*Half-Way Mark*

I was thinking this morning how since we are about half-way through the year I should sit down and tally up my miles ran so far. I try to keep good track by writing it down, and separating the miles by month. As of this week, I am at just over 300 miles. I  have been trying to work in at least one long run a week, but being the mom of four little ones with a busy husband doesn't always allow for that. I am getting to the point where if my energy level is good and the weather is nice, it feels great, especially the long ones where I can ease up and take my time more.

A few weeks ago while running, another runner  passed me going the opposite direction - a middle aged man with longer hair and a baseball cap on.  He was running at a good speed with these great big strides and he just looked so happy, like he was having a blast. He had a big smile on his face and looked like he was enjoying every minute. It made me smile back in return and put an extra spring in my step. I can't exactly put into words how it changed the way I look at exercising, but it really made me think about how fantastic it is to be able to get out and let your body just have the freedom to let go and burn off some steam. To be physically healthy and able enough to do that is real freedom. I know, I know. Deep thoughts all over the place.

Here are a few things that have helped me this far:

*Comfortable running attire
Good shoes and socks are a must, but the clothes you wear can help you just as much. Not only clothes that are comfortable to wear, but that also do not make you feel self-concious. You don't want to be focusing on constantly having to readjust your outfit. Even if something looks "cute", if it's not practical or doesn't stay in place it's not worth the bother. A good sports bra is essential, you don't want your back or shoulders suffering. Dress for the weather - but remember that the ideal temp for running is about 50/60 degrees so anything hotter than that and you want to be in cool light clothing. When you start burning up a sweat, even 70 degrees feels really hot.

*Distance tracker or timer
Whether you use programs like mapmyrun.com, the Nike running apps, or just the stopwatch feature on your ipod or watch, being able to track your times and distance helps you to push yourself and manage your runs more efficiently. Sometimes I start to feel sluggish or tired, but when I look at my tracker and see that I only have a mile or so left, it helps me kick it into gear and pick up the pace a bit. It's also helpful to go back and look at your stats from your runs to see at what points and intervals along the way you slowed down, sped up, managed hills and elevation, and other circumstances. Especially if you are training for a race, it is very helpful. It's a useful tool to be competitive with YOURSELF and look for ways to improve.

*Make it a game
Pick a marker or something farther in your path and sprint to it. Find someone walking or running ahead of you and try to catch up to them or pass them. f you listen to music, vary your running speed to match the beat. Give yourself little personal challenges and set *small goals each time. One time when I had been running for about 3 miles or so, another lady came bounding onto the running trail behind me all fresh and ready to start her run. The competetive side of me kicked in and I pretended I was in a race and I was not going to let her pass me even though I was getting tired. I sped up and sprinted for a while, and when I looked back she was way far behind. A little immature yes, but kind of fun and the best feeling ever! (sorry lady)

*Set small achievable goals as stepping stones to the big ones
The old saying goes that you have to walk before you can run right? Well yes and no. Sometimes you have to push yourself to prove to your body and your mind, that what they were telling you was wrong. Your mind might be telling you that you can only walk, but your body might be raring to go saying, hey we can do this -- give me a chance! Physically yes, sometimes our body gives off warning signals like cramps or not being able to catch our breath (oooh, believe me I've been there)and it's important to pay attention and take a break when those things happen. But more often than not, it is our mind that pulls the switch and says, nope that's all I can do -- I'm done. Don't believe it! You can begin to build up your distance, endurance, and speed by setting small goals and sticking to them. I figured out early on that if I could run 1 mile without stopping, I could run 2. And so on and so on. This is all coming from my own personal experience and what has worked for me, but the biggest obstacle I had to overcome was not quitting on myself.

*Have a personal mantra
Everyone has a favorite quote. Everyone has experienced something hard or difficult in their lives. Find something that resonates with you, and let that help you through the tough parts. One day I decided I was going to run farther than I had before and the little negative part of me just wanted to laugh and be like, "This is never going to happen. You aren't going to make it. What makes you think you can do this? You know you are going to quit and get tired." Then I had a memory of being in the hospital with Cooper and Kale and thinking the same thing. How in the heck am I going to do this? I don't know how I did it, but I did. And that's pretty much how everything is in life, it seems impossible until you do it. So now, when I'm feeling kind of weak and wimpy I just think about my twin boys, and say to myself -- "I had two big twin babies. I can do this. That was hard. This is just running."  I also think about my favorite quote: "A block of granite which was an obstacle in the path of the weak, becomes a stepping stone in the path of the strong." That is some powerful stuff right there. And repeat and repeat and repeat..............

