About a Boy...The Boy Who Got Me Going

Ever since about November Running = Pain for me.  It's a very strong association which has caused me to drop my mileage back significantly.  For a while I just didn't run at all.

And then a new boy came into my life.

When I saw him, I instantly turned away from him.  I didn't like his look.  He looked a little crazy.  I opted to meet the black lab who was hiding in the corner.  I loved that black lab.  He sat on the floor of the meet and greet room, looking away from us the whole time.  But he sat there, calm and quiet as can be.

"Mom, he's BORING!  I want the brown dog!  I want the brown dog!  Can you please let us meet the brown dog?" is what Quinn told the SPCA counselor.  About 752 times.  The brown, crazy dog.

And so, with some trepidation, I agreed.

The brown dog, who was named Buck, entered the meet and greet room as if he were Tigger.  He bounced in, like tossing a rubber ball into an aquarium, heading directly towards Isla and Quinn.  He proceeded to hop up into my lap.

As Isla and Quinn acted like typical children, Buck wasn't afraid.  Instead, he seemed interested in what they were doing.  He wanted to play with them.  You could tell he wanted to be engaged with them.  After a few moments of play, he came back to sit with me, resting his head on my lap for a moment, before looking up at me with those eyes of his....

And at that moment, I melted.

An hour later, the funny looking brown dog was headed home with us.

On the car ride home, we stripped him of his shelter name, which wasn't at all suited to him. Quinn came up with his new name, which we all instantly agreed on:  Lucas.

Life with Luke was good for a week.  He was quiet.  Sleepy.  Calm.  "Oh my gosh I can't believe the perfect dog is mine!"   I was so used to life with crazy labs.  During this honeymoon period we all fell head over heels in love with him.

Our first morning with Luke - January 

About a week after he joined our family, I got the flu and he slept by my side the entire time.  And then I got better...

Luke began to act like a puppy.

He began to chew.
And mouth.
And jump.
And pee.
He.  Got.  Crazy.

He was so bad...so awful...I thought I might need to return him to the shelter so the rescue group could find a more suitable home for him.  One where there weren't children.  Or toilet paper rolls.  Or plants.  Or walls.  In doing some asking around, we learned that he was probably never fed well (he was  malnourished and sick), socialized properly- if at all, and may have spent his life as a stray.  I wasn't sure that we were the people that could help him.

But then I thought about it.  We are crazy, like him.  So our energy levels matched.  We also love passionately, which is what he lacked his whole life.  I also realized what makes a crazy, hyper person calm down?  A fantastic RUN.

While I wasn't 100% committed to keeping him (maybe he should be in a home where he's the only dog...maybe he should be in a home without children...maybe he should be in a home with a stay at home parent....), I decided to try running and see if it helped.  I also put into place a pretty solid schedule, which included crate training, fetch, and time outs when he got on the Crazy Train.

But it only took one run to realize that...this dog...was put on Earth to be someone's distance running partner.

Never having gone to an obedience class or really spent much time on a leash, Luke knew to heel properly during a run.  Even more cool, Luke knew that he needed to heel to the stroller- that his job would be to keep his nose even with the Bob.  He also never tired.
                                     

Heeling to the stroller, like a Boss

Luke has a chronic medical condition (because why adopt a normal dog) which requires us to visit his vet regularly.  His vet has watched Luke grow, both physically, and mentally, before his eyes.  Not only has Luke gained a much needed 10 pounds, but he has found a new sense of calm.  This is something I think most of us who are runners can relate to.  Running chills us out.  It takes the chaos and craziness, and channels it.  

 Nothing is better than a nap with your running partner after 8 miles!

Luke got me back to running distance again.  Before him, I was using excuses and pain to get me out of a run.  But now, I use the excuse of, "Oh Luke needs some calm down time, he's really hyped up today!" While we're running, instead of being focused on my pain during the run, I focus on how HAPPY he looks.  Like a distance runner gets in the zone, so does Luke.

 Luke instinctively took towards watching out for Isla and guarding her while in the Bob. 

 This was his second Stroller Run.  

Luke has only been in our family for 4 months, and things are far from perfect.  He still hijacks toilet paper rolls.  He stock piled soaps in the back yard, and he's chewed every pair of heels I own (notice, he hasn't touched my Brooks or Newtons...hmmm....).  But things are so much better now that we're a running team.   I like to think that I didn't rescue Luke, but rather, we're rescuing each other.  

