Dylan's First Track Meet

Dylan had crazy hair day his last week of school (a few weeks ago.)  He now wishes he could wear his hair this way everyday.  Surprisingly, it stayed all day long thanks to Jaz who recommended some amazing hair product!

The week after he got out he was in a running camp for a week and on the weekend there was a track meet.  Dylan is now a huge fan of competitive running.  Let's be honest, he is a fan of anything competitive.

Dylan ran a 100 and an 800.  Please excuse the crazy woman screaming in the first video.

He won his 100m heat by a lot, even though he was looking more at his competition than the finish line.

 He also ran the 800 with all boys ages 6-12.  Since he was the only boy in his age group running the 800, he automatically got 1st place.  I mentioned this to him before the race, he was of course pleased.  I didn't know if this would change how well he decided to run.

He placed 4th over all!!!  I just loved this picture because it is of the line of placers for the 800, the boy in purple on the right being first.  Just to give you an idea of how well he did.

He was really sad that he missed his hurdles (he said they were his favorite) because between races he had to go play his last flag football game- which they won in major overtime!

Whew.  And after all that, he said he still wasn't tired!

Cape Cod Ragnar

Check our my lovely mothers day weekend adventure at eaterswitharunningproblem.wordpress.com

Running

I have tried hard to keep my running posts to a minimum, but I had to share one thought.  I have come to realize what my most rewarding moment is when I go out running.   Here is where my "coach", Rachel, would say it is when I pass someone (especially if I pass them WHILE pushing a stroller, a double stroller is even better.)  She thinks I am crazy and obsessive.  I blame it on my brother who taught me the delicacies of competitiveness.  However, today I realized there is something I love even more than passing someone- it is when a fellow runner, running the opposite direction, stares me down, sees the heavy load I am pushing and gives me "that look"- you know, the one that says "well done!"  Some will share confident and uplifting comments to me as I pass.  One guy gave them the hang loose sign.  Thrilled.  In that moment I feel pretty darn good about myself.  You know those moments you need, the ones where you can say "I did something hard today that not every mother of four can do."

D.C. Ragnar 2011

The reason this post is so delayed is because I am in denial that it is really over.

It wasn't hard to decide to do the D.C. Ragnar again this year since we had so much fun last year. A Ragnar race is a relay race- 12 of us ran 198 miles without stopping (meaning even through the night). A teammate created a blog for our team so that we could post as we ran. It was fun to get fan mail along our way from our readers. To get an hour by hour feed of our Ragnar and A LOT of entertainment go here. Here are a few pictures that didn't make the Fashionable Ladies Club Ragnar blog...

Some lucky few could catch up on their sleep anywhere...

Most of us don't have tattoos so we enjoyed them for a weekend...
We showered and relaxed at a local high school...
Team FLC (except one, of course, who was running) at exchange 18...
Enjoying the BBQ at 12am...
The tractor tire that was bigger than Megan and I...
At the finish line showing off my FLC style...
Ben created our logo and our shirts...
Van 1 (shhh... the best van!!!)....

Because I ran leg 3, the "you've got to be kidding me" leg, I am now a proud owner of...
And I wore it proudly to church the next day. I know you are all jealous, and No, it is not for sale.

Till next year!

D.C. Ragnar Relay

12 Friends...

201 miles later...

Run, Drive, Eat - Repeat!

Facts:

• 12 runners on a team, 6 per van
• 247 teams
• 201 miles from the countryside of MD to the National Harbor in DC
• 33 1/2 hours of straight running, day and night
• Runner one hands off baton to runner two, two to three and on until the 12th runner hands it back to runner one. Each runner completes three legs of the race.

Highlights:

• "Sightseeing" from Cumberland, MD to Washington D.C.
• Lack of sleep!!!!!!
• Finding a spot to rest between the rows of sleeping bodies
• Showering in a high school locker room with 40 other women
• Running at night with a head lamp, butt lamp and reflective vest
• Watching 3 members of our team FINISH their first running race EVER!!!
• Teammates handing me a shampoo sample packet instead of a Gu energy packet
• Mountains as tall as Everest and heat like the Sahara
• Pumping and dumping every few hours, and of course missing my baby at home.
• Van 2 being rudely awaken by a girls soccer team (guess they double booked that field
• Pitch dark porta potties
• The "Do not resuscitate" and "We've got the Runs" teams
• The train that felt like it was going to run right over us
• The nonstop texting chimes from multiple different phones, to alert us when we would be on duty or the over van checking in on us.
• 11 new wonderful friends!

Nothing brings twelve people closer together than being stuck in a rented, small, stripped down, stinky, minivan running on no sleep for over 33 hours!!!

