Updates Updates Updates

After some interesting conversation today….Skip asked me when I was ever going to update my blog….I guess it’s time. Things they are a changing….especially me…and it seems like some people don’t like it.

Let me back up.

Vacation-
Good times were had by all. Kentucky was very beautiful but was one of the first places I’ve visited where I just couldn’t see myself. Weird but true. Everyone was able to do what they wanted…fishing for V and Skip, swimming for Tate, Dominic got to go horseback riding in the mountains….and I got to relax. We got to spend time with Skips son Patrick and his fiancé Crystal….it was awesomeness. On the way home we went through Louisville and crossed another thing off my bucket list...seeing Churchill Downs.  Don't know if I've ever talked about it in this blog but my entire youth was consumed with my wanting a horse.  I watched every Derby and read anything I could get my hands on about horses...so this was HUGE for me. 

This little dude wandered up to our campsite the first morning.

All my eggs in one boat?

And there it is...I about threw up.

My three little jockeys.

Running-
I have been completely barefoot for the last month with the exception of 2 runs that I did in water shoes after rainfall. One in Kentucky…damn it’s hilly there. And one this morning with Lori. I am relaxed….enjoying running…and honestly not doing to terribly much of it. 3 or 4 five mile runs a week…that’s it…and that is awesomeness as well. I told Lori and Skip that this is my summer of *I just don’t give a fuck*….and I don’t. Running for the joy of it…not killing myself..not being so desperately driven. If I don’t feel like running….I don’t. Although I did break an hour for 5 miles barefoot the other day…and I did like that…HA!

Yoga-
One of the wonderful things I did in Kentucky was take my yoga mat…run the mile to the beach…and do yoga on the beach at 6 in the morning. Nothing but me…the water…and sweat…incredible. I’m still taking my class on Thursdays and am expanding my home library. I’m doing lots of reading and I feel stronger, calmer…and definitely more flexible. I don’t know if it’s the yoga or me or growing older….but it takes me hours to become a spaz again afterwords.

Diet-
This is where the interesting conversation came in. Mixed in with all the reading I’ve been doing was a book called Transition to Vegetarianism. I grabbed it at the library mostly because it had a picture on the front of a carrot in a hotdog bun. It’s an idea I’ve toyed with on and off over the years and having not ever been a huge meat eater it really isn’t much of a transition..but tomorrow it’s been a week…with the only exceptions being a couple of eggs and a salmon patty one night…I’ve been meat free. I feel good..and this book gave me lots of insight on how to do it smartly…and without becoming deficient in anything.

So Skip and I were at breakfast this morning and Tate offered me a piece of bacon…and I told her that I was not eating meat. Skip looks up from his plate like WTF? And makes a comment about how he didn’t marry a marathon running vegetarian. To which I was like WTF? No…he didn’t marry a marathon running vegetarian…he married an overweight, smoking, drinking, meat eating person that wasn’t taking care of herself. That had family history of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. And for some reason he seemed to like that better. I guess I’m still a little salty about that. We’ve both changed…it’s impossible not to when you’ve been together for awhile….you have to love the core person because the outside is going to shift around a bit. I didn’t marry a globe trotting desk jockey that people look to and listen to….so there you are. Good thing I adore that man.

So that’s my update in a nutshell. 5 miles on tap for the morning…or possibly..not.

Hope everyone is well!

Early Morning Stoned Pimp

So today I am crossing something BIG off my bucket list. Going to see Kid Rock at Summer Fest. I am so excited I am about to burst! And on top of doing this incredible thing that I have wanted to do for about 20 years……I’m going with Julie..one of my BEST forever friends whom I NEVER run out of things to talk to about. Don’t know which I like better….so I am choosing to like both best.


Running News
I have not had shoes of any kind on to run in over 2 weeks. My max run has been 4.5 miles and the going is slllooowwww. Not that I’ve ever been what you would call speedy in shoes…but going from 9 plus minute miles to pretty consistently over 12 minute miles can be a bit hard to swallow. But the enjoyment factor cancels out the slowness factor I like to think. And with the heat climbing up into the 90s some days…not having hot shoes and socks on is awesome. So much easier to just jet out the door and go. I’ve had few issues with the exception of a pretty ugly blister that came from running when the ground was too hot…but it’s healing….ugly but healing. I’m hoping to be up to running a fall half marathon without shoes but we’ll see. That seems pretty larger right now and I don’t know if my feet will be tough enough by then…..but on the flip…my determination is pretty large as well.

