Happy New Year!

I’m a little, just a little, late getting the Christmas/New Years letter out this year. But, hey, that’s better than the previous year when we ended up forgoing the whole thing altogether. I was going to do a boring “here’s what we’re up to” to get it over with but a friend with higher expectations of me convinced me otherwise. So, lest you think this is a boring letter, just think what could have been!

Jedi Charlie: Charlie is impatient and slow to listen but the force is strong with this one. He knows just what to say, when … and he loves to make us laugh! Charlie loves all things Star Wars, Legos and of course Star Wars Legos. The young apprentice turned 5 this year and began his kindergarten training. The day we walked in to meet his teacher, he looked around at all the cubbies with his classmates’ names on them and he said with excitement: “I don’t know them yet but these are aaaaaaall going to be my friends!” Charlie also loves soccer and is playing floor hockey this winter to make him a well-rounded jedi.

Jedi Avery: Avery is practical and thoughtful and purposeful about her 2nd grade training. She loves to read, read, read. She especially likes non-fiction, particularly books about animals. She has an impeccable memory and corrects us all the time (“That’s no moon.”) She loves to teach Jedi Charlie and makes sure everyone is following all the rules of the alliance. She enjoys being a protector of the planet earth, picking up garbage, recycling and being a member of the Earth Club at her school.

Princess Sara: The princess is driven and dedicated. Sara completed the “kessel” run of 32.4 miles in less than 7 parsecs (hours) in October. The woman warrior still enjoys running to keep battle-ready and is looking forward to several runs of all distances this year. She is on the PTO at the jedi training center, is putting together the yearbook and helps the kids’ masters when she can. Sara knows spiritual training is vital and took a step in faith to begin leading a women’s small group through church in the fall. It has been a huge encouragement to her and a blessing to be able to see how God is working in her life and those in her council. Believe it or not, she also continues to write and design graphics as a freelancer.

Matt Solo: Matt works as a mechanical engineer by day and the family hero by night! With his laid back attitude and macho bravado, his compassion may surprise some. But he continually swoops in to save the day! No scruffy nerfherder, Matt received a promotion this year and has his name on another patent at Knowles Electronics. He has a good feeling about continuing to teach 4/5th graders at Sunday School. This is the first year that kids Matt had in his class will graduate high school! Thankfully, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. He enjoys spending time with the young jedis: ice skating, camping and going to hockey games, not to mention playing Legos and “the Squinkie game” to keep life from being taken too seriously.

Screw your shoes

Saturday was our MUDD running club’s Frosty 50K/50M. Because of the aforementioned achilles and knee problems, and that I haven’t been training for it, I didn’t sign up. But, I still wanted to go and be an encouragement and support to my friends who were crazy enough to spend 8 hours or so running the snow-covered hills at Veteran Acres … and maybe get in a few miles myself.

My husband and I decided to run one 5-mile loop with our friend Scott who completed his second 50k that day, awesome! I had two major concerns about this endeavor: cold, wet feet and slipping on the snowy hills.

Because the weather has been so warm, we’d barely had any snow or ice this winter until the week before. I am not confident about my ability to keep footing and I REALLY didn’t want to do something to hurt my already sore knee or heaven forbid the “good” one! Besides, the only shoes I have to run in right now are summer road shoes with a mesh top (great in the summer, not great when you are considering a windchill factor). I thought about buying shoes with a non-breathing upper but wasn’t ready to commit to a new pair of shoes just yet (do I buy trail shoes which is where I do most of my running or road shoes in preparation for the half marathon in March?). I hemmed and hawed for a few days.

In the meantime, I looked into YakTrax, which you can slip onto any pair of shoes, as a compromise. They are expensive though and nobody’s raving about them.

Then I heard about screw shoes. Now, this sounds more like my style. Cheap, anyway.

Saturday morning, I had to take Avery around town to find some new snow boots (What kind of snow boots allow water in so my poor baby’s socks are soaked and her toes freezing? Fashion ones. I won’t make that mistake again!) so I stopped at Goodwill and found, as I had prayed for, not one but two pairs of size 10 Skechers with synthetic leather uppers. The $5 I spent on one pair was worth the investment to test out screwing the bottoms.

So, I stopped at Menards next door and picked up a 100 pack of 3/8” hex head sheet metal screws for about $2. (You can use 1/2” for most shoes, but these had a pretty thin sole.)

Okay, so I had Matt do the labor for me, screwing 8 into treads of each shoe with his cordless drill. Just in time for us to go meet Scott for miles 20-25. We spent more time hanging around and waiting at the pavilion than we did running so I was cold (and thankful for a warm fire). Running warmed me up though, the weather actually was just about perfect for a winter running event. My feet were (mostly) dry and warm and the screws were great for gripping the hills (though I was still cautious especially on downhills). So glad we waited around after we finished too, I was honored to run a .75 mile loop with my friend Brandi who was finishing up her 50K. I had a harder time with the deeper snow though, where there hadn’t been as much traffic yet.

But overall I was pleased. What an easy, quick, inexpensive to a problem. For $7 I have a pair of winter and sloppy weather running shoes! This is definitely not the last time I will be screwing my shoes. Especially this spring when the snow melts and the ground turns to a muddy mush, I know I’ll be prepared to run like a true MUDDer!

In the beginning …

How do you explain the concept of evolution to a child?

In attempting to do so last night when she was reading a scientific book about brown bears, even my daughter could hear how ridiculous it sounded. Try it. Uh, okay. “The author believes the mommy brown bear had a baby. Then that baby became a mommy and had a baby. Then that baby became a mommy and had a baby … and so it continued until the brown bear became a polar bear.” Her response? “Whaaaat? That doesn’t make any sense!” Smart girl.

Okay, so maybe I am a little biased in my description of evolution. But it did make me stop to think. If I really did believe in it, how would I explain it? I really couldn’t come up with a better way to make sense of it for a 5 and 7 year old.

