The family that runs together... is a pretty cranky bunch by 10 am

First off:

Look. At. This. Photo.

My eyes are open. I'm not obviously huffing and puffing... in fact, I'm almost smiling. No double chin mysteriously appeared, or odd flashes of stretchmarks from a shirt/safety pin/belt conflict. Better still, it looks like I'm running, not race-walking. (Granted, my legs look AWESOME in the other photo with the horrifying items mentioned above, but I'm going to look at this photo as almost as big of a WIN as running the 13.1 miles.)

Halloween was quite fun this year. Wet, cold and tiring too, but fun.

The Silver Comet Half Marathon & Fun Run were on October 31, and we all went. I ran the Half; kids ran in the 2 mile Fun Run - in just a little over 20 mins - and Dad supplied children with hot cocoa and crackers while they waited in the rain for me to finish.

Everyone was up and eating breakfast shortly after 5 am, and we made it out to Mableton with plenty of time to get a parking space at the race start this year. (Last year, we were half way along the shuttle route between start and finish, and had to walk a mile... and figure out which neighborhood side street we'd been directed down hours before, when it was too dark to see street signs.)

Other than the race starting 15-20 minutes after 7:30, I think it went so much better than last year. Number and chip pickup was speedy and well organized. The lines for the last minute pitstop were moving quickly - though that could just be my choice of the line that had to be short, since it was in the parking traffic pattern.

There were volunteers spread out with pace times, which helped the initial crush tremendously. Instructions for the fun run participants were called out with the HM race info from the "witches' station", which made getting family to the shuttle buses much less confusing than in 2008.

The rain started just about the same time as the race. Not droplets, drizzle or heavy mist. 20 minutes of actual rain. And it kept raining off-and-on, as the temperatures dropped.

Managed to maintain a pretty solid 10:00 pace, which I was pretty happy about. My watch time was 2:12. Chip time - 2:17:59. The 5-1/2 min difference was due to the line for the potty after the turnaround. (I didn't actually spend that much time in line, but saying it was a long line is better than talking about the struggle to pull up a wringing wet spandex running skort in the small space of a portalet... without bumping into anything too horrifying.)

Met my long suffering family members at the finish, lined up for food... and the rain started back up. At this point, we decided to stop at Starbucks on the way home, and headed for the shuttle bus.

By 11:00, we were all warm, dry, and very, VERY irritable. Fortunately, the kids were too tired to do any bickering, so we curled up with blankets on the sofas for television viewing and naps. By 6:30, they were fully recharged for an evening of trick-or-treating in the drizzle... a little over two hours of walking. Amazing, what kids will do for candy. (And what parents will do for their kids.)

My toes have (mostly) recovered from 13 miles in wet socks and squishy shoes, so this Sunday will be the Zooma Atlanta Women's Half Marathon & 5k. Just the half marathon though, and just me. I figure everyone else deserves to sleep in this weekend.

Seriously though... for as awesome as my legs look in this 2nd photo, the rest of me looks like there's some combination of seizure, violent death, asthma attack, and imminent explosion about to happen all at once.

95% Complete

All moved in to new house. Tiny little bits of order are popping up around house.
They're random, and not in the final state, but it's quite nice to see in the warehouse.

Window seat - perfect for kid's reading time and for Peter T. Dog's important duties of neighborhood watch.

Have been able to walk kids to & from school most days. Two miles for them, four for me. Keeps us all getting a bare minimum of exercise. And makes for very little time in the truck each week. LOVE IT!

Everything seems to be here... except internet service.
Cable company working to install new line to house.

Didn't miss it much the first few days, but trying to handle all the normal email, online bill pay and news / blog reading on the iPhone has gotten quite tedious.

Half marathon tomorrow morning. 7am. In Kennesaw.
Ugh. 5am seems a whole lot earlier tonight than it did when I signed up last month.
Especially when I haven't trained, and plan to lazy my way through the course.

That's enough of the screen tap typing for one evening. I'm off to bed.

Enjoy the beautiful beginnings of crisp Autumn breezes!

