Shamrock the Ville 5K

My SIL, Amanda, and I recently ran the Shamrock the Ville 5K in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  The day was gorgeous and it was Amanda's first 5K so we were both pretty excited.  The run started at 1:00, since I am typically a morning runner I wasn't sure if I should attempt to eat lunch early or wait until after, I decided to eat a mini-sized Cliff bar (100 calorie) at 11:00.  In hindsight I should have eaten a bit more, live and learn. 

Amanda had picked up a few fun accessories for the race.

Caution white legs ahead - I usually tan in the spring to prevent blindingly white legs, but well I am getting to the age where I am more concerned about wrinkles than white legs.  So sorry tanning industry, no more lovely warm beds for me :(

The most wonderful Amanda

Although it was windy, we had a great run, we finished in 32 minutes, and felt great!  Lunch and margarita's at Chili's followed by pedicures and frozen yogurt to celebrate!

And I discovered I really really like dressing up to run!  Going to have to find more theme races!

Broccoli ~ No Cheese Required

I have been making broccoli this way for awhile and just haven't gotten around to sharing the recipe with you.  It is so easy, and so delicious!  Plus with the high prices of tropically grown vegetables right now broccoli being grown in colder climates has maintained it's reasonable price.  I about cried the other day paying for a green pepper.  Geez, global warming, really?

First wash and chop up your fresh broccoli.

Into a hot skillet that has been sprayed with a little olive oil.

Stir fry for a few minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of water with a little salt to the skillet and quickly put a lid on.

Let steam for 4-7 minutes depending on how tender you want your broccoli.

Enjoy, no cheese needed!

Half Marathon Training Update ~  

Yesterday's training run was an 8 miler, the wind was insane, but I managed to finish thanks to my wonderful SIL Amanda joining me for the last half.  The wind was brutal, 16 mph, and even when I wasn't running into the wind fighting the cross wind messed with my form, which has left me with a sore knee today.  I have had one major and one minor knee surgery, my meniscus (cartilage) had a bucket handled tear when I was 19, since I was young the surgeon opted to try and sew everything back together with the hopes that the cartilage would heal.  Cartilage is odd stuff, some people have cartilage that heals, I do not.   Three years later when I returned for another surgery the surgeon found nothing had healed and the wholes from the needle he used to sew everything together was still in the cartilage, this time he shaved off the offending cartilage and hoped that would help but warned I would most likely have issues with my knee from time to time.  Amazingly with running I haven't had nearly the problems one would have thought, I can actually run most of the time completely pain free, but I do have issues when trying to increase my mileage too quickly.  Luckily next weekend doesn't call for a long run, it calls for a 5K I was able to find one in Bartlesville, Shamrock the Ville.  The best part?  It doesn't start until 1:00 and their is beer for everyone after!   As a birthday present for my SIL Amanda I signed her up too, I know totally best SIL in the world material here!  :)  I was able to twist my friend Sarah's arm also, so totally fun girl's day!!

What's your plans for the day?

I am planning on doing some laundry and icing the knee.  I am still taking care of a sick kiddo, so nothing too exciting.

Are you currently training for a race?  How is it going?  

I am training for the Oz Half Marathon on April 16, and well it's going LOL.

SEK Meltdown

This week I learned about an exciting new program that is coming to our area, the SEK Meltdown.  This program is designed to help educate and empower people to take control of their health and live better, longer lives.  Sadly right now the SEK area is the unhealthiest in the entire state.  Check out this map and here is the breakdown of our county.

The program will loosely follow a Biggest Loser type program, with teams of  up to 10 working together and supporting each other to reach their goals, there will also be nutrition, cooking, and exercise classes available to participants.  Right now the plan is still in the planning stage, but it is scheduled to kick off on April 2, so stay tuned for further details.

I am planning on participating, so if anyone would like to help me put together a team, let me know.  (I even volunteered to teach one of the healthy cooking classes!)

In other news, half marathon training is going well, I am getting ready to head out on a 6 mile run here in a bit, just wishing the sun would peak out again.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!!

Groundhog 5K

In a word - CRAZY!

To put into preceptive my experiences before this race the largest race I had participated in to date had just over 300 people, this race sold out at 3500.  I really had no idea what to expect, but this wasn't it.  Wow.  Of course everyone being underground in a tunnel made the experience all the more surreal.  

