Mamavation Monday: December 31

Christmas and everyone home on break really has thrown me off on everything.

Here's my workouts for last week:

Monday: No workout. Not having class really threw off my schedule.

Tuesday: Christmas. Yea … nada.

Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 45 Power Kata

Thursday: Observed (which means taking) a Silver Sneakers MSROM class. I'm a sub for this class and will be teaching it at another rec center soon.

Friday: Combat 60 Extreme Warrior Fighter

Saturday: Nada … I have no idea why.

Sunday: I was supposed to run with my buddy but then got distracted by baking and purging the kitchen after she needed to reschedule.

Here's the plan for this week (I've got it scheduled on my calendar so I refuse to skip workouts):

Monday: Les Mills Combat Kick Start 30 and teach Silver Sneakers Yoga Stretch class (DONE!)

Tuesday: 3-5 mile run

Wednesday: Start date of my Warrior Combat Challenge Group. Les Mills Combat Kick Start 30

Thursday: Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior (Stretch)

Friday: Combat 30 and Core Attack. Then, teach YogaStretch.

Saturday: Combat HIIT: Plyo and Inner Warrior

Sunday: Run day and Combat 45 Power Kata

I'm sure there will be more running involved. I'm at a crux with my running and really trying to focus on strength and endurance right now. I'm purposely not scheduling runs so I avoid overuse injuries and boredom. I really think my Combat Challenge group will accomplish everything I'm looking to do right now and running will come back to me soon.

Weekly Check In: December 26

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday! I know I did! We even got snow!!! Snow seems to make our Christmases even more magical because we don't get it very often here in Texas.

This is what I had planned for last week:

Monday, Les Mill Combat 30 LIVE and teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday:Les Mills Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior and walk group in the evening
Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 30 and Core Attack. 
Thursday: Les Mills Combat HIIT: Plyo and Inner Warrior, then my evening Walk Group
Friday: Les Mills Combat 45
Saturday: Les Mills Combat Warrior 2 (or Lower Body Lean Out)
Sunday: Minimum of a 5 mile run. 



This is how my week turned out:

Monday, Les Mill Combat 30 LIVE and teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday:Les Mills Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior
Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 30 .
Thursday: Les Mills Combat HIIT: Shock Plyo and Inner Warrior, then my evening Walk Group
Friday: Nada
Saturday: My family over for Christmas so I ended up cooking, hosting, and cleaning.
Sunday:Exhausted from not usually hosting a holiday meal. Another Rest Day.
Monday: Christmas Eve (no workout)
Tuesday: Christmas (no workout)

Here's what the rest of my Christmas week looks like:

Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 45 (CHECK!)
Thursday: Combat 60 Extreme Warrior Fighter
Friday: Combat Warrior 2 & Inner Warrior workouts
Saturday: Not too sure, but I'm sure a core workout will be involved.
Sunday: 5 mile run minimum.

How is your week shaping up? Are you still with family or traveling?

Weekly Check In: December 17

Wow, what a week! I was accepted into the Mamavation Sistahood, my Les Mills Combat DVD program came in and I turned in my notice at my "desk job" to pursue my career in the fitness industry full time! Here's my weekly workout check in:

Here is what I did last week:

Monday: Venus, Week 2, Day 1 and teach YogaStretch class
Tuesday: Les Mills Combat Kick and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 2, Day 2, Les Mills Combat Core Attack and Inner Warrior Stretch & Strength
Thursday: Walk Group
Friday: Les Mills Combat Ultimate Warrior Workout
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: 5.35 mile run and Les Mills Combat Upper Body Blow Out

This is my plan for this week:

Monday, Les Mill Combat 30 LIVE and teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday:Les Mills Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior and walk group in the evening
Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 30 and Core Attack. 
Thursday: Les Mills Combat HIIT: Plyo and Inner Warrior, then my evening Walk Group
Friday: Les Mills Combat 45
Saturday: Les Mills Combat Warrior 2 (or Lower Body Lean Out)
Sunday: Minimum of a 5 mile run. 

 I'm really excited to see how this cardio and strength program is going to affect my running. I had already decided to only run 3 days a week to see how it helps my knee, but my run was so awesome Sunday, I can't wait to see how the results of Combat really amp up my endurance.

What does your week look like? Do you have a heavy fitness schedule or are you taking it easy during the holidays?

Weekly Plan & Mamavation Pledge

I'm thinking some weekly check in posts will help keep me consistent in my personal maintenance.

Here is what I planned to do last week:

Monday: Venus, Week 1, Day 1 & teach YogaStretch class
Tuesday: Short a.m. run, Ab Ripper 2, and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 1, Day 2, foam roll in the evening before teaching my oldest how to make cupcakes.
Thursday: Short a.m. run, Ab Ripper 2
Friday: Venus, Week 1, Day 3
Saturday: Ab Ripper 2
Sunday: 5 mile run

Here's what I actually did:

Monday, Venus: W1, D1 & teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday: 2 mile a.m. run & walk group in the evening
Wednesday: Venus: W1, D2
Thursday: P.m. Walk Group
Friday: Venus: W1, D3
Saturday: Nada
Sunday: 4.82 mile run in 95% humidity...yuck.

