January Running Recap

12 - 1.29 miles - 15:57 (walk/jog) 1st since the boot came off!!
20 - 1.02 miles - 11:48
21 - .5 miles - 17:46 (walked to the park with the kids)
22 - 1.01 miles - 11:39
27 - 1.01 miles - 11:58
28 - 1.0 miles - 12:39
29 - 0.5 miles - 4.57


2013 Mileage
January = 6.33 miles (look out...here I come)


So I got the green light to walk/jog up to 1 mile every other day and the 12th was my first day out. It was glorious! I am now wearing a lace up ankle brace to stabilize my ankle even better, but it's taking some getting used to as I run.

December Running Recap

No running in December

2012 Running Recap
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)
August total = 5.22 miles (31 days)
September total = 48.35 miles (30 days) [MET GOAL]
October total =  10.14 miles (31 days)
November total =  27.16 miles (30 days)
December total = 0 (31 days)


2012 Mileage =184.16
2012 Deficit = 149.84

I didn't run my half marathon.  And I ended 2012 wearing a boot on my foot.  Not exactly the way I envisioned finishing my running year.  I was well short of my 365-mile goal for 2012.  But I'm getting older, and wiser.  And I figured that taking care of myself now might mean another 10 races later.

Smart choice, right?  Tell me I'm right, 'cause I'm not really happy about this.

Maybe I'm learning patience? Perseverance? Determination? I'm sure the Lord is trying to teach me something....but perhaps it is that I simply need to slow down sometimes.....

November Running recap

4 - 4.16 - 49:24
5 - 3.01 - 33:21
6 - 2.01 - 22:55
11 - 6.04 - 1:09:43
12 - 4.0 - 43:54
13 - 4.55 - 48:33
14 - 2.39 - 26:20
26 - 1.0 - 10:43

2012 Running Recap
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)
August total = 5.22 miles (31 days)
September total = 48.35 miles (30 days) [MET GOAL]
October total =  10.14 miles (31 days)
November total =  27.16 miles (30 days)

Beginning November:
2012 Mileage =184.16
2012 Deficit = 149.84


Days remaining

December = 31

Not too bad this month, considering that I'm having some weird foot/ankle injury that has gotten progressively worse.  I gave myself some time off after the 14th and tried a mile on the 26th and decided to see the doctor if that mile hurt to run. It did. To the doctor I went.  And he put me in a boot.  And running the half marathon in December will be my call - a 'game-day decision', if you will.  He wants me to rest it and ice it every day - and multiple times a day at that. *sigh*

Odd thing to note. I have run so much less this year than last year, but feel much more like a runner this year than ever before.

October Running Recap

2 - 1.01 (10:16)
3 - 2.03 (22:13)
5 - 4 miles (39:19)
6 - 3.1 miles (29:45) (5k in less than 30 minutes!!  Whoop!!)


2012 Running Recap
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)
August total = 5.22 miles (31 days)
September total = 48.35 miles (30 days) [MET GOAL]
October total =  10.14 miles (31 days)

Beginning September:
2012 Mileage =159.67
2012 Deficit = 145.33


Days remaining
November = 30
December = 31

Ug. Respiratory stuff isn't fun. And I dealt with that (again) this month. That and scheduling issues. *sigh* I guess the scheduling issues is why some people find it beneficial to have a treadmill inside their home?

September Running Recap

September Running

2 - 3.25 (35:17)
3 - 3.96 (33:14 for 3.09)
4 - 2.01 (8:49 [half mile sprints] + 10:05)
5 - 3.01 (20:18 for 2 miles + 8:42 for 1 mile)
6 - 1.5 (14:50)
7 - 2.89 (22:18 for 2.09)
9 - 5.02 (52:37 - ave 10:28 min/mile)
10 - 0.87 (walking kids to school)
11 - 1.86 (walking kids to and from school) 
14 - 3.01 (16:52 for 2 miles in 1/2 mile sprints + 1 mile walk)
17 - 2.94 (35:06)
21 - 2.02 (22:35)
22 - 8 (7 miles - 1:20:56 + 1 mile fun run)
24 - 1.98 (10:27 + 11:01)
25 - 3.01 (33:01)
26 - 3.02 (34:06)


2012 Running Recap
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)
August total = 5.22 miles (31 days)
September total = 48.35 miles (30 days) [MET GOAL]

Beginning September:
2012 Mileage = 101.18
2012 Deficit = 142.82
I made up 18.35 miles in September toward my deficit, ending the month with  124.47 mile deficit.

