Running because I can!

Welcome to the blog! Sounds like you do a lot of cross training too. What is a arce trainer?

arc? oops!

Welcome to the blog! What is the reason for doing cross-training three days in a row? Are you injured, or in serious danger of being injured?

Also - positive thinking is critical to reaching your full potential. Try to come up with a more positive title for your blog.

"My one selfish act". I like it. lol

I am not being negative in my blog title I have 7 kids. 8mths, 2 3yrolds, 2 4yr olds, 7 yr old and a 10 year old. My 10 year old has had 23 brain surgeries. When I give an hr and a half to myself everyday that is time away from all these kids that I am tring to divide my time between. I relize it is better for my kids that I do work out because other wise I would need prozac or something. So if I can do one thing for myself it is to work out. and besides rasing my kids successfully my only goal in life that I would like to acomplish is a marathon.

I do alot of cross training right now because I have not done any kind of workouts for about two months and I get shin splints so bad if I don't ease into it that I can't walk for days.

An arce trainer is like an eliptical with out the arms and more up and down kind of a cross between a stair stepper and a eliptical.

WOW! You've got a lot on your plate! Keep up the work and you will get there. Are you doing this alone? Tell me about your 10 yr olds brain surgeries. That's a lot to get thru. I have a daughter that is 14 and has spina bifida and is shunted. We have only had 4 surgeries and I consider us/her very lucky. Where do you live, are you near a good childrens hospital? I'm assuming that the 3&4 yr olds are twins? whew! Just the thought sounds like a work out! You are to be highly commended for exercising!!!! And yes it definatley is great for the moods and uplifting!!! You go girl!!!

Michelle, I just relized I did not answer your question about my kids ages.

The 4yr olds are twins (girls) and the 7 yr old and 10 yr old are all mine.

The 2 3 yr olds are foster kids not related and the baby is foster.

I got suckered into the third three yr old little girl. And the two boys came at diffrent times and sad stories. So some how I went from 4 girls of my own to 7 kids total. (2 boys)

I take that back they all come with very sad stories and I get suckered into taking all of them.

Now I'm even more impressed. It takes a very kind and generous person to take on all that with challenges like that to begin with! As for my daughter we haven't had any problems with her shunt, it's the original they put in at birth. I kinda hate to talk about it, I'm kinda supersticious about it. But we also go to PCMC. She has her other challenges but a lot of kids with spina bifida aren't able to walk and luckily she can even though it's not always easy. She's a little over wt. due to difficulties with exercise and the more I try to push the worse it seems to get and she resists even more. I am just hoping that thru a possitive example it will rub off!

We just participated in the walk for Hydrocephalus and alot of the kids there had spina bifida as well. Avri was the only kid there that was not in a wheel chair. Athough I have a hard time getting My daughter to do anything as well. She is always so tired. She kind of yoyo's with her weight but most of the time she is on the heavier side. I also hope that one day it will rub off on her that I workout and she will give it a try. I have the same problem the more I push or try to get her to be healthy the more weight she gains.

Good work!

I read your comment to Sasha. To say the least you've become a instant hero for being so dedicated to your children.

I also suffered from painful shin splits when I started running. I found shoes that would alieveate the problem and after my shins started to get use to the idea of running it gradually went away. Listen to your body. Don't try to push through the pain. Start slow so that your body can adapt.

Remember that you are not the only one that benefits from your fitness...

welcome to the blog, great start, continue to the best you can

Hey nice to talk to you, sounds like even with the cross training your really making the best of your time and you'll accomplish whatever your goals are!

As far as the kids go, sounds like you've got that handled well too! I didn't know anything about walk, where was it and when? Well if you get any great child motivating ideas I'd love to hear about it!

One of the benefits that you will get from the exercise will be that you will have more energy through the day-after a little bit. Sounds like you can use it. Stress relief is another benefit. Sounds like you have a really busy life. You can use both of these benefits. You will find that your children will benefit from your "one selfish thing." Blessings to you.

Good job today! You are really quite a fast runner!

