Susie Home Maker

I've been playing stay-at-home Mom this week while Mac is off displaying his manliness by shooting water fowl. Mostly it has been pretty fun and I haven't visited the liquor cabinet at all!

Solo parenting does require some alterations in training, though. You see, if you put the kids to bed and then go out for a run, child protective services will be all over you. But if you put your kids to bed and then go run on the treadmill downstairs, you are Super Mom. It is a subtle - but very important- difference. So I've put in WAY too many TM miles this week, but it is not so bad since we are having highs in the 20's all week. Plus , the even surface is good for my ankle. The only real downside is that I couldn't get my long run above 13 miles. Complete insanity was starting to set in after watching my third episode of Cash Cab while toiling on the belt (no cable, so daytime TV options are limited). I guess I failed the mental toughness challenge presented by the "dread mill." But I did learn that the Beastie Boys hit "Brass Monkey" is about an alcoholic beverage made from orange juice and malt liquor, so I am much smarter for my efforts.

Cold enough that the pond and waterfall are still frozen in mid-afternoon.

My kids did a much better job than me at making the treadmill fun. However, I don't think you can count this as "time on your feet" training.



This was at 1.6 mph; when they got the speed up to 3.4 mph, I had to pull the plug (literally) for fear that they would launch themselves through the wall!

Mac got home tonight, so it is back outside tomorrow morning, but with a forecast for 18 degrees at 5 am, I may be thinking about the treadmill just a bit more fondly.