Waaaahhhh!

First of all, I wasn't completely sure I would get in a LR on Sunday. The hubby really wanted to go fishing on Saturday and somehow managed to not go (I think he just hates getting up early!). He said he was going to go on Sunday, but I had a sneaking suspicion that he would decide to sleep in again.

Good thing I know my dear hubby so well! I quietly set out all my running gear Saturday night and set my alarm clock for 5:45 a.m. Sure enough! When my alarm clock went off, the house was dark and quiet and the hubby was still asleep. I tried to wake him and asked him if he was going fishing. He mumbled something about going later and that I should get in my run. :-) Woohooo! Mostly I was happy...but I do have to admit that a part of me wanted him to be loading his truck with fishing gear so I'd have an excuse to sleep in.

I made it to the park by 6:30, stretched and set out on my run. I was determined to make it to Montrose and back via Allen Parkway. Going out of the park and back long should have made the run close to 10 miles. However, things didn't quite happen as planned. About 1 1/2 miles into my run, I began to feel something familiar...a feeling that I had almost forgotten about...but not quite.

A stinkin' blister.

*&%$#*&

Yep, my brand new Aggie maroon and white shoes were rubbing a blister on the arch of my left foot. I've experienced this before...it was when I was wearing my 3rd or 4th pair of Brook's Ariel. I had been wearing the most recent pair for about 2 months when they decided to start giving me a blister on both arches. The worst part...it was during the 20K! My first 20K, when training for my 1st marathon, at mile 6. Just goes to show that you just never know what can happen on race day. In fact, that was the reason I switched to my Saucony's. I just remember the pain! I remember running the final 9 miles while trying to keep the blisters from rubbing. I was trying to overcompensate for the blisters by shifting my weight to the outsides of my feet, so that area hurt like heck too! Since that day (almost 5 years later), I have carried a blister block pad with me in my fuel belt (thank you for the recommendation Coach Felix!). Unfortunately, I did not wear the fuel belt on Sunday.

So, I tried adjusting my laces, adjusting my socks, etc. to see if it would alleviate some of the rubbing. Nope. Then I ran a little further and then tried to adjust everything again. Then, I just stood there. Me, standing there. At Crestwood and Memorial Dr. Just standing there, trying to decide if I should continue or go back. I continued. I made it all the way to Waugh before I had decided I finally had enough. I turned around feeling mad and defeated. Damn blisters.

But hey, I ran a little further than last week. I still haven't decided what to do about the shoes. I may try switching out the insoles. If anyone has any recommendations, I'd be happy and grateful!

School Daze

Yes, I am in a daze after today's classes. Good news - we have a take home final in my marketing class. Bad news - we have 2 more chapters covered on the stat final. So, 2 new chapters, a project, homework and final exam in stat...ugh!

While I may have missed today's super Strider performance today at the Bayou Bash Relay, I did have running on my mind. In fact, during lunch I headed over to Luke's Locker to pick up some new running shoes. I even managed to have a few of my classmates come along...who knows, maybe they'll catch the running bug too! Much to my suprise, my motion control shoes actually came in a color other than blue and white for the 1st time since I started running!

Yep, they Aggie maroon and white! Okay, so the box says they're plum, but whatever..I think they're close enough to maroon. WHOOP!

Back to the books...

No running last night. The kiddo made it to bed around 9:15, then I had to work on a Marketing assignment. We have to present a commercial to the class on Saturday and analyze it - who is the target audience, what are the overt and covert messages, etc. Here's the one I chose:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJB0CzlzSwY

Maybe I am really just too cynical about Corporate America, but I love that commercial.

Tonight, I will have to REALLY hit the books. It just occurred to me yesterday that I have a final NEXT WEEKEND! Holy crap! Then, our marketing group projects and presentations are due the following week, along with our Stat homework, project and final! Yikes!

That is enough to snap me out of my slacker mode! I may not be doing much running in the next couple of weeks...sigh!

Are we having fun yet?

The day started out rocky, got better and then got worse.

First, it was rainy and gross this morning. As I was running from my car to my office, I managed to drop my mocha light frappuchino...grrrr. After cleaning myself off, the day did get better. I am starting to enjoy the new job and just had a great work day. Then, I had to go the dentist...oh joy!

It was bad. Very bad.

Two words for you.

Endodontist.

