Parenting...even harder than running

Being a parent is a tough job. Being a parent in the digital age of social media doesn't make it any easier to feel like you aren't completely failing.

We are bombarded with pictures like this:

 Not so many like this:

Whether you are a mom or dad, stay at home or work outside the home, being responsible for raising a child is an enormous undertaking. This innocent, trusting person is completely in your care. You are responsible for another person's physical, mental and emotional well-being. It can be overwhelming.

I have good kids. Great kids, really. I realize I am very blessed. They are beautiful, healthy, active little girls. My Bean is incredibly funny and surprisingly polite for a 4-year-old. The Princess is brilliant and has the most tender heart.

Yet my Bean is as stubborn and hard-headed as they come. And the Princess is sooo emotional and can be incredibly irrational.

They are not perfect. They are human, just like their parents. Being a kid isn't easy.

And parenting is a trial-and-error kind of job. Because there are no hard and fast rules. And there is no guidebook. Every parent is different. Every kid is different.

These are the things I need to remind myself today. And I figured if I could use the reminder, I can't be alone. In spite of the perfect picture of parenthood I see on blogs, Facebook, etc., I know I can't be alone. Sometimes knowing that is all I need to get through a rough day.

That and a run.

Happiness and the Halloween Half Marathon

 

This happened yesterday. Made me happy. I like to be happy.

 

This happened Saturday. I ran the Halloween Half Marathon. I mentioned in Friday's post that I didn't feel like running it and wasn't excited at all. That didn't change before or most of the race.

Losing a glove on my way to the bus didn't help. And waiting in line for the bus for an hour in the cold also didn't help. But I found a random glove on the ground just as I was starting the race. And a friend ran the entire race with me and put up with my grumpiness and the miles when I turned my music on and refused to talk. And helped me get my second best half marathon time in spite of not wanting to push myself at all (I really didn't think I was pushing myself, to be honest). So I finished in 1:50:15.

Of course now I'm glad I ran it.

However, I'm on the fence about my Sparkle Skirt. I don't love it in the pics. And the hubs said it looks like I'm wearing shorts that are too big for me over my capris. Not good.

 

It's Friday. Time for Running and Diapers!?!

So this is a first, as far as I can remember. I don't feel like running the Halloween Half Marathon tomorrow. At all. But I will. Because I paid for it and hate the thought of wasting that money. Races aren't cheap.

Instead of dwelling on that though, I have a giveaway for my awesome readers. It is Friday after all. So let's celebrate....

WITH DIAPERS!!

This isn't one of my typical running related giveaways. But a lot of my readers are also moms and dads. Active moms and dads. Chasing around little ones who are just as active. So Huggies has graciously offered to give two lucky readers 4 packs of Little Movers diapers to try on their busy little babies!

Here's why you and your little one will love them:

Product Details:

Huggies Little Movers Diapers help active moms like you keep their babies active, too, with the SnugFit Waistband that keeps the diaper in place on your little one's bottom while he/she moves and plays all day. Paired with the Huggies Leak Lock protection, you can maintain a healthy, energetic and fun lifestyle that you and your family love.

 

Here's how you can enter to win 4 packs of Huggies Little Movers diapers:

• Leave a comment telling me about your active little guy or girl and why he/she needs Huggies Little Movers. (Required)

Optional entries:

• Like Huggies on Facebook HERE. (Leave a comment letting me know!)
• Share this giveaway on FB, Twitter, your blog or Instagram. (One entry for each place you post. Leave a comment letting me know where you posted.) 

Two giveaway winners will be selected by Random. org on Friday, November 2.

Happy Friday!!

 

The Evening News - Runnerd Style

Someone tell me how it is already Wednesday. Sadly though, I'm ready for Thursday. Today has been a long day. But at least I get to finish off the day with game one of the World Series.

We are pretty big Giants fans around here. My girls even recognize Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey and Brian Wilson when they see them. Need more proof?

Our bookshelf, filing cabinet and the top of my desk

So needless to say, Go Giants!

Now that sports is over, lets move onto weather. The weather has turned cold and rainy here. I had an amazing 6-mile run on Monday and enjoyed every minute of the gray, overcast morning. Then I ran at 4 pm yesterday. 4 PM people!! And I had to wear my gloves.

I couldn't be happier. I LOVE running in the cold. However, it's making my decision whether or not to wear a costume for the Halloween Half Marathon on Saturday more difficult .

And last but not least, we have politics. I stole this from Emz on Instagram.

If you haven't read her Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim race recap, go now. It is worth every word, mile and emotion within it.

Birthday Weeks are the Best

It's my birthday week. I am not shamelessly trying to get happy birthdays thrown at me. Otherwise I would have posted yesterday on my actual birthday. I'm telling you because I decided a new year of my life is a better time to set new fitness goals than at the beginning of a new calendar year.

So I set some new goals yesterday. Goals with an October 2013 deadline. However, a few things have been standing in the way of the eating healthier part of my goals. Things like....

 

this cake (German Chocolate - my favorite) the hubs brought home,

 

 

these cupcakes my amazing neighbor (and friend) and her kids brought over,

 

 

 and this Snickers caramel apple (Snickers and caramel apples are two of my favoritest things) another incredible friend dropped off tonight.

 

 

Maybe my goals should officially start when my birthday week is over...

Remembering the 2012 St. George Marathon

I'm still basking in my post-marathon glow. And I want to get some things down before I forget so I can remember what I did differently this time that seemed to work a little better than what I have done in the past. And there are just some other things I want to remember. So bullets points it is...

