my creative mother...

...always goes above and beyond.
Her dept always wins most creative at AAHS's Halloween costume contest! :)

I was lost...

Not really. But, I was staying in a place with no internet since Sunday. Well..I take that back...it did have internet, but it did not like communicating with my friendly macbook. :( Oh yeah, and I worked three 10-hr days in a row. So...point of the story...the explanation as to why no blogging for the past couple of days. Here's a recap of what you missed...

Running recap: The log...

Sunday 10/26- 12 mi (Baptist Rd to Woodmen + some change)- hot, got a humongous chafe on my arm...rrr flabbiness!

Monday 10/27- 2.5 mi easy in MVP

Tuesday 10/28- off...rest, work 10 hrs.

Wed 10/29- 5 mi in the Garden of the Gods- sortof got lost there in the end...but fun exploring!

Thurs 10/30- 6 mi around Manitou- ran up Ruxton to Hydro street....haven't done that in a couple months...made me feel totally out of shape-crap!

Friday 10/31- 3.5mi slow (roughly- enjoying red light breaks)...had a fun Halloween run with the CRC crew...did the downtown loop...got lots of honks and stares...we were all dressed up. I think the sponge bob and cereal killer we were with were the cause of the attention. :)

Life recap...
*Found that I am now, officially addicted to Boba! The little tapioca balls o'fun at the bottom of my drink!:) Makes me feel 10 again. Go to the Coffee and Tea Zone downtown to see what all the fuss is about...or go to bobafinder.com if you aren't in c. springs.

*I can't wait for such a fun night tonight...two costumes...fun times to be had.

*Maili's parents are visiting from California and I have so enjoyed them. Yesterday, the four of us drove up to Rampart for a little stroll in the mountains...it was so pretty and totally peaceful! On the way back we stopped for popcorn balls at the top of ute pass and marg's at Amanda's Fonda!

More to come later...off to a busy weekend!
Agenda...
Friday- Halloween party and fun! Spend the night with Beth at Meg's!
Sat- Work til close...early bedtime i'm suspecting!
Sunday- Long run with the gals...then off to volunteer (in costume) with Beth at the Fall Series!

Man...can I get a nap in before all of this!?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

pooo-stick....

Rrrrrr....I am so annoyed! Usually after a run I feel refreshed, full of clarity, and ready for the day! Not today. I did the same route around the neighborhood that I did last thursday, but this time in the opposite direction (This route is a good one for me as it challenges me with Austin-like, long gradual uphills).

Reasons for the annoyance...1. major WIND! Had to run facing the wind, uphill the last 25 min....big, fat arg. 2. My stupid Nike Sportband told me I did 4.5 mi...not the 5.31 I did on the same route, opposite direction, last thursday...what the? It took me exactly the same amnt of time as last week- 53 min...but shows less miles and a slower pace...rrrrrr. I WANT A STINKIN GARMIN!

One good part of the run...I loved running in my new Saucony Hurricanes! Nicki- our Saucony tech rep brought them down from Denver for me...and they are soft and comfy! Very pleased!

Distance: 4.5 mi (rrrr....)
Time: 53:07 min
Pace: 11:47/mi (not the 9:59 pace from last thurs...grrrr again)
Place: Neighborhood route in Kansas

speed what?

Tonight's workout was the first time I've done a speed-type workout in oh, about 3 months or so...and it was tough stuff! The fierce wind and blowing debris didn't help the situation...but with the company of the Dutchess (Beth), I got through it. She always pushes an inspires me :). Sushi at Jun's was a great reward...enjoyed my first spicy tuna hand roll...totally recommend! :) Tomorrow is a day of rest...good thing because thurs-sunday will be tough on the ol' bod. Stretch some more...then bed for me!

Distance: 5.56mi
Time: 54:09 min
Pace: 9:44/mile (doesn't really mean that much on this workout)
Place: Monument Valley Park...in a freaking windstorm...owie-crapola in the eyeballs!
Workout: warm up (1mi) + 2x1 mile repeats in Monument Valley Park+ warm down (2.5mi).

sympathy carb-recovery-eating...ha!

Had such a great weekend! I traveled up to denver to watch some friends run the Denver 1/2 Marathon. It was great to be a spectator and soak the experience in from afar. However...at the end of the race...seeing all those tired/sweaty/drained people made me like the best thing to do at the time was to circle around all the booths with my friends that did run, and enjoy every bit of guilt-filled carbs I could lay my hands on! :) The experience did get me a little bit pumped up for Austin thought...18 weeks out from today! :)

Thanks friends, for such a great time! :)

numb leggos...

