Pretty Princess Project -- Weigh-In #5

I'm getting even closer to my goal of reaching 143 lbs by the Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon on March 7. Today was weigh in #5 of my Pretty Princess Project.

A small loss last week resulted in a bigger loss this morning. Last week, I was hoping to say "bye-bye" 150's ... and I did!!! Today the scale said 148.0!!!!!!! That's a 2.5 lb loss from last week and an even 10 lbs weight loss in four weeks!!

January 1: 158.0 lbs

January 8: 153.0 lbs

January 15: 151.0 lbs

January 22: 150.5 lbs

January 29: 148.0 lbs

Total Lost: 10.0 lbs

Goal Weight on March 7: 143 lbs

Normal Weight: 148 lbs

Lowest WW Weight: 143 lbs (January 2005)

Proud accomplishments this week:

- At the office, we had a birthday party this week and ordered out to one of my favorite sub places (not low-cal Subway!). I made a Weight Watchers meal, FF yogurt, SF jello and a 100 cal pack instead. I still joined the group , but I saved calories and money!!

- Pounded out 9 miles on the TM on Sunday, in under 1:20:00.

Running Jewelry Giveaway on Running Blog -- Lift Your Sole

Oh yes, another cool giveaway in bloggy-land!

Enter for your chance to win some cool running-related jewelry on Marlene's Blog: Mission to A(nother) Marathon

Lift Your Sole has the cutest stuff, whether you are in to accessorizing, or not!

Tu Tu Giveaway on Tall Mom's Blog

Tall Mom on The Run is hosting an awesome giveway on her blog. Check it out!

If you have a lovely little princess at home, or are a princess yourself, YOU could win a tutu from My.Little.Pink.Dots website. Paige would love this!!!!!

Enter now through January 27.

Pretty Princess Weigh-In #4

I'm getting even closer to my goal of reaching 143 lbs by the Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon on March 7. Today was weigh in #4 of my Pretty Princess Project. Small loss this week. But, a loss is a loss. I haven't been snacking in the evening. But, last night my daughter and I had a "sleepover" in the living room and I snacked on a high fiber bar and a 100 cal pack of kettle corn. Those high fiber bars are so yummy ... but, leave me terribly bloated!!! Hopefully the scale says, "bye-bye 150's" next week!

January 1: 158.0 lbs

January 8: 153.0 lbs

January 15: 151.0 lbs

January 22: 150.5 lbs

Total Lost: 7.5 lbs

Goal Weight on March 7: 143 lbs

Normal Weight: 148 lbs

Lowest WW Weight: 143 lbs (January 2005)



Proud accomplishments this week:



- I was home with both kids on Monday and Friday, since there was no school. I ended up getting TWO runs in each day, with both kids playing along side me. We also bounced around (yes I joined in the fun!) at Bounce U and I took them sledding and pulled the little guy up and down the hill.


- I went to a ladies-only brunch with my family on Sunday and loaded up my first plate with salad, the second with mostly steamed veggies and two chocolate covered strawberries. I was able to skip the decadent dessert table and passed on Grandma's birthday cake.


- I rented some fun workout DVDs from the library, including some fun ones for the kids to join in on. We all had a blast!

Children's Book Review: Running The Race

Paige and I were given another WONDERFUL opportunity to review another fantastic running-related book for Children.

Running The Race was written by Jeff Yosick. It follows Ashley's journey of discovering that her grandmother has breast cancer. Ashley helps support both her mother and grandmother throughout their journey. The book touches on love, support and dealing with the disase. Ashley and her family decide to run/walk in a race, to help her deal with her grandmother's breast cancer diagnosis. The book follows the reader through several US cities and landscapes, where participants are walking and running for the cause. The journey becomes a lifelong commitment for Ashley and her family, and eventually her very own daughter becomes involved.

Paige asked more questions during my reading of this book, than any other book I've read to her. She was really intersted in the disease of breast cancer, how it effects people and how people participate in various events and races, to support breast cancer research. We also discussed how scientists are trying to find a cure for this disease that effects so many.

Paige really enjoyed the illustrations and the mixed-items in the book. The book had such strong illustrations that were in black and white with highlighted pieces being portrayed in bright pink. Paige immediately noticed that some important items were actually photographed items in the book. There were also some really nice snapshots of Jeff and his family participating in a race. Paige thought this was really neat. She is such a girly-girl (like mommy!) and really loved the bright pink and contrast of colors, too.

The book is available at Amazon.com for $12.99 in paperback.

Please visit Jeff's website for more great titles: http://www.jyosick.com/

At the end of the story, there are several additional sections for you to review with your child, including this great list, outlining how children can make a difference and support the cause. There was also an extensive list of women "who have run the race before us". My daughter was in awe by the way I explained how many people are effected by this disease.

This is another great book, that I look forward to sharing with both of our children. And, I hope to get them involved in the cause.

10 Things that Make Me Happy ... Pass it On

I was tagged by Westford Mommy to list some things that make me happy and pass it onto other bloggers in bloggy-land. I LOVE lists, so here goes a simple one.



