Today's Run:
10.01 miles, 1:47:02
Low 40's at the start, sunny, near perfect fall day

As you can see from the above pictures, it was absolutely gorgeous outside today! What you cannot see in the pictures is how much I struggled to get it done. It was purely awful at times!

I dropped the monster off at church and drove out to a nearby town to run on the golf cart paths. I parked at a gas station that is kind of in the middle of two larger loops - this proved to be a good strategy. I ran about 4 miles and was back at the car. I stopped to use the bathroom and bought some Gatorade. I also took a GU since I was already back at the car and could dispose of the trash. Also, I went ahead and took a GU because I was struggling and it was only 4 miles into the run. I thought about quitting at that point, but I kept going.

I felt better after the GU and ended up taking a new route and going exploring. I took a larger loop and finishing up pretty nicely back at the car. It wasn't all bad - I got to see some beautiful fall colors - I just love this time of year! I also left beautiful snot rockets all over the trails... kind of like a runner's take on Hansel and Gretel. Good thing my GPS didn't fail me, right?

My leg hurt for maybe about the first half mile and then did pretty good from that point on. I did stop to stretch every couple of miles. It's kind of sore and tight tonight, though. I just took my first dose of ibuprofen and finished icing it. I hope I'll be able to talk my husband into massaging it later - that really helped last time!

I don't know what it is about running - sometimes it is so easy and you feel like you're flying. Other times, it's like you're aware of every step and feel like you're torturing yourself for almost 2 hours. I always hang in there because I love how I feel when the run is finished - no matter how terrible it was while it was going down. Plus, I love eating when it's all said and done.

My husband likes to tell me that the runs that stink are the ones that build character. He barely runs. What does he know? No character was built today. Instead, it built a ginormous appetite and I put a serious hurt on a naked burrito from Moe's. The end.

Friday's Run

I worked Tues/Wed/Thur overnights this week. I slept terribly all week and am quite tired. I got up Friday afternoon and snuck a quick run in before one of my classmates came to town to visit.

I felt like it was my first time running!

I know it's because it was related to my sleep schedule throughout the week, but it was slightly discouraging at first.

My calf was kind of tight at first but I warmed out of it. I'm pretty sure I had a limp. I wore a compression sleeve, which seemed to help and I have been meticulously stretching, rolling, and using the therapeutic laser on my calf all week. It's feeling somewhat better but I'm starting to doubt my ability to cross the finish line of a 26.2 in good health.

That's a story for another day. Too depressing.

The run:
3.18 miles, 31:18
65 degrees, sunny

I'm currently at work and waiting on some Mexican deliciousness. I hope to run tomorrow afternoon - after a morning packed with church and Monster's Santa pictures!

Have I mentioned how much I love my Garmin?

I took Sunday and Monday off after the half marathon this weekend. I'm still having some right calf pain and it was a bit worse on Sunday than it had been in a few weeks. I have discovered that serious stretching, massage, and foam rolling REALLY help. It's almost like my upper calf muscles are too tight and causing everything to be "off." The husband gave me a really great massage last night! It hurt so good.

I was thinking I'd do a run this morning before I had to pick up the baby from school. I was willing to do up to 7 miles, depending on how my leg was feeling. I ended up doing far less than that, not because of my leg, but because of the weather.

Of course, on voting day, it's freezing and pouring rain. I decided to run anyway. I work the next 4 nights (including tonight), so it was very important for me to get a run in today.

Today's Run:
3 miles, 31:08
~45 degrees, pouring rain

I have some water resistant (key word) running attire - including GoreTex shoes. My jacket worked for a bit, but within 2 miles, it had reached its saturation point and I was soaked. And cold. And my hands were almost numb. And I couldn't tell if it was rain, snot, or both that was running down my face. After 3 miles, I decided that I needed to defrost and dry off.

IT WAS AWESOME. There's something about running in the rain that makes you feel really hardcore - and like a kid again at the same time. I had a huge smile across my (numb) face.

I was also the only person crazy enough to be in the park getting my exercise on in the pouring rain. I took this as a sign that I could sing loudly and dance as much as I wanted. You know you want to be my running partner. HA!

I hope you exercised today, too. While I hope you got out and ran, I really hope you exercised your right to vote. I'm so thankful to live in a country where I have that right!

By the way, my feet stayed dry - other than the dampness from water coming in the tops of my shoes and getting my socks wet. Invest in some Brooks GoreTex shoes if you think you will run in the rain!

Rock N Roll Savannah Half Marathon

Saturday was the 2nd annual Savannah Rock N Roll marathon/half marathon. I ran the race last year, too, and I think it's my favorite race by far. It's a pretty flat and fast course and the crowd support is great!

We stayed in a different hotel this year and we really liked it. If you are interested in running this race next year, I'll give you the hotel info. It was about half a mile from the starting line and about a mile from the finish. The husband was quite happy with our location because he got to stay in bed while I got up early to head out and run. He and the monster slept until about 9:30 that morning! Slackers.

I worked Thursday night, got home Friday morning, finished packing, and left for Savannah. I dozed a bit in the car but didn't get much sleep. Once we got there, we checked into the hotel, changed, and left to head to the expo. Last year, the expo experience was a TRAIN WRECK, so we were hoping to beat out the crowds.

The problem with this expo is that there is no parking and you have to take a ferry across the river. Last year, we waited for over two hours to get on a ferry. This year, we were on a ferry within 36 minutes. Yes, I timed it. It was a pretty neat expo and I really liked how big the Brooks area was. I love Brooks' stuff and they were the ones who made the official race shirt, too. Winning. I would have loved to walk around and shop some more, but it is definitely not the husband's idea of a good time.

Here's the monster waiting on the ferry back across the river:

It was about 5 o'clock when we were done with the expo so we headed out in search of some carbs - aka the reason I run. We had gotten a recommendation from one of the dudes at the hotel and went to this local italian place. Turns out, you needed a reservation to sit inside, but the tables out on the sidewalk were free game. Thankfully, we snagged a table quickly (thanks to the girls who kept that grumpy dude from stealing our table) and engorged ourselves on carbs. I had this amazing grilled chicken, basil, and alfredo ziti dish. It was soooooo good. I think I gained about 5 lbs but that's ok.

I passed out at 7:30 that night. I can't remember a time in my adult life where I went to bed so early - but it was great. When my alarm went off at 5am - I was wide awake. I got up, went down to the lobby for breakfast (bagel with peanut butter and coffee). I appreciated that the coffee was on the house - they knew what was up and how to win a bunch of runners over!

It was about 48 degrees at the start of the race. I should have brought capris with me but I only had long pants with me - I was expecting it to be colder. I wore my new ProCompression pink compression socks, long black pants, a short sleeved Brooks tee, and a matching Skinny Band (my favorite - they have adorable patterns and they don't budge!). I made sure to bathe with anti-chafe goodness, too, and I came out unscathed.

