Play List for the Mo Cowebell Half Marathon

Hello there! I'm putting together a new play list for my next half marathon and I need your help! I agreed to run the Mo Cowbell Half Marathon with my brother- in- law, Greg and my husband's friend, Jason. http://www.mocowbellmarathon.com/ Are you familiar with the Mo Cowbell Saturday Night Live bit? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o0Vv8lr41w 

Why did I do this right before my Detroit Half Marathon on October 20th??? I'm not sure I can answer that sanely. I guess in my mind I thought that I would use this race as more of a training run. Jason is a seasoned runner and did I mention a TRACK coach! He just contacted me on Facebook to say that he would be willing to pace me to my goal time. Thanks- but what if I'm not ready to go for my goal time! I still have a couple weeks of training. While I'm happy to have someone to run with on race day, it kind of freaks me out because I haven't seen Jason in years. I know that he is a much faster runner than me and we've never even ran a mile together let alone 13.1. Plus, don't you just hate it when you feel like you are slowing someone down? I definitely do! My training runs have been going great when I can get them done. I know I haven't logged as many miles as I should, so I guess I'm feeling nervous. I also think I'm comparing my half training to last year's full marathon training where I felt that 13.1 was an easy distance. What a difference a year can make. 

Here's where I would appreciate your help. I need to make up a new play list for the half. I would welcome any suggestions. What is your go to song? Do you save a favorite for the last half mile? I'm bored of mine and need to mix it up. Thanks for your help!

I'll be trying to find my happy pace & not die. 

:)

Emily

A cruise control app for running & getting back on track.

My life has been one crazy roller coaster lately. Now that I'm back in the swing of teaching a group of eager third graders during the week, and running a household of three children and a husband, I have experienced a little lull in my training. My high hopes of following the Hanson's Half marathon training program has been sidelined. I don't think that my body can handle the high mileage that this program requires. More so, I simply do not want to give up the time to do it. I believe that everyone has the time, they just have to decide what they are willing to sacrifice in order to get that task done.
Just like Thoreau stated...

I do make time for my running and cross training because it makes me a better person all together, however, I am not going to miss out on life as it passes me by. It's a tricky balance this life thing. 

My decision to ditch the Hanson's training plan has left me falling back into what felt comfortable for my last few half marathon plans. I am now following Hal Higdon's Intermediate Half plan. Here is the breakdown for those of you who are not familiar with it. http://www.halhigdon.com/assets/_legacy/halfmarathon/halfinter.pdf

I'm exactly one month away from running a half in Missouri on October 6th. My goal for a PR is for the Detroit Half Marathon on October 20th. I am really familiar with this course and love running in cooler temps. 

APP LOVE for RUNNERS: I came across a really great article by Alex Hutchinson that was featured on the Runner's World Website. http://www.runnersworld.com/workout-music/cruise-control-running If you struggle with keeping your pace steady while running, this article is definitely worth the read. Since I'm trying to stay on target for a PR, I know that I have to keep my pace steady throughout the race. In addition you can run in FREE RUN mode and the app makes sure that your music synchs to your stride! How great is that!? This app can help a runner achieve a specific finish time.  Check out the info here.  http://www.cruisecontrolrun.com/

Let me know if you have ever used this app and your thoughts about it.

Happy running - 

Emily 

13.1 Reasons To Run

13. 1 REASONS WHY I RUN

To thank God for giving me the ability and strength to run. 

To prove that age is just a number!

To be an example for my family, friends, and students.

To inspire others to go after a goal.

To prove that if it is important to you, you WILL find a way.

To prove to myself that I am getting stronger every day.

To realize that yes, I am a runner.

To feel alive.

To lose myself in the run.

To enjoy every step, moment, which brings me closer to my goal.

To stay a fit mama!

To fit into my skinny jeans! :)

To SMASH my PR!
And finally the .1 reason is plain and simple: To feel happy & healthy!

My current goal is to run my best half marathon race on October 20, 2013! I'm going after it and working hard. This time of the year gets really tricky for me as a teacher and mom. I'm right in the thick of getting my classroom ready and preparing for the back to school routine. Training can get really difficult to fit in with many commitments pulling me in many different directions. I can only hope for the best. So today before I drop off my son at basketball camp, run over to my school, clean up the house for company visiting tomorrow, and get in a training run and kickboxing, I thought I would share with you some of my personal reasons why I run. 

