I WILL I WILL I WILL

Get In A Run Tonight

It'll be the first thing I do when I get home

After kissing Scuba Doug

And I bet he'll even go with

It's nice weather

Couldn't ask for much more

Clothes/shoes are laid out ready to go

And so am I-that is...ready to go...not laid out-Hee!

I need to

I have to

I want to

It's time

I'm going!

Allowing Life to Get in the Way

It's been a week since I've laced up my running shoes. Life seems to be crazy busy right now. If we're not running off somewhere after work-all I want to do once I get home is crash. However, after a couple days of crashing seems to only lead to more days of more crashing. And then sometimes I only become more tired and sluggish when I'm not working out. Mind you, I just did run a marathon a week ago today and should probably be doing some resting...however, I just feel uggg when I don't work out and the longer I go the more uggg I feel.

So I need to find some energy to tie those puppies up and get out the door. I have my first 50K in a couple weeks and have a long fall/winter running season ahead of me. I know once I get my butt out the door things will get back on track. My question is WHY WHY WHY is it so hard to get back on track? Especially when you KNOW it is going to make you feel better.

Fessing Up to a Not So Normal Self Inflicted Injury

Usually tonight is our TNR. Well it still is-I just won't be going. I had planned on running tonight until I remembered I had a Fundraising Seminar to attend tonight with my newbies.

Then tomorrow night is our Parrot Plunge Fundraiser at an indoor water park here in Kansas City. It should be a fun time. People bought these parrots (rubber ones-not the real ones) that are going to be 'released' from the top of a huge slide into the pool. We will then have Coach Doug in the pool picking out parrots for prizes. If he picks yours-you win! It's going to be a hoot. I'll be sure to take the camera!

I'll just wait until Saturday to do some short mileage. It won't hurt me to rest until then. This marathon I just ran beat me up just a tad. I am losing (still not gone yet) a toenail and had a couple of small blisters on one foot. And then I'm recovering from:

GU Pack Boob Rash

Ever have it before? I didn't want to carry my Hammergel/GU packets so...I had a great idea! I would put them in my sports bra. Now...hands free. It worked very well. It didn't bother me at all. Until the sports bra came off and I jumped in the shower. YOWSER! Had some major chafing and raw skin from the GU packs digging into my skin for almost 6 hours.

So now it's itchy and I have to be careful to itch cuz people either look at you funny or with 'hungry eyes' when you're scratching in between your boobs!

Who Needs Toenails Anyway?

I saw this saying almost 3 years ago as I was running my first marathon. It was painted in black on a king size flat sheet hanging from a 4th story window. It made me crack up. And think...Ewww...people really lose their toenails? Then Doug piped up to tell me they can also get black. Double Ewww...

So, as I've said, it's been almost 3 years since I ran my first marathon. October 9th, 2005 as a matter of fact. I've never had a black toenail. I can say I have had 1 or 2 bruised toenails, but never black. And heaven forbid, never had a toenail fall off. EVER. Not even close.

Until tonight. It's still hanging on. By a thread. It's like a little kid losing her first tooth and it's just dangling. Breathe on it and it'll pop right off. Yep. This is what this little baby is doing. Hanging on. Barely.

So, what is a girl to do?
Let it hang on hoping and praying it'll somehow re-attach itself?
Rip it off myself?
Let it fall off on its own?
Wait for it to catch on something and have it rip off?
Make Doug gnaw it off?

None really sound all that fun and exciting to me except the re-attaching one.

I do have to say, if having my ten toenails is my main concern right now, I'm a pretty lucky and very blessed girl. And I know that and appreciate it deep into my soul and do not take it for granted.

May you all be healthy and happy. And possess all of your toenails...well...that's optional. I'm pretty certain you can be healthy and happy without a toenail. Or without a couple for that matter. Cuz...Who Needs Toenails Anyway?

Now it's off to relax for the night and see what Palin has to say.

Sweet Dreams.

Kick Off!

