Ouch.

Yikes. 

That's all I can say at this moment...I've fallen off the running wagon, fallen off the blogging wagon...essentially fallen off the "me" wagon. I really had no idea it's been so long since I last wrote a blog entry, which also speaks to getting enough exercise & sleep, too - every week seems to go by faster and faster lately.  Now that it's officially my "23rd" birthday (ok, ok that was 13 years ago, but who's counting?), I've decided to put more focus back on to "me" and taking care of the one and only vessel I was so blessed to have been born with.  Nothing sums it up much better than a few words written by a man named Mike Boyle entitled,

"One Body":

Who'd be stuck with this little gem?

Imagine you are sixteen years old and your parents give you your first car. They also give you simple instructions. There is one small hitch, you only get one car, you can never get another. Never. No trade-ins, no trade-ups. Nothing.

Ask your self how would you maintain that car? 

My guess is you would be meticulous. Frequent oil changes, proper fuel, etc. Now imagine if your parents also told you that none of the replacement parts for this car would ever work as well as the ori ginal parts. Not only that, the replacement parts would be expensive to install and cause you to have decreased use of your car for the rest of the cars useful life? In other words, the car would continue to run but, not at the same speed and with the efficiency you were used to.

Wow, now would we ever put a lot of time and effort into maintenance if that were the case.

After reading the above example ask yourself another question. Why is the human body different? Why do we act as if we don’t care about the one body we were given. Same deal. You only get one body. No returns or trade-ins. Sure, we can replace parts but boy it’s a lot of work and it hurts. Besides, the stuff 
they put in never works as well as the original “factory” parts. The replacement knee or hip doesn’t give you the same feel and performance as the original part.

Think about it. One body. You determine the mileage? You set the maintenance plan?

No refunds, no warranties, no do-overs?

How about this perspective? One of my clients is a very successful usinessman. He often is asked to speak to various groups. One thing he tells every group is that you are going to spend time and money on your health. The truth is the process can be a proactive one or a reactive one. Money spent on your health can take the form of a personal trainer, massage therapist and a gym membership or, it can bemoney spent on cardiologists, anesthesiologists, and 
plastic surgeons. Either way, you will spend money.

S ame goes for time. You can go to the gym or, to the doctors office. It’s up to you. Either way, you will spend time. Some people say things like “I hate to 
work out”. Try sitting in the emergency room for a few hours and then get back to me. Working out may not seem so bad. Much like a car, a little preventative 
maintenance can go a long way. However, in so many ways the body is better than a car. With some good hard work you can turn back the odometer on the body. I wrote an article a while back (Strength Training- The Fountain 
of Youth) that discussed a study done by McMaster University which showed that muscle tissue of older subjects actually changed at the cellular level and looked more like the younger control subjects after strength training.

Do me a favor, spend some time on preventative maintenance, it beats the heck out of the alternative. 

Just remember, you will spend both time and money.

Thanks to Nick Pfaff for finding this and sharing...I hope it resonates to anyone reading this - you've only got ONE body.  Whatever stage of life you're in, no matter your circumstances...it's critical to take care of YOU.  You're the only YOU you'll ever get!

Happy 4th!

Linds 

Hydration, acclimation and too-small tech shirts

At the start, get in line.  Go.  Repeat.

Whew - it's 4 days post Unite 1/2 Marathon and I can officially say something's strange because I never got sore.  Maybe a teeny tiny bit in the quads, but not like anything that's ever happened before.  Usually a day to 2 days afterward I find it hard to bend down or walk down the stairs...but not ONCE did I feel like that this go-round.  Woohoo! 

So what was different?  I haven't the foggiest idea...however I have been kicking around a few ideas in my mind...like the focus on hydration the week & 1/2 leading up to the race...or that since this was my 8th half, maybe my body is acclimating to the distance?  I also forgot my Garmin at home, so I ran purely by how I felt, rather than depending on the watch to tell me how fast to go.  And it was liberating! 

Starting line fun!

Anyway, the good news was, despite the lack of regular training (hey, it's Iron-Man season in our house) - which consisted of 1-2 runs/week; varying in length and whether I wanted to push myself or not, and one long run on the weekend, I was only 20 +/- seconds behind my PR (which was accomplished during peak marathon training last year).  Not bad! 

Another bonus?  No headache...if you've been following my blog (thanks, by the way) you'll remember my headache issues - particularly post race or hard(er) training run.  I definitely think staying hydrated helped a lot, but around 4 that afternoon I felt the all too familiar "fuzzy pressure" mounting at the base of my skull...coincidentally I stopped for a cup of coffee at that point to wake up a bit and was pleasantly surprised when the headache disappeared soon thereafter.  I will most certainly grab a cuppa joe the next time I feel one coming on to further test my theory...

On another note, I just want to give a shout out to CGI Racing for organizing a very fun, well run event.  I will definitely be back, however would like to register my complaint about the sizing of the tech shirts....I LOVE the shirt...and my 10 year old loves it too; she's already worn it twice this week.  Next year, PLEASE order grown-up sizes...I'd like to wear my shirt with pride, rather than watch my kid pridefully wear it. 

Next up...

NJ Share Network 5k in New Providence on 6/10.  If you're local, we'd love for you to join Team Evan to honor and remember a sweet little angel who left us too soon, but lives on in the others who needed his help - you can make a donation or sign up to participate here.  It's a great race, a worthy cause and a fun day. 

It's Highly Scientific

It's 6 am on a Thursday...sun's just poking it's head over the horizon and the lone kid in the house is already busily playing legos (the other 2 are on "vacation" at Grandma's).  Yesterday I found myself in the same scenario, minus kid #3, AND without a car...so I ran the long way to work...and am pretty sure that experience will go down as one as the best mornings ever.  Ah, well...no repeat of that today.  Unless the boy rides piggy-back the whole way.  Ouch.  For both of us!

