I'm Dreaming of a White Elephant

Happy Take It and Run Thursday! With Christmas right around the corner, fearless leaders Amy and Tom are organizing a white elephant exchange. I shudder to think about some of the items my fellow runners will be offering.

My gift to whomever is lucky enough to receive it is this shirt:




I mean, come on - we all think it sometimes.

And while I'm at it, I do have a little present for Amy and Tom. The two of them are the special people we know as Running Angels, there to give their fellow runners a boost when they need it most. It's about time they each officially had a pair of wings.



My only warning is that I'm not sure the wings are made of a technical fabric, so be sure to use your BodyGlide before running with them.

Merry Christmas, running friends!

Race Report, Reindeer Ramble

The race report for the Reindeer Ramble has been brought to you by the letter R.

Hey, did you catlickers know I was running a 5K on Sunday?

Neither did I, until about 10:00 on Saturday night.

Steve and I were relaxing at Stately Wasser Manor, thinking about our plans for the next day, particularly the Grand Fiesta for Jack's birthday. Steve asked me if I was going to go running the next day, and I said, "Yeah, I'd like to. There's actually a 5K I could run if we have time." Steve showed once again that he is a fabulous husband by pointing out that I can crank out a 5K in no time, so I might as well.

So, I set the alarm and got up early, but not too early, so I'd have plenty of time for breakfast and coffee before registering at the race. It was really, really cold out, so I bundled up: tights, long sleeved shirt (with nifty thumb holes so the sleeve covered part of my hand), vest, jacket, buff, gloves, hat, ankle-length socks, and my trail shoes.

I drove to the race, and the turnout was not huge, but was perfectly decent, especially for a small race on a nasty cold day. I got my bib and my sweatshirt (with cute reindeer on it), then proceeded to circle the place looking for women who appeared to be between the ages of 30 and 34. I wanted an idea of who my competition was, just for added motivation. Does anyone else do this?

The race director gave us his instructions while we were indoors, which was nice. He gave a very simple description of the course, then said that the faster people already knew the course, so we should just follow the person in front of us!

Outside, we quickly gathered, and on "go," took off. I settled into a pace that was comfortable, but still challenging, and kept my eyes peeled for any slippery parts of the road. That was not a problem - there were a few slick spots, but they were easy to avoid. What was more of an issue was that I was really, really cold. My gloves were doing nothing to keep my fingertips warm, so I shoved all of my fingers into the palm of my gloves and tried to just wiggle them. My toes were cold too, since The Quest for the perfect winter running socks is still ongoing. My eyes watered from the cold, which meant that my mascara was running just as hard as I was. I noticed that some runners had frost on their hats - the moisture from the sweat had frozen. Yowza!

At the 1 mile mark, my pace was just under 8 minutes, which is excellent for me. At a mile and a half, a woman passed me who looked like she might be in my age group. I opted to stay just behind her. I rubbed my hands together (both to be evil and to keep them warm) and thought, "I have you right where I want you. You lead, and then I'll outkick you later." Alas, that plan never quite came to fruition; she grabbed a cup of water just before the 2 mile marker, I passed her, and she never came near me again.

Incidentally, I have a feeling that the volunteer stationed at that water stop didn't get many customers. You can definitely run a 5K without water, and the idea of drinking a cold cup of water was incredibly unappealing at that time.)

With black jacket girl safely behind me, I concentrated on passing the guys ahead. So long, red shorts over tights guy. Gotcha, ridiculously blond dude. I found myself keeping pace with a kid who was about 9 years old... and kicked past him to the finish line. Hey, it's a race! The kid's gotta learn to respect his elders, am I right?

I was happy and surprised to see my finishing time of 25:02 (thereabouts; it wasn't chip-timed, and I wasn't at the front) - which was a PR of 11 seconds. I have to wonder if my time was as good as it was because it was so catlicking cold that I wanted to be done as soon as possible!

I hurried inside to turn in my popsicle stick (41st place) and to warm up. The post-race party featured an impressive spread of food - sloppy joes, fruit, cookies, potato salad, and even slices of pumpkin pie. I felt warm again soon, but then started shivering from sitting around in my sweaty clothes - a cup of hot chocolate fixed that, and I was fine once again. I met a really nice group of people, and we compared notes about our favorite races, distances, and so on.

The awards ceremony began, and the race director worked backwards from what many would do - he gave the awards to the walkers first, then did the age groups from oldest to youngest. I thought that was a nice change of pace... and of course enjoyed the ceremony even more when I found out that I'd won my age group. I got a very cool wooden plaque with reindeer carved on it. Yay for me! The race director also told us that we could get a $10 discount off the entry fee for next week's Jingle Bell Run. Looks like I have plans for next Saturday morning!

I Survived Jack's Birthday Party

As the big Oh-Four approaches for Jack, he wanted to celebrate with a party. Steve and I agreeed, figuring we'd have something at our house. I started talking to Jack about the guest list, mentioning the friends at school who he talks about the most. Jack shook his head, then said he wanted to invite ALL of his friends, meaning his entire class. Then, he said that he wanted to invite everyone except for one little girl who is his nemesis. We explained that no, you do not invite everyone except for one kid, because that's mean, and because near as we can tell, she is just a little girl, and not, in fact, the root of all evil in the world.

I'm sure you'll all be glad to hear that Jack's Nemesis was unavailable for the party, as Jack was convinced she would break all of his toys and burn our house down. And I am equally sure you will be stunned to hear that Steve and I successfully hosted 14 little kids Jack's age in our house and lived to tell the tale.

The key, I think, is that we left absolutely nothing to chance. Every aspect of the party was planned and scheduled. The timeline was 2-4:00 on a Sunday, a short period to entertain everyone. We moved all of Jack's toys up to his room so that he wouldn't worry about anything being lost or broken, and we cleared out the front closet so there would be plenty of space for everyone's coats.

Food was minimal - we had out cheese and crackers, chips, veggies, two kinds of dip, chocolate covered pretzels (made by Jack and grandma) and a crock pot of meatballs. We made no attempts whatsover to get the kids to eat any of that food; it was for the parents, and if the kids wanted something to eat in a driveby, they could do so with relatively little fuss or mess. We had cake, of course. Jack selected a Pirates of the Carribean cake, which meant it had a lovely picture of Johnny Depp on it.

Steve and I wrote a careful schedule of events so we'd know exactly how things should flow. First, we had several minutes for the guests to arrive, during which time Jack entertained them by leading them running around the house screaming. Then, it was time for games. We planned Pin the Tail on the Donkey, which is simple and everyone likes. Then we played Musical Pillows, which swapped chairs for pillows, since that's easier. After that, I set up a bean bag toss, giving each kid a Santa or Snowman stuffed toy that I got at Target for a buck. They stood on a line that I made with painter's tape and got as many tosses as they needed to throw the toy into a bucket - and they got to take the toy home. After that, Steve led the kids in a round of Simon Says, emphasizing silliness rather than competition.

During Simon Says, I hid clues around the house for a treasure hunt. We divided the kids into two teams (since there were so many of them), and they followed a series of clues all around the house. I planned the clue locations so that they'd move around a lot and so that the two teams would overlap as little as possible. The treasure was, of course, their goody bags.

