The Saturday morning drill begins at 6 am. BoBo and I are out of bed for another day of football. This morning I let BoBo sleep an extra 20 minutes. I figured that he would need the extra rest for today he would be the one and only QB (Quarter back) for his team. The other QB was injured last week and will be out for 2 weeks time. So after taking him for the, now routine, bagel with cream cheese we arrived at the high school parking lot at 6:40 am.

Instead of hitting the track, I hung with the boys as they arrived one after another. Arriving early is not only routine for BoBo, but also for the rest of the team. They boys were revving up for the game. I found it interesting as it was pretty foreign from the pre-race revving up that I do. By the time the coach arrived, they were all ready to go - but the game was still 1-1/2 hours away. I went out for a quick 3 mile run on the neighboring streets.

It was calm out. The air was cool and the people were still sleeping in their homes. I ran past very few people. I was as relaxed as I would be for the day thanks to a little more changing up my training schedule. By running my 8 mile pace run on Friday, I was free to take it easy today.

I finished up my run with plenty of time to go back home and shower. I grabbed a bit of food and was out the door for the game.

From the coin toss to the very last second of the game, BoBo was ON. He didn't have a choice. He had told me about how he felt the pressure earlier in the week, but by this time he had just accepted it. His coach said the he was taking the lead on field at practices. He did the same today in the game.

He led the team in a game against one of the highest ranking schools in the area. They played hard and took a beating. He got hit hard a few times. Adrenaline coursed through my veins on several occasions; it was as if I'd been given a shot from my epi-pen . I cannot imagine what BoBo must have been feeling out there on the field. But under pressure he played. BoBo took the lead and ran with it; and he showed everyone what an awesome athlete he is.

Okay, enough bragging.
Tomorrow, I will write about running.
I promise.

Posted by Juls at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

My mile repeats were served up nicely with an appetizer of a Starbuck's Double Shot, compliments of a promotion going on here at work, and my JC vitamin bar. I enjoyed them about 30 minutes prior to hitting the trail for my run. Going with the mileage that was originally set for next week (since switching up this and next week's original plan), I had 8 miles in front of me. I figured I would burn the 140 calories of the Double Shot without issue, and the caffeine would give me a nice boost.

My theory was validated. Being used to my pace for my Yasso's, I had to concentrate so as not to go out too fast. I ran a route that I have used in the past to go beyond 7 miles but was disappointed when I reached the bridge at 3.5 miles out. The "road closed" sign was prominent and the workers were on the bridge. It was clear that I wouldn't be crossing the bridge.

Although, I didn't make it across the bridge, I did manage to figure the route on the other end so that it was the needed distance. In the end, I was very pleased with my training run.

1 mile warm-up: 8:26
1 mile repeats:
(1) 8:04
(2) 8:08
(3) 7:42
(4) 7:52
(5) 8:04
(6) 8:03
(7) 8:03

Total distance: 8.55 miles
Total time: 1:09:48 (8:09 average pace)

Posted by Juls at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

We all know that running is great for health. Not only does it help maintain a healthy weight, but it is a great stress reliever too. It was critical as a teenager, when my appetite for food was ravenous and my life's stressors were numerous. My diet is healthier by far than it was in my teen years, but my plate has been full so-to-speak as far as stress is concerned. In my 20s, I discovered meditation as another means of stress management. But, now that I am in my 40s, I have been lazy in incorporating regular meditation into my life.

Jon's post, on the Complete Running Network, referred to visualization as a part of weight management where you visualize yourself as that lean, quick runner that you want to be. He joked about picking up beads and incense to complete the spiritual surroundings. I am here to tell you that meditation can be simple and can be done almost anywhere.

In fact, just yesterday, I took a few moments to "find my space" and visualize the pounds of excess weight, and other baggage, being washed away as I sat in my van in the drive-thru carwash. I visualized myself as lighter, thinner, leaner, and more efficient in my running economy. All aspects of my day went remarkably well. Could it be that taking a couple of minutes to meditate would make days like this a regular occurrence?

Later on Tuesday, I forced myself to run easy on the 'mill for the scheduled 4 miler. My max heart rate was 154 (if the treadmill reading was accurate) for the run which puts *this* run into the fat burning range. I usually work out with a much higher heart rate than the recommended fat burning ranges that I have read; I have wondered if that has played into my lack of weight loss. I recently found an article, however, that encourages higher intensity workouts and dubs the "fat burning zone" as a myth. Myth or not, I will not change my training plan for the purpose of weight loss, as my goal for Boston Qualification (BQ) is my primary goal.

At my last visit to JC, Katie offered to do body measurements more frequently to give me a different way to gauge the progress. My weight remains at a stand still. Although Katie had emailed Jenny Craig Corporate, she still didn't have a response for the best caloric range given my marathon training. But her advice was helpful none-the-less. Katie suggested that I be sure to eat some protein in my afternoon snack since this is the time that my hunger is really intense. The fruit that I have been trying to eat has not been curbing this hunger, which leads to chips and salsa attacks (or - even worse - the quest of dark chocolate). Yes, I have been known to deviate from the JC plan more times than I care to admit. We all fall off our "plan" from time to time.

As for my "training plan", it's speed work day. I think mile repeats are on my plate for today's lunch. What's on your plate for lunch?

Go ahead, "give it up" (that's what Tom would say); you know it was clever. Come on - LOL, giggle, or give me the virtual high-five. (Pun intended)

Posted by Juls at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My pearly whites are extra shiny today after a morning dentist appointment. It was 4 months overdue, but still went well thanks to my improved regularity of flossing. No cavities either, so that is something to smile about.

But that's not all...
Months ago, I had mentioned to someone that I wanted to run the San Jose Rock 'N Roll Half-Marathon but just couldn't justify paying for another half marathon so close to the Nike Half Marathon. This was also due to the fact that I am being frivolous and staying overnight with my sister and her friends in San Francisco (when I live only 45-60 minutes away). Well, I was told that he could probably get me a free entry. As more and more time passed, I began to think that I wasn't going to happen. I don't like uncertainty; I like to know these things ahead of time and plan for it. For this, however, I would just see what happened. Well he came through, and I am NOW registered to race.

I guess I was pretty optimistic today; the day just seemed to be falling into place. After the dentist appointment, I stopped by the local body shop to show them an issue with my door catching on the front panel when it is opened. The boys have been crawling in the sliding door for over a month now. Jeremy, from the House of Miracles, fixed me up nice...for FREE. (Be nice to your neighbors, because you never know when they might be in a position to come through for you - even long after you've moved.)

When I got to work, I gave my training plan a minor alteration to accommodate the race - that I wasn't sure if I would even be doing. Instead of stepping back this week (running 11 miles on Sunday) I will be continuing the progression in miles. This will allow me to simply race next weekend and not have to worry about adding on miles to make my long run the required distance. Next week I will be stepping back.

I like it. I hope my day continues to offer me little nice surprises.

As for my run today:
4 miles at 2% incline on the treadmill and 25 minutes of strength training.

