"I AM a Marathoner." Week 1 of 16

These are four words my training program says I should be telling everyone, even if I haven't even run one yet. 

I struggle with this and haven't been following the rules so I decided I am going to journal the next sixteen weeks until November 13, 2011 when I COMPLETE my first marathon.

Am I CRAZY? I started telling very close family and friends about a month ago and I have only had one person respond with, "Are you crazy?!" This isn't just some last minute fluke decision, yet one that has been on my mind for over ten years. I remember thinking about it during college.

This journey started back in early May when two other couple friends had showed interest when I mentioned the idea.  The six of us were off and going (not really running yet) until we realized the "marathon" in Philly we signed up for was really only a "half." I decided that if I was going to fly somewhere far away, then it wasn't going to be for a half! After researching and talking to several people for the following couple of weeks, we discovered that the best first marathon based on the time frame we were thinking was in our very own back yard... The San Antonio Rock and Roll.


I started training then. See, I had been running four miles or so 2X a week for the last year, after finding my club's TREKING class but it was 100% on an indoor treadmill with fancy little fans blowing in my face less than ten inches away. I have never really been a runner and definitely not an outdoor runner. I had run ten or twelve miles once when I was nineteen and that year I was regularly running four to six miles a day... but that one year, thirteen years ago, in combination with the last year, is the full extent of my "running career."


I found a running plan and a partner, although she lives in Austin now.

My first major feat was to transition from indoor to outdoor running and I knew this would be a major task for me. Probably more mental than anything.

I journaled after my very first runs outdoors: (Week of May 16, 2011)

• There are a ton of dead animals on the street. Gorgeous red and blue birds mysteriously dead?!
• There is trash EVERYWHERE... it's crazy!
• I stared asking myself questions during my first four mile run.
• Do real runners run on the sidewalk or ONLY on the street. Especially if the "bike lane" is only 10 inches across like on Huebner.
• How can a street I have driven two thousand times in six years develop hills overnight?

I also journaled the week of June 13, 2011. (The week I officially signed up for the marathon.)

• When anxiety about running a 26.2 mile marathon hit me less than twelve hours after fully committing, I just reminded myself that for me, it is all about COMPLETION and checking it off the bucket list. (And a little 26.2 mile sticker would be an added bonus!)

People have asked me WHY do I want to do this? It is a good question. (1) I know that this is the single biggest physically AND mentally challenging activity (beating childbirth since I got an epideral before I ever even felt a contraction with BOTH my children) I have ever experienced. (2) Since this thought has been on my mind for ten plus years, I fully realize that the sooner I accomplish this major feat, the easier it will be, based on my age and health. I don't ever want to look back and say, "I wish I had....." (3) I like to accomplish goals and this is the biggest one I have ever set. I want to know if I can do it. (I'm scared even typing those previous words.)

My biggest fear this week is getting injured and it keeping me from completing this achievement that I want so badly.

So come with me for the ride and please share any tips you have. For my first week of my official 16 weeks of training, I got to train in Breckenridge Colorado at 9603 feet. (This is compared to San Antonio's <800 feet.) Blake and I ran along the Blue River and did a run almost 7 miles on Tuesday. I love when he and I can run together and find him so motivating. He is supporting me 100% and is even running the half, although he is talking of running the whole, a little more these days.

Breckenridge Bound!

We landed in Denver at 9AM and were on the road to make the ninety mile trip to Breckenridge within thirty minutes after landing.

We were taking in all the beautiful sights filled with luscious greeness everywhere. Addie nodded off for a quick nap and Carter got to see MOUNTAINS & SNOW for the very first time!

His sweet reaction...

The long Johnson tunnel was incing on the cake for Carter. We tried explaining to him that we passed through the "Continental Divide" half way through.

We were just excitedly cruising right along, as I reminisced all the familiar Highway 70 West views that I remembered from by adolescents during our annual trips to Breckenridge, when suddenly we saw some black smoke ahead and this is what we entered...

Addie woke up in a great mood and we all had fun waiting for the traffic to start moving again, nearly seventy minutes later. (I'm so glad this happened at the beginning of the trip and not the end!) An eighteen wheeler had become engulfed in flames and there are no alternate routes when going through the mountains. They had shut down the tunnel about thirty cars behind us.

After a stop in Silverthorn for a bite to eat by the Blue River, we walked into the condo and were blown away with the view of the raging river just feet below our window. It wouldn't be long before we would be outside enjoying the famous Colorado Mountain summer.

Escape Artist

For several weeks, Blake has been mentioning how Addie somehow gets Smokey out of the dog run each afternoon, on her own. I just assumed she took something all the way out there she could stand on to get it unlocked. It wasn't until this week, when I followed her out, that I saw exactly how she does this everyday....

She taught herself how to do this and honestly, I am just a little jealous of her upper body strength...

On the way back in from the 500 degree heat, I noticed that she is even smart enough to use her dad's crocs to walk across the yard....

The Everyday - #6

The Everyday - #5

The Everyday - #4

The Everyday - #3

The Everyday - #2

"The Everyday" #1

I started thinking about the recent picture I snapped when I walked into Addie's room to see if she was in bed for her nap last Saturday afternoon.

