Remembering the Important Things

Self Pampering
Spiritual Food
New Running Shoes
Yoga and Stretching
Lots and Lots of Water
Time to Zone Out to "nothing important"
Balance Balance Balance!


Somewhere along the road of this marathon training cycle, I almost lost myself in trying to stretch myself too thin.  As the mileage increased and the workouts got more challenging, I started dropping one thing and then another from the above list so that I could fit in my "Miles" and get the workouts done.  The workouts were checked off but I was slowly chipping myself and my well being and centeredness off a little at a time.  I was trying to be Mom, Wife, Friend and Runner Extraordinaire.  And now here I am with hairy legs, dead toenails that still have remnants of my last pedicure in August, eyebrows that need plucking, tight muscles that have not been stretched properly, shoes that have been worn away....


So glad I had a wake up call and have picked up a little wisdom along the way.  I took yesterday off of running and today I just did some light elliptical at the gym with some yoga.  Now the agenda for the day is to:


*  get a pedicure
*  read a mindless gossip magazine
*  buy myself a coffee
*  Be thankful that I snapped out of my one-way track towards self-destruction and injury!  


Goals for the rest of my training:
*  Take time to really stretch!!  Not just the 1 minute job I've been doing
*  CROSS TRAIN...Hello!!!  I had every intention to doing spin on Thursdays.  Where did this go??
*  Yoga
*  New Shoes
*  Keeping my training in MY sweet spot and not pushing myself too hard.  It is easy for me to get caught up in comparing myself to what others are doing.  Especially people I respect and admire.  What works for them might not work for me and I need to do what works for me right now as a mother of 3 young ones!  50 miles a week is PLENTY for me!  And if I am going to increase, I need to do it gradually.  
*  Remember to fuel my body appropriately.  


And last but not least....


I plan to Enjoy this beautiful girl of mine on her 6th birthday weekend!  So thankful for her.  My sweet E!  

Is there anything that you've been forgetting to take time for?  What important things to you find yourself forgetting when life gets busy?  

Amanda

Lofty Goals Grounded

I've never run over 60 miles a week.  In fact, I thrive on 40 to 55 miles a week.  As some of you know, I had a really hard week planned for running this week.  If I played my cards right and followed Matt Fitzgerald's third level plan for the Brain Training Plan for the week then I was on track for 70 miles this week.  My all-time high.  And then I planned to return to lower miles next week before my tune-up half marathon that I am training through.  


So, how would I take this big step in miles this week?  On a week that is especially stressful as it is.  Birthday parties, planning for a Writing Festival I'm presenting at, hosting dinners at my house, etc.  Oh, and being a mother to three kids 6 and under.  That's enough right there.  And thanks to those of you that brought this to my attention in my last post.  


I'm tired.  Really tired.  My body hurts.  Not sure why.  And I came home from my recovery run yesterday (cut to 4 miles) with light pain in my heel and foot and a lump the size of a small small bouncy ball in the back of my heel (bottom of ankle where the two meet).  Not sure what this is from but I have learned something over the last six months of reading running blogs.  The most important things I've learned:

• Listen to your body
• It is OKAY to take a day off
• Taking multiple days off (even key workouts God forbid!) at the first signs of injury is the Smartest thing you can possibly do.  Even when it means not being able to meet your lofty goals to be superwoman!  
• A day or two off isn't going to hurt me!  It will help me.
• Taking a day or two off now will help me later.  
• Trying to run through this pain while still running around with my head cut off trying to throw my daughter's birthday party, entertain guests, plan for upcoming events, and gearing up for a 22 miler on Sunday (which may or may not happen) is NOT Wise.  
• Think lots of positive thoughts, love myself and others, and don't be a bitch fest.  

