Grapes...Pom Poms...and Good Juju

Tonight's run was fantastic!!! I finished 6 relatively flat miles in 52:49...which isn't totally amazing for some, but the fact that I was able to hold a quick clip for an extended amount of miles without blowing up mid run and fizzling out at the end all while leaving the Garmin on for intersections (where I slowed down to avoid being road kill) says a lot for my improvement!!

 

One of my new favorite pre-run snacks....grapes. Red or green - must be seedless. Tonight when I checked my bg pre-run I was 121. Which after a crazy day, is really pretty good. But if I was going to run 3+ miles I really kinda wanted it up a little higher. My sweet spot zone tends to be in the 140-150 range for a pre-run result. Sooo I didn't eat this whole bunch but a small hand full and grabbed my cranberry apple GU Chomps for mid run. I love finding new snacks that help out with the whole bg issue and don't give me tummy issues on the run....my running buddies do too! Ha! :)

I've been trying to grow out my hair for a while now...eh maybe since mid winter-ish. I used to only be able to get the top into a cute little samurai pony tail. Now I have enough hair to make a full pony that takes the shape of a pom pom!! (just in time for warm weather...I tend to sweat like a big hairy man). I was nominated tonight to lead our group in cheers before our runs so I guess it fits! Heehee (BIG cheesy grin!) ....and NO, I probably won't embarrass myself by actually doing a cheer (I did coach cheer for 2 years - back in the day) but I'll take it as a compliment to my sunny disposition! 

...and now for the "Good JuJu". My mind tends to wander A LOT when I run...sometimes places it shouldn't but generally speaking the peace of the open road or trail is really one of the things I loooove about running. It gives me time to myself where I can think about things ~ ponder, or just completely zone out and enjoy the pain (pshyeah right). I've met some good friends along the way, and really enjoy listening...I'm usually too busy trying to breathe to talk much myself.

Tonight I found myself thinking about "Good Juju" and "shake off the stink". Two things we used a lot this past season with my volleyball team. (we were runners up in the County Tournament-very proud of their hard work!) Good Juju is just good vibes, good attitude - don't let yourself take a hit when you get behind. Now mind you, I believe strongly that with God all things are possible, but you can't sit around and mope all day and expect JOY! Shake off the stink - same kinda thing. My girls had to overcome some big obstacles to get where they did. 

Sometimes I have to shake off the stink from a day and just get out there and run.... and find my good Juju. 

~later

It's Good to Take a Rest Day!!

Friday, This last weekend was probably one of the best weekends I have had in quite a long while! It was my baby boy's eighth birthday!!! Woohoo Little-man! We took off a little early from work to head out of town with the kiddos plus one. (my day at work that day was super crazy!!! Mucho Stresso!!) We went to an Incredible Pizza Company to eat. This was pretty good food/fun! Then we went to see the Pacers play the Bulls at Conseco.

This was the view from our seats. They weren't as bad as it looks from the picture.

Max (our plus one), and my Zach-Zach

He had just said that this was the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!! That is exactly what a mom wants to hear! Of course he was ready to leave at half time, until things got interesting at the end. The game went into OT and the Pacers ended up winning. We were surrounded by Bulls fans so that made it extra fun when we won! Funniest thing about the night...my 8 year old looks at me and says "All this Bud Light is making my stomach hurt." Let me first say that he meant the SMELL of the beer from the people around us made his stomach feel yucky! But that's my Zach, always putting a smile on my face!!

 (one birthday down and one to go)

Saturday the boys played the Wii all morning while the Mr. and I went out for our long run. I had a GREAT run!!! even on about 6 hours of sleep I ran 11 miles in 1:37 and some change!! Soooo happy about that time, because I'm training for the Indy Mini in May, and that course is mainly flat. Saturday's run had three sets of some decent size hills in it. And even if my last two miles suck I should still beat my time from last year. For now my realistic goal is 1:55 and my super-awesome goal would be 1:52...we'll see what I can do!! Still lot's of time to train~ oh! by the way....LOVE the Saucony Kinvara!! Nice and lite!!

Sunday was supposed to be an easy 2mile run, but I got out on my bike for the first time this season!!!!! The weather was just about perfect,and it felt soooooooooo good to ride! I'm a little embarrassed to say that it had been since September! Ugh!! 20 miles felt great!! But I could tell Monday that I hadn't been in the saddle for a while, if ya know what I mean ; )

Monday, I went to swimming. My legs felt like lead! I used the buoy/leg floatie thing and tried to work more on the upper body form and what not.  I did manage to tough it out for an hour, but had to take some Advil before bed. The good thing is my blood sugar was 118 before my swim and 117 after!! woohooo maybe I'm figuring the whole carb ratio needs for swimming thing out! That would definitely help in keeping with it!

Tuesday,  Hills...hills...What the Hill !!  5.6+ miles of running mostly hills. Looking at my Garmin results from this run was fun.... LOT'S of streeeeecccchhhhiiiinnnngggg before bed... It helped.

Wednesday, REST!!!   I was going to go to swim...I had prepared mentally to go swim...even shaved the legs to go swim (it isn't quite shorts season yet ~wink*) But I ended up with an unexpected break in the afternoon and kinda just carried that relaxed attitude through the rest of the day!! I went to Zachary's first baseball practice- fell asleep in the car! ha! - and then we took both kiddos to the park. Then came home and had home made smoothies! Yummy! Sometimes it's nice to just take some time to rest. My legs still feel jello-ish from the past few days anyway, and we kinda needed the "down" family time too (smile).  So back to the grind tomorrow!!!

 ...and so goes the life of kpm!!! In case you were wondering...if not...eh-oh well.

~later

It May Seem Corny, But It's True..

This week has been the week from...well, as I would say as a kid "H- E - double hockey sticks"! It's been a difficult couple of weeks really. A lot going through my head, work stuff, training stuff, life stuff...you know we all get there from time to time. 

As I ponder the week's goings on and reflect.. a few things stick out to me... aside from the crappiness.., there were a couple of random people that paid me compliments. Just out of the blue and unexpected. And as corny as it seems these people helped me have a little brighter day just because they said something nice. They didn't have to. It doesn't happen very often anymore in our society...everyone is so self consumed, or just too busy to notice what's going on around them. I'm guilty of that...too much time on facebook, checking my email on my blackberry, etc. or just not seeing past my own nose to notice anybody else.

It is truly amazing how much a compliment can stick and help a girl out.  I used to have a difficult time accepting compliments. When I was much younger a dear friend from way back in the day (high school-ish maybe college) told me that it was actually rude to not accept a compliment. He said that it was something he saw in me whether I saw it in myself or not and if nothing else just say thank you. hmmmm...

So you may not be as talented as Mr. Bruno Mars, or even care for his music. But if we took the time to say something nice to those people we care about (probably most important but most neglected), or coworkers, or passerbyes at the store we just might make someone else's day a little brighter. And maybe in turn even feel a little better too.

Just a thought.
~later