MCM Race Report

Okay, so I know it's taken a long time to get this report out, I'm sorry about that. I've just been scrambling to play catch up around here.

Anyway, I'll try to make this short and sweet and to the point, but I can't promise anything. The whole weekend was wonderful. DC is a fun place and I had a great time. So, as you know, this year I ran in the 33rd Marine Corp Marathon held in Washington DC. I've been training for it for the past 18 weeks, and overall it went really well.

My ultimate goal was to come in under 5 hours, which I did. My official finish time was 4:49:25. I never "hit the wall" or had a moment where I thought I couldn't do it. Don't get me wrong, it was tough, but not nearly as bad as I feared it could be.

We lucked out and got PERFECT weather on Sunday for the race. We were up early, left the hotel around 6:30, and were at the start right in time for the 8am gun. My first 3 miles were pretty slow. I was so scared of going out "too fast" that I think I may have held back a little too much. But that's okay, I was able to hold a pace the entire 26.2 miles, which I hear can be tricky for some. I don't remember exact details of the course, but it was beautiful. The first 8 miles or so, as we wound our way through Georgetown, was so pretty. I really enjoyed the entire course. The only part I didn't like was around mile 20 we were on the bridge that never seemed to end! But other than that it was a good time. The crowds were great, lots of fun spectators, some even nice enough to hand out everything from bananas to beer. Mentally I did pretty good, at mile 16 I got a tad discouraged as I realized I still had 10 miles to go, but before I knew it I was at mile 18 and from then on just trucked along.

My training really helped me, I felt ready and strong throughout. By far the best part was crossing that finish line, getting my medal, and meeting up with Sam to start celebrating. I'm so glad she was there with me. It was hard not having my boys, but over the years she's come to be family. She rocked her race too by the way, so if you haven't, you should go check out her report.

So anyway, to sum up, I went, I ran, I finished...and it felt DAMN good! I know most of you who knew me way back when wouldn't ever think this would be something I would do, and really, I don't know that a year ago, I would have believed it either. I AM A MARATHONER!!!!

Here are a few pics from the day. I don't have any of the official one's yet, but when I get them, I'll post them!

4 gals ready to head out for a run!

A pretty morning in DC

I FINISHED!!! Me and Dottie (our lucky duck)

All finished - 4 marathoners!

My "good luck" flowers from my hubby!

Half Marathon Race Report

Well, SundayI ran my first official 1/2 Marathon. My training plan had me set for a 13 miler Sunday anyhow, so I figured why not?? My plan was to not really "race" too hard because I have another 20 miler next weekend, and I didn't want to risk getting injured or sick. I decided to walk through water stations reguardless of how I was feeling. I did good and stuck to my plan for the most part - I skipped one station, but stopped shortly after to stretch out my ankle.

Overall I am VERY happy with my run and my time. My official time is 2:11:52, with a big negative split in the last 1/2. I didn't really have a "goal" time in mind, but was happy to come in under 2:15. I liked the course - the first 6 miles were mostly flat with a few hills but they were not too bad - just enough to change things up. Miles 6-8 is mostly up hill, and a pretty good climb at that, at 8.5 we got to turn around and go back down, which was fun, and I'm sure a big part of my neg. split time. At 10.5 we did the last part of the first 6 miles loop again, which had some of those smaller hills, but nothing too bad and the last mile was nice and flat which was nice and gave me a chance to pick up the pace. My last 5K I averaged a sub 9 pace which was pretty cool, and I had enough in me to pass a good deal of people.

I felt nice and strong the whole time, and when I finished I was tired, but not exausted. I ran a good race and am happy with it! I think the half is a good distance for me and something I would like to work on a little more after I finish this whole MCM thing. HAHA.

Here are a few pictures. We didn't bring a camera, but I had my phone, so here are a few shots.

And here is one with the elevations just to give you a visual. Nothing too terrible, but not flat either!

Alright, well that's it for me today. I have a very bit to-do list wating for me now that the boys are doing quiet time so I am going to get a jump on all that! Hope y'all had a great weekend! love kp

Run Kel Run

Well, I did it! I ran my 15 miles this AM! It went well and I was happy with my outcome! If you want to read about it just go click on my training log off to the right. I had my phone with me so I took a few pictures along my way so you all could see some of the sights here. There aren't many because I really tried not to stop.

This first picture is just as I started off. This is one of my favorite places to run, the trail is a 5K loop and it runs around a little lake. It's always so pretty there, but this morning it was amazing as the sun was coming up!

This is the park is where I stopped to fill up my water bottles around mile 6.5 - it's another pretty place, but the trails there aren't very long.

This is what much of the run looks like - lots of fields with corn and other crops.

Okay so that was my run, hope you enjoyed it. The best part of it was the end though, the hubs and my boys were waiting for me at the park where I finished, and that was the best sight of all! After the run we went for breakfast, then I came home and iced my legs...here's a shot of me doing just that!

Okay, well that's pretty much been my day! The kids and I napped together, well they napped, I tried to but couldn't sleep. I went to the store, and then fixed supper. We've just been hanging out watching the Olympics. I baked some yummy treats this week, so I'll post those Tuesday! Okay...well I think we are heading out to go visit with the neighbors. Catch ya'll later!

the Monday report...