Crayola Hike

Finally got a chance to upgrade to Flickr Pro and load up the photos I mentioned last evening.

This past Sunday, we went for a mini-hike at one of the trails in the Chattahoochee NRA. $25 buys an annual parking pass that covers all 16 locations along the river in the Metro area. Since some combination of family members can be found along the river at least once or twice each week, it's quite a bargain. (Single pass is $3.00, which adds up quickly.)



DottieB is branching out. Instead of sticking with our normal nature walk scavenger hunt, collecting the colors of the rainbow , she and Bugsy decided to collect what you'd find in a crayon box.

In addition to good old ROY G. BIV, they snapped shots of muddy reddish-brown creekbeds, white mushrooms, black-eyed susans, brown acorns, gray tree trunks with blue trail markers, pink puffs, lilac/lavender flowers (there was a lengthy debate on that last color designation)...

...until the battery ran out.

In the car on the way home, I heard plans to bring extra batteries next time, and a 24-pack of Crayola, just to make sure they don't miss any.

Dog Days of Summer

While getting the newspaper might be a good job for Clifford down the road, he's got a ways to go. I'll need to toss the paper onto the truck next time I throw it up the driveway. Or just keep it in my hand. Good thing I do most of my news reading online?

It's not that hot for late July / early August this year, but Dog Days still applies. Between two dogs and three children who are completely out of their minds, I'm dog tired.

Cannot wait for school to begin. Being off a tough schedule was fun for a while, but I'm over it. I want regular bed times. Breakfast and lunch at established intervals, not based on what time I manage to drag the two night owl children from their beds in the morning. Since getting back from vacation, B1 and DD seem to believe they are still on mountain time. No amount of summer reading, music practice and math games seemed to work at holding back the kids' brain rot. (Not that I was immune. My vocabulary and ability to form complete sentences has decreased at approximately the same rate as their bickering and nonsense has increased.)

The summer with the kids at home, instead of in day and away camps has been good for all of us, but I think we're all about ready for it to be over.

One week. That's what's left of summer vacation. Then, it's back to homework help, school/class volunteering, packing lunches and pressing uniforms. And... regular veggie lunches, midday run and ride time. Being able to do 90% of the shopping by bike again. No more sandwiches for lunch, or random stress snacks. The five pounds of summer weight will melt away. (Yes. I gain weight during the active summer. Who does that?!)

On a "you are not alone" note, I came across this at MomFiles yesterday:

Wow, I did not think I would say this but I am ready for the girls to go back to school. I have enjoyed having them around and they are so helpful to me but it's just time to go. I have not been on a proper schedule at all. My eating is so not right. Too much snacking with the kids around or I just don't eat on time. I am always scattered all over the place and I don't like it.

So glad to know it's not just me.

To complicate matters for the last couple weeks at home, we've hit a rainy patch of weather. Finding alternative outdoor exercise is a little tougher than when the kids were younger and happy to run around with umbrellas, splashing barefoot through puddles. Might break out the waterguns for a battle in the next rainstorm. Will have to see how B2 is feeling - has a bit of an upset stomach. At the least, I'll send out B1, DD and the dogs. The long waist leash should keep the puppy from getting into too much trouble.

Yesterday was a walk with the dogs in between downpours. Peter T. Dog is always great on runs, but usually enjoys walks as a chance to stop & sniff... every 10 feet. Drives the kids nuts, and since he's still got 15-25 pounds on the little ones, there's not much they can do to keep him moving. With Clifford tagging along though, Pete keeps moving. Can't let that little ball of fluff take away his spot as lead dog, after all. Good walk, with a little bit of playground time, during which I filled up the travel water dish for the four legged kids.

Pushing limits this Autumn

Looking to push myself a bit harder this fall. If only a little from the physical, then definitely a lot from the scheduling standpoint. I'm not sure if the prospect of regaining my mid-day exercise time has made me lose my senses, but I'm thinking about filling many weekends this autumn with events. Considering a few new events, in addition to the races I enjoyed last year. Not just races for myself, but a few for the whole family. (Or whichever portion of the family in town that week.)

