Round and round she goes...

Last week I completed my first track workout for this training session. It had been a while since I had been on the track. There's this crazy thing we have in Pennsylvania between the months of November and April, maybe May, called winter. So with the early darkness and accumulation of snow, getting to the track was not going to happen. Last week was one where we got that sweet glimpse of spring. So the fam decided to take advantage of the beautiful evening and all go over to the track. I could get in a workout and the kids could get some much needed time outdoors. 

The workout I had on tap was 8 by 400 at 5k pace. So that is 8 laps around the track jogging a 200 in between running each 400 around 1:45. It was easy to tell that I hadn't done a track workout in a while. My first 400 was completed in 1:33...WAY too fast. So I dialed it back and completed all the rest in 1:42 to 1:44. The entire time I had a great cheering section that encouraged me on. It gives such a boost of energy for the last 100 of the 400 to hear the kiddos (well, Maddie) yelling out "Run fast Mommy!"

I love track workouts. Sure one of the main purpose is to work your fast twitch muscles, but there are other benefits too. Going to the track really helps give a change of pace to your everyday runs. Yeah, it is just going around in circles, but if you are lucky enough to have a group of people to run with or a running club, it's a social outing too. If you do most of your runs alone (like me), then it's really nice to have people to meet up with. It's also a way to help you break through those mental barriers. When you don't think you can push yourself harder or do another lap, you do it anyway. There is definitely a great feeling of accomplishment at the end. Maddie knows that Mom and Dad go out running on a daily basis. She usually just sees us leaving or getting back. It's nice for her to see Mom and Dad actually running. One of her favorite things to do is to velcro her running shoes and do laps around our breakfast bar/island and tell us that she is running on the track.

Happy Birthday KRD!

Last year for Kev's birthday, we basically sat around twiddling our thumbs waiting for Miles to decide to make his grand entrance. Well, that didn't actually happen until 8 days later. Amidst it all, we didn't really celebrate Kevin's 30th birthday as we should have. That's a major milestone and it deserved more attention than it got. So I decided that we needed to do it right this year.

What is an appropriate birthday present for 31? Something Kevin has been talking about lately was starting to drink scotch. With the help of our friend Mike, we got him to try scotch to see if he liked it. He did, so I bought him a bottle of Macallan 12 year and a book by Michael Jackson (not the one you are thinking of) all about single malt scotch. The perfect gift from his son, a book about running. From Miles he got the book "The Perfect Mile." It is about the race to run the mile in less than 4 minutes. A gift from the 3 year old...a Nerf gun that shoots suction cup darts...what was I thinking on that one?? He loved all the gifts.

We also decided to completely indulge at our meals for the day! We started off the day with good gourmet coffee and cinnamon rolls. While enjoying that, the breakfast casserole I made cooked in the oven. I tried a new recipe that had potatoes, ham, sour cream, and cheese. It was ooey and gooey and paired well with the citrus fruit salad. A few hours later, I started to prep for dinner. For cocktail hour, we started the evening with hors d'oeuvres of a port wine cheese ball and crackers and sausage stuffed mushrooms. We enjoyed Prime Rib, perfect fingerling potatoes, warm goat cheese salad, and yorkshire pudding. Dessert was Birthday Cake Ice Cream from Vale Wood Farms.

The weekend was nice and relaxing. Unfortunately for the birthday boy he came down with the flu and eventually strep throat on his birthday. So the actual day wasn't as happy,  but I think we did a good  job over the weekend celebrating Kevin's 31st Birthday.

Any closer to my goals?

Just before the new year, I listed the goals that I had for 2011. We are two full months in so how am I doing? Let's see....

Keep Up Running - I must say I am doing very well with this. January and February were tough since I wasn't yet training for anything. Plus the lack of daylight and cold/snowy weather also put up road blocks. I still managed to get in about 60 miles each month. So far in March I am doing really well. I have started my training plan for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. In fact, in the past week I ran 30 miles. Not too shabby. Plus it means I can enjoy an extra scoop of Cow Tracks from Vale Wood Farms...yummy!

Make sure to spend some alone time with my husband - We have managed to sneak in some Julie and Kevin time. We get Date Night once a month. We went away without the kids in February. Plus have started up darts and cards night to spend quality time (as I talked about in a previous post).

More family time - I think we are doing well with this. We are trying to make sure that we spend a lot of time with the kiddos on the weekends. The kids are so much fun and they really enjoy each other too!

Read more books -  Normally I am happy to read 2-3 books a year. I am already on my third this year and it's only the beginning of March! I finished up the Run Like a Mother book (totally recommend for all you running mothers out there). I read Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and can't wait to read the other too. Currently, I am reading The Help (I know Mom, it's about time).

Clean House - I'm working on it. We just got a new bookcase for all our books. That was my first step in getting the Utility Room cleared out and organized. I'm trying to figure out how to store all the kiddos toys so they don't completely take over the house. The garage is in serious need of help, but that is a warmer weather project. This is definitely a work in progress. 

