Coins, Caterpillars ...

... tomato, to-mah-toe ...

I'm betting you have not said the following phrase: "Finding a caterpillar is just as good as finding some cash!" When you have a leopard gecko who loves these tasty treats, AND you have a bag with you in case your dog has to do some business, then you pick up caterpillars and take 'em home for the gecko! Particularly in the winter months, we have to buy insects for her to eat. Right now, she's getting treated with free-range food. If I'm going to break pace for pennies, I'm sure as heck going to do the same for the gecko's cuisine! Everyone wins! You may as well meet her now, too:


Mmmm ... tasty treats ...

Okay, back to business ... So, it seems my inertia switch isn't working all that well to accommodate Rest Week as it should be properly celebrated. I know I said I'd put in two short runs to stay loose for Sunday's run, but I have to say that this morning's run felt so (unexpectedly) good that I'm going forth this week with similar mileage to a normal week and waiting for my body to tell me when it's time for a "real" break. (Oh, and believe me, it tells me in no uncertain terms!) It seems I'm not there right now. That amazes me, friends, because I do so love taking a week off!

Here's what perpetuated my final decision as to how to treat this week:

Hello, old frenemy ...

With my trainer in tow, we set out on a route we've not been on in probably a year. More important, this route is the first one I used to reach my original 3-mile goal in 2008. It's the one where I walked up all hills until I could put the pieces together and run the whole thing. However, I hardly ever did run the whole thing because of this hill here at the beginning. It always got in my way. In the past 3 years, I've struggled up it maybe a total of 4 times. I lost count along the way because all of the oxygen runs away from my brain by the time I've grunted to the top.

But, not today. We simply ran up. I was glad to get to the top, that's for sure, but it was no big deal. It was at the top that the Rocky music played in my head while I realized that all of the work I've put in for I-don't-know-how-many-miles has truly paid off. It has really, really worked!! Rock. Star. Status. (Total side note: I was in choir in 6th grade, and we sang the theme to Rocky. Who thought that was a good idea?)

The trainer is already napping (doesn't take much) and I could use a shower (woooooooooo-wheeeeee! Yes, I could!). More important, though, take a sec and think about something -- anything -- you can do now that you once couldn't. Then give yourself a whole lotta credit for having pushed through to get there. Today's a great day to feel like a Rock Star!