Cruising Along

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 139 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 667.1 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 295 Money Found For Food Bank: $44.85

I don't think I can tell you just how many lighters I saw along the route today. For real. Every time seeing one left my mind, there was another. I guess that's what can happen after Saturday night shenanigans, huh? I've seen all sorts of things on Sunday mornings from liquor bottles to fast food wrappers and bags to bottles of ewwwww. So, lighters shouldn't really surprise me.

This kind of did, though ...

It was a perfectly enjoyable outing complete with a breeze cutting through the heat that was rising. I got out of that noise just in time for the day to provide an excellent atmosphere for the pool ... ahhh ...

I wasn't in it to win it today, just in it to enjoy and move on. Some runs are like that! Okay, most of mine are, and that's the way I tend to like it! Enjoy everything the rest of your Sunday has to offer, and I'll check in tomorrow!

Dare To Not Compare

As this 3-day weekend chugs along, I find myself with teeny pockets of time in which I have not enough time to get invested in something but enough that I can keep picking at reading my latest book of choice. It's the second book written by my fake high school boyfriend:

I thoroughly enjoyed his first book although I remember absolutely nothing about it. And, while I'm not certain what more I expected to learn from this one, I did not expect to stumble on this gem:

 

"Never compare your insides to someone else's outsides."

Page 70. It's right there.

He said this in response to his son's questioning why he felt so nervous about moving on to campus and into his freshman dorm life, but he assessed no one else looked the way he felt. But, we all know comparing our insides to everyone else's outsides doesn't start at 18 years old. Nor does it end there.

I almost gave up on reading this book because there was a chapter prior to the above quote that was a snoozer. I decided to skip the rest of that chapter but stick with the book for now. It turned out to be a worthwhile strategy! Coming upon this statement was another installment of what we, in our house, like to call: The Unlikely Voice Of Reason.

And, I couldn't have relayed a better point to ponder today, so, I will leave it at that. But, I will check in after the morning run!

It's How It Ends That Matters

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 138 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 663.5 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 295 Money Found For Food Bank: $44.71

I am going to be the first to admit that within Mile 1 this morning, I had the following thought: I can see why running often loses its charm. That was my early-in-the-run brain signaling to me that I wasn't quite awake, I wasn't quite inspired, and I was pretty sure there were other things I'd rather be doing at that moment! In truth, the only long runs (8+ miles) I like doing are during a Half Marathon. Even then, it can be (and, um, has been) a questionable venture, but I do get hugs, treats and a shiny medal at the end of that one!

I knew my brain would eventually kick in, so I focused on taking in the morning vibe to distract myself from, well, from myself!

I also intentionally focused on the temperature because I knew it wasn't going to last throughout this run. I was right, too, as there was a very notable 7-8 degree rise from beginning to end especially as the sun kept coming. I'm glad I enjoyed the first couple of miles while I could!

Today's route was both familiar and not as the first three miles covered area I've run but not for many months. In fact, I don't tend to enjoy it because it has some lengthy hills, and I intimidate myself from taking them on (it's so easy to re-route, just sayin'). And, the remaining six miles are familiar, but I ran them backward (not in the literal sense, in the directional sense!), so if there was muscle memory in the wings, it went untapped today. I know this mighty shake up was really good for me. That's a really easy thought to have after having done it!

I was out of water before I hit the eighth mile. Fortunately, there was a gas station to the rescue! I salivated just a little when I saw this ...

I just looked. I didn't actually fill 'er up
with that! What an excellent name:
Yumberry. And, I do love pomegranate.
Mmmmmm ...

Now that I think about it, I didn't actually salivate because my mouth was too dry to produce any. It wasn't too dry a couple of miles back, though, when I had a high need to spit, and I did exactly what we all try to avoid ... "Paaa-tooey!! Aw, man!" Yeah, I ran right into it. I didn't even care. That's what the washing machine is for ...

So, while the charm of running was lost on me at the beginning, it returned along the way. And, speaking of along the way, I found 28 cents all in old-school fashion. No drive-thru scores; no metered stretches creating a target-rich environment. They were just hanging out there waiting for me. (ha!)

I treated myself to one of my very favorite places after the run ...

That's right ... me, the pool, and about 30 minutes of,
"Oh, hell yeah!!"

And, then I went home and walked in to see someone who, very clearly, had been having a most strenuous morning:

"Where have you been? Oh, wait. I don't care."

It all started out kind of so-so and wound up to be an outing I can be proud of. That's a pretty good way to start a Friday!! The time was going to pass no matter what; I'm glad to have had something solid to put into it! I hope your Friday is also moving along in the positive, and I'll check in tomorrow!

Another Kind of Truth

And, in line with the Truth theme but from a different angle, here's a little something I tend to remember once I get going ...

(The I Love To Run Facebook pages knows what's up.)

It's the perfect sentiment for tomorrow's 9 that I just mapped. I'll check in and let you know how it goes!!

