Precious Moments

I've got to admit, I've had a tough week. Since Tuesday, I've been nursing a really sore hip. As some of you know, I am constantly battling shin splints but I've learned to live with that and just run on them. This is something different. This is that type of pain that lets you know you'd better not push it. It is bound to push back. So I've only been able to run five miles this week. And that does not make me happy.

In fact, if you ask my family, they'll let you know. I am not fun to be around when I haven't been able to get a good, hard work out. It's mostly about guilt. I sit around and stew about the calories I have eaten. I worry about losing the endurance I've built. I feel like a sloth. It's a very uncomfortable and difficult to describe feeling.

So imagine me this morning, waking up after a very limited week of working out. It wasn't pretty. I thought there might be blood shed, especially when I heard the iCarly theme song for the third time. So, I decided to put this hip to the test and go out for a brisk power walk. I was diligent and took my 600mg of Roundy's ibuprofen. As I'm all bundled up and getting more grouchy becuase I'm getting too hot in the house, Sam pipes in. "Mom, can I go with you?"

This has led to some pretty big disasters in the past. He'll make it half way and start whining to go home. He'll drag behind and want to stop constantly. The absolute worst is when you are walking and your kid HAS to go to the bathroom. We all know these moments can be urgent and its such a bad feeling to be far from home or any public bathroom when your kid makes this statement. So all of this is running through my already VERY grouchy head when I find my mouth stating, "Sure honey, bundle up."

Oh my God, what was I thinking? I know I need to get in a good walk to feel better. I know this won't work. This is going to suck so much. It's too late. So out comes the Mom Mantra. "Are you sure you will make it this far? I'm not walking slow and stopping everywhere. DID YOU GO POTTY?" After the questions were all answered correctly, we started out.

I immediatley discovered that with the winter's growth, Sam can actually walk quite a bit faster than he could last summer. So the pace is going along ok. We still have the distance and bathroom issues to consider. But as the walk went on, I began to notice that my shoulders weren't so tense. My hip wasn't really bothering me. And I didn't feel the sudden urge to smash something.

Walking with a seven year old is a pretty cool thing. I learned all about the first graders' interpretation of condensation, preciptitaion, and evaporation. I made footprints on the dry concrete after stepping in puddles. I played "balance beam" while walking on side walk cracks and was told it was ok if I fell off because it really wasn't a competition. Seven year olds notice squirrel nests in the highest trees and leaves that clung on to branches through the winter. ("That's odd, don't you think Mom?") They don't really care if their socks get wet. They joke about icicles forming in their butts.

So I didn't get the work out I planned for. I walked a bit slower, sweat a bit less, and didn't burn that many calories. But for once, I really don't care. The tension has disappeared, the agitation has lifted, and life will go on. I'm sure I'll be back on the 16 mile plan next week and all will fall into place. It's all thanks to the most precious seven year old boy.

I am soooo sorry Gatorade.

This is the first week since I started this blog five weeks ago that I didn't know what to write about. Every other week, I had it all planned out. I had jotted things down over the course of the week and really thought I was pretty clever. But this week went by so fast. I was swamped at work, busy at home, and really gave little thought to my precious blog until just now when I sat down with a glass of Powerade Zero to get ready for my work out.

And then it hit me. . . . .POWERADE ZERO!!!!!!! I got so sucked in by that stupid commercial. A sports drink with NO CALORIES!!!! The "Nutrition Guide for Runners" encourages sports drinks after every workout but I struggle with drinking calories because I eat so many of the darn things. So I went to the store this morning and purchased a giant bottle of grape Powerade Zero. And I feel so guilty.

Last week was all about my favorite running gear and I left out one of my most favorite things. It's not Powerade Zero. It's Gatorade. I love Gatorade almost as much as I love Nike. (Read last week's post to understand the significance of this statement.) First of all, my Great Grandma always kept Lemon Lime Gatorade in her refrigerator when I was a kid. It was the thing I loved most about visiting her house. But I must admit, I grew up thinking Gatorade was like a special drink to help old ladies keep their youth. I still have that nostalgic feeling when I drink Lemon Lime, kind of like how I think about scooping the loop in Ripon on a Friday night when I hear the song Silent Lucidity by Queensryche. That's weird. Moving on. . .