What I can make sense of (and I know this isn’t true for everyone) is that the Bible is God’s Word. And God’s Word is true. In God’s Word it says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” How much simpler is that?

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Gensesis 1:1

From grin-and-bear-it to grin-and-enjoy-it

Tendinitis.

Why is it tendInitis, anyway? And not tendOnitis? We are talking about tendons here right? I don’t know.

Anyway, what I do know is that tendinitis in my achilles (and why do I refuse to capitalize that? Again, I don’t know.) has been the bane of my running experience for the past several months. After the ultra in November, I tried to take it easy. But, as a runner, that’s easier said than done. Especially with the mild weather we’d been having this winter: perfect for running! I would break for a few days, go for a long run and overdo it, then miss my next run. And maybe wait a few extra days before doing it all over again.

Over Christmas, I really laid low. I started to realize that I was overcompensating for my achilles, which was hurting my knee on the other leg. Rest seemed to be in order. So, I only ran about 6 miles for three weeks. I iced when possible and took ibuprofen (though it didn’t seem to make a difference). I was feeling great! I thought maybe, just maybe, with rest I had finally licked this thing. So, what did I do? I met a friend at Veteran Acres and ran 10.5 miles on the hilly, uneven terrain. Surprisingly, it actually went really well and I was ecstatic. But, I soon realized, it was not over. I couldn’t even walk my achilles was in so much pain later that day and even the next day. Back to square one.

So, I did some more research. And realizing that rest, ice and ibuprofen weren’t doing the trick, I decided to come up with a new plan that seems to be helping me much more after a few more weeks:

1. Heat before running.
2. Ice after running.
3. No ibuprofen! This keeps blood flow from the area (good if you are treating the inflammation but not good for preventative measures or while running, it makes it impossible to know until it’s too late that you’ve gone too far).
4. Supplements. I started taking glucosamine (why didn’t someone tell me about this earlier?!), and will continue to take it even after I have healed.
5. Run slower and shorter. For a while, I kept all runs under 5 miles, that seemed to be the limit. I would stop to walk as soon as my achilles acted up (sometimes that was after only 2.5 miles). But I’ve slowly been able to lengthen the mileage without any additional pain.
6. I also started using a non-medicated rub that increases blood flow to the area and bring nutrients (such as from the supplements) to the area to be sure they have an opportunity to work.
7. I almost forgot! I also cut the backs of my shoes to relieve any pressure. I noticed when I first wore these Asics that the backs put pressure on my achilles. I didn’t like it, but eventually got used to it and forgot about it. Now I know better!

My achilles is still tender but other than taking caution when I run, it hasn’t hindered me from any activity. While it’s not over, I am able to manage the pain. Instead of grin-and-bear-it (my biggest concern was the injury was sucking all the fun out of running for me), the idea is to grin-and-enjoy my runs through preventative and protective measures.

This didn’t come without a lot of prayer. I had to talk this one out with God because I wanted to understand what was going on and why, and what, if anything, I was supposed to do about it. I noticed that I would be hopeful and joyful even when in pain, if I saw progress. The moment it seemed things were moving backwards or there was no end in sight, I completely fell apart. The tendinitis was tricky, unlike a healing broken bone or respiratory infection, the pain came and went, putting me on a roller coaster.

It reminded me that God calls me to unconditional faith. That my trust in God and the future He has laid out for me should not be based on my circumstances. Even something as spiritually irrelevant as my achilles tendinitis preventing me from running (or not) can teach me to rely on God no matter what, because ultimately it is through Him that I am able to accomplish anything.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

Intelligent design

God’s creation is one of the best R&D labs we know. Using technology to emulate nature has resulted in revolutionary innovations that make our lives easier, healthier, and more sustainable: from phones, whose loudspeakers were inspired by human eardrums, to entirely new approaches of creating color inspired by the color-shifting properties of a butterfly’s wings. Called biomimicry, there’s potential for replicating nature’s intelligence to produce packaging that decomposes and is not harmful to the environment.

According to the newly formed conglomerate Biomimicry 3.8, the biomimicry field has changed at a stunning pace over recent years. Biomimicry provides a strategy for practical applications that emulate years of brilliant designs. From durable but biodegradable packaging such as sea beans, large bean pods that ripen to become woody and heavy, or the coconut palm, which dispatches its seed inside a hard shell that contains everything it needs to survive, many of nature’s containers can serve as inspiration for the future’s innovative packaging ideas.

Think of the possibilities if technology of a pelican pouch that scoops three gallons of seawater then returns to shape could be mimicked. A flexible bottle design that fills up like a balloon only to collapse when emptied would provide options for consumers on the go or for easily returning containers for recycling hundreds at a time.

What if we could store precious liquids in a cellular matrix like fruits and vegetables, which are often times more than 90% water but don’t slosh because it’s stored between cells. Or, if we could use a cellular matrix for the skin of a bottle; once emptied it could be eaten like an orange slice or dissolve in the bath tub instead of a landfill.

Nature is filled with wonders that tote, store and protect its treasures from a treacherous world. If we take the time to seek sustainable solutions by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns, we can learn from nature that has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with.

Read more about packaging innovation in the December 2011 issue of GCI magazine.

My Portion

I’ve been asking God to speak to me LOUD and CLEAR. I so desperately want to hear His voice in the chaos of life. I’m being more intentional about taking quiet time, literally being quiet, to make myself available to what He wants to say. But sometimes it just doesn’t go the way I want.

I’ve been thinking about this and wondering what God’s trying to teach me by being so darn quiet lately. On Sunday, we had a time of reflection where our pastor asked us to think about the chorus from Hillsong’s “You are My Shield:”

You are my Shield, my Strength,
My Portion, Deliverer,
My Shelter, Strong Tower
My very present help in time of need

I wasn’t really sure what we were supposed to do during that time. But at the last second the pastor said to focus on one characteristic and think about what that means to you. I read through the lyrics a few times. Again, feeling a little unsure about whether I was connecting with God through this exercise. I began to wonder if I was doing it right at all? Nothing was shouting out at me.