Days remaining
September = 30
October = 31
November = 30
December = 31

****I calculated at the beginning of September that I would have to average more than 2.17 miles/day for the remainder of the year (Sept - Dec) to reach the goal of averaging 1 mile/day for 2012.

My September average was 1.6 miles/day....so I'm really going to have to kick it into gear for the rest of the year if I'm going to reach my goal.  But I'm going to have to balance that desire to reach my goal with the knowledge that if I overdo it, I'll be nursing myself back to health for the first part of 2013, which is what I ended up doing this year.  Balance.  I have to find balance.

Expanding our support of Aggie athletics past football and baseball

to....soccer!!!

Tatum and I went to the soccer game yesterday afternoon after church.  We didn't make it for the beginning of the game and apparently they scored a goal within the first 5 minutes of the match.

We missed it.

But we watched the game, we Tatum talked, she enjoyed seeing the girls hit the ball off of their heads, and she proceeded to inform me that she was going to play soccer again - after cheerleading, she reminded me of all the goals she scored from last season, then told me she wanted to grow up and play soccer for the Aggies.

Yeah, hon. I want that for you, too.

To the fans that were sitting in front of us that decided to move to get away from her chatter, sorry.  She was excited.  I hope your new spot was a little quieter.

During halftime we walked around for a bit and ran into a College Station celebrity.

For those that don't know who this gentleman is - it's R. Bowen Loftin, President of Texas A&M University and he impressed me beyond belief by having an almost 5 minute conversation with my 5 year-old daughter.  On her level.  They chatted about soccer and school and working hard and coming to college in Aggieland.

And y'all, she had no clue.

But since she's never met a stranger she was just fine chatting it up with him.  Then we let him go on his way and she promptly asked for ice cream. Chocolate ice cream.

That's my girl.

During the second half of the game we had connected with a friend of mine and some of her friends and all of their kids, so we hung out with them on the season ticket holder side (but not in the seats - lest you be upset with me since I only bought a general admission ticket) standing and letting the kids run around (and of course, eat Tatum's ice cream!). Tatum ran into a friend that she had gone to a summer camp with and was thrilled (whose name happens to be Kellen - a girl Kellen, actually, if you can believe it!). She was so excited!

They scored another goal toward the end of the game, sealing the win. And Tatum thoroughly enjoyed herself.

After the Spirit of Aggieland, we headed home. And Tatum remarked that she wanted to watch the Aggies every Sunday we could.

August Running Recap

August Running
9 - 2.09 miles - (1.03 mile at 9:47 & 1.06 mile at 9:48)
11 - 1.07 mile - 9:48
12 - 1.03 - 9:21
13 - 1.03 - 10:49

August mileage total = 5.22 miles

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)
August total = 5.22 miles (31 days)

I may be too far gone to actually catch up....Ug.

Why??

Or otherwise known as, NOT FAIR!!!

Today was supposed to be a joyous event...an intricate compilation of the completion of a myriad of things off of Tatum's about-to-start kinder 'bucket list'.  It was that, but it was also the scene of a horrific tragedy in the sleepy little town in which I live.

A wonderful man was killed today.  In fact, not one, but apparently two.  But I only know one of them personally.

And it has wrecked my world.

I have carried on today and tried to continue with Tatum's bucket-list schedule.  I told her that 'a very bad man hurt some people today', and initially, I wasn't sure how badly that was.

Now I know.  Two children will never play baseball with their Daddy again.  A Daddy will never walk his daughter down the aisle to give her away.  A wife will have to carry on without her earthly rock.

A host of kids will never be coached by a tremendous coach again.

Kellen was fortunate enough to have him as his very.first.t-ball.coach.

Brian Bachmann was a great coach to Kellen and the rest of that team.  He cared more about instilling a love of baseball and the basics than winning, and the kids had FUN during the season.  It was fun to be a parent on that team.

That is the aspect of Brian I knew best, but it certainly is only one aspect of a great man...a respected pillar of this community.

I am angry that he was killed.  I am even more angry that he was apparently killed while issuing an eviction notice.  Really?  That just screams of unfairness to me.  Being evicted was worth his life?  Really?? 

