Why I love my job

Yesterday afternoon I had a student cancel on me, so I took the opportunity to throw on my running attire and hit the s'walk (I just made that up. It is slang for sidewalk) for 6.4 miles. Same route as Saturday.

I like this part because it is scenic, shady and just past the half way mark. 

They were therapy miles. Another hour to run through some emotions. I will tell you this, I do not have many more afternoon miles left this year. Chamber of commerce day. Beautiful but a little too humid for my liking.

77 is hot, yo.

Got through in less than an hour. Woop!

It should be 6.4 but it took forever to locate those damn satellites.

Some people may call them junk miles, but I really hate that term. Sometimes we need to run for reasons other than working towards a pr. I forgot about that, but believe me when I say that I am embracing that theory right now.

It's not junk. It's therapy.

The head clearer

Saturday I decided I needed a run that wasn't about time, speed, or distance. It was about clearing some thoughts from my head. Cute in theory. Ugly in practice.

Sunrise at end of run. 

The problem is, when I'm running and thinking, I become super emotional. I have cried, strike that, sobbed during runs when my mind has been allowed to wander. I tell myself that allowing these thoughts during my run will eliminate them when I am finished. Unfortunately, I end up coming up with super aggressive statements that are so right on and witty that I have no choice but to say them to the person they are intended.

That usually does not work out in my best interest.

Regardless, it felt good to just run. I was able to work on some raw feelings that needed some attention.

9:12 pace for a run that I didn't care about pace and never looked at my watch. That made me happy.

After the run, I met up with my sister for a little bikram action. She has become addicted to super sweaty yoga. I hoped it would be pretty zen for me as we'll, but the room was crowded and the man in front of me had some very tiny shorts. I saw a lot of junk. That made it hard to concentrate.

Anyway, I'm going to focus on running for therapy as opposed to fitness. I'm too old and fat to be anything other than a mediocre recreational runner. Accept it. Run on.

Evidence of fat...I love these Oiselle shorts, which I didn't have nasty muffin top hanging out of it.
WHY DO I EVEN CARE?!?

Today I ate my feelings

You know when you have to tell someone something that isn't bad news, but you know they will take it that way? And you think, "I'm being ridiculous, this is good news. Of course they will be happy!"

And then you work up the nerve to have the conversation. And you're first instinct was correct. They were not positive or supportive in the least. So you start to doubt yourself. Then you say "no. I am actually doing a GOOD thing."

But you are still saddened by the lack of support. So you eat your feelings. And since it is pi day, that is what you have.

It was blueberry. It was delicious. 

You know that nightmare when...

you go to class and realize you haven't studied for the right test? Well that happened to me today, and it was not a dream.  And replace test with job interview.

I woke up this morning determined to get a run in.  I ate something that upset my constitution this weekend (an entire bag of salt and vinegar chips could be to blame...or the champagne and red wine and dozen chocolate chip cookies...I can't be certain). Running Monday was out of the question and I deemed running further than 30 feet from my bathroom today too risky.

Treadmill FTW (are we still saying that?)!!! Tempo style. Walking Dead companions. I went with the same run as last Monday...but only made it 4.5 miles and my tempo was a touch slower. The good news: I didn't have to add sprints to the bathroom.

Ummm....a moment of clarity there, Andrea? Like maybe you should have knifed the Governor in the jugular when you had the chance?

Since I pussed out on a half mile of my run, I decided to do some stretching and arms.

I was super tight, I could barely touch my toes.

I did a routine I found on Pinterest that promised some sexy arms.  It included biceps, rows, shoulder raises and upright rows. 15 lb dumb bells, 3 rounds of 10. I watched Teen Mom 2 while I got swole (how bout that? Do we say that still?).

Jenelle's off probation! Does she go see her kid. Hells no...she tokes it up with her boyfriend. 

I made a salad today.  It was delicious.  I used this perfect chicken recipe for my chicken and I will never make chicken another way again (I will buy it in strips and fried or chipotle style in a burrito, but I won't make it any other way).

Hearts of Romaine, strawberries, cucumbers, perfect chicken, balsamic vinaigrette.

Then I had an interview at a college for an adjunct professor at a local university.  I thought I would be teaching teachers how to teach kids to read. No. The position is for developmental reading for freshman who scored low on the reading portion of the SAT. I was prepared to discuss the former, not the latter.  Interviewer #1 was not impressed. The dean thought I was great (I love your enthusiasm, he said). So its a toss up as to whether I will get the position.

They reserved a parking spot for me.  I think interviewer #1 promptly threw that away, but the dean fished it out of the trash can and put it in his rolodex (is that still a thing?)

Run, Spectate, Run

The largest 15k in the country is held in my city the second Saturday of March.  Everybody who runs runs the Gate River Run.  Except for me.  I ran it for 5 years, and the third year (my PR), I discovered something.  Finishers in the Top 10% receive hats at the finish line, a badge of honor, allowing you to scream "I'm kind of fast" every time you wear it.  I've earned three, and they are the reason I haven't participated in the race the past two years.

Two of the three reasons I can't run the River Run until I get back to my faster times.

