baby, I would run to you

Why does one's mouth taste like metal?  I really ought to look that up.

#Eggsperiment

Here is one way to handle all those Easter eggs!

I love eggs and when following @BornFitness and his #eggsperiment, I came across this fabulous tutorial.  I am totally trying this later tonight.  The kids are going to freak!

Though I am guessing we'll have to rinse them pretty well after.

Heh. This give new meaning to the phrase "farmer blow".

Boston Marathon Expo

One of the most exciting and insane parts about the Boston Marathon is the sheer number of people that are running, volunteering and cheering.  And many of those same people also attend the expo, since, well, that is where you have to pick up your bib.  And while there, you might as well check out all the gear both large and small companies are looking to market & sell to runners.  Cha-ching.

Last year when I ran for Dana-Farber in the Boston Marathon, I went to the expo to pick up my bib and poked my head into the convention center,  but I was so incredibly overwhelmed I only managed to make a quick loop and walked out without buying or trying a thing.  There was no way I was going to mess up my stomach before Monday's 'thon!

This year was different.  I'm not running Boston, but I am from here so I might as well soak it all in, right?  This year we did have the time to check out the gear, there was no concern of being on my feet all day and I'm still a runner with needs (!!), so we we made a day of it instead. Me and my daughter had a girl's day out and headed over to the Seaport World Trade Center to check out the expo.

Yup.  Still insane.

But we had a good time getting there for sure.  Green line-Red line-Silver line. And Boston was GORGEOUS today!

Girl's day out - posing at the Seaport

Yes, it IS truly insane at the expo. With Boston as the exception, the races I have done have been pretty small so an "expo" fits in a school gym or a meeting room in a hotel.  Boston took up the Hynes last year and the Seaport this year.  I guess it would have to be huge to bring 26,000 runners and their families into town for a 26.2 event.

Isabella and I walked around gathering freebies, trying sample and spinning wheel of fortune like wheels to try to win freebies at various booths.  We sampled Hawaiian rolls a couple times, lara bars (yum!), peach bavarian yogurt (more yum!), I tried different flavors of gu chomps, powerbar gummies, gaterade protein recovery drink (ew.) no, none of those for a 4 year old! We picked up safety reflectors, spf for lips, various samples of detergent, liquid soap and baby wipes (for those lunch runs!) from seventh geneation, and beef jerky?  really? (Yes, there was a beef booth), we got lots of coupons and even a cute little origami made for Isabella. And we tried on sparkly headbands together as Izzy said "Mama, these are sparkalicious!"

We even got our picture taken with the Lorax (We thought Simon would LOVE that!) at the Seventh Generation booth and the official car of the 116th Boston Marathon over with Nissan (they haven't sent it yet...boo. It was cute too!).

And Isabella made me a sign.  Awwwww.....

Go Mamama (with a picture of me)

In the people highlights, I talked to and thanked Danny Dreyer of Chi Running for his work and his book, said "you're amazing and thank you" to Kathrine Switzer as she walked past and got a chance to finally meet SBS - Sarah Bowen Shea from anothermotherrunner.

SBS and me.  btw,I'm 5'7"....just sayin' :)

It was pretty cool to call out to Sarah when I saw her in her "baddass mother runner" tee and have her turn around and say "Christy!" and get a big hug and take a picture. We got to chat for a bit before it was time to take the very patient, and I really mean that, 4 year-old back to the train station and the bag of popcorn I promised.

The highlight of Izzy's Day.

It wasn't until we were back on the train that I opened up my copy of Run Like a Mother to read SBS's inscription.  Pretty cool.

I am super excited for SBS and all the runners of the 116th Boston Marathon.  It looks like it is going to be as hot or hotter than it was in the 2004 marathon.  Stay cool out there!  I am so glad this year I am not running I got to experience the expo just as a runner and not as a nervous marathoner as I was last year.

Oh, as for this year and the stash?  A lot of cool stuff, but I managed to spend all of $5 on 3 pair of sof sole socks.  I can't wait to try them out on my long run tomorrow.

hey.

Last week we had the misfortune of our car breaking down, the car I typically use to drive to/from work.

Though, having been a 1 car family for 7 years and a 2 car family for only the last 10 months, it really didn't seem like that big of a blow.  Especially because it gave me the excuse to start biking to work again.  It's only 9 miles between work & home.  That really isn't that far on a bike.  I have considered running it too, but we'll save that for another day.  The car is now fixed, but I want to keep biking as much as I can.  I want to live by Simon's magic words as he waves his wand expecting the TV to magically turn off as we sneak the remote by him.... "Preserve and Conserve"....swish.

And what better way to preserve and conserve then to use human power to get where I need to go.

Anyway, I have some bike-commuter posts thoughts percolating, especially with Bay State Bike week coming up in May, but today I want to ask a question about bike commuter etiquette.

If you were a bike commuter and came up from behind another bike commuter, would you say hello or at least acknowledge with a cheery smile or a casual "on your left/right"?

I am totally new to the longer bike commute.  Sure, I pedaled around town in college and used to make the 3 mile trek to my old job on occasion, but 9 miles through 4 towns is a bit more of a "commute" in my mind.  So I am learning.  A lot.