Saturday, November 3:
13.2 miles (yes, I believe the course was mismeasured - because the Garmin said so), 2:11:57
New PR!!!

I was pretty stoked by my time in this race. I took 8 minutes off my time from last year, too!

I met a new pal in the start corral and ended up running and chatting with her for close to 10 miles. That was a serious blessing! She lives in Atlanta, so I hope I can meet up with her again for a run sometime. Running with a companion is so much better than running solo! Thanks, Diane!

After the race, I met up with the hubs and baby, and we ate lunch and headed back to the hotel. We got dressed and took the baby out to Tybee Island to show her the Atlantic Ocean. She had a great time and it was a fantastic way to get her to run off some energy.

We went to Lady and Sons for dinner that night - loved being able to refuel with Paula Dean's goodness. I also love that they take reservations now!

We got up Sunday and ate at a really good little breakfast place near the hotel. We got on the road and rushed home for the Living Christmas Tree practice.

Man, this was a great weekend. I love having such a great time with my family, getting to run with 17k of my closest friends, and eating amazing food! See you next year, Savannah!

Today was a fun filled day! One of my colleagues needed a day off next week, so I traded to have tonight off. I'm so glad that I was able to do that! As it just so happened, I needed to take Monster to school, take the hubs to pick up the car (which was an easy and FREE fix), pick out pumpkins, decorate a pumpkin (we couldn't have a naked porch!), and get ready for Trunk-Or-Treat! Phew.

I managed to sneak a run in this morning right before picking Monster up from school. It was a miserably slow run - my legs were sore and felt like lead. I imagine this was from my speedy run (for me) last night and how close the two runs were to each other. I've heard it's good to do that every once in awhile for training - some people even do two runs a day! I wish I was that cool.

I find fall awesome, of course, but it's also hard to dress for runs. Today, I thought it was cold, so I wore my full length tight pants, a long sleeved technical tee, and a Nike hoodie. I was burning up within a few minutes and was freezing again within 2 miles. I don't predict that I will ever get good at this!

Today's Run:
4.11 miles, 43.02, 10:38/mi
51 degrees, intermittent wind, sunny

After my run, I picked up Monster and we did a couple of errands. I had to go to Hobby Lobby and to a local pumpkin patch. We usually go to this little pumpkin patch at a church near our house - the proceeds go to missions I believe. Well, as it turns out, it's a procrastinator's dream! On the last day, you can get as many pumpkins as you want and make a donation that you find is fair. Sweet. We got two big pumpkins and the monster picked out several small ones.

Here is my cool pumpkin! We didn't have time to carve one - and frankly I didn't want to go to the ER with my toddler due to a cutting injury. I hot glued these buttons on the pumpkin and I think it turned out really awesome! I make my own bows and the monster picked out the ribbon. It was a team effort - even though the glue gun was used only during nap time.

The monster was a Yellow Jacket for Halloween. Hubs and I were GT fans - easiest costumes ever. I just wore a Tech sweatshirt and jeans. I was comfortable! We taught Monster to say "GO JACKETS!" - but of course she wouldn't do it for anyone tonight.

Happy Halloween from my Monster to Yours!

NEXT RUN: Rock and Roll Savannah Half Marathon! Whoop. Sounds like an excuse for carb loading...

Today was a very interesting day. I'll give you the general run down.

First, one of my student loan companies and I got our wires crossed and I've been given the "opportunity" to make an extra loan payment. Four days before my bill is due. And it overdrew my account. The day before my husband's paycheck will be deposited. Awesome. I hate money! It's my #1 stressor!

We had our "end of the study" breakfast at Bible study today. I got up extra early so I could try a new Pinterest recipe - mini pumpkin donut bites. Win. Here's a pic of this delicousness. You can't go wrong with things covered in cinnamon and sugar!

I got my vote on before having to pick Monster up from school. It only took about 10 minutes and I'm so thankful that I don't have to wait in the epic lines on voting day!

My child has been very cranky and very tired this week. I have had to wake her up both mornings! She has had an epically short fuse and it is very grating on the nerves. I'm hoping that she's going through a growth spurt or something because I might lose my mind if this is more permanent than that!

I was already a bit on edge this evening when my husband called on his way home and said something was wrong with his car. Again. We have spent an ungodly amount of money on that car this month - new catalytic converter, radiator, rear brakes, etc. So, needless to say, the car is back in the shop. Again. We are hoping it was just something related to the recent work on the brakes and not another issue that will rob us blind. Plus, it's hard to pay for anything when your student loan company has overdrawn your account! ha!

Basically, I was pretty wound up by the time I had to get the husband from the car shop. I needed to run. So, despite the setting sun and blustery weather, I headed out for a run.

Here's a snapshot of beauty from my run - love the reflection of the pink sky on the water!

So, rage is great fuel for me. Needless to say, I was shocked when my Garmin alerted that my first mile was complete - and it was 8:39! Say what!? I ended up having two sub 9 minute miles - I can't remember a time when that has happened before!

Today's Stats:
3.23 miles, 29:14:62, 9:02 average
51 degrees, 20+mph winds (Thanks Hurricane Sandy)

When it's so stinking cold, I apparently run faster so I can get it over with. Seriously though, how can 50 degrees feel so COLD?? My ears were stinging by the time I got home.

Here's the post-run pic that the Monster insisted on taking with me... I have awesome hair, don't I?

Maiden Voyage

My shiny new Garmnin Forerunner 110 came in the mail on Friday! It was a sad tease, really, because I had to work that night. I took it to work with me so that I could charge it and play with it -- but I didn't even get a chance to look at it, much less open it. I had one of those nights that make you want to curl up in the fetal position and scream "UNCLE!" When I finally got to leave work on Saturday morning, I was mentally and physically exhausted. I took a short nap, played with the Monster for a little while, and then got ready to go to dinner with some very special people!

Apparently, Georgia Tech's homecoming brings some super awesome people to town! My sister in law is on the right and her sister (also my childhood friend and one of my bridesmaids) is the left. I loved that I was actually off on a weekend and actually got to see them.

At one point during dinner, I was talking with some other amazing friends at the end of the table and this happened:

Her daddy (a GT grad) claims that he had nothing to do with this. The good news is that Mary Kay Eye Makeup Remover easily takes temporary tattoos off of a baby's face.

We had a great day today, too. We accidentally slept in because our alarm clock (Monster) did not get up at her usual time. I can't remember the last time I slept until 9am! We missed Sunday School but made it in time to sing with the choir. Afterwards, we came home and cleaned out the left overs and the Monster took an extremely long nap. We had considered taking her to a pumpkin patch today but she totally slept the whole time instead. We'll have to take her somewhere locally tomorrow to get a few pumpkins for the porch!

