the monday project - fill in the blank

6:00 AM Posted by Roo

The Monday Project

Ok, peeps, it's been several weeks since I participated in one of these. Since I'm trying to get back on track in all aspects of my life, I decided to tackle this week's Monday Project - Fill In The Blank.

I am active because it truly makes me feel better, improves my mood, and I know that I am doing something good for my body and I am showing my children (by example) that being active is a good thing. No couch potatoes allowed.

That pretty much sums up why I've chosen to start running (although right now it's really a fast walk/slow run). It was reaffirmed for me the other morning when I was taking my son to school and I said, "I'm sorry I was crabby this morning." His reply? "That's ok, Mom. Maybe you should get on the treadmill when you get home."

Whaaaa???? Yes, my 5 year old knew that my getting on the treadmill would make his mom a happier person. We chatted about that a little more and it made me smile on the inside AND outside. How nice to hear that affirmation from my kiddo.

pilates

4:52 PM Posted by Roo

Update: I have found my DVD's! Yay!

I have been looking high and low for my Pilates DVDs so I could start tonight. I can't find them. As a matter of fact I don't recall seeing them since the move. Now what to do? I hate to buy another one when I know I have a few around here somewhere. But in case I do, anyone have a favorite or recommendation(s) for me???

spring fling challenge weigh-in #4

8:07 AM Posted by Roo

Sisterhood Spring Fling Challenge

I was expecting this week's gain of 0.9. Having been out of commission with my back and generally feeling "blah" I haven't been focused on my goals. I fixed that yesterday thanks to the help of some awesome sisters. I'll be down next week. No worries.

success

7:46 PM Posted by Roo

Success is different for each person. For me, success was stepping on the treadmill tonight after my back/hip problems and completing 3 miles. Yes, the little voice in my head kept telling me, "...but if you hadn't hurt yourself you would be doing 6 or more miles by now." But the thing is I DID hurt myself and I can't change that. All I can do is move forward.

Success is coming back to weigh-in on the weeks I know I didn't do what I should've done to be healthier and more active. I could easily whoops! forget my weigh-in but I won't. It pops up as a reminder on my computer every Wednesday morning. It's literally impossible to forget.

I'm reading Jeff Galloway's Book on Running (copy courtesy of a giveaway I won over at Shrinking Jeans). Something in this book really struck me..."...'success' is in the eye of the performer. There can be success in every experience...you can string together a series of internal victories that form a pattern of progress." This is exactly what I'm doing. Continuing to push myself to be more active, continuing to weigh-in each week, continuing to make healthy choices (not just for me but as an example to my children) - these are ALL successes. It's all a matter of perspective.

How do YOU define success?

back on track - 3 miles

7:36 PM Posted by Roo

Thanks to those of you that sent notes to tell me to stop being lazy, get off my butt and just do it. Tonight was my first official post-injury treadmill jaunt of 3 miles and I feel so good having done it.

100_5208

Tomorrow I get a break with Pilates - if Pilates is even really a break? - before putting another 3 miles in on Thursday. This is good. I was so worried that taking time off to recover would seriously derail me but it was all in my head (go figure). Yes, I have to play catch up. But I will catch up. And I will cross the finish line in San Diego.

losing momentum

4:10 PM Posted by Roo

I was given the go-ahead by the chiropractor and Coach Joe to resume my 1/2 marathon training. I squealed, I jumped around, I was so happy that I could get back on track. Problem? I haven't been able to do it. It's like mentally I can't get my butt on the treadmill or out the door. I don't know how to fix this. Coach Joe wants me alternating 3 miles with Pilates - so 3 miles Monday, Pilates Tuesday, 3 miles Wednesday, etc. to get myself back in the game. This is totally reasonable and doable. Why am I dragging my feet? Why am I acting like, "Meh. Whatever..." when I know what I need to do and want to do. Any suggestions on how to fix this? I know - Just Do It. Any volunteers out there to get all Jillian Michaels on my butt and make me check in with you and harass me until I do? Please? I'm not sure how else I can get it done. (Can't use the husband. He's a big softy. *wink*)

oh my achin' back

6:22 AM Posted by Roo

Well, not really. I mean I'm still hurting but it's more of an uncomfortable annoying feeling than actual pain. I have discovered that while running isn't an option at the moment I CAN walk and when I do I feel MUCH better. The chiropractor said I am healing and on the upswing but I still need to take it easy. He wants me to ease back into my training for the 1/2 in June but doesn't foresee me being unable to do it - even with this setback. This is such good news!!! I'm working with my Virtual Team in Training Coach to get me back on track. Yippee!

And may I just add that I FINALLY had the opportunity to walk outside this year? And oh. my. goodness. I don't ever want to walk on the treadmill again. For real.

spring fling challenge weigh-in #3

8:19 PM Posted by Roo

Sisterhood Spring Fling Challenge

*happy dance* Down 3 weeks in a row! This week's loss? 0.1. Yes, I realize it's only a tenth of a pound and really that's, well, NOTHING, but that's ok because I didn't do much this week in the way of activity. With the back problems I had to lay low so I was hoping for maintenance this past week.

I do have an update on my back woes and will share them when I have more than 3 minutes to type out a blog post. But I will spill that it IS good news.

How'd everyone else do? Head over to Shrinking Jeans to find out.

team shrinking jeans bash

7:00 AM Posted by Roo

Team Shrinking Jeans Bash

For the next 2 weeks over at the Sisterhood, we are having a Team Shrinking Jeans Bash! What is this Bash I speak of, you might be asking? It's a HUGE party with door prizes and an awesome Grand Prize of $400 cash! Yes, cash!