Posted by Juls at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Early today, I got a sneak peek into the blogosphere and discovered 21CM had written a post on swimming. It struck me as funny because I had purposely left my running and cycling clothes at home. I was planning an easy swim at the YMCA after work.

My chosen cross training sport for the day had a dual purpose; I would get some easy recovery exercise and also give YaYa some extra time in the pool. Later in the day, I discovered that Cindy had also posted on swimming. Hum? There must be something in the water.

Well, the homework, football practice, even the dog, and dinner seemed to be getting in the way of my plans. But I didn't fully let go of my plans to swim. I just went with the flow and finally, at 7:30 pm, I was on my way to the pool with not only YaYa but BoBo too.

I made my way to the lap swimming lane while the boys jumped in the open swim area. Just moments later however, they were both by my side. They wanted to work out with me.

Now the rule for the lap swim lane is that you must keep moving, but that wasn't a problem. We did kick-board races, and I came up with various drills to keep them in constant motion. We worked on freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke kicks, and dolphin kicks. I have no idea how much we swam but we were at it for a full hour.

YaYa is now sound asleep in his bed. BoBo and I are not far behind him.
Goodnight everyone; sweet dreams.

Posted by Juls at 7:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I love running, and enjoy any opportunity I have to share running with my family. I try to encourage them only and not shove it down their throats. When BoBo decided that he didn't want to do another 10K with me (at least not this one), I didn't push any further. I considered doing the 10K on my own. It would serve as both another opportunity to race, as well as a way to get another number to gauge my training success. I threw that idea out, and asked YaYa if he wanted to join me and run his first running race. YaYa said, "yes" and I had a date for the race.

On Sunday, September 24th, I had the opportunity to introduce my youngest son to the world of running races. Like me, he has a competitive streak. This was apparent as soon as the horn blow. YaYa wiggled in between the other runners and followed some of the faster runners up the side of the paved path. There were a lot of families at this event but I was still able to easily get around the people to keep up with my enthusiastic runner.

His enthusiasm began to die out around the 1/2 mile point in the race. He turned to me and said that his legs hurt. His face looked pained. It wasn't the pained look of "they hurt so bad," but more so that of disappointment that he couldn't keep up with the big boys. I asked him what he wanted to do, giving him 2 choices. The choices were to quit or walk. I knew that he would have to be hurting really badly in order to quit. He chose to walk.

After about a minute, the lead runners in the race were coming through. They were moving fast and I could see that he had got back some of his energy in the excitement of watching them swoosh past us. He began running again. Again, he was moving too fast. He and another boy his age were vying for the lead as the parents tried to encourage them to keep an easy pace. Soon they were both walking. I urged YaYa to run until he hit the water stop that was just 20 yards ahead. He reluctantly ran, as he murmured his complaints about my request.

At the water stop he grabbed his cup. I told him to walk so that he could get all of the water in his body. He walked and then he surprised me as he waited patiently for the volunteer to open up her bag so that he could deposit his cup. The other little boy did the same. Then we were off and running back towards the finish line. As we ran across the wooden bridge, I told YaYa that we had less than a mile to go. Garminia had measured out 1 mile and I didn't realize that the water stop was actually the 1 mile mark. We were closing in on the finish line.

In just minutes, I saw my husband's truck. He and BoBo had come out to cheer for our little runner. I pointed the truck out to YaYa and told him that it was time to go a little faster. He picked it up a little. The other boy began to walk, and YaYa and I passed a lady. We were now so close to the finish that I could feel the finish line energy. I pointed out what remained in the race - "run down the little hill, cross the street, turn left in the parking lot, and run as fast as you can until you cross the line." That is just what he did. My little boy ran across that finish line with such determination. He made me proud, and happy that I got to share the moment with him rather than running another 10K only for the purpose of racing.

Photo taken by Justin Peterson (Almaden Times Weekly Newspaper)

Posted by Juls at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My chance to redeem myself against BoBo in a 10K race did not turn out. He actually didn't *want* to run. But YaYa DID. Sharing in YaYa's first running event was something that I didn't want to miss out on. We ran together and I was so proud of his determination. It was a big event for him, but you will have to visit his blog for his race report. Way to go YaYa!

As for me, I enjoyed a somewhat more relaxing weekend, with my long run completed on Friday. It freed me up for 2 parties, BoBo's football game, and YaYa's soccer game. I managed to fit the balance of my running in the remaining time of the weekend.

Saturday's run was a quick 4 mile run. I left from my front door and worked a few new streets into a 4 mile loop run. It wasn't much to write about - which is why there wasn't a post.

Today began with the 2 mile run with YaYa. Later in the day, I decided to do some 800s on the local high school track. My quarter-mile warm up was short (too short). I just wanted to get to business.

I launched right into the repeats, and hit 3:45, 3:41, 3:41, 3:41, 3:36... Then something happened; I was kicked off the track. *huff* It was unbelievable. Patrol Man came by to kick me and another man off the track. He threatened having us arrested for trespassing because we "jumped the fence." We didn't jump the fence - not that this mattered - we squeezed through the opening in the gate. Patrol Man was still out of breath when we all left. Yes, HE was out of breath from walking over to kick us out. But, I was fine as was the man who was walking with a cane after having had 2 strokes this past summer. Well, exercise is not against the law, it just won't be happening on Patrol Man's shift.

After helping Patrol Man close the gate that he opened to drive his car in, I put my water and towel in my van and proceeded to run past him to finish up my work out. I ran laps around the school for 3:30, 3:43, and 3:40 to finish off 8 repeats (even though I had wanted to do 10). It is far more boring running approx. mile laps around the school than it is running quarter mile laps around the track. I am so glad that I had Garminia around to measure it out for me.

When I returned to my van, Patrol Man was parked in the shade sound asleep. I guess he was confident that I wasn't coming back - at least not today.

I later found out that the track will be open to the public officially on October 2nd. After all, our hard earned tax dollars paid for that track.

Posted by Juls at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

This morning, instead of heading off to work, I drove in the opposite direction towards Monterey. My van was packed with everything that I needed for a long run and the couple of handfuls of ashes that have sat on top of my refrigerator for the past many months. It was a beautiful day as I drove past the agricultural area and into the fog of the Monterey County.

I got teary eyes a couple of times, but mostly I felt good. I realized that I've spent the majority of the past year feeling robbed that I never got a chance to say "good-bye" to Papa. The plan was to carry the ashes on the long run and possibly say good-bye to them if it felt right. I figured 8 miles out ought to do it.

As I got off the freeway in Pacific Grove, I saw runners immediately. I pulled into the parking lot and began my preparations. I asked a couple the directions to run towards 17 mile drive. When they found out I was running (not cycling) they said that I should park much closer. Of course I didn't listen to them.

I began the run at a nice easy pace. I was willing to go 10 miles out if I needed to for the spot that felt right. I didn't quite know what to expect. My fuel belt was loaded. I had my cell phone, my iPod, 2 GU gels, a snack bar, my epi-pen, and the keys to the van. In my hand was a large white container (1/3 full) of the ashes.

