Dingos are all Barefoot Marathoners! April Running Thread - Page 3

[bec]

Originally Posted by Nickarolaberry

On the way out, the man (who had said nothing) came over and starts talking to my ds (who is 4) in Italian and then ... pinch tickles him!!!! .

Ok, I'm not trying to justify it, because I really believe that if you travel to a foreign country (or move there ) that you should bother to learn the cultural mores of the place. But, having some from Italy, Italians from my SIL's husband, I think this is very much a cultural thing. This is how older people (particularly the men) treat little kids. I saw it when mine were littler and we were all together for SIL's wedding. Of course, we were in a friendlier, more familiar type situation, but I am told that this is how they are with all children. It's still creepy and wrong, and I would have been pretty infuriated too! But, I am betting he was trying to make peace after his wife's huffy, impatient behavior.

Jen - Your birth stories always make me cry. What a wonderful story.

[OvenSeeksBun]

Greetings from Manitoba

I can't remember if I've posted in past Dingo threads, but I've been lurking on and off since January. My friend and I are training for our first half marathon, which takes place on Father's Day. We are both new to the world of running, and I ran a 10K on March 21st to raise funds for the 'polar bear conservation fund' at our local zoo. It was kind of cool because the run took place in the zoo, and it was early in the day so most of the animals were out and about. Anyways, it took me a little under 1:06 to run the 10K, which I was happy with.

Do you guys run straight through, or do you take walking breaks throughout?
I had to stop and walk a few times, and I noticed that many others did as well. Should I plan for walking breaks during my half marathon (13 miles), or should I try to run straight through?

My friend is coming over in an hour and we're going to go for 6 miles

Edit: Subbing

[memiles]

Nemesis ~ Such a relief to find out you are in the clear.

Bec ~ for a good job! I'm seeing so many around me struggling with this issue.

Originally Posted by JayGee

.

I met a friend and walked 5 miles this morning. By two miles in the entire lateral edge of my calf from knee to toes was totally numb. Sheesh, can I not even WALK??? Anyway, DH is getting me some personal training sessions with my buddy Walter (Mr. Boot Camp) for my birthday. Maybe some strength training will help, and will at least keep me somewhat toned in the downtime.

Thanks!

That really blows. I've found that the issues I've had going on are worse with walking than running. Talk about adding insult to injury. But I'm incredibly jealous of the personal trainer time.

Originally Posted by 1jooj

I had the suckiest 5 miler in a long time. It suuuucked. It was between 75 and 80 out there, mid-afternoon, peak heat and out I went into rush hour traffic on the highway. Also, my iPod was pulling my pants down and a lot of people are burning brush so breathing wasn't great. I averaged 11min/mile and I walked a lot. Afternoons are really hard for me. It was my only window today, though, and I decided that today, a bad run was better than no run. Plan for tomorrow is to go out in the morning.

But somehow I also have to squeeze in shearing 13 sheep with dh. He's turning soil again, and we might have a fire and roast marshmallows tonight.

This mental image made me laugh! A good friend had us cracking up with her shearing stories on our girls weekend. The shearer had showed up that morning, alone, with his 3 month old baby- his wife was newly back to her full time job, their babysitter was sick. So my childless friend (who has insane baby lust as it is) wore the baby the entire day while she assisted the shearer. It seemed really natural to her as she's an anthropologist who spent years in the jungle, watching women wear their babies through every task they did. It also made her take self portraits as she went through the day to send to her husband as proof that she could farm with an infant.


Dr Jen, such a great birth story! So many things had me nodding and smiling- staying up to late only to get a call 2 hours later, the wise big sister, scrambling to get at least one glove on to catch (and dad's comment this time, priceless), the comedy with the call light. What a blessing for all of you.

I seemed to have missed my window for a run outside today. Yesterday was 12.5 hours of clinic straight through (we saw 20 families and were without our senior student, who is sitting on a beach in Hawaii with a mai-tai), including some definite high-needs mamas. I woke up at 6 and was incredibly stuffed up, so I decided to sleep a bit more since the kids are gone. Woke up and it was still cloudy but calm, so decided to catch up on email and drink some coffee. Then all of the sudden, the wind picked up in dramatic fashion, 10 minutes later the rains started. We are in for a major storm, I can only hope it's going to shake a few babies loose as we've got 2 41 weekers and a grand multip at 40 weeks.