Team Crazy Train, All Feet In

Running with a dog .... six legged running .... rescue dog .... shelter pet 

Should little kids be running distance?

The topic of "Should little kids be running?" has come up quite a bit in my social circles lately.  I have asked my opinion on the recent news reports of children running half marathons.  Maybe it's because I'm a coach, maybe it's because Isla runs with me, who knows.  At first I didn't really have an opinion.  If anything, I tended to waver towards the "that's a dumb idea" side.

Initially I was opposed to the idea of a 6 year old running a half marathon.  Ironically enough, the first "youngest half marathon finisher" ran the same race that I paced in October.  When I found out about her, I really didn't like the idea.  Their bones and joints aren't meant to take that sort of beating, right?  I mean, that's what all "those running experts say."  Then there was the story of the 5 year old in New Jersey who finished the Philly half marathon, and my opinion changed a bit.  I started thinking about KIDS...what they are like....

Kids are meant to be a lot more active than they are these days.  We keep our really protected.  Umbrella parenting is the norm.  It seems as if EVERYTHING is bad for our children, and so, our kids are kept inside, safely in front of the TV, or hidden behind their fenced yards.  In other parts of the world, children are running 26 miles a day to get to school and back.  And while our society is different, should it be?  Are kids meant to be kept on satin covered pillows, limited to 1 mile per day?

When I watched the interview of the kid who ran the Philly half, the first thing that jumped out at me was how the kid was a really active, maybe even slightly hyper, kindergartner.  That kid has ENERGY.  I used to know a kid like that.  I was excited to see that a kid's energy was being funneled into something awesome.  And let's be honest, the kid ran the race in what, 2:35?  Normal 5 year old kids are on their feet playing, racing and chasing for that amount of time. If you took your kid to Disney, he'd probably spend 2-3 hours straight on his feet. 

I get the opinion of the mainstream; we shouldn't encourage this sort of thing on a regular basis.  Running too much can be damaging to joints and parents should always work closely with a child's doctors.  There's also the sad fact that most kids aren't fit enough to handle 5 miles, let alone 13.  Pushing them too fast can have bad consequences.

I also agree that we should examine the motives.  If a kid is truly being beaten because he DIDN'T want to race, okay, that's bad.  But for a parent to say, "When you finish that race, you get a new batman" isn't a bad thing.  I mean...hello...how many of us only run those races for the awesome medal or shirt or beer?  (ME ME ME MEME!)

Many people suspected that the parents of the 5 year old pushed the kid to do it.  Normal 5 year olds don't want to run half marathons!!!!

Again, I disagree.  If his mom and dad have been running his whole life, the kid doesn't know any better.  Isla is a great example of this.  RUNNING is a PART of her.  She's grown up in the running community.  We watch the Boston Marathon and NYC Marathon for fun, like it's Dora the Explorer.
She dressed up as Kara Goucher for a Halloween race...and argued with me about how maybe she should be Shalane Flanagan, because Shalane is faster.  Normal 3 year olds don't know who Shalane and Kara are...but when a kid's microenvironment contains constant talk of electolytes and carbohydrate replacement options, they are going to know the difference between Nuun, Gu, Gatorade, and UCan.  For crying out loud, she's asked Santa for a GARMIN for Christmas. 

Of course we have to be careful when opening up the race lines to kids.  But to simply say that a 5, 6, or 7 year old shouldn't run is over reacting.  I don't think a child should be PUSHED into a run...but I definitely think they should be supported should it be their choice. 

I think it's exciting to see more kids join the sport, at any level.  My biggest hope is that the experts (doctors, sports medicine, etc.) and I hope that the medical and sports medicine community does what they can to support more active kids.  I'd love to see some research based information come about that can help us learn how to better coach younger kids and what to watch for, potential risk wise.  If a kid wants to run...let 'em run! Let's just know how to do it safely, and in a positive way that can influence their lives for the better, forever!

Proud Coach! First 5K....Stroller 5K....Holy Hills

It is with great excitement that I get the chance to brag on my AWESOME Life Time Group Training Crew!

On Sunday my runners competed in a 5K, for 8 of my 11 runners it was their first ever 5K!  These runners started with me in May and have spent the last 8 weeks working really hard, and staying committed to themselves.  Many of them were cursing me out during their 60 second jog segments, but comfortably ran 3.1 miles STRAIGHT on Sunday!

