Time….?!!!

This blog started in a time that I’m sure many stay-at-home moms know all to well. There is that time period where your adorable little baby sleeps away most of the day and we begin to wonder… exactly WHAT am I here for again? Those were the days….

Now that days are consumed with my (energizer-bunny-of-a) toddler on top of growing the next bundle, writing is just something that is simply not a  priority. Too much is changing in BOTH of our lives to even begin to ‘blog’ about. We have big hopes for the future of fitness, eventually we would love to have an entire empire of fitness facilities/apparel/ life coaching/kids fitness/running groups all geared towards people like us ( like I said BIGGG hopes and dreams.) With the 2 of our personalities and work ethic it is TOTALLY possible… someday.  Being in our mid/late 20′s we both realize that there is something much bigger than life changing careers in what we love, something called family. Maybe 10 years down the road when weddings have passed, our kids are in school, life is more stable, we will focus on sharing our love of fitness with the world.

Blogging was just a little window of what is possible to see how others relate to our fitness philosophy. It is AWESOME to make connections with other ladies just like us and hear that simple thoughts typed into my beloved imac could spark a flame in others. We will continue with the FB page to share links/tips… there is just not enough time to put in what our lovely blog readers deserve.

When life slows down someday… someday it will right?… we will be back with A LOT more to give. Thanks for reading the verbal vomit, really it means a lot.Until then… STAY FIT! KEEP WORKING OUT! And most importantly keep BElieving in YOU!

Sometimes plans change

If you are a control freak like M and I… plans changing is a NIGHTMARE. We want to know exactly what we are doing, when we are doing it, how long it is going to take, and what we will be wearing ( ok not always but for running at least.)  AND we need to know months ahead of time. The irony is hilarious considering I am married to the ARMY who decides where life takes us in a weeks notice, and she is soon to be married to the NFL who is practically just as bad… ESPECIALLY this time of year.

Good news is that my knee pain has completely gone away! Must have been happy thoughts and prayers from all my wonderful friends/family. My first jog last week was on the dread-mill. I went in thinking I will get off when the pain starts, but I swear there was an angel next to me ( literally and figuratively. A wonderful friend happened to be the only one there and was able to chat with her the entire time.) NO PAIN! 6 mile run Saturday also lead to no pain! WOO HOO!

Even though the pain is mostly gone, the weather is not getting any better. 98% humidity in the morning is just NOT cutting it when it comes to distance runs. Realizing that I bit off more than I can chew with this Montgomery race, we are going to go back to the original plans.

Charlotte Thunder Road half in November, leaving me 26 weeks pregnant. A little further along than I would like but training in the cool autumn air will make a HUGE difference. AND I will have my ‘ Sole Sister’ by my side( LOVE THAT TERM!) Not to mention it is a holiday weekend so my family can come with, we get to go watch M’s fiance play football on Sunday, and it is the race that we ran when I was unknowingly pregnant last time ( BOTH of my babes can say they ran the charlotte half marathon!) The only hold up now is that the NFL keeps them in Carolina, I mean I’m sure if they were sent somewhere like Pittsburgh we could find a race there as well

SO YAY plans are set, a change but a positive change.

I have made a Facebook page for anyone that wants to keep updated with blog posts, current fitness tidbits,etc. Not really sure where it will go but it would be nice to organize local runs/workouts through it as well as have a happy little place for sharing our love of fitness!

So ‘like’ Be.Li(e)ve.Fitness on FB !

That is really it for today. Thanks for listening, happy Monday Fit Friends

Running with bump

I’m sure I’ve beat the horse to its death at this point, but I LOVE running pregnant. Now that it is my second time around I am remembering all of the reasons why…

* Instant cure for morning sickness, seriously

* You can feel a LOT less guilty about all of those junk food cravings when you know you’ll be running it off

* Hormone balancing. Thanks to SERIOUS hormone imbalances, pregnant women tend to get a little.. umm… crazy. Nothing is more mind clearing/stabilizing than pounding the pavement with some great music blasting.

* Builds some serious confidence ” look what I can do !”

