Gray days ahead

My alarm went off at 4:30 this morning.
I hopped out of bed, excited to bundle up and head to the trail. Today was Return to Running Day! To make things even better, one of our "disableds" returned to our running group today. 3 of our ladies were out most of 2009, pregnant or postpartum. And today was Anne's return to running after giving birth to her 3rd child. It was great to have her join our group again. It felt sooo good to be back running. You would think I too took 9 months off. But it was business as usual and I even had the energy to sprint the last 100 yards or so. Bliss. See, you won't lose all of your fitness by taking a much needed break.
What did I do when I got home? Cleaned up and climbed back in the biscuit. Yep, I was off today. A little post holiday, holiday. Sleeping in totally rocks. Especially when you got up earlier than anyone should in the first place!
Cleaned up a little Christmas. It makes me sad to take it down all at once, so I sneak a bit away each day. That way it all just kind of disappears gradually and the task doesn't overwhelm me.
Cleaned out a closet. A local charity is coming by this week to pick up much needed household items. We were blessed with new things this Christmas so what better time to bless others? I'm sure some girl will love the pink jacket I managed to part with. I know I did when I found it on clearance at Target a few years back!
Acknowledged my inner Candice Oslen and put paint swatches on the wall.

Currently the room is light blue, but not light enough. After nearly 7 years, it's time for a change. The blue is nice and calming, but a little baby boy blue. Too nursery. I've decided on gray, but selecting the right gray is proving to be a challenge. Do you know how many shades of gray there are??? Some are browny, some purply, some blue, green...it's endless. I don't want the room to look like an office, drab. I'm leaning towards the blue gray on the right, but Hubs likes the greeny gray on the left. Decisions, decisions. My life is full of the difficult ones. Ha!
Speaking of gray, they are predicting yuckiness in the form of freezing rain again tonight or early in the morning. Should be an exciting drive either to work or home. We pretty much shut down when it ices.

I'm working on my goals for 2010. Giving up eating out for the month of December has encouraged me. I'd like to see what else I can live without. Of course there will be fitness goals, race goals and maybe even a few non-fitness goals thrown in for good measure. Goodness knows I can stand to be improved! 2 Corinthians 7:1

Are you working on your 2010 goals???

I'm baaaaack

Or soon will be anyway.
To running that is. Tomorrow morning I'll meet my girls at the trail and we'll take off for 4 glorious miles. 4 bone chilling miles, as it is supposed to be 27. (-2.7 C)
It's been cold here y'all! It snowed on Christmas Eve, real snow. First time in recorded history that there is been a measurable amount of snow on Christmas in the Dallas area. First time.

It was a Big Deal.

There is still snow in the shady places in our yard. Or driveway stays in shade so it's still icy. And they are calling for "Winter Weather" again on Tuesday. What is UP with these weather patterns? I'm loving it though. I'll run in the cold any day rather than head out in our summer heat.

Santa was good to me. He must have not been watching too closely this year.

As you can see, he knows I like to run. And apparently, he knows I've got my mind set on a triathlon for 2010. Hubs and I only do "stockings." The idea was to curb the spending. As usual, he did a great job helping S. Claus out. What you can't see in the photo is that Santa signed me up for the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. Do I have the best husband ever or what?

I am very excited. They give out pink medals. Pink. Can you believe that? Made for me, this marathon. I'm sure May 2nd will be here before I know it. My training officially starts this week!

We enjoyed time with both of our families. My parents bought me a bike helmet and my sister got me an apron. I'm easy to please.

Saturday I did very little. No shopping for This Pink Girl. I did manage to run a comb through my hair and put on real clothing to meet Bahama Mama for a movie. We took in The Blind Side. It did not disappoint. I don't see movies in the theater very often. Actually, the last time I sat in a theater, was with Bahama Mama. This one was worth it. Plus, she sent me home with a big slice of chocolate cake. It doesn't get much better than that.

Today I've done very little but read. You see all those books Santa left for me? I've read 3 of them already. Yep. That's the problem with me and reading, if I like a book, I don't put it down until I'm done. I highly recommend Dean Karnaze's Ultramarathon Man, Confessions of an All Night Runner. So inspiring, so well written. Doesn't make me want to start ultras, but did make me miss my running all the more.

I'm gonna go on record as saying, "This break was good for me." I needed some time off. Time to sleep in a bit, time to recover. Time to get excited about running! It was hard for sure. I can't tell you how many times I almost e-mailed the crew to see who was up for an early morning run. I nearly headed out for a few miles on several occassions. But I know that rest is just as important as any training run. More so sometimes. So I kept my promise to myself and stayed put. I'm excited to get back though. 4:30 am can't come soon enough! (actually, it probably will...I do so enjoy my biscuit time!)

It's not you, It's me

So let's take a break, shall we?

I'm taking a break from running. Surprising I know, after my last post about how GREAT I felt returning to racing. (and finally having a good race) Everyone tells me I need to take a break. To give my knee and my hip a chance to heal. To rest. Take a break, a real break, they say.