The race was a real...challenge.  It was probably the hilliest 5K I've ever ran, so the fact that they finished that race still standing shows they have a great foundation and potential to become truly awesome runners!

I got to push Isla through the race, and it was a real treat, as I haven't raced with her in a long time.  She had a blast looking at the scenery, cheering on our friends who we saw at the race, and then, of course, the snacks at the end made her day.

Going for Gold! Running With A Stroller! (Moms Running, Baby Jogging)

My girls and I woke up bright and early Sunday morning in order to catch my favorite Olympic event:  The Women's Marathon.  There's something fantastic about watching women fly through 26.2 miles at a pace I can only imagine.  It was awesome.  They were strong.

I especially admire the Mother Runners, like Kenya's Edna Kiplagat and our own Kara Goucher.  But what I'm wondering is, do they ever run WITH their kids?  Cuz lemme tell ya, that would be a REALLY awesome race.

With the huge growth in number of Mother Runners, I think it's time for the Olympics to introduce a new, even more challenging road race.  We can still enjoy watching the gorgeous strides and beautiful paces of our Marathoners, but, let's add to it.  The time has come to introduce the event of:

Mother Running

Why would Mother Running be even MORE awesome than just...running?  

Easy:   it  adds way more challenges to our beloved sport.
Running 10 miles is...yea...tough.
But try doing it with a stroller full of kid and their crap.

Mother Running would be an event filled with excitement!  Instead of only waiting (through the commercials) to see if Russia will indeed beat Ethiopia, we'd  be on the edge of our seats waiting to see if The United States' Mother Runner's Kid's Sippy Cup empties before the finish line, leading to a full fledged melt down, forcing her to steer the stroller as child flails their body about the stroller, screaming at the top of their lungs for "MORE MILK NOOOOOOOOWWWW!"  Will China's Mother Runner forget her kid's snack, leaving him in a hypoglycemic meltdown at mile 5?

My other personal favorite moments of this event would be:

The Pack

The Olympic Marathoners pretty much just SHOW UP in their underpants at the start line.  In Mother Running you can't do that.  You've gotta remember not only your kid and their stroller, but also:  their favorite pacifier, their favorite blankie, their favorite toy, their sippy cup, their snack, enough diapers, enough wipes, hand sanitizer, an extra binky, cash (because they'll probably lose their snack), a first aid kit (laugh, but hey, you long enough miles with a kid and you need it)....Plus, our own water, gu, Garmins, and...well...whatever!

The Binky Grab

You know how this one works.  Your kid is happily riding along, sucking on their favorite pacifier when, suddenly they launch it into the air, laughing out, "ha ha!  My binky Mommy!"  Not wanting to deal with the fall out from leaving the pacifier on the side of the road, you do the slow down, stroller to the side, duck, grab, and pass to baby move.
I personally perform this move an average of 2.5 times per run.  It's a definite.

The Circle Back

Occasionally the specifics presented above don't exactly work out.  As in, your child announces 3 miles LATER that they've tossed their binky/toy/shoe/pants.  Or even better, you look down and realize that their shoe is missing and wonder for...how many miles?

At first, there's the "oh shit" moment.  Then the "do I HAVE to go back for THAT" where the Mother Runner considers risking not going back.  But then remembers what bedtime would be like without blankie.  At which point, the Circle Back occurs.  

The Pit Stop

Now, what impressed me most during the Olympic Marathon is how easily these women rehydrate.  They hardly miss a beat as they grab their fluids.  It's not like the water stops us commoners experience. But let's see how they handle a diaper change along the course.  How fast can you change that diaper, in the stroller, and...the trick...RE-FASTEN your child's seat belt (because they think you pulled over for them to get out).
Bonus points to Stroller Mother Runners completing pit stops with Potty Training Toddlers.

Stroller-tainment

Stroller riding isn't always fun for kids.  Especially two-year olds who would rather be running their own race.  Real Mother Runners acknowledge that occasionally they must provide entertainment for their children.  Sometimes it's just singing a favorite song (while running, breathing, pacing).  Sometimes it's giving high fives in the canopy window (while pumping and pushing).  Occasionally there's wheelie action (while trying to maintain stride).  Or, perhaps, like mine, your child prefers Stroller Peek-a-Boo (while trying to stay on a straight course).  But Stroller-tainment is necessary to avoid the next....

