Hmmm...

Today I met a friend from church to do a five mile out and back through some nearby neighborhoods. I knew going into it that my heart just wasn't there, but just like rough days of marriage, mothering, and teaching, I knew I could suck it up and push through. My nutrition over the past few days has been less than ideal... I think I may have even been dehydrated most of the afternoon and evening Saturday. Heavy legs that don't seem to bend at the ankle will usually work out and push on right past mile two, but not today. We walked / jogged for three miles and then called it quits. :( Dang it.

At this point in my training I'm supposed to continue to add mileage, but I'm ready for a recovery week! I'm going to build them in every four weeks until it's time to taper for the half mary. For this week I'll take the planned mileage and cut it in half so my longest run will be 3 miles (which I'm going to do on Turkey Day morn w/ Bethany).

This week's plan is:

Mon: Stretch and Strengthen
Tues: 2 m
Wed: 40 min. of Cross
Thurs: 3m
Fri: Rest
Sat: 40 min. of Cross
Sun: 3m

I found a challenge issued by Trisaratops that I'm VERY interested in trying... I'll have to look at other people's plans and figure out if it's doable before I hit it head on.

I'm off of work all week (HOORAH!) and tomorrow I get to take the babies to school AND pick them up for the FIRST TIME!!! I'm finally going to feel like a real mom in their school. I'm SO excited!

Saturday I picked up Heli and Josie for the Kelly's Kids warehouse sale and lunch... While we didn't really find much to get excited about at the sale, lunch and the trip were super fabulous! I'm looking forward to more play dates and lunches soon girls!

I'm praying that once Hadlee ends her current round of antibiotics we'll all be healthy for a while... three weeks in a row w/ sick babies is definitely wearing us all out!

negative...

However, it's the best negative there is... in LBS! I'm down 15 pounds from the beginning of "Mae Anne's on the Move". Sweet. (The down side of that is that I'm almost postitive it's all come from the girls. Sigh.)

This just in... 15 weeks from today I will have completed my first half marathon. Good. Lawd. Have. Mercy.

My goal for Seaside is a lofty one for now... I'll have to do just under 14 minute miles. This morning on my long "run" w/ Lana we averaged 17 min/mile for a total of 5 miles in 1:25, in spitting snow, and among TONS of GR8 conversation! That's really just a brisk walking pace, but it's SOMETHING! If I hadn't had someone there talking w/ me and taking my mind off of how flippin' cold it was and how much I'd have preferred to be in bed, I wouldn't have made it. Thank you so much, Lana!

Goals for this week:

1. Speed work... cuz, seriously. Geriatric snails were passing me at one point today.
2. Breathing. Exercise induced asthma is not my friend. I need to carry my inhaler to help take care of that little hiccup.
3. Make every mile count. Several times (esp. on the treadmill) I'm just watching my dot make its way around the track instead of working on form, speed, breathing, etc. I HaVe to make each moment count so I can pound my goals into the ground!
4. Getting the workouts in before work... that's going to be a large challenge, but one that can be obtained by NOT hitting snooze.
5. Get cold weather gear ASAP! It was 35 degrees when I got back home at 8:00 this morning, brrrr!

The training plans for the next two weeks are:
11/18
Mon: Stretch &Strengthen (Yoga / Pilates at home)
Tues: 3.5 m run
Wed:2 m run or cross (Zumba)
Thur: 3.5 m run + strength
Fri: Rest
Sat: 40 min cross (Bike / Swim / Zumba)
Sun: 5 m run

11/23
Mon: Stretch & Strengthen (Yoga / Pilates @ home)
Tues: 4 m run
Wed: 2 m run or cross (Brandon's 34th b-day!)
Thur: 4 m run + strength (Turkey Day, Gobble Gobble!)
Fri: Rest (I.e. Shop w/ the other crazies out there!)
Sat: 40 min cross (Bike / Swim / Zumba)
Sun: 6 m run (My last day as a 29 year old, sniff.)

I've got the opportunity to participate in a couple of local 5ks in December and January. I'm looking forward to seeing how my speed improves from the first one I did back in September w/ our running club.

Did I just say "running club?" Who has taken over my body? Age makes a gal do some funny things, huh? I'm SO glad I've started down that path, tho. It's a new week, take a walk w/ a friend.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Mrs. Negative

The Dragon and Flower Princess

The flower princess was more than happy to find out that people gave out candy for just being cute. I had a couple errands to run before the kids were dressed and at both stops she scored BIG TIME! This little one has such a sweet tooth; we'll be good to go w/out cavities until kindergarten!

Jack was less than thrilled with his dragon costume. I knew when I ordered their outfits that, depending on the weather, one child would either burn up or the other would freeze. . . and that's just what happened! When we out to trick-or-treat it was right around 70 and a heavy fleece outfit for my little fire ball was just a bit much. Bless!

Since having babies, the Hale's have completely forgone pumpkin carving. Does that make me a bad mom? :)

I'll also go ahead and confess that these are rules in our family:

1. Only children who live in other states and are at least 7 years old are allowed to go inside a fast food restaurant and play on it's playground.

2. There is no such thing as a child's meal toy.

3. Children only go trick-or-treating to their grandparents' houses.

4. Poop is everywhere, so do not touch anything!

5. Santa only brings one gift.

I know, my friends make SO MUCH fun of me for all the "little white lies" but ya know, a mom's gotta do ... :) I hear though, that payback's a #$*(@&.

In other, non baby related news:

LANA SAIN ROCKED IT at Ironman FL yesterday. I am SOOOO PROUD! Way to go, Lana!

And, I totally backed out of our local 5K. One glass of wine on Halloween had me down for the count on Saturday. DaNg It! Oh well.

I'm participating in my first half marathon in just 4 months!!! EGAD! I've got a LOT of training to do. No more wine for the Mae Anne, huh? The Seaside Half is March 1, 2009 and then I'll be doing the Music City Half in late April. Yep, two half marys in 7 weeks! O.M.G.

My ultimate goal is to build up to a full mary and at least olympic triathlons. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll hear, "Mae Anne McCullough Hale, You are an IRONMAN!"

Til next time,

the wino