Yoga News
I am officially smitten. I love going to the studio for my once weekly class. I really thought I may hate classes but they’re good. The chics in the advanced class are rocking yoga broads that can do all sorts of crazy shit and gives me something to work for. And I’m getting better….my balance and strength are growing every day and poses that I couldn’t even think of doing a couple months ago are slowly coming to me. I did my first shoulder stand this week and though not pretty…or very straight…..it felt incredible because I had NO idea I could do it. A modified crane or crow pose that didn’t end up in a face plant….good stuff. And it’s pretty easy to do lots of yoga when you can’t run very far.

Tattoo News
Not shoving my feet in running shoes after having it redone has done wonders. It’s been two weeks today and although still healing, I think the second coloring did the trick. Would I ever get another foot tattoo? As a runner….probably not. But I do love the way they look.

Family News
On Wednesday morning we’re leaving on a family vacation to the Daniel Boone National Forrest in Kentucky. Never heard of it? Me either. It’s 9 hours from here by car and we’re breaking up the trip both ways. We’re leaving Wednesday morning and driving to Indianapolis and staying the night in a hotel..and then driving the other 4 hours to the campground or whatever the hell it ends up being….the next morning. We borrowed Skips moms minivan because damned if I’m going to make that drive with the three kids stuffed in the back of my Charger. The thought of going anywhere in a minivan just about brings me to tears but I will suffer through for the cargo room.

Another high note is that Skips son Patrick and his fiancé Crystal are driving from Virginia and meeting us to camp. How cool is that? We have no real firm plans except that Dominic and I are going horseback riding at some point and I also want to do some kayaking if I can find a place that rents them. I really want to buy a kayak. I will be a barefoot, yoga doing, kayaking runner. How’s that for rounded?

Have a great fourth everyone!

Lighthouse Run 2011...etc.

No race recap..that’s right..no recap whatsoever. I had a wonderful time with Katie…but I don’t feel like typing it all out so there. Here’s a pic of our amazing selves pre-race and that’s it. We have big plans for this race next year Katie and I ….stay tuned. I will however…say that Tate RAWKED her little race although she didn’t win…and loved Katie to pieces…too cute.


Fathers Day
Was good. Saw all the dads in my life. I got my dad a card and copied some text from this here blog into it….but I had to buy it because of what it said on the front…

 
Because her father listened to her, she knew she had something to say.


Because he believed in her, she believed in herself.
Because he said she could do anything, she did.

Sums up our relationship perfectly…and I am reminded yet again how blessed I am to have been raised by a man who instilled in me such self worth…and loved me enough that I never looked elsewhere for HIS love. Thank you Dad…for being awesome…for making me awesome….and in turn making 3 awesome super people…who will go on to make more super people….and on and on it goes.

Tattoo News
I got my marathon tattoo fixed on Monday night. After much post-tattooing running abuse…my tattoo looked like I took an eraser to it. I mean seriously folks….I covered it with a piece of gauze and ran 10 miles on it 3 freaking days after I got it. I should have waited till after Lighthouse to even get it…but since I didn’t…and I’m a dumbass about MANY MANY things…I got it….ruined it with shoes…and had to have it redone…go me. And for those of you that are interested….the second go at a month old tattoo hurts like a CRAZY MOFO.

Barefoot News
The upside of ruining said tattoo…is that I am determined to NOT wreck it this time because that shit hurts. I am now completely barefoot for at least the next several weeks. I have been having wonder peaceful slow runs. I’m running 3 to 4 miles at a stretch and feeling fantastic…I’m a happy nekkid foot running girl.

Yoga News
Loving loving loving yoga. Last week I tried the advanced class with Jessika…awesome. I took it again this Thursday and holy crap. At the beginning of class she said something to the effect of hearing that she took it too easy last week. And boy did she remedy that. It made the first advanced class seem like a brownie meeting. Fantastic! Afterwords I picked up the kids from the library and we went down to North Beach and while they played at the park I knocked out 4 barefoot miles along Lake Michigan. I am LOVING Thursdays!!!