I just happened to have my camera in my hand in that hysterical moment because I was unpacking.

It made me think... I want to make sure that I'm documenting the "everyday" simple moments in our home. The moments that I know in perhaps three months and for sure, three years, will be forgotten due to new wonderful stages we will be immersed in. I want to remember the silly moments that only a three and four year sibling pair can think up and perhaps the not so memorable ones that in the actual moment I am ready to forget!

Thumbs Up Thursday (Even if it's only Tuesday!)

So I have this witty girlfriend who happens to live in our great neighborhood. (Take a gander at her recent letter to The Beckhams.) Brooke started this little thing called "Thumbs Up Thursdays" several weeks ago. At first, I might have been a little skeptical that she could find any baby product that I hadn't heard of after having two young rugrats of my own but she blew me away a few weeks ago when I realized she was going to be broad with her categories. Overnight, I officially become her #1 FAN when she introduced me to this item and in one post solved what I was going to buy the hardest-to-shop-for-man-in-the-world - my step-dad, Joe.

My friends and family tease me all the time about how many reviews I read on products I am thinking of buying and how I think amazon.com (sorted by CUSTOMER REVIEWS not best sellers) is only second in my mind behind the Holy Bible! I am always asking people what their favorite products are so Brooke has made me giddy with the possibility of sharing little items I have found and love, in hopes, that other amazing women will do the same! Life is too short no to share the good things and now that OPRAH'S Favorite Things is history, it's time for all of us to step it up. ;)

Although I doubt I can keep up with Brooke every week, maybe every few weeks will work. So here it goes.... some of my very favorite things RIGHT now in my life!

1.) http://www.consumersearch.com/
Speaking of product reviews, I LOVE how this website complies multiple reviews from places such as Amazon.com, Consumer Reports and tons of other reputable websites and gives you their picks for different versions -  budget, high end, and other specialty groupings. I have used it recently to find running shoes, a label maker and a flat screen TV.

2.) Self Expressions by Suddenly Skinny from Target. I own the white, the black and now as of this afternoon, a gray one too!  And no, I promise this is not me posing in my under ware for you below. I am sure SPANX makes something similar but for just $16.99 and a proven track record (on average wearing them each two times a week for the last year,) these are PERFECT!!! I wear them under EVERYTHING - sweaters, cardigans and suits in the fall and winter, under my work dresses when the neck line may dip just a little too far down and on the weekends under layered tank tops or sundresses. They just hold everything in and take off five pounds easy!! I reach for these tops in place of my bras (since I am not too voluptuous, it's perfect.) I can't recommend these enough. They are sometimes hard to find in the Target stores so on-line maybe your best bet.

http://www.target.com/Self-Expressions-Suddenly-Skinny-Cami/dp/B003YUTH0W/ref=sc_pd_gwvub_2_title

3.) "BENTO BOX CONTAINER"
Since the kids have recently switched to a new pre-school, we pack their lunches everyday. I had ordered them the Pottery Barn Classic Lunch Boxes almost two years ago and was so excited when I happened to find the perfect answer to not going through (and wasting) thirty plastic sandwich bags each and every week! We have been using them for two months now and couldn't be happier with them.

Carter loves his Spider man lunchbox that the Bento Box fits perfectly in.

4.) This next one comes from my biggest mommy mentor over the years - Julie Metcalf (who is a wealth of good mommy information and happens to be my step-sister.) Most people with babies know about these INCHBUG ORBIT LABELS. They are brilliant and we have used them continously for 4.5 years now. I almost got some made for myself so that I wouldn't loose my own water bottles at the gym!

But when it was time to finally get rid of sippy cups around 2.5 years of age, Julie introduced me to these CONTIGO KIDS AUTOSEAL CUPS because there are just SO MANY times with a three and four year old that I am not 100% ready not to have a spill proof cup.... ie. the backseat of my car!! Look out for them at CostCo as they have been there in years past and also be aware that it may take a older two or younger three year old a few times to get the mechanics down perfectly. So now I team the INCHBUG and CONTIGO for a match made in spill free Heaven.

5.) As far as my last "favorite thing" and the significant amount of money here and there it has saved me over the last nine months since discovering it, you must see the one stop shop for printable coupons to believe it. No more digging around in your purse to see if you brought that 40% off one item Gap coupon.

 http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2005/10/retail-coupons.html 

I keep this link as a 'favorite' on my Smart phone and many times will open it as I am walking in any major store to discover they are having 40% any one item like at Borders or GapKids. (Most of the time, they will honor it when I show it to them on my phone.) I also love it for Old Navy, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn Fabric, Half Price Books and Ann Taylor (just to name a few.)

Erin & Matt - Engagement Photos

As you may recall, way back in April, my younger sister Erin and her boyfriend Matt got engaged. I was excited when she asked me to snap some pictures of them. I couldn't imagine my first not really a professional photo shoot with out my best friend and fellow portrait photography lover, Megan P along for the ride! She rocked and together we had over 300 pictures in twenty minutes for the googly-eyed in-love couple. Here are just a few... and Megan P - I can't thank you enough for doing this with me and being so awesome!