RLAM - 10 Running-Related Personal Questions

I love to oblige in running questions, especially when the request comes from Dimity and SBS from Another Mother Runner.  So here goes :

1.  Best run ever:  I think my best run was the Mission 10 Miler race, this past March 2012.   I had just run a Half Marathon the weekend before, so I went into this race as “this will just be an easy training run” while I was there to support a couple friends who were running their 1st 10 mile races.  I felt great, PR’d for the 10 miler, and got to go back and bring in my friends as well.  It was a “feel-good” race day!    
2. Three words that describe my running:  Therapy Energizing Sanity 
3. My go-to running outfit is: a pair of Champion compression shorts under my running shorts (because you don’t want chafing ;)), a tank top, and my UA hat! 
4. Quirky habit while running:   I always carry my phone and a fuel belt....always.
   
5. Morning, midday, evening: Morning, just to get it done!  
6. I won’t run outside when it’s: icy and frigid cold on one end, when it’s super hot and humid on the other!  I am really a Spring/Fall loving mother runner ;)
7. Worst injury—and how I got over it:   Hip bursitis.  I’m working through it still, but I actually  took a ChiRunning class, have improved my form, and am working out the kinks with my Ortho! 
8. I felt most like a badass mother runner when:   I ran a 1 mile race this weekend and took 2nd place in my age group!  My 1st running trophy ever!  And a new mile PR of 7:23.  That was HUGE to me! 
9. Next race is: a couple small races, but the Marine Corps Marathon is my BIG upcoming race on October 28, 2012.
10. Potential running goal for 2013:  For 2013, I want to get back my love for running, my pure enjoyment and fun of it!  No more marathon training unless it’s of the “Half” variety! 

The Run, Mama, Run ladies! (I'm far right :))

Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon

Due to a series of changes in events, I was able to sign up for this race.  I had been looking at it for awhile and was glad I got the chance to do this one!  The weather cooperated for us and actually felt chilly that morning.  What a difference from the races just days ago!!

It all started off with a 3:30am wake up.  Yeah, when does 3:30 ever sound like a good idea??  At least we were carpooling, so Debbie graciously came by and picked me up at home, and off we went to get Michelle and Crystal!   We got to the race start with plenty of time to spare.  No traffic at that hour ;)

You'd think that since we got there so early, we'd be right up to the start, right ?  Wrong.  We decided to make a last minute Port-o-Potty stop!  Check out those lines ! 

Port-o-Potty Lines.....

So when we were walking over the starting line, guess what?  LOL   The race started without us!  Can you say "thank you for chip timing??"!!   We ended up at the back of the pack with the walkers, so we were going to have some major weaving in and out of the crowds to do.  Crystal took this as a  "sign" to stay with me for the race.  I had NO complaints about that.  Company is always better!!

RMR Ladies before the Start

I was so thankful to have Crystal with me for this race.  I felt like I had a nice pace (faster than usual), but it wasn't killing me (yet).  This course was really pretty running through downtown Annapolis and over the Navy Memorial Bridge (twice)!  It was mostly an out and back course, so it was nice to see friendly faces on the return trip, but unfortunately you also knew those great downhills you just had were going to be your uphills soon enough.

Crystal & I made it our goal to find the photographers :)  We did LOL

Around Mile 10 (right before the next uphill over the bridge), I realized that I would PR if  I was able to keep the pace up.  Never should have mentioned that little fact to Crystal.  She was going to get me that PR now ;)!!    Her words "come on, we only have a 5K left"!  It was a "tough" 5K!  I think with 2 miles left, she said she was going to threaten that "I can't let her beat me to the finish" like she does her kids.  I said "see ya later" LOL  Yeah, it was getting tough to keep going!  But her pushing was what I needed to get through it.  And of course, to top off any "Crystal & Jenni" race, what is needed ???  That right.....an uphill finish!  #^%!@@#$!%

But thanks to a great running buddy and awesome friend, I got my PR of 2:09:48.

Our Finisher's Necklace (instead of a medal)

We finished :)  Love these ladies!!

The awesome ladies SBS and Dimity from Run Like a Mother & RMR

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"Run Like A Mother" Book Party

To sum up the book party in one word = AWESOME!

This was such a great event, and I'm so excited I was invited to attend.  And doubly happy that stars happened to align for me to attend while juggling work events, TBall, etc.  A busy day with a lot of miles on the road, but it was worth it!  It was so great to be surrounded by so many women in the running community that share the same love of RLAM! 