Anyway, back to the present...I've already downed 8oz water and a cuppa coffee - why, you may ask?  I'm on a mission of hydration.  Every day my goal is to be as fully hydrated as possible to see if I can get rid of the post-exercise headaches that plague me after a harder run.  I experimented with this concept when the headaches first started (about 3 years ago) - but didn't seem to have much luck...BUT I only concentrated on getting enough liquids in AFTER the workout...not BEFORE. 

A good race-day hydration strategy?

Once I started training using a heart rate monitor (keeping my bpm low), I was able to keep the headaches somewhat in check, but after races or a run where I just let go, I'd wind up with an awful headache a few hours later.  We tried to narrow down a cause....was it my form?  Was it my low Vitamin D level?  Probably not - so I'm back to hydration...and I'm measuring this by the most amazing scientific method - the color of my urine...colorless to nearly colorless...TMI? 


So I figure if I keep on it, by next weekend for the Rutgers Unite Half, I'll know if I've discovered the cause if I am headache-free after the race.  Here's to hoping!

Is something burning around here?

I've never been much of a fan of running as fast as I possibly can for any length of time.  From when I was a kid, whenever I exerted that much energy all at once my lungs would hurt like hell for hours after (hello, childhood asthma - or so I thought); I specifically remember racing round my backyard and having to take breaks to breathe shallowly until it stopped hurting a lot.  Yuck.

Well, it being track season and all (kid #1 is LOVING the track club she's a part of this spring), I somehow got it into my head that I really, really want to know how fast I can run a mile.  All out, no holds barred...run as fast as I can for a whole mile...after all, I've completed 26.2 a couple times, 13.1 a few more...done a few tempo runs, even some track work here and there...why not?  How bad could it be (sense a little foreshadowing here)?

So- after a few weeks with only a couple opportunities to get some exercise in...and a little bit of stress build-up (ok, A LOT), I decided I wanted (NEEDED) to get out and do something.  Only thing was that I had all 3 kids; Mike was out on a long bike ride and had a late meeting thereafter, so I was out of luck.  Then came my "A-HA!" moment - what about the HS track?!?!  It's all fenced in, and I would be able to see them at all times...PERFECT!  We'd head over after kid #2's soccer practice and I can already start to  feel those endorphins a-flowin'.  Only problem:  as we drive by the school, there's a LAX game on the turf...what's that saying about the "best laid plans"?  Alrighty, on to Plan B - the park down the street.  There is a paved pathway all around the park with a playground...Kid #1 could watch the other 2 while I do my little experimental time trial...

So off we go to the park, everything going according to plan.  Kids are happy, I'm giddy and the sun is shining.  I get them settled in - explain the rules to kid #1 (no fighting, no pushing, no leaving the area, no heckling mom as she runs by, etc.) and off I go - flying down the pathway.  All's well until about halfway...my achilles lungs start that awful "holy crap, I'm on fire" feeling...but I keep going thinking I might be able to just run through it.  Needless to say, I'm pretty sure that wasn't such a good idea because as I sit here now (3 days later) it still hurts to take a deep breath.  The result?  6:58 minute per mile pace.  Not as fast as I thought I could be, but ok.  For now.  Dun dun dunnnnnn....

So the take away from all this?
- Warming up might have been a good thing to do first (yes, heavy sarcasm from here on down - duh)
- If one hasn't been practicing sprinting, maybe that should be part of the training before sprinting for a length of time
- Long distance training may not be conducive to fast-paced short-distance running
- Pick a flat terrain venue.  Hills might slow you down a bit.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to a nice, sloooow long run this weekend.  Only a few weeks 'till Rutgers Unite Half! 

I run a taxi service on the side...

So here I am, surrounded by a slew of endurance athletes...some are literally Pro's, with olympic dreams, others trying to satisfy that incessant need to expend some energy and be competitive post HS/College years, and even some just trying to keep themselves as young as possible.  No single story is less inspiring than the other - I believe we are all inspiring when we decide to push our boundaries and get "out there". 

So when the term "endurance" is spoken, the first thought might be directed toward what these people are doing...but lately my thought on endure is getting through the week (weekends included) without losing my mind...

Let me explain.

I've got 3 kids, 2 of which are involved in travel soccer & piano lessons.  One is also involved in track, and the other with 2 other extracurricular activities.  Therefore, we have activities scheduled every single day of the week.  Yes, Monday - Sunday.  Double sessions.  No days of rest in this house.  Kid #3 is a good sport - he gets dragged around from place to place, with just a little whine or protest here and there...but I'm pretty sure someday soon he's going to rebel and say "the hell with you people, I'm not doing anything anymore, and you can't make me".  Only a matter of time.  And have I ever mentioned my husband is training for another Iron Man Triathlon?  About 20 hours/week in some cases of any combination of swim, bike and run...all the while working full time + (I totally get the term "mom's taxi").

Anyway, so from planning the entire week's worth of dinners on Saturday am, food shopping for the whole week somewhere inbetween activities over the weekend...I'm trying to stay on top of things because it would be all too easy to run through a drive thru en route to any activity.  I do not want to sacrifice my family's nutrition for convenience - I suppose you could say it's one of my own personal "core values" - I believe how you fuel your body is incredibly important - and particularly while my kids are still growing and developing at a fast rate.  Setting them up for a healthy adulthood is critical.

I know some day it will pay off dividends, and as long as I can squeeze in some running time for me I can maintain the stamina to keep on keepin' on.  Only 7 more years 'till kid #1 gets her license... which will be a whole other animal...

No one said it'd only be point A to point B

In case anyone's worried

Wouldn't it be nice to have a "no-fail manual" for how to do almost everything in life?  Something absolutely clear cut; do this, get that as the result.  Cut & dry, black & white.  No deviations or other scenarios allowed...like 3 kids involved in various activities, a husband training for an Iron Man triathlon...oops, I digress...


