Race Bling

I am impressed.  My Turkey Trot medal came in the mail a couple of days ago and its quality far exceeded what I expected!  It's heavy, solid and quite snazzy lookin'.  At least, I think so.  Here, my medal and I bond while we take a selfie (duo-ie?  Together-ie?) together (please ignore the trash can and dog house in the background):

The front of the medal:

The back: 

I claimed a corner of our mudroom as my Race Wall.  I've got two of my Mt. Marathon bibs hanging up (I've lost the other two, unfortunately), and the bib from a 5K I ran in August.  Plus, the medal from the same 5K and my Turkey Trot medal.  Eventually, I want that wall plastered in bibs and medals!

In one month, I'll have another medal and bib for my wall.  I'll be in Riverside, California, running this (half-marathon) race: Citrus Heritage Run.  I'm really, really looking forward to it!  Besides it being my first half-marathon race, my best friend from Alaska will be running it with me.  I haven't seen her in SIX LONG months and I've missed her desperately!  It will be an epic Girls' Weekend.  :)

My run yesterday was a slow 4 miles.  It felt wonderful.  I felt light and energetic and it was so warm outside!  About 50 degrees!  At 6 a.m.!  I am NOT missing Alaskan temperatures.  Or the snow.

Today I rode my stationary bike while I watched "House Hunters" episodes on Netflix.  A good way to start the day, I'd say.

I hope you're all having a fantastic day!  Get out and run!  Or at least work up a good sweat, somehow.  :)

Jillian Michaels made fun of me...

A few days ago, I decided to give Level 2 of my Jillian Michaels DVD a try...

...and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  At least, not at first.  Then I woke up the next morning (and the next morning!) and my legs and arms felt rather heavy.  And a bit sore.  I was ecstatic!  I love knowing that I'm stronger than I was!  I had to do the modified version of a couple of the exercises, but it was a great workout and I'm excited to get to the point where I can do Level 2 completely unmodified and not wake up sore the next morning.  

A couple of times during the workout, when the moves were especially challenging, Jillian said things like, "You wanted to do Level 2!  Alright, then, here's Level 2!"  I enjoyed her friendly trash-talk.  :)  

I didn't go on a long run yesterday.  I missed it.  I think running four times in a row in Idaho Falls last week was a little hard on my hip and right foot, since I haven't been running that many days per week in a really long time.  I've got a slight case of plantar fasciitis in my right foot, but I have found a stretch that seems to be healing it!  It's called Toes Pose.  Check it out if you're similarly pained!  

I felt so tired and sluggish last week, for some reason.  After taking an extra rest day and not running as much as usual, I'm looking forward to some good, hard workouts this next week.  

I hope you're all enjoying the Christmas season!  

Our dog, Olly, and our Christmas tree.  

Resolutions and Races

I am a fan of making New Year's resolutions.  I love the "clean slate" feeling that a new year brings.  I feel the same sense of possibility at the beginning of each month.  It certainly appeals to the rampant perfectionist in me: "Well, last month didn't go as I'd planned, but this month, watch out!"    Part of me honestly believes that eventually, I'll achieve a "perfect" month.  Perfect, for me, is based on arbitrary standards that I've somehow formulated in my mind over the years.  It's nonsense, mostly, and just one of the many Jess quirks I'm learning how to deal with.

Regardless of how I sometimes twist reality, I believe that setting goals is important.  There is something in us that yearns to progress.  To become better.  So, I set New Year's resolutions.  But there is one resolution that I am sick of setting.  Every year, I think: "This year, I will finally lose the extra weight on my body!"  I did in 2008.  It was awesome.  And not because finally reaching my goal size made all my problems disappear or my life easier, but because I wasn't, for once, wishing I was a smaller size.  I wasn't spending time thinking about how I could/should lose weight.  It really surprised me how it opened me up to focusing on other much more important things.  And while I truly believe that we need to love ourselves and our bodies now, in order to attain anything resembling true joy, I think there is a lot to be said for feeling and looking your best.  And when I say "best", I mean the weight at which you are healthy (not Victoria Secret model skinny!), at which you feel energized and at peace in your skin.  You can be happy in your body, whatever your size or shape, but I believe that when you truly love your body, you naturally take better care of it and you will eventually land at your healthy weight.  I could go on and on...but I'll spare you.

