Getting it Together

I am in the process of getting it together for tomorrow morning. I am running the Nahant 30K. It is a race put on for fall marathon training and since I am running a marathon in November I thought that this would be perfect. The problem with getting it together for an early morning departure is that I also have 4 kids that I have to get everything ready for. Both of my boys play Pop Warner football so I have all of their stuff out and laid out on their floor. The girls just have to go to the field and hang out which they are both pretty good at, but of course that means that I have to have Izzie's clothes ready to go and Siri will just take care of herself. Did I mention that my husband was a coach so Siri has to be somewhat responsible for Izzie which does not always go over well? I could go on and on about the other stuff I have to do, but I have decided to just do the best I can and hope everybody makes it out the door in one piece, including my husband who sometimes is more of a problem than the 4 kids. Happy Weekend everyone. Let me know some fun stuff that you are doing this weekend?

Running Alone

This morning I ran by myself, just me and my Garmin. I went to put on my i pod and it was dead again. I must not be turning it off. This is the second time this week that this has happened. I try so hard to enjoy running "naked,' but I have to admit it is just not for me. When I am running with someone or with music I either talk or tune out. When I have nothing it drives me crazy. My brain becomes a ADHD teenagers brain. It flits from one thing to the other so much so that it seems that my head is about to spin off. I run in order to get away from everything, but without music it seems as though I am taking it all with me. I can't stop thinking about my list or my calendar or my kids or my husband and this will go on the entire run. Let's just say there is a little shuffle plugged in to my computer right now and it will be working for Sunday.

A quick blurb about Sunday. I am running the Nahant 30 K on Sunday morning. I am super excited. I am running with my friend Michele. We are using it as a training run and plan to keep our pace at about 9:30. I am hoping to just finish. I know I did 16 just a few weeks ago, but 18.6? That is really far!

Failing

Two nights ago I took my test for the RRCA certification. I had taken the class to become a certified running coach. I printed out the test 2 weeks ago and have slowly worked on it when I had the time. I used my book, the computer, some old nursing books that I had and was feeling confident. I had always been a good test taker I kept telling myself and some of the answers I was completely sure about. Right? Well, needless to say, I failed. I got a 79 and you needed an 80 to pass. I had gone through it a couple of times and I had changed a couple of answers which typically I never do. I definitely was defeated. I have been feeling like I am having such a good year with my running, training and goals. This was what I felt was my next step in my running and I am now feeling a bit stagnant. So anyway....I am allowing myself the week to feel sad and next year I can take the class again for $100 cheaper. I will meet this goal and it will feel great when I do.

On a funny note, Siri is trying out for the Wizard of Oz at her school. If I hear "Somewhere over the Rainbow" one more time I might have to jump off of a rainbow. God love her, but she is definitely not the next Judy Garland. Happy Wednesday night everyone.

The Great Frog Escape

Wow! What a morning at the Warren house. Andy caught a frog to bring to school in his special bug/frog catcher and all was well in the world. It had grass, a little bit of water and some sort of berry in the container. Smiles all around. Smiles until Izzie picked up the container, dropped it on the floor and all of a sudden I have a frog hopping around the kitchen, a cat chasing it, Ben screaming, me screaming, Andy and Izzie crying and Siri finally catching the frog and calling us all crazy for screaming. This was supposed to be a great Friday morning. I didn't have to take Siri to school today, she luckily had the day off. I went for my run at 5:30 am, got a coffee, came home and got the kids ready etc...etc...instead it only takes one thing to throw everyone off. Chaos is not great sometimes and when you have a house with 4 kids it seems like there is ALWAYS chaos.

Now for my August numbers. Tall Mom Mel posted a challenge on her blog to run 80 miles the month of August. Well, I hit 80 alright, as a matter of fact I hit 132 for the month. I am midway through marathon training and feel great. Imagine these two legs ran 132 miles this month. It makes you realize how much you can do if you put your mind, heart and soul (and sole) into something that you are excited for. This marathon is my big challenge and it is keeping me going in all of my chaos.

Happy Friday!

Anyone affected by Earl? We might get some rain and wind:)

Shortened Run

The heat today was unbearable. I think that it made it to 97 degrees here in NH. Needless to say we did not make it to 14 miles, we made it to 11 and had to quit. I went through 48 ounces of fluid and my clothes were completely wet. My friend was pushing her 2 year old who was as red as a strawberry, he had had enough by mile 8 and our other friend went down with a calf (achilles?gastrinemus(sp?) injury and we had to call someone to pick her up. Thank God her mother was visiting and could come and get her on the side of the road. I am just glad I made 11, for me that had to be enough. My legs are still hurting and my chest hurts aaaarrrgghhhh....hopefully my weekend run will be better.

Today's the Day

Today is the day! I will have 4 little cherubs in school ALL day. How am I celebrating? I am running 14 miles this morning. YAY!!!! I don't have to get a babysitter, I don't have to do it on Saturday morning by myself and I don't have to push, pull or carry anyone. The only downside is the 95 degree temps and the extreme humidity pushing down on New Hampshire. I bought a new top yesterday and got some cool shorts. Our running store had Nike stuff at 20% off, but I bought colors that are going to match the new running skirts when they come out, particulary the blue and black argyle one from runningskirts.com. They said September and I am hoping that that means this week?

That being said it is Izzie's last year of preschool. I wish that I could say that I feel sad, but I don't . I think that when you have four you are either sentimental about every last thing that they do or you are ready to move on. She already thinks that she is "20" so I think that I am ready to move on. She cried all day yesterday because she wanted to go to school like her big sister. (Siri started yesterday). Then she told me that "it just wasn't fair!" because I wouldn't let her have soda and finally ended the day by telling me, "you are the worstest!" Can you tell that she has older siblings. My husband's concern? "If she is like this at 4, what is she going to be like at 14?"

How are you celebrating the first day of school?

Which camp are you in? Sad for your last moments

ready to move on?

Good Morning

I am up and ready to go. To run you say? NO, to go to the grocery store to buy salad stuff to make a garden salad for a lunch today at my 4 year olds preschool. You might be saying to yourself , "Why didn't she do that yesterday?" Well, I am saying that to myself right now. While I did get my 10 miler in yesterday, I then spent the rest of the day at the football field with my two boys and then off to a birthday dinner an hour away. While the football games were awesome, both boys won, and I loved being able to see my college friends, my friend found out that she was pregnant for her 40th birthday, I am tired. Tired from a lot of early mornings of running this summer, tired from 4 kids' and their constant summer activity and finally tired from getting everyone ready for school this week. Oh well, I am off and hopefully my last full day of summer vacation is uneventful!