Hey there!

Been offline for a while (OK, total lie, I've been on FB and working, and keeping up with everyone else's blogs on Google Reader) but haven't had much to say around here. I've been busy getting this one a year older, although I have a hard time believing it:



He was thrilled with his hockey-centric birthday gifts (new stick, Sid the Kid jersey from the Winter Classic, new skates -- still too big but ready for him when he needs them, and enough moolah to procure a new helmet) and unlike the birthday when he turned five and dismissed everyone after cake and presents, he seemed genuinely engaged in hanging out with his family at the gathering. At 14, he is definitely attitudinal, sassy and too smart for his own good. But with the flip of a switch, he is also still very sweet and affectionate and good-natured and most amazingly is still willing to sit with me on the couch and watch cooking shows. He alternately fills me with wonder and kills me with his 14-ness.

NOTE: I drafted this the weekend of his party, before his actual birthday, but Blogger wouldn't let me upload the photo and I hadn't had a chance to re-try until today.

The Biggest Loser recap

So, I haven't blogged in a while, but that's because I was on a crazy-go-nuts trip this week that took me from DFW to DC, then back to DFW (where I at least got to have a leisurely dinner with TDP DinoBoy and Hubby) before heading back to Denver/Boulder for the rest of the work week. Craziness. But I was able to get one great run in mid-week, although I wish I'd had the energy to have more than one. There just wasn't enough time to fit in five flights, airport time and 40 hours of work and some semblance of sleep into four and a half days. Plus there was a crazy-go-nuts drive on Monday evening that should have been FIVE MINUTES down a big thick road (on the map it looked big and thick) but ended up as a 90-minute rain-soaked drive around DC peppered with signs to Maryland, homeless people knocking on my window, and a notable lack of street signs. On the upside, I did see the New Zealand Embassy!

Yeah, and in the midst of that, I also missed out on The Biggest Loser finale, since I was 32,000 feet above West Texas and in a cab while it was on the air. I thought about doing a self-imposed media blackout on it until I could get home and watch it on the DVR, but thought that might be impossible, so I just gave up early Wednesday and googled it. I was not completely surprised that Helen won, but I was a little taken aback by exactly how thin she was. At 117 pounds, she is just above the "underweight" category on the BMI scale. She has lost more than half of her original weight. And while I'm happy for her, I have to say that in reading her follow-up interviews, you can see how she was able to do it:


I would get up at 4:30 every morning and hit the gym two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening. In between, of course, I ate plenty of good food and got rest. It paid off.

Some of the other articles I've read mentioned that she didn't go back to work (she had left her job before going to the Ranch), and hired three different trainers. Her kids are older (like the daughter that went to the ranch with her) so they don't require attention or shuttling to and fro for their activities. She also said that she didn't go out with her friends during the time she was home after leaving the last weigh-in -- if they wanted to see her, they had to meet her at the gym. Sounds pretty intense.

Again, I'm not knocking her. I'm glad she was able to get this under control. But I think it's fairly obvious that this is NOT a realistic lifestyle, either for her to maintain long term, or for anyone else with a job, a family, and daily responsibilities. Could I fit six hours of training into each day? Maybe, but not with this job, and not with having to cook, clean, chase homework around, and drive kids to hockey and gymnastics. Would it take six hours a day for me to look like that? Maybe not. Am I willing to try? Not so much. Balance, people, balance.

I imagine that when I get to the point in a few years where I am actively training for long-distance triathlon (still on my radar despite not actually being on a bicycle in several months) that I might hit two or three hours of training a day, with more on the weekends for the long runs and long rides. But one of the reasons I put that off for now is that I can't dedicate that much time to training. Not when my kids are still home and needing my attention, and not when I'm only home three days a week to give them that attention as it is. So does that mean that I've given up on losing weight and getting into fighting shape in addition to my running and whatever tri-training I can get this summer? Absolutely not. All I'm saying is that I need to have some balance, and as much as I love to see the great dramatic results from TBL, I know they are not at all realistic for me to emulate. But it does make for good TV.

