Marathon Mom

Backyard this morning For the past week the big talk has been the blizzard of the year, upwards of 15" of snow combined with ice and sleet, yuck! In the end we have about 7" of heavy snow along with a nice of sleet and an icy layer on everything.I would have been okay, well at least accepting of this in January but now I am done and ready for spring. I'm fine with our mild winter a lack of snow, why make up for it in one day?! It appears the entire area is shut down and roads are awful. So happy I have a new car this winter and the Saab is gone, I still have bad memories of getting stuck at the end of our driveway on Christmas Eve when I was 8 months pregnant only to be given dirty looks by the crabby neighbor for leaving my car there. All this over only a few inches of snow, one of the reasons I hated that car! With all that wonderful weather we are experiencing our first snow day with a cancelled art class. I thought I'd have a few more years until I need...

Poor kiddo is sick, worse then I have ever seen in her in her short 2 years. It started a few days ago with a slight runny nose, but nothing I would even call a cold. She seemed fine on Saturday morning, even going to the gym and spending time climbing and playing. This all changed in the afternoon when she woke from her nap. She was shivering and shaking, crying, coughing and having some breathing trouble even sounding a little stridorous and croupy. She had a fever of 102.1, so much for the birthday party we were about to go to, instead she got herself a trip to urgent care, the breathing was making me nervous. Our pediatrician urgent care closed at noon so our only option was a family practice clinic only open 1 more hour. This was an experience I hope to never repeat and reinforced every reason I have for a pediatrician instead of a family practice doctor (not all are clueless, some are great). By the time we were seen the Tylenol was kicking in so her fever was down to 100.8 and...

After yesterday's failed attempt at a 10 mile tempo it looks like the calf/shin pain/tightness is more then just something messing with my head. Almost 3 years since my last injury and I thought I was doing good, but I guess I was wrong. Now I sit here wondering what I did? Should I have stepped back when I started feeling this? How much time do I wait to run again? What's the best cross training until I can run? Do I need to work more on flexibility? This one I can answer...Yes! I wish I knew the answers and what was ahead, but I don't, no one does. This is where I fight with myself to give up some control over my training and focus elsewhere when running seems like the thing I need to be doing. Right now I am 52 days from Boston, so plenty of time to recover and catch back up with training. I've been out 6 weeks, only being able to get back to running 5 weeks before a marathon and managed to run a decent time. Right now my plan is a few days off, focus on core str...

Let the mental messiness of marathon training begin. Today I begin week 9 of Boston Marathon training and the weird aches and pains are starting to mess with my head. Over the last couple weeks I've started noticing a weird ache and pressure/tightness in my left calf inner left. It isn't too painful (most of the time) just achy and annoying, enough to start messing with my head, ugh! One of the worst parts of marathon training. I know I need to stretch more, I even planned to go to yoga today but a meeting ran late so I missed it. I start thinking about all my past injuries and compare how this feels and start to think the worst. I think I've been training smart, but have been running 50-60 miles per week again. So here I sit thinking the what ifs and considering my options...do I take time off or continue to run since it isn't changing my stride and goes away after a short warm up? do I focus on stretching, massage and ice? do I cut back and do more cross training? and...

I've said it many times but this winter is the strangest I have ever experienced but I love it. Today while running I saw all of the following which I don't think I have ever seen before in February... Rollerbladers Kids playing on the playground Motorcycles and convertibles on the road Pole people: you know those people with the combo ski/rollerblades who "ski" on dry land with poles. (No idea what it is actually called so a few years ago I gave them this name) Kids skateboarding in short sleeves People BBQing, not so unusual since we do it year round, but I don't think I have smelled so much BBQ on a run in the winter Park police and plenty others out on road bikes Me running in anything other then a hat, mittens, heavy jaccket and tights. I'm sure the capris with knee high compression socks was very cute! The best part is that this weather is supposed to continue! I can handle this, just hoping we don't get dumped on in March. I got home to M...

