Mid-Atlantic Super Spartan recap

Muddy Spartans!

First off, let me say sorry for taking so long to post this.  It has been crazy around here!!!!  We got home late Monday evening from our AWESOME weekend trip to the DC area for the race, hanging out with our family, and visiting some good friends.  We spent most of our non-racing time doing touristy stuff at Arlington and the Smithsonians, and we were exhausted upon arriving home.  Then it was back into the kindergarten thing, which is still new to all of us.  Since kiddo's school requires her to be there at 0'dark thirty every morning, I've been a bit zombie-ish this week.  Add in her TaeKwonDo yellow belt test this afternoon (!!!!!!!), toddler sickness, and some other interesting happenings, and it's made for a tired mama.

Anyway, I'll jump straight into the race.  I was really pumped about this, it was my first obstacle course in a while and my first Spartan Race ever.  I loooove their healthy living platform, and I was more than stoked to do this race.   I was there with hubby, my sis-in-law, and one of our close friends.  He had been in the Hurricane Heat that morning, and he still wasn't back yet!  His wife and my mother-in-law were hanging out in the crowd with the kiddos.  We got a fun pep talk by the announcer, saying we'd be digging deap, doing burpees, pushing ourselves to the limits, etc.  The horn blew, and we were off! 

After the smoke literally cleared, we quickly noticed holes ALL over the place.  Like, break your ankle type holes.  Scary shit!  People were very good about yelling and pointing them out, and no one got hurt.  This course was a lot more running-centric than what they normally are, according to most experienced Spartans.  Spartan Race is really cool about finding awesome venues that can incorporate a lot of trail running into their courses.  They're all about natural obstacles, which I love!  This time, they chose a horse park.  So after we did a few obstacles and ran up a very large hill in the woods, we jumped over what seemed to be 40 horse jumps spread over an entire field.  It was fun, but we were glad when we were finished with them.  We weren't muddy yet, but that didn't last long!  There was a 100-yard mud crawl through some serious squishy mud and lots of rocks, and underneath barbed wire.  I do well in obstacles like this for two reasons:  I'm small and can fit well underneath the wire, and I'm used to crawling on the floor with kids all day anyway.  I still came out with plenty of bumps and scrapes though, but it was fun!  We pushed on to lots of other obstacles, including a pole jump, some really far apart monkey bars (I rocked these out!), and some cargo net climbs.  There were a few obstacles where girls got the lighter load, but I tried not to take it.  At the tire flip, they had his and her tires.  I chose the his and it wasn't that bad actually.  There was a portion where we had to carry Spartan Race-made "pancakes", which are flat beanbags.  20lbs for women, 40lbs for men.  I chose then men's bag, not realizing quite how far we had to walk with them.  I made it and got some mad props, but damn was I tired!  We had a good running stretch after which gave my arms some much-needed recovery time.  There were of course three Berlin Walls, which I made it over much better than I have in the past.  I was feeling quite confident until the very end.  After pulling a very large piece of concrete around a dirt-covered horse ring, I was worn out and not ready for the final three obstacles--sideways climbing wall (much harder than it looks), spear throw (my aim is shit), and rope climb (just too damn tired).  So I did my burpees, thirty for each failed obstacle and sternly enforced, and ran through the finish line happily. 

I took my banana and sports drink and hauled ass to the kid race, which was about to begin and which my kiddo was running with her bff.  I got there just in time to wish her luck, give her a super muddy hug, and watch the girls take off.  They did a cute little half-mile obstacle course, and finished with ear-to-ear grins.  It was by far the highlight of my day!

So proud!

Not long after the girls finished, our pal (father of the cutie on the right) finished.  The Hurricane Heat is a team-building, ass-kicking event beginning at 5am, and he then jumped straight into the 10am heat.  He was totally worn out, but happy as a lark.  I'm doing a HH in the future, it looked AWESOME!  After he came in, we cheered my sis-in-law on, ate a bit, drank a bit, and left feeling very accomplished.

