May 21 to May 27

Whewwww, work is in full swing this week!

Monday; May 21: Waking up in one of my favorite places on earth, Bozeman, Mt, it was out the door for a late morning 10 miler. Amazing how green the hills have become this early in the summer season. Oddly enough, even at 4200 feel MSL, the lungs were working perfectly and it was an easy chug up the trail in the StoryHills section. The highlight of this run was the assortment of cows along the trail. They are a friendly bunch and virtually ignore me running past them at less than 20 feet away. Well....there was this one guy....luckily, he was quite interested in the girl cow and had not need for the Badass Psycho Bunny!



"Hey.... Girl Cow....Lookin' mighty fine in that black coat there Missy..."
 Did ya'll know that a bull/boy   cow can grunt like an elk in rut?

Tuesday; May 22:  The early departure from Bozeman, a full day of flying and then....THE LAST COMMUTE!!!!!  This was the last time I have to commute from base to home!!!! Woooo Hoooo!!!!!Oh..as for running...it was a day off.

Wednesday; May 23:  Sleeping in til about 7am, picking up dogs at Grandma's , and just the usual tiredness after the 20 hour day before yielded a very simple 6 miler. And it was hot...

Thursday; May 24: Getting it somewhat together, a nice 8 miler was the order of the day. Some hills, some dirt, a few squirrels, Traysen and I blazed through Peachtree City with the greatest of ease.  Then off to Gitmo!!! Really!!!! As in Cuba...as in where the trial for the 911 masterminds is being held. What tha? Seriously, it was uneventful  flying into/out of Gitmo. Hauled military personnel working on the trial. We didn't get shot down so it appears we did all the procedures correctly!!



Guantanamo Naval Air Station.

Friday; May 25:  A short night of sleep yielded a short run but at least there was a run! The quick 6 miler was mostly in the dark and then it was off to work and Mexico City.

Saturday; May 26: After hanging out at the Veterans 5k race in Peachtree City, a hot...and I mean really hot!! 9 miler was in store. Summer has arrived in the southeast.

Sunday; May 27:  Well rested and ready for a good long run today! Traysen and I headed just before daylight for the first 7 miles on the trails. Once we had enough daylight, the object was to spend as little time as possible on the pavement and stay on the dirt as much as possible. He thought Mom had completely lost it when she bolted through various sections of woods, grasses, yards and whatever else got in the way. With the temps climbing, Traysen bailed at the halfway mark at the house and ole Mom went back out for a steamy 7 more miles! It was a blast staying off the pavement and spending most the run jumping tree roots, dog piles, and other debris.

Summary: While a great week of running, it was not so good on the weight lifting. It happens....we have to keep telling ourselves that most of us have not made a dime with our exercise/fitness/running,weight lifting passion and sometimes life and work just get in the way of maintaining a perfectly consistent schedule. The key is to keep trying and when a setback does happen, we just have to pick up where we left off and press on.

Total miles: 53.0
Total miles for 2012: 1213.0

May 14 to May 20

A good week of running is in store and despite the temps climbing in the southeast, there are no excuses! Git 'er done!!!

Monday, May 14: Off! Well, we are not gittin 'er done today!

Tuesday; May 15:  Oh my!!!! Waking up way early, I made it to Lois' Muscle Challenge class at the gym. Having no idea what to expect I attempted to act like I knew what was happening by just the lead of others in the class. The first chore was to gather the following from the various corners of the HUGE aerobics looking studio. (yep, I am thinking this is gonna be a sissy class and not hard enough!!): a step, a mat, some 10 lb dumbells, a black stretch band doohicky, two purple feet slider thingies and a exercise ball the size of Big Bertha's Butt!
Lois, of course, has a body harder than mine and is full of way more energy than this Badass Psycho Bunny! It's 5am for crying out loud!!! After an hour of nonstop aerobics with weights, pushups, lunges, curls, dips, and squats, I was whipped! Lois kicked my butt!
THEN,out the door for a nice 8 miler! Take that Lois!!!

