Wordless (mostly) weekend wrap-up…

We welcomed Friday with open arms after a very long couple weeks at work, with minimal days off…what did we do to celebrate?  Yard work…yup.  Call me crazy, but it was therapeutic to FINALLY get some work done around the house.

But after 2 hours of work, and shaky arms, we let our hair down and enjoyed a couple of my husband’s famous daiquiris.  DELISH.

Saturday we took the top down on the Jeep and drove around running errands.  We ate a late lunch, so I decided to make a light dinner I like to call “Little bites.”  We had bacon wrapped figs stuffed with goat cheese, and shrimp toasts.  To. Die. For.  And so easy.

Saturday evening I got my gear out as I religiously always do before a long run or race, and was in bed by 10:30 (which is GREAT for me).  We had 8 miles on deck for Sunday morning, and I was again pacing the 9:30 half marathoners for our 3rd training run.  Nerves always set in, but I was able to sleep until about 4 a.m. when I woke up in fear I  missed my alarm.  Ack…I still had an hour before I had to get up!  I stayed in bed, trying to rest, and finally rolled out of bed at 5 to get ready…

My hubby and I met up with all my friends, and we smiled, talked, and chatted as we got ready to line up to run.

And we were off…the first couple miles Jitka, Brian, and Debra and I ran quite easily on the trails.  Wow…2 miles done already?  Awesome!  I was holding pace easily, and then the hill of hell at Japanese gardens came…THIS hill nearly killed me in the full marathon last year, but our group barreled up it full force…so much so that I missed the turn, and nearly tacked on a good quarter mile to our route.  Woops…a couple runners got irritated, and I apologized profusely.  This nearly set me off course, but I had Jitka and Brian cheering me on, and I quickly brushed the negativity off my back.  (note-those that know me well know how directionally challenged I am…so leading a group this size can be a bit daunting).  We finished strong, and I had a huge sigh of relief when we were done despite losing part of my group.

And then….there was the food…

And then…we napped.  I am surprised how tired I get after these long runs, seeing that last year my mileage was double.  I AM enjoying being home by 8:30 in the morning after a ‘long’ run, I’ll have to admit.

What is the farthest you’ve ran?  What’s on your race docket this year?

I am sticking to half marathons this year…with my 3rd full scheduled for next summer with my sister.  Training starts in February, so stand by for details!

 

Keep Movin’, y’all!!

❤ Michelle