Periodontist.

I have been referred to both. Then, I have to go back to my doctor for more work. My dentist pretty much told me that the $1,500 max on my dental insurance was not going to last long. Suddenly, I see the money in our savings account dwindling quickly. Yes people, this is why you DO go to the dentist 2x per year. DO NOT put it off for almost 4 years! There, that's my PSA for the day.

Anyway, I seem to be having the opposite version of slackerdom at the moment. Usually, I am so busy with school stuff that I neglect my running. This week, it's the opposite. I haven't opened my books since Sunday! But, I have run 4 days in a row! I wasn't going to run today. I was going to study and let my shins rest. But, I got on the treadmill just to walk and ended up running. Something about getting bad news from the dentist made me want to blow off some steam. I compromised and walked a "loop" on the treadmill (1/4 mile) and then ran one. The result was 2 miles in about 24 minutes. Not much of a "run", but a run nonetheless.

Run, Run, Run

I actually had a chance to run 2 days in a row! Woohoo!

Yesterday was a super short treadmill run. The kiddo did not want to go to sleep, so it was after 9 pm before I had a chance to hop on the treadmill. It was the perfect excuse to watch the silly girls on The Bachelor get all catty over Andy, the Marine surgeon with the big pecs and big teeth. Trash TV at it's best, um worst, and the perfect distraction from the boring treadmill. :-) I don't know what's worse - the fact that I enjoy watching this crap, the fact that this guy has a fan site, or the fact that I know this guy has a fan site.

Running Stats
Conditions - treadmill
Distance - 2 miles
Run time - 22:06
Pace - 11:03

Today, I was actually prepared! I remembered to bring my running clothes to work and managed to fit in a quick loop around the park before rushing home before the hubby had to leave for work. It was humid as hell!

I started my loop at a pretty good pace...at least it felt like a good pace. I forgot to charge the Garmin, so who knows. I brought my shuffle and it turns out Bad Religion makes for some good running music! I stopped at the water fountain on Memorial and walked just a tiny bit. Near the tennis courts, I ran into June who was finishing up some speed work. I stopped once more for some water at the stretching area and finished my loop. I hope jogging to my car at the pool made up for the extra .1 to make 3 miles. Oh, and both yesterday and today my shins decided to protest. I think it's time for new shoes...at least I hope that's all it is.

Running Stats
Conditions - park, 76 & VERY humid
Distance - 3 miles
Run time - ?
Pace - ?

So that's it...nothing too exciting. I have to be at work by 6:45 am and I have a dentist appointment in the afternoon, so the chances of running tomorrow are slim. By the way, I really don't like going to the dentist. I am a big ol' chicken, so send me some healthy gums and teeth vibes if you don't mind. :-)

I hate running.

Not really.

Sunday, felt like an "I hate running" day. Okay, maybe hate is too strong of a word. How about a "I definitely don't feel like running today" day. Even on Saturday night, I was bargaining with myself about my scheduled 10-miler. After helping my Mom all day on Saturday with a garage sale...and I HATE garage sales...I just wasn't looking forward to getting up early yet again. I desperately wanted to sleep in. Then I remembered...a certain 2-year old would probably not let me sleep past 7 am anyway, so I might as well get my butt up and run. I also was feeling the mommy guilt. Usually, when I don't have school on a Saturday, I spend the entire day with the kiddo. Since I was at the garage sale all day, I hardley saw my kiddo on Saturday. Of course, she was having a blast with her Grandparents and cousins, so I am pretty sure she didn't mind that I wasn't there. :-)

I headed out for my LR on Sunday and made it to the park at 7 am. One thing I noticed was that it was daylight at 6:30 am....note to self: start earlier next week! Honestly, I didn't feel like running. I had already decided that I was going to do 6 instead of 10, and by the time I made it to the park I was seriously considering only doing 3. But, I put on the shuffle and made myself do 6. Two easy loops around the park at a 10:40 pace and I called it a day.

I headed back home and then the kiddo and I were off to playgroup. Afterwards, I had to head to the library to work on my Marketing paper (insert more Mommy guilt here). But, there was family time in the late afternoon and that was great. And, the day ended with house hunting in the 'burbs and dinner at Chuy's (complete with a yummy 'rita).