I cannot bring myself to run in this race and not get a hat, so I just haven't run it the past couple of years. I was really interested in spectating this year though.  I decided I would get my run in by parking at a friend's house that is 3.5 miles from the course, running to Starbucks, getting a latte and place to observe the action, then running back.

Umm...can someone say manicure?

I stood at touch past the 4 mile mark.  I ran 3.5 miles to Starbucks and walked about half mile or so to find the perfect vantage point for spotting my friends in the race.

This part of the course is gorgeous.  There was a guy taking pictures behind that big tree. He scared me and made me self conscious.

I walked past a water stop with my coffee in hand and had two of the people jokingly go to hand me a cup of water. Hardy har har.

The houses on this road are right on the river and BEAUTIFUL. I want them.

The elite women in this race start about 6 minutes before the men/rest of the runners.  It is an "equalizer." They award extra prize money to the overall winner, the equalizer gives a woman a chance to grab that cash.

The first two women.  I could have sworn this is how I look when I run, but I guess I'm wrong.

The men rounding the corner a couple of minutes later.  They looked sweaty.  It was interesting to see all the different gates, outfits, foot strikes, etc.

I couldn't spend a lot of time aiming because they were so fast...hence my finger in the shot.

I saw my friend's husband because he is really fast and wasn't too far behind these guys.  The rest of my friends all saw me and came up to me.  There are sooo many people (20,000-ish) that it felt impossible to find individuals.  And it made me tired just looking.

After high fiving the final friend, I started the run back to my car.  I was trying for a sub 9 minute overall pace because that's what I'd like to run the half marathon I'm signed up for in April.  Dude, it was hard.  And that worries me.  I think I need to get some outdoor miles in.  I go too slow on the treadmill. So, this week, I plan to run outside Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday; treadmill Thursday and Saturday.

When all was said and done, 7 miles in an hour two.  Broke down to about 8:51 pace.

PB&J smoothie and a run with my friends from down under

Thursday is sprinting day.  I freaking hate sprinting day.  Seriously, I would rather run a marathon than make my self go fast for 6 minutes and slow-ish for 20. Maybe its because I don't like pain? Or I'm a wimp? Anyway, I allow myself to watch Home & Away, my favorite Aussie soap opera, while sprinting.

This is Roo, she is pissed at her husband because he called the cops on the two runaways they have been helping.  She used to be a runaway, he's lost a child.  Big time drama.

So that was 3 miles as 3 minutes at 5.9 followed by one minute at 9.0.  Did the last sprint at 9.5.  Finished in 26:40.  I want to get better and better so I can finish faster and have to do maybe one less sprint. I don't know if that makes me lazy or motivated?

I have this great smoothie recipe that I'm sure you've never seen on Pinterest or other health blogs.  A green monsterrrr smoothie! This one is PB&J style.  My friend Johanna tweaked the recipe I had been using by adding strawberries.  I was disgusted.  Then she said it was like a PB&J.  And she was right! I never liked the bananas anyway (the chunks that I couldn't get all the way blended totally grossed me out).  So I now sub them for frozen berries.

Spinach, peanut butter, vanilla greek yogurt, berries and milk (not pictured)

I do not use precise measurements.  Therefor I never know exactly how it will taste.  Here's what I do: I fill up the magic bullet cup with spinach and some milk, then blend.  If it is too full, I dump some out.  If it is not full enough, I add a little more milk.  Then I plop in some berries, a big scoop of yogurt, rinse the spoon and add a HEAPING spoonful of peanut butter (cause its so good). Blend 'er up.

Deliciousness disguised as baby poo.

Then I drink her down.  I have this at least four times a week.  Sneaking in those veggies.  You know how people say the don't like veggies? Well, I mean it.  I never even had a salad until I was in my twenties. So appreciate any sneaky veggie action. Enjoy!

Dance, run, hurdle

My daughter has dance on Tuesdays and I just cannot sit in the little waiting room on the hard wooden benches and listen to other moms (who aren't already my friends) talk for an hour.  So, I thankfully, discovered a 2.5 mile loop of running beauty that I complete twice while my little ballerina is pirouetting her bun off.

Pretty trees, path makes me feel like I am on a trail but then a car comes and I remember I am not.

I usually try to really push it on these runs, super tempo for the entire 5 miles.  But I forgot my watch, so I told myself I could have a relaxing run.  I put Mumford and Sons Station on Pandora.  There were some slower songs, but it was actually really fun to run to.

I was trying to catch the beauty of the azaleas, but I guess I was running too fast.

BTDub, my brother in law said that Pandora is only going to let you listen for four hours a month from now on. Has anyone heard this? I couldn't find it on google (but I didn't try very hard).

So anyway, I'm on my leisurely run last night and then I had to do hurdles! Twice because I do the loop twice! I think I was disproportionally upset by this, since it was like a tiny hop. But still! I pay taxes to run this sidewalk! (Hahahaha, I love when people say that).

I immediately reported this to the city. I suspect they will immediately put it on their list of things to do...

When all was said and done, I ran five miles in roughly 44 minutes.  I subtracted a little time for lights and stopping to take this picture...and having to hurdle this sign (totally broke my gate).