*Cross training
I try and do a couple days a week of free weights and other leg exercises on my days off of running.
I believe it has made a big impact. Also, ab exercises to strengthen the core. I highly recommend the leg pyramid to tone up and strengthen your legs. The free weights help balance out my back and shoulders, along with toning of course. I've had back problems pretty much my whole life and the weights really help as odd as that sounds. Bike riding, swimming, roller blading, playing your favorite sport, or hiking are also some other great ways to do some lower impact exercise and work some other muscle groups. Got to give your knees, shins, and feet a break from the pounding impact of running.

*Take care of yourself
I've learned the hard way that you have to be kind to your body or it's not going to do what you want it to do. Stretching is sooooo important. Taking care of sore muscles and aches and pains can head off big injuries later on. Listen to your body and give it time to heal or rest. Also giving your body the fuel it needs to work hard is essential. Protein and the right amount and kind of carbs is important. As women sometimes we are so focused on the "losing weight" part of the equation that we forget that it takes energy to workout and burn off excess calories and that energy has to come from eating enough good food to get us through. I've gone for runs where I didn't have anything for lunch except a salad, and believe me it wasn't pretty. It's like a car running on fumes, sooner or later it's going to have to pull over and get more gas or it's going to stop working and leave you stranded.  Hot baths, ice, ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory, and a good foot rub from your hubby never hurts either. Also, drink water like it's your job.

*Find a time that works for you
Now that it's summer and my morning routines are a little more relaxed, I've been able to get away for some morning runs. The good thing about going in the morning is it is done and out of the way and it's not too hot yet. It feels good to start the day out right. The flip side for me is I don't have very much get up and go in the morning. My energy level is just not at it's optimum. I so wish I was more of a morning person. When I run in the evening I feel like I have the most energy and get my best distances/times. It feels good to run as the temperature is dipping down and the sun is setting. The flip side to that is you don't want to eat dinner to closely to the time you will go running and sometimes it interferes with date nights, sports, or family plans. Personally it's my favorite time to go, but harder to get away. I've ran a few afternoons lately when it was hot and that was not something I wanted to do again any time soon. When I run indoors on my treadmill, the best time for me was in the afternoon when the twins were napping. It's all a personal preference and what works for you.

*Reward yourself
This can be a hard one for many women if you are anything like me. We tend to not think of ourselves first or do that many nice things that will actually benefit us. New running shoes, downloading new songs to workout to, going to get a pedicure, or going out for a super good treat are a few of the things I've done to just give myself a little pat on the back for sticking with it. Start tracking your miles and set up little rewards as you go.

*Music, music, music
You know that good feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio and you instantly feel like your mood is lifted? Having a good running playlist is probably one of the most important things that have kept me motivated and interested. If you're starting to get bored, switch it up. There have been many a time that a song has helped me make it that last mile or picked up the pace. Never underestimate the power of some good beats.

*Stop comparing yourself to others
As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy. The point is that you are trying and that is what counts. I always try to remember that I am in competition with no one but myself. At the end of the day, what I've accomplished is all that matters.

I think this about sums it up:

5th Birthday

Morgan turned the big 5 last week. We had a fun time celebrating and welcoming him into this new age. He is ALL boy. Dirty, jumping, karate kicking, flipping, bike riding, super hero pretending, bad guy chasing, and hard working. The night of his birthday I reminisced about his younger years, rereading blog posts that made me long for those snuggly and cozy days with him as a baby. Days when Kendle was just starting school and the Morgster and I would spend quiet mornings together. How as he grew, he became my little shadow and loved to help me and follow me everywhere. Now as he is officially a "big boy", I appreciate the hugs, kisses, and time spent with just the two of us even more. I love this crazy, energetic, happy boy. He is so much fun and his dad and I are so proud of him. We feel so blessed that we are lucky enough to have him as a part of our family.

Lessons from the Glow Run

Last Friday night Kendle and I ran our first race together - a 3 mile night glow run along the Columbia River here in Pasco. Our Relay for Life team sponsored the event and it was a total blast. Everyone was decked out in all sorts of neon and glow in the dark accessories and clothing. Not only was the race itself super fun, but the fact that so many people came out to show their support for such a good cause was awesome. I'm so glad that we had such a great experience participating in our first race.  I usually don't consider myself a very competitive person, but there was something about running and raising money for cancer and thinking about those that we have lost and those that are dealing with cancer right now that just made me want to run my heart out for all of them.

