Friday, March 28, 2014

Unwritten Posts

Since I can't seem to be on here long enough to actually write a post, here are some of my post titles that are swirling around in my brain.

Remembering What's Important
Over or Under (I'm not talking toilet paper here)
Banned from the Treadmill
Hearts at Home 2014
I'm NOT sick
SICK
Mommy Matters
Taper Mode
What's Wrong?
Small Group PT
Mile Intervals

I think my list could go on and on about all the things I want to write about.  Hopefully soon I'll get some of it down.  Spring break is this next week.  Even though it means my 6pack will be around all week it frees us up a lot in terms of scheduling in our day and that translates into more flexibility to do what I want.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Craving the Sun

If you live in the North or Midwest I'm sure many of you feel this way.  I am desperately craving the sun!  A little warmth wouldn't hurt either.  I'm not asking for too much.  Warmth would be anything above 32 degrees.  I'm not hard to please.

We've had a few glimpses here and there.  Only to be dumped on by more ice, snow & cold.  I'm trying to be content with it all.  I truly believe in God being sovereign over all, including the weather.  But we all have our breaking point.  I think mine happened a long time ago.

I've joking mentioned more than once that I'm blaming my less than stellar running on the winter.  And, of course, I want SOMETHING to blame.  I reason and justify every aspect of my running.  Although it really does make sense.  The lack of sun.  The lack of warmth.  The excessive snow, ice & cold temperatures.  I posted a pictures a few weeks ago of a 5 a.m. run that completely sucked.  I remember during the run thinking "THIS IS NOT FUN ANYMORE!"  I wasn't referring to the run itself, I never tire of the run, but the conditions that I've consistently ran in.  Factor in my higher than usual treadmill use & my mind is beginning to entertain the thought of taking a break.  As in not running at all for awhile.  Those that know me, know that is real crazy talk!

Thankfully I always smack myself back to reality.  I remind myself that I'm much tougher than this.  Not that I'm issuing a challenge to the good Lord, but I can beat this.  It might be hard & rough, but I will overcome & it will get better!!  What doesn't kill me makes me stronger, right?  Haha, well, let's hope so!

With spring starting this week I'm extra hopeful!  I've managed a handful of sunny runs already.  Often times that means skipping my early morning run.  Which I really do like to have my run/workout done early and first thing in the morning.  But when it's 4 a.m. and all I can think about is it being 20+ degrees warmer with the SUN shinning later that day, I tend to hop back in bed and head out later.  On occasion that backfires and I don't quite get the run like I wanted, but it's still a run.  In the sun.  With some warmth.  I'll survive.  And the extra sleep is not hurting me.

I'm hopeful to see a rebound in many areas.  My legs feel different being able to run on the actual pavement & not a coat of snow & ice.  My pace is a little quicker.  I'm hoping my skin will improve.  I mean, no offense to you "white" peeps, but God gave me that little extra melanin for a reason....to be tan & darker skinned.  Even my finger nails have turned all thin & brittle....ugh!  While I'm no doctor or scientist, I'm linking it all to my lack of sun.  If not, then I'll just stay in my little bubble of blissful ignorance.  Sometimes just having an answer, or a theory at best, even if a wrong one, is better than nothing and just keeps me going.

What about you....
Are you craving the sun?
Any unusual signs/symptoms that you are thinking is due to this hard winter?

Thursday, March 6, 2014

February Rewind

Well, hello there, Bloggy friends!  How nice to see you!!  You know the drill....busy, busy....yada, yada.  If it makes you feel any better I think about you, probably on a daily basis.  I'm just not too great at taking the time to check in.  Before time really gets away from me I better give you a wrap up of February.

Typically February is this little bitty month that nothing very exciting happens.  Winter is wrapping up, signs of spring are on it's way.  This year, at least, the first statement is true.  Nothing exciting happened.  The other part though....not really happening.  Spring?  What is that?  I fear it will NEVER come.  EVER!  Ok, ok....quit being dramatic.  But really, this sure has been a trying winter in terms of running conditions.  Ugh!  We'll save that vent for another post (if I can get on here and actually post it!!).

BIG drumroll please....

Miles Ran:  100

If you were to say:  What?!?!  That's it?!?!  I'd totally agree and be all like, I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?!  How crazy lame is that?!?!?!  However, I don't think most normal people would say that.  Just me & my crazy expectations of myself.  Honestly, I do feel super lame right now.  I mean I call myself a runner, right?  Sure doesn't look like it to me!

What can I do though?  I said I'd cut back & I did.  Even more crazy though is that I'm having a ton more aches & pains running less miles than I did when I was pumping out 200+ miles a month.  That almost seems easy in hindsight.  This "only" 100 miles stuff is hard.  Mentally & physically.

Still not sure what to do about it.  I just take it as it is.  Everything has a season...yada yada.  I don't let it get me down too much.  I just carry on with life & see where my next run takes me.  Looking bigger picture though my race season will be upon be faster than butter melting on warm out of the oven bread.  Yikes!!  I'm trying to not let it all stress me, but I will admit it is a teeny widdle bit.  1 month until The Lincoln Presidential half marathon.  Oh, I have no doubt that I'll complete the race, but remember those big racing goals I set for myself?  Yeah, super perfectionist over-achiever, finding my worth in my finishing times, is starting to stress that's it's not even going to come close to happening.  Because based on the here & now, it's not looking pretty at all!

Siiiiigh!  Ok, enough.  Let's try it over:

Miles Ran: 100

WHAT?!?!  WOW!  FREAKING AMAZING!  YOU GO GIRL!!  WOOT!  WOOT!

Ok, yeah....I'm not feeling it either.  I just can't win today, can I?

In other news I continued my streak of running every day.  That takes me up to 642 days of streaking!  Well, I at least did one thing right this month.


How was your February?
Ever feel like no matter what you do it's not enough?