Today is National Pancake Day.  Since I started training for marathons I live for pancakes.  They are my long run treat.  Today was only a 3 mile run but who am I to argue with a national holiday.  Pancakes on a weekday???  Yes please!!!

So heading into work this morning Shari suggested I take the boys out to IHOP after school (I was on pick up tonight).  I had planned on bringing them home as I was flying solo tonight but there were pancakes involved so I took a risk and headed to school unprepared (no diaper bag) on my own (Shari was out with her sister) and with none of our usual tricks to keep the boys occupied (iPod Touch).  Yep…it was kind of like playing Russian Roulette with ‘ALL’ the bullets.  I was more than a little apprehensive, but as I said there were pancakes involved.

Surprising it went well.  It was probably IHOPs busiest day of the year (a free stack of pancakes per table).  Both boys always seem to eat well there.  Micah is the type of kid who orders chocolate chip pancakes with a side of broccoli.  He’s my kid for sure.  Asher is just happy with scrambled eggs and pancakes.  They are good eaters and I feel like I get my value for money with these kids (ha ha).  As you can see from the pictures below it was good fun and I made it under my daily calorie budget and the boys came home fed and relatively clean.

Me with Asher at IHOP

Micah patiently waiting for his ‘Funny Face’ pancake.

Thinking about my penchant for the pancake I started thinking about how much my lifestyle has changed and not just because of the kids.  It was my birthday yesterday and I turned 41.  I feel like I am much better shape now than I ever was in my teens, twenties and thirties as I am running 5 days a week.  As long as I track what I burn in calories when I run I can treat myself somewhat guilt free.  I am much happier.  I am much healthier.  I was just looking at pictures of me before I started running versus pictures of me at Disney last month for the Goofy Challenge.  Not only do I look different on the outside, I am different on the inside.  Whether it’s a true runners high or just a pancake high it is hard not to say that sticking with it, training for my first 5K then my first half marathon, first marathon and beyond has all been worth it.

July 4, 2010 – a month before I started running

January 11, 2013 – relaxing the night before the Goofy Challenge

All the miles, all the effort, sometimes it hurts but the rewards are there to see.   Thank you IHOP for my free stack of pancakes.  I will be back soon but first I have to earn my pancakes.

See you on the run 🙂