* Easy Peezy labor and recovery time, there is no way in HELL I could have ran 2 weeks post labor if it wasn’t for staying active the entire pregnancy.

This list could go on for days but you get the gist. IT’s a CURE ALL I swear.

Of course there is a lovely peanut gallery of un-educated ” super moms” that will say it’s dangerous. Wake Up! It’s 2011. Doctors everywhere, and fit moms alike, have proven that it is completely safe. Women run marathons pregnant.

The most important thing to remember,  running with bump or 6 pack, is knowing your body. When you know the limits that your body can reach it is important to never push those limits when you are PG. If you have never ran a day in your life, now is NOT the time to start a crazy training program. But staying healthy can be as easy as daily walks with your dog or a low key yoga class. Whether you are running 8 miles or walking around your block, always stop or slow down if your heart rate seems too high or you are out of breath. ALWAYS drink lots of water. It’s important normally ( I say this but I choose to not even sip h20 on a 13.1 mile race because I get side cramps. Do as I say NOT as I do) but with a bump AND these insane heat warnings across the country DRINK UP. If you are like me and would rather run naked than wear one of those crazy water bottle packs, try a camelbak. Most are big and bulky for women on the move but I found a small model at a good price and can’t WAIT to try it out.

Bottom line: Stay hydrated, don’t push your limits, ask your doctor first, and only do what is enjoyable.

( all of these tips are a hodge-podge of info from my doctors, news articles, AFPA fitness books, etc)

All of this being said, I have definitely pushed my limits. Pushed them like a college freshman claiming to know his alcohol limits yet pukes on himself at his first fraternity party. Seriously, I pushed it enough to be embarrassed and angry with myself.

M and I were walking to the Disney half marathon ( yes walking, there is a 30 minute WALK from the parking lot to the starting line… another reason to NEVER run disney)  when we saw a cute chick sporting her mid sized baby bump. HOW COOL IS THAT? She passed us and M says ” that could be you. You could do that.” Even if she says it jokingly… which most of the time it is… I take bets like that seriously. I convinced myself that for baby #2, my LAST pregnancy, I will run a half marathon with bump. Technically I was pg when I ran our first but 4 weeks doesn’t count since I didn’t even know yet. I love a good challenge so as soon as I found out we were expecting I had to figure out which race would fall at an ideal time. Montgomery Half Marathon on October 1st happens to be at exactly 20 weeks which is mid 2nd trimester and couldn’t be an easier or safer time. The only down fall being that training has to start in August which means NASTY heat and humidity. I had to tell myself to Suck it up Buttercup and make it work. Which I have, for the past couple weeks.Running either at sunrise with 97% humidity but lower temps or at sunset with high temps and low humidity was really working out. It has been fun, made me feel GREAT even during the first trimester blaaahhss, and I was actually following through with walking when my body told me too ( which was quite often to be honest.) It is just like my last pregnancy only HIGH humidity instead of dry desert heat. Nothing I couldn’t handle.

Well Sunday must be a day of rest for a reason. I love running early Sunday morning because to me it is JUST like going to church only more personal. It is a time to yourself to meditate and give thanks to the beautiful land that surrounds us ( sorry that was a new level of cheese I know.) Last Sunday I had a 6.5 mile run which was the furthest I had run in about 2 months. I was cautious of the heat and walked every time I was too winded. About mile 5, which had been my go to distance for a while, a pain hit me that was completely foreign. Knee pain. I PRIDE the fact that I have had no serious injuries thanks to my 5-fingers. All previous aches and pains were erased when I became a barefoot running convert. But this pain was different, it wasn’t from a tweak, and it wasn’t sore. Each time I would slow to a walk it would go away only to return immediately when I picked up the pace. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?  I managed to hobble run-walk my way home through that last 1.5 miles and of course the pain was gone as soon as I stepped in the door.

