The Fashion Faux Pas

I realize I am not the most fashion-forward person in the world.  I mean, no one is going to look at me and wonder, hey, where did she get that stunning outfit? But, I like to think that no one ever looks at me and questions my hygiene either.  I do have certain standards after all. If you would have seen me yesterday, though, you might wonder.  When I took LG to his afternoon karate class yesterday wearing the same running clothes I had worn to run trails in earlier in the a.m. - and then subsequently mowed the lawn in - I think that qualifies as a new low for me.

Now, this was not exactly by my choice.  I had actually forgotten about the class.  In fact, it was only as I was making a snack and dreaming of the shower I would soon finally be able to take, that I happened to glance at the clock and realize that his class had just started.  Oops.  Bad mom moment.  Not too torn up about it, I was completely prepared to write off the class as a loss for the week, but as I apologized to LG for missing it, the look I received and the small little voice I heard say "But I like karate" were enough to spur me to action. 

So, that is why, two minutes later as we were peeling down the street (not really, I am too old-ladyish of a driver for that.  But, mentally I was peeling), having slapped together a jelly toast sandwich snack for LG and a PB&J toast snack for me, that the reality hit me in the form of a certain post-run, technical-gear odor that I was not really fit for polite company.  Crappola.  

We got to the Y fifteen minutes late.  LG, knowing we needed to hurry was actually motivated to dash out of the car and into the building without even his shoes on.  This is the boy, who at the best of times dawdle-walks everywhere.  So, harried and pathetic looking no doubt, I tore off down the hall after my little munchkin, carrying his shoes and karate belt in my hands, Birkenstocks on my own feet, and really looking like I was anything but in control.

If I was worried about how showing up late would have affected LG, I needn't have.  While I remember myself as a kid and how mortified I would have been to call such attention to myself, he marched right in there in his stocking feet, announced to the class "sorry we are late!" (where did he learn to be so polite?), and jumped right in.  I have to keep reminding myself that the boy is just not shy.  

So, in the end, LG was just happy to not miss the class, while I was for once totally embarrassed by my appearance.  Not only did I look ever so fetching in a running skirt, long sleeve tech shirt,  and knee high compression socks, I actually had trail dirt and mown grass clinging to my socks from the morning's activities, as well as the aforementioned eau de running hanging about my person. I had enough sense at least to sit as far away from the other moms as possible, but I am sure that only added to the aura of freakishness I was already giving off.  

Ah well, the trail run was worth it.  I ran with my running peeps along the trails of High Cliff State Park, and having the opportunity for one last peek at the fall colors before they are all blown away on the next wind made it worthwhile for me. Happy Running!

A Tale of Three Races and Absenteeism

So, it occurs to me, I am rather surprised to say, that it has been over a month since my last blog post.  In that time a lot has happened running-wise.  I have participated in three races: two half marathons and a full marathon.  I have completed only two.  The third, while kicking my butt, was still amazing and a story worth sharing.

I don't know why I haven't posted anything in so long.  I think at the beginning of my month of absenteeism it had to do with nerves.  Hubby and I were getting ready to head overseas to Switzerland for the Big Goal Race.  I was wired more tightly than those little door stopper doohickies a lot of houses have attached to their baseboards wherever a door is present.  In fact, I was fairly freaked out - not just by the looming event, but also the logistics of getting over there, leaving the kids with Grandma and Grandpa (lovingly referred to as the GPs), and, well, everything.  I guess I didn't want to share that with anyone.  And, yes, while I realize there are relatively few of you who actually read this (probably fewer now that I haven't written anything for a while), I still didn't want to scare off my few readers with glimpses of what a basket case I can be at times.

Anyway, at least for now, I am back.  There is a lot to catch up on, and I will attempt to do that in the next few days.

So, what were the three races?  The first one was the Cheesehead Half Marathon, a local event that I have done before or somehow otherwise been affiliated with - either by doing the 5K or volunteering - for a number of years.  It's a nice race.  The route isn't too spectacular unless you like flat and fast.  Whereas I can see the appeal to that, it's not really a factor with me. Beyond that, though, the volunteers are amazing (remember, that's me sometimes), and the post-race food is phenomenal.  The Cheesehead was scheduled for two weeks before my "A" race, so I decided at the last minute to do it as a sort of confidence booster heading into my marathon.  Yeah, that didn't work.  As it turns out, fate had other ideas for me that didn't include me finishing the Cheesehead in a blaze of self-satisfied running glory.

In the days leading up to the race, I could feel that I had a cold coming on.  So, when race morning dawned, I wasn't surprised to find that I was tired, my throat was scratchy, and I just wasn't feeling it.  To add insult to injury, it was hot that day. Surprise!  It had been hot all summer, so why would I have expected it to cool down for my August race?  Silly me.  I just don't know what I was thinking.  Anyway, rather than rolling over and going back to bed, I sucked it up and headed to the start.

I wish I could say that I overcame what was ailing me and conquered the event, but I didn't.  Frankly, I sort of slogged through it.  My idea was to start out slowly and run for two miles to warm up, then go to a run/walk and hopefully pick up my pace a bit - at least through the run segments.  I had used this approach before in the past, resulting in a PR at the time.  But this time it didn't work.  It didn't help that somehow I didn't click to the right screen on my Garmin, so instead of looking at my current pace through the first couple of miles, I was looking at.... well, who knows what?  In any event, instead of doing the 10-minute-miles I meant to do, I started out at under 9-minute-miles, like closer to 8:30 at times.  With the sun already feeling hot on an unshaded course, a head cold in the making, and - the worst part - with my heart just not into it, I think that all but killed my race.  At mile 3, I was already asking myself if there weren't an easy way to loop back to the start.  Seriously, I was that done.  I had no desire to continue.  But, I did.  The race wasn't easy.  I wanted to quit for most of it, but I plowed through somehow.  My run/walks were really slow, and by the last mile, I was taking a lot of "unsanctioned" walk breaks.  I just didn't care.  I finished the event in 2:27:58 - a far cry from the confidence-boosting 2:10 I was looking for going into the marathon.

Looking back, I don't know if it was the heat and the cold (no pun intended) that destroyed the race for me, or the fact that I was already so wrapped up in worry for the marathon to come that I just couldn't relax.  I guess I'll never know.  Other than the run itself, the event was brilliant. I knew enough people either running or volunteering that the post-race talking and hanging out with friends was in itself worth the price of admission.

So, that was the Cheesehead.  Contrast that with yesterday's half marathon - the Fox Cities Half Marathon.  I also went into yesterday's race less than enthused.  No heat in the forecast this time, though, and no head cold,...just a lingering feeling of tired legs from my failed marathon and a weariness with racing in general.  Instead of trying to make something happen from nothing, however, I decided I would morph my goal into something else altogether, and so I purposely went for a slower time goal than I know I am capable of and opted to run with the 2:30 pace group.  And, I had a GREAT time doing it.  However, more on that tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you are still reading the blog at all, thanks for sticking around!  I will try not to let another month go between missives.  I do like writing a lot, and the interactive nature of blogging is in a way so much more rewarding than the alternative reality of me, a blank journal, and a pen.  By the way, what do you know?  This is my 150th blog posting since I started doing this a year ago.  Happy ... something .... to me.

