Family fun

The first weekend of July we took a mini vacation to Idaho Falls. We left after Joe got out of work at noon on the 1st and arrived around 6pm. The kids were so excited to stay in a "hotel", too much watching of disneys Suite Life. We checked in and went on a couple dinner date with our great friends, the Wiricks and enjoyed a great gluten free sushi dinner. I was so stuffed! Totally worth it though. Saturday morning I went on one of the most beautiful bike rides I have been on with our friend Brady. Half of the ride was uphill, but it was all worth the pain when we got to the top to see the glorious scenery. The Tetons were far off and amazing. Everything was so green and just perfect.
After the ride I met Joe back at the Hampton and he already had the kids at the pool, I love my man! We had some fun playing in the pool and then we got ready and took the kids to see Kung Fu Panda 2. The kids loved it and I of course fell asleep. I was super tired from the early morning ride. Then we walked the mall and bought a great GF book, Cooking for Isaiah, I recommend this for ALL newbies in the gluten free world! It makes everything easy and not so expensive. The trial and error has been done for you.
Later we went and register for the Fire cracker 5k, which would be on the 4th of july! I signed myself and my 3 older kids up for the race. They were stoked for their 1st race!!
Sunday we went to church and then enjoyed a great day of driving and visiting different scenic spots in eastern Idaho. We even ventured into Yellowstone!
Monday morning. We got the crew up at 6, ate I lite breakfast and went to the race. The kids were nervous and asked a million questions. I told them to stick together and have fun. The race started and we all stayed togehter for about half a mile. Then the boys wanted to take a breather so they told me to go on. I wished them luck and kicked up a notch. I almost always find a person about my same speed and stick with them, so that's what I did. She was really great, we played cat and mouse for the majority of the race and about a 1/2 mile to the end she started to sprint a bit and that's when my competive drive came out. There was no way she was going to beat me. I started my sprint to the finish and left her behind. Joe was there with the 3 younger kids taking pics. I saw the time and had a bout 15 secs until 27 minutes, so I pushed even more and maneuvered my way past people. My official time was 26:46! Hello! I was so happy :)
The boys finished at 40 min with a sprint to the end and smiles on their faces. Joe said they didn't even break a sweat. Cheyenne was 3 minutes behind them and finished strong! I was happy and proud of my kiddos! I think we found yet another family activity to do together! My step dad suggested having them race everyday and getting little awards for them, I like his thinking!
After the race we ate a big breakfast, we were all done by 8:30, took showers, checked out of our room and we surprised the kids with a gift from their gramps and grandma to see Transformers 3.
The day ended with a yummy BBQ and fun fireworks with our friends, the Wiricks. We hit the road that night with the kids tuckered out and enjoyed a quiet ride back to Boise.

You might wonder how we ate the whole weekend. Well before we left I made all of our dinners and put them in foil containers. I bought snacks and lunch items and planned for one meal to be eaten at a restaurant. Total money on food for 4 days on the road was $150. We stayed at the Hampton, which provided our breakfast. We had plenty of GF options to choose from. I also booked our room on Priceline which saved us a ton on our room! It was a lot of hard work, but having a big family is expensive so every penny counts. The pro in making our food was I knew exactly what was in it and didn't have to worry about gluten. The pizza restaurant we went to was also very careful in preparing our food and not cross contaminating, making sure to use different gloves, tools, and pans.

Easy gluten free recipe

Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas

By Woman's Day Kitchen from Woman's Day | August 1, 2011

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Recipe Ingredients - double everything except the chicken for larger families. I was able to use half the chicken for this meal and then the other half for chicken quesadillas on brown rice tortillas for another meal! YUM :)

1 small rotisserie chicken
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
8 tostada shells
1 avocado, mashed

Recipe Preparation

1. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones, and place in a large bowl.

2. Place frozen corn and black beans in colander and rinse with warm water, this will defrost corn as well.

3. Add the black beans, corn, scallions, lime juice, oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and toss to combine; fold in the cilantro.

4. Gently spread the tostadas with the avocado. Top with the chicken and black bean mixture. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.


This recipe was a hit and something different from our traditional tostadas. Please make sure you read the chicken label to make sure it is gluten free!

Dream

It's been 2 weeks since I conquered the IRONMAN 70.3 Boise and it all seems like a dream. The days following the race were filled with soar muscles and extreme fatigue. My sister and I were lazy and loving it. I slept in til 8, instead of 5 and my sister slept a little later instead of getting up at 3. My legs finally stopped hurting 4 days after the race and I was so grateful. My body felt like it had just worked out for the first time. My husband and I are in awe of the Pros who do a 70.3 two weekends in a row, AMAZING!
I have had some chiropractic care and unfortunately I've had a Crohn's flare up. Not fun! When I put my body through a tremendous amount of stress it doesn't like it and I pay for it. I will probably be doing a detox in the next month or so to help my body recover. I will have to be very strict in my eating, more than I am now. No problem though, it will be worth the great feeling my body will have once the detox is done.
I have only attempted to do an aerobics workout and that was so sad, I finished but was sore after, lol, lame I know. Frustration has started to creep in and Joe has reminded me that I'm different than most athletes. My body doesn't absorb nutrition like others, since I'm missing half of my colon and small intestine, it would be a longer process of feeling "back to normal".
So that being said, I must once again suck it up and do what I do best...push myself!
This weekend I mapped out my races for the rest of the summer, I had to do a little rearranging because of a wedding, but it all worked out. I will have 2 in August and 1 in September, all in Idaho. My kids will be racing at one of the August races, so excited for them! I may even race in a dirty dash and a duathalon with friends.
I have 6 weeks until the first Olympic Tri, so it's time to start training!
I was thinking about all the people I know training for races or their goal is to just lose weight and here is my advice. Once you have met your goal and conquered it...keep going forward! Don't just stop and be satisfied. You have worked so hard to get to where you are, you have created a new you! Strive for more, grab the friend that keeps saying they need a change and help them change. Share your story and knowledge, inspire those around you!

Chris :)

Christy Hall, YOU ARE an IRONMAN 70.3!!!!!!

