A glorious four-miler

Sure enough, we had storms yesterday. That made (I think) nine days in a row! But luckily, I managed to sneak in my four-mile easy run before the storms started. It was PERFECT running weather yesterday morning. It was 65 degrees, but it felt even cooler than that because I was used to it feeling so much hotter; it was also overcast, and on the brink of raining.

A lot of people have been asking me about heart rate training lately. We didn't go into a lot of detail in my RRCA class about it, so I've been reading as much as I can get my hands on about it. I'll try and write a detailed post about it soon, but for right now, I'm just learning what I can. Anyway, I wanted to experiment a little with the training zones, so yesterday, I decided to try keeping my heart rate below 148 beats per minute.

I got dressed and ready to head out the door when Eli said, "Can I run with you, Mama?" Inside, I groaned, because I was ready to go; but I'd told the boys that I would run with them anytime, anywhere, so I cheerily said, "Sure!" He got some comfy clothes on and we headed outside. We ran slowly around the neighborhood, chatting the whole way, and it was SO GREAT to spend some quality one-on-one time with Eli. While we were running, he even said, "I love running!" That totally made my day, and I was so glad that I let him come with me.

When we got back to the house, which was only 2/3 of a mile, he went inside with Jerry and Noah and I headed out for my "real" run. I had set my Garmin to beep if my heart rate went over 148, so my only goal was to keep it slow and easy. About a half-mile in, I realized I was checking my watch to see my heart rate, which was annoying, so I decided to test out the alarm and make sure it was working; then I wouldn't have to look at the watch at all.

I sped up for a minute or two to get my heart rate up, and as soon as it hit 149, my watch beeped to let me know. After that, I didn't even look at the watch again. I didn't want to look, because I knew my pace was slower than usual, and I didn't want to get discouraged when I saw the pace. Instead, I focused on the scenery, the perfect running weather, and the amazing feeling of running with JOY (as corny as that sounds).

It's kind of amazing how much more enjoyable it was to run with the goal of going slow. I felt like I could run forever! At the turnaround point two miles in, it started to sprinkle, which actually made the run even better. A couple of times, it nagged at me that I could be going faster, but then I thought about it this way: I could run 4 miles in about 32 minutes and be pretty miserable the entire time; or I could run the 4 miles in about 42 minutes and enjoy every step of it. It's a no-brainer when I think of it that way!

I always say (only half-jokingly) that I only enjoy running after it's over with, but I can honestly say that I truly enjoyed the run itself yesterday. After seeing faster paces all winter and spring, it's hard to run at a slower pace and be totally fine with it (mentally), especially because I worked so hard to improve my pace. But because yesterday's run was so great, I'm going to try and do my easy runs at a truly easy pace (following the heart rate training zones), and then save the faster paces for my tempo runs and speed work. I'm not sure what it will do to my race paces, but I'll be interested to find out.

I was actually thinking that sometime this summer, I might try and go a week without using my Garmin. I know, I know, a Garmin isn't necessary for running! I've only run without it ONCE (during a 5K race) and I couldn't stand not having it. So it might be a fun challenge for myself to go without it for a week. I imagine it would be pretty freeing! Or maybe I'll start with just one day... a whole week might be tough ;)

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Taste Test Tuesday was a bust this week. I saw a new flavor of popcorn seasoning at the store, and Jerry and I were both excited to try it. The kids really like the white cheddar one, but Jerry and I both love jalapeno-flavored anything, so this sounded really good...

We air-popped some popcorn, and sprinkled some on. Jerry ate a few pieces first, and started coughing. He said it got in his nose. I laughed and threw a few pieces in my mouth--and promptly started coughing as well. I didn't taste any sort of flavor at all, but my nose was burning and made me cough uncontrollably. It was SO strange. I've tried the other flavors, and never had this problem. We tasted a couple more kernels, but each time, it went straight to our noses. We dumped the rest of the popcorn, because we couldn't even eat it. Anyone else try this? I'm curious if you had the same experience!

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The boys' baseball game was canceled AGAIN today. That's four games in a row that have gotten rained out! They don't have a game scheduled for Thursday, because of the holiday, so hopefully by next week they'll be back on schedule. Trying to keep two boys occupied all day indoors has been tough on my patience ;)

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Motivational Monday #22

Happy Motivational Monday! I hope everyone has had a great week. I was very excited to see that I am back at my goal weight after being a few pounds over goal for several weeks in a row. I'm so glad that I caught it before it turned into the same 15-20 pounds I tend to gain each spring/summer! Over the past couple of weeks, I've worked hard to get rid of those few pounds, and it was great to see my goal weight on the scale again.