Double to Triple

I am determined to not buy a triple jogger for more than just one reason:

1. $$$$

2. lbs to be pushed/pulled

3. my sanity

So lately we have been improvising when I need to catch a run. Dylan is an amazing little bike rider and can keep up with me on his bike (actually, it is me that is constantly trying to keep up.)This is usually on my shorter 3 milers so that I know he won't get exhausted. But on this particular day I ended up pushing a load that looked like this...

Dylan uncharacteristically got "tired and sat on the front of the jogger and I stuck his bike in the back. The bike alone was heavier than my kids! Let's just say I wasn't running up the hills!

We recently got Dylan a new bike, he really needs gears. The poor kid could pedal his little legs so fast it looked like he was going to fly right off his bike!

Lengthen Your Stride

Yesterday I won my first race! Well, first for the women that is. I came in 4th over all and I was only two minutes behind the leader. It maybe the only race I win my whole life so I have to indulge in the feeling! There were 700 participants of the first annual (?) Lengthen your Stride 5k.

This 5k was coupled with a day of service. Every participant brought food and clothing to donate for the needy.

The winner of the Raleigh Marathon presented the awards. I felt so cool! Not to mention how cool and fast Dylan thought I was! Since I was the women's leader, I got to be interviewed. When I get the link for it, I will post it! But enjoy these pics for now!

Turkey Trot

So who of you have done your turkey trot???

I did mine on Saturday in Pinehurst, NC (the golfers out there might recognize this place.) I was lucky enough to be able to do it with a couple of gals from one of the wards in my stake- beats doing it alone.

This 1/2 marathon felt much better than my last one, however, there were more hills. Most the time I was either running up a hill or down a hill. The view was gorgeous but the weather was a little chilly (high of 42.) I was very happy when I beat my last time for a 1:46! I felt pretty good about that!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Cannonball Complete

I have done all the other distances (5k,10k, marathon and triathlon) but I skipped one run- the 1/2 marathon. So this year I decided to give it a try. Today I ran the Greensboro Cannonball 1/2 marathon. It was much more fun to train for than the full- that is for sure! Ashlyn was by far my best training partner and she always wanted to come along for a ride.

So today was the day- it has been 80 degrees all week long, and then the high today was 52!! Perfect race day weather!?!? I met and exceeded my goal of breaking 2 hours! I finished at 1:50. It was a very hilly course and the last 800 was a very steap hill- cruel and unusual punishment!!! But I was excited to average a less thatn 8 1/2 mile pace and place 8th in my division!! But I was beat!


Enough about me- Thanks to Connor for putting up with the kids all on his own for many hours of training and for race day!

Here is before the race:

Here are all three kids stuffed into our kidarooz:

And the after:

Here's to the next one! Anyone???

The New Me

I went running again today, but Dylan insisted that he had to go. I haven't run with him since the fall, and boy has he gotten heavy. But it is good for me. It is nice to have a cheering section in the stroller (I make him tell me that I can do it), but I hate having to give up my iPod to the strollee (is that a word?) When we were going up the hills (a plethora of them too) he asked me why we were going so slow- how would that make you feel? I would like to announce that I have turned over a new leaf- I am now an early riser runner!!! (I hate to wake up early and love to stay up late, so this is a BIG deal.)

So raise your hand if you are sick of hearing about running and think Michal should just create a whole blog exclusively for her running stories so you don't have to hear all about it.

Rain or Shine

You guessed it... RAIN.

It is raining and supposed to rain for the next week. So I decided there was no better time to go running than right now- the time was good (baby fed, Connor home, dinner made.) I am sure you are all sick of my running stories, but I have fallen in LOVE!!!! At least I will spare you the details such as miles, time, pace, and heart rate.

We have a great parks system here in Cleveland and the North Chagrin Reservation is just minutes from our house. It has a large pond, all kinds of wildlife, nature center, hiking trails that cover the reservation, and a paved trail.

This evening I went out for a run, it was raining but because of the foliage, I didn't get as soaked as I would have running on the sidewalk. I took advantage of the hiking trail since I didn't have to push the kids. I was in HEAVEN!!! I even saw a deer! Though my lack of knowledge of the area combined with the abundance of trails I literally almost "LOST" myself back to my car before my time was up! I felt like I was running in the Rocky Mountains, minus the terrain of course, it was just beautiful. It is so beautiful I don't have to run with my iPod to keep me entertained!!

So I need to add to my list of "Things I love about my Jogger":

9. When I pass someone, I feel AMAZING!!!

10. Somehow I get more side aches without my jogger.

Here is a picture of Corbin's first Run. As you can see, he didn't think it was as great as I thought it was. I mean doesn't this jogger create bonding moments for my children???

Oh and Just for laughs...

My Security Blanket

Before I begin I want to apologize for the long post, I have decided that another reason for blogs is to remind us how fun it is to "write"- since for most of us mothers, it has been awhile since we wrote a paper of any sort. So here it is...

