The big REVEAL!

I keep talking about this huge goal I have for 2012.. one that requires a lot of running.... drum roll....  

Rev3 is RUNNING across AMERICA!!!! 

And I'm joining them!

10 people (plus some) x 15 miles a day x 21 days = 3,150 miles!!!

You read that right. We'll have some RVs, Some vans, a core group of 10 runners and other Team Rev3 athletes, friends and family meeting us along the way!

Why in the WORLD would we do this?

Raise Money for the Ulman Cancer Fund! 

 I told you I wanted to be more involved in fund raising for this organization!!! And we aren't just raising SOME money... we are aiming to raise $100,000 as a team! Yes, $100,000 in just about three months. Our fundraising site will go live on January 2nd. You WILL get a link.

 So let's see ... 21 days x 15 miles = 315 miles. I will be running 315 miles. So don't you think you could donate just $1/mile? Okay make it $.50.... $.25? In all seriousness every dollar/quarter/nickle/penny helps! 

The number of people I have personally known just in the last year that have been diagnosed with one form of cancer or another is just FLAT OUT unacceptable. We need to make strides to not only fight and stop this disease, but to support people in fighting when they do get the BIG C diagnosis. 

Stay tuned for more information as time goes on... like on January 2nd when the fundraising link goes live! :) I'll post about my training, our planning and when we are out on the road there will be a veritable BLITZKRIEG of information for ALL of you to follow.

So ... now's your chance.

Fire away with the questions. What types of info do you want me (us) to share as we are going through the journey of preparing, fundraising and completing this event!? Any fundraising ideas... fire away! :)

I'm beyond excited to be involved with both Rev3, the Ulman Cancer Fund AND this Run Across America!  

Organizational changes

Just a quick FYI...

making some format changes.

I changed up my 'clouds'









<==============================

Instead of ONE cloud listing EVERY tag in here (I'll be downsizing the number of Tags don't fret) I broke them into three categories (for now)... ATHLETE - go here for all things well athletic. FAMILY - all things related to my family and running a household. FOOD - well, all things food/nutrtion.

This is my first stab at categorizing, but I'm still working through it. Trying to make it easier for people to get around here. If you are here because you are a mom (maybe a twin mom or an expectant twin mom) you can go right to topics like "belly pics" or "potty training twins" if you are, um, less than interested in potty training, but want to read about training for a triathlon you can get there w/o trudging through my potty training posts. You get the idea.

2012 Getting Organized

Again.

It's no secret that I TRY real hard to be organized.

My BIGGEST NUMERO UNO get organized tip.... are you ready? Wait for it..... I've been working on this one ALL year in 2011...and will continue to work on it this year.

Instead of buying cool storage containers for your crap....

it's revolutionary. Are you sure you can handle it?

GET RID OF YOUR CRAP!

BE RUTHLESS! Do it in stages. Start with one REALLY ANNOYINGLY cluttered part of your house. Start small. Clean out that junk drawer in the kitchen. Dump the WHOLE thing out. Get a drawer organizer.... put it in your drawer. Choose a spot for each thing you NEED in this drawer. While you are at it pull the garbage can over or a box for donations. Shoot go crazy, grab both.

Now remember RUTHLESS. How many pens do you really need at your finger tips? Perhaps there are other locations in your house that can use a pen. Do they even work? Check. Get a scrap paper and try to write with EVER pen in there. Or choose three pens you like and throw the rest out. DO NOT go out and buy another bulk pack of pens. DON'T do it! Now put ONE roll of tape in there, your book of stamps, one ruler, a nail file, a pair of scissors... ONE to THREE of each little thing you NEED in your junk drawer. If there are other things you want to keep, but they don't belong in your drawer then find an appropriate home for them.

Now STOP throwing everything on your counter in your junk drawer!! PUT IT AWAY in the RIGHT place instead. (now go through other areas of your house and REPEAT. Always bringing the donation box and garbage box with you.)

And NUMERO DOS... a plan. AT this moment we will talk about a meal plan. I've tried numerous approaches to this. Most recently I tried Simple Mom's Google Calendar idea, but as simple as it is it's too complicated for me. It might work for you though so check it out. I do like a lot of (most of) her stuff.

I like paper and pencil.

I'm simple. My most successful approach has been to just write the plan in my calendar with a pencil. Old school style. I have been pinning many recipes in Pinterest and generally have been using that to catalog my recipes. (Though I - admittedly - need to organize them a bit better). I write a little note in my calendar as to where the recipe can be found. Pinterest, a different site, a book, magazine etc.

I hate to clean. Numero Tres, but I have kids!!!! Why did this take me so long? My kids are getting to the age where they can actually help. And ONE of them is more than willing. The other is excited.... for now, but I suspect the novelty will wear off.

those that guessed chore chart were right.

Now I don't have to do it all. They can (and should) help and we do it together .... mostly because they aren't quite old enough to do all of this on their own... and it's actually kind of fun. BONUS: It helps them with their reading. Full disclosure... this was not my idea!

INSERT PHOTO OF CHORE BOARDS!

Side note... if you want them to do something MAKE SURE it's on the CARD because I'm now breeding little Union leaders! "BUT MOM it's not on my chore card!" Or "Mom, it says get dressed FIRST THEN brush teeth!!"

Boring Mom stuff is sometimes helpful. Enter NUMERO QUATRO 'the binder'... I'm typically very resistant to this domestic kind of BS, but I am in desperate need of organization and things made easy because I'm going to be enlisting some serious help this year... and anything I can offer to make things a little easier on those (aka MOM) coming into my home in my absence than I am all over it.

Artwork by Lily. I think that's me.

Still working on which Tabs work for me.

Again How She Does gives me the HOOK UP on the How To for the FAMILY BINDER. Now my tabs are a bit different than hers... Note MY first tab. (Okay maybe this won't make it easier for my mom to run my house, but it's a big thing in my life and deserves tab numero uno in my mind.) My first tab is TRAINING and contains my training schedule and any other training related info I find that I want to remember/keep tabs on.