Like tires should be pumped frequently.

Greased chains make a much smoother ride and no longer makes an awful noise every time you shift gears.

If you push down and pull up at the 3'oclock position your hamstrings take some of the load of your quads!  

And of course my favorite:  Don't look where you don't want to go.

But back to etiquette. This morning, a clearly usual biker-to-worker guy (mirrors, saddlebags - on his bike not his body, stretchy tights and bright windbreaker) came up from behind me, went around me on my right, waited at the light for a bit and then jumped the red light.  No nothing. I thought that was odd, but whatever.  "Biker, bikers," sure I get it - you are biking to go somewhere, it is training, exercise, like a long run or speed work.  I smile or nod at people I run past, but sometimes I'm just in the zone, so biker bikers, I get it.

But bike commuters?

I figured a 'hey' loaded with "isn't it freaky to see all these crazy things along the side of the road like that disgusting thing back there I wish I could unsee?"  Or 'hey' meaning "what about those crazy cars that think they can beat a bike and make a right turn right in front of you. Jerks."  Or 'hey' ...."Isn't this just an amazingly beautiful day to be outside breathing the air in, getting your heart pumping and clearing your sinuses with a few snot rockets?"  Or  "Be careful out there."  You know, that kind of 'hey'. Or even just 'hey' meaning 'hey'

So me in my mountain bike with a back pack full of the day's necessities,  I am a tad slower than a 6' something-guy on a road bike so he was way way ahead of me the next time I saw him at the intersection waiting to cross in the cross walk.  But me on my mountain bike took the bumpy sidewalk/bike path on the parkway.  Admittedly, I decided not to stop to pump up my tires because I didn't want to get passed again.  (How terrible is that!) And then didn't think anything of it again for the reaming 5 miles or so.  In the last mile, on my mountain bike I can cut through the Arboretum taking the gravel paths as well as the paved.  Up over the hill on the gravel and down the other side dumping me right out in front of work.

Guess who was right behind me as I turned into the parking lot for work.

Unfortunately, he was on the other side of the road when I came out of the arb, so I couldn't acknowlege him.  But, Mr. Bike Commuter.  When I see you next week or the week after or whenever I come up from behind you, I'll be sure to say 'hey'.

Do you have bike or running etiquette you live by?

Shut the Should Up, People.

And by people, I mean me.

Over the last several months I have been quietly gaining weight. Ok, quietly as in I didn’t broadcast it over a blog, facebook or twitter. In my head I have been screaming. A lot.

But something happened recently to quiet the screams.

I gave up shoulding for Lent. (A practice I plan to keep beyond Lent.)  

I told the self that was berating me…you know the one that seems to scream at me every morning in the shower that I *should* be tracking my food intake, that I *shouldn't* eat after 7 or 8 or 9 or midnight, and to promise not to today, I *should* be a more patient mom, to whatever that shouldy voice was telling me….

Well, I told her to shut the should up.

Instead, I started to ask her, what would you say if someone, not me, came to you and was struggling? Would you berate them with shoulds? Would you dare speak to them the way you talk to me, to yourself, every day?

That got her to shutty.

Instead, we had a long chat. Or at least pen to paper chat.  I wrote her a letter so she would be quiet and just listen. I asked her to bring out her kind voice when she spoke to me. Stern at times, sure, fine, but not berating. I said it was still ok to continue to plan the day and think while taking a shower, but she was not to give me any guff about what the scale said. Ever. Again.

Unless of course she was talking about the sticker over the number.

Peeled back, it is still true.

Sidebar: That sticker "You are BEAUTIFUL! <3 <3 <3" was one handed out to all of us at Drag Ball Sunday at our beautiful church in Somerville. Because yes, we ARE beautiful and it is a good reminder.  Especially on the when standing on the scale.

Of course that doesn't stop me from peeling back the sticker to see THE NUMBER.  But I'd rather the sticker remind me what my spouse tells me everyday and truly believe it, than see a number and change that feeling. 

Back to the voices or lack there of in my head.  When I told her to bring out her kind voice, you know what happened? I feel lighter. And the scale is going down. Slowly, but I am ok with that. And the runs are increasing.  And my patience while still needs some work….especially after the 3rd pajama change and 4th request for water before bed…I am calmer.

Thank you Kind Voice.  You can stay past the 40 days of Lent (or rather 46, because of ALL days, Sundays are certainly not a day of shoulds, Lent or no Lent!)

Thank you Kind voice for not berating and reminding me I am just fine. Beautiful in fact.

We all are.

Sing it Mary J.

Let it go……
Can’t let this thing called love get away from you
Feel free right now, going do what you want to do
Can’t let nobody take it away, from you, from me, from we
No time for moping around, are you kidding?
And no time for negative vibes, cause I’m winning
It’s been a long week, I put in my hardest
Gonna live my life, feels so good to get it right

So I like what I see when I’m looking at me
When I’m walking past the mirror
No stress through the night, at a time in my life
Ain’t worried about if you feel it
Got my head on straight, I got my mind right
I aint gonna let you kill it
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just…..

FINE.