Next Challenge??

Does anyone know when the next challenge starts? I thought it was Monday, but I haven't seen the current one come to a close.

Vibrams update

Hi Ladies! I have missed you. Although I have been stalking the blog, I haven't spoken up much. Do you ever feel like you have so much going on in your head that you can't put it all into words? I feel that way often. I wish I could have Becky be my scribe and organize my thoughts.

So right now my thoughts are on my Vibrams. I have been having a BLAST training in them for the half marathon next month. They just feel so good on my feet. A couple of weeks ago my husband and running partner started having pain on the tops of their feet. My wonderful friend, the running partner, has had to take the past two weeks off completely. It really stinks! We decided that perhaps we are putting too many miles on the Vibrams, too quickly. In order to be prepared, I ran down to Road Runner Sports to grab a pair of normal running shoes. My thoughts on this were if I could finish training in regular shoes, then I could resume the Vibram training after the race, and go at the pace that I needed to go, and eventually run a half in them.

After a complete foot analysis, I walked out of the store with a pair of Newtons, custom inserts, water bottle, socks, and a bill for 260 dollars. (And a very pale husband). The good thing about this store is that they have a 60 day return policy, and you can run on the shoes outside. I figured I could try it and return them if it wasn't a good match.

I ran on the Newtons all week, and am sad to say that I will be returning them tomorrow. I liked the Newtons because I didn't have to change my running method at all, but they hurt my feet.

Sad.

I had such hopes for them.

I ran out a mile yesterday in the Newtons, and they hurt so bad that I took them off, turned around on the trail, and ran home barefoot. After about 30 strides barefoot, the pain subsided and I felt great for the rest of the mile. As soon as I got home, I boxed up the shoes, and hung them on the door to take back. I still had more miles to do, so later in the day I put on the vibrams and finished out my miles, happily.

So what does this mean? I think I have weird feet. I also think my husband will be happy to have his 260 dollars back. We struck a deal, my husband and I (I think he felt bad the shoes didn't work out, but he must have also been relieved) ...he agreed to support me any way he could...which means feet massages every night. It really does help...I think he is the secret to my success. Hopefully it will really be success, and my feet will hold up to the training I am going to put them through over the next month.

What is your experience with running shoes?

Do you have a pair that makes your feet feel "like butter" (in the trainer momma's words)?

I have never found a pair that feels like that, until the vibrams. I just don't know how good they are for my feet, but they feel SOOOO GOOD!

Is it proper to ask you to pray for my silly feet?

Thanks girls for listening to my jumbled brain. You are all amazing.

Two weekends ago, my husband and I got to sneak away to New York and enjoy a weekend together. It just so happened that they closed Park Avenue for the morning so we got the street to ourselves...no crazy taxi drivers allowed. It was so much fun!! They had free bike rental for an hour, so we nabbed a couple and cruised up to Central park for a while. After we returned the bike, we ran 6 miles to the Brooklyn Bridge. That's what I call a vacation.

Slacker

August has been a month of slacking and that's why I'm saying "Come on September! You can't come soon enough!"

Here's how I've slacked:

1. Water. I've swum in it, watered with it, washed in it, but haven't drunk much of it.
2. Veggies: the on the road/ on the go mentality has pushed these good guys off to the sidelines. {Although I did manage to eat a salad at the mega amusement park the other day. Guests aren't allowed to bring their own food}
3. Exercise: while I've been walking a ton, I haven't been planking, doing push ups and sit ups or lifting weights.
4. Vitamins: does it count if I've eaten the kids' gummy ones?

What has been amazing to me about this month is how little time it took to lose the benefits of lifting and toning compared to how much time it took to get there.

After a full month of slacking, I am ready to reclaim my house, my routine and my sense of well being.

P.S. The funny thing about slacking is that I've not been a couch potato at all. Couch potatoes have time to make good food. Rather, I've been on the go since July 31st. I just liked the visual.

Those Gorgeous Fabulous Healthy Wives

I don't want to steal the thunder away from the last two posts below this one, so if you haven't read them please do so.

I'm heading out the door this morning to meet up with Samantha at Lucketts for a bit of shopping but wanted to get these pictures posted before I left. They've been sitting in my camera for 3 weeks now and last night I finally down loaded them.

Alicia your choice of the Blue Lemon Restaurant and Bistro in Highland Utah was an excellent one even though it was a bit of a drive for some of you. I will definitely go back there on my next visit to Utah.

First to arrive were Jill, Samantha and Julie

Dragonfly (Samantha), Jill and The Queen Vee

The sun was shinning on all of us but particularly on Alicia

Jill, Cammy and Jenn......3 really cool ladies

Accept No Substitutions

First car
First cell phone
First plane ride
First bike
First kiss
First child

First Pair of Official Running Shoes - formally fitted to your stride, purchased at a running-shoes-only store, where the sales guy knows exactly what he's talking about.

