Moms Go Running

This evening, after Caleb had gone to bed, I found Norah in the kitchen getting two cups of water from the fridge.  On the counter, she'd already gotten out a bag of microwave popcorn and "the popcorn bowl." 

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

"I'm getting water and popcorn ready for Daddy and me," she told me, continuing with: "We're gonna play cards, eat popcorn, and watch some TV."

"You are?  Well, that sounds like fun," I told her.  "But what about me?  What's Mom gonna do?"

"Ummm," she paused before saying, "You're gonna go running."

True dat.



I stuck around for 2 hands of Old Maid, and then I changed and headed out for my 4 miler.

Since I'd been home all day with the kidlets, and was feeling a little worn, it sure was tempting to hang out at home, watch some "Annie," and munch on some popcorn, but I always know that a run will serve me better.

So, I left them to their Daddy-Daughter time, and 40 minutes later, I returned home sweaty and satisfied.

Red Letter Weekend

For both kids, it was a big weekend in terms of milestones.

Norah
After about a year and a half of trying everything within our means to coerce her into potty training, she finally seems to be getting the hang of it, and for about a week, has spent 90% of her time in underwear (she's still going to bed at night in a Pull-Up, but is staying dry at nap time in undies), and her BIG news is that for the past 3 days in a row, she's pooped on the potty.

If you have, or have ever had, a 2 or 3 year old, you know that this is EPIC. 

We pretty much threw her a ticker tape parade and have been making a big hoopla over it all.  As rewards (bribes), she's been getting candy and princesses -- so she'll be potty trained, but spoiled and have rotten teeth, I guess, but whatever!  Huzzah, she might actually get potty trained!

Caleb
This little dude took his first "real" steps yesterday.

He's been getting SO close lately, and we knew it was just a matter of providing him with the right motivation, and that also took the form of candy (so, his measly 4 teeth are already doomed), and he took about 2-3 small steps toward Jerry yesterday evening.

He repeated it a couple of times, once I even got some decent video, but I can't find either cord that I need to download the video from the video camera to the computer (I figure I'll eventually locate it; we once lost a TV remote for about 6 months, but it was eventually re-discovered), so I can't provide the proof.  You'll just have to take my word for it.

I imagine it'll still be a few weeks or a month before he's for realz walking around (at least that was the timeline for Norah from her first steps to her actual assurance that walking was a legit mode of transportation), but it too is an EPIC milestone.

Man, I've got one who's theeeeese close to walking and one that's theeeeeese close to being potty trained!  Goodness, I can't believe it.  I'm gonna have to do a lot more running to be able to chase after both of them now!

That, or duct tape them to chairs.

We'll call it a draw.

The Mid Day Sun = Ideal Run

For me, as for any parent, there's not really much free time in any given day, so when it comes to running, I have to both plan ahead and be spontaneous.  So when a runortunity (that's "run" + "opportunity" coupled together for your reading pleasure) presents itself, I have to either seize it or lose it.

Today, such an runortunity appeared at what I would otherwise consider an inconvenient time: late morning.  In January, a perfectly acceptable time, in July?  Not so much.  But, I chose to seize it!

Caleb rode along in the stroller, for what I hope was a cooler ride than it was run, and we got a 3 miler done in the midday heat.  Afterward, we were both a little sweaty, but he'd snoozed, so he was in good spirits and didn't seem too cranky about being a sweaty little dude:



It wasn't an ideal time of day, and no one I know would opt to push 20 lbs of kid in 20+ lbs of stroller on a 90 degree day, but I rarely get to be picky when it comes to selecting "ideal" running options.  Since having kids, simply running is "ideal" to me!

Foto Friday: 4th of July Pics

Norah before the parade in the morning:

Caleb and I pre-parade as well:

Norah doing some jumping at our friend's house where we did pool/bbq/fireworks:  The pool was a welcome respite from the usual July heat (although, it was cooler here than it was for some of you!).

Caleb was more interested in playing with the big cars and trucks than he was in swimming:

Miller and Norah watching a fountain (this was the tamest 4th we've ever done in terms of explosives; our checking account appreciated that!):

Norah and I (and Erin, Miller, and Mason in the background) watching the firework finale:

It was a good 4th of July, in my opinion, but man alive, the day wore me out!  When we got home, at 9 pm, mind you, I went to bed with Norah.  I was beat!  And to return to work on Thursday?  Well, that was kinda cruel!  The 4th should always be finagled into some kind of long weekend.  That's my 2 cents.

While we're on it, I also think Nov. 1st should be a holiday and the Monday after the Super Bowl.  There.  I said it.  Now, someone make that happen!

A Necessary Evil

This time of year, when temps everywhere are hellish, it's time to seek running solace inside, on the treadmill.

Like most runners, I dislike the treadmill -- no runner likes to feel like they're working hard at going no where -- however, in the past year, I've learned to embrace running opportunities, no matter their form.  So, when I have a treadmill chance, I take it.

I only have treadmill accessibility when I'm on campus, that's where I have access to the college's gym, so during the summer that means Tuesdays and Thursdays are treadmill days.

And, of course, the only way to make the treadmill tolerable is to make it a speed workout -- "speed" being a relative term around here -- so, today, I warmed up with a mile at a 10 min/mile pace and then gradually upped the hamster wheel until I was pounding out the last half mile at a 8:57 min/mile pace.  For me, that's lightning fast.

In the end, I did 3 miles in 29:03.  Anything sub-30 for me is satisfying, and even more satisfying, is walking out into the crippling heat and knowing that I don't have to get the run done out there!

The Bolder Boulder 10K Race Report, aka "The Best Race Ever"

Prologue
I've run my share of races: Some have been awesome experiences, some not so much.  But the Bolder Boulder 10K was, hands down, the best race experience I've ever had.  From registration to post-race ammenities, this race was organized, accomodating, and fun!

For some, a great race experience is defined by a PR or maybe by the swag -- the t-shirt or the medal -- and to an extent, that's how I used to define a good race experience too.  But, anymore, I value more practical features of a race, and mostly, I just want to enjoy the opportunity to get out there with other runners and experience the joy of running.

Sorry.  Too cheesy? 

Well, pour yourself a glass of wine, because I'm likely to heavily layer the cheese in this post.  What can I say?  This race reminded me of all my ooey-gooey running/racing feelings!

Registration
Choices!  That was the essence of BB's registration.  Want to just register for the race, no shirt, nuthin'?  Excellent!  You can do that!  Want a shirt too?  Done!  Want a tech tee or a long sleeved tee?  Sure!  Wanna really fork over the moola and get a jacket?  You got it!

I loved such options.  For years, I've often opted to not even take a tee at many races.  Sometimes the sizes don't fit, the design isn't great, and/or I just know the shirt will languish in a drawer, so why waste my time and space by selecting one?

