10 Beautiful Miles!

Yesterday, like most people in Central PA, I decided to get outside! It was February 18th and it was 60 degrees! After being sick for several days, I decided that I wasn't sick anymore. I would go outside and have a beautiful trail run and all would be right in the world.

Well, the trail run was beautiful but I was still not feeling well. My legs felt great but my "motor" was just... so, so, so tired. I managed to do 10 miles. It was enjoyable, I was just tired.

Starting from my parents' house in Millersburg, I ran over to Lenkerville and past my elementary school. The playground looked a lot smaller than I remembered, and the only piece of equipment that remained from my childhood was the "Bug".

I used to sit with my friend Jared on these steps and play Wheel of Fortune at recess! Ah, such wonderful memories!

Then I ran up Berry Mountain via the paved road. I was so slow that I could have walked the same pace I was running.

The top of the mountain wasn't too muddy. I'm always nervous about running up there by myself.

I stopped at the power line and looked out over the valley...

Then I ran down a dirt road and across the Wiconisco Creek.

To add some mileage, I ran around a neighborhood that had a beautiful mountain view.

Then I ran back into town via the rail trail that went by the Ned Smith Center.

I was glad I got to enjoy the beautiful weather even though I wasn't feeling great.

But now I have a fever again... Boo. I'm dumb.

Did you get outside yet this weekend?
Do you remember your elementary school playground?

Weekly Workouts

27 miles this week and 1 lifting session.
Not bad for feeling crappy for 4 days...

Saturday- 9(ish) miles around Pinchot Lake. This trail run was sooooo good for my soul!

Sunday- 6 miles. It was cold and rainy. I kept pushing it off until I realized I don't have to run! I can do whatever I want! So I decided to lift. Then I changed my mind and ran. The first 15 minutes were difficult, but after that, it was borderline enjoyable.

Monday- Lifting chest @ home. There was a wind advisory... gusts up to 28mph so this gal stayed inside. I did something strange, though. Instead of doing my exercises in circuits of 2-3 exercises at a time, I did all 11 exercises in a row. I did it 5 times total! It was strange, but nice to switch it up. This is what I did, 5 times:

Chest Press- 5x10x30lb

Bicycle Crunches- 5x40

Donkey Kicks- 5x20

Push Ups- 5x10

Hydrants- 5x20

Shoulder Press- 5x10x20lb

Sit Ups on Stability Ball- 5x15x15lb

Tricep Dips- 5x15

Stability Ball Pull Ins- 5x15

Kick Backs- 5x20

Plank- 60 seconds

After doing that 5 times, I did 50 more push ups.

Tuesday- 6 miles. It was cold this morning! As soon as I got done stretching and jumped in the shower, my body shut down. I felt so sick.

Wednesday- REST. Freaking sick and felt like death. I had a temperature and spent the whole day on the couch.

Thursday- REST. Still sick, but not as bad as the day before. I was hoping I was on the upswing. Still no energy. Running or any other kind of workout was completely out of the question.

Friday- 6 miles. Finalmente, una corrida! I woke up Friday morning not feeling too much worse than the day before. I decided to go for a 6 miler. While my legs felt fresh from several days of rest, my motor was just so lethargic. I finished my run feeling completely exhausted, although my legs felt like they could keep going. It was a weird feeling.

How were your workouts this week?

Friday 5

Hey all! I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday 5 2.0!

Today I'm going to share 5 random things. I've been sick the past several days so I don't have the energy to get into anything too heavy! This will be short and sweet today...

1. Paul did something very sweet for me on Valentine's Day... When I woke up, he had displayed some sweets and a 6-pack of Diet Coke on the counter for me. He taped some paper hearts all around the kitchen. When I hopped in my car to go to work, I saw he had also decorated my car!

2. That wasn't the only sweet thing that happened on V-Day. We ended our night with a pajama clad DQ drive thru for BLIZZARDS! Paul wore his robe. Super romantic.

3. I got TEN NEW PUZZLES!!! These were only $23! A single puzzle can be $10-$15 so getting a pack of ten for $23 is a deal of epic proportions. Local friends: I love to lend my puzzles out and share the puzzle love, so don't ever hesitate to ask to borrow one from me!

4. I've been sick and I've been a bottomless pit. For the past three days, I've had a runny nose, sore throat, headache, slight fever, aches, lethargy, chills... it has not been fun. I spent a lot of time on the couch. I've also spent a lot of time EATING. For some reason, when I am sick, I tend to be a bottomless pit. I think my body is searching for energy... who knows? I haven't been able to run but I am really hoping to be 100% for this weekend. The weather is going to be beautiful and I want to trail run.