Our weather is so bonkers right now. That huge hurricane is off the coast of Georgia today and we have some serious wind. We're under a wind advisory because of the 35mph gusts we are having. I know my husband is extremely happy that he spent so much time raking leaves yesterday because the backyard is now full again! Joy!

I got a nice run in this afternoon. It was my first trip with my new friend (my Garmin). I plan on giving her a name so it seems like I have a friend running partner. It was amazing! I have the heart rate monitor that goes with it and I had forgotten how much I missed running with a HR monitor! I try to keep my heart rate in a certain range so I don't run out of steam.

Today's Run
5.03 miles, 50:26:49
10:02/mi
I ran part of my normal loop and added on a more dangerous segment to make it a nice 5 miles. I wore my super fun (and bright bright neon green) Brooks essential running jacket and I'm pretty sure all motorists saw me coming.

The wind made it pretty tricky! I can honestly say I've never run in wind like that before. I think I would have been faster had I not been fighting the wind for so much of my travels. My legs started to feel like mush after awhile.

My leg felt pretty good. I stretched it out when I got home and will roll it out before bed. I didn't wear any compression gear today so I consider this a win.

I need some name suggestions for my new friend! Have any good ideas?

I seriously need a shot of motivation and a running partner!

I have been getting behind with my blogging recently. It has been a long couple of weeks with random schedules and appointments. It's easy for me to get lost in the business and running ends up being the last thing on my list for the day. And it's easy for me to make excuses at the end of the day.

I've only felt motivated to run if the husband was going to come with me. Part of the reason there is because we have FINALLY had some time together with my recent schedule change. Once we are able to be together a little bit, we both find ourselves wanting more of that interaction and it's harder to leave the other one at home. For example, I had a 15 mile run scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Instead, the hubs and I ended up napping for about 2 hours during the monster's nap time. Napping was so much better than running (duh). I was tired and it was so refreshing! I didn't want to leave the house and miss out on time with him! Sappy, yes.

Anyway, now we shall move on to the informative bits. FYI: My mileage this month is depressing.

Tuesday, October 16:
4.14 miles, 39:28
Loop around the house with a little bonus detour, run with the family. I pushed the stroller for most of the time.

Monday, October 22:
2.8 miles
Dreadmill, 10% incline, walk/jog mix while watching the debate, total of around 45 minute. I hate the dreadmill. 10% incline is so ridiculous and I just can't run nearly as much.

Tuesday, October 23:
3.56 miles, 35:09
This was another family run. We actually did a different route on the spur of the moment and ran to the grocery store. The picture at the top of the post is one I took of the Monster while we waited for Daddy outside. It was a fun change of scenery and it was a great adrenaline inducer - some of that road has terrible visibility and you feel like you could die at any moment.

I must admit that I think my calf muscle is finally on the mend. The rolling torture device works pretty well. I think my low mileage has helped, too. Let us all rejoice that laziness can help something! It has really been a mental thing for me to have this nagging injury. I really have gotten into a stream of worthless, self doubting, inner loathing. It has resulted in me feeling like my efforts are futile and eating bon bons is more fulfilling. I hate that - but I'm counting on that to fade as I continue to see positive improvement with my leg.

Anyway, the hubs is giving me part of my Christmas a bit early! I know it will help with my motivation - a shiny new Garmin watch! I've wanted one for-ev-er! I am stalking the delivery trucks waiting for my running buddy to arrive! I'll post a picture of her once she gets here.

It will probably be Saturday before I get another run in. I worked last night and work again tonight. I think I'll plan on heading out Saturday morning (?) when I get off work.

The First Three Miles Are Always the Hardest

I have had such a busy week. I ended up covering a partial shift for a colleague last Monday - which kept me from doing my family run with the hubs that evening. I would have run earlier but I had to take the Monster to her 2 year check up that morning. Wait, I was pretty sore that day (the day after the half), so who am I kidding? I was glad to have several excuses to avoid running!

I also had to work Tuesday night. I felt like I'd been beaten up on Tuesday morning for several reasons - my muscles were still kind of sore and I barely got any sleep before Monster woke up that morning. I took her to church and played hooky from my Bible study. I threw some dinner into the crock pot and lounged around on the couch. I planned on napping, but I ended up laying there in a trance - like I was too tired to even nap.

I didn't run on Wednesday, either. I was so busy at work on Tuesday night and I died in my bed when I got home that morning. I am such a loser. I feel terrible even admitting how long I went without running!

I did make myself go running on Thursday morning. I dropped the baby off and ended up getting temporarily distracted by many things. First, I went to put gas in my car and realized I didn't have my wallet. Thankfully, I realized this BEFORE I put the liquid gold in my new car. Second, I had to take a business phone call and we had to play phone tag for a bit. I didn't want to end up getting a call back while I was sucking wind!

Oh look! Here's a randomly placed cute baby picture to take your mind off of how badly I am preparing for this stupid marathon.

Thursday's Run:
4.21 miles, 46:04, sunny, 64 degrees

I ended up going to the park and running the loop. It was torture. I'm not going to lie. I know it was a cumulative thing - several days of terrible, limited sleep. A week's worth of the stress. Several days without running. It was just a recipe for disaster.

I picked up a relief shift Thursday night - helloooo extra dollars. If I could have called out, though, I would have. I was so tired! And I had an eye twitch! Anyway, I really regretted going for that run around 4am when I hit "the wall" and once again on my way home when I almost fell asleep. Oops.

Since we are being honest here, this also happened on my way home Friday morning:

I stopped for breakfast with the hubs on my way by his work that morning. We haven't had breakfast together at this donut place since being pregnant with the Monster. I only ate one - that lovely chocolate raspberry fritter there - and he took the rest to his office mates. Suck up. I almost punched him in the gut in the parking lot and sped off with those beauties. I showed restraint. I deserve another donut for my efforts.

In case you care, I used to do a lot more relief before I had the baby. Now, I rarely pick up a shift - I would rather be home with my family. It rarely seems worth the stress and loss of sleep. But, I'm always glad I did it when I get the check. This lovely check will be going towards the unexpected repairs we had to make on my husband's car last month. We always have a silly car repair right before we have to have our cars pass emissions testing! What's the deal with that, anyway?

I slept for a bit on Friday and then went running with the husband when he got home from work. It was a bit easier to run on Friday, but it was still terrible. Well, it was only terrible for the first 3 miles. Good thing I ran so much more than that...

Friday's Run
3.14 miles, 32:17, 69 degrees

We just ran the loop near our house. I did end up pushing the stroller for about a mile - which is a mile more than I have run with the stroller for at least 6 months. As it turns out, my child has gotten significantly heavier since then, and I am significantly less awesome.

I worked Saturday and Sunday - my last weekend for awhile! Yay! My schedule transitions this week, which always makes for an interesting week of running. I have to figure out when/where I will be able to run on this new schedule. I am most concerned about figuring out when I will do my long run. I'll keep you posted on that.