Any runners out there who can relate to any of my reasons why I run? Leave a comment about why you run. Do you have any goals that you are working for? I would love to hear from you.

Gotta run!

Em

The ABC's of Me

When I ask my husband, "Why did you do that?" His typical answer is, "I don't know, it's the ABC's of me." Oh that drives me crazy because he thinks he's throwing me off course by throwing that line out there. I don't let it get to me anymore, I simply walk away and make him wonder what I'm thinking. :)

Apparently there is a popular questionnaire being answered by bloggers willing to share a little more info about themselves with their captive audiences. I'm sure some of you have seen this out in cyber land, it's called: The ABC's of Me. While I'm sure that I'm not all that interesting, I decided that I would share a little more with you. The title caught my attention and the teacher in me just couldn't resist. So here I go...

A. Attached or Single? Happily attached to the "ABC's of me guy" and proud to be by his side in this journey we call life.  I can still remember meeting him for the first time at a welcome back to campus party. I was a cheerleader, and he was a football player and well as they say, the rest is history!

B. Best Girlfriend? I have many girlfriends in my life that make my life so much richer with the gift of friendship. It's really hard for me to single out one person. However, if I have to pick one, then I can honestly say that my sister is my BFF. See pic below under letter N. 

C. Cake or Pie? Pie of course - apple or pumpkin pie. 

D. Day of the week? Sunday - family day. 

E. Essential item? My phone. I need it to keep my busy life organized! 

F. Favorite color? Shades of Gray. My students at school started calling me the "shades of gray teacher" and I had to kindly ask them to NOT refer to me by this name! Yikes. I've been trying to mix more color into my life!

G. Gummy bears or worms? Easy - gummy bears! I have been known to buy a bag and stash them in my car...

H. Hometown? Bay City, MI

I. Favorite Indulgence? Beach vacations. I love Mexico.

J. January or July? July for sure! I love summertime and all the activities that it brings. 

K. Kids? Three blessings who call me Mom. Notice the color palate that the kids are wearing? :)

L. Life isn't complete without? My faith in God and my family. 

M. Marriage date? July 1995

N. Number of brothers/sisters? I have one sister, Erin. She is my go to person, my sounding board. We are practically "twins". :) I'm adopted but pretty much grew up thinking that I'm German! 

O. Oranges or Apples? HONEY CRISP APPLES! Absolutely worth the extra cash!

P. Phobias? Heights! Good thing I'm a petite lady! Despite my fear, I did manage to zip line in Mexico above the jungle. I thought I was going to panic when I stepped up on the platform, but the guy shoved me off before I could protest - and after a scream or two, I LOVED IT! 

Q. Favorite quote? Do I have to pick one? I love quotes. Words move me. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to them. http://pinterest.com/emseltz/words-that-speak-to-me/ 

R. Reason to smile? My life is filled with blessings that make me smile. I love memories that can make me smile no matter what is going on in my life at the moment. Ironic that I have another Pinterest board dedicated to things that make me smile. http://pinterest.com/emseltz/that-made-me-smile/

S. Season of choice? I LOVE FALL! Plus that's my favorite running season. 

T. Tag 5 people. 

1. My friend Kristin blogs at http://coresportstudio.com/blog/

2. I enjoy +Susan H. who recently posted: http://www.solesearchingmamma.com/2013/07/the-truth-behind-why-i-love-giving-my.html

3. +Matt MacDonald  aka as Captain Michigan, is an ever positive force and a fellow Michigander who blogs at http://captainmichigan.blogspot.com

4. +Steve Broderick is a fellow teacher from across the pond and here is a recent post from his running blog http://www.valeultras.blogspot.co.uk/

5. +Raina SmallTownRunner is a lovely person who spreads happiness on Google+ with her running posts. 

U. Unknown fact about me? I have a big crush on Adam Levine. Now you know. 

V. Favorite vegetable? Spinach. Love it.

W. Worst habit? I have a Diet Coke problem...help!

X. X-Ray or Ultrasound? Umm no question - ultrasound. Fell in awe of the miracle of life when I saw my three children at just 12 weeks old.