1) My family; those two little terrors brighten my day

2) Achieving the goals I've set

3) Our annual trips to Walt Disney World

4) A clean kitchen with uncluttered counters

5) Grocery shopping solo, comparing prices/brands and analyzing food labels

6) Anything comfy from Victoria's Secret

7) Seeing my kids play together

8) My mini van

9) Pink

10) Melting snow



Now, I'm tagging YOU to make your own list. It will take two minutes to type out and just might brighten your day a little bit. Here's a little bloggy-love:

Nicole at Njoy Life at http://nsiscaretti.blogspot.com/

Brianna at Girl Who Loves to Run at http://balancedsteps.blogspot.com/

Jen at The Shape of things to come at http://www.jensjourney.com/

Heather at Gadget Girl Runs Chicago at http://gadgetgirlrunner.blogspot.com/

Chris at I Like to Move it, Move it, Running with Chris at http://running-with-chris.blogspot.com/

Pretty Princess Project -- Weigh In #3

I set my 2010 goals at the end of December. One of my goals for 2010 was to lose 10 lbs by the Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon on March 7! By the time I did my first weigh-in on January 1st and assessed the damage from the holidays, I was up about 5 lbs (despite my crazy a** mileage to reach my 1,200 miles by December 31?!). 158 lbs, ick. After one week of being "on program" at home (following Weight Watchers POINTS on my own, journaling food and exercise, increasing my running mileage), I already lost 5 lbs of holiday flubber.

So, my new, obtainable goal is to lose 15 lbs and be comfortable at 143 lbs by March 7.
I'm calling these Friday Weigh-Ins the ... Pretty Princess Project.

Today was weigh-in #3.

January 15: 151.0 lbs
January 8: 153.0 lbs
January 1: 158.0 lbs

Goal Weight: 143.0 lbs
Normal Weight: 148.0 lbs
Lowest WW Weight: 143.0 lbs (January 2005)

Proud accomplishments this week:

- Thursday night is my daughter's dance class and we typically eat frozen pizza, since we're in a hurry to get out the door. The rest of the family had the pizza and I made myself a Weight Watchers frozen pizza.

- Went to my favorite family style restaurant for a gathering with my extended family. I did not take seconds on anything and skipped the pumpkin pie.

- I work on the fourth floor of the office building and made an attempt to use the bathroom on the first floor twice a day and walk up and down the stairs, to get me out of my desk for a few minutes each day.

- Resisted snacking after dinner most nights this week or had sugar-free hot cocoa to satisfy my sweet tooth (only 25 calories!).

Follow-Up: Decade in Review

I just wanted to thank all of you for your warm thoughts, in response to my Decade in Review post recently. After reading your comments, and re-reading my post, I really discovered somethings ...

Sometimes, I still feel guilty about my running and my "me time" (even though I am not always alone during my runs on the treadmill!). But, I've reminded myself through the post, that I truly have bettered myself as a person, a woman, and a mother. Doing something good for myself and sometimes taking a much needed break, really does make me a better mommy. I return to my family much happier and respond more positively towards my children and their actions. My transformation and ups and downs (weight and emotions!) have made me a better person. And, I truly appreciate who I am and what I have in my life. My journey continues, as I try new things and set new goals.

Through the post, I realized how the responsibility of having my children has changed my life, too. The vehicle trade-ins, the genre of concerts I've attend, the destinations we've traveled to. Adapting to "life" is a great thing. I. Love. It.

2010 is going to bring a lot of FABULOUS things with it this year. I just know it.

Decade in Review (2000 - 2009)

I've seen so many other bloggers outline the last decade of their lives and thought I'd like to try it out, too. So much has changed. Heck, I started out the decade at a mere 19 years old for Pete's sake!!! And, now I'm approaching 30!!

I should note that in 1999, I joined Weight Watchers for the very first time at 198 lbs and got down to aroun 170 lbs during my first time on the program.

2000:
- circa 170 lbs

- Got engaged in the Spring
- Discovered scrapbooking
- Started working at the University of Wisconsin, in my current role
- Jason and I became first time homeowners, as we purchased and designed the interior of our condo

2001:
- Car accident one week before our wedding and totalled my Chevy Beretta
- Jason and I were married in August

- 160 lbs on our wedding day
- Honeymooned in Jamaica in August/September
- Purchased my Purple Mercury Cougar
- September 11, 2001

2002:
- Started trying to conceive
- Jason and I went to Las Vegas for an entire week in September

2002 - Las Vegas - around 165 lbs

2003:
- Went to Omaha, Nebraska for a friend's wedding
- Found out we were pregnant in April
- Traded in my Mercury Cougar for a family vehicle, a Ford Focus
- Gave birth to our first child, Paige, in December

2003 - with Paige - 195 lbs

2004:
- Rejoined Weight Watchers
- Reached initial WW goal in November (153 lbs)

