Motherhood = When 7:00 am Counts as Sleeping In

Today is a no school day for my kids. I slept in until 7:00 this morning. Slept in til 7!? Seriously, my inner pre-kids self still finds it hard to believe that 7:00 is sleeping in. I was asleep last night by 10:30 which is early for me (pre or post kids) and I honestly felt so good when I woke up at 7:00 that I was afraid it was 8:00, thinking I’d abandoned my kids. Ha Ha. However, my kids are fully aware that they inherited their “early riser” gene from their dad so they didn’t think anything of it when I didn’t actually get out of bed until 7:30. They were playing so well together and continue to be 3 hours later …..aaaahhhhh.

Since this year is my 20-year high school reunion I’m going to flash back for a moment to 20 years ago today (give or take a few weeks). If memory serves me correct my high school’s morning bell was at 7:45. So that means, at 7:00 I was still sleeping only to be awoken by Carrie’s wake up call at about 7:10 or so signaling to me that she was leaving her house and would be picking me up for school in about 10 minutes. Arrived at school on time and ate my dry cereal breakfast with Caryn and/or Ashley in first period child psych. 

Full disclosure: most days I don’t get out of bed for 6:30 am.

La Crosse Runners for Sandy Hook (Newtown)

As you know I grew up in a border town of Newtown, CT. First, in Brookfield, then in Danbury. To catch up on my thoughts about Newtown read: http://darialeith.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-piece-of-my-thoughts-about-newtown.html

After the tragic events that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School my heart ached for the parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, teachers and anyone who had ever had the honor of knowing the lives that were lost.

As a runner I was excited when I heard a 5K run would be organized in honor of these families, and run in my hometown of Danbury. My first thought was of hopes that it would be scheduled for the summer so I could plan a trip to visit my father around the time of the run. When it was scheduled for Saturday, March 23 my mind began making new plans. I registered for the virtual run, paid my $25 and started mapping my 5K in my kids’ hometown of La Crosse, WI. My plan was to incorporate my children’s elementary school into my route.

This morning I was fortunate to have some running company which I am always grateful for since a majority of the time I am a solo runner. At the beginning of my 5-mile run I invited my friend, Heather, to run with me on March 23 whether she wished to register as a virtual runner or just to join me. I shared how I selfishly wanted to run by my kids’ school and that it may turn into a 5 mile or so run because I thought about running up to the ski hill, thinking about how much my kids (6 and 9 years old) enjoy skiing and how some of the kids from Sandy Hook may have liked skiing or wanted to learn and never had the chance. It was at this point in our conversation that the plan got bigger. My ears heard Heather say (and I won’t quote her, because I was running and not writing down what she said), Wouldn’t it be cool if we ran past all 11 elementary school in La Crosse. Oh my G-d, Heather that would be cool! (and a lot less selfish, and actually I think there are only 10 schools currently). About half a mile later we met up with Amanda and Toni, shared our idea, at which point my ears heard Toni say, Create an event on Facebook so I can invite the many, many runners I know that you don’t know. The idea grew and grew and by the end of the five-mile run I promised to map out a route and turn this into an event! So here I am at my computer completing step one of three.

Hours Later

Step two consisted of mapping a route to the 10 schools. Unfortunately, no way I map it can I find a route less than 21.6 miles. The farthest I have run is 13.1 miles. What began as a great idea, my body and mind will not allow me to do. Running 21 miles is just too much for me, I am being nothing short of honest with myself.

So, I have chosen to run a 9 mile route that includes 6 out of the 10 schools, including Emerson (Heather’s school), Hamilton, Spence (Amanda’s school), State Road, Hintgen and Southern Bluffs (my school). Essentially, this route will cover half of La Crosse.

In case you are interested to run the northside schools, the route from Northwoods Elementary School ending at Summit Elementary School is 7.1 miles and passes by Roosevelt and Franklin.

So, on Saturday, March 23 at 9:00 central time, myself and a few friends, and whomever they invite will be running from the Emerson Elementary School and ending at Southern Bluffs Elementary, touching the flagpole at every elementary school in between.

To register for the virtual run: Visit http://www.hartfordmarathon.com/Events/Sandy_Hook_Run_for_the_Families.htm and register for Sandy Hook Run for the Families.

What I Was Thinking (When I fell about 2.5 miles into my 4 mile run)

What I looked like, but with my knees down as I fell while running down a sidewalk ramp.
I searched for "sliding into home" and this was the first image to appear sliding hands first, honestly! Roll Tide!

Before The Fall

See, I had no reason to not run, there is essentially no ice on the path.

I wonder how long it will take me to wear these shoes out.

I wonder if I’ll need new shoes in November (a year after I bought these).

