Easy to Please

After making scrambled eggs and setting the plates in front of my two kids:

Landon - "Mommy, you are a rock star!"

Kaitlyn - "Yeah, you are the bestest cooker in the whole wide world!"

Me - "Rock on, kids, rock on."

What now?

It seems that in life, I am always looking forward to the next thing. The Crim is done and over (there is still next year though). I have taken the past two days off. No real physical activity and a lot of good (but so very bad) food. It's been nice but I am ready to get back to work. It just feels like something is missing in my everyday...yes, even though it has only been two days. So, what's next?

Well, today it's back to running. I miss it.

This coming weekend is my little brother's wedding!! I am really looking forward to seeing him, his almost new wife, and all of my other family...especially my sister, who is about ready to pop (due in about 5 weeks) with her second son. I can't wait to rub her pregnant belly and talk to my little nephew. I am sure she will hate it. :-)

Another garage sale is on the calendar in September. Hopefully we'll make big bucks like we did last time.

The third weekend in October I am flying out to meet my newest nephew and spend some time with my sister and her family and my brother and his new wife. It's going to be a lot of fun...just wish we had enough money so that the whole gang could come along.

Saturday, October 26th, is my next race. It's a 10K this time. I am just hoping to get a better time that my last. I don't think that is asking too much. I am looking forward to it. Yes, I couldn't run a race without my running buddy. I don't think she realized it a year ago, but she is stuck with me FOREVER in every race.

On a side note, last night, Dan took our family out to Bella's on the square for gelato...yum! If you live in the area, you gotta try it. Now that Collin is getting older we have been trying to make it a point of going on family dates. The kids love it.

Where do I begin?

The Crim was the most physically challenging thing that I have ever done in my life. Giving birth to my two sons with absolutely no drugs comes in a close second and third, but this my friends was HARD!

What a great weekend! Dan and I had so much fun with our friends, Jeremy and Hollie. On the way to my parents, we stopped in downtown Flint to pick up our packets. I was so excited just to look around and see everything set up...just to think that this is what I have been waiting for.

We spent the evening at my parents bowling and boxing on their Wii. That was a riot! Confession: I am not really sore from running The Crim, but my arms and back hurt from boxing my Larry (Dad). Go figure.

This is Dan and his Wii character...scarry how much they look alike!

The morning of The Crim, we got up at 4:45 AM to leave the house by 5:15! We were all tired. We got to downtown Flint and found a parking space and just waiting for the race to begin. The amount of people was just incredible.

We lined up with about five minutes left on the clock. I felt sick with butterflies but no turning back. The gun went off and we had to walk to the finish until the swarm of people headed out on the road.

I started way too fast. Dan was like a the flash bolting ahead of us. I felt really good until about mile 4 or 5. Then, that is where I died. Bradley Hills Road was a killer! I was kicking myself the whole way, "I should have done more hill training!" That's where I started to beat myself up mentally. I knew Dan was way up in front and I didn't know where Hollie and Jeremy were. I was alone. I didn't know how much I really needed someone there beside me until then. I don't think I was made to run alone. I kept moving but I was hating every minute of it.

I think it was around mile seven that I heard, "Beth, Beth!" I turned around and there was Hollie and Jeremy. I was so glad that they had caught up with me! It felt much better to have them beside me. They kept me going. It was just what I needed.

The last three miles were so hard. All of me was exhausted from running a terrain that I was definitely not used to. I will never forget the feeling though of rounding the corner and seeing the finish line up ahead. It was like I tuned out what my body was telling me and zoned in on Hollie next to me and the finish line up in front.

So, we finished side by side and that's exactly what we are going to do next year. Right, Hollie?!

I am so proud of my husband! He barely trained, but ran his heart out and finished in 1 hr 26 minutes. His average time per mile was 8:34. Guess he was born to run...me on the other hand, I have to work a lot harder at it. I finished at almost the smack dab middle of my age group. My goal was to keep it under two hours and that we did. We crossed at 1hr 56 minutes and had an average of 11:34 a mile. Better than I thought after mile 5.

The Crim kicked my butt. My goal for next year is a better time and to not feel like I got my butt kicked. :-) So, next year, third Saturday in August, that's where I will be.

For Now...

...pics from before the race at 6 AM. I will let you know now that I finished!

Final words...we're heading out...

