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.

First Yoga Class

So in order to avoid doing a 10 mile run in the rain I decided to try that yoga studio that Skip got me a gift certificate to downtown. I got online to check the class schedule and saw that they had Yoga 1 at 9 and Yoga 2-3 at 10:30. I had no idea what to take and ended up calling and speaking with the owner who suggested I take the 9 o’clock class and see what I thought. I told her I’d been doing it for a few months at home but like gym rats…she didn’t seem to put much stock in ‘at home’ stuff. Of course I could be wrong but that’s how it seemed. So I pack my gym bag because I still planned to run when I was done…and headed downtown.



The studio is gorgeous..and the owner was totally friendly as was everyone else. A lovely lady showed me where to put my things and took me into a big room and got me my ‘stuff’. Now at home..I’d never even used a mat..let alone a block, pillow, blanket and some kind of belt thing. I didn’t end up using anything but the mat and the block. I sat down on my mat and waited. I have NEVER taken a class before…and didn’t really know what to expect….but was pleasantly surprised. It was peaceful…no where near challenging enough…but perfect for getting my feet wet…she told me that I definitely needed to be in at least Yoga 1-2 which I am going to try this coming Wednesday night. It was sort of strange to be in a room full of people doing exactly what I was doing…..but not in a bad way. I’m going to purchase a summer pass and try to go once a week. Today I was totally sore but I don’t know if that was from the yoga…or the killer hill repeats I treated myself to after doing yoga for 1.5 hours. Probably a little of both.


Now I want to address something that’s been bothering me a bit and that I’m sure my parents will start on shortly…and that is the spiritual part of the Yoga practice. Yoga is ancient and no one really knows how it began…and the spirituality of yoga is all fine and good and should be respected and taken seriously…but that has nothing to do with me and what I am getting out of it. I am a Christian…I have no interest in being one with anyone or anything except God and occasionally Skip. It’s like my running in that I am exercising…in a fashion that I find palatable..and even like sometimes. But when it comes down to it…all it is is my feet hitting the ground. But it is incredible to take a step down..and relax..and enjoy something different.


Now instead of sleeping in on a Saturday morning…I plan on hammering out the 10 miler I avoided on Thursday. I have yet to sign up for Lighthouse…not sure what is up with that. I have the filled out registration form with check sitting on the counter waiting to be mailed. Maybe I will tomorrow.

Turtles, Trails and Birthdays

Sunday Lori and I drove down to the Des Plains River Path in Illinois. Lori had spotted it at some time or another and really wanted to check it out and I’m always game for a change of scenery. She wanted to do 10 and that sounded fine even though I’d already done a 10 that week. I got that tattoo on Thursday and wasn’t even supposed to have shoes on but I covered it with A*D ointment and some no-stick gauze and off we went. I decided to attempt to do this run in the Frees trying to keep in moving to the straight minimal/barefoot running…and I did. My calves and feet are getting less sore and I feel like this is going smoothly.

It was a beautiful trail and the sun was out…perfect. The miles clicked away and we did an out and back of 5 miles and crossed one road…awesome! On the way back we saw this guy…who after showing the pics to Dr. Foster he informed me that he was probably a she and she was looking for a place to nest.

I wasn't getting my foot much closer then that.

It was covered in moss slime and had a snail attached to it's shell!

Yesterday was yoga and also my 35th birthday…both were good. I am only 5 years away from 40…and though that sounds weird…I’m excited to be that age…..looking forward to it the same way I did to 30. Today I got off early and headed over to Lake Andrea for 5 miles. I did the first 2.25 in a pair of MaryJane looking water shoes that I bought at Wal-Mart for 7 bucks. I wanted to try what a truly minimal shoe may feel like before dropping bones on something I hate like the Frees. They were really good..I could feel the ground and my heels were flat to it with there still being something between me and the earth. I will keep using them till I can do my entire shorter runs…6 miles or less…truly barefoot. Right now I’m back up to 3 miles completely nekkid. Good stuff. My feet feel strong but even with the gravel marching I did all winter..my soles need more toughening I guess. I am undecided what to wear for my long run this Thursday….stick with the Frees….go with the water shoes…or with my trusty Mizunos.


Anywho….Vincent has his last concert of the year tonight…ohh…I never mentioned he is a musical genius as well as a running prodigy? Football…ugg.

Ruud Rush 5K

~Spectator Style ~

The boys both decided to do this one. After missing his race he’d trained for the end of April Dom had sort of lost steam with his training. He had not run in almost a week and was trying to get out of it Friday night. I knew it was just nerves so I told him we would head over there in the morning…and if he felt like running…do it…if he didn’t…I wasn’t going to make him. I also told him that I would NEVER set him up to fail…and I wouldn’t let him race if I didn’t KNOW he was ready.



So we got up and headed over on the all of 5 minute drive. It was cool…just the three of us….like it was BEFORE Skip and BEFORE Tate. Like it would have been if Skip and I had never met…that part I don’t like.