Where do I begin...I woke up Saturday at 6am, my night seemed to last a little long, so I thought I had overslept. I got out of bed and realized I had slept wrong and my shoulder was not feeling good. I started the process of getting ready, got my tri suit on and gathered all the items I would need for the day. In our race packet we got three plastic bags...morning bag, bike bag, and run bag. I put all my gear by each bag and then started filling them up. My bike bag was totally full. I had my towel, bike shoes, helmet, glasses, sun screen, race belt, socks, bike shorts, and my wet suit bag. My run bag had a hoodie and running shoes. My morning bag had my food for the morning, later to have my morning clothes in it after I got my wetsuit on. My sister, Lety, was up doing the same ritual. Joe had gotten up and was getting ready to take us to the T2 area downtown. After I was ready I started getting all the kids clothes and shoes ready so my mom would have an easier morning. I had also arranged for my 2 older boys to go to a friends house, the 4&8 year old to go to another friends, and my mom would have the oldest and youngest.
After going over our check list we got in the car, about 7:45 and took off to downtown Boise, a mile away Lety realized she forgot her towel so we turned around. I should mention it was a mental check list :) not to worry we still had plenty of time.
Joe dropped us off and headed to the office to treat patients. We walked to T2 and found our bib number and placed our run bag on the ground. We were really surprised at how empty it was. I'm sure a lot of athletes were enjoying the noon start, so no need to hurry. We walked around a little and found a spot to sit and wait for our mom to pick us up. We took this time for potty breaks and last minute phone calls. Mom arrived and we drove to Lucky Peak. We were ahead of the shuttles and got great parking. The whole morning was pretty laid back. We walked 1/2 mile up to T1 and just rambled about odds and ends. I mentioned I was really nervous and my wise sister told me what she told herself during the full IRONMAN Arizona, "ok body, I've worked too hard and too long for you to not do what I've trained to do!" I kept this with me all day.
When we got to the top there were volunteers with black permanent markers ready to mark your body with your bib number and age. We opted to go put all our bags down first and do a few other things. I went to my bike and put my bags down, then grabbed my bike to pump up the tires. Lety was just about done so she pumped up my tires, we put our bikes back up and then went to get marked. We were marked on both arms, both hands, and our age was on our left calve. I wondered why they had to mark out hands and lety explained that was how they would know who we were if they had to pull us out of the water to help. Mom and my daughter took video and pics of us. The rest of the time was just walking around and checking everything out. We looked at the water and course and did some visualizing. Another potty break and then back to our bikes to make sure all of our gear was ready to go. We grabbed our wetsuits, caps , goggles, ear plugs, and morning bag and found a shady spot to sit and relax. I forgot to take the tabs off my drinks so I ran to do that, while I was gone a photographer took a pic of Lety. So I found another photographer and asked him to take a pic of the both us of us. We sat a little longer and then I and to go potty again. After our wait in the potty line we started the process of putting our wetsuits on. Mom found us and did some interviewing with the video camera and gave us both a hug and kiss and wished us luck. The race finally minutes away and the butterflies were starting to fly. Three men from the National Guard beautifully sang the National Anthem. The crowd cheered loudly as they finished and a sense of patriotism came over me. We watched the beginning of the men's and women's pro waves, they were amazing and fast...one day I'll be there ;). We dropped off our morning bags and walked over to the mass of purple swim cap ladies to wait for our start at 12:33. This is when I realized I forgot to take a couple of puffs from my albuterol inhaler. So we ran back to T1 and ask if I could go back in and get the inhaler, they let me in and I ran to my bike and took two puffs and ran back to my sister. We walked back to the swim start and had plenty of time to spare.
THE SWIM:
There was over 100 purple caps in our wave so Lety and I opted to stay in the very back. One reason was to have more time to get acclimated to the 53 degree water and 2nd we didn't want to get swam on. The music was blaring, the crowd was roaring, and then announcer shot the gun and we were off! I started off really slow in order to get my face use to the water. I could tell the rescue boats were watching me closely because of my speed, but after a few minutes I was fine and started my regular swim. Others unfortunately, did not have the same outcome. Many felt the panic of the cold water and struggled. I was able to swim freestyle the whole 1.2 miles and did so with few encounters from other swimmers. The times I did get hit or swam on was when I got close to the turns and close to the finish. Two guys actually sandwiched me in between them about 300 yds from the finish. The whole swim I was smiling and thinking of songs I liked to get my mind off of the cold. I swam right up to the exit and I was able to run to T1! the crowd was cheering as all the swimmers ran past, we were all starting the process of taking our wetsuits off along with our caps and goggles. I got to the "strippers" and sat down and 2 guys got my wetsuit off with one pull, it's not as sexy as it sounds :) but was pretty fun because I was lifted off the ground.
THE BIKE:
I got up and ran to my bike, dried off, put my bike shorts on over my Tri shorts, helmet on, glasses on, and took my bike off to walk it to the mounting line and start my 56 mile ride. I got on the bike and the first 2 miles were great, the descent from lucky peak was nice and then...chain fell off!! Holy crap! I stopped, pulled over and started getting off my bike when this guy yelled at me because i almost hit him. HELLO! I pulled over! I'm pretty sure we are all bright enough to see when someone is stopped and out of the way, duh! Anyway, I got my chain on and I was off. A lot of people passed me while I was stopped, but oh well. The whole first part of the ride was pretty good, my husband surprised me and I had a whole cheering section with 2 of my babies! So awesome! I was able to talk a little with my friend as I climbed the pleasant valley hill, I so needed to talk and get a few words of encouragement. Ten mile creek was great until I turned around and then I slowed down about 4 mph and when I got to the turn and hill I was so ready to be done! That climb was torture! I finally conquered it and was really looking forward to another fast descent . I took the pleasant valley descent fast, no braking. My cheering crowd was waiting and I soaked up the positive waves they were sending. As I got to Gowen, my mom and 2 daughters were there videoing and cheering. The rest of the course was pretty quite and lonely. There was a whole line of us, but we were never too close in fear of penalties. We would only get close if we were confident of passing. As we got to the last 10 miles I really dug deep and picked up my speed, mostly because my bum was in a huge amount of pain and my shoulders had sharp pains. I did almost cry a few times, but reminded myself that I signed up for this and was capable of finishing! When we got to the last 6 miles I started passing people, I could tell they were just too tired, so I took full advantage. We had one last climb, which was just mean, and then it was smooth riding to T2. I dismounted easily and ran to my number and hung up my bike. I got a protein bar and took off all my gear and went to a portapotty, which were occupied, so ran back to my bike cuz I forgot to take off my bike shorts. Ran back to the potty and relieved myself. On my way out my sister was running to change and gave a loud cheer.
THE RUN:
I was feeling ok, and surprisingly my legs didn't feel like jello, but as I got about 3 minutes into the run my intestine tightened up and sharp stabbing pains proceeded to attack me. Every bounce was so horrific! I had to stop and walk, but the pain only worsened. I walked the 1st mile and thought my race was over, but my sister came from behind and told me to get going. I pushed through the pain and we ran together. The pain finally decreased and I was starting to feel better, but I was now sick to my stomach. I tried eating the protein bar earlier but couldn't force it down and ate a gel but even that was gross. We were doing good on the run and saw our mom, with 2 of my girls and 2 of my boys, and my husband!! Another boost of energy. We ran a couple of more miles and then we had another cheering crowd of friends with high fives! Loved it! We kept running and got to our 1/2 way turn around where more cheering from the friends was heard and appreciated. My honey ran with me for a minute and gave me a kiss and a tap on the butt. I told him how much i loved him. When I got to mile 10 I was really feeling the effects of no fuel. I did drink water and had an orange slice at each mile, but that wasn't enough. I started slowing down and started taking more walking breaks. People were really getting tired and looks of pain were on everyone's face. The last 2 miles an older guy was singing out loud and I thanked him for doing so. He was in his happy place, just trying to finish and he totally helped me in the process. He was also taking requests :) I was tired, my legs were throbbing and I knew I had a little more to go. At mile 12 my cheering crowd gave me my last boost and it brought tears to my eyes. My sister passed me up and motioned for me to follow, but it wasn't in me. I just kept moving at my turtle pace. As I got to the last stretch my mom was there, she had the camera and was telling me to keep going. I rounded the corner and saw the finish line, a tiny boost of energy hit me and I picked up my pace. the crowd was lighter but the cheers were loud. I was giving little kids high fives and my husband met me about 200 yds near the finish. I don't remember what he said but I was so happy to see him. As I ran to the finish line, the music was pumping and the announcer called my name, "Christy Hall from Boise, ID YOU ARE an IRONMAN 70.3!!!" I was so happy, I put my arms up as I crossed the line and felt so any emotions go through me, I even started to cry. My sister was waiting and we embraced each other with tears of joy. I got my finishers metal and a hat. The photographer took my pic and then I was overcome with joy to see my family and all my friends who came to cheer. I got tons of hugs and congratulations.
This really was an event I will never forget. This whole journey has had it's ups and downs and it all came down to 7 hours and 10 minutes of mind over body. You may be wondering...will she do another 70.3? Is a full IRONMAN next? Saturday I would of said, "Heck NO!" Today I say, "BRING IT!"
I'm thinking IRONMAN 70.3 Italy! Who's up for a road trip? :)

Chris :)

