lessons learned on a preschool morning ...

I like to think of myself as rather organized. I have a type-A personality, which is glaringly obvious in my everyday life. Structure works for me. But, it also holds me back. I don't like spontaneity. And if I'm not sure how things will "fit" into our lives I tend to avoid them all together.

Case in point - P90X. I have had it sitting in my house since October. And from the very moment it arrived, I have had a reason not to start it. First, it was marathon training. Then, it was injury recovery. Then, it was my quest for speed. But really, I was just afraid that I would start it and wouldn't be able to find the time to keep with it. And I'm not really the quitting type. When I tackle something, I want to finish it.

So, I knew if I was ever going to start this 90 day experiment, I had to change my running schedule. I was going to have to plan each run and make sure I got it done in the time allotted. And today's run (and the girl's school trip) showed me that I can fit it all in and a lot of other things too. Day 1 of P90X is TODAY, thanks to the lessons I learned yesterday morning ...

1. I learned that I should be utilizing the time immediately after preschool drop off to run. No going home and maybe squeezing in a run before pickup. The area around the school is beautiful. Just look at these pictures.

It is perfect for running with Dilly in the BOB. Yesterday, I had an hour and fifteen minutes before I had to be back for the trip. So, I grabbed the stroller and ran from the school. 51 minutes later I had 5.5 miles under my belt, and it was only 10 a.m. Here we are after it was over.

2. I learned that I should be taking advantage of nap time to run more often. I used to do this all the time. But, for some reason I stopped. Yesterday's run reminded me of all the times during the day that I could be running. And how easy it can be to fit your runs in, if you just plan accordingly. I can easily get three to six miles in (plus a shower) during Dilly's naps. Dizzle and Doodle can watch a movie or read some books while I run and we all stay happy.

3. I learned that it is getting much easier to take the girls places ALONE. During their trip to the gardens yesterday, I saw just how well behaved Dizzle and Doodle can be. How if I let them do their thing, they will listen to me and stay together. Sure, Dilly throws a little hitch in the plan, since she runs off if you put her down. But, she's usually pretty chill in the stroller or in the carrier. It's getting less stressful for me and more fun for them. Just look at the fun we had ...

I'd say yesterday was rather productive ...

a RunningSkirts care package ...

Remember that little post I wrote about my LOVE of RunningSkirts? And how I really, really wanted the pink and white polka dot one? Well, guess what came in the mail yesterday?

That's right. A pink and white polka dot skirt AND a pair of Swift Socks Compression Socks, courtesy of the wonderful girls over at RunningSkirts. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you a thousand times over. To me, it's a running outfit made in heaven.

I can't wait to try everything out. Which means I'm going to rock the gear on my run this morning (and on the girls' school trip, since I won't have time to change). A super cute running skirt and knee high socks is totally acceptable casual wear, right? I thought so.

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler ...

I'm going to be honest with you. This is going to be a long post. But since I like you all so much and don't want to torture you with the details, I will get to the point right at the beginning. (Although, if you really loved me, you'd read the whole thing - I'm just saying).

The Short Story - We drove to D.C. We went to the expo. We hung out. We raced. I finished in 1:30:40 (my Garmin read 10.13 miles). We cleaned up. Ate. And went home.

The Much Better And Much Longer Story - On Saturday afternoon, my Run Like A Mother teammates and I loaded up our gear and hit the road in Rachel's mini-van a.k.a "the Mini." Yes, we were a group of hot mamas traveling for a girl's weekend in a navy blue mom mobile. Super stylish!

The laughs started pretty much from mile one. We joked about air farts (yes, air farts), husbands, our kids and roundabouts (obviously, we were rather scattered in our conversation). Once we arrived at the hotel, we attempted to check in and finalize our dinner plans. The hotel told us it would be 10 minutes before we could get into our rooms. After 10 minutes, 45 additional minutes had been added to our wait time. So, we left our luggage at the desk and headed to the expo. I called Kayte to see where she was at (stuck in traffic) and told her to meet us back at the hotel.

The expo was a bomb. Here's the race shirt. Not the best.

The race website had made a huge deal about only "bag checking" items in their clear race bags, but when Alyssa and I went to get our shirts they were out of bags. So, we asked other volunteers with bags if we could have one. And they were not giving them up. I was seriously ticked. Apparently, those bags were "preloaded" and we couldn't have them. So, where the heck was my preloaded bag?

Once we got back to the hotel, I found Katye waiting in the lobby and I ran up and gave her a big hug. I was psyched to spend the weekend with her, since we only got to hang out for like 15 minutes before Disney. Once we got settled, we headed out for dinner. Which was a huge fiasco. At one point or another we had six reservations, but as we walked out the door, we had none. We walked around and finally found a place to eat. It was kind of a creepy restaurant. An all male staff. And we were the ONLY people in there. But the food was good and other people eventually filled the restaurant. We filled our bellies and took this adorable group shot.