Friday 4-miler

We had a crawfish boil at work on Friday afternoon. I am not much of a crawfish person (unless it's already shelled), but the event provided me with a great opportunity to get to know some of my new co-workers. Unlike my former employer, this company has frequent social functions...I think I'm gonna like it here. :-) Oh and they provided KFC for those of us who didn't want crawfish. They also provided some adult beverages, but since I was planning to run afterwards, I didn't partake. Well that, and I didn't want everyone to think the new HR lady was a lush. The tequila shots were mighty enticing, but my in-laws were at my house and even if I didn't go for a run, I did not want to have to explain why I was slurring my words. ;-)

While talking to some of my new co-workers, I found out that one of them trained for a half marathon with Houston Fit a few years ago. Funny, because I thought she looked really familiar. Turns out that we both had running clothes with us, so we decided to head over to the park for a loop. It was warm, but still perfect weather for being outdoors. I don't know if it was the KFC or what, but I had a horrible stitch in my side during the entire run! Luckily, my co-worker was a red group 5/1-er too, so she didn't mind my slower pace. I have no idea of our time, because I forgot my watch, but I am pretty sure that it was slower than my previous loops. At the end of our loop, we said our goodbyes and I decided to add on another mile...yay me!

Running Stats
Conditions - 80 degrees, humid
Venue - Memorial Park
Distance - 4 miles
Total run time - ???
Pace - ???

Candles, music, incense and low lighting set the mood............................

For the confirmation ceremony last night. I know what you were thinking, get your mind out of the gutter people. :-)

We attended my nephew's confirmation into the Catholic Church last night. I'm not Catholic, but went through a similar process in the Lutheran Church. Honestly at the time, I was just going through the process for my parents. It was not something I wanted to do. Overall, I am glad I did it - I learned alot of history about the Church and what the Lutheran religion was all about. I have since become a non-practicing Lutheran and have moved on to a non-denominational Church.

I have to admit that this Catholic Church was much different than the one I visited when I spent weeks at a time with my Grandmother. There was music. With a band. Fun music! The Bishop and Priest we actually charismatic and fun. They managed to get in some jokes during the mass. I was pleasantly suprised. Perhaps if the Priests and Pastors of the churches I attended growing up were like this, I would not have stopped going to church all through college and then changed to a completely different religion as an adult. Don't get me wrong, I know Church is not supposed to be one big 'ol party. But, the sullen, somber services I attended throughout my childhood and teen years did nothing for me. Anyway, it was nice to see 70+ teenagers excited to be at church and excited about religion.

Now, if I could just contain my 2-year old during church! She did great, but is not used to 2 hours of church in one sitting.

What does this have to do with running?

Absolutely nothing. I will be at the park this afternoon for 3 miles of fun and will be able to get back to some blogging about running.

The decision...

I decided to head straight to school. However, that just made me realize how much I needed to get done. I should have gone running 1st! I was voted as the person to do our mock radio commercial for our marketing plan...oh joy!

When I made it home, it was nearly 8pm. I got to read with the kiddo for a bit and then put her to bed. 8:39 pm. I realized that I still needed to get stuff together for my Mom's garage sale on Saturday. I finally finished that at 10:40 pm. Ummmm....like I said, I should have gone for my run right after work! But hey, my closet is a bit less crowded after weeding out all the stuff I haven't worn in the past year or two. Not exactly organized, but less crowded. Organizing will have to come later. After finals later.

Tonight there will be no running. My nephew's confirmation is tonight...him and 70 other teenagers! So, I suspect that we will not be home until very late. Grrrr...and if the in-laws spend the night that means that there will be no running in the morning, because the treadmill is in the guest room/office/playroom.

I haven't run since MONDAY people! MONDAY! I am going through withdrawals!

I have decided to not only keep my running clothes in the car, but also keep a towel and shower stuff there too. Since I work so much closer now and my group likes to meet later, I will be prepared!

Decisions, decisions...

Okay, so my Marketing group is not meeting to work on our project until 6:30 or 6:45. Technically, I can get in a run at the park and then head to the campus. However, I did not bring a change of clothes or shower gear for after the run. I do have an extra shirt and some wet wipes with me, but that's it.

Hmmmm...should I run and subject my classmates to a sweaty, stinky me?

Or, should I forego the run, get to the campus early and get some homework/studying done?

