Doing My Best

This past week was only my second "perfect" running week of the new year. That's the glass half empty view. The glass half full view is "I've had two perfect running weeks this month!" By that, I mean that I completed all scheduled runs. When I did miss, by the way, it was a mid-week run, not the long run.

My long runs are ramping up, so I am "back on the Garmin." But... only for the distance aspect of it. You see, I have been setting up interval workouts so that I may accomplish my Galloway style 'run this long, walk this long' training. Yesterday, for example, I did 13.60 miles that way. It was GLORIOUS from a cardiovascular standpoint. I never "gave out." I had other aches and pains, but I never hit the wall. Victory! What was even better, though, was receiving proud phonecalls twice from a certain toddler that he had gone poo poo in the potty. Now that is victory, people!

I have now officially registered for The Flying Pig Marathon, secured my free hotel stay and free-ish flight to Cincinnati (thank you, frequent flier miles and hotel points). I am now 14 weeks out! Because I am doing this Galloway plan my way, here are my remaining long runs:

5 miles

15 miles

4 miles of speedwork

17 miles

6 miles of speedwork

6 miles

20 miles

8 miles of speedwork (while Chasen is back in China - boo!)

7 miles

23 miles

10 miles of speedwork

6 miles

I can do that! Yes I can! I serendipitously left a free week for when "life happens," because let's face it -- life does happen. And just so you know, if I was following G-man to the letter, I would go all the way up to 29 miles prior to race day. No thanks, sir. If all goes well, this race will serve as a training run for yet another marathon about five weeks later. But more on that another day.

My only concern at this point is warding off a potential overuse injury of the metatarsals in my right foot. I will be treading lightly for the next few days.

So Long, 2011... Hello, 2012!

Well Happy New Year! Goodness, 2011 sure did fly by, as did the holiday season. As I type this Isaac has been on "winter break" from Mother's Day Out (preschool) for nineteen straight days. He goes back tomorrow. So what have we been doing to occupy ourselves, you ask?

We went for our FREE photo with Santa at the Bass Pro Shop in Memphis.

I took Isaac and his BFF to see the Peabody Ducks in Memphis. Here, the boys wait.

There come the ducks! They were really a sight to see.

The boys were fascinated by those smart little quackers.

We went caroling with a few friends from my mommy group.

The biggest thing we have done over the nineteen day break is work on potty training. Phew - that's a job. I'm amazed, though, at how waiting until the child is ready makes it soooooo much easier than trying to force the issue (which I tried to do a year ago and then six months ago with no success at all). Isaac is doing well (most of the time...) but still doesn't particularly care for -- I'm just going to say it -- going poo poo on the potty. I am trying my hardest to be patient. God bless his preschool teachers!

Having him home for nineteen days has, I admit, impeded my running a bit, especially since he also had something along the lines of pre-pneumonia last week. I have not skipped a longrun, though! I am still going out sans-Garmin and LOVING it. I have run 6, 7 and 9 miles that way.

Also, I have secured my flight and hotel room for the Flying Pig Marathon on May 6, 2012! Thanks to the points/miles earned by my constantly-traveling husband, we have only spent $7.50 so far! I will actually register for the race in about two weeks (just prior to the price increase, he he). I just love it when a plan comes together!

Now I am just hanging in there, more or less. Getting back to normal or, better stated, a better normal. I am making positive changes in most areas of my life, which indicates to me that 2012 is going to rock. Cincinnati, here I come!

Shaking Things Up

I've had a model week! Even though my Monday run was less than spectacular, I got it done. On Wednesday I ran from my church, which I haven't done in a while, and it was really, really good. That night I went out with a girlfriend to, as she put it, teach her how to run. We did almost two miles by walking for about three minutes and then running for about one minute. She did great! She said that previously running had always felt too difficult. Well, start slow. Next thing you know, I'll have her running a 5k!

Today I was to walk. I used my treadmill and quickly put in four miles. After that I had to really book it because... I had to go to Isaac's Christmas party at Mother's Day Out! Even Chasen was able to break free from work for a bit and enjoy it.

The artiste paints some ornaments with a tiny bit of help from Daddy.

The finished, wet product, which is is proudly on our tree.

"Yay! Daddy came to my classroom!"

"Mommy wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Three happy faces after a potluck lunch, toddler style.

Now Isaac will be home with me, without school, for 2.5 weeks. How will I get my running done, you ask? Well, since I "only" run for 30 minutes at this time, he can come along in his stroller. Or I can run during his naptime. Heck, I could run at night, as well. Oh the options! The longruns, as always, will be spend doing "boy things" with Chasen - same old same old.

Happy Holidays!

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

After a hectic time of torrential downpours followed by snow, I didn't do my second easy run of last week. I did, however, get back on track the next day with a 4-mile walk. I just love walking, especially with my ipod. This time, however, I accidentally left it at home. Doh! It turned out to be a blessing, as I had over an hour to sort out lots of stuff. That is priceless.

What is also priceless, is enjoying Isaac's favorite meal with him: anything that involves chips.

Making cookies with my boy is also pretty special. :-)

Isaac received a card from Santa -- all the way from the North Pole!

He sure did have fun helping me make cheese biscuits - a Greenville, Mississippi thang.

Looks like he's having fun to me! He is a big time helper.

According to Chasen, we could rent him out to rake leaves!

A very, very big "helper" in my running life is my friend Terry. He has been my coach since 2006! After lamenting about losing my running mojo, he made a very zen-like suggestion to me: leave my Garmin at home for my longrun. Whaaaaaa? No details? Well, guess what -- it was fabulous. I did way more running than walking! I never really "lost steam." I picked a known out-and-back course and six miles came and went.

What have I learned? Sometimes you've got to shake things up. I plan to do my upcoming 7-mile run sans Garmin, also. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

A Better Run

Yesterday I had a really, really good treadmill run. It was raining shoes and laces ALL DAY, so I had no choice but to use Teddy Tready. He is on the fritz, a bit, but we got the job done. I did thirty minutes (per Galloway). I kept a 2% incline the whole time because Teddy is less fritzy that way. I felt very strong, which was good for my psyche. I even finished at a 10-min pace! Granted, I only did that for about a minute, but you know what they say: if you want to be a faster runner, you just have to run faster. Sage advice!

What To Do?

At last I typed, I planned to be "zen" for a while. Well, I have only kinda-sorta stuck with that. As soon as I got my new orthotics for my Brooks, I decided to honor my Type-A personality and pick a race. The winner is: The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. It's on my bucket list, so why not go ahead and mark it off?

The zen part of this is that I am going to try to, once again, Galloway my way to the starting line. For a run-walk program, it's no easy task. The training period is about three days shy of FOREVER. I hope I can stick it out. The weekday runs are timed runs that will max out at 45 minutes, and they do include speed and hills. A walk day is also included. That all sounds zen, right?

Firefighter Isaac says "Chill out, mommy, your running mojo will return eventually."

The issue is... I seem to have lost my mojo. I have been back running, post-hiatus, for FOUR MONTHS now, and I just can't seem to feel good about a single run. I feel heavy, sluggish, and demoralized. How on earth am I going to make it 26.2 miles for the seventh time? I thought the run-walk would help tremendously, but so far it has not.

Give it time, woman!

I have two extremely awesome cheerleaders on my team. Love them!

Any and all suggestions as to how to "perk up and look alive out there" would be appreciated.

A Dream Come True

I have been blogging for about 5.5 years already -- whoa baby! One of the very first friends I made through blogging was the fabulous Petra of Lincolnshire in the UK. Our friendship has only been enhanced with time. Even though we are half a world apart, we talk several times per week via email, audio message, Facebook, Twitter, and even Skype from time to time. For people who have never actually met face to face, we are very tight!

Back in August around the time of Chasen's birthday, he asked me what I wanted for my upcoming birthday (in November). In typical fashion I said "nothing," which is never quite good enough for him. Ha! He really surprised me when he said "Why don't you use some of my frequent flier miles and go somewhere?" Um... yes, please! After a bit of contemplation over the options, the unanimous winner was: the English countryside! I was going to get to actually hang out with Petra face to face!

So I flew out of Memphis on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and my *gulp* 37th birthday. I even got to fly first class all the way to Amsterdam! After one more hour in a smaller plane I was within thirty minutes of Petra's home. I saw her in the airport and it was as if I had just seen her the week prior. Just awesome!

Without going into my full itinerary, let me just say that it really was like a dream come true in many, many ways. First, the obvious: I got to spend nearly four days with my sweet friend! Second, I had never been away from Isaac for more than two nights. This trip was six (one night flying, four nights with Petra, another night on a layover in Detroit). That was a long, yet awesome length of time to be away from home. Third, I got to experience something new and gain perspective. That was priceless.

I drank tea every day (how British!) and sampled a few of the M&M's I brought from the USA.

See - I really was there - Lincolnshire!

There I am about to go do 3 miles with one of my running heroes!

This is sampling of our running path. We also did a five miler. Dream come true!

I even taught Petra how to make my signature chocolate cheesecake.

It was so nice to finally be able to talk in person. Trust me, we left no stone unturned! It was fabulous. So what's next? Well, she'll just have to come visit me. :) Or, better yet, I can go back to visit her. That kinda makes turning 38 next year, or 39 the year after, not seem so bad...

Good Feet

Life rarely goes just the way I thought it would. Let me paint you a picture with regards to Isaac. He attends two different Mother's Day Out programs, both at churches. One had a "Fall Carnival" (with no costumes allowed) and the other had a "Fall Festival," but the kids could ONLY come dressed as nursery rhyme characters. Well, Isaac chose to be a fire fighter for Halloween this year, so I didn't exactly have a nursery rhyme character costume lying around. And I didn't want to buy one for just one little party. They could be found online (costly, mind you) but not here in local stores.

So, I did what any good mom would do: I made one. By hand. No sewing machine (because I lent mine out ages ago and am, frankly, intimidated by it anyway). I thought "How hard could it be? I'm going to do it simply." Famous last words. I sat in my dining room and hand sewed Humpty Dumpty for THREE HOURS earlier this week.

In goes Humpty to get his trick-or-treat on! Notice the rick rack break line in his shell.

Next I made a beeline for Memphis to go purchase my new orthotics! I was a bit concerned that they wouldn't be "custom," but I arrived at The Good Feet Store and learned that they had 115 varieties, based on the measurements of my feet. I walked across an upside down ink tray that produced impressions of my feet on white paper. The kind fellow said that I had great arches, thanks to my six-year-old orthotics. He said it in a kind of way that indicated "You really shouldn't have such great arches, considering how much you run." Ha!

He brought out two types of inserts, based on my foot length, width and arch position. Detailed, I know. Who needs custom for $200 more? We decided on the lesser of the two (lesser in terms of what they do and how much they cost). He thought the lesser would do a great job for me. He also thought they just might make me less of a heel striker. Now we're talkin'! If that's true, my shoes should last a bit longer.

These will take some getting used to, as did my old ones. Six years ago, I didn't respect the transition time enough and ended up with an overuse injury in my left foot. That resulted in time off and sadness. Here comes the unexpected revelation: I am going to very, very slowly get back to running and NOT be hard-headed and let my feet do what they need to do. I will run "for fun," which is a major change for this "I only train" girl. I might even get out there Garmin-free! I will target a spring marathon and confidently train for it closer to the end of the year. The Mississippi Blues Marathon is not going anywhere. Maybe 2013 will be my year to tackle the hills of Jackson.

Yay for me and my new zen-like running attitude. Quite a change!

Wait And See

I am a happy woman. My foot pain, which was constant, lasted for five solid days (Monday - Friday). Saturday came and it was gone. It has stayed away ever since, but I went to see the orthopaedic doctor anyway... just in case. I felt silly going in there with not a pain in the world, but I thought it best to tell him what exactly happened and how I felt, etc.

X-rays showed "a perfect foot." Well lah-te-dah! Then, the hilarious Dr. C walked in and our matching senses of humor took over. Mind you, others would probably find his manner today offensive, but I did not. I laughed so loud a nurse popped her head in to check on us.

Him: What do you have going on?

Me: I was out running, and... (interruption)

Him: How far?

Me: Eight miles.

Him: That's a long way.

Me: Not really. But after that my foot started hurting (I motioned where). It felt like someone was pinching it in there for five straight days, but not since then. I haven't run since then (eight days ago).

Him: So what does that tell you?

Me: Well, I know it was running related.

Him: Come on, Einstein, it hurt and then you stopped running. Hmm...

Me: I know - it's obvious.

Him: When do you want to go running next?

Me: If you say it's OK, I'll go fifteen minutes from now.

Him: What do you want to happen?

Me: I want you to tell me what caused this, and maybe how I can prevent it from happening again.

Him: People in hell want ice water. (insert huge, belly laugh) You irritated it somehow, and it may or may not come back. I'll give you a prescription for a stronger anti-inflammatory.

Me: But I don't want a 'band-aid', I want a cure.

Him: Well, that's not really an option. Take it for thirty days.

He left to go write it up, and I realized that I forgot to show him my six-year-old orthotics. I stepped out with one in my hand and a nurse said "WHAT IS THAT???" I told her. She asked if it worked, in disbelief. Um... yes. He popped out and said "Where did you get that, the Smithsonian?" Ha! He kills me! He recommended a local store, as opposed to a podiatrist, for custom orthotics. He said he'd rather I give my money to him. Ha!

Again, this totally worked for me. We are well matched. My hubby, however, found it offensive, as might you. Oh well - my foot, my doctor.

So now I will get back on the road and see what happens. I am still unsure about January 7th, but at least I am pain free for the time being and have the promise of being able to do what I love -- all with a funny story to go along with it.

Pondering Change

First, the good news: Chasen made it home safely from his fourth business trip to China! Isaac and I were both over the moon.

Now on to the running. My Hanson-inspired training plan that I personally created has proven to be too much for me, at least at this time. Each run seemed to be more demoralizing that the last. I was feeling "overtrained" a bit, to say the least. Monday was pretty much the final straw. After three days off, thanks to a funky stomach bug of sorts, I went to a friend's house and parked for a 9-mile run. She lives "way out" and had new scenery to offer. I did alright for the first four miles, but then hit my current 4-mile wall and it was all I could do to muster up the energy (and desire) to walk back to my car. Ugh!

I realized that change was in order. I immediately (after venting to excellent friends, of course) consulted my favorite running book that I've had since the very beginning, and I decided to switch to the plan that I used to train for the 2011 Cowtown Marathon. Bing, bang, boom - problem solved. Or so I hoped.

Within an hour or so, my right foot began to hurt. There goes my running! Long story short, it feels like someone is pinching something in there very tightly. It pretty much hurt 24/7 for 5 days straight. Only now am I getting a bit of relief. Coach Terry thinks, based on his own, personal experience, I may have a bit of tendonitis. I have an appointment set up for Tuesday morning. We shall see!

The strange thing is that I am extremely calm about it, and the idea of not being able to run for a while does NOT freak me out. I know, I know - did someone switch brains with me in the middle of the night?

If I can't run on January 7th, well - that race isn't going anywhere. With 44 more states to run in, I'll have no shortage of marathons to choose from. Time (or Dr. C...) will tell.

It's Never Too Early

The awesome folks over at Shutterfly have done it again! They are offering fifty free holiday cards to a few lucky people. I am very grateful to be among that list. I have already been browsing through this year's selection and have come up with a few favorites. It's never too early to get into the holiday spirit!

Chasen is adamant that the words "Merry Christmas" be on the card, so obviously that narrowed my field a bit since Shutterfly has sooooooo many varieties of holiday cheer. Wait a sec - he may have done me a favor!

If you would like to be one of the lucky ones to receive fifty free cards, please leave a comment with a way for me to contact you. The first THREE people will be given free promo codes. Happy Holidays!

Woe Is Me

The past two weeks of running have been TOUGH. All I can seem to do is "get through it." I have come up with a few excuses (103 day running sabbatical over the summer, weight gain, poor sleeping - to name a few), but hey... it is what it is.

In other news, Chasen has left for yet another work trip to China. This is trip #4 since this time last year. Prior to him flying the coop, we tried to make sure that Isaac got plenty of "daddy time."

Last week I skipped TWO runs because I was just plain worn out. They weren't long runs, but still. I don't like to skip runs. This week I ran eight miles on Monday evening prior to Chasen's departure. Eight miles! As opposed to my opening statement, it went decently. Every run since then has been in the toilet. The Hanson Brothers are kicking my rear. By Wednesday's long run I am just dragging.

That said, I am just happy to be getting the runs done considering that Chasen is gone and I only have the time Isaac is at Mother's Day Out to run. People keep telling me "completing the distance is good enough." While I somewhat agree, I am desperate for a good run. Let's hope one appears soon!

Let's Get (A) Physical!

Yesterday I had my first physical exam since probably before I left for college. Two things prompted me to go in for it. 1) Our insurance likes for us to do so. 2) I was concerned about my cholesterol. Even though I run a zillion miles and try to watch what I eat, only once in the past years can I remember having an overall level under 200 (which is considered normal/healthy).

I donated blood at a church blood drive right after my running sabbatical ended (103 days without running and very little other exercise, other than keeping up with Isaac) and my cholesterol level was -gasp!- 229. That hurt. It really got me worried.

I have also been extremely thirsty lately, which I know is sometimes a warning sign of diabetes. I thought "well, surely I'm not diabetic or have a malfunctioning thyroid," but the doc thought we ought to check for those things while we were at it. Better safe than sorry.

I just got a phone call that really turned my frown upside down. A nurse called with my bloodwork results. Here's the scoop:

My overall cholesterol is now 215. Mind you, under 200 is better, but at least it has come down 14 points since I am back on the road. The nurse actually referred to it as "good."

The HDL cholesterol (the good kind) was 100! It is supposed to be over 60, and nurse said he had never seen one so high. Thank you, Jesus!

The LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) was 96, and it should be under 100. So I'm close, but "good enough." I'll take it... and I'll also work on it.

My triglycerides were 95, and they should be less than 150.

My fasting glucose was 83, and it should be 65-100. No signs of diabetes, he said. Or thyroid issues, for that matter. Looks like I'm just a thirsty gal. :)

This is such a huge relief to me. I really want to set a good, positive example for my son, as well as be around for him for a very long time. Now back to the salad!

Survival Of The Un-Fittest

Well, I have done it. I made it through a very, very rough week -- both on the running front and on the life front. Last week was epic in terms of having "a full plate." In seven days I hosted two events at my home (which required LOTS of cleaning), went out to mandatory events five nights, attended a continuing education class and volunteered about six hours away from home, all while keeping the home fires burning while Chasen had a quick work trip to Missouri. Whew!

I was determined to accomplish all of my runs, since it was to be my last "easy" week of only four runs. The three five milers went.... um, err... well, they went. Sometimes just getting out of the house to cover the mileage is an accomplishment in itself.

Now it's a new week! After the previous humdinger of a week, I was staring down a 6-miler on very little rest. Determined to at least attempt it, I was quite pleased with my progress on the out-and-back hilly course. It's amazing how sometimes we can pull decent splits while feeling like death warmed over, yet other times we struggle after a full night's sleep. Such is life.

My 6-miler actually gave me a bit of hope about my upcoming marathon. I still have a long way to go, but that success did help my psyche a bit. We all need a little boost now and then. Let's do this thing!

Savoring the Easy Life

This past week was a big one for me, in terms of running. Actually, one might say it was small. You see, it was the next-to-last week with only four scheduled runs, and it was the last time to only have one 5-miler. I was to run 3,4,5,3. It was interesting, to say the least.

The weather heated back up, so night running was my best option early in the week. On Monday I headed to my old neighborhood. Long story short, I had a bit of 'runner dementia' and kinda-sorta forgot where I parked... so my planned three mile run turned into four. "No problem, " I thought. "Now tomorrow I can 'just' do three miles." And so it was.

When it came time for my first 5-miler (in over four months, mind you) the plan was not executed verbatim. Our day began with Chasen having a dead battery, so some car swapping was in order, as well as a trip to the auto parts store, so my residential course to begin at 9 AM turned into the main drag at 10 AM. It was near drudgery, I tell ya! It was hot, sunny, slow... ick. I didn't expect miracles, so in a way I was right on par.

But then came Saturday morning. I was 'only' supposed to do three speedy miles, so I headed to the old 'hood and kicked it into high gear. Even though I am still doing a walk-run combo, I really gave it all I had. Most of my running stints were done at sub-11 (which is very fast for me these days) and my final burst was at --get this!-- a 9:33 pace. Wowee zowee! That's what 62 degrees with a breeze will do for ya!

Now I am entering what I call the final truly 'easy' week of training, yet also the first 'hard' week of training. You see, I have three five mile runs on the schedule this week, as well as four miles of speedwork on Saturday. That's still just four runs total (that's the easy part) but each are more than my usual 3-4 miles (that's the hard part). And the week after that I break into my full-blown training, i.e. five days per week. Wish me luck. I've got fifteen weeks to get it all together!

Firsts

Ah, another week of "firsts" for us. Isaac begin his other new school on Monday, first and foremost. I am over the moon to report that it went so, so well! We were lucky enough to discover that the son of an acquaintance was going to be in his class, so I arranged for them to have a playdate at the park the day before school started. I wanted Isaac to have a familiar face around him. Apparently, it worked, because dropoff went smooth as silk. The other little boy, well... not so much. But that poor fella had never been to any sort of Mother's Day Out, nursery, etc. (to my knowledge).

Here is Isaac before the second day at the new place. I was too nervous for cameras on day one.

I was supposed to run on Monday, but I was just wiped out. This mothering stuff can really take a lot out of a gal! Since I am still, technically, in the "base building" stage of my training, I so no need to fret over shifting my schedule by one day this week. I had bigger fish to fry.

On Tuesday Chasen left for a business trip to Philadelphia. That meant I HAD to get my run done while Isaac was at school. I opted for the treadmill because I had tons to accomplish during the short time Isaac would be at Mother's Day Out. I was supposed to go four miles, but I only made it three. Oh well. What's one mile when you're feeling so worn out?

Wednesday, when I was a 'single parent' Isaac chose to wake up at 4:55 AM. Good gravy! That just meant that I could get started much, much earlier than anticipated on a cheesecake 'first' - a wedding cake style cheesecake! A friend asked me to create a chocolate cheesecake for a couples bridal shower she was hosting. And so I did:

Three layers of chocolate cheesecake, plus chocolate covered strawberries.

Bride and groom toppers, complete with a tulle veil for the bride.

Birds eye view. I was proud of my creation. Not a morsel was left at the end of the shower, she said.

That day, in addition to being woken before the roosters, I felt a sore throat coming on. Just what I needed, right? I opted for rest instead of a run. Then it was time to get Isaac, and a few short hours after that it was time for Wednesday night church. No rest for the weary.

On Thursday I was ecstatic to discover that the temps had dropped dramatically. So I dropped Isaac at MDO and ran from there. I did four amazing miles on the "real road" and felt great. Whoo hoo - it's about time. And that night -- hallelujah! -- Chasen returned.

Friday is my only weekday without MDO, so it is automatically a rest day from running. Some friends invited us to go to a local "bounce warehouse" type place. We got a group rate, and Isaac had the time of his life at the indoor bounce for almost 2.5 hours! Check out his feet as he gets to the bottom of this big slide. So cute!

Friday night outing to eat pizza. My boys LOVES some pizza. "Nummy pizza," he says.

Helping me "paint" some oil on the top of some homemade bread dough. He's my best helper.

Today I headed to my old neighborhood for four miles. They were pretty awesome! The best part, though, was being able to knock on a running friend's door for an "emergency running potty break." Gotta love runner friends - they always accommodate because they know how it is.

Here is my fearless little monkey at the park with Chasen, giving me an hour or so of "peace."

This has been one of those weeks where I feel like I have done it all. I guess most are that way for a stay-at-home-mom, but some are more monumental than others. The coming week is projected to be a lot calmer. Famous last words...

Will It Ever Get Easier?

After a month with no Mother's Day Out, it was finally time to send my sweet boy back to school. He was ready... I was certainly ready... and my running schedule was primed and ready. After a bit of a brouhaha with his fabulous school from last year, we decided to try a new place. Prior to this I would have told you that you could drop off Isaac off with the devil himself and, so long as he had some toys, Isaac would be happy as a clam. So the first day of school came and I had no worries!

Isaac, age 2 1/2, shows off his backpack and monkey nap mat before we left for the new school.

