Sewing: Zip yo' lip, girl!

My sisters can attest to the fact that I was a bit lippy when I was younger and my step-dad's favorite phrase was, "zip yo' lip!"  Sometimes in jest but most of the time not...I don't think I ever really learned my lesson...

Anyway, anyone ever started a hobby and then got to the point where you knew you should be taking bigger steps but were scared?  Join my club.  My fear came in the form of two rows of teeth neatly fitted together, ranging from 7 to 22 inches and a wide array of colors. 

The zipper.

Since the beginning of the year, I have been determined to sew in a zipper.  But scared as I was the closest I would get to even TOUCHING a zipper was buying them on sale and stashing them away telling myself, "someday soon, someday soon".  Every time I'd open my sewing drawer, there they would lay gritting their surly teeth at me.  But I would quickly slam the drawer and find something else to do so  I could forget about them.

But today, was the day.  Don't ask me why.  The weather was bad, the sun didn't shine ONCE and I never left the house.  So, it wasn't like there was a gorgeous day with that magical sunshine beaming through my windows inspiring me to be brave or anything.  No.  Today was just normal.

 

So, I pulled out some fabric that I bought on sale months ago (hoping to make myself a skirt...with a zipper.  Never did.) and set to work.  Not without interruptions though.  Because it wouldn't be a challenge without a few hiccups, right?

My baby girl was so, so grumpy today.  She is still sick and very clingy.  She sat on my lap and cried.

And cried...but it was so cute.

But I finally got her to bed and dug back into my very scary zipper.

Until I realized that I need to be sewing all of my seams at 5/8.  And I wasn't.  Seam ripper to the rescue.  

(if you look closely you can see the two seams.  I had to rip out the outer seam)

Then it came time for the zipper and I was nervous.  I pulled out the zipper foot and fumbled around.

Pinned my zipper down and set to sewing.  And it worked!!  It seriously, seriously sewed right into place.  Like magic.  Wow, following the directions makes things so much easier.

And I really like my skirt.

Fits great and I can't wait to wear it in public.  I'm going to sew another skirt with another zipper on another day.

Zip-i-dee-do-da, zip-i-dee-ay!

Running Update: Laced up my shoes today

My neck feels better.  I think that's because I practically pulled it off my shoulders to twist and move my very, very tender muscles in an effort to convince them to disentangle themselves from the back of my brain.  A few tears were shed yesterday in my endeavor.  It's ok.  I feel a million times better today.  There is still a twinge if I move my neck a certain way, but at least I can move my neck!

Today I went to the gym with my babies.  Mistake number one.  Walked in an hour AFTER the babysitter for the gym had gone home.  So, no sitter for the kids.  I decided that I would try to run as fast as I could while the children entertained themselves in the playroom...right next to me.  Mistake number two.  I wasn't even at a mile when Cylas pops his head out and yells REALLY loud that he has to "go peeeee!"
"Just go, it's ok!  Just go!"  I'm huffing and puffing and my neck hurts because I'm twisting it the wrong way so I can see him better.  I almost fall off and he's still staring at me not moving.

At a mile an a half, I hear screeching and Cylas opens the door again this time to tell me Roma wants to talk to me.  She has PBJ all over her face and she's crying.  Rats.  My treadmill is still churning at 6.2 mph.  I hop off, give her a quick kiss and dart back to the mill.  My little red numbers smile back at me 1.3.  Shoot.  how am I going to make it to 2 miles without my kids killing themselves...  Solution.  Run faster.  7.0 it is and I'm sweating fiercely, at this point, and hoping that Cylas doesn't open that door again because I just know that I will fly off backwards like somebody from the Matrix kicked me and slam into what ever is behind me.  Thankfully, he doesn't and I successfully completed a 2.1 mile run in a little over 20 minutes...slow,  but pretty ok considering I was on a treadmill running for my life. 

7.4

Don't be disappointed.  I'm going to be running tomorrow, too.  Maybe another 5 miler?  This time SANS children, blessed Mary mother of God save me.

Silent cheerleaders?  Show me some love. 

Running Update: Discouraged

I thought for sure after almost two weeks I would have recovered, but it's not so.  Two weeks ago I hurt my neck and ever since I've been in severe pain.  It affects my sleep.  My nights have included me grabbing my own neck and holding it tightly so I can turn my body into a new position.  I haven't had a full range of motion in my neck this whole time and it's making simple tasks that much harder.  Picking up my children, doing dishes, making dinner, cleaning up the house.