Wednesday; May 16; OMG!!! I can't move! Muscles ache in places there were never muscles! But a great 10 miler was the order of the day followed by chest and back with Jim in the gym.

Thursday; May 17: Very time limited today so with a 7 miler, the day was done.

Friday; May 18: An early departure from Salt Lake resulted in a quick 6 miler around the airport.

Saturday; May 19:  The Sheraton in Mexico City has a great gym which is accessible via room key at 430am. After a descent legs/abs session, to the elliptical for 7 miles. Luckily, tunes from the phone keeps the head busy since all versions of TV are in Spanish! Como esta?



Mount Popocatepetl was spewing as we departed Mexico City. The volcano has experienced several eruptions since about 1947, including one significant explosion on April 19 of this year.

Sunday; May 20:  After a bit of sleep, it was 12 miles around Peachtree City. Traysen joined for the first 6 and then decided the heat was too much and back to the air conditioning he went. Mom here, the one with less brains, sweated through another wonderful 6.

Summary: A great week of working out and running. Amazing what not commuting to work via airplane does for the schedule and energy level!
Total miles: 53.0
Total miles for 2012: 1158.0

May 7 to May 13

A busy week ahead with projects around the duplex and work, it will be a challenge to get all the running and weight lifting done.

Monday; May 7:  With work, this was an afternoon in the gym. After a session of abs, back, shoulders, it was onto the treadmill for a 6 miler. Speaking of gym...I joined World Gym which is about 3 minutes from the duplex. A full fledged facility, complete with scrawny women who can kick my butt as well as muscle heads who think they look good in a tank top.

Tuesday; May 8:  Out the door early, it was a nice 9 miler on the trails.

Wednesday; May 9: To the gym again for abs, triceps and biceps. (The body is still sore from the session on Monday; amazing what a serious change will do for the body. Having access to a wide range of equipment, one of the goals with weight lifting is to really mix it up and regain some lost strength.) Being a time limited, Traysen and I opted for a good 6 miler and called it a day.

Thursday; May 10: Off.

Friday; May 11: With work on the horizon,  we had time for a quick 6 miler in the dark. Traysen managed to scare up one very large squirrel! Even in the heart of Peachtree City, there are numerous deer!

Saturday; May 12:  Waking up in Fargo! Oh stop laughing! At least it isn't January, -20 degrees and snowing! Actually a very nice day! Down to what the hotel calls "a fitness center" I managed to get a leg with abs workout in and then onto the elliptical. (Just no where to run outside due to traffic). A nice 9 miler while watching the Food Channel.

Sunday; May 13: Squeezed in a 9 miler in the rain. Did I move to Seattle? Even with a late start it was actually quite nice along the trails in Peachtree City.

Summary: Even though 50 miles was the goal this week, 45 was a job well done considering the tight schedule. Three weight lifting sessions is definitely an improvement.
So what do we do when we fall short of our workout goals? Well, in the short term, NOTHING! Just regroup next week and press on. Missing a few miles for the week or missing a weight lifting session (many of those here) does not mean the whole working out game plan is toast! Sometimes it is helpful to analyze why the goals were missed, try to correct the problem and then do better in the coming weeks. It is also helpful to realize that some missed miles is not going to make a bit of difference in the preparation for a race or in your overall fitness well being. Now, if you miss miles, fall short of your goals week after week, then there could be effects. Also, if you continually fall short of your goals, maybe you need to reevaluate your goals. Are they realistic given your overall lifestyle? Maybe work does not allow you to train at 60+ miles per week; perhaps family commitments are more important.It's all about balance in your life.