I think you have the potential to run well in the marathon, but to get there you need to be more consistent in your training. In addition to increased fitness, this would also help reduce the chance of an injury. Many if not most injuries come from sporadic training. The body is often caught unawares not being ready for the punch when you finally decide to exercise after a couple days off. If you train consistently 6 days a week, no skipping, no excuses, at a moderate volume and intensity, something your body can handle, eventually you become injury resistant.

I know you have a lot on your plate. So you have to resort to some creativity to get your workouts done. E.g get up 15 minutes earlier, run back and forth in front of the house, maybe even buy a used treadmill and run on it. The key is the determination to not end a day with a goose egg for your mileage. It is amazing how much difference this makes when extended over days, weeks, and months.

Thanks you guys.

I really am to hard on myself most of the time. When I first read "You are really quite a fast runner" I said to myself is she talking to me?

I am not sure how to read my body I guess. How long do I run after my shins start to hurt.

I ran 3 miles down hill once and my shins were killing me and I ran through it but the next day I thought I was going to die I could not walk for like two weeks. That was about three yrs ago and I was about 15 pds heavier and not as good of shape but I can't do that agian, so when I feel my shins start to really hurt I stop.

Also don't people who run have to cross train and do weights for the upper body at least?

I did not mention I had 4 c-sections my first went very bad and I ended up healing from the inside out. and my last one ended up herniating. My abs are so weak or non existant. I still can not do a full sit up. It is like my brain is not conected to those muscles. This is why I work my abs so offten.

I do have a treadmill at my house. It is upstairs and it wakes everyone up. We just cleared hte basement bedroom and I am moving down there.

thankyou for sticking with me so far.

Use your best judgment. If it hurts while you are running to the point that it requires mental fortitude to just keep going regardless of the pace, something is wrong. If it hurts a little bit, like a mosquito bite, does not keep getting worse as you keep going, and the pain is reduced when you slow down, then slow down to the pace that makes running a reasonably pleasant experience.

Regarding upper body training. It is not a bad idea, but it is definitely not a must for all runners. I would say it varies from individual to individual. I've tried various types of upper body training on a number of occasions, and noticed no difference either in performance or injury rate. My upper body training right now consists of doing 20 push-ups 3 times a week. My approach is that if a muscle is asking to be strengthened in a way that will not happen through running, I do the exercises to strengthen it.

Treadmill in the basement may very well make a big difference in your progress if used properly.

When I am running besides my shin splints my other two biggest issues are that my shoulders start to hurt. I have read that it is because I am carrying tension there would strength training help that? And also I have this contant urge to lean down and hold on to the treadmill instead of running upright with my arms moving. I don't know if I am affraid I will fly off the back of the treadmill or if my upper body needs to be stronger?

Any idea's?

Good idea to stop before the trouble fully developed. Try running at a slower pace - 12:00 mile.

Do not worry too much about losing weight. It will eventually be where it is supposed to. When fat is being replaced with the muscle and bones are increasing in density, you often gain weight at first instead. But you are healthier.

How are the shins?

Not bad I can feel they are there but not to sore.

I am so proud of myself for running that much without stopping that right now it is a good reminder of it.

I seriously have never pushed myself that way before.

I was never in sports of any sort. The closest I have come is getting my life gaurd certificate. It required alot of laps.

Thanks for asking.

Are you all back to normal after your marathon?

That is really good for the treadmill, I am always very slow and 4 miles is about my limit, that's on a very good day!

Thanks! I have not done any running out side yet. So maybe I will do better than I think. I thought I would do better on the treadmill for some reason.

Oh I think you will love it. The treadmill is just mental torture for me, I jsut watch every tenth of a mile go by and it seems to take forever! It would help if I had a T.V. in the room but sincce I don't I do it as little as possible!

it is harder at my house to run on the treadmill because I just look at my white wall, but at the gym they have a cardio cinema room that is dark and they have a big screen movie going all the time with surround sound. It is the closest I get to going to the movies. I just know one day I will trip and fall but at least it will be in the dark.

