a unintended mileage cutback...and a valentine's recap!

So, um, yeah...about last week...

...wasn't my most productive week.

Just as I was about to leave the house for my 18 mile run on Saturday morning, fully dressed in running garb, ready to brave the cold, I could not find my iPod.  Anywhere.  After a brief meltdown that only a runner may understand, I still couldn't find my iPod, and I decided I was mentally was unfit for running any high mileage.  Remember what I wrote about how I am a creature of routine and ritual?  How I don't deal well with last-minute changes to plans I've had for a while?  This was a prime example of that.  I could have probably run up to ten miles without music...but not eighteen.  Also, it is the way I know how far I am running - it is highly motivating for me to know what mile I am on, which my iPod kindly tells me.  So,  quite disheartened,  I took my dog for a brisk four mile jaunt, stewing at first about the cosmic forces seemingly preventing my marathon training.   By mile two, however, I was reaching a place of zen about the situation.  Perhaps if I'd attempted the long run I would have gotten injured.  Perhaps this was divine intervention -- God telling me in no uncertain terms I needed a cut-back week.  Message received, Lord.  By mile four I was feeling much more stable.

Running is therapy, folks.  There is no doubt about it.  Even a short run.

I eventually felt okay about not getting a long run in this week because I finally started looking at training programs, real training schedules, and I was WAY ahead of the mileage I should have been at.  I have eleven weeks left before the race, and according to all of the beginner marathon runner schedules I looked at I should have only been around 13 miles, rather than 18.

Despite this new knowledge , I still felt really, really guilty taking the week off from a long run.  I know that I need to give myself a break.  Then I found these words and they really spoke to how I was feeling:

Even a bitty four mile one.

Also, through looking at actual training schedules I learned that I should be doing more runs during the week (shorter, of course) at my race pace (which I don't really know yet.)  So I am going to try to incorporate more of that, somehow.

Last week's training...
Sunday: Recovery day from my 17 mile run - no workouts.
Monday: this 10 minute intense lower ab workout and this 7 Best Ab Exercises workout during naps
Tuesday: this 18 minute Miley Cyrus leg workout  and this 8 minute ballet workout ; PM gym - light cardio
Wednesday: PM gym - light cardio
Thursday: PM gym - this higher intensity fartlek workout...which I actually stretched to 30 minutes.  I felt a little goofy running this fast on the treadmill - and like it was going to break! But I felt really strong after!!!!

//source//

Friday: AM yoga class
Saturday: 4 mile run.

  + + + + + + + 

Onto the fun stuff...

Valentine's Day!  Yes, a silly Hallmark holiday...but so fun!  I've always loved having a special day of celebration with Hubby....but now I see that every holiday is more fun when you have tiny babes at home to enjoy them with. (No, I am not being sarcastic, I promise.)  It definitely changes things up, but I've come to believe the more loved ones you have around you to celebrate things with, the more special it is.  Increasingly I treasure our tiny yet growing family* particularly since I am so far away from my own family in Minnesota/Montana, which includes my three siblings, two sibs-in-law, and six nieces and nephews.

It is hard not seeing them...but I feel like we are creating our own little tribe here.*

*I'm not pregnant! just saying.  not pregnant.  various glasses of wine were consumed during the Valentine's feast after the kiddos went to sleep! :)

So Valentine's Day being on a Saturday looked like this for us:

Took kiddos to their first offical gymnastics class at a local gym that morning.  Since I had bailed on my long run I was able to go and watch...and it was so CUTE!  Basically just a bunch of toddlers tumbling around and looking adorable.  I watched from a balcony, being a dorky mom taking phone pics, while Hubby was with baby girl for her Bear/Cub class.  It was so sweet and she did really well.  She is very enthusiastic about most things and pretty fearless!

after class - bear and cub still playing!

Cormac was old enough to be on his own so, after a slight meltdown, he went with his class of littles around to all the stations and did quite well.  He has SO MUCH ENERGY, so it is nice to get him into activities where he can burn it off.  I loved watching him bounce around in his typical helter-skelter way, and how he proudly showed his teacher his "somersault" about twenty times.

The rest of the day was pretty laid-back.  After naps we bummed around a bit, then took the kids to the nearby Chik-fil-A for their dinner, as they love the little playroom and "making friends" there.   Then we headed to the grocery and bought food for an adult feast that night -- since we had no sitter we were cooking at home, like we did last year.  Tradition?  Yes, please!  It is really fun, as I get to cook alongside Hubby which never really happens with our schedule.  (Oh, and I prefer being the chef at our house, which he enjoys.)

Before the kids went to bed we all indulged in some chocolate covered strawberries from Hubby...and let the kids each eat a donut.  Nothing like a sugar binge before bedtime!  ;)  (Let there be no dieting rules on holidays, I say!)

these were YUM! nice work, hubby!

giving them donuts was not the original plan. 

I gathered this misfit group of candles for mood lighting...

we finished these off in no time.

shrimp cocktail is a staple at our "fancy" home dinners 

my special filets - so, so good.

The rest of the menu was steamed broccoli, a crusty loaf of bread, and, of course, red wine.  We watched our wedding dvd while dining and it was so fun reliving that day a little bit.  We plan on making this another tradition.

Hope everyone's Valentine's Day was so, so sweet!