Looks like another "must-
read" how-to manual to me

I signed up for a half marathon in April, and am trying to kinda sorta follow a training plan, but so far I think I've actually completed 3 (out of a lot) of the scheduled workouts.  If it were my first race, I'd probably be thinking I should drop out...but I know I'm capable of completing the distance whether or not I follow the plan to a T, so onward I (try to) go.  I'm not expecting a PR (personal record, or best), but knowing race day lies ahead keeps me motivated to try and squeeze a run in when I can.  So, tonight, I expect I'll be on a treadmill after the kids go to bed, but at least I'll have the satisfaction of mood boosting endorphins and knowing I won't let myself give up - doing something good for me and ultimately my family in the long run...for if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy....

Adios February. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Well, February has struck again and 2 out of 3 kids have been struggling to get rid of a nasty upper respiratory bug for 2+ weeks.  I am so very thankful March is here- while it's just something the calendar shows, mentally it's a big boost as I know spring is "officially" within reach.  Someday I'll have the means to relocate to a warmer climate during the entire month of February.  I hear Costa Rica is awesome.  

Anyway, I really can't complain about this winter in terms of temperature - I can't ever remember February temps only in the 40's - 50's; and sunshine to boot.  Starting training for the next race hasn't been too torturous - or boring stuck inside on a treadmill.  My spring race of choice (Rutgers Unite 1/2 Marathon) won't be my competitive race (for me) though - Mike is ramping up his training for the inagural NYC Ironman in August, so I'll have to get some runs in where ever I can fit one or two in...just to get my butt up off the couch.  I know that if I don't sign up for something or have a reason to fit exercise in, it's too easy to skip (like this week has been, unfortunately - but sleep takes precedence in my book). 

Yes, I've learned that it's all too easy to "put off today what you can do tomorrow", or really, truly what it means to "give a task to a busy mom and it will get done".  The more I have to fit in, the more gets done because I know I can't afford to procrastinate - whether it's exercise, meal planning, work, family stuff...and I know it's just going to be more jam-packed as the third kid enters the wide world of extracurricular activities (he's already got his eye on wrestling and rugby). 

Thus, that is why I'm finishing up this blog entry at 5:58 am on Friday morning (although I must fess up that I should have had this done yesterday), already gearing up for another full day, and even more jam-packed weekend.  But hey, it's March! 

Well, doesn't everyone get socks for Valentine's Day?

Well, it's been a week since Valentine's Day and I'm delinquent with keeping my blog up to date.  I was thinking a lot about what to write, but never got in front of the computer long enough to write it down...until now.  A week late.  Well, better late than never I suppose.

I have to give a shout-out to my mom.  Why?  Because of all the funky socks in my sock drawer...I think I have at least one pair for every holiday, thus I'm always ready to celebrate, whether you can see them or not.  I recall the days leading up to Halloween, my kids would check out my feet all the time to see which socks I put on that day - pumpkins, ghosts, black cats...I'm not sure who it was more fun for - them or me.  This past Valentines Day - I goofed and wore my red fleece the day prior - and since I don't own anything else red, I was in trouble on the 14th...until I remembered I had pink socks with red hearts AND black socks with red hearts...not one, but TWO pair to choose from!  Thank God for my mom. 

It may seem goofy - I don't put a lot into most holidays (Christmas & Easter aside), but it's fun to get into it a bit...and I have the perfect excuse with my fun socks! 

My mom has learned over the years that I'm not a person of extravagance, nor do I have a penchant for things that don't serve a functional purpose.  So, after many years of trying to buy me stuff, I think she's settled on socks (better than underwear, right?).  She can still exercise her right to buy for me (because she's my mom) and she knows I'll actually use them...and like them, too. 

So taking a bit from my brother in law's blog last week, now that I have kids of my own, I can see how trying to connect with them by providing something of importance (if even only in their own eyes) can mean so much - and everyone has their own way of trying to show they care...presents, favors, 30 second hugs...I'm trying to do a better job at recognizing when someone shows me they care - even in the smallest ways. 

Since having my own three children, I've become ever more grateful for the many nights I woke my mom up for any of the following:

a) a bad dream
b) illness (ranging from a few coughs to ear infections to...well, I won't go into it)
c) just to check in

...and received all the care and attention I needed to feel better...(THANKS, MOM - for being awesome AND all my cool socks!). 

I'm on the chemical diet.

So there I was, trying to breeze through the grocery store at 7 am Super Bowl Sunday, because as I've learned the hard way, it's crazy busy 4 times per year; Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July and the Superbowl.  Quite possibly the four most gluttinous days of the year...but I digress. 

As I got to the peanut butter aisle (because kid #2 would have nothing to eat for lunch otherwise), a yellow label caught my eye:  "Calorie Free".  Huh?  Calorie-free peanut butter?  Anyone knows that peanuts and other nuts are chock-full of calories...how on earth could a jar of peanut butter be no calories at all?  Upon closer inspection, I noted that the label also said "Whipped Peanut Spread"...not peanut butter.  That was the second clue that something was odd.  So, like any curious person, I picked up the jar and read the ingredients.  Yeah, no peanuts here, per se...just a lot of "fillers", "natural roasted peanut flavor" and "peanut extract".  Ew. 

What have we come to, that we would rather eat fillers and additives to avoid the all-evil calorie, or fat, or cholesterol (or insert any "bad food component" here) rather than eat real food in moderation, and think it's ok.  There's so much information out there that points to all our advances in food science (flavorings, colorings, refinement, etc.) as a major contributor to our obesity issues now...not to mention cancer, heart disease....the list goes on. 

Long story short, I hope the "Calorie Free Peanut Spread" tanks.  And the glamour of eating something that "tastes like real food!" is realized for being as ridiculous as it truly is.  If you want to eat chicken, eat chicken.  In the mood for something fruity?  Eat some fruit!  Want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  Try some freshly ground peanuts - eat real food!