Let's go already, Mommy! I've got to go and hang out with my peers.

We arrived without incident. The new place is literally less than a mile from our home. Yippee!

All smiles with a helicopter before silly me made a big mistake.

We met his two teachers and then I skeedaddled out of there. But I forgot something and had to go back into the classroom. That was the undoing! My 'cool as a cucumber' boy lost it. I felt an inch tall. It was awful. That is the worst feeling -- like you're leaving your child somewhere they desperately don't want to be. It is HARD on a mother. I didn't cry, but I felt awful.

Alas, I had to get home. I was running a big Labor Day cheesecake sale and I had to get started baking. That week I baked NINETEEN cheesecakes. Oh my aching feet!

Here he is before his second day of school. Still all smiles at home...

On Isaac's second day of school, I wised up and dropped his stuff and hightailed it out of there. But not before he got an unfeeling look on his face. Ugh! Again, I felt bad. But when I picked him up his teacher said that it only lasted about two seconds past my departure. That was great to hear! And he received high praise, so all was not lost for week #1 of school.

However, the cheesecake biz got a harsh self-review at week's end. After all of the painful hours on my feet, I didn't have the profits one would think I should have. I decided I could do one of two things: quit this little venture OR raise my prices considerably. I opted for the latter (which may cause the first... LOL). We'll see what happens. As it stood, though, that hard week was NOT worth it, financially.

But then came Saturday. A good friend asked if I wanted to take Isaac to the Delta Fair in Memphis. I was nervous as a cat about putting Isaac on his first kiddie ride. It did not look as secure as I would have liked. Off he went with me worrying up a storm.

He smiled the whole way around the race car track!

Here is Isaac and his BFF, Phoenix, doing exactly what they shouldn't be doing.

Here is my brave boy getting harnessed up for a big, big jumping time!

Look at him go! Not a care in the world!

Look at that smile! I love those twenty cute teeth!

He is way up there. Not a single worry is evident (not even from me).

This is the new background on my desktop. Love that fella!

There they are in the monster truck enjoying every rough riding second.

Isaac honked his horn nearly the entire time he was on this ride.

This experience taught me a couple of things. 1) My boy is growing up quickly and certainly not a baby anymore. 2) This is why I stand on my feet for hours on end baking cheesecakes -- so I can spend a bundle in the heat letting Isaac have the time of his life. Worth every cent!

Most of the time, though, it doesn't cost a dime to have a great day. Labor Day was no exception. We decided to go to a local park and we were approached by two men from the local newspaper (well, the local edition for our neck of the woods for the Memphis paper). I chatted it up with the reporter while the photographer snapped away. The very next day Chasen and Isaac made the FRONT PAGE!

Here are the new local celebrities working the backhoe in nearby Hernando, Mississippi.

After that we went to see Isaac's most favorite things: tractors.

At the end of the three-day weekend it was time to go back to school. Uh oh. But day three went better than one and two. And by day four, they said he was really coming out of his shell. Oh happy day!

My little monkey just adores his monkey nap mat.

He also likes getting filthy dirty outside on a nice afternoon.

Obviously Isaac going back to school and the cheesecake biz took up a lot of my time, energy and thoughts over the past two weeks. But I am happy to report that I only missed one base training run. At this point I have completed fifteen runs, and the last several were actually done outdoors because the weather miraculously cooled off this week. I have to say, though, that the treadmill treated me much nicer than the open road. It has just been tough, even with better temps. You'd think after fifteen runs I'd feel like my old self, but I don't. Apparently it is going to take a while longer. Three mile runs were OK, but 4-milers were killer. Just four miles! Ugh. I still have two semi-easy weeks ahead of me before I start doing 5-milers at the drop of a hat. By then I'll have 23 runs (give or take) under my belt and hopefully I will be ready to get down to business.

This week Isaac's other new school begins, so we have another "new school" experience to look forward to. Oh yay. I'll have my game face on this time, though. Between the two new schools, I'll have four mornings to myself. That should help my running mojo return, I think. I have designed my running schedule around his Mother's Day Out schedule, so I will soon be running Monday through Thursday, with another run on Saturday. I hope I can pull it off -- the Mississippi Blues Marathon is a mere seventeen weeks away!