The Last Resort

In a marathon, there's a little thing called "the wall."  When a runner "hits the wall" they find themselves feeling overwhelmed by everything.  They've come so far, yet have further to go.  They are physically exhausted, mentally drained, and feeling completely unmotivated to continue.  This happens to Stroller Kids, too.  Sometimes they hit the wall.  The wall of riding.  It starts out as some slight protesting, "I want out."  Perhaps some shaking of the stroller, maybe kicking their cup holder.  But, occasionally, a Stroller Mother Runner has no other option than...carrying her kid. While pushing the stroller.  

How'd we celebrate 11.11.11? Running Moms Run!

 

For a few months I've complained that I just can't seem to get back into the groove of long training runs. Getting out to do 3-5 miles 5 times a week hasn't been a problem.  But we all know that the most important run of the week is that long run.

I think part of it is the fact I feel so pressed for time, all of the time.  I get into a nice long 4-5 mile run on the treadmill at the gym and the daycare center calls me to come do a diaper change.  I get 4 miles into a road run and a kid calls or texts me needing something.  My inability to do a long run is coming from my lack of focus and, ironically enough, stress.

I've also been increasingly nervous about taking the baby out on anything longer than a 40 minute run.  "What if she starts crying 4 miles from home?"  "What long run route has side walks?"  "Do I really want to run 8 miles pushing her?  And her stuff?"

The other day, however,  Steena tweeted a cool idea:  Let's Run 11 on 11. A light bulb moment! I saw that as my opportunity. I had absolutely NOTHING planned between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday.  Why not run 11 miles.  I began to gear up, mentally, for this long run.

We runners are special.  Working our selves up is a critical part of our training.  We start thinking about our long run.  We fantasize about it.  My favorite part of thinking about my long run is mapping my route.  Knowing that I'd have to push Isla made it a bit of a challenge.  We live out in the sticks, and so there are large portions of our roads that have no side walks.  But the notion that I'd once again be able to run past some of my favorite sites was getting me excited.  I began to mentally pack BOB, wondering what she'd need.    By Thursday evening I was as giddy as a 5 year old on Christmas eve. 

After we dropped the big kids off at school on Friday, I fueled up with a Venti Americano (hey, it helps the asthma, okay?!) and a banana.  I let Isla get her run on and play hard for a bit while I did some tasks.  By 11 (incidentally naptime), we had BOB packed and were out the door.

 

Running for a few hours with a toddler requires a lot of crap.

Within the first mile Isla crashed out cold.  I knew she probably would, considering we'd had 11 minutes of sleep the night before.  And within that first mile I was into it.  My mind was focused and sharp.  It was beautiful to be out in the wonderful Texas weather.

It was windy.  My shoulder was hurting more with each mile I pushed against that wind.  My hand went numb by mile 9.  But I wasn't stopping.  And in the end....we did it!  We ran 11!  On 11.  And that's just the beginning.  I now know it's possible to push the BOB for a long time.  And I'm only inspired to do more!

Priorities, Where are YOU.... Moms Running

Ever notice how everything is always due at once?

The way my schooling works is that every five weeks I start a new course.  Because it's an accelerated program, I am writing a 10 page, scholarly referenced, final paper almost once a month.  That's on top of the regular weekly discussion board work.  It never seems to fail that during that 5th week, every course, the shit hits the fan.

 I can guarantee that week five will always be the busiest day of the month.  Not only will I have that school work to do, but 17,000 other things pop up with the addition of the mundane household tasks.

So last night, as week 5 was just beginning, I had this moment of "Here we go..."  I began to lay out my master to do list of tasks to be completed by Saturday and wondered, "at what point will I squeeze in my short runs, my long run, my speed work, my ab work, and my leg work?"

And then I saw this on Facebook....

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks.  Absolutely.
There are other people who are just as busy, if not busier than me, MAKING time to get out there and train.  The key, is, they are MAKING time.  Carving it out of their hectic schedules.

How to do this?  Create priorities.
Which of those items on my to do list might be able to wait until Sunday?
What are the obstacles in my way, preventing me from thinking that running is possible?
I may not be able to force the baby to sleep through the night, but I can certainly put 2 loads of laundry on hold til Saturday.  The children do have clothes to wear.  

And so, with some minor rearranging, I was able to make time to get in a 4 miler this (very cold) morning.  My to do list isn't shortening any, but it's not an excuse to NOT run.  Running is not a luxury.  It's not something that's always "fun".  It's not an option.  It's a necessity.

