We just got done with another race! It was really fun pinning the bibs onto my 4 children this morning for the kids run. They loved the race and asked if we could do it again next week. I promised we would do it again next year. I am so glad they are catching on to the energy and fun of racing. Chad was so kind to sit out this year and be the responsible adult so we all could run.

I came down with and awful cold this week...and was a bit worried last night as I went to bed with an aching body and tissue stuffed up my nose. I probably should have not gone today, but I really wanted to qualify for the dc National Half Marathon, and I was worried about it filling up before I could find another race to run.

There is just something magical about racing. Every time I cross the finish line, I get really emotional. Today I felt so silly as I held back tears when I saw the finish line approaching. When I saw my time, I couldn't hold back any longer. I walked up to Chad and my kids and just sobbed. The look on their faces told me they didn't know what to think of me. My goal was to finish in 32 minutes, which is the cut off for qualifying for the Half Marathon. When I crossed the finish line, the clock read 23 minutes. The fastest guy was 15 minutes and the fastest girl was 17 minutes. Crazy huh! The last time I ran a 5k my time was 35 minutes.

I'm way too emotional.

But happy.

I got home and loaded up on the advil to bring my fever down, and I am feeling good. It's good to know that the runners high still comes even if you are sick.

Now for a few days of resting and snuggling my kids, then back to reality!

Thanks for letting me share this with you guys. It's nice having a whole blog of cheerleaders!

Don't Panic

I'm not having a mental breakdown, I'm just spread too thin. It's one of my weaknesses/faults, that I try to do too much in the same 24 hours that we all have. I have bit off more than I could chew trying to figure out how to bring in an extra income for our family, and I have yet to find balance. That's all. Some things are slipping through the cracks, and the race was just one of them. I'm still a fighter, still stubbornly plowing on, so nobody worry if I'm about to lose it.

Just pray for me. I like that idea. We should all pray for each other, and maybe if we don't hit upon the inspiration for ourselves, we can provide inspiration for each other. That's one of the blessings of this blog. So, thanks, ahead of time. And I'm looking forward to more great posts!

How are you being an example for your family?

I've had one of those weeks where I've tried to be more on top of things. One of my hardest things is putting dinner on the table. Crazy I know. My biggest challenge is timing. My husband doesn't get home from work until 7-7:30. That's when I put the kids to bed. This means we don't often have family dinners. This isn't ideal but it's how our family works now with young kids. I've also realized that in not to many years we will have more meals together because my kids will be staying up later, but for now, they need the sleep and I need my alone time.

So, every day it's the dinner for the kids time and then dinner for Chris and I. That means I'm making two different meals every night. Sometimes, I actually make something early, eat with the boys and then Chris gets the left overs.

So here lies the challenge. How do you make kid friendly meals......that are actually healthy? That can be tough. I really liked reading Trainer Momma's post about this. I know that I'm not going to always have super healthy meals on the table every night, but I can give healthy options and teach my kids by example what is good for them.

Luckily, Jonah is falling in line with my plan. Sam is a whole different story, but I don't give up. My latest strategy is letting him help me in the kitchen. Today he helped me make a super healthy soup and healthy version of a yummy broccoli salad. He loved helping....but he didn't do more than try by force and almost gag.

What are you doing to take your new knowledge on living a healthier life and sharing it with your family? Are you making yourself a separate dinner? Are you only eating smaller portions of the foods you usually prepare? Are your kids interested in what you're eating? Are they taking notice of your new interest in exercising?

Share Please...I need help...and maybe some of you do too!

And The Award For Gross Deliberate Stupidity Goes To -

Yes, this is me, and I deserve it. You informed me, you warned me, it was constantly on my mind, but did I register early like I was supposed to? No, I let that bad thing called PROCRASTINATION win again.

Sadly, I will not be at Thanksgiving Point on Saturday. The race is full, no more participants allowed. It hurts to write this. It really does. I am an idiot. I could crawl in a hole. The stupid things I do to myself are the ones that hurt the most.

But I will be cheering the rest of you on, even if it is within the silence of my own mind while I swim laps on Saturday or maybe I'll run my own 6k here at home and post a story about that.

I'm sorry I won't be there. I'm very embarrassed.

Love, Becky

Inspiration vs. Motivation...

This is on the sleeve of my daughters XC team shirt. As they ran hills during practice, my daughter kiddingly picked tall weeds and gave it to the kids as they were making their way to the top. Hey, anything to motivate right? :)

I do have to tell you how funny the first few meets were as we were cheering the kids on saying " You can do it, you've got the weed!" I quickly realized how bad this sounded! At least the kids thought it was funny...

I read this today and I want to share it. It has made me think about the WHY behind my goals...

"When you’re motivated to reach a goal, it usually means there’s something in your life you want to change.  You’re focused on what you don’t want, rather than on what you do want. For example, you’re motivated to lose weight because you’re inspired to be thinner. Motivation signifies hard work, determination and persevering through the tough times. That’s important, but also draining. When we’re inspired, we’re uplifted and energized by what we want.  Inspiration means “to breathe life into.” So when we’re inspired to change something in our life, our inspiration breathes life into our actions.  It becomes easy and effortless, even fun! Motivation alone is drudgery. Motivation with inspiration is joyous."

