Dingos Jogging Into January 2012!

[Nickarolaberry]

New Thread, happy new year Dingo Mamas!

[doctorjen]

Here's the race list for the January thread. Please PM me if you'd
like me to add something for you!

: dingo race list
:

kitteh - 13.1 Los Angeles Half Marathon - January 15, 2012

Realrellim - Yeti Chase 10K - January 28, 2012

bec - Desert Classic Half Marathon - January 28, 2012

Realrellim - Ralston Creek Half Marathon - February 12, 2012

bec - Indy Mini Half Marathon - May 5, 2012

Nickarolaberry - Iron Horse Half Marathon - June 3, 2012

tjsmama - New York City Marathon - November 4, 2012

Other places to find the Dingos:

: cooking blog :

knitting blog

We have a private Yahoo group. Submit a request to join and mention your MDC
username in the request so we know who you are.

We also have a private location map. Send a PM to eksmom to get info
and join up.

Why are we called the Dingos?
See this post

Edited by doctorjen - 3/1/12 at 5:58pm

[MelW]

Happy New Year!!

Nic, I'm impressed by your mileage. I love how you casually mention a 10-miler with black ice- with that kind of stamina all of your 2012 goals look easily within reach!

real, I hope they catch the pimply-credit-card-thief. I browsed the app store today, and there are several new grocery apps with good ratings that look like the tick-lists you're looking for. A few apps that I love: Calengoo (which syncs both my multiple google calendars for work/personal/kids, etc. AND my google task list, both of which I used before getting the iPhone and didn't want to let go of); Evernote for storing pdfs of my appliance manuals, and organizing thinks like our new flooring purchase- I took photos of the samples along with notes, room dimensions, costs and kept it all in one place while I was working on it. I sometimes use runkeeper for runs/hikes and the gps when I'm on new trails, nike training club for occasional quick strength workouts, lots of entertainment stuff (TEDtalks, McSweeney's...), drug guide and other nursing/medical stuff, and iTunes for music and podcasts through my car stereo.

I had a mellow New Year's Eve at home playing piano and guitar with my husband, and in bed before 11. He had to leave at 6:30 this morning to catch his ferry, and we won't see him in January at all The kids have been a bit on edge today and really hard to motivate to get outside on a drizzly cold day. I finally convinced them that we could do a treasure hunt around the neighbourhood, and ran out to tie ribbons and bows on fire hydrants, storm drains and street lights so they could bike around and find the "treasures". Then we had a living room dance party. I'll fit in exercise somehow, but am feeling the lack of really hard exercise over the past week. I'm ready for bootcamp to start again next week!

[doctorjen]

2012 Dingo Race Results

2010 Results

2011 Results

Edited by doctorjen - 3/1/12 at 6:00pm

[sparkletruck]

Nic - Can you go back to the old thread and fix the link..... or people can just find it like I did too ....

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1338062/dingos-bustling-through-december-our-running-thread/300

[tjsmama]

No 2012 miles for me yet...I was in no shape to run this morning. Prosecco plus Mexican Train (domino game) plus one glass of red wine.... I think it was the glass of red wine that put the whole thing over the edge. I was going to go meet up with the people I was supposed to run with after the run, but between my crappy feeling and the noncooperativeness of my transmission (which made going on the highway impossible), I just headed home to be a slug on the couch all afternoon instead.

I had a livingsocial deal to a local gourmet market, so I used that yesterday to pick up a dessert for the NYE party, and also got some scallops and a bacon-wrapped filet to make myself a lovely New Years dinner today. I'd never made scallops at home before, and I was kind of scared that I would ruin them (they were expensive!!!) but it turned out really yummy, finished off with some asparagus and a lemon butter sauce.

Tomorrow, the car goes back in and they better get the transmission fixed this time! My friend is going to pick me up for the dealer so I can hang out with her, and I think we're going to go for a run and then maybe shop a little. I want to go look at some furniture since I think I'm going to be on nightshift, and I need a better solution for the nanny for overnights rather than changing sheets every morning. I'm thinking about trying to sell my glider/ottoman and buying one of those chairs that pulls out into a single bed. She would have to sleep in the living room, perhaps not ideal, but better than changing sheets six times a week?

