July 9 to July 15

Finally a few days at home with no work! While the money is good, the ole brain cell could use the break; although studying is in full swing in light of the upcoming training for the new position.

Monday; July 9: In need of a day off but not today. A quick 6 miler was on the agenda.

Tuesday; July 10:  Well, it looked like today would be the day off for the week. With a restless previous night, the ole head and body were not moving very fast at first but somehow, someway it made it to the gym for abs, legs, and shoulders. Since weight lifting had occurred without too much fatigue and pain, running was an option. With the Tuesday night track session coming, I forced myself to get there and start with a 1.5 mile warmup on the track. How hard can that be right? Well, in 90+ degree heat and humidity, it wasn't that easy! But alas, the 800, the  one mile, the 400 and then two mile intervals happened, all at a snails pace. The highlight was the 4 x 100 relay! That is once around the track with 4 runners each running 100 meters!!! Now that sounds easy right? Think again! Being the second runner on the old ladies team, I took off like a bat outta .......only to be smoked by a little pipsqueak who came up to my waist!!! She was very cute with her little pigtails...that I almost grabbed as she flew by! Sometimes it is just plain fun to blow out all the dust and run as hard as you can for a very short distance. 100 meters doesn't seem like a long way to go but when you are pushing as hard as you can, it can seem like forever! A total of 6 miles for the day.

Wednesday; July 11: Time for distance today. Traysen and I were off to a late start since running lasted to almost 815pm last night. He lasted about 7 miles and wandered back to his air conditioning. Mom here, not being the smart one, completed another 3 miles in the steamy morning.

Thursday; July 12: Back at it before the heat set in.....but not before the humidity was at full steam! Traysen, again being the smart one, opted to boycott the whole mission and lounged with his sister, Savannah, in the comfort of dry air conditioned dog pillows. But not Mom....what little clothing I had on was drenched within a few minutes of running but nevertheless, 11 miles was tallied and a nice cool shower followed.

Friday; July 13:  Oh My...It's Friday the 13th....remember that series of movies of the same name? Creepy stuff that sent young kids to sleep with their mom's for three weeks!!! But this ole kid was out the door running in the dark at 515am. Traysen joined for the first 7 sweaty miles and then was done; while the Badass Psycho Sweaty Bunny went back for 3 more....a total of 10.0 Then, off to the gym for abs, biceps, and triceps.
Late in the day the dogs and I went for a long walk on some of the trails. Here are a couple of pics as well as the new pic at the top of the blog...these trails are amazing....over 90 miles in length....most of which I can find enough shoulder/dirt/mud/rocks/tree roots to run on instead of the pavement. There are even some hills (as opposed to the Colorado mountains) and some water crossings at times with all the rain lately.

A very wooded section along the trail not too far from Flat Creek Golf Course. Despite the heat and humidity, this place is beautiful!!!

Saturday; July 14th:  whewwww....we made it through Friday, the 13th without any creepy, crawly things happening!
A late start was the order of the day since I was meeting up with the running club folks at 8am. Traysen and I took off at 645am for a quick 6 miler, after which he was done! A quick jog over to the library where about 25 other runners were gathered; with some banter/razzing, we were off for a blast of a 4 miler this morning. (usually it is a 6 miler on Sat. morning, but with the Grand Prix series today, 4 miles at full speed was the distance called for). The ole legs were churning well and for 4 miles I chased Bob....who is very fast, with very long legs, a very lean physic. Never did catch Bob, but it was a wonderful outing of 10 miles total!

It has been a homecoming returning to the Peachtree City Running Club. My dad help start this club over 30 years ago! What has been most interesting is seeing old friends that I knew when I lived here in the mid 80s and early 90s! We all have a few more gray hairs, a few more wrinkles and all of us are a bit slower but our love of running has remained! A few pics of some old friends....


Roy R.. Several Hawaii Iron Man finishes!



