Fatty, flabby, lazy

Blah, blah, running, blah blah, long run.

Seriously now...

Christmas and the day after, I did not exercise anything other than my jaw and stomach. I actually was not well on the 26th and didn't get out of pj's until late, late in the day.

I made up for it Thursday by running a 3-mile loop in my 'hood with the boys on their bikes and David in tow. I finished in my fastest time, which was heart-warming since I was trying to run it at a comfortable pace that was ever-so-slightly difficult. I felt like a big chunk of flab running though, heavy with too much food and drink. I'm scared to weigh myself and confirm that I've gained a bunch of weight.

Friday we all went to Fitness Life, where I officially began my MS150 training. I rode a stationary bike for 20 minutes (hey, it's a start), and then did 20 minutes running on the treadmill followed by a 10 minute cool down walk. David was with me, and we both agreed that the treadmills are not accurate in min/mile. David thinks they are 30 seconds slow, which means you are running faster than they say. I confirmed this by pointing out that I had finished 2 miles in 20 minutes and yet I had not been set at pace that would allow that to happen.

Saturday was the freezing long run. I debated on wearing my pants, which aren't running tights but just the pants that match my running jacket. I figured I'd be fine and warm up so left without the pants. Mistake, mistake, mistake. Erin and I trailed Elizabeth and Leslie - story of my life. I got a cut on my leg somehow and didn't even know it because my legs were literally frozen.

I flagged Gilbert down on Exposition asking for him to get my pants and was told the sun was coming up and I would be fine. When we saw him several miles later at the water stop, I told him, "I still want my pants!" It was a fun run, and I was really trying to run a little faster. I don't know if I succeeded b/c my legs and feet were cold and I couldn't feel them.

I don't know how far we ran...supposedly 12.5 miles, but I am not sure that is right. It would be nice if that were true b/c it would mean I wasn't running super slow. I stayed for stretching in the aromatic annex building with Elizabeth as Erin went home. Leslie showed up a few minutes after us so stretched across the room from us.

You know something I love about Erin? She walks up some hills. I love it that it's not just whiny ol' me wanting to walk up hills every now and then. One hill, we both starting walking at the exact same time. How nice to be so in sync that we don't even have to ask, "Can we please walk for a few seconds?" or say "You go on ahead. I'm just going to walk for 20 seconds."

Today David is sick, so I did not go to any of the morning classes. I probably could have left the boys here with him, but that's not really fair to David when he's all pukey and unwell. I will take the boys with me to the gym, track, or Zilker later today. I really want to try mile repeats as Gilbert never lets our class do them. So per Erin, I'm going to tell Gilbert what I'm going to be running...a 3-mile tempo for one thing.

Happy New Year.

What's in a nickname?

I've been thinking about my dad a lot lately. I think about him almost every day; I would like to say confidently every day, but I'm not sure I can say that with my busy life and 12 years since he died. Naturally, I think of him more often during the holidays. His birthday is in October, the anniversary of his death in November, then Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on into New Year's and January which is the month of my parents' wedding anniversary.

I thought a lot about what my life would be like if he were still alive. I miss his food. He was a good cook and did all the cooking in our house. Even if I try to make something he made, it's just not the same. I want to make biscuits the way he made biscuits. I want to make pork roast and rice the way he made it. I can't even buy a pork roast. I can almost make a fried-bologna sandwich as good as him.

I wish David had met my dad. I wish he was here to play with my boys. He would have been a fabulous grandfather to them. He was a wonderful grandfather to my nieces. The perfect Papa - the kind that cooks for you, plays with you, takes you fun places, hugs and kisses you, teaches you all sorts of things, sneaks you a cookie or fudge, jokes with you, disciplines you, and makes you stand taller.

I think of him a lot when I'm running. I sometimes pretend he's running along side me, giving me encouragement and inspiration the way he would do if he were really here able to run with me or cheer for me. I hear him talk to me every now and then. Sometimes his words will filter through the noise of the world and give me wise instruction. I literally do hear him at times. His voice. His tone. The first time I heard it, there was no mistake. I couldn't pretend I had conjured it up. He told me to "get up and help your mother." Nothing profound. No secrets from the other side. Just what he'd say if he were here.