Because my phone said the high was supposed to be 78 today...I put on shorts at 6am this morning thinking I would be a hot box at the end of my run. This did end up being true, but my legs were completely numb for the first 50 min of it! Burr! Had a nice 3.5 mi out of 10 with the Herizons gals this morning...made the run not seem so long...thanks ladies! No problems with the injured leg...but both just felt tired...which is to be expected as I build back up the mileage.

I think something was messed up in my Nike Sportband last long run with Dani on Sunday, because today I went to close to the same area before I turned back around and the numbers this time were way different. Today's numbers were much more realistic for me running on that trail for a longer one.

I'm off to go up to Denver to watch friends run in the Denver 1/2 and full Marathon! I'm so excited for them! Because I'm still somewhat new to the running/racing scene, I've never gone to a race and not run it! I'm sort of excited to really get to just watch! Pics to come...


Distance: 9.82mi
Time: 1:41min
Pace: 10:18/mi
Place: North on Santa Fe Trail from Woodmen

TGIF...

Yay, it's friday and I actually get to experience a weekend...yes, 2 days off in a row, it's a miracle! This morning's run was the perfect start to a great weekend. Slow, downtown, fun friends, Wooglins after...can't get any better than that! :) Thanks to Traci, Gordon, and Rich...my Friday started out just right

Distance: 3.34mi
Time: 35:49min
Pace: 10:41/mi
Place: Downtown/Monument Valley Trail

Tomorrow I will be doing my long run on santa fe trail since on Sunday, I will be up in Denver watching some good friends run the Denver 1/2 and full marathon! :)

winter is here...

Had a great run this am...accompanied with frost on the ground, a visible breath traveling with me. My legs still don't feel quite right. No bad pain...just kinda feel like I'm running on the legs of somebody else! Anyone ever feel this way before? It was so beautiful though...a great way to start the day! :)

Distance: 5.31
Time: 53:04 min
Pace: 9:59/mi
Place: neighborhood loop

full moon run...

Had an amazing run in the Garden of the Gods tonight, accompanied by a full moon! The Pikes Peak Road Runners were great companions this eve as I headed out on my first run + headlamp! It was a great experience and I can't wait to do it again...I'm on board for next month forsure! :) The guys in the 5mi group ditched us so us girls had to fend for ourselves in the dark garden...so, ended up not at 5mi...but oh well! :)

Girls day at the store, with just Beth and I, was great fun. Munched on Beth's pumpkin/cheesecake bars...watched the sun try and break free from the gloomy clouds.

More fun to be had at the social run tomorrow. Gnight for now...:).

Distance: 3.55
Time: 36:23min
Pace: 10:14/mile
Place: Garden of the Gods.

family fun...

Pics from today...yummy brunch at Adam's Mtn Cafe. Happy Bday to Mom...Happy Anniversary to Tom and Jeanne!:)

too cold, too hot...

What started out as a gloomy, foggy, windy, cold morning...quickly turned into a sweaty, hot, warm-tight-wearing run. It was the first run over 5 miles since the butt injury...so it was slow and a staggering experience. The wind in the face on the way out didn't help either. But it was absolutely gorgeous out and it was nice to put in the time on the feet once again. :)

Distance: 7.8mi
Time: 1:36 min
Pace: 12:05/mile-wow, slowness...I'm telling myself it was the head-wind for the first 50 min.
Place: Santa Fe trail North (Woodmen)
Hour: 8:15am

a cold one...

After only 5 hours of sleep (thanks to a sexy Jim Gaffigan comedic surprise! See below)...a 7am in the cold wasn't something I was super stoked about. But what started out as a rough one, quickly turned into just what I think I needed. Met 7 women (yeah Herizons!) in front of the CRC to run in the smog! Jessica and I had a great talk and t 45 min just seemed to fly by! The park/trees/leaves were absoluetly gorgeous this am! :) Here's the stats...

Distance: 4.45mi
Time: 43:36
Pace: 9:47/mi
Place: CRC/Monument Valley Park-7am

Jim and Fam...

Oh what a night! Ok...so for my mom's bday, we surprised her with tickets to go see one of our favorite comedians Jim Gaffigan up at the Denver Performing Arts Center. There were many layers to the surprise...First Ken had Mom get all dressed up for dinner, and then took her to Rumbi (a favorite of theirs, but in no way a place to get all snazzy for). Here at Rumbi, Adam I were there to greet her...us too in fancy swag. At promptly 5:30p, Ken said "ok, better go" and my mom said to Adam and me, "you guys are coming with us?". Ooooh, and the fun torture began...and continued the entire trip up to Denver. "Red Rocks? Nuggets? Rookies? Denver Museum?"...mom just couldn't give it up! As we drove down 14th street (parallel with the Denver Perf Arts Theatre)...she sees a big LCD screen that shows a pic of Jim Gaffigan- "Oh look, Jim Gaffigan is coming!"- she says. Adam and I are dying a thousands deaths in the back seat...I still don't know how I kept from busting up! Once we parked finally, on the top roof of the parking garage, I handed her the bday card with her ticket in it. What she didn't know at the time was that another van filled with our friends and family were about 10 car-lengths behind us the the entire trip up...awaiting to give her part 3 of the surprise. I sneakily took mom to a random bathroom at another theatre near by and then as we walked back out to our theatre the entire group (Tom, Jeanne, Maddy, Erinn, Nicole, Maili, Beth, Adam, and Ken) yelled "Surprise- Happy Birthday!". Her face was hilarious and she was absolutely floored! She says that she had never been surprised before-her entire life.