Relief

So far this week has been full of anxiety episodes. I'll start thinking about the race and my heart starts beating really fast. I'll read, hear, or see something that has to do with the race and I feel this sense of complete chaos. I will be relieved to have the race done with, but sad that all the preparation and anticipation will be over. Sounds crazy, but I think athletes thrive on the thrill of the race and the satisfaction of accomplishment.
My sister and fellow triathlete arrived today from Arizona. This evening we drove to Lucky Peak so she could get a feel for the icy water. We arrived about 5 minutes before the rain clouds came rolling over us. The IRONMAN crew was already there setting up T1 and had closed off the area where we would normally go for a swim. It was so exciting and real to see all the equipment being set up (more anxiety). We drove a little past the regular entrance and parked. We walked down a trail to another water entrance.my two older boys came along for the ride. My sister and I stood at the water for a few minutes. My sister visualizing the swim and me hoping for much needed confidence. We walked back to get our wetsuits on and my oldest son came running over and issued the challenge..."are you going to get in, or are you wimps?"
We accepted and put our suits on! I was determined for a positive experience, so I took my time getting acclimated to the water. We both got in to about mid stomach and cupped water in our and hands and put our faces in it. We continued this for a few minutes. My sister started to do some breaststroke, but I stayed there and just put my face in the water. I did this for a while, just controlling my heart rate and breathing. Then I started floating on my belly, still letting my face and neck just get used to the cold conditions. After doing this few a while, I finally started freestyle. I started very slow and gradually picked up my pace. I didn't have the same panicked feelings as my previous swims. All I felt was relief.
My sister was doing really well herself. She had swam in a cold lake in New York a week ago, so she was a little prepared for the a Boise cold. We probable stayed in for about 20 minutes or so. While in the water my boys were having fun watching and playing around. The crazy kids even got in the water and said, "it's not that cold". They amaze me :)
Getting out of the water was not so fun, the winds had picked up and the rain was starting to fall. We were both shaking and ready to be in the car to warm up.
Today was great, and I'm extremely happy it was. Looking forward to the next few days. I've worked hard and I'm ready to see what I can really do!

Chris :)

Race Week!!

It's finally race week! I can hardly believe it is here! Lasts weeks training went really well. I did miss a run and swim day, but I'm glad I did. My body needed the rest. I had 3 rides and all of those where nice. My run was nice with some intense foot pain after, so I may take it really light this week. My swim on Friday was really great, 2 miles in a little over an hour. Now if the water at Lucky Peak would magically be 70 degrees, I would be UNSTOPPABLE!
I did make a trip to the lake on Wednesday with some of the "Tri-geek" ladies and we got in the water to just do some light swimming. It was just as bad as Rigby lake. I did buy some neoprene booties, which was a great buy. In the rules it says we can wear masks so I may look at getting one of those as well.
On my bike ride saturday, my bike was giving me some issues again. Tomorrow if possible, I will take it in to the bike shop to get a tune up so I don't have any issues Saturday. I also thought I would share my awesome absentmindedness...Saturday as I was riding I realized through my great discomfort that I forgot to put my bike shorts on! My sister asked how I could forget that, I explained that I have the bike shorts that go under another pair of shorts and I got distracted and forgot to put them on. I now consider myself to be hard core :)
This week will be crazy, with my daughter participating in the Miss Idaho pageant and being in a shoe fashion show. Then my sister and I will have race week events to go to. Lucky for me, my mom is here to help. Yay :)
I also can't wait to see all my family and friends at different points of the race cheering, because I will need the encouragement. This whole process of training has been challenging, but I have proven with a lot of hard work, dedication, and support from those around you anything is possible.
Have a great training week! Most importantly...have FUN!

Chris :)

Rigby Tri 5-28-11

Our trip to Idaho Falls started Friday morning at 4:30am, I got up and ready then woke the kids up and in the van and we hit the road at 5:30. The drive was beautiful and peaceful (kids were asleep). We arrived a little before 10, met up with my hubby and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with our great friends. After we checked into our room, my hubby took the kids swimming while I took a nap and then we went to the race mtg. We met up with our friend who was also racing. The mtg was so confusing that I got anxiety from listening to everyone. The directors warned us about the water temp, which was around 58. Luckily I already had my neoprene cap and wax ear plugs! My hubby took me on the bike route, which looked pretty good. Then we went back to Fairfield inn and ate dinner and got in bed by 10.
The night seemed to last forever! I got okay sleep, but kept waking up thinking I had over slept. We got the crew up at 6 and went down to eat breakfast and then we were off to the race. When we got there I put my bike in the transition area (only one area for T1/T2) and got my number marked on my calve and arm. I went to the potty and then with the help of my honey, we put my wetsuit on. It was suggested that the participants get acclimated to the water by putting their whole body in and getting our faces used to the freezing water. By the time I walked to the water my feet were already numb. I stood there a while and then got in. OH MY HOLY CRAP!!! It was completely horrible, I wanted to quit so bad. I got used to the water, submerged my face and swam a little bit. I gave Joe, my honey, a thumbs up and got ready for the start. We did a combined men/women start. I started off great and then it happened AGAIN! I couldn't breath, the water was so cold. I couldn't feel my hands or feet. I tried to do breast stroke, but with the loss of feeling, I wasn't moving very fast. I was so ready to quit and be done with the whole thing. I kept thinking, "why? Why am I doing this to myself? I must be crazy! I want to be done!!" I turned over and did backstroke, the rest of the race, I believe my time was 35 min for the swim. When I got out of the water I couldn't breath and was gasping for air, my feet were so numb I could barely walk. One of the directors was there and he was holding me up, Joe came over and walked me the rest of the way. He had to take my cap off because my hands were numb. There were "strippers" there to take off our wetsuits, so after mine
was takin off I immediately started shaking. I made it over to my bike and started layering my clothes. It took me forever to get ready, with the loss of feeling. Luckily it was pretty laid back so Joe was able to help me out a lot. He wasn't allowed in the transition area, but he
helped me out over the barrier. Joe had to help me put clothes and helmet on. I was even having trouble putting my bike shoes on which had Velcro on them, so lame! My transition was pretty long, but I didnt care, I was just thankful to be out of the water and alive!
Once I got on my bike bike, I couldn't shift because my hands were so numb. About 5 miles in I finally could move my hands and then
realized it wasn't my hands that were the problem, it was MY BIKE! My rear shifter was stuck! I was peddaling fast but not going very fast, I
was so mad. I couldn't catch up to anyone, well I did catch one guy, he had tennis shoes on so he was at a disadvantage too. Joe drove
next to me for a little while and the kids were cheering me on, it lifted my spirit. :) other than the bike issue, the ride was encouraging. As I
passed each olymic rider we all gave each other words of encouragement. It was really great. The last few miles of my ride I saw runners
from the Olympic and sprint and gave them all thumbs up. As i entered the transition area my kids and our friend cheered me on while they
played on the playground. At the transition I took the extra pair of shorts off and the cycling jersey off. I kept my under armor on and slipped
on my running shoes. Now by this time I was in need of a potty break, so I quickly grabbed my inhaler and water bottle and went to the girls
room as I left the transition area. When I got out the LDS missionaries, who were volunteers, directed me to the running path. One of the
elders ran with me for about 20 yds to get me going and wished me luck. I went around the lake with the heavy awkward feeling in my feet
and legs you get from riding the bike and got a cheer from Joe and my baby as I headed out for the rest of the 10k. According to my watch I
was 2.5 hours in so my goal was to finish the run in 1 hour.
By mile 2 my legs finally felt normal. There was a tall guy, the one I passed on the ride, ahead of me by about 100 yds. He was my motivation to keep going. The run was actually my best leg for this race. I was able to keep my 10 min mile pace. Towards the end of the race a lady came zooming by me, my first instinct was to take off, but I reminded myself that this race was a training day for me and I didn't want to risk any injury before the 70.3, so I just kept my pace. My oldest daughter was waiting for me and ran with me towards the finish line, it was great to talk with her and know that I was almost done. I was the 3rd to last person to finish the Olympic race, and I did it in 3:25!
I was so happy to be done! It was great to hear my name being said as I crossed the finish line and wonderful to see my family.
So all in all I finished the race in my goal time. I'm praying for warmer weather and no wind for the 70.3 ;)

Gluten Free recipe of the Week

Last Saturday we got a lot of peppers in our baskets and I had no idea what to do with them. Luckily bountiful baskets will post recipe ideas on Facebook and I got this wonderful recipe! Chile Rellenos Bake was so yummy and easy! I made some Spanish rice to go on the side and we had a little fiesta for dinner :)


Chris ;)

3 weeks and counting!!!!!