I had a personal PR for a 3 mile run at 24:06. Pretty sure if I could have started sprinting right away I could have made it under 24 minutes. It was hard bobbing and weaving through all of the people at the very beginning, but eventually it cleared out and I was able to get a good pace going. Kendle and I started out side by side and she was actually cutting a nice path through people for me. She kept up a good pace with me for the first half mile or so. She had a great time of 30:52. She ran her little heart out, I was pretty darn proud of her. She came up with her own system to get through the race: sprint, run, jog, and then walk when she got tired. She loved it and wants to do another race soon.

 I have to share this experience from the race that has stayed with me and I think it really taught me something that I needed to see, feel, and learn. Kendle and I were keeping pace together really well at the beginning, I was sprinting pretty hard to get a good start going and she was keeping up. About a half mile in I could tell she was starting to struggle and slow down. I was tempted to slow down with her and give her a break, but I was trying to be this fast race runner lady and wanted to do my best, so I made the decision to go on ahead and leave her behind. As I put distance between us, I took a glance over my shoulder and I could see her slowing and getting swallowed up by the darkness and the sea of runners. It made me kind of sad. She was trying so hard and really wanted to finish with a good time.  My next thought was just to concentrate on running as fast as I could so I could be to the finish line in plenty of time to watch her finish and take a picture. I found a fast person in front of me to keep pace with and did my best to keep up with them the remainder of the race.  After crossing the finish line myself, I stood and cheered with others on the sidelines as the other racers came through. In the darkness it was hard to make out who was who, and I kept searching and searching for her face to appear among those nearing the end. When I spotted her face among a few other runners approaching the finish, I felt like I had just learned a profound lesson that I as a mother needed to learn at this exact moment in my life. It literally felt like I had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. [At this point in our mother/daughter relationship, we don't always get along and very rarely see eye to eye. We disagree more often than not and I've been frustrated with the yucky road I felt our relationship was heading down. It is something that I have been trying to figure out how to make better and worrying that her and I would never have the type of bond that I wanted us to have. I would lay awake at night imagining her going off to college and leaving the nest without her feeling like she has a strong link to me. That's a terrifying feeling for a mom.]  But I realized as I saw her cross that finish line, that sometimes as a mother you have to just go on ahead and hope that what you are teaching your kids and the love you unconditionally give is good enough for them to make it across the finish line in their own time and in their own way. At some point in their life you have to loosen the reigns and just have hope. You can't always run with them and hold their hand and pull them along and slow yourself down with frustration and worry in the process. I recognized the fact that I need to lighten up on my feelings to control most everything in my life and take a lighter approach to our relationship. Don't force things.  I'm going to try my best not to be so hard on her. I already knew she was amazing and is capable of great things, but I'm not going to push so hard and not try and make her get where she needs to go, because she is already well on her way and will get there on her own. I read a great quote the other day that said something along the lines of "Don't be so worried about raising a great kid, that you forget you already have one."  I had the distinct and overwhelming feeling when I gave her a big congratulatory hug that everything is going to be ok with us. Not in my time which is usually now, now, now, but in time. It was kind of ironic, but I felt like that finish line represented the possibility of having a fresh start.



If I had my own Nike running poster, this is what it might say:

"That's me in that picture. I am 32.  Mom of four great kids. Wife to a hard working husband. Three years ago I never thought I'd be running. Never thought I'd love running. Never thought I'd call myself a runner. Now I'm looking forward to more races. And training for a half-marathon. Most days I have to be super mom. But when I'm running, I just concentrate on being super fast. Here I come."

Oh yeah, and that girl in the picture with me? She's a stud. An academic. Softball, soccer, and basketball player. And now I'll add runner to that list. Future doctor, writer, professional soccer player, President of the United States, mother, marathon runner -- whatever she wants to be.

Spring Happenings

I am still alive! It's been about a month and a half since my last post. We've had computer ups and downs and I haven't been able to blog. Riley bought me a laptop for mother's day so now I am good to go although we are still working on repairing our hard drive so we can transfer all of our important stuff to a new tower. But that's kind of boring I suppose so enough of that.

