Our college kids will both be home for the summer by this time tomorrow bringing our headcount back up to 5. It gets pretty quiet around here when they are away, and sometimes pretty crazy when everyone is home. Bring on the crazy! Along with a lot more laughs, games, bonfires and movie nights, they will come home with more laundry and mealtimes will mean a lot more food. Over the past year, all three of our kids have gone gluten-free. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease about 8 years ago and since it has a genetic component, we have watched the kids for signs and also had them tested periodically. Nobody ever tested positive, but one at a time, each decided to give gf food a trial run for a month to see if it would help the various health issues they were having and none of them has even considered going back to their former diet. Having nearly the whole family on the same restricted diet is much easier than being on it alone. The college kids have pointed out what a luxury it is to open the frig at home and be able to safely eat anything in there. My husband still eats gluten sometimes, but almost never at home. He's a good sport to abstain from standard baked goods at home for the comfort of the rest of the family. Traveling can be interesting when we try to find places that can offer us a safely gluten free meal. Often we feel like this: And sometimes the available options feel like this: Consequently, we tend to choose the same chains over and over where we know exactly what to order. I've been fortunate to travel for a few races and the meals leading up to the race can be a little tricky. We went to Vermont for a marathon two years ago and I researched restaurants near our hotel and made a reservation a month ahead of time for the night before the race. It was a great experience! Vermont doesn't have many chain restaurants, but it was so easy to find places that knew what gluten was and always asked, "allergy or preference?" so they know how careful they needed to be if the kitchen was busy. We ate so many good meals there...good thing I ran off 26.2 miles worth while we were there😉. Visitng family can can be tricky for gf people, but we are super lucky! We have a growing number of other gf people on both sides and both my parents and my in-laws make sure we've got plenty of options for meals and even treats when we visit. A lot of basic foods are easy enough to make gf when you know what to look for. For instance, a classic meat, potatoes and veggie dinner is gf as long as the gravy is made with cornstarch and no gluten containing seasonings are used. Cross-contamination can be a problem with butter dishes, jelly jars, toasters, etc. Often when we visit, new containers are used and we are all set. Being gluten free free has helped all of our running as well. We all have super sensitive digestive systems and gluten runs straight on through. I had such sudden attacks of tummy trouble while running , I had considered quitting at different times. My kids had a lot of the same trouble and someone coming in the door from their workout with an urgent need to hit the bathroom is referred to at my house as "COMING IN HOT!!!" Translation: clear the way or it won't be good. I won't say that carefully watching our foods has completely eliminated the mad dashes to the restroom, but it has increased our quality of life in a big way. Another thing I am thankful for in the spring is the reappearance of these guys at parks and construction sites: Its not even that I use or even want to use an outdoor biffy along the way, but knowing it's there is hugely reassuring. I use the mantra...don't worry about it, just take care of it, to calm my nerves. If I know there is another chance to go in a block or a mile, it's all good.
I'm ready to make large amounts of gf food for the next 3 months. In fact, i hope to mix up a batch of monster cookies yet this afternoon to have extras on hand for lunches and snacks. That is a recipe that is easily made gf with gf oatmeal. I will also be packing a lot of lunches for kids headed to work. D already takes his lunch to school, so I've got the routine down, even packing an extra PB&J on GF bread for track meet days. While the kids are completely capable of packing their own, I like to know there is adequate fruit and veggies in the bags😍. Hopefully, you are also looking forward to summer and the shift in your family's routine. With any luck, that will also include more time to run during daylight hours and that you are refueling yourself with plenty of summer fruits and other nutritious foods. Happy running! Missee
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Happy Mother's Day to our mom and to all the moms out there! In keeping our blog focused on running, I started thinking of some of the many ways that our mom has supported our love of running over the years. 1. She has purchased countless pairs of running shoes, tights, shorts, etc. There was even a time in the 80s that she made our running tights. Our mom is a great seamstress! 2. Mom goes to every running event that she can make it to for my sister, for me, and now for our children. This has included cross country meets, track meets, 5K races, half marathons, and marathons. (She actually just called me from a track meet that my niece is participating in today and she already watched my nephew run at a different track meet that was also held today.) 3. She sympathizes with our running woes. When we are tired, injured, or just not motivated, she is there to listen and give encouragement. 4. When we visit her house, she offers to watch our children so Missee and I can go out for a run. 5. She always tells us that we do well, even if we don't have a good race. One of her favorite compliments to tell us that we were the cutest ones in the race. :) I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned. To get ready for the 12 mile race in July, I am planning a nine mile long run tomorrow. It should be a wonderful day to get out and enjoy the sunshine!
Happy Running! -Stephanie I saw the podiatrist yesterday, and most of all I'm thankful that he understood that a runner is happiest on the road. A lot of providers advise taking a couple weeks off and see if that helps. After X-rays, i was diagnosed with Haglund's Deformity which is when there is an extra piece of bone on the heel. If the Achilles gets involved and irritated, it can grow larger and also cause inflammation in the surrounding tissues which is why some days it is more swollen and sore than others. I will be using a conservative treatment plan for a few months to see if it improves.