Truth

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 137 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 654.4 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 295 Money Found For Food Bank: $44.43

When we really look at our lives, and we really dig in to why we do what we do (or keep ourselves from doing what we want to do), we can discover the truth behind our behaviors. We don't tend to like the truth, but it does exist. And, the more I understand myself and others around me, the more I see how very few degrees of separation there are among us. And, not just in the Kevin Bacon way.

We all have versions of the same-or-similar truth. A lot of my personal truths just happen to show up in my running. I originally started writing about it because I wanted to be real that an everyday activity can be challenging and rewarding and fun and suck all at the same time. I hoped if at least one person (me) is honest about feeling that way, perhaps someone else will know their own struggles are normal, and they'll keep going.

On the other end of the spectrum, I write to share that even in what seems to be a most basic and often mundane activity can live the most profound reflection of life lessons. My specifics are different from yours, but I bet our themes are often relatable.

I unintentionally thought about some life lessons when I was out running this morning. I had my favorite, four-legged pal with me, and she's actually the one who drilled a lesson into my head when we were running along a busy street, and all she could do was literally hold herself back while turning backward to see what was coming. She's gotten fearful enough on this particular stretch that I'm not sure I can take her there anymore. I know that if she had the ability to look forward and trust what she knows, she'd be secure that she's safe. I looked down (and back) at her and wanted to tell her, "Stop looking backward in fear because you're just holding us back; look forward and go." Of course, that's not a lesson a dog is going to learn. I'm sure it's one I could use a moment to review, though ...!

Oh, that dog. I was mostly glad to have her out there with me, but seeing as it took us longer to cover three miles today than it did for me to cover 4 yesterday, well, that's not quite what I'm trying to accomplish most mornings! She might just have to sit out for the rest of this training schedule and get her exercise elsewhere. She wouldn't complain as long as she got to explore now and then!

With that, it's a break from running tomorrow to gear up for Friday's long run! Keep it real especially to your own self, and I'll check in on tomorrow's Rest Day!

Mind-Body Cooperation

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 136 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 651.4 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 292 Money Found For Food Bank: $43.75

Okay, so exactly 20 minutes before heading out the door to run is precisely the moment I realized I mapped a lovely 3-mile route for a scheduled 4-mile run. (Way to pay attention to the calendar!) I had also not yet gotten out of bed, gotten dressed, brushed my teeth ... you get the picture. But, in truth, that's my morning. It's not even a rushed morning. It's an efficient one. Unless I have to do something extra like reroute a map!

It all worked out just fine, though. In fact, it worked out so well that I even had my run going on this morning. I didn't do my normal trot through the route; I blew through it even through continued morning heat/humidity and with my stops for pennies (and a dime!) along the way! My mind had the incentive of a morning agenda I wanted to hit, and my legs ended up cooperating. The body and the mind usually have more of a 'let's just compromise' way of getting along, so I take this full-on cooperation when it comes!

It's a good thing there's no vested interest in cooperation from my hair during this running thing, or there would be problems ...

Side note: I cannot look at my pictures before-during-after running and not think of the panic I had about my hair in junior high and high school gym classes. Wasn't it the worst having gym in the middle of the day and totally messing up your hair for the rest of the day? Oh, if 15-year-old me could have foreseen what was to come!

Tomorrow's a 3-miler (for sure; I've already checked, and, hey!, I've already mapped it thanks to yesterday), and it's supposed to be less humid! It'll happen either way, so I'll check in after the morning run!

Strong Start To the Week!

Okay, so, the other day, a friend of mine called wanting to get together because she wanted to pick my brain. She wanted ideas and thoughts about what to think through as she reconfigures her at-home world around the latest evolution of her kids' schedules. I have known this person for decades, and we used to work together in the real world, so it made me giggle a little bit that she sought my thoughts since I've always, always seen her as far more together than I have ever been. But, who am I to judge, and if she wanted my thoughts, my thoughts she received!

Notable topic of our conversation: When talking about how a week could look, I did mention that I make an appointment with myself for the days I run complete with actually writing it on the calendar. I know you already knew that, but she did not. I also told her that if I absolutely have to change that appointment with myself that I actually change (reschedule) it and not just cross it off. As that has been the key to my success, I found it an important piece of sharing my thoughts on how I make the most of my time and get in the things I want to accomplish.

Notable moment from our conversation: I wasn't necessarily sure I was sharing anything particularly worthwhile as schedules and how they work out are pretty personal, but we had a lovely time together. As we were wrapping up, she made a couple of notes (see? TOTALLY more together than I!) about things I said that resonated the most, and THEN -- as she is also my Mary Kay person -- she gave me the cleanser I ordered from her last week for free because she was so appreciative of my time and thoughts! WOAH!! Who does that? (Um, she does ...) This moment was not about the fact that I got my super-awesome cleanser for free; it was about seeing someone's heart first thing on a Monday.

That seriously rules.

