I had to share this...some days... this would be me... but... no matter how much I try to convince myself, I'm always happier after I do the run!

I was syncing my Garmin to my computer this morning and it uploaded the run I did a week ago Wednesday.  I loved seeing this run because I did it while in Durango, CO and it was a different map on my screen.  It put me back in vacation mode.  Even though I had to get up earlier than normal to run (different time zone), run a shorter distance than normal (didn't want to interrupt our family vacation plans), and run without socks (they were sitting in the drawer at home... 500 miles away)... it was more than worth it to run.  For one, I got to run on a riverwalk that... gasp... had a river running right next to it.  Unlike my riverwalk that has a dry riverbed right next to it.  I also felt pretty good about this run because I live/train at 2700ft above sea level.  Durango is 6500ft above sea level.  Yes, there was some pushing myself along the way and it was a bit harder to suck in air, but I did it and at a really reasonable pace.  If I lived there I would like to think it wouldn't be too hard to acclimate.

If I lived near this, I think I would be out of excuses to not run!

The long and the short of it... if you get the chance - run when you are in a different setting.  It motivates you and gets you out of ruts.  It may be hard, but it is always worth it!

If you're joining in for Fitness Friday - welcome!

Food for Thought

We all know how important eating is... especially for the runner.  We all try and make sure we eat less sugar, more water, just the right amounts of fat, protein, and there are others of us who venture into vegetarian/vegan territory trying to find just the right fueling process for our bodies.  I personally am trying to eat a more plant based diet, but haven't been able to completely give up meat yet.

Over the past few years, I've turned into somewhat of a food nazi amature nutritionist.  My kids appreciate me... sometimes.  My cute husband tolerates me.  I think they all wish I'd just give in and go for a big bowl of ice cream and brownies at every meal.  As the main course.

I came across this article this morning and found it pretty interesting.  In my marathon training so far, I've been trying to be conscious about what I eat and have even started making sure that the training products I've been using are organic or natural... to the best extent I can. 

After reading this article, what are your thoughts of products that you use for training?  I would love to be able to carry around a banana or a sandwich, but I just don't see being able to carry it well or eat it while running.

I'm leaving you with a couple of photos from our trip to southwestern Colorado... my cute husband, son, and I did a 40 mile backpacking trip... over 4 days with 3 12,000ft passes involved!  Yay for cross training (and fyi, I didn't leave daughter behind on purpose, she's living at a university summer program right now).  Now it's over and today is back to work day for me!

At the top of a pass... son is not as upset as he looks!

My Fourth of July 5K

As the Fourth of July was rolling around this year, it occurred to me that I would get to run the 2nd Annual Mouthy Kid Race Up the Hill... better known as Amy and her son race up Tumamoc Hill because last year he said he was going to beat her without even trying.  You can read last year's report here.  I was quite shocked to say the least when I mentioned this to him and he didn't argue, moan, or complain.  He just agreed to it.  Though I am trying to forget the fact that a couple of hours later he texted me trying to get out of it by claiming "laziness".  In the end, he decided to go.

I also decided that since this run is a perfect 5K, I'd do the It's My Birthday and I'll Run If I Want 5K put on by Livin the Fit Life,  It won't be my fastest time ever, but, I will get it done... and start running this darn hill again... I've been avoiding it for some reason, but really need to get back on the bandwagon with it as I signed up for my annual Labor Day race that involves killer hills.

From the parking area... overcast and almost cool!

The best part of doing this race was the weather... 70ºF and overcast!  A dream in Tucson in July.  In fact, I read yesterday that the 4th of July here was the coolest on record since they started keeping records way back in 1895.  I loved it!  I'm still trying to figure out how to move someplace else for June, July, and August.

My son cracked me up - he ran up the hill without a hitch, just as I guessed that he would and when I got to the top, I found him in this zen-like pose acting like he had been there for months waiting for me...


At least he was nice enough to wait for me and decided to run down with me.  At the bottom we tried to take a picture, but in his words, we FAIL at taking self portraits!  This was the best one... *trust me* on this!  I am only showing this one to document the event.

If you're joining me for Fitness Friday, welcome!  Thanks to Jill for hosting!

A Thought for a Tuesday...

I am here to report that it doesn't get any easier.  The getting up early to run.  I might get less bad better at running, but getting myself out of bed is something I have to just force myself to do.  Looking at me, you might think I have this great habit going on.  The truth is, I have this great internal battle going on.

I've been getting up early to run for something like 6 (wow!) years, and, while I am grateful that I do it this way, there are a lot of mornings my brain is screaming "NOOOOOOO!!!!!" like a tired two year old.

I am always glad that I did get up early afterwards because if I didn't kids, work, and the heat would all be my excuses.  And I really like that feeling of being up and doing something before anyone else is up.  I've never regretted getting up early even once.

