An Update of Sorts

To anyone out there keeping track, you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while.  Okay, let's be honest.  It's been at least 18 months since my last post.   How do I know this?  Well, I can see the date on my last post, duh.  That and the fact that my littlest gal is now almost 20 months old helped me figure out just how long it's been.  No good excuse except to say that things have been a little, ahem, busy.  I just now feel like I'm coming up for air and can actually string together a couple of coherent sentences.

My littlest Monkey

So, here is an update of sorts from the last year and a half.

1) I stopped running for a year.  Some back story - about 6 years ago I had a stress fracture in my hip, I'm convinced it was due to running while nursing gal#2.  This time, when Littlest was about 3 months old, I started running again and started having that familiar hip pain again.  That and the lack of sleep helped me decide that it would be better for my body if I cut out the running until I was no longer  the sole source of nourishment for another human being.

2) I started weight training.  Because I wasn't running I realized I needed to get my exercise in other ways.  I have access to a crazy good body pump class at my local Y and made it a priority to get there on a regular basis.  I got strong(ish).  

3) I started sewing.  Now that I have three girls (yes, you read that right!) I feel like sewing is a good, practical hobby.  Because, you know, saving money and all that.  But then I realized that my taste in fabric is a bit posh, so I'm not really saving any money.  But, the girls look cute!

Sweet sisters

4) My Oldest Gal broke her arm.  Right before we went to the beach this past summer.  Man oh man that was traumatic - for me!  Oldest took it like a champ and healed up great, but I still have nightmares of seeing that broken arm all floppy and useless.  Thank the Lord for doctors and health insurance!

5) My Middlest Gal started kindergarten and we found out that she has some learning delays.  We started her in an Educational Therapy program and she has since learned to read and moved on to First grade.  I'm not gonna lie, it's still hard and she still really struggles, but she is doing much better.

6) I started running again - incorporating speed work and continuing with my weight training, which led to marathon training which led to...

7) Qualifying for Boston!  I ran a marathon this past October and placed first in my age group and fourth overall female, with an official chip time of 3:36:06.  I'm sure I will post more about this later.  Stay tuned.

Proof on the Garmin!

8) I ran a marathon as a pacer.  After running my personal best time in October, I had another marathon scheduled just 5 weeks later.  Unfortunately, I was out of motivation and was contemplating not even running.  Fortunately, I am friends with the race directors and they asked me to be a pacer.  I ended up pacing the 4:15 group which is about a 9:43 minute pace, a nice relaxing pace for me.  It was such a fun experience and so awesome to be helping someone else meet their goal.  I'll post more on this later, too.

Who can be upset about getting older when you get to be so goofy??

9) I turned 35 this year.  But I'm not talking about that.  

So, I guess that kinda sorta catches you up.  Obviously a lot more happened between now and 18 months ago, but for the life of me I can't really remember.  And this post is long enough.  Kudos to you for reading all the way through.  And hopefully I'll be back again soon!