Today was a pretty awesome day. I hardly did anything and got to hang out with the squishy all day! We played outside for a long time because it was so gorgeous outside. We had some rain come through this morning and it was pretty windy all day.

When the hubs got home, we had to squeeze a run in pretty quick-like before he had to head out for a men's event at our church. I put some chili on the stove right before we left, so by the time we got home, it was ready for the eating!

Today's Run
3.1 miles, 69 degrees, 33:!5

We ran the loop around our house again. I pushed the stroller the entire time today - go me! My leg was bothering me for almost the entire run. I didn't wear any compression gear today because it hadn't been bothering me at all for several days. Then, towards that magical third mile, it stopped hurting and hasn't bothered me since.

This leg thing is really starting to wear me out. It needs to get better, pronto. I'm supposed to run 15 miles sometime this week.

Alright, I think that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this random post. Feel free to send me degrading messages to support my belief that I am going to absolutely fail at this 26.2 thing.

Atlanta Allstate 13.1 Series Half Marathon

Sunday, October 7:
Official chip time - 2:16:55
A new PR!

It's taken me almost a week to sit down and write a race recap, but here I sit. I worked last Saturday and was thankfully able to have the full day off on Sunday (race day). The day started at 4:15a when my first alarm went off. I finally got out of bed around 4:30 and went downstairs for coffee.

Coffee is very important for me on long runs. It gets things... ahem, moving... before I leave the house.

I had my coffee and enjoyed my typical long run breakfast - Vans wheat waffle with peanut butter. Yummo!

I woke the fam up at 5:30a and we all got into the car and went for a ride up to north Atlanta. It took us about 45ish minutes to get there. Traffic is a breeze at that time of morning. ;)

We had a cold front come through on Saturday night so the weather on Sunday was AMAZING. I wore a long sleeved Nike technical shirt over a short sleeved Brooks Run Happy Tee. I also wore my cute running skirt and some black knee high compression socks. I wore my Brooks Ghost 4's - they just matched my outfit better. ;)

It was in the high 50's at race start - 7a. I concentrated on taking my first few miles slower than I usually do so I could make sure I ran the whole time. I ran this course last year, and I forgot how insanely hilly it is. It's actually a bit out of control with the hills, but it was a great training run for me. I just don't get that amount of hills on my runs on the south side! I only had literally two hills (within the last 2 miles) where I had to walk for about 30 seconds up the hill. My legs were screaming profanities and I just had to walk. Other than that, I ran the whole time!


I know I've run several 13.1's - but I have always had to walk for part of the race - usually around a mile total. I know I've mentioned it before, but this is the first time that I have really put the effort into doing the long runs and really hammering out the miles before the race. It paid off! I'm glad that my baby has an opportunity to go to Mom's Day Out at our church so I can continue to put in my long runs and train appropriately!

So, not only was this super hilly course a new PR, I took a considerable amount of time off of my time from 2011. I finished last year's race in 2:23:47. That's like 7 whole minutes! Hot diggity!

I only felt my calf pulling a bit for the first couple of miles. I felt pretty good after the race. The hubs commented on how much more energy I had after this race than I used to have after finishing a half marathon. (I think he was saying thanks for not laying around on the couch like a wounded soldier all day.) The bottoms of my feet hurt pretty badly by bedtime that night, but they were fine the following morning. I was pretty sore in the quads and in my upper calf muscles for several days. The side of my calf (where my strain is), didn't start bothering me again until Thursday morning -- after I hadn't run on it in several days!! Someone explain THAT one to me, please?

I went to my favorite running store on Monday and bought one of those hand held muscle torturing batons to help with the soreness. I'm not sure how much of a difference it made, but it felt good for muscle massage. To celebrate, I also bought myself a new running outfit! I got a super cute long sleeved Brooks Tee and some long Moving Comfort pants (from the clearance rack, woohoo 50% off on running pants!) I usually buy some clothes at the race expos, so this was my way of making up for the fact that the hubs picked up my packet and I didn't get to go shopping at the expo!

As for the race itself, it is kind of a smaller race and there's only 3 corrals. I'm no where near fast enough to place in a corral, so I'm at the back of the pack with the rest of the slow losers runners. The race staff was nice and they invited FCA to do an opening prayer. The course has too much time on a boring, busy road in North Atlanta - I find this to be the hardest part of the course. AND, you double back on that same section of road so you have to look at it twice. There was no GU station along the way. I love a good GU station - it allows me to try some new flavors without having to actually pay for the experience. The medal was mediocre - but it ended up matching my shirt, so that was a bonus. The race shirt was actually available in a woman's size and it is pretty decent. I wore it on my run tonight, actually. I'll probably do the race again next year - after all, it is a local race and I don't have to take off a full weekend of work in order to go!

Ohhh... because I obviously run for the bling -- I am happy to report that I got a bonus medal for taking the Atlanta Challenge! I ran the Publix Georgia Half Marathon in March and ran this race in October - so I got another medal and another technical tee. I'll take a picture of both medals and post them later.

Things to work on:
Speed - I want to run a 2h half before I die. At this rate, I will have to run at least 16 more half marathons before I achieve this goal.
Fueling during the race - I always start with some hungry stomach noises around mile 8. This is going to be more important for my full marathon - so I need to figure this out.

Today's Run:
6.31 miles, 1:07:31
Gorgeous weather - 65 degrees, sunny.

This was my first run after a full week off. I wore calf sleeves and ran the 10k loop in PTC. I was aware of a slight twinge in my calf for the first 15 min or so, and it was barely noticeable after that. I stopped a few times and it would ache for the first few steps after I started again. It hasn't bothered me when walking around this afternoon - so I'm happy about that! Maybe it's getting better? ::crossing my fingers::

Regardless, it felt great to be outside and moving again!

I'm currently icing my leg with my miracle ice pack. I got this amazing ice pack when I had my stress fracture. I bought it from my physical therapist and it has a special place in my freezer/heart. It's huge - maybe like 18"x12" and pliable - so it can be wrapped around the affected area better. I lurrrrve it. You must get one if you are ever injured!

Sunday is race day! I hope to rock out with my new pink ProCompression socks and am shooting for a new PR!

My socks and a new edition of Runner's World both arrived yesterday. Thank you, USPS.

September Recap

Total Mileage: 64.7

September was a decent month. I had a few extra shifts during the month and the weather started to change - yay! I had a few challenging runs due to the weather and quite a few amazing runs! I also had an amazing chafing experience.

I fell short of my goal for the month - 72 miles. This was largely intentional, but I also had lower mileage at the start of the month due to my work schedule. I could have put the miles in those last few days, but made a conscious effort to rest. I am struggling with a calf strain and I felt it was more important to rest my legs than it was to finish those last 7 miles. In fact, I took a full week off of running. I can't remember the last time I did that. Usually, I go stir crazy if I haven't run in 2 days. However, I was perfectly fine during this little hiatus - it's almost like my body welcomed the rest. It's silly - my mileage is not that high - but I think I was starting to feel a bit run down.