What is Team Shrinking Jeans anyway? Well, a group of 16 Sisters and 1 Brother are training to run the San Diego Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training Program (TNT). Through TNT, Team Shrinking Jeans will be training for the race AND raising $48,900 for LLS. Isn't that amazing?

You can read more about our amazing team here, and find out why each of us is doing this here.

How can you join the Bash? Simple! Donate to Team Shrinking Jeans through our secure online team fundraising page. For every $5 you donate, you'll be entered to win one of over 30 fabulous door prizes. If you donate $25, not only will you get 5 chances to win door prizes, but you'll also be entered to win the granddaddy of all prizes: CASH!

Did you know?

Every 4 minutes one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

An estimated 139,860 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2009. New cases of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma account for 9.5 percent of the 1,479,350 new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year*.

Overall incidence rates per 100,000 population for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are almost identical for data reported in 2008 and 2009 [(leukemia 12.2, 2009 vs.12.3, 2008); (NHL, 19.5, each year); (Hodgkin lymphoma, 2.8, each year); (myeloma, 5.6, each year)].

Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma will cause the deaths of an estimated 53,240 people in the United States this year. These blood cancers will account for nearly 9.5 percent of the deaths from cancer in 2009 based on the 562,340 total cancer-related deaths.

Every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 146 people each day, or more than six people every hour. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20. In general, the likelihood of dying from most types of leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma decreased from 1996 to 2005 (the most recent data available).

*Facts and statistics from Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma Facts 2009-2010, June 2009.

Those are some pretty eye-opening statistics, huh?

So head on over and join in the Bash! Check out the fabulous prizes, click on over and donate, and be sure to check in every day for Happy Hour!

the treadmill

5:35 PM Posted by Roo

So after a week + of doing nothing I hit the treadmill for 30 minutes tonight. My Virtual Team in Training Coach suggested taking it easy and trying to walk to see where I could get. I planned ahead of time to do 30 minutes so that (1) I wouldn't wimp out before then (ha!) and (2) I wouldn't overdo it if I felt ok after the 30 minutes. I'll admit I wanted to stop the entire first 10 minutes and then by the time I got to 30 minutes I thought I could go further but I didn't. Truth is I'm hurting in my lower back. It's not pain, per se, but it is very uncomfortable. I have an email in to my coach to see where I go from here and I follow-up with the chiropractor on Tuesday.

But my biggest frustration? I was actually doing 5 miles. 5 miles is huge for me. And now that I'm "injured" I'm even slower and will have to work my way back up. And, of course, now I'm behind as my awesome teammates just hit the 6 miler this weekend. And, for me, that is just super disappointing.

it's official

4:10 PM Posted by Roo

I am now a .com. This site is now available at http://www.see-mama-run.com. YAY!

lower-back pain

8:02 AM Posted by Roo

So it's official. I'm in a lot of pain and have had to completely halt my 1/2 Marathon training (until I get the all clear from my chiropractor). This SUCKS. I was finally up to 5 miles (albeit a slow 5 miles) and now I'm at a standstill. I'm worried, stressed and just plain sad. I can't just jump right back in and start at 5 miles when I had to stop for over a week, can I? I'm thinking I should contact the Virtual Team in Training Coach and get his input and possibly a revised training plan. I don't want to quit. I want to raise the money for LLS, run/walk the 13.1 miles and FINISH STRONG. Any suggestions, comments or words of wisdom? I'm at a loss, here...

spring fling challenge weigh-in #2

6:33 AM Posted by Roo

Sisterhood Spring Fling Challenge

*happy dance* Down 2 weeks in a row! This week's loss? 0.7.

I needed to see that this morning. I was worried because I have not stayed on top of my 1/2 Marathon Training over the past week with my trip out of town and subsequent back problems. My back is so out of whack right now that I can't find a comfortable position at all. I head back to the chiropractor in the morning so I'm hoping he'll have me better soon. I need to get back on track with my walking/running so I don't get behind.

How'd everyone else do? Head over to Shrinking Jeans to find out.

GO TEAM C!

quiet

3:35 PM Posted by Roo

Sometimes all I need is quiet. I don't get to experience that at home. Given the events of the last few weeks, compounded by some other things that I'm not wishing to detail publicly, I NEEDED quiet. So what did I do with my quiet time? I slept (a lot), read, watched a few movies and shopped. I didn't think about my problems. I made it a point to completely shut everything else (90% of the time) and it was fabulous.

What did I learn during my "quiet time"? (That kinda sounds like I gave myself a time out. Ha!)
  • No matter how crazy I feel at home, I miss my kids when they're not with me.
  • I have an amazing husband. From Thursday evening (when I left) to Sunday evening (when I got home) he played Mr. Mom and took a vacation day Friday for me.
  • I love New York City. It is AMAZING. Prior to the weekend my favorite city was Denver. Yeah, I'm leaning more towards NYC now (no offense to my Colorado-lovin' friends cause Denver ROCKS!).
  • Sleep is NOT over-rated.
  • My children truly are my world.
  • And finally, I love my job. It's the hardest job in the world to parent but truly the most rewarding. Money doesn't compare to the dinosaur hugs (as my son calls them) and kisses galore from children that adore you.

spring fling challenge weigh-in #1

10:37 AM Posted by Roo

Sisterhood Spring Fling Challenge

Today is Weigh-In #1 for the latest challenge at Shrinking Jeans. I am part of Team C - Completely Committed Chicks - and am thrilled to report a loss of 2.3 pounds this week! YAY! How, you ask? Well I'm contributing it to the insane amount of mileage I've started logging (insane for me, anyway) since starting training for the 1/2 Marathon in June. And water. Lots of water.

Curious as to how the other shrinkers are doing? Go show 'em some love this week!

Till next Wednesday...