The gel sleeve is pretty low tech, but it does reduce the friction on my heel. I'm sure willing to try!
I am also continuing to rehab my glute/hamstring issue with foam rolling and stretching. I am running up to 30 min at a crack, then a stretch break and more running. Slow improvements. 🐌 Speaking of slow would not be D's track race last night. That might have been one of the smartest races I've seen in a while. He and a buddy took turns leading at their assigned pace. With almost 2 laps to go, the friend dropped back a bit, but D challenged another runner until about 100 meters to go and couldn't hold him off any longer. However, that runner had to really work for it by trying to pass in lane 2 for nearly a lap while D pressed on. He was rewarded with a new PR and the Sabres will be making another trip to the True Team State meet May 20. He had a large group of fans to enjoy the race including Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Sister H and Charlie. I think Charlie was nervous for D because he chewed right through his leash before the race! 🐶. Good thing I can sew and repair it at a slightly shorter length. I hope you are able to enjoy the current spring weather with some pleasant running! Missee Today is National Teacher Day. Take an opportunity today to thank one of the MANY teachers who have helped you or someone you love. Teachers do great things every day! My children have been fortunate to have learned from a fabulous group of teachers. We are grateful! We are gearing up for another track meet tonight. Because of weather, several meets were postponed. This rescheduling led us to having track meets Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday.
Today's weather looks awesome! It looks to be a great evening for track! Happy Running! -Stephanie Stephanie's daughter is a middle school trackster who is trying lots of events...probably the best strategy for a new runner, much to the angst of her mother. Well, my college junior decided to try a different event this weekend, the 3000m steeplechase. It's 7.5 laps of the track complete with a number of hurdles each lap and a jump into the water pit. The water is deeper closer to the barrier, so it's an advantage to get a good push off the top to get less wet. It's also harder each lap as you get more tired. Here he is on one of his water jumps: Aparently, B and his cousin got their jumping abilities and their guts from their dads, because I can guarantee you would have never seen Stephanie or me hurdling anything on purpose. Since they both are skilled, I think they should keep trying and us moms will work on our nerves. It is very nerve-wracking watching the water jump six times and hoping he's still got enough spring to get up there. He did great, so I believe in him! Go Bulldogs! This week, Stephanie was inquiring about orthotics. I have had a set for maybe ten years after a bout of plantar fasciitis. I had them rebuilt about 2 years ago. Sometime shortly after that, I developed some pain in the back of one heel. It didn't get worse with running, but also never got any better with rest, stretches, ultrasound or just ignoring it. I had gotten advice to try not using my orthotics to see if they really were the issue and to see a podiatrist if the pain persisted. There is also a good sized lump on my heel. I'm not sure if the photo shows it that well, but some days it's more swollen and angrier feeling than others. I've got an appointment on Tuesday to see what the podiatrist says. I will be taking along both sets of running shoes I'm currently wearing and my orthotics. If it only hurt while running, I could maybe get by, but it hurts off and on throughout the day. It makes me feel really old to move that stiffly.
This week is a big one at our house. We will start out with True Team Sections on Tuesday. If the Sabres win, they will qualify for an additional meet in a couple weeks. Friday is Grandparents Day where I work. We will feed an additional 600 lunches beyond our normal 900. It is always hectic but the kids and grandparents ❤️it. Friday and Saturday will also be big track meets for our college kids. One will compete in the MIAC and the other in the Northern Sun Conference. Both kids had to qualify for their individual events and will each be doing up to three. The meets are only a few miles apart, so us track parents will be trying to catch as much of both meets as we can. Here's to hoping the schedules are accurate 😉. Wish me me luck with the podiatrist. I firmly believe that an injury or weakness in one area lends itself to other sore areas in order to compensate for the original problem. If I can get my feet in order, the rest should follow. Spring has sprung in our neighborhood. Everyone has cut their grass at least once and I even saw some tulips. Happy shorts-weather running! Missee What a beautiful morning for a run! My running friend, M, and I ran eight miles on a glorious spring day. For quite a while, I have been dealing with foot pain. It seems like when I run beyond six miles, I have a burning feeling in my sesamoid bone under my big toe. I run through it, but it hurts. This fall I also had issues with plantar fasciitis (heel pain). These issues brought me to see a podiatrist. He had given me a prescription for orthodics. Since orthopedics are expensive, I decided to try a few things on my own first. Although my plantar fasciitis is MUCH better, I am still dealing with the sesamoid pain. I found these pads for sesamoiditis through an online retailer. The idea is to put cushioning around the sesamoid bone to alleviate the pressure to the sesamoid bone. I decided to give these a try during my run today. Sadly, they didn't really work for me. My feet felt like they normally do. It was worth a try. Maybe these works better for daily use instead of for running? I have an appointment to learn more about orthodics soon. My daughter had another track meet last night. It was a warm 82 degrees when she ran the mile. She toughed her way through it. We are proud! Wishing you a happy weekend! -Stephanie
Care to Comment? If you have had foot problems when running, did orthotics work for you? Today is Star Wars Day, May the 4th be with you! If you don't get it, read that out loud...I love a good pun. Generally a pun creates a good clean joke that is safe to tell at work or home. I texted my extended family greetings before 7am with a drawing of Yoda. When I woke up, I realized what day it was and also that I happened to be wearing my Star Wars fleecy pants. Remember that I once wore these pants out running on an extremely cold day. I was so tempted to do it again, but it is now light by 5:30, so I didn't want to risk being noticed out in my pj's. I found this running related Star Wars reference today: I think most of us can relate to the stress-busting power of a good run. It's also a good time to process and vent ideas and frustrations with a trusted running buddy.