I'll jump right into the motivating e-mails I got from readers this week. Enjoy!

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I'm going to start with my sister, Jeanie. I know I'm always bragging about her, but I can't help it--I'm super proud of her. She's worked really hard to get where she is! In the first picture below, she was 158 pounds (last summer); the current picture was taken today, at 130 pounds (check out those abs!). She did this from following Weight Watchers for her diet, and in December, she started running in order to participate in my Runs for Cookies Virtual 5K on my birthday. She got hooked on running, much like I did. This week, she was really proud to run a 10K at a 10:35/mi pace!

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Brandi sent me this e-mail, and I didn't want to edit anything out; so here is the whole story:

"I wrote you back in February of 2012 telling you how much you had inspired me.  I was an overweight mother of two who felt fat, tired and hopeless.  After reading your blog, I started the couch to 5K program and eating healthy.  I lost 36 pounds by July of 2012 and was feeling great.  I had run several 5K's and a 10K.

 In late July I was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer at age 36.  I had a mastectomy in August, dose dense chemo from September to December, radiation from January to March, and a hysterectomy (to try and slow my estrogen feeding cancer down) in late March.  During chemo I gained back 30 of the pounds I had lost.  A combination of all the steroids they give you and as you can imagine, some emotional eating.  I was unable to run or really workout during chemo because I felt so poorly.

I did start running again during radiation to try and fend off the fatigue.  Then I was unable to exercise once again when I had my hysterectomy in March.  I am finally feeling a bit like my old self and I've lost 13 pounds since I finished chemo.

This past Saturday I reached a major goal I set for myself, I finished my first ever triathlon.  It was a super sprint triathlon, so a 1/4 swim, an 8 mile bike, and a 2 mile run.  I did it!  It was hard, and I had very little time to train, but I did it!  Exercise makes me feel like I'm showing the cancer who is boss.  I just wanted to say thank you for your blog, it encourages me everyday since I share some of your same struggles!"

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Louise ran a 10K race on Saturday, followed by a 5K race on Sunday. Her nine-year old daughter, Katie, ran the 5K also, and Louise said "left me in the dust". Louise proudly finished the 10K in 1:15, and the 5K in 38 minutes. She said her daughter finished the 5K in 20 minutes, which just blows my mind! Great race for both of them :)

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Here, Sara describes this picture from her anniversary cruise with her husband:

"My name is Sara and I have been reading your blog for the past two years; I look forward to reading your posts everyday! I wanted to include this picture from my anniversary cruise that my husband I just went on. We booked the cruise shortly after we got married in June of 2011, and around Christmas of 2011 I realized I had put on about ten pounds of 'so happy because I just married my best friend' weight. Well, I got serious with running / walking in January of 2012, and since then I have managed to walk/run 1,303 miles in eighteen months. Considering that I'm a seventh grade teacher (plus just finished my masters in administration and supervision) it hasn't been easy doing the walking and running, but I have been astounded with how much better I feel after a run or walk.

I just hit 459 miles for this year and hope to hit 1,000 miles by New Years Eve. The dress in the picture is actual from my last sorority formal during my undergrad (2010) and I was so pleased when it fit perfectly a weeks ago. With the consistent running / walking, I've also managed to lose 20 pounds since starting in January, 2012. I still want to lose about 10 more, but I wanted to show my progress and thank you for all of the motivation!!"

Sara, I totally understand the "so happy because I just married my best friend weight" ;)  You look fantastic!

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Don't forget to check out some motivating posts on Facebook as well!

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Six months in

Jerry and I went to see World War Z last night, and I thought it was really good! I wasn't expecting much, because it is rated PG-13, which is strange for a movie about zombies. But the movie was scary and jumpy without being super gory, which was actually really refreshing. I don't mind goriness, but it seems like movies are constantly trying to outdo each other by being even more gory than the last, rather than focusing on a good plot.

I used to hate zombie movies, or anything to do with zombies. Then I promised Jerry I'd watch ONE episode of The Walking Dead, just to prove how dumb it was. And by the time he got home from work that day, I'd watched the entire first season ;) Anyway, I never read the World War Z book, so I can't compare the movie to that, but I really liked the movie.

Before the movie, we went to Mrs. Fields so that I could spend my activity PointsPlus on a peanut butter dream bar. Jerry wanted one, too, and as usual, they are buy 2 get 1 free. If someone had been in line behind us, I would have offered it to them, but nobody was there. So as tempting as it was to get it, we declined the free dream bar. I wish I was one of those people that could stick it in the freezer for another day, but I would have eaten it before we even got home!