Hello there! I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I'm sort of all over the place today, so I don't know how exciting this is going to be, but I'll give it a go anyway.

The munchkin is WALKING!!! Not all the time yet, but he will take anywhere from 5-10 steps to get somewhere and every day he is doing more!! It's so cute to watch him toddle around!

My other big news is that I ran 13 miles this weekend - all at once. That was pretty exciting. I was a little slower than my last long run, but it was my first ever attempt at number 13 so I am happy with it. My longest run before this one was 10 miles two weeks ago. Next week I think I drop down to 10 again before working back up to 15!! WOAH! You think a lot while you are out running for all those miles, and here are a few things I realized:

- I might not be an early morning person, but running alongside a lake with the sun rising and the world waking up around you is pretty cool.
- Need to bring more sport beans with me next time
- I really want to go shopping!!
- I hope the photo biz starts picking up soon
- I am a really positive person - but I think that maybe it annoys other people sometimes
- Around mile 9: Hmmmm 9 miles = about 900 calories...maybe that chocolate peanut butter banana milkshake I had last night won't decide to take up a permanent residence on my rear after all! ;)
- Need to get some new tunes for the old iPod
- Mile 12: Oh my goodness I can't believe that I am actually going to make it to 13!!!

So there ya have it...the very deep thoughts of yours truly when out by herself for over 2 hours on the road!

I'm a little bummed today because I found out that one of my bestest friends Sam is POSSIBLY (I'm doing that positive thing again!) moving to Guam. This makes me very sad. Yes, some would say its selfish for ME to be sad when it is HER that is moving so far away, but seriously...that's a long ass way away!! Sam if you're reading I am coming for a visit soon (well if that is okay) so start looking at your calendar.

We got a new bed!!! Well we don't have it yet, but we went and purchased it and it will be here, along with a headboard/foot board on Thursday!! I can't wait. Ours is probably a good 15 years old, and we both wake up achy every morning and have trouble getting to sleep, so we figured it was time. I went and picked up some new sheets for it this morning, because it's a king and our current bed is a queen.

If you or anyone you know is in need of a new winter coat, go to Dicks sporting goods ASAP!! They have last years coats on sale right now, and they are marked down 50% off the sale price. I got the big C a Columbia coat that was originally $140.00 for $39 bucks!!! It was a STEAL!!! Of course I think it may be a little big yet by the time winter rolls around, but whatever, for that price I'll hang onto it for next year because living here I know we will need it!!

Okay, well I think that's all for now. Check back tomorrow for something different! :) Hope you all had a great weekend and a good start to your week!

thursday already??

Wow this week has gone by fast. Which is surprising seeing as how for the most part we have just been hanging around the house. Although yesterday we did head out to the zoo which was pretty fun. It was just me and my boys, and we had a good time. I didn't take my camera this time, and was totally bummed because the animals were really active and pretty entertaining. It was overcast, and looked like it might rain, and cooler so I think that was part of it. I did take a few shots with my phone...so here they are - nothing too spectacular, but it's something!

Just your everyday typical indoor rain forest complete with a waterfall...

A lion actually NOT sleeping...a rare sight!

Also had my clinic and group run last night. I missed the speaker which I am kind of bummed about because it was a lady talking about yoga for running...I would have liked to hear that. But Mr. M had a meeting that didn't get out until later and so I only caught the very end of her talk. But the run afterwards was good. As mentioned above its been a little cooler and a little less humid, so that has made for more pleasant runs. I'm switching my longer runs to Sundays now so I can run with the group now that they are getting up there in miles...this weekend is 12 or 13. I'm having trouble adjusting to this because it's not what my "plan" says. If you know me you will get that...I have a hard time mentally altering something that is so "set" like my training. If it says X miles...I feel I have to run X miles on that day. So, this is a little backwards for me...but I'll get over it after a week or two - it's just while I am transitioning back and forth. Okay, sorry I'll stop rambling.

So it's raining here today...which means we are being a bunch of lazy bones...seriously. Little munchkin has been napping, and the big guy and I are hanging on the couch, he's been watching some TV and working on writing his letters in this alphabet book I gave him. I am of course sitting here blogging and reading a new book I picked up at the store the other night. It's a Nicholas Sparks book "Dear John". So far it's okay...a lot of background, but I'm willing to deal because usually with his books it's worth it!

So, what do you all have planned for the weekend?? Who are you all?? You readers need to leave me some comments...just so I know who is out there!! I think we may be in store for some more rain, so I don't know what we will do! Okay well that's all for me today! Have a good weekend everyone...I don't see me posting tomorrow...so I'll just say that now :).

popping in for a second

Hello everyone! Well I thought I'd pop in real quick this AM before the day got TOO crazy. This is a busy week for us. Every AM we have VBS at church. Well big C has VBS, I am donating my photography services, and munchkin gets to hang in the nursery with some of the other little bebe's who have mommies that are helping out. Yesterday was our first day, and it was a lot of fun, big C is having a great time, but man oh man am I tired after running around for 3 hours shooting pics non-stop! haha.

So, I hope you all had a nice weekend!! We did, well after I was done being sick...bleah! Good news I am all better. But today after we get back I have some major catching up to do around the house...laundry, picking up, etc. Oh, and cookie baking...hehe. Last night around 9:45 mr M. requested some cookies, but it was a little late to get started, so I promised he would have a batch when he got home from work! Sometimes I can be a sweet wife..hehe!

