Happy Fatsgiving

November 27, 2013 by bec2point0

Thanksgiving is far and away my favorite holiday. It includes some of my favorite things; food, time with family and friends, food, watching the parade in my jammies, food.

Did I mention food? I like food.

While I love to cook, Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that I go full out. Calories be damned. While I think it’s important to be conscious of what you eat, and to try and make healthy modifications, there’s no health in my Thankgiving dojo. None.

*flings sticks of butter around the kitchen*

My guest list this year stands at twelve. Every year, I worry that everyone else will have made other plans and it will just be the four of us. Which, while it’s lovely to spend time with my husband and kids, I prefer Thanksgiving to be a full house. This year was no exception, but four quickly turned into six, which turned into nine, which turned into twelve. My little house will be packed full of family and I couldn’t be happier. (I also couldn’t be more worried that we won’t have enough pie.)

So what to feed all these people? This is my menu.

Do you think it’s enough???

Want to come over? We can totally make room.

The meal is always a blend of scratch-made (almost everything) and no so scratch-made (the crescent rolls). I like a LOT of sides. This is not the most over-the-top year, I promise. I’m considering adding more (something squash-y). But the star?

My bird. Twenty-five pounds of turkey that I will love up on in ways that are almost obscene. I make a fresh herb and citrus compound butter and I give that baby a full body massage, including getting up under the skin. And that’s it. I don’t brine. I don’t baste. I don’t fuss. I don’t need to.

I’ve perfected the art of making sure everything is ready at the same time. The key? Don’t drink until your dinner is served. I kid you not, there was an incident with me, a glass of spiked eggnog, my hand and a burner coil. I care to not repeated this experience.

Once we’ve fully glutted ourselves on dinner, the women folk clean up and the men folk watch football. It’s all very 1952. But honestly, I don’t mind at all. As much as the kitchen is my domain on most days, on Thanksgiving, don’t even step in there without an invite. I’ve got this thing wired, baby.

And then dessert. And coffee. With booze in it. I have a semi-illicit affair with a slice of Butterscotch Pecan Pie and then start scooting people’s doots right out the door.

I kid. If you want to hang around, it’s cool by me, but I’m changing into my sweaterpants and snuggling up on the couch. You’re welcome to snuggle next to me.

All in all, I expect it to be a great day. It always is. Food and family and fabulous food. What more could I ask for? I have a lot to be thankful for, Thanksgiving day and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Do you host, or go visiting? What’s your ‘it’s not Thanksgiving without it’ dish? Tell us all about how you give thanks!

Our first meeting

November 26, 2013 by vfreile

Before we ever met in person, Meri and I were pen pals. We wrote letters almost daily for months before we finally met in person this week, 21 years ago.

I had been dying to meet Meri in person for months and, somehow, successfully badgered my parents to let me spend Thanksgiving break in NJ with Meri and her family.

It’s become quite the joke in both our families, that my parents were willing to ship me off to strangers for a few days, and that Meri’s family didn’t reject inviting an unknown teenage girl into their own home.

“They seemed like good people,” my mother says when prodded about the decision. Our moms spoke on the phone several weeks prior, approved of each other and decided to permit my trip.

Mother knows best. But little did any of us know, this journey was the first of many meetings for Meri and me.

I should further explain our background. Meri and I were pen pals for many months before our famed in-person meeting. We actually met through a mutual friend who I befriended at a concert in NJ one year prior. Meri was a close friend of the concertgoer, who months later moved to the Midwest.

We wrote daily, chatted on the phone and send each other “audio letters,” that’s a recorded, rambling message on a cassette tape. We shared a love of writing, music, books and Disney. And we loved address labels and stationary – still do!

The day before Thanksgiving I boarded a train alone for Trenton, NJ. Little did I know I was traveling on the busiest travel day of the year. I also didn’t have a clue I’d need to switch trains in Philly without anyone to guide me. Sure, I was 16 but I still hadn’t gotten my driver’s license and had never traveled solo before.

And, of course, I had overpacked. (Because every girl needs two suitcases and a video camera for a 4-day adventure to visit her bestie. Right?!)

I was a bit overwhelmed in the travel hustle, but managed the board the correct train (twice!) and hours later arrived in Trenton. Meri and her dad were waiting for me at the station.

We hugged, squealed and giggled like (well) teenage girls. Then we made a music video. (I wish I could say I was kidding, but I’m not. We were so cool.)

Exhibit A of our coolness factor

The weekend festivities went all too fast. We danced, we sang, we swapped stories. We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Meri’s family, which was also my first holiday away from my own home. We attended several parties with Meri’s friends and watched Aladdin in the theater.

It should be noted we are wearing each others jackets. Why? Because.

We spent Black Friday in NYC – where ironically we did not shop, but visited the Natural Museum of History and Hayden Planetarium (I fell asleep!) then walked all over Central Park and midtown, avoiding subway vents on each block because we were afraid we’d fall down to the tracks.

All dressed up and nowhere to go.

We stayed up until early morning hours gossiping and giggling.

And of course, we took lots of photos. We still laugh at our fateful decision to get portraits taken as a pair. That’s where we came up with this beauty:

The weekend was the first of many get-togethers over the next two decades.

Together, we’ve explored NYC many times, sang along in concert with boy bands, savored chocolate in Hershey, PA, hiked a canyon in California and ran hand-in-hand through Cinderella’s Castle in Florida.

I cheered alongside Mer’s parents as she earned her masters degree.

And she cheered as I ran my first marathon.

Philly Marathon 2010

We were each bridesmaids in the other’s wedding and I am auntie to her two incredible sons.

