Honey! Wanna go for a run?

I was just reading an article in Runner's World about running with your significant other and the misunderstandings it can create.

It got me thinking about my guy and our running life.  It didn't take a lot of thought cause it's pretty simple. We run together, we don't talk much, we both keep an eye on the dog. That's about it :)

We've been married almost 35 years (yes, we did get married young by today's standards) and we've both been running for about 16 years.

Here's why it works for us: I KNOW that running with Les is not going to be the same as it is when I run with my gal pals.

It took me awhile to get used to that idea, but now I am, and it's great!  It's especially great when I don't feel like running and Les sweet talks me out the door.

Les does not like to talk ~ AT ALL ~ when he's running. Oh, he's Mr. Social during races, but on training runs, nope! He usually plugs in his music and we're off.

We start off together then usually I start inching ahead. When I get too far ahead I'll run back to meet him, or walk a bit, or do some walking lunges, or do some yoga stretches, or sometimes just say "whatevah toots" and gun it home.

Sometimes he's ahead of me and he mostly does the same.

But Les says he prefers it when I'm ahead 'cause that motivates him to run faster to catch me. I prefer it when I'm ahead 'cause I don't want him catching up. We've had some awesome work-outs this way where we end up racing the last k and laughing our heads off!

We're both fine with our mostly-separate-running ways but Max would prefer we stuck together. He's always trying to herd one of us. "Hurry hurry hurry," he pants. "For heaven's sake he/she is getting away from you!"

As you can pretty much guess, we don't run races together, EVER! We can't. I'm way too competitive. I usually have a game plan, stick to it, stay in my head and don't make much eye contact with other runners.

Les, on the other hand, likes to surge through races and chat with people he hasn't seen in awhile. He'll even run into the crowd and hug one of our grown kids or my mom.  Not me: I wave, smile and that's it. The hugging can wait 'til the end of the race :)

Do you like to run with your significant other? I'd love to hear how it works with other people.

Thanks, as always, for stopping by!

Honey! Wanna go for a run?

Enough is enough ...

... my most faithful friend informed me in no uncertain terms!

After a full week of running every single day Max hit his limit. He started with a 15 k run with me last Friday. Then between daily runs of varying lengths and some ball throwing on the beach, this dog was pooped!

I shouldn't have been surprised, after all, he's 8 1/2 years old, it's been hot out and he's badly in need of his summer doggy do. But I WAS, because Max literally lives to run. Everyone who knows him knows that I am NOT exaggerating.

We went out Friday morning for an easy 5k in a wooded area and this lil' ol' puppy was stalling the entire way. He had to pee at every tree, sniff every flower, greet every dog, look for every mud puddle ... you get the picture. Finally I just gave up and we walked most of it.

I snuck in a couple of pick-ups when he wasn't looking, but mostly I just accepted the "run" for what it was ~ a most decidedly non-run.

Here's my tired pooch at the end of our epic 5k! I just finished hosing him down. He actually loves that!

Needless to say, he didn't accompany me on our Saturday 16k run and today it's just a lovely walk to the beach where he can watch me drink my Starbucks and then maybe, just maybe, if he's a good ol' boy, meander down to the water and throw a few balls.

Happy Day to all you moms out there!

Enough is enough ...

No Need to Worship Me ~ But I AM a Goddess!

The Goddess run is quickly approaching and "oh my deity!" I'm not sure I'm actually ready.

After a flu-induced slothful winter and then paranoia about getting yet another respiratory setback, I haven't been running much.  I paid for this race last September and had actually decided I wasn't going to run it after all.

BUT, Sandy and I got to talking and we decided to go for it!  After all, we're Goddesses and we can't let down our people:)

BTW, here's the definition of goddess.

1. a female god or deity  (yeah, okay, that's me ... in my mind, anyway).

2. a woman of extraordinary beauty and charm (I'm a woman ~ check. You've all seen my picture so there's no point in lying about "extraordinary beauty" but maybe a goddess can be moderately cute ~ check. "Extraordinary charm" ~ heck yes, especially after a bevie or three!)

3. a greatly admired or adored woman (hmm...pretty sure my husband adores me, as do most of my 6 year old students ~ check).

Alright! I AM a goddess! And even though this run will be very slow (we're doing 9 and 1s and running it together ~ which I NEVER do when I'm in serious mode) I meet all the goddess criteria so I'm going to give it my best shot.

On another note, my funny running friend is making me feel VERY old. I was listening to Donovan's Season of the Witch during our 15k run yesterday and can you believe it? She's never heard of Donovan.  Sheesh!

I thought "Season of the Witch" was very goddess appropriate:)

No Need to Worship Me ~ But I AM a Goddess!

New Shoes

Just treated myself to a new pair of runners. I was only going to get one pair, but ... well ... when I tried on the Nike Free 5.0  I just HAD to get them, too:)

I ran in the Frees yesterday and it was AMAZING!

I've been running in Brooks PureFlow for over a year now and love them. So I updated that pair. I just finished 14k in the Flows and they felt great.

If you're looking for a minimalist feel with a bit of cushioning these are worth trying.

For the record, I tried very hard not to get pink runners. Between my pink blog and these runners I'm starting to look like one of those kooky people who get EVERYTHING in the same colour :)  But it couldn't be done. Seems like it's the "in" colour right now so I went with it!

PS  I know I keep opening and closing this blog. I'm sorry for messing around like this. I have too many blogs and I'm struggling with this one. But I think if I just think of it as a running journal, and nothing more, I should be fine:)

New Shoes

Aah ... spring :)

I thought I'd share the signs of spring in my neck of the woods....partly cause it's beautiful but mostly because my running is so boring right now, I really have nothing else to share.

I'm on day 4 of my walk/run recovery.  Today I ran slowly for 1:15 then walked for 4:45 for a total of about 48 minutes.

These are the pics I took along the way.

First rhodos to bloom in my yard

First heather in my yard

Seen along the golf course trail

I love those pretty purple flowers

Hyacinths! Don't they smell divine?

The bees are out. Can you see him?

This cool mural is painted on the side of a garage.

Sunbathing ducks

Forsythia

A yard near our place with all these little birdhouses
scattered along their fence.

I hope spring has found you!

Aah ... spring :)

Toughest Winter EVER

I have just, now, finally, at last recovered from a bout of pneumonia.

I've gone for two long walks (the first in a month) and I hope to start adding some short runs into the mix later in the week.

I'm signed up for two races that I don't think I'll be able to do.

A 10k in 4 weeks...which I guess I could run, but I wouldn't be able to do it well, so I'll probably pass.

The next one is a half marathon at the beginning of June. That's 10 weeks to train. Well...maybe I could do that one. I'll have to think about it.  My stupid problem is that my lungs seem to be the weak link in my body and whenever I get run down, BINGO, I have some kind of chest thing going on.

But if you're reading this, do NOT feel sorry for me. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things and as we all know, it could be a lot worse.

Google Source

At least it didn't snow around here :)

I'm just very very happy that I'm now on the mend and I know I'll be kicking butt again in the near future!

Stay healthy, friends!

Toughest Winter EVER

I'm taking a temporary break while I revamp and expand my design site.

You can find me at Grade ONEderful (my teaching blog)

 or 

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Happy Running!