sushi, skirts and a winner ...

A few weeks ago, G and I got an email from Jen asking if we lived near The Glen. She had to go there for a meeting and was hoping we would be close. Two nanoseconds later, I replied back that not only did I live near The Glen, I lived IN The Glen.

It was perfect. Jen would come in the night before her meeting and we would get together for dinner and an early morning run the next day. I was pumped and eager to get to know her "in real life". Since we were late getting to the start at National, I only had the chance to talk to Jen for a few minutes before the race (At which point she said my name wrong. Or so she claims. I do not remember this.)

Anyway, last night, we met for sushi. And had an absolute blast. We laughed a lot. And ate a lot. And probably overstayed our welcome at the restaurant.Jen's first question for us was classic, "Tell me one thing I don't know about your from your blog." And since we share almost everything here, I'm pretty sure both G and I surprised her with our answers. I believe there was even a threat of ending the friendship. And no, I'm not sharing. At least not yet.

Then this morning, long before the sunrise, we met for a five miler decked out in our skirts and knee highs (which managed to get cropped out of all the photos we attempted to take).

The whole visit was a total win.

And speaking of winners, I am happy to announce the winner of my Races2Remember giveaway. There were 130 entries and thanks to random.org, the winner is # 125 ...

Paula @ Running Mom of 5

Congrats Paula! Send me an email to claim your prize!

2011 National Marathon Recap ...

Location: Washington, D.C.
Date: 3/26/11
Temperature: A chilly 36 degrees at the start
Official Time: 4:15:48 (9:46 pace) for 26.2 miles
Garmin Time: 4:15:49 (9:39 pace) for 26.48 miles
Place in Age Group: 161/305
Overall Place: 1662/2872


The Good:

The Weather: Back in October when I registered for this race, I pictured the perfect Spring morning for race day. A low of 40. A high of 56. It was going to be magical. But of course, that didn't happen. Three days out from the race, forecasters were calling for a HIGH of 40. I wasn't quite sure what I thought about that. But, as it ends up, the weather was pretty much perfect. Sure, it was chilly as we waited in the corral, but by mile 4, I had ditched my gloves and was feeling comfortable in my outfit choice. By mile 20, I was happy it wasn't any warmer.

Cruising to a Sub-2 Half Split: There was a time, like seven months ago, that I would have killed for a sub-2 half marathon. And even when I finally accomplished that goal, it was tough (despite Tall Mom's best efforts to make it easy on me). But on Saturday, it felt like the easiest thing ever. I ran the first 12 miles of the race with IronJ and KC (they ran the half) and we chatted pretty much the whole time. It was so much fun to run with them and such an amazing feeling to look at my Garmin when we hit mile 13 and have it read 1:58. The coolest thing was that even though I knew we were racing, it never felt like it.

A new PR: One of my running goals in 2011 was to cut 30+ minutes off my marathon time. I knew as long as another catastrophe didn't strike on race day, I would be able to do it. Although I did have a few missteps during the race, my first half was strong enough to carry me through to the finish and I walked away with a 33:50 PR. And a marathon time I can be proud of.

Racing/Traveling with the Posse: I think this one's a given. Yes, running is an individual sport. And yes, on race day, you are the one who needs to bring it. But, I don't think there is anything better than sharing your running triumphs and struggles with your friends. Every single moment of our race weekend was awesome. From the expo ...

to the start ...

to the finish line ...

It was perfect.

Making it to the Start in One Piece: National was marathon number four for me. And it was the FIRST time I made it to the start without a total catastrophe. For my first and second marathons, I showed up with an ankle injury and walked miles of the races. For number three, I caught a stomach bug and spent 15 minutes of the race in the bathroom. But nothing was going to stop me this time ...

Our outfits: We looked fab. Obviously. (Note: there was a Yankee fan on the course who tried to hate on us. I beat his sorry butt.)

G "coaching" me to the Finish: Last November, I got the privilege of pacing G in the last 4.5 miles of her marathon. She walked away with a HUGE PR. I walked away able to take some credit for it. On Saturday, G got to do the same for me. And thank God she did.

The last four miles of the race were tough. Mentally, I was there, but physically, not so much. "The Quads" were failing me. And the hills weren't helping. But G helped me push through. She knew how to keep me moving. Even if that meant threatening me. (Note: I walk through water stations since I can't run and drink. She told me that if I didn't start running again that she would take a picture of me walking and post it for everyone to see. I'm going to show it to you anyway ...)