For me, I'd prefer, often times, to pay less for a race and have fewer extras.  But for this race, I did indeed want a tee, but I went with the cheapest cotton tee + race registration package, and I was satisfied with my choice.  Even more so, I was happy to get a choice.

The choices extended even further:  Want your packet mailed to you?  Sure!  They can do that.  Want to pick it up?  Want someone else to pick it up?  Done and done.  Even though my brother picked up my race packet on my behalf, I luh-ved the mailing option.

Pre-Race
My brother, SIL, and I knew we didn't want to drive into Bolder on race morning -- and, thankfully, we didn't have to.  Denver's RTD bus system was working in conjunction with the race to provide transportation from a variety of park and ride locations.  Buses were leaving every 10 minutes or so from designated locations in the greater Boulder area.  We arrived at the closest park and ride to my bro's house, hopped on a bus, and 20 minutes later, bam!  We were at the start!

SO worth the $8 fee!

Once we arrived, we each grabbed some water and a cup of coffee: Both were complimentary as runners milled around the start line.  We also hit up the porta potties, and can I just pause and say that this was the best porta potty experience I've ever had?  I went twice before the race and neither time did I have to wait in line -- there were THAT many!  Every race should be equipped with that many facilities.

At 7 am, the race "began," but just the elites and the Speedy McSpeedsters started then.  The rest of us waited for our own wave to start.

I can't say enough good things about BB's wave system.  Why isn't every race in the world employing this method?

The Wave Start
To be honest, when I read about the "waves" on BB's website, I didn't fully understand it -- I figured it was parallel to corrals.  So, hopefully, my explanation is sufficient for your understanding; if not, run it next year, then you'll understand AND love it!

Unlike corrals, which are just ways of grouping runners, who all start at the same time, the waves are designated start times for each group of runners.  BB is one of the world's biggest 10Ks -- approximately 50K runners! -- and yet, with their wave system, it doesn't feel like there's 50,000 runners.

It works like this:  When you register, you get assigned a wave -- this is assigned based on your predicted finish time and when you register; ie, the faster you are and the earlier you register, the earlier your wave.  Each wave has a designated start time.  So, the beginning of the race is 7 am, and from there, the waves are timed about 2 minutes apart, and because of the huge volume of participants, the race is "starting" all the way until about 9:30!  My wave started at 7:25.

So, at about 7:10 or so, we got in our wave and slowly strolled with the others in our wave to the start line.  There were multiple "check points," wherein volunteers scanned our bibs to double check that we were in the appropriate wave, and we were roped off from beginning too early and trying to sneak into an earlier wave.  Once it was our turn, we were positioned at the start, we got our own music, and then...the gun!  We were off!

The wave effect was magnificent.  Each wave only has a couple hundred runners, so it didn't feel like a typical congested start like most big races; at no point did it ever feel like I was on a course with 50K of other runners.  The waves are also accomodating: You can start in your assigned wave or in any wave that starts after your assigned wave.  So, did you oversleep race morning?  Late to your start?  No probs.  Just join another, later wave!  Doesn't matter.

6.2 Miles of Smiles
Honestly, I smiled the whole time I ran this race.  The course entertainment was varied and aplenty -- dozens of different kinds of bands, gymnasts, cheerleaders, belly dancers, you name it, they were there.  Plus, the spectators are their own entertainment, providing a HUGE variety of both refreshment and interaction for, and with, the runners.

There was everything from the 2.2 "Marshmallow Mile," where I caught (boo-ya!) a Stay-Puff that was tossed my way, to plates of freshly sizzled bacon being handed out near the race's final mile, to the organic popscicles that were being distributed by the hippie college students.
But my favorite "attraction" was, of course, a slip 'n slide!

BB is famous for its spectators setting up slip 'n slides -- sometimes there are several, sometimes maybe only one, it's up to the whim of the spectators who create them -- but before I raced, I had promised myself that if I came across a slip 'n slide, I would definitely do it.  Sure enough, somewhere between miles 3-4, I spotted one that was hosted in someone's front yard.

I took aim, and with no one waiting in line in front of me, I never broke my stride: I just ran at the sucker and dove!

Since it was only about 60 degrees at 8 am, the water, and the resulting mud puddle I slid through at the end, were frigid, but man alive, nuthin' wakes you up in the morning!  It was exhilerating, and I thought it was so dang fun that I almost circled back and did it again, but figured I'd race on and if I came upon another, I'd do it again.

Turns out, that was the only one and I'm glad I did it.  If there's one lesson I'd like to pass on to my kids, it's this: Always do the slip 'n slide!

The Big Finish
The elevation was a bit tough at first, but once I warmed up, I was fine.  The climb, however, was a bit tougher on me.  Considering that in FL, a crack in the sidewalk is a "hill," these Bolder hills were a challenge to me.  But, they were all gradual inclines that were manageable...until that last cruel climb into the CU stadium at the finish.

It was a brutal climb and I think that's the only place I had to trasnfer my energy from my smile to my legs; it took all the gas I had left to scale that steep hill.  But once up it, it was totally worth it.  We circled into the stadium and were greeted by thousands of roaring spectators -- IT. WAS. AWESOME.

We circled once around the track, and ta-da!  Finished!  My time was 1:03.

Definitely not a 10K PR.  Do I care?  Not a bit!

Post-Race
Afterward, runners were funneled into the CU fieldhouse to collect our goody bags, water, and free beer (my ONE complaint: Michelob Ultra?  Really?  Blech, it doesn't even taste like beer!).

We meandered through the outdoor expo -- got some free, delicious Evol burritos and sampled other free foods and drinks -- and then hitched a ride back to the park 'n ride on an RTD bus.  Smooth as buttah!

As you can tell from the length of this post, and all my gushing, I loved every aspect of this race, and after I finished, I told my brother I'd be back to run it again.  For sure.

Anyone wanna join me?

Car Buying: Not My Thang

Unlike some, I do not enjoy buying a new car.  I like having a new car, yes, who doesn't?  But, buying one?  Yuck. 

Let me back up 4 years.  We bought our Ford Escape before I got pregnant with Norah thinking that we were thinking ahead to starting a family and that a 5 passenger Escape would be plenty roomy for the family we pictured for our future selves. Past Selves: You shoulda thought again.

Turns out, the "5 passenger" Ford Escape is NOT a 5 passenger vehicle once you add 2 behemoth car seats.  May I present exhibit A:

Obviously, parenthood makes you too tired to care if you're wedged in sideways.

We "worked" with the Escape for the past year, and had planned to extend "working" with it for even longer since our other car is a very old Ford Ranger, which hauls ZERO kids.

But, then, the Escape had a hissy fit, and long story short, Jerry found himself stalled in the middle of traffic on a 90 dgeree day, with two kids in the back; Norah repeatedly asking, "The car's not working?"

A mechanic's assessment was bleak, so we did the "superficial fix" for the problem and decided it was in our best interest to trade that sucker in.  Pronto.