So I hope everyone had a good week. I’m still looking for my perfect first barefoot race. I know there’s a evening 4 miler in Waterford that Lori does in the beginning of August. Happy Weekend All!!

Mangos, Mizunos and Mad Gnomes

If I had to count all of the mangos I have eaten since it became mango ~season~ in Wisconsin I imagine it would be over 50…I’ve started keeping the stickers on my food log see?

So when Skip is out of town and I am left to my own devices I do things. Things that I wouldn’t do if he was around to stop me…..like run in my Mizuno Wave Riders 14’s that I bought and hated right from the get go. Why do I hate them? Dunno…I LOVE the 13’s..have had 3 pairs of them….but I can’t run in these to save my life. So after 3 agonizing miles..he told me not to even bring them home and if I did…they better be gone before he got home. So…they have 40 miles on them, size 9 which in non-Mizuno talk is a size 8.5 running shoe. First email takes em and I’ll even pay the shipping.

Onwards. Lighthouse is this weekend….and although I had finally decided that I was running the 4 mile race barefoot..... I have instead laced up and am running the 10 with Katie. Because there are always other races to do barefoot….but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do then run this race with Katie. This was my first race of any distance 3 years ago…and although I have a score to settle with Lighthouse…..that will have to wait for another time because my only plan this weekend is to run whatever pace Katie wants…she’s training for her 3rd half marathon…and enjoying her company. Awesome!

This guy is Skip and my 'compromise' on a yard gnome...he wanted one soo bad but I told him hell no....so he got this guy instead.  His eyes light up at night...Lori says I have a demon on my front stoop.

And who knew they sold gummie tarantulas....or that they liked mangos too?

Happy Tuesday!

Things I Hate Today

-Getting up at 4:50 to do yoga before my house is insane…and not being able to get the onDemand to work
-After failed yoga…trying to get a Tae-bo DVD going and being able to get sound but no picture
-The front end up the Charger sounds like it’s going to fall out?
-People asking me if their money is going to still be there after I do their drug screen..no dude..I’m going to steal your 5 bucks and leave ALL THIS!
-Knowing Skip is only going to be home 3 days before he’s gone for another 6
-Running distances longer then 5 miles…..seriously
-Paying bills
-Vincent running a 5:02 mile for his final in gym today…and refusing to run track…I WANT TO SCREAM
-Being too tired to make veggie fajitas

Things I Don’t Hate Today
-Yoga…worked later
-Winning a 70 dollar yoga mat from the studio after being put in a drawing for buying a summer pass
-Dr. Foster swearing
-Running barefoot
-Knowing I’m going to run with Lori tomorrow
-Reading good blogs

Looks like the bad won out today. Happy Weekend!!

May Mileage and Memorial Pics

103.36 Not bad except that 26.2 of those happened on the same day….HA!


After my 6 mile run yesterday…I think I reached a decision about Lighthouse…and that is to do the 4 mile race and do it barefoot. And maybe…just maybe…I’ll have an enjoyable race.  Here are a couple of pics from my early morning Memorial Day run...I really need to get back into morning running....soo peaceful.

First 4 miles on these.

Pike River Path greening up for summer.

Last two miles in these.

My 7 dollar Walmart water shoes...not bad at all for running.

Gorgeous right?  I think I want to buy the place.

So Dom and I ran 2 miles down by the lake tonight. I got a text from him at work today asking me if we could run together tonight. How could I pass that up? My boys are both coming to the point where spending time with their parents is a requirement…not something they WANT to do. So needless to say I jumped at the chance.   It was hot but he held up like a trooper and we both ran without shoes.  Brian also came with us and I think his tongue was hanging almost to the ground.

In yoga news…I have my second class tomorrow night. Skip and I are ditching date night for golf and yoga respectively. If I like this class, they do offer it on Monday night and that’s when I’ll take it. I’m going to bring my new purple mat…love that thing.

What's your favorite time of day to run?  Do you mind the heat?

In Regards to Lighthouse

Today…I don’t even want to do it. I still haven’t signed up…..I wanted to wait and see how yesterdays 10 mile run turned out but instead of lacing up and doing that 10….I went out and ran 3.6 barefoot instead.