So, here's where I am at now.  I'm giving myself the day off.  No 12 mile run with 6 to 8 of them being Tempo at 7 min pace (or a bit under).  Nope.  I'm going to do a whole lot of nothing until this body of mine feels a bit better and my heel bump goes away.  LOVE LOVE LOVE and Peaceful thoughts for this girl.  I'm going to start with:

• a gratitude list in my journal
• turn on my favorite tunes...maybe some Nora Jones or Jack Johnson
• Have another cup of coffee
• Watch my kids do gymnastics.  Really watch without doing other things besides chasing after my almost 2 year old.  
• Be fully present in my daughter's party today and make it all about her.
• Have a quiet mind, gentle spirit, positive outlook and loving attitude (ha ha, this is funny just writing about it because I'm going to have to dig darn deep here!)  
• Do the heel bump dance to make it go away. 
• Maybe sit down on the couch at quiet time today and actually zone out to some fluff for once.  Practicing the art of RELAXATION is challenging for this HYPER girl who puts way too much pressure on herself.  I might even buy myself a gossip magazine like People or US weekly to really let my mind go.  I have not read one of those since my last beach trip....which was when??

Happy Friday!  

Amanda


p.s. Already convincing myself that I feel better enough to at least attempt some light miles. :)  We shall see.  Be smart Amanda.  Be smart.  be smart...see, if I just keep saying this again and again maybe it will sink in.  

Taking the Pressure OFF! It's Better That Way!

Fresh flowers are a necessary investment for my well being.  They always make a crazy day seem so much calmer!

Really, I don't have any cohesive thoughts worth sharing today.  I'm posting mostly for me.  For my sanity.  For a release in hopes that this brings some sort of clarity to my CRAZY head so that I can carry on with my day and think straight.  My kids have their first t.v time of the day and I'm giving them an hour to fry their brain and indulge in Cat in the Hat and Arthur.  We all know about Arthur...I'm sure I'll learn some valuable lesson that I can apply to own life.  Maybe there will even be a rerun of Muffy and the Big Bad Blog to make me feel stellar about posting my random bullets for the day.  Thank you Arthur for keeping my inner Muffy in check.  


*  Woke up today with so much anxiety about running.  Not sure why.  I'm not getting paid to run.  I'm not good enough anyway.  So why the heck do I feel any kind of pressure to do anything other than just have fun?!  Not sure what is going on with me.  I had bad dreams about running.  I'm ready to get a grip on these feelings of pressure and anxiety and shove them out the door because I certainly DO NOT perform well under pressure.  Especially the pressure I put on myself.  


*  Speaking of pressure, this week just seems crazy all around.  My oldest is turning 6 on Sunday and I am pretty much pulling a party out of my ear in a matter of a few days.  Hoping it is still "magical" and full of fun memories for her despite my total lack of energy.  But who am I kidding?  I am a very happy person who loves life immensely and I never had a birthday party as a kid.  We didn't even celebrate Christmas or any other holiday for that matter (long story) and I turned out okay.  Well, I guess that might be debated by some.  

When did the day happen that I gave my kids random sugary crap to eat in the car just so I can talk on the phone in quiet for five minutes?!  My oldest daughter didn't even get sugar until she was 3!  Okay, she was 1.  

  
*  I went to my old Elementary School that I worked at because I had to pick up some books from a teacher.  The above picture is what my son looked like when we pulled into the parking lot.  I cleaned him up as best I could considering my energy level.  He made quite the impression on all the staff.  He tried to beat up (hit) several of the teachers while shouting "Stop it!"  I love that his sisters have taught him such wonderful manners despite my efforts to try to reverse them.  


*  My daughter also looked lovely today on our visit.  She had on a pretty white dress decorated in chocolate, red paint, and mac n' cheese.  She went well with me and my stinky pits from my running top, usual running hat, and no make-up. Gosh, I need some pampering!  


*  On my way to the school I ended up driving in the direction of the grocery store that wasn't even near the school.  I didn't even realize that I was driving the wrong way until I was almost to the store.  Where is my BRAIN?!


