Shut It And Run

Off I go...

2012-01-25T10:27:00.001-05:00

My husband surprised me with a trip to NYC for our first wedding anniversary. He's already there so I'm heading up there to meet him today. We're going to see Wicked tomorrow night and I'm so excited!!

Location:Jetport Rd,Greer,United States

Long Run, Check! Marathon Registration, Check!

2012-01-23T13:05:00.002-05:00

So as you guys know, last weekend was really disheartening for me. I attempted a 15 mile run but had to stop at 13 because I just felt like crap. I had every intention of signing up for the Inaugural Columbia Marathon that weekend. I wanted to complete that 15 mile run and then sign up. Well...we all know how that run ended so I set my sights to this weekend's long run.

So of course I'm nervous heading out Sunday morning. It was colder than I had thought it was going to be (41) and the wind was whipping a little bit. I packed my blocks, Ludens throat drops and debit card in my handy Adidas tank top (love the zipper pocket in the back of this one!) and headed on out there. I intended to take a bottle of water with me but was .5 mile away from the house when I realized I had forgotten it.

I decided I'd stop around mile 6 at a gas station to get water and take some of the blocks. When I reached the gas station, I felt great and didn't really want to stop so I took the turn up HWY 14 and kept going. I reached the 8 mile mark and turned, thinking I'd be ready to stop at the 10 mile mark back at the same gas station. Mind you, I kept sucking on those Ludens drops and just didn't feel the need to do anything else, even at mile 10. My next opportunity to stop was at mile 12 and by then, I just figured I only had 4 miles to go, no need in stopping.

I made it home and saw that I had managed the 16 miles in 9:04s. I was really pleased with the pace and came running in the house to tell Dave. We decided I'd go ahead and sign up for the full in Columbia. However, something kept me from signing up yesterday. I guess I wasn't ready to commit or was waiting to see if Dave would sign up for the half or not. Thank goodness I didn't.

I had realized before that the marathon was a double loop. That itself made me a bit leery. I really, really dislike double loops. Shorter races, sure. But really, I like to look forward to seeing 'what's next' when I'm running a full. I sure don't want to pass a place during a grueling part of the run only to realize I'll be right back there in a while.

A friend of mine actually ran the course this weekend. When I noticed he posted about it, I had to ask him what he thought of the course. "It's pretty hilly", he said. 26.2 miles, double loop and now add hills? Yeah, no thanks. So I decided to give Columbia a pass this year.

Having said that, I've put in the training so far and I don't want it to go to waste. Dave and I started looking around and remembered...Shamrock!! Dave ran that one in 2010. So after a little schedule juggling, hotel searching, etc. , I signed up and will be running that full marathon on March 18th of this year. Yay!

I started this full with Dave in 2010 but ended up with a torn Achilles at mile 11. This is my chance to redeem myself!

Greenville News Downtown 5k

2012-01-21T16:09:00.002-05:00

I really like this race. The course is nice and flat. If the crowd wasn't so big, it might actually be a decent on to try and PR in.
Terry and I rode together up to the race and once it started, that was it. It was just too packed to try and stay together. It rained the whole morning and even poured while we were driving into Greenville but then once we parked, the running gods were smiling on it and the rain held off until we had finished and were walking back to the car.
Garmin time 24:57 for 8:03s.

Ahhh, the magic of a rest day..

2012-01-17T10:36:00.002-05:00

Strange how a rest day can make running feel great. I forced myself to take the day off yesterday- no elliptical, no core work, no running, no walking. I had a truckload of homework to catch up on so that did help a bit.
I'm excited to say that I felt like a hundred bucks out there running this morning. I spent time watching the clouds, admiring the lake as I ran by and watching the geese play in the vacant Ford parking lot as opposed to how I've felt lately- cursing the clouds for not covering the sun, damning the lake for not being closer to my house and hating the geese for being able to waddle their big asses around a vacant parking lot instead of running like me.
The first 4 miles were great, sun at my back and 42 degrees. I was kinda dreading the return portion, full sun in my face but I figured that was better than rain. Then the clouds started rolling in and the winds picked up about 15mph. Put my gloves BACK on and headed home. I kinda petered out at the pool hill about a .5 mile from the house but that damn hill gets me nearly every time:)

Tomorrow is another running day and lunch with Liesl before she has the nerve to leave me for almost a week...*sigh*

Long weekend, Long road trip, Long run

2012-01-16T17:58:00.002-05:00

Kids had a 4 day weekend so we decided to take a road trip. I asked them where they'd like to go and they chose Myrtle Beach....*sigh*

There is NOTHING-zip-NADA-NICHTS going on down there this time of year so of course the hotels are cheap but the drive is torture. I only booked us for one night because I knew as soon as the kids realized it was deserted, they'd wanna high tail it back home to their friends.

We grabbed dinner at Thorny's. Thorny's is kind of a dumpy,western looking place. Hey, they have a shark in the front lobby with a six pack that would make most male athletes blush...so really, how classy can it be? They serve the kids' meals on frisbees so they kids LOVE it.

We spent the first evening in many of the 11 indoor pools. Me? I was kicking back in the jacuzzis all night. Firstly, it's January- freakin' freezing. Secondly, if I'm not in my comfy kermit the frog pants, slippers and a sweatshirt, I'd better be surrounded by hot bubbly water.
The kids had a great time swimming and flat wore themselves out.

Of course, Saturday was the LOOONG drive home during which my oldest kept the backseat warm and full of sleep filled drool, I'm sure. My youngest kept me awake by pretty much reading his nook aloud. I have never heard "Hey, Mom!" so many freakin' times in the space of 3 hours. But, I'm trying to encourage is renewed interest in reading so I played along. No matter how painful it was:)

Sunday morning dawned and it was time to run. 15 miles on the chopping block. I knew something wasn't right with me the minute I stepped out the door. I felt odd, just not with it at all. I met Liesl at about 2.5 and warned her that I was slow-ass-pokey-turtle slow today. Mentally, I wasn't there. I kept picturing the turning point in the 15 mile run and it made my head hurt. Finally, I gave up at 8.5 and told her to push on alone. I felt nauseated, fed up, overwhelmed and SORE. I managed to get 13 miles in, however ugly they were. I did get rid of the nausea feeling which I surmised was induced by the overwhelming amount of liquid I was ingesting. I made use of a telephone pole around mile 11 to relieve my stomach of the sloshing effects. Let me just say this..I HATE throwing up. I will resort to just about any amount of praying/cajoling/lying/anything to trick myself into NOT puking. So, having to not only puke but to do it in public?!? GAH! Let's just say I won't be touching mixed berry Powerade Zero for quite some time..nor will I be running past that telephone pole anytime soon.

Took today off. Hubby convinced me that streaking and trying to train for a marathon probably wasn't the best idea. Felt good to have the day off but also made me antsy. I should listen to him more often because he's usually right. He's like my parents that way. They tell you shit all the time and you KNOW they're right but you think you can show them that maybe they're wrong..never works. I thought that was just a parent thing. Come to find out, it works with husbands too! Dammit!

Off to soak in the tub with a book I don't really wanna read until my good buddy Liesl coughs up a few more bathtub books:) (FYI, those in the market for a nook and want to use it regularly while lounging in a steaming hot bath with a lovely glass of wine...don't bother. The nook acts up in the steam and really knows how to make a supposed relaxing situation turn into a bitchfest!)

Multitasking..

2012-01-10T06:49:00.002-05:00

School is back in session for me. I have another full load this semester:
Math
Philosophy
World Literature
German
Biology
Add that to being a full time mom/housekeeper and training for a marathon, I must be nuts to be thinking of looking for a job. The past month off must have muddled my senses. I was looking over my course schedules for this semester and I envision many late nights swearing at my math text book. I despise math. It seems to be the sort of subject that makes the rules up as you go along. Just when you think you've finally gotten the correct answer...Oh Wait!! Don't forget Sir Jolly Roger's Theorem of Natural Numberality...Now divide the whole thing by the square root of 34 times pi and you'll have your answer. WTF. Math sucks.

