Marathon Mom Massacre

Being in desperate need of new shoes and a hydration belt, I ventured to a running store in the valley. Since we are a one-car family, the only times I have a vehicle to go on such trips are when Joe is out of town. This means I have a car, but I also have little ones in tow. On this particular trip I had four year old, Elle, and two year old, Cee.

Previous to the running store, we had stopped at Target to go through the exciting ritual of picking out some new panties for two year old Cee who is bound and determined to NOT wear her diaper. Ugh. But that's another story. Just as a preface to this story, new panties were fresh in my two young girls' minds.

As soon as we walked in to the running store, which is small in square footage, Cee loaded her diaper. Only I didn't catch on to this until I had removed my bag, sweatshirt, and shoes so I could be fitted for new running shoes. It finally dawned on me that that bad smell was MY child.

As I was realizing this, my four year old was animatedly telling anyone who would listen how her little sister was going to be wearing "big girl panties". It was cute, if not a tad embarrassing that she wouldn't stop saying "panties" to complete strangers.

When the shoe guy went to the back to look for my size (which is embarrassingly large as it is), I seized the opportunity to take my two year old out to the car to change her. She was stinkin' up the whole joint and I was starting to worry that now-informed fellow patrons were wondering if it was the aforementioned "big girl panties" that were soiled instead of the diaper she was (most fortuitously) wearing.

Dashing back in the store I resumed my shoe fitting whilst simultaneously trying to help two little girls behave in a store full of bright colored clothes, gel packets, and a working treadmill. While I talked "zero drop" with the clerk, Cee dug through my bag, pulling out various items. I asked her to put it all back, which she did, except for...a clear Ziploc bag crammed full of tampons and pads. Something I didn't notice, but that the young male clerk did.

Cue flaming red cheeks. Because ya' know, I'm sure he's NEVER seen a tampon before. *rolls eyes*

By that point, I was pretty flustered and ready to purchase just about anything the clerk suggested I should. A few minutes later I walked out with a pair of shoes ($110), a hydration belt ($45), two little girls, and a lost ability to look anyone straight in the eye.

By the time I got back home I had realized how idiotic it was to spend $45 on a "belt". 

Now I just have to work up the nerve to walk back in that store. Which just may be worth $45 to me after all.

Baby Steps and Gag Orders

Joe got home last night (WOOHOO!)

Now that he's home I couldn't wait to do one thing...

I woke up early this morning and went running. ALL BY MYSELF!!! Ahhhh...

I've heard people say before that exercise is their escape. I just didn't understand that until now. But an hour of running all by myself, without four little ones underfoot, in hand, and within ear reach was the perfect release from two weeks of married single motherhood.

I did 3.5+ miles on the local high school track. I ran 2.25 miles of that and 2 of those miles without stopping! I didn't hurt. I wasn't out of breath. I even thought about going farther, but in my training I have so far to go in such a short amount of time before I'm ready for my half marathon. I can't risk injuring myself now.

I have to remember to take baby steps. 2 miles is enough for today. But 2 miles makes me feel pretty awesome nonetheless. If you had told me a couple of months ago that I was capable of running 2 miles continuously...I would have laughed in your face...or probably cried. That's more my style.

Who knew that running could be such an emotional affair?

It really is. My sister gets that. She's training for her first half marathon on September 3rd. I'm so proud of her! And I can't wait to be there when she crosses the finish line. I decided to not only be there, but BE there running my first 10K, a good baby step towards a half marathon.

It's funny how a 10K (6.2 miles) used to seem so impossible, but now that I am aiming for a half marathon (13.1 miles) it's a walk in the park.

Kind of.

Not really.

Whatever. It's all relative.

For her own reasons my sister hasn't told very many people about her upcoming race. I didn't understand why she was keeping it on the downlow. It's such an admirable goal. But after the reaction I got the other day when I told a woman that I was training for a half marathon I kind of get the secrecy.

My sister is a runner. She weighs about a hundred pounds less than me. She's a beast. And if she's worried about telling people...

When I mentioned I was training for a half to a neighbor lady, she looked me up and down and I swear her thought process went something like this: "Suuuuure you are. All 246 pounds of you."

I felt so stupid.

Note to self: Keep half marathon to self until half marathon is over.

So, I'm placing a gag order on myself and keeping my training to myself.

Oh and anyone else who reads this blog.

Whatever.