A Brisk Walk in the Cool Crisp Fall Air before Dinner

Just went for a 20 minute brisk walk before dinner in the cool crisp fall air! My ideal time to work out is actually before dinnertime. I am a stay-at-home mom with a toddler + 2 school aged kids. I like to re-connect with the big kids when they get in from school and get dinner cooking and then go out to workout before dinner. It helps me to transition my day from being home all day with the little one and into the evening family routine.

It gives me a chance to clear my head and get some fresh air and to be alone for 30-60 minutes depending on my route. Then I can dive into dinnertime, homeworktime, eveningtime, and bedtime. It lets me think about my day and plan my evening of what I need to do after the kids are in bed. Do I need to wash their school uniforms? Do I need to do a client bid? (I am a work-at-home mom too) Do I need to layout some custom rhinestone patterns? Do I need to package up internet orders? So much to think about and process !

My friend Lara, The Mom Biz Coach, suggested that I use the voice record option on my MP3 player when my list is too big or to use it during my cool down walk after a run. Then I can play at back after I get all the munchkins to bed. This has been a great tool 'cause you really can't take pen and paper on a run or walk.

I have to say after this cruddy summer weather-wise I am really enjoying the brisk fall. It was a bit cold the other night and a bit winter-like but I hope it will stay in the 40-60 degree range for a while.

When is your favorite time of the day to run?

When is your favorite time of the year to run?

Does anyone have any fall races coming up ?

Happy Running !

Where Have I Been? August has been a busy month for me ! How do you keep Running when Life Happens?

August has been quite a month for me!

August 10th we closed on a house that I wasn't expecting to buy - a cute fixer upper ranch for $153,500 at 4.09 financing - we felt we couldn't pass it up even though it is a whole year early before a game plan.

My poor sweet baby Jonathan who is 20 months old sorta fell off the bed and slipped on a Sports Illustrated (not mine!) and fell on top of a metal book light that happened to be on the floor instead of night stand (not mine!).

In this freak accident he cut above his lip, below his nose & had to go to the Emergency Room to get stitches (worst mom experience - 3 adults holding a poor screaming baby down while he is yelling "No! Hurt!" - they needed a 4th 'cause he was sooo strong!) and in the next week went back to Urgent Care and ER multiple times to deal with stitch that came out after 1st day and high fever.

End result is that we have a consultation with a Plastic Surgeon next week to discuss options which most likely will be surgery to repair 6 months to a year out because they can't do anything now 'cause wound is so old you only have a 48 window to fix these things. Now, they have to wait for it to scar over & then they will cut out scar and repair.

I wouldn't go through all this if it wasn't on my poor handsome, cutie's face! Give me an arm, Give me a leg, and Give me a scar - totally different story on your child's face.

Okay so other personal - totally too much information - just getting my periods back since birth of baby and they are horrendous - 2nd was better than first - first I was bed ridden for 4 days, 2nd I was only bed ridden for 2 days - but any either scenario - no running for a week!

NOW, I have mastitis! Holy Moly! For past 7 days while dealing with the Jonathan crisis I have barely had 3-4 hours sleep at night with ER visits, high fevers, baby crying, etc... And I was in the process of weaning him - to see if we can be done nursing by the time he is 2 years old (we are discussing if we are going to have 4th child before I turn 40). So, nursing has been erratic during crisis week because I threw weaning out the window with all of these distressing hospital visits. So, nursing pattern immediately and dramatically changing, me sleep deprived, run down, and exhausted, and germ-o-rama sick people all around at Urgent Cares and ERs = Mastitis for Melissa !

I am bed ridden today and tomorrow. My husband, dear husband took all three kids on a road trip today to spend the day with our best friends and their family & may even spend the night. I opted out and am here at home alone. I wish they had a movie place that delivered movies! Ooooh... that's right we have on demand movies through our cable company - chick flick - here I come!

So, my question to all my experienced mom runners - How do you keep running when life comes at you fast and furious? I think that is my biggest problem. Life is Life and things will always be coming up and happening - How do you make sure you are still fitting in Me-Time and Running Time?

When do you find time to Run?

When do you find time to run? How do you make time to run? What time do you run? I want to run everyday. I am so not a morning person - it would be perfect if I could drag myself out of bed every morning at 5:00am or 6:00am to run. That's a hard sell since I am often up until 2:00am working in the home office as a work at home mom entrepreneur. I hold office hours 4x a week from 10:00pm to 2:00am.

Then I was running at 10:00pm at the start of my office hours after I put my 3 kids and husband to bed. This is nice and cool and quiet, but a little bit creepy. I can't do my normal 3 mile and 5 mile routes at night (done on www.mapmyrun.com ) because the lighting isn't that great and I just want to be safe.

Then I came up with the brilliant idea that I would prep dinner in my running clothes and have it all ready to cook by the time my husband got home from work and then let it cook for 30-50 minutes while I am out running. Well, no dice on that - did it a couple times. My husband hated it! Why? He just gets in from work and I am literally tossing him the toddler and running out the door. He wants to change out of work clothes and relax for an hour after work before having responsibilities and to do lists. Ugh?

I have also taken the toddler with me running and older kids too on bikes, but you know what it is just not the same as throwing on your MP3 and running to some tunes by yourself and being with yourself and some music for half hour to hour. It's not just about the exercise, it's about the peace, the space, and being by myself and not worrying about anyone but myself !

So, help me out fellow runners ! When do you run? How do you find the time? I want to run everyday 30 to 50 minutes !