Total miles for the week: 46.0
Total miles for 2012: 1105.0

April 30 to May 6

Finally getting settled into the new digs in Peachtree City, GA. The renovation on the duplex is coming along and is going to be very nice once completed.
Perhaps one of the best aspects (other than driving to work!!!) is the fact that Traysen and I can walk out the door and begin running on the trails. As I have written about before, these trails go forever...miles and miles of pure running enjoyment......At this time of year, it is beautiful with the trees fully leafed out and the flowers are in full bloom. Some years the temps are in the 50s in the early morning, but this year the temps are already in the 60s at the start of our run at 6am.

Monday; April 30:  Waking up in the duplex in PTC for the first time, Traysen and I opted to start quite early at 550am. Being very dark (and no headlamp) we trotted on the main drag for a mile or two and then hopped onto the trails for an additional 5 miles.

Tuesday; May 1: It's MAY for crying outloud!!!! Where is the year going? One added feature of running in Peachtree City...and in the southeast in particular....is the sound of birds in the early morning. They wake up early here and start the day with lots of chirping!

This guy is a favorite and common early morning sight and sound.

Nevertheless, out the door with the birds and Traysen for a nice 8 miler. As I have practiced in the past, I am making a concerted effort to run in the dirt along the paved paths; there are even some excursions right through the woods....just like in the Jewel 100k of a few weeks ago!

Wednesday; May 2:  Well, summer is in the southeast already! The highs have been in the 90s over the last few days but luckily the early mornings are in the lower 60s and the humidity is not too bad...YET! Today Traysen and I did a loop around the neighborhood and then took off towards the lake....Lake Peachtree that is.....over the years I have never discovered an exact route of trails that leads around the lake, but over time we can figure this out. Today; however, was a nice 8 miler down the east side of the lake with a loop back around Braelinn and back to the duplex.

Lake Peachtree covers 230 acres and offers fishing, electric motor boating and swimming.

Thursday; May 3:  Remind me NOT to drink southern iced tea late in the day! Yesterday dad and I cooled off with a tea from Chic Fil A.....around 3pm.....which meant too much caffeine late in the day!!! A restless night of sleep produced a sloppy run of only 7 miles.

Friday; May 4:  Despite being a year older today, Traysen dragged my sorry butt out for a wonderful 9 miler in the rain! We ventured north, towards Lake Kedron. The light drizzle made for a cooler and pleasant outing. Often times many folks opt to forego running in the rain; however, it is usually a very refreshing experience (a hard downpour is no fun). It's a mindset and a matter of putting on your clothes, shoes, and a hat helps...and then getting your butt out the door...once you are soaked it doesn't matter that you are running in the rain and as long as a shower is available soon after finishing, the run can go very well.

Saturday; May 5:  Time for a day off.

Sunday; May 6:  With a 9am check in for work, it was out the door at 5am for a basic 6 miler in the dark. Even though too dark for trails, Traysen and I had a great run on the vacant roads around Peachtree City. During the outing we spotted one owl and one fox. Amazing a run can happen from "home" on the same morning as an early report for work!!!

Summary: A nice week of running and it seems as though life is beginning to settle in here in Peachtree Ctiy. The heat does not seem to be an issue for myself or for Traysen and we are having a blast on the trails.
Total for the week : 45.0
Total miles for 2012: 1059.0

April 23rd to April 29

This week could very well get out of control in terms of time management.  Jim is heading to south GA for a week of RC airplane flying, the duplex is well underway with renovation, Sarah is antsy to get moved in, and the dogs are adjusting to the heat and hanging out with Grandma.  Let's see how this goes:

Monday; April 23rd:  Jim is in town and in fact, he arrived Saturday night with the three dogs and a worn out Dodge Dakota truck! And yes, Jim was quite worn out himself! As for running, I managed a 7 miler around Mom and Dad's. Traysen is getting his first taste of running in the heat and humidity, although the local "squirrel" population kept him busy.

Tuesday; April 24th:  Again, a 7 miler was in order. Nothing special...just gittin 'er done! Very busy with the rest of life!