I do have an mp3 player with really upbeat fast music on it. That helps. Somehow I manage to listen to the movie my music and talk myself into not stopping.

Yes, I am pretty much back to regular training. I took the last week easy just to be cautious, now back to high mileage.

Hi! Havent read your blog before and enjoyed your entry. Those kind of lessons are always good to hear. How old is your baby? I can sympathize with crying kids in church!

Thanks!

He is not really mine,mine. He is 8 months old. I do foster care and I have had him since he was 4 mths old. He is into everything.

My husband usually takes him(because I teach) but he was out scouting out his hunting spot with my dad.

We have 7 kids total so church is usually a great break for me. At least the last two hours. Sacrament is a night mare and avoided as much as possiable. How many kids do you have?

Wow, 8 months is a rough age to man handle in church (I call it baby wrestling) I have 2 kids, a 2 1/2 year old son Jax and a 7 month old daughter, Lily. Yesterday I was solo because Cody (my husband) was sick. Wow, I should have written those three hours up as cross training! I play the piano in primary so I dont usually have mine either. I dont think there was a leader that didnt take their turn bouncing Lily!

I admire you for doing foster care! Do you take all ages? How long have you done that?

I admire you even more for braving seven kids at church! I really am bewildered by my two. I think I am a coward :) Nice job!

I started doing foster care 3 years ago. I said I would not take any over the age of 8 because I did not want to replace my oldest, but that did not happen. Some how I ended up with three brothers, 10,12and 14. That was a night mare but we stuck it out and we were blessed for it. You some how grow to love them despite there issues. We had the cops over here all the time. I never felt my kids were in danger. I got pushed a few times but I also did alot of holding down and hugging. (restraining) but we can't call it that. I would neveer take oder kids again. Now I just have three little ones. They are easier but less chance of going home. The state wants us to adopt all of them. They are not related to each other in anyway so they are all separte cases.

It is crazy some times but I really do think I get angels on a daily basis to help me. I can't list the blessing we recieve either so it is worth it.

It was scary going into it.

We all know what we can handle and I handle craziness.

I can't play the piano always wanted to. My mom has spent most of her callings playing piano in primary.

I bet you have learned a lot of discipline skills and how to handle a lot of different situations. Great training for your own growing kids! What ages are they? (your own kids)

How old are the other two little ones you have? Amazing all the places our lessons in life come from. Kudos on doing something for humanity in your own sphere and Kudos for actually doing well at it!

I have taken alot of training. My peer parent training is the best. When I ever had a second I would help teach the parents how to take care of there families.

I am afraid I will still fail my kids in many ways, but we do our best to have fun, while learning as we grow.

My kids are all girls. Twins 4yrs old, 7 and 10. My foster kids are boy 8mths, girl 3yrs, and boy 3yrs we are addopting him as soon as we have a court date.

Well my workout and running is a huge out let for me. I am a diffrent person and a much better mother when I get my workout. I acually try to get every family I work with a gym or rec pass through the state and really push physical activity. It never happens. it is interesting to me that all the family's I have worked with have no physical activity what so ever in there lives. It makes you wonder.

O the stories I could tell of what situations I have been in and seen. Some very scary but all good lessons.

Any one could do what I do if they were asked.

You're too funny- I read your post on Michelle's blog about reading Stephenie Meyer books- so yeah- you're accepted! J/K! Glad to have you on the blog- are you training for anything in particular?

Good progress. Do not push the pace, though, even if it does feel good. If you feel like running 10:00 miles, run 11:00. Also do not try to set records on the distance, keep it at 3 miles a day for a while. One of the golden principles of training is that just because you can does not necessarily mean you should.

I think you are an angel. Taking in foster kids is incredible.

I love how you change up your workouts. I plan on adding different workouts next week. (I have a race Saturday.)

I wrote a huge blog about Eclipse and my predictions on Monday, September 24. Check it out if you want.