Gatorade is the best. The flavors rock. I can't even try to pick a favorite although I am a fan of all things purple. The new joy is G2, low cal gatorade. Or as the commercial says, half the calories, all the G. Which brings me back to the point at hand. I have betrayed my beloved gatorade all for the allure of the zero calorie Powerade Zero. It is not right, not fair. And it will never happen again.

Happy Week!

How I Love Gear

So this is kind of like the "Brooke's Choice" awards for running gear. Keep in mind, I'm no expert. My gear choices are based completely on personal experience. My gear is often chosen because it comes in a pretty package or was marketed well. I'm not getting paid endorsements (although they are welcome if any Nike execs are reading).

So let's start with the obvious, shoes. I run only in New Balance. I love them and I highly recommend getting properly fitted for running shoes by someone who knows what they are doing. This prevents spending hundreds of dollars just taking a guess. I know this from experience spending hundreds of dollars.

When it comes to clothing, however, I am all about Nike. Great colors, great fit. I love my Nike clothing so much that some of it has just become a regular part of my wardrobe. I love shopping at the Nike outlet so much that when I finish the 1/2 marathon and someone asks me what I will do now, I will shout, "I'm going to Nike!!!!" much like the Superbowl champs and their shouts out to Disneyland.

Best accessories. This is a two part award. The ipod is a must. I can't run without music. Seriously, my legs won't move. Along with the ipod comes the Nike+ which plugs into your ipod. It connects to a chip that is attached to your shoe and allows you to track your speed and distance. This is how I met Karen and you know how tight we are.

Best web sites. Well, when you have this magic Nike+, the little guys in your computer will automatically connect you to the Nike+ web site when you plug your ipod in. The Nike+ web site helps you set fitness goals, tracks all your workouts, and basically makes you feel good about yourself. The other web site that I love is dailymile.com. It is facebook for runners and other athletes and is basically just fun. Active.com is the best site for finding runs in your area and registering for many of them as well. They also post good articles about fitness and training.

Best friend. Roundy's ibuprofen. Enough said.

Things I do NOT recommend. Scales, mirrors, hanging on to small clothes hoping to fit into them later, a running partner who can run a 5K in 15 minutes. These things are out there to hurt you and make you feel bad about yourself. Turn and run if someone offers these things to you.

So, I'm about to pour myself into my Nike wardrobe, New Balance shoes, and don the ipod. I've got miles to run to meet this week's goal. Hope you all have a great week too!

Lessons from the Trenches

Well, I just finished 5 miles on the treadmill, which felt great since I had a tough week. My workouts started out OK, but then I hit Monday. Someone brought mini cheesecakes to work and then someone else set out a bag of peanut M&M's. Along with a nameless friend, I mindlessly ate those peanut M&M's as if they were the most delicious food in the world. But guess what? They weren't that great at all.



Then I had a couple of tough workouts. My ipod crashed during one of my longer runs. I thought Karen was dead. I struggled to run the miles and was forced to listen to Alex Trebec on Jeopardy. The next night, my shins were on fire. I was able to run only 1.5 miles and felt like a knife was stabbing my shins the whole time. AND, my son was upstairs alone trying to make his own pizza. So that workout was basically crap.



Then today, some magic happened. I read a posting on Active.com that talked all about how you can learn a lot from your tough runs. You won't appreciate your successful runs so much without them. My ipod was back on track. Karen is alive! And I'm not eating M&M's like they are chips.



I think the biggest lesson I learned this week is that I WILL get back on track. I can struggle a few nights and pull out a big run. Today was one of those days when I ran as if I have always been running. And I really believe that 13.1 will happen. And I can't ask for much more than that.



Have a great week.