I'm determined to NAIL my workout today!!  Now if only I can find some area in my neighborhood that doesn't have huge hills so that I can actually get some accurate split times.  Here is my workouts this week for those of you that enjoy that kind of thing and probably sick of my mommy rants and want more running:  


Monday:  10 miles slow recovery (just a little under 9 min pace)
Tuesday:  off
Wednesday:  1 mile warm up; 1 x 2 miles @ half marathon pace (shooting for right at 7 or a little under); 2 min active recovery; 1 x 2k @ 10k pace (6:45); 2 min active rec.; 1 x mile@ 5k pace (6:25/30 pace); 2 min active recovery; 1 x 800 @ 3,000m pace; 1-4 miles recovery run
Thursday: 8ish miles recovery/base pace and TRYINg to fit in resistance stuff
Friday:  2 mile warm up; 2 x 4 miles @ half marathon pace (shooting for 7 min pace); .5 mile active recovery. 2 mile cool down
Sat: 8 recovery
Sunday: 22 miles@ base pace.


I'm linking a Garmin activity stat page from my 21 mile run a few weeks ago to show you my elevation profile for my daily runs.  I want to find a flatter course sometimes for my speed work but I don't have time to drive somewhere...I'm squeezing my workouts in as it is.  The hills can really make it hard to hit pace.  But I guess the many uphills give me a fair amount of down hills too.  This was just a long slow run.  I tried to keep my miles at 8:30-9ish and hold myself back from running any faster on this one.  At mile 17 I picked it up just to see what it would feel like to hit marathon pace or around there.  ON my 22 miler this weekend I plan on running this same course and staying right around 8-8:30 with a few miles at 7:30 just to feel it.  I'll have a few marathon pace runs coming up too where I hope to maintain a 7:30ish for a longer distance to simulate marathon conditions.  Okay, here is the link:  

Enough Boring running talk.  Hope I didn't scare too many of you off but I know that some of you will totally dig the running talk!  


1.  Buying fresh flowers is one way that I pamper myself.  Having them in my house is a calm for me.  I also used to get my hair cut regularly before I started spending all my money on running clothes and gear.  What are some of your "self treats" that you pamper yourself with?  


2.  As a runner, mom, dad, etc.  do you put too much pressure on  yourself sometimes?  What do you tell yourself when you start to feel fearful or stressed about life?  I'm usually pretty down to earth these days and overall I keep everything flowing and feeling good.  However, there are certain places along my road that I get stuck in expecting too much of myself and feeling completely defeated by the impossible standards I'm setting.  I have to find things that just relax me, help me breathe and make me realize just how much I'm making things more than they really are.   I really should just drink more wine.  

Amanda


p.s  Okay, so this was a fb status just now by some mom on there: my 5yr old slammed my 4 yr olds face into the video arcade- blood everywhere nosebleeds sure can produce. A witness told me some random boy did it!...um no it wasnt a hit and run, just his sister.


I think this is funny Stuff!  Seriously.  So I wrote this:  I'm sorry. But thank you because this makes me feel better about my crazy life and fighting kids.


The person after me definitely doesn't have my same sense of humor and she probably thinks I'm awful to have enjoyed the status.  her: Wow praying for you as you use wisdom in discipline . Hope he is ok..


What?!  Laugh lady!  This is funny and this mom obviously needs a vent...she probably already disciplined the heck out of her kids.  No need to pray now. Just laugh.  It's over.  

Arthur - Muffy and the Big Bad Blog

Who knew that your kids' after school cartoon could stop you in your chores and make you feel so self conscious. Ha! This episode totally made me do a little self reflection about my "blogging". Gosh, I hope my friends don't see me as a "Muffy".  But more importantly, I hope I don't turn into a Muffy with my blogging.  I can see why many bloggers just keep their blog to their blog world and don't share with their non blogging friends. I can also see how your blog can end up taking over your life and keep you from actually LIVING and instead spend more time blogging about our living. Made me laugh and cringe all at the same time.

At one point Muffy goes to school and asks her friends "So, did you read my new blog yet?!  Huh? Huh?" They all rolled their eyes and basically told her how boring it was and how nobody wants to read about what she ate for lunch or the new curtains she just put up. It was so funny to watch my kids' cartoon from my perspective.

Muffy is definitely the extreme. Hoping I'm far from a Muffy but I can see how easy it would be to cross that blog line and end up like Muffy and her big bad blog!

Happy Monday!

Amanda

Thank You, LIFE! I LOVE YOU!

