Oh, the Drama

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 191.8 (running: 175.4; walking: 4.4; biking: 12) Elly's miles: 93.5  Money Found For Food Bank: $42.55

This was my pre-run prep today:

It's hard to convince someone I'm getting
ready to go running when it looks like
I'm starting a craft project ...

Yup. You guessed it. The new shoes can not handle the toes of steel, and one of them is already -- and, suddenly -- worn almost all the way through. GRRR. This was highly frustrating to discover this morning as I have been diligent about making sure that nail is cut as short as possible to make sure I'm not aggravating the situation. Evidently, that just doesn't matter. For whatever the reason that my big toes do whatever it is they do in there for stabilization purposes, most shoes just can't handle it. I know I'm in a large population of other toe busters out there, but I've not yet found a great solution to prevent this. However, as proven with my last part of Sauconys (which, by the way, are totally my shoe of choice at this point -- even more than the Brooks), duct tape seems to do the trick to hold it all together. I'm not thrilled about it, but I am ready to hit that point of resignation and just duct tape preventatively from now on. (That sounds like an easy thing, but if you've tried to cram your hand into the toe of a shoe and get the tape in just the right spot, then you know it's not. I told Aaron it would be so much more helpful if I were trying to place tape in his shoes. There's much more room in there.)

Who knows: Maybe my point of resignation and preventative measure will open the door to more shoe options ...

Regardless, I laced up. And, that was a whole other another issue because the tongue on that same shoe, apparently, had an attitude about being messed with and wouldn't settle into a comfortable spot. And, it wasn't just uncomfortable; it hurt. After five or six adjustments, a sigh, a bad word or two and some poking fun at me by Aaron about my diva shoes, we were finally on our way for this morning's four miler.

For crying out loud.

The temperature was 59, but it didn't feel that way. And, before we hit the end of the first mile, it started drizzling. And, then lightly raining. And, that went on for the duration. And, I didn't even have my hat. *sigh*

But! I was thrilled that the run itself was very surprisingly good! In addition to good company, I went up our rolling hills route with relative ease. After having done yesterday's 10 miles, not stretching this morning (thanks, shoes!) and not stretching out after yesterday's run ...

... I expected this morning to be less than ideal. And, that's a nice way of saying that I expected it to be totally crappy.

But, it wasn't. Evidently, this whole training thing is working as it should. Again, I don't know the science behind the schedule, but I am thankful for the person who worked all of that out. I have cursed that same person in the past for scheduling a 4-mile run the day after 10, but, apparently, there's a reason for it. And, it's a good one.

We rounded a corner to hit our home stretch when Aaron started whining about "The wind! The wind!" Let me just note there was a very slight breeze that hit us at that point which is nothing like actually experiencing wind. He reminded me that he was very wet, so the wind made him cold. I not only didn't argue with that, but I knew if I made fun of him any further that he was armed with plenty of ammo about my shoe-capades. So, we just picked up pace and wrapped this bad boy up!

We got to the end point with a few tenths of a mile to walk and cool down. That might have been my favorite part of it all, just sayin'.

Rest is on the docket for the morning!! I always love the sleep-in morning of the weekend!! Don't forget to set your clocks ahead tonight (boo!)! I'll be checking in on the morrow ...

The Adventure Before the Adventure

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 82.6 (running: 81.9; walking: .7; biking: 0) Elly's miles: 51.1  Money Found For Food Bank: $36.13

HAPPY WEEKEND!! Elly here!! I got WAY more than I counted on when I asked to go with Mommy and Daddy on their outing this morning!! It turned out that it was Take Your Doggie To Work Day!! YAHOO!!!

Okay, it really wasn't the official day for that, but it IS how the morning turned out because Daddy had something science-y to do before we got our grooves on. So, I had myself quite the adventure before the adventure!! LOOK!!

I really didn't know what to expect in this place; I was just
happy to find out it wasn't a back entrance to the vet.
Mommy showed me some of the sites like the rack of
coats they wear when they want to look like real scientists.