• I walked through almost every aid station. I usually took two cups of water. One to drink, one to pour down the front or back of my shirt.
• I stopped twice to pee. In other words, I stayed hydrated. I didn't, however, wait in the port-a-potty lines. If you want to know my quick, discreet method for potty stops, let me know.
• I carried my hand-held filled with Powerade. I can't stomach yellow Gatorade, which is what they have on the St. George course. I also took two electrolyte tablets about every six miles.
• I ate a banana about an hour before the start. I didn't GU or put anything other than liquid in my body during the race. My body was very grateful.
• I took a sinus tablet and my anti-nausea medicine when I ate my banana before the race. Both did their jobs.
• I wore my new Active Bands headband. I'm thinking they might be good luck charms. Just sayin'.
• This is the second race where my watch has malfunctioned (in this case it was a user malfunction) and I have gotten a surprising PR. I really think there is something to listening to my body rather than constantly watching my pace and time on my watch!
• I listened to music the entire race (other than the last 1/4 mile). And I ran the entire thing alone. I seem to do better when I run alone because I'm not trying to make conversation and I don't pressure myself to go at someone else's pace. I love seeing people I know before and after races though!! 
• So much really is mental. I didn't believe that before this race proved it. And now looking back, I can see how much my attitude affected past races. I went into this knowing I had trained and was physically prepared. I was excited and had a plan if it was really hot again. I psyched myself up all week before the race. I made an extra effort during the race to focus on my music or think about something else when I started hurting.

I told you in my last post, I couldn't stop smiling.

 

Even when I was getting a little stiff and went back to run the hubs in, I was smiling!!

Then I got the proofs for my race photos yesterday. Apparently the smiling began when I crossed the starting line. I am smiling in every. single. one. These are just two of 11 smiley photos.

 

And if I was smiling this big when I crossed the finish, knowing my chip/actual time was even faster, you can just imagine my smile when I saw that it was really 4:02:44!!

 

2012 St. George Marathon in Numbers

 

 

PR - 46:43

Goal Time - Sub-4:30

2011 St. George Marathon Time - 4:49:27

2010 St. George Marathon Time - 5:16:42

Times I cried because of a text - 1

Times I double checked my finish time in disbelief - 444

Times I've ever let myself even think I could run a sub-4:15 marathon - 0

When I accidentally turned my watch off - Mile 14

When I noticed my watch was off - Mile 15

Number of times I checked my pace - 2

When I realized I could get a sub-4:20 - Mile 23

When I realized I could get a sub-4:10 - Mile 26

Times I puked - 0

Time the St. George Marathon Runners Series Registration opened this morning - 9am

Time I registered for the Runners Series so I don't have to take a chance on the lottery next year - 9am

Number of times the hubs has punched me in the leg today - 1

Number of times I'll punch him in the leg to return the favor - 2+

Number of my spouses that finished the marathon too - 1

Number of times I smiled after crossing the finish - Still counting....

 

More to come!

Third time's a charm

 

 

 

St. George Marathon

October 6, 2012

Get Your Runnerd On

Put it on your calendars, because the next Runnerd Photo-A-Day Challenge will be in December. I can't wait. I hope we have even more runnerds joining in on the fun, so start spreading the word!

We had about 30 people participate in September. Imagine the awesome runnerdness all over Instagram, Twitter and Facebook if we could double (or even triple!) that.

And if you missed the amazing runnerd photos in September, you can search #runnerdphotoaday on Twitter or Instagram to see most of them. I promise, you won't regret it. There were some funny, brilliant, creative and incredibly inspiring pictures shared by some amazing runners!

And now for the winners of the September Runnerd Photo-A-Day Challenge giveaway:

Water Bottle - amyc08

Planning Calendars - mindyartze & enjoyingthecourse

Car Magnet - run_far

Coaster - OrganicRunMom

Oval Sticker - kruns2

Square Sticker - AngieBeeHotz

Please email your mailing information to ihaverun@hotmail.com. Thanks again to everyone who participated.

If you didn't win a giveaway prize but want to add some runnerd gear to your running collection, check out the Runnerd Shop HERE. You can get any of the things from the giveaway and more...t-shirts, mugs, clocks, jackets, hats, etc.

I Love Runnerds

I am sad to see Runnerd Month end! I had something to look forward to every day as people posted their runnerd photos. It was awesome and inspiring. I might just have to do it again.

I'm toying with the idea of doing it again in December. If you've been around I Have Run very long, you know I'm crazy about Christmas. So what could be better than combining two of the things I'm most crazy about, running AND Christmas?!? I could even have a runnerd ornament as a giveaway prize.

Speaking of prizes. Did you see my post for the last day of runnerd month? The word was, of course, RUNNERD! And in case you missed it, this was my picture:

These are the giveaway prizes for the Runnerd Photo-A-Day Challenge. Random.org will be selecting the winners of: a water bottle, a coaster, planning calendars (2), car stickers/decals (2) and a car magnet (not shown).

I'll be drawing the winners in the next day or so. I just need to make sure I didn't miss any photos. If you think I may have missed any of yours, let me know. I tried to acknowledge all those posted on Instagram. And I received notifications for all those posted on Twitter and Facebook, as long as they had @ihaverun or #runnerdphotoaday in the post. If you posted only on your blog, please let me know so I can make sure I have given you credit for all your entries.

Thank you to everyone who participated. It was a lot of fun to see how creative everyone was and how much there really is to this little thing we love called running.