HOLY CRAP! This seems to be the new phrase around our home, whether it's the kids. me. or the hubby. I know, I know...it's horrible. Though it could be worse. Time has been blowing by and I am now 3 weeks and 1 day away from the biggest race of my life. The most commonly asked question is, "are you nervous?". The answer is, "YES!!!!!". I've been training now for 13 weeks and I've encountered my ups and downs. I've tried to make the most of every training day and I feel I have done an "okay" job. Could I have done more? HECK YES!
I finally bought my TRI suit, wetsuit, racing belt, tie less shoe lace, and all my nutrition needs. I will need to get 2 buckets to sit on in the transition areas, some extra tubes for my tires, and new running shoes. (I keep putting the shoes off, DUH!)
My husband, who almost lost his life due to me wanting to take, has to work race day!!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY, I was really upset to put it nicely. He had set up an event a while back, before he knew I was racing, and then another event was scheduled. So he will be popping in and out to see me race. I believe he can track me with his phone, so at least he will know where to find me. Some may think I'm being selfish, but WHATEVER! I've worked my butt off and I wanted him to be focused on ME, but I must be a big girl and realize his job pays for my hobby.
Luckily my mom will be here to capture it all :)
So training has been pretty good, I feel really strong. My one worry is the temperature of the water, it will be super cold. A fellow "tri-geek" informed me that I would probably want to get a skull cap and wax earplugs to help with the cold water. I did have one bad ride last week...all i will say is that I fell 2 times, didn't finish the ride and got a 2nd degree burn on my right shoulder.
Next weekend will be my practice TRI, I'm doing a Olympic race. I mainly registered because the swim portion is a mile and I really want to get the butterflies out before the 70.3. I will make sure my hubby takes plenty of pics so I can post them.
So the emotions for the next few weeks are nervousness and excitement. I will have to practice my visualization technique I used in high school...before every race in swimming I would go through every stroke, every breath, every turn for my race and see myself winning. I would slow my heart rate down to normal and focus on what was in front of me, Doing My Best!

Chris

There's always a first time for everything!

My past 3 training days have been really great! Sunday we went to dinner at a friends house and I decided to ride my bike. It was 20 miles away, so I left an hour before the rest of the family. The wind was pretty strong and it was hilly, but it was good ride and I made it with a friendly honk from my family as they passed me.
Monday was a block of swim/bike I did 2400yds in 58 min and then rode the trainer for an hour (the weather was looking really yucky) My 2nd son and I watched, Anna and the King, while I rode the trainer.
Tuesday ended up being my free day so my husband and I could help our oldest son finish his requirements for the Arrow of Light, the highest award in cub scouts.
Today was looking like another skipped day, but there are situations that just tick me off and then I need to blow off the steam. If there is one good thing about exercise, it's the reward of being able to let go of all your frustrations. I got on my bike and hit the road, I decided to do a portion of the 70.3 route. One mile in and I was brewing over my frustration and then it happened...a motorcyclist gave me the bird. SERIOUSLY!!!! He was on the other side of the road, I wasn't in any way bothering him or making his ride less enjoyable, or so I thought. This poor man was obviously mad, mad at cyclist. I felt sorry for him and his need to be so rude, but someone on the road was probably rude to him. There is plenty of room on the road, we all need to be responsible and be careful to EVERYONE on them. I hope he felt a little better after his public display of his finger. :)
Back to my ride, it was awesome!! Uphill was 2mph faster than 3 weeks ago and then I was able to stay between 18-21mph the rest of the ride! Today's ride gave me a little more confidence, I really needed it.
To end the day we celebrated our sons bday with a yummy gluten free chocolate cake! I love my lil man!!

Have fun the rest of this week and train hard!

Chris :)

Gluten Free Recipe of the Week

I love enchiladas! Our family eats them regularly. So last week when I got about 2 lbs of sweet potatoes from bountiful baskets,I had no idea what to make. My kids are PICKY! There was no way they would eat a sweet potato.
Friday I was reading an article on one of my favorite gluten free blogs, www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com, and at the end of the article was a picture of sweet potato and black bean enchiladas. I read the ingredients and decided I would make this yummy dinner.
Making dinner was a breeze and everyone including my husband was a bit hesitant to eat, but the enchiladas were a success! I would of never thought sweet potatoes would be so delicious!! Just 2 of my 6 kids turned their noses to dinner. One complained later to her friend, but she ate dinner without crying :)
It's great to try food that you normally would never think of eating. You'll be pleasantly surprised!!

Chris

Gluten free recipe of the week

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry

Serves 4 - I of course doubled this for my size family...except for the noodles

This quick and easy stirfry is a great choice for a weeknight meal

Ingredients

1 pkg Thai kitchen stir-fry rice noodles
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons bragg's liquid aminos
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons potato starch
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins, cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 cups small fresh broccoli florets (from about 1 large crown)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
Directions

Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Meanwhile, combine broth, bragg's, vinegar, pepper and potato starch in a bowl. Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. When very hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside. Add remaining oil, garlic and ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add broccoli and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add broth mixture and chicken, stir well, and cover. Lower heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Toss with noodles and serve.

The whole family loved it! My super picky son went back for more!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been putting this off for months. Part of me scared, then we were waiting for our tax return, then it was more anxiety. I've made a commentment to myself and I've told everyone I was doing it, so my husband and I went through the registration for the Boise 70.3 IRONMAN together. The whole process gave me butterflies and as we clicked submit I felt a surge of excitement. I'm sure my husband was feeling a bit lighter due to the chunk of change he just spent! :)
So it's official, I'm registered! Awesome!!!

Chris :)

What to do!?

Monday was supposed to be my great start to the next 8 weeks of awesome training. One guess...not awesome. I woke up got my things ready for a 1800yd swim and then 30 min run. Saw the inhaler on the counter and decided i would not need it, so off i drove to the gym. Upon arrival I hurried in to get started. To my surprise two fellow triathletes were already doing their swim workout, so I put myself in the lane next to them. We greeted one another and then I started my morning swim. 200yds in and I felt really good and then it hit..should of grabbed the inhaler! I swam another 100 and couldn't go any further. Panic had overcome my body and I was totally embarrassed. DUH!!! I let my breathing calm down and then tried again, only able to do 50. So I got out and gathered my stuff and went home. I called my husband and starting crying. I was so mad at myself for seeing the inhaler and not bringing it. It's so frustrating to feel so strong, and yet be so weak. I never had this problem as a teenager, so why now?
I'm sure there are a list of things...I'm older, I now have allergies, I'm allergic to dogs and cats. Whatever the cause is, I don't like it. I told myself I would get back to the gym that evening, but I didn't make it due to previous appointments.
Tuesday would now be my awesome start to the next 8 weeks. My husband came home after an office mtg and watched the kids for me while I went to the gym. The swim went a little slower than I planned, but I did some good technique work so that was fantastic. My run was great. I ran 1 mile and then did some 1 min sprints. Overall a super start!
I'm finding out that alot of my training is going to need to be me working on my frame of mind. So many times we can talk ourselves out of working out and getting so bent out of shape about something that we just give up. So my goal for this week is to be POSITIVE! Sometimes things will not go my way. There will be days when my body will work against me, but I am strong and I can turn things around.


Chris ;)

1st Outdoor Ride!