Rocket Turtle

I'm 11 weeks out from my first official 2012 event - the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon.  This will be my 8th half marathon...and while I feel pretty confident in what to expect,  I know I'll still have butterflies the day of.  I'll "officially" start training around 8 weeks out, so for now I'm just trying to get some regular mileage in, and keep my heart rate below 154bpm - which means I have to keep my pace slooooooow. 

It's all based in Phil Maffetone's findings that you can go faster for longer by training your body to stay in an aerobic state.  I did this a bit last winter and felt it helped a lot going into the spring.   I'm all for staying healthy - there's nothing worse than being injured or having significant aches and pains and having to sit things out for a while.  I'd also like to think I'm doing myself a favor in the long run - the less hard stress I'm putting on my muscles, ligaments, joints, etc. the better I'll be in regards to joint issues later in life.  I've known a few individuals who've had joint replacements - and while the "after" is much better than the "before" the recovery and events leading up to surgery seem to be pretty awful.  Here's to hoping, anyway.

I've got a few other events I'm eyeing for 2012...particularly my big "redemption" event...the NYC Marathon.  NYC 2000 was my first (and only for 11 years thereafter) marathon...and I did it in honor of an old HS friend through Team in Training.  Since I already wrote a bit about it already (here), I won't rehash the details...but suffice to say, I was never a fan of my time and always wanted to do better.  Enter Marine Corps Marathon 2011...I beat my time by about 40 minutes...but I still feel like I need to go back and redeem myself IN NYC...and I will now publicly state (yipes!) that my NYC 2012 Marathon finish time goal is UNDER FOUR HOURS.  Can I do it?  I guess only time will tell...I'm banking on staying healthy (c'mon Maffetone Method!) and finding the time to really put a lot into my training (all this with three very busy kids and a husband competing in Iron Man NYC in August!). 

Wish me luck!

Try a new perspective...

So there I was, heating something in the microwave and as I zoned out I saw the whole kitchen reflected in the door (bear with me on this).  I thought how different everything looked - not even really that familiar anymore - the bay window and kitchen table were on the left side now, with the oven, refrigerator and counters on the north side of the house...while everything was identical, it was also very different, chiral, if you will (an Organic Chem term, thankyouverymuch).  Then I got to thinking about how different perspectives can make things - no two people see the same exact thing at the same exact time, and each may have a vastly different interpretation of an event, or occurrence.  Much like when kid #1 explodes at kid #2 and there's a battle afoot...I know I'll have two different perspectives, or sides of the story.  Mostly, by their own claims, both kids are "100% innocent"; all words were said very sweetly - no sarcasm or mal intent meant - so it's completely the other kid's fault.  Sometimes I even think both kids truly believe their own sides of the story, hence the different perspective, but that doesn't really help matters, particularly when I didn't witness the whole incident.  That's what two separate rooms are for...separation works wonders for infighting. 

So where am I going with this? 

We all have our own sets of eyes & ears which are hard wired to our very own gray matter.  What we see, hear, feel, and experience as we grow up shapes us as adults, right?  Some of us can be very stubborn and "set in our ways", while others might be more open to experimentation and trying new things (or somewhere in the middle).  Take for example my Grandfather.  No man I've ever met was more stubborn or set in his ways than he.  There was no point to try to argue or enough money in the world that would change his mind about, well, most everything.  God love him, he was difficult to have any sort of two-sided conversation with - so we just listened to his side of the story (and he had some doozies!) and appreciated his 90+ years of wisdom, whether it mirrored my beliefs or not. 

On the other hand...I've surrounded myself with people who believe that the "sky's the limit" when it comes to health and wellness.  Always eager to learn about and try new things from food to sports...and since I've become part of the group, I guess I have a hard time with the somewhat common "I could never ____" limitation people put on themselves. 



"Bought in July '09/August '05; Never been refrigerated;
Never had any mold; Refuses to decay; Looks like the day
bought; Box and paper falling apart"

So here's my thought:  we as a whole are experiencing an emergency when it comes to our health and quality of life.  Why?  We eat terribly and live a mostly sedentary lifestyle.  I know you've heard it all before, yadda yadda yadda.  But it's 100% true - our food (and lack of exercise) is killing us.  Not only is the quality of our food crappy, but we eat too much...AND we mostly believe we can't live without it.  Or we try to eat a little bit better...but it's not enough...because we just couldn't bear to give up (insert food category here), or life just wouldn't be the same without (insert food category here).  Really?  Our quality of life would plummet because we couldn't eat something?  I hope that sounds absurd, because it is. 
Alright, enough with the negative diatribe...what I'm ultimately getting at here is that we can try new things.  We can reprogram our taste buds to like whole foods - really taste real food.  We can slow down just a little and be mindful of what we put in our mouths [In fact, there's a study out there showing people who chewed their food more times were healthier and weighed less than people who hardly chewed their food at all (link)].  We can prevent some of the very diseases that will likely take us from our loved ones too early. 

Why not try a new perspective on food?  Even if it's using "baby steps" (see my last post), we've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain (or the opposite, depending on your perspective!).

A Resolution for No Resolutions?

Well, the past few weeks have really gotten away from me...Christmas has come and gone, as has New Year's Eve and my "baby's" 5th birthday.  All I did was blink...where in the world did 2011 go?!

Anyway, as I move into a brand new year, I have decided to not make any "resolutions".  New Year's Resolutions have become a joke of sorts in my mind - I've noticed quite a few FB status updates and tweets here and there lamenting that there's no space in the gym or equipment availability because of all the newbies who've made it a resolution to get in shape...but then there's always the snide comment saying "don't worry, things will be back to normal in only a few weeks"...which for all intents and purposes is true.  Everyone knows they can/should "do better" in at least one aspect of life - fitness, food, money, etc.  We might "resolve" to make drastic changes, only to come up short when we feel like it's just too hard to maintain the change...we're so used to our routines and habits, it can seem insurmountable at times.  If we target a specific date...if we psych ourselves up enough...maybe, just maybe, we can leap the hurdle and be home free - a changed and happier person forever!  Not likely.