Being "busy" is not an excuse not to take care of yourself.  

That....fellow moms....is sometimes a hard pill for us all to swallow, right?

 Besides...it made her (and Elmo) happy to get out there!

To Heck with my Satin Pillow

The recent news story about Amber Miller has sparked many joyful memories for me.  In case you haven't read about Amber's story, she's the mom who finished the Chicago Marathon on Sunday and delivered a baby girl a few hours later.  Amber caught slack from some people, runners and non runners, alike.  I get that.  To someone who has never been in her Brooks, they probably think she's certifiable.  This is because in our culture, we tend to think that pregnant women have no business participating in athletic events.  However, as someone who managed to run through my third pregnancy, I think she rocks.

Listen, I don't advocate that everyone who is pregnant go out and run a marathon.  I'm not hailing Amber, myself, or other pregnant runners as idols that the general population should aspire to.  But if a woman's been running for a long time, is in great shape, and their doctor, Amber's, like mine, gives her the green light, go for it. 

It's also important to know that she wasn't running through the desert of Nevada, where there was no medical support.  She ran the Chicago Marathon race course, where medics line the street.  To me, the proof is in the pudding.  Amber had a 2 hour long labor and delivered a healthy baby.

In my five year career as a runner, my most enjoyable running period was that of my pregnancy.  I loved, and I mean LOVED running when I was pregnant.  People would, and still ask, "how could you do that?".  To me, it was natural.  I wasn't doing anything special, just what I loved.  Like many other mother runners, I found pregnancy to enhance my training.  The increased blood volume increases your oxygen levels.  While I didn't notice that fact during my second-trimester marathon, I definitely felt that benefit during my half-marathon (third trimester).  I remember at one point during that race feeling as if I no longer needed to take the additional breaths I typically did as I increased my pace.  My body felt as if it was performing on autopilot.  At the finish line I felt incredible, a high like any other.

 Lucky for me, both my OB and perinatologist are also marathon runners.  So when I asked for their guidance, I was given a double thumbs up to run as much as I felt like, for as long as I felt healthy.  Marathon?  Sure!  Half Marathon?  Absolutely!

Now, unlike Amber, I wasn't running a marathon at 39 weeks pregnant, I didn't make it that far into the pregnancy.   My mileage decreased significantly after my half marathon.  I did, however, manage to complete a final 5K, just before having her, and the heat of Texas Summer kicked in.  having completed a 5k at the beginning of the Texas Summer heat. And I remember the searing pain in my round ligaments, every step I took, the baby's feet kicking into my bladder.  It was some really good times.  I can't imagine how she made it 26.2 miles. 

Last 5K, she came very shortly after this!

Running after the baby has been born isn't quite as easy.  People that ask me, "How could you have RUN when you were PREGNANT" typically get the answer, "it was easier then than it is now."  When you're pregnant you're not dealing with the sleepless night fatigue, or the dehydration from nursing, or the gummy joints thanks to hormones.  I've found it harder to accumulate mileage now, as a nursing mom, than I did then, as a pregnant mom.  For that reason, I say, if you're pregnant, and a runner, if your doctor lets you, enjoy it.  There's many benefits and perks to running through those months.  Once the baby comes, it's a little more challenging, so take it when ya can get it!

That was a bad idea...Post Surgery Run

I woke up Saturday morning feeling quite itchy and gitchy and ready to go.  I'd been controlling the urge to run for a few days.  It was an unfamiliar feeling, as I hadn't been that excited to run since my stint home in New York.  Yet, Saturday morning, everything was screaming at me to R U N.  A quick check of the weather told me that, yes, it was warm, but at 88 degrees at 8:30 am it wasn't getting any better...and...88 isn't that bad, right?  I looked at the BOB sitting in the foyer and...well...the tires did need air.  So, perhaps a little jog to 7-11 to fill it with air wouldn't hurt anyone, right?
The first task was to attempt application of...The Sports Bras.  Yes.  When you can't raise your arm above your head and your elbow is so swollen it doesn't bend, putting on one Sports Bra is a tricky task.  Let alone two?  Ha!  Yet, I sucked it up, maneuvered my torso in complicated yoga-esque poses, and finally found myself bound behind a shield of Under Armor. 

Donning my shorts, shoes, and top came quickly.  Isla screamed excitedly as I grabbed BOB, some binkies, a water, and headed out.  88, huh?  Sure felt warmer than that.