Last night was our Kick Off Celebration for Team In Training's Disney and RNR Arizona Teams! It was a nice gathering and I was able to meet many of my team members as I am mentoring again this season. We have a great group and this is going to be a lot of fun.

One of my team members is also our Honored Patient. Her name is Leesa and she was diagnosed with CLL (a form of leukemia) in May of this year. She is training to run the Disney marathon. What an inspiration!! Both her and her husband are both training!

Also, another kick off for us last night was The Shield. Love Love Love that show. It's the final season and I think it's going to be great!

On the training field I'm resting and recovering. I'll get in a 3 miler tomorrow night for our TNR and then Saturday I'll do something short, maybe 6 or 8 miles.

The Rest of the Weekend

Besides running a marathon this weekend, Doug and I did a few other things. Friday morning, I was thinking it was going to be a nice and quiet weekend. By Friday afternoon, all plans had changed.


Friday Night
We went out and marked the course for Saturday's run. I wasn't going to run as I was running a marathon on Monday.


Saturday Morning
I then was going to run 4 but was having such a fun time running with Karen, I ended up running 6.75 miles.


Saturday Afternoon
Yeah...hadn't planned this for the weekend either, but after my run I went home and started picking grapes. And picking grapes. And picking grapes. I picked almost 14 gallons. That is 14 GALLONS from our backyard. Then after picking 14 gallons of grapes I got to de-stem 14 gallons of grapes. I sat in the backyard in the shade with a slight breeze and picked away. For hours. Then Doug took the grapes and mashed and smashed them with his new little contraption. I didn't realize it was so much work. We ended up with around 2.5 gallons of juice after mashing them. Not bad. So now it's in the process of becoming our very first batch of Real Homemade Wine! I can't wait to try it. In about a year.

Doug makes his own wine already but it's from a kit. This will be Our Grapes from Our Backyard made into Our Wine. Fun!


Saturday Evening
We were invited to the neighbors for smoked cheese and wine. They smoke their cheese on the smoker outside and it is so delish. Hot, smoky and very tasty. We had that along with wine and Sangria. It was such a nice evening outside on the deck. And refreshing after picking grapes all day.

Sunday
We headed down to Columbia Sunday afternoon and the rest of the weekend you already know...marathoning. After we finished the marathon we hit the pool for a cold dip, then headed back home where we spent the rest of the evening relaxing.

The Hills are Alive...Heart of America Marathon Race Report

NOT with the sound of music. But instead with a demonic desire to kick your butt up and down those babies. Whew...hot, humid and hilly just about says it all.

Doug and I headed down Sunday afternoon to Columbia, MO. It's an easy 2 hours drive from where we live. Home of the MU Tigers, Doug's favorite college team. We arrive in town and head straight to packet pick up. And that exactly what it was-packet pickup-nothing else. Then we drove the marathon course. Funny how when you're in the car the hills don't seem quite as daunting. We knew there were going to be some doozies as Doug has run this marathon before and just driving some of those hills made your cringe. But once you're climbing those babies on foot, one after the other, the car ride never does it justice.

We did some running around Sunday night after packet pick up. We ate dinner at Willy's and then headed back to the hotel for a 4:00 am wake up call for Monday. The race ended right in front of our hotel so we decided we would walk to the start (about a mile and a half from the hotel). About mile 18, I was wishing I had that mile and a half under my belt to count for my marathon.

The marathon started at 6:00 am and by the time we hit mile 2, we were drenched. It was so humid and sticky out. We knew we were in for a long day. We took our time, took plenty of walk breaks and did what we could for what the weather brought us.

It was a tough course. There were about 5 major hills and multitudes of rollers and other hills too numerous to mention.

Not too much to say about this marathon. Not very eventful. It was very small. I think just over 120ish maybe. Hot...humid...hilly...sunny...hot....humid. Probably one I will not be putting on my list of ones to do again. The medal sucked. The shirt is ick. But I did get another state and marathon under my belt. I'm glad I did it but glad it's over.

I'll be making sure we have some big big plans for Labor Day Weekend next year!