My friends, my coach, my doctor, my running buddy. "Take a real break."

So I decided to listen and take a real break. I resolve to not run the rest of the year.

Well, except for things like tonight's Christmas Light Social Run at my local running store. Except for things like that. It was only 3 miles after all.

Yeah, I made it 2 whole days without running.

It felt good to be back. Running, I missed you! I'm so sorry, I'll never leave you again!

Oh, except that I've promised to take this break. And to be honest, I'm looking forward to sleeping until 6 each morning. (longer on Saturdays, whee!) This is what I wake up to when I sleep in. Sunshine and fat warm cats.

I probably do need a break. I'll come back refreshed for racing in January.

Tonight after the Social Run, Bahama Mama leans over and questions when we'll run again. I inform her that I'm on a break until January. She recoils in horror, "That long?!?!"

If I remember correctly, she was one of the biggest proponents of the break! "Yes, that long" I affirm. She pleads with me that she'll miss me. "I'll see you on Sunday when you drop off the kids" I remind her. (her kiddos are coming over to bake and decorate Christmas cookies - I'm very excited) We go back and forth.

I give in. We start back up the Monday after Christmas, which btw, is still December and not at all January. She still seems forlorn. I remind her that is only a week and half away.

A break.

Really? I bet we are on that trail by Monday.

And totally unrelated, I'm still a little obsessed with milk right now. It's as if I'm becoming a calf. I can't get enough milk. And I'm still not eating out, and not missing it much. I miss getting out of the building at lunch. I miss not having to go to the grocery store. I miss having a sink empty of dishes. But I don't really miss eating out. So, huh.

Fast Girls Have the Best Times

I like to run fast.

This is something that I forgot over the past few months of marathon training. I focused on paced like it was nobody's business. Don't go out too fast!

All those years of speedwork, seemingly down in the drain in one summer.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday was the 40th running of the Dallas White Rock Marathon. I ran the half with Loose and Bahama Mama. Kat ran the full, her 2nd! The day started off amazing as it was much cooler than anticipated. (yay for wrong weather channel!) My local running store arranged for the Hard Rock Cafe to open early, so we arrived to breakfast, secure bag check by people we knew and best of all, real potties with sinks to wash your hands and everything! It was beyond wonderful. Beyond.

It was foggy and overcast, about 45 degrees. Perfect. We lined up, sang about rockets bursting in air and took off. Oh, there are so many details floating around my head. Like how we saw a couple that got married minutes before the marathon. Or how I ran next for a man dressed as Forrest Gump (complete with beard) and yelled, "Run Forrest, Run!" like an idiot.

I actually did a lot of yelling yesterday. Yelled for people to get our of our way on the Katy trail. "On your left!" Yelled to Bahama Mama to keep going when she glared at me as I kept picking up our pace on the last few miles. (at one point I think she yelled back "8:40!")

I ran the whole race essentially pain free. I felt strong for the first time in months. I pushed it as hard as I could the last 3 miles and wished I had pushed harder the first 10.

I was back.

And it felt good.

We crossed a respectable 2:18. Not a PR, not by a long shot, but that didn't matter. I finished strong, felt good physically and most importantly mentally. I had so many bad races this Fall. I almost forgot what it felt like to end a race breathless and elated instead of in extreme pain and near tears. I loved going fast!

After the half I collected my sign from Hubs who came out to cheer me on (sweet Hubs) and drug Loose out to Mile 24 of the full. Where I parked myself for over an hour cheering on the marathoners. Oh it felt to good to hollar words of encouragement to them. I know what it is like to be so discouraged, so tired, so weary. I know what it is like to hear your name and think, "I CAN do this." So I hollared my head off. Calling out names when I could read them, picking out identifying characteristics when I couldn't. "Go Pink, run like a girl!" "Hey Longhorn, hook 'em, there's an aggie behind you!" It was so much fun and so rewarding when they'd give you a small smile or a little wave. Or better yet, when they'd look you in the eye and start running again. I can't wait to cheer again! But I wasn't out there for purely altruistic reasons. I was there to spot Kat and run her in. I found her, tossed my sign to Loose and declared, "There's my favorite marathoner!" She told me that she really needed me so I jibber jabbered my jaw trying to keep her mind off her hurt. I think I might have a career in last 2 miles of a marathon. They don't hurt at all when you haven't already run 24!

I was so proud to see her finish her 2nd marathon. She's not pleased with her time (I know that feeling) but I'm pleased that she did it. She's a tough one.

Clearly, I only run with the best.

It was good to be back. My quads area little sore from the downhill, but in a good way. In a "I pushed myself" kind of way. And I like that.

I'm back baby! Look out 2010!

It's that Time of Year

When you barely have time to breathe.

'Cause you're so stinkin' busy. But you love every minute of it!

My weekend started out totally awesome as soon as I got off work on Friday. I headed over to the high school to watch Bahama Mama's baby girl's ballet debut.

