It's here! It's here! ...my Doctor Who virtual medal.

In case you missed my post about my ringing in the New Year with a virtual half marathon (plus a couple more miles), you can catch it here (with the cool photo of my ice bath... brrrr.)  I also link on that post the amazing group who hosted the "Doctor Who" themed virtual race.

Well, today after getting home with Bugaboo from our "Kids' Zumba class", we went out to check the mail...

"It's here!  It's here!"

A befuddled husband and Squeakers came outside to greet us at the mailbox and I fought the urge to tear my envelope open and quickly display the goods.  

I couldn't help but do a geeky pose... 

 My sweet husband humored me with a hundred pictures of me wearing the bling from the race... and He'll have to humor me as I wear it all day tomorrow.  Heck, I earned it!  I think I should at least get to wear it for the same amount of time it took me to "cross the finish line".  ;-)

Pretty cool, right?  The detail is amazing and if you signed up for the half marathon distance, your ribbon will be blue.  That is the only reason I volunteered myself for the half.  I'd like to say I planned it all as the "big finish" to my holiday streak and to kick of the new year... but the truth is, it didn't look right with a green ribbon.  :)

Bugaboo doesn't watch a whole lot of T.V., but it's hard not to pick up on the things mommy and daddy might like.  So, despite catching up on the early episodes from the 1960's during the kids' nap or after bedtime...  Bugaboo still picks these things up.

"Where's MY Tardis necklace, Mama?"
Uh-oh.

Can she earn a medal with zumba?  ...Well, she is pretty good at running a mile.  Maybe she'll get a green ribbon.  ;-)

And on that note, I end it with this adorable thought... a room full of kids strutting their stuff in a zumba class.

 

Do you do virtual races?  (I don't do many... it's not as fun as a race can be.  But sometimes the bling is worth the solo run and lack of festive environment with other runners.)

Starting off the New Year... Doctor Who, Holiday Streak done and the most miles ever.

To kick off the New Year and set the mood for a year of completing any running goals set, I met with some members from my Moms RUN This Town chapter in the afternoon to do some laps around a pretty park.

All of us have different paces and had different goals for distance planned for today, but we all met together and ran with each other for awhile, before we started to spread out and set into our goals.  I think we covered every distance from 5K to just a smidgen more than a half marathon.  What am I saying?  Every step taken after 13 miles is a step taken deliberately and with a lot of determination.

My goal was to end my Holiday Streak (day 52) with 15.2 miles.  This is the most miles I have ever completed.  My sweet husband also gave me an entry into the Doctor Who virtual race for Christmas. 

If you are interested in this virtual race, you can join the Facebook Group "Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Virtual fun run/walk".  Contact the admins to possibly sign up for this race because registration is officially closed, but they are taking a limited number of extra registrations.  

The bib number is the same for everyone, so I "doctored" my bib to be the code for "the vortex manipulator" in the show... or an even cooler double meaning: the time and date that the first episode ever aired (17:16 23rd Nov '63).

I'm disappointed that once again my "Charity Miles" app didn't work again.  If on the "feeding America" campaign, one mile feeds 2 people, I could have fed 30 people on my long run today.  :(  I hope they fix whatever problems they are having with this app. It is so frustrating to end a run and see that no miles were picked up by it. The app constantly updates every time I open it... so I don't understand what the problem is.  If you have a secret to it, please share it.

That aside, I've made it home with my miles well tracked (thank you garmin) and my body feeling it.  I've taken my ice bath, slathered my aching legs with arnica gel and probably going to sleep in my 110% juggler knickers.

As you can see from my garmin above, it took forever to complete the task of 15 miles... but it is done.

2014 will be a year of determination and maybe "slow and steady" will win the race.  :)  It helped to see familiar faces of my sole sisters as we passed each other in the park and I listened to some of the Doctor Who radio dramas featuring "the 8th Doctor".  I was geeking out a bit.  :)  I also wore my "I believe in the blerch" shirt since I didn't have a doctor who tech shirt.  You can totally take that as a hint to get me one, if you want.  ;-)

Happy New Year and happy running!  The year is surely going to be full of lots of adventures.  I hope it is an injury free year for you and would love to hear about some of your goals.  :)  I enjoyed reading your goals on my facebook page.

Facebook giveaway and Christmas Eve Traditions.

 It's been quite the week.... Preparing for holidays, lots of treats and trying to sneak in runs.  I'm on day 44 of my holiday running streak!  I am excited that I've made it this far, but it's still a battle to make time for even just a short mile every day.  We'll see what Christmas Day brings!

Christmas Eve has a new tradition of taking Squeakers and Bugaboo out in the double stroller to go look at lights in the neighborhood... and Maybe to work off the cookies Santa will be eating tonight.  We worse blinking holiday lights which, I'd like to think, helped us be more visible in the fog we are having tonight.  Good thing Santa has Rudolph... or he'd have a heckofa time in our area tonight!