These just scared me because they look like shots. <shiver>

And, this thing jiggled all by itself. How'd it do that?!

All of those things were fine, but I had my own kind of
investigating to do! Like around the biohazard bin!

And, in this trash can!

And on this cart of canisters filled with goodies!!

HECK YEAH this is FUN!! My sniffer never had it so good!

Wait ... what was that?!

I heard Daddy, and he was doing important
science stuff!

Daddy explained he was using liquid nitrogen. See the
white waves floating on the counter? ...

... Yeah, ME, EITHER because I had BOXES to smell!

The real adventure begins when you get between the cabinet
and the biohazard box! If it's like at home, there's always
stuff that misses the trash can lurking in such places!

This box was closed, so it wasn't as cool.

I saw Daddy again!! Wait ... he's putting
on booties ...

It's a secret passageway!!

He shut the door and went to work.
Without us.

Apparently, I'm not authorized personnel ...

... even when I give my cute face. *sigh*
Time for more exploring.

All of the trash cans and biohazard bins had been sniffed, so
Mommy thought we should check out Daddy's work area. Here
are his Simpsons Squinkies ... whoever the Simpsons are and
whatever a Squinkie is ...

... and here is his display of running bling ...

... and, a comic. Mommy read it to me. I don't get it.

Awww ... there's my family before they were my family!!!

And, there's a picture of Daddy with his
smarts hat on.

Mommy noted his messy pile. I just wondered if he even knows
that other pad of paper is on the floor. Mommy said he probably
doesn't. I guess it helps I'm at that level ...

Yay!! That's ME!! Covered ... in ... a ... boatload ... of ... dust ...

Speaking of gross ...

I had to leave that zone once I saw gross
Lizzy, so I moved on.

One of his work friends brings her dog
to work with her often. That would be more
fun if this floor weren't so slippery!

I was totally ready to go, but Daddy had to
wash dishes. This bored me. I can see that
at home.

So, I went to the door and just stared. At home,
that can make the door open.

I'm with you, fake dog -- let's bust out of this joint!

SERIOUSLY. DADDY. LET'S GO!

Back to the elevator -- on which I was VERY BRAVE ... a little
weirded out but BRAVE ...

And, it was time! THAT time!!!

It was neat seeing where Daddy hangs for
most of his day, but this was more like it!

Daddy ... Zipper ... Eyeball ... just sayin' ...

It was definitely a fun adventure this morning!! Frankly, my sniffer is exhausted, but it was totally worth it! Thanks for doing your science stuff for us and for the world, Daddy! But, I think I'll stick to my running expertise if you don't mind!!

We'll be back at it soon ... stay tuned, and thanks for joining my on my very special morning!!

The Truth Of the Matter

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 45.8 (running: 45.1; walking: .7; biking: 0) Elly's miles: 18.9  Money Found For Food Bank: $21.76

 

So, I won today in that Aaron accompanied me on my outing. He won because, even though it was 20 degrees, there was no wind chill. WooHoo!! In truth, neither of us was particularly excited about getting out of the warm bed to get on out there, so these mini victories felt even bigger today!

As it turned out, it was an outing of ups and downs. The down? Okay ... So, there we were a little more than half-way through our route when we passed some dude strolling on a sidewalk. He was well into his 50s dressed in a non-descript, unzipped Winter coat, jeans and carrying a backpack. I think he was even at a bus stop, but I can't be sure. Anyway, Aaron and I were about 10 feet past him when he called out to us. No, it wasn't to say hello or good morning; it was to say, "At that pace, you'll burn more calories walking."

Um ... excuse me? Aaron somewhat acknowledged him while I just kept on going. I was a little stunned that there was an unsolicited evaluation process going on much less that it was worth offering.

