2012 in Review

2012 was a busy year for me.  It of course did not go quite the way I had planned it, but what does in life.

January
I was feeling great and running strong.  I was putting in a lot of miles and enjoying the mild winter.   Cola got really sick and nearly died.  I didn't do any races in January except for a virtual one I think.
I ran 156 miles. 

Febuary
Still running strong with 150 miles this month.  Beginning to toy with the idea of doing a marathon this year thanks to the Marathon Training Academy podcast, which is a much less scary podcast to listen to then Anything Ghost. Again no races this month. Just running for the joy of it. I also had jury duty that lasted a whole week of my life!

March
168 miles this month! Feeling great.  I did a 5k and got a PR for that course.  I offically signed up for my first marathon. 

April
An amazing 183 miles were ran.  I did my first Peaks to Prairie Adventure Race as part of a team.  I also ran a 10k where I got lost and only ran 5 miles. 

May
173 miles ran.  I did the Montana Women's Run 5 mile and PRd on the course.

June
184 miles ran  Did a 10k and set a PR, barely! 

July
108 miles ran
First marathon.  I ran the Missoula Marathon and felt great for 20 or so miles and then the wheels came off the bus and the last 6.2 were the hardest miles I have ever run.  I had planned to do a half marathon later in the month but never did enter.  I had a harder time recovering from the marathon than I anticipated.

August
138 miles ran
Hood to Coast Relay.  Pure awesome and so much fun! 

September
58 miles ran.  I felt like I was dealing with some burnout and my hips were bothering me, my hamstring was injured.  Not a good month for running.  I did start using my bicycle more. Didn't enter the half marathon this month I had planned too.  Just not feeling it.

October

108 miles ran.  Cola got hit by a truck and broke his pelvis.

November
98 miles ran.  I did a 5k Turkey Run on Thanksgiving and surprised myself with a great time despite no speedwork in months. 

December
I was really bad about keeping track of my miles this month for some reason.  I only have 15 miles in DailyMile but I know I ran more than that.  Cola is back to running effortlessly.

DailyMile has my year total at 1664 miles ran even with December all messed up.  That's a lot of miles!  Whew!

Overall I am happy with how the year went. I didn't run as many races as I had planned to, but that's okay.  I think it is better I sat them out than ran them. I had a great time with Team Beef and am looking forward to another great year of running with them.

Thursday's Three

1. I participated in the sock swap that Courtney at Third Time's a Charm Runner hosted.  I was lucky enough to have her as my sock sender.  Check out my great haul!  GU in Tri-berry and Mandarin Orange, Dove chocolates, a huge box of Gobstoppers, Sport Beans, 2 packs of hand warmers, Lindor Chocolates, cute candy cane knee highs and the grand finale was the Lululemon Brisk Run Headband.  I am so in love with it. 

My daughter had to pose with the goodies, mostly she couldn't wait to open the box of Gobstoppers.

"Like you could either, what of it? I also took the strawberry EOS chapstick, it was pink and should be mine"

2.  Christmas was good, we went up to the in laws in Ronan which is a 7 hour drive for us.  We were going to leave Saturday but with Rance and the kids both having a really bad cold we delayed a day so everyone could heal up a little.  Little cowgirl was about over it by then but little cowboy had it pretty bad all weekend.  I felt my worst on Christmas Eve and am feeling mostly recovered now., but am still scratchy throated and have the snot going on.  Joyous.

The kids and everyone really made out like bandits with lots of great gifts.  My little sister was awesome and filled the stockings at home and set out Santa gifts and left a Santa note so that when we got home it looked like Santa had been here.  My son had been so worried about that.  He did not want to go to Ronan for that reason.
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3.  We got home around 3 in the afternoon yesterday and this guy was so excited to see us

I took him for a quick 4 mile run.  I wanted to run longer but it was getting dark and I had lots to get put away, organized, and I wanted to play with the kids.  The picture of Cola is not from yesterday as we now have snow on the ground. It is from Saturday.  Pretty sure I looked all frosty like that too.

I took nearly a full week off from blogging and running and working out.  Feels good to have a break and good to be back!

Three for Thursday

1. Coffee and laptops aren't really a good combination. Just as I was sitting down to write this post this morning Rocky managed to trip me with my very full coffee cup.. I unplugged it and tried to turn it off but I have to admit it was a minute or so before I thought to pull the battery. I have it drying now and my fingers are crossed. such a bummer first thing in the morning. I hope it is not an indicator of how my day is going to go.