August:
8 - Dog Days Run, 5k
At least one family member will be gone this week, but B2 and DD should be up for doing this one. After all, it's a technical shirt with a dog on it. They have race shirts with tigers, pigs and possums, but no dogs.

September:
4 - Midnight Flight (Anderson, SC)
Think this year I'll push myself a bit, and run the 5k and 10k, back-to-back. Not sure that I'll take the whole weekend like last year, but I will definitely sleep in at the hotel Saturday morning and drive home by the slowest route possible, with stop(s) for delicious food & reading.
26 - Big Peach Sizzler 10k
Enjoyed run/walking the Big Peach 5k with B2 this spring. He won't be able to make the longer distance, but chances are I can get the 15yo B1 to run it with me. (He'll probably beat me, too.)

October:
3 - Ted's Montana Grill Stampede 5k
This is a maybe. The race is downtown, and post race food includes sliders, so I'm all for making a day of it with the kids, and adding a trip to the Georgia Aquarium after the race. We'll see though, because the next day is...
4 - 1st Annual Locomotive Half Marathon & 5k
The idea is for kids & dad to run the 5k while I'm running the half. If we do the 5k on the 3rd, it may end up being just me. Or B1 doing the 5k, since he's old enough to hang out while I finish the HM.
17 - Big Peach Fall 5 Miler
This one would be just me, and largely depends on whether or not I sign up for...
24 - Carolina's Challenge Metric Century (Spartanburg, SC)
The ride is a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project, which is a cause I'd be glad to support. It would be my first "official" ride, and is in the town where I graduated HS. Rolling past all the things that have changed in the last 20+ years could be fun.
31 - Silver Comet Half Marathon
Definitely running this. Might even wear some sort of costume - or at least orange - since it is Halloween. Chances are good B1 would be running this as his first HM, if he'll do the work and get out of bed for training runs in Sept/Oct. (Yes, he'd probably finish this faster than me, too.)

November:
Not sure what, if anything, I'll schedule us for in November, but the one event I'm planning on is the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day. It worked out so well last year, I'm hoping to convince my family (and any relatives who wish to visit) that having our big family dinner on Friday is a perfectly good tradition to build. After all, even without all the money we'll be spending on race fees, there is no way I'd be participating in Black Friday shopping madness.

Now, to get everyone signed up for any August and September races, then figure out what comes next. And by next, I mean October through December of this year. I'm not quite ready to talk about where I'm thinking about setting the bar for 2010.

Bicycle built for two

Had intended to rent a city trike for the reluctant cyclist at the shop in Hiram, but they were closing early today. Drove back in to Mableton and rented one of the tandems from the Silver Comet Depot today.

B2 (almost 10) hasn't ridden a bike since the big spill last fall. He was only scraped up a little, but Dad's arm took two metal plates and 16-18 screws. Threats, cajoling and bribery have all failed to get him to try on his own, and at half my weight, there's no way for me to keep him balanced on the third wheel trail-a-bike.

After a study of the solid frame, two wheels and comfort saddle, he decided that one minor threat and promise of mid-ride Nutter Butters were sufficient to get him to try riding again. We let the single riders of the family get a head start, while we did a test spin around the parking lot. B2 was very nervous starting out, and I was prepared for the worst.

By the time we'd looped around and were getting ready to turn onto the trail, this is how the conversation was going:

B2: Hey! We're not wobbly.
Me: Nope, we're not.
B2: This bike is pretty stable. I think I like just having two wheels.
Me: So... you're okay with heading out now?
B2: Yeah.
Me: Need those Nutter Butters?
B2: No. I'm okay. I think this will be fun.

Within five minutes, B2 was telling me all about how he likes the bike, and loves riding with me. We had a pleasant five miles out, stopped for ice water (and nutter butter cookies), and headed back. The way back was filled with more pleasant conversation, as we tried out code words for when his feet slipped off the pedals. We finally settled on "Heinz". That was my cue to coast for a minute, so he could "ketchup".