(http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/wh6_uploads/images/diet-exercise-wl-art.jpg)

The point of my weight-related ramblings is that I decided a couple of months ago that I would arrive at January 1st having already lost some weight.  That I would hit that date having already begun treating my body better.  That I would make it through the holidays without gaining a pound and actually lose a bit 'o weight.  And that I would use that momentum to carry me through the dreary days of January and onward to my goals.  And I have!  Only about four pounds, but I'm thrilled with that.  I care far more about how my clothes fit than the number on the scale and that's slowly improving, too.  Through the help of a few like-minded friends with the same goal, I'm making steady forward progress.

How am I doing this?  Well, besides Halloween, I didn't eat any desserts/treats/candy, etc. from Oct. 27 - Nov. 27 (I am not saying that this is what you should do!  I am only sharing what has been working for me).  I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted on Thanksgiving (and for three days afterwards - oops), but once December came, I was back on the proverbial bandwagon.  December is a difficult month for me to abstain from joy.  I mean, treats.  :)  December 11th is Tyler's birthday; December 20th is Tess' birthday;  December 22nd is our anniversary; and then, of course, there's the usual celebrations and the feasting that accompanies them.  So, for now, I'm abstaining until Tyler's birthday.  While many would counsel not taking such a black-and-white approach to eating, it works for me.  I've tried simply being moderate and I end up eating waaaayyy more than I even want to.  My perfectionist personality does well with this kind of a program.

I am also trying to eat more slowly and to actually taste what I'm putting in my mouth.  Allowing myself to experience the food, to pay attention to it, makes me feel much less deprived.

I'm also trying to find other sources of joy, besides food.  I turn to food when I want to celebrate, when I'm sad, bored, lonely, unhappy, happy, breathing, sitting down, standing up, etc.  And it's so immediate!  And I am not a patient person.

One way I'm keeping myself motivated in the exercise department is with races.  There is another virtual race coming up, if anyone out there is interested in running it.  This Resolution Run might help you, too, if you're looking for a way to exercise more or to keep yourself focused during the holiday season.  Plus, you can "race" me!  :)

Hopefully, I haven't bored any of you that actually read this entire post to tears.  This is a topic that I feel passionate about and it's hard for me to only say a little bit about it.  Maybe I need to do a series of posts?  Or at least one about how it's SO much harder to lose weight after three kids, when you're 35, as opposed to after only two kids and you're 27.  I don't know.  I thought that if any of you struggle like I do, perhaps it helps to hear that you're not alone.  That you can achieve your goals.  Truly.

10K Turkey Trot

On Thanksgiving morning, I ran a rather unconventional Turkey Trot on my in-laws' treadmill.  It was a virtual race, organized by Vacation Races.  On their website, www.vacationraces.com, it explains exactly what a virtual race is and allows you to register for upcoming events.  They also host non-virtual races, like the Zion Half Marathon I'm running in March.  

I registered for the Turkey Trot on-line, choosing the 10K distance (the other option was a 5K).  They sent me a t-shirt about a week before the race and I should be getting my finisher's medal in the mail in a week or two, now that I've reported my race results.  No, they don't ask you to prove or verify your time.  'Tis simply assumed that you will be honorable.  

Initially, I wanted to run the 6.2 miles in 60 minutes or less.  Once I realized that I wouldn't be able to manage that at 4700 ft. above sea level, my goal became anything under an 11-minute-per-mile pace.  And I did it!  Barely.  :)  My time was 66:23.  I distracted myself while I ran with re-runs of "Say Yes to the Dress" and was a sweaty mess by the end.  Tyler and Tess came to cheer me on at one point and Tyler took this lovely picture of me (I'm resisting the very strong urge to point out all my "flaws"):

I ran in my father-in-law's "man cave".  He was a colonel in the Air Force when he retired after 27 years of service, hence the Air Force/America-themed quilts (my mother-in-law is a crazy-talented quilter!).  On the other side of the room was a gun safe and the spot where he does...gun stuff.  I think it has something to do with reloading.  :)  

After my race, some walking to cool down, stretching, and a much-needed shower, I donned my Turkey Trot shirt and got ready to eat!  Don't worry...I wore pants, too.  

I enjoyed this "race" experience, but I realize that I much prefer the real thing.  Having people around me to chase/race lights my competitive fire much more effectively than a clock.  Plus, I love being at a race and feeling like I am part of a big, happy, supportive running community.  It's energizing and inspiring.  

Altitude is Everything!

For Thanksgiving, we drove from our home in Olympia, Washington to Idaho Falls, Idaho.  And back again.  822 miles in a car.  Each way.  With three children.  And I survived!  Honestly, my girlies are great travelers.  There was only a minimum of whining, an expected amount of bickering and I only remember cursing three times.  Not too shabby.  Mother of the Year award, here I come!  Ha.  Though the time in the car eventually made me feel like this...

