Unique Holiday Gifts for Your Little Ones

While making my holiday Wish List on Amazon.com, I came across these really awesome kids running and triathlon related children's books. I thought these were fabulous gift ideas for my children; just another way to share our passion and our healthy and active lifestyle with them. I think it's great!



CoCo Loves To Tri by Michele Bredice Craemer

Run, Dad, Run! by Dulcibella Blackett

See Mom Run by Kara Douglass Thom

Pellie Runs A Marathon by Michele Bredice Craemer

We Are Girls Who Love to Run by Brianna K. Grant

Sick Mommy + No Running = Ick Mommy

Well, after we recovered from Jackson's bought with the H1N1, both kids ended up coming home with colds last week. They seemed better on Saturday for my race, and I was able to enjoy the 5K with my sister, followed by a nice "girly afternoon" alone with Paige at Red Robin and the Kid's Expo.

Then on Sunday I woke up sneezing and could NOT stop. Then the body aches started. I basically didn't get off of the couch on Sunday. Both kids were still hacking up a storm and running warm. I had 9 mi planned for Sunday, but decided to take the day off.

Monday, Paige had off of school for Parent/Teacher conferences and we had a doctor's appointment for her. I still felt crummy and decided not to push myself and took another day off of the treadmill. I ended up taking Jackson to the doctor in the evening, too. And, he has a double ear infection and pink eye in both eyes. So, he had to stay home on Tuesday, too.

So, I stayed home with him today and we just cuddled and played on the computer and watched tv and I still didn't run. I still feel crummy and decided that this one time that I'm just going to listen to my body and not push it. I'm still on target for reaching my 1,200 mile year-end goal. But, I'm still feeling guilty.

I'm feeling icky and bloated. Why do you not crave celery and carrots when you're sick? I've purposely not kept junk food in the house lately, so I'm turning to any "comfort food" I can find in the pantry: sugary cereal, leftover Halloween candy (that is stuff I don't even like!), etc.

I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow and get back into routine with life, diet and exercise.

These last few days has made me realize just how much exercise has become apart of our routine and how much I crave the running and the sweating.

Back to the treadmill on Wednesday.

New 5K PR -- 24:46

The 5K race results are up ... and in my favor!! My new 5K PR is 24:46!!!

24:46 clock time
pace: 7:59 min/mile
43/364 overall
12/255 gender

Race Report: Dane County Girls on the Run 5K

In September, Jason completed Ford Ironman Wisconsin. My sixteen-year-old sister, Kelsey came along with the rest of the family to cheer him on. She had seen me race before, but Ironman is something different. She was inspired enough to ask me to do a race with her in the future. So, of course I took her up on it. And I found out that on November 14, that Girls on the Run for Dane County was hosting the Innaugural 5K in Waunakee, WI (just a few miles from my home). I just love GOTR. The organization promotes getting girls outdoors and build self-confidence through running. It's just so awesome to see these little girls train, make friends and build self esteem, while having the drive to have their little legs compete in a 3.1 mile race! So very cool. Paige did one of their one mile races earlier this year and has also competed in other kids races. I only hope that she will have enough interest to get involved in this organization. I figured that this race was a good "starting race" for Kelsey. Not intimidating at all.



The week of the race, there was a chance for rain in the forecast. But, on race day, it ended up being perfect. at 10:00 AM it was round 50 degrees and the sun was trying to peek through the clouds. It was a perfect morning for a race. Kelsey and I grabbed our bib numbers, my parents took over watching my children and we snapped a few fun photos pre-race and then headed to the start line.

Since this was the first year for this event, I wasn't sure what to expect. But, the turnout was awesome. There were so many little girls and young women competing and then there was also a reasonable amount of seasoned runners competing.

The 5k race looped through neighborhoods in Waunakee, which included two large inclines and hills. I couldn't believe that these little girls could compete on such a hilly course, but they did. I even got passed by a few that were at the front of the pack. It was so cool to see that. The course was a portion of an annual 10 mile race that I like to compete in, so I was really familiar with it. As I approached the finish line, there was a little boy in front of me that was flying the last 1/10 mile. I tried to catch him and someone yelled "Get her!". He sprinted the last few steps and beat me. I crossed the finish line with a huge smile on my face and patted him on the back with a "good job".