By the way, I had lunch with some of my new co-workers today at Beck's at the park. Yum-my! It's a gorgeous day, so naturally that made me want to go for a run even more.

Solemn

Many prayers to the students of Virginia Tech and their families.

????

Is it Monday already?

Saturday, I had classes all day. Good news! I made A's on my Stat homework (100 thankyouverymuch) and project (95). Whoop! And the prof announced that we would only have 1 more project (instead of 2)...so, I just need to make an A on that and my final. Yahoo!

Sunday, I made it to the park around 7am for a "LR". I quote, because my LRs haven't been all that long lately. This time - 8 miles. I missed my LR last weekend due to Easter, the weekend before it was only 6 miles.

I started at the Tennis Center and headed to Memorial Dr. the long way around. Instead of doing loops, I decided to head to Waugh, cross over Waugh and head back to Shepherd via Allen Parkway, then head back to Memorial Dr. to go back to the park. The weather was awesome and for the most part it was a great run. On the way out, I only took walk breaks at the water fountains. On the way back, I took a 1 minute walk break every 9-10 minutes. I could definitely tell that I hadn't been running as much as I should during the week. My pace was 10:43.

Today, my group meeting for school was cancelled, so I headed for the park! It seemed like everyone wanted to enjoy the awesome weather, because I saw several familiar faces. First, I saw Coach Abbie from HoustonFit (who also ran Seabrook) in the dressing room. We talked about Boston with some other folks. Next, I ran into friend and former co-worker, Roberta. Finally, just as I started my loop, I saw June. I forgot my watch today, so I have no idea of my time. I felt like I was keeping a pretty good pace, but who knows? The weather was great and the loop felt great..what more does one need? :-)

In other news, the new job is going pretty well. I feel better after meeting with my boss today and discussing some of the projects that will be on my plate. Finally, I feel like I have something to do!

Congrats again to everyone who ran Boston today...you rock!

The Race is On!

The Boston marathon is underway! It's 9:06 here, which means the race in Hopkinton is on. The weather doesn't look good at all - rain and "blustery" winds according to the BAA website.

Good luck to everyone running!

ETA: Next year, I am using a floating holiday for Patriot's Day...I'd much rather be watching the coverage from my couch! ;-)

GOOD LUCK!

Before I get busy with school this weekend and forget.........

GOOD LUCK to everyone traveling to Boston (well, Hopkinton) this weekend for Monday's marathon. Steve and Barbara, that means you...and of course to any fellow Striders and Houston Fitters that might be going too!

I'll be thinking of ya'll and sending lots of good weather and strong leg vibes on Monday.

Godspeed!

Rainy Daze

It's Friday the 13th and really dreary outside. Luckily, I'm not superstitious at all.

Well, what's new? Wednesday was my last day in my old job and Thursday I began the new one. The jury is still out...the office is nice, it's close to home and everyone here is nice. However, I'm still not so sure I am cut out to be the boss. Calling all the shots makes me a tad bit nervous. Call me unambitious, but I've never wanted to be the boss. I'll give it some time and see how it goes....

I did get in a run yesterday at the park. I suppose that's a big perk to the new job...it's less than 10 minutes from the park! The weather was beautiful - sunny, 80 degrees and low humidity. A bit on the warm side for me, but still nice. For some reason, after my 1st mile I just felt really flat. I just couldn't seem to maintain that faster pace. I had a pain in my side for 1/2 the loop. Usually, I can change my breathing a bit and it subsides. Not this time. I would slow down, change my breathing and it would go away...but, the minute I started picking up the pace again, it would come back. So, I walked. A lot. But rather than beat myself up about it, I was just happy to be outside again and running. Even with all the walking, I managed to maintain a 10:39 pace. Not too shabby considering a few months ago, that would have been my pace with mostly running.

Tomorrow, I have classes. All day. I have a presentation in Marketing and we'll get our homework and project back in Stat. Wish me luck!

Audience Participation

Okay Houstonians...I need some audience participation please!

Remember this???

Most of you have seen the preview for the movie Land of the Gods: The Legend of the Marathon, which is now going to be titled Spirit of the Marathon. Well, I don't know about you, but I am stick of seeing the preview and ready for the darn thing to be released in a theatre near me!!!

Here's our chance to not only have it released in theatres here, but to have a special screening right here in H-town, complete with some of the stars of the film in attendance. All we have to do is send an e-mail to the producers of the film telling them which city we're in. The city with the most responses will earn the special screening. For more info, click here.