Running is going well. As I think I mentioned in my last post, I made it into double digits this past weekend, and pulled off my first 10 miler. I was pretty happy about that!! I had found a 1/2 marathon that fit into my plan on my running clubs website, but when I looked it up, it was an 8 hour drive...that's a little further than I wanted to go, so I am going to do one next month.

Okay, well I need to wrap this up so we can get a move on. But I'll try to check back again here soon! Hope you all have had a good start to your week!! KP

tagged by sam :)

Well if the blog title didn't clue you in, I was tagged for another survey!! Which is fine by me because I think they are fun, and it saves me from thinking TOO hard about what to write...haha. So thanks Sam for the tag! I love ya!

BUT before I get to the survey I just wanted to mention a few little things...ONE I am feeling MUCH better, so thanks to all of you that send well wishes!! I pretty much just decided yesterday that even though I didn't feel great, I was DONE being sick. So around 3 we packed up and went to the mall to play at the play place then out to dinner. Then last night we had a patio sit with some neighbors and just enjoyed the nice weather. TWO I achieved a running PR this morning...10 MILES down in the books!! I was set for 10 this weekend for my long run, and wasn't sure if it was going to happen or not with my 3 days off of running, but I got out there this AM and felt really great. I actually really missed my running and was so happy to be out again. So, I'm feeling pretty high and mighty today...yes, I am tooting my own horn! Okay...on to the survey...

Rules:
-link to the person who tagged you.
-post the rules on your blog.
-write six random things about yourself.
-tag six people at the end of your post.
-let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
-let the tagger know when your entry is up

1. No matter where I am or what bed I am in, I ALWAYS have to be on the right side (or if you are facing the bed -left). I can't sleep if I am not and will toss and turn all night. I also have to have silence to fall asleep (or a steady fan) but if there is any random noises or if Mr. M is snoring/clicking in his sleep...forget it.

2. I am a simple girl. May not sound like much of a "random" fact but it's true. I love to be out in nature, I am happiest when my family and I just enjoy time together. I can count on one hand the number of times I have even bothered putting on make-up this year (yes YEAR). I love that my neighborhood backs up to a farm with lots of corn and a beautiful old barn. One of my favorite things about running around here is that I often see deer (and other wildlife) on my way. This AM I saw a doe and her little fawn and I was giddy over it for the rest of my time out on the trails!! Like I said...it doesn't take much :)

3. I used to eat peanut butter and pickle sandwiches...okay I'll admit, I still do every now and then!! Hey...don't knock it till you try it!!

4. I can't eat lima beans...it's a texture thing. I don't mind regular beans, but something about the lima variety makes me want to gag...oh and I also can't do broccoli in quiche. The smell of the eggs and the broccoli doesn't sit well with me. I can eat broccoli any other way, and I LOVE quiche, just not the two together.

5. Dishes left in the sink drives me up the wall!!!! I have to have them done shortly after we finish dinner, or I can't do anything else because it just bugs me. Luckily Mr. M usually will take care of them, or at least get the majority into the dishwasher for me. I'm a lucky gal.

6. I'm dyslexic. I have to use little "tricks" to keep my left and right straight and I am horrible when it comes to writing/reading numbers. If you ever get directions for me, make sure to double check them with another source because there is a good chance that I have told you to take a left when you should have really taken a right!!

Okay, that's it! I don't have six people to tag because I don't even think 6 people read my blog, and a lot of my readers don't have blogs of their own, and some have already been tagged....SOOOOO I'll tag NAT. That's my one. Like Sam I'm a rule breaker, but instead of going above and beyond, I just fall a tad short.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!! Love KP

The weekend in review!

Well this past holiday weekend was a busy one. The most exciting thing being our little one turned 1 year old!! So happy birthday munchkin!!

They grow up so fast... Sadly for the little one he wasn't too into his big day because he was sick with the stomach flu for part of the weekend. He was ok at his party, but I think he may have still not been feeling too great...he didn't even want cake. And my little guy likes to eat just about anything!

My parents were in town for the weekend as well, and we all had a nice visit. They arrived Thursday, so Thurs night the hubs and I actually got to go on a run together after dinner. I needed to do three so that's what we set out for. It was a little painful for both of us because we had just gone out for a big dinner with the fam, but we had fun anyway! Friday we spent most of the day relaxing around the house, playing with the kids and prepping for the party. Mom and I did a lot in the kitchen, and overall it was just a relaxing day. Here are a few pics, first off is the boys, then mom and I, the hubs enjoying his time off, and the puppies all decked out!

Of course Friday night we went to go catch some fireworks. It's tradition at our house, and around here you don't monkey with tradition!! Here are a few pictures of us waiting for the big show!!

Saturday morning Mom, Dad and I were up and out of here bright and early to get our miles in. My mom is training for the 3 day breast cancer walk! It's 60 miles total (20 each day). So they had 8 miles to walk sat and sunday morning, and I was set for 8!

My run went great. The past two long runs things have just gone wrong, and while they were all little things they all set me off my game a bit. But I really enjoyed my run saturday morning and am looking forward to this weekends run as well!!