What I didn't like
There isn't much that I wasn't happy with.  The event was ran well and the volunteers were awesome.  There were three water stops, which for some people didn't seem like enough.  It was 10 miles instead of 8, so there was a long period without water at the end.  I can see how it could have been a very bad thing on a really hot day.  Also, I got a really shotty t-shirt.  But that problem is being remedied, and I've very grateful!

What I liked
I liked the teamwork and camaraderie.  I liked the obstacles and that there was a little bit of everything.  It was about strength, not about how much they can hurt you (ahem, no electrical wires or ice tanks).  I liked that the "free beer" became $5 off at the gift shop since Virginia has laws against such things.  I got an awesome Spartan Chicked shirt!  And dammit, I still bought my beer, which was named "Spartan Ale".

What I loved
Most of it!  Honestly, I was really happy with this experience!  My absolute favorite aspect is the Spartan Kids Race, put on by the Kids Fit Foundation.  Not only does it give the race venue an great family vibe, but more importantly it helps develop healthy habits and higher self-esteem for young ones.  The race is fors age 4 and up, and it's all about fun.  There were also kid obstacles outside of the race, free to be played on for the entire day.  My daughter still hasn't stopped talking about it and wears her medal (just like ours but a different color) with pride.  I adore Spartan Race for this, and I can't wait to empower my little boy like that when he's four! 

Tough girls

Honestly, he's not impressed.

Another thing that I loved was the Team XTREME Heroes Heat.  It was (and still is) one of the most touching things I've ever witnessed.  A group of wounded warriors got together and completed the race as a team, most of them in full military uniform and gas masks.  Most of them were missing one or more limbs, and they were all inspiring.  My friend took an amazing picture of them as they came past the front, and it still brings tears to my eyes:

Enlarge the pic, you'll see some amazing men!

Their dedication and ability to never give up inspires me to do better at everything in life!  It was an excellent reminder that we were all out there to better ourselves and to accomplish greatness in our own ways.  And this is what Spartan Race is about.

I'll be doing the Carolinas Spartan Beast in October, and I'm incredibly excited!  Presently I don't have anyone racing with me, but I'm sure that I'll make friends along the way.  I know what I need to work on, and I have lots to do until then!   Bring it on!!!!

Most pitiful post ever

I won't be long-winded today.  I'm just not up to it.  We had an awesome weekend that led into my big girl's very first day of school!!!!!  She had her orientation yesterday and her first full day today.  Considering she's always been home with me and never even in pre-k, I haven't taken it so well.  I consoled myself by eating well and training hard pigging out on junk food and wine nightly and cuddling her constantly.  I waited today until I was out of the parking lot for the tears to start, and then it went south.  Fortunately, the boy handled it well and we stayed busy.  He refused to go to the gym, but I also didn't really feel like it so I didn't even mind for once.

She WAS as happy as she looks, and still is!

Fortunately for my soul, the kiddo has decided that school is the "best place ever" and replaces Chuck E Cheese with coolness factor.  I'm sure that opinion won't last for long, so I'm doing my darndest to soak it up!  Since she got home, she's chatted my ear off about her entire day and has made me play school for approximately 99.99999999% of the time she's been home. 

Unfortunately for my body though, all my worrying and lost sleep let my immunities down and I now have a super awesome fever.  I'm presently wearing 401 layers of clothing, drinking hot tea, and I feel like I'm in a frozen tundra.  It's awesome.  Even more awesome is the fact that my Super Spartan is on Saturday!  And even MORE awesome than that??  All that snuggling I've been giving the kiddo whilst carrying germs.  I hope to goodness she doesn't get sick for HER Junior Spartan.  That would break my heart!

So for the next 40ish hours before we head up to Virginia, I will be downing vit c and apparently vit d3 like it's going out of style.  Cross your fingers for a ridiculously fast recovery and no spreading germs!!!!

So here's my question--how do you handle being sick?  Do you give in to the meds, take natural remedies, or let it run the course?  I'll take any suggestions (and maybe some voodoo magic) that you have!