This morning I lay in bed trying to find any excuse NOT to get my lazy ass out of bed and do this run. And if I had to do it….I wanted it to be a good one. Long story short…it wasn’t. I called Skip at 3.5 miles to come get me…I don’t do that. But if he’d answered….I would have totally had him come. My shins were cramping and I was just tired. I wore my Mizunos….I haven’t even had them on since my marathon. I hated this run. I was on pace for 3 miles…and then dropped by over a minute a mile. No juice.

So where does this leave me? Lighthouse has a 10 mile run and a 4 mile. I know I could be ready to do the 4 mile run barefoot by then…I have several weeks. I want that 10 mile run bad….especially after last years bonk…but I’m wondering if it’s not too close to my marathon to be able to pull a decent time. And lord knows I don’t want a repeat of last year.

Maybe I can’t be a hybrid runner…because it seems like the only time I enjoy running is when it’s with nothing on my feet. And who the hell says I HAVE to do the 10 mile at Lighthouse? Why am I killing myself with these 10 mile runs when they’re not FUN right now? Is someone holding a gun to my head? No one but myself. Am I elite runner who has sponsors that will string me up if I don’t perform up to snuff…..ha ha ha ….hell no.

Enough with this bullshit…I decide to decide another day. That 10 mile run is done…my only job now is to enjoy my weekend. I hope you are as well.

Lazy Days

So my parents have been married 40 years today..can you imagine? Some days I don’t want to see Skip for the next 40 minutes..let alone 40 years. In a little bit I am heading out to pick up the cake and then down to the church for their party. It’s funny….I had a 30th anniversary party for them…mom wanted to have one because she didn’t think Dad would live to see a 40th….and here it is…10 years later. Go Dad!



On the running front..there hasn’t been a whole lot of it going on. I’m reverse tapering I like to think…HA! I ran on Tuesday..and then again on Thursday….and not a step since. I’ve got another week or so till I have to settle down and start thinking about Lighthouse. I have been cross training plenty…getting back to Tae-Bo and still with the yoga. I am becoming a yogawhore. I freaking LOVE it!! I think for my birthday…which is like next week I think..I’m going to actually ask for something and have Skip get me a package at the yoga studio thingy downtown. Now here’s the secret…for all the years I’ve worked out….going on 14 years now…I have NEVER took an actual class. I have DVD’s up the wazoo and all the yoga I do is off the T.V…..but never an actual class…with actual people. I’ve just never really felt the need…and as I’m not overly fond of people…I figured it would just irritate me. Why the change? Who knows…I am constantly changing…maybe at 35 I will finally grow up.


On the barefoot front. Of the two times I did run…one was completely barefoot and the other was 3 miles barefoot and two in the Free’s. I don’t think I even want to go back to the Mizunos…I think now is the perfect time to truly transition. This may mean that I am screwed at Lighthouse…and I may change my mind next week…but for now…that is the plan.

And the questions of the day....are you a joiner?  Do you take classes of any sort?  Why?  Why not?

Seriously?

I’m sick..again. I have managed to stay pretty much sick free all winter and now in the last 2 weeks I had a 24 hour flu…complete with vomiting and me calling into work for like the second time in 10 years…and now as of yesterday morning…I have a hellacious sore throat and head cold. Oh well…better now then in a week right? And this will insure I don’t blow my taper because I feel too awful to train hard…HA! God knows what he’s doing I suppose…and knows me all too well.

I ran with Lori this morning…a beautiful VERY windy 6 mile with the last two barefoot. The boys ended up having to help their dad move this weekend and since they failed to mention their race to their Dad I made them go and help him…and not race. I kind of felt bad about doing it…but if I don’t teach them responsibility…who will? And 5K’s are a dime a dozen around here…there’s always another one.


So with a week before my marathon I’m feeling burnt. I don’t get the taper tantrums that you read so much about…maybe just because I’m too damn tired to care…and now sick to boot. I feel like I may have over trained…and like I peeked weeks ago and I’m going to blow my race. But hopefully these is just my VERY overactive mind dickin with me. I also dreamed last night that my race was in Paris and I lost my pace group when I went into a place to pee…and never found the race again. Weird. There are no pace groups for my marathon and it’s in Kenosha..