At Lover's Point, I remembered my Mom suggesting that I leave the ashes there. While I knew it wasn't the right spot for me, I left a sprinkle there for her. I remember hanging out with my Mom and him as a young girl, walking with them along these same sandy trails that meander along the ocean. We had a few good times here.

The run continued along the ocean where the thin path would wind between the plant life and along Ocean View Blvd. It was challenging to keep to the trail. There were the obstacles of people, eroded areas, and places where the trail would just end.

Finally, I came to my first golf course. This was the real reason why I choose this area. He loved golfing. I figured that he probably had been golfing on this course, but I continued onward. The waves were crashing against the rocks and the high splashing water was an impressive sight. The cool ocean wind was refreshing.

I was soon running through Asilomar State Beach. The area was beautiful. I ran on the little trails that were linked together with boardwalks. I only had to go up to the main road a couple of times.

All along the way, I saw areas that were private and lovely areas to say my good-bye. I was waiting for a sign and in the back of my mind I heard "8 miles." I kept on running, taking in a GU here and my snack bar there. And then I saw it. In the far distance, I could see another golf course. I knew my spot would be somewhere near there.

I kept running and soon saw a sign saying "17 mile Drive." This was a surprise because I actually thought that I was already on it. I took the dirt path in to where the trail went off in two different directions. I stopped, unsure of where to go, and then I saw a fawn. I just stood there and watched her looking at me. I waited for her to make her move, and then I moved in the opposite direction so as not to scare her.

Well, that path took me right onto the paved path for the golf carts. I ran along hoping to find a way off. This couldn't be okay, I thought, or could it. Some golfers waved at me. I ran on. Just as I was hopping off the paved path, I saw a small green towel. I left it there and got onto a nice dirt path that paralleled the golf course. The towel stayed in my head for some reason. I decided that I'd pick it up if it was still there on my way back.

About another mile on, I saw a nice opening. I was tired and felt like stopping and this spot looked so inviting. So VERY inviting. Could this be it? I looked at Garminia and she signaled "8.0" - yes, this *is* the spot. So in the trees, just under a fern, a couple of handfuls of ashes fell. They were right at home.

I ran back towards my van. My legs were tired. My job was done. I wiped my sweat from my forehead with the small green towel as I made my way back.

But, I didn't say Good-Bye today. Instead, I said Hello. I remembered what YaYa had said at Papa's memorial. He said that Papa is now a ghost. YaYa had told everyone, "Whenever I want to talk to him, I just close my eyes and use my imagination. Hello Papa."

Hellos are so much more soothing than Good-Byes. I guess *that* is why we didn't get to say good-bye; we weren't supposed to. In loving memory, always.

Posted by Juls at 8:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

It's a lazy day. I'm sitting at a park sitting inside my van just taking it all in. YaYa is within my sights. He is at his soccer practice. Its one day late for soccer and one day early for my rest day.

As I sit here, I watch a threesome as they run laps around the park. The park is small so they pass by frequently. I watch them as they warm up; they move slowly and steadily. Soon they are picking up the speed. They breathe hard and their faces turn red in color as they run past. From my van, it looks boring. They persist. They put one foot in front of the other and just keep on moving. I know tomorrow, on-lookers may see me and think the same thing. B-o-r-i-n-g. But it won't be boring at all for me.

On the field, YaYa takes the ball and dribbles up the field. His feet know the drill. His feet are more familiar with the drill then those of his teammates, and more familiar than they were just a few weeks back. Kick-Run-Kick-Run…

He moves fast. His face is serious. He slows slightly as he approaches the goal...Kick & Miss.

YaYa moves back in line to wait for his next chance to shoot on the goal. I watch him as he waits. Beside him two of his teammates turn cartwheels. YaYa is talking now and doing a dance of sorts. His missed goal is long forgotten.

Back on the sidewalk, the threesome is done running. They are sweat soaked and happy. Their feet move slowly as they pass. I ask them how far they ran. "One hour," they answer. "Well done," I say as I try to remember back to when I tracked my runs by elapsed time only.

On the field, it's scrimmage time. Half of the players put on the red "pennies." These are like a mesh singlet. The coach orchestrates the show as the sun is beginning to make its decent. "Go" he encourages to whoever has the ball. "Good pass" "Well done" He is every parent's hero. He is the Team in Training of soccer. "Go Team!"

Kick-run-kick-run-kick-run..."Go YaYa" he yells...Score!
"Well done" he says.
Well done indeed.

As the sun sets, the kids pile into the parked vans. They are sweat soaked and happy, as the hard-core soccer players continue to play on. They too are sweat soaked and happy.

Posted by Juls at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I thought of taking it easy today. I considered skipping the run altogether. But, I hit the road with Garminia and myPod. I hadn't set Garminia up for Yassos, but after running the first mile, I was indeed "warmed up." Today is Wednesday and that means 800 repeats.

I ran my first 800 (or 1/2 mile) repeat a little on the slow side. I forgave myself, because I *was* doing them. Regardless of the outcome, I planned to give it my best effort.

Since I had ditched Mark for the day, I didn't have to hear him caution that too much speedwork is "how you get injured." I have been doing Yasso's since the beginning of the year, so I plan to work up to 10. But I know that in order to fit that many repeats into a 7-8 mile workout, something will have to give. At least this is the case for a lunchtime run.

I decided that I would rest only for a measured distance of 1/4 mile so that I could do more 800s in my 7 mile run.
It was a good plan in theory, however I found that reduced recovery time equates to a reduced level of recovery. Imagine that! *sigh*

After three repeats came up just slightly short of my 3 minute 50 second goal, I altered the plan slightly. I walked for 1 full minute prior to jogging for the remainder of the 1/4 mile. It gave me recovery times of about 2:50. This is one minute less than true Yasso's call for (with my targetted 3:50 time). But, it was just enough to finish out pretty much on target.

Check it out....
1 mile warm-up (8:25)

800 repeats:
(1) 3:56
(2) 3:53
(3) 3:55
(4) 3:49
(5) 3:47
(6) 3:47
(7) 3:52.

1 mile cool-down (8:09)

That's seven repeats!
All I need to do now is:
- Consistently run ALL of them to be 3:50 or less
- Add 3 more 800s to the workout

Boston, here I come!

Posted by Juls at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

A little girl handed me a smiley face sticker this morning at YaYa's daycare. She couldn't have known what kind of night I had. Or could she. Kids are so intuitive. I wore the sticker on my jacket until I got to work and then I stuck it to the "Gone RUNNING" post-it that is on my computer. It reminds me to smile and be happy. As Tom said, in the years when we first began dating (DD was about YaYa's age), "Keep your corners up."