And, I tell ya, it's been a week!  I hate going to all the dealerships and listening to each salesman's spiel, and test driving everything under the sun, and finding that nearly everything we thought would work for our expectations, won't.  In short?  Honda Pilot, I love you -- if I had older kids -- but for people whose kids are in car seats, you suck!  We felt as though we were pretty much being forced into the minivan option, which I was totally cool with and was advocating on behalf of, but Jerry wasn't ready to toss in his man card.  Yet.  One day I'll break him.

In the end, we discovered a compromise: The GMC Acadia.  Which, as it was described by one online review: "It's got all the features of a minivan, but is for those who don't want to drive a minivan."  Yup.  Sums it up exactly.  3rd row?  Yup!  Plenty of truck space?  Yes sirree!!  Necessary new car bells and whistles?  Sho'nuff!

From there, it was a matter of price.  In the end, we went with a "new to us" Acadia that is still a 2012 and has minimal mileage.  And, after talking those suckers into overpaying for our trade-in, we got the Acadia for a price we're pleased with.  So, without further ado, here are my new wheels:

The outside: So shiny!

The front row and, yes, I was driving so the seat is ALL the way up!

A view of the 2nd row (car seats) and the 3rd row (all other passengers, you go here).



Yay!  Now, hopefully this car lasts longer than our 2008 Escape -- fingers crossed, but I hope I drop Norah off at college in this thing (that's how long I believe cars should last) -- and if nothing else, I hope it lasts far enough into the future that I can haul half a soccer team around in here.

For now, if we have someone come visit us, guess what?  I don't have to wedge myself into about 6 inches of car space!  Woohoo!

Life in the Circus

There probably was once a time when Jerry could eat a meal without a kid climbing atop him...


...or, if one did, he'd notice and stop his conversation. 

But, now?  Nahhhh, Jerry was barely conscious of Norah scaling him as we talked that it didn't truly register with him until I got up to get the camera.

And, do you notice that crooked lamp in the background?  See how it's bent in about 3 different directions?  I think before we had kids, we had straight lamps.  Now?  Fuggitaboutit!

Today, Jerry and I were doing some car shopping (that's another story: coming soon!), and as we passed by a row of shiny sports cars, I joked that we could buy one of those in about 20 years (there were also some extended jokes about buying a sports car now anyway, and just strapping the kids to the back and letting them ride "al fresco"), and this evening it occured to me that also in 20 years, I should be able to live in a house with straight lamps and to have a meal without being climbed like a flight of stairs.

Right?  Life does get less-circus-like eventually? 

Just say it does.

Wordless Wednesday: Fun with Race Medals

If You Want to Run with Mama

After the 3 day running hiatus, I was ready to run last night, so after Caleb was in bed, I got in my running clothes and prepared to head out.  I wanted a solo run, but as soon as I put my hand on the doorknob, Norah demanded that she accompany me.

*Sigh*

Okay.

So, she climbed into the stroller, and we headed out.

Half a block into the run, Norah began with "I want out, I want out, I want out!"  Like any good mother, I ignored her, and her chatter switched gears to the two principle subjects pre-schoolers discuss: Everything and Nothing.

After a mile, her chatter circled back to her initial demand: "I want out!"

Now, there have been recent runs in which I have earned my Mom Halo by allowing her to get out and run with me for a half mile or so.  It's cute, and it's good exercise for her, but it's not any kind of run for me.  Last night, though, I wasn't in the mood to be so generous; instead, I was in selfish-runner mode and I just wanted to be able to get "my" run.  So, I firmly told her: "Norah, if you want to run with Mama, you have to sit in the stroller.  There's no getting out."

The last part is, I'm sure, the motto of the modern penitentiary system.

She got the hint and piped down.  Soon, it occurred to me that she was being rather quiet, so I peeped in and...lo and behold, she'd crashed out!  It was a gloriously quiet last part of my run.

Would've been even better if she'd transferred into bed once we'd gotten home, but alas, you can't have everything...

It Took Me 6 Months...

...But I finally broke one of my 2012 running resolutions:

I let more than 2 days come between me and running.  Yes, I confess: It has been 3 days since my last run.  I have some excuses, none of them are very valid.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised I stuck to my resolution this long, but on the other hand, having more than 72 hours between me and my last run, I remember why I made that goal.

I am ITCHIN' to run today!

Ground Rules

First of all, thank you VERY much for such a warm welcome back!  Your comments re-confirmed that returning is the right decision.

But, then, who wouldn't welcome me back with open arms?  My charm and charisma are pretty much irresistible.

As for my hesitancy about returning, I had two major hurdles that I had contemplated when I thought about returning to blogging.  I think it's pertinent to describe them because it describes some changes to my new approach to the blog.

1.  It's time consuming keeping up with everyone else's blogs.

Dilemma: A lot of blogging is reciprocal: You read my blog, leave a comment, and the expectation is that I'll read your blog and leave you a comment.  As much as I enjoy reading others' blogs, this expectation is the blog element that I find exhausting.

Solution: So, here's the dealio: I'll read what I can, when I can, but I can't guarantee that I can read and comment on everyone's blogs, as much as I'd love it.  Not happenin.  If that means a smaller readership here, that's okay.



2.  What to do with the children?

Dilemma: One reason I needed the blog-break back in January was actually a two-fold reason: A.) A bloggy-crisis-of-identity.  Is this a running blog?  A mommy blog?  Just random YouTube videos of kittens wearing human clothes?  Okay, so it definitely was NOT the last one, but just think, readership would skyrocket!  Everyone loves kittens in human clothes.  B.) Were the kids too public of figures?  I was concerned that I was exploiting their non-existent privacy by making them such public fodder for my blog.  I don't want to have to pay for expensive pyschotherapy one day because I made them "characters" for my own personal amusement.

Solution: In this day and age, maybe NO kid gets privacy.  These kids in this generation will just have to reconcile themselves to the fact that naked pics of them were posted online WAY before they even had an option of leeking their (hopefully adult) versions.  So, in short?  I've started a "pyschotherapy savings" for each!  College?  Pfffftttt, who needs that?  They're gonna need therapists!

As for the blog's identity?  I knew this was no longer entirely a running blog -- especially after I quit back in January and not a single one of you commented that you'd miss my race reports (it still stings...) -- but I also knew this blog could never qualify for "Mommy Blog" status.  Why not?  Well, the term itself pretty much makes me wanna vomit, but aside from the nausea-inducing label, I am not the sort who fits into "that" category; i.e., I don't think giving kids McNuggets will make them serial killers, I think TV makes for excellent quiet time, and I am highly in favor of candy as a form of bribery.  I don't think my lassiez-faire parenting approach is fit for mommy-blog-dom.

