Steph - SHAMROCK SHUFFLE!!!!

I had an AMAZING time running with the whine and cheese club plus some AMAZING colleagues from work. Funnily enough, as you can read in the previous blog post, I found everyone on the morning of the race except Mark and he is NOT going to let me forget it.

And AWESOMELY enough, we signed up 25 racers to earn the grant money for our school!

So race day started EARLY this time. I knew I could run 3.1 miles this time, but I needed a little caffeine to get me awake and started. By this point, I had already run 3.1 miles in practice twice. But I was still nervous ... because my brain did NOT buy what my body was able to do!

New Brain: This is fun ... I can't wait to run with everyone. It sounds like so much fun.

Old Brain: Fun ... hell no ... you know what is fun? When we used to sit on the couch and do nothing ... or ... if we were still asleep right now! That would be fun.

New Brain: O.K. The race has started. Man this is a congested start. I really wish that it was better organized so that all this weaving in and out of walkers doesn't slow down my time.

Old Brain: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? Weaving in and out of the walkers gives us a perfectly valid excuse for going really, really slow at the start. We are basically walking. This is great.

New Brain: Good. It is clearing out a little. Thank goodness that we have now naturally separated into runners and walkers. It makes it much easier to establish my normal pace.

Old Brain: Normal pace. Listen to yourself woman. What are you talking about? Your normal pace is walking a 20+ minute mile. There is NOTHING normal about this.

New Brain: O.K. This feels good. Now I am running. Good pace. Good conversation with my running buddies Jill and Cara.

Old Brain: WHO ARE YOU? This does NOT feel good!!!!!

New Brain: Ha, Ha, Ha!!! This conversation is good! They are so funny! Great times :)

Old Brain: The only think good about the conversation is that it is distracting me from the running! How can they possibly keep talking? I am just trying to breath!!! Are we done yet.

New Brain: I can keep this up. It is not too bad. No stitch in my side yet. Breathing is slightly labored. I just need to concentrate ... breath in ... breath out ... breath in ... breath out! I need a huff or two on the inhaler and then I will be GREAT!

Old Brain: Are you kidding me? I am going to die right here on the path. I can't breath. We need to stop. No really, we need to stop NOW!!!!

New Brain: O.K. Now I am feeling this. I am definitely starting to feel worked out. It feels good to work out all these muscles. Loosen them up.

Old Brain: Right ... you are feeling this ... that means STOP!!! And the only work out that feels good is using your arm to raise food to your mouth! Stop all these crazy thoughts.

New Brain: Maybe Jill is right. Maybe I can train to do a 10K next. I think we should start next week.

Old Brain: How do you even know what a 10k IS???? Let alone talk about doing one. You have gone CRAZY!!!

New Brain: Cool ... I am almost finished. I can see the clock tower again. This means that I get to have a coffee and eat some breakfast soon without feeling super guilty about it. YEAH!!!

Old Brain: Now something that we can both agree on!

New Brain: I can see the finish line. I think we should try to sprint the last little bit to the finish line for a strong finish and to make-up for the slow start.

Old Brain: Insane woman ... the start was the only part of this I liked! Let's stop and walk to the finish. No one would blame you.

Both: Oh, look. There is Mike and Timmy. They are cheering me on from the sidelines. That is so sweet!!

New Brain: O.K. We are turing the corner. Time to sprint to the end (well as sprinty as I can get right now). Thanks CARA!!! Cheering me on with ... "You can do it" is exactly what my brain needs right now. I can do it!!!!!!

Old Brain: My lungs are going to EXPLODE!!!!!

New Brain: You've got this!

Both: YEAH WE ARE DONE!!!!! We ran our first 5k ever ... the entire thing without stopping.

Both: YES!!! Now Mike owes me that IPad ... bet he wishes he didn't make that bet now :) And look there .... our sweet, adorable, he just lost the bet husband is bringing all three of us water!

At the end, we met up with good friends again. Talked and laughed about our individual experiences and ate some really BAD food choices. But a great experience overall that I would not take back or change in any way ... well ... maybe I would have looked for Mark a little harder :)

Food 1: Coffee - YUM!

Food 2: Dorito Taco Bell - NOT yum :( (MIke Liked it!)

Food 3: Panera Asiago Bagel - YUM!

Mark B: Shamrock Shuffle - Guest Post

I spent my time at the walk-a-thon/race playing the game of "Where's Stephanie?" After being badgered to participate I thought for sure I would see her there with the rest of her retinue. So, struggling to walk such a long distance I had to find something to keep my mind off of the physical strain of the walk. Unfortunately for me I had not one sight of her, so I left the race convinced she had not been there but had just lured the rest of us into committing our Saturday morning. Beyond that I had a very nice walk with Kara's friend Kelly. Interesting lady and fun to tour the streets of West Chester with. Still looking for Stephanie, though. Did anyone else see her?

