Today's home study interview was much more casual and quick than last time. I didn't feel compelled to organize every closet and wipe down the baseboards, and we allowed the kiddos to hang around the house the whole time we were talking.
When Sylvia (our caseworker) arrived, it felt like we were old friends since, of course, we had divulged every detail and secret in our lives to her in the last meeting. Pumpkin refused to nap through all the excitement, insisting on changing her doll's imaginary poop over and over in front of Sylvia (who found it adorable). Peanut and Buddy had their video game time and played outside, often interrupting with important tidbits like, "We have 3 billion dollars saved up in Lego Star Wars!" and "Can we have a snack? Or a cupcake? Or a snack?"
The funniest moment of the day (and perhaps in the history of Sylvia's profession as a Social Worker) was when Buddy came upstairs: "Mom, there's meat.....in the candle downstairs......but I think it could be poop." Ding, ding, ding! He was right, it was poop. Peanut had pooped in her diaper, taken it off, and shaken the nuglets into the white PartyLite candle adorning our family room table. Total awesomeness.
Thankfully today the questions were much easier: finances, kids' personalities, our marriage relationship, our discipline method, and our general parenting philosophy. Now we just wait for our study to be processed, which realistically could take a month or two. Then we will officially be certified, at which point we start waiting for a placement child (which could take another few months).
We are sooooooo happy to be finished with this part of the process. Woohoo!!!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Home Study Part 1
Holy cow! That was the most intense 6 hours of my life. I am physically and emotionally exhausted.
Yesterday was our first visit for our adoption home study. The social worker came to our house and stayed from, no joke, 1 o’clock to 6 o’clock. And we still have 4 hours left to complete next week.
She was very friendly and professional. She’s 72, been in the same line of work for 50 years, and said she’s seen “everything!” More than once she also said, “I’m as liberal as they come!” by which I think she meant both liberal politically (there were a few Bush jabs) and extremely tolerant of different lifestyles. She also mentioned that the process for adopting out of foster care is much more rigorous than international or kinship adoption. All the children coming out of foster care are “at-risk” and the case workers want to make sure the family can handle the coming stress.
She asked a million questions. 5 straight hours worth, actually. Some obvious, others obscure.
Why do you want to adopt? What’s your neighborhood like? Why do you home school? What’s your typical day? What are your specific goals for your life? What are your specific aspirations for your life? What is your religion? Would you be willing to drop a Muslim child off at a Mosque on the weekend? What are your hobbies? What kind of support system do you have? How do you celebrate holidays? Who in your family has had issues with alcohol? Drugs? The law? Why do you have a “failure to stop at a stop sign” on your FBI report? (Oops!) How well and where do your children sleep at night? Do you like your job? Do you raise your voice when disciplining your children? Do you ever spank? Etc…..etc…..etc……
To the kids: Do you know your mom and dad are thinking about adopting a brother? Will you share your toys? Will you share your time with mom and dad? What happens if your new brother breaks your favorite toy? Do you know any kids who don’t look like you do? What will you think if your new brother looks different than you?
To the last question Buddy smiled, and said: “That’d be really good if he looked different than me, otherwise Dad and Mom couldn’t tell us apart!”
We filled out a questionaire on our childhood, family history of drug and alcohol abuse, and our marriage relationship. Then she did a quick inspection of the home. We were a little nervous since our house was built in the 50’s and we thought we’d need to update the windows or maybe put a door on the unfinished laundry room. But the only things we need to do before next time is put a lock on the storage room door, buy some more outlet covers, and write out an emergency evacuation plan.
Our next visit is Tuesday. We will talk about our parenting philosophy, discipline methods, our marriage relationship, support system, and about each child, including their health history, personality, likes/dislikes, and any behavioral or learning problems. Oh, and she’ll inspect our vehicles.
Exhausting and exciting. But we are almost done………
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Am I Ready for a Marathon?
I get this question all the time around the beginning of the year (from new and seasoned) runners wondering if they are ready to tackle the infamous 26.2 In fact, I've been asked by three different people just this month! And although my opinion is just my opinion, it is based on 15 years of running experience combined with advice gleaned from coaches and (more) knowledgeable running folk. I promise.
That said, yes, anyone (with training) can finish a marathon. But there is a difference between "finishing" and "running" a marathon, and this is not just "snobby runner" talk, as my husband calls it. When you do your first marathon, you want to finish well, avoid injury and burnout, and keep the miserable-factor as low as possible, right? So here is what I generally tell people.
You are ready to run a marathon if........
1) You have a good base.
You've been running consistently for 6-12 months averaging 20-30 miles/week. You are comfortable running 4-6 miles, to the point where it feels second nature. And about 1/3 of your running is outside on pavement, since likely, your marathon will take place on pavement and you're legs and feet need to be ready for the pounding. Starting with a strong base and strong legs decreases your risk of injury and burnout while preparing your body for the long, hard training runs.
2) You're doing it for the right reasons.You love to run and want to go longer. You've always wanted to do a marathon. You want to prove that you can mentally and physically tackle 26.2. These are all great reasons to run a marathon, losing weight is not. In fact, many runners actually GAIN weight during marathon training (I did!). You'll have to eat lots of calories and carbs to keep up with all those miles, as well as recovery foods (like chocolate milk) and pre-run fuel like bars and oatmeal. Your body will NEED fuel! If weight loss is your goal, I recommend training for a half marathon or shorter distance.
3) You have training & race experience.
You wouldn't ski a black your first day ever on a ski mountain, so why would you run a marathon without ever toeing a starting line? I usually suggest making your way up the race ladder from 5K to 10K to half marathon to marathon. There's something that comes with the experience of following a training plan, dealing with pre-race jitters, and learning how to avoid going out too fast when the gun goes off. Also, you'll get a good idea of pacing and finishing strong.
Once you have one (or even better, two) solid half marathons under your belt, then I'd sign up for the 26.2 of your choice. Or, if you're determined to run your first marathon in 2012, sign up for a spring Half and a fall Full to give your body plenty of time to build a base and work up to the distance.
4) You have time to train and a supportive community.
Marathon training is intense. You'll need to carve out time to run 3-5 times/week, including one long run of 1-3 hours. You'll also likely have some cross-training and strength-training days mixed in, as well. You'll want to make sure your husband/wife, kids, and family members are on-board and supportive of your plans. Is your husband willing to hang with the kids while you're out on the trails every Saturday for most of the morning? Will your friends mind if you can't hang out late on Friday nights because you have to get up at 6:00am to fit in your run? Do you have people to run with you, cheer for you, and give you advice as you tackle this new adventure? Or even better, do you have a friend or family member who wants to do the marathon with you?
So you've determined you're ready. Now what?
1) Register for a race- they fill up fast! Ask for suggestions from friends who have a few marathons under their belts. Do you want a big or small race? Destination or close to home? Spring or fall?
2) Invest in a good pair of shoes, a supportive bra, and a fuel belt to carry all the nutrition and water you'll need for those fun 3 hour runs.
3) Select a good training plan that works for you. Hal Higdon is a good resource, as is Runner's World. I usually recommend plans that don't increase your long run mileage every week: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, etc. Instead, look for a plan where you increase for 2-3 weeks and recover for a week at a shorter distance : 10, 12, 8, 12, 14, 10, etc. Or a long run every 10 days, rather than every 7 days. Also look for plans that allow you to incorporate cross-training a few days a week. And the best bit of advice I have to offer? On your rest days, rest.
Now, for those of you who've done a marathon before,
and are wondering if you're ready to do it again,
I like the saying.......
"When you've forgotten your last marathon, you're ready for your next"
Happy Running!!!!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Fav Races for 2012
As 2012 gets started, I know a lot of folks out there have race goals on their resolution lists-
MY FAVORITE RACES IN (FRONT RANGE) COLORADO
-Please note: this is entirely my own opinion-
BEST MARATHON: THE COLORADO MARATHON
May 6th, 2012, Ft. Collins
www.ftcollinsmarathon.com
The Colorado Marathon refers to itself as "the fastest and most scenic marathon in Colorado." I couldn't agree more! The winding course travels through the gorgeous Poudre Canyon on the way to Ft. Collins. On one side of the road is fast-flowing river overshadowed by tall, steep cliffs, and on the other side of the road are more tall, steep cliffs. For a mountain girl who loves running in nature, this marathon beats anything urban Denver has to offer! The Marathon is well-organized, small (caps at 1,000 runners), and almost entirely downhill (but still a Boston Qualifier!) If you were lucky enough to get in for 2012 (both the full and half have already sold out) you will not be sorry. And for those of you who missed out for this year, get it on the calendar for 2013!!!
BEST HALF MARATHON: PLATTE RIVER HALF
April 15th, 2012, Littleton
http://www.platteriverhalf.com/
Personally, I've run the Platte River Half for the last 3 years in a row and I keep coming back! The race starts in downtown Littleton and ends in downtown Denver, following the Platte River Trail to the Buckhorn Exchange restaurant. The course traverses through scenic parks, across long bridges, and past a few golf courses- although you do also have to pass the Waste Management dump and run along the side of I-25 for a bit, but hey, this is the city, right? The race caps at 3,000 runners, but sections them off into two different heats to minimize the crowding. Since it's one of the first Half Marathon's of the racing season, you never really know what you'll get weather wise. One year it was hot and sunny, and the next year they were plowing the trail on race morning and everyone was donning full snow gear. The after party is great- burgers and beer, chocolate and burritos- and then you get a one-way ticket on the RTD back to downtown Littleton. In my opinion, it's a great way to spend a Sunday morning in the springtime.