Lou and Martha B. Retired airline pilot (Lou) and very fast runner (Martha).



Bob D. Very fast, lean n mean runner! He kicks everyones butt!

(thanks to Normer.com for the above three pics)



And only in PTC will you see this!!!! Ain't it cute?!!!

Sunday; July 15: With work looming this morning, out the door at 450am! A buzz through 7 miles and then off to Belize! That is South right?

Summary:  A great week of running is in the bag. It is interesting to note how well the running is going in the heat and humidity of the southeast. Once I moved away from here many years ago the thought of returning to running in the heat was not pleasant; however, now that I am back and here to stay awhile, it is amazing how the mind has shifted to dealing with the heat and humidity as if the concept was there already. In light of the mind shift, one phrase comes to mind: "You can do more than you think you can." by Ken Choubler, race director of the Leadville 100. We are often only limited by our own minds and once we can past that limitation, anything is possible.
total miles for the week: 60.0
total miles for 2012: 1599.0

July 2 to July 8

Finally a few days off to enjoy at home in Atlanta. Despite summer being in full swing in Hotlanta, it should be a good week of running and weight lifting.

Monday; July 2: A long day of work yielded the day off. Hopefully, nobody noticed there were just two days off in a row!!!

Tuesday; July 3: Needless to say, a bit antsy to get back on the trails, Traysen and I headed out quite early for an easy 10 miler. It was one of those wonderful "floater" runs that required very little effort. After a quick shower, it was off to the gym for abs, chest and back. (yes, a shower is required before going to the gym...gotta get rid of the layers of sweat...just too grimy).

Wednesday; July 4: Usually at work on this day, it was odd to be at home and have a whole day to ? Out the door early for a nice 9 miler. Traysen even made the whole distance and then a quiet day ensued. Peachtree City goes all out for the 4th. A huge parade followed by parties everywhere and then to cap off the day, a fireworks display over the lake. For the afternoon walk with the dogs, the cart paths were full of golf carts, most of which were decked out in the red, white and blue! It's a tradition here that golf carts even get in on the celebration.
As usual the dogs and I wandered off to bed at 730pm, only to be jarred wide awake at 930pm to bombs going off!!!! At least that was what it sounded like....but not to fear, it was only the fireworks being fired about a quarter mile away! Traysen and I walked into the backyard and watched the display....we had the best seats in the house!



Who knew you could dress up a golf cart like this?



Fireworks as seen from the boat dock on the south end of the lake. Thanks to M. Schneider for the pic.

Thursday; July 5: Sleeping in til almost 6am, the ole bones finally wandered out into a very steamy morning. All dogs boycotted the whole mission as Mom here headed over to the track. After a warmup.....as if it wasn't toasty enough.....it was 4x800s and then 4x400s. All times were as expected and consistent. Then off to shuffle through an additional 3.5 miles for a total of 8 for the day.
Finally, the track workouts are happening. With a track within a mile there are no excuses. Now, the key is to keep it consistent. As I have mentioned many times the benefits of running/exercise stem from sticking with the program. Even when there are setbacks, it is important to get right back on the wagon and resume the running/exercise.
A weight lifting session of abs, biceps and triceps rounded out the hot day.

Friday; July 6:  Quite the warm start at 530am and during the first three hours of a 17 mile run, I wasn't sure the whole distance was going to be covered! Traysen gave as much support as he could for the first 7 miles and then it was a solo effort for ole Mom. With plenty of Powerade and not much clothing, the distance was covered and the recovery went quite well.
Sometimes when running in the extreme heat an ugly headache will take place after the run. Anyone else experience this frustration? Maybe it was the fluids, maybe it was the nap, but whatever the lack of a post hot run headache was welcome!

Saturday; July 7:  Back in the old stomping grounds of Salt Lake but yet an early departure yielded an elliptical effort of 8 miles. This was actually a welcome relief from the heat and from the pounding of running.

