Lead Feet

Sometimes, it takes so much for me to get going on a run.  After a streak of really fabulous runs, yesterday's run was less than stellar.  My legs felt like they were a thousand pounds and my feet felt like they were made of lead.  I was only running 4 miles, and I struggled the entire time.  I think part of the problem is that it typically takes me 2.5 miles or so to really get into a run, so the shorter runs don't allow me enough time to find my mojo.  Although, sometimes, the entire run just feels like a flop regardless of distance.  I think that is what yesterday's run would have been like, whether it was 4 miles or 14 miles.  I just wasn't feeling it.  That's the amazing and frustrating aspect of running.  No matter how long you have been running for or how far you have run, there is always the chance that a run will be less than stellar.  I'm just hoping that yesterday was a one time thing and not the beginning of a running rut.  I have been in those before, and they are no fun.

But, even on my worst running days, I can't help but smile when I run by this spot.  This is around the block from my house, and it is a beautiful view of the lake.  Each morning, it is an incredible feeling to run past this spot and see the sun over the water, the green mountains of Vermont in the distance and the boats gliding quietly in the early morning.  I always know that life is good when I see this on my short morning run.  Quite honestly, this picture doesn't do the location justice.  I tried to capture the magic of the water, but sometimes you just have to experience it firsthand.

CSA Pick Up Day!

Tuesday is our CSA pick up day, and it is like Christmas morning for me.  Each week, I get so excited to receive the email from our farm telling us all about the fresh veggies we will be getting for the week.  Unlike some other CSA's, which just give their members pre-made boxes of veggies, ours functions on a point system.  Each week, we have ten points to spend on various veggies (and sometimes fresh flowers).  When we arrive at the farm, all of the veggies are sorted into different boxes and a point value is assigned to each one.  We are able to walk around the tables and choose what we want to spend our points on.  I prefer this system, because it allows me to choose more of the veggies that we love without getting stuck with a lot of something that isn't our favorite for weeks on end. 

Last year, we went with a CSA that provided pre-sorted boxes each week.  After six weeks of swiss chard, I never wanted to see it again.  This year, I can choose when and how much of each vegetable I want.  I also like the point system because it allows me to walk around and choose vegetables and make meal plans in my head.  I'm able to choose vegetables that will work well in a dish together and I can pick specific herbs that I think will enhance the flavors of what I'm going to prepare.

Some days, I bring the kids with me, and other days I stop at the farm by myself on my way home from work.  I prefer to bring the kids because it makes them more connected to the food they eat.  Last week, Amelia had so much fun picking out veggies that she started eating them while she was still walking around the farm.  She loves seeing the people that own the farm each week and she is beginning to understand the importance of buying local and supporting small-scale agriculture. 

This week seemed to be a heavy "green" week.  We got tons of lettuce, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, basil, cucumbers, zucchini and other herbs.  We (well, Amelia and Ben) also chose some beautiful sunflowers.

How can this picture not make you smile.  I love to see my veggies piled up on the table when we get back from the farm and take great pleasure in finding homes for all of them in the refrigerator.  It's my favorite part of the week.

So, now that I have all of these fresh veggies, I have to plan what I am going to make with them throughout the week.  The lettuce and cucumbers will be used in salads, which my husband, Paul, and I eat every day.  The broccoli will be eaten with hummus this Thursday while watching an evening family concert at our local Cultural Center .  The basil will become pesto.  The zucchini will be made into zucchini bread or muffins for quick breakfasts as we all head to camp, daycare, and work. 

The kohlrabi will be the experimental vegetable of the week.  I am determined to make something new with it and have been searching the internet for recipes.  I think I have finally narrowed it down to two possibilities:

Kohlrabi and Shredded Carrot Salad 

Kohlrabi and Cucumber Spring Rolls

So, that's the plan for this week.  I'm excited to see what veggies next week brings.