BEST OLYMPIC TRIATHLON: LOVELAND LAKE TO LAKE
June 23rd, 2012 Loveland
http://lovelandlaketolake.com
Unfortunately along the front range, Olympic triathlons are few and far between. However, the fact that the Lake to Lake has been going strong since 2011 should attest to the awesomeness of this race! The swim is 1500M in Lake Loveland and follows the three sides of a rectangle (which is nice because it minimizes the water traffic and turbulance of an out and back course). The run is 6.2 Miles around the lake and surrounding neighbors and very flat (bonus!). But the real reason people keep signing up for this tri is the bike- a 30 mile loop out toward Horsetooth Reservoir, up and down the hilly reservoir road, and back on lots (and lots) of rollers. The talent that comes out for this triathlon is also amazing. Not only will you see a large chunk of very competitive athletes (it's a qualifier race so the talent shows up!) but you'll also see some amazing disabled athletes, including a local man who pulls a boy (every year) through the race. On the swim the disabled boy rides in a raft, on the bike he is in a bike trailer, and on the run he is pushed in a jogger. Everything about this race- the elites, the disabled athletes, and the views- is inspiring.
BEST XTERRA TRIATHLON: XTERRA LORY
August 26th, 2012 Ft. Collins
1/2 Mile Swim, 12.2 Mile Mtn. Bike, 8K Run
http://www.withoutlimits.co/#!__xterra-lory
Xterra enthusiasts like to say, "Once you go off-road, you'll never go back." In my experience, off-road was crazy tough and something I will probably only put myself through once a year. And as far as Xterra's go, this is the only one I've found that's convenient to the Denverite crowd. But regardless of it's slim competition, I still believe it is one of the best. Put on by Without Limits Productions (a proven tri company that also puts on Outdoor Divas and Oktoberfest), the swim takes place in Horsetooth Reservoir just outside of Ft. Collins. The mountain bike course alternates annually between an uphill loop, crazy climbing type of loop and a beginner friendly, meadow-riding type of loop. Most people are friendly (as long as you avoid the elite-crowd) and the course is fun. After a 12 miles on your mountain bike, you get to climb straight up the side of a mountain for the run. Honestly, I'm pretty hard-core and I thought it was insane. But on the positive end of things, you get to come back down the steep mountain slope and finish with an awesome slip n' slide across the finish line. I was dirty, tired, and my feet were bleeding, but I was smiling. And that's Xterra in a nutshell.
BEST TRI WITH FRIENDS: OUTDOOR DIVAS
August 12th, 2012 Longmont
1/2 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike, 5K Run
http://www.withoutlimits.co/#!__outdoor-divas-triathlon-longmont
As far as all-women triathlons go, I'm not a fan of the crazy-crowded, everybody-hugging-everybody type of races. I prefer a smaller race, where I can actually pass slower bikers/runners without killing myself (or them!). And that's why I love Diva's. Sure it's all women, but it's still competitive. Everyone is friendly, but they still try to beat you. And the race caps at 550 people! The last couple of years I've driven up to the race with some awesome friends and we've all had a great time. Oh! And the course is fast! Bonus, right?
BEST TRI TO SET A NEW PR: LONGMONT OPEN AND/OR THE OKTOBERFEST
Summer Open: May 19th, 2012 Longmont
http://www.withoutlimits.co/summer-open-triathlon
Oktoberfest: September 23rd, 2012 Longmont
http://www.withoutlimits.co/#!__oktoberfest-sprint-triathlon
1/2 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike, 5K Run
Both of these triathlons take place on the same course as Outdoor Diva's and are put on by the same company, Without Limits Productions. The swim is in Longmont Reservoir (about an hour drive from south Denver) and the bike is a 3 loop closed-to-traffic course. In past years, I've averaged between 22-24mph on the bike- so it's fast! The run is out and back on a dirt road with only one hill. The nice thing is, even though you have to run up the hill on your way out (around the 1 mile mark), you finish the 5K by cruising down the same hill, plus a short flat, and into the finish line. Don't hold me to this last statement, but I'm pretty sure 8/8 of the triathletes I know that have done this course, have PR'd on this course. Just saying.
BEST TRI FOR A HESITANT OPEN WATER SWIMMER: RATTLESNAKE TRIATHLON
Olympic: August 18th, 2012 Aurora
1500 m Swim, 40K bike, 10K run
Sprint: August 19th, 2012 Aurora
500 m swim, 12 mile bike, 5K run
http://www.rattlesnaketri.com/
I think more people would be attracted to triathlons if it wasn't for the scary factor of the open water swim. I remember when I signed up for my first triathlon, experienced racers did not hesitate to tell me all the horror stories of the water: "You'll get swum over, kicked in the head, and feel like you're drowning. You'll want to stop and cry and quit, but you can't because you're in the middle of a freaking lake!" or something similar to that. Of course you can opt for a pool swim triathlon, a great option to help you gain some confidence and race experience. But the truth is, and I'm sure this will make some folks mad, but real triathlons take place in lakes and oceans. Not pools. I'm sorry, but it's true.
That said, there is another option beside the crazy-free-for-all wave-start. At the Rattlesnake triathlon (Sprint and Olympic), racers line up in single file and enter the water one at a time, with about 10 seconds between each swimmer. When it's your turn, you simply start your swim alone and at your own pace. Sure you'll probably get passed by a swimmer or two, or pass a swimmer or two, but compared to the alternative, you'll be in much calmer waters.
The Rattlesnake triathlons take place at Aurora Reservoir. The bike course follows rolling hills and the run follows a low-to-moderately hilly bike bath around the reservoir. And if you're feeling really ambitious, they offer the Back-to-Back option: compete in the Olympic distance on Saturday and come back for the Sprint distance on Sunday. Oh, the fun never stops!
BEST HALF IRONMAN: HARVEST MOON
September 9th, 2012 Aurora
1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike, 13.1 Mile Run
http://www.withoutlimits.co/harvest-moon-long-course-festival#!__harvest-moon-long-course-festival
Even though there are very few (like, only 2) half ironman triathlons in the state of Colorado, I still pick Harvest Moon as my fav. They are reasonably priced ($135 for an entry, vs. $250 for the "other guy"), late in the season (giving you plenty of time to ramp up to the distance), limited to 600 people, and fun. The crowd varies from elite to newbie with everything inbetween, and the race even offers an aquabike and relay category. The bike is tough, with lots of the rolling hills that Aurora Res. is famous for, followed by a low-to-moderately hilly run around Aurora Reservoir. But the best part? You finish by slip 'n sliding across the finish line! No one can take themselves too seriously on a slip 'n slide, am I right?
BEST 5K/10K: THE JUSTICE RUN
Littleton, CO Date: TBD
http://www.thejusticerun.org/
Alright, alright, I'm totally partial on this one. But it really is a great race with a fun, local feel. You get everybody from elite runners, to seasoned athletes, to the new runner crowd Plus, my personal favorite, is all the kids that come out to run (or walk) their first 5K. The course is beautiful as it follows the Highline Canal and Lee Gulch trails around Old-town Littleton. And not very many races take place on the Highline Canal since it's very hard to get approval. Plus, the cause it great! All money raised (every penny!) goes to the Justice Project and their work with human trafficking victims. But again, this is all my own personal opinion:)
- first marathon
- first triathlon
- first race
- try something new
- qualify for Boston
- set a new PR
MY FAVORITE RACES IN (FRONT RANGE) COLORADO
-Please note: this is entirely my own opinion-
BEST MARATHON: THE COLORADO MARATHON
May 6th, 2012, Ft. Collins
www.ftcollinsmarathon.com
The Colorado Marathon refers to itself as "the fastest and most scenic marathon in Colorado." I couldn't agree more! The winding course travels through the gorgeous Poudre Canyon on the way to Ft. Collins. On one side of the road is fast-flowing river overshadowed by tall, steep cliffs, and on the other side of the road are more tall, steep cliffs. For a mountain girl who loves running in nature, this marathon beats anything urban Denver has to offer! The Marathon is well-organized, small (caps at 1,000 runners), and almost entirely downhill (but still a Boston Qualifier!) If you were lucky enough to get in for 2012 (both the full and half have already sold out) you will not be sorry. And for those of you who missed out for this year, get it on the calendar for 2013!!!
BEST HALF MARATHON: PLATTE RIVER HALF
April 15th, 2012, Littleton
http://www.platteriverhalf.com/
Personally, I've run the Platte River Half for the last 3 years in a row and I keep coming back! The race starts in downtown Littleton and ends in downtown Denver, following the Platte River Trail to the Buckhorn Exchange restaurant. The course traverses through scenic parks, across long bridges, and past a few golf courses- although you do also have to pass the Waste Management dump and run along the side of I-25 for a bit, but hey, this is the city, right? The race caps at 3,000 runners, but sections them off into two different heats to minimize the crowding. Since it's one of the first Half Marathon's of the racing season, you never really know what you'll get weather wise. One year it was hot and sunny, and the next year they were plowing the trail on race morning and everyone was donning full snow gear. The after party is great- burgers and beer, chocolate and burritos- and then you get a one-way ticket on the RTD back to downtown Littleton. In my opinion, it's a great way to spend a Sunday morning in the springtime.