I am making a conscious effort to sleep more and continue to watch what I'm eating. I've gone a full 2 months without any soda - this is a HUGE accomplishment for me! I was telling my friend yesterday that 2 months is especially amazing if you realize that I used to drink soda almost every 2 hours. Well, it wasn't that often, but it was pretty frequent at times. I have noticed that I crave much fewer sweets and fried junk recently. In fact, the thought of fried food makes my stomach unhappy.

Despite my efforts, both in running and watching my intake, I have not lost any weight. I'm trying not to get frustrated about this, but it's hard! I might be losing inches or something, so I'm hopeful that I will start seeing the scale move soon!

I need to start cross training. I've been avoiding it because, well, running is the only thing I really like to do. However, I think my stupid calf would heal better if I was using it in other ways. This calf injury is something that actually started after the Publix Half Marathon in March. It stopped bothering me within a few weeks, but I really decreased my mileage around that time, too. I don't have the luxury of doing that this time around (hello, marathon in January), so I'm hoping that my body will adapt and repair itself while I'm still training. I'm currently icing it. Go me. Anyway, I would like to incorporate some yoga and some swimming (still need to make it to the pool!) into my workouts during October.

I have my first half of the season this coming Sunday! It's here in Atlanta and we are supposed to have a cold front come through on Saturday night. The weather should be PERFECT. I'm pretty excited about it! I'm praying that my calf muscle holds out and doesn't get angrier!

I keep hoping that I will wake up to a Garmin (hint, hint husband) - but haven't had any luck yet.

How were your runs for September? Any fun fall races coming up?

Today's Run:
9 miles, 1:36:48
Mostly flat/minor hills, 68 degrees, humid

Well, naturally, once my long run day rolls around, it seems to get hot again! It was nice and cool this morning (high 50's) but warmed up pretty darn quickly. I think the high today was around 86 which is a bit warm for this time of year. Regardless, I had to run today, so I did.

I dropped the wee one off at church and ran on the roads behind the church. I usually do around a 5 mile loop there but I added a it on to it today to make it a nice 9 miles.

Well, the adventurous thing about running on the road is that you don't always know what you're going to get yourself into. I casually looked at the GPS and said "oh cool, there's another loop I can take right there - it will probably get me close to 9 miles once I get back to the church!" That extra loop took me on one of the windiest and sometimes busiest roads in the area. I made it - but I'm lucky I'm not dead! I wouldn't be so bad, but there's not a great shoulder, which means I felt like I had to stop a lot to keep myself from becoming a hood ornament. I miss city running on days like this!

I drank all of my water by around 7.5 miles. I ate some gels today, which I haven't done in quite some time. I got some of the GU chews and they were ok.

My legs felt pretty heavy for most of the run. I'm pretty sure it's because of a) my wonky sleep schedule this week, b) my longer runs in general this week, and c) everything about me is heavy. I have been wearing my compression socks this afternoon and will probably end up taking an ibuprofen before the day is over.

I need to log another 7 miles before the end of the month! I'm going to have to get creative to get them in - maybe I'll take the dog on a slow (so slow it could be considered a walk in most countries) jog tonight? Jog with the monster in the stroller tomorrow morning? Both?

Speaking of the monster... how cute is this picture?

Here she is sporting a NY fancy boutique sweater, PJ's, Brooks Ghost 4's, and drinking some "shock milk." Loveit! Baby's got style!

Today's Run:
5.5 miles, 57 minutes

I woke up late this morning, so I skipped out on my normal Tuesday morning obligations. Once I dropped the Monster off at church, I headed out to a local park to get some miles in.

Let me stop here and say that my child did not want to get out of bed this morning and it was tempting to just snuggle with her in the rocking chair all morning!

The weather was just plain gorgeous this morning. It was near perfect - low 60's, low humidity. I'm not sure why, but I really struggled with the run this morning. I'm thinking I'm just a bit tired? Maybe it was because I ran right before bed last night, so it was a quick turn around?

This park is a 1.3 mile paved loop. It's got several big hills - one of them is pretty steep. I'm such a wuss about hills. I can admit it. I should really do this route more often. It's pretty close to my work - I used to pack my jogging stroller and run there with Monster when I got off of work in the mornings. This was back when she was a bitty baby and slept all the time and I could "stay up" with her all day. In fact, my first run post baby was in this park. I bet that was a sight to see. HA!

I'm still dealing with a bit of touch of a right calf strain. I've been running with compression socks or sleeves and it seems to help quite a bit. It bothered me more today than it did at all on my 12 miler last Friday. I don't think standing on that hard floor at work helps at all!

That's all for now. I have enough time to shower before I have to go pick up the squishy at the church.

Get your run on today! You'll feel better when it's over. :)

Today's Run:
4 miles, 39:28
65 degrees, typical 5k loop with a bit extra tagged on, Arwen came with us! She still slows me down a bit. I'm not fast though - so let's be real.

Today was an odd day for me. I worked the weekend overnight this week so that I could celebrate the Monster's birthday with friends on Saturday afternoon. I slept for a few hours this afternoon and got up to try to get some stuff done. When the hubs got home (late I might add), we went on a family run.

The Monster was in rare form tonight - she requires naps and did not get a great one today. So she was crying. A lot. I wanted to rip my hair out!

The man pushed the stroller, and I took Arwen on the leash. She did much better today - which makes my heart smile.

I love fall. We got a late start, but it was amazing to run as a family and get to see the gorgeous stars.

I need to do some serious mileage this week because I'm a bit behind for my goal this month!

I have this serious "need" to buy some new running clothes for the fall. Someone remind me that I don't have a money tree in my backyard. Please?

Week in Review & Monster turned TWO:

Wow, so I really let this week get away from me. I had a busy week celebrating my baby girl's birthday!

I did not go running last Sunday. I talked about it in my last post. I went to bed early and set my alarm - but when it went off, I could not make myself get up. I regretted that decision throughout the day.

Monday morning, the hubs had to head into work extra early so I slept in. We planned on doing a family run when he got home. We had changed clothes and were in the process of wrapping things up and heading out the door when our weather radio went off - alerting us that we were under tornado watch. It started pouring rain shortly after that, so we did not exercise. Instead, I stuffed my face with pasta. Take that.

Tuesdays are jam packed days for me! I have Bible Study in the mornings and have to drop the monster off at church beforehand. I go to lunch with a good pal of mine, pick up the baby, and we both come home and nap. I get up, shower again, and get ready for work. Then I work a glorious 14 hour shift during the night. So, getting up early enough to run before the hubs leaves for work on these days should be applauded. Ha! I thought about skipping out on lunch with my pal that morning to get a run in. But, when I checked the weather, it was supposed to be a 100% chance of rain throughout the mid morning to early afternoon and it was only a 60% chance of rain that morning. I took my chances. And I ran in the rain. And it was sunny all morning and afternoon. Go figure.