Next, Jack opened his presents. Because the other kids had all just gotten a big bag of party junk AND a stuffed animal, no one was jealous of Jack's new loot. We had been practicing for weeks how to react politely to presents - even if a gift is something you already have or is lame (example: Hannah Montana doll), you smile and say thank you. All the practice was for nothing, because Jack's presents were all awesome. He was very happy indeed. I was especially pleased to see how much thought Jack's friends had put into the gifts. Emma, for example, was very excited to give Jack a Star Wars Leggo set because she knew he'd love it. McKenna told her mom that they needed to get Jack a Diego toy because he has a Diego backpack. These are some really nice, considerate kids.

After presents, it was time for cake. Steve was kind enough not only to give Jack the first piece, right out of the middle, of Captain Jack Sparrow's face, but also to let me take him into the next room so we could eat cake together. I had been so busy with the other kids and parents that I had not had much time to hang with my Cub.

Once everyone had their cake, we had a bit more time for playing. Steve and I both had a list of additional games and activities we could go to if we were at loose ends, but we ended up not needing it. Steve and half of the kids played with Jack's new toys. The other half joined me for more Musical Pillows, which was a big hit. I enhanced the game by telling the kids to not just walk in a circle around the pillows, but to pretend to be cats, goldfish, penguins, pirates, princesses, ballerinas, and so on.

After the last kid had gone home, the boys and I were worn out. We changed into jammies, played with Jack's toys, and watched a movie before an early bedtime.

I have to admit, the party was a lot of fun for all three of us... but I am also looking forward to a quieter party on his actual birthday.

Running Down a Dream

Happy Take It and Run Thursday, Interwebs! Today's topic is running hopes, dreams, and wishes. I've talked about my running dreams many times, from my current Quest for the Perfect Socks to my perfectly reasonable goal of running the Boston Marathon with George Clooney as my personal pacer, dressed like Wonder Woman, while The Killers perform "All These Things That I've Done" live. Y'know, the usual.

But I do have one dream that is bigger than all of the others.

Some day, I want to run a marathon with Jack.


If you've run a marathon before, you know the gamut of emotions that you go through as you cover those 26.2 miles. It is, as Emil Zatopek said, an experience - from happiness to fear to struggle and back to happiness again. To share all of those feelings, to live that experience, with one of the people who I love most in the world would be nothing short of magical for me.

I have to believe that Jack has a marathon in him. At three years old, he has the determination to run 1/4 mile, which is a lot if you're only 40 inches tall, and as his mother, I am all too familiar with his stubbornness when there's something he wants, all good traits for a marathoner. More importantly, look at the joy on his face in this picture:

That is the face of a person who loves to run.

I know it may be a few years before Jack's ready to do 26.2 with me. If we tried right now, chances are I'd have to figure out a way to bring the portable DVD player with us so he wouldn't get bored, or we'd end up arguing about whether or not to run the race carrying lightsabers. And really, anyone who throws such a big fit about getting his toenails cut that he gets a nosebleed (this actually happened on Monday) isn't quite ready for the prospect of losing a toenail altogether.

But my dream is that one day, when my best little guy isn't so little any more, he and I will cross the finish line of a marathon together. And he'll be an even better pacer than George Clooney.

The Quest

The theme this week at Runners' Lounge is running hopes, dreams, wishes, and whatnot (the "and whatnot" might not be in their official description of it, but the word whatnot is sadly underutilized). Take It and Run Thursday isn't until tomorrow, and I am already crafting a post that will be so beautiful and moving that you'll find yourself saying, in the words of Flight of the Conchords,

"I'm not crying
It's just been raining
on my face
And if you think you see some tear tracks down my cheeks
Please. Please, don't tell my mates"

Or maybe not. The point is that tomorrow's running hope, dream, wish, and whatnot from me will be on the more serious side. Today's RHDWW is a bit less so, though not so frivolous that I won't be using the proper term for it. And that term is Quest.

I am on a quest, Internet, for the perfect pair of winter running socks.

The socks I wear in warm weather are fine - they are no-show socks that don't give me blisters and are soft and cushy. Even better, they are C9 brand from Target, the Official Running Outfitter of Betsy, so they are reasonably priced and easy to buy.

But when the weather turns cold, they are inadequate. They leave my ankles exposed to snow and wind and my toesies freeze.

My perfect cold weather running socks must meet minimum running sock standards - providing some extra cushioning, and not providing blisters.

They also need to be very warm, but not itchy. Not ankle-length, but rather knee-length, to give some extra warmth under my tights*. And while we're dreaming, I'd prefer that they also be striped.

If any of you can help me in my quest, you will win a coveted Wasser No-Prize.



*Truth be told, I am toying with the idea of wearing my regular socks and putting a pair of legwarmers over the tights. One can actually purchase legwarmers not just in antique stores as you might imagine, but at the Official Running Outfitter of Betsy, Target. A concern is that people who see me out running and sporting a pair of legwarmers might laugh at me, though I suppose I could always respond with something diplomatic like, "Laugh it up, fatass; at least I'm out here running. And by the way, there's a Dorito stuck to your shirt."

6 Years to Master's Status

Or, how a runner perceives turning 34. That's right, internet - yesterday was my birthday. And yes, I am totally posting this so that I get comments wishing me a happy birthday, so GET ON IT.

You know how there are people that you find out it's their birthday and you say, "What? I didn't know it was your birthday! Why didn't you say anything?" and they act all shy and say they didn't want a fuss?

That's not me.

It was a really good day. My dad and stepmom sent me my usual Amazon gift certificate, which I immediately spent on running-related stuff. Currently winging their way to me are a Spirit of the Marathon DVD, Performance Nutrition for Runners, Brain Training for Runners, and The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life. All stuff that I have been quietly coveting, but have not gotten around to buying for myself, so in other words, perfect presents! My brother and sister in law sent me a new pair of tights, and my coworkers chipped in on a gift card for Running Wild, the local running store. Score!

And, for the times that I am not running, my mom and stepdad got me an array of pretty velvet-y clothing, including a skirt in a size XS, which must have been purchased in a fit of optimism. Steve and Jack gave me a gorgeous necklace, bracelet, and earrings in black and copper-colored pearls.

After I opened my jewelry, Jack was upset because he didn't actually help pick out my presents. Steve gave him some cash and told my mom that, wherever they went during the day, to have Jack choose a gift for me. Jack and Nancy went to the grocery store, and Jack picked out a cannister of different colors and shapes of sprinkles so that he and I can decorate cookies together. Very cool gift from my little guy... and it made me realize that I should involve him in choosing Steve's Christmas presents.

The button to leave your birthday comments is right down there, guys. Get on it.

Race Report: Living History Farms Race

Okay, so I am a bit late in posting my report for Saturday's race. Things have been ridiculously busy in and around Stately Wasser Manor, but it's all good, as I am about to take off for several days of turkey and pie.

I got my first inkling of what the race was going to be like on Friday night when I went to pick up my packet. The place was so crowded that I couldn't find a parking space and wound up just parking across the street at Starbucks. The line went out the door and wrapped around the building, and Internet? It was really, really catlicking cold. I was afraid my tauntaun would freeze to death before I reached the north marker.