How to Hurt Your Hand While Running

A funny thing happened on my way to finishing up my long run yesterday - I tripped and fell and really hurt my hand.

So, let's back up a bit.  The long run.  Yay!  I successfully completed a really long run finally, and I am over-the-top excited about it.  Was it perfect?  No.  Was it the best thing I could have done for my body? Probably not. The hip still hurts. It was slow.  But I got it done.

For me the day started bright and early to meet a friend at 6 a.m.  I got to the park where the trails were, and I was blown away by the early morning beauty.  The sunlight shining through the trees made an amazing mural on the wooded pathways, and coming into the park and having to slow down to let a wild turkey cross the road (brought a certain chicken joke to mind) and then startling some deer as I parked, were all a great way to start the day.  Once I met up with my friend P., we got ourselves organized, and then headed out at a slow trot.  P. had run a 10K race the day before, so she didn't mind when I suggested doing a Galloway-style run/walk.  I still think we probably headed out a bit fast for the first section, but I'll never know since I didn't start my GPS until we were a good 30 minutes into the run.  It was fun to have the distraction of conversation and be able to act as tour guide.  I've run this particular park so often with Hubby that I feel I know it almost as well as my own backyard.

At about 45 minutes into the run, we ran into friends from our running club's regular Sunday morning running group.  They usually meet for their run in town, but they have been of late occasionally taking their show on the road - well, in this case the trails.  There was some talk of maybe permanently moving the run out to the park, which would be fantastic.  We'll see if they do it.  In any case, we ended up running with the group for the next hour or so.

During the run, I would say my hip/hamstring hung in there and did well for about the first hour and a half.  Then they did start bothering me.  During the entire course of my run, I stopped back at the car no fewer than four times and rolled my piriformis on the softball I had brought with me, and that seemed to help.  I sure got some strange looks though.  I wonder what people think when they see someone sitting on a softball in a parking lot in the shade of their car...

Talking to N., one of the more experienced runners in the group, he gave me a lesson in what he thought my problem was.  "It's the P muscle," he said.  Now if that's not funny right there, I don't know what is.  Any woman who has been advised to do Kegel exercises is not going to first think of the piriformis as the "P muscle," but that is what he meant.  After I got over the nomenclature, I was actually able to listen to what he had to say.  After demonstrating a good stretch on the trail he suggested the name of a chiropractor who helped him out with just such an issue a few years ago.  This was the second time in as many days that someone had suggested a chiropractor to me, so I figure after my trip this next week, if the problem is still there, I might give it a try.  As for yesterday, while the pain was still there a bit, it seemed not quite so bad as in previous weeks and easier for me to mentally manage.  I am not sure how to explain it, but the discomfort seemed more encapsulated to that part of my body, rather than to seem so overwhelming.

Anyway, though, I am super excited that I managed to keep moving for a total of about 3:20 minutes for about 16 miles.  Since my watch didn't get started right away and I missed about 30 minutes of run time, as well as another 15 minutes mid-run, I am speculating a little bit on my totals.  What I do know, though, is that it is a damn sight farther than I have gotten in previous weeks, so pain in hip/hamstring aside, I will take it.

So, the trip and fall...  After about 13 miles, with my running peeps having long since gone, I decided to give Hubby a call and see how things were going on the homefront.  He hadn't gotten any treadmill work done yet like he had planned, so I suggested he make a lunch and haul the kids out to the park.  My reason for this was twofold: one, to be the caring wife and get him out the door for his run, but also to let me squeeze in a few more miles while I waited for them.  Unfortunately, this would turn out to be my undoing.

Heading out for my last three to four mile loop, I still felt strangely fresh.  My legs were tired of course, but I had perfected this run/walk shuffle to the point that I felt I could carry on all day. Mentally, I had had enough distraction that I didn't feel bored at all - I was really finding that elusive JOY again.  So, skipping down the wooded path, fa la la, wasn't it a massive bummer when my toe caught the edge of a root or rock or something and down I crashed.

Here's the part where

 if you are squeamish 

or have a vivid imagination 

you shouldn't read further....

As I fell, I couldn't get my tired legs under me, so basically I fell over like a tree being harvested for timber. In an attempt to arrest my fall, I threw my right hand out, but apparently I didn't do it well.  Because as I landed, I had a clear glimpse of all the fingers on my right hand hyperextending backwards, and that was just before my bodyweight crashed down on top of them finishing the job.  I heard a clear cracking sound, too.  As I rolled off my hand, I was almost surprised - albeit pleasantly so - to find that my fingers were not in fact pointing the wrong direction.  As I sat in the dirt, I had to force myself to try to move them, because the pain was like no other I had experienced in a while.  Wiggle them I could though, so from my years of medical school training of watching numerous medical-themed TV shows, I knew that they weren't broken.  They sure hurt, though.

Now it is safe to read again.

So, cradling my hand to my chest, I gathered up my water bottle and sunglasses, which had flown off, picked myself up and started to walk back the way I had come.  I got about 20 yards down the path, however, when I thought to myself, This is dumb.  What am I going to do?  This is clearly not a medical "emergency," so I might as well finish my run.  And, I did.  Holding my hand a bit awkwardly, I admit it, I managed my run/walk back to my car on my originally planned route.  As it turns out, I got there just as Hubby and the kids pulled up, and I was greeted with not so much concern as a "You look horrible" from LG and "You know they have showers down below, right?" from Hubby.  Granted, this was before they knew I had hurt my hand, but still.  Can you feel the love?  I know I could.  In their defense, I did look a mess - with black dirt caking entirely one half of my body.  After our picnic, it was time to head home and clean up.  A shower was never such a welcome sight.

Behold the glamour of trail running: The trails were really dusty, so I was getting a bit dirty anyway.
The fall just made the filth more complete.

On a side note, there were a couple of things that have occurred to me since the fall.  One positive thing that came from it was that for fully two miles or more after the incident I didn't notice my hip or hamstring issues.  So, lesson learned?  If you are trying to work through a running injury and they are bothering you, just try to hurt something else worse.  You'll forget all about your running injury; works like a charm.  One negative thing that has come from this is that - all jokes of "at least you can still run" aside, I am starting to realize all the things I CAN'T do - some of it running-related.  For example, yoga and foam rolling have now become significantly more difficult if not impossible to do.