Solution: This is MY blog and I get to blog about whatever the hell I want.  So, I will still talk about running, and dammit, my race reports are stimulating reading!  But, I will also talk plenty of kid talk and further prod your sentimental, gushy cores by posting ruthlessly cute pictures and videos of them.  Of course, on this "mommy blog," what you're gonna get are more likely stories of how Norah caught her hair in the spokes of her bubble gun's mini-fan, or how I found Caleb messing with his dad's electric razor last week. 

Why would I bother feeding these kids organic?  They're just gonna electrocute the nutrients right out of themselves anyway!

So, that's that: This is the "New 21 Days" philosophy and approach to content.  Like it?  Great!

I assume there's no other alternate way you'd respond; this site is rad.  Can't imagine that anyone would argue with that.

I'm Baaaack!

After a 6 month sabbatical, I've decided to return!  Ta-da!  (Go ahead, act surprised.)

I've been anticipating returning for awhile.  I hemmed and hawed on it, and then decided after the Bolder Boulder in May (best race ever!), that I wanted back to blogging.  I just waited a spell because I like symmetry and I wanted to return to blogging today, June 21st, which is this blog's 7 year anniversary, and exactly 6 months after I left for "retirement."

So, what's been happening in Jess-land in the past 6 months?

Brief run down:

I ran 2 half marathons: A1A in Feburary and the Miami Beach 13.1 in March.  Both were my worst HMs ever.  Eh, it happens.

I also ran 2 10Ks: The Green Turtle Gallop in Boca in April and The Bolder Boulder in Bolder in May.  Neither was a PR, but both were good races.  The Green Turtle was fun because I got to meet up with my old running friend, Wendy, and Bolder was quite simply the most awesome racing experience I've ever had (more on that in a separate post; I have a detailed race report I want to post for that one).

On the family front, Caleb got his helmet off back in early March -- his head shaped up nicely -- and at the end of May, the little dude turned 1!

He's not walking yet, but he's close.  Oh and he's kinda-sorta allergic to Scooter.  But we still have that damn dog.  Kidding Scooter, I love you!  Kinda-sorta.

As for Norah...

...She's almost 3, going on 13.  I get a whole lotta attitude from this one these days, but she keeps things interesting, that's for sure. 

And, the Jer-Bear is doing well -- he's busy right now with bowling league and being the Commish of his fantasy football league (don't get me started; football is still MONTHS away, so why he has to already be spending so much time "researching" is beyond me, whatev). 

And me?  Well, I was born awesome and continue to remain that way.

This summer, I'm just teaching 2 days a week and the other 3 days a week I'm being a full time SAHM, which means that everyday that I don't commit child abuse is a successful day.  And, of course, I'm running.  Sometimes with 1 kid, sometimes with both (bought a dbl jogger!), and sometimes solo.  Whatever way, I'm getting the miles in that I need to stay sane and to keep the beer gut off.

So, that about catches us all up to speed.

Ahhhhh, it's good to be back!

Goodbye!

Prologue
I've been thinking about this post for awhile now and I've composed several mental rough drafts: Some aim to be light-hearted and humorous, others more introspective and philosophical; others were kinda on the gushy-sentimental side, and a few other drafts were too brief, and a little flippant.  In short, it's been difficult.  Probably because saying "goodbye" is a toughie.

But, here: I think this is my best version of saying farewell in a manner that's best in keeping with this blog.

The Long Goodbye
Some of you may remember about a year ago when I summarized a conversation I'd had with my mother wherein she said, "You know those bloggers. They're all so self-absorbed."  At the time, I laughed it off, but as is true for most things mothers say, her words lingered with me, and like koan, I've been turning her phrase over in my mind and meditating on it for nearly a year now.

It's true that there's something narcissistic about blogging in order to believe that readers may be interested in what I have to write about myself and my life, but did that make my blogging a simple act of self-centered naval gazing without further meaning or significance?  Was this an act of simple vanity?

After thinking on it for a long time, I came to the following conclusion: Yes, this blog is about the personal, but there's something universal about the personal. 

That's why people write blogs, read blogs, and take the time to leave one another thoughtful comments (or even go one step further and connect with one another outside of blogging) because blogging helps us feel connected to one another by understanding that ours is not a singular experience.  This has made my blogging meaningful and this is why I have appreciated having so many of you as readers for so many years, and why I am truly grateful to you for allowing me to read your blogs and gain insight into your experience as I search to discover significance in mine.

So, thank you.

Thank you for reading, thank for leaving kind and encouraging comments, and thank you for opening up your personal world to me as a reader.  I've enjoyed this community immensely; it has meant a lot to me.

My best wishes to each of you as readers!  Enjoy your running, enjoy your families, your friends, your work, and your lives!

So long, farewell, auf weidersehen, goodbye!
Toodles,
Jess

Epilogue
I fell down yesterday while I was running.  Scraped the hell out of my left knee.  It stung as the air bit it once I got up and resumed running.  It's been YEARS since I fell down while running.  YEARS.

My first thought after resuming the run was: "Yay, what a story for the blog!"  Second thought: "Ah shit, I'm gonna miss blogging."

Foto Friday

Based on your comments and emails this past week, it seems that the #1 thing you'll miss about the blog are pics of the kids, so for your pleasure: Here's a gratuitious number of recent kid pics.

Norah and Caleb before an evening walk during Caleb's one hour of helmet-free time.  Norah looks stoned; maybe that explains why she's never paying attention while she's walking:

 Norah "reading" some of my books:

Caleb doing some fingerpainting.  His helmet theme at the time was the following: You see the front font, and on the back, it said, "But you can change my diaper for free!"

The teachers at daycare were savvy enough to point out that we pay them about $1,000 a month for them to change his diapers, so we had that a bit backwards! 

Here's Norah doing her fingerpainting, which is mostly just painting her belly:

 Here's a little peek into Norah as a teen:

 Caleb enjoying some Dad-kisses:

 The two of the kiddos chillaxin' in Mom and Dad's bed.  Norah is two knuckles deep in her nostril, no doubt.

 Norah sportin' my shades.  I guess they're just as rockin if they're upside down.

 Moments like this one below are my favorite -- where they're playing together and giggling.  It doesn't happen all the time (Norah has a tough time sharing and taking turns, and Caleb doesn't really get any of it yet -- he just sees shiny things that make music when he touches them), but I sure like it when it does!

Oh, and his current helmet theme is "Angry Bird."  On the front, he's got the furrowed brow of an angry bird, and on the back, he's got a graphic of the full angry bird.

10 Things Thursday

More than once, I've been asked how I come up with blog material and how I avoid repeating myself.  To the first question, I can't say where posts come from: they just occur to me, often with little or no preconception.  Most posts are written off the top of my head.  To the second question, of course I repeat myself!  I repeat myself a LOT!  As I scroll through the thousands of posts (yes, I can say that!  THOUSANDS!), here is a run-down of the most frequently discussed topics on "21 Days":

1.  Running.
This was started as, first and foremost, a running blog, so it seems fitting that I write about running.  Surprisingly, when I search my posts, only 49% of them have a match for the word "running."  So, I guess you could say that I "mostly" write about running!