When I am short with someone, irritated and frustrated, I try to think of how quickly my father was taken from us. I immediately remember patience and love. My life is so crazy sometimes with so much that I must do and so much that I create for myself to do (why do I do that?). I try hard to enjoy my family and friends and try to tell them how much I care for them.

That is sometimes hard to do during the holidays when you've had too much family-time and nerves are frayed and tender, but I encourage everyone to know that you are not immune to bad things happening to you and yours. It's not always something that happens to other people. It really might be you or someone you love dealing with a traumatic event that swoops in unannounced, unwelcome, and unforgiving.

Btw, my dad called me Juice growing up. Just one of the reasons this blog is titled what it is!

"Quick" Recap

Keeping this short will be my goal this morning.

Monday a week ago - Meriden. Gilbert tried to say I asked for this workout, but I merely stated that our class was capable of doing this workout. 3 un-timed laps around and then the 5 sprints up the hill and 3 backward. Gilbert taught us the proper way to run downhill, and Elizabeth said she felt like a zombie holding her arms straight down. I was grateful we didn't time the laps (well, I didn't). I'm still not very confident on running fast on hills.

Tuesday a week ago - Christmas party at the preschool. Allergies and finally getting my voice back. Stress abounds at Christmas time!

Wednesday a week ago - Tempo again. I was late for a very legit reason that I can't
remember now (it had something to do with leaving David instructions for the store or whatnot). I warmed up for a mile and saw the scant few who showed up to class start their Tempo. I planned to try a 3-mile tempo, but Gilbert told me to do Fartlek until I met up with Starr. At that point, I was to turn around and run Tempo with her back to mile 0. It was a good workout. After finishing with Starr, I added another 1/2 mile to flesh out my workout.

I also had more Christmas parties - one at my preschool, Joshua's party, and Elijah's party. I am very grateful to have a job that allows me to attend my children's functions. I want to be involved until my boys just don't want me there anymore.

Thursday - last day of school and Christmas shopping with DV. We honestly have been so busy this is the first day we could get a chunk of shopping done. We hit some snags but also got lucky on some crucial wish-list items.

Friday - marathon shopping day with my friend, Jennifer. I'm not kidding. I was out from 10:30am - 7:30pm. Is this when everyone says, "I hate Christmas?" We were calm and patient during traffic jams, but the day wore on me.

Saturday long run - I met Erin at 6:30am for an easy 11-mile run. I debated taking a migraine pill before the start and even thought of packing it with my Clif bloks. Laura and another woman (doh, forgot her name) met us as well, and we started down the trail for Scenic loop. Erin and I decided we would stay on the trail, so we bid farewell to Laura at the Mopac water. It really wasn't a horrible run, but I whined a bit here and there. Running with Erin was most enjoyable, and we had fun wishing everyone "Good Morning" from mile 8-10 just to see how many would reply back. Erin thinks more people replied b/c I have blond hair and "everyone is friendlier to blonds." Huh. We tested it out, and almost everyone replied back. Our next test is to have Erin run 30 meters in front of me with both of us greeting each passerby. We'll see if they ignore her and say hello to me.

I think we ended up with 10.25 - 10.5 with starting at Runtex and finishing at the water stop. Erin had to leave, but I stayed for stretching in the Annex. Nice enclosed shelter from rain or cold temps, but I must say I did not enjoy the aroma that settled around our shoulders as the stretching session went on.

Oh, I also locked the key in the van. David and the boys had to come rescue me. David was fine with it as he just stayed for his run, and the boys were okay with it b/c they got a breakfast taco and chocolate milk out of the deal.

More shopping Saturday. Dinner at El Rey to see the Cowboys game. Elijah falls asleep on an empty booth bench. Forshadowing...

Sunday 1am - Elijah throws up everywhere. He's on the top bunk, so I'm not kidding when I say it was everywhere - the top bunk, the rails, the bottom bunk, and much of the floor. David and I clean up as much as possible. Joshua sleeps through it all, including David moving him to the other bedroom.

