Let's talk about motivation

Every morning at 4:00, Monday through Thursday, a battle wages within me. It's just in my head, and I understand that; I just wish that the will-powered side of me would trump the "just five more minutes" side.

Because honestly, five minutes is not going to change my mood at all, really. If I slept, I slept. If not, then not. Five minutes won't change much of anything.

So. I was wondering, if you run in the wee morning hours, what do you do to make yourself take that first step, and get out of bed?

Oktober Pride with my three amigos

Today was amazing!


...because we headed out for Oktoberfest at Mooney Grove as soon as doors (or gates, whatever) opened, 1:00.


Got some fun pictures of our friends..







And some fun pictures of us...




And once we were all (except for the dd) sufficiently umm...
Light-headed?
Delightfully shnockered?
So smashed we couldn't see straight!

We headed over to family day, which is apparently what Gay Visalia calls their Pride gathering. Or, at least one of them. I'd never been to either event before, but they were both fun, made infinitely moreso by the company we kept.


All of us! The three amigos, plus the girl. Trust me: they love me, every single one of them, not just the one with the legal obligation to love, honor, and obey me.


One of the amigos is kind of a ham...


And then, we had an evening filled with regrets. First, it was "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN," starring uber-hottie (read: meth-head skank) Kristen Stewart. Everyone started ignoring it and playing on their phones less than a half hour in. FAIL.

The next movie (my pick) was "WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING." Again, not very good. There was the unintended side effect of playing to my baby-desires (eventually, not quite yet). It lacked that crucial element that usually drives the action of a movie, the plot).

So, I need help. I'm back in my movie funk, and I need some tips for what to watch next. Make it something umm... good. Yeah. And, if it's possible, can it not star Kristen Wiig or Elizabeth Banks, that'd be great.

Help me here! A big "woot woot" to someone with a suggestion. Of any kind. Please.

Slit-your-wrists-fantastic

How to party in an empty house:

Immediately upon finishing a very long forty-hour work week (which felt a bit more like four hundred hours) in the space of four days, proceed directly home, eat a frozen yogurt for dinner, and watch this movie:


Well, maybe I should clarify: watch the first half hour, pass out on the couch, only to be woken up to the sound of your mom calling:

"Where are you? Are you okay? I'm worried about you; are you all right? Call me!"

My mom. So cute, the way she worries about me, even though I'm probably the only one she doesn't ready need to worry about.

I love her.

Busy: alone, treats, pity faces, FFY, healthy freebies, button bobbies, and Oktober

This week has been so busy! And last weekend. And October? It's gonna fly. Then it's on to Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's.

Bing.

Bang.

Boom.


I started coming home to an empty house earlier this week when my hubby had to go out of town for work.


A friend at work treated me to a chocolate-covered peanut butter Ritz cracker. Very yummy.


To avoid feeling lonely without my main squeeze, I went out to dinner (and froyo) with some besties, and made fun of Dr. Drew's "pity face."


As a celebration for the end of the federal fiscal year, I made these things (FAIL) to take to work. Crescent rolls + marshmallows + cinnamon + chocolate chips. Don't bother trying them. I know I won't make them again.


The marshmallow ended up kinda sorta exploded out of the rolls, which made a yummy treat for me, especially the crispy parts. The gooey part? Not my thing. Just tasted sticky.


Yesterday was the one out-of-the-office fun day that happens once a year: Health Fair! I had a great time learning about some of the health club deals (none of which are near where I live, wah wah) and picking up some freebies (wahoo for teeny tiny boxes of raisins!), then talking to a coworker friend. All in all, a great morning.

Followed by the longest afternoon in recorded history, because nobody was at work, and because it was Friday (/Thursday...whatever; it was the last day of my work week).


Oh yeah, and because I've become completely and totally addicted to Pinterest, I decided to make this. I found a bag o' buttons at Hobby Lobby, and glued a couple to a couple of bobby pins. Personally, I love the look, and I'm thrilled with the results. Next up: making bows to glue on bobby pins or clips.


Highlight of my week: yesterday, on my way home from work, listening to my favorite radio station, I called when they started promoting a giveaway, and as it turned out, I won! Woohoo! A four-pack of tickets to Oktoberfest at Mooney Grove Park...happening tonight!

I'm so excited! My love comes home tonight, and we're going to take our besties (the same guys I went to dinner with). Sooo fun!

Today's high/low

The worst part of my everyday life is waking up. I hate it. Truly, and with all of my heart. On days that I don't work, I stay in bed as long as possible...until I simply can't go on in life without caffeine. Even then, it's rough.

I think that's my biggest hurdle when it comes to running before work. It makes for a very long day. As if days aren't long enough. Try collecting debt for a living; it's like Hemingway's "Clean, Well-Lighted Place."