Christmas 2012

Ironically, we both lost touch with our mutual friend, but we were blessed with each other. And this week, I can’t think of a better reason to be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Who else is thankful for a longtime best friend? How did you meet? Will you also share embarrassing photos with us? Tell us more in the comments.

Guest Post: For Those Who Inspire AND Need Inspiration

November 25, 2013 by scootadoot

A couple of days ago, Bec posted about change and the various stages associated with it. If you didn’t read it, go here and do so. I was pleased as punch to see the post, mostly because I was happy to see Bec in a better place.

So I got to thinking on my drive home from work, what can I do to help my good friend who has helped me so much on my journey? What’s the best way to be supportive? I thought it over, texted with Mer, and decided the truth, as it often is, was the best way to go.

Here it is: more years ago than I want to think about, Bec and I bonded over our shared love of sarcasm and angsty teenage love stories. I was in a different place than I am now, and it was a dark place. Bec and I have a lot in common when it comes to how we grew up and how we see our bodies, which unfortunately is a history of feeling simply not good enough. I remember sharing the story of how I don’t remember a time when I didn’t think I was an obese, disgusting girl in need of a diet. This includes grade school. Bec agreed.

Somewhere along the way, Bec decided it was change time. She started running. She started eating healthier. Everywhere there was Bec, there were these words:

I saw what she was doing and I started making some half-assed changes of my own. We fell off the wagon together. We got back on together. And even when Bec wasn’t on the wagon with me, she has been my fearless cheerleader (what can I say, sometimes I’m a grump).

Then there was a moment where I found myself standing in her kitchen flipping through a book about training for a marathon the night before a 5k. Bec made an off-handed comment about maybe trying a half marathon one day. I shrugged it off, thinking, yeah, right, that’s impossible. I am still too big and too slow and too just not to do anything more than walk a 5k. (To be fair, that day was hotter than the face of the sun before we started moving. Witness our fabulous pre-race look below.)

In spite of myself, I ended up reading that book that Bec assured me was fantastic. And she was right. I signed up for a half marathon after reading it. And then I kept going. I recently completed my third half marathon (Wine and Dine with some Chicks you know and love! They wrote about that too) and I’m already signed up for a bunch more. I’ve made some big changes, and though the bacon and cheese still win sometimes, I can say that I have finally gotten beyond half-assed into real change.

So what’s the moral of my story? I wouldn’t be here without Bec – because in spite of her protests, and her stumbles, Bec has been the single biggest catalyst for change in my life. Her positivity and inability to ever truly give up has gotten me through some of my tougher spots. She has introduced me to some great ladies who have continued to help me keep my chin up and legs moving.

I consider myself to be a fiercely independent person. I know Bec is pretty stubborn too. But I know I depend on my friends to see me through the rough spots in my life, and I want Bec to know we’re here to do the same. For all the pep talks I got, direct and indirect alike, I am more thankful than a few words on a blog can ever express.

Becci, you can do this. Maybe today isn’t your day, or next week isn’t your week, but you will get there in your own time. Finding a kindred soul was cathartic for me, and I can only hope that I can repay you in kind along the way. I know that horrible not-good-enough voice still lurks around the corner for us both, and I’m too honest to say it’s gone away completely, but sometimes, that bitch does shut up. At the very least, she’s gotten a lot quieter. I will see you in April, and if you’re a cheerleader or a runner, either way, you are an amazing friend and inspiration.

Have a friend who gave you your push out the door? Or who inspires you to keep going? Or do you just love Bec like I do and want to tell her so? Comment away!

Heather is a half marathoner, dreamer and doer. You can find her on twitter.

Race Recap: The Ugly Sweater Run

November 22, 2013 by writeitdownjess

If you want to destroy my sweater, whoa whoa whoa…

I’m sure most of the people who participated in The Ugly Sweater Run last Saturday in San Rafael did destroy their sweaters after they were done with this race. Or maybe they kept them because they love tremendously ugly things. My ugly sweater is buried at the bottom of my laundry basket. Mister Jess’s sweater will live in infamy forever (more on that later).

I digress.

The Ugly Sweater Run. It is the ugliest of races, but certainly a lot of fun! The concept is pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll explain anyway: it’s a holiday-themed 5K that celebrates the glorious eye sore that is the ugly sweater. The uglier the better, in fact. From a participant standpoint, it’s a fun challenge trying to find the most offensive-looking sweater imaginable. No easy feat, let me tell you, but my girl Target came through. In fact, I found atrocious outfits for the whole family! Oh, what fun it is to dress in gaudy holiday-wear.

My outfit ended up looking a little something like this:

Unfortunately I was a dime a dozen on race day, at least where my sweater was concerned. Is Target a popular place to shop?

Our kids (furry and human) got in on the action too:

So mad.

But the real show stopper here was Mister Jess. Hopefully he won’t file for divorce when he finds out I’m showing this picture to all of you:

Yep. Target had this gem tucked into a corner. Kind of a no-brainer.

So, we got all gussied up, piled into the car, and made our way up to San Rafael.

I will note that when I signed up for this race, I saw “San Francisco” in the title and thought, “DONE.” I didn’t even bother to check that it was actually in the city, which was my mistake. I’ve found that a lot of races tend to say “hey, we’re hosting in San Francisco!” and actually mean “well, it’s kiiiiind of in San Francisco. As in the Bay Area. As in not in San Francisco.” But hey, no problem. We were willing to hop up to Marin for this unique experience.

I digress again.

We got to the Marin County Fairgrounds where the race was being held and were inundated with ugliness. There were ugly sweaters EVERYWHERE. And not just sweaters, but entire awful outfits. It was amazing. People were also decked out in the Ugly Sweater Run knit hats given out during packet pick-up the day before. Those are not ugly at all and will definitely be worn by me if it ever gets cold here this winter.