A little history.  The book Run Like a Mother came out in March 2011.  I had been running for about 6 months when a friend recommended the book to me.  I downloaded it on my Kindle and read it within a day or two.  I laughed, cried, commiserated, and totally felt like the authors, Sarah & Dimity,  "got me" and who I was as a wife, mother, and a runner!  They truly inspired me to keep running, providing awesome advice on their Facebook Page, and responding personally to questions posted on the site.  I remember buying my first RLAM shirt, "Are My Kids Still Chasing Me?" and getting a personal note from Sarah on the order slip.  I truly love how hands on they are, and how encouraging they are to all of us Mother Runners :)

Sarah, me, & Dimity

Shortly after this, our running group "Run Mama Run" was born.  Slowly building from 10, to 20, to now, close to 60 members.  This is a group I honestly have formed some friendships that I consider lifelong and bonded through our shared interests and struggles.  I used to be a solitary runner, but learned that running buddies are beyond priceless!!

Dimity

Sarah

So back to the event.  An awesome event hosted in a beautiful home, awesome food, drinks, book readings from Train Like A Mother, giveaways (which I won a $125 gift card - woot), the most awesome swag bag, and lots of laughs!!

I'm so thankful for the RLAM tribe!  And I remember something Dimity said last night that is so true.  It was in the context of  "I want running to be a forever thing, not just the next race or event".  I set goals to keep going, and I hope that running stays with me for as long as my body lets me !

A big thank you to Sarah & Dimity (and our host Courtenay) for an awesome event!

My Inspirations - A Thank You to RLAM

As I sat here tonight in tears over a TBall game that has been rescheduled, I had to sit and ponder "why is this such a big deal ?"

Well, the TBall game was rescheduled for a night that I have an invite to a Book Party.  Not just any Book Party, but the authors of  Run Like a Mother and Train Like a Mother, Sarah & Dimity.

So, again, why, some may ask?

1)  It's Michael's LAST TBall game of the season.  He LOVES TBall.  And the trophies are supposed to be given out that night.  How could I miss that as a mother? 
2)  But when would I get a chance to meet Sarah & Dimity again, and why is it so important to me?

Given I'm writing this instead of sleeping.  It IS that important to me.  They are such a big part of my running inspiration.  When I didn't have the Run Mama Run ladies, it was the Run Like a Mother family that encouraged me, inspired me, and gave me the will to keep trying through injuries and plain self-doubt!

I remember when I first started reading Run Like A Mother.  It was March 2011.  I laughed so hard, I cried!  I could completely identify with everything they wrote pertaining to motherhood and trying to juggle running too.  Their Facebook page wasn't just other runners encouraging each other, but Sarah & Dimity themselves, responding to posts, answering questions from all of their "tribe".  That just made them so much more than just another book author.  They truly cared about all of us in some way to help us in our running journey!  I think this is when I truly discovered the running community.  It was just a couple months later that Run, Mama, Run was "born".  What an absolute blessing it is.  I never knew what kind of impact these women would have on me.  Some I had known for years!  Others, I was meeting for the first time, but we all grew to share, care, train, encourage, inspire, and even push each other to reach goals we didn't think possible. 

I wish I could have responded better to the FNP reporter yesterday because I've realized that as we became mothers, we took a back seat to our needs.  It's diapers, bottles, milestones, playdates, work, daycare, etc.  The constant juggling of needs other than our own.  I found running was something that gave me back a sliver of "me" time.  It's grown to be a whole lot more.  Running is a part of me and who I am now.  I hope I make my kids proud being out there accomplishing new goals, or running for fun.  I want to be a good role model for them to be active, to enjoy it.  Michael loves to run Kids Runs now.  So proud that he wants to "be like his Mama"!  Daniel loves to race too. 

So back to my dilemma - TBall game or Book Party.  Well, my awesome friend made a great suggestion that we're going to try to run with.  I hate to vent on FB like I did, but seeing friends type out "do this for you, you deserve it, you give so much to others, you're always there for Michael, etc" made me cry, but warms my heart that I've been able to give back even a sliver of the inspiration that Sarah & Dimity gave me during my journey!

So this is a big ole thank you note to them, and to my friends who encourage and inspire me everyday!!

I hope it all works out in the end that I can juggle my family priorities and still get a chance to say "thank you" to these ladies in person.