After some reading and days of googling I discovered something that seemed to have snuck right by me in my first round of running with a bump. Ligament and joint problems. I had read about it but since it hadn’t effected me it went right over my head. In preparation for childbirth your hip joints/ligaments expand and loosen. Simultaneously, so do other joints such as your…. duh duh duh… knees. UGHHHH!! NOOO!! Don’t tell me this is seriously truly related. Sure enough every discussion board and medical journal states the same UPLIFTING words of advice. IT WILL PASS AFTER BIRTH. Or better yet, DISCONTINUE ALL EXERCISE WHEN JOINT PAIN BEGINS.  Because that is really supposed to help me now while I have 28 freaking weeks to go.

Since Sunday I have taken it easy with no pains and was ready to get back into gear. This afternoon the pain returned full force and remains throbbing and aching. I have no idea where to go from here. I was fortunate to have no problems running with baby #1 but like they all say, every pregnancy is different. I will continue praying to the running gods above for a miracle, or at least a solution to this ailment QUICK. Somehow, someway, I know that I will reach my goal and complete the Montgomery half. Walking, wearing a knee brace ( YUCK), or relying on rest and restrictions. I will cross that finish line and it will mean MUCH more to me because of it.

Life isn’t always rainbows and sunshines, I know. My entire life friends/family have pushed that into my obnoxiously optimistic  mind. We can’t control everything in our lives . Obstacles are thrown our way so that we can become stronger and overcome them. So tonight I sit at my computer whining and complaining about a silly knee. I know there are REAL problems in the world, LOTs of real problems. People starving, soldiers fighting, families struggling. But to me this is it, I guess I should just be extremely thankful that a knee is all that I have to whine and complain about today.

If you read this entire blog, you have patience. More patience than me, and thanks for listening to my verbal vomit since my loving husband and sole sister M are probably sick and tired of it Any words of wisdom shot my way will be greatly appreciated! Happy week fit friends.

Run like a mother…

Really? I have a blog? I SEEMED TO HAVE COMPLETELY FORGOT! Or was it the absence of morning runs thanks to 4 a.m. flight line, lack of baby-free me time, southern temperatures, first trimester icky-ness,  or lists of excuses that have simply kept me away?

Either/or I am totally back and ready to not only start running again, blogging again, and most importantly motivating others to get active AGAIN.

Let me start by saying it is a Friday night at 10:15 and I would not, could not, choose to be doing anything else at this moment other than sitting by myself in a quiet home reading/writing and of course preparing for a beautiful Saturday morning run.

A quick re-cap. I am currently 9 weeks pregnant with baby #2. We are absolutely thrilled and slightly shocked that it is all going as planned. Having our only 2 children 18 months apart and both during the deployment free flight school is like a godsend! What was NOT so heavenly were the dizzy spells, nausea, exhaustion, and lack of human functioning that took over my body for the past 3 weeks. I managed to squeeze in probably a handful of jogging stroller strides ( meaning jog-walk jog-walk until my body said STOP PLEASE GO HOME!) along with a couple 30 minute cycling workouts and 400m pool swims. FINALLY this week I broke ground and was able to skip my naps and even complete a 3 mile run at a 9min pace… not terrible.  But being unable to actually run, foot to pavement, really took a number on me mentally. It makes me wonder if every inactive Mom feels this “blaahhh”? And if so, do they all realize how easy it is to just go for a walk ? Small changes in activity level can make HUGE changes in your mental state I PROMISE, try it I dare you to prove me wrong!

In the midst of my non-running mental breakdown, I ordered the book that began one of my favorite blogs  anothermotherrunner.com

Run like a mother by Dimity Mcdowell and Sarah Bowen Shea is basically the bible. I wanted to actually read the book because I need to remember how to be a Mom/ pregnant and run ALL at the same time. I have friends that are runners. I have friends that are Moms. I don’t think I have a single friend that is a Mother Runner which is why this book is my golden ticket . This needs to change by the way, either my running friends need to have babies or my Mom friends need to start running PRONTO!

A few pages in and I found myself with belly butterflies and tears in my eyes, ridiculous I know 100%. But when you realize that there is a whole world or “tribe” as Dimity and Sarah call it, out there of women that are JUST LIKE YOU it is almost as exciting as finishing 13.1 ! I can’t say that I am very far into the book yet but I will be. You can hold me to it that I will discuss topics and ideas from it in the near future as well.