One of my favorites. Obviously homemade, obviously amazing.

If you look closely, there is a runner dressed like a Christmas tree, complete with a star on her head.

If you look closely, there is a runner dressed like a Christmas tree, complete with a star topper on her head.

About the weather: it was effing hot. Like, 70 plus degrees out, which is just a 100% nightmare when you’re dressed in wool. Or polyester. Either way, our running outfits weren’t breathable so Mister Jess and I basically started sweating as soon as we stepped out of the car.

Still we marched on. We made our way to the start line, where they were blowing fake snow out of a fake snow machine (is there a proper name for that? Dunno) and a pretty awesome emcee was pumping up the crowd. This was one of the smaller races I’ve participated in. I’m not the greatest estimator, I’d guess there were maybe 1,000 people there. It was a very enthusiastic crowd, though, so what we lacked in numbers we made up for in “woot woot”s.

Looks like Christmas, feels like Florida.

We stuck Le Pup in the BOB with Bug, which people thought was pretty hysterical. In fact, we were popular as a whole – ugly family-ed out, complete with Korean Santa (Mister Jess gave himself that title).

Ready to roll!

There were a few countdowns from 10, but one finally stuck and then we were off. The course was completely flat, which I appreciated given that I hadn’t run in…er, months. Mister Jess hadn’t either, but he still managed to run ahead of me the entire time. And that was with three flat tires on the jogging stroller. Yes, we were lucky enough to get flats on every single tire on the BOB. Not fun. For the dude, at least. Bug and Reily were sitting pretty, and I was basically just trying to keep up/not sweat to death/not think about how parched I was.

There was a photo op station set up not far from the start line, so we stopped there and opped (yay, a break! I needed it).

Under the blazing sun.

Then we continued on. At about the halfway point, there was a water station set up, which I gratefully stopped for. In addition to the water, volunteers were also passing out hot chocolate. An adorable idea, but I couldn’t even look at it. I imagine it’ll go over better in a place where it’s not 100 degrees with 200% humidity.

At one point, we were plodding along – or I was plodding; Mister Jess was bopping along – and a runner passed us and said “hey, Korean Santa!” Oddly enough, this gave me a small burst of energy. We were race-famous! Or at least we were to this guy.

The course was not entirely exciting. We ran along a dirt path for much of the race, and toward the end circled around a pond. I was getting tired. It was 150 degrees. Needed a drink. Took one from Bug’s sippy cup. Not my finest moment. Sweated. Took a break under the guise of releasing Reily from the stroller to “stretch his legs.” Followed him around a bit while he peed on every blade of grass. Sweated. Decided I needed to run the last stretch to the finish line. Picked up the pace!

Approximately 50 miles later (or 1.5, whatever), we passed through the enchanted forest – four blow-up trees that were being danced around by some dudes, one of whom was twerking – and then the finish line! So elated. So sweaty.

As if to drive the point home that this was a fun race not a race race, there was no clock at the finish line so I have no idea what our time was. Completely beside the point anyway. I signed up for this race to get ugly, not to PR!

Salvation!

We did it!

Overall, this was a great race. Well organized, fun, and FUN. It obviously doesn’t take itself seriously and wants its participants to do the same. Running is just an added benefit to what The Ugly Sweater Run is really about: dreaming up the most atrocious running outfit you’ll ever wear, and having the opportunity to post humorous selfies on various social media platforms.

Are any of our Scoot readers doing this race? Have you already done it? Are you as obsessed with Mister Jess’s Korean Santa outfit as I am? Talk to me in the comments!

Get Ur Streak On

November 21, 2013 by beewhobabbles

You know how it is- you reach the end of a training cycle and immediately begin searching for another race to run. A few weeks ago, I contemplated running a local half-marathon at the beginning of December. I’d already planned to keep training with Sara, as her race isn’t for a couple of weeks, so why not, right? Well…the more I thought about it, I didn’t care for the idea. Ideally, I’d like more rest time than three weeks. I’d also like to improve on my W&D time, which wouldn’t be easy. Ultimately, I decided to wait. Rest. Continue running, obviously, but also devote more time to strength training- something I neglected as I got closer to race day.

I knew I still needed to focus on a goal. As luck would have it, I had some free time to read the latest issue of Runner’s World last week and saw an article about the RW Holiday Running Streak. The challenge is to run every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. It only took about 30 seconds for me to decide to participate. I’ve never done a running streak, so my plan is to keep my current schedule (four days of running, one of them a longer run) and add a mile to the remaining days. They may not be fast. Or maybe I’ll feel like running more than a mile. Maybe I’ll feel like running less. Perhaps I’ll take the girls for a run on the track near our house or do laps on the soccer field- totally counts, right? My goal is to complete the streak with the least amount of planning possible; I think it will be more fun that way and less stressful during an already busy time.

I hope this will allow me to consume more Christmas treats! No, really, I hope this will make me a stronger runner. I have speed goals and while I’m not focused on them right now, they are always lurking in the back of my mind. I’ve read that one way to increase speed is to increase one’s total weekly mileage…so let’s see, shall we?

In other news, I wrote a guest post over at Sara’s blog, The Classy Crafter. Check it out to find a cute family craft that you can enjoy for many Thanksgivings to come (or at least until you add another family member and have to make a new one.

Philadelphia Marathon’s biggest fan

November 20, 2013 by Meridith

My favorite race that I’ve never run? That would be the Philadelphia Marathon! I’ve cheered/volunteered for the past four years, since Vic ran her first marathon in 2010. Why so much love for a race I’ve never participated in? Well, it’s the race that made me WANT to run.