I set a new PR, by about 2 minutes. 24:52 according to my watch. The race wasn't chip timed, and the results aren't posted yet. But I am setting my new PR according to my watch time (unless, or course, the results posted are in my favor!!). The 5K I ran earlier this year was cut short, since the lead bike took a wrong turn and it had been early in 2008 when I ran my previous 5K. I was super happy with my time. Sub-25:00 was my goal ... and I did it!!

Kelsey ended up crossing the finish line in 29:05. I was so proud of her for crossing that finish line and doing it well!! Here we are in our Bondi Bands!!

And, here I am with my biggest, little cheerleaders: Jackson (almost 2) and Paige (almost 6). What a great race experience I had today. A great way to end my 2009 racing season.

2010 Racing Schedule

So, I've already been working on my 2010 racing schedule; have you? Am I nuts ... or obsessed?? I think I'mjust trying to stay motivated. I need something on my calendar to keep me motivated and stick to some sort of training program.

I'm only currently signed up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I'm waiting until we complete our holiday shopping, before I go charging away with race entry fees!!

Jason will also be doing the (one or two) full marathon(s) with me next year, as well as several other races, including sprint triathlons and a half Ironman in July.

3/7/2010 - Disney Princess Half Marathon (Orlando, FL)

4/24/2010 - Crazylegs Classic - 4.97 mile run (Madison, WI)

5/30/2010 - Madison Marathon (Madison, WI)

7/?/2010 - Diva Dash (Girls on The Run) 5K (Madison, WI)

7/24/2010 - Waunafest 10 miler (Waunakee, WI)

8/1/2010 - Rock and Roll Chicago Half Marathon (Chicago, IL)

8/21/2010 - Madison Mini (Half) Marathon (Madison, WI)

September/October 2010 - Full Marathon TBD

Race Report: Tyranena Beer Run -- Half Marathon

This Saturday, Jason and I competed in my fifth half marathon of the year and his second. We ran in the Tyranena Beer Run. They called it the "half barrel" route. They also offered a "1/6 barrel" route at the event. The race took place in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.

Tyranena Beer Run: http://www.tyranena.com/beerrun/website.htm

Registration was closed, as the race had met it's 1,500 participant cap. My mom's family is from this small town, so we dropped the kids off with my parents at my grandparent's home and got on our way to the race. We had to park down the street, because the event parking lot was full over an hour before the race. So, we had to park and walk (not far).

I was happy to be racing with Jason again. This was only the second time we had the chance to race together this racing season.

I snagged myself one of these cute ringer-tee's, in my goody bag. Not a technical tee that I'll use for a workout, but at least it was something a little different from the standard white racing t-shirt.

Due to the expected weather for the season, this race starts later than all other races I've competed in. The 1/2 marathon didn't start until 11:30 and the 1/6 marathon didn't start until 12:30. Last year it was very cold and drizzly, I'm told. This year the weather was close to 70 degrees!! It was an awesome November day for racing.

Before the race, I had a breakfast of waffles and yogurt. I also had a banana and a bag of Sports Beans before the race. Unfortunately, I don't think I consumed enough that morning, because I felt famished from mile 1 to mile 13. I just don't think I was ready to race so late in the morning, when I was already for lunch. I really should have planned better.

My dad took this picture around mile 2 and I was already feeling like crap. Just an off day, I guess.

The pre-race email had said that the course was hilly, but that they didn't have an elevation map. I had no clue what was in store for me. In the first half of the course, there were so many hills, and other points of elevation that seemed like hills/mountains, just because I was sick of hills at that point! The second half of the course was relatively flat, so I really welcomed that. A lot of the second half was on the Glacial Drumlin State Trail, which was nice and scenic, but I think that the crushed gravel made me slip a little and I was constantly adjusting my groove.

I never got into a rhythm during this race. I downed a pack of Sports Beans again and a gel, but never felt a rush from either of them. There were four water and Gaterade stations. I feel they should've had more aid stations and more volunteers. I never stop and walk at water stations, but was forced to walk all four times, because I was waiting for them to pour the water/Gaterade. At the last water station, they even ran out of cups. I heard that runners were grabbing used cups from the ground and garbage and filling them up or using their hands. People were really thirsty, because the heat was rising and we had all tackled those huge hills earlier on.