If you have kids you NEED this. NUMERO CINCO: the 'tickler file'. I noticed the other day that my dad has one. He's like 65.. he's been organized (in a simple way) his whole life. Well, let's be real, my MOM keeps their house organized and always has, but my dad organizes all things house/financials. Anyway I notice the other day that dad has this cool folder thing that has one in the front that says TO DO! Hmm... then I saw THIS (again from Simple Mom... told you she had good stuff). I recently had the papers for renewing out car tabs rolling around in this basket / inbox thingy ... my last attempt at organizing my paper crap... and while it did get done... mostly on time.. I kept touching it and moving it while waiting for it's due date to get a bit closer. This only increases the chances that I am going to LOSE it until WELL PAST it's due date.

If you've got kids... they bring all kinds of stuff home from school. Then there are all the other obligations in your life that still require pieces of paper. I created a tickler file that has a section to hold my individual notebooks for various commitments I have (Rev3 has one, ECH has one, this blog has one, and I have one more for a goal I have for this year) and I have a slot for each month. Something is due in February I put it in my calendar with a note that it is in the Tickler file then I file it. MAGICALLY it is no longer rolling around in my kitchen getting ruined and potentially lost and forgotten! This is AWESOME! I've got high hopes for this one!

Talk to me about what you do to manage it all. How do you keep yourself organized!? So far this is working great for me. If you try any of it let me know how it works for you.

WANT TO BE MORE!

I want to be better. I want to provide more to you, my readers, to my family and to my friends. I want to go beyond the drivel I put up here in blogger land... and upon reading some old posts ... the belly aching. OH MY GOD!!! I tell my kids not to whine. I think they learned it from me... Holy HELL batman. Strike me dead with lightning I am the CAUSE of the problem. Crap, I digress.... (and start w/ my blathering and whining again.)

I feel like time has gone by and while I'm sure things have changed... they are much the same.

I want to write epic shit, I want to do epic shit, I want to be 100% satisfied with where I am and who I am, but frankly I'm scared. How can I be scared of being the best I can be? Of putting myself out there. Of providing value!?

How? I'll tell you how. I worry that I CAN'T do it. That I can't write epic shit or even do epic shit. That I can't provide value. That I can't break out of the mundane that has become my existence. While I realize the ridiculousness of these statements... surely I provide value... to someone.

What if I put it out there that I want to do these things... I get through a few epic things/thoughts/ideas that I'm actually able to successfully share. That actually motivate and inspire people... and then .....

Crickets!

What if after that the well runs dry..... the blog dies? I die? 

Surely not.

My heart will still beat...

Your heart will still beat...

And I guess I could just go back to writing like I do now.... 

Right? 

So I said it. I put it out there. Next year I hope to BE more... to PROVIDE more...

It's almost 2012 people. ALMOST!

I'm Not Sitting Down Till it's Over!

so you may or may not know, but me and Jesus share a birthday. I'm cresting the hill and riding the slope down starting on December 25th.

I turned 35 last year and it was the first birthday to give me pause. Every other year I truly felt AT LEAST 10 years younger... well in the last 5 years I guess. Last year was different. I was facing 40 as my next milestone. How in the HELL did that happen? Well, I'm mostly over it. Though I'm quite aware that it is a slippery slope. Why do I care about being 40? Who the hell knows. I don't give it a lot of thought really, but I'm really not to excited about it truth be told.

I can really identify with this song lately. It's in more than one of my spin play lists and it always gets me fired up during class!!



"I'm not sittin' down till I'm older and I'm not shuttin' up till it's over!"

What's my point? God, I'm sure there is one!!! I've got things rolling around in my mind (when don't I).... no, not just the normal mundane BS that is usually rolling around in there, but stuff that is SO MUCH cooler.

In the last couple of years I've not been 100% satisfied with how the year closed. (even though I've had perfectly fine years.) Well, who do you think is to blame for that feeling? Um, sheepishly raising hand, ME!!!

In 2012 I'm going to try some new things... LOT'S of new things. Some big ideas and some small ideas. I've given some hints on Facebook and will provide just a few more below. I'll detail each of them as the weeks pass on and I will invite you to join me on many of them.

Impossible HQ

I'll be modifying this. Since XMas is soon to be over.

With EMPHASIS on the NO WHINING. And I'm not just talking about my kids.

I'm looking forward to sharing with you and to hearing all about what you've got planned for 2012!!!!

Let's LIVE LIFE LOUD!!! I'm not sitting down.

Dragging A$$ lately - THE REAL DEAL!

So let's get real shall we? I just and I mean JUST posted my last blog titled "Dragging A$$ Lately" and as soon as I posted it I felt like... well that seemed CANNED. I don't like Canned. EVERYONE tells you what I just told you to do to stay balanced.

Balance can mean a lot of different things. When I think of being balanced in terms of my life I think "not feeling INSANE."

What makes me feel 'not insane' might be different from what makes YOU feel 'not insane'.

For me: exercise and a plan = sanity! And exercise as I like to do it would likely be defined as INSANE by a large majority of the population. Or so it seems when I talk to people about what I'm doing. I do have to scale back my desired amount of exercise to fit in, well, life sometimes. This is why the whole endurance thing works for me. I like to be WORKED over! I like to run for more than an hour - hell it takes me an hour just to warm up - I like to do multiple workouts in a day.

This gets me in trouble sometimes... I tend to NOT take a break and burn myself out. So there is where I need to discover my BALANCE!

So the truth in HOW I stay balanced through the holidays is to HAVE A PLAN. Not a plan on how to execute parties, or gifts, or decorations... a PLAN for my WORKOUTS!

A training Plan!

The past two years I have trained for a marathon over the winter and I've got to say that they were likely my MOST SANE winters yet. I told myself I was not going to train for a marathon this year because, frankly, I'm a little burnt come spring/summer season when I'm supposed to be training hard for triathlon, but when push came to shove.. I was NOT SANE (aka BALANCED) not running.

An EPIC (to be announced soon) opportunity was pretty much dropped in my lap ... it involves copious amounts of running... and I JUMPED at it. Guess what... I now feel sane. Despite all the BS I've been dealing w/ lately (yea, that non-holiday people dying, back surgeries, tooth aches.. etc etc stuff)

I feel SANE and BALANCED.

Does that make my last, somewhat canned, post total BS!? No... I do those things too, but my workouts are a bit more, um, extreme and mandatory. Did you SEE that word? MANDATORY! Because I am TRAINING for something. I'm not just going to the gym to work off the gingerbread man cookies I gorged on  last night. I'm running, lifting, stretching for a PURPOSE that means something bigger than gingerbread men to me. (Side note: this training thing tends to keep me out of the gingerbread man binge.... but allows for me to endulge in one w/o my pants button flying across the room.)

