In Memory

Never forget.

Jogger Stroller Hell

Thing 1 telling Thing 2 to "talk to the hand"

Thing 2 is my little bruiser.

Occasionally they do sit still long enough for a photo together.

Who know that 2 sweet faced little boys and 3 wheels could make a 3 4 mile run sooooo soooo SOOOOOO difficult!!!

I had all the plans in the world for a 6 mile run this morning...then the alarm went off and I was freezing so I couldn't didn't drag myself out of bed.  Seriously, was NOT prepared for 36 degrees this morning!!!!!

The boys had been asking for a few days weeks for me to take them on a "un, go un MOMMA!!!" so I figured today would be the day.  Temps were expected to be fairly cool in the morning, so I figured a nice, easy paced 3 miles would be a perfect for the kids and still get me running.

Let me just say here, that while I'm a BAMR there was no way in God's green earth (or the brown color that has taken over the Sandhills since we have had 1 inche of rain since May) that I was pushing 55lbs of child + 23 lbs of stroller up hills for 6 miles.  Into the wind.   Not. Gonna. Happen.

Started getting Thing 1 and Thing 2 loaded up, which of course involved dressing them, rounding up sippy cups, a couple matchbox cars (each), apparently we had to have a Batman figure, then a blanket, forgot my watch, and my iPod, grabbed those and figured this was not starting out as well as I had hoped, so a water bottle was in order. 

Got them loaded and the tire is flat.  Thankfully hubby was still there so he helped me by taken the so I pushed the gimpy stroller down through the sand to the shop to pump up the tire.  He was cursing the tire the whole time, which was amusing to me since he was NOT the one trying to balance it just right as the puppy tried to grab at the now off the wheel tire and the kittens chased after the puppy.  I was cursing the stroller also.

Get down to the shop and Thing 1 takes off in one direction while Thing 2 takes off in another.  This is NOT an area the boys go to.  This is where hubbys does all the work on the ranch machinery.....AKA NOT CHILD PROOFED. 

So I'm chasing them, Hubs flips the stroller over and starts working on the tire.  Of course he removed all the above mentioned items before he flipped it over, right??? 

Wrong.  Shit everywhere.

Finally, we take off.....and my freaking arms are screaming at me to make the madness stop.  But oh no....no F'N way am I not running now.  Not only that, I am running and pushing them for at least miles because I refuse to spend more time getting ready to run, then actually running.

Made it the first .5 before the first matchbox car came flying out.  Then another .3 before the second.  I let them know that if one more came out I was taking them all away. 

Apparently I should have clarified that including ANYTHING.....as the sippy cup came out at 1.3.

Followed by another matchbox car that hit the ground with wheels down and kept on rolling.  Yes, I chased a matchbox car down the road. 

So I confiscated the remaining matchbox cars and as I was putting them in the basket, Batman landed on my head. 

Since I was already stopped in the middle of the road I figured this would be as good as ever to inform Thing 1 and Thing 2 that under no circumstances, should anything else that they ever want to see again EVER, come out of that stroller.  They were already not getting their cars back until they graduated from high school and unless they wanted to lose anything else, they better sit still, be quite and enjoy their happy little ride.  And be quite.

This seemed to help....there was some squirming and messing with the sunshields but for the most part, we were good.

Thing 2 looked at me with big blue eyes and said "lay down" so of course like any sane mom who wants her child to fall asleep good mom, I stopped and tried to figure out how to lower the seat.  Which I apparently do not know how to do and was so busy messing with I didn't see Thing 2 had gotten out of the stroller (minus shoes) and was coming over to help.  Got him back in, took his shoes (debris....I was thinking ahead) and took back off....with the seats up (stupid thing). 

Thing 1 wanted his shoes off cause Thing 2 didn't have his on, but in all my infinite wisdom, did not see this coming....until the blue Toys Croc went into the ditch.

I calmly and rationally explained to my angelic cherub faced children that I was going to go home and call Santa and cancel Christmas.  Thats rational, right??

Made it another .5 before the screaming started and as I pulled back the sunshields, I witnessed Thing 1 attempted to push Thing 2 out of the stroller.  Honestly, I told them to knock it off and kept moving.  Probably not MOTY qualification but hey..Thing 2 has 11lbs on Thing 1....he wasn't going anywhere. 