Sunday - Elijah doesn't throw up again, so we think it's one of those one-time deals. We go to church and lunch. He's a little off but we know he's tired from being awake during the middle of the night. We head to the movies later in the afternoon. Joshua and I go to Enchanted while Elijah and Dv go to National Treasure. After our movie is over I check my phone and see a text message from David, "E puked." Poor Elijah. Poor David. They saw none of the movie. David drove Elijah home to wait for our movie to end. Elijah fell asleep instantly in the car. Poor kid. I talked to the employees and got Dv and Elijah movie passes.

Monday - Christmas Eve. Went to the 8:30am Gazelle class of Circuit. It was a very chilly morning. There was a moment I was standing in the sun in between medicine ball reps with Minnie. The sun was warm in the crisp, blue sky, and the frost was melting on the grass in little shimmering droplets. Minnie asked me what I was thinking of and I told her "how nice it is to be standing in the warm sun."

I had to leave class early to get home and dressed to head out to see my family in Georgetown. I really enjoyed the day. We took our keyboard, and Elijah performed a mini-recital. Everyone then took turns playing what they know and singing and just being silly. That carefree silliness is one thing I most enjoy about my family.

We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner with David's mom, and a pleasant Christmas Day. My boys were happy with their gifts. David and I agreed that next year we are taking a trip in lieu of Christmas shopping, Christmas gifts, Christmas brooh-ha-ha.

One last thing about the cemetery trip with my mom and sister on Christmas Eve. We went to my dad's grave, but the fun and interesting part was my sister and I looking at old tombstones. It was fascinating. The oldest one we found in the short time there was born 1811, almost 200 years ago. We both wanted to know about the people and their stories...especially the family plots. We saw a soldier from the Spanish-American War - 1st Texas Calvary. Uh, when was that war? It makes me brush up on some history!

Christmas Poem

Merry Christmas. I'll play catch-up again tomorrow, or the next day, or the next...

For your current reading enjoyment, please partake of the below poem by my favorite poet: Gerard Manley Hopkins.


The Windhover

To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning morning’s minion, king-
dom of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate’s heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird,—-the achieve of; the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! And the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermillion.

Fast Times through Osmosis?

Catching up, huh? Story of my life.

Monday I missed workout so that I could run my long run that I never did it during our White Rock weekend. It was 7 miles around my 'hood. I really wanted to do the same pace as my last 7-mile solo run. The air was cool and damp, and I enjoyed a route that I haven't done in quite a while. My final time was just under 1:15, which is a tad faster than the last run. Woo hoo! These times give me confidence that I can run faster. Maybe I'm not getting slower (but the stupider is still up in the air, lol).

One splendid thing about missing class is that I finished my run at 6pm and came home to my family. We sat on the couch together and scoured an I-Spy book until David declared hunger. I offered to make breakfast for dinner, but he wanted to eat out. What the Sub-3 Man wants, he gets. It didn't feel like a Monday; it felt like a holiday family-night. Our dinner out was cozy and so relaxing - one of those family times when I literally feel flutters in my chest at how blessed I am.

Tuesday I didn't run. I don't remember why I didn't run or go to they gym. It was my last ACC class. I went to get my final grade with the boys in tow (David was at Fitness Life alternating between the lap pool and hot tub). I took them to the store with me and vowed to never take them to the store with me again. They were actually well-behaved, but I was tired and irritable. I'm such a grouch sometimes. Are you ever mean and can't stop yourself from being mean? Possibly this is the day I started not feeling well...not sure if it is allergies or what.

Wednesday was Tempo, but Holmes called me and asked if I was going to class in the cold rain. Yup, I replied. I hadn't been home yet, and we were just leaving piano lessons at 4:15pm. We drive in traffic, and Holmes calls again. "Is it pouring rain down there like it is here?" she questions. We talk and debate. I don't feel well, and I really do not want to run in rain and cold. I call Gilbert and get his voice mail, so back on the phone with Sarah, she tells me she's not going to class. I tell her about Thursday PM group, and she's going to run then.

I continue on through traffic still debating what to do. Gayatri isn't going to class, and I can predict that many will skip due to the weather. I honestly didn't even mind that it was Tempo, but I could not bear being cold after the run, driving home wet and cold, and then being cold the rest of the night. Gilbert calls me back at 4:40pm when we are pulling in the garage. He ribs me for trying to ditch out, but then tells me to not come because I'll never make it in time through traffic.

