Ending And Beginning

Before beginning marathon training, there is a sort of pre-training one must do to get you to where you need to be in order to begin the actual training for a marathon. (Unelss you plan on walking the entire marathon, abolustely killing yourself, most likely getting hurt, and/or hating running forever more)

I usually do this phase after having a baby or after I have not been able to run for at least three or more months. This is the phase where you shed the extra "baby pounds, or I ate too much pounds" that can make running very hard and painful. You strengthen the running muscles and work out kinks as they arise. It is a time to heal any injuries and start eating foods and getting used to a diet that fuels the body for running. You work lungs for endurance and mental strength for the long runs. It kicks the body into gear and you can begin to feel your body getting stronger and more prepared for the hard core training that is ahead. This phase can be as long as is needed. There is no rush.

I NEVER plan a marathon, or even look up marathon dates until I know for sure that I am about done with this phase. I just take my time and enjoy it. No pressure. I will not leave this phase unless I can run 6 miles at least four times a week comfortably. That is what I set for myself, but it is different for everyone.

The pre-training phase is always very hard to begin, just like beginning any exercise program, but it quickly provides results and is a lot of fun! I start out feeling like a beached whale trotting along on the treadmill. I feel gross, I am sucking for air, and I can feel the flubber threatening to slap me in the face. This last time I began this phase, I started out running two minutes at a time (feeling like death run over), and went from there. It was embarassing, and I felt like all eyes were on the red faced girl on the treadmill sucking wind and getting nowhere. BUT sooner than later, I could feel myself getting leaner, stronger, and ready for more. And here I am! It is an awesome feeling, and it is a lot of work. I love it!

This week commenced the last of the pre-training marathon schedule for me. It feels so good to know that I made it through this phase, and the results are great as well. However, it is a bitter/sweet ending, because what is about to begin is, for lack of a better word....intense.


Starting on Monday, I will begin a 15 week full- marathon training schedule. I have used the same one for the last three marathons, and it was absolutely awesome (I will give the website to anyone who wants it), but this time it will be different.

I have a huge dream, and I REALLY want to fulfill it at this marathon. For the first time, I will be running a marathon for a specific time and I will be training to run it at this time. I planned on running the last marathon for a time (not this specific one), but the course would not allow it, so I didn't worry about it. I was just thrilled to finish that terrible course. It is a whole new ballgame this time and I get nervous just thinking about it. I am reaching for the stars with this one, and it is a long shot, but I am going to go for it!

I am not with-holding my goal time to be rude or mysterious, I am with-holding it because I only want to compete with myself. Other people have running goals as well, and I don't want to compare. No matter what the goal is, each person that achieves it, has something to be very proud of. Everyone is in a different phase of life with different goals, and we should all be proud of whatever we are working toward.

The training I will be doing is VERY hard and it is a lot of miles, and the pace is much faster. But I think I am ready for it. This will probably be my last marathon. I love running them, but after this, I think my body will be ready for a change. Ben and I are looking into those mini-triatholons. They look like a blast and it is something we can do together.

I will be more than thrilled just to finish this marathon strong, and if I somehow reach my time goal and fulfull a big dream of mine, it will be even that much better!
I have a running ticker on top of the blog. It was set up for the pre-training phase, and now it will be re-set each week for the marathon training phase. Starting with week 1...tomorrow. I have it there, so that I feel more accountable to get the miles in. I admit, knowing that all of you can see my progress, is a little nerve wracking, but I need the pressure. The miles will go up each week, and I need to push it. Being held accountable helps a lot. Some of these miles will be done in chunks..like 14-20 mile runs, others will be shorter runs but at a much faster pace.

I am very excited for the next 15 weeks, and I am also very ready to get it over with. It will be brutal! Here's to busting my buns for the next 15 weeks and to reaching for the stars! Wish me luck.

Ta Da!

Before we left on our trip, this came in the mail!

How cool is that! It now resides right in the middle of our nice dining table. That way we can see it all the time. It makes us smile...a lot.

I am so proud of Ben for working so hard, for sticking to it, and for getting his MBA.