It's true what they say with the phrases "home sweet home" and "absence makes the heart grow fonder".  Returning home to our beautiful Portland, Oregon after a week away is such sweetness!  As much as I LOVED the city of San Francisco and was actually sad to say goodbye so soon, there is nothing quite like walking into your own home again.  And with sunshine, blue skies, green grass, and birds welcoming us with their happy song it is all just a little sweeter.  Some serious feelings of rebirth around here! We've had a long winter of grey and rain and this glorious golden sunshine is a much needed medicine for all of us in the pacific northwest.  Perfect time for our celebration of Easter tomorrow.  Even the houses in Portland seem to be smiling wide with this day of sunshine and a promise of hope for new growth and change!  I know our house is smiling.  The french doors are open, eggs boiling, Jack Johnson wailing on the radio, and kids running in and out of the house with dirt on their faces, grass stains on their clothes and grins a mile wide....so obvious is their JOY at being HOME and being together as a family in this house of ours...our house, our home, our slice of life buzzing with gratitude!


Still have a run to get in, laundry to do, unpacking, dying some easter eggs, and playing Easter bunny later on tonight so I'll end this post with a list of gratitude.  Listing my gratitude is one of my favorite ways to journal these days.  It is quick, easy, gives a snapshot of my life, and it just feels good to express all that their is to be thankful for in this beautiful life!


Thankful for:
*  A fun vacation in an AWESOME city.  San Francisco has got to be one of the best cities I've ever been to.  Such great vibes coursing through it.  So much to say for another day about San Fran!
*  Stopping by New Seasons Market on our way home from the airport and stocking up on all our favorite veggies and fruits.  
*  The protein Kale smoothie we all had as soon as we walked in the door.  Much needed nutrients after a week of living in a hotel, eating out (french fries, beer, bread, pasta...so much tasty but not so healthy eating).  My body is buzzing with energy and gratitude at the veggies...like a plant that is finally watered after a week of nothing!
*  The sound of music on one side of the house and my family playing outside in the back yard as I do laundry, boil eggs, and get important stuff done like typing my gratitude out on this blog. 
*  Our neighbors who had Easter eggs hidden all around our yard for us with a sidewalk chalk message welcoming us home.  
*  New Friends...even those of you I have not met yet but are more like a pen pal.  I never expected to make so many genuine genuine connections!  
*  My own bed to sleep in!
*  My small home that is under our means and that allows us to be cozy and close, live simply, and experience so many other things in life without having to worry about making ends meet!
*  My early morning run tomorrow at marathon pace...a run to let me see where I am at and hopefully help me grow in confidence as a runner.
*  The Joyful and gracious spirits I see in my children today.  I can tell they've had a wonderful vacation, are happy to be home and are so thankful for their little lives.  
*  Easter tomorrow...an opportunity for reconnecting with my faith.  I know that every day can be a day for this but I am especially thankful that Easter is tomorrow.  Let's just say I need it and it couldn't come at a better time.  
*  Opportunities for NEWness in our life.  It is never too late to try something new or make some big changes in our life!  So much to learn, places to go, hobbies to try, relationships to build, new directions to take with our life.  The possibilities are endless and our life is short so now is the time! Thank God for fresh starts of every kind. 
*  And of course, DEEPLY Thankful for these precious people in my life.  The love of my life and my three beautiful children.  Love them with every fiber in my body.

Last night in San Francisco

1.  Thank you so very much for your heartfelt, open, and genuine comments and e-mails after my post Gentle Redirections...Hitting the Reset Button.  I had no idea that something so personal and off the cuff would resonate with so many of you.  Love the new connections I've made because of it and Love that it meant something to so many of you.  Thank you for your words!  They mean a lot and I'm also glad to know I'm not alone. 

2.  What are a few things in your life that you are most thankful for right now?

Amanda

Get 'er Done!

I'm sitting here in my hotel room in San Francisco. Resting after a busy morning and feeling TIRED.  Pooped.  Ready for a long nap but the time is getting away from me and I know I have a challenging workout ahead of me.  It is looming over me like a heavy cloud.  I need some major motivation!  I keep telling myself how wonderful it will feel to be done and have that high that comes from running hard.  I'll have earned that pitcher of beer I plan on sharing with my husband tonight and the high calorie and non nutritious meal will taste that much better!  So, why do I feel so 


UNMOTIVATED?!  


