Some People.

Today I had a 1:50 training run on tap.  Sure “some people” could easily finish a half marathon in 1:50 but I am slowly starting to learn that I am not, nor will I ever be “some people”

Some people also do not spend their Saturday morning by setting their alarms to go off for a training run in the rather brisk Wisconsin morning.  I like to think they are the ones missing out on this one  Yes, it is 41 degrees right now… HEAT WAVE

Those “some people” miss out on views like this…

Looks like glass...

Obsessed with ponds

Some people probably also thought I was out of my mind for stopping to take pictures while running – lol!!  Maybe I am a little bit??

Some people probably don't even know this little pond area exists! I didn't until this am

Yup, still running for chocolate

Some people (aka me) have a half marathon next weekend in Madison!!  And after my run this morning, I think I just might make it??  Some people may or may not have plans to dress up for this half marathon (I fall in the former category).  Should be interesting to try to run in a costume.  I can honestly say that is something I have never attempted before… I tried to find the lightest weight costume components possible but we shall see!  I would have done a practice run in my costume this weekend but I am afraid that would put me in my own special category of people – lol!  What you don’t run with a witch hat on your head?

PS – How do you differentiate between being the Wicked Witch and being Elphaba? Still trying to figure this one out… thinking maybe a T-Shirt that says something like “Did you hear the other side of the story??”

Some people will never learn that it is a State law in Wisconsin to yield to pedestrians in the cross walk… thanks dude…

Totally off topic of running but… Some people also don’t understand the meaning of 20 items or less at the grocery store check out… no, if you have 20 bags and about 15 coupons, you do not qualify for express self check out.  And no, if you have a cart overflowing with items you do not have 20 items or less unless you bought some REALLY big butternut squash (and man alive were the squash huge at the store this week!?)

It warmed up quite nicely out there today and the sun is shining!  I think sister and I will be making a trip to Target (good bye paycheck) and maybe taking a certain 8lb someone for a walk later… Enjoy your Saturday

What is one thing that people do that always makes you think to your self that they are a bit odd?

Pumpkin.

Which one to choose??

Pretty sure there is a good chance I will start turning orange… on any given week, I eat a fair amount of squash and/or pumpkin but once fall arrives… it’s all pumpkin, all the time  Ok, maybe not quite but I just plain love it and love everything that is made with pumpkin!  (Ok, except maybe traditional pumpkin pie…)

So Windy!

To honor my favorite fall item, I like to go on an annual pilgrimage to the Pumpkin Patch  This year my sister and I and a friend of ours made a trip there.  Yes, we are way too old to do such things but none of us really care about that!  We just like to have fun and be goofy.  I am pretty sure the guy who gave us our hay ride thought I was completely off my rocker but you know what – I probably am – lol!!  Sister and I both picked out a pumpkin that we plan to roast sometime next week.  Now to decide which recipe needs to be made first… like this one or maybe this one or a whole lot of these (new favorite obsession btw)!!  Oh, so many options!

Ok, I choose this one (decision was made in about 1 minute)

On to the corn maze...

Goofiness will ensue

Ok, who let the cows out?

Oh man, I really wish this month would last forever!

No pressure.

For my joke of a training plan for getting ready for my half marathon in 2 weeks, I decided to run about 9 miles this weekend and then 10.5-11 next weekend.  Since I have been super dreading running lately, I decided to take all the pressure off myself and just run for 90 minutes instead.  Sure this will probably equal more than or less than 9 miles but since 9 miles is not a distance I am not all too lucky completing, maybe this was a good plan??  I was hoping that making this run not focused AT ALL on tempo would help matters… Also, I thought it might be a nice practice run for running with a camera and taking pictures??  (Practice for Disney of course!)  I think I need to get back to the place I was before this summer started where I am not so concerned with speed and just see what happens.  I think my body does better “surprising” me with a good pace instead of me expecting it?  Probably leads back to an issue I have with always having too high of expectations (read if I meet my expectations, they somehow get higher so I still miss them??)  Anyways so I have no idea if this new theory will hold up at the Haunted Hustle or for Disney but better to have no expectations then to miss them right??  So anyways, back to the run…

I was surprised by the lack of fall foliage colors?!

Did I make it nine miles?  No clue and I really don’t care!

Did I run for 90 minutes, yup, that I did!

Did I keep my normal pace?  No clue!  Probably was running way slower than normal but again, I don’t care!

Did my stomach behave completely.  Um, no, not quite but it was much better than last week so I’ll take that as a good sign!  It just had to get all like “remember me!” around the half way point which made me question my there and back route I had planned so I headed closer to home just in case

Little pond

Because of this little re-route, I honestly have no idea where I was even running… I ended up finding a cute little side trail off the main running trail that took me past a little pond and through a really neat neighborhood.  In all, I think this run was much better than any of my recent runs so that has me feeling much better about my future and upcoming half marathons.  Hopefully I can at least finish them and enjoy myself along the way

It was quite excellent running weather today!

