How does your garden grow?

I’ve been planting a garden for a few years now, but it’s always been a struggle to reap much of a harvest from it.  Between the kids, dogs, and my horrible weeding habits, it’s been very hit or miss.  This year, things have changed! Last fall, my dad helped me build two more garden boxes to finish off the terrace of boxes in the west end of my yard.  Then this spring, he and I built a fence to block the garden from the rest of the yard.  Finally I can keep the vegi’s safe from unwanted attention from both the kids and dogs!

What I eat…

The running (specifically running social media) community seems to have a lot of opinions on what we (runners, athletes and human beings) should eat.  I have generally remained fairly silent on this cause, but that does not mean that I don’t have some fairly strong opinions on it.  Perhaps it’s because of my strong opinions that I’ve remained silent.

2 Races, and 2 new PB’s!

Well, it’s been a good running week to say the least!! I’ve run 2 races in the last week, one on Canada Day (a 5k) and then today I ran a half marathon. Both were great, and I managed a PB (PR) in both races! Read on for all the gory details 🙂

The making of The Wizard of Oz cake

We celebrated my oldest daughter’s birthday yesterday.  It’s hard to believe that she is turning 4 this week!!  It’s been a tradition for me to make and decorate a cake for my kids.  Last year Maiya was completely obsessed with the Big Bad Wolf, and I made a Big Bad Wolf cake, with Little Piggie cupcakes.  It was my first effort at a fancy, decorated type cake, and it came out really well I think.  This year when I asked Maiya what she anted, she was at first still very obsessed with the Big Bad Wolf and was still stuck on that topic, but just in the last few weeks, she’s seen and fallen in love with The Wizard of Oz. 

The Evolution of a Mother-Runner

I’m often asked how I have time for running or how my running has changed since I’ve had kids. I always tell people that having kids has made running more important and more of a priority for me. It might seem backwards that I run more now than ever because I have less time now than before kids. Why is running more important than ever, some thoughts and some practical tips:

A review of 2013 in numbers (and pictures)…

I can’t help it, I’ve got a form of OCD that requires me keep track of numbers.  I allow myself to go crazy with the numbers in my running, and it helps me to let go in other areas of my life.  Here are some numbers (with some of my favorite pictures from the year) to summarize 2013.

10+1 years Run-plus-more-a-versary

Running a marathon this fall started as an idea in mine and my hubby’s heads way back over a year ago.  Last fall was the official 10 year anniversary of our first half marathon, that we ran together, trained together, and started dating soon after.  Last year we thought, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if we could run a race together to celebrate?’.  

Freezer to Slow Cooker Night 1 – Turkey Meatloaf

We tried the first of my freezer to slow cooker recipes tonight. It was super simple, defrost, plop it into the slow cooker, spread the foil open and around the edge of the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. I put it on high for the first couple hours because my slow cooker runs cool on low. I also did some roast potatoes and broccoli as sides (at the request of my 3 year old). The finished product was great! Here it is ready to come out:

It easily lifted out onto a plate where we sliced it up. Here is the finished product on my plate:

It got a thumbs up from the whole family! The recipe is linked above in my freezer to slow cooker post.

1 week down, 14 to go….

Well I’m officially ready to admit it… I’m marathon training!  My hubby and I are training for the Seattle Marathon on December 1st.  I last tried training for a marathon in 2011 when my first daughter was a year old.  When I got my mileage up into the 60’s (km’s) or so my achilles started to scream at me (again – an injury from my first and only marathon completed in Vancouver in 2005).  I DNF’ed the 2011 marathon.  This time I was a bit worried/cautious about going back into marathon training.  I think (HOPE), I’m being smarter this time around…. and since I have had a couple mid 60 km/week weeks over the last couple months, I’m hoping that I’ve kicked this injury and can make it to the start line healthy and ready this time!