The rest of the day has been as full as I predicted between laundry and work and other miscellaneous agenda items including my continued endeavor to become Queen of the Crock Pot and have more dinners come out of them! (Remember that black bean-quinoa dish? Yeah, it's crock-potable!) I'm so determined that -- as we speak -- there are two on the counter simmering up some goodness right now!

Double duty dinner duo.

Two separate chicken dishes -- one put together as called for in the recipe, the other that I dinked around with to see what happens! Both great fuel for the morning run!

Somehow, some way, Monday pulled together to be a well-paced good one today! I hope yours started off just as strong, and I'll see you after the morning run!

The Wall

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 135 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 647.4 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 292 Money Found For Food Bank: $43.56

Okay, so yesterday, I hit it again: The Emotional Wall.

I used to hit it often when I first started running. Every bit of self doubt and negative self-talk and destructive opinion about my ability to -- or even my very participation in -- running was always front and center to the point I know I used to spend more time fighting my brain than I did my body. It took more than a year to quiet those voices and make them mere whispers. Frankly, I've not heard much from them in quite some time.

Then, yesterday, it all came screaming at me like a freight train. And, in an instant, I wondered what the point of my running was, why was I bothering and what does it all matter anyway. In that instant, I just wanted to bag it altogether, and put it behind me.

After allowing myself to feel what I was feeling, I did an intentional shift the other direction, and I thought of all of the positives. From health benefits to shiny medals, I thought of it all and threw in some personal accomplishment for good measure. The pros quickly outweighed the cons, and I decided it was all worth it after all.

Why this happened really makes no difference, but I think it's important to admit seeing as I spend a lot of time and energy talking about how this gig can be positive and fun. That has never meant it is all positive nor that it's all fun. It has only meant that that's how I've chosen to look at it. Isn't that how so much of life is anyway?

So, this morning, I got up, laced up and headed out. I left a disappointed someone behind ...

"I hit an emotional wall today, too, mommy. It's just one I
can't really control. *sigh*"

... because even that early in the morning it was, like, a gazillion degrees. I ran my route, I scored some change, and I chalked up another successful start to another great morning.

Like everything else, this isn't always fun. But, it is always, always worth it.

When you hit that wall in whatever you are doing, hold on. Take a deep breath, step back, and remember why you embarked in the first place. That should help relight the fire! And, for all of the good this morning's run was, well, guess what tomorrow already is ... REST DAY!! I'll see you from there!

The Thoroughly Examined Life

I know I don't have to tell you IT'S THE WEEKEND ... but, it's such a good thing, so why not shout it out?!

While I've been out running, I've also been doing a lot of thinking (sometimes whether I want to or not) particularly since the emotional emancipation I went through a few weeks ago, and I landed on a theme that has negatively permeated my life since ... well, since forever. And, that theme has been fear of loss, big or small. I'd go into the particulars of what that means, but that's not really the point.

I bring this up because, as I examine the many ways I have allowed this fear to impact my life, I see different ways I have held myself back. Again, the particulars honestly don't matter because they apply to me as an individual. But, I think we can all relate to having an negative undercurrent we're so used to that we accommodate it rather than change it. It becomes the reason we behave certain ways in certain situations. It's the excuse to not do something/put ourselves out there/not try without knowing or giving our capabilities a try. It becomes part of who we are even though it's not at all who we want to be.

In summary: It's so very icky.

I'm thankful to see in myself that I've managed to whittle this lifetime pattern into a topical situation where certain people and situations are the triggers and not life itself. This didn't happen magically; it came about from spending a lot of years dissecting what's working in my life and what's not. Brining this issue down to certain topics has certainly left room for an otherwise very full and blessed life of relationships and experiences. But, I can't deny it still exists within me, and the residuals of it have just got to go. So, I've been doing a lot of mental and emotional work this month to finally flush that fear out of me.

I know I'm making progress, but I know I have a lot of work to do. And, that's okay so long as I keep moving forward ...

I'd give you a picture of Elly bounding like that, but the girl
doesn't tend to bound toward anything. She's all about wagging
like a maniac, though ... (pic from To Save a Life Facebook page)

I will be moving forward in the morning with a short run! Man, it's gonna be a gross one ... tune in tomorrow to hear me complain tell you all about it! In the meantime, don't be afraid (ironic) to hit your own obstacles head on! Believe when I say how much better it feels to thoroughly examine your life than to just let it keep happening to you ...

'See you after the morning run!

Mission Accomplished

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 134 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 643.7 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 292 Money Found For Food Bank: $43.26

Is everyone as excited that it's Friday as I am?!?! YAHOO!!! With my long run behind me, I am ready for some weekend fun!! But, before the weekend good stuff begins, let's see how this morning panned out!

So. The morning run. It's like this: It hurt! I'm not even going to pretend that it didn't. I think it's highly possible I strained my thigh muscles ascending a big hill on Wednesday like a beast. And, yesterday, I know I exacerbated any leg issues I already had. The good news is I've been running long enough to not only understand when there's injury and when I'm just sore and running won't actually hurt anything.

