It's Not a Resolution

I don't make New Year's resolutions.  Truth be told, I don't need to make them; my husband makes them for me.
Apparently Neil likes to sign me up for races that are made for crazy people.  I guess he thinks I fit the bill.  A couple of years ago, he signed me up for the Ragnar Relay - where a team of 12 people ran a combined total of about 200 miles across the state of Florida in a little over one day.  My mileage was a total of about 16.5 miles, but broken up into 3 separate legs.  I thought he was crazy.  No way I could be a part of that.  Then, I trained, and I did it.  But let's not mention the fact that Neil got the stomach bug and didn't end up participating...

So this time around, Neil's brother, Jonathan, calls and asks if we want to do the Hotter'n Hell race in Wichita Falls, TX.  3 different events.  A 100-mile road bike race, a 13-mile off-road mountain bike race, or an off-road trail run of either a 10k or a half marathon.

Did I mention it's at the end of August...in Texas?  CRAZY!!
Yet Neil is like "c'mon Pammy.  It's not like it's crazier than the Ragnar - and you did that."
Yes, I did run my longest leg of 6.6 miles in something like 95-degree record-breaking heat in November, in the middle of the afternoon without any shade...after having next to no sleep because of running in the middle of the night and then trying to sleep on the floor of a middle school library...
But Ragnar being crazier? I'm not so sure about that.

Right now, I'd be starting pretty much from scratch as far as training goes.  I've taken a running sabbatical, so to speak, for a couple of months...or a lot of months now.  (Life just got crazy and super-busy with 3 kids, home school, and breastfeeding.)  I ran on Friday, and I made it a mile...in 11:30.  great.  But I know that I can start from scratch.  I did it when I first started running, and I've done it every time I've had a baby...this time I just have to start from scratch for the second time since having Isaiah.  So this will be my 5th time to do it.  It's no fun at first, at all.  But give it about a month, and I'll be loving it as much as I always have, and I'll eventually pick up the pace again.

But even if I do the half, it isn't the distance that scares me - it's the heat.  Especially considering how many consecutive 100-degree days we had this past summer.
I know that the right gear is everything.  Hydration belt or pack.  The right attire.  The right shoes for running trails.  And some of those amazing energy gel things that you can suck down when you feel like you have no energy left...so long as I can find the caffeine-free kind.  Also running outside in the Texas heat to train is a good idea.  No problem, I'll just step outside my door in mid-day come summer-time and go for some "adapt to the heat" kinda runs.

And this time around I'm going to train the right way.  I'm going to give myself a break every couple of weeks and just have a "slow and steady", low-mileage week.
And I'm going to do strength training too, to prevent injury.

I guess we'll just see how it goes.  I'm sure I'll be proven wrong again...and I'm sure I'll love it.  If nothing else, it gives me something to train for, right?  Motivation - setting a goal - is everything.

So when do I start training? Good question...

Time with Daddy

Neil has no idea this was taken.  He and Bella were sitting outside at his parent's house.  The rest of us were spying on them through the kitchen window.  Bella was talking Neil's ear off, and he just sat there with her while she talked.  We were taking votes as to whether or not he was listening.  Then a while later, we'd see him say something back.  These two were probably out there for a good 45 minutes or so.  We have no idea what Bella was talking about, but what I DO know is that this kind of time with her Daddy is priceless.

Another reason I love my husband

Neil informed me just before he left that the new XO on his boat and his wife are trying to get a team of 12 people together to run a relay race across the state of Florida. He was really excited...and I started to pick up on the fact that he was speaking as if I was part of this team...
I asked "So I'm assuming that you have already committed me to this..." he said "of course!"

2 things ran through my mind -
First, I thought Neil had lost his mind! I can't do something like that...

Then, I thought about how cool it is that my husband believes that I CAN do this - and WANTS me to be on HIS team to run this race TOGETHER! He doesn't just want me on the sidelines cheering him on - he wants me right there in the action - going through this WITH him (and 10 other people). Sounds to me like a story in Wild at Heart.

And seriously - how cool would it be to say that you ran a relay race across the state of Florida?

So after this 5k in Arlington next weekend, I'll be starting my training for the relay. I was actually looking at all the information last night and started to get really pumped up and excited about it.
It's a 200- mile race from Clearwater, FL to Daytona Beach, FL. each person runs 3 legs of the race, ranging from 3 to 8 miles that vary as far as difficulty...all of this over the course of about a 24 hour period - November 14-15, 2008. running (X3) + sleep deprivation = crazy. I love it!

Here's the website if you want to check out how crazy we are!
http://www.ragnarrelay.com/

my only question is what to do with Bella. Anyone want to volunteer to babysit for a weekend? You could meet us in Daytona at the finish line... :)

Bragging Rights

Ok, so no pictures this time - I just have to take some time to brag on my family.

First, I have to brag about my amazing husband.
He took me out last night for my birthday (it was the 27th - and my 25th), and let me tell you - I felt extremely pampered!! He took me to Ruth's Chris in Jacksonville. If you don't know about Ruth's Chris - it's REALLY nice. we're talking white linens, candle-lights, and awesome waiters who scrape the crumbs off the table in between courses. We had an awesome view of the St. Johns river (it's right on the riverfront) and AMAZING food. Neither one of us had ever been before, but wanted to, and oh my goodness - it's worth saving up for to celebrate an anniversary or something. seriously good. like, the most amazing steak I've ever had in my life!
Neil had made reservations online, and had left a comment that we were there for my birthday, so when we walked in we were asked who's birthday it was, and I felt like I was treated especially great because they knew that.
After dinner, we went for a nice walk and talk along the river, then we came back to Kingsland. a GREAT night!

I also have to brag about Bella though.
We've been working on potty training ever since her first birthday. not being pushy, just introducing it. as time has gone on, she's shown more and more readiness to go a little deeper into this whole potty training thing. About 2 weeks ago, she started letting us know, by signing, that she needed to poop, and she stopped pooping in her diaper. seriously, she never poops in her diaper anymore.
now, we've been rewarding her with a goldfish ONLY when she goes potty AND has a dry diaper/ panties. And here's the story for today:
From the time she woke up at 7:15am until she went down for her 2nd nap at 2:30pm, she had been completely dry all day - minus once. Not only that, but she had been TELLING me all day that she needed to go.
here's an example of "telling": she was playing in the livingroom, then suddenly stoped what she was doing, stood up and walked down the hall. I followed her, and found her standing right outside of the bathroom pointing to her potty. this happened twice.
then, she woke up from her morning nap, whining, because she needed to go.
Later on, we were over at a friend's house visiting, and Bella started crying out of nowhere. turns out she had to go potty, and didn't know where the bathroom was so she could tell me by going there. she ended up going in her diaper, but seriously, that SO doesn't count. then, at the same house, once she knew where the bathroom was, the next time she had to go, she told me again by walking into the bathroom, and pointing to the toilet - and she went in the BIG potty! she NEVER does that! She is seriously on a roll here, and I can't say how amazing it is, and how proud I am of her - and how proud she is of herself. she gets so excited and when I say "yay, Bella" she clapps for herself and smiles really big.
and if this keeps up, I'll be putting the diapers in the storage shed...

Mother's Day

I know it's a bit belated for mother's day, but here's an interesting thing about it:

Most moms get chocolates or flowers, or pretty pictures made by their kids. Obviously, I'm not the norm. The day before mother's day, Neil, Bella, and I were at Lowe's. I was looking at sanders because I needed one for refinishing the kitchen cabinets. We found one we liked and Neil said "Happy mother's day!"

Yay... nothing like practicality to get a woman's heart going. sorry - sarcasm :)

I suppose Neil was so proud of me for doing something very un-womanly he wanted to document it. so here's a picture of me in the process of sanding down one of the cabinet areas in the kitchen... Neil put the hard hat on me - I asked why - he said I should wear it to go with the rest of the get-up.

I know he's odd at times, but I love my husband :)