6 days

100 Barefoot Miles and a Quick Note

Yeah…I hit that this Sunday. I’m back up to 1.1 miles barefoot out of every run I do. I’m not risking any more with this little marathon looming in ….yep…less then two weeks.



My taper is going ok. This training cycle has taken a lot out of me…as in…I am so OVER training right now. My longrun last week was a mere 15 miles at marathon pace. I almost hit it. The pace I need to hit to run the race in my goal time is just so damn awkward for me. Basically I’m taking every run till the race and doing marathon pace runs..just to finally nail down that pace. And honestly..I still don’t think it will happen. I’ve almost resigned myself to that thought..but you never know come race day.


Alright…I’m back off to crawl back under my taperrock…peace out.

38 Days and an Unwonked Foot

I don’t feel like blogging. I also don’t feel like cleaning, driving, taking care of my family or working. I think I’m going to give all these things up for the remainder of lent. I’m not Catholic…can I still do lent?


I ran a whopping 10 miles over the course of this weekend. And I felt pretty ok. I could still feel my foot..and although it didn’t hurt at all…it felt different from the other one. So I waited again…and ran 3 miles today…and they felt incredible….and I’m fairly sure I’m fixed. I have a 15 miler on Thursday and that will be the true test…but in my gut…I feel that it’s going to be ok. Tomorrow night I have a running clinic thingy that is being put on by the PT department from my work and medical director for my marathon…and I’m going to sit down with the good Doctor…who seeing as he is the medical director of my marathon…has a moral obligation to get me to the starting line injury free and awesome. He’s also the dude that got me back up and going after blowing my knee out two summers ago…he’s a runner...and he’s pretty adorable. They are also speaking on barefoot running…and I am very curious to see what they have to say about it. The one who is speaking on that is an Athletic trainer and fellow runner…his name is Kevin…and I will look at him in a whole new light if he speaks favorably. And if he does not..I know what he drives and will slash his tires..:).

My second half marathon is a little over a week away. I’m not particularly excited about it as I am treating it as a marathon pace run. I think I’ve convinced Skip to stay home because the more attention that is paid to this race the more likely I am to blow it and hurt myself. I’m good for that kind of dumb shit. I’m hoping to get a little better idea of a finishing time for my marathon. I’m been taking it real easy on my training runs so I’m not 100 percent that I’ll be able to hit and keep that pace going for 26 miles. This will help me know if I can do it for at least half. We’ll see.

And on a final note..I ‘think’ I may have found my latest running conquest. I’m not going to say anything else about it right now because I don’t want to jinx it…but there it is.


Hope everyone is having a great week!


38 days

Take Two….Work and Barefoot Edition

So I did something I don’t think I’ve ever done before and will probably be fired for….here’s hoping.  I took my camera with me to work….I only work a half day on Tuesdays and then I generally run from the hospital. I didn’t get my good friend Dawn and I really wanted to get a pic of Dr. S and I doing wall squats…our record is 3 minutes…LOL.  Here are some of the gals I work with.

Stacy my manager with Jess on her lap.  Jess actually works in the ER but was visiting her FAVORITE department.  Notice our beautiful bullet proof glass.

This is our longest employee Jan...giving us an action shot of the copier.  That's Dawn hiding in the background.

Pic looking south from the hospital...that's the cloud maker according to lil T.

When I left the hospital I headed west for a quick 5 miler….it was alright.  I took it easy because I’m looking down the barrel of a 24 mile shotgun this Thursday…ha.  The weather was good..the wind was down.  But the good part of the run came about three quarters of a mile from the hospital when I was able to loose the shoes. 

This is literally the only way my legs look long.

That's better....all done.  Hope everyone is having a great week.  See ya on the flip side of 24 plus miles on Thursday.

Yasso 800's and V's 15th

So in keeping with my training plan my monster mileage buildup is over and now it’s on to speedwork. Don’t get me wrong..I still have big ass long runs coming up…but not like the buildup of the last two months. There’s a method to my madness…we shall see if it holds come race day.

