I’m Thinking Out Loud about how the days are getting longer, and I’m slowly getting my energy back. I like to joke that I’m solar powered. Sure, the weather has mostly sucked lately, but it’s not really all that unusual for these parts. And sure, I’m as ready for Spring as the next runner.
Sometimes you really just do have to find that silver lining.
I keep losing stuff
First it was the house keys. For days. Turns out they were in my pocketbook.
Next it was my Garmin! I don’t think I’ve lost my Garmin before. I was pretty sure it was in the bedroom — that I’d taken it off while changing clothes after my second run of the day (see below)– but despite looking there more than once, I couldn’t find it.
Until I did. It had blended with the black tights from one of my running tights (clean, by the way, just not put away yet). Hiding in plain sight and depriving me of several thousand steps because I walked Lola without it on.
The horrors!
A Tale of Two Runs
Tuesday dawned beautiful — but cold, so very cold. In the teens. I even had to put a sweater on Lola the night before. I wanted to do 6 miles, but I seriously couldn’t face it at those temps. Not to mention the ice from melting/freezing overnight. It’s April, for goodness sakes, we should be enjoying the daffodils, not freezing our booties off.
I also couldn’t face 6 miles on the treadmill. So I decided to break it into two runs. And I didn’t tape my ankle, by the way. But I was psyched to finally try out my Skirtsports gym girl ultra in psyched — even if I wasn’t psyched about the reason (use code CRJ20 for 20% off regularly priced items)!
I did 3 1/2 miles on the treadmill in the morning. Did my PT stretches afterwards, and all was good.
It warmed up enough during the day that I could see the refreeze had melted, so I finished up my 2 1/2 miles outside. It was fairly calm and very sunny, so it was actually pretty comfortable (with a long sleeve tech shirt, a running sweatshirt, and a medium weight jacket on).
I am happy to say that when I woke up Wednesday my ankle felt fine!
To tape or not to tape for 10 miles this weekend?
Us runners clean up good
I ran into a friend at the park last week. She was going for a run. I thought it was her, but wasn’t sure, and when she didn’t appear to recognize me I walked on by.
She came over when I got to my car and said hi. She hadn’t recognized me in my leather cowboy hat (although I did have Lola with me) and I almost didn’t recognize her in her running clothes.
Which is very weird since we’ve run a few races together!
How do you rest?
So last Sunday I ran a 5 mile race. Then 5 more miles afterwards. Does it count as a double digit run if it’s split into two runs? It’s my first double digit run since last October’s half.
So Saturday was a rest day. Except I spent most of it on my feet, making some chocolate almond butter protein balls and protein almond butter cups. Because apparently that’s how I rest.
At least the treats were good and the race went well!
Did you know staring is a sign of aggression in dogs?
Someone forgot to tell Lola because she loves to stare you down. And yes, she has hazel eyes like mama: only hers are brown and blue, and mine are brown and green.
Apparently Giz didn’t do anything photogenic this week.
Spring cleaning
I’m throwing in this last little bit to share the new linkup, the Thursday Throwdown, with Tamieka @ Fit Balling Running Mom, Sarah @ Cardigan Sarah, and Lex at Flecks of Lex.
It’s kind of hard to think about spring right now considering that there’s snow on the ground. And yes, my house is in desperate need of a good spring cleaning. Actually, it’s just in need of cleaning in general.
Right now I’m at the peak of my half training; just a few more long runs. I always wonder how that happens — it always just seems to sneak up on me!
I’m still working hard to drop those last few pounds, still working on getting the chocolate out of CRJ — not completely, of course, I still do enjoy chocolate on a pretty regular basis. When I’m tempted to eat something that doesn’t really move me towards my goal, I remind myself how good my clothes feel right now — those few extra pounds can make a big difference.
I read this in an article somewhere recently, and it stuck with me: let your meal fuel what you’re doing next. So if you’re going for a run, you want more carbs. If you’re sitting on the couch watching tv, you want less carbs & fats, and maybe more protein to help rebuild muscles from your last run and to help you feel full longer.
Do you ever think about what you’re going to doing next when you eat?
I’m also linking up with Amanda at Running with Spoons for her:
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Oh what a fabulous way to think about what you eat, I think it’s brilliant! And it totally makes sense!
Awesome that you ran that 5 miles after a race! Don’t know that I could do that!
Is Lola staring because she wants a treat? 😀
And yes, runners do clean up nice! Love the hat! And you look great in the skirt!
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I don’t often do extra miles after a race, mainly because I don’t race as much as some of my friends. But it’s not the first time, won’t be the last. The trick is to rest & consume food in between.
I was actually at the vet with Lola when I took that. Lola just stares! Of course when she wants a treat, also when she wants to go out, or when she wants to come up on furniture . . . no one told her dogs don’t stare!