After dinner, it was back to the hotel to relax and head to bed. We watched Anchorman. The girls made fun of my hoodie (which I wear so that my face doesn't hit the hotel pillow - a little quirk of mine). And we just kind of chilled.

At 6 a.m. the alarm went off. We slowly got moving and dressed for the race. Here's the entire group right before we headed to the corrals. I know, we're cute.

Katye and I lost the rest of the girls at that point. They tried to hit up the port-o-potties and we headed to the start, which looked like this.

Somehow, we got in to the corral and waited to start. This is us waiting.

Very slowly, we got moving. Katye and I stuck together for the first few miles, but being the competitive person I am, I was running my own race and we got separated. The course was crazy congested and I never felt like I could just run. I kept running into the back of people and had to try to squeeze through or slow down and move over. My pace was all over the place. It was crazy. I felt really good until the last two miles. Until that point I had been averaging about an 8:47 pace. But then I bonked. My last two miles were 10:00 and 9:57. Boo! I know the whole thing was mental. I kept telling myself, "This is all in your head. Suck it up." But I just couldn't. When I finished my Garmin read, 10.13 miles in 1:30:36. My chip time was 1:30:40. BUT - according to my garmin, I hit 10 miles under 1:30. Here's the screen capture.

Sweet! And do you know what half marathon time that calculates out to? 1:59:03. Yeah. Sub-2 hour half, here I come ...

Despite the last two miles, I was super psyched with my time and the majority of my race. Plus, I got to meet up briefly with MissZippy post race. She killed this 10 miler with a time of 1:13. A new PR for her! Here's the picture we snapped.

After the race, we headed back to the hotel (which was a big complicated mess). Katye had to leave (but I get to race with her again on May 8th!) and the rest of us went to brunch before driving back. I can't even start to tell you how much fun this weekend was. So, who's in for the next race?

running, TMB-style ...

Back on my 300th post, I asked you to comment with any question you wanted me to answer. The response was huge. Way too much for one entry. So, I have decided to categorize the questions and reply in a series of posts over the next few weeks. Today, I discuss my life as a mother-runner, with an emphasis on runner ...

Nicole Joy asked: "Do you think you'll do any more Disney races in the next year or so?"

I can't wait to go back to Disney, for both the vacation aspect and the races. The Princess Half was definitely the best run race I have ever done. Unfortunately, a Disney trip costs a small fortune. So, we will not be going back this year. Or even next year. The plan is to head back in the fall of 2012 and to race the Wine and Dine Half.

Staci Dombroski asked: "If you could do any race, what would it be? Where?

Definitely, the Maui Half Marathon. I have always wanted to visit Hawaii and if I am going to travel that far, then I am definitely going to race. Plus, can you think of a more beautiful run?

Erin G asked: "My question is what did you think was the hardest thing about running when you first started? How did you get over the hurdles?" and MJ asked: "How did you feel after you ran your very first mile? When you were just starting to run, did you ever feel frustrated?"

I definitely think the hardest part about beginning to run was getting past the mental stuff. We are built to run. Any able bodied person can become a runner. I think what separates those who stick with it and those who don't is the ability to fight the negative thoughts. I remember thinking that I was going to die during those first runs. I was constantly convinced that I couldn't make it. That I was going to drop to the road and never get up.

I think what got me past it was that I felt like I had something to prove. To myself and those around me. I wanted to show myself that I really could do anything I put my mind to. So, when I wanted to quit, I would run for 30 seconds longer. And then for 30 seconds more (thankfully, I am a self motivator). Some days were harder than others, but after my first race (which was the first time I ran three miles straight), I finally felt like a runner and I knew that running was something that would define me from then on.

reeebeka asked: "How you cross train?"

Um, yeah. About that. I am not the best about cross-training. For the past three years I have taught Stroller Strides, which is a 60 minute class that mixes cardio and strength training. But as the instructor, you don't always get the best workout. Other than that I don't do much. But, I will be training for a sprint triathlon this summer, so at some point I need to add some cycling and swimming to my routine. And I have also had P90X staring me in the face for the last six months, but I have yet to start it. But I will. Eventually.

Libby asked: "What are your ultimate/lifetime running dreams/goals?"

I'm not really sure. I don't want to qualify for Boston. Or run a marathon in every state. Or even run another marathon ever again. I'd like to become a half specialist, but my favorite distance is actually the 8K. I want to travel to races. I'd love to get an age group win. There really are so many things I'd like to accomplish, but I often think of myself as constantly evolving. I prefer to set smaller goals as a way to getting to where I want to be.