Ugggg, I just need to.....


GET 'ER DONE!  Really, I never use this phrase.  It just came to me when I was thinking of a title for this blog.  So I googled it to see where the phrase came from.  Really kind of funny what I came up with on Urban dictionary:

Get 'er Done git 'er dun

3.	Get 'er Done	48 up, 157 down
	buy get 'er done mugs, tshirts and magnets What one rednecks say when they have an orgasm, usually from riding in their "hot Chevy" or watching too much Girls Gone Wild.... MMM...Yeah, 60 miles per hour damnit, GET Er' Done!!! by Uncle Ray Ray Aug 17, 2004 share this
1.	Get 'er Done	240 up, 16 down
	buy get 'er done mugs, tshirts and magnets A redneck term used to prod a fellow to complete a task; i.e. finish a beer. Get 'er done, boy! Finish that natty! by Tommy Wommy Womsters Sep 24, 2003 share this
2.	Get 'er Done	27 up, 107 down
	buy get 'er done mugs, tshirts and magnets used as an exclamation for something cool or nifty if a loud jacked up truck drives by, you can say, "Get errr done!" followed by "dats right." by Manzy Nov 9, 2003 share this

So, I guess I'll be doing this run redneck style and "completing this task!" (middle definition).  Of course it will be way more enjoyable to use this term to refer to finishing my beer tonight..."Get 'er done girl! Finish that Natty!"  Natty?  Does that stand for Natty Light, meaning nasty cheap beer that we drank in college?  Well, for me it will be "Get 'er done girl!  Drink up that Amber Light!"  


My favorite definition for this phrase is the last one to refer to something cool or nifty!  I think I will try this one next time we see a cool building here in San Francisco and then I'll make my husband follow up my "Get 'er done" with a "Dats right!"  


Before I go "get 'er done", here's a picture of my awesome blog buddy meet up this morning.  This is Marjorie from Taking It On, one of my favorite blog connections.  She's as genuine and warm in person as she is in the virtual world.  Love this girl's sense of humor, wise words, adventurous living, and so much more!  Not only is she a mom of four beautiful kids but she is a world traveler, runner, writer, and she used to be an Olympic rower.  So, go say hello to Marjorie at Taking It On!  Thanks for showing us around your city a bit!  

1.  What is your favorite Urban Dictionary definition from of the phrase "Get 'er done" from the ones listed above?  


2.  What do you do to get yourself motivated to get your run, workout, etc. done when you are just not feelin' it? Something that you know you will be happy about once you finish and disappointed in yourself about if you throw in the towel.  


Okay, Peace out!  I'm off to get this tempo run DONE!
Amanda


P.s.  I got 'er done!  
Windy as heck!  I have never in my life felt so much wind while running.  Good Grief!!
2 mile warm up
3 mile tempo @ half marathon pace (barely was doing 7-7:15ish pace in that wind)
1 mile @8:50ish
3 mile tempo @ 7-7:15 ish (slower than I had hoped but I'll take it!)
2 miles @ 8-10 pace


11 miles total
Now on to Happy Hour!  Woot woot!  


I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO!

Gentle Redirections...Hitting the Reset Button

Tonight is one of those nights when I catch and gently redirect myself back to where I want to be.  It is so easy for me to get obsessive and one tracked with my thinking and doing and before I know it, I'm losing control on so many of the other things that are important to me.  I'm not sure what has been up with me the past couple of weeks but I've just been in a Funky Cloud.  I have not felt on my GAME as a mother, wife, friend...you know, that feeling like things just are not lining up!  I've kind of felt indifferent about things that I'm generally pretty passionate about.  Perhaps I can merely chalk it up to "that time of the month" or being tired but whatever it is, I'm ready to lift the cloud, take a long close looks at my life, and get back in the zone of Awesomeness!  That zone where everything seems balanced and in check and the energy I'm sending out is as as wonderful as the energy I'm getting more of!  