Sunday was another laid back day due to the fact the little guys stomach flu had woken him up with a 103 + degree fever. He ended up having to go into the urgent care clinic just to make sure it was just the flu. So we relaxed around the house. My parents also left Sunday because they were spending Monday with my grandma who lives a few hours from here. We were supposed to go, but with the little one sick we stayed here yesterday.

Big kid and I went on a "date" yesterday afternoon. We went to see Wall-e and then out to dinner and BK. It was quite the night out! hehe. But we had a good time and I think he was happy to get a little one on one time with mom.

SOOOOO that is what we have been up to over the past few days. Just typing it out makes me tired. I hope I haven't bored you all too much, I know I tend to ramble...but that should come as no surprise to most of you. You all know how I leave phone messages...ha ha.

Well I'm gonna jet. There is laundry to put away and the boys are now up from quiet time which means me being on the computer isn't going to work for much longer! Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend and I'll check in again soon!

Running Kel

Well I was "tagged" by sam with this running survey and so I figured it would be a fun way to start off my blog week. I have lots to update about the weekend, but the hubs if off today as well so it still feels like the weekend. Come to think of it...there is a lot to tell you all about, but that will be another post at another time...on to the survey!

How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
Let's see, 10 years ago I was in-between my junior and senior year of high school and was spending the summer being a lifeguard. There wasn't any running involved!!!! I was the girl that used every excuse in the book NOT to run. I was a swimmer in high school and when we started our pre-season training I would always have a reason not to run.

What is your best and worst run/race experience?
Best: It's hard to pick one! I've only done 5 races total, and they all have something that made them great. But there are three that stand out as EXTRA special. So I'm going to go with the following:

• Race for the Cure (2006): This was my first race ever and it was such a wonderful experience. Sam and I did this race together and it will always stand out as one of my favorite races. This was right after I got into running, and it was my goal race. At the time of the race I had only run 3 miles maybe one other time, and was very nervous and excited. I finished with my best ever 5K time (and I have yet to beat it). If you've ever been to any sort of race where you are raising money to help others, it's a really moving experience and so motivational to be there with all the fighters and survivors of breast cancer. Then there was the added bonus of having Sam there with me. She took off with running faster than I did and has always been my motivation to keep pushing and try my best, so it meant a lot to me that she was there with me. She finished a bit faster than I did and was the first one I saw after crossing the finish line greeting me with a big hug!!
• Gate River Run (2008): This is the nations largest 15K held in Jacksonville, FL every year. I chose this one second for two reasons. The hubbie and I trained and ran this one together, which is something we don't get to do often. He was a sweetie and ran the whole thing next to me even though he's a good bit faster than I am, but he stuck with me and encouraged me the whole way through. It is also the longest race I have ever done. My cousin and a good friend of ours from back home also came in to join the fun, so it was a good time. Being able to say that I have finished this race is a great accomplishment and it's what makes me think I'll be able to push further and finish my marathon this fall.
• Nebraska 5 (2008): This is a small 5 mile race not far from where I live and again I have two reasons for choosing this race. #1 is because I set my 5 mile PR and exceeded my goal in time!! But the coolest part was that for once I got to be the one encouraging someone along the way. About two miles in I synced up with a nice lady, we chatted and it turns out we had a similar finishing time. I had my garmin set to alert me if I dropped below where I wanted to be, so we stuck together. Around mile 4 she started to slow, but another lady and I kept her motivated. She crossed the finish line under her goal time and PR'ed by a min! She found me later and gave me a big hug and said thanks for my encouragement. That alone made this race one to remember.
  

Worst:
Like Sam, I can't really say as I've had a BAD race. I've been lucky and they have all been good. But my least favorite would have been the Havelock 10K I did awhile back. It was a good time, and I enjoyed it, but it was SOOOO hot and humid that I didn't preform as well as I would have liked to. I met my goal, but not by much and I just didn't get that post-race glow that I have had in the past.

Why do you run?
I get asked this question a lot and to tell you the truth, I can't really pin-point an exact reason why. Do I enjoy it? Yes very much so. It's my "me time". The time I get to be on my own, alone with nothing but the world around me and the tunes in my ear (if I choose to have them). I love to run outside where I can enjoy the great outdoors. I like to be able to get lost in my own thoughts without any interruptions. Running keeps me fit, and it sets a good example for my kids. I can run anywhere as long as I've got my shoes and a good pair of running shorts. It keeps me motivated, always striving to do my best and make that extra mile. It gives me a sense of accomplishment after I finish a run, or meet my weekly goal. And I am now finally at the point that on my days off I miss running and look forward to my weekend long runs.

What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running? Best advice: Sam's approach to making an ice bath as pleasant as possible! Haha: seriously that is good advice. And then something a guy in my distance clinic told me the other day. I am the slowest in the group. And no, I'm not exaggerating. But I have actually come to be proud of that because even though I am not as fast as the others I don't give up. I keep pushing and strive to be better. Sorry...tangent. Anyway, two weeks ago I was about a 1/2 mile from the end of my route when a guy that had run a longer route caught up to me. I moved over thinking he would pass but he stayed next to me. I mentioned that I was usually running alone due to my slower pace, and he said "Your pace is your pace, and you can't compare it to anyone but yourself. Everyone is different, so be proud of your pace, because it's yours. And you are out running which is more than a lot of people can say." I can't say why, but that really stuck with me and I think it's good advice.
Worst: I don't know that I've been given any bad advice. Although once I think someone said to push through the pain - no pain no gain, and I don't really believe that too much. I'm a big believer in listening to your body, and if it's telling you to put on the brakes, then do it!

Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
Hmmmm...I don't know. I'm pretty open, I say what I think (sometimes to a fault), I don't sugar-coat, and I tell it like it is, so that doesn't leave much in the way of surprises. Here ya go: I am TERRIFIED of falling/heights. I love to water/snow ski but the fear of falling makes it hard to ever do much beyond just the basics, not to mention riding up on those little ski lifts...EEK! Even something as simple as standing on a ladder makes my palms sweat. Same thing goes for balconies, diving boards, glass elevators...you get the idea.

Rules of the game: I am now supposed to tag 5 more people and get them to answer the questions. But I don’t think I even have 5 people that read this blog, and two of you have already done it! So....if you happen to stumble across my blog and you are a runner, go ahead and do this...if not oh well I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

It's a beautiful morning!!

And I am enjoying every second of it. The little guy is taking his morning nap, so the big guy and I are out in the back. I'm sitting on the deck, sipping coffee, and just enjoying a cool summer breeze...care to join me??

GREAT! Let's chat then. Okay, I'll chat you listen...errr read??

So, this weekend was very nice. Friday we were planning to go to that outdoor theatre to see "A Bee Movie" but a crazy storm ripped through here and pretty much everything that was supposed to take place outdoors was cancelled. BUT our neighbor popped by around 9 to see if we were up for a patio sit complete with marshmallow roasting, so that's what we did. The little one passed out before too long, but our hot shot was going full speed until about 11:30 when we called it a night. We have really great neighbors here, I can already tell that leaving our new found home is going to be VERY hard. In KB it was a bit easier to leave because most of my good friends were already gone, and the ones that were still there would be on their way out soon enough. But here, these people are here to stay, so it's going to be a different story...oh well...such is Navy life. Moving comes with the territory. BUT the good thing is there is always a way to keep in touch, AND you just never know who you might meet at the next place. But enough of that, I still have 2 years here so I am NOT going to think about leaving now!

Saturday was long run day. Soon I am going to have to bump that to Sunday AM so I can run with the group (I'll need the motivation) but for now I'm still fine on my own. I did 8 miles, but did take two short stops. Once I got "lost" and ended up at a little picnic area that was a dead end, so I turned around and walk about 1 min or so back to the loop I was on, then at mile 6 my handheld water bottle was empty so I threw it in my car, took a big ole' swig of my drink, and finished up my last two miles. Overall it was a good run. My Garmin locked up on me as I was running out the door, so I went without it, and felt pretty naked. But after getting over that mental hump I was good. It's crazy how running gets in your head, there is so much to it mentally in addition to the physical part of it. But I am really enjoying my long morning runs, so that is a good sign.

After I got back we spent the time when the boys were napping cleaning house, and getting ready for our friends to come over. I made some bbq pulled pork which turned out AWESOME (thank you sam!) and some to die for Cappuccino Brownies!!! MMMMM they were sooooo good! We had a good time with our friends, and out little guy got to play with their little one (they are about a month apart) so they had fun!

Sunday was our usual day around here. Church, brunch, yard work, I went to the gym, took boys and pups to the park, dinner, relax...great day!!

Today I am just relaxing. The boys and I are getting ready to head out for a bit, but nothing big planned. I hope you all have a great start to your week, and I'll check back soon! love kel

a few Friday thoughts

Hi there! I am really looking forward to the weekend.

Today has NOT gone the way I thought it would at all, but that's okay, I am trying to use it to my advantage. The big kid had his last set of lessons today, and he graduated from his class to Level I, however you have to be 5 to be enrolled in that class, so my only options are to get him private lessons or to sign him up for the same class again...I think I'll just work with him the rest of the summer on my own and then maybe next summer we can do some private lessons.

We were supposed to have a playdate this afternoon here at our house, but my friend called and cancelled this AM while I was at lessons. Too bad I didn't know before I left because I would have saved myself the 7:30am trip to the grocery store to get snacks and just left at 8:30 for lessons. Oh well, the plus side is now we have lots of fresh fruit for the weekend to enjoy and I don't have to go out later.

I have been pretty productive, cleaned the boys room, and the guest room, need to go tackle their bathroom while they are napping. I did most of the downstairs yesterday, so I'm good to go there, and I am also doing laundry. So there you have it, that's what I have been up to.

Tonight at this little outdoor theatre place they are showing "A Bee Movie" so I think we are going to take the kids to that, and then tonight I am going to teach the big kid how to catch fire flies like a pro! I loved to do that as a kid! Tomorrow we are having some friends over for dinner, so that should be a good time. And tomorrow morning is my long run! I am scheduled for 8 and am really excited about it! After my not-so-hot run last week, I have been itching to get out there and try again. I think my diet last week had a lot to do with my bad run. I find when I eat better I run better (duh) so I have really been trying to be good about getting in all my fruits and veggies and staying away from all the processed stuff that's probably not too good for me anyway.