I write about MY running: I rarely dispense advice or talk technical.  I leave that to more knowledgable, experienced runners.  I've simply written about what works, and doesn't work, for me.

• One sub-category of oft-talked about running topics here is pooping and running.  Or, more specifically, the close calls I've had of nearly crapping myself while out running.  It's scary how often it's happened.
• Another sub-category of my running topics has been the usual business of race reports: Updating everyone about my Awesome Sauce racing, or sometimes not-so-Awesome Sauce racing.  But, one memorable race report?  An invented race report!  No, not an invented race.  Invented report!  I nearly won a contest for this one.  Nearly.
• Lastly, important to any runner is gear.  What piece of gear have I mentioned the most in the past 2000 posts?  Garmins!  Which is ironic since I was reluctant to use one at first, and even once I had one, I didn't start regularly using it until the summer of 2007 when I was training for the Chicago Marathon.  I ran the Disney Marathon Garmin-less: Unthinkable to me now!  But, for an additional dose of irony, my most frequent subject when it comes to Garmins?  Complaining about their malfunctioning.

2.  Preggo Running.
Since I've spent the past 3 years either being pregnant or running post-pregnancy, many of my posts about running in the last few years have had to do with running while preggo and post-partum.  It's these posts that seem to have struck a particular chord with many readers (mostly women, also mothers or mothers-to-be).  I complained a LOT about being a barfy-barferson during both pregnancies, but you guys seemed to be impressed that I kept running.  I'm glad you're easily impressed; it helps make me seem even more SWAWESOME.

3.  Poop.
Yeah, I poop everyday, and seemingly write about it approximately every 10 days or so (given the percentage of posts that feature the word "poop").  And you like it!  (Maybe because you poop too and you  also think it's amusing?)  But, I haven't just written about my own poo: The posts that have struck the funny bone the most have been kid poop, baby poop, and dog-eating-poop stories.

4.  The temperature.
I talk a lot, apparently, about the weather.  For living in a place that basically only has one season, I find a lot to say about that one season.  For the majority of my meterological blather, I bitch and moan about how hot it is here in FL.  But, sometimes I also bitch and moan about the occassional cold spell.  That seems to inspire not one bit of sympathy from you guys!

5.  Bowling.
Well, at least, I used to talk about it a lot.  Then I had kids and I don't bowl in a league anymore, nor do I drink myself silly all that often anymore (a travesty, I know!).  And speaking of drinking, I used to post about that frequently too.  Then, we had kids.  See a pattern here, people?

6.  Scooter.
Remember my dog?  Yeah, he's still around.  I guess he's still cute.  But, his cuteness has diminished over the years.  Once we had kids, Scooter began to take a back seat to our attention, and that has never sat well with him -- he still can't believe they're staying.  He's a howly-howlerson who steals food from both kids, and has even been known to steal food from Jerry and I when our attention has been diverted (and it shows!), but we still love him.  I suppose...But, I'll tell you this much of what I learned about getting a dog before having kids: It's a mistake to treat them like your fur-kid!  It's cute at the time, but when real kids come along, fur kids have a tough time adjusting.  I pretty much threaten to BBQ Scooter everyday; it's a testament to how much I still love him that I don't follow through.

7.  Norah.
She's mentioned in 406 of my blog posts.  Considering she's only been around 2 and 1/2 years, that's pretty significant.  And she's been significant to you too: The post with the highest number of comments, ever, was the post when we announced her arrival.

8.  Caleb.
He's only been around for 7 and 1/2 months, but the ratio of times I mention him actually put him -- mathematically -- on the same level of mention as Norah.  Everyone seems particularly interested in his flat-headedness, which is rounding out quite nicely with the help of his super-baby helmet.

9.  Jerry.
It's hard to measure, quantitatively, how frequently I've talked about Jerry on the blog since, for the first two years, I didn't refer to him by name.  Yes, that's right, when I first began blogging I gave him anonymity (ha! imagine such a thing!).  I initially referred to him as my finace (since we were engaged when the blog began), and then later, only as "my husband."  I referred to him as "the Jer-Bear" for the first time on his birthday, nearly two years after beginning the blog, and after that, I just went ahead and talked about him quite freely -- and I have to give him props for putting up with my public persona and for drawing he and the kids into that arena.  But, it's not as though he's a shrinking violet.

10.  My hair.
This is a funny one for me since I don't feel as though I focus too much on my hairstyle, but apparently, in the course of 6 and 1/2 years, I've gotten my hair cut 20 times, and I told you about it every time that I did.  An additional tidbit is that I have frequently gotten my hair cut on Veteran's Day, each year -- probably because I get the day off -- still I never realized there was a pattern!

Going through all these posts and reminscing has been fun for me; the blog has deifnitely been a wonderful, electronic scrapbook of my life for the past 6 and 1/2 years.  But, is there a technical term for wanting to go back in time and drop kick yourself for not appreciating all that free time you had pre-kids?

Rhymes with Orange

If there's one thing I get asked about, more than anything else (including questions about running while preggo and "are you really that bad at typing when you're drunk?"), it's about these orange shorts:

In fact, the orange shorts are so intriguing to some, that I even got interviewed by Sarah Bowen Shea, from Run Like a Mother, for an RW article about women's running apparel in which she and I had a very specific conversation about those shorts.  Sadly, neither the shorts, nor I, made the final cut for the RW article.  Orange shorts only get you so far in this world...

So, what's the legacy of the orange shorts?

For those who have read from the beginning, you may recall how I started running in cotton.  Yes, cotton!  My goodness, how young and naive I was!  Anyway, clearly cotton is the WORST choice in running fabric, and it didn't take me long to figure that out.  So, I started a search for some quality running clothes, and in the fall of 2006, I stumbled upon these shorts.  I don't know where I bought them (they're Nike, but I know I didn't buy them from a direct Nike retailer), or even why I bought them.  Nothing about their initial purchase stands out to me.  What does stand out, however, is how they've performed.

For nearly 6 years now!

These shorts never bunch, never chafe, never ride up uncomfortably in the butt.  I've worn them when I've been at my leanest, trimmest self, and I've worn them when I've been 40 weeks preggo; they fit nicely either way.  I've worn them to countless races, and in the past week alone, I've worn them for 3 runs.

But the magic of the orange shorts goes beyond their practicality.  The magic of them is that they are unique. 

Wanna buy some like 'em?  Too bad.  There are no duplicate shorts out there.  Trust me, I've searched.  I own lots of other models of Nike shorts, and while I do like Nike's shorts, especially their "tempo" model, none of their other shorts are THESE shorts.  I swear, they are an anomaly.  No other shorts are as comfortable or as versatile.  So, to me, these shorts automatically give me a mental boost when I don them.