Last week went pretty well for me.  I took things pretty easy after SeaWheeze, as my calves were really tight going into and coming out of it.  I have spent a lot of time rolling them, and in compression socks/sleeves.  I’m pretty happy to say that my calves are feeling great!  Lori, Danielle and I ran 23 km’s on Saturday morning, my calves and ankles felt great!  We ran a pretty hilly route, and our pace was dead on what I’m hoping to have our long runs at.  It was about a 6:15/km pace.  This is on the slow end of what McMillian would recommend for my long runs, but I’m trying a bastardized version of MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) training.  In actuality, MAF training is meant to be done with a heart rate monitor, but I’m not going to bother with this as I’d have to find out my actual max, and then wear a HRM on training runs.  I also think you’re supposed to keep your HR under a certain number for all your runs during base building.  I’m not doing this either.  I am hoping that by running my long runs nice and slow, that my body learns to burn fat and not glycogen for fuel during these long runs – after all that is the point of long runs – and the point of MAF training.  It also seems like a pretty good excuse to not pressure myself to push my pace at all on long runs! 🙂

This week has me doing a hill run tomorrow (8 repeats!).  On Wednesday, Lori and I are going to split our run in two so that we will have time to do a brick in the evening.  We’ll do some distance on the treadmills at the gym in the morning, and then in the evening we’re going to bike for hopefully 20 km’s or so, then finish off our run distance (hopefully 12 km’s for the day).  Thursday I’m taking a rest day! YAY 🙂  Then Friday will be our long run of 25 km’s.  I’ll just have to do one more run at some point during the weekend.

In other news, I signed up for Instagram this past week, so if  you’re interested in following me, I’m @terryruns.

My hubby and I took my oldest daughter camping last night for just one night.  We had so much fun, as did she.  We tried to cram all the best parts of camping into one night, we roasted hotdogs for dinner, made s’mores, had a campfire, played at the playground, rode her bike, went for a hike (walk)… I can’t wait for next summer when both girls will be older, and we can get out for a few nights.  I also feel incredibly grateful that I live so close to the mountains, and some fantastic camping!

Mommy Long Run Recovery Tips…

I recently read a blog post giving some guidelines on how to best recover from a long run.  Many of the points were good tips and something that I do strive to do.  Let’s be honest though, as a mom, the moment I re-enter the house after a long run, I don’t get to focus on myself and my recovery.  I thought it would be fun to write a ‘mommy long run recover’ post, just for fun… 😉

• Within five minutes of finishing, it is important to refuel with simple carbs and protein.  Check the fridge for Chocolate milk, discover that your 3 year old finished it last night for her bedtime snack.  Eat some goldfish crackers and leftover Kraft Mac and Cheese instead, preferably over the sink, or hidden in the pantry where you won’t be interrupted.
• Before you have a chance to shower, or change, your baby will probably want to eat.  Don’t bother wiping the salty sweat off your boob, she won’t care and will be happy to have someone other than daddy attend to her.
• Within a half hour it is recommended that you do some sort of core routine to ensure that you do not develop any running injuries.  Carrying your toddler around the house, picking her up and down, pushing her on a swing, transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer, etc, any of these tasks will do just fine.
• It is recommended that you eat a larger meal at this point.  Most of the other food in the house has been consumed by your family, and no one has taken the time to update the grocery list with what is missing.  Eat a bowl of cereal, cross your fingers that the milk is not lumpy.
• After your meal you should take a shower.  If you are planning on running again within the next 3 days, showering seems a bit pointless since you’ll be just getting sweaty again soon.  Throw your hair in a pony tail, and put a sweatyband on to cover-up the line of salty sweaty greasy hair at your hairline.
• If you have time, take a nap… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
• Be sure to do some mobility exercises throughout the day to help keep the lactic acid at bay.  Running up and down the stairs to help your toddler on the potty, carrying your fussy baby up and down the stairs as you help your toddler, teaching your toddler ride a bike, getting snacks for your kids, etc, these are all considered active recovery and will do your body good.

Does anyone else have any good recovery tips for us moms?