When I caught wind of Kyle’s plans to run Philly as her very first marathon, I swooped in (Eagles fans, that one was for you!) and said, “You’ll stay with me! I’ll make sure you get there and back and it’s going to be awesome and there will be signs and I’ll cheer and you’ll sleep at my house and have an amazing time.” I bossed my way right in and she, thankfully, was very receptive!

She arrived on Saturday and immediately my kids tried to talk her into roughhousing with them (she wisely declined). Instead, we went to dinner with Megan and her four year old at The Pop Shop for a little carb loading… for both of us. I mean, spectating takes a lot out of a girl and I needed to prepare!

Megan’s 4 year old daughter is gearing up to be a professional photographer!

We headed home around 8 and got Kyle all tucked in by 9, with visions of finish lines dancing in her head. Our alarms were set for the heinous hour of 3:15 (her) and 3:30 (me) – hey, that extra 15 minutes does matter.

Who has two thumbs and is ready to run a marathon? THIS GIRL!

Out the door by 4am, we made our way to the train station and were quickly underway. To entertain her, I showed her the video that Bec, Cam, Jenn and I made during Hurricane Sandy. Because hey, what takes stress away more than watching people being silly for six and a half minutes? Nothing, that’s what!

This was my last sighting of pre-marathoner Kyle.

Following the swarms of other runners and spectators, we made our way to the start line. In past years I’ve walked Victoria right up to her corral but with the heightened security following the bombings at the Boston Marathon, I was only allowed to go so far before I had to send her on her way. We parted with a big hug and off she went to the security check point and to find the orange corral.

And off I went to find a Starbucks. Which, not surprising, I did… and then sadly realized it didn’t open until 6:30. It was only 5:30. So I hung out right outside for the next hour, watching runners walking to the start (okay, fine, I was eavesdropping!) and chatting with family members and friends who were hanging out waiting for Starbucks to open as well.

Pacers heading to the start

It was right around this time that I saw a yellow Team Athletic skirt and Team Lemon shirt walking by. I’m super bad at recognizing people from picture alone. I always play the, “Is that… nooooo. Well, it might be? Maybe?” game and wind up not saying anything at all. However, there was no mistaking Malinda from Twins Run in Our Family! So much fun to see her and wish her well during the marathon!

Malinda’s tweet

While waiting for Starbucks to open, I also met Andrea. Andrea had run a marathon the previous day and her husband, Cooper, was doing the half before the Eagles game. Happy to have a friend, we stuck together waiting for Starbucks and then headed to our first spectating position, just in front of Love Park.

Spectating at the Philadelphia Marathon is pretty fantastic because the course is easy to navigate, even as a fan. Miles 1 and 6 are just a few blocks from each other so once fans see their runner go past mile 1 (or anywhere within that range, give or take a half mile), they can then cross the couple of blocks to see them after they’ve circled through Old City.

The chair athletes came just around the bend a little after the 7am with the Elites following behind.

So fast, they were blurs. Literally.

I knew to look for Kyle in the orange corral but Andrea wasn’t sure which corral Cooper was starting in so we just kept our eyes peeled! Everyone was looking fresh in that mile and while I completely missed seeing Kyle, I did manage to catch a shot of Cooper!

Soon after orange passed and I realized that I wasn’t going to see Kyle, we decided to hunt her down by mile 6. We crossed the couple of blocks and waited for people to clear their cheering posts so we had prime spots.

I was holding my “May the course be with you” sign, which runners really seemed to be digging! It got high fives and smiles. Andrea had her cowbell and was ringing it as we cheered!

Again we saw Cooper, looking strong!

And AGAIN, I didn’t see Kyle. Thankfully, she saw me (or maybe she saw the sign) because she HIT ME as she went by. Love hurts, folks.

After that Andrea and I made another stop at a Starbucks for their bathroom and snacks before making our way toward the start/finish area. At this point we had to say our goodbyes as she was waiting for Cooper to finish his race and I was hiking out to miles 15/25 to catch the ever elusive Kyle.

The second part of the race was much quieter than the first, as the marathoners make the long trek to South Philly, visiting Manayunk before making their way back to the finish line in front of the art museum. I wanted to be out there to lend support, not only to Kyle but to other runners as well. My throat was already sore by this point (I might have been a tad bit too enthused during the first cheer zones) and my foot injury from the week prior was rearing its ugly… foot.

The sign says “Speeding triggers red light” – I bet that was for all the speedy runners!

Got Kyle’s half split just as I was a passing mile 14 (I think; they didn’t have mile markers at every mile) and stopped walking to cheer and search the crowd for her. Yet again, she found me.

Hello, I’m a horrible friend. Pleased to meet you. Awfully embarrassed!

Really, Meridith? Really?

I continued walking along because I knew that Cyanne was just up the way a few miles and we’d planned to meet up by mile 17. However, my heel was super cranky and I knew I’d regret adding additional miles to the day (I rounded out the day at 10 miles – should have just ran the half!) (Not really.) so instead I planted myself just before mile 25 and let Cyanne know I’d see her in a few weeks at the Ugly Sweater Run.

I was going to get the money shot of Kyle during the 24th mile! I spent a couple hours (that is not an exaggeration) searching for a little blonde in a white Alaska tank and capris.

While I was scanning, I saw Malinda again and got to cheer for her out on the course! I know so many other people who were running and yet somehow missed all of them – I was cheering for all of you, I promise.

By this time, my cheering was less vocal (because ouch), more smiling and blowing my whistle. I’d brought candy to hand out but at that point, no one wanted candy, they just wanted the finish line. Totally understandable.

And then… I saw KYLE.

Is it really her?

IT REALLY IS!!! It’s almost marathoner Kyle!

