Good run!

You know the whole run to school battle has a lot of pros and cons.

It's almost all downhill the first 2.5 miles. Definitely a pro.
But it's 1.5 miles almost all uphill the way back. Major con. I'm cool with a little uphill with the stroller, but 1.5 straight miles of it is not so cool.

Getting it together before 8:30 am is another definite con. And I don't mean get my shit together, I mean get myself and 2 small children fed, "hygiened up", dressed and out the door for a run by 8:30 am. Kids really do complicate things.

Today I tried another approach. Drive kid to school and run my favorite, mostly flat 4.8 mile run with only one kid. Worked like a champ. Think I'm gonna try doing that next week!

Off and on the bandwagon.

I seem to have about a 6 month cycle of being on the exercise bandwagon. When I fall off I tend to slack more, obviously, exercise less and with less intensity. These lulls seem to last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

I believe I am starting one now. The change of seasons to chilly and often rainy weather doesn't help. But I try to scale back the workouts while still keeping a base level of fitness. Then I just have to hold on until I get the hardcore feeling back again.

So for now it's a little less push. I'm ok with that.

Ran 4.86 miles on Monday- no kids!
Walked 3.25 miles on Tuesday
Ran 3.75 miles today.

I would really like to get back on the weights. That's the one thing I'm having a hard time getting back on. Mostly because I'm not going to a gym, and that seems to be the easiest way for me to do weights. hrrrm.

I needed that!

Photos by Danny Ngan! Love that man!


So bout day has come and gone. And my love for derby has been rekindled. You see we had been going strong for about 18 months. From February 2010 to August 2011 it was non-stop training to skate, to ref, to call penalties, form a group. All the work required to get a fairly functioning ref group was pretty vigorous and after a year and half most of us were pretty burnt.

So from August to October I've been on a break/leave/burnout phase. I hemmed and hawed about leaving the league. Tried to figure out how to scale back, and trying to decide if I wanted to do this at all.

Saturday night brought it all together and answered all those questions. There is nothing like a good bout to bring back the fire!

I've had to make changes to my derby routine. Now, along with my new work schedule, I only attend once a week. I get together with my lady refs for food and then go to practice. It makes the whole process of going to practice a lot more enticing.

The bout had some trying moments. One of the refs slotted to skate didn't show. We're pretty sure she didn't realize she was on the roster while she was on leave. So that put us down one skating ref. I stepped in for one game, and one of the newer refs stepped in for the other.

Yeah so I haven't been on skates since August. Not a step! And I hadn't called penalties since Rollercon, again in August. I was feeling nervous.

The problem was I went to Rollercon and ended up demoralized. I skate reffed twice while there and it was not a good thing. Rollercon is flat track. I ref banked track. The rules are not super different, but between the differences, the new environment and the entire flat track skater culture I was super off my game. It sucked.

So I came back feeling like I sucked as a ref.

Enter Saturday's game. Upon realizing I would be skating I geared up and went to do a little warmup. Could I still do this? Umm yeah, not a problem. Actually I couldn't tell I had missed a day of skating! Thankfully after skating for close to 2 years my legs had not forgotten a thing.

So now the issue was the penalty calling, oh yeah and pack definition. This was a major problem for me at Rollercon. I think in retrospect I was just spooked. Also flat track skaters skate backwards which really freaking screws me up.

During the game the penalties were sooo easy for me to see! And pack definition was so prominent! It was like taking that break allowed my brain to process all the stuff I'd learned over the past 2 years. I felt awesome!

And it was a freakin amazing game! The teams were really evenly matched. I saw so many incredible, and clean, hits. What an awesome game to start back up with!

Anyways. It went great and now I am so very for-sure, back in derby!

Bout day!

Well I'm finally back in the swing of roller derby things. Technically I'm on the accelerated path back to reffing. One practice in and there's a bout!

Not much running to speak of the past few days. I think I get worried that I'll either blow up like a balloon or irreversibly sink into sloth-dom if I don't run daily. But I think I'll be all right.

Ran Mon through Wed and decided to walk Thurs and just plain chill on Friday. So only 16 miles this week. Back to grind on Monday!

License to slack

I'm not sure why there is this constant urge to increase and improve on physical performance. I have been running about 4-5 days a week, usually around 5 miles a day. Some bits walking, some days a smidgen less. But all in all a respectable number of miles and at a respectable pace.

So why do I feel like a slacker? I haven't done any weights the past month and a half. Which is lame. The transition into school mom mode has been tough, but I'm hitting my stride.

I keep feeling like I should run or walk the second half of the day as well. And maybe do some biking or swimming. Cause I should be doing more.

The notion of getting pregnant actually feels like the only reasonable excuse to do less. Do I need a license to slack or something?

Not always about running!

Planned to run today and knew it wouldn't happen as soon as I put the Bailey's knockoff in my morning coffee! Hey it's the weekend man. A little tipple before noon never hurt anyone.

Finally made it back to practice! I've been on leave since our last bout in August? Sept? I'm not actually sure when it happened.. hrrmm.

Well anyways, my brain retains the most random of details so it was no stretch to step back in. I did penalty tracking for a closed junior league scrimmage. It was nice to be back with everyone and all seemed to have a good time. While I've enjoyed my time off, I've really missed my derby people.

And because fall and winter are our best times for home projects, we have gotten quite a bit done! I organized the spare bedroom into a craft and sewing room. Yeah!