Today, the hand is a bit better, but not much.  It is still swollen and it hurts when I try to make a fist, straighten my fingers, or spread them apart.  I clearly did something to the tendons or ligaments in there, so I am following the RICE protocol of any soft-tissue type injury.  Luckily, for the blogging world, the half-curled shape that seems most comfortable for the fingers works just fine for mouse wrangling and typing.

Yesterday's fall has prompted me to think about all the times I have tripped or almost tripped while running trails.  This is surely the worst outcome of a fall I have ever had.  I think of all the times before Pikes Peak that I would run one particular trail along the lip of a ledge, because I wanted to get used to seeing drop offs.  I don't think I'll be doing that anymore.  I'd hate to think my trail-running confidence is shaken, but I have to believe at least for a while, I will be more cautious.  In a way, I am glad I completed my run yesterday, because I think I would be even more worried if I had just limped back to my car in defeat.

So, what is the worst non-running related running injury you have ever incurred? 

Relax? I AM RELAXED! As Much as a Mini-Panic Attack Allows

* Don't forget to enter my BODYGLIDE WarmFX Giveaway.  Two winners will be chosen July16!

It's Saturday, and for me that means my day of rest.  I used to actually approach these days with a mixture of anticipation and a bit of dread - happy to have earned a good day off but sad too because I was so into my routine of exercise and activity that having nothing to do seemed a bit daunting.

Today, if I have either of those feelings, they are directed not towards my rest day today but my long run tomorrow.  Having taken so much time off the past couple of weeks for my hip/hamstring, I am very excited to be able to go out and run long - give it another try after last week's no-go.  But, I am dreading too what it will mean if I fall short. Originally, I had it down that I would run 18 miles tomorrow, but now my hope is to head out and just run three hours. If I get to 18, great; if I get to 15, good.  Mainly, I just want to be doing something for a long time, and I know I will beat myself up if I have to call it quits again after eight or nine miles.

So many long run fails in a row would definitely make me start to think.  Should I rethink The Plan, such as it is?  What would that look like?  Would I have to take time off?  Would it be me and the couch for a couple of weeks while I try to get this hamstring under control?

Will it be a frustrating journey of discovery as I try to find some sort of cross-training that doesn't aggravate the injury, when in fact there aren't too many cross-training options open to me that would fit into my tight, strangled summer schedule?

Mainly, though, I think ahead to the BIG GOAL in September - the Jungfrau Marathon in Switzerland.  You know?  The one where I run up an Alp?

Every fiber of my running/racing/anticipating being is focused on that event.  It's not a goal I can revise.  It's not the Kalamazoo Marathon where I can just say oh well, not going to work for me this year and then downgrade to the Half.  There is no Half.  There is only the Marathon.  And it is in Switzerland.  I won't be getting back there anytime soon to make up for this year's loss if I don't do it.

I ask myself why I care really?  I mean, when I signed Hubby and me up for this thing, it was really more for him.  I only signed myself up on a whim, fully knowing that there was a good chance I wouldn't be able to make the 6.5-hour cutoff to the finish.  I accepted that, telling myself if nothing else it would make a good tale to tell. After all, I am sure it would be as equally amusing/fascinating/whatever to talk about how I got XX miles and then was yanked off the course as it would be to report how I finished in a triumphant feat of endurance and agony.  But, the truth is, now that I am into the training program, and hell - probably even as I was signing up - I have come to the realization that I WANT to finish this event.  I WANT to do well.  I want to cross the finish line a bona fide finisher of a tough, kickass race.

So, what to do?  Where does that leave me?  On principle, I am generally against taking time off from running when injured. Why?  Because it has never done much for me in the past.  There is one injury that I can remember where I HAD to take time off because I could not physically stand to run on it.  That was a patellar strain last year.  I took two weeks off and then picked up the pieces again.  But, for me, that is the exception.  Mostly, when I have taken time off - once even for TWO MONTHS - I come back and feel really none the better for it.  So, instead I have taken the run-through-your-injuries road, and that has worked for me.  I may not run as fast.  I may do a run/walk.  But I am still moving and getting things done.

But is that right this time?  The truth is that I don't know.  With being so focused on this BIG GOAL race, I feel I would just about do anything I needed to to finish it.  Take a month off?  Okay.  Run every day three times?  Okay.  Whatever it takes.  The problem is that I just don't know.  I can't tell the future, and unfortunately my history of injury and recovery doesn't really give me a clear roadmap to go by.

The Magic 8 Ball isn't much help. Although I did ask it
if I would have a good long run tomorrow.  Here's the
answer I got:

MOST LIKELY.  I like that answer. Unfortunately, I had
to shake the 8 Ball a couple of times to get an answer I did like.  

So, I guess all I can do it to vent my panic and confusion here (thank you, therapists of the Internet; this is very cathartic) and to my friends.  I am going to take a couple of deep breaths, prepare for my long run as best I can, then get out there and find the joy again.  And hope that it all works out.

Bored kids and Running Through the Discomfort

"I'm bored."

Those have got to be the two worst words in the English language to a mother of young children.  Hearing it from your four-year-old at 7 o'clock in the morning a full two minutes after he gets out of bed is even better - just peachy.

A different day, a different boredom, but you see what I am facing here?

Bored?  I am so rarely what I would consider bored anymore that I cannot even fathom what that feels like.  Between child-rearing, house caretaking, yard cleaning, errand running, meal prepping, running, exercising to support my running, and blogging, I am pretty darn busy.  On those rare occasions I actually do have a minute to breathe, I read.  Currently, I am plowing my way through Scott Jurek's new book Eat & Run, which I am sure I'll have a lot to say about in a few days.  (I am really devouring it! Pun intended.  Seriously, though, it's good.)

Source

Okay, so granted, LG can't read yet, and that is to his disadvantage. He is only four, though, so that time will come.  In the meantime, I am starting to understand why so many moms I know who have older kids so look forward to the end of summer vacation and back-to-school time.

Anyway, even if I had time to be bored, I couldn't be right now.  I am spending WAY too much time trying to figure out why my hip/hamstring aren't getting better faster.  I wish I could figure out the whens and hows of recovery.  Since my deep tissue massage on my left hamstring and hip, I have felt seriously bruised and beat up.  Read about it here if you missed it.  That's not so bad, but I feel like I need to get past the bruised feeling to be able to assess if things are getting better.

On today's run, which I managed to do after rolling out of bed at 5:30 a.m. (very proud of myself), I managed a decent three miles before I had to head home for Hubby's departure for work.  I was hoping to try the barefoot thing again, but time wouldn't allow it.  The run itself wasn't too bad - more difficult due to the humidity in the air than anything.  However, I did notice the injured areas flaring a bit towards the end.  Again, though, I am not sure yet how much of that can be attributed to the injury or just feeling beat up from the massage.  When I got back home, I thought I would try to stretch my mileage and get some time in on the treadmill.  I decided instead of just running like I had outside I would do a 3-1 run-walk.  In the best of worlds I would have gotten an additional three miles. As it turns out, I got about 7/10 of a mile before calling it quits.  I felt a bit of spasming discomfort deep around the sit bone a couple of times and I thought I just had better not go there.  Quit while I am ahead, right?  I am still open to the possibility of a longer run on Sunday.  I fully intend to head out and try for three hours.  With any luck, I can do it.  If not, c'est la vie.  It's about the joy, right?  A friend of mine will be joining me for the run, so I am looking forward to that change of pace.