Today, one of our vehicles is going to the dealership for it's very first oil change. I'm a bit nervous about having someone else lolling about in my car. What if they didn't wear clean pants today? What if they're gassy and sit in my seats? I know, it sounds so stupid but having someone else in my car makes me feel like finding my underwear in someone else's laundry pile. Skeeves me out.

So while the car is getting serviced and possibly violated, I'll be taking my chances up on Lauren's Road with a 7 miler. Then it's off to my first day of German II. Should be a fun day! (wrapped up with a bottle of wine tonight at 8:35)

Legs of Lead

2012-01-08T22:47:00.001-05:00

A had a fun run with Leah today. I wasn't feeling too run-worthy after the 12 miler yesterday. My quads were so sore and I was feeling it the first mile. But we got talking and the time just slipped away. Soon enough we were back home sipping coffee and relaxing. ;)- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

12 miles today

2012-01-07T13:49:00.001-05:00

Liesl met me this morning for a lovely long run. The weather was perfect, albeit a bit windy in spots. I felt really strong for the first 6 or so miles and then I started dragging a bit. I have a hard time maintaining a LSR pace. Dave usually does that for me. Sadly, that job fell into poor Liesl's lap today. I swear she had to tell me slow down at least 3 times each mile. She kinda saved me from bailing on the run today so thank you, Liesl!After the run, I've been a lazy bag of bones. No kids this weekend so I'm able to lay on the couch and watch Everybody Loves Raymond episodes I dvr'd all week. The weather is gorgeous out and I should be out washing my vehicle but I can't be bothered. Tomorrow will be a much better day for more physical exertion. Dave and I were able to run together-separately today, on our anniversary. He managed a (speedy!!!) 4 miler up in NYC. He's really amazing. Still running even though he's not firing on all fours from that cold my dad gave him (*wink* just teasing, Dad!)Speaking of NYC, I threw my legs in the hat and applied for the NYC marathon. A chance to run in my favorite place in the world? Oh hell yeah! Sign me up:)Time to kick back and relax the afternoon away. Long runs aren't so bad when you can sprawl out on the couch with a cat or two and zone out afterwards;)Til tomorrow...

Location:Home sweet home

2012-01-07T07:50:00.001-05:00

I like running for many reasons. I love running because it brought the love of my life to me. Today, we celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. Thank you David for taking a chance on me and showing me how beautiful forever will be. I love you!

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Lab on the run

2012-01-06T15:30:00.001-05:00

Two mile run with our poochie Jack, the wonder Lab. Today is a rest day since tomorrow has a 10-12 mile LSR on the agenda with Ms Liesl. My lovely husband is preparing to leave NYC and head to Belgium for the weekend. Running should be much easier there and I hope the nasty cold my father shared with him will pass soon. Kids are off to their father's for the weekend so I'm going to spend my last weekend before my classes kick off on Monday reading and relaxing. Just finished Joy Fielding's Whispers and Lies. Did NOT expect that ending!

Location:Home sweet home

Run, coffee, repeat!

2012-01-06T07:18:00.001-05:00

Ahhh, I love Starbucks (better known as *$ when my hubby and I are texting). After a run, it just seems to taste even better. Liesl met me today on her way to work after I wrapped up a 4 miler. Today was one of those days where running felt good. No aches and pains, no horrible traffic, no miserable mind chatter. Hopefully I'll feel the same way come Saturday for my long run. Oh..and the funk has been rectified, it seems. Tide Sport detergent seems to have done the job!

Peeee-YOU!!!

2012-01-04T07:53:00.001-05:00

So you know it's bad when you slip on that running shirt and wonder-"hey, did I even wash this?!"

Funky running gear is NOT cool. I mean, I know don't funk up my own clothes when I run do I'd like to know what nasty bastard is sneaking into my closet and sweating all over my lovely running duds. ;)

Time to research "anti-funk" detergent for not only MY sake but anyone around me, pre run. Post run? You stand too close to me after 5 miles that's your own damn fault.

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Holidays

2012-01-04T07:18:00.001-05:00

The holidays always kick my ass. I can say that there was only year that I consistently ran through and that was when I was training for my first marathon. This holiday season was nothing like that, although I am training. It seemed I had a calendar full of "have to", "need to", "better get to" things that running certainly took a back seat. Not to mention the children being out of school for a week really knocks the schedule for a loop.Life is getting back on track and I have a week of time all alone to get my running headed in the right direction. Next week, I start back to school and with a philosophy course and a lit course on my course schedule, I'll be swamped with papers soon enough. Speaking of school- 5 classes of books cost me $600 and I already had the $200 books for German from last semester. Unreal what textbooks cost these days!

As you can see, it's a lovely 22 degree morning. Liesl and I are running this morning just to prove how completely badass we are....or how stupid. I think badass sounds much more appropriate;)

Location:Cozy, warm bed

Another 3 mile run..

2011-12-15T10:45:00.000-05:00

Had a great 3 miler this morning with Terry. We stuck to the neighborhood and it was so nice not to dodge traffic.
My husband returns today! After 24 days and that scare in Liege with the bombings, I'll be glad to have him home safely.
Looking to run the Charleston 1/2 marathon on January 14th. I know, I know. I said I wasn't ready to think about a run yet but I kinda changed my mind...:)

2011-12-14T14:22:00.001-05:00

After 3 weeks of running, I think it's safe to start this baby back up. I had a long break of sporadic running. My mojo wasn't cooperating. Life got busy- blah, blah, blah.
I'm up to a 11 mile LSR now. I'm tempted to run a half but can't seem to find one that fits into "life" right now.
Anyway, short and sweet but I'm back.
Hope you're still there;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Cough-sputter

Weekend off!

2011-09-20T09:11:00.003-04:00

I took the weekend off from running so I could enjoy the kid free time. I spent a lot of time chatting with my husband (he's traveling out of the country right now), catching up on school work (tests, papers, homework), cleaning the house and relaxing.

I got out for a sloppy 5 miles yesterday. I ran 8:51s but the run just felt all wrong. I was hoping today would feel better but I wasn't very peppy. I guess I have too much other stuff on my mind to let go on the run and enjoy it. Y'know how that is? You keep thinking of a million other things you should be doing instead of just enjoying the gorgeous fall weather.

So I'm still contemplating the Spinx. I want to get a 10 miler in before I sign up. I know I've pulled an 8 already and 10 isn't that far off but it's a mental block with me. I guess it's tough knowing I won't be running with my regular running partner, too. Running big races like that alone isn't much fun.

I really, really wish David were going to be in town to run it with me. It's funny how running is what brought us together and now we rarely get to do it together anymore. I miss running with him and can't wait until he's home in 9 days. Shoot, I'm not even worried about getting a run in together. I'm just ready to have my husband back home:) His internet connection in Bahrain is shitty, to say the least, so regular communication is difficult.

So in the event that the "Bob" the scheduler for D's company is reading this-
NO MORE BAHRAIN....please?:)

6 miles in the windy, cold morning

2011-09-16T09:27:00.001-04:00

Yeah, yesterday it was 91. Today, the high might hit 63. WTF? And of course, let's throw in some 23 mph winds just to make the day that much more fun.
But y'know what? It's Friday. Who cares!:) The littles are going to spend the weekend with their father and I've got the house to myself.
I got my 6 miler in this morning so unless I feel incredibly motivated this weekend, I'm NOT running:)

Took a break yesterday..