Send your e-mails to info@marathonmovie.com. The winner will be announced on September 1.

Thanks in advance!

Monday Monday

Yep, it was Monday alright. I arrive at work early, check my hotmail and I have an e-mail from someone in my marketing group who wants to meet up tonight to work on our project. Luckily, it's the hubby's night off and I can make it. I was planning to go for a run after work, but oh well!

I made it home in time to hang out with the kiddo before bedtime. We colored for a bit using the new colors that were in her Easter basket. After she fell asleep, I hopped on the treadmill for a quick run. It gave me an excuse to watch a little bit of The Bachelor. Why is it that the girls from the Houston area are so annoying? The chick from The Woodlands refused to get her hair wet during a swim competition - give me a break! The Bachelor is a Marine and a triathlete...do you think he would be impressed by a prissy girl who refuses to get her hair wet??? Luckily, the girl from Sugarland kicked butt in the competition. So, 25 minutes on the dreadmill @ an 11-minute pace...2.18 miles. That's all there was time for. I had to hop on the computer to work on some stuff for work. Two more days at my current job...yikes, I am getting nervous about the new job!

Easter Bun Run 5k

This post is a bit late, but better late than never I suppose.

I went to pick up my packet on Friday at Tri on the Run and realized that I left my checkbook at home. Of course, I had no cash on me...I am a debit card girl all the way. So, I walked to a nearby gas station to use the atm. I had the kiddo with me and she started crying, because she really wanted to check out the jog stroller. Kids are funny! When I returned with my money, the folks at packet pick-up told me that they don't have t-shirts with them. Darn, that's the reason I run 5k races...to add more shirts to my collection! No worries, they said they would have them next weekend. By the time we left, the kiddo had completely forgotten about the jog stroller.

Saturday morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn and could hear the wind howling outside. After making a few wrong turns, I made it to the Fonde Recreation Center at approximately 7:25 am. The temp was a perfect 50 degrees, but the wind was still howling. I picked up my chip and headed to the porta-potties. Dang, no tp! As I was getting ready to head back to my car to stay warm, someone came by and said that tp would be there shortly. I hung out in my car until about 6:45 and then headed back to the porta-cans. Sure enough, there was tp! I managed to stretch a little before the announcer announced that the race would be starting in 5 minutes and that we should make our way to the start. As I looked around, I noticed that there aren't many runners. The ones that are there look like pretty serious runners and I begin to worry that I may come in last! That's never a good feeling, but I figure there has to be a walker or two in the crowd, which makes me feel a little better. Before I make it to the start, I see Steve who tells me June is there. It's always good to see familiar faces at a race, so I am happy to see June!

When we started the race and the wind was non-existent. I went into this race not expecting to PR, but just wanting to maintain a 10 minute pace. My goal finish time was 31 minutes. I knew I had startd out a bit too fast (for me), because I felt winded right away and had to tell myself to slow it down a bit. I checked the Garmin, which told me my pace was 8 something. I managed to maintain about a 9:30 pace for the 1st mile and was stoked. I made it to the turnaround and I immediately got hit with a lovely headwind. The headwind subsided a bit, but hit again right as I started to get close to the "hill". The "hill" is not really a hill, but a gentle incline. However, with the wind it felt like more of a hill. The next mile was a bit slower, but since I forgot to hit my lap button I'm not exactly sure of the time. I just knew that I was going faster than my goal pace...and I didn't feel tired at all! The next thing I knew is that I can see the finish and the clock. The clock said 28 something. For a split second, I thought that I just might be able to PR. However, the thought was just for a split second, because I realized that I was too far out to make it. But, I was definitely going to crush my 31 minute goal. My ending time was 30:15! No PR, but overall, I am really pleased. That is my fastest 5K time since before I was pregnant - over 2 years.

My PR occurred in February 2002 right after I completed my 1st 1/2 marathon. It was the Heart of the Park 5k, which I don't even think exists anymore. I just remember it was a perfect weather day - about 40 degrees and no wind. My time was 29:50....a time in which I have not come close to since. In fact, I was beginning to think either 1) the course was short or 2) I was never going to PR again. Running this race in 30:15 gives me some hope that I am capable of PRing. Of course, the weather plays a huge part in this as well. I don't know if I would run as fast if it was 20 degrees warmer. I guess we'll see...the temps will probably be at least 20 degrees warmer in the next race.

