(RUNNING) In the Right Direction

THE WINNER

2012-02-13T09:59:00.000-05:00

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 20

That would be lil Miss...On the Right Track!

Please send me your address so I can send it off to Vega! Congrats

Run for Sherry + 1 More DAY for GIVEAWAY!

2012-02-11T15:21:00.000-05:00

Todays run was dedicated to Sherry and her family. It is with great hope that her family could feel how Sherry's story has impacted so many all around the world.

Kelly and I right before our "Run for Sherry"

Scott and the kids
My second shift of running when the kids woke up!

Barbara V paying tribute

Rick running in Sherri's honor.

Looking for closure to Sherry's story and peace for her family.

Tomorrow night will be the last day for the VEGA GIVEAWAY!!! Click here to enter!!!ODDS are in YOUR FAVOR!

LESS is MORE

2012-02-10T12:54:00.001-05:00

It's been a whole week and I have been Garmin"less". It was nuts how the first day I went to go and press the infamous button to stop my time...seriously programmed and controlled by this thing (and as I read my comments...so are most of us!). I am starting to get back to my roots of why I started running and not getting all funked up by the time and how fast I am going. Does that mean I won't be training hard to get to where I want to be come February 27th??? Um...no. It just means that I know to get where I want I have to be focused and get the 'fun' back into it. I have all my books, I've run all my numbers, I know what to do....it was that I was losing the inspirition to do it. I love what Beth from SUAR wrote after watching an inspirational running movie...

While there were many components to this movie, here is how it affected me: It made me want to simplify. In this day and age of Garmins, intervals, fancy running gear and Sports Beans, it’s easy to get caught up in the extras. While there is nothing wrong with these elements, when they begin to detract from the pure simplicity of the run, we’ve lost the point.

So true and exactly what I've been saying. I look forward to my run tomorrow in honor of her cousin Sherry. I will be running it, thinking of her- and GARMIN'less' because that will definitely not be my focus on that run.....

Its final- I'm leaving you.

2012-02-06T12:50:00.000-05:00

I met with Susan, one of the coaches of the tri-team. We spoke about many things but one of the important things is how I am getting in a time funk. How I am so concerned with getting faster, how I should be faster by now, and how do I truly GET faster. Her advice was simple. Concrete.

Get rid of the Garmin for a couple of weeks. Preferably for the three weeks before my training starts for my 1/2 marathon in Virginia. THREE WEEKS? NO GARMIN? SERIOUSLY?

The rationale: I will find my way back to why I love running and stop over analyzing everything. I do like to be organized, I like my charts...yada, yada but I am not a freak about it. I am willing to forgo the Garmin if it will get me out of this funk. Today I tried it for the first time. I am pretty sure I ran a two miler because I've mapped out so many darn places...and I guess I peek at the damn watch sooo much during my runs (hence "lose the watch"). The run was fun, no pressure and I think it will help me get back to why I started in the first place. It's crazy. I feel like everything that is supposed to make things "better" or "more advanced" in our lives today (computers, cell phones, ipads, etc. etc.)...actually takes us so far from what our real goal is- to be happy, do what we love and share it with those we love.

So I will be Garmin(less) for the rest of the month...or two weeks...(can you tell I'm craving it). Anyone want to join me??

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!!!!

VEGA Review and GIVEAWAY

2012-02-01T20:33:00.001-05:00

Okay so I am very excited about this review and giveaway! Thing is, I feel that I must break the reviews up into a few parts. I know its alot of information when posting about a few products at a time and I thought it would be best to break it up. So here goes the first one!!

First check out the cool box VEGA SPORT samples came in. They just recently launched a new line and so far the products I have tried are keepers.

Vega Sport is an ALL NATURAL, PLANT BASED sport performance system, specifically developed in three stages to help you peform at your best-before, during and after training.

I love, love one of the sayings in their pamphlet that says

Athletes don't just eat food, they use it.

Brendan Brazier, a professinal Ironman triathlete, created this plant-based, whole food diet.

They explain their product so well and how all the key nutrients in their product can benefit athletes.

I first tried the VEGA Sport Pre-workout Energizer.

It came in Lemon Lime and Acai Berry.

I used the Acai berry for a long run and the Lemon Lime for a 1 1/2 hour swim class.

Suprisingly I liked the Lemon Lime flavor better. It tasted a bit like lemon water to me and it was easy to go down. The Acai berry was fine just didn't prefer it. It was a bit sweeter.

Yes, this is a very cool shaker.

I really liked that it felt like a natural, slow and steady release of energy. I sometimes can feel a spike in energy which can leave me a bit jittery when I use other products.

With that fast jolt....I can also feel myself crash...especially with the added caffeine products.

You know if you've been reading my blog...the caffeine was a big problem for my stomach in my first marathon.

I also felt when I was taking some of the other products that it was so much of the 'artificial' stuff...with VEGA I don't think twice about trying or taking the product because it is all natural.

I will DEFINITELY be purchasing this product. I like how I felt using it.

The next product I tried was the VEGA Sport Electrolyte Hydrator. I have to say I never really used a product like this...I was always hesitant to sip Gatorade because it sometimes bothered my stomach, was too heavy and a bit too sugary for my taste. I also wasn't fond of drinking my calories. This product is ZERO calories per serving and...

helps replenish electrolytes and minerals
Enhances matabolism and alkalinity
Provides antioxidant protection

I really love that they come in these small packets so you can take them with you!

I purposely used this product after swimming because I always feel so dehydrated and crappy after the 1 1/2 hour POW swim class. The class is intense and I always come home spent. Honestly, I sometimes even take a nap after it. I really think its because when I'm in the pool, I rarely drink, rarely refuel. Yes, I know...silly but heck...never said I was perfect.

I went to a birthday party at MY GYM with my kids an hour after I got home. I sipped this the whole time instead of water....it looked like pink lemonade and tasted yummy. Not too sweet either. I was still tired but not SPENT. You can ask this guy if you don't believe me.

This would be Scotty who deals with me

when I'm in my "swim dehydrated funk" state of mind.

I'm telling you I loved it but try it for yourself and see. So for the part you have been waiting for...what do you get to try???

Soon I will be reviewing --The Endurance Gel, Endurance Bar, Recovery Accelerator, the Protein Bar, and the Performance Protein...can't wait!

VEGA has offered you the chance to try

a tub of

Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer- it’s a top seller!

How you ask?

What you need to do is:

1. (Mandatory) Go check out VEGA SPORT and tell me what product you would most like to try.

2. (Mandatory) Follow this blog and tell me you did or if you are already.

+1 Tweet about this being sure to mention VEGA SPORT

+1 Tweet about this and mention www.runintherightdirection.blogspot.com

+1 Put this giveaway on your blog!!

WINNER WILL BE PICKED RANDOMLY ON FEBRUARY 12th!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T16:05:00.002-05:00

Saw this in a Runners World
(it also had hummus but didn't have at home)
So yummy- Fried egg, salsa, avacado on whole grain bread

COMFORTABLY... uncomfortable

2012-01-31T22:56:00.001-05:00

So I went out for another afternoon run on my lunch break today. I have to say I really think I am pretty cool doing that...I feel like I am on a covert mission. Although, I am not so good at the covert part being that I come back with bright red cheeks, partially sweaty hair and lugging a bag with crumpled running clothes stuffed in.

Me. And. My shadow.

The run was a struggle because of how hilly it was and that I was trying to make it back in time. I've been running for two years now and I still feel like I am at the beginning stages. I feel like I still have so much to learn. Actually, I should word that differently. I feel like I am more into understanding, learning and trying to improve now than I was before. Before, I enjoyed it and was fine going out just to go out. I was kind of testing the waters. Getting by. Now, I am more interested in how to perform better, and how to get my body to work more efficiently, how to fuel. I'm more passionate about it and when I am passionate about something I like doing it well.

After my first marathon I began thinking more about my next goals and I decided it would include to become better at what I love doing. I want to improve and in order to do that I think I have to become comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable

I mean lets call it like it is...no one really likes to be uncomfortable...right??? It's what you achieve after it that makes it worth the while. Isn't the saying...

Nothing worth having comes easy?

So what I need to do is become more uncomfortable. Todays run got me discouraged at first but then I realized I just have to do more of those types of runs, I have to make some of my runs challenging...I have to feel the work if I want the achievement of becoming better at what I love to do...and because...

Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat.

~Ann Landers

okay..does anyone else think its hysterical that I just quoted Ann Landers...

What brings YOU home?

2012-01-30T02:26:00.005-05:00

You've heard the sayings..."home is where the heart is", "there is no place like home"...."home sweet home"...
HOME...is way more than the four walls that surround you or the roof over your head. Home to me is whatever brings you back to your core, the real you, the you that helps you feel your best, the things that make you feel, that remind you of what matters...the things that make you happy, or make you feel true, pure love. Nowadays we are all so easily distracted, running around, losing ourselves in the everyday mundane things...my question to you is...what brings you back home? Here are just a few things that help me get back home, have touched my core, or have made me feel....

Home to me is running... I mean its the tried and true....It does all of the above. Restarts a funky engine, helps me think, helps me refocus, gives me the time and energy to understand and be patient, the list goes on and on....it makes me the best me I can be. It brings me home.

Home to me is something I see that evokes a happy tear because it is so darn sweet.

visit 50 over 40

Click here to see a cute little video of ADORABLE LOVE for his wife, running and her first marathon!

Home could be something that stops you in your tracks and makes you realize how valuable everyday is, how you could lose everything in a split second. How you should let your loved ones KNOW they are loved...because you never know when or if you will get a second chance to do that....

Click Here or on the picture to read more about Sherry and make sure YOU PARTICIPATE IN THIS VIRTUAL RUN!

Home to me is being inspired by someone who works so hard to get where she wants to go. Who allows you to see that hard work does pay off and actually makes it seem like its attainable to ANYONE. You have to read her whole story to understand how truly amazing this mom, runner and wife is.

SEE MOM RUN FAR

Home to me is my daughter coming up when she hears that I'm having a difficult time being sick. She comes in my room and starts rubbing my head singing..."Twinkle, twinkle, little star...."

Home is in her eyes, her laugh, her love for others.

Home to me is watching my son grow into a little man. Its watching how happy and at peace he is. Home is him reminding me everyday the simple things in life. Home is when he blurts out a story and makes me belly laugh.

Home to me is Scott. Seeing how much he is still growing, knowing how much life has kicked him in the ass and how he still gets back up...and is sweet about it! Home is when he makes me laugh, when he snuggles, and when he just holds me, when he does the little but big thoughtful things....and when he cleans the floors...lol.

The Boyz cleaning the floor...wasn't kidding!

Home to me is music. I love all kinds of music...and it has a unique power over my mood! I love Sara Bareilles' music and her personality...as shown in this video! She is awesome and so real in concert...and can't wait to see her again...Her concert brought me home.

So what brings YOU home?

What's wrong with this picture....?

2012-01-25T16:16:00.001-05:00

That would be a Runners World magazine ...

NYC Marathon "The Day After"

2012-01-19T14:38:00.000-05:00

Thought this was funny...

Have YOU heard about Vega Sport?? Topseller Giveaway Coming!!

2012-01-17T20:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, I have to admit, I am super excited...SUPER-SUPER excited about this product line that Vega has. Vega Sport! I first started drinking the Vega Food Health Optimizer when I just couldn't keep up without getting sick. I knew I needed to eat better and get more of what my body needed to function properly on a daily basis. The Vega shake did that for me. It was simple, I knew it was free from all the junky stuff other mixes have, it was quick and I liked how it tasted. "My Shakes" are a known thing in this family and I can't wait because Sequel Naturals is in the middle of their Vega Sport Launch and are sending me a VEGA SPORT KIT to sample and review. More things to LOVE!!!

Better yet

they are also going to give

tub of Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer--A TOPSELLER--

as a

GIVEAWAY

to one of my readers!

Click to read more about this product

The Vega Sport performance system is 100% plant-based, free from dairy, gluten and soy, and contains no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners!! Plus it was created by this guy

....um...yes, please. May I have another?
I mean really...wouldn't anyone want to drink what he's drinking?

I'll let you know more about the product and the deets on the giveaway when all the fun stuff arrives!!!

Have you ever tried VEGA SPORT?
Would you be interested in trying a product from this performance system?

Mommy Monday - What Happens in Your House? + results

2012-01-16T17:49:00.001-05:00

Batten down the hatches...teams unite! The kids are sick. If there is one area in the mommy department that I could say I'm not too shabby in, its taking care of my kiddies and making them feel comfy when they are sick. Wait?...I'm pretty sure every mommy is good at this! I think its mommy instinct because its so hard to see our little ones not feeling well. When the kids are sick there are a few "sick rules" or maybe we should call them "sick exceptions" that go into effect here at the J household!

* We don't have televisions in our rooms so whomever is sick gets the flat screen rolled into their room so they can stay in bed.

She looks so upset about the television being in her room....doesn't she?

* Cover the couches so you don't spread your germs! (this never works...as mommy is always catching what they have at least a week later...it kind of just stuck and its "what we do"..don't knock it lol)

Every doll is sick in the house as well. You can see Mr. Bear there in the middle.

* Gatorade and Water Mix

Now, I know this isn't the healthiest and most nutritious meal but this is what the Doctor ordered.
Literally.

* Crack the windows...no matter how cold! Let those nasty germs out.

* Lots of board games

Okay. This has to be the best game I've played with my kids! It's called Hedbanz by Spinmaster.
One person has to wear the picture on the head and has to ask questions so they can guess what they are.
Am I an animal? Do I swim? You get it right?...
Fun and great for language skills!!

* Box of tissues in the bed

* Vaporizer on

* Vapor rub on feet when its a cough

* Lots of loving

So what do you folks do

when one of yours is down for the count?!

Do share because this winter seasons seems to have just begun!

Also...Thanks to all who wished me well on my results today. The bloodwork came back good so that was great news. They will be monitoring me for the next couple of months to see what happens with the mass. Keep the good thoughts coming and I thank you again.

Feeling Confused, Scared and Excited

2012-01-15T13:03:00.000-05:00

Confused
I've been keeping busy mapping out my goals and what I really want to be doing with my running. Last night after a few difficult days (I'll explain later), I decided to actually sit my butt down and figure out what I am really doing and what I want to be doing. This may sound confusing to some readers because I haven't discussed the fact that I've been spending more time taking a tri class--swimming and biking a lot over these colder months. The problem is I am trying to love it. I am also told don't knock until you try it...or that I may love it once I do one. Scott's probably having heart pain right now because he just bought me a trainer to practice the bike at home... I am just not feeling it like I do with running. I feel like the bike is a bit monotonous, which I am sure many bikers would say about running. Swimming, I like that its a nice workout but I don't crave it...especially indoors--think swim cap, chlorine hair, tight goggles...ugh so annoying. Running, I get my sneakers on, dress, eat a little something and go. So, long story short, I will continue to use my trainer or go swim but for cross-training purposes. I do have two sprint tri's that I am already signed up for...I can't wait for the one in August...but that's that. So now that I have figured out where I'm going this year--I want to pick another half marathon around April/May. Any suggestions???