I almost always reserve them to wear for the week's long run, or if there's a run I know I don't want to do -- early morning, for instance -- I set them aside for those runs because putting them on immediately helps motivate me to do the run.  You can't deny the power of what clothing can do for a person's self-esteem on a daily basis; if you feel good in your clothes, you simply FEEL good.  Same holds true for running clothes: if they feel good, you feel like you'll run good (yeah, I'm an English professor, but sometimes the rules of grammar must be bent for higher purposes of symmetry, right?).

I hesitate to label the orange shorts my "lucky" shorts because, honestly, they haven't ever brought any particular running luck.  But I can say that, like the word "orange," nothing is quite like them and their rarity is what, in part, contributes to my favoring them.

Fabric can't last for an eternity, so someday, these shorts will lose their precious elasticity and even the sturdiness of their construction will eventually fail; I dread that day, but knowing it's out there makes me value them that much more.  Like all the best things in life, I know they won't last forever.

21 Most Memorable Moments

So, I begin my week of blog-stalgia (won't you miss my invented vocabulary the most?  if you ask nicely, perhaps I'll over-use "swawesome" this week so that you're also ready to retire that come Saturday) with a simple list of the "21 Most Memorable Moments."  These moments are a combination of my life's highs and lows, laughs, poops, drunkenness, and other brouha, in the past 2,370 days.

21.  Inception: "21 Days" beginning.
20.  Hurricane Wilma.
19.  My first Turkey Trot.
18.  The time I pooped myself.
17.  The time I fell down.
16.  One of the many times I blogged while drunk.
15.  Completing the Disney Marathon.
14.  DNF at the Chicago Marathon.
13.  Completing the Miami HM -- my first HM.
12.  The Princess HM -- my HM PR.
11.  My first post-Norah race.
10.  First post-Caleb race, also known as my 7th consecutive Turkey Trot.
9.  When we got Scooter.
8.  The day we finished remodeling our condo.
7.  My 1st pregnancy announcement.
6.  My post about "running while pregnant."
5.  My 2nd pregnancy announcement.
4.  Calling it quits on running during pregnancy while preggo with Norah.
3.  Ditto with my pregnancy with Caleb.
2.  Gettin' hitched to the Jer-Bear.
and tied for the #1 spot:
1.  Norah's birth and Caleb's birth!

Phew!  That was a fun retrospective, wasn't it?  These are just MY most memorable personal, running, and blogging moments, but some of you have been reading for a loooooong time, so does anyone have a Jess moment that stood out?  And if you're in the mood for hours of nuthin' but good times, scroll through the archive for your own 2,000 posts of Jess-tastic fun -- I'm hilarious!

Rumination

First of all, thank you for so many kind, thoughtful comments about my decision to retire the blog.  The comments some of you made honestly made me tear up, and it's a great feeling to know that this blog has been so meaningful to readers and that it will be missed.

Your comments were so moving, that I'll be honest: You filled me with self-doubt about this carefully considered decision, and all weekend, I wrestled with the should-I-stay-or-should-I-go dilemma.  Jerry was no help in figuring it out (in fact, when I'd discussed my decision to quit blogging a few weeks before I announced it on Friday, his only response was: "I've heard you say that before"), telling me only: "The blog is yours; this is YOUR decision."

Ah, shark farts, why couldn't I have a husband who just told me what to do?!  It'd require a lot less thinking on my part...

...in the end, I decided to make myself an old-fashioned pro and con list.  I'd made several mental lists before posting Friday's post about #2000, but I hadn't sat down with a concrete list to help me perhaps make a more rational decision.  Here, I'll show you what that list looked like:

Pro Blogging:
1.  I like it.
2.  It gives me a near-daily writing outlet.
3.  I like having a concrete sense of readers and commenters.  That makes the writing feel satisfying.
4.  I like the people who blog and who comment here.
5.  Some bloggers have been my "friends" for years, and I'd hate to lose that part of our connection.
6.  It gives me a way to provide a record of the kids' childhoods.
7.  It gives my running accountability.
8.  It challenges me: In my running and in my writing.

Con Blogging:
1.  Sometimes, I don't like it: It can feel like an obligation.
2.  I have wondered over the years if because I blog, and it helps fulfill some sense that I'm writing, that it keeps me from truly pursuing writing.
3.  Readers and commenters have been dwindling in the last few years.  According to analytic data, this blog peaked about 3 years ago in readership.
4.  It sucks to know that the blog's popularity has declined in the past 3 years, but you know what else declined in the last 3 years?  My spare time, and thus the time I used to take to read others' blogs and cultivate the blog-relationships it takes to maintain high readership.
5.  Many of my blog friends are now also my friends on FB and DailyMile, so I know that leaving here won't mean that I'll lose those contacts (and if you're not my friend on either of those sites, you CAN be!  email me: tygress422 at yahoo dot com and I'll totally friend you if you promise not to ax-murder me in my sleep).
6.  The blog is in desperate need of a makeover.  The whole appearance needs to be re-done, but re-vamping the site feels overwhelming.  And, then there are all the questions of...should I even stay with Blogger?  Or move to Wordpress or Google+?
7.  I can keep other records of the kids' childhoods without them being a public record.  I sometimes fret over the kids' lack of privacy.
8.  Through other mediums (DailyMile, for instance), my running can still maintain its accountability, so I don't need the blog to do that anymore.

Ugh...the totals came out even!  Don't you hate it when that happens?

So, what did I decide about the ultimate fate of the blog?

Well, I thought about sadistically keeping you in suspense.  But that seemed mean, so I'll tell you now:

It's still BUH-bye.

For now.  Perhaps I will be back after some time off, or perhaps I'll just periodically check in, I don't know, but for now, I definitely need the time away if, for no other reason, than to perhaps give myself enough time to miss it.

Goodbye won't be until this upcoming Saturday, the 21st -- as promised -- so stick around this week for the reminiscing. 

#2000

This post is my 2000th post.

You read that right: A "2" followed by THREE 0s.  I'm like the Betty White of blogging...I've been around for forever!

Thinking back to what I posted 3 and 1/2 years ago when I posted about my 1000th post, I've been forced to wonder if reaching 2000 posts just means I've doubled my amount of wasted time.  To be honest, contemplating my time, and its value, has been on my mind for weeks now, months even, and more often than not lately, maintaining my blog and keeping up with other blogs has become a chore.

Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and love all of the blogging peeps out there, but at the same time, I've grown weary of the medium.  There are many reasons to keep blogging, but ultimately, I feel there is just one major reason to quit: Because I want to.

So, there it is my friends: I'm officially announcing bloggy retirement.

Not effective immediately.  This is just notice:  My final date will be January 21st. 

