Running Goals - I'm Done For the Year

The good news is I ran this week, and I felt pretty great!  It was hot, 5:30 pm on an 80+ day = not great, but it's what worked for the family.  The heat I tell you it's just not good for me.  Only did two miles, and kept a nice easy pace, and still started feeling sick. Safe to say I won't be moving to the south ever!

But, I was happy to find that my legs and back felt really great, which was a bit of a surprise given I haven't run in 3 weeks.  I'm doing 4 miles this morning, much cooler, and keeping it nice and easy still.

My goal this year was to PR all my distances (1/2 marathon, 10K, 5K), and I'm realizing now that was sort of a dumb goal.  It takes a lot of training physically, mentally, and emotionally to PR, and honestly I'm tapped out.

The one I really wanted was the 1/2, and I did that so I'm officially letting go of the 10K and 5K.  On top of the fact I'm in no way ready to try and PR the 10K I have in 2 weeks.  Just not going to happen...Plus, I'm sort of over the numbers game that running can turn into.  

I'm already working on setting up next years races to = max fun, and think I may take a year off from having a big running goal for the year.  Don't get me wrong...it's important to have goals because it keeps you moving forward.  But, setting a goal for an entire year doesn't leave much room for illness, injury, or life in general, and when you only have one big goal the whole year is a pass or fail in one swoop.    

Maybe next year is the year I focus on being a more well rounded runner by bringing trail running back (Dad that means you and I finding a race to do!), volunteering more (it's stressing me out how little I've given back to running this year), getting back to my regularly scheduled runs with friends, setting goals for each training cycle/race (if I decide to set any at all for each race) and just running to run because I love it and it's fun.

All this running talk = it's time for my morning run!  Before I go though a few Sky pics...

No big deal, just climbing on top of the trailer while no one is looking.  

Most mornings start with "You want to cuddle me on the couch Mommy" 

This book is going everywhere with us lately.  She won't leave the house without it. 

 Today is the last day of the challenge and I'm starting right over with day 1 and doing it again...I love my Mind Body Mat time with her that much! 

Silly girls!

Big step...meeting her teacher and exploring her classroom...she loved it!

She was up there talking about going to school and meeting her teacher, and in the process also started waving to everyone we know and calling people out by name.  "Hi Daddy, I go to school", "Hi GammyGampy, I go to school" (she runs their names together for some reason), and on and on and on through all her family and friends.  She ended with, "I go see Reagan now"...(we didn't go see her btw).

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How do you set your running goals?

Anyone racing over the long Holiday weekend?

What are you last weekend of summer plans?

 

Enjoying the Long Weekend

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend, and taking a moment to be thankful to those that gave their life, so that we can live ours in peace and happiness. 

It feels like it's been forever since I did a post, but that's mostly because it's been a really busy weekend!  It all kinda started on Thursday (hence the lack of a thankful Thursday post last week) with Sky's birthday.  Even though Thursday was her big day, we spent it running errands to get ready for the big party on Saturday.  I did make it a point though to stop and cuddly/give hugs every time she asked for one!

I seriously have no idea how we have a 3 year old already.  It happened so fast!  I'm not going to lie...sometimes I really miss that cuddly little baby she used to be.   

 

Most of the time though (like 99.99999% of the time) I love each and every new age and stage.  It is so much fun watching her grow into her own little person.  Some things are totally our influence, but others are 100% her, and it's fun seeing what her interests and likes are.    

She loves jumping, on anything and everything so we planned her birthday party at the local bounce house place.  We like to forgo fancy for active, fun play time type of parties.  Really, I just want her worn out so she'll take a nap!

  Had the whole place to ourselves, with lunch and cupcakes for all.

There was also lot's of play time and hang out time with Grandpa (my Dad).  Sky had so much fun having Grandpa around!  

Watching a movie with Grandpa.

Thankfully Dad was able to work on my shoulder and knee issues as well.  Oddly enough the week I took off didn't leave me feeling very rested, I actually felt like I came out of the week off with some injury type pain.  But, thanks to Dad I'm feeling better and ready to start the next training cycle!

The rest of the weekend has been spent hanging out just the three of us at the farmers market, the park, and getting projects done around the house. 

 We walked to the school park just down the road from us and she had to bring her field bag to add sticks and leaves and stuff too.  

 She watches and talks to Daddy through the slats when he's working on projects in the driveway.  

 She wanted to help carry the goods back to the car.

 I love that she gets dressed up to go outside and help Daddy.  That dress is from when I was a kiddo!  It's still in really great shape!

 Watching the boats.

Going to spend the rest of the day enjoying my last day of not running before training starts tomorrow!  I'm actually looking forward to pounding pavement again...it's funny to me how cruddy I've felt not running!

Thank you to everyone who took time to celebrate Sky's birthday, and a big thank you to my Dad for well...everything!  

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the long weekend!  

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Who ran a race this weekend?

What is your Memorial Day tradition? 

Painfully Long Weekend

We didn't even realize it was a long weekend until Friday afternoon, and normally we would be more excited about having an extra day to play, or more like get stuff done, but when the tot is hurt and the Dr. office is closed long weekends are way, way too long!  

Have you ever seen anything this sad?!  

Nurse Maids elbow again!  I have lost count how many times this has happened.  Last time it was her right arm and resulted in a cast, this time it's her left arm.  Thankfully we still have the sling, and are doing our best to keep the arm immobile, and keep her on ibuprofen all day.  The Ortho said if the other arm popped out he would cast it, so I'm calling first thing in the morning to see if we can get her in.  The only good thing is we are pretty confident Mark was able to pop the elbow back in, so it's not causing as much pain as it could be.  

Thankfully she got to have a little fun before getting hurt.  

Another set of wheels!

 

This girl has more wheels than anyone I know.  Tricycles, bikes, a jeep with a missing battery, wagons, and now this.  When she does get the peddling thing down 100% she is going to take off and go forever!  It's 50/50 if she'll be a runner or a race car driver!

It was a pretty great weekend leading up to the injury.  I got my long run in with Elya Saturday morning, and put together my St. P Day race outfit!  

  

"Luck ain't got nothing to do with it!"  So true!

Skirt -  Sparkle Athletic and runs around $20, bonus is it will work for Christmas as well! 

Leg warmers - Joann's Fabric and were $10 I think, I had a coupon though so they were less than that.  

Shirt - Run Pretty Far and was around $30.  It's not a performance top, it's cotton, but I'm wearing it over a long sleeve tech shirt so I'm not worried about it, plus it's a 5K, I can wear almost anything for a 5K and be fine.  

The only difference is race day I'll have on white, or maybe green socks. I'll get a test run the night before at the Fleet Feet Run Club Pub Run.  Figured I will wear this  for both events since it's only St. P Day once a year!  I really love Run Pretty Far...their performance and non-performance tops are really nice.  I don't know what they do to their cotton but it's so soft and comfy!  

After running and completing my race outfit we took Sky to the Beckham's to play while we went to see the Hobbit.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute to see a movie!  There are not very many movies we want to see in the theater, but this was one of them, and we put it off until there was only one theater left that was showing it.  Two Sky-free dates in one month...we are out of control!  

Today is going to be full of movies and keeping Sky as still as possible, lot's of cuddles too I'm sure.  

One last Sky pic from a few weeks ago...

   

Upside down and sideways, snuggled in with her favorite stuffed friends.  How I find her 90% of the time when I wake her up from her naps.  

Anyone race this weekend?  

Who has today off, and how are you spending your "free" Monday?