1st Step to Letting Go

A Mother's 1st Day of School Prayer

 

I wonder what you're doing now,

And if everyone is treating you kind.

I hope there is a special person,

A nice friend you can find.

 

I wonder if the teacher knows

Just how special you are to me.

And if the brightness of your heart

Is something she can see.

 

I wonder if you are thinking about me,

And if you need a hug.

I already miss the sound of your voice

And how you give my leg a tug.

 

I wonder if you could possibly understand

How hard it is for me to let you grow.

On this day know that my heart breaks

For this is the first step to letting you go.

And The Winner IS.....

Jill Conyers

from

Fitness, Healthy and Happiness

follow Jill at

http://jillconyers.com/

Jill just send me your info at

mrsjohnson15@yahoo.com and I will get your VEGA to you!

Congrats!

(winner found using Random.org)

Vega Smoothie Review and Giveaway

Vega asked me to review their Vega Energizing Smoothie.  I love so many of the products that I had no trouble trying this line out! 

It promises to be

QUICK

GOOD TASTING

and

GOOD FOR YOU

From the VEGA website: Energize your day with a convenient, on-the-go nutrient boost. Energizing Smoothie gives you the all-natural, plant-based goodness you expect from Vega—compete with protein, fiber and Omega-3—but unlike traditional smoothies, you only need water to shake and go. In four mouth-watering flavors: mixed tropical fruits, chocolate, vanilla almond and berries (plus an unflavored natural), Energizing Smoothie is so delicious it will make you forget how healthy it is.
One serving of Vega Energizing Smoothie features

• Two servings of veggies
• 10 g of complete, plant-based protein
• 5 g of fiber
• 1 g of Omega-3

Just add water, shake and go!

Now, if you have been reading I do drink my morning VEGA ONE nutritional shake every morning and I swear by it.  The Vega Energizing Smoothie is not meant to replace this shake but more of a nutritional boost for during your day....kind of like a very healthy snack.  I would also look at it as a substitute for one of those Emergen C packets alot of people take...I've taken them when you just feel a bit run down. 

I tried two of the packets- it came with 5...and I'm going to share some with you!  The two I tried are the Bodacious Berry, and Choc-o-lot.  They say that you can take with water, juice or a non-dairy beverage.  The first one I tried was on a boat and seriously just needed to have something good in my body and had thrown one of the packets in my pocketbook. 

I like that they are individually packaged so that you can throw

 them in a suitcase or pocketbook without worrying. 

I like that even though it had all the nutrients that I wanted
I didn't have to pay for it with a million calories.  Only 90 if you use water!

I tried this one with just water because
I wanted to give a fair review--and you can't always carry around almond milk or juice.   
I thought it was okay with the water but definitely not 
how I would drink it all the time.  
It was doable though so after a race I could see putting a packet in my bag check and just mixing it on the spot in a bottle. 
I do think I would have more preferred it with a juice or almond milk.   

The second one: Choc-o-lot

 The second one I tried I was in a rush again...
I'm thinking this "on the go" concept is a  good one;).
I tried this one with almond milk and mixed it in the car on the way to the library
with my Vega Shaker.
I really enjoyed this one. 
 It was like a creamy chocolate milk. 
It was fine with my senstive stomach and...
My kids even took a few sips and it was "kid approved"!
(That says a lot about the taste...cause they don't like much)

The Great thing about these Smoothie's is you can take them anywhere, get the healthy nutrients you need to feel good and it tastes good!

I'm going to share the wealth and let you have a chance to try VEGA Energizing Smoothie.  

 You have to

1. a comment about which Vega smoothie flavor would be your favorite...

see flavors RIGHT HERE ON THE VEGA SITE

and

2.  Become a follower of (Running) In the Right Direction (if you are just tell me so!)

and for an extra entry let me know that you...

3.  Tweeted about this giveaway using #GetEnergized and #runthertdirect

Giveaway ends JULY 23!!!!

Wordless Wednesday -VEGA

VEGA...

Review coming tomorrow

New Vega- On the Go Energizing Smoothie

Being a Mommy, A Runner and Fitting it In

It's been a busy two weeks and I am finally starting to get my running schedule down that was given to me by NYRR.  It's work figuring out how you are going to schedule things in and not neglect your children at the same time.  It takes a lot of work but I'm slowly getting it down and being lenient on the fact that some days I need to switch the mileage with another and I have accepted that god forbid I need to knock off a mile it's-okay-nothing-is-going-to-happen. 

It is only the the four week base building stage so the mileage isn't too high.  It was more of a 'get settled in to your routine' period...
July 1-8
Monday- Off
Tuesday 5 miles
Wednesday 3 miles
Thursday 5 miles
Friday 7 smiles
Saturday Open Water swim
Sunday 4 mile track workout

July 9-15 (not finished obviously but this is what I'll be doing)
Monday 3
Tuesday 5
Wednesday 6
Thursday 4
Friday 7
Saturday off
Sunday 3 miles


The ways that help me get it DONE!
#1 I try to run in the AM (which is a joke right now because I'm tired and I haven't been waking up...hence the word try).  I have been running more when Scott comes home which works out okay because it is a little cooler....


He's my bigger guy on the left ;)

#2  I have been utilizing the gym daycare which the kids love waaaaay more than I do.  I am fine with the daycare but I'm not so fine with the treadmill...but its what works...so I do it.   

NYSC childcare...actually ours has a million and one toys.  I didn't love that at first because I worried about germs...but the kids love it and they haven't walked away with any major ailments.

#3  Its the great invention called JOGGING STROLLER.  Now it ain't easy pushing a 42lb year old and a 28lb pound ( I think he is 28lbs) 3 year old...but its doable and if you have no other option you do it.  I've been finding that I actually enjoy this option a lot and so do the kids.  It is really nice in the evening because it calms the kids down after a long day and it sometimes even puts them to sleep!!! I mean if thats not a bonus I don't know what is.  I will often choose this option if its a 3-5 miler.  Anything beyond that I lose them and I'm hurting from pushing that and trying to keep a somewhat decent pace.  I also usually recruit Scott as a partner on these runs and we do 1/2 mile on 1/2 mile off with trading the stroller.  It's definitely a harder and more intense workout. 

#4  Babysitter.  I don't know about your children but my kids really like having a babysitter.  They think it is so much fun... I really don't do this option much because I can't be paying someone to run.  I use this option when I see I will need a babysitter anyway and then hook on one more hour and there's a 6 mile run.  For example, Scott and I had both had appointments last night.  I needed a sitter for an hour while we were at our appnts.  I added another hour on and him and I met at the trails to do a 4 and what we think may have been 5 (forgot my garmin) mile run. 

Long story short.  It is possible to make it work.  I do prefer doing the deed before the kids even wake in the morning.  I feel its the best option...but sometimes that just isn't happening and you have to have other ways to getting done what makes you feel good. 

This weekend we will be going to the Poconos.  I look forward to the little get-away and running somewhere different.  Ileft only a 3 mile run becaue I get a little spooked with all the stories out there about running alone...and not knowing the area well makes me a little iffy. 

I'm also going to get to use the Just Shake and Go! Vega Smoothie mix that VEGA sent me to review.  I like that I don't need to have my bullet smoothie mixer on me...I'll see how it tasts and let you know!

How do you all get your runs in while also managing a house and kids (or doggies, or kitties)?

ONE THING EVERYDAY...

Pretty much open water swims scare me.  I don't really know what it is--

the 'stuff' I see on the ground,

the fact that I am getting pummeled by other swimmers,

the salt water soaking into all my pores,

the fact that I could possibly die....lol

Each time in the water I have this conversation with myself..

"this just isn't for you, you like running, why are you doing this?"

(my answer is I'm doing what Eleanor tells me to lol...no seriously...I hate quitting-I'm not a quitter)

I went to the open water swim meet this morning at 7:30.  Joe knew from the start that I was nervous.  I can't help it...and heck I'm there right?! Give a girl a break.

I'm there because I know I am scared and because I know to get over it I have to be there. 

The whole time I swam I thought of this quote.

I figured Eleanor must be right...and I should just go with it. 

I DIDN'T like when Joe wanted to talk strategies and my toes were being nipped by creatures down below

and

I DIDN'T like when he thought it would be clever (even though it was)

for him and I to start and for the others to literally swim OVER us...

to get to where they needed to be..

no, I didn't like that but I survived

and today I am a smidgen stronger and more confident

in the swimming department because of it.

Okay Eleanor...
...I get what you're saying

Callahan's Beach where all the 'action' happened!

GREAT Run...Too Many Variables..!

I decided to run my long run tonight instead of tomorrow-for a couple of reasons:
1-  There is a slight chance I will drag my but out to join Team Go for an open water swim tomorrow.
2-  It is going to be 105 degrees tomorrow and I don't want to die. 
3-  I will be going to do track repeats with the group on Sunday and I don't want to have it back-to-back with a long run.  Look at me respecting my body...;)

The crazy thing is it was a really STRONG run for me and I felt very good before, during and after it. I would have never predicted it would be a good run because I had...
1-Spent the day at the beach with two kids (enough said)
2- Not eaten dinner yet
3- It was still very hot

But low and behold...it was still a good run!  The problem is I'm not sure what made it that way because there were too many variables!!!  Was it that I was running at night?  Was it that I didn't drink coffee today (caffeine does give me a high but it sometimes makes me too jittery and my breathing gets off)?  Was it the Zico water I chugged before hand?  Was it that Coach John keeps telling me to run a 10 something minute mile and I am not worried about pace at all?  Was it the new country music everyone keeps pushing on me?  Was it the night running?  Is it that I am just becoming more accumstomed to the schedule?...


After the run...I may look hot, sweaty and tired...but this is actually what good looks like on me lol



Me triple checking my times...because I really was suprised that this "good" feeling also equalled out to "good" times for me...
(I've been struggling with my normal 9:30 for a while now...)

Splits.

1- 9:44

2- 9:16

3-9:02

4-9:11

5-9:19

6-9:12

7-9:08