I suppose I could view today's run in either a positive or negative light.  It didn't go exactly how I wanted; I wish I had covered more miles.  However, it wasn't miserable either and I feel I managed to get in some good miles before the real discomfort started.  And, I think I made the right move in stopping when I did - so props to me for actually listening to my body for once.  My most fervent hope - and with any luck it will happen - is that I can just keep running through this discomfort.  I am going to take some time though and just listen to my body - do what I can.  I have a half marathon in two weeks, and I really want to finish that comfortably.

Giveaways, Giveaways, Giveaways

So, have you signed up for my BODYGLIDE WarmFX Giveaway yet?  You only have until Sunday, July 15, to do so!  Enter for a chance to win a .45 oz. sample of WarmFX from BODYGLIDE.  They will even send it to you directly, so you don't have to wait for me to get to a mailbox!  Then, stay tuned for three more giveaways coming your way, including:

• A Marathon/Half Marathon Race Entry
• Compression gear
• Awesome running clothing

I'll have more details coming soon.

Happy Running!

Do you get bored?  What do you do when you are bored?  How do you distract/entertain your kids (if you have any) when they are bored?

Asking for Pain

* Don't forget to sign up for my BODYGLIDE WarmFX Giveaway HERE!  You have until July 15!

I have to remind myself that I asked her to beat me with a sledgehammer.  And, not only that, I paid for the privilege.  Am I some sort of masochist?  No, not at all.  Was it really a sledgehammer?  Nope, not that either.  But being hammered away at by a deep tissue massage therapist leaves you feeling about the same, I imagine.

So going into yesterday's half-hour massage, which actually stretched to about 40 minutes, I was hopeful that this might do the trick on my tight hamstring.  If you think DTM is generally uncomfortable, try having someone work at ONE problem spot for that length of time.  It was seriously torture.  I won't go into the details.  If you have gotten a deep tissue massage yourself, then you know what it feels like.  If you haven't, then you can read about it here.

So, before you start thinking that I am some fancy rich person who can afford massages whenever I like really like this form of torture, know that I was desperate.  Here I am, EIGHT weeks away from my grand Jungfrau adventure, which will have me running a full marathon up the side of an Alp - not just a mountain, one of the infamous Alps.  (See? Follow the red squiggly line; theoretically, that's going to be me!)

I WANT to do this.  I NEED to do this.  However, my hamstring/glute/hip have been wonky the past few weeks, and that has derailed my training a bit.  I needed all the help I could get to get back on track.  DTM may not feel good at first, but a couple days after there is generally a great feeling of ahhhhh and I am hoping that this time is no exception.

As I suspected, my left hamstring and piriformis are both extremely tight right now.  Why?  Probably for all the reasons stated here.  I also suspect it has something to do with my lack of regular yoga as well.  During the school year I had gotten into the habit of yoga twice a week, and I think that went a long way towards keeping me stretched out and flexible.  However, with summer came a serious upheaval in my schedule - what, with the kidlets home and all.  I try to fit a class in here or there, but there is no rhyme or reason to my going right now.  And the DVD I bought turned out to be kind of useless.  Beyond that, I am starting to wonder if I am somehow not running efficiently. I think I am going to sign up for a run gait analysis soon and see if maybe there is something there that I could improve.

For now, though, I am going to ice my bruised leg and continue on my stretching and rolling regimen - but take it to a new level.  I am also going to try to go in for a follow-up massage next week.  (See?  Desperate.  There goes my birthday money.)

I have to wonder if I will ever go in to get a nice, relaxing spa-type massage again. And, if I do, what will the therapist think when she or he sees me cringing on the table in anticipation of being hurt?

Happy Running!

What do you think of massage?  Just for relaxation or therapy?
Have you ever had a gait analysis done?  Was it worth it?

Finding Joy

"Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse
assail him, impale him with monster-truck force"

If you are not a Cake fan, then you probably won't recognize those lyrics from their song "The Distance."  However, I can't help repeating that line in an endless loop inside my head when I think of where my training plan has gone these past couple of weeks, namely, down the toilet.  Dealing with a hamstring/glute/hip injury at such a key point in my Jungfrau training has definitely shaken me - caused me much doubt on where this all is going.

When I look at the bright side, I remind myself that I actually planned for getting injured.  That's why I have two 20-milers on The Plan, in the event that I have to revise The Plan.  When I don't focus on the bright side I sing my own doubt-and-remorse, woe-is-me song about not meeting goals, disappointing myself, never being able to run again!  Okay, okay, I know that last one is overkill, but still - we're talking about strong emotions here.

So, in the midst of my doldrums and glumness, and facing a 17-mile slogfest this past Sunday, Hubby gave me a simple piece of advice - go out and find the joy.  Huh?  What do you mean?  I'm joyful.  I love running ..... just not now.  But there is a reason for that, right?  An excuse?  I am INJURED.  How am I supposed to feel?  Well, apparently, joyful.

We had a long conversation about this, but I'll try to sum it up briefly here.  Basically, what he was trying to remind me of was that running is supposed to be fun.  Training plans, race goals ... those don't mean much if you are not finding the joy in running.  According to him, injured or not, I would be better off running for the joy of it and not worrying so much about The Plan.  After all, what good is doggedly following a training plan going to be if when I arrive at race day I am miserable, burned out, or hurting?

He reminded me that if I run for the joy of it, even if I don't hit the miles I want on a weekly basis, I will still be able to do the race because I will enjoy the experience - and that joy will allow me to keep going where misery would not.  Strangely, it all made sense.

So, in concrete terms, what did that mean for my Sunday 17-miler?  Well, upon Hubby's advice, I was to go out to the trails and, first of all, just enjoy being on the trails, which I do love.  Secondly, I was to run for the joy of it.  When it wasn't so joyful anymore, I should run so long as it was just mildly uncomfortable.  Finally, I should run so long as I could tolerate it.  Anything past that, and I should be done.  Notice I didn't say "quit."  Quitting would come if I were stubbornly adhering to The Plan, which right now isn't working for me.  Being done means that I am listening to my body and knowing when to stop.

