Jennifer...you have failed this blog.

Hold on!! Don't panic!! I am NOT pulling the plug on this blog. Actually it would require a lot more to delete than just pulling a plug, and I don't have any plugs on this computer to pull at the moment. The TV show "The Green Arrow" is playing right now on Netflix. One of the lines the Arrow commonly uses when he apprehends the bad person is "_______, you have failed this city." As I was watching this show and browsing online it occurred to me that I have my own personal website, and I can't remember the last time I posted to it. Yea, I know. I will post like crazy...then nothing for a month or two...or five. It's been less than a month this time so I'm getting better.

Over the last month a few great things have happened.

*We now have another hygienist at work, so that takes a lot of pressure off of me. It was so hard and stressful being the ONLY hygienist in a VERY VERY busy practice. This is the gal I hand picked and she's wonderful! Not only did I get some help, I got a small raise and some nice compliments that made me feel good.

*I went trail running in Cherokee Park and loved it! I didn't get lost, fall down and tear or break anything (I didn't even fall this time), abducted, or bored. I've been wanting to go trail running again for awhile but I didn't have anyone to go with and I was too afraid to go alone. However, last weekend I went alone and still enjoyed myself. The way the park is set up the trails are fairly short and there's a main loop around the park so you're always around others and you can see where you're going so you don't really get lost (the trail I was on was like that). I won't go somewhere with longer trails where I can get lost, unless i'm with a friend or two. I also tried out my Nathan Race Intensity hydration pack. It works GREAT and doesn't slosh or bounce around! I like having my hands free to climb and whatever when on trails. It offers nice storage, but not a lot like some other packs. For what I do the smaller size is great and I can carry what I need. If I was running through the mountains that would be a different story.

*I'm still trying to finalize my race schedule for next year. There's so many races I want to do but I have to be realistic in my abilities and finances (travel expenses add up quickly). I'm still trying to decide about a half Ironman. I missed the Ohio registration because that one sold out fast, but I was looking at Muncie because I feel like I have unfinished business there, and Augusta. I will admit the main reason Augusta is on my board is because the swim is a point to point swim WITH the current and wetsuit legal. Perfect! Also, their logo is a giant peach. Yes, I will admit to wanting to do race that offers cool swag and bragging rights. Nathan and I are registered for the Flying Pig half marathon in May. I'm not staying in Cinci and running those hills just for the fun of it!!! I want the awesome swine swag! Check out the page tab above to see upcoming races for 2016...maybe it will help you plan your season. I'm NOT doing all the races I have listed, but just a plan where I have options and can pick and choose. Some I will pre register for, but others I may register as the time draws near.

*I was able to celebrate with my tri peeps over the weekend. I don't get to see all my tri peeps (Alex, Alexis, Rennay, Ruth, and Beth I miss you gals) as often as I would like, but it's so wonderful when we get together! We had A LOT of things to celebrate this weekend.

*Nathan and I have been down to one vehicle for a month, but hopefully the electrical problem in his BMW will be fixed. We are going to get rid of that lemon as soon as we can because enough is enough. Somehow Nathan and I haven't strangled each other yet. I wasn't able to go run much because I had to find a ride home everyday and didn't want to make someone wait on me. So, I am out of routine and must get back into that.

*I got two rejection emails this month from a couple of brands I applied to for their team. It really did hurt my feelings especially when I thought I had a great chance with Coeur. I wasn't surprised at Betty Designs rejecting me because this was the second time I applied and not only do you need to be a certain physique (yea they don't say that but I'd like to see a woman with curves pictured in their ads) and cyber popular. Sorry, but my 3-4  blog followers wasn't enough for them and I don't Tweet,Instagram, FB, Snapchat, and whatever else you do with social media all day long. I did get a couple of nice coupons to use online for gear though. :) I will reapply next year.

*  TODAY I got an email from Honey Stinger saying i'm on their team and welcome to the hive!!! I was super surprised and excited to get that email! WooHoo! It gave me a much needed boost of confidence and energy. You will have to pardon the hashtags and food posts on Facebook.

This is just a few of the great things that's happened since my last post. I will try to do better and keep this more up to date. Thank you for your forgiveness and still being a loyal reader!

Just call me MacGyver

I've been on a cleaning spree today and my OCD has been in overdrive. I only had one cup of coffee this morning too, and it was regular not espresso. At least I'm not as sore as I expected to be after the half marathon yesterday. 

I've solved a couple of problems that I've been trying to figure out for awhile. I wanted to share the problem and solution with you in case you or someone  else has the same problem. 

I have too many tank tops. I realize that already. But in my defense they're all different and I do wear them all. My problem was that I could never find the one I wanted when I wanted it. The solution was easy (and less than $2). I bought a couple packs of cheap shower curtain rings from Wal-Mart. Just attach one tank to each ring and hook onto a hanger. You can find the tank you want, and you don't have to take 3 tanks off the hanger to get the one you want if you hang them all together. Brilliant! 

This worked great but...

I have lots of tanks and the weight was causing hangers to break, so I split it onto 2 hangers. That was fine until the hanger would bow and all the tanks would would slide either to the front or back of my hanger. I fixed that minor problem today. I used two hangers that have a vertical support piece on both ends (look closely at photo). This will keep the hanger from sagging and add extra support for the weight. You will see a couple thin bands of duct tape wrapped around the hanger. This is to keep the rings from sliding too far to one end. Simple and it works great. 

This hanger and shower curtain ring would probably work well for scarves or anything else you want to hang and organize. I use a belt/tie holder to hang my (large) scarf collection on. My Momma and I rotate scarves and share so I have more than this. My dear friend Alexandria makes scarves and I have a few pictured here. She sells them to help pay for mission trips she and her husband go on to Lyon, France. If you're interested in seeing some of her scarves let me know! I will post a link to her website after I ask for permission. 

You know you wanted to see this. 

The other MacGyver move I made today was finally fixing a pair of pants that the drawstring came out of too far. The end of the string was in the middle of the waistband. I tried safety pins, forks, a hanger with a straight end, and a few other tricks. Nothing. Finally today as I was gathering all the  loose hangers in the closet I came across a different one. It was a double twisted hanger. Hmmm. I bent the end to straighten it and pried open the end slightly. I was able to push the hanger into the opening, hook the tie into the loop of the hanger and just zip it right out. Brilliant! I somewhat folded this hanger and put it up for later use as I'm sure I will need it again someday. 

I hope this helps someone out and saves them some frustration. 

Happy Sunday! Time to get back to cleaning like a crazy lady! 

Urban Bourbon report

Today was the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon! This was the first time Nathan and I have ran this course, and it's a great course overall. Yea there's a few hills In the park, but not as bad as I was expecting. I wish I could say my race was as great as the course, but I can't. This is my 5th half marathon and I honestly did not appreciate or respect the distance or the amount of training that's required to run 13.1 miles. I was very undertrained for this race and I knew that going into it. I stopped going to my Pilates class a couple of months ago to save money and it wasn't until this week and today I found out how weak my core has gotten. With the weakend core, lack of running and distance training this was by far the hardest half marathon I've ever completed. I walked a lot more than I usually would and just wanted this race to be over. 

Nathan ran/walked right beside me the entire time! This is the first time we've ran or raced together more than a few miles. I wish I could've ran stronger and really enjoyed this race. I was so tired after 3 miles and by mile 5 was ready to be done. Honestly if it wasn't for Nathan I would have skipped this race, but we paid for it and I was healthy enough to run it even if I was going to be at a slower pace. Nathan didn't give me the option of staying home (I would have regretted it) so we went and met up with my tri peep, Connie. We always take a pre race photo and I'm still smiling at this point, and really wishing I had a short sleeve shirt. The temps were perfect and the rain held off mostly except for a light drizzle here and there. I was splotchy by mile 2 or 3 because I was so hot. For now on I will pack an extra top if I decide I need to make any last minute changes. 