Jill: New Kicks

Last weekend I finally got out the door to get my new running shoes.  This was way overdue, but I kept putting it off because all of that unpaid maternity leave put a dent in the household budget.  I was also waiting for the spring clearance sale at Bob Roncker's, which is our local running specialty store.  They are super nice and very knowledgeable, and they totally treat us like real runners instead of the cheese-loving, wine-drinking pretend runners we really are.  For example, real runners get really excited about new gear like tech clothing, GPS watches, socks and hydration equipment.  But shoes really take the cake.  Everyone dissects the latest models and foot wear trends (crazy barefoot people, I'm talking to you).  Heck, even Runner's World has the "shoe issue" every year.

I, on the other hand, despise shoe shopping.  Problem number 1 is that my feet are almost a full half size different from each other.  That makes finding a shoe that fits nicely on both feet somewhat annoying.  But the fun doesn't stop there.  I have been wearing special orthodics in my shoes since the age of 15 because I have arches that look like this:

Needless to say, it takes me awhile to find shoes that work well for my high maintenance feet.  My last two pair were very simple Asics Gels that I loved very much.  Unfortunately, I was determined to get something that was on sale ($60 or less!!!).  I ended up finding these which remind me quite a bit of my old shoes and have so far felt good:

Mizuno Wave 7. That's right.  They are the OLDER model. More proof I'm not a real runner.

To celebrate my success in finding a workable pair of new kicks, I'm leaving you with a few of my favorite songs about shoes.  Enjoy!

Jill: In Defense of Cheese

Unless you've been hiding out in a Cold War bunker recently, you have probably heard that the citizens of our country are getting a little thick around the middle, to put it nicely.  We now have an entire industry dedicated to weight loss, exercise, and healthy eating.  Experts deliver theory after theory about why our fatness has reached epidemic levels: sedentary lifestyles, laziness, medical issues, fast food, plugged in to our electronic devices too much, saturated fat, trans fat, not following the food pyramid, too much processed food, too much red meat, too little fruits and veggies, not enough exercise, portion sizes, calorie control, hormones and on and on and on.

So the ultimate question is what exactly is to blame for America's pudginess?  Take it from the teacher.  The answer is

D.  all of the above

Clearly, logic should win out on this one.  All of those factors combine in a variety of ways to affect each person in a different way. This is why one weight loss remedy works for one person but not another.

I don't begrudge any of the experts and advocates for taking a stand against one particular fat-causing demon.  Everyone deserves to have a soapbox to stand on.

That being said, I am drawing the line at this guy who wants to lay all the blame on CHEESE.  Seriously?!?  It is absurd to accuse Cheese, and Cheese alone, of causing the fat on those billboards.  (I'm so annoyed by this that I'm refusing to post the pictures of the billboards, but you can see them in the original article.)  He also claims that you should NEVER include Cheese in your diet.  Never?!  Cheese has been a part of the human experience for thousands of years, but people have not been packing on the pounds in such rapid fashion until relatively recently.

In my humble opinion, he has openly declared war on Cheese (either that or he is just simply crazy).  I, for one, will not tolerate this defamation of this most amazing food.  I will stand and proudly defend my love for Cheese.  I will continue to cover my organic, farm fresh broccoli with it (how else am I supposed to get it down?).  I will continue to slather my baked, multi-grain crackers with it.  And I will most certainly continue to use it as a side dish for my wine.

The line has been drawn.  You must choose your loyalties.  The time is now.

As it should be!

Jill: BIG Thanks

Well hello there, world 'o bloggers.  Seems we have some catching up to do, no?  Let's start with the basics.

• Yes, I still remember how to log onto the blog site.
• No, I have not had too much wine.
• Yes, I am still running.
• No, I have not figured out how my children know exactly when I am sitting down to blog and then choose that exact moment to go ape shit around the house.
• Yes, some of that ape shit is happening right now, but my husband is "handling" it.
• No, I did not finish this post in one sitting because I still had to go help out. Sigh.

When we first started our little club and blog I was happily enjoying an extended, albeit unpaid, maternity leave and could find the time write more often.  Six weeks ago I went back to work, and since then free time is a luxury I can barely remember.  I'm lucky that I have been keeping up on the running (barely) but I was sorry to discover that the blog fell very far down the To Do list.  I'm back at it again with a renewed vigor basically because I need Stephanie to stop nagging me about it. 

I've decided to begin by giving out a few much deserved THANK YOUs.

First, a huge THANK YOU to our good friend Jill over at JoggingJeans.  She's been a great supporter of ours from the beginning. Our blogs went up in the same month, and I was lucky enough to discover hers really quickly.  Since then, we here at the Whine and Cheese Club have incorporated finding folks running in jeans into our regular routine because we love her site so much. 

