Monday, October 3, 2011

"Real" Mail, Running Talk, and Penis Awareness

I love it when I get "REAL" mail in my mail box these days.  
Not Junk. Not Advertisements. Or Bills.  

Hand written letters from friends (those are rare),
Cards,
Baby Announcements,
Wedding Invitations (this season in our life is slowing way down),
A new book from Amazon,
and
things like this:





I was so excited to open this confirmation today!  Huge smiles on my face.  Just got me really revved up for training again.  I'm excited to have the next few months to just do some base running, strength training, and soaking up plenty of time with nothing on the racing agenda.  Then come January, I'm super excited to have a focus and see where these legs will take me.  And what makes it even more exciting is that I will have close friends training for Boston at the same time!  Having virtual training partners will be so motivating. 


It will also be nice to be training at the same time as my husband.  As hard as it will be with time management and training around family time, I think it will be motivating for us to be able to share a common goal.  Another bonus to training together is that it will mean that we will both want to have earlier bedtimes so nobody feels guilty for being too pooped to party!  We will understand each other. Even when we turn each other down on sex!  Nobody gets hurt feelings.  Win. Win!


A few clarifications from my running post earlier:

  • 45 miles a week is not an "easy" week for me as some inferred. I have been LAZY this summer but last week was not one of my lazy weeks...sorry if I made it sound that way.  45 miles is especially not easy in regards to finding TIME..this is the biggest thing.   Ha!  I barely ran 50 miles a week during marathon training.  This next time around I hope to do more mile and less structured speed work/tempos.  
  • Half of my mileage from last week was probably jogger stroller miles.  Not sure if this is a benefit or detriment to training.
  • A 1:35 half marathon in a couple of weeks would not be "settling" for me.  I would be very pleased with this time and it won't be "easy".  I have not been putting in the miles nor the quality workouts that I would need to run much faster right now.  I might not even run a 1:35...that was just a number I put out there based on my last 10k time (according to my target pace level that Matt Fitzgerald has for me).  
Motherhood Moments:
  • Binkies!  Do your kids have a binky? All of my kids have had one and they have all been quite attached to it.  My 2 year old son is the worst.  He wants his binkies allllll day long! We limit them to bedtime or nap but he is always trying to sneak them out of his room.  He will go to great lengths to "capture" his binks.  Even at the risk of injury.  I'll go in his room sometimes and catch him standing on stacks for books on a chair on his play kitchen just to get to his dresser to get his stupid binkies.  Kid doesn't take NO for an answer!!
  • Boys and their penis!  What is up with men and their penises and their need to talk about it?  Tonight, as my son was using the toilet, he yelled from the bathroom for all of us to hear: "Look at my penis!! Woah, that's a big penis!!"  I promise you that this type of talk is not modeled at home. My husband doesn't go around talking about his penis (in front of the kids) and I...well, I don't have a penis, nor do I pretend to have one.  I have to say that I'm thankful that my son has a healthy does of self confidence!  
1.  Jogger stroller running?  Helpful to training or not as good?  I don't have a choice sometimes but I feel like it makes it harder to have good form and really get into a good rhythm with my running.  Definitely makes key workouts harder or darn near impossible for me.  I've only done a few tempo runs with my jogger stroller but I prefer to do them solo!  I think there are pros and cons to jogger stroller running.  
2.  Moms (and Dads), did your kids use a binky/paci??
3.  Do you get "real" mail very often?  Letters, cards, gifts, you know, good ol' snail mail??  


Amanda

Running Running Runninghood

It has been awhile since I've done a bulleted post, so here's some random Runninghood for you on this Monday morning.  My husband happens to be home sick today so that means that the kids want to be around him and I have a few moments to myself here.  