I couldn't be more thankful for G and all that she does for me. She is truly the best running partner EVER.
Meeting Bloggy Buddies: Although I failed to take a single picture, I did meet a few bloggers before and during the race. I ran into Katie as we were walking to the start. I spotted Jen in my corral. And Rachel introduced herself during mile 2.

Post-Race Recovery Drinks: Milkshakes. Enough said.

The Bad:

The Course (scenery): OK, I will admit that I wasn't overly concerned with what was going on around me, but every time I think back to the views along the course, all I can think of is UGLY. I know we ran past several historical landmarks. I've been told there were cherry blossoms. But, the parts that stuck out to me were ugly and boring. Behind RFK stadium - ugly and boring. Along the water in Anacostia - ugly, boring and scary.

The Course (length): So, I know that most courses run long. But, this race was INSANE. When I finished, my Garmin read 26.48. Not too bad, but considering that my watch lost the signal at least three times while we ran through tunnels (one that was at least .3 long), this course was SUPER long. (Note: SpeeDee's Garmin read 26.9)

The Course (topography): I knew this course was hilly going into it, but I was not expecting rolling hills for the last three miles (most of the HUGE climbs were in the first half). My legs were shot at that point and I struggled. If you are going for a PR, this is likely not the course for it.

Failing to Pick Up G at Mile 21: After I split from IronJ and KC, I was looking forward to meeting up with G at mile 21. I was mentally prepared for it. I knew that I had eight solo miles and then she'd help me make that final push. But, when I got to mile 21, she wasn't there. And at mile 22, she wasn't there either. I was convinced that she thought she missed me and that she had left. But, rather, a crappy course map and a horribly placed Metro stop in Anacostia prevented her from getting there. When I finally saw her at mile 22.5, I felt like a new person. Such a mental boost.

The Ugly:

Almost Missing the Start: The logistics of getting to the start were horrendous. It took over a half hour to get our car out of valet. The traffic was crawling. Shuttles were running late. The Metro only opened an hour before the start. At 6:40 a.m., we were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic about a mile from the start. All I could think was that this was going to be the catastrophe that ruined my race. Scared that we wouldn't make it in time, we got out of the car and walked. Total fiasco.

Hitting the Wall at Mile 13.5: I knew that running with my friends for the first half was going to keep me on pace. And I knew that splitting from them was going to be hard. But I wasn't prepared for what would hit me just after mile 13.

When the half marathoners ran to the finish, I was feeling strong. I saw Katye on the course and told her I felt good. Then she snapped this picture, and it must have sucked the life out from me.

Less than a half mile later, I had lost my mojo. The course was desolate. And ugly. The marathoners were sent on a loop behind RFK stadium through the parking lots. There were no spectators and I knew there was a hill coming up. It defeated me. I couldn't imagine running another 13 miles. I didn't even know if I could make it to G at mile 21. It took me until mile 18 to get my groove (and my hope) back.

Cramping at Mile 24: When G picked me up at mile 22.5, I told her I couldn't quench my thirst. I had finished the liter of water in my hydration pack and had drank at the last two water stops. My face was caked with salt. My fingers looked like sausages. I needed some sodium, but there was none to be found. By mile 23, my quads were cramping up every hill. I did my best to run through the pain, but I didn't want to risk an injury either. I would make it 3/4 of the way up and need to massage my quads. And then I could start running again. It was rough. And I'm still feeling the burn.

Complete and Utter Chaos: I'm not really sure that anything ran smoothly with this race. From the disorganized start to the lack of mile markers to confusion at the finish, this race was a cluster. Unless some serious changes are made, I will never run this race again. And I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else ...

Up Next: Another attempt at a sub-1:55 half at the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon, 4/16/11

Three Things Thursday: Disney Princess Edition ...

1. 48 hours from now, I will be landing in Orlando and I could not be more excited. Not only to I get to run my FAVORITE race on Sunday, but I get to hang out with some super cool bloggy peeps, including Katye, Heather and Wifey (we are all taking part in The Blogroller's Get Moving! Initiative).

I know a ton of other bloggers will be in attendance for the race, so if you see a 20-something, fo-hawked mom of three while you are out and about, please introduce yourself. I promise, I don't bite. Usually ...

2. As you all know, the most important part of race day preparation is outfit selection. For last year's Princess Half, I dressed as Belle. I wore yellow from head to toe and even sported a tiara. But this year, I'm taking a different approach. I'm going to be a Punk Rock Princess, donned in hot pink and lime (with the signature fo-hawk, of course). It will be nearly impossible to miss me. Just look for this outfit ...