I was really missing the kids this morning. They spent the night at the campground with my parents last night, and this morning, I watched the Anna Nicole move that was on Lifetime last night. Watching that made me think about the kids (I kept feeling sorry for Anna Nicole's son throughout the movie), and I was excited for them to get home.

Today, I had a four-mile tempo run on the schedule. My last few tempo runs haven't been good at all, so I was getting a little worried about how it would feel. I decided to do the treadmill, because it's easier to maintain a consistent pace. My goal for tempo pace is 8:02-8:18/mi, and the last few tempos I've done, I've really struggled just to finish.

I turned on Pretty Little Liars, and set the treadmill at an 8:06 pace. I'm relieved to say that I had a good tempo run today! It wasn't easy--tempo runs are supposed to make you a little uncomfortable--but I was able to do all four miles at my target pace, and I didn't feel terrible. After the first half-mile or so, my heart rate was in Zone 4 the entire time, which is just where I wanted it to be.

After my long run on Friday, my mileage for June was at 98. So today's run put me over the 100 miles mark. I'm halfway through the year, and still going strong on my goal of 100 miles per month. And the best part is, I've remained injury-free.

Sarah's husband Ne came in from Arizona last night (Jerry went to pick him up from the airport at 2:00 AM!). Tomorrow, they are coming over with their 10-month old, Alex, and we're going to cook out on the grill. I'm hoping for better weather than we've been getting; it's been storming on and off every day for about a week straight!

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A long car ride

I feel like I spent the entire day in the car today. My kids went camping overnight with my parents, and they wanted me and Jerry to go up and see them. They'd been fishing and swimming, and they were excited to show us the campground. My mom said it was about an hour away, so Jerry and I decided to go up there and see them before our date night.

On the way up to the campground, I got a text from my sister. She was in the Upper Peninsula, and she saw these cookies at a bakery: two peanut butter cookies with peanut butter frosting sandwiched in between, drizzled with chocolate.  My eyes bugged out of my head when I saw the pic.

She offered to ship one to me, and while I was totally tempted, I figured it probably wouldn't taste very good by the time it got here.

The drive ended up being an hour and a half--if we hadn't gotten lost. But by the time we finally found it, we had been in the car for two hours. The kids were really excited to show us the campground, though, so it was worth it. Eli is all boy, catching tadpoles, toads, turtles, and fish.

Noah wanted to rent a paddle boat, so I made him a deal--if he let me pull his (super loose) tooth, we'd rent the boat. It took some convincing, but finally I pulled his tooth (seeing it dangle there was driving me crazy--it was beyond ready to come out). Then Jerry took the paddle boat out with the kids.

When we headed home, we drove a little over an hour and then stopped at La Pita for dinner. I got the chicken tawook sandwich again, and we shared some hummus. I wanted to save enough of my activity PointsPlus that I earned yesterday for dessert today. We're going to see a movie tonight, so I'm going to get a peanut butter dream bar from Mrs. Fields while we're at the mall. After dinner at La Pita, I have just enough PointsPlus left for the dream bar.

I can't remember if I mentioned this, but we took the kids to see Monsters University last week, and during the movie, the film just shut off. It took a long time for it to come back on, and then when it did, it was way ahead of where it left off. They finally got everything back to normal, but it took about 20 minutes. So while we were leaving after the show, we were given four free tickets to use whenever we'd like. Jerry's been really excited to see World War Z, so that's what we're going to see tonight.

I'm going to keep this short, so we can make it to the movie on time. I wore my hair curly today, for the first time since getting it cut, and I think the shorter cut works well with my curls. I kind of like it!

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A humid long run

Phoebe is driving me INSANE with her wake-up calls every day. Literally, every single day, she wakes me up. First, she was scratching her nails on the carpet. I finally started ignoring that, rather than scold her, hoping she'd just give up. So now she plays around in my window blinds, which is even louder. She tries to climb in between the slats, and then positions herself between the blinds and the window, making a ton of noise in the process. She's been doing this at 5:15 every morning.

Anyway, I was up bright and early, but I had decided to do my run on the treadmill today. I was feeling anxious about running long outside after how I felt last week. So I ate breakfast, and while I was drinking my tea, I was reading through my latest issue of Runner's World magazine, which is a special issue about the Boston bombings.

Reading through that really inspired me to take the run outside, and stop worrying about it. So I decided to drive to the Metropark and do two six-mile out-and-back routes from my car. It wasn't super hot (72 degrees--hotter than ideal for running, but it could have been worse for late June), but it was very humid (78% humidity).