2011-09-14T09:39:00.002-04:00

It's hard finding time for myself these days. With me being in school full time, training, kids, house,etc., sometimes I just have to blow something off to keep my head in check. Yesterday, it was housework and the 3 miler. I was able to sit and talk with my husband (who is currently working in Bahrain and flying in and out of Afghanistan) for a couple hours over Skype, drink way too much coffee and just get my mental "house" in check.
Today- back into the 'swing' of things!
5 mile run that felt great. I'm debating on whether or not to do a 6 miler on Friday or go ahead and do the 10. I was waiting to do the 10 before I signed up for the Spinx run so part of me wants to do it so I'll sign up already.
Guess we'll see how Friday feels?

Training

2011-09-12T10:14:00.001-04:00

Yep, it hit me this morning. I don't much like having to follow a training plan. I like MAKING the plan, I like getting all excited and seeing how many miles I'll pull each week...but then waking up on a Monday morning after a crap night of sleep and having to run? Meh, not sure I like that too much.
But I ran...

5 miles

2011-09-07T21:20:00.001-04:00

I got out for a 5 miler this morning. The weather was PERFECT. 60 degrees, cool and partly cloudy. I was in love with running today. Granted, this weather won't last long here in the Upstate. It'll crank back up to the mid 80s through the day and mid to upper 60s at night. But I enjoyed my cool 60 degrees this morning and ran with a smile on my face..:)

7 miles this morning..

2011-09-02T09:40:00.003-04:00

I've been running this past week but with the piles of school work I've had to do, children running about the place- I've been too busy to blog. I put the mobile blogger on my iPhone then plain forget it's even there.
Honestly, most of the time spent in front of this laptop is doing math or writing a critical analysis piece on big purple horses, even throwing together a speech- I'm sick of being on this computer.
I figure if you're really DYING to know what miles I've run, you'll either find me on dailymile.com or you'll look to the right ------->
Thankfully, my husband is home now and I'm finding bits and pieces of time for myself. Naturally, he leaves again Tuesday so all that goes out the window. But hey, at least I'll have more time to blog!:)

7 miles...and who invited the humidity back?

2011-08-26T09:10:00.002-04:00

I was actually waffling about going out this morning. I'd much rather have stayed home today since I don't have to be on campus and I had caught up on my homework. The guilt bug crept in and off I went.
I went up Fairview and back in the old neighborhood. It was a little more 'traffic-y' than I'd like but that's to be expected at 8 am. I am just glad that long run is behind me.
We are meant to drop in to the low 80s and upper 60s as lows this coming week..yay! Bring on the fall weather!

Even though it was only an hour later...

2011-08-24T14:57:00.002-04:00

I felt the sun more this morning. Mr "I'm here to fix your microwave for the 90th time" was so slow repairing the door whatever-the-hell broke on the micro so I was late getting out the door. Now, I'm very vampire like when it comes to running and the sun. I hate the sun. Give me an overcast day, give me windy conditions, give me rain...keep the freakin' sun. It feels like a heat lamp is following me around town. Granted, my skin doesn't bubble or melt (or 'sparkle' like those modern day vampires) but my brain thinks it is. I'm completely anti sun when it comes to running.
Otherwise, the sun and I are friends. Good friends.
Anyway, today was an ok run. 3 miles is a quick run and at least I felt like I did something today. What really made me happy about today's run? I noticed my speed picking back up. With the new 405, I don't really pay much attention to the average pace because I'm old and the numbers are small. I don't get a good idea as to how 'fast' I'm running until I've stopped and done my "old lady, gotta hold whatever I'm reading 9 miles away from my face" thing. But yeah, the speed is picking up.
Tomorrow? Rest day. Uh huh- I get to drink coffee as soon as I get up! I get to wear my pajamas when I take the kids to school! I get to shower whenever *I* want to and not as soon as I get back from running to avoid sweating on everything.! Yay:) Or maybe I'll go to the gym...

Goodbye Humidity- Hello Fun Runs

2011-08-23T08:41:00.003-04:00

Gosh, it's as if the humidity just decided to pack up and leave yesterday afternoon. This morning it is 68 degrees, lovely breeze and it actually feels a bit ...(Dare I say it???)..chilly!
I got out for 3 today- 25:48 according to Garmin. The only difficult thing about running this time of day is the traffic. Since I live near 3 different schools, the traffic is pretty steady from 730-830. I'd rather not run later than 730 so I have to deal with idiot drivers.
I guess I could get up earlier like I used to be I don't much like running in the dark...alone. Skeeves me out.
Tomorrow might be another 3 miler. I am expecting the appliance repairman to arrive at 8 so we'll see what happens:)

Warm run

2011-08-22T10:02:00.002-04:00

Got out for a 4 miler this morning. I gotta say, I'm LOVING my new Garmin. I can't rave enough about it. I only hope it has a longer life than my 305 did.
This morning's run was ok. I dropped B off at school around 740 and just ran from the school parking lot. I hit an area that Dave and I used to run when the boys were in preschool. I had forgotten how hilly that area could be:)
I'm still running the Kayanos I bought in February. I really love the way they feel. I only wish they weren't so bloody expensive.
Off to do some school work and then German class...yay!

Marathon...half marathon..

2011-08-21T08:35:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to figure out if I want to start training again. I'm tossing around the idea of running a half in October but I'm not sure I'll find the time to train properly with school, kids, house, etc.
I guess I should just bite the bullet and register for the stupid race.
I've not been running regularly. The weather this summer has been horrible. Up until last week, our highs were still in the upper 90's with the heat index going over 100 most days. This past week has really brought a drop in the humidity and I managed to get 18 miles in. Also, school started up so that hinders things a bit.
I was sifting through this blog, looking at the photos from San Antonio. It made me miss the fun in racing. I guess I let "life" get in the way this past year. It seemed like everything that was going on was far more important than making time to run. Turns out that wasn't the right thing to do. I let a piece of myself go there and I'm incredibly eager to get it back again.
So, I'm going to push myself to start getting about 20-25 miles a week in until the middle of September. If I can manage that, I'll sign up for the 1/2 on Halloween weekend.
Finger's crossed!

New shoes

2011-03-04T10:33:00.001-05:00

A fun filled week in Maui has come to an end. Had a blast and can't wait to visit Lahaina again!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:S Sepulveda Blvd,Los Angeles,United States

New Shoes.

2011-02-12T10:49:00.003-05:00

Decided to grab some new Kayanos yesterday. They haven't changed horribly since my last pair. I did notice that they've tilted the laces inward a bit. Why, no idea. I didn't feel a huge difference when I ran in them yesterday.

Yep, been running. Trying to do it slowly as I don't want to wind up aggravating old injuries. So it's been run a day, elliptical the next, run a day, elliptical the next...and so on. I'm only pulling 3s and 4s right now because again, I don't want to bring back those ugly achilles issues.

The weather is starting to warm a bit, thank God. We're meant to have low 60s for highs next week so I'm thinking that might help make the running a bit more fun.

Running

2011-01-24T14:30:00.001-05:00

I had actually forgotten all about this blog. Running kinda took a backseat in my life for a little bit. Things were inside out for a few months but now that I'm feeling all settled and comfy again, running is making a comeback. I haven't done any serious mileage. It feels much like it did when I first started running 4 years ago- tough, painful and somewhat like torture:)
Thankfully, I know it'll get better!
So I got my 4 mile run in today and hope to get 2 more runs in this week.
Let's see what happens!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Home

Motivation...