BEST OLYMPIC TRIATHLON: LOVELAND LAKE TO LAKE
June 23rd, 2012 Loveland
http://lovelandlaketolake.com
Unfortunately along the front range, Olympic triathlons are few and far between. However, the fact that the Lake to Lake has been going strong since 2011 should attest to the awesomeness of this race! The swim is 1500M in Lake Loveland and follows the three sides of a rectangle (which is nice because it minimizes the water traffic and turbulance of an out and back course). The run is 6.2 Miles around the lake and surrounding neighbors and very flat (bonus!). But the real reason people keep signing up for this tri is the bike- a 30 mile loop out toward Horsetooth Reservoir, up and down the hilly reservoir road, and back on lots (and lots) of rollers. The talent that comes out for this triathlon is also amazing. Not only will you see a large chunk of very competitive athletes (it's a qualifier race so the talent shows up!) but you'll also see some amazing disabled athletes, including a local man who pulls a boy (every year) through the race. On the swim the disabled boy rides in a raft, on the bike he is in a bike trailer, and on the run he is pushed in a jogger. Everything about this race- the elites, the disabled athletes, and the views- is inspiring.
BEST XTERRA TRIATHLON: XTERRA LORY
August 26th, 2012 Ft. Collins
1/2 Mile Swim, 12.2 Mile Mtn. Bike, 8K Run
http://www.withoutlimits.co/#!__xterra-lory
Xterra enthusiasts like to say, "Once you go off-road, you'll never go back." In my experience, off-road was crazy tough and something I will probably only put myself through once a year. And as far as Xterra's go, this is the only one I've found that's convenient to the Denverite crowd. But regardless of it's slim competition, I still believe it is one of the best. Put on by Without Limits Productions (a proven tri company that also puts on Outdoor Divas and Oktoberfest), the swim takes place in Horsetooth Reservoir just outside of Ft. Collins. The mountain bike course alternates annually between an uphill loop, crazy climbing type of loop and a beginner friendly, meadow-riding type of loop. Most people are friendly (as long as you avoid the elite-crowd) and the course is fun. After a 12 miles on your mountain bike, you get to climb straight up the side of a mountain for the run. Honestly, I'm pretty hard-core and I thought it was insane. But on the positive end of things, you get to come back down the steep mountain slope and finish with an awesome slip n' slide across the finish line. I was dirty, tired, and my feet were bleeding, but I was smiling. And that's Xterra in a nutshell.
BEST TRI WITH FRIENDS: OUTDOOR DIVAS
August 12th, 2012 Longmont
1/2 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike, 5K Run
http://www.withoutlimits.co/#!__outdoor-divas-triathlon-longmont
As far as all-women triathlons go, I'm not a fan of the crazy-crowded, everybody-hugging-everybody type of races. I prefer a smaller race, where I can actually pass slower bikers/runners without killing myself (or them!). And that's why I love Diva's. Sure it's all women, but it's still competitive. Everyone is friendly, but they still try to beat you. And the race caps at 550 people! The last couple of years I've driven up to the race with some awesome friends and we've all had a great time. Oh! And the course is fast! Bonus, right?
BEST TRI TO SET A NEW PR: LONGMONT OPEN AND/OR THE OKTOBERFEST
Summer Open: May 19th, 2012 Longmont
http://www.withoutlimits.co/summer-open-triathlon
Oktoberfest: September 23rd, 2012 Longmont
http://www.withoutlimits.co/#!__oktoberfest-sprint-triathlon
1/2 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike, 5K Run
Both of these triathlons take place on the same course as Outdoor Diva's and are put on by the same company, Without Limits Productions. The swim is in Longmont Reservoir (about an hour drive from south Denver) and the bike is a 3 loop closed-to-traffic course. In past years, I've averaged between 22-24mph on the bike- so it's fast! The run is out and back on a dirt road with only one hill. The nice thing is, even though you have to run up the hill on your way out (around the 1 mile mark), you finish the 5K by cruising down the same hill, plus a short flat, and into the finish line. Don't hold me to this last statement, but I'm pretty sure 8/8 of the triathletes I know that have done this course, have PR'd on this course. Just saying.
BEST TRI FOR A HESITANT OPEN WATER SWIMMER: RATTLESNAKE TRIATHLON
Olympic: August 18th, 2012 Aurora
1500 m Swim, 40K bike, 10K run
Sprint: August 19th, 2012 Aurora
500 m swim, 12 mile bike, 5K run
http://www.rattlesnaketri.com/
I think more people would be attracted to triathlons if it wasn't for the scary factor of the open water swim. I remember when I signed up for my first triathlon, experienced racers did not hesitate to tell me all the horror stories of the water: "You'll get swum over, kicked in the head, and feel like you're drowning. You'll want to stop and cry and quit, but you can't because you're in the middle of a freaking lake!" or something similar to that. Of course you can opt for a pool swim triathlon, a great option to help you gain some confidence and race experience. But the truth is, and I'm sure this will make some folks mad, but real triathlons take place in lakes and oceans. Not pools. I'm sorry, but it's true.
That said, there is another option beside the crazy-free-for-all wave-start. At the Rattlesnake triathlon (Sprint and Olympic), racers line up in single file and enter the water one at a time, with about 10 seconds between each swimmer. When it's your turn, you simply start your swim alone and at your own pace. Sure you'll probably get passed by a swimmer or two, or pass a swimmer or two, but compared to the alternative, you'll be in much calmer waters.
The Rattlesnake triathlons take place at Aurora Reservoir. The bike course follows rolling hills and the run follows a low-to-moderately hilly bike bath around the reservoir. And if you're feeling really ambitious, they offer the Back-to-Back option: compete in the Olympic distance on Saturday and come back for the Sprint distance on Sunday. Oh, the fun never stops!
BEST HALF IRONMAN: HARVEST MOON
September 9th, 2012 Aurora
1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike, 13.1 Mile Run
http://www.withoutlimits.co/harvest-moon-long-course-festival#!__harvest-moon-long-course-festival
Even though there are very few (like, only 2) half ironman triathlons in the state of Colorado, I still pick Harvest Moon as my fav. They are reasonably priced ($135 for an entry, vs. $250 for the "other guy"), late in the season (giving you plenty of time to ramp up to the distance), limited to 600 people, and fun. The crowd varies from elite to newbie with everything inbetween, and the race even offers an aquabike and relay category. The bike is tough, with lots of the rolling hills that Aurora Res. is famous for, followed by a low-to-moderately hilly run around Aurora Reservoir. But the best part? You finish by slip 'n sliding across the finish line! No one can take themselves too seriously on a slip 'n slide, am I right?
BEST 5K/10K: THE JUSTICE RUN
Littleton, CO Date: TBD
http://www.thejusticerun.org/
Alright, alright, I'm totally partial on this one. But it really is a great race with a fun, local feel. You get everybody from elite runners, to seasoned athletes, to the new runner crowd Plus, my personal favorite, is all the kids that come out to run (or walk) their first 5K. The course is beautiful as it follows the Highline Canal and Lee Gulch trails around Old-town Littleton. And not very many races take place on the Highline Canal since it's very hard to get approval. Plus, the cause it great! All money raised (every penny!) goes to the Justice Project and their work with human trafficking victims. But again, this is all my own personal opinion:)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
We rang in the new year last night with a house full of hyper kiddos (5 total), some party poppers, sparkling watermelon flavored juice, some PS3 action, and a movie about an orphaned Polar Bear.
I was watching my friend's two kids for her since she had to ring in the new year at work. I know I got the better end of that deal.
Pumpkin passed out first at around 10pm (WAY past her usual bedtime) and we lost the boys to slumber at 10:30. But the girls were obviously new year's enthusiasts because they actually made it until 12:15am.
And I'm sure, like most parents across the world this morning, I had hopes of children who would sleep in. But instead I was awakened by Peanut poking me at 6:15am and asking for a movie.
"Are you kidding me?!?!" I asked. I went downstairs and found all the kids sitting on the couch, wide awake. The boys had woke up at 6am and decided to sneak downstairs to wake up the girls. Happy New Year to me.
Two cups of coffee and "Despicable Me" later, I'm in a much better mood. And hoping that today's start of 2012 is not indicative of what the rest of the year holds.
In the midst of my frustrations with my children this morning, I remembered a poem I read on the side of a tea box once. Today I will be printing this poem out and posting it in my kitchen. I think this will be one of my resolutions for 2012.
If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again
by Diane Loomans
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd finger-paint more, and point the fingers less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd teach less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.
Happy New Years!
I was watching my friend's two kids for her since she had to ring in the new year at work. I know I got the better end of that deal.
Pumpkin passed out first at around 10pm (WAY past her usual bedtime) and we lost the boys to slumber at 10:30. But the girls were obviously new year's enthusiasts because they actually made it until 12:15am.
And I'm sure, like most parents across the world this morning, I had hopes of children who would sleep in. But instead I was awakened by Peanut poking me at 6:15am and asking for a movie.
"Are you kidding me?!?!" I asked. I went downstairs and found all the kids sitting on the couch, wide awake. The boys had woke up at 6am and decided to sneak downstairs to wake up the girls. Happy New Year to me.
Two cups of coffee and "Despicable Me" later, I'm in a much better mood. And hoping that today's start of 2012 is not indicative of what the rest of the year holds.
In the midst of my frustrations with my children this morning, I remembered a poem I read on the side of a tea box once. Today I will be printing this poem out and posting it in my kitchen. I think this will be one of my resolutions for 2012.
If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again
by Diane Loomans
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd finger-paint more, and point the fingers less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd teach less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.