Okay, so I know I promised I would be back with substance, but I have none. What can I say, I am a simple gal. I do have a rather funny story about what happened when we had some friends over two weekends ago for dinner...but I think I'll save that for Monday. Lets just say I hope that this get together goes more smoothly than our first! haha! :)

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

love kp

rambling updates

I started this Monday: so just pretend I that I posted it then!

Don't have a whole lot to write about today. Didn't take any pictures of the big kid's lessons, but I did take a few of the yummy dinner I made which I will post. Check this out: I got the recipe off of this website and it was a winner!! It's pan cooked halibut over a variety of veggies. I think next time I'll do spinach instead of the potatoes that the recipe calls for, but it was quite tasty. The first is a close up, the next a picture of the hubs plate to show the full deal.

I think this week I'll be posting a lot about food. I have a few new recipes to try out this week and am also baking a cake as a "test run" for the munchkins birthday! Can you believe he will be one in just a few weeks!! But because I am trying out my new recipes I figure I'll show them off here. I don't cook new stuff often so this is pretty big stuff for me!

Moving on from food...we had a great weekend. It was really laid back and just all around great. Of course part of that was that I totally blew off cleaning this weekend, but that's okay. I've been doing little today and will just clean through out the week. Friday night we went and watched Austin play. The boys had a good time, and Dublin was winning when we left. Here is a pic of my boys watching the game.

Saturday I did my 7 mile run. It was painful. Not physically painful just mentally. Every step was a struggle for the first 2 miles. I finally found a groove around mile 3 and that lasted until 6 then it was a struggle again to finish. But I finished, and my time wasn't too bad, so I am still happy with it, but man oh man, it sure wasn't one of my more enjoyable runs. Oh well, this weekends 8 miler is guaranteed to be better!!

Sunday was church followed by our traditional after church brunch. I love Sundays. I love waking up to the sounds of the hubs playing with the boys and watching cartoons. I love going to church, and then getting brunch after. I love the lazy afternoons that follow, and just enjoying my family that I am so blessed to have. I think if I had to pick a favorite day of the week, Sunday would be it by far. Okay, well now that I have rambled about absolutely nothing and you have probably all jumped ship at this point I am going to wrap this up. I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and I'll be back again! Hopefully with something of more substance...hehe ;).

Nebraska 5 Race Report

First off big shout out to sam!! She raced this morning too and did a kick ass job!! Way to go sweetie, as always, I am soooooo proud of you! :)

Well, if the last one was small this one was even smaller. And again, not only was there not a start PAD there were no chips at all. So I started my garmin just before I crossed the start and just after the finish for a time of 48:28 for a 5 mile race! The hubby got a picture of me crossing under the timer and that clock said 48:33 so I figure mine is pretty accurate seeing as how I put myself in the VERY back.

This was a very small race, mostly people from running clubs around the area, and track teams. There were some FAST runners there. The winner crossed in just over 25 min!! It was a beautiful day for a race. We had a good steady breeze but nothing that was too hard to run against, upper 70's and the course went through a park so we had a good bit of tree cover for most of the run. It was an "out and back" course with a turn-around point at 2.5 miles. The first half had few hills going up, the last one being pretty steep but only about .25 mile or so, but the rest were just little inclines, most of which I didn't think much of. Around mile 2 I synced up with a nice lady who was aiming for about the same time as me to finish so we ran together for awhile, she dropped back for a little while but we both finished strong and she met her goal time!! She found me after and gave me a hug for keeping her going strong. She beat her last 5 mile time by a full min and came in under her goal time!! So way to go Amy...wherever you are!

The race was at a nice park, so again the hubby and the boys got to play while I ran and then were there to cheer me on as I came in for my finish. About the last 1/2 mile I was really starting to feel it, but couldn't slow down by then, I had come too far! So that's it, not much of a report I guess, but it will do. I am really happy with my time and my effort. I feel that I did the best I could do, and that is a good feeling. I've posted a few pics of the day below for you to check out. Hope you all have a good weekend. ~ kp

Coming down the final stretch

The big kid joining me for some post-race stretching

And one of the munchkin because he's so darn cute!

so that happened...

What happened you may be asking?? Oh, I'm so glad you did, I'll tell you about it...

The hubby and I decided that Thursdays we would meet up at the gym so we could both get a workout in during the day so we (me) could be home the rest of the night. Our gym here is awesome, it has an indoor track that has a "stroller" lane for people that want to run or walk with joggers and it also has a play area that is set up for older kids (3-5) that is enclosed and there are about a dozen or so various cardio machines around the perimeter so you can work out while your little one plays and you can keep an eye on them. So this works great, hubby can run with the little one, and I can do my workout on the treadmill and watch the big kid. Okay...so that's the background info.

So we take off today to put said plan in action, all is going well. We meet, hubs begins his first lap and I hop on the 'mill for my run. Not even 60 seconds into I hear a scream of pain I know all too well (the big kid). He has run into a piece on the playground and is currently gushing (and I really do mean gushing) blood from his mouth. I run to get him, some nice lady hands me her baby's blanket for me to use to stop the bleeding, and I try to figure out just what he has done. All the teeth are there, so that's good, it's his lip that is the problem. We get water, and get it cleaned up enough to see that he has bitten through his lip!! YUCK!! Lucky for us there was a childrens nurse there, and she helped me get him cleaned up, went to get us ice, and took a look at it to make sure it wasn't anything that would need stitches. Thankfully it's not that bad. But the kid is going to have one FAT lip I can tell you that.

