New Balance Fresh Foam Review

I have had the pleasure over the last few years to make friends with the good people at Onlineshoes.com.  Through our partnership my feet have been blessed to test out some amazing shoes.

These New Balance Fresh Foam shoes are AMAZING!!  Check them out HERE.  When they arrived about a month ago I couldn't wait to lace them up.. I didn't think about how it had been raining non-stop for days... My beautiful new shoes took on mud as we tried to side-step the puddle that covered the trail. I realized pretty quickly that these are nor trail shoes or very water resistant.

Since that day I have worn these shoes out countless times running errands and for runs around the neighborhood.  They are light weight, comfortable, fit my foot great which is nice because I have wide feet and they look pretty darn cool. 

These shoes are a Summer style for me, I look forward to wearing these on steaming Summer runs.  The shoes is very breathable and has lots of cushion.  I have purchased 2 tanks and a sweatshirt to match the shoes which shows you how much I love them...I am funny like that.

In regular shoes I wear a 10 wide.. I wear a 10.5 in this shoe and it fits perfect.  I would say it runs very true to size and the toe box is not overly narrow which makes my feet happy.

DETAILS from Online Shoes:

Wearing the New Balance W980 Fresh Foam athletic shoe, you can feel the science of softness with Fresh Foam technology, a performance midsole compound that delivers soft, plush cushioning to runners seeking a lower, more natural underfoot feel. This women's trainer features a minimal, no-sew mesh and synthetic upper with a lightly padded collar for extra cushioning around the ankle. A blown rubber outsole provides durability and supportive cushioning to the New Balance 980 running shoe, ensuring an incredibly soft, incredibly stable ride for mile after mile.

• 4mm heel-to-toe drop
• Air mesh upper
• Blown rubber outsole
• Competitor Magazine "Best Ride" award
• Fresh Foam
• Lace entry

• Lightly padded collar and tongue
• No-sew material application
• REVlite®
• Running Network "Best Neutral Shoe" award
• Weight: 7.8 oz. / 206g

With Free Shipping, Free exchanges and Free online returns Online shoes is the place to go to get New Balance Fresh Foam.


*Although I was given the shoes my opinion is my own.

Stick and Stones . . .

I set out on my run, 38 degrees and lightly raining, hoping to get in a few miles to prepare for a 5K run next weekend.  To save time I opted to run in my neighborhood, passing a busy baby shower and more Seahawks flags that I could count.  Ahead I saw 3 boys maybe 10-12 years old, at my pace I was bound to cross paths with them.  I sped up to avoid getting in their way, as I did I heard "nice running lardo" by one of the boys as the others laughed.  I cant 100% say they were talking to me, so I didn't turn to say anything, instead my pace quickened and I was transported back to age 13.


One of my favorite things about running is interacting with people.  In general folks will wave, pass a kind word, or flash a smile.  I have been honked at, whistled at and received other suggestive comments from men, creepy yes, but I file those in my brain as compliments.  You never know what you are going to get when you step out the door for a run.  Overall the experiences have been about 95% positive... so why is it that I remember the negative??


While playing college basketball I was at the Freethrow line and 2 guys yelled "Hey 33 you are putting a little stress on your Nikes!" They were drunk, stupid and trying to get in my head, as an athlete I had to shake that stuff off.  Today I remember that moment like it was yesterday, but I can't remember my best performances, the moments when I shined and the crowd cheered. 


The mind is a funny thing... Studies show that it takes 6 positive comments to erase 1 negative comment.  As a society we are conditioned to fixate more on the bad things that happen to us than celebrate the good.  What a BUMMER that is!! 


Words hurt whether you are 5 or 34, the sting is still the same.  I cant control what other say but I can control my reaction.  This "lardo" pushed the pace and finished strong, I took the comment and used it as fuel to push harder.  Then when I got home I talked to my 8 year old about what happened, telling him that he needs to be careful with his words and how they impact others.  Who knows if that conversation will sink in?  It is possible the mother of the kid today has uttered the same words to her son.