I tried to take it apart and couldn't find the right size screw driver. A big tool box full of tools and I don't have the right one.. I am hoping I can find my warranty information and that this would be covered under it...

2. My back is starting to feel a lot better but still seems a little grouchy especially at the end of the day so I am scaling back my half marathon training plans. At this point I still have every intention of doing a March half marathon, but it may not be a PR attempt. I was supposed to start speed work last week and at this point don't think I will start it next week either, so hopefully in January,

I don't want to push it too hard and then not have a racing season at all! I was running up to 10 miles prior to my back starting to hurt two weeks ago so I am not worried about getting up to the distance at this point. 

3. Not sure how but so far I have managed to avoid the crud that everyone else in my family has been suffering through. I have a bit of a stuffy nose but that is all so far. My poor husband has had it pretty bad the last two days. He always seems to get it worse than I do. My theory with that is I have my tonsils to catch the cruddy stuff and he doesn't. His first symptom always seems to be a scratchy throat and I almost never have that. Coincidence?

With as many kids that roll through our surgery center getting tonsils out I am always surprised when anyone has them although both of my kids still have theirs. I know sometimes they do need to come out, but if my theory is right I hope they get to keep theirs.

Do you have your tonsils?
Ever spilled coffee on your laptop? A full cup?

Running is music

So after taking nearly a week of running off I FINALLY went for a run yesterday.
My lower back has been grouchy so I wasn't even sure I should have gone yesterday, but I was really itching for a run.  After missing out on such great weather I couldn't let another day go by without at least trying.

Verdict.  It felt pretty GREAT!  My right hip flexor has had a bit of a niggle but seems to be okay as long as I avoid hills. (not real easy to do here) so I went with a route with minimal hills. 

Five miles in I was feeling so good and was feeling like I could keep running all day.  Guess my legs were happy for all that rest.  I did force myself to call it a day after 6.28 miles.  The 28 was for all the people that died in CT.  Yes I even ran for the gunman.  He was somebody's little boy once.  I just wonder if he could have got the right help or maybe even just been raised right, if it could have been prevented.

I have to admit to being pretty shaken up by the whole thing and made Friday a kid night complete with pizza, ice cream, cream soda, cousins sleeping over and movies.  Lots of snuggling too!

I also have not done much cross training HIIT workouts since I stubbed and bruised my toe.  It was pretty sore for awhile.  I did do a ZWOW on Sunday and another on Monday and today I am feelingit in such a good way.

I did use my elliptical on my 6 day (wow almost a whole week) no running spree.  The elliptical didn't bother my back or hip flexor so it was great for exercise, but really is not the same as a good run!

Saw this in Runner's World last week and LOVED it.  It was in ask Miles, someone asked if they should start running to music.  Miles answered that

 "Running is music"

 

It is.  The steady or maybe not so steady sometimes rhythm of my breathing, the different sounds of my feet

crunching on gravel,

 swishing through fresh snow,

splashing in puddles,

sucking through med,

pounding on pavement

 the varying sounds as I step on grass, dirt,

or break through films of ice over puddles

the sounds of nature or cars in the background,

mooing cows, barking dogs, the howl of a coyote,

birds singing, geese passing overhead

the beep of my watch for another mile logged

the water sloshing in my water bottle

the wind blowing through trees

 

Tell me some of your favorite running sounds

 

 



Thursday's Three

1.  I managed to do something that threw my lower back out of wack and Tuesday at work my right sciatic was killing me by the end of the day.  I think it might have been a very steep hill I ran down Monday, but not sure.  So yesterday I ...gasp.. skipped my run and went to the chiropractor instead.  I had referred in my little sister also since she was feeling out of wack so I got a free visit. YAY!   The chiropractor laughed when  he looked at my back and said he didn't even need to write a new note my back was the same as my sisters and we had the same problems.  No doubt related to packing kids on one hip all the time and running.

My back is feeling much better but I took the day off yesterday and will take today as a rest day too.

2.  Race photos from the Run Turkey Run 5k on Thanksgiving. The first is much better than the second.

 Here I have the "I might heave" look

3.  Totally random, but it annoys me when I see jumping jacks listed on workouts.  They seem like a filler move to me.  Unless you take them low so they can really work out the legs better.  I never do a workout if I see jumping jacks listed.  I immediately discount the entire workout.  Maybe I am being a little hard on them, but if I seem jump lunges/ split lunges, I am on it!   Jumping jacks are more like a warm up move to me. They always seem to be listed on workouts on Pinterest!  Aaack!  I saw four this morning first thing.

What is your take on jumping jacks?  Am I missing something with them?

