All posts tagged: kids

Periods, Running, and a Household of Boys

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For years I have fought with the natural cycle of my body. My period would arrive and I would be like, “Ugggh one more thing to manage around everything else I am doing.” Now instead of resisting and fighting with my body’s natural cycle and the inconveniences it brings to running, mothering, and working…… I work with it. Once a month my cycle acts like a siphon of much needed energy for my brain and muscles. It stresses my nerves, patience and hijacks my sense of humor (ask my husband about that one!). During this regular scheduled monthly occurrence I am afraid to be around anyone for fear that I have been possessed by someone unrecognizable to the outside world who will wreak havoc on my skills and relationships. Then, one day the light bulb came on. I don’t know if it was when I was trying to manage stuff  in the bathroom with my little boys busting in and out, or if it was talking with my amazing coach that enlightened me to to stop fighting …

Some Days Training Looks Like This

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Mothering two active and enthusiastic boys requires more strength and fitness than running often does. I am still unclear if training keeps me fit for mothering or if mothering keeps me fit for training.  Pushing ninety-pounds of boy + big wheel + snack rickshaw-style from swimming lessons to little league at eight-minute mile pace so we aren’t late for the game is certainly strength building. Driving is of course an option if I want to spend my entire Saturday sitting in the car, sitting at the lesson, and then more sitting at the game.Using human power to get where we need to go as often more fun, faster (no searching for parking!), and efficient. Run with them then stretch on the sidelines seems to be an all-around win for all! Running home after running to swimming lessons. Noah has great time speeding there on his big wheel with me next to him pushing the Burley for his inevitable rickshaw-style ride home (above)Then there is this workout option: A grocery store “run” becomes an excellent conditioning workout. Sometimes …

The Passion of an Athlete

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Anyone can be an athlete. It is true. Don’t give me excuses like there is not enough time, you only have one leg, or you can’t catch a ball. When someone says to me “Oh, I could never do that” – ‘that’ being something seemingly out of their reach like running a five kilometer race, climbing a mountain, getting up every morning and running ten miles on a tread mill – I never believe it. My response is always, “yes you could.” In my work I get to meet people doing amazing things. They are world class athletes gifted with a body and mind where limitations are not boundaries but rather challenges to work through to get where they want to go. See here for one of my favorite inspirations. No, I don’t climb but am none-the-less inspired. I used to get so nervous talking to these celebrity athletes because they seemed so untouchable, like a movie star. Then as I worked with them more I start being less star-struck and seeing them as people …

Why we run for more

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There is that moment where you know you are about to accomplish something really big. Something you have thought about often, worked towards, or dreamed of doing. You realize you’re doing it and you grin from ear to ear; and maybe even tears roll down your cheeks. At CLIF we call this Meet the Moment.After Eric was born I did not begin running again for a long time. It was one of many things that fell away because I only had enough strength, attention, energy, and focus for him. I was barely capable of speaking or eating let alone running. But two months after he came home, running was calling me back and I answered.It was an overcast day in February in the Richmond district of San Francisco, our home at the time. It probably took me longer to put my running clothes on than it did to actually run. I was apprehensive, afraid to leave Eric’s side even in the capable hands of his Dadda. You see, I watched him, held him, fed him …

Transitioning to TaraDell Tells

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I have been blogging about” The adventures of Eric and his brother Noah with plenty of Momma’s commentary. And sometimes Dad’s” since 2006.  The blog was initially started by my husband as a way to keep friends and family updated on Eric’s developmental milestones after he was born at 26 weeks and 2 day gestation. For those of you who don’t speak “weeks”, that is 3.5 months before his due date. I was only 6.5 months pregnant.As Eric has gotten bigger, stronger, older, and become a big brother to Noah, the blog transitioned to document many of the everyday normal joys and adventures of parenting. Today Eric’s blog feels more like a celebration of entering an unfamiliar, scary, and uncertain world and then, coming out on the other side with more joy and laughter than you could imagine.Please don’t puke at the gushiness of that statement! I am ripping my hair out, spinning in circles, and sometimes screaming (hardly every really) as much as the next normal parent. Parents to preemies, however have another tool …

Your children are not your children by Kahlil Gibran

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So much to celebrate that I haven’t even had time to post about. Eric turning 6 and starting kindergarten and soccer team all in one week! Not to mention the 10th anniversary of the marriage of his Momma and Dadda. Here is something I read to remind me of the role I play has a parent to these beautiful boys. On Children Kahlil Gibran Your children are not your children.They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.They come through you but not from you,And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts,For they have their own thoughts.You may house their bodies but not their souls,For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.You may strive to be like them,but seek not to make them like you.For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your childrenas living arrows are sent forth.The archer sees the mark upon …

Total mommy immersion program

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When I think of these past five months one word comes to mind joy. I have had the most joyful five months getting to know Noah and nurturing our new family dynamic of a foursome. You will laugh when I tell you the joyful feeling began when I went into labor. If you would have seen me then you would not have described me as joyful, and Aaron is also laughing because he would not describe me as joyful at 4am or any time he caught me with rattled nerves. If you saw me in our first month (Mom) you wouldn’t have described me as joyful either, but underneath a veil of sleep deprivation, nursing woes, and postpartum recovery was a strong sense of happniess and relief that Noah was here, healthy, and happy. The 3 H’s.Clif Bar & Co provided me a generous five month maternity leave that I like to refer to is the Total Mommy Immersion Program. We started out with a crash course in swollen & bleeding boobs, pre-schooler pink eye, and new-sibling rivalry adjustments. But, you know what was joyful …