But although temperatures were low, spirits were high. (Did you like that transition, that cute juxtaposition?) I struck up conversation with the other runners shivering in line. We talked about how absolutely crazy we must be, what to wear, whether or not our shoes would survive the experience, and what other races we enjoyed running. Inside, I grabbed my t-shirt, which has a very cool design on it and a minimum of sponsor logo clutter and saw Kent, who clearly volunteered just so he could get his hands on a bullhorn. Not that I blame him. I also got a running log, which was a cool giveaway.

Race packet secured, I decided to enjoy the sweet, sweet freedom of being all by myself with no husband or kid to take care of. Specifically, I thought, "Hey, I could go see a movie," and so I did. It may not sound like much, but it was great to just do that on the spur of the moment. And I am pretty sure that popcorn counts as carbo loading, right?

I woke up bright and surly on Saturday morning and got ready. Race gear included my Des Moines marathon winter hat, a long-sleeved tech tee I'm not too attached to, the Washington & Lee University sweatshirt that still bears mud stains from last year's race, tights, socks, gardening glove with grips on the palms, and a pair of old running shoes that were ready for a hero's send-off.

Outside, I found it once again to be ridiculously cold. I started shivering the minute I got out of my car. I knew I'd be all right once I started running, but I had an hour to kill. The solution was obvious - I went to 'bucks and got a gigantic latte. Aaaah!

While I was there, a fellow runner asked me about my sweatshirt, saying that he was a professor at Virginia Military Institute, which is right next door to (though in another world from) W&L. He and I realized that the world is not just so small that we both have a connection to the tiny town of Lexington, Virginia and ran into each other in Iowa, but that we had met before, at around mile 19 of the Des Moines marathon last year. Running is magic.

Back outside, the latte kept me warm. I immediately found Runner's Lounge co-founder, running angel, and all around ass-kicker Amy, there with her brother-in-law Dave. We met up with Kent and his daughter Tasha, as well as Mary and Steph. We resisted the urge to cuddle for warmth, and instead checked out all of the cool costumes around us. There were people in suits, superheroes, princesses, people in flannel jammies, Care Bears, Harlem Globerunners, and best of all, about 10 women all wearing wedding gowns.

Just moments after I finished my latte, it was time to go. It was slow moving across the starting line, an issue that in theory would have been solved by the fact that the race was chip-timed... except that there was no mat at the start of the race. As Vanilla has pointed out, that makes the chip fairly worthless. I can just go by the clock if I want to see my gun time.

I ran for the first few miles with Amy, Dave, Mary, and Steph, and sure enough, once I started running I was no longer cold. Instead, I had a new problem, as that latte whipped right through my body and created a screaming need to pee. I probably lost a good 10 minutes in line for the port-a-potty, but that seemed like a nicer prospect than exposing my bare butt in a cornfield.

I felt MUCH better after I peed and took off like a shot, racing up hills and passing so many people that I actually caught up to where I was before.

We entered the woods, and the race got interesting. That first creek immediately froze my feet. The mud was slippery, so I used whatever I could to scramble up hills or across banks - trees, roots, rocks, and so on. Running down the hills was exciting and risky - luckily I didn't see anyone get hurt. Several of the hills going up were so steep that there were ropes to help you up - hence the need for the grippy garden gloves.

Amid the carnival-like atmosphere of the costumes, the mud, the people yelling, "Whee!" as they slid down hills (that last one might have been just me), there was some absolutely beautiful scenery. Cornfields, frozen ponds, old barns, and thick forests gave us plenty to look at along the way. I saw a deer running across the field, and even more interestingly, an owl. I don't think I've ever seen an owl in nature before, and there he was, awake and watching us all curiously. I wondered what the owl thought of all of us. He wasn't threatened, or he'd have flown away. Instead, I like to think that he was wondering what all of us other animals were running to, and why we were waking him up on a quiet morning.

Because the chip timing wasn't really effective, I'm not sure how I did, time-wise. I didn't wear my Garmin, since it's not that kind of race. I do know that I felt strong, even on the long hills at the end. Having fun and feeling strong is really the best I can do in a race like that, so I'm happy.

After I crossed the finish line and got my medal (awesome), I headed right for the hot cider. It had just started to snow, and I was freezing. I passed up a lot of food that sounded really unappealing -yogurt and chips - grabbed a doughnut, and headed for my car. It was too cold, sadly, to hang out.

I changed clothes in the backseat of my car, miserably cold and blowing on my fingers to get them to work. My shoelaces were actually frozen shut, but once I had on a clean, dry pair of sweats, clean shirt and sports bra, and warm socks, I felt much better.

I think that will be my final race for 2008, and what better way to end the season?

Lucky Me

At dinner last night...

"Mommy, I want to tell you something. I really love you and I like you. I want to give you a kiss... Mommy? You might want to wipe off your cheek. I got some tomato sauce on there."

Cuteness Seminar

It seems that, without my knowing, Jack has attended some sort of Cuteness Seminar. The kid is really turning it up.

Last week, Steve was away on a conference (not, as far as I can tell, in Cuteness, as his own level of cuteness has remained fairly steady). Jack would do things like color him pictures or jump up and down with delight upon learning that Daddy would be home "in just two days and that's not a lot, Mommy." We got Steve a small present, which Jack hid in various places around the house so that he could surprise Steve with it when the time was right. Adorable.

When Steve got home, Jack, naturally, ran up and tackle-hugged him in the airport. Spent the next day hanging out at home in an outfit that matched Steve's.

But yesterday, he really ramped it up. He and I were packing his bye-bye bag to go to Grandma-Grandpa house, and I asked him which tigers he wanted to bring. He grabbed Garfield and Roary, so I said that the two of them were having Daddy-Son time.

"Mommy? Can I bring Emmy, too? Because we're all together again and Roary wants his whole family with him, too."







(and, in answer to Nitmos's inevitable question, no, I did not tell him no.)

The Greatest Running Day of the Year

I think I can say without exaggeration that tomorrow is the Greatest Running Day of the Year.

Some people might say that's Patriot Day, in honor of the Boston Marathon. Those people are not only mistaken, but have obviously never run the most fun race that there is, the Living History Farms Race.

When I first ran this race last year, it became immediately apparent that I would never miss another one. And as fellow runners Kent and Amy can attest, I basically spent the weeks leading up to registration frantically hitting "refresh" on the website to see if it was open. Turns out it's a good thing that I did, as the race is sold out and people are trying to buy bib numbers on Craigslist.

Tomorrow is going to be a crazy, challenging, muddy delight as the course takes us over bales of hay, across creeks filled with frigid muddy water, and over ridiculously steep hills that would dispel any notions that the Midwest is flat.

Intrigued? Check it out:



I am excited like a kid on Christmas.

Thank God I'm a Runner Girl!

Take It and Run Thursday asks us this week to celebrate "Thank Goodness For Running Day." And with apologies to John Denver, I must burst into my song, "Thank God I'm a Runner Girl."

Well life as a runner is nothing but fun
Any bad day can be saved by a run
Love me a race and the sound of the starting gun
Thank God I'm a runner girl

Well running always helps me keep a grip
On my love of cookies with sweet chocolate chips
Without running I'd have gigantic hips
Thank God I'm a runner girl

Well I laced on my feet some new running shoes
And I run so fast I chase away all my blues
No matter how slow I go I know that I'll never lose
Yahoo!
Thank God I'm a runner girl!

Kicking the Habit

Internet, my son is an addict.

To make things worse, Jack is not addicted to something awesome like, for example, running or coffee. Instead, he is hooked on the dangerous entity known as binkies.


