Trotting

Distance: 3.11 miles
Time: 38:22/12:21 avg. pace

Sucky time. We're going to blame it on the huge crowd getting in my way. Yeah, that's it. It would have been rude to knock over little kids just to get a better time. Heh. Or maybe, just maybe, it had to do with the fact that I'm sort of out of shape, there were hills that I walked, and I'm just slow. Eh, I can only get better. I hope.

I didn't sleep well last night. I should have taken Benadryl, but I didn't think about it. I felt like I woke up 18 times, and then it was hard to get up at 6:15. I think I finally rolled out of bed at 6:45. Looking lovely, I might add.


In the car heading to the park. I've got the best husband who has never missed a race, regardless of how cold and tired he is. I love having a chauffeur.

It was CROWDED getting into the park. It's not usually quite so crazy. I guess everyone wanted to get their sweat on before eating all day. We had to park a ways from the start, but got there in plenty of time. It was chilly, but I remember it being WAY colder two years ago when I ran this race.


One last shot before taking off on a three mile jaunt around the park.


I stand corrected. This is the last shot before taking off. It's my favorite shot. Just my little feet.

I've had these shoes for a few months now. I don't really like them. They fit fine. They feel fine. I just don't like the dark grey and purple color. I'm a white shoe sort of gal. White shoes with pink trim is best.

Anyhow, the run was fine. Except when I got to mile two and realized there was NO WATER. Apparently, slow losers don't get water. Nothing left but empty tables and scattered cups. Rude.

Luckily I wasn't that thirsty.

I was, however, babying a nasty side stitch. I've had problems with this stitch for quite a while. I need to do research to see what can be done about it. I get a pain in that same spot when I'm not even running. Very annoying.

After what felt like me hobbling to the finish line, we took off in search of hot chocolate for the boys and hot cider for me. The girl at Starbucks was super perky. The line in the drive thru was crazy long.

Now we are home watching the Macy's parade. We need to cook a few pies before heading to Chowchilla for festivities at my sister's house.

My throat hurts, but I'm ignoring that. I was already sick at the beginning of this vacation. I don't have the patience to be sick at the end of the vacation.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Turkey Trot Tomorrow

Not much running has been going on the past few days. Five days to be exact. It's okay, though. It took a few days to get over the fever and chills.

Tomorrow I am signed up for the Turkey Trot in Fresno. I didn't run this last year, but I did run it the year before. I'm not quite up to 5K speed, but I ran 2.5 miles last week. I should be fine. Slow, but fine.

Today is Eric's birthday. He's 43. For a few months he is seven years older than me instead of six.


Birthday lunch at Japanese Kitchen. The cook was a talker. I wanted to tell him, "less talking, more cooking." Usually the food is amazing. Today it was just good.

He (the cook, not Eric) also had a very thick Japanese accent. I am horrible with accents. Horrible. People get mad at me because I can't understand them very well if they have an accent. But I don't do it on purpose. I have to stare at their lips while they talk. It's tricky.

The waiter insisted on talking to me...a lot. I understood very little of what he said. Plus, it was loud in the restaurant. I just smiled and nodded. It was just like when I took Spanish in college. Smile and nod.

Other than birthday lunch, it was a pretty low key day. I figured I should do at least one productive thing.


I tried to be the best wife ever by making homemade birthday cinnamon rolls. I got as far as making the dough. Then the dough didn't rise.

Hmmmm.


So I started a cake. In a small bowl.

I have a knack for using the wrong cooking tool for the job. Eric is forever shaking his head as I use a giant spoon in a tiny bowl, or a tiny bowl for way too much mix, or a steak knife to cut a huge onion. And the list goes on.


Eric dancing to his happy birthday song.

In any case, the cake turned out, even if the cinnamon rolls didn't. Eric wanted chocolate frosting. I wanted white. You'd think it was his birthday or something and he should get a choice! Or at the very least a cake to himself. Yeah, no.

Oh, I also cleaned my closet. Sort of. I straightened it up because I needed to get to the memory boxes. So I did two productive things today.


The memory boxes are covered with clothes, shoes, and all my stuff that I am too lazy to put away. However, in order to clean off the kitchen counter, I need access to the memory boxes. Stuff from the kitchen counter goes in the memory boxes. It's a vicious cycle as to why I can't clean my house!


Now I have access to the memory boxes. Now I can clean the kitchen counter.

Now I feel the need to eat frosting. Vanilla. Yum.

Sad and Sick

I am very sad. I had a little baby running streak going on. I ran for eight days straight. I felt great. I was proud.