Instead, DH and I are going to go to the gym together for the first time ever! The kids have been at my mom's since Tuesday, he took a few vacation days since he's into "use it or lose it" territory, and we have 2 basically unscheduled days in front of us.

[Plady]

Originally Posted by zubeldia

I was contemplating the half iron man. What do you think?

I woke up in the middle of the night for the trillionth time, and felt sort of cross that my entire life right now feels as though I go from responding to different people's needs all day and all night long. I feel like I am losing myself. I realized that the half marathon training - however infrequent it was - has been a way for me to keep a part of myself separate from the bedlam. Even just thinking about it and planning it has been very therapeutic, so I thought a really big goal - before the semester begins again, would be something to keep me sane.

And

Originally Posted by tjsmama

alex~Hmm. Have you ever done a tri before at all? Because if not, I would be really hesitant to do a half for the first one.~ I know you're a lot faster than I am, but my half last summer took me 7 hours.

Alex - I agree with Gaye, I think a Half Ironman is a REALLY big goal for a first tri, even a second or third. But mostly I worry that filling every otherwise empty space in your schedule with training, while giving you time for yourself that you need, it makes the training a total crutch, like the event becomes the excuse for the alone time, not the plain fact that you need alone time and you should get it regardless of whether you are training for some huge event or not. Do you know what I mean? Then, in order to get that time you're driven to always be training for the next (probably bigger) event until you find that what started as a release has become just another thing you have to do. I am probably not being clear, I am just having this strong feeling that I don't want you to devalue your down time by thinking - and acting- you have to use it or lose it. Here's a question, can you sit on the couch and read a book comfortably while dh takes care of ds? Can he sit on the couch and read comfortably while you take care of ds? If you both can, fabulous. If you can't but dh can..., do you see what I'm getting at? I went down the road where I couldn't sit on the couch but I could leave the house for my "down" time. That road led me to became so resentful and angry and overwrought and lost it was almost impossible to see the way out. And since I'd not made dh understand right off the bat that it was essential for me to be able to sit on the couch while he cared for dd that when I finally figured it out for myself it was a hundred times harder to make him understand how something so seemingly simple was the difference between having a marriage and not.
Well, that's one way to complicate a simple question isn't it? It's just that looking back to the moment where you are now, laying the groundwork for how you are going to be parents together and how you are going to be individuals and partners all at the same time, I can see from here that these little choices can snowball into big big consequences. My path of least resistance led me off a cliff, I just want to be your detour sign.

Originally Posted by 1jooj

We did marshmallows around the fire last night, which was nice, but I have 5 big mosquito bites on one foot. Guess spring is here.

Where the heck do you live? Louisiana?

DrJen - Thanks for starting my day off with : I'm so glad for that family that they had a nice uncomplicated arrival.

Ash - Are you considering Ragnar out here still?

Nic - I have to agree with Bec's take, I thought it sounded like he was trying to make amends for huffy wife as well. But I also think that' you've had so much stress recently that it's totally normal for you to be on full-red alert just in general. How's Passover going? I hope it's a happy holiday and not just a special-dinner-every-night stress fest.

Mommajb - Mind clearing coming at you.

Memiles - Whoa yeah this wind! Whoo wee I'm glad I don't feel compelled to get a run in today!

OvenseeksBun - A lot of people find that walking through water stations gives them just enough of a breather to make the race feel more comfortable. There is definitely no rule that you have to run every step of the way, just do be aware of who is coming up behind you before slowing down so fast. Collisions are no good for anyone! Welcome to the Cafe!

[1jooj]

Baby photos on FB.

See if the link works

[JenLove]

Originally Posted by 1jooj

Baby photos on FB.

See if the link works

OH MY GOOD GOD, I MUST VISIT YOUR FARM!

(Hear that Universe!?!)

[JayGee]

Originally Posted by 1jooj

Baby photos on FB.

See if the link works

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more adorable than your goat and your cat!

[LaLaLaLa]

Hello!

It's my babysitting and waitressing day, so no running for me. My brother just told me yesterday that he and his wife are taking Fridays off this summer, though, so I'll be losing my babysitting gig. He apologized for taking away my "fun money."

Jo--Pictures are absolutely adorable! My kids insisted on looking at them several times. The first time, though, they kept calling the goats rabbits. Easter on the brain plus those long floppy ears, I guess.