Here and there I say things I know I shouldn't and I realize it in the moment.  This was a healthy reminder: 1.  I need to watch my negative words because they have power  2.  I need to always say the kind things that I am thinking because people NEED to hear it.


What interactions have you had while running both positive and negative and how did it impact your performance?

Tall Mom Catching up

I used to have time to run, shower, read, relax, cuddle with my hubby, curl my hair, Blog….my time is now absorbed by a chubby cheeked little lady and I would not have it any other way.  We are living life to the fullest with 3 kiddos and doing our best to balance it all. 

Here is an update on the last few months in the Tall household.

• We visited Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast for an early Thanksgiving with my in-laws.
• Hosted Thanksgiving at our house with my family then partook in very light Black-Friday shopping including purchasing Turbo to watch for Family movie night (cute move!)
• Went on our annual trip to the Christmas Tree Farm
• I ran Santa Runs 5K with many running buddies
• Hosted Christmas at our house
• Had 2 full weeks off from work and did NOTHING bit spend time together and shop a little
• Watched the Seahawks WIN!! And lots other football.

Tall Mom: I am 5 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight and holding.  Breastfeeding is going great, although I am starving and thirsty all the time!!  I drink water like a crazy person and am still thirsty.  I am PROUD that I have been able to keep up with the breast feeding. I was not successful with the boys mainly because I hated not knowing how much food they were getting.  Little lady is a champ feeder and I love the cuddle time.  My office recently completed a Mother’s room which is so peaceful for the pumping breaks...before I was using a small office in HR which worked but was not fantastic.  I am not sure how long I will keep it up, but at this rate 1 year does not seem too tough.  My original goal was 6 months ad we are almost there!!  

When the New Year came I thought about goals a little…. I have no resolutions this year.  Being present with my kids, husband, friends, etc. is a focus for sure.  I need to put away my phone and not check Facebook every 2 seconds.  As for running and working out, I am not very motivated right now, I feel physically drained and do not like being away from the baby.  It is a struggle and that is OK.  My goal is to get back into Onederland (under 200lbs) by the time she is 1 year.  I have 12 pounds to go so I will need to get back to moving and eating better ASAP.

There are some fun local races coming up in the next few months.  I need to get registered and start training.  Having a race on the schedule is fun for me.  I REALLY loved Santa Runs this year because most of my running buddies were there, like old times.  I ran a 25:53 which is 8:21 pace and under my 26 minute goal.  I placed 8th in my age group.  The social aspect keeps me smiling; I am not shooting for PR’s these days I am shooting for PE- Personal enjoyment.  I have put in years with loads of miles, earned PR’s I will probably never hit again, run 6 Marathons, 14 Half Marathons…. I run because I enjoy it period.  This year is about finding ways to fit it in my busy life and ENJOYING the miles.

Muscle Man:  As usual my husband is AMAZING!  He has adjusted to having 3 kids magnificently.  Out little lady does not like to nap, I am unsure how he gets anything done during the day.  With the weather being a bit colder I can tell he is getting cabin fever and really wants to run and workout.  As a Seahawks fan he is on cloud nine right now.  He has a goal to run at least 1 mile every day this year.  I am supporting him 100%, so far he is 13 days in and going strong, including an unplanned 7 mile trail run where he was exploring a new area and got a little lost.. OOP!

Little Stud #1: Turned 8 in early November and wanted a small family get-together.  He is at the top of his class for reading and math.  He does not like to read which is a bummer since he is so good at it.  Our big boy is very helpful with that baby and his brother.  We have dealt with some minor jealousy issues but nothing that a little extra TLC can’t fix. 

Little Stud #2: He is doing well in school and well liked by his teacher.  This kid is always moving, twirling things in his hands and making noise at home, so I was not sure what to expect when he started Kindergarten.  It was a great surprise to hear the good things his teacher has to say.  I love the funny things that this almost 6 year old says.  He turns 6 this month and is having a Disney Planes themed party.

Minnie Me: She is about 5 1/2 months.  Her happy and smiley personality is so fun. She is sitting up unassisted and is super strong.  She loves playing with her brothers and peek-a-boo with Mommy and Daddy.  She is down to waking about once a night around 3am which works great for me.  She loves to shop with me and naps or just looks around.  

