Kidlet Tales

Two posts in two days...blow me down!  I just wanted to talk about my kids a little, so for those of you who are bored with people who talk about their kids all the time...go away.

Delaney woke up today and immediately pinched her sister Charlotte who was still half asleep - you know, cuz her jammies weren't green.  I think Delaney has been looking forward to pinching others ever since I mentioned this consequence of not wearing green on St. Patty's Day last week - I thought she would be concerned about wearing green, but when she kept quizzing me on the proper etiquette of pinching I knew what wheels were turning in her head.  As soon as she eyeballed me this morning I ran to my closet to get my green sweatshirt on quick.

This is the same child who asked me on the Saturday before my race why I do races.  "You don't win Mom."  Trying to explain to her that just finishing is winning, personal goals, blah blah blah, doesn't really convince her - she saw the people who got the "real" medals.  She is a little competitive, always has to be first to the car, first out of the car, will body check her sister, me, or anyone else who is impeding her progress of being FIRST...and the kid race that I entered her in and she ran with a fever (I know, bad mom), she placed first.

My oldest daughter is mad a me...she isn't talking to me.  This is the texting conversation that got me in trouble with her:

    

     Me:  Guess what?  Your bathing suit fits me!

     Elli:  Why are you wearing my brand new bathing suit I haven't gotten to wear it yet!

     Elli:  That is gross, it's like wearing somebody else's underwear.

     Me:   Hot tub party.

     Elli:  No mom, thats gross

     Elli:  You need to respect my personal space

     Me:  LOL

     Elli:  You didn't even ask

     Me:  Chuck says it looks good, I'm so excited I can't believe I can wear a bikini!

     Elli:  I'm not joking

     Me:  It really shows off the boobs

     Elli:  Mom this is not funny grow up.

I didn't really try it on...I just love how my teenage daughter told me to grow up.  Nope, it is too much fun to tweek you a little my dear!

Last night, Charlotte leaned over and whispered to me,  "I love you mom" - I love those moments.  

Shamrock'N Half Marathon Race Report

Does anyone have a good recipe for egg salad? Cuz I made hard boiled eggs today and Charlotte decided to peel three of them, slice them with an egg slicer, and not eat a single one. Kidlets!

So yesterday was the Shamrock'N Half Marathon that I participated in. I guess I'm getting a little lackadaisical in my racing endeavors because even though the direction said to be there at 6:30 I told my husband, " I don't need to be there until 7:15, the race doesn't start until 8 and I'm already checked in." But in our typical family fashion we didn't leave my house until 7:05 and it is a half hour drive...and we stopped for coffee because I thought I'd have plenty of time to use the restrooms at the baseball field where it started.

But we got stuck in a little bit of a traffic jam on the off ramp...so I got there with about 10 minutes to spare, hustled to the bathroom only to find a line about 50 - 100 women long. So I decided to run without going to the bathroom first...probably shouldn't have asked for that extra shot in my latte. I did have some stomach cramping, but I managed to make it the whole race without having to stop.

I was in the second wave to start, the 9 - 11 minute mile pace...that was a very popular group. My goal was to come in around 2:15 or better so I tried to keep the 2:10 pace girl in my site (I don't know how those people carry those signs for that long while running). Last year I made the mistake of starting out too fast and totally bonked after about 3 miles. I can do 4 or 5 miles at a 9 minute pace, but not 13. I kept with my pacer pretty good, but I really felt like I was in a herd of cattle, I guess the 10 minute pace is popular.

At about 6.5 miles I saw my bootcamp trainer. This was her first race and she was doing the relay, all the relay runners started in the first wave. I could tell she was struggling (she had a blister under her big toe) so I ran with her for her last .5 miles to help her get to her exchange. She was glad to see me, and I felt good about giving her a boost...but I lost sight of my pacer at this point. It was okay though, I still had my garmin and was able to keep track of my pace pretty good.

The race was really uneventful, the last two miles I could feel my legs starting to tire...but I had my rhythm going and just kept putting one foot after the other. The coolest thing about this race, other than all the cool St. Patrick outfits people wear is that it ends at Raley Baseball Field and when you enter the stadium you run around the outside of the field and have lots of people in the stands cheering for you - my trainer was there cheering for me, my husband and girls...and you sort of feel like a rock star for a moment. Then you have to climb the stairs to get out of the stadium. Aargh! and the 1/2 mile I had to walk to my car after the race was the hardest part...but at least I didn't really feel any pain until then. My only injury other than general stiffness was some bra line chafing.

Oh yeah, my time was 2:15 (I think a 10:20 pace) - so I met my goal. I was actually hoping for a little better, maybe next time I'll actually take my training seriously and do better...maybe. I'd love to get closer to the 2 hour mark. Overall I am happy with how I did and I had fun.

Evidently, I'm Just Not Into Blogging Lately

Humph!

Everyone has been sick at my house at least once in the past month - most of us multiple times and for weeks on end.

I have been pretty busy with work and taxes...that just happens to me this time of year.

But enough with the excuses. I have been keeping up with the exercise, training plan...even though there has been drama there too. The "owner" of the Bootcamp company, let go my trainer because there just wasn't enough business I guess. My trainer and I had bonded though, so she agreed to finish my training through the end of my contract even though the Bootcamp owner was the one getting paid. My trainer also decided to start her own company, so when it is time for me to rejoin I will sign with her...but...in the midst of all this my original stats somehow got misplace (I don't know by whom, it doesn't really matter). When I called the original owner to ask her to "audit" her files to see if my stuff got placed in someone else's folder, she said she gave it to my trainer "But she could tell I wasn't happy" and offered me 3 months free. Bonus! but the downside is my stats were never found which kind of sucks...so I will be doing 2-3 sessions a week with a trainer since I'm not going to pass up on a free session, but I also don't want to leave my trainer - cuz she and I have clicked.

