From One Mom to Another: Tips on Disney, Races and Kids

 In 2018 I had a race nearly every month, some months I did two.  I did 2 half marathons, 4 trail races and added in a couple cross training activities. Running keeps me sane and from weighing 250lbs and racing makes me focus so I do it a lot.  My race calendar starts on January 1 with the 5k Resolution Run.  It is a fun local race that has been cold and snowy for the last couple years.  This year was my second full year of twice weekly Body Pump and the weight training is helping my running and body shape.  The first set of photos takes us through June.  I coached soccer for the last time this spring and Sydnee joined me in a couple races, where she ran the kids races after I finished the longer race. The highlight of the first half of the year was an amazing two and a half week vacation.  I attended the Skirt Sport Ambassador Retreat and made tons of new friends.  I ran the Skirt Sports 13er and it was beautiful, fun and amazin...

I didn't die on the mountain, although at the starting line I was having visions of my body being found by skiers this winter .       http://runtherut.com/ The back of the expo.     The expo before the 11k start             First turn The 11k starting line Wave 3!!     I toed the starting line of the 11k race in The Rut Mountain Runs on Sunday, September 2.  I knew it would be the most technical trail run I had ever done and the highest but I had trained, or so I thought. The Rut Mountain Runs are part of the Skyrunner USA series.  They take place at Big Sky Ski Resort just outside of Bozeman, Montana.  There are several race options including the Vk, 11k, 28k and 50k.  If you are one of those crazy ultra runner types you can combine the races as the Vk is on Friday, the 28k is on Saturday and the 11k and 50k are on Sunday.  All ...

(The 2017 race was held July 9)   The Missoula 1/2 Marathon is my big race for this year and most years.  This year marked my 7th half marathon.  I love running in my home town, course is flat and beautiful and Run Wild Missoula does a great job with the entire weekend.    Race prep starts early, like October when I sign up for the race because it is only $75 if you sign up early.  The website is easy to find and use: http://www.missoulamarathon.org/   Then I am locked in and it forces me to start training and increasing mileage, even in the winter when running on the treadmill or in cleats is a must.    Fast forward to July.  Marathon weekend starts on Friday with activities, speakers and the beer run.  I skipped these because I had to work.  Saturday is the 5k, the kids' marathon and the race expo.  I normally volunteer at the expo but this year was unable to because of personal commitments so my weekend...

Last weekend I went to Colorado with Skylar.  She was officially a high school graduate, although she has been out of school since November, and we wanted a girls trip.  I decided to pair it with my Skirt Sports Ambassador retreat so off to Boulder we went.  Colorado is beautiful this time of year as you can see from this first photo.   This is the view from my Saturday morning hike that was part of the retreat.  The retreat was a blast!  As a sorority girl and HR professional you would think I would be over my fear of meeting new people, but nope.  I parked the car Saturday morning about three blocks from the park where we were meeting for the hike and it took a good 5 minutes for me to get out.  By the time I had walked the three blocks to the circle of women dressed like me my heart rate was over 120 bpm.  I had read these women's social media post and had tons in common with them but they were all the cool girls and here I was ...

11 Miles to Paradise: http://www.runnersedgemt.com/events/eleven-miles-to-paradise-trail-race/ The second/third weekend in May brings my favorite trail race of the year, 11 Miles to Paradise.  This race is hosted by Runner's Edge Missoula and fills up fast.  In fact, this year it filled up in less than 15 minutes and I was so glad I got in.  Jacob and I ran this year which means we had to leave the small one with nana.  The race kicks off outside of St Regis but you get bussed there from Quinn Hot Springs.  Quinn is a little over an hour drive from Missoula so we leave the house pretty early on Sunday morning.  This year the weather was beautiful and we were excited.  You can tell by the photos below that the weather can go either way.  The best part is that after running a wonderful trail with tons of hills for 10.6 miles you board a bus for a quick ride back to Quinn's and jump into the pools.  There are several pools that are f...

This issue of the my blog is going to be a race recap of the two races I did this weekend and a little discussion about the medical denial I live with daily. Saturday, Race #1:  Run Wild Missoula's Run for the Trees 10k Race website It was a little chilly and cool on Saturday morning.  Jacob and I choose to run the 10k this year.  It is a nice flat course that runs through the Old Sawmill District and then next to the river.   My 10k time hovers around 1:15 and this weekend proved to be no different.  The first few miles were rough, I was pushing a heavy stroller into the wind.  Don't get me wrong, I have a nice BOB running stroller but my 4.5yo weighs almost 40 pounds and add that to the stroller and a couple pounds of gear and its add a bit to the challenge.  The race was well attended and it was very busy along the course because of the river bank cleanup efforts for Earth Day but we didn't have any issues.  From mile...

I turned 40 just after Christmas last year and you would assume by this point in my life I would have stopped caring about what other people think long ago. Well, as with most things in my life, I do and I don’t.  Last Sunday, I decided to get in my car and drive to the foot of Mount Sentinel and run up the trail for three miles.  It is about a five minute drive from my house and I have lived near this mountain for a sum total of 30 plus years of my life.  I love to hike and I love to trail run.  Why was this such an event for me?  Well you see, I don’t like doing most things alone.  I still feel very self-conscious about doing certain things by myself.  I run alone on a regular basis but it is running to and from my house and to and from my office.  The idea of driving somewhere that is very popular and busy to run alone was just foreign to me.  In many ways I am the definition of codependent.  Here is a non-inclusive quick list of thin...