Observe the addict double-fisting binks.

Jack is almost four, and therefore getting way too old for binkies, even by my own fairly liberal standards. A few months ago, we were at Target and Jack asked to go browse the binky aisle. When I asked him why, he said, "Oh, just to look and see if they have anything new and cool." Clearly, if you are keeping track of Nuk's Fall 2008 Color Story, it's time to give them up.

We've been kind of weaning him away from binkies, limiting them to bedtime and rest time only and encouraging him to get rid of his binky as early as possible after waking. We have also reminded him several times that when he turns four, no more binkies. He accepted that since his birthday feels a million years away.

But yesterday, Jack and I were browsing at Build-A-Bear. Naturally, he was interested in doing more than just window shopping, so I saw an opportunity. I told him that he could get a new stuffed animal right then and there... if he exchanged it for all of his binkies. He agreed so quickly that I reminded him of exactly what the deal was - no binkies at all, ever again. Not at rest time, not to sleep, not in the morning. He was still game, even suggesting that we could take all of his binkies and mail them to Aunt Jenny, who is having a baby in a few months who would surely need them.

Jack selected a stuffed elephant, that being his favorite animal, and after trying on several outfits, decided up on a Santa suit. Jack and I told every associate in the store about how Jack was trading his binkies for Elephanty, and what a big boy he is. As you might imagine, the Build-A-Bear staff is well-versed in the fine art of Making A Big Deal Out Of Things and told Jack what a good choice he had made and how he is clearly sophisticated and ready to give up binkies.

At home, we packed all of the binkies into an envelope for the new baby. Here he is saying goodbye to one and hello to Elephanty.


Jack had a hard time settling in to sleep last night. I figured he would, given that he has literally never fallen asleep without a binky in his entire life. At one point, he came and said, "I need something to suck on," and so great was my empathy that I managed not to respond, "That's what she said." This morning, he told me that he missed his binky and wished he could have it back. He wasn't really angling for me to return it, but rather just telling me how he felt. I told him that I know it's not easy, but that he went all night without it, and that it would be easier every single day. Together, we will get through this period of detox.

Hawk Hustle Race Report - Lessons Learned

As devoted fans of Coffee Betsy know, I am feeling a bit hutt-like after a poor week of running last week. By competing in the Hawk Hustle, a 4-mile cross country run, I planned to kick-start my running, get my mojo back, and resume the training that I know I am capable of.

The trouble is, a week of sloth does not make for a good race experience. I felt sluggish and tired the entire time. I never had a moment where I felt good and strong like I usually do on a run. I even took a few walk breaks - up hills, but still unacceptable to me for a run of such a short distance.

As I shuffled along, I resolved to never let myself get to this state again. True that by going out on a cold Saturday in the first place, I am doing better than the many people who were still sleeping or eating doughnuts, but I was not at the level that I know I am capable of. I can do better - and moving forward, I will.

So, imagine my surprise when I crossed the finish line at 37:10; not as fast as last year's 36:57, surely, but not too far off. My astonishment continued when I picked up my trophy for coming in second in my age group. My first lesson expanded into a second lesson.

That is that I am stronger than I thought. Even running poorly, I can finish in a time that at least is not embarrassing - and can be rewarded with some hardware. To extrapolate, if I can do this well with an effort that isn't up to par, imagine what I can do when I am at my full strength.

Slacking

These past two weeks have really been pretty weak in terms of running. Little things keep getting in the way. Steve has a meeting, or I have a meeting, or Jack has transformed into a hideous Whine Beast, and next thing you know, I've decided to skip my run. On Sunday, I certainly had time, but I had a horrible case of Dontwanna that kept me in the house. It's not that I haven't run at all, but I certainly haven't run as much as I should.

It is not good.

What's worse is that once I've skipped one run, it's a little easier to skip the next one. And the longer I take to get back into it, the colder it's going to get and the easier it will be to just hibernate for the winter.

I feel lazy and bored and slow. I posted the picture of Jabba not because I feel fat - my clothes all still fit me fine - but because I feel sluggish. Because I'm not making the effort to exert myself physically, I feel only a few steps removed from just beaching myself on the couch.

The time has come to shake that off and move on. I am running a 4 mile race tomorrow on a hilly and challenging trail course. Next week poses more of a challenge - Steve will be out of town, so I will have solo Cub duty. But that just means I'll have to work harder and hit the gym at lunch.

I can do this.

Bein' Green

Take it and Run Thursday this week is about "running green." Excuse to post a picture of Kermit the Frog? Done and done!

There are quite a lot of things that I do in my everyday life in an attempt to think green - CFL's, driving a fuel-efficient car, recycling, and waging a war against plastic grocery bags, to name a few. But I want to focus on what I, as a runner, do to be green.

If we want to save the Earth, we have to love it first, and I feel that runners especially love our planet. We spend as much time as possible outside, experiencing the elements, and enjoying the physical beauty of our surroundings. I feel a responsibility as a person to take care of the planet, but even more as a runner.

That was a lot of preamble, wasn't it? Let's throw in another Muppet quick before I continue.


That's Kermit's little nephew, Robin. Isn't he cute?

Okay, right. Running green. Here are my tips:

• Whenever possible, I register for races online. Saves the paper for the printed application, plus the envelope, plus the transportation costs to get it from one place to the other. Besides that, it's faster!


• I never buy bottled water. I have a reusable water bottle that I keep in the fridge so it's nice and cold. No waste, no needless use of plastic.


• I also don't buy bottles of Gatorade. I buy the powder and mix it in my reusable bottles. As a bonus, that's cheaper.


• I almost never drive to go running. My running routes pretty much all start and finish at my house. I am lucky to live a mile and a half away from two tracks, so on speedwork days, it's a perfect warm-up and cool-down.


• I try to race local, too. There are lots of great races in my area, and I rarely have to drive more than 5 miles to go to a race.


• I donate used running shoes, t-shirts, and other gear to charity. What no longer works for me can be a great benefit to someone else.


• When I run on trails, I keep my eyes peeled for trash. I'm not running my fastest on a trail anyway, so I definitely have time to go pick up that discarded beer can and throw it away.

Plus there's always riding your bike - cross training AND green (and an excuse for more Muppets)

Ironic

I am not going running tonight because I am going to a meeting for my local running club. Ironic, no? I guess if i were really organized, I could run there, but it's just not going to happen tonight.

I am really hoping to get more involved in running in my community. Wish me luck that I happen to sit by somebody cool.

Change We Can Believe In

The topic of this week's Take It and Run Thursday is "running through transitions." Transitions and changes are on everyone's mind this week, runners and non-runners alike. The United States just elected a new president who promised us sweeping changes to the status quo. I heard a story on NPR about how incredibly challenging this transition will be for President-Elect Obama (man, do I love typing that). He has the burden of taking office while the country is fighting two wars and is in an economic crisis. President-Elect Obama (look, I said it again!) has the added pressure of a tremendous amount of hope and faith placed on him by voters.

I also think about the huge transition this will mean for the Obama family on a personal level. Dad now has an incredibly challenging new job. Many of his detractors questioned whether or not he was ready to be president, and honestly, I don't think anyone could possibly be fully prepared to take on such an awesome responsibility, though I have faith that he can handle it as well as anyone else could. And then there is the fabulous Michelle, who must leave her Chicago home behind and be thurst even more firmly into the spotlight. And let's not forget Sasha and Malia, who are going to have to switch schools, leave behind their friends, and move to a new house. At least they're getting a puppy out of the deal.

