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This was the first thing that re-sparked my interest in running a marathon.  I tore this out of Shape magazine almost two years ago and stuck it to our refrigerator.  Three moves later, I just found it while unpacking a box that I hadn't unpacked since we left Cleveland last summer...

Be inspired ladies and gentlemen!  Be inspired!

Turtles want to be fast too

This past Sunday Tom and I ran in the 5 mile Father's Day Race in Shaker Heights where we used to live.  It's a great event.  Lots of fun for Dad's and kids.  Balloon animals, ice cream.  Really it's so well done.  We may make it an annual trip to Ohio just because it's so fun.

Jeremy did the Kids Sprint.  I was overcome by emotion watching him "run" his very first road race -a 100 meter. He was so excited he wanted to run it again.  I was impressed considering he won't be 3 until August.  

All of this was so great.  But there is a sad personal part to this story that I feel I have to talk about.  To cut to the chase, I was the last person to finish the 5 mile.  This is the third year we have done the race, and I have never even been close to being last.  I even ran it last year pregnant and had a slower time than this year and although I was near the end of the pack, I was not the slowest and I passed people.  This year, there were no 5 mile walkers.  There were apparently no 5 mile pokey puppies either.

So my finish was pretty disappointing to say the least.  At least I was running right?  Still rankles.

Also, my husband ran the race pushing both of the boys and did 9 minute miles with NO training... Congrats Dad... So happy for him, but sigh

I did however finish the course while it was still "open".  This is the first year I did not have to go up on the sidewalk at the end and wait for traffic lights instead of having a police escort across the intersections at the end.

Tonight my plan was to prove to myself that I am faster than my Sunday turtle speed.  I ran 2 miles as fast as I could and still hold the 2 miles without walking.  I had a 10:17 pace.  That's not too bad.  My lungs and legs burned a little bit, but it wasn't horrible.  I think I have finally put the didn't eat breakfast-pokey turtle-finish last-disappointment race to bed.  I guess if you run a lot you are going to have bad days and bad finishes.

I swear this too shall pass!

Really and truly I mean to do better.

Lets see.  Since last time I posted...

Weds.  ZUMBA was awesome

Thurs.  I think I did nothing?

Fri.  I packed all day long and we drove to Cleveland with the boys to clear out our house (what a long ride that is!)

Sat.  Packed ALL day.  Exhausted, I fell into dead sleep on my bed on the floor.

Sun.  Father's Day 5 Mile Race.  I did it, but I performed horribly.  I was pretty rested but we accidentally slept in and we did not eat breakfast.  I'm not used to running in the morning anyway and on an empty tank I was whipped.  :(  Not the highlight of my running career... Tom on the other hand pushed both boys in the jog stroller and had an awesome time on no training... sigh.  Then drove back to New York with the last of our possessions.  Finally all of our things are in ONE state!

Mon. Unloaded UHaul (think this counts as strength training...)

Tues. Should have run, but I didn't... I did wash and fold about 8 loads of laundry...

Weds. ZUMBA!  Ah Wednesday Zumba.  You really do make me feel like even though the last week was crazy I still have a chance to run a marathon.  I swear after this class I think everything/anything is possible.

I really hope that after I get my life a little more in order (cough cough the house in Cleveland is sold and gone -hopefully REALLY soon -I'll let you know when that happens!) and I get more of our stuff unpacked and out of boxes I'll be able to settle into a nice little routine that includes my running, zumba, and strength training.

Thank you everyone for the support, help, and encouragement.  This past year has really been a lot for me to handle.

Slacking fess-up NEW GOALS for the month!

So I've been slacking.

I'm supposed to do strength training workouts on Mondays and I'm pretty sure I have not done one in two weeks.  I also did not run last night.  I did however clean and mop the downstairs and was completely exhausted afterward for my effort.  It was raining outside yesterday and cold and I just didn't quite get out the door.  Do not imagine for a second that I was just laying around on the sofa.  I was cleaning and doing other crazy stuff.  Here's another excuse if you want one... Darren has been sleeping like poop for the past two weeks and I'm out of my mind tired.  Oh well!

Today the weather is so much better!  Sunshine!  I'm hoping to take the boys for a walk in the stroller and then ZUMBA tonight!  Woot Woot.

Have some new clothing I picked up from Old Navy from their 40% off activewear sale that I plan on rocking tonight.  (Also, Kent and Megan, if you are reading this, thank you for the gift card!  Merry Christmas to me from Old Navy!)  Excited.


Ok, so new goals!