So, I took my Wednesday thought of pushing things up a notch seriously and didn't back down from the challenge of 8 miles in the thermal-blanket-thick humidity this morning. There are plenty of times I will accommodate feeling sore, but, with the Half coming down the pike, I wanted to push today a little harder than I actually felt like because I know the payoff is a good one.

That didn't mean I didn't take a two separate walk breaks for about 50 yards each, I'm just sayin'. I blame those on the drain of the humidity, though. And, while I know how to manage muscle issues, I do not hesitate to walk a stint and have extra water with me when it's this gross outside.

It was right at the end of Walk Break #2 that I saw this fella:

I've never seen one this color, so it totally caught my eye!! I caught his, too ... he scrambled like a maniac when I was approaching (calling attention to himself just the way he didn't want to), but he did stop to pose before running off. Yeah ... everyone likes the camera no matter what they say ...

I wrapped up my jaunt in decent form and time, and I really couldn't ask for much more than that! The important things were to get it finished (a) safely, and (b) in a manner that inspires me to go out again and not bag this whole thing! I'd say: Mission accomplished!

I'm totally digging getting back to 4 days of running instead of 5 ... that will return, but I'm enjoying the current shake up! 'Makes the long runs not so encompassing! With that ... start your weekend off just the way you want, and I'll see you on tomorrow's Rest Day!

Brain Status: Out Of Whack!

Happy almost-Friday to you!! Holy moly this has been a busy one! It's only 4 p.m., and I'm exhausted! Some days are like that, amiright ?! I'm so tired that I started to put dinner together thinking I was making one thing, but I made sure I had the ingredients for another. Fortunately, the 'another' in this situation is a dish everyone enjoys which tends to be the biggest kitchen challenge for this not-so-interested-in-cooking gal.

I'm making that super-delish Creamy Chicken Enchilada recipe (right here!), but I layered everything in the crock pot instead of heating up the oven ...

It looks like artichoke dip. I wish it was artichoke dip. Mmm ...

I'm on a mission to start figuring out how many things I can make in the crock pot. Crock pot cooking rules, you know. If you could just throw everything into it without any pre-cooking or prepping, it would be even better. But, at least using it takes away the heat the oven puts out ... which we do not need on this 100+ heat index day!

Speaking of the crazy heat, it is adding to my current state of tired which makes thinking about tomorrow's long run not so exciting. It'll definitely be a day where my main goal is to just cover the distance safely! (Did I really just say "just"?! I think 8 miles deserves more than a just ... JUST sayin'. heeheehee)

Be careful out there whatever you're doing ... and, don't overdo on dog days like these!! I'll check in after the morning run!

Twos. Over and Out.

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 133 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 635.7 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 292 Money Found For Food Bank: $42.62

Do you ever have one of those days where you get to the end of it and have no idea how you actually got there?! For me, that was called, "Yesterday," and it got away from me to the point that it never even crossed my mind to fitting running-mapping-writing into my day at all.

And, so I didn't!

But, today is another day, and I'm more on track! I didn't map my run until moments before running it, but that fit well into the unintentional attitude toward it which was that I didn't seem to take it very seriously anyway. Scheduled was a 2-miler, and I just wasn't into it. I was into getting out and running, but the two-mile thing annoyed me, so I decided to make it a money-finding mission instead.

Now, what that can do is take my mind totally and completely off of running. That worked great for Elly because if she wanted to stop, then I was all about stopping with her. She had some fun investigating, too, so this morning worked for both of us!

I ran one of my original score-big-bank routes this morning hoping to find the coins. There is a drive-thru on it that used to produce a lot of money because of the big gap in the pavement right below the Pay Here window. But, a while back, that crack got big-time power washed, and there was hardly a penny to be found for many months making putting it on my route not worth my time. Of course, there's never a guarantee anywhere I go or anywhere I look, but it went from big bank to zilch, so I decided to divert for a while. It's hard to go backward, you know?

Well, today was a launch forward! Look!

That's $1.65 of the money I could get with my fingers! I would need a stick to pop out the rest, but I got the bulk of it. Suffice it to say, power washing didn't last long, and the crack was disgusting. Check out how many of the coins are permanently discolored, and you'll know not only how gross it was but also how long they've been sitting there just waiting for me. Fortunately, a nearby puddle helped me get the vast majority of gross off of them. That a dead slug found its way onto my hand while I was swishing the coins is so very nasty irrelevant.

I might mention that an employee of this particular drive-thru walked by me while I was at it. There has been an occasion or two that someone comes to a drive-thru window, but I've never seen anyone live and in person face-to-face. It was kind of exciting. Anyway, he had his phone out, and while I'm pretty certain he wasn't using it to take pictures of the fool under the drive-thru scavenging for coins, one can't be sure. So, if he was snapping away and it goes viral, you'll know the real story behind the captions of how desperate I must be to dig for money while my dog just hangs out and watches the world go by. On the contrary, it's because I am so thankful that I'm not desperate that I give it away, but I get why no one watching me would know that! (What a great visual of that whole 'let's not just make assumptions' lesson, don'tcha think?!)