My plan was to just keep my heart rate in Zone 3 (139-155 bpm). I brought my handheld water bottle with me (knowing I'd have to stop at the water fountains to refill a couple of times). I also brought along my point-and-shoot camera, that I really haven't used since I got my iPhone a year ago. I almost always see something that makes me wish I had a camera with me.


Less than a mile in, my heart rate was already in Zone 4, so I kept consciously trying to slow my pace. My legs wanted to go faster, but my cardiovascular system was definitely wanting me to slow down. So the first couple of miles, my pace was going up and down, trying to find a good compromise.

My newly-short hair was driving me insane. I had it in a ponytail, and it kept slapping my left ear with every step. Not my right ear, just my left. In hindsight, I should have just stopped and taken a minute to adjust everything, but I decided to wait until I got back to the car at mile six. I accidentally took a picture while I was tugging at my hair, mid-run.

I reached the end of the park at mile three, then turned around and headed back. I stopped on the bridge to get a quick picture.

When I got back to the car, I ditched the camera--I didn't see a single thing worth taking a picture of, so there was no use taking it out again. I pulled my hair into a knot, and then started on the second half of my run. My hair felt a million times better after that!

I started to feel pretty good around mile 7, and that lasted until about mile 10; probably because of the slower pace. I stopped once more at mile 10.75 to refill my water bottle, and I dumped the entire thing over my head. I was completely sopping wet after that, but it did feel better! Then I just did what I could to make it back to the car. My heart rate was too high, but it's hard for me to slow down when I know the end is getting close ;)

Got back to the car, and dried off with the towel I brought. Overall, it was a tough run, but I'm glad I did it outside instead of on the treadmill. My pace was kind of slow, but I wasn't worried about that. I was actually kind of surprised just how consistent my splits were! The first couple of years that I was running, my splits were all over the place; now, it's not unusual to have several splits within a second or two of each other.

I didn't spend my activity PointsPlus today, because I want to save them for tomorrow. Jerry and I are having a date night, and even though I have no idea what we're going to do, I'd like the option to spend them then. My stomach was actually kind of upset all afternoon after my run today.

Tonight, Sarah is coming over for a little while. I'm looking forward to some adult conversation! I'll have a glass of wine, but I'm stopping with one. Last time she came over for wine, I had four glasses, and felt awful the next day!

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Cherry pickin'

I'd like to say hello and welcome to any new readers who found my blog from Another Mother Runner! I was honored to have my story featured on their site. The site has some great info for runners (not just mother-runners, either!). Anyway, thank you for stopping by :)

I'd also like to say thanks for the encouraging comments on my last post. It always helps to know that I'm not alone--whether with weight management, or depression and anxiety. Yesterday was a rougher day than usual for me, and I'm glad I ended up mentioning it on my blog.

Nothing like a good run to make me feel better, though! This morning, I had four miles at easy run pace on the schedule. I had to do the treadmill today. Over the past year or so, I've actually made peace with the 'mill. I used to hate with a passion, but once I started setting up my computer to watch a good show on Netflix, I realized it's not so bad. I don't dread running on it anymore.

The one drawback to running on the treadmill instead of outside (for me) is that I don't get the same kind of "runner's high" that I get from running outside. There is something about running outside that just makes me feel sweaty and beat-up, like I really did something good for my body. Physically, I get that from the treadmill (sweaty and beat-up), but I don't get that same feeling mentally. I hope that makes sense; it's hard to describe.

But anyway, I set the pace at a 9:00/mi and just ran and watched Pretty Little Liars. That show is VERY addicting, by the way! Four miles flew by pretty quickly, and 36 minutes later, I was done. I felt kind of tired today, but I think that's because of the rough (mental) day I had yesterday.

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon working on little projects in the house. I cleaned out a few cupboards and drawers. I wish I'd done it a long time ago; it didn't take long, and they look so much better! Here are a few before/after pics:

Random junk drawer in the kitchen

This one still isn't super organized, but it does look neater

It was actually kind of fun going through everything and getting rid of stuff. 

This afternoon, we went over to my parents' house, and my dad said that the cherries were ripe on his cherry tree if we wanted to pick some. They have to be picked within a few days, because the birds eat them otherwise. I picked one to try, and it was SO good (I love sweet cherries!) so Jerry got out a ladder and we picked a bag to take home.

I probably ate about 20 of them while we were picking. Jerry doesn't like cherries, which I think is crazy!

I really want a fruit tree. When we first moved in here (10 years ago), I planted an apple tree. Some jackass ripped it out of the ground shortly after I planted it, and it died. I tried again the following year, and that one died, too (not sure why). Finally, I planted one that lasted a while. After two years, there were four apples that grew on it, and I was so excited! Then my dad told me that I needed to cut the tips of the branches to help it grow better (or something like that). So I did.