So, Sunday I went out and found the joy again.  I ran the first mile at a 1-1 run-walk with my kids and Hubby, who was wrapping up his own run.  (And if you can't find joy in running with kids when they are happy, I don't know where you can find it.)  I then did a Galloway-style run for another eight miles.  I started with a 2-1 ratio, and when that went well, I moved to a 4-1.  I honestly did find peace out there on Sunday.  My hamstring/glute/hip weren't the happiest feeling, but I loved being on the trails. It was a beautiful day and running was fun.  Well, for about five miles.  Somewhere after that, it dipped to just tolerable.  And then by nine miles, I knew I should be done.  But, you know what?  I am okay with that.  Sure, I was a little disappointed that I didn't reach The Plan's Goal, but I left the run on a positive note.  I was happy with what I accomplished, and I enjoyed myself.  I somehow put my faith in the fact that everything will work out.

Finding Joy on the dusty trails.

After my Run for Joy on Sunday, I got home and rolled the crap out of my legs and then decided to take Monday off.  Strangely, yesterday, when I woke up I was feeling so much better and I was actually eager to get out there to try to run.  I took the same Finding Joy approach, and although I wore my watch for record-keeping's sake, I didn't look at it.  I ran for a total of five miles, and the first three and a half felt relatively good (even better than Sunday did).  When the joy started to flag a little, I took off my shoes and socks and decided to run barefoot in the grass for a bit.  Ostensibly, this was to work on my form some, but really it just turned out to be fun.  I felt like a kid playing around.  After a third of a mile, the legs were noticing the strain, but with Joy recharged, I ran the last mile home with a big smile on my face.

I am not sure where the injury is at in its healing process, but I think it is getting better slowly.  I have a massage scheduled for today, which I am looking forward to, then I'll try running again tomorrow or Friday.  Regardless of when I run again, though, I will definitely be on the lookout for the joy.  I kind of like this approach to running.

Have you signed up for my BODYGLIDE WarmFX Anti-Pain Balm Giveaway yet?  If not, now is the time!  Go here to enter!

Do you have anyone who motivates you to think outside the box with your running?

One Week Until My Daughter's First Ever 5K - With Me!

In exactly one week, my darling daughter plans to toe the start line of her first 5K event - with me!  I am over-the-top excited, and a little bit confused.  I mean, didn't she just learn to walk last week or something?  Where has the time gone?

Maudlin reminiscences and heartfelt mommy moment aside, I am pretty darn geeked that I can share something that I love - running - with my soon-to-be 7-year-old.  I have dreams of guiding her gently through the miles, urging her not to start out too fast, cheering her on when things get tough, and then victoriously running across the finish line - hands held high over our heads together - we did it!

Okay, so that is where I wake up from my daydream.  In all reality, I see this scenario unfolding in one of two ways:

Way 1: The gun goes off and the race starts.  It'll be packed, so I'll have to keep a close eye on her in the first few minutes, but as soon as she sees a hole, off she sprints with me trying desperately to hang on to her pace, only to have her stop to walk suddenly the first time she realizes she is out of breath.  I see the race continuing as a series of rabid sprint sessions interspersed with frequent walk breaks - Galloway-style. 

So, that is the Good Way.

Way 2: We start out running adequately (sprinting or not) and we continue to run until somewhere along the route when she suddenly realizes what she has gotten herself into.  The rest of the event will be a miserable complain fest as I beg, plead, and cajole her to keep going at a walk so we can finish the race and get to the apple pie.  

(Seriously, there is pie at the end.  I know, I know,.... enough to keep me motivated, but a 7-year-old?)

Okay, so this is all tongue-in-cheek, but witness the following....

Exhibit A:  E. does not want to practice for this run.  Whenever the idea comes up, it is batted down like a good idea gone bad.

Exhibit B:  At our summer fun run series last week, E. - who had the choice to run the quarter-mile or half-mile distance - chose the quarter-mile, even though once she turns 7 she'll have to go to the half-mile anyway and even though she knows she has the 5K on her calendar.

Exhibit C:  E. was very excited to run a 2-Miler this past winter, and run it she did.  However, it took her over 40 minutes and there was apparently a lot of misery along the way.

In her defense, for whatever reason, E. still remains very excited about this event.  I am just hoping that the excitement of the idea is enough to propel her three miles down the road.

Finishing up a half-mile event in April.

So, more than anything, I am really excited and curious to see how this all unfolds. Whether it is good, bad, or ugly, the event will no doubt offer something for us both to learn, and the best part is that we'll get to spend some time together - something that we surprisingly have little opportunity to do.

In my heart, I hope that this isn't really just a way for her to find time to spend with me.  What a sad state of affairs if a 7-year-old feels she has to run a 5K to have some alone time with mom.  Either that, or she thinks she'll get a bunch of sports beans and Gatorade out of the deal - which she will, no doubt.  Well, that and apple pie.

If you have kids, have you gotten them into running?  Do they love it? Hate it?  Could care less?

To love or not to love: Ultra Fuel Review

Ultra Fuel.  I want to love this stuff.  I really do.  My Hubby seems to like it well enough, and I have heard from others that it is an awesome fueling option for long runs.  Unfortunately, after testing it out this past weekend, I am left with the conclusion that it is really disgusting.

Okay, I would be happier if all the ingredients looked
like they came straight from Mother Nature, but for a
once-in-a-while concoction, I can trade in my purity standards
for the few ingredients it has.

So, before this past weekend's long run, I took a long, hard look at the calories that I take in during my miles.  After doing a little math on the issue, Hubby and I came to the conclusion that I may need a few more calories per hour of running than I am getting.  So, looking at options, I asked if adding some Ultra Fuel by Twinlab to my nutritional rotation would make sense.  Normally, I only drink a diluted solution of Gatorade and eat some Clif Blocks and maybe a gel or two.  (And I am trying to phase out the gels, because I really don't like them.)  I was attracted to the Ultra Fuel, because it is really made with very few ingredients, which I like, and it packs a more caloric punch.  (Trust me, if it weren't for the running, I would not be looking to take in more calories!)  The directions on the jar say to mix in 4 scoops of Ultra Fuel to 16 ounces of water for a whopping 400 calories.  Now, I don't need that much, and even Hubby doesn't use this stuff full strength, so we decided I should only mix in 2 scoops to the same amount of water for 200 calories, give or take.

Hubby had warned me to try a taste before taking off on my run, because, as he said, it is a bit... well, ... different tasting.  If I didn't like it, I was supposed to put the mix in the fridge and he would drink it later when he went for his run.

So, what did I think?  Well, in the morning, I dutifully mixed up a bottle of the Ultra Fuel Fruit Punch flavor we have, shook it well, took a sip, and...gurgle, blegh, gack, gulp....oh my.  Once I uncrossed my eyes, unpursed my lips, waggled the bitterness off of my tongue, I was left thinking .... this stuff is really gross tasting.  I took another sip...gurgle, blegh, gack, gulp.  Yep, still gross tasting, but strangely compelling, too - the gustatory equivalent of not being able to take your eyes off of something because it is so ugly.