Yesterday I woke up early and showered, got the kids up and had them eat breakfast and then we went to a local school to volunteer/pick up our baskets of fruits and veggies. I participate in a co-op called Bountiful Baskets. My friend suggested it to me when I was complaining about my food bill. It's so crazy how much money I spend on FOOD! It's $15 a basket, so we get 2 and it forces me to use veggies I usually don't use and definitely saves me on fruit, my kids think it's candy. Last week we had chayote squash, which I had never had, but my husband was excited because he used to eat it in the Phillipeans. I've also been able to freeze bananas for morning smoothies and make dilly beans for the kids (pickled green beans). I highly recommend looking into http://www4.bountifulbaskets.org/
After we were done we hurried to walmart to get lunch and water bottles for my 2hr 30min bike ride. We got home dropped off the food, I changed into my riding clothes and then we were off to our friends house.
I don't like riding by myself so my Tri bud, Brian, volunteered to torture himself. His wonderful wife let ALL of my kids hang out at their house!
The ride was really great. The right amount of hill work and a fantastic view. I really love all the "country" roads we have available. I was really surprised at the speed I was able to maintain, I was bouncing between 16-19mph, when last year would of been 14mph. Last year I would of gotten off my bike and walked up a hill, yesterday I pushed through the burn and climbed every single hill! We only stopped a couple of times to fix chains and I forgot to clip my helmet back together. The ride was only supposed to be 2:30 hours, but ended up being 3 hours. We got 43 miles in! I'm hoping with 8 more weeks of training I can get a little faster. I'd really like to finish 56 miles in less than 4 hours. I'm sure adrenaline will help out race day.
So it was a great 1st outdoor ride! Our cycling group is finally going to be able to start outdoor rides this week, I know we're all tired of spinning, but have greatly benefited from all the winter training we got. My one suggestion for cycling is to get NICE cycling shorts. I can not emphasize enough, you'll thank me! Check amazon, they have great deals.
Like I said earlier, 8 weeks till race day!! So starting tomorrow I start my actual 70.3 IRONMAN training. I will have 2 days off, instead of 3, and the workouts get longer. My focus will be on proper nutririon and recovery. I'll also be getting new running shoes to break in, hooray! I have my running clothes, will order my cycling clothes and then all I need is a wetsuit.

The racing season is upon us! The Race for the Cure is close, so tie up your running shoes and get out there and participate. I'll be putting a button on the page so you can easily find races that might interest you.

Most importantly, enjoy yourself while training. You deserve it!

Chris ;)

Mental Block

Good gravy! It's been too long since my last post. I've been struggling emotionally and physically. I was so tired that I found myself just falling asleep as soon as I was still enough. I also found myself crying and felt like I was going crazy. Training, being a mom, house keeper, wife, scout leader, and what ever else I do was all too much. Most people would tell me to give up and be happy with what I've already accomplished but I'm stubborn and don't give up that easily.
Our family recently had the opportunity to watch the LDS General Conference, it was very uplifting and helped "fill my cup". We've started scripture study, with 4 of 6 reading it goes by quite nicely. We've gotten better with family prayer as well. The days have been better, but there is still much needed improvement. :)
I recently had lunch with some girlfriends and we were able to talk and really get out our struggles. What I learned was I wasn't alone. So many times I see other women and the lives they lead, but what I don't see is their home life, their real home life. I don't know their worries, fears, struggles because we are all so scared to let the world know we are less than perfect. I'm here to tell the world that I'm not perfect, I'm far from it, but I work daily to be a better me, a better parent, a better wife. It's okay to cry and to be frustrated with life, but try to always return to the good you have and embrace it.

Training has been really good, I've had to skip a few days for more recovery time, but I feel myself getting stronger each workout. Last Saturday I did a Tri on my own. 2000 yd swim, 2:15 bike, and 6 mike run. The swim was at the gym, the bike was on my friends trainer at home and the run was outdoors. My sweet husband followed me in the van and had my accelerade ready every mile. He also had 4 kids with him, the baby took a nap and the other 3 watched a movie and got icee's. I was really impressed with my run, 10 min miles! I was sooooo tired afterward, but it felt good to know that I could finish a Tri strong. This weeks training has been a bit hard since I pushed myself on Saturday, but I've done it and I feel great.

To end today's post I want to say that you can count on me to do my best. I will not quit! I may struggle but I will come out victorious. I CAN do everything that God graciously puts in my path. I'm grateful for everything in my life.

Chris :)

Support

Monday morning came way too fast! Kids that don't sleep well = tired parents!! I had a swim/run block but couldn't drag my butt out of bed at 430 in the morning, so I decided to sleep another hour and then go join the guys for spinning. At 530 I got up and dressed, put a load in the washer, made a protein shake and left to spin.
We did another sufferfest workout and it was kicking my tail. Intervals! They torture me!
During our spin one of the guys expressed some concerns he was having at work and we all listened and encouraged. He didn't need us to solve anything, but needed to know that his support group was available. He did exactly what I've been preaching. Talk it out and work it out. This method works for everyone. :)
This morning I got to the gym at 6 and did 1850 yds. I did some drills today which helped me realize I'm not as efficient with my stroke as I thought. It's all good, plenty of time to fix it. Today's swim seemed to fly by, which is nice. What would really be nice is to have music to listen to while I swim! Something with a fast beat to keep me moving at a good pace. Wishful thinking!
I would also like to give a thumbs up to morning workouts! I'm done early and don't have to worry about fitting it in during the day, give it a try, see if you like it.
Train hard, be your best!


Chris ;)

Tough times

Last week, mar 14-18, was a tough week! Apart from being a mom and my husband being a chiropractor, we are also dog breeders. Our female, jetta, was expecting her 3rd litter and we hit some complications. Long story short, we had an emergency c-section and lost 2 of the 4 puppies. I never considered myself someone who would get attached to my pet, but we had to really talk about how much money we would be willing to spend on my dog. I was so emotional and sleep deprived, my poor husband was probably willing to pay anything to prevent me from having a nervous breakdown. Jetta is doing great and the puppies we sale will cover the cost of the vet. The two pups are doing so good and are super cute! So this all started the 13th at midnight, I stayed up almost all night. We got about 3 hours of sleep before we got up for school and work. Then that afternoon we were at the vet having surgery. We got home and took our 12 yr old out for her bday date. Needless to say no workout. We stayed up and watched the dogs that night, my husband sleeping in the garage. Tuesday, I wanted to train, but started getting sick. Wed I was super sick with sick kids at home. Thursday I felt better, so I went to the gym and ran for 10 min then had to leave because I had an asthma attack and didn't have my inhaler! Friday just didn't seem to workout either, I was so exhausted from the whole week. Finally Saturday I made myself get out of bed and go to the gym, armed with my accelerade and inhaler, I owned that hour and fifteen min run!! I ran a 10k and felt great!
I talked to my sister and shared with her my worries of missing a whole week of training. She reassured me that all would be fine. I guess that's why Saturday's run was so successful. The stress of not doing enough and ruining everything was lifted.
Last week was yet another reminder that training is tough and life will have it's ups and downs and I just have to roll with it. I just need give a 100% in all my training and know that race day I will be able to do my best.
Does life keep throwing fastballs your way? Do you feel like your striking out?
Talk about it, get all those worries out! Someone can help lift the burden, even if it's just to listen. Exercising is a great way to get those frustrations out, so go grab your workout clothes and get busy. You'll have time to think through things and in the end you'll feel great!


Chris

Miracle ! ;)

A miracle occurred today! That's right ladies the miracle of doing all of my training blocks this week! I will just say that it was not easy. I really struggled with myself to get out of bed and to not give up.
In order to make my training complete, I did an hour and a half bike ride with 15 min of running after. Holy Crap it was tough! I took my 9 yr old son and 1 yr old with me and they played and watched the last airbender cartoon.
Lil B was super cranky so I had to hold her for a while on my bike.
Today was also my oldest daughters bball tournament, they rocked the gym! They won all 4 games, making it a perfect season. I am so happy for my baby girl! :)
I had a lot of fun watching her play ball. I also decided that for my selfishness and health I will be pushing for individual sports! I can not handle the intense games and not so great officiating and the ridiculous parents out there!! The End!
I hope everyone had a great saturday training and also great family time. Enjoy your day of rest and get ready for another week of butt kickin!