It's my goal to prove that you can look cute and still be bada**.

3. I've said it before, but I have a thing for numbers. I almost always dissect my bib numbers to find the "hidden meaning." My number for Sunday's race is 750. I like this number for many reasons. First, it's low, which means I'm practically an elite. Second, 7 is my birth date and my favorite number. And third, I like to think that it means I am going to PR by 7:50. Yes, it seems like a lot, but it's quite possible. A 7:50 PR would fall right in the range between my goal (1:55) and the projected time from my January 15K (1:48). I know I can run somewhere in that range. My only concern is the temperature. It's forecasted to be 60 degrees at the start, much warmer than I'm used to.

2010 goals: accomplished

2010 was a pretty big year for me and my family.

I became certified as a running coach and started my own training business. I was also fortunate enough to travel quite a bit for races, toeing the line in Bermuda, Florida, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Indiana, Illinois and Washington. We went to Disney. Twice. J ran his first (and second) half marathon. Dizzle and Doodle each ran their first race, a mile and a half mile, respectively. Dizzle also started kindergarten and lost two teeth. Dilly learned to walk and talk. Simply put, 2010 didn't suck.

When the year started, I put in place a few goals to keep me motivated throughout the year. Here's how they turned out -

• run 1000 miles - accomplished on 8/14, as of this morning I sit at 1787.87 on the year.
• run a 2 hour half marathon - accomplished on 9/26 at the You Go Girl! Half where I was paced by Tall Mom to a 1:58:02
• run a sub-25 5K - accomplished first on 5/29 at the Autism 5K (24:09) and again last Sunday (22:55)
• run a sub 7:10 mile - accomplished, sort of. I never did the mile time trial I wanted to, but my last mile of Sunday's 5K was a 7:08. I'm counting that.
• eat less than 50 cupcakes - accomplished, as of today I have had 48 cupcakes this year. It scares me to think of how many calories that adds up to or how much cash I spent on them (they run $3.25 each).

Not too shabby, right? Now I just need to think of some goals to help make 2011 even better ...

Three Things Thursday ...

1. Last night, I met with Dizzle's teacher for a parent-teacher conference. Going in, I was confident that she was academically thriving. All of her graded papers have had "100%" written across the top. Plus, I have spoken to Dizzle before, so I kind of know what she knows and what she doesn't.

The part I was worried about was her behavior. Now, don't get me wrong, she's a very well behaved child, simply because she is a RULE FOLLOWER. With that said, she is also a BIG TALKER. Like a "doesn't stop to take a breath" talker.

I deal with it at home by telling her to "shut it" or simply ignoring the constant stream of vocabulary vomit. But, that's not going to happen at school. School tends to be a place when excessive talking isn't tolerated. And I already knew she was talking straight through lunch, since she comes home with a nearly full lunch box on most days. I just didn't know if it was rolling over into the classroom.

So, how do you think the conference went?

Yup. I was dead on. She is killing it academically, already exceeding the end of the year assessment standards. (Yes, I'm bragging. Deal with it.) And apparently, she DOES NOT SHUT UP in class. And it's not just chatting to her neighbor. She's also big on interrupting her teacher. So much so that she got a time-out for it today. And the kicker is, she's 100% aware of what she is doing. Kind of sounds to me like someone thriving on being the center of attention. Wonder who she could have gotten that trait from?

2. After the parent-teacher conference, I jumped on the treadmill for a tempo run. I wanted to get a feel for my goal race pace, so I planned on a mile warm-up followed by four miles at race pace followed by a one mile cool-down.

Things started off well. I ran the first mile in 10:00. Then I picked it up to goal race pace (8:00). But after the first mile at that pace, I was feeling strong, so I decided to push it a little. Mile 3 clocked in at 7:53. Mile 4 was 7:47 and Mile 5 was a 7:41. When I hit the 8K mark, the clock read 41:11, an unofficial PR (even with the 10:00 first mile).

Did I mention how I am going to kill the 8K next month?

3. Speaking of the 8K, I know that G, J and I aren't the only ones running the races of the Richmond Marathon. And with that in mind, I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in meeting up for dinner the night before the race.

G and I have discussed a place (Italian, located in the suburbs of Richmond), but I want to get an idea of how many people there would be before we commit/announce. So, if you are running Richmond and want to meet up, shoot me an email at racingwithbabes@yahoo.com to let me know. And be sure to include how many people will be with you.

patience is something I lack ...