Going the Distance

There is nothing I love more than a long run.  When I started running last year, I never expected to enjoy distance running.  I struggled to make it even 1.5 miles and assumed that I would build my distance up to a maximum of 3 or 4 miles.  That's because I planned to use running as a form of exercise.  However, as I fell more in love with running and started to sign up for races, my outlook changed.  Once I registered for my first half marathon, I knew that I would have to learn to run longer distances.  What I didn't expect was how much I would love distance running.

Shorter runs and intervals are fine and dandy and they serve a great purpose, but nothing gives me more pleasure than a good, long run.  The longer the better.  There's just something about the way I feel while I watch the miles go up on my garmin that makes it all so worth it.  Not to mention the feeling I get when I finish a long run and feel the comfortable ache and tiredness in my legs.  The rest of the day, I feel great because I know that if I accomplish nothing else, I can at least say that I ran X number of miles before most people were even out of bed. 

I know that distance running is daunting for some, especially when you have never run more than 3 or 4 miles, but it really is attainable.  It's all a matter of building up your endurance slowly.  That's why I like Hal Higdon's half marathon training program.  It gradually increases long runs each week so that you are only adding a mile at a time.  Trust me, adding a mile every week or so is not difficult, and after a few weeks the mileage you are able to run will dramatically increase.

I can remember the first time I ran 10 miles.  I was beaming by the end of the run.  The feeling of accomplishment at the end was like nothing else.  During the run I struggled, but I kept going and knew that I would be so proud of myself when I was done.  After all, a large part of distance training is actually mental training.  When you are training for a half marathon, you are not just developing physical endurance, you are also developing mental endurance.  This is why I know that I will run a full marathon someday.  As far as I'm concerned, it is just a matter of adding more miles and developing more self-confidence and mental endurance.  It's a challenge I'm excited to take on.

This morning, I ran just under 8 miles (7.91) and I felt great.  As I was finishing my run, I thought about how far I've come.  A year ago, I could barely run 1.5 miles and today I ran almost 8 miles and it didn't even feel like a long run.  My concept of distance running has completely changed.  In the past, an 8 mile run seemed so out of reach.  Now, it's a regular run for me.  It's funny how that works.

The Hills are Alive

Over the past year, I have managed to run on mostly flat terrain with the occasional easy hill.  My first half marathon was pretty flat, with the exception of a small hill and a moderate hill.  So, I have been able to avoid major hill work...until now.  I'm registered for a half marathon in October that is described as quite hilly.  So, to prepare for the half marathon and add some new challenges to my running, I have started doing the dreaded hill work.  To be completely honest, I have avoided hills for the past year because they scare me.  I'm afraid of the level of endurance they require and I'm scared that they will make it impossible for me to continue running at a solid pace.  But, as we all know, running requires that we overcome our mental challenges as well as out physical challenges.  So, I'm going to look at this new phase in my training as a way to move out of my comfort zone and build my mental endurance.

Yesterday, I went for a 5.5 mile run and purposely chose a route that was full of hills.  Not just small, easy hills, but big, long hills.  Hills that make you sweat harder and slow down and curse the entire way up.  There were three of these difficult hills on the course, along with quite a few more manageable hills.  All I can say is...WOW!  Those things are brutal.  Now I know why I have avoided them for the past year.  Even though I only ran 5.5 miles, the run was more difficult than many of my longer runs because of the difficulty of the hills.  However, in some sick, sadistic way, I really enjoyed it.  I liked pushing myself and struggling over each hill.  I liked the way the hills made my legs and lungs feel, and I really liked the sense of accomplishment I felt when I made it home.  After all, isn't that what running is all about?  Challenging ourselves and facing our fears so that we can come out stronger and faster on the other side?

So, the rest of my half marathon training will include hill work.  But, rather than dread it, I'm actually looking forward to it.  That's progress, right?