Today

I'm not blogging about baby carrying today.  Sorry to those of you who look forward to that (all two of you, hehe), but I have something a bit more important to talk about.  As many of you know, I am a member of Team Endure to Cure.  I regularly fundraise and dedicate my races towards the team, and they put all donations towards giving a "Small Wish" to a pediatric cancer patient.  It is a beautiful way for me to mesh together my passion with helping a sweet child in need.  Last Spring, I ran my New River Marathon for E2C, and I raised over $500!

Modeling my E2C gear

 Fast forward to today--I woke up to something that made my heart both ache and swell with pride.  I received an email from the E2C founder stating that they had found a child to receive my Small Wish donations.  The little girl is being treated for brain cancer, her second recurrence.  She was diagnosed in 2011.  Her fifth birthday is this month.  Not only would she probably be friends with my daughter, she very well could BE my daughter if life worked out a little differently.  I have gone through a huge range of emotions today, from incredible sadness for her and her family, to gratefulness for my amazingly healthy children, to absolute anger at all of the people out there who would prefer to complain about mundane crap like politics and having too high credit card debt.  I'm trying to settle on the positive emotions, but it is tough.

I am happy to know that my fundraising efforts are going towards making her birthday incredibly special for her.  It will be nice to know that I helped to put a smile on a little face that probably hasn't smiled very much lately.  I will also write her a letter, and my daughter is excited to make her a "princess" birthday card.  Hopefully the letter won't be too tear-soaked, because this mama is an emotional mess!

So now I begin my efforts again, to help yet another child suffering from pediatric cancer.  I will not only fundraise like last time, but I will be adding in a special incentive for those who donate when I announce my virtual 5k.  I will also be donating $1 from every sale on my future Etsy store to the foundation.

The race that I'm focusing on the most at present and that I plan to represent Team E2C at is my Spartan Beast on October 13th!  A Spartan Beast is one of the toughest of the Spartan Race Series--a 10-13mile grueling trail and obstacle course.  I will be climbing walls, crawling under barbed wire, carrying ridiculously heavy random crap, running through the woods, getting horribly dirty, and doing burpees for everything that I mess up.  It will be gloriously painful!  I consider it to be by far tougher than running a regular half marathon, and my strength training is really stepping up a notch (or five) for this.  I have my Super Spartan in over a week now, and hopefully it will give me a good taste for what is to come with the Beast.



Please consider joining me in helping to make a child with cancer smile.  If you'd like to donate, no amount is too small!  I always have my donations page below the site header, so it's ready and waiting!  And like I said, when I have my virtual 5k I'll be offering extra incentives for those of you who donate.  So if you'd like to save your donation until then, it's no problem.  Until my race I'll be focusing mentally, emotionally, and physically on the task at hand.  I look forward to what is to come!!

Under the weather

I've been a bit off for the past few days, both emotionally and now physically.  It happens, and I don't have to like it, but I do have to accept it.  And I'll have to jump straight back into my training when I get better. 

As for right now, I can't even think of what to blog about.  I've started this post over three times!  Some would say to just give up, but I prefer to ramble.  It makes me feel better.  So here are a few random things going through my head right now:

Hubby left on Sunday for a work trip back to GA.  He's home this evening, but it put us all back in that place that we were a few months ago, and there's been an air of sadness to the house.  I've not pushed myself to work out, and I missed my long run on Sunday trying to get more time with him.  Now I feel like a piggy sloth!  Top it off with dizziness and bathroom issues, and it appears I'm getting a little bug that's going around.  Let's hope I can fight it off quickly!

I'm wavering on marathon training.  I have a lot going on with my Spartans and PT certification and reopening the Etsy store, and I don't know that I really WANT to add in those extra hours for just running.  I'm thinking of cutting the marathon and doing more half marathons, faster.  Honestly, the biggest reason I'm having a hard time giving it up is because I don't want to appear "weak".  I know that I can do it all and come out even more of a hoss, but I don't know that it sounds super fun right now.  So my new goal will probably be a fall full of obstacle races and lots of half marathons.  I'll probably do 15-milers on the weekend, but no more.  I don't even know that I'll cut down on weekday miles, I just won't add on to them.  Instead of adding that time running, it will be for strength and/or yoga and Pilates classes.  I think I'll feel much more well-rounded!