Really great experience. And not just because it wasn't the constant worry about him throwing a fit and causing a crash. (Fit meaning deciding to go totally passive in protest and let the front rider do ALL the balancing - and it's happened... like during the crash last September.) In discussing the ride with Dad later that evening:

Dad: So? What did you think about riding the Tandem? Want to try it again sometime?
B2: No.
B2: ................[long pause*]................
*Moment of being utterly crushed as my hopes for happy family 2-wheeled day trips are dashed.
B2: I want to go again next weekend. Or maybe in three days.

Needless to say, I'm very, very happy.

Running as a family

Ran the very laid back and close to home Save Our Skin 5k last week with most of the family. (DD was at a sleepover.) We broke into two groups - Run and Walk/Run. B2 and dad were the walk/run group. B1 ran with me. He made his usual smart alec remarks of encouragement - professing his love and appreciation for his short, old mom who runs like a girl... a really old one. Somebody proposed a wager of $5, which the old short lady accepted. (Wait - it wasn't a bet. I'd never contribute to the delinquency of a minor by agreeing on amateur sporting events. No matter how annoying the snarky little brat was being. The $5 in question was a performance bonus.)

The course wasn't quite as flat as I'd thought, but we were making pretty good time.
Mile 1 @ 9:25. Mile 2 @ 18:30, Mile 3 @... where'd he go?

B1 and his long legs had kicked into the next gear just before the Mile 3 marker, and he zoomed past me for the last tenth of a mile. His finish time was 27:01, close to a minute ahead of me. All those weeks of short runs to build mileage for the ING Challenge at school have turned my video gaming string bean into a runner! I finished at 27:45. Not as fast as I hoped, but about 4 to 4-1/2 minutes ahead of last year, if I'm remembering correctly.

We grabbed water and food and settled in to watch for the other two. Before B1 finished his blueberry muffin, Dad and B2 were coming along the last stretch. The completed the course at 46 minutes. That was a little slower than B2's 44:41 at the Big Peach 5k, but quite a bit faster than his first 5k of the year (53:00-Run the Reagan 5k) , back in February.

I'm so very proud of both boys. And, I've never been so pleased to lose $5.

Settling into Summer

Who knew finding our happy place for the daily lazy summer vacation "schedule" would take so much work?

It's taken a week for the kids to get past thinking they have to try to stay up past midnight each night. The Exercise + Reading +Chores = Video Games is not something new, as it's in place each weekend throughout the school year, but it took few days of reminders that it still applies. The battles over helping with housework are coming to a middle.

The kids are getting adjusted, so now it's my turn. Been exercising, cooking, biking the grocery shopping and errands like normal, but computer time has been limited. There are a couple of maps to wrap up before my summer officially begins, so the available time has been for work, not reading and blogging.

Without the camp weeks which have helped keep mom sane in the past, I'm going to rely on a schedule. Nothing too strict, as long as general goals are met. These things, along with a good try at dinner, make evening movies, deserts, and video games possible.

• Up, done with breakfast, dressed, and beds made before cartoons or video games. This is when I run/ride.
• [Roughly] Two hours of reading and play - board/card games, legos, barbies, etc. This is computer time - work or otherwise - for mom.
• Music practice & housework help
• Exercise! Can be taking a packed lunch with us for an afternoon of swimming, hiking or general running about at the park. Yardwork, gardening and washing car and/or dog get to count for exercise, too. (If you've seen three children try to get an 85-lb dog into the outdoor tub when he'd rather be rolling in the veggie patch, and they're chasing each other with water guns, you'd see the exercise value.)

All bets are off in a couple of weeks, when the cross-country trek begins.