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This weather is SOOOO nutzo! I might have to ‘mill it tonight because it’s so cold (and damp) outside. I say tape the ankle, it will give you peace of mind. I have a half coming up on May 1, my longest race in almost six months. I’m excited!! I might have to split up my long run this weekend due to my races (5K on Saturday and My Climb on Sunday). I’m thinking of doing the 5K Saturday morning, then doing the a 10K distance in the afternoon because the weather will better that day.
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We often schedule our long runs around the weather. 🙂
Except when I run with my USAFit group in the summer, then it’s just always saturday no matter the weather (unless there’s lightning.
I was lucky; I got out before it really rained. Just a bit of drizzling for about a mile, and it was warmer so it really wasn’t so bad.
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What about cats staring? If I’m not ready for snuggles, the cat stares at me until I comply. Of course, now she’s getting more active with the warmer weather.
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Staring from cats can be aggression, too, but usually that’s a cat-to-cat thing.
Blinking is for cats what “kisses” are for dogs — a sign of affection & hey, come on over and give me some loving!
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Split up runs absolutely count. I can say that since almost all my long runs are slit into 2.
Luckily I never take off my fitbit (it is waterproof) and put my garmin in exactly the same place. I also always leave my car keys in my car.
Ugh…cleaning…hate it. I have a cleaning lady but she doesn’t come enough and it’s the getting rid of stuff that I need to do.
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I’m paranoid about people stealing things so I would never leave my keys in the car! Which is kind of nuts, considering how old my car is, but there you go.
The Garmin is waterproof, but I sometimes have to take it off when I’m changing clothes because I’ve got it on top of something & I can’t get it off otherwise (although I’ve been known to forget it and take it off that way anyway, if you follow).
I can get rid of stuff. That’s not that hard. Although we won’t talk about the huge stack of already-read magazines on the couch.
It’s the actual cleaning, like I should be doing right now! But wait, no, first I need to do my PT stuff.
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I meant when my car is in our garage.
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Yes, so did I! Stems back to getting my jacket stolen out of my locker in HS, I think.
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It’s snowing sideways here as I type. I’m heading down to the mill. So done with this weather. My sis had a male Rottweiler that’d stare and it was terrifying. I love dogs but yikes not that one. Two 5s definitely = a double digit run.
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Thankfully it warmed up here enough to just rain & I mostly missed it anyway.
Lola is a very sweet, submissive dog. And little. She is not at all scary.
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YES, our dogs love to stare at you to play the dominance game. Most of them will lose your gaze after about 5 or 6 seconds. Dogs are amazing creatures.
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Lola doesn’t have a dominant bone in her body — she’s very submissive! But she will stare & never break eye contact.
Chester was the alpha, but he would NEVER stare at you.
Go figure!
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I am totally solar powered…I love that!! I might need to make a shirt!! lol!
OMG…I have lost my keys soooo many times. Thank fully I have a extra set. My son found them on the floor behind the kitchen table have no idea how they got there! My current lost item…my work badge ;(
The sun does such an amazing job of warming things up…come on Spring!
I really like this….let your meal fuel what you’re doing next. that makes so much sense!
Thanks for supporting us our link-up…I REALLY Appreciate it!!
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There are 3 keys to our house, so there is not extra set (although I do have an extra to the garage door, which is what we usually come in through).
Yes, I’ve been having the rungries big time lately, so I think of that tidbit of what I’m doing next a lot.
Sadly it doesn’t always help.
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I often think about what I’m doing next when I eat. The real bummer about misplacing the Garmin is the lost steps….I feel that way every time I forget my FitBit. 😉
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I already had 17,000 for the day, so it wasn’t that big a deal really (it was a run day), but dang, even a short walk with Lola gets me 1-2k.
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It’s always funny to see people out of context. Love running into yoga friends when I’m in “real clothes.”
Thanks for participating in the #ThursdayThrowdown! Awesome to see you on the list 🙂
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The weather here is crazy too…I LOVE your hat, am always misplacing things, and my dog stares me down when he feels I haven’t pet him enough, which is always, HAHA!
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Lola stares for food, for pets, to go outside . . sometimes it’s hard to interpret!
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It definitely counts, even if you split it. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get it done. I’ve split my runs many times for tons of different reasons. I do like that way of thinking about food. It absolutely is fuel for whatever you are doing next! I do tend to view it more as an experience that I love rather than something to fuel my other experiences, but I should really work on that. 😉
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Oh, I don’t mean we shouldn’t love our food; not at all! I once said that food should be more than fuel, but less than comfort (although once in a while comfort is good, too — like a hot bowl of soup on a cold day).
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I can’t believe it might snow here tomorrow either! We are just coming off the Cherry Blossom Festival, for Pete’s sake! Isn’t this year’s weather extra nutty? Thanks for linking up with us!
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I read something recently to the effect of “what you eat this month will determine how you look / feel next month.” That is what has been keeping me in line ! With marathon training, I have definitely lost some belly fat. I don’t want it to come back.
I am in Baltimore this weekend and it is COLD. Boo.
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Unfortunately next weekend will be better. c’est la vie, eh?
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