Confessions of a Closet Poster

I must confess that often when I was out on a run and even now on my walks with purpose I find myself crafting a post for the MRTT Facebook page and now this blog in my mind. This happens almost every time I am out there but most of the time these posts do not make it out of the “closet of my mind” and onto the screen.

Creating these works of art in my mind helps keep me from focusing on how tired I am or the frustrations of walking when all I want to do is run again. It is a great way to occupy my mind. Additionally, I find myself reflecting on posts I’ve read on the MRTT page which is another great distractor. This is one of the things I love most about MRTT is that even if you aren’t one to meet up for group runs and events, you still very much feel a part of the group. Although most of you have not met me you have motivated me more that you could ever know.

Most mornings I start the day reading through Facebook chatter and finish my day catching up on what I missed on Facebook during the day.

I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the MRTT Face Book chatter:

Shout out posts…I just need to give a shout out to this amazing mama, Arul A. We have a special kind of run friend relationship where we can go an entire run and not even be next to each other BUT we still feel the support of each other. Today however we ran side by side and chatted the whole way and I was reminded all the reasons why her amazing sweet spirit fills me up. Thanks girl! Love ya! … Danalisa G.

Congrats to Heather on crushing the Dammit Run this morning and taking 1st in her AG! It was fun eating your dust! ….Karen H.

Short story: I ran today! 🎉 Long story: About a year ago our family had a near-emergency situation that required us to move very suddenly. We had exactly zero prospects of where to go, so I posted on this group to ask if anyone had any leads. A woman I’d never met before, Melodie C., responded to my post that day–by the end of the week we’d signed the lease and, shortly after, we moved in next door to her. Over the past year Melodie and I have become good friends and the best of neighbors. Case in point: this morning she brought our family breakfast just because (pancakes and bacon!), and this afternoon she came over and watched my kids so I could go out on a solo run (I have a 4-month old baby and two boys, ages 3 and 5. I homeschool the older boys and my husband works long hours, so going running by myself is a luxury right up there with winning an all-expense paid trip to Maui!). All this to say, Melodie: you’re an absolute rock star. Also, SJMRTT has literally changed my life–it’s given me a home, friendship, and fitness. Wow! … Allison P.

 

Random thought posts…If you fall hard in the forest, will anyone be around to hear you? YES. There will be a woman standing there with her jaw dropped… and she will have heard the profanities fly out of your mouth. Ouch! … Cheryl W.

Some random thoughts during my run today: – it’s windy and cool today – Don’t chase after the HS kid just to see if you can – Why don’t they wear shirts when they run? It’s not like it’s hot ??? – If I wear a smaller flipbelt, will my stomach get smaller?… – Don’t let the stranger on your left pass you! – How did I miscalculate the distance when I know this trail like the back of my hand? – Ugh, I am home already, should I do 1 more or forget it? 11 miles done ( not 12). Happy Friday everyone. … Thuy T.

You are Awesome posts…Saw lots of you at Bay Breeze today! I was volunteering at registration and the timing tent and then was out cheering for awhile at finish chute entrance. You all looked super awesome out there!   … Carole D.

Race Recap posts… Jennifer, Kelly, Aleksandra and I did the Splash and Dash yesterday afternoon. There was a 1/2, 1 and 2 mile swim and a 1 mile swim with a 3 mile run. Swim was great (although I’m afraid of the big orange thingies or anything else in the water), run was tough (holy hill!), and I need to train more, but I’m glad I did it and it was nice to meet Jen and Kelly. Plus there was beer and pizza afterwards! Congrats to Aleks who was 2nd overall in the 1/2 mile swim! I learned that it is impossible to put on a tank with a built in bra when you are still wet, but a nice lady helped me out. And there was really gross green icky stuff on the inside of my suit and all over my body after. Gross!!!!!! Lisa A.

Advice Posts…I have a question I notice when I’m running longer than 8 miles I start to get really hungry what should I carry in my camel back any advice. … Jessica M.

TMI post. But I got a toe nail that is having issues and hurts, it’s just barely hanging on at this point. Wondering from those of you would have lost a toe nail to running do I just let it do its thing or does anyone have a good podiatrists recommendation. … Amy H.

Runs/workout update posts… Some runs are so much better then others. Today’s 6 miles at Lake Almaden reminded me why I love running. This Unhurried Mama is back! .. Katie Y.

A mile and change is better than zero, right? Snuck in a few minutes on the treadmill while my girls had swim practice. My watch and the treadmill never really agree, but I’m happy either way! … Hannah M.