So ... back to running. Yeah, I did that, too. Because of my pursuit and target looking spots, I came close to doubling what I'm supposed to run today. But, with so many starts and stops, well, it's not like I overtaxed myself. It was more like a true interval training outing, and there's nothing bad about that. Elly seemed very on board with it all, too:

This was the last of the 2-milers for this training schedule, and that's probably good because I'm jacking around with them too much. Tomorrow is a break from running, but there's a lot going on keeping me physically active, and that's not really going to set me up well for Friday's long run. But, oh well. I think I've gotten to the point that pushing myself beyond what I've gotten used to would be a good thing, so I'm going to attack these next two days in that spirit!

Make whatever you're doing during your day count! Maximize your time as best you can, and I'll check in tomorrow before the long run!

Great Way To Start the Week

As expected, this Monday was full beginning 'til now and it's going to keep going!! And, through it all, is there a better way to look at things to start the week than this that I saw on the I Love To Run Facebook page?

This Monday was super full. And, I'm super thankful for it all!

I'll check in on tomorrow's Rest Day! Until then, hit the pause button when you can ... that's the way to see the good stuff!

Double Duty Weekend

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 132 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 632 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 288.3 Money Found For Food Bank: $40.97

As of this morning's run, I am finally convinced I need to quit underestimating my treadmill runs. Because I can control the speed (even to the point of going slower than I would outside) and because I don't have hills (because I'm not jacking around with the incline ... because I don't want to ...), I always feel like the treadmill run is sufficient but isn't doing too much other than letting me log the miles. Some people would call those 'junk' miles. I've never gone quite that far; I am doing something after all!

Anyway, after looking at the calendar for the upcoming week and realizing I scheduled runs on days that don't make sense, I decided to take two of the 3-mile runs and combine them into one long one for today. I made it a double duty weekend, if you will. My legs felt more than okay all day yesterday, so I didn't think it would over-tax them. After all, it was just a slow-poke (for real) treadmill run, right?

Yeah, my legs had something to say to that at about the 1.5 mile mark this morning. The language they used to communicate how they felt about a 6-miler immediately after a 7 was foul, though, so we won't go there. Given how they were feeling and with 4.5 miles to go, though, I did question the brilliance of my morning plan. But, I decided the pros way outweighed the cons and that I could just suck it up and deal with it.

So, even though I had total control over what I was going to do, I did not have control over what loomed ...

I could only hope I could outrun it. Spoiler alert: It never rained. Oh, it looked like it the entire time, but it never did. And, once I was at the end of my route, I thought, "Hey, I outran it." Then I thought, "Wait. You can't outrun something that never happened ... right?" And, then, all of my I-rock-the-Casbah delusions of grandeur went right out the window. ... But, can they actually go out the window if there is no window?

See what running does to me?

I was most definitely treated like a rock star today, though. It first happened when I was at the 2-mile mark, and a friend of mine drove past honking furiously while waving out her window. And, I know she wasn't just being friendly; she was cheering me on. Then, she passed me coming from the other direction a couple of miles down the road, but she didn't pass before stopping her car in the middle of the road to honk, wave and give a big shout of, "Go, girl, GO!" That was a perfectly timed shout out, too, as it was today's 4th mile but the weekend's 10th, and my legs felt like they'd just run all 10 in a row. Following the cheers, I was reenergized to wrap this sucker up and find my biggest fan at the end of the road ready to pour on the rock star status!

Had my crazed-by-humidity hair not been
in a ponytail, I would have nailed the 80s
rock star look with my headband. Just sayin'.

The next two days brings about rest from running while the schedule is jammed full! It all works out just fine, though (tell it to my legs ...). Start your week off just the way you want and need -- surrounding yourself by people who treat you like the rock star you are helps, by the way! -- and, I'll check in on tomorrow's Rest Day!

Mad About the Wind

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 131 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 625.7 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 288.3 Money Found For Food Bank: $40.66

Does anyone remember that episode of Mad About You when Paul, who was a film director, thought he had been charged (by Yoko Ono) to film the wind? He spent the entire episode bemoaning his inability to capture the wind only to later find out it was merely a suggestion, not a directive. Worst episode ever of a show I loved, but, I digress.

I captured for you my own wind today:

That's right. Running girl was on the treadmill today after hearing thunder as soon as the alarm to get up went off. To be honest, I wasn't that upset about it because I was in no mood to tackle the disgustingly thick atmosphere that was going on. Today, TV trumped humidity.

So, I watched some back-logged shows on the DVR, knocked out my 7 miles and went on with my day, part of which included acquiring this for my dad:

In case my fingers totally messed with it,
it does, indeed, read, "Happy FALL,
Y'all". Because what else would you
expect a hedgehog to say?

