Just because we can!

So Terri and I decided to get our upper ears (cartilage) pierced last week. Why? I dunno. Maybe because parenting feels stressful. Maybe because I kinda want a tattoo but am unsure I'm ready to commit to one. (When I turned 40 I got my belly button pierced. I kept it for 3 years, and then I was done. Now it looks like I have a freckle. Talk about low commitment!) I really like how it looks, but because my hair is thick, you can't see it at all unless I'm wearing a pony or I'm wearing sunglasses atop my head, a la 80's prep. So I'm considering getting two more earrings (maybe then they'll be more visible?), but am still thinking on that one.

Yeah, this is what 47-year-olds do for fun!

Intervals!

First time running planned intervals. Here's how it went:

1 mile warm up = 9:00
Then I did 1/4 mile fast, 1/4 mile recovery for 3 1/4 miles. Here are the fast 1/4 miles:
1:54, 1:57, 1:52, 1:55, 1:49, 1:57, 1:48
Then a slower 3/4 mile jog home.

I found the flattest part of Rocklin I could find (which still isn't flat, which accounts for some of the time variations). My recovery intervals got slower as I went, but overall to run an 8:35 pace for 5 miles is a LOT faster than I usually run. And I found that the variations in the intervals made the miles go by really fast. I'll do this again for sure.

Experienced runner friends -- any feedback on my choice of workouts? My goal is to learn to run faster.

Can't have it both ways!

Most of the time, older son reeks of "you guys are idiots and I can't believe I have to live in this awful place." It oozes out of his pores. It permeates his being. (And this summer, he told us he hated every single minute he spent here at home, so I'm not making this up.) So if there's ANY possibility of being NOT AT HOME, he jumps at the chance.

When we told him we'd like him to go to church with us tonight, as our church is kicking off small groups at the same time it's starting a new program for high school group (which he loved this summer) and junior high (which Tucker is eager to start), what was his response? "Well, I'd only be home for an hour between water polo and leaving for church. That's hardly any time at home."

Ummmm, yeah. You can't have it both ways!

Websites I need

Here are the websites I need to find:

What the eff should I cook for dinner?
Remedial pleasant dinnertime conversation for teens
Non-sugar cures for angst

At this rate, I'll be up to 100 running miles per week in no time!

Laughter in a tough day is good medicine

Found this on the Manic Mommies website and it made me laugh for the first time today. Enjoy!

Notes from Team Rif seminar

Tracy swings with intensity.

What a great way to spend a weekend! Here are some quick notes from the Team Rif seminar and today's Master Class with Tracy:

• Mark Reifkind (aka Rif) knows everything about the human body and knows how to explain it. He's also an amazing instructor and knows how to break down complex movements, having you focus on just one part at a time as you learn how to perfect the skill. Watching Mark teach is an education in itself -- all teachers should be this good.
  
• I loved the stretching routine Mark showed us and intend to incorporate it into my own training, and use it with my clients.
• When Tracy used me on the first day as her guinea pig for a 15s work/15s rest routine, I was flattered and nervous. What if I can't do it? What if I mess up? Going through just 4 minutes of swings with intensity was eye opening to say the least. Certainly, kettlebell swings are a wonderful thing. But swings with intensity are like a whole new exercise. If you're one of my clients and you're reading this, get ready for some fun changes in your workouts!
• I'd gotten away from doing SMR (aka foam rolling) and am once again convinced that it's one of the keys to staying active and healthy for the long haul.
• Don't want to post specifics of Tracy's class today (it's not my place to do that), but I can tell you that she continues to find ways to make swings interesting, challenging, and fun. And no matter what size kettlebell you're using, there's a HUGE difference between just cruising along doing swings at an easy pace, vs. doing swings where you're reaching back with the bell and really focusing on your hip snap.
• My hand DID rip today with about 10 minutes to go in the workout. I decided to just keep going, which was painful but oh well. The biggest problem? Now I want to play with kettlebells and I can't, because I have one full-fledged rip, and several other candidates that are ready to break open.
  
• Gayle Hunter, who's an RKC level 2 (it's a big deal to be an RKC at all, much less progress up the ladder. Incidentally, Rif is an RKC Master instructor -- one of only 5 in the world!) and who hosted the Team Rif event told me today that I had a hip snap that would make Pavel proud. I was rediculously delighted by this comment!

How's Fortysomething and Fabulous for the title of this picture? :)

Learning from Tracy and Rif

If you EVER get a chance to attend a seminar with Mark and Tracy Reifkind, DO IT! I spent 5 hours today in Healdsburg at their Team Rif seminar and I'm going back tomorrow, driving 6 hours in all, to do a 1 hour master class with Tracy. (I know that sounds crazy, but it's how my schedule worked out, and trust me -- it's worth the drive!) These people know their kettlebells, and they're also some of the nicest people to hang out with. Now if I can just get my hands to recover quickly for tomorrow's workout. I've been so focused on running that kettlebells have taken a back seat, and my hands are definitely feeling the effects of lots of swings and snatches.

I'll post pictures and more early in the week.

Just for the girls

(All boys please leave the room, ok?)
So maybe it's just me, but I'm convinced I'd be 10 pounds lighter if there was a way to get rid of period cravings and the lack of willpower that seems to go along with them! I'm just glad I didn't have to deal with period nonsense for the race on Monday!
(Everyone is welcome back in the room now.)

Randomness

• The Nike running skirt I got for last year's Nike Women's half marathon is too big. I can still wear it, but I remember when I bought it debating about going a size smaller, and choosing against it. That my skirt is big is what I think of as a quality problem!
• I want to run trails again! I'm absolutely fascinated with this new way of running and can't wait to do it again. Guess I'll get my chance on the 20th when I do the Tough as Granite trail half marathon.
• I SIGNED UP FOR MY FIRST MARATHON! Yep, on December 7th I'll be running in the California International Marathon. I've helped two friends to run their first marathons in this race in previous years. Looks like this time it's my turn!
  

49'r 10 mile trail race, 1:35!!!

This was my first trail race and it was a blast! Since I wanted to finish in under 3 hours (keep your expectations low, and you'll never be disappointed, right?) I'm thrilled with my time. And the altitude (2000 feet, which I hadn't even considered before today) was not an issue, thankfully! The downhill single-track part was hard for me, since I'm cautious by nature. But the last 4 miles were a 1000 foot climb, and that's where my hill training paid off. And a nice surprise at the end -- I took second place in my age group! (The key is just get old and keep running, in case anyone's wondering how to place!) Now let the eating begin!

Nick and Tucker

A surprisingly good day!

Why?

1. Church. Nick Vujicic was funny, smart, and inspiring. If you EVER get a chance to see him speak, don't miss it!
2. Nice time with Austin. Tucker was with Tim's dad, so we took Austin out to lunch and to the mall. I did a little carb loading in the form of See's Candy -- YUM!
3. A little alone time. Tim's at the golf course, Austin's with friends, and Tucker's still out. I did a 30 minute Yoga for Runners workout from Yoga Download. I liked it a lot, and when I went to check the site out again (I'd bought this workout like 2 months ago, but had never used it), they've made nearly all of their 20 minute yoga workouts FREE -- nice!

Let's hope the rest of the day goes well. I just agreed to have one of Austin's friends spend the night on the condition that they be quiet after midnight. (I have to be up and out of here by 6:30 tomorrow.) Maybe I'll threaten them with having to wake up with me if they're loud... :)

Stinky workout smells

With 4 active people in the family, we have a LOT of stinky laundry. And a lot of stinky shoes. (Well, Tim's feet don't smell. I'm not kidding. It's so unfair!) To deal with the laundry I'm using Penguin Sport Wash, which is formulated for athletic clothes. It works. And for the shoes, I keep a bottle of Oust (citrus scent, of course!) in my closet, and give my running shoes a spray after every single workout. It seems to do the trick.