There were so many points on the course that I felt like quitting, but didn't. Once, I even wondered if I was coming down with something, as Jackson had H1N1 earlier that week.

I even gave myself a 10 second countdown to walking at the top of the last hill, around mile 11. I have NEVER walked during the race, and gave in on Saturday. Unfortunately, the small break backfired and I felt like my hips locked up when I started again. The last 2 miles were really tough. I was never so happy to hear the even over the horizon, and the music over the loud speakers. I knew I was getting close.

I had hoped to set a new PR, under 1:55:59, or at least hit my second goal of going sub-two hours. Unfortunately, neither goals were met on race day, although I wasn't too far off.

My chip time was 2:04:35.

overall place: 459 out of 865
division place: 47 out of 131 (22-29 F)
gender place: 153 out of 419
time: 2:04:35
pace: 9:31

Everyone I heard from was about 5-6 minutes off of their goal or expected finish time. So, I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. When I met up with Jason after the race, I just put my head on his shoulder. He must've known how upset I was, because he just said, "That was one tough course". He set a new PR, but was about 4-5 minutes slower than what he was hoping (after all of his Ironman training this season). He finished about 10 minutes ahead of me, and I think he was beginning to wonder where I was on the course.

We stood at the finish line, after we finished, to watch some of our friends to come in. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the event tent, the line was so incredibly long, that we didn't get to redeem our vouchers for free beer or the really yummy looking lasagna.

Despite my time and bad attitude, it was a beautiful day for running and racing and I really am glad I did it. It was nice that many relatives were handy to cheer us on and my grandparents got to see me race for the very first time.

Looking for 26.2 miles to run in the Midwest

So, Jason and I are eager to set the major points of our racing schedule for next year. We would like to run one or two full marathons together in 2010. We're located in Wisconsin and I've already done Chicago. I'm hoping for something MUCH smaller (less crowded) than Chicago, but just as epic. Any suggestions? We're hoping to make a long weekend out of it, while the kids are at grandma and grandpa's. So, it would also be great to find somewhere with other points of interest that we can check out while we're there. May or June 0f 2010, IN THE MIDWEST, is our first target.

The President is in Town!!

This is very unrelated, but President Obama is in town!! My son and I just watched his plane fly over our neighborhood. This is the first time in almost 60 years that a standing President has visited the Mad City. Madison, Wisconsin is going a bit crazy right now. Big excitement for a small town girl.

Continuous Live Coverage on WKOW:
http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/category.asp?C=171814&nav=menu1362_2

Goals for Tyranena Beer Run (Half Marathon)

So, Saturday is my fifth and last half marathon of the 2009 racing season. And, Jason and I are doing it together. I believe this is only our second time racing together this season.

We're both doing the Tyranena Beer Run (half marathon route) in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Ironically, I don't drink beer (have never even managed to down a can of beer in my lifetime). So, I guess he'll be getting my beer tickets after that race!!

Tyranena Beer Run:
http://www.tyranena.com/beerrun/website.htm

My half marathon PR is 1:55:59. I'm trying not to set high goals for myself, but would at least like to set a new personal record, no matter what that number may be. I would be absolutely ecstactic going sub 1:56 again.

I'm a little nervous, because being the multi-tasking mom that I am ... I have done most of training inside on the treadmill, while I'm home with my kids. I can't even remember the last time I ran outside, or did hills. However, I believe that running 12 miles on the treadmill has really pushed me mentally. And, I believe that I set a much faster pace on the treadmill and manually increase my mileage more-and-more over my training runs.

This is my first time doing this race and November is seasonably chilly here in Wisconsin. I believe it may have even flurried last year for this race?! Surprisingly, Saturday's forcast is now 62 degrees!! I can only pray that the forcast doesn't change, that the sun comes out, and that my entire family is healthy, come Saturday morning!!

The little guy was hit with H1N1 this week, and I'm just hoping that the rest of us don't get it by the weekend. Jackson appears to be on the up-side of things and the fever is already gone today. He is in much better spirits this morning.

Update: Year to Date Mileage

Goal for 2009: 1,200 Mi (204.5 Mi and Nine weeks to go!!!)