I shouted! I whooped with joy! KYLE! KYLE! I KNOW HER! I asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m dying!” she said, cheerfully.

I jumped onto the course with her and ran a couple of steps. “Water’s just ahead. Then mile 25. And then you’re done! AND WE CAN EAT ALL THE FOOD!” With that, I hopped off the course, she continued on toward the finish line; I hobbled over to the path to walk the rest of the way and meet her at the family meetup area.

The next time I saw her, she was a marathoner! Absolutely incredible and such an inspiration, this girl! Kyle ran to raise money and awareness for the Joyful Heart Foundation, which is why we (the Scoot a Doot Chicks) chose that particular wording. Here’s Kyle’s recap!

So why do I go every year to watch the Philadelphia Marathon? Well, as Katherine Switzer said, “If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.” I haven’t lost my faith in human nature but watching the runners of the Philadelphia half and full marathons certainly reminds me to move into each day with a joyful heart and a grateful one.

Is there a race that you spectate at year after year? Have you ever watched a friend complete their first race, whether it be a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon? What fills your heart with joy?

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

November 19, 2013 by bec2point0

WELL, HI THERE! DID YOU MISS ME? I MISSED YOU!

It’s been a while, huh? Life has been a bit nuts, as it tends to be. A couple months back, it just got to be a little too nuts. I needed to take some time to really focus my attentions on my family and my job and ME. My chicks were totally wonderful and told me to take the time I needed. So I did. Things are more calm now, or maybe I’m just managing the storm a little better. Either way, I’m very glad to be back, AND I have something interesting to talk about.

The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change

Say what? I know, it’s a mouthful.

I went to a seminar a few weeks ago at work on how to fit fitness into your busy life and they discussed this idea. We’ve actually had a series of these seminars, which I have organized for the company, and I’ve taken something away from each of them. But this? This really stuck with me when I left the room and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, I did some research. Meaning I read the Wikipedia article on it.

This model of change was developed back in the late 1970s by a doctor and his colleagues at URI. I’ll give you some more details below, but in short, it is the idea that change is a process that happens in a specific set of stages.

Do me a favor? Think about a change you want to make or are trying to make or have made, and then read through the stages below with that in mind.

The information below is taken directly from the article on Wikipedia.

Stage 1: Precontemplation (Not Ready)

People at this stage do not intend to start the healthy behavior in the near future (within 6 months), and may be unaware of the need to change. People here learn more about healthy behavior: they are encouraged to think about the pros of changing their behavior and to feel emotions about the effects of their negative behavior on others.

Precontemplators typically underestimate the pros of changing, overestimate the cons, and often are not aware of making such mistakes.

One of the most effective steps that others can help with at this stage is to encourage them to become more mindful of their decision making and more conscious of the multiple benefits of changing an unhealthy behavior.

Stage 2: Contemplation (Getting Ready)

At this stage, participants are intending to start the healthy behavior within the next 6 months. While they are usually now more aware of the pros of changing, their cons are about equal to their Pros. This ambivalence about changing can cause them to keep putting off taking action.

People here learn about the kind of person they could be if they changed their behavior and learn more from people who behave in healthy ways.

Others can influence and help effectively at this stage by encouraging them to work at reducing the cons of changing their behavior.

Stage 3: Preparation (Ready)

People at this stage are ready to start taking action within the next 30 days. They take small steps that they believe can help them make the healthy behavior a part of their lives. For example, they tell their friends and family that they want to change their behavior.

People in this stage should be encouraged to seek support from friends they trust, tell people about their plan to change the way they act, and think about how they would feel if they behaved in a healthier way. Their number one concern is: when they act, will they fail? They learn that the better prepared they are, the more likely they are to keep progressing.

Stage 4: Action

People at this stage have changed their behavior within the last 6 months and need to work hard to keep moving ahead. These participants need to learn how to strengthen their commitments to change and to fight urges to slip back.

People in this stage progress by being taught techniques for keeping up their commitments such as substituting activities related to the unhealthy behavior with positive ones, rewarding themselves for taking steps toward changing, and avoiding people and situations that tempt them to behave in unhealthy ways.

Stage 5: Maintenance

People at this stage changed their behavior more than 6 months ago. It is important for people in this stage to be aware of situations that may tempt them to slip back into doing the unhealthy behavior—particularly stressful situations.

Did you find where you are? If you thought about a chance you already made, do you remember going through some version of these stages? I was easily able to see where I am in the process.

In terms of losing weight/getting healthy, I’ve been precontemplating my ass off for a really long time. It’s funny, because the key component of precontemplation is that you’re NOT READY.

How could I not be ready? I felt ready. I felt SO READY! But, if I step back and look at where I’ve been, I really wasn’t. I have completely underestimated the pros (health, longer life, more energy) and overestimated the cons (restriction, namely to cheese and bacon).

But, this isn’t a process that you follow. It’s not like you get up and say ‘today, I will start contemplating’. It’s just a shift that happens. At some point, my precontemplating became contemplating. I started ‘getting ready’. My pros and cons became more equal. I started thinking in a less rigid manner, accepting that lifestyle change does not mean an ALL OR NOTHING mentality towards food and exercise.

And now? I’m in Preparation. Which means I’m still not ready to start today. And that’s totally okay. I’m taking small steps (last week, I tracked a full day of eating on MFP, even though I didn’t change anything I ate that day. Talk about an eye opener.) I’m setting up my support system. I’m making sure I have everything I need in place, because… I’m ready.

I’M READY.

I have 190 pounds to lose. No, that is not a typo. This won’t be easy, nor will it be fast. I’ve had the behaviors that got me here all of my adult life. Finding new ones is a challenge.

But I’m ready. So ready. And one of the notes in the Preparation stage really stuck with me.

