It's Sunday, and it's my long run day

And I don't want to do it... When I think about running 7 miles, I think I am going to vomit. It doesn't help that it's super hot (still) here and I'm sore from the week. Anyone want to come and push me 7 miles???

No desire to run

During the week, I usually run on the treadmill at the gym...and last weekend it was so hot here, I ran my long run on the treadmill too. Can you say "running on the treadmill burnout"? I think I have it. But I also don't have any desire to run outside...I think I have running burnout. Also, I've been incorporating yoga into my workout routine (I got a Living Social deal for unlimited yoga at a local studio with childcare and I have been trying to maximize my money spent), and would prefer to do that over running right now. Not good when you are on a tight running schedule, and my half is on 10/28. But I haven't registered for it, and I'm totally slacking...so, of course, my lazy self is saying, don't do it. UGH! I'm pretty sure, without running I will feel like the latter statement, rather than the first:

So, what are you telling me, just suck it up and do it? OOOOOKKKK. Ugh! So, this week I slacked on my running and now have to run Thursday, Friday and my long run this week, plus a cross training exercise. I hate when I do that to myself.

How do you get yourself out of a running rut? Anyone???

Week 6, continued...

So I signed up for the yoga challenge that began on Monday, 9/10.

Here is the information, if you are interested: http://www.yogajournal.com/fitnesschallenge/?utm_source=Fitness&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=Fitness

I mentioned in a previous blog that I recently found a yoga studio that offers childcare AND it's by my house! SCORE! They have TONS of classes, all at different times. It's awesome!!! Here is there webpage, if you are local, and want to check it out:

http://www.hapayoga.com/

Anyway, I haven't being doing the videos that the Yoga Journal has been emailing me, BUT I have counted my yoga classes that I've been doing at Hapa toward the challenge. Same thing, right? I mostly have been doing the "hot as a mutha" class (similar to Bikram) and it's AWESOME! I didn't think I'd like doing yoga in a really hot room, but I feel so relaxed and light after. Totally stretched out and like I sweated out all the toxins. It's been great pairing that with my running - I run, then I stretch my tight lower body out!

Today I did "cardiyo sculpt". We used weights while doing yoga poses - tons of squats, lunges, legs, and also a good amount of upper body. Lots of plank and core, too. ALL in a heated (90 degrees) room. When I got home I got online to find out when the next class is...Saturday! YAY!

Anyway - so here is how my week 6 training schedule is shaping up...

M: gentle yoga/recovery and rest day
Tu: hot yoga and 4 mile run
W: 2 mile run and hot yoga
Th: cardiyo sculpt and 4 mile run
F: 2 mile run and hot yoga
Sa: 6 mile run and cardiyo sculpt
Su: ashtanga yoga (in a heated room)/recovery and rest day

Did you write out your plans for this week? Did you follow your plan? (I wrote out a loose plan, but have been modifying it/moving workouts around according to my schedule).

Week 6

I'm now in week 6 of training for the LA Rock 'n Roll half marathon. How did this happen???

It's been so hot here...like 95 degrees with humidity. I am SO ready for fall. After my long run this weekend (which was supposed to be 6 miles, but I only did 5 miles because 1) I ran nasty hills and 2) because it was so hot I'm sure I left a trail of where I ran with my sweat, ala Hansel and Gretel style), I came home, stripped off my shirt and jumped into the pool in my sports bra and running pants. Noah thought this was super funny and told me he liked that "bathing suit" better than my others. Um, maybe because the running pants hold in my post-baby jiggly belly better. Hmmm...out of the mouths of babes.

Anyway, I'm in the middle of trying to figure out my workout plans for this week, and I'm LOVING hot yoga. They say you burn 500-1000 calories in class, but I'm not so sure. Sure, it's intense, but my heart rate doesn't get up like it does when I'm running...I should wear my heart rate monitor, but with all the sweat going on in that class, the chest strap would probably end up at my feet.

So, here is Hal Higdon training plan for this week...I followed the plan for both the Vegas and the San Diego RnR, so let's just go with what I know:

6

Stretch & strengthen

4 m run

2 m run or cross

4 m run + strength

Rest or easy run

Rest

5-K Race

Instead of doing a 5-K this weekend, I plan on doing my 6 mile run. Yesterday was my rest day, today I plan on doing 4 miles at the gym on the death-mill after I get Noah from school. I did hot yoga this morning. As for the rest of the week...not sure what's on tap. But, I'd better figure it out soon!!!

5 simple ways to be a great mom today

Sometimes I find myself getting so wrapped up in the day-to-day stuff of taking care of a house, being a wife, being a mom, dealing with bills and paperwork etc. that I forget to do many of the things listed in the following article : http://www.roomag.com/5-simple-ways-to-be-a-great-mom-today/

The one that's really hitting home is #1 

Give your child your UNDIVIDED attention. Listen, listen, listen. But not just with your ears… with your face, your body language, and your voice {asking questions and drawing out more of their story}. Nothing communicates love to your child like having your full attention, even if it’s just for a few minutes!

It seemed easier to do this when I only had one child, but I know I didn't always do this when Noah was the only child in our family. With Cameron being so little and not understanding the concept of patience, he often occupies a lot of my time and attention when I'm talking to Noah, or helping him with his homework, or whatever it may be. And let's face it, there are so many distractions - the telephone, the mounting pile of papers on the desk that need to be dealt with, the laundry, the computer...but, this is a nice reminder to stop and just listen, even if it's only for a few minutes a day. 

I'm sure you'll remember those moments over the times you dealt with the day-to-day stuff a lot more in the future. 

My love affair with Lululemon is breaking my heart

I love, love, love Lululemon. Ask my husband. I justify my purchases as my "work wardrobe" since I'm not buying any work/office clothes right now. Hubby isn't buying it...but he obliges...