Scared
I actually first had defeated instead of scared...but I really want to call it what it is and I am certainly not the type to settle with defeated. I am just plain ol' scared. Lets just get down to it. I have had some pain in my left side/ovary area for some time now. I went to the gyno for some other things and the doctor said, "Oh, we didn't know you were pregnant." Um, I'm not (i say very nonchalantly) this is just what happens when I ovulate. Now, I know I have had a cyst on my left ovary for a bit now and I explained that I thought this was 'normal'. She said--you're headed to a sono now or tomorrow, depending on when the tech is there. I went for the sono and then heard back from the Doctor a couple days later. She found a "complex mass" and wants me to "get bloodwork as it looks suspicious...it looks like it could be tumor,what Im saying is we want to make sure its not a tumor. A WHAT?! Okay so Monday I go to get results from all of this and I am staying positive but its hard to not let the mind wander. Its just very scary. It humbles you and makes you stop and think (for way more than a minute). It makes me think of SUARS post where she talks about ALL of OUR biggests fear...to leave those we love too early, to suffer. God bless Sherry and her family...I will look for updates on the virtual run Beth is looking to organize in her honor. Like I said...I am scared. I am thinking and hoping and praying its nothing but until I find out I will allow myself to be a little scared. Other than that, I had my little cry the first night and now I am done thinking negatively.

Excited
I'm excited because I have decided that no matter if I am picked randomly or if I have to raise funds, I will be running the NYC marathon. Its such an exciting thought for me! I want to pick one or two other half marathons to do as well...been searching...again, any ideas??

also

Take a look at one of my friends blog On the Right Track...she's been putting her energy into starting her blog after becoming injured. She's a fun read and could use a lil' encouragement to keep the blogging going and her spirits up!!! She also may be trying this run up above if all goes in her favor ;)

Did you ever try a tri? Like it or not?

Any fun 1/2 marathons you would like to suggest?

Are YOU selfish?

2012-01-03T17:26:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading the Editor's Letter written in the February issue of Runner's World...and took a deep sigh of relief. Lately, on some of my long runs I have had a little visitor. Well not so little as David Willey the editor, who explains how on many of his runs he has been accompanied by his children. My visitor would be Scott, my husband. The first time he came, I thought..."cool-he wants to get back into the swing of things." That was for about ten minutes...then I became very agitated, annoyed and a bit perturbed. I couldn't understand why and stopped dead in my tracks rambling on to him about how my runs are for me, and how I do my best thinking out here on the road, and how if he is here then I am thinking about him, or thinking of what he is thinking or...I'm trying to answer his SIX MILLION questions about pace, what mile we are at, what are we going to eat when we get home or wondering if I hear the popping in his hip?! Really?!

So, I went home to say the least without that renewed, refreshed feeling. Just a lingering question in my head...am I really a "solo" runner or is it him? lol...seriously (sorry scott). It took a few more times of this for me to realize the last run that I don't mind so much running with others, IF I get a run in by myself. I need that run for myself. It is when I feel my best, do my best, think my best. It doesn't need to be a long run, just enough to get the endorphins running, to feel more clear and ready to tackle my sometimes very hectic days.

In the article David talks about running being an "inherently selfish act". That it's "healthy and life-affirming" but "we mostly do it for ourselves, by ourselves." The even better side though is sharing it with the people you care about...which he states as well. I think the best thing will be to see if Scott starts to enjoy it enough to want to do it on his own...that will be the true test of how much he is enjoying it...and may leave me running on my own again...and him wanting/craving the same. ;)

Do you prefer to run with others?

Do you prefer solo runs?

If you could share your running experience with someone who would it be??

Home (to blog world) for the Holidays

2011-12-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

Wow, its been a while, but time well spent away from the keyboard. I really don't have an excuse, which feels awesome, what feels even better is I don't really feel I need one!! ;) I've been living, figuring out the ins and out of how to live in a productive more meaningful way and have been enjoying every minute of it. That sound crazy deep...I mean really?! But its the truth my cyber friends. I have been working on giving myself the space to actually think, organize myself and my thoughts, and spend time with my family. I haven't figured out all the answers by any means yet but I certainly have been going in the right direction, which I'm thinking is a good thing. My blog, or shall I say, my desire to share has been tugging at me a bit and I decided to slot some blogging time into the few slots I have left. So for now, I will share a few cute pics because I have to run home to my kiddies and hub. But I will be back with my new goals--yes, it took a while but I have them, pictures, fun stories and where I am in the running world!

Lucas in front of his tree.

Elfie loves icebox cake just as much as I do...

Our first run together. It was eventful to say the least. She was overwhelmed by the crowd and started crying...I had to run with her on my hip half the way!

My cutie with her Rapunzel doll...she loves her...and that's the face she makes to let you know it!

Best "Nooner" I have ever had!
I went running today during my lunch and prep...it was nothing less than awesome.

Till next time...

Tick Tock

2011-10-17T23:53:00.000-04:00

What makes you tick? Lately, I've been asked the question but most importantly I've been asking myself. I have no secret potion, no secret 'how to' book, I certainly don't have the answer(s). What I do have is the understanding and recognition of when I'm not myself, when I'm hitting a rut, when I feel on top of the world and feel I can conquer or achieve anything...I do know some things, but at the same time...I know nothing....

With every finish line there is a new beginning. I've been reflecting a lot, enjoying the down time, spending time with the family and thinking about my new goals. I've seen all my gang pick up from where we left off in different ways. I mean, its not the end of the world here people but it is an end to something we all worked very hard for and for a good chunk of time. I haven't been totally idle in this down time... I've been running some nice trails with Bman, some quiet solo runs on Harbor Hills and some crazy kick ass swim sessions with Susan. I think the best part of this 'idle' time is reflecting on where I was, where I've been and where I am going.

So as of now I am working on formulating those goals. My physical/athletic goals, relationship, family, and work. I actually can't wait to get it all down on paper...yeah..that's fun for me...but if you're reading this...I'm thinking you may have a little 'geek' in you too and like that stuff as well. Now, as much as I enjoy writing down all of the goals and crap please know that its not all honkey tonkey..(?) and easy. Its just that if I don't have direction...I am the type that can go hog wild. Yeah..pretty simple. Either a goal with direction or hog wild....told you I know myself :)

So how do you all choose goals? Do you have more than one at a time? Do you take breaks in between formulating and achieving your goals? Anybody out there having a hard time getting started on a goal?

A Mommy Post

2011-10-13T18:40:00.000-04:00

I love spending time with my kids...especially when they are not screaming, fighting or biting eachother ;). I usually schedule my runs before they wake or after they go to sleep. The mommy guilt is inevitable at times but I always let it go knowing that I am a much happier mommy when I get the time to run or do something for myself. Here are some cute little pics of some of our 'after school' activities!!

Spooky Ghosts!
1-cut garbage bag into fours
2-take two pages of newspaper and crumple
3. put newspaper in garbage bag and rubberband
4. Draw face and attach string to hang
Voila!

Hanging them on the porch. They are really cute blowing in the wind!

The setup-KEY to PREVENTING a disaster

Sneaky chocolate lover!

My turn!

Mix it up!

I'm so exhausted when I get home from work but the fun and the yummy pumkin bread is well worth it!

Hamptons Marathon...finally a RECAP!!!!!

2011-10-07T13:04:00.004-04:00

First off, I apologize for the long span between posts. I've been livin' la vida loca! Seriously, I ran the marathon, came home, worked three days, left for Florida and just returned this Sunday. I'm going to have to break this post up somehow....lets just do it and see how it goes...how bout that?

FRIDAY-

I was super excited and not so much nervous for the marathon. I took off Friday as I had to get a lot of things done around the house and didn't want to leave things looking like another hurricane had hit. I got everything together and then we "Team WFN"...(which stands for Why the Fuck Not...?), drove out to the Hamptons. The day was gloomy and rainy but we kept the smiles on. Obviously, the rain was not going to stop anyone but it certainly would make the run much more difficult and a bit less desirable. The drive was gorgeous rain or not, the Hamptons are just positively beautiful.

We arrived at the check in and picked up our goodies-a blag bag, cute winter hat with logo, a bandana of sorts, t-shirt, lense wiper thingy with the map of the run on it, and some other little trinkets. After packet pick-up we went to check in and then came dinner.

Dinner was funny--because the nerves were starting to show--the questions were starting to be asked, "what should I eat?, Should I have a glass of wine-it could make me less nervous-it could make me feel hungover?, should I eat more? Should I eat less?..." I had no wine, a plate of pasta with some shrimp (some being two because I was nervous about it not sitting right with my nervous stomach) and lots of water.

SATURDAY

I woke Saturday at 5:15 (on my own ;) took a shower and then started my routine. I wore my Zensah compression capris which I love and swear by. I did try the CEP compression shorts and they felt great but I didn't like how they looked. They kind of look like you are wearing underwear...yeah weird. I actually kept them and wore them after the run...I'll explain that later.

Raceday outfit:

Zensah compression capris
pink Nike Top
Nike bra
Wigwam socks
Brookes Adrenaline sneakers
ipod
fuel belt w/chocolate gu's and Bloks

What I ate/drank:

Vega smoothie with banana, strawberries and almond milk
I brought a sandwich with pb & j

Fueling up!

Water and pretzels

I rolled and stretched a bit and then headed outside ...worrying and hoping that I didn't forget anything. That's when I thought to myself..."dude--technically all you really need is clothes and sneakers...and some snacks;) so chill out!

Rolling

The Race-

Now, I am going to try and account for as much as I remember. There are points where I was just flying high so I wasn't thinking...and there were points when I was crashing so I wasn't thinking. Scott took his bike and actually rode to many of the mile marks. There were times when I was happy to see him and times that I asked him to just move along...on his nice bike with two "fast" rolling wheels.

Thoughts:

Miles 1-5 Holy shit I'm running a friggin marathon! This is so cool! This place looks beautiful, this place is sooo beautiful.

1	9:47.8	1.00	9:47.8
2	10:08.5	1.00	10:08.5
3	9:39.4	1.00	9:39.4
4	9:51.5	1.00	9:51.5
5	9:54.6	1.00	9:54.6

6-10 miles- At this point, I'm trying hard to concentrate on my times because I know I have to stay at least at a 10 minute mile to make it strong until the end. I knew that I was going to fast at some points (for me) and this would hurt me in the end. One of the things that I will focus on next time (yeah I said it) will be to concentrate on my splits more. I kept the mantra that I just wanted to finish but realized to do that you really have to figure out what times are good for you to keep it going. I knew round-a-bouts but forced myself to not go into anything too specific. I didn't want to get wrapped up in the time games.

6	10:01.3	1.00	10:01.3
7	9:47.5	1.00	9:47.5
8	9:53.5	1.00	9:53.5
9	10:03.9	1.00	10:03.9
10	9:48.0	1.00	9:48.0

Miles 11-15 I'm refueling and feeling really good right now. I am talking to neighbors and decide that at 14 I am going to put on my ipod. It was an awesome feeling to pass over the half-marathon mark at 2:10...it was a "holy fuck" moment when I realized I have a whole half-marathon to go!

11	9:55.3	1.00	9:55.3
12	10:19.2	1.00	10:19.2
13	10:10.8	1.00	10:10.8
14	11:01.1	1.00	11:01.1
15	10:48.3	1.00	10:48.3

Lil' touch of hills...

Miles 16-20 My legs are still feeling good and I'm still okay up until this point. I was given a 2x caffeine espresso GU at I believe station 17 and thought "what the heck". This was a big, huge, fat mistake. What upsets me most about this mistake was that I knew from my training that my stomach doesn't handle the double shot well. I think if I had one negative of the marathon this would be it. I paid for this GU shot at mile 20 and on. So lesson learned- TRUST and LISTEN to all parts of your training. You can even see in my times that I was starting to feel not so great right after I ate it. OH and at mile 18...they RAN OUT OF WATER!!!! Apparently this was only for a matter of 2-3 minutes....but I wasn't waiting--thank god I had my fuel belt with 1/2 bottle.

16	10:41.6	1.00	10:41.6
17	11:16.8	1.00	11:16.8
18	11:07.0	1.00	11:07.0
19	11:54.3	1.00	11:54.3
20	13:09.0	1.00	13:09.0

That's me on right...running that side so my hip doesn't hurt too much

Miles 21-25 I'm getting really nervous now because I am starting to lose my mojo. Scott even notices the big difference in demeanor ;) and seems worried...lol....which now is funny to me. I think there is a 'look' I give and Scott kind of knows 'buyer beware'. He pretty much left me with ..."you can do this...I'll see you at the finish". If the boy is learning one thing...its the appropriate time to exit!!! At mile 21 I realized that I put some TUMS in my pant pocket just in case (as per a trainer at my gym). I took all three and kept trying to drink hoping that the extreme caffeine wouldn't tear too much of my stomach up. The TUMS did help a bit and took my mind off of it...just in time to realize what was happening was a touch of hitting the infamous 'wall'. It was just a feeling of not having any mojo left. (I'm loving the word mojo right now lol). I really wish at this point in the game I was running with a partner. I found myself stopping a lot at this point. Just look at those times....that aint no Gump running my friends...that's almost driving Miss Daisy..heck that would be Miss Daisy walking lol.

21	11:17.7	1.00	11:17.7
22	11:32.3	1.00	11:32.3
23	11:53.7	1.00	11:53.7
24	12:01.9	1.00	12:01.9
25	12:06.1	1.00	12:06.1

Now, please don't get me wrong...I am very happy that I finished this marathon under 5 hours...that was my goal. But with every goal that you reach you need to set a new one and my new one would be to last long enough that I can be running at the end. The whole time ;).

Few steps away from the finish!

Miles 26 and .2

I listen to my favorite song for this marathon, one that I couldn't wait to get to and hoped my shuffle would 'shuffle it' to this song the whole 10 miles I was wearing my ipod...funny, last mile here it was playing...

This one's for you and me, living out our dreams
We're all right where we should be
Lift my arms out wide I open my eyes
And now all I wanna see
Is a ~~sky full of lighters~~ Finish line A sky full of lighters (This to me is symbolic of my finish line...to many things not just the marathon)
[Eminem]
By the time you hear this I will have already spiralled up
I would never do nothing to let you cowards fuck my world up
If I was you, I would duck, or get struck like lightening,
Fighters keep fighting, put your lighters up, point 'em skyward uh
Had a dream I was king, I woke up, still ~~king~~ queen ;)

So the song finished, I had tears in my eyes (heck who am I kidding...I was crying..and sniffling) It was one of those awesome cries. Its kind of like the cry when are just so damn friggin happy inside you don't know what else to do...kind of like my 'watching my kids at Disney' cry .

I'm sniffling and crap as this girl 'shuffles' her way up to me...lol we were all shuffling. She's besides me and holds my shoulder and goes..."I know girl, I know." It really was just one of those feelings that you can't replace, can't get from something you buy, eat or drink, a feeling that comes from inside, from achievement, from knowing you are doing what you once thought was IMPOSSIBLE. Take the feeling of pride, accomplishment, happiness... roll that into one and you've got one friggin awesome marathon experience.

I started hearing the cheers of the crowd and I picked up my pace. Picked up my pace=running again. I thought about who would be there and made sure I would be there/in the present moment. As soon as I thought of my daughter, I KNEW she would be crying. She's a bit like me and when she is overly excited and becomes weepy. She was all out crying when I passed the line. I first noticed that Scott made shirts for the kids that were awesome, then I heard them announcing my name-time and other bits of random information...something about tears in my eyes and then BANG I was handed the coolest medal ever. I felt great and I didn't look too much like a train wreck!

My daughter was too hysterical to take the picture!

My chip time- 4:53:51

My watch said 4:43:02 ( so apparently i sat idle for about 10 minutes?...I did make a potty stop).