Chris ;)

Thankful 3-11-11

Friday morning I got up at 4:40, got dressed, drank my protein shake and drove to the gym for my run/swim block. I got there and had my choice of treadmills, so i picked the one right in front of the tv. To my horror the news was on and I saw the devastation that happened to Japan. My heart just sank, we have a friend who was flying there with her children to visit her family. Thankfully she was safe but she is stranded at the airport, we haven't heard about the rest of her family yet. I had an hour to run which meant an hour to watch the news and think about the things I'm thankful for in my life.
I have a whole list of them, so I encourage y'all to do the same. Write them down so you can see them everyday. We all need reminders.
I finished my run in 60 min running 5.14 miles and then headed to the pool. I wasn't sure how today's swim would roll out, but it wasn't too bad. I swam another 1800 in 44 minutes. When I was done I saw a fellow triathlete finishing up his swim, so we chatted for a few minutes.
I went to the store for milk and eggs, got home and started making some gluten free bread for lunches. Got the kids up, and out the door and then made my daughters bday cake, also gluten free. So many things have to be made from scratch now.
That evening at my daughters party all the girls had a blast, it was great to listen to them talk and be care free. I miss those days :)
Be thankful for what you have!

Chris :)

Long Distance 3-9-11

So wednesday was pretty rough for me. I had a block of biking and running. I woke up at 5:30 and drank a protein shake then headed off to spin with the group. I felt really strong during my spinning and even pushed myself more than I usually do. Then I got off my bike after an hour and put my running shoes on. I got on the treadmill and my body just shut down! I could only run for about a min and then I had to slow my pace so I could walk. I was so frustrated! I guess I pushed a little too hard on the bike. I finished the training and got home to get the kids up and ready for school. After the school drop offs I went with my younger two and did some shopping for my oldest daughters 12th bday party on Friday. We went to a handful of stores, one of which I got a new sports bra! Yipee :) by the time we were done I was starving! It was lunch time so we picked up my husband and went to a vietnamese restaurant, I love yummy food.
When we got home it was definitely nap time, so we laid down and I took that opportunity to call my race partner, my younger sister. Despite the state between us, we are doing our "long distance" training together. I love having another girl to talk to about my struggles and accomplishments. We both talked about how our training was going, goals we have for the race and of course what we were going to wear! I absolutely love that I will have the opportunity to race with my sister. We are already close but this will be one thing that we can share the memory of.
Find a friend who has the same goals as you and start encouraging one another to step it up and accomplish those goals you have. I can't say this enough...a partner or group of people is key to working out! You have to know that someone out there is depending on you to train. If you have a friend who keeps saying they want to change, then hold them to it and help them! You'll be helping, YOU as well.


Chris :)

Sick and Tired!

There are few things worse than sick kids. Since my last post my 2 youngest children got extremely sick. My 11 mo old was on the verge of RSV and my 3 yr olds cold induced asthma flared up. Ugh!! My husband and I took turns watching the kids during the night to watch their breathing and do nebulizer treatments and during the day I held them both so they felt comforted. My house was a disaster and dinners were not very healthy, well not bad either, it's hard to eat crappy food when you are gluten free.
So I missed my monday training. I got my wednesday bike/run in and my Friday run/swim. Saturdays long bike ride was skipped too. I spent an early morning in the hospital with our little dude on Friday after staying up with him all night. By Saturday afternoon I was so exhausted I decided that rest was what I needed to keep myself healthy.
The kids are still recovering, so I pray with this crazy snowy weather we're getting they will continue to get better!
On to training!!!
Yesterday I woke up late and only had time for an hour bike ride. Took my iPod and jammed to the playlist my sister had on it. I warmed up for 6 min and went into my 8 min intervals with rest in-between and finished with a 6 min cool down. It was a fun, entertaining morning as usual with the spinning group.
This morning I got up early and went to the gym/pool to do my swim. Today I had to swim 1800 yds in 45 min. I was sure that it was going to take me longer, but I felt strong in the pool. I did some stroke work, which took me back to high school and my coach on the side of the pool re-teaching me to swim. My stroke got sloppy and he was determined to get it corrected. I was doing the same techniques today, that he had me doing over 15 years ago. I also had company in the pool, strangers, but company. There were 4 other swimmers doing their thing. I love it when I have other people to push me, though they are unaware of their help. At the end of my cool down I checked my watch and low and behold I finished in 40 min!! Whoo hoo! I text my husband to brag of my accomplishment. He congratulated me and then reminded me that I needed to practice with my wetsuit and in cold water. Boo! That will have to wait until May, when it has hopefully warmed up.

So despite the crazy week I've had, I really got some great workouts in. Oh!! I totally forgot! My 11 mo old is now 1 year old! Her bday was Saturday, my husband and I took her out on a lunch date. More of a date for us ;) she had fun though and some nice alone time with mom and dad.
Ok! Get out there and work hard! There's no better time than now to accomplish your training goals. Whether it's for a race, to loose weight, or to get ready for summer. You can do it! I believe in you!

Chris :)

Good Day

Today my daughter had 2 basketball games, her team rocked! They won both games :)
We got home ate lunch and i sat down to watch some college basketball. I love sports, especially college! Professional sports seem too fake, no heart at all. To my surprise I fell asleep and took about a 2 hour nap. I guess I needed it.
I woke up cleaned the kitchen and then went grocery shopping. I took my 3 yr old to spend some time with him without all the rest of the crew to bug him. It was really nice to have 1 child with me. We got home and I made taco salad, fed my 11 mo old and headed off to train!
Today was a bike/run day. Now I'm no expert on cycling terminology so please forgive me. My bike has the 3 Crankset thing in the front and then I think 5 in the back, so I started my hour ride on the largest one in the front and the 3rd in the back. I kept a pretty fast pace for 20 min, then I clicked my gear and it moved one closer in for another 20 min. For the last 20 I clicked my gear one last time. Each time I shifted, it took me a min or so to get used to the new resistance but the ride was great. I felt really strong today.
I jumped off my bike after an hour and put my running shoes on for about a 2 min transition and started my 15 min run. I started at a 0 incline and speed of 5.2. Every 3 min I would increase my incline by .5 and stayed at a speed of 5.2 the whole 15 min. By the end I was at an incline of 2.
Today was a good day!
Listen to your body while training, if you're tired sleep, if you're hungry, eat something healthy. I really needed that nap today and I'm grateful my kids let me rest. Now for a day of church and rest. Have a great Sunday! Enjoy your family time and get focused for the next week of training!

Chris :)

Snow day!

This morning I got up at 4:30 to get to the pool by 5. I was all ready, opened the door to find snow. Took me a few extra minutes to get to the pool, but got there safely. I got in the pool at 5:15, all but 3 lanes were occupied, so I of course took an empty one. I swam another 1350 yds in 30 min. The swim was definitely better today than Monday. I'm still not at the level I'd like but it was a good swim.
When I got home I did some laundry, cleaned the living room and took a 45 min nap. Woke up and got my kids ready for school. After dropping off the kids I ran/walked for 45 min.
Today was a bit rough. I had my two younger kids, 3 and 11 mo, with me. The 3 yr old was fine, it was the baby who was super mad. She let me get 30 min in, so I thought I would just call it quits, but then I thought..."I can't quit! Find a solution!" so I picked her up. I finished the last 15 min holding her.
My 45 min consisted of 16 min at speed 5, no incline. I then bumped up my speed to 5.2 and an incline of 1.5, this got me to 30 min. I picked up the baby and slowed my pace to 3.5 and increased my incline to 2.5. My grand total was 3.4 miles at 45 min. Not the distance I was looking for today, but some days I'll just have to adjust. Still a great workout though!
Never use your kids as an excuse. Involve them or if they are small, hold them. Working out with my baby is exactly how I would loose the pregnancy weight after each baby. No need for weights, grab a kid!