Who said anything about running and chewing gum? I never atemt that !!!! (he, he) But as for the talking part that's more like little puffs of sound mixed with air sucking in fast and a lot more huffing and puffing!!! I rarely run with others so it's so fun that I forget that it's hard though!!! (I know they kept looking for the freight train that they could hear coming, but after about 3 miles they figured out it was me!) As for the Twilight books... they are my favorite books ever too! So we have a lot of great girls that think a lot a like on this blog, it's great isn't it?

Well I haven't heard a word from you about the run in Moab in March, I'm sure you'd be up for a 5k if not half by then! I'm sure you have heard the talk!!!

I ran with one of my miamaids last week well more like a jog, but she was talking my leg off and I was just listening, affter awhile she said are you one of those who can talk and run at the same time. I said yes I talk as little as possiable and she said ok and just carried on. I'm a sad case some days.

I really can't find other books to get into after those three books. A great and terriable beauty is good two.

I have been looking at a few 5k's. I will be ready for something(Come moab). I am kind of just sitting back trying to figure out what you are all doing. I think I am the least experienced in this all. It is great to have support and have other people like the same things.

Everything I do depends on baby sitting and my husbands job. I think Moab would be fun.

I live in a bubble. What's an arc trainer? Is it like an elliptical? I think you were smart to listen to your body today and do some cross training!

Yes it is like an elliptcal. You lift your legs higher and no arm pulls on it.

I guess it is more up and down where the elliptical is more circular.

The gym people say it is the closest thing to running which is weird because I can't ever do more than 1.80 in 30 min, but I do always add at least 25 pds on avg.

Ya I'm sore.

I run in all kinds of weather. The thing about staying some what comfortable is clothing, the right kind of clothing. Cold weather running gear is expensive but it is worth it. Target has good stuff for cheaper. You want stuff made from synthetic fibers, no cotton. They will keep you dryer. Then the most important thing is to get out of the clothes as soon as you are done. When I drive places I usually take a sweat shirt to change into so I don't freeze on the way home. A head band or a beanie is great. And layering is also smart so you can shed clothing when you get warmed up. The best thing to do is start out being just a little but cold because, like you found out you warm up quick.

I love weight lifting! Just reading your log made me want to get up and go do some. Nice job. Good luck running tomorrow.

Thanks!

Way to go kt!! Way to squeeze in a work out and awesome job on passing up the ice cream and pie! Don't you feel powerful?

Good trailing this week so far!

Thanks!

So should I run 4 miles everyday this week?

If you think your shins can hold up, yes. I would recommend backing off to 11:00 mile pace (about 5.5 mph). You will gain the same aerobic benefits, but it would be easier on your shins.

Drinking cod liver oil! Wow, that is extreme. I can't even take regular fish oil pills, the aftertaste is so bad. So I take enteric coated fish oil in pill form - much, much better! I take equivalent of a teaspoon or tablespoon, it's several pills, but at least I don't feel the taste. I use Century21 brand, it's relatively cheap. Good luck!

Maria - I suppose with such a refined taste you were never a big fan of vobla?

Sasha - I love "vobla"!! The taste is very different from pure fish oil, though! Also, it's very salty, which changes the taste as well. I actually eat a lot of fish and enjoy it, but it's not the same as concentrated fish oil - it's just way too strong for me.

I like seafood including any fish if it is cooked right. That may change after my experience today.

I don't know that I will ever beable to eat fish again.

Josse is the one who told me to try it! After reading up on it. I agree that it is very good for you. This is why I drank it. Now I just need to decide what I am going to do with the rest of my huge bottle of it. I don't know if they return stuff like that. I may just have to gag it down every morning.

I just barely read your personals for the first time ever..you are a very amazing lady...I think you have the most kids under your roof on the blog. Wow!!! I'd like to hear about what's happening with your foster kids. I've have friends that have done that and been able to adopt them and others who ended up getting pregnant and having to stop watching the foster kids...what's your story. Sasha and I love kids and want 10 but we seem to be having a little break right now that I'm trying not to think about too much.

Thankyou!

I have been doing foster care for three years and we have had kids come and go. I was ready to stop doing it when my oldest ended up in the hospital again last time but my husband felt very strongly that we needed to keep doing it.