However, I wanted to make a special mention about her super awesome post about teachers.  The last time I submitted a photo to her, she posted it along with an really nice shout out to those of us working in this profession.  Currently, all of our club members are teachers, and this serves to explain our absence of late.  I'm sure some folks out there are thinking "how in the world do you NOT have time to blog when you are done working at 3:15 each day?"

Allow me to explain.  First, let me introduce you to the stages of a typical school year in our particular school district.  Let me repeat, I am speaking only about where my club members and I work.  This is obviously not the case everywhere.

1st Quarter:  Everyone arrives back at school full of optimism and excitement (no, seriously, that's not the wine talking), students and teachers alike.  Students try really hard to start off on the right foot despite their past issues, and teachers give all the students a blank slate and tons of confidence.

2nd Quarter: Cracks in the armor start to appear.  The behavior and academics of many students begin to decline.  Teachers start to learn more about their home lives (or lack thereof), disabilities, and health issues.  Anxiety levels build as the holiday breaks approach not because our students are excited to get out of school but because many of them do not look forward to being at home for an extended amount of time. At this point, most of us have probably had to break up at least one fight, most likely more.  Just when you think your sense of humor has abandoned you forever and you just might spend every night soaking in the bath tub crying for the youth you try so hard to help, we get around 2 weeks off to coax our sanity back by enjoying as many holiday "spirits" as possible.

3rd Quarter: See below

4th Quarter: Testing is over or will be soon.  There is light at the end of the tunnel.  Students and teachers begin joyfully counting down the days/weeks until summer.  Teachers get to do a lot more "real" teaching because the tests are over.  Awesome projects, field trips, and enrichment activities abound (if we have found some way to pay for them), and everyone strives to end the year on a positive note.

I saved the 3rd Quarter description for last for two reasons.  First, it is by far the toughest time of the school year for us.  Second, it is currently where we are right now which should help explain our absence from the blog and also the lack of training for some of us.

3rd Quarter (of death):  The pressure of testing is full force which wears on both teachers and students.  The weather is gray, dull, cold and crummy.  There is no such thing as a snow day in our district. Seriously, last year after a snow storm, the local news was at our school filming because we were the only one open in the entire COUNTY. The only good that came of that episode was the beginning of Baked Goods Breakfast between club members.  The theory being that if we had to be the only school in session, then we should start the day off right with a breakfast that made us happy.  Habanero Cheddar baked a cake that first day, and it's a tradition that is still alive and well among us. I think scones from Panera are on the menu this week.

Anyway, I digress.  During 3rd Quarter we get up and drive to work in the dark, and many of us return home after the sun has set as well.  There are very few days off in which to repair our mental health.  We are deluged with meetings and paperwork, most of which seems unnecessary and counter intuitive to our mission of educating and helping kids.  We spend time being upset that our students stole from the substitute teacher when we had to be home with our own sick children.  We have to contact social services for students who are literally sick with hunger or are walking to school in winter with nothing but a flimsy sweatshirt on.  We try our hardest to make sure that even in our class of 34, no one falls through the cracks, but more often than not, feel like we are failing.  It's the time of year where we question our motives, our effectiveness, and even possible career changes.

This, my friends, is where we currently find ourselves.  Blogging has become a luxury of time that we simply do not have, and some of us are even having a tough time keeping up with running.  This is not an excuse.  It's simply our reality right now.  We will no doubt make a huge comeback as 4th Quarter rolls around, and we have race reports to write.  Because despite the absence of regular posts, we have been busy signing up for races, training occasionally, and eating and drinking as much as possible, all in the spirit of the club.  Fear not!  We are still doing our thing.  We just haven't had as much time to share it all with you.

Remember that this post is really about saying THANK YOU, right?  So finally, I have 2 more folks who are deserving of my gratitude. 

THANK YOU to my husband.  My transition back to work has been exhausting and even more difficult than I predicted.  My real runner husband has put his own running on the back burner to help with the kids, help keep our house in a livable condition, and even occasionally help me grade papers.  He's super awesome, and I couldn't be more lucky.

THANK YOU also to club member Stephanie.  Without her nagging and her inability to run alone, my training would have disappeared altogether.  She's pretty much single-handedly kept me running even if it hasn't been as often as in the autumn.  Wait a minute.  Did I actually just thank her for making me get up on Saturdays as well as dragging me out of my home during the work week at least one evening a week?  I definitely have had too much wine.

Steph: Shamrock Shuffle

I am super excited to run the Shamrock Shuffle on March 10th. Not only is it the first 5K that I KNOW I will be able to run .... but it also is an opportunity to raise money for our school. I love it. In addition, we get to dress like fools and maybe raise even more money for our school.

I have new confidence! I can run without stopping for 2 miles straight and I have a plan in place to get to 3 miles by March 10th. I actually feel like it is really going to happen for the first time since we started. Don't get me wrong .... every time I know I am going to run, I have to mentally prepare myself for it. Convince myself that it is a good idea and that I won't die doing it. But I have been convincing myself. I have been doing it. I will continue ....