...it was well worth it!  We thoroughly enjoyed relaxing and catching up with our friends and family and eating waaaayyyy too much very delicious food.

We stayed at Tyler's parents' house and they graciously let me run on their treadmill.  Running outside in the wintertime in Idaho Falls is a cold and windy prospect and Olympia has already softened me.  Barely six months out of Alaska and my blood seems to already be thinning.  But I digress.

On Wednesday, I hopped on their treadmill, ready to pound out an easy four miles.  I thought I'd keep the pace around eleven minutes per mile.  I was going to be running a virtual 10K Turkey Trot the next morning (more on that later), so I didn't want to push myself too hard.  About half a mile into my run, I was DYING!  It felt so hard!  I only had the incline at 2.5 %, so I couldn't figure out why I was struggling so much.  Finally, a mile or so later, it occurred to me.  The elevation of Idaho Falls: 4700 ft.  Elevation of Olympia: 187 feet.  Well, duh.  And just like that, my time goal for the aforementioned 10K went up dramatically.  It also made me realize that I'm going to have to lower my expectations for a half marathon that I'll be running in March near Zion National Park.  Elevation of Zion National Park: 4000 ft.  Dangit.  But it's a good reminder that what really matters when it comes to my runs is not how fast I finish them, but that I do them at all.  That even though my "easy" four-mile-run was much harder than I had thought it would be, I didn't give up.  I powered through it.  I got stronger.  And yes, I could've slowed down, but my pride didn't let me that day.  Regardless of my speed, each of my runs is an accomplishment in and of itself.  And they each help minimize the damage inflicted by too many pieces of pumpkin pie.  And apple pie.  And, and, and, etc.  :)

This is not to say that I won't soon be googling, "How to prepare for high-altitude races when you're stuck training at sea level"...anyone out there have any good advice?

Happy Almost Thanksgiving!!!

So, tonight we leave to make the 817-mile-drive to Idaho Falls, ID.  We'll be celebrating Turkey Day with my in-laws and we're all anxious to get there and start partying!  

I may be blogging later on this week (I'll be doing a rather unconventional Turkey Trot), but if I don't check in with you all before then, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  

My First Olympian Catcalls

I continuously ran farther this morning than I have in, well, years.  8.3 miles!  The last time I came even close was April 2013 when I ran 8 miles in 8 degree weather (oh, Alaska...).  A couple of weeks later I found out that I was pregnant with Miss Tess and quickly became waaaayyy to sick to walk, let alone run.

This run was tough in spots...miles 3 and 4 took forever.  Otherwise, though, I felt pretty good.  I am now considering myself "baptized" into running in the Pacific Northwest.  It poured rain during the entirety of my run and I came back soaked.  Also, I received my first two catcalls as an Olympian. Truly, a landmark day.  :)  The first one was some guy yelling something I couldn't at all understand as he drove past.  I'm going to assume he said, "Wow!  You're amazing!  Keep it up, you hot thing, you!"  The second was some enthusiastic honking and waving from two car-bound dudes speeding past.  I didn't recognize them, so I'm going to assume that they were also overcome with amazement at my beauty and tough-ness.  Perhaps I should do a post on humility.  Or positive affirmations?  Ha.

This was also the first time I ate anything during a long run.  I need to figure out what works for my body before I attempt my first half-marathon in January (more on that later).  I plan on trying some Gu and similar "foods", but today I ate a pack of fruit snacks.  I started eating them after running for about 50 minutes.  I think they helped me feel less tired during my run.  Also, when I do long runs, I almost always end up with a headache later in the day, no matter how much I hydrate.  Today, though, my head feels great and I wonder if it's because I took in some food during my run so that my body wasn't quite so depleted by my efforts.  By the way, Mott's fruit snacks are delicious.  I may now be stealing them regularly from my children's school-lunch stash...

 My Maia loves me...she was still willing to pose for a pic with me, even though I was very wet and most likely stinky.  She has said, though, that I need to talk about her a lot more in my blog posts.  :)  

My previously-mentioned favorite capris.  

