Sink or Swim

The triathlon team my husband and I belong to is hosting a swim meet this Saturday. Great, right?!?!?! I thought so! I signed up for the 50 free (one lap). I was excited...until the question came up whether or not I  would have to dive into the pool off the "scary-looking" blocks. Yes, indeed I would have to. Here lies the problem...I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DIVE! There. I said it. I am 31 years old and have no idea how to dive into a pool. Sure, I can jump feet first. But DIVE????? That scares the crap out of me. Something about going in head first. Ever since I was little, I have never been completely comfortable in the water. I can meander around, and I can make it through the swim in a triathlon (no scary diving blocks...you just walk into the water during a race).
Basically I have 1 week to either figure out how to dive into a pool, or be the dork  only person starting the race from water level while everyone else dives in.

I will keep you posted.

10 miles of random thoughts

Today I ran 10 miles in 1 hour 54 minutes, which was awesome because this past Tuesday I ran it in 2 hours 5 minutes! Although, really, I can't compare the two, since they were totally different routes. Tuesday had more flats and today was VERY hilly. One would think my time would be slower all the uphills.  On the contrary~ with every UPhill, there is usually a comparable DOWNhill. Hence, the faster time. I must have really sped up on those downhills.

When I run, I tend to think random thoughts. Here is some of today's randomness...
~ I plan out our meals for the week. Which is quite funny, since, by the time I get home I can't remember ANY of the meals I had planned. They always tend to be healthy, too. When I workout I get to thinking, "Yes! This is it! No more junk food, no more chocolate, only lots of veggies and fruit." and of course, as soon as I walk through the door I am just so darn hungry from my workout I pickup the bag of tortilla chips and salsa (at least it's fresh salsa, not the jar kind) and go to town.
~ I either need to get a new (good) sports bra or stop breastfeeding. Since the second choice is really not an option (I plan to nurse my son until he is 1 year old, which is still 8 weeks away.) Plus, breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day and I LOVE that! So...I guess it's time for a little shopping trip.
~I think about what my kids will wear to our races this summer. Ironman 70.3 especially. Sure, sure, they could wear anything and it wouldn't really matter. BUT, this is a huge race and I'm all about the dorky "Go Mommy" and "Go Daddy" T-shirts. When you are racing [any distance], it really is a mental lift to see that little cutie in a personalized shirt clapping for you. So, yes, my kids will have dorky, hand-crafted (by me!) T-Shirts that have catchy slogans on them. That being said...
~I basically designed their T-Shirts! All during my run! Of course, now I have forgotten what they look like, just like our meals for the week.
~I wonder if people are looking out their windows, wondering what this crazy girl is doing, running in the snow. I'm sure no one even notices, or even cares. On the flip side, I am looking at their houses, wondering why on earth they still have their Christmas lights up. It's freakin February!!! Then again, we do still have a wreath on our front door. Maybe the owners of the homes with Christmas lights have babies. I know that's the reason why our lights are still up. We say (just about every weekend), "We should take the lights down today." And by the time the angels are asleep in their bed we are, a) too exhausted,  or b) we just plain forgot.

10 mile snow run on country backroads

Monday is PP night!

Monday is PP night, and NOT because we are trying to potty train our 2 year old. Monday is POOL and PIZZA night!

I started the day with a plan to go to Stroller Strides with my Mom. She had the day off and was excited to come workout with us. I got up when my wonderful husband kissed my cheek to leave for work and noticed...
"Oh my it's snowing again!". Mind you this is the 20th time this year I have gotten up to see it snowing. OK, I'm exaggerating a bit, but it HAS been snowing a lot this year.

Class cancelled.

I decide later in the day to ride the bike. Baby boy went down pretty easy for an afternoon nap, while the little princess watched Curious George. This was my chance! I climbed on the bike and started pedaling. Then the phone rang. It was hubby. While pedaling and talking on my cell phone (good thing I was indoors, there is probably a law against doing that on the road), the princess decides she is ready to do what any 2 year old does for absolutely no reason at all...tantrum. For no reason at all. Wait, I already said that. Anyways, that was the story of the rest of my afternoon. One child set the other child off. Needless to say after 30 mins of cycling I had to get off and tend to the little monsters precious angels.

5:30pm could not come fast enough. I was suppose to meet my husband and the pool at 6. That's when he would be finished with his swim and I could do mine.  I had the kids bathed and in their PJ's, packed up in the car and we were on our way. The princess decided her grilled cheese sandwich wasn't good enough, so she threw it at my head while I was driving, and then screamed the rest of the way there. By the time I arrived at the pool to do "the swap", I was ready. Will took my car home with the kids and I headed inside to swim. I swam for 30 minutes, and it was the most relaxing 30 minutes of the day. I purposefully kept my ears submerged underwater as to drown out any noise. It was very peaceful. This mommy needed a time out and the pool was PERFECT! I ended my swim with a dip in the therapy pool, which is kept very warm. It felt amazing.

On the way home I picked up our pizza (the refrigerated bake-at-home kind). I arrived home to both kids asleep in their beds, the oven had already been pre-heated, a glass of red wine had been poured, and our favorite show was about to come on TV. I love our PP night tradition!

Creative ways to squeeze in a workout

These are some of the things my husband and I do in order to be able to train...

* Obviously, when it's warm enough outside we run pushing the kids in the jogging stroller. For times that it's just too darn cold, we do the following..
The "errend run"~ This is where one of us leaves the house and starts running in the direction of the store we need to go to. At a previously determined time, the other one then packs up the kids in the car and drives to the store. Then, on the way home we switch. The driver then runs, and the runner drives the kids home. This also gives you the opportunity to do a point to point run, instead of a loop. It's a nice change of scenery.

* We have one of our bikes hooked up to a trainer in the livingroom. This allows us to hop on the bike during naptimes or when the kids are occupied with a movie.

* The gym we belong to has a daycare, however, only for children over the age of 1. Great for our daughter (who is 2), not so much for our son (who is about 10 months). In order to get in those swim workouts we have devised this schedule. On Mondays and Fridays, my husband heads to the pool right after work to swim. I plan to get there about an hour later. He then takes my car (because it contains the sleeping children) and I stay and swim. We then meet up at home, put the kids to bed, and enjoy a nice dinner together while  we  he enjoys the smell of chlorine on his skin.

* I attend a mom and baby workout that incorporates resistance bands and cardio, for a great all over body workout with the kids in tow. Not having to find a babysitter to workout is wonderful!

These are some of the creative ways we try to fit in a workout with 2 little ones. Do you have any creative workouts you would like to share?

Running outdoors

It was 50 degrees out today!!!
I have been longing for the days that I can strap the kids in the double jogging stroller and go for a long run outside. Granted, on weekends my husband  and I alternate our runs so someone is home with the kids while the other is getting their workout in. However, because of how cold and snowy it has been this winter, the weekends are the ONLY times I have been able to run.  I took it for granted last summer. It was just so easy! Want to go for a run? Sure! As long as it wasn't raining I took the kids out all the time. I remember putting them in just a onesie and packing sippy cups full of ice water. Now, I can't even get outdoors without 3 layers, a hat, and gloves. It's going to be about 50 degrees again on Thursday. I see a 9 miler in my future...with the kids.