2005:
- Became a Weight Watchers Lifetime member in January (143 lbs)
- Started my scrapbooking website/community online
- Purchased our brand new home (right up the street from our condo)
- Was inspired by our friend who competed in Ironman and took up running
- Ran my first two 5Ks in the Fall
- Reconnected with a few high school friends and am happy that we are now in touch again

2005 - Mother's Day - 145 lbs

2006:
- Ended my scrapbooking website/community to focus more on our family and my running
- Ran several 5Ks
- Ran my first half marathon and competed in my first duathlon
- Miscarried in November (at six weeks)
- Went with Jason and Paige to Walt Disney World for their first trip to the magical place
(my 7th trip) over Thanksgiving

2006 - 1st family trip to WDW - 145 lbs

2007:
- Found out we were pregnant in April
- Bailed on my second half marathon, due to morning sickness
- Ran several 5Ks and then took a break during the second half of my pregnancy
- Went with Jason and Paige to Walt Disney World in October for Halloween (my 8th trip)
- Gave birth to our second child, Jackson, in December

- Concerts: John Mayer

2007 - with Jackson - 195 lbs

2008:
- Cut off all of my hair and got the "mommy 'do"
- Bailed on another half marathon, due to really bad shin splints and underwent physical therapy (returned to running too hard/too fast after childbirth)
- Ran in several 5Ks
- Ran my first marathon and participated in the Chicago Marathon
- Reconnected with most of my high school classmates, and discovered the wonderful world of Facebook
- Attended my 10 year high school reunion
- ran 1,000 miles
Concerts: John Mayer, Jonas Brothers, Cheetah Girls

2008 - My First Marathon - 149 lbs

2009:
- Went with Jason, Paige and Jackson to Walt Disney World
(for my 9th trip) as Jason competed in the WDW Marathon
- Started my blog
- Traded in my Ford Focus for my Chrysler Town & Country Minivan
- Ran several 5Ks, a duathlon, and 5 half marathons (PR'd in my second marathon by almost 20 mins)
- Traveled a lot around the midwest for races (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa)
- Watched Jason train for and complete his very first Ironman
- Ran with Paige in her very first one mile race
- Ran 1,200 miles
- Concerts: Hannah Montana

2009 - Family Photo - 148 lbs

DVD Review: BeFit-Mom - Bounce Back Fast!

I was given the opportunity to review a great workout video for all mommies: BeFit-Mom's Bounce Back fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning with perinatal exercise specialist, Helene Byrne.

Be-Fit Mom: http://www.befitmom.com/

The DVD also comes with a free fitness band (mine was pink!). It is incorporated into many of the exercises.

Children are not Incorporated into the exercises in this program. However, you could certainly have your children workout with you. My two year old son actually enjoyed laying with me on my yoga mat and pretending to mock mommy's moves.

The tone of the video is soothing, calm and is geared towards mommies and mommy doing something for herself. Definitely a time of relaxation. The music is calming and not up beat.

This video is great for all mommies, no matter how far out you are postpartum. I had my second child two years ago, and I certainly could benefit from these exercises. One of my goals this year is to work on flattening my tummy and to incorporate ab exercises into my routine. I will certainly be using this DVD, even two years postpartum.

I like that the DVD is broken down into several sections. Since I log so many miles and hours running each week, I don't have a lot of time to do additional workouts and this way I can do 30 minutes or I can do less than ten minutes at a time. You can choose what you want to do. And, no additional equipment is needed. Just bring the DVD and your fitness with you anywhere and you are ready to workout!

I really enjoyed the DVD and am sure I will already be feeling the results tomorrow. Ouch!

Postpartum Exercise (6:30 min):

In the beginning of the DVD, Helene gives a lot of guidance for when you should start exercises and how much you should be doing, whether you have had a vaginal delivery, c-section or if you have had tearing and/or stitches.

Helene suggests the appropriate angles and if you cannot achieve certain positions on your own, she suggests other items you can incorporate into the routine, to make you feel comfortable.

Pelvic Floor Reconditioning (7:00 min):

Helene discusses kegel exercises and how they are important to the post-partum period. She demonstrates exercises in a chair. She also discusses imagery and how you can complete these exercises successfully with appropriate movements.

Abdominal Separation (4:10 min):

Helene sits down with a model to do floor exercises. Helene and the model work together to show you exactly what you should be doing to achieve the best results. She also discusses positions you should avoid, that will cause more problems to your abdominal wall. It was helpful for her to sit down with the model for each exercise and show you exactly what you should be doing and what you SHOULDN'T be doing.

Post Natal Abdominal Training (10 min):

Helene works with the model again and shows you how you should maintain a flat abdominal wall during exercise, instead of letting your tummy "bulge out" as you do ab exercises. You should train your muscles to do what you want them to eventually do, even during exercise.

Gentle First Moves (30 min):

The fitness band is incorporated into these exercises, which I found really helpful.

- Safe, restorative exercises

- Speeds recovery from labor and delivery

- Relieves aches and pain

Bounce Back fast! (35 min):

The fitness band was also incorporated into these exercise. A second model worked with Helene during the routine, who was four months postpartum. A lot of the moves were things I wouldn't even think about trying, but I really felt a difference when I did them. I'm sure they will target some of the problem areas, I didn't even know how to work on.