I will be running a half mary in 1 1/2 weeks - the Shamrock'N Half which I ran last year. I ran 10 miles on Tuesday and feel pretty good about my pace, and also felt like I could run more, so I feel ready...I'm pretty sure I can improve my time significantly as long as I don't get hurt or make a pacing mistake.

My husband figured out how to transfer our old movie tapes onto iMovie which has been quite entertaining to watch. My kids are so funny...I may need to upload a few videos here...

It is really striking to see pictures/movies of myself from 5 years ago and realize I looked pretty dang good then, but I remember thinking I was fat. What is that about! Ugh. I wonder if I will appreciate my body more now once I get back to that or if I will still think it isn't good enough.

FFFK Race Report

First, everyone needs to go check out Nikemom's GEARED for WOMEN Giveaway.

I hope everyone is feeling all loved up after your Valentine's weekend...nothing fun here, just an old married couple so we babysat for friends.

It is blustery (I love this word, but hate the weather) here in Northern California...enough wind to blow our fence down around our pool. I hate wind more than any other weather that exists, so I decided to do a treadmill tour for my FFFK in honor of Truly Non-Runner Nancy and all the other blogosphere runners out there who are having to take a hiatus from running (Michelle with her broken toe, Kristina who is sick this week & Seabreeze who is rehabbing her foot, are a few that I am aware of).

I sort of feel like I'm cheating a bit when I run on a treadmill, for some reason I am faster there...I think cuz I suck at pacing and pushing myself which the treadmill does nicely.

My results:

Mile 1: 9:18
Mile 2: 8:49
Mile 3: 8:48
Mile 3.1: :54
Total Time: 27:49
Avg Pace: 8:58 (I think, I suck at calculating that)

I ran my first 5K in May of 2007, after deciding to start running again in January of 2007 when I turned 39. My time in that first 5k was 35:13, pace 11:22 - needless to say I am really happy with how far I have come and glad I have stuck with it and thankful I can do it.

And just for fun, I decide to copy Marcy and Michelle and Googled what I need:

1. Shelley needs The Obvious?
2. Shelley needs some help
3. Shelley needs help! (guess I'm pretty bad off)
4. Shelley needs PCE (? IDK)
5. Shelley needs to go
6. Shelley needs Australia (yes!)
7. Shelley needs your vote!
8. Shelley needs Cocoa and Cookies
9. Shelley needs to know

and my absolute favorite...(rolling on the floor laughing cuz I'm such a square)

10. Shelley needs some West London Sex Lesbian Relationships (Mom you were right!)

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, my quote of the day which Delaney told me while I was tending to a bloody nose she had today:

Me: Do you know how you got this? Did you bump it?
D: No, I didn't do anything.
Me: Were you picking your nose?
D: No, I only pick it on Thursdays...I have a secret hiding spot so no one sees me.

The Secret Life of Kindergartners :)

Bootie Update

I've actually been sick with a bad chest cold the last 1 1/2 weeks or so, sick enough that I haven't been able to really do any exercise cuz my lungs are full of other stuff besides air...

...but I wanted to share my successes in my bootcamp so far...I am down 14 pounds! Half way to my goal! I am so excited! I really think the water and weights have made the biggest difference for me. In my opinion, I think I look like I've lost more than 14 pounds when I look at myself, and I think this is because I have definitely gained muscle tone. I'm am supposed to get measured and analyzed next week, so I will know exactly how much my body composition has changed.

I'm a little bummed I have been off track for the past week with exercise due to illness, and I haven't been diligent with my food and water...but I know I haven't been horrible either. The whole time I was sick I kept thinking I would wake up the next day with all 14 pounds plus back on my body, just cuz I hadn't worked out that day...irrational I know. But it is frustrating to think I could be even closer to my goal if I hadn't gotten sick. I've been having a hard time gettin back on the motivated track...until...

Yesterday I started looking at swimsuits and decided this is the year I WILL wear a bikini again. Haven't done that in over 5 years...I won't be going Brazilian or anything, but something cute for sure. Not skankalishious, but definitely not a full body suit that has to suck in and cover all my bodyparts and screams "I'm a Mom, and I never want to have sex again!"

Freakishly Flexible 5K

In honor of Non-Runner Nancy, whose creative mind united many-a-blogger's in her virtual races, full of virtual schwag and fun...I will be running the Freakishly Flexible 5K on (or around) February 14th hosted by US Jogger. Read Nancy's story here...and join me in this race by just posting a comment in US Jogger's hood, where you can get all the official race info...it's that easy. You can run, you can walk, you can bike...whatever self-powered juju (no cars or motorcycles) gets you moving 5K (3.1 miles - you CAN do it). Just move and do! and be Thankful you can.

My Kids Are Killing Me!

Elli called at 9:30 today and said she needed $10 by 11:15 so she could by her ticket to the dance this Saturday - after I'm already at work AND after we asked her yesterday if she needed money for this.

Delaney is 6 and I spend 10 minutes every morning blow drying her hair "so it doesn't have any bumps" - thank goodness she didn't get Elli's crazy curly hair and only has slightly wavey hair. She is going to take 2 hours to get ready in the morning by the time she is 12.

Charlotte told me last night she wants to change her name to "Monkey Bean Seasalt Dolphin" - yeah, she is my goofball.