Enjoy Life - I certainly am! There are so many moments when I feel like I need to pinch myself because life is just amazing.  

I conquered one of the three terrors of the fire swamp

Whoa, two posts in one day? I can barely manage two in a month and here I go with two in a day? But I digress...

For two of the half marathons I have run, I used Hal Higdon's Intermediate training plan. For the Pittsburgh Half in May I decided it was time to move to the Advanced training plan. I am by no means an advanced runner, but I wanted something that would challenge me more and push me to train harder than I have before. Today was one of the first steps in this challenge.

In the past, I have taken a rest day after my long run day. Yesterday was my long run and it was the furthest I have run in over two months. In the past, I would get to relax and rest my weary bones and muscles today. After running 9.6 miles yesterday, I needed to get in 3 miles. I felt pretty good, so I thought how hard could this be. Oh how naive of me. Those first few steps were painful. And that first mile I felt like I was running through lightning sand in the fire swamp (hoping to never encounter the flame spurts or R.O.U.S's...especially on the trail once it's passable again). Anyway, I continued on my way and finished those 3 (well I ended up at 3.2) miles. Even though I wanted to turn back before I was even at the end of my road (we're talking a whole 0.03 miles here), I kept going. No doubt this will make me a stronger runner.

Double Bullseye...Winner!

Early on in our marriage, after we bought our house, but before the kids, one night a week (at least) would be darts night. We would hang out in our utility room, drink some beer, have snacks, listen to music and throw darts. It wasn't so much about the games or the beer (usually), but about the time together. We would talk about our day, ideas for the house, and plans for the future. It wasn't just vegging out on the couch, mindlessly watching TV.

Somewhere along the lines, after the kids, we lost that night. It's not hard to see why. As with most people, our lives are crazy. We spend most of the day at stressful jobs. After we come home, we cram so much into a few hours. We run, make dinner, spend time with the kids, get the kids to bed and it's all done in a 3 hour time frame.

After that's all said and done, we just want to shut down. So inevitably we sit on the couch and watch something from the DVR and just veg. There is something lost when that's all you do. It's really important to have the simple talks and connect every day. Last week we brought back darts night. I didn't win the dart games (ok I won the first game of 301 and kicked Kevin's butt at cards later). But we got to spend time together in a way we haven't done in a while...and that's what matters.

Simple Things

Every day there are so many simple things in life to enjoy and be thankful for. Today was no exception. After school today, Maddie ran up to me asked for a nose (what she calls an Eskimo kiss), gave me a big hug and kiss, and said "I love you Mommy." That's the sort of thing that makes any day a hundred times better. Always treasure those simple little things in life.

Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing. ~ Oscar Wilde

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!

So I'm usually not really into the whole resolution thing. As I think about the past year and look forward to another, there are a few goals that I have for myself. In no particular order...more just as I think of them, here are my goals for the upcoming year.

Keep up running. Ever since I decided to train for the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon, I have been running a lot. The benefits have been amazing. Not only did I lose all the baby weight I gained when pregnant with Miles, I lost an additional 15 pounds. In addition to that, I feel good about myself and am a happier person. There are two passages that sum up my love for running from a book I am currently reading (Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity)...

• We’re running to process a bad day and, in doing so, make it better. We’re running to set a good example for our children. We’re running to feel lean, strong, empowered, and graceful. Although we’re not running the country (yet), we’re definitely getting in shape to do so.

• For an overstressed, overtired, overextended mother, there are few other sensations that rival a delicious run. Once the sweat starts running down my temples, I daydream, analyze, smile, wonder, channel something cosmic. I feel alive and, perhaps most importantly, like myself again.

Make sure to spend some alone time with my husband. This marriage won't really work if Kevin and I don't work. An important part of that is just spending time together...going out to dinner with just us, playing a game, talking, anything. It doesn't have to be special, it just needs to be us. We are planning a second honeymoon to celebrate our 6th Anniversary in the fall so that should be great relaxing along time for us!

More family time. Of course this means more time with the four of us. It's amazing that even in the past two weeks how much both Maddie and Miles have grown and changed. In addition, we definitely want to be sure to spend time with our extended families as well.

Read more books. I have such a huge list of books I want to read, but just haven't made the time yet. Usually it seems that I only read books at the beach. I would really like to read a book each month. I really would like to read a few before the movies come out (The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)...of course not that I'll see the movies when they are released, but I need a goal date. 

Clean House. It became very evident as we were cleaning for our appraisal that we have too much stuff. I'm sure there are people out there who need a lot of it way more than we do. I want to go through each room, sort out what we need, and give away the rest. Very Lean/5S so I guess it works for me. 

Enjoy Life. I think this is pretty self explanatory.

2010 was a wonderful year. I am looking forward to all the the new year has to offer. I hope that 2011 brings everyone what they are looking for.

Enjoy~