Milestones for my budding cyclist

This photo is from April 18th, which marked the first road ride for DD. She & I took it pretty easy, starting with the straight shot down Columns Drive, a 2.5 mile road which ends at a section of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area. Columns has clearly marked bike lanes, and often has more bike and foot traffic than cars, which makes it the perfect place to start.
Went over all the rules in advance. Don't panic, was my first one. I knew she'd be nervous and trying to turn around to look at cars she could hear behind us. Cars go around us; we go around pedestrians. Always a helmet, no headphones, and the signal for a left hand turn, which was the one we'd be making at the top end of the street.
Full length of Columns, one complete loop of 5k sand/gravel path at Cochran Shoals, followed by a second, smaller loop of 2 miles, then back down Columns to the parking area. Total trip, 10.25 miles, five of which were road.

And, this past weekend, the newly minted 8-year-old gained serious bragging rights over her older brothers with a 20.23 mile ride on the Silver Comet Trail. Only complaining was about not being able to snack on her pack of Soda Shop Jelly Belly Beans except when we stopped for breaks. We also talked about getting her a kids pair of cycling shorts, since she wants to do more 2-3 hour rides with me in the future. (And, she wants a cupcake jersey.) Next year, she'll need to be on her own bike, or we'll need to purchase an actual tandem cycle. That trail-a-bike is awfully heavy, especially once you add 60 lbs of girl.

Next weekend, B2 and I will be running in the Big Peach 5k while the rest of the family is out of town. He's not a fan of the 1-mile fun runs at many of the 5/10k races, but we found out the day of the Run the Reagan Half Marathon, 10k & 5k that he enjoys the 5k distance. Both of us are looking forward to Saturday.

Which reminds me, I need to hop onto Active.com and get him signed up. (I signed up several weeks ago, before travel plans for the spring birthday trip were complete.)

Spring Break 2009: Snowflakes & Snakes

What a truly odd weather week this is turning out to be. Sunny shorts weather Sunday, followed by plummeting temps Monday and flurries on Tuesday. We got out of the house to walk around the farmers market one day, and did a little bit of patio cleanup, mixed with soccer, all bundled in winter coats. (Did I mention we're in Atlanta?) While sweeping up some leaves under the basketball goal, my sons found this little fellow:


He's a harmless brown snake, and eats the sorts of bugs which I'll be hoping to keep out of my herbs and tomato plants this summer. Nobody hurt him.

Temps are climbing above 60 degrees, so our normal gardening, hiking, biking and general outdoor play will be picking back up today, just in time for national Start! Walking Day.

Off to play outside!

Half #4

Sunday was the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon. I ran in the Half, but will get to that in a few minutes. Let's start with my not-so-little kid:

B1 participated in the ING Run for Something Better Half Marathon through his middle school. The kids had several weeks to build up miles, then were able to run the final mile of their half marathon on the official course. They received wristbands at four, eight and twelve miles, a t-shirt to wear for Sunday, and a medal upon finishing the final mile.

Sunday night, B1 and I added up his miles for the time of the challenge, and he was at a total of about 23.25, once we added in the mile on the course. I looked at the total and remarked how proud I was of him... not only did he finish, he was almost at a marathon distance. He's asked me about which races are coming up over the next few months, so I think I'll have a running buddy for at least a couple of them.

----

Now, my race. The course was beautiful. The hydration stations were perfectly spaced. The volunteers were amazing. The neighborhood cheering areas were great. (Favorite was the costumes, punny signs and pep band at Poncey Highlands.) But, it was not my best race.

Chip time - 2:23:48; 10:58/mile
Watch time - 2:17:35; 10:30/mile

My official time was 2:23:48, far slower than what I'd hoped. There are several lessons learned from those numbers though, that I plan to carry forward for next year.

• Unless it's an emergency, don't stop at the portaloos before the Half and Full courses split. The lines are too long, and chances are the conditions are disgusting. Almost 10 minutes waiting at last stop before the split. Of the four, only two units were usable. Had I waited two miles more, there'd have been no line, and much less time lost.
• Plan for constant hills. I knew it would be rolling hills, just really hadn't occured to me how very many there were.
• Ignore the weather report. Dress warmer than I need to, and toss items in gear bag, last minute. The sun never came out, the wind picked up, and the temps dropped, instead of climbing into the low-mid 50s. (Next couple things stem from this.)
• Wrap my knee. If it's warmer than 50, I probably won't need it. But on a long run, on the chance that it stays cold, it's going to hurt a lot more if I don't wear it on all those downhills.
• Take body glide along, or wear capris. Goosebumps chafe more than regular old skin.