The other day I got a message from another runner that said, "Keep waiting to see you post that you are running the Richmond full after your stomach bug race last week."

Huh? Did you all think that I was considering it? Am I really that predictable? (G seems to think so.)

Here's the thing. I kind of lack patience. And I don't like to let an opportunity pass me by. Take for instance, my marriage, family and all that jazz.

If J had asked me to marry him as we were boarding the plane home from England (where we met), I would have said yes. I knew it was right. I was trusting my gut and my gut rarely fails me. Instead, J waited a whole 10 months to ask and we were married just after we had been together for two years (again, I would have done it sooner if I thought the parents would have approved.)

Then there is that matter of having children. J and I managed to wait a whole two months after our wedding to jump on that bandwagon. Dizzle was born a month before our first anniversary and she was subsequently followed by two more children, each 22 months apart.

Need more proof? Well, let's see. I graduated from an Ivy League college in three years, primarily due the the fact that I was over it. I was done with accruing debt in the form of school loans and I wanted to start my "real life."

Oh, and then there's was that time that I ran my first 5K and followed it immediately by my first marathon. Right. That was a smart idea. Totally just skipped over the distances in between, because really, "Why wait until tomorrow for what you can do today?"

So, you get it. I don't like to wait. I don't like to see others doing the things I know I am capable of while I sit on the sidelines. I am not one to let opportunity to pass me by. It's just who I am.

So, of course, I played around with the idea of getting Marathon Redemption at Richmond. I mean, who wouldn't? My training partner is running. I've run the course tons of times before. I wouldn't have to travel for it. I'm already trained. It was almost a no-brainer. But, it's not like I emailed the race director to find out what it would take to switch from the 8K to the marathon, or anything (OK, maybe I did). But, after some contemplation and some advice from a good friend, I decided NOT to switch. And here's why ...

1. I have been looking forward to this 8K for an entire year. It is my favorite race distance (and my favorite 8K course).

2. My 8K PR is old and this course is notoriously fast. I have a much larger base that the last time I ran this distance and I am ready to crush my previous times.

3. By running the 8K, I get to be course support for J (who's running the half) and G (who's running the full). Since the 8K, starts at 7 a.m., I should be finished within 10 minutes of J starting his race at 7:30. So, once I cool down, I can run back on the course find him and run him to the finish (which I am super pumped for). Then, once I have dropped off J, I can run the course backwards again to find G, who starts the marathon at 8 a.m., and run her in as well. It's a perfect plan.

4. I am hosting Katye and Erin. And a completely exhausted post-marathon runner doesn't always make for the best host.

5. I am already registered for another marathon, SunTrust National Marathon, where I WILL get Marathon Redemption.

Now, all I need is a little strength to stick to my guns ...

Banana Blossom Press Giveaway ...

Remember my You Go Girl! Half Marathon recap? The one where I mentioned that I picked up really cute tees for my girls at the expo? And that you should go check them out for yourself?

I hope you went and looked. But if you didn't, here's your chance to see my cuties model them for you ...

I got one too, but I'm not nearly as cute as my girls.

And I know you want one. They are available at Banana Blossom Press.

If you don't know about Banana Blossom Press, here's a little info about this Seattle, WA based greeting card company:

"We've designed a line of greeting cards that are unique, uncomplicated and feature a clean, minimalist design. We help connect with wellness in mind and capture the inner thoughts of everyday athletes. The message on each card will resonate with anyone who has a love/hate relationship with exercise and fitness, for the people who have been physically active for years and can’t imagine a life without it, as well as those who are new to sports and exercise.

They are perfect for the people in your yoga class, boot camp group or spinning class, for your spouse who runs and you don't, for your child who had a great year in their cross country team at school, for your friend who is training for a triathlon and for your mother who is going to walk a half-marathon after seeing you run a marathon."

The cards are fanastic (Mel, Jill and I had our fair share of laughs while looking at them during the expo), but I am over the top in love with the shirts. And I want to share this love with you.

So, thanks to Banana Blossom Press, one lucky reader will win the shirt of their choice. Here's how to enter (separate comments please!)

1. Become a follower of this blog and leave me a comment to let me know.

2. Visit Banana Blossom Press HERE and leave me a comment to know what shirt you would choose.

3. "Like" Banana Blossom Press on Facebook HERE and leave me a comment to let me know.

4. Make a purchase at Banana Blossom Press and leave me a comment to let me know what you bought. (5 entries)

5. Repost this giveaway and leave me a comment to let me know.

Entries will be accepted until Wednesday, October 20. Winner will be randomly selected and announced on Thursday, October 21.