On a side note, I wonder how this tradition will morph and change as the kiddos get too big to be hauled in a running stroller...

Other big news... A GIVEAWAY!!!

If you aren't already following me of Faceook, let me announce my big news!  Well, I think it's big.

My Facebook page reached (over) 1,000 likes!!!  So to celebrate, I'm having an "Ultimate Runner's Care Package" giveaway to start off someone's 2014 on the right foot.  Click here to check out my Facebook page.  While the giveaway is going on, it'll be pinned to the top of the page.  

For this giveaway, I've teamed up with "Hands Free living with Hips-sister", Fitsok, The RunnerBox and Glimmer Gear.   You won't want to miss this.... and for a limited time, Fitsok and Glimmer Gear are offering my readers a discount on some of their products.  

Conquering "The Blerch" or my negative self talk...

The online comic "The Oatmeal"  describes the arch nemesis "The Blerch" as a fat little cherub who follows the comic author when he runs.  It is a wretched lazy beast who tells the runner to slow down.  Just stop.  Time to walk.  Let's just go home.  Go home and take a nap, eat some pie, or do something generally non productive.  Since seeing the funny illustrations to this topic, it really has made the idea more relateable.

Who doesn't have a bad run now and then?  Who doesn't struggle with negative thoughts and self talk now and then?

Anyone?

Everyone struggles with it at some point, and if you honestly think you don't, then pat yourself on the back or push yourself a little bit farther because I'm pretty sure even gold medalist Olympians have interviews where they have struggles in their sport.

I am so struggling.

I struggle with not getting a run in while the sun is still up and the excuses set in to skip out on my run streak and not continue since I don't really have gear for running at night.

I struggle with just wanting to be lazy.  There are about a million other things I can think of to do than get in 30 minutes of cardio.

I'm struggling with me and feeling lethargic with the lack of sun and cold weather.

I struggle at times with depression.

Probably nothing in comparison with some of the challenges others face and still get a run in.  That frustrates me too.  I can run.  I have the ability to do it.  Some are unable to and would like to.  Some have serious challenges and still get it done without complaining!

I have to conquer this laziness.  This apathy I am drowning in and rise above it.

A friend of mine gave me an early Christmas gift... and I love it.  With my new "Blerch" running shirt, I headed out last night to get the run in that I didn't want to do.

With my flashlight in hand and my sweet family following in the near distance ogling at holiday lights, I went out and pounded the pavement for a ten minute mile.

Life really isn't all that bad.  I don't know why I have such a lazy streak lately that is so hard to kick!  I hate it!  But with the crisp air, beautiful fog and lovely holiday lights, I killed my mile with a pretty fast pace (for me).    I got my run in today this morning.  Now to just keep my momentum up.  (And egg nog consumption down.)

Do you believe in "the blerch"?  How do you overcome those negative thoughts?

Holiday Streak and Hedonic Hunger

Day 32 of my Holiday Running Streak complete.  (My goal is to run at least one mile every day until New Years Day...)

I'm not covering the distance I'd like to... but today I was not warm enough and was feeling a little heavy...


It was my favorite annual event today... the "Cookie Exchange".  Bake a dozen cookies for each participant and trade a dozen with everyone to take home some new tasty treats.... to give away, of course!  But there are plenty there to taste too.

So, being mindful of how much I consumed and "Hedonic Hunger"...  I ate one or two too many and really needed to hit the street, freezing rain or not.  This might be exactly why many sign up to do this run streak!  There are plenty of seasonal treats right now that are pretty tempting...

I love this cookie exchange!  Last year, I made a cardamom black pepper cookie with juniper berry icing and the year before was a persimmon cookie with orange glaze.  My favorite cookie will always be "Santa's Whiskers".  

Well, this year, I was lazy and did a known favorite of my husband's.

Chocolate Chip Bacon cookies.

 Recipe makes 3 dozen cookies.

 6 slices maple-cured bacon, chopped

 1 1/2 cups white sugar

 1 cup softened butter

 2 eggs

 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 2 cups all-purpose flour

 2/3 cup cocoa powder

 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble.

Beat the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer in a large bowl until fluffy and smooth. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the chocolate chips and bacon. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy.  Maybe I'll look up my other cookie recipes for you in time before Christmas?

What are your favorite cookies?

Holiday Streak Day 30. The hardest mile ever... maybe the best one yet!

Day 30 of my holiday streak.  I wanted to give up this morning.  "Who cares?"  That voice keeps chanting in  my head.  "No.  Honestly.  Who Cares?  If you stop now and stop posting on your blog or facebook page that you are streaking... will anyone care?"    A much smaller voice reasoned "It's just a mile.  Go get it done and another day is in the books." 

Nope.  Not motivated.  