The run started off and as usual I ran a little too fast. I tried to pace better because I knew I couldn't hold a 10:30 so I slowed it down. Miles 1-4 ticked away and other than tired I was doing okay. Once we hit got into the park I wanted to jump over to the other lane and take a shortcut, but I didn't and Nathan said we're going to go the full distance. I was really struggling with staying positive, not thinking that I was holding Nathan back, some discomfort in my foot, an occasional side stitch I think from crashing into that table earlier this week, and the other demons that haunt me. An officer said "looking great guys, enjoy your walk". I nearly burst into tears at the point because I wasn't walking, I was trying to run a little and we were going up an incline. It made me think about a deep rooted memory and how I wasn't good enough to be on the track or cross country team back in high school. I probably was good enough, but was told some awful things by the gym coach and it shut me down from running for over 10 years. It all came back to me at that moment because I was struggling with this race and wondering what I was doing out there. I fought back the tears and cleared my head with the help, love, support, and encouragement from Nathan. I considered quitting several times over the next few miles but Nathan reminded me that I had the strength to finish and I didn't want to quit because he knows I don't give up even when I want to. I hate it when he's right sometimes. 

I don't really remember miles 6-10 except how I was having more pain in my feet. The joint by my big toe ached and I was getting hotspots and maybe a blister. I was also concerned because I hadn't ran more than 6 miles at once in over 6 months (the Derby half marathon). I ran the Starlet Challenge last month but I had a little rest between races. My number one concern was not getting injured, so I kept the pace slow and steady as I could. A lot more walking the last few miles but it was nice to be with Nathan. I would run some and I would have some stomach pains (my feet and Achilles ached no matter if I ran or walked) I just wanted to be finished with this race! I drank a couple of gatorades and didn't like them so I wonder if that was part of the stomach issues. I don't  think I over drank on water and had the slosh. I ate my usual applesauce here and there just like the Derby Mini so that wasn't anything new. The only thing I changed was new running tights (I'm going to get another pair of those). I remember breaking the last bit up and just trying to keep going... Less than a 5k to go! 

The finish line was getting sparse because I was at the back of the pack. My pal Connie told me she would be waiting for me at the finish line but I figured she would be long gone by this point. I heard our names called out and we were almost FINISHED!! I heard my name yelled again and it was Connie!! I was so touched and happy to see her and the fact Nathan was with me the entire 13.32 (??? It's what my Garmin said) my heart was filled with joy. 

We didn't have time to get the free food, beer, and bourbon at the end. Nathan had to get home to get ready for work. I did get my chocolate milk at the end and that's all I wanted. I didn't bother to look where the bagels came from, but Nathan shared one with me and it was mighty tasty. I was so happy to be finished, but it also taught me a good lesson. Nathan and I had a nice chat about getting a plan together and training, and of course better nutrition to help fuel me. I still don't want to eat fish- that was a conversation for about 1/2 a mile or so. 

We didn't take a post race picture until we were home. 

I will come back to this race again but I will be prepared. I have a renewed motivation. I have my tentative race schedule posted above in the tabs section. I'm still working on finalizing but I will have a plan of attack. I am looking forward  to training with Nathan and my gals. I do all of my training alone so I want to try another approach. This was my 2nd slowest half marathon but I did it and I'm proud I won the battle against the inner demons and never quit. I am going to lose a toenail from this race, but i feel pretty good overall right now (7 hours later) and once I rest a day or so I'll be ready to train for my next adventure. CHEERS! 

Oh yea here's a little irony to make you smile- I received a new tech shirt from BarryS Coaching this week in the mail and it's been awhile since I've talked to either Coach Mike and Coach Barry. Today in the mail I got both October and November issue of Runner's World magazine. Ha!! That will be great to read while soaking my feet. 

I usually don't post splits or times, but it will be nice to have for my own record. I'm trying to get to a point where I don't give a damn what the numbers or other people say- I did it and went the distance. I already had someone (non runner) comment today about my time and I had to stuff my face with fruit to avoid spitting any venom on her. 

Race details

13.32 miles (Garmin) -------- 13.1 official 

3:05:07 (Garmin)  -------- 3:04:52 official  (Nathan crossed the line beside me and somehow his chip time is 3:07:04- not sure what's up with that!) 

Average pace 13:53 ----- 14:06 

Splits-11:53, 13:12, 12:52, 14:22, 13:13, 14:31, 15:08, 13:25, 14:02, 13:57, 14:14, 15:02, 14:43

I'm all over the board. You can really see where I was riding the struggle bus and after mile 10 I was walking most of each mile. 

Another one for the book

My pal Sara, along with a few other friends, has told me that I need to write a book about all my adventures and misfortunes. I will admit that it would be really funny, but I'm not good at writing stories. I would love to find someone that loves to write and just tell them all my crazy stories and have them put it into words on paper.  Someday I will get that book together, but in the meantime I will use my blog to record the incident(s) and give you all a good laugh once in awhile. 

Today was the second time that I've ran since October 2nd. I haven't been injured for a change, but between travelling for a wedding, being ill, a funeral, and overall lack of motivation I've found it difficult to lace up my shoes and go. The last 3 runs I went on (or planned to run but couldn't get out of the car for one) were pretty lousy. I think it was because I was getting sick and my body wanted the rest. For me it's so hard to start back after a break. I was nervous about running today for no reason...it was just a run at whatever pace and at least 3.1 miles. 

I started out running from work and right away felt a little uncomfortabe in my gut. I tried to focus on something else like breathing or form. Then I felt little twinges in my lower leg, but again just focused on something else and kept going nice and easy. I think it was just my body trying to figure out what the heck I was doing since it's been pretty musch 3 weeks since a good run. Once I got going it felt pretty good. I LOVE my new Saucony Hurricane running shoes and the bright colors are fun too. My pace was slow, but I was okay with that. I just wanted to move and feel better. I made it up to the YMCA (1.55 mi) and turned around to head back. Besides my second mile being even slower (more walking and a couple of small hills) I was enjoying the scenery. 

As I made my way back to downtown and less than 1/2 mile from my car I was feeling pretty good and keeping a slow but steady pace. I decided I wanted to run a bit farther than the planned 5k and I would throw in a good hill climb for fun. It felt great to be moving and the fall air felt so comfortable. I ran past a consignment shop (I think) that looks like a hoarders dream. I've never been in the store, but you can see stuff piled up everywhere. There is a beautiful kitty that looks just like our Baxter, but 15 years younger. He's usually in the window to greet me as I run by, but instead he was resting on top of a pile of books. I gave him a little wave (yes- I wave and talk to critters) and went on my way. I was doing well and wanted to keep the pace and momentum going. 

I was approaching the local coffee shop and all I could think about was how thirsty I was. I saw the lights on and was wondering if they were still open. I also tend to be nosey and randomly look in windows as I pass by. Well, I was distracted and didn't see the rather large metal table (no chairs) sitting outside the coffee shop. I hit that table full force and went flying over it as it tipped over. I'm still trying ot figure out how I landed without really scraping myself up. I guess I went over with the table and once it hit the ground I bounce or rolled off it and landed on my right hip/arse area. I just laid there for a moment before getting up. That happened really really fast and it really hurt. One young lady saw me wipeout, but I assured her I was okay as I got up and put the table back. I was walking towards my car that was maybe .15 ahead of me. I was thinking how that really hurt, but I'm glad I didn't get any road or concrete rash (ouch), break anything, or lose a tooth. My friend Sara drove by and honked the horn at me. I gave her my usual wave and a smile. I called her to see if she saw what happened, but she just missed it. At least I would have had a ride back to my car or the after hours care if I needed it. 

I was cracking up as I told her what had just happened. I'm okay and other than a little soreness I will be fine. Here's a running tip to follow... don't get distracted by window shopping or whatever while running, keep your eyes forward! So much for the extra mile and the hill climb. I stopped at my car, hydrated, stretched and called it a night. 

I really think I should see if I can get sponsored by Go-Pro. I would wear a camera all the time and I would probably also win the $100k grand prize for America's Funniest Home Video. Speaking of sponsors, I did apply for a few sponsorships for the 2016 season. I applied for Team Coeur, Team Betty Designs (again), and Honey Stinger Hive. These are just a few of my favorite companies and I really hope I get accepted to a couple of them. You can check them out by following the link to the right on my blog. If you're on a mobile device i'm not sure if the links show up on the sidebar... just Google them. 

Hope you all survived your Monday. I did...barely. 

Anyone already working on their race calendar for the next year? I am working on mine. You can click on the pages tab above and see what races I have for the rest of the year and what i'm planning (not set in stone) for next year. I am listing the dates in parentheses as I figure out when they are. I'm bummed because I alrady have a couple of schedule conflicts so I will have to pick and choose between races. 