- Flattens and tones all four layers of the abdominal wall

- Strengthens deep core muscles

- Repairs abdominal separation

- Corrects posture

- Restores flexibility

- Builds upper body strength for lifting and carrying

- Separate workout for abdominal separation

Check out what other people are saying about this great video!

Helene Byrne was great at explaining everything throughout the entire DVD. She not only told you what moves to do, but explained to you why you are doing them and how your body will benefit. She has over 20 years in the fitness industry and I could tell that she was really knowledgeable about exercise and the birthing process.

Book Review: We Are Girls Who Love to Run

My daughter, Paige (6), and I have been given the opportunity to review We Are Girls Who Love to Run by Brianna Grant.



This bilingual book is also written in Spanish, hence the additional title, Somos Chicas y A Nosotras Nos Encanta Correr. As you turn each page, each verse is written in English first and then repeated in Spanish.



Paige is a six year old kindergartner who is pretty enthusiastic about reading right now. She was very excited to read through this fun book. Brianna also include a really thoughtful letter to Paige, regarding the book and the sport of running. I was so touched by what she wrote. Paige will be bringing her book and cover letter to kindergarten for show-and-tell sometime soon.



The illustrations are really quite breath-taking. Nicholas A Wright did a beautiful job with the paintings in the book. Since Paige cannot read full sentences yet, I read the book to her and she really enjoyed looking at the motivational illustrations, as I turned the pages of the book. I really enjoyed that there were so many different types of girls and women included in this book. There were young girls of different color and shapes and sizes and their running role models and coaches in the book were of the same variety. The book really represented "all women" and everyone could identify with someone in this book.

Even if your child does not run, he or she will enjoy it. This book does not follow one child's story or journey. Instead, it follows "all girls" and their passion for life and their confidence in themselves and the choices they make. It embraces making healthy choices as habits as well as introducing goal-setting. It also touches on involving your family, friends and community in your every day life and activities.

At the end of the book, there is a nice entry from girls and women and their thoughts on running. They were asked why they loved to run, which encouraged me to ask my own daughter why she has tried the sport. Her answer was, "Because running helps me stay fit and I get the chance to run with my mom during my 'training'. I like having people cheer me on at my races and say, Go Paige!".

The book shows young girls that goal-setting is important. As two girls finish a local 5K race, they prove to themselves that all of their hard work and commitment (to themselves) has really paid off and they have accomplished their goal. This can be applied to so many areas of life.

The discusses healthy eating habits. It is neat to see a young girl shopping with her mother at the local farmer's market. The book mentions that she is helping her mom pick out healthy foods for her healthy after-school snacks. I joked with Paige. Because she (usually!) is the one begging for me to pick up strawberries from the grocery store and is the girl taking carrots and dip to her school parties, instead of sugary treats!

There is also a beautiful forward included in this book, endorsed by the found of the Girls on the Run Program, which I love so very much! Molly Barker is so motivating with her message to young girls and young women.

My daughter and I both enjoyed reading this book together before bedtime. We will enjoy re-reading it for years to come. This book is truly awesome and will remind you and your child why you do what you do and how everyone benefits from it.

Pick up your copy today! Why not purchase one for your little girl for Valentine's Day?

1,200 mile goal reached for 2009

On the very last day of 2009, I have finally reached my goal of running 1,200 miles for the calendar year!!!!!! I am so over-joyed.

I had five miles left to run today and ended up running them on the treadmill, just like most of my miles logged this year. I had the kids along side me, and had to stop once for some snacks for the little ones and another time, because the little guy purposely dropped his blankie on the floor again, while he was in the playpen playing. Last year, stopping would've bothered me. But, this year I have realized that a mile is a mile is a mile. It doesn't matter if I run 3 now and 6 later. I did it. By just getting on the treadmill, while I'm spending time with my little ones, is an accomplishment.

When I stopped the treadmill after 5 miles, to cool down, Jackson said "all done running', just like he does every time. But this time it brought tears to my eyes. I did it, I was done, I actually met my goal set back in January. And my kids witnessed it. I gave both the kids a high five and explained to my six year old that mommy just accomplished a big goal that that I had set for myself. She gave out a big "woot woot!" with a huge smile on her face.

In 2010, I will be running 3 half marathons (this year I ran 5) and 2 marathons (this year I ran no full marathons). I hope to run at least 1,400 miles in 2010.

2009 Mileage: 1,200.1 miles

December: 109.2 miles
November: 101.4 miles
October: 115.3 miles
September: 75.5 miles
August: 67.0 miles
July: 104.6 miles
June: 94.3 miles
May: 116.1 miles
April: 131.1 miles
March: 119.2 miles
February: 100.0 miles
January: 66.5 miles

I'm gonna be a Rock Star. In Chicago.