September Rewind ...

Wow! September flew by. School started again, I hit my peak training mileage for the marathon, I visited Seattle and KILLED my half marathon PR. It was a pretty sweet month. Here is my September 2010 in review ...

Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 176/178.43 (I averaged 8.9 miles per run, bringing me to 1300.8 miles on the year!)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 9/10 (I know you are shocked that I actually took an extra rest day. I was too.)

Highest Mileage Week: 9/13-9/19: 53.05 miles (an all-time record)

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 4/4

Donuts Burned: 125.16 (my favorite statistic on Dailymile)

Current Book: I read the last book in the Twilight trilogy, Breaking Dawn, while I sat in the airport last weekend. Can you say fantastic? Yeah. Too bad the movies NEVER match up to the books.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Cupcakes. Did you see the East vs. West cupcake battle from last weekend?

It was ugly. Deliciously ugly. But, the really bad thing is that I am only NINE (9) cupcakes away from my self-imposed yearly quota of 50 cupcakes. That really sucks.

Current Colors: Turquoise and Charcoal Gray

Current Drink: Diet Dr. Pepper, thanks to the fact that J bought a case last week.

Current Song: Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

Current Triumph: I'm still riding high from my sub-2 hour half marathon last weekend. Thanks again Tall Mom!

Current Goal: Remain injury-free through this training cycle and demolish my marathon PR. Only 15 days to go!

Current Blessing: Pretty much everything. Life is pretty sweet right now. And I don't take that for granted.

Current Excitement: Did you miss the part where I told you that MARATHON #3 IS ONLY 15 DAYS AWAY? Or the part where I mentioned how I AM GOING TO KILL MY CURRENT MARATHON PR? OK, good.

everything but the mud pie ...

Like I mentioned yesterday, I don't really think that any recap I can write will accurately display the amount of fun I had during my trip to Seattle. We saw the sights, ate some amazing food, had a monster bloggy meetup, put on a baby shower for the lovely Zoe, hosted a East coast versus West coast cupcake battle (yes, I carried my FAVORITE cupcakes across the US so that everyone could try them) and most importantly, built friendships. Oh, and we laughed. A lot. Like so much that I ended each day with a headache from the constant stress on my "smiling" muscles (you know the ones on the back of your head).

Now, looking back, I'm not sure that all of the funny moments would translate well into writing. I really think you needed to be there. Because of that, I decided that rather than bore you with endless details of Jill's desire to create cell phone apps and Mel's navigational skills, I would share my favorite moments via photos ...

Self photo on the U of W campus ...

Yeah, I ate that ...

That's right. I kissed a fish ...

The quad at the U of W. We were showing Kerrie our allegiance ...

Potato balls. Enough said ...

Jill eating the clear favorite cupcake. From Two Sweet, on the East Coast naturally ...

The cupcake battle aftermath ...

Playing with the self timer before the bloggy dinner ...

Mel and me looking rather happy ...

Blue Steel anyone?

Showing off the guns ...

We were shooting for a 1:52 ...

Post-race lunch with Janna and Mel ...

Mud Pie. (also known as the You Go Girl! Half Marathon Recap) ...

Disclaimer: I am in no way going to do justice to my trip to Seattle and the AMAZING time I had. It was AWESOME, SPECTACULAR and TOTALLY FUN. And my recaps (today - the race, tomorrow - the trip) can't possibly include everything I want to, unless you want to read a novel.

So, here it goes. The You Go Girl! Half Marathon Recap ...

The Expo: On Saturday, Mel, Jill, Katye and I went to the extra mini race expo. There were just a handful of vendors, but I did pick up some super cute tees from Banana Blossom Press for me and my girls. You should totally check them out.

Pre-race dinner: Bloggy Meetup at The Old Spaghetti Factory.

Pretty much everyone ordered some sort of pasta. Except me. I was so full from lunch that I ordered only dessert - MUD PIE. Mel was less than pleased with my choice of pre-race dinner. I told her it was the key to my speed.

Race Day: My SUPER AWESOME pacer Mel and I woke up to rain. Not completely unexpected for Washington, but I was kind of hoping we would get another awesome weather day like we had on Saturday. Anyway, Mel and I got ready and were picked up by the lovely Janna to head to the race.

The race plan was simple. Meet up with our team (Will Run For Ice Cream) before the race.

Then head to the very front of the pack (Mel and I are on the left side - I'm directly behind the race winner. You can really only see my socks).

