i like saturdays

3 miles (about 1.5 m. out, 1.5 m. back)
7:30-9:30 a.m. (we left the house, ran to the park, played for awhile, then ran back)
Probably 70's

This could be a Saturday tradition I could really come to love. I told Chris I could get used to him not having to study on Saturdays, and just being able to spend the day playing together as a family. This morning Ian had us up at 6:30 a.m. (not when we'd want to be up! but at least we took advantage of the morning). Chris got everything ready to go with the stroller, which helped a ton (it always takes me so long to do that). Cooper was already tired (usually I end up going after his morning nap), but luckily he ended up napping on the way home and went to sleep in his pack 'n play as soon as we got home, so it worked out.

Chris even jogged some with me! I was so excited. I ran most of the way over, and he would jog, then walk a little. I finished a pretty strong jog to the park, then we played around for a little while. Ian had a fun time with Chris. And it was fun to show Chris our favorite park so far (which I learned is right next to the police department, which helps me feel even safer playing there!!). Chris needed to adjust the shoelaces on his new running shoes, but after that jogged almost all the way home with me.

We have talked a lot about needing shared hobbies to do together. So I told Chris my proposal that I should get SCUBA certified like he's wanted me to and we can do that together. And that he should start running with me and maybe even do 5Ks (or a marathon someday, if he really starts to feel ambitious). He was very amenable to both ideas, which was nice. It would be good for us to do things together. I figured both of these would accomplish goals to be more in shape and recreate together. Both things we both need to be doing! And we need to be enjoying each other more; I hope doing things together like this would help! I am going to check if we can take a stroller in the 4th of July 5K, maybe then Chris and the boys could run it with me...we'll see. I really do need to get a training plan together and find another running buddy; I think that'd help me a lot with motivation. Val and I will probably try to do some runs together this fall, depending on where she is at and what she's up to; I look forward to that!

I decided to start a new sidebar of places I've run, so that hopefully I will always feel a reason to bring my running shoes and go for runs wherever we are in the world! I thought that'd be a pretty cool thing to have record of all the places I've visited--and run!

timely advice

I love the internet! I may be kind of a junkie sometimes, but it's nice to get some reassurance from active.com:

"As with starting any new activity, the first few weeks are always the hardest. 'The first three weeks are about making the effort to just get your run or walk in,' says Hadfield. 'By week three you'll feel 100 percent better.'"

That is definitely how I have been feeling. I'm just grateful I am making the effort to get out there and get the run in, no matter how slow or how short. This is coming up on week 2 for me; it's nice to know I'm not the "only one" who struggles the first little while :)

a new route

3 miles (1.5 miles to park, 20 min. playing, 1.5 miles back home)
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (30 min. total, 15 min/break/15 min.)
Low-mid 70's

Today I decided that we could all use a change of scenery. It seems to take me awhile to actually get out of the house by the time I feed Cooper around 6 a.m., feed Ian breakfast, then likely have to feed Cooper again... :) But I really am just proud I'm getting out of the house! I thought Ian would enjoy going to the park, so I google mapped a park near our house that we like and it was about 1.5 miles, so I figured round-trip that would be a good run. It was so nice to be out on the streets and not have constant speed bumps to run over! We went a backway, so most of the way was residential, with a short stretch down a more major road, which did have a bike lane, so that was nice. A big "Mack" (as Ian named it) truck drove by us pretty fast on our way home home and it felt a little close for comfort, but we were fine. I think I will try this route again. I am going to have to start my runs earlier and get going faster in the morning because it is going to be in the 90's real soon and it's only gonna get hotter from here on out.

We had fun playing at the park. There was even a big puddle at the bottom of one slide, which of course we didn't realize until Ian had gone down! But he was a good sport about it. Ian wants Cooper and I to go down the slides, but Cooper is still pretty freaked out by it. I think I ran a pretty good pace, especially on the way home, until almost the end, then I got a little worn-out.

I want to talk to Chris and see if we can get him out running with us sometimes, as well as consider ways and times that I could get out running on my own. I would need a running buddy, which I don't have right now. Just some things to think about.

and a check for wednesday

So I again was struggling with my attitude to get out today, but I did get a run in, so I feel good about that. I ran with the boys from about 9:10-9:30. It was probably just under 2 miles. Ian was antsy to get done and go to playgroup at the water playground, so it was a bit hard for me to feel motivated when he was whining for me to stop. I had a harder time running today, just was tired easy. Ian is getting sick of the speed bumps around the complex (as am I) but until I come up with other alternatives, I am very grateful I can at least run around the complex and get some running in.

I started a miles ticker today and am looking for good running sites to add to my sidebar, mostly just to add to the motivation pool. :) Right now my goal is to run about 10 miles a week. I figure that is 5 2-mile days, or 4 2-3 miles days, so that shouldn't be too hard. I can increase at anytime, but I figure that's a good place to start, so I have somewhat of a goal to aim for each week.