But I started to think about “Portion.” What does that mean exactly? He is the fulfillment of all my needs, not anything from my own doing or from those around me or anything in this world. I decided for me it meant God is exactly what I needed when I need Him. I don’t know if that’s what the songwriter meant, but it was a powerful statement. Soon, the moment was over and we sang the song together.

When it ended and we were standing to continue worship with another song, Avery–who I didn’t think had been paying attention at all and I was about to “shush” for talking–leaned over to me and asked: “Mom, what does portion mean?”

I blinked back my initial shock that I had been just meditating on that very question and was able to give her a quick but thoughtful answer.

It was comforting confirmation that even when God’s not SHOUTING in my ear, that I can hear Him guiding me when I am willing to listen. He is faithful to provide wisdom when we ask for it.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

My first ultra

No medal. No t-shirt.

@ Deer Grove after 32.4 miles!

1 day.

7 hours.

32.4 miles.

3033 calories.

… And thousands of smiles!

Somewhere along the line, I got the idea (mostly from my friend Brandi who makes ultra running look easy) that I should run an ultra. The New Leaf Ultra Runs‘ Deer Grove 32.4 mile wide track fun run was just what I had in mind. Most people might think such a run without the glory is a waste of time. But not me. I was in it for the community and the challenge. And the price was right (they even donate a portion of the proceeds).

Of course, I can only do what God enables me to do. And it’s to His glory I finished the run on Saturday. Nothing went according to *my* plan that day or the week leading up to it. The primary obstacle was achilles tendinitis, which began last Tuesday. I had only been able to run .75 and 2 miles, respectively. 2.75 miles the week leading up an ultra? Lame. I also didn’t eat or sleep according to plan. I wasn’t ready. At all. But I showed up anyway, no excuses, and just did what I know God enabled my body to do. The adventure begins …

Starting line! (Photo courtesy of Kelly Gaines)

Loop 1: 8am. It’s 40 degrees, and I am way overdressed in my jogging pants, thermal top and windbreaker (plus gloves!). But I was whisked away at the whistle by the crowd of new friends. My achilles was tender but the conversation around me distracted me. The first loop was a hoot with a bunch of other crazies out for a fun run in the woods. I’m running the hills and getting scolded. “Sara, you’re an ultra runner now!” shouted Brandi who keeps coaching me to walk the hills and save the energy. I didn’t care. “That’s no fun!” I shouted back behind me. “Hills are fun!” (Don’t worry, my tone changed a bit later.) I knew we were going too fast but I still wasn’t sure if my achilles would allow me to finish so I wanted to start out strong and stay with the group as long as I could. We finished in just over 50 minutes, about 9:45 minute miles. And I was feeling great. 5.4 miles down.

Brandi gave me 4 minutes for transition (she has this down to a science). I filled my water bottle and grabbed half a pinole cookie from my aid station (the back of Kristi’s jeep!). Most importantly though, I had to completely change my clothes. I basically stripped in the parking lot (I really anticipated it being much cooler!) Of course in my hurry, I put on the shorts backwards, so I had to do it twice! Brandi started heading out, gave me a gentle but encouraging eye and a “hurry-up!” So, I skipped the bathroom break–I knew I could make it through the next hour–and I was off in time join her in shorts, t-shirt and lightweight jogging jacket. Thank goodness, too, or I would have missed out on the mango-flavored Twizzler.

Finishing loop 2, 11 miles complete! (Photo courtesy of Kelly Gaines)

Loop 2: 9am. It’s just the two of us now but pairs and trios of runners are all around. So, we continued to chat with other runners. I’m still running the hills. “Don’t worry, I’ll slow down so you can catch up!” I joke. Now I am getting really distracted by my achilles though. About 1/3 way through, it began to turn from tender to painful. Ugh. So, against everything within me, I stopped to walk to calm things down. I fear I’ll never see Brandi again but I know I have to slow down in order to make it to the end. I was enjoying the quiet while I was able to run on my own. But I was also thankful for the runners that meet up with me. After short bursts of walking I keep trying to run with them. Eventually, the pain increases again so I stopped to walk until another runner or two can carry me a little further. I met a lot of people on this loop but didn’t have extended conversations with most of them so I don’t remember much. I’m starting to think I might not finish the run afterall. :( Finally, two nice gentlemen, one whose name was Bob and the other might have been Mark but now I am not sure, started to pass me. I couldn’t bear not to finish strong so I hung with them. I told Bob my goal was to run my first ultra, but my achilles tendinitis was trying to stop me. “Trying,” he said. “But you’re not gonna let it.” Just the push I needed! I like the way you think, Bob. I ran the rest of the way in, felt great and was determined to keep going. Took me just over an hour for that loop, not bad with all the walking. 11 miles done!

Amazingly, I caught up to Brandi who was at her aid station. She shared electrolyte pills with me. “Wait, what pills am I taking here?” I figured I should at least ask. lol She took off but I still need a few minutes to rest and refill my water. I also ate another half of my pinole cookie.

Loop 3: 10:05am. I started out loop 3 with a woman named Michele. She’s running a little faster than me but walking the hills. And I’m still running those hills so we leap frog about half the way. So, we have an ongoing but disjointed conversation … It was good to have a friendly face out there. Then I met Val. We had passed each other on loop 2. So, this time I slowed a bit to chat with him (he had told me he was only doing two loops so I had to hear his story!). Eventually, Michele passed us but I was enjoying our conversation. Soon, we were just over a mile to the end of the loop so I left him with another runner we’d caught up to. I finish in less than an hour, and I’m feeling really good now … confident about finishing my first ultra! 16.4 miles, woot!