Here's a picture of my new wireless mini keyboard and Sophia. She was laying down with her feet in the air, but moved as I was getting ready to take the picture. This keyboard is handy, but or some reason auto correct and spell checker doesn't work while it's turned on. So if I have any crazy typos you'll know why.

Sunday's Sunshine

What a beautiful day it is today!

Nathan and I are taking today pretty easy. It's been a really long week for us both. I was sick this week and shared the love with him. By Tuesday both of us were home sick with the chills and sniffles. That afternoon Nathan's Step Dad, Joe, unexpectedly passed away. We think it was due to a stroke since he's had some small ones lately. The visitation was Friday with the funeral Saturday morning. So many people came to see Joe and the rest of the family, it really showed how he was loved by so many.

Prior to the funeral on Saturday morning, I had a race to help with. I promised a dear friend of mine that I would be one of the race directors for the first Pink-A-Palooza 5k. I arrived around 6:30 am to get the course set up and get the awesome volunteers where they needed to be. We marked the course the night before so that saved us lots of time race morning. We had a great turnout! We had 39 runners race that morning and several that registered, but didn't show up. Everything ran pretty smooth, with only a minor glitch with the timing tracker. This was my first time putting a race together because i'm usually the one running. It definitely makes you appreciate all the work and organization that goes into these events.

Today has been pretty quiet with us just running a few errands in town. I enjoy lazy days with Nathan, watching Netflix and surfing the web. I've been working on planning my race calendar for 2016. Some of the fun races I would like to do are already SOLD OUT! WOW. The Star Wars Dark Side Challenge and Disney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge to name a couple that I was looking at.

What is on your race calendar over the next year? So many races to choose from!

Happy and Blue

It's two days post Ironman Louisville. I love this time of the year and with Ironman moving to October makes it even better. I volunteered in transition with my pal Connie and we had a blast. I loved seeing all the athletes on the go, cheering for them, and supporting them as needed. We finished out the evening at 4th street to watch them finish strong. With the cooler temps and perfect weather the athletes looked really good overall. I got to see so many friends become an Ironman it filled my heart with joy for them. They earrned it!! 

I will admit I felt a twinge of sadness this weekend as well. I wanted to race this Ironman and came really close to doing so. I almost won the free race entry back in January after the race sold out. Part of me wishes I had registered and put in the training but another part of me held off on doing so. I know deep down this really wasn't my year for Ironman (half or full distance) but you can't help but wonder what if. The weather conditions couldn't have been more perfect overall, and my luck it will be snowing the year I do it hahaha. It has inspired me to get back to my training and keep working towards that goal of mine. I was teary eyed watching the athletes come down that finisher's chute. The athletes and volunteers were amazing. I will enjoy reading the posts about favorite signs on the course too, because the spectators make it so fun as well. 

Connie and I handing out transition bags. 

One thing I did this weekend was apply to be on Team Coeur and Betty Designs. I love their gear! I applied last year to be a "Betty" and was turned down. I'm really hoping to make team Coeur this year. THeir motto is "Heart and Courage" and I feel I live up to that motto. I won't know anything for a couple of weeks at least. Please wish me luck! 

The other awesome event I got to be a part of this weekend was the vow renewal of my friends Ericka and Karen. They made their marriage three years ago LEGAL this weekend! #LOVEWINS! It was a beautiful ceremony that was sweet and simple yet so loving and wonderful. The day after their wedding they "trashed the dress" and took photos. Here's a really cool and fun picture! My dress is still preserved in a box in my old bedroom at my parents. CONGRATS E & K!!! 

Catch up!

Whoa! Where have I been the last month? Certainly not on here blogging. I was doing so well last month then I just got busy, distracted, overwhelmed, whatever.

In a nutshell the last month has been great. I went to Chicago with my Momma for the Women Rock Race series. That trip and race will have to be it's own post...sorry! I also travelled to Indy with Nathan for his best friends wedding. He was the (handsom) best man for the wedding so he was pretty busy that weekend. It was a fun weekend together and we even checked out a couple of Microbreweries. The Blind Owl is probably my favorite one right now! 

Other than the very short trips, I had a couple of road races and a bike ride. The Lanesville Heritage Road Race is an annual race Nathan and I run each year. I decided to run the 5 miler instead of the 8 I was registered for. I was undertrained and didn't want to risk an injury the week before my Chicago race. The 5 miler felt great and I tried out my new shoes...yes I knopw better than trying something new on race day, but this time it worked out for the better.  The Harvest Homecoming ride was beautiful. It was  the first time I've done this ride when it was DRY! What a beautiful view and the hills...phew. Only one hill kicked my arse and I had to walk the Stealth Bomber up it, but I may have made it if I had more room to gain momentum. It got pretty congested with other riders on these hills. We'll go with that! 

I'm thankful I am busy and able to go and do the things I love with the people I love. I'm home sick today so I thought I would try to upate this blog some. I hate being sick and get kinda...okay really... grouchy when I don't feel good. I was thinking on my way home that I'm grateful my sickness will pass soon and all will be well again. I know many people that are ill and in poor health that don't have the great outloook that I'm lucky to have. Instead of being jelly (jealous) that Nathan is outside running right now in this beautiful weather, I will be happy I can rest and heal my body. 

Here's a picture from my race with some bling.

Nathan and I at the wedding. 

The tough hills certainly made for an awesome view and photo op at the top.

 Twinning! This is my Momma and NOT a sister. This was after I finished the 10k and was getting ready to run the 5k  with my Momma. It was her first race!! By the way she is wearing ALL my runnning gear except her shoes and under garments. I ended up givinging her this outfit. 

Breaking up isn't always hard to do.

Before you jump to conclusions from this blog title... I'm still happily married. No breaking up there! 

Now that we've cleared that up I will tell you what I've broken up with. First and foremost I feel so much relief that I can't truly express in words how grateful I am. My parents recently helped us out by paying off all of our credit card debt except one card. Nathan and I have 6 months to knock it out without having to pay any interest, and we are paying my parents back at an affordable rate. We will be totally debt free in about 2 years! Before my parents generous offer to help we were paying almost $330 per month in interest charges total and the thought of paying another transfer fee just made me ill. I've made a lot of progress but it was getting hard to keep that momentum going. It was causing me so much stress that my hair was falling out just to name one side effect of the stress. Anyways, we've broken up with the credit card companies and it feels great!! We still have the debt to pay but we're going to make a lot of headway now! Woohoo!! I feel that debt and depression are things that we shouldn't hide or lie about but almost always do. I just can't express how much of a load has been lifted off of me. 

The second breakup was with my Brooks running shoes. I just tried a pair of Saucony Hurricaine shoes and I have to say I was reluctant to try them. My pal Jackson at Fleet Feet ordered them for me and said I was going to try them out. I've never tried these on before and after a previous pair of Saucony's I wasn't interested, but he insisted. I picked them up Thursday evening, tried them out Friday morning for a couple of miles and I must say my confidence was restored. I usually never try new things on race day but I took a chance this morning and these are AWESOME! The last two runs have been the best I've had in awhile (it was also much cooler too) and I didn't hurt like I usually do. Of course I had some twinges and aches here and there that accompany running and lots of hills, but I felt great running this morning. I seriously may purchase another pair of these shoes to rotate!! I ended up running the 5 miler instead of the 8, but after I was finished I felt like I could have tackled the 8. I decided to run the 5 miler last night because my mileage has been around 2-4 miles and I didn't want to risk an injury one week from my Chicago race. 

Pre race selfie! 

I'm still smiling after the run! Are my shoes bright enough? I actually like the color... Bright shoes make you run faster right? Well apparently so!! I was running a good pace today and I actually had to slow it down because my running has been so sporadic and so so that I knew I would t be able to hold that pace. Now I've got rhe right shoes for me (finally) I can run more consistently and actually get a training schedule put together. I'm considering a fall half marathon with some friends, but I want to see how things go next week before I register. 

Nathan had a great run this morning. He was a little disappointed he didn't get the time he wanted but he was within a couple of minutes and he won 2nd place in his age group. Who runs a little over a 6 min/mi AFTER the huge hills?? I'm so impressed with Nathan's strength and how easy he runs. 