That really is my number one concern. Will I fail? Again? I really hope not. But, no one gets to define what constitutes failure except me. So, I’m going to celebrate every success, no matter how small.

And I may need help, which I am never good at saying, and I’m even worse at asking for. But this is about change. So I will let myself ask for help when I need it.

I’m ready.

Have you guys ever heard of this? What do you think?

Chick Chat: Wine and Dine half recap (no really!)

November 18, 2013 by scootadoot

Whew!

We’ve been writing about our runDisney race weekend for days are but we’ve finally arrived at the HALF recap! If you’re looking for recaps of the kids races, the expo, or our pre-race shenanigans… well, you’re not in the right place. But if you want to hear how we fared during the actual race – this is the spot!

Ta-dah!

Vic and Brooke stuck together throughout the race, starting in corral C while Mer and Cam experienced the race alone. But not really alone! And for that reason, we’ve decided to go Chick Chat style with this post.

Vic and Brooke (corral C): We piled into corral C with friends Traci, Ray and Aaron. None of our happy crew planned to sprint 13.1, especially since our last few Disney runs were incredibly hot and humid.

So we stuck together as the fireworks sparked over the start line and sent us on our way. We quickly lost Ray and Traci as they zoomed ahead. Brooke and I ran side by side as we logged the miles – two happy Mouseketeers in matching costumes.

We giggled and chatted about recent life events as we ran. We waved to the fastest runners leaving Animal Kingdom just past the 5-mile mark as we headed toward our first theme park of the night.

The front gates were open and a huge, stunning Christmas tree welcomed us inside. We headed into the park and wound through the pathways of the park.

I spotted a restroom near Expedition Everest, and shouted to B that I’d catch up, then peeled off to use the facilities. A short time – and a short sprint – later I caught Brooke and Aaron at the tail end of the park. Success!

We waved to Cam as she passed us on the other side of Osceola Parkway. The final corral of runners was followed by an Army of street cleaners that tidied up after the crowd of 14,000. We paused around mile 7 so Brooke could use the facilities as well. Then again, we were on our way.

We settled into our happy pace, and headed into Hollywood Studios . We laughed about our amazing surroundings , we disco-danced our way through the backlot tunnel and we sashayed our way down the Streets of America, completely decked out in its “spectacle of lights.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSR1Hf7m2GE&w=640&h=480]

We cheered as we passed into double digits.

“Let’s pick up that pace!” Brooke cheered. Oh, and we did. Our last two miles were by far our fastest. We sped up and passed runners left and right. We cheered for them, we cheered for each other and cheered for that finish line as we crossed second apart.

For me, the run was incredible. It was a celebratory race, six days after I ran NYC Marathon. (I still can’t believe I successfully ran a full and a half one week apart!) The run capped off a successful fall training season and two huge PR races. It reminded me why I love to run, and why I’m so blessed to have such incredible friends and support from so many across the miles.

Mer (corral G): Cam, Heather and I said adios to Vic, Brooke and Traci as they headed to the A-F entrance. We found the second corral entrance and said our goodbyes and good luck. As we peeled off into our own corrals, I ate a PocketFuel and realized just how alone running alone can feel.

Don’t get me wrong, I run alone. Often, even! But this was the first time I was surrounded by a slew of runners and didn’t know a soul. The feeling quickly passed as I fell into the zone that I usually find prior to running a race. When I signed up for this race in March, I had visions of a PR dancing in my head. However, with my quad injury in September/October and my heel pain that manifested during the week, I just wanted to finish and to cross the finish line with a smile on my face.

I made the decision not to have my phone out, not to take pictures and just to move forward.

There was a moment of silence for the veterans, as it was Veteran’s Day weekend, and then corral A was off. The new corral system (more corrals and a shorter wait time between each) seemed to work really well and we moved forward quickly. Mickey and Minnie were around to send off the first few corrals before they skedaddled, which struck me as odd. I mean, maybe they wanted to get to Epcot before the hoards?

Soon we were off! I really liked the course, visiting Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot was awesome and very different from the Princess half course. While running toward Animal Kingdom, we were able to see the leaders of the race on the other side of the road, approaching the 10k mark. That’s always inspiring!

Running through Animal Kingdom was great, despite with the animal aroma that hit as soon as we entered the park! From what I understand it was warmer than some people had expected but I was comfortable from start to finish, relishing the cool breezes that kicked up occasionally.

There were portions of the course that I wasn’t feeling AT ALL. The road toward Hollywood Studios was slanted pretty severely and didn’t feel great on the hips. I tried to even out my gait as much as I could and be light on my heel since that was the one that was coming down harder during that stretch.

I’ll be honest, I was surprised that there wasn’t more entertainment on this course. I understand that it’s late so the marching bands and cheer squads might not be able to make it but I expected more, especially on the access roads.

Hollywood Studios was a welcoming sight and we spent a good amount of time running through that park, miles 9 – 11, which was amazing. The Osborne Lights in Hollywood Studios was so incredible that I had to break out the phone and video a couple of seconds! Apparently Brooke and Vic had the same idea – it’s just THAT cool.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f3L4BouIEU&w=853&h=480]

Heading out of Hollywood Studios to Epcot, there was an announcement warning that the course narrows. And boy, did it ever! It was pretty crazy over there and I was grateful when we finally reached the boardwalk portion for two reasons: more room and there were some spectators out, cheering on the runners! On an otherwise quiet course, it was really nice to have that support and it continued into Epcot.

My heel was not happy but the rest of me was as I rounded the final corner and saw the laser lights they had set up just before the finish line. I could hear the announcer and I flung my hands up in the air (and yes, I waved them around like I just didn’t care) because I had finished. I didn’t set any course records, didn’t PR, but I felt amazing! Beyond infinity!