Oh she was adorable! They all were! Lil' Bit danced and shimmied and smiled and waved. Cutest. Thing. Ever. Seriously, is this not the sweetest little ballerina evah?

Saturday morning I was up before the rooster, per ush. And it was beyond chilly. Brr! We braved to cold for less than the planned 12 miles. Somebody's knee wasn't behaving. I won't say who, but she has a blog and loves pink. Dang. I have a race in a week and my knee starts to gripe now??? We shivered and shook, but it was totally worth it. Look at this view!

Yes, that is ICE! Here's more on my car. Okay, so maybe it's really just frost. I'm entitled to be dramatic. I live in Texas. We don't have cold like this often...certainly not this early in the year. I didn't realize how cold I was until we went inside Panera. Where I couldn't stop shivering! The cashier took pity on me and offered me a cup of hot water to hold. I nearly spilled it on myself I was shivering so hard. Confession. I had a bagel. I ate out. Remember how I'm not eating out in December? Hey, my challenge, my rules. Like I was really going to sit there shivering and hungry, watching them eat breakfast! It was one measly little bagel. I'll live. No other indiscretions though. One week and counting...

Bahama Mama and Kat sitting close to try to warm up.Coveting Loose's toasty hoodie. At least I thought to bring a dry shirt to change into. Brr!Inspired...Hubs and I headed to the outlet malls to find some dress pants for his Christmas party later that night. Because I practically breathe Nike, I had to stop and check out their deals. Walked out with new Navy tights and a wind breaker. I love this pink thing; the sleeves zip off, store in the back and it converts to a vest. My booty was still frozen from my morning run so I had warm layers on the brain!Here I am getting gussied up for the party. I can't exactly take photos of the both of us with my phone. That's the only camera I have right now...so you'll have to stayed tuned for the dressy shots. BTW, I LOVE large velcro rollers. Changed my life.Sunday afternoon we braved the cold rain and headed to the hardware store to pick out our tree. Winner winner chicken dinner!And isn't it a cutie patootie in our house? I just love a big fat tree and I just love this time of year!

My knee has pretty much stopped speaking to me. It's just pouting. I'm keeping it taped, icing like a polar bear and stretching. I've got the half at White Rock on Sunday. I'd loooove to make it through the entire race without achieving tear inducing pain. Is that just a dream???

Off to make a meal plan for my party on Thursday!

Thankful Thursday

Who ordered this cold weather?
Hubs just spoke these words to me. And for Texas, it's pretty dang cold. It's 35 (or 1.6 Canadian.) It's almost as if heck actually DID freeze over. Hmm...I might need to watch out for flying pigs as well. Wait, is that how we get swine flew? Ba dum dum, I couldn't help myself.
Guess what? It snowed yesterday! Real snow! Snowed for about an hour. This picture is awful, but it's all I have.
You'll have to trust me - it's really snowing, not raining! I assure you no work was accomplished in the greater Dallas area as all of us Texas had our noses pressed to the glass, squealing in utter amazement. These things just don't happen here very often. Certainly not in early December. (sometimes in March)
Guess what? It's supposed to snow again tomorrow! Crazy. I'm thankful that God gives US snow. I know that some of y'all get waaaay too much snow. But we get very little and it thrills our little hot hearts. Snow.
I'm looking forward to running in the 28 degrees (-2.2) tomorrow, believe it or not. I'm excited to bundle up and head out to run in the day that is not promised.
I'm thankful for snow.

For Whom the Phone Rings

We have an old fashioned wall phone.

It's black, plastic and rings with a real bell. Usually it is someone taking a survey or wanting me to buy tickets to the circus for less fortunate children.

I love it, that phone.

Every now and then it's actually for me.

Saturday evening the phone rang and it was indeed for me. It was my Pappy. You must first know that my Pappy lives on several acres out in the country. It's all very Texas. Once a working cotton farm, it's now home to Pappy, his cat Tom and a few very lazy old horses that he keeps around for company.

Oh yes, and an Indian sweat lodge.

Doesn't every grandad have a sweat lodge on his property? He'll rent out pasture space for your horses, your cows your goats. Just come and tend to them. It's all just a bit of extra income, plus I think he enjoys seeing the land used for what God intended, to provide. But he also has quite the sense of adventure and humor. So when a few local Native Americans approached him about building a sweat lodge on his property, he naturally jumped at the idea. Everyone in town knows about his sweat lodge. I've admonished him to stay out of the sweat lodge; the heat isn't good for his blood pressure. As far as I know, he abides. He does enjoy walking down to visit with them when they come for their ceremonies. Apparently they enjoy visiting with him too.

So as I was saying, my favorite black plastic phone rings and it's him. He asks if he showed me his newest photo. He hadn't. On his last visit to the sweat lodge, they let him try on an amazing headdress; it's over 100 years old. I can tell this event really tickled him. Naturally, they made his picture. He tells me he only has one copy and he's going to mail it to me.

This arrived in the mail today.

I love this man. What will I do when that black plastic phone doesn't ring for me any more and he's not on the other end?