Sunday; July 8: Waking up in my favorite place on earth, Jackson Hole, Wy, the ole bones greeted the early morning light with a simple 8 miler  on the elk refuge.



There probably are prettier places to run but where? The Tetons as viewed from the National Elk Refuge.

Summary: A very nice week of running with some weight lifting. Summer is in full swing in the south with temps topping out in the upper 90s and even a few 100 degree readings! That can only mean one thing: Home grown tomatoes and watermelon!!!! Ya'll probably thought I was gonna say reduced running!? No way....running is full steam ahead....
Total miles: 60.0
Total miles for 2012: 1539.0

June 25 to July 1

Oh my! Here we go into another month of the year!!! Would someone please slow the clock a little?!!!

With life lately, with a full week of flying, and with a need to cut back on the miles, this week of running will be quite reduced. As we all know, sometimes you just need to cut back and take a mental and physical break from the high mileage.

The wildfires in CO have  not affected the big log house, but many friends have  been displaced from their homes while a few others have lost homes. Prayers and thoughts being sent to all those affected.

Monday; June 25th: A one day trip and back home to a still very sick Katie, the dachshund. I seriously had to come to terms with the fact that she was ready to leave us and even Jim (who is very close to the little weiner dog) was coming to realize we should let her go. This is the hard part of animal ownership. It is often up to us to make the decision that their lives are complete. Running was not an option today, so a day off.

Tuesday; June 26th: Needing some stress relief, it was a quick 6 miler and then off to check on Katie who was staying at Grandmas. Oddly enough that little dog was acting much like her old self, complete with a bad attitude! She was still having issues with the rear left leg but  her system was regulating itself and she was getting around much better. A visit to her vet revealed much improvement on all issues and it appears the little snotty attitude, diabetic, blind, spider bitten, snaggle tooth, immune disorder, stinky breath dog is going to be around awhile longer! So, a good day for us all.
The day was ended with a track workout with the running group. A 1.5 mile warmup was followed by 200, 800, and 1 mile intervals.  A total of 3.0 miles. Then a quick trip to the airport to pick up Jim who was very happy to see his Katie doing well.

Wednesday; June 27th: A busy day ahead yielded a 7 miler before the heat set in for the day.

Thursday; June 28th: After a warm 6 miler with Traysen it was to the gym with Jim. Following his workout we started with legs. OUCH! It's been awhile since these ole bones have done full fledged leg presses! Being the stud muffin he is, Jim then pushed us through shoulders and while he finished a fourth exercise there, I opted to hit abs pretty hard.

Friday; June 29th: OMG!!! I can't walk! The legs have aches we never knew existed! Why did I ever stop doing legs that intensely? But still, 8 miles was on the agenda and off we went like a herd of turtles! Traysen kept looking at Mom and asking, "what is your problem today, Slow Poke?" I told him to shut up and trot. And then!!! Back to the gym for bicep, triceps and abs again! Luckily, these areas of ole Mom here are quite used to hard weight lifting and they were able to keep up with the Stud Muffin.

Saturday; June 30th:  Waking up in Missoula, MT at 935am (very late night of work), the day was calling for a leisurely 10 miler along the Clark Fork River and up into the Hell's Gate trails near the Univ. of MT. While climbing up Hell's Gate I came across the fella in the pic below. As I approached, he scampered off into the weeds and was never seen again. Also sighted was the beautiful symbol in the sky, also pictured below. Despite a warm temp of about 80, it was a nice run and the cooler than 100 degree temps of Atlanta were much appreciated. A cool dip in the river made the post run all the better.

Luckily, this fella was not interested in getting too close.



Very beautiful example of the nation's symbol.

Sunday; July 1: An early departure followed by a 2pm arrival in 107 degree temps in Atlanta yielded a day off. This was to be an easy week and so taking an extra day off was par for the course.