And once the gun went off, we were going to run at exactly an 8:33 pace for the entire race.

Well. That was the plan anyway.

I didn't look at my Garmin the entire race. I was putting my faith in Mel. I knew she would get me to a PR. Well, 8:33 didn't really happen. Mel let me take the lead and I had fast legs. Our first mile was a 7:58. Um, yeah. I don't run that fast. At least not for 13 miles. But, I was blind to it and I am sure Mel thought she was banking us time by not slowing down (which she probably was to a certain extent).

I was feeling great in the early miles. We passed Zoe when we were around mile 2, where she snapped this picture. How great do we look?

Looking at the race elevation, we knew that miles 3-4 were a climb. We slowed slightly, but were still fine on pace. Plus we *KNEW* that the course was downhill or flat after that. We would make any lost time up. Too bad, we were wrong. The rest of the course was not flat. Yes, there were flat portions, but there were also killer hills (known as overpasses) too.

I was still feeling OK until about mile 9. I was working as hard as I could and even snapped at Mel because I thought she was going to tell me we needed to pick it up. (I was super nice about it though). Honestly, I don't remember much about the last few miles. I was having a hard time getting a deep breath in and was kind of wheezing. And my mile 12.5 all of my energy had been transferred to my legs, keeping me from being able to open my eyes. (Seriously. Mel had me throw water on my head.)

But, the course finished downhill. When we rounded the final corner and I saw the finish line, I booked it, leaving Mel. My final kick clocked in at a 5:05 pace, not really sure where that came from. I crossed the line in 1:58:02, a 3:34 PR!! (I also set an unofficial 10 mile PR by 2 minutes during the race).

And I couldn't be happier! Mel was amazingly supportive on the course (even though she was under the weather) and I finally got my sub-2 hour half. Yes, we didn't hit our "goal" time. I know I went out too fast and it crushed me at the end. But, as you can see from the smile on my face, none of that mattered.

Plus, now I have a new goal to shoot for ...

Three Things Thursday ...

1. I am currently in taper mode. I cut my weekly mileage (kind of. It's a fallback week in marathon training), added a rest day and will not run again until Sunday's You Go Girl! Half Marathon where Tall Mom will be pacing me to an a**-kicking PR.

I am so ready to run fast. I feel strong. My training has been spot on. The temperature is going to be ideal. And did I mention Tall Mom is pacing me? Seriously. It is going to happen.

2. Since Tall Mom is pacing me, we kind of need to be in the same place to make that happen. So, tomorrow morning, I am headed to Seattle for a fun-filled weekend with bunches of Seattle bloggers. The schedule appears to be jam-packed. And I'm sure I will have oodles to report when I get back on Tuesday.

3. I am not sure what I am most excited for - the trip (I've never been to Seattle and I dream of living there), the blogger meetup, the race, or 4 days away from my parenting responsibilities.

Hmm. It's close, but now that I think about it, I'm probably most excited for the last one. The past few weeks have been super hectic and I need a break. But, I am sure going to miss the crazy things my children say. Like when Dizzle asked me about skin color earlier this week:

Dizzle: "Mom, does everyone have different color skin?"

Me: "Yes. Everyone has a different amount of brown in their skin. Just look at Doodle. Her skin is much whiter than yours. But it doesn't matter what color it is, it's all just skin. Think of it this way. If one day you wear pink socks and the next day you wear white ones, they still do the same thing regardless of what color they are."

Dizzle: "Oh. OK. Well, I want chocolaty brown skin."

Me: "Dizzle, it's a little late for that now."

Doodle (who is listening in, but not very carefully): "No, Dizzle! You can't have chocolate egg skin. Chocolate eggs are only brown on the INSIDE!"

Where do they come up with this stuff?

August Rewind ...

How is it September already? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was complaining that I would never be able to get all of my runs in with the kids at home all the time. And as excited as I am for school to start up again, I'm kind of going to miss my summer running schedule. (Someone remind me of that next May when I start complaining ...)

Anyway, here is my August 2010 in review ...

Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 200/208.42 (my first time over 200 miles!)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 9/7 (Shelly's 10 day challenge contributed to this)

Highest Mileage Week: 8/23 - 8/29: 48.37 miles

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 5/5

Donuts Burned: 149.82 (my favorite statistic on Dailymile)

Current Book: Earlier this month, I finished the third book in the Twilight series, Eclipse. I will hopefully get through Breaking Dawn on my upcoming trip to Seattle.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Could that show be anymore of a train wreak? Probably not. But I can't stop watching.