This is my plan for this week:
Monday: Venus, Week 2, Day 1 & teach YogaStretch class ---->check! + foam rolling
Tuesday: Cardio something, Ab Ripper 2, and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 2, Day 2. My Les Mills Combat program is scheduled to be here this day, so we'll see what else I do!
Thursday: Cardio something, Ab Ripper 2
Friday: Venus, Week 3, Day 3
Saturday: Ab Ripper 2 & P90X2 Yoga
Sunday: 5 mile minimum run. It's supposed to be around my favorite running temps, so it might be up to 7!

Mamavation Pledge

I'm try to get into the Mamavation Sistahood. I always want to inspire others to get healthier through nutrition and fitness, and if the Sistahood allows me the opportunity to inspire one person to make better choices in their own life, then I'd be one happy woman! Plus, I LOVE to meet new people. Some of my closest peeps are bloggers, FB-ers, tweeters, you name it...my virtual posse, so to speak. I believe in surrounding myself with people who think like me, so I think the Sistahood is a great community to have the chance to do that. If I'm allowed in, you'll see my weekly check in posts turn into Mamavation Monday posts, but they'll be the same thing basically. 

How are you doing this week? Reaching for some goals, challenging yourself? Share them!

Guesting & Planning

This week, I had the opportunity to have a guest post over at Runner's Ramblings for my friend and fellow Tough Chik, Louise. I wrote about how I feel running is a gift. Click over there and give it a read.

Now, onto this week and planning it. It wasn't too hard actually. I'm no longer training for long races. My knee is not liking mileages over 5 miles right now, so no marathon for me on Sunday.  Amy's Awareness Run is over, so the planning and administrative part of that is over as well. We raised about $1800, so KUDOS to you!!!

I've decided to focus on strength training and flexibility while working out my knee issue...again. I can't decide between another round of P90X2, attacking Body Beast, or giving ChaLean Extreme a try. While I decide, I pulled out an oldie, but goodie...my Venus program from eons ago.

Here's my week's plan with a focus on strength training:

Monday: Venus, Week 1, Day 1 & teach YogaStretch class ---->check!
Tuesday: Short a.m. run, Ab Ripper 2, and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 1, Day 2, foam roll in the evening before teaching my oldest how to make cupcakes.
Thursday: Short a.m. run, Ab Ripper 2
Friday: Venus, Week 1, Day 3
Saturday: Ab Ripper 2
Sunday: 5 mile run

This may be my pattern for the next couple of weeks or until my Les Mills Combat program gets here!

What are you up to this week? Speedy wishes

Amy's Awareness Run

I think I'm ready to talk a little about this now.

On Friday, October 26, my best virtual buddy, Sandra,  lost a really good friend while on their run that morning. Amy Wayne was struck by a car and pretty much killed on impact. The runners were following all traffic laws, had flashlights, you name it. This past week I've been helping my friend, Sandra, dealing with the emotional and mental impact of it all, and working on a virtual memorial run to support Amy's husband, Travis, and their daughter, Adalee.

Here are the details:

• The run will need to be ran between November 26th - December 2, 2012.
• You have the choice of running/walking 1 miles, 4 miles, or 5+ miles and the fees (donations) are different for each option.
• If you don't want to run, you have an option of making a donation.
• Memorial race bibs will be provided to all participants.

So, how do you sign up?

Click on this link Amy's Awareness Run, put in your info, and choose your distance. Then go to Paypal and complete your donation by sending it to amysawarenessrun@gmail.com

If you have any questions, please comment below or contact me at carin.schaab@yahoo.com

Please share this run and let's show Travis and Adalee that runners take care of their own!

Fall Mommy Update

You know I had all these awesome plans of posting regularly again once we moved. Yea...then marathon training started, then school started, and then life took over completely. Here's my lame attempt at a short & sweet bullet point update.

• Marathon Training: I pushed through the hot ass months of July and August in Texas, probably whining A LOT. But the cooler weather moved in a bit, and I kept on trucking. The knee felt great, my pace was picking up, distances were good. Then two weeks ago, my kid got sick, I had other fitness training, I got sick, and I feel like I'm back at square one ago. More on square one later.
• LIFE: School is in full swing for T & the Cy-Guy. T is in 7th grade, totally loving football and his band. He's still in karate too, working toward his 2nd degree red belt. The Cy-Guy is loving soccer and it warms this Mommy's heart. P is rocking and rolling with his band and kicking some guitar butt.
• Soccer: Yes, I'm playing again this season. Not as much as I like, but still playing. Feels great to play again, actually. I love my team and we have a blast. 
• Career: As you know, I've been a Beachbody coach for a little over a year now. Thanks to Beachbody, I've been able to start getting group class certifications and working toward my personal trainer certification. As of December 21, I will be my own boss. Working in my home office and gym, hopefully 4-5 classes per week, and training clients both at North Lakes Rec Center and on my own.
• The KNEE: I can't talk about it without a mass amount of sighs beforehand. Let us pause for my dramatic sigh. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhhhhhhhh. I was doing great. RICE-ing, using KT Tape since my brace became too big. I got over my fear of the 13.1 distance. Yet, after a short little run when I had to take about 10 days off for family illness and a certification training, my knee began acting up again. I've switched up my KT application and am trying new shoes. The only thing left is to make the dreaded call to the sports doc. My knee has me mentally screwed up. I'm even thinking of possibly giving running a LONG break and going towards total strength training. I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't run. It's like breaking up with a friend!!! 