I've had a triple latte and am now drinking up my caffeine-free liquids. I'll prepare my body for today's run, but I don't know if I'll be ready for it by lunchtime. My stomach is still bothering me and I've already made a few trips to the bathroom. That triple latte, although good for my head, was probably not such a good idea where my stomach is involved. But the sadness has eased off for now. I think it is more difficult because, not only is the 1st anniversary, but I am also planning to spread my portion of the ashes this weekend.

Thanks everyone for your kind words on all of my stressors. As for the red ink, I think it is important to note that everyone takes away different things from what they read. It is evident in the comments from you all. Some people commented on my grieving, while others identified more with the schooling issues. The same was true for YaYa; he zoned in on different things than what was listed on the test. He'd probably have done better summarizing the story for his teacher.

YaYa is happy and still likes school, so I don't want him to have the negative experience that I had in 3rd grade. Teachers make such a difference. My primary 3rd grade teacher was Mrs. Pearsall. I loved her. She encouraged me. But after she left to give birth to her little "kipper", we had a new teacher who loved the red ink. She'd draw a frown on my paper but never offer extra help. I felt like I was drowning and daydreaming was a much better place to be. So I zoned out (just like last night).

We all can benefit from more smiley faces.

Posted by Juls at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I can't sleep. I don't even want to sleep. I don't want to think, or dream, or feel right now. So, I sit in Papa's chair, and read blogs, and try not to think about how much I miss Papa.

It's "forced" insomnia. I missed this classification when I was reading about sleep architecture and disorders earlier today.

*sigh*
It's been a crazy week and it's only Tuesday (still - for about 60 more minutes).

We had a parent meeting at the district office to get information on the school district's GATE program. I remember those GATE kids from when I was growing up - they became the valadictorians of the various high schools. But, I look at my kids and don't see that brilliance. Don't get me wrong. They are talanted, and smart, and beautiful. But I also see "struggling". I see myself.

Tonight, at Back-To-School night, more of my past came to haunt me. I sat there, with my husband, and went right back to 3rd grade. I looked at the evaluation that the teacher had left on the desk for us. The teacher had started out using purple ink, but later switched to red. And she wrote her negative comment even BIGGER. I guess she was afraid that we would have missed it.

I just sat there numb. I couldn't cope. It was such a mixed message. My kids is indentified as "gifted and tallanted" but his teacher needs bold, red ink to write up his reading comprehension evaluation. It doesn't compute.

I hated 3rd grade. I hated multiplication tables. I hated not being able to keep up with the future valadictorians who always blurted out the answers. But, as a parent, I need to be positive and to advocate well, and to be neutral to red ink.

To make matters worse, I asked my husband for his opinion on the teacher's red ink and then zoned out on his answer. I couldn't follow him. He was using terms to mean something, but the terms just didn't compute. Okay, so my *brain* wasn't computing. I just couldn't cope. He left mad at me for my lack of neutrality. I don't even know what exactly I said, but it didn't leave him thinking that I wanted to hear his opinion. Really I DID; I just couldn't hear it. *sigh* I DID say that I "hated" 3rd grade.

I don't want Wednesday to get here. I am not ready for another overwhelming day. No more gas. No more parent meetings. No MORE.

Because, I am not coping so well. I am sad, and I miss Papa (who will have died a year ago on Sunday).
*sigh*
How many days until the weekend?

Posted by Juls at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I had a good run at lunch time. I ran 4 easy miles and felt great. But that was then, and this is now.

NOW, my stomach is in knots. Mild cramping that leaves me wanting to crawl into a ball in the corner of my office and try to hide from it. I've got gas, and when I decide that it might be safe to release a bit of it, someone walks past my office. I fear that they will walk in and discover my less than lady-like activity.

Yes, my stomach is about to blow up. There will be no sucking it in right now. I am doing all that I can to push my belly out over my waistband to bring some needed relief. I can really push it out far (so I look about 5 months pregnant). But, that is just sad.

I've been on the Jenny Craig (JC) plan for 10 weeks now! Yes, that would be *me* who has been eating the reduced calories, but *my husband* has actually been losing the weight. Go figure.

Speaking of my belly, on Sunday I met Katie (my new JC consultant). I liked her right off. She's a young student majoring in nutrition. Although she didn't know how long a marathon was, she didn't say "AW" once.

Katie was concerned about my lack of weight loss these past few weeks and asked for the amount of calories that I burned in a typical 4, 7, and 14 mile run. She said that she would contact the corporate office to determine the best plan for me.

Katie was very thorough in her work. We discussed my current diet and physical activity. She listened and seemed to have an appreciation for my training plan. She seemed to have some level of comprehension of a 10 mile run, at least in terms of calories burned.

I discovered that I wasn't eating all of the additional foods required for some of my favorite Jenny meals. Katie really took the time with me, and her customer service was huge. I actually felt like I was there for a reason besides just picking up my food. I'm hopeful enough to stick it out on this diet at least for a little longer.

Posted by Juls at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The trip to work this morning was frustrating. I am without either of my 2 carpool partners for the entire week. While enduring the "gapers" who insist on leaving no less than a 7-car gap between them and the car ahead of them, I looked on with envy at those in the "2 person lane." I know that it seems silly to get bent out shape that the car ahead of you doesn't close the gap at least a little bit. You ask, "Does it make that much difference?" The answer is YES, it *does* because car after car slips into the gap and the gaper slows down even more to maintain the required 7-car length gap.

While slipping into the gap only to come upon another gaper a couple minutes later, I thought of a 10 race that I did with BoBo and Cindy earlier this year. It was one of the more popular runs, so the runner traffic was heavy throughout. BoBo and I were racing each other and I lost the race to a doublewide jog stroller that was gapping on a paved path that was as wide as the stroller. BoBo squeaked past just ahead of me, leaving me behind the strolling stroller. I was not too happy when he called home to announce that he "whooped me" - by 10 seconds, but "whooped" none-the-less. He even did a littlle victory dance just to rub it in.

I've been awaiting my rematch since that race and might have an opportunity to redeem myself this Sunday if he agrees. I'd just do my long (16 mile) run on Saturday to accommodate it. That would probably even up the fact that he hasn't been training for a race this long. It's fair, right?

I am convinced that it *is* fair. Have you seen those football players run? Did you see that Redskins player FLY down the 100-yard field yesterday? Nobody could touch him. It was awesome. He found and flew right through those gaps on the field.

I'm sort of getting into this football thing, you know - probably because of the "running" part. I did my cross-training today. I sat on the spin cycle and watched ESPN. They were playing little excerpts from the weekend football games and I found myself watching intently as the pedals flew round and round. It's good that there were only 2 people in the fitness center when I was there because every now and then I would blurt out "run" or "ouch" or something like that.

And I think that I am getting the idea of the game somewhat. Still, of the pro games, I like the running and the little victory dances that the players sometimes do in the end zone. Could you see an elite runner making that kind of scene when they won a race? That's probably all we need to do to get more running coverage.

Okay, maybe not.

Posted by Juls at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My run this morning was good. Mark, Brenna and I hit the trails at 7 am. We started out at a moderately fast pace and didn't look back. It was a conversational pace run, but the longest hill offered a challenge here and there. We took a moment of silence to catch our breath as we tackled one particularly steep section of the hill.