Summary: As we all know, life can sometimes deal us one challenge after another. Often these challenges can range from the simple (such as dealing with a sloppy run) to the overwhelmingly emotional (such as dealing with a very sick dog). During these times we may question the meaning of all the series of frustrations/challenges/obstacles but yet we always make it through and keep hoping for simpler times. We also know that sometimes it is only through persistence and patience that we accomplish the goals we have set for ourselves. In some cases the goals are just not obtainable while in other cases we know we can reach the goal but we question just how long it is going to take and how we are going to make ourselves pursue the effort and find the patience. Well folks.....this week it seems as though the continual series of challenges that have been occuring since I moved to Atlanta has finally diminished. Katie the dog is doing very well, the renovation of the duplex is almost complete, the air conditioning in the old Dodge truck is hanging in there in the 100 degree temps, and the personal life is settling down. AND....as many of you who read this blog know one of the reasons I moved to Atlanta was in a hope of being promoted to an instructor job with Delta. (different and better paying than the instructor job I hold now). Well folks....the patience and persistence paid off!!!! The call came on Wednesday and on September I will be the newest Seniority List Instructor at Delta Airlines. Not only will I be the newest but from sources have told me, I will be the only girl in the Good Ole Boys Club!!! They finally let a girl in!!!!
So, just when you think your life has reached it's limits on challenges and you can no longer take anymore, have no fear....the Good Lord knows when you have had enough and will ease the struggle. At this point the families in Colorado who have lost their homes to the fire come to mind. The challenges are only beginning for them; it is not as simple as rebuilding a structure. They will now have to endure months (or longer) of healing, dealing with insurance claims, realizing lost treasures, and yes, rebuilding a home.
Also when we think that our efforts are no longer worth the goal, that is just when the goal is often obtained. We runners often spend months training for a particular race and sometimes wonder if the goal of finishing in a certain time is worth the effort and sacrifice spent. But then in the end, we achieve the goal and know all the training paid off.
The moral of the story is this: Regardless of your situation, regardless of how difficult the goal, hang in there because most often the challenges will subside and the goals will be obtained.
Total miles for the week: 40.0
Total miles for 2012:  1479.0

June 18 to June 24

An interesting week lies ahead as I came home to a very sick dog. Katie, one of the mini dachshunds, was bitten by a brown recluse spider AND developed diabetic ketoacidosis all at the same time!

Monday; June 18: After a long, restless night, it was a day off.  Jim arrived in town and we were preparing to say our goodbyes to Miss Katie. She is really sick and not doing very well.

Tuesday; June 19:  A quick 6 miler in the dark with Traysen and then off to the animal hospital. She is doing better....we think! Mean ole spider! No track workout this evening since we had to transport Katie from one vet to another late in the day.

Wednesday; June 20:  Out the door quite early for a 10 miler and then Jim and I actually made it to the gym during the early afternoon. The weight lifting session was less than "wonderful" but it was good to get in there.
Katie is improving. The diabetes is somewhat stable but not glucose levels are still very high. The spider bite effects are very ugly....the poision has spread from the bite (on her little butt) all the way up her belly to under her front legs! Luckily, she is enjoying a nice cocktail of pain meds.

Thursday; June 21:  A somewhat cool morning produced another nice 11 miler, partly solo and partly with Traysen. (he gave up at 6 miles). Then back to the gym for another odd ball weight lifting session. It is amazing the difference in how running first and then weight lifting changes the quality of the gym outing. Sometimes when lifting first, the run goes very well and sometimes it does not. But it seems that lately a run followed by weight lifting produces a blah weight lifting session. Who knew?
We did see a lady ??? in the gym that could  kick both our little butts! OH MY! That is the interesting part of working out with the rest of society. You just never know what hangs out in the gyms! On the other hand, by seeing what others are doing, it opens our minds to try to new things so our routines and bodies do not stale.

Friday; June 22:  Oddly enough Katie is coming home today. It has been a very expensive and emotional week but she is doing well enough to come home. Not sure what the whole day holds, Traysen and I opted for a run in the dark at 5am. A quick 7 miler and we were in the shower.