I'll keep everyone updated, especially about the knee, since the knee affects everything. Thanks for being patient about my lack of posts.

Farewell to the Those Roads

On July 6, I said farewell...farewell to the roads that saw me start on my journey. We have relocated across town, closer to T's and the Cy-Guys's schools, and despite all the excitement of new beginnings, the only sad part was leaving the area I learned to run in and grew my journey to racing and beyond.

These roads have seen so much of my blood, sweat and tears. They didn't care when I was at 175 pounds, and they didn't care when I hit 130 pounds. They didn't care if I ran a 14:00 minute mile or a 9:50 minute mile. They never cared if I ran in the wee early morning hours, the middle of the day or during a sunset.

The hill I tackled at the beginning of every run.

The roads provided hills, curves, tracks, potholes, you name it, and I ran it. The roads provided challenges that have helped me to this very day. Those roads led me around an expanding university and into the beginnings of the "countryside".

One of the trails I ran on by my alma mater.

Those roads saw me cry over my brother, my husband, my children, my friends, my cousin. Those roads helped me process situations with my job, my marriage, my parenting, my life. Those roads never cared if I cursed at myself or encouraged myself.


They were always there. They still are. This isn't farewell forever, just farewell to our daily rendezvous...with me pounding the pavement towards a stronger me.

Find Your Brilliant Run

We all experience the hard runs, where everything or just one thing is "off". I think we have those runs more often so when we experience "those runs" that bring us all together and in alignment with every living thing, we can appreciate it even more.

Dr. Daniel Jackson ascending in Stargate SG1

Photo courtesy of stargate.wikia.com

I know I've only ever had a few of those runs out of the 3.5 years I've been running. The run where everything makes sense, you know your place in this world...this universe, you feel the cycle of all things natural. The runs that makes you feel like you're on a higher plane of your mentality, almost like becoming ascended (or becoming pure energy) as Dr. Daniel Jackson in the popular TV series, Stargate.

The word "mezamashii" means brilliant or eye-opening in Japanese. It's a word used by Mizuno for trying to help runners capture the true essence of the brilliant, euphoric run. Hence, the Mezamashii Run Project, where Mizuno is giving away free shoes to runners on their quest.

When was your most brilliant run? My most memorable one was when I did my tribute for my brother. I truly felt "as one" with absolutely everything, despite (or because of) my intense emotions running that run.

To begin your quest for your Mezamashii run, visit http://www.mizunousa.com/mezamashiirunproject

Pack, Pack, and Let's Move Already!

This past month has been a trying one on my fitness regime. For the past month, it's been all about packing to  move across town to a place closer to the boys' schools. While it's all great, and we are all really excited, my fitness has suffered. Since we all know I'm short on time already, I've often had to decide to pack or run, pack or get my weights in. My 10 minute rule usually doesn't pan out. I have been running with my Sunday running buddy, but that's about it. Once a week really doesn't cut it for me.

Good thing is, I FEEL the urge to run, pop an X2 DVD in, do some AB Ripper 2, anything! Since the beginning of May, my fitness regime was my habit, but I wasn't "feeling it". This weekend begins the actual move, and I'm happy to say, on July 5th, I get to get back to normal. And if I see another box again, I just might chunk it across the room!

How do you handle your fitness while moving?

Have a safe and wonderful weekend!

Love My Recovery

One thing I love about running are the post run recovery meals. Hey, I LOVE food. What has been awesome is the experimenting I get to do with food, especially on Sundays when I have leisurely time to play in the kitchen.

First of all, you guys know I love my Shakeology. I have it everyday whether I run or not. I got my shipment of the vegan Tropical Shakeology on Thursday, and I've been totally digging the variations I've been creating. Today, I made a tropical watermelon cream slush. Yummy! I drank most of it out if the blender!



Tropical Watermelon Cream Slush

8 ounces of original Almond Breeze almond milk
4 ounces of frozen watermelon puree
1 scoop of Tropical Shakeology
8 ounces of cold water
Blend to desired consistency


About an hour later, it was time for our Sunday brunch. Omg, I love this meal. P suggested we call it the Benedicto

1/2 English muffin, toasted
2 Tablespoons guacamole
1 large egg, over easy, pepper to taste
Spread guacamole over muffin
Lay egg over the guacamole
Grab a knife and fork, then dig in!