I have taken a run or two alone, without my jogger and kids. However, it wasn't as wonderful as I thought it would be and really missed having my jogger. So this is just a list of all the things I LOVE about my JOGGER... (some of which are filled with sarcasm- but make me stronger, right??)

1. I love to have room for things I would not normally take on a run- water, cell phone, extra clothes (or a place to shed them), ipod and Kleenex (so I don't have to do what my friend in Cross Country did- use her shirt.) And then when the kids come there are sunglasses, blankets, coats, books, snacks, water and whatever else they demand we bring.

2. If the kids get cranky and I really want to stop and catch my breath, they are the perfect justification for stopping. But then when I am determined not to stop, I really hate to listen to them cry it out.

3. If I go slow it is ALWAYS because I am pushing a jogger! When people pass me I can talk myself out of speeding up because I am pushing something super heavy.

4. The wind seems to always be against us, and when I turn around and come back, it conveniently changes direction and the canopy catches every gust!

5. I know my jogger is getting useless when my oldest child wants to get out of it, demanding that he run too. Possibly to slow me down, but really making me look bad when I can't keep up with him.

6. Realizing there is just not enough room in my double jogger to go on a run when my husband is gone (as if a double isn't big enough!)

7. When driving the same route I run it seems like there are no hills, but when I run it there suddenly are hills and they are gigantic.

8. Never getting to stretch after my run because I am far to busy getting everyone and everything back in the house!

Running has been on my mind as you can see all because we are finally seeing the sun. We all have this desperate itch to be outside (even if it is only 50 degrees) because we never know how long it will last. But I think spring may be on it's way!!

You know you haven't seen the sun in A REALLY LONG TIME when...

1. You forgot that sunscreen even existed- making for red faces! (So we got our our great Utah and Red Socks baseball caps to help us out.)

2. When your neighbor is back to cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner on his grill- so with all the sweet smells you wish they would invite you over !!

3. When you see an 80 year old man sitting on a lawn chair out in his front yard with his shirt off (either trying to get and extra dose of vitamin D or sunbathing.) And when you wave at him, getting no response, you figure he is either dead or asleep.

4. Your loveable 4-year old, who is not keen on PDA, can not stop hugging you. All because he is overjoyed by the fact that he can finally wear his shorts and t-shirts (and even when it is cold again, there is no going back for Dylan.)

5. You are still recovering from a devastating bout with Strep throat and you want to get out and exercise anyways.

My neighbor was right when she said that there really is no spring here- it just goes from 20 to 80 in a week (seriously, gloves to swim suites!) My sister-in-law also told me that, in Cleveland, you can expect to see snow during ever month with an "R" in it. So I guess we are not quite in the clear yet!

P.S. A few of you have been mislead and confused by the fact that I even dared to show my 5 week post-baby body in a skin-tight bathing suite. I just want to clarify that I gave myself full and complete permission to not care that my belly was hanging over my tankini bottoms and I made sure to bring my swim skirt to hide the bulging buttocks and thighs! The pictures all hid what you should not be jealous of! And thus the reason for my running!

Which one is Heavier- a pint or 80 lbs?

So I hit 6 weeks and got my OK. We had a sunny day (notice I did not say nice, sunny day because sunny was all it was.) So I decided I should try to head out for a run while it wasn't pouring rain or snow. However, we still have inches of snow. So here is a window into my adventure:

I am trying to get ready- trying to remember all the things I need (yes, it has been that long since I have been on a run.) I am out the door thinking that I did pretty well- the watch, the ipod, the three layers, the headband, the gloves. However, I forgot my ipod clip and my heal cups- oh well. For half my run there are no shoveled walks, so I run in the street and get pushed over into the puddles near the curb with each passing car- leaving a trail of dirty water up my backside! Now, I really thought I would be warm enough in three layers- I could have used another one, and maybe a hat! I decided to run to CVS (again, I am a great multitasker and thought I could get some half-and-half for dinner and deodorant for Connor at the same time as I run.) The closest CVS store is not that far- but it felt far. I forget how hard it is to get back into shape! And of course I try to start out where I left off and then kill myself. I just wish I could run with a sign that says Baby Fat On Board so that everyone would know why I was running so slow. But I have to be more humble and get over it! I also learned I am not a long jummper, because I could barely jump over all those piles of plowed snow! I also felt like I was training on those tire courses that you see football players run through, with all the snow spots!

So I felt good when I was in CVS, but realized I also forgot my Kleenex! And they didn't have just one I could use. But then I went outside and the windchill reminded me how not good I felt. I was also now carrying a pint of half-and-half. By the end of my run I was wishing I could trade it for my double jogger with kids! I didn't take long for all those body parts to start hurting, the ones you forget you use when running- my toes, and hip flexors! Oh boy, it didn't take long for things to start getting sore!

But all in all it helps me remember how wonderful it is to finally get in shape! So looking forward to something- a half or full marathon or a triathlon. I have to find a tripple jogger first- anyone???