Then the even smaller voice of my 3 year old pierced through the argument in my head.

"Mama.  I want to run with you."

Time to lace up those shoes and get moving.  If there isn't many on the world wide web who "care" about my journey or my struggles through it... there certainly is someone outside of myself who does.  My children.  

I helped Bugaboo pick out some warm clothes and we powered through a mile.  An entire mile!  Together. 

My best little running partner...

It wasn't a miracle mile.  Actually I kept trying to bargain with her if I could turn around now and take her back home to her daddy so I could get my mile done.  Nope.  She wouldn't have it... and as cranky as I was becoming to just "hurry up"... I realized that I hadn't even wanted to run in the first place, and now she got me out there.  I wasn't going to kick her to the curb and tell her she couldn't be there with me.  What kind of example is that?  Yeah.  I like running-time to be "me time" to clear my head and think straight and piece together my sanity at times... but this was different.

Was it an awesome run?  No.
Was it fast and full of heart pumping endorphins and exhilarating?  No.

Not every run can be that.

Was it goofy, full of laughs and looking for "huge pine cones"?  Yes.

 

After a loooong 20 minute mile, we came inside to a nice cup of hot chocolate.  Well, Bugaboo had some.  I'm not having a sweet tooth right now so I'll keep the 100 calories I burned on the longest one mile ever and savor her happiness to bond on a run and snuggle up after.

"Where did the marshmallows go?"

Day 27 of the run streak in 17 degree weather.

Besides, Day 27 was my euphoric run.  Hold on to those... they just don't happen every day.  What fun would that be if they did? 

Any secrets to overcoming those negative thoughts or lack of motivation?  Share your secrets with me!  :)

25 things I've learned in 25 days of running. (My holiday running streak.)

I started my running streak on November 11th and today marks day 25!  I have to admit that I started early as kind of a "practice run" because I hadn't been running at all after my 15K race and was burnt out.  I didn't think I'd keep it up.  So... here's what I'm learning about myself and about running in general on this journey!

25.  I should probably foam roll daily.


24.  A hot shower feels really good after a cold run.

23.  I really have an amazing, supportive husband to watch the kids for me to sneak in those daily runs.

22.  I don't like to run with music anymore.  It's easier to hear my pace or how my feet are shuffling and to focus on what is going on around me. 

21.  I really can do this.  I'm on day 25!!!  I don't have to do a huge training run every time... Just a mile if that's all I have time or energy for.

20.  On day 20 I learned I can run a 10 minute mile!  Well.... 10:03.

19.  I can get into size 10 jeans!  When I started running in January, I was in "22W".  

18.  Those cute metaphors about falling 99 times and getting up 100 times do not explain how hard it really is to get back up after a fall!  I had to chant to myself  "Get up!" as I laid there looking up at the sky trying to figure out what happened to my great run. 

Day 16 of my running streak.  Everything is scabbing over nicely now!

17.  Sometimes you just have to sneak a run in while doing errands.  On day 21, as the family loaded up into the car to go to the Christmas tree lot... I ran ahead 2 miles before they came across me en route and picked me up. 

16.  I can beat my family the 2 miles or about 22 minutes it takes me to run to the grocery store.  It takes my husband that long to load two kids into the car before being able to get the car on the road...

15.  It feels good to get a charity mile in.  Go check out this app if you haven't yet.  It will help your motivation to run for others.  

14.  Wood bridges and docks covered in frost are very slick. Yikes!  I don't think I ever crossed one so early in the morning before this run streak.
13.  Get up early enough and there is an untouched world full of beauty and some wildlife.

Day 15-  3 blue Heron.  One in flight on the bottom, middle picture.

12.  And 7 days later, the same place at the same time can be just a freezing and rained out path.  But at least I got out there... right?

11.  Cat calls leave me on edge.  I really don't like them.  Can't a guy just holler "Good job!"

10.  Running everyday means a lot more laundry.
9.  Your socks don't have to match.
8.  This also made it obvious that I have plenty of running shirts but need more pants.
7.  It is easy to throw on a t-shirt to get a quick mile in, but it is uncomfortable to run in jeans, slacks, or yoga pants that were just "a little too big" when lounging around the house.  Baggy pants are no good.
6.  What feels like a SLOW warm up now, used to be my "full out" fast pace.  I'm improving!

5.  Cold ears hurt like an ice cream headache.

4.  It didn't take long to figure out where a mile landmark is in any direction of my front door.

3.  I'm not drinking nearly enough water in a day.  My goal is 90 oz. minimum.  I think I had a glass of water with my lunch today... maybe.
2.  Snot rockets are just gross.  No thank you.

And #1:
The digital "your speed" sign can register me!  9 MPH baby!  Yeah.  I should probably rely on my Garmin for more accurate pace readings... 

Any surprises or revelations you've come across because of running?