2009 (to date): 995.5 Mi

November (to date): 6 Mi

October: 115.3 Mi

September: 75.5 Mi

August: 67.0 Mi

July: 104.6 Mi

June: 94.3 Mi

Hotel Gym

We went up to Wisconsin Dells this week, since the kids were out of school. I always like to check out the hotel gym, when we stay somewhere. I got a great laugh out of the name of their gym, EDGE FITNESS. How suitable.

Jason Edge ... You're an Ironman!

As I posted earlier this fall, my husband, Jason, completed Ironman Wisconsin in September and the kids and I are so incredibly proud of him. He did an awesome job!! It was such a long year of training for him and balancing family and work. But, he did it.

I'm so glad I was able to capture this moment on video. Every finisher gets to hear their name announced and they officially call them an Ironman. It's so very memorable and I love that you can hear Paige cheering him on (in between my cries of overhwhelming joy!!).

Jason Edge ... You're an Ironman!

Marathon Mommy Minivan

So ... I begged and I begged and I begged for a mini van since Jackson was born (almost two years ago). My Ford Focus just wasn't cutting it with two kids, the errands, etc. So, my birthday gift to myself was my minivan this year!!! And, it is one of the BEST purchases I've ever made.

I don't think we could've survived this summer without it. We went on so many "destination races" around the midwest, that it was awesome for traveling, throwing in all of our running and triathlon gear and gave us all plenty of room for comfort. We were even able to leave Jason's tri bike in the van and didn' thave to bring it into the hotel rooms with us. It was fabulous.

The mini van was a blessing for the day of Ironman Wisconsin. We had that thing packed with gear, coolers, chairs ... you name it. I had a blast decking out the entire van in support of Jason that weekend.

I even have decked it out and personalized it with some things that are totally "me". I purchased these cute stickers on CafePress this summer. I love that the 26.2 sticker is a little different than the norm and it's a little girly, too.

This is my favorite and I've had a lot of people chuckle at it. My customized liscense plate frame says "Marathon Mommy ... 26.2 miles of peace and quiet". So incredibly true!!!!!

I love how our new family vehicle is totally me and totally an expression of what our family has become ... healthy, active and on-the-go.

Schedule it. Track it . Run it.

Since we've had children our lives have become pretty scheduled (even our unscheduled free time seems to be scheduled!). The four of us seem to thrive on it. I schedule my to do list, schedule some of our meals, schedule date time with the hubby, schedule one-on-one time with both kids individually and I also schedule my workouts.

Since this is my fourth year of "training", I tend to just do what works for me instead of a strict training program (other than full marathon training last year). It has been successful for me, since I've found that races seem to be more mental than anything. I keep getting a little faster with time, so I must be doing something right. Although, I'm sure I would really thrive from a strict training program.

I write all of my workouts on my calendar (and yes, I still keep a paper calendar). When I schedule a half marathon, I alternate my long runs on Sunday, to stay in tune with a true training program. Seeing my workout as an appointment for myself seems to hold me more accountable.

Then, I try to log all of my workouts in my training log for the ENTIRE WEEK. This also holds me more accountable. Who wants to hit the stop button on the treadmill at mile 8, when you're supposed to be running 12 miles that day?? I would feel totally bummed to have to go back in and edit my mileage for that day.

I use the online running log at: http://www.runnersworld.com/

This (below) is my usual (attempted) schedule every week, unless "life gets in the way". I work Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday and am home with my son on Mondays and Fridays. I've adjusted my training schedule to accommodate my "free time".

Since my husband also trains, we have to alternate our time training and our time with our children. I feel like we've found a good balance. In the evenings, one of us usually works out at 8pm (usually me) and the other at 9pm (usually Jason), after the kids are both in bed.

This summer, when Jason was training for Ironman, I didn't usually get all of my workouts or distances in. But, I pretty much tried to stick to this routine. This summer, I was doing my Tuesday/Thursday workouts at 4:15 in the morning before work (I start at 6:30 AM). But, now that Ironman is over, I'm WAY over that!

Sunday - Longish run during morning or afternoon of 9-12 miles

Monday - 6 miles during day on TM with the little guy (day off work)

Tuesday - 3-4 miles in evening on TM or outside

Wednesday - Rest Day

Thursday - 3-4 miles in evening on TM or outside

Friday - 6 miles during day on TM with the little guy (day off work)

Saturday - 3-6 miles during morning or afternoon

I'm really happy if I get about 30 miles in a week.