I was hoping to finish under one hour and that would have been a PR I think. My time today is unofficially 1:00:03. I was pretty close and considering I was under trained I'm happy with my time! It still REALLY REALLY irritates me when people ask questions like "what was you're time, did you run the 8 miles or only the 5?" First off... How's about a nice "great run" or something like that followed by a high five? Asking my time is like asking how much I weigh..why is it important? I do keep track so I can race against me and try to better myself. Second, did you do only 5? Really? I didn't see your butt out there climbing the hills. The 5 miler was hilly as well it just lacked Pete's Hill. I've been avoiding those people that make me feel negative so I guess that's kinda like another breakup that's good. 

 This pretty much sums it up!

Where does time go?

It's already Thursday and I just realized it's been almost a week since I've been on here. I'm trying to be better! It's been a busy but good week! Monday was a lot of fun on the river kayaking with some friends. It's harder than I thought to kayak and keep it going in the right direction! I'm sure I paddled 3x more than anyone because I kept having to correct myself. Other than my arms feeling like they were going to fall off and I should have wore my old bike gloves it was relaxing on the river. I was looking at the water and thinking how far I've come in a few areas...but I still have no desire to get in that water and swim. Ever. 

Work was busy this week and everyday felt like a Monday? Does anyone else have trouble recovering from long weekends? 

Training has been so so this week. It's getting to the point of panic because I have 2 big races coming up. One this Saturday and another next weekend! My shins have really been bugging me (I'm 99% sure it's those damn shin splints acting up again) and my running has been so so. It has been super hot so I'm blaming the heat and humidity for the poor performance. I may not like my new running shoes like I thought. Yea this is my 3rd pair of Brooks Glycerins but I'm not feeling it like I should. Actually I'm feeling it like I shouldn't! I picked up a pair of Saucony Hurricains today to test out. They felt great trying them on and I can usually tell right away if it's a good shoe for me or not. These things are so bright I think they glow in the dark! Wow. I don't like the color as much but I don't care...I need comfort, cushion, and stability! I did manage 3 miles Sunday when it was a scorcher outside. I was so hot that the last mile all I could think about was getting into the pool at the Y. I was that hot!! I almost forgot my locker combination because it's been so long since I've swam (May 27th to be exact).  I changed and showered some then hopped in the pool in the shallow end. I was kinda nervous and worried if I remembered how to swim. I just turned on my tunes and took off... It wasn't bad! I still have to stop at each 25yd to breathe but I think some of that is mental. It felt good to be back in the water. I will swim again soon and before 3+ months pass by. 

Along with so so running, swimming, and kayaking I've been doing some yoga at home. A friend recommended this app called "Yoga Studio" and it's really been great! Not a creative name, but I like the format. You have lots of classes to choose from and download for free (you do have to pay a one time fee for the app but not each class) that range from 10-60 minutes. Here is a screen shot of the app. 

These are the classes I've downloaded so far.

The app will talk you through and show you the poses and sequence. It's a good idea to have some prior yoga knowledge just for for proper form because it's kinda hard to see your phone or iPad In some poses. It keeps track of the classes you do in the calendar too. I will admit that doing this the last few nights has really really helped my insomnia! I have bizarre dreams but at least I'm dreaming. I still have to fight my kitties for my yoga mat. I'm not sure what it is that appeals to them so much, but it's fine and I just move them as needed. Last night during the final resting pose I was waking up and looked over to my left and saw Sir Purrs A Lot stretched out in his resting pose right beside me. It was pretty cute. Anyways I highly recommend this app if you like yoga! 

Here's to the weekend! 

It's FRIDAY!!!!

Happy Friday!! I think Friday is my favorite day of the week because I can run errands and not have to deal with a crowd like the weekend. Also important to note that I'm off work and can chill, train, or whatever. 

I had to get up early this morning to get Nathan to the airport to pick up the swanky rental car for his weekend adventures. He's going with his buddies to North Carolina for a bachelor party. Not the crazy wild kind (as far as I know) but the brewery hopping and just relax kind. He better bring me back some good IPA beer because I'm sure I will need one by the time he gets home.

I'm looking forward to going to bed when I want, blasting music and getting some good house cleaning done, ceiling fan on high, and sleeping spread eagle across the bed. I will miss him, but it makes you appreciate each other more when you're apart. I will need the beer because every single time Nathan is gone for a weekend the cats go ballistic and rebel. He is a cat whisperer for sure. 

I don't have much planned this weekend except to find some running shoes with more support...I think. I am going to try some RockTape for my run tomorrow and see if it helps. I'm having terrible pains in my lower legs especially the right side. I do not another stress fracture so I'm being VERY CAUTIOUS. 

Tonight I'm going out to dinner with some lovely ladies and celebrating a couple of upcoming birthdays. I'm planning a run tomorrow, maybe a bike ride and family visit Sunday, and kayaking on Monday morning. My goal is do SOMETHING everyday health/fitness related. Even if it's only a good walk...just keep moving. 

I'm really excited to Kayak. Before I leaned to swim a couple of years ago , there was no way in hell I would attempt anything that involved a chance of me drowning. Yes, I do realize that chance still exists but I feel more comfortable because I can swim. This will be my second time in a kayak so we'll see how it goes! It's part of the Mayor's Hike, bike, and paddle in Louisville. 

I have no idea how many calories are in this and I don't care!! It's a frozen bee keeper coffee. I can tell it has cinnamon and obviously honey in it. It's yummy! I'm against the Pumpkin Spice Rage until at least mid September. It's still summer dammit!!!  Why must people rush things? If I see CHRISTMAS decorations I will have a BF for sure. I'm one of those "enjoy the moment" kind of people. I will think about Christmas the day after Thanksgiving...the forgotten holiday. 

I hope y'all enjoy the long weekend! Be safe and be happy! 

Roller coasters in my head part 2

I didn't really get into the roller coaster analogy on the last blog. I got sidetracked! Anyways the last two days (honestly two weeks) have been really bad as far as motivation and such. I'm not even going to mention the junk food I've ate! It's like I'm purging or something. I planned to drink a Shakeology for dinner and have some fruit and cottage cheese for a snack later. I was going to run after work and maybe swim some. Instead I sat in my car for almost 45 minutes before I left the y and went to Culvers. Yeah we know that's  a GI disaster in the making. I ate then went home to chow down on some chocolate chunk cookies I bought last night. I've ate like this for the last few days. Yet I look in the mirror and hate what I see, wonder why my system doesn't run efficiently, and feel frustrated or depressed when my scrubs are tight (or i can't fit in my other clothes). 

I will go from healthy eating and working out daily to The Blerch (google it if you don't know The Oatmeal/Blerch). I'm up then down like a roller coaster. 

I'm registered for a couple of big races coming up and I'm nervous. I know I can finish the distance, I always do. I wanted to run these and feel great about myself. I trained hard and put in the work and my time would reflect that. Instead, I'm so far behind on training that my goal is to finish. I don't care about time, but I wanted to be better than last year. 

I will admit I need to write out a schedule and follow it. I like and need structure. I run when I feel like it during the week and do a longer run on Saturday. Working out and training when I feel like it isn't working for me at all. I need to do it in the mornings because by 6 pm I'm tired, it's too hot still, I'm hungry, my back is hurting, or whatever excuse I use. 

It's really funny that I've noticed a pattern. I like/want/need structure and when I have everything balanced I feel better and everything just flows. If one thing gets out of whack it throws off my whole center of gravity and everything gets out of whack. It takes me a bit to balance again but I always find a way. If my eating gets lousy...my training suffers...my negative feelings towards myself merge more...my spending gets out of control...my sleep is disturbed... I'm cranky towards family... My stress levels go off the chart... Work becomes a battle for me...It's all a cycle and it's not easy keeping it all balanced. One thing out of whack throws the other stuff off too. I almost want to make myself a big crafty adult chart and put a sticker by each thing I accomplish that day. When I get in my funk normal chores and basic hygiene seem impossible. I need to vacuum and fold towels but I don't care, my toenail polish is gross looking and needs removed and I'm not sure how long this mascara has been on (What's left of it) ... I don't care. Nathan will probably throw me in the shower and scrub me if I don't take a shower tonight. Yea... Kinda gross I know. 

I am going to take a nice hot shower after this blog post, drink a glass of green tea, cozy up with my kitties, and write out a training schedule for the next couple of weeks. I will then pack my lunch (healthy) and get stuff packed for tomorrow. 

It's easy to get off track, but you've got to hit the reset button and get back on. Nobody can change you except you. 