Still, I debate. I lament to David. I check the forum. It's 5pm, and I'm still thinking I could get my clothes on and try to get down there. If only I could beam directly home after the run. Come on, Science, can't we develop a teleportation system yet?

So, Sarah and I meet for Thursday's class. I've never attended a Tues/Thurs class, morning or evening. Aren't those classes full of fast people? Yup. We warm up after the group as Sarah needed to change clothes. We start our Tempo after the group as Sarah needed to visit the ladies' room before starting Tempo. Hah, blaming it all on Sarah, but it's true! My goal was to not let any 3 or 4-mile tempo runners pass me, but since they started several minutes before us, that was not going to happen.

We started out with Jennifer, who also skipped Wednesday to run in better weather. I had no real plan and honestly hadn't over-thought it like I always do. After the first 400m though, which was full of chatting, I sped up. Our last tempo, we talked the whole first mile, and ended up going slower than I'd like to go. I didn't look at my watch and chose not to hit the lap button at the 1/2 mile (I sometimes like to see my 1/2 mile splits to break it into 4 parts). I was running at a good pace that wasn't hard but was faster than...what? I don't even really know what to say it's faster than b/c it was surely faster than my long run pace.

I was in front of Sarah and Jennifer but not by much. I hit my lap button at the mile turn around, but I didn't look. I didn't want that number to affect anything about the rest of my run. I secretly hoped for a miracle pace, but I quickly settled on it being probably around a 10 minute pace. Anyway, I wasn't breathing hard enough for it to be a miracle pace.

I thought I was slowing down on the mile back. I tried not to let that happen. I thought of David's marathon, and how he ran 24.2 additional miles than I was doing. Good grief there is no reason for me to even wince let alone complain about this tempo run. After the half-mile marker, I was waiting for the sound of fast feet approaching, knowing that it was surely coming.

Fletcher passed me before the 1/4 mile marker. He was really breathing hard. Another Gazelle passed and then Michelle passed. All three were huffing and puffing and pushing it so hard. I was clearly not pushing myself as hard as they were pushing themselves. I had sped up a bit, but I wasn't ready for my final sprint. I also do not want to do a tempo pace that I can't maintain for a 5K.

Still, seeing them running anaerobically at that point did make me pick it up. I finished and was happy to see my final time of 19:15. That is my PR. I know eons ago I did 18:40 or something, but I have never come close to that again. That was a weird day that I was trying to keep up with a friend, so I honestly don't count it. Now 19:15 is my PR, and I felt good knowing that if I had pushed, I could have gone faster. Fast enough to do sub-19? I don't know. Probably, but I'm not sure I should do that just yet. I'd rather do it and it not all be anaerobic. My split times were 9:41 and 9:34 (rounded up), so my first mile was fast. I even managed a negative split despite going faster on my first mile. Also, Sarah ran her first sub-20 tempo!! She ran 19:35 (I think). Go Sarah! She'll soon be faster than me, and I'll be chasing her. :o)

Friday I felt horribly sick with allergies and then my stomach started hurting. I was actually doubled-over in pain Friday night. David got my running stuff together for me and printed the map of the route. He questioned how I was going to run if I couldn't stand. If I was fine in the morning, then I'd go run. If not, then no running.

My stomach felt okay until I ate my granola bar on the way to meet Gayatri and Barb. I hoped I'd be fine. Within the first 1/2 mile, my stomach really hurt. It slowly went away though, so I thought I was going to survive the long run. The pain and discomfort kept coming back though. I didn't want to stop when we ran past Runtex, but I wisely did. My stomach never felt right all day. I'm not sure what is causing it, and it's Sunday morning now and still bothering me.

I'm hoping to suffer through at least 5-7 miles today before the Gazelle party tonight. Oh, and I have not done one single bit of Christmas shopping. Yikes!

White Rock Traffic Woes

I strongly recommend not running on a stomach-ache. Owww. I have no real idea what my problem is, but I've just tried to eat a steaming bowl of oatmeal only to receive painful knots in my stomach with each bite.

This morning I met Barb and Gayatri for our long run of 13 (possibly 14) miles. I ditched out after 5 rather painful miles thanks to intense pain in my abdomen. I hope they finished happy and strong. Possibly I will run again tomorrow morning...doubtfully will I do 13 alone. I will for sure do 7 or 8 and will have a goal of 10. 10 alone is doable. Let's hope the stomach cooperates.