I have two pairs of Wunder Under crops from last year. LOVE them, but right now, with it being so hot, they are a little big longer than I want. I've been in a quest to find a shorter crop from Lulu, but not shorts. I don't like running in shorts. My thighs eat the short material and I have to use a tube of Body Glide for a week - enough said.

So, I have tried the 105 crop from Lulu, the discover crop and even ordered the new Wunder Under crop, thinking I'll just tailor it and crop it myself. Much to my dismay ALL of these crops were see-through when I bent over. No one needs to see that when I'm stretching or doing yoga or whatever. What the heck happened with the material? Same size, same everything and it's see-through. I'm so disappointed.

And btw, the sales girl said that the new material isn't the same as the old material and that a lot of people have been complaining about it. UGH!!!

So, I ended up buying another pair of Nike Drifits and the Road Runner crop - the Drifits are a bit see-through when I bend over but I don't like these for yoga. The Road Runners are not, and they both are HALF the cost. SCORE!

Btw, there is a whole website devoted to this problem...yoga pants manufacturers check it out!!! http://girlsinyogapants.com/2012/see-through-yoga-pants-2/

Road Runner Sports rocks my socks off!

I have been running in the Saucony ProGrid Ride 5 since about June, and I was just not loving them...and I was finding myself using different shoes to run in, even though these were my newest pair. They felt too stiff and not flexible enough on the sole. They also felt heavy, even though they were a "neutral" pair. These are the ones I was running in:

http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1015/?cc=BLCIT

I actually found myself running in my Sketchers Go Run Ride. These were an impulse buy when I was there with the boys, getting them shoes. I liked how light they were, and the sales girl said to try them and if I didn't like them, to bring them back. Well, I like them for running AND for just doing my every day stuff. And they are only $80, vs. some running shoes that are upwards of $120. These are the ones I have been really liking:

If you've never gone to Road Runner Sports, they have an AWESOME return policy. If you are a VIP, then you get 90 days to try your shoes. I couldn't remember when I bought mine, but when I called, I had 3 days left to return. So, I loaded the boys up with snacks and of course the Disney Channel app on my phone, and went on a search for some new shoes.

They returned my shoes FREE and I got some lighter, more flexible Nikes. The people working there are very educated and while I've been finding myself using the more minimal shoe, they said that I should reserve those shoes for shorter runs. (like the Sketchers and the Nike Frees, shoes like that). I ended up walking out with these:

http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1459/

And I walked out with 2 pairs of pants and a pair of socks. More about the pants in my next post: my love affair with Lululemon is breaking my heart.

I ran in them yesterday, and I like them. This weekend I have a scheduled 6 miler, so I will let you know how they feel!

Oh, and for your cuteness quotient for the day...my boys last night when I told them it was bed time. Cameron wants to sleep with Noah :-)

Team in Training

I recently received two flyers in the mail - one for Team Challenge and one for Team in Training. I'm currently training for the LA Rock 'n Roll half marathon (end of October) and the Vegas Rock 'n Roll half marathon (end of December). This will be my 3rd and 4rd half marathon ever, my first half was the Vegas RnR last December. 

I have been running/training alone. This has worked for my schedule, since I have to go to the gym to do my shorter runs during the week (Noah is in school, and the gym offers daycare for Cameron) and I do my longer runs on the weekend, when I can run outside free as a bird...oh, and yeah, Cameron barely tolerates the stroller when I run. The LONGEST I can get is 4 miles, and it's not enjoyable for either of us ;-) But, recently, I've been thinking about training with a group, not only because I think it will motivate me, but since I've been home with the kiddos, it might be nice to meet some new friends.

After talking to both Team Challenge and Team in Training, it *seems* that Team in Training has more support when it comes to fundraising - which I've never done before. The only bad thing is, Team in Training is NOT training for the two races I've already committed. So, I think I'll be running ANOTHER race, just a month after the Vegas RnR. Am I crazy? Probably...but it is a race I've been interested in running...either the Tinkerbell half or the Walt Disney half.

So, there it is, I think I'm joining a team and fundraising...I think. I still have the weekend to figure it out ;-) I reserve the right to change my mind.

My youngest child

The last two days, I have had to wake Cameron up to go get Noah...today, not so much.

Here he is the last two days...

And today, he's NOT acting so mellow. Off to take care of the man child. 

Yoga

I've been wanting to incorporate more yoga into my workouts during the week but 1) I always have a tiny dictator attached to my hip (i.e. Noah & Cameron) and 2) I can never get away from these tiny dictators and the big dictator (i.e. Travis - I kid I kid/have to put this in case he's reading it :-)). Anyway, I found 2 yoga studios with childcare AND awesome classes. I'm so excited to incorporate this into my routine, especially because running does a number on my body (so sore/tight seemingly all the time - what, I know, I'm getting old). So, I did 2 hot yoga classes this week at one studio, and I plan on doing 2 restorative classes at another studio this week. I feel so Zen. ;-) And I'm SURE I look like this while doing it...

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So fresh and so clean

Today's post is inspired by the OutKast song, So Fresh and So Clean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU3Rk-Z9boM

First off, yes, I'm a big dork. Second, I do love gansta rap (I grew up in Fresno!!! I also love country music - random combination).

Ok, really, the point of this post is to let you know I'm starting over - "so fresh and so clean, clean" - on my blog. I want to still post about my running adventures, and of course about my beautiful boys, Noah and Cameron, but I want to incorporate some other things - what they are, I'm not sure yet.

So, I've getting over my "new blogging anxiety" and gonna just do it (in the words of Nike).

There it is, short and sweet - welcome! And happy reading!

And here I am in my SWEETEST gansta pose. YEAH!

Love ya ~ Amy