Running throughout pregnancy is a challenge, but a challenge with HUGE payoff in the end. When people ask advice about pregnancy the only thing I can ever say is to stay active. You don’t have to log miles and miles each week, just go out and walk. Not only will you feel better physically and mentally, birth and recovery can be a complete breeze.

If you are a Mom , Runner, or Both and looking for some good fit lit to read pick up ….

Have a happy FIT weekend

Balancing act

YIKES! It’s been a few weeks since the last post… I guess the title kind of says it all. Sometimes life gets a little un-balanced and certain elements of life get lost in the process. Running has DEFINITELY been lost lately. In turn BLOGGING about running has obviously been playing hide and go seek as well.

I am the queen of saying that there are NO EXCUSES for laziness. Normally I don’t want to hear it, but lately I need to practice what I preach. The weather is completely unbearable down here in LA, a 4 mile run last weekend spun me into tunnel vision/dizziness/ heat shock/ DEATH which left me literally stopping to sit down halfway through. That is just ridiculous, nothing is worth that. My lame excuse is that my health isn’t in it’s usual comfort zone,  not something that’s necessary to share with the world right now, but it is leaving me not in the best shape for the high intensity workouts that I am used to.

So WAH WAH WAH there is my pitty party . It’s over . Time to move on.

After a few months of training and working towards what seemed like a great work-from-home opportunity I realized it just wasn’t for me. Teaching and In Home childcare are not even on the same playing field apparently.  Being a stay-at-home Mom ( I REFUSE to use acronyms for this phrase, just not THAT girl) was our plan from  the beginning and no matter how difficult a lack of extra income is, we will make it work until our “kids” are in school.  Just like every piece of our puzzled lives, this failure only brought new light. I have too much going on inside to be a bump on a log. Not contributing to a greater good is a real struggle for at home Moms. It’s not really about a paycheck, but more about nurturing and educating your OWN being while you nurture and educate your children.

Crafting is something I used to love. Getting in touch with the artistic part of your brain brightens the lens that you see life through. Finding a way to intertwine a knowledge and love for fitness/health mixed with my soon to be dug up artsy fartsy-ness is where my head is running to at this point.  My plan , hopefully it will pan out as my brain sees it, will be really expanding the whole Be.Li(e)ve idea. Eventually I want to open an Etsy shop with handmade items that revolve around Military life, Health/fitness, and  overall positivity. Cafepress also has a great store-front option where we can create our own shirt/bag/accessory prints and others can purchase them straight from their site.  The only speed bump( not stop sign) is that the only time I have to devote to this is a few hours a day during naps, and anytime after bedtime So it may take longer than I hope but either way it will be fun for me and hopefully help others out too.

Blogging sometimes seems like soap-box novel writing. Quite awkward if you ask me. I find it strange writing about my life and not hearing about others’. In the beginning  I guess I had hoped to hear about others fitness adventures by writing about ours. People read them, hundreds of people, but we hardly ever get responses. Maybe a FB page devoted to the blog would be a good way to go instead… with quick tidbits instead of pages of non-sense? Just an idea. I mean really, HOW could I ever claim boredom with an Etsy site, Cafepress shop, Blog, and FB page all on top of parenting a SUPER high energy ( almost) Toddler?? I would I’m sure, but I’m ok with that.

Since this blog is about fitness after all… here is a quick update about where we are. M is halfway through the insanity program and LOVES it even though it is a serious butt kicking at this point. She promises to give a review at the end but I’m not going to hold my breath … I may just have to write it for her Either way if the heat is killing you like it is me, find a great BEACH BODY program to do from your air conditioned living room. OR Jillian Micahels ripped in 30. I posted my at home Cross Fit workout last time, it is another intelligent option for avoiding the heat !

 

It’s really not fair that the off season for running is bathing suit season… something about that just doesn’t seem right.

Have a great week friends and fellow bloggers!!

Stay Fit. Stay Healthy .Stay out of the HEAT!!