I first posted on this blog on June 21, 2005, so it feels fitting to end it on a date that feels meaningful.  So, in the next week, expect some emotionally-laden posts reminscing about blog posts of yore and join with me in recalling some of my favorite moments of the past 6 and 1/2 years.

There's no doubt I'll miss blogging, and my blogging friends, but I just feel that it's time to move on from here.  Perhaps, at some later date, I'll re-emerge from retirement, a la Jay-Z style, but for the now, this is a permanent decision.

So, happy 2000 posts to my blog!  And, in 8 days, I'll bid it sayonara!

Girly Girl

One part of getting ready in the morning, is that Norah and I both have to get pretty.  So, when I'm getting ready for work, she always pulls out her make up and accessories, and while I'm applying my own make up, she applies what she feels is necessary for her own beautification.

Moments like this, where she's "painting" her toenails (that's not real nail polish, although, you'd be suprised how adept she is with real nail polish!), make me feel as though I'm peering into a small window of the future.  She may only be 2 and 1/2 now, but can't you somehow see her at 16 doing the same thing?  I can.

 This morning, she also (briefly) let me put her hair into a pony tail.  It didn't last, but I enjoyed it while it did.

 And, what outfit is complete without a purple tu-tu and a princess necklace?  None that I know of!



My Day

I slept great last night!  According to Jerry, Caleb did wake up once in the night, but I guess I didn't even hear him.  Usually, even when it's not "my" night I still wake up whenever one of the kiddos (99.9% of the time, that's Caleb) wakes, but I guess I snoozed right through it last night.

Anyway, I slept so soundly, that I woke at exactly 5:58 and felt ready to get up and go do my run.  That never happens for me.

It was a cool, crisp morning, and even though it felt a little chilly to my Florida sensibilities when I first stepped outside, by the end of the first mile, it felt perfect.  I did another 3 miles -- it's about all I have time for on a workday morning (I seriously need to get faster so I can squeeze more miles into the time, but patience, patience, that will one day happen...maybe when hovercrafts and jetpacks finally become popular, accessible modes of transportation) -- and it felt pretty nice once again to get it done first thing.

If only everyday could be Jerry's "day"!

Early A.M. Run

I got spoiled over my break in many ways, but one way was that with cool temps, and kids in daycare, I got to head out, solo, for afternoon runs -- pretty much at my convenience.  No early morning running, no late evening running, no squeezing it in between my classes.  It was a luxury!

With winter break over, it means no more heading out for runs at my leisure.  Time to start planning the timing again.  And with the start of my new semester, it means the start of a slightly new schedule, so beginning today, I have night class on Mondays.  That meant that in order to get my planned run in today, I had to get up early this morning and get it done at o'dark thirty.

Typically, getting up early is a problem for me -- we never get a full night's sleep in our house, so getting up early to run is tough -- but Norah crawled into our bed at 5:30 a.m. this morning, and tossed around in there with us for 30 minutes.  So, at 6 a.m., I was ready to get up since I'd really been awake for 30 minutes anyway.

Surprisingly, Norah wanted to go with me on the run.  She hasn't been on a run in the BOB in at least 6 months, so I said she could go, but there was no turning back and no getting out.  If she was going, she was G-O-I-N-G.  So, I snuggled her in with Bo-Bo and a blanket, and she looked so cozy in there (ah, to be the kid!).  I kinda thought she'd fall back asleep, but that kid is a stubborn one and she stayed awake for 3 miles.  Still, she was very good, and only asked to stop once because she wanted me to take the blanket off.

So, I got my planned 3 miler done, and even though I had to unexpectedly push a kid, it still felt good, and is a good start to the week!

First Week Tally

Aside from being sick in the middle of the week, I still managed to abide by my 2012 running goals: Record my mileage, not allow more than 2 days to come between runs, and work to regain HM shape.

I have been recording my runs, and even though I was down for the count with the barfs mid-week, I really only missed one planned run, and my weekly mileage was 18 miles.  I'd been originally shooting for 22 miles, but 18 is fine, considering.

This morning, I capped off the week with an 8 miler.  I was slow as heck, but I'm trying not to let it bother me (still does, though).  I know I'll get faster the more consistent I am; I've done it before, and I can do it again.  But, what's most important is that I got it done, and in all honesty, it felt great.  We're enjoying some really temperate weather right now, so it was a PERFECT morning for a run.  And for many reasons, I really enjoy running mid-distance runs of 8-13 miles: It feels like a challenge, but not too much of one.  I get done and feel like I accomplished something, even if nothing else of significance gets done throughout the day.

On a random note, my Garmin 310 has been inaccurately recording my mileage for awhile now.  I know most of my routes by heart, so I know when it's off.  At first I thought it just always needed a fully charged battery, but that didn't seem to help.  So, this morning, I left the 310 at home and took my bulkier, but more reliable, 305.  Gotta love the 305!

Really, the only advantage to the 310 has been its size; otherwise, I have been completely disappointed in that Garmin.  Maybe I should just sell it on eBay and exclusively rely on the 305.  Anyone interested in an inconsistent (but lightweight!) 310? ;)

Three Things Thursday

1.On the mend.

Jerry and I are better today.  No more barfs or mud butt, but we both have the residual headache and soreness that stomach bugs seem to leave you with -- an effect of dehydration, I'm sure.  But, on the whole, we're not the miserable mopes we were yesterday.

2.  Back to work.

Today was my first day back to class (don't get me started on how stupid it is to start classes on a Thursday, but whatevs), and as weird as it sounds, that was fun.  I always enjoy the start of the semester, even the spring term where no one is nearly as energetic or enthusiastic as they are for the fall.  Still, however fun I find the start of term, I was reminded today of how I've grown accustomed to a certain amount of leisure the past 3 weeks -- the kind of leisure I could grow to love -- so getting back to the work routine felt a bit hectic.  Next week is my first "real" week of classes, and that will feel like an even bigger jolt to the lazy winter break system.

3.  Caleb is 7 months now. 

In fact, he was 7 months a few days ago -- I'm just about a week behind on recording his updates (although, I DID catch up on his baby book over my break, and even filled in a few gaps in Norah's book as well).

He's doing well.  He had a dr. check up yesterday, and he's 28 and 1/4 inches (83%) and 17 lbs, 8 oz (29%).  So, I guess he's continuing his trend of being tall and slim -- which is an anomoly for both our families.  We'll see how his growth pans out in the long run.  He also checked up fine in all other growth and developmental milestones, and got a slew of vaccines (and, thus, we had a night of the fussies last night).

Right now, he's sitting really well, and on his tummy, he's clearly getting ready to crawl.  He kinda "creeps" around, and yesterday, I saw him experimenting by pushing up to all fours.  It only last a second, but he's thinking about it.  I'm excited for him to crawl, because it's always fun to see them reach new milestones, but at the same time, I dread having him crawl.  Having 2 mobile kids seems like pure chaos.  But, it will be fun because he and Norah "play" more and more now, and once he's crawling, I forsee a lot more sibling playing...and probably sibling squabbling.