After running about 5 miles, the trail narrows. This section is one of my favorites. The trail meanders along the hillside as the switchbacks take you upward. Although it is mostly climbing, the trail rolls down in some sections. We felt a rush of colder air as we hit these dips in the trail and Brenna got stung a couple of times by a wasp, or bee, along the way.

I got pretty nervous after that. I have an allergy to the honey bee (which I doubt would be out in these parts) but I didn't have my epinephrine pen with me. Brenna getting stung was just a reminder to carry it with me on my runs.

After we hit the trail marker that notes the 6.5 mile point, we ran an additional 10 minutes to make the run about 14 miles. Then, after enjoying a the rest of my Cliff Shots with water, we turned back. What goes up, must come down, and our case QUICKLY. It took us 9 minutes less time on the descent than it on the ascent.

Several hours later, in the heat beside the pool, I found my head bobbing down to my chest. I fought to stay awake for YaYa's 30 minute swim lesson. I'm beat.

Posted by Juls at 3:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It was a busy day. Especially busy...for a day where we only had the commitment of YaYa's soccer game. As I sit in bed, my legs ache as if I had run my long run today. But, I only ran a 6-7 mile pace run today and my long run is TOMORROW morning.

We took in hours of surf and sun. If that wasn't enough, we followed it with hours of rides - the haunted house, the old wooden roller coaster, and the water ride. I'm beat.

I sure hope that I sleep well tonight.

Posted by Juls at 8:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Must Have
These days, we are bombarded from all ends with commercialism. Take chocolate for example. Verizon Wireless is just one company whose advertisements constantly prod you that "everyone wants chocolate". In their case, it is a cell phone that is named "chocolate." The ads are so convincing that my 8 year old spent several minutes, in the grocery store, asking me when he would be old enough to have a cell phone. He clarified this to include that he wants his cell phone to be the "chocolate" phone....or he could also have an "iPod nano"...or some other expensive device. He says that Elijah has TWO! *sigh* I doubt *that* is true. The message, however, is clear: "Must Have."

What do we do with all of this media bombardment and the "must have" message?

It doesn't stop there.
YaYa has a fundraiser at school to sell wrapping paper. He got his paperwork yesterday and wanted to go door-to-door selling the stuff. It is one, of only two fundraisers, that his school does. And while I want to encourage him to earn money for the many items that schools no longer receive funding for, I am a little bothered by the way the school bribes the kids into action. Like any fundraiser, I suppose, there is reward levels for the number of items that you sell, but I only wonder if the cause gets lost in doing this. Again, he is driven by the "must have" message.

Is it that important to a kid at this age? My husband posed this question to me as I tried to curb YaYa's excitement when I went online to purchase my gift-wrap in support of both my son and his school. Perhaps not.

It's not just YaYa; I am a victim too.
*sigh*

While driving to work this morning, I contemplated the idea of putting the whole weight loss thing on hold. I toyed with the idea of just maintaining my current weight as my marathon training intensifies. I am NOT at my desired weight, but I want to keep my energy where it matters most and that is my training. I am sure that my decision on this will vary from day to day. I hope that I can get some sound advice from the JC girl on Sunday.

In the meantime, strawberries dipped in DARK CHOCOLATE were delivered to the "danger zone" at work. Yes, that is what we call the area where the yummy, calorie dense, foods get put. Who could resist? After all it is "chocolate" - DARK CHOCOLATE at that (my favorite) - and "everyone wants chocolate". Right?!

Back to the fundraiser topic:
After a long discussion on the reason for the fundraiser, I let him post his fundraising information on his blog. So if you "MUST HAVE" some really nice gift-wrap (for all occasions), feel free to click over to his blog for the information and order on his behalf. I know, it is a mixed message - I guess I am conflicted too. I could change my mind and delete the entry, so act now.

There you go...MORE bombardment.

Posted by Juls at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I didn't want to run with any other humans today. When Mark's email was delivered to ask if I was planning to run solo or with company, I responded to say "solo." Garminia took a well-earned rest day as well. Her energy was totally exhausted from yesterday's run and I suppose that I neglected to give her the energy refueling that is so critical in marathon training. Today, Garminia just sat on my wrist and quietly went along for the run. I was not alone though; I had "myPod" with me today. In primitive fashion, myPod kept the time AND entertained my with some of my newer tunes. I ran without the luxury of Garminia keeping my pace, and that was a nice change. Today, I simply ran and enjoyed the entertaining tunes and scenery. It was great.

Posted by Juls at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In today's earlier post, I noted that my marathon training didn't seem as focused as my training was for Grandma's. I expressed concern, and rightfully so. My focus and motivation takes my running from just something that I do to the point where I can push a bit harder and consistently to the end. I will always love running (even on the days when I don't feel much like running).

But work has been hard for me lately. It has been hard for everyone left at the old company. We are looking for direction, focus, and motivation. They are lacking and it can be hard to sift through the rubble of our deconstructed company and escape from the soot for my training. When I go outside for my runs, I want to leave it all behind and not carry it on my shoulders during my training. I have to separate my work from my personnal life (from my parenting, running, and interactions with anonymous).

I managed to have that separation today, at least for a little while. Mark and I did Yasso 800s as planned. It was great. My mind only wandered off a little bit. Mostly, I stayed focused.

1.3 mile warm-up: 11:33
3:50 minute recoveries (jog/easy run)
1.32 mile cool-down 11:45

1/2 mile intervals*:
(1) 3:41
(2) 3:55
(3) 3:41
(4) 3:46
(5) 3:43

* I didn't program the distance interval (left it open) so these times are based on mile pace divided by 2 for those intervals where the distance exceeded 0.5 miles. Average pace for 7.01 mile run = 8:35/mile.

It wasn't until I was done showering and changing that Kate came into the bathroom. She talked about work, and the unhappiness. I listened for a bit, and then with a little more separation from it all, went back to work feeling a little less dread than I had before the run.

Posted by Juls at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

My training for the California International Marathon (CIM) has supposedly been my focus. It has felt as though I am just going through the motions, however. I say this only because I have been comparing it to my training for Grandma's Marathon where the training felt so intense and focused. I'm already seven weeks into this training program and it still feels like maintenance running. There's no intensity, no vision of the finish line, and I am a bit nervous about that.

It's time for a shift - a look at my intermediate goal.

The Nike Women's Half-Marathon has been planned out since January (perhaps earlier). While the plan was always for this to be a "for fun" run, with no real intentions of racing, I may need to use it as a measure of where my training has taken me so far. I had entertained thoughts of using the San Jose Rock 'N Roll Half-Marathon to gauge my fitness level, but I just can't cough up the funds with another race only two weeks later. It doesn't look like a good plan at this point.