2010-09-16T02:57:00.002-04:00

For some reason, running sounds *so* good each evening as I lay out my shorts/tank/socks at the foot of my bed. I think about how quickly the run will go and how good the coffee will taste when I return.
430 AM rolls around and my brain is screaming.."Oh hell no!". This is my struggle. I don't want to go out at that hour because my bed is incredibly comfortable and seems to become even MORE comfortable the closer it gets to run time. Also, I'm a huge chicken. I struggle going downstairs in the dark to get a drink most nights because I've watched far too many Law & Order/NCIS/Criminal Minds shows. I know the 'bad guys' just wait for the girl, who naturally is alone in the house without any kind of gun handy, to pop downstairs into the dark room to POUNCE and cut her head off. I've seen the shows, I know how it's done:) So you can imagine how difficult it is for me to talk myself into running around this town in the pitch black darkness. Half the street lights in my neighborhood don't work and surprisingly, I'm not the only nutjob out there at that hour. I know what I'm doing out on the streets at 5am, but what are those other freaks doing? Some of them look like they hadn't even been to bed yet.
So yeah, my mileage isn't what it's meant to be. The weather has been in the upper 80s/low 90 when I get home in the afternoons and then by the time the sun starts to drop in the sky, Mommy life kicks in and there just doesn't seem to be enough time/energy.
I'm over the summer thing. Can someone flip the switch to fall already?

Fun at the folk's...

2010-09-07T17:30:00.001-04:00

B and I had some fun on my Dad's new riding lawn mower. Now, I want one!

7 miles

2010-09-06T20:12:00.002-04:00

Ran a 7 today. It was a good run mostly because the weather was so agreeable. I woke in a very chilly bedroom since I slept with the windows open. I was struggling to crawl from underneath those warm covers and head out the door. The wind was blowing softly, the sun was just creeping up and it was a chilly 61 degrees out. NO HUMIDITY!! Roll on Autumn!

So the 7 went well. I ran into my old neighborhood where they were doing some serious construction. I had also forgotten about the hills in that area. A tough run, yes! It was also very good to be able to run 7 miles as I haven't gone quite that long in many, many months. I'm feeling a bit better about the half coming up in October.

I'm not sure about work tomorrow. I have an 8 year old little man who developed strep throat this afternoon. We'll have to play it by ear tomorrow.

It's the weekend, baby...nearly!

2010-09-02T17:00:00.002-04:00

Holiday weekend is approaching and I'm really ready for it. It's been a tough week with the kids/house/work/etc. I'm finding it harder to get stuff done these days. Seems like everywhere I turn, there's a pile of SOMETHING needing done- laundry, mail,dishes, etc. Nevermind the running, the homework with the kids..oof. I'm just tired thinking about it all. Todd gets back from Afghanistan in Nov/Dec and I hate to say it, but I'm looking forward to a little break. I got used to the kids going to their dad's every other weekend. I love my little people but there's just NO break these days.

Running is going well. I'm having to either get up at 430 or 5 and get the run in or wait until the heat of the afternoon and do it after work. I prefer the early morning runs simply because it's cooler but I'm a huge chicken. Running in the dark, alone is pretty creepy. I carry pepper spray and wear a light/reflective belt but still, you can't help but look over your shoulder every few minutes.

5 miler

2010-08-28T08:09:00.003-04:00

I was meant to do a 3 miler today but it felt so very good outside this morning. Here in the lovely south the humidity is what kills ya. Lately, we've seen the humidity fading slowly and this morning it seemed to be gone all together.
I headed out of the subdivision and went right down Harrison Bridge Road. I wanted to try out the new sidewalk in Ft Inn so I headed into town just a little bit. The sidewalks look great but the construction workers left a ton of cement and crap laying around. I spent a better part of the Ft Inn run dodging debris.
Finished up the run and came home to the kids being wide awake, demanding breakfast! Lucky me!

Ice Skating

2010-08-28T08:03:00.002-04:00

Top-
Beanie and her best friend Kelsey. Kels wanted to stay close to the wall so B guided her around.
Bottom-
My Nigel on the left and Culley on the right.
I wasn't brave enough to get out on the ice last night so I stayed safely on the bleachers with my eBook:)

No run this morning..

2010-08-25T08:07:00.002-04:00

I was a wuss this morning and decided I didn't want to melt in the rain. Instead, I baked blueberry muffins and sipped coffee in my oh-so-quiet kitchen.
I do plan to get out when I leave work at 1230 today. The weather should be clearing up by then. "They" are forecasting a temp of 77 with very little humidity so I hope to get the 3-4 miles in then.

Chicken fried rice on the menu for dinner tonight. Sabreena's choice..maybe I should let HER cook it?:)

Off to work!

6 miler

2010-08-22T12:06:00.003-04:00

My first six mile run in months. I wasn't really looking forward to the run since I've only been pulling 3s and 4s lately. I thought I should do the 'right thing' and only run a 5 but the training schedule called for a 6, so a 6 was it.
It was an ok run. Come to find out, I still hate hills. I had to run without my running partner ( :( ) but he was able to get his run in over in Belgium so it worked out ok. I haven't run alone in quite some time. I usually keep a pretty steady pace with Dave. He lets me know when I'm speeding up and coaches me through the run. Running alone allowed me to listen to some music this time but it just wasn't the same.
I actually have no idea what I'm meant to run this week so I'll have to do some digging. I plan to spend the rest of the day mowing the back yard and then lounging by the pool :)

Here's a snap of me and the littles at a David Archuleta concert last night.

4th of July

2010-07-02T09:25:00.002-04:00

The fourth is coming up quickly. We're having a little party tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it.
We've actually run the last 2 days..yay! Gonna have to take the weekend off but I'm sure we'll get back to it on Monday. That Spinx half is approaching quickly!

The lake.. Still;)

2010-06-03T15:29:00.001-04:00

B in the lake.

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Location:Seneca,United States

The lake!

2010-06-03T15:26:00.000-04:00

We're spending the weekend camping and enjoying the gorgeous weather.

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Location:Seneca,United States

2010-05-29T10:04:00.000-04:00

Hiking at Stone Mountain!

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Location:Robert E Lee Blvd,Stone Mountain,United States

On our way to DC!

2010-05-18T12:54:00.000-04:00

On the bus to DC! Another 8 hours (ugh!) and we'll be there;)

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Location:Gastonia,United States

Fingers,work,running..and kids!

2010-05-15T09:06:00.002-04:00

The finger is healing slowly. I seem to keep smacking it, bending it the wrong way or just over using it. I had less trouble with my leg injuries. You don't really realize how much you use your fingers until they're immobile. Washing hair, shaving legs- the whole bathroom routine is dramatically slower:)

Work has been good. I hate to say it but the allergy season is keeping us incredibly busy. Busy is good- makes the days go by faster.

Running has been intermittent, at best. I rarely have the time to get out and run due to work, kids and other commitments. I'm quickly figuring out that lingering in bed until 6:15 is NOT the thing to do. I need to be dragging my butt out at 530 to get my runs in. Let's see if that happens!

Kids!! My little darlings are wrapping up the school year. B and I are going to DC next week. Mom is kind enough to come up and hang out with Nige for me. I'm glad her work schedule is so flexible. I'd be screwed if it weren't for my mom. I hate having to put her out but it's tough being a single mom- you gotta learn to ask for help!

The summer is gearing up to be a busy one with the kids and vacations. I'm supposed to start training for the Albany 26.2 but I need to make it a priority and I'm not sure I have room right now.

Running!

2010-04-25T02:03:00.002-04:00

Yep, I can do that!

After the Virginia Marathon mess, I'm finally able to start running again. I headed out on the 21st for a test run and was amazed to find it was my first pain free run in 3 months. That runner's high was pulsing through me and my mood/self esteem just sky rocketed. It felt good to feel THAT good again.

Headed out yesterday for another five miler-kinda testing the waters a bit. About 1/2 a mile into it, I tried to stop an SUV from running me over with my hand and it didn't work so well. Granted, I'm not squashed and dead in the street but I do have a broken finger and torn ligament to show for it. I didn't realize the extent of the damage so I just kept running. I felt pissed/embarrassed/annoyed all at the same time. I noticed around the second mile that I was hurting a bit but didn't think too much of it. When I tried to wipe my brow shortly thereafter, I kinda figured out really fast that something wasn't right. By the time I finished the run, the throbbing set in so I hauled myself up to the urgent care office and got all wrapped up.