What holds you accountable for your workouts? I'm interested in hearing what works for you??

Dane County Girls on The Run -- In the News

I love that this made my local news! If you're in the Madison, WI area, please join me on November 14 for another GOTR race, the Innaugural 5K run in Waunakee.

Video: Groups Help Teenagers Feel Better About Their Bodies

Article: http://www.channel3000.com/family/21143016/detail.html

Groups Help Teenagers Feel Better About Their Bodies
Experts Give Advice To Parents

It's not easy for young people these days to feel comfortable with their own body image, some experts say.
Airbrushed images in the media set impossible standards for many young people to meet.
"Society puts an incredible amount of pressure on girls to act a certain way and to conform to a certain standard for beauty and what's OK," said Sara Pickard, executive director of Girls On The Run, a local program that helps pre-teen girls feel good about themselves both physically and emotionally.
Pickard said there are some things that parents can do to help their children during this impressionable age.
"The main mission of girls on the run is to help educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self respect and healthy living," she said. "We target girls in (the) third, fourth and fifth grades because it's at that critical age where we can really make the most impact."
About 20 years ago, the average age of a girl who started dieting was 14. Today, it's 8 years old, WISC-TV reported.
A recent study by Seventeen magazine found young girls are more afraid of getting fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer or losing their parents.

However, girls exposed to physical activity have higher levels of self esteem, experts said.
"They really do learn that it's as important and more important actually to celebrate and really understand what our bodies can do instead of focusing on what our bodies look like," Pickard said.
Girls who are dissatisfied with their bodies often turn to cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeon Dr. Clifford King said he spends a lot of time counseling teenagers considering such procedures.
“You don't want to have someone have surgery because somebody said something to them," he said. "I think it's important that that person feels themselves that they want to have the surgery and not because someone said to them, 'Your nose is large.'"
Nationally, the number of such cosmetic surgery procedures is on the rise, but surgery isn't always the answer.
"I think if they're overall just unhappy with themselves, addressing one area of their appearance is not going to make a real big difference on the other end of the surgery," King said.
King said parents of girls and boys need to be very careful about criticizing their own bodies. Even subtle comments about feeling fat or looking fat in certain clothes can be more destructive than you think.
Girls On The Run is hosting a 5K run in Dane County on Nov. 14. The event, in Waunakee, is open to the public.
Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000.

Edge Multisport

My husband, Jason, is currently working hard on promoting our multisport team of athletes and I personally wanted to share a bit about our group of "non elite" athletes.

EDGE MULTISPORT is an exclusive multisport team consisting of ameteur endurance athletes. Our athletes are runners, cyclists (road and mountain), and triathletes of all genders, beliefs, and goals. Based in the Madison, WI area with athlete representation in Colorado, and North Carolina, membership is by exclusive invitation, and provides benefits to its members thanks to unique corporate sponsorship.Founded in 2009, EDGE MULTISPORT promotes and encourages its athletes to compete and train together at a challenging level. Not exclusive to elite athletes, EDGE Multisport is however exclusive to athletes who promote team concepts and non-snobbery. Some of our athletes just happen to be elite. Additionally, EDGE MULTISPORT is assembled based on the ability of our athletes to be positive brand ambassadors for our corporate sponsors as well as for our respective athletic abilities.

Visit us online at: http://www.edgemultisport.com/

Product Review: owater -- come for the label; come back for the taste

After my recent post about owater , I received a follow-up email from Amy from owater! She noticed I hadn't actually tried the product I was raving about and offered to send me some samples to try! How awesome is that?! A few days later, this lovely box arrived at my door, filled with owater products. I was able to try a variety of infused owater and unsweetened owater flavors.