Holy cow, this rocked my socks!!!

That's my recovery for today. What's your favorite recovery meal?

Save Yourself

Before I started running and learning how to positively change my mindset, I constantly wished for a hero. I looked to my husband, my friends, acquaintances, anyone who could rescue me from the life I was living. All I found was pieces of the whole hero package I was looking for so desperately.

Part of it was the depression I had not recognized yet. Part of it was my loss if self-confidence.

Slowly but surely, confidence came back. As I made accomplishments in my running, weight lifting, on the soccer field, etc., I gained part of myself that I had lost; the pieces of the whole package were coming back together.

I write this to you now as someone who has rescued herself. Someone who has changed her life from the downward spiral I thought I was in to the life I want. I am content with how I go through each day. Yes, I still have "relapses" of the mopey, Debbie Downer syndrome, but I remember the life I have built for myself, the ones that I love, and the rescuing I did.

How have you been your own hero lately?

Race Shirt Rules

I in this great online group of Running Moms. These ladies are awesome because of their support, accomplishment, and laughs! One of them posted these race t-shirt rules, and I have to share with you!

Race Rules for the Shirt

1. A shirt cannot be worn unless the wearer has participated in the event. There is an exception, though: "significant others" and volunteers are exempt.

2. Any race tee, less than a marathon distance, shouldn’t be worn to an ultramarathon event. This goes double for the wearing of sprint-tri shirts to Ironman and Half-Ironman events. It simply doesn’t represent a high enough "cool factor " and sends a red flag regarding your rookiness. It's like taking a knife to a gunfight. It's probably best just to wear a generic name-brand athletic shirt, and go hide in a corner until race time.

3. When you are returning to a race in which you have previously finished, then wear the shirt from the first year you completed the race. Don’t short-change yourself by wearing the shirt from the year before. It doesn’t adequately display the feat of accomplishment or the consummate veteran status that you are due.

4. Never wear a race event shirt for the (same) race you are about to do. Only rookies do this. It displays a total lack of integrity and might put the bad-heebee-jeebee-mojo on you for the race. Wearing a T-shirt of the race, while currently running said race, is discouraged. It’s like being at work and constantly announcing "I’m at work". Besides, you wont have the correct post-race shirt then...unless you like to wear sweaty, pitted-out clothes on a regular basis. If you do, then go back to the swamp, Gomer.

5. Never wear a shirt from a run that you did not finish. To wear a race shirt is to say "I finished it". Exceptions: see guideline #1.

6. A DNF’er may wear a race shirt if... the letters DNF are boldly written on the shirt in question (using a fat Sharpie or a Marks-A-Lot).

7. During a race, the wearing of shirt from a previously completed year is acceptable. Wear the oldest T-shirt you have from that race (see guideline #3). This is probably a good practice because you now have no excuse to drop out since you’ve done it before.

8. If possible, runners should buy significant others T-shirts which can be worn without regard to running the race. (see guide #1). Keep in mind, they support your "running Jones" more than you think. They also have ways of punishing you that you can't even imagine. Or maybe you can.

9. Volunteers have full T-shirt rights and all privileges pertaining thereto. So there. Remember, you can always volunteer for a race and get a shirt. I encourage this as your civil duty to be a member of the running community. Races don't happen without volunteers, folks.

10. No souvenir shirts: therefore, friends or anyone else not associated with the race may not wear a race shirt. If your mom thinks that your Boston shirt is lovely, tell her to QUALIFY for Boston herself, & send in her application early for next year, so she can earn her own shirt. A downside to this: she still has plenty of time to write you out of her will between her training runs for the big race. Note that your mom CAN wear your finisher's shirt under one of these 4 conditions- 1) you still live with your mother; 2) she funded your trip to the race; 3) she recently bailed you out of the slammer; or 4) All of the above. There is an exception to this guideline: (refer to # 1...If you are a "non-traditional family," and your mom actually is your Significant Other).

11. Always wear the race shirt of your last race at the current race’s pre-race briefing. The more recent the race, the better. This is a good conversation starter. However, avoid the tendency to explain how that it was a training run for this, and this is just a training run for the next, etc. It just sounds like your rationalizing mediocre performances. Sometimes it’s best to live in the here and now.

12. Your t-shirt should be kept clean, but dried blood stains are okay, especially if it is a trail race or a particularly tough event. If you're an ultrarunner, you can even leave in mud and grass stains, (and porcupine quills). Not washing-out the skunk scent is pushing the macho thing a bit too far, though.

13. Never wear a T-shirt that vastly out-classes the event you're running. It’s like taking a gun to a knife fight. Or like unleashing an atomic bomb among aboriginal natives. You get the idea.

