Love is...

New sneaks!!!

I should be embarrassed to say this but I am not.  I sat on my couch and sniffed them for about 10 minutes the night I got them!  I wore them a few times and my feet love them.  I am not putting them in my sneaker rotation quite yet.  I still have some mileage left on the two pairs I have been rotating but this was a sale I could not pass up!

Getting ready for chaos!

Some changes are happening and I am not ready for it!  I am not ready for the chaos that is about to begin.  L is unexpectedly starting daycare/school next week because my mom is having surgery and won't be able to watch him for at least 6 weeks.  I have the next few days to pick up some things he will need for school.  John is working 5:30 am every day next week so that means I am on my own getting the kids up, dressed, fed, and out the door to wherever they need to be!  I have to be honest and say I am not looking forward to that aspect of these changes. 

In all of this, I need to make sure I am going to bed early so I can get up super early and run!  It is going to be interesting!

Run for the Bling of It!

I have decided to join a challenge for bloggers this year...Run for the Bling of it!  The idea of the challenge is to participate in 12 races in 2011, ideally a per month.  I am already behind because I know I will not be doing a race in January.

Right now I am registered for a 10 mile run in March, a marathon in May, and a half marathon in August.  I definitely have some planning to do!  I hope to run another fall marathon and 2-3 triathlons this year.  I will fill the rest of the races in with 5ks.  I am excited about this because I have stayed away from 5ks in the past since I am not a fast runner.  I hope to get involved more with the local running community this year and this challenge will push me to do it!

What a week! And three things Thursday!

I cannot wait for it to be Friday!  We are going out for dinner tomorrow night with my husband's parents, and his brother and wife.  We are leaving the kiddos at home.  I may even pour myself a glass of wine before the babysitter arrives at our house.

We have a lot going on right now and some of it is too personal to write about here.  Here are my Three Things Thursday...

1.  John is a restaurant manager and will be losing an assistant next week.  He has no idea when the assistant will be replaced.  His restaurant is on University of Pennsylvania's campus so he is pretty busy right now.  Losing a manager means more nights, longer days, and weekend shifts.  Loads of fun!  I am also gearing up for my busy season and will work some longer days and Saturdays.

2.  My mom had a hip replacement three years ago.  Back in December her hip popped out and she hit the ground pretty hard.  My dad called 911, took her to the hospital, and they popped it back in.  She has been recovering but sore.  Well, hip popped out again.  My poor little 2 year old was there both times and watched Nana fall and not be able to move.  My sister thinks he reenacted her falling this morning for her.  He fell to the ground, got up and said Nana went to the hospital and is all fixed.  Yesterday was rough because we were unsure what was going to happen and if they would need to operate.  Thankfully she came home today fitted with a brace and no surgery!

3.  I have three runs left for the week.  One run will be tonight on the treadmill.  The last two will be outside this weekend in freezing cold weather.  It is supposed to be 21 degrees on Saturday and 23 on Sunday.  I will be out there running!

23 degrees is CHILLY!!!

I did it!  I ran this morning in freezing cold temps.  I can't say I enjoyed it but I did it and will do it again.  I was out the door right at 8:00.  I wanted to be home by 9 because I had to leave the house around 10 to get J to karate.  It was a slow run due to the ice and snow on the road but it was a run.  I am sitting here hours after my run wishing I could run outside tomorrow.  I might be able to depending on what time my husband gets home from work.  I have to wait until naptime at 2 to run anyway.  It might just work.  I can't believe I am already thinking about another outdoor run in this cold weather. 

Time to HTFU!

I have said it before and I will say it again, I hate running outside in the cold.  Actually, I hate the cold in general.  I have always hated the snow but this is the first year that I hate everything about winter and the cold.  I am more than happy to just hibernate in my house. 

I do all of my running from November to March on the treadmill in my basement and I am ok with that but I think it is time to HTFU!  I will still have to do the majority of my runs on the treadmill because of timing issues.  I will not run outside in the dark by myself and I run early in the morning or late in the evening.  My goal for the next three months is to get one weekly run done outside.  Unless I find a running partner who wants to run at 8pm, that one weekly run will be a weekend run. 

I will start this weekend!!

Mandatory Bike Registration Proposed in NJ Legislature

It looks like an Assemblywoman in NJ has lots of free time.  She has introduced Bill A3657 that if passed would require all bicycles ridden on public highways or public land in NJ to pay a $10 biennial (24 mo.) registration fee or face a $100 fine for each offense.

This bill would require bicycles ridden on public highways or lands to be registered with the Motor Vehicle Commission and display license plates.  Bicycle registrations would be valid for two years, and the commission could charge up to $10 as an annual registration fee to defray the costs of the program. The bill specifies that if the owner of a bicycle is under 15 years of age, the owners parent or guardian may register it in their stead.


A person who violates any of the bicycle registration provisions would be subject to a fine up to $100 for each offense. In addition, the bill authorizes the chief administrator to suspend or revoke a bicycle registration for any violation of the laws, rules, or regulations regarding their operation.

I am bothered by this for several reasons.  A bill like this will actually discourage people from doing something active and good for them.  Let's face it...people are going to consider not buying a bike and exercising because this is just another thing they have to do.  We all know it. 

I own 2 bikes, my road bike at home and a hybrid at the beach.  My older son has a bike at our house, my inlaws beach house, and my parent's house.  My younger son will have the same amount of bikes when he learns to ride a bike.  I am sure at some point my husband will own a bike.  If this bill passes, my family will have to pay $90 annually to ride our bikes. 

What about a low income family that can't afford to pay $10 for each of their kids to ride a bike legally? 

I do think it would be amusing to see the license plates on bikes at triathlons!

I want to know how us cyclists will benefit from this!

And the Countdown Begins!

18 weeks until I run my second marathon.  I just registered for the 8th Annual Christiana Care Health System Delaware Marathon Running Festival on May 15th!!

A few Friday thoughts

1.  It has been a rough running week for some reason.  I have had a hard time getting out of bed in the morning to run.  I ran 7.35 Tuesday night, rest on Wednesday, and then slept in yesterday.  I did not feel like running last night so I went to bed early.  I was actually up and getting dressed to run this morning when J started sobbing in his sleep.  He was having nightmares and it was just me home with the boys this morning.  I climbed back into bed with him.  I nailed my run tonight!

2.  I am really itching to run another full marathon.  I am looking at a few in May because I really do not want to wait until November to run another.

3.  I think we are potty training L starting tonight.  He looked so cute wearing little boy underwear tonight.  This kid is dangerous and has already peed on me.  Pointing down while peeing is clearly not fun.  He needs to point it all around and giggles when he pees all over the place, especially on me.  Gonna be interesting!!

4.  I am on the third book of the Hunger Games series and I can't stop reading.  I am afraid to even think about how late I may be up reading tonight. 

5.  I will be deciding this weekend if I will be doing a marathon in May.  I will have decided to wait or I will be registered for one!