So here we come back to something I've discussed before. Your WHY! Perhaps you don't TRAIN for EVENTS, but you are a certifiable gym rat. What's your WHY... beyond the gingerbread man. And make a PLAN... to progress to lifting heavier weights (or lifting at all), doing more reps, doing a big girl push up, doing a pull up. Have a GOAL! This is what will get you to the gym and keep you FOCUSED and BALANCED over the holidays! (and during any high stress time in your life)

Okay. I feel better now. Having given you the 'standard' speel and my REAL speel. Find your WHY... Holiday or not and the balance will come.

And while that other stuff is important - for me - the workout is the MOST important in keeping me BALANCED/SANE!

Okay... off to RUN!

Dragging A$$ lately?

Yea I said it... Merry CHRISTmas

It's the holidays... shouldn't we all be enjoying some crazy wonderful merriment!? Raise your hand if you are 100% lovin' it this season! Yes, I can see you. No, I'm not telling you where I put the cameras so stop looking over your shoulder!

I won't get into my craziness this holiday season... because it's getting old and I'm tired of giving it attention. My weird holiday season aside I think we all struggle a bit over the holidays to maintain our sanity.

The holiday foods and parties abound. Even if you aren't a party goer it comes into your life. Work stuff, kids (even my anti sugar butt has been baking up a storm - okay it's a dull breeze - and we are going to do gingerbread houses), the "oh it's the holidays' libations... the stress of

GETTING IT ALL IN!

Again, raise your hand if you have skipped a workout because you are TOO BUSY! Raise your OTHER hand now to indicate that you've loosened the reigns on your food and drinks as well!

Okay.. put your hands down. Let's  move on.

The new year is coming... let's start getting some BALANCE now. Let's not wait. These things work during any time of stress... holidays and otherwise.

Say NO! Maybe you're super cool and are being invited to every party on the block... I KNOW you don't necessarily want to GO TO all of them. Say NO! It's okay. Your kid's school is pulling you in a million different directions to help out with the parties etc that go on at school. And GOD FORBID you have more than one kid in different classes. Double (triple, quadrupal) whammy. SAY NO! It's okay! Work obligations, end of year deadlines... Say NO!

Say YES! Yes to your workout. FIND the time, MAKE the time. DON'T fall off the bandwagon! Recruit a friend to go with you so you KNOW you can't blow it off because s/he will be waiting for you. Get up at day break and GET ER done if that's what it takes. Will you be crabby about getting up early.. perhaps, but YOU'LL be DONE! Maybe you'll even create a new habit.

I kick it old school.

DRINK... your water! This is HUGE. At least I find it to be HUGE! Water flushes those toxins out... you know the sugar and alcohol etc that you are indulging in! Water feeds you cells and lubricates your joints... keeps the ol' brain in tip top shape. Wash out the cob webs and the toxins. I like to carry a 32 oz Nalgene around with me all day. I try to drink FOUR of them. I sweat a lot when I workout. If I'm spinning I finish AN ENTIRE bottle... and don't include it in my FOUR. Drink at least 8 oz of water upon waking! Your body will thank you and YOU will thank ME! Drink it w/ your morning coffee if you must have your coffee. It's okay!

ENJOY! It's the holidays. Eat the fun foods. Have a cookie OR the pie OR the cake. Drink egg nog. Have some candy canes. Chocolate.. OMG love the chocolate. That said.... LIMIT yourself. Don't deny yourself... but LIMIT. Keep it under control!

RELAX! If you have to ... SCHEDULE IT! Whatever it is that you do to relax. Curl up by the fire w/ your honey. Watch a movie. Have a random coffee date with a friend. Don't make it a thing. Just something easy and fun. Read a book.  Take a nice long hot bath. You get the idea.

Are you maintaining some semblance of balance? How are you doing it? What's your key to stress relief. For me it's keeping my workouts and finding some quiet time every day. Sitting here blogging in a quiet house drinking a nice hot cup of coffee ALL BY MYSELF is pretty golden for me!

Happy Holidays, Happy Hannukah and Merry Christmas!

And please check out my follow up post called THE REAL DEAL!

Epic PAIN

I would love to be writing about all the cool things rolling around for 2012 (I mean the craptastic things)

but

I

hurt!

A LOT!

I have a tooth ache.

First one ever!

Holy hell it hurts!

Stay tuned. I'm still here.

2011 is getting in it's last licks.

I won't stay down for long.

Say a prayer for me.

For pain relief.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I'm starting 2012 off saying it's going to be super duper craptastic!

So looking through my blog archives for something and noticed something. Two posts... almost identically named:
- 2010 wasn't exactly epic
- Was 2011 Awesome?

Two things.

1. I set myself up for epic failure each year by laying out crazy stupid expectations on myself. Either that or I'm just too hard on myself expecting PERFECTION on each thing I laid out. Yes that is probably it!

2. EVERY year at this time of year I pretty much SUCK! I should just accept that. I should just slow down a bit and be cool with it. Right?

Geez what a debbie downer I am .. it's the holidays girlie... LIGHTEN UP ALREADY!!!

So I'm going to label 2012 the year of craptastic! Should keep the expectations in check, no?

I jest. I won't call it that. I will still expect it to be epic and for me to figure ALL THE WORLDS problems out all by my little ol' self.... but perhaps I'll try to not be so hard on myself when maybe I don't have it ALL figured out! Or I'll just focus on the good of the year. I tried this year! I did deem 2011 awesome... after pointing out all the ways that it was not quite awesome.

My dad made a comment the other day (he wasn't specifically referring to me.... or was he?)

"Man you know how to find the black cloud around every silver lining." 

Great!

So as you can see I'm in my sweet December month of suckitude (referring to my attitude).... but awareness is the first part of a solution right?

As always... just keepin' it real. It ain't all sunshine and roses up in here!

You may now return to your regularly scheduled Christmas, er holiday, jingles and merry making. I'm going to go see if I can get my head out of my ass so I can enjoy it all too!

Maybe it's my looming birthday? nah... I don't care about age. most days.

7 things to do to get your fitness life jump started!