14. Also: never wear a blatantly prestigious T-shirt downtown or at the mall among non-running ilk. People will just think you have a big head, which you do. You'll also get stupid questions, like, "how long was that marathon?" If it's a shirt to a 50 or 100-miler, they'll think it's a shirt for a cycling event or just think you're totally nuts, which (of course), you probably are.

15. Never, ever, borrow a race finisher's shirt from another runner to wear to an event that you didn't run. If you do, remember that in Dante's Inferno, he wrote about a special Hell for characters such as you; right between Tax Collectors and Lawyers.

16. The Bad Ben Guideline: All children or grandchildren of mine can wear hand-me-down race finisher's shirts for races that I've run in. When they are asked, "did you run in that 100-mile trail race?" They can proudly respond, "no, but my daddy (or grandad or mommy or grandma) did." If your progeny has put-up with you being an ultrarunner, they have said rights too. If you have completed an Ironman, your kids also have the same rights. They've put up with a lot of crap (or outright neglect) over the years, and deserve to wear them.




So, here's the question: do you wear your race shirts? If not, what do you do with them?

Another Soccer Player Emerges

Today was the Cy-Guy's first soccer game! As a passionate soccer player myself, today was an exciting day in our household. Cy's only ever played around with me in the yard or at parks. Organized soccer, here we come.

Cy is #11 for Team Lightning in the U6 Division for the indoor league. His number is special because it's right behind mine (10).

Cy was cool and collected from the moment we walked into the gym. He waited with a few of his fellow teammates to play the first portion of the first half. When they called for subs, he went in as goalie. Out of the 4 shots taken on him, he only let one slip by. Not bad for a kid who's never played keep.

My little Cy-Guy, fellow soccer player!

After halftime, he went in on the court. He's a fast runner, and his head is on a swivel. Natural instincts, I tell ya. He had a couple of breaks and stopped a few plays from the other team.

All in all, he had fun, and did awesome! I'm so glad he enjoys the game and hopes he continues to find sports just as fun as his mom did (and if he sticks with soccer, I won't lie, I'd be overjoyed!)

Here's a couple of short videos I took during his game. (Warning! I'm still learning how to record and cheer at the same time.)

This one is part of his goalie time.

This one is him on the court

I'm such a proud mom right now!!! Let the soccer tradition continue!

Running Through Pregnancy: Experience Required

**Following is a guest post from Katie Moore, author of Moore from Katie**

The benefits of exercise for expecting moms have long been known to medical researchers. Every pregnancy features weight gain and some amount of fatigue, and both of these conditions can be successfully managed by increasing mom's proportion of lean muscle. Delivery itself is comparable to any intense athletic event, and exercise throughout pregnancy will go a long ways toward ensuring top performance. After delivery, the extra lean muscle will help mom return to her normal weight.

Before starting any exercise or diet program, an expecting mother should always consult her doctor. Working closely with her doctor throughout the entire term is important for mom to be sure that her diet and exercise habits are fostering the best environment for baby to grow in. An expecting mom should also consult her doctor about labor planning and considerations such as pain management, Umbilical cord blood banking and circumcision.

Is Running Appropriate?
Experts agree women should avoid high-impact and competitive sports during pregnancy, but there are many misconceptions about other types of exercise best suited for pregnancy. Fitness professionals have devised a few guidelines to help mom in deciding on the best forms of exercise. The first rule is applicable to every pregnancy. Begin with an exercise program below your tolerance level.

Women with a history of aerobic exercise will likely have little trouble initiating a running or jogging program. Those with no history or a long lapse in exercise should begin with less intense exercises, such as swimming or walking. Over-exertion does not help mom and can put baby at risk by reducing available nutrients and robbing oxygen from the blood. Also, over-exertion increases the risk of exercise injuries. Any injury to muscles or connective tissues will take away from exercise efforts.

The next guideline is to stay hydrated. Especially during warm weather, any physical exertion will remove water from the body due to sweating and flushing out lactic acid produced during muscle contractions. Keep a bottle of water handy at all times. During pregnancy, it is important to always drink enough water to satisfy thirst.

Running Throughout Pregnancy
Physiological changes during pregnancy will require consideration for even the most physically fit moms. Increasing levels of natural fatigue and changes in body weight and proportion will require cutting back on exercise amounts gradually as the due date approaches. There is no need to run a marathon prior to delivery, and many other concerns will likely take precedence in the final weeks.

Pregnancy provides a number of opportunities to learn more about your body. Expecting moms can, and should, take advantage of exercise classes designed specifically for pregnancy. Even seasoned runners can benefit from engaging a in a pre-natal yoga program for total-body stretching. Since more intense workouts, like running, require greater consciousness of safety issues it’s best if you’re not experienced to stick with lower impact workouts.

“Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.”

Sitting in FUNK-y Town

I get in funks often ( a bit too often for my liking). Usually I'm over-trained, over-scheduled, over-everything, and they usually happen when I'm due for a rest day anyway. After a day or two off, some extra rest, and a glass or tow (or heck, maybe a bottle) of wine, I'm golden. I firmly believe in sweating bad moods out.