I decided to go to the prayer vigil tonight and as I told the girls where we were going, I explained to Tatum what had happened, in 5 year old-ese....'You know the bad man I told you about earlier that hurt some people?  Well, one of those people was hurt really badly and went to heaven.  You know what that means, right?'

'Yes, that means they died,' she answered.

'That's right,' I said, 'And we're going to go and pray for their family and friends because they're really sad.'

The conversation went on a little longer and her final remark was so simple, 'But he's in heaven, right? So why are they sad?'

And y'all, she's 5. Ok, almost 5 and a half.  She get's it.  Yes, we have to grieve. And I'm apparently working through the anger stage.  I wonder if this is what childlike faith looks like played out....'he's in heaven, why are we sad?'

"Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Mark 10:15 - (The Message)

She's on the right track here, folks!  Just look at my sweet 5 year old putting the eternal perspective on a horrid, awful, hideous event.  I'll be honest though, I'm just not quite ready to be there with her yet.

Brian was a Christian and I can rejoice that he's home.

I was listening to a Building 429 song on the way to the prayer vigil...the lyrics, '...all I know is, I'm not home yet. This is not where I belong....'

This lyric is NO LONGER TRUE for Brian.  He's home now.

I can choose to rejoice in that.

Update:  Those interested in doing something tangible in the wake of this tragedy can purchase gift certificates to local restaurants who are matching, dollar for dollar, the amounts.  These gift certificates will be given to the Bachmann family so that meal times will hopefully be one less stressor for them over the next few weeks or possibly months.

Olympic proof

As mentioned in my recent post, Jacey and I have been watching a lot of sports lately...there is this world-wide sporting event taking place right now.  Happens every four years, maybe you've heard of it?

She and I are watching 'lympics!

...and cheering for the USA!

Watching 'lympics

Jacey and I have been watching a lot of Olympics over the last couple of weeks.  She is absolutely enthralled by it - virtually ANY of it.

I'm not sure if there is anything cuter than a two year old, fist pumping in the air, chanting, "USA, USA!".

It's precious, really.

If I was better at getting video of it, you could fully appreciate it, but you'll just have to take my word for it.

Tonight she wanted to watch the " 'lympics " and made sure that she was all set up to do so, continually telling me, "be right back" while she got yet another thing to snuggle with.

Yes, it was a full couch.  And she fully expected me to snuggle with her, getting quite upset if I had to get up to get anything.

She is serious about her 'lympics,folks!

July Running Recap

1 - 1.51 miles - 18:29 (11:24 min/mile - pushing Jacey in the stroller)
2 - 2.06 miles - #1 run 1.01 - 10:26 (pushing Jacey in the stroller); #2 run 1.05 - 9:55
3 - 1.68 miles - 16:33
4 - 1.52 miles - 17:17
7 - 1.5 miles - 18:03
8 - 3.01 miles - 31:55
9 - .51 miles - 5:29
July monthly total = 11.79 miles
Yearly total = 95.96 miles
Mileage Deficiency before July =97.83 miles
Mileage Deficiency after July =  117.04 miles

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)

Another UG month.  I truly am not supposed to go backwards, but that's what I'm doing this year.  I started off the month at a fabulous pace...then loe and behold, we got rain in July.  Who complains about rain in July??  Not me.  But rain in July sidetracked me, because I couldn't run during the times I needed to run because of the rain...so that threw me off schedule.  Then life happened and I continued to get off schedule, with a variety of scheduling conflicts and a random leg strain that sidelined me for virtually the remainder of the month.

Ug. Just ug.  This yearly total should be a month and a half of running at a decent schedule.

June Running Recap

4 - 1.06 miles (10:13 total - 9:38 min/mile)
5 - 3.58 miles (run#1: AM - 1.03 miles: 10:14 total - 9:57 min/mile; run#2: PM - 2.55 miles: 24:33 total - 9:37 min/miles)
14 - 1.54 miles (14:32 total - 9:26 min/mile pace)
18 - 2.1 miles (#1-1.02 mi - 10:21 total - 10:09 pace; #2-1.08 mi - 9:43 total - 8:55 min/mile pace)
20 - 1.03 miles (14:17 total -13:36 min/mile - pushing Jacey while following Tatum on her bike)
21 - 1.02 miles (11:03 total - 10:42 min/mile - pushing Jacey and Tatum in double stroller)
22 - 1.18 miles (11:35 total - 9:36 min/mile)
25 - 1.16 miles (11:52 total - 9:51 min/mile)
26 - 1.71 miles (#1 - 0.5 mile -4:46 min; #2 - 1.21 miles - 12:10 total -9:36 min/mile)
27 - 0.53 mile - 5:40 min
29 - 1.68 miles (18:03 total - 10:01 min/mile)
30 - 3.48 miles (40:21 - ave 11:35 min/mile pace - Ug)