So after he was somewhat cleaned up and calm again we left. The hubby got us out to the car and helped me get everything put back in. I took the kids home, fed them lunch, gave the big one a bath, and now they are sleeping. Caleb and I were both covered in his blood so I am also doing laundry to try and salvage the clothes we were wearing. Ahhhh life with kids...it's always an adventure. Haha. I am just thankful that he's fine, I was really scared when he looked up at me and I saw him bleeding like that. I know head wounds bleed more, and being in his mouth it was also probably mixed with saliva but still, you never want to see your baby like that. Okay...enough with the blood and guts, moving on...

Today has been pretty laid back (minus the event above). I am cleaning and doing laundry as well as making out a grocery list. Tonight after supper I am headed to pick up my race packet for my race on Saturday, then I am going to run, and then a trip to the store. I went yesterday but forgot a few things so I am just going to go tonight I think. I was thinking I might go when the kids woke up, but they are still sleeping so by then it would be after three...I dunno we will see. It's faster if I just go myself.

This next part is all about running, so if that bores you move on:

Running is going great. I went to the gym Tuesday night and realized that I just don't push myself hard enough when I am outside. I've been struggling after having the baby to get back to where I was when I STARTED running. My first race I ran a 5K (3.14) miles in 29:09 (a little under 10 min/mi), and these days I am lucky to break 11min/mile. The baby is almost a year old, which means I have probably been running for the past 8 months with no real improvement...UNTIL this week. My race Sat gave me a little boost I think that I could do better. Tues I set the speed on the treadmill for a 10 min/mile pace, and you know what?? I ran it just fine. I didn't feel like I was working TOO hard and had no pain. So then last night I went for my 2 mile run around the neighborhood and did it in 19:56!! WOOHOOO!! That was at 5 pm when it was over 85 degrees, windy and humid. I think I finally got my groove back!!! ABOUT FREAKING TIME!!!!!!! I know that time isn't anything super speedy, but it's a big improvement from where I was!!

This boost came at a good time too. Over the past month I have been trying to establish a good base with running in preparation for the marathon training, which will start here in about 1.5 weeks. I am doing an 18 week program, so soon my weekly mileage is going to start ramping up. Which means, I may not be writing as often. I love you all, but with running more, my "free" time is going to be less than it already is, and while blogging is fun, my sweet boys and stuff at home comes first! I won't completely fall off the face of the earth, I just probably won't be able to do the every day thing!! I'm looking forward to the training though and I really think this is going to be a neat experience.

Okay, well I hear the baby waking up so it's time for me to get going! Have a great day! love kp

Havelock Charity 10K Race Report

*edited with garmin time below*

I don't usually blog on the weekends, but I'll make an exception for race days...here is all the details good, bad and HOT!

We got to the race site around 6:45AM so I could pick up my packet and token t-shirt. When I got out of the car it said it was 75 degrees...BEFORE 7AM!!! And it was a bit humid as well...I checked the weather channel online with my phone and it said it was 60% humidity. So, that was somewhat discouraging but I was very happy that I had brought along my water bottle I use for running to have "just in case".

The race started at 8am. I had my Garmin this time, so I was trying to not start off too fast. When I hit mile 1 I was right at 10 min. Not bad. Mile 1-2 was pretty uneventful, but VERY warm. Miles 2-just over three...ALL UP HILL! Bleah. Got a bit of a break and then more hills to get to mile 4. By this time it was nasty hot and I was really feeling it. There was no shade for the majority of the route leaving you exposed to the hot sun. At 4 and 5 I walked through the water stations to get a nice cold drink (mine was warm by this point and I wanted to save what little I had left).

The last 1.2 miles went pretty easy, I felt good, picked up my pace a bit and had a strong finish. I stopped my Garmin after crossing at it said just over 6.2 miles and my "official" time is 1:07:43. However, I use the term "official" lightly. This was not a big race by any means, and when the gun went off and the race started, you never crossed a pad. So me being toward the back of the group and not running right away, my time was probably a bit faster. I haven't plugged in the garmin yet to see what it says, but I started it when I got to the "start" line so for this race, I am going with what it says. *my garmin said I was 1:07:02 for 6.2 miles. Not much different from the clock, but I'll take it seeing as how I started the moment I started running and stopped just shortly after crossing the finish*

But regardless of time, it was a fun race, and a fun day. The race started and ended at a great park, so the boys and the hubs had fun in the hour they were waiting for me to get back, and it was nice to have LOTS of company for my long run. Oh, and as a little note, I checked the weather when I finished as well, it was 80 but said it "felt like 87". Figures the race would be on the warmest day we've had yet since moving here! There were a few runners "down" as I got to the finish, one just on the ground with a medic next to him, had him hooked to an IV and was pushing fluids while he was passed out...


Here are a few pics, of me coming in to the finish. Notice on the left another dude being put into an ambulance, and then one post race with one of my biggest fans... my little hot shot! Hope you all have a great weekend. I'll be back on Monday!

changing things up

So...I've changed my template...what do you think?? Really I wanted to make something cool all on my own and make it all cute and fancy, but there is just never enough time for me to sit down and come up with something, so I just picked a new on out of the already made templates...