But the past couple of weeks, I can't shake it. Normally, I would just go ahead and get out the door no matter what, but it's like the inner drive is gone. I feel lost. I don't know what it's like to not have that inner drive. Am I burned out? Maybe. Not from training, though. Just burned out on everything. I've been "on" basically every day since May 1st if not before. "Off" time is a luxury right now it seems. It's definitely vacation time, and vacation time isn't even on the calendar right now. I need to get out of the funk though.

Here's my plan:

Take the holiday weekend off. If I get runs in, great. If not, whatever. Tuesday starts the "working out even if every cell in your body doesn't want to" phase.

Share with me how you get out of your funks.

Six of One, Half a Dozen of Another

That's how I feel about the past 12 years. Today is T's birthday, and the last 12 years have past almost too fast, but not quick enough at the same time. Yet, 12 years have passed. I could have been a bad parent, a so-so parent, or a good parent. 12 years passed no matter what kind of parent I decided to be when my first child was born.

T & I at his 2nd birthday party

12 years ago, I was a 21 year-old young woman, less than two years away from getting my Bachelor's degree. Four days prior, I finished one part-time job and took official leave from my full time job. The semester was over, and even though I knew I was taking the summer semesters off, I knew nothing of what my future had in store except there would always be someone who called me "Mommy". I only knew time would pass no matter what type of decisions I made for myself and my child.

I could have decided to not finish my degree, not worked hard to do my part to support our new family, not put everything I was into being a damn good mother. HAve I always been the best mother? No. Could I have done some things better? Probably. But I look at T and I see me...really, we are so similar in both looks and especially, personalities. I pray every day he sees the same similarities and has high hopes for his future.

T getting his red belt 05/19/12

I pray in 12 years he will look back and say my mom was the best mom I could have had. I pray he says, "She gave me the example I needed in all areas of my life." I pray he says, "She had strength, compassion, and even (oh, I really hope) grace under pressure." I pray when he looks forward in his life he uses my life as a pathway for his own dreams.

Finally, I pray when his first child is 12, he provides the same example I have tried to provide for him, sets pathways for his child's dreams. I pray he finds his own strength and courage in an easier way than I have, and he develops an undying compassion for his fellow man so he may pass those on to his family.

Yes, 12 years have passed. They were hard years, but good years because no matter what, T led me on my path to find the dreams I never knew I wanted.

T

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Running Moms Rock 5K

So, here it is finally!

April 21, 2012 was the Running Moms Rock 5K in Highland Village, Texas. Here's my favorite things and not so favorite things about the race.

Upsides:

• I love this race because it benefits a charity close to my heart, the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton County (CACDC).
• It's a close race for me. Just a 20 minute drive. I can leave for the race, and still be back home in a couple of hours.
• Primarily women run it. Men and children are more than welcome, but it helps ease my competitive spirit running with all women. 
• The fun fest P and the boys can enjoy while I'm running.
• The course is a simple loop through a neighborhood with lots of observers.
• Race packet pickup is an easy peasy process. Here's my race packet with Wheaties Fuel for the morning!!  

Downsides:

• It's an evening race. I'm a morning runner by preference, and a 5 p.m. start time throws me mentally off kilter.
• April. One can't control the weather, but it's usually getting fairly warm and humid by race date.
• 2 large hills. I really shouldn't complain, but I hate hills, so they will always go on my downside list.

Race Recap:

Last year's time to beat

Since it was an evening race, I made sure I got to be lazy ALL day. Yea, I'll take any chance I can get to not clean, organize, or run around all crazy-like. Actually, it was hard to stay off my legs to keep them rested. I'm a morning person, and I like to relax in the afternoons, not the mornings. Anyway, about 3 p.m., I started getting ready. Dressed in my Team Tough Chik singlet and running skirt, I prepped my race bag. Sunscreen, water, gu, knee brace, visor, XBalm, bib, and racing info. I checked my last year's race time, and Sharpeed it on my left wrist as a makeshift pace bracelet. Done...now let's go. 

T wanted to chill out at home, so it was P and the Cy-Guy along for the ride. After weaving through traffic and finding a parking spot by the Buffalo Wild Wings (YUM!),we headed to the race area. We had enough time to get a couple of pics. 

The Cy-Guy walking me to the start line

The Cy-Guy and me

As start time approached, so did the crowd!!! All toward the front too.  I normally tend to get to the back of the pack, but  what I thought was the "back" became the front of the pack. It's all good though. As the race started, I pushed inward to the crowd and let the speedy racers go ahead. My iPod was acting screwy with the timer set to intervals instead of just timing, but I got it fixed quickly.

And we're off!