Funny thing? I hadn't gotten cleared to run yet by my Ortho doc. I have an appointment with him on Tuesday. The doc at the UC center told me he needed to refer me to an Ortho to have the damage evaluated and see about the ligament, guess which doc he referred me to? Yup, MY Ortho doc! The appointment date? Tuesday. Should be an interesting visit!

New fur

2010-04-08T01:03:00.001-04:00

He's so cuddly!!!

Sng! o updating while on vacation never happened..

2010-04-06T19:41:00.003-04:00

Goodness, that was a LOT of fun but a LOT of work, too.
The kids had a great time. They walked my butt around that park and wore me out. I'm safely back home now and back to work (boo!).

As far as my achilles-
I went back to the doc today and he said do PT for 3 weeks. GREAT! 3 more weeks of doing nada. I'm still sore but gosh, I'm going stir crazy. I want to run, hit the elip, bike..something! I was told I can swim so when I find the time. So at the end of 3 weeks, we'll decide if the MRI is in order or not. Let's hope he'll clear me then so I don't lose my mind.

Work is good, kids are great- if I could run, I'd be pretty damn near perfect:)

Florida!!

2010-03-27T10:13:00.001-04:00

Heading down to Orlando!
Long drive but worth the vacation;)
Will update as the trip goes on ...

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Location:State Road S-27-422,Hardeeville,United States

Tired!!

2010-03-24T15:42:00.001-04:00

Before the race .....

And after

Location:Pelham Rd,Greenville,United States

Shamrock 26.2

2010-03-21T22:02:00.001-04:00

It wasva great race!! Dave finished his first marathon in 4hrs and 39 mins. I'm so very proud of him.
I DNF'd a 26.2 for the first time in mile 11 due to an Achilles that decided it was done. So, even though I'm back on that bloody bench and can't run, think of all the time I have to post!!

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Location:Virginia Beach

My darling daughter

2010-03-18T14:36:00.000-04:00

My sweet girl made a a 'green' cheesecake for St Patrick's Day!! It was a wonderful way to wrap up the day;)

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Location:Pelham Rd,Greenville,United States

The big "D"..

2010-03-17T12:54:00.002-04:00

It's done. I'm a single gal now! The split was finalized on Monday and honestly, I feel no different. It's funny- in my mind, I've been divorced since we separated 16 months ago.

So I'm back, blog is unlocked and I'm running (ha!ha!) a marathon on Sunday. Training has been 'meh-ish'. My longest run is a 15 miler. I'm not sweating that. That was my longest when I trained for Boston. I am, however, sweating the fact that my calf muscle is buggin'. Other than that, it's all good!

Welcome back, folks!! I sure have missed being here:)

Slowly coming back..again

2009-11-12T08:56:00.002-05:00

After having to bow out of the half on Halloween, I took about 10 days off to let my heel and calf heal up a bit. I got back to it this week and while the heel is still an issue, the calf muscle has really loosened up some.

I am meant to run a 12 tomorrow and I have every intention of getting it in. I don't much like doing the longer ones alone but I plan to take the iPod and take the run nice and slow. I'm off work tomorrow so it's a perfect day to get the run in.

Sabreena's 11th birthday is next week. I can't believe I have a preteen daughter. Lemme tell ya, she's acting like she's already a teenager!

Thanksgiving is sneaking up on me. I look forward to spending the morning and afternoon with my littles and then after dropping them off with their father, heading out for a weekend in the mountains!

Working..no running..dog sitting..

2009-11-06T05:13:00.003-05:00

So work is great. I'm liking my job. I'm eager for the 90 day probation period to end so I can try to get out of PRN status ASAP. The patients are great and I tend to get a good giggle out of them on a regular basis. The kids love for me to tell them 'stories' about the patients when I get home. I told them about a patient I had last week who asked me to procure him some prune juice in order to 'get things moving' so he could be discharged. My darling 7 year old remembered THIS story in particular and has been sharing it with just about anyone. He woke yesterday morning and said...
Nigel- Hey Ma
Me- Yeah, baby.
Nigel- "Gimme some prune juice, I gotta poop." Remember that guy, mama?
Naturally, I nearly fell out laughing so hard. With a reaction like that, how could it NOT become the catch phrase in our home these last 2 days.

I was meant to run a half marathon this past Saturday. After a rather hilly training run on the Thursday before, I found my PF had flared up badly. I had to go to work right after the run and ended up favoring the pained foot after being on it for an hour or so, limping rather badly. By the time I finished my 8 hours at work, I was having a lot of trouble walking. I spent Thursday evening massaging/icing/ibuprofen-ing it and was ready for work Friday. By the time I had lunch Friday, I was limping badly again. I managed to strain my calf/shin muscle from tip-toeing on that bad leg. So, not only was my heel killing me but my leg was working pretty hard at ending me as well.
Saturday morning rolls around and as Dave and I headed to the race, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me NOT to run the race. I was still hobbling at this point. I could just see me getting to mile 2, tearing those muscles to bits and having to walk back. Then I worried about not being able to work so I bowed out. Dave went on to get his first sub 2 in a half!!! It rained/drizzled/poured the entire time. I hobbled around Greenville trying to get shots of friends running but the weather was horrible.
So here I am, a week later and my PF is still a mess. I've been stabilizing the foot with my boot, doing the PF stretches/exercises and taking my ibu regularly. While my leg muscles are still tender, they aren't nearly in the condition they were last week. I'm hoping I can get out Sunday morning for a quick 5 miles, just to test things out.

So congrats to Dave for his 1:56:57 run!!! He did a great job. I'm so very proud of the fact that he managed that after having the flu the week before, working on very little sleep and tackling the very hilly course in such shit weather conditions.

Dog sitting-
Nigel has a 'job'. He feeds/walks our neighbor's dog 3 or 4 nights a week. She's a retired greyhound- gorgeous dog. I got a phone call last night from said neighbor, asking if we could please keep the dog at our house because there was an emergency and she wouldn't be making it home. Fine, no problem. I locked Jack (my black lab) upstairs with the kids and kept the greyhound downstairs with me. Dear...Sweet...Jesus. This dog had me up all night- walking around whining, panting, walking into furniture, wanting to go out, etc. Needless to say, the dog is getting dropped back off at her house in one hour so I can let my manic Jack out of the playroom. I hope I get to sleep some tonight. We're going on day 3 of sporadic sleeping. I'm so tired! It doesn't help that I had a 2 hour class in Excellence in Customer Service at work yesterday. That's a perfect sedative!!!

That's about it. Kids are doing great, I'm doing great..life is just great. :)

For those of you that are new here...

2009-10-23T14:12:00.002-04:00

I'm alive. I just am extremely busy. I tend to do more updates on Facebook than anywhere else. It's quick, easy and I can do it from my phone.

I got a job! I am excited about it but a bit sad at the same time. I've been staying home with my littles for the last 11 years but it's time to get back out there. I'm really looking forward to meeting more 'grown ups' and learning something new. I'm considering going back to school in the fall and the hours in my current job are pretty flexible to help me do that.

I'd like to tell you exactly what I'll be doing but I have no clue. I'm in the midst of pre employment health screenings/orientation classes. I actually dive into 'work' on Wednesday. I'm working for the Greenville Hospital System as Nutrition Hostess. The 'official' job description is " a liaison between patient care areas and Food/Nutrition Department concerning diets, food preferences, and special dietary concerns. Plans patient menus and snacks. Communicates specific patient problems to he Diet Technician and/or the Dietitian." I'm pretty excited about being involved with patients and helping them make nutritional decisions.