I love this post on FB. I'm slow but I will get there!! 

I love rollercoasters... just not the ones in my head.

I need to stay off Facebook on Tuesday's. I see all these "Transformation Tuesday" posts and it makes me feel like a slob. More often than I care to admit I go through a spell, phase, cycle, or whatever you want to call it and self destruct slowly. What's crazy is I know it's happening, but it's like I'm locked into this ride and I can't get off until it comes to a complete stop. A rollercoaster best describes this ride. You go up, up, up then down FAST and after that it can back up again followed by another down, or you go upside down or a hard left or right. I saw a disturbing picture on (yep you guessed it) Facebook that really bothered me today as well. I couldn't read the article because the photo really got to me. It was a little girl that had a little more belly and was holding a pair of scissors in her hands like she was going to cut the fat off. There was pictures of the "ideal body" all around her. It's so sad and I can relate to this picture too. I remember reading YM, Teen, Seventeen, and other such crap when I was younger and always shaming myself because I didn't look like those girls. Looking back I missed out on so much because I was hiding myself. I wanted to be a cheerleader and run track/cross country and other school activities, but one thing that was said to me changed my course of action for both the running and cheering. I did join marching band and loved being in the colorguard so I still had a lot of fun, but I feel I let myself down. As crazy as it is I still want to go and run on the highschool track some more as long as nobody else is there except Nathan and maybe a select few friends. I keep saying I'm going to go and do speedwork there. Yeah, that's happened maybe a few times in the last 3 or 4 years. I also keep saying I'm going to workout in the morning so I don't have an excuse in the evenings. 

Lets jump off this ride for a bit and hit some highlights of the weekend! 

Friday was a peaceful day. It was SO MUCH nicer than the week before. I met up with my friend Tiffany to play with some of her Younique makeup. I was interested in the 3D lash mascara that's all the rave right now. It has fibers that you use to make your lashes huge and really pop. I will say I like it more than I expected and purchased a set. I will take some pictures so you all can see the difference next time I play with it. I enjoyed a nice lunch with my peep Connie followed by some shopping (I kept my wallet closed) and a walk around a park. It was great to just talk and chill. 

Saturday I didn't get out of bed until much later than planned because Nathan and I were up hooting with the owls until almost 2am. We both had a long run planned for the morning and finally drug ourselves to his brother's house where we run and ride from a lot. Someday we will build a house next door on our property so it will be nice to just wake up and run without having to drive 10-15 minutes. I didn't feel like running at all before we even started and was testy with Nathan. I even said something along the lines of "I don't know why I even bother trying to run this is so difficult for me and I always end up injuring something". I was ready for the run to be over with before I even started. We took off and as always Nathan zipped along way ahead of me. He's an amazing runner that can run 7 min/miles and look effortless. I was ready to quit after 1 mile, but I kept going on. 

I stopped and took this picture around mile 1.5 or so. The buzzards were circling me and I just felt like lead. I wanted to quit and just walk back. Forget this! A song from the Top Gun soundtrack started playing (it was the Top Gun Anthem) and it made me think of my why. Why do I continue to do this and keep trying? Why can't I just give up and stick to biking and whatever else. One reason is my Momma. She has called me her "Top Gun" for as long as I can remember and I'm a fighter. I know what quitting and giving up feels like, so I want to keep going and feel what it's like to finish what you started. That's one reason I LOVE RACING! I don't race against others (yes, I do pick one or two people to beat but that's all usually) I race against myself. It was a struggle the entire run that was mostly a walk. One thing good about the run was I wore shorts!! It was so much cooler too! I wear either pants or capris to run in ALWAYS...even in 100 degree temps. I tried out my Coeur tri shorts and they worked well for the run. I hate shorts because of chafing and rubbing, the way my legs look, and they ride up and I have booty shorts on...not cute. However, these stayed in place!! Here's Nathan after a hard 10 miles. Secretly I like to see him struggle some just so I know he's human. He did have his tongue hanging out at first. Hahaha. 

Saturday evening Nathan and I went to the Kentucky State Fair and hung out with Connie for awhile. We chowed down on some fair food including a deep fried Snickers. Yes, it was good. Connie didn't stay too late, but Nathan and I stayed to enjoy the free Joan Jett concert. It was good. I'm not a huge fan of her like Nathan, but I do know some songs and enjoyed it. 

Sunday we got up very early to drive an hour to cheer on my friends Ericka and Karen. They raced their first triathlon in E'town! I'm so happy and proud of these ladies. They've been training and working hard for months and it showed.Connie and I took about 250 photos between the two of us so they should have plenty of photos to remember their race along with some well earned race bling. I have a confession to make!! I actually bought a new tri kit (top and shorts) with the intent of racing this triathlon. I didn't make it happen, but I'm glad I didn't because I was able to help my friends out with their race and cheer like a crazy lady for everyone else too (especially since nobody else was cheering). 

 After the race Nathan and I gorged on some breakfast and headed home. I rushed to my friend Sara's Young Living Essential Oils party. I love YL oils and been using them for several months now, but this was my first class. It was interesting. Afterwards Sara gave me a "Hellga" massage to loosen up my aching and very tight legs. It hurt like hell (hence the name) but it was amazing how much it helped! My legs feel so much better! Monday was the first time I've got out of bed and walked around without feeling like my achilles was going to tear and slept without leg cramps. I spent the rest of the evening with Nathan and chilling. I ended up crashing early because I was exhausted. 

Can you say tacky?

This Today was another long day since my fur beasts woke me up again last night. 3:30am and wide awake. This is getting old and really making me a level above angry. I changed my mind on the window unit with door. I don't want maimed varmints brought in the house and Sir Purrs A Lot  (SPAT for short) loves me so much he would probably deliver a mouse to me in bed!! My coworker Sarah came up with this brilliant idea today. I've tried double sided tape on the bedroom door and it works so why didn't I think of this before?? Next step, if this doesn't work, will involve some wiring and 110 volts.

This is duct tape attached to the ledge and for extra sleep measures I added it to the window where I see paw prints. Yes, this is tacky (no pun intended) but I don't and won't care IF it works. 

I may wake up to a long haired black cat stuck to my window, but at least no pawing, banging, and scratching on the window hopefully. 

After work I drove uptown to Dick's Sporting Goods to buy new running shoes since the last ones didn't work out. I knew exactly what I needed and wanted, yet the sales associate was annoying me and testing my patience. Just go and grab the shoes I asked for now!!! Instead they asked lots of questions and I answered very specific. I told them this is my third pair of Brooks Glycerins and I'm happy with them...no they try to waste my time with other shoes and so on. Is it bad that I knew more about Brooks shoes than the associate? Not just my favorite pair but all of them! Finally I had to get a bit snarky and tell them if they don't have a 9.5 in the black Glycerins then please stop wasting my time. Ugh!! 

This alone is one of many reasons  why I always shop at local running stores. Pacers and Racers and Fleet Feet are my favorite stores. Why was I even there you ask? I had a score card reward, and several coupons that added up to $35 off my shoes. I didn't want to haggle my favorite store to save more, but now I think I'd rather went to my store and asked them to toss in a pair of socks to sweeten my deal and I would have been on cloud nine. Oh well! Lesson learned and in about six months when I need to replace my shoes I will know better. I also know better to replace those shoes when they're worn instead of trying to make them last. As many injuries and aches I have that's a bad idea.

 Now I've gotta make my right lower leg happy again. My friend Sara is going to probably do a "Helga" massage on my legs this Friday. A Helga massage is like a sports, deep tissue, trigger point, try not to cry or curse (which is nearly impossible) all in one massage. I prefer her "fluff 'n buff" massage where you can relax and breathe normal. I've got a few nasty knots for her to work out so I'm sure a few areas will not be pleasant. If you're looking for a great massage check out the Natural Touch Spa (Corydon, IN). 

How often do you get a massage and what kind? Do you go more often when you're training for something special? 

Time to gather up my stuff for Spin class tomorrow and pack my lunch. Have a great night and I wish everyone a restful night! 

Flatulent feet and missing toes

For a Monday today wasn't bad at all and I was somewhat surprised when I left work. Since I was a zombie and missed my long run Saturday morning I decided to get back to my running schedule. Ok, I don't really have a schedule other than run at least 3 times a week and one of those a long run and try to add a soft turf or trail run in if I can. Today I wanted to try out my new shoes and enjoy a few miles. 