[Nickarolaberry]

Fixed the link, I hope!

I am having one of those days when I want to throw out every item of clothing I own and start again. I have no style whatsoever but no idea what to do about it if anything. Not to mention I am ambivalent at best about my religiously inspired dress guideline issues. My clothes are mostly all too big on me which seems like a fantastic thing and I am not sad about it but on the other hand nothing fits and I have no money to either get everything tailored or buy new stuff. And although I am a happy thrift and goodwill shopper I think I buy in sort of a half-assed manner and end up with a lot of nothing to wear.

Did that make sense?

I feel like I am in philosophical/career/wardrobe/life flux way too much the last year or so but although some things are more settled, others are still fluxing and even more than before. 

Ok sorry for the navel-gazing.

Going to try a vinyasa (sp?) yoga class tomorrow and I bought a mat today (the idea of using the jcc's communal mats skeeved me out. this one was on clearance from $56 to $24 and got good reviews on amazon...not that i'd have a clue why one yoga mat is better than another).

[Geofizz]

Whew, done with the in law visit, and it was one for the record books.

I see Lisa's in law house keeping issues, and raise her six cats and a dog. There was cat food and dog food scattered all over the floors, cat hair everywhere, and the downstairs bathroom with 4 litter boxes. Throw in 4 unanticipated guests (my BIL's in laws...) and their special needs dog lacking in training or other dog socialization, who was not allowed to eat anything but special food. And my 13 year old niece had a New Years party for her friends. Then the in-laws's in-laws went to a hotel for the night leaving the two kids and dog behind with a "oh, he'll start barking at about 6 am, so just take him out for a quick walk.". My BIL reports the dog barked from 12:30-2:30 am, and then indeed start up again at 6.

When we got home, we each went to our 4 corners and read for an hour. In silence. With no cats jumping on me or dogs tearing through the room.

So in the end, my MIL was the least of my decibal worries, and I have to admit to Lisa, our hotel room had heat.

I did run twice, the second time the six miles from the hotel to their house, along a very peaceful path up their canal through a park. A great way to end a year.

Total: 860 miles, where my goal had been 762. Next year my goal is 774.

[kerc]

Skied today. POsting from my phone. Happy new year!

[Realrellim]

Originally Posted by Geofizz 

I I see Lisa's in law house keeping issues, and raise her six cats and a dog.

Ooo, that's nasty indeed. MIL only has one cat, though she allows the blasted thing to sit on the dining room table at all times except when we're eating, and she doesn't change the tablecloth in between. On the last day we were there, I found the lint roller because otherwise J's plate was going to be next to a ton of cat hair. :bleh You win on the cat hair though. (Also: this is why I will never stay at BIL & SIL's house, as they have three or four cats.)

MelW--thanks for the app info. That's super helpful. Sorry that you won't see DH for so long.

Nick--I completely understand what you mean about clothes. The random non-matching clothes items is why I don't do thrifting, though part of that is also that I never find anything in my size either. I'm very picky when buying stuff these days, especially about how things fit and look--and thus, I barely ever buy anything besides running apparel. (Why oh why can't I just wear Skirts Sports stuff everywhere? ) That's probably why I'm planning to sew myself a skirt or two this spring, after two years of failing to find a basic grey skirt. The flux about careers and all resonates with me too. Do I apply to the local community college this month, do I wait, should I be looking in a different direction...?

tjsmama--yay for a good race yesterday. I don't think I could manage that after flying home, unless perhaps it was a direct flight. Then again, there's no way we could pack up everything in 12 minutes either.

2011 running summary: 1028 miles, six real races (two 10M, two half-marys, one 10K, one 7.5M trail run), four races with the family, two sprint triathlons, three PRs (10M, half mary, 10K), one second place age group award. That's going to be hard to top.

2012 goals: run a marathon, preferably with an under-5 hour time, run two or three half-marathons (and a faster time if I do Middle Park again), run 1000 miles, and do at least one strength training/core workout a week.

