One Week to Go....

It's hard to believe but here we are with only one week to go until this half-marathon.  Where did that time go?  It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant thinking about my first post-partum run.  Am I ready?  I think so.  I won't be setting a personal record, but I think I have put in an honest training effort and obtained my goal of rebuilding mileage and fitness to complete the distance for this race and then focus on getting faster with my next one.  Am I tired?  I'm glad you asked...yes!  In the spirit of keeping it real, I do find fitting in my "ideal" training plan with the wee ones, work and life in general a little bit tougher than I had imagined it would be.  Purchasing a treadmill over the holidays was a blessing and I'm confident my training would not have been where it is at this point without it. 

Today was my last long run and I covered 12 miles.  Funny thing is that my training plan actually called for my last long run of 12 miles to be last week, but somehow I calculated my training weeks off a little bit and I didn't realize my error until this week.  Ooops.  Ideally, I would have covered 12 miles last week, followed by a regular week of mid-distance runs ranging 4-6 miles and then a 6 miler this weekend with a taper next week.  When I realized the error, I contemplated skipping the 12 mile run and going with 6 for the weekend, but I just couldn't do it.  Mentally, I felt like I needed to do 12 miles.  Physically, I don't know that a taper is all that important this round as I am not really running "hard."  This event is all about rebuilding some mileage and fitness so I haven't been doing speed work.  My long, slow runs have started to feel easier over the last couple of weeks and I feel comfortable as far as cardio is concerned.  My hips still feel tight after 8'ish miles but it isn't so uncomfortable to be a problem right now.

So going into next week I am both excited and nervous.  I'm excited to be back at a race, full of positive people with fitness ambitions and a zest for life.  I'm also excited for that post-race event that will have Lindt Chocolate.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I have learned that the post-race gathering area will have Lindt Chocolate and I have actually envisioned the feeling of completing a frosty 13.1 miles on the Atlantic Coast and being greeted with velvety smooth chocolate.  What can I say?  I have a problem. 

As for the nerves, they are there even though I have a relaxed goal for this race.  I have no "time" goal for this race, but I am still nervous and anticipate the jittery stomach next Sunday morning.  I have learned that no matter the distance, goal or purpose of a race, I always have race day jitters.  Every. Single. Time.  This got me thinking.  Why do I get nervous for every event???  I thought on it...and thought some more....and I think I have the answer.....

My race day jitters stem from the commitment I make to myself for an event.  When I put my toe to the line, I commit to myself to do the best I possibly can.  To do the best I possibly can, I have to get to the point that I envision in my mind as a "crossroads."  The crossroads is a point when everything in my body says "No! Stop! You could just be enjoying a bagel and coffee on the couch silly girl," and the only way to do my best from that point is for my mind to go all "Braveheart" on me, scream "Freedom" as a battle call to keep the legs going (silently of course- I promise I won't wear blue face paint and scare you out there) and charge through to the finish.  When I get to that "crossroads," temptation can easily set in.  Temptation to walk when I don't have to.  Temptation to stop when I don't need to.  Temptation to back off.  All of these temptations are not visible to race spectators.  I could opt for any one of those options and no one would know the difference.  No one would know that I didn't leave everything out there....except me.  I would.  I would wonder.  I would say "next time."  I would inevitably wish I hadn't given in. 

Those "crossroads" are tough mentally...and physically.  I think it's safe to say that we've all been there.  It's why I get nervous, but it's also why I love running.  Running is something I don't have to do, but I am honored to do it and blessed to have the good health to do it....and I get that much stronger every time I hit those "crossroads" and keep pushing.  So, that's my plan for next Sunday: get stronger!

Before I go, check out these new, awesome gloves I scored at Christmas....they will be with me next week!

 

Do you get jitters before your races?  Have a great week!

Just go with the flow...

I get busy and then I feel like I fall off track.  It's a vicious cycle.  These past few weeks have been great and busy.  I tackled the transition back to work from maternity leave- go me!  I felt like I had a few hiccups but overall it all went well.  The wee one tackled the transition out of her co-sleeper and into her own room- go baby! And then my mileage tanked with all of that commotion. There was not a whole lot to "tank" from, but it had taken a decent amount of work to get up to my 12 miles per week after not running at all through the second half of my pregnancy. It took pretty much all of my 12 weeks of maternity leave to be able to tackle some of the hills on even the short 2-3 mile runs, but I was making progress and happy about it.

I have been back to work for 3 weeks now and the running has dropped to 2-3 runs per week of 2-2.5 miles each with a circuit or two in between running days.  My head was spinning as to when else I can squeeze more mileage in and I was obsessing over my pace when running to the point of frustration.  My better half and I have different days off from work so we can't trade off the kiddos on the weekend days and night feedings are still in effect- our oldest bundle was sleeping through the night by now but #2 has her own plan and she is sticking to it!  I started feeling stressed about it and decided to stop my insanity.  I remembered this awesome quote from a fantastic book, Born to Run:

“Ask nothing from your running, and you'll get more than you ever imagined!”