Oh, life can be sweet!

Ride like the wind, Bullseye! Hello 5K Walk/10K Run!

My Relationship With Butter

Butter was the ever-present seasoning agent in my home growing up. Each home has one. For some it's ketchup, for some it's garlic, for some it's Tabasco sauce, for us it was butter. We put it on everything. Every veggie, every carb, even sandwiches. My parents have the horribly unhealthy habit of buttering all their sandwiches! It's a PB&J&B or a BLTB. Turkey on rye, hold the mustard, extra mayo, extra butter. Did anyone else's parents do this? Is it a generational thing?

Then I went away to college. Unlike most freshmen, my eating habits changed drastically for the better. In fact when my roommate (my best friend from high school) and I went home for the summer, she had gained 10 pounds and I had lost 10 pounds. Everyone said, "Oh, Kristen, you look so greaaaaaaaaaat!" UGH! I was devastated! But that's a whole 'nother story. (Bitter? Table for one? Right this way please...)

Anyway, that's when I stopped eating butter. They didn't keep it on the tables at the Cannon Center, and I never bothered to get up and look for it. And you know what? I never missed it. The only thing I butter now is toast (if I don't have any avocado on hand) and baked potatoes. Honestly, I'm not eating a whole lot of either of those things anymore.

The problem is, I don't really want my kids to get into the habit of buttering veggies but naked veggies aren't exactly appealing to the sippy-cup set. So I'm taking a page from my best friend from high school's mother, Pat. Pat used to put a chicken bouillon cube in with her frozen veggies when she cooked them. It adds flavor without fat. I use this trick with all green veggies, but it's especially good with broccoli and asparagus. Try it, and let me know what your kids think.

The 5K

I am so bad about remembering to take pictures. Unfortunately this is the only one I have and I look terrible in it. At least Jenn looks cute. This is Jenn and I just before the race started, taken with my phone.


Here is my 5K experience in all its glory.

I didn't sleep well the night before, I kept dreaming about racing old ladies. Why everyone at the race in my dreams was an old woman I will never know but they were. Also, I must have been worried about sleeping in because I woke up every 20 minutes from 5:00 on. It was kind of a relief to have the alarm go off so I could get up and get ready.

Jenn(ifer) and I carpooled to the park for the race. When we first got there we wondered if we had gotten the wrong day or were the only ones signed up because there was no one there. Fortunately as we drove around a little longer we found where we needed to go. We waited around for an hour for the race to finally start (it started about 15-20 minutes late because there were so many last minute registrants). When the race did finally start we didn't realize it at first. I didn't hear a horn or a whistle or anything so it wasn't until people around us started moving that we realized what was going on. The race was a little over two laps around the park with two major hills we would have to conquer twice. We started on a downhill stretch and then it was right into the first hill. We hadn't done any hill training for this 5K and Jenn was having a harder time recovering from them so she let me go ahead. I don't run with music even when I run alone so it was easy for me to just keep going and settle into a rhythm. I tried to keep my pace steady regardless of whether I was going up, down or flat. I actually felt really good even with the hills. I have to say I was kind of annoyed with a couple running by me. To quote MamaNut they kept playing "tortoise and hare" with me. They would run just long enough to get about 10 yards ahead of me and then walk until I passed them, then they would repeat it again. This lasted until the the first hill on the second time around. I kept my pace steady as I ran up and didn't see them again until the finish line 7 minutes after I crossed it (yes I am gloating!) The rest of my run was pretty uneventful I just ran at a steady pace and tried to enjoy everything around me. I finished with a time of 38:15. I know, not exactly Speedy Gonzales but it's a great starting point that I hope only improves with future races. I felt really prepared for this race which was so invigorating. I felt like a runner, I felt like an athlete. It was fun and I honestly can't wait to do it again.

So what did I do to celebrate this fantastic accomplishment? Jenn and I went to breakfast at The Original Pancake House. Mmmm it was fantastic food and I ate more than I should have but it was good and I am not going to feel guilty about it.

Did you think I forgot?

Oh yeah! Time to post those points. I bet you thought I forgot but I didn't. I've been enjoying crazy family time here in California.

So, who is it? I actually did pretty good this challenge, completing both extra challenges, and my 30 point bonus challenge. If Becky rocked this one out I'm sure she set the two week record since there were two bonus'.

Now, there is a good chance I'm not going to have internet access for the next five days. I'm headed to the Sierra Nevada mountains where I grew up. It's going to be relaxing and nostalgic. This is were I was first born and after we left spent many summers. I'm excited to take my boys there and enjoy some hiking, swimming, fishing and a long awaited trip to Yosemite.

So who ever the lucky winner is don't worry, I'll get your picture up.

We start another challenge Monday keep it up ladies! You're all doing a wonderful job.