Maybe a duathlon will be on that list too, depending on how difficult it is to balance childcare duties and biking once R is out of school this summer. There's a duathlon located only minutes away at the end of September that would be perfect. I'd like to bike a couple of times a week to complement the marathon training, but R's really too big to fit in the double trailer and yet still too small to fit comfortably on a trail-a-bike. We just got her a 16" bike for her birthday because she's not big enough for a 20" and all the trail-a-bikes are 20" ones. (Side goal: teach R to ride without training wheels so she can ride along on my runs and we can sell the double jogger. I can easily fit miles into errands and park stops and such if I can get her up to a reasonable pace and the ability to ride more than a mile.)

Also, can I just say that 2012 is going to rock for nearby races? Two of the half-marys I'm planning are 10 or 15 minutes from my house, and if I do the Middle Park half again, that's only 10 minutes from our trailer in the mountains. That's so nice after all the drives I took down to Littleton for their Winter Distance series last winter.

RR: 8 miles today. It was colder than it looked, which led to a faster than expected time. Beautiful day, despite the cold.

[moominmamma]

Hi Dingos, I've been lurking for the end of the past month, waiting for the January rollover to join in.

I'm Miranda, 48-year-old unschooling mom to four kids, currently aged 8 through 17. I'm a (very) part-time family doc and Suzuki violin teacher. I live in a lovely but fairly remote rural area of the interior of BC, Canada. 

I began running almost 3 years ago with the C25k program and despite long winters, the lack of a running community and a dearth of race opportunities, I've stuck with it. Right now I'm training for my first official marathon in May and I'm trying to find the creativity and motivation to keep running through the depths of Canadian winter in the mountains. I'm a die-hard trail runner, and that's what I really miss at this time of year when the trails are buried in deep snow.

I'm also a barefooter, when conditions permit. I'm considering running the marathon barefoot but I'm not sure if that will be possible given the scant 4-6 weeks I'll have to condition my soles to bare asphalt once the snow goes. Are there any other barefoot or minimalist runners here?

I managed a slow 12k this morning. Cold and steep and kind of boring, being on the highway. But I bought some new running pants last week, Zoot Ultra Run Pants, and I'm in love with them, so it's all good. I bought a second pair for my dd17 for her birthday, and I confess I'm tempted to keep them and buy her something different. 

Miranda

[1jooj]

Happy New Year, ladies!

Nic, probably the one thing I was thankful for in returning to Dubai was the fact that all I need here are my sandals and a black abaya and running/beach clothes. Anywhere I go, I can throw the abaya over whatever. For my current life, anyway. If I were to get involved at school, get a job, or otherwise be involved in any group of people, I'd need clothes, and suddenly they would matter immensely, and I don't want to put my dollars there. I have had that clothes feeling probably 3-4 times a year for most of my life. I don't feel like I put myself together well at all.

I can't say about resolutions, but I do have goals for this year. First, I clearly need to convince dh to consider a compromise with regard to school and living situations. Here I have this ideal opportunity in the US to take a long sabbatical from this place and return when the heat dissipates, and dh refuses to accept the concept of online school to make it feasible. Outright refusal, doesn't want to talk about it. IRL, our homeschooling friends/family fall into two camps: special needs who do better outside a classroom, and kids who end up "graduating" without really learning the 3 Rs because their mom hated school and didn't want them to suffer through it. He comes from a world where education is not compulsory, and is still sort of a ticket to a better life. I get his fear, but I also think that a year or two in a (currently) unconventional system will not ruin our kids. I'm  but hoping my Mom can help me convince him when she is visiting. If not, I'm going to have to pick returning to WI, which means one one-month visit with dh per year (in WI). Because summer break comes when weather is too hot in Dubai, no way would we go to see him. I think he wants to force me to stay, which is especially unfair considering he's only here 50% of the time, and when he is here, he at least has work to occupy his mind.