Side note: someone needs to invent a rain resistant jacket that doesn't make you so HOT!

I took my Aussie with me that morning - I got sad because she can't keep up like she used to. I know she's getting older - but she has been my bestest pal for years now. I got her before I started vet school. She has been through all of my biggest life changes with me (minus leaving home to go to college in the first place). I was very emotional throughout the day just thinking about losing her one day. Sad face. But, the hubs reminded me that she has been a couch potato since late spring (it got hot very quickly this spring) and she was really out of shape. Fine. I'll give him that, but I'm still allowed to be emotional because of my pal. Anyway, it was much less scary in the darkness and light drizzle with my friend with me. She's an extra set of ears and has been known to be very protective of me. I'm looking forward to our next run together!

Tuesday's details:
3.34 miles, 35:37
Raining, around 70 degrees, pre-dawn
Arwen definitely slowed me down a bit (seriously, you're a girl, must you pee on everything??)-- but she was worth it!

I ended up staying late at work on Wednesday morning because of a last minute surgery. It would have been a perfect morning to run - the first day of the cold front! I stuffed my face with Chick-fil-A instead. I'm sensing a trend this week.

Thursday is typically my long run day. I had to post pone it on Thursday due to my Monster turning the big TWO! I took her to church, came home, finished her adorable cupcakes (pictured below), and took them to her class at lunch time. Wow, those kids are cute. I loved being able to be there and see her interact with them! So stinking cute. There's no other way to describe them.

The hubs stayed home today to celebrate the monster's birthday and have some family time. I got up early this morning to do my long run. Of course, when I got up, the first thing I noticed was that there was very dense fog. Naturally. My last long run attempt had me running in 90%+ humidity, I got the chafe of a lifetime, AND I was unable to finish!

Today was a much better run. I left my car at my friend's house and ran on some trails in PTC. I had absolutely no close calls with any golf carts and I did not die of heat exhaustion. I did stop back by my car at around 8.5 miles and refill my water bottle, change shirts (I was soaked and was afraid to repeat a chafing episode), and realize that I had left my chews at home. Crud. The hubs had some peanut butter crackers, so I ate a couple of those and went on my way.

I was happy when it was over but felt like I could have kept going! I loved my hand held water bottle. But, I'm still not sold on the NUUN tablets. I stopped at Starbucks (yum). I stretched a bit when I got home - my hips were tight after being in the car - and I felt great all day. I didn't even take a nap! However, my legs did feel a bit tired this evening when I was standing in the kitchen making delicious food.

Speaking of, let me tell you - I found this recipe for spiced green apple and butternut squash soup. Uhm, hello, what? It was SO GOOD.

Today's run:
12 miles, 2:20:53
70%, humid/foggy, PTC golf trails

So, the good news is that I only need to shave off about 20 minutes and add another 1.1 miles. HAHA! I'm only kidding - I know I will run a bit faster when I'm with all those other people and I should at least be able to shave off another 10 minutes. I will really have to pace myself so that I don't go out TOO fast.

I was going to buy a glorious Garmin watch before my first 13.1 this season. BUT - I had to fund a pretty expensive repair on my car. Sad face. I hate being an adult. When I said I wanted to grow up, I didn't realize it meant I'd have to pay my own bills!

Gotta make the time...

I had to squeeze a run in this evening. I was feeling crummy and down in the dumps about not running this morning. When the hubs got home, he started making us some dinner and I took the opportunity to get a quick run in.

I'm so glad I went! My mood was instantly about 300x better.

Tonight's Run:
3.25, 31:28

I went on my typical loop in my neighborhood and the one across from mine. It's nice to have a 5k loop!

Here's another reason I love the fall: flexibility. Several weeks ago, I would have suffered from a heat stroke if I had attempted to run at 7pm. Tonight, it was in the low 70's and the humidity was pretty low. And I loved it. I'm telling you - fall rocks.

I work tomorrow and Sunday. If I'm feeling crazy, I might do another run on Sunday morning!

As a side note, I'm so glad that I'm scheduled for my normal days this week. I have had an extra shift thrown in for the past 2 weeks and it's amazing how much that takes away from being able to get things in life accomplished. And, it makes me tired... and I get cranky when I'm tired!

Thursday's Run:
6.23mi, 1:02:50
High 60's, moderate humidity
Gorgeous day!

I dropped Monster off at church on Thursday morning and I was already in my running clothes, as usual. However, I was not convinced that I was going to run. I was just not feeling it. I took an extra day off this week because my right calf was hurting a bit more than normal. Plus, I was suddenly feeling very apathetic about running despite the near perfect weather.

This happens to me usually about once a month. I'm going to assume it's hormonal - I just start feeling down about myself - especially my body - and then feel like doing absolutely nothing other than drowning my sorrows in cheese and carbs.

I drove myself to the same go cart path that I ran on last week. It was a gorgeous day, so I thought the lake would provide some uplifting scenery. It was also mentally important for me to "conquer" the location of my crappiest run to date.

I have ditched the Jeff Galloway program for the time being - the music was too repetitive and I was getting a bit irritated with all the walk breaks. I didn't think I was getting any better. Plus, I have work out ADD.

I did ok. The first two miles were easy and I went out a bit fast. I am still taking occasional walk breaks but they are not as long as the ones in the program. I felt zapped of energy at about mile 4. This is probably because I didn't even get to eat my full breakfast or have my full cup of coffee! Monster woke up late and had to have special clothes and special hair for picture day. I kind of forgot to finish eating - oops.

I didn't carry water with me and that was fine - the weather was perfect. I probably would have run a little bit better if I had brought something with me. I ordered a handheld water bottle which will hopefully work out better than that hydration belt (I was still sore 4 days later after its maiden voyage last week).

The beautiful thing is that I didn't feel drained for the rest of the day. In fact, I didn't feel like I had done anything at all. I went grocery shopping, played with Monster, etc. and felt great. I considered going on another run yesterday evening but decided to hang out at home instead. I slept like a rock last night, too, which is always appreciated.

I plan on doing a LONG long run every other week and a run that's a bit longer than my standard run on the opposite weeks. I did 10.6 last week and am thinking I'll aim for 12 miles next week. That will put me right on schedule for my 13.1 that I have scheduled on Oct 7. I hope to beat my PR (2:18:30). My ultimate goal is a 2h half - maybe that will happen before my child goes to college!

I think my chances are improving because I'm putting in the time for the longer runs before the actual race (imagine that). I have done the majority of my 13.1 races since having a baby (5 out of 6). I cut my training way back before my 1st 13.1 because I had found out that I was pregnant - so I ran it with a bit of a handicap. This is the first time that I have actually had the time or child care available so that I could put the miles in. Honestly, now that I think about it, I'm lucky that I'm not dead.

