Q and A Part One!!!

OK-I'm taking a couple minutes from sweating my skin off to post part one of these questions and answers! If anyone was wondering, we are in a HEAT advisory with real feel temps of near 120 in parts of Minnesota and horribly humidity. Also, I have read MANY posts the last two days that I haven't gotten around to getting comments on. For example SHAWN who already posted his answers before I got out my questions so NOW I have to ask him questions so he can write a specific answer post dedicated entirely to me....Also, XLMIC who wore a loincloth to her HS reunion, Caroline who had a great 9 miler, Kristin who's rockin' out P90X, Britt who's completed 6 or maybe 7-ha! weeks of training and who is ALSO suffering through this midwest HEATfest, naked Jess, and AJH and Marcia who have also posted answers!! The list goes on and on. Darn, how do I get so behind so fast!! So here goes. I just threw these out and perhaps I even disagree with myself on some of them-ha!


Caroline asked:

Do you miss Canada? How long have you been in the US? Are you a citizen?

No, I don’t miss Canada per se. It’s 10 miles from my house if I NEED MacIntosh’s Toffee and easily accessible. I’ve lived in the US for 25 years but I am still not a citizen. I’m a permanent resident and I have a Canadian Passport. I am working on my citizenship now.

Do you have a middle name? I don't.

Middle name is Lynn. Very unique and original.

What is the one thing you wish for your fantastic kids?

Geez-one thing! I want EVERYTHING for them! Integrity, self respect, happiness, success, health, financial security and all the other cliché things a mother wishes for her children! (I know this is a copout answer-ha)

What makes you mad?

When people judge my parenting. When people hurt my kids. When people tell me what to do.

What is the hardest part of motherhood so far?

Sitting back and letting my kids make mistakes. Mistakes I could maybe prevent but ones they need to make…..Letting them fight their own battles. Staying out of what in essence does NOT pertain to me and letting them learn how to deal with tough situations…….Seeing them disappointed. Truly disappointed. This BREAKS me……

Did you start by running shorter distances in races before trying the marathon?

Yes, I started running right after Reese was born. 2 miles or less at a time and very intermittently. My first race was a 5K in 2007. The fall of 2008 was my first HM. October of 2009, my first marathon.

Money is not a problem: what is your dream race?

Wow, this is tough. I’m not sure I have a single dream race! So many that I would love to run! As far as a dream course, I am so oblivious to my surroundings half the time while I’m racing that I’m not sure I have a dream race as much as dream places in which I would love to run!

Who would you like to meet?

You:)


Guilty pleasure? Come on....you can say you are a fan of Snookie. We will not judge...well maybe...

Ha ha! I have many guilty pleasures:) Not a fan of Snookie though! I’ve been sucked in by this creation called Cherry Coke Zero. I haven’t drank pop/soda for years. For some reason I had one of these about 8 weeks ago and now I’ve added a can of it a day to my diet. I’m not sure I can give it up!!!

Julie asked:

Do people always comment on your amazing legs? Do people ever call you "legs"? What are your nicknames?

I need to stroke my ego for a bit before I answer this!! Thankyou Julie! I’m currently looking at my legs and seeing that I should probably shave them. My husband often comments on this-ha! I have never been called “legs”! Joe calls me “babe” . My sister Christy calls me “Nenny”. Everyone else calls me Jenn. I almost never go by Jennifer or Jenny.

Ana Maria asked:

If you could not run, what would you do instead?

In terms of exercise…… If I could still bike, I would likely pour myself into that. Many other options but at this point I still want a competitive outlet. Can’t really see myself being fulfilled this way by Zumba (I’m not a hater people, just not for me)!!

Would you still run/exercise even if it would not affect how you look?

Yes. I definitely get way more benefits from running than just the way it affects my body. It’s more of a goal setting, accomplishment, competitive outlet for me at this point. It’s also been great balance for me-this physical thing for myself so that I don’t get caught up living vicariously through my kids and their athletic endeavors. That being said, I DO for sure have a vanity card. Much of the strength training I’ve done has probably been less for actual strength and more for vanity….. What if…What if I had a magic fairy that gave me the perfect body regardless? Thinking out loud. Nope, I would run/workout anyway. I like the challenge, I love training (I love to bitch about it too but I love it)

Any thoughts on retirement, when kids are off to college? Any big or small dreams for those years?