Good news:

• The practice at pacing paid off. Starting off with a warmup pace of 10:45-11 for the first few miles meant keeping a 27/3 for run/walk intervals was perfect. The transition to a pace around 9:30 went smoothly. Just couldn't make up the time lost in line for the "nature break".
• Recovery is getting easier. I was wiped out Sunday afternoon, but didn't feel the overall stiffness Monday, other than in left knee. Was able to do an easy three on Tuesday at a 9:15 pace.
• Even at 2:23, I beat my time from the comparably cold and hilly TWC Atlanta Thanksgiving Half of 2:24.
  
• Since the average finishing time for women in my age group (30-39) was 2:24:09, I am slightly better than average; which I'll combine with all the learning experience for an overall win.

Happy Heart Day!

We didn't exactly boycott Valentine's Day here, but we skipped the hubub, for the most part. Cards were homemade, even those which went with kids to school. Instead of big meals out and gifts, we ran a local race. We all rolled out of bed before 6:00 this morning, and headed off to parts northeast. The gang cheered for me as I headed out on the Half Marathon at 8:00. I was finished and waiting to cheer for them when they crossed the finish line of the 5k.

The little pink blur starts a line of three of my racers.
B1 was hanging out next to me at this point, having finished the 5k twenty minutes earlier.

We came home for cleanup and refueling. There's been napping, and much sharing of loving thoughts, as the kids try to blow each other up in a free-for-all game of Halo. We'll be watching last night's Monk & Psych episodes in a little bit, over sandwiches and big mugs of cocoa. A hand or three of Munchkin is also on tap.

It still cost money - $4 for construction paper, glitter & a new bottle of glue, and $145 for five entries in the Run the Reagan Half/10k/5k/1 Mile. Two or three gallons of gas for the trip. But, on the "life energy" scale of value - the number of hours you have to work to earn the money to buy the thing, from Your Money or Your Life - this was a bargain of a Valentine's Day.

Run the Reagan Half & 5k, Unofficial Results

B1 - 5k; 30:21 (new PR for him!)
B2, DD & Dad - 5k; 54:33
Me - Half - 2:07:52 (watch time)
Official race time is 2:09:41 - due to portaloo break around mile 5 or so - Curse the combo of my thimble sized bladder and need for hydration during long runs!

And, a helpful tip I'll share:
If you are ever asked the question "Can you fix apple strudel for dessert?" by a camera-holding relative, don't reply "Really? Apple Strudel?" It is an attempt to snap the photo at the exact moment of the "oodle" in strudel, in order to win a goofiest picture wager with teen. (Note that my daughter looks great, as always. So glad she didn't take after me in the goofy looks dept.)

Unfortunately, this will be the best photo of the day. The rain and drizzle had mostly ended by time the half started, but it was quite misty much of the way. I'm sure the finish line photos will have all of us looking like half-drowned cats.

Chattahoochee Challenge

Saturday, Feb. 7th, was the first race of the year for the clan. Part of the clan, at least. I ran the 10k, the kidlets ran the 1-mile Fun Run. (The oldest kid was away for the weekend.)

Complaints:
Had to get out of bed at 5:30.
It was cold.
I didn't get any coffee before the race.
Did I mention the cold?

Anyway. I'd picked up our numbers at Big Peach Running Co., so we were not pressured to get to the Chattahoochee Nature Center too early. Parked at St. Francis, and walked the mile to the start/finish. The boys walked; DD & I alternated walking and skipping, because it annoyed the boys. It was quite fun, and I think it helped keep us warmer than our walking pals.

The fun run started at 7:30. Here's my little runners:

DD - 11:37
B2 - 12:58

Rough times, noted by glancing at clock and trying to see where the munchkins were wandering off to after they crossed the finish line. I'm super proud of them, and will be helping them put together a playlist for the 5k they'll be run/walking with Dad next Saturday.