And finally, I could not live without Secret Clinical anti-perspirant. It's a product that lives up to its claims, and I love that!

My first (and last) brick workout

I needed to get out of the house. But I'd already run 7. So Tim suggested riding my bike and catching up to him as he ran. So I rode 2 miles and got to him. Then we ran 2 together (I slowed him down A LOT but he was a great sport!). And then I rode 4 more miles. My bike is a $100 Costco special, so it's not a performance bike, but I love it. I don't really love riding though. The truth is that it scares me. But I headed out (sans helmet -- MUST pick one of those up if I'm going to ride more than once a year) and it felt good.

The truth is ...

...I don't like long weekends. Since my "job" is really taking care of my kids (which means feeding and transportation these days), a long weekend is a misnomer in my case. Maybe if my kids got along better, or if my older son didn't feel so unhappy being anywhere near his home or near us -- maybe then it would feel different. So I may be writing a lot this weekend.

Playing with photo booth

I love my iMac!

Parenting is tough

Nothing else to say about this.

Nick Vujicic is speaking at our church this weekend

Answers and comments

Katie asked about running and stretching. I mostly run on asphalt, but some on concrete. But I've built up my mileage over time, which is why I think I have very few joint aches and pains. As far as stretching, I'm not very good at it, but one thing I do is Hero pose several times a day. And I also do hip opening stretches like Pigeon pose.

Julianne asked where I bought MacaSure. I ordered it directly from Oceanside, who resell Sequel products. Like I said, I don't know yet if it works, but I'm hopeful...

Matt -- are you a nutritionist? You really do know a lot about food and supplementation. Thanks for the feedback!

Colette -- thanks for the nice words -- they brought tears to my eyes! Can't wait for our workout tomorrow!

Jennifer -- you haven't missed a workout in 13 months? Impressive! Of course, you have planned days off, right? RIGHT??? :)

Anne -- thanks for the reminder!

Jen -- thanks and I did enjoy every single bite of the cake! It was the right kind of frosting (buttercream, baby!) and that crunch of sugar -- that SO works for me!

Kara and Julianne -- two minds with a single thought that made me laugh!

Trying something new -- MACA!

The short story: I've decided to supplement my diet with maca, a root vegetable from Peru. I think it will help with adrenal fatigue (from frequent workouts), sugar cravings, depression (which I mostly have under control, but when I find something that claims to boot serotonin, my ears perk up!) and overall health.

The long version: From page 156 of The Thrive Diet, by Brendan Brazier (an excellent book)

Maca

Curtailing the effects of stress by helping the adrenal glands regenerate, maca is an ideal "modern world" food. I know I have been better able to adapt to physical stress when supplementing with maca. Maca also works to restore the negative effect that stress has on hormonal health. Even a modest decline -- or increase, for that matter -- in certain hormone levels will impair the body's ability to build muscle and recover from stress in general. And out-of-balance hormonal system is a catalyst for numerous aliments. A prolonged hormonal imbalance will also induce signs of premature aging, and cause excess body fat to be stored.

Maca possesses the building blocks or precursors for serotonin. As you read in Chapter 1, the body will often try to self-medicate when it's feeling overwhelmed by stress-induced chemical reactions in the brain. It's at this time that sugar cravings are prevalent -- they're the brain's attempt to raise serotonin levels. A diet that includes a daily dose of maca will supply the body with what it needs to curtail stress and construct serotonin, thereby reducing or altogether eliminating sugar cravings and the vicious circle they can initiate.

Sterols are steriod-like compounds found in both plants and animals that promote quick regeneration of fatigued muscle tissue. Maca is a rich source of sterols. During the off-season, I build my strength and muscle mass in the gym. Strength is important for any athlete, even an endurance athlete, as it improves the efficiency of muscle contractions. I like to start the season with a bit more muscle than I need since it will be whittled down as the year progresses. I've recently experienced exceptional strength gains when supplementing with maca. I've been able to lift more weight than in previous years and recovered faster. It has enabled me to perform more high-quality workouts. Maca increases energy by means of nourishment, not stimulation.

Comment from me: I just started this today, with MacaSure from Sequel. I'm taking 3 capsules a day and I'll let you know how it goes.

This made me smile

Thanks Katie for posting it on your weblog!

Help, I can't stop eating!

Ok, remember that great "get back on track with eating" plan? Yeah, well it's not going so great. Combine insane desire for sweets (hormonally-driven to be sure, but still very real), yummy yummy cake at a birthday meeting last night (I got a corner piece! And then one more semi-smallish piece), with a little "I want what I want!" immaturity, and you have a recipe for indulgence. It's not like I'm eating non-stop, but I KNOW eating cleaner makes me feel better. When will I do it? Ummmmmm, that's kinda the mystery question.

Ok, now I'm really going to bed!

Comments, questions, and answers

Before I head off to bed, I had to take a moment to say hi and thank you to those who've taken the time to comment.

To Take One, Jennifer, Jen, Anne, Katie, Colette, and Irene -- your sweet comments were so appreciated! It feels great to be back!

Black Knight -- thanks for stopping by. It's impossible to NOT eat everything while on a cruise!

Irene -- hi, and I can't wait until we can run together! I listen to "your song" on most of my runs, and I think of you.

Matt -- You are so sweet -- thank you!

Colette -- Somehow I've managed to still fit in my clothes, even with all the treats. See, lots of running has its benefits!

Julianne -- You'll be back on track in no time. And a honeymoon is the best possible situation for indulgences of any and all kinds!

Taunya -- So did you manage to eat good today?

Matt and Katie -- I don't take any chondroitin or anything like that. After I dislocated my shoulder, I was taking glucosamine and chondroitin, and my arms and hands got really swollen, like an allergic reaction. I haven't taken them since. But as my mileage has crept up gradually over the last few months, I'm really not experiencing too many aches or pains. But you've got me thinking.

Colette -- I'm getting plenty of calories. But it's funny because although my clothes are quite loose (which I quite like!), the scale hasn't changed! Damn technology! Thanks for the nice parenting comments -- we can use all the encouragement we can get these days.

Ok, so NOW I'm really going to bed. Sweet dreams...

New leaf, day 1

Moderate success. Had a great day of eating, and got TONS done, as I had no appointments or anything scheduled. Things got tough at 3:30 when I went out for a run. I wanted to do 7 or 8 miles and it was 95 degrees. Tough, but doable. But I didn't leave enough time to cool down properly OR have dinner before I needed to get to Back to School night at the high school. So with wet hair (guess that tells you what my priorities are -- given a choice between looking good or feeling good, I'll choose feeling good any time!) and a snack-ish few bites of food, I headed into THREE HOURS of open house. The time was well spent, but I was ravenous by the time it was over. Picked up a vegan burrito bowl at Chipotle and at it at 9:00 tonight. Maybe that's why it's midnight and I just can't sleep.

6:00 is going to feel VERY early in the morning! Night-night!

New week, new leaf

Much of the week has been fueled by sugar, which does bad things to my energy, my mood, and my waist. The good news is that it all stops now!

This week my plan is as follows: on Monday and Tuesday I'll be having green smoothies for breakfast and lunch, supplemented with raw almonds and fresh veggies. Sugar will be verboten, except in the form of a small bowl of cereal in the evenings. That's the plan and I'll keep y'all posted. And I love that there are others who are feeling that it's time to rein in the impulsive children that can control our choices! Best wishes to us all!