And for your enjoyment here are some fun pictures... All the best- Tall Mom

GO SEAHAWKS!!!!

TIME is flying

Wow it has been FOREVER since I have found time to Blog.  I have a few adorable reasons that have kept me away from the computer, baby girl cries whenever Mommy starts typing.  With Christmas just around the corner it is the best time for me to post my review of Watchco.com, I was contacted to review a watch of my choice, and believe me it was a TOUGH choice.  I narrowed it down to a couple brands that really stood out Citizen and TOKYObay.

I chose the Citizen Watch above- Citizen Women's Eco-Drive Sport Chronograph Stainless.  This watch is amazingly light weight, classy and easy to read.  Other than running a little big on me (I need to remove a link or two) this watch is great to wear every day. I expected this watch to be heavy and was surprised when it felt more like a bracelet. 

Watch Details:

Model Number	FB1158-55D
Gender	Womens
Display	Chronograph
Movement	Eco-Drive
Crystal	Mineral
Case Material	Stainless steel
Case Color	Silver
Case Diameter	35mm
Case Thickness	11mm
Band Width	18mm
Band Color	Silver
Band Type	Bracelet
Dial Color	Silver
Warranty	Five-year
Water Resistance	100m

What they say about their brand:

Citizen Watch Company was established in 1924. The founding fathers selected the name Citizen so it would be "close to the hearts of people everywhere", and soon after adopted the company's formal name, Citizen Watch Company.  During the last seventy-five years, Citizen has expanded its business throughout the world and has achieved recognition as a global watch brand. The past 25 year period has coincided with the company's dramatic rise to its current position as the world's largest watchmaker, a distinction Citizen has held every year since 1986.  Beyond sheer size, Citizen is also recognized as a worldwide leader in advanced technology. From the world's slimmest LCD watch to the first voice recognition watch and the world's first professional dive watch with an electronic depth sensor, Citizen's record of "world's firsts" is unmatched. More recently, Citizen Watch Company has staked out a new position as the leader in Ecologically-friendly timekeeping with its Eco-Drive collection of light- powered watches. With models ranging from dress watches to sport watches, to professional dive watches, Citizen Eco-Drive runs continuously in any kind of natural or artificial light for a lifetime use. Fueled by light, it never needs a battery.

The watch I nearly chose was from TOKYObay below-

I don't usually wear leather bands, but how cool is the look of this watch?!?!?!  Hmmm maybe Muscle Man will read this and pick up a last minute gift for me.

Head over to Watchco.com and check out their Holiday gift guide, shop with FREE shipping on orders over $50.  From kids watches, to high end amazingness you cant go wrong.

**Note- I was sent a watch for review free of charge, however my opinions are my own.

Baby Growth Week by Week

Hard to believe but our baby girl is 2 months already!!  The adjustment going from 2 kids to 3 kids has been pretty easy on me and Muscle Man, although having a baby around means much less downtime.  The boys are in love with their sister and seeing her react to them with a smile melts my heart.  What a blessing to have 3 miracles in our lives. 

I have been back to work nearly 2 weeks now.  It has been an adjustment.  I find that I am OK in the morning, but by afternoon I miss her like crazy making it difficult to focus.  I do my 'Mom Duty' in a little conference room which is a bit strange as well but I am getting used to it, it saves us money and keeps my baby girl healthy so I will keep it up.  I am TIRED by the end of the day which has put a damper on my running... Although last night I was able to bust out a PPPR- Post Pregnancy Personal Record running a 5K in our HILLY neighborhood with MM.  We finished with a 28:27, my goal was sub 30 so I was pretty thrilled. Taking baby steps to getting my speed back, for now I will push it when I have juice in the tank.

Below is photo proof of her growth, I was not great at taking photos on the exact day week by week but close enough.