Don't get me wrong- there are people out there who've managed to cold turkey what ever bad habit they had, and kick it to the curb forever and ever.  But they are definitely few and far between...and who knows their motivation?  Staring death in the face, or some other unthinkable outcome lurking around the corner for sure...

So then, what about the rest of us?  Well, I'm not an expert by any means.  But I do know that drastic changes throw me into a tailspin...akin to torture.  Hence the "no resolutions" resolution.  (Oops - did I make a resolution?!)  It's babysteps for me.  Little, individual changes...slowly introduced one at a time.  Once I get used to something, then I'll bring another small change into the mix...my blood pressure stays relatively normal, I don't get stressed out, and POW!  A change for the better, in the right direction.  All that needs to be done is ignore or talk myself down from the "I want it NOW!" feelings that pop up when, say, my pants feel too tight.  Like right after New Year's Eve.  Let's just say that was my motivation to make a goal to eat a few extra fruits & veggies every day.

So, as I bid adieu and goodnight, enjoy the above clip from "What About Bob".  A true classic.

Happy 2012 to you all!

The Little Things

I've got a lot to be thankful for.  Yes, I know it's almost Christmas - I don't have my holidays mixed up...although after the past few days I just might start confusing things due to lack of sleep.  Kid #3 spent roughly 24 hours at the hospital being treated for pneumonia.  Seven years ago kid #2 (at 12 months old) had the same experience, but this time was vastly different.  As some of you might have already heard the story, I'll explain for those who haven't - after a few days battling a ridiculously high fever (106!) using both Tylenol and Motrin concurrently to try and break it, kid #2's lips suddenly turned blue then pink a few times - it was almost hard to believe I saw what I did -it was an "eyerub" moment - but when I saw it a few more times it was definitely real...so off to the ER we went.  Long story short, after being suspiciously asked where she got the bruise on her forehead (she was a toddler for goodness sake - and even now at almost 8, is still a bit of a clutz), threatened DYFS by the doc because her vaccinations weren't up to date (even though she was started on them), and traumatized by catheterization...they found that she had an "infiltrate" in her lungs via X-ray so we were admitted for treatment of pneumonia.  While our experience with the ER was not one I'll remember fondly, the pediatric wing where we wound up was GREAT.  The nurses, staff and doctors were sensitive, caring and great with her - and thankfully she got much better very quickly.

This past Tuesday, after his cough just wouldn't get better and on the advice of our family doc, we took kid #3 to the ER (oh no - dejavu!) for a chest X-ray to check for pneumonia.  While the wait to be seen was much longer than last time, I never got the feeling that I was being scruitinized or judged by anyone...and it just so happened that the ER doc was the husband of a good family friend (a very welcome, friendly face I might add).  I felt like my kid's best interest was being put first...he was hardly traumatized (the IV line was a bit rough...but nothing a promise of Lego Star Wars toys wouldn't fix).  I suppose it helped that there were some very...ahem...interesting characters around, which definitely kept me entertained for the few hours we waited for a room on the pediatric ward.  After the boy conked out (a thankful break from the incessant "I want to go home") we were finally moved to the 4th floor.  Mike showed up just as we were heading into the room and like a true tag-team effort we switched and I headed home. 

His opinion couldn't be more clear

Fast forward to about 10am the next day...after opening the cafe and getting things in order, I headed out to find some Legos with Darth Vader in them - I managed to find one with lots of clone troopers and Anakin Skywalker, who I figured would suffice since he would become Darth Vader anyway.  Another tag team switch - Mike headed out and I settled in, happy that the boy approved of my purchases...not once in the 2 hours it took me to put everything together did he indicate he needed to "get out of here"...SCORE!  We saw a few friendly faces over the course of the day - his Pre-K teacher stopped by with a present, a doctor who worked in a different area came in at his sister-in-law's request to check on us (Thanks, Jen!), and a friendly face from the kid's school was there for her own daughter's foot surgery.  We felt very special - the kid even opened up and was animated with a total stranger...not a usual occurrence. 

Thankfully, kid #3 was discharged that afternoon, and we headed home...it's really such a luxury to sleep in your own bed and be in a comfortable environment, surrounded by family.  He's made such a speedy recovery, that it's hard to believe he's the same lethargic, sickly looking kid from earlier this week.  At least one worry is resolved for now...and I'm thankful my worries now include when I'm going to wrap and hide all the gifts, make the cookies, finish work stuff, catch up on much needed sleep...? 

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all - may your worries be small and your days be joyful!

Wimp out, or face the music?

So do I face the music, or wimp out and pretend that ignorance is bliss?

As I may have alluded to before, this time of year is a love/hate kind of time for me...LOVE the magic of Christmas, especially when my kids get caught up in the real meaning of the season.  I LOVE Christmas Eve mass...the music is something I look forward to every year...I LOVE the decorations, sights, smells and overall feeling that Christmas is coming...BUT...I really, really, really LOVE Christmas cookies.  I HATE how I feel once I've pigged out on them with reckless abandon - they're everywhere, so it's impossible to avoid them and impossible not to eat them.  I know - nothing's impossible - I choose to act like a kid in a candy shop and stuff my face.  But it sure feels like it's beyond my power of self-control.

Anyway, regarding whether to "face the music"...the super cool folks at our "Pro-Activity Lab" have devised a sort of holiday experiment - we're all faced with high calorie, high fat treats this time of year...and most, if not all of us will freely indulge in the gluttony...but does this roughly 2 week binge really have an overall effect on our blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol levels?  In order to find out, they're asking for test subjects to come in early on Wednesday (Dec 21) morning, having fasted from the night prior to take a "before" sample...then come back on Tuesday, January 3rd to take another fasting "after" sample.  Sounds pretty simple, right? (This is just the thing I really miss about being a "lab-rat" - I love being a part of experiments; writing up the hypothesis, putting together the testing procedure, administering the test and then analyzing the results...yep, I'm a geek.  But I'm ok with that...) 