Ahh! I will be 46 when my son goes off to college. My husband 50. My oldest, Ryan, will be 24. I could essentially be a grandma by this point (I’m not encouraging this!!!!) Anyway, we have many many dreams but most of them simple. We will move for sure, downsize, travel…I see us biking together a lot…some might depend on our kids...I know, I'm not overly specific here.

When are you moving to Arlington MA, so we could run together on the Minuteman bikepath?

I WISH!!

What do you do at night since you obviously sleep so little?

I work on Q and A posts! Sometimes fill online shopping carts that I never buy. When I ban myself from the computer, often times I sit in my living room on the couch in front of the picture window and read or just think…..You would think I would be considerably smarter for how much thinking I do-ha ha!! I’ve been sleeping quite well this last couple of weeks-knock on wood.

How did you pick your kids names (love them!).

Ryan was the name of a female DJ on the radio when I was pregnant. I liked it but it was just one of many names I was considering. I mentioned it to my MIL. She HATED it so that pretty much sealed the deal-ha ha! Joe picked Reese’s name. He was separated from us for 5 months when I was pregnant with her. I called him after my ultrasound and he mentioned the name. (I’m pretty sure I had mentioned it before and he DIDN’T like it until it was HIS idea) Max’s name is Carson Maxwell. We were going through a big flood here when I was pregnant with him and our house was like an island. I was flipping through a baby name book and came across Carson which meant “son of the marshdwellers” Seemed fitting! We called him Carson for 6 weeks until my MIL decided he needed a nickname and started calling him “Sonny” I changed his name to Max. See a theme here-ha! (*disclaimer-I do love my MIL)

Have you ever been a blond?

I have been a blond! Very blonde-One time. I came home after my hairstylist talked me into it and asked Joe his opinion. He paused, then laughed and told me I looked like a low budget porn star. I responded that if he was watching low budget porn, he had a whole helluva lot more to worry about than the color of my hair….

What's your running dream?

Moving to Arlington and running on the bikepath with you-ha! Hmmm-not sure if I have but one dream right now. I would love to run the other 4 marathon majors. Hopefully starting with Chicago next fall, NYC the following year. I’m fairly content with gradually working toward smaller more immediate dreams at this point specifically my elusive 3:15 this fall.

XLMIC asked:

Do you guys share tampons? What is his favorite brand? Is that also yours?

Sometimes we share. He always takes all the super absorbency and leaves me with the others…..I think he likes Tampax pearl but I usually just buy him the Equate Walmart brand.

Have you ever watched a pornographic movie…even a 'tame' one…in its entirety? Which one? What did you think?

I’m SO shocked by your question! Not really-ha! I knew you would give me one of these!! Truthfully-you want the dirt!! Here it is. No, I have never watched even a tame pornographic movie in it’s entirety.... I did once see a monkey sucking on his WANG when I was googling something about the zoo. Does this count? Being blatently honest, yes, I've seen porn (not in it's entirety) in my lifetime. It's TOTALLY not my thing. Truly, NOT my thing.

Did you ever play hockey on a team like your kids do?

I have never played hockey on a team like my kids. I did play on a Mom’s team, the last 2 winters. We had a blast and WOW did we gain some respect for our kids. This is a ridiculously tough physical sport. Even in my best shape, I can’t keep up with a 10 year old on the ice!!

When you first ran, did just love it or did you hate it?

The first time I ran I for a purpose was the mile in gym class. I hated it. There was absolutely nothing about running that sounded appealing to me.

Were just relatively speedy from the start…or were you ever butt-slow?

Butt-slow and speedy-both relative! I did not wear a watch when I first started running. I had NO idea of my pace. In 2007 I ran a 5k but I think my longest run was maybe 2.8 miles prior to the race. My time was 24:54. That was a DANG hard effort.

What ingredients are in your favorite flavor of hotdish? And if I ever ate dinner at your house, would you make it for me?

Tator hots, hamburger, and cream of mushroom soup. KIDDING-blech…. No, I will not make you hotdish. My kids are SO Minnesotan. I never make hotdish but if we hit a potluck they cram this crap on their plates! Maybe Ryan would make it for you!

Part two coming AT SOME POINT!