I'm a couple of days behind - so here goes:

Sunday's run:
3.13 miles, 30:14
Perfect weather - 61 degrees, moderate humidity

I'm not going to lie to you. I love fall. I love the decorations, scented candles, crock pot stews, foliage, pumpkin spice lattes - you know, ALL OF IT! It's also the start of my "racing season" - so I get a bit extra pumped up. I say racing season, but we all know I'm not really racing anyone. I'm slow; I couldn't win a race to save my life. But I have fun and that's what counts (that's what I tell myself).

Anyway, we have gotten a little fall teaser here in the ATL and I am loving it. I was so excited about this cold front that I got up at 5am before my Sunday shift to run.

I usually do not run on my work days because I work long shifts and am on my feet all day. I think of it like conserving energy. Let me tell you though, this was a great decision. I had a busy day at work, but I was no where near as stressed or irritated as I could have been because I had some endorphins on hand. I might need to make this a regular event - I think my co-workers would approve!

I did not have a lot of time so I was only able to squeeze in a 5k. My hamstrings were a bit tight from Thursday's long run - but I warmed out of that pretty quickly. It felt great to get my legs moving.

It was well before sunrise, but usually that doesn't matter because I run in my neighborhood and one directly across from it. I did get myself pretty wigged out at one point when I encountered someone out on the road in semi-casual clothes walking slowly at 5:45a. Thankfully, no one was harmed (and by no one, I mean me) and it just made me run faster for a brief period of time! I will now be running with my australian shepherd, Arwen, on mornings such as this. She loves running with me but has not been able to because of the HOT weather. Now that it's cooling off, she's back in the game. I feel safer when she is with me. I also need to look into some kind of mace. Here's a possible situation: "Sure, you can approach me, weird man. Have you met my guard dog? How about my chemical irritant?"

Anyway, the hubs was quite surprised when I got up to run on Sunday morning. I told him that I really wanted to run in the weather but also felt I needed to run because I am working another 4 day work week this week and wouldn't have time otherwise. He told me he felt I was officially a runner. Apparently runners run despite their schedule instead of making excuses for their schedule. He gives very interesting compliments sometimes..

Monday's run:
3.55 miles, 34:37
7pm run, 72 degrees, low humidity

I was really tired when my alarm went off this morning. I sleepily told Ryan that we should do a family run when he got home from work. I was really hoping he'd forget and I was happy to get some extra snooze time. When he got home, we got changed and went running. I'm glad he didn't forget!

My legs were pretty tired from my two 12 hour shifts this weekend. Ryan pushed the stroller and I just wore a cute skirt (and Body Glide - I'm not letting that mistake happen again). It was a pretty good run. It was brief, as I had to go into work, but it felt great. I did have a wee bit of right calf discomfort again, so I stretched a bit more when we got home and foam rolled for awhile. I wore my compression sleeves to work, too. I had to take them off after about 6 hours (they start hurting, does that happen to anyone else?) and it's feeling pretty good right now.

Monster was so excited to go on a run tonight. She did not want to get into the jogging stroller until she had a "bed band" just like Mommy. She went through my stash to find a "blue one" and wore it for almost the entire run. She spent a great deal of time giggling and shouting "RUNNING" while we were out. I love it.

Here's a cute iphone picture for you - I know what your'e thinking - it's too cute for words! I don't think I ever looked that cute in this "bed band"

For the record, this band is only worn when running the Peachtree Road Race. Yes, it matches my obnoxious patriotic running skirt.

I'm still mad at myself about my run last Thursday. However, every person I've talked to about it was shocked that I even left my house that day because it was so notably hot and humid outside. It makes me feel a little bit better. The leg chafing is almost gone, too. Now that walking alone is a bit more tolerable and I don't feel like my thighs are on fire, I have decided that I will continue this running gig and press on for the 26.2.

I am at work now and work again tomorrow night. I will either today when I get off shift or get a quick run in on Wednesday morning when I get home.

It's fall, y'all, it makes a woman crazy (and happy).

This is a warning. This post may be slightly dramatic.


There is one "F" in chafe and one "F" in fail.

Today's Workout:
10.6mi/2:00:32
Golf cart trail in fancy pants Peachtree City - slightly hilly, paved trail with good tree cover and decent scenery
77-80 degrees, 90% humidity.


I was going to write this post earlier, but I was dead and couldn't move (see below).

This run was about 500 times harder than it should have been. I am still trying to process what exactly made it so terrible.

I typically have done my longer runs on Fridays. However, now that Monster is at church on Tues/Thurs, I am using that baby free time to get my run on. That keeps my hubs from having to go in to work at noon. This was my first time doing a long run on a Thursday. In my world, this is the first day of the week where I'm back on a day time schedule. I work Tuesday overnight. Wednesday is a wash - a few hours of sleep, church at night, and trying to go to bed at a normal time to flip my schedule back. This may have had something to do with my run today - but I was feeling pretty good when I woke up.

I was feeling pretty decent up until about 6 miles. It was so stinking hot out. I think I sweat out my blood volume in the first hour. I was planning on running the mapped out 10k loop twice - but once I got to the end of the first loop, I was out of water. I was wearing my new hydration belt (wasn't sure if there would be anywhere to sneak off the trail and buy water - turns out there really wasn't). I had about 24oz of Powerade/Water mixture and drank it like it was going out of style. At that point, I had to change my plan and I ran back to my car to refill my bottles.

I was seriously reconsidering continuing my run at that point. I mean, I was back at my car, it was only getting hotter, and I was already completely tired/soaked with sweat. However, I decided to continue running, which earns me some kind of idiot award.

About a mile later, I had to stop to pee. Then I ended up going up this measly hill and huffing/puffing so hard that I had to stop. Yes, that's right. I propped my fat self up against a fence and texted my husband something to the tune of "this is terrible, I think I'm going to die, I am going back to my car and I'll do 11 miles next week." He urged me to keep going and I made a deal with myself that I would do two more segments (7 mile run/40 sec walk) and call it a day.

I ended up being able to push myself a bit further than that. There was a lot of stopping and starting. I won't even pretend that I ran like I am capable of. I had set out to do 11 miles and stopped at 10.6. Ouch. I could not physically continue at that point AND I was back at my car. I wasn't going to leave that beauty twice.

CONFESSION: I stopped at Starbucks on my way home. I was feeling like a failure and was also slightly light headed and Starbucks made me feel better. Thank you, whipped cream.

When I got home, I realized that I was chafed around my entire chest and on the back of my thighs. Ridiculous! Was this my first rodeo or something? I no longer love my running skirt! Not really, but it did fine for my recent 9 mile run - so I'm not sure what happened. I have never ever been chafed on my thighs and it is NOT FUN. I'm currently sporting A&D ointment on my ouchies and am proud to smell like a baby's bottom.