Employment in South Carolina is bleak. There are many people who can't find jobs at all. I'm pretty thrilled I was able to find a job that offers a good income and hours that suit my family. I really got lucky. I've been searching for a job since the end of July and have had 3 offers. Times are tough around here and I see many families struggling to make ends meet. It seems like the cost of living just keeps going up.

I'm running. I manage about 24-26 miles a week. I'm training up for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. I'm not sure how working/taking care of the kids and house and training for a marathon is going to pan out but we'll see, won't we?

The kids are doing very well. Sabreena is finishing up her Hip Hop dance class. Nige is getting ready to start playing basketball. Report cards come out this coming week and just having had conferences with the teachers, I know their grades are where they should be. They'll have a little bit of an adjustment with me working but I think they'll be ok. I have great friends and neighbors who will be helping me out with them. I don't know how single moms do it alone!

So that's about it. Just going back to work, training for the run and being Mommy all at the same time. Hey, at least I'm not bored!

Out of Town

2009-10-05T15:52:00.002-04:00

It's tough getting in runs when you take a mini vacation. I managed 9 miles total from Friday until today. Nothing to get too excited about I'm going to enjoy this slow weeks before everything ramps back up on the 13th. I have to say, I'm looking forward to starting back into marathon training. I got my 2010 MB training shirt today...Looks GREAT!

I'll post pics of my weekend later. The kids will get picked up in an hour and I need to focus on them for a while.

3 miles today

2009-09-30T14:22:00.003-04:00

With marathon training looming, I am trying to get into some sort of schedule again. I don't particularly like these 3 mile runs but I'm trying to appreciate them as I know when the short runs hit 8 or 9 in the thick of training I'll be wishing for those little 3 milers.

The weather is changing here. We had a low of 50 this morning. As I said before, I tend to get chilled when the temps drop below 65 so I was ffffffreezing when I headed out at 545.

Next race? A 12k on 10/17 in Columbia. Should be fun!

Run for Dyslexia 5k

2009-09-28T05:40:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to get my running vibes back and thought signing up for a 5k would be a good way to do it.
The Run for Dyslexia 5k took place Saturday at 10 am. The weather the entire week before the run was gorgeous. The forecast after Saturday was even better. However, Saturday was complete crap! 62 degrees, overcast skies, misty/sprinkly precipitation and breezy. I don't do well with temps under 70 degrees so I was FREEZING that morning.
As I said, I haven't been running much. I wasn't expecting to blow anyone away in this race but as it was a small race, I wasn't too bothered. The course is the typical Furman University "around the lake up and up that farking hill from hell". Very pretty and scenic but that one hill makes you hate the campus and everyone on it.
My 5k PR is 22:53 from Nov 08. But listen, I was in shape then. Now? Not so much.
26:13 is what I finished up in on Saturday. I was pleased but had to shake my head because I was tired at the end of that one.
Here's the funny bit-
I placed first in my AG.
I'm telling ya, small race!!! Not a whole lot of us middle aged mommies running out there on Saturday. :)

Nige and I at the Hummer they had on display.

B and her face painting..

4 today..

2009-09-17T12:02:00.002-04:00

I went to the gym last night for B's dance/hip hop/cheer class. I thought I'd work out instead of standing around for an hour. While I felt pretty good last night, this morning I'm thinking the 6 mile run and the hour on the elliptical probably wasn't the best idea. My legs were very tired this morning.
I got the 4 miles in, watching the skies the whole run because the weatherman was promising rain. Naturally, it looked like it was going to bucket down at anytime but never did it even sprinkle.
Tomorrow is a no run day but I'm thinking I might just do a quick 3 miles before I get the kids up. I miss running in the early hours of the morning. I loved getting home when the house was still quiet and creeping upstairs to shower. To be honest, running in the dark never really freaked me out too much until I noticed other runners running. I didn't realize how 'invisible' we really are while running. I also didn't realize how dark those 'dark corners' are and how you can really NOT see anything going on. But! I live in a safe area and probably have just watched far too many Law & Order shows :)

Garmin 405CX

2009-09-16T12:21:00.003-04:00

Oh yeah baby. A Garmin that will calculate the number of cals burned based on my HR?
At a mere $299 (cough!)...I wish my 305 would just crap out already so I could feel good about coveting this lovely little piece of technological wonder....

Change of plans..

2009-09-16T12:01:00.001-04:00

Turns out the rapid strep test they did on my little guy was wrong. The overnight culture came back positive. So lil' Nigel is at home, sucking on an Icee and watching Scooby Doo. He can't go back to school until Friday..poor guy!

6 mile run

2009-09-16T08:37:00.002-04:00

I've been spending more time at the gym than I have out running lately. I did manage to get out Friday and get 6 miles in. They were pretty good miles and I felt great afterward. Saturday and Sunday were spent at the gym. Monday I had to spend at home nursing my little guy back to health. Tuesday I did the same until his dad picked him up at 5pm. I was going to run then but it was pouring with rain so I went to the gym again.
Finally!! I got out this morning for 6 miles since the kids are with their dad. Naturally, it started raining around mile 3. Naturally, a giant blister formed on my right foot. Naturally, it's that time of the month so my legs felt like they were filled with lead. But hey, I ran!!
I have the entire day to myself so I think I'll lounge for a bit and then hit Home Depot for a new door for the bathroom closet.

Basketball at the Y

2009-09-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

Labor Day and the Greenville Drive game

2009-09-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

Relaxing weekend of camping, a little hiking and some canoeing on the lake!

2009-09-13T10:42:00.000-04:00

Hanging out in the woods

freaky orange mushrooms

in the canoe

Morning at the gym

2009-09-12T10:08:00.001-04:00

My quads were a bit sore this morning so I took off for the gym instead of heading out for a run. I managed 45 mins on the ellip and then worked my arms for a bit.

B and I have the morning/afternoon together before getting Nige back and heading to the pool party this afternoon. It's going to be 88 degrees today!! I'm really looking forward to the cooler weather.

Gonna try and get a run in tomorrow morning. I'd like to do 7 or 8 but I'm not pushing myself too hard. I have the kids this weekend so I have to keep that in mind, as well. They'll be up early waiting for their 'big' Sunday breakfast.

I ran!

2009-09-11T11:58:00.002-04:00

6 miles for me today. At a blistering 8:51 min/mile pace (hardee har har!), even!

Gosh it felt good to be back out there. Granted, I accidentally put on the wrong shoes but hey, it's all good. I started out thinking, "Hey, I feel so good I could run 10 today!". Yeah, we all know that feeling. First mile is done, you're sailing along, feeling invincible! You're strong! You're a runner!! You hit mile 4 and think, how much more of this shit is left???

Yeah, it was like that. Having said that, I do notice a definite improvement in my mood today. I feel like it's ok to sit and read another few letters from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's quite alright to enjoy another cup of blueberry tea on the back porch while I listen to my wind chimes blow about in my new trimmed Pear tree. (I will post a photo of that shortly!)

So the weather is gorgeous (74 mild/breezy/sunny degrees), the house is very quiet and I'm going to have lunch with a friend I haven't spent nearly enough time with lately. She and I used to run regularly but our lives went in different directions and we haven't run together in nearly 2 years.

Oh! Just to add a little boring information here- I found 2 lamps for my bedroom. I've been trying to find bedside lamps that are tall enough to shine down on my bed while I'm ready but not obnoxiously so. Sadly, they were only available in white. I came across a can of black spray paint in my garage and I now have to perfectly matched lamps for my bedside tables. Grand total?? $22.34 Yay me!

Fixing up the house

2009-09-10T11:20:00.000-04:00

View from the front-
Crepe myrtle on the right, this was before the white picket fence around the tree.

Planted this on Mother's Day this year when it was only about 5" high. Look at it go!

