BDay Cake and Getting Ready for New England Vaca

Happy hump day!

Where do the weeks go? The days? The month of July? :::sigh::: Almost end of summer and then back to school/work mid-August. I can't say that I mind...I'm actually looking forward to getting back to work. I have my babysitting set up so that Logan will be w/ grandma and a friend on the 3 days that I work, so I'm not relying on daycare anymore. If I need to work an extra day I may have to find someone who will take him as a drop-in, but that shouldn't be difficult. Super excited that he will be spending time with people I know and trust, and that I will be saving the extra money!

We had his birthday party, which was a huuuuuge bash, over the weekend. Lots of people, lots of food, lots of craziness...and lots of cake. Someone needed an immediate bath. Check it out.

So darn cute. :-)

So, from one thing on to another. We have company coming for a couple days this weekend, and then I am leaving on Sunday for New England. Yeyyy! Just me and Logey, hubs can't make it due to work. We'll miss him a looooot. But it should be good to get away :-) We'll be up at my parent's lake house in NH, then down to MA for a while...and then possibly to Cape Cod to visit my Grammie. Maybe get in some beach time? Logan hasn't been to the beach yet, so that'll be interesting. If you can't tell from the picture, he is Mr. Whitey. We'll have to bathe him in SPF. But, as I sit here, I am realizing I only have 4 days until we leave...hmmm. It's not like I have to clean the house, because Mike will be here and well...wait a sec, what am I thinking. He won't clean the house. So looks like I'll have to do some maintenance cleaning before I leave. As far as packing goes, I won't have to bring a ton since I'll probably wear the same thing every day (you know how vacas go...), so the real project will be packing for the boy. Ah well. I have a lunch date today with a couple friends, so the packing can wait.

Annnnnd on to EXERCISE. YES I still do that. It has been 100 degrees here lately, so running outside has just been miserable. I ran 4 miles on Saturday and thought I was going to DIE. I poured sweat for an HOUR after I was done, which never happens. Yesterday I did 600-800-800-600-400 on the treadmill. I didn't have my watch on, but I started out at 7:24 pace for the first 600, cut down to 7:19 for the next 2 800s, and then cut down to 7:03 pace by the end of the 600. The 400 was at 6:45 pace. I know. Looks a little inconsistent. I was trying to get faster each time, and my conclusion is that I could have started out faster, around 7:15 pace and then gotten to just under 7 minute pace by the end. I like to start slow(ish) and finish stong. Anywhoooo, today will be ean easier day, as I also lifted yesterday. Feeling a little sore today. Maybe a little walk/jog with the stroller and some yoga.

Okay, have a good day!

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Happiness Journal

I am soooo happy for vacas to see family and friends!
I am soooo happy for a good night's sleep (doesn't seem to happen anymore!)

Birthday Wishes to my Baby...and some yoga today

Today is my son's birthday - he is 1 year old! Crazy to think at this point last year I was in a whole helluva lot of pain, lol. But it resulted in this little cutie.

Sometimes I feel like the year went by quickly, but other times...not so much. People say that the days are long but the years are short. I think there's some truth to that.

Now, a whole year later, he is walking around and getting quicker every day. He'll be running before I know it, and then I'm really in for it.

So, on to another year here. Wish me luck ;-)

It's hot here today, or at least, it will be. No run for me today, as I am super duper sore from lifting over the last week. I really went at it to jolt my body awake, and it worked. So today I am going to get out for a walk before it gets too hot, and get some easy yoga in. Tomorrow I will get a run in - 4 miles. Nothing crazy. I've kind of been on a running hiatus the last couple weeks. Not sure why...do any of you ever go through that? I'm sure I will get back on it, but lately it has just been so HOT here that I find it unmotivating to run outside. It will be really nice once September hits. But that's not for a while.

I forgot to do a happiness journal last post! So here it is:

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Happiness Journal:

I am happy that I have a healthy, active baby :-)

I am happy for frozen berries from Trader Joe's.

I am happy for the healthy body I have that can take me all over the place and give me the energy I need to get through each day!

All over the place Saturday

Popping in for a quick minute here on this Saturday morning. I threw the kid in bed for a "nap", although it seems as though the napping part won't happen. The husband went out for a 2 hour ride and 1 hour run this morning, and just called me from his work to tell me he was alive. Apparently it was a little tough. He's trying to start building up miles and time for Ironman AZ 2011. It will be a big commitment, a lot of time spent away from home (when he already spends most of his time at work and training)...so it will be a lot to handle over the next year. Fine if we were single and childless, but that that's not the case. I am usually pretty good about giving him the time he needs to train etc...but I am struggling a little with this, as I know that it will be hard on all of us. I am trying to be understanding, and I really want him to train is butt off and do well so he can qualify for Kona. I'm behind him all the way, all the time. This will just test us all, I guess :-)

We have a bbq to go to this afternoon, and at this point I'm not sure if I'll get a workout in.

Yesterday I ran with the BOB for 35 minutes in the AM, and then lifted for 30 min at the gym. Then, around 5PM I picked Mike up from work and we put Logan in the backpack and went for a hike on the trails for 1.5 hours. Sooo...I got some good exercise in :-) Today I will try and get some stretching and pilates in. That will be good enough. I'd rather spend some time together with the fam since we don't do it often.

Still trying to find a 1/2 mary to run. I'll keep ya posted in what I decide to do.

Okay, and now off to make myself a bite to eat. Check you all later.

4th of July 8k

Hey all.