The OTHER F word

When you hear the term ” F word” you may or may not think of …. failure. But what a frightening word that is to pretty much everyone.

Nobody wants to fail. No one begins something new thinking well I plan to not finish this or do it half-assed. But in reality, more often than not, this is what the outcomes of our goals are. The most important thing about failure is recovery… I guess this fits into basically everything in life though right?

Whether it is an engine failure in a helicopter, a failed career that isn’t what you expected, a failed relationship, or failing to complete a workout schedule… the most IMPORTANT factor is the recovery afterwards. Aviators know that when their engine fails, they have it engrained into their brain how to recover and land appropriately. When a student goes through all of the schooling necessary to begin their  career just to realize it’s not for them, they have to recover by creating a new plan for the future. When we fail or quit a workout routine we HAVE TO start something new. Without quick recovery it is all-to- easy to begin a downward spiral that can sometimes feel impossible to overcome.

If you are a control freak like M and I , you hate quitting things. Failing is something that freaks us out so much that we pretty much do everything in our power to avoid it. Recently I found myself stuck in that sticky mud of decision making. Deciding whether to continue triathlon training was eating me alive ( no pun intended.) When it comes to physical activities in general I would call myself fearless, not much shakes me up. However one fear that I have yet to overcome for about 22 years now is alligators. Before training for the Audie Murphy Sprint-triathlon I had every reason to train, every reason to avoid failure. One small detail remained in the back of my head after every run/bike/pool swim  … ” HOW AM I GOING TO SWIM IN THE LAKE WHERE THERE ARE ALLIGATORS??? HOW WILL I MAKE IT THROUGH THAT WATER WITHOUT A HEART ATTACK!??” Now I won’t place 100% blame the not-so-jolly green giants lurking in the hidden shadows of Lake Thollocco.  Of course the fact that I have been training for some kind of race for the 8 out of 9 months my son has been born was also wearing me down. Totaling 6 races in 8 months including a half marathon, 15k, and 10ks really is a lot I realized!  Races are fun, don’t get me wrong, but at a certain point everyone hits a wall of exhaustion.

+

Bottom line : Alligators+overtraining+southern heat= the big F word for me.

I decided to quit training and give myself a break for the summer and I admitt it feels GREAT!

Now like I was saying before it’s time for recovery. Obviously I am not going to let myself go, staying fit is the only thing that keeps me physically/mentally healthy. Being inactive simply isn’t an option. The amount of pizza and cupcakes that I enjoy do not allow for inactivity! Anyone who has given birth also knows that after a couple days of not working out, those hard earned abs turn to jello UNBELIEVABLY fast. So what now? Too hot for long runs, can’t run at sunrise since husband leaves the house during ungodly hours of 0400 ( I hate when women use military time, that was a joke, it’s so funny when wives think OH MY HUSBAND USES MILITARY TIME I SHOULD TOO! No, you’re not a soldier 4 am works just fine.) So night runs and at home training is all that my schedule allows. I would begin insanity ( the program that M is trying out right now and loves) but I am waiting for her completition and review to see if it’s worth it.

As if MAGIC a perfect workout fell into my lap ( literally, I am looking at it on my lap right now.) A friend of my husbands is a former cross -fit instructor. Cross-fit is something that many people I know have done and something I would have LOVED to try but would never fork over 100$+ a month to work out NO WAY!! NEVER! For those of you living under a rock- It is basically the most natural form of weight lifting. Push ups, pull ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, plyometrics, all done to the extreme in a high intensity environment. Google it. This friend had given his lovely GF  a copy of a 6 week intro to  cross-fit workout that they would do together and can basically be done at home . AWESOME! Free and convenient! They sent me a copy so I could join them from MY own home  It’s not going to be the same as a CF gym but it’s the idea, and it’s a great workout to supplement with a couple days of night runs or jogs on the dreaded treadmill. ! If anyone else wants to try it out here is the URL

http://www.competitor-digital.com/competitor/201106#pg52

The only equipment you will need is a pull up bar and they sell the total gym at ross for like 15.99 which is super easy to take down when not using.

