What a year! And looking forward!

I ran my first stand alone 5k and my first marathon this year.  I did another sprint triathlon and the Ocean Drive 10 mile race for the second time.  I ran a total of 964.79 miles and I am thrilled with it.  It was really my first year of training for something and only my second full year of running.  I started running in September of 2008. 

I survived another year with my two boys and L survived another year.  That kid will be lucky if he makes it through childhood in one piece!  I will be lucky if I survive his childhood too.  He sure is a tough one. 

John and I celebrated our 5th anniversary with a 4 day trip without the boys.  That was a first for us. 

On to 2011!!!

My goals for this year are and how I plan on achieving each...

• PR in the Ocean Drive 10 mile the end of March.  Following a half marathon plan, doing intervals, and working on speed.
• Run another full marathon and PR.  I have a rough time goal in my mind right now but won't set that until the summer.  The marathon will be in November again, either NYC or Philly. 
• Lose 15 pounds.  I am sticking with WW
• Plan and prepare healthier meals for the family.  Plan ahead, offer and encourage the boys to try new things, modify recipes to make them healthier.
• Spend more one on one time with each of my boys.  I would like to spend 15-20 minutes with J after L goes to bed each night.  I already spend longer than that with L in the morning since he wakes up earlier than J.  I also plan on turning the tv off!
• Take care of myself and feel "put together" on a daily basis.  I have already taken steps to work on this one!  I bought a few new shirts, had a makeup lesson last night and bought all new makeup, and just taking the time for ME!!

Thoughts and prayers for a fellow runner

I logged on this morning and saw some blog posts about a runner who was hit by a car on Tuesday.  Here is a blog post with some details BLOG.  Please keep her and her family in your thoughts as they go through this difficult time. 

Now What?

I have been asking myself this for the past month.  What do I want to do now?  What do I want to accomplish in 2011?  What changes do I want to make? 

To start with, I want to lose the 5 pounds I seem to have found since the marathon and then another 15! 

Last year I wrote a list of 8 things I wanted to do in 2010.  My list is at home but I believe I did 7 of those things.  The final item of an Olympic Triathlon will make it on my 2011 list!  I plan on thinking about this list over the next few days and posting it by the end of the weekend. 

Some family pictures!

We had family pictures done 10 days ago and I am in love!!  I posted quite a few and I could have kept posting!!  I love my three boys!  The pictures were done by the fabulous Kat at www.kapturedbykat.com  If you are in the Philadelphia area, make sure you check her out!!



I was tagged!

I was tagged last week and have a few minutes to answer a few questions.  I was tagged by http://runkerrirun.blogspot.com/

1. What are you most excited about for the coming new year? What resolutions will you make and do you think you'll stick to 'em?

On the race front, I am excited about doing the Ocean Drive 10 mile run again in March.  It was my first race 2 years ago and this will be my first year that I really have a time goal in my head.  I feel like I have something to prove to MYSELF this year!  I am also excited to train for my second marathon.  It will be either NYC or Philly in November.

On the non race front, I am excited to continue to experience life with my husband and boys!  As the boys get older, we can start to do so many things with them.

I don't really have resolutions.  Last year I made a list of 5 or 6 things I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year.  I plan on making another list the beginning of the year.  The things on my list won't be things I want to change.  Instead they are things I can cross off as I do them!


2. When you go into a coffee shop, what do you order? (not necessarily coffee)
  HAHA!!!  I am too cheap to buy coffee drinks at a coffee shop!  I usually make my coffee at home or work.  If I am somewhere, I like iced lattes!
3. What was the first blog you followed? Do you still? And what is your favorite blog to read? 
The first blog I followed was my friend Amy.  http://thecavkids.blogspot.com/  Unfortunately she does not post much anymore!  My favorite blog would probably be Steve in a Speedo?! Gross!!

4. Do you speak/read any other languages?
Nope, wish I did though.

5. This spin off of FB: If you and your mom/dad ended up in jail together and you could only say 4 words, what would they be?  Sure I wasn't adopted?

6. What was your favorite show growing up? Can you sign the theme song? (I don't think Fresh Prince should count on this one.... everyone can sing that theme song)  Not really growing up because it started when I was 18 but it would have to be 7th Heaven!  And no way I could sing the theme song off the top of my head. 
7. What is your most memorable race moment?
Philly Marathon!  Just crossing the finish line.  I worked so hard for that moment.  Everything I did fitness and training wise this past year was to cross that finish line.
8. What's the coldest you've ever run in and what did you wear?
I am a big baby when it comes to running in the cold.  I just won't do it.  I will never sign up for a marathon in January regardless of where it is.  I just can't imagine 20 mile runs in NJ in December.  The coldest was probably Philly marathon where it was high 30's at the start.  I knew it would warm up quickly so I wore capris, a short sleeve shirt, and arm warmers.  The arm warmers were gone by mile 4!


And now I get to tag a few people and ask them some questions!!

I tag Julie, Abbi, Sherry, Amy, and Erika!

1.  Do you have a favorite race you do every year?  Where and why?
2.  What is your biggest accomplishment of 2010?
3.  What is your favorite breakfast?
4.  What is your favorite holiday memory (can be any holiday)?
5.  If you could live anywhere to train, where would it be?
6.  Any plans for New Years Eve?  I will be home alone with two kids so I hope someone has some good plans!!!

Three Things Thursday

1.  Is it Friday yet?  This week has been so slow and I cannot wait for the weekend.  Of course some of our weekend plans will probably be ruined due to weather but that is ok.  I am hoping to get our tree this weekend and my sister is coming over on Saturday to bake cookies!

2.  I am totally not feeling the new Weight Watchers plan but I am trying to give it a chance.  I gained 2 pounds last week so I am feeling kinda negative about the plan.  This week I am doing a modified new and old plan.  We will see what the scale says on Monday.

3.  I took a few measurements the day after the marathon to start to gauge improvement that way.  I am going to take the same measurements after 30 days and see what is going on!  I am hoping to tone up over the winter!

I feel like me again!

Have you ever just nailed a run?  Have you ever feel 100 times better after a run?  Have you ever felt whole again after a run?

That is how I felt last night.  Because of sick kids, I missed my morning run yesterday.  My husband was leaving for work at the time I try to hit the treadmill and J was tossing, turning, and crying.  I knew I would be 1/2 mile into my run and he would be screaming for me and wake up his little brother.  I made the decision to skip the morning run and move it to an evening run.  I now hate and dread running at night but I knew I had to do it last night.  Boy was I glad I ran!

It was not a long run.  It was not even intervals.  It was 4 miles at a steady pace followed by 4 20 second sprints.  For the first time since the marathon, I felt like me again after that run! 

Not Running Makes Me Crazy

This is a proven fact!  Since the marathon this is what I have done...

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - arms and shoulders
Wednesday - Trainer ride
Thursday - 3.3 mile run
Friday - 30 minute Trainer ride and Chest/Back
Saturday - rest
Sunday - run intervals
Monday - Rest (was sick on Sunday)
Tuesday - Run 4.07 miles
Wednesday - 25 minute trainer ride and Arms/Shoulders

This is not enough running to keep me sane!  I have been a mad woman for the past 24 hours.  I will admit it.  I just told my husband I need to get back to running more and he did not disagree with me.  Clearly I am mad!