We got to the driveway and as tempting as it was to stop, again, I wasn't going to spend less time running then I did getting ready so we went right past the house for another .5 out and back....which brought on a whole new round of noise making when "mom mom momomomomomom MOM you missed the house" started. 

I did again what would get me MOTY.....turned up my tunes.

We made it home.....4 miles.  No idea how long.  Don't really care.  Both sippy cups, 2 small children (yes, the ones I started the run with) 2 pair of crocs, 4 hotwheels and 1 DS. 

Batman is MIA. 

Mizuno Rocks

No, I'm not just saying that because that is my shoe of choice, or because they picked me (along with several thousand other people) to test their shoes for them but because of this:


Consumer Research has sent you a message on BE Wear Test

Subject: Upcoming races

------------
Hi Tara,

We completely understand that upcoming races are super important.  Wear BE as you feel comfortable doing so; we do not want you to jeopardize anything either.  If you can ease into it a little bit at a time, go for it; if you'd like to hold off, then we understand that too.  This wear-test is a long process so take your time.

Sincerely,

The BE Team


Mizuno has a Be Wear Testers online forum so the product testers can get together and talk, ask questions, ect without testers.  One of the forums was started to see what other races people were running.  My post was my concerns about how BE is using muscles differently then I'm used to and I was concerned about how it would affect my legs being so close to Denver and then having Monument right after that. 

Im LOVING that 1) Mizuno started the board for us to all chat and compare notes at and 2) that someone from consumer research is reading the boards and 3) that someone from consumer research is understanding and realizes and sending out notes like that so that I know I dont have to push myself and jeopardize my running for their test shoes.  Im testing these things for them, but they get that running and racing is important to me, and getting hurt will put a serious damper on all of it. 

The email tells me that they get it.  They really are a company that values the opinion of their runners and understand that sometimes the "chill out relaxing" shoe might get put on the back burner for the race shoes.  Im still going to wear them, just not as much as I probably  would if I didnt have races on the schedule. 

BTW....so far, Im loving them.  Slight aching in my calves the on Saturday night after wearing them for a few hours but Sunday, I felt ok.  Ran 7 with Shawn then wore them all afternoon and no problems whatsoever.  Lovin' BE so far!

SUUUURPRISE!!!!!!!!

So, ya, I have been a terrible blogger.  I have no excuses, but Ill blame it on my kids, my running, my husband, my kids again and any and all critters with 4 legs. 

However yesterday after coming home from the first home football game of the year (Congrats WOLVES!!!) while I was trying to unload the highly uncooperative almost 2 year old (20 days) Thing 2 from the car Shawn called out "HEY...your new shoes are here!"

"What new shoes?  I didn't order new shoes." Yet.

"What else could be coming from Mizuno USA"

 Mezamashii Run Project

I had applied a few months ago, then a few weeks ago I got an email from them requesting more information.  So like a good little "really wanna be a product tester for the coolest shoes in the world" I filled it out and sent it back and heard nothing.  I read that other people were getting phone calls and correspondence so I figured I missed the pack or didn't fit the qualifications for whatever shoes they were testing. 

Then happiness in a little brown box appeared.

INSIDE the little brown box was not what I expected.  I was thinking hot pink Wave Precision 13'a or Blue and Lime Green Wave Rider 15's but what I got was BE. 

BE is a prototype shoe that Mizuno has created to help strengthen your feet when NOT running.  Its NOT a running shoe.  Which is good because its thin and little and very minimalist looking which I'm fairly certain is a box I did NOT check on the application.  No offense to barefooters all around, its just not for me.

Anyhoo....in the box were a super CUTE pair of deep purple, light weight, little shoes.  The sole is what really caught my attention and made me think minimalist style as its designed to NOT support your toes so much.  There is support going down middle of your foot and to the ball of your foot, but then the toes kinda hang out literally, well not literally out of the shoe but literally extend over the end of the support base for the sole.  Clear as much, ya.....check this out:

BE was inspired from the Waraji Sandal that have been worn for centuries by Japanese Samurai warriors and rice farmers to activate their toes.  The sandals are designed to be shorter then the feet so that the toes hang off the front and can more independently.