1 Week- barely focusing with no hand control

2 Weeks- The sleepy stage

3 Weeks- More alert and tracking those around her

4 weeks- Seeing real smiles off and on

5 Weeks- Starting to get into a routine, she LOVES to sleep on Mommy and Daddy

6 Weeks- Really showing her personality and getting cuter by the minute

7 Weeks- Sleeping beauty loves to nap in her carseat and the jogging stroller

8 Weeks- Smiling, making eye contact and playing little games with Mommy.

I will take her 2 Month photo tonight, hoping to catch her dimple in the photo but she makes funny faces with the camera/flash come out.  For my own record here are a few more details about Minnie-Me at 2 months old.

Likes:

• Napping on Mom and Dad
• Watching her brothers play
• Her carseat
• Helping Daddy around the house in the baby carrier
• Bright colors
• Bathtime
• Her swing
• Visits from Grandma and Auntie
• Sucking on her hands

Dislikes:

• Pacifier, she may take one when she is really tired but overall she is not a fan
• Wet/dirty diaper, she wants to be changed almost immediately
• Being cold after the bath
• Going to sleep before 9:30 or 10 at night
• Waiting to be fed
• Hats, she will pull them off
• When Daddy is loud cheering on his team or sneezing
• The dark

This girl is a smiley and happy baby.  She loves to coo like she is having a conversation.  If I take my eyes off her when she is sitting with me when I look back down she will be watching me with the prettiest smile.  She does not like to cry in general, she really only fusses when she is getting tired.  If we stand up and rock her she stops almost instantly.  Her schedule is not set in stone yet but Daddy and her are getting into a rhythm during the day.  I am hoping that bedtime will be 9pm soon, in the mean time I am cherishing the extra time with her at night.

On the running front I have a 5K I may run next weekend...although I dont feel fit to race it will be fun to get back out there.  I will keep you posted if I do run.

Hope everyone is doing great... and as Ellen says "Be Kind to One Another."

Running and a 6 week update

I am so excited to write a post about RUNNING!!!!  Last week Muscle Man, me and the family recorder 13.3 miles.  I was cleared by the doctor and am feeling back to normal.

If you want to follow my training you can find me on Dailymile HERE. 

Labor Day 5K- Pace: 11:33
First post baby real run.  I pushed Minnie-Me in her carseat/jogger while Muscle Man pushed the Little studs in the double.  I am fully aware that we are well beyond the weight capacity in the jogger, but our boys are not interested in riding bikes, so we are stuck.  We stopped 3 times during the run but not because I needed to stop.

9/5 5K- Pace: 10:11
Muscle Man pushed the little ones so I got to run normal.  We kept a good pace and I pushed it the last half mile, which felt AMAZING!!

9/6 4 miles- Pace 10:23
My knee was a little sore and it was humid and muggy.  I wanted to go beyond the 5K mark so we took the long way :)

9/8 Hilly 5K- Pace 11:33
This was a Sunday so we had all the kiddos which meant 2 strollers.  We took the sidewalks in a local neighborhood with a GIANT hill.  We walked the hill which impacted our overall pace.  My quads were pretty sore after.

9/9- Pace 10:17
It was a crisp morning, we dropped both boys off at school!!  Little Stud #2 is in Kindergarten and LS#1 is in second grade.  Minnie-Me was sleeping and stayed asleep the whole run, such a good baby!!  My knee was a little sore to start but warmed up quickly.  The trail is packed with Fisheman.  We set out from Orting so we could go to the bakery after, but it is closed on Moondays, BUMMER!

First Day of school 2013

Yep 13.3 miles total last week at 6 weeks post baby!  I am very proud of that.  Staying active during pregnancy was key to being able to get back to running so quickly.  I am sad to report that next Monday I return to work... BOOOOO!!  It is going to be hard to leave Minnie-Me and I have truly enjoyed running with hubby anytime I want.  But Muscle Man is a stay at home Daddy so she will be in good hands and he said he will come visit me for lunch!!

So how is our little lady??

We went on our first shopping trip together, she slept the whole time.  she also came with me to lunch with my co-workers and slept the whole time.  And has slept the whole time on ALL of our runs... Yes she loves he carseat, which is GREAT!!

 Proof of her favorite place to sleep.  Muscle Man jokes that if he needs a break during the day he just needs to drive around the block.