Then september of 2005 we got kyle and he is the one we are just waiting for a court date to finalize the paper work. The trail was nasty. And then we got this baby when he was 4 mths old but I became involved in his care when he was 2 mths old. And his mom is only 18 and could care less never see's him. Then we just got this 3 yr old girl back that we had about 6 mths ago. Her mom slit her wrists in front of her so she has some issues. This is her third suicide attemt so the state thinks she will not get her back. I think it is very uncommon to end up with three kids in less than a year who's parents can't get there act together.

I can say our family has been very blessed because of these kids.

I can give you more info if you want let me know and I can get you my phone number.

I acually wanted four kids and my last set was twins and they ruined me so I could not have any more. I felt there was this boy out there. I had this dream like 3 times where there was a boy about three and I was trying to reach him and I couldn't and then some how foster care kept comming up.

I had a stong impression to do it.

I could go on and on.

Good progress!

An easy run can help calm down the emotions, and clear out the cold as well. Keep it easy, and if necessary make it short. I would do your regular 4 miles at about 12:00 pace.

I'm so sorry to hear about the accident. That is so sad. What will happen to the boys now? I just don't know how you do it. You must have blessings in so many ways with all that you do to help so many kids and families heal and grow!

Well the boy's are with there mom. She is doing better than I thought she was but has still not been clean yet for over a year and she just married a man she met in recovery. She lets the boys do what ever they want include smoking they are 15 9 and 13. The 13 year old is still in a specialized home because he dose not want to go home.

This was the one family that I was so glad when those boys went home with there dad. We became pretty good friends he ate dinner over while we had the boys and he helped us with so gravel we needed for the side of our house. He was a good guy who was always in the right place at the wrong time. Even in his death.

I don;t think those boys have a fight chance with out him. They will both end up at the point of the mountain. I would bet money on that.

I am very blessed for doing what I do. BUt days like today I wonder if it is worth all the heart ache sometimes.

I put so much time and effort into this family. Matt was his peer parent so we spent a coupe nights a week going over parenting things and just hanging out as families to set a good example for him in how he should parent his kids. There was never a time that we talked to him that he did not thank us for all we had done for there family. Just to have it end in death. Unbelieveable.

So sorry for that loss. Its probably especially hard when you want a better future outcome for the boys and cant control the desired outcome. Hopefully in the long run the boys will remember the good they saw in their Dad and it will be incorporated into their future

Wow! I was just reading your personal information. You are amazing! I have 5 kids and know that seems noteworthy. But look at what you are doing! Adoption and foster care is awesome! Those kids are lucky to have you in their lives!

Thanks! We have fun and are blessed for it.

Nice way to encourage your sister. Getting any sort of exercise is great in todays world. Good to see you post!

Good job on getting back on the band wagon. I know it is hard with everything you have on you plate but keep at it. I'll be watching.

Any fitness gained in 6 weeks can be easily lost in one, especially if you get sick, do not get good sleep, are stressed out, etc. Lasting fitness gains take some time to build - months, even years. Unlike a car, for a runner there is a lot of value in high amount of life-time mileage.

But do not let this get you discouraged. Improvement in running, as well as in any other area I've experienced, is a long process of stumbling, falling, getting up, and continuing in steady step forward. Looking back at what happened to me in the last 23 years of running, the key to my progress was not in not falling down. I had my fair share of downs. The key was that no matter what happened, I refused to quit. Every successful runner will tell you the same story.

Just ask Paul Petersen for example - through persistence he went from wondering if he would ever run competitively again to making the Olympic Trials and placing 53rd.

You can also ask Dallen. As a kid, he once tried out for the track team. I think there were 7 kids that tried in the 40 yard dash, and you had to place in the top 6 to make the team. Guess which one of them did not make it... But that did not keep him from trying. He refused to be written off as a waste with no talent, and trained. He ended up winning the Boise Marathon in 1999.

Some inspiring stories there!

It's amazing how fast we lose it when we miss a week or two! Good job on your run today. Fun to hear you have 4 year old twins. I have 3 year old twins. Running keeps me sane!

