Hit the Running Reset Button & Blogiversary

I feel like I’m a sleepy bear that’s been hibernating in a manly cave the past week or so. For the first time since I “Nancy Kerriganed” my own knee a year ago, I’ve missed a few workouts. There’s a couple reasons for this.

1. We got iced. This happens about once a year in North Texas. We never seem to get snow days, but rather ice days. No joke, there’s like an inch of ice on the ground right now. It blows. Though the kids don’t seem to mind getting a few days off school.

A rare opportunity to play outdoor Texas hockey.

I know the pictures look like snow, but trust me, that is solid ice. Muy dangerous. I’ll run in the dark, past skunks, over the hills and through the woods, but I won’t run when there’s ice around.

Why won’t this white stuff make a snowman?

2. I have been sick now for over a week…I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks. I did go on one run since I’ve taken ill and it wasn’t a good idea. Muy lightheaded, batman.

So between the ice and the illness, I decided to Shut.It.Down.

As much as I wanted to join my friends for a long run, go to yoga, run trails, hit the gym, etc. I decided to take a mini-break to get better and let the weather get better. Sometimes you just gotta do that.

Since I shut it down, I’ve gotten a ton of sleep. My nagging runner aches and pains have faded. I cleaned out the DVR. And any sense of burnout is gone – Since I haven’t run for a week, I am so friggin itchy to get back out there!!! Here’s hopin’ the ice melts so papa can hit the pavement!

Other than that, WordPress says I had my 6 year blogiversary!

6 Years

So yay for us!

How bout you? Ever shut it down? Anyone else sick? Do you think we’ll survive #Icepocalypse2k15?

-Scott

10k, Putt-Putt, & Thundersleet

The weekend started out great – temps took a sudden upswing to the 70’s/80’s on Friday and Saturday.  We took full advantage.

I got up and ran 10K to start the Saturday.  The miles will go toward these two challenges that I’m taking part in:  Around the World Running Blog Relay and 100 Miles in March by Fitfluential.

I was going to run anyways, might as well join the challenge!

Afterwards, the 5 year old begged me to take him to play putt-putt.

We’re quite a pair – like bread and putter.

He’d never played before in his life, and I’m not sure how it got into his head, but it sounded like a fun idea to me.

Good thing they had more than one green, because he got a hole in one.

Afterwards, he begged me for a hot dog.  He typically doesn’t like to eat any kind of animal protein, so this was a new one too.  Maybe it was the nice weather and the smell of people BBQing in the air?  I’m not a huge fan of him eating them, but figured it was a special day.  We went to a really cool patio bar that’s friendly to pets and runners alike.  It was packed.  He got his dawg and I got a brewski.  Here’s a 6 sec video I took of the scene:

The next morning, the wheels fell off.  The temps dropped to the low 20’s and we got freezing rain.  Oh, and something called “Thundersleet”.  It’s apparently that thing when it’s sleeting and thundering at the same time.  It’s weird.  I wasn’t about to run in that noise, so it was off to yoga at Lululemon.

A man’s child pose.

For some reason, the boy begged me to let him tag along.  He really wanted to go.  I was excited to bring him, but looking back I’m not sure why he wanted to come.  He spent the entire class playing games on my phone.  Oh well, eventually I’ll get him to participate.  Baby steps on the way to child’s pose, I suppose.

As the day went on daying, the weather continued to worsen and colden.  Wind chill was around 0 degrees and the roads got all iced over.  It was a real bummer of a way to end the weekend.  But I did get to weather it in a cool way.  I moved from the ice outside to the ice inside where the Dallas Stars NHL pro hockey team plays.  When I’m not running, I’m a video producer and so I that’s what I was there doing.

On ice #selfie!

So there is the weekend that was.

How was your weekend?  Last time you putt putted?  Last time you yogad?  Last time you patio barred?  Doing any March challenges?  Ever been caught in thundersleet? 

Generic Title: Year in Review

Last day of 2013.  I got one last run and weight session in.  It gave me time to think about the past year.  Here’s what had happened…

It started by running the 20th Anniversary of the Disney Marathon in Orlando…

Medals dang near big as yo head!

As part of that, the boy ran the Kid’s Race and won his heat!