Anyway, after chatting with June, Steve and Lisa for a few minutes after the race, I headed home. The post race party and drawings weren't starting until 9 am and it was too cold to hang out. Overall, I really enjoyed the race. I loved that the course was nice and flat (unlike the 5Ks on Allen Parkway) and out and back. Maybe next year I'll be even faster and coming in last won't even cross my mind. :-)

Woohoo!

I just found out that our Quantitative Methods (a.k.a. stat) mid-term grades are posted. I made an A!!!

I am doing the happy dance right now!

Of course, I don't want to get over confident. We still have more homework, two projects and a cumulative final remaining. I made the same grade on my 1st Accounting test last semester, got all cocky and then did terribly on the 2nd test. Of course, that has a lot to do with the fact that I was in Chicago for the marathon the week of the test. I won't be doing that again!

Finally!

I got in a run today! Yay!

I stayed up until almost midnight reviewing resumes, so an early AM run was not going to happen. After work, I met up with my group at school to work on our marketing project. As I walked through the campus to the library, I noticed the nice, cool weather. Perfect running weather. Too bad I had classwork to do! I made it home around 7:30, which I hate! I left for work early this morning before the kiddo was awake and she normally goes to bed at 8:00, so it doesn't leave much time with her. Not to mention that the hubby also leaves for work at 8:00, so there's little time with him as well. It's days like this when I question why I am going to school. Luckily, school will be over in a little over a year. Until then, I guess I will just need to make the most of the time I do have with the family.

I was thrilled to have time for a run tonight on the treadmill! As much as I can't stand the treadmill, I was just happy to get in a run at all. And, it gave me an excuse to catch some of LOST. :-) I managed to get in 3 miles in a little less than 33 minutes...not bad for me and the treadmill.

I am starting to freak out a bit about my last day at work being less than a week away. There's so much I need to do to get everything in order before I go! And, because I am spending a large part of my day training the new HR Assistant, it seems like I can't get any of the things on my to do list done. Yikes! This is the 1st time I've ever had a holiday stress me out. Not that I want to work on Friday, but I definitely could use the extra time to get caught up. Dumb, I know.

I really am looking forward to the 3 day weekend though. More time with the family is always a good thing!

Fun

Well, it's 10:22 pm and I just finished doing some research for a marketing case study. Now, I am reviewing applicants for my replacement and taking a quick break to blog. These activities have kept me from my evening treadmill run. Well, that and the kiddo's refusal to go right to sleep.

The plan is to get up as soon as the hubby gets home from work and get in a 3-miler. I'm crossing my fingers that he gets home in time.

In other news, I managed to gain back 2 lbs in the past week. No suprise there, since I ate like a pig last week and had several night time glasses of wine. Oh, and there was that happy hour on Friday too. Sigh. I've lost my motivation in this area...again.

Also, in case you saw the Seabrook pics I posted links to last week, I am wearing my glasses. A lot. I hate my glasses, but apparently my eyes have decided to develop an allergy to either my contacts, my solution or something in the air. Since I've been using the prescribed eye drops and changed my contact solution and still can't wear my contacts, I am thinking that Lasik may be in my near future. I was planning to take the plunge next year when I planned for it with my flex spending account...oh well! I refuse to wear my glasses on a daily basis!

On a happier note, we have a 3 day weekend this week! I've decided to head to Tri on the Run on Friday to register for the Easter Bun Run. With my lack of running for the past few weeks, I don't foresee a PR, but I will run as fast as I possibly can. I figure since my school schedule usually conflicts with all the 5ks, I better make the most of the ones I do get to run!

Finally, I have to give kudos to a couple of amazing folks....

Congrats to Sarah who completed her 1st half-ironman on Sunday!!! Read her race report - it's awesome!

And congrats to fellow Houston Fitter, Kay, who finished her 1st sprint triathlon on Saturday! The weather was gruesome, but she persevered and did a great job!

You ladies ROCK!!!

Weekend

Where the hell does it go? One minute, it's 5 pm on Friday and the next minute the alarm clock is going off at 5 am on Monday! And, someone please tell me why my darling daughter will sleep until 8 am Monday - Friday, but only until 6 am on Saturdays and Sundays??? Anyone?

