You know you're a mom when...

.... you have the schedule of Playhouse Disney memorized
.... you talk about yourself in the 3rd person, ala Elmo
.... you pat your lap to get your car moving
... you think Anthony Wiggle is kind of cute
... you know who Mr. Noodle is
... you find stale goldfish crackers in unexpected places
... you think everyone is interested in your child's pooping habits
... you're more proud of your pimped-out jogging stroller than your car
... you can't finish out a t.v. show that starts at 9:00pm

My running buddy Erin is going to the USF football game tonight with her husband after work. They're both working tomorrow. The game doesn't start until 8:00pm. They can count on at least an hour, if not more, trying to get out of the parking lot after the game ends. I find that absolutely insane. I love a good football game as much as the next person, but dang, not when they interfere with my bedtime!

I know, pathetic. What a mom. I don't have the luxury of being able sleep in after a night out. If that rare occasion does occur, I usually don't take it because I'm too worn out from chasing my toddler around all day to stay up that late anyway! Sad, sad. Life as I knew it is no more. At least I've quit fighting that fact though, and am now looking for more square holes.

99 Days until the marathon! I can't believe it's getting so close. I have to step back my long run this weekend to six miles, according to my Hal Higdon training schedule. I'm ready to push on ahead to 10, but the schedule recommends step backs every 2 weeks to help in injury prevention. After my 3 week hiatus in the spring due to shin splints, I do take that seriously, as annoying as it is.

I'm eager to start doing some road races, now that the great state of Florida has started turning off the humidity faucet and the weather's getting more bearable. I'm really looking forward to the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving morning too, a Walenga/DiMuzio tradition. This will be my first year participating. Last year it was about 55 degrees and pouring rain. Let's hope I can sprinkle some Florida sunshine on it this year!

Gotta wrap this up, I hear babbling over the monitor. Looks like nap time is over. You know you're a mom when...

A Runner's Dedication

I decided to challenge my Baby Boot Camp students to commit to running a 5K race this December. I wasn't sure if anyone would respond or not, and surprisingly, I've had three say they want to do it, and another decided to take the plunge after one of the initial three talked her into it. I'm surprised and excited, knowing that one or more of them might get bit by the same running bug that's had such a profound influence on my life. As I went out running with Anthony in my sweet new Kelty Baby Boot Camp stroller tonight (p.s.-- that's one sweet ride. I feel about that stroller like some people feel about their cars!), I thought about what running has meant to me and my life's direction, and I can honestly say I never would've ended up here doing what I'm doing had I never decided to run a step.

I wrote this dedication to running awhile ago, and tonight as I feel such accomplishment of getting others excited about the race and in the midst of training for my marathon, it seems ever the more true. This is dedicated to runners out there who love it as I do, and can't imagine their lives without it.

A Runner's Dedication

I love to sweat.

I love to feel the pavement pound beneath my feet.

I love the early morning sun peeking over the horizon.

I love knowing I'm half way there.

I love thinking, God how I hate this!

It's a strange relationship we have, me and running. I've heard before there's a thin line that separates love and hate. That describes our partnership to a T.

The first mile sucks. Even when I'm in the best condition of my life, I struggle to find my rhythm, get control of my breath, and not curse out every step. Mile 2- everything settles in. The burning thighs quiet down. The stitch in my side knows now is the time to stop. My heart begins to find its groove. The endorphins start to do their job. Aw yeah, I'm liking this now.

Mile 3- We're fully committed now. If it's Monday, I'm happily headed back home. If it's Saturday, we've got a ways to go. That's ok though, because my old pal running and I, we're in it for the long haul now. We're working together, sweating together, and remembering why we found each other in the first place. My ever-present hard rock music pulsates through my headphones; inspiring me to go a bit faster, push myself a little harder. I pass landmarks I never thought I'd see when I first started out. I leave them in the dust like they were never there. See ya on the trip back home, yield sign. I continue to tick off the miles, my mind free and clear, thinking about nothing but the lyrics to the song that's playing. I mouth the words; maybe even sing a word or two aloud. Who cares, there's no one else around.

