Run the Whole Time or Walk Some?

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If you are a runner, do you ever walk on your long runs or on those runs that you are trying to push yourself up to that next mile mark?

The last few weeks have cooled off in St. Louis and I have finally gotten back in to running again.  While on my 6 mile run (yay!) yesterday, I was thinking how I really wanted to get to that 6 mile mark but I didn't want to walk any of it.  I don't know why it was such a big deal to me that I actually run the whole time because 6 miles is 6 miles no matter how you get there.

On this same note, though, when I was training for the one and only full marathon that I have or will ever do, I didn't think it was a big deal to run/walk during training.  

I have found runners to be among the most supportive athletes out there and I have been met with nothing positive support from other runners that I have met so I don't know why I have an "issue" of taking a break and walking a bit if I need it.  I think that, for me, it is more of an ego thing that I just need to get over.

What is your approach?  Do you run/walk?  If so, is there a certain method that you use?

If you just run the whole thing, is there a reason?  What do you think about people who walk during their runs?

Source: running-for-sanity.tumblr.com via Kristi on Pinterest

Food Fact Friday

Food Fact #1 As hard as this is to believe, Taco Bell's steak & chicken quesadilla have 1/2 the calories of any other Mexican restaurant's version.  Read more HERE.

Food Fact #2 Eating off a salad bar?  Skip the cheddar cheese because it's high in calories and sodium.  Stick with feta and bleu cheese crumbles.  Read more HERE.

Food Fact #3 Don't be fooled in to thinking that just because it is a salad that it is healthy for you.  TGI Friday's Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad has 1360 calories.  Read more HERE.

Cool Coupons For You!

Click on any of these items below to print out your coupon.  There are some great ones in here such as Gerber, Kashi, and Bertolli

Bagel-fuls- $0.55 off any Bagel-fuls (4ct)

Bertolli- $1.00 off any (1) Bertolli Premium Meal Soup

Campbell's - $1.00 off 3 can/bowl Campbell's Healthy Request

Campbell's Chunky - $0.50 off 3 can/bowl of Campbell's Chunky Soup

Fleischmann's - $0.40 off 1 Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast

Gerber - $1.00 off any 1 Gerber Graduates Lil Entrees

Gerber - $1.00 off any 2 Gerber Graduates Puffs or Lil Crunchies

Gold Peak Tea - $0.75 off a Gold Peak 59oz carafe any flavor

Haribo - $0.30 off 4oz or larger Haribo product

Hormel Country Crock - $0.55 off Hormel Country Crock Side Dishes

Kashi - $0.75 off 1 Kashi Frozen Entree or Pizza Product

Nature Valley - $0.75 off (2) Nature Valley Granola Bars

Oregon Chai - $1.00 off any Oregon Chai Product

Homework Battle

We had our first homework battle last night and it was fierce.  Kanin is a good student and a leader in his class but this year I've met a little resistance when it comes to doing homework.  

Kanin's  "homework" each week consists of:  3 nights of reading for 15 minutes, 5 minutes each day of math facts, 10 spelling words, 5 vocabulary words, and a teacher's choice assignment.  The teacher's choice this week was to read a book, write a 3 complete sentence book report, grade the book from 1 apples to 5 apples, cut and color the apples, trunk, and tree and then glue it altogether.  Simple, right?

Since it was a book report the book was supposed to be an actual story and not a non-fiction book in which there was no beginning, middle, or ending.  I made sure to tell him this before he chose his book.  After reading his chosen book, African Cats, I sat down with him to complete the homework and he had, in fact, chosen a book that was about all different kinds of African cats.  No story to it just a book about cats.  When I informed him that that book wasn't going to work, the battle was on.

I'll spare you all of the details but the episode ended with me asking Kanin if he was going to do his homework or not and him saying, "No."

"Fine," I told him. "If you don't want to do your homework, you don't have to.  I'll just write a note to your teacher telling her that you chose not to do your homework and for her to feel free to punish you as she sees fit or to send you to the principal's office."

I then got up and started making dinner. 

Finally around 8:00pm he came down and said he was going to do his homework.  I helped him summarize the story into 3 sentences and then told him about the cutting, coloring, pasting part.  

Once he was finished, I showed him the note that I had written to the teacher and told him that I was going to hang it on the refrigerator (my Mom's idea) and that the next time we went through this, there would be no battle.  I would just put the note in his folder and he would have to deal with the consequence of his choice at school.

Do you have homework battles at your house?  How do you handle them?  

Believe me, the thought of sending that note to school with him was not appeasing to me.  I know that will reflect on us as parents because the school expects the parents to make sure the kids are completing assignments.  I don't think, though, that Kanin has grasped the fact that it is his responsibility to get his work done, not mine.  

I hope that we won't have another episode like this for a long time but I'm not betting on it just yet.  I think the note probably will have to come off of the refrigerator at least once for him to "get it" and I'm ok with that.  I think it will be a good life lesson for him.  Up to this point, he hasn't ever been at trouble in school and has really been held up as a model student.  I think that he needs to realize that even though he may be smart and respectful to his teachers that he is still required to do the exact same work as everyone else.  I think that one time of him "getting into trouble" will be enough for him and he won't want that negative attention again . . . at least that's what I'm hoping.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

{1} I'm loving . . . that we had such a fun weekend with family and that we are heading for more fun this weekend.

{2} I'm loving . . . that I decided to get these boots with my Reward points and Coupon from Famous Footwear.  I had a gift card that had some $$ left on it so I only ended up paying $1.47 out of my account!!

Source

 {3} I'm loving . . . that I completed a 6 mile run today!

{4} I'm loving . . . that the St. Louis Cardinals are making things interesting in the Wild Card playoffs but they are giving me high blood pressure.  If it goes to a 1 game playoff tomorrow night, I don't know if I will make it through the game or not.  LOL

{5} Of course, I'm loving  . . . all of these monsters and my Hottie Scottie . . . always.

To let everyone know what you are loving today, head on over and link up with Jamie.