Good Riddance January 2011

Ok, so it's been a while since my last blog entry...in my defense, just because I haven't been blogging doesn't mean I haven't been running. Thanks to my handy dandy runkeeper app I can even recall, with a touch of a button, my work-outs since my last post on January 20th.

Saturday January 22nd I ran a new route down Old Farm, then Greendale and back. My mile - which includes significantly more serious inclines, was timed at 13:07.
Sunday January 23rd (yes, I really ran a Saturday AND a Sunday), again with the new route - and a new personal best solo mile was 12:43! I felt so good that weekend. The sun shined both days, easing the cold a bit (and it was faaareezing here), I got in two work-outs and lots of family time while my husband was away at Greek Peak for a ski weekend with his buddies.

Tuesday January 25th - My first run with Leo! Ran the new Old Farm/Greendale Route with the furball in 13:04. Leo did a great job of staying with me. If he got distracted, I gave a little tug on the leash, but for the most part he was an old pro! I worried about his size, would he tire, etc. Puhlease! That dog made me feel like a total slow poke - only breaking out into a full out run himself we ran down a pretty steep hill toward his favorite stop sign. It's kind of nice having a new run buddy since Shawn is now working full time, part time (through tax season), and taking two grad classes. I feel bad for Jack-Jack though...I need to master the use of the coupler and the double dog run.

After that Tuesday, the sickness set in. Thankfully I didn't end up with the full fledged stomach flu that Shawn had been fighting. Instead I got the upset stomach/head cold combination that made no sense at all.
I wanted to rest through the weekend as to not be totally sidelined the following week, and this past Monday I began the day with the plan that Shawn and I would both be running after work that evening. I wish that Monday had gone as planned...I received a call about mid way through my work day from my frantic husband. One of his closest friends, who was also along for that ski weekend just the weekend before, had passed away Sunday evening at the age of 31. I would say that gutted would be a good word to describe how we've been feeling. No, Monday didn't go as planned and neither did Monday night. Instead of running Old Farm with our dogs - Shawn and I met up with some of his buddies, some that he hadn't seen in way too long, to remember our fallen friend. We ate wings, drank beer, played pool and Tom Petty in his honor, and each day since we hope the pain begins to ease.

Tuesday & Wednesday blessed us with rain, snow & ice and made my street more of an ice rink than I cared to attempt a run on. It also brought February, which HAS to better than the month of January. I don't think a New Year has ever started so horribly for me...but my fingers, toes, and eyes are crossed that this year starts shaping up for this crew. And I have to say that no matter how bad things seem - I have a wonderful love, amazing family, and the best friends a girl could ask for...that much I am thankful for not just during trying times like these, but always.

Today is Thursday, and I hurt as we approach the final farewell this Saturday, but tonight the plan was to run, to feel something else, to feel ALIVE, and I did. Leo gave me the guilt trip as I laced up my running shoes, so he tagged along. We ran Old Farm only as I feel a touch of the head cold still lying in wait in my chest and really didn't want my first run in over a week to include that one hill in particular that on a bad day could lay me out flat. We did surprisingly well: 12:47, which I am pretty confident could have been my solo best had I not slowed to check on that cute accountant that was walking toward my house as I passed by.

Other update(s) - I have been informed by my Sister-Coach that once I hit 12 min. flat for a mile - NOT 10 - we will bump it up to 2 miles at a time. Slowly but surely. Also, I may have come across another inspiration to get me to up the ante as far as this training is going - a co-worker has given me info. on The Out & Back run in Philadelphia in April. An evening run along the water (4 miles) followed by drinks and dancing at a local mansion. Proceeds benefiting ALS. Will keep that one in mind and keep you posted.

I'll keep plugging away at this as long as any conflicting goals do not interfere...more about that later. But tonight I felt good about getting back out there and doing anything that might just keep me here on this planet with my loved ones a tiny bit longer. Broken plans sure put things into perspective...