I decided this time round to try those Yasso 800’s that I’ve read so much about. Last time I did mile repeats as my interval/speed stuff and I HATE those….so I was looking for something different…easy if you will. Now for me to run a sub 4:30…lofty I know…marathon….I need to be able to run 10*800 at a rate of 4:12-4:28 per repeat. On Thursday I did 6 of them with an average of 4:10. Could I have done 4 more? Probably…but my pace would have been dropping at the end I’m sure. Either way I am happy with these results for my first time out. Now I will only do these every other week when I’m not doing a huge long run….and I’ll add another repeat every time out. So next time I’ll run 7 of them…trying to fall in that same time range…then 8…etc etc. I like the simplicity of this…and though it’s really supposed to work…I don’t see how being able to complete 10* 800 meter repeats at a certain pace predicts marathon time. And it is HARD! I didn’t realize how much! With recoveries in between intervals my run was almost 8 miles! Good though…and lord knows I am not afraid of work.


And now on to fun stuff. Here are a few pics of my little darlings from Vincents 15th birthday.

V and lil T

V and Papa....two peas in a pod there

My brothers and my boy...

Oh yes I did make him that ghetto cake and he LOVED it.

Can you tell how happy they are to spend time anywhere near me?  Please please let us get away from our mom!!!!!!!

I love her sparkling eyes

Today and yesterday I was on my own. Lori was having some mad back pain after knocking out a 25 miler this week preparing for her ultra the end of this month. Yesterday I did 4 miles easy and this morning I ran 8.5 miles..6 of those at marathon goal pace and 2 at sub 9’s. I was feeling amazing and kicked off the shoes at the end and did a half mile barefoot. I am about to come out of my skin for spring and back to barefooting!!!!!!

I hate these shoes...I really do.

Updates

I’ve been finding my joy in running all week this week. I feel good and look forward to every run….this doesn’t happen on my monster weeks…but my kick back weeks are so very very pleasant.



This morning I got up before anyone in the house and snuck in 4 snowy miles before heading up to Milwaukee for Dragonboat practice. And tomorrow I have big plans to run 7 miles with Lori…..and I can’t wait.


So here’s my jumbled thoughts on a Saturday night.


Marathon Training- It’s going extremely well. I feel good with the distances that I’ve achieved already and I am feeling no burn out. I’m looking forward to March which starts my third month of training and brings back the speedwork and repeats. I need to look at my plan again and see if I need to do some more tweeking. My big runs for March are a 22 plus miler this Thursday and a 26.2 mile two weeks from this Thursday. I think I would be comfortable if that 26.2 ended up being a 24…but we’ll have to see. This is my first but hopefully not my only run of race distance. I have another right before I start my taper. My taper should be interesting. My kick back weeks are indeed pleasant but I find myself a little crazy on Thursday s when I don’t have hours and hours that I need to run.


Family- They’re holding their own through this training cycle. I’ve stated many times how I strive to keep the impact of MY training on THEM minimal. I figured it out and I take roughly 2.5 hours away from them per week. All the rest of my training is done on my time either before they wake up…or while they’re at school and work. I am extremely proud of this because it was one of my BIG worries before I started training….wondering if I could juggle it all and not ruin their lives over something I had to do.


Me- I’m holding my own as well. I started taking the Synthroid two days ago and feel fine. I felt fine before though. The medicine insert states that it may be a couple weeks before I start feeling better…I wonder what will happen if I never felt bad??? HA! I have also really been trying to clean out my diet. Lean protein and more veggies and fruits then humanly possible. I just finished roasting a huge pan of sweet potatoes, red and green peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, and onions to eat through the week. I am also kicking some Popeye ass in spinach consumption. Taking care of me and giving proper fueling a go.


Skip- Always holds his own. They requested him to do a 3 month detail in D.C. I didn’t say much about that but I did ask him if he’d be able to be home for my marathon. I don’t say it…but his support is a big part of me being able to do what I do…and him being at my races is HUGE to me. I could do it without him there…but it means the world to me that he IS there. Anyways…so he tells me that he would be at my marathon if he had to RUN home from D.C. to be there. And he told me how he appreciated all I did to not impact the family with training but that in spite of that…races are a FAMILY event and that they love to see me run. Isn’t that incredible?