Like wearing a blanket

Yesterday I got out for a pretty nice run.  I was going to do between 8 and ten miles depending on how I was feeling.  Turned out I was feeling like a 9.  i slightly overdressed for the run, but I hate hate hate being cold and would rather shed layers than wish I had more.  It was about 27 degrees when I got done running.

 

 

 Then I beat my Dad playing some cribbage.  My husband won't play cribbage with me.  He claims that I gloat too much when I win. (for the record I seem to win a lot).

Then I went home and finished making my new fleece snuggly pants. I figured sinceI was making some for the kids, I might as well make a pair for me too.  I  Talk about warm and snuggly!

Kind of like wearing a blanket.

What are some highlights from your Monday?
Do you play cribbage?

Motivation for Monday

 I had a great weekend.  My husband and I went up to Bozeman for a football playoff game.  The Bobcats lost, but it was still a fun trip/date night with my husband.  The kids stayed home with their grandma since it was cold out.

I did take the kids to see Santa Saturday at a Polar Express event.  I made their jammies and they had no idea we were going to the event.  So they were really excited and maybe a little confused when we got to town.  The event seemed way oversold and unorganized, but the kids had a great time.

My little cowboy and his cousin made the online edition of our newspaper with this photo.

Lots of kids everywhere!

Little cowgirl and her cousin, hanging in their jammies drinking cocoa.

Here is how excited they were when Santa showed up. 

getting Santa to sign the Polar Express books.  My daughter got really shy once we got to Santa and she wouldn't even look at him!

oh yeah and the motivation part.  Saw this one Pinterest and loved it.

thought this one was funny

 

and finally don't forget!

Have a great Monday.  What did you do fun over the weekend?

Thursdays Three

This one will be short and sweet.

1.   Life feels crazy busy right now, probably because I am working three days in a row this week and I never do that!  I missed out on three days of great running weather this week due to work and just a busy Monday (I had a massage and a  body wrap)  but since I am kicking of some half marathon training soon I am not too worried about it.  I am going to call it a little rest before I get serious :)

2. So excited to get to go to the Cats game this weekend. Montana State vs Sam Houstan.  It is a repeat of a playoff matchup from last year.  Last year we played on their turf and they trounced the Cats.  Boo.  This year it is in Bozeman and it is going to be WINTERY!  Hopefully that will throw the Texas boys for a loop.   The kids are staying home with their grandma so it will be like a date.  :)
The game will be on ESPN2 Friday night.

3. Since my Hood to Coast team from last year did not get into Hood to Coast again this year we are looking to do a Ragnar Relay.  Maybe Napa, or the ones in Minnesota or Washington.  It is all very up in the air at this point, but it would be very exciting!


and .. I am thinking I want these.. but do I need them?  I am hoping they come up with a St. Patricks Day sock too.

Random things I have been doing

Life seems to have been busy but good.  Running is going good and I am getting ready to officially kick off half marathon training soon.  This week and the week of Christmas will be a little off, but I am not too worried about it except for stress levels. Training in the winter in general can be a little iffy with no treadmill, but I accept that and will just work around the weather the best I can.  I do have an elliptical which is not ideal but it does help.

The weather has been amazing, the first day of December I was out running in a skirt, YAY and should have been the second day but I just got some new tights and wanted to try them out. They were a little hot for the weather.  Which is good since I bought them to run in the cold weather with.  I got them with a gift  card from my parents for my birthday.

I got the Brooks Utopia Thermal tights.  Not as heavy as my other ones, but still warm.

I don't know why but my kids seem to think going to the local running store means they have to run around and chase each other in it. This doesn't make shopping there fun when I am constantly threatening my kids!

I experienced a body wrap for the first time in my life yesterday.  I didn't know what to expect.  I had a momentary freak out when she first wrapped me out.  My forehead had a small itch as soon as I was all wrapped and I realized I was too wrapped to scratch it...I can't move!  I forced my self to take some deep breaths and relax. 

As soon as the scalp massage started I was able to completley relax and not worry about being a human mummy.  All the same, not sure if I would do that again. 

I am making my kids fleece jammies out of fleece they picked out and am taking them to a Polar Express event this weekend.  They don't know it yet.  I am so excited.  I am going to get them in their new jammies and not tell them where we are going untill we get there. 

Boogery eyes seem to be making its way around here five out of eight cousins have had them, including one of my kids.  My Mom got it too.  I keep waiting to wake up with my eyes crusted over too.  So far I have been safe!

The next time I post hopefully I will have pictures to make this more interesting!