16 May 2011

I run......really I do

Ok after a post earlier this spring bemoaning my lack of mileage I'm finally starting to get my numbers back into a somewhat more respectable range.  I've actually had 3 weeks of 20 plus miles thanks in large part to Brenda and Cindy (thanks ladies!!!).  Don't laugh, lol--I'm trying to build back up without injury and burnout.

2 out of 4 ain't bad, right?  I used to ride my bicycle......

2 weeks ago I was able to find a parking spot at the Sulphur Springs, TX Pilot and run a route I hadn't in a while.  Started out very humid and muggy but I could see a storm brewing just to the northwest of me, I've never wished it would hurry up and rain so much as that day. Last 1.5 miles I got my wish of rain, the last .5 was a deluge......maybe I should watch what I wish for eh?

 This guy (or girl?) was in the middle of the road, I stopped to help it across after I took pics of course

Part of the Sulphur Springs route I ran, this was taken where I helped the turtle out

Our weather has been so crazy......it's bouncing between hot as hades or downright cold, I'm good with shorts down to freezing temps usually but like to have gloves and long sleeves for anything below 50F.  However I'm pretty sure that most days from here on out are going to be HAWT & HUMID.......ugh.

My DIY sleeves made from a pair of Target socks, I think they're cute and certainly cheaper than buying readymade sleeves

Weekend before this last one I got in my first double digit run since the half marathon in Malta at the end of February. Can't believe it has been that long already.  Ran around the lake nearby with Brenda, Cindy and their pups.  Think it was just under 11 miles, felt great afterwards but I did need a nap because I'd just come off the 9 days straight working I'd mentioned in last post.  So needed that run and to spend time with friends to decompress.

Treating myself to an apple fritter and coffee from Shipley's Donuts after a long run

Last Tuesday I ran one of my absolute most favorite routes at Hurricane Mills, TN....Barren Hollow Road, there's 1.2 miles of smooth asphalt then it turns into a hilly dirt road.  Love it because once you get back on the asphalt you feel like you're flying!!!  It was "interesting" that day because I got chased by an obnoxious little dog (twice), had to cop a squat in the woods and saw a dead rattlesnake.....Yeah, the rattler sighting was after the side trip into the woods, yikes.  It was a memorable morning, made for good tweets and facebook posts, lol.

So I talked about it being cold and then hot, then back again.........the worst humid run so far at home this year was this past week (I had one at Laredo that was hotter but not near as muggy).  I had to leave my truck overnight at the shop for them to work on the air conditioning again so thought I would take advantage of running where I could clean up in my own shower.  Oh. My. Gosh.  Before dawn and it was like breathing water....I think it was 87% humidity and low 70F temps, ugh......

Literally dripping with sweat......note the Brooks Green Silence shoes ;-)

This weekend I was able to run with Brenda and Cindy again--actually on both Saturday and Sunday, yay!!  Saturday I met them at Burns Park where they were getting in some serious trail training.  A word of advice, be sure and ask about the route and distance BEFORE the run, haha!! I didn't ask until we were about a mile in and then at about 3 miles in after climbing this never-ending hill I told them it was a good job that I loved them, lol.  It was tough, a lot of climbing and lateral movements, plus the trail was a bit washed out due to the flooding so a lot more exposed rocks than usual.  My knees and feet are a bit achy still :-(.  Ended up with almost 12 very hard miles but loved every moment of it.  Oh, I also swallowed a bug, whole and alive, ewwwww.  Didn't love that moment so much.

These Injinji socks got me through my marathon in 2009 

Dirty shoes after the Sunday pup run around the lake yesterday :)

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