So, I have decided that Ultra Fuel is complicated.  

Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I decided that despite my initial reaction I was going to run with it anyway.  (Frankly, I am getting a little tired of Gatorade and if Ultra Fuel is all that and a bag of chips, I wanted to experience it for myself.)  It wasn't easy, but I managed to choke down the entire 16 ounces.  I mean, I am serious when I said I thought is was really disgusting tasting.  I hate to say it, but I couldn't get past how bitter it was.  I had to think back to all the times I have heard that nature tells you by taste if something is good for you to eat or not.  I.e., if it is really bitter, it's poisonous.  Seriously, I was worried I had gotten a bad batch.  If it weren't for the fact that I knew Hubby had successfully been drinking it and lived to tell the tale, I might have dumped it out after that first sip.  I mean, people wouldn't actually choose to drink this, would they?  

I am pretty sure I continued to make a face with every slug I drank, and I am equally as sure that made a ridiculous sight to any and all passersby.  After a while, I could almost convince myself that it was its grapefruit-like undertones that made it bitter.  That made it easier to palate, but not by much. At least then, however, I was able to get past the thought that I was being poisoned.  

So, to be fair, it wasn't all bad.  There were a couple of positive things to report about the Ultra Fuel.  One was that because of its taste, I was fairly judicious in how I spaced out my sips. I didn't suck down the 16 ounces shamelessly fast and without conscious thought.  I was aware of every gag-evoking taste.  My bottle lasted way past the six miles I can usually count on.  The other thing that was positive was that despite the taste, it was really easy on the stomach.  I had no stomach issues at all, and really I felt pretty adequately hydrated and fueled for the entire run.  And that is enough to make me look beyond my criticism of the taste and try it again.

Honestly, for me to keep drinking this stuff it is going to take some serious mind-bending thought gymnastics to wrap my brain around why this is such a good thing for me, but I am going to give it another try.  I may try mixing it full strength once to see if that helps improve the taste.  Or, as I have heard from online reviews the orange flavor is better, I might give that a go once instead.  As I said, I have heard so much positive about this stuff, I really do want to love it.  How about you?

Do you run with Ultra Fuel?  Like it?  Can't stand it?  

What other nutritional supplementation do you use during your runs?

Sometimes "pace" is not what makes you slow

"Are you done yet?" 

That's what Hubby asked me when he called my cell phone during my 16-mile long run yesterday.  Well, yes, indeed, I was almost done....a quarter-mile to go.

Me: "Why do you ask?"  Him: "Well, you realize you have been out for almost four hours, right?  Did you have to do a lot of stops?"  Me: "Um, I guess so."

Oops.  Methinks someone was a bit irritated with me.

Have you ever had one of those days where the time on your running watch just didn't jive with the time as shown on the clock in the car, at home, or,... say... on your spouse's wristwatch?  It seems to happen to me a lot, and I don't know why.  As far as yesterday is concerned, I am still trying to figure out what went wrong.

For the most part, I believe in letting my Garmin do its thing from the time I start a run to the time I stop....with a few minor exceptions.  For example, yesterday, I will admit I did stop my watch to take a picture or two.  And, one time I may have even forgotten to restart it for about a quarter mile or so after said picture taking.  Then, I guess there were the times I stopped to do the necessities: potty break, shirt change (sweated through), shoe change (moving from roads to trails), hydration refill (x2).  Then there were the five or six times I had to stop and stretch because my hamstring, glute, and hip all seemed to be unhappy with me.  Okay, now that I think about it, I guess I stopped the watch during a few walk breaks, too - like the four times I strolled along eating my Clif Blocks while taking in the local scenery.

(It was worth taking in, right?)

Hmm, okay, I guess I might have had a bit of unaccounted time in there.  Although this didn't bother me too much, I suppose it did mess with Hubby's schedule somewhat.  Considering that I came home to two kids bouncing off the walls and him all dressed up and ready to run with no place to go, I could see why he was a bit irritated.

So, why do I stop the watch so much?  Well, to me it makes sense to stop it when you are not enjoying forward progress.  Is it really fair to let time roll when I am in the outhouse?  Or changing shoes?  That wouldn't accurately reflect my running time.  Of course, I suppose if it takes me five minutes to refill a water bottle, that probably doesn't accurately reflect my efforts either.  After all, that's a nice little break for my body that it wouldn't get in a race.

I have no explanation for not recording my time while eating Clif Blocks. I hang my head in shame on that one.  Thinking back, it just feels wrong - like walking across the shallow end of the pool when you are supposed to be swimming laps (not that I have ever done that of course).  Really, and how does it help me?  In the end, I actually end up with a "faster" time, but I also end up going further than my goal distance.  Something to think about.

So, yesterday's long run was good in the sense that I got it done.  I would be lying if I said my confidence hadn't been a little shaken by my failed long run from the weekend before.  I have never had to call for a ride during a run, and I was a bit worried I would get out there yesterday and feel I had to scrap it again.  Despite a hinky hamstring, that didn't happen.  In fact, mentally I was in a much better place than I was a week ago.  Instead of looking at six miles to go and thinking Oh gawd, I'd rather just sit on this bench and stare at the river, ...

... six miles to go was rather celebratory.... Yay! just six miles.  Compared to the 10 I had just done, that seemed like nothing.

I am disappointed that my left hip/hamstring/glute (I'm having a hard time pinpointing what exactly the issue is) still seems to be irritated with me.  Given the successful speed session and hill workout on the treadmill this past week, I thought we had moved past the little irritation I had felt pop up a week and a half ago.  It was a major disappointment to find that it is still hanging in there and unhappy with me to boot.  I might actually have to scrap my track workout this week, but we'll see how things go.  One day at a time.

In the meantime, check out this amazing sorbet that Hubby whipped up with frozen strawberries (that we picked ourselves), soymilk, sugar, and vanilla.  Although looking at the picture, I think I see why one shouldn't photograph their food.  Does anyone else see a little dog in there saying Oooohhhhhh Noooooo! a la Mr. Bill?  No?  Okay, it's just me then.

Well, dog or no dog, this is still a better dessert than what I had yesterday....

This is something I normally never would eat, but Hubby bought a stack of these things in preparation for his 100-miler, and we still have a bunch sitting around the house.  Very dangerous apparently.  I am such a sucker for dark chocolate.  Oh well....

Happy Running!

What's your policy on watch stopping during training runs? Forget it? Do it all the time? Don't wear a watch?


Have you indulged in a guilty food treat recently? How did it make you feel?


How do you know when to pull the plug on a long run when feeling discomfort? Okay to keep going if you can stretch it away for a bit?

Random review of the week

Have you ever had one of those days where you wake up and wonder what have I done all week?  Then you start remembering and you realize you did quite a bit?  That's what happened to me yesterday morning, so here's my random review of the week....

Why whine when you run, when you can WINE?

