Would you trust these kids to...

Silly face - she hates that I used this picture!

Be your personal trainers?  A 16 year old ballerina and a 14 year old... um, nice boy... don't worry - his hair has been cut since this photo was taken... I can't stand not seeing his eyes (read - I'm paying for haircuts, we cut it like I want it!). 

I mentioned how I would like to lose my muffin top for 2012.  Both kids ears perked up and suddenly they were arguing over who could give me the best ab workout.  Daughter has great abs - they do an ab workout everyday at her school dance class.  She also promised fun music would be part of it.  Son said that he does ab work at soccer practice everyday and he would make me look like the models on Shape magazine.  Daughter countered with her workout giving me the abs of the women on Runner's World magazine. 

Well, um, I don't know.  Shape versus Runner's World.  I'd take either of their abs right now if you would give them to me.

Who got to go first?  Son.  I have a horrible time dragging getting him out of bed every morning, but with the promise of making his mom hurt, he was able to pop out of bed much faster.  What kid wouldn't jump at a chance like that?

And next time, I will try the Runner's World ab workout with fun music. 

With all of this free help I will look awesome by month's end I'm sure.

What is wrong with this picture?

Can anyone say December?  I'll give July a pass since we were out backpacking that month.  One of my goals for this year should be to run at least one more mile per month than I did last year.  I'm going to say I will totally rock December.

Resolutions... goals... plans?

Whatever you call them, everyone seems to think a lot about them during the first week of a new year.  A blank calendar is just so enticing and in your mind, running a sub 20 min 5K anything is possible.  Just like the rest of the world, I've written down a few things that I would like to accomplish in the next 12 months. 

* Run 1000 miles.  I know, I know.  I wrote this down last year.  Ignoring the first week of this year (did I mention my Cute Husband had his keys/wallet/phone stolen and staying up late canceling credit cards doesn't mix with 4:30am runs), I think it is possible.  I have lots of great inspiration out there to draw upon, and I really think that's what I need sometimes. 

* Leave the muffin top behind.  Let's face it folks.  It's been 14.5 years since I had a baby.  Though my baby weight is gone, the baby pooch is still there.  No one thinks I'll lose it anytime soon because it's supposed to have left years ago.  And, yes, I have a plan for this too.  Step one... bought a resistance band.  Step two... started using it.  Ouch.  Hopefully one of these days my arms won't feel like soggy noodles when I'm done.  Step three... check out other kind of workouts as well.  I'm kind of interested in kettlebells.  I've heard lots of good stuff.  I'd rather be out running... but they say this is how it works to get stronger.  2012 is the year to test out this theory.

* Eat better.  It goes hand in hand with leaving the muffin top behind.  This means staying away from Trader Joes.  At least that isle where the chocolate covered cherries live. 

* Run a marathon.  I really want to do one before I'm 40.  The clock is ticking.  There is around 1 year and 4 months left until this event occurs.  My sister lives in Chicago and thinks I should go do that this year with her.  It is tempting.  I probably would never have another chance to do it and have a free place to stay and someone who knows their way around the city (silly sister and that military lifestyle!).  Thoughts on Chicago?  Registration opens on February 1.....

Other than that, I haven't keyed in any specific races at this point.  Those kids and their things are too unpredictable at this point.  I always feel like I'm going out on a huge limb to make plans like that because of them.  I really would like to find something to do this spring - then there would be that motivation to keep getting up on a regular basis while these colder mornings are here.  And I don't even live where it's REALLY cold!  Now just to find something I could get excited about....

If you're visiting from Fitness Friday... welcome....

New Years Eve and New Year's 2.5K's

Yes, as promised, my Cute Husband and I got together the 5th and 6th Bi-annual Team Brenton 2.5K.  He did most of the legwork.  He's dedicated like that.  And even more amazing because he had "Christmas at UPS" aka "working on hardly any sleep for the entire month of December" going on while doing it.

Yes, I'm wearing my running skirt.  And, yes, that is my Cute Husband wearing shorts over on the end.  Yes, we think he's crazy about half of the time.

The idea is that you run a 2.5K on New Year's Eve... preferably so that you can begin your New Year's Day 2.5K right afterwards.  We begin ours at 11:40pm... and ran around a well lit mid-town golf course.  It was pretty cool because about half way through - it was midnight!  Lots of fireworks (now legal in AZ) went off and I think I got my first kiss ever in the middle of a run!  We ended at about 12:20am.

A few friends showed up... and since we decided to go the pace of the slowest person so no one would be left alone, it was untimed, but quite fun!  Even better was afterwards, one of our friends had homemade hot chocolate... which included, from what I understand, lots of whipping cream and candy bars.  It kind of made my gingerbread cookies seem bland.  It really was some of the best hot chocolate ever.  I would have drunk more except for the fact that it was about 50 degrees out and we really didn't need hot chocolate.  Especially after warming ourselves up with some exercise.  That and I probably needed to run around that golf course a couple of more times to work off the hot chocolate to begin with.

A few other friends couldn't show up, so they participated in their own way and time.  I hope to have a few photos to post of those at some point.  That was the great part about this run - you could participate in your own way where ever you happened to be.

The best part?  We asked for a $5 Payless Shoe Store gift card donation to go towards the kids at the school I work at.  Many of them don't have a decent pair of shoes to wear and shoes there are always needed.  People were SO generous.  I was quite overwhelmed at the generosity of people... at last count we had $185 in gift cards to donate to this cause.  I had to go back to work this morning... after 2 weeks of not getting up until the sun did... it was harsh.  The best part of going back was being able to give the gift cards from our run to the principal and see her excitement and surprise!  I can't wait until the shoes actually land on the feet of those who need them.

There aren't many better ways to start off a new year than a run with friends, food, and generous people!  Here's to a happy and fulfilling 2012!