5 miles with this beautiful mamma. So blessed with your friendship Allison! … Melodie C.

Why Run Posts… Our lives are full of life changing events that can threaten to stop us, but the rhythm of running keeps moving us forward one step at a time. … Irma D.

 San Jose,CA Moms RUN This Town members also share running articles, fun running related images & memes, upcoming runs & races, and weekly welcome messages.

Keep it up and feel free to email me at sjmrttblog@gmail.com with race reviews, running reflections etc. that you would like to share on the blog. Thanks to all the mamas that have contributed. I truly enjoy and benefit from the running chatter that makes it from the closet of your mind onto the screen!

Run Happy!

 

 

 

Why I Run by Danalisa C-G.

Ok about me:  I’m 38. Married to my high school sweetheart for 16 years. We have three boys: Owen (9), Aidan (7), Ethan (6).  I’m originally a NJ girl but have moved 12 times since marrying my hubby.  We’ve lived in NJ, NY, WA, England, Ireland and now CA.  I love to travel, read, knit/crochet, sing and of course RUN!

Why do you run? I run for me. I run to clear my head. I run to quiet my crazy thoughts. I run to be fit. I run to feel strong. I run to challenge myself. I run for those who can’t. I run to be social. I run because I can. 

How long have you been a runner? I was always a team sport gal but I hated running. While living in Ireland I started trying to run as a way to get back my body in-between babies at a time in our life when we couldn’t afford a gym. It was easy to go out the door and pound the pavement than try to fit in other workouts. That was 9 years ago. 

Before you leave for a run you must have? My phone/apple watch, running belt, a piece of gum, sometimes headphones and usually my sunglasses.

Describe your relationship with running in one word? Necessary!

Best run ever? My first marathon in November 2015 was as perfect as they get. I loved every moment of it (well almost every minute). I was well prepared, uninjured and the Revel Races are well organized. I thought I would do it once and be done but I’m plotting my next one. 😉

If you could recommend any running related item to a new runner it would be? A good pair of shoes makes all the difference and is worth the money. 

When not going on a run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do? I’m obsessed with Body-pump class and go twice a week. I walk my dog every day. I used to swim regularly and I am hoping to get back into that again.

Worst injury and how you got over it? I have been lucky not to have any significant injuries only minor ailments.  But, I did really struggle with my stomach not feeling well after a long run and I spent a lot of time reading and learning about nutrition in order to fuel myself well and feel better after running. It’s an ongoing lesson that has made me love cooking and feel worlds better all the time.

What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to go for a run? I don’t lack motivation. I’m always ready to feel the burn but I struggle in the summer with getting the time while my kids are home from school. So we have to get creative and use the gym childcare or a playground loop.

When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting? That I have likely done longer than this before so just keep going. Also good tunes can really motivate me.

My favorite thing about running? The people I have met who challenge me and encourage me. Fellow runners are the best!

I felt most like a BadA$$ Mother Runner when? My husband and kids met me on the training course for my 19 and 20 mile training runs to replenish my water/snacks with signs of support. They were a great support and seeing my kids’ faces in awe of what I was working so hard to achieve was the best motivation.

Do you use a Garmin or have a favorite App to track your runs? I use Runtastic and I run with an apple watch.  I used to have a Garmin but once I went apple I’ve never looked back.

Favorite brand of running shoes? Brooks – Run Happy  and I just bought my first Hoka trail shoes.

Favorite races? Revel Race Series, Rock and Roll Dublin , Brazen, Presidio 10

Favorite running partner? In Ireland I was one of the founders of our running group for women, Sloggers to Joggers.  I made some of my best run friends in that group.  I’m only new to MRTT and the Bay Area but Anusha has been my right hand girl for running long on the weekends.  She makes me smile and I love her enthusiasm and positive spirit.

Do you have a running idol? Lots of other mothers inspire me but I’m not a sports fan who watched races or anything like that.

If you gave someone one piece of advice about running, what would it be? Run your own race. There are a lot of applications for that advice..let’s go for a run and we can discuss it =)

Running goals for 2016? To build more strength in the gym which will support me training for a second marathon in 2017.

What do you love about MRTT? The inspiration of other mammas. The instant connection with ladies from all walks of life over a common joy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Run ?