Chris ;)

Early morning

Today was an early start, 6am early. The guys spin every M/W/F, once the weather is nicer and our days get longer we'll be on the road. It's much easier for me to workout in the morning, my husband is home and the kids are asleep. So off I went in the flipping cold to spin and run. My workout was a 45 min ride with a 15 min run. We did a spinning workout with intervals, we use the sufferfest dvd's. After my 45 min ride, I put my running shoes on and ran over a mile on the treadmill at a 5-5.2 speed.
I felt pretty good today and was entertained by our conversations during "rest" minutes. It can be very fun and easier to get through workouts with fellow athletes! I highly recommend finding a partner or a group to workout with, especially for running and cycling.
First is safety in numbers, its always a good idea to have someone with you. I was running with a girlfriend a few years ago and we where almost done when I rolled my foot and broke it. She ran home and then came back with a car. This was before we decided to get a cell so I would of been up a creek without her.
Second having a partner or group helps motivate you to get up and out the door. Your people are depending on you to be there, so you feel obligated to go. Once you're there you'll feel great!
Third is the friendships you make. It's so important especially for mothers to create a support group! Being a parent is hard and it can wear you down. After my 4th child I was DEPRESSED, all I could see was a mountain of diapers and clothes and complete loneliness. My husband was a new chiropractic student, so I was a single parent. I'm so thankful for some girls at church who started our workout club! We met every week day in the mornings to run. We brought our kids and then took turns running. We had at times 4 moms, so we would run in pairs and the 2 not running would watch all the kiddos. I made some of my best friends and confidants in that running group.
Every person needs release time, don't assume everything is perfect. Open up and extend your friendship to everyone. (this is hard for me because i'm shy)
Just think of the great friendships you be creating!


Chris :)

And so it begins!

Today is President's Day so that meant the kiddos were out of school! Bonus...sleeping in! I'm not a morning person!! I need silence for my morning to be great, with 6 kids that NEVER happens. All my kids are loud and crazy in the morning, so today was brilliant. I was soooo lazy this morning, then around 10:30 my friend called and asked if we wanted to meet at the park. Sounds good, but I have to start training, no excuses. I thought for sure I would be done in plenty of time.
Got out of bed, put my swimsuit on and got all my stuff together. Got out the door about 11:15 and drove to the local Y.
Now the training I'm using is from the book, The Time Crunched Triathlete, so today I had swimming and cycling. Entered the pool...1st 100 felt great...that's when the jello arms hit me! UGH!! I'm so out of shape for swimming! Oh well, suck it up! My workout was supposed to be 30 min, but ended up being 45 min. A total of 1350 yards.
I could barely get dressed my arms hurt so bad! Then the phone calls started...we're hungry, can we go play, so and so isn't helping. (me) have done your chores? I will go to the store and get lunch. Stop irritating your brother!
Finally got home, made lunch and realized I wasn't going to make it to the park. :( canceled with my friend, put the baby down for her nap and snuck off to spin for an hour.
Spinning was really hard today and I forgot my water! DUMB! I was at my friends spinning so luckily their kids were home too and they brought me some refreshing water. Finished my hour, drove home, baby was awake and I could hardly move. I made it past the front door and just laid on the floor. My kids thought I was being silly. My daughter got me more water and then my youngest son helped me upstairs to my room. He's so darn cute! By this point I couldn't even take my clothes off to get showered. I struggled for a while but finally got cleaned up. I was convinced I was getting the flu. Ummm, no. I was dehydrated and hadn't eaten enough throughout the day. Really quite dumb on my part.
My sweet husband made spaghetti with rice noodles. Yum! And I drank about a gallon of water/Gatorade. I'm feeling much better. I even got adjusted (husbands a chiro, remember).
Long story, short...eat great and drink a lot!
We get so busy and forget to refuel our bodies, not good. On training days get your food ready for the day. Make sure you have quality proteins, gel packs, Gatorade, and whatever else you need. I will not be making this mistake again. :).
As for chiropractic care, find a sports chiro in your area. They are very beneficial and can help keep your body in working order.
Two experiences from my two sisters who compete. Sister 1 competed in the Arizona Ironman in 2009 and she was treated by a sports chiro the whole time training, she was able to train without serious injuries occurring and did phenomenal race day. Sister 2 is currently training for a marathon in Texas and last week her hip was in extreme pain making it very difficult to run. My husband suggested a chiro near her and she is under his care now. Marathon is this weekend. I pray she will do great!
I'm not just saying go to a chiro because my husband is one, I want everyone to take care their bodies. God gave us only one. We make sure our vehicles are tuned up, we take care of our teeth...so the same should be done with our bodies.

Get out there, have fun, and most importantly...Be Safe!


Chris :)

It's time to get my big girl panties!

It's been a rough couple of weeks! I was supposed to start my major training 2 weeks ago and well let's just say it has not happened! I've been so overwhelmed with our new gluten-free eating, my 11 month old is not sleeping through the night and running the kids everywhere is just put me over my "what I can handle" point. I know many of you have "been there and done that", so I know I will survive, but it can be hard when you're actually experiencing it.
I did one spin workout last week on wednesday while my son was at scouts. I went with a friend, she ran while I was spinning. She was great motivation towards the end, I was getting so tired. That was the extent of my exercising. Truthfully I feel unmotivated. I'm taking on a huge task of a half ironman and still trying to be a good mom and wife. Difficult, but achievable!
So here it is, let's just realize that life happens. Kids will get sick, you will get sick, your period may be wretched, you may go over budget, your kids will drive you to looneyville, whatever it may be...it will happen.
Pushing through and not beating yourself up is the difference between success and failure.
Let's get focused! I'm not going Pro, I just want to finish and be proud of what I've accomplished.
It's time for the "big girl panties" to come out. Get yours out too and let's get moving!


Chris ;)

Run run as fast as you can 1-27-11

My Crohn's is acting up, so my husband has put me on a restrictive diet to calm things down. Now don't think he's some meany, he's a chiropractor, and my main doctor. He's also been doing some extra research so I we're doing a new program. Gluten free and some other supplements to heal my body. I took wednesday off to give my body some rest time and even though I wasn't 100%, I decided to go run on the treadmill, while the spinning class was going on.
I started with a warm up and then at 2 min I hit the speed button to 5. I was feeling pretty good for a while so I thought I would go to 5.5. Did this until mile 1 and I had to go back to walking. My asthma was really giving me a hard time. I haven't been bringing the inhaler and tonight I was really wanting it. I calmed myself down and decided to just stay at speed 5. I finished the 5k at 38 min and then decided to do some minute sprints. I did 6 one min sprints with a one min walk in-between each sprint. My first sprint was at speed 5.5, each sprint I increased my speed by .5, ending at 8. I did a 5 min cool down and ended up with a little over 4 miles clocked in for the night.
It was pretty fun doing the sprints. In middle school I did track, so it's been a while since I've done some sprinting, but it was great to change up my run.

Chris

Pain is good, right? 1-25-11

Tuesday was a busy day. Getting the kids to school, one stayed home because he was sick, and scouts. I'm the committee chair for our cub scout pack, so once a month we have our pack mtg. It usually stresses me out and I feel like I'm going crazy. I had to make the treat for the mtg, go to the scout office to get badges and pins and then to the store for dinner.
After school was just crazy. I had my kids help me make popcorn balls for our treat at scouts then had to pick up child 2 at school. Got home and it was chaos from there. Homework, finishing treats, basketball registration, getting supplies ready for mtg, and then I ran out of time to make dinner. Dropped child 1 off at friends house for bball practice, then I was off with the rest of the kids for scouts. I was on the edge now. So much to do and 5 kids to take care of. Sometimes I'm really stretched thin!
The mtg went great. :) All the boys and their families had a great time and all of my leaders were there to help me out. My husband even came to help. We got home around 8 and dinner was not made, so I had about 30 min to get it ready before I had spinning. I made a stir fry, kissed the hubby and I was off.
Now I was already pretty tired, but it was time to hit the spinning hard. We did a incline workout today and I thought I was going to pass out! Holy smokes it was hard. Some of the workout we did some standing up and I have not mastered the art of doing that. I'm extremely uncomfortable, but I gave it a go and that really got my legs burning. Throughout the workout we had different levels of intensity and by the end it was at a 10. This was so hard, but I pushed through and finished hard. Got off my bike after the cool down, legs wobbly and all and headed home to my little monkeys. I ate dinner, which was yummy, and barely made it up the stairs because my legs were so tired. Did a load of laundry, tucked the kids in bed, took a shower, and finally laid down to get some rest.
So why did I tell you the details of my day? Because I want y'all to understand that my days aren't easy, I'm actually busy. I have a household to run and responsibilities elsewhere. I want you ladies to know that even though you may be busy, you can always make the time to exercise. Have fun, you deserve it!