Running

This is a very typical everyday run around my neighborhood. Obviously I don't run 10 miles every day but this gives you a glimpse of the elevation changes around here.  Good Boston training!  
  • I have not been writing a ton about running lately.  I think the biggest reason for this is that I'm not in serious training for anything but once  Boston training begins, you'll probably all be sick of reading about the running side of Runninghood.  
  • I'm on week 19 of a 20 week half-marathon plan from Brain Training For Runners.  I started at about week 12.
  • I have a half marathon coming up on October 16th. The Girlfriend's Half in Vancouver, Washington!  I hope to see so many of you!  Who's running it??
  • No, I won't be expecting a PR at this half marathon. I would be thrilled with a 1:35 and even happier with anything faster but I'm not thinking that this will be my sub 1:30 half...definitely not with the training or lack of training that I've had this summer.  I've trained just enough so that I have a base and can run strong enough to not make a total fool out of myself after this lazy summer.
  • I'm not following the plan the way Matt Fitzgerald would like me to.  I'm kind of using it as a starting point and trying to get something in.  For example, Friday calls for 2 mile warm up; 6 miles @half marathon pace; 3 mile cool down.  Not happening.  Maybe 3 miles at half marathon pace.  Sunday calls for 2 mile warm-up; 8 miles marathon pace; 2 mile cool-down.  Not happening either.  Probably will just do 12 miles of base pace.  
  • I'm just not feeling the hard-core training right now.  The Girlfriend's Half isn't about peak performance and I am okay with that.  It will be fun.  
  • As a mom of three little ones, I know what a sacrifice it is to train seriously for something and I'm saving myself for Boston training.  Once that starts, I won't be such a lazy lady anymore and I'll step up to the plate and do what my training calls for.  Until then, I'm fine with where I am at.  
  • I ran 45 miles last week.  Biggest mileage week all summer if that tells you anything. I hope to be running up to 60-70 during peak Boston training.  Not so sure I have time to run more than that.  Or at least not time I want to give at this point in my life.  
  • My husband will be training for the Eugene Marathon at the same time as I'm training for Boston.  His goal will be to qualify for Boston.  I'm not so sure how it will play out with having both of us in serious marathon training.  MIght have to hire a weekend Nanny for those long runs that will mostly likely also serve as our dates.  
  • Yesterday's run was 10.6.  I intended to just run it at a slow pace.  I was so bored by mile 5 so mile 6-10 I picked it up to a comfortable but faster pace:  7:53, 7:33, 7:29, 7:37, 7:21.  This felt easy and conversational so I was happy with that. I wanted mile 10 to be sub 7 but there was a pretty big up hill at the very end so that wasn't happening.  This is surely not where I want to be during Boston training but I feel great about it right now.  
  • The good thing about my neighborhood is that it has some major hills.  This will be good for Boston training.  
  • Training plans...I'm really thinking that this next time around, I want to focus more on putting in more miles at a slower pace and having less key workouts at a faster pace.   I'm also thinking that I want more of my long runs to be slower.  
  • Far away Boston Goal:  Since training isn't fresh in my mind right now, I can only make a guess at what I'll be shooting for when the time comes but I'd really like to shoot for that 3:15 or better!  I know I have it in me but the question is whether or not this is the time in my life to do it.  There are a lot of other directions that I am pulled these days and I know my time at home with my little ones is limited so I will do what I can do make sure I'm giving my all to my workouts when I'm out there running but I am most likely not going to be willing to give more time than necessary.  Time is precious right now.  And with a husband that travels a lot, this doesn't always make for the best training opportunities.  I will be thrilled just to be at Boston and meeting some dear friends.  A PR would be nice too.  
Some Nuts and Bolts:

On Friday, I posted about making positive affirmations with my kids.  We are still in the process of getting them taped up.  I will update soon.  Thanks for your e-mails about this!

Vote!  Go cast your vote for your favorite "Art" piece...tell us what one jumps out at you the most.  The piece that speaks to you.  As expected, there is a mixed bag of responses.  This is the last week to comment.  

I'm still getting these out.  Slowly but Surely!  Thanks for those of you that have e-mailed to tell me you got your sticker.  Hopefully, some of you will be getting mail this week!  Let me know what you do with your stickers.  Lots of you have said you are starting a running journal and putting it in there.  Awesome!  
1.  Who is running Girlfriend's Half?  
2.  What are your fitness/running goals for the last few months of 2011?
3.  Mother's of young kids (under7), what are some ways you balance training/workout out, personal time, and being there for your family?  


Amanda

Saturday, October 1, 2011

I AM

In light of yesterday's post about making positive affirmations with my children, I thought it was probably time for me to write some of my own.  I went ahead and wrote some down in my running journal.  It proved to be a process that involved quite a bit of reflection and introspection.  When I was done, I was able to start thinking of some new goals for the next few months as we wind down 2011.  




I could write goals and personal affirmations for all of the roles I play in life but I chose to focus on three of the big ones right now.  Perhaps next time I'll focus on Amanda the writer, teacher, child of God, or specifically wife.  I believe that the more we tell ourselves these things as if they ARE then they BECOME! 


Goals
As I think about these roles in my life, I realize how important it is for me to remind myself of my goals, evaluate them, and set news ones as I continue to grow.  
I AM...

A MOTHER
Goal: To be patient and gentle when I respond to them.  Model appropriate behavior with how I respond to them, my friends, and my husband. 


A FRIEND
My mom and I this spring.  Goal:  To be more available for her.  Not always easy for me to talk and come visit since I have three loud kiddos!  But I must make time.  

Goal:  To love my friends the way that they need to be loved....knowing their love language.  

Goal:  To be a better listener.  Sometimes I find that my friends share things and I am half listening and half thinking of something else.  


An ATHLETE
Courtesy of Craig Mitchell Dyer Photography
Goal:  To be okay with where I am out right now...and know that this time as a mother of young kids won't last forever.  I have plenty of time yet to meet my goals!  When Boston training starts, I want to push myself to new limits.  

When Others Write Words of Affirmation For YOU!
I am obviously a person that finds words to be very powerful.  I set goals for myself, write positive affirmations, reflect in many journals, write letters and e-mails of love, etc.  I value words and it has always meant a lot to me when people take the time to share their words with me.  Whether it is them writing a note of thanks, sharing their life story, or just expressing their feelings.  I know I already shared this on facebook this week, but this note that I got from an ex-student means so much to me!  It really did brighten my year and "affirm" so much for me...what teaching means to me, how much I love teaching children to love reading, writing and learning, and the value of building relationships!  Thank you "student"!  You never know when your words of affirmation can make a difference in someone's life.  


1.  What would be some of your positive affirmations?  Things you need to hear and believe for your life?
2.  Do you value getting letters, e-mails and notes that affirm the things that are important to you?
3.  Can you think of someone in your life that might need or want to hear how they impacted you?  


Amanda


p.s.  Good luck to all of those racing this weekend!  I am so excited to read about your races.  Go get 'em Jenn!  I may or may not be tracking you in church!  Ha!