Just Plodding Along

Happy Friday!! Some of my favorites from this week. I love that this bloodhound went out to pee and found herself coming in seventh place in a half marathon.  This women who is shaming male hypocrites on twitter . Hi pot, meet kettle. Chelsea Handler's new documentaries on Netflix Chelsea Does. There are four altogether, all about an hour long. One on drugs, one on marriage, one on technology and one on racism. The technology and racism episodes were particularly well done I thought, though they are all good. It helps if you like her sense of comedy and straight forward approach to things.  Always nice to be validated by children This candy....get some. It is amazing Travel books. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is one my all time favorites (thanks to the recommendation of travel writer Doug Mack whose awesome book can be found here ) so I finally got smart and decided to read some of his other travel books. Also found one on long term ...

First things first: D update. The MRI has shown that he has cervical disc disease, this is causing pressure on his spine/ nerves and this is what is causing the numbness in his body. No MS or other neurological disease appears to be present. Yay for that. Boo for neck discs that don't play nice. Now we just need to figure out the best course of action to relieve the symptoms. Now back to our regularly scheduled discussion about running. What is it about trail running? I am not overly good at it.  I am slow. I am clumsy. I fall about 50 percent of the time. I have had to have a stick piece removed from my hand after a particularly graceful swan dive into the ground. New Mexico Dirt in the mouth Bruised toes Sore ankles Cuts and bruises Cactus needles Rattlesnakes  Dehydration Utter exhaustion Georgia All of these things are things that I have experienced as a direct result of being out on...

Monday: 1 mile plus body weight torture exercise Tuesday:  one hour of Pilates plus 5.5 miles Wednesday:  1 mile plus kettle bell and bosu workout Thursday:  3.5 trail miles (cut a bit short due to an unexpected appointment, had planned for 6 or more but this is what happens when you lounge around in bed for half the morning, things come up.) Friday: 1 mile with more planned for the afternoon since we had to be at the hospital early for D's MRI....but yeahhhhh that didn't happen. Saturday: 2 miles with Max the wonder dog and then the best lady date day ever! Brunch with some of my favorite running ladies. Awesome food. Then pedicures at Nail Bar where you can drink and get your nails done. Genius. Favorite running ladies Short rib hash for the win The Nail Bar Mimosa with a side of pedicure. Yes please Runners....we are always in need of someone to deal with our feet.  Sunday: 1 mile. 20 miles were on the schedule but I got t...

Update on Neurology:  So the same day I put on my blog that I was being slowly driven insane by the neurology department D was finally able to get an appointment on this coming Monday....so that was kinda weird. Apparently I had to just put my crazy out into the universe..... and boom. Whatever works. Some favorites from this week: For anyone into Making A Murderer, Making a Murderer Hairstyles is for you! My most favorite song right now. It is just so catchy and happy. I may have EOG-(Early Onset Grumpiness) These dogs are best friends  and I love it The last loooonnnngggg run for marathon training is Sunday! I am coming for you 20 miles. Until then eat all the carbs and rest all the feet. 

For new readers or those unfamiliar with what has been going on off the running front check out this post. There is a high level of annoyance and stress going on in this household. I think it is mostly from me. I don’t know. D does better with the cool and calm when it comes to the bureaucracy of health care. I lie more in the realm of irate and irrational. If you would, please picture the most annoyed you have ever felt or would feel. For men (from what I have been told) I imagine this would be like a tiny hammer knocking non-stop into your balls without end. For women maybe more of that feeling when there is a full on toddler melt down going on at the grocery store, your own child, or someone else’s. No make it at Target. When you are just there to enjoy the day and spend your money on frivolous items and boom toddler, full on full body meltdown in your favorite isle. And then again ahead of you at check-out.  That level of annoyance is what has been going on with me when I ...

Monday: 1 mile and some rolling and stretching. Tuesday: 45 minutes of Pilates and 6.5 miles of running Wednesday: 1 mile and then a weight workout with kettle bell, bosu, and a medicine ball. Left me sore for days. Body weight workouts are no joke Thursday: 4 miles around the hood but felt sluggish and irritable so called it good enough Friday: 4.5 miles. Set off in the hood once again and got about 3 miles in and my knee made a weird pop and felt funny so I headed home. Iced it and it seemed fine. I don't know what that was about. Saturday: Wore a knee brace and headed off on the trails for 8 fun, fast and pain free miles with my trail group. Sunday: Wore a knee brace again because that seems to make everything better and did 12 miles up and down Scenic Drive with my training group.  I never really get tired of the views from Scenic drive. This run trashes the quads but it is worth it. Total miles: 37.5 Cross training:  Not great Days until marathon: ...

Monday: Woke up tired from 20 miles the day before. Did a mile and then rolled out and stretched out. The end. Tuesday: 3 rainy miles in the morning and 20 minutes of yoga in the morning. 5 miles in the rain with my group in the evening. Wednesday: Pouring rain outside so hit the treadmill for 1.25 miles and was over it. Did a kettlebell and balance workout. Thursday:  Did an easy two miles and some core work. Friday: Ran 3 miles outside and then it started hailing on me so headed inside for 3 more. Saturday: 2.5 miles Sunday: 16 miles. Long run for the win. Total: 36.75 miles It is amazing how motivating this poster is. I decided that I have to move at least a mile a day to cross off the day and so far it has gotten me moving even when I want to lay around and not move. Fingers crossed it keeps working!

In 2015 I had a few goals in mind for running: Sub 2 hour half Sub 4:28 full Run 2015 miles during the year...... I achieved exactly none of these goals. Whoops. I got a bit slower at running, was plagued by injuries, had to cut back on the mileage and yet I still had so much fun when it comes to running.  I got to travel to some awesome places to run and crossed off several of my bucket list marathons off the list.  I had the opportunity to coach and befriend so many amazing and fun runners. Even when I was injured or having to cut back on my own running they kept me motivated and excited about it.  I got to go to The Running Event which is basically Disneyland for runners with some really great people where I became best friends with all the elites. Okay maybe not best friends...but I got to meet several amazing elite level runners who inspired me with their love of the sport.  So the fact that I didn't PR at all this year doesn't...

This past week I ran a lot of miles. Yesterday was the longest run I have done where a marathon wasn't involved. At the end I really felt I deserved a medal or at least a t-shirt. But we were celebrating the lovely Karen's birthday so mimosas instead. Photo credit: Karen That is not a bad way to end the run and now kinda think all long runs should end with a parking lot party!    This morning was rough. I have been up for half an hour and am already like This week in training: Monday: Ran 6 miles and lifted weights Tuesday: 4.5 miles in the AM with a side of pilates and 5 miles in the PM. Wednesday: Ran 3 and lifted weights Thursday: 8 miles through the neighborhood and some yoga Not bad 2015. Thanks for the adventures! Friday: 5.75 trail miles and some more yoga to celebrate the new year followed by pancakes and so many ours of binge watching Netflix shows. HAPPY NEW YEAR. Saturday: 3 miles on the 'mill Sunday: Long run fun. 20 miles Total Miles...