2 months to go!!!

My "running for a reason" charity Half Marathon is in 2 months. Today I went for a run after work. I cut it short at 3 miles as I was feeling extremely discouraged. I felt deflated and pissed. I was weak and had no motivation to move forward. I felt like giving up. I felt like there was no way I could run 4 miles let alone 13. I have run a half before so deep down I know I can do it. I just had a horrible pathetic moment. I hated it. I came home and in my mail box was a donation of $100. Talk about wind in your sails---a reminder at the perfect time---why I am running this. Not only for me, but for others. Lisa and I have now raised over $900 for our run!! WOO HOO!!

My son showed me this video tonight---again perfect timing. Another fabulous reminder than I (and anyone) can do anything they set their mind to.

New shoes!

It is that time again-time for new shoes. I started with saucony ride 2, then to saucony triumph 8, now on to saucony triumph 9. What a fabulous revamp!

See how the new version is smaller, less bulky in heel and on the sides

The heel is not as high

Sole is completely redesigned

My husband got a new pair too!

Run Mama Run!

I am here! Do you see me waving my arm back and forth-jumping up and down? HERE I AM! I have not forgotten about this wonderful blog. I am still plugging along with my running. I went to San Francisco for a week and it put a crimp in my training. I am finally getting back on track.

GREEN BAY IS 84 DAYS AWAY!!

DETROIT IS 238 DAYS AWAY!!

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." -Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." --John Bingham

"I often hear someone say I'm not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner." -Bart Yasso

"I run because it's so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so much more than you thought." --Arthur Blank

~2012~

In 2012 I will:

run two half marathons. Drink less beer. Drink more water.

Nourish relationships. Smile more. Challenge myself.

My whole family joined the YMCA. We are excited that this is something the family can do together. It is much more than working out. It is spending quality time with my family. It is about involvement in my community. It is about healthy living. It is about trying new things. Today is our first day. YIPPEE!

I registered for two half marathons already. My first will be The Cellcom Green Bay Marathon May 20th . I ran this last year (it was my first half) and I loved it. It is a must for me again this year. The second half I registered for is Detroit Free Press Marathon October 21st . It is an international half that travels from Detroit to Windsor, Canada---how cool is that? My BFF signed up as well. This will be her first half.

memba me?

HELLO! I have resurfaced! (if only for myself as I know I may have lost all my readers) but it is ok. I write for me and for anyone along for the ride. my writing is my reminder to myself that I have made a decision. I have decided to once again kick my ass in gear. enough is enough. summer is over. camping is over. food on the run is over. the scale tipping is over. I am ready to kick my own ass. I am ready to get back to where I was, and then go farther than I ever have been.

~I'm Hot and I'm Cold, I'm Yes and I'm No~

Summer. Is. Finally. Here.
Let's be real, summer here is short, so of course I want to enjoy every second of sun. We squeeze camping, drinking, and any sort of fun into every free second. Sounds great, right? The problem? HALF TRAINING! Yes I have another half around the corner---62 days to be exact. It has been HOT here. Wonderful for sitting in a lawn chair with a beer, not so wonderful for me to run in. I DIE IN THE HEAT, I tire so quickly. Today I am going to hit the treadmill in my basement. In my central air conditioned home. I HATE the treadmill, but I hate running in the heat even more. It is so hard to stick to my training schedule. I am a mama of 3. Kids have so much going on, especially in the summer. I run after work, but yet start to feel guilty that my husband is stuck home with the kids (especially after being home with them all day). I have to accept that I am a runner, but a mama and a wife and a nurse and a friend and a daughter as well. I need to allow all of my roles to take turns being first and accept that there are weeks where I can not run three times. I will do the best I can with the free time I can find. And that has to be good enough.

~New shoes, happy feet~

Ahhhhhhh I have new shoes. YAY! HAPPY BLISTER FREE FEET! I traded in my tired Saucony Pro Grid Ride 2 for a fabulous pair of Saucony Triumph 8. I got the last pair in November and trained for the half and ran the half in them. They were fine up until about 6 weeks ago when blisters started to appear. I went to a local running store and was fitted for my new pair. I have ran in them twice---blister free! I LOVE SAUCONY SHOES! YAY!

Good bye old:





Hello new:




This durable workhorse is a heel-striker's best friend. It props the heel up with a lot of soft cushioning and supplies a balanced, stable ride. Saucony dropped 1.5 ounces from the shoe by using lighter materials in the outsole and upper and sculpting the midsole. Overall, the Triumph's balance of stability and softness won over most of our testers, who appreciated its accommodating fit. Recommended for heel-strikers looking for a soft shoe with an outstanding fit.