I'd offered up my scoping-the-stores services for a fun decoration for his door, and, after offering up 5 options, this one got everyone's vote! I didn't even sway it because if he hadn't chosen it, I would have bought it for myself! I get to see it either way, so, everyone wins!!

With that, it's off to enjoy the chicken burgers Pit Crew #2 is making and cozy up to the rest of Saturday! Tomorrow's another running day, so I'll see you then!

Big Bonanza

Happy Friday, one and all!!

I would have written earlier, but when I went to the computer, Lizzy had other plans for me:

"If you move me, I will hit you with any of my big, huge paws."

Besides, it's been a busy day playing pool basketball BACON (where I lost ... Boo!) and winning at Bingo with the kids and my dad! Today's notable was the 4-way win at blackout (never happens!) which I now affectionately refer to as the Bingo Blackout Bonanza!

All of that was very fun and has left little time to map a new run for tomorrow. But, I must, so it's off to find 7 miles that will inspire me to get out of bed!

I hope your weekend starts off just the way you want, and I'll see you after the morning run!

Body Trumps Brain

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 130 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 618.7 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 288.3 Money Found For Food Bank: $40.66

Now that I've been running long enough for it to be routine, I'm learning a lot about two-mile runs. Last week's lesson was that just because I can run double digit miles does not make two miles a gimmee run. This morning's lesson was my own realization of just how easily my brain can go to the place of justifying why a two-mile run can be blown off as though it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. That's another way of saying that I had a difficult time convincing myself that getting out of bed to go for a quick run was beneficial in any way.

But, like so many other things in life, my brain can go where it wants as long as my body doesn't follow its ill-advised ways!

And, I got up.

I'm so glad I did, too! Look!

2.2 miles. Same streets as yesterday. I can't explain it.

It would have been foolish to not go out today not just because it's scheduled and I should but because the weather was simply beautiful! Elly and I had a great time just being outside! And, for as many times as I had to stop to pick up each of those items individually, well, can I really complain about a strenuous run?! I have a story to tell about the squats fest that took place over those miles, though ... !

And, just in case I got tired ...

If you need a red couch, I know where one is.

Today's was a good keep-it-loose outing to get ready for Saturday's long run, so, it definitely had its purpose! Also in preparation for Saturday is tomorrow's Rest Day! I'll see you from there!

Back Together!

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 129 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 616.5 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 286.1 Money Found For Food Bank: $40.52

Look who was back at it today!!

"Yay me!!"

And, by 'back at it,' I not only mean jogging with me but also investigating every mailbox post, greeting -- from a safe distance -- other canines behind their fences and stopping to mark the neighborhood like the ground was her canvas. In other words, the interval trainer was back, and she was having some fun!!

I admit I wasn't ready for the multitude of stops along this 3-mile stretch, but I totally should have been. I mean, what else did I expect from my particular running partner this morning? She was having such a time being out and about that during one potty stop, she turned and looked at me like, "You wish  you could do this!"

We both contributed to the start-and-stop nature of today's outing because I found some prizes along the way!

Expect the unexpected.

Because I was sticking only to the streets of my neighborhood, I was only sort of hopeful to come across a penny or two. Never did I imagine a dime much less a quarter!! And, a slew of BBs to boot? Sweet pennies from Heaven, this was a great run!!

It was, indeed, a great outing and a strong showing from us both. Elly seemed to have no problems whatsoever during or immediately after the run for which I am truly thankful. I was a bit concerned when her ache seemed to linger. She's not old, but she's not young, either, so we need to be extra careful to set her up as best as possible as she ages! Kind of like what we do for ourselves ...!!

Love. That. Girl.

For the rest of the day? There's lots on the docket from have-tos to get-tos, so I need to get on it all!! Enjoy everything your Wednesday has to bring, and I'll see you after the morning run!

Simple Enough

I've spent some time during these past few days reflecting about Saturday's 6-miler because I've been intrigued about why it wasn't much more difficult than it proved. Besides not having run that distance in some time, I didn't even put my smarts on enough to warm up that morning. I just went on out like a fool and let the chips fall where they may. That they fell softly was a gift!

I wanted to understand why that run worked out well because it really shouldn't have. I had an immediate internal response answering my own question, but I wanted to ponder it for a few days to see if I still landed on that same answer. Here we are a few days later, and, yup, I landed in the same spot: It worked so well because this entire running gig has been by my design, my goals and my way.

I've kept in mind the rest of my life while fitting running into it which means I don't care to over-train to the point I'm sacrificing family time or energy (or risking actual injury). I stop midstride for a whole host of reasons including to take pictures, pick up money, take a water break, walk a stretch because I darned-well feel like it, and I make no apologies for any of it.

Could I be a better runner? I'm absolutely certain of it. But, running is only one part of my life. And, I like it like that. It's fun!

