Ketchup, Pickles and Girl Scout Cookies

Odd combination, I know....but it was one of those days. In art class, there are days when some students need to complete or catch-up (Ketchup) on a project and others are ready to move on and may pick an activity for the day (Pickles). Half of my classes were Ketchup and Pickles today and it makes for a hectic, high energy day.

I'm playing Ketchup here, too, as there are numerous runs since my last post, including a much needed weekend away. In December, my sister and I escaped to Miami for the weekend. It was the most relaxing weekend I've had in years. We soaked up the sun, enjoyed the local artwork, walked, and walked and walked and even ran a 5K. We enjoyed it so much that we've decided to make it an annual event. Wrapping up 2013, I did the Highlands Christmas 5K with my sister sporting our festive Christmas socks as well as the Peachtree Corners Christmas 5K. The boys and I ran the ATC Resolution Run on New Year's Day as they are always wanting to run with me and I thought it would be a fun way to kick off the new year. And most recently the With or Without You 5K and the La Amistad 5K (which deserves its own post - I'll Ketchup on that one later this week).

I'm also picking an assortment of runs to add to my calendar in order to get 40 races in my 40th year. It's funny how this adventure has evolved. I originally thought it would be a social affair full of crazy races with paint and ugly sweaters but what I've cherished most are the quiet times and somewhat solitary moments. With all that goes on during the week, sneaking out for a quiet Saturday run is like a little slice of happiness to start my weekend. I'm not gonna lie - I don't always want to get out of bed, but I'm glad I did when I cross the finish line.

On top of the chaos of Ketchup and Pickles...it's also my mom's birthday, an emotional day. She would have been 66 today, which is hard to imagine since she is eternally in her 30's to me. It's only fitting that my very large order of girl scout cookies were delivered today. She must have been the troop leader every year that my sister and I were scouts. I remember boxes and boxes of cookies during cookie time. When our scouting days were over, she would always order more than enough cookies to last throughout the year. I think I inherited my sweet tooth from her!

 

One of my favorite pics of my mom and dad. Happy Birthday, mom!

 

Frozen Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving! The boys wanted to run with me today, their first 5K, so that was a treat. Little did I know it was going to be a freezing 23 degrees this morning. We bundled up and headed out. Once we started we were quick to warm up so the temperature wasn't a big factor. We stayed together and it took us a while but we made it!  Rigsby learned that three miles is a long way for little legs. Michael enjoyed the race energy and can't wait to do another. I am thankful for my boys and what could be a new Thanksgiving tradition for us!

 

Treasures

Last Saturday I ran in the Race 2 Recycle at Piedmont Park. Pretty funny as I am getting quite the reputation at school for recycling. My principal calls it hoarding but I like to think of it as creative upcycling.  Trash is a highly underestimated resource and we are making great treasures from recycled materials.


As part of a team building exercise, the first graders at

Westside painted on large sheets of recycled blue prints.
 

It was the first run for me in several weeks and it felt great. The leaves were falling, the park was quiet and a small group gathered to run. The entire route was within the park which was refreshing. And...I love this park! As much as I dream about moving to a smaller city, Piedmont Park makes me fall in love with Atlanta every time I'm there. Besides all of the great spaces, Mike and I were married there and it fills my heart with joy just thinking about it.



A truly great day at the park!

A Single and a Double

The end of September, I completed race 5 while catching up with a dear friend. Our busy lifestyles have taken us in different directions the last few months so it was much needed time. The course was an 8K in an area of Atlanta which will eventually be part of the Beltline. While it was great catching up and seeing a different part of the city, I could feel myself coming down with something. It was a struggle but thankfully had my faith and friend to motivate me to keep running.  I rallied for the next two weeks to get through the end of the first grading period at school and then my body crashed. That something turned into Bronchitis and Sinusitis. I missed a trail run that I wanted to do at Serenbe and rested for an entire week during fall break. At the end of the break, I was determined to fit in a Saturday and Sunday run. Enter race 6, the Spooktacular Chase and race 7, the Morningside Mile...not a good decision! I was still not feeling well for the Spooktacular Chase but was set on running. It was cold and rainy and I had a pounding headache. I could hear every footstep and deep breath from the runners beside me. Dogs were barking and race support was cheering. Ugh...I just wanted to be done so I could go home and crawl back in bed. The Morningside Mile was better weather wise and shorter in distance but I still wasn't feeling 100%. I'm not sure I would do this one again or perhaps if I did, I would bring my kids, too. It started late, was point to point and a bit crazy with all the jogging strollers and kids weaving back and forth.

Because of my lingering cough, I missed another race last week that was an all girls nighttime run at Piedmont Park. Sounds fun, right? I was very disappointed but took the advise of my family members who encouraged me to make good decisions. Now after my second round of antibiotics and taking two steps back, I'm checking the race calendar and hoping to move forward before the end of the calendar year.

Party Hats in Heaven

Today is my grandma's birthday. She passed away in May, just months shy of celebrating her 90th year. I am thankful she is with her maker and many loved ones but I selfishly long for one more conversation, one more letter, one more hug. Although heart breaking for those she left behind, I feel certain they are wearing party hats in heaven!
To honor her today, we wiped away the tears and we celebrated. Happy Birthday, GG. We love you!

 

Slow and Steady



The boys saved their money this summer to buy two turtles at the beach.

They reside on our counter and are a constant reminder of a slower pace.

It's been said that slow and steady wins the race. In my case, slow and steady finishes the race. My fourth race was the Fitness for Literacy 5K in Grant Park. My performance wasn't pretty but it was for a great cause and temporarily cleared my mind of all the noise. September has been a crazy month for me. The crazier my days, the less time I set aside for myself. In fact, if it wasn't for the challenge of 40 races in my 40th year I would not have run at all this month. This was a wake up call for me. As fast as I've been going at work and home, I would've preferred a running pace to match but I had nothing left in the engine. I got the message loud and clear.  I plan to set aside some time this weekend to delete the unnecessary in my calendar, get organized and add weekday training runs as if they are doctor's appointments. With any luck, my running pace will increase and my daily pace will be more slow and steady.

My Pillow's Deep

My fourth race was supposed to be on Labor Day but it wasn't meant to be. I woke to the sound of dueling alarms and loud thunder. Although I felt a bit like the character in the book, I am Not Going to Get Up Today! by Dr. Seuss, I got up anyway. I got dressed and was ready to go but was talked out of it by my husband who plans his day based on the weather channel. I'm sure I would have been  fine but instead, I went back upstairs, crawled under the covers remembering the words in the book..."The alarm can ring. The birds can peep. My bed is warm. My pillow's deep. Today's the day I'm going to sleep."