After the marathon. I went home, took and ice bath and rocked like a baby...lol seriously. My stomach wasn't going to let me get off easy. I drank tons of Zico water and ate bread...within a couple hours I was feeling back to normal. We went out that night had some drinks and ate well.

FAB FIVE!

K, A, C at dinner

The next day I still felt very good. We even went apple picking. Honestly, as soon as 24 hours hit...like CLOCKWORK I was friggin super, crazy sore. That lasted for a full day...I'm sure Scott could add to this part of the story but we will spare you the details. Lets just say there was a lot of f'bombs, crying and some crazy talk about "how I would NEVER do that again"..... Like childbirth...you know you'll be there again with your feet dangling in the damn stirrups!

A Lesson in Letting Go

2011-09-13T19:27:00.000-04:00

I explained how this past week I have been sick. Looking back on my notes in preparation for my half marathon I experienced the same thing, the same week-bad cold, cough. Insert fist to head and a big loud DUH here. I should have been on combat patrol for allergy season. I think with everything going on I forgot how bad it gets here in September/Fall. If I don't have my allergies under control, I get sick. So I've been religiously taking my allergy pills, doing some neti pot action and my nebulizer in the morning...things are looking up and I am much less miserable.

On that note, it was really bothering me that I had a week of running to do (5, 8, 4, and 12) and realizing I most likely wouldn't be able to fit it in. I was trying to figure out a way to make it all work--adding extra miles onto other runs--maybe I'll squeeze one in here..or there... It wasn't working. I was sitting there Monday night with my running clothes on ready to go out for a run and trying to figure out what I was going to do. I decided that I would decide out on the road.

Running clears all the clutter for me and as soon as I started I thought....LET IT GO. I needed to make the decision to let that week go. I needed to not harp on it. I needed to be fine and move on. Once I decided to do just that, to let it go, I couldn't believe how quickly I felt better. It felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders and I was also able to realize how stupid it all seemed. I know that rest is the most important thing. I know that I have built in extra weeks of training. I know that I am prepared to kick this marathons ass ~~gulp.~~ Letting go made me excited again. Holding on to how I was going to fit that in was only bringing me down....that's not good training. Its funny how sometimes the things we think are most important are sometimes the very same things we should be letting go of...

So this week I will be running
4, 6, 3 and 8
and
next week I will be running
3, 4, 2 and wait for it....wait for it....THE MARATHON!!!!

I'm super excited. I think I am ready. No, I know I am ready. I have everything set except the logistics of who is going to watch my children during the race...no biggy lol. We'll work that out!

Oh and I guess I couldn't stay away too long....and Dina...stop scratching I wasn't meaning you ;) ...thanks for the tough love!!!

To Blog or Not to Blog....Goodnight from NY

2011-09-11T00:09:00.003-04:00

That tis the question...

So much has been going on lately that I can't even begin to start to ramble it off without sounding like I'm just rambling shit off. We finally got our lights back on Saturday night at 8pm. Thanks to those of you who called to see if we were okay, came by or cared in some way shape or form.....to those of you who didn't ...go scratch yourselves .

(p.s. to those of you who didn't understand my "you remind me of leah remini" comments ....it wasn't that I look like her...its that the last line is something I would kinda say normally....but not all the time ; )

Um...I'm in rare form.

I am at my den table with twenty books open, one being my plan book. I have the worst virus/cold...and what the doctor says is tonsillitis . Problem is I thought you needed your tonsils to get tonsillitis? I had those taken out about 17 years ago...hmm Lets ponder that one.

So lets consider this. It is my first week of taper until the mileage goes down to practically no running. I can't fathom running 12 tomorrow unless the sick fairies come visit me or should it be the 'health' fairy? I'm concerned about running, I am trying to get plans done, spend time with the family etc. etc. Long story short I am having a hard time finding time to blog. After the hurricane I realized how much "technology" time the Johnson family spends during the day. "Technology time" should be real people time, talking time, resting time, running time... I think I am also just mentally and physically spent. I need to get better, feel better and then maybe I will feel the spark to share and blog...because I do love it -- wait to you hear about the compression pants I found!

But for now-or for today-who knows how long this will last....I'm going upstairs to relax, go to sleep and

pray that tomorrow

only brings
a day of peace and remembrance

here in NY

and everywhere else in the country...

Goodnight.

Hit by Irene and Feelin' Forgotten

2011-09-02T18:26:00.001-04:00

My town was hit pretty hard by Irene. My block had two major poles and 3 huge trees fall. I live on a small block so that is a lot...plus only one side of the block has houses. We lost our power on Sunday night at about 4 after a really loud bang and some sizzling...which I think was the transformer dying after it crashed into the neighbors driveway. Two of my neighbors are pretty much bound to their home because the wires are literally wrapped around their cars.

With this I will note that no one was hurt and that's what matters most!

It was like a maze just trying to get to the store for some ice the first few days. Huge trees were just pulled from the ground...like plucked flowers. We couldn't believe how many roads were blocked....what was even more amazing was when you left our neighborhood it looked like nothing even happened! I'm still convinced that what hit St. James was more "tornado like".

So its SIX days later and little by little everyone is getting their power back, getting back to normal. Us...not so much. We still do not have power, no hot water...which I'm sure if you think about your day--wake up WITH an alarm, make a cup of coffee, take a shower, eat breakfast with cold milk/juice...yada yada you get the point. It was an adventure the first few days...now its just getting ugly. The worst part is most of our friends/family HAVE power and it almost feels like we are on an episode of LOST. (that made me chuckle ...btw...I'm losing my mind a bit 2kids with no electric=crazy mommy).

So I am typing this post at "Uncled Eddie's and Aunt Terri's" because we can come here and they don't get gray hair the first five minutes of biting, screaming or after listening to 20 versions of Whistle While you Work sung by a 2 year old. We came to take some baths, eat and then head home.

I am predicting that we will have power by Tuesday....AGH!!!! Wish me luck and I hope that I have not been forgotten in the blog world as well....let me feel the love folks...I want to have some fingers crossed around the U.S...who knows maybe it will work!

B & E....I'm sure you are too!

2011-08-18T11:10:00.000-04:00

Training is coming along nicely. My head is racing with 'racing' thoughts and its getting down to the wire! Almost one month to go! I've been keeping up with my schedule but at the same time taking off a few miles from the shorter runs to care for the legs. I've been getting a pain in my left heel which I'm feeling is from the pitch in the road so I am going to try and switch it up on Saturday for my next 18.

BUSY and EXCITED!!!

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!! I've been popping into my classroom to start setting up and get ready for my students. Next week they are open at night so that is when I will predominantly get things done. Its hard setting up a classroom with two kids having rolling chair races down the hall. As much as I get myself all nervous and jittery like I'm a kid on the first day, I truly love what I do. I love the excitement of it all, I love having a different day everyday, I love the challenges, I love seeing the children learn, and I love the routine of it all. Trust me, there are some negatives like leaving my two cherubs and hearing Lucas cry like his world is ending for the first three weeks of me going....now that, I'm looking forward to! Not really.

MY FIRST TRII've been preparing less than I would like with all my marathon training in the works! I'm really excited but at the same time nervous. I am going to stay overnight Saturday and then race Sunday morning. I hope for a nice day and no drowning or falling off the bike....nah, I'm really not as bad as I am cracking myself up to be...I should be fine but I need to keep it easy so the excitement doesn't make me drown or um...fall of the bike.

SARAH BAREILLES!!! I am going to her concert on the 31st and I am super, super excited. I was at first going to venture out to the city on my own because I really like her music and only wanted someone that liked her music as well to join me. I paused for a bit this month and decided that Scott really enjoys me lol, and we really enjoy going places together ~~without those darn kids hanging on our damn legs, whining and constantly needing something.~~ so I recently bought Scott a ticket to join me. He knows some of the songs I've played for him ...so I will have to make him a CD for the car so that he can sing along with me....lol Here is one of my favorites...its just a snippet.

By Golly I think I've met my goal!!

I had made a bucket list a few years back and one of the goals on the bucket list was to start my own garden. I planted tomatoes, peppers, peas, basil, cucumbers and broccoli. The only thing that didn't work were the cucumbers and that's because I was worried about how safe they were to eat. Let me explain, I caught Brooke and Lucas "watering" ~~killing~~ the cucumbers with pool water. That's a lot of chlorine in a cucumber salad...and kind of negates my 'organic' label. Needless to say we went to King Kullen for our cucumbers this summer. With all the other veggies ...I'm at the point that I don't know what to do with it all!! Lucas and I go out every morning to see what we have grown. We weren't able to go for two days because of all the rain and look what we collected!!! I already have two bins of tomatoes in the fridge!!!!

Recipe suggestions????!!!!!

WHITE!, WHITE!

Okay, so my son is obsessed with Snow White. He runs around the house with her doll screaming WHITE, WHITE. I mean really, if you think about it, she's beautiful, polite, caring, takes care of the home and seven grown men! Geez, if she's not a catch I don' t know who is?! Honestly, though he really does love the woman and I just would be delighted to see his face if he saw her face. That said, I've been craving a trip to Disney. I really never loved Disney as much as I learned to like it after working there. I was able to step back and see why I think people/adults ~~put themselves through the torture of walking for hours through a crowded park~~ loved going...the expressions on their child's face...as cheesy as it sounds...it really is just priceless. They really believe in it all, the magic, the fairies, the wicked witches and it makes you feel it for the day....who wouldn't want to go and enjoy that. So I booked a trip the weekend after my marathon ( I hope I can walk)...four days only...short and sweet. Enough for Lukey to get his fill of WHITE, WHITE!

37...I think!

I am pretty forgetful but one thing I pretty much always have to concentrate and calculate is my age. I know...but it just seems crazy to me that I could actually be turning 37 in September!! I really don't feel 37...not sure what I thought it would feel like...and I am also pretty sure this is the definition of denial.. Long story short, I really just want to go shopping for my birthday or actually before (because I don't really enjoy shopping...its too long and tiring and I hate trying on clothes...I'm more of a 'Marshall's find' kind of girl), and get some clothes I fit in. I just found out that I am able to get some of my favorite sundresses taken in. This is a good thing because I was getting upset about having to get rid of soooo many clothes. One day I will show you before and after pictures but for now lets say I have a wardrobe that goes from size 14 down to 4.. I gave away all my "small" clothes thinking I would never get back to that size...ever, never, ever! Well I'm there now and I have nothing to wear for it! So a' shopping I will go!

What are you busy with or excited for??!!!!

Do you like Disney?!

How old are you? lol just kidding!

Any recipes for all my tomatoes and basil?

Confilict of interest?

2011-08-17T13:03:00.003-04:00

So these are the socks I got because these are the socks they had. I really like them and how they make my legs feel after a run....problem is some others really like the socks too....apparently these trigger some Brittney Spear video moments for my husband.
I'm thinking this may be a conflict of interest?
Lorraine....Scott....what are your thoughts?
Oh and by the way...this would be a rhetorical question for you two....lol

Chicken, Monkey, Duck ....Literally.

2011-08-16T14:52:00.001-04:00

You know its the end of August when Chicken, Monkey, Duck is what you're humming 90% of the day. Enjoy the video and heck..invite the kids...its pretty fun!

Danger BABY Triathlon

2011-08-12T00:17:00.000-04:00

Mommy has been talking tri's and marathons all over da house lately and we've been hauling them off to some fun in the sun when mommy is practicing her open water swims. I really try and make it a point to do all my activities before the kids even wake up but at the same time I also love sharing the fun parts with them and hope that they will geta touch of the 'active' bug themselves.

Just finishing a bike ride down to West Meadow with Terri to meet tri team for open water swim - its early in the am and then Scott meets me with kids to enjoy beach afterwards.

That little spec out there is myself and a few others getting some pointers

The kids finally got a little taste of what it is all about and loved every minute of it (well except when Brooke couldn't push through the tough grass with her bike lol). It was so fun to see them getting excited for their first "TrAnklons" (as per Lucas). Brooke told everyone she saw that day that she was going to be in a "Swim, Bike, Run race..." People were like...."Um for real?!"

Friends of mine put on the cutest, dopest little 'Danger Baby Triathlon'. The kids had to swim, bike and run for fun...and for cute little shirts, bracelets and yummy goodies at the end (kind of like what we all race for!) We had such a good time and some really good laughs. Brooke had a few "Mommy, I can't do this" moments but pulled through at the end. I couldn't believe how Lucas, the youngest of the group went along with all the craziness and ran through the finish line just like the oldest!!! So proud of my little rockstars! Such a great idea to do at home with a few friends or just some family! All you need is a pool, bikes, helmets and sneakers!!

All marked up! Lucas' number was .5....too cute. Look at Brooke showing some muscle lol.

Getting their Danger Baby Tri shirts!

We did it--group shot!

Water Break!

Little video of them pulling it through at the end.

Had such a great time and can't wait till next year! Totally want to try and do something like this with the cousins next year!

Chloe is...: Awesome Hoo Ha Compression Socks Give A Way!

2011-08-08T21:21:00.000-04:00

Chloe is...: Awesome Hoo Ha Compression Socks Give A Way!

I've been talking a lot about Compression socks...and wanted to share a site that is giving a pair away!

The Big 18

2011-08-08T12:32:00.001-04:00

Holy sh*t. I have to say this was one of the funniest, hardest, most mind challenging runs ever. We started to run in a slight drizzle and by mile 8 it was pouring so hard I would have had to pull over if driving. The three of us had to just stop and laugh. We talked about turning around at the end of the road we were on but when we got there we all just turned left and kept going. It was a special unspoken "we are going to do this no matter what" moment. At one point I just kept telling myself..."feel the rain, be in the moment, enjoy this" , it was so hard because the wind and rain were just challenging us for about 40-50 minutes. My biggest worry about it all was blisters. That morning I realized I was out of my Glide and used my sons Aquafor instead. I wasn't sure how this was going to work out. I also purchased new thick and cushy socks which differed from what I said I was going to buy. I was nervous that they were going to hold all the water and make my feet even more vulnerable. It turns out that they were great. My feet weren't that bad at all by the end of the run and not one blister. I will try these socks one more time on my twenty and then they will be what I will wear for the real deal.

Before the run:
*one small cup of coffee (yes, I did go back and I have to say I DON'T sleep as well with it) I've been trying it during my early runs because I am just having such a hard time waking up.
*one peanut butter sandwich
*Rolled out my legs and back on the foam roller

During the run:
*2 blueberry Roctane Gu's (2x's caffeine...you will see that I am NOT going to do this again...it was too much caffeine and it killed my stomach after the run)
* 3 Blocks
*Water
*One bottle of Pineapple Zico Water

After the run:
*Recoverite Shake
*Stretched with foam roller before the ice bath (little hint from the Goucher)
*Ice bath then went to warm bath (this worked better and it wasn't so drastic which I think was hurting me with just the cold)
* "MY" compression socks. I really don't have the real compression socks but will be making the purchase. I have these Juicy knee highs...lol...yes, I do that are tight and I used those all day. It was nice having everything tight so I am definitely going to splurge and get the real ones.
*Rest. Okay the caffeine kind of negated this...It was so hard to fall asleep so I just closed my eyes and then after awhile just tried to read a little.
*Used the 'Stick' to roll out some more.
*Stretched again at 9pm
*4 Motrin
*1 husband that took care of everything while I was doing this.