I generally love this time of year. A time to reflect on the past year and a time to think about what's to come for the next and what I hope to accomplish! I love me a good plan!

We all know that many people set fitness/nutrition/health/weight loss goals for a coming year... let's get real most people are setting weight loss goals. I challenge you to see beyond the weight loss this year!  

Step away from the scale and the obsession with a number. 

Make it about something else and I guarantee you the weight loss will be a nice side effect!

I started this lifestyle of mine many years ago and it has changed and evolved over the years and I'm always open to (looking for) ways to evolve it! It all started way back when. I was probably around 10 years old. My dad was a runner. I road my bike with him. That's pretty much the long and short of it. I don't remember being particularly inspired by it all back then, but I did enjoy this quiet time with my dad.

If you asked my dad it started much earlier than that now that I think about it. I was probably 5 or 6 and I decided one day I wanted to go run with him. I dawned my sweet tube socks, shorts and a sweat band (man I wish I had that photo) and I think I lasted a block before I declared that I had a 'fever' (aka I was getting hot and sweaty) and had to return home. This would be his memory not mine... as aside from the photo I have zero recollection of this ever happening. Without photographic evidence I'm not sure I would believe him that it ever happened.

I spent some time playing sports as a kid... I was never particularly good (or inspired) by it all, but I'm a social animal and liked the time with my friends. I'd love to say it kept me out of trouble, but it didn't really.

Fast forward many years.... college. I went away for an internship, took up running because I was bored and got in fairly good shape for the first time in a long time. I'm not going to lie I enjoyed the physical benefits of being able to proudly wear a bikini, but I also felt better mentally. We'll call it more balanced. I'm sure the lack of alcohol and late nights helped as well.

I ran on and off in college, got a jobby job after college in a new city and saw an advertisement for marathon training with Team in Training. I had thought that running a marathon would be interesting a few years prior, but knew it wouldn't happen while I was partying working so hard at school.

I decided that I would run a marathon with Team in Training. I loved it. I loved Team in Training and the camaraderie and support I got from a great group of people. I met tons of people in my age group that were all interested in something I was interested in. (Side note: I married the brother of a friend I met in TNT... many years later, but still.)

I would go back and forth ... run a marathon or half marathon... do nothing... for a few years.

What really got it to stick for me? Would you believe having kids? Not because I needed to get my body back (that was a perk), but because I needed to get ME back and my sanity. (perhaps this sounds familiar?) I had twins in 2006. They are, um, wonderful, but they suck the life out of me. (Come on if you have kids you know what I'm talking about.) The fitness goals gave me an identity that was my own - outside of mommy - and much needed alone time. Honey you need to watch the kids because I need to go swim/bike/run. I found that when I wasn't exercising I wouldn't make the time for MYSELF to go and do something else.  

This was MY THING! 

When the kids were only 8 months old I turned again to Team in Training - this time to train for a triathlon. Something I had always wanted to do. I figured my life really wasn't going to get any simpler than it was at the time.

I completed my first olympic triathlon at Chicago Accenture tri in August of 2007 when my kids were one year old. (I did the race the next year as well and remember seeing a woman kiss her about 1 year old good bye before she got in line to race and thought, "wow she's got a one year old and she's racing. That's amazing.... Wait I did that. I'm amazing!" That was a pretty cool moment. A moment that I realized how much is possible when you just set your mind to it!

Just for the sake of circling back to WHY I opened this post the way I did. Now when I'm out training I do think back to the seed that my dad planted in me by taking me out on those runs. While I don't remember thinking I WANT TO BE JUST LIKE MY DAD AND RUN when I get older or anything like that .... a seed was planted!

What seeds are YOU planting in your kids minds?

So as you are contemplating the coming year I would suggest the following to GET STARTED with your fitness goals!

1. Identify your WHY: Things tend to stick when you have a good reason to do them. What is your why? What is your reason? To be more active with your kids. To finish a race in a particular time. To lose weight (this is a viable reason even if I asked you not to focus on it). To have more energy. To climb a flight of stairs without being winded. To reduce your cholesterol. To be a good role model for your children. To have more tone to those not so toned arms. To fit into THAT dress for your reunion/wedding/friend's wedding/honeymoon/anniversary. To raise money for a great cause (ie Team in Training). Whatever your reason you NEED to find it. And when the days come that you just don't WANT TO you pull your WHY out of your back pocket. You put it in your face and you REMIND yourself why you started this whole mess in the first place. Identify with it and kick that lazy part of yourself in the ass and say .... GET IT DONE!

2. Just start: You don't need to wait until you find that thing that sounds perfect to you... your "This is my thing".... you don't really know what your thing might be until you try it! I jumped into running and triathlon having no idea if it would be 'my thing' and lucky for me it was. Along the way I have tried many many THINGS! Racquetball, yoga, weight lifting, aerobics, spinning, rollerblading, skiing, snow boarding... you get the idea. You can start out walking around the block with the family dog... as you go along in your journey be open minded and try new things. But for the LOVE just START moving!


3. Set goals: This can be quite  range of things. I like to choose races. They get me going. I NEED that carrot. Your goal could be to complete a 5k (half marathon, marathon), a triathlon, learn how to lift weights, get your nutrition under control, lose weight, get your cholesterol down, control your diabetes, etc. Give yourself an end date... 6 months, a year. 
 
4. Set micro goals: Now give yourself smaller / shorter term goals so you can see progress along the way and stay motivated. If your goal is a half marathon how about a 5k, or shoot run around the block without stopping to walk, to get through an entire cardio style class at the gym, to loose 1 lb a week for a month, to decrease your soda consumption to one a day, to eliminate sugar/caffeine, or to stop eating after your dinner (bc we know you AREN'T hungry - that one might have been for me).

5. Make a plan: I come up with a plan for the year - races I will be doing. Then I have a schedule that progresses me through those races. Every Sat or Sun I sit down with my calendar and plan out my week... because we all know things happen that might cause me to have to deviate from my overall plan. This is where I SCHEDULE my daily workouts. Now you might not be into the race thing. Perhaps you are more of a gym rat. Get out your gym's schedule and make sure you WRITE the classes that you are taking IN YOUR CALENDAR! You don't need to plan a year like I do, but you do need a plan. WHAT DAYS are you going to workout... WHAT TIME... what type. PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR... make it a priority.. by doing this you make YOU a priority!