These are the days

Our entire family is on vacation this week.  That means no school or summer camp, no daycare, and no work.  We aren't traveling at all, and are just spending our days taking part in the activities our own region has to offer.  We are enjoying sunny days full of swimming, parades, fireworks, playing with friends, eating good food, and just doing whatever we feel like at any given moment.  I have been running almost every morning since I have nowhere to be and can go for however long I want.  The kids have been eating their share of popsicles and parade candy and are keeping themselves busy with random outside activities.  It's a wonderful, magical week and I don't want it to end. 

The Year I Became a Runner

This morning, I had an incredible run.  It was hard and hot and left my entire body feeling tingly and refreshed.  For those of you who are runners, you know the kind of run I'm talking about.  For those of you who are non-runners, I can only say that the kind of run I had today is the reason why runners run.  We don't experience these runs everyday.  In fact, some days our runs just feel awful.  But, every once in a while, the stars align and we have a run that is so awesome that it makes us want to keep lacing up our shoes and hitting the road. 

The morning was warm and sunny, but not yet oppressively hot.  I set out on my own with my music and my garmin and let my feet guide me.  I only had about an hour, and I was able to hit 6.3 miles by the time I was done.  I came home tired, yet invigorated, and dripping with sweat.  The run was perfect.  It was the kind of run that makes you smile the entire time because you know how well it is going and you can tell that you're going to feel great when it is over. 

Toward the end of my run, I passed the twelve mile marker from my first half marathon and a smile crept across my face.  I remembered that day in April and how I felt when I hit mile 12.  I was so ready to be done, but I also knew that I was going to finish strong.  After months of training, I had made it almost all the way through 13.1 miles.  For me, this was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.  I know there will be other half marathons (I'm signed up for one in October), but none will ever feel like my first.  Passing that mile marker made me think about my first half marathon, but it also made me think about the past year of my life - the year I became a runner. 

(At the finish line of my first half marathon)

Last July, in an effort to get in shape and lose the baby weight that I was still carrying around one year after my son, Bennett, was born, I began to exercise.  In the beginning, I went to the YMCA and used the elliptical machine.  However, a few weeks into my exercise routine, I wanted to do something different.  One morning, I put on my sneakers, grabbed my MP3 player and set out to run around my neighborhood.  I had always wanted to be a runner and had tried to start running many times over the past decade.  Unfortunately, the frustration of not being able to run long distances right away always caused me to stop before I developed any endurance. 

For some reason, this morning in the end of July was different.  I struggled the entire run (1.6 miles), but I somehow found the determination to keep going.  I mean, I did have moments where I thought I might actually die, but I found a way to keep moving my feet.  I might have been barely shuffling at some points, but I kept running.  Through it all, I had a constant dialogue going in my head.  I reminded myself that I gave birth to two children without any pain medication, and I didn't have the option of stopping during that process (even though I wanted to at points).  I told myself that running isn't supposed to be easy, or everyone would do it.  I contemplated giving up, but something kept me going.  I knew if I could make it around my neighborhood without stopping, I would continue on as a runner.  Something just clicked that day, and I have been running ever since. 

In those first few weeks, I struggled each time I ran and thought of just giving up many times, but I kept going.  I laced up my sneakers, grabbed my music, and went running.  I was able to add more distance to my runs, and it was an amazing feeling to see the mileage increase.  It was tangible results.  Instead of measuring my progress by pounds lost or dress sizes dropped, I was measuring my progress by how far and how often I was running.  Then, one day it happened.  In conversation with someone else, I called myself a runner, and I haven't been the same since. 

Today, I ran 6.3 miles and it was an incredible run.  But, it's not the farthest I have run and it wasn't even the most incredible run I have ever had.  Over the past year, I have gone from running 1.6 miles to running 13.1 miles.  I have run 5K races and a half marathon.  I have run in intense humidity, rain, snow, sleet and 5 degree weather.  I have run on indoor tracks and treadmills, and I have run on the open road.  I have had runs that made me feel incredible and I have had runs that made me feel miserable.  Through it all, my love for running has grown

(Finishing my first 5K)

I love running because it allows me to see life, and myself, differently.  I am more capable of getting through challenges because of the mental endurance that I have built through running.  I am more physically fit and able to play with my children because of the physical endurance that I have developed.  But, more than any of that, I am more aware of who I am because of running.  It gives me time to think and reflect on my life.  When I come home from a run, I am more grounded and patient, which makes my entire family happy.  Sometimes, I question why I keep running during a particularly bad run or when I am in a running rut.  However, runs like the one I had today always remind me why I do.  Every time I lace up my shoes, I have the possibility of having the perfect run.  That's what runners strive for, whether we run 5K's or ultramarathons.