Saturday; June 23:  This was a different 515am out the door! I walked 15 minutes to volunteer at the Peachtree City Marathon Relay! Usually volunteering at a race involves driving at least an hour! A quick setup for the race and then I was recruited to run one leg of Team 9, aka..Perfect Strangers. In a marathon relay there are four team members with each person running one 10K leg. Leg #3 was the assignment and according to several other Leg #3 folks, it was the hottest and hilliest (is that a word?) leg! Very nice! So, with about two hours til Leg #3, it was back to the house to walk and feed dogs. Once back at the race, the missing member of Team 9 had appeared and she was now going to run her own hot n hilly leg. Wooo Hooo....I was now free to go run in the shady trails of Peachtree City and only needed to return to help clean up after the race.

https://sites.google.com/site/ptcmarathonrelay/

The race website for those that want to participate next year!

And with that, off I went...in the 9am heat of a hot n humid June morning. A fairly decent 7 miler ensued and then back to the race to socialize and help clean up. Traysen even got in on the fun with visiting many admirers.

Sunday; June 24:  As Traysen and I walked out the door at 545am, the hot n humid air blasted us right smack in the kisser! He looked as though wandering back to his bed would have been higher on his list than trotting through some portion of a 17 mile run! But off we went! First sticking to the lonely roads since it was still dark and then venturing onto the trails with some daylight. After the first hour, ole Traysen was done and did actually go back to bed while ole, not so smart Mom here grabbed the water bottle and took off again! Hoping to explore some new trails near Lake Kedron, the run took me north west for awhile and somewhere along the way a turn was missed and I ended up heading back south onto some known trails near the golf course. Not a big deal since there are still miles and miles of trail to explore. At about the 1:30 mark, one toe forgot to join the rest of the foot and the left elbow was one with the pavement while the right knee was one with the dirt! That is one danger of running along side the paved trails.....a digger usually means some road rash! After dusting the grime off, it was back to work for another 1:45. The day was heating up nicely and the water bottle was empited with about 25 minutes to run. Nevertheless, the distance was covered easily and another 17 miler is in the books!
Now a day in the air conditioning!

Summary:  A good week of running despite the distraction of dealing with a sick dog who may not be with us much longer. As we all know, our running often is a stress reliever and when times get tough is when we need the running even more. Sometimes when the stressful event is also a time consuming event we lose sight of the need to get that exercise done for the day. But if we can find even 30 minutes to get out, we know it will help with the coping skills.

Total for the week: 58.0
Total for 2012: 1439.0; this is 130 fewer miles than last year at this time when I was training for Leadville 50 miler.

June 11 to June 17

Whewwww...working way too much lately but it is actually not stressful at all!!! Not commuting changes everything! A quick drive to the airport and I am  at work!!! Still several renovation items to be done on the duplex in Peachtree City so the checkbook needs a boost!

Monday; June 11: An early wakeup in Missoula yielded a day off.

Tuesday; June 12: Out the door early with Traysen for a nice 8 miler. With a track workout this evening we took the morning easy.
Running part 2: Arriving at the track in time for a 1.0 mile warmup, then a 800, 1 mile, 400, and a finish of a 5k run on the track!!! UGGHHHH....The first three intervals went well despite the very warm afternoon while the 5k was more of a mental challenge than physical. One of the ladies I have been running with (she is quite new to the sport) asked if I was going to do the 5k run. After explaining it was more of a mental push than a physical push, she indicated she understood but yet looked at me as if all of the marbles had fallen completely out of the head!!! If she only knew the real truth!!! The 5k run did go well with a finish in the exact time that was predicted.

Wednesday; June 13:  To the gym quite early for abs, back, and biceps... Traysen then joined for a nice 7.0 miler. Unfortunately, about a mile from the finish, the ole body went WHAM! onto the pavement! Oh no, no trail with rocks and tree roots needed...just good solid pavement works just as well for a digger! Not much damage but I would rather avoid a repeat!