I had a longish run planned for Sunday, of 10 miles (on the treadmill, ugh!). So, I decided to give it a try. I tried a bottle of strawberry unsweetened owater, followed by the infused owater in coconut flavor. I must say, I had the MOST AWESOME long treadmill run experience to date. I never even opened up my package of Sports Beans!! Which is completely unheard of in my world. The unsweetened strawberry was awesome and refreshing. The strawberry taste wasn't overly-sweet or over-powering. It was just right, to quench my thirst. ZERO CALORIES and ELECTROLYTE ENHANCED. That 20 oz bottle went down like a charm. During the second half of my workout, I tried the infused coconut-flavored water. The 17 foz bottle has approximately 70 calories, 9 g carboyhydrates and has ELECTROLYTES. I must say, I was really interested in this coconut flavor and admittedly a little scared during my first gulp. I wasn't sure what to expect. But, it was the coolest thing ever. The after-taste had just a little bit of coconut flavor ... just the right amount. At one point (maybe I was going a little crazy 80 minutes into my treadmill run), I was pretending I was running on the beach! Needless to say, I had a great experience using owater during my training run. I never felt sluggish or overly thirsty. I felt energetic and had a bounce in my step the entire 90 mins I was on the treadmill.

To date, I have also tried the unsweetened wild berries flavor (not while working out). It was just as good and refreshing. I enjoyed trying these out and can't wait to try the other flavors I have been offered to try. I will surely by more, the next time I see them at the store.

I loved that the beverage was clear and had no articificial colors. How many of us worry about making a mess during a long run, only to find out later that we've stained our cute, new running top? How many times have you poured the Gatorade over your head instead of the water?! No problem with this stuff!!

I must also note that the bottles are really nice and sturdy -- especially those used to hold the infused version. I'm saving them to refill, because they are so nice; not to mention the cute labels on the front!

And, these labels. They are the cutest things I've ever seen! And each one has a story. You are sure to find someone JUST LIKE YOU!!!! I love it. That's what initially attracted me to this product.

That's why I've titled this post "come for the label; come back for the taste"

Check out all of the labels online at: http://www.owater.com/people/index.php

Infused owater:

Infused owater is everything you want from a sports drink and none of the junk you don't. It's pure water with replenishing electrolytes and revitalizing antioxidants. The formula is clear and all natural and not too sweet.

-40% less sugar than others inthe sports drink category

-Sweetened witha touch of pure cane sugar

-Unique owater electrolyte and antioxidant formula

-Refreshing, all-natural fruit flavors for great taste

-Clear--product has no added coloring or neon hype

-Diverse flavor mix including coconut and blueberry

Unsweetened owater:

Unsweetened owater is the perfect electrolyte drink with a little bit of natural fruit flavor and no sugars or fake sweeteners. It's complete hydration that's refreshing and not sweet. Think of a glass of cool water with a slice of lemon ... or lime, strawberry, peach, wild berries or mandarin orange! No sugar. No sweeteners. Electrolyte enhanced.

-ZERO CALORIES PER BOTTLE

-No sugars or artificial sweeteners

-Natural fruit flavor profile

-Clean and refreshing real fruit taste

-owater electrolyte formula for complete hydration

Sport owater:

Sport owater is simply that; pure water charged with replenishing electrolytes. Sport owater helps keep your body in balance and your head in the game, no matter what the sport. It's a completely hydrating water for atheletes. ZERO CALORIES!

Check out owater online at: http://www.owater.com/

Displaying your Accomplishments (a little prettier)

I'm always looking for a better (and a little prettier!) way to display our medals and accomplishments. I came across these awesome display racks online.

They sell them for virtually every sport and interest, or can get them customized for you.

They even have one that particularly interests me!! ...


Visit Heavy Medalz online at: http://www.heavymedalz.com/

Exhausted from Running (and I'm not talking about me)

Jackson insisted on wearing a Bondi Band today, when I went for my morning run on the treadmill. I tried to give him one that wasn't quite so girly.

He was good, as usual, while I was running. He really does love going down there. The last mile he was really quite. When I usual hit the stop button to end my workout, he always claps and cheers and says "all done" and gives me the biggest grin.

Today, however he was zonked out on top of his toys. Totally priceless!

A Surprise on the Scale.

I got on the scale this morning after breakfast and a six mile run. I haven't been on the scale in 3-4 weeks, because I've been trying to avoid it for some reason. I was down another 3.5 lbs! I couldn't believe my eyes. I'm the lightest I've been since before getting preggers with Jackson in April 2007. I can't believe it!!

I've been watching what I eat, with an occassional treat (pumpkin pie malt from Culvers, homemade brownies at my mother-in-laws!).

I've been eating a lot of fish, meat and tons of fresh produce and yogurt. Portion control has really been helping me, too.