The article suggests writing this sentence "I want to release weight because..." this little sentence written over and over will hopefully inspire us to work towards what we WANT and remind ourselves WHY we really want it.

How do you stay inspired???

Shin splints!

I have started back trying to run after months of slacking and recouping my back injury. So, the good news is, my back feels great, but I think I may be trying to soften the blow to my back and hurting my shins! My heart and lungs feel great when I run, but my darned shins are killing me.

I know a lot of you are runners...what training tips, etc. do you have for me so that I can work through shin splints and keep moving?

Extreme

I think moderation in all things is incredibly wise council. You may recall that there are about 15 people I know who either just had a baby or will be having one soon. One of them asked me if I change how I eat when I'm pregnant. She has been feeling very guilty that she hasn't changed her diet. She keeps reading all the things that might happen if she doesn't eat only good things. I told her no, I didn't change anything. Well, that's not true, I eat a little more than I did, but I'm not consuming anything differently. I'm still enjoying my sweets, fish, spinach salad, everything I ate before.

I also have a friend who has one child. Running is her life. Literally. The doctors have told her that ONE of the reasons she is unable to keep a pregnancy is because she runs too much. She also goes to the gym for two hours a day (well, not on Sundays). My point? There are many, many good and not so good things (although when a piece of cheesecake hits your tongue, it's hard to think it's a bad thing) in the world, and they all need to be taken in moderation. We need to steer clear of the extreme.

I saw this a few years ago and still think it's funny. Careful, some may find it...graphic(?), so I'm apologizing now if I offend you, not my intention.

Why Exercise Frightens Me

What's gonna happen when they stop weight training...?

Inspiration

I was inspired by one of you to dip my toes in here for twenty minutes. I swam 500 yards of breast stroke (also known as 20 minutes of swimming and that after 20 minutes on the elliptical). And I was totally wiped out...but loving every minute of it. Thank you for inspiring me to go to the pool without my kids. First time ever.

Maybe you will be inspired this week and try something new.

{Ahem, Becky.}

Thoughts and Pictures from Pinecrest Lake Hiking

I've been holding on to these pictures to do this post for way to long. I wanted to be able to sit down and do the post justice, capture the beauty, the personal insights I gained in those three trips around the lake.

When my parents were first married they lived in a place call Pinecrest, CA. It's part of the Sierra Nevada's, very close to Yosemite. After they moved slowly down the mountain we still spent many summers there. I have fond memories of my youth. The last time I visited I was in high school.

When I made plans to return to CA for the first time in three years my parents suggested renting their friends cabin and spending a week up there. I was excited to go back and take my boys, I knew there was tons of fun to be had.

Pinecrest Lake is not very big but it's beautiful. The Forest Service has done an amazing job keeping it pure to its original roots. I was busy trying to get my 120 miles in even while I had many vacations planned this summer. The first day I went on a nice run/walk around the cabins and campgrounds.

Then while my dad and I were talking he told me it was about 4 miles around the late and that he and his buddies did it all the time when he was growing up. So the day after our Yosemite trip and killer hike I decided to hit the lake. I wanted to see how fast I cold do it. I did it in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Now that may seem kind of slow but if you check out the terrain it's not an easy walk. There are some serious rocks and inclines to deal with. I loved the fresh air and most importantly I did it sans ipod. I wanted to really observe and enjoy and do some thinking. Day 2 of the lake hike I took my camera. It's hard to capture the beauty on my little point and shoot but if you look close it gives you an idea of what it was like.


Just a little humor. It can get so boring taking pictures of only the scenery, but also just as bad taking pictures of only you and the scenery.

I'm talking big boulders, steps carved out of rocks, and very important markers on the boulders since there is no obvious worn path to follow in some parts.
Did you see the telephone booth? And my awesome self timer action? But in all reality if was being with myself and pushing myself that made me really think and ponder what motivates me. Sometimes it's feeling better, sometimes its looking better, sometimes it's just my commitment to each of you that makes me keep going everyday.

I always find it interesting that people tell you the great things they think of others but never tell you what they think is great about you. I always wonder what people would say about me if they were trying to tell them what kind of person I was and what my interest were. These hikes gave me time to think about what I'd want them to say and also what I should do to make them want to say those things. It's very complex. One of my favorite songs is by Avril Lavigne. In one of her lyrics she say "I'd rather be anything but ordinary, please." Sometimes I feel very ordinary so what am I going to do to make people think otherwise...am I an interesting person? Maybe not.


Ok, enough of the mental stuff. So I took a picture of me running. Isn't that funny. Sometimes I wish my life was filmed so I could see what it looks like form a different perspective.

Last, but NOT least. When I got back to the cabin I started my breakfast with a cup of hot chocolate, monster marshmallows, and Yes, Oreos. A great ending to a beautiful morning.

