Fast Running Mommy

I forgot to finish my run after Amanda and I finished together today but I'm already dressed and ready for the day so maybe I'll add more tonight maybe not. I'm really excited about life because I've started waking up at 5:45 and I've been better about reading scriptures, showering before my kids wake up and having breakfast ready for them...all because I'm getting up an hour earlier and getting my run done while they are asleep. I loved having my mother in law here but I was getting up at 7 or later and not getting home until they were up and eating breakfast already. 

It was hard getting up these last couple of days but I really feel my days go better when I get up early. I'm more organized in the morning and I've noticed that Joseph has been happier the last couple of days. For awhile I was putting him in time outs constantly to deal with his temper tantrums...He hasn't had any at all for the last two days which is a huge breakthrough for him and a huge break for me....

Enjoying my runs with my new partner

Ran by myself today but felt  good to go my own pace

Managed to get three miles in and.....a new kitchen table that fits perfectly in our kitchen. All I need know is a little wooden high chair that matches the table and doesn't stick out to much to block the passage to the stairs. I'll be on the look out for one. The way we got the table is from some neighbors that were about to take it to DI and just happened to ask us if we wanted it while I was on my third lap in the rain pushing the double stroller around the block so I could get somewhat of a run it....see running does pay. It was a huge blessing but not as big as the blessing that our dearest friend Ted or Army Runner is alive and well and can go on running and living a normal life....read his blog for details. We may not have all made our goals this year but at least we are here still progressing. My heart goes out to all of you who didn't make the time you wanted and my cheer goes up for those who did. We love you all

Did my five...was kind of dragging today...maybe sitting all weekend wore me out......can't figure 

Just want to say to everyone that I met this weekend..it was wonderful to see all of us together at the party..people that were strangers brought together with love and determination to meet their goals. You guys are all awesome and we love having you on our blog!!! 

Warmed up at 2;24 a quarter pace and I think we held it...might have slowed down a bit but the Garmin ran out of juice.

Stopped a bit short because I wanted to save my legs for the hike we were going to do in the afternoon. We hiked to Timp Caves...not a hike I would recommend for people with lots of little kids unless you have help...It was beautiful and humbling..not too intense but considering I was carrying a baby...a little bit more work than by myself. The only problem was the narrowness of the trail and the drop offs....I'm still having a little stress thinking about what if someone had fallen. We didn't though and all made it up and down safely..and it was worth it to see the spectacular beauty of the caves. They were fabulous. And it was worth it to see the pure delight on my little kids faces. Jacob, the baby, was especially worth it. He was very animated clapping and babbling, pointing and cooing...who says they don't understand anything. Joseph had a great time too. With wide eyes he said with confidence, "We're not stuck in the caves, Mommy...." It was great..but I don't think we'll be doing it any time soon. Thanks to Elizabeth and Ted and James for all your help and for your wonderful company.

My poor running partner had to drag through at 11:30 pace or so while my legs were recovering a bit from our hike yesterday. Still got in 5!!

I think I'm going to be brave next week and throw in a few six milers...in hopes that I get pregnant with our 6th child.....

My running partner Amanda and I did five together today. She did very well and would like to start running five with me 3 times a week. 

Later today we went to the planetarium with some friends and their children. It is a fun and cheap field trip since BYU only charges 50 cents a person.  

I did it!!! I did a tempo run after being scared of doing them for a few months.....aren't you proud of my crumpy? (that's why I was calling this morning)

My overall time was awesome(for me) 15:51

Here's the spilts:

1;51

2:03

2:00

2:01

2:00

2:00

1;58

1:52

I'm a little worried about how I'll manage to recover from this run (which is why I stopped doing tempo runs) I've got laundry to do today and I want to can salsa this afternoon. I guess I can crash tomorrow but I hate telling my kids I can't do things because I'm too tired....we'll see how it goes...I'm excited because when I was doing the tempo runs (that were killing me) before I couldn't go that fast. I was lucky to do 8:20 miles. Yay for faster times.  I may need one of those shirts so I can go chick some boys!! Of course Benjamin was quick to point out that he can still run faster than me in case I was getting prideful(which of course I'm not since I know this is a lot of girls training pace but it felt good to know I'm at least improving)