And my husband ... he is AMAZING about this running stuff all of a sudden. He is so supportive and loving and I could not ask for more from him. Thank GOD for him and for my running buddy Jill who impresses me every time she runs .... because she has A LOT more to juggle at home than I do. So thanks to my support team .... I would not be here without you :)

Steph: I am the Tortoise

I have decided that I am the tortoise of the group ... I may have started off slow, but I am going to win this race with determination and persistence.

There is only 1 month until our Cheviot Run/Crawl. And I am going to make it ... as long as I keep going. Slow and steady is my pace. I faithfully have gotten in 3 runs a week. This week, (thanks to Jill) I started moving on up from 1 mile to the ... BEYOND!!!

And then ... I got sick. I didn't run yesterday. And that was the FIRST time I have skipped a workout since we have started. "Oh no" is all I can think today ...

... I am a little OCD and I like schedules and plans and knowing what is expected of me and fulfilling that and then "checking" it off my list. And today ... I am freaking out that I won't get my 3 runs in. And if I don't get my 3 runs in, is that the beginning of the end for me? I am a quitter. I quit slowly .... but I do quit.

So I am keeping this 5k run in mind that is now only one month away. And I refuse to fail ... so I refuse quit ... so I refuse to let this one missed run get me down ...

I can do it.

I can do it.

I can do it.

Steph: Jill has reached new levels ...

Apparently I am in need of some tough love right now ...

Jill decided that I have NO choice but to up my running to 2 straight miles starting next week...

She said that I am holding onto that walk in between miles like a security blanket ...

Tough ...

But much needed kick in the a** ...

Thanks Jill ... :)

HC: Reasons 3.0

Keeping with the theme of reasons to run and other reasons not to I have created my own list that includes both. Tonight I actually made it to the gym after being at work for 13 straight *&%$@#!  hours.  Wait don’t teachers only work from 8-3?  Grrrrrrrr.

 I DON’T run because I have six other teachers I have to find time to plan with even though half of them have never looked at a single IEP and those same people have no idea everything that I do. (This can sometimes be turned into a DO)

I DON’T run because most of my “free time” falls on the weekends, which is also the only time I have with my sweetie who works 2^nd shifts. If I run on the weekends it’s only after confirming schedules and takes away time we spend together (after two knee surgeries it’s not a great idea for him to run).   

I DON’T run when my inhaler is empty. I don’t need it nearly as much as when I started this but let’s not get crazy.   

I DO run because I’ve been working extremely hard to lose/maintain my weight. I mean really, really, really hard. I’ve been successful in my overall journey to become healthier but it’s a daily struggle to keep up with it.

I DO run because I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. I tend to have trouble clearing my head and running helps me take my mind off things for at least a few minutes.

I DO run because it’s been a great experience with my friends and gives us more time to spend with each other.

I DO run because I never thought I could and now somehow I am. 

Steph: The Reasons

Keeping with Jill's list idea, I wanted to create a list of my own on why I really run.

But first I wanted to say, I think it is HARDER to keep running than to START running. I started under duress and peer pressure, but had fun with the camaraderie. Then I hit a stride where I was determined to keep running to matter if I hated it or not - no matter if one of my friends could run with me or not. Then, suddenly in the last 4 days I have given excuse after excuse on why not to run. I realized how bad it was yesterday, when the excuse I used would not truly have affected the running. I could have run and then continued to work when I returned, but I didn't. Maybe it has something to do with the "real" distances I am now running. They sound scary when I say them out loud. But whatever the reason, tonight I am NOT letting myself talk myself out of it. I am going to psych myself into going running all day.

THE REASONS I RUN ... AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO

1. Running makes me feel better afterwards
2. Running is making me lose inches (if not pounds)
3. Running makes me feel like I am not a real couch potato
4. Running is fun when you have a friend to run with
5. Running has somehow (inexplicably in my mind) brought my husband and me closer
6. Running makes it hard for my husband to keep his hands off me afterwards
7. Running is something new to do ... that I am actually O.K. at doing
8. Running hurts while I am doing it which makes me know that I am alive
9. Running makes muscles in my body hurt that I didn't know existed ... and I love learning about things that I didn't know existed :)
10. Running makes me feel better about eating that big old piece of cake later in the day
11. Running makes my clothing fit better
12. Running has opened new doors of conversation with old friends
13. Running gives me hope that I control my own "in-shaped-ness"
14. Running will make walking around European mountains this summer a lot easier
15. Running has made my husband believe in me again
16. Running makes a big glass of wine at the end of the day taste even better
17. Running makes the stresses of the day melt away (something I didn't believe was really true until it started happening to me)
18. Running has made me realize that I can do other exercises too (I started a 25 min Tae-Bo workout that kicked my arms into full gear - wow it even hurts typing this right now!)
19. Running makes my heart happy.
20. Running sucks ... but not in the way that a lot of life's real stressers suck - so it has given me perspective.

