Monthly Archives: May 2011

Random Thoughts about Running and Peer Pressure

Posted on by Run DMT
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Last week, the running was a little light due to all the end of the year hullabaloo at my girls’ school.  When did the end of the year get more chaotic than Christmas?  Between all the parties, volunteering nearly every day, a field trip and a volunteer breakfast, I couldn’t keep my days straight!  Never mind trying to squeeze in a run!  I was too shattered from running around all week.

 

On Saturday, I finally went for a 6 mile run.  It was HOT, but it felt good to run again after a crazy week.  It wasn’t a particularly fast run, but I did it and after slacking off all week, that’s all that matters.

6.2 Miles

Time 1:10:20

Ave Pace 11:21

Max 7:58

 

I didn’t run on Sunday, but decided to eat, drink and merry with all our friends at Chrissy and Mike’s cook-out.  Coach Jackie was there too and pressured me into a Memorial Day run with the Suncoast Striders.  I hadn’t even thought about going because @cheekymonkey8 and her clan were supposed to crash at our house Saturday night.  I didn’t want to leave Allan alone to entertain everyone while I was off socializing and running with the Striders.  It didn’t seem right.  But then they had to cancel last minute and so my morning was free for the Striders.

 

I really only intended to run an easy 4 miles since I did 6 miles on Saturday, but I got roped into going farther and faster with the crowd.  With 58 Striders meeting up for a Memorial Day run, it felt like a race more than an easy run and I needed that push.  (Thanks to Coach Jackie for pressuring me into going and thanks to David of the Striders for snapping this very festive and patriotic photo of Jackie and me.)

 

 

Trying to keep up with the crowd, I decided to go for 6 miles.  The crowd demonstrated strength in numbers in more ways than one.  That’s definitely one of the benefits of belonging to a running group.  You push each other, challenge each other and support each other.  Nothing like your peers to kick your ass into gear to make you run faster and farther and in this case, I shaved almost 7 minutes off Saturday’s time.

6.2 miles

Time 1:03:54

Ave Pace 10:18

Max Pace 8:09

 

Does that mean I’ll be rejoining the Suncoast Striders for their Saturday morning runs and world-famous social hour?  Who knows?  We’ll see.  One small Strider step at a time.

 

To recover after a long weekend of too much food, beer and margaritas, a 3 mile run was necessary this morning.

3.1 miles

Time 32:15

Ave Pace 10:25

Max Pace 8:09

 

Tomorrow, June 1, is National Running Day.  To celebrate, I’m meeting some fellow runners at Suncoast Running tomorrow morning.  I haven’t decided how far I’ll go yet, but hopefully the crowd will drag me along again.

 

June also means the start of the Juneathon.  For the Juneathon, participants commit to running or some other physical activity every day and blog about it every day during the month of June.  I’ve already joined, because I need the peer pressure accountability, but I’m also a glutton for punishment.

 

I always have the best intentions when I join the Juneathon.  I typically do run or work-out every day.  That’s the easy part.  I just don’t always blog about it, so I never win any of the cool prizes.  Unfortunately, peer pressure doesn’t seem to have the same effect on my blogging as it does on my running.

 

But peer pressure did have an impact on my abs, thanks to the #aMAYzingabs challenge.  I am up to 200 crunches now.  Plus, I dropped another dress size and squeezed into a pair of size 3 shorts.  And each week, my bikini looks better and better on me.  Truly AMAYZING!

 

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Stacy

For the Summer

Posted on by Run DMT
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With temperatures in the 90s, summer has arrived early here in Florida as it always does.  Since today is Memorial Day, it’s our official start to summer especially since the kids only have two days left of school.

I have big plans for the summer.  For the most part, I want to enjoy each day to the fullest with my kids.  Last summer, I was so pregnant and uncomfortable and it made it difficult to enjoy anything.  I have such mama guilt over that, but I promised to make it up to my kids this summer and it starts on Day 1 of summer vacation at a pool party with our school friends.  Day 2, we’re off the beach and then Busch Gardens on Day 3.

With all these summer plans, my main objective is to slow down even though it doesn’t sound like that at all.  But on top of all my big summer plans, I’m really looking forward to lazy mornings, no homework or projects to finish and not being a taxi shuttling back and forth from one activity to another.

So although I’ve got a lot planned, priority number one is to slow down for a little while and soak up every minute this summer, because it will be August and the girls will be back at school before we know it.

Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.


Suck It Up This Summer

Posted on by Run DMT
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PhotobucketTime for another edition of Slacker Mom Confessions: I bribe my children.

I have never professed to be perfect.  Lord knows I am far from it.  For me, motherhood is all about survival.  In fact my motto as I roll into my 40s is “I’m not seeking approval.  I’m just trying to survive.”

And for about $1, these icy, sweet, nothing natural, saturated with food coloring slushees from Target help me do just that.

When I shop at Target with my girls, especially during the hot summer months, I willingly buy my girls a slushee.  If they are good while we shop, they can refill their cups before we leave the store.

Works like a charm every time.  Whatever it takes, my friends and in this case, it’s a little Blue #1 and Yellow #5.

And there will be a lot of it this summer.  Sweet.

Now link up and see what If I Could Escape and Gone Bananas are serving for this week’s Friday Food Fight.

*Also submitted at*

Run DMT’s Top 10 Summer Don’ts

Posted on by Run DMT
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1.  Don’t be afraid to show some skin.  No matter how awful you think you look now, you will wonder why you were so hard on yourself when you’re 80 years old.  Break out the bikini.  Tan that tummy.  Sun that cellulite.  Be proud and bare it all!

2.  Don’t forget the sunblock.  Wear waterproof and reapply ever hour.  Remember to dab some on your ears.  Ten years from now our skin will thank you for it.

3.  Don’t dehydrate.  Drink lots of water, especially when you’re doing any sort of physical activity in the hot summer sun.  You should rehydrate even when you splashing around in the water.  And just to be clear, no matter how refreshing they may seem in the sun, beer and other alcoholic beverages do not help you rehydrate from the heat.  
4.  Don’t combine beer with mixed drinks.  Margaritas and beer don’t mix.  No matter how tempting an ice cold margarita seems after a few brewskies, don’t do it unless you want to be dancing on the table before the end of the evening.
5.  Don’t check the forecast.  It’s summer. No matter what it will be hot as balls with chance of humidity.

6.  Don’t be a raccoon.  If you’re going to wear make-up to the pool, invest in some waterproof mascara to avoid looking like you’ve got two black eyes.


7.  Don’t forget to trim the hedge.  Snip it. Wax it. Weedwack it.  Do whatever ever necessary to groom your bloom.
8.  Don’t leave any loose ends.  Tuck those tampons strings.  Check your girlfriends too, because friends don’t leave friends hanging.

9.  Don’t let your toes look gnarly. During sandal and flip-flop season, pretty piggies are a must.  Trim them.  Polish them.  Pamper those piggies!



10.  Don’t get the summertime blues.  Soak up the sun and fun.  Enjoy every day to the fullest.  Summer will be over before you know it.

*Proudly submitted to*

Mustache Madness

Posted on by Run DMT
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When Tara over at Sticky Fingers announced last week’s Gallery theme, I had the perfect plan.

I asked my fabulous photographer friend, Kelly, if I could borrow her mustache prop. She happily obliged, however, Liam didn’t. My little mustache model would not cooperate and preferred eating the prop.  I need to leave the photography props to the professionals.

It appeared that I would miss another fun Gallery theme.

But sometimes things work-out best when you don’t try so hard to make them happen, as a kid’s bath time would demonstrate.  A regular bath time routine provided some spontaneous and beautifully brilliant bubble beards and mustaches.

But then I was too late with my mustache masterpiece.  The Gallery’s Mustache theme linky closed.  Oh well.  Better luck next time with My Backyard.

Random Thoughts about 26 Miles and A Review

Posted on by Run DMT
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Last Friday, I finished the Joggermom Marathon with another 4 miles under my fuel belt, a total of 26.4 miles with an extra 0.2 of a mile because I’m an overachiever.  Yeah, that’s how I roll.

4 Miles

Time 45:30

Ave Pace 11:22

Max Pace 8:39

I still need to record all the miles on my excel spreadsheet to qualify for any of the prizes, but at least I remembered to have hubbie snap a photo of me in my Joggermom Marathon race bib and if you notice, I’m proudly wearing my finisher’s medal in my sidebar.

Sunday morning, I went for a post-apocalypse 6 mile run in my new Wilson La Divine Capri Pants.  Why not? After all the Wilson pants match my Fila top so nicely.

According to Wilson:

“The Wilson La Davine Capri Pant is a compression fit Capri that is lightweight, breathable, and flattering. The premium technical fabric and design allow for maximum moisture wicking and comfort. The Capri has versatile functionality whether training in the gym, playing on the tennis court, or just out and about running errands.”

Given that it felt hotter than hell Sunday morning, I worried about my choice of running apparel and overheating.  However, the light-weight, dry-wick design kept me cool and they were COMFORTABLE, which next to overheating is crucial and the pants built-in SPF 30 protection is also critical in the hot Florida sun.  As another added bonus, the size small capri pants fit true to size and its mesh gusset at the crotch prevented an unsightly situation from occuring.

These Wilson Capri pants have nifty inverted pockets which are handy for holding tennis balls, although I couldn’t find any tennis balls to test the durability of the pockets.  I tried tucking my MP3 player in the pockets but the player felt as though it would slip out, so I stashed it in the pocket of my Fila top.

About 3 miles into my 6 mile Sunday run, I stumbled upon a small Strawberry Shortcake doll lying on the sidewalk that I knew my little Emmalynn would love, so I grabbed the doll as a surprise for her.  I carried it for a few paces, until my sweaty hand began smelling of strawberries.  Then I remembered about the pockets.  Would the pocket keep Strawberry safe and secure?  Her head was pretty bulgy and round like a tennis ball.

Sure enough, Strawberry Shortcake stayed tucked in there!

The real bonus was my pants would smell like strawberries, which smells a whole lot better than sweat.  But neither the strawberry smell nor sweaty stench lasted long due to the pants mesh weave design to minimize odor. And for that, I’m grateful.

Although I was very pleased with my new Wilson Capri Pants, I wish I could say the same about my 6 miles.

6 miles

1:08:40

Ave Pace 11:05

Max Pace 8:46

To view and locate a pair of Wilson La Divine Capri Pants or other Wilson Tennis Apparel in your area, visit http://www.wilson.com/en-us/tennis/apparel/ .

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*


Stacy

Rapture followed by a Beautiful Day in The Afterlife

Posted on by Run DMT
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The morning after the rapture, I checked my forehead in the mirror for the mark of the beast. Pleased to find a mark-free forehead, I went for a post-apocalypse morning run. However, I became a little nervous when I saw NO ONE on the road, not even cars on their way to church. I assumed the churchgoers had been saved from impending earthquakes and being swallowed up by the earth. Then I spotted other runners and I realized runners can withstand earthquakes because we’ve got tiger blood. Sinning!

 

 

Thankfully, my family and I are still here along with most of my Facebook friends and Twitter followers, who admitted being left behind through a rapture roll call. If Saturday, May 21 was Judgement Day, being left behind doesn’t feel so bad if I can spend it with my loved ones and live to see another beautiful day. This is my heaven.

 

 

 

Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

It’s a Shoe-In

Posted on by Run DMT
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PhotobucketTo all my OCD readers, I realize I misspelled the phrase shoo-in.  Deep breaths and let it go and just go with it for the sake of this Friday Food Fight post and my clever play on words.

My sister and her husband recently visited Amsterdam and they returned with a pair of wooden shoes for me which I’m not quite sure how to fit my feet into yet.  But they also brought back a box of a stacked waffle sandwich cookies filled with gooey, sticky caramel.

These deliciously wonderful waffle cookies are so sweet that I can only eat half of a cookie and my hips are thankful for that.  The preparations on the box suggest heating the cookie in the microwave for a few seconds or over a hot cup of coffee to soften the filling.  Either way is a warm gooey yummy delicious mess.

 Speaking of coffee, I need to share my new favorite guilty pleasure.  A few months ago, I started adding vanilla soy milk to my morning coffee and I’m really enjoying the sweet creaminess it adds to my coffee.  It tastes like a flavored creamer minus the corn syrup and other garbage in most non-dairy creamers.

Admittedly, Starbucks grande non-fat vanilla lattes are my guilty pleasure.  However, as much as I love vanilla lattes, I don’t love all the calories.  So, with my recent soy milk substitution, I began ordering a brewed grande coffee with soy milk and two pumps of vanilla.  It’s my new guilty-guilt-free-pleasure, because it tastes just like a full fat vanilla latte but costs less and equally delish.  Trust me.

It’s a shoo-in (spelled correctly just for my OCD readers).

*Also submitted at*

PhotoStory Friday


A Poem for the Last Person I Spoke With on the Phone

Posted on by Run DMT
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So grateful to have you in our lives again

Especially for your listening ears when I need to vent

And you know I’m here for you

And your struggles with losing weight

Or losing your running shoes

Or losing your mind

When it comes to staying sane

I feel your pain

But at least we can laugh about it

Or about crying while running on a treadmill

Or my lack of fine parenting skills

And we’ll cry from laughing so hard

But that’s just me doing my part

Because we’re bonding, bitch.

This lovely ode has been submitted to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.

 ”Write a poem about the last person you spoke to on the phone, based on the conversation you had.”

Mama's Losin' It