Lavendar bush growing like mad.

Chili pepper plant.

Workin' in the yard..

2009-09-10T11:17:00.001-04:00

Picket fence and now has various mums planted inside.

view from the side of the house

transplanted bushes from the front yard

My newly built picnic table that is 8ft long. Adirondack chairs and Jack, my oh-so-stupid-but-incredibly-loving black lab.

No, I didn't run

2009-09-10T11:12:00.002-04:00

But I did hit the gym this morning. I managed to squeak out 30 mins on the ellip before I gave up and headed home.
Beanie and I are going to head out for a quick run this afternoon. I'm hoping to get her up to 2 miles by next week. We have a 5k to run on Oct 3rd. It's her first race and she seems a bit nervous about, naturally.

Darrell-
You're right about my screwing off now and again. I've been busy camping with the littles and getting them back into their school routine. Their dad is deploying again next month so we're dealing with that. Lots going on in the ol' Ice house :)

Accidental new cut

2009-09-09T10:42:00.000-04:00

My hair was long. The longest it's ever been. After a summer of pools, running (meh), being outdoors and just a whole lotta sunshine, it was a bit of a wreck. I've wanted it trimmed up for some time but never had the guts to go in and do it for fear that I would tell her to whack it all off. I decided a good trim and some layers would do the trick. Yeah, no. The layers took place but she messed them up and had to take SIX inches off the length. That doesn't count the length that came out of the top. UGH! I'm like the shorter hair but I do miss my long locks. I know I won't miss the ponytail whacking me in the face when I run. I know I won't miss waking up with knots from hell in my hair. I know I won't miss my hair getting trapped under my arms, in my bra strap, down my shirt, etc. I do miss how sexy it looked. I do miss how not-so-much Mom like I looked. Ahh, well. It's only hair, right? Right!?!?!? Someone say 'right!'

Open Book

2009-09-09T07:52:00.002-04:00

I have been a NS fan for some time. His books really speak to women- romantic, schmatlzy stuff about love and relationships. I keep thinking his wife is one lucky woman if he thinks/acts anything like he writes.

Nicholas Sparks used to live about a mile from where I live now. He lived in Simpsonville before he became famous and I believe he actually started working on his first book here. I was thrilled to find that out when I moved here simply because I have always wanted to say I'm 'from' somewhere that someone famous once was. It doesn't count that I went to school with Boston Celtic's Ray Allen because I am not a basketball fan.

I opened the paper this weekend and saw that good ol' Nicholas Sparks is going to pay Greenville a visit tonight. His latest book, The Last Song, was released yesterday so naturally, I ran out to purchase it. I'll be standing on line tonight at the Open Book to get his autograph and have a photo snapped.

Running?? Haven't done much of that lately. I hope to get back into it these next few weeks but I'm not making any promises:)

Changes and Me

2009-08-30T15:37:00.002-04:00

I make changes to make myself happy
I make changes in me to make myself better
I make myself laugh when I think about those alterations
Obstinate, fear of losing myself only to find the real me

I like to see that smile
I crave to hear the laugh
The crinkle of the eyes and curl of the lips that make my heart squeeze tight
Funny, it makes me laugh, smile, crinkle and curl, too.

It's tough, making changes.
It's difficult, making those changes for others.
It's guilt that makes things that much harder.
But it's the smiles and the laughter- the glorious downhills in life that make the changes worthwhile.

Into my life like a slow trickle of water then charging like a flooded brook.
A different view on life, a different way to live- the way I've always needed to.
No safety net, no certainty and yet, I'm not uncertain of who I am.
Overhwhelming? Yes. Fearful? Most certainly. Alive? Finally!!

Macarena at the Drive Game

2009-08-27T15:44:00.000-04:00

HOT

2009-08-10T09:58:00.002-04:00

Y'know, I realize I live in the south. Fine. But seriously 98 degrees??? This is entirely too hot. It's pretty much too hot to even go to the pool-
1- it's probably full of teenagers making out in the water
2- you have to STAY in the water to avoid being cooked
3- your beer gets piss warm in record time

I spent the weekend doing some landscaping work in the yard. I'll throw some pics of that up later. Cleaned out the garden area and managed to get 4 black trash bags full of grass/weeds in there. Today is GI Joe with Nige, Culley and Sabreena. My 2 saw it this weekend with their father but I really wanted to see it so they're going again :) I'm sure they'll be broken hearted.

I did get a work out in the morning. I hit the gym and managed 45 mins there. I hope to dig up the swing set today and maybe go for a bike ride later.

Oh! Anyone in the Simpsonville area- Stella's Southern Bistro is the BEST! I went Saturday night and had Shrimp and Grits- fantastic!! It's a lovely little place- dim lighting, candles and amazing food. Just don't order a mixed drink..they fall a bit short there.

Off to the gym this morning..

2009-08-06T08:09:00.003-04:00

Dave was kind enough to show me how to use the weight machines there. I've been going to the gym for about 2 weeks now and haven't been brave enough to try them out. Lemme tell ya, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's workout! I feel much more confident about walking into the gym and just hopping right on the machines.

Today is going to be a busy one. B leaves for Florida on Saturday but she goes to her father's tomorrow. So I have to get the last minute stuff today and pack/repack everything by tomorrow morning. Nige is staying with his father until Monday morning so I have a looong weekend to myself.

Still not running. The heel isn't giving me any trouble, the leg doesn't hurt much but I'm not going to listen to my head and go run. I know I need to listen to my body and keep plugging at it at the gym.

That's about it!

Not doing a whole lot of running.

2009-07-31T15:53:00.002-04:00

The pain in my right leg is still there. I tried running today and it didn't work out well. I have been working out my frustrations at the gym and find that while running did make me sore when I hit the high miles (15+ mile runs), pilates can really put a girl on her ass. Of all places to feel pain, I feel it in my butt cheeks and my thighs. I thought those would be pretty damn tight from all the running I've done but the SheDevil instructor at the gym had to prove me wrong.

Kids go back to school in 19 days. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I love having the break but then it's back to having to drag their little butts out of bed every morning, get them shifted and then fight traffic. I get tired just thinking about it.

I think I'm getting a little down about not being able to run. I feel so blah these days. I'm not sure if it's the overwhelming single mom lifestyle, messed up sleep schedule, lack of running or if I'm just plain worn out. I can say that I'm looking forward to a much needed camping trip come the second week of August- no house to clean, no dinners to cook (and please) for 2 very different children, no phone ringing, no computer calling...peace. Ahhhh :)

From Fall's Park

2009-07-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

I forgot to post these pics from our trip to the Farmer's Market on Saturday (scroll down a few posts). The kids love to play in the falls and chase the ducks. Nige naturally slipped in the water a few times but thankfully he had enough sense to wear his swim trunks.

Running!

2009-07-21T09:01:00.002-04:00

I noticed that the last time I posted a 'running' related post was over a week ago.
Here's what I've been up to lately-

7/15- 6 miles at a 9:12 pace
7/16- 4 miles at a 9:02 pace
7/18- 6 miles at a 9:09 pace
7/19-10 miles at a 9:02 pace
7/20- 7 miles at a 8:45 pace

I have my podiatrist appointment tomorrow at 8 am. I'm hoping he has a cure for this heel pain. While it hasn't been hindering my running much, it's still painful.

I'm still hoping to run the marathon in October. It's an excellent Boston qualifier however, I don't have any plans at this time to run anything but the 2010 Boston.

I've been running mostly in the Saucony Fastwitch 3s without the heel inserts because they hurt my arches. I did the longer run in the Asics 2140s with the heel inserts and they did help a lot.

That's it so far! Kids are off to their dad's tonight so it's free time for me!