The last two weeks I've run more miles than I've ever run. 47 last week. 44 this week. In the upcoming week I plan to run 25 miles, which at one time would have sounded like a crazy high number, but in this "I LOVE RUNNING!" state of mind, it may be tough to do. I need to cut back in order to have fresh legs for the Labor Day race.

In other sports notes, my older son started water polo this week. Tim's LOVING this, as water polo was his sport in high school, where he was an all conference goalie. And Tucker starts cross country running tomorrow. I'm hoping the temps will cool off a bit. Today at 3:30, which is when he starts practice, it was 95 degrees!

It feels great to be blogging again!

A week of indulgent eating

This week I've eaten everything. First day cupcakes, batter and frosting. Lemon frosted sugar cookies (bought 'em at Costco in a giant vat, as everything from Costco is in a giant vat!). M&M's (another Costco purchase, to fill Tucker's M&M dispenser collection). You name it, I've eaten it. And this has got to stop. Yes, I stay pretty active. But YOU CAN'T OUT-EXERCISE A POOR DIET. Next week it's back to clean eating that makes me feel fantastic, instead of impulsive eating that makes me feel momentarily good.

I promise!

I'm back!

The last few weeks of summer were really tough. But school has started and my kids have some direction and purpose and we're finding our equilibrium once again.

Each year I bake "First Day" cake on the first day of school. At 15 and almost 13, have my sons outgrown this tradition? I don't think so!

Austin after his first day of High School.

Tucker after his first day of Junior High.


Here's me in my high school cheerleading uniform. As part of this week's challenge at dailymile, you had to do a workout wearing a costume. The other day, I ran the last 1/2 mile of a 10 mile run wearing this uniform from 30 years ago. The skirt is SOOOOOO tight -- I can't believe that in high school I felt fat!

My new Asics -- I'm in love!

Even Gumby and Pokey love my new shoes!

Running has been really fun for me over the last few weeks. Last week I ran my age in miles -- FORTY SEVEN MILES in one week! Today I tried running trails -- shockingly hard! I did 5 miles, 2 on the roads, and 3 on the trails, and I am going to feel it tomorrow. This makes me nervous, as I'm doing a TEN MILE trail race on Labor Day, and a trail half marathon just a few weeks after that. Wish me luck...

SF Half Race Report

So the race was fantastic, but that doesn't give a lot of insight or detail, now does it? Here are some of the highlights of the two days surrounding the race:

The Expo was fantastic! In my opinion, it was even better than the Nike Women's Expo last year, but maybe that's because I spend almost 2 hours in line there waiting to have my iPod engraved. There was so much to see and try. My favorite booths were:

• PureFit bars -- delicious and vegan and wonderful stats
• Kin-E-Sys -- best sunscreen around
• Running Divas -- I got a shirt that says "Half Marathon Mom!"
• Atalanta -- great running skirts, and I got to meet Catra of Dirt Diva!

Catra and me!

There were seminars at the Expo and I got to hear Dean Karnanzes speak. Good thing I got there 45 minutes early and got a seat, because it was standing room only. He was funny, humble, and his legs looked like anatomy models with every muscle and tendon fully visible. One guy in the back asked if Dean could just come to the back so he could look at his legs!

Saturday night Audrey and I went to Greens in the Marina for dinner. Really yummy vegetarian food, but I started having really bad stomach pain right when we got there (no idea why!) . We had a great time talking and laughing, but by the end of the evening, I just wanted to be curled in the fetal position, and even Pepto Bismol wasn't doing the trick.

Neither of us slept much, and the 4:15 alarm felt very early because it was. But no stomach pain anymore -- hooray! Got dressed and caffeinated and grabbed a taxi to the race start.

Audrey and me before the start of the race.

There was a sweat check at the race start which was wonderful because standing around in SF at 5:00 in the morning, it's cold! But I thought sweat check meant you could toss your bag around mile 1 or 2 -- nope. Means you are supposed to drop your bag off before the start of the race! We were in wave 4 (more about waves in a minute) and thank goodness for the nice spectator man who took our bags to the half marathon drop point within moments of our starting gun!

The wave starts were GREAT! Every 5 minutes, a new group of runners would start, with the full and the first-half people all together. We were in wave 4 (1:45 - 2:00 est finish time) and were able to run right from the start, unlike so many races where you're just trotting along trying not to trip anyone around you.

The first few miles were nice -- lots to see, not too hilly until we entered the Presidio, and again, that wave start thing meant that although there were almost 20,000 runners, you had room to move! At about mile 5 we were approaching the Golden Gate Bridge and I was getting really excited. Running across the bridge really was worth the early start time. It was overcast, but that just made the bridge look mysterious and cool. It was really windy on the bridge, to the point where I was holding onto my hat at times! I think the out and back on the bridge was about 3 miles, so we had time to really enjoy running where most people never can! And they had it set up great: one lane for outgoing runners, one lane for incoming runners, and a "buffer" lane so there was some room between you and the cars.

After the bridge it felt tougher, but nice spectators helped pull us along. There were a few more hills in miles 10 - 12, but nothing crazy like you might think you'd find in a San Francisco course. At this point, Audrey was really digging deep, since she'd only ever run 9 miles as a training run, so this was all new territory! But we kept moving along, with me running a few steps behind her, so as to let her set whatever pace worked for her. Well, FAST was what worked, because we crossed the finish line in 2:00:35 (official time).

Me and Audrey after the race -- all smiles!

We gratefully accepted the shiny post-race blankets (the finish point was the coldest part of the whole race!) and the post-race snacks. And headed back to Audrey's apartment for lovely post-race SHOWERS!!!

After getting my car from the BART station, I had the first of many post-race treats. This one? Diet Pepsi and Cool Ranch Doritos (my lunch of choice in my 30s!). YUM!!!

WE DID IT!

Just a quick note to say that we did it! My Garmin thinks we ran the race in 1:58, which is phenomenal for Audrey's first half marathon! Getting up at 4:00 this morning to catch our 4:45 taxi was tough. But getting to run across the Golden Gate Bridge was amazing! Pictures and more words later. Time for me to head to the BART station now...

Goal revision

Gotta love Apple stores, where you can jump on the internet any time you want to!  I've changed my goal.  I'm actually running this race with my 23-year-old niece, who lives here in the city, and it's her FIRST HALF MARATHON!  And now that I'm here, it's clear to me that this race is about her having the best possible time.  So I'm sticking with Audrey, and just enjoying the whole thing.

Already went to the Expo and it was awesome.  I met Catra, who keeps an incredible ultra runing/CrossFit weblog.  She was incredibly warm and friendly and invited me over to the dark side of running ultras.  Hmmmmm -- something to think about...  (I'll post a picture of us when I get back.)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and if you're up by 8:00 tomorrow, I should be completely done with my long run for the day! :)

Invincible!

Post title is my new favorite song. It's by Ok-Go and I'm planning on listening to it many times between now and tomorrow. Just occurred to me that if all goes well, I should be finished running about 24 hours from now!

I'm not nervous about the actual run. I think I've trained better for this race than I've trained for any other race. It's more the stuff around the race (getting there, not being late and so on) that has me a little keyed up. Think I'll apply the serenity prayer here: God grant me the serenity to accept what I can not change (that it's almost time for my period, that the race starts so early), the courage to change the things I can (get address for the BART station instead of worrying about finding it!), and the wisdom to know the difference!