I first asked Aaron for clarification of what the guy said, and I followed it with asking exactly how that translated. Aaron said he was probably coming from the angle that it is more difficult to sustain a slower walk than it is a jog (which I happen to agree with because there's not as much momentum to keep you going ... that's based on how it feels, not that I know anything physiologically).

And, then all I could think was, "That guy sucks!"

In moments of lunacy and/or disbelief over what someone says or does, I can always look at Aaron, note the moment, ask him to be funny about it and he does. It goes like this: "Aaron. Dude with the running commentary. Be funny. GO." Then he launches into some deadpanned, sarcastic imitation of (or response to) the person turning their moronic statements into something that's supposed to sound like the most wise words ever spouted. In this case, it went something like, "Hey, guy we didn't ask and don't know and knows nothing about what we're doing or what goals we have, you are so right that what we're doing has absolutely no cardiac benefit whatsoever or that, by the way, we actually care about what you're saying." And, he went on for a bit making me kind of giggle. About a quarter mile later when I'd decided I wasn't finished bagging on the guy, we both joined in on some pretty snarky stuff that need not be shared but made me double over laughing at Aaron.

At least there was that.

This moment reminded me of last Spring when I was at a stop light at Mile 8 of 10 when I a guy decided to tell me, "I used to run, but I hurt my knee and had to stop, but I guess if I were going your pace, I could totally get back into running, huh?"

I. Mean. Seriously. I have to say I find it unbelievable that there is any unsolicited commentary or otherwise input from anyone ever. Mama never taught 'mind your own biz?' I didn't so much take offense to either situations as I just thought about how rude people can be -- especially today's guy: The guy who had no idea Aaron is medically not supposed to run so must walk (walks like a boss, I might add). The guy who had no idea that walking did not serve my purpose for my upcoming goals. The guy who had no business getting into ours. The guy I'm pretty certain was waiting for a bus instead of walking his own ass somewhere. Oh ... wait ... I might be starting to slip into aforementioned snark zone. I'll stop there before getting too carried away.

I guess the moral of the story is I'm a huge fan of (a) cheering others and (b) keeping your mouth shut if you're not going to cheer. The. End.

In addition to the laughs we extracted from that moment of human ridiculousness, other pieces of the run were excellent! The recent snow assuredly covered some money finds, but it also seems to prevent people from wanting to linger and/or stoop for money they drop:

I'll never understand such a stash being
left, but I'll always rejoice in finding it!

And, we saw itty bitty birdie feet again!!

This was my favorite moment, though ...

... when we happened upon that squirrel sitting in the snow going to town on the muffin wrapper it found! It was cute as could be, and it seemed completely oblivious to its audience until the very second I was ready to snap the pic. So, I present: Squirrel With Muffin Wrapper In Motion.

Enjoy.

And, that was our outing. For its ups and its downs, it was good to be together:

It was particularly good to be together in the car where Aaron
could simultaneously cool down and warm up. You need only
be a human who has ever been out in the cold to get that!

Tomorrow calls for Rest! (Yahoo!!) Enjoy the rest of your Saturday, and don't let the fools of the world get you down! As Aaron noted about today's commentator: "It says more about him than it does about us." --> TRUTH.

And, That's the Weekend

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 18.1 (running: 17.4; walking: .7; biking: 0) Elly's miles: 9.3  Money Found For Food Bank: $16.10

 

I think when I report that we spent the entire day yesterday taking our bazillion ornaments off of our Christmas Trees, it is clear where my time went! I did not even see a computer but for mere moments yesterday. And, that's okay. The ornaments got put away yesterday -- one tree in reasonable, organized fashion and the other in such a way that I could not be described as anything less than a Tasmanian devil -- and the trees got down and are put away as of mere moments ago. While Aaron took on the put-away task, I devoted my early afternoon to a long overdue kitchen reorganization. Can I get a hearty, "Ahhhhhh ..."?!

That the reorganization exposed areas that now need cleaning need not be discussed.