Happy New Years!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Little Girl, Big Changes
My sweet Pumpkin transitioned from her crib to a big girl bed last week. I had no intention of moving her quite yet, but when I needed to move a bed out of Buddy's room to make space for bunkbeds, it seemed easiest to put the extra bed next door in baby girl's room. As soon as she saw the bed, she was excited. A huge grin covered her face and she made sure everyone (brother, sister, Daddy, & Dog) knew, "Baby sleep big bed!" The first night I had low expectations, tucking her in and assuming she would get out of bed no less than 100 times because, well, she could. But she did not emerge from her room even once. I guess she was ready.......even if this Momma was not.
And tonight, at 2am precisely, is our little girls 2nd birthday. I am so incredibly thankful for the gift of sunshine God gave us in our little Pumpkin:)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Christmas Traditions: Watson Style!
I know I missed this post in time for Christmas 2011 (oops!) but I thought I'd publish it anyway. And who knows, maybe someone out there in the blog-o-sphere will be inspired for next year:)
3) Christmas Cookies. Of course.
4) Make Jesus a Birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus". Sometimes I think kids need a literal reminder of the real reason we celebrate.
5) See Santa turn on the lights in Downtown Littleton. It's usually cold and crowded, but quite amazing. A fun small-town-nestled-in-the-big-city tradition.
6) Look at lights. In our jammies. With hot chocolate. And Starbucks coffee:)
7)Advent Book. This was a new tradition we started this year. We read a chapter in "Jotham's Journey", a descriptive and inspiring story about a boy who lived during the time Jesus was born, every night before bed. GREAT way to focus on Jesus for the weeks leading up to His Birthday.
8) Unwrap and read a Christmas book every day of Advent. This idea was inspired by my friend Dana. You wrap up all your Christmas books and let the kids pick one each night to unwrap and read as a family. We did this at the same time we read "Jotham"- right before bed each night with the candles lit and snuggled on the sofa. Awesome Memory.
9) Jesse Tree. This was another new tradition this year, but one we will absolutely continue. Every day of Advent, we read a verse and placed an ornament on our tree (which I clearly made myself). The ornaments start with Creation and trace the lineage of Jesus- from Adam, to Noah, to Isaiah's prophecy, to Joseph's family line- all the way to Jesus' birth. Very meaningful.
10)Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Sure it's crowded, and usually hard to squeeze into the busy holiday schedule, but once we get there it is always worth the trouble. There is something very reverent and inspiring about worshiping Jesus (with Christmas lights twinkling and candles glowing)the night before He came to earth...as a little baby.... and changed the world forever.
Top 10 Watson Family Christmas Traditions:
1)Pick out a REAL Christmas tree. No budging on this one.
2) Pick out an ornament- something that represents them- to put on our tree. So far we have lots of doggies and ballerina's, an angel and a robot, Yoda, a train, a beach ball, a butterfly and a Pumpkin, to name a few. When they're grown and leave us to start their own families, we will send them off with a box of ornaments from their childhood.
3) Christmas Cookies. Of course.
4) Make Jesus a Birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus". Sometimes I think kids need a literal reminder of the real reason we celebrate.
5) See Santa turn on the lights in Downtown Littleton. It's usually cold and crowded, but quite amazing. A fun small-town-nestled-in-the-big-city tradition.
6) Look at lights. In our jammies. With hot chocolate. And Starbucks coffee:)
8) Unwrap and read a Christmas book every day of Advent. This idea was inspired by my friend Dana. You wrap up all your Christmas books and let the kids pick one each night to unwrap and read as a family. We did this at the same time we read "Jotham"- right before bed each night with the candles lit and snuggled on the sofa. Awesome Memory.
9) Jesse Tree. This was another new tradition this year, but one we will absolutely continue. Every day of Advent, we read a verse and placed an ornament on our tree (which I clearly made myself). The ornaments start with Creation and trace the lineage of Jesus- from Adam, to Noah, to Isaiah's prophecy, to Joseph's family line- all the way to Jesus' birth. Very meaningful.
Merry Christmas!
A New Addition......
A friend at the gym asked me the other day, "Signing up for any marathons this year?"
"No", I responded. "Not planning on it."
"Oh, I bet you'll be signing up for another one before you know it! They're addictive and you LOVE to run."
He has a point, I thought. And yes,I would have already signed up for at least one marathon, a few triathlons, and a half ironman, if life wasn't taking a different turn for our family this year.
We're adopting. And after all the hours of training, wisdom of those who have gone before us, and some gentle nudging by the Holy Spirit, we've decided that 2012 needs to be dedicated to our family. We're scraping every activity, commitment, and hobby off of our plates that we can possibly live without. Instead our days will revolve around helping our new son and our biological children adjust to a new life- as a family of 6.
We've chosen to adopt out of the Denver County foster care system. And in our perfect vision for our family, he would be a 2-4 year old male(and my husband is hoping for a boy of African-American ethnicity). But honestly, we won't know until we know until we know......
I've been assured (again and again and....again) that it's going to be hard. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the main priorities of those who train prospective adopting families are:
1) Make sure they know it's not easy.
2) Help them lower their expectations.
3) Tell them it's going to be really hard.
Children who come out of foster-care, orphanages, or any less-than ideal start in life will have experienced trauma. A good rule of thumb is, the amount of time a child spent in a traumatic situation, the same amount of time will be needed to deal with the trauma. Professionals say you can expect the child to be about half the age developmentally as they are physically. So adopting a 4 year old is really like adopting a 2 year old.
But despite all the warnings and the setting aside of things (like races) that are important to me, I am beyond excited for what this next year holds for our family. The kids have been anxiously waiting for "Brother" for the last three years and I think we are all getting more excited as the "gotcha" date moves closer and closer.
So when exactly will Brother become a part of our family? That is a question that only God can answer, but my best guess is sometime this spring. We still have to do the homestudy, but we were told by Denver County that we should expect to be certified in 6-8 weeks.
The bunk beds are up and now we are all just waiting.......
"No", I responded. "Not planning on it."
"Oh, I bet you'll be signing up for another one before you know it! They're addictive and you LOVE to run."
He has a point, I thought. And yes,I would have already signed up for at least one marathon, a few triathlons, and a half ironman, if life wasn't taking a different turn for our family this year.
We're adopting. And after all the hours of training, wisdom of those who have gone before us, and some gentle nudging by the Holy Spirit, we've decided that 2012 needs to be dedicated to our family. We're scraping every activity, commitment, and hobby off of our plates that we can possibly live without. Instead our days will revolve around helping our new son and our biological children adjust to a new life- as a family of 6.
We've chosen to adopt out of the Denver County foster care system. And in our perfect vision for our family, he would be a 2-4 year old male(and my husband is hoping for a boy of African-American ethnicity). But honestly, we won't know until we know until we know......
I've been assured (again and again and....again) that it's going to be hard. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the main priorities of those who train prospective adopting families are:
1) Make sure they know it's not easy.
2) Help them lower their expectations.
3) Tell them it's going to be really hard.
Children who come out of foster-care, orphanages, or any less-than ideal start in life will have experienced trauma. A good rule of thumb is, the amount of time a child spent in a traumatic situation, the same amount of time will be needed to deal with the trauma. Professionals say you can expect the child to be about half the age developmentally as they are physically. So adopting a 4 year old is really like adopting a 2 year old.
But despite all the warnings and the setting aside of things (like races) that are important to me, I am beyond excited for what this next year holds for our family. The kids have been anxiously waiting for "Brother" for the last three years and I think we are all getting more excited as the "gotcha" date moves closer and closer.
So when exactly will Brother become a part of our family? That is a question that only God can answer, but my best guess is sometime this spring. We still have to do the homestudy, but we were told by Denver County that we should expect to be certified in 6-8 weeks.
The bunk beds are up and now we are all just waiting.......
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Blog Effect
I think my toddler has an aversion to blogs. Or maybe just my blogs. Either way, whenever she sees me sit at the computer with my thinking face on, she screams. Every time. Without exception.
Which may be why, despite all my good intentions of staying current in the cyber world, I fall behind.....again.....and again.....and....
Uh, I gotta go. Lily is screaming.
But I will catch up soon:)
Which may be why, despite all my good intentions of staying current in the cyber world, I fall behind.....again.....and again.....and....
Uh, I gotta go. Lily is screaming.
But I will catch up soon:)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Survior-Crabs
They were gifts, the two hermit crabs. Given to us by dear friends who were moving across the country and needed to leave their pets behind them. So when Buddy, now 5 ½, lost them in our house, I couldn’t help but feel terrible.
Joe and Sally didn’t do much. They were pretty easy by pet standards, and honestly, if you forgot to feed them for a few days (okay, maybe even a week) they didn’t seem to mind. Occasionally I’d allow the kids to get them out of the cage and watch them maneuver obstacles on the family room floor. But on most days, they just hung in their tank.
I left on Friday afternoon for a home school conference and wouldn’t return until the following Saturday afternoon. My husband and several friends were helping to watch the kiddos for me while I was gone. When I returned home on Saturday afternoon the house was a disaster: play-doh crusties ground into the living room carpet, shoes strewn through every room and hall, and three meals worth of food droppings caking the hardwood floors below the dining room table. But the kids were happy and still breathing, so I couldn’t complain too much.
I threw a load of dishes in the sink and began picking up laundry. Carrying the first pile (yes, there was more than one) down to the laundry room, I notice the lid on the hermit crabs’ tank was up. “Huh, that‘s a little peculiar,” I thought. Looking inside I noticed that Joe and Sally were not snuggled into the sand as usual.