Out of Control

Out of control, that's me today.

2 pieces of pumpkin pie

3 pieces of coconut lime banana bread

1 egg

2 mini candy bars

Cheese

Then finally something healthy, black bean soup and a salad!

Oh, and I didn't go to the gym as I had planned to do!

I feel disgusting and I'm disgusted with myself.

Thank goodness tomorrow is a new day and the pie and banana bread are gone, thanks to me.

Have you ever had a day like this?

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Two Actually!
Congratulations to Becky & Marci
They both did a great job this last challenge.
Becky! Congrats on breaking 200! We are all so proud of you and the example you set for us every day!
Marci! Well the weekend after Marci ran a 1/2 Marathon she participated in Ragnar. She ran a relay with 11 other people which consisted of about 196 miles in 40ish hours. NONSTOP! I hope you'll post about this Marci. Not only did she do her legs, but I believe she did an extra because someone got sick.
My last shout out is to Emily!
For those of you who don't have a chance to read all the comments here is what you missed. Emily hit a goal and has lost 27lbs. Yes, as she said that is a small child. Emily, way to go sticking to it when it all seems so overwhelming especially with new twins and a lot on your plate.

Keep up the good work ladies! I'm proud of each and everyone of you!!!

Channeling the weather

Today is the fourth day in a row that it's cold, gray and rainy outside. The grass is green and lush and the bushes have perked up again. It definitely feels like fall. But I tend to internalize the weather over time. So that, by day four, I feel gray and rainy too. And I'm convinced, after four such days, that either I have a very mild case of seasonal affective disorder or I'm reliving the same day over and over again a la Groundhog Day.

I'm also convinced, after a bit of online reading, that I'm probably not getting enough Vitamin D through direct sunlight exposure.

Lastly, I tend to crave sugary, oven-to-mouth baked goods on days like today. I'm going to have to tap into my super resistance powers today; I can tell.

P.S. This may be the year I invest in my own little piece of sun (electric sun light), so that I can channel surf on days like today.

One small step at a time

The past two challenges, I've missed my 30 point goal. And why? Because I have too many little mini-events and deadline goals that MUST be done that I can't figure a way to add another one in there that's really doable. In short, I've aimed too high. So this time, I'm going to pick two or three from the list below and repeat the following mantra in my head daily: "Little goals are challenging too."

1) change out the dead light bulbs
2) clean up the countertop clutter
3) email two friends out of the blue
4) clean with my kids for an hour
5) toss 10 magazines/catalogues
6) find the lost library book
7) meet the husband at the door with a kiss
8) see if the winter coats still fit the winkies
9) donate or throw away 5 things in the garage
10) begin contemplating a Christmas plan (just typing that made me shiver)

What little goals do you hope to accomplish this week?

HELP ME!!!!

Ok gals. The guilt is weighing on my shoulders, and I am cracking under the pressure. I have to confess before the new challenge starts so I can jump into this with a clear conscience.

Deep breath...

I totally fell off the band wagon today! I hate it when I fall that hard. Seriously! I couldn't leave the gourmet chocolates alone.

I've mentioned before that I really lack self control. Over the past month I have made so many goodies...brownies, cinnamon rolls, snicker doodles, rice krispie treats, banana bread, scones, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, zucchini bread, more cinnamon rolls, chocolate crinkles, peanut butter cookies, and on and on, and I haven't eaten a single one. They don't tempt me because they have wheat in them, and I have learned the hard way what happens when I eat wheat.

When I first stopped eating gluten, I would cave about once a week, and I paid for it by getting sick for a few days. Recently I ate dinner at a neighbors house who didn't speak English very well. In order to avoid being rude, I ended up eating her delicious meal, made with wheat, and spent 4 days sick and miserable. So all these goodies no longer tempt me. Wheat is scary to me. In fact, it's very liberating to be able to cook delicious goodies that my family can enjoy with out even sampling one lick of batter. This type of self control can be misleading though. I begin to think that I am beyond temptation, that I have conquered it, when in fact I have little self control when it comes to treats that I can eat.

With pride in my heart, I went to Costco and bought some gourmet chocolates. I remember holding the container in my hand and thinking "I am stronger than these. I'll just have one every now and then."

So back to the gourmet chocolates. They are gluten free. They are delicious and melt in my mouth. I ate 8 of them today, and they are taunting me, up on my shelf, staring me down every time I get the nerve to glance in their direction. I will probably go lock myself in the bathroom as soon as I am done writing this. I'll probably even sleep in there tonight, until someone comes and saves me.

Anyone want to intervene?

Anyone want to march over to my house and pluck them off my shelf and take them elsewhere?

Truthfully, I bought them for the sisters I visit teach. They won't get any though. They are almost gone.

Thanks for listening.

I just can't have this stuff in my house anymore. Is that cheating? Is it ok that I don't really have any self control? Is it weak to run in the face of danger and temptation? Joseph ran from Potipher's wife. I'm gonna be like Joseph and run from chocolate...starting tomorrow.

Goodnight!