5. Paul and I are obsessed with the phrase, "Cash me ousside howbowdah". I know it's dumb, but it's turning into a "That's what she said," kind of phrase where we try to say it at just the right time to make the other person laugh. Example: I dropped Paul off at an appointment to get a cortisone shot and I waited for him in the car. As he got out of the car, I yelled, "Cash me ousside howbowdah!" and made him laugh.

Tell me something random!

Do you and your partner have a phrase you use to make each other laugh?

Freaking sick again.

A couple weeks ago, I was sick for over a week. I had a runny nose and was so lethargic. It sucked big time. Now, I'm sick again. My nose isn't runny but I feel pressure on my sinuses. I have a slight fever and I am sooooo tired and achy. I tried to move a 40lb bag cat litter for Paul (he got a cortisone shot in his shoulder) and I could barely pick it up. 

Don't worry, I'm not running through this shit. I'm not doing anything but laying on the couch and watching TV. My mind is having a hard time focusing, so this is going to be a super short blog post today.

I always get overwhelmed when I'm sick because the work to-do list just gets longer when I miss. Oh well, what can you do, right? I hope if I take it easy I can kick this. I have been getting sick a lot this year. I'm used to feeling invincible and feeling week is not fun.

How's that for a short post!

I hope to have something fun for you for tomorrow's Friday 5 link up! We'll see...

A Day In The Life

Hola Blogland! It’s time for a Day in the Life post. I documented 2/8… which was Wednesday of last week! Better late than never, right? Join me, as I navigate through a Day In The Life of a runner/cat mom/wife/teacher…

My alarm went off at 5:30am. I was due to lift, but since I knew we were going to get snow the next day, I figured I’d squeeze in a run and save the lifting for when we would be snowed in. Temps were in the low 40s so I put on shorts! I was out the door by 6:02.

My run was awesome. I felt good and I was just so thankful to be running.

When I got home, Jelly was waiting for me at the window. When he saw me walk up the driveway, he sprinted to the side door to greet me.

I love my boy!

Then he stretched with me… which basically just means he rubbed up against me and laid by me with his “pet me eyes” while I did pigeon pose.

Then it was time to shower and head to work. I ate my cerel in the car and sipped iced coffee. If I get to work early, I just chill in my car until it is time to go in. I’m stubborn like that.

I actually got a lot done in the morning before the students arrived. I even had time to take some photos of my outfit I wore so I could add it to my Friday 5 Post.

While I was at stairwell duty in the morning, one of my third grade students gave me this sweet note...

In the morning I taught three classes- 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. 3rd and 4th grade are practicing for our show in April. It's rock and roll themed.

At lunch I popped over to my SIL's house (she lives literally 90 seconds away) to pick up some stuff my mom left there for me. I got to chat with her a little bit and see the kids. I couldn't hug them because they were eating lunch and were a little... messy.

Ellie gave me some of her artwork so of course I hung it in my classroom as soon as I got back to school.

Then I quickly ate my lunch- homemade chicken noodle soup with EXTRA chicken. Come on, I can't be the only one who puts and extra chicken breast on top of my chicken noodle soup.

My afternoon was jam packed... kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, then 4th grade. The low light of the day was when about 20 4th grade students had to come to my room at their recess (which is actually during my first grade class) to make up songs they have to play me on their recorder. They are at the point where their work is so late that I don't know what else to do but make them come at recess to do it! I hate taking recess, but the thing is, if they practiced at home (like they are supposed to) all they would have to do is spend about a minute with me at recess to play their song and then they could go right outside with their friends. But they don't practice at home. So they end up spending the whole recess in my room practicing... sometimes several days in a row. It is horrible. I need to figure out another way to motivate them to get their work done. I have never run into this problem before! I'd have 3-4 kids who drop behind but not TWENTY. What am I doing wrong!?

Okay, end teacher rant.

I was BONE TIRED by the time I got home. There's just no other way to describe how I was feeling! It didn't take me long to get into my PJs and get all set up with my crackers and my computer.

I spent two hours in front of my screens relaxing. Then Paul and I had an epic card battle that basically ended in a tie.

We ate dinner while we watched Colbert. We never sit at the dining room table to eat unless we have guests over or the power is out.

I stayed up later than normal because I knew we would at least have a delay the next day. The weather report was calling for lots of snow. I cuddled up in bed and read the first two chapters of The Audacity of Hope. So far, it is pretty good... and very strange. Obama wrote this before he became president, so there are a lot of moments where I am reading and thinking, "Oh, if only he knew how this was going to turn out!"

Welp, that was my day! Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Have you read any of Obama's books? What did you think?

Do you eat dinner at the table?