The 10k was at 8:00. Started in my normal back of the pack position. Hit the first mile in 8:43, then blew the official time by veering off to the park restroom at 1.5 miles. (There were no blue boxes at the start line! They had them for the summer race - where were they this time?) Made up some of my time by only walking through the water stops. The knee went numb & painful all at once at 5 miles, on the only mini-hill of the race. Slowed down to stretch out, then was fine coming back over the same hill in that last half mile.

Official time: 1:01:06

Watch time: 58:53

Got the first win for the 2009 goals - have gone faster than last year's 10k time. Now, let's get officially signed up for Run the Reagan Half Marathon, and see if I can knock out another one next week.

Once again, the race photos taken of me were all at the worst possible moments - while blowing out a breath, scrunching my face & squinting into the sun, etc., but the running kid pics were good, so I'll likely order one or two of my little runners.

S.A.D. Bike? Take it out for some retail therapy!

With the shorter days and cold temperatures, does your bike suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.)? I know Blooregard does. Patty, too.

Given my dislike of riding when temps are below 50 on the road bike, there's not much I can do for Bloo. I started running last winter to avoid the wind chill I created for myself on November-February rides over 16 mph. (Yes, I am a pansy.) Bloo is hanging out in the house, waiting for spring. He gets regular concerts from the young pianist in the family, since he's right by the baby grand. But Patty? No winter hibernating for her. She's my commuter/hybrid, so still gets to make the trips to the bank and to the store for groceries. Unfortunately, between temps in the low 40s and the off-and-on messed up knee, even she's been sitting for a week or two at a time.

This morning, I needed to make a quick store trip. Walked out to put my bag in the truck, and noticed Patty. She looked lonely and bored.

The sun was shining. It was over 50 degrees. My knee is feeling much better, now that I've given up tackling hills until healed. Tossed the TJ's bag in the basket, and checked the tires. Pulled on sweater & gloves. Grabbed the backpack, and we were off. Cannot remember a better traffic day on Johnson Ferry. No close calls with SUVs driven by women chatting on cell phones. Waved to a couple of runners, a walker, and a father & son doing yardwork. I just missed the left turn light onto Roswell Road, but didn't care. With the weather so perfect, there was no reason to get cranky over the wait.

Did the shopping. Paid. Packed the groceries myself. The cashiers are always perfectly lovely at Trader Joes, but can't seem to quite understand that when I say it has to fit in one bag, I mean it. Smiled extra sweetly at the folks giving me "the look" when I pulled away from the cart corral with Patty. (If you've ever carried anything other than a childseat on your bike, like a cargo rack or basket, you know "the look".)

The ride home was just as lovely. Not only did I feel so much cheerier for having skipped the drive and worked in some exercise...

...doesn't Patty look so much happier?

Now, as soon as the loaf of Honey Oat & Whole Wheat Bread is finished baking, we'll be packing everyone into the truck for a quick drive over to the Chattahoochee NRA, for a hike. No excuses to stay inside on a day like today.

As for the Retail Therapy, here's the grocery haul:

• Black Beans, 15 oz - .79
• Whole Bean Coffee, Volcano, 12 oz - 6.49
• Chocolate/Vanilla Joe Joe’s - 2.49
• Veggie Tortilla Strips, 12 oz - 2.59
• Sliced Smoked Gouda, 8 oz - 2.99
• Green Beans, Frzn, 24 oz - 2.29
• Whole Milk, 1 qt - 1.19
• Applegate Slcd Turkey, 7 oz - 3.69
• Kayem Sliced Honey Ham, 12 oz - 3.84
• Emp. Kosh Split Chicken Br, (3.99/lb) - 8.50
• Petite Red Potatoes, 1.5 lbs - 2.99
• Sweet Onions, 2 lbs - 2.29
• Total - $42.63In addition to the foodstuff, there's a bottle of laundry detergent, which was carried in the backpack, along with the potatoes and coffee beans.
  