The sun climbs higher in the sky, and my clothes are officially soaked now. It's all good, it's all good. I'm on the road towards home. I can keep pushing a little more, a little faster, a little harder. Soon I'll be downing a cool powerade. Oh, that sounds SO good. Sweat drips into my eyes, I brush it away and focus on what I'm after. I turn onto my street, crank up the volume on my iPod, find my favorite motivational song, and give it all I've got.

This is why we stay together. We wouldn't know how to make it apart.

Running-- you rock.

Week 2 Highlights

Anthony modeling Baby Boot Camp's performance baseball cap

I've successfully bulldozed through Week 2 of both my marathon training and Baby Boot Camp classes! The second Grand Opening went well... we had 10 come out with 4 new mommies deciding to join up. Our Riverview location is actually very nice, I was a little weary of how bad the heat would be and whether or not we'd be able to navigate Rivercrest without issues. So far, very good! I'm still waiting to hear whether we'll be able to move to Panther Trace and if so, will hopefully have a better location and drum up some new interest as well. So after two weeks, I have 14 paying clients, and my goal was to have 20 once I launch the YMCA location. Right on track. The girls I have now are fantastic-- highly motivated and determined, so now I just have to drum up about 10 more just like them!

Marathon wise, I'm having trouble finding time to get the 4th run in. I'm getting my long run without a problem, plus one 3 mile day and one 4 mile day, but with teaching classes five days a week and teaching yoga on Wednesday evenings, getting that last one is proving difficult. Since the long runs are still under 10 miles at this point I think I'll be find on 3 days, but later on this fall I've got to make sure I'm hitting every day that's on the schedule.

Anthony's doing VERY well sitting in his stroller for classes so far. He seems to have readjusted to our new routine and actually likes watching mommy and her students squatting, lunging, and bicep curling our way to fabulousness. I love spending all this time with him, and I hate to think all I would've missed out on if I had stayed in that dead end, loser job. For the first time in my life I'm really enjoying what I'm doing, and I feel like I'm actually making a difference in people's lives. That's far more rewarding that I ever would've imagined!

I'm going to try to drum up some interest with my students to run a 5K race this December. I'm sure many of them have never ran a day in their lives, and I think it'd be awesome to have Team Baby Boot Camp out there showing other moms that it can be done!

Fabulous Run!

I was so involved in talking about the terrible, awful, dreadful thing that I forgot to mention the FABULOUS run I had Thursday night! I headed out around 6:30pm, and it felt more like early October out. The humidity was very low for central Florida standards, and my body responded by plowing through a fun and fast 4 mile run. For the first time in awhile I actually enjoyed the run, and I completed in in just over 37 minutes. The last mile back home, which is usually my most sluggish, was under a 9 min/mi pace. It felt like my legs were on autopilot, moving ahead so quickly that my upper body felt like it was being left behind. What an awesome feeling!! The treadmill hill drills are definitely helping my speed. I'm going to head out to the gym here in a minute to do some more hill training!

Thursday night reminded me of why I love running in the first place. It's so good to have those runs, especially since I tend to get so unmotivated during the hot, sticky Florida summers.

Let the training begin!

First, let me say how happy I am hurricane Gustav did not turn out to be the monstrous disaster that the media predicted (and seemed to be hoping for!) It was definitely a significant storm but will not go down into infamy with Katrina. For the most part, New Orleans was spared as the levees held.

Now two days in September, I really have my mind on two things-- the Baby Boot Camp Grand Opening next Monday and beginning MY MARATHON MOMMY training! I'm excited for the Grand Opening... I have 25 people on the RSVP list. I think we'll have a good showing and a great first class! I've been anticipating this for so long, I'm ready to get it going already.

Also something I've been highly anticipating... the start of marathon training. Staring this Sunday, we are a mere 18 weeks until show time! This year went by so fast! This past week I ran 6 on Saturday (though not a good run-- I was very sluggish). I also ran 3 with the stroller last night, and 3 today at the gym (27:28 time on that one!) I tell ya, running with that stroller is getting harder and harder with the 27 lb weight in the front!

Our training schedule has us getting progressively longer on our weekly "long run". We start out at 6 miles (both already at 8, so we're a couple of weeks ahead!), go up 1 mile each week for two weeks, and then step back one week. So the long run looks like this: 6, 7, 5, 8, 9, 7, 10, 11, 8, and so on until the long run is 20 miles. 20 miles!!