That's all I've got right now, as I need to get my act together and get these kids to storytime.  Let's hope that I have it in me to give them an awesome day, and that hubby is home safely (he's driving as I type)!!!

Fitness Friday: Running

Okay, I'll just admit it to myself.  I'm terrible at giving you guys recipes.  Like, really really bad at it.  Mostly because the hubby does the large majority of the cooking and makes it all up as he goes along.  Extracting a recipe from him is harder than finding a good Olympic commentator on NBC.  Oh yeah, I went there.  Anyway, I had asked him to do the Friday recipe thing for me, but then I realized that he actually has negative free time as it is.  So that leaves me to do regular, normal person blogging on Friday.  Normal person blogging isn't what I want to do, though.  I can do that Saturday-Tuesday already.  So I'll try something new and just as cheesily named:  Fitness Friday.  Fitness Friday will be an exploration into different types of fitness, from forms of yoga to orienteering.  Now, I'm not an expert on all of these things by any means, but I'll do my best to give some basic info for those of you who have been asking for beginning fitness tips.  That way, you can decide for yourself if it is something that you want to try or is obviously not right for you.

So this first week, I'll start simple:  Running.  Running is what I do more than anything else, so why the heck not start there!?  Now, we all know what running is.  It's quite obvious that it's a faster, sweatier, hurtier form of walking.  BUT running can be quite rewarding and even a bit addictive, just give it a chance!  For beginners, I suggest doing the Couch to 5k.  It is a program that can take a basic "couch potato" to running a 5k within 8 weeks!  It sounds like it doesn't work, but it totally does.  Also, C25k has an app on every type of device out there that simply plays over your music and tells you exactly when to walk and when to run.  It takes all of the thought out of it completely, which is nice when you're huffing and sweating and the last thing you want is to stare at your watch. 

So you've downloaded your app and you have your running music--what next?  My suggestion to make absolutely sure that you'll finish the program is to find a race.  Go to your local running club's website (every town has one, just Google it, people), see their list of upcoming events, and find something 8-10 weeks out from your start date.  Look for something that strikes your fancy, whether it be for an awesome cause or it has a super fun afterparty.  No matter what, you want it to be an event that you look forward to!!  If it isn't, you won't push yourself.  Once you sign up for the 5k, TELL PEOPLE.  Now I'm not saying you have to announce it to the world and change your Facebook photo to the race page background, but at least let a few close friends/family know what your goal is.  It not only gives you accountability, but it gives you much-needed support.  Who doesn't want a cheerleading squad backing them?? 

You've signed up, you're ready to start your program, and now you need your gear.  Obviously, the most important thing is your shoes.  For 5k training, you don't have to go all-out with your shoes, just find some that fit well and feel good.  Runner's World has a Shoe Advisor that will give you some idea of what you're looking for.  My biggest suggestion, after you find the right type of shoe for your foot, is to go a half-size up.  Feet swell when you run, and what fits well in a store may kill your toes once you start to puff up, especially if you're running in warmer weather.  Also, buy some sweat-wicking socks.  Trust me, your feet will thank you!  Buy a few outfits you can interchange, and don't get the all-cotton stuff.  Your sweat will be stuck against you and you'll feel like you just took a stink shower.  Not cool.  Target has sweat-wicking clothing for really good prices, and I've actually worn their stuff for 20+ mile runs with no complaints!

You have your clothes, your phone app, your race date, and you're set to go!  Take it slow, aim for a "conversation" pace, which means that you're still able to speak without feeling like you'll die.  Work on hydration and eating well before you run, and find what foods make your body feel the best. Then, and this is just my fun little personal suggestion, buy yourself something cute to wear for your big event.  It will  lift your spirits and put a pep in your step!  Once race day comes, have a blast and feel wonderful about your accomplishment!!!