Yep, it died. I haven't tried again, but I would love to have some sort of fruit tree! The cherries are a huge mess, but an apple tree would be nice.

The kids' baseball game was canceled again today. We've been having thunderstorms all week long. Today, my brother, Nathan, was supposed to come watch them play, so I was really disappointed that it was canceled. Hopefully the storms cool everything off for my long run in the morning ;)

I have to run 12 miles tomorrow, and after last week's long run, I'm a little nervous. I'm going to run based on my heart rate, rather than my pace, so hopefully I won't feel as exhausted as I did last week. Last week wasn't terrible, but I was definitely feeling every step of the last few miles.

I got my new shipment of David's Tea today! I tried the Oh, Canada! rooibos this afternoon, and I really liked it. It definitely has the rooibos flavor, so if you don't like that, then you probably wouldn't like it. (Does anyone else think that rooibos tea smells/tastes like a cigar smells? Sounds strange, but that's what it reminds me of, and I like it). The Mint Chocolate rooibos smells heavenly, so I'm going to make that one tomorrow. I'm excited to try the rest!

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On the right track

For the first time in weeks (maybe even a couple of months), I wasn't dreading getting on the scale for my Wednesday Weigh-in this morning. I was 100% on track all week long.

See what happens when I don't go over my PointsPlus for the week? According to the Quantum scale, I'm 0.2 pounds below my goal weight (which I thought I set as 133). That surprised me, so when I stepped on my trusty old scale to see the actual number, it was 134, which is more realistic. The first time I set the Quantum scale, it was at 134, so I wonder if that's the number it's set at right now. Regardless, my weight is down from last week, and I'm happy with that!

I finished the week with a balance of 0 PointsPlus (meaning I ate all of my PP, but I didn't go over). The little bet I had with my sister helped me a lot! We both stayed on track all week, so neither of us ended up having to pay out (which was the goal). This week was just what I needed to get (and stay) on track. Once I have a streak going, it's much easier to stick with it.

I tried something new with my PointsPlus this week, and I think it helped quite a bit with staying on track. Before the week even started, I divided up my 49 weekly PointsPlus to allow for 7 every day. That way, instead of aiming for 26 per day, I would aim for 33. Then, I used my activity PP as "bonus" points, to fit in a couple of spontaneous treats. My week was much more consistent that way:

Wed: 33
Thu: 33
Fri: 33
Sat: 54
Sun: 33
Mon:45
Tue: 39

I'm going to do the same thing this week, too, because it worked out really well. I wasn't hungry, I was able to fit in some treats, and I felt satisfied all week long.

Today was a rest day, and I really was pretty lazy all morning. I finished another Lisa Gardner book ("Hide"). Conveniently, the book of hers that I had requested at the library ("Alone") just came in, so I picked that one up today. Now I can start the series from the beginning. I'm glad I found a series that keeps me interested!

This afternoon, I did some chores around the house that I really had been dreading. Organizing DVDs, dusting behind the TV, and cleaning the cat hair off of the cat tree (fun!). I've been in an organizing mood for some reason, so I'm going to take it one room at a time and get my house in order.

I've been having a rough couple of weeks with my anxiety and depression. I've been feeling pretty down for no reason at all. This happens to me a few times a year, and now I've learned to just ride it out, knowing I will feel better soon. But it still makes me not want to do anything; even blogging is hard, because I just don't feel like I have anything to write. My "normal" self loves to write about anything and everything, as uninteresting as it may be to others; but when I'm in a funk like this, I just have a hard time writing anything at all.

Normally, I probably wouldn't have even brought it up, but I've gotten a lot of e-mails from readers who appreciate the fact that I write openly about depression, because they deal with it, too. It's kind of ironic, though, because writing about my anxiety (and depression) causes me anxiety--I get nervous to post about it! But I almost always feel better when I do. Hopefully I'll be back to my normal self soon; the fact that I've been eating better this week will probably help.

I really don't want to end this on a negative note, so here is a picture I took of Phoebe and Estelle. They were both looking at each other (and swatting at each other) with their heads turned upside-down. I still can't figure out if they are enemies or BFF's...

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Taste Test Tuesday

The Mayflies are still pretty gross around here, so I've been running on the treadmill the last few days. Yesterday, I was doing a four mile easy run, and my hair was driving me crazy. Putting it in a bun no longer worked for me, because my hair was so heavy that it would bounce up and down and then the bun would come undone. So I started wearing it in a ponytail, but that got on my nerves, too--it would bounce on my back.