How it works:  The toes move naturally up and down, allowing them to curl and grip independently, which helps work the muscles and tendons of the foot.

The Goal:  To strengthen the muscles of the foot, providing wearers with more propulsion (toe off) which can help improve running form. 

Along with the shoe came a journal for me me to fill out and document what I think about the shoe, and in 16 weeks, send back to Mizuno.  ALSO there is a BE testers only forum for me to get on and talk about the shoes with other Be Wear Testers. 

I'm pumped to try them out....tonight at the bar, tomorrow at Cabela's...pretty much just became my "go-to" not running or riding or working at the pool shoe.  Stay tuned and you will learn more about BE then you every thought possible, especially since if your like me, you didn't even know BE existed until just a few minutes ago.

Thank you Budweiser

This blog post isnt about me or my running today, other then for me to say Im seriously LOVING Train Like a Mother 1/2 Marathon Finish It Plan but strides kinda suck. 

Anyway, todays post is because a miracle happened on July 4th (of this year, not 1979, when I, myself, arrived...a miracle to my parents and future husband, of course) I mean the miracle that only happens when husbands spend a little to much QT with their long lost buddy Mr. Budweiser, jump into conversations their wives are having and end up committing to ridiculous things thinking they are committing to less ridiculous things.

Please let me explain.

July 4th....simple conversation starts with a friend named "A" who is running the Monument 1/2 Marathon with me in October asked if I would think about running the full with her next year.  I said SURE (not sure if that was SURE, Ill think about or SURE, Ill do it....I have well over a year to figure that one out) and then said if you can convince "J" to run the 1/2 this year.  "J" says something along the lines of I should, I want to, I need to....took her awhile but we did get a YES out of her and "H" who was a YES all along but had some husband/ranch duties/travel/shopping plans for that weekend already that she needed to work out. 

Somewhere along the lines "J's" husbands ear perk up and he (and his Budweiser) come over and say "what are you doing? I can do that to, sign me up also"  and he walks away.  This is where things get interesting because MY husband (and his Budweiser) who was sitting right next to us the whole conversation also jumps in and says "what did he just say, he can do it, I can do it also, sign me up too!"

Ummm, ok....whatever you say Budweiser boys.  It wasnt till after the party, on our way home I looked at him and said "do you really think your ready for a 1/2 marathon?"

I wish I had a camera for the look he gave me....."what 1/2?"
"the one you said you could run because "S" said he could run it."
"that was a 1/2?"
"yep"
"I thought you were talking about a 5K."

Oh Mr. Budweiser.....for years and years you have been helping smart people make stupid decisions and thanks to "S" and  "S", your streak continues :)

Now that we have covered that.....I will say that my "S", who has been doing a walk/run interval for 2.5 miles or so for about 1 month went out on Thursday and proceeded to run 3 miles straight (a first for him) and and AND he did it in 27:30.  THAT is a 9:08 pace.  Then he did it again 2 days later. 

I was feeling sorry for him and told him that if he didnt get some solid runs in the next few weeks (before his 12 week training plan started) I would chalk it up to Budweiser taking over the common sense portion of his brain and let him off the hook.

Then he ran back to back 3 mile runs at a 9:08 pace.....his ass is toeing the starting in Scottsbluff because for 2 years he has been LYING to me about how he CANT run.  He CANT run and he really CANT run outside.

Bullshit.  LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE.  He is going to the race and he is running and he probably will NOT beat me to the finish line but thats ok because I know the secret to getting him to do these things with me now....Mr. Budweiser. 

I wont complain to much....committing to running is better then ending up like these pool fools??

Colorado Mountain Wedding!!

Last week was my little younger brothers wedding in BEAUTIFUL Estes Park Colorado.  Beautiful and buring, Colorado.  Driving down to Thornton on Tuesday we caught the smoke from the Flagstaff Fire that started in Boulder that afternoon courtesy of a lightening strike.

Smoke from Flagstaff Fire Tuesday, June 26, view from I80.

So sad, its SOOOOO DRY!!!  Oh my, I thought we were dry (which we are) but WOW....sadly...thats all I have.....WOW.....