I want to spend a moment on my Dallas White Rock experience. No, I did not run the marathon, the half, or even the relay. I was there to support David at his first marathon. Elizabeth A. and I planned to drive together with our kids (4 total, 2 each) to track our husbands. I was worried about the unfamiliar roads, but I was optimistic after driving the course on Saturday.

Sunday the boys and I had room service breakfast after David left for the start. Elizabeth called to say their breakfast was late, so we moved our meeting time back 15 mins to 7:45am. We met and stood in the valet line for a few minutes, and then again for at least 10 minutes while they searched for Elizabeth's car keys. We finally get both vehicles up and got the car seats from Elizabeth's car. They circle my van for some reason, so we have to wait even longer as the van inches its way back to the front of the hotel. Finally, we have the seats in the car and are on our way. I back into a cement wall (oops) and take a wrong turn to get on I-35 which sends up back around the block of the hotel. Well, now we surely won't be seeing our men at mile 3 or 4. On to mile 8.5 we go.

I-35 and the Dallas North Tollway were smooth sailing. Mockingbird lane was not. It was slow, neighborhood speeds, and then the road was abruptly closed for major repairs. We took the detour, and I call our friends (and former Gazelles) who are at mile 8.5. Somewhere along here I get a text message that David has crossed the mile 5 mat. Uh, we better hurry up. I call BJ and Sarah back and let them know I won't be getting there in time. BJ kindly runs to his house (just right there) and gets a goo for David as I'm supposed to hand David a goo at this stop. Just a few minutes later, BJ calls to say David went by. I'm frustrated and sad...pretty darn sad as I missed him after promising that I'd be at that location. Our plan now is to get there to see Elizabeth's David run by. Just 2-3 minutes later, BJ calls again to say that her David ran by. We are parked now and go ahead and walk to the corner to greet BJ and Sarah. A quick hello and good-bye and retrieving of David's gloves, and we are headed back to the van for the next stop.

I was thinking we'd try for mile 12 or 13, but after missing them once, we decide to shoot for a later mile. BJ wisely tells us to take a different road than Mockingbird to get to Northwest Hwy. Smooth sailing again, and we feel like we are making some progress. Elizabeth says around this time, "It's sad that they can run faster than we can drive to see them." Quite true. I wish knew shortcuts and such, because I would have much preferred seeing them more times.

We drive along side the 3:10 pace group along Northwest Hwy. Unbeknownst to us, David A. was probably with that group at that time. We find a great spot on Buckner to see our boys. Thank goodness for driving the course the day before as I had seen a spot along that road where the White Rock trail comes very close to the street. We pull over there and wait. Turns out we were just meters from the mile 16 marker and we had a great view as they runners came around a corner and we could see them jogging towards us for a good 200-300 meters. When I saw David's red socks, I really started freaking out. I was elated to finally see him. I didn't plan to run with him, but I wanted to make the most of every second. I ran down toward him and ran with him a while. He was so strong and looked great. We waited a few more minutes for David A. to come by. He was all smiles and looked great right in with the 3:10 pace group.

Back to the car, and at this point we are changing our plans to be at mile 19 or 20 and move it along to mile 21 or later. There's part of the run where the runners come off the White Rock trail and run on Buckner for a bit. As we were driving, I mentioned how great it would be if David just happened to be at that point. I didn't know what mile that was, but God was good to me that day and there David was running as we approached that section. I slowed to a crawl, and we drove along side him for as long as possible. Elizabeth took the only photo/video of him that I was to get that entire race. I'm grateful we even got that (the battery was low and would not turn on at mile 16 and then later at mile 21).

We found a spot to stop at the mile 21 marker. The air was really wet and cold at this point, and the four kids were real champs with all the driving and in-and-out of the car and waiting around. However, they were getting tired of it, and Joshua naturally let me know about it. David looked strong still but less alert at mile 21. I again rain alongside him and told him, "Don't quit! You can do it! Don't quit! I love you!" At the time, I thought he heard me, but later he said he didn't remember what I said (but he did remember us being there). Joshua is cold, so I take my boys back to the car while Elizabeth waits for her David to come by.