I can’t believe he has better form than I do. He also has better race photos.

I also kept my streak alive of being undefeated against celebrities in races.  You can read about the others HERE, but this time I beat Joey Fatone….

It’s the guy from that boy band – I think it’s named – My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Explored the Orlando Theme Parks with…

Moms, Pops, Boy.

Celebrated the boy’s birthday at a fire station (his choice)…

Unfortunately, the did not serve us chili.

I then ran the Too Cold to Hold 5 miler.  You can see the recap HERE – A bunch of friends joined me…

We should’ve ordered brighter shirts for TNSR.

I ran the Dallas Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon.  You can see the recap HERE…

I know it looks like Brooks threw up on me, but don’t care cause it was cold! I needed more of that tin foil stuff to wrap me up like a baked potato.

I then got to produce a bunch more videos with the hilarious Flula…

Like our dope videos or we will fight you…in a non violent way.

I got to celebrate my birthday and St. Patty’s Day in a special way, which you can see HERE…

I’d be a giant in leprechaun village.

Then I won my age group in a very special 5k that you can see the recap HERE…

I’ll treasure this one fo shizzle.

I then got to meet up with my sis and sis from another miss in Raleigh, NC…

With my sis and sis from another miss.

After a few days of fun, we were off to the Outer Banks to run the Flying Pirate Half Marathon, which you can read my recap about HERE…

My sis and I after a recent 1/2 marathon in OBX, NC.

We had a bit of fun exploring the site of the Wright Bros first flight…

Gotcha!

And celebrated on the beach…

Here’s your typical beach photo of legs and feet.

Unfortunately, the next day was the bombing of the Boston Marathon.  I wrote my thoughts on it HERE, which I got a huge response from.  Apparently I wrote what others were feeling.

At Fenway Pahk watchin tha Red Sahx play the wicked Yankees a few years ago.

I then ran another 5k, you can read about it HERE…

Takin it to da bridge!

Then my soccer team finished in second place after losing in a shoot-out after double overtime…

No smiles for second place.

I continued running with Thursday Night Social Run...

We run. We socialize. It’s cool.

I ran another 5k, recap HERE…

Posing with a patriotic trash can.

I re-incorporated trail running into my repertoire…

It’s best to run in the back so the leaders are 1st to find snakes and spiderwebs.

Got to play a ninja in a music video…

In between takes with some “Felvis” dancers (female Elvis).

I then ran in an unofficial 4×1 mile relay race, recap HERE…

At the Relay Race – We’re both rockin the Pure Flow 2 by Brooks.

I then ran my first Beer Mile race (4x 1/4 mile + 1 beer at each).  I finished 2nd overall.  Recap HERE…

A trophy, yay!

I became a part of a new run training group – Project Run 214…

Bright and early!

Got to see Mumford and Sons with family and friends…

Went to the local Oktoberfest so that I could drink free beer cheer my friends running the 5k…

My friend wore lederhosen during the race, so we decided to celebrate.

Enrolled the boy in his first hockey class…

He looks serious!

Went to the coast of Texas to teach a class on TV production and collect some awards…

Boats on the water.

I ran my first 15k race.  Recap HERE…

Say ahhhhhh!

Tested out a new mode of transportation…

Howdy pardner. You like my ride?

Went trick or treating with the rug rats…

I’m a ginja (ginger ninja).

Do not cross him.

Cowgirls are udderly cute.

I then went to the Alamo to look for my bike…

Alamo selfie!

Won two more Emmy’s for the mantle…

Emmy #6! I’d like to thank the Academy, etc. etc.

Hung out with Nitro from American Gladiators…

Right before we went through the gauntlet!

I then tweaked something in my knee…

My tape job.

Cheered for more friends running a Thanksgiving day race…

The turkey was probably sad because it was Thanksgiving – a sad day for flightless birds.

Survived a North Texas ice storm…

All that white stuff looks like fun snow, but is actually pure evil ice.

Which forced me to the dreadmill to continue my training…

That took forever.

Helped a friend run the final few of his 30 mile run for charity…

At the mile 27 station.

Celebrated the holidays with family and friends…

All our ornaments on the bottom half of the tree.

And ate a buttload of tacos…

Mmmmm, tacos.

BTW, my knee is feeling pretty great.  I’m almost done training for next week’s Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2) at Disney World!  Can’t wait to get these 6 medals!

My neck feels heavy just looking at them.

In between we just kept on trying to keep on.  Hanging out at home with the fams and dogs.  Making videos.  Yoga-ing.  Working out.  Cooking.  Laughing.  Oh, and blogging.

 

How was your year?  Did you make the most of it?  How’s your 2014 looking?  Big plans?  Holla!

Weekend Recap: Running, Hockey & Yoga, Oh Myyy!

We FINALLY got some cooler weather in North Texas.  The funny thing is that I didn’t even know we were getting it.  I have a really bad habit of thinking that tomorrow’s weather is going to be exactly like today’s.  And on Friday when I went to lay out my running gear for the next morning, it was shoes, socks, shorts, tank top.  When I got up at 5 something, I decided to check the weather.  The temps had taken a massive plummet.  It was in the low 40’s!  Did not expect that!  So I had to scramble to find my long sleeve gear, headband, gloves, etc.  Lesson learned:  Always check the forecast!

The cooler temps helped the run though.  I felt pretty springy.  I was only doing 9 miles for my Disney Dopey Challenge Training, per my Hal Higdon Sched.  I met up with my Project Run 214 peeps, and we knocked out the miles pretty smoothly!

Week 6 of 18 Done!

Sunday called for Cross Training, so I took a much needed yoga class.  I was able to stretch my bod out a bit, while also clearing my head, and building some strength.  I always feel better after yoga, just like after a run.

Other than that, we took advantage of the nice weather and opened the windows of the house and took the rugrats to the park to play.  Oh, and Griffin had his final class of his introductory Hockey class, designed by Mike Modano.

I know they’re supposed to look menacing in their gear, but come on, look at him!

This class they didn’t allow the kids to use any “crutches”.  In the previous classes they had these geezer-walker looking things that they could use to help balance on their skates.  As I anticipated, the kids didn’t need them at all!  It’s amazing what you can do if you remove the easy way out.  Those little rookies were skating all over.  Of course they fell a lot, but all that matters is they kept getting back up!  Here’s a video from my smarty phone of Grif trying to figure it out:

Luckily, little kids are made of rubber, so they can afford to fall over and over without getting hurt!  I’ve only ice skated a handful of times, and only played hockey once.  I was in Maine, and my good friend there was coaching a team, so he let me play with them in their practice.  Did I mention it was a little kid’s hockey team?  Those kids were half my size, but could all skate like Michelle Kwan!

AS long as I stand still, I won’t fall.

My friend checking me into the boards…and taking great pleasure in it!

Anyways, on to week 7 of training!  I’ve got 37 miles to run this week, and I’m glad that it will be in cooler weather!

What have you got this week?  How’s your weather?  Can you ice skate?

What a Weekend!

So much happened this weekend that it will probably take all week to write about it all.  Today I will give you a summary:

Friday – Went to visit a friend who works at a Sports Chiro joint (pun intended) inside a Tri store.  Got to test some recovery equipment and attend a talk by an Olympian and world champ triathlete – Jarrod Shoemaker.

Saturday – 4 mile run.  Then took the toddler to his first hockey practice.  Oh yeah, Mike Modano was on the ice too playing with the kids.

Me and Mo.

Sunday – 14 mile run.  Then got the new iPhone.  Then an awesome patio lunch.  Then took the toddler and went to a pub where we met my dad and watched the Browns play like an actual football team.  Also, saw the Indians and Rangers make it to the post season!  Also, the Steelers still suck, and that’s a good thing.  I also ate a naughty snack as I heard that a new world record was set in the Marathon!

What else?  Oh yeah, this weekend I got nominated for FIVE Emmy Awards!!!  Did I mention that I’m a TV producer when I’m not running?  Here’s a pic from last year where we added #7 to the trophy case!

Don’t be fooled by the fancy photo, I’m actually not wearing pants.

I’ll give more in depth descriptions of what went down as this week progresses.  For now, just enjoy this picture of the 4 year old in his first ever hockey gear!

He looks serious!

More to come, stay tuned!  Until then, let me know how your weekend went!!!