road. He was teeny tiny and barely had any hair. He was starved and was going to die. He called me and I met him at a gas station, took him to the vet and started a rigorous routine of weekly vet visits, getting shots, dips and getting well. He’s now one of the healthiest, most beautiful dogs I’ve seen. Inside we have 2 kitties – Wubzy (orange tabby) and Jasper (gray tabby) who are like night and day, btw and 1 new puppy, a Maltese named Buddy. (I’ll post a picture or two…or 3…)

Buddy

Wubzy

Jasper

Jake

10. Snow or rain? Pick your poison. To run or sleep or relax in? Rain. To enjoy? Snow. Hmmm…rain wins, I think.

11. Name someone you would love to meet right now, who is currently living? Why would you like to meet them? I think I’d like to meet Will Ferrell and ask him about his running and the training he does. Seriously! I’m sure he’d make it funny but I’m really curious. I couldn’t run with him though…he’s faster than me.

Larissa Milano Fitness’ Questions:

1. How long have you been running and what made you start? It will be 2 years on February 8. I don’t know what made me start. I didn’t start out trying to train myself to run. I started walking to try and improve my health and it was a natural progression.

2. What is the farthest place that you have traveled to? The Portuguese Azores. I lived on the island of Terceira.

3. Favorite race that you have run? The Jazz Half Marathon in New Orleans. (10/29/11)

4. Favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Take a nap. 🙂

5. If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and why? Since Canuck Mom asked me who I’d like to meet that’s alive, I’ll go with who I’d like to meet that’s dead. I think I’d like to meet Albert Einstein. I bet he’d be very interesting to talk to.

6. Do you have any pets? What are they? *See #9 in the questions above*

7. Craziest thing you have ever done? Ran in 2 races with a stress fracture. (Wait, you said craziest, not dumbest, lol)

8. Biggest fear and why? Probably the same fear any mother has and that’s something happening to one of my kids.

9. If you won the lotto would you still keep your current job? If not what would you do? Yes, I would keep my current job (stay at home mom) but I might hire a cook, lol!

10. What was your #1 New Years Resolution? Are you still on track? I didn’t really make a “resolution”. As far as running goes, I have a goal to try to get faster this year. Non-running goals are to try to simplify and be more organized with things at home.

11. One bad habit you want to break? I need to be a more positive thinker and stop worrying so much. Sometimes my biggest obstacles are inside of my head.

Here are 11 questions for you:

1. How many pairs of running shoes do you have and are they all the same brand?

2. Are you an early bird or a night owl?

3. What race/races do you have on your bucket list?

4. Running with an Ipod. Yes or no? Why?

5. What’s your favorite thing to cook?

6. Were you an athlete in high school or did you become one as an adult?

7. Why did you start your blog?(Ex: accountability, encourage others, etc)

8. Do you wear running skirts? If yes, which are your faves?

9. Have you ever had a running injury?

10. What’s your favorite distance to run?

11. Where’s your most relaxing place to be? (It can be a place in your home or somewhere you travel to.)

Now for the list of ladies I’ve tagged:

Pounds to Miles

Climb Run Lift Mom

Running Loving Living

Runn Princess Runn

The Fittest Fat Girl

MCM Mama

Just Keep Running

Blonde Loves to Run

Keeping My Pace

Run 4 It

I Swear My Legs are on Auto-Pilot

Hitting the Wall…then pushing through it

Have you ever had so much going on in your life at one time that you almost felt paralyzed from it all? Yes?

Me too…

In these last several weeks, I’ve hit the Wall and it wasn’t just while I was running. I’ve had so much going on with family and other obligations that I was to the point of feeling completely incapacitated. A lot of this comes from having a really hard problem saying two words more often – “No” and “Help”.