Happy Belated Yoga Day

Saturday (25th) was National Yoga Day. Yeah, I didn't know there was an official day for it either. Found out from MizFit's weekly poetic Friday post. I was on a long run Saturday, so hot yoga was on Friday and Sunday for me. The belated yoga day was Tuesday (27th), when I had a yoga buddy. We struck a deal for mid morning, mid week yoga. (No babysitting issues.) Since it would be taking up his lunch break, I was going to have to cater the post-yoga meal. No problem.

Three hours before class - Vanilla whole milk yogurt on blueberries and half a banana, topped with two tablespoons of ground flax. Was slightly under four ounces of yogurt, and the fruit portions were fairly small, too. If you've not taken the hot bikram classes, the room is kept around 105 degrees, so you really don't want much in your stomach when you walk through the door into the studio. As for the whole milk yogurt, I know. The fat content is higher, we can get the same nutrients and calcium in the lower fat versions... blah, blah, blah. Don't care. Just like with ice cream and cooking with butter - having the whole version, we're satisfied sooner, and eat less.

The 90 minute class was great. I think I'm finally starting to get my knee comfortably stretched back out from Saturday's 8-miles of unwrapped knee. Yoga buddy liked the class, so much that he wants to go again. If I can drag the teenager out of bed early enough to watch his younger siblings, the early Sunday morning class is probably a go.

As for the food? Lunch - avocado and mango in honey/ginger/lime dressing, with chopped cilantro and celery. Topped with roasted cashews for protein (and salt - definitely needed salt after class), and a clementine.


And, because I'm being photo happy today, supper. Boeuf Bourguignon, cooked straight out of the Julia Child cookbook. Served up the mushrooms to the kids too, as their "try something different" for the day. (Technically, a "try it again, maybe you'll like it this time" for the day. And, it may be working. DD ate not only the mandatory single half a mushroom, she also chose to eat a second. Yea!) Sides of green peas w/butter and mashed potatoes and parsnips with garlic. And, a glass of Cab from Argentina.


Overall, a good day. Looking forward to (fingers crossed) another class with the yoga buddy on Sunday.

Half Training, 1/19-1/25

Monday 1/19:
Hot yoga, 75 min

Tuesday 1/20:
Easy Run, 3.12 mi, 28:35
Hot yoga, 90 min
Reward for running on 22 degree morning. Was 20 minutes into class before my toes & fingers were no longer chilly.

Wednesday 1/21:
Power yoga, 75 min
I'm counting this as strength - lots of core & upper body work.

Thursday 1/22:
Easy Run, 6.75 mi, 1:12
On the treadmill, so I guessed by run time, as opposed to the 7.5 miles on the computer. Played with inclines while running, to approximate terrain, but I don't know if that makes up for the stride difference on the belt.

Friday 1/23:
Hot yoga, 90 min

Saturday 1/24:
Long Run, 7.98 mi, 1:22:06*
Knee started to hurt pretty bad at about 6 miles.

Sunday 1/25:
Hot yoga, 90 min
Skipped the recovery run. The knee was unhappy. Heat & stretching was good.

*This route is a little hilly. I like it, since each uphill is followed by a longer downhill. The downhill seems to be the tough part for me, as my knee hurt worse on each downhill. It's the patello-femoral thing, with my kneecap not tracking correctly. Doesn't bother me on shorter runs, flat terrain runs, or in warmer weather. When it's below 60 degrees on hills, I have a sleeve... which I chose not to wear. Won't make that mistake next week.


Stopping by Big Peach Running Co. to sign up for my first race of 2009. The Chattahoochee Challenge 10k, February 7, over at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Don't think the kids will be running with me this time. My oldest is holding off for a 5k, and I haven't been able to get a straight answer from the little ones about the 1 mile fun run.

It was a toss up between this and a 10-mile race in Greenville, SC. Travel aside, I'm not sure I'm ready for a 10 mile race yet - though I'm seriously considering trying the Run the Reagan Half Marathon on Valentine's Day, just one week later. If I do, the kids will be running or run/walking the 5k with Dad. After all, what better way to celebrate than to do something good for our hearts?