Running
My training is one of the things I've been more obsessive about than usual.  I've been thinking a lot more about what it will take to reach some big goals.  I find myself thinking about racing and running all the time.  When I should be thinking about other things and being fully present with those that I love.  God. My kids. My husband.  Don't get me wrong, I think it is perfectly legit to be thinking through training plans, race strategy, goals, etc. during the day and while I'm doing things but I can't allow my training to take over my every thought.  I have to stay BALANCED or my running will OWN me instead of me being in control of it.  And this will lead me down an all too familiar path where, instead of  improving as a runner, I will become way too mental about it all.  This limits me.  Instead of just running and doing what I know I can do, I OVER THINK and end up making it all way harder than it is.  


Motherhood
Being a mother is hard.  Enough said.  Being good at the art of parenting and raising children is so much more work than anyone ever tells you.  I find myself really slipping lately.  Getting lazy with my parenting and not putting forth the effort that I should.  Instead of using stressful situations with my kids as teachable moments and redirecting their squabbles with love and gentleness, I find myself yelling way more than I ever thought I would.  Barking really.  Growling even.  Today maybe even a snarl or two.  I know the tricks.  I know how to get them back on track so that a small fight and  mischievous ploy doesn't turn into a horrific day where everyone ends up with consequences and feeling lousy about themselves.  I know the difference between strong parenting and poor parenting skills.  So, why do I find myself being so lazy as a mother lately?  I've turned into a threatening, reacting, fired up fool that wants my kids to do as I say and not as I do!  Okay, I'm probably being my own worst critic but really, I'm ready to start being a little more ACTIVE and ON with my motherhood game.  These days are short. My job as a mother is my most important job I will ever have.


A Few Goals To Get Myself Redirected

• Connect with each of my children fully and thoughtfully every day!  This will always be an ongoing goal.  Even if it is only 10-15 minutes with each kid where for those 10-15 minutes they feel like they are the center of my world.  Maybe this will be a story together, a conversation, a cuddle...something where my mind is focused fully in the present moment with them!
• Pray and connect with God!  This part of my life is failing.  I need to recharge myself on a spiritual level and take time for quiet meditation (without letting running come into my thinking)
• Keep running FUN!  This is important to me. This is key for me.  I run my best when the pressure is off.  My Goal is to surprise myself.  For me this means not overanalyzing things but allowing myself to enjoy the surprise and the learning.  Planning a little is essential but planning too much for a race is destructive for me.  
• Ask my husband about his job and goals more.  It shouldn't be all about Me and lately I feel as if it is.  I also want to really think of small things to do for him that mean a lot...making coffee for the next day, helping him make his lunches, eye contact and being fully present and attentive when he is talking to me and telling me about his day.  
• Dream Big and be creative with my thinking.  It is important for me to remind myself not to put limits on myself...limits caused by fear and insecurity.  This goes with my dreams of writing, goals with running, and where I choose to take my career.

What about you? Do you have any "reset goals" that you come back to again and again?

Amanda

Boston Buzz

My bloody Boston Shoes (They really were Boston shoes...Boston Addias)

I can feel it!  All the way over here on the west coast.  I can feel the energy, the buzz, the excitement of the Boston Marathon!  In fact, I just entered the runners that I will be officially tracking for the race tomorrow!  This will be my first year to really know someone running!  So much has changed for me since I started this blog in October.  An entirely new world of running has been opened to me and for the first time in my life, I'm following the sport of running instead of just running because I love to run!  I'm also spending way too much money on things I never seemed to need before like:
* running gear
*  books about running
*  entry fees to so many more races
*  Fuel for running
*  Protein powder and recovery products
*  GARMINS
* The list continues to Grow.....


But I'm also LEARNING SO MUCH!  This I love!  


Some Quickies:


*  All this Boston talk and energy floating around is surely contagious.  It is so joyful to see so many people (those running and those watching) coming together for a sport they are passionate about. 


*  All this talk about Boston has definitely got me wishing I was there as I had hoped before my injury but more importantly, it has me beyond excited to be there next year (hopefully!).  