So what am I hoping for out of this race. I have 3 levels of goals. My first one is to break 2 hours, which I think is pretty doable, although the route looks like it goes through the Presidio twice, which is quite hilly. Second level is a sub-1:55. Third is a sub 1:50. I think of them like getting a B+/A-/A+. Of course, I haven't done any speed training, so the sub 1:50 thing is not very realistic, but it's fun to dream...

Time to finish packing (after finding the BART station address) and head on out!

Playlist notes

1. Dawn Raiding -- This song is prefect, since we start running just as the sun comes up!
2. Paradise -- Irene, my runner girl friend who's recovering from a broken hip, picked this song. I'll be running in her honor, hoping that somehow this helps to speed her recovery.
3. Shut Up and Let Me Go -- Heard this on XM20 recently -- super fun and great driving beat!
4. In the Ayer -- Also on XM20 -- makes me think of Tucker, since we've heard it a lot this week.
5. Jam for the Ladies -- Moby is COOL!
6. Missing my Baby -- my song for Tim. I really do miss him!
7. Running on Sunshine, Jesus Jackson -- somehow this didn't show up on the iTunes playlist, which is tragic, because it's one of my all-time favorite running songs. Sexy and fun!
8. Last Name -- Yeah, I used to be young and stupid.
9. Disturbia -- Tucker's pick for this half marathon. I told each of the kids that they could pick a song for me to run to.
10. Everybody Got Their Something -- Another all-time favorite. The lyrics are fantastic.
11. I Stay Away -- No playlist of mine is complete without some Alice in Chains. Love the rock juxtaposed with orchestra.
12. Shoot the Runner -- Joe on dailymile has this on his SF Half playlist. How can you NOT run when this is playing?
13. Family Reunion, Rhymz Suhreal -- also didn't show up on iTunes. Fabulous Christian band, great beat.
14. We're all to Blame -- Austin's pick for this race.
15. Ruby Blue -- Fun Latin beat.
16. Can You Feel It -- what can I say? At 47, I'm the definition of "Old School!"
17. Glorified G -- another dailymile find!
18. Leave Home -- great techno beat.
19. Dude (Looks Like A Lady) -- so much fun! Again, how can you not run when listening to this?!
20. Roam -- :)
21. Invincible -- My new favorite song. I'll probably be repeating this one several times.
22. Ruby Baby -- I've loved this ever since it first came out. Great harmonies.
23. In the Stone -- EWF will never grow old to me!
24. Kernkraft 400 -- When energy is waning...
25. Feeling Good -- Michael Buble -- YUM!
26. Black Hole Sun -- Loved this song forever
27. Bodhisattva -- I'm pretty sure I break land speed records when I run to this
29. Do I Do -- Oh Stevie!

Sunday I'll be running to...

dailymile Weekly Challenge

I signed up for the Weekly Challenge over at dailymile. The challenge was to find $1.00 in change on a run. And if you couldn't find change, you could submit a picture of an interesting discarded item. So on today's 5 mile run, I brought the camera.

I considered and rejected the idea of taking pictures of leaves (too common), sticks (ditto), garbage (yuck), dog poo (double yuck), and a discarded utility bill (because I'm not an identity thief). Here's what I did find:

This sweatshirt was at the elementary school playground. School's not even in session, and yet kids manage to misplace sweatshirts?!?!

I have no idea what this is, but it's metal and it was alongside the road. If it's a part of a car, I'm fairly certain the owner is missing it!

While both of these items are somewhat interesting, the item I chose to submit for the challenge was this:

I found it at the bottom of this hill.

Yep, I'm feeling like a CSI collecting evidence. Some teens had a lot of fun ice blocking that hill last night!

Mid-Year Evaluation

So I got this format from Kara of Between the Miles, who got it from Tom of Runners Lounge. It's 3 questions to consider at the half-way point of the year. I'm going to keep my answers fitness (not just running) focused.

1. What's going well?

• I've run 710 miles so far this year. That means I'm 70% of the way to my goal of 1000 miles!!!
  
• I LOVE my clients -- it is a joy to be a part of their lives!
• I feel stronger now than I ever have in my whole entire life.
• I'm on track to run a half-dozen half-marathons!
  

2. What's not going well?

• I struggle with self-image. (Doesn't every woman?) This week I've felt enormous and unattractive. Last week I felt ok. I don't think things changed dramatically over the weekend. Actually I'm tempted to just erase this one, but it's really where my head's at.
  

3. What are you excited about?

• The kettlebell seminar in September!
• I'm considering signing up with Wellcoaches for their Wellness Coach Training Program.
• I'm seriously considering transforming my last half marathon of the year into a full marathon, and running the California International Marathon in December. I've helped two friends run this marathon as their first marathon, so I'm very familiar with the second half of the course (!) and maybe this will be my turn to be the one in the spotlight. I'll keep y'all posted!
  

Sometimes the best workout...

...is no workout. Today Tucker's at Marine World and it is absolutely beautiful outside. So with no responsibilities and beautiful weather, I put on my running clothes intending to go 5 or 6 (even though I'm supposed to be tapering for Sunday's race). I got out of our court and maybe 1/2 of a block from home, then turned around and headed back. My hips were hurting. (IT band stuff -- I've been foam rolling and it's getting much better.) My muscles were tired. And based on how I felt, the best workout was NO workout.

Feet pictures

These are my Ed Hardy shoes. Aren't they fun?

This is what you get when you let your 12-year-old choose your polish color. Yep, happy yellow toes!

Decisions

Life is all about finding balance, right? Well I've made some decisions recently that I think will help create more balance in my life.

1. I'm not taking on any new clients. I LOVE what I do. But last spring, I think I took on a bit more than I could handle. This summer I've lost some clients (some due to gas prices, some due to scheduling) and that has been a good thing for achieving balance. And once the kids are back in school, I don't want to add any new training hours.

2. I'm no longer writing newsletters. For a while I was writing an e-newsletter, which was a lot of fun, and it made sense to do for many reasons:

• I love writing about all things fitness.
• If I wanted to start a group or bootcamp workout at some time in the future, it gave me a platform to promote it from, and a list of possibly interested people.
• If I wanted to find new clients, it would be a great way to find them.

But I don't want to do a group workout, and I want to scale back a bit, and I write about fitness ALL THE TIME on this weblog! For a month now, I've been feeling guilty that I haven't sent another issue. But no more.

3. I'm attending a kettlebell workshop taught by Mark and Tracy Reifkind in September! I use kettlebells in my own workouts, and train my clients with them, and yes, I'm certified to train with kettlebells (through CrossFit). But the opportunity to learn from two amazing RKC instructors? PRICELESS!!!

Why I workout

Image courtesy of Kelly K. on dailymile.com.

More frequent updates

This week I will have more time on my hands than I know what to do with, as having no husband and only one kid means life will be pretty darned simple. So I plan to write more, both because of having more time, and because I promised my boyfriend (that's you, Tim) that I would!

The end of the birthday present

Today Tim and Austin left for JH Ranch for a week-long father/son adventure. And today, alas, marks the end of the birthday gift.

In any area of life, when you decide to commit to something -- anything -- a lot can be discovered. And we learned a lot during our 28-day adventure, and had a lot of fun in the process.

We do not plan to resume daily activity when Tim gets back because by the end of the experiment, it was starting to feel like a "have to" instead of a "get to" and that's not what we want our relationship to be about.

We both agree that we will do this experiment again in the future, but maybe for a shorter duration. And if you're wanting to experience some more intimacy in your relationship, I highly recommend you giving it a shot! :)

Some favorite things

There is a quote that reads "The best things in life -- are not things." And I really love that sentiment. But today I took some pictures of some of my favorite thing things.

These are my new pigs that I found in San Francisco a couple of weekends ago. Aren't they cool?