For continued health reasons I have been MIA. Sorry about the absence. I am back at it and thought it would be fun to finally do a “Running Survey” type post that I started months ago. I enjoyed my research looking for different running-related questions to consider. I looked at different surveys that were out there and chose questions that made me think and/or smile. I hope you find these posts fun to read and get to know our MRTT moms a little better. Please email me at sjmrttblog@gmail.com with your answers and a short bio and a picture(optional) if you would like to be featured in the “Running Survey Series”. Thank you. Julie

 

1. Why do you run?
2. How long have you been a runner?
3. Before you leave for a run you must have?
4. Describe your relationship with running in one word?
5. Best run ever?
6. If you could recommend any running related item to a new runner it would be?
7. When not going on a run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do?
8. Worst injury and how you got over it?
9. What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to go for a run?
10. When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting?
11. My favorite thing about running?
12. I felt most like a BadA$$ Mother Runner when?
13. Do you use a Garmin or have a favorite App to track your runs?
14. Favorite brand of running shoes?
15. Favorite races?
16. Favorite running partner?
17. Do you have a running idol?
18. If you gave someone one piece of advice about running, what would it be?
19. Running goals for 2016?
20. What do you love about MRTT?

Little Baby Fast Steps Going Up the Hill

This was my mantra at the 2014 Big Sur International Marathon this past weekend.  “Little baby fast steps going up the hill”….say it with a steady cadence and it can get you up those big hills on Highway 1 with pretty decent form.  This was a FUN race! Yes, I said FUN because when you get 40-some mother runners together at 3 AM on a Sunday morning to run 26.2, 21 or the various distances of the relay…well, you get delirious, giddy FUN!!  Add in the beautiful views that you can only see from running on the “ragged edge” and what you have is a definite “bucket list” race that is challenging and oh-so-satisfying at the end.

 

I signed up for this race because I was awake and on Facebook when registration opened.  It had only opened for 5 minutes and I get my first message from one of the moms from our San Jose Moms RUN thi town group. “Hey, are you going to sign up? It’s going to sell out soon!”  Conversation went back and forth: relay vs. 21-miler vs marathon, haven’t done that mileage before, girls weekend or bring the family, are the hills big or really, really, really big?

In the end, I went for the 21-miler and thought I would use it as a gauge to see who well I would do for my September marathon.  I didn’t do too badly for my first over half-marathon length run.  One of the moms who I was running the 21-miler with injured her leg at the race so I did mostly run/walk with her…well, it was more like a run/walk/sing/dance/yoga/chant mantras/take pictures kind of race.  Anything to keep our legs moving for those 21 miles! We ended up getting separated towards the end and that was hardest part of the race for me.  Running sola after having 17 miles of conversation and fun…well, it just wasn’t the same.  I did catch up with another MRTT member who was running with her husband and that kept me going until the last mile when they decided to sprint to the end while I kept to my steady plod.

The finish was incredible though! 21 miles RUN and DONE!!

Back on the Wagon

Well today I say sweet things
But tomorrow
I’ll be making up excuses
For my actions cause it’s been so long

Well I got no real excuse
I’m on the wagon again

– On the Wagon by Green Day

 

Not one of my favorite Green Day songs, but I thought appropriate since it has been a long time since my last post.  We went away to visit family for a while and during that time, I did the following:

1) Eat

2) Sleep

3) Watch TV

Notice “running” did not make this “Top 3 list” (it was cold and rainy where we were).

Neither did “watching/playing with kids” since the kid to adult ratio was 1:5 (and the kids loved playing with their aunties and uncles and cousins more than boring old mom and dad).

And neither did “blogging” (the “one step above dial up” computer system just wasn’t conducive to any prolonged computer time).

It was a great to take a break from our usual routines, however getting back into the swing of things has been difficult. Especially getting back into running!  Today, I did 5 miles, and yes, it was ridiculously hot, but still, I felt like I was starting all over again with my training.

Did I mention the San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon that I signed up for is THIS SUNDAY!!

They have a “sag wagon” for those people who are unable to finish the race in the allotted time.  Where I come from, they call it the “loosah cruisah” (or “loser cruiser”  for those who don’t speak Bahstan).

I really had no excuse for not continuing my training while we were away.  I could have run in the rain. I could have put down that 50th egg roll.  So, now, I have to get my mind around the fact that 1 week of sloth and gluttony does not mean that the past 6 months of training has gone down the drain. I have this week to get my head back in the game.

I will get back on that running wagon and stay off the loosah cruisah.

B also stands for….

…the name of the next blogger to receive the Leibster award from us!  

They are Curtissa and Mary from Big Girls Run 2!!