Before all of that, though, was an adventurous Saturday morning. You might recall Aaron wanted "go for a run" to be code for "go get a bagel," but he allowed the compromise to be first one, then the other! I knew there was snow in the forecast, but we weren't supposed to get more than an inch, nor was it to start in the morning as far as we knew.

We were totally wrong! Almost as soon as we started going, the flakes began. And, they just kept coming!!

Three miles into it, we were getting pelted
by a snow-sleet combo!! Whee!!

The snow totally made up for the fact that the wind was pretty brutal depending on the direction we were facing. Aaron noted getting the little pellets in his eyes, but I wasn't paying much attention as I was running with my tongue hanging out because you could actually feel the snow hit! It was totally fun.

This is what we saw when we got in the car when we finished:

The weather was more than we bargained for, but I was glad to have not understood what was going to happen before we set out because, frankly, we would have passed and missed it all!

We believe we have Elly to thank for the weather because I'd put her "Let It Snow" bandana on her right before we left the house.

There's a lot still left to tend to this weekend so as to get the week started out right, and it's time to get back to it! The plan is to run in the morning unless the wind chill is below 0! Start your week off the best you can, and I'll be checking in with the verdict from here!

The Look Back

Today’s Numbers: Nancy's Total Movement Mileage: 1016.2 (running: 827.1; walking: 44.3; biking: 144.8) Money Found For Food Bank: $13.71

 

2,015 in 2015 Change Hounds progress: Nancy: 1016.2 Aaron: 766.4 (b: 674.6; w: 91.8)  Elly: 305.8 Total: 2088.4

Total miles in motion (run, walk, bike): 1016.2 (Goal: 1,000)

 

Total miles run: 827.1 (Goal: 900)

 

Likelihood of setting a running goal for 2016: 50/50

 

Likelihood of continuing regular running in 2016: 100%

 

Best run look of the year: This one -->

Money found and donated at Thanksgiving to Food Bank: $98.78

 

Money found since Thanksgiving donation day: $13.71

 

Most money found on a run: $3.17

 

Most intriguing find on a run:

I have no words. Or use.

Number of runs accomplished: 8 -- four 10Ks; two 5Ks and two Half Marathons

 

Number of runs accomplished that were virtual: 7 -- this virtual running thing rocks

 

Best virtual bling: There were so many good choices, but I landed on this lady:

"Oh darling, just run." she says.

Worst run: Yesterday's outing with Pit Crew #2. Nothing like a slick surface to keep you from getting any kind of speed going whatsoever. aka: Nothing like finishing and feeling like you never started.

 

Biggest running obstacle: Running with Pit Crew #3 because of the degree and frequency he makes me laugh.

Biggest personal accomplishment over which I had some semblance of control: April's Go STL Half Marathon where I PR'ed. That was sweet.

 

Biggest accomplishment over which I feel I had little or no control: Not falling down even once. BAM!

 

Best think-out-of-the-box moment: May's Go Girl Half Marathon that I completed on my own since I registered for the official run then made unchangeable plans on top of it. I had to come up with another plan; I was not going to be denied that medal the size of a dessert plate! 

Biggest running annoyance: Is there really a competition here? It's the shoes and how my toe likes to pop through most of the current models.

 

Best money found on a run: All of it. Wait ... the $5 bill ... wait ... all of it.

 

Best score at the Expo: The "World's Okayest Runner" sign. That's the best!!

Most concerning running moment: Encountering this family of geese -- 

Ever wonder just how territorial geese can get when protecting
their babies? No need to wonder ...

Most loyal running partners: Pit Crew #2 and Elly.

Best dressed runners: I think the winners are clear.

 

As you well know, running can be something of a pain. But, most of the time, it brings me a lot of joy, a lot of fun and a lot of peace. I'm so very thankful not just for the ability to do it but also for being able to share it with others. Especially with this Crew:

From my Crew to yours, a very Happy New Year!! Here's to more to come in 2016!!