These are the reasons I run. These are the reasons I want to continue to run. Now I just have to talk myself into not falling off the wagon tonight.

:)

Jill: Reasons

I've had this saved for awhile. Although I find a lot of "motivational runner speak" to be a bit high brow, this has a great mix of motivation and reality even though "Run because you'd rather be drinking a nice bottle of wine" isn't on the list.

Now I'd like to share my list of reasons why I haven't been running more than once a week.

Not running because I went back to work full time after a nice extended maternity leave
Not running because I am still nursing the baby
Not running because I am spending way too much quality time with my breast pump
Not running because I gave up my plan time at work to pump milk
Not running because the exhausted 2-year-old wakes up in the middle of the night and crawls into my bed
Not running because I am getting between 4-5 hours of sleep
Not running because even on the weekends I am not sleeping more than 4 hours uninterrupted due to exhausted toddler
Not running because I have 120 6th grade science students and 120 5th grade science students
Not running because my hubby is sick and I may be on my way to joining him
Not running because the laundry is a never ending black hole of death
Not running because the Christmas tree is down but the ornaments and other decorations are still not put away
Not running because I don't go more than 2 days without having to clean up puke from our "miracle" kitty that is still alive and well despite a brush with congestive heart failure, a skin allergy, knee problems, and being lost for a week

To put it simply, this new transition has been H.A.R.D.  But I have races on the calendar so I've got to figure this out soon.

HC: Backseat

It has been forever since I’ve blogged! I guess part of the reason is running took a backseat to all the craziness of the holiday season. I was able to get outside a few times and to the gym once but I really didn’t push myself nearly as much as I do when I’m running with someone else.

SG and I decided it was time to get back on track so we hit the gym yesterday, our last day of Christmas break. That alone should be applauded!  Who really wants to spend their last day of freedom running around in a dreary gym? Anyway we started on the treadmill and warmed up. I was thinking to myself “Hey! I remember how this works, not too bad just keep going” Then the running part started, and I had trouble with even a half mile. Seriously? We were doing half miles like a piece of cake before (mmmmmm cake). SPEAKING of cake …. BEST GIFT EVER!

Well I spent the next 5 mins walking and huffing before deciding to finish it out with a full mile. This had to be one of the most difficult miles I’ve ran so far. It’s amazing how much you can back track when you take off a few days from running!

We finished it out with a wonderful game of racquetball. I finally looked up the rules and actually will know how to play for real next time. I was surprised to find out we were already doing it somewhat correct and there are not many rules involved. I still think we burn more calories laughing than actually running around on the court!

Steph: Running still SUCKS! But I feel better after!

Monday was one of the hardest runs I have had in a while. I decided to do 3 -1/2 mile runs for a fourth time because my body was still not adjusting and I found them so freaking hard. Well, my body didn't like that. I have learned to listen to what my body is telling me from my running buddy Jill and my body was saying  "Hey stupid. I don't like stopping and starting so many times anymore. I feel better after I am allowed to warm up and then just keep going."

So Thursday, I listened to my body, and Mike and I decided to try the 2 - 3/4 mile segments. And I did it ... and again I didn't die (to my amazement). And I actually felt better while running. Mike and I had to count to 19 and 1/2 laps on our Hamster wheel at the downtown YMCA. We laughed a lot as we both lost track at different times. The longer I have to run, the harder it is to keep counting. Apparently, the two don't go together very well. Amazingly, I even felt pretty good about running afterward.

So this morning, Jill and I head to Mt. Airy forest to do the 2 - 3/4 mile segments for the second time. OK, I can do this again. I did it with Mike 2 days ago, right??? Well no such luck. Mt. Airy forest has hills. I can honestly say I hate f***ing hills. Like a lot. I even had to stop once to walk the rest of the way up a hill and then resume running. They are crazy harder than my little hamster wheel at the YMCA.

But I finished. And shortly after finishing I felt pretty good about having accomplished the run (even though I felt like I was going to die during the run!!). And Jill, she is still a little better of a running buddy than my husband (you are doing great honey!) because she talks to me non-stop about stupid things or funny things or things I can't even remember once we are done. This is SUPER helpful to keeping my mind off of the dreadful, painful, snot filled, tears running, outdoor running we are doing.

So thank you Jill ... I don't think that I could continue to do this without you!

P.S. All you run club BETCHES!!! I am challenging you to a wager added to our Cheviot Run/Crawl. Anyone who can't run the entire 3 miles has to buy the rest of us a round of drinks! Any takers ?????