So much has been going on in the last month or so. Here's a rundown, beware of super long post:

Kendle's soccer team finished another soccer season and the icing on their cake was also winning the Spring tournament. These girls went undefeated in the fall as well and have really improved and become a "team". We now have this huge trophy sitting on our piano and I'm not quite sure yet what we're supposed to do with it. I'm thinking we should let all the girls take a turn keeping it at their houses.






Can't say enough good things about this group of girls. Riley does such a good job with them and even some of the girls who played for the first time this year have really come along. It's been so much fun to watch them.

We've also been full throttle into softball season. Because the league has so many teams, Kendle's age group (10u) has been playing mostly late night games starting at 7:30 or so. That means on most of those nights we don't get done until after 9:00, and some of the games haven't been finished because the field's lights which are on timers have shut off. It has been neat to see them play under the lights at night though and it hasn't been too cold, just hard when we are taking all the kids with us because that is way past their bed time. Kendle's favorite position is catcher, but she also plays shortstop a lot. I can see her improvement since last season and she has really enjoyed her team and coach this season. So far they have only lost one game and usually outhit the other teams. This is her first year where they are hitting off of actual fastpitch pitching instead of coach pitch, so it took some getting used to but she has come through for her team and made some pretty clutch hits when they needed them. They only have a few games left and then will play an end of season tournament for their division championship.




What else is going on with Miss Kendle? I was able to attend one of her field trips to Sacajawea State Park a few weeks ago and that was pretty fun since I had never been there before. It was a very pretty park and they had a great little visitors center. They also went to the Whitman Mission in Walla Walla last week. She's been practicing for her piano recital that was on Monday night (we will be glad to not have to hear those songs for a while) and has been working on her audition for their school talent show next week - she's going to do a hula hooping routine and we're still working out the kinks. She's also been singing in their school's performance choir and the spring concert is next week. And let's not forget soccer academy for club soccer every Friday and I talked her into running in our Relay for Life's 5k run next week. Busy, busy! They've had lots of testing going on at school as well and I think she is looking forward to summer and laying low for a while if that's possible.

Morgan's life as a 4 1/2 year old is pretty sweet. He loves going to preschool, playing with his friends, jumping and doing flips on the trampoline, digging in the dirt, pretending he's farming, and playing baseball. He just missed the birthday cutoff for playing tee-ball this year, I was pretty bummed because he is so good. That kid can hit and throw like nobody's business and he definitely could use an outlet for all of his energy. I think we are going to get him into some summer soccer and then he will be able to play real soccer in the fall. We're pretty excited to watch him play, he is such a natural -- as long as he can keep his cry baby tendancies to a minimum I think he'll love it. Ha! He loves to ask questions and MUST know the real answer. He probably asks me at least 1000 questions a day and then some. We all get annoyed watching movies with him because he talks through the whole thing and wants to know why, why, why?????? He is still a hard little worker and helped us remove a ton of rocks last weekend from our backyard. He never complains, just tells you when he's tired and needs a little break. He amazes me with his little mind and his ability to entertain himself and play all day long just singing, talking, and imagining.  He could dig in the dirt all day long. No wonder his favorite movie right now is Holes. He starts swim lessons the day before his birthday and is stoked for that. He's pretty much the coolest little dude and everything I hoped my little boy would be like someday.

Cooper and Kale at 2 1/2 are........................well....................Cooper and Kale. Saying they are busy doesn't even begin to sum it up. They pretty much make the word busy look lazy. They are extremely fast, fearless, and smart which is a deadly combination. My goal every day is just to make sure no one ends up permanently maimed and that we all survive to live another day. My house has seriously taken a beating the last few months from all of their "adventures", but at the end of the day I love them still and am thankful for the entertainment and joy they bring to my life even if I don't always appreciate it in the moment. It is definitely a challenge to try and stay one step ahead of them at all times.  I have to be equal parts Sherlock Holmes, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, and Mary Poppins to even remotely keep up with them. On some of the warmer days we've been having, they've had a blast running through the sprinkler and playing on the trampoline with the sprinkler, but without fail - one of them will end up getting the hose and chasing the other one around spraying him right in the face and making him cry. They are both starting to talk more and turning into little jabber boxes. It cracks us up to hear them say new phrases like "Hey mom", "Here you go", "No Thank You" (which they try and say to get out of anything they don't want to do and it really is cute) or their personal favorite when someone has hurt their feelings "MEAN!", which they say when they are feeling slightly insulted or ripped off and is usually accompanied by a good finger pointing at the one to blame. They've also picked up a few not very good things like "idiot" and "shut up", that their older siblings get in trouble for every time they say them. Why do they always pick those words up so easily but not the ones like cup, shoe, or whatever else is useful? (Long inward sigh.........................)