We got there and I was amazed how big a set up they had. I knew T was going to be BUMMIN because they had tons of kids activities including but not limited to…a bounce house, cookie decorating, coloring, planting sunflowers. How cool. Lori my running buddy and her husband Mike were also running this one and we ran into them right away. Gave Lori the massage coupons out of the boys goodie bag. Dom thought he could use a massage but I told him he had a good 10 years before he needed a massage. So they got their bags…got bibbed…and were ready. Dom was nervous…Vincent didn’t really have any expectations. V had done NO training and this race was like triple the size of his last couple. Why did I let him run it? Dunno….I kinda blow like the wind sometimes….and I was morbidly curious to see what would happen to him and his time….sick…I know.

So we head over to the start. I had Dom go over by Lori and told V to get up front. They sang the national anthem and I was so pleased to see V with his hand over his heart when NO one around him did it. I went over in front of the start line….interesting to be on the other side…the gun went off and they were gone. I saw Vincent pass…but never did see Dom again till he was almost done.


The cool thing about watching a 5K that you know a number of people participating in, is that there’s not a whole lot of waiting around…especially when you have a fairly fast kid out there. I went to the bathroom….walked around a little bit…and before I knew it 14 minutes had went by and I headed out towards the 3 mile mark. Much to my surprise…..like you could have knocked me over with a feather surprise…the first runner was coming. He finished in a little over 15 minutes….Holy shit.

Sixteen minutes ticked by..and 17…and 18…and 19…and 20. Now I was kind of starting to worry. I didn’t even see Vincent. His last 5K was 21 minutes flat…and that was with some training….but I also know he’d gotten his mile time down around 5 minutes…but then again that’s gym class….and 1 mile is way different then 3.1 miles. Finally I spot him…my heart is in my throat. It’s what he’s meant for and it emotionally crushes me to watch him run….breaks my heart in the very best and worst ways. He hit’s the 3 miles mark and just GOES…passes every other runner on that stretch and crosses in 21:52.  His best? Heck no. But the only running that kid has done in the last year is 2 miles with me at my marathon two weeks ago….and a handful of little runs since this time LAST year. And he talks to me about football…ugg. He ended up taking 3rd for his age group of 15-19 year olds. And I realized something today..every race he’s done in the last 2.5 years he has either WON or placed in his age group. Makes me want to beat my head against a wall.


My neighbor Mike came in next followed closely by Lori who missed her goal time by 3 seconds but still a PR for this distance.

And now I wait. I wasn’t really sure what kind of time Dominic would run. From looking at his training runs on my Garmin I figured he’d be right around 12 minute miles…which would put him coming in around 36 minutes…plus change…maybe. So V and I headed back to the 3 mile marker again and watched for him. When we saw him I told V to stay and run him in…but to stay off the course…and I waited near the finish. So he runs in…RED as a freakin Tomato!! Looking like he is about to TOSS some cookies….crosses the finish at 36:02 and HURLS! Outstanding!! By the time I make it over to him he hurls AGAIN and the first aid people are huddling around him and he’s sitting on the ground. My boy…I always tell them it’s not a race till somebody pukes..and Dominic helped me out by doing just that.

We stayed for the awards. I figured V had placed but not taken his age group and I wanted him to have his medal. It was an awesome race for an awesome cause and VERY well put together. I could not have been more proud of my boys….they both put their BEST out there….one very prepared…one completely unprepared…which shows you the unfairness of running..LOL. Dominic crossed his first finish line as an official race participant and I knew I’d done the right thing when I see this posted on Facebook later….

• Dominic **cs
Ran my fist 5k today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i got 36 min which was my exact goal so i am very happy got a shirt and band and me and Vincent the cleptos we are stole a bunch of the freee stuff lol

Please ignore my child’s atrocious grammar….Dom…you can’t steal stuff that’s free.


And for your viewing pleasure…since I gave my marathon medal away…I got a little something to keep for my marathon.

Have a great weekend! and Yeah...it hurt

Let’s Talk Ex’s and a Few Pics

Because my run really sucked today….HA!

As many of you know…Sunday was my parents 40th anniversary party. It went off without a hitch…good time was had by all…..including my ex-husband who had a very special personal invitation by my mother. Adam and I have known each other for almost 20 years…and since we divorced many many moons ago….we have become good friends as well as parents to our two boys. This was not always the case…..but we always managed to present a united front to our kids….never let them play one against the other…and managed to never say bad things about the other. This took A LOT of doing…especially on my part due to this and that. But he is like my dad in many ways…I don’t necessarily want him in the day to day business….but he’s always got my back and is really good at the bad stuff.

How does Skip feel about this you ask? Or not? He could give a shit less. He talks to Adam more then I do. They have wayyy more in common then a wife/ex-wife and kids/step kids…they both love the Green Bay Packers, sports, smoking, camping…etc. They watched the Super Bowl together and countless other games over the years. They respect each other…and are friends.


Which goes to show….even when things end badly….you can act like grown-ups…and come out way better for it.

Isn't this a riot?  If I photo shopped Kid Rock in I could have husbands Past, Present and Future!

On another completely unrelated note…my wonderful husband (current)…surprised me with a gift certificate to the yoga studio downtown for my birthday next week. See? He reads my blog….how cool is that? Thank you baby…I am the luckiest girl in the world.

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?