After your first 5k, you can do a multitude of things.  If you keep doing one type of workout for too long (studies say 3+months), your body will get used to it and the benefits will taper to nothing.   So now it's time to step it up!  You can aim for the next distance up (8k), you can work on speed, or you can add in more types of cardio/strength work.  Also, this is the time to really start to focus on your form.  That's a whole other post, so I'll skip it and send you to learn about proper form here.  It's a lot of info to think about, so my suggestion is to conquer one at a time, and take your time doing it. 

When I started running, I literally thought it was the worst thing ever.  I only did it so that I wouldn't gain weight after moving back to the States and having a car again.  It took me months of that nasty red-faced, overheated, hell-on-earth feeling to realize that I LOVED the way it made me feel emotionally.  It cleared my head unlike anything else could.  It also made me feel like I was doing something I was actually designed to do, what my ancestors did.  And the red face and overheating went away!   So give it a chance for a bit, do the C25k, and see if it's right for you.  If you don't love it, at least you can get that nifty free race shirt, right?!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Why I haven't gotten anything done today, including showering, blogging, and cleaning:

Sweet, sick little BatBoy :(

How I (mostly) quit drinking sodas

First off, there's no magic to it, so don't expect smoke and mirrors from this post.  Like everything else in my life from child-rearing to marathon training, it's been a messy, sometimes backpedaling, but rewarding ride.  And I'll be honest--it's still not over.  I'm craving one right now because I'm talking about the darn things.  But I won't give in!  And this is how I've accomplished it so far:

First off and most importantly--I got that shit OUT OF MY HOUSE.  No matter how many times I'd say "let's buy it, it's on sale, I'll drink it slowly", it just didn't happen.  Hubby used to bring it home out of attempted kindness, but once he realized that I was seriously serious this time, he quit buying it too. 

Next, I took baby steps.  I allowed myself to have one if we were on an outing and just happened to be in a store with a soda machine at the front.  I suddenly went from 3 a day to one every other day by doing this.  So I was still getting my yummy caffeinated bubbles, but much less often.  I supplemented at home by adding espresso to my morning protein shake (which lemme tell ya, is delish!!) and drinking more than my fare share of seltzer water, among other drinks I'll mention in a moment.

The next step was to cut out the weekday sodas completely.  I allowed myself some treats on both weekend days, and that was it.  Now, if I didn't have one on a weekend day, I could substitute it for a weekday.  It allowed me to not be in complete and utter pain if we spent our one restaurant day on a Monday, because goodness forbid I could pass up one of those cool new soda machines with the 5,903 flavors in it!!  So fast forward to today, and I realize that I actually didn't have ANY sodas this past weekend.  None.  I thought about it once, but wasn't about to ask Hubby to stop the car just so I could get one.  I personally guilted myself out of it, and it worked!  I forgot by the time I got home, and didn't think about it again until I was ready to write this post.  It has been OVER a week since I've had a single soda.  Rock on!

Now, I'll go ahead and say that I'll probably cave and get one if we hit up a cheapo restaurant with self-serve drinks.  I have a mild obsession with Moe's, and a shitty burrito isn't complete without a soda!  But does that make me feel terrible?  No, it makes me feel human.  I've come a long way, and I'm pretty darned proud!

It's been rough at times, I'm sure the family will agree with gusto.  There were probably many moments where they wanted to just throw a Coke Zero in my face and say shut the hell up.  But I commend them for not doing it.  Mama will be healthier for them in the long run.

As for my drink replacements, I will say that I've not given up caffeine.  I've majorly decreased my intake, and I drink it in a much healthier way now.  Aside from my morning protein shakes, I aim to have one other low-caffeinated drink a day, usually in the mid-afternoon.  I vary between watered down Starbucks Via iced coffees, homemade iced lattes, and bubbly teas.  The bubbly teas are the best!  To make one, simply use a half cup of hot water to place the teabag in and make a very strong concentrate.  Let it cool, and then pour a small bit in a large glass of iced seltzer water.  It's very refreshing, lightly flavored, healthy, and low in caffeine.  Best of all, it tricks my brain into thinking it's something high in caffeine and bad for me!  