I have registered and committed myself to running the Chicago Rock & Roll Half Marathon on August 1, 2010. This will be the second of three half marathons that I will be running in 2010. I also have signed up for a full marathon on the spring and will run a second marathon in the fall (hopefully with my hubby). I have heard nothing but great things about this race and have received feedback that it isn't quite as chaotic as the Chicago Marathon I ran in 2008. I hope that it will be a wonderful experience. I have always wanted to run a race in the Rock & Roll series and get some BLING!!!

Bib Keepers -- Running Scrapbooks

I was an avid scrapbooker, before running and kids took up all of my time!! I wrote about this in an earlier post, where I wanted to get into scrapbooking again and at least record the momentous occassions and vacations.

I just came across Bib Keepers on Erica's Blog.

They are racing bib-specific scrapbooks. The right side of each page has a custom cut opening for your race bib. The left side of the spread includes vellum, to secure photos and other memorabilia.

These scrapbooks are only $29.99 and they only charge $3.95 for USPS Priority Mail shipping.

DVD Review: UltraMarathon Man (Dean Karnazes)

Hubby and I exchange stockings annually, for Christmas, instead of gifts. We set a $100 limit. One item that was on his Amazon.com Wish List was Dean Karnazes' UltraMarathon Man DVD. I was excited to purchase this for him, and then I, too, could obviously enjoy it!! We sat down the other night, after the kiddos were in bed, and watched Dean's journey of running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. How truly awesome and motivating.

Individuals in each state could join Dean as he completed each marathon. I recall that Jason was considering joining him in Green Bay, as he completed his marathon in Wisconsin. But the timing didn't workout with his schedule, or he didn't have enough notice. But, gosh, what an experience that would've been. It turns out, that Dean said his favorite race moment was doing the Green Bay race at Lambeau Field on his son's birthday.

I really love Dean's message. Just as I love the Girls on the Run Program, Dean started his own foundation, Karno Kids, to help encourage youth to get outside and get active. He has also participated in the GOTR program, when his daughter competed int he program. I love it!!!!!

Jason has read his book, UltraMarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, and we also listened to the book on tape, which we borrowed from our local library. I unfortunately didn't get to listen to the whole set of tapes, because I didn't have time before returning it. I hope to reserve it again and now listen to it in it's entirety. All three experiences were different, and equally as awesome and motivating. I would suggest trying watching, reading AND listening to his journey (in no particular order).

Want to be inspired?? Check out Dean's website, Ultramarathon Man at: http://www.ultramarathonman.com/flash/

Mom Agenda's -- Daily Planners for 2010

I have already purchased my 2010 daily planner (yes, I still keep a paper calendar!). But, I wish I would've come across the "Mom Agenda", before I placed my order. All I can say, is OMG!!!

Visit momAgenda at http://www.momagenda.com/. They have a lot of good deals and promotions running right now!!!

They offer Mom Agenda's in so many fun, bright and vibrant colors and so many different sizes, too. You can also personalize and emboss your agenda -- who doesn't love personalization?? Personalization appears to be less than $5.00 per item.

The Mom Agenda "Desktop" week-at-a-glance format allows mom to keep her schedule and the schedule of up to four children.

The mom Essentials pamphlet is included and can be removed to use from year-to-year! I love this concept. I really hate having to grow through the previous year's planner and re-record all of the important information: phone numbers, birthdays, important dates, websites/passwords, etc. It also features a medical history section for your entire family.

There is also a section that features usesful mom-friendly websites. You will find a lot of good resources here.

I also love the party planning pages, which help you stay organized with when/where the event is and what you're bringing and other important reminders.

Are you currently goal-setting for 2010??? You can download mom Agenda printables here. Write down all sorts of goals for 2010 in their awesome printables. They also feature printables for school shopping, holiday shopping, holiday cards sent/received, expense tracking and more!!!

Check out the accessories section for some other really neat mom-must-haves!! Grocery list makers, fancy clipboards and notepads. I love the little "love notes" that you can use for writing notes to your kids in their lunches or leave hubby a note on his car in the morning.

You know you're a runner when ...

You see your friend's Facebook status that she has "1,000 miles down, only 200 to go". She is referring to the miles traveled so far to get to her Christmas destination. But, you automatically think, "Hey, I didn't know she was a runner?!?". Duh.

Mommy's Goals for 2010

Along with everyone else, I am goal-setting for 2010.



Be more patient with the kids ... L-I-S-T-E-N to them
Schedule one date each month with my husband
Schedule one date each month with my daughter
Schedule a "me day" once a month
Inspire someone
Revisit Weight Watchers Meetings (I am a lifetime member and at my original goal weight)
Lose 10 lbs by Disney Half Marathon in March
Set new 5K PR (sub 24:46)
Set new half marathon PR (sub 1:55:59)
Set new marathon PR (sub 4:37:23)
Run 1,400 miles
Run 2 full marathons
Run 3 half marathons
Start an ab and strength training routine
Try an aerobics class at my YMCA
Cut debt in half
Double amount in savings acount

Race Sign Up -- Madison Mini Marathon

I've just received the early bird rate for the 2nd Annual Madison Mini Marathon. I ran this half marathon last year and loved it! This year, it is scheduled for August 21, 2010, and the race runs through Madison, Wisconsin.