I think I will try and run the 4th of July 5K. I am sad I can't be in Provo and do the Freedom Festival this year. I think having races to work toward will help me have something to work toward and feel motivated by, since I'm having such a bad attitude! I don't know what my problem is; I've just felt pretty down lately. In general, not just running. But I am glad I'm at least getting out of the house and moving for a few miles. I feel like it's not much, but at least it is something and starting the habit, right?! :) My next plan is to find a training plan for the 5K. I'll keep looking for races after that; I am thinking one every month or two would probably be good, just to keep me working toward something. I'll try to find some in Provo to do this fall when we get back.

motivation

I feel like I am already hitting a slump and I haven't done much...last Friday I was getting the house ready for Chris' family to come, then we headed to the library, then met his parents and Val at El Pollo Loco for lunch, so no run on Friday. Val and I had intended to get up and go just she and I on Saturday morning, but by the time we got up and going, we didn't make time for it. We didn't even talk about going Monday, which we should have, though they were getting ready to go. They had a Ronald McDonald House run on Monday (Memorial Day); I thought that would be cool to do, but it didn't work out. I am realizing my attitude sucks lately. I just got done ready Annie Andrus' running blog (she's the one who gave me the idea to do this) and now I'm even more depressed! :( She was talking about getting up at 5:15 a.m. to go running every day. Then she was talking about doing her speed work on the track. It makes me feel like a slacker. I feel like I don't even care, but I really want to. I really do want to make running and fitness a bigger part of our lives. Especially to start better habits for our boys. Chris is wanting to get in better shape too, but we have a hard time knowing what to do. We are busy, but mostly we really just don't make time in the day for it. If we were willing, we could do a lot more. Chris has been doing push-ups lately, which is nice. I know he doesn't like his gut and is wanting to work on that, too. I'd like to find things we could do together; we just get stuck.

I am glad that I did get out today at least. I was working around the house, so we didn't start until about 11:15 a.m. I went for a 20-25 min. run with the boys around the complex, probably about 2 miles. We chased birds and Ian looked for fire hydrants, which he loves. He even told me he wanted me to slow down, I was running too fast. At least he thinks so! :) I need to be better at stretching, but did after the first lap. I usually forget to by the time we get home and it's time to nurse and do lunch and naptime. But I guess, at least I'm getting out, especially when I don't want to. I don't know why I am having such a bad attitude. I think a lot of the time it's 'cause there is other stuff to do and it takes a lot of work to get the boys out the door with the stroller and the stuff, to make sure there are drinks and snacks and that we are timing it right after and in between feedings and naps. I don't want to sound like a whiner, but it is hard for me to start a habit and get excited about this, when I feel like I just focus on all the excuses and reasons not to....I hope it will get easier. We went to the outlets yesterday, so Chris and I both have a new pair of running shoes; that should be fun. Now if I can just figure out how to get us both out there, planning to make fitness part of our lifestyle.

friendly fitness

It took me a little bit to get out of the house today. Luckily Chris texted me and said it was still pretty cool outside so I should go out. Sometimes I am kind of dumb about getting out there. It was around 11 a.m. I jogged about 2 miles, right as we were almost done with our 6th lap around the complex "track", we saw Alison Williams and her kids (they are in our ward and live in our complex) were outside their condo playing. They invited us in, so we packed my double jogger up their stairs (possible but not something I'd want to do every day! but didn't want to chance it getting stolen...) and let the kids play and she fed us lunch.

chasing birds

8:40-9:00 a.m. Probably about 1.5-2 miles. Ran around the complex with the boys in the jogger. We chased the birds, which Ian thought was hilarious. It was fun to have him laugh and have him enjoy the time while I exercised. Cooper is also being very patient, which is nice. Chris measured the distance in the car and it looks like it is just over 1/3 of a mile, so 3 times around the complex "track" is a little over a mile. Pretty good. I am moving pretty slow and figure the boys and the stroller probably weighs close to 75 lbs! So I kind of feel like a wuss right now but I'll keep working day by day and hopefully get better. We went to Scoop playground and played for about 1/2 hour, then Cooper was ready for a nap.

something is better than nothing

It was supposed to get up to 107 degrees today, so even though I slept in until almost 8:00 a.m., after Chris left for work, I decided we should at least spend a few minutes outside before it warmed up too much! It takes awhile to get the jogger and the kids and me ready, but we made it out the door by 8:45 a.m. I was hoping to run at least 20 minutes, but Ian was ready to go play. So I ran about 17 minutes, around the condo area about 3 times (probably about 1 mile). I want to drive the car around to figure out the mileage, but Chris and I are figured it's probably about 1/4 of a mile. It's not a lot, but I figure it's better than nothing and hopefully I'm starting some good habits! It's felt really good just to be out there and running again!! I fed Cooper while Ian played the "Scoop Park," the playground in our complex. It was a good morning.

jogger debut

The boys got us up early on Saturday morning, so I figured it was as good a time as any to get outside and start running again. I'd been feeling an itch to get running again, but it just hadn't happened yet with the the weather in Provo and Cooper being little (I know, you gotta love my list of excuses!). So we finally got my jogging stroller ready and took it out for the first time! We had a blast. I ran/walked to while Chris pushed the boys in the stroller. We went to Paradise Park which is about 1 mile from our condo. The park has a little trail. The sign by it says it is about 1/3 mile long. I jogged it a few times, once with Cooper in the jogger while he was sleeping. Ian had fun chasing birds and playing the on the playground with Chris. It was a great start to the morning! It warmed up pretty fast, but we did pretty well, and drank lots of water. Probably ran about 2 miles, on and off, plus some walking.