A friend asked me what other workout DVDs I recommend.  So, I'll show you my vast collection (alongside my favorite Thanksgiving decoration, Tom): 

The Denise Austin one is wonderful!  It consists of a 30-minute cardio yoga segment, a 15-minute strength segment, and a 15-minute abdominal work section.  For a few years now, I've just done the 30-minute segment and called it good, because it actually is a great workout!  Now that I'm really wanting to get stronger, though, I've started adding the 15-minute strength segment.  I think it is a fairly easy workout to follow.  Denise's instructions are clear and I like how positive she is.  

The Jillian Michaels DVD is awesome!  I've only done Level 1 but it completely kicks my bum.  But in a good way, if that makes any sense.  It's a kettle bell workout, but she shows you how to do the moves with a hand weight, if that's all you have.  I just this week was able to do the jumping squats while holding my kettle bell.  Before, I had to put it on the floor and the move still made my legs scream.  It's so satisfying seeing tangible progress (I started doing this workout once a week about three months ago)!  Slowly, but surely, I am getting stronger.  Yippee!  

I hope you are all having a fantastic Saturday!  Tonight is date night "in" with my man: Papa Murphy's pizza and a movie.  Ahhhh, yeah.  

My current schedule

Right now, this is what my exercise schedule looks like:

Monday: strength training DVD, followed by 15 to 20 minutes on my stationary bicycle.

Tuesday: running outside, usually around 3 miles.

Wednesday: 45 minutes to an hour on my stationary bicycle.

Thursday: running outside, usually 3 to 4 miles.

Friday: strength training DVD, followed by 15 to 20 minutes on my stationary bicycle.

Saturday: long run outside.

Sunday: REST...ahhhhhh.  :)

On the days that I run, I follow that with planks and push-ups.  I usually do push-ups after riding my stationary bike, too, on the days that I don't do a strength training DVD.  Currently, I'm up to two 75-sec. planks, one of which I do with toe taps (simply picking up one foot about a foot off the ground and then switching feet - if that's confusing, let me know and I'll explain it better).  Planks are amazing!  I loathe, hate and despise crunches, so when I realized that planks work all of my abdominal muscles in one move, I was thrilled!  Adding planks to my routine has made a big difference in how I feel during and after my runs.  It is easier to maintain good running form when I'm tired at the end of my long runs.  I've also noticed that my hip and lower back almost never bother me since I began doing planks regularly.  And, thrill of thrills, the other day I put my hands on my waist and realized that I could feel MUSCLES under my chubbies!  I was so thrilled!  And I owe it all to planks.  :)

I also have always hated push-ups, but I believe they're a great way to gain strength that translates to faster and more efficient running.  Plus, they help make your arms look damn good.  :)  I decided that I would begin by doing ONE push-up after each of my runs.  Pitiful, I know.  But these would be "dude push-ups", as Tyler calls them, up on my toes, and one of those sounded totally manageable.  Each week, I added one push-up to how many I would do.  I'm now up to 12 push-ups.  After I do 12, I go halfway down and hold that position for a slow count of 10.  That kills me!  But, I'm thrilled that I'm definitely stronger than I was.

***I should take a moment to make it clear that I am not a personal trainer.  I have no certifications or qualifications in that area of expertise (although, I think I may pursue that someday when Miss Tess is bigger...we'll see).  I am only sharing what works for me and in no way think that what I do to work out is what everyone should do.  I read Women's Running and Runners' World and have spent many hours researching all these topics, but that certainly doesn't make me an expert and I want to make sure I'm not misleading anybody.  So, take any and all "advice" I may dish out with a grain of salt, eh?

Today's workout was 30 minutes of strength training, courtesy of the lovely trainers at The Biggest Loser:

I've only used this DVD eight or nine times, but I like it.  So far, I've only done the Level 1 workout, so as I get stronger, I'll let you know what I think of Levels 2 and 3.  My one complaint is that Jillian goes through some of the exercises too fast.  I use another of her DVDs regularly, Shred-It With Weights, and I love the speed of that one.  It's a kettle bell workout and it kicks my bum EVERY time I do it!  It's slowly getting easier, though, so I think I may ramp it up to Level 2 in the next week or two.  

Normally, like I mentioned above, I hop on my stationary bicycle for fifteen or twenty minutes after I do a strength training DVD.  But after a rough night with Tess, I slept in as late as I could without having to skip my workout completely.  

I would like to run more than 3 days a week, but for right now, I think this is the optimal set-up to help prevent injuries.  I have a tendency to give in to my pride and run harder than I should (hence, my past injuries), so sticking to a routine with this much cross-training is currently working well for me.  