Last year was the innaugural race and there was a FANTASTIC turnout and the event was very well organized. Great crowd support, my family was able to see me over a half dozen times along the 13.1 mile course. They even drove along side me for a bit, which made me chuckle.

This was a great course last year, starting at the UW Campus Memorial Union and ending at the same location. The course was scenic, as you run through downtown Madison, the Capitol Square (where the weekly farmer's market was taking place), UW Campus, Henry Vilas Zoo, UW Arboretum and the scenic lakeshore path. I really enjoyed the half marathon last year and wanted to get in on the early bird rate, before December 31. (Enter MMMFB10 at checkout!!)

I'm hoping to run a second full marathon in the fall, so this will hopefully keep me on my toes and committed to my training plan for the fall.

I'm Committed! 2010 Madison Marathon

I did it! I've signed up for my second marathon!! I will be completing my second 26.2 mile journey at the Madison Marathon on Sunday, May 30, in Madison, Wisconsin.

I ran the half marathon in 2006 and 2009 (I also signed up in 2007 and 2008, but had to drop out due to morning sickness during my pregnancy and then shin splints with my post-pregnancy training). The route was different this past year and I really enjoyed the "reverse" course. I look forward to seeing what the second half of the race is like. We've had friends complete the full marathon and they have really, really enjoyed the race.

We live in a suburb, just outside of Madison, so it is really only a 20 minute drive from my doorstep. The convenience factor was key in me deciding on this for my next full marathon. We traveled a lot in 2009 to "destination races" around Wisconsin and in the midwest. So, we are hoping to save a little change in 2010 and not have to secure as many hotels. Also, I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2008 and it was a very FULL DAY event (getting up before 4AM to drive and catch a train into downtown Chicago and then walk to the event, sit and wait after the race for my family in the sea of spectators and then travel the whole route back to our hotel to shower, 6 hours after I finished.) It will be so nice to drive home and shower and nap in my own comfy bed that afternoon!

It will also be nice to have family close by, to help cheer me on and help Jason with the kids during the race day festivities.

I look forward to racing among familiar landmarks and on familiar roads. I'm hoping that knowing the course will help make me successful, come race day.

I have logged onto Cool Running and looked up the training program that I used for Chicago and have altered it to fit into my personal schedule (as I always try to balance my personal life, work and training) and have written my target miles for each day on my daily planner. Let the fun begin!

Plan of Attack for the Weekend Ahead

My daughter's birthday is five days before Christmas and my son's is five days after Christmas. Smart planning on our part, huh?! Here's the big plan for the weekend ... Lots of fun stuff planned ... need to fit in the miles on the TM.

Friday:
Clean House (check)

Laundry (check)

Run 6 mi (check)

Family movie night at home

Saturday:

Errands for party

Kids' joint birthday party

Run 6 mi

Paige sleepover with friend

Sunday:

Paige's 6th birthday

Breakfast and presents

Take friend home

Drop Jackson off with Grandma

Mommy/Daddy date with Paige for her movie (lunch, movie and possibly bowling)

Run 6 mi

Monday:

Run last minute holiday errands

Run 6 mi

Go! Go! Sports Girl dolls on the TODAY Show , 12/18

I just received an email from the fabulous owner of the Go Go Sports Girls Dolls, Jodi Norgaard. The dolls are going to be featured on the TODAY Show at 9AM EST tomorrow, Friday, December 18. Make sure you tune into NBC tomorrow morning!

Weekend Recap: 28 TM Miles, Baby!

This weekend I pounded out every mile of the scheduled 28 miles on my calendar:

Friday - 6 mi

Saturday - 6 mi

Sunday - 10 mi

Monday - 6 mi

Each mile was ran on our treadmill, in our unfinished basement. Some alone, some with the little munchins keeping me company. None of my runs were continuous, unfortunately. I did have to hit the stop button quite a few times to get more snacks for the kids or because the little guy thought it was funny to keep dropping his blankie on the floor. Quite the fun game THAT was!!

I'm right on target to hit my 1,200 mile goal by December 31st ... ahead in fact. I just hope that I benefit from the extra time off over the holidays and that the "holiday cheer" doesn't stand in my way. 52.1 miles to go.

Kids Running and Triathlon Book Review: Pellie Runs a Marathon and Coco Loves to Tri

Recently, I wrote about these awesome children's books that I came across online. Pellie Runs a Marathon and CoCo Loves to Tri were by Michele Bredice Craemer.



I was so enthused about the books, that I wrote the author personally to thank her for promoting an active and healthy lifestyle to young readers. I was even more enthused when she offered to send me copies of both books for my children.



When I returned home one Sunday afternoon, after my last long outdoor run of the season, the package was there, waiting for me. The kids were so excited to get mail!






Each book included a personal motivational message from the author, Michele Bredice Craemer.





