One of those lies we tell ourselves

I'll stop if it hurts.

How many times have you said that before a run?

Just a few days after Jan posted about runners and our lack of intelligence sometimes, I found myself making a questionable call.

Right before my run today, I tweaked my ankle. I don't even really know what happened. I was moving from standing to sitting on the floor, and somewhere in the middle of that motion, something really painful happened. Really painful.

I gave it a few minutes, moved it around, hopped on it, and decided - I'll stop if it hurts.

Which of course is a lie. Something has to really, seriously hurt for me to stop once I'm running.

Luckily, it didn't hurt and I was able to knock out my tempo run for the day. I did a warm up, 4 miles @ 9:14 and a cool down for a total of 6 miles.

After my run, Buddy and I went and hung out in the yard for a bit. I can't wait until we have a yard that I can set him loose in.

Work was only slightly better than yesterday (nap time is still terrible), but at least I got to leave almost on time!

It's only Wednesday?

While yesterday felt like Thursday, today felt like it would never end. For some reason my kiddos arrived early today and I ended up being out of ratio (too many kids!) by 7:45. On top of that, they all seemed hell-bent on killing each other today. There was a lot of pushing, hair pulling, scratching, and screaming.

It was exhausting.

And then most of them didn't nap.

And then I had to work late.

I was very happy when it was finally time to head home.

A couple of my pear tomatoes were ready to be eaten today!

I had an easy 2 miles on my training plan for today. I have a hard time doing 2 miles at an "easy" pace. I really like doing it a little faster than I'm really supposed to. Oh well. Tomorrow is a tempo run, so I will have plenty of faster paced running to do then.

Tom threw together a tasty tray for a nice, light dinner. So good.

Olives, roasted garlic bread, pepperoncini, salami, sopressata, sharp provolone, some greens and a pile o mustard.

Also: I'm in the assessment part of Anatomy for Runners, and I have "failed" almost every test. It's kind of depressing. Apparently, I need to work on some things.

A slow day, a good run, and Buddy

Today feels like Thursday, I'm not sure why.

Work was absolutely crawling. I hate days like that.

After work I did a little snacking before my run. I tried this fruit/veggie leather from my RunnerBox.

It was really good! Tom tried it and said it was "like a pumpkin pie and an apple pie had a baby." If I ever see these at the store I will not hesitate to buy them.

Then it was off to the basement for an easy 3 miles. It was one of those wonderful runs where you feel great and really strong. I needed that today.

I bought Buddy a new toy yesterday.

He already broke it. But he loves it (he loves all rope toys), so we're trying to see if we can fix it so he's not just ripping string out of the middle of it.

He's kind of a weirdo.

A brief book rant

I'm sort of a book addict. I have stayed up reading past my bedtime since I was young enough to have a bedtime. I used to get scolded for being anti-social because I preferred (prefer?) books to people. And while more books are pretty much always better, there are exceptions to that rule.

Source

Some books are meant to stand alone. They should leave you wanting more, yes, but that doesn't mean that there's another book (or two) that needs to be written. I would rather be left wanting more than be given more and be disappointed.

I find more and more books lately are being written with the intention of being part of a trilogy. They are not all worthy of such a plan. Sometimes the story is not strong enough to carry on. There are some wonderful series out there, and I understand that more books (in theory) means more money for those involved, but there's a certain quality that gets lost in the quest for profit.

So please, if the story is told, accept it and move on. Don't reach for more and destroy the story and characters in the process.

House hunting and lesson planning

We had a nice, relaxing Sunday around here.

It started early, because Tom is still on London time and I have lost the ability to sleep in. But we had a lazy coffee morning, and Buddy is loving having us both home.

This afternoon we went to check out a house we have been looking at online.

Cute, right?

It ended up being in worse shape than it seemed at first, and a little smaller than we're looking for. It was on a really beautiful piece of property though. It's fun to see different houses, there are some really unusual ones out there!

I spent a while lesson planning this afternoon. The end of the month kind of came out of nowhere for me and I didn't get started as early as I usually try to. Oops.

As usual, the weekend flew by too quickly, and it's back to work again in the morning. Such is life.

I hope you had a relaxing weekend!

Busy running around

It been a busy Saturday over here!

I woke up early to meet up with my running group. I promised a new woman last week that I would be there this morning since I'm one of the only people who runs at her pace. If it weren't for that I would have been tempted to sleep in, even though I love running with the group and how nice my day goes after a good run on the trails.

We did our usual loop of around 6.5 miles in 1:02:25 according to my Garmin.

Of course, I'm glad that I went. It was a beautiful morning and a nice group of runners.

Buddy and I went to the dog park to run around for a bit. He doesn't really play with the other dogs, so I have to chase him to get him to run around. The other dog owners probably think I'm crazy.

Buddy loves the doggy water fountain.

We were both tired after our morning of running around.