“Peanut!!!! Buddy!!!!” I yelled. “Where exactly are Joe and Sally?”
Buddy immediately looked guilty. “I took them out to play.”
“Okay, fine. So where are they now?” I asked. He ran downstairs to the table where he had set them, looking confused that they were no longer there.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I left them right here!”
“When? When did you leave them here? Who was watching you when you got them out?”
“Ms. Brenda,” he said. She was here early Friday afternoon.
“Just great,” I concluded. “The crabs have been missing for more than 30 hours already, and no one even noticed.”
We searched high and low that day. Nothing. We searched the next day, too. Still nothing. Inspired by a conference session about decluttering the home, I decided to go through the house room by room cleaning and purging. On the third day since Sally had disappeared, I found her huddled next to the downstairs couch when I was moving it to vacuum. I carefully reached out my finger to touch the shell thinking she was probably dead. Movement. She survived.
Sally had originally been Buddy’s crab. But since he was the one who almost killed her and she was now our only hermit crab, we decided it was only fair for Sally to now belong to Peanut. She renamed her Sparkles.
Days and weeks went by, and we all assumed Joe was dead. The crazy summer rainstorms had kept our basement unusually cool and hermit crabs like it to be a warm 80 degrees. Besides, he had no food and no water.
4 weeks since the incident:
For Peanut's seventh birthday, we moved her room downstairs. I set up a monitor so I could hear if she needed me at night. It was a big adjustment to be on a separate level from mom and dad, so she occasionally got scared in the dark and called for me to come down and comfort her.
One night I was lying next to her in bed, praying and singing as she slowly fell back to sleep. Right as her breathing slowed and she‘d finally dozed off, I heard a noise in the ceiling above my head. I froze.
“Oh my goodness!” I thought, “We have a mouse! There is a mouse in my daughters room!!!!” I stood still listening for a few minutes. The mouse was scratching at the ceiling tiles, scurrying around on the ceiling. I was mortified! How could I, in good conscience, allow my daughter to sleep in the same room as a mouse!
I stood from her bed and listened more carefully. The sound was actually coming from the wall, like the mouse had fallen behind the drywall. “Great!” I thought. “Now he’s trapped back there and there’s no way to get him out. We’re going to have a stinky smell for weeks!”
The scratching moved toward the electrical outlet. Smart mouse. He was going to chew his way out at the corner of the socket. I stood there staring at the wall, in the dark, waiting for that little critter to peep his eyes through the hole. I didn’t have a plan, exactly, but I was NOT going to let him make a home in my home.
Movement! I inched closer to the wall. Crawling over the top of Peanut's CD player that sits on her floor, I saw a form. But it was big and slow and not very mouse-like.
“Joe!!!!” I yelled. “You survived!!!“ I couldn’t believe it. I noticed a tipped over cup of water next to the CD player. He must have hunkered down next to his only water source and waited for rescuers. He was missing for 30 days, but he made it. We put Joe back in the tank with Sparkles and watched as they swapped war stories.
Joe and Sally didn’t do much. They were pretty easy by pet standards, and honestly, if you forgot to feed them for a few days (okay, maybe even a week) they didn’t seem to mind. Occasionally I’d allow the kids to get them out of the cage and watch them maneuver obstacles on the family room floor. But on most days, they just hung in their tank.
I left on Friday afternoon for a home school conference and wouldn’t return until the following Saturday afternoon. My husband and several friends were helping to watch the kiddos for me while I was gone. When I returned home on Saturday afternoon the house was a disaster: play-doh crusties ground into the living room carpet, shoes strewn through every room and hall, and three meals worth of food droppings caking the hardwood floors below the dining room table. But the kids were happy and still breathing, so I couldn’t complain too much.
I threw a load of dishes in the sink and began picking up laundry. Carrying the first pile (yes, there was more than one) down to the laundry room, I notice the lid on the hermit crabs’ tank was up. “Huh, that‘s a little peculiar,” I thought. Looking inside I noticed that Joe and Sally were not snuggled into the sand as usual.
“Peanut!!!! Buddy!!!!” I yelled. “Where exactly are Joe and Sally?”
Buddy immediately looked guilty. “I took them out to play.”
“Okay, fine. So where are they now?” I asked. He ran downstairs to the table where he had set them, looking confused that they were no longer there.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I left them right here!”
“When? When did you leave them here? Who was watching you when you got them out?”
“Ms. Brenda,” he said. She was here early Friday afternoon.
“Just great,” I concluded. “The crabs have been missing for more than 30 hours already, and no one even noticed.”
We searched high and low that day. Nothing. We searched the next day, too. Still nothing. Inspired by a conference session about decluttering the home, I decided to go through the house room by room cleaning and purging. On the third day since Sally had disappeared, I found her huddled next to the downstairs couch when I was moving it to vacuum. I carefully reached out my finger to touch the shell thinking she was probably dead. Movement. She survived.
Sally had originally been Buddy’s crab. But since he was the one who almost killed her and she was now our only hermit crab, we decided it was only fair for Sally to now belong to Peanut. She renamed her Sparkles.
Days and weeks went by, and we all assumed Joe was dead. The crazy summer rainstorms had kept our basement unusually cool and hermit crabs like it to be a warm 80 degrees. Besides, he had no food and no water.
4 weeks since the incident:
For Peanut's seventh birthday, we moved her room downstairs. I set up a monitor so I could hear if she needed me at night. It was a big adjustment to be on a separate level from mom and dad, so she occasionally got scared in the dark and called for me to come down and comfort her.
One night I was lying next to her in bed, praying and singing as she slowly fell back to sleep. Right as her breathing slowed and she‘d finally dozed off, I heard a noise in the ceiling above my head. I froze.
“Oh my goodness!” I thought, “We have a mouse! There is a mouse in my daughters room!!!!” I stood still listening for a few minutes. The mouse was scratching at the ceiling tiles, scurrying around on the ceiling. I was mortified! How could I, in good conscience, allow my daughter to sleep in the same room as a mouse!
I stood from her bed and listened more carefully. The sound was actually coming from the wall, like the mouse had fallen behind the drywall. “Great!” I thought. “Now he’s trapped back there and there’s no way to get him out. We’re going to have a stinky smell for weeks!”
The scratching moved toward the electrical outlet. Smart mouse. He was going to chew his way out at the corner of the socket. I stood there staring at the wall, in the dark, waiting for that little critter to peep his eyes through the hole. I didn’t have a plan, exactly, but I was NOT going to let him make a home in my home.
Movement! I inched closer to the wall. Crawling over the top of Peanut's CD player that sits on her floor, I saw a form. But it was big and slow and not very mouse-like.
“Joe!!!!” I yelled. “You survived!!!“ I couldn’t believe it. I noticed a tipped over cup of water next to the CD player. He must have hunkered down next to his only water source and waited for rescuers. He was missing for 30 days, but he made it. We put Joe back in the tank with Sparkles and watched as they swapped war stories.
No Run For You!!!!
I am guilty. I have let this blog get outdated once again. I guess the craziness of summer combined with three small children who absolutely are not fond of Mommy spending time online are to blame. So to catch up…….
Coming into the Olympic Triathlon in late June, the stress fracture in my right foot started hurting again. The podiatrist, the same one who allowed me to run both a marathon and a 5K on a stress fracture, broke form and said, "No running for you!" Instead, I competed in the Loveland Lake to Lake Aquabike, which involves doing the swim leg and bike leg of the triathlon, and instead of the run portion, you simply get off your bike and make a beeline to the finish. The funny part about the aquabike event is it is almost exclusively injured athletes (myself included), so the 25 yd dash to the finish line is quite comical, with some racers literally hopping on one leg. I placed fourth with a decent time, getting schooled by three women from Boulder who finished sub 2 hours (read: CRAZY FAST!).
So for the last 3, almost 4 weeks I have been forbidden to run. To fill my sad heart with other activities, I have mountain biked, taken to swimming 3 days/week, and began a love-hate relationship with Barre Sculpt.
I have one more race I am signed up for this summer, Outdoor Divas Sprint Triathlon in mid-August, and am hoping and praying my foot will heal in time. Oh, and I am also throwing around the idea of adding 1 or 2 other triathlons to my repetoire. Because, well, I’m a glutton for punishment.
Coming into the Olympic Triathlon in late June, the stress fracture in my right foot started hurting again. The podiatrist, the same one who allowed me to run both a marathon and a 5K on a stress fracture, broke form and said, "No running for you!" Instead, I competed in the Loveland Lake to Lake Aquabike, which involves doing the swim leg and bike leg of the triathlon, and instead of the run portion, you simply get off your bike and make a beeline to the finish. The funny part about the aquabike event is it is almost exclusively injured athletes (myself included), so the 25 yd dash to the finish line is quite comical, with some racers literally hopping on one leg. I placed fourth with a decent time, getting schooled by three women from Boulder who finished sub 2 hours (read: CRAZY FAST!).
So for the last 3, almost 4 weeks I have been forbidden to run. To fill my sad heart with other activities, I have mountain biked, taken to swimming 3 days/week, and began a love-hate relationship with Barre Sculpt.
I have one more race I am signed up for this summer, Outdoor Divas Sprint Triathlon in mid-August, and am hoping and praying my foot will heal in time. Oh, and I am also throwing around the idea of adding 1 or 2 other triathlons to my repetoire. Because, well, I’m a glutton for punishment.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
The verdict is.......still out.