After spending the night at my bro's house with LOTS of people, picking Stinkerbell (who turned 10 the next day) up at the airport, and attempting to get some sleep on the air mattress in the dungeon (nothing but love T-roy but its kinda a dungeon down there), we headed to Estes Park on Wednesday morning for wedding festivities!

Well, I did get up and run 2.2 miles around his neighborhood Wednesday before we left.....sooo different from running here and I dont just mean the 2500 ft in elevation change....flat, even ground is kinda a treat for me...as is sidewalks so I dont have to dodge vehicles :)

The rehersal dinner picnic was at Lake Estes Marina.....beautiful!!! 

View from Lake Estes Marina (also my running route :)

Bran....during a rare, SSS moment (sitting still & smiling)

My babies Sage, Piper, Brannon

Birthday girl and Mom!


The wedding itself was BEAUTIFUL!!  Very simple and elegant.  The resort was soooo pretty, and the ceremony site was exactly what I would have done, if I wanted an outdoor wedding in the mountains. 

Chateau at Della Terra

Rehersal

Kelly and Troy practicing vows

Piper and Momma

Justin and I went to H.S. together.  He always did like to tell me what to do.....I listend that well back then also :)

P.S. Stone steps + my shoes = brusied up leg...yes, I fell, gracefully I might as AND I didnt drop the brides bouquet I was carrying.  Yes, the wedding planner did catch me.  It was all good.


The ceremony did get rained out....but really, no one complained cause the rain was sooo desperately needed.  Well, the bride was bummed, but why wouldnt she be....who wants to make that decision as you are supposed to be walking down the aisle......

Mr. and Mrs. deBeauclair

Siblings and spouses

My "little" brother

Again...sooo pretty there!!!

We danced and had fun with people we havent seen in years and it was a blast.  Shawn even smiled WILLINGLY for a photo op course that could be 4 beers at 7500 ft....

My hubby SMILED!!!

Two of my favorite ladies!!

Single guys all look thrilled to catch the garter, dont they??






It was a beautiful, wonderful day with lots of "family"...both old and new, near and far.  I cant wait to see the photos the photographers took (especially the one where I am avoiding elk scat by mear inches).  It was a day I was very proud to be a part of and so happy for Troy and Kelly that it went out without much of a hitch.

Congratulations Troy and Kelly deBeauclair!!!!

5 Things Friday

1.  I am the worlds worst blogger.  I am not up to race #2 without a recap posted...whats worse is that I rocked that race to a 2nd place age division and overall 10th in Womens 5K.  WHY have I not posted...I dont know...somewhere between lifeguard training (which is easier to do when the pool covers stay on during storms and keeps out the 2 inches of sand that really screwed up my swimming this week), carting kids to doctors appointments, moving cows, cleaning my house....my rockstar moment had come and gone.  But still....run time at Nebraskaland Days 5K.....results are posted here.  Super cool part, is that my mom-in-law (who got me into this lifeguard mess situation position) also ran the 5K, her first and finished in 33:00 FLAT!!  Awesome job Karen!!!!

2.  Brothers wedding is next weekend in Estes Park.  Ive never been, super, SUPER excited to run go there.  Lots of his friends from high school coming and since he is only 2 years younger then me, alot of his friends are mine.

3.  I have fun hair....no picture right now...but its red and blonde again.....love it!!!  I was a little panicked when some crazy chick wanted to chat and come over, lifted the dryer off and turned it off on cold.  Thankfully, my stylist was right there to run interference and I dont have to take Jamie crazy lady out for messing with my sassy hair :)

4.  Check out this video.  Just a Colorado Gal is giving away not one but TWO entries to The Dirty Dash Mud Run, August 11.  Kinda thinking its about time to add a Mud Run to my race schedule and I really think its the only kind of race that hubby with suck it up run with me.

5.  Its Friday....its going to be 100 degrees today, tomorrow.  And Sunday.  Possibly Monday.  Heat is heat...dry or not....granted dry is better then 100 degrees and 95% humidity but Im from Michigan....humidity is nothing new to me.  However, I have lived here for 3 years......Im over THAT humidity now.