And then I come home, to a perfect house, an amazing hubby, and it just feels wonderful. I really don't think I've ever felt this way before about any other place I've lived.

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I really do love it here. I always thought I hated this area, but it turns out, I don't. I don't hate it; I love it. Not because of the specific geographical location. Heaven knows it's not because of the weather! I love that this is OUR place. Our shelter from the storm, from the world out there.

I just love this place. I could live in a box, and still, I'd love it here.

Slit-your-wrists fantastic

Every time I go to a video rental place, I get blocked. I never know what to get, and often what I do get ends up being slit-your-wrists fantastic, as in...

The Reader (in which "Rose" from "Titanic" can't read, so she has sex with a young Nazi, then kills herself at the end).

Revolutionary Road (in which "Rose" from Titanic, now married to "Jack," also from "Titanic," kills herself in the end because Jack refuses to move to Paris or something).

Precious, where an overweight teenage girl, who has coincidentally been physically, mentally, and sexually abused, finds hope in the form of... (wait for it:) Mariah. Carey. Yup, the singer. As a social worker.

The Good Girl. "Rachel" from "Friends" can't get pregnant by her husband ("Dewey Cox") because he smokes too much pot, so she decides to go for the underage pretty boy who may or may not have grown up inside a bubble. Then pretty boy kills himself.

I rest my case. I have horrible taste in movies. That might be the case with this one, which looked very tempting...


Anna Paquin is awesome! I loved her in "Almost Famous," (which is one of my favorites that does NOT involve suicide in any of the story lines. At least, not successful... not intentional suicide.

If someone were to look at my movie selection over the past few years, they might think I'm depressed. Or suicidal. Or both.

I'm neither.


I might fantasize about alphabetizing the shelves at my video rental place, maybe singing the alphabet song with the employees of the place...

Oh well. I got "The Hunger Games" (I've seen it, I think it's stupid, and it was most definitely NOT my choice) and "What to Expect When You're Expecting" (fuel for the baby fire; don't worry, I'm definitely NOT pregnant).


Saved by "Lost." Curse JJ Abrams and his cliffhanger endings! And by the way...Charlie's plot line? Yawn. I am soooo bored with him. Let's see more Claire flashbacks!

My own self, owning it

My cousin's wife is amazing. There it is. She notices things. She appreciates the simple things in life. Plus, she and her husband (my cousin) have three of the cutest kids ever. One of the things that has always impressed me about that lady is that she doesn't talk about ONLY her highlight reel; she talks about the hard times, her frayed nerves and lack of patience.

I want to be like her. I want to be more honest and less worried about what people will think. I'm going to try to pay more attention, notice the small things and write them down. Because in a year, I dont think I'll remember what my everyday life is like now.

They do run, run, run... They do run, run...

I'm a little (read: 16 days) late coming to the daily blog prompt game, but I think I can make up for it before the end of the month. Just like with running.

My weekday running routine goes a little like this:

8:00pm: Get ready for bed, telling my husband, "I really need to run tomorrow. I know it'll make me feel better if I do, than if I don't."

8:30pm: Husband asks if I'm ready to turn my phone off yet. Oops, turning phone off...

9:00pm: Turn phone off, but double check that all alarms are on, ready to wake me up in the morning.

4:00am: First alarm goes off. I regret going to bed so late. This must be a bad dream. Fall back asleep.

4:10am: Second alarm. Groan. Reluctantly get out of bed, get dressed. Remind myself that this will make me feel good; you never regret a run, right? And that extra ten minutes won't make that much of a difference anyway.

4:20am: Start stretching and mentally waking up in front room, while looking at phone, checking out blogs, facebook, and instsgram.

4:30am (if I'm lucky): Start running. Can't stop yawning. Blech. Repeat mantra, "you never regret a run." Run for 30 to 45 minutes (again, if I'm lucky).

5:30am: Shower. End of routine.

Kinda boring, like any routine. I prefer sleeping in, as I'm sure anyone and everyone else does. I'm so excited for cooler weather, so that I'll look forward to waking up to run again. It's just so dang hot recently. If I had my choice, I would run in 50° weather every day of my life.

Hit-and-miss...thumbs up!

I've seen this a couple of places now, and I don't know if it's part of it or whatever, but I wasn't tagged or anything; I just like being included, so here goes nothing:

10 personal running questions:

1 My BEST RUN EVER has got to be the Star 6 Memorial 10K. It was my second 10K, and my best time. I've managed to run both 10Ks without stopping to walk or poop. Yay for me! I think my favorite distance is the 10K.

2 THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE MY RUNNING... hit. and. miss.

3 MY GO-TO RUNNING OUTFIT
In warm weather, shorts with my purple tank top; in cold weather, shirts with my long-sleeve white shirt and some long socks.