Wednesday showed me once again why wine and running should always go hand-in-hand.  Run Away Shoes, a local purveyor of running shoes, puts on a once-a-month fun run called the Run 'N Wine.  This takes place at a semi shi-shi local wine shop/bar.  Although I tend to wonder every time I go what the happy hour patrons think of having a bunch of folks in workout clothes hanging out smelling up the joint, that thought became more persistent this week as the weather pushed into the 90s - and we still went running in it.  So, not only were we just mildly smelly and sweaty, we were really pushing the envelope.  Luckily, because of the warm weather, it made sense to sit outside to enjoy our free wine after the run, so the nice breeze that swept through the area no doubt cleared out any odiferous offensiveness.  Despite the temps, I enjoyed running with a couple friends at a nice, slow pace.  Now if only I could get to the other running store's Pub Run to give that a try....

Change in Training Plan

Having run two weeks now on a Wednesday after my Tuesday speed workout, I have come to the conclusion that I should stop that.  So, with next week being a down week mileage-wise, I am going to be switching to my Plan B training schedule, which will mean running Tuesdays and Thursdays mid-week, instead of Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  It will also mean switching my long run to Saturdays instead of Sundays, and adding Sunday as a short, trail/recovery run.  This more closely mirrors my schedule from last summer and gives me that day after speed work to recover.  I am going to miss running with my friends at the Wednesday Morning Group Run, but I figure I can always join them for coffee after.  I think this is one of those cases, where I really need to think of what's better for me.

Time to Row Further Downstream

My rowing workout on Thursday was fantastic - really felt good - and made me think I should start considering upping the time I spend on the rower.  So, starting this next three week cycle, I am going to stop rowing for distance and go for time.  Since it takes me about 31 minutes to do 6K, I am going to do 35 minutes for this cycle, and then either next month or the next three week cycle, I will up my time by five minutes.  I'll do this until I get sick of rowing, which I am guessing will be somewhere around 45 minutes - although ideally I would shoot for an hour.

Karate, Dinner, and a Treehouse?

Thursday is also the kids' karate class day.  There is nothing like going to a karate class and listening to the instructors drill the kids on how they are NOT supposed to use karate on their siblings or friends, and then go outside after class and have them immediately start pretending to karate chop one another.  Something is not getting through.  Of course, I guess LG feels a bit bad about this, because he had no sooner gotten into class this week than he raised his hand and confessed to the instructors that he had kicked his sister in the eye a couple of days ago.  Now, that had actually been an accident...a case of wrong place at the wrong time, but it was nice that he felt some guilt about it.  After karate, we got invited to friends' house for a super, yummy Egyptian vegetarian feast (the kids had noodles with pesto sauce).  It was so tasty, I may have made a pig of myself by having three helpings.  Despite their green noodles, the kids barely ate as they were too enthralled with the treehouse being built in the backyard that was almost complete and certainly playable.  It actually made me feel a twinge of backyard envy that they have something so cool.  I mean, I wanted to play on it.  Given the size of our trees, we have a ways to go before we could do something similar.  I don't know....what do you think?

First Hill Hike Workout

My hill workout on Friday consisted of a two-mile running warmup, followed by "power hiking" at a 10 percent grade for 40 minutes.  Unfortunately, that only got me two miles, so clearly more work needs to be done here.  Hubby has this little power hike shoehorned into my schedule every three weeks.  Additionally, he wants me to substitute one or two long runs for this, as he thinks I need to work up to being able to do this for two hours.  Ugh.  I guess he thinks getting up the side of the Jungfrau will be tough.  Who'da thunk?

We Braved Brave on Opening Day

Yesterday, the kids and I also went to see the movie Brave. I can't remember the last time I went to a movie on opening day...in fact, I am hard pressed to remember the last time I went to see a movie.  While the movie was okay, it seemed a little too adult for my young crew, and while funny in spots, it lacked the constant humor of Cars or some of the other princess movies I have seen recently.  The kids swear up and down they LOVED it, though, so I guess that's good.  I don't know if it is just an opening day thing or what, but the movie theater handed out Brave coloring books and crayons to the kids.  It made me feel marginally better about spending our life savings to pay for the film and popcorn.  We may not be able to eat for a while, but at least they'll be able to color.  One little annoying development in my movie watching world is LG.  This is a kid who since his eyes could first track to a screen has been mesmerized by what he saw.  If nothing else, I could always count on him to sit in a screen-induced stupor when a movie was playing.  Well, no more.  The whole movie was spent with him leaning over to me, saying, "Mom, why did she do ....?," "Mom, why is the bear there?" or - my favorite - "Mom, look there's snow."  Since when did he become such a movie talker?  Clearly, we have a little etiquette to work on.

Happy running!

Kids admiring person in chicken suit at
random weekend festival we found.

My second track workout: On my way to speedy fast...um...maybe

Week 2 of Track Time is in the books, and - perversely - I like it.

I really do!

What I like about it, I don't know, because it is harder than hell.  Take yesterday for example....With predicted highs at just over 90 degrees, and a sure temp in the 80s, I wasn't sure I would even make it through the workout.  I mean, I don't even like doing a slow run in those temps.  However, despite that and the worry that my hamstring and left glute might still be a bit draggy, I forced myself into the car to go.

Getting there, doing the warm ups was sort of a joke, since we were all mighty warm as it was.  However, we got out there and did our 50 yards each of butt kickers, high skips, long skips, accelerations, and striders.  (It's super fun finally getting to learn what all these fancy, elite-sounding terms mean!)  Then it was time to get serious.

On the schedule for yesterday was 3 x 4x400s.  Say what?  I felt like the coach was talking in code.  Luckily, it wasn't a secret one, and it was soon broken for me.  What that meant was that we were going to shoot for three sets of four reps of 400-meter runs.  Between each rep we were allowed to choose how we would recover.  It was recommended we take no more than 200-400 meters at a slow jog or walk, depending on how we felt.  Between the sets, we were encouraged to take 3-5 minutes of recovery, either walking or jogging.

We were split into three groups according to our projected time per 400, based on our time trial the previous week.  I was in the second group and was supposed to hit each 400 between 2:00 and 2:07.

So, here's the breakdown of how it went:

Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
1:51	2:00	1:59
1:55	1:58	1:50
1:59	1:58
1:54	1:57

I obviously had a hard time hitting my parameters.  While I would like to think that that just means that I am super studly, I think it really means that I need to shorten up my recovery between reps.  I was walking out 200 meters between each - as were most others - in deference to the heat and the gasping for air I was doing.  So, next time I might try to slow jog between reps or walk for a shorter time.  We'll see.

Obviously we ran out of time before we could get in the last two reps.  Well, the speedy group managed 12, and maybe some others in my group.  I managed nine with everyone else, and then decided to do one more on my own.  I just didn't like the idea of ending up on nine - not a round enough number for me.