This past year, I became a runner.  I plan to be one for as long as my legs will keep going.

The Candy Dish

Like many six year olds, my daughter has an affinity for candy.  Unfortunately, she inherited my sweet tooth. Each candy-producing holiday, we add her newly acquired stash to the large candy bowl that sits atop the refrigerator.  She then spends the next two weeks (or longer) begging almost non-stop for candy.  It's frustrating, to say the least.    As a family that prides ourselves on healthy eating, it was quite disturbing when my daughter began to display her candy fixation.  After all, we had avoided giving her sugar and artificial ingredients well beyond her second year of life, hoping that she wouldn't develop a taste for sweets.  I know, I know, all you parents are smirking at your computer screens about now.  As we "experienced" parents well know, keeping the sugar away in the formative years does not guarantee that kids will develop a love for broccoli over chocolate (although I will argue that they can discover a balanced love of all foods).

As my daughter progressed through the preschool and early elementary years, her love of sugary snacks grew.  So did my fear that she would become a candy-obsessed, vegetable-hating sugar junkie...well, not really, but you get the picture.  My husband and I spent countless hours discussing how to teach her moderation and self-control around sweets.  We didn't want to spend the next ten years as the sugar police, nor did we want her to eat unlimited amounts of candy.  This is where the candy dish came into play...

One of our family friends was telling me about her ten year old daughter and her intense love of sweets one day (we were actually in the midst of running our first half marathon).  As part of the conversation, she explained the strategy that she and her partner use with their daughter to teach her moderation and self-control.  At the beginning of each week, the daughter is allowed to fill a candy dish with seven pieces of candy, which she can eat at any time without having to ask.  When the candy is gone, it's gone.  There are no refills.  She has to wait until the following week to get more candy.  I thought it was a brilliant idea and returned home full of optimism about the new experiment.

Since my daughter is only six (almost 7), we decided that five pieces of candy would be enough for the week.  We established some rules for the dish and then sat down with our daughter to explain the concept to her.  She was so excited to have her own candy dish. 

In the beginning, she would sheepishly look at us as she went to her candy dish numerous times in a row to eat a piece of candy.  We didn't say anything since it was her right to eat as much as she wanted.  The first couple of weeks, she ate all of the candy in the first two days and was left with nothing sweet for the rest of the week.  After a few weeks, the novelty wore off, and she now eats the candy sporadically throughout the week.  In fact, there are some weeks that she ends the week with candy still in her dish.  By giving her control, we have eliminated the novelty of sweets.  Plus, she's learning to moderate.

Candy Dish Rules:

• She cannot eat the candy first thing in the morning before eating breakfast.  All candy consumption must occur after the first healthy meal of the day has been eaten.
• If she doesn't eat her dinner and other main meals, the candy dish goes away for the week.  She has to regularly eat healthy foods to be able to indulge in sweets.
• She must brush her teeth well both morning and night.  If she doesn't brush thoroughly, the candy dish goes away for the week.
• If she has a day of heavy sweets (i.e. a birthday party or other gathering where there are lots of sweets eaten), she must refrain from eating out of the candy dish for the remainder of the day.

I definitely think the candy dish concept would work for a lot of different children.  It helps them learn to control the amount of sweets they eat and also how to understand what a healthy amount of sugar is.  We will definitely be continuing the candy dish at our house.  Hmmm...I wonder if it would work with my weekly allotment of chocolate...