Wednesday; April 25th:  With Jim in Americus, GA, Traysen and I opted for a nice n slow 6 miler. To say the Heat is On is an understatement! Still lots of work to be done on the duplex.

Thursday; April 26th:  Another sloppy, sluggish 6 miler. It just wasn't happening...too hot, too much going on. The highlight of the day was a drive to work!!!! It was only 30 minutes to the parking lot and then a 10 minute bus ride!!!! I drove to work for the first time in many years! No commuting via airplane!!!

Friday; April 27th:  Even though there was plenty of time, the workout did not happen. The body said to take the day off and don't argue! It is amazing that when life gets the most stressful (and when we need the exercise the most), the body can sometimes revolt and ensure more rest is taken.

Saturday; April 28th: After an all nighter and then a drive to Americus to join Jim for the RC flying, running did not happen....as suspected, the running is falling apart this week...it happens. The hard part is between the ears. One off week does not constitute a total melt down of the exercise/fitness/running/healthy lifestyle program.

Sunday; April 29th: A restless night in the camper, fighting gnats, I could not even muster a walk with Traysen. Jim flew a few flights and we packed up camp and headed north to Peachtree City.

Summary: As suspected, the running totally fell apart this week. While the body felt blah, puffy, and lethargic, the head really did not care...well, maybe not much! It's important to realize that sometimes life gets in the way of running/exercise/fitness and it is also important to realize your commitment to an overall healthy lifestyle. Even with a slightly off week ...or even a month....the whole lifestyle still remains and we can return to our former "badass psycho bunny" ways once life settles down! One other key aspect to dealing with some "life" is to keep the diet healthy. Even though life may seem a bit stressful at the moment, it is very important to eat healthy and still attempt to get some form of exercise a few days a week.

Total miles for the week: 26.0
Total miles for 2012: 1014.0...which is 37.0 miles more than last year at this time.

April 16 to April 22

A very busy week with work, moving to Atlanta and more work. The legs are mostly recovered but yet not ready for any high mileage or intense running. As always the mind is always ready to run.

Monday; April 16:   A very long day with an early flight to Atlanta, a long meeting and then early to bed all yielded a day off.

Tuesday; April 17:  Out the door before daylight in Atlanta...more like  Fayetteville....mom and dad's......a quick 6 miler was the order of the day and then off to an all day meeting with about 600 other pilots! OMG....600 pilots in one room!!!! Very Frightening!



Seriously, this guy is a smuck!!!!

Wednesday; April 18:  A 7am meeting with the hopeful future boss and then a long flight home yielded yet another day off....
It's odd that even a Badass Psycho Bunny is ok with an extra day off after training for and running a 100k race! Most runners  have no problem taking some much needed time off after a hard effort...but then again, most runners have some common sense.....!!!

Thursday; April 19: After sending Jim and three of the dogs off on a long journey from Colorado to Georgia, it was a basic 7 miler from the house..this was the last run at the house for quite some time....by the end of the week I will be living in GA.....

Friday; April 20:  To the ellipitical and treadmill early in Salt Lake....a "push the pace" 7 miler was accomplished in a fairly easy manner. Sooo..two weeks after the 100k, the body and head are ready to push the pace....just a bit!
As I mentioned last week, recovery from a hard race is a personal choice...you have to know your head and your body...and then listen to both!

Saturday; April 21:  Ola! and Buenas Dias! In Mexico City this morning. Attempting to run in the great outdoors in Mexico City is just NOT smart! So, to the hotel gym it was for an upper body/abs weight lifting session followed by 8 miles on the treadmill.

Sunday; April 22:  Back home in the Mother Land and in Atlantato be specific, it was a nice 6 miler in the early morning cool air. Spring is well sprung in these parts and the leaves are fully leafed out. Very beautiful to enjoy the greenery.

Total miles for the week: 35.0
Total Miles for 2012: 988.0