1) Get back on track with the following weekly pattern:
Monday: Strength train (even something really short to get back into the groove)
Tuesday: Semi-long run
Wednesday: ZUMBA!
Thursday: Fast shorter run and strength train
Friday: REST
Saturday: ZUMBA!
Sunday: Long run

2) Have fun! :)

Bam!

I broke the glass ceiling of three miles!  Sunday night I kicked it into gear and switched my focus from 3 to 4 miles.  I told myself it was 4 miles or bust.  I was very close to bagging my effort at around 2 miles.  I had run figure 8s out away from the house in the neighborhood, but it was night and I didn't want to get too confused so I just ran back toward the house straight hoping to hit 2miles and then reverse my course.  I hit 2 miles almost exactly in front of the house... Half of my mind questioned my sanity thinking that I could repeat the distance I had just performed.  The other half kept it's eye on the prize.  Thankfully that was the stronger half.

The first mile was so easy.  All the sudden 1 mile was done.  The second is always hard and it was difficult, perhaps especially so because I was running back toward the house and thinking that I could not possibly do two more.  The third was my fastest mile.  Then I just tried to hold form on my fourth.  Not too bad!


The rest of the week: Walked Thursday night and then I rested Friday.  Saturday was ZUMBA!  Also a nice two mile walk Sat. night pushing the boys.

Hip Hip Hooray for Wednesday!

What a day!  This was a good day.  Definitely worth writing about.

I started the day with a morning jog and walk pushing the jog stroller with my boys, my niece and here babe.  We did a 3 mile run followed by an additional 2.5 miles of walking at a leisurely pace and talking.  Not bad considering I really did NOT feel like I could run at all this morning.  I was trying to make up for not running last night, (although we did all go for a walk after dinner).

The day progressed like any other day, but then Wednesday night in Ogdensburg is Zumba night!  Woot Woot.  Nothing like ZUMBA to make the day awesome!  SOOOOO all together that makes today easily the most "workout day" I have had in a long time and I feel awesome!

Now time for another shower and some sleep!!! :)

Long run

I was only going to run a quick 2 miles after I got Darren in bed, but when I got to 1.5 I decided to turn around instead of going straight home to make it a solid 3.  I felt pretty strong.  My toe didn't protest until I was almost done with mile 3.  Once I stopped running it let me know how very displeased it was about running.  Even the sheet and blanket felt heavy and painful when I got into bed.  

I'm pretty impressed that pushing out three miles seems "regular" now and that I should really try to get myself past the 3 mile mark.  Maybe next Sunday!

Family walk night?

(I just found this lost in my phone.  It should have been published Tuesday, May 28th!!!)

I guess the 3.5 mile run I am supposed to perform tonight is going to have to wait.  Instead I think its a good night for all of us to go for a walk in the new neighborhood.  My toe feels secure in my running shoe but aches horribly if I flex too much.  I think other times I broke toes they felt much better within a week. Time will tell!

It's Saturday Zumba!

My toe feels so much better!  Tuesday I did not work out.  I pretty much hobbled around praying I wouldn't stub it again or get stepped on.  Wednesday I started to feel some relief.  I thought about going to Weds. night Zumba, but thought it might be pushing it a bit.

Thursday I went for a nice 2.5 mile walk pushing the boys along the recreation trail right here near the house in Ogdensburg.  I was hoping the trail was longer, but It was a nice walk with a nice cool breeze coming off the St. Lawrence River.  My toe felt pretty good!  Right after that Jeremy stepped on my bare foot with his sandals still on... Ok, so that hurt... I can laugh about it now!

Friday was my "rest" day.

I am so bushed from moving.  We are finally moved out of the house in Morley, but we still have a pile of stuff in the garage there that needs to go to the dump.  We have a nice pile of stuff here in our garage in Ogdensburg that looks like a dump... So much organizing and unpacking that needs to still happen!

And then it's Saturday again.  Ah, Saturday.  The day of Zumba.  How I love thee Zumba!  It was an extra long class because it was also a benefit for Relay For Life today.  I don't think I have been as sweaty as I was during that class in years and years.  It was in a gym and I really think it was about to rain it was so humid in there!  That class and the women that show up to shake it, they are the best.  Puts a smile on my face for hours and hours. I come home and I feel so great.  I haven't felt that way for a long time.  Having responsibility like a house and kids is pretty stressful and I haven't felt that really free feeling for a while.  Zumba makes me feel free again.  And then I bring that feeling home to my family.  That is the most awesome part of all.  It's hard to describe.  (and my toe felt pretty good too!)

Anyway.  Hoping for a run of some length tomorrow.  It's my "long" day, but I think any distance will feel long. We'll see what I have in me!  I'm hoping for good things.