As I was driving in I happened to look in my rearview mirror and who should be right behind me but one of my best running buddies Sarah.  Unfortunately we ended up getting seperated when I turned left and she went right.  I was told I needed to turn around and park down the road and walk up, oh joy, as it was freezing and windy, my personal favorite.  I spotted a gas station and decided to pull in and use their facilities, I thought it would be best to walk in the frigid air with an empty bladder.  As I was checking out, because I never use the facilities anywhere without purchasing something.  The girls were talking to some other runners about the parking issues the race was having, and I asked what they would charge to park in their lot, and she said, oh just park anywhere along the outside of the lot.  I was so happy I was almost in tears!  

Walking up I started to realize how dificult it was going to be to find my friends.  I found packet pick up and checked on changing races, from the 10K to 5K.  I was told they weren't allowing that this year, ugh.  I explained I had emailed the race director, so they let me talk to the powers that be and they allowed me.  

I hung out around the packet pick up area, knowing my friends would have to pick up theirs so it seemed the most likely place to find them, and eventually we all met up!  It was a Groundhog Day miracle!  

By the time we made it to the start line, we couldn't even see the start line, and were back in the 14 minute mile group.

But I was with my bestie, so all was right with the world.

Sorry about the vampire eyes, my computer died, so I am using the spare laptop and I don't have an edit program on this one.  

I was really worried about how I would do after 3 weeks of not running, and then only a couple 2 mile runs, but it felt great, I wasn't worried about my pace, just finishing.  I manged to find a steady pace and finished in 33:59 and 98th in my age group.  Not my fastest 5K, but I was so happy to be running I was grinning ear to ear the entire time!

Although it was nuts and crazy, I had a great time and would love to have the opportunity to run this race again!  Hopefully the 10K next time!!

Crazy Kansas Weather

and I'm loving it.  50 degrees and sunny in January, I'll take it thankyouverymuch.  Now that the sun is staying out longer I was even able to take a walk after work, and some of my favorite people joined me.

It didn't take long for it to get chilly, but it was so nice to be able to do something besides come home and curl up on the couch.

Spring, please come soon!!  We miss you!!

What is the weather like where you are?

It's suppose to be nice all week, highs in possibly the 60 on Saturday, love love love it!!

Girl Talk

You know it's Monday when you have a conversation in the car that goes a bit like this.

"I am sick" ~ Emma
"No you are not you are three" ~ Layla
"Mom, am I sick" ~ Emma
"I certainly hope not" ~ Me
"MOM I AM SICK" ~ Emma
"OK fine, you are sick" ~ Me
"No she is saying she is six" ~ Layla
"Oh, Emma you are three" ~ Me
"MOM I AM NOT THREE I AM SICK" ~ Emma
"OK fine, for tonight you are six, Layla you want to be nine?" ~ Me
"Ya, I'm nine" ~ Layla
"HEY I'M NINE" ~ Emma
"OK, great, and I am going to be 25" ~ Me
"You go mom" ~ Emma

Crazy girls.

In unrelated news:

Instead of running my first 10K Sunday, I will be running the 5K race.  I managed to get another run under my belt today, and feel good, but I have to be realistic, I have only managed 2-2 mile runs, the 5K will probably be testing me and by attempting the 10K I am just opening myself up to a world of pain, and possible injury.  Instead of being disappointed that I am not running the 10K I am just excited that I will in fact get to run the 5K.  There have been several times in the last 3 weeks I didn't think I would get to run at all.  And it's spring there is no shortage of other races to run.

I booked our hotel today, and can I tell you how excited I am about the indoor pool?  That was basically my only have to have when looking an indoor pool, oh and not costing an arm and leg.  Emma has been going through swimming withdrawl, (she has actually 'swam' in the bathtub a couple times complete with swim suit) she is going to be so excited.

I better get some kiddos ready for bed.

What do you look for when booking a hotel?  

The Power of a Mantra

This morning tried the hip out and went for a run, it was the first run in 17 days, but who's counting?  I did a quick warm up and then headed outside with the goal of 2 miles, the morning was cold and gorgeous, I didn't realize how much I had missed running outside.

Within a couple blocks the running was feeling hard and I starting to feel defeated, thoughts like, I should just go home, I am not a real runner, this is too hard, I should cancel my plans to run next weekend at the TLC groundhog underground run in Kansas City.  I was ready to turn around and head home when I remembered my mantra, I have never used it before while running, but after reading this article at Runner's World I had decided I needed one, I am the Queen of negative thinking when my runs get hard.  Instead of stopping I kept running and repeating, "Be Strong, Feel Brave" and guess what?  It worked, I quick focusing on what was hard, and how running made me feel strong and powerful and I knocked out those 2 miles without any problem.

If I hadn't repeated those words and focused myself I would have missed this.

Do you use a mantra or phrase for when the running gets hard?  What is it?  What does it mean to you?

I chose mine because for me running is about being strong, and stepping outside my comfort zone.