~Christopher MacDougall

Source

 

Those words are exactly what I need to remember right now.  I too often take my hobby, outlet & "me-time" activity and turn it into stress when I fall short of my expectations.  I love structured training plans and working towards a goal like a particular race or finishing time, but it's just not that time for me right now and that's ok.  I'm going to enjoy running! I am going to get as many running endorphins as I can, let the rest go, soak in the fall air and see where it takes me.  I just got back this morning from an early and quiet 3 miles.  I was able to arrange the feeding and work departure schedules to squeeze something in at 6.  I love early morning runs.  Hooray!

Oh- My boss likes my new philosophy...

 

 She's the cutest, right?

Do you ever feel like you need to throw in "the plan" & just run for fun or go with the flow of your fitness endeavors?

Have a great week!

 

 

 

 

What to do with all of those vegetables and running update!

 

This is our second year with a summer share from a local farm.  I love committing to a share, but I have not been as crafty as I thought I would be about preserving and/or using everything this year as it has been a little busy with the newborn.  Our farm sends out a weekly electronic newsletter with tips and ideas to get the most of your share and the most recent one referenced ideas for those that might be feeling overwhelmed with how much is coming in the recent weekly baskets.  Phew- I'm not the only one! So, although it is still a work in progress, here are some of the tips that have worked for us:

Greens: In the beginning of the season, there were so many greens! Spinach, kale, lettuce, bok choy etc.  I think my husband would have thrown a salad at me if I made one more.  I used as many as possible in green smoothies with frozen and/or fresh fruit.  I found that spinach is perfect in green smoothies- I don't even taste it.  I can only taste the fruit.  Kale & lettuce flavors stood out more in my breakfast drink but it used the stuff up once the house was on a salad strike.

Beets: I am not a huge fan of beets.  I have tried pickling them in the past, which works to preserve them if you like beets.  In my case I just ended up with jars of beets sitting around the house for too long.  This year, I followed a simple recipe from the farm to make beet chips.  Thinly slice the beets, toss them in olive oil and salt and put them on a parchment lined baking sheet and in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.  I learned a lesson the hard way to watch them carefully, especially if sliced by hand and not evenly sliced.  Some of mine burned really bad in one batch and were not tasty for eating!

Herbs: Pesto freezes really well.  I used up my basil by making up a batch of pesto and scooping it into ice cube trays, top each cube with some olive oil, freeze and then store in a freezer bag.  Other fresh herbs such as cilantro and parsley came with instructions from the farm that we could cut them up, wrap in foil and then place the foil packets in a freezer bag or container for use later on.  Done and Done!

Cucumbers: Holy cucumbers!  Those things must grow like weeds because we have a lot of them.  I do not have a pressure canner but I found a recipe that gave processing time for the pickle jars to be submerged in boiling water.  We had fresh dill and garlic from the farm, stuffed some into the bottom of the jar, sliced cucumbers on top and then poured a mixture of boiled water, pickling salt and vinegar on top before sealing.  We just opened our first jar this week and I have to admit that they taste pretty good. 

Zucchini and Squash:  These vegetables also come in an abundance.  We use as many as possible in stir fry dinners and they are also a perfect vegetable for roasting.  I also love zucchini and squash for baking.  It is easy to find zucchini bread recipes out there or you can try these Lemon Zest Zucchini Muffins and make an extra batch for the freezer.  Baking and freezing is great because the day will come when I don't want to bake something or don't have time and it's awesome to have something ready to go.  If you don't feel like baking right now, that's ok too.  I used a mini-chopper (a food processor would work great- I have not invested in one of those yet) to shred and my Vitamix to puree squash and zucchini for future baking.  I just put the puree or shredded vegetables into freezer bags and into the freezer.

Tomatoes: I found this recipe for quick marinara sauce using the Vitamix and it inspired me to make a quick tomato sauce with what I had on hand to go into the freezer.  The Vitamix seriously pulverized quartered tomatoes in seconds.  I modified the recipe by adding a bunch of basil leaves that I needed to use, red wine vinegar and probably way too much garlic, but it tastes great- I think!  I would recommend adding some tomato paste to the mixture to thicken the sauce once it is out of the blender and simmering on the stove.  I haven't found the perfect ratio of it just yet though.  One batch was too runny for my taste and another just tasted of too much tomato paste.  I am still working on it, but I now have sauce in freezer bags and in the freezer for later use.

Green Onions: I saw something on the internet about being able to keep your green onions growing in a sunny window sill for use in cooking....I was skeptical, but it works!  Mine are sitting in mason jar on the kitchen window sill and they keep growing.  I just keep a small amount of water in the bottom of the jar.  Need onions? Just grab the kitchen shears and snip some off to throw into anything!

