Dressed For Success

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 433.5 (running: 360.1 walking: 34.8; biking: 36.2) Elly's miles: 182.3  Money Found For Food Bank: $55.69

Summer 2016 Ultimate Pool Volleyball Championship - Best of 101:

Me: 22 Pit Crew #2: 13

The weather is making advancement of the volleyball championship very, very difficult. However, it is making for pretty sweet running weather. I wouldn't complain at all if the pool were available year-round!

 

Regardless of the weather, here's a Happy Fourth of July to you!! I think this is the year that some of our traditions will go to the wayside while others remain in tact such as this one ...

Mmm ... rainbow jello ...

Pit Crew #2 and I also carried on with our plans to run. I'm pretty sure we would have run even if it hadn't been on the calendar to do so because it's important to don the festive headwear when the opportunity presents itself:

More miles and more found money started the day. BOOM. No holiday pun intended.

Dare To Dream Virtual 10K Day!

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 429.2 (running: 355.8 walking: 34.8; biking: 36.2) Elly's miles: 182.3  Money Found For Food Bank: $55.09

Summer 2016 Ultimate Pool Volleyball Championship - Best of 101:

Me: 22 Pit Crew #2: 13

In unheard of news, the forecast of rain did not make me waiver one, itty bitty little bit as to whether or not Pit Crew #2 and I would run our virtual 10K today! With showers predicted sans thunder and lightening, it just didn't matter. I wanted to go!

 

My decision was based on a few factors. First, scheduling a new calendar item right now makes me want to pull my hair out. So, if it's on the calendar and can stay, it stays! Second, it's not like our training has been super stellar given the heat wave. Putting the run off for better conditions not only likely wouldn't matter in terms of performance, but, let's face it, we could find ourselves in something much worse. I have definitely grown to take rain over heat + humidity!

 

So, this morning with rain coming down a half hour before predicted (yeah, I know ...), we were up and at it!

Fortunately, we both have fab hats to keep the water from continually running over our eyes! The hat is the key to rain running success!

This is a good time to mention it was also 66 degrees out. Being wet in 66 degrees would normally be quite chilly, but the running took care of that.

We did well, too, especially for really crappy training. PC#2 had to tie her shoes a couple of times at Mile 2. I reminded her she is to choose more optimal stopping spots -- like when we're in the middle of a hill looking for just the right excuse to blow the rest of it off. But, she chose the flat stretches, whatever, and we ran up every hill. I was quite pleased we could given past and current conditions.

I realized a little more than half way through the run that PC#2 wasn't even attempting to avoid puddles and gutter rivers.

That puddle is nothing of what our feet found along the way!

Now, it's not like our feet were dry, but it didn't occur to me to not avoid what I could. I found enough puddled that I didn't see coming ... She said she liked running through them, so that worked really well in terms of the sides of the shoulder on which we preferred to run. It's the little things that add up to being a great team!

Only about 5 minutes later than we would have finished with better prep, we arrived at our finish! It was time for some bling ...

Check out the glitter! WooHoo, GLITTER on the BLING!

I'm so glad we just committed and did it! It was a good experience together! I'd never shared a run in the rain except with Elly. And, Elly doesn't really like it so much. And, she smells way worse after!

It's time to relax a bit! We rest tomorrow! Have a great rest of the long weekend, and we'll check in!

Catching Up

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 423 (running: 349.6 walking: 34.8; biking: 36.2) Elly's miles: 182.3  Money Found For Food Bank: $55.07

Summer 2016 Ultimate Pool Volleyball Championship - Best of 101:

Me: 20 Pit Crew #2: 13

Hey, so, it's pretty cool that not only have I not managed to catch myself up in my own journaling this week, but I also just logged in to find I drafted my last entry instead of publishing it. Nice!! Oh well. I will look back on these entries one day and think, "Yeah, that looks about right. That was a pretty messy time!"

 

While I never have total control over my Summer schedule (ha!! That's an understatement!), I'm managing to keep my head well above water. So, I call that a victory. This week in particular, I even navigated situations where those in customer service weren't so serviceable to the customer because they couldn't think outside of their teeny, tiny thought boxes to solve a problem. And, I've done so without any sort of combustion, external or spontaneous. Let's thank the power of prayer and pool therapy for coming through those ordeals! Speaking of the pool, check out the tournament status! I'm not quite sure how I'm pulling that off, but I like it!

 

So, through it all, Pit Crew #2 and I have kept our running schedule going to get ready for tomorrow's virtual 10K! This week's weather finally afforded us some breathability, so we again feel able to run the distance. Last week, that idea was in question for both of us!

 

We went out on Wednesday afternoon when it seemed rather mild all things considered. By the time we hit the mile and a half point, BAM. We were HOT.

There's PC#2 taking advantage of my new water bottle! I just bought it the day before, and it needed a test run. One of my current ones sucks because the stopper doesn't want to open to, you know, let us drink. I've tolerated it for years and finally decided on Tuesday to just get a new one. I thought I'd just walk in and replace what I already have. Um, not so much. Now, what I used to buy for $20 has a new fangled cell phone holder that added $15 to the price. Gulp! I got a Camelback variety this time, and I dig it.

So, that was Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, we headed out early for a quick one with the pooch. It was unremarkable except for how pleasant the temperature felt for the end of June immediately following that heat wave! It was nice to take Elly. She does so like to run. She likes post-run love even more than that:

She'll live with her disappointment tomorrow, though, as we head out without her. I have a virtual medal to earn with her when Fall settles in and the temperatures are predictably cool. Until then, she just needs to cheer us at the finish!

So, it's a 6.2 morning ahead of us after today's rest-and-volleyball! Have a great start to your weekend, and we'll pop in after the morning run!

The Other Side

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 418 (running: 344.6 walking: 34.8; biking: 36.2) Elly's miles: 180.3  Money Found For Food Bank: $55.03

Summer 2016 Ultimate Pool Volleyball Championship - Best of 101:

Me: 19 Pit Crew #2: 12

Pit Crew #2 and I ran yesterday thrilled to discover we are, indeed, still able to actually run. The weather was a smidge cooler than it has been, and the humidity wasn't thick enough to choke us. It was a relief! And, our bodies appreciated the cooperation from Mother Nature!

 

We made it up our first hill, and the breathless exchange went like this:

 

Me: "That was good. We needed that win."

PC#2: "Oh. I didn't feel it at all."

Me: (pause) "I said win. Not wind."

 

To that, she totally agreed!

 

It's not a bad thing to be in partnership where both struggle a bit. Even if we struggle in different ways, we still share the experience. The past couple of weeks have been trying at best in terms of accomplishing these runs, so, to come out on the other side together is a pretty awesome feeling!

 

Win, wind, tuh-may-toe, toe-mah-toe ... "Together" sounds the same no matter how you say it!

Rest today. Run tomorrow. Ba-da-bing! That's how we're rolling this week! We'll see you after we get it done!