Nic--I'm sorry you had more people giving you crap, both the woman and the man. She should know that kids make noise. Especially at a pool in a communal clubhouse. Seriously. And HE should know that, especially in this day and age, you NEVER touch someone else's kid.

Jen--Awesome birth story! I hope the family finds having this new baby to be something of a healing experience. I can't imagine losing a child.

OvenSeeksBun--Thanks for joining us! It's nice to have you here and I wish you luck in your training. I'm a little bit jealous of everyone who has friends with whom to run. I need to find me some running buddies.

Enjoy the weekend, everyone! It's supposed to be nice in Massachusetts, finally. DH is optimistic and invited his dad over to eat food cooked on the grill tomorrow. Let's hope the weather holds out!

Happy Easter to everyone who does that sort of thing.

[1jooj]

Jennie, I will be expecting you. We will milk Mouna and make lattes and watch the babies run in big jumbles.

[JenLove]

Originally Posted by 1jooj

Jennie, I will be expecting you. We will milk Mouna and make lattes and watch the babies run in big jumbles.

That sounds divine. Maybe we could swing in with the RV on the way home? It would probably be the night of the 18th or morning of the 19th? We'll have to play it by ear and see how we manage living in the RV for like 10 days, but I think that would be grand if it worked out.

[Plady]

Originally Posted by 1jooj

Jennie, I will be expecting you. We will milk Mouna and make lattes and watch the babies run in big jumbles.

That does sound like Heaven. :nana <- me being jealous and at second glance, looking a little pervy, sorry.

[Penelope]

RR: 6 good miles.

Family in town R: some serious shopping, although mostly I bought from the clearance rack. My mother picked out a cardigan to cover my tattoo.

Am trying to breathe, mostly successfully.

[1jooj]

Originally Posted by JenLove

That sounds divine. Maybe we could swing in with the RV on the way home? It would probably be the night of the 18th or morning of the 19th? We'll have to play it by ear and see how we manage living in the RV for like 10 days, but I think that would be grand if it worked out.

Yup, play it by ear is fine. I think you have my number and anyway you're all sync'd and all that...if it's a smallish RV it should fit in the turnaround. Park it for an overnight if you can stand it. I know, being just a couple hours from home, it might be a tough decision.

Plady, you know how to find the place. Anytime.

Training for my second mama's going...well, slowly I guess. She hates the milk stand, but her letdown is improving and tonight she didn't break into a sweat over it. Poor girl. It's hard not to compare her to Mouna, who at two weeks in is an old pro. And Milo, btw, also sleeps with the twins. He is so tolerant of the babies' antics, it is amazing. Pearl gives him her weird little goat hugs, where she sort of mounts him and throws her neck around him. So ridiculous.

RR: Jack Nothin.

[tjsmama]

Welcome, ovenseeksbun! I typically run straight, but if it's a long enough race to take water at aid stations (usually over 10k unless it's really hot), I walk the aid stations. I have yet to figure out how to drink while running without making a huge mess.

Just back from a long day skiing. Well, ok, so I quit actually skiing at lunch, but it was a long day nonetheless. I dropped DS at ski school, and then skied the morning with my friend Amy and her DH. We had a few good runs, but conditions were not good, and it was FREEZING. I decided I really didn't need to go back out after lunch and freeze while skiing crappy conditions, so I hung out in the lodge and played on the iphone for awhile before walking over and watching the end of DS's lesson.

How bad would it be to delay doing DS's easter basket till Monday? I have had zero DS-free time this week, and won't until late Sunday, and he's old enough now to notice what I buy at the store, so while I really don't mind that much if he figures out that mom is the easter bunny, I don't really want him actually watching me buy the stuff, ya know?

[JenLove]

Jo ~ We'll be coming from STL and it seems to make such a long day of driving in the RV. It might just be the perfect place to stop. Will keep you up to date.

OMG just ordered my Vibrams!! They are backordered but with our trip home and everything, I am hoping it'll be just in time for me to get home and settled. With our dividend and 20% off - $54! Woot!

Nemesis ~ Have you gotten yours in the mail yet? What kind did you order?

[Plady]

Just popping in to say I swam a mile today! : It's not the first time but I finally figured out that I average a lap a minute, so that makes counting laps soooo much easier!

[Eaglevoice]

Plady - nice job on the swim!!