Then I got caught up cleaning things around the house, talking on the phone and getting things staged for dinner for when Tom gets here.

And Tom will be home in about a half an hour! Buddy knows something is up, but he's not quite sure what's going on. He's going to be insanely excited to see Tom again.

My little lap dog

Happy Friday!

I spotted this pretty purple flower this morning when Buddy and I were out on his morning stroll.

Purple is my favorite.

I really enjoyed my kiddos at work today, but it was a very long day. About half of them didn't nap, which made the afternoon a little crazy. As all over the place as toddlers normally are, a class of exhausted toddlers is nuts. Plus I didn't get to leave until after 5:30.

This evening has consisted of beer, tacos, tv, and hanging out with my little lap dog.

It is really nice to just sit and relax for a while. I'll be up and running in the morning, so I plan to enjoy this moment of stillness.

Critters

Happy Thursday!

Every day closer to the weekend is extra exciting this week because Tom comes home on Saturday!

We found this little guy (Tom informs me that it is a toad) in our play yard this morning. Once they stopped screaming at him, the munchkins were really fascinated by him.

This was on the wall by the back door this afternoon. Tom said he would kill it if it was still there on Saturday, but I managed to take it out with minimal girly squealing noises.

Bugs and I are not friends.

Buddy assumed his usual upside down position while I hit the treadmill for my 4 miles.

Look how big my tomato plant has gotten!

Ignore the sun-scorched leaves at the bottom and focus on the fact that I almost have a couple of tomatoes ready to eat!

Yellow pear tomatoes are the best.

It was a nice night, so I grilled a burger and some zucchini for dinner. Grilling the zucchini was a really good idea.

Knife skills are not high on my list of priorities, so yes, those zucchini slices are all over the place.

Not a bad way to spend an evening.

More running, more queso

On Wednesdays, we wear pink.

My training plan has a mileage cut back week this week, but it's a bit monotonous. All the runs are the same distance, and the same pace. I can't handle doing them at the same pace, so I'm adjusting faster or slower depending on how I feel each day.

Another 4 sweaty treadmill miles.

This is Buddy's "please can we leave the basement now?" face.

Doesn't he look like a puppy in this picture? So cute.

You know those foods that you know are bad for you, but you love them anyway? I would call them guilty pleasures, but I don't feel guilty when I eat them (in something resembling moderation).

My current (non)guilty pleasure is salsa con queso. It's so tasty!

I feel like I eat pretty healthy for the most part, so between that and running I don't feel too bad when I eat some things that aren't quite as good for me.

What are your (non)guilty food pleasures?

Time is funny

Some days I feel like there are not enough hours in the day - I hardly get anything done. Other days I get so much done that I don't know how I can be so lazy on other days. Time is funny like that.

After work today I kept my cleaning momentum going and cleaned our other bathroom. It is much smaller than the upstairs, so it didn't take very long.

Then I was off to the basement for an easy 4 miles. I actually had to stop myself from trying to finish the run as fast as I could. I know that I can't do every run as fast as possible or I am just asking for an injury.

I tried this packet of EBOOST (from my RunnerBox) after work today. I was really dragging when I got home from work, and it definitely gave me a little extra...boost, for lack of a better word.

It was really tart. Really tart. So if you're looking for something sweet, this isn't it. I really liked it though! The energy in EBOOST comes from green tea and it is also gluten-free and soy-free if you worry about that sort of thing. For some reason, the last little bit in the glass tasted a bit metallic, which is the only bad thing I have to say about it.

Dinner tonight was a rather tasty sandwich of bacon, eggs, avocado and tomato. It could have used some greenery, arugula would have been nice, but I didn't want to go to the store.

This little guy was right by my face when I took Buddy out earlier.

My coffee mug broke yesterday. The seal popped off the lid, along with some sketchy build-up.

I realized I have been using this mug for over 6 years (and it was free). I guess it's time for a new one!

Snacks and cleaning house

I actually managed my time well this morning, so Buddy got to take a longer stroll than usual before I left for work.

He was on a mission to smell everything.

I really don't like cleaning. I don't know many people who do, but that means when the mood strikes, I have to go with it.

At some point today I decided I was going to clean our upstairs bathroom. Like, really clean it. I spent over an hour (probably pushing two hours) and now think I can safely claim the cleanest bathroom in town. 

It's really nice.

Is it weird that I think I would rather clean the bathroom than do the dishes?

I managed to remember to bring a snack to work today. I always forget how hungry I am the day after a long run. This bar from my RunnerBox was a really good idea. And as far as protein bars go, it was pretty tasty!

And this somehow made its way into my basket at the store. Oops. :)

It's a good thing I run. 

That time I ran 12 miles without my headphones

It is basically impossible for me to get out the door early on Sundays. Even though I was up at 7, I didn't make it out to the trails until 9. Oh well.

I wore my new shorts and fuel belt again today, I'm really liking both of them!