I see Brandi taking off on her next loop and debate catching her. I know if I don’t, I probably won’t see her again. But I know I need a rest and some food. I’m starting to feel a little lightheaded. I avoid sitting since I don’t think I’ll get back up again! But I take a nice long break, use the bathroom (that’s generous of me … it was the least pleasant port-a-potty experience I think I’ve ever had), refill my water and I ate 1/4 of a pb&j and a few potato chips (Salty! Yum!).

Mid loop 4, about 20 miles (Photo courtesy of Kelly Gaines)

Loop 4: 11:10am. I start out strong with loop 4 and … I’m still tackling those hills! So, I eventually catch up to my new buddy Michele. We’re leap frogging again for a while. But it catches up with me. About 1/3 way through I realize I just don’t have the energy. After she passes me one last time, I began walking the hills. I’m really losing my pep and it’s starting to get lonely. I have my 2nd ClifBlok hoping that gives me the zip I need. I’ve still got a good rhythm, running the flats and walking the hills. The hills seem more daunting when I’m walking though. And there’s not that thrill when you crest. Instead, I have to get motivated to go from walking to running. It starts to get lonely … and I’m tired. I’m thankful to see Kelly, the event’s organizer’s wife who was walking the loop in the opposite direction (Thanks to Brian for all his work! He didn’t even get to run … Doesn’t quite seem fair.). I smile for a picture. I’m back to my aid station after about 65 minutes. 21.8 miles, my longest training run evah!

I see my friend Kristi who inspired me just being there! She ran 15 miles pretty much on a whim and got me to Deer Grove in the first place. I was encouraged by her and so thankful she had waited for me to say hi before she left to go home. I realize I am hungry! I take a slightly longer break, eat the rest of my chips and half the pb&j this time. Plus, a couple of my “healthy” oatmeal raisin cookies. There’s really nobody even around any of the aid stations … it’s just too quiet.

Finishing loop 5, 27 miles complete! (Photo courtesy of Kelly Gaines)

Loop 5: 12:33pm. The weather is cooling off … I should have brought my gloves and maybe the headband. I’m beginning to lose it. Shortly into it, I see Kelly again and smile for another picture. Thank goodness, because I was beginning to think I was the only one out there! I know many runners were only planning on 3 loops so I have no idea who is behind me or whether anyone will even be around when I finish. I’m beginning to think I might have to call it quits after this loop. My walks are getting longer (it feels so good!) and my runs are turning into shuffles. I eat my fourth ClifBlok and at some point I had an ibuprofen. My stomach is queasy. I keep reminding myself I can eat all the pizza I want when I get home! But still, I began to question what the heck am I doing out here? All I can think about is getting it over and done. Why did I want to do this again? This is really stupid. It’s gonna be a long walk back to the parking lot!

Finally, my friend Scott, who is also running his first ultra, and a more experienced ultra runner named Steve catch me walking about a mile out. I convince them into my “ultra” slow shuffle/walk to the finish. Soon, Nick and Geoff join us. I needed the company and hope I wasn’t a big downer. This loop takes me about an hour 15. But … 27.2 miles! That’s my longest run to date, including the Chicago marathon 9 years ago. Woot!

And … only one loop left! There’s a few people milling around this time, thankfully. I’m not alone out here! I see Mike who I had met the week before. He debates taking an *extra* lap to encourage me (he finished his 32.4 in 5.5 hours). It meant so much to me that he even considered it! But he had told his kids he’d be home and I so appreciate his integrity: family always comes first. Thankfully, Scott and Steve are going for one more round so I knew I wouldn’t be alone. I tried to perk up a bit for the finish. It’s starting to sprinkle so I throw on my windbreaker, gloves and headband.

@ the Finish behind Steve, 32.4 miles complete! (Photo courtesy of Steve)

Loop 6: 2pm. I lose the headband immediately. It’s not nearly as cool on the trail as in the parking lot! I had a wardrobe malfunction with the new windbreaker’s removable sleeves. Craziness. Anyway, I continued a run/walk with Scott and Steve, with a little bit more fight in me than in the previous loop. My stomach is really queasy though so there’s a few extra walking steps while I try to calm that down. I know I’d feel better if I just threw up but I can’t make it happen, especially with an audience. So, I burp and belch a lot instead. *rolls eyes* I’m such a lady. I don’t even remember what we talked about, I just kept asking them to tell me stories. lol They made it seem like it was nothing! I was thankful for their strength. Steve’s first ultra was a Deer Grove last year so Scott said he couldn’t wait for next year. All I could think I can’t wait to finish this year. And, eventually, I did! About 65 minutes later, we were at the finish. With less than 2 miles left, we picked up the pace and walked less. And with the finish line almost in site, I had enough in me to stride out and finish strong, even with the hills. I was right on Steve’s heels. 34.2 miles complete. I did it. Stats: I was one of 22 runners to complete the 50k (first place male and female were recognized with awards but I don’t know their times), 10 individuals ran 27 miles, 13 ran 21.6 miles, 9 (including my friend Kristi) ran 16.2, 7 ran 10.8, and another 4 ran 5.4 miles. There were 62 runners total.

I’m still in a bit of shock. Did I really just do that?!?! But the most mind-blowing thing of all is I am beginning to wonder: when can I do it again?

Runner review: Amphipod handheld

I don’t usually like to carry anything with me when I run. I head out the door. No water, no food, no id, no phone, no music. While I love the freedom of that, sometimes it’s not the smartest choice. Especially with weekly runs topping 10 miles. It’s best to have *at least* some water with me. I was more open to the idea of a handheld. The less I have to carry the better, so definitely no fuel belt for me.