I wore my new Balega ultra thin socks Nathan bought me at the Derby Mini Expo (yes I know that was back in April)  and I was excited to try out my new Brooks Transcend 2 shoes. 

I went to 4 local stores trying to find these shoes in this color that I wanted. I do go for comfort and fit first but the show must look good to me or I will not buy it. Simple. Sam at Pacers and Racers told me they didn't even carry this shoe because it wasn't as great as others were saying and it really didn't work for so many people that they just quit ordering. After no luck at other stores  I finally just ordered them online. I have a love them or return them guarantee thankfully! 

Todays run started out like the others, but I noticed right away my shoes just didn't fit as well as my Glycerins. With every step my feet farted!! Now it wasn't like the loud ones or the silent and deadly ones, but more like the fart you tried to hold in but it escaped out of your undies or whatever is covering your bottom. Yep! The type you spend a few moments hoping it wasn't a shart. Well, my shoes kept doing that and after about a mile or so it almost felt like I had a wet shoe on. 

The other issue I had was my right ring and pinky toes kept going numb. I couldn't feel them for most of my walk (forget running today). The colors are neat and the cushioning is amazing. That's it and certainly not $$$ worthy even though these were more supportive shoes my right ankle rolled inwards way too much and that was making my tibia ache terribly. After all the injuries I've had and recovered from I'm very attuned to my body. These are definitely a no go. The socks were ok but I'll use them for cycling and other activities. I'm going back to my tried and true Glycerins with thicker Balega socks and my super feet inserts. Why change what's working?? I should have just bought a new pair of my usual shoes because the ones I've been running in are almost six months past their expiration date and I can really feel it. 

Things didn't go as planned today, but it's okay. I will do something else and I feel better knowing that some changes aren't meant to happen right now. 

What's your go to running/walking shoe?

Happy Sunday

I usually say "happy Friday" to people I meet when I'm out and about on my day off (usually Friday's). However, this week I had a working interview/subbed for an office in New Albany. It was a whirl wind, long, overwhelming, and stressful day. By the time I got home it took almost four hours to calm down and stop the outbursts of tears and kindly let my wonderful friends know I don't want to talk right now. It was that bad. 

 Saturday I was a zombie and hung out with the Blerch all day. If you don't know who the Blerch is Google it or check out this website http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running

I missed my long run and hardy did anything productive all day. Not my typical Saturday. 

Today has been a wonderful day! I still didn't get much rest (what else is new) but I was happy to wake up next to Nathan. I got up a little early and enjoyed some coffee and got my bike gear together. I met up with a new friend named Jenn this morning and we enjoyed a country bike ride. It was fabulous with some hills to challenge us. It was great to finally meet her in person and we look forward to more rides soon. I'm still trying to figure out my Garmin 810, so I didn't record our ride! Jenna computer said we got in a little over 27 miles. Darn! We should have rode a few more to settle my OCD and get an even 30. The weather was perfect and the traffic was little to none. 

After the ride I spent a little time with Nathan before he had to leave for work. I decided to go down to my parents and visit for the afternoon. It's so beautiful out there and peaceful. I never appreciated what I had when I lived there and always complained how far out we live (the boondocks or BFE). It was a wonderful visit. My Momma and Dad were there, my brother just got home today from his vacation, and my Aunt Karen was staying the weekend to visit. 

One of my tri peeps (Connie) called me and I sat on the front porch and talked to her for a solid half an hour or so. It really perked me up and just knowing how much my peeps think and care about me makes me so happy. Here is the view from the front porch. I think it looks like a picture from Pintrest! 

Here is the frog pond complete with Lilly pads galore. It is frog heaven and late at night they make so much noise! I couldn't help be show you the back yard as well. No filter was used and what you can't see in the picture is the sunflowers galore to the left. This is the perfect hangout spot! The Tiki hut was build by my Dad and they recently added the gazabo. Notice the watermelons sitting there... Not for long! 

 

After dinner I shared a cupcake with Momma. She threatened to smash it in my face and I told her she wouldn't do it because it would waste icing. Well she slowly are hers and waited for me to finish mine up. No sooner than I swallowed my last bite...smash!!! Chocolate cupcake in the face. At least she was being nice because it could've ended up my nose! This woman is crazy, but she's my crazy. My Aunt Karen just cracked up and kept her distance to be safe. 

Other awesomeness for today was the gift my Brother gave me. I love Peeps! I really wanted the "Peepmobil" but this will do. 

Thank you Jeremy!! I love it. 

I didn't get much (any) housework done but oh well. Thoroughly enjoying the day and being happy outweighs cleaning anyday. 

I hope this week goes smoothly. I will admit I have a little different attitude towards my current job. There's things that must change and be addressed, but for now one day at a time. 

Happy Sunday everyone! 

A new solution to an old problem

I'm  I have many reasons why I don't sleep much and I've always been a night owl. Even when I was a kid I could easily pull an all nighter playing Nintendo, Barbies if Katie came over to stay, or organizing something. Yes, my OCD started at a young age! Anyways, one of the major problems lately to having a restful nights worth of sleep is our cats. No, don't even say "get rid of them" because that is not and will not be an option. They're great cats except between 12-5 am because they want to go outside then come back in. 

Last night Nathan said he was 4 different times dealing with the cats. I didn't stir once because I took some tums for the acid reflux I've caused myself from stressing out lately and one Rx anxiety pill that I knew would make me sleep solid.i usually go for a long run on Saturday mornings with Nathan, but I told him last night "do not wake me up unless the house is on fire or there is someone with a weapon." I slept a solid 10.5-11 hours, but I feel blah and outta whack right now. Perhaps some fresh air and movement will help me. 

I  think I've found a new solution to help our sleep deprivation due to the cats. I found this on Amazon earlier today. Why didn't I even think to look for something like this years ago? It's a unit that you sit in your window sill and secure it. It comes with stuff to seal the edges to help insulate it better and to secure the window top so it cannot be opened from the outside. Genius!! The picture here shows a vinyl flap, but the other one I'm looking at says it has a piece that goes around the flap and you can lock the door, have it open in/out, in only, and out only. 

I briefly thought I could buy a $10-15 cat door and make my own window unit. I don't feel like investing my time or effort and I don't know what materials I would use. $123.50 is worth a good nights sleep to me and that's cheaper than one night in a nice hotel room.

Honestly I'm not concerned with someone trying to break in and as easy as this is to install I can take it out when we're outta town. What does concern me is other critters coming in! I've had a squirrel run in the window after I've enjoyed an adult beverage (OK FINE- several adult beverages) and I chased it around the house with a frying pan that I was beating on with a wooden spatula. It found its own way back outside and no harm. I haven't had any critters try to get in lately but my cats are so loving that they like to bring me gifts. Lots of gifts. I really don't want to find mauled mice, birds, voles, moles, and so on in the house. Sometimes my "gifts" are alive and well and my kitty gets upset when I return it back to its home. I'm weighing my options and will give an update if I do end up ordering this. It has great reviews online by the way. 

Other things I've tried to stop the noise is place double sided tape (bought at Petsmart) on my bedroom door and window sills. They don't like the feel of it and stop scratching the door, but it doesn't last long because they're hairy little beasts and once it loses the tackiness its game on again. I've locked them up in a pet carrier in the back room before. I hate doing that. No room to move around, bathroom, and or food or water. It's a small carrier and my cats are rather large. The squirt bottle and ignoring them doesn't work either. I have considered getting a portable electric fencing kit (like you would use for a garden) and hooking it to the outside of my bedroom window. They go out and stay out for the night. When they try to beat on my window 2-3 hours later...buzz buzz. I would use lowest setting, but that's still not very nice. Also the UPS guy and other visitors may question our sanity.  The wire would look better than a sheet of plywood secured like I considered as well. 

Do any of you have any ideas or solutions  for pets that constantly want to run in and out? 

Sleep is overrated

It's the second sleepless night in a row. Again my cats woke me up from meowing and scratching on the door. I'm pretty mad at Nathan at the moment because he should have gotten up and dealt with the furballs before I woke up past the point of return (back to sleep). I can put them out when I go to bed but at 3 am or so they're beating on the bedroom window and making even more noise to come back in. Leave them in and they make noise and want out. I seriously wish we had a cat door so they could go in and out as they please. I can deal with an opossum or other critter coming in the door with the possibility of a good nights rest. I'd like to check into a hotel tonight just so I can sleep, but I will save my money. 