6. Prepare: Lay your clothes out or pack your bag the night before your workout. IF you are a mom and have lunches to make or bags to pack for your kids (and maybe yourself) do it the night before. Essentially you want to ELIMINATE any EXCUSES you might think of in the morning.

7. Enlist friends: This can take many shapes and forms. You can enlist workout buddies. You can make your plans public and talk to specific (read supportive) friends and check in with them regularly. You can post your plans on your blog, facebook and twitter .. those folks will keep you in line. Find those people that you KNOW you can count on when you are feeling weak. Who can you call for a good ol' kick in the rump when you are slumping?

So pull out a sheet of paper and your calendar. Identify WHY you want to do this, set a GOAL, START moving, set GOALS, set MICRO goals, make a PLAN, Prepare to execute the plan, enlist your FRIENDS to help you succeed!

Do it NOW! Don't wait..... it will take time, but I PROMISE you you will create a habit. You WILL get to the point where you WANT to ... no, HAVE to... exercise. You will get to the point where you don't feel 'normal' when you don't. Seriously! I promise. You can come hobble me if you don't get there... but only if you DO IT REGULARLY for at least three MONTHS!

I believe in you! Now YOU believe in you!

My running world

My running world has been rocked! I'm STILL hobbling! Seriously!? Yes, seriously. This pain seems to migrate. It's landed in my hip.

So I was doing Crossfit to make me stronger... because my glutes and hips are weak. Well while I think that most certainly works and I truly enjoy the badass factor and having my butt kicked on a regular basis it was taking a lot out of me and I NEED to be running... and running comfortably!

I've tried all the typical stretches for runners and while they help they aren't fixing the problem.

My solution... I need to be a yoga runner! HUH?

Let's back up YEARS and YEARS ago ... about 1999 or 2000. My very FIRST running injury. I had conquered the marathon and was getting ready to start training for my second. Obviously since I'd already done it once it was time to do it faster. Naturally one would prepare for this said faster marathon by going from a steady 9:30 min / mile to jumping in with the fast dogs at about 8:30 min/miles on DAY ONE! Yes surely that is the best course of action... or not. I ended up with compartment syndrome and sidelined. BOO!

I don't do the sit around thing real well so when a friend of mine said she wanted to take this month long intensive yoga course that met 5x/week I said 'SIGN ME UP!' 530 in the a.m. EVERY day of the week. EEK! It was hard for this late nighter to get up that early, but I paid big bucks for this thing... I WAS GOING TO BE THERE! Be there I was.... and I'll be damned if I wasn't able to run after it was all said and done. I am so inflexible, but saw such great improvements.... started running again and didn't do yoga again until I, um, got injured again. Why am I so damn smart!?

Anyway... back to present day and the year of injuries. Why not go back to what I know works? I mean I did do 2x/week for 2 weeks recently and felt much better... and promptly replaced what seemed to be working with crossfit! What the hell is the matter with me!?

So here we go. I ordered some DVDs (bc I am too cheap to go to a yoga studio), I quit (er, put off) Crossfit for now and am DEDICATED to getting this shit worked out. I am tired of limping around like an 80 year old.

Life has been pretty crazy lately so I could also use the mental part of the yoga. :) I'll let you know how it's going.... and if it helps the ol' hips.
I ordered:

Shiva Rea - Power Flow Yoga (yea I can TOTALLY do what she's doing there)

Rodney Yee - Power Yoga Flexibility

Along with my trusty yoga I'll be doing all my hip exercises .... check out the MYRTLE routine video in THIS post. You'll also find me doing the other squats and lunges.

I'll also be doing some MAJORLY challenging (I jest) exercises such as these:








What are  your go to 'get back in the game' exercises? Do you do THESE types of things through out your running program to PREVENT injury? (Clearly I did not... I DO NOW!)

It's worth the few minutes it takes you to do these exercises. Do them BEFORE your run as part of a warm up... even if it means you have to cut your run a few minutes short to do them. Your body will thank you!! I promise.

I've was tagged by Miles, Muscle and Mommyhood

My brand new Teamie Jen tagged me! :) Check her out at Miles, Muscle and Mommyhood!!! Thanks Jen!

I'm a rule follower so here goes: I give you 21 random bits about me and then I tag 10 other bloggers that I want to learn more about!! (that should be easy with so many new team mates!)

1. The longest I've ever lived in any one place is 4 years... and that wasn't until I was married.

2. I was vegan for a year then raw vegan for a year after that. During that time I was never able to give up coffee or chocolate (no no's on the raw vegan diet).

3. I have a ridiculous jar collection. If I buy something that comes in a jar I have to FORCE myself to put it in the recycling when it's empty. My temptation is to keep it... to use for leftovers... to NOT put it in the garbage/recycling.

4. I once read The Story of Stuff (which is a very good read) only to be paralyzed at the grocery store. "I know I need the organic broccoli, but it's wrapped in plastic and the conventional broccoli is not!" I went home w/ no broccoli.. or meat because it came in a styrofoam tray and was wrapped in plastic. Had to send the hubs out to get the things I couldn't buy.

5. I make my own milk out of hazelnuts. I don't do the dairy thing (Ok that is a bold faced lie.. I put cream in my coffee when I am out and don't have my home made milk.)

6. I struggle w/ staying positive and seeing the silver lining.

7. After a years long struggle with infertility we did IVF. It changed the course of our lives in more ways than we could have imagined.

8. Every two years I get an itch to change pretty much EVERYTHING... yet it all remains the same. I blame it on my army brat years and moving every two years.

9. I donated my wedding dress to Goodwill. Apparently I'm not that sentimental.

10. I'm an only child... and it has ill prepared me for the SHEER volume of my kids.

11. I spend WAY TOO MUCH time in my own head! Help! It's scary in here!

12. I don't have favorites... no favorite movie, color, song... I change my mind a lot.

13. I was a maid at a hotel for ONE day. YES ONE! Summer job... I hate to clean so I'm not sure what I was doing there in the first place.

14. I consider myself a Seattle-lite even though I spent only 7 of my, um, 36 years there.

15. I'm not a morning person... and am no longer a night owl either. So I'm not sure what that leaves me with. I'm on fire at 9am... after that all bets are off.