Park Run

OK, I have to say that the parks here in Colorado do not bear a close resemblance to the parks in my neighborhood. There is a HUGE park not even a mile from the hotel, and I mean HUGE - 740 acres and 25 miles of trails huge! I ran around part of the periphery of it, and didn't even come close to scratching the surface. I am so sad that I ran the opposite direction toward the gym yesterday instead of looking on a stupid map and seeing this expanse of green there so close by.

Anyway, I had a great run there and really challenged myself with all the inclines and trails. These were real trails, as in NOT PAVED! and even though you could see the phone & electric poles and wires (thankfully -- they were part of what kept directionally challenged me on track when the trees obscured the view of Pike's Peak), there really was a feeling of being totally removed from people. I don't get that at Craven's or at Stovall (no offense, South A, really, I love my suburban home... I do!). So it was just a lot of fun, and this place is just perfect for running. I am just sad that I'm only here for another day and won't have another chance for an afternoon run out there. Wah.

From Drop Box

running again

wow. there is even less oxygen here in Colorado Springs (6035 feet) than there is in Boulder (5430 feet). But I still made it to the gym to run today, because I'm bound and determined to be ready to have fun at the Bolder Boulder in three weeks. And I won't have a lot of fun if I'm huffing and puffing and flipping out from the hills and gasping for breath because I've squandered my high-altitude training days during the week. So it's back to work for me. I ran a 10K in my neighborhood Sunday afternoon, even though I didn't feel like it. I came in about 1:03, which is a pretty good pace, esp since I was taking it pretty easy. I fully expect to add about 20-30 second per mile to compensate for the altitude, so pretty much anything under about 70 minutes would be a good run for me. I'm really looking forward to it -- it's supposed to be a blast and I'm excited to have the chance to run it. I registered today and when I get to Boulder next week I'll pick up my packet with three shirts (tee, long-sleeved tech shirt, short-sleeved tech shirt) and a pair of Crocs (never had any before, but something tells me I may come to love them).

I was terribly dismayed to log into my sit ups logger today and find that it was MARCH since I last logged a sit ups workout. I was not dismayed, however, to find out that I was able to pick up right where I left off, with Day 3 of Week 2. So that was a little sliver of good news. With push-ups, um, yeah, not so good. We'll be starting Week 1 all over again. I WILL finish, and I am determined to get to where I can do several good-form pushups without dying. I will. That is all there is to it.

So that's what going on at Casa de Skatemom these days. I've got to shift focus once the 10K is over and get back on the bike and jump back into the swim of things. This is going to be intimidating for me, but it must be done. It WILL be done. I won't be fast at either one, but I've never let that stop me before!

New Shoes

Sticking with Saucony, but going with something a bit flatter. Don't know if this will help me run faster, or get stronger, but we'll give it a try. I'll let you know how they work out once I get 'em. I've heard many nice things about Zappos.com, so we'll see if their customer service needs to be put to the test if they don't work out for me.

didn't run much this week -- just had too much going on with a difficult flight on Monday making me arrive at the office more than three hours late. I felt like I had to play catch-up for the rest of the time in CO. I did walk some on Monday, to and from the Whole Foods, and I ran during The Biggest Loser, but that was it. I'm headed out to the gym here in a bit to hit the incline treadmill, but I have to wait until the iPod is recharged so I don't die of boredom. I'm hoping I can get in two more runs over the weekend and maybe get a streak going for May. Maybe. We shall see.

anyway, gotta go. There is much gnashing of teeth because I won't surrender the laptop. Apparently there is much Mafia Wars to be played... heh....

Top Ten List

Greyhound just made his list of the top ten reasons a middle-aged man should run. Here's mine of why nearly-40-year-old moms should run:

10. because there's no better excuse to buy new shoes every month and a half

9. because shopping at expos when you're not a runner makes you feel like a poser

8. because the annual doctor's visits takes so much less time when they can't find anything wrong with you

7. because, otherwise, buying that much BodyGlide is kinda gross

6. because your kids will think it's normal for mom to be sweatier than they are

5. because you get the world to yourself at 5:00 am (OK, sometimes you have to share with the garbageman, the newspaper guy, and the other runners in your neighborhood, but still)

4. because there's no better way to see the places to which you travel than on foot, during a run

3. because you can outrun most, if not all, of the other 2nd grade moms in the school 5K

2. because they told you that you can't, or you shouldn't, or that you're crazy to

1. because you can

podium finish!