Y. Your favorite food? I love Mexican food. I could eat Chipolte every day.

Z. Zodiac sign? Libra. Personally I don't put much thought into what sign I am, however here is a list of traits of libras. Interesting. I wonder what my family & friends would say. I can think of a few of these that apply to me. Hmmm.
Diplomatic and urbane
Romantic and charming
Easygoing and sociable
Idealistic and peaceable
Indecisive and changeable
Gullible and easily influenced
Flirtatious and self-indulgent

Well, that was fun. I hope that you enjoyed this snippet of my life. I would love it if you picked one letter of the alphabet and left me your personal response. Thanks for playing along. If you have a blog, play nice and answer the ABC's of Me questions and spread some more happiness.

Keep Smiling - Emily :)

Finding Time to Workout & Making it Count

Do you ever feel that time is passing right before your eyes and you want to press the pause button? I know I'm not the only woman out there who feels this way. As a wife and mom, I find myself trying to keep up with all the "home front" matters of life and some times it can be overwhelming! Keeping the kids from killing each other and myself sane in the summer months is always interesting! I'm pretty sure that at one time I prayed desperately for them... So between keeping your man happy, being an involved mom, preparing for the upcoming school year, cooking, cleaning, shopping, training for races & being CEO of your home, how does anyone find the time to workout?!! 

Here are 5 tips for making the most of your workout time.

1. Put it on the calendar. Sync it to your significant other's calendar so there are no surprises. 
2. Keep a pair of running shoes & a change of clothes in your car. You never know when you will have an opportunity to sneak a run in. I also throw in a beach towel in the back of the car to dry off sweat or to put it over my seat. Sweaty leather seats don't feel so great on a hot summer day.
3. Invite others to join in on the fun. If you workout with friends, it becomes a social event. I like running by myself, but I love it when I have someone to make the time pass more quickly. My kickboxing class at the gym is something that I look forward to twice a week no matter what! I love the people there. We suffer together and get stronger together! It's about building community and encouraging others in their journey.
4. Workout before dawn or late at night. This is the first year that I can truly feel fine about leaving my big one in charge of the girls. He took the Red Cross Babysitting class and first aide training, so now he's official. This has allowed me to enjoy my night runs or late workouts without feeling too guilty about taking time away from the kids. Don't get me wrong, I am a FIRM believer that taking time to workout makes you a better parent! And yes, I love working out late at night. Leaves me feeling truly drained, ready for a nice shower and the best sleep ever!
5. Involve your family. If you can't get away from the kids, involve them! I love to do active things with my family. It keeps us connected and creates a memory for my kids. Remember when we...? Since I have two older kids who are involved in organized sports throughout the year, it keeps them pretty active. My oldest, Z-Man, focuses on basketball and biking. He just finished up camp at a local university and is now getting ready for Nike Skills camp next week. The Goldfish swims for a big swim club year around and keeps super active. Some days she has two a days! CW has trained Michael Phelps, Allison Schmitt and other famous swimmers but she is not fazed by all the hype. One day she swam next to Tyler Cleary from the Olympic team and didn't realize it until after someone said, "How did you like sharing the pool with an Olympic swimmer?" 

I try to plan a date with my kids individually according to what they enjoy. My son hates to run, but will definitely bike with me. My swimmer will do a kick set in the lanes at the pool with me and comment on how I'm so slow! My little one will go to the "workout park" in our neighborhood to spend time with me. You get the point. It's about making time to be active while having fun!

Whatever you do, make the MOST of your time. I give 110% every time I can because time is precious and I want to make it count. How do you fit in your workouts and keep the home front running smoothly? This post is written from a mom's perspective, but I of course can relate to dad's who are busy running things too. 

TRY THIS: This pic was taken after a killer kickboxing class. 
1. Get into a deep squat position like me. 
2. Keeping your hands in front of you and engage your core throughout the squat. 
3. Once all the way down in position, tap your heels to the ground.
4. Stand up 3/4 of the way up and repeat the motion. 
5. Do this for the entire length of your favorite song. Up, down, tap, up, down, tap, etc. Feels amazing because your core is engaged the entire song and your legs will be crying out for mercy! LOVED IT!
Let me know if you tried it.

Remember LOVE is spelled TIME. Do what you LOVE, LOVE what you do. 
Find the time - 
Emily