As I collected my half medal and then my Coast-to-Coast I got hugs from both volunteers and thanked them profusely. I was the happiest I’d ever been at the finish of a half marathon and felt really good about what I’d accomplished.

Cam (corral L):

Yep, the very last corral. Somehow when I had registered, I neglected to put in a projected finish time. So I was stuck in the very last corral. We were slated to run at 10:40 p.m., which seemed like hours away. But after the first fireworks sounded, the line seemed to move quick. Before I knew it, I was weaving through the traffic. I must commend runDisney for their awesome use of fireworks. All corrals received an explosive send off!

If you read my previous post, How Not to Train for a Half-Marathon, then you already know I was ill prepared for this race. Meri turned me on to the run 3, walk 1, and I figured that, along with walking through water stations, would get me through the 13.1 relatively unscathed. I didn’t have a timepiece, so I counted my steps instead. I’d count to 60 three times, then walk for 60 steps. This provided a welcome distraction and for the first 6 miles, I felt fabulous, especially after seeing two of my fellow Mouseketeers on the other side of the Parkway. I also felt envious as they were coming up on the half-way mark!

Running through the Animal Kingdom was great relief. It seemed to be cooler in the park and I relished in the breeze. I’m from Southern California so the heat didn’t effect me as much as the humidity. Despite it being well into the night, I was immediately drenched in sweat. I was sweating from my arm pores…my arms! As I said goodbye to the Tree of Life and headed back along the Parkway, my enthusiasm started to diminish. So far I was keeping my 13 minute mile pace and I was trying to stay with a couple who were also run/walking the race. The gentleman had a super loud watch that beeped at the intervals and that was enough to motivate me to keep pace with them.

It was around this time that I puked. I had fueled pretty well, I thought. I had pasta for lunch, a peanut butter and banana sandwich for dinner, and I snacked on some Honey Stinger chews during the first half of the race. I started feeling crampy so I grabbed some Powerade at the next hydration station. I’d been drinking only water until this point and changing things up seemed like a good idea at the time. Not so much. I would realize in the next few days that I actually had a stomach flu. But at this point I thought I could possibly remedy the turmoil going on in my stomach.

It was all downhill from there. And I mean that in the worst way possible. Shortly after entering Hollywood Studios, I started to have a lot of pain in my left Achilles tendon. Combined with the constant cramping in my stomach, I was pretty wiped out. My walking time started to get longer, and I stopped counting. I was in survival mode at this point. I was feeling pretty shitty about my pace and it wasn’t until I saw the fantastic Osbourne Christmas lights that I decided to call it. No, I didn’t quit the race. I just quit worrying about the time and I started admiring the sights.

Running along the lake, I could see what I believe to be a giant golf ball in the distance. I wasn’t exactly sure where the finish was but as spectators began to line up along the course, I knew I was getting close. I could hardly run at this point, so I walked a little then ran a little and just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I’d never been so relieved to see the finish. I slowly walked back to meet the other girls, my two medals clinking around my neck. I was exhausted and my digestive system was wrecked. And I had no intention on wining or dining.

But I finished. I don’t know how I got there, but I did! Sure, it took me 3 and a half hours, but, hey, finishing is always my PR.

Brooke:

Once Vic and I crossed the finished line, we were ready to change and meet up with some of our pals who had already made it into the After Party.

We found Traci, grabbed our complimentary drinks (beer for them and the cutest little plastic wine goblet for me), and headed towards the park entrance.

Cheers!

Once inside, we had to navigate through crowds of spectators and racers to get to the World Showcase. Once there, we headed straight for Canada to meet Ray and eat some of their amazing cheese soup- I look forward to it every year.

There weren’t many lines at this point, just a lot of dancing, chanting, happy Disney employees. As one would expect from Disney, they do a lot to make these events magical for everyone. From congratulating you on your race, to staging a dance party in front of their food kiosk, the park workers ensure that the post-race party is a time for celebration.

After a visit to the craft beer tent (Abita Purple Haze for me), it was time to meet Meri. We hugged, chatted about our race experiences and I ogled her collection of medals. Then we checked instagram, natch, to catch up with our other friends. We immediately knew we had to find Lisa to congratulate her on her PR.

Who PRs at a Disney race? That girl! Congrats Lisa!

We found Vic, Ray and Traci in Germany, and hoped we could grab a pretzel, but the lines had grown and it was time to meet Cam. Mer and I circled the Showcase (Bonjour France! Next time, keep the creperie open, s’il vous plait) and headed back to the entrance. We congratulated Cam and then trekked to the bus to head back to my hotel. At 2am, all walks seem to last forever. We came, we ran, we medaled. It was time to go the eff to sleep.

What a difference a few years makes. I ran my first Wine and Dine in 2011 by myself, and celebrated with my husband at the after party. And by “celebrated,” I mean I was too sore to enjoy anything. This time, I got to hang out with so many friends, meet new people and run with a pal. I love being a part of this community.

As for my own race performance, I had hoped to run 10 minute miles and that’s exactly what I did. Thanks to Vic for keeping me entertained! Next up for me is a return to Disney for the Glass Slipper Challenge, but in the meantime, don’t expect me to sit and rest. I have plans…

Have you ran a night race before? Were you at this year’s Wine and Dine or have to participated in past years? Tell us about it in the comments!

Wine and Dine appetizer aka pre-race fun!

November 17, 2013 by scootadoot

Hey there, hi there, ho there! Mer here with a little pre-race recap.

Four of the six Scoot a Doot Chicks met up last weekend for the long awaited, highly anticipated runDisney Wine and Dine half marathon.

