Marathon Mom

Perfect for yesterday's run Of course I write yesterday about how busy I am and likely lack of writing. I think a lot stemmed from  no desire to write after too much writing for school! That was short lived, I guess it took one post of complaining and a good run out in the sun to snap me back. I still may disappear, but I am reading other blogs and keeping updated on others. I took advantage of pre-school time and 30+ degrees and ran in the sun while I listened to the birds singing, perfect. I discovered some new routes and found a great park with river trails. I love getting to run in new areas. Yesterday I discovered one more thing to add to my list of Things not to do while training for a marathon ...Get dental work done. Not that it is fun anytime but I forgot about the food restrictions afterwards and did not plan ahead. Between Tuesday and Wednesday I have ran a total of 26.2 miles (unintentionally) and did 1 hour strength work. I eat lunch and head to my appointme...

I woke up this morning thinking it was only Tuesday, Matt wasn't happy I tried giving him an extra day of work this but me I need an extra day or more! I am reaching the end of my second grad school journey that began way too long ago and has included a couple breaks. The worst part is I could have been done with this 5 or 6 years ago had I not changed programs to a different concentration 7 years ago, ugh! Oh well that is in the past and I did earned my first Master's and Adult certification at that time.  At the start of this semester during the usual introductions I think everyone thought I was crazy when mine went slightly like this... "I am in my final semester of this NP program while finishing up my doctoral project.... My husband is also a grad student and we have a 3 year old daughter.... I am training for my 21st marathon..." My professor "oh my that is one crazy house, 2 grad students and a 3 year old!...how do you find time to run?" Why is...

Week 5 is behind me as is nearly February, I am hoping March will bring with it better weather. Anyone who has trained for an event whether it be a marathon or other competition knows that there are ups and downs. Typically this comes much later for me but with the lack of decent running it is here (or was, I think this week may have been the cure). This winter has been frustrating and the weather causing me many tough runs, I am trying to focus on the fun side: grabbing a friend to run with or making it an intense workout (yes that is fun) and pushing through. Week 5 was better but still frustrating as we got hit once again with snow and sub-zero temps. We are finally moving up to the 30s and I hope to see this snow melt away and no more add to it. The main trails I run do not get cleared in winter so I am left with street running, much different then last winter when due to lack of snow was on the trails all winter except maybe once. What is your secret for getting through ...

Linking up with  Jill  and  Laura  for menu planning. Getting better on the Saturday meals lack of wanting to follow through. It gets to the end of the week and I don’t want to cook. Still working to try new meals. Last week I finally made the Kung Pao Tofu (recipe below) and another keeper! I am such a snacker and now with being 5 weeks into marathon training I need to focus on eating to fuel and always having healthy food available (no matter where I am). I am terrible with recovery food as I usually get home from a long run, grab coffee and relax, sometimes I will have a granola bar too but need to be better. I decided to try a new format this week and attempt some planning for all meals with just lists…Recycling a few we never got to last week. Breakfast Banana Breakfast Cake (my usual) Overnight Oats Lunch/Dinner Spinach & Edamme salad Spinach Black Bean Corn Salad Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadilla Black Bean Soup  with...

I have talked about my frustration with the junk food that is always pushed on my kid and lack of healthy living but when I saw this article yesterday I thought "finally my exact thoughts!" After last week being Valentine's and Easter next month it only continues. Yes I give my child treats but they are on our terms and what we feel is acceptable, why should it be up to others? I think the best part is when he talks about "Treats, of course" but why can't these treats be healthy too? Isn't it true that our kids are less healthy then our generation, so why are we not doing our best to raise them healthy? Yes I get it, it takes thought and work, but if we as parents don't do it, who will? This got me thinking as I plan for my thesis, what can I do about this? Where does the problem start? Is it the parents, schools, kids? Okay I doubt the 3rd, I actually think the problem stems from societal norms and until we slowly change these then this will neve...

When you race do you think of it as chasing the person in front of you? or are you more motivated by being chased by the runner behind? For me it is a little of both. Being chased is the concept behind this new race...  Do you prefer to run alone or with others? For me this truly depends on so much: my mood, how much is going through my head, how much I am motivated and my reason for the run. Do you run with your significant other? Do they push you to run harder or is it the other way around? Matt ran long before I started but only a few short runs a week, he decided after watching me run multiple marathons he was in for his first and there was no looking back. Now he has gone more in the direction of triathlons as I stayed focused on running but we still do race together (okay run the same course).  Over the past year I have decided to not only focus on the racing and competitive side of running but also the fun side and regaining my love of the sport. Fo...

Ever have those experiences where you just have to think “wow I am old?” Over the weekend I had not one or two but three! Over the weekend was the state dance competition so O and I had dance on TV much of the Friday and Saturday. Song after song was from 80s or 90s and a few songs I had even danced to 20 years earlier. This and all the Facebook conversations between all us “old” dancers was great for remembering the fun. I even watched some of my old videos (yes VHS) with O. Wow, the bodysuits (really, we call those onsies as moms), baggy jeans, high top shoes and big curls. Yes stereotypical early 90s! That is me on the right of the front row! Anyone remember this song? I danced to this in 1993 an 20 years later it was back! Then on Saturday afternoon while I was at the gym to lift weights I overhear a conversation between a group of guys about their plans for the night. One replies “Last night I was home really early and asleep at 1:30.” What? That’s early? Tha...

A not so great Week 4 is behind me and a learning experience. My long run was not as I hoped, yes even after years of running I still have runs I hate! I did complete the 30 Day Yoga Challenge and hope to continue it as a habit few days a week. My weekly lessons 1) don’t eat gluten, duh! 2) stretch and foam roll after running and 3) might be time to cut back of the weights before long runs I am, as always, working on fueling before and during long runs. You’d think after 20 marathons I’d have this figured out by now! For some reason I seem to be hungry before I run on weekends despite eating the same as I had before, I think some is waiting to run longer. I have been playing around with long run fuel again. A while ago I was given some Island Boost to try but hadn’t been running long enough to need it. I first tried it a few weeks ago and thought it was good but sweet so on Sunday I mixed it in my bottle with water and it was a still sweet but better. Easy to sip as I went...

Linking up with  Jill  and  Laura  for menu planning as we get back on track with staying accountable to our plans. Still working on the Saturday and lack of wanting to follow through. It gets to the end of the week and I don’t want to cook. Still working to try new meals. Last week made the cabbage rolls and they were wonderful! Sunday:   Broccoli Pepper Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce Monday:  Fajitas Tuesday:  Sandwich pre-run Wednesday:   Black Bean Soup with Brazilian Cheese Bread  (my changes: 3/4c skim milk 1/4c oil add 1 tsp baking powder) Thursday:  Pasta & Spinach Salad Friday:   Chickpea Spinach Curry Saturday:  ??Dinner out Now to work on my mindless snacking! I was thrilled to find a store selling Perfect Foods Bars last and stocked up for easy grab snacks. Have you tried these? Great protein and gluten free! Between these and Pro Bars Fruition I am happy on the go. I hate wasting pre-packaged ...

Keep that healthy love of running The other night as I was falling asleep, you know the best time to think, I started thinking about my week and wondering how I would fit in my speedwork run on Wednesday with everything else. I normally run while O is in pre-school but had volunteered to help in class and naptime was out due to a meeting about a potential job opportunity. I started thinking about all possibilities and how Thursday might also be a tough day to fit the run in. I was getting anxious and all of a sudden I had this moment of "is something wrong with me? can I not workout?" Here I am only 4 weeks in marathon training that will be the main focus for the next 8ish months and I am already anxious. "Am I over training?" or "Am I addicted to exercise?" Is that a real thing? So I starting searching Medline and sure enough it is. The two are very different things but both with complications. Over Training According to Pfitzinger over traini...

Once again we are back to candy overload and the thoughts that no holiday is complete without every treat imaginable. I was however a little excited to see that pre-school had slightly listened to my complaints over the snack option for the day: frosting, sprinkles, M&Ms and marshmallows with a side of pink lemonade. Really?! Sugar overlaod right before lunch and then send my hyper child home with me, no way. I volunteered to bring fruit and was happy to see no one else signed up for the junk either. I volunteered to help at class for their party and was thrilled that the snack was changed to angel food cake with berries. Pre-School Fun! But fast forward to dance class last evening and combine this with the bag from pre-school and we have a mountain of candy! Ugh! I want to thank the parents who gave stickers, granola bars and tattoos instead. This morning I saw another dance mom at spin class and he first question "what did you think of the big bag of candy?" At le...