Another new to me running item today was a Clif Shot – Chocolate flavor.  I honestly thought this was going to totally gross me out around mile 4.5 but instead…it tasted way too good!  Like liquid brownie batter.  I really liked this as a change up from the Clif Bloks that I love so much because it was slightly less sweet and/or was gone faster so the sweetness was not as prolonged.  I’ll be picking up a few more of these this week at the grocery store and will try them out next weekend again.  I noticed they have these at one grocery store we frequent but I have been having a really hard time finding the Clif Bloks so it will probably be a good thing to have a back up plan!!

Hi, my name is Kinley and I'm a chocoholic...

Time to go shower and get ready for a fun trip to the pumpkin patch  I <3 Fall!

Summer’s End.

Labor day weekend is over  Which means summer is unofficially also over.  And if the weather in Wisconsin right now is any indicator, Fall is in full swing!  Yesterday and today were definitely sweatshirt and long pants days.  I do love Fall though so I am not 100% sad but just a little sad that another season has come to an end.  This weekend sure was a good one though so here is a recap of what we did…

Saturday – My sister and I did a nice and easy (for me ) 5 mile run.  The weather was a bit hot and humid still at this point but that was short lived…  We finished with an average of 10:20 minutes/mile so not really too slow at all!  I should have still brought water but oh well!  After we got back from running, it started pouring rain… so needless to say, our plans to sail were quickly changed.  So my mom, aunt, sister, cousins and I went rock climbing instead!!  We found a place that has indoor rock climbing and this turned into the perfect activity for a rainy holiday weekend! We all had a GREAT time and I think I found my new favorite past time!  I think I climbed about 12 times on the “easier” walls and man was that exhausting…

This was a fun wall to go up!!

FiveFingers are good climbing shoes

Sunday brought a total change in the weather – a COLD one!  We still ended up having a great time sailing and then making a trip to the Sheboygan County Fair.  Note for next year, there are no gluten free food options at the SCF…  But the Monster Trucks were hilarious!!!

Sailing!

The traditional sister picture in the 4-H building!

Ballistic!

Today has been much less exciting but relaxing all the same  We have picked some apples from the back yard, done some grocery shopping and I am now doing some laundry… fun, fun!  But we did take a very special family 5-K training walk to get the parents ready for the Hawaiian 5-K they are going to attempt  And this little guy walked about 99.5% of the 5k also.  He is way too fit for an 8 pounder!  And now he is choosing not to eat dinner.  What a sass pot

Busy reading about the fair he missed...

Oh summer, you will be missed.  But I am hopeful that this is going to be a great fall and is going to make the not so goodness of the first 9 months of this year a distant memory  Until next year…

 

Endless.

Sorry for the few day break there.  Of course I ended up eating something contaminated with gluten on Monday and was pretty much miserable and crabby for the last two days but I am feeling better finally (luckily it was only trace amounts!!!)  Seems to be an endless cycle with me… feel good for about a week, eat something bad, feel bad a week… Hopefully I can get this figured out sooner rather than later!  I also am in desperate need of gf snack items… Anyone have any suggestions?  And bread?  I REALLY miss bread…

So anyways, I am back to post an update on this week.  My training plan had me doing 3 miles easy on Monday – check!  Interval B Wednesday – check!  And a 3 mile tempo run this morning…ummm… not so much.  I just was not feeling it today.  I think when I end up eating something that makes me feel sick, I end up not eating enough for the next few days and then exercise abilities really go down the crapper…  So I didn’t push it at all and realized maybe I needed to take it easy.  I still ended up making 3 miles total but not so much with the “tempo” bit!  I also had big plans to run another mile this afternoon after work before Body Pump (hello now having an HOUR between work and class… ick!) but that did not happen either.  Lazy  Or rather, listening to what my legs and body were telling me.  Luckily I am maybe starting to get a bit better at this and not feeling such a compulsion almost to just push through pain and tiredness and just do “XYZ”.  At least that is one endless cycle I was stuck in for years that I am finally breaking out of!  I now know there is always tomorrow and if I miss one run or even a few runs and end up not pushing through to overtraining, I will be much better off in the end.  So hopefully my body appreciates this semi restful few days I have coming up as I have no long run scheduled this weekend.  Still planning to do the 5 miles on my training plan but probably not pushing it and maybe trying to keep it easy and around a 10 min/mile pace.  Then only one more 11 miler and my half marathon weekend will be here!!  I have to admit, I am terribly excited for this race and really hoping I can throw down some good miles and paces!  (If all the planets align in my favor that is )  Either way, I know it will be a great race and I absolutely loved it last year and is what got me hooked on halfs so it should be fun!  My mom and sister are coming to cheer me on again, wonder if the sister will make me a special shirt again???  LOL!!

Isn't she the best sister ever?

Tomorrow is a rest day but even a rest day involves a block walk with a certain little guy so at least I’ll get a little fresh air tomorrow  And then it’s time for the big three day weekend!  I always find Labor Day bittersweet because it signals the end of the summer but yet beginning of my favorite season of the year, Fall!  I am really hoping this turns into the best Fall of my life because so far January-August have been some of the worst months of my life with feeling sick ALL THE TIME!  I think tomorrow or Saturday I will plan to finally type up what I remember about my race above!  I think it’s about darn time seeming as how it was almost two months ago already!!!  Where is time going???  Happy Friday tomorrow!