My advice to the Obama family is simple: go running.

When life throws a series of curveballs at you, when everything is in transition, running can be a constant. It can be a time to either sort out your thoughts or to not think at all, focusing only on your breathing and the pounding of your legs. Running allows you to put aside all of the other trappings in your life and just be you. Can we feel better after simply lacing up our shoes?

Yes, we can.

You Bet I Voted

I am completely geeked out on democracy right now. I fully anticipate spending tonight glued to the TV, waiting for election results. It is strange to remember the last presidential election. I was hugely pregnant and sick. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and flipping on the news to see if the election had been determined yet. When the results came in, I could not believe it. George Bush had been re-elected, and I knew only one person who was voting for him. I felt completely disconnected from so many other people in the country.

This year will be different. First and foremost, no matter what happens, I truly believe our president will be a good, smart person who will work hard to do what's best for America. I definitely don't agree with everything John McCain stands for, but I will not be upset if he wins. And I am filled with hope that Barack Obama will be our next president. I truly believe that he will do something special for our country.

I've spent the past few days talking to Jack about voting. I have tried to explain in the simplest possible terms what the president does and what an amazing thing it is to be part of choosing who has that job. We also talked about why it is an important thing to do. I had a mock vote about whether we should have chocolate or strawberry ice cream. Jack and I both voted for chocolate, and Steve wasn't paying attention. "See how Daddy didn't vote?" I asked. "If he wanted strawberry, he's out of luck now, isn't he?"

I took Jack with me to vote this morning. We waited in line for about half an hour, which pleases me. Not that we had to wait, but that voting was so important to so many people this election. In my county, 20% of eligible voters had already voted early, which is amazing. I held Jack up so he could watch as I marked my ballot. After we were finished, we both got "I Voted" stickers.

On the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house (and they will be taking Jack to vote with them later), Jack asked, "Mommy, how did you know that you wanted to vote for Mr. Obama instead of Mr. McCain?" I did my best to explain it in a way that a three-year-old would understand, but more than anything, I was proud of the fact that he asked the question.

Race Report: Governor's Cross Country

"Are you sure that thing is waterproof?"

As we lined up yesterday afternoon at the Governor's Cross Country race, a fellow runner noted my Garmin and asked that very astute question. I wasn't too worried about it. While I can't take Paula swimming with me, I believe it's okay for her to get splashed a bit. And it was a lovely day for a run, warm and sunny. I was wearing my She-Hulk trail shoes, my lucky running skirt, and a red shirt. Ready to go!

I had no idea what I had in store for me.

The race was completely on trails, which also meant it was nothing but hills. One of the hills was so steep that runners had to use a rope to climb it. At the top were two volunteers, who each grabbed one of my hands, yanked me to the top, and launched me back down the trail. I jumped over hay bales, fallen logs, and tree roots. I crossed creeks of rank swamp water up to my waist.

It was, as you might have guessed, an absolute blast. And if the race itself wasn't enough fun, the organizers added a sort of treasure hunt. Just off the trail were hidden ribbons. If you found a ribbon, say, tied to a tree branch, and brought it back, you could get a prize. I think there were some pretty good prizes, but there were also smaller, fun prizes - like t-shirts from other races, small bags, and lanyards. For climbing into a sticker bush after my ribbon, I got a water bottle.

Because I wasn't prepared for the conditions to be quite so rustic, I did not dress right at all for the race. My She-Hulks were okay after going through the washing machine, but next year I'll save an old pair for this race. My shirt was fine, but the skirt was a huge mistake. Because it was soaking wet, it got really heavy and threatened to become an ankle warmer. I wound up wringing it out and tying a knot in it at my waist, essentially transforming it into a pair of Ridiculously Short Shorts. In retrospect, I should have either worn tights or just gone with a pair of RSS and worn them with a pair of knee socks to protect my legs a bit.

My legs took quite a beating. I have scratches all over them, and my left knee got it pretty bad in that thorn bush. It didn't hurt, but for a while, I had blood running down my leg. I have to admit to thinking, "I hope other people are noticing this, because it looks bad-ass."

This race was the absolute definition of fun run. I don't think anybody came out expecting to finish strong or get a good time. There were a bunch of high school cross country runners out there, and I definitely felt good about keeping up with them. Towards the end of the race, I was running with a big group of people and we realized that we had somehow gotten off course - no red flags to be found. We kept on following the trails and finally found our way to the finish line.

And at the finish? Delicious, delicious beer.

If I Could Turn Back Time

This week's Take It and Run Thursday challenges us runners to "Choose Your Superpower." As a comic book fan, obviously, this is something I've given some thought to. If I were a superhero, my powers would definitely include flight (because why be a superhero if you can't fly), my costume would be red and would include pants (so no one got a free show while I was flying overhead) and would have a cape because that would look cool rippling in the wind.

But, for practical purposes, I am a mom, which means that I am already a superhero. See? Look at me as Elasticgirl last Hallowwn:



As a mom, my superpowers include the ability to find lost objects (Jack, Roary is on the couch in the living room, under the Mickey Mouse blanket, and Steve, the honey mustard salad dressing is in the door of the fridge, second shelf, in the back, towards the left), cure boo boos,
make Roary's tail tiny, create a healthy meal out of whatever random stuff we have in the house, remember when Jack's homework is due, not to mention the whole bit about working full time, training for marathons, going on dates with my husband, and still having time for lightsaber battle-fights.

Maybe I don't need super powers... but I could use a little magic.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, my girl Hermione uses a magic necklace called a Time Turner. The necklace has an hourglass, and for each time you turn it, you go back in time an hour. Hermione, overachiever that she is, uses it so that she can take more classes.

If I had a Time Turner of my own, I'd use it so that I had just a little more time in every day. If I was out running, a twist of the necklace would give me the time to turn a five mile run into a ten mile run without sacrificing any time doing the other things I have to do. I'd be able to give myself a little extra time on nights that I'm scrambling to get dinner on the table. Or, on weekends, to take a nap or see a movie. Everything would be just a little bit easier.

Also, I could still fly.

Hitting the Dirt

I'm happy to report that after over a week without running (the longest I've gone without being injured in I don't know how long), I am back at it again.

On Monday, I went out for a casual almost 4-mile run. I took it easy at a 10:00 pace and felt great - I definitely had a lot more in me, but I didn't want to push it too hard. I was happy just to be running.

In the time I was away, the weather got much, much colder. It was time for a long-sleeved shirt, tights, jacket, hat, and gloves. I swear to Yoda, I saw a couple of snowflakes while I was out! Can anybody recommend some good cold weather socks? My toesies definitely get cold.

Today, I'm going for a miles TBD trail run at Blackhawk State Park. You guys, trail running is really hard! Those of you who have run long races and training runs on trails have my respect. I'll be out there working my butt off, heart pounding, trying not to fall down a cliff, and Paula The Garmin will notify me that I am, in fact, crawling along.

The thing is, though, that although I'd be much faster on the road or on the track, I would not be surrounded by breath-quickening beauty every step of my run. I wouldn't have the fun challenge of jumping over tree roots and climbing steep hills. Plus I wouldn't have the excuse to wear my super cool new green trail shoes!