I came in second place! I wasn't even going to do this race, since I'm supposed to be about mile 16 by now. But since I was around, I thought sure, why not? Never mind that I haven't done any 5Ks on my own in a long while -- any races of that distance in the last two or three years have been with one or the other of the boys, at their pace. I've been doing 10Ks, which I love, since you go out hard but can't give too much or you burn out before the end, and of course, the half and full distances. So it was going to be a change for me to do a 5K.

Elder Child was volunteering as part of his Scout troop, so we had to be at the race site (at TDP DinoBoy's school) by 6:30ish. TDP DinoBoy chose not to participate since he had a retreat at school starting at 9:00, and the 5K started at 8:30. He could have done the mile run, but he wanted to do the full instead, so he opted to sleep in (is this my kid or what? Not even worth getting out of bed for a mere mile!!). I dropped the older one off and then turned back to the 'bucks on the corner for my oatmeal breakfast, since I had about an hour to kill before the first race.

After a bit it was time to head over for registration. I drove the route to get an idea of the elevation changes (which were gradual, but definitely there was an incline at mile 2 and a couple of rollers toward the end of mile 3 right before turning toward the finish). I parked at the remote lot about half a block away, then got there in time for the flag raising, pledge of allegiance and opening prayer (it's a Catholic school, so we get to do that), then it was time for the one mile run. A lot of the kids and families I know were out there, so it was fun to see the kids running and having a good time. Before long, it was time for the 5K group to line up.

This was an inaugural race, so nobody really knew how many people would show up. I was evaluating the field and trying to figure out how many of the women there were in my age group, and if they were, how many might be faster than me. In actuality, I wasn't concerned with whether I won in my age group, but only that I came in faster than the other 2nd grade moms!! It had been threatening rain all morning, and right before the start, it did start to sprinkle a bit, but just enough to make it steamier. There was a little bit of a wind, so we knew it was not going to be an easy go. The race coordinator gave us instructions, which basically were "Turn right," but he also told us that it was a challenging course, and he warned us about the uphill at mile 2. And then we were off.

I had a hard time catching my breath at the outset, and the humidity made it tough to find a groove. I was pretty well established in a good pace by the first half-mile though, and the wind kept us a little cooler. At the first mile marker, I was surprised to see that I had clocked a 9:28. The second mile was uphill almost immediately, and it was tough to maintain that pace. I also stopped at the water stop for a cup of water to drink and a cup to douse myself. That immediately brought some relief, as the humidity was starting to take a toll on me. We turned the corner again and immediately hit another hill. Bleagh. But, by now, we knew the worst of the elevation was behind us, and we also knew that we were past the half-way point. I hit the 2nd mile marker and was pleased to see another sub-10:00 split, although it was slower than the first one at 9:53. I was definitely starting to fade by the time I made the last turn into the final stretch. I could hear someone coming up behind me, but was determined not to let them catch me. We hit a downhill about then, and I cranked it up. I kept hearing Grace Lazenby's voice in my head, telling me to keep my shoulders back, head up, just a little more, just a little more. I don't know who was behind me, only that they didn't catch me. I pulled away right before we hit the last big incline leading to the school, and I knew they weren't going to catch me then. We had the very last turn toward the finish and I was thrilled to see 29 and change on the timer. I knew I wouldn't make sub-30, but I had gone into the race expecting 31 and something since I knew the hills were going to be a factor. But when I crossed at 30:38 on my watch, I was very happy with the result.

I hung around for a while, talked to some of the other parents I saw, and got a breakfast taco. I wasn't sure where I'd come in, though, since I saw some pretty strong women in front of me, and I could only guess at their ages. I had to get home to make ice cream for last night's dinner club, though, so I left while they were still picking up the course. I didn't think anything more about it until this morning, when we picked up the paper and flipped through the results in the back of the sports section. Check that out! I placed second in my age group! Who knew?! I went online to check out the full results and saw that of 90 female entrants, I came in 24th overall, which is the first time I've come in the top third. I also came in 51st among all 146 finishers, so I barely missed top third there. So I'm pretty jazzed. Almost worth the headache I had later in the day from going out too fast and not re-hydrating enough! But mostly, I was pleased to have run hard and finished well.