SG: Back on track

Well, I headed out for a run this morning. I've been out of town for the holiday eating everything under the sun while the gym shoes I packed to run in stayed snuggly packed in my suit case the whole time!!! I woke up this morning and decided it was time to get back on track and in a routine of running again so I'm ready for the Cheviot Crawl. So I gave HC a text and we met at the track. I knew I would have to take it easy but OMG!!!!' it was the worst run I have had to do ever!!!! We had a nice warm up and then did a half mile. At the end of this half I was about to cry, vomit and then die.... In that order!!!' uuuggghhhhh what has happened??!!! It was like all the ham, potatoes, pies, and wine came up to punch me in the face!!! My legs were feeling fine but I couldn't breath and I thought for sure the holiday food was going to creep back up and land right in front of me on the track!! No worries, we started to walk a lap, I had a hit of HC's inhaler, and I could slowly start to speak again. Another half mile run went and I had to put my foot down, HC was cheerfully talking about her new cupcake maker, her anticipated engagement and her plans for the new Year. I however, was back to guessing when I would vomit. Another walk came and I had to tell HC that was all I could take for the day!!!
I'm a little disappointed I didn't keep up with my runs over the holidays, but it sure was nice!!! Now it's time to get back on track. I've already set Monday for my next run, now I just have to eat all the leftovers in my fridge so they don't continue to taunt me all week. Hah.

SG: Chaos

I wish I looked this good juggling all these things!

Where to even start...... It's been two weeks since my first race, and I haven't even gotten to do a recap!!!! Ugh, life's been busy. I guess I'll start with the race. Clearly I survived, however, next time I am asked to run a race, I will be sure to check the course first to make sure there are no bridges involved! Although my dear running buddy kept me distracted while running over the river twice, I would really like to never do that again. It happened to be the coldest morning of the season so far, and I wasn't expecting the hills to feel so steep, but now I know what I need to work on.

I am so proud of my girls and myself for this accomplishment. A 5k is nothing to most people, but we are not most people! We are new moms, teachers, women trying to loose weight and maintain balance, and we all HATE to run! However, we love a challenge and let's face it, nothing burns more calories than running. Speaking of calories, I've been so proud of one of the members of this club who has lost 49lbs as of Wednesday, and knowing her, she's probably hit 50 now since it's Friday! She's pretty much awesome. She keeps me focused and gives me hope that one of these days this 'baby weight' is going to shed (even though it's been six months since I've had my baby). I've got to be the only person that has gone from doing zero exercise to running a 5k and not shedding a pound. It's so discouraging and to be honest since the race is over it's made me lose a lot of motivation :(

After the race I was able to run most of the week after. I was feeling pretty good. Then baby got really sick, had to miss some work, spend lots of time in the house and somehow in the midst of that, I hurt my back which in turn put my running on hold about another week. Although I'd like to say I was sad I couldn't run, I really didn't miss it much with all the hustle and bustle in preparation for the holidays.

Any who, it's Christmas break now and I finally got a few consecutive hours of sleep in, so I got out for a run this morning. It pretty much sucked. It was cold and drizzly and the park I went to was hilly (blah) but really what sucked the most was that I ran alone. A lot has been on my mind and I really didn't feel like running anyway, and it got me to thinking how much I really actually love my girls and the support that I have here in this silly club! So, as discussed earlier, our next goal needs to be set! I think the 'Cheviot 5k run and crawl' needs to be made official. (For those of you not knowing what this is, it was discovered that the distance from my house to a nearby bar district named Cheviot, is actually 3.2 miles! Coincidence? I think not! The idea is to run there and then do a bar crawl after.)

With all the Chaos in my life I need a goal to work to. Saying I will run "just because" really doesn't work for me, lol. I have a lot on my plate, as we all do, and if I don't schedule runs in amongst my chaos they slowly get pushed aside, and I don't want that to happen......it leads to too much whine, wine, and cheese....and inches on hips :(

Steph: The Next Level

I HATE THIS STUPID "COUCH TO 5K" PROGRAM.

So the program gets me used to this 25 minute workout 3 times a week. You do the same run 3 times and then bump up a level. If you find a level too hard, then you repeat it before bumping up a level. OK, right?

THANK GOD my body finally starts getting used to this steady increase in activity. Of course I have sore muscles that I didn't even know existed. Every once in awhile, I pull a "HABENERO CHEDDAR" type move and trip over my own feet or run into a planter which causes more soreness. But it is all GOOD, I am slowly getting used to this.

Then, you hit the infamous 5th level. WTF.  All the rules change. You only get ONE workout at each level. They want me to run 3 - 1/2 mile segments with 1/4 mile walks in between. Ok, I can try that, which I did with HabeneroCheddar on Monday. And it was freakin' hard. I mean really hard. I thought I was going to die several times. Luckily, HabeneroCheddar is a rock star running buddy and AMAZING cheerleader. "YOU CAN DO IT .... JUST KEEP GOING." My favorite distraction of this rainy, drizzly, overcast day was HC looking around and saying that "At least we have beautiful weather to run in today." This got me laughing pretty good.