My series of November cross country races starts on Sunday with the Governor's Cross Country race. How awesome is it going to be? Let's review the race application again, shall we?

"Weather conditions can make the course very difficult. Be prepared to get wet, muddy, slip, fall, and laugh at yourself. "

A Week of Magic

The boys and I are back from Disney World. I didn't run the entire time, yet managed to hold onto my sanity because, really, when you are experiencing wall to wall fun, a little time without running is okay.

Jack met every single princess in Disney World.


Cinderella (at the castle!)...


The Little Mermaid...


He and Princess Jasmine bonded because they both have tigers. We also met Sleeping Beauty and Belle. He loved the princesses, and...


They loved him, too.

There were a million little moments that were special and fun. Jack danced with Sully in a parade...


Clowned around with Daddy on the teacup ride...


and visited the Muppets with me.


But the Serious Awesome came when he was chosen for Jedi Training at the Star Tours ride at Hollywood Studios. I was beside myself with excitement, and you can see how happy he was.


The Jedi Master led them through a series of lightsaber drills, and then they got to put them into practice with a battle-fight (as Jack would put it) with Darth Vader. Now, the other kids had been training to battle-fight Vader for about three minutes, but Jack has been preparing for this for literally half his life. He ditched the prescribed routine and just unleashed his wee Jedi fury on Vader. And it was awesome.


After defeating Vader, all of the kids got certificates declaring them to be official Jedi. That certificate is probably Jack's most treasured posession.


We ended our vacation by going to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, dressed, naturally, as "Star Wars Guys." Jack was Anakin, Steve was Luke, and I was Princess Leia. Let me tell you, in no way were we humoring Jack by dressing up as Star Wars characters; Steve and I were giddy with excitement at it.


I loved being Princess Leia. People complimented my costume all night, and according to Steve, lots of guys were checking me out.


Because there were fewer people at the party than during the usual Disney World hours, it was a great chance to see characters. We met Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty again, this time with Prince Charming and Prince Phillip. Both of them were amused by the fact that Cinderella's wicked stepsister Anastasia had kissed Jack.

We then went to the next room, where we met characters from Alice in Wonderland. Alice and her friends were hilarious, adding a level of chaos to the proceedings that was completely in character. The Queen of Hearts demanded that Jack bow, but he didn't know how. Alice grabbed Jack by the arm and busted into the princess room, demanding that one of the princes teach him how to bow properly to the Queen. Prince Charming obliged.


We are already planning to go back next year.

See You Next Week

Internet, I'm out of here! The boys and I leave for Disney World tomorrow. Yay!

Nothing But a Number

The Laminator just rocked out a 1:25:44 half marathon, and the blinding speed has him in an introspective mood. Laminator muses:

On the other hand, I couldn’t stop wondering if 1:25:44 really will be my best half ever, forever.

Internet, we may not like it, but the fact of the matter is, we are all getting older. And as we get older, we will eventually get slower.

Now, I'm not saying that all runners over the age of 29 should just pack it in. There are plenty of fantastic athletes who are not spring chickens. We all saw the way that Constantina Dita-Tomescu rocked out the Olympic marathon in Bejing at the age of 37. And Dara Torres may not be a runner, but she is an inspiration, swimming amazing times against athletes much younger than she is. What I am saying is that although we runners are healthier, sexier, and more overall awesome than everyone else in the universe, we are not immune to the aging process.

The key, as I see it, is to look at your running career not as one big volume, but to break it down into different phases.

Many of my Blogging Running Friends (BRF's) discovered running in adulthood. Not me. I ran my first 5K when I was 10 years old. I ran cross country and track all through high school., then rediscovered running after I turned 30 and had Jack.

I am incredibly proud of the athlete that I am today, and of all that I have accomplished. But I am definitely slower than I used to be. My 5K PR at the moment is 25:13, which is an 8:something average mile pace (I don't feel like doing the math exactly). When I was running varsity cross country, if I had finished a mile in 8:something, I would have died of shame. Miles started with 6 or maybe 7, not 8.

I am working hard and improving my speed all the time, but I don't think I will ever be as fast as I used to be.

But I'm completely okay with that.

The fact of the matter is, I am a completely different person now than I was when I was 17. I weigh about the same as I did then (don't hate me; I worked for it), but I have padding where I didn't before and muscle definition that I didn't before. I look at the world differently - less selfishly, more patiently, and a lot less seriously.

A common piece of advice given to runners is "Run your own race." I keep those words of wisdom in mind. I shouldn't be preoccupied with the shadow of my 17 year old self any more than I should be with the other runners on the course.

We race not just against the clock, not just against the other runners, but against inertia. No matter how slow you might be, every run is a victory against complacency. That poem about "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me" is a cliche now. Instead, think of this one:

When I am an old woman, I shall wear running shoes
And enter races that I have not a prayer of winning
And I will race them as fast as I can
Never apologizing for my lack of speed

Say It!

Always on the lookout for inspiration, our friends at Runner's Lounge have dedicated this week's Take It and Run Thursday to running-related sayings and quotes. Friends, I have them for all occasions.

To Relish The Challenge:

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." -John F. Kennedy

President Kennedy may not have been talking about running, but this statement could easily be applied to what we runners do in training. We choose to tackle the challenge of a difficult run or a long race not because it is easy, but because it is hard. Because in doing something that is challenging, we discover the best in ourselves.

Running legend Emil Zatopek would agree.

"If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." -Emil Zatopek

We do not run marathons because we hope to cross the finish line first (at least nobody I know does). We run marathons because of the full experience - the good and the bad - of training, of preparation, of the joyous miles at the beginning, the tedious miles in the middle, and the incredibly difficult miles at the end.

When I ran my last marathon, I was struck by the fact that every other person out on the course with me that day, from the elite runners who were so far ahead that I never saw them, to the people working their hardest at a walk-run strategy to finish, were experiencing a journey. Each and every one of them had my respect.

To Feel Stronger:

Pretty soon I am going to have to break down and buy this t-shirt. I don't feel like it's completely true, because Internet, sometimes I do get really catlicking tired. But I don't quit, because when I get tired, I get tough.

Or, as the great poet Eminem would say,

"'Cause sometimes you feel tired,
feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
and just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse." -Eminem

During really tough moments, I will find this song ("'Til I Collapse") on my iPod, because with Eminem rapping these words at me, I would be completely ashamed if I quit.

To Feel the Joy:

“We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable.” -Roger Bannister

I may sit at my desk all day at work, but when I go out for a run, I am free. I am flying.

Madonna puts it more succinctly.

"Time goes by so slowly for those who wait. No time to hesitate. Those who run seem to have all the fun." -Madonna, "Hung Up."

And let's not overlook The Redheaded Stranger.

"On the road again. Going places that I've never been. Seeing things that I may never see again. I can't wait to get on the road again." --Willie Nelson

When I'm out running, I see the world in a way I would never see from the comforts of my couch. I explore my town on foot, seeing the change of the seasons, seeing people out working on their yards, seeing the river flow past me. Yesterday, I did a trail run, and I swear to Yoda I saw a wolf. Opening my eyes to the bigger world around me makes every difference in my outlook, and it wouldn't happen if I weren't running.