When I got home from this run Scott just looked at me and said "do you realize what you just did?" I said, "No....I just don't feel in the moment". Its a funny thing. I am not sure if it is just me or if it is other people but I feel the first time I go through crazy challenges it is almost an outerbody experience. Settting out to do mileage you have never done before takes mental toughness, so much so that it is so hard to always be in the moment. Where I am pulling from, what I have to put aside, who you have to be, what you have to empower to be able to mentally endure the mileage....it's alot. It is definitely a journey and you definitely are not the same person you were when you started. It strips you and sometimes the stripping can be overwhelming. I was emotionally drained and just needed to rest. I think that is something the 'family' of runners should understand most. After a super long run, something that is long for you- you not only are sore physically, you are drained mentally. It takes so much and you need time to rest and be able to start over well. Its super helpful when the ones around you understand that...when they don't...it can easily become a "bite someones head off" type of atmosphere.!!!

This week on schedule is 5, 9, 5 and 14.
Next week on schedule is 5, 10, 5 and then 20!!!!

Super nervous for the twenty and for my legs! My quads are sore and my calf just a bit of that numbish feeling (don't worry I already addressed this with the doctor). Overall, I feel pretty good. I am sore, I am not supernatural. My stomach hurt a lot after this run so I will have to watch hydration and caffeine intake. If there is anything more that anyone else could suggest for recovery let this sista know!! Still shopping around for compression shorts. I am thinking that I may move to capris considering all the compression shorts I see are super -super short! No need for that....(as per Scott...and I pretty much agree)lol.

Any after run recovery secrets?

Stilll looking for some brand names for recovery shorts!?

Going with CEP compression socks...What do you think?

Do you sometimes feel emotionally drained after a long run?

How does your family help you /encourage you?

Things That make me Smile Thursday

2011-08-04T08:44:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am still alive.

I have just been "running" around, literally. This past week we've been to the Long Island Children's Museum, Atlantis Marine World, the beach, the pool, and we even started shopping for school clothes and shoes. The Johnson household is finally making progress in the right directions...its crazy how sometimes so many things can get in the way of your happiness. What I love about life though is when you least expect it something you write, read, see can just help you 'click' out of your fog, see things differently and make you more available to the ones you love and that love you most. Its hard work to be in the present moment and not escape from tough shit. It's about living in the moment. If you do you can find yourself smiling just a little bit more, happier...even when you thought you were happy before. Here are some pictures of us living in the moment, things that have been making me smile and belly laugh!!!

Also...please make it a point to go and support my SIL who is doing her first half marathon in the Hamptons as well. I can't wait to share this experience with her and am so proud that she is doing it!!! She started a blog to write about it and I would love if you would go give her a shout out of support!!
The Wordy Runner

Better watch out!

Mom?....Mom?

Tough, Adorable and a little touch of heels lol.

That's her "What's up dude?"

LICM - music room

Granny and Gramps at the beach

Have you ever felt in a fog? Do you spend time living in the moment?

What makes it hardest for you to do that?

Nervous already

2011-07-31T20:03:00.000-04:00

So its a bit weird to me that I have been getting nervous for my long runs lately....or not. I do tend to get nervous for big events but usually only when its the real thing. I think its because they are longer than I have ever done before and it means I am getting closer to the real thing. This week I will be running 4, 9, 5 and 18. Really?

Little long run recaps:
Last weekend I did the 16. I refuelled well and also took two of the Hammer Endurolytes (Electrolyte Replenshment). I really do think they worked a lot. I didn't feel as thirsty during the run and my muscles didn't ache as much. I also tried the Hammer Recoverite...I like that also. It tasted really good and went down easy. It is difficult for me to eat anything heavy after a long run so I do prefer to drink my recovery food.

Now this weekend I did 12. It was torturous. There were a few times that I questioned myself and thought "What the hell am I doing?!" It just goes to show you that you could have good days and bad....whatever the mileage. I don't know what it was. I think it may have been that I left later in the day...only 45 minutes but its friggin hot out there....or that I was just darn tired. Some days your body just isn't into the training schedule that your mind has planned for it. Its days like these though that I make sure I finish because that is the toughness I believe I am going to need at about mile 20...or 21, 22, 23. 24, 25 and 26....

My job before this weeks long run is to pick out my race outfit. I want to try everything on this long run and the next to make sure everything feels okay. I want to look into getting compression shorts and thinner socks. Any suggestions??? I think I am going to stick with my Nike sportsbra and Nike top...and of course my tried and true Brookes.

Compression shorts suggestions?

Sock suggestions?

Did you ever have a run that made you question what the hell you are doing out there?

Quote This

2011-07-27T09:30:00.001-04:00

The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want right now.

-Zig Ziglar

Found on Emz's blog....loved it and had to share!

Can I get a WITNESS?? Vlogatorial!

2011-07-26T14:23:00.000-04:00

It's official....and you are here to witness it!

Question & Answer PART TWO

2011-07-24T22:19:00.009-04:00

Rachel:
Do you have any other talents besides running etc?
Talents- Well I am very talented at ping pong but aside from that ;0 I think many of my friends would say I am pretty creative and crafty. She's crafty...that's how they would say it. I am also pretty good with the camera.  I don't know too many cool tricks...um... other than the ones I learned while working at Disney World ... intriguing right?!

What was the hardest decision you ever had to make?
This is a hard one. I feel like when you are in the middle, the deep (rolling in the deep) of a decision it always feels like the toughest, hardest thing but when its done, if you made the right decision it didn't seem that hard at all.  Hindsight is always 20/20. I think the hardest decision was to walk away from someone that I truly cared about because they hurt and disrespected what I value. It was easy to know better, difficult to process the feeling of being hurt and understanding how people can just 'switch' in an instant. I'm not made like that.  Crazy thing was that I got slack for making the decision I did...for deciding to end it. That may have been the hardest part of it all.   One day I'll go into more detail...or not...we'll see.

Which celeb would play you in the movie of your life and what would be on the soundtrack?
Okay, so I have continuously been compared to Leah Remini and Linda Hamilton (um..I WISH I had those arms in the pic?!) from the Terminator. I guess I would agree to some similarities with Leah so I would have to go with her....who would I love to be played by is a bit different. I would go with Rachel McAdams. Love her.

Soundtrack. This is hard. I already got yelled at by Chris because I made my own play list. Chris by the way...I would go with Sara Bareilles- Kaleidoscope Heart Album. I guess I will stick with that for my soundtrack too!

Clair
Question: What's the hardest question you had to ask anyone?

Why?

Rachelle Wardle
Question: Which of the 3 events was the hardest for you to train for? Which is your weakness? Which is your strength?
Hardest to train for is the swim because it was just difficult getting to the pool and/or water. It was also a project with having to shower after, bringing everything blah, blah. I actually love swimming in the open water though and enjoy bringing the kids so now that the summer is here it is better. Weakness I would say is the bike...I spoke about that little fear of falling and breaking into a million pieces in the prior post. My strength I would say is the running. I know more about it, I am more familiar with it, I can't be eaten or bit by any sea creatures and its really hard to fall and break into a million little pieces.

Lisa
What are your current and long term running goals?
Current:
*Fuel correctly/Hydrate enough to maintain my running without injury
*Finish weekly mileage to get to my long term (which is getting shorter and shorter by the minute!) of doing my first Marathon.
*Enjoy my running and not make it a job

Long Term-
*Hampton Marathon
*Sub 2 Half Marathon
*Place in a race (so if any of you know a race that there will be only 3-4 runners please advise!!!)

On that note...there are some goals that I keep to myself ;) mainly because that is how I think it should be...some private little goals of your own.

Marie
1. What is your favorite meal? (calories magically don't count when you answer this one)
Okay. So here's the thing. Like my music, this all depends on the day, my mood etc. etc. I do love a really well made fajita. I had one in St. Martin that was to die for. I like it when it is juicy! Also, I would like to add that my favorite part of a meal is dessert. I really do love a good chocolate brownie with ice cream and fudge.

2. Who is the person you most look up to?
So there are a few but for different reasons.
In my career-SC (don't want to just throw her name out there.) She is a calm, loving, smart and inspiring teacher to the students and staff. She just oozes "I love my job" and I love that about her.

As a mother- I have to say currently the person that still sticks in my mind is my friend Debbie's mother. I will never forget watching her hold her daughter...(it makes me tear just thinking of it)...I will never forget how strong she was and how she held her daughter in arms of comfort and love during the last days of Debbie's life. She held herself together to love and comfort her daughter to the very last minute and I think that takes tremendous strength.

Running/Sports- SE
I loved her the minute she taught the spin class and always knew I would love to just be her friend lol...that sounds funny but really I just wanted to know more about how she does what she does. She is super at inspiring others to do their best. She knows what she is doing-finished an Ironman- so in my book you know what you're friggin doing! I just love her -"you can do this" attitude and I love when she yells at me and says "Hope is not a strategy!!!"

3. If you had three hours to yourself today, with absolutely no kids or responsibilities, what would you do?
I would go get a really good book or movie, the brownie and hot fudge ice cream sundae I mentioned above and then climb into my really cushy bed. Heck since this is all pretty much a fantasy lets add on a masseuse coming to my home for a relaxing massage. Hmmm....anyone want to babysit for 3 hours and pay for a masseuse to come to my home??

Jen
Your go to post workout food or drink? Is it different then your post race food or drink?
Go to post workout is my Vega Sport shake mixed with chocolate zico water, bananas and some fruit. I usually can't stomach a lot after a long run and this helps a lot.

How do you take your caffinee? (coffee, tea or other?)Since I did the Quantum Wellness cleanse I haven't had coffee (crazy right?!) . I realized how much it was keeping me up and how I was needing it . I hate when I feel like I need something to function. Now, the most caffeine I get is from my chocolate and GU's.

If you had to eat one type of candy or chocolate the rest of your life what would it be?
After the cleanse I haven't eaten any chocolate..............ha ha just kidding that's a friggin joke and a half. I totally shouldn't be allowed to eat it because I am certainly addicted. I do eat it sparingly though after having done the cleanse because I truly am addicted and I feel better without that much sugar. The answer to the question though...Peanut chews. Hands down.

That's all folks...unless you have some more! Hope you enjoyed learning more about me!

Your Goals?

2011-07-22T13:18:00.004-04:00

I set out for an 8 miler and came home only doing five. I was so fine with it because I listened to my body and the ridiculous heat that I was struggling to cut through with each stride. I was fine because I had one of those "deep thoughts" when I was running and came home feeling better than when I left. In my eyes that would be the definition of a good run. I love running because it clears my mind and allows me to see things in a different light, a better way...the whole picture lets say.

I've been frustrated lately because the training for the marathon has become more demanding and so has life...in fun ways. Its summer, I am home with the kids, friends want to go out, play dates, summer concerts, the beach, pool, relaxing. Aside from the fun stuff, I also have chores, errands, and the children that don't always want to cooperate...oh yeah and that thing called sleep. Remember that?

What's been frustrating is I felt annoyed that it was becoming so difficult. I was trying to fit runs in when they really weren't the best times for me and my body. I wasn't getting enough sleep. I've been trying to settle our home and get rid of "stuff" that we don't need....I just felt like --why the hell is no one else seeing how difficult this goal is? Why is no one helping me?? Why isn't Scott realizing how hard this is? Why isn't my mom just offering to babysit a day lol...without me asking lol?

okay so what does this have to do with the run?

As I set out for the run I said to myself "it is okay that you do five". It is already 90 and to fit the eight in I would have had to go at a faster pace. I was okay with it and then compromised with myself that I would do the Cordwood and Harbor Hill roads to make up for the lost three. I promised myself that no matter how slow, I would not stop. I would run every inch of the hills. So I finished the first hill, the second, the third, the fourth and then came to the last long annoying one...I was two to three feet away from finishing my mini-goal (I usually make a little mini goal for every run...a certain pace, try not to stop for the bathroom, watch form etc) when a guy that TOTALLY didn't need to pull out right away, did and cut me off with his truck. I was soooo annoyed...thinking really guy? You needed to pull out in front of me? You couldn't let me finish the 20 more steps to reach my goal? ....

That's when I had a little moment and realized. This is life. This guy had no idea of my goal. This guy isn't thinking about my goals. This guy isn't running up a redonkulous hill in 90 degree weather, he has his own agenda. It would have been courteous for him to let me go...but he didn't

and that's life. I can either sit here and get pissed

wait and keep going.

So what I realized (whew..very long winded I'm sorry lol), is that no one else is going to know your goals, care about your goals, protect your goals like you do. You can share your goals and people can support you but when things get difficult you might have to pause, wait , redefine, revise and then keep working towards them. Never lose them , never let the things that try to get in the way of them distract you.

What are your major goals?

What are your mini goals?

What distracts you most from your goals?

How do you get back on track?

Q&A Part 1.... and Tag your it to 5 of YOU!

2011-07-18T23:16:00.009-04:00

said...

So here is part one of the Q&A that Chris from the Manly Runner
tagged me on. I give to you, PART 1 of my answers and 5 blogs that I am tagging. TAG YOU'RE IT!!! Copy and paste the Q& A logo and let the
questions begin!

1. Amanda from Runninghood - because I love her blog.

2. Julia from Pain, Pride, Perseverance - because she is just always so upbeat and positive!

3. Marie from Morecheese - love how she writes.

4. RockStarTRi- because he is a fellow Long Islander

5. Rachel from RunningforTrevor- because I value why and how she started running and enjoy reading her blog.

Amanda from Runninghood

What is the hardest thing you've ever done in life? Or one of them!
Love these things! :) And the happiest thing. :)

It's difficult to say the hardest thing because when you are going through situations they all seem pretty hard at the time. I think though, if I look back, my miscarriage after years of infertility was the hardest. The hardest thing about it was not allowing it to define who I was. I did let it take control of me for a bit and getting out of that was really very difficult for me. It was a very hard time in my life. I remember waking up after having to have had the DNC and asking the nurses "how is the baby"...I knew at that moment that this was going to be a difficult road. It was hard, it was scary but I made it through
and I'm stronger for it.

The happiest thing in my life was seeing my daughters face when she saw her new baby brother. Just experiencing her seeing him and holding him for the first time was priceless. Bliss.

Christy @ My Dirt Road Anthem: A Runner's Blog said...

Lol at Amanda, and how about what is the hardest thing about a Tri for you and why (besides hitting the confirm button ..jk)

Very funny Christy…they should make the first damn confirm the only damn confirm button!! Hardest part with Tri, considering I haven't officially raced in one yet-ahem- see here for the big loser moment, is the bike. I have a few fears when it comes to the bike that I need to get over. I almost feel like a good hearty fall would do me good. When I find myself going over a certain speed, I hit the breaks. Yes, I am one of those. I can't help it. Friends assure me that I will get over this with time...we shall see. Any other advice to get over the fear of falling and breaking into little pieces would be much appreciated.

Julia said...

ohhh! how fun! what is your greatest accomplishment? Or what is something you are most proud of?

Greatest accomplishment- Presently, it is graduating and landing a great job that I love in a great district that is close to home. It is very difficult to get a teaching job where I live and each day I go to work I appreciate what I have and love what I do. I love my students and take what I do seriously. I am in the process of moving on to what I think will be more of a physical accomplishment. Hampton Marathon baby! Its huge for me that I commited to this marathon and I'm sticking with it. HUGE. I was the girl that used to complain to my gym teacher about my asthma when we had to do the mile in elementary. I mean I really thought it was nuts that he was asking us to do that during the school day! So to say this marathon will be an accomplishment is a bit of an understatement!

Most Proud of- My children. I am so proud of who they are becoming and who they already are.

Nikki said...

Oh, those are all good questions. How about, What is something you have never done that

you would like to do someday?