Speaking of the fun, I have to crack that code as well. Ready? Here we go: It's fun because I decided it is.

See how easy that is?

I see no reason whatsoever to focus on what parts of running aren't fun because, let's face it, there are a lot. But, even someone who doesn't run already knows or can make excellent assumptions about what parts of it suck. I feel no need to remind anyone of that every time running becomes a topic (what a bore). I already bemoaned my weariness to my friends and family when I first started. That's fine at the beginning of a new venture, but, we're all wayyyy past that theme, and I'm thankful for the following unspoken understanding: You get I work hard, and I get you don't want to hear me break down how hard this can be every, single time we talk.

Shoot, I don't want to talk about that! (remember that boredom notation? That applies to my level of interest as well!) Besides, what a great way to bring my own self down by focusing on the negative! I'd much rather talk about what makes it fun!

Make sure you're not sabotaging your own endeavors by focusing on what is making it a challenge! The challenges presented are probably very real and do, indeed, require extra and/or different effort; don't make your own self part of the challenge!

One more piece of fun for the day to share ... our new fish! His name is Cruise (after the Florida Georgia Line song of the same name ... but, as sung by the a cappella group Home Free. Because I love Home Free.):

I had to put the flash on to see him
in the pic ...

... and, when it went off, he immediately
turned around like, "What the hell ?!"

Lizzy has a new tasty friend.

I know the fish and the cat have nothing to do with running. They're just fun. Like runnnniiiiinnnggg ...

Three miles are on the docket for tomorrow!! I'll check in after ... see you then!

As the Kids Would Say: LOL

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 128 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 613.4 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 283 Money Found For Food Bank: $40.16

Happy start to your week!! Mine has been busy busy but full of both things I need to do smattered with a few things I want to do (although I did not want to lose -- pitifully -- at our driveway game of HORSE ... and, by HORSE, I mean BACON ... but, I digress ...)! Before any of that happened, though, I started my day out with a run!

I determined today's route after passing a sign yesterday afternoon. This sign:

I laughed out loud when I saw that! I hoped it would still be there when I got to it this morning!

The other cool thing about that sign is that it sat at the stop of a very steady, half-mile incline, one that I hardly ever enjoy running. I seem to be okay with running it in the Fall when the weather is perfect, but that's the only time. Any other fluctuation in the weather zaps my enthusiasm for taking it on! Having this sign as my target gave me just the nudge I needed! And, might I add, I felt mighty successful once I got to the top! Besides, I also had to come back down ... yeah!!! I don't tend to add distance to the training miles schedule, but adding almost a full mile to get this morning giggle was well worth it!

Just noting: I'm not making fun of hoarders. I don't think hoarding is funny. This sign, though? I thought it was VERY funny.

Every run requires its own inspiration. Some mornings when I'm being a mature grown up, I see the long-term benefits both to my goals and to my health. On the other 360 days of the year, I find other ways to motivate myself. Money-scoping, taking pictures, adding to my miles or days-run tallies, filing down Elly's toenails, justifying a meal I completely blew nutritionally, wanting a great excuse to wear fun hair accoutrement ... I find motivation in all sorts of places!

Do what you need to start your week exactly the way you want, and I'll check in on tomorrow's Rest Day!

Kitchen Tweak

Who else is bummed that the weekend is almost over?!?!?!?!? *SIGH* It's just never enough, is it?! It's been a good one over here, though, so I have nothing to complain about!

Elly can't complain, either, because she got to start her morning off with a walk! It's the first she's been on in about a week, so she was really happy (and, quite tired by the end! Aaron noted she seems to have lost her summer fitness, but she kept plugging along and would have kept going had we wanted to!). I think she was glad we didn't want to, though.

Walk. Picture. Nap. A great morning
trifecta if a girl ever had one!

Before sliding into wrapping up the weekend (by finding out who the Next Food Network Star winner is), I wanted to pass along a tweak we made to those fabulous Chinese Chicken Burgers (click for the recipe!) we made last week that made them EVEN BETTER as far as I'm concerned!

The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh, minced lemon grass which is exactly what was used for the first round. But, when we were at the store yesterday and I suddenly said, "Tell me again what is in those burgers because we're totally having them for dinner tonight," we found ourselves in a store that didn't have the fresh lemon grass option. But, they had this ...

(... which also had attached to it an instant coupon, just sayin'), so, to avoid a separate trip for lemon grass, we bought it.

AND. IT. ROCKED.

I loved this swap SO much more than the fresh because it got everywhere in the burger rather than the burger having spots of its taste. It was nicely subtle in the background, but the flavor wrapped its way around every bite. Mmm ... mmm ... double mmm!

AND, as an extra bonus, this container says it's good for another few weeks where the fresh lemon grass that we didn't immediately use for the last round also almost immediately went bad. Boo!

I'm not one to even see these kinds of products in the store much less zero in on using them, so I wanted to point it out in case you might miss it. Oh, and it's that much better in this recipe, so I had to tell you.

