Un-Pause

I'm back by popular demand! Believe-it-or-not I've had a few inquiries as to why the posts have been lagging. The fact is, I've been busy.

I've been Art Directing up a storm.

I wish I could share the covers of the books we'll be releasing in Spring 2014, but unfortunately they are 'top secret' until our catalog goes to press . . . I know you are all dying for a preview!

The one cover I've been furiously piecing together that I am able to share is The Hurt and The Healer by Andrew Farley and Bart Millard (lead singer of Mercy Me). The book should be released just in time for Mercy Me's fall tour. Phew!

I've been full-time Soccer Mom, 

driving children to pratice a few nights a week, faithfully attending games and even coaching a U5 Soccer Team (that's 3-4 year olds). Ever try getting a group of 3 year olds to 'practice' for an hour? To their credit, they were very enthusiastic the first 10 minutes. Beyond that it was all dandelion picking, hand holding, and refusing to participate because the only soccer ball left was pink.

Bear (3yo) playing goalie. 

I purchased a new car.

Since I started commuting 140 miles a day the old Buick has been guzzling every cent in my wallet. It was time to find something a little more MPG friendly. After some shopping around we settled on a much-smaller-than-my-Buick Subaru Crosstreck. MTBR has a nice review on this vehicle. 

Sadly, driving a smaller vehicle has not improved my ability to park inside the lines.

Now that I drive a Subaru I feel that I have fully immersed myself in the mountain biking lifestyle and am epically excited for being able to park in Subaru's VIP Parking section at Iceman this fall--I might just park in there for the heck of it even though we'll be camping at the finish venue again this year.

And we took a family vacation.

While I've been busy orchestrating book covers by day (and night) and transforming to Super Soccer Mom in the evenings, Chad has been working about a billion hours a week and even snuck off for a few days of biking in the mountains. It seemed like it had been weeks since Chad and I had occupied the same space and months since we were altogether as a family. 

Late Friday evening we finally pulled out of the driveway and went North for the long holiday weekend.

Hiking by the river.

Bear taking a snack break halfway through his first ride on the VASA Singletrack.

Running down the dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.

What I haven't been doing is . . .

Training for Lumberjack.
More on that later.

Top 5 Events this Fall: #2

Top 5 Events this Fall: #1, Grand Rapids Urban Adventure Race Art Prize Edition

Fall in Michigan has so much to offer and there is an equal abundance of active events for everyone. This next on my list is for everyone in the family. If you can walk 3 miles than you can do this event. It's fun, adventurous, and SPOOKTACULAR! *Not for young/sensitive children.

For the Family:

2) Scardy Pants 5k Trail Adventure: Zombie Apocalypse

Video clip from 2011's event.

What it is: A 5k haunted adventure that takes you along the lighted cross country ski trails at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex. Teams of 2-5 people must use a map to guide them through the haunted trails to ghoulish "check points." At the check point you then punch a pass card before moving on to the next destination on your map. The supernatural team with the most CP's punched and crosses the finish line in the fastest time wins. Costumes are encouraged. Sign up early because race fees increase beginning in September. Limit to first 500 entries.

Why it's one of my favorites: The spooky scenes that Endurance Adventure volunteers built last year were incredible: a cemetery with graves and tombstones,  witches cauldrons, were wolves and so much more. There was even an haunted luge run. I can say with certainty that this is the only place in the world where you can do a haunted LUGE RUN. Matt of Endurance Adventure has promised some really cool things for this year's event—I find it hard to believe they can top last year but it looks like that's the plan. Be sure to dress up in a costume as there is a heated competition for cash prizes. A post-race meal and drinks are provided.

Volunteer: As you can imagine, a great number of volunteers are needed for this event from building spooky scenes to haunting the trail and more. If you're interested in volunteering, please let me know and I'll get you in contact with the Grim Reaper himself (AKA Matt).

This race is a fundraiser for Endurance Adventure. For more information on this innovative program for middle school boys that has been developed and implemented in West Michigan visit their website: enduranceadventure.org

Details: 
Scardy Pants 5k Adventure: Zombie Apocalypse
Saturday, October 27
Nightfall . . .
Muskegon Winter Sports Complex
REGISTER ONLINE

THIS JUST IN:

Limited to 500 entries!  Early registration discount deadline August 31!  

Its after dark and imagine yourself in costume and walking through the lighted trails through Muskegon State Park. Then picture having to find six checkpoints and realizing to get to each one you have to enter a into a various  haunted tunnels or structures in the middle of the woods.  This year will be even scarier after it was reported last years project being one of the scariest trail adventures ever encountered! 

The haunted trail adventure has been designed for both  who choose to walk and for

those who choose to run!  This year we added a non competitive walk divison for those who want to participate but not race. There will be a stage and emcee hosting the 2nd Annual Black Carpet Costume Awards, adult beverage tent, bonfires, dj music, as well as food and other fun activities for participants and spectators alike.

Not enough? We are amping things up even more with a "Thriller" Flash Dance Mob during the after party and welcome everyone to participate in the dance mob that will be seen across the world!

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$500 Costume Contest! 

Walk across the black carpet upon entry to compete for some major cash!   

Creating Memories

I have mixed feelings coming into the next cycling season. Last year was great as far as personal achievements go. I blew away my previous PR for the 25k River Bank Run--averaging over a minute faster per mile! My cycling skills improved and I even got a little faster.

