Can I Ramble on Mondays, Too?

This will be me, come Thursday. After the Turkey Trot, natch.

It has been a crazy weekend, with a crazy week ahead, so I am just posting a quick update.

Nothing like a double-Thanksgiving to make you want to run your tail off.  We celebrate with my dad and stepmom on the Saturday before actual Thanksgiving each year because of everyone's various in-law and other commitments.  Since Mike's parents live far away, we typically do the Turkey Trot and then host an orphan's Thanksgiving, mostly because we both love to cook so much. Oh, and because we have awesome friends whom we love to hang out with.  Needless to say, I am trying really hard with food this week, but there will be slips.  And, for the record, Thanksgiving is a free day.  It would be un-American any other way, right? However, what I am not skimping on at all is the running.  I have all my workouts planned and ready and waiting in the week ahead of me, including the Turkey Trot, which I love.

My last half-marathon (out of five!) is right around the corner on Saturday the 4th.  This is a super small race in Pueblo, Colorado, and it goes off snow or shine.  One of the caveats of this small race is that they do not allow walkers.  They sweep the course at 3 hours, and from what I read on their site, they do not take kindly to people who take longer than that because it means their volunteers have to continue to stand out in the cold until the slow people finish.  So, basically, I have to do well (for me) in this race, lest I embarrass the crap out of myself and then have to live with the suffering of hypothermic volunteers on my conscience for the rest of my life.  2:30-2:45.  That is my goal.

I picked up a bunch of Honey Stinger gels and chews today.  I have been looking for some new ones to try, and this brand came highly recommended by Tri Like Mary. I opened one package just to taste a chew, and yum.  And I have never said that about any energy stuff.  So, we shall see on Thursday how they serve me on a race day, but after a couple years of feeling either dehydrated or kind of choked by energy blocks and gels, I am feeling positive.

Mike and I had a couple of great runs together this weekend.  I like training with him, although I sometimes miss my alone running time. He is such a natural athlete, that he is just rocking along with his training.  The 4th will be his first half-mary.  I am kind of excited for him.  He deserves the feeling of crossing a finish line like that, especially after how supportive he has been of me.  So yay!

Gym tomorrow morning!!

More tomorrow, when things just might calm down a bit.

Highlights from Cara's pink iPod from weekend runs:
Shame on You by the Indigo Girls.  If you can run without bopping your head to this one, more power to ya. One of my all-time favorite songs.
Summer of 69 by Bowling for Soup.  A punk remake of a classic.  This has been a staple on my workout mix for years.  Highly recommended if you like to rock while you run.