And now I'm going to go and make this for dinner: 

http://www.therunnersplate.com/2010/07/26/salmon-chowder/

It is SO delicious!  Also, the blog it is found on (www.therunnersplate.com) is a wonderful running blog.  I've met the author, Michelle, once and she's lovely.  I highly recommend reading it!  She recently had her first baby and he's completely darling.  

Later, all!

Pleased to Meet You!

Last night I sat at my kitchen table, my laptop open in front of me, and wrestled with one of my many demanding demons: my tendency to over-think EVERYTHING.  I had finally decided that I would give birth to a running-ish blog and I figured I needed an introductory post.  You know, something that tells the world who I am and why I began this blog.  But it had to be perfect (enter another one of my dominant demons) and witty and brilliant and hilarious and blah, blah, blah.  So silly.  I decided to instead just start writing and my rather stream-of-consciousness first post emerged.  However, I still think introductions and an explanation are in order:

My name is Jessica Anne Nelsen, but I prefer to be called Jess.  My maiden name is Nelson.  I married a Tyler and my brother is Taylor.  Yes, I occasionally mix up their names.  I'm sure they love that.  :)  I am 35 years old and will have been married to my man for fifteen years on December 22, 2014.  We are the proud parents of three darling daughters, Maia (11), Madison (8) and Tess (she will be one on December 20, 2014).  We moved from Anchorage, AK to Olympia, WA in June of this year in order for me to escape the Alaskan winters.  I was beyond tired of seven to eight months of winter and the isolation that Alaska imposes.  Perhaps I will blog about that another time.  I don't feel like I can sum up my feelings about Alaska and this move in a few mere sentences.  I will say, though, that I miss my friends and family in Anchorage to the point of pain.  Moving away from the only place that has ever felt like home sucks, even when it's a move you're mostly excited about.  But I digress...

I have been running since the 7th grade.  I began running during the 20-minute run/walk every Friday in P.E. in order to impress a boy that I had a crush on, Joel Brandt.  :)  Up until that time, I was a shy, chubby kid that excelled in school but had had no previous athletic success.  After a little while, I realized that I wasn't too bad at this running thing.  And I liked it.  So, I joined the track team and I haven't stopped running since.  Running gave me a new-found confidence, burned off the last of my "baby fat" and was the reason I met some of the best friends I've ever had.  The highlight of my running "career" was my Freshman year of high school.  I made the Varsity XC team and felt pretty darn cool.  Unfortunately, I never made Varsity again, but I was always a solid runner that finished close to my Varsity-worthy teammates.  I ran four years of XC and track (the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter events).  Since high school, I have continued to run for fun and in order to lose or maintain my weight.  My three pregnancies and a couple of random injuries (plantar fasciitis and a hip issue) are the only times that I had to give up running for extended periods of time.  I hate not being able to run.  It makes me inordinately grumpy.  My favorite type of running is trail running.  Specifically, I love running up mountains.  Olympia has failed me in that regard, but having to only wear two layers on top this morning for a mid-November run felt pretty damn amazing, so I'll forgive my new home.  

As for why I decided to write this blog...well, I have been feeling for a long time now that the blog-world needs more "average" voices.  Most of us will never be even remotely like Kara Goucher or Shalane Flanagan.  We will never have corporate sponsors or win trophies or set age-group records.  And while I love following the careers of these and other elite runners and wish them only the best, it's easy to feel I'm not worth much as an athlete when I don't look or run like those speedy women.  Other running blogs that I've read, and mostly love (especially HungryRunnerGirl.com.  Janae is awesome!), are great sources of inspiration and information but are still about very speedy, very thin runners.  And while I truly believe that "comparison is the thief of joy", I still wished I could hear more about the average runners like me.  Moms like me that struggle to find a balance between fitness and the needs of my family.  And I hate that I find myself saying things like, "I'm a runner, but I'm super slow!" as if I have to qualify it.  As if it's arrogant of me to say only that I'm a runner.  I hate that I feel embarrassed about telling people my run times unless I follow it up by making sure they know I know that it's NOT impressive.  So, I'm going to put it all out there, warts and all.  I'll tell you how fast I run, how much I weigh, my dress size, etc.  Not because I think anyone is dying to know these things, but because it shouldn't be something any woman (or man!) is ashamed of sharing.  And I especially want to be a cheerleader for all women.  And all women runners.  I like hearing the stories of how other people set and achieve their goals, despite their struggles.  They always inspire me.  So, as self-centered as this might sound, I hope to inspire others, too.  I'm sure that the shape of this blog will change a lot over time (my thoughts are all over the place right now), but for now I want it to be at least a tiny bit entertaining and a little bit motivating: "Well, if SHE can do it..."  So, set goals and go after what you love.  And celebrate every step in the right direction, no matter how small.