I chose instead the Amphipod insulated handheld bottle with pocket. I had heard some good buzz about the Amphipod brand although I had only ever tried (and liked) Nathan. There is a pocket attached to the hand strap. It’s not huge, but it is definitely useful. It fits a ClifBlok or two or small pinole cookies or my car key when I drive to meet friends. My only complaint about the pocket is it’s a little difficult to get things in and out of it yet, for me. The strap has a padded side that helps to wick sweat away from my hand as well, so it doesn’t end slippery but the handle also doesn’t get soggy.

The first time I used it was for my 17-mile training run, out and back on the local trail. In the rain. The best thing about this bottle is the shape. Since it is kind of flattened, it is easier to hold while keeping your hand in a neutral position. The strap also has a nice, tight fit and doesn’t need to be adjusted while running. I did not even think about it when I was in stride. I could grip it naturally without effort, it felt natural. Another benefit to the shape is it seems to reduce the “sloshing” noise I noticed more with traditional sport bottles.

I would recommend removing the insulation when running in the cold rain though. It was sopping wet by mid run and it contributed to keeping my hands being wet and cold. I hadn’t even thought of that until it was too late … Otherwise, I can’t imagine it without the insulation in any other–dry–weather (cold, to protect hand temperature or hot, to protect water temperature).

The bottle has a nice wide top so it’s easy to refill mid-race or to add ice a packet of electrolyte powder. Plus the lid fits nice and tight, so you can shake up your drink without fluid leaking all over the place. The downside is the nozzle, I definitely prefer Nathan’s. But, in the end, it was easy to use and open.

Overall, if you are looking for a bottle to carry, I would definitely recommend you check this one out! I bought mine at the Running Depot.

Mom-Me makeover

As you can see, the Mom-Me blog has a new look! This is the result of hours of agonizing over colors and design, evaluating what pages and features are used or missing by my loyal readers and …

Okay, yeah, not really. That’s not true at all. I actually logged into my dashboard yesterday and saw a note that said my appearance style, Sweet Blossoms, was being retired “soon.” I decided to active my fate and choose something new and customize it now rather than have it done for me at some indefinite future date. It took me all of about 2 hours to make the switch.

Seeing as this design, Bouquet, was the only one layered with pink, I *knew* it was the one for me. Anyway, I’m happy with the change. I have been meaning to incorporate my butterfly logo anyway. And the new style has more flexibility and widgets and what-not so I do think it’s a better fit for me and is a change for the better.

Besides, change is good. Since October 10, 2007 my blog hasn’t changed a bit aesthetically even though the topics and writing has changed tremendously. It was time.

Let me know what you think! If there’s any way I can make the blog more enjoyable or easier to use, let me know.

Run recovery: ice bath

I had my first ice bath today.

It’s less than 40 degrees outside and trying to snow. Something just doesn’t seem right about that. Not to mention, it wasn’t even a long run this morning. I was at Veteran Acres for 5.6 today with a couple MUDD runners and only joined them for an hour. But it was the most painful run I’ve had in nine years. I am SO thankful especially in the past year to be completely injury-free after a knee scare that I thought would mean taking a break from running altogether. But this, what I can only figure to be achilles tendonitis, is giving me pause.

So, to show how serious I am about doing what I can to calm this down and prevent it from getting worse as I prepare for my first ever ultramarathon NEXT weekend, I decided I better try an ice bath instead of localized ice packs.

10 minutes. I can do 10 minutes. :}

So, I filled the tub with barely enough water to cover the hips. While that was filling, I emptied the ice tray in our freezer (probably good to get some new ice in there anyway!) into my Tupperware That’s A Bowl and heated up some hot chocolate in the microwave.

I left on my thermal top and sweatshirt (as well as a hat) to keep warm but exchanged my semi-fit pants for running shorts, which would be easier to remove when my teeth are chattering and everything is wet.

I braced myself, closed my eyes and stepped into the tub. AH. That’s cold. And it was only up to my toes. And I haven’t even put the ice in yet. Slowly, I lowered myself to sit while controlling the urge to cry out for help. When I finally was able to sit down, I dumped the ice in the water. I think I went through the first 3 stages of ice therapy in the first 30 seconds: cold, burning/pricking and aching. Then I gripped my hot chocolate and tried to flip through a Prevention magazine we keep getting in the mail even though I didn’t order it (that and US Weekly and Working Mother. Weird).

After a few minutes, it wasn’t so bad … As long as I didn’t make any waves! I even went a little over my goal, surviving 12 minutes before the ice melted and I decided I had adapted to the cold enough to have completed stage four of therapy: numbness.

Then I REALLY bundled up (with running pants AND sweats) and two pairs of socks. And I am not sure I’ll be able to put on real clothes for the day. We’ll see, it’s only half over. But as I understand it’s not considered wise to jump straight into a hot shower after an ice bath because it undoes some of the therapy. It’s better for the body to warm up on its own. I’m thinking that shouldn’t take more than 24 hours, right?

Not my favorite post-run activity, but I do think it was good for my muscles. And though I joke, it actually wasn’t so bad afterward. Probably should have thought of this two days ago when I ran 17 in the cold wet rain (and is when the tendonitis started) instead of the warm shower that was probably just as painful and really did leave me chattering for a while afterward … live and learn.

Make a joyful noise

I can’t sing. I know it. My mom knows it. My husband definitely knows it. Even the poor folks who sit in the seats in front of me at church know it. I had never taken voice lessons or sang in choir. I don’t know how to sing A from C, and I don’t particularly have good rhythm.

I want to sing. There’s a singer somewhere deep inside who is desperate to sing loud and proud. There are times in the car or when I am with my kids that I make up silly operatic songs over everyday things like “What do youuuuuuuu want for lu-unch?” with some jazz hands, just to make them giggle. Thankfully, they don’t know the difference yet. But I hadn’t yet made a connection between my ears and my voice. And when it really counts, I barely move my lips and hardly a whisper emerges.

But there’s hope for me.

So I was told.