Kids- Are good. I’m keeping my yap shut about V running spring track but I’m hoping with all my heart that he does. Lil T is rocking kindergarten and loving her friend Daja. Dom is not doing well in school. Skip and I lowered the boom on his ass this week and told him that if he doesn’t have his shit pulled together by the next report card that we would be looking into pulling him out of his Magnet school and sticking his ass where there is a little more structure. I HATE the thought of doing that but my child that has been a straight A student his entire life is now getting C’s and D’s in his big classes. The school he goes to gives them a lot of responsibility and he’s not handling it with the grace I thought he would. Tons of that stems from him being a social butterfly…but sorry Charlie…studies first..butterflying second.


Barefooting- I am amazed how much I’ve been able to do through this winter. On Thursday this week at the end of my long run I was able to do another half mile. I am pain free when I do this and am SO happy. I am about 10 miles away from having run 100 barefoot miles…how cool is that?


Anyways…I’m off to snuggle that rotten little girl of mine…hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend….and that you are ALL finding your joy in something this week.

Bare Foot Changes

So my Mizunos had pushing 450 miles on them and were starting to bother me…..and knowing I had 22 on tap for Thursday kinda pushed me along to get some new ones…that and the fact that I got a 15 dollar coupon for Dicks that expired yesterday. I wasn’t going to screw with something that was working so I decided to buy the Wave Rider 13’s again. These shoes were fantastic as far as shoes go and since the 14’s came out last weekend I figured that the 13’s would go on sale…they did…score. So after work yesterday…I cruised over to the Dicks next to the hospital…ran in…asked for the Wave Rider 13’s in an Womans 8.5…paid for them and jetted. I get them home….lace them how I want them…try them on..and guess what….they didn’t fit. Same shoe, same store, same size that I bought a few months ago…but now too small. For a minute I sat on my bed looking at these ugly things…and for the life of me couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on…and then it dawned on me….my barefoot running. It’s changed my foot strike but apparently it’s also changed my feet. And speaking of my barefoot running…with the beautiful weather we’ve been having…I’ve actually been able to do some. It’s felt fantastic. At the end of my 6 miler with Lori and Brian on Sunday I ditched the kicks and ran the last .75 miles barefoot. Good stuff..I can’t wait till this marathon is over and I can get back to it on a more regular basis.



So here’s the news around our watering hole.


Skip is in D.C. again for the week. He also dropped me a text today telling me that they want him to do a 30 day detail some time soon if he can get away from Milwaukee. I don’t mind him being gone…but that’s getting to be a bit long.


Dom spent the day in Chicago yesterday with his school. He had an amazing time…my little city boy.


V had a bomb threat at this school on Monday. There was another one at a different school in our city the next day. WTF is this world coming to?


There are tons of protests going on in Wisconsin right now. My facebook page is bleeding…bleeding heart liberals that is..HA! I feel no sympathy for what’s going on and who is being affected…sorry. The only thing I’d like to see different is to include all unions…level the playing field..it’s only fair.


That’s it…my Wednesday night ramblings. I haven’t run since Sunday so I am totally ready to take a bite out of that 22 miler tomorrow. Bring it…

Month One Done..or almost.

So today we did lil T’s 6th birthday party…never again. And since one of the little ones is staying the night with us,  I don’t have much time. So I’ll just touch on a few things.



My long run this week was a mere 8 miles….and would have been awesome except for the fact that a school bus driver SOAKED me to the freakin bone at 2 miles in. Too far to turn around and go home…too grown up to follow the asshole down the dead end street where he went to hide and beat his ass. I did get to finally see who has been plowing the path the last two winters and I thanked him..that dude rocks!


Today I had 3-5 easy and I ran in the Frees because my Muzinos were still wet from Thursday. On a run this short they didn’t bother me..maybe that’s the ticket to running in them? I also brought Brian out with me. I don’t ever take him if it’s below 25 degrees and with it being a balmy like 30 some degrees..I put on his sweater and off we went. True to his usual jackass form…he went after every dog we saw and embarrassed me….but it was nice to have him out again. He was one dirty little dog when we got home.


I also got a chance to do a little barefooting today!!!! After I did my three miles I ditched the Frees and headed home…and let me tell you…if you think people look at you strange when you’re running barefoot in decent weather…see what happens when it’s 32 degrees and wet roads. I didn’t even go half a mile but it felt amazing...I’ll take what I can get.