This is a leaf I found in Oakland that looks like a heart!

This is the Wheaties box I had made from the picture of me and Tucker running the last mile of my first half marathon of the year.

These are the toys at the base of my computer. The Gumby and Pokey are new, but the heart (a gift from my sister), the orange ring (from Tucker), and the pig (again, my lovely sister) have been favorites for a while now, which is why they get a place of honor.

My kids took an old tomato cage, used pliers to bend the wire, and spray painted it all different colors. It looks PERFECT on top of a bookcase in the office!

My mother gave me this Flensted mobile and it's sparked a total love of mobiles. This hangs above my computer.

These are the books and magazines that have been in my car this week, and they represent a pretty good cross-section of what I love: running (TrailRunner), being veganish (Vive le Vegan! and The Everyday Vegan), homemaking (Real Simple), and all things fashion and beauty (Vogue -- the Age(less) issue!).

Car dealership frustration workout

On Wednesday I took my car to the Toyota dealership to have them do work that they said would take 30 minutes. Well, the work ended up taking 2 hours (WTF?) and about 90 minutes in, I was just angry! I was dressed casually enough that I could channel my frustrations into a workout.

I found a 12" curb and used it to do this:
10 pushups
10 dips
10 squats (using curb as a reference point)
10 knee-ins (balanced on the curb)
10 pulsing lunges

I repeated this sequence 5 times. And I have no idea why I was surprised when my glutes were getting sore by that evening -- pulsing lunges ALWAYS break my a$$!

Dinner successes

You may want to sit down for this one. I've made dinner THREE NIGHTS IN A ROW for my family. But wait, it gets better. All dinners have been vegan. And (this is a huge thing) ALL have been given a thumbs up by every member of my family!!!

Tuesday night I made a black bean/pepper/fresh corn/tomato kind of chili and topped it with cornbread (made with soy milk and egg replacer) and baked it. I served this with a simple salad (homegrown tomatoes, mixed lettuce, fresh corn, and avocado) and called it good.

The next night was chili-lime glazed tofu that I served with quinoa and some steamed kale. Kids didn't like the kale much (next time I'll flavor it to make it more interesting), but loved the tofu and were ok with the quinoa.

Last night I made a lemon garlic pasta (a little less overtly vegan than the tofu night) from "Eat, Drink, and be Vegan" and served it with some leftover borscht that Tucker and I made on Sunday night and an everything salad (thanks Tim for making a killer salad).

Speaking of borscht, I got to take a cooking class last weekend from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau in Oakland. Once I take the time to download the pictures from the class, I'll write about that. The reason that relates to the soup is that Tucker took the class with me, and he made the soup from a recipe that Colleen demonstrated in class. Go Tucker!

dailymile

I've found a running site that I LOVE! It's called dailymile and it's a forum for runners, bikers, and triathletes. The design is clean and visually appealing, and it's fun getting in on a site that's relatively new but could be something big. If you're a runner or biker or tri-person, I highly recommend that you check it out. And if you decide to join, be sure to add me as a friend (I'm leslie g over there), ok?

An answer to Tim's question

"When are you going to write in your weblog?" asked Tim.

I've said before that I'm appreciative that anyone reads what I write. And for Tim to want me to write more is like the flower on top of the heavily-buttercreamed piece of cake!

So Tim, in answer to your question, I will write when these two circumstances take place:
1. I have something to say, and
2. I have the time to say (write) it.

(Sure wish I knew how to make a cool Venn diagram to illustrate this! Yeah, my inner math geek is alive and well!)

Recently I've been in shorter supply of "the time to say it" but I did have a few days where all I would have written would have been emotional sewage, so I refrained from typing a single solitary word, which is a good thing.

Bday update

Today is day 19 and we are having fun!

The value of training logs

I was just about to leave for a 6 mile run, even though my lower body feels pretty tired. Then I looked at my Workouts column and realized I've run 21 miles in the last 4 days. Ummm yeah, a rest day would be advisable, right?

What's funny is that even as I type this, I still want to run. But a day off from running would be smart. And I have no intention of being a stupid fitness girl. So a day off (from running!) it is!

A strange and lovely week

This week we have something strange and lovely -- A WHOLE WEEK WITH NO KIDS! Tucker is at my sister's house in Santa Cruz (where he would spend the entire rest of the summer if he could!) and Austin is on a church houseboat trip with the high school group. And me and Tim? We're lovin' life! This has happened only one other time since we had kids, and so far it's amazingly peaceful and fun. Tucker left on Saturday and Austin left yesterday. Maybe I'll feel differently by the end of the week, but so far, it's just really really nice!

Some random thoughts...

• The new season of The Closer started last night. I LOVE that show!!!
• On Saturday I'm going to Oakland to take a cooking class from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, the voice of Vegetarian Food for Thought and author of the Compassionate Cooks website. I'm meeting my sister and Tucker there, and we're all taking the "Greens, Glorious Greens" class. I can't wait!
• Today is my 23rd AA birthday. When I think of the desperation of my last day of drinking 23 years ago, it's inconceivable to me that I have MY LIFE today. I am beyond humble and grateful.

Notes on 13 miles

First run was tough, like I said. I went out at 7:00 and I walked some, lunge walked some, and just prayed it would be over. I think my average pace was 9:40.

Second run was fine. Went out around 9:45, and it felt good to be running again and it went fairly quickly. Average pace was 9:15.

Final run was mentally tough, plus it was 90 degrees outside. But at 5:40 tonight, I did five miles at an 8:45 pace. As my third run of the day, I'm thrilled with the pace and just happy to have 13 miles done!

Workouts that work

So far this year, I've done well with my running goal and with staying active. This week, however, has been one of the hardest weeks to stay on track. Unmotivated. Depressed. Tired. Those feelings don't work to fuel good workouts.

So I'm just working with what is. Last night I wanted to do my pushup workout, but didn't feel like doing it. So in between straightening my hair and putting on makeup, I did sets of plyo pushups on the edge of the bathtub. So they were elevated instead of on the ground, but the plyo aspect made them harder. And for whatever reason, I just didn't want to do pushups from the ground.

Today I decided to run long. But the body wouldn't cooperate. I did 4 miles this morning and it felt like 40! So I've decided to do 4 miles 3 times today. Again, I'm working with what I've got. And I just can't fathom doing a long run. But I can do 4 miles. So I just got back from my second run, and I'll plan on doing one more around dinnertime tonight. This may seem crazy, but I can assure you it's a lot less crazy than doing what I want to do, which is GO BACK TO BED!

Quick answers and comments

I just have a few minutes, and I thought I'd answer questions and reply to comments. As always, it is amazing to me that people read what I write, and it's just the icing on the cake when someone takes the time to write a comment -- thank you, friends!

Eileen asked a while back why I don't drink milk. There's an excellent podcast on iTunes that discusses the subject way better than I ever could, but here's my short answer:

• I don't think we need to consume something that's intended as food for baby cows.
• From what I've read, dairy cows live a horrible existence, and I don't want my food choices to support suffering.
• The veal industry depends on the dairy industry, because in order for cows to produce milk, they have to become pregnant. And so that nothing (no one?) is "wasted" male calves are used for veal. So by supporting the dairy industry, we're also supporting the veal industry.
• Almond milk tastes SO MUCH BETTER than "regular" milk.

Anthony asked about pulsing lunges. They're walking lunges where you pulse (bounce?) at the bottom, so you're staying in the lunge position for four counts, then taking a lunge step forward and doing the same thing on the other leg. Click here and select "Walking Lunges" to see them in action. They're surprisingly effective , and I was surprised at how sore I was, especially with all the running and lower body work I do!