I am left to trying to generate some enthusiasm for making Nike a good race. I need a reason to push hard in these coming weeks so that I can power up those hills. There is one reason that I would want to run a good race, and that would be to be a little more competitive against my older sister. Linda is fast. She BQ'd last year at CIM without even trying to. Then, she didn't go to Boston because it really "wasn't her dream". That's right; it wasn't HER dream, it was MINE. She said she would only go if I BQ'd.

Okay, so whatever. Linda is also running Nike. In fact, she urged me, and many of her friends, to register and we are all staying overnight together in the city for the race. I'm excited about that; she has very cool friends who ALL run FAST.

Now, if you have kids, you may know the movie "Little Giants." Do you remember the part where they are feeling like winning the Pee Wee Football Game is futile? They talk about "just once" beating the better team - "just once" beating the odds. Well, "just once" I'd like to beat Linda. Kind of like when I beat Eric in 5th grade - just once. It's not likely - Linda started training hard again and she is already *so* fast, but maybe I'll have a good day. In the meantime, I *could* shift gears and train harder than ever. *right?*

Okay, I am probably living in Julie's Dream World right now. You see it's still early in the morning. I have a 7 mile run to look forward to at lunch time. 7 miles and Yasso Repeats - whoopee! I *am* looking forward to it. Why? Well, because I will spend the next several hours checking data points on a Final (for the 3rd time "final") Study Report that is 84 pages long. *sigh*

Let's see how I feel about things AFTER my Yasso’s.

Posted by Juls at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

There is a lot to keep up with. Somehow, I managed to keep the pace, and get updated on the entire "goings on." With a pile of clean, unfolded clothes beside me, I decided to ignore the laundry. Sorry, dear. Instead I got caught up on the blogs. It took me a while to catch up on my favorites, and I even discovered a few that I haven't visited before. There's a lot going on. Here is just a sample of the many great "goings on."

Cindy is making headway on her training for the Silicon Valley Marathon. She had an awesome 16 mile run over the weekend with her running pals.
Jeff, the amazing hip, his many obstacles on the way to his marathon. He managed to stay somewhat relaxed, got one last training run in, and did an awesome job in his marathon.
Dori is now doing her "run-running" in California. She is training for the Big Sur Half Marathon and has been enjoying some coastal running in the Monterey area.
21st Century Mom continues doing her tri-training. She has recently discovered that double workouts are fun and has enjoyed a day off following each of her double-days. She even had a triple workout day last week. Go Mom of the 21st Century!
Jeff, continues to make "time to run." Looking at his stats, he has really picked up the pace. Great job to one of the newer runners.
YaYa continues to enjoy being a 3rd grader. He has a new job helping out at lunch in the cafeteria. He is also playing on a soccer team this fall.
Wes offered a few thoughts on 9-11.
And speaking of September 11th, let’s not forget to recognize the happier things of this day. My nephew, Scrabble Dude, celebrated another Birthday. He is now 8 years old. Happy 8th Birthday, Dude!

That's the update from marathons and beyond. Enjoy life and stay active.

Posted by Juls at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I spent a lot of time on Friday creating a diet plan for my upcoming week. My weight loss has halted, although it goes up and down a pound or two from morning to morning - it is essentially the same. With my training moving into the serious stage, I am concerned about getting enough calories in the upcoming weeks. I researched the amount of calories burned for 4, 7, and 14 mile runs as well as for 60 minutes of cycling. I input the information into the spreadsheet, added the baseline JC foods, and then began supplementing until I reached a reasonable caloric deficit. Then I brought my spreadsheet to my JC appointment. This week's order was pretty small since I have somehow gathered a stock of JC foods in my freezer.

I only ordered:
7 Strawberry Bars
2 boxes of (vitamin fortified) Peanut Butter Bars
7 Toffee Bites
1 Double Chocolate Cake
1 Lemon Cake
7 Balsamic Dressing Packets

Patti, my usual JC girl, was off this week. I was looking forward to seeing someone else. Patti pretty much lets me dictate what I want; I am sure that she realizes that she doesn't have the nutritional information level that I need. I have become more and more resistant to seeing her because she says, "AW" entirely too much. I feel like she is belittling me as she says it when I explain that the weight measurement at 1:45 pm is not accurate. If I've just run for 2-3 hours, then it is likely to be too light due to sweat loss. It takes a while for me to drink up the lost fluids. But as my appointments have been later in the day, the weight is then too heavy due to my drinking. She can write down any number that she wants, I just want her to quit saying, "aw." But, I could never *tell* her to stop, so who am I to complain. Instead, I am just changing centers - which is what I discussed with Patti's substitute consultant.

I called the JC center, which turns out to be closer to my house, and explained my needs. While they really didn't have anyone who was a long distance runner, I am sure the new girl won't say, "AW" all of the time. Apparently, she majored in nutrition and is very "fit." It works for me. Besides, it’s closer to my house.

As for the menu that I worked so hard to plan: I've already deviated. There were pastries, bagels, and muffins brought in this morning as a good-bye breakfast for another employee. I had half a bran muffin, some orange juice, and my latte. Later, I went down to the cafeteria for a small amount of cottage cheese and 5 small strawberries. For lunch, I got the special Waldorf Chicken Salad from the main serving station (instead of my boring green salad). Apparently, not all salads are created equal. It turns out that *this* salad is 674 calories! What's more is that it has 43.2 grams of fat! Whatever. It sure was good. After 60 minutes on the spin cycle, I've earned it.

Posted by Juls at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last week's long run felt miserably lonely. It was all I could do to put in the miles. Today's run, was a different story. It "sort of" surprised me.

I had actually planned to run solo at the open space preserve again. But I had another night of poor sleep, and woke up a little later than planned. I opted for convenience, and went to the local park where there is the paved bike path.

Cindy and Amy were planning to run at the same location. I looked at my clock and resisted the urge to head on without them. It was 7:10 am and they were planning to run at 7:30 am. I "figured" that this meant that they would be arriving at 7:15 am (that's the usual deal). Today, however, the first to arrive didn't show up until 7:25 am. In the time that I waited, I re-evaluated my plan to go on without them several times. But, it just seemed silly to leave at that point - and they would probably see me running away. What kind of message would *that* send?

So I waited..and waited...and waited for a LONG time. Cindy arrived, then Brenna, then Fred, and finally Amy. *sigh* I could have been half-way done with my run by the time everyone was there. After hugs, and potty breaks, we were on our way. ALL of us were on our way. It must have been quite a sight to see.

We ran and talked as I clicked off the passing miles. Although I enjoy running with each of the runners that showed up today, I wasn't enjoying today's run at all. I was just tolerating it. I don't really know why. Perhaps it was because I had "intended" a SOLO run. Perhaps it was because I was positioned in the back of the crowd and this just felt awkward. Regardless of the reason, I listened to the various conversations (even kept them going with questions) and counted down the miles until my turn around.

So there I was, doing the thing that I love (running), with people who I enjoy being around, and I wasn't enjoying myself at all. I felt crowded. It seemed funny in light of how I had longed for company last week on the same trail. Oh well, some days are just like this. I probably should have stuck to my original plan of running solo.