I found Curtissa and Mary’s blog and absolutely LOVE their enthusiasm for running and life in general.  These ladies will be running the Divas Half Marathon in Puerto Rico in November.  Woohoo!!

 

Congratulations Mary and Curtissa!!  Would love to run with you ladies, in real life…I think we’ll have so much fun!  =)

***********

In other news….

This Sunday, Sept 16th, 2012 is the Title 9K race in Fremont!  We will have a booth at the expo, so come out and meet us if you’re in the area.  This is a race for women only (stroller friendly!).

Come share in the camaraderie! Come race a PR! (because what other races are 9K?) Come celebrate being a woman and running!  It’s more than just the clothes…

For more info, check out:

• Title 9K Race series
• The Power of Nine
• Timeout with Title Nine Blog

 

The San Jose Color Run 2012 – Race Review

One of the things I love about running is how you can involve your entire family.  Junella, mom extraordinaire of 4 and training for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in October, did the Color Run in San Francisco with her family (the day before she PR’d at the 10K Jungle Run – that race review coming next).  Want to encourage your kids to run and stay physically fit? Check out our kids’ virtual race at Kids RUN this Town. Or just show them these great photos! Gives a totally new meaning to “fun run”!

This is Junella’s race review (as told to me via email interview).  To find out more about Junella, check out the “Moms who RUN San Jose” page.

*******

MRTT: Tell us the basics about the race.

Junella: The Color Run 5K- July 14, 2012. Route: Candlestick park.  Flat terrain that ran around the 49ers stadium (parking lot). Registration was $35 and went up to $55 after they opened a 2nd wave. We did the 8am wave.  There was also a 1pm wave. I don’t know how many people were there but it was fairly large. I know they sold out quickly. When I bought it on the first day it sold out in a few hours.

MRTT:  What made you decide to do the Color Run?

Junella: Anything that looks like fun, I’ll do!!!!!  Especially getting dirty 🙂  This was the 1st time I’ve run it.  My whole family ran. (Or rather socialized and slowly walked through the “dusting” to get as dirty as we could).  We were joined by 2 other families from my children’s school.  They had 6 year olds and 8 year olds.  There were 18 of us total.

MRTT: Did you do anything special to prepare for it?

Junella: No preparation needed.   We planned to walk it since we had a 10K the following day.   We only had to make sure we were wearing white.:)

Minty fresh!
Junella and family before the Color Run.

MRTT:  What was your favorite aspect of the walk? What was your least favorite?

Junella:  Favorite part was getting DIRTY/COLORED!!!  I’m so into that kind of stuff and so were my family.  We were really looking forward to this one.

MRTT:  What was your least favorite?

Junella: It was too short.  🙂  We honestly all wanted to get more dirty.

More dirty? Did you say “more dirty”? Not sure that’s possible, Junella….=)

MRTT: Did you think the walk was well organized?

Junella:  Yes!   Especially loved all the free samples and music/party at the finish.  Bib pick up was fast and quick.  Only unfortunate thing was that it was in SF Sports Basement.  Would have loved a South Bay option.  They had 1 water station and NO marked miles (I don’t think people cared).  The atmosphere was FUN, not RUN. 🙂

MRTT:  Was there any “swag” (i.e. free stuff) for the walk?

Junella:  Great goodies!  T-shirt. Woman’s Brooks tech shirt (had to be picked up @ Hillsdale Mall), free bag of color, tattoos, sweatband.  You could buy additional swag at bib pick up.  Well priced too!  Kids shirts $10, $1 for silicon wristbands.  Free samples at the end: kombucha (I think) a fermented tea drink, coconut water, pop chips, slurpees, and fuze.  Some great stuff!

MRTT: Would you do the Jungle Run again?

Junella: YES!  We all can’t wait.

“Yeah, Mom, we can’t wait until next year! “
Great action shot!

MRTT: Would you recommend this race to others?

Junella:  YES!!!  Many people who saw our pictures wish they had joined us (same effect I had for the Warrior dash).  So I’m going to pull together more families for next year.   If they keep early registration to $35 then it is definitely worth the $$$.  I’m not sure if I would be happy to pay for my whole family if I had to pay the $50.  I would definitely be on the hunt for some kind of discount code!!

MRTT: Do you want to share how long it took you to finish?

Junella:  Honestly, I don’t know.  I think it took us a little over an hour.  We hung out at all the color stations.

MRTT: Any other stories you want to share about this race?  What about the clean up?