ALSO If this isn’t for you try the new JM DVD Ripped in 30. The best workouts in the quickest amount of time, leaves you dripping! And you can’t beat the 10$ price tag at Target/walmart.

RECOVERY! It feels great to be jumping right into something new and different. Change is so important in life, but most specifically in our workout routines. ” The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results” – Einstein.

The F word happens to everyone. No body is perfect . If  you never try anything new you will never fail. If you live life to it’s full potential and give everything a shot ,you probably will fail at some point. Which person would YOU rather be?

My top 10 fitness inspirations

Brittany’s top 10 fitness inspirations

1. Jillian Michaels

There aren’t enough words to express my love for JM. Her workout DVDS alone are the best butt kicking workout you can get at home. Everything about her being is inspirational and amazing.

2. Kendra 

I don’t care how ditzy she is, I’m obsessed with the girl. Her light heartedness and bubbly attitude towards working out is something that I strive for.  She is a Mom and Wife and was very truthful to the public about the struggles that come with post baby weight loss. Don’t let her plastic appearance fool you, or better yet do so that she can prove you wrong. LOVVE Kendra.

3. Grandpa S

Being an energetic runner well into his 80′s should say enough. He continues to run local races and flies by people 1/4 his age. He bought me my first pair of running shoes at age 10. I failed to take him up on the running idea until 14 years later.

4. Milania 

I really wouldn’t be in the shape I am today without her. It all started when she suggested we run a half marathon together and I laughed. We continue to talk fitness daily and bounce ideas off each other. There is no replacing this long distance workout buddy!

5. Jamie Eason

As far as fitness models go, she is my idol. She has the same body type as me and seeing pictures of her reminds me of where I could be with a LOT of hard work. She was a former NFL cheerleader and makes a living off writing a fitness column in Oxygen as well as competing in the fitness world. She is a serious BAD A** and I would love to be like her someday. 

6. Kelly Ripa

Anyone who knows me  knows that she is my obsession. When I was teaching , the most exciting thing I looked forward to in the summer was watching Regis and Kelly every morning. She is a super-mom of 3, very outgoing, extremely fit, and cute as can be.

7. Barefoot Ted

Vibram 5 fingers really changed my life . Best thing that ever happened to me. Reading about barefoot Ted in Born to Run made me love him. He is an ultra marathoner that began with fives LONG before they were mainstream. He is crazy. Read about him in the book by Christopher McDougall .

8. Mom and step-Dad

Looking back, my parents where always positive role models as far as fitness went. We were raised in a family that was very active. Without seeing it in my house everyday I don’t know where else I would have learned that there was no option when it came to an active lifestyle.

9. Run like a Mother authors

Hearing stories from other running moms is the best motivation I could get. Anyone can be an expert in running but hearing it from REAL moms that understand the challenges that we all have means the world. If you haven’t checked out their blog, DO IT!

10. My son

Having my son has taken me to a whole different level of fitness. He is the best thing to happen to my husband and I. Being healthy and fit finally has a greater purpose. We both are setting an example to him that will hopefully make him a stronger person throughout his life. LOOK AT THAT FACE! What more inspiration could you need???

3 T’s for Tuesday

Teaching. Training. Triathlon.

( Disclaimer: This may be a long un-edited ramble session with no rhyme or reason. It is nap time and my fingers just feel like typing.  Proceed with caution)

After a succesful Army-10 miler, it is on to the next event-training of course. I beat my goal of 1:30 andfinished RIGHT at 1:25 on the dot, winning my first running trophy for finishing 6th place out of all of the females. I guess it would have been my second had I stayed for awards at the 15k where I placed 1st in my division but either way, this meant a lot.

It has been a year since I stepped foot in a classroom. If I said that I didn’t miss it everyday I would be a liar. The first school I worked at will always have a special place in my heart. Thinking about those kids and the teachers brings on a flood of emotions. I truly think of it as a hidden gem as far as elementary schools go in Tucson. The kids there leave a strong impact on your life, and the teachers all deserve infinite awards for their kind hearts and wonderful teaching. To say I was fortunate to teach there is an understatement. Even thinking about it makes me want to teleport to Tucson ASAP and start teaching again.