Anyway, I digress. So, 3 - 1/2 mile segments kick my butt, and then I look at the program just to make sure of what this morning's run should be, and they are ALREADY bumping me up to 2 - 3/4 mile segments with 1/2 mile walk in between. AND then Saturday, I am supposed to run 2 miles. WTF. Needless to say, I did NOT run two 3/4 mile segments today. I stuck to the 3 - 1/2 mile segments, and I almost died again today. You know what? Saturday I am running 3 - 1/2 mile segments AGAIN.

You know why? BECAUSE I hate how this program is all of a sudden trying to rush me. And in the beginning it told me that I could repeat things that were hard, so I am going to repeat. And next week, I will try those 2 - 3/4 mile runs. And I will do 3 of them. So take THAT stupid "Couch to 5k" program. I am modifying you :)

Jill: Motivation and Smiles

It's always tough to stay motivated when there is no race date circled on the calendar.  Until we finalize that next date, here are some things to ponder:

Jill: Say it ain't so

Apparently there's a lot of creativity involved in smuggling drugs across the U.S./Mexico border, and I am sad to report that those drug folks are ruining perfectly good tubs of stadium-type nacho cheese:

When Smugglers Try to Transport Drugs in Cheese

Jill: Jingle All the Way Race Report

As you may have already noticed, our club recently participated in the Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk for the Arthritis Foundation.  Before I launch into my individual race recap, I want to celebrate how we did as a team.

• 9 is the number of official teams that we beat. With the help of Steph's husband who registered as part of our team, we were able to place 26 out of 35 teams.  26 of 35 may not sound so good if you are waiting in line at the DMV, but for four chicks who just started running, I thought it was a solid place to be. After all, we get to say we beat other teams which means we were not last. Yay!

• 3 of the girls finished their 1st 5K EVER.  It's safe to say that they ran more this day than ever before.  And for chicks that hate to run, that ain't too shabby.  I'm so proud of each one of them. Really super proud.  Like the embarrassing-mom-who-tells-everyone-she-meets-that-you-won-the-4th-grade-spelling-bee type of proud.  It's been amazing to be a part of their journey. The best part is that we are only really starting.  There's more fun ahead.

It appears that I am the only club member whose pre-race evening was not full of nerves. Whatever nerves might have tried to take hold were quickly squashed by sheer exhaustion.  My 3 month old baby girl is currently on a schedule that puts bedtime somewhere between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m., and since I am still the sole provider of milk for the child, I have to stay up and endure her marathon, end of the day nursing session.  When I finally got the baby to bed and returned to my room, this is what the clock read:

No worries. The race didn't start until 10:00, and it was local so we didn't have far to drive.

Cue the toddler. This is what time she decides to wake up crying, presumably from a scary dream where Dora and Diego do NOT work together.

Yes, that's a.m., people.

Did I also mention that the day the before the race I started to get my first head cold of the season? Right. Well, in addition to not sleeping enough, I also slept badly because of the oncoming cold (which by the way, is why it's taken me so long to get this race recap posted).  Why didn't you take some medicine, you say? Well, I did, but because I'm still breastfeeding, I couldn't take any of the really awesome, super strong, knock you out so your body can heal while giving you freaky dreams medicine.  Instead I am allowed to take this:

Sorry, makers of Tylenol.

And even though the box says "severe," it's pretty much like not taking anything at all.

So, I try to make the best of the early morning situation by getting myself up, cleaned, and fed before the rest of the house turns the calm into crazy. I also wanted to get in the requisite pre-race gear check.  Now, if you want to read about real running gear such as shoes, arm warmers, and tech shirts, then I suggest you hop on over to another running blog.  Like I've said before, I'm all about the costumes, or in this case, what I like to call "fun wear." Fun wear falls somewhere between full costume and bland running attire. Here were some of my favorite fun wear items for this race:

1. Super long, awesome Santa hat that doubles as a scarf. I hung it on the refrigerator for scale.  It's so long that I could wrap it around my neck several times. I'm considering making it my regular winter hat/scarf this year.

2. Festive, knee high socks. Turns out that all club members had a pair of these, and I saw loads more people with them during the race. I wonder if the sales department at Target noticed the unusual, sudden interest in this item.

Yes, that is denim, but don't get too excited JoggingJeans fans. I didn't run in them. Sorry.

3. Best piece of gear for $5. This is a holiday light necklace that I picked up at Kraynak's which is this really difficult to categorize toy/Christmas/Easter/garden store. What makes this the best piece of gear? Well, for your $5 you get 3 different light settings!  There is the fast blinking, going to a holiday rave setting.  Then there is the slow blinking, family friendly setting.  And finally, there is the non-blinking, just "on" setting.  The sad part is that race day was so sunny that you couldn't tell if the lights were on or off anyway.  Boo.  But you can bet I'll be wearing it to all the holiday events in the next few weeks!

Eventually everyone else woke up, and we all bundled up and headed to the race.  Remember the toddler who didn't sleep too soundly?  Yeah, she was thrilled.