Only problem is, I'd have to be a test subject this time...and do I really want to know what all those goodies are doing to me?  On the one hand, of course!  The more you know, the better- particularly when it comes to our health...if there's something borderline or needs to be addressed, the sooner the better.  On the other hand...I really like cookies.  Will knowing how much (particularly if a lot) damage is being done, ruin a happy part of the holidays for me?  Sigh.  I suppose if that were the case, I'd have to start looking for other, non-Christmas cookie associations to make with this time of year...and I can't think of any right now.  Maybe over time?

So, I'm in.  From lab-rat to...well, a lab rat.  And I'll publish my numbers...stay tuned...Gulp!

(If you're interested in partaking in the study too, click here to register or call 730-6640 for more information)

'Tis the season to be stressed-out

Feeling a bit stressed out by the fact Christmas is only 17 days away?  I am.  Oh boy.

I miss the days where all I had to do was show up on Christmas Eve, eat some pasta for dinner, pick my pre-portioned rice pudding to see if I had a red hot candy* buried in there somewhere...and then help clean up the kitchen (in record time) and then....PRESENTS! 

*Finding the red hot candy in the rice pudding meant you got to open the first present - an old Swedish tradition my mom found in a book somewhere...but you also had to leave a bowl in the garage to appease the mischief "elf" or you'd have a year's worth of trouble (a nice way to have seconds without anyone the wiser - my mom LOVES rice pudding!)

Anyway, now that I'm the mom...there's a whole heckofalot of planning that goes into Christmas; decorating, present purchasing, "Santa-communicating", a couple different types of wrapping paper that must be hidden along with the presents so the worldly kids won't realize Santa and mom use the same type of paper...what a coincidence!  Living with the in-laws doesn't leave very many hiding spots, thus the reason I haven't done much shopping yet. 

So...to keep my sanity, I've decided I'm going to try not to sweat the small stuff.  I'm also looking for something my family and I can do for those less fortunate...I figure that while we live in a great area, they need to see that the world does not begin and end in our neighborhood and philanthropy is a very important and rewarding aspect of life.  Anyone with any ideas for families with kids under 12?  I'm all ears!

As I've also mentioned before, how we're eating is very important this time of year as well - it's almost too easy to indulge in the bad stuff because it's everywhere...just don't buy it.  If it's not in the house, it won't get eaten...

The best things to eat during the winter months are chock-full of antioxidants and vitamins...keep eating lots of fruit and veggies - "eat the rainbow" - and bypass all those highly processed carbohydrates...not only will they make you crash shortly, but any excess will go directly into storage...and 3500 calories of storage = 1 pound...dun dun dunnnnnn...

Hope you enjoy and make the most of these last few weeks of 2011...in the words of Dave Matthews, "Eat (good stuff), drink (lots of fluids) and be merry!" 

Happy Holidays...here's a few lbs!

I'm not quite sure what it is about this time of year...but ever since I can remember, all I want to do is eat, eat, eat.  Doesn't matter what it is, if it's not nailed down, I'll eat it.  I could make excuses and say that my body is trying to acclimate after having been in training mode for various races since basically February of '11...but it's consistent from year to year.  As soon as Halloween hits, look out!
I've read a few scary statistics lately, one of which is that people expect to gain a few lbs over the holidays.  The problem?  The weight stays on, which over the course of a few years translates to a 10-15 + lb total weight gain ramping up risk for some serious health issues down the road (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, to name a few).  No one is immune to the risks.

The other alarming trend I read about yesterday, is that the average American's weight perception has changed a great deal since the early 1990's.   Back in '91, men had a self reported average weight of 180 lbs, with their "ideal" weight at 171.  For women, it was 142 and 129, respectively.  Fast forward to 2011 and men report that their weight now is up to 196 (16 lb gain!) and their "ideal" weight is now up to 181 - almost exactly what they were dissatisfied with in 1991!  For women, they're now up to 160 lbs (18 lb gain!), with a self reported "ideal" weight of 138...only 4 lbs less than what they were back in '91.

Are we becoming so used to carrying around the extra weight that slowly we're becoming ok with it?  And - just a side note- has anyone else noticed that clothing manufacturers have changed their sizing methods?  I'm convinced that a woman's size 4 today was a size 8 twenty years ago.  Smart by the manufacturer...but now we're lured into feeling like since we can fit into a smaller size, we must be ok! 

So...my mission this holiday season through winter?  Answer my cravings with good stuff...if I need to snack, I need to reach for fruit, vegetables and whole grain snacks - I'm NOT buying any goodies or making sweets unless absolutely necessary (kid birthday parties, Christmas, etc.).  Consequently, I'll also be paying attention to how I feel physically and mentally as I always find the winter difficult on my psyche.  Should be an interesting experiment!

Fruitcake?  No thanks.

I'd like a half cup of tomato paste, please.

So yesterday I noticed in the news there were quite a few headlines regarding congress and the decision to label pizza as a "vegetable", or more specifically, the tomato paste on pizza.  About two tablespoons-worth.

Initially, the USDA wanted to classify a vegetable serving size of tomato paste as 1/2 cup, way too much for just a slice of pizza...so that would mean pizza would no longer meet the qualifications of a federally funded school lunch program (which says kids need a specific # of servings of vegetables per meal).

Enter Congress:  I'll refrain from getting into politics, or other "conspiratorial" opinions...but I'll just say, darn, those lobbyists from frozen foods companies are goooooood.