I have a friend who actually musically talented, a music major who once taught music in fact. As embarrassed as I was, I told him once, as ridiculous as it sounded, that I wished I could sing. To my complete surprise, he said: you can! He explained to me that singing is a skill based on muscle memory. The voice is an instrument that can be learned like a piano. Obviously, some people have God-given talent. But for everyone there’s always ways to improve. So, over the past two years, I had been thinking about taking voice lessons.

My reasons for lessons weren’t grandiose. I didn’t expect to get on stage for church or sing a solo in a talent show. I just want some confidence, to overcome the fear of my voice. I want to enjoy singing, not be distracted by how bad I think I might sound. Singing is fun and it’s good for my soul. Above all, I wanted to worship God with singing. I want to honor Him with my voice. One of my favorite songs to sing, alone in the car of course, has a verse:

I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship you, Oh my soul. Rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what you hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear

I know that my song to Him doesn’t have any requirements for tone or pitch or resonance. He doesn’t hear my voice the way people do. He hears my heart. But there’s still my flesh getting in the way, a barrier to my singing my heart out for God. My fear of what others think.

Well, I finally did it. I stepped outside my comfort zone to embrace something new. A dear, patient friend of mine does voice and piano lessons in her home. In exchange for creating Music by Liz‘s logo and business card, I had 2 free lessons to get started and then I continued at $20/lesson.

My first lesson was the hardest. I had to overcome how self-conscious I was, even when it was just me and the voice coach, Ms Liz. First up? Scales of course. She played on the piano and sang la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, laaaaa! I sang … something that didn’t sound even close. “Okaaaay. How about I play one note at a time?” She said in a nonjudgmental voice as if speaking to one of her early education students. So embarrassing. But I pressed on. One note at a time.

One of the things I learned about myself throughout the lessons was that I have a hard time “hearing” the piano. I can match pitch much more easily to a voice than the piano. As unbelievable as I thought it was, I *can* match pitch to the piano, it just takes me a little bit longer and is a bit more work. I know that if I made it a priority and put the time and effort in, I could make a real difference. Even after just a few months (and not as much practice as I wish I could have), I was able to do the scales more easily (still not perfectly!) and with some confidence.

I also learned that first lesson that I am soprano. Seems to most people maybe that I should have already known that, but I didn’t. It was really exciting to me, just to label where I fit. Having a greater awareness of my voice, how to breathe when I sing and even knowing what my weaknesses are was really exciting to me. Even conquering my fear of singing solo with someone else listening (an adult that is). I did it! As a side note, some of the skills she had me practice were great for releasing tension and aggression while driving (better to sing Mama Made Me Mash My M&Ms! loudly than to scream at the car in front of you that you can’t control!).

Unfortunately, I only had time for a few months of bi-weekly lessons before other priorities got in the way. I am excited about what I learned and how much I improved. I am not sure if my mom would appreciate it or my husband or the people who sit in the pew in front of me … But I can sing louder and with more confidence.

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.” Psalm 100:2

Stopping on the Sabbath

This past week, our church and small groups were studying the importance of honoring the Sabbath and what that might look like. One of the characteristics proposed by author Peter Scazzero is “stopping.” In Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, he writes: ” ‘To stop’ is built into the literal meaning of the Hebrew word Sabbath. Yet, most of us can’t stop until we are finished with whatever it is we think we need to do: projects, e-mails, cleaning, errands … There’s always one more goal to be reached before stopping.” Uh, yeah, I can relate. It’s as if I think what I’m doing in this world is more important. But this is not it. This world is not all we have.

Saturday night I found myself laying in bed realizing I didn’t finish the prep work for the bulletin board I had planned to decorate at my kids’ school on Monday morning. I began to debate whether I should finish it on Sunday. Is this an opportunity to honor the Sabbath in a new way? It’s busywork but not paid “work.” I am not grumbling about getting it done but I’m not “delighting” in it either. It’s honoring to God that I do the job well but not necessarily bringing Him honor. At least not in the way that “stopping” and setting it aside for a day to trust that everything will get done. On the other hand, nobody would really notice if I came in on Tuesday instead of Monday to finish the bulletin board … or if I finished it all. But it was important to me to ensure it got done.

I have limited time in the morning before my son gets home from Kindergarten. I already had plans for the afternoon with errands to run with him. Then to complicate matters, I have been fighting off a cold for a few weeks and it’s starting to transform into a respiratory infection. If I ignore it, I’ll likely have pneumonia within a week or two, rarely fails. So, I’m thinking a visit to the dr’s office is needed, but if I don’t get in first thing during walk-in hours, forget it, I’ll be there all day!

So, what am I going to do? What’s the priority? Some may say I’m overthinking it or think who cares? But if I can’t trust God for the little things to be done, how will He grow my faith to accomplish the big ones? I went to sleep not really sure what I was going to do.

Sunday, we had a wonderful time, including a lunch date between my husband and me, family time outside, and dinner with friends who had our family over for dinner and a game of Carcassonne, which we had just purchased and never played. I hadn’t given the prep work another thought. Until 10pm. I decided to go to bed and leave it for Monday morning.

When I woke up in the morning and after I dropped the kids off at the bus, I had enough time to get ready for the day, print what I needed to finish the bulletin board and get to the doctor’s office around 8am. I cut the printouts while I sat in the waiting room (and finished just as they called my name, literally). Then I was done with my appointment and at the school before 9 (so a little later than my scheduled 8:30 arrival but that’s not unusual). I decorated the bulletin board, helped in my daughter’s classroom and finished early with that so I was able to help also in my son’s kindergarten classroom. I had the opportunity there, even though she hadn’t planned on me coming that morning, to work with the kids one-on-one on a writing assignment (something I never get to do but love it because I can interact with the kids and get to know my son’s friends a little better and she how he is behaving, too). Truly a blessing!