Hm. I do have a bucket list...and its long. The first thing that pops on my mind that I would enjoy right now would be to go sailing. I think it would be beautiful, relaxing, and fun. Let's add in that I would want it to be perfect weather and somewhere exotic. Okay...yeah that's good.

XLMIC said...

How many siblings do you have?

I have three siblings. Rocky, Danny and Maria (with an A)

How many kids do you want?

I have two and I think I am good. ;)

Do you wish you were stinkin' rich? And if you were, how would
your life be different?

Stinkin' Rich? Sure. I mean, I probably would put most of it in the bank and save it for my children to go to college or something. I'm a saver...can't help it. But I can spend a penny or two soooo...if I was ‘stinkin’ rich….I would :

· Buy a house on the water

· Buy a house upstate

· Get a boat

· Pay off my house and heck...why not my families too.

· Get someone to clean the above mentioned houses.

· Buy a Jeep Wrangler lol

· Get a new wardrobe

· Get a personal trainer

Aside from all the fun stuff, I think my life would change mostly with my job. I would never leave it totally but I definitely would work part time. I would love to be able to stay home more with the kids while also having a job I love.

Were you popular in high school?

I was the quiet girl but at the same time had friends from every group- dirtbags, jocks, geeks you name it. I don't think I would have defined myself as popular. I only found out people went to parties and hung out and drank in high school, years later when Scott told me. Apparently, Scott was popular in high school. lol. Me, not so much. I was volunteering at the Nursing home while my hubs was out with his friends probably drinking in a parking lot somewhere.

Are you aging well?

I would like to think so.

What is the one thing you know you should change in your life but you are
just having the hardest time with changing it?
Ugh. I know the answer to this...Shall I be honest? I wish I could walk away and totally let go of people that don't respect my friendship, my family or don't treat me the way I know I should be treated. When I mean walk away...I mean not let it take room up in my life anymore...with thoughts, regret and anger. I want to learn that I can forgive and forget and that it doesn't mean having to try to still be friends or tolerate anyones bullshit.

Chris at the Manly Runner said...

I can't wait to tag XLMIC on my next post. She is a piece of work, eh?

1) Where do you think you will be living in 20 years?

With you and Kovas.

2) If you had to travel across country in a car and could only bring one CD, what would it be?
I think it would be a homemade CD with a mixture of songs like:

Counting Crows

Dave Matthews

Eminem

BEP’s

Sara bareilles

A little bit of everything…love my music.

3) What is #1 on your Bucket List?

Well first let me just preface that order had no relevance. On that note…number one was

1- Road trip by myself….

July 12, 2011 9:04 PM

RockStarTri said...

How much did Chris pay you to post this? If not money, would he let you wear
the toga? I hear Kovas lent him a thermojock to wear underneath it.

I think when I move with them both in twenty years we will all be
wearing a toga with a thermojock.

As a graduate of a certain school district that included Mt Pleasant Elem,
Great Hollow MS, and SHS East, which athletic lesson is the hardest to learn?

Hm. Did we go to school together? Was I popular? Were you my
friend? Should I be nervous?????Hardest athletic lesson learned-
DO NOT untie your shoe laces on the shoe event during field day.

July 12, 2011 10:34 PM

Mommy Monday

2011-07-18T08:57:00.001-04:00

Just in case you thought ALL days go as planned!

Let me see what it feels like to paint my eye.
(That would be the paint I bought at Toys R' Us)

Enjoy your week! The answering part of Q&A will be started tomorrow...so if you have more to ask--go here! Oh and I'll be tagging five of ya!

Truth and Dare

2011-07-15T11:10:00.003-04:00

So SUAR aka Shut Up and Run (one of the great, funny and informative blogs out there so go visit!)posted an entry titled "A Day in the Life" and at the end she wrote...

Post your “day in the life.” I dare you

Can't pass up a dare! A day in my shoes....the ins and outs of my day...here goes.

6am-7am

I press the snooze button about 20 times. If you have ever stayed in my home you most likely have complained about all the alarms going off at different times. Its because I have always had trouble getting out of bed. I love my bed. I have an alarm I can't ignore now...well sometimes I can but it takes a lot of ~~faking~~ heavy sleeping! Mr. Coolman Luke- Get him dressed and then myself!

The stud

7:30

Go downstairs make a peanut butter sandwich and prep everything for my long run. 15 miles for me today! Okay so for me this is huge! It is the farthest distance I have ever run. I was excited and a bit nervous, especially when my Garmin band decided to rip and break. Really?! I had to tape it together and then tie it to my belt...don't ask.

Me taping

The day was beautiful and I felt great. Had three chews before I started, a GU at 6 and four chews at 11 miles. I felt really hungry at 13 and was thinking "hmm wonder if I can pin a sandwich onto my shorts for the marathon". That wouldn't be normal would it? I had to stop twice for water. At 10 miles I put my ipod on. My plan is to go to the ipod after 14 miles. I bonked and went with the ipod earlier because my head was all trying to think and crap. I couldn't focus on what I was doing. Learned some new places where I need to place the GLIDE.... ;)fun stuff! Overall very happy with the run and sooo excited that I wasn't dying after! I did 15.30 in 2 hours and 34 minutes.

10 ish

I am in FEED ME mode now but sometimes my stomach doesn't really want anything heavy after a long run, so I make a shake to drink while in the bath. Yes, another ice bath. It worked the first time so it is now a part of my long run routine. This time it wasn't so bad getting in.

Vega Sport Recovery with Zico water, blueberries and a banana

Ice bath...so exciting right?

11am

I' m rushing now because I have to meet my Scott at the library. He was with them today because he is leaving for Florida tomorrow and wanted to spend some extra time with the kids. I signed them up for

Playdoh at the library. So fun!

Um? Why am I working so hard? It's playdoh!?!

I have playdoh in my hair. My son is attacking...who knows what!?
What the hell is happening to Family Fun at the Library?

12:30 pm

It's lunch time. Look at the randomness. It's a whole lot of something going on. Best part of lunch was my date.

She had yogurt.

Then we moved outside to have some cherries!

1:00

LUCAS goes in for a nap! Such a cutey...I tend to stare for about five minutes and savor every minute!

Check out the left over play doh on his shirt!

1:30 

Okay. So I was starting to crash and the irritability was starting to set in. I think the hardest part about being a parent and training for anything is that you don't have too much time to crash and rest. I literally groveled for twenty minutes of shut eye....it was worth every little groveling penny!

Look how cushy it is!

2:00 

Brooke had a birthday party at 4 so we headed to Toys R' Us to pick up a gift. Nothing like a last minute shopping trip. I was pleasantly surprised. They had so many awesome craft things and on sale too! I got the presents and a few things for the kids...fingerpaints, driveway paint, and an wipe off car thingy...

Last minute shopping

Their reward for being so well behaved in the store.
Let's just say this is a rare occasion!

3:00
I'm hungry again. Nuff' said!

Shrimp fra' Diavolo...yummy!

4:00

Lucas had his speech testing at 4. Not sure the teachers would have been fond of me taking pictures of them for my blog...so I refrained. He did really well and doesn't need services. Our doctor had suggested getting tested because he was not producing enough words. His receptive is so much stronger than his expressive. Its unbelievable though since that visit, when he suggested the testing, how much more he is saying. Every child is so different in their development. My daughter was reciting poetry (not really but kind of) and Lucas is fine with "give me" and then jumping off the top of a building (not really but kind of).

5:00

Off to Bed, Bath and Beyond for this cute little college shower apparatus that I thought would be great for by the pool. Shopping with one child is sooooo much easier than two!

He brought his baby and is proud of it!

6:00

Next was Trader Joe's. Scott and Brooke met us there. It's totally typical of me to have two carts, a kid in each but Scott was home so I recruited help!

The kids are in that back cart...I promise.

7:00

Alright so don't call CPS...this was a long day and Lucas and I just ate dinner. I know its late and I know this is typically his bed time...but I did make it up to him by getting him Red Mango after we ate. That makes up for it right Hungry Runner Girl? Parenting at its best....staying up late and eating frozen yogurt with the fixings!

Obviously couldn't help but eat some before I took the pic!

8:00
Next came love, then came marriage...no really. Next came baths, then brushing teeth, then books, then feed fishy, then bed for the kids. Then I cleaned up downstairs, then I tried to finish this entry but never did because it took too long....Hope I didn't bore ya! But this is....

A day in the life of ...

Annette!

What do you think?
Have you ever strapped a sandwich to yourself on a long run????

Do you want a nap after a long run?

Are you a bit irritable after a tough workout?

Do you get your kids to bed on time EVERY night?

Do you have days that are just totally filled with chores?

Do you use frozen yogurt or icecream as a bargaining tool?

YOUR TURN!

Update / Q& A Pass it on!

2011-07-12T11:52:00.003-04:00

Today is the first day that I'm feeling better and more towards normal. The CAT scan came out clear which is good. I mostly felt off balance, nauseus, lil' pukey dukey, dizzy and all that jazzy stuff. I handled not being at the TRI pretty well and took it with a grain of salt. I am not sure I would have handled it the same way if that happened with my marathon.

It turned out last minute that a friend had a number she couldn't use and we were going to do the ol' switcharooni. Up until Saturday morning I was still going to "try the tri" to be honest. It took a little of me getting ill after a swim for me to say to myself-cut the shit, you're not racing. Toughing it out is what I do, listening to my body is what I don't do, its what I am trying to learn! Toughing it out is what I've done in the past and its gotten me in trouble-this was a lesson and its the first time I've listened. So to you concussion....

On that note...

One of the blogs I follow, The Manly Runner has started a Question and Answer forum. I was tagged which is very exciting! I hope you have some questions but more so I hope I have some answers!!!! I will try my darndest! So give it your best shot, ask me a question, any question....running, training, biking, swim, kids, school, the hub....you get the picture!

I will choose five blogs to pass the Q & A on to! Looking forward to it!

Back and Forth

2011-07-08T16:11:00.001-04:00

So, I am reluctantly headed back to the ER. I'm still feeling not the best and called the doctor to get a guesstimate of when I could resume activity and/or would be feeling myself again. He wasn't thrilled that they didn't do the CAT scan so I was told to go back. I really feel like I am going to be sitting in the parking lot for a good hour deciding whether to go in or not. Pretty sure I'll be making some "What do you think??" phone calls. So here, friends is one of my glitches. When it comes to myself I apparently have trouble making a decisions lol especially with things like this, you know concussions and all. I think the problem is that part of me is scared, part of me is nervous, part of me doesn't want to go through a CAT scan if it isn't neccesary...etc. etc.

The babysitter will be here in about five minutes...so we will see. Maybe I'll take a pic of me laying down in the ER because I wouldn't want to go another day without a pic of me laying down...

BTW...still bummed about the tri. I will update on that all later. I guess though like many of you have said, everything happens for a reason.

Really P-O'ed

2011-07-07T21:19:00.000-04:00

Honestly, I can't believe I am even typing this post right now. I'm so upset but at the same time so in shock that I can't even cry. I took the half hour trip to pick up my packet for the triathlon this weekend and when I got to the counter they couldn't find my name. I waited, asked them to double check and was relieved when I saw they were looking for Johnston. Whew..that's why. Panic started to come back when she still couldn't find my name. "I'm sorry you're not on this list. A few others had this problem. There was a small button that you had to confirm, are you sure you confirmed?"

what?

I can't not believe what you are telling me right now.

what?

I just don't even know what to say. I really can't grasp how this happened and how I didn't do it right? I also don't know why I was so sure I was signed up...it seems like such a STUPID mistake to make. I remember sitting there signing up for it. I remember thinking "wow, this is a lot of goddamn money!" I can't stand that I am not doing something that I have been working for. I can't stand that I said I was doing something and I'm not now. I'm a bit pissed.....

I have to calm down and remember that this was going to be my first "fun-try-it-out" tri, that I was going to possibly give up my spot anyway if my head still hurt from the concussion...........the problem is I really wanted to do it...and it sucks.

Houston-We Have a Concussion

2011-07-07T13:36:00.001-04:00

So I couldn't write yesterday because you would have thought I was having my 4 year old daughter write the post. I was totally out of it so my parents picked up the kids and I made an afternoon pit-stop to the ER. Yes, the ER. Now I wish I could tell you that I fell off my bike during this crazy ride, or maybe I was swimming so fast that I swam into a boulder, or something else that is more on the lines of exciting and dangerous. That is not the case.

On Tuesday when I was playing with the kids I was throwing a bag into the carport. I had opened the gate to the carport and was standing in between. I kind of hip thrusted the door open and didn't realize the swing it was going to have coming back. The black gate latched slammed right into my left temple so hard that it knocked me to the ground. My daughter came running and I just sat there on my knees until I could see straight. We checked if it was bleeding and then I just tried to rub it out. The spot where I was hit started to throb but I really didn't think much of it and went on with the day.

I cleaned, cooked dinner and even tried a yoga class. During dinner I wasn't too hungry just felt weird. I thought maybe I was a little thirsty and tried to rehydrate before yoga. I went to yoga and couldn't make it through the class which has never happened. I had to lay there because it is a big no-no to leave a hot yoga class and the guy teaching it is NUTSO. Again, I thought I was just a little dehydrated and that I'll lay here, go home, go to sleep and take a full rest day tomorrow. I got in the car to leave and knew something was wrong because I felt so weird..plus I didn't stop to get my usual Red Mango yogurt. I went home and just laid down feeling not so good and realizing my head is starting to really hurt now...not just in the one spot. That's when I remembered that I got hit in the head. I didn't think much of it...just went to sleep.

Long story short, I woke the next day and was in a friggin ridiculous fog. I couldn't really think without it hurting. I was not myself. Lethargic, headache, foggy, and very, very nauseus. My dad pretty much said if you don't go get checked out by the doctor you are not doing the Tri. Threatening is pretty much the only thing that works with me... So I called the doctor. Apperently they will not see anyone that has "concussion like symptoms because of the accident that Natasha Richardson had"...way to scare the crap out of someone lady. She tells me that I should go to the ER and that I needed to tell her which one. Wonderful. My favorite place. The germy, disgusting ER.

I went to Mather. I explained what happened and that I really didn't want to be there. She did a few tests and then said she didn't think "there was any bleeding" and that she didn't want to do a CAT scan because its equivalent to 100 chest xrays...blah blah..something like that. Long story short. I am home, she diagnosed it as a concussion, and my parents took the kids for the night and day so I could rest. Scott asked me a zillion silly questions yesterday to make sure I wasn't losing my memory... to be honest I'm not sure I could answer on a normal day...lol. I am still not 100%. My eyes feel weird...like they are not exactly listening to the direction I want them to go. My head is still throbbing where I was hit and I can't really touch it. Today I'm just going to lounge by the pool and try to relax and not think about trying to do anything to prep for this race. IF, I still feel this way on Sunday I am going to be forced to make a choice. I obviously don't want to put myself in danger. I have come up with a decision if I can't race....it has to do with not losing my spot, cheering and giving someone my number. To that someone...don't start getting all crazy on me...I will decide Saturday night.

So here's another picture of me sleeping on a RUNNING blog ....I gotta get myself together ! lmao!

sleeping after ridding myself of all germs from the ER!

Mess of a Run

2011-07-05T17:37:00.001-04:00

So I think I mentioned I have a tri this weekend and I'm starting to feel a bit more prepared. I went to the water two more times and wasn't as petrified. I did do a lot of swimming over the winter but it was all in a pool. I'm not sure why I was naive enough to think it wouldn't be too much of a difference...

Because of the tri I put the marathon training on hold for a week (sort of). I started the training program 2 weeks early in case anything came up, if I needed to rest the body a bit or if life happened. I felt that this week would be overdoing it if I was trying to swim, bike and run 3, 4, 7 and then 15 miles mixed in with a race. So I decided to do a repeat of last week.

Yesterday, I headed out for a 10 miler and relearned some very valuable lessons. Its so funny how running is like life....as soon as you think you have it down...BAM! It throws you for a loop.

Things I did wrong yesterday:

* Went out without hydrating enough.

*Was rushed and forgot my second GU--so I had nothing to refuel with at mile 6...not good.

*Left the house around 10:30 which left me running during the hottest part of the day

*Not mapping out the run and just "going for it"...I think that attitude is okay in some conditions but these were not the best

*Running part of my route to the beach on a Holiday weekend = not smart. The drivers were nuts and the road doesn't allow much room for bikers and runners.

Scott had decided to take the kids to the beach I was running to and noticed I wasn't on route during the time I should have been. He backtracked and found me. I got in the car--took a swig of muscle milk, ate a small bit, drank a water and got back out to finish the 10. Why? I felt much better and the one thing I'm training myself to do is stick to what I set out to do. It builds the mind and I'm thinking you need that for the marathon.

(Unless of course it is going to kill ya...but after I ate I knew it wouldn't. ;)

After the run, I joined them at the beach and swam a bit. My daughter is so ridiculously scared of the creatures and seaweed in the water. I can't imagine where she gets that from??? I got a nice swim in there but didn't try it with my wetsuit....I thought people might stare too much considering it was about 90 degrees out and the water was about 75!

When we got home I was EXHAUSTED.

Tried resting in the backyard while Brooke panicked about the loud sounds from the fireworks. Obviously from the picture below that didn't work out so well....That would be a "caught in the act" shot of Brooke about to slap a bug off my back.

I'm pretty sure there was no bug!

I was forced to sleep sitting up. Eventually the bugs got to me and I snuck off to bed. The day was exhausting...I still feel a bit dehydrated from that run with a slight headache.

Where in the world does she get that energy??

Flash Mob for the 4th!

2011-07-04T10:50:00.001-04:00

Weird, Scared and Ugly

2011-07-03T14:09:00.001-04:00

Friday night I went out with a friend and we had a really nice night. Good food and some good laughs and one really nice cosmo. Stopped at the one knowing that I had a long run in the morning. When I woke I was 'sleptover'(..my new word for needing more sleep and feeling hungover for not getting it).

I had to do 10 miles, it was a stepback week on the HH plan. I was dreading it as I trudged downstairs, prepped myself and headed out the door. It's crazy how those runs you are dreading the most turn out to be some of the best. I really enjoyed the run and felt great the whole way through. Hal (we're on a first name basis) says that by week 9 you start to notice a change on how you feel during the long runs. That they don't seem so long anymore. I got a little taste of that on yesterday's run. It just didn't seem like such a big deal anymore. 10 schmen. I think that is why I like his program...he goes big, bigger and then let's you soak that in for a week with a stepback week. It's good for the mental aspect and helps the body recover also.

Scared and Ugly:

I took my 10 mile run down to the beach and decided to try out my wetsuit and swim a bit. Sounds easy right? Well I freaked out in the water and it took a lot of self-talk to even swim for 10 minutes. Um, did I mention that I have a TRI next week? My first tri? Okay...lets talk scared. I can be your biggest scaredy-cat which is nuts because I can also be one of the most daring people. I will try things but I'm usually scared crazy while I'm doing it. Why was I so scared you ask?? THE CREATURES!!!! Dude...when you have those goggles on you can see everything! EV-ER-Y-THING! There were eels, crabs, horseshoe crabs...all kinds of crap. Now, I know, they live there....but I was still scared. That's where the ugly comes in....I screamed like a bat out of hell when I saw the eel...it was a bit funny to others...ugly to me. So if there are swimmers out there...please helpe me get over this silly mental part. Tommorow I will go out and try it again. I'll be sure to pray to the swim gods first that I will be swimming without so many creatures.

Here's where I swam with the creatures...with not the best form!

Weird-

Today I had a cross-training day and took the bike out because..you know...that TRI that came out of nowhere is next week. I'm stopped at a light and some guyish/kid (couldn't tell) rolls up besides me on his bike. Now, I'm thinking that's weird already...do you? Shouldn't he have just waited right behind me? So anyway, he takes out his ipod, looks over and says "hey". Um..."hey" I said. He goes...." So whatcha doing?". What am I doing? I'm knitting. Really? I say, "I'm riding". Then we just sit there quietly until the light changes . Is that weird or is it me?

Let's cross our fingers that tomorrow will be a better day in the swim department.

Any last minute Tri pointers would be greatly appreciated.

What are some 'mental' obstacles that you have had to get over in your swim, bike or run workouts?

Bring IT!

2011-07-01T16:54:00.002-04:00

As much as I hate confrontation, uncomfortable'ness'

In my life all it has done

is bring me to a place with more clarity

so life...

bring it on!

I feel like in my thirties I have dealt with such difficult times, situations, moments, what have you. I am also aware that with every situation there is someone, somewhere that has a more difficult one happening to them. With that said, however difficult and crappy you feel when your are in the thick of it, I really do believe it makes you so much of a stronger and more aware person. I feel the hardest part is remembering that in the end it will make you stronger, if you listen and learn, and you don't drown in it...cause if you're drowning you can't be learning from it.

That's where your friends come in, your family. That is what they are there for--to help you not drown from it. They are not there, nor should they be there to save you. They are there to throw you a small little raft so you can float and figure out how to swim again. What's funny is what I've also learned in my thirties (and I am still learning) is who those real, raw, friends are. Who is willing to give of themselves when its not pretty. I have to say if you asked me 5 years ago who those people would be....I may have had one person correct! Hindsite is 20/20. The hindsite also helps me to reflect on who I've been there for. Have I been there in the thick of it for my people, my friends, my family. I can say that in many cases I have...and some I could have done better.

***

So today I will be grateful for all the 'pain in the ass' moments, all the sad moments, all the moments when I wanted to just throw in the towel because those moments have made me stronger and continue to do so. Today I will not be sad about the people I have lost but I will happy that I got the chance to know them.

Today I will be grateful.
Who will join me?

Wordless Wednesday...cause I have no words except GOD PLEASE HELP ME!

2011-06-29T23:00:00.001-04:00

I had the refrigerator door open for 1 minute. 1 minute alone.

The New Trader Joe's spokesperson

Can you see what he is doing? No?....hold let me give you a closer look!

SHARPIE!

Saturday Post on Monday - Half of the Whole

2011-06-27T18:11:00.001-04:00

Posting a couple days late. Lots have been going on and I'm a bit preoccupied. I will catch up on some post as promised...

Today was my “half-marathon” part of training and I feel shockingly great after it. I changed a few things about my routine so we’ll see if recovery is a bit quicker after this long run than the other. The run was beautiful and not-so-flat. The K’ster kept telling me it has some rolling hills…let me tell you –those damn hills were alive with the sound of “crap my legs are killing me and are you f*cking kidding me”. I made it through them and am feeling some much needed positivity thanks to it.

REEEEcap….

Woke at 5, rolled out of bed by 5:20 (Let’s not mention that to Brian…)
Ate a peanut butter sandwich and drank a bottle of water.
Stretched.
15 minutes before start- Took 1 Vanilla GU (wasn’t crazy about vanilla) **I usually take the chomps…this was a nice difference…definitely lasted longer**
9 / 9 ½ minute mile pace up until around 7
Stopped at 6 to refill on water
Refueled with a ROCTANE GU at mile 7 **Never tried this and it kept me really good till the end of the run**
Last two miles were killer because of the hills. I was feeling hungry again at about that point and started talking about craving a burger when some random dude joined in on the conversation…we talked about all our favorite fixings….(okay we yelled because we were going in different directions)…but on with it..how nice would it be…ketchup, mayo, mustard, cheese, a pickle..some fries…oh yeah…back to the run.
Finally made it back. Had a jug of water and stretched, and talked and was in awe of K’s hair…when I realized my hair was just as knotted up as hers! It was so humid and misty that it was one big knotty mess. I’m going to have to try the braid approach next time. Any other suggestions out there??
Got home- drank a chocolate Muscle Milk which I’ve been loving a whole lot for recovery. Again…more suggestions for recovery meals are very much appreciated.
Then for the big difference..I tried an ice bath. Let me tell you that shite is cold!!! I (couldn’t really handle) I had to force myself to sit in it for the first three minutes…it was really crazy cold. After that Brooke came up to hold my hand and found it truly hysterical that I was shivering. As I sat in the cold, icy water I Googled “How long should you sit in cold, icy water after a long run”. Yes, seriously. Consensus was about 1 minute for each mile.
I couldn't get myself to sit yet!

I stopped being a chicken and got right in....not so bad after the initial 3-4 minutes of pain lol

After that, I had three Advil and on to cleaning the house! I really felt okay after it…I couldn’t believe it! First long-long run was a success!

Strategy used during the last 1/4 of a mile..."I'm Going on a Picnic" The things you will do to make it through!
Lets see if I can remember: (can't lie..I had to call K for F and K)
Apples
Bananas
Cherries
Ding Dongs
Edamame
Fish
Goat cheese
Hummus
Icecream
Jelly rings
K
Lindser Tart

My New Job and My New Bedtime

2011-06-24T18:31:00.001-04:00

So school is out and I was able to relax for about 10 minutes...I relaxed until I realized I apparently have a new job...The Official JPP. Johnson's Playground Police. Honestly, Lucas is a walking accident and my pressure rises everytime he climbs the stairs to "his" new playset. He likes to hang off the top, swing, do a little air time ...(that's about when my pressure rises) and then land on his rump to slide down. This would be why I have to 'monitor' all the action on my 'tower'. Just an FYI...this was supposed to be something we got so the kids could go play and mommy could actually relax for a minute. I think that may happen next year...but its not happening this year.

This is the swinging before the gliding in the air...that you can see I am absolutely thrilled about

Okay so maybe I need to relax...but HE COULD fall through that part in the side!!!!

New Bedtime- Along with marathon training is the need for a new bedtime. I really think I was a bit delirious last night after hot yoga. The class is at 8 and I like to go to the latest one so I can put the kids to sleep. The problem is I am just so damn tired the next day! Tomorrow I have to wake at 5!!! FIVE!!! (Just in case you didn't hear that the first time). Hal's plan for us tomorrow is a half-marathon. I mean really....the guy just writes...Half-marathon...and that's it...like its nothing! Honestly, I'm really psyched to do it. I think I will be nervous when it gets up to 16 and 18....that sh*ts crazy!...Good crazy...but crazy nonetheless! So tonights bedtime is going to be around 8:30. I'm crazy fun these days! lol

My Favorite Little Man

2011-06-22T17:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to my Lil' Man Luke. I can't believe that two years have gone by already. Lucas is turning out to be such a sweet, sensitive, caring and DARING little boy. I think that daring part may come along with the boy territory.

Look at that grumpy little face!!

I love you so much and I am already so proud of who you are. You make my day with your cute little smiles, your tough hugs and your belly laughs.

Girls Tree Club

2011-06-21T16:31:00.000-04:00

So a little hoorah to the day being over and making it out alive. I always seem to work myself up more than necessary...I was very prepared and was able to answer every question that was "thrown" at me. I am physically and mentally exhausted from graduation and the meetings . I'm glad its over and wishing and wondering why can't everyday be "Girls Tree Club" day??? Looking forward to this much needed summer break!!!

No Boys Allowed!

PR'ing All of Over da Place!

2011-06-20T23:49:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I ran. I was feeling better towards the end of the day leg wise and a little pep talk from a friend helped me pull through and I decided to run the race...whether I had to walk it or slow it down a bit.  It's crazy to me that I did better than last year considering that I went into the race thinking I'll run slow and I'll take it easy . Goes to show what being relaxed can do for a run. (My crazy kick ass massage yesterday could have helped also!) Sunken Meadow is known for Cardiac Hill...I have to walk it. Maybe in the future I will make it a goal to run it...but for now...not so much.
So...on to my PR's
2010 Hecksher State Park 5 mile- 47:37     9:31 pace
2011 Hecksher State Park 5 mile-46:03      9:12 pace

2010 Sunken Meadow Park 6 mile- 1:05:27    10:31 pace
2010 Sunken Meadow Park 6 mile-    58:50     9:28 pace

Pretty cool huh?! Looking forward to my rest day tomorrow. Lil' bit of graduation, CSE's and some well deserved R&R.

Oh..here's a cool tidbit if you didn't know already. Here is a link to a website that will give you ALL the races you have ever done, the times, paces..etc. Very cool! Its called athlinks. All you have to do is enter your name...and kablam! Your results....for any race you have ever done!

Me and the kiddies after the run

The Groupies

Have fun with that...see you tomorrow!

A Promise

2011-06-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Its been a couple of weeks since I have posted and I am promising to get back into my daily blogging. It helped me process all my "stuff" and I definitely could use some processing. This post is most definitely going to need to be a bulleted post...to much to...process lol.

* One more week till school is left and I have two HUGE CSE's coming up. Anyone in the teaching world knows that this is not too much fun. Graduation for my fifth grade students will be this Tuesday. I love the graduation ceremony but I am a softy and pretty much cry each time...maybe not a full-blown cry...a weep. Yes, a weep. I'll save the full-blown cry for my kids.

* Running- I am going in to week 8 of marathon training. Yesterday I ran 12 miles after a 12 mile week. I'm not going to lie it was tough. Running this much is tough work people! I give credit to those of you have picked the marathon to have as your race of choice. I think after September my race of choice will be the half. I'm pretty sure my body likes that race better. I won't say definite though because when I was training for the half...my body was liking the 5ks. This is what's coming up in the HIGDON world this week.

Rest

3 m run

6 m run

3 m run

Rest

Half Marathon

I am having difficulty swinging the summer runs and this schedule. For instance tomorrow is the 10k summer run and I'm not sure my legs are up to it yet. I am absolutely listening to my body first...then fun times, wanting to be in a race, relaxing with fun people and getting out will come after. I promise you left leg. (there are a lot of promises in this post...hmm) Also been trying to figure out my best options for recovery food. I've been downing a muscle milk after with a banana...been feeling okay with that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

*Hot, Hot, Hot-a new obsession of mine has been hot yoga. I really would have never thought I would like hot yoga because I am not a fan of sweaty people or smelly people and I am not crazy about being in really hot and humid places (except if I am laying down tanning with a drink in my hand...and an umbrella in the drink). After two classes this all changed for me. I absolutely love it. It loosens up my muscles so much and we know how much I need that since I've been missing my Jason sessions (lol..i love how he is now my jason). It makes me sleep sooooo well and it makes my skin feel like a baby's bottom! Yeah! You heard it hear first folks! Honestly though, it really works wonders with the deep muscles and I really don't think I would be able to keep up this mileage without it!

*Lukey turns TWO on Wednesday. Can you believe that??? Its nuts. There really isn't more to say about that. No big party this year because he is getting a swing set...which is redonkulous in price especially considering we live across the street from a park! It may seem silly to get a swing set when you have one across the street but that park is a double-edge sword...pretty much the same as the ice cream coming around the park every night at 6 30.

*Drinky, Drinky- Okay so we took the Pops out for lunch on Father's day and I had one cosmo. ONE. One cosmo and I was SHITE faced!! Really? As I write this I'm already milking a headache. What's up with that?? I guess my healthyish body doesn't really like the drinky, drinky.

Drink of choice...cosmo. Maybe that's why...?

This is me having to sit only about 1/2 hour later...really?

I think I will sign off now...so I have something to write tomorrow! I hope you will continue checking back because I did make a promise and I am usually pretty good on those. See you later!

What do you do for recovery after a long run?
Have you, would you ever try Hot Bikram Yoga?

Do you drink and run? (Not at the same time lol) Meaning can you drink one night and do long runs the next..or am I just getting old?

A Lil' Bit of R & R- Ryders (Eyewear) Review

2011-06-06T23:11:00.000-04:00

So I have been holding off to write this review until I used the glasses for biking and running. When I first received the glasses from Devon at Outside PR, I wasn't full force back into running so it's taken some time to be able to write a fair review. Here's me being excited about getting the glasses for a review and doing a "practice" run.

Practice run in the den

Okay so here are the details on these very cool glasses.
I received:
RYDERS EYEWEAR
Black -Nitrous
Lens- Photochromic Brown, Poly carbonate, 100% UV Protection
Anti-slip Nose pads and temple tips
69.99

What I liked:
*They were very lightweight. It was a noticeable difference from the glasses that I already own.
*Stayed on nicely for both run and bike...sweat and all.
*Never ran with glasses before this and really didn't mind it as much as I thought I would. I especially liked it on the trails. I didn't get ONE critter caught in the eye those runs!!!
*They are very well priced for such a great name and well made product. All the gear adds up so this was nice to see!
*They were cute and not too manly looking like most of the 'sporty' glasses.
*I like that they got darker in the sun.
* I like that I am protecting my lil' green eyes in the bright sun!
* Had no problems with them on the ride. My other glasses would sometimes slip or hurt the back of my ear.

What I didn't like:
* If I purchase another pair in the future I would go with a lens that is darker. I just like how they look better. I didn't realize these were so light.
*They did fog a bit when I ran in the rain. I think it may have been mostly from my breathing. This didn't happen when I was riding in the rain...hmmm??? More air circulation?

Would I recommend them?
* I would actually buy another pair myself, so yes. Plus if my husband continues to try and steal these I may be forced to! They are very reasonably priced and there are so many varieties to choose from.

* I was excited to see Ryders Eyewear for sale at one of my favorite running stores-Sayville Running Company...they carry some of the best brands and you know you are getting the good stuff when you go there. So I am pretty sure that means they would recommend them also!!

I couldn't get any pics in action so here are some before the action...with one of my favorite 'action figures'!!

Do you think she'll notice if I steal these rad glasses right off her face??

Me, my glasses, my son and my COUSINS 40th birthday balloon...(not that 40 is bad...I'm just not there yet!)

My lil' Ryders Eyewear model!!!

Do you wear glasses on your runs?

Do you wear glasses on your rides?

What brand do you prefer? Have you ever tried Ryders?

Would you be interested?

THE WELLNESS GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!!!

2011-06-04T22:24:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I had to use Random.org because I felt the need to be as fair as possible....I did feel the urge to pass the books on to those most interested, so again...Random.org.

P.S...Marie...if you are interested I could send you my copies to borrow. Some people can share books...some like to write all over them...so you let me know.

The list went like this ..because I had to take those out that said they weren't ready for the cleanse.

1Elle

2Elle

3Rachelle

4Rachelle

5Maria

6Marie

7Jen

8Kelly

9Kelly

10Janet

11Amanda

12Amanda

13Amanda

14Amanda

15Marie

16Jen

17Jen

18Jen

19Mom

20Mom

SEE BELOW FOR THE PUDDING AND THE PROOF! CONGRATS JEN....LET ME KNOW YOUR EMAIL SO I CAN GET YOUR DEETS!!!!

(BTW...when I posted the number it didn't show the right numbers...if anyone knows how to correct this let me know...I promise it was 16!!!!)

GIVEAWAY...and The Lowdown on put the SUGAR DOWN

2011-06-01T15:50:00.001-04:00

First off, I want to apologize for not being present in the blog world lately but I have made a commitment to myself to put 'First things First' and haven't had a free minute to give it the attention that I wanted. It's also a hectic time of year for us teachers with state assessments, galas...you know the drill.

On to the nitty gritty...

Tomorrow is the last day of the Quantum Wellness Cleanse book giveaway and I'm really excited to pass on the wellness. My SIL recently posted a comment on my blog that I wanted to share.

I have to admit, when I first read about this Cleanse, I thought "No way." I did a Cleanse earlier this year and loved it, but it was only 4 days, and I was allowed to have caffeine. 21 days just seemed....... well, impossible.

Honestly, what changed my mind was seeing you this past weekend. You look SO healthy and fit, and you looked healthy and fit before!!! Your skin and eyes looked so clear and healthy, and your tummy definitely did flatten out! I could see those 6 pounds that you lost. Its one thing to read about a cleanse or a fitness program, but its another thing to see its actual effects in real life. That was just the motivation I needed!

So, I feel like this Kathy Freston program is the thing to take me to the next level. That and re-joining the Y so I can start swimming, too! (No better summer workout!)

How bad was your caffeine and sugar withdrawal?

Caffeine I started a few weeks before the actual cleanse because I was nervous about it. I did it slowly and it wasn't that bad. Knowing that I might have withdrawal and expecting the withdrawal made it not so bad. Kathy guides you in her book, day by day about what you may feel and how to handle it. It all made so much sense about how the more I took in caffeine my body became more dependent and how my body would "miss the benefits of rest". Before my body would begin training for the marathon I wanted to see what it could do on its own…not "artificially".
But how bad was it? Not bad at all. I think Scott can also vouch that he thought giving up the sugar would be TEN MILLION times worse. Knowing and understanding that it wasn't really that bad or hard is what helps me now that I am finished with the cleanse because now I understand that it is all a choice. I understand why I am going for the snickers bar now...I feel more powerful, more aware.

How long did the cravings last?
The cravings for sugar lasted for about 4-5 days. After that I found myself realizing I didn't need it and that there were other options and actually being able to choose those other options. This was a very empowering feeling. Giving up the sweets and gluten was most difficult when I was out in social situations. On that note...my hardest withdrawal was with the gluten. That was hard but again I found other options that I am still using today.

When did it start feeling GOOD?
Honestly, I am going to say day 3-4. I started immediately noticing changes in my body. I noticed it in my skin. I was able to sleep better at night. I noticed changes in the bathroom department lol...which was welcomed! I felt so proud that I was able to make choices and say no to something that I thought controlled me (sugar/caffeine).

Were you starving the whole time?
NO! I actually never felt fuller. (I know this is sounding like Kathy is paying me lol but I promise you she's not lol) The food was healthy, real, and there really were no limits on how much you ate. Everything I ate was much more filling than the junk I was used to.

And do you feel like the changes “stuck”?
The changes absolutely stayed with me...they be stuck! The one thing I did go back to full force is the gluten. With running it is not very hard to stay away from the carbs nor did I want to stay away. The sugar- I am much more limited than I ever was. I know now that I really don't need the artificial sugars. I also am so much more aware of how much sugar is actually in my food....and stay away from things that are unnecessary. So for example I'll choose dried fruit now instead of gummy bears lol... Caffeine- I haven’t gone back to this because I realized how much it was keeping me up, how I had such ups and downs from it, and overall just made me feel dependent on something which I don’t like.

I hope this helped! You have till midnight tomorrow to enter! So excited for the giveaway!
Enter the giveaway here!!!!
http://runintherightdirection.blogspot.com/2011/05/im-giving-away-some-quantum-wellness.htmlI thought this said it well...it changes you in all the best ways...from the inside-out. Here are some questions that Marie asked me to answer...I'll do my best!

Mommy Monday in Pics!

2011-05-23T21:28:00.001-04:00

I've been missing my Mommy Monday posts and figured I would share what has been keeping me so busy besides work and running!

Lucas danced his way into getting all of these leis. The kids got skills.

I've been trying to tell Scott that this is ABSOLUTELY normal...so you other moms could you please support me when I say..."If you have a sister...you can pretty much guarantee you are going to be dressing up!"

Too cute...

Lucas doing "Downward Facing Dog"

Okay. So I am pretty sure Supernanny would say its not right to take pictures whilst the child is IN the naughty corner...but I couldn't help it. He was so darn cute. Notice the wet pants...he flooded my laundry room from holding down the water lever on the cooler. Today he stuffed THREE kernels of CORN up ONE nostril!!! AND YES..if I could of I WOULD HAVE taken a picture lol...but I was too busy popping them out of his nostril to grab the camera.

"Mommy- these are the bestestes cupcakes ever" (that was an intentional typo btw)

This is something I made for Brooke's Dance Birthday party...Sorry rocky..couldn't resist the cute pic of you two!

Making the mache part of Paper mache

This is when things were still 'kinda' neat

This is when we were done!!!! We'll paint and add faces and hair tomorrow.

Kids helping me with dinner

Planting and then watering the garden.

Celebrating the big 4! Look how proud she is....

So there ya go...what I have been up to...with some running, hot yoga, playing and sleeping thrown in there. Now that the party planning is done I am going to focus on filling in my running planners and posting my goals, what I am doing, yada yada...you know...all things running.

Remember to put in for the KATHY FRESTON QUANTUM WELLNESS BOOK GIVEAWAY.

Only 24 hours?and Book Giveaway

2011-05-21T08:49:00.001-04:00

I haven't been here in a week and its so frustrating because I want to be. I find myself waking up a bit earlier and going to sleep a bit later to try and fit it all in. How does one fit in being a mommy, a wife, a teacher, training for a marathon, taking care of a house AND writing a blog?? It's hard.

How do I fit it all in in 24 hours?? I don't know but I am sure going to try because I miss my blogging everyday. I think I am going to have to put aside a set time each day...probably in the am...ugh...did I ever tell you I am NOT a morning person? My body fights every effort I make to train myself to be a morning person...my body is winning that fight.
So what's new:
*This Monday will be WEEK 3 of training for my 1st marathon. I have been keeping up with all of my runs and I have been stretching after each run. I get very tight after the long runs and do feel some pinching but I am staying on top of it and refuse to be stupid...meaning I will rest if my body asks for it.

* I PLACED 2ND in that "fake" Triathlon at my gym. It was the final class for the Tri training I took. I have to say it didn't feel so fake after...I was so tired and hurting. The swim was incredibly difficult because the adrenaline caught up with me and messed up my breathing. I was in 4th place with the swim...moved up to 3rd with bike and then pushed through at the very end and came in 2nd with the run. There were 6 students. I was the only "chick"...and I use that term only because the instructor used it after I beat 4 of the guys and said..."You got chicked"!

* My little girl turned 4 on mothers day. What an awesome day it turned out to be. The hub went above and beyond and showed that he is "in it to win it"...sorry I can't get Randy Jackson out of my head...BTW...who do you think is going to win idol? or do you not care???

* QUANTUM WELLNESS GIVEAWAY- some more info...
I promised I would share some more things about the book and why I thought it was so awesome. It seems so many people think they can't do it or don't even want to do it..but I urge you to try it as a challenge...you may be pleasantly surprised.

* I was able to find new foods and try new foods that I had never been interested in.

* It helped me wipe my slate clean ...literally.

* It helped me to see that if I can do this...I honestly can do ANYTHING and I DON'T need to
     eat 3 candy bars when I am stressed

* It allowed me to see that I do have the power to pass on things that I KNOW are not going to make me feel good or make my body stronger...which is what I want for running.

  * It took off 6 pounds that I didn't even know I had to lose.

* IT MADE MY BELLY FLAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you'll take the challenge on...or try for the books and take it on when you feel like its a better time for you.
Click here to enter the giveaway.

I'll check in tomorrow! Good luck with the Giveaway!!!

I'm Giving Away Some QUANTUM WELLNESS!!!!!!

2011-05-14T22:32:00.005-04:00

So if you have been reading my blog you have been hearing some news about a cleanse that I did and how I couldn't wait to tell you about it. I've been holding off because there is a lot of info I wanted to share and I wanted to be able to explain with pics how it helped me, the hard parts, the end results...etc. etc. I'm sure you all know that that takes some time ;). PLUS I also wanted to see how I felt the month after the cleanse. I am going to break this into a few posts because I know how you all ~~jump to the giveaway info and skip all of this IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!~~ love reading paragraphs and paragraphs.

First things first. Why a cleanse?
The word 'cleanse' doesn't always get the best reaction from people. My dad thought I was going to have to drink some wacky drink for a month with no food, my mom wondered out loud ~~isn't wondering supposed to be in your head??~~ "I wonder why you are always running around doing this crazy stuff ~~crap~~, and someone I work with thought I was certainly losing my mind because I was considering not eating meat for 21 days. "What no sausage in the morning...?!"

So Why?
I was running, working out, taking care of myself all day and then I would eat my head off at night. Now, I wouldn't mind the eating because I do run and exercise...the problem was what I was eating. I can't tell you how much chocolate or sugary items I ate in one night. Actually, I can...I could easily leave Target with a Snickers and Hershey Almond bar as a 'shopping snack', I would get tins of chocolate for presents and they would be gone the next day, if I ran out of chocolate in the house-I would eat baking chocolate, I've eaten 13 cherry cordials in ONE SITTING. My husband could easily find 10 -12 Hershey Kiss wrappers under my pillow (yes, I did). I was addicted to chocolate. I was addicted to sugar. Sugar loved me and I loved sugar. No question about it.

I also started drinking coffee a few years ago...needed a new habit ;) and over those two years went from a small, to a medium, to a large, to 2 larges. Long story short here...I wasn't sleeping as well at night, I felt jittery and anxious more often than not, and I felt dependent on the caffeine. I was addicted to caffeine.

I first heard about the cleanse through a friend and thought THERE IS NO WAY I COULD EVER DO THAT! Honestly, when I told Scott about it, he looked at me like..."Annette, Seriously? Where should I move for those 21 days?" All I could do was laugh, my nervous-scared-laugh.

I wanted a fresh start. I loved how Kathy Freston promised that I may "break free from some of my lesser habits and cravings and the impulse for immediate gratification", I loved that it was "about choosing foods that don't tax the body and make it work so hard", and I loved how she said "the beauty of it is that you can take what feels right from this program and leave the rest behind". It is an opportunity to "reboot". That is why I did the cleanse. I wanted to clean my slate....and that it did!

So here's how I am going to do it. I 'm going to first wet your palate by explaining what the cleanse consists of.
Kathy suggests Eight Pillars of Wellness-
* meditation
* visualization
* fun activities
* conscious eating
* exercise
* self-work
* spiritual practice
* service
Her Quantum Wellness Book is a "Practical and spiritual guide to health and happiness". It explains all of the above Eight Pillars.

The Quantum Wellness Cleanse walks you through 21 days of practicing a life-style change. It takes you by the hand and walks you through day-by-day to help you understand what to do, what to expect, ways to eat and how to deal with the crap that comes up when you are indulging in all of those things that help you through your 'tough times'.
Please don't fall on the ground and cry that you can't do this because if I could do it, you could do it.... Absolutely, no one was hurt in my 21 days....so you should be fine.
During the cleanse you will refrain from the "Big Five" (I will leave my first reactions to this in parenthesis)
*caffeine (how on earth?...ouch)
*alcohol (gulp)
*gluten (seriously...I'm not sure you know how much crap Gluten is in... so double ouch)
*animal products (hmmm)
*sugar (seriously Kathy???WHY OH WHY???)
Okay...that wasn't too bad right?