In general, I want to be faster (but who doesn't?) A 23 minute 5K, a 47 minute 10K and a sub 1:50 half are all times I will hit. I don't know when, but I will. I want to build my mileage to 40 mile a week and I'll get there too. I guess my number one running goal is to always have the motivation to be a better runner.

Sarah asked: "When did you first start running? High school track, later as a mommy? What got you started and when did you run your first half marathon or marathon?

I wish I could say I was always a runner. But that's just not the case. I was the kid in high school who would fake an injury to get out of running the timed mile in gym class. And although I've always been an athlete and even competed at the Division I level in college, I NEVER ran. I'm pretty sure my longest run back then was 800 meters, and even that was at a snail's pace.

I first started running after I had Doodle. I had decided that I was going to run a 10K as one of my New Year's resolutions. By the time August had rolled around, I still hadn't attempted working towards that goal. So, I found a walk/run training plan for a 5K, signed up for a race and never looked back. The first time I ever ran three miles without walking was on race day. Afterwards, I needed something to keep me motivated, so I registered for an 8K two months later. By the time I ran that 8K, I had decided to train for a marathon. Because when I decide to do something, I do it big. So, the Monday after Thanksgiving (3 months after I first started running) I began marathon training. 16 weeks later, on Doodle's first birthday, I finished that marathon in a painfully slow time.

Kim asked: "I want to know more about running during your pregnancy. Did your doc (or anyone else) ever give you any crap about it? "

Yes and no. My doctor was pretty much on board. She knew that she couldn't really stop me, so we came to an agreement about my training. Rule number one was to listen to my body. And rule number two was never race all out. Pretty simple, right? I listened to her and she didn't give me a hard time about running.

My mom was the hardest to convince. She did not want me running, convinced I was damaging her unborn granddaughter. Every time I complained about not feeling right, or being achy, she told me to stop running. After a point, I think she gave up too and just let me do what I wanted. But honestly, those people closest to me knew I wasn't going to do anything stupid. More than anything, they were all very supportive, regardless of whether or not they agreed with my running.

Heather asked: "How did you get so comfortable on the treadmill? I cannot handle running on it as I stare at the time and it bugs me. Also, what treadmill do you have and do you watch tv or listen to music?"

Oh, the treadmill. My favorite piece of equipment (it's a six-year old ProForm). How I will miss you when you are gone ...

OK, seriously, I got so comfortable running on the treadmill because I had no other choice. J's job has him traveling a lot. We don't have any family nearby. And pushing a triple stroller while running is nearly impossible. I need to get my runs in and so I am left with the treadmill. I figure I'd rather run in place, than not run at all.

I think that I am helped by the fact that I have a positive attitude about running on the treadmill, too. Just like when you run on the road or trail, if you have negative thoughts while you run, it is going to be painful. I try to look at running on the treadmill as an opportunity, not a punishment. Plus, I don't just run one pace for the whole run. I like to do progression runs, intervals, tempo runs, hill work, whatever. And yes, I do watch TV when I run. Usually with the volume off and the captions on. My iPod only comes out during speedwork.

Tortuga_Runner asked: "How did you and your husband make arrangements so you could fit in your runs?" and Anne asked: "Does your running (the time that it requires) ever cause tension at home?"

Like I have said a million times before, J is super supportive of my running. My training and the time that it takes has never been an issue with us. He knows that I work 24/7 raising our daughters and he understands that I need some me time (plus I think I am pretty good about balancing being a wife, a mother and a runner).

Because I don't have a full-time job, I can be flexible with when I run. So, most of my runs are done when J is working or traveling (not taking away from our time together). I squeeze my runs in during nap time or while the girls are at dance classes or preschool. When J travels or works late, I run on the treadmill once the girls are in bed.

The only exception to this is my long run. I almost always do that run with my friends, leaving J with the girls for a few hours. I usually try to leave before they are awake, so that I don't miss too much family time. But, it's nice for J to spend some time alone with the girls. He doesn't see them much during the week, so when I do my long runs they get to catch up.

deannahensley asked: "What is more important to you, speed or distance?

Definitely speed. Perhaps I shouldn't care so much, but I don't run just to be able to say I ran. I run to be faster than others. I'm kind of competitive like that.

Jill asked: "What's the one running accessory you would go back to get if you forgot it?"

Without a doubt, my sunglasses. I almost never run without them. They block the wind, sun and rain from my eyes. Plus, they ALWAYS make for a better race photo.

Badgergirl asked: "Do you run with or without music? If you do, what are some of your favorite tunes to run to?"