After Sir Purrs A Lot carried on more and I told Nathan not to put them in a crate outside (he finally got up but way too late to help) I got the squirt bottle and chased the cat around the house. He wanted outside so I gave him several good and hard smacks to the rear and tossed him out. The house is now quiet but I felt awful. This is one of the many reasons I DO NOT WANT A BABY! I must sleep and I do not like to be disturbed. Everyone says it's different when it's a child...I still see it as sleep deprivation. Cat, dog, baby, husband...it doesn't matter. 

As I was laying in bed I felt terrible. I should have just let the cat out and been done instead of the tail whipping he got because that was a bit much for just making noise. I guess because I've had less than 5 hours of sleep over the last 2 days (not much sleep earlier this week either) and I've got to get ready for work in 40 minutes I'm stressed. So much for looking bright eyed and bushy tailed for my first day/interview. I'll have some coffee and use more makeup. 

I tried to go back to sleep but my head and chest was pounding. I tried breathing exercises to calm myself down, but that didn't help much. Instead I went outside and did hill repeats. Yes, I ran up and down my driveway I don't know how many times. It was actually nice outside . The cool weather and little humidity felt comfortable and the sky was clear and full of bright stars. I love running at night and I have no idea why I don't do it more often. I guess cause I wouldn't want to run alone in the dark. After running I did some starlight yoga as I will call it and came back in to stretch a little more. 

I was hoping to find my kitty outside but I'm sure he's in the barn next door where he usually goes when outside at night. I still feel bad for being mean to him but not for fussing at Nathan. I really don't know what to do to solve this problem. I don't want to crate my cats at night and lock them in a back room, plus I don't have room for the crates to sit around. 

It's 4:30 am and I'm going to have a bowl of Lucky Charms then get ready and leave for work. It will take me about 35 min to get there and they have a morning meeting at 7:30am. I want to be early to help ease the stress and nerves. I'm afraid I may try to doze off so I need to keep moving. Sorry for the boring blog post and please don't report me to the ASPCA or anything because Inrealky do take good care of and love my kitties! 

I feel like I should write goodnight but I guess it's good day.

A Katy Perry Day

Today has been what I will call a Katy Perry kind of day. This is based on her song  "Hot n Cold". It goes something along the lines of "you're hot then you're cold, you're yes then you're no, you're in then you're out, up and then down" ... And whatever the rest is you get it. Here's the video link below if you want to listen to it while you read my blog. 

https://youtu.be/kTHNpusq654

It started at almost midnight last night when dear husband woke me up several times over silly stuff. I did chat a little with him and remind him about his dental appointment. At 12:40 am I don't give a damn what you do with the flour and there IS a difference between all purpose and whole wheat flour. I fell asleep around 1 something and was actually dreaming (deep sleep) until my cat was beating on the window at 2:30 am wanting back in. I was hoping Nathan would get up, but the longer I waited I woke up more and more. I should've just got up and let her in and fall back asleep quickly. Nope. I waited and waited then I was WIDE awake from 3-5:30am. There's nothing on tv and FB is slow. I went back and fourth with going to the pool (opened at 5am), running, or doing some yoga at home. I ended up doing nothing after forever going back and fourth. Went back to bed at 6 am and Nathan woke me up at 7 with "are you going to get up for work!!!". I still had 30 min to sleep! I was so pissed at Nathan at 5:30am because he was sleeping solid and even snoring a bit. I seriously considered dumping a pitcher of ice water on him. The Tempurpedic  has a protective cover over it so it would be fine, but I didn't want my quilt soaked or his pillow. I do have a heart. 

On with the long day at work. Same  old stuff here but I was thinking about my working interview tomorrow. How different is it going to be? Will I accept the job if it's offered to me? Am i making the right decision? I will miss my patients so much (some I'd be happy to never deal with again). What IF My boss sees the light and will pay me what I want and get some help in there for me...will I stay? My head has been spinning all week but due to the lack of sleep really bad today. 

I enjoyed lunch with Nathan and even ate healthier since I planned to run after work to break in my new shoes. Instead I had dinner with my parents (not so healthy). I don't mind missing exercise for some reasons and seeing my parents is one of them. I was too full to even think about running afterwards but figured I could at least walk and enjoy the pretty evening. I  stopped by the Y where I run on the paved trail only to stay in my car and head back towards home. I wish I had went ahead and got that run in this morning. I do this ALL THE TIME! I wish I was a morning person. Again I went back and fourth with myself this evening. Do this...nah I'll do that...then end up doing nothing. Hey!! This is the 2nd blog post this week so it's something.

Normally I would stay up late and watch tv with Nathan and have my homemade popcorn tonight. Instead I've got to get stuff ready for the very early morning tomorrow and finish my chores so I can get to bed early. I will arrive at work tomorrow 30 min before I usually roll out of bed for work. Please cross your fingers for me and I hope my head stops spinning and my heart and mind can work together and decide what's best. What am I so afraid of or worried  about?

I hope to have more answers tomorrow and get in some sort of exercise. I always feel so much better! I will be all in one week (or day) with training then all out the next one. Are you picking up on the Katy Perry song reference? 

One day at a time. 

By the way, I really like how handy the Blogger app is. 

 

Random things to be happy about today.

Okay so it's been a little longer than I though since my last blog post. Thank you Alexis for the gentle reminders of my delinquency. I will try to do better for now on and I've just downloaded the blogger app for my iPhone and iPad! I had no idea this existed and just thought I would check and see because it would be much easier to update. Woohoo! I found what I was looking for and hoping existed. Darn. I guess I can't develop that app and make lots of money.

Anyways today's blog is just things to be happy about. I've had a really hard time over the last 6 months and it's time to change things for the better. The first way to change things is to change the way you think and see things. I'm trying to remove all the negativity in my life and that does take some time. In the meantime I can focus on the positive and what makes me happy. 

Let's start off with finding the Google Blogger Apps! Yea! Now I can fill y'all in on what I'm doing and what's going on. 

I will do my first working interview this Friday at Denzinger Family Dental. I'm really nervous but excited to check out another world in my career. I know it's going to be very different, but my Dad has always told me that "change is good" so we'll see how that goes. I will give an update on here for my (stalkers) followers.

I'm happy to be healthy enough to teach Spin or "psycho cycling" as some class goers call it. I usually eat very light before any exercise, but I went to dinner with my wonderful Momma right after work. The company was great and I always cherish seeing her, but eating a buffet at KFC  was a BAD IDEA before class. I noted that in the books and I'm really glad everyone wanted to take it easy tonight. 

I enjoyed one margarita after class and shared some good laughs with friends. I'm thankful and happy for all the friendships I have made. I love you all- yes I'm sober. 

Coming home I was happy to see two packages on my front porch. I LOVE MAIL!! unless it's a bill then not so much. My wooden box came that I am going to decorate and store my Young Living Essential Oils in. I also ordered some label stickers. I am so OCD organized that binders, labels, new pens, paper clips, and other organizational crap makes me elated!!! 

I also (finally) got my new running shoes in today. It really didn't take long at all but I wanted them on Friday before my longer run on Saturday. I was so excited to open the box and look at my new shoes!! I ordered the Brooks Transcend 2 in purple and orange. I found a pair my size at two local stores but the colors were ugly and I wanted this specific pair. Does anyone else have that problem? I'm a slow runner so I have to look good!  Anyways, opening the box was a treat to my senses. The vibrant colors, the fresh smell of new shoes (that won't last long), and the feel of ultimate cushion. If I wasn't so ugh feeling right now I would gonna run up and down the driveway tonight! Hill repeats anyone? I'm happy I'm well enough to run. Over the last year it's been hell for my body, yet I feel I'm getting stronger than ever and training smarter not harder. 

Finally another happy thing was I came home to a cozy and clean home. My three kitties were happy to see me. I carried in another watermelon to sit on the floor in my kitchen. One of my Spin peeps gave me a watermelon after class (thank you Randy) !! Yea that's how we roll in the country.  It's wonderful to have a place to call home and people to share it with. I don't always appreciate that like I should. 

I hope this new App works well. We'll see how it goes! Until next time rock on! Have a great night. 