4 My QUIRKY RUNNING HABIT is giving everyone a thumbs up, on both hands, the entire time I'm running. Oh well.


5 My run-time preference (MORNING, MID-DAY, OR EVENING) largely depends on the season, but if the weather was perfect whenever I wanted to run, I would pick late morning. After breakfast, but not too late.

6 I WON'T RUN OUTSIDE WHEN IT'S... pouring buckets of rain (or hail).

7 I'm going to jinx myself right now, but so far, in my life, I have no WORST INJURY AND HOW I GOT OVER IT story. Nothing. Never injured. Never had a doctor (or my body) tell me not to run. Cue the sprained ankle.

8 I FEEL MOST LIKE A BADASS RUNNER WHEN... I don't stop to walk.

9 NEXT RACE IS... probably sometime next year. I nixed the race I wanted to do in November (Two Cities Half Marathon in Fresno and Clovis)... Unless they're giving away entries, it's just not in the budget this year, with trips to San Francisco and Disney World recently, and quickly-upcoming trips to Cedar City (Utah) and Hawaii. Next year.

10 My POTENTIAL RUNNING GOAL FOR 2013 is to keep it up. We're planning to have a kid soon, so I would really like to continue running through that, if possible.

Wait, no. One more goal: more 10Ks. Maaaaaybe a marathon.

Help wanted

I need a great, witty comeback for someone who says I look tired or stressed. I don't want it to be blatantly, overly offensive ("At least I don't look as bad as you"). Mildly mocking the person would be okay ("Please, teach me how you look so amazing every day").

I get this kind of thing all the time, bit I hardly ever have a retort. Any ideas? Here are a few of mine:

1) Yeah, well, this is what I look
like after staying up all night
having sex.
2) I was so excited about coming
to work today that I couldn't
fall asleep last night.
3) I was saying my last goodbyes
to my favorite aunt, who's
dying of a flesh-eating
bacteria.
4) I was at the emergency room
until 3am.
See? Not creative, not funny. Help!

Weekend recap

This weekend was great! Even though I spent a good portion of it cleaning and organizing (things I usually can't stand), I had a great three days off. I'm not complaining at all.


Found some good stuff on Pinterest, my recent/current obsession.


I love it.


I had fun on instagram with the #runnerdphotoaday prompts, and got a little sweat in my eye from running in the heat.


Talked myself off a ledge when I had to nix the Two Cities Half Marathon.


Missed my little brother (as always, but later this month marks one year since I last saw him alive). I'm glad I got to know him for more than 27 years, though.


Started reading the October issue of Runners World (a little premature, oh well).


Talked to my mom, and helped arrange our trip to Cedar City. Yippee! Les Miserables, Stones in His Pockets, and Aladdin. I'm very excited. I hope there's room for some chocolate cream pie, cream cheese tarts, BBQ, and picnics this time.


And now, it's time to go to work.

My race that wasn't, but is now!

Bad news.

For me, anyway. Because I am a total dork and didn't plan this whole thing ahead of time, and didn't think that a HALF marathon in the booming, in-demand metropolis that is FRESNO would cost $90, I'm going to skip the Two Cities Half Marathon this year (and, let's face it, most likely next year as well, if all goes according to plan, or if the world ends on 12/21/2012 like it's supposed to).


Boo. No third half marathon for me. Label me sad. Or, wait. There must be another way!

Yup, just checked the books, and it seems as though it's not illegal for me to follow through on this 13.1 deal without an organized race. I can run that far on my own! I can go where I want, instead of being forced to run per their instructions, follow their guidelines, and track their route.

Yay, yippee, and hallelujah! Cue angels singing. Or, maybe just the Scala & Kolacny Brothers, singing, "I touch myself." Either way.


Label me "unimaginably giddy." I'll run 13.1 miles on November 4th (or maybe 3rd, if that's better for me), come hell or high water. I don't have to stop training, and I still have my goal to help me focus.

This is exciting! I'm excited. Who else is excited? Anyone want to join me? C'mon, it'll be fun! All the fun of a 13.1, without the race fees or that slow first half mile because of the crowds.

Any takers?

Happy, sweaty, trashy and clean

Today's run was a little... Not what I wanted or expected it to be. I wasn't feeling the distance, so I turned it into a hill repeat deal. But that workout turned into something really cool. Tomorrow, I'm going the distance.


See? Happy. Sweaty. Happy to be sweaty. And then, when sweaty started turning into blurry vision (because sweat kept dripping into my eyes), it became not so happy. Blech. I didn't mean to, but I guess I followed through with that Hungry Runner Girl request.


Aaaand, thanks to The Boring Runner, I learned a lesson: no crossing when the crosswalk light says no crossing. I was tempted, but I really don't want that ticket.