First, let me say that I did run 2x last week. Tuesday, I managed 3 miles on the treadmill. Wendesday, I headed to the park for a quick loop...my goal was to run the entire loop at a 10 minute/mile pace. And I did! Sort of - I did stop my watch for a few seconds to say hello to a friend who was walking part of the loop. My watch captured 2.85 miles @ a 9:58 pace. For the 1st time, I actually tried running with my cute, new ipod shuffle and it seemed to have helped. I found that Concrete Blond = faster pace! So anyway, I proved to myself that I am capable of running faster. And I have June to thank for that. In one of her posts last week, she mentioned that to run faster, you have to train harder. That's something that I already knew, but sometimes it helps to have someone spell it out. Kwim? Of course, I was breathing hard at the end and I did feel like I wanted to puke...but only for a second. ;-) I did the loop at that pace doing 5/1s. And, I am beginning to think that it would be easier to maintain that pace running straight through rather than walking for a minute and then trying to run faster to make up the time.

After work on Friday, I went to a happy hour at a little place that I like to call heaven. Okay, so it's not really heaven, but the margarita's are heavenly. This was my 1st happy hour in who knows how long. My original plan was to go to happy hour and not indulge at all, so I could do a quick loop at Memorial on the way home. By the time 5pm on Friday finally arrived, I was ready for margarita's! After the drama of giving notice at work (long story) and going through our audit, I really was ready for a margarita...or two. or few. :-) It was so much fun seeing all my friends from my former job (as in not the one I'm about to leave, but the one before that...confusing?)

Saturday, the hubby, kiddo and I planned to attend the company picnic for the company where I will soon be working. My future boss thought it would be a good idea, so I could start meeting some of the folks I would be working with. I agreed. Although I knew it would be a tad bit awkward, I figured it would be good to start putting the names with the faces...and see if everyone was nice...after all, I would still have time to change my mind and not work there if it didn't go well. :-) Everyone was great, so there were no worries there. We weren't sure if there would even be a picnic with all that crazy wind and rain. Fortunately, the picnic was being held west of Houston and the rain passed through much earlier and gave way to sunshine and gorgeous weather.

Sunday, I headed to the park for a "long" run. I originally intended to get there right at 7 am and run to Waugh and back. However, the kiddo was experiencing a bit of separation anxiety when I was leaving, so I stayed longer to make her muffins and watch a bit of Go Baby! with her. As soon as I started my run, my Garmin gave me the "low battery" message. So, I had no idea of my pace or exact mileage. Since I arrived late and had no idea of the time, I ended up running the longer leg of the park loop, down Memorial to Shepherd, turning right and then turning around at Kirby. My total mileage was only around 6.5 miles. I know I ran the 1st and 2nd miles straight through and then tried to only walk when I arrived at the water fountains or large puddles of water. After my run, I sat and chatted with June for a few minutes before heading home. I made it home just in time to shower and get the kiddo to playgroup right on time.

Sunday afternoon, the hubby and I took the kiddo to the Children's Festival downtown. It was pretty packed, which we assumed was because of the bad weather the day before. Our goal for the day - see the "Dance with Dora" segment on the Time Warner stage. So, we get there about a 1/2 hour early to stake out prime seating directly in front of the stage. About 10 minutes before the show started, parents start pushing their kids up to the front and all of a sudden there are a dozen or so kids in front of us. It only got worse! About 5 minutes before the show started, there were more pushy parents with their kids trying to get up to the front. It was crazy!!! Jeeze, parents teaching their kids to be rude and pushy. Or are they just teaching them to be uper aggressive? I don't know. All I know is that when Dora came out, and they asked for volunteers on the stage, I couldn't believe the pushing! For a moment, I was having flashbacks to my college days of mosh pits at punk rock shows at Numbers! I was halfway expecting to see someone crowd surf or stage dive! I placed the kiddo on my shoulders so she could see Dora and just tried to stay out of harms way. Luckily, she's not really old enough to care that much...she was just happy to see Dora and wave and clap to the music. What stank more than anything is that Dora danced to one stinkin' song! Oh well, like I said, the kiddo enjoyed it and that's all that matters. After the Dora fiasco, we enjoyed just walking around to the different activities, having lemonade and being outdoors.