16. Part of me wants to be a vegetarian, part of me wants to be an omnivore... right now the omnivore is winning.. guess it's her turn.

17. Tom and I got married in Hawaii... and have never been back. Boo!

18. My head is always spinning and headed in a million different directions. It's amazing that I get anything done. Must practice SINGLE tasking!

19. I like to sleep... and function best on 9 hours a night. Bummer for me. I wish I could function on more like 7 hours.

20. I really want a small(er) house. 1600 square feet max!

21. It seriously bums me out that I have to drive EVERYWHERE!

And I tag.... the get to know the Rev3 AG team edition!
1. Anne: Anne'sIrondream
2. Tonya: The Journey
3. Alisa: Ambitious Aspirations
4. Daniel: dziubski
5. Chloe: Running with a bottle of wine
6. Josh: There is no Spoon
7. Erin: Erin Holmes Swims
8. MJ: How far is that ironman
9. Andy: Tri Andy
10. Jeff: Jeff Vanis' Blog

Sugar and my (and probably YOUR) Brain!

So it's not secret that I try to maintain a pretty healthy diet. Mind you this includes indulgences.. my personal weaknesses are chocolate and wine! Normally I keep things in check pretty well (ONE piece - large piece - of chocolate a day is 'in check' right?), but things happen (I would blame it on my 'lady time', but I really hate to do that) and I overindulge.

I am coming off one such (um, three day) overindulgence. For me this mean copious amounts of chocolate. I start off each day really well... and end up each day pretty bad. I try not to beat myself up about it to bad! GASP! I am human, but I do hate it when I get like this.

I don't hate it so much because it means I'm ruined or that I'll gain weight or be off track forever. I hate it because it seriously makes me psychotic! I'm not kidding.

ala Wikipedia:

"Psychosis (from the Greek ψυχή "psyche", for mind/soul, and -ωσις "-osis", for abnormal condition) means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality". People suffering from psychosis are described as psychotic."

I am in no way trying to make light of at true Psychiatric diagnosis of psychosis, but seriously... sugar is a HUGE contributor to my crazies - aka "loss of contact with reality". For example small decisions overwhelm me, the noise of my children just being children makes me go off the deep end, the daily tasks that I have to complete over whelm me, my knees ache, I don't want to do the things I normally love to do.... and I just want MORE CHOCOLATE!!!

No I don't have a problem. REALLY, I can quit anytime I want. In all seriousness I'm not concerned with my occasional overindulgence in sugar... though I wonder why I do it because it really does make me feel like utter crap!

BUT! I do worry about the greater public. Those that I KNOW eat sugar (a lot) every day.... sodas, packaged foods, candy, donuts, blah blah blah blah blah... it goes on and on and on. I feel sad and concerned that a large portion of our population has no idea what it feels like to NOT be on a sugar high. I'm so happy to know the difference. To know how much better it feels to NOT eat a shit ton of sugar all the time ... sugar and it's favorite friend simple carbohydrates (ie.. most packaged foods).

Sugar has been proven to cause imbalances in your brain. Now your brain does take up most of the glucose in your body, but it's really meant to run on those good sugars.. you know fruits, veggies, complex carbs.... not STRAIGHT UP SUGAR (aka garbage). And when your brain is OD'd on sugar things go south ... quick! In addition to your brain going wacky your body becomes inflamed and your immune system is then in overdrive trying to deal w/ said inflammation... and is then compromised because DAMN it's tired!

This is a pretty good article about sugar and it's affects on your mental state and your body.

I could go on and on, but you already know diabetes is killing our nation... so I don't need to lecture you!!!

How much sugar do you eat in a day? Do you drink soda? Check labels of the packaged foods you eat? Have a friend or family member that could use some support in giving up the crack, er, sugar?

Or do you think this is BS and say "PASS ME THE BROWNIES ALA MODE!"

If you are in the brownies ala mode category and think this is bunk I challenge you... give up added sugar (ya know soda, dessert, processed foods) for 30 days... THIRTY.. come on you can do that. Then go absolutely hog wild for a three days and eat all the damn sugar you can cram in your pie hole!!! Then tell me how you feel at the end of those three days! It's worth the experiment!

Planning 2012? Take advantage of early bird pricing!

What are your 2012 race plans!?

If Rev3 isn't on your schedule - it should be! Now is the time to get in... and get a discount! 

Merry Christmas to YOU! 

Both Rev3 Anderson and Portland are OPEN FOR BUSINESS! W/ special early bird pricing!

It ends MONDAY 11/21!!! 

So get on it! Details BELOW!

Click to register!

Click to register!

IF you need convincing you can check out some race reports from both races. (mind you the Portland course will have some changes: COURSE MAPS.)

Michael Hutto: Portland Half Rev Race Report

Ryan Oilar: Portland Half Rev Race Report

Derek Garcia: Portland Half Rev Race Report (check out the sweet hardware)

Patricia Brownell: Portland Half Rev Race Report

TriMadness: Anderson Half Rev Race Report

Jill Poon: Anderson Half Rev Race Report

Ben Berry: Anderson Oly Rev Race Report

Kacie Darden: Anderson Oly Rev Race Report

Ulman Cancer Fund - Team Fight

Frankly I'm embarrassed! Ulman Cancer Fund is the charity partner for Rev3 Triathlon... and I've never even talked about it. There's no Ulman Cancer Fund logo or Team Fight logo on my website. That is 100% UNCOOL! (well, there is now!)

I talked a big game this year about how I was going to fundraise for UCF because that's how I got started in this sport, but I just never 'got around to it'. I'm ashamed.

That is going to change in 2012! I do love the endurance thing, but it really hits home more and becomes about something more than myself when I have a bigger reason.

Did you know that cancer is the leading killer among 20-39 year olds?

As many of you know I have a long history of fundraising for another cancer organization - Team in Training/Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - and while I still believe in what they are doing I also believe in sharing the wealth! UFC targets a largely under served population of cancer victims.. and we are talking any and all cancers.

Young adults diagnosed with cancer today have a worse prognosis than those diagnosed 25 years ago? 

Examples of some of the programs they run include:
Support and networking groups
College Scholarships
Survivor networks
A speaker Bureau for cancer awareness
Patient Advocate/Navigator programs
Education and prevention programs

The UFC strives to empower young cancer victims and survivors. To teach them how to navigate the system and support them through their diagnosis and treatment!