I finally got to the trails, went to turn on my headphones (they're bluetooth) and discovered that the battery was dead. Rather than drive home, I decided to do as many miles as I could mentally handle and then finish up my run at home on the treadmill if necessary.

My run ended up being an exercise in mental toughness, but I managed to finish the 12 miles @ 10:36 pace. Most of the time I had the last song that was playing in the car stuck in my head, with occasional thoughts like "this trail can't be uphill all the time, it has to end eventually."

Back at home I did my traditionally thrilling Sunday activities: laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, etc.

Buddy refused to come in from the back deck, so I closed the door on him. There's nothing he hates more than being left behind. (Look how big my tomato plant is getting!)

I tried these on my run today:

I got them in my RunnerBox yesterday - they're kind of weird. They are little pellets that sort of melt in your mouth, and they are very salty. Once you get past the saltiness, the flavor isn't bad, and they seemed to do their job.

For the record: they do not stay in their little bag if you put them back in your fuel belt and run a while. I ended up with Electro-Bite powder all over my phone and the inside of my fuel belt. Awesome.

Coffee and the Wonder Mutt

For some reason, I couldn't get to sleep last night, and then I woke up before my alarm this morning. I woke up tired and almost did a really good job of talking myself out of going to meet up with my running group.

I reminded myself that I always feel better after a run, and that I would have a much better (and happier) day if I went.

Maybe I need this tank to remind me.

I was finally convinced by the fact that it was cloudy and almost a little bit cool outside. I figured it was probably the coolest morning I was going to get until September. There was even a nice breeze!

And then I was almost late. I was excited because I was feeling pretty good and didn't lag behind my usual group (the "slow group"). In fact, for part of the time, I was in front! I know I have said it before, but running with the group really makes me run faster.

We did our usual 6.5 miles (according to my Garmin, the group says it is 7 miles) in just over an hour.

When I got home, I grabbed some coffee and the Wonder Mutt and headed to the dog park.

He loves the car.

And when we got home, his Kong was taken out of time out. He was pretty happy to have it back.

And pretty tired from the dog park.

I got one of my favorite treats in the mail today - my RunnerBox!

I'll let you know what I think when I try my goodies! I also love that they included a microfiber towel for sweaty summer runs - I'll get some good use out of that.

I hope you're having a good weekend so far!

Dog toy time out and veggie overload

Turns out a mellow day at work moves pretty slowly. We only had six kiddos for the day, so it was pretty relaxed. The stars aligned and they all napped too!

I came home to find I forgot to put the gate up this morning and had a Buddy mess to clean up upstairs.

His Kong is in time out.

I had a big debate about making a lazy dinner or actually cooking tonight.

Cooking won.

My veggie prep got a little out of control.

And my veggies to noodles ratio was a little off.

I topped it with a spicy peanut sauce and tried to not eat myself sick. It was kind of delicious.

The rest of my Friday will be spent relaxing with some bad tv, ice cream, and hopefully going to bed at a reasonable hour so I will be ready to run in the morning.

Hope you're having a great Friday!

Pudding pops and a tempo run

We try to do some form of cooking with the munchkins at least once a month. We've made cookies, strawberry muffins, banana bread, dirt cupcakes, and a few others. Sometimes the project is more involved, sometimes it's super quick and easy.

This month was quick and easy.

We made chocolate pudding pops!

Pudding Pops
(recipe found here)

1 pkg Instant Pudding
2 cups milk
1 cup cool whip

Mix ingredients together, pour into paper cups, add a wooden popsicle stick or plastic spoon, and freeze!

Super easy, and the kids loved them! They also made a huge mess eating them, but they were happy, so that's really what matters.

My assistant had the day off, so I ended up working late again. I'm not used to these long days anymore, I was getting really tired this afternoon.

It took a little extra effort to convince myself to do my tempo run for the day. I ended up doing a warm up, 4 miles @ 9:23, and a cool down, 6 miles total. And, as usual, I felt way better when I was finished.

You would think I would know by now that running always makes me feel better, but I still forget somehow.

Weirdly excited

I managed to get at least 8 hours of sleep last night and the night before. I don't know if it's the cough my munchkins have given me, but I don't feel much better than when I get much less sleep. I'm trying to not just use this as an excuse to stay up way too late.

Work was more of the usual, only I managed to get off work on time today!

This doughnut somehow got into my basket at the grocery store. Oops.

I did  a couple of easy, if extremely sweaty miles on the treadmill.

And Buddy waited patiently to go upstairs.

I actually cooked dinner tonight! Well, breakfast for dinner anyway. I made some sweet potatoes with black beans, eggs, and avocado. 

One whole avocado is obviously the correct serving size. 

I have been reading Anatomy for Runners a lot this week - I'm weirdly excited to get to the assessment part so I can see what areas I should work on. I also find myself thinking more about how I'm running since I have been reading it.

What's your most recent grocery store impulse buy?