Good job Ben. You rock our socks!

So Needed!

Last Wednesday, our family took off for a much needed mini-trip to watch my sister Kelsey play in the State Basketball Championships. Our three day trip was so much fun, that it turned into a week long vacation. It was WONDERFUL!!!!

The best thing of all, is that my brother, Ryan and his wife, showed up at one of the games disguised as people cheering for the other team. The came all the way from Alaska!!! They sat right in front of us and we didn't know it was them for a while. We only figured it out when my dad sat by them and started cheering as loud as he could, just to tease them. It was hilarious when he realized who he was really teasing! When we did, our entire cheering section flipped out! My mom ripped off Ryan's wig and immediately started crying. I was in absolute shock and found that my mouth had been hanging open for a very long time by the time I finally shut it. It was all caught on video, thanks to my aunt and uncle who helped them pull this off. We have watched the video at least four times already.

My other brother who was not there, Devin, ended up coming the very next day once he got word that Ryan and Juliet were there. ALL of my family were together (which is very rare and usually happens only once a year) and it was an absolute blast the rest of the week. It was so awesome.

This trip was just what I needed. Oh, it was so wonderful. We crammed a lot in.

We watched Kelsey's games, which were very fast, very intense, and very high energy. She is a phenomenal basketball player, so it makes it even more fun. It is her senior year, so this was the last State tournament for her, and the last games she played.

We played the game "Loaded Questions" for hours. We spent most of the time laughing until we cried, over and over and over again. What was said during that game will stay in that game.

We ate and ate and ate and ate.

We hung out with lots of extended family at lunches and at a tailgate party that my aunt had at her house. So awesome!

We celebrated Sam's 4th Birthday. LOVE that boy!

We went shopping. ;)

We watched movies.

We stayed up too late, a lot.

We worked out, thank goodness.

And we savored the time together as a family. I found my spirits lifting by the hour. I love my family so much. It was just so awesome to have everyone together.

The rest of the trip will be in pictures.



Ryan and Juliet. I wish I had a picture of the disguise they were in when they surprised us, but this is a cute picture too. We missed their kids (who stayed in Alaska) but it was so fun to be with them.



Ben hanging out with William.



My brother Tyler helping Sam put his Birthday present together. Yup, Sam turned 4 while we were on our trip. He had a great Birthday!



Me and William. Notice that the bottle is practically attached to William. That's my boy!



Sam wanted a rice crispy Birthday Cake, so here it is. Actually, he asked for pumpkin pie at the last minute, but we didn't have the ingredients. He did like the rice crispy cake though, he just doesn't smile for pictures right now.


My three brothers, Ryan, Tyler and Devin, "helping" Sam play with his new Imaginext Robot he got for his Birthday.


My sister, Kelsey, and Sam doing their special hand shake. This was right after one of her games.


Kelsey's last minute playing Basketball. It was a bitter/sweet moment for her as a Senior. She made this shot, she rocks! They placed third in the State!!! She had an amazing game.


Sisters.


Mary was pretty sick for most of the trip, but she still had a great time being around everyone. She sure loves her grandma.




The whole gang. And this is just the immediate family that came to watch Kelsey. There were a total of 45 people that came just to watch her play. It was so cool!


This is what Sam did during the games. The poor kid got so bored, but was a good sport.




William did great! We kept him around in case they needed a spare basketball.


Our cheering section of 45 rocked the house! We were loud, crazy, and obnoxious, and oh, it was so fun!


Of course, there was a one armed push up contest. Tyler literally did at least 30. What the......?


The gang...again.


My aunt (who we stayed with) has like a million potato heads. We utilized them to the upmost usage.


And the gang...again! Notice that Sam's shirt doesn't quite fit. That should about sum up the fun phase he is in right now. I am just in shock that he was even in the picture. But hey, we sure love him.


Tucanos. In a word...W-O-W. In another word...F-U-L-L. In another word...M-E-A-T.
All you can eat meat, delivered right to your plate. Along with a massive salad bar. At one point Mary leaned back in her chair and while rubbing her tummy exclaimed, "I am in love." It was THAT good.