I picked up my son from the bus at 10:45am, we had lunch and then I ran my errand. We got home and it wasn’t even 12:30 yet. It’s like my day expanded! I was able to get everything done that I had planned and still have half the day left to do more (or, you know, take a nap). And my Sunday was undisturbed. Awesome.

“Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord.” Exodus 35:2

Who’s number 2?

Me, with the 7 finishers before me.

I’m feeling like a winner!

I had been anticipating the Moraine Hills 10K at the State Park on October 22 ever since I was unable to sign up for it last year. It’s a nice, hilly run in a beautiful park (with limited parking) so it fills up quickly. Of course, I signed up early this year …

I signed up so early that I regretted a bit not having signed up for the half marathon instead of the 10K. My mileage had picked up momentum by fall so I was more prepared for a longer run than I anticipated. After a few minutes of rest, I wanted to head back on the trail and do it all over again! Thankfully, my husband and kids were with me, as well as my sister and her family and a few friends who were there running or cheering us on. It was a gorgeous autumn day at a beautiful park. So, I cheered on my friends and enjoyed the entire day.

The best part is that I had fun! I loved the staggered start, which was in the grass and was reminiscent of my high school cross country days where we toed a painted white line in the grass. There were 12 waves, and I was in the second to last wave. That meant there were always people in front of me, plenty of people to chase down and congratulate on their effort. “Way to go, keep it up!” was my mantra for everybody. They were all out there giving their best effort. Cheering them on helped me focus not on myself and get out of my own head. I had forgotten that at first. After less than a mile, I realized I hadn’t said a word to anyone and I wasn’t even smiling. What’s this all for if I’m not having fun? So, I took care of that with every person I saw after that. Even if it was an elderly couple out for a stroll with their dog, heading in the opposite direction. Or the aide station worker handing out water.

Even so, I had trained for speed rather than distance. And my training paid off. I finished 8th overall and 2nd overall female with 47:50. I kept pushing myself but still kept at a comfortable pace. I’ve never been more excited to be #2! My official goal was sub-50 although really I would have been disappointed with anything over 48, so I was ecstatic to meet my *true* personal goal without over-extending myself. I also went hoping to be in the top 3 females for my age group. Didn’t dare imagine first! Definitely an exciting day for me. I know there’s always someone faster, stronger, better out there … But sometimes you get lucky! Ha ha. Not that I believe in luck. I know that I can only do what God allows me to. And I am thankful for each day I am able to run and am amazed by the natural ability in our God-given bodies.

The best unexpected news is that I received a prize package including a gift card for RoadID (definitely a good idea with the longer runs and with cold, dark, icy days approaching), Running Depot (where I purchased my super-cool Amphipod hand-held water bottle) and three months to Cardinal Fitness (just in time for winter)! Of course, last but not least is my Run for the Hills “Women’s 2nd Place Overall” mug. Um, but no medal. Is it terrible of me to be disappointed?

Here’s where things went awry that day. I thought it seemed odd. So, I asked, just to be sure. At first, the aide who provided me with the prize package confirmed for me that I would also receive the 1st place medal for my age group. “You’re going home loaded today!” she said. Then, after going through materials, she realized she was mistaken. She proceeded to sing the praises of the mug. I thought the mug was cool and certainly I was grateful for any prize. But … I said a medal would be neat. Her reaction and continued justification caused me to further build my defense, which now began to make me look like a pompous, ungrateful jerk. Certainly not what I had in mind! I knew how it sounded I just couldn’t stop. Until finally, she was giving excuses now and explaining how it would be a waste of money to create double medals. In my confusion I responded: “But there wouldn’t be two medals. I would get the medal instead of the person who *didn’t* come in first.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth I was mortified. I thanked the aide and ran to catch up with my family and friends, cheeks red and feeling flush. I can’t believe I just said that.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to show my face at Moraine Hills again next year!

But I hope so because overall it was a great experience and a lot of fun.

Running like crazy

I finally read the last page of the “controversial” book Born to Run by Christopher McDougal. It was a fun, interesting read (albeit a bit ADHD) and incredibly eye-opening at the same time. I feel a bit like I am the last to know about minimalist or barefoot running (I did *notice* the FiveFingers shoes and disregarded those runners as crazy). But I figured I’d write about it, just in case there are others like me who just love running and don’t so much follow the trends. But you might want to take a look at this one. It’s a new idea that’s really not new at all, which is my favorite kind. And it goes against what most consider to be conventional wisdom, even of doctors, major shoe companies and running magazines. Bonus!

The author suggests that our bodies were built for running. Imagine that, a perfect Intellectual design! It was only with the advent of the modern running shoe in the 70s (blame Nike here) that people focused on longer strides and striking heel first, which has led to injury-prone runners (who then visit podiatrists and buy new shoes … sound suspicious at all?).

More complexity, higher technology, super cushioning, pronation prevention and stability control cost more money and are marketed to help runners avoid injury. However, all that technology actually interferes with how the muscles of the foot and leg respond to the ground. One researcher remarked that the extra cushioning is akin to navigating in the dark. Without tactical input, the foot is missing adequate stimulation to avoid injury. And, in fact, weakening the arch and other foot muscles, causing common running injuries like plantar fasciitis. Running is, no doubt, hard on the body. But McDougal adds that attempting to protect the body this way is like wrapping an egg in cushioning then slamming it onto a hard surface. It will still crack.

I was suddenly grateful that I have always bought cheap shoes! They may actually be better for you in the long run. And you really may be better off in your old, worn-out shoes than new-fangled ones with all the bells and whistles (don’t miss this part: *especially* if you have flat arches, pronate or are prone to injury). Of course, if you want, you can jump in on the trend that brand manufacturers are taking advantage of and buy a minimalist running shoe at a price. Or, go old school and wear inexpensive plimsolls like our parents used to.

The key is to run the way your body is meant to. When done correctly, the body is built to absorb the shock.