Also we finally built shelves in our totally non-functional bedroom closet. Tons of space and no way to use it. Now there is room for everything, we were able to remove an extra dresser and trunk from the bedroom and it's clean!

And finally I painted a bare wall with chalkboard paint to make a calendar and drawing area. Holy smokes I've needed to do this. We used green and purple and it looks awesome. We have to wait a few days before we draw on it, but it's going to be awesome!

Doing good! Even without a day of running.

Bad Ass!

Yeah I'm sure when someone says bad ass you have to PR or add hella crazy miles or something remarkable. But in my world showing up is still an accomplishment.

So yes, once again, I ran to school (in cold ass weather I may add) and ran home. Yeah that's a whole 2.5 miles with 2 children mostly downhill, and 1.65 miles home with one child, MOSTLY UPHILL!!!

Oh yeah, that is soooo BAD ASS!!!!

Much better

I was starting to sink into runner super slackerdom. You know when you get into a running routine, it's not very hard so you don't really push.

Yeah the running with the kids thing has gotten pretty easy. I had further slacked by only running to school in the morning and picking up Koz in the afternoon in the car. For good reason, hanging around in sweaty running tights on chilly days is not so nice.

Running 2.5 miles to school, walking home with the baby girl and then hitting another 2.5 on the treadmill should be fine right? 5 miles is a nice round number. But I wasn't really pushing and after a week or two there is no improvement.

Though today, my friends, it was a new day. Yes today I actually ran home. So with one child in the stroller and taking on all the hills I made the full 4 mile loop. It's actually like 4.18 miles but Mez wanted to "balance" on the curb for a couple blocks. And I walked the super short but steep half block hill.

Did the last mile on the treadmill.

Nice day.

Oh how annoying...

I got to run to school with just one child today! That means I can run the full 5 miles in one go. OMG running back up those moderate hills with a empty stroller are a dream!

And then on my way back my foot tweaks. Left ball of my foot decides it's going to hurt and no you cannot run on me. Totally annoying.

Though you can run surprising well on the side of your foot.

3.5 miles total. Lame.

Having kids

No run today. Totally felt like being lazy! There is no school and I work tonight. (Did I mention that this is the last of 2 night shifts!)

So we have been laying around, making cookies and watching movies. I've been working on a dino stuffy for Koz.

Days like this is why I like having kids.

We're morning people

I get up just after 6 am. Koz pretty much is laying there waiting for me to get up, so he can get up. We make food, listen to music, play, go running, go walking, you name it, we do it.

So today like the rest started early, did 5 miles of running (2.5 on the road with the kids and another 2.5 on the treadmill) with a 1.5 mile walk break in the middle. My 3 year old has walked the entire 1.5 miles home every day this week!

Having our afternoons and evening free has been such a treat. We've been doing projects and cooking. Having dinner by 4:30-5pm is really nice and keeps me from snacking all day.

Yesterday I made a sweater stuffy, and today I'm hoping to start work on a Halloween banner. Yeah!

It's working out!

So the job had a little scheduling snaffoo... and they asked me if I can work Sunday morning (my soon to be and most desired shift) early and skip Saturday night shift!!! Hell yeah!! I will still be rocking the Friday night, but that's fine. Only two night shifts left til it's all day all the time!

That may not seem that big a deal to the rest of the world, but I honestly prefer to be asleep by 8:30-9pm. Just not a night partier. When I was in my early twenties I actually used to meet up with my partying friends at a bar downtown where they opened at 5am for the all nighters.

Yeah.

In other news, I'm liking the treadmill option. It's crappy weather these days, which I love. But getting soaking wet during a nice run, then waiting 2 hours to do it again is not as much fun. It's fine in the summer, but fall not so much.

4.29 miles outside, 2.75 miles inside. 5 of those run.

A little this and a little that

Some days I want to wear real clothes. And I mean the kind of clothes that include matching socks, zipper and button waistbands, and a non-moisture wicking coat. But the schedule doesn't always allow.

Today we ran to school, walked back and the 3 year old once again pretty much walked the whole way. But instead of sitting around on the old interwebs, we went to the studio and I did another 2.5 on the treadmill. The plan was to walk to school for pickup in real clothes! But I may have lost track of time and left too late to walk.

Still got to wear real clothes though.

Ran 5 miles, walked 1.26

Happy Monday!

Only two more weeks of night shift!!!! Oh there is sooo a countdown.

Anyways today David is home so I ran to school. Was going to run home, but little Meza, 3 yrs old btw, wanted to walk. The whole 1.68 miles home! Yeah!

Ran 2.5 miles, walked another 1.68 home.

They love me

Well I guess they love me at my job. I'm one of the more senior and experienced staff for my group. I figured I was doing great, but really I mostly work by myself, which I prefer, so feed back only happens sporadically.

I called work to talk with our scheduling manager to see if I was being laid off, just in case. She said "hell no!" and wished I could work more shifts! So they love me.

But my schedule will be changing, which I am over the moon about, to a long shift on Sunday. 6am to 8pm. I'll get my entire part time work week done in one day. And it's the busy shift. I've been working nights which is ok, but there is a lot of slow time. This means the only real work I have to do is cleaning. Sad. Sunday I'll get to rock it!

So stress gone. Job good. Two more weeks of night shifts yeah!