So yesterday I got the most unexpected, lovely and humbling surprise: I was named to Working Mother magazine’s Best of the Net 2014! (check out No. 12)
{Breathe, breathe.}
The editors specifically cited how I write about balancing a full-time career, motherhood and exercise, and how I haven’t let staying fit fall to the wayside amid all the chaos.
Trust me when I say that is incredibly flattering (not to mention ridiculously generous), particularly because when I started Keeping Mommy Sane in 2012, I wanted to be someone people could relate to, whether as a fellow parent, a working mom, a runner … or all of the above.
Because I’m like so many of you: just a crazy-busy mom doing my best to live a healthy lifestyle. It would be so easy to use “I’m too busy!” as an excuse to avoid working out, but I won’t — and I can’t — because running and yoga and strength training are my ways of doing something good for me, physically, mentally and spiritually. And that, in turn, helps me be the best mom/wife/friend/daughter/colleague I can be.
So, yes, that means I run or hit the gym at 5am because that’s what works best for me. Other friends work out once the kids are in bed or on their lunch break. My hope is that my blog shows other moms that it is possible to make time for regular exercise — and for you! You just need to figure out what works for you, stick with it and don’t let yourself make excuses.
Anyway, I couldn’t be more proud of this honor (and it’s the first time someone has referred to me as an “avid runner”)! I hope you check out some of the other amazing ladies on this year’s list!
Okay, on to the Shamrock Shuffle …
I did it! The first race of the season is done.
I didn’t really have any time goals or PRs in mind, aside from finishing ahead of last year’s time of 25:55. Realistically, since I’ve been in half marathon training mode where the focus has been more on endurance, I didn’t think this would be a particularly speedy race for me. I just wanted to get this first race done and under my belt and officially kick off the 2014 racing season.
Thankfully it was about 20 degrees warmer than it was at last year’s race, so I was able to run in just a long-sleeved tech shirt (green) with a short-sleeved green Under Armour T-shirt over it. Dr. G, on the other hand, was a little more festive. (Which is the only other photo I remembered to take! Gah! I need to be much better about that.)
I love this race because of the personal connection; all proceeds go to our town’s elementary PTO, which I’m proud to be a member of. However, because it’s such a family-oriented race (with lots of kids), the start can be a little chaotic because all the kids jam up to the starting line.
Somehow, in the immediate pre-race confusion, my Garmin timed out and I didn’t have enough time to sync up again before the race started, so it didn’t really start calculating my pace/distance until about 2-3 minutes in. Boo.
But when it did start syncing I saw Dr. G. and I were running at a sub-8:00 pace, which we both kept up for pretty much the full first mile.
And then the hills started.
I don’t know why I was surprised. I’ve run this course a bunch of times. I know there are several hills. But I think the fact that I haven’t been running outside really at all during this brutal winter really took its toll, because those hills killed me. Yet I didn’t stop and walk, though, unlike a bunch of the runners around me … even as my pace dipped waaaayyyy into the 9+ minute range.
As I turned the corner with about a half mile to go, I tried to surge but, honestly, I just wasn’t feeling it. As evidenced by this utterly horrific race pic (which I’m only sharing to show that running– and blogging — is not all sunshine and roses as others try to make it seem. Sometimes, as the picture so brilliantly illustrates, it is downright ugly. Just trying to keep it real, friends.)
But ugly and all, I am pretty excited by the results!
Final time: 25:21 (8:09/mi pace)
Age group: 7 of 68 women (30-39)
Overall: 76 out of 542
Not bad for the first race of the year!
But even though it was “just a 5K,” I did walk away with an important reminder that some of us runners tend to forget, especially when we’re racing shorter distances. Don’t forget to warm up and stretch!
Seriously, I didn’t loosen up my legs with a light jog. I didn’t stretch my quads or hamstrings of calves. My warm-up consisted of chatting with neighbors and friends before the race. And, boy, did I feel it the next day … even though it was “just” 3 miles. It was actually quite humbling (and a little annoying, since I still had to go out and run another 6.5 miles the next day to meet my weekend training mileage).
Next up on the race schedule? The Newport 10-Miler in late April. This should be interesting for a number of reasons: it’s a new course for me, Newport can be pretty hilly, and Dr. G. and I are whooping it up at a wedding the day before. But I haven’t run a 10-mile race before, so that means I’ll be automatically setting a PR, right? 🙂
Hey, all you other busy mamas out there, how do you squeeze in regular exercise?
JennyHS says
squeezing in exercise can be tough! Thankfully our gym has a strength class at noon on Tues and Thursday and I swear doing this class has helped me to loose 20 lbs and run faster! The gym has night daycare Mon-Wed. so I aim for one night class a week and maybe a 30 min run. My hubby helps out on Saturday morning so I can run or take a class. I’ve also hired a sitter for long runs during 1/2 marathon training.
No two weeks are the same due to schedules and energy levels but It can be done as long as you’ve got the help you need.
Jessica says
I couldn’t agree more about two weeks not being the same. Same on my end, especially since the husband travels a bit for work. But babysitting at your gym … ooooh, how lucky!!!
Lynda@fitnessmomwinecountry says
Jessica how exciting for you, congrats!! Super cool honor. What a fun run, we just did The Color Run this last weekend and I think our weather was a bit warmer than yours 🙂 {ooppss}
Jessica says
Thank you!! I’ve always wanted to do a Color Run!! 🙂 I ‘ll have to see if there are any happening up here!
Dawn says
Congrats on being honored by Working Mother! Well deserved and so excited for you!!
Jessica says
Awww, thank you so much!! It was such an unexpected but wonderful surprise.