I almost NEVER train with music, but I almost ALWAYS race with music. Weird, huh?

As for my playlist, here are some songs from my current rotation ...

All the Right Moves - OneRepublic
Poker Face - Lady Gaga
Misery Business - Paramore
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Whatcha Say - Jason Derulo
Fireflies - Owl City
I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
Crushcrushcrush - Paramore
Naturally - Selena Gomez
See You Again - Miley Cyrus

a great kickoff ...

This weekend is going to rock. In a few hours, I will be heading to DC with several of my Run Like A Mother teammates for a kid-free, fun-filled running weekend. Then once we get there, I'll be meeting up with Katye, who will be staying with and racing with us. And if things work out, I will get to meet MissZippy after the race. I.CAN.NOT.WAIT.

I have been looking forward to this weekend since we got into the race (by lottery) in December. It's supposed to be beautiful. I'll be with my friends. Plus, it's a guaranteed PR. And like I mentioned like 20 times this week. I am going to run fast. I just know it.

And I know that this weekend is going to rock because it got an AWESOME kickoff yesterday. I woke up to find out that I won a pair of Keens in a contest on the blog for Run Like A Mother: The Book. You can click HERE to see the post, which features not only my opinion of the best running advice I give others, but also my sock collection.

Pretty cool, huh? I told you this weekend is going to rock.

runner envy?

Yesterday, when G and I left for our run, Dizzle and Doodle were peeking out of my bedroom window. Doodle asked, "Mom, you going running?" I yelled back, "Yeah. I'll see you later."

When I got back, J told me what happened once I ran off. Doodle started crying.

Not because she was hurt. Not because she was overly tired. And definitely not because she missed me. Instead, it was because she wanted to go on a run. Seriously. She told J, "I wanted to take a run with Mommy." She's bummed that she missed out and has been letting me know ever since.

I told you I was brainwashing them. And now, apparently, my three-year-old has "runner envy" ...

Three Things Thursday (and the winner is) ...

1. On Tuesday, Kalli @ fitandfortysomething, hit me up with The Stiletto Award. I am super honored and would proudly rock some stilettos if my weak ankles would allow. But since they won't, I'm just going to take pride in this award and pass it along to some of my bloggy friends who inspire me ...

Here’s what I’m supposed to do:

1. Display the Stiletto badge of honor.

2. Brag about it – post a link to the page to highlight what the award is about.

3. Say thanks! Include a link to the friend who nominated you.

4. Share the love-nominate 5-10 more blogs. Leave links to their blogs and leave them a comment so they know they won!

5. Do what you do! Keep at it and keep inspiring others.

And the award goes to ...

Katie A @ One Run At A Time

Dallas @ OBX Running Mama

Shelly @ It's Just One Foot in Front of the Other

Emily @ Sweat Once A Day

Meg @ Meg Runs!

G @ Neurosis of a Stay At Home Mom of 3

2. We are having a mini-heat wave here in VA. It's blazing. Like over 90 degrees. Usually, I would be fine with this. In fact, I could deal with 90 degree temperatures everyday. As long as I have a place to escape the heat when necessary, of course. Unfortunately, I don't have a place to cool off right now. Our A/C is dying. Every time the compressor tries to kick on, it is causing the electrical panel in our house to arc. The electrician told us not to run the A/C unless it was "unbearable." It's getting close to that, but I'd much rather be hot than have my house explode. So, basically, we are sweating it out. At least until this afternoon. The HVAC technician is supposed to come here today. I am hoping that also means it will get fixed today (please, please, please. Heat and cranky babies are not a fun combination). I have my hopes that it will be a cool 72 degrees in here by nightfall, but I am not holding my breath ...

3. I am done running until the Cherry Blossom 10 miler. By some stroke of luck, I did NOT have to use my treadmill at all this week. Last night at 7:30, KT joined me for a quick run around my neighborhood (3.42 in 33:35). Here we are pre-run.

It was wicked hot and by the time we finished it was dark. Luckily, I was decked out in all neon, so you probably could have seen me from space.

Then this morning, G came over at 7 a.m. to run the same loop (3.43 in 33:13). We did not, however, manage to coordinate our outfits this time. (Note: this was my second run in 11.5 hours. That counts as a double, right?)

Can you believe I got out of bed and ran first thing in the morning twice this week? It's probably because I was pulling energy from the brightness of this outfit ...

Oh, and before you leave, I want to thank everyone for entering my Moving Comfort Giveaway. There were 262 entries and the winner is number 43 ...

csgrzesiek

Congratulations! Please email me your choice of bra (Fiona or Vixen), size, color and contact info and I will take care of the rest.