Paige was eager to look at the books right away. She is a kindergartener and is just starting to read the "early readers" books. She really enjoyed reading Pellie Runs a Marathon. She actually didn't need too much help, except for the longer words. There is also a lot of repition in the book, she got really excited that she needed less-and-less help as she went on. She began recognizing a lot of the words.



Our kids go to almost all of our races with us and cheer us on and spectate. Our oldest, who is almost 6 years old, really understand all that is involved with training and racing. She really does understand that it takes committment to juggle personal time and family time and knows that mommy and daddy need to fit their workouts in. She also understands that there are long races and shorter races and that that the races can take a lot out of us on race day. So, it was really neat to see Paige both read and understand what she was reading and the journey that the characters were taking. She also noticed right away that "this is a rhyming book". With a smile on her face, she enjoyed the flow of the words and repitition of the phrases throughout Pellie Runs a Marathon.


Pellie hears "You can do it!" and keeps right at it. As tough as things get, she keeps at it, until she finishes the marathon.

In CoCo Loves to Tri, even though CoCo is scared to get in the water, he has trained and knows he can overcome his fear. He conquers his fears and gets in the water, to start the race.Pellie the Duck also appears in CoCo Loves to Tri, as the pup's training buddy. After his long journey of swimming, biking and running, his training buddy sees him through to the finish line of the triathlon.

Paige personally identified with the girls in pigtails throughout Pellie Runs a Marathon. She kept spotting "herself" as she turned the pages. She also enjoyed reaching each mile marker and recognizing the numbers and counting her way through the 26.2 mile journey.

A duck was selected as the main character, Pellie, because Michele's son received a duckie from his grandmother and it was his favorite nightime companion. I love that she incorporated some her personal life in this book.

If you are interested in receiving your own copy of these books, the author has agreed to offer my readers a great discount for SIGNED COPIES! Please post here if you are interested in recieving a SIGNED book for $10.00 plus shipping. I will work directly with the author to get you your copy. Through Amazon.com the unsigned copies can be purchased for $12.95 plus shipping. These would make great holiday gifts for your little ones. What a great way to keep them active through the long winter season!!

Product Review: Eco lips Organic Lip Balm

Don't panic. It's Organic! I am totally thrilled to be able to review Eco Lips Organic lip balms.

I was really excited to try some of the yummy Eco Lips products. They have also agreed to provide samples to team members of Edge Multipsport for our kick off party in the Spring. I can't wait to share these products with everyone. I will be sure to post more reviews later, after everyone has had a chance to give them a try.

My favorite was the Eco Tints Rose Quartz lip balm. They call it a "naturally glistening lip moisturizer". 90% organiz ingredients. This balm works great as a lip balm or as a light lip color with a hint of sparkle and shine, that you can use while working out, bumming around town or out on the town for the evening. They also offer thwo other Eco Tints colors: Plush Red and Mocha Velvet.

I was intrigued by Eco Lips Energy Lip Infused Lip balm, which includes caffeine, green tea andB12. Apparently, the lips are one of the most absorbent parts of your body. Unlike other energy products and coffee, which are absorbed through your digestive system, Eco Lips Energy transfers the nutrients directly through the lips and mouth. You receive a quicker surge of energy, with a smaller dose of ingredients. Try this the next time you want to grab an energy drink! It will be sure to give you a boost!!!

I love the Eco Lips Pure and Simple Lip balm. i received it with one of their cool purple Eco Clip carbiner accessory. So, I can clip it right onto my diaper bag and I never have to sort through all of the junk in the diaper bag to find my lip shine. And, the diaper bag is the perfect place to store this, because the Pure & Simple lip balm is 99% organic, has 100% edible ingredients and is perfect for keeping your kids lips hydrated.. My daughter and I loved trying the grape flavor -- yum! This line also comes in kiwi strawberry and coconut.

As I mentioned, I haven't yet had a chance to try all of the products that were sent to me, but will be sure to post an update, once I've shared them with our team mates for the next season of racing.

Have some fun with the kids!

The Eco Lips website has a fun matching game. Take a peek and have fun playing with your children (or by yourself!). With each round, the level gets more difficult, with more "cards" being added to the mix. Enjoy! http://www.ecolips.com/MatchEm.aspx

The Eco Lips Story (as taken from their website)