Derby Mini 2015 Race Report

The Derby Mini/Marathon race is always a special race to me. It holds a special place in my heart because it was at the 2011 mini I cheered for Nathan when he ran his first 13.1. I was so amazed and proud of him and just couldn't comprehend running that many miles at once!!! I watched as so many people run and walk across the finish line and was inspired that I too could do that someday. The following year I trained for this race and was clueless about distance running...what a journey! Fast forward to the 2012 race. I remember the struggles along the course and how I thought I was insane for doing this...until I crossed that finish line for the very first time. 13.1 miles...unbelievable. I did it, I survived, and I LOVED it! After that first 13.1 I ran a couple more half marathons within the next year (Indy Women's 2012 and Derby Mini 2013). The Derby Mini 2014 didn't go as planned due to a nasty posterior tibial fracture and torn Achilles tendon the month before. I sold my race bib to my friend Alex  who recently moved to Louisville from Texas. The morning of the race I ate Oreo's and coffee while Nathan prepped. I rode with him and cheered for all my friends while in a soft cast and on crutches. It was depressing but it gave me a chance to look at things from a different perspective.

Now let's get to the Derby Mini this year!! Every year Nathan and I make this race part of our Anniversary celebration and I was looking forward to this race and training for it. My running this spring has been the best ever. Nathan and I ran the Triple Crown Series (5k, 10k, and 10 miler) and broke our previous records for each one. Everything was going great until I got sick a few weeks ago. I missed several runs including 2 long runs and just felt bad. Going into this race I wasn't sure how I would do. I forced myself to run 6 miles on the treadmill the week before and it was so hard. The week of the race I was so stressed out from everything and work I just didn't feel like doing much, but I did make myself run some Wednesday evening. It was the best run in a long time and I felt great...it must have been the steroids I was on! I felt better about the race on Saturday, but not the distance. I felt I was unprepared and I was worried about the rain too. 

I went to pick up my packet Thursday night and saw so many friends and had a great time just soaking in the atmosphere (and scoring some awesome freebies). A couple of my friends told me they would be out on the course cheering around mile 8 rain or shine and they would look for me. Leaving the expo I felt a little more excited about the race. Nathan and I went back on Friday to pick his packet up since they wouldn't let me get his the night before. That day I went from excited to nervous and almost sick. I finally just told myself to just run MY RACE and MY PACE. Don't worry about anything and just do what I can. I was still coughing from my ick and the rain wasn't going to help. I got my gear prepped the night before. This took forever because with the rain I had no idea how to dress. Rain jacket or not, long sleeve or short top, capris or tights? I guess I will just pack it all and have what I need with me along with a complete change of dry clothes. Why does figuring out what to wear has to be so complicated sometimes??  We got to bed early...4:30am wake up call comes early. 

Race morning I took several chances. I ate one serving of Cheerios with Protein for breakfast (never tried before a run) and got ready. Honestly, my number one concern that morning was going to the bathroom. I was seriously obsessed with that because I didn't want any GI probs on this race like the last one (PJ 10 miler). I grabbed my coffee and off we went. We parked in a garage so we would have some shelter from the rain before and after the race. While there we finished getting ready for the race. The people sitting in their cars stared at us as we slathered Vaseline EVERYWHERE. I applied some BodyGlide at home before leaving but it never hurts to be overly cautious. I snacked on a banana an hour before the race to top off my fuel and hoped it would help things move along. Nathan found his corral and wished me a great race and we determined a meet up spot. I went along my way to find my pal Connie for our pre race photo ritual. It was where the Landsharks were taking their group photo at Slugger Field. We chatted some and wished each other a great race. I was going to start off with her, but I decided to head back to the bathroom again (I wasn't kidding when I said I was obsessed). The race started and I was still in line and usually I would've freaked out but I didn't really care because the race was chip timed and better to wait now than later. I was supposed to start in corral D, but by the time I joined the race I was in F. The light drizzle rain started right as I crossed the mat to start my chip time. I'm so glad it held off while we were waiting for the race to start. 

I was off! I really like distance running because it always takes me a couple of miles to find my groove and get warmed up. I kept a steady pace and made sure I didn't take off too quickly like I always do. The first couple of miles I had to work out the kinks. The top of my left foot started aching right off the bat (like the first mile or less) but it wasn't anything that made me slow down or stop. The discomfort moved up to my left calf and as I was running I was thinking "okay so this is how this is gonna work, this will ache a bit then something else, but you're fine and just keep going" so I did. The twinge moved up to my left knee (why didn't I tape my left knee like I did the right one? The right one feels great). I focused on my form and trying to keep an even pace and take short walk breaks as needed. I planned to take my nutrition every couple of miles but instead I changed that plan. I took in some applesauce (little pouch I had attached to fuel belt) around mile 3 and some Skratch. My lid popped off my bottle and I ended up dropping the bottle and spilling about 2-3 oz of my nutrition. I really need to get new lids like Nathan has told me at least twice. I came up on mile 4 and 5 pretty quickly it surprised it, but what surprised me the most was how great I was feeling. I felt steady in my core (lead with the hips and knees is what I kept reminding myself), good breathing even with the rain, and I felt like I was holding a good steady pace and fairly even. I took in a little more applesauce around mile 6. I didn't feel like I needed it yet, but it kept hitting my arm and I wanted to toss the pouch soon. I sipped water at almost all aid stations which was plenty for me and I really didn't need the Skratch with me but I did take a few sips. I still had 10oz left after the race even after my spill early on.

 Mile 6, 7, 8 felt amazing and effortless. I was still being conservative with my pace and walking a little as my Garmin told me to, but I walked a little when I needed to and ran when I felt it. My friends were right where they said they'd be on the corner of Central before Churchill Downs. It was so awesome to see them and I ran over and hugged them both! Alexis commented on how great I looked and I remember telling her I felt like a badass and how great I felt. After a couple of hugs and some renewed energy I was off again. The rain really started pouring then, but it didn't bother me at all...actually I really liked running in the rain. I was worried about a blister but with as much Vaseline on my feet I should be safe. I finished off my applesauce pouch and tossed it. That was a risk I took with my nutrition since I never tried it while running but it actually worked in my favor. I felt great and I wasn't even tired. I don't even really remember mile 9, but I just listened to my tunes and be bopped along. I also made sure I ran as straight as possible and didn't weave around people- that helped conserve the energy along with protect my feet. I had bloody feet by mile 4 in the 2013 race due to weaving around people. I hit mile 10 and for a moment I got a little worried that I hadn't ran anything past 10 miles in my training. But I felt so good at that point that I didn't even feel like I just ran 10 miles and I just had 3 miles to go...that's an easy 5k. I didn't have any GI probs at all except one time (I think it was when I saw the 10 mile marker) my gut rumbled at bit...I just talked to myself and said you're fine keep going. Mile 11 is notorious for hip flexor failure for me. I was prepared for this and yes my hip was tired it didn't hurt like before. Coach Mike pounded core work into my head since last fall and it's paying off for sure this running season and thanks to my friend Alex for the Pilates training. I saw the marathon runners merging in with us and they just facinate me and they looked so strong! I checked my watch because I had no idea how long I had been on the course. I set my watch to ONLY show me my current lap so I only focused on one mile at a time (at times I wasn't even sure what mile I was on because I felt so great) and this worked well for me mentally. I was on course for a PR if I pick up the pace a little. I didn't plan to get a PR and just didn't care at the beginning of the race but I was this close so I'm going to go for it. I picked up my pace some but I could feel I was pushing more and was needed walk breaks more so I went back to my strategy. Run steady and strong- pace yourself! At mile 12 I knew I had my PR in the bag and just enjoyed the rest of the race. I still felt great and couldn't wait to find Nathan and get my chocolate milk. That was probably the easiest race and one of the best even with the rain!! 13.1 miles..BAM! I did it. 

Looking back and looking at my splits I know I could have pushed the pace a lot more, but I really enjoyed this and ran comfortable. I have time to work on my speed and strength before my next 13.1 (yep I want another one). I didn't get a PR by as much as I thought, but I did beat my previous best and that's still a PR! WooHoo. I was almost 30lbs lighter when I set that record so weight has nothing to do with it as Alexis says. I'm so much stronger now (I still want to take that 30 back off) and it really shows how far I've come in the last year. Nathan ran great and set a new PR for himself too!! WooHoo! I didn't need to stress and worry over this race I just needed to believe in my strength and determination.