Today is looking like a serious lazy day as far as family stuff goes. Hockey was postponed to Wednesday, so we really just have laundry and groceries to do. But I am going to try to hit the TM for some hills, just so I don't feel like a total slug.

No regrets

I may feel differently come Sunday morning, when the gun goes off and I'm not there, but for now, I'm not regretting my decision to skip the Oklahoma City Marathon. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, with a side trip to CA for a discovery session last week on top of the usual workweek in Colorado. Three time zones in three days made for a very tired Skatemom. And then there was supposed to be a campout for Cub Scouts last weekend, too, which, had it happened, would have certainly wiped me out. Forecasted rain put it on hold, though, which meant I got to enjoy more than one night in my own bed (always a good thing).

I am definitely a goal-oriented runner, though, I have discovered. Without a race or event or something significant looming in the distance, without a countdown of some kind, I lose my way. As much as I do enjoy the actual physical act of running, it becomes something I should do instead of something I get to do when don't have a race on the horizon. And it makes it easier for the lazy part of my brain to win when I don't have a race on the horizon. Not in a "I'm not going to run today" way, but in a "eh, 3 miles is plenty today," or in a "I don't need to do hill repeats on the TM today," kind of way. So I definitely am one of those who needs something to work toward. And without OKC, and with the verdict on NYC not slated to come down until mid-June, I was kind of floundering. Until now...

Until I decided to do the Boulder Bolder! I've been living and running in Boulder or Denver since November, so I'm definitely tuned in to the altitude effects (I'm not going to say that I'm used to it, because I still forget sometimes, and wonder why the heck I'm panting and heaving and gasping going up the stairs for the Monday meetings on the 3rd floor!!). This is not a race that I could sign up for another year and just fly in for the weekend to finish. I would be dying. But now, the situation is perfect for it. I have the opportunity to work a short week afterward, so the airfare and hotel is taken care of (I may have to spring for the extra night of hotel on my own since I'm coming in a day early, but no big deal), and my brother and his family may come down from the mountains to join me in the race. It's one of the biggest 10Ks in the country, and it ends at the CU stadium, so how awesome is that? So, yeah, I'm in! I. Cannot. Wait!

As you can see by my post from earlier this week, it's reinvigorated me. I have rediscovered how much fun it is to just take off on a path or trail and run. I haven't been taking my Garmin or my iPod, and only use my watch because I can't leave the OCD behind entirely! But I've not been worried about distance or pace or speed. I've been just running. And breathing. And enjoying the experience. Which I'm not sure I would be doing if I was at OKC this weekend. Not this year. It's still on the list, and I will get it done, just not this year. And that's OK.

I need to remember

when I feel sluggish and fat....
when I'm too tired to lace up and head out....
when I'd rather trudge on the TM instead of face the outdoors....
when it's easier to blame travel, work, kids, social obligations for a lack of motivation....

Remember how awesome it was to run outside along Boulder Creek today, with about 100 of my closest pals whizzing by on bicycles and on foot and on inline skates and on leashes. Remember how clean the air was, and how fresh the creek itself smelled, full of spring snowmelt and bubbling as I ran by. Remember how it was hot, but not unbearably so, so that I was sweating but not sweltering.

Remember how great and refreshed and re-invigorated I felt after only 40 minutes. The next time I want to make an excuse, or think that I've lost my mojo, I need to remember this feeling.

crappy run

tried to run this morning. it did not go well. Stomach issues made me turn back toward home after 1.5 miles. It was way windy. I got chased by a wienie dog. Yeah, it was that kind of day.

In other news, I met a guy the other day who has run every day for more than 30 years. He's logged more than 60,000 miles in that time. I have two words for that: AWE. SOME. I think I ran every day in February a few years ago.

Yeah, I suck. dang.