Monday I ran full tilt beating my treadmill time and coasting through 5.3 miles like it was nothing.  THAT was glorious.  But now, it's Wednesday and I know that I need to put in another 5 miles but I'm not sure my neck will allow me.  I can't even swallow my food or drink without it hurting!!  It's horrible.  So, if once again, my miles are low this week bear with me, please.  My body is letting me know that I have to rest and it's KILLING ME!  My legs are burning to go for a run, but I don't want to continue to aggravate my neck muscles.  Please pray that I recover soon, because I don't know how much more I can take...sleepless nights, inhabited exercise and constant pain.

Grrrr.

Silent cheerleaders, you know what to do.

Running Update: Water

I can't truly enjoy my water unless it's cold.  Very cold.  So, I keep a glass in the fridge.  My glass is always frosty and it's the best water ever.  It's also a sort of challenge to see how many times I can empty my glass throughout the day.

I read once that when you're going on long runs you should only drink when thirsty.  I guess that makes sense.  Well, I drink my glass down at least four or more times a day.  I do have my "off" days where I get too busy, but I try to make sure I'm plenty hydrated.

Anyway, last night, I went running and I almost stopped at a mile and a half!  My legs felt like lead or blocks, or something awful.  I dragged myself up to two miles, almost fell off the treadmill, even, then told myself that if I can make it to two then I could do NO LESS than 3.2 (a 5k).  The little red numbers flicked up to 3.2 and I figured I should try and push to 3.5.  My legs still felt like I had monsters gnawing on them but I couldn't stop because my little red numbers were up to 3.7.  So, I polished the evening off with 4.1, 140 abs sets and 70 arm reps.  I suppose I should be fair and tell you all that I had been up since 2:45am with two sick children, didn't eat lunch and didn't take a nap.  REST and FOOD are important!!  uhm, like, duh.

Today I went to the gym and it was like I was a new woman.  I did an hour and a half of Zumba and then a 3.6 mile run.
Total miles for the week:

16.3 

Don't know how to feel about this number.  The goal I set for myself is to have logged at least 20 + miles a week.   Should I beat myself up?  Mmmm, naw, I ran and I ran, and then pushed when I felt like I couldn't even lift my legs.

Here we go silent cheerleaders.  Another month is on the horizon.  Three cheers for staying committed this whole month!

**The YTD mileage summary: 76 miles, so far, for the month of January**

Running Update: Coping

To be honest, this is getting me down:

It's pretty when it first arrives, but then it hangs around and hangs around and...you're like, dude, you've sooo worn out your welcome.  Who likes 20 degree temps anyway?  Not to mention that when the sun goes down it can get as cold as 7.  Noway.  I have had it.

Last night I ran 4.4 and felt great!  I could have kept running but I had a workout partner that I had to meet up with.  I love having someone to keep me company.

The last part of my run I kicked the incline up to 6.5% and ran at 6.7mph.  I was hiking my knees high and focusing on my breathing.  It was hard.  I miss running on REAL hills, though. Soon enough, soon enough.

O!  And before I forget, I've decided to cross train two days a week.  Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be doing yoga and pilates.  It's soo important to strengthen your surrounding muscles.  When I first started running, my partner tried to express how crucial it was to stretch and do abs after our runs.  I wasn't into it.  First of all, I could barely breath because she was so much faster than I was and I spent the whole time trying to keep up, so by the time we got back it was all I could do to not fall on my face.

But now, you won't catch me sitting down after a run; I immediately fold over into a nice stretching routine followed by 130 abs.  The difference between my pre  "I'm-too-tired-to-stretch" running and my now running is huge. 

Bottom line: DON'T be lazy.  Think smart and do what you need to do to protect your body from injury.

Silent cheerleaders, I'm not running out of steam, I'm just warming up.  Hip-hip!

8.6 miles, this week, and counting


**The YTD mileage summary: 59.7**

RUNNING UPDATE: Food

I'm not an expert or anything, but I do have rudimentary knowledge on what I should be eating to keep myself healthy.

I'm not super crunchy...but I'm crunchy enough.  (for those of you not familiar with the term it simply means the difference between tree-hugging healthy and Trader Joe's healthy.) I enjoy snacking on Soy Nuts, Cliff bars, fruits, and guzzling Naked Protein drinks.

I supposed I should give you all an idea of what I put into myself to make sure I have energy and that I'm supplying myself with what my body needs for my workouts and well...just general health!