Also, not that you are all that interested, but I have my training log up, and you can click on it and see what I have been up to. I'm sure you probably don't care all that much, but thought I'd just throw that out there.

This morning the kids and I went to check out the MOM's club for our area. It was great, a lot like the one we were a part of in Kingsland, so I figure we will join up with them and that way will be able to keep our calendar busy. Lots of little guys that were around the elders age, so that is good.

Okay, well it's short and sweet for me today. I went running this AM because we are supposed to get more storms this afternoon so I didn't want to wait and then not be able to go. Running in the AM is great, it's just hard to get out of bed and WAKE up so I can run and be back before the husband has to go to work. Okay, well hope you all have a great afternoon and evening and I'll catch ya tomorrow. (just a quick note...this is ALMOST two weeks that I have posted every day!!)

training and twisters

So...these thunderstorms and tornadoes are really taking a toll on my whole running training program. Tonight I was supposed to go to my running clinic and then to the gym to do some cross training...but as I was leaving the sirens kicked on, so I checked the tv and sure enough we were under a tornado warning...so I stayed home and it was probably a good thing. We have had two different warnings, crazy rain and hail!! It's been pretty busy.

Okay, so that is really all I have to talk about...I'm going to bed now. I am hoping to get up and run in the morning. We are supposed to have more bad storms tomorrow afternoon, so I need to run early so that I am sure to get it in. OKay...that's it...g'night.

Hang on to your seats...pictures two days in a row!!!

Well I don't have a whole lot to write about, but I figured I would give a few updates and then post a few shots from our trip to the zoo last week. Today was pretty easy going. I took the boys to the zoo this morning, we got an annual zoo pass so we are taking advantage of it. It was such a good deal, for 40 bucks we get two adults (myself and one other) and unlimited children (under 21) in to the zoo all year long. Can't beat that!!

Went for a run tonight, still going well. I'm getting a "tiny" bit faster, but not as much as I would like. Still around 10:50/mile for anything over 3 miles. But the miles are coming along. I signed up for a race this weekend, it's a 10K which works out perfect because I was scheduled to do 6 miles anyway. What better way to run than with 1000 other runners!

Okay, well I could go on but I'd just be rambling so I'll leave you with some pictures I took of our trip to the zoo last week. Enjoy :)

The 3 Fs

Family, Friends, and Fitness...that is pretty much how this weekend went down!!

Family: As with most weekends, we had a great time just the four of us (minus my night out Friday). Saturday was a beautiful day here, sunny, warm and fabulous. We decided to go camping. Figuring that the munchkin may not be up for a whole night in a tent, we decided that we would "camp" in the backyard. Our hot shot had a BLAST and is already asking to do it again. The munchkin and I did end up sleeping inside, but the hubs and hot shot "roughed it" through the night! Here are a few pics from Camp P.

Helping Daddy set up the tent and my big boy!!

Munchkin and Hot Shot

No Camp out would be complete without some SMORES...

Hanging in the tent with my big kid, Hubs setting up the camping chairs and "flashlight" tag with The Sammy!

Friends: The weekend started off great because my girl Sam called me and we got to catch up a bit! I talk to her a lot online and stuff, but it was great to hear her voice and set my mood to "happy" for the rest of the weekend! Later that night I went to the Sex and the City Premiere and it was a good time. One of the girls I went with I met at that cookout, but the other one I hadn't met...turns out her hubby and mine were in OCS together...kind of funny. We had a nice time and it was fun to get out and do something a little different.

Fitness: I had a great run on Saturday morning. I'm boosting my miles back up slowly so Saturday I was set for 5 miles. The run was great, I felt strong, energetic and didn't have any pain! I was a little slower than I would have liked to be, but I'm not too worried about that. Right now I just need to focus on having strong runs and no injuries. Then Sunday afternoon while all the boys were napping I went to the gym. Did an easy two miles and than jumped in the pool and swam another mile. Gosh, I really miss swimming. I wish I could do more of it. I just find it so calming and I always feel great when I am done.

Okay, well that about sums up our weekend. I hope you all had a great one and I'll be back again soon! love kp

its going to be a quick one!

Well, this isn't going to be long, or probably very interesting, but my goal was to post every day this week and I am so close so I can't miss it!

The boys are both napping, thank goodness...my oh my were they cranky today...bleh. But that's okay, we will be getting out of the house this afternoon. At 1 we are meeting up with one of my new pals at this place where kids can go play/learn stuff...its sponsored by the local schools, and its for ages 0-5 years. So we are going to check it out. I need to run tonight, but will be heading to the gym to do that as long as the weather isn't too bad, I guess we have two bad systems coming our way that have been producing tornadoes...don't know if I really want to be out in that.

The running clinic went well. Our speaker last night was a sports dietitian who just talked with us about what to eat before/after runs, taking care of your body post marathon, that sort of thing. It was good information to have, especially for me being new to all of this. So, I'll go again next week and see what we have to talk about!

Well, like I said, this is short, so I am out of here. I need to get everything ready so we can leave when the boys wake up. Have a good day...to anyone out there still reading this...

love kel