Also, Tim just tried seeing how many he could do over the weekend. He did 60 with good form, and this was AFTER doing a P90X DVD!!! My numbers are improving, and I'll be sure to post the next time I do a max reps test.

Jennifer had suggestions on how to get mentally ready to jump at Kipu Falls next year. GREAT IDEAS, Jennifer -- thanks so much!

Evelyne asked if I got to meet up with Colette. YES and she and Ashley were so much fun! I don't have my pictures loaded, but it was delightful spending time with her. Her daughter is just beautiful (even prettier in person) and so sweet, and we all enjoyed every minute we had together. Then we said goodbyes, thinking we'd NEVER see each other at a 14,000 person concert. Well, who was in the souvenir line next to us? That's right -- we got ANOTHER chance to visit!

Katie-- your six words were fabulous! :) And your son will LOVE gymnastics, and what he'll learn will carry over to every other sport he ever does! I can't wait to hear about it. Is he at Technique? If so, we should go to their gymnastics meet in January. This will be the first year in 7 years that one or both of my kids won't be competing! :(

And finally, Matt -- as always, you are so appreciated!!!

• Tucker and I are heading out to see Idols on Tour in just a few minutes. Get to meet with Colette and her daughter beforehand -- hooray!
• Air quality is in Hazardous zone. (If you click on the link right now, you'll notice that the top FIVE cities IN THE COUNTRY for poor air quality are my city and cities within 30 minutes or so of us. I really hope that changes soon.) Visibility is affected. So glad I got to run this morning, but if the air had been like it is now? Forget it! So we stay inside and run the air conditioner, which is all you can really do. If you have air that's healthy to breathe, be grateful for it!
  
• Pulsing lunges with weights will break your ass. I know, cuz I broke mine yesterday and the day before. Hurts so good!

Six words about tomorrow

Regardless of air quality, I'm running.

(Inspired by my new book "Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs".)

Why didn't I think of this?!?!

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

Moving the walls

Can't change air quality.
Can't change temperature.
Can't change my kids.
Only can change myself and my attitude -- starting now.

The walls are closing in

The air quality sucks.
The heat is oppressive.
My sons hate each other.
And I just hate summer.

No running for now

Air quality is VERY UNHEALTHY here, so no running for me. That's a bad news/good news thing -- I'm really digging running these days, so I'll miss it. But it forces me to get creative with indoor workouts, right?

Wish I could run though.

Stevie Wonder!

This is the two of us right before the concert. In a word, it was magnificent! Can you see the stage right behind our heads? That's where Stevie was for the entire concert, and we were close enough that it felt like we were in his living room!

Stevie played for TWO AND A HALF hours!!! There were lots of songs from A Time to Love, which I'm not that familiar with, but then he started playing some of his slow favorites (Ribbon in the Sky, Overjoyed, Isn't She Lovely, and more) and towards the end was rocking the house with Living for the City, Do I Do, Superstition, Higher Ground, and much much more.

We danced and sang and cheered at the top of our lungs. And we were on the Jumbotron during "I Just Called to say I Love You!"

Got home at 2:30 AM, tired and happy!

Why I do what I do

I've been thinking a lot recently about the WHY of fitness. There are many many reasons anyone does anything, reasons both known and unknown (like subconscious stuff). And during some of my longer runs, I've had a chance to think about my reasons for exercising and eating well.

WHY I EXERCISE (in order of importance)
1. So I can feel comfortable in my own skin.
2. To experience the joy of movement.
3. To help keep depression at bay.
4. For more ease in my diet.
5. For more ease in my clothes.
6. To be the best 47-year-old I can be.
7. For health.

When I look at my list, I think of the "form follows function" principle of design. (I hope I can make this make sense.) So while part of what I get from consistent exercise is that I get to wear clothes in sizes I NEVER would have dreamed possible at this point in my life, that's not the main reason I do it. It's just an ancillary benefit. Incidentally, a new shopping center just opened near us, and I went into a Chico's for the first time. I am happy to report that their smallest size fits me with ease!

WHY I EAT VEGANISH (in order of importance)
1. Because it makes me feel great.
2. Because I don't want to eat dead things.
3. Because I don't want my food choices to contribute to suffering, either for the animals, or for the people who work in slaughterhouses.
4. Because I like being different (getting really honest here).

Regarding #4, I have always thought of myself as not quite normal. As a kid, I only liked Barbies when we were setting up their houses or piercing their ears with sewing pins (anyone remember that?). When the actual play started, I was bored out of my mind, even though my friends could play that way for hours. I also had to be kicked out of the house to play, much preferring to sit on my bed with a huge stack of books, reading for hours. I could list many more examples. The point is that I've never felt like I quite fit in, and I always saw that as a negative. Now I'm choosing to see it as a positive. Yeah, I'm not mainstream, and THAT'S A GOOD THING!!!

Knowing my reasons for doing what I do enabled me to cook my family's favorite 4th of July beans yesterday. Yes, they have ground beef AND bacon in them. Both smelled revolting to me as they cooked (thank you, Tim, for cooking both and letting me handle the beans, veggies, and spices!). But I felt good about making them, because I know why I eat how I eat. And I value tradition and love more than my own comfort. Plus we're talking about one dish once a year here!

And finally, I've decided how to go about feeding my family. For months now I've not known what to do, and many times I've cooked chicken or beef for them, and just eating a salad for me. As I continue in my journey, I'm less and less ok with cooking animals. So I've decided to prepare delicious vegetarian (not vegan) food for my family, which I will eat too. I'm still avoiding milk, eggs, and cheese, where possible (and if anyone wants to know why, I have PLENTY of reasons!), but I think that overall my family's health will benefit more from this plan than from continuing to cook "normally" but eating something different myself. And I see it as keeping them more open to healthy eating, because it's a middle-ground sort of choice.

The other night I made some enchiladas filled with yellow squash, zucchini, and onions, and topped with a sauce of milk, cheese, tomatoes and chiles. Score 1 for mom -- everyone loved this!

Updates

In answer to several questions, NO I didn't jump at Kipu Falls. :( Two years ago, I did, but because I couldn't get myself to jump OUT very far, I touched rocks at the bottom when I went in. So this time with the degree of leg shaking that was going on, I was afraid that I would not be able to muster up the "mind over matter" required to jump far enough to be safe. We're heading back next summer, and my plan is to do the rope swing. I'm bummed that I didn't jump, but I think it was the right decision.

I started the 100 Push Up Challenge today. I'm doing the 3rd column, so today I did 5 sets like this: 10, 10, 8, 6, and 13. While I rested, I did assisted pullups (using my 2-1/2" giant rubber band) totaling 1/2 of the previous set. When combined with this morning's 9 mile run, this feels like a great overall workout, and I am ready for some holiday indulgences tonight!

Life's been moving VERY fast, so tomorrow night's activity kind of sneaked up on me, but guess who's going to be seeing Stevie Wonder at Shoreline Ampitheater tomorrow night???? I can't WAIT!!!

Finally, we're on day 6 of Tim's birthday gift, and both of us are having a great time! ;)

Happy 4th, friends!