Then I got sick. I'm run down. I'm sad. And I didn't run yesterday. I was running a fever and had violent chills at 1 a.m. I guess I'm not cut out to do a streak. I love the idea, but I guess running through sickness is not for me.

I didn't run today, and I doubt that I will. I'm signed up for a Turkey Trot on Thursday. That will help keep me motivated.

The nice thing about a streak is the motivation to not break the streak. I guess I can start over and see how long I can go.

Stupid fever.

Week Is Over

Distance: 1.5 miles
Time: 22 minutes

I made it through parent/teacher conferences. We only had one parent not show up for the entire junior high! Pretty good! However, it made for some really long and tiring days.

I had to talk myself out of bed yesterday morning. I told myself I'd get my run done "later." Then I chastised myself and thought, "No way will you do your run after 10 hours of parent conferences. Get your butt up now because you'll feel better about yourself if you get this done."

Mind you, this conversation was in my head, and it was 4:32 a.m. I gotta say, I am pretty proud of my short self. I got up. I ran. I felt good.

I ended up staying up really late last night finishing awards for the awards ceremony today at school. However, I still got up and did my one mile this morning. It might seem pointless to only run one mile, but for me, it just helps me stay in the groove of exercise.

I am such an all or nothing personality. I wish I could figure out balance. I'm just not good with balance.

Anyhow, Fridays are normally my rest day. Eric even noticed when I got my running gear on this morning. It's hard being up early, especially after a late night, but once again, I felt pretty good about myself this morning. And I am still in the groove.

Off topic: kid #1 got several awards at the awards ceremony at school. Way to go Evan!


Gold Honor Roll, 3rd place Accelerated Reader, and Cross Country medal. Pretty proud mom right here! Crappy picture, but pretty great kid.

More off topic: Eric surprised us all by showing up at the awards! Love that!

We had an early dinner, were home before 6, and I feel like it's 11 p.m, but it's only 7:25. Is it bedtime yet? Please?

I am so happy I have a week off.

Headache

Ugh. I am working on a headache this morning. It is 4:59 a.m. I am about to go get on the treadmill to run 2.5 miles.

I hope the headache eases with Diet Pepsi caffeine and exercise.

I don't need pain. Really, who does? But today especially would be a good non-pain day, because I have 18 parent conferences to get through. Yes, 18. Tomorrow I think there are 15. We cram them into two days.

I don't mind meeting with parents. I just want to be at my best.

Off to run. Gotta figure out what to watch from DVR. Glee or Against the Wall. Probably Glee. It's easier to comprehend when I'm sweaty and running and out of breath than a crime show where you need to pay attention to the details.

Prime

This is what we had for dinner last night. Eric also made homemade garlic mashed potatoes. It is such a treat to walk in the house after a trip to the library to be hit in the face with the scent of roasted garlic!

The prime rib and potatoes were sensational, and we have leftovers for tonight! Yay! Which is perfect because tonight is a late day with Kid #1's soccer practice. Eric can hang at the soccer field. I'll be at home licking a prime rib bone...or two.

Anyhow, I got up and ran this morning. It felt hard. Thirty minutes of straight running is just plain hard, no matter how you look at it. Someday maybe I'll say it's no big deal.

I want to run the San Luis Obispo half marathon on Earth Day. How fun would that be?

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 40 minutes

P.S. I had a terrible stomach ache this morning. I am hoping the prime rib was not the culprit. No one else in the family is in pain, so maybe it's just me. Luckily the pain is subsiding.

On A Roll

Distance: 1.5 miles treadmill, 18 minutes on elliptical
Time: 40 minutes total

Eric and Evan went to the grocery store to buy some prime rib to have for dinner. Yum! While they were gone, Hudson and I exercised.

I got on the treadmill to kick out one mile and then finish up on the elliptical. It was a nice feeling to know I only had to run for 12 minutes, and then I'd be done! Tomorrow's run will be two and change. I have to look at my plan to see what mileage is on the schedule.

While I ran, Hudson was on the elliptical. Then while I was on the elliptical, I let him walk on the treadmill. I love it that my boys want to be so active. Healthy food eating kids? Eh. But they are definitely active. I also like being a mostly consistent example of exercising.

I still need to finish up with 10 minutes of abs.

Football is on. Cowboys vs. Bills. My husband loves Cowboys. My BIL loves Bills. Cowboys are ahead 7-0 in the first two minutes!

This isn't a very exciting post. Just me rambling about running.