Any of you made the attempt to give up an addiction?  How's it going?  I'd love to hear about it and cheer you on as we all strive to live healthier lives!

Happy Monday, and a weekend roundup

First off, Happy Monday!  I know I complained last week, but this week seems to be a good bit better.  Maybe it's because I got the kids to the gym this morning instead of making it my off-day.  I swapped weekend long runs with Hubby so I could go to a chocolate party on Saturday night and fully indulge.  And may I say, it was super delicious!!

Aside from the party, I spent most of the time outdoors this past weekend.  We went to our pool both days, and yesterday after Hubby did his long run we went for an impromptu family hike.  It was extremely hot, but we filled up a hydration pack and set out for a few hours under the shade of the trees at the US National Whitewater Center.  The kids did quite well, I only had to put the boy in the carrier for the last 1/3 of the hike.  The kiddo hiked the entire way, and she only complained once!  That's a pretty big win for us, and we warned them that this was just an appetizer for what's coming in the fall.  As soon as the weather cools down, you better bet we'll be hiking (and possibly camping too) every single weekend!  Seriously, if you don't hike with your kids, you need to.  Like, right away.  It's such excellent exercise, and you can really teach them how to love and respect nature while you're out there.  I plan on making some fun games for the future too--scavenger hunts, photo challenges for the big kid, and when they get older we'll do nature bingo.  We also took some yummy wraps, pretzels, and fruit bars for the trip.  It was basically a free day out, and they were all about it.  Oh, and I'm fairly sure I have a budding trail runner in my son.  I thought he was going to bite it a few times as I began picturing a trip to the hospital, but he managed to stay afoot and tear down those hills!  Proud mama moment, for sure!

Yes, that walkway leads to nowhere.  But it was a pretty nowhere!

After two days outside running, hiking, and swimming, we all went into Monday feeling great.  I was giving the kids some time to rest a bit this morning, but they had other plans and actually yelled at me to get them to the gym, haha!  I got in a speedy 5-miler and some ab work (not to mention a wonderfully long and uninterrupted shower), and the kids got some much-needed mama-free time.  We came home and had their favorite lunch, and now I think the week is good to go on a very awesome note! 

Whole wheat english muffin pizza, cucumbers, strawberries, and bean sprouts--yay for finger foods!

So yeah, it almost seems that my long run should be swapped to Saturday, but I don't really know how Hubby will feel about trading.  He likes that whole weekend free feeling.  So maybe I'll just force myself to take the yoga class on Mondays and make my rest day a not-so-rest day.  There are worse things in life!

How did your weekend go?  Are you feeling awesome this summer still?  And, are you looking forward to my September Challenge still???  I totally am!  Please feel free to share with your friends and family, and hopefully we'll have a nice lovely online crowd for the month-long event!  Happy Monday, do something good for yourself and your loves today!

Ramblings

I'm kinda liking this whole random list thing lately, so I'm doing it again.  Don't hate me please, it's just that I'm all over the place and my writing is reflecting that a bit.  I'll come back down to earth soon, I promise!

Today was supposed to be FoodDay Friday, and I had a seriously awesome recipe ready.  Then I realized that I didn't take any friggin photos last time we ate it.  I'm super smart like that.  But, that means that we'll eat it again next week, so I'm not too sad.

I realized late last night that I didn't ONCE think about drinking a soda yesterday!  Today, I didn't even finish my morning espresso protein shake.  I'm slowly drinking an iced coffee with almond milk now, but it's taking a while.  I'm still a bit scatterbrained, but I think the caffeine addiction is actually on it's way out!  I'm very excited about this.

Track and Field is starting today!  This is the first Olympics ever that this has been super exciting for me.  Before I loved running, I couldn't see the point in watching others do it.  Now I think it's fantastic!

The world has made me sad this week.  There's been so much hate blasting on the tv's and social media from EVERY side of issues that shouldn't even be issues in this day and age, and it's pitiful to see so many angry, spiteful people.  But then I witness moments like this, and I get happy again:

Sweet happy friends!