My knee is finally healing from my bike accident. I was able to get in the pool and bust out 2700 yds 2 days ago. I was able to ride the stationary bike yesterday with minimal pain. I busted my booty on level 12 with big hills and I made sure to keep my pace at around 95 RPM! Woo Hoo, that was good. I was going to attempt a run today, but I chickened out because just 3 days ago I only lasted 1 minute before it started hurting. Maybe tomorrow I will feel well enough to start pumping out some miles again. At this point, it looks like I might not compete in my tri on the 27th...I just don't think my knee will be well enough for that.

[zubeldia]

Thank you wise, wise dingos. Gaye, this would be my first tri I am going to sign up for a sprint tri in early June (it's a lake swim, but a lake I swim in during the summer so it won't be too overwhelming, I don't think). I'm also planning on signing up for an Olympic distance tri the end of August. It's an ocean swim, which I am super nervous about, but I am roping my friend in who has done many, many tris in her lifetime. I think the half will wait. My only worry was that next year we may be thinking about baby number 2 so I guess I wanted to try and cram in a lot this year

Plady, you are a wise woman. Thank you for taking the time. What you wrote makes a lot of sense. And, no, I can't sit there and read whilst DH takes care of ds - unless he's taking him to bed. I don't know how to articulate to dh that I need time in a way that he really does get it. He seems to get it, makes suggestions, even, for how I can have the time, and how important it is, but, well, it's not easy to put into practice. He did take DS downstairs yesterday at 4am so I could sleep for a couple of hours, though

DrJen, you are such a beautiful storyteller.

Penelope, glad you got those miles in I don't know if it's true for you, but I always find this time of the academic year to be extremely stressful.. papers, essays to grade, students to advise, the end of the semester closing in, and on, and on. Deep breaths, and remember that most of this stuff doesn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. If papers are late back to the students their world, and yours, will not fall apart. Let go of what you can at work

Jenlove

Jo, oh, my. Those are cute, cute pictures! you are such a good goat mama

Still no FM for me. In two weeks I have basically run a half marathon and that it is. I need to get my self into gear as this is no good for my mental well being. Today is going to be gorgeous. I'm gong to head out for a very short run this morning to test out my legs and this afternoon I'm going to get my bike out :happy

I will move today.

[bec]

Oh, Jo, even though I can't see the pics (no FB), I would so love a visit to your farm. It sounds so lovely and peaceful and filled with fabulous animals. Maybe we should have the dingo campout at your farm!

Zub - I think figuring out how to get that down time and how to do it while not leaving is one of the hardest things in parenthood to figure out. Especially in that nursing infancy. What really worked well for us was for me to stay put, and for DH to take the babies/children away. Their separation anxiety was less when they were the ones doing the leaving, and I didn't feel like I was kicked out of my house in order to be by myself. Just something to consider.

Walk breaks - Anything longer than a 10k, I walk through water stations. It really helps me to get a breather, take some water/fuel, and ramp up for the next leg. I think this is one of the reasons my half last weekend was so tough. I am used to water stations being around every 2 miles. In this race, they were around every 3-4 miles. Even though I carried water with me, it threw off my rhythm.

I had two extra kids yesterday, so no exercise (other than an aborted attempt to fly kites, which turns out to be harder than it looks!). Today, I would like to get out and run three, but it is raining, so it may be a treadmill run. My shin is still stiff and a bit sore, so I'm debating whether I should just give it a rest for a few days this weekend and really concentrate on it getting better before hitting a higher mileage week next week. I have 15 on the schedule for my long run next week. With the tri training, it seems like my running has really taken a back seat. So, I'm a little worried about my mileage, even if I have been keeping up with the long runs. It has seemed that the running has just been really hard lately. I am really needing to have a glorious run, and everything has been turning into a hard slog. I need my mojo back!

[Naughty Dingo]

Hi Mamas,

I am gearing up for a 15 miler this morning. Getting the ipod synced and beverage belt all ready. Will be so psyched when I am on the other side of it lol.

Is everyone enjoying the spring weather? It feels so good to be able to step off the TM.

Z - were you asking about half ironman? I trained for one when I was doing a tone of triathlons in my 20s. It was extremely time consuming, even for a single 20 something person. Olympic dystance is a much more managable distance in terms of fitting it into your life, yet it is definately a different race from sprint tris. You should think about doing a big olympic one like Mrs. T's or similar, it is quite a rush.

OK I am done syncing and can no longer procrastinate.

Love, ND