Current Colors: Turquoise and Orange

Current Drink: Water. Lots of it.

Current Song: Secrets - OneRepublic

Current Triumph: I killed my races in August. On the 12th, I finished 1st in my division at the Moonlight 4 Miler in 32:13. And then, on the 22nd, I finished 3rd at the Pink Power Sprint Tri without a single minute of bike or swim training in over two years. I'm feeling kind of confident right now.

Current Goal: Remain injury-free through this training cycle and demolish my half marathon PR at the You Go Girl! Half Marathon on September 26th. Tall Mom is pacing me for this race and I have SUPER HIGH hopes!

Current Blessing: Pretty much everything. Life is pretty sweet right now. And I don't take that for granted.

Current Excitement: Did you know that Kindergarten starts in 6 days? And that preschool starts in 12? I might be slightly excited for that. Just saying.

you wanted to know, questions 1-5

As a requirement for entry to my 1,000 mile giveaway, you needed to ask me a question. Any question. And I promised to answer them over a series of posts. Here are the first five ...

Rebecca asked, "What do you eat for breakfast?"

Breakfast. The most important meal of the day. What I have for breakfast really depends on the day. If it is a day when I will be doing an early morning run, I generally eat a Fiber One bar before the run. Then when I get back, I have a Chobani Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit and coffee.

On rest days or when I plan on running after 9 a.m., I have a bowl of cereal (two servings) with skim milk. Usually it is Cinnamon Toast Crunch. But, it really just depends on what we have in the house.

On race day, breakfast is ALWAYS a Clif Bar.

Joanne asked, "What's your go-to quick and healthy meal (that the kids like) for those crazy days when ordering pizza or hitting the drive through sound really appealing?"

That's easy. Morningstar Farms Chipotle Black Bean Burgers with a side of fruit for the girls and a salad for me and J.

MCM Mama asked, "When are you coming up here to visit me (can be for a race or just to hang out)?

Next week. Let me know what day works for you and my crew and I will come spend the day with you, Jones and Shoo.

ajh asked, "What running accomplishment are you most proud of other than your coaching certification?"

The running accomplishment that I am most proud of is probably the fact that I stopped being a lazy, run-hater and decided to take up the sport. It would have been so much easier to NOT run. But becoming a runner has redefined me. It's changed my perspective on how to live and what I can handle both mentally and physically. And that is worth more to me than any award I win or race I finish.

Momma on the Run asked, "If you could give just one bit of advice to a newbie runner, what would it be?"

Push your limits (as long as you're not injured). When you think you can't go a step further, run for 30 more seconds. And when you see that you have survived, do it again. To make change, you need to be uncomfortable. Working through the discomfort, whether it is tired lungs or burning quads will teach your mind and body that it is stronger than you think.

Rock N Roll Chicago Recap ...

As you know, I decided to go with option C for my race on Sunday. I ran all of my weekly mileage and was going to pray for a PR. The PR didn't happen (more on that in a minute), but Chicago was a blast, the race was hot and bloggy meetups were happening left and right.

I landed in Chicago at 8 a.m. and navigated my way around O'Hare until I found Katye's gate. (not easy since I forgot to ask what airline she was on.) After an hour or so, her flight landed and the two of us attempted to make our way out of the airport. We had been calling Courtney (who picked us up) while we tried to find her car. It was a total mess and after 30 minutes of wandering, we finally found Courtney less than 50 feet from where we originally started looking for her. Go figure.

Once we were settled, Courtney gave us a driving tour of Chicago and we headed to the expo.

And it was fantastic. A little slice of running heaven. Once we picked up our bibs, we headed over to hear the end of Kara Goucher's talk. At the conclusion, Kara signed autographs and took pictures with fans and thanks to Katye (who has a mean hip check), we were the first in line. So very cool.

After meeting Kara, we headed over to the Running Skirts booth, where we proceeded to scavenger through their entire stock. I'm actually pretty certain that we scared the staff. It was hilarious. While we were attempting to take over the Running Skirts empire, Bobbi came up and introduced herself (RNR was her first half).

We all stuck together and explored the rest of the expo before heading out to lunch at Flat Top Grill.

The food was fantastic and our server was awesome.

As we left he shared these well wishes with us, "Good luck in the race. Don't sprain anything."

After lunch, Courtney dropped Katye and me off at the hotel. It was around 4 p.m. and I was 100% ready to go to bed. In fact, Katye and I made a quick trip to the 7-11 across the street, came back and were fast asleep by 7 p.m. Yes, we are that boring.