Mary was trying to hold up her cool tongs that she had. Sam...well, lets just say that he does not like getting his picture taken right now. And he was REALLY mad when about 10 people came over banging drums and singing happy Birthday to him. I think I scarred him for life.



He did like his ice cream they gave him though.


It was THAT good.





Some of us girls went to a salon called Callidora. I have virgin hair. I have never done anything to it aside from getting it cut. I went out on a limb and tried highlights...and a small trim.


I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!


We got home last night, and grandma JoJo is coming tonight. We have a fun weekend ahead! And I have LOTS to do in the next few hours. I better get to it.

Sam's First "Party?"

My little Sammy Boy will turn four on Sunday! We will be out of town on his Birthday, so we decided to have his party a week early.

The party was so funny! I had some games planned, but one minute into the games, the kids decided they didn't want to do them. I felt like it was preschool all over again. Zero attention span. So, we decided to serve the cupcakes. I was suprised that Sam didn't shy away from the Birthday song and the candles. He did great and blew out the candles with all of the breath he could muster. It was so cute! I tried one to make sure they were good, and they were very yummy! I guess I expected them to taste like rubber or something, with the way the kids were playing wiht them. What on earth! They were just poking them and smashing them, so we decided to be done with the cupcakes.

Ben and I kept on looking at eachother with the look of "what do we do now?" We still had 30 minutes to go, and nothing to do. So, I grabbed some balloons, told the kids they were fireballs, flapped them like a crazy woman,and chased them all over the house. Ben found this to be gut-spliting hilarious, but hey, it was all I could think of. That kept them entertained for a while. We also pulled out the broom and did the kids version of the limbo. Now that was funny! I think they all closelined themselves at least 10 times, but they kept coming back for more. That ended up being the hit of the party! Honestly.

By the end of the party, I was probably more worn out than the kids were, but at least Sam was smiling. I could tell that he felt special all day as we got ready for the party, cleaned, decorated and planned the games. I think he had a lot more fun planning and anticipating the party, than the actual party itself. He is just like me in that way.

Although the party was not what we had expected, I still think it turned out great, because Sam grinned the rest of the day, and all of the kids left smiling.
(yes, Sam was actually very happy, his mouth is just full of cupcake in this picture)

Expressions

8 months!

On the 4th of this month, William turned 8 months old! W-O-W.

Here are the specs.

He cut his two bottom teeth.

He can get on all fours and rock back and forth. I am sure crawling is in the very near future.

He is on REGULAR formula. No more Nutramigen! We are beyond thrilled, and so it our wallet.


He loves food, but only food. He can grab all sorts of stuff, but he never puts anything in his mouth. It is weird to me, because Mary and Sam put everything in their mouths at his age. I was always monitering them. He is a major texture baby. He hates anything with chunks. He will gag on even the smalles bit of something. (like 1/2 of those star puff things) I am wondering if that is why he never took a binky, no matter how many times we have tried.

He is so, so, so, chubby. He is now in 12 month clothes, and even those get too small after being washed. His legs and arms look like tree stumps. There is no difference from his arm to his hand, or his calf to his foot. His ankles and wrists are burried under a deep layer of yummy baby fat. I kiss his rolls ALL day.

His laugh is a deep, from the belly laugh. He laughs and smiles very easily, and he is a charmer.

He can say "ba" for bottle.

He holds his own bottle, and a lot of the time, he does it with one hand. It is hilarious! His hands are enormous, so he can easily grip the bottle with one of them. It is a lifesaver at night. We just make the bottle and he feeds himself.

He grabs things so fast, and we never see it coming. It cracks us up. He will swipe anything that is in front of him. We like to call him "swiper," from Dora. He has knocked over many a jar of baby food, and pulled out numerous earrings.

He loves music. Any time we sing hymns in church, or turn on music at home, he will flap his arms and rock back and forth while laughing or smiling.

He is turning into Mr. Personality, and we can tell that he has a very fun and energetic spirit.

Love you bubba!