Summertime busyness, birthdays to shop, clean and cook for, rearranging a bedroom (the day before a double bday party), normal household duties, a wedding to be in, planning a race, finding a time to run (and deal with the extreme heat), back to school shopping, and all of the rest of things that being Mama involves has had my head spinning! Not that women all over the world don’t have that much and more to do everyday but I can say with no doubt that my plate hasn’t been just full…it’s been overflowing. At one point, I was having nights that I couldn’t fall asleep, even though I was exhausted because my mind was racing. When I did fall asleep, I’d wake up sweating with my heart pounding as if I’d been running speed drills and eyes wide open. Thoughts of race medals, matron of honor dresses and shoes, where can I order that Caillou toy, race time clocks, Barney birthday decorations, making birthday cakes, school clothes, cleaning the house, typing up registration forms to put online and did I leave a candle lit in the living room were going through my head so fast that I wondered if I was truly going crazy. There was a day or two that all I wanted to do was drop my kids off at their grandparent’s, turn off my phone and computer, go in my bedroom and just hide. (I never did that but boy did it sound good at the time! )

Thankfully, I’m not and never was alone in all of this. I have God, my family and I have friends and that’s how I’ve gotten through these last few crazy weeks. A sermon at church about worry came at a perfect time for me and made me realize that I had let my anxiety not only get out of control but control me. I made a decision to stop so being stressed to the point of doing nothing because I didn’t know where to begin and start moving forward.

So, what did I do once I decided having a mini breakdown wasn’t an option? First, I prayed and apologized to God for trying to do everything myself. I also acknowledged that I need to have a little more faith and a little less freaking out going on in my life. Then I did something that I don’t always do….I asked for help and accepted help when it was offered. For example, I called my friend, who is great cake decorator, and asked if she could come over and help me decorate the 2 cakes I had looming over me to bake. As the time got closer and I still had tons to do, she insisted on just making them herself and bringing them to me on the day of the party to make things easier. Although it was very hard to accept this extremely huge gesture, I finally realized that she was right and gratefully accepted.

I started prioritizing and making lists (which isn’t a bad thing to do anyway) and deciding on what had to be done now, in a day or two,week or so, etc. Which explains the lack of a blog lately. Slowly but surely, things have been coming together, getting done and being marked off of my to-do list. I’m now finally feeling like things are getting slowly back to the normal busy around here instead of nightmare busy.

Crying helps. Well, at least it does for me sometimes. Not because it solves any problems but sometimes it really helps me get all of my emotions/frustrations out and focused again. There was a day or two that I scrunched up in blanket on the recliner and just cried. I can nearly guarantee that after one “good” cry, the next day I come back stronger and more focused than ever. It may be just a girl thing but sometimes it just has to be done (if you can’t get a long run in). I’ve also made sure that I didn’t stop finding a time to go run. Running is a huge stress reliever for me and I knew that it needed to be done even if I thought I was too tired to go. The great thing is that lately, because I’ve been having to go nearly all the time at night, I’ve picked up a new running buddy – Jason! 🙂 ( Our older kids keep the baby monitor with them and listen for Zach and Zoe for us.) Instead of running those boring loops at the track, we’ve been running all over Seminary. It’s been so nice to get to run and talk to each other -almost like a date!- and it’s also been neat to see the town from a different view. I took my son, Tyler last night with me and proudly gave him the tour of the town as we chatted the whole time. At first I felt like my circumstances were forcing me into running at a certain time but now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 🙂

Don’t get me wrong. All of these things that I’ve been doing and currently doing are all things I want to do because they involve, in one way or the other, people I care about. The trouble I have is when it all seems to happen at once or so close that it seems like it’s all at one time. I’m not the most organized person you’ve ever met either. The first step is to admit it, right? 🙂

My big focus on my list right now is the Race for Grace 5k, planning another birthday (but at least it will be at a laser tag place), and starting my half marathon training. I’m also hoping to do a product review soon, a race report from the Watermelon 5k (Yes, the one in July…) and I’m going to feature a runner/walker from our state and do a Q&A blog with them. It may be a slow going process but at least now you know what has been keeping me so busy lately. Don’t give up on me! I’m getting there, one step at a time. 🙂

Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.(NLT)