Visit Eco Lips online at: http://www.ecolips.com/In the early 1990s, Andrea Danielson began brewing small batches of natural lip balm in her kitchen for her friends and family. She took great care in handcrafting the balm and packaging it in small amber glass jars to preserve the freshness of the pure ingredients. Andrea didn’t realize that by giving a sample of her natural lip creation to Steve Shriver, her life would be changed forever. Having larger than average lips, Steve was continually searching for a better lip balm. When Steve met Andrea in 1995, he immediately fell in love with the lip balm, and moments later he also fell in love with Andrea. They were married in 1997 and Steve, a lifetime entrepreneur, quickly spent Andrea’s life savings on ingredients and packaging for the couple’s first product, Hemp Lip Buzz. By 2003, Steve and Andrea had built a specialized private label natural body care company focusing on making high quality products for many other successful brands. Their company rapidly became a leading natural body care manufacturer in the Natural Products industry. Much of the growth of their business was due to their top sales representative and entrepreneur, Jim King. Working out of his California office, he founded and grew a successful and environmentally friendly promotional products company called Access Eco. He enjoyed the process of building other peoples' brands through promotional products, but something was missing. Jim had a vision of creating a lip balm brand like no other. He became obsessed with lip balm! Jim looked at every lip care brand currently on the market, buying them, one by one, until he had acquired over 200 different samples. From petroleum-based lip care to natural brands, he packed all of these samples and flew to Iowa to meet with Steve about his dream. Jim and Steve spent hours mulling over a 10-foot conference table layered with what would soon become their competition in the lip balm industry. The goal was to create a brand image and an organic formula that would take market share from petroleum-based lip balm brands. Voilà! Eco Lips was born! Jim and Steve swiftly brought the product to market and began raising awareness of the importance of pesticide-free organic products. Today, Eco Lips organic lip balm is handcrafted in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. With the mission of satisfying the needs of every customer, Eco Lips has been first to market with several innovative organic lip care products and packages. With environmental initiatives in place, a focused marketing and sales strategy, award winning packaging, and a relaxed, yet productive work environment, Eco Lips is making its way around the world, one set of lips at a time.

Nuun Active Hydration

Looking for something a little different for your long training run? Hoping to find something more portable?

Nuun (pronounced "noon") active hydration consists of a single tablet. You simply drop a nuun tablet in a 16 oz of bottled water while you are working out and store the small, portable tube of tablets in your pocket or fuel belt. This product is super portable.

Shop online at: http://www.nuun.com/shop2/all-products/

Orders over $50.00 qualify for free shipping in the continental US!!

(Shout Out) Running Moms Rock

Erika and Michelle are to pretty cool running moms. They founded Running Moms Rock to promote the idea that moms can live passionately and fearlessly while improving themselves, their families and their communities in the process.

Visit them online at: http://www.runningmomsrock.com/

Their next 5K run/walk is scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Highland Village, Texas. The event benefits the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton County.

Miles for November

I had a great month of November and am happy to report that I met my weekly goal of 25 miles per week last month. I'm almost to my 2009 goal of 1,200 miles!!

Year-to-Date Mileage: 1,090.9 miles
Number of Miles Needed to Reach 1,200 miles goal: 109.1 miles

November: 101.4 miles
October: 115.3 miles
September: 75.5 miles
August: 67.0 miles
July: 104.6 miles
June: 94.3 miles
May: 116.1 miles
April: 131.1 miles
March: 119.2 miles
February: 100.0 miles
January: 66.5 miles

Running/Marathon Scrapbook Supplies

I use to be a frequent (and obsessed!) scrapbooker before I had my children. Sadly, now that I have subjects to document, and now that I have taken up running in just as an obsessed fashion, I never get around to actually documenting our photos in albums. That doesn't mean that I don't take hundreds (literally!) of photos every month.

After I completed my first (and only to date) full marathon last year, I purchased some supplies to document my journey. And over a year later I still haven't completed a page for that album. I need to do this and it is on my list of 'things to do while we're couped up inside all winter long'.

Does anyone else create albums for their races?

It looks like in the past year, several more patterns and page accents have become available. If anyone is interested, I came across three pages of papers, stickers and page accents at Scrappinstuff.com: http://www.scrappinstuff.com/store/track-field-c-55

Ahhh ... Running Outside

Ahhhh ... I ran outside today for the first time (other than a race) in a long time. Since I'm usually muti-tasking with the kids on the TM or I'm wimpy and staying away from the cold Wisconsin weather, I haven't been outside running in awhile. I had six miles on tap today and we are still having unseasonably "warm" weather here in Wisconsin. Today was a high of 50 degrees.

Shortly after 3PM, I headed outside for my run around the neighborhood ... and it felt GREAT! I couldn't believe I was outside in running shorts and a long-sleeve t-shirt at the end of November1 I got to my first mile marker and was over 45 seconds ahead of my usual pace. I thoroughly enjoyed being outside today. We were feeling a bit "cooped up" this weekend, not having much planned. And I NEEDED to get out of the house today. I loved seeing how my neighborhood landscape changes through the seasons, with the leaves now fallen off of the trees. Things just look different. It seemed like a whole new route today. I loved smelling people burning firewood in their yards, families preparing early meals for the evening and the lovely smell of laundry tumbling around in my neighbors' homes. I had such a great time, I took a few extra turns on my way home and logged an extra mile.

I came home and got the mail and found a lovely package on my doorstep from Michele Bredice Craemer, the author of two of the children's books I spoke of recently. Coco Loves to Tri and Pellie Runs a Marathon. The books were addressed (and signed!) to Paige and Jackson and the kids were SO excited to get mail ... and such special mail at that. We read them before bedtime tonight. Tons more on that later.