To Feel Special:
My friend Felicia told me about going to the starting line of a marathon with her dad. He surveyed the crowd and said:

"You don't see these people lined up at the Old Country Buffet."

While the rest of the world is sitting on the couch eating junk food, we are working hard, getting leaner, stronger, and tougher. We are special. We are different.

To Do Something Extraordinary:
Ever since I was a kid, these lyrics have resonated with me:

"Have you been half asleep? And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm s'posed to be...
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me." -Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams (Made famous, of course, by Kermit T. Frog)

I am called to do something different, something special. Every time I lace up my shoes and face the challenge, I am chasing that rainbow. I am chasing my dreams.

Tagged

Who wants to hear six random facts about me?

I knew you'd be excited, Internet!

1. I am totally afraid of bats. Seriously, they freak me out big time. The evil beady little eyes, the noise, the way they swoop down on you. Oh, sweet Yoda, I cannot deal with bats. I will not go into any tourist destination with the words "Caves" or "Caverns" in it because I am sure they are chock-full of bats. Also, the summer after I graduated from high school, my mom's house had a bat problem for a while - we are talking bats hanging off the crown molding, people - and I seriously was about to move out.

2. At least 50 times in my life (seriously), someone has asked the question, "Hey, Betsy - you'd probably know this. What is the name of those guys in the balcony on The Muppet Show?"

And, duh, of course I know. Statler and Waldorf. I love, love, love the Muppets and take a tremendous amount of pride in the fact that Jack does, too.

3. I love all autumn squash. When it's in season, I will buy squash at random, whatever looks interesting, because it always tastes great to me. I like it with butter, brown sugar, and raisins.

4. I am famous for my desserts. I make a cheesecake that weighs about eight pounds, chocolate chip cookies that once got me a job, and delightful pumpkin cake roll, to name just a few.

5. The fictional characters I most relate to are Lisa Simpson and Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter books.

6. Despite the propensity for endurance running and the toughness therin, I am a fainter. I've fainted after giving blood, during a golf lesson on a hot day, and once on the Metro, in which I collapsed, landed on my face, and got a black eye (I did get a seat after that move). I can come very close to fainting if I haven't eaten in a while or if I stand up too fast. I am a delicate flower.

Consider yourself tagged if you're looking for material, catlickers.

My Hero

Jack and I went to the zoo on Saturday and, of course, rode the train. As we passed the Australia section, Jack got a bit panicky. A few months ago when he and I saw the lorikeets, I was feeding one of the birds from a cup of nectar and the feathered bastard bit my finger. That's not the kind of thing Jack forgets. He moved closer to me and put his arms around me. Then, he said, "I am protecting you from those birds so that one doesn't bite your finger again, Mommy."

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

The topic of this week's Take It and Run Thursday is "Signs you would love to see when running a race." It's great when spectators bring signs to a race, and it really can lift your spirits when you need it.

There are some general signs that I've always liked -

You're All Kenyan to Me

Your Feet Hurt Because You're Kicking So Much Ass

or even a simple

GO RUNNERS!

are all cool.

I really like signs that are personal. When my brother ran his first marathon, we made signs for him. Andy is a very tenacious person. One of his many accomplishments is that in 1992, he was the Doughnut Eating King of Moline High School (a fact that is on his resume to this day). Andy ate a ridiculous amount of doughnuts in a very short period of time. He was so focused and so determined that my cheer for him was simply, "Eat the doughnut, Andy!"

How could my marathon sign say anything else but, "RUN THE MARATHON, ANDY!"

During my marathon two weeks ago, I saw a woman holding a sign that said, "I Have Faith In You, Mom!" The sign wasn't for me, but the sentiment made me feel great. It brought to mind all of the people who have faith in me to finish my race. A "Way to Go, Bob!" sign makes me think, "Yeah, way to go, Bob. And way to go all of us. This is great!"

Spectators should know that even if the sign they've made is personal for the runner they're watching, it really can make a difference to all of the runners out there on the course.

Just ask my mom - she came to the marathon with a sign that said, "GO BETSY!" on it in huge letters. As fate would have it, another woman named Betsy (alas, not this Betsy or this one) was running close to me for much of the race. Every time she saw my mom, she'd yell, "Hey, I'm Betsy, too! Hold up the sign!"

Every runner on the race course is going through their own journey, but we have many experiences in common. A race sign held aloft by a loving spectator may be intended for just one person, but will resonate with many. It will remind them of all the hard work they've done, all of the people who have supported them, and can give them a little extra strength to "RUN THE MARATHON!"

Mwhahahaha!

Oh, Internet, you have forced my hand.

On my recent post Marathon vs. Childbirth, several commentators noted that the fact that childbirth is harder than a marathon gives you all the more reason to stick to marathons, rather than babies.

I didn't want to do this, but as I said, you forced my hand.

Inaccuracy!

The boys and I were hanging out reading the Sunday paper, and I handed Jack the Toys R Us ad. There were Star Wars toys on the cover, so I thought he'd be pleased. Instead, he found this image quite disturbing:



Jack marched is little self over to Steve, wielding the paper, a look of annoyance and confusion on his face. "Daddy," he demanded, "What's this all about?" Steve said that it was an ad for toys, and didn't they look cool? "No, no, no," Jack explained. "This kid is being a Stormtrooper, and he is holding a lightsaber and Stormtroopers do not have lightsabers!"

Steve had to agree that this was true.

Jack was determined to find a reasonable explanation for this strange phenomenon. Finally, he recalled that one time (in one of the prequels), Obi-Wan was dressed like a Stormtrooper, but considering that he is a Jedi, he did have his lightsaber. "That must be it," Steve quickly agreed, hoping to calm Jack down.

"But, Daddy! This Stormtrooper's lightsaber is red. Obi-Wan doesn't have a red lightsaber." I tried to open the door for another possibility, reminding Jack that when Luke pretended to be a Stormtrooper in Star Wars, he surely brought his lightsaber with him. (What, he was going to leave it on the Falcon? I don't think so.)

Jack sighed. "Mommy, this Stormtrooper's lightsaber is red. Obi-Wan and Luke don't have red lightsabers; only Sith Lords have red lightsabers."

The kid has a point.

Marathon vs. Childbirth

The always fabulous Marcy is gearing up for her first marathon and poses the eternal question:

Does running a marathon hurt as much as childbirth?

It's a comparison I've encountered more than once. And seeing as how I've done both things, I feel qualified to tackle this one.