*  I went on my longest run in 7 years (since Boston 2004). 21.3 miles yesterday with my new Garmin 405. Longest Training Run ever!  I've never run over 20 for a training run. I'm trying to figure out how to show you the elevation chart so you can see some of the serious hills I train on but that will have to wait.  This elevation gain also means that I get some good downhills too!  


* Love my Garmin 405 so far!


* I'm using lots of !!!! because I'm so excited about Boston and seeing how the people I care about do.


*  I've been thinking a ton about Boston 2004, my first and only Boston and realizing how much more it means to me now than it did then.  I already wrote a Boston Post where I recapped my experience but as I mentioned there, I didn't really even know what Boston was before I qualified and when I went, it was all new to me.  I was telling a friend tonight how I kind of went thinking that I would just enjoy Boston and see what happened.  I did just enough training to make sure I could run strong without hitting the wall...enough to get me through the marathon but I had no BIG plans or goals.  When I got there some ladies were saying how cool it is to requalify for Boston AT Boston.  That became my plan then and there.  Even though I qualified again, I never have been back.  I was too eager to have babies!  But now I'm ready to go back.  If anything, just to be in a place where the energy is so Amazing and so many people are together for a common passion.  And now that I know so many blog peeps, it would be that much more exciting to meet up with you!  

So happy to have been part of such a great event!  25 year old boobs (before 3 kids) are way perkier than 32 year old boobs (after 3 kids).  And this is without my beloved Handful Bra.

My husband got in the perfect place for a picture.  I want to say this is just after Heartbreak Hill but I could be wrong.

We were so young!  My husband had hair even.  25 years old!

*  My Nephew was born in Washington D.C this week and I got to watch him come into the world via Skype!  How cool is that?  I am so proud and never thought I could love a baby that wasn't mine THIS MUCH!  


Good Luck Boston Runners!  I can't wait to get my text messages letting me know how you do!  


Amanda

Naked Running

When I first began my blog in October, I didn't have a Garmin, a foam roller, fancy running gear, and I certainly had never heard the term Running Naked used by some in the running community to mean running without a watch, Garmin or other devices that keep pace and time.  When I first saw the term "Running Naked" written, I slowed down from my usual blog reading pace and  read and reread just to clarify what I was reading.  Tonight, I tried my first somewhat "Naked Running" experience since getting my Garmin 205 for Christmas.  I had my Timex Ironman watch that used to be all I needed for my many years of running.  But after having my Garmin for so many of my speed workouts and long runs, I felt like I really was "Running Naked".  


For those of you that don't know about my Garmin Grief and the horrible and awful suffering it went through in its last hours, you can read my last blog post.  I'm still pretty emotional about the entire thing.  Grief is a funny thing. But I'm hoping to win a new one from Jen @ Why I Run. Probably not now that I'm linking her since this greatly decreases my chances since you all will go enter, right.  Jen's awesome so she's worth the visit alone, but if you enter the giveaway and already have a Garm, you could always just tell her that I should win. Yes?  Please.  Come on, you can earn huge Runninghood points if you tell her that your drawing should go to me.  Here is a final picture before sweet Garm died:

Today's workout wasn't happening half-Naked:
1 mile WU (easy without a Garmin)
1 x 2k @ HM pace
2 min active recovery
1 x 1 mile @ 10k pace
2 min recovery
1 x 1k @ 5k pace
2 min rec. 
1 x 800 @ 3k pace
1 mile cool down


Long story turned to bullets:
*  jogged to HS track--Track Meet.  Crap!  
*  Jogged to use Elementary School Track 
*  Kid's Baseball Game, mom's and siblings all over in lawn chairs, flying balls, etc. 
* Tried it anyway.  
*  Looked like an Ass!  Coach yelling at kids "Don't pay attention to the Runner!!  Look at the ball!!"  must have been my bright shirt and hat.  or that I was the mom sprinting around the track and looking like a...well...an Ass!  I tried explaining in passing that the HS track was being used and my Garmin just broke but that just made me look more like an Ass!  
* I was just a girl wanting to get her run on!  But I could see that crashing an elementary school baseball game wasn't going to work.  It was embarrassing.  
* Rushed home, jumped in car, drove to gym, and got the the Treadmill that I've come to despise.  So much harder for me than running outside (mentally and physically).  I used to think differently.  
* Got it done!