Here are a few of their individual character traits at this age:


Cooper:
Ring Leader
Mischievious glimmer in his eyes
Mastermind
Blond hair fluffy and spiky like a baby chick
Wants to do it himself
Climber
Jumper
Contagious laugh
Forgives easily
Little Morgan Junior
Jokester
Plays the hardest and usually the first to fall asleep
Mostly easy going

Kale:
Slight flare for the dramatic
Can be picky
Cuddler and hugger
Likes to pick out his own clothes
Usually sleeps in longer in the morning
Likes to blame everything on Cooper
Happy crinkly eyes and smile
Holds grudges a little longer
Almost always says thank you
Kendle junior
Funny
Is a big tease

Their current favorite movies that they request over and over again are Fantastic Mr. Fox (or Fox to them), Coraline, and Home Alone. Please don't judge me.

Riley finished up high school soccer at the beginning of May. They had a pretty lackluster season due to some injuries and other circumstances, but managed to end on a high note by beating Kamiakin for their last home game that was senior night. Pretty discouraging after placing 4th at state last year, but that's how it goes sometimes. His job with Sprague keeps him hopping this time of year and he was the top salesman in his area last month and got some good recognition at their last corporate meeting he attended. He's gotten a couple of big contracts he's been working hard for and picked up a few more in their golf tournament he played in a few weeks ago. No better place to make business deals than on a golf course right? Ha. He is a hard working guy and always thinking about ways to improve and do better at his job. He has enjoyed coaching Kendle's age group in the new soccer academy program they started this year and will be their club coach for this next season. It's often a challenge for him to walk the line between dad/coach at practice and it can be frustrating for him if Kendle doesn't listen, but I think he handles it a lot better than I could. He's been doing lot's of yard work and other chores that I throw at him in his spare time.


I feel like I've been on the go every day for the last two months, but it sure does make the time go by fast and I know that soon it will be summer. I enjoy watching the games and activities our kids are involved in and I feel blessed that we are able to make it all work at this stage in our lives even when it feels crazy, there is usually still a little fun mixed into the bunch. I think I will admit I'm eating my words and have fallen in love with running. I've been running by the river trails when I get the time and I love it. Howard Amon park's trail is my favorite and especially in the morning it is beautiful and makes my runs go by so fast. It feels good to take the time for myself and have some quiet to think, reflect, pray, mull over problems, and find peace.  After finishing a big run Monday morning I got kind of emotional thinking about what is possible if you just make up your mind to do something. It has been such a good stress reliever on top of the physical benefits of getting in better shape. I've had a few people ask me if I'm training for anything, and although there are a few races I want to try and do in the coming months I'm mostly just training for a better life and well being.  On another note, I've been putting together plans, getting ideas for our yard,  picking out paint colors, and cleaning out closets and dejunking in preparation for some major house/yard work we are about to embark on in the next few weeks. I hope I can remember to try and take lots of before/after pictures and not get discouraged if things don't get done as quickly as I'd like.

Some things on our list:
Outside:
-Getting rid of the dirt (aka Morgan's farm) on the side of our house and planting grass. If we're feeling generous we might leave a small boxed in sandbox for the boys.
-Getting rid of the pea gravel in the firepit area, planting grass there as well, and making a paver stone surround for the firepit itself
-Hanging up new outdoor lights in the backyard
-Sanding and restaining our picnic table
-Making a fountain for the front and back yard
-Planting some more decorative plants in the back yard
-Touch up the trim and repaint the front door

Inside:
-Painting kitchen cabinets
-Refinishing counter tops
-Adding beadboard and trim to kitchen island
-Repainting all the trim and doors
-New kitchen faucet
-Fixing holes, dents, and other damage on the walls
-New paint for all walls
-Fix cracks in the ceiling
-Address carpet issues in hallway and bedrooms
-Spruce up bathrooms with new paint and hardware
-Add more shelves/storage to laundry room
-Improve functionality of our bedroom closet

Other:
-Organize garage by adding more shelving, food storage area, and place to hang or store bikes.

I will be lucky if we even get half of that  a quarter of that list accomplished, but I'm aiming high! :) Other than that we are making some fun summer plans, counting down the days until school is out, planning a super fun birthday party for the Morgster, and cramming in as many night time smores sessions as we can on windless nights.