As Seen on My Run

Saturday morning I had great plans to wake up early and bust out 20 miles.  Apparently, my body had other plans.  I vaguely remember waking up to my alarm, seeing Perry cat move from the foot of the bed, snuggle up on my shoulder as if to say, "Please don't get up yet."  When your cat talks, you have to listen.  Listen I did, waking up nearly two hours later.  Sometimes, a Pink Girl just needs her sleep.  Groggily, I gathered my gear, my long run necessities.  Yes, that's Reindeer Corn.  Christmas Candy Corn, aka, fuel. 

Looking a little cloudy out.  In fact it was utterly gross yesterday.  Warm, humid and windy.  At least it was overcast so the sun wasn't beating down too.  This is what I get for sleeping in! 

 

My first task was to run to the post office to mail a package to my sweet niece.  I always feel a little like Dean Karnazes when I literally run my errands.  Pretty much the only time I feel like Karno.  Bless her little heart, she's having oral surgery to remove some teeth on Monday.  Of course she needs glitter nail polish and decals, right?  Best aunt ever right here. 

Pink roses are my very favorite and I was lucky enough to come across these beauties. I love my neighborhood. 

I read once that joggers bounce up and down at intersections, runners just stand there looking pissed.  Well, yeah, especially if you are at this intersection. The light is forever long and if you notice, the crosswalk is diagonal.  Urgh.  Now, I've heard that some people, never me, some people, if it's early enough, just shoot across like a normal cross walk. But if you sleep this late, and don't want to get run over (and I don't) you stand there forevs and wait for your 5 second opportunity to make it through the longest crosswalk ever.  Talk about speed work!

Eventually I was rewarded with some time at the creek where I played trail runner for a bit.

I know we don't have a gorgeous fall like many of y 'all, but I'll take what I can get, even if that means crawling down into a creek to get it.  Too bad there was so much trash.  :o(

White Rock has a couple big (by our standards) hills, known as the Dolly Partons.  (get it?)   So I sought out the hilliest neighborhoods I could find.  They don't call this part of Texas the Plains Region for nothing; it's f-l-a-t here.  But if you look, you can find a few.  It doesn't look that menacing in this photo but this is my hill repeat hill of choice. And it kicks my booty every time.  10 mailboxes.  It's 10 mailboxes until it flattens out.  I count those 10 mailboxes every time you can be sure!  I ran up and down this hill 4 times yesterday. 

On my way back home I was rewarded with this sight, ducks!  Those are ducks!  They had a little kiddy pool and a dogloo filled with hay.  And like dogs, they came waddling up to the fence eager to quack at me.  So cute!

I was glad to get home and out of the humidity.  You can be sure my hair was HUGE yesterday!  As with every long run, I immediately reached for the chocolate milk. Then I spread a towel out on the carpet and proceeded to get my stretch on while catching up with the Saturday Twitter madness that is the reporting of races and long runs/rides.  Love it!

Honest to blog?  I did not enjoy most of this run.  It was disgusting outside.  I hadn't run long since MCM and I felt every bit of my laziness.  And out of the blue, around mile 13, I had an anxiety attack.  I haven't dealt with those in months and it quite literally knocked me on my tail.  I sat on the side of the road, trying to get my breathing under control just wishing I had someone to call and come get me. I just wanted to be home.  But there is no one to call and I needed to get those miles in.   This marathon won't run itself.  And let's face it, the weather could be just like this on race day.  In fact, chances are better that it will be than it won't.  And I could have a panic attack on the race course. Truth.  So after a few minutes, I picked myself up and slowly started moving again. 

And as I ran by the park on my way home, I witnessed a father  helping his grown son out of the van.  In his motorized wheelchair.  And I was so ashamed for having a bad attitude about the weather and my run. 

I am incredibly blessed.  I have two healthy legs, two healthy lungs, a strong heart and the only thing stopping me is me.  Just the reality check that I needed!  I waved good morning and picked up my pace. 

Thankful for every miserable step!