After accumulating stress fractures in BOTH feet, I find myself reluctant to run. The pain, like a sharp nail being driven through the center of my foot with a sledge hammer, is simply not worth cranking out 3 miles on the treadmill. The marathon is over. And honestly, I'm a little burnt out on the whole running thing right now.
But oh, wait. Tri season is officially here. And I did register for a few of those.
So, like most hobby-level triathletes, I find myself desperately trying to log laps in the pool and miles on the bike. And I yell at my feet a lot, too. "Heal, already! Seriously! The race is in 3 weeks!"
So if my feet are not up challenge, I will simply downgrade to the aqua-bike option and cheer for my friends and Hubby while they do the whole triathlon.
But if they ARE up to the challenge.........is it too much to hope for a new Olympic-Tri PR?
But oh, wait. Tri season is officially here. And I did register for a few of those.
So, like most hobby-level triathletes, I find myself desperately trying to log laps in the pool and miles on the bike. And I yell at my feet a lot, too. "Heal, already! Seriously! The race is in 3 weeks!"
So if my feet are not up challenge, I will simply downgrade to the aqua-bike option and cheer for my friends and Hubby while they do the whole triathlon.
But if they ARE up to the challenge.........is it too much to hope for a new Olympic-Tri PR?
Monday, May 9, 2011
So you want to start running, eh?
I get asked this question all of the time: I want to get back into running (or start running) but I just can't get motivated. Do you have any suggestions?
Suggestions? Me? You bet I do!
I think most people desire to run, or even used to run, but for whatever reason now find themselves out of running shape. Even though I've run competitively since I was in middle school, after I had my first and second child I struggled to start running again. I didn't exercise much through either pregnancy, mostly just walking and occasional lifting. Then, when I found myself with two babies under two, I found it extremely difficult to fit in any form of exercise altogether, let alone running. I had a double jogger, but my kids were uncooperative when restrained, especially when restrained next to each other.
It wasn't until my oldest was two, that I finally committed to getting back into competitive shape. We switched our gym membership over to the YMCA, where they include two hours of free child care with a family membership. I found myself slowly eeking back into shape. I signed up for a 10K and loved every second of it. Fast forward five years, and here I am today absolutely in love with running and racing.
So how do you get from, I kind-of-hate-but-tolerate running, to loving, even craving, to run?
Here's a few tips:
1) AVOID ROOKIE MISTAKES
Most people, when they first get started, think they're back in PE running the mile for time. They take off crazy fast, poop out after one lap, and pull over on the sidelines keeled over and coughing like a lifetime smoker. Then they walk away discouraged, hating running, and not motivated to try again the next day.
*START SLOW! Run at a pace where you're in control, able to hold a conversation, and not about to die.
*STAY POSITIVE! Don't tell yourself you're“not a runner” or that you’re “going to feel bad” during a run.
* DON'T DO TOO MUCH, TOO SOON! Don't try to run 5 days/week when you first start, aim for 2 or 3 instead. Increase ONE run/week by about 1 mile or 10 minutes, keeping the others the same.
*EAT! About 2-2 1/2 hours before you run, consume a banana, or bagel, or SOMETHING. Get used to eating before you run now, because when you start running longer distances (6+ miles) your body will rely on those calories.
*RIGHT FORM! Keep your arms at a 90 degree angle, chest open, head up, torso leaning slightly forward.
*RIGHT SHOES! You can't dig those $20 sneakers from college out of the closet and expect to run well and without injury. Invest in some new, good running shoes. And get some cool new running short or tights while you're at it. Sometimes looking like a runner will give you the confidence to be a runner.
2) REGISTER FOR A RACE
Seriously. You can talk all you want about finally doing a 5K, but until you actually pay the money and put it on your calendar, it's easy to back out. Depending on your current fitness level, pick something that's 8-16 weeks away. May I suggest The Justice Run on September 25th in Littleton? We have a 5K option, perfect for those runner's who are just starting out and a 10K option, for those who are ready to up the distance and challenge themselves a little more. Check out www.thejusticerun.org. I'll even be posting some beginner and intermediate training plans there in the near future. Oh! And ALL the money raised goes to help human trafficking victims through the Justice Project.
Still not convinced to sign up for a race? Running to just run can get boring. Doing a race gives you an endpoint, something to work toward. And doing races is fun and addictive: the atmosphere, crossing the finish line, the satisfaction of a well earned beer (oh, and accomplishing a goal, too!).
3) COME UP WITH A STRATEGY
I know we’re all super busy, especially with small kids, jobs, commitments. It's important to find a training schedule that's flexible and attainable.
Answer these questions:
When can you train?
Morning, nights, naptime?
Where will I train?
Treadmill at home, at the gym, or outside?
And if you're really starting from scratch, start with a walking plan first:
Start by walking for 25-30 minutes a day, as many days a week as you can, until it feels easy.
Then increase your pace, walking briskly for those 30 minutes each day. When this gets easy, start inserting a few jogs, of about 100 yards or so, during your 30 minute walk. Then continue to run/walk, increasing your run time each day.
Tricks for a Run/Walk Plan:
Use IPOD with # of songs. Run for 1 song, walk 1 song. Keep increasing.
Distance: Run to tree, walk. Run to school, walk.
Time: Run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute. Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute.
Commercials: watch a show (like Biggest Loser) walk during the show, run during the commercials.
How I train:
My husband works crazy hours & I homeschool my children so they are with me ALL of the time. Most days I go to the gym. Sometimes I switch off with my friend (or husband): I watch the kids while she/he/ runs, she/he watches them while I run. You can always figure out a way to make it work!
Plus, you already signed up for a race, right? So you pretty much HAVE to figure out a way to make it work!
Don't hesitate to ask me any questions.......or for a training schedule:)
Suggestions? Me? You bet I do!
I think most people desire to run, or even used to run, but for whatever reason now find themselves out of running shape. Even though I've run competitively since I was in middle school, after I had my first and second child I struggled to start running again. I didn't exercise much through either pregnancy, mostly just walking and occasional lifting. Then, when I found myself with two babies under two, I found it extremely difficult to fit in any form of exercise altogether, let alone running. I had a double jogger, but my kids were uncooperative when restrained, especially when restrained next to each other.
It wasn't until my oldest was two, that I finally committed to getting back into competitive shape. We switched our gym membership over to the YMCA, where they include two hours of free child care with a family membership. I found myself slowly eeking back into shape. I signed up for a 10K and loved every second of it. Fast forward five years, and here I am today absolutely in love with running and racing.
So how do you get from, I kind-of-hate-but-tolerate running, to loving, even craving, to run?
Here's a few tips:
1) AVOID ROOKIE MISTAKES
Most people, when they first get started, think they're back in PE running the mile for time. They take off crazy fast, poop out after one lap, and pull over on the sidelines keeled over and coughing like a lifetime smoker. Then they walk away discouraged, hating running, and not motivated to try again the next day.
*START SLOW! Run at a pace where you're in control, able to hold a conversation, and not about to die.
*STAY POSITIVE! Don't tell yourself you're“not a runner” or that you’re “going to feel bad” during a run.
* DON'T DO TOO MUCH, TOO SOON! Don't try to run 5 days/week when you first start, aim for 2 or 3 instead. Increase ONE run/week by about 1 mile or 10 minutes, keeping the others the same.
*EAT! About 2-2 1/2 hours before you run, consume a banana, or bagel, or SOMETHING. Get used to eating before you run now, because when you start running longer distances (6+ miles) your body will rely on those calories.
*RIGHT FORM! Keep your arms at a 90 degree angle, chest open, head up, torso leaning slightly forward.
*RIGHT SHOES! You can't dig those $20 sneakers from college out of the closet and expect to run well and without injury. Invest in some new, good running shoes. And get some cool new running short or tights while you're at it. Sometimes looking like a runner will give you the confidence to be a runner.
2) REGISTER FOR A RACE
Seriously. You can talk all you want about finally doing a 5K, but until you actually pay the money and put it on your calendar, it's easy to back out. Depending on your current fitness level, pick something that's 8-16 weeks away. May I suggest The Justice Run on September 25th in Littleton? We have a 5K option, perfect for those runner's who are just starting out and a 10K option, for those who are ready to up the distance and challenge themselves a little more. Check out www.thejusticerun.org. I'll even be posting some beginner and intermediate training plans there in the near future. Oh! And ALL the money raised goes to help human trafficking victims through the Justice Project.
Still not convinced to sign up for a race? Running to just run can get boring. Doing a race gives you an endpoint, something to work toward. And doing races is fun and addictive: the atmosphere, crossing the finish line, the satisfaction of a well earned beer (oh, and accomplishing a goal, too!).
3) COME UP WITH A STRATEGY
I know we’re all super busy, especially with small kids, jobs, commitments. It's important to find a training schedule that's flexible and attainable.
Answer these questions:
When can you train?
Morning, nights, naptime?
Where will I train?
Treadmill at home, at the gym, or outside?
And if you're really starting from scratch, start with a walking plan first:
Start by walking for 25-30 minutes a day, as many days a week as you can, until it feels easy.
Then increase your pace, walking briskly for those 30 minutes each day. When this gets easy, start inserting a few jogs, of about 100 yards or so, during your 30 minute walk. Then continue to run/walk, increasing your run time each day.
Tricks for a Run/Walk Plan:
Use IPOD with # of songs. Run for 1 song, walk 1 song. Keep increasing.