We plan to go to mile 24 but switch to mile 25 to be sure to see them run by. Traffic snarls us. We don't know where we are or how to get around, so we sit as the minutes tick by. My phone beeps the message that David has finished. We celebrate his sub-3 time, but my heart hurts as he is there all alone while we sit in traffic. I finally go the wrong way on a one-way street, and we head back to the hotel.

At the hotel, we debate what to do. The men think we are meeting them at the doors of the American Airlines Center, but the shuttle apparently won't take us down there. Do we wait at the hotel? Elizabeth suggests a cab, so we head down in the now very cold air in the hopes of seeing our marathon finishers. What a mess. People everywhere. I'm amazed yet at how well our kids did during all of this.

We stand in the long line to get into the AAC, and then wait by the door. Hordes of people are crowded in that place, and I wonder where sweet David could be. We did briefly walk in to the arena area only to see it packed with people. I think, "There's no way David is in here with all these people." We wait and wait. We wonder why they haven't called. It's going on 12:30pm now...1.5 hours after David finished the race. Where are they? The boys and I walk the hall looking while Elizabeth waits by the doors. Her David calls finally from the hotel, so we are head back to the hotel. I still wonder why my David hasn't called as surely he's at the hotel, too?

Luckily, we get on a shuttle back to the Hyatt. The kids are happy with their cab ride and now bus ride. Hey, at least they got something out of it. Into the hotel we go and see crowds waiting for the elevators. Elizabeth leads us to another set of elevators, and we are riding up when my phone rings. There's my David finally. He's in the hotel lobby. Doh! He's been waiting as he can't get in the room.

I wait by the elevator doors for him, and I'm so happy when I finally see him. I practically scream, "You did it!" He's genuinely happy to see me, too. The elevator doors are still open as we hug each other, and the elevator riders tilt their heads and sigh at our sweet embrace. I think some thought I was commenting on his completing the marathon. Maybe one or two saw his Top 100 hat though and knew I meant far more.

I really did mean more than sub-3 and doing his first marathon. I'm so proud of him and overjoyed for him. He's been an inspiration to me for many, many years, but now it transcends inspiration. I've always listed him as one of my heroes on those silly "all about me" questionnaires. I always meant it in the "of course my husband is my hero because I love him and he's great and blah blah blah" sort of ways. Now I mean it in such a different way...closer to a real hero sort of way. When I run now, I will think of him pushing through those tough miles to reach his goal. Never quitting. Never faltering. Pushing every fiber in his being to get there. I want to be able to do that someday.

Ah, the heartbreak though of hearing of his aloneness after the race. Cruel to me to not be there to celebrate with him. Cruel that he only briefly saw one other Gazelle post-race. Just all together not right that I didn't see him until 2 hours after his finish - and back at the hotel at that.

Lesson learned is to ditch my car and take a bike. That, of course, means that I must also leave my kids behind. I don't know that they so much care. I don't even think they truly realize how far their dad ran or how fast he ran it. It's just another race to them - just a boring 3-hour drive away this time. But boy, those kids were so sweet and good. Elizabeth's kids were angels. Who would imagine a 1 and 3-year-old would never cry once during our entire morning. The only complaint from any of them was Joshua wanting to go back to hotel. Good kids, I tell ya, good kids.

You gotta have Faith

Monday was circuit. I felt a little sick from allergies (I suppose?), but I made it out there anyway. Sarah complimented my super straight hair. Thank you cool front with low humidity! Thank you, Sarah, for noticing. Does that mean my normal attempts at straightening my hair are awful? Actually, don't answer that. I can imagine since I usually give up on getting all of the back straight.

Tuesday was hopefully going to be my last ACC class, but nooooooooo...I have to come next week to get my final grade and a summary of the class. So, if I don't go, what is my instructor going to do? I already have almost a 100 in that class. Thorn in my side! Thorn in my side!

Wednesday was stressful because my preschool is getting observed for a coveted 4-star rating. We've worked really hard for it since last spring. I know most folks don't give preschools much thought, but our school was already a good school. Now I can honestly say it is a great school. The changes are simply amazing. Anyway, they didn't observe me on Wednesday, but I still had to be on my toes.

