Running in the Sun

I'm trying out this blogging on my phone. We'll see how it goes.

I've been doing pretty good with running  (overall). It's fun. When I smile, it's easier.

Today we went in the jogging stroller because it was a nice, sunny, 45° day. I feel great now. I ran 2 miles, only walking up the tough hills. Those kids are getting big! Then we played at the park and walked in the woods.

What we want.

It is that time of year! Birthday month for both Andrew and Rachel.

Andrew wants money so he can save up for a fancy shmancy camera.

We have decided that Rachel wants blocks, a doll, a table and chairs, and a kitchen. We already got her some plastic food and cars. She also wants someone who will walk around with her all day without their back seizing up.

It isn't my birthday, but I will tell you what I want. I want books (ask me for specifics and I will tell you which ones to buy), a piano, and shoes and clothes.

And this is why I am broken. I need new 'go anywhere shoes', but I don't want them. I want new running shoes. I need another pair of jeans that fits (yay I'm not so rotund!), but I want running long sleeve shirts or jackets and pants. At least we already bought a foam roller, or I would want one of those instead of something sensible, like a new pastry blender or citrus squeezer.

The title of this blog post reminds me of that meme:
What are we? WOMEN!
What do we want? WE DON'T KNOW!
When so we want it? NOW!

Except I do know what I want and I think I must be going crazy. Running has addled my brain.

Dash Point Half Marathon

The half marathon is over and done. It was exhausting, grueling, and not really very fun. I mean, as I've been running more, I've enjoyed it, but this was an experience for which I was not prepared. I got the miles in, I should have been able to do it. I just wasn't ready for a trail run that had some really steep parts.

Sarah and I at Dash Point State Park before the race. Ready to ROCK IT!!!

My loves and cheering section.

Lining up in the slow wave.

At the beginning of the race--don't I look fresh and happy to be running?


Running in the forest is fun! Oh actually it isn't because I just ran up a cliff! I'm a good faker.


Daniel running the race (he's Andrew's running buddy).


My friends Sarah and Melissa running. Looking good!


At the aid station--HALFWAY DONE!!!


Now I'm kind of running--don't judge, I'm super pooped.


This is at about mile 8 and I was dying.

By the end of the race, I was ready to cry.

But I persevered and FINISHED.


None of us (me, Sarah, or Daniel) did as well as we had expected to had it been a road race. Daniel was expecting 1:45 and ran it in 2:45, I'm not sure what Sarah expected but she finished in 3:15, and I expected 2:45 and finished at 3:30.

Daniel's wisdom about the race: "Your first trail run should not be a half marathon, and your first half marathon shouldn't be a trail run."

Although I had ran on trails a few times, none of my long runs were on the trails. Moral of the story: train in the race's conditions.

Even though I was dying, I feel like I paced myself really well. My snail pace was consistent and I finished. And, I can say that I ran a half marathon.

Now, to find a good Redemption Race.

Running through the Summer

Did I mention that Andrew and I have become runners? It is pretty crazy.

Andrew runs with a friend about three times per week. I think they go pretty fast. He is getting better at recovery, which I can tell because he complains less in the evenings when he gets home. His hip is pretty sore, so if you are a runner and have a tip in that department, let us know. His friend is also training for a half marathon and Andrew is still doing all the runs with him. He doesn't want to do the actual half marathon though.

This is good because

I am doing the same half marathon. Which is crazy. I never thought I would say that I am training for a race longer than a 5k (3.2 miles). A half marathon is 13.1 miles. To date, my longest run has been 8.5 miles and I have a little over a month until the race. I feel pretty comfortable running 4 to 6 miles, not that it is easy, but it doesn't kill me. So I'm feeling pretty good about my training and my ability to complete the race. I am pretty slow at 11:30 min/mile and am not planning on being a competitive runner. But I can run and that is great! The race is a trail run and last week I did my first-ever trail run and it was a blast! I think I may need to invest in some trail running shoes in a few months.

Rachel is getting much better at being happy about being in the jogging stroller. She better be, as her longest run has been 6 miles in it. I generally do not do my long runs with Rachel, just my weekday runs. Rachel also likes standing and walking with assistance. Still no crawling. She seems to be getting closer to wanting to move.

Besides the health benefits of running, I am glad that I am training for the HM because it is really good to work towards a goal. I haven't really had a goal since I finished school (except having a baby, I guess) so I really feel like I am accomplishing something. Doing hard things can amaze you at what you are capable of doing!

In The Honey Bucket

Have you seen this?





The same principle applies to mothers with coughs all over the world.

I am a mother who is getting over a cold and coughs. It makes me pee a little. Sometimes a lot.

Today I went running with Rachel in the stroller and it was a nice day. But then, I started to cough. And I coughed some more. And I tried not to pee but sometimes it just comes out. I promise I do Kegel exercises each day!

After a few more coughing fits, I decided that I needed to find a bathroom so I could cough until I was done coughing. Hooray! I thought, I'm getting close to a park with a bathroom! Problem solved.

Or so I thought.

The doors were locked. The sign on the door said, "These bathrooms are temporarily closed due to vandalism."

OK, so do I kick down the door to use the facilities (and also vandalize the door) or do I go into the bushes next to the busy road (and potentially get arrested for indecent exposure and traumatize everyone and practice for camping in the wild)? Neither really sounded like good, legal options.

I looked around, and lo and behold, a Honey Bucket! A Port-A-Potty! That is legal!

Fortunately (maybe) for Rachel and I, the Honey Bucket was handicap accessible, so we both could go inside it.

Rachel had been sleeping, but woke up when the stroller jostled around as I shoved it into the Honey Bucket. I locked the door.

"Ooooh boy," I muttered. This was a stinky one.

Rachel looked at me with a funny face. It was a stinky one.

I opened the seat. I don't want to be graphic, but this potty was piled up. Almost to the top. I think more people should try to hold their poop until they get home. No wonder it stank so badly.

And I completed my business. Rachel looked confused. I coughed and got some more pee out.

I opened the door and rammed the stroller through it, stealthily getting some hand sanitizer (HOORAY! Also need for my bum, probably) in one hand. The stroller wheel got stuck on the door jamb and I had to maneuver it to get unstuck. Rachel was really looking confused. We were finally free! And the hand sanitizer slipped out of my hand. There was no way I was going back in there, so I tried my best with the last vestiges of it on my fingers.

For the rest of the run, I didn't cough very much, nor did I have to pee again.

And that is my slightly TMI story about running.