My breakfasts don't really vary much.  I LOVE breakfast. You can usually find me eating oatmeal, eggs and toast or Cream of Wheat with hash browns and eggs.  Sometimes, not very often, I do eat bacon.  I do love bacon...see, I'm not totally crunchy.

My lunches...wow, for some reason I'm TOTALLY clueless how to feed myself come lunch time.  BUT, if I do eat, I love making a turkey sandwich on Ciabatta with a little mayo, mustard , monterey jack cheese and avocado.  And if I'm out and about during lunch hour and didn't pack anything along, it's Subway all the way.  I eat the sweet chicken Teriyaki with lots of veggies.  Yum!  And my kids love that place, too. Other times when I'm at the house...well, it's a free for all and probably not as healthy as it could be.  I will make the kids something to eat but I won't eat.  Weird.

Dinner...now we're talking.  I love making dinner.  Sometimes it's a six hour process from start to finish with prep time.  My family is my inspiration.  We tend to eat a lot of chicken and pork.  I always, always serve a fresh veggie and then I have the starch, either potato or rice.

Lately, I've been obsessing more and more about how many calories are in my food and portions for myself.  For some reason, I eat so much.  I'm not gaining weight because I'm running so much, but my appetite has hit the stars.  Kind of cool and nerve wracking because I'm constantly looking for food.  I feel like a wild animal...hah.

But here is a list of important vitamins and the foods which provide them.  Take a look and try to add these to your diet if you haven't already:

Folic acid -- This usual helps regulate blood pressure and if you've ever been pregnant you know all about getting enough of this...
Food that supply it  Lentils, spinach, asparagus, whole wheat pasta, pinto beans, breakfast cereals.  The list goes on.


Niacin --  This increases your "good" cholesterol and lowers the "bad" cholesterol.  But, before you start taking pills or anything, try to find out if you're allergic.  Niacin can cause a severe reaction that makes you think your skin is burning up.
Foods that supply it  Tuna, salmon, turkey, grass-fed beef, potato.  The list, once again, goes on.


 Vitamin D --  Ok, so we all know what this does for you...calcium!  It also helps boost immunity, helps prevent autoimmune conditions (meaning when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system), lowers blood pressure.  There are so many positive things that happen when you have enough of the D!
Foods that supply it  Salmon, milk fortified with vitamin D, egg yolk, lowfat yogurt, white mushrooms...


Selenium --  To be honest, I had never heard of this mineral...it's a mineral...before.  I did a little research and found that it protects your cells against the effects of free radicals (which are atoms with an odd number of electrons that are running free, radical, and are trying to attack the nearest stable molecule.  This begins the process of disturbing healthy cells.).  Bottom line selenium helps your immune system and your thyroid gland.
Foods that supply it   Walnuts, chicken, turkey, fish, onions, whole-wheat bread, shrimp.


   Now, this isn't a comprehensive list of all the vitamins or minerals that you need but it's to give you a general idea... I hope it helps.  Be sure to count your calories and remember that if you're going to workout...or at least consider what you did to be a work out make sure it's NO LESS than a 500 calorie burn.  You must spend those calories, otherwise they'll end up sitting on your hips and putting chins on your earlobes!

Eat healthy, breath easy and live happy!!

RUNNING UPDATE:

A little pre-mature but so necessary.

Tonight I ran 4.2 and once again, I was smiling the whole way.  You know, when I first started this smiling thing, it was hard.  But now, I don't think it would be natural for me to run without smiling.  I secretly hope there are people in the gym stealing glances at my goofy grin and thinking, "how cool is that?  she looks horrible, all sweaty and a huge Afro, but she's still smiling."

Yes, I do secretly hope this.

Either way, I'll never know.  But smiling sure does help me.

I've been reading about other runners and their successes and it does a couple of different things for me.  It makes me cry and smile and then I feel like the biggest lump in the world knowing that a 75 year old nun (yes NUN!!) has completed two Hawaii IronMan competitions and 37 marathons amongst other huge athletic accomplishments.  Yeah...how do you feel about that?  Brutal.

Iiiii, just have to tilt back on my little Puma heels and think, "self, stay on track, stay with the goal you have set for yourself.  You are not those other people, you are Misha."

But I would TOTALLY be lying if I didn't say that I was just a weeee bit jealous of that lovely lady. 

Let's give it up for the mother of two who was just shown up by woman three quarters of a century old.  Nevermind.  Not a fair comparison.

Let's give it up for the mother of two who has been working at her goal as steadfastly as possible and doing more than she ever thought.  

Now that's better...