Thank YOU SO MUCH for the Garmin advice and warm condolences in response to my grief.  I felt so loved.  Ha!  No, really, your advice and feedback was helpful.  I just purchased the Garmin 405 tonight.  My husband and I will share it.  Hopefully we will both have one by the end of the year if he ends up taking his training as seriously as I think he might.  He's hooked after that half marathon.  Go honey go!  But don't steal my Garmin yo! (Of course if I win Jen's giveaway, I can return the 405 and save some money!)


After my workout, I made sure to come home and drink a recovery protein drink. 

I included: 
*  Hammer Recoverite (Glutamine Fortified Recovery Drink)
*  Whey protein powder
*  plain yogurt
*  Udo's Oil
*  Banana
*  a little bit of frozen berries
*  Handful of spinach
*  Kale
*  Apple Juice


1.  I am so excited for all of the people I know running Boston.  I plan on doing a proper shout out/Good Luck Blog for them and a Boston tribute tomorrow but it is coming quick so I'm sure some of them are already on their way!  Who do you know running Boston? Will you be tracking them?  I wish I was going to be there again!  Next year hopefully! 


2.  I'm loving all the extra attention in the recent posts from Patrick at The Road [A Multi-Sport Blog].  Who cares that it is all part of his ass kissin' contest.  It's still fun.  


Amanda

Garmin Grief

1.

Note: The following is not a serious and thoughtfully crafted poem meant to be looked at as quality writing.  It is merely me writing in free verse because I'm too lazy to write in narrative to tell about my poor Garmin.  

Oh Garmin
Enabler
Motivator
My coach
    on my wrist.


My pacer
    telling me 
that
I'm Right On!
Need to Speed Up
On track for a PR or
         That 
  I royally Suck Today!


You,
My Garmin
Me


You and Me.


Attachment
Love
Connected through the
      beep beeps
That tell me another mile has passed. 
My effort is being tracked.


Thinking now
about the years and years
                         That I ran alone,
                                     without you.
Only a watch,
a start, stop and lap.  
Good enough.  Until You.


But now, I regret not wearing you correctly. 


If only
My bony wrists 
Didn't hurt from 
your
Massive and awkward Size (okay, good thing this isn't a real poem because this totally sounds like a "That's what she said opportunity)
   So big that people 
make jokes about you at races
    "Did you watch movies on that thing?!"


So I took you off.
carried you, 
   while I jogged
my awesome race course 
   coming up in May (Hippie Chick).


Set you down to stretch.
And
Drove off without you.
You on my car, 
clinging on for dear life as I sped away,
Throwing you to your end.


You,
Abandoned
Alone
Afraid
in a parking lot full of teenagers
who


ran you over,
crushed your intelligence,
and left you to be alone with your final 
                   beep beep beeps


Now here you are...
Found but crushed
Only able to beep at me
   while I wipe your drool from your distorted screen.  


Grief
Mourning


Searching
on Amazon 
for 
Another
You.


or better version perhaps.  


You,
Garmin 205
  are 
expensive
intelligent
wise
 but


Disposable and
Replaceable.




1. So, now the question is.  Do I get another Garmin 205 (reasonably priced) or do I use this opportunity to get a better model? Or do I just try to run without one?   I'm thinking that I don't need all the bells and the whistles.  I've only had this Garmin since Christmas and I was fine without it but now I have been handicapped without it.  Or so it feels. 


2.  Last night when I was driving back to the crime scene to find Garmin, I found myself stressed, worried and really bummed out! But then I reminded myself that this was silly to get so bummed about something materialistic.  My true treasures are my family and loved ones.  Seriously, this put things in perspective and I was able to just let my silly Garmin go.  Even if I don't get a new Garmin right away, I have my family, a home and my legs to let me run!  Time for a little Old School Training like they did before these Garmins came into existence!  :)  Do you have a Garmin?  




Amanda