What are your favorite card games to play? We like Monopoly Deal, Sequence, Casino, and Rummy.

There's nothing like an injury to make you appreciate running!

A couple weeks ago, I took several days off running to make sure a pain in my adductor healed. Taking the time off running really freaking sucked. I was depressed, tired, and couldn't poop. I really missed my morning time on the roads. I still lifted, but lifting endorphins aren't the same as running endorphins!

One thing that disappointed me was how much I missed running when I took the time off. I don't ever want to love something so much that I get depressed when I can't do it for a couple days.

In January, I wasn't really loving running. It was getting monotonous and there were some days I just didn't feel like doing it. Well, there's nothing like taking time off for an injury to make you appreciate something!

That first day I was able to run 5 miles, I felt as high as a kite on the way to work! There is really nothing like running endorphins. I'm addicted.

Lately, I have been appreciating every step I take. Not that I didn't appreciate it before... It's just always nice to have that kick in the gut reminder to appreciate running.

Happy Valentines Day! Here are some funnies...

What is your relationship like with running right now?
How do you feel when you take a couple days off?

Weekend Wrap Up!

Happy Monday!

Here's what we were up to this weekend...

My morning started with a lifting workout at home. I drank coffee throughout the whole workout instead of water. Bad athlete!

I arrived at work a little early, so I ate my chicken and listened to podcasts until it was time to go in. I'm stubborn.

Work was relatively stress free as the students had an early release!

After work, Paul and I used a gift card we got for Christmas to go get Sushi at our favorite place, Tokyo Diner!

Paul enjoyed his first beer at sushi in years!

What's the pink stuff in this cucumber salad? Fake crab? Do you guys eat this? I do! SALTY!

Mmmmm....

MINE!

MEGGY ARE YOU HUNGYYYYY????

When we got home, we watched Seinfeld reruns.

Chrissy wanted my milk. This is his "pathetic" face!

I got up at the respectable hour of 8am! 

Good morning, Chrissy!

I relaxed for a little bit, then headed to Pinchot Park to run the Lakeside Trail. Conditions were snowy, muddy, but run-able. The loop around the lake is nearly 9 miles and I was all hyped up on endorphis by the time I was done.

By the time I got back to my car, my family had arrived. My brother and his family as well as my parents came because Tyler wanted to try out open water swimming. He is doing a tri in May. He has only ever tried his wet suit in a pool and wanted to try it in the lake. It was so cold out and we all deemed him CRAZY!

Clementine is trying to decide just how crazy/cool her daddy is!

Clementine, mighty FINE!

Clark loves Grandpa's beard.

Clarky poo!

Tyler's swim went pretty well, except his face was cold!

That afternoon, Paul and I ran some errands. Grocery shopping and a trip to the library was in order. Our biggest score of the day was at Wegman's. As much as I hate that store, we did get an awesome deal: 18oz boxes of Life for $2.50! We got eight boxes!

I have a lot of reading to do...

While we were out and about, we stopped in Community Aid to see if they had puzzles. I found three awesome puzzles that I really wanted to get, but unfortunately, the store was SO FREAKING CROWDED. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that there was at least 50 people in line. Maybe more. It was so hard, but I put the puzzles back on the shelf and left. Tears...

That evening, we had Mexican Night Part 2! Margaritas and burritos! Oh, and games.

I poured a tiny bit of wine and ended up shattering it in the bathroom. We laughed so hard because when I I got my wine glass out, I bragged to Paul that I had it for two years and hadn't broken it yet. Five minutes later, the bathroom looked like a crime scene...

This was the glass. He got it for me for Christmas two years ago. We called it my princess glass...

I went to Community Aid as soon as it opened at 11am on Sunday morning to get my puzzles! When I rolled up at 10:58, there was a line of 20 people outside already! What the heck was going on? I didn't have to wait in line because I went straight to my puzzles and headed for the cashier. I asked why it had been so busy the day before and she said because it was a dollar day- all clothes were only a dollar! Wow, what a deal! Today was also a dollar day, but I didn't need anything so I grabbed my puzzles and left.

I kept putting off running because it was so cold, rainy and dreary out. Finally I realized that if I didn't want to run, there was no one forcing me to do it! So I decided to lift instead. Then I changed my mind and ran 6 miles! My legs were numb (stupid decision to wear shorts) within half a mile. Once I pushed through the first 15 minutes, my run was borderline enjoyable.

The rest of the day was spent doing the puzzle on the bottom right and chilling with Paul. Lots of Seinfeld episodes were watched!

Tell me something fun you did this weekend!
What's the longest line you stood in?
What's your favorite episode of Seinfeld?