Junella: There are  quite a few from here!
a.  Contacts were dry from the dust.  I couldn’t take it so I was about to threw it on the ground.  Husband saw me and said, “No way!”, that I should save it because he knew that I would later complain of being one-eyed.  He said to pick it back up and stick it in my mouth.  It sounded gross, but if you saw how dirty we were and how much was already going in my mouth and eyes.  It was no biggie!   In the end, no more dry eyes 🙂
b.  The blue color was a fun group of volunteers who were throwing the dye.  We called it, “Smurf Land”.  I have a picture of my son with one of the bluest guys there and my friend who’s teeth were all blue.  🙂
c.  Orange had a lot of dust too.  There was so much on the ground that my kids were making dust angels.  Pictures made it look like we were in the dessert.
d.  The Clean up.  OH MY!!!  We went to eat afterwards (no cleaning up).  It was really fun to see all the color in everyone’s ears, nose, hair, and underarms.  Haha!  Many of us shared the colorful baths we all took.  The kids LOVED their rainbow showers.  I have a pic of the bathtub when I soaked our clothes.  It was ORANGE.

Tickled pink and purple and orange! Great smiles after the Color Run but before the “orange bathtub” incident…

*******

Looking for another color-filled race? While the next Color Run 5K won’t be coming back to San Francisco until July 2012,  there is the Color Me Rad 5K on Saturday, September 1st at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.  Same concept – different name.  Another of our lovely members did that run as well! We’ll post her review here (after she gets back from a well deserve vacation).  In the meantime, you can check out fellow blogger, Brittany’s post about the race on Live.Learn.Love.

Awesomeness is Infectious!

Something must be in the water – saw this on Facebook…Admitting your Awesome may be going VIRAL!

Go ahead – do your part – admit how awesome you are on your blog and tell us why.

We know you’re right!  Because, you know, YOU’RE AWESOME!!

Admitting Awesomeness – More thoughts….

Yesterday, I  reblogged a post from Laura at “I’d Rather Sit on the Couch”.  I thought about it again today as I was running with two other moms.  We were going to do 4-5 miles due to time constraints and were discussing the pros/cons of the Bingham/Galloway/Higdon running methods.  When I started running, I didn’t know about the benefits of “run-walk-run” or running negative splits, so I have always followed the “run until you have to walk” running method.  The problem with this method (and I know this from experience) is that I have often arrived at the race finish exhausted and not meeting my time goal due to running the 1st half of a race too fast and/or running until I was really needing to walk, then finding it difficult to start running again.  But it has been difficult for me to think about transitioning to running the Bingham/Galloway/Higdon way (even though I know it would probably be a better way to run).

Why?

Well, it all goes back to admitting my own awesomeness.

Now, I like to think that I am a humble person for the most part – I know my strengths and weaknesses and am confident in my abilities as a runner, mom, wife, social worker, friend.  Even if I do something better than another person, I don’t rub it in their face (unless it’s my hubby, then I mention it every hour on the hour for the next week or so that I was better than him at whatever it was).

But after putting in weeks of training, on the day of a race, I want to run fast and I want to run hard because I feel and know that, at that moment in time, after the national anthem is sung, the gun goes off and my feet start moving – I know, that I am AWESOME.

• Awesome for putting in months of training, running 3-4 times per week when I could have used those hours to get my nails done or read a book.
• Awesome for doing some of those runs pushing a jogging stroller when I could have just gone to the playground and pushed my kids on the swing.
• Awesome for getting up when it’s still dark to go for an early morning run when I could have continued snuggling with my hubby under the warm covers.
• Awesome for leaving the house after the kids are sleeping to go to the gym for some cross-training when I could have sat on the couch and had ice cream.
• Awesome for thinking that running 13.1 miles is “do-able” even though that is the mileage from the Nashua, NH border to the Tewksbury, MA exit going down Route 3 then 495.
• Awesome (and blessed) for having a family who understands my need to run to feel good physically,mentally and emotionally.

As I whiz by people at the start of the race, I imagine that they see me pass them and think, “Man, check out that runner – she is AWESOME!”   I just hope they don’t recognize me as the walker, wheezing as if I have sports asthma (I don’t) and talking to myself (positive self-talk helps, therapists say), that they pass at mile 6 or 7.  But even if they do, so what?

I am a mom.  I trained for a race. I am running the race. I am AWESOME!

After reading this, I just have to say to all you moms out there running with your strollers or waking up at 4 AM for a run or running while your kids are in school in between getting groceries and cleaning the bathrooms – YOU ARE AWESOME!!