Workout Room (Not Fancy, but Functional)

We live in Wisconsin. Enough said. You are lucky if you get six months out of the year to run outside. We have a membership to our local YMCA (mostly for Jason to swim and for the kids' swim lessons), but it is hard to get there with the kids and Paige is now too old for the free daycare services that they offer.

We have had our treadmill since 2000 or 2001. I only used it for walking until 2005, when we both started running. I still can't believe it's still running after all of the running we've logged on that thing over the long winter months.

Our house is a tri-level and we have a fourth level that is unfinished with our utilities and storge. This is where we have kept our treadmill since we moved in and it has developed into a handy home gym. It's not pretty, but it works. It's easy to head down there with the kids or to workout after the kids go to bed.

I'd love to eventually have the basement finished off, or at least drywalled. I did have someone come out last Winter (after I was getting sick of the Wisconsin winter). But, he quoted me $7,000 - $13,000 to do it. So, we're making do with what we have and are trying to take advantage of the convenience factor.

Our treadmill is next to the wall (and sadly, the insulation!). I have a small tv that we (and the kids) watch while we workout. Jason also has a trainer, which he brings his bike inside for training purposes. We're also always running an old box fan that helps keep us cool down there and it helps circulate the air a little. We have foam flooring, which we purchased at Walmart. The sections piece together like a puzzle. We also have some weights that Jason uses (and I need to use!).

I also keep a playpen for Jackson, in which I change up the toy selection!! Jackson really does like it down there and begs to workout with me. Paige did not have the same attitude about it when she was little!

This shelving unit is my favorite area. It includes some memorabilia and a lot of photos of us racing and with the kids at our events. I need to put some updated photos on display, but that will be a project for this Winter. I love reminiscing while I workout and glance over at these memorable moments. I also keep a basket of fun, brightly colored towels for toweling off after a workout.

An Ironman Wisconsin Print I picked up at Madison's Art Fair on the Square, a couple of trophies we won at a local 5K a few years back and a photo of Jason and Paige hugging after he crossed the finish line at his first triathlon (so memorable!).

This section includes some of our bigger accomplishments ... our first marathon memorabilia. Including Mickey Mouse in his running gear. I'm hoping that they have a Minnie Mouse version at the Disney Princess Half Marathon in March! This area now also includes all of Jason's Ironman collectibles from last month.

This is our bulletin board of glory and triumph. Jason's side is the left and mine is the right. I'm tempted to expand into a bulletin board for each of our individual accomplishments. We each keep our bib numbers for one full calendar year on a safety pin. So each grouping represents one calendar year. We each race about ten times a year. Jason also prints off a sticker with the race name, date, finish time and pace and places that information on the back of each racing bib. I've also included all of our hardware (medals) and other things we've collected along the way.


Look at all of those running bibs!! I don't even want to think about how many $1,000 we've spenty on race entry fees!!

The framed quote can be purchased on our Cafe Press website:
http://www.cafepress.com/enduranceshop

The other cute sign "The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" was purchased at Target. I love it.

That's it. Not fancy, but functional. It works. In fact, I better head down there with the little guy right now!!

Run Happy

Brought to you by my favorite brand of running shoes ... Brooks ...

Click on the image and check out the interactive website, videos and more. Enjoy.

RUN HAPPY!

Sports Beans

My favorite fuel during my long training runs and races is definitely Sports Beans by Jelly Belly. They are just as tasty as the original Jelly Belly jelly beans, but Sports Beans also have the added carbs, electrolytes, and vitamins B and C.

I first discovered these yummy, little running candies as I trained for my first full marathon. They are affordable (only about $1.00/pack), super tasty and store easily in your pockets. At only 100 calories a pack they are super affordable on your calorie budget for the day, too.

I usually have a packet pre-race, since I have trouble downing too much before I get to the finish line. I also carry a pack in my running shorts. I simply empty them right into the pocket of my shorts and grab a few as I need them. The serving size works out great for a half marathon. I simply take two every 2-3 miles and I'm good to go. They give me a burst of energy each time.


My favorite flavors are orange and fruit punch. The EXTREME cherry and watermelon are not only EXTREMELY tasty, but they also have 50 mg of caffeine, to give you that extra boost when you need it.