We were excited to see each other and our friends, both new and old. “Running time” seems to both fly and drag, seeming both at once. When you sign up for a race eight months in advance, you never know what twists and turns will come along during those months!

There are a few tried and true methods to our pre-running madness, especially when it comes to Disney. Read on!

1. Dress you up in my love

Costumes have become common practice at Disney races and as soon as the four of us signed up for this one, we began discussing our options! We settled on Mouseketeers because it’s pretty darn adorable (and pretty darn easy – says the girl who didn’t make the shirts).

Shirts were made with TLC by Brooke, skirts are from Sparkle Athletics, and ears are from the mouse!

Of course, my husband didn’t actually realize we were Mouseketeers until I said something in passing after the race and the light bulb went off in his head.

Yeah.

2. Visiting the Earl

Heather, Traci, Mer, and Vic

Whether it be the night before the race (as was the case at Tink) or the afternoon of the big race, we love carb loading with bread! I mean, to be fair, I just love bread in general but when I get to put a label on it like “carb loading” it sounds much more official, doesn’t it?

Sandwiches are a natural choice, especially when there’s an Earl around – we are talking royalty here, after all. While Downtown Disney was teeming with people, we were able to find a table outside and enjoy our meal and the company of each other!

3. Preening and being silly

Cam, Lisa and Meri

Brooke graciously offered up her hotel room to anyone who wanted to meet up before and eat a little snack, do a little costume prep (ie – we all had different pieces of Cam’s outfit who’d arrived the morning of the race from CA), and just be silly together.

One of our favorite Canadians, Lisa, came to hang with us and we all listened to music, figured out creative ways to spread almond butter on wheat bread (a Nilla wafer is a fantastic knife AND you get to eat the cookie after), and sort got hopped up on hanging out with each other. Once it was time to get on the shuttle to the start, we were downright punchy.

To the point where one of the security guards asked if we had been drinking. HIGH ON LIFE, SIR!

4. Texting feverishly with friends

Once you arrive at Disney races, there’s usually lots of time to hang out and wait for the race to begin. At the Wine and Dine this is especially true because everyone must be bussed to the start line and the shuttle service only goes until 8pm.

What’s a runner to do?

Well, if you’re me, you try and get all your people in one central location and bask in the sheer awesomeness that so many people you love are ALL AROUND YOU.

Sparkling!

Heather took a short detour before catching a bus from EPCOT and Lisa joined her family to head to the start so we re-met up (after frantically texting each other, natch).

Lisa and Heather, maxing and relaxing

My new meetup friend, Meredith, also joined us!

Of course, the texts from outside the Disney World radius were blowing up my phone too! Darling friends like Keri, Amanda, and Anne who weren’t there with me physically but cheering from afar.

5. Hitting the facilities

Taken at Animal Kingdom, a few days prior to the race.

When you’ve arrived at a race two hours prior to the start time and have been hydrating all day, it sort of goes without saying that you’re going to be visiting these bad boys. In my days prior to being a runner, I can tell you the number of times I had used a porta potty.

Zero.

Now? Well, I pray for the best while waiting in line. I ask the person just ahead of me who is coming out of the little box if it’s bad (it’s NOT bigger on the inside). A little fair warning never hurts, right?

Good thing about a night race? You can’t see nearly as much in there! Plus Disney has little hand washing stations outside the rows.

I visited the porta pots twice prior getting into my corral and didn’t have to stop throughout the race. Additionally, a race photographer took a picture of Brooke and I together on the line so we’ll always have that memory together.

6. “Resting”

How do you rest while surrounded by fun, amazing people, and a DJ whose sole job it is to pump, pump, pump it up, encouraging everyone to get up and dance to all the songs they’re playing?

It’s not easy. My arms were itching to YMCA. However, my mind was saying, “Meridith, you should be in bed by now. You took it easy all day. Since you decided to sign up for a half marathon that starts at 10pm, and since your heel already throbbing and you haven’t even started running, mayhaps it’s in your best interest to plunk yourself down on the grass and wait.”

Which is exactly what I did until we were summoned to the corrals. It helped exponentially that my friends were also of this mentality as well and we all spent the time before the race the best way possible: together.

What’s your favorite way to carb load prior to a race? Have you ever ran in costume? What are your feelings on porta pots?

Wine and Dine Expo Expert

November 16, 2013 by scootadoot

Victoria here!

I spent much of Friday at the race expo, in part to collect my bib, in part to visit with friends and in part to get a bit of work done.

Brooke, baby J and I arrived at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports around opening time. We immediately retrieved our race bibs and changed Brooke’s corral placement so we could run together in C.

We collected our race shirts -love them- and set off to shop!

A few of the Chicks’ favorite vendors were at the site and we wanted a few souvenirs. We got some much needed fresh Balega socks and each bought a Sweaty Bands headband to coordinate with a costume for a future runDisney race. Baby J picked up an item too – yogurt!

Nom!

There was a bit of everything for the runner at hand – fuel, socks, sneakers and official race gear included. And by going early, we didn’t have to battle the crowds.

Shortly before Brooke and I parted, I heard my name yelled from across the room – “Victoria!” I turned and saw Tinker Bell herself, my pal Kelly! Hooray!

We chatted for a while before I scooted off. I visited with a few more friends, including the lovely Capt. Linz, who I’d been itching to hug! Mission accomplished!

I ultimately settled down at the ESPN cafe for a few hours to get some work done and grab a bite. I chatted with a few friends while there, and of course, downed my lunch in an embarrassingly speedy pace.

By mid-afternoon, my dear Meri and my friend Traci both arrived and we all repeated the expo process. Along the way, Traci spotted champagne. We got a few glasses and toasted the weekend!

Cheers to friendship and fitness!

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun