I'm so upset. My training buddy found out that she won't be able to run Ragnar. We had run over 100 miles together in 3 months. She helped me get through many a run I didn't think I could handle. I'm going to miss her next weekend.
I'm not sure if this is a bright side or not, but I moved into her spot. This means that my longest leg went from 4.9 miles on a relatively flat surface to 7.9 miles with a 1000 ft elevation gain over the first 4. ACK! I guess it's been a good thing I've been training hard. You should train for what you want to do, not for what you can do now :)
Wish me luck. I think I'm going to need it.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
9 Days Until Ragnar / Running-Related Personal Questions
I've been following the Another Mother Runner blog. Monday, they did a post called "10 Running-Related Personal Questions." So, here are my answers
1. Best Run Ever: Last month, the second time I ever ran over 7 miles. I did it under my listed Ragnar pace and probably could have put in another couple of miles. This is followed closely by my run last Sunday when it was sunny, cool, and I had no problems pushing myself.
2. Three words that describe my running: slow, plodding, determined
3. My go-to running outfit: This summer, it has been my Reebok shorts and my Running Divas tank.
4. Quirky habit while running: I dunno. I know I am very aware of time and don't wait more than 5 minutes for anyone to show up for a group run.
5. Morning, midday, evening: morning... midday runs make me miserable
6. I won't run outside when it's: Icy or really hot
7. Worst injury and how I got it: I fell during a Zumba class and twisted my ankle.
8. I felt most like a bada$$ mother when: I ran during vacation in 100% humidity and with biting flies and mosquitoes.
9. My next race is: Ragnar DC on September 21-22.
10. Potential running goal for 2013: I want to try and do 2 half marathons. Probably Zooma Annapolis, but I'm not sure about my second one.
1. Best Run Ever: Last month, the second time I ever ran over 7 miles. I did it under my listed Ragnar pace and probably could have put in another couple of miles. This is followed closely by my run last Sunday when it was sunny, cool, and I had no problems pushing myself.
2. Three words that describe my running: slow, plodding, determined
3. My go-to running outfit: This summer, it has been my Reebok shorts and my Running Divas tank.
4. Quirky habit while running: I dunno. I know I am very aware of time and don't wait more than 5 minutes for anyone to show up for a group run.
5. Morning, midday, evening: morning... midday runs make me miserable
6. I won't run outside when it's: Icy or really hot
7. Worst injury and how I got it: I fell during a Zumba class and twisted my ankle.
8. I felt most like a bada$$ mother when: I ran during vacation in 100% humidity and with biting flies and mosquitoes.
9. My next race is: Ragnar DC on September 21-22.
10. Potential running goal for 2013: I want to try and do 2 half marathons. Probably Zooma Annapolis, but I'm not sure about my second one.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
10 Days until Ragnar / Remembering 9-11
So, we are 10 days out from DC Ragnar. I ran this morning, but just around the track in my neighborhood. I did 4. It felt good. I would have done 6, but with sick kids and a sick husband, I decided to cut it short. I actually made it out, ran, and showered before anyone else was awake.
Today is the 11th anniversary of the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon. I lived in a DC suburb at the time and worked for an international organization. I happened to be at our annual conference in Kansas City and was watching the news before my first meeting of the day. I got home a week later to learn that one of the other women in my young adults group at church had passed away in the Pentagon.
Where were you when the attacks occurred?
Today is the 11th anniversary of the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon. I lived in a DC suburb at the time and worked for an international organization. I happened to be at our annual conference in Kansas City and was watching the news before my first meeting of the day. I got home a week later to learn that one of the other women in my young adults group at church had passed away in the Pentagon.
Where were you when the attacks occurred?
Monday, September 10, 2012
11 Days until Ragnar!
I'm going to try and blog every day until Ragnar and then blog about it when I get home :) It's only 11 days away! Aside from a small problem in May when I just didn't feel like running and the last couple of weeks when I was getting just a tad frustrated, my training has been great. I followed the beginner training plan from the Ragnar site for the most part and feel very comfortable running 5+ miles.
Yesterday, we had beautiful weather and I had a nice, but slow, 7.3 mile run with some of my teammates. Unfortunately, both boys are sick, so I didn't get to run my last 60-minute hill training this morning. I hope to be able to get a run in tomorrow... or maybe tonight. I'm really hoping they don't give the terrible cold to me.
How are you taking advantage of the cooler fall-like weather and lower humidity?
Yesterday, we had beautiful weather and I had a nice, but slow, 7.3 mile run with some of my teammates. Unfortunately, both boys are sick, so I didn't get to run my last 60-minute hill training this morning. I hope to be able to get a run in tomorrow... or maybe tonight. I'm really hoping they don't give the terrible cold to me.
How are you taking advantage of the cooler fall-like weather and lower humidity?
Monday, August 20, 2012
The end of being "Trapped Under a Milk Dud"
Don't worry. My blog isn't going anywhere... He is still a Milk Dud... just not a "Milk Dud." Last Monday, he asked to nurse and I put him off to walk the dog. He didn't ask again until Wednesday. I put him off then because I had just run 6 miles and needed a shower. I put him off a couple of more days because I was busy. Today, he didn't even ask. Milk Dud turns 2 on Wednesday and I guess I should be celebrating the end of an era. He nursed 10 days shy of 2 years. I am feeling guilty about not continuing. His brother only made it 17 months. My husband was weird about the fact that Milk Dud would say "I want to nurse" and then specify the side he wanted. He is my last baby, so I will never have this kind of relationship again.
I am proud of myself. Only a small percentage of mothers continue to nurse their children after a year, most aren't even nursing at 6 months (http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/NIS_data/index.htm). Milk Dud only got 10cc of formula in the hospital when his blood sugar dropped and I was too exhausted to fight the annoying nurse. My oldest never received any formula that wasn't a breast milk fortifier, even though he was in the NICU.
Instead of being sad that it's over, I should be glad that I was able to do it at all considering the odds were stacked against me as a parent of a preemie who had only seen breastfeeding once in her adult life.
I am proud of myself. Only a small percentage of mothers continue to nurse their children after a year, most aren't even nursing at 6 months (http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/NIS_data/index.htm). Milk Dud only got 10cc of formula in the hospital when his blood sugar dropped and I was too exhausted to fight the annoying nurse. My oldest never received any formula that wasn't a breast milk fortifier, even though he was in the NICU.
A few minutes after birth
A couple of weeks ago
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Chocolate cake batter fudge
So, recently I tried a pinned recipe for 10-minute cake batter fudge. It was good, so I wondered if I could make it with CHOCOLATE cake mix.
So, here are the ingredients and things you need
Got kids? Make sure you add sprinkles... LOTS of sprinkles ;)
So, here are the ingredients and things you need
Microwave-safe mixing bowl, 8x8 pan, cooking spray, milk, cake mix, powdered sugar, and butter.
Add one cup each of the chocolate cake mix and powdered sugar to your microwave-safe bowl
Add 4 tablespoons (half a stick) of butter.
Add 1/4 cup of milk. Do not stir.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Ignore cute, nosey toddler.
It will look like this.
Cute, nosey toddler will react like this.
Mix it up add sprinkles, if desired and you can get the container away from cute, nosey toddler. I didn't measure. I just put in the amount I thought would look good. Oh, and that is my favorite thing from when I sold Pampered Chef. I highly recommend the Mix and Scrape if you are ever at a PC party and want to buy something cheap.
Poor in a greased baking pan.
Refrigerate for an hour.
It will look like this :)
They were a little stickier than the regular cake batter ones. Maybe use 1 -1/4 cups of cake mix. I don't mind sticky for CHOCOLATE!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Eating like an animal
I know it's been a while. I've been busy training for my Ragnar race and teaching my anatomy class for kids at the community college. I am going to start a new little feature about the weird breakfasts we have been eating in our house.
Wednesday, Squirty woke up and told me he wanted breakfast like a monkey. I asked if he wanted it to look like a monkey or to be what a monkey eats. The answer was "eats." I've taken it to be a little bit of an ecology lesson. Squirty told me that monkeys eat nuts and seeds. In general, primates tend to be herbivorous, but do eat eggs, insects, etc.
This was my least creative day. I gave the boys part of a granola bar, a banana, blueberries, and yogurt (that was for Milk Dud).
I've never seen either child eat so quickly.
This was somewhere around 10 minutes later.
Considering neither one has really been a good breakfast eater, I decided to make a trend of this. I asked Squirty what he wanted to be tomorrow. "A lion! Roar!" Great.... he made it difficult on me. I felt like I was on that episode of Top Chef: All Stars where they gave one team the choice of carnivore or omnivore.
Here is what I decided, with a little help from my husband: Wart hog (bacon), ostrich (turkey breast), and ostrich eggs (lions DO scavenge a bit... Chip suggested a poached egg).
Gone, just as quickly, and followed by a huge cup of orange yogurt.
For today, Squirty requested to be a bird. Well, that is pretty easy. I gave them some more seed/nut granola bars, some fruit, a poached "robin" egg (some birds eat other bird's eggs), and "worms" (spaghetti I cooked in water with red food coloring).
Eggs were not consumed, but the rest was GONE.
Tomorrow, we are going to eat like a bear. I will continue this until we get bored with it. I think it is a great way to teach a curious child about how different animals eat different diets.
Wednesday, Squirty woke up and told me he wanted breakfast like a monkey. I asked if he wanted it to look like a monkey or to be what a monkey eats. The answer was "eats." I've taken it to be a little bit of an ecology lesson. Squirty told me that monkeys eat nuts and seeds. In general, primates tend to be herbivorous, but do eat eggs, insects, etc.
This was my least creative day. I gave the boys part of a granola bar, a banana, blueberries, and yogurt (that was for Milk Dud).
I've never seen either child eat so quickly.
This was somewhere around 10 minutes later.
Considering neither one has really been a good breakfast eater, I decided to make a trend of this. I asked Squirty what he wanted to be tomorrow. "A lion! Roar!" Great.... he made it difficult on me. I felt like I was on that episode of Top Chef: All Stars where they gave one team the choice of carnivore or omnivore.
Here is what I decided, with a little help from my husband: Wart hog (bacon), ostrich (turkey breast), and ostrich eggs (lions DO scavenge a bit... Chip suggested a poached egg).
Gone, just as quickly, and followed by a huge cup of orange yogurt.
For today, Squirty requested to be a bird. Well, that is pretty easy. I gave them some more seed/nut granola bars, some fruit, a poached "robin" egg (some birds eat other bird's eggs), and "worms" (spaghetti I cooked in water with red food coloring).
Eggs were not consumed, but the rest was GONE.
Tomorrow, we are going to eat like a bear. I will continue this until we get bored with it. I think it is a great way to teach a curious child about how different animals eat different diets.
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