Eight, Nine, Ten!

Once upon a time in this blog I wrote a lot more about my running. That has unfortunately morphed into how grateful I am to be running, which is incredibly true, but now shall we go back to celebrating running? The glory of how much it hurts.so.good. and how I'm never truly complete and am often off-center and discombobulated if I don't get at least one run in a week even if it's a really crappy, can't-breathe-how-is-my-body-still-moving sort of run?

Well, let's.

I've got my eighth half marathon (EIGHT!) scheduled for the end of June. I'm going to do the Pacific Crest again...one of those ones that it was dumping rain. Last year's was 70 degrees at 8 AM apparently, we'll see how this year's goes.

If you've been with me this long, you'll remember when I did my FIRST half marathon. Can you believe how far I've come? Never thought I'd do it. My friends and I are talking about conquering a full next year. Cross something off my bucket list. I'd like to get ten halves in first.

I've got my ninth tentatively scheduled in Eugene in July, and -- finances depending -- possibly doing the lottery for NWM (Nike Women's) again. That one has gotten spendier, for sure! Worth every penny, but it's definitely more of a commitment than these local races. I'd love to do NWM as my tenth half marathon...there would be something supremely fitting about that.

We'll see.

Training starts on the first of February, this month has been about recovering from my five-week hiatus from consistent working out. First week was "I don't want to," second week was my back doing some serious stress-ball bugging, third week was a cold, fourth week was Hawai'i (oh right, yes, we went on our honeymoon), and fifth week was relapse from the cold that never ended. Argh. I've been so sore the last couple weeks from being so good about working out! It's amazing how quickly you lose it though.

Since we've last talked, I had the cold from hell: got sick right before our honeymoon, was feeling better until most of the way through our flight when the stress of travel and circulated air proved too much for my sinuses. Instead of resting the first day of our honeymoon we ran around exploring Pai'ia and Kihei and instead of resting the second day of our honeymoon, we got up at the crack of dawn (quite literally...we watched the sun rise over the mountains to the east of Pai'ia) and were on the road to Hana. By 11 AM we had just about reached Hana and I crashed harder than I have in a long time. We pulled over at a beach and I didn't even get out of the car, just unclipped my seatbelt, tucked my head down and was out like a light. Tyler said I napped for about an hour before his boredom made him wake me up so we could go find a different place to explore. We found Hamoa beach and I napped there too. We got back from dinner in Hana and both of us fell asleep by 6:30 PM and while he was up by 5, I slept until almost 7.

By the end of the week in Maui, I finally felt better. We finished off our trip by going to see a Warren Miller ski/snowboarding movie at a beautiful outdoor amphitheater before boarding our red-eye back to the mainland. Of course, that red eye tipped me from "almost well" to "nice try." We got back to Oregon in the afternoon the next day, and I spent the rest of that day and the next two days on the couch wheezing. Finally, my lack of remaining sick hours drove me back into work, prolonging my recovery. Luckily I only felt like death for another couple days.

So as you've surmised, we've also been to Maui and back since we last talked. It was fun, except for the cold. It made me not want to travel to tropical locales with my husband as his version of "fun" is "let's go do everything" whereas when I am that hot and it's that gorgeous, I want to find a beach and get busy with a book. He's cute, but he's got too many wiggles. Now I'm thinking Europe would be fun for him and I, because let's face it...you have to do everything there!

Since we've last talked, I've started a new gym routine at a new gym (I hate change like that) and started planning weekly meals for us. My husband doesn't like it because it means we have too many leftovers right now, but I have to keep trying until I get the "two person happy place" to a science. You know, enough for dinner and lunch the next day but that's it. I've begun freezing some of the hardier leftovers -- like chili -- which is, as you know, one of my favorite secrets. But now our freezer is full. Oh well, baby steps to health, happiness and domestic bliss.

I hope everything is going well with you, I'm going to try to be more vocal in the future. I've got some exciting news but I can't share it just yet, so stay tuned!

Ciao,
kc

SUNDAY: 30 minute cardio and strength training
SATURDAY: 60 minute cardio

Advent

As we enter the new year, we always find ourselves reminiscing on things that have been and were. Some of us look forward with bright hopes, while others stare at the past and wish to return though inevitably we must all greet the future -- be it from under the covers helplessly attempting to punch the snooze button, or leaping from bed with all the enthusiasm of a golden retriever puppy.

I'm halfway.

I want to push snooze and slow down time, though I'm excited for what could be.

2013 was a fun year though.

I recovered.

I married.

I ran.

It was pretty awesome.

My resolution is to strive for happiness this year, and to make choices in my life that support that goal, as life is too short to do otherwise. Also, it's my goal to return to my art with greater joy and dedication. I miss it, and I miss working on pieces. So there's that.

Oh, and a half marathon or two. Maybe I'll hit 10 this year, or maybe that 10th will have to wait until 2015. Only time will tell. If I've learned anything in my short span of years, it is that rarely do things turn out the way you expect them to.

Hope your New Year starts with a positive bang and a lack of a hangover.

Ciao,
kc