A Goofy Post

Here is my student, Jackson!  Isn't he the most awesome kid in the world???? We think so!

Can You Relate?

How many of you are good at multi-tasking?  Most, right??  Especially if you have others or other things that rely on you.  Here is my multi-tasking today and it making me laugh!!  House cleaning day cannot be ignored just because I rolled an ankle on a trail run today!!

I bandaged the frozen veggies to the ankle so I could keep moving around.

 And then I added a pretty pink leg warmer that I found in the bag of socks that have no matches!

What are your best strategies for multi-tasking!!

Black Friday Deal!!!!!!

I registered for the Chippewa Moraine 50K today and guess what??  There is a Black Friday- Cyber Monday sale going on!!!  50% off registration!  Best deal of the day!  Here is the link for anyone interested!!
Chippewa Moraine 50K and 10K Trail Race

Gobble Wobble on Turkey Day

My town rocks!  Throw a run together and they will come! Large and small, young and old.  This is the second year for the Gobble Wobble.  I started it last year as a gathering for the students in my class and their families, a way to get together and share something I love to do!  We also use this run as a way to bring donations for the local food shelf  Word spread and community members wanted in!  Last year our numbers were at around 80.  This year we had over 100 runners - keep in mind this event is untimed and there is no swag except for the bags of turkey poop for the kids.  People come because they want to have fun and if they burn a few calories before their big meal then that is an extra bonus!!

Highlights of the Gobble Wobble
* Marking the race course at sunrise.  Just me and the geese hanging at the pond.

*  Large crowd = HUGE donations!  My van is filled to the brim and $170 in cash!!!  This makes me HAPPY!  Thank you!!!!

*  Watching from about 50 yards behind as my son took first!!  YAY, Kellen!

*  Running with a 5th grade girl who is an amazing runner - it was so cool to have the opportunity to encourage and coach her!  Ha- she was probably wondering who is this crazy lady????

*  My family and friends pitching in to make sure things ran smoothly while I shmoozed with the crowd.

*  Watching the crowd as I handed out totally corny awards!

*  The friendly Samaritan who brought jumper cables for my dumb van's dead battery!  And then off he went to finish his run!  Thanks!

First place winner got this cool hat!!

Kellen and I after the race

First Place Awards!

Ahhh, the Good Life

Days off from school equal a little added craziness to my life!  I refuse to clean my house because as anyone with kids knows the house just becomes a bigger pit when they are home from school!!!

Too early to start baking pumpkin pies and the sale flyers have not come out yet so I can't make a Black Friday Attack Plan.

So what have I been doing??  Well, yesterday I did Body Pump, then ran, took a nap (yay) and then ran trails right before sunset.  Today I swam, ran trails, had lunch with friends, got stuff ready for tomorrow's Gobble Wobble, going back out to trails for a shorty and then kettlebells with a friend. I kinda like this life!

Tomorrow is the Gobble Wobble.  I started this run as a gathering for my students and their families. However, this year it grew and grew and GREW!  I am expecting over 100 people to show up to wobble, walk, gallop or dash!  No timing, no swag, just families gathering before they eat the big meal!  Will post pics tomorrow!

No Whinin' Allowed!

When I sat down to blog today I was pretty sure I knew what I was going to write about.  It has not been the best day - just one of those days when the mess of the house, the mountains of laundry, and empty cupboards stressed me out.  On top of all that, I made a trip to the mall (10 miles) to buy birthday presents for my soon-to-be adult daughter only to find that that daughter did not return the borrowed credit card to my purse!  AAAARGH!  I was going to whine to ya'll.  But then as I was reflecting on the day I realized those were just small bits of a really great day.  I got to do an early morning swim with my daughter, hit the trails for a quick run with a friend, eliminated the piles of laundry, and "motivated" my kids to get their rooms cleaned.  And to top it off - while grocery shopping I found Angie's Kettlecorn Hollidrizzle Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt popcorn!!!  You MUST try this tasty treat!!!!  I did! ~ Like half the bag in half an hour!!!  Oh yeah - I also went to the local DQ who just happens to be having an end-of the season blowout sale.  Thirty Dilly Bars and 5 Monkey Tails later, I know that I will have some very happy students!!!!  So, today had its moments, but all in all I had a good day!

Just being a dork showing you that I really did eat half the bag!

Switching It Up

I have been messing around with my blog a little bit lately, updating, adding pics, changing fonts, etc.  In this process, I noticed that my blog description said something about "finding out what it takes to be an ultrarunner."  It has been almost a year since I began my journey as an ultrarunner.  I remember waiting with excitement for the race to open up for registration. I loved the commitment to the training, the people I met along the way, and all the things I learned!  What a year it has been!  I am starting to think of ultra-goals for next year and I cannot wait!

Now, if you are reading this post maybe you have looked up at my blog description and have noticed that I have changed it.  Now I am on a journey to become a balanced runner.  I am not entirely sure what that means yet!  Right now I need to get balanced physically.  A year of ultras, a marathon, a couple of half marathons, and a smattering of 10ks have left me a little physically damaged (not saying injured, in denial still :))  So here is my plan for the winter months -

Running - no more than 8 miles 4 x a week
Swimming - 30-45 min 3 x a week
Body Pump - 60 min 3 x  a week

Even though that seems like pretty low mileage compared to last year, I have to believe the cross training is going to make me stronger, more efficient, and maybe even faster.  I am hoping to build upper body strength and balance the running muscles in the legs as well as build core strength.

Anybody else switching it up for the winter months?

Diva Dash

Yesterday I did a great race called the Diva Dash  - it was sponsored by the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance (MOCA), a women only run!  Those are so much fun!  Great run for a great cause! Event management was Final Stretch - they know how to put on a fantastic race!!  The plan was to cap the race at 1,200 entries, but it was decided to let it go higher.  That was a bit of a concern for me because I hate bottlenecks. It all turned out great though!!  The course was beautiful - we ran mostly on a paved trail, but there were some gravel roads, a floating trail through a marsh, and a wood slat bridge over a lake inlet.  There were a few bummers - it was an out and back course which I usually love, but because of the high number of runners on a narrow path, many of us had to keep stepping off the trail into the mud.  Also, there was a point when the 10Kers converged paths with the 5Kers (many whom were walking) and we had to weave our way through the packs.  But like I said, for the most part it was a truly gorgeous race!
I forgot my watch so just ran by feel. That was ok, but I was really looking forward to a PR and that's hard to do when you don't know what your time is!  Missed a PR by 15 sec.  Oh well - next time!  I did place second in my age category (old) and 16/527 so yes- I am pleased!

After the race - the look on my face makes me wonder exactly what was in those bottles?

This race is known for the great door prizes - Coach purses, Athleta wear, headbands, etc.  I never win door prizes - EVER!  I really have never won!  What's with that? Anyway, it was fun to see the excited ladies.  The best was my sister who won a headband and acted like she won a trip to Hawaii!  Love that girl!
Favorite t-shirt quote "We moved our legs to save your eggs!"

Do you like women only races?
What is the best door prize you have ever won?