So, that's one. The other two are, as always, exercise and writing. I'm unsure about how much running. My back has not been well, and the referred/radiating pain into the hips and legs continues. But between walking, yoga and strength, I want to get back into decent shape in time to wear something other than a black abaya in WI.  This basically means the next 15-20 pounds. And I need to get more selfish about writing. But I always need to do that. Going to shut down surfing most of the day so I can be productive.

[sparkletruck]

Geo, I'll see your dog hair and raise you:

Lice and

DD1 was scratching her head like crazy at the RESTAURANT tonight, so I take her to the bathroom, and see some nits. When we get home I check more thoroughly and HURL. So we spent the next 2 hours cleaning everything and combing combing combing. DS is clear, as am I, and, come to think of it, no one checked Dh. But DD1 and 2 both have it, with DD1 the worst. I had never seen a live one before. Seriously, my kids went to bed at 10:30p, with combing to be continued in the morning, I have loads of laundry going now, and a HUGE pile in the kitchen to be washed, and all the pillows out on the back porch (freezing kills them). Sigh. What a bummer, and of course I feel all itchy now. Ok, off to bed. Fun times tomorrow


Welcome Miranda!!!

[1jooj]

Welcome, moomin! We x-posted.  There ARE barefooters here (I currently barefoot on the beach only, and short distances), and wow on your commitment and progress!

It sounds like Dingoes everywhere are welcoming the end of the holiday season with all its delights. For our part, we just discovered dh's debit card was hacked and someone is making small charges, apparently in TX. Looks to me, based on amounts and where we just were, like organized crime. And takes us down to just one bank card until dh's new one comes. Now taking steps to secure our balances more tightly. Makes me so mad. If we end up with limited money access, things could become very ugly very fast.

But between lice, too many/poorly socialized pets, dreck and detritus, retail schedules, ILs and the men they "gave" us, it's been a haul, huh?

I have a cold and took meds for it this AM with my coffee, so now I am sort of a coked-up mess with a sore back. Not my A-game today. Going to hit the beach after vaccinations and more laundry. 

[Geofizz]

Style question. DD got two shirts from her grandma that she loves. However, they are scoop necked, and as she plays they tend to reveal some nipple. What goes under something like this so that she can wear the shirt and not show off extra? An undershirt would show, so it wouldn't be quite so under, right?

I'm taking the day off. Ok, I'm finishing my syllabus and writing a report, but otherwise, I'm taking today to deal with stuff. I'm going to see if I can fill the VOA truck for tomorrow, schedule eye appointments, call the school intervention coordinator (must prep for that call), hem some pants for DD, track down one wayward Christmas present.... Oh, and drink lots and lots of coffee.

Welcome Miranda!

Sorry to hear more stories of CCs being stollen, . It took us 4 months to get our mail fraud/CC hack finally resolved. We have no idea where that number got stollen.

So kerc, did our rain mean you now have snow?

[JayGee]

Welcome Miranda!  You've made amazing progress in 3 years!  I've been running for 25 and still haven't run a marathon .  I occasionally run barefoot on the grass and love the way it feels.  And can I also say that I've read lots of your posts and always appreciate what you have to say, especially regarding homeschooling and gifted education . 

Jooj ~  when did DH reverse his course on the online school?  I'm so sorry things are looking a bit bleak again.  You and Dubai are NOT a good match.  Your trip though the Holy Land looks like an amazing experience though.  I want to go someday!

sparkle ~ lice?!  Oh NO!  Blech....

After reading all these IL stories, I'm kind of glad that we never go to Savannah anymore to visit MIL.  She has a cat/clutter house too.  And now that one of my SILs and her two adult children have moved in with MIL, there isn't anywhere for us to sleep anyway.  My BIL told DH that it looks like a scene from Hoarders there.  DH (the eterally organized and clean) would never survive.  I just wish MIL would come visit us because she hasn't seen my kids since DD2 was 10 months old.  None of them even remember their grandmother .

Real ~ impressive mileage and race stats!

Okay, all this reading about mileage goals and races has me planning.  I know that with my ongoing knee/leg issues, I can't crank out the miles like many of you (ahem... Nic and DrJen....), but my goal for 2012 is to run/walk 500 miles and run 3 5Ks and 1 10K.  I think that's doable.