I wanted to PR, but I wanted to also take it easy since I was coming off of a chest cold the Cy-Guy gave me and I didn't do any training like I wanted to do. The first mile was steady; around the shopping center, on some walking trails behind it and then into the neighborhood as well. One mile in, I suddenly started coughing and basically choking on what lovely phlegm was still in my chest. I got to have a lovely hackfest on the corner of a turn while people passed me.

Once that joyous occasion was over with, I picked up running again - straight up a hill. No worries though. The one water station was at the top, and across the street was this awesome man spraying his water hose for runners to run through it. Heck yea!!  Next, it was down a hill, up a hill, down a hill, wind through more walking trails, weaving our way through not so shaded residential trees. This one lady in a bright pink t-shirt and I sort of had this thing going with our walk/run intervals. I'd run for a little bit, pass her, and then when I needed to walk again to prevent another hackfest, she'd run and pass me. This went on for a while, and I kept chuckling to myself. it kept me distracted enough to fall into a groove.

The groove brought me to the last .25 mile of the race. I fell in step with a lady that looked like she was having a hard time. I decided to stay pace with her and talk her into the finish area. Talking seemed to help her out. It helped me out too because I suddenly got nervous. I realized when I turned the corner, P would see me finishing. He hasn't seen me finish a race since 2010.

Bringing it around the last corner 

After the last corner, I said "Good Luck" to the lady I ran in with, and then I took off. I was tired, coughing and didn't give a rat's ass actually. I wanted to finish strong, so I did.

Finishing strong!

Paul quickly came over after I was finished and scrambling for water. He and the Cy-Guy were so excited, and P kept snapping pics left and right. Most were too blurry to use. As we were walking back to the shaded area before we headed to the parking lot, the Cy-Guy says to me, "Mommy I want to race with you."  And there we have it, ladies and gentlemen...confirmation of one of my many reasons to run. 

I enjoyed the race, as I always do. I can't wait for next year, despite the late Spring evening start time. I'm debating on actually volunteering at the race instead of running it. If you're in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, check out this race and take a Saturday evening to run for a good cause. 

Weekly Rewind: Apparently the Monthly Rewind

Let's say, April was crazy. I'm not going to list it day by day, but instead just kind of tell you what's been going on because there has been minimal to no exercise.

At the beginning of the month, I had been working up on something awesome (to be revealed a bit later) and it took quite a few days to wrap that up. P has been working long, long days, so I've been playing the juggling act. Then, the Cy-guy got some nasty little cold that he lovingly gave to me. That chest cold stuck around forever, it seemed.  Runs hurt, other cardio hurt. Everything turned into a hackfest. But here's a brief run down of my month:


04/01 - 5 mile run on the Greenbelt
04/03 - 2.27 m run
04/04 - 2.27 m run
04/04 - X2 Core
04/04 - Abs
04/05 - 2.27 m run
04/07 - 6.26 m run
04/11 - 2.27m run
04/17 - 2.27m run a.m. 1.55m walk p.m.
04/18 - 3.25m run
04/21 -  3.14 (RMR 5K) Race report coming super soon!
04/23 - 4.1 m run
04/24 - 2.16m run
04/29 - 5.67m run
04/30 - X2 Chest, Back, & Balance

Can YOU guess where I was sick?????

I did get a 5K race while getting over that cold and still PR'd. Not at great time, but hey, I'm not complaining. Here's another month. I still have two major blogs posts to do to help recap April.

Dunt, dunt, da dahhhh!!! Exciting news: If you haven't seen on my blog Facebook page yet, my balancing act of runner and mother was featured in the May issue of North Texas Child magazine. Go on over there and take a peek, but here's an awesome picture of my boys and me. :)

Special shout out goes to my friend, Jessica Bowers at Suitcases and Sippy Cups, who thought of me for this article! I am honored and flattered.

Weekly Rewind: 03/26-04/01

Monday, 03/26: Hahaha, What's Training?

Twice a month I get a 3 day weekend. Sometimes on my "off" Mondays, I get up early and workout. Some days I wait until later in the morning when it's just me and the Cy-Guy. Then I have those days, where I sleep in, my to-do list literally an 8.5"x11" page long, and things get out of whack. I still could have ran or done any sort of workout, but after my celebratory margarita with my running buddy (hey, she passed her doctorate's thesis presentation), I knew it wouldn't happen.

Tuesday, 03/27: 1.55 miles

I "host" a walk group in the warmer months of the year. This evening was the first one of the year. No one showed. After chatting with some people I ran into, I decided to get a short jaunt in. The weather was warm and humid. I also forgot my knee brace, but as long as I kept up a quicker pace and focused on my foot strike, I was fine.

Wednesday, 03/28: 2.16 miles

An attempt at getting into my early morning run schedule again, I was up at 5:30 a.m. I got dressed and took off. I felt good. The quiet of the neighborhood was a nice change from the afternoon and evening runs I've had. The air was sticky with humidity. I pulled my sports bra club card out and stripped off my shirt. A chill was on my shoulders from sweat, but it was better than feeling like my skin was suffocating.