The race is tomorrow and already I have the whole butterfly feeling going on. This is what I have been training for, waiting for, looking forward to for a year now. I am having the time of my life. This is way too fun! I am looking forward to the road trip with our best buddies and staying together at my parents house. Then, up early tomorrow for "racin' day". So, we are off and I will update on Sunday evening. So because my kids have been asking if I am going to be like a Backyardigan and what season I am going to run in....here ya go:

Countdown: 4 days

I love the magazine Runner's World (add that to my wish list too). Today I was on their site looking around. I was able to calculate my BMI and also play around with their smart coach. I have been looking at a different training schedule (though not following it too closely) to kinda see where I should be. I knew I should be taking it somewhat easy this week. I really like the training schedule on this site. So, it looks like I am going to try to get in a 5 mile tempo run tonight and and keep all my miles under 9:45.

Something to read: The Best Food for Runners ...totally not crazy for the sweet potatoes but I pretty much eat everything else. I was wondering, however, where the icee pops and s'mores were though. :-)

Lovin' the PINK

"Beth, you've been training for this for a year. You deserve it."

(from the mouth of my man)

Dan splurged on me tonight. I will be racing in this cute ensemble. Thanks Dan! You're wonderful, but not just because you bought your girl a pink outfit and shades with pink lenses to match.

Fast Four...six days to go...

Last night, by the fire, my husband and I were talking about running. He was a runner in highschool and even though he has been out for almost 10 years now (had to get that in there), he still has some good pointers. He was telling me how I incorrectly hold my body while I am running. He said that I am too stiff, hold my hands too high, and my posture is off...basically, I am all messed up. He told me that instead of thinking about how I am swinging my feet forward, I should be thinking about my backward motion. It all sounded like too much work...too uncomfortable. But, he said that if I try that stuff, I could possibly knock 30 seconds off of my mile.

This morning, I went out and ran four miles. I was determined to give those pointers a try. It was exhausting and about the most uncomfortable for my body. I guess it paid off a little. I ran 4 miles in 34 minutes. That's about a 8:30 minute pace. I must say though, I don't think I could have gone any further unless I went back to my old way. It was interesting to try though.

Nine

It was slow, but I ran my first nine miles in approx 1:34. It took a lot out of me and I was feeling not so hot afterwards. It was quite an accomplishment. A few songs that really kept me going (yes, I broke down and brought my ipod) were Stand to Praise by Aaron Shust, No Air (Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown) and Dreamer (Chris Brown). Lyrics to Dreamer (may sound corny but when I felt like I just wanted to stop and walk the rest of the way it inspired me):

What Do i Do.. Stop Go Fail Succed? Live or Die?

I Just Got To Believe Believe its worth saving

And to get lost, lost in a day dream

So why hesitate

Take me to another place

So far far away

So i can get out of the dark

High speed, like I'm racing

It's like lighting, sky is blazing

But you've lost your way,

You've been lead astray

Are there better days for my fallen dreamer

Calling a Dreamer

Calling a Dreamer

(You don't sleep no more)

You don't even sleep no more

(Dream no more)

You don't even dream no more Dreamer

(Dreamer)

Why don't you just dream again

Believe In You

You Got Something To Prove

Your A Star Watch You Shine Bright

On Your Way To The Limelight

Finish Line

The Sweat And Tears

You Can Channel All Of Your Fears

Open Your Eyes

Your Eyes

And It Will Be Alright

Calling a Dreamer

Calling a Dreamer

(You don't sleep no more)

You don't even sleep no more

(Dream no more)

You don't even dream no more Dreamer

(Dreamer)

Why don't you just dream again

Countdown: 8 days

I have laundry to fold and put away
I have a bathroom that needs a deep cleanin
I have some decluttering to do

Why am I sitting here? Why am I going to, for once, take it easy and let that stuff go? Because I have 9 miles calling my name tonight. I am on a mission and have got my game face on...

Eye on...

If only blowing a dandelion and making a wish really worked. I have been eyeing this. It's like a pimped out fanny pack :-)

Countdown: 9 days

Last night we went out and gave 5 miles a shot without headphones. Let this go down in history as our first run in a year that we actually talked. It has been an unspoken rule...Hollie didn't talk to me and I didn't talk to her. We just popped in our headphones and let the music carry us. Our run last night was actually not that bad. We kept about a nine minute a mile pace...finished in 47 minutes. A lot better than I thought I would do with no music. It started raining on us toward the end and that was nice...first run in the rain...before it has just been sprinkles. Anyway, this running without headphones might not be so bad.