 

Again, as my mission was only to run a meager 1.5 miles, I wasn't terribly concerned.  Of course, the fact that my Physical Therapist had assured me it was still, much too early to run and that it was a bad idea, and he'd wait a little while longer, because of the impact...didn't factor into my mind until....I actually ran.  Thinking...this hurts a little, but...it'll wear off was my initial thought process.  With each step came more pressure, and stinging.  But because I'm a slow learner, it took until about mile .5 before I admitted defeat.  As I thought to myself, "Dennis would say, Told Ya So...." I made the radical decision to simply walk to 7-11.

Learn from me.  When recovering from an injury or surgery, it's best to base your recovery time line off of what your PT suggests.  While doctors operate from general guidelines, which said, "okay to exercise at 2 weeks" my surgeon did warn me that I may face complications if I ran yet.  In my experiences, your PT knows your recovery best.  They are most in tune with your healing and what's acceptable and what's not.  You can bet I won't be running again until Dennis gives me the green light, and since he's a marathoner, I trust his non-wussy self. 

While the run was less than successful or even fun, the walk was quite enjoyable.  Just being out, moving, exercising, and catching some rays was a delight.  Even the silly act of being in my running clothes again felt good.  But, my favorite part...

 

Watching little Isla's long legs flip back and forth with each step I took.  It was as if she was running along, with a little help from BOB.  

Back to Life, Back to Reality...Safari Birthday Party

We've been back in the swing of reality for a week now.  But it's been something of a complete and total whirlwind of a ride.  Our drive home was exceptionally fun.  The highlight of the trip was our 2 hour hike through a cavern.  Clearly Isla's cut out to be a distance runner as she even hiked 90% of it by herself (trashing her new shoes in the mean time!).  The cavern was wonderfully cool, refreshing, and delightful.  And then, we were welcomed back to the south in true, Texas-in-July fashion.

 Yes, while we were gone, Summer Began.  There hasn't been a day under 100 here in over a month.
We made it home just in time to enjoy a wonderful weekend with The Best Brother in the Whole Wide World and The Awesomeist Sister in Law Ever.

The children were able to enjoy an entire day with their aunt and uncle while their Mama got ready for someone's big day (part 2).  Because, within less then 48 hours of my return, we were expecting a houseful of our amazing friends as party guests, so it was Time To Fly!

Isla's favorite place is the zoo and she can already name a lot of animals, so it was only natural that I took her guests on a safari for her party!  Her friends enjoyed a visit from 12 zoo animals, ranging from snakes and frogs to a Desert Fox and an adorable hedgehog.  Major props to Zoology for a fantastic Animal show, enjoyed by kids from age 3-60. 

 Her favorite animal:  Elephant.  Her Favorite color:  purple.  So of course Mama had to make her a purple gluten-free elephant cake!

Kudos to Isla's Meme for creating the adorable cupcake toppers, by hand.  My favorite is still the hippo!

At the end of the day, driving 1000+ miles, 6 states, hiking a cavern, hosting house guests, and throwing a big old Texas Birthday Fiesta within 5 days...was a little tiring!  But more than anything I love my family, kids, and friends so it was a lot fun!

Lakeside Ending

Can you say Best. Lake. Trip. Ever?  It was decided that we enjoyed the hell out of our lake vacation this year.  Yes, I was more tired than usual.  Yes, packing for one more kid was a lot of work.  But.  The weather:  Perfect.  The kids:  Had a blast.  The grownups:  R~E~L~A~X~E~D.

I am so thankful I was able to get out in my kayak so often.  But another highlight of our trip was spending a day at the wineries.

 Three of the best words known to this Mom. 

This is one of the wineries we were able to do a tasting in.  A newer winery to the area, they are working to build up a reputation.  Settled in a beautiful area near Clayton, Coyote Moon Vineyards is chock full of a very fun and super friendly staff.  Even the owner, who we met, had a very loose, fun, relaxed attitude.  Oh, and the wine...kicked ass. 

Something fun that the vineyards serve up that way is...Wine Slushies.  Really, 7-11 needs to get on this game.  Wine Slushies are delish! But...maybe we enjoyed the wine slushies a little...too much as the remainder of the evening was...interesting.

Our lake trip was also extra special because it fell around a very special date!  Our princess had her first birthday during the end of our stay.  We were blessed to spend the entire day (of perfect, 85 degree sunny weather!) at a castle.