Thursday; June 14:  Being a very warm morning and just not into it, we took it easy again for a 6.5 miler. It can be frustrating sometimes when your schedule allows for a longer run but yet your body just  isn't into it. Today was just that kind of a day. When this happens, we have take what we get and know better days are around the corner...most likely on a day when you can only squeeze in a few miles!

Friday; June 15:  Today was a great outing of 12 miles with Traysen. Running in Peachtree City is awesome on so many levels. One key ingredient is that I can walk out the door, hit the trail within two minutes and go in many directions. All runs are different and offer some hills, some dirt, and some golf cart dodging!

Saturday; June 16: Waking up in Boston to a beautiful day, the ole body wandered to the gym late morning for abs, chest, and shoulders. Then out the door for a run along the Charles River. Well, it was more like a slog fest, a "the body really does not want to do this," run. Somehow, someway, 10 miles was completed and in the process I was able to visit Boston Commons, the Public Garden and see many boats along the river. A very beautiful outing on a nice day.



Boston Common on a perfect Saturday.



Several inlets off of the main river boarder the 20 mile running/biking path.



Yuppyville...aka Cambridge, Mass. ....across the Charles River.

Sunday; June 17:  Your basic 10.5  miler. Quick and done for the day.

Summary: A nice week of good miles and good weight lifting. Even as summer is heating up, the miles are coming along fairly easily with a few exceptions. Oddly enough, even living at a lower altitude and not commuting, a nap is on the schedule almost everyday.  This is actually quite normal for the nutjobs of us who insist on high mileage. Many long distance runners squeeze in a daily nap to revive themselves. It is very beneficial to grab a few minutes of shuteye so that the remainder of the day is productive. So those of you who like the high mileage, turn the head off, close your eyes and rest a few!!
Miles for the week:  60.0
Miles for 2012: 1381.0

June 4 to June 10

Work is in full swing this week with only two days off but yet without the commute, the running miles should happen easily enough.

Monday; June 4: Somehow it seems Monday's are a day off. For some folks, starting the week off with a day off can be a bit disconcerting, especially when one of the goals is to run 6 days for the week. The ability to keep the confidence in yourself comes from previous consistent running. With many weeks or years of running behind you, it is often just a mindset to know that even though Monday is a day off, you have the confidence in yourself that you will get your butt out there and get the job done the rest of the week.

Tuesday; June 5:  After flying most of the early part of the day, it was an afternoon with the Peachtree City Running Club summer series track workouts. OUCH!!! It's been awhile since I have done any formal track work (earlier this year?) and with the heat/humidity of the southeast, this was to be a "set the bar" workout. The actual workout went well  despite the heat...although many little kids kicked my butt!! A ladder style interval session produced a 400, 800, 400, a 1 mile and then a 2 mile workout. With a warm up and cool down, total miles was 6.5.

Wednesday; June 6: Somewhat of a short night, then out the door for a quick 10 miler before work. Did I mention that not flying to work is great!!!! Much more time to run and goof off!!!

Thursday; June 7: Ever have one of those days where the workouts are just sloppy despite the head being into it? One of those days where even the lightest weights in the gym are heavy and the run turns into more or less a walk? That was today. Very lethargic from the start. Traysen pulled Mom along for a sloppy 7.5 miler followed by a less than lively weight lifting session of abs, shoulders and triceps.

Friday; June 8:  Finally a good nights sleep produced a great session in the gym with abs, chest and back on the agenda. This was followed by a nice 11 miler. Traysen actually made the whole distance without chasing too many "squirrels."