Distance: Run to tree, walk. Run to school, walk.
Time: Run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute. Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute.
Commercials: watch a show (like Biggest Loser) walk during the show, run during the commercials.
How I train:
My husband works crazy hours & I homeschool my children so they are with me ALL of the time. Most days I go to the gym. Sometimes I switch off with my friend (or husband): I watch the kids while she/he/ runs, she/he watches them while I run. You can always figure out a way to make it work!
Plus, you already signed up for a race, right? So you pretty much HAVE to figure out a way to make it work!
Don't hesitate to ask me any questions.......or for a training schedule:)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Runners on Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
3:50 am: Alarm goes off. I hop in the shower, heat up some coffee, and eat my traditional pre-race breakfast: a bagel, peanut butter, and banana slices. I dress in long sleeves, pants, jacket, gloves, and headband. It's FREEZING outside, only 34 degrees!
4:20 am: My hubby drives me to catch the race bus. All 1,000 marathoners are required to ride the bus to the start line, 16 miles up Poudre Canyon in Ft. Collins. I chat with the gal next to me, who is also running her first marathon. I tell her I haven't run in almost two weeks because of my broken foot. "Really? You broke your foot and you're still going to do this thing?" she asks. My response, "Everyone one of us is going to be in some sort of pain during the marathon, I'm just lucky that I know exactly where it's gonna hurt."
5:45 am: Buses arrive at the start line with only 30 minutes to spare. I do the same thing the other 999 runners do- get in line for the port-o-potties. The line is CRAZY long, snaking back and forth at least six different times. I chat with the people around me.
6:10 am: Still in line for bathroom. Race starts in 5 minutes, so I get desperate- I run off into the woods, take care of business, and make it back to the starting area barely in time for the National Anthem. Others still wait for the bathroom.
6:15 am: Starting gun goes off! This is it. This is what I've trained for since January. I start my Garmin, start my IPOD, and weave past runners working my way up to those with a similar pace.
7:20 am: I'm about 8 miles in and my foot starts hurting. I took three tylenol(only type of pain killers I can take) when I first woke up, and I take two more now. The pain isn't bad, dulled by the medicine, and nothing I can't handle for the time being.
8:11 am: Halfway mark: 1:56. I'm on perfect pace, holding steady at 8:51/mile. I feel great! The canyon is absolutely beautiful; cliffs on both sides, a river snaking below the road.
8:15 am: FINALLY! A port-o-potty that doesn't have a line! Since the start of the race, every bathroom has had 2 or 3 runner's standing outside of it waiting to get inside. I've seen men and women both, darting in to the woods, behind trees, on the side of signs, all trying to do some quick-relieving without losing too many valuable seconds.
8:38 am: We are finally out of the canyon! 16 miles down, 10 miles to go. By now it is getting hot and my jacket is making me sweat. I take it off, tie it around my waist, and get ready to drop it to the Hubby as soon as I see him. I eat an entire Cliff Bloks bar, hoping I've taken in enough calories so far. You're supposed to eat somewhere around 200 calories/hour during prolonged activity, careful not to deplete your glycogen stores. I've never been able to eat that much mid-race, but I'm extra cautious today, taking in about 150 calories/hour.
8:47 am: Mile 17 is the first place along the course where spectators can see the runners. For the last 167 minutes, it's been just me, the other runners, an occasional passing car, and the aid station volunteers. But now, as I run up the slight incline to where two main highways intersect, I see the course is lined with cheering fans, holding awesome signs. I see, "Chafe now, brag forever" and "Every step is one step closer to beer". Oh, and my personal favorite, "Chuck Norris can't run a marathon". There's my Hubby and friend Kristen running toward me. Jeremiah takes my jacket, offers a gel packet and some more tylenol, as well as some encouraging words, "You're doing great and looking strong!"
9:20 am: Less than an hour left to go (I hope!) and only 5 and a half miles. I see my Husband cheering for the last time until the finish line. We jump on to a winding bike path that promises to take us to the finish. I have no idea what's coming as this is the only part of the course I wasn't able to see before the race; a mistake I will not make again. And I am so thirsty! I'm honestly on the verge of tears looking for the next aid station. I opted to not carry my own water fearing the extra weight it would put on my broken foot. Early dehydration is setting in.
9:30 am: Kristen is smiling, encouraging me that we're getting close to the finish. She's also giving pep talks to other runners who, I'm sure, look about as miserable as I look right now.
9:52 am: 3 miles to go. Under normal circumstances, 3 miles feels like nothing to me. When you're doing 10 mile tempo runs & 20 mile long runs, 3 miles feels like eating dessert and taking a nap. But not today. I want to lie down on the side of the trail and cry.
10:18 am: We turn off the trail onto a road. There in the not-to-far distance is what I've been waiting for- the Finish Line! Kristen says, "There it is Jenny! Run it home, you're almost finished!" and drops off the course to watch the finish with the spectators.
10:20 am: I cross the finish line, arms raised, elated to have finished and to have finished well. I gulp down an entire bottle of water, take my awesome medal and commemorative poster, and look for my husband. 4:05, final time.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Broken foot, Broken dreams.....
Runner's are not strangers to pain. In fact, I'd go so far as to say, that on most runs, most days, most runners feel some sort of pain in their body. But running, as my coaches always said, is 90% mental. So we train our brains to run through the pain, ignore the pain, or frankly, to just deal with it. But occasionally something hurts in a different way and a little alert in our brains goes off. That's what happened to me last Monday.
I was on what was supposed to be an easy 10 mile run. The trail was dirt, mostly downhill, and I was enjoying the thought that this run would only take an hour and a half (not the 3+ hours I had been trudging through as of late). However, around mile 5, I felt a pain, a shock of pain, that radiated through my foot with each step. I stopped for a moment, then started running again- still there. I walked for a while, tried running again- still there. That's when I called my Hubby to come pick me up.
Turns out my foot is fractured, likely the result of high arches mixed with concrete trails and lots of mileage. My podiatrist seems to think I can still run this marathon (which is, as I write, only 8 days away) as long as I wear the boot, don't run until race day, and take lots of pain killers. He's confident the foot will heal (enough) by race morning. In fact, he never even suggested not running the marathon. Regardless, I feel like my mental resolve and pre-race focusing is completely shot. Instead I'm constantly wondering if I will be able to run, how horrible the pain will be, or if I'll have to take the dreaded DNF next to my name. Only time will tell. But for now, I'm trying to stay positive.....and spending lots of time on the elliptical.....oh, and lugging this boot around everywhere I go.
I was on what was supposed to be an easy 10 mile run. The trail was dirt, mostly downhill, and I was enjoying the thought that this run would only take an hour and a half (not the 3+ hours I had been trudging through as of late). However, around mile 5, I felt a pain, a shock of pain, that radiated through my foot with each step. I stopped for a moment, then started running again- still there. I walked for a while, tried running again- still there. That's when I called my Hubby to come pick me up.
Turns out my foot is fractured, likely the result of high arches mixed with concrete trails and lots of mileage. My podiatrist seems to think I can still run this marathon (which is, as I write, only 8 days away) as long as I wear the boot, don't run until race day, and take lots of pain killers. He's confident the foot will heal (enough) by race morning. In fact, he never even suggested not running the marathon. Regardless, I feel like my mental resolve and pre-race focusing is completely shot. Instead I'm constantly wondering if I will be able to run, how horrible the pain will be, or if I'll have to take the dreaded DNF next to my name. Only time will tell. But for now, I'm trying to stay positive.....and spending lots of time on the elliptical.....oh, and lugging this boot around everywhere I go.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Half Marathon and Half Way There
On Sunday I did the Platte River Half Marathon for the second time ever. With only three weeks left until the marathon, I hoped to get a good, confidence boosting race under my feet. My husband ran, too- his first half-marathon ever, and my third.
The week before the race, Weather.com kept messing with me: rainy and 30 degrees one minute, sunny and 50 the next. Their trickery explains why, on race morning, I was incredibly indecisive: what should I wear? Is it going to rain? Snow? Should I carry hydration or just use the aid stations?
As the announcer gave the two-minute warning over the loud-speaker, I made a last minute decision to ditch the coat and gloves and made my way to the start line.
The race started in three random waves. Wave 1 was "those who think they can win" and wave 2 and 3 were determined by projected pace. I went off with about 1,000 other runners in wave #2, quickly weaving through downtown Littleton.
I saw Grandma and my three kiddos cheering as I passed. My two youngest were adorable in a green wagon with sun hats on, while my oldest daughter reached out her hand to high-five any willing runners as they passed.
I started strong, about an 8:15 mile, and settled in with a group of "running buddies" who likely did not even notice I was there. I, however, felt a comraderie with my like-pacers and even took to giving them nicknames. There were the "Two Doctors", very tall and skinny 50-something men who seemed to hold a 8:15 pace so consistently and assuredly. There was "Marathon Cankle" who earned the name from the Hawaii Marathon tech shirt she donned, and the giant size of her calf muscles that were, honestly, quite cankle-ish. And my last buddy, "Polka-dot" a late twenty-something female that was wearing a very cute turquoise polka-dot running skirt.
I held the pace quite easily for the first 7 or 8 miles. One Doctor and Marathon Cankles fell behind me around the 4 mile aid station when they chose the walk-while-I-drink-my-cup-of-water method, while I opted for the drink-half-spill-half-down-my-shirt-while-still-running-method. Around the half-way point, Doctor #2 lengthened his stride and ditched our group for a faster (but not cooler) sub 8 mile crew.