I'm not really sure what else to say, I'm not even sure "outrageous" even comes close to how absurd this whole thing is.  I get that tomato paste was once partly a real vegetable (or fruit, for you tomato purists) and therefore contains some vitamins or other benefits.  But as we all know, it's not just tomato paste you're eating on a pizza - you're eating highly processed pizza dough and greasy, fat laden dairy cheese along with it.  Can you seriously look me in the eyes and say those two things have health benefits without emitting a giggle or outright laugh?  I liken it to babying your car - getting it detailed, tuned up, new tires and then ramming it into a fertilizer truck.  Or maybe saving up all your money buying a whole new wardrobe, then shredding everything as soon as you get home.  Or better yet, buy a new house then set fire to it.  Hopefully the water you left running in the bathroom kept that part of the house from burning down.  That was smart thinking. 

Just because you ate some tomato sauce on bread with cheese doesn't mean the entire thing is healthy...and calling it a "vegetable" so that you can mislead kids or even parents into thinking they're doing themselves a favor is pretty darn reckless, especially in light of the fact it's now recommended kids as young as nine need to be screened for high cholesterol. 

Sheesh. 

______________________________________________________________________
Footnote:  found the following "quotes" which bear sharing from Inside Scoop SF

• “Got it, everyone? Your kids can continue stuffing their faces with as much frozen pizza as they want now. It’s essentially the same thing as eating celery.” — Gawker
• “I only hope that jellybeans continue to enjoy protected legume status.” — Gawker comments
• “Thinking about planting pizza in my garden next spring, now that Congress says it is a vegetable. Anyone know where I can buy pizza seeds? — Leo Thomas McGarry

Boo, Humbug.

Forgive me, but I hate Halloween. 

Yes, yes, I know - I'm the Scrooge of Halloween...I hate that my kids expect to purchase a new costume every year that they wear once and then crinkle up in a pile on the floor until it's eventually put away never to see the light of day again.  I hate all the scads of candy they "work hard" to collect, then expect to be able to eat in one fell swoop.  I hate that after they binge on said candy they act as if they're wild animals - one minute high as kites, the next whiny, out of control sugar-crashed messes.

That said, I do actually like seeing how excited and proud they are to don their new costumes (likely the reason I break down and purchase new each year).  I like seeing how excited they get about the whole thing - and how they start honing their bargaining skills by counting, sorting and categorizing their stash - then negotiating trades with their siblings and cousins.  Kid #1 gets even more popular;  everyone wants first dibs on the dairy-allergic kid...she has quite the bargaining power when it comes to switching out her chocolate candy for non-dairy stuff.


Anyway - I wish we could do all this with less junk...and not have a major rebellion.  All year I work hard at keeping candy and other garbage to a minimum with my kids - only to be completely derailed once October 31st arrives...and then it takes until seemingly the New Year to detox!  I actually had the audacity to tell them they could pick 10 pieces of candy to keep, and that we'd send the rest overseas to our troops...Kid #1 cried.  Hard.  Sheesh.

I get it.  Kids like treats - we all do.  But I struggle with the fact that this stuff has zero nutritional value - and the fact my kids still have a lot of growing and developing to do...I only want them to put the good stuff in, to ensure everything develops the right way...I'm certainly not saying they can't ever have a treat, but 1-2x/day EVERY day is too much in my opinion.  My thought is, we do a heckofalot of damage to ourselves when we're younger...only to pay the price when we're older.  Isn't it my job as their mom to make certain they grow up healthy?

So - I caved and let them pick 20 pieces to keep.  I got a little flak, but they understood why.  I hope that by continually talking to them about my reasons why I don't let them just eat whatever will stick someday...and those 20 pieces go PDQ...I'd like to make it to Thanksgiving already out of the mode of expecting a sweet treat after dinner every night...just in time for pumpkin pie. 

Jimmy Kimmel's Challenge "I told my kids I ate all their Halloween candy"...Quite possibly the best "Halloween" challenge ever issued...and the kids at the end are priceless. 

Marine Corps Marathon

This past weekend is one I'll never forget.  I went through the gambit of emotions leading up to and through this weekend - I'm incredibly grateful to have been able to experience the whole thing.  You never know what you're capable of until you push yourself past a point you'd ordinarily say "Uncle"...I had quite a few moments like that - particularly when I smashed up against the dreaded and very real "wall" you might hear marathoners talk about...

The weather on Saturday certainly didn't help to buoy our spirits in anticipation of the Marine Corps Marathon the following day...cold, rainy and snow dotting the sky at times...and everything looked gray.  I contemplated throwing in the towel - I'd done all the training, the race was just the icing on the cake - I can live without icing, right?  Not if my kids were around - which 2 out of 3 were - so I couldn't back down now.  On with the show...

Sunday am, met my brother in law Eric at 6am in the lobby of the hotel - no sign of rain, and I was nearly esctatic...we made a friend from West Virginia as we were walking out the door, shared a cab to the "Foggy Bottom" Metro station and squished into a fully packed train to the Pentagon.  Everyone was buzzing - my favorite part of any race - so my sprits were continually being lifted out of the funk from the day prior...we're really going to do this!

After we squeezed our way off the train, we followed the crowd as diligent lemmings do and walked for quite a while, trying to stay on sidewalks and the road so we wouldn't get our shoes wet or muddy in the grass...after a while we made it to a huge parking lot with porta-potties lining both sides - and as experience dictated, got right in line...I wasn't too terribly cold at this point - I layered up as best I could with "throw-away" clothes I'd eventually ditch at the starting line.  To whomever invented "hot hands":  you are a genius and I hope you are ridiculously rich...those little things kept my hands toasty warm all the way up through mile 7 when I finally pitched them!

Anyway, after I said good luck to Eric (who was on his way to the first corral) and squeezed in the corral with the rest of the 4:10-4:30 goal-timers I was feeling pretty good.  In fact, I was kind of dancing to the beat of the music I was listening to - but don't be fooled - it was all due to nervous energy...and the best part is that I didn't care how ridiculous I looked because I'd likely never see the handful of people around me again.  My toes and balls of my feet had now turned numb...which was a bit concerning, but didn't want to dwell on it too much.  A seemingly eternity later, we were on the move...and as we got to the actual starting line the crowd around me erupted into a big cheer as we all embarked on our 26.2 mile journey around Washington D.C.