June monthly total = 20.07 miles
Yearly total =  84.17 miles
Mileage Deficiency before June = 87.9 miles
Mileage Deficiency after June = 97.83 miles


2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total = 20.07 miles (30 days)

I have discovered running during lunch. I can't get in much, and it's really hot (so I have to hydrate well), but it's normally MY time. I think I may be able to work up to 2 miles at lunch IF I get out of the office right at noon and start getting faster.  I must remind my body that it's capable of doing more than a mile or a mile and a half at a time.  I can't do it every day because of various meetings, but I can certainly do it a few times a week.  Eureka!

May Running Recap

3 - 1.05 miles (12:10 total - 11:33 min/mile pushing Jacey in the stroller)
5 - 2 miles (13:42 - pushing Jacey in the stroller and following Tatum on the bike for the first 1/2 mile, then just pushing Jacey in the stroller for the 2nd 1/2 mile and 9:41 - Just me running!)
6 - 2 miles (9:24 and 9:35)
7 - 1.07 miles (9:39 total - 9.01 min/mile)
8 - 1.52 miles (18:16 total - 12:34 mile 1, 5:22 1/2 mile - pushing the double stroller with Tatum and Jacey - almost 70 lbs, so while it was slower than normal, it was a way different workout)
9 - 1.54 miles (1.03 in 8:54 total - 8:38 min/mile in the morning then 0.51 in 8:31 walking in the afternoon pushing Jacey in the stroller walking with Tatum and Kellen)
10 - 1.02 miles (9:13 total, 9:04 min/mile)
12 - 1 mile - 9:04 min

May monthly total =11.2 miles
Yearly total = 64.1 miles
Mileage Deficiency before May = 68.1 miles
Mileage Deficiency after May =  87.9 miles

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)


Ouch...I don't like going further and further into the hole....but another goal, which seems now contradictory with THIS yearly goal, is being kind to my body.  Still recovering from bronchitis....bronchitis that has now hung on for months, has taken its toll on my body and has spawned other far-reaching medical side effects. I'm trying to listen to it and allow my body time to recover. I dislike this aspect of getting old(er).

On a positive note, when I am able to run  - or perhaps when I test my body a bit - I am running quite a bit faster.  But I seem to have forgotten how to run any longer than 2 miles.  Not sure how to combine my distance and speed....

40 MILES!!!

And no, it isn't me!!

Kellen ran 120 laps = the equivalent of 40 miles = 

during PE at school during Road Runners in 30 weeks during this past school year.

They had the PE awards and ceremony on Friday and he was awarded his certificate then.  

(And apparently, his missed the 'bronze' level by 5 laps!)

I am so super proud of him!!

April Running Recap

Um...so, ok. This will be a really quick post.  Because I didn't run a lap at all in the month of April.  Nada. Zilch. Nothin'.

April was me dealing with bronchitis and a sinus infection...and finally throwing in the towel and getting medicine (and it really must have been bad, because when I called to schedule an appointment the nurse on the phone asked me some questions, then told me she would call back after speaking with the doctor and when she did, she simply called in the antibiotic).  So after a z-pack, I thought I was feeling better, but I never did get rid of the cough or ever really get my energy back. All.month.long.

I'm really going to have to kick it into gear tomake up for three months of crappy mileage. Yikes!!!

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)

February Running Review

1 - 4.4 miles (split into 3 different walks with Jacey in the stroller; 1 to walk Kellen to school, another long walk during the day, and the 3rd to pick Kellen up from school + a half mile)
2 - .8 miles (walked Jacey in the stroller to take Kellen to school)
21 - 2 miles  - 22 min total (1 mile - 8:40)
22 - 1.03 miles (1 mile - 8:56)
23 - 1.03 miles (1 mile - 8:33)

February total = 9.26 miles
February miles/day = 0.32 miles/day

It wasn't a great month for running (hello, captain obvious). But it also rained for at least 12 of the 29 days of the month.  So...given my incredibly small window of running opportunity...well, let's just say that the weather made it a little more difficult to get the mileage in. 