Dobby the bird killer

2009-07-19T11:48:00.000-04:00

Found a nice present waiting on the back patio today...

egg rolls and zucchini

2009-07-18T21:09:00.000-04:00

B has been interested in making our own egg rolls for a little while. I wasn't really confident in my egg roll making capabilities but I figured, she probably won't care if they're perfectly shaped or not! After our trip to the Farmer's Market on Saturday, we thought we'd use some of our veggies to make the egg rolls and then we fried up some of the zucchini. And I wonder why I am not losing weight?? :)

Farmer's Market in Greenville

2009-07-18T11:12:00.000-04:00

Look at those giant blackberries!

Nige loved them!

He ate it but he wasn't really lovin' the good ol' South Carolina peach:)

4 miles with inserts

2009-07-14T08:26:00.004-04:00

I felt springy this morning. I stayed up until 2am and headed out at 630 for a run so trust me, it was just the shoes making me feel springy. I was dragging my ass the first 2 miles and then picked it back up for the last 2. Maybe I'll get some sleep tonight and do better on my 6 tomorrow..

As far as pain goes, my heel is sore but not horribly so. I'm being a good girl taking the meds. I felt some relief from the inserts but nothing remarkable. Maybe it's a time thing?

Time to take the kids to VBS and enjoy 3 hours of shhhhhhhhhhhhh....:) The kids are with their father tonight so I get to go hang out with some runners at the track. Woohoo!

Heel Spur and Bursitis

2009-07-13T19:21:00.002-04:00

So it's not PF after all. It's a heel spur which brought on bursitis. Lovely! I'm on 1600mg of ibuprofen per day and have an appointment with the podiatrist on the 22nd. No wonder my poor heel has been killing me.

Trip to the beach

2009-07-12T17:57:00.000-04:00

Me and my 2 lovelies

Just the two of them in the hotel

Nige in the ocean for the first time

B and her cousin Cayla splashing it up

12 LOOOOOOOOOOOONG miles

2009-07-12T09:06:00.002-04:00

Holy crap was that a hard run. I thought the water fountains in Simpsonville would get me through it but nope, they had them shut off...in the summer..on a 90+ degree day. Makes sense, huh?

Running on the beach..

2009-07-11T08:29:00.002-04:00

I got a 4 miler in on the beach this morning. It was gorgeous. It reminded me a lot of the first half of the Myrtle Beach marathon. Granted we didn't run ON the beach as I did this morning, but the ocean/beach area looked them same. It was peaceful and very relaxing.

I'm heading back to Greenville today! Gotta try to put in a 12 miler tomorrow morning.

Hiking..

2009-07-10T10:56:00.000-04:00

Took a hiking trip up to NC over the 4th of July holiday. Hit Grandfather Mt and visited the Mile High Swinging Bridge. After exiting the vehicle and finding that the weather is most certainly cooler in that neck of the woods, I quickly acquired a lovely pair of bear yoga pants in the gift shop (which will be seen later in this blog..)

The trail up to the Mile High Swinging Bridge.

View from the top!

The Bridge itself.

and just in case ya didn't know..:)

2009-07-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

Part of the Black Rock Trail in NC.

Again..

And again..but!! here you can see my beautiful WARM bear pants :)

gorgeous shot of the Blue Ridge Parkway

2009-07-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

more shots from the top of the mountain..

We then headed into Blowing Rock to what the big deal was...
and um, it's nothing really.

In the park at Blowing Rock, NC. Ate lunch at a little pub there that tried so hard to be English it was cute.

No running today..

2009-06-29T19:26:00.001-04:00

But I did get a new back door!! Dave -running partner/hiking buddy/handy man - was kind enough to save me the $250 dollars Lowes wanted to install the back door. Also, he's going to give me a hand putting in the storm door later this week.. Guess I'd better take him out to dinner or something. And just in case ya didn't know, that's my little cutie Nigel, made up like Anakin Skywalker. He's just too damn cute!

Who ordered the humidity?

2009-06-28T07:31:00.001-04:00

75 degrees with 70% humidity..blech! I got out early today to get my run in but it didn't help all that much. I managed the 9 miles and came home feeling like I'd just stepped out of the shower, everything soaked.

It's 730, my run is done, kids are still asleep and the coffee is brewing..ahh!!!!

10 mile bike ride

2009-06-27T09:33:00.000-04:00

I did a 10 mile trek this morning on the bike. I thought heading down to the Farmer's Market would be fun. I grabbed some eggplant, a white eggplant, tomatoes and corn to stock up the fridge. The ride was a lot of fun but I think it's a bit easier running up the hills in this area than it is to bike it!

Nige's First Hike!

2009-06-26T12:12:00.000-04:00

We went for a lil' hike this morning on the Sulphur Springs Trail up Paris Mt. Nige did an excellent job!! 3.5 miles on one of the toughest trails. He didn't start faltering until the last .5 mile. It was warming up and I think he'd had enough. He did say that he'd do it again! We had a great time and I can't wait until B's ready to spend sometime on the trails with us...

5 miles at 5:55 AM

2009-06-25T06:59:00.002-04:00

I was curled up so nice and cozy, sleeping. It was a little chilly with just a light blanket covering me to block most of the cool air pushed down by the ceiling fan. I was warm, having lovely dreams, oblivious to the nightmare that was about to take place...

The friggin' voice in my head that said..."It's time to run!!!" Just like that, all cheery and happy, knowing full well *it* didn't have to go run. The little voice in my head didn't have to get dressed, avoiding crispy sunburned skin while sliding on the sports bra, navigate a thong in the dark, find the 'right' side of the shorts and get the freakin' built in panties to stay on the INSIDE then drag out the door. But I did.

Why does running at the crack of dawn sound so appealing at 8pm when I'm relaxed on the couch, reading a good book then seem like such torture when 5am rolls around?

Anyway, enough bitching. I ran 5 miles. I didn't like it today but I did it. Off to shower and then take the little folks to see Transformers.

Trip to the Zoo~

2009-06-24T08:07:00.000-04:00

I can't help it..my kids are too cute!:)

A quick 3 miler today

2009-06-23T16:41:00.000-04:00

I got out for a quick 3 miles today since we were spending the morning at the Riverbanks Zoo. I plan to load photos of that later as we went straight to the pool when we got home at 1pm and now I'm far too lazy to do anything other than sip my Coke Zero and hope the kids don't realize I'm relaxing.

When is summer done exactly? It's 91 here today and that makes for very sticky morning runs!

Saucony Fastwitch 3

2009-06-23T07:58:00.002-04:00

LOVING these shoes! They weigh practically nothing and have really helped my PF. Granted, it's still healing but I'm amazed at how the pain lessens each day. I think I've found the perfect shoe for me..for now :)

Who needs a Chiro? Just have a couple kids..

2009-06-23T06:09:00.000-04:00

And then THEY can stand on your back! My littles LOVE doing this. They have a combined weight of about 150lbs but of course, little Nige stands on my butt while B actually walks up and down my back. Believe it or not, it does a pretty good job. But with all the cracking I've been needing lately, I think it might just be time to pay a visit to the ol' chiropractor.

Me and my sexy Mama!

2009-06-22T17:55:00.000-04:00

Mom and I got matching swimsuit cover ups. Of course, we had to strike a pose!

5 miles in Sumter

2009-06-22T09:28:00.002-04:00

Popped down to visit my dad for Father's Day. Got out this morning for a quick 5 miles. I waited far too long to get out. It was like swimming in mud.

The kids are back from their visit with Todd. They had a wonderful time and enjoyed the high life while hanging out with their dad. :) Now it's back to mean ol' mom and time to crack the whip! Kidding.

We're heading to the Riverbanks Zoo tomorrow on our way back to G'ville. The zoo in Cola. is far better than the one we have at home. Then again, they did just get us another elephant so we have two now! Yahoo!

Off to shower and have lunch with my folks!