Yesterday was filled with many reminders of why I could not be a stay at home mom. Don't get me wrong, I love my days home (okay most of them) but also enjoy my adult time at work. I should have known that when the days starts at 5am with a crabby toddler that there is strong potential to go downhill fast. <><> I'm not above bribery! We have been working on potty training for the past few weeks and all had been good until last week when she just wasn't into it anymore, this is when I got the idea of bribery. We were at Target and I saw a bag on animal crackers and now each successful potty results in one cracker. Until yesterday we had gone 3 days without an accident then she just wasn't happy about it, along with anything else. Time to figure out my next step (or bribe)! I attempted a conference call for my run job which I had to cut short due to toddler tantrums, so we headed to the gym so I could be part of a promotional run video with some Oly...

On Monday I got an email from one of the trainers and triathlon coach at the gym where I work as the run coordinator asking if I wanted to join him and few others for 11 miles on Sunday, he was "only inviting fast, serious runners". Wow, what a compliment and truly needed on the day after such a tough long run. I debated with myself all week whether or not to go since I don't normally like to get myself in new situation where I don't really know people. My contact with him had been a short conversation one morning before a run at the gym and a couple emails. As the weekend got closer at Saturday was bitter cold with negative wind chills I decided Sunday would be a better day for the 20 mile run on my schedule, so why not run part of it with others. Sunday morning ended up being colder then forcasted so he pushed the run back until the afternoon and I once again debated going.  Ducks swimming in open water in February! After a morning of coffee, quick groce...

What a great day, minus the bitter cold outside. Winter has returned for a couple days to remind me why I hate it so much! Needless to say there was no outside workouts for me. I love my mornings and always get up early to have time to myself whether this is to read the paper, play on the computer, workout or just drink coffee. This morning I was up at 5am even though I didn't need to leave the house until 8. I got in a nice 45 minute bike ride on the trainer while I finished listening to the course lectures that I started on Sunday. I have a tough time running this early in the morning so this is my time to make myself get on the bike. After a short meeting and some grocery shopping I was home to stay for the day. I took advantage of naptime to get in an easy 8 mile run and some core work. I don't know what I will do when naps end, since she finally started napping at 10 months I have loved this time on my days home to workout and start preparing dinner. Today I did both....

I was tagged by Laura at  Mommy Run Fast  and Laura at Faith, Family, Love, Joy  for the 11 random things post. After all my negative posts lately I thought I'd play along and post 11 fun facts and answer the questions posted by Laura (FFLJ). 1. I started dancing when I was 3 years old until college. Many years of recitals, competitions and costumes. 2. I have a huge collection of Little Mermaid stuff. It is now packed away but for years when I lived at home I had everything displayed in my room 3. Until about 10 years ago I hated running! After college I decided to run a charity marathon and was hooked. 4. I had a job in college as a research assistant where I travelled to local tattoo shops and observed. What a fun experience and I got published out of the deal. I since have gotten 2 tattoos and am planning my third this spring. 5. I could live on sweet potatoes, cereal, pumpkin and coffee. 6. I have a terrible sweet tooth, but can't eat chocolate...

Once again due to working this weekend I was stuck with an afternoon long run. After last weekend's miserable 18 miler I was hoping for a better 15+ miles today, not the case. I thought I was preparing well, ate an early lunch at work and then got home a quick snack of an English muffin with cashew butter while I read the Sunday paper and relaxed for a little trying to convince myself to run. You know things aren't going to be wonderful when it takes a debate to get moving. I finally made it out of the house 1/2 hour later then I wanted. Armed with an iPod loaded with 2 weeks worth of primary care lectures I started my run. Let me tell you this was not a great idea when I already lacked motivation. Learning how to diagnose and treat anemia, fatigue and skin disorders is not great running music! Why did I think this was a good idea? Next time I'll stick to Prince and my 90s music. I considered heading home after 4 miles, my stomach never felt great and the cold I've ...