Okay...now comes the real triumph for me....I was able to run a tempo run yesterday, take care of my family normally, and even can homemade salsa in the evening(which is a fairly big job)....and run my normal 5 miles at about 11:00 minute mile pace today....WITHOUT CRASHING (this is the key phrase...anyone can do all those things and wear themselves out any day) 

I'm so happy to be at this point. I realize for me anyway that each time I have a child I'm sacrificing my fitness a bit because I can't stay in that type of shape during pregnancy and when I have a new baby to take care of. I lose it every time and then it takes me awhile to get it back. The sacrifice is totally worth it for me because I have a testimony of the sacred calling I have as a mother...as many LDS women do and have been taught to do. However...it is a triumphant day for me when I can see that despite my sacrifices and my time away from being fit that I am back to a level that I can feel very happy about. 

I am also grateful to Sasha for being dogmatic about not giving up and helping me stay consistent. I would not have been able to do it on my own personally because I am not an athlete and wasn't trained as one as a child. Like Michelle likes to say...some bodies are forced to run... 

I was tempted to do six today but decided to come home and shower before the babies all wake up. Looking forward to a beautiful day!!

After a fairly miserable night I finally went downstairs to sleep at about 4:30 a.m and decided to sleep in and not get up at 5:45. Jakey my baby decided to moan and groan about the stuffed nose he had and keep me awake ALL NIGHT!! I feel okay and did my five. I even took my kids to what we affectionately call" The COOLEST park" We met my sister Becky there and had a perfect warm fall day playing at this really big really cool park. I love taking my kids places. 

yay...I got 30 this week. Actually 31 because I ran a mile I didn't blog ...too lazy to get back on last night and put it on. My mom and I went to a play today....amazing how refreshed I came back feeling after being about to sit and breathe for 3 hours. I missed my kids enough to come back after only 3 hours which was also a good feeling. I love my kids.

Today felt better than Sat. I was watching the miles and dragging my feet on Sat. Today it just kind of flew by and before I knew it we had run 4.5....nice to only have a 1/2 mile left.  I'm excited for family home evening tonight because we are going to have our first family council. There was a lesson about it in Relief Society last week that impressed me and I want to try to have a positive problem solving session. Sasha recently quoted our friend in our last ward as saying to a group of men working on setting up a stage together, "Guys...don't notice a problem unless you have a solution" I like that and I'm going to take it on  as our family's creed. We want to work together as a family. Noticing a problem without suggesting a solution is simply complaining...not positive and not helpful. Noticing a problem and having a solution is exciting and uplifting....a fun part of family life when you say...hey...let's do this another way and it will work better. Sasha says we already do it naturally but I think the brethren have counciled us to do this.  

For anyone needing translation of LDS(Mormon) terms...please feel free to ask.  

There have been several days where Amanda and I are talking and don't pay attention to how far we've been going...it's great. Especially since we run around and around the block we lose track of the miles. What a wonderful thing a training partner is. 

I think I made her a bit upset today when I pointed out how much sugar is in yogurt and how much I hate that. I just can't help it...it's one of my pet peeves how sugar has to be the second ingredient in a lot of foods. I know, I know...it tastes better that way....and I know yogurt needs it because it would be rather bitter without it but anyway...

My kids and I had a lot of fun yesterday playing like we were going on a trip(much better and easier than a real trip), The best part was that I got to be one of the kids in the back. I picked about 10 fights with Benjamin and asked for four potty stops in about 5 minutes. Jenny, the mom, was so patient...she let me go every time I asked.

Then we got down to business and "traveled to Arizona, New York and outer space" We talked mostly about New York and learned about the state bird and good stuff like that. It was so fun I think we are going to do geography lessons like that every time.

I'm really horrible at following other people's curriculums in my homeschool because I have so much fun making stuff up. Although it has been helpful to have a history book that we can sit down and have a good history lesson with little preparation on my part...and if I'm tired I don't have to be super creative.  

