A good reason to skip a long run

Well being sick is usually the only reason I would skip a long run on a Sunday am.

This week I am skipping it because of 2 really good reasons.

Presenting Ruby and Duke Eakle

They arrivent yesterday.

I ran a quick one in the morning before going to get them and I have been on potty training mode ever since.

They are doing pretty good.  3 accidents total in 24 hrs plus...that is. to bad. Zero #2 accident. That is A+ in my book.  They slept 7 hours last night. No crying.

We are using a crate,  we have 2 but they slept in the same one last night.  Not sure if it is good to do that.  Open to ANY advices you have if you have 2 dogs.

They are super soft and cute.  Ruby is more playful.  Duke has a better appetite.  She is ok with leash and he hates it.

They sleep like this

Yes it is a lot of work....today is crazy because I am home alone with them and with my boys who are not always helping the "working" part...potty training...letting them rest when they are tired....it is just like having newborns!!!  But we could not be happier to have them home.

Wonder how the running will go this week.  I think on the treadmill while they sleep will be the way to go.  I don't want to leave them alone for too long this week.  They will have their first home alone big test on Friday night when we go to a hockey game......

So if you have any advices for me...please comment!!!

Today...best day of the Olympic Games!!!!!!

Oh Canada!!!!! I mean come on!!! How great was this game!!!

That pacing thing and NUUN discount code!

Let's start with the good stuff! I got a NUUN discount code for you my friends!

CODE: FEB14NUUNLOVE

DISCOUNT: 20% off

GOOD THRU: Friday, February 28th

Also right now you can get free shipping on your NUUN orders!

Free shipping now until February 21st.

Now THAT is a pretty sweet deal all together!

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I have been spending my early Wednesday mornings helping coaching the track team at my kids' school.  I am in charge of the running section....and the concept of PACING is not one that is easy to teach kids aged 9-12.  They all have 2 speed: Too fast followed shortly by walking.  To be fair a rare few are fast and don't crash before the second lap but the majority just go out way to fast and crash before the end of the first lap.  Now one lap is only 0.25 mile!   I am trying to explain to them the idea of pacing and how they could benefit from it..starting slower and finishing strong but they struggle with the starting slow part.  To force them to start slower I don't allow them to pass me during the first lap and most of them are not happy with this rule.  Today I decided to test them and let them go.  Oh that was a huge disaster...most of them crashed before reaching the half way point of the first lap.  I got a few kids who also like cutting corners....trying to teach them that cheating is not going to do them any good in the long run for everything in their lives.  Work in progress.  If I get through 5 kids that will be a success! 

My running has been ok....until today.  I was awaken with sharp pain in my darn knee.  I have no idea where it was coming from I got up and put weight on my leg and felt the pain.  I ran with the kids and it was ok but I decided to not push it and not complete the mileage after track practice like I usually do.  Here's to hoping it will do the trick!

Puppy news...

Well it is actually Puppies news

Meet Ruby AND her brother Duke!

That's right 2 puppies are coming home!

We adopted a boy also!

Last week I got an email from the breeder with an update on Ruby and I asked if they had found families for all the puppies.  She told me they still had 3 males.  I asked if one of them was more laid back and she said yes and sent me his picture....that was enough for me...

All I needed is to convince Bill.

It was actually pretty easy.  His main concern was and is what to do when we go on vacation.  I agree that it will be harder to get help with 2 dogs but vacation is not a huge part of our lives.  We don't take long vacation every year.  Obviously this year would be a year where we would likely skip a visit to Quebec...

The next scheduled night away from home is in June for the San Diego RnR half marathon.  I got some time to figure out what to do.

Ruby and Duke will be here Saturday morning and I cannot wait!!!!

Tomorrow I am going on an all day field trip with my son who is in the 4th grade.  He is the one who has the over the top teacher I mentioned before. She sent a note to the parents who are coming to help for this to remind us that field trips are not a vacation.  No fun allowed...that would be a real shame for 9 yrs old kids to have a little fun.  Seriously.  She told the kids that they can bring hats because we will be walking outside in the sun all day..BUT they are not allowed to wear the hats in the bus.  What?...I cannot wait for this year to end.  I cannot even keep up with all the rules that she has.  Maybe I should wear a hat just to see if she will make me take it off when I am on the bus.... :)

OK got to run....working in an hour and I am watching team Canada men's hockey and the score is 1-1 in the 3rd....making me really nervous.... come on now!  They have the worst referee for this game... Russia is out....that is good...its looking like team USA will win that is also good. 

And SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as I type this!!!! Oh Canada!!!!

Tomorrow big day: USA-CANADA for the gold in women's hockey...this should be epic...wonder if the teacher will allow me to look at the score on my phone while we are in the bus.... :)

Do you Scorebig?

So I don't have much to report on the running front.
I have been sick.
Some kind of flu I guess...I don't know.  I felt like all the energy was sucked out of me.
I am better this week.
I ran 6 miles on Saturday.  Was slow but at least it was something.
Ran 4 this morning and it will a little better.
My knee is a little sore...
It may be because I have not ran much for about 10 days and it got stiff...or it may be because I have been very bad at doing my PT exercises.  By bad I mean BAD. As in...not doing anything.


So last post I mentioned Jonathan's birthday.
He turned 8 in Super Bowl day.
I have decided that I am don't doing big birthday parties.  We have tried everything in our town and it is time to downsize the production for these days.
So this year we decided to take the kids to a hockey game.
Usually we go see the Kings in LA but there was no game that weekend so we cheated on our team and went to see the Ducks in Anaheim.... They are number 1 in the league so that was pretty cool to see them.

We have been able to take the kids to see a few games this season because Bill found this fantastic website called SCOREBIG.  They have tickets to sports, concerts and other events.  We have used it 6 times so far and I have only good things to say.  They have no fees or shipping charges.  It works like Priceline.  You make an offer and if they accept it you get your tickets and if they don't well you can try again in 24 hrs.  We never know exactly where the seats will be, we know the section before making an offer.  Each time we got great seats.  Last game we were 12 rows behind the goal!  

 It was awesome!  There is no way we could pay the full price for tickets like that but with scorebig we got really good tickets for a lot less.

Try it!  I highly recommend it!
Next game for us is Feb 28!

Today I got a new picture of my little Ruby.
12 more days and she will be home!

During the days I was feeling crappy I made a photo memory book of my Maggie.
It was hard and emotional for me but I am so happy I will have this to remember her.
I cannot wait for the book to arrive.

Here's to hoping for a decent running week!
Time to go work on PT...and watch my homeland kick some behinds in Sochi!
Oh Canada!!!!
Cannot wait for good hockey games!

Updates

I have been sick... Like a lot of people in town....

So no running

4 days of NOTHING and I am not sure today is the day I will get to run a little.

I have had some kind of cold or flu.  Not the stomach flu but I feel like I have been hit by a truck.

No energy at all.

Bad headache and horrible sinus congestion.

And yesterday was my youngest son's birthday....

He turned 8.

Already 8 how can that be....

We did not do a big party instead we went to an NHL game on Saturday night.  We cheated on the LA KINGS and went to see the Anaheim Ducks who are #1 in the league right now.  They played Dallas and ended up loosing 2-0 but it was a great game.  Last goal was in an empty net. 

Yesterday ittook everything I had to get out and go to lunch.  We had promise he could pick a place and I wanted to be there for him.

I spent the rest of the day in bed.

No Super Bowl watching for me.

I don't really care about that part of the day but I do feel bad about not spending more time with Jonathan though.

I have been really tired and in a funk since I lost Maggie.  

I sleep bad and very little and I have no motivation for anything really.  I got out for a few runs last week but it was not great.  I had pain In my IT band and knee.  I feel like I am loosing the running mojo.  I know it happens to everyone...I just worry a little.  I want to get it back.  I feel sluggish and out of shape these days.

I need to snap out of the funk!

We found a new puppy!

Her name is Ruby and she will be home on February 22.

I cannot wait!

She will not replace my Maggie.  It is impossible,

But our hearts and home are open to loving and welcoming another dog.

We were lucky to find her so fast.

It will be a new experience for the kids..they did not get to see Maggie as a puppy.  They helped naming Ruby and that is fun for them.

New beginnings.

Have you been in a running funk?

For how long?

How did you snap out of it.... 

I want to want to run...I want to run right now as I type this...but I feel like crap....really like someone had punched me in the face...

Ok end of the pitty party.