Plans Abound!

I woke up this morning feeling all kinds of back to normal which included -- waaaaait forrrr iiiiit -- wanting to figure out when to get back out there and run! This is weird, I tell you, very weird. Where are the days of craving a week off after a Half? Shoot, where are the days of needing a day off after a 5K?? I'm sure those days will return. In fact, I'm sure those days should be strongly considered right now because the body does, indeed, need to rest!! But, that's what slower-than-the-Puppy-Pace is for, so I'm all about restarting tomorrow!

Besides. I have goals. In the past 24 hours, a whole lot of running-related things happened and/or were decided!

First: I'm committing to the September Half Marathon. I've been eyeballing it, apprehensive really only because it was so poorly run two years ago (ran out of medals and had 2 water stations along the 13-mile route, anyone?). But, what it comes down to is that I just want to run. I want to run that distance. And, I want it to be an event of some sort. There's a schedule conflict with the October Rock 'n' Roll run, and I can't participate, so I looked again at this option and decided to embrace it. I've also lowered my expectations of the event (which tends to result in a happy outcome!) and choose to commit. Ta. Da.

Second: Plans abound for the upcoming virtual Sparkle runs!! With the timed event behind me, I'm totally looking forward to releasing myself of all race expectations and focusing on running consistently with my partner, PC#2!! I'm totally stoked above all else about doing these with her because she's going for it with the outlook I like: Let's have a great time!!

It's important we start planning because something awesome arrived in the mail:

I spy with my little eye some pink ribbons featuring our
virtual Sparkle Cupcake Run medals!! You get to see it
after we actually earn them! They're hidden 'til then!

To start our preparations, we went to the craft store yesterday to get some needed supplies:

Yes they do have everything to do with running!!

The virtual runs do not have race shirts like in-person events, so we're taking matters into our own hands!! We have a few more items -- iron-on sparkly cupcakes! -- to pick up before diving in to make our shirts! The above colors are for the big run at the end of July; we're going to get different ones for the Firework run. WooHoo!!!

While in the store, I went to the fabric and said to PC#2, "I really wish they had a Fourth of July cupcake fabric." Ask, and ye shall receive!

It was right in front of me!! And! The sparklers sparkle !!

Elly is the biggest fashionista of the family, so she of course needed the right outfit!

And, yes, all  of this is necessary  for our running pleasure! Wheeeeee!! (Wait 'til you see the not-yet-made mile markers Aaron decided we needed for these runs!)

I remember when I didn't participate in running, and I thought it had to be the most boring activity ever. Then, I remember when I started, and I wanted to be as incognito as possible. Now? This thing is (usually!) a blast!! Medals! Awesome shirts! Pizza celebratory lunches! Jazzy hair goods! Super-awesome shoe strings! Aaaaaaaaaand, some running! I've learned along the way that running is exactly what you make it!

With that, I need to make friends with the calendar and pen because I have some mapping out to do ... for two!! Our weather's being wacky, so my plan is to restart tomorrow! If it's raining, I'm blowing it off and starting Thursday! Either way, I'll see you tomorrow!