Share: Last but not least, sharing is always fun! Bring some of those good veggies to family and friends.  Who doesn't love that?

Next year I hope to make even more out of the share!

On the running front, I am still hovering around 11 miles per week, which is ok.  I edged out my "long" run from 3 miles to 3.5 miles this week.  This week also included my first post partum run where I felt strong at the end! Woohoo.  I was a bit disappointed when I looked at my pace once I finished as it had felt faster, but that's ok.  Hills that were bringing me to a walk a few weeks ago are being conquered so there must be progress!

Any tips for using up the summer produce?  Do you ever have a run that feels awesome and then you learn it was slower than you thought?

Have a great week!

On Asking for Help....

I am terrible at asking for help, but over the last couple of weeks I learned that really good things can happen if I speak up and ask for it on occasion.  I don't know what my hesitation is.  I would not expect anyone else to not ask for help.  In fact, I like it when friends and family ask for my help.  Who wouldn't want close friends and family that trust you enough to ask for your help? So, what is my problem? I. Don't. Know. 

This all starts with a few weeks of regular newborn schedules....no sleep, a lot of feedings, diaper changes etc.  I learned quickly that the whole "rest when the baby rests" doesn't really work on the second little bundle because you also need and want time with the big sister....and the laundry I guess :)  Before I continue, I feel compelled to clarify that my kids are healthy.  I am the luckiest girl in the world to have two beautiful girls and I am in no way trying to complain, say that I have things tough or have the world's busiest schedule. I don't- far from it and I know this.  I personally know women with 3, 4 and even 9 kids.  My own grandmother had 15!!!! I know friends that have beautiful children with serious health complications. I know how lucky I am and never want to forget it.  Phew.  I feel better now that I said that.

That said, I was feeling a little burned out.  It turns out that our second little girl is not quite as laid back and calm as our first.  She cries and screams a lot....way more than usual baby fussiness.  I have been to the doctor and thankfully nothing is wrong.  She's just "colicky," which as explained to me by the doc, is something babies usually grow out of by 3-4 months old.  As any mom would know, it breaks your heart to hear your little one scream endlessly.  Sometimes a car ride would help, sometimes not.  Often, a walk in the stroller would help.  Sometimes it wouldn't.  I felt guilty about leaving her with anyone else, even Dad, even for a few minutes.  I have wonderful family that kept asking if I needed anything....did I need to get out for a walk on my own or go read a book for a while? (seriously, wonderful family).  9 out of 10 times I said no.  I felt like I couldn't justify needing anything.  There are people who need food.  People who need healthcare, medicine and a roof over their head.  Who am I to complain about needing anything?

Then about a week ago shortly after my husband got home from work and at the end of one of the newbie's crying spells, a crystal clear sentence came to my head.  "I need 30 minutes of child free exercise time...everyday."    I was hesitant to say it out loud.  I felt like a bit of a spoiled brat, but I said it anyway.  His reaction? "Well, yeah." As in, like "D'uh." Total agreement. I told you I have wonderful family!  Done. Supported.  Awesome.

Since that conversation I have taken that time almost everyday.  My running mileage is creeping up from only 4 weekly miles a couple of weeks ago to about 10 miles this week, which were made up of 2-3 mile runs, and some strength circuits.  The baby still cries...a lot, but endorphins do wonderful things for my mind set.  That is one of the many things I love about running.  My 30 minutes will creep up too as sleep schedules iron out, feedings space out more and I tackle the transition back to work.  She is only two months old this week....and already 2 months old this week :) 

So, I feel that there is really nothing special about this story.  I am not doing anything of merit here, but I wanted to throw it out there because I know so many wonderful people who juggle a lot for their families, friends, co-workers, employment etc. and the thought of asking for time for themselves doesn't even enter their mind.   Or if it does, they likely feel selfish for it.  Well, I learned over the last couple of weeks that it isn't selfish.  I am a better mom, wife, friend and person just by logging a few sweaty miles.  I handle things better.  I smile more.  I let more roll off my back when things get a little crazy.  The weeding and laundry might never get done but it's ok.  I think my kids are better off with my glow of endorphins!

Have a great week.  And please, ask for some time for yourself! Read a book, get a glass of wine, go for a run...whatever it is- it's important!

"Running," a Mild Case of Amnesia & Ice Cream!

Time is flying by!  I can't believe we are creeping up on the end of July and my new little girl is already 5 weeks old.  Overall, things are going well.  Baby is growing healthfully.  The big sister is having a great summer and I am getting into the swing of things of being mom to 2.