I went home and cleaned the TV room, the bathroom, and parts of the closet, sort of. It always takes me so long to clean, and it is always so draining for me. Blech.


Tonight ended with a couple of episodes of "Lost," some Reese's ice cream bars, and some cuddling. Now, the man of the house is playing a video game while I veg to the sound of trashy (but completely clean) soap opera TV. We both needed it. It was a long day. And tomorrow should prove the same.

Funky negative

I've very recently been struck with the realization that I'm angry, perturbed, agitated, and negative more often than not. This isn't me. I think I know why, but only in a very general sense, and I'm working on it, but how can I make my everyday life happier?

I'm trying to focus on positives, and be aware of situations that make me unhappy. It doesn't get rid of the feeling entirely, in fact it doesn't do a whole lot for me just yet, but I honestly do not know what else to do. I'm trying.

What do you do when you're in a funk? Running really helps, I know that; I should run more, and more often, but sometimes it's difficult when I leave home at 6am and dont get home until 6pm, Monday through Thursday. Add to that, it's still very hot outside when I do get home, and we don't have a treadmill. Yet.

Drenched in scripture and shirtless

My run this morning was good, nothing spectacular but I got some miles in there.


I'm trying out this headband thing, and I'm not sure I like it. Actually, I'm pretty sure I don't. I bought it at Soul 2 Sole, so I thought it would be great for a sweaty runner like me. No such luck. The thing becomes drenched and heavy almost immediately, and after the first ten minutes, I'm miserable. Wicking? Ha, no.

At one point during my run today, I stopped at a water fountain on the edge of the park, and heard chanting voices coming toward me.

I thought, "oh no, please don't make me your human sacrifice." It was two women, one with scripture in one hand and a flashlight in the other, both chanting verses, saying things like, "let no sickness or disease enter this body." Ooookay, whatever you say. Whatever blows your skirt up.

Then, on my last half mile or so, I came across a guy that (to blind-as-a-bat me) looked like my husband, running. Naturally, I waved, and the guy waved back and said, "good morning." Oops, not my hubby. And the guy was shirtless. Double oops.

Let's hope that's not how the rest of my day today goes. Any unusual, strange, or awkward running moments from your run today?

Runnerd lacking genius, right here

I love sleeping in, don't you? I love the feeling of waking up and knowing that I don't have to get out of bed, unless it's to eat or go to the bathroom. So today, I woke up at 8:00 (only three to four hours later than normal weekdays), stayed in bed until around 9:30, and didn't go for a run until about 11:30.

Ahh...Labor Day weekend, a time to spend... Umm thinking? About...Labor? Hmm.

Did you know it's the beginning of #runnerdphotoaday ? Today, the word was "time," and every picture has to do with running somehow. Because I fancy myself a creative, think-outside-the-box personality, I thought long and hard about how to put my stamp on this seemingly-obvious word, and how I could take a picture related to running that focused on that word (sorry, was that wordy?).

Here, ladies and gentlemen, is my work of creative genius; because who else would have thought of this?


Yeah, not creative in the slightest. Oh well, tomorrow's word ("sweat") should be more creative-y. Maybe I'm still lost in my dramatic makeover from yesterday, when I got nine inches of hair whacked off. And I love it.


Before (see long ponytail on shoulder?), I had one of two options: ponytail or down, ponytail or down, ponytail or down. I used to stare all day; got very boring. Now, however, I.am.FREE. Check it out:


I freaking love it so much! It is sooo much easier to wash, rinse, dry. Oh, and it keeps me so much cooler, too. Plus, if I want, I can transform it from "serious business" to "casual Friday" to "dinner and drinks" to "totally rock n roll."

I'm giddy, seriously.


Oh yeah, and if I'm just dying to do so, I can put it up when I run (but I don't have to, because it really isn't long enough to get in my way.

What do you think of my before and after? Are you participating in the runnerd photo a day thing?

The domino day

This morning, I had some tempos scheduled. But that was not meant to be; no, I had to sleep in. Had to. And by "sleeping in," I mean 5 a.m.

I figured that would be a kick off to a bummer day. But no, I had a great day! It was one of those days that almost everything went right. All the dominos fell into place, one right after another.

And then I came home to this:


My new subscription! I am so totally excited, I can't even describe.

And tomorrow, I'm hitting the road for a few (ahem, five?, ahem) miles before work. Hell or high water, baby.

For now, it's off to bed. Ah, the life of a young-thirties couple without kids, going to bed at 8:30! Woot, woot! Dreamland may involve 13.1 miles tonight.

4am bonding

Waking up at 4am sucks my big toe. But running makes waking up so very worth it. And running with my sweetie?


BEYOND worth it! I proposed that we make this a morning ritual, but no, he doesn't like running every morning, and he walks