Please go to this FB link and VOTE for UCF to get a piece of a $3million pie being given to chosen (aka voted for) charity organizations!!
http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/522057636-ucf?src=vote_share

Check out this amazing video!


Please check out Ulman Cancer Fund and expect to be hearing a lot more about them from me in 2012... and if you are 'on my list' be expecting your 'letter'... it's been a while so get that check book out!

If you are looking to gain a charity spot to a Rev3 event check out TEAM FIGHT and get the details on how to get there!

Run, Run, Run and then how about we run some more...

Did you really think I was going to get through the winter months without lacing up the running shoes. I was naive enough to think it would happen... so if you believed me I don't blame you!

It's time for mama to put some mileage in. I've been talking to my friend Tara (who is an amazing kick ass ultra runner... who I don't even pretend to come close to in the athletically inclined department. She also kicks my ass in crossfit every time I go!!) and we are mixing things up a bit from the way I normally do them.. be it marathon training or tri training. This time I'm going to do 3 days on (easier pace), 2 days off, 1 day on (tempo / TT pace), 1 day off. I'll start at 3-5 miles per run and ramp up from there. The reasons behind the change will all come to fruition soon enough!!! Still working out some negotiations details.

I'll still be doing crossfit 3x a week and will teach spin 2x a week. (note ZERO swimming.. it will come.)

I've come to the conclusion that spinning HARD 2 - 3 times a week has basically TRASHED my legs (okay.. I've talked about this before so this is not new information) and I MUST stop doing that! It's time. I had a week off because of the snow storm and gosh my hamstrings felt a lot better... back on and my hamstrings are not right. Time for me to take it back a notch. No reason to destroy myself while teaching. Must write in sharpie on my arm... BIGGER GOALS. Not looking to be a kick ass spinner!!!

Today was the first day I held back... if it hurt I either eased up the tension or the effort... not my style, but I still got a workout!

It's interesting making all these little adjustments to things I'm doing and listening more to my body.

Where could you stand to LISTEN a little bit better!? We all have our thing that the body is trying to tell us and we are trying not to hear!

2012.. it's a comin' in a big way!

I've got a bunch of projects in mind for 2012.... who's getting excited for the 2012 debut!? I think I must have accidentally had caffeine this a.m. bc I have been JACKED all day. It's either that or the anticipation of all of the cool things on the horizon has me super FIRED UP!

Right now I'm working on looking at all I hope to be involved in and accomplish in 2012 and prioritizing and scheduling my time. I feel like through the process of all of this I'm FINALLY starting to find myself or grow into myself and I'm not going to lie... it feels glorious. Who went through their 20s feeling like they were having a midlife crisis and feeling ill equipped to deal with it? THIS GIRL! I called it my quarter life crisis.... then I had kids... couldn't really have a cognitive thought... follow through = FORGET ABOUT IT!

And now suddenly - surely has something to do with the full day kindergarten thing - I can have a cognitive thought... and now I work on the follow through. By way of a plan and simplification of the things I need to and want to get done.

(Mom, hold onto your hat.. I'm about to implement things you've been harping on me telling me about for YEARS!)

From Zen Habits:
"Design a simple system intentionally, making a routine that works for you, and alter it if it doesn’t make sense. Write out the system, so it is formal, and try to stick to it as much as possible — religiously, if possible."

Schedule all those little things! Make a plan... and it will get done. Just running around and 'filling in' is inefficient and sucks up a lot of my time. (It's not like this is a new thought... I've been doing this with training plans for years now. Time to apply to other aspects of my life.)

Designate day for each task: I'm working through this. Here's what I have so far
- laundry
- meal planning (1week out) - day before grocery day (sunday)
- grocery/errands (monday)
- clean (friday)
- review finances (thursday - 2x/mo)
- spinning/training (tuesday & thursday)
- workout/train (I've been scheduling this for years... it's 5-6 days a week for me at various times/locations.. all written in my calendar and updated weekly.)

Schedule time to complete your NEED to do tasks: (think of your projects and things you need to do to complete them.)
- workout (9:30a m/w/f, 12pm t/th)
- write (6am-7am m-f)
- photograph
- blog
- email (ie. top of the hour, 3x/day for 30 mins)
- create spin and training plans

How do you make sure it all gets done? Do you prefer a paper calendar, icalendar, pda calendar?

Oh... as to what all these projects and super fun things I'm looking at for 2012.. and the elusive race schedule. Well, it's coming together.... but I won't be unveiling it until closer to the new year... come on people there is still 1.5 months left in this year!!!!! :D Maybe on my birthday I'll do that post... but only if you PROMISE to check in here on my Birthday Christmas!!!

Was 2011 AwEsOmE!?

I set 2011 up to be a BIG year! Let's review all the AWESOMENESS I had set out to accomplish:

1. Um, 140.6 at Rev3 Cedar Point.
2. TRAKKERS
3. Recertifying for Spinning with Madd Dogg
4. Actually using said Spinning cert
5. Hiring a tri coach
6. Qualifying for Boston
7. Entering the NYC lottery
8. Some other mystery thing that I can't even remember the details of - I never revealed it. I don't think.

So let's just review each of these a little.

1. Nope. No full for me. And I'm good with that. I put it out there, but the time wasn't right. I completed the half at Cedar Point instead and am SUPER happy with my time and effort! WIN!- ish
2. Yes yes yes.. I finished my first (hope it was just my first) year with TEAM TRAKKERS and it was BEYOND awesome. Blew my mind and exceeded my expectations a million times over. WIN!
3. Recertified ... and it was EASY! WIN! 
4. Got a job. Taught spin 3x a week through the entire season. Enjoyed it.. though I KILLED myself and shot a lot of my running to hell killing myself on the spin bike, but I LOVED it so it's all good! WIN!
5. Hired a rockin' tri coach that worked with me as my schedule changed and helped me work around the crazy spinning... and helped me process the choice to drop the full.... this year. WIN!
6. FAIL! It was a fail before I hit the start line because I had an injury. I didn't even try... just ran it. Huge bummer, but it is what it is. I said FAIL, but don't think of it that way really... I RAN the race.. which I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do and I had an AMAZING weekend in Austin (love love love that town) with my bestie from Madison, WI. WIN!
7. Entered the NYC lottery. Didn't get in.. probably a good thing w/ my injuries and the fact that the marathon was just two days ago and I was really thankful to NOT be running a marathon. Not a win.. not a fail.
8. Fail.. on my memories part anyway. No idea what that was!