Last year, as I found myself teaching 5th graders right before our PCS to Fort Rucker, I took over a classroom in a different school with totally different demographics. The kids there were impacting in a completely different way. They were intelligent far beyond their years. One student in particular has been on my mind lately. Let’s call him Johnny. Johnny was obsessed ( to put it lightly) with the military and specifically Army aviation. He lived, breathed, dreamed helicopters. When my husband brought posters from work of an AH 64, he almost cried.His mother informed me that he immediately placed it above his bed and stared at it each night. Nothing lit up this childs face more than my husband swinging by our classroom in his ACU’s. The most fascinating part was that no one in his family ever served. His Dad was a local radio personality that knew very little about the military. Johnny simply had a passion inside of him to learn about the Army, a passion that I am certain will take him far in life.

At the end of the year our students did a research project on an influential person of history. I may have been a bit lenient in allowing some students to pick people such as

Bob Marley and Ryan Sheckler, but overall the class did an outstanding job. They put on a wax museum for their parents and friends where they became the “wax figure” and transformed into their influential person of history. Now, you can imagine my surprisewhen the class picked their top 3 choices and Johnny pics Audie Murphy as choice 1,2, and 3. I assign each student their top pick and highly doubt Johnny’s choice since I am not familiar with the name. I run the name Audie Murphy by my husband  and he stares at my in disbelief of my naivety of the most decorated war soldier of all time. Of course! Of course Johnny wants to learn more about and transform himself into one of the most famous soldiers of all time, Sergeant Audie Murphy.

Johnny does a fantastic job transforming himself on Wax Museum night. He becomes his hero as I learn everything about the most Decorated War Soldier of WWII. At the time, we were unclear of when our PCS to Rucker would be happening. It had been 9 months of uncertainty and 9 months of me researching and finding out EVERYTHING about our new home so that we would be prepared when orders came. Being a new runner, I often found myself looking up different events in my area. The first one that came up at Fort Rucker was the Audie Murphy Sprint Triathlon. An event that consisted of a 5k run, 1/4 mile swim, and 10.6 mile bike ride. Being 5 months pregnant and still running and swimming I thought it would be a walk in the park. That in June, if we were in Alabama, I would compete in the Sprint Triathlon. For myself but also for all that I had learned from Johnny about his hero who the race is dedicated to.

June 2010 rolls around, we receive orders and move within a week. I find myself living in beautiful Alabama with a blink of the eye. IMMEDIATELY I realize that my idea of competing in any event in this humidity with THIS big of a belly was ridiculous. I had to let myself down and my former student down as I had told him that I would compete because of all that he had taught me about such a prominent soldier in our military.

Now it is May 2011, and what is coming up in a month? THE AUDIE MURPHY TRIATHLON! We now have a beautiful and amazing 9 month son, my husband is finally beginning flight school Monday, and I have competed in 6 races since September. It may be a year late but I am finding myself more excited and ready for this event than anything I have done before. It brings back memories of not only teaching, but of all that I learned from my former students and specifically “Johnny.”

Training physically for this event will be different as I will begin swimming again and biking which will be most awkward for me… ESPECIALLY HAVING TO WEAR A HELMET,  GROSS! ( I know it’s a bit juvenile but what I am least ready for is having to wear a helmet on my bike) All 3 distances are relatively short but combining the training in only a few weeks may be a challenge. I am trying to convince my husband to train with me but I won’t hold my breath.

The impact that children have on their teachers’ lives is unbelievable. Every time I drive by the museum next to my house I think of Johnny and how much he would love to see the home of Army Aviation. I can’t wait to get back into the classroom in the future. My husband gave me my time to begin my dream career, now is his time to begin his dream of being an Army Pilot. Not too far in the future we will both be able to enjoy our careers together as we watch our family grow.

Sprint-tri training begins this week. I dedicate all of the hard work to my husband, my son, my former student, and of course Sergeant Audie Murphy who represents all of our countries war Heroes. 