Why does my brain have to be so obstinate? 

A Trip Down Memory Lane

 Now that I'm off of work for a few weeks, I've been working on shoveling cleaning out parts of my house that seem to get neglected.  I've found tax returns from 1997, Home Depot receipts that aren't faded because they hadn't started using that ink that fades within a week of purchasing an item, and even 2 checks that I lost misplaced for a couple of weeks.  I also came across this training log that I had from 2005 when I first started running.

I don't remember how I found out about this training log except that I think it was on a scrapbooking website/blog... Stacey Julian perhaps?  I do remember clicking through the link and realizing that there was something made for moms trying to run and went and plunked down my credit card and ordered it as quickly as I could.

From the looks of things, I was not very into writing down many details in this log, but it does make me look at where I am today and realize that I have come a long way from those days that 3.88mi was my long run for the week!  I really have no excuses anymore!

I do remember when I finally ran my first 5K, I emailed that lady that wrote this book and told her thanks so much and what I had done.  I was pretty much telling anyone that would listen at that point.  She sent me a water bottle and a handmade "congrats" card.  I kept the card on my backroom bulliten board for a looonnng time, until it finally disintegrated into almost dust. 

I just went and looked and it appears that she still has her website... maybe I should email her and let her know about my marathon...

Thanks to Jill  for hosting Fitness Friday.  It's a highlight of my week!

Hiking aka Cross Training

In my never ending quest to get in all my cross training days and also do something I enjoy, I've been hiking every Monday with a group of people that have been hiking together every Monday for something like 15 years.  Kudos to them.  To accomplish this task and not end up as a headline about another hiker that died of heat exhaustion (why do summer visitors feel the need to go hike at noon with 12oz of water??  I don't even want to walk to my car at noon, much less go out in the desert to walk!), it's been 4:30 and 5am starts for us.  I actually am quite jealous that work will start again next month and they will continue to hike on.

Hutch's Pool.  The water is really low, but there is still water!

Pima Canyon and a view of the city.

Through the window of a old stone house along the way.

Believe it or not, though the southwest is in extreme drought conditions, there has been water at most places we have gone to.  The water may be low, and the waterfalls that are supposed to be along the way are not running, but, it's amazing that there was water there to begin with!

Shortest hike so far: 6 miles
Longest hike: 16 miles

And yes, I was dead tired when that 16 miler was over.  I think a lot of it had to do with me being nervous about us getting back before it got too hot because it ended up being a much easier hike that I had anticipated, we just had to walk quickly.  I felt like I had accomplished great things, but I went home, showered, and slept. 

This cross training thing is already proving it's worth.  I'm getting out to do something I like that I get to do only a couple of times a year to do, and, I'm claiming it's marathon training in the process.  Double win!

If this blog was my boyfriend...

He would be asking for his stuff back. Actually, he would have already asked for his stuff back. And I probably would have said "Oh yeah, I'll get to that" and not thought about it again until now when I finally get around to it and find out it's been so long that he really doesn't want his old sweatshirt and cds back. It's been so long that he's moved on to a new sweatshirt and likes different music now.

I guess that boyfriend didn't get what it was like to have a demanding full time job, 2 busy teenagers, 1 cute husband, 2 dogs, and 9 chickens. Oh, and throw in marathon training on top of that, and you have the perfect recipe for me to ignore my blog for, um, has it really been almost 3 months?

Marathon training? It's going great. My biggest challenge so far has been the making sure I not only run, but get in the cross training days. It takes up a lot of time and planning ahead has been essential. I even managed to go back to the rock climbing gym after not having gone for almost a year. Yes, another boyfriend ignored. So ignored I had to fill out a new waiver. Kind of embarrassing when this place is your cute husband's second home!

Tomorrow I'm up to running 10 miles. At the least likely to melt me to the sidewalk coolest part of the day... 5am. This is Tucson and it is June. If I had been smarter I would have chosen a February marathon. Then as my runs they got longer, they would have not involved carrying more water than my actual body weight. Ahh - the joys of desert living. Yes, I might be a tad jealous of those of you who run at noon, have rain on a regular basis, and grow something other than cactus in your front yards.

My cute husband made sure I was well stocked in the endurance food as well. And he got extra points for making sure it all matched!

Thankfully, my cute husband made sure I was prepared for this running weather and bought me a hydration bladder to put in the vest I bought at the REI garage sale a couple of months ago. It had been barely used. Someone else must have decided that running in hot weather wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

So dear blog, I hope to be more attentive in the coming months. This is the only way I will be able to remember what training for my first marathon was like when I'm 90 because I'm sure the heat will have melted my brain by then.