So during yesterday's run, every slap of my hair against my back just made me a little more annoyed. While I was showering, I thought, "I'm going to cut all of it off!" And as soon as I got dressed, I told the kids to get their shoes on, because we're going to get my hair cut.

I just drove to the nearest salon that takes walk-ins. I wanted it done now. When the woman asked what I wanted done, I just told her that I wanted to cut eight inches off. She was a little taken aback, and said she wasn't expecting that, but she started snipping. I almost immediately regretted it, but I knew it would feel a million times better.

It ended up being a lot shorter than I thought it would, and I'm not thrilled with how it looks; but it's definitely lighter, feels healthier, and more practical when I run. I don't have a good picture, because I haven't styled it yet, but here is a pic to see just how short it is:

This morning, I pulled it up in a bun, and it actually stayed put through my run--it's been a long time since I've been able to do that!

I was nervous about this morning's run, because I was going to do 1600-meter (1 mile) repeats for the first time ever. I've always been intimidated by those, because 400-meter repeats are really tough; so I just assumed the 1600 meter repeats would feel the same, only 3 times longer.

I started with a 1-mile warm-up, and then did 2 repeats of 1 mile at 7:41-7:53 pace and half a mile of jogging. I expected to be totally miserable during the intervals, but they weren't nearly as hard as I was imagining. I did the first interval in 7:51, and the second in 7:49.

Next time, I'll either add another repeat at the same pace, or pick up the speed a little. I have to say, I actually like the 1600's better than 400's or 800's. I wish I hadn't waited so long to give it a try!

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This is kind of random, but I tried out a few new-to-me products this week because they were marked down, and I thought about starting "Taste Test Tuesdays" on my blog. Basically, I'll just buy and taste something I've never tried before, and write what I think. I always love to read food product reviews on blogs, because I'm used to just buying the same old things when I go to the store, so it gives me ideas for new things to try (or things NOT to try...)

While at the store, I saw these bars, and considering I'm addicted to chocolate and peanut butter, I decided to give them a try. I wasn't expecting much, because they are only 110 calories, and usually the 100-ish calorie snack foods aren't very good.

I thought they would be teeny tiny, but they were a decent size for 110 calories!

One bite, and I was in love. They are VERY peanut-buttery, which you know makes me happy. They remind me a lot of the Nutty Bars by Little Debbie (although it's been YEARS since I've had one of those). They're very light and airy, so they're not a filling snack; and, they're still "junk" food. But if you're craving a candy bar, and looking for something lower in calories, these hit the spot (for me, anyway).

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Funny story about Eli: I let him ride in the front seat, which he thought was cool. He asked me, "Mama, is it dangerous to ride in the front seat?" And I told him, "Not really; it's safer in the back seat, but you're old enough to start riding in front if you want. And I'm a very safe driver."

In my mind, I was thinking of the fact that I don't drive with distractions (texting, radio fiddling, eating, etc) and I'm always very aware of my surroundings. When the kids are in the car, I make sure to be even more careful than usual. So after I said I was a very safe driver, Eli said, without hesitation, "No you're not! Remember when you almost ran over those three baby kittens?!"

I had to think for a minute what he was talking about, and it was actually a few years ago; he must have been four years old. It was nighttime, and I was driving slowly down our street, when a cat darted across the road, followed by three of her kittens. Thankfully, I was going slow enough that I was able to stop before hitting them. I never thought about it again until this conversation with Eli. Apparently, he thought I was trying to hit the kittens in the road, and therefore, I'm not a safe driver ;)

It's been thunderstorming on and off all day, and the boys' baseball game just got canceled. Bummer!

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Motivational Monday #21

I hope everyone's summer is off to a great start! This bet I have going with my sister has been SO helpful in keeping me on track all week. I've been staying binge-free, eating within my PointsPlus budget, and even counting my little bites, licks and tastes (which I'm usually not very good about doing...)

Yesterday, I was craving a vanilla ice cream cone dipped in sprinkles, and I had enough PointsPlus to get one, so Eli and I went up to the ice cream shop. They had a sign saying that they had fat-free/sugar-free vanilla ice cream, so I decided to try that.

It turned out to be a horrible choice--I was so disappointed when I tasted it! I'm used to McDonald's soft serve, which is really creamy and good; but this stuff was totally bland and gritty. Normally, I would have eaten it anyway, because I already paid for it and because I planned to spend my PointsPlus on it; but I realized it really just wasn't worth it, so I threw it away.

That was really hard for me to do! But I was proud of myself for not eating something just because it was there and I had paid for it; it didn't taste good, so I threw it away.

