Run, Run, Hike

The focus of this past weekend was definitely exercise and that was awesome!  It was double awesome because it was nice outside, in the upper 50s and no wind the entire 3 day long weekend.  To top it all off Aiden was there for most of it!  It's nice having extra time with him but it does make it a little harder to go back to work.

Saturday:  5k Pajama People Pizza Run  yes a fairly long name but it accurately describes the race :-)  I won this race entry and it was so close to my house one of the easiest races I've entered.  Poor hubs didn't think so because I sent the poor guy to packet pick up for me and he went with A and fought traffic in construction to get there and be told I wasn't on the list.  I should have told him that he needed to say that I had "won" or was "comped" my race entry because I guess they had a super secret special list for that.  In the end I got my packet on race day, Aiden got his nap after packet pick up and was no longer cranky and I made it!  No I did not wear PJs to do the run although I enjoyed seeing everyone else creative outfits!  I did enjoy a personal pizza after since it was at 1 pm and I didn't eat lunch to avoid upset stomach during the run.  I had fun and got to hang out with some great chicas!  Hubs was kind enough to watch Aiden while I ran this one.  Considering that I was still sick with a sinus & headache thing I was pretty happy with my results.  This loop is so close to my house that I run it regularly and it kicks my butt everytime for some reason the hill on this loop messes with my mind!  It was really 3.35 miles, I did it in 30:45 placed 36 OA out of 172 and felt good after!  So that's a win in my book!  My age group had some really fast and really awesome ladies that did amazing!

Saturday night:  Stroll around ponds to check out this art project but we missed the sunset so didn't get the shots I really wanted but we enjoyed our outing and Lexi thought she could get at some of the ducks until she realized it would require her getting wet!

Sunday: Albuquerque Road Runners Handicap run.  Hubs and I got to run this one together and Aiden went on a walk with his grandparents while we ran but we all went to the potluck after.  These are always super fun events and an awesome benefit to being part of this local club!!  This one was a prediction run which means they change the course every year and you can't wear a watch and you are supposed to guess your time based on the distance.  The 2 person team with the smallest difference wins.  I underestimated the difficulty of this trail run (lots of loose rocks and walking) and also underestimated how much Saturday's run had taken out of me so I had guessed 35 for the 3.25 miles but really ran it in 39.  The second I started running I could tell I wasn't going to have enough Umphhh in me so I felt bad because hubs had to pass me pretty early on and he ha
d guessed 35:30 and ran it in 37 so he did much better.  Still had lots of fun!

Monday:  Our first family hike!!!  Lexi was super excited because there was still a few small patches of snow for her to frolic in and we let her off leash for a little while when there was no one around!  Aiden didn't cry in the ergo carrier and actually fell asleep on the way back.  We only did 2 miles because we weren't sure how long he'd tolerate it but he did awesome!!  We forgot to put sunscreen on his little hands but hubs improvised and put some chapstick w/SPF on them :-)  My mom went along with us and took a few pics.  It was quite the family affair.

Patience, Persistence, and dedication is key...

I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat asking yourself "Natasha, what is patience, persistence, and dedication key to?"  Not so much?  Ok well I'm gonna tell you anyway!  It's key to my life and everything in it.  Yes, this is a DUH statement and kind of like the V8 commercials where the personal trainer hits the guy on the forehead for not eating his veggies it is kind of common sense.  But what I've come to realize is that even though this statement may be obvious it is during times of panic or stress that I forget it and it's when it would be the most useful.

With a baby I am reminded of this constantly.  For example, when I was so sleep deprived and delirious that I thought there is no way I could take one more day of this yet I dig in and I do just that take one more day of it and then one more and then one more and then viola he's sleeping through the night in his own crib!  I was ridiculed at times because even though I knew good and well that he wasn't going to fall asleep on his own and definitely not in his crib I'd still try every night!!  And when it didn't work I would move to something that we knew worked.  But if I hadn't patiently tried the crib every night before the scream fest ensued there never would have been that one night where I put him down in the crib and I held my breathe as I sat by the radio waiting for the whaling to start.. wait for it.. wait for it... then wait no crying, wake up a couple of hours later and realize he's still asleep, PRICELESS!!

Patience - Is what you need in order to teach or learn something knew and buys you the time it takes for something to click -

Persistence - Is what gives you the tenacity to keep trying something over and over and actually expect a different result (no that is not insanity - always)

Dedication - Is what makes you stick to a plan once you've set the path for yourself and not allow yourself to stray from that path no matter what obstacles get thrown in your way

If it wasn't for PPD I would have never been able to teach a 4 year old to ski when all he wanted to do was throw snowballs therefor earning me the biggest tip ever, is why I learned Spanish as a kid even though we fought my mom on it every step of the way, is why when I want a job I go out and get it, it's why I have accomplished athletic feats that I once thought were impossible, it's why instead of falling prey to the incessant stream of information on what is right for your baby I just go with my gut after doing all my research and patiently wait for him to be ready for the next step!

When I'm training for an endurance event and I'm called crazy and people say I don't know how you do it!  Well once I've set my mind that I'm going to do it (this usually happens once I've plopped down a way too hefty entrance fee) then I use PPD to get me to the finish line!  So where ever life takes you make sure you pack some PPD!

Happy Training!

Happy New Year! Wait, am I late to the party?

Apparently I missed the party I was asleep before midnight but was up around 2 am because the fireworks that everyone was still setting off for the new year woke up my baby and he decided to have a party of his own in the crib and my dog decided the safest place to hide from the fireworks was sitting directly on top of my head!!!  So that being said a few things have come and gone and I've survived! 

This happened: 

A's 1st Christmas

New Year's in which we participated for moral support and fun in the beer run, I ran 4 miles and drank 0 beers but I was able to assess my competition for next year! ;-)

My birthday where I ate a HUGE burrito at Chipotle, had a Love it Size waffle cone (1st time in my life) and my husband thought there was noooo way I'd be able to finish the ice cream after that burrito so he thought he'd just eat was I left, sorry bud not this time breastfeeding works miracles when it comes to your metabolism, and we watched a movie and left lil' man with my bro & SIL and yes I cried as we drove to the theater!!  But of course he was a perfect angel for them.
 
Now that the holidays are past and we are back to the normally scheduled programming I have come up with a "wish list" of races for 2014 and I call it that because I realize with a baby anything could change at a moments notice.  My heavier training won't start until about June which works out nicely because by then A will be a little older and be able to go for runs with me in the jogging stroller instead of the one that holds his car seat and hubs and I will trade off doing our long bike rides while the other plays with A.  For swims we hope to get him in classes by then and we'll trade off who goes to swim class with A and who gets to swim laps for training.  Ready, set, go!!!  And it will all go just as planned right?!??? :-)

Jan - 5k Race
Feb - 5k Race
March - 10 mile race
April - 1/2 Marathon
May - 1/2 Marathon
May - November: any sprint or olympic tris we can manage to fit in to practice for November since it will be hubs 1st triathlon ever!! and my first since baby
November 1/2 iron distance triathlon Lake Havasu
December - sprint triathlon that last time I did it qualified me for nationals but wasn't able to go due to pregnancy so hopefully I can qualify again and actually go!!!  But I don't know I'm in a new age group now and I'm nervous this ladies are very dedicated and fast!! 

What exciting races are you doing this year?!?!