I have trouble feeling super tired when the cold winter hits. I'm going to try making sure to take vitamins early this year...that seemed to help me last year. I think my body gets used to all the fresh fruit and all of a sudden it's gone. Any ideas?

49:47 I'm going to try and write my times in here now. I felt like today was a good run. We were going faster than 10minute miles and chatting the miles away again. It is especially easy to get lost on how far we've gone because we are running around my block again and again and in the dark too. It's kind of like a dream. 

Feeling better..I think if I drink enough water I don't miss the fresh fruits as much. We eat a lot of apples from fruit stands in the winter. We have a great one nearby that sells a whole box of slightly marred apples (most totatlly fine by my standard but not picture perfect) for $5....it's called Allred's on University Ave in Provo for locals that may not have heard of it..best deal on fruit anywhere!!  

Did another tempo run today. When we left the house the entire family was on the move together. Benjamin was on a bike...the babies were in the stroller, Jenny and Julia were running along side Mommy and Daddy. It always feels cool when we can do that. 

I don't know what my overall time was for the run but my tempo was 15:47. A tiny bit faster than last week's but it felt much harder. Maybe it was because it was at the end of the day. Maybe it was mental because Benjamin and Sasha were there and I couldn't think I was doing my own thing...don't know. Feel happy about it and don't feel too tired so I think I'll be okay tomorrow. For me this is the most important. I have a hard time finding time to recover.  

52:49...got up at 5:55...slept through Sasha's alarm...I have so trained my mind to not wake up to the sound of his alarm..I'll have to remember and bring my phone into our room at night so I can wake up to my alarm. I felt a little sleepy but  not too bad (definitely felt worse in my life admidst all the babies I've been through) I did the five miles at a fairly decent pace for a recovery run. I hope to get faster in the future on tempo and recovery but feel okay. Now all I have to do is get my kids to memorize their parts really fast this morning before the primary program practice. Which as ward organist I have sooo enjoyed the month of October with General Conference and the primary program making me nice and lazy in my practicing. Actually I've wanted to go and practice but I can't get in there to do it because a lady in my ward has students there constantly during October for a recital they are having in a week so they can practice on the organ the recital will be at....it's been tricky but luckily I haven't had to play much this month.

51:40....not super fast today but hey..it's Monday. Although actually Mondays are usually my supercharged days because I'm actually well rested from our slow Sundays. 

I tried a new thing with my kids yesterday that was fun. We made a bunch of cards up and put them in a big envelope. The rule of the game was to do whatever you draw. They got to ask Sasha and I to tell them family stories, make cookies for the Primary teachers, memorize scriptures for treats and play some new games. I thought the day went better than normal but they said they were still a little bit bored. I think part of our problem is we are around eachother all week anyway and so we are ready to see different people but not always organized enough to make it happen.

The story I told Jenny was how I met her Daddy. I ended it by telling her how lucky she was to have him for a Daddy...she said, "I know..he is one of my best friends"  Then she also usually comments that it's great that I married him because how else would she have gotten her gorgeous red hair.  She is so innocently vain..it's adorable. She is a very sweet and obedient girl so I don't worry about her really being vain or superficial when she's older. Hopefully I can teach her to shine with an beauty from within that will mean more to her than gorgeous red hair anyway... 

Don't know if i should record the .01 but we did it...Looking forward to some Halloween fun. We always throw a Halloween party so our kids don't miss trick or treating. I buy them treats at Good Earth and we invite friends over and have a blast. This year we are going to make homemade caramel apples from real butter and our type of sugar(crystallized fructose is my favorite and cheapest low glycemic sugar) I bought all these little apples at the fruit stand and I'm excited to make them into caramel apples tomorrow. 

Happy Halloween!!!

I loved Halloween as a child and have a lot of fun with it as an adult (although it's not quite as fun when you are in charge..but I love watching the joy on my kids faces so it's worth it)  

Amanda and I got to run on the trail today. Funny...but in the dark it doesn't really make a difference to me where I run. And especially with someone to talk to.

I feel like we keep going pretty slow..maybe it's the dark or maybe we are just tired Moms...I wish we could get a little more pep in our step and do sub 10  miles again.