One of the things I looked forward to for me is my return to running.  While pregnant, I only kept up jogging until about 22 weeks and then kept cardio to the elliptical, walking and spinning.  I know ladies who kept up running right until delivery, which I think is awesome.  It just wasn't comfortable for me between a high heart rate and a lot of pressure from the growing baby.  I also had not been running as regularly as usual when I found out I was pregnant.  As delivery got closer, I was constantly day dreaming about running again.  My vision was that of a mom going out jogging in between feedings. I would be up to 4 or 5 runs per week of 3 miles each by now with strength workouts in between.  I would be glowing with endorphins and relaxed.  This is where my mild case of amnesia comes in....how did I forget so much about a newborn in just four years??

I forgot that the estimate of feedings every 2 hours does not mean that one has 2 hours of free time once a feeding is finished (what was I thinking?).  Newborns feed more often than every 2 hours, especially in the first month.  When I have gone out for a jog, I have jogged for 15-20 minutes, returned home, taken a disgustingly quick shower and the baby is past ready for a feeding right then and there- not 2 hours after the last feeding.  Or there are the times when feedings just blend into each other :) I knew there would be little sleep, but I guess I forgot exactly how that feels after a few weeks.  And I guess my husband still has his regular work schedule to contend with. What do you mean you have to go to work right now?  I just got the baby down, the big sister is happy and fed- I can go for a jog NOW and only NOW.  I laugh.  Ok, I may have cried at least once too, but all of the important things are going well, which is what counts. I may have given out more TV time and nutella sandwiches to the big sister over the last few weeks than any mom would want to admit, but the kiddos are healthy and we got our first smile this week from bundle #2, which makes everything in the world just right...at least for a moment :)

My weekly mileage last week was 4.1! Woo hoo....Not the 12'ish miles I thought it would be and I know 4 miles is many runners' warm up/cool down of one of their weekly workouts, but I get out there when I can and am striving for more mileage each week. Pace? Slow but I am concentrating more on time out there at this point.  As for the strength workouts, I do better squeezing those in as I can just drop to the floor with my weights and calisthenics for 15 minutes at a time without having to worry about timing childcare etc.  And boy do I need a crash course in pushups!  Every little bit helps, right?

Moving onto summer fun, the recent heat waves bring about cravings for one of my biggest weaknesses: ice cream!  I love ice cream but do not love the paragraph of ingredients on the back of most brands of ice cream available.  I have been following sites like 100 Days of Real Food, My Whole Food Life and Food Babe and they all have posts of recipes of their own ice cream.  I finally took the plunge with a recent birthday gift and bought my very own ice cream machine and it was worth it! 

Source
Except mine is in red!
 

This thing is dangerous....a house with no ice cream to be tempted by can have fresh ice cream galore within 15-20 minutes.  Seriously, it's awesome.  Get one if you don't have one.  Oh the recipes to come up with.  So far, I have made a simple vanilla ice cream and my favorite is this recipe over at the Detoxinista.  This was my first use of coconut milk and it made this chocolate ice cream heavenly and rich.  Confession: It did not last as long as it should have in our freezer and I can't blame family.
 
So there you have it.  Any home made ice cream tips for me?  Tips for short workouts that are effective?  Have a great week.

Happy Feet

There are these feet....happily decked out in my new Brooks running sneakers.

 But more importantly, there are these feet!

 Bundle #2 came along last week healthy and happy (except when hungry, wet or tired of course) and it's a girl!  Another beautiful little girl- all 8lbs 9oz of her joined us 1 day after my due date.  It is safe to say that she was not premature based upon her birth weight.  Bundle #1 is super excited to have a little sister.  In fact, she was saying all along that she wanted a sister...so much to the point that I kind of started to worry how she would react if it was a boy.  It all worked out!

Everything is going well and as expected after the arrival of a new little one.  Not much sleep but it's temporary (or so I try to tell myself repeatedly).  Delivery recovery is going pretty much by the book thankfully.  I felt like I had been hit by a truck the day of and first few days afterwards, but things are looking up.  In fact, I stepped out for my first post partum jog yesterday on day #9.  I only covered a mile and paced myself super slow with the dog, but it just felt good to break a sweat and get out there with my new sneakers and thoughts of the miles to come :)

Yesterday I got a little bit ambitious in the kitchen during the wee one's snooze.  I know everyone says to rest when baby does, but I am horrible at sleeping during the day...especially when the sun is out.  I have so much respect for people who work nights!  Anyway, I was inspired by this recipe for a quick snack to keep ready in the fridge.  These also highlight my love for all things chocolate, unsweetened coconut and peanut butter.  They also require zero, yes zero, baking.  How can you not enjoy?  I threw in some chia seeds also, even though the recipe did not call for them, just for an extra something.  Here they are...give them a try- they are super easy to make and well worth it!

 

Do you have any suggestions for resuming fitness post partum?

 

Have a great week!