This will be another short (but certainly motivating) Motivational Monday, since I didn't get many MM e-mails this week. I hope that means everyone is keeping super busy and active! ;)

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Amy ran a tough half-marathon on Sunday, of which even the announcer was saying that it wasn't a good day for a PR--the course was hilly, without a lot of shade, and it was a hot, humid day. Amy's goal was a sub-2:00 finish, and she finished in 1:59:22! That's 14 minutes faster than when she ran this race as her first half-marathon three years ago.

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On this day exactly two years ago, Cat decided to change her life. She started by making changes with her diet, and eventually started exercising. She had a dream in her mind to become a runner, and started the Couch to 5K program. After finishing her 5K, she was hooked! Over the last two years, Cat has run over 20 races, including 4 half-marathons and even a full-marathon. She's also down 75 pounds!

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Claudia ran her first 5K race, and is very proud of her 32:50 finish time! Over the last year, she has lost 55 pounds with Weight Watchers, and working out with kettlebells. (Here is Claudia's blog)

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Desiree hit a huge milestone this week--she reached ONEderland! She has lost a total of 45 pounds so far, and was thrilled to get under the 200 pounds mark. She also hit a nice running goal--she ran a 14-minute mile, and when she started, she was running a 17-minute mile!

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Don't forget to check out the Motivational Monday Facebook post for more stories!

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Ragnar Relay Q&A

I recently got an e-mail from someone named Andrea, who is going to be running a Ragnar Relay in September. This will be her first, and she and her friends had some questions. Since I've run a couple of them, and other people may have the same questions, I figured I'd put these on a post of their own.

(You can read my race recaps of Ragnar Great River 2010 and I have lots of posts about Ragnar Florida Keys 2013).

Q. Did you actually get any sleep during the relay? Or were you and your team awake during all of the breaks?

A. I got about an hour of sleep. We had a 15-passenger van, but that space gets really small when you have 5-6 people in it with their bags. If you're good at sleeping upright (I'm not), then you will probably get more sleep than I did. There are some designated sleeping spots during at the major exchanges, where you could nap if you wanted. I had more fun chatting with my teammates, though! There may be a school gym available, or a grassy park, or something like that. I experienced both of those.

My brother came prepared with a hammock!

Q. Did you get to spend any time with the other van during race, or do you only really get to spend time with the people in your van?

A. This is the only part about a Ragnar that I wish was different. You really only spend time with the people in your own van. You will see the other van at major exchanges only. Two vehicles from the same team are actually not allowed to park at any of the exchanges (except the major exchanges, where it's necessary). 

Q. The legs that are listed as "very hard" on the Ragnar site. Did you run any of those? How hard were they?

A. I ran a couple of the "very hard" legs. It really depends on the course of the Ragnar. I did Ragnar Great River, which was pretty hilly, and the "very hard" usually meant tough hills. But in Key West, the course was pancake flat, so the "very hard" just meant that it was a long leg. So the "very hard" is usually determined by either the elevation, the distance, or rough terrain. Don't let those two words scare you, though! My "very hard" legs were actually really fun interesting ;)
 
Q. I know from your blog that you usually run on an empty stomach. Were you nervous about planning your meals around your races?

A. This was tough for me! During my first Ragnar, I actually experienced my first binge in a YEAR. The van was loaded with junk food, and I couldn't resist. My stomach wasn't used to all that, and I wound up spending quite a bit of time in porta potties--not very cool! But in Key West, I was with 11 other people who had lost an average of 100 pounds each, so we were loaded with healthy snacks. During Great River, we didn't stop at any restaurants, which meant we just snacked the entire time. But in Key West, we ate regular meals, and that was MUCH better. I would recommend finding a place to stop on the course, where you can eat an actual meal while the other van is out racing.

Q. Do you think there's any way to avoid getting a van (e.g., piling into a large sedan, or a station wagon)?

A. It's certainly possible, but I would highly recommend the van. The bigger, the better. The space gets SO small once everyone is piled in there with their bags, pillows, race gear, etc.

Q. How would you recommend training for a Ragnar? Did you do any special training? Have you ever tried running multiple times in a day to train, since that best mimics the race conditions? 

A. I didn't train for my first Ragnar. My brother was looking for a last-minute runner for his team, and I agreed to do it. The farthest I'd run up to that point was 9.3 miles, just a couple of weeks prior to the race. During the race, I had the least amount of mileage on the team (I believe like 3 miles, 5 miles, and 4--something like that); and I did just fine with it.

My brother handing off to me for my first leg at Ragnar Great River 2010

For Key West, I just trained as if I was running a half-marathon. My longest leg of the race was 8.8 miles, so I was plenty prepared for that. A lot of people recommend running twice a day to prepare, but I don't think that's necessary. Honestly, I think that training as if you are running a half-marathon is perfect for a Ragnar.  