The show was so hysterical and Jim, as always, made our cheeks hurt from continual laughter. He broke out some new material such as: the lazy sport of bowling, how horrible camping is, escalator troubles...and cracked us up with some of his tried and true material: hot pockets, and bacon! :) What a night is all I have to say...It was so awesome being with those I love, and seeing my mom so happy! :)

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

mark it in the books...

Today's run was nice...just a short jaunt around the paved neighborhood. Feeling good still in the new 1224's. And even though i'm bruised from my apt with Tony yesterday...the bum is on the up and up! :) Starting to feel like winter is getting within reach...not sure how I feel about that!:)

Miles: 4.55
Time: 43 min
Pace: 9:29/mile

memories...

Last night and today, I had such a fun time with my good friend Toni! To make the long story about our friendship short... Rival point guards for 4 years in h.s....end of senior year we were roommates at the All-State Basketball Games for a week and spent the entire time laughing staying up til' all hours of the night talking...left there being great friends...ironically ended up playing against each other in college as well (her at Ft. Lewis, me at Mesa)...and in the mix there somewhere: have gone rafting, traveled to Hunington Beach, CA, rode scooters in Florence, laughed til' we cried watching Ellen Degeneres stand-up, teamed up in numerous 3on3 tournies, watched Carla Tate and Daniel McMann fall in love countless times in 'The Other Sister'. Oh the memories...

Today Toni and I spent the day visiting over coffee, hiking the incline (her for the 1st time), a big ol' pita from The Pita Pit, driving around saying "Don't get pissed Lady" at the woman giving us a dirty look as my tires barely crossed the crosswalk downtown, and a yummy blizzard from DQ!

I so enjoyed the time with her. It always does my heart good to so easily re-connect with a friend that is so dear to me.

this and that...

These last few days have been good ones:).

Thursday, I took my new New Balance 1224's out for a spin...a slow and steady paced run around my neighborhood. It was so nice to really let my mind wander, get some pain-free time on my feet, and ponder the many miles I have yet to log before Austin. I absolutely loved the shoes...new model...even better than the 1223's; cuter too!

Friday, I enjoyed a short run with the CRC crowd down at Monument Valley Park, and then chowed on some yummy wooglin's pancakes. No pinching in the butt...but still some pretty tight hamstring/piriformis. After work, I headed over to Beth's, where we indulged in many girls' favorites...tacos, cookie dough, and Sex and the City (movie). What a way to bring in the weekend.

Saturday, I know I was taking a risk in tackling the incline, but with no time goal...it actually turned out great! I really just focused on keeping a my step/toes pointing forward with every step, and not compensating for a tight left leg. The downhill trip on Barr was worse then the steps...I could feel myself shortening my stride. Made my legs feel different lengths. But overall, Sat am turned out to be a pretty good workout. A few hours logged at the CRC, then it was off to an early night cap at mi casa.

Sunday, I did a short 40 min recovery run around the neighborhood in order to loosen up the tight quads developed from the incline/run down Barr. A nice slow jog...again peaceful music, a pleasant breeze, thoughts about cold runs ahead this winter!:) Then it was off to Monument Valley Park with Beth, where we volunteered for the Fall Series (adult and kid races) and helped out our good friend Micky (Pres of Pikes Peak Road Runners) . It was fun to cheer-on our friends; many of them CRC folk...and yell for them while they were in pain running through 1/2 mile of waist-high water! Beth and I ended up running all around the park as we helped mark the course for the kids series. We left there covered in blue flour. The kids were absolutely adorable to watch...many crying by the end of the race. Hilarious. Diet Cherry limeades from Sonic, and we were off to Tammy's for a BBQ/Bronco game hangout.

Such a fun, eventful, encouraging weekend! Even though my butt/hamstring aren't 100% recovered, I feel the tightness starting to loosen. I will continue to stretch, get massaged (by Tammy), get beat-up by Tony (ART guy) and focus on building back up the time on my feet. I am so excited to be training for the Austin Marathon.