We get to the race on time, score some free parking close by, and head in to meet the girls. Once everyone is there, SmokedGouda distributes our official team shirts.

SmokedGouda also sewed on some festive ornaments for us!

Sponsors on the back, just like real runners!

With about 15 minutes before the start, I get into the long line for the ladies room.  While in line, I notice a women behind me in jeans, but I have no camera.  As fate would have it, Steph's husband exits the men's room right in front of me, so I send him with the mission to have Steph return with my camera.  We have a good laugh while she tries to take a picture of the jeans lady while acting like she's taking my picture while not being able to work the camera on my phone.  In the midst of the confusion, the lady in front of me asks if we want a picture together, as if that was our actual goal. So, we ended up with a nice pre-race picture outside of the ladies' room.

We made our way to the very crowded start.  I still don't know if there was an actual gun/horn signal or if we were just too far back to hear it.  Either way, the four of us started together knowing that we'd be splitting up quickly into pairs based on where we are in our training.  Steph and I kept up a nice pace with a good balance of walking and running, and despite what she says about me going slower just to stay with her, I wasn't interested in "running my own race" as they say due to all the sickness and tiredness. I enjoyed supporting her even though I ran the risk of getting kicked or perhaps even thrown off the bridge.  There were definitely moments where she hated me, especially running over the last bridge, but she finished strong, and I had a really good time.

Some random thoughts about the actual race:

• The race had people not only holding up mile markers but also giving splits at each mile.  I must have run some rinky-dink 5Ks in the past because I've never seen that before for a 5K distance.
• On a similar note, there was a water only aid station about halfway through. Again, I don't think I've ever seen an aid station for a 5K. That said, it was nice to get a quick drink.
• The race organizers didn't exactly pick a pretty course.  Other than the river crossing, it didn't show off any highlights of downtown Cincinnati or Northern KY.
• My new priority is to find some sort of sport case to hold my phone/camera while I run. This is a MUST.  There were sooo many things that I wanted to document including the awesome military guys running the aid station, the person who dressed up as the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, and a guy in jeans who passed us.
• The phone/camera case is critical because I also learned that if my husband has to be on kid duty during the race, then he probably can't take pictures too.

We finished about 10 minutes behind our cohorts and took lots of post race photos like these:

Jill and Steph

HC and SG charging to the finish

Smilin' like rock stars

Then came the really important part: the post race celebration.  We quickly decided that it should take place at the Hofbrauhaus because they could easily accommodate a large, loud group with babies and toddlers. Oh yeah, and they have beer.  Like, really good beer. They even had a Christmas variety on tap to add to the festive mood.

It's not wine. Sometimes you just have to make do.

Even though we all went without wine, there was no lack of cheese.  Appetizers included pretzels with yummy yummy beer cheese.

Gorgeous, gorgeous beer cheese

With the inclusion of the cheese, I declared the first club race to be a total and complete success for all!  Our next task will be to find our next race.  Pucks & Pinot might be the place to make this happen. Or perhaps we can discuss at Habanero Cheddar's Christmas party? Either way, we will be faithfully following Rule #2.

Steph: My Hamster Wheel

At least once a week, I run with my husband at the downtown Y. (When I can't hook up with my running buddies.) It is very close to our house and as the weather gets colder and colder, it conveniently has an indoor hanging track.

But...the track hangs above the small gym in an ancient downtown building which means that you have to run around the track 26 times to equal a mile. That is correct. I said 26 times. Until this week, it has not been a big deal. I have been measuring my running in seconds and minutes NOT mileage. This week, I bumped myself up to level 4 on the "Couch to 5k" program. That means that I start looking at mileage.

I successfully ran 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1/4 mile, and 1/2 mile intervals on Monday with walking in between. That means I successfully ran 1 and 1/2 miles. If you had told me that this was going to happen when I started 6 weeks ago, I would have laughed in your face. I am not a runner. I can't even run one lap around the track. Yeah right that I will ever run a mile, let alone a 5k. But, as Jill so nicely puts it, I am a sucker for peer pressure and when my friends decided to do this, I was dragged along kicking and screaming.

So, back to the hamster wheel. This is what it looks like to do my current intervals at the mini track. Walk 10 laps, Run 6.5 laps, walk 3.5 laps, run 13 laps, walk 4 laps, run 6.5 laps, walk 3.5 laps, run 13 laps, walk 4 laps. FINISHED!!!!! Yes, it is that ridiculous, and Thank God that both my husband and I were counting because at some point we both lost track. But I kind of liked it. It gave me mini goals that I could accomplish like "I already ran 4 laps, I am 1/3 way there" or "now I have hit 10 laps, 3 more sounds easy."

So I am O.K. with my hamster wheel even though it feels like ...

And while looking for this picture, I found that there are REAL human-sized hamster wheels. Who knew??