Blog Friend Meet Up, Out of the Funk, and Q and A for Runninghood

Q and A Time!  See Below and Ask Away!  

Thanks for all of your positive and supportive comments on my refocus post from yesterday. Reading your wise words, suggestions, warm comments, and reassuring stories ALWAYS makes me feel better.  Just putting myself out there with my goals helped me have a new focus to my day yesterday and today I woke up with a new perspective and energy!  


I wasn't the only one in a "funk" or feeling "blah" yesterday.  Several of my friends were feeling the same way.  While those of you in so many parts of the country are sweating your skin off, we are keeping cool and comfortable.  However, we are also not seeing much of the sunshine.   Most days this summer have just kind of been a grey, jeans and a jacket type of day.  I'm not complaining.  I'd rather have this than the HEAT!  The clouds, grey and rain just starts to put a damper on the creative energy flow sometimes.  Here's how my mom was feeling yesterday:

Ha!  I love her "blog" style.  

Friendships
Today is certainly a new day!  For starters, I got to meet Raina from Small Town Runner, one of my favorite people that I've met through the blog world.  Raina has come to be a person I consider as a dear friend.  I am honored to have had the opportunity to meet up with her for a couple of hours in Portland.  I felt like I was meeting up with an old friend...so comfortable!  I could have talked to her for HOURS.  So many things I didn't get a chance to ask her about.  I'm sure I talked the entire time (or so it felt)!  She is every bit as genuine, loving and warm as she comes across on her blog.  She even remembered that my girls believe in fairies (specifically jewel fairies) and my son loves rocks so she brought them each a pretty jewel and rock and told them that "someone" wanted her to deliver them.  So special Raina!  They are holding on to them right now!  


Motherhood
Just by setting some new motherhood goals yesterday, I was able to find new focus.  We spent time cultivating our creative side:

And I found a great chore for them to do today so that they can learn responsibility. I think they fold way better than I do:

Running
I took all three of my kids to the track behind our house yesterday for my repeat 1ks.  They actually did a pretty good job at picking clover, playing with sticks and waiting for me to finish  I only did three of them.  The first one was tricky because my two year old ran after me crying.  On my first lap around, I had to yell at my six year old to help me out by playing with him.  I may or may not have bribed her.  Either my Garmin was off or I am in better speed workout shape than I thought.  My goal was to run them at 6:25/6:30 pace but they were 6:10, 6:05, and 6:04 pace and I felt strong at the end.  Today I don't feel sore and I wasn't exhausted yesterday so I think that is a good sign that I didn't push it too hard.  This makes me feel optimistic about future training!  


Q and A

Okay, my turn!  So many of us have seen this thing going around.  You know, where you get to ask whatever you want and the person promises to answer your questions.  I've been meaning to do this for a few days now since Jenn and Annette tagged me. Ask away!  Anything you want to know about me, my life, my interests, etc. and I promise to answer the best I can.  Honest and open.  Yikes!  Be nice please.  Join in if you think it sounds like fun.  Otherwise, I'm not tagging anyone.  


Amanda


Giveaway Reminders:
Run Like a Mother book and sweaty bands
Sticklete Art Giveaway...You can have an original painting made just for you...a runner, mother, family, yogi, cyclist, etc.  We had a request today for a runner with her dog...I can't wait to see what Cher comes up with.