Running
This is one of those posts that I don’t know where to put – here because it’s fitness-related or over on tinysneakers because it’s parenting-related. It’s both!
I decided the running won over the strollering, for the sake of categorizing this, but it’s exciting on both fronts. Katie from Mom’s Little Running Buddies has organized the first National Stroller Running Day on November 8th.
There are lots of ways to get involved {namely by running with a stroller – shocker}:
- Head over to RunStrollerRun and find a stroller friendly race in your area! Sign up and enjoy with your little running buddies.
- Set out on your own, push, pull, walk or run with your little buddies.
- Organize a local run and get together with your local community of runners. Encourage everyone to bring a pack of diapers to donate to your charity of choice.
- Sign up to participate in the next Moms-in-Training program in your area.
Chime in on social media with the hashtag #StrollerRun14 then check in here for a chance to win some awesome prizes. {But don’t check in too much, I want to win. 
} There will also be a Twitter party on November 4th at 8 pm EST.
Sponsors include: BOB Strollers, Fit4Mom, New Balance and more!
Do you run with a stroller? Which one? I still don’t have one that works for us …
Training
This past Sunday, my mom and I completed a sprint triathlon together.
If it hadn’t been for the desire to go on this adventure with her, I more than likely wouldn’t have shown up at the crack of dawn that morning. To say I was unprepared is a drastic understatement — a broken toe had derailed my training and a busy summer without childcare more than disrupted my regular gym routine.
I’ve often joked about how chasing after a toddler all day long is a workout in itself, but this shows it truly is.
Thoughts
For the next 2 weeks I’ll be participating in Bliss & Aveeno’s Beautiful Change Challenge. It includes a series of four challenges focused on renewing and revamping my beauty routine.
*scccreeeetttcchhhhhhh*
Hold up.
My beauty routine? I’m pretty sure most of you know I don’t have one. But a big part of my life right now is figuring out who I am and want to be outside of being a mom. Now that I’ve officially graduated from “new mom” status, it’s time to remember what it’s like being a wife, friend, and late 20-something girl. It’s the little things that make a difference. They’re also the easiest to let slip away. I’m perfectly comfortable letting my neighbors see me at noon in my pj’s or going to the grocery store without a stitch of make up on, but it’s also nice to feel cleaned up and pretty and put together. Sometimes taking a few minutes to pull yourself together is all it takes to make you feel like you can tackle the world…or at least the day.
The first task bestowed upon the participants for the Beautiful Change Challenge is to focus on cutting down the time you spend primping in front of the mirror in the morning and spend that time on something more productive, like heading to the gym, making breakfast, or simply catching a few extra zzz’s. I’m going to redefine the challenge just a bit: GET a morning routine. A 3 minute morning routine. 3 minutes I can spare- the rest of the time I can continue to use more productively.
I leap reluctantly crawl out of bed before the sun even thinks about making an appearance in the morning, awakened to the sounds of a baby crying for his mama. From that moment until his morning nap 3 or 4 hours later, it’s all about him. I nurse him, then make and feed him breakfast. Change his diaper, get him dressed. Play with blocks, read books, give him a snack. And so on and so forth. On school days I consider myself lucky to make it to drop off wearing a snot-free, clean hoodie.
But since I’ve given up being a martyr mom and not taking time for myself, I’m also challenging myself to put myself together for the day- before the day is half over. It doesn’t need to be more than 5 minutes, but brushing my hair, swiping on my favorite BB cream and some mascara, and putting on clean, non-pajama clothes will be a big change for me- a good change, I’d say. 
A note from a Aveeno, the sponsor of the Beautiful Change Challenge:
Now, it’s actually healthy to wash your hair every day. AVEENO® PURE RENEWAL lets you renew your hair to its naturally balanced state daily. Unlike ordinary shampoos, these sulphate-free formulas have Balancing Seaweed Extract; bringing hair back to its naturally healthy, most balanced state with each wash, for beautifully healthy-looking hair.
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Aveeno via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Aveeno.
Do you take time to put yourself together in the morning? What does your morning beauty routine look like?
Other
Today is one of the best days of the year. It’s like Christmas. Only a 1,000 times better.
Today my mom celebrates 15 years cancer free. That’s a BIG DEAL.
Unfortunately cancer is all too widespread of a disease. This is a celebration that not everybody that has faced cancer gets to have. But my mom does, and I’m grateful for that every single minute of every single day.
Depending on how long you’ve been reading SoS, you might have picked up on the not-so-secret fact that my mom is my most favorite person in the entire world and I have no idea how I would function without her.
Fifteen years ago, I thought cancer meant getting to ride the school bus home for the very first time because mommy didn’t have to work. Cancer meant friends coming to visit bearing gifts of frozen grape slushies. I don’t think I even began to understand cancer was a bad thing until nurses dragged me out of her hospital room, banning me from visiting for 3 days. I thought they were just mean. I didn’t understand I was too young to be exposed to the radioactive iodine coursing through her blood.
Fast-forward 15 years, and thankfully my mom is healthy and cancer free, though a pill every morning is a daily reminder of what she’s been through. And now she’s signing up to do something else amazing: she’s going to her ride her bike for 24 hours in the name of cancer. And I’m doing it with her.
To celebrate such an important anniversary, my mom and I are joining forces and committing to raising $2,000 and participating in a 24 hour cycling event: 24 Hours of Booty.
If you’re wondering how I’m possibly going to cycle for 24 hours- this isn’t about me, it’s about my mom. I’m just her support system. My mom is a volunteer on the steering committee for the event. She’s been talking about it for awhile, and kept asking if I was going to participate. I kept pushing off signing up because of my injury. Then one day when she asked me again, she hinted that she might do the ride herself.
But she didn’t sign up either. I got the feeling she was scared. My mom doesn’t do stuff like this. She’ll be the first one to cheer you on from the sidelines, but do it? Not her.
I finally figured it out. I called her, and said “I’m in. Let’s do this.” Not 2 minutes later, she was signed up and registered as a team captain. It’s not my event- it’s hers.
I’m going to do everything I can to ride as much as possible. (See why I’ve been such a good patient?!) But in case I run into knee trouble, I have a backup plan. I’m also volunteering at the event. When I’m not riding, I’ll be volunteering. I’ll also be volunteering the week leading up to the event. We’ll have a tent and sleeping bags, but I’m not sure how much action they’ll see. 😉
Devastatingly, all too many people reading this probably have a similar story, and that idea alone breaks my heart. 24 Hours of Booty is working to change that. All the money raised by the event will go towards fighting cancer, cancer research, and cancer support. The event my mom and I will be doing at the end of August supports the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which you’ve likely heard of, and the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, which supports young adults dealing with cancer.
If you’d like join us in our celebration of 15 cancer-free years, and the fight to end cancer, you can do so by donating to our team, Holy, Cancer Batman! (Yeah, that’s all my mom- I told you she was awesome.)
Click Logo to Donate
*Donations made through secured PayPal transaction services. All donations will be collected & sent in one payment to 24 Hours of Booty.
I’ll be rocking a shirt for my mom. If you donate and would like me to add someone’s name, just let me know. Please donate before August 14th!
Thank you for reading 🙂