Around the 8 mile mark or so, I could feel the lactic acid adding pounds to my legs. I slowed considerably and wondered why I had started out so fast. Polka-dot slowed, too, so we plodded along together through the hardest miles of the half marathon.
The Kansas-like head-wind was starting to make me cranky around mile 10. I was making my way up a long, gradual hill with my head down when the guy next to me took his earphone out and signaled for me to do the same.
"Is this the 'Big Hill'?" he asked.
I laughed, "Nope. Not even close."
"Dang. I was really hoping this was it and my friends were just wimpy when they complained about the 'scary, big hill at the end."
"I wish," I said while putting my earbud back in. "It's not 'til after the mile 12 marker, and you seriously can't miss it."
The "big hill", is a long viaduct you have to run up, across, and down to the finish line on the other side. I knew to hit my goal of a 1:49 I'd have to hit mile 12 at 1:38, so when I hit it at 1:41, it was obvious my goal wasn't going to happen today. I was, however, 2 minutes ahead of my PR so I knew as long as I could maintain for this last mile, I'd still walk away with a new best.
I clicked to my money-song on my IPod, motored up the hill, and did everything I could to just keep my feet moving. Both legs were solid cement at this point, and at least 10 pounds heavier than they were 12.5 miles ago. When I started coming down the other side, I could see the finish-line. Hallelujah. I gave what I had left, and crossed at 1:52:20 (about a 8:35/mile pace)and over two minutes faster than my previous best. I put my foot up on the gate to get my chip clipped-off, downed two(yes,two)bottles of water, and turned to watch my friends and Hubby come in.
We drank some beer, ate some food, and shared our war-stories. I welcomed my Hubby to the half-marathon club and congratulated my friends on great finishes. I walked away with some confidence for the upcoming marathon, as well as a fearful thought: I would half to race TWICE as far as I did today...twice as far.....
Monday, March 21, 2011
Top 10 List: Things I Learned Running 20 Miles
1) If you're tummy is hurting before the run, take your Hubby's advice and find a bathroom. Squatting on the side of the trail leads to nothing but embarassing, and maybe messy, memories.
2) Don't break your sunglasses trying to dig toilet paper out of your running pack (see #1). Especially if the run is, say, 3 hours. Not fun.
3) Cutting your hand on your camelback clip will cause bleeding. Oh, and there are NO bandaids or first aid stations on running trails.
4) Nothing else can lift your spirits from a bad start (see #1-3) like your kiddos. Talk about God's timing- I was crossing a street about 5 miles into my run just in time to see my mom and the kiddos driving to school. Cheered me right up.
5) The value of knowing restroom locations on trails is absolutely priceless. 20 miles, 4 potty breaks, and only 1 trail squat (again, see #1). I'd say that's a pretty good day. Thanks, Alison, for sharing your wisdom with me ;)
6) Runners, aka pedestrians, ALWAYS have the right of way. Seriously. Stop next time you see someone crossing the road, dummy.
7) The best running songs ever: Where is the Love. Raise Your Glass. Poker Face.
Sure, sure they're overplayed, but they all have a great running beat
8) Worst running songs ever: Down by the Bay. The Books of the Bible. The More We Get Together.
Not sure why I had all the kids' music on my IPhone......?
9) Always try to finish your run at or before your final destination, even if it means circling around a bit somewhere along the way. There is nothing worse than approaching your stopping point, realizing you still have half a mile left, and having to run past your house, car, or gym to finish the run. Trust me, folks. I made this mistake on my 18 mile run, learned from it, and did things the right way today.
10) Never underestimate the value of a friend running the last few (or in this case, eight) miles with you. There is only so much time you can spend with yourself, only so much music you can listen to, and only so long you can keep your feet moving without the aid of distraction.
Thanks, Kristen, for telling me the story behind the "Friday" song, what it was like to cover the crime beat at a W. Virginia newspaper, and only the positive things about the Colorado Marathon.
20 miles- check!
One...Two...Three Trips to the Chiropractor
I carried Lily into the house last Wednesday, like a do a least a half dozen times a day. Except this time, when I set her and my purse and my gym bag down, something in my back tweaked. Bad.
I'd planned on getting in a speed workout before the kiddos swimming lessons that night, but instead made a beeline down Broadway to my Chiropractor.
"Oh......this is pretty bad" he said as I lay down on the table. "What'd you do?"
"Nothing" I said, "Seriously, just the normal, everyday stuff."
After two more visits, he determined my spine was fine and the muscle was only sprained, not torn.
"Optimistically, you could be running in the morning. However, my guess is you'll need several days, maybe even a week for the muscle to repair itself," he said.
"Just great," I thought. I already missed my speed workout, I had a 10 mile run with a friend planned for the morning, and a 20 miler scheduled in for Sunday. And the marathon is only six weeks away.
I took three solid days off. I was less focused on missing all my training runs and more focused on the beautiful day when I would be pain free again. When I'd be able to play with the kids, pick Lily up when her newly mobile feet failed her, and maneuver the stairs without cringing.
By Saturday I was 75% normal. By Sunday I was 90%. And just in time for Monday, I was well enough to tackle the 20-miler.
So what did I learn from all of this?
Injuries happen. A few days off will not ruin months of training. And ice + wine + catching up on the DVR = a happy mommy.
I'd planned on getting in a speed workout before the kiddos swimming lessons that night, but instead made a beeline down Broadway to my Chiropractor.
"Oh......this is pretty bad" he said as I lay down on the table. "What'd you do?"
"Nothing" I said, "Seriously, just the normal, everyday stuff."
After two more visits, he determined my spine was fine and the muscle was only sprained, not torn.
"Optimistically, you could be running in the morning. However, my guess is you'll need several days, maybe even a week for the muscle to repair itself," he said.
"Just great," I thought. I already missed my speed workout, I had a 10 mile run with a friend planned for the morning, and a 20 miler scheduled in for Sunday. And the marathon is only six weeks away.
I took three solid days off. I was less focused on missing all my training runs and more focused on the beautiful day when I would be pain free again. When I'd be able to play with the kids, pick Lily up when her newly mobile feet failed her, and maneuver the stairs without cringing.
By Saturday I was 75% normal. By Sunday I was 90%. And just in time for Monday, I was well enough to tackle the 20-miler.
So what did I learn from all of this?
Injuries happen. A few days off will not ruin months of training. And ice + wine + catching up on the DVR = a happy mommy.
Miles, Mansions, & (Chocolate) Milk
I hitched a ride with the hubby on his way to work on a Wednesday morning. All three kiddos were staying home with G'ma while I embarked on my longest run yet- 18 miles. The Hubster dropped me off at the intersection of Hampden & Colorado to catch the Highline Canal trail.
The first six miles weaved past million dollar homes, pricey private schools (ahem....Kent Denver), & beautiful open spaces. I felt great & loved seeing new scenery. Only once before had I been on this section of the trail: on a bike, towing two 40lb kiddos in the bike trailer, while 5 months preggo with Lily.
The second six miles took me from the intersection of the Highline and Orchard all the way to Broadway. Still felt great, and around mile 9 I had a fun little pick-me-up when I ran in to a friend from the Y who was on her long run for the week, a 12-miler. She is training for her first iron-man in May, about 2 weeks after my first marathon. It felt like an "only-in-Colorado" moment: running into a friend out on some crazy-long trail, who is training for some crazy-long race, while I am training for a (less)-crazy long race.
The last six miles was tough. I decided I didn't want to continue on the route I'd planned, afraid of what running the steep downhill for the last two miles would do to my already tired legs. Instead I jumped off the trail to meander around the streets near Heritage High School in an attempt to do an even 18 miles. This was the hardest part of my run- watching the GPS slowly tick off the final two miles as I ran up one road (only to find it dead end) and down another road. My feet felt like I'd tied 5 pound weights to them. My ears were tired from almost three hours of non-stop music. My mind was tired from counting down the miles, minutes, and seconds.
I wanted three things when I finished: to sit down, to take a hot shower, and to drink some chocolate milk. 18 miles- check!
The first six miles weaved past million dollar homes, pricey private schools (ahem....Kent Denver), & beautiful open spaces. I felt great & loved seeing new scenery. Only once before had I been on this section of the trail: on a bike, towing two 40lb kiddos in the bike trailer, while 5 months preggo with Lily.
The second six miles took me from the intersection of the Highline and Orchard all the way to Broadway. Still felt great, and around mile 9 I had a fun little pick-me-up when I ran in to a friend from the Y who was on her long run for the week, a 12-miler. She is training for her first iron-man in May, about 2 weeks after my first marathon. It felt like an "only-in-Colorado" moment: running into a friend out on some crazy-long trail, who is training for some crazy-long race, while I am training for a (less)-crazy long race.
The last six miles was tough. I decided I didn't want to continue on the route I'd planned, afraid of what running the steep downhill for the last two miles would do to my already tired legs. Instead I jumped off the trail to meander around the streets near Heritage High School in an attempt to do an even 18 miles. This was the hardest part of my run- watching the GPS slowly tick off the final two miles as I ran up one road (only to find it dead end) and down another road. My feet felt like I'd tied 5 pound weights to them. My ears were tired from almost three hours of non-stop music. My mind was tired from counting down the miles, minutes, and seconds.
I wanted three things when I finished: to sit down, to take a hot shower, and to drink some chocolate milk. 18 miles- check!
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