My running has felt good lately.  Really really good.  I have been working on my form, and I think it's paying off.  So is all the extra training I'm doing ie pilates, yoga, HIIT.  My muscles are becoming more defined, and it makes me feel so strong.  I'm fairly sure that Hubby agrees.

We bought all the kiddo's school supplies today!  It's getting so REAL now, and it's exciting and scary at once.  She's gone from excited to nervous and back to excited now, whereas I've mostly just stayed in the nervous category.  I know she'll do great, but I'll miss my little girl so much during the day.  Her brother will miss her like crazy, too.  But such is life, they get bigger and want to spread their wings, and I need to give them the opportunity.

My Super Spartan is coming up soon, and I'm sooooooo very excited about it!!!!  It's in a few short weeks, and I feel like I'm ready.  I'm more ready than I was for the Tough Mudder, so it can't be too bad.  Plus the kiddo will be running the Spartan Kid's race, and that will be too adorable to handle.  There will be pictures.  Oh yes, there will be pictures.

I feel a bit stagnant on my blog right now.  I have my September challenge coming up and am getting stoked about it, but I feel like I've lost my direction otherwise.  Any ideas?  What would you like to see more/less of?  Do you care?  Or are you just here to keep me from bitching at you for not reading this?  Input is always appreciated!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, get outside, and get sweaty!  Enjoy!!!

Three Things Thursday, not Friday

1.  I had a horrible migraine yesterday.  Like, the type where you wake up and wish you could immediately hibernate for a few months.  Needless to say, I did not get in any workouts yesterday, or even do chores.  I was lucky enough to be able to medicate myself and get the kids to the library.  By afternoon I was feeling a bit better, but I didn't feel normal until this morning.  I can honestly say though that all of the pushing myself through bitchin' workouts gave me the ability to push through the pain pretty well.  I'm so grateful for that, it let my kids have a good day!

2.  I got my fabric in the mail yesterday, and it's all so super duper adorable!  Last night I set out my workout outfit for today, and I had my daughter pick a matching headband fabric for me to make a tester.  You know, for quality control and all.  Not simply because I love to have new cute stuff, no that's not it.  Anyway, she picked my least favorite fabric and I just went with it.  Turns out she's a genius and it was adorable and oh-so comfy.  I'll go through and make testers of each one, cut all of the rest, and then start sewing for the shop.  Once I have a good stash of about 5-10 of each, I'll be up and running!  Hehe, running, get it?  Yep, I just did that.

You like?  I know I do!

3.  I am a doofus.  I'm sure that most of you know this by now, but sometimes I still surprise myself.  My doofus moment of the day had already happened before 10am.  I have been planning for the weekly Pilates class since it was so awesome last time.  But I start out this morning and immediately realize that we'd be late.  I want it badly though, and I get us all there with my New Jersey driving skills, and only 5 minutes into class.  I walk in to find a different teacher and some mellow music.  Interesting.  I set up quietly and quickly, and she says down dog.  More interesting.  Then she starts a Sun Salutation.  Oops.  Turns out today is Thursday, not Friday.  I'm awesome.  So I begin to mentally make the switch.  It's moving pretty fast though.  There are moves I've not done in a while.  But it was awwwwwesome.  I'm feeling it.  She announces we're doing headstands "again".  Doh.  I haven't done these ever, and my stupidly competitive side is angry that I'll start out behind.  But the planets aligned and I popped into a beautiful headstand on my first try, then did it three more times!  Only person in class.  My head is swelling both from the blood rush and from an ego boost.  Calm down Trinity, this is yoga, not a 5k.  Calm, then blissssssssss.  Turns out, I was in an Intermediate Power Vinyasa Yoga class.  Had I known, I would've been intimidated.  But you better bet I'll be back next week, assuming I know what the hell day of the week it is!

I was quickly knocked down to earth once I turned on the Olympics and started watching the lady volleyball players.  Those girls are jumping balls of sexy muscle.  If I can be half as awesome as them in my lifetime, I'll be a happy person.  Even more awesome--tomorrow begins track and field!  Are you loving the Olympics so far?  What are you looking forward to?  Have a happy Thursday!