Check Sports Beans out online at: http://www.sportsbeans.com

I run for me.

Running was the very first thing I did for MYSELF as a new mommy. Seriously, Paige was 21 months when I did that very first run on the treadmill. That run was one of the very few, early times that I took a break from "being mommy" and was just Jamie for thirty minutes. After going on that treadmill for the first time, I realized that doing something for myself wasn't bad or selfish. It actually did something good. It made me a better mommy. It allowed me to take a break from life and do something for me ... that was good.

Our kids are now old enough to know that mommy and daddy NEED to workout. Not necessarily just because our training schedules say that we NEED to run six miles, but that our life requires it now. It is apart of us. Our little guy even points to the door to the basement and begs to go downstairs to his play area to go "runn-nee" with mommy. Our kindergartener has competed in a handful of kids races and seems to enjoy them and says she "feels great" afterwards. And both of them cheer us on for most of our road races and Jason's triathlons. It is apart of all of us now. And, I love it.

And, guess what my Road ID bracelet says? I run for me.

Always good to come home from a long run
to these two smiling faces.

Running with Music

Do you run with music? During my first year of running, I HAD to have my mp3 player with me at all times on a run, or else I didn't think I had it in me to finish my training run or race. Well, at the start of my first half marathon (which was a HUGE deal to me at the time) in May 2006, my mp3 player wouldn't start. That battery wasn't dead. It always had some issue with starting after I loaded new songs on it. And, of course I loaded a huge "mega mix" the night before, to get me througth the long 13.1 mile journey ahead of me. And, of course I didn't check the thing to make sure it would start again!! So, I struggled and struggled with it at the finish line. I ended up seeing Jason right before the gun went off and threw it to him and went on my journey without my tunes. It was a great experience! This being my first "big race", I took in my surroundings, nature and the crowd support. It got me through it and I finished ... without music. I haven't listened to music while running ever since. And, I love it.

Running Skirts

Sadly, with the change of seasons, I was cleaning out my drawers yesterday. I came across my two messy drawers of running clothes (one drawer for tops, the other for bottoms). I came across two running skirts that I had forgotten about!!! Awesome -- it was like having new running gear all over again! I put one on and it was HUGE -- Awesome, again! This just proved that although I wasn't droppign the pounds like crazy right now, that my consistent workouts and attention to diet ARE INDEED paying off!! Nothing is worse then putting on blue jeans after a beautiful summer, only to realize you can't get them on over your hiney!!

I did wear one of my "new" running skirts yesterday and purchased a super cute number at Target this weekend. Those things are simply awesome! So cute and so incredibly comfortable. I simply can't stand it!

I came across these fashionable numbers online at: http://www.runningskirts.com



They totally must've had ME in mind when they designed these (my daughter was the only 3 year old that thought leopard was a color!!)!! I need to get my hands on one of these someday!!

I also love that they sell them for little girls!! Paige would totally dig one of these too. I'm debating getting her one for her Disney Princess kids' race in March.

Check out the little running divas in their video at: http://www.runningskirts.com/miniskirts.html

For all you mommies-to-be, they also make maternity skirts!!!

owater -- pretty cool stuff!

I came across owater on another mommy running blog, that I follow: http://fitnessformommies.net/

owater features 'real life people' on their labels. They simply promote their product at local studios and races and hand out samples to athletes. People obviously have fallen in love with this stuff and then they celebrate their stories and active, healthy lifestyle and give them their own label. How cool is this?

I love Rachel's label of her toting her little one in the bike trailer!!

I actually ran across this stuff at a natual/whole foods store in downtown Milwaukee, earlier this summer. I wish I would've picked a few up to try. They must be great, tasty drinks if so many athletes have fallen in love with the product. What a great idea!

Check owater out online at: http://www.owater.com/people/index.php

Visit Rachel's blog at: http://fitnessformommies.net/

Miles to Date

September 2009 - 75.5 miles

Year-to-date - 874.2 miles

Goal for 2009: 1,200 miles (1,001 miles last year)

Miles til goal: 325.8 miles

Needless to say, I better hit it hard the next three months!!!!!

Get the kiddos involved

I came across this cute coloring page online. You can access the PDF file, but clicking on the image above. I hope your little ones enjoy!! I know mine will!