Finally..I am about to close out my first month of marathon training. I have one more run left tomorrow to the tune of 6 or so miles…hopefully with Lori. That will put me at 124 miles for the month. I’m feeling good. I think these step back weeks are going to do the trick of this plan of mine. Next month will be the real test starting with a 17 mile, 19 miler and 22 or so miler. February generally sucks less then January so I’m hoping for some fairly decent weather to complete these runs in. The little ones I could care less about the weather…you can deal with anything for an hour. But 2, 3 plus hours….well lets just say that a little thing not freezing your ass off helps.


And on a last note…


23 days, 5 hours, 53 minutes and 43 seconds smoke free.
465 cigarettes not smoked.
$126.50 and 3 days, 13 hours of your life saved.
Your quit date: 1/6/2011 12:59:00 PM

Welcome 2011 and Nike Free

Do you remember when New Years was just another reason to get crazy drunk and act stupid, slutty, ugly..whatever your poison? Sometimes…for a second or two..I miss my 20’s. We stayed in last night…brought in the new year with our children…I could barely keep my eyes open and it was lovely.

So today I started marathon training. I had 3-5 easy on tap and woke to 25 degrees with 25 mile per hour winds…..have I mentioned that I hate the wind? I don’t mind it at my back…but we can’t always have it that way can we? Shit..that reminds me I need to call Jules. Anyways…I was all dressed and ready to head out and Skip says..Lori just went by. Lori is my rocking next door neighbor. We’ve ended up in a number of the same races and her and her husband Mike are some of the only real life runners that I know. So I haul ass out the door and tell her to hold on. We ended up knocking out 5 miles at a bit faster then my ‘easy’ pace. It was an awesome way to start the new year and I hope we do it again. Whether she believes it or not…I think we’re pretty evenly paced..and Lori…if you don’t want me blogging about you, you need to tell me now….because I tend to go on…and on.


On another front…after not much thought and only a little research…I bought my next running shoes. I ended up with the Nike Free and took them on this run. And if you have to wear shoes even if you’d rather be barefoot..this is a decent alternative. It was nice not to have to consciously adjust my footstrike because I’m running in a normal trainer. These take that out of the equation..and I love that. Midfoot strike came naturally..as I want it to. They are ugly..and there really isn’t a tongue to them. They slip on like a bootie and are wide at the front. But they let me run how I want to without so much work and I dig that. Here’s some pics.

28.4mm heel height...hardly barefoot..but there it is.

You really can curl them into a ball.

No tongue..slips on like socks kinda.

I see tons of stuck rocks in my future.

Are they awesome?  Kinda.  Do I love them?  Don't know yet.  But like I said...if you have to be in shoes..this is a nice alternative.  But I'm hoping that between these and my gravel marching...this spring is going to be amazing for barefooting!!!!  Can't wait!

So what did you guys do for new years..eve or day?



Pics and Miles and Maggies First Giveaway

I wanted to add some more Christmas pics as to not leave out the boys…they didn’t get home till Christmas night but I didn’t want to not include them. 

V and lil T

Going through the stockings.

Dom and Skip

Jenga, Dom and Brian

SpongeBob Snuggie Pants

Children brought to you by Skip and Claire.

So last night I did one of the workouts we bought Dominic for Christmas. I had got him the Bootcamp series of Taebo….I’d forgotten how freakin wicked it is..I could barely walk today! I brought my running gear to work today in hopes of getting out a bit early to run….sooo didn’t happen. People were determined to slice their hands open and walk in at the last minute for drugscreens. When I did finally get out of there I had a good 5 miler around the hospital. After I hit that 5 mile mark I ditched my shoes and did a half mile barefoot. It felt good…freezing…but good. After I got back to the car I saw why..it was 22 degrees…holy crap!

And speaking of feet and running…I need to start thinking about my next pair of shoes.  I’ve got maybe 200 miles left on my Mizunos and I’m really toying with switching to a racing flat..or some kind of minimal trainer.  Any suggestions?  I’ve always hated Nikes but have been thinking about trying the Free.  Thoughts?  Opinions?

That’s it…all I’ve got on a Tuesday night. I hope everyone’s having a wonderful week! And check out this great giveaway from Maggie at Run Happy!!