Investment

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 9 Nancy's 2013 Mileage: 22.7 Elly's 2013 Mileage: 12.9 Money Found For Food Bank: $5.33

This morning was one of those where it was tough to get up. I stayed up too late watching some totally necessary trash tv, and I knowingly ate a dinner not conducive to excellent running fuel. So, to say I was less than inspired to bounce out of bed ready for a long run is a nice way of saying I felt like crap and the idea of running sounded sucky.

I was soon perked up as I sat for a while with Pit Crew #2 while she ate her breakfast and we watched two squirrels cruising up and down a tree making a new nest. We'd watch and wait and talk about where they might be when we didn't see them. She talked about how it was funny when it looked like they were fighting, and I would point them out to the right when we'd been looking left. She interrupted her breakfast to get her camera. I'd show you her pictures except our new memory card reader sucks and only seems to want to read the first one we used in it ('happens to be mine ... I know, what a shocker!). Suffice it to say her picture of the activity is probably pretty terrible on the surface -- zoomed in too far to have good resolution, and I'm not even sure she quite caught a squirrel in frame as they kept moving. But, I've seen the pic, and it's perfect. I see the tree, (I don't see a squirrel) and I see us at the table laughing about how cute the little critters are.

And, that's what motivated my entire run this morning because I am so looking forward to decades of moments when we sit together at the kitchen table. Running is an investment in that future.

To that end, Elly and I set sail on a bit of a willy-nilly venture today. PC#2 was pleased to know Elly got to go since, as she put it, Elly and I were "twinning" today, she with her light blue bandana and purple leash, I with similar color choices ...

She's not getting choked, I'm just exhibiting
the color coordination. She thinks she's just
getting hugged, so she's all good!

I had a plan to run long, but I didn't know what "long" necessarily meant. I had drive-thrus I wanted to scope (mission accomplished to the tune of 36 cents), but I didn't know where I wanted to go from there. I finally came up with a basic plan that put me in a very target-rich environment to scope change (along meter-lined streets, of course), and we just kept going. And, going ...

While I wasn't sure how long we'd been out and about, Elly gave me an indication when I stopped to pick up a penny, and she stopped, too. She felt the tug on her leash to stop, and she simply sat down. She never sits during a run. Ever! I got us going again and watched her legs to make sure there wasn't a reason beyond 'seriously, this is really long' that she sat. I stopped her and massaged her hips to double check. All systems were a go; she was just ready to finish!

A total of 81 cents later and 5.9 miles, we finished. And, we finished well -- I'm not sure the last time I ran almost 6 miles, and I know it's been many moons since taking Elly that long! The girl deserved a smooch:

Sealing the run with a well-deserved smooch!

"I'm strong, mommy. Going is so much better than not going."

And, once we were home, she took full advantage of her day's agenda ...

It was a great run for today, and it was the best investment I could have made with that time for later! Tomorrow's a date with the weights which works out really well after today's adventure! I hope your week is starting off just the way you want and need, and I'll check in tomorrow!