I must've lost my head for doing this in the first place, but it's going to be a great feat and I am PUMPED!

Chantel

Calgon, Take Me Away!

Don't you just love old 80's advertising references??

Well another week down with full time Scrunchie duties. MAN, I'm tired! I hit a wall this week and had a mini meltdown, typical Chantel-my-world-is-crashing-down style, and now that I got that out of my system I'm feeling much better. After two straight days of regular fits and lack of events to put on the social calendar, I suddenly wanted nothing more than to run back to my cushy old job and retreat into my own little world. I had no concept of how much is really involved in being with my own child all day, every day. Sure, we had the weekends before, and I was always picking him up by 3:30 each day, but that really is a completely different beast than being Mr. Short Attention Span's soul source of entertainment. I started feeling like I did when I first had him-- like I was a failure as a mother because I wasn't enjoying our long days together... and it seemed neither was he.

After a few better days, help and pep talks from the always-supportive Adam, and a well deserved massage, I don't feel like I'm buried under an Anthony avalanche anymore. I realize that ALL moms feel this way at one time or another, and it's the lack of structure and schedule that's getting to me more than anything. In a week, I'll be starting the long anticipated Baby Boot Camp classes, and I've developed a full social calendar in addition to the regular classes, so hopefully me, Anthony, and my clients will be happy, entertained, and fit for some time to come!

I logged in 20 miles running this week, my first post 15 mile week since the beginning of the summer. Marathon training officially starts next week. Erin and I are psyched. I've been preparing so long, I'm ready to plow into this endeavor full force. It won't be long before they turn off the faucets here in central Florida and the weather starts getting nicer, and it'll make it easier to get out there. Yesterday morning, we went for a 6 miler and I felt like I was running through a sauna (or a bowl of soup, same difference) the entire time. It wasn't a good run yesterday. I felt sluggish and tired, but I think that was a result of the early start time and the fact I had such a long and exhausting week. It didn't bother me though, because I did complete the run despite the fact it wasn't going that well for me, and I know it's just a one day thing and not the start of a new trend. Now why can't I approach the rest of my life with such an easy attitude? Why do I always tend to be so all encompassing with my gloom and doom when it does hit? I need to take my running attitude and apply to to my mommyhood!

Chantel

Finding our Groove Thang

This weekend Anthony found his groove. It was absolutely hilarious... Sheramy was over, and we were singing an old 80's song called "Chains of Love" by Erasure. Apparently it inspired Anthony's inner dance god, because suddenly he started dancing to our off tune music, bouncing his knees up and down, getting down! We kept singing so I could capture the moment on video... check it out here: http://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc190/cdimuzio/Videos/?action=view&current=dancing3.flv

These are the moments that make having a one year old priceless! We've also taught him to do some chores, as evidenced by the photo. Ok, just kidding, I don't have my one year old doing chores (yet)-- he willingly and wantingly grabs the broom and sweeps the floor. It's become one of his favorite things to do. Let's just hope that doesn't change!

So while Anthony was finding his groove to old 80's hits, I've been trying to get back into the mindset of Running Rules like I had after the half marathon. I've just been so unmotivated lately. It must be the heat. It's hard to be motivated to get outside when you know you're going to sweat two gallons by the end. Plus, I like running in the afternoon, and this heat makes that impossible. Treadmills are just BORING, though it's been good for me to adjust the incline and get some hill training in. Yesterday I did a 3 mile treadmill run in under 30 minutes, adjusting the incline from 1% up to 6%. I actually love the hill climbs, when I feel myself sliding to the back of the treadmill and huffing and puffing to keep from flying off the back... exhilarating! Yeah, I'm a weirdo, I know.

Got out with Erin for a 3 mile run at 7:00am this morning. Had to visit the facilities the whole time, so I was running with purpose to get back home. All in all not a bad run, but I was in a dead sleep when the dang alarm clock went off this morning, and thank goodness having a running partner is keeping me honest. I so would not have gotten out of bed otherwise!

Running diary this week:

6.25 mi Friday

3 mi treadmill w/varying inclines Sunday

3 mi Monday

In Health,

Chantel