Anyway, I'm not too sore right now (as long as I don't try to walk anywhere or wear a bra). My hips are the only area that is a bit tight. I'm pretty tired and will be going to sleep any minute now.

Things I learned today:
1) Cover your body in Body Glide. I haven't used that stuff in forever, but after today, I am a believer.
2) Cut yourself a break when it's extremely hot/humid. Working out will be harder. There's no other way to put it.
3) Look into getting a Camel Pack. I was SO THIRSTY when I finished. The hydration belt was not very comfortable and my lumbar muscles are sore - I think from the bouncing of the belt.

This picture has nothing to do with this post. Monster would like to show off some of her snack and I would like to show off how I look with no make up.

August Recap:

August was a great month! It went by so quickly - I think good quality time with my family was partially responsible for that. Vacation and time away from the "real world" makes the month drag on a little less slowly.

It was a great month for my running, too. My mileage is not quite where I want it to be, but increasing it gradually is exactly what I need! I have a history of a foot stress fracture (vet school) and another glorious stress fracture of my right tibia (internship). The tibial injury was the big kicker for me - 6 weeks in a boot, some of those weeks on crutches, and some time with physical therapy. Needless to say, I listen to my body more than I used to and I'd rather take a rest day (or two) than have to take off 6 weeks. Regardless, I had a great month. Getting up early before the hubs headed off to work really helped me be accountable and kept me from avoiding running due to the terrible heat.

My total mileage for August was 65.3! This was a great increase over my July mileage of 49.6 -- actually an increase of around 30%! Woohoo! I'm not broken yet, which is also another bonus for me.

I really started concentrating on my diet in August, too. I gave up sodas on August 1. This was a big deal for me! I was slightly addicted - especially at work. For the first couple of weeks, I noticed that I would start craving a soda at work when I was having a stressful shift. I haven't craved a soda now for at least 2 weeks - score. I don't plan on having another one anytime soon, either. I have always drank a lot of water and I now drink half/half tea occasionally to break up the monotony.

I have also been focusing on increasing my vegetable consumption. My recent obsession is a delicious green smoothie. I have been trying to replace one meal a day (usually breakfast or lunch, sometimes dinner if I am headed into an overnight shift) with a smoothie. I have been putting a combination of kale, spinach, fat free greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, frozen peaches, banana, water, and chia seeds. I have also stumbled upon coconut water and have been using that for smoothies immediately after runs - supposedly it helps with hydration and has a high amount of potassium. It's yummy. We have also been eating at home as much as possible and we tend to eat pretty hearty, healthy meals at home. I've cut out almost all fast food (therefore fried food) - and have been getting healthier food (grilled, side salads) when I order out at work.

I feel better in general - but have not seen any weight loss (come on, every girl wants to lose weight)! In fact, I've put on a 2-3 pounds (depending on the day) this month, which is quite the opposite effect that I've been going for. My clothes fit better, though, which makes me think that there is some kind of water retention in my muscles from the increase in training. We shall see. I know I need to concentrate on what matters - how I feel, how my clothes feel, etc. - rather than the number on the scale.

Yay, that's the August recap. Don't you feel enlightened?

Now, it's time for my favorite time of the year - FALL!!!!!

September is one of my favorite months of the year. It's right when we start to have occasional cooler weather snaps, the days aren't as hot in general, and some of the trees start to show off their beautiful colors. We are already losing some leaves in our backyard and seeing acorns on the driveway. September also marks the anniversary of meeting my little monster - aka when I as no longer pregnant. Hallelujah on both accounts.

This week was a holiday week - which is great for most people - but not so great for someone who works emergency. I had an extra shift on Monday and the weekend was absolutely killer (mostly emotionally). I worked the swing shift on Monday, though, so I was able to have some family time and get a run in before work.

Workout:
4 miles, 38:26
Noon time - aka HOT/HUMID/STUPID CALL - 82 degrees/75% humidity. It was cloudy, which was a definite perk.
We were able to run as a family! Monster rode in the stroller, the hubs pushed that 60 lbs, and I ran alongside.

Family runs are my favorite. I love spending the time with the husband while running - it's almost like having a running partner. He doesn't enjoy running like I do, but does it out of necessity. He is a lot taller than me, so he does force me to push my pace a bit to keep up, which is also good for me. We have both noticed that the monster seems to be interested in running. She puts on my running gear (headphones, SPI belt, etc.) and runs around the house. She pretends to be sweaty and uses the foam roller. It's quite possibly the CUTEST thing ever. It also warms my heart and makes me feel like we are instilling great, healthy values for her. Running as a family helps to enforce that, too.

As a side note, I have noticed that I'm a lot more TIRED recently. Like, really tired - and no, I'm not pregnant. I think it's from the increase in my mileage. My goal for this month is to focus on getting more sleep. It's harder and harder for me to consider waking up early - my body feels like a sack of bricks.

I still haven't made it to the pool. I was ambitious and thought I would head over there this morning after finishing my 14 hour shift. Uhm, hello? That was dumb. I was so unbelievably tired this morning - I couldn't imagine how I would have kept my body afloat. I will be studying the pool schedule soon and working out a time with the hubs. I have to have someone hanging out with the monster while I swim laps - so it will require some coordination.

Today's workout:
4.47miles, 51.07 (again - including 3 min warm up and 3 min cool down)
Road, mostly flat, some mild hills
74 degrees, 93% humidity, light rain

The hubs has decided that he needs to start running in the morning, too. He has realized that if he doesn't get it done in the morning, it's almost impossible to get it done after work/before dinner. So, he told me that if I get up to run and he doesn't get up - I get to slap him across the face while he's sleeping. For some reason, I find this absolutely hilarious! I am actually still laughing about it right now. Annnnyway, when my alarm went off this morning, he was the one who got up to go run outside. I'm super proud of him! We both can't get up and leave the house to run, so we are going to take turns. It's almost like having a running partner! Yay!

I waited to do my run until I had dropped Monster off at MDO. There was some nice cloud cover, so it wasn't too hot - but WOW it was still humid. We seem to have gotten all of the humidity and very little of the rain from Hurricane Isaac. I'm not necessarily complaining, but we could have used a little bit more rain and a little less stifling humidity. Just saying.

As you might guess, I sweat like a man again. Stupid humidity.

Today was another day of cadence drills and acceleration gliders. I also "ran a mile as fast as I could." I would like to say that I know I can run a mile faster than I did today. Today's conditions would have required gills to adequately get the oxygen from the air. I mean really, 9:23? That's awful. I will do better at this next week.

I bought a new bathing suit and swim cap today. My next goal is to start swimming laps once a week for some cross training. I will be going by the community pool tomorrow to acquire a membership. I used to swim laps during college and I really think that's the most fit (and coicidentally thinnest) I have ever been. I'm really looking forward to getting back into it!