My chosen turn around was at the bathroom just past the 4 mile marker. I thought that it would be about 4.5 miles as it is mid-way between the 4 and 5 mile markers, but Garminia only measured it as 0.36 miles past the 4 mile marker. Whatever. That was where I had planned to turn around and so I did. Brenna came with me, while Cindy, Amy and Fred continued on.

The return trip was good. Brenna and I just talked about all sorts of stuff. It was a nice change from the first half where I felt crowded. Now, I was over feeling "crowded." Or was I? Well, at least the run ended on a good note.

Posted by Juls at 6:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

He was wide awake already when the alarm sounded at 6 am. He was nervous, and excited. I could recognize it easily. It reminded me of the pre-race experience. But today, it would be all about BoBo and his football team. It wasn't about running; that was just fit into the day.

The plan was to be at the school by 7 am. Most of the team would arrive by 7:30 am, but BoBo is always eager to be early. By 6:30 am, he announced that he was ready and that we should go. I figured that it really didn't matter much if he sat at home and nervously waited or in the school parking lot. So away we drove. I parked in the back by where the coach parks his nice Mercedes. I left BoBo to his iTunes, in the nice warm van, and made my way to the track.

On the track for 6 miles. They needed to be done quickly as I would need to be back at home for a shower, and return on time for BoBo's FIRST game. I had also not slept well. I was also both nervous and excited. I was eager to see BoBo on the field, with his debut as QB for his team. I was also nervous about him getting hurt.

I warmed up with a mile going clock-wise on the track. After my warm up, I began a pseudo-mile repeat workout. I alternated 1 mile at a pace approximately 1 minute faster than marathon pace (counter clock-wise on the track) with 1 mile at marathon pace (clock-wise). Here is how it played out: 8:13, 7:47, 8:28, 7:23, 8:29, 7:37 = 6 miles (47:56)

As I was finishing out the final 2 miles, the coaches drove up near the bleachers. They began setting up for the game. I could feel the urgency to finish up and get home.

BoBo didn't play a lot during the game. He went in for a of kick off and then came off the field following the play. In the 2nd half, I could see him warming up. BoBo went in again. It was another kick off. They kicked the ball, the other team picked it up and started running FAST. BoBo came around the side and down the guy went. He stopped that! He came off the field, but then a penalty was called. "Face mask." I wondered if it was BoBo, but then thought threw out that idea. Regardless, the ball was moved 15 yards down the field - the WRONG way.

*sigh*

The scoreboard displayed the sad results to that point. BoBo remained on the sidelines until the final quarter. There was only a few minutes left of the game and the ball was way down the field by the other team's goal. In just minutes, the play began but I really couldn't see what went on exactly. The ball was moved about 10 or so yards down the field. I saw BoBo run over towards the coach. *Already?!* I figured they were pulling him out again. But, BoBo turned around and went back. He was just getting the plays from his coach. It seemed like all the running back and forth was going to tire him out...but then again, he's got "running" in his blood. In the end it was no use; they let the time pass and the game ended.

And, the answer to whether BoBo was the face mask culprit....

You Betcha!
Well worth the 15 yard penalty.

Posted by Juls at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

...and the "real" training begins:

I'm finishing up week 6 of training. It's the last step-back week before the program rapidly moves into the "real deal." My training schedule has sort of been paralleling the "pre-season" of football.

As I nervously look forward to BoBo's 1st game, I am looking forward to the movement towards peak training.

You may, or may not (if you are a newer runner), know the scenario. The 1st many weeks of the training schedule gets your running base set. It gets you used to the pattern of the training program. In my case: Monday = cross training, Tuesday & Thursday = shorter runs + strength and stretching, Wednesday = sort-of-long run, Friday = rest day, Saturday = sort-of-long distance at marathon race pace, and Sunday = Long run.

So, as my "pre-season" training ends, I look forward to 14 - 15 - 17 - 20 mile runs with various races mixed in. Next week, my shorter run and sort-of-long run distances increase and my long run continues to climb. It's time to get jazzed about my training, to embrace it, and to gear up for marathon day.

My dear friend, Lisa, is a few weeks ahead of me in her training. She is training for the Seattle Marathon as her 1st marathon. Please check out her blog and offer her some encouragement. She did her 15 mile run over the Labor Day Weekend.

Although Lisa doesn't talk about her running very often, she does mention her training run and the activities that followed later in the day in the entry that I've linked above. I am sure that you will be amazed at all that she fits into her life, mothering her 4 children, and the unique lifestyle that she has living on one of the islands in Washington.

I don't think that Lisa thinks of herself as a "runner" yet, but she's earned the title in my book. She is out there doing the miles, and suffering the aftermath following the long runs. I laughed to myself when I read about how she got mad at her daughter while shopping. It's so NOT her, and I wondered if she clued in that it was probably more due to her 15 mile run than her daughter's teen-type behavior. Lisa is amazing...Not because she is doing this marathon - even though she has always professed to "hate" running - but because of everything else she does.

And she is funny too. Go on - click the link above.

Posted by Juls at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I walked down the stairs to change for today's run. Time had gotten away from me today. I hadn't even eaten my morning snack bar yet. Since I began on the JC program, I've needed something to carry me through my mid-day run. Today, I grabbed an over-ripe (for me) banana.

The day was off kilter from the very beginning. Just out my front door, I dropped some salsa on the front of my shirt. I tried not to let it fluster me. I drove back home to change and meet my carpool partner after dropping off the kids. But my carpool partner wasn't there. And she didn't answer her cell phone. I waited until 7:30 am. No show. Reluctantly, I began my horrible trek to work. The traffic had really built up. There were many accidents along the way. It was rapidly turning into a bad day.

And at work, the funk continued. It seemed wide spread. On my office chair was card being circulated for signatures and well wishes to another employee jumping ship. When will it all end? I began to wonder if I should be resuming my hunt for another job.

During my lunchtime run, and then in the fitness center I could smell a stink. It was foul. Wait a minute...It's me. My sweaty workout clothes have gotten *really* ripe over the last few days of repeated use. Since I've been running hard, I've been sweating a lot. They were far more ripe than my banana. Pee-yoo!

Posted by Juls at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

It's "step-back week" and I just didn't feel like doing a speed workout today. We opted for a 5 mile loop around the bay lands. It was a brisk run; at first it felt too fast, but my body settled into the pace in no time. Another runner breezed past us on the little hill by my work. He looked like he was in his early 20s. His shirt was off and he had no excess fat. Show off. Mark and I decided to take the backside of the hill as the youngster took the front.

As we finished the 1st mile, Garminia reported a nice 8:37/mile pace. Well, I was happy with that. We left the youngster to the hill and headed out towards the water. It was so peaceful by the water - which was so smooth that it looked like we could have run on it. All I can say is that it was a very good run. The rest of the mile splits were 8:24, 8:16, 8:14, and 8:19. Not bad for not wanting to do a speed workout. I was pretty ravenous when I hit my desk with my lunch.