The best way to describe the “correct” way to run is to mimic the body form of sprinting: torso leaning forward, knees bent, landing on your foot’s midsole. Take off in the grass barefoot and you’ll start to understand. Run like a kid again! When I watch my son run, he has perfect natural form. And he’s fast. It’s awkward at first to change my stride and the way that I run, but it’s starting to feel more natural after a couple weeks. I must be doing something right because my calf muscles are killing me. As an aside, while I agree that there’s some awkward changes, the important thing is to feel what’s natural. I don’t think everyone should try to copy a particular person’s running style. Have you ever seen women’s marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe run? Did somebody just NOT tell her she’s not supposed to bob her head while running? She holds the women’s course record for the Chicago Marathon from 2002 also. I remember because she finished just as I crossed the halfway point. Ugh. I tried to mimic her style to see if it helped me run faster or longer at the time. It didn’t. So, keep it simple. Run what comes natural, just natural without the “aid” of running shoes.

The realization that shoe marketing is misleading will come gradually as runners figure out the truth, which they have been and will continue to when they actually try it.

Granted, I’ve read one book. I maybe should have done a little research of my own before I jumped on the bandwagon, but author Christopher McDougal already did all that work for me! From high-tech science labs to the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s treacherous Copper Canyons, his adventure to search for answers makes for a pretty rock solid case that everything we thought we knew about running was wrong.

He builds the case following a cast of characters (a bunch of lovable but crazy people, if you ask me) who in the end become friends in a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country, that pits the rag-tag bunch of Americans against the tribe. It’s a compelling, heartwarming (leave it to me to get emotional!) story.

My favorite quote of the book is a life lesson we could all learn from and is a Biblical principal, even if the book isn’t at all spiritual. It was about Scott Jurek, whose journey to become a star ultrarunner started in high school in the back of the pack and launched when he ran, and came in second, in his first 50-mile ultra on a dare by a college buddy. His passion for running was more about connecting with others and being a part of something outside himself: “But the joy he got from running was the joy of adding his power to the pack. Other runners try to disassociate from fatigue by blasting iPods or imagining the roar of the crowd in the stadium, but Scott had a simpler method: it’s easy to get outside yourself when you’re thinking about someone else.”

I got chills when I read that not only because I’ve never been able to articulate my desire to keep my mind in tune with my body and surroundings when I’m running but because it’s a principal for life. In our small group, we often talk about life’s paradoxes. God seems to turn everything upside down from the way that we think it should be. Because so much of what the author writes sounds upside down, I’m thinking he just may be on to something. Injured? Run with less support instead of more. Feeling pain? Embrace it, run faster. Exhausted and feeling sorry for yourself? Find out how your neighbor’s doing. Afraid? Take a leap of faith and do something crazy.

I’m thinking I need to get in touch with my crazy side more often.

“I have not been called to the wisdom of this world
But to a God who is calling out to me
And even though the world my think
I’m losing touch with reality
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity

Call me crazy
You can call me crazy
Call me crazy”
–MercyMe

Cooking up a book

I was feeling sluggish and reclusive. So, I locked myself in the house, figuratively of course, and buried myself in a project that I had been procrastinating. The idea for the Barton Family Cookbook was born around Christmas 2007. I spent time on and off for the next two years putting it together. But I really have barely touched it over the past two years, as we were on hold looking for a printer and I didn’t know what exact size it would need to be. I finally decided on pod lulu.com so people can buy as few or as many copies as they want, have it shipped directly to them and nobody has to collect money. With that information, I was able to move forward.

So, that fateful Friday in July, I decided enough was enough. I have the time, it’s too hot to be outside and I am not in the mood to do anything else anyway, let’s get it finished.

Having made a mess of things enough already, and now knowing how we wanted it look, I decided to start with a clean slate. I reset my stylesheet, set up the pages just how I wanted and reflowed the text. I redesigned the interior headers and created an entirely new cover design. I indexed the recipes and contributors. And I proofread and doublechecked the tabs and alignment so it was nice and neat. Then, I did that again. And again. Then I ran the index a final time and set the fonts and spacing. Finally, I added grandma’s quotes and a few favorite verses to the pages with white space at the bottom. I even created a tulip to denote her recipes. After several days and many hours, I was nearly done. Before I did a final proof, I sat down on on Wednesday night to email the pdf to a couple of my husband’s aunts who were managing the project for their thoughts. And the unimaginable (well, okay, not really) happened.

I got an error.

The file is not opening. I can see it right there. The extension is correct and everything was fine when I last had it open. The thumbnail even appears normal. But no file. I tried everything I could think of (which, admittedly, is not much). But without a backup, I really was without any options. Except to start all over again.

I was one of the lucky few that had power that week. A massive storm hit suddenly and powerfully on Monday morning. Several people in the area were without power for days. I was feeling very fortunate that I didn’t have to try to survive without electricity and/or hot water. Life went on pretty much as normal. Except that I was whittling away at this project, finalizing all the details and working and reworking it, over and over again. After the file failure, all I could think was WHAT A WASTE. What a waste of my time and my energy. I could have been playing with my kids or helping a neighbor or cleaning or something. Anything. I would have been better off had I lost power for a few days, so I wouldn’t have wasted my time.

I know there is a lesson for me in this. I just can’t quite figure it out yet. lol

After waiting a few weeks for the anger against all things computer to subside, I started over once again. Maybe it’s better in the end, maybe it’s not. I added a paper written about grandma by a neighbor of hers, I think that was the only major addition on the revision. I did work on the book in pieces instead of trying to do it all at once, so maybe that was my lesson: moderation.

But it’s done and it’s really exciting! In the end, not a waste at all. To see a four-year project come to completion and finally hold the product in my hands is just a wonderful feeling. I hope grandma is pleased.

You can check it out on lulu: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/barton-family-cookbook/17152224