However, I will just give myself a little credit on my speed.  Sub 10 minute miles??  Really??  Then to top that off and pull sub 9 minute miles???

What the heck???

I have no idea what's going on, and obviously I didn't keep up the pace for any considerable distance.  But.

I did it.

Perhaps the greater speed is the stress relief I needed after a months worth of a particular sick child?

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)

January Running Review

My overall goal for 2012 is to average a mile a day for the year.  A secondary goal, considering how the months went in 2011, is to meet that goal at least half of the months of the year in 2012.

I am taking a 90 day challenge to start off the year....run/walk for a minimum of 30 minutes every day for 90 days.

1 - 3 miles (31:50 - 10.36 min/mile)
2 - 3 miles (32:08 - 10.42 min/mile)
3 - 2.53 miles (32:52 - 11:13 min/mile; 12:17 min/mile, walked .53 mile)
4 - 2.04 miles (1 mile @ 10:49 min/mile pace; 20:11 - 1.04 mile walk with Jacey in stroller)
5 - 2.52 miles (31:03 minutes, walk/jog)
6 - 2.5 miles (34:31 minutes, walk/jog)
7 - 1.65 miles (30 minutes, walking with Kellen while pushing Jacey in stroller)
8 - 1.5 miles (34:15 minutes)
9 - 1.5 miles (30:30 minutes)
19 - 1.5 miles (30 minutes)
20 - .5 miles
22 - 1.5 miles (30 minutes)
23 - .5 miles
29 - 3 miles (33:16 minutes; 10.26, 12.35, 11.15)
30 - 3 miles (50:47 minutes, walking with Jacey in stroller)
31 - 1 mile (have no idea about the time because the app when wonky on my phone - Jacey & I walked to pick up Kellen from school)

January mileage total = 31.24 miles
Average per day = 1.01 miles/day

January Review:  I obviously didn't make the 90 day challenge I was initially shooting for, but lost out on that goal when we hit some rain on January 10th and I lost my particular running window of opportunity.  That seemed to kill my motivation for this month, but I ended up eeking by with meeting my goal of averaging a mile a day, so all-in-all, I'm not too upset.  And this was a rough month...we have had a lot going on, so I was able to work this in along with life.

And really, isn't that the goal?

Fearless

I always knew Tatum was fearless....and at a recent birthday party she proved it.

She climbed to the top of the climbing wall on their rope wall and touched the ceiling...it's probably 4 stories tall....when she got to the top, she wanted to just jump off into the pit below her rather than climb back down.  But the workers told her she couldn't do that, so climb back down she went.

Amazing.

I want her to have an appropriate sense of fear, but love - absolutely love - that she takes challenges like this and pushes herself.

2011 Running Recap & Looking Ahead...

2011 Running Recap

January - 16.33
February - 24
March - 5.18
April - 32.17
May - 27.3
June - 27.8
July - 11.5
August - 24
September - 56
October - 62.7
November - 24
December - 49.05

2011 Mileage total = 360.03

To review, my 2011 goal was to average a mile a day.  Considering that I *almost* made the yearly goal after only hitting the monthly average on 4 of the 12 months, I think the overall goal of consistency needs to be improved upon.  So that's what I'm going to work on in 2012. And there it is...in black and white.  My fitness goal for 2012...Consistency.  (Again)

Aggie's Ball!!

Is a common phrase at Aggie Basketball....which the kids got to experience.

And Jacey got to experience it for the first time!!  I actually think this may have been her first Aggie sporting event (actual sporting event...the Yell practice doesn't count...and I'm racking my brain to think of an Aggie sporting event we have taken her to before now, but I'm coming up blank).

And, despite having a start time that was 30 minutes past when she's normally in bed, Jacey was remarkably well behaved and interactive.  She was a little overwhelmed to start things off, but then played with us all and ran between the seats and was enjoying playing peek-a-boo with Maw Maw.

Tatum wanted to play her leapster almost immediately. 

 
Kellen was into the game for quite a while.  Considering that he's playing basketball right now, I think he really enjoyed watching the guys play - and WIN!!