ALMOST Wordless Wednesday

Using no words isn’t really in my demeanor but I will try to be limited on this ” Wordless Wednesday”. The picture below is one of my great fears as far as fitness goes ( especially post child birth) .  In fact even talking about it makes me a little nauseous. Seeing a girl running in just a sports bra and shorts makes me cringe. Not in jealousy but in envy because running in such little clothes can be extremely freeing/comfortable yet highly judgement provoking at the same time. It has become WAY too humid out for long runs. The feeling of sweaty shirt hanging around your body is disgusting and I am personally over it. With the 10-miler only a few days away, I am thinking of caving and becoming that girl regardless of what others may think. Here is my fear… I am thinking of conquering it Saturday morning… what fitness fear can you overcome this week so I am not alone in this?

The only constant

Wow. Life being the twisty curly beautiful mess that it is sure has taken a toll on writing. Luckily it hasn’t taken a toll on running. In fact it has done just the opposite.

When life changes with new careers, engagements, weddings, deaths, births, relocations, deployments ( I guess thats just the Army Wife in me talking) , vacations, holidays, etc. it is difficult to find a constant. What element in our life can we hold dear to us, what will stick with us no matter where life takes us? Running is it. Truthfully, all you need is a pair of shoes. Of course today we love to wear our super ArmPockets with our iphone in tow, fancy shoes, and high tech clothing but none of that is necessary for running. That is the beauty in this sport I feel so lucky to have stepped into… no equipment necessary.

Growing up with divorced parents from age 2 and remarried parents shortly after living across the country being shuffled back and forth, my life was anything but peaceful and ordinary . Honestly though I don’t think I know many people who HAD any ordinary life growing up, but maybe that is just the type of person I tend to draw myself too. Until age 22 the only constant I had was Cheerleading. It had little to do with the sport itself but more for the escape from everyday reality. What more can you ask for in an escape? Physical activity. Loud happy friends. Daily structure. Coaches that believe in you ( well some of them.) Positive usage of my loud voice. Even meeting my husband came out of time on the cheer mat. Without having the constant in Cheer, I would never have gotten to the place I am today.

WHOA College is over, no more cheer, WHAT NOW? At the time it never seemed like that. It never seemed like I needed a constant, that life was just going to pan out. When M asked me to train for a half marathon with her in September of 2009 we found the new constant. We found the new element in life that can be an escape. I doubt that at the time I realized how life changing it would be, but at today I understand. Running is and can always be the constant. There is no time clock on this sport, thank goodness. Also THIS sport is a lot more difficult to make fun of than the previous

Getting Married is a huge step in life. I have a few friends going through this right now, including M, and it is so exciting seeing people make the huge commitment. It takes a lot to keep up a marriage and I am so happy to see such strong relationships become even stronger in the next year and beyond. Babies are in the same boat. More life changing than marriage by far and just as many ups and downs. Being a new parent is difficult yet the most beautiful and rewarding thing that a human can ever take on. Throughout our roller coaster of life, we need a constant. We need a never changing element that can help us stay on the right track.

Will running cure everything? no. Will we face injuries ? Of course. But just like everything else, we overcome these obstacles and return to normalcy.

I want people to see how wonderful it feels to run. I feel like a true descendant of my baptist preacher grandfather( who also is a runner well into his 80′s) only I want to preach the words of fitness instead of the lord . I sound like a nut job I know, you don’t have to tell me.

Life isn’t easy very often. We always have obstacles that come our way and overcoming them is sometimes more difficult than others. Some mountains seem WAY to high to climb over. Sometime we feel like we might just trip over that hurdle in front of us ( like M did in her HS track hahahehe) Some days we feel like life simply can not go on past this day. But with a constant like running, you will have something to get you moving.

On another note, M and I will be running another half together in two weeks! Well … almost. Not really. But we both have races coming up on the 14th and the combined distance is 13.1 so we are pretending that we are running together. M’s 5k is for the humane society of Charlotte and mine is the Army 10-miler at Fort Rucker.  If you are in either of those places, come out and race