Pre-Dawn Running

I wake up every weekday morning at 5:30 a.m.  I then energetically reset my alarm for 5:45 a.m. while muttering mainly unintelligible words.  Usually, "hell" and "damn" make an appearance, as they are staples of my pre-dawn vocabulary.  What feels like two seconds later, 5:45 a.m. arrives and I shuffle from my bed to the bathroom to begin my transformation from disheveled, sleepy mama to disheveled bad-ass runner.  Two necessary components: my favorite capris, and two sports bras (my post-nursing "girls" are about as sexy as it gets; think empty oven mitts).  I strap on my trusty Garmin Forerunner 305 (think 90's-era cell phone), my Brooks trail running kicks and head out the door.  

Now comes my least favorite part of my workout: a five-minute warm-up walk through what I affectionately call the Avenue of Rape/Murder.  Since we live in Thurston County, but not in any of the cities within Thurston County, street lights are few and far between.  I spend this walk in the DARK looking much like Bambi's mother when she first gets to the meadow.  I try to appear both alert and intimidating so that any enterprising perverts won't view me as a worthy target.  Invariably, I have the same discussion with myself:

Me: Would any would-be rapists/murderers really bother hanging out in the usually wet bushes and trees lining this stretch of road at 6 a.m.?  

Still Me: Probably not...but what if they've noticed the regularity of my runs and have decided that I am an easy target?  

More Me: You're being over-dramatic.  Again.  But perhaps you should take advantage of this time to try and make yourself right with God.  

So far, I have survived every walk.  It probably helps my body warm up faster, anyway, since my heart rate is certainly elevated.

Sidenote: Tyler wishes I would run with protection, like mace, or preferably, a gun.  Maybe he's right.  But I hate the idea of holding/wearing anything more.  And honestly, I'm convinced that I'd probably just accidentally mace or shoot myself.  Let's hope these are not famous last-ish words.  I do wear a bright light that attaches to the back of my shoe, however, and a Saucony jacket that has light-up strips on the back and front, as well as reflective stripes.  I figure I'm more likely to be hit by a car than attacked by an early-rising pervert.

Pre-run this morning (I'm not sure what I'm doing with my right hand).  I really do love this Saucony jacket.  It is water repellent (essential for running in the Pacific NW) and blocks the wind wonderfully.  It's a bit pricey, but well worth it, I think!  

Then my run begins!  This morning, I ran 4 miles at an average pace of 10:05/mile.  And I had to really push myself to achieve those splits.  See?  I am a tortoise.  

Almost all of my runs take me over a narrow bridge that has no shoulder or sidewalk (if I run in the other direction, there are even fewer street lights).  I have to run where the cars drive for about 50 yards.  Once I make it past the Bridge of Probable Death, though, I cross into Tumwater (about a mile from my house) and there are street lights and a sidewalk!  [Sigh of relief]

At this point, you may be wondering what the hell is wrong with me that I choose to do this at least two mornings a week (the other days I cross-train at home and my Saturday run usually starts at a less-dangerous hour).  I don't know that I have an especially eloquent answer.  All I know for sure is that I NEED to run.  I like nourishing this part of who I am.  I like who I am when I run regularly.  So does my family, I'm pretty sure.  Speaking of them, I have to brag about how supportive my husband is of my running addiction.  I run in the mornings because I have an 11-month-old baby girl (besides my 11-year-old and 8-year-old daughters) and my runs only get to happen when Tyler is home.  This means that while I am trying to survive my runs, he is cleaning a little bum and filling a little belly.  I generally get back after he has showered and I shower while he makes breakfast for our big girls and makes their sandwiches for their lunches.  I am a lucky woman.  I'm convinced that he is motivated at least in part by self-preservation, however.  He knows that I am much nicer to live with when I regularly run.

Besides the danger, real and imagined, of my pre-dawn runs, they are also beautiful.  I regularly run under a sky filled with stars.  By the end of my runs, the sky is lightening and turning the whole world a smoky gray with silver and gold streaks.  And by the time I return to the Avenue of Rape/Murder, it has transformed into the much more welcoming Avenue of Minor Assault/Maiming.  I get to return to my cozy home having already accomplished something significant.  For a few miles, I was only Jess.  I wasn't Mama or someone that anyone needed but myself.  And that's worth more than the sleep I miss.