Saturday; June 9:  Trying to meet up with some folks from the Peachtree City Running Club, Traysen and I headed out quite early since it was to be a 15 mile run. After the first 6 miles, the ole boy was done and opted to hang out in the air conditioning. Mom here took off again and met up with a group of ladies who were just starting out on their own 15 miler. Once we reached a split in the trail I veered right and made my way to the Stinky Trail. Honestly, it is not stinky...it is actually quite beautiful, complete with some hills and plenty of tree roots to trip on. The run went well and it was good to get the miles completed.
It is interesting how well our bodies adapt. Even as the heat and humidity rise in the southeast, the body is handling the increased challenge. One thing has helped is that I have incorporated sugar free Powerade into runs that over 12 miles. The electrolytes are just what is needed in this heat and humidity...quite a bit different than Colorado.

Sunday; June 10: Waking up in one of my favorite places on earth: Missoula, MT. A steady downpour with a cool 50 degree temp made for a nice 8 miler along the Kim Williams trail. Needless to say that hot shower was most welcome.

Summary: A solid week of running and weight lifting. As has been mentioned, our bodies can adapt to new challenges and changes in our lives. It is often a matter of adjusting our mindset and realizing there are no excuses. It would be easy to reduce the mileage and quality training given the heat and humidity of the southeast, but on the other hand, facing the challenge and making a few changes in practice have allowed me to continue with some good mileage.
Total Miles: 57.0
Total Miles for 2012: 1370.0

May 28 to June 3

Oh My!!! Where is the year going? It's June already. Walmart will have Christmas stuff out next week!!! With most of the week off from work, it should prove to be a great week of running and weight lifting.

Monday; May 28: Memorial Day reminds us of our freedoms and allows us to appreciate those who have served. As a pilot there have been times when we have carried a fallen soldier in the cargo hold of our aircraft. Never a pleasant experience and always a reminder to pay tribute to those who gave all of themselves.
As for running: it was a day off.

Tuesday; May 29: Up and at 'em early today with a kickoff of Lois' Muscle Challenge class at 515am. She really kicked my butt today! OUCH! Maybe it was just being tired..maybe it was too hot...maybe Lois slept well and was in rare form....OR maybe she just kicked my little butt!!!! Nevertheless, after class Traysen and I took off for a nice 10 miler. Bet Lois went and ate donuts! NOT!

Wednesday; May 30: Back to the gym for an early session of abs, shoulders and triceps. It has been awesome doing different routines in the gym. Finally getting back into the swing of weight lifting with some vigor instead of just going through the motions. Amazing how just changing the routines gives new inspiration.  A brief 7.5 miler rounded out the day.

Thursday; May 31:  A basic 8..5 miler.

Friday; June 1:  The alarm sent me and the dogs spinning at 4am....well, we all fumbled downstairs anyway and made our way to coffee! Then off to the gym for abs, legs, and biceps! Traysen then pulled Mom through a 9 miler before I flew out to meet Jim to celebrate his parents 50th wedding anniversary. WOW! That is a long time with one person! How does she do it?

Saturday; June 2:  After a decent night of sleep, Jim joined me for a late morning run. I thought he would tag along at my plodder pace for about 3 miles or so but before he knew it we had gone about 9 miles!! With lots of catching up to do, the miles and time passed quickly as we yapped and formulated plans. Then it was off to spend the day with the family. An awesome day in Branson, MO with the highlight being a riverboat dinner cruise.



The Branson Belle.

Sunday; June 3: Waking up after a late night out, I managed to squeeze in about 5 miles before lightening and an oncoming storm forced the day to be done. Weather is usually not an issue with running....rain, snow, sleet, wind, cold, not too much heat, but lightening is where this ole girl draws the line. Running in hail is not an option either. Some folks find it difficult to run in the various forms of weather other than bright sunshine. Honestly, it is a mindset we have to get into to run in weather other than clear blue skies. Often times it is a matter of the right clothing and the right time of day. Personally, I draw the line at an oncoming thunderstorm with lightening and potential hail.

Summary:  A great week of running with three weight lifting sessions. All systems are working well and life is good!
Total:  50.0
Total for 2012: 1313.0