Resting

We've...well, I've been waiting all week for an email saying our Article 5 paperwork has been dropped off at the US Consulate.  I guess our visa paperwork went through so quickly, they didn't have our US Immigration paperwork (the hard copies) in China yet.  No email yet, so I don't think we'll get our Article 5 before Chinese New Year.  David keeps reminding me that a day here or there won't make a difference in the long run, and I feel like I've been calmer about these steps.  The process is pretty much out of our hands now until we receive travel authorization, so there's not much point in stressing about it.  It is much easier to feel excited, though!

This week has been a little frustrating, although not because of the adoption stuff at all.  I had a procedure done on my toe last October, and it had to be repeated when we got back from Christmas.  It has a recovery time of about three weeks, but of course, that's dependent on many factors...like how quickly you try to get back onto your feet.  :P  Every time I think about all the things I want to get done before Elizabeth comes, I have to reconsider...is this worth potentially stretching my recovery time out?  Would it really add time to my recovery if I did get up?  So I've done some things (like organize the freezer!) but not as much as I'd hoped at this point.

It sounds nice to just laze on the couch all day, but when you're staring at a messy kitchen/dining room/living room and mentally going through your adoption to-do list, it's not as much fun.  Plus, it's hard to exercise (of course), which is great timing right after the holidays.  Another thing to figure out, since I don't think I can go running with three kiddos.  :)

But I'm trying to view this as a good time to rest and hang out with the kids before our life gets crazy.  I've also been doing some knitting--it never ceases to amaze me that people buy the things I've made.  I remind myself that I'll have plenty of time to do things before she comes...although that time is ticking away, day by day!!

The Race

Did you catch that little statement about the 5K?  I ran one this weekend!  My best friend convinced me to sign up with her, and since it was a) on a Saturday and b) benefiting a Christian school that our friends helped start, I decided to do it.

The verdict?  It wasn't too bad, but I probably won't be signing up for one on my own.  I had a lot of fun because my friend was there, and we got to hang out before and after the race.  If she wanted to do another one, I'd sign up in a heartbeat. 

The day was perfect for a race--cool but sunny--and the route itself wasn't too bad ( a little sandy at the beginning, but a nice flat stretch for the second half).  Still, I had to run, and the race part didn't get me that much more excited than I usually am (not much).  My goal was to finish in under 30 minutes, which I totally did (by 30 seconds).  If I wanted to go much faster than that, I'd have to do some training, which I don't really want to do.  I'm still content to do my 30 minutes, three times a week.  :)

A runner, I guess

It's been a year since I downloaded the first podcast of "Couch to 5K."  For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's an 8 week running program designed for absolute novices.  I wasn't an absolute novice, but I think the last time I had gone running was in college.  There was one summer in high school where I ran regularly, but even in college, I was an occasional runner. 

It started when my friend Beth kept talking about how much she loved running.  Like me, she was an 'I hate running' kind of person, and then all of a sudden, she started singing its praises.  She told me about this program she did, and how now she loved running, and she was going to start training for a 10K next.  I was almost 1 year post-baby and still hanging on to some weight, and I knew I needed to get back into exercising regularly.  Running seemed like the best option, and if I could get to the point where I'd actually like it, so much the better. 

Although Beth was my inspiration, I never could have done it without David.  He tirelessly encouraged me to keep at it (and still does)--and of course he was watching the kids the whole time I was training.  I worked my way up to 30 minutes, and while the winter was a bit touch and go, I'm still running 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week.

I wish I could say I like it, but as I was commenting to David this morning before my run, I can't think of one time where I was excited to go running.  But I still go, helped by the fact that my definition of a good run is one where I get out the door.  :)  So I guess that makes me a runner. 

More Running

You may remember my somewhat facetious post about running with a jogging stroller.  Although I could go running at night now that it's summer, I still prefer getting it over in the morning.  I get a whole two days to enjoy marking it off my list, instead of dreading it all day and wondering if I'll have enough energy after supper.  Running with the kids has also been a better workout--I think I've lost a few pounds since I started doing three miles with them.  It helps that I've changed my route a little.  I was doing a loop that included a rather steep hill two times, but facing that hill twice was pretty daunting.  Now I head up the street for my second mile, which means my return trip is almost all down hill.  The only downside I've really noticed is that I tend to get stitches in my side more often with the stroller, but it's not too bad.  Finally, I think it's good for the kids to see that staying healthy is a priority, and it's nice to get them outside, even if they're in the stroller. 

Take Your Running to the Next Level

Do you feel like your exercise routine is lacking?  Are you tired of just running longer, or faster?  Let me suggest an excellent way to take your running to the next level:

Pros:
--double or triple the workout!
--legit reason to walk at any time (see above)
--plenty of room for water, keys, phone, and music device.
--if you think 50 lbs of kid isn't enough, you can add some weights in the bottom
--stares of amazement as you power up the steep hill (or possibly they think you are crazy)
--added arm and shoulder workout from twitching the stroller back and forth on the path
--great momentum on the downhill (hand brake a must)

Cons:
--you are pushing two kids in a double jogging stroller...enough said.

Running

I suppose I'm a runner, in that I go running on a fairly regular basis.  I've been considering doing a 5k for a while...well, since last August when I started running.  David says I don't want to do it because I won't win (which I definitely wouldn't).  For some reason, he thinks I'm a perfectionist?  Anyway, the real reason (I think) is because I don't like running very much.  It's hard enough for me to step out my door and go running, much less DRIVE somewhere, try to find a parking spot, and jostle around with other people, JUST so I can run.
I had really hoped that running would get easier at some point, or maybe I'd like it more.  Don't get me wrong, it feels good after I've gone running, and I know I need to be exercising regularly.  But my absolute most favorite feeling is when I wake up the next day and remember that I don't have to go running.  I've come to realize that it probably won't get easier, and I probably won't get to liking it more, and I'm totally fine with being a strictly 30-min, I just run for the exercise kind of person.  So I'm not sure a 5k is in my future anymore, unless it starts down the street from us.
After all, I'm plenty busy running a different sort of race...one that doesn't necessarily get easier, but one I'm liking a whole lot right now.  (Cue GT and the Halo Express, Hebrews 12:1-2)