You want to come with me?

Today is my husbands bday. We went to lunch and then came home to the kids with all their homemade cards. It was great, they were so happy to see him open the cards. We usually have cake and ice cream, but opted out since our youngest son is having some asthma problems and sugar just aggravates it.
We were pretty tired so we took a nap on the couch. Perfect bday if you ask me. When we woke up it was evening time which meant I needed to go run. I ask my honey if he would like to tag along, just to get him out of the house and maybe watch a bball game while I ran. To my surprise he came with me. He hung out with our friend and helped clean some stuff and then they played some arcade games.
My run was really good tonight. Watched cloudy with a chance of meatballs and kept a pace of 5.2. I finished my 5k in 37.17 and felt strong enough to keep going, so on I went. I got to mile 4 at 47.50 with 2 min of walking at a pace of 3, I was getting tired so I decided to walk a lil bit. I cooled down for about 5 min.
Tonight was a bit of a challenge as well, regarding the kids. My oldest daughter was in a MOOD! She had been complaining all day and nothing I said or did was good enough. Blah! The tween years are crazy!! I think she called me every five minutes during my run to see if I was done or to give us an update on what they were doing. I swear she is going to drive me crazy.
I'm convinced I will never have a nice quiet workout, but it's okay, just reminds me I have a family who loves me and I definitely love them.

So my words of advice are to just keep at it. Despite the whining and constant bugging from kids, set the example and eventually it will stop and they'll want to be like you. I'm grateful to my mom, who always took us running with her. She would go to the high school and run around the track while we played in the middle. She could always keep an eye on us, then eventually as we got older we would run with her. My dad would also take me running on the weekends, it was a great way for us to bond.


Chris

Evening run

Last night I ran another 5k. I took 2 of my girls, the oldest and the youngest. They watched Disney channel as I ran and I watched Lie to Me. I love that show! Once my oldest got the baby to sleep, she hopped on my bike and did some spinning. Nice!
So I started with a 4 min warmup half at speed 3 and the rest at 4. Then I kicked it in at 5 at a 1 incline. I felt really good the whole run. Legs felt strong and I my breathing was cooperating today. I've seemed to develop asthma with this last pregnancy, sometimes my breathing becomes an issue.
So the last mile I increased my speed every minute or so. By the end I was at speed 6. I had to do some work on my breathing, so it wasn't controlling me. I was determined to finish sooner than my last time of 40 min and I totally did! 38 min for my 2nd 5k. It's the little things that make me happy. :)
I did a 4 min cool down, gulped down some water and we were off to pick up my oldest son at scouts.
This night was a challenge to get to my running goal, but the family effort was there and everyone did their part.
My oldest son watched the baby as I got dinner ready, everyone did their homework in the kitchen so I could help, my wonderful husband went to the store to pick up a few items, and my 2nd son babysat the younger 2 so I could take son 1 to scouts and start my run. Oh and of course my daughter watched the baby while I ran. It takes and army, so I'm glad I have one!
When we got home we had some friends over. I bike with the husband and his beautiful wife is training for a half marathon. She asked if running for me ever got fun. Honestly, I haven't reached the fun part. My mom and 2 of my sisters love it and race throughout the year. I would rather swim and cycle all day long than run, but I want to do Tri's, so I better start to find the love of running.
Don't let your family or other excuses get in your way. Stop being a "victim" and start doing things for yourself. So many moms feel guilty about doing something just for them. DON'T! Every person needs time to themselves, it's natural and keeps you sain. You'll be a better you, a better wife, a better mom, if you start taking care of yourself.
Follow the Nike motto and "Just Do It!".


Chris

Be strong

I was so tired today. Not enough sleep and no motivation. The day seemed to just slowly creep by. It didn't help that my head was killing me today. I should go ahead and let y'all know that I have Crohn's disease. So more of my days are bad then good. I've definitely learned to focus on other things and my pain tolerance is very high. I wasn't really up to working out but I've made a commitment so time to suck it up!
I went to my spin group tonight and we did 15 one minute sprint intervals with a one minute "rest" in between each sprint. I was feeling pretty weak starting out but as I got warmed up the motivation and desire to do my best started kicking in. I was pushing myself hard, my mind was telling me to stop, but I kept at it. We got to the15th interval and I gave it everything, thinking this was it, to my surprise there was one more to kick our butt! I couldn't stop and be a weanie, so I kicked it into overdrive and finished strong. Whoo! I felt great!
Everyone will have days of discouragement but be strong and fight through it! Put your "big girl panties" on and go out there and work out. Don't let your negative thoughts bring you down. Fight back and be the best you!

1st run of the year

This weekend my hubby went to Denver for a seminar, so that meant 1 mom and 6 kids. Yikes!!! Friday was school and then friends over at night. Saturday we woke up late and had a yummy gluten free breakfast braid. Dropped my oldest off at church for a Webelos hike and dropped off the stud dog we had the past week back to his owners. We got home and it was already time for dinner, the day goes fast. I was really tired, but I knew I needed to get a run in. I made dinner with the help of my girls, they set the table and then I was off to my friends house to use their treadmill. Thank heavens for friends!
I got started and not 5 minutes in my run and my cell was going off...the kids. So and so is yelling, she is touching me, he won't help clean, the baby wants you, the complaints went on and on. I was so done! Can't I get just 1 hour to myself? Come on! I asked if anyone was bleeding or dying. The answer was no and so I hung up the phone and turned up my iPod. Forty minutes and 3.1 miles later I was done and felt great! Not bad for my 1st run since aug of 2010. Just 10 min off my regular run time! Whoo hoo!
I got home and all was well, kids were playing and the baby was having so much fun. I got cleaned up and spent the night playing beatles rock band with the kids. When it was time for bed I had all the kids pile in my room for a movie. It was great! A little time for me was exactly what I needed to get that groggy feeling to go away and the energy to play with the kids.
Who knew my 1st run would be so productive!!

Chris :)

Let's get started!

It's 2011, a new year, time to set goals and finish them. I decided to do a Half Ironman! Crazy? I know, but should I just sit around, eat cookies, and watch tv all day? Should I just watch the sports reels and think, "wow, they are so inspiring, I wish I could do that!". I can and so can everyone else. Want to loose that baby weight, then get off your butt and do it! My inspiration came from one of my younger sisters, who completed a full Ironman. It was amazing to watch her and hundreds of other people accomplish such a great task. I was pregnant with my 6th child at the time and thought as soon as I have our daughter I will get in shape and train for a Tri.
A few months after having our daughter, a friend of mine asked if I would like to participate in a sprint Tri she and her husband would be doing at the end of the summer. At first I thought, hello, I just had a baby! I had complications after childbirth and lost a lot of blood. I was still recouping from all that. Plus no bike, which would be super expensive, so I probably couldn't do it. Then I just went online and signed up! Now, I was committed, there was no turning back. A few days on craigslist and I found a bike that fit me. Three months later, with the help of a great group of cycling guys/gal, lots of swimming and running, I finished my 1st race.
I had a great support system at home. My brilliant husband watched the kids and gave me the encouragement I needed when I was getting negative. My kids were great and helped with the younger kids. I even took my kids running and swimming with me. My son was definitely showing me up during the runs! This was a family effort and so it will be this year. My kids want to do their 1st Tri this year too.
So enough already find a race, sign up for it and let's get started! Stop watching Biggest Loser and BE the Biggest Loser. If I can do it with a family, so can you.

Chris