I was pleasantly surprised that my body held out fine.  After warming up and getting the muscles loose, I only ever noticed a couple of mild twinges in the hip area.  This morning, things seem okay too.  I won't make the mistake of running with the morning group again this a.m.  Well, that is less by design than simply the fact that childcare via the GPs is not available.  Plus, I do have the Wine Run this evening.  Yay! More on that tomorrow.

So, my second session of speed work is done, and I have to say I thought last week was a fluke, but no, I really do enjoy it..... I think I like the playfulness of it, the fact that you are running more "all out" like a kid would but in a controlled fashion.  I like going fast.  And, it's nice to see that on the super short sprints I CAN go fast.  I just cannot sustain it.  Maybe in the weeks to come I will learn to articulate better what I like about speed work....or I will learn to hate it.  Either way, it should make for a good story.

In the meantime, Happy Running!

Do you do speed work?  How do you go about it? 
What's your idea of great fun on a balmy hot summer evening?

A weekend review in photos...and an award ...for me....for running?!?!?

Happy belated Father's Day to all the dads out there.  Hope you had a nice time celebrating!

Right now I am trying to recover from what proved to be a very busy and fun weekend.  As I sit here typing, my hamstring and left glute are still mildly aching from all the running I tried to do - after my first week of speed work.  More on that in another post.  But, here, I have my weekend in review....starting at the tail end of the weekend's adventures.

Last night, we took the kids to their first run in the Neenah Summer Fun Run series.  This series of five races is solely for kids, completely sponsored and free and open to the public.  It's amazing!  I think this is our fourth year doing it, and the kids really look forward to the event.

Pre-race, E. and LG are all geared up to run their quarter-mile sprint.

Gathering at the start.  This is race one of two 'six-year-old and under' races.  There are also separate races for girls and boys 7 to 9, and 10-14.... There are HUNDREDS of kids who show up to these each weekend they are held.

 And they are off....It's hard to see, but E. is in the lead for a short bit.

E. coming around the bend.  She has a tendency (like me) to take walk breaks, so she was no longer in the lead, but I was impressed that she was still in the first wave of runners who came into the finish.  She is getting so big! 

LG wanted to run with Daddy, which I thought was sweet on Father's Day.  Apparently, he ran the whole way, and he definitely came into the finish strong!  

The real reason the kids like these events....free pizza, cookies, fruit, and popsicles afterwards.  No wonder kids like running with all the junk they get to eat after race events!  :)

 Red, white, and blue popsicles allow the kids to show their patriotism.

Another big hit at the race is the "mountain." Luckily, Hubby likes hiking up there with them and then racing down.  I love the way they all start out together and then end up widely dispersed at the bottom.  Is that following the rules of physics or something?

I didn't run with the kids last night, as my hamstring and left glute were really bothering me....Looking back, there are several things that contributed to that - one being my attempt at a long run yesterday morning. I headed out for fifteen miles but only made it eleven before I had to do something I have NEVER done before, namely call Hubby for a ride home.  My hamstring and glute were bothering me throughout the run, and it was a slow slog through the heat anyway.  Normally, in a situation like this, I would just slow down even more or go to a run/walk.  I am not sure what made me make the call; I just knew that I didn't care enough to continue.  That is a first for me.  When I called, Hubby and the kids were in the middle of Wii Bowling.  After laughing a bit and then trying to make me feel better by saying it happens to all of us, I was told that they would finish their frame and then head out to collect me.  A quick Facebook update while I walked and waited, and there they were.  Yay!

The run wasn't a complete loss.... I took a couple of nice pictures at my halfway point - the same place we had had the fun run the week before....

I even finally got a picture of the toxic green algae...

Even at the halfway point, I knew I wasn't really into this long run.  Here's a picture of what I really wanted to be doing.  See all the sweat beaded on my brow?  It was only in the mid-70s, but it felt HOT. Must have been the sun.

So, what caused my long run blow-up?  (Aside from the soreness left over from my week's running?)  Well, this may have contributed... Date Night, a rare occurrence for Hubby and me.  We hit The Melting Pot for fondue (we had a gift card!). So, it's been decided that:

Too much cheese....

 Plus, too much chocolate and desserty items...

 Plus, too much wine....

Does not make for a good long run the next morning.  Did you already know that?  You learn something new everyday.

It does, however, make for a happy Average Runner while it lasted, though...

So, prior to date night, I decided I am pretty pathetic.  I went to put on these gem of high heels that I haven't worn in forever (I don't really wear heels anymore), and I decided that they were WAY too uncomfortable.  So, then I decided I would wear the Birkenstocks until we got to the restaurant.  We were still on the road, however, when I decided screw it - once again comfort trumps fashion.  As Hubby pointed out, we're not that cool anyway.  Might as well enjoy ourselves instead of being uncomfortable.  Sad, I know, but true.  Oh well.

I would have worn my strappy but comfortable sandals, but they had gotten soaked earlier in the day when we stood for five hours (also possibly a contributing factor to the soreness I experienced running) while working our running club's water station at the High Cliff Triathlon.

Triathlete running through our station as the deluge came down.  I retreated to the safety of shelter and selfishly decided the runners could grab their own gel packets for a few minutes. (Sorry!  But the rain was coming down sideways!)

Here I am actually doing my job...Hammer gel anyone?  As LG proclaimed as he helped sell the gel packs - "Hammer Gel! It makes you speedy fast!"  Only a four-year-old could get away with that.  If I had said it, I would have been flipped off no doubt.  

LG and E. did a fantastic job hawking gels, but then at some point, they found they liked working at the orange slice and cookie table more.  I wonder why?

Anyway, working at the water station was a blast again.  We've done this for several years, and as the kids get older, it gets more enjoyable.  They work really hard doing this event.  I am so proud of them.  Afterwards we treat ourselves to beer (not the kids!) and a cookout.

So, if you have stuck with me thus far as I have worked my way backwards through my weekend, here is a brief synopsis of how my weekend started....With the Kornerstone 5K on Friday evening.  This was a race put on by a friend's daughter as she tried to raise money for her school's community garden.  The race was a lot of fun.  It was a small crowd that showed up to run a local high school's cross-country course in the heat, but that was okay because it meant I got my first running award EVER - third place female .... OVERALL.  I was so geeked.  I realize I only got this because it was such a small group of runners. After all, I didn't even run my fastest 5K (by far!); the heat got to me and running on grass was tough.  But, I'll take it!  Woot!

Here's the shirt I still owe $3 on....it's nice to know the race director's mom....and the pair of socks I won getting third place.  Very cool.  I hope they have this race again next year.  I would like to improve on my time a bit.  Although, sadly, I am sure year two will draw a larger crowd, thus lowering my chances of placing again.  That's okay, though.... it's all about improving for myself. Right?

So, how was your weekend?  Any races? Any events? A good Father's Day?