Wednesday night was 400s. I was tired and the allergies were in full force. I was also a tad on the whiny side, and I pleaded with Gilbert to let us do the ladder workout instead of 400s. I love 400s, but I just didn't feel I could muster the energy. Why do I even bother asking Gilbert to change the workout? He never does, and he just makes me work harder.

Last time we did 400s, Sarah, Starr and I did 15 at comfortable paces. Again, Sarah, Starr and I were running together, but this time Coach had us doing 10 fast 400s. We started out at 2:20 for the first 5. Shhh...don't ever tell Gilbert, but that is easy for me. I am Ms. Conserve Energy, so I'm always wanting to start out slow so that I have something left for later. Reps 6-8 were at 2:10, while 9 and 10 were to be run anaerobically. We had some trouble hitting our pace, so the first 3 were fast. Reps 4 and 5 were on target. Reps 6-8...I think we were fairly close to 2:10...maybe a second slow for one, fast for one, and right on for the last one.

Now comes the pain. I naturally felt I would go at 2:10 again for the 9th to save energy for the last one. We start running, and Starr is out front. At the 200 meter point, I passed her. I finished with a 1:52, and I didn't really get anaerobic until the last 100m. Starr and I looked at each other and both said in unison, "I don't think I can run another one that fast." Sarah was right behind us and ran her first sub-2 400. Go Sarah!

Starr did her last one on her own, and I started 30 seconds behind because Gilbert was having some new people run with Sarah and I. We take off, and I think I can't maintain the same pace. Here are these two new folks running with me though, so I gotta look good. At 200m I was already anaerobic and felt myself slow a bit. The two new folks (Scott and Barbara, I think), weren't even breathing hard! Grrr...I was gasping for air and making all sorts of noise. At 300m, I just suffered through and knew I could finish strong no matter that even my toes and fingers were craving oxygen. I'm so glad it was dark because I bet I looked horrendous trying to gulp air through my nose and mouth in the same noisy breath. Final time: 1:50. That might be my fastest ever. I can't remember if I ran a 1:48 before or if that was just a dream.

Thursday I did get observed, and it went beautifully. My class made Latkes, and the kids were angels. (Aren't they always, wink, wink?) Thursday night we went to Runtex, and I was so happy to donate money toward the Congolese girls' shoes. They are so sweet and shy, and I love to see them at my running class. I'm so happy that Meg brought them to class and is doing so much for them. I am really thankful they are here in Austin, safe and healthy. I don't know much of their story, but the tiny parts I do know sound really, really bad.

And Elijah got his wish. We got a Christmas tree last night. Last year, Joshua named the tree Grace. This year, Elijah had the name picked out before we ever bought it - Faith. So we went on Faith and chose a tree that wasn't unbound. She's in our living room now and is perfect. Maybe we'll actually decorate her tonight, lol.

Does anyone ever wonder why my blog is named Juice and Joy?

B-o-r-i-n-g Blog, I apologize

Lego Star Wars is taking over my house. I didn't cave and buy a game system, but Joshua did get the PC games of Lego Star Wars I and II.

13 mile long run on Saturday. Gayatri and I ran slow and enjoyed the first part of the run. We stayed on the trail for all 13 as the other options I came up with just weren't tantalizing enough. Funny since the trail can be such a snooze-fest at times. The hardest part for both of us was repeating a loop we'd just done.

We did the 10-mile loop backwards and turned across the Pfluger pedestrian bridge 9.5 miles in to repeat the Lamar-Mopac loop. It was late in our run, we were tired, and my feet were starting to really hurt. Our legs were achy, and we just needed to get past the Mopac bridge again to feel like we were getting close to finishing.

I guess I need new socks. My thicker running socks curl under my toes and rub blisters. My thinner running socks rubbed the balls of my feet to a red pallet of pain. Neither of these things happens on shorter runs - runs 7 miles or shorter. So, if you have an amazing pair of Wonder Socks, lemme know.

Bobo, Joshua's pet praying mantis, laid yet another egg sack. That makes 3 egg sacks for her. I was sure she was about to die, but that chicken dinner did the trick. David found a grasshopper the loveliest shade of green for her meal yesterday. It was a fairly large 'hopper, too. We felt some guilt pangs feeding it to a mantis that is going to die soon, but as David said, "It's a bug-eat-bug world."