Well, it's Monday morning after the 4th, and I feel like I was flattened by a bus. Just totally whipped. Not sure why...it just sort of hit me. I woke up today and moved to get up and...ooyyy. Just exhausted. I didn't even run a long race yesterday - an 8k (never run one of those before...). Despite my fatigue, I'm feeling pretty good about my performance. Let me preface this little report by saying that I believe I hade 3 too many peartinis the night before. We went out for a drink and I ended up having 3. I wasn't hungover the next morning, just a little dehydrated? Ha. So, I feel as if I could have had a better race had I not consumed the alcohol (oh...and the 2 beers after those martinis, oops), and gotten more sleep. That being said, I faired pretty well. The race started at 7am...a little earlier than I would have liked, but fine. I went by myself, which I don't normally do, but Mike had to bring Logan to Grandma's so he could bike for 2 hours. It was kind of nice being there alone. Anyway, so we started off at 7, it was a beautiful day, a little high in humidity for NM. Nothing major, though. I headed out easy the first 1/2 of the first mile, and picked it up once I cleared ahead of the mass of runners. First mile came in at an even 8 min/mile pace. Not bad. I had originally wanted to run 7:45's, and I had based this on the fact that I can run a 5k at 7:24 pace, and my last 10k was at 8:07 pace. I think that estimate was a bit off, seeing how an 8k is closer to a 10k than a 5k....needless to say I ran slower than that. But that's okay. So, I continued running along, and kept an even pace of 8 min. miles for the 2nd mile as well. At this point I had picked off some more people, and was running behind one girl and practically alongside this 18 year old kid. He was big and muscley, and was breathing hard by this point. He stayed with me until about mile 3.5...where we struck up a chat and he was like, "if you would just slow down, I'd feel fine right now. But I'm trying to keep up." Then he asked if I wanted to slow down with him, to which I replied, no thank you! And I took off without him. Nice kid, though. At this point I passed the girl who was in front of me, and I was running alone for the remaining 1.5 miles. I was feeling pretty good, and was super steady at 8 min mile pace. My left hip flexor was beginning to bother me, though, because honestly? I haven't been running as much as I was this spring. And I have skipped track practice for about 3 weeks soooo....I was feeling sub-par. So, the last loop to the finish line came up, and I was pretty much ready to be done. There was a nice gradual half mile hill at the end, and then it flattened out. As I was running down the last stretch, a girl I had passed at mile 1.5 came speeding by me with her short little legs. I know her from the gym, and was like DAMN! I hate those people who have a good kick at the end. I personally don't have a great kick at the end, and so I just continued chugging along. I picked it up a bit when I saw the clock said 39:50....but alas, was unable to break 40 minutes. That's okay. I didn't have a goal for this race anyway, I was just pissed I got passed at the end, BOOO!

So, I finished, walked over to some shade and sat down (after retrieving water), and my heart was beating super hard and I was sweating martinis...err....bullets. Yeah. I think those drinks the night before were pumping their way out of my system. Yeck. I milled around, chewed on some bread offered by a great bakery at the race, and then hopped in my car to head home. Didn't stick around-didn't think I had placed because there were a lot of runners...a lot of women. Anywho, checked the results this AM and I ended up in 3rd in my age group - woohooo! Would have made 2nd if that GIRL hadn't scurried by me at the end. She beat me by 3 seconds. Bahh. But, I'm happy! 3rd in age group out of 18; 14th woman overall out of 128; 72nd runner out of 258.

Not bad! Didn't claim the prize since I left...maybe they can send it to me. If not, whatev.

Nice to know I can hang with the big dogs. Now imagine if I actually went to bed early and didn't indulge in too many beverages? Ehhhhh noooooo. That would just be boring!!

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th. We bbq'd afterwards, watched some fireworks along the horizon (since you can see for miles where we live), and crashed into bed around 11PM. Now I am sucking down coffee and shuffling around like an old woman. We'll just veg today. Back to reality tomorrow.

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Happiness Journal:

Today I will just HANG OUT as a priority!
I am happy for a good book.
I am happy for swimming pools.
I am happy for the atuo setting on the coffee pot (coffee MADE for me before I get up?!)

I AM a Runner

New love: Almond Butter. Why didn't any one TELL me it was so GOOD?! Picked some up at Trader Joe's yesterday. Nice for a change, since peanut butter had gotten old to me.

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My new little revelation: I am going to be happy to run shorter distances, and not agonize over feeling pressured to run a marathon or do a 1/2 Ironman. That's right, I said it! What is it with "runners" saying that you're only a true runner if you have run a marathon. That is such a bunch of BS. I have struggled with calling myself a runner or a triathlete because I didn't want those "real" runners or tri'sters to look down on me. Well guess what, I am so over that. If I can run a competitive 5k, 10k, and 1/2 marathon - which I can - than I think I am entitled to call myself a runner, right? Same goes for tri's...I have only done sprints, but those are valid in my mind. Marathons take a lot of time and commitment, and far too many weekly miles for me to even fathom right now. To be honest, I don't FEEL like running 20 miles on my Sunday. I would so rather work out as I please, maybe a nice 6 miler, and then have my day free for other important things (son, husband, friends, other hobbies). Maybe someday I will revisit the idea of completing a marathon, but for now, it's on the wayyyy back burner. And I am okay with that.

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Happiness Journal:

I'm going to take the little guy in the BOB for a 30 minute run BEFORE it gets to be 100 degrees out!
I will write one article today.
I am happy for 2 cups of joe in the AM!