So while I did spend a bit of time dwelling on the fact that I didn't - REALLY - accomplish my BIG goals (140.6 and BQ) and have said more than once - in a mocking tone - "2011 was really more the year of MEDIOCRE than it was the year of AWESOME." as it comes to a close 2011 was TOTALLY AWESOME! It was just awesome in surprising - and unplanned - ways.

I could go on and on and on and on about my experience with Rev3 this year and that alone makes this year one for the record books! I am beyond proud of myself, my team and the Rev3 crew for everything that has gone into the racing season! This opportunity has been nothing short of amazing! I thank EVERYONE that had a part in my getting accepted. Thank you to all the 2010 team members that put in a word for me! I am touched and honored! I'm so thankful to Carole for telling me that Rev3 was looking for a local volunteer coordinator for the Quassy race and for LJ for hiring me. The Rev3 family for accepting me for open arms. MOST EPIC weekend I have had in a long time. And I got to do it again at SC. SERIOUSLY. Who has the most fantastic life ever... THIS girl!

I am working just enough to satiate my need to 'do something' ... and to provide me w/ fun money to buy things for my chosen addiction!!!

In just the last couple of months I have met some amazing people right in my own backyard... that means SO much to me!!! Tara of Mommy's a Runner is one such lady that I have only scratched the surface on.... she's gonna make me run trails I know it... and I love it! Crossfit is going well.. after a rough start... my mind is clearing and I see 2012 taking shape before my eyes.

My kids and husband are amazing and supportive of all of this craziness. My parents are always there to help. I ONLY lost power for a total of 2 weeks this year.. I mean come on .... lots of people live their whole lives w/o power and running potable water. Right? Okay ... I jest. That part was less than awesome... it was even less than mediocre.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while 2011 wasn't AWESOME in the way I had defined it sure was even awesomer than it would have been had I ONLY accomplished the goals I set out to do. 2011 have much more depth than that.

Thank you to all who helped make it happen to include my great sponsors!!! Rev3/Team Trakkers, First Endurance (Kept the fire burning on all the long stuff!), TYR (that Cat5 Wetsuit made a HUGE difference in my OWS!), All3Sports (Your one stop tri shop! and the people there are awesomesauce!), Avia (Love my bolts!), SBR Sports Inc (OMG, Can't say enough about how much I love this product. I hate the chlorine.. hate it, but I didn't have to smell like a pool with this stuff!), Recovery Pump (kept the back to back workouts coming), Canari (my kit was alarmingly small at first, but surprisingly comfy to race in!)
The other highlight is that I feel like I have my mojo back!!! Let's do this thing 2012! What you got!?

2011 rolling into 2012 and self doubt

Meh.. it's the off season. While I'm excited to play around with other aspects of my fitness I'm feeling very meh. I LOVE this time of year. The close of summer and things slowing down a bit. The last couple of years I have taken this time to dumb down my schedule and train for a marathon... leaving me much time to reflect on last year and dream of next year. I decided no winter marathon this year. I won't be opening 2012 with a marathon because I feel like it hasn't set me up well for a good tri season the last two years. I've hit tri season already feeling a bit stale and burnt out... not to mention all my injuries. (Yes I will stop talking about these soon.)

I'm not sure if the not running a lot is related to my inability to concentrate or not, but every time I try to reflect back on 2011 (my proposed year of awesomeness - another post on my feelings about the awesomeness of it... or not... later.) I stall. I can't go there. So then I try to switch gears and start dreaming about 2012 and (aside from my one big Goal of being more involved with Rev3 - another post on this soon too) I can't really get my mind around the year laid out ahead of me.

Good thing I've got a few more months in 2011 to get in the right frame of mind.

As you know I've been doing more weight training and got started with Crossfit recently... and my start has been, um, rocky. The first week was AWESOME! Though I got lot's of 'why the hell are you doing this' from the world. The second week quickly slid downhill as I started the week with my awesome collision with a box.

This second week of crossfit was also the second week in a two week trip for Tom (so I was single momin' it), I taught two extra spin classes (one the night of the box jump fiasco), returned to CFD for the MONSTER workout on Wednesday, then another big (scary) workout on Thursday. The Thursday workout was really heavy deadlifts and overhead squats. I was basically SHOT physically and mentally after the Thursday workout. I was so surprised at how much the accident was affecting me mentally. All the while people continuing to ask me WHY?

Friday was my day off... Saturday Tom came home... Sunday we had a massive snow storm, tree limbs down and POWER OUT!

WOW! Slammed while I was down.

As the week wore on my morale was headed toward the crapper. Had to drive around a lot and felt like I was on a hampster wheel.

Started wondering WHY myself.

Showed up for Crossfit yesterday and I gotta say... I felt really timid and a bit scared. I seem to hurt myself every time I walk into that place. (me not them) What did I do yesterday? Cracked myself in the chin w/ the bar as I was doing a push press. I'm fine.. thank god no blood. I don't want to be the lady that always bleeds when I show up. Seriously!

And guess what... my leg is infected. PERFECT!

So the doubt... creeps in... little by little.

I continue to assess my goals and the reasons I started on this crossfit thing.. on this exercise thing... I have a lot of balls in the air right now. Nothing big.. but they are all pulling me in different directions and I'm feeling spread a bit too thin. Time to assess some things.

I WILL continue with Crossfit as I do see the benefits of it. (Even though some - and sometimes even I - think I'm crazy.) Everyone told me there is a month (at least) learning curve. We practiced the clean and jerk A LOT yesterday and I think that was VERY good for me. I'm starting to feel my body get used to the movements. And ya gotta love when you walk into the workout look at what is prescribed, think "there is NO way I'm going to be able to do that, but I'll give it my best" only to complete the workout.

Running NEEDS to start happening. I WILL find some time for it... though it will require some adjustments to my life and schedule. A good talk w the hubs last night helped me get back on track and I think if I can get a few runs a week into the schedule the mind will clear and things will come together!

When you have self doubt where do you turn? What drags you out of it and gives you the clarity you are looking for!?

Here's a little motivation to keep me hitting CFD!