Yesterday DH and I went through a huge box of scrapbooking fodder from our 3 years in Bloomington.  So many race bibs ~ triathlons, 1/2 marathons, etc.  Made me a bit nostalgic for those awesome years of running there.  Sigh.

[Nickarolaberry]

Welcome Miranda!  Always nice to have a new Dingo around!

Sparkle, that's nasty. So sorry! BLECH.

Geo, what about a pretty cami or tank top like the girls wear under everything? Dd has some from the childrens' place that have a shelf bra thing inside. Not sure how much/little coverage your dd needs but I saw similar ones at Target as well (without the shelf bra for the smaller sizes). They're meant to be seen, so not really undershirts. 

So I took the Vinyasa Flow Yoga for Athletes class this morning. Whew. That was very hard. Good hard, though. I don't know if I"m going to be able to swing it every week (6-7 am is usually when dh leaves for work) but I really hope so. I think it's a good Monday (i.e. day after long run) thing to do and it's core and strength which I clearly REALLY need. I spent most of the time trying not to fall over and trying to figure out where the heck my body was in space (not something I"m good at). It's so *different* from running -- you have to really tune in and be precise with where you're putting your limbs, etc. Running lets me tune out. I can't say I'd ever be a total enthusiast as it doesn't give me much of a cardio high or rhythm but I didn't hate it, so that was good. 

Last day of my kids' vacation today. I need to go to Costco and really don't want to bring them along. Hmmm.

ETA: Jo, once again, Sorry dh seems to be getting off the cooperation train. I have nothing constructive to add, only to say that when we were in FL I made it nonnegotiable that I was taking the kids north for the summer. His trying to force you to stay when it is so clear you all hate it and he isn't there most of the time is ... kind of like the way my dh was being a couple months ago. Somewhat unaware of others' needs? Hmmm. Sending you  to find a path that works for you all.

Edited by Nickarolaberry - 1/2/12 at 6:31am

[JayGee]

Geo ~ both my girls really like the lace trimmed tanks from Target.  They wear them under shirts and sweaters and sometimes even by themselves or with an unbuttoned cardigan. Plus they're cheap (just like me!)

Nic ~ that yoga class sounds good.  Reminds me that I need to get back to Pilates .

Okay, I need to get off the computer and get started on the myriad organizing/cleaning projects I've planned for the new year.  First ~ the fridge!

[Geofizz]

OK, so tanks.  Got it.  Color?  White?  Black?  Try to match the colors?  One shirts is teal blue and the other is between hot pink and red.  Both have plastic 'jewels' on the neckline.  DD has no curve or any need for a shelf bra, just very active, rather unaware of what's hanging out at any given time, and nipples that show when she in a state of maximum unkempt.   Please use small words and include all relevant info.  I'm a fashion dunce. 

Jo,  I wonder if you could do regular testing to help establish to your DH how the kids are progressing.  There are ways for homeschool kids to take standardized tests, and I think there's one for title 1 schools that kids take 3 or 4 times a year (MAP?).  For some of the online circles I run in, the test is fairly well respected because it gives a decent measure of actual level and progress.  I wonder if you could do something along those lines to keep a close eye on how the kids are progressing, give your DH some assurance of efficacy and peace of mind. 

[kerc]

Originally Posted by Geofizz 

OK, so tanks.  Got it.  Color?  White?  Black?  Try to match the colors?  One shirts is teal blue and the other is between hot pink and red.  Both have plastic 'jewels' on the neckline.  DD has no curve or any need for a shelf bra, just very active, rather unaware of what's hanging out at any given time, and nipples that show when she in a state of maximum unkempt.   Please use small words and include all relevant info.  I'm a fashion dunce.

I would buy three tanks: one black. The other two will depend on what they have. Also I would ask dd and I would instruct her in why she's wearing a trim fitting tank. She doesn't have to know everything, but I do think its fair to say: this shirt is cut low enough to see your nipples from time to time and we think that part of your body is a private part, best not shared with classmates.

Back later, there's a crisis about thumbtacks.