 

Where else should a princess spend her special day?  The gardens, the story, the glamor.  Boldt Castle is one of the wonders of New York State.  And Isla, like the rest of the clan, fell in love with Heart Island.  And what's a birthday without...CAKE?  Isla thoroughly (can you tell?) enjoyed her first birthday cake! 

Yet, as is the case with life, the real world calls.

 

Much as I'd like to escape reality, and remain on the lake for life, it's time to pack up the cottage and head home.  Here's looking to next year, hopefully as invigorating, relaxing, and fun as this year!

Naps are for BABIES!

On the last several of our runs, Isla has found the idea of napping quite humorous.  Nap?  I don't need no stinkin' nap!  I must agree with her that there is simply too much to be seen along our route.  There are now long horns and large construction vehicles.  The barking dogs and landscapers all beg her for attention.  So while I run, little I laughs and talks.  I enjoy listening to her.  She's clearly having a great time hanging in BOB.  And it is a considerable amount of time we're spending in there.

Isla's First 5K!

Sure, she's done a 10K but today she did her first 5K!

Perfect day for a run...and a sea of green!  Joining up with some of our favorite friends, Isla and I ran the Dallas St. Patrick's Day 5K today.  It was a MOB scene.  I've never seen so much green in my entire life.  This was such a fun event.  The streets were lined with tailgaters, cheering the runners on the entire 3.1 miles.  It was so crowded and congested at times that we didn't PR or anything, but, our time wasn't awful, considering.

It was one of the only times she's stayed awake the *entire* run.  There was just too many exciting things along the route.  She sang and talked the whole way, making many other runners laugh.

All in all, my favorite race and a super fun day.

Lovin'

It continues to be perfect running weather here.  Nice and cool in the morning, warm through the day, then cools off at night.  Isla and I have taken in a 2.5-3 miler every day.  I am noticing that I'm getting faster.  Whoohoo!

The coolest thing that's happened this week is that we've been going out twice.  In the evening, after dinner, Quinn takes Isla out for a second run-of-the day.  It's awesome to see little Q take on a liking to running.

We run to the park (.5 mi) and play on the monkey bars then run home.  It's a full body work out ;-)

The Daily Run

It's been ages since I really kicked my ass.  Ran myself into a pant.  Hurt.  Begged myself to quit.  But today I had that strong desire, and so, I headed out for a quickie.  A short, painful, beating of a run.  But it felt so good!

Not the prettiest day here in Texas.  Quite overcast and looks like it could rain, any minute.  But we risked it anyway.  SOMEONE needed a nap, in a bad way.

 

The sun wasn't shining but we managed to find some sunshine at our feet.  Spring is coming!  It's official!

My Kid's Naps Are Measured in Miles, Not Minutes...

Last night I realized, "Oh Shit, I have a half marathon in a month." 

And of course, I haven't obsessively trained for it.  Aside from the crappy (dangerous to run int) weather, I've had a full plate dealing with the fall out from the flood and school work.  Yea, I've been slack-a-lackin'.  As luck would have it, though, the weather took a turn this week, inviting me back outside.

After a morning of crawling and climbing, practicing walking, signing and dancing, Isla was ready for her morning nap.  So I handed her over to BOB and we were off.  Had the best run that I've had since December!  It felt GREAT!!!!!!!

Isla took a 3 mile long nap and is, much to my delight, still blissfully asleep.  It amazes me, still, how much she loves to be outside and on a run.  I might say that being in the BOB with Bubba the turtle is one of her favorite places to be. 

 What a difference a few weeks makes!  Above is Isla on today's run.  In a short sleeve t and robeez.  It was a warm, beautiful day for a run.  It felt good to actually SWEAT.
Below is Isla "Before the Ice Storms of 2011".  Can you even SEE her in there? 

My knee is pissed at me for taking such time off.  Not sure what I'm going to do to get this effer healed up.

Definitely won't PR at this next half, but it'll be fun, and it's for a good cause.

Best Running Buddy

What happens when you spend 2 1/2 hours in a pediatrician's office, outside of your bubble? You get S-I-C-K. The real fever producing kind. Which is just fabulous for spending a Thanksgiving as a single parent. Can you say Spaghetti for dinner? Guess that answers the ? about whether to Turkey Trot or not...

Anyway, despite being sick we still went out and put in about three miles. Isla worked hard, can't you tell?