Random Tuesday thoughts

• I've been wanting to do Bikram yoga for a while, but can't seem to find a class that works for me. Well, Yoga Downloads may save me, as doing yoga outside these days in 90+ heat? I think that qualifies as hot yoga!!!
• Remember Barbies that had hair that you could yank to make long, then yank again to make short. I wish there was a way to make that work with boobs. Wouldn't sport boobs and play boobs be a great thing, where you could choose the appropriate size for the occasion? You wouldn't yank on them to make them change (yikes!). Any inventors out there ready to help us sports-minded girls?
• I'm in the process of going through my closet and getting rid of everything I don't like or wear. So I'm getting rid of a lot of stuff. Did anyone see the movie "The Fly" with Jeff Goldblum? In it, he had 7 suits that were all the same, and those were his clothes for the week. I remember seeing that and thinking "I want a uniform!!!" I do tend to wear the same shapes over and over, but I'm good with that.
• A while back, a client and I came up with a list of the 7 Dwarves of PMS, when she came and was feeling out of sorts. We chose Crampy, Grumpy, Blimpy, Cranky, Whiney, Bitchy, and Tired. Whaddaya think?
• Finally, I'm trying a new brain game site. I am highly committed to keeping my brain sharp as time goes on, and I think Lumosity.com can and will help me. I'm in my 14 day free trial period, and I'm really having fun with it. (Katie, I think you especially would like it!)
  

Hawaii video and photos

If you're into home movies, this may be just your cup of tea. Tim took some video clips and some still photos, and created this really cool iMovie project that I wanted to share...

Sidebar changes

To increase my accountability, I've added a Workouts list to the sidebar. Here I hope to stay consistent with both activity AND rest.

I've also changed my Run list. I used to track vertical miles. Why? Because I wanted to! And I got to more than 20 miles straight up, which I think is cool. But now I'm working on speeding up. And trying to log more vertical miles while getting faster is just a recipe for injury and burnout. And hey -- it's MY goal, right?

Just got back from a 5 mile run in 90 degree heat. After running in Hawaii's heat AND humidity, today's run was not a problem -- hooray!

Just do it!

Nope, not the Nike slogan here -- my new book "Just Do It -- How One Couple Turned off the TV and Turned on their Sex Lives for 101 Days (no excuses!)" Today is Tim's birthday. He's 44. And, feeling inspired by my wonderful new book, his present is 44 days of ... well, 44 days of feeling very very loved! :) Happy birthday, baby!

Great Success!

Vacation was wonderful! I'll post pictures and videos this week, but in a nutshell, it was a wonderful unifying and de-stressing experience for everyone!

Here are a few random thoughts before I hit the shower:

• I don't sleep on red-eye flights. Next time I'm not even going to try. And next time I'll have a better strategy than my "eat everything" method of coping last night!

• Blossoming Lotus is the best restaurant on the planet, and all of us loved it!

• My last island workout was Crossfit-ish and fun. Here are the details:

7 rounds of
10 thrusters (10 lb dumbbells)
20 alt lunges (10 lb dumbbells, 10 reps each leg)
14 clean and press (20 pound dumbbell, 7 reps each side)
10 lat pulldowns (no idea how much weight)

My glutes are feeling the love in a BIG way!

• I still want to post the links to weblogs I read (there are many -- thank goodness for Bloglines!). One of my new favorites is called Eat, Live, Run, subtitled "Training to be a pastry chef while still fitting into my jeans". Isn't that cute? Well, Jenna posted a link to Yoga Downloads, and they have some Yoga for Runners workouts. Cool! I downloaded the 30 minute workout today and will report on it as soon as I try it.

• I'll be starting the 100 Pushup Challenge tomorrow. Tried starting on vacation, but it just wasn't what I wanted to be doing. My plan is to follow their middle plan (even though my initial test puts me into the extreme plan). And because I don't want to overwork my pushing muscles, I'll be doing a corresponding pulling workout to help balance things out. I think the balance will come from pullups or body-weight rows -- maybe half as many pullups (using the giant rubber band for assistance) or the same number of rows. I'll let you know as I work this out. But I'm excited for a new challenge!
  

Make today fabulous, friends!

P.S.

The "mixed marriage" comment was flippant and funny, but it doesn't really paint a picture of the harmony that exists in my views and Tim's views on health. In the same way that I'm vegan-ish, I think that Tim is moving towards vegetarian-ish in his choices. And we both value staying active, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate having a partner in health and wellness. This morning we did Rodney Yee's AM Yoga, and then did our separate workouts. Today Tim ran. And I headed to the beach for lunge walks and skipping, and step ups on a picnic bench.

Interesting interchange

We hit Bubba's for lunch yesterday. Well, Tim and the kids hit Bubba's, but I picked up takeout from Lotus Root Cafe, which is just a few blocks down the street. When I got back, I brought my spring rolls and green juice into the anti-veg establishment (they say something about lettuce and tomato being just WRONG on real burgers on the menu!) and sat down with my family as they waited for their burgers and chili.

A woman looked at me, and said in a very loud voice, "What's that?" and pointed at my spring roll. I told her it was a spring roll. She asked if I got it here, and I said, "No, I got it at a cafe down the street." Then she said (screamed) "Is that ALL you're eating for lunch?" I pointed at my green juice and said "I'm having this too." She said, "Well, your family is having a lot. I was in line behind them and I saw their total!" Tim explained that he'd bought a hat, and that made it all cost more. (Not that this is any of her business really!)

What was interesting about this exchange was that the woman chatting with us was young and big and seemed highly uncomfortable that someone was NOT eating burgers, chili, fries, and onion rings. Then again, I WAS in her territory, and I have a feeling that if Tim and the kids brought Bubba's into Lotus Root, they'd meet with some degree of opposition as well.

My plan? To continue to move forward. Despite what the world may think, I continue to believe that this mixed marriage CAN work! :)

Alooooo-ha!

Greetings from Hawaii!!! I'm sitting on a balcony overlooking the ocean, taking a moment to jot down some vacation thoughts. Hawaii is truly one of the most beautiful places on the earth and we are loving it! We've spend the last two days in Lihue and rarely left the hotel -- with a protected harbor, ocean waves, and lots of sun, what more could we need?

We've stayed active so far. Both days Tim and the kids joined in on some beach volleyball games, and they convinced me to play too. So I've gotten some lessons in humility (nothing looks stupider than when you're going for a shot and the sand prevents you from getting there in a BIG way), and some lessons in self-talk. Because of my un-athletic background, I was really fearful about playing. So what ran through my mind with every play? "Don't eff up!" Not exactly positive or helpful, right? By the end of my volleyball time, the internal conversation was "Make a contribution!" -- a big change, don't you think?

I've gone running both days and it's interesting how you start sweating immediately when you're running in humidity. Between running and volleyball and swimming in the ocean, all of us got a bit too much sun yesterday, so I think we're keeping today a less-sun day (but not a sun-less day!). And I think I've started my own personal tradition of ending each day by savoring one perfect milk chocolate macadamia nut candy bar -- YUM!!!

And we're off...

...to Kauai! Our plans include lots of rest and reading (I've got quite a few books, cuz you never know what you might want to read, right?), some surfing and kayaking, great food and family time and lots and lots of beach time, including laying on the beach and swimming in the ocean.

I plan to stay active while in Hawaii. My GymBoss and jump rope are packed, and I'll probably use one or the other most days. I like doing a combination of lunge walks, and skipping, and jogging on the sand, interspersed with pushups and any other body weight things I can think of.

We'll have a computer with us, and I plan to investigate a website I just found: One Hundred Pushups. I think it would be fun to train to do 100 pushups and will let you know if it's something I decide to work towards. Anyone care to join me? Let me know...

