14 in 2:04

Not as easy as last week, it was harder to keep up the pace today, not sure why. But I'm still ahead of training. I was supposed to do 14 in 9:47 per mile. I'm trying to stay ahead of the game because I know from experience that when it comes to ramp up time I can't ramp up as fast as the schedule wants me to and I end up falling short on race day. Also law school will be in my way...bottom line I want to train as hard but as carefully as I can now so as to be ahead of the game for fitness but not injured. My hips hurt but they always hurt after 10 miles. It rained on me but the temperature is perfect.

Big congrats to my brother Mark and nephew Brian, who killed the UVM today in 3:41 and 3:19. Great job. I could have done the first 14....I actually called for a pick up after that because my hips are hurting and, as per strict orders from Mark, I will not get injured this time around.

sunshine on me shouldeh

my house to Liberty Lake via Saltese, back via Barker/Saltese 15.43 mi 02:24 09:19 pace

New Garmin 110, it works, unlike the other two 305s I had. First 10 in 1:28, gorgeous, perfect weather. I hit 14 at 2:06, the rest was walking or jogging. Training plan called for 12 at 09:40 so I'm on track to keep up even given my age and tendency toward lack of improvement and injuries. I am so happy to be outside! My hips have the usual stiffness and soreness--it must be arthritis. I intend to train easy from here on out, increase miles and speed as gradually as possible for StG Oct 1. Do you know any shorter races I can run between now and then?

I ran

in the sun, no gun. It was fun. 3.1. Then I was done. And that aint no pun

Just sayin'

11.4 on the treadmill Wednesday, 9.94 OUTSIDE today. Perfect running weather, overcast 55ish degrees. It wasn't hard to do this many miles today; I just ran to the church to help clean it and then ran part way back...and my foot does not hurt. My hips still threaten to scream at me but I think the orthotics help. And my abs are sore from the crunches on the ab lounge; hopefully this means I am not neglecting core work?

Someone forgot to tell the angels.

I am a nectarine fiend. I just got some "new crop" nectarines. I kept checking to see if my hand would go through the wall, if I could feel things. I have died and gone to heaven. Somehow they didn't get the message about all my sins. Oh, and I ran 10 miles on the treadmill. I WILL get in my 20 this week.

Windermere marathon as a volunteer

First off I want to say an E-ism. I'm calling it that because I can't quit thinking it. I can't quit thinking it because it is what I need to hear. It is this. We are here, not to find comfort, but primarily to grow. And growth is rarely comfortable. Why must I sleep? Why must I be awake? Maybe I should go a few nights without sleep and a few days without caffeine (gasp). But. That. Is. Uncomfortable.

Speaking of discomfort, my left hip still hurts in the same way. All the fancy schmancy stuff they are doing has not impressed my hip. It still has the same pain, in the same way, and is still preventing me from getting in a mere 20 miles this week.

Now for the good news. I'm going to the laundromat to do laundry! It's so exciting for me to sit and read and read, uninterrupted, while several loads of laundry are being done at once.

And I volunteered at the marathon this morning. No one I knew broke four hours. (I did not realize how good I used to be, ha. The older I get, the better I used to be.) Unbelievably, the little tourist train went through the finish line with runners trying to get around it. When I looked at the driver, a sweet man at least 90 years old, I softened. After all, he came through about 4:30 and most of the marathoners could brag they beat the train into the station. Or that they didn't just FEEL like they were hit by a train; they almost were.

Here's a pic of my amazing Tim by the Falls. Hopefully someday I will get to enjoy them as an actual Windermere marathon participant.

Dark Gray Bowl, One Tiny Chip

I was driving my son home from the chiropractor in Post Falls and the sky was...dramatic. It was so dark gray it seemed the end of the world, or a hurricane, or something. In the rear view mirror you could still see blue sky, but ahead just gray. Then it all switched. It was suddenly all gray and pelting buckets of rain at us, amazing even for Washington state. It was so gloomy it was funny. Then, directly ahead, a chip in the dark bowl of gray appeared, a chip of sunlight, a literal ray of hope, directly in front of us and only in front of us, just one small semicircle of light. But meanwhile we were still being dumped on. If I take that as some heavenly metaphor for my life, I'm doing pretty well. Truly the dumping lasted about five minutes and then it stopped, the sky cleared up, even the Washington sky, and soon we were home.

Foot still being weird, (right now its doing this shooting burning thing, sporadically, flakily), but core exercises in the pool for physical therapy and at the trainer are going well. And I actually ran OUTSIDE this week once and will do it again tomorrow. Why I ever ran on the treadmill I have no idea; it obviously did not keep me from injury.

Oh. And I got in law school. I even got a scholarship, which seems suspect. I'm sure they will call on Monday and say, "woops". Something about my stellar GPA and LSAT scores. (Um, not). I only applied to Gonzaga. I had all but decided not to go, that I am not interested, and I was getting started with the process of renewing my nursing license and maybe being a nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, something like that. And I don't want to be gone all the time as Mitchell and Collin are still home...

Well, sort of. They are home but they are perfect children and very independent. I frankly need them much more than they need me. However, these next weeks are going to be spent with me trying to prepare for all the huge changes that will be coming in my life in the next few months.

But stuck I am not. I am definitely in the storm, but in a fast car (I got a new slate blue Infiniti G37, thank you very much), and moving, hopefully towards sunshine.