With that, I'm off to wind down Sunday!! I hope your weekend was crammed full of good, and I'll check in after the morning run!

Close Enough Doesn't Count

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Days Run: 127 Nancy's 2014 Mileage: 609.7 Elly's 2014 Mileage: 283 Money Found For Food Bank: $40.14

Did I really find enough money today to send me over the 40 dollar mark?!?! YES I DID!! That calls for a WAHOOOOOOOO!!

AND 3 BB's? BANNER DAY!

It was more-than-usual luck finding so much today as the first 27 cents was in a drive-thru, and I actually ran right over all of it without zeroing in. I just so happened to catch a glimpse of the nickel which is when my brain registered there might be money, so I turned back around to see change all over the place. My affliction was that my contacts decided to rotate right before that moment (astigmatism is a blast), so I really couldn't see much of anything for a minute. Fortunately, nickels are big and bold.

Fuzzy eyesight plus fog and drizzle made for an interesting outing in the first three miles!

Funky weather does not keep the runners off the streets nor
the patrons from the Farmer's Market.

I was fully prepared for the possibility of rain, though, so none of it bothered me. I was determined to be outside (unless there was thunder and/or lightening), so I just didn't care about the less-than-desirable weather!
My vision did eventually straighten out, and the run was way better than I anticipated it would be since I've not run this distance in quite some time. I've been close (closer than I even realized*), but every mile added on presents its own challenge, so I really just wanted to cover them and have some fun doing so.

* Check this out: Last night, I was poking around on mapmyrun.com, and I decided to remap the main 5-mile course I've been using this summer. It turns out it was 5.4 miles, and I've short-changed my mileage count to the tune of 3.6 miles! Yeah, that's been adjusted!

Even funnier: I told Pit Crew #2, who accompanied me on a number of those outings, that it was actually a longer route than I knew. The following conversation ensued:

PC#2: So, we've been running almost 6 miles?!
Me: Um, no, we've been running almost 5 and a half.
PC#2: 5.4 is almost 6.
Me: 5.4 is almost 5.5.
PC#2: Close enough to 6 for me.

I love that girl.

I had my own brand of fun today for sure which including taking a picture of something I never thought I'd take:

It's a ghost. What'd you think it was? You thought it was
what ?!?! Ewwww ... that's just nasty. Who would
photograph that?!

With this distance in the books, I feel like training is truly underway for October! The weekend is also well underway, so I'm off to participate in more of it! Enjoy the rest of your Saturday, and I'll see you on tomorrow's Rest Day!!

Inspiration Out Of Nowhere

As if you didn't know ... IT'S FRIDAY!!!

I'm so glad it's Friday! I'm also not sure how I managed to get here and check everything off on my to-do list for the week (the list I created sometime around Wednesday morning as I realized I couldn't remember everything I knew I needed to do -- Summer Brain had the best of me this week!). I hope your week was productive and good and fulfilling and that you, too, have at least a mild case of a 'that-was-just-too-fun' hangover like I do after spending yesterday with my girl! And, if you don't yet have that feeling this week, you still have today and tomorrow ... I hope it can fit in!!

While tomorrow will start off with the first 6-miler I've done in quite some time, today started off nice and easy and with my very favorite breakfast that includes ...

How very patriotic, don't you think?

Here's what's funny about my oatmeal ... I'd tried oatmeal in the past because I heard it was good for you. I thought it was nasty, so I didn't eat it. A few years later, I tried it again with the same verdict. But, in the past 5 years or so, I can hardly get enough of it and literally crave it during the day if I didn't have it for breakfast. So, where'd that come from?

You'll never guess. But, I will share ...

So, years ago, there Aaron and I were watching the summer sensation (ha!) Big Brother when some of the contestants were put on "slop" for the week. No one explained specifically what it was (because I don't think the contestants know), but it was clear no one was excited about this super-bland, not-so-appetizing cuisine. I then did some poking on the internet to see if I could find out what it was, and the closest descriptor to anything relatable was along the lines of 'oatmeal but worse.'

And, with that, something triggered in my brain, and I felt compelled to try oatmeal again. (Really ? From that? Yes. Really.) I still find oatmeal all by itself less than inspiring, but that's where the fruit addition began. And, together? YUM. YUM. And, oh-so-good for me.

Look, I take inspiration where I can get it. And, clearly, you never know where you'll find it!

Speaking of breakfast, one of the household members has totally cut back on hers ...

I don't think it's much of a coincidence that her appetite lowered when the running ceased so she could heal her leg. I do think it's unfair, though, that the dog just naturally cut back on her eating to adjust to her lowered activity level because that doesn't seem terribly instinctive to meeeee ...

Of course, how long did it take me to train my brain to not do this after a long run?


... A very, very long time. I'm just sayin'!

Have yourself a great rest of your Friday and start to your weekend, and I'll see you after the morning run!