Glad to see that you are back! Thought you went MIA! But with all that you have going on I wouldn't blame you!!! Keep trying, I'm sure you'll start to see the results with continued efforts! I'm with you and see such a benefit with my moods it's amazing!!! My family I'm sure has noticed too, but maybe they don't know why. I also didn't see great results phsically for several months and they were very gradual but when I look back now I'm pretty happy with the results I'm getting now!! Keep it up when you can :)

Thankyou all for your support. I needed that today.

Hang in there...don't you love this blog? I was surprised to see all the comments you got when I thought about trying to cheer you up so many people had already beat me to the job.

I was really suprised. I think I am always the one who is quiet and in the back and if i walked away no one would notice. It brought tears to my eyes to see all the coments when i checked my e-mail.

Thankyou!

sounds like crazy times. I buy Carlsons fish oils lemon flavor they go down alot better and you don't get those fishy burps. You can also mix them into a protien shake and you can't taste them as much. Keep it up! Your doing great.

I bought the plain stuff because it was $5 cheaper and there was more in the bottle. I will get the lemon flavor next time. So do you feel a diffrence when you take it? I'm not sure I do but it dose make my skin look better. Dosen't the oil float when you mix it with a drink?

I just read your blog, You must have just had surgery? I only read the last two. Goodluck with what ever I missed and hope to see you running agian soon. Thanks for the support!

Yes, I must confess have a left over "Twin Skin Tummy". It's truly amazing! I don't think all the crunches in the world could make it go away. I'm trying to learn how to just embrace it, but that's been a struggle. I'm happy to know that I'm not alone!

K I must say it dose make me feel better to know i am not the only one with the extra skin and not abs. But it sucks so I am sorry. I try to embrace it as well and then I have my none embracing days and look up surgens (can't really pay for it but I look) I am going back to my doctor on Monday and I am going to talk to her about it and see if she has any idea's. I still can't do a full sit up it is like my brain is not conected and I can do 500 crunches a day 6 days a week and no diffrence. I had mine well all my kids csection and my insision still hurts sometimes like it is tearing.

They are worth everybit of it tho aren't they.

Hang in there... I'm sure you'll have an all expenses paid trip to the top when you get to heaven, and you are receiving daily blessing now.. (I know that doesn't make much difference when your loosing your sanity and things are out of control at home!!!) But I'm sure you'll get through, so far I think your amazing!!! And your running on top of that!!!

I would go see the doctor about the foot thing, you don't want to run on the side of your foot that will give you some nasty injuries if you do that for to long. In the mean while keep up the cross training.

Have you been able to do anything this week?

O I have had the worst week ever. My kids have all had the stomack flu starting sunday one at a time. I steam cleaned my carpet at 7am Sunday and Tuesday morning I was cleaning up all my bedding and then yesterday and today it has been in the pants. I also had my 3 year old in for oral surgery all day today.

I had my doctor try to get to what ever is in my foot and I have not been able to put any presure on it at all. The sad thing is I don't think it did any good. She thinks I wil have to go to a foot surgen and have it cut out.

The good news is I am getting a garmin for xmas so that will help motivate me to run out side more (I think) Motivation is the least of my issues right now. I am planning on going to the gym tomorrow. I also got put back on metformin Monday and I have felt pretty crappy not sure if it is the med's or a touch of what the rest of my family has.

Anyways I know it is all blah blah blah.

We have that same stomach bug at my house as well. My daughter had the diarha thing for 3 week and now my son has it at both ends. Any way good luck. And know we are proud of what ever you are able to get in.

Do you have daibetes?

well I hope for your sake your daughter can make it t the toilet on time. Someof my kid have had it on both ends and some just one. Not fun either way.

I guess I am pre diabetic, my doctor says my body just dose nt know how or when to distribute my insulin. My blood test are all over the place. Since I never gt upto 200 I am not considered diabetic but I dd go up to 161 but then dropped to 70. Dosen't make sense.

How are you doing? See I am still watching, hope everything is going well.