That afternoon, I wanted to get some cross training in, so I whipped out my P90X2 Total Body & Ab Ripper DVD out. For the next 75 minutes, I worked my upper body and core like I haven't been able to do in 6 weeks. I admit I had missed the muscle ripping.

Thursday, 03/29:

Let's just say life got in the way.

Friday, 03/30: 

I had full intentions of waking up early to run. FAIL. I had full intentions of running while T was in karate. FAIL. I did feel like I walked two miles around the grocery store doing late night shopping.

Saturday, 03/31:

Again, full intentions of at least getting some yoga in after a long day at work. Intentions aren't getting my ass moving. Yet, I did spend an evening in the kitchen making organic goodies and prepping healthy snacks so the boys will quit bugging me for crap food.

Sunday, 04/01: 5 miles on the Greenbelt.

Today was the last run with my running buddy for a few weeks while she heads to Australia. We took to the Greenbelt because it's a great trail to run. I was drained from mental overload and a busy week, but determined to make this run count. We did fairly well, despite the greenhouse effect caused by the tree canopy. We walked more than normal though. I felt dehydration kicking in, and she was having some knee issues. We got it done. The pace doesn't make the runner, it's the will that makes the runner.

Weekly Rewind: 03/19-25

Since my second kidney stone in February and several issues that came with it, I had to miss two races I wanted to run. Now that I'm in rebuilding mode to get up to my training mileage again, I felt I should post a weekly recap to help me keep my training in perspective. Lately my runs have been all about mileage and not times.

Monday, 03/19: 1.5 mile walk

During my Sunday morning buddy run, I made a goal for the week to work out every day as long as my body felt good. I rushed home from work hoping to beat some evening storms that were rolling in. In the rush, I forgot my knee brace and paid for it instantly since the first half mile of my run was a steep downhill and then immediate uphill. My knee couldn't take it, so I walked almost the entire 1.5 miles.

Tuesday, 03/20: 3.25 miles

In an effort to settle T, my oldest son, down after a long doctor's appointment and a day without his ADD medication, I told him to hop on his bike to ride with me while I ran. I took him my usual course and then to the  back part of the old Radisson gold course, which is now part of the UNT Sports Complex. We ran and rode through puddles. I attempted jumping over a muddy bank only to end up landing right in it.

T and I had a great time together. We rarely get one-on-one time, so I think this adventure may be the beginning of something new for us.

Wednesday, 03/21: X2 Yoga

My week at work thus far had not been the best, and everything blew my fuse today. Even though I wanted to run, I definitely needed to chill out, and my lack of foam rolling also kept my muscles tense. I locked myself away and threw on my X2 Yoga. The next 55 minutes of stretching and meditation lowered my blood pressure and brought me to a place where I could be sociable with my family again.

Thursday, 03/22: 3.3 miles

A cool front moved in during the day, and of course I knew it would be a great day to run with lower temps.  The temp was great, but the wind was not. Despite my efforts to modify my route for windbreaks, the wind was strong and cold. The uphill half of this run was hard. The wind blew right threw me, and I struggled up the slightest incline. Once I got to the flat part of my run, the wind was at my side and I fell into my groove, lengthening my stride and focusing on my foot strike. My foot strike makes the world of a difference with how my knee feels. Yet, it takes all my mental energy to focus while I retrain my body how to run. Once I turned back to head home, I thought I'd have a tailwind. I did for about two minutes, and it went away leaving a cold chill all about my shoulders and back. Once I got home, it was immediately into the shower to warm up.

Friday, 03/23: Unplanned Rest Day

P had to work late, therefore no afternoon run. The menu plan also called for his night to make dinner. We ended up eating later than usual, but I still thought I could go out for a run. I knew I had to wait an hour for everything to settle, and by the time 9 p.m. rolled around, I told myself to relax and head to bed.

Saturday, 03/24: Planned Rest Day

I rarely do anything on Saturdays since I like to be fully rested for my long or hard (sometimes both) runs on Sunday mornings with my running buddy. Yet, I still thought I could manage a make up run or X2 workout. After a meeting with a fellow Beachbody coach in the morning, I took T and the Cy-Guy to take bluebonnet pictures and then to the park. I decided time with my boys is way more important than squeezing in any sort of workout. 

Sunday, 03/25: Buddy Run Day, 4.18 miles

Almost every Sunday, I meet up with a former soccer teammate of mine, and we train. I've helped her train for her half, and she's helped me through injuries during my training for the full and half I had to pass up. We keep each other accountable and in check. We were both tired, but headed out for as close to 5 miles as possible. A sunny morning, with a little breeze, but plenty of humidity. We had a great pace, even though I really didn't care. We chatted the whole time as we do and only really taking a couple of walk breaks. We felt awesome afterwards, and even did our own mock "race finish sprint". I actually felt I could run another couple of miles when I got home, but I decided to not push myself and take it easy the rest of the day.

Pretty good comeback week in my opinion.

Here's to coming back stronger this week!!