Preparation: No doubt about it, training for a marathon can be a bitch. Track workouts, tempo runs, and long runs can create a host of pain, from cramping, sore knees, shin splints, sunburn, blisters, missing toenails, and chafing. You're out in all kinds of weather, dragging yourself out of bed at ridiculous times of day. On the other hand, being pregnant isn't exactly a picnic, either. There's the first trimester, which was marked for me as three months of alternating dry heaves and crushing fatigue. I felt like absolute hell, but I didn't look pregnant yet, so I was just some crazy chick gagging at the scent of anti-bacterial soap. Then, in the second trimester, all of a sudden none of my clothes fit me, I was constantly kicked in the ribs by a freakishly strong baby, and to add insult to injury, developed stretch marks on just about every part of my body. But that was just a warm-up for the third trimester, in which I had restless leg syndrome, pain in my sciatic nerve, a constant pressure on my tailbone, a sore lower back, and well hello, my old friend fatigue! I'd love to sleep, but this kid keeps squirming around all night long. And if there was any other doubt, marathon training takes 18 weeks, pregnancy takes 40. Worse: Childbirth

Hero Factor Compare and contrast: "Wow, a marathon! I could never do that!" versus, "Oh, you're planning on an epidural? Well, I had an unmedicated water birth surrounded by three generations of women in my family. But I'm sure that will be nice for you." Worse: Childbirth

Anticipation: The weeks leading up to a marathon are tough. You're stressed out, poring over the course map, worrying about the weather, wondering about what to wear, thinking you might not be able to finish. But the weeks leading up to having a baby include people telling you how gigantic you are (thanks), feeling like hell, and realizing that there is absolutely no way you can back out of this ridiculous endeavor. Plus, you know exactly when your marathon is going to start, so at least you can be prepared. That baby will show up whenever he damned well feels like it. Worse: Childbirth

Pain: During my worst ever pain in a marathon, I felt uncomfortable to the point where I needed a walk break. During my worst ever pain in childbirth, I curled up into a tiny ball in bed, silently turning purple until it was over, unable to walk or talk. Sure, you can get drugs for the childbirth, and let me tell you, they work. But my longest marathon was less than five hours. In contrast, I started having labor pains on December 22, only to have the actual child on December 24. Worse: Childbirth

Recovery: I bounced back from both the marathons and the childbirth pretty equally. After the marathons, I took Advil for a couple of days, took some time off from running, and was fine. The baby-having was a little more dramatic, since I had a C-section. On Christmas of 2004, I was unable to move my legs for much of the day, and the pain I experienced the first time I tried to walk to the bathroom was probably the worst I have ever experienced. But by the next day, I was feeling pretty good, to the point where I never bothered to fill my prescription for pain meds. Worse: Childbirth, but only slightly

Swag Because I have a fabulous husband, I score jewelry after both giving birth and finishing marathons, so it's a draw there, provided you were smart enough to marry a good guy. But other than that? Finisher's medal vs. beautiful new baby? Worse: Marathon, easily.

So, there you go - having a baby is way more painful than running a silly little marathon. Marcy's got two kids, so homegirl has nothing to worry about. And men, you can forgive us if we smile a bit indulgently when you talk about how much it hurt when you bonked.

On the Road Again

"On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again,
And I can't wait to get on the road again."
--Willie Nelson

Oh, bliss! After a week of marathon recovery, I am indeed on the road again. On Friday I did, as Steve put it, "a gentleman's three." That is, I ran three miles on a flat course at a very relaxed pace of 10:00 miles. It felt fantastic - the weather was perfect, it was great to be out running again, and I had absolutely no pains or twinges bothering me.

Therefore, on Sunday, I was able to officially roll out Cross Country Season. I ran two miles from Stately Wasser Manor, crossed a beautiful little bridge, and hit the trails on Sylvan Island. Sylvan Island is quiet little island in the Mississippi, with both easy to run trails and some that are a lot more rustic. I saw some people fishing, and one guy out walking his dog, and that was it... probably because about 10 minutes after I left the house, it started raining.

The rain just made the scenery all the more idyllic. When I was running under the canopy of trees, the rain barely touched me. But then, I'd burst out of the woods, be on the bank of the river, and the rain would be pouring. Awesome.

The other fun thing about cross country season is that I can be a bit more laid-back about my training. I don't feel like I have to hit certain distances. Yesterday, I was aiming to run around 8 miles and would up with 7.76. During marathon or trisko season, I'd have run up and down the street to make it to 8 miles, but yesterday, I just happily headed inside, satisfied I'd had a good time.

Ooh, and also?

I just splurged on thse:

Can't wait until they come in the mail!

Like Water Off a Duck's Back

This week's
Take It and Run Thursday is about life lessons learned from running. I am truly grateful to running for all it has taught me about myself and believe that this lifestyle makes me a better person, both physically and mentally. But today, I'll focus on just one lesson that running has taught me:

This, too, shall pass.

Life throws us a lot of challenges. When you're having a hard time, hearing someone spout a cliche like "This, too, shall pass," provides absolutely no comfort, at least to me. But through my running, I have come to truly believe this little phrase, because I have lived it.

Sometimes, those challenges come through the running itself. About a month ago, I was doing 3200 repeats on the track. On one of the middle ones, I felt like absolute hell. It was hot, I was tired, and every bit of me screamed to pack it in and just go home. The absolute only reason I didn't stop to take a walk break - in a two mile run that I should be able to do in my sleep - was because there were other people at the track and it would have been embarassing.

I suffered through it, did my rest interval, and after that, much to my surprise, I felt absolutely fine. All I needed was a little bit of time, and that problem that seemed insurmountable was gone. And that is just one example of something that has happened in my running more times than I can count. This, too, shall pass.

When life's challenges come from something other than running, I always know that I have a surefire way to make myself feel better. I put on my running shoes, hit the round, and within half a mile, whatever I was so upset about no longer feels like such a big deal. Knowing that all it will take is a few minutes of running to feel better makes those challenges seem a lot smaller.

Just a few days ago at work, I had an encounter with someone that made me so angry that my hands were literally shaking. There was a time in my not-so-distant past in which I would have stewed over that and let it ruin my entire day. Not so this time. Even though I knew I couldn't go running (I was still sore from the marathon and it would have been a championship dumb idea), I knew from all of my experiences with running that I would be able to put it out of my mind, to let it wash away like water off a duck's back. That this, too, shall pass. Sure enough, one hug from Jack later and I wasn't even thinking about the thing that had been taking up so much space in my head.

This, too, shall pass.

What's Next?

Thank you to all of you beautiful, talented readers for your kind comments on my race report. I know that you are all on the edge of your seats dying to know what my next running adventure will be. Just like last year, I am compelled to quote song lyrics from "Once More, With Feeling," my favorite ever episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

"Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
The battle's done, and we kind of won,
So we sound our victory che-er
Where do we go from here?"
--Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Once More... With Feeling"

First things first - I'm taking the week off to recover. Extra thanks go to Sandy who talked me down from the ledge yesterday when I was stressed out and wanted to go running.

But after that...

It's cross country season, babies! I have three races scheduled for November, all of which are on grassy, dirty, muddy, hilly cross country courses! I remember after the Bix last summer, Tom and I agreed that cross country was way more fun than track, and I have decided to re-live it.

I'll be following a modified version of FIRST's 5K training program, since two of my three races will be four miles. Saturdays will be long runs, probably between 8 and 10 miles, and including trails wherever possible. Tuesdays, I'm on the track. But on Thursdays, instead of tempo runs, I am going to make up some hill workouts. I'll do repeats of hills on the road, but will also hit the park to climb up some steeper dirt hills. It's going to be hard work, but it's going to be fun!

The race schedule is:

• November 2: Governor's Cross Country Race ("Weather conditions can make the course very difficult. Be prepared to get wet, muddy, slip, fall, and laugh at yourself. ")


• November 15: Hawk Hustle ("Along the rolling hills of Black Hawk College")


• November 22: Living History Farms Off-Road Race ("You must be ready to climb fences, wade through creeks, avoid animals and claw your way to the top of gullies with over 6,000 other runners of questionable senses.")

It may be time to spring for some trail shoes, my friends.