I will be posting about this for a couple of days just so you can understand how I have changed from it. I didn't want to go toooo much into it in one day because I know its a lot to read with our busy lives.

So here's your favorite part.

Kathy Freston agreed to give BOTH books- Quantum Wellness and The Quantum Wellness Cleanse to one lucky winner!!!!

and here's why I'm JEALOUS!!!!

SHE SIGNED THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The "must" rules (1 entry each)

1. Follow this blog cause its so darn good!

2. Write WHY you would want the books and how you think it would help you most.

The Teachers pet-extra credit rules (1 entry each)

3. Post this giveaway on your blog!

4. Like this blog on facebook (cause it took me two hours to figure out how to do it...!)

5. Like Kathy Freston on Facebook and tell her (Running) In the Right Direction sent ya!

Giveaway ends JUNE 4TH!!!!!!!!

Jumpin and a Skippin, Giveaways, Reviews...etc!

2011-05-13T22:35:00.000-04:00

Okay so I'm literally jumping and skipping around the house tonight. Tomorrow morning I have my "fake but not so fake" first Tri!! It is the last class in the 9 week program and I am super pumped! Not sure how I am going to fall asleep?! I'm hoping to place at least 2nd or 3rd...lol...there are only 10 in the class but heck I think I have a chance even though the guys have arms that are longer than half my body (talking swim here-I feel like their one stroke is my 3!)...I think I can pull through with the run...I checked out there times on the down-low lol.

Honestly, I am just so excited that I'm able to participate!! Its such an awesome feeling to be back in the game. Still haven't figured out the bathing suit/bra thing...meaning do I not wear one or do I wear one and be sopping wet? Any Tri folks out there with good advice let me know...I do know that I tried the tri shirts and they didn't really give my girls the support I need. ;)

Random pieces of info (because my mind is jumpin and skippin too!)
Here are some of the races I will be doing in the summer series...

Race 1 6/13June 13. Heckscher - 5 Miles. Very flat.

Race 2 6/20June 20. Sunken Meadow - 10k. Very hilly. Cross country course. Some of the route on the boardwalk. (This run is killer and I may have to avoid it due to the fact that I don't want to aggravate the ol' pubic bone with crazy hills. )

Race 3 6/27June 27. Caumsett - 5k. Please get there early. Carpooling recommended.
Race 4 7/11July 11. Hempstead Lake - 4k (2.49 miles). Flat, many turns. Get there early!!
Race 5 7/18 July 18. Belmont Lake - 5k. Mostly flat.
Race 6 7/25 July 25. Robert Moses - 5k.
Race 7 8/1 August 1. Bethpage - 5k. Paths through the golf course.
GET THERE EARLY! PLEASE CARPOOL.
Race 8 8/8 August 8. Jones Beach - 5 Miles. Start and Finish in Parking field #5 by Zachs Bay.

An AWESOME giveaway is coming up and a super REVIEW!!! Giveaway will hopefully be posted by the weekend, still working on the post. Review on awesome RYDER Tri sunglasses will be done after Sundays run! Check back.

Wish me luck! I'll check in tomorrow!

Who's Cheering You On?

2011-05-11T13:49:00.002-04:00

The loudest and most meaningful cheer that you will ever hear comes from within yourself .

-A. Johnson

(p.s...I googled it and it seems I may be the first to think of this one...if I'm wrong let me know...if I am correct -get me a copyright lawyer!!lol)

I did my first long run after not running for 6 weeks. It was difficult and reminded me of how much mental strength running calls for. As I hit the trail part of my run, I started telling my runner friends some of my thoughts...ha ha! Now, these thoughts can be uplifting, crazy, spontaneous, awkward, unusual or funny. Running kind of unleashes the thoughts....bystanders beware! In all seriousness though, many of the thoughts and ideas are things that I just wouldn't be able to think of in a day because there is so much clutter, so much going on. Running frees me of my clutter and helps me to think more clearly, it gives me more focus, it allows me to tap into the part of myself that I love the most.

The quote above is what I said to myself when I heard my friends giving me 'inspirational words' to keep moving and not to quit. I loved them for doing it but I knew the most important words were going to come from myself. I needed my cheer to be louder. I couldn't believe how 6 weeks could dull my cheer for myself as much as it did. It takes practice over a consistent period of time doing the things that make you your best AND being able to acknowledge and accept having to get rid of those things that don't. That is what I feel makes your own cheer louder ~~and this is my blog so tough if you don't agree~~. Many things can muffle it, some things mute it totally. The question is what will you allow and how will you get your cheer back?

What makes you feel your best? Being organized, running, laughing, and spending 'quality' time with my family. I hate feeling rushed and cluttered. I feel the running is always first because it allows me to clear my head so I have the patience and ability to spend the 'quality' time with them. Otherwise, I am running around like a chicken without a head.
What tests your 'cheer' or confidence in your self? New things, scary things...getting back into running, speaking up to someone that I'm afraid to confront, raising my kids and being confident with how I am doing it because you don't get a rewind button...I could go on and on. These things are why I keep forcing myself into those types of situations. I feel if you don't, you won't know your potential....it would make Annette a dull girl...and I'm not to fond of dull. ;)
What things get in the way of what you truly want or muffles your cheer? Okay for me...not enough sleep, not being organized, not getting enough sleep (can you tell I'm tired?), being around people that aren't positive for me, not eating my best.

What about you??

I'm Back, I'm Excited and I'm Sharing!

2011-05-09T16:48:00.001-04:00

Jeez, what a week can do to a girl. I have so much to say, so much to write about that I can barely put it all in a coherent paragraph...therefore, I shall bullet!

* I started running again. I got the okay from my doctor and was a bit nervous to start. Love the "Tip of the Week" I found in my Runner's World Log...

Don't let a recently recovered injury keep you running tentatively. If a doctor has given you the go-ahead, what's holding you back is probably mental. Avoid injury anxiety through relaxtion and focus. Zero in on small details, such as your pace or form, to distract your mind from negative thoughts about the old injury.

So, 'I am running (yes, that was said in the Forrest Gump voice in my head). I'm not going to lie. It was difficult...lots of mental strength to get through at times. We'll talk more about the quote that came into my head when running yesterday! It's copyright'able'...well my friends said so...we'll see what you think tomorrow!

* HUGE and Exciting news...that I will be sharing with you this week so make sure to check back. Here are some hints: CLEANSE, KATHY FRESTON, GIVEAWAY and I'M JEALOUS (you'll understand why later!)

* You have to appreciate the 'tailspins' you come across in life-if you don't, you won't learn from them. Boy did I allow myself to spin a bit this past week...but glad I did. Wouldn't be where I am now. Allow yourself the freedom to not have all the answers...it will come...eventually!

*Thanks for all the responses on my last post. I felt honored that you all shared things about yourself. Writing about things big or small always seem to help so I am glad you joined me and were able to get something from what I went through. It was such a difficult post to write and some even asked..."Why share it?"....I shared to get it out, to not have it as a secret anymore, to be free from it.

* My two winners from the GU giveaway...email me your addresses!!!!! The GU is calling your name!!

* I will keeping a log on here along with my posts because MARATHON TRAINING HAS BEGUN!!!!!!

That's all for now folks. I have to run because my son is trying to hit his sister over the head with a pooper scooper! You can't make this stuff up!

Naked in Front of the Crowd

2011-05-02T22:11:00.003-04:00

And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

These lyrics stand out to me so much when listening to the song Breathe by Anna Nalick. I love it because it touches on how I feel about blogging.  Blogging is very therapeutic for me and in the past it is something I would have never been able to do. I used to always keep things inside, never really speak about what was bothering me or how I felt. This at one point in my life made me so different from who I truly was, it made me physically ill and I became emotionally numb..
...
About seven years ago, my hub and I tried to get pregnant. It took us at least 9 months to realize things weren't happening as easily as we had hoped they would.  I never thought I would have a problem getting pregnant and here I was sitting in my gyno office explaining what had been happening the past 9 months, my medical history, our family history. That was the first step of what would become a very long path for us. A path that I didn't share with many people at the time. I was surrounded by girls trying to get pregnant or that were pregnant. It was the age.  You were supposed to keep it a surprise until 3 months, until it was safe. That was what you were supposed to do. But what do you do when you are trying for another nine months after that and nothing?? You become obsessed!

I finally decided to go to a specialist and we started taking drugs like Clomid and going through procedures that are not so...shall we say...fun.  (months later)I finally became pregnant with the use of injections and Clomid. I really can not explain to you how much work all of it was. Appointments before work, appointments after work, pee on this, pee on that, prick this, count that...etc. etc. It took a toll on both of us. But who cared! I was PREGNANT. I became very nauseous which I couldn't share with too many people because you don't tell until you are out of the woods.  We continuously had to monitor everything and were so happy to see the little bean growing week after week. After a couple of weeks we shared with my parents and close family that we were pregnant. I will always remember making my first scrapbook page for the baby. I used it to announce the pregnancy to my parents.
(tears)
I remember being in the kitchen cabinet store feeling so swollen so early. I remember going to a conference and being so happy to tell the girls at my table that I was pregnant (I didn't know them and knew it was safe to share!)I remember going in and wondering if we were going to hear the heartbeat.

It took a bit, but sure enough we did hear the heartbeat. The doctor kept checking and said something about the heart rate only being 110 this was at 10 weeks.  Only?   This put me on alert but not too much because we were so happy to hear our baby's heart. We had heard another time after that and were elated just the same.
Two weeks later we were in for another sono when the nurse technician went to get the doctor. I immediately felt my stomach drop. I immediately felt myself enter a place I never felt before. I immediately felt alone and distant. Everything I heard from then on, I felt was being heard from someone else. I felt like I was watching this all happen to me.
"No heartbeat, no blood flow, we are very sorry"

what?

This was when I shut down. I just was going through the motions. I had to go for a DNC at 13 weeks pregnant. It was the day before school started. The week AFTER I was going to make my announcement. I remember waking up groggy, barely coherent and asking "How is my baby?" and everyone just looking at me not knowing what to say.
I feel in my heart that she was a girl and I haven't forgotten. I will never forget. She was a part of me.

I went home, slept and the next day I went to work like nothing ever happened. This is what I did and this is what made me sick. I held so much in, so much hurt, so much anxiety of trying again. I literally made myself physically ill and had to stay home from work for a month. I didn't know how to speak about it. I didn't know how to deal with the fact that not only did I have a miscarriage, I also had to deal with the "unexplained infertility".

***
I made it through with a lot of work and support. I found an excellent doctor that specialized in being a wonderful person and in infertility. I had to go through IVF and that is how I have my two beautiful children. It takes A LOT for me to say all that and I do it because I learned that that is what makes you most at peace. Speak the truth, live the truth and if someone doesn't like it, doesn't agree that's okay it doesn't change a thing for me. I don't wish that on anyone but I don't regret it because I learned sooo much from it. I am so much more compassionate, I am more able to put myself in others shoes, I learned about myself and what works for me and what doesn't. It changed my way of thinking.
So blogging to me
helps me feel exactly like this song says...

And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

Along with all my talk about running (and not running for that matter) I do hope that my words will sometimes make you laugh, think, wonder, or become more informed
Or they can just help you fill some time doing what you love...blog reading!
No matter what, thanks for letting me share and thanks for following!

What event/thing has changed you or your way of thinking?
What gets you through a tough day?
Why do you blog?

Ps. check out the winners in the previous post!!
PSs...last week was National Inferitlity Awareness Week...Check out this post at MoreCheeseand video my SIL posted on her blog.

And the Winner Is!!!

2011-05-02T20:05:00.004-04:00

Brooke announces the winner!

Okay so I promise this was legit! I didn't coax Brooke into choosing Amanda
because I love her blog and/or that she did say I was "too cute" ...those are just bonuses!!
Congrats Amanda@runninghood!!
I also wanted to add Dina to the winnings...a little inspiration in the form of GU could never hurt anyone! Keep running!
Amanda and Dina please contact me at mrsjohnson15@yahoo.com with your info!
(I just noticed...I use a lot of exclamation marks!!!!I'm really excited!lol)

Last Day for the Giveaway!

2011-04-30T17:55:00.001-04:00

So todays post is really going to be a reminder....

LAST DAY FOR THE

GIVEAWAY!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

That's it for now....beautiful day out and busy living so I'll catch up with the blog world later!

Friday Five!!!!!

2011-04-29T21:22:00.001-04:00

Love me some random posts so I will be changing my Friday Foto to my Friday Five....maybe I'll throw in a Foto or two...

1. Had another PT session yesterday. Jason recommended me not going to PT tomorrow until I get the next MRI. The reason being that we don't want my insurance to run out especially if this hip MRI turns out to show the root of the problem. He also suggested me not do my second tri training class on Sunday. Really Jason? Cause now you're getting on my not-so-good-side! I'll be honest. I'm not to sure if I am going to listen to him yet...we'll see.

2. Watching snippets of the Royal Wedding. That Kate makes me want to get married again and get a dress that looks just like that...I mean how much could it be? 10 Grand? 20? She looks fab-u-loso. (I made that up..just in case you were wondering)

3. Tomorrow I have my Tri Training class. I am able to do it because it doesn't include the running. PT was a bit skeptical if I should even do the bike but I gave a look to kill (see #1) and he agreed that I could try it.

4. Throw away or save? What's your take on clothes that don't fit. Do I just get up and get rid of them? I'm thinking I will keep one size larger than I am but then get rid of the rest. I'm thinking that will be a subtle warning that momma's having a bit too many slices of pizza.

5. Speaking of pizza... Take a look at this bad boy. I'm able to eat pizza now since my cleanse is done. I have to say it does give me a bit of a headache now...my body is like what's this? But my mouth is like come to momma you warm little slice of heaven!

New York Pizza Folks...mmm mmm good!

Getting to know you...Getting to know all about you...

So a little addition that I would like to add sometimes is a little q&A that I've seen on other blogs. It lets you get to know the blogger more and it cracks me up to see some of the comments on these so I would like to join in on the fun! I'll answer the questions...and then you do the same. That's if you want to of course...if not, ~~then you suck~~ that's okay too!

Do you always listen to the advice you get from Doctors?

Yes. Okay, No. I was going to lie but people that really know me know this isn't true. Sometimes I feel like hmm maybe they are wrong or that I know my body best. \Sometimes I'm right and then sometimes...not so much.

If you had your wedding over is there anything you would change? Would you still choose the same style rings, dress etc?

Um...No, No, and NO. Lmao...I'm laughing because if I didn't I would cry! As I was picking up my shrimp cocktail and placing it in my mouth someone threw a punch at my wedding and started an all out Mafia style fight! I mean really people?? So 1- I wouldn't invite those people. 2- My dress was way too heavy and I think I would definitely NOT opt for a strapless again. I really did like Kates dress...I would choose that one.

When you lose or gain weight do you get rid of or save the clothes??

I'm thinking I'll save one size up and go shopping tomorrow to buy some new fitting clothes.

What is your favorite food? Breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Breakfast- I have to say I do enjoy my shakes. If I had to choose another I would say an egg sandwich with cheese.

Lunch- I mean if we are talking favorites and you could just eat whatever you want, whenever you want...I think I would say a roast beef sandwich with auj us and mozzarella- toasted with garlic. YUMMY.

Dinner- Pizza or shrimp fra diavalo.

So what about you folks...???

Remember two more days until GU giveaway is OVER!
GU Giveaway Post