After my lunchtime run I sat at my desk and ate. I began reading some articles that were sent to me regarding the next clinical trial that I will be working on. At first they didn't seem that difficult to follow, but after a few pages I began to get lost in the technical terminology. By page 7, I was beginning to experience adverse effects from the paper. Whether or not I received active or placebo didn't matter, I was fading fast.

So, I got up. I stretched, went to the break room to wash my bowl, and decided to check in on blogland for a wake up call. I discovered that some anonymous reader thinks that I am "smokin' hot." Imagine that? Now, I am hallucinating!

Well, my husband is the only one that I've heard use that term. I figured it was him. Tom is that sort of compliment giver. He does it on the sly. He would say, "Doesn't your Mom's hair look so lovely today, YaYa?" Tom denied posting the comment though. He says that it was one of you.

I'll take the compliments anyhow. Perhaps its a "placebo effect" - or my weary mind after a good workout. It doesn't matter. Thanks!

Posted by Juls at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I have these really cute and comfy pants that my boys gave me for my 40th birthday. The waistline is low-raise and, since they are made for skateboarding, they are made with material that stretches. I love them, but I have to keep pulling down most of my shirts to keep my back from getting cold. Over the weekend I found a shirt to match them that is made longer so that it pulls over the top of the hips. Being so short, I could probably pull it down over my whole butt. Anyhow, this shirt is only as flattering as my stomach is flat so I'll be sucking it in all day long. I hope that will burn some extra calories.

At lunch, I had a good work out in the fitness center where I did my 3 mile run followed by the required strength work. I focused on arms and core, with just a touch to my legs. Consequently, my salad felt heavy in my arms as I climbed the 3 flights of stairs to my office.

In the fitness center, I was happy for the mirrors. Not only does it remind me to suck it in, but also I can see the muscles working. I love that. It's so rewording to actually see the cuts developing. If only my stomach responded as well as my deltoids have to the added attention. I'll be patient for now and, in the meantime, I will continue to suck it in.

Posted by Juls at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Last week, I got a gaget to tell me how far I would have gone on my bicycle - if I wasn't stuck to the trainer. This gaget, or "computer" as Cindy calls it, works off the back wheel, so it doesn't matter that my front wheel isn't spinning. It's wireless too. Cool, right?

Well, not exactly cool. Today, I began spinning only to find that I was going nowhere fast. I wasn't pleased. I began pressing buttons as I continued to pedal. Nothing. Then I unhooked the computer for a closer look, and as I did this I saw the wireless signal begin to work. Now, I don't have a big bike. I am only 5'2", so I have a very small bike. It would seem that such a device would have a transmitter strong enough to go from the back wheel to the handle-bars of my little bike.

Although I was annoyed, I decided to work with the defect. I looked around for a place to put the computer and could only find one obvious spot. Into my bra went the computer. After 30 minutes, I was happy to discover that I had gone 10 miles.

I don't want it to get ruined by sweat, but my problem was solved for today. I'll figure out a better spot to mount it on my bike by next Monday. Perhaps, I'll take it back to the cycling store for them to solve the issue.

Posted by Juls at 6:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In August my radio station was talking about women and their preferences. The male DJ did not believe that women would actually want a digital camera over a new diamond necklace or $4000 shoes. I cannot even imagine spending that kind of money on shoes. What a waste.

I'm not a tom-boy, but I am also not your stereotypical female. I don't like to go shopping. I hate malls. I want to get in, go directly to the store that I need something from, and get out. I hate the crowd, the closed in feeling, the lighting. I hate the commercialism and my kids wanting everything that they have seen advertised on TV, or by some other child. I am also someone who would rather have a nice new digital camera then some fancy purse or name brand shoes. Perhaps even over the diamond necklace.

I am usually most comfortable in jeans or shorts, without make-up, and my hair pulled up in a ponytail. But every once in a while I feel dumpy if I am caught in a crowd of dolled up women. I can only take so many bad-hair days.

On Saturday, our neighbor's had their yearly party for little Connor's Birthday. He is now 4 years old. By the time Sunday arrived, I was still tired from the party. We weren't up late, and I only had one alcoholic drink. Perhaps it was the all day in the sun thing, or perhaps it was feeling "dumpy" amongst a crowd of beautiful young women. They were welcoming and friendly, as always. In fact, many were in awe of me for my running. It was all in my head. But it was nothing a little green drink couldn't ease.

Early Sunday morning, Tom nudged me and said, "Weren’t you going to go running." Perhaps it wasn't *that* early; it was about 7 am. Getting up early *was* the plan, but I was tired. I reluctantly got out of bed and make my way to the bathroom, only to discover my body's way of reminding me that I am a woman. *sigh* That was probably the culprit of the "dumpy" feeling.

I am not usually paralyzed by monthly cycles. Today, however, I wondered if I would have issues with it. I contemplated spinning in the bicycle and doing my 12 miler on Monday. It was a silly consideration. What would I do if it were race day? A few trips to the bathroom later, I stumbled out the door....and then back in for Garminia...and again for my fuel-belt with water. It was going to be a LONG run if this kept up.

I started out slow, and kept reminding myself that this was my supposed to be a "long, slow run" even thought he mileage is still easily managed. After the 4 mile mark, I made another bathroom stop. Everything was okay. I relaxed a little, and just listened to my music.

The number of people on the trail was beginning to pick up. I was now seeing the faces of the runners who had passed me early on as they were making their way back. They were the lean men with what most consider the "runner body." They were really moving.

Soon it was my turn to head back. I turned around at the 6 mile mark (or where it used to be painted on the wooden bridge). After about a mile, I was feeling the urge to pick it up. I wanted the run over with. I switched my music to the Nike Drive: Crystal Method playlist and let the music take me.

I manually clicked the lap button at each mile and watched the pace magically pick up. I didn't feel winded, but was progressively going faster and faster. By the last two miles, I was running 7:40/mile pace.

Back home, I spent some extra time blow drying my hair. I put on my comfy sundress...and began to clean up around the house. *sigh*

Posted by Juls at 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Don't be fooled by the displayed pace from today's run. Thankfully, I haven't slowed down. My walking for recovery is included in the stats.

I was up early to drop BoBo off at school; he had to be there early to catch the bus to the football game.

Afterwards, I drove to the nearby school where they have just finished the brand new track. It's the nice cushy surface, and so new that you can still see the chalk lines from where they measured to mark the lines, dashes, and triangles on the surface.

They obviously don't want everyone using it. I had to walk around the fence for a while before I could find the entrance. It's an opening in the fence where the chain is loose enough to slide past. It was worth the persistence.

I had felt cheated out of my Wednesday speed work. My legs had gotten their baby-ing and now it was time for them to perform. I was more than ready for some Yasso's. I wanted to be sure to get a good amount of repeats in, but I didn't have a lot of time to spare. My workout was not exactly as yasso's are meant to be. I walked during my rest periods rather than an easy jog. But generally