But something else has snuck up on me, something surprising and even more fulfilling than reaching my personal goals--my kids aren't babies anymore! I hate to admit it, but I did not enjoy being a mom to infants. They cry, they poop, they spit up food, they need to be carried around in a giant car seat that caused debilitating pain in my back and shoulders . . . ugh. And those big eyes, well, I found them a bit creepy. Babies don't blink! It's just not normal. They just stare and stare, until you are convinced you've given birth to an alien spawn child.

Now my kids are old enough to do stuff. Taking my daughter for her first mountain bike ride this summer was one of the greatest memories I will ever have. It was amazing. This winter I started cross country skiing with my kids. I tow my 2 year old son in a sled behind me while I ski with my daughter. Its good fun. Turns out I really do LOVE being a mom.

I find myself spending more and more time with my kids and less and less time training . . . Which is not a bad thing at all. But it is a different feeling.

Creating Family Memories.
This last weekend we went up to Crystal Mountain with my brother's family, my parents, and my SIL's mom. We had a packed house--grammas, papa, aunts, uncles, cousins, dogs--the perfect chaotic mix for family fun.

We woke Saturday morning to 6 inches of fresh snow. No one in my immediate family has downhill skis. In fact, we had planned to do some sledding, snowshoeing, and swimming at the resort while my brother and his family skied. But with the fresh snowfall, the hills called to me. I really wanted to ski! Fortunately, my SIL had a spa treatment planned which meant her skis were at my disposal!

My husband and I bundled up the two kids and hiked down to the rentals where the kids were fitted and kitted for their first downhill skiing experience. Both kids took to it like naturals. After just a few short runs my daughter was asking to go on the big hills with the chair lift!

Even though I try not to worry, I just can't help but imagine all the horrible things that can happen. I am so thankful to my brother who took her up for some mom-free downhill skiing. Where I would have hovered over her in a panic, he was able to give her some freedom and wings to fly. Thanks bro!

My son, my little 2 year old Evil Knievel--it didn't take long for him to start smack talking. This was perhaps his first taste of independence. He could get on and off the Magic Carpet by himself. He stood an entire inch taller riding up the hill, doing a little dance and singing to himself. Occasionally another skier would smile and wave at him, he'd reply "I'm awesome! I'm skiing by MY SELF!" Or he'd look at me and start in "I'm doing this by my self. Not with you! I can DO this! YEAHHHHH!" and then he'd grunt and dance.

Once at the top of the hill, the race began! He could taste speed. He'd barrel towards the bottom as fast as he could. As he careened uncontrollably down the hill he'd do The Running Man.

Sunday, my husband took our daughter swimming and my son came xc skiing with me. We enjoyed having some one-on-one time with the kids. It was a wonderful weekend. I keep finding myself smiling at memories that bubble-up throughout the day.

As I scroll through facebook and see all the long training rides my friends accomplished, well, I may be getting a bit behind on the schedule, but I have no regrets with how I spent my time.

Quick and Effective Workouts

I'm a fortunate person in that I work from home most of the time. This gives me pockets of flexibility that I absolutely do not take for granted. I have an extra hour in the morning where the rest of the world is getting themselves presentable, packing lunches, and briefcases and scurrying to rush out the door.

Not me. I play with my kids, cuddle them, and gently coax them through their morning routine. Once I scootch them out the door with their dad, I do my taxing commute of descending a dozen stairs and sitting at my desk.

Lunch hour? I can go for a run, a bike ride, or both! No shower needed afterwards. There's no one here but the cats to impress. And lets face it, there's nothing I can do that will impress them.

This month, however, the trifecta of work emergencies/disasters has struck. I am finding myself working before the sun rises, through lunch, and the second my husband gets home from work, I descend the stairs and am at my desk for at least 3-4 more hours. There is no free hour to spare for training.

Which is adding to my anxiety! I have a race in 7 weeks . . . Now is not the time to be anchored to a desk. Fortunately, I have an arsenal of quickie workouts I do when I have 5, 10, or even just 15 minutes. I use those to get through a couple of days until I can get in an hour spin.

Here is my super-quickie workouts:

5-min: 50 kettlebell swings

10-min: 50 kettlebell swings, Turkish Get-Ups (6 ea. side), 50 Jumping Jacks

15-min: 50 kettlebell swings, Turkish Get-Ups, 50 Juming Jacks, Bulgarian Squats, 10 push-ups

20-min: 15 min of intervals on the exercise bike, Kettlebell swings, pushups

Getting involved in a project on the computer is great, but spending hours at my desk reaks havoc on my back. My other tip is to set the timer on my oven for 75 minutes. Every 1:15 minutes I have to get up, run up the stairs and reset the alarm. I usually do a couple of quick stretches before I sit back down at my desk. When I'm in the office, I do something similar. I keep a small cup of water to sip on while I work. As soon as its empty its time to get up, stretch, walk around and refill my cup.

And, if all else fails and I get to the end of the day realizing I didn't do a darn thing, I challenge the husband to a "Plank-off" before bed. We assume the Plank position and see who can hold the pose the longest. I always lose.

These mini-workouts mentally keep me moving forward. So I missed my 9-mile run this week, it's okay. And I missed my 90 minute trainer workout. That's going to happen. But I have not completely fallen off the wagon, I have successfully continued my losing streak in the Plank-Off last night.