I can't really say much about the length of the race itself, only tidbits here and there - Seeing my husband and 2 kids around mile 5, enjoying the scenery from 5-7, enjoying the Marines cheering for us at every mile marker, with everyone responding with a big cheer back (until about mile 10...then the cheers were sparse and small)...hearing the sneaker-patter against the pavement and thinking it sounded like soft raindrops on the roof, having to go to the bathroom from about mile 6 on (and since there was a long line at every porta-potty available, decided to keep pushing on), reaching the half marathon mark and attempting to mentally gear up for a "whole new race", feeling my hamstrings get progressively tighter right around mile 13, FINALLY stopping to use the porta-potty at mile 14 and losing 4 minutes in the process...

Then...the dreaded wall.  Mile 17.  When the thought came into my mind:  "This is STUPID".  It was a complete mental battle thereafter - I wanted to quit.  The next medic tent was mine - they could call Mike, he'd pick me up and we could call it a day.  No harm done. 

No.  I couldn't quit.  I had to save face - all my splits were being posted on Facebook & Twitter (did that on purpose because I knew I'd need the extra motivation), I couldn't quit in front of my kids...just keep going.  One foot in front of the other.  Don't be a baby....what ever I could think of, I tried it...being nice, being mean, pleading...reminding myself there are millions of people out there that don't ever get this opportunity...and an especially meaningful quote from a fellow PACER member Cassy Bush, "Chemotherapy is way harder than 26.2 miles".

Stopping to stretch a few times, I kept getting more and more disappointed I was losing ground with my time - but I had to stop and walk as well - my legs were so stiff and my feet were hurting - I thought for sure walking would feel better...and it did for a bit, but after a while running felt better...so I walked and ran, but kept putting one foot in front of the other - still waging war with myself in my own head...

Eventually got over the bridge into Crystal City - gobbled down a few chocolate munchkins (DELICIOUS but hard to eat when you have cotton mouth) and willed myself forward...mile 24, mile 25!  ONE MILE LEFT!  Oh crap!  One mile still to go!  Keep going...you can run this in...no more walking, no more stretching...RUN!

Our expressions upon seeing "the hill"

Finally - mile 26...only two tenths of a mile to go...but it's...uphill!  I knew it would be uphill, but I had no idea how BIG that hill would look!  So I put my head down, gathered up whatever I had left and ran up the hill...crested the top, saw the actual finish line and immediately broke into tears...Ugh...but that finish line was such an incredible sight, I'm pretty sure it's a vision I'll remember for the rest of my life.  Crossing over that line - having pushed myself mentally & physically as much as I did, was an experience I'll be forever grateful for. 

As I and the rest of the finishers around me shuffled through the chute, we received a foil blanket, a medal and photos were taken to commemorate our experience...while ordinarily I'd have loved to relish the moment, all I wanted was to find my family - and sit down.  I'm pretty sure these marathon planners include LOTS of walking in the grand scheme of the finish line to ensure we keep moving lest we stop, sit, and never get back up again. 

After an eternity, I made it up and out to the top where the runners and spectators could finally mingle and I heard Mike's voice - I looked over and saw my family and promptly broke into tears again...vowing "never" to do "this again".  Mike just laughed, gave me a hug, and all was right with the world. 

Until I tried to sit down.

Let's just say it's now day 4 post-race and I'm finally able to walk down the stairs without holding onto the railing for dear life.


Finished, and with a happy hug from kid #2

All in all, I'm pretty happy overall - I beat my first marathon time (11 years ago) by 40 minutes, and I'm glad I was able to talk myself out of quitting...and...even though I said never again...hmmm....

Ready or not...

I've not been able to sleep past 4:45a for the past couple days - yet I'm not tired (yet)...and I honestly can't believe I'm this nervous about Marine Corps. Do I feel prepared? No - though it's not for lack of training, rather my last two "long runs" didn't end well. So now I'm a head-case...can I do it? Yes, I know I'll finish...but it's that darn Bronze Belt I covet. I really, really want to earn a bronze. I'd be feeling pretty confident, too...if it weren't for those stinkin' last long runs (when I say a "bronze belt", I'm referring to our PACER Team "belt system" which rewards your efforts based on an age graded % compared to the world's elite; bronze is the sixth out of nine "belts").

Anyway, my brother-in-law, who will also be running the marathon (sub 3 hour goal, btw) recommended a three day "carbo-load"; 600g carbohydrates/day on Thursday (today), Friday & Saturday. The science behind it shows that athletes are better able to prevent hypoglycemia by increasing your body's energy stores (for endurance events greater than 2 hours). So, not having really paid any attention to carbohydrate levels in food, I figured, "no problem- I like carbs...". Well, it's now 11am and I've been eating CONSTANTLY all morning, and I'm only up to 170g consumed (after I finish this large Berry Bomb smoothie I'm currently drinking) - It's a darn good thing I work where I do - access to a lot of food and the nutritional data readily available to go with it. I'm trying to get as much as I can from other sources than just wheat - as I can't tolerate a whole lot of the stuff at once. Bottom line is, I'm sure I'll put on a few pounds, but I'm hoping it's not too much as I'll need all the oxygenation I can get without excess fat stores stealing it all!

Speaking of oxygenation, tt amazes me how much science can be involved in this whole endurance-sport thing. Hydration, proper fueling, training with enough mileage, interval training, monitoring heart rate levels, VO2max levels...Enough to make anyone's head spin.  I'm lucky this time around that I understand a whole lot more going into this marathon (not so much when I ran NYC 11 years ago) and hopefully this will help me get past the dreaded wall, and not crash & burn like I did last time.  But...we'll find out in a few days!

Ready or not, here I come...