Running: Update~ Sewing: Update

I haven't written on this blog in so long.  But let me give you a quick overview.

Since my etsy shop, I have been really, really busy sewing.  I haven't made many sales through etsy itself, but word of mouth.  Etsy has really helped though!  I am sewing a new Punk Monkey almost everyday and it consumes a lot of my time.  It takes me two days to sew one monkey...sometimes three.  And that, only because I have children and I can not sit down and speed through the process.

My running:  SO discouraged.  I haven't stopped.  I run every week, but my shoes and schedule have put the skids on me.  My shoes are giving me fits.  I busted on of the shoe lace holder-contraptions on my new Pumas, putting those out of commission.  So, I returned to my old faithfuls and those started giving me shin splints.  NO bueno.  But, I did order a new pair of shoes and....well, I will post on that when they come in.  I also, FINALLY, got my Garmin Forerunner!!  I am so, so excited to share with you all my experience with it.

So, that is it, for now.  Sorry for lack of posting.  I really need to get on the ball.  I do have another race scheduled, so I'm not down and completely out!

Running: We were a motely crew...

Roma. Getting ready for our run. Later, she ditched the cap. Too hot

 My son is amazing.  He is five, but does things and has ideas that I don't think a five year old should do or have.  I don't mean bad things, just things.  Like the other day as we were driving back to the house he kept pestering me to stop the van.  Finally, I did.  Slightly irritated I turned and asked him, "What? Do you want to walk to the house?"  His face got a little red and he said, "Yes.  Can I have your phone?"  What??  Well, it was for him to call me, of course, to tell me to slow down as I followed him in the van.  I stared at him open mouth and a little buggy-eyed. 

Shoes of choice. chucks. pumas. watersocks.

 Finally, we settled on him running ahead and me following behind in the van.  He wasn't kidding.  He wanted to run the rest of the way to the house.  A full half mile without stopping.  At one point, I pulled up beside him and he said, "Mom, I HAVE to make it all the way home."
Ok, baby boy, you do that...I'm right here.  Afterward, there was much hand clapping and high-fiving.  He did amazing.  Then, he told me we needed to do it again, but this time I had to run WITH him.  We set out on a three mile run/walk.  It was very hard, but he finished it.  A little tears and frustration but he wanted to try it again in a couple of days.

Yes, I am running and photographing.

 At one point, I let him push the stroller, and he did.  Right down a very steep embankment and into the bushes.  Roma was stunned, sitting face flush in the bush, Cylas was petrified and apologizing, kissing his baby sister and I was breathless worried that my baby girl was going to catapult headlong into that mess.  She was fine.
It took some elbow grease to get her up and out of there though.

Seconds before Cylas loses control of the stroller...into that thicket.

They say children imitate how their parents are.  If papa and mama pump iron, the little ones are more likely to gain an interest for that or for fitness, but if papa and mama are sitting, sedentary, munching chips gulping soda, and clicking on the keyboard all day long....well, hello, we all know what happens.  Too many children struggle with obesity, are pre-diabetic or have a multitude of health problems due to their weight.  A lot of parents are in denial or get too frustrated to try and change all the bad habits that have been created in the home.  

We aren't the perfect, healthy eaters but we eat very well-rounded.  We educate our children on which foods are good or bad and the effects it can have on the body.  Ask my five year old about McDonald's....he'll tell you why you shouldn't be eating it.  Seriously. 

He picked me a flower toward the last part of our run. He called it a sunflower because it was bright yellow.

This little running adventure gave me such a boost of confidence, that I AM doing the right thing and my children want to be healthy eaters and physically active like their papa and me. 

Silent cheerleaders, what are you doing with your children?  Have any cool habits or activities that you would like to share??

Running: 10k, all the way!

Me and God, we got a thing going on...

Put in a special request for little to no humidity and a cool day.  Got just what I wanted, which was the icing on the cake for my race today.  My 6.22 mile race...

I can't even begin to describe the type of emotions I had today.  All of them were good, but they were just all over the place.  Today was my first ever 10k.  It was amazing!  Compared to my last race, which I had a stitch in my side the whole way through because I made myself so nervous, this was so much more comfortable.  I had a few issues with my nerves, but nothing that stopped me cold. 
Before the race I kept this phrase in my head, "zen out".  I needed to zen myself out.  It worked.  I wasn't completely calm, because you need your nerves, but I was focused and at ease.  

There were only 86 registered racers, very small, and an even smaller amount running the 10k.  

 everyone setting their watches...race is about to start!

I immediately looked for people to pace with.  Felt like the new girl on the playground asking for friends.  HAH.  But it's important to have a little nucleus of people to run with.  

 Meet Chris and Sue

I stayed with them until the 2.5 mile mark, then shot off -- and never looked back. 

When I saw the big spray painted letters on the ground telling me I was at 3 miles, I smiled because I felt really good.  During the first 2 miles my nerves had been acting up making me worry whether or not I was running too slow.  But I wasn't.

Edging up on 3.5 miles there was a huge spray painted smiley face saying "It's all downhill from here" and I ran like I was being chased...I used the hills to gain time.  I wasn't afraid to run pellmell.  It was at the 5 mile mark that caught up with a lady, in a pink shirt, who I hadn't seen since the beginning of the race.  

The last few yards to the finish line...

She set my finish pace for me.  Rockin it out hard next to a lady at least 25 years my senior.  She kept me going, man.  All the way to the end we were side by side, I just couldn't back down.  Then, I dug deep and finished in an all out run.  My official time was 51 min and some seconds putting me roughly around 8 min, give or take, a mile.  In my age group, I finished first...but I can't even say that THAT was the highlight of my day.

My son Cylas was.  

A month ago when I got the email for this race, I noticed that there was a quarter mile run for kids his age.  I really wanted him to run it.  And today he decided that he wanted to do it.

When they shot off the starting line, I cried a little.  My little boy was in a REAL race!  He did so well.  He didn't come in first or even second, but he finished.  He didn't fall, he didn't stop, he passed a whole bunch of other little kids and he made it to the end.  Then he cried, said his tummy hurt and that his feet were sore.  New shoes??  Pumas, perhaps??  Yes, I have a little runner in the making.  So very, very proud of my baby boy.

Watching all those little legs running as hard and as fast as they could was totally amazing.  You know, I've read that if you want to learn how to run...watch a child.  They run without abandon, are light on their feet and their posture is perfect.  As we grow older, we tend to tighten up, hunch and run with heavy feet...these were truly little lightening bugs.  So sweet.

Oh, and my little brother ran the mile, too.  That was huge for him...very proud of him, too.

Today was just spectacular and it really boosted my confidence for the half-marathon in my future.  I was also really happy about Cy's determination to run and hope that both of my children embrace athletics with a fierce competitiveness.

Right after my race, tired and sweaty but one happy momma!

Me, with Cylas after my race and right before his...I'm on the phone with my dad telling him about my race!