Anyway, here are a few recent pics of the rugrat at 7 months:

Playing with the cash register:

At the park:

And, who doesn't love a sleeping baby pic?  Especially when that baby's foot is hanging out the side of the crib.

Lastly, on a Caleb note, he had his most recent helmet adjustment earlier this week, and his head is doing great!  It's a wonder how quickly the helmet is making a difference in his head shape.  I have to say, based on the changes I've observed so far, the helmet is costly and time-consuming (cleaning it, going to extra appointments), but I think it's been a good investment in his overall transition from flat-headed-baby to regular-headed-baby!

Starting the New Year with the Flu

Once again, I have a stomach bug that has had me barfing and squirting deuce juice for the past 24 hours.

Jerry has it too, and we spent most of last night alternating trips to the toilet.  Today, we both feel like warm poo.  Thankfully, after a too long wait at the pediatrician's office for Caleb's check up, we were able to drop the kiddos at daycare early and return home to try and rest and recoup.  It's helpful being able to sleep so much, but I have a feeling this will take a day or two to wear off.

It stinks because I'm back at work tomorrow, and this wasn't how I wanted to end my winter vacay.

2012 Goals

It's easy to see the new year as an opportunity to do a complete overhaul on myself, but I know me and I know I can only strive toward goals that are simple and attainable.  So, again, I'm breaking it down into a few key facets of my life and have limited each facet to 3 principle goals.

Here we go 2012:

Personal

• Marriage: Again, keep date nights as a focus for Jerry and I.  I'd like to continue to aim for 1 date night a month.
• Parenthood: Try to live in the moment and lighten up.  I do my best to appreciate this time with the kids while they're young, but like any parent, I have plenty of moments of frustration, anxiety, and even anger.  Sometimes, I feel I am too quick with these emotions, and I'd like to try and focus on fostering greater patience and learning what battles are worth fighting.
• Friendship: Make time for friends.  In the past few years, with kids, it's become easy to push friendships to the back burner, but in the last few months of 2011, I made the time to keep up with some lunches with girlfriends, and we enjoyed an evening out with our friends (without kids) and it reminded me of how valuable it is to keep up with friends -- both past and present.

Financial (I've never made a separate list for money, but in the past few years, I've been more conscientious and mindful of how we save, invest, and spend.  So, this year, I have a few specific goals that are monetary.)

• Save: The past few years have been devoted to paying off our debt; now, it's time to build the savings.  Ideally, I'd like to create an emergency fund that would consist of 4 months worth of Jerry's salary (net).
• Invest: Research, decide upon, and contribute to the kids' college savings plans.  They each have savings accounts, but those earn, like, 1% interest.  I want to invest in some accounts that would more realistically build adequate amounts for each child's college fund.
• Save again: We need a new car, but if possible, I'd like to actually save up to buy one in full, not finance anything.  This is a lofty goal, but after paying off our debt, I'm not eager to finance another vehicle.

Professional

• Grading: Learn to create an electronic gradebook.  I'm completely inept with Excel, but it's the 21st century.  Time to learn.
• Technology: I have the bare minimum knowledge with how to teach classes online, and while I don't want to teach online, I see that the future of teaching will at least demand a knowledge of blending online components with a tradition bricks-and-mortar approach.  Time to take some of the tech classes.  Blergh.
• Spending: I have some money to burn that was part of my POY award last year and I've been waffling for months about what to do with it.  Time to decide.

Running

• Miles: Track my mileage.  2011 was a complete bust in terms of keeping track of my mileage, and I really feel more accountable when I do it.  Time to return to record keeping.
• Time:  Never go more than 2 days between runs.  My motto, since high school, has always been to not go more than 3 days between workouts, but in the past few months, I've lagged enough that I have -- at times -- allowed as much as 4 days to come between me and some sort of committed physical activity.  When I do that, I feel like shark farts.  So, new rule: 2 days is the maximum spacing between runs!
• Training: Return to HM shape.  I feel like I'm at my running best when I'm in HM shape (running about 20-30 miles a week).  And with that middle distance training, speed usually returns hand in hand.  I hope for that to be a nice side effect.

So, there ya go: Bring on the end of the world!  Hello 2012!

2011 in Review

'Tis the season to read a lot of "Year in Review" posts, and I must join in.  So, time to review my 2011 goals and see how I did:

Personally

• Enjoy the remainder of this pregnancy. With Norah, I was so excited and eager to have her born, I feel as though I willed that pregnancy to just be done with, and it wasn't until she was born, that I realized how special pregnancy is. This time around, I'm trying to appreciate it.  I did appreciate it, but I still got impatient at the end.  Guess I'm just an impatient preggo!
• Make more time for dates with Jerry. As parents, it's easy to lose track of time, and at the end of the week, it's often just easiest to order Chinese, rent a movie On Demand, and call that a date. But as nice as nights like that are, I need to make the time and effort to get a babysitter and actually go sit across a table from Jerry and eat real food and have real conversations.  Success!  We've made an effort to get out for "date night" about once a month, and it's been worthwhile.
• Read more books. I got a Nook for Christmas this year, and I'm eager to give e-reading a go! Plus, several friends got Nooks, so hopefully, we can take advantage of the lend option and save ourselves some book buying.  Blended success here.  I read quite a bit in the first half of the year, and then...Caleb was born and the reading really sharply dropped off.  Right now, I read regularly, but it takes me about 1,000% longer to get through a book because my time spent reading is so greatly diminished.
• Financially, I want to pay off our car loan.  Success!  Now the only debt we have is our mortgage.

Professionally

• Serve on two committees, either departmental or college-wide. Success! 
• Put real effort into applying for either a Classroom Reasearch Award or the Endowed Teaching Chair. Both of these options offer professional recoginition and cash awards.  I put real effort into the Endowed Teaching Chair award, but was denied the opportunity to advance in the process.  This award is highly competition at my institution (there's a hefty monetary reward), so I'm not surprised I wasn't selected (again. this was my 3rd year in a row being nominated but not being selected to move forward to the interview portion).  I did, however, win Professor of the Year, which was an unexpected award for 2011.
• Publish another short story.  Success!  You can go here if you're interested.

Running

• Run consistently for as long as I'm able during this pregnancy.  Did my best here, but only ran until I was 27 weeks preggo, which fell short of my expectation to run until at least 32 weeks as I did with Norah.  Still, I feel satisfied with my effort.
• Run some preggo races.  Fail!  I ran ZERO preggo races.
• Run a fall or early winter HM.  Fail!  The only race I ran in 2011 was the 5K Turkey Trot.  All in all, running was a challenge for me this year.

As always a mixed bag of success and failure, and of course, unexpected deviations, challenges and joys.  Now to start pondering some 2012 goals.  Of those, I have NO clue.  Need to put my thinking cap on!