During the Fall

Aww Shit!!

What the hell just happened?

I wonder if that car will stop and ask if I need help.

I think it’s slowing down.

I’ll give the driver a thumbs up to let him/her know I’m fine.

After the Fall

Well, that sucked!

Brush myself off and get back up and run.

No holes in the knees of my pants or gloves.

Oh my God, I’m like all those runners I read about who fall, but just get right back up and continue their run.

I AM an athlete!

I must have tripped over a sand-covered ice chunk.

So glad I was wearing my gloves (I almost took them off a half mile or so before).

No need to cut my run short, I’m not bleeding, I’ll just finish my 4 miles.

My hand is not bleeding but there’s going to be a bruise on the ball of my left hand.

Thank G-d I am not seriously hurt!

Running Today

I'm running today. I know this because it is on my calendar and I am dressed in my running clothes.

All I have to do is put on my running shoes, my running belt that holds my water and music, my windbreaker, gloves, neck warmer and hat. My thermometer reads 14° and The Weather Channel app on my phone is reporting that it is 18°, with a wind chill of 6°. The sun is shining and I know that after the first mile my hands and body will be toasty warm. It’s just the getting out there that can be hard. The first step is so often the hardest. I was out of my running routine for what seems like the last several months. I’ve just gotten back on it and if I run twice during the week and once on the weekend I feel like an athlete. So, I am using my blog to hold me accountable, if I post it here then I have to go.

No Excuses:

1. I am healthy and I strongly believe my getting sick in September, November, and December is a direct result of me being out of my routine. When I run I tend to eat healthier and prior to September I hadn’t been sick in a year!!

2. I saw a stranger running this morning after dropping my kids off at school and from inside my car I thanked him for warming up the sidewalk and told him I’d be there soon (that was an hour ago!) I bet he’s already finished his run.

3. All I have to accomplish today to feel productive is run and make Puppy Chow (oh how I hate that name) for my son’s class bake sale tomorrow. Low standards? Maybe, but I still don’t have my running shoes on. Running and making junk food….that counts as living a life of balance, doesn’t it?

Christmas Cookie Crumbs

I enjoy baking, I love baking, but I am tired of Christmas cookies, I was thrilled when I was able to give the last of the cookies away to a friend last night. Please, just get them out of my house!! I have other baking to do, but how can I do it when my counter is filled with Tupperware containers of varying sizes holding month old cookies in them! I love Tupperware as much as I love baking, but even after a month Tupperware can’t keep my cookies from drying out.

Now that my containers are washed and stored and my mixer is put away I can start thinking about what I’m going to bake for this month’s cookie delivery and my son’s school bake sale. Maybe next time I’ll share a recipe with you, but first I have to look back and see if I’ve already shared a story and recipe for the cookie lover’s cupcake with you.

But, first I will run tomorrow.

I Know I’m a Runner When…

When the thermometer reads 4° and I look outside at the snow-covered ground and see someone running I think, “I should be doing that” rather than “What is wrong with them?”

2013: The Year of the Cure?

When you say the year, do you say 20-13 or 2,013? It took me a few years into the 21^st century to decide for myself. Since I never said 1,993 I opt for 20-13. Since upgrading myself from a cell phone I only used to receive text messages, make phone calls and take the occasional low resolution picture to an iPhone that puts the internet in my pocket I refer to my life as “living in the future”. I realize I’ve been here for awhile but now I genuinely feel it.

2013? It didn’t exactly sneak up on me, but I continue to be surprised at how fast it feels like it came. My futuristic phone is just the start of the amazing things that living in the 21^st century has to offer. I am not disappointed that my car doesn’t fly and that my kids don’t travel to school on a hover board. I am, however, disappointed that there has yet to be a cure or vaccine invented for AIDS and that cancer continues to be the cause of death for so many.

My grandmother-in-law, sweet soul that she was, passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 92; quite the feat in my husband’s family. When I explained to my kids that Gram died from old age (essentially), she did not suffer from a long term illness, did not have Alzheimer’s (like my grandmother who passed away in November) nor did she have cancer (the cause of death of not only my mother a few years ago, but also the cause of our dear next door neighbor’s death just a week after Gram), my six-year old looked up at me in pure amazement and said, “She never had cancer, in her whole life?” It was at that moment that my heart ached and I was reminded that cancer kills so many. I started questioning what kind of cancer would be my demise? I quickly flipped the coin on my thoughts and thought of my mom who would say, after being diagnosed with lung cancer, that she could always get hit by a car or die from something other than cancer.

In China, February will be the start of the Year of the Snake, imagine if 2013 is the Year of the Cure worldwide?! Just imagine.