Q. Do you have any suggestions on how to save money, I know you mentioned the race was a really expensive experience for you. In this case, we're not paying for plane tickets, since the race starts about 30 miles from where we live. We were planning on just driving the 200 miles back after the race, and not getting hotel rooms. Do you think that that's a bad call?

A. A Ragnar is definitely more expensive than your average race. The race fee itself is a little over $100 per person, and then you have to factor in travel, van rental, gas, van decorations, food, etc. You certainly can save money by leaving right after the race, but to be honest, the whole fun of the Ragnar is the after-party and staying a couple of days afterward!

My Key West Ragnar was the most expensive trip Jerry and I have ever taken, but I wouldn't change a thing. Some of my teammates left the day after the race, and really regretted not staying. Getting to hang out with the rest of my teammates for a few days afterward was SO MUCH FUN. Therefore, I recommend getting hotels; but if you can't afford it, then driving back would work, too. After the finish line (of both the Ragnars I did), I got a second wind of energy where I stayed up pretty late.

I guess the bottom line is what your goal of the race is--if you're doing it to have fun with friends that you don't see very often, I would definitely plan on staying a day or two (or more) after the race. But if it's with friends that you see all the time, and you just want to experience a relay race, then going home right after the race would be fine.

Q. Is the Ragnar set up the way other races are, with bathrooms and water stations, or, are there bathrooms and water stations were each leg starts?

A. There are very few water stations on the course. On the legs that don't allow van support (maybe a narrow bridge, or something like that), then there may be a water station set up because your van can't get to you to give you water. But usually, it's your van's job to support you--give you water, fuel, lots of cheering, etc.

Honestly, I don't remember much about the bathroom situations. I know they have them at major exchanges, but I don't know about ALL the exchanges. We would go to the bathroom when we stopped to eat, or when we stopped at a store to get some more snacks. 

Q. Did you bring multiple changes of clothes, and change between each leg? Did you shower at any of the shower stations?

A. I wore my first running outfit from the hotel, and then I had my other sets of clothes in separate gallon-size bags. When I was done with my leg, I changed everything--bra, panties, running capris, tank top, and socks. Then, when I took the stinky clothes off, I put them in the bag and zipped it shut, so it wouldn't stink up the van. I didn't take a single shower the entire race. Some of my teammates did, but I decided to sleep in the van while they were showering.

These are John's clothes. His husband packed and labeled them for each of his legs ;)

I wouldn't recommend changing out of your clothes after the third leg, because your entire team runs across the finish line together; so if you're wearing matching clothes, or costumes or something, you'll want to leave it on, even if you're the first runner done (like I was in Key West).  

Q. How would you rank its difficulty compared to another race? What I mean by that is, I know the legs are shorter than say, a half marathon, but you're running 3 times. In terms of how hard it is to run again after pushing yourself to run several hours ago, would you say that it's more challenging, than say, a half marathon? How would you suggest pacing yourself, so you're not too exhausted to run the third leg?

A. Unless your team is super fast, it won't feel like you're running three times in one day. You'll have roughly eight hours between runs, and to me, it felt like a fresh new day. My legs didn't feel any more tired than normal. Of course, it depends on how long your legs are, how hard you push it, and how difficult the course, but I would compare it to an easy paced 8-mile run in terms of how tired my legs felt. It was easier than a half-marathon (my legs didn't get nearly as tired as they do during a half).

Our team wasn't running it to win, so I wasn't trying to run my fastest. I just wanted to truly enjoy the whole experience. If you run it like you would to PR a race, well, you'll probably be a lot more tired than I was! ;)

Q. Did you guys bring snacks in the van, or did you stop along the way for places to eat and such?

A. We had snacks in the van, but we stopped for meals. I would definitely recommend stopping for meals rather than just snacking the entire time. It's important to stay close to your usual routine at home, so that you don't wind up with lots of stomach issues! 

Q. When you're running, is it hard to tell which van is yours, unless you decorate it?

A. There are HUNDREDS of big white vans, and unless you do something to make it stand out, yes--it will probably be hard to figure out which one is yours. This is especially true in the dark. We had some unique van decorations, so it was easy to spot ours. Also, it's super fun to decorate the vans!

Something that I thought was fun is "tagging" other vans. Lots of teams get magnets made with their team name, and then they stick them to the other vans when nobody is looking. You'll wind up with a ton of magnets on there. We got 500 magnets made, and we used up almost all of them!

Writing this post made me SO nostalgic! I can't wait to hook up with my team for another adventure next year :)

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