We woke up at 5 a.m. for the race. I was feeling good. Still a little tired and slightly dehydrated from the day before. We got ready for the race (which included writing my goal paces on my arm) and walked to the start.

There was so much going on, but once we got into our corral we managed to meet up with Courtney.

And before we knew it we were off. The race started with a slight uphill that lead to tunnel. The most stifling and hot tunnel, might I add. And that's where my Garmin freaked. I lost the signal for the first of many times on the course and when it came back the pace was all crazy. Apparently, I was running a 5:53 mile. Not so much.

I hit my first two miles exactly where I was supposed to be, but when the time to speed up came, I just couldn't do it. I was hot and thirsty (I stopped and refilled my handheld (22 oz) four times during the race). And once I hit mile 7 and heard the winner's time being announced, I knew a PR wasn't in the cards. So, I changed my race strategy and switched to option B. I slowed my pace and started to use the race as a training run. It wasn't worth killing myself to not PR. And it was good that I made that choice because by mile 8, I was hit with the runners trots. Four bathroom breaks in the last 5 miles. Not fun.

I finished the race in 2:11:05, exactly a 10:00 pace. After grabbing as much water and Popsicles as I could, Katye and I headed over to meet up with Jamie and Jodi (who introduced herself during mile 3 of the race).

Afterwards, Katye and I headed back to the hotel, ate a fabulous brunch (chocolate and marscarpone stuffed french toast) and relaxed before heading to the airport. The weekend was a blast. An extremely exhausting blast.

July Rewind ...

Thanks to the magic of auto-post, I am off rocking Chicago while you read this. So here it is. My recap of July 2010 ...

Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 166/168.95 (an all-time monthly mileage record)

Rest Days Planned/Taken: 9/8

Highest Mileage Week: 7/12-7/18 - 41 miles

Long Runs Planned/Completed: 4/4

Donuts Earned: 120.31 (my favorite statistic on DailyMile)

Current Book: I am finally catching up with the rest of the world and reading the Twilight series. I am currently making my way through Eclipse and am planning on reading Breaking Dawn during the travel portion of my trip to Seattle to visit Mel next month.

Current Shame Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Teen Mom. I hate that show, yet I CANNOT STOP WATCHING. I know, it's pathetic.

Current Colors: Lime, White and Black

Current Drink: Lots and lots of water. It's too hot for anything else.

Current Song: If we ever meet again - Timbaland and Katy Perry. LOVE IT.

Current Triumph: I recently launched my coaching business. You can check it out HERE or 'like' me on Facebook HERE. Or if you really wanted to support me and do a little advertising while you are at it, you can buy a logo tee HERE. Lots of fun stuff. There might just be a TMB Endurance Training giveaway in the near future ...

Current Bane of My Existence: All these early morning runs. Now don't get me wrong, I do appreciate being done with my run by 7 a.m., but I really miss my sleep. I am literally counting down the days until school starts again and I can run at a more reasonable hour.

Current Goal: Finish my marathon training in one piece. My first two marathon training cycles left me injured. But third time's the charm, right?

Current Blessing: Life. Things seem to have a way of working themselves out and I am so grateful for that.

Current Excitement: Well, obviously launching TMB Endurance Training. And my upcoming trip to Seattle. And MCM Mama's virtual race (I'm in for the 40K). And the thought of runs that start after the sun rises ...

when two worlds collide ...

I've met other bloggers before (and have a few meetups planned in the coming weeks). I mean, dude, my best friend is a blogger (OK, so maybe I knew her before her blog. Stop trying to catch me on a technicality.) Anyway, I've in the past few months I've gotten to meetup/run with MCM Mama, Shelly, MissZippy and of course, Katye.

Before Friday, all of my blogger encounters gave the other party a mere snapshot of my life. But now, Katye has been to a place few have seen. She was privy to the inner workings of my life and family and the pure chaos that encompasses my days. (And she didn't run away screaming ...)

We did a ton in the three days Katye spent with us and my girls took to her immediately (they were begging her to stay). During her visit, we made a trip to Busch Gardens and G's pool. We ran the street of Richmond and ate a lot of good food. And she even saw a tantrum or two thanks to my resident troublemaker, Doodle. It was a ton of fun and rather than bore you with all of the details, I will just share some of my favorite pictures from the weekend instead. Oh, and if you are wondering what Katye thought of her time with us and the craziness that is my life, check out her posts HERE and HERE.

You wish you had been here, don't you?