Monday, July 27, 2009
I've got a craving
I think it's time to plan my next race. Work couldn't be busier. Both my sister and my best friend are getting married, within two weeks of each other. Which means lots of fun parties leading up to those. Meanwhile, I've been super lazy and can't tell you the date of my last long run. So all this adds up to another race :) another half marathon. It doesn't make a ton of sense, but I need a goal. I always need a goal. I'm thinking the Hartford Half in October. But we shall see. Tomorrow's goal is getting up at 530 for a morning run. I hope I can manage that. Oh and I'm giving up alcohol during the week again. My colleague is training for a Marathon, and she isn't drinking at all. We went to a baseball game, not a single sip of beer did she have. And it was free beer. I admire that. I feel like alcohol really messes me up when it comes to running. So I'm thinking of trying this no alcohol thing.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Willow turned 1!
I'm so disappointed that I left my camera in Connecticut. Willow and I made a trip to Jersey to spend some quality time with my mom. Coincidentally Saturday was Willow's first birthday. The little wild pup that we took home 10 months ago has not missed a beat. She's still running on a full tank of energy and leaves me with little time to rest.
In an inadvertent celebration my mom and I took Willow to the marsh for a swim. My mother's neighbor, also a farmer, let us use his 1/2 mile road to the marsh. Vern takes great care of this road. He ordered truckloads of Conchs from Maryland, drove over them with a tractor for weeks and created a pretty crushed shell walk way. Piles of unused conchs lie along the road as evidence of his work.
As scenic as the stroll to the marsh was, we were assaulted by deer flies. My mom aptly said, "It's like running the gauntlet". With bug spray as our shield we trekked down to a beautiful clearing. Willow's tail wagged her whole body as the excitement of the water overwhelmed her. She looked at me and with a gently whine requested to be unleashed. Once her harness was off, I could not keep her out of the water.
Quickly traversing between right and left, she couldn't choose which way she wanted to explore first. Low tide unveiled deep muck patches that Willow sunk into like quicksand. As she darted after a ball lost to the muck she became entrenched in black sand that left her as dark as Dakota. It was as if someone dipped her in a vat of black paint. The top half of her was golden yellow and drenched with salty water, while her lower half was filthy black. I called to her in the hope she would run through the clean water. Seconds later birds took flight at the sound of my mom's scream. Willow hadn't run through the water, she had darted straight in my mom's direction and shook closely to her, flinging muck onto her white pants.
Willow took another dive into the refreshing marsh, and I giggled as my mom gave me "the eye." The pup galloped in and out of the water for another 20 minutes or so and then trotted over to me to let me know she was tired and ready to go home.
Back at the house we hosed her off, brushed her hair and let her soak up the sun to dry off. She may have been free of muck, but she reeked of swamp. A successful trip, and a happy birthday for Willow bean. The only thing that would have made it better is if Joe was there to share it too.
In an inadvertent celebration my mom and I took Willow to the marsh for a swim. My mother's neighbor, also a farmer, let us use his 1/2 mile road to the marsh. Vern takes great care of this road. He ordered truckloads of Conchs from Maryland, drove over them with a tractor for weeks and created a pretty crushed shell walk way. Piles of unused conchs lie along the road as evidence of his work.
As scenic as the stroll to the marsh was, we were assaulted by deer flies. My mom aptly said, "It's like running the gauntlet". With bug spray as our shield we trekked down to a beautiful clearing. Willow's tail wagged her whole body as the excitement of the water overwhelmed her. She looked at me and with a gently whine requested to be unleashed. Once her harness was off, I could not keep her out of the water.
Quickly traversing between right and left, she couldn't choose which way she wanted to explore first. Low tide unveiled deep muck patches that Willow sunk into like quicksand. As she darted after a ball lost to the muck she became entrenched in black sand that left her as dark as Dakota. It was as if someone dipped her in a vat of black paint. The top half of her was golden yellow and drenched with salty water, while her lower half was filthy black. I called to her in the hope she would run through the clean water. Seconds later birds took flight at the sound of my mom's scream. Willow hadn't run through the water, she had darted straight in my mom's direction and shook closely to her, flinging muck onto her white pants.
Willow took another dive into the refreshing marsh, and I giggled as my mom gave me "the eye." The pup galloped in and out of the water for another 20 minutes or so and then trotted over to me to let me know she was tired and ready to go home.
Back at the house we hosed her off, brushed her hair and let her soak up the sun to dry off. She may have been free of muck, but she reeked of swamp. A successful trip, and a happy birthday for Willow bean. The only thing that would have made it better is if Joe was there to share it too.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
the break is over
After the half marathon I gave the lazy side of me a chance to hang out. Being someone who always has a plan, I don't let this happen too often. But it was time to reward my determined mind, and very tired body with a break. I didn't work out for nearly a week. With the exception of lifting at my work gym. Instead I spent time at home with my pups, and it was blissful. I typically spend any "me time" feeling guilty and never get to fully enjoy it. But boy did I just let go and relax. Peaceful is a feeling that I seldom experience.
My husband and I planned a trip to Maine, and of course I scheduled activities for every minute of it. And I'm happy to report it went nothing like I planned. We slept in, ate tons of food, and really enjoyed just being lazy. Dakota was off at the inlaws, and Willow was at Camp Bow Wow only 20 minutes away. Joe ran with me one morning, but that was the extent of our exercise.
Now it's time to get back to the real world and to running. I have new goals, and my excitment to pound pavement again is building. Today I have a 4 mile run planned. 1 mile to the high school track, 2 miles of speed/interval training, and 1 mile home.
I hope to run a 20k in mid September, and my goal pace is 9m30s. It may not be realistic, but I don't want to be the slow runner anymore.
My husband and I planned a trip to Maine, and of course I scheduled activities for every minute of it. And I'm happy to report it went nothing like I planned. We slept in, ate tons of food, and really enjoyed just being lazy. Dakota was off at the inlaws, and Willow was at Camp Bow Wow only 20 minutes away. Joe ran with me one morning, but that was the extent of our exercise.
Now it's time to get back to the real world and to running. I have new goals, and my excitment to pound pavement again is building. Today I have a 4 mile run planned. 1 mile to the high school track, 2 miles of speed/interval training, and 1 mile home.
I hope to run a 20k in mid September, and my goal pace is 9m30s. It may not be realistic, but I don't want to be the slow runner anymore.
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