I am now nursing a sore hip/glute/hamstring still related to my last race. Everything seemed good to go until I attempted speed work and everything seemed to seize up. I saw the chiropractor yesterday and came home with orders to stretch often and thoroughly. I also need to hold off on the speed attempts for now. At least I can still run as long as it's not hurting. I work in a school and the frenzy of the end of the school year can drag everyone to the dark side...I MUST RUN😉. I hope your Star Wars Day was out of this galaxy. The weather here was absolutely perfect for a nice 30 min run after school with my staff running group--still just two of us, but we were noticed by a number of other staff out and about so maybe we will get more takers soon. The other gal is an artist and has a gallery opening this weekend. I'm quite sure I've never known anyone who displays their art in a gallery before. It was interesting to hear about how she was deciding what to display and how to price it. The gallery is across MN from here, but I'm hoping her next one is closer so I can go. Here's to hoping your running is expanding your world. Happy running! Missee As part of my training for the Green Lake 12 Mile Race, I committed to one day of "speed work" per week. Today's speed work was to run 6x400 meters on the track with a 100 meter walk between each lap. My goal for speed work is to push my pace a little harder for shorter distances. I am not a fast runner, I am just working on improving my pace a little. I was lucky to have the best company for my track workout today. My two children decided to accompany me to the track. My son ran lap one and five with me and my daughter ran lap three. Both children blew me away! I could not keep with either one of those speedy kids. Despite getting left in the dust, I had a wonderful time! After my 6x400s, we tried some long jumps. I didn't make it to the sand. :) The weather today was BEAUTIFUL! Yesterday was a much different story. This was a photo taken yesterday morning. Snow on the first day of May. Spring weather in Minnesota can change quickly. Let's hope spring is here to stay now.
Happy Spring Running! -Stephanie The other day, I got this message from my Garmin watch's app: cUmmm...I think NO! If I was barely getting my 10,000 steps per day, well maybe slacking on Sunday would be a problem, but since that is my only day under 10,000 average and Saturday averages more than 20,000, I think I'm doing all right. I generally get out for a walk with Charlie sometime on Sunday, catch up on a little housework and maybe run errands, sew or read. To me, that sounds like a lovely way to head into the work week. For moms who work other than at home, having all the laundry put away, groceries in the cupboard and the floors vacuumed offers the opportunity to gracefully move toward Monday. If the clothes are all washed, I also know that when I go to dress for my weekday runs at 5:00 am, there will be clean, fresh smelling running gear waiting for me😀. I have one running shirt I love to hate. It's super soft, the seams are nice and flat and the length is plenty long. The only problem is that the bugger looks the SAME on both sides. The neck tag is printed rather than sewn in, so it's nearly invisible. Since receiving this shirt for Christmas, I have worn it--in public--inside out at least 3 times that I know of 🙈. Twice was running and once to yoga. I realized it was inside out, when I noticed the side tag hanging out in the mirror. I did a lot of poses keeping my arm to my side that night! Kicker is that the shirt is so darned comfortable, I'd like to get a few more. I need to find a way to remove the side tag, so no one knows if I commit another wardrobe malfunction. In case anyone needs a nice base layer shirt, it's from Gander Mountain. If you see me sporting this purple shirt, don't look too hard at my sides in case I escape my home with it inside out yet again! And...try not to feel self-conscious if you ever manage to leave the house looking like a toddler just learning to dress herself. Just think of me! Also, know that if I see you, I will not judge, just notice like I've been practicing at yoga.
So, while I love my technology both in my Garmin and the delightfully soft, warm and lightweight fabrics for my gear, it can be something of a thorn in my side. Would I rather wear heavy cotton sweats on a 10-miler or risk ending up with my clothing on inside out...you might just see my tags hanging out :-) Happy running! Missee Care to comment? Whar wardrobe blunder have you committed while running? |
AuthorMissee and Stephanie are two Minnesota sisters and moms who love to run. We are not experts in running, parenting or anything else, but we do have years of experiences that may be helpful or entertaining to others. Archives
May 2020
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