This week is transition week for us.  What does that mean? A few things.  We transitioned baby to her crib, this will help me to sleep better and help so I dont wake her up when I get ready for work.  The first night was ROUGH I was very anxious, but with a few nights now I feel GREAT!  She likes her crib and needed the room since she loves to have her arms above her head.  I have a night light in her room and play white noise while she sleeps, I think it helps for her to not feel alone.  She is on a schedule to sleep for about 4.5 to 5 hours, up to nurse and be changed, back down and up about 2.5 to 3 hours later.  This schedule will work well as I would like to nurse before I leave for the day.

 

Another transition is getting her used to the bottle.  I have been pumping to get the reserves stocked but also keeping a few ounces in the fridge for Muscle Man to feed her.  I figure this will help since she will be bottle fed during the day.  She seems OK with this but it is not her favorite.

 

Moving the work clothes to transition back to work wear.  My pants are a little snug but will work.  I may be wearing dresses a lot until things tighten up again. 



I am still not 100% set on her Blog nickname but Minnie-Me works for now.  As you can see she is my little clone, matching nose, ears, lips and dimple....BUT she has Muscle Mans blue eyes!! 

Well she needs me so I better log off..

Blessing to all!!

Tall Baby 1 Month Update

1 month already!! Time has flown by and has been great.  I am really enjoying having the Summer off with my family and getting to know our little lady.  With 4 weeks left in my leave I am savoring every moment.  I am not sure what I want to do on the blog for updates for her, afterall this is a Running Blog.  Will see??  I have my 5 week checkup next week, hoping the Dr. will clear me to run, I have tried a little and felt great other than needing more support.  I had tried to get weekly photos but now am hopeful for good 1 month photos, below is my first attempt.  I plan to always have the pillow, bear and block in the photo which will really show her growth.

Photo take 8-26 at 1 month- she was a bit stunned by the flash which made for a funny face

Photo taken 8-28 after her 1 month checkup

1 Month:

Weight: 12.2 pounds 95%   Height: 24 inches 95%

Special Moments: We went on a family vacation to Lincoln City Oregon, it was awesome.  Baby slept for most of the beach trips and was a good girl overall.  Travelling with an infant is hard but we made the best of it.  I did not eat as well as I hoped but thankful for nursing I didn't gain any weight!!  It was great to relax and watch the boys explore and play.  I did not want having a baby to impact the boys summer, and this trip was key to the fun factor.

Notable Accomplishments: SMILES!!  This little lady is already starting to smile, which is amazing.  She smiles more for Muscle Man, she seems to only think about food when I talk.  She tracks with her eyes and makes great eye contact.  She loves to play with her brother on the activity mat.  LOVES her carseat which served us well when stuck in traffic on our way home 5+ hour trip!

Sleep:  We have been working on a good schedule for her, although vacation messed with it a bit.  We have found that if we keep her up from 5pm on she sleeps best, as a general rule no naps longer than 20minutes in the evening.  She likes to go down about 10PM, up around 2:30AM for a quick diaper and to eat, up again about 6:00AM, and up for the day about 8:30 or 9:00AM.  I am guessing that I will be able to reduce the feedings soon and maybe go down to once a night.  Either way I am HAPPY!  Our Little Studs were up every 2 hours for a long time....so having her quick turn and back to bed is AMAZING!  It is going to be tough when I have to put her in her crib, for now bassinet is great.

Mom's Recovery: 7 pounds to pre-baby weight!!  I feel like my loose belly skin is showing more these days but that could have been from poor diet on vacation.  My clothes almost fit but are tight in the thighs and waist.  I purchased a couple pair of $19 jeans at Old Navy to hold me over until I can run my thighs back into shape. Other than slight back pain and headaches (dehydration from breast feeding??) I have been GREAT!  Dr. apt next week will tell us for sure.  Muscle Man is looking forward to having his running partner back, although we don't yet have a plan for carting 3 kiddos on the run.

There you have it.  I HOPE that my next post will be about my first run post baby and an update on races I have registered for.


Wishing you Well- Tall Mom