Weekend Update

Some random musings from the weekend, in no particular order:

• Indoor go-cart racing is FUN! (picture will be posted here tomorrow)
  
• A sleeve of Fig Newtons is not the best fuel for a 9 mile run in 95 degree heat.
• My car gets 43 miles per gallon on the highway!!!
• I'm super proud of my husband, who is not only an amazing dad, but also shot 78 on the golf course while playing with his dad for Father's Day today!
• Tucker's in Southern California -- flew out on Thursday and comes home tomorrow. He's been playing with my mother and her husband, and my wild-child sister Shannon. He texted me today saying "Aunt Sammie (Shannon) is crazy!" I don't know what prompted the text, but I'm not surprised in the least -- Shannon is one of the funnest people I know!
• It's been great being able to focus on Austin while Tucker's away. Having just one child is certainly peaceful!
• I've run (ran?) 27 miles in the last 4 days. Tomorrow will be a day off, for sure, but it's felt fun to kind of push the envelope with mileage, you know?
  

Tagged by Irene!

Irene tagged me on a running meme -- thanks, Irene -- this was fun!

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago? At that time, my kids were 4 and 2, and running was what enabled me to stay sane. Tim could come in the door after work, take one look at my face, and say, "YOU need to go running" and he would be right. (My kids were wonderful, but I kept myself very isolated and made staying home harder than it needed to be, for the record.) Also, 10 years ago was the first time I ran 1000 miles in a year, something that I'm shooting for this year as well.

2. Best/worst running experience. Best -- every single race I've run, because I can't believe that me, the last picked for everything, is running in races! Probably my best BEST race was Wharf to Wharf (Santa Cruz to Capitola -- about 7 miles) in 1994, when I was 4 months pregnant. I had a shirt made that said, "Running for Two" because I didn't really look pregnant yet. :)

Worst -- in our first house, I was running at dusk through our neighborhood. I ran past two men and heard one say to the other "Do you want to rape her?" SCARY! We moved just a few months later.

3. Why do you run? Many reasons. Biggest one -- it helps me to stay on an even keel emotionally. Also I love that I can eat more than the average woman, and still be comfortable in my clothes and in my own skin. Also because my birth father is a runner, and running makes me feel connected to him.

4. Best running advice? Remember that the first mile is always hard, but it does get better. I NEVER like that first mile, but remembering that it doesn't stay hard like that the whole time makes it easier to push through it.

5. Something surprising about me that not many people know? I have all sorts of idiosyncrasies and oddities. But one that not many people know? Gosh, I feel like I share nearly everything here, so it's hard to come up with something. Irene -- it's going to seem like copying, but I promise it's true -- I can still do cartwheels! In fact, when I was pregnant I continued to do cartwheels into my 9th month, and I'm convinced there's a connection between that and the love both of my sons have for gymnastics!

Validation!

Don't you love it when you have an idea or an opinion, and then you see something in the media that backs up your way of thinking? Well, in the July/August issue of Running Times, the article titled "Not Just Half a Race -- Getting the most from the Half Marathon" (isn't that a great title?) reads:

It sometimes seems as though the half marathon is the forgotten stepchild of distance running. It's popular, but you're unlikely to hear it hailed as the queen of distances, perhaps because it's not got the glamour of the marathon and there isn't an equivalent race in the Olympics like the 5K and 10K. At best, it's promoted as a way station en route to a marathon.

Then there's some stuff about recent half marathon records (a sub-1:00 half marathon???? Yes! Crazy, huh?). The article continues:

Perhaps all of these will bring more attention to what is actually an elegant racing distance. Long enough that you can't just race it on a whim, the half rewards serious training. But it doesn't beat you up as badly as a marathon, freeing you to run it a lot more frequently.

Amen to all of that!

My running has been going well -- I'm at 21 miles per week, on average, for the year, which took some doing to get to, as I didn't set my running goal until early April. (Note -- I was running and was tracking the miles, but with no clear idea of what I was shooting for. So I had several 30+ mile weeks in order to catch up.)

Ok, no time to wrap this up, as family is ready to head out the door, and I AM wearing makeup today. More thoughts soon...

The new normal that is summertime

Each year, the transition to summer gets easier for me. In the past I fell into a dark hole for several weeks as school let out. I LOVE my kids, but I don't do well with lack of structure, hence the difficulties of summer. This year will be different for several reasons:

1. I'm stronger than I've ever been, and I'm willing to make my needs known.
2. I have an actual schedule of clients who I train, which means I can't be doormat mom even if I wanted to be.
3. I'm committed to making it different.

More later... now I get to drive someone somewhere for the eleventy-hundredth time today! :)

Rocklin Farmer's Market starts today!

Mom: Fresh kale and beet top salad with belarusian tomatoes...
...Portabella mushroom burgers with avocado, turnip and melon chutney...
...and a piping-hot eggplant-artichoke-string bean-leek casserole!

Dad: Dig in! (softer) I thought I told you guys to distract your mother today!
Kid 1: We tried! You've seen her at the farmer's market!
Kid 2: We're lucky we got out of there before she spotted bok choy!

Recent workouts

Monday: day off
Tuesday: boxing camp, 6 mile run
Wednesday: kb swings and Crossfit-ish workout
Today: 9 mile run

Wednesday's workout was especially fun. My friend and I did kettlebell swings: 5 sets of 3:00 with 12 kg kbs (one each!). Then we did a Crossfit-ish workout: 2o minutes of

5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats
20 situps

We finished 9 rounds in 20 minutes. My upper body definitely feels the pushups and pullups today! And just so I'm clear here, all pullups were done with assistance from an Iron Woody band -- don't know that I even WANT to see the day when I can do 45 pullups in a workout! :)

Baby you can drive my car!

Sunday was a very busy day. It started out slow, hanging out all together, eating a leisurely breakfast, puttering around the house. Around 2:00 I went out for a 10 mile run. And when I got back, Tim told me we needed to get in the car NOW to drive to Redwood City (2 hours) because he'd found my new car and we needed to go buy it. So 15 minutes later, we were driving towards San Francisco, and that night I drove home in my new ride!

Backing up here, for the last 4 years I've driven a small SUV and I've really loved it. It was comfy and sporty and even a little sexy, and it worked well for us with kids and dogs and snowboarding and camping. But I got 15 miles to the gallon, and with gas prices rising it's starting to make no sense to drive it. On Saturday we were going to a family gathering (2 hours away again!) and chatting about cars. Tim said, "I don't think I could give up my car for a hybrid." My response? "I could give mine up in a heartbeat, cuz I'm just not that into cars." And that's the truth. So my husband, being the action-oriented guy he is, researched hybrids and found what made sense for us, confirmed my color choice, and then found one with only 5,000 miles on it, negotiated a good price, and we were off to buy it, just 24 hours after first discussing the topic.

So now I have a hybrid and I love it. It's a really beautiful car. It's quiet and the turning radius is incredible. And the stuff inside makes me feel like it's a Batman car, or like something Maxwell Smart would drive. There's no key! The CD player opens up like a bookcase to a hidden room! And the gas mileage? Dreamy! Of course it has my "Whatever you are, be a good one!" license plate frame, and my fruit keychain hanging from the rear-view mirror. Now all it needs is a Hawaii flower sticker and a "Runner Girl" emblem, and I'll be set!

Worth considering

I found this on a torn-out magazine page:

If I could give you a pill that helped you lose wight, was full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, was known to provent cancer and most diseases, and made your skin, hair, and body look and feel fantastic, would you take it? Yes, you say? Then EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!!!

No time, no energy

Lots to talk about but no time or energy to write. I promise I'm still here -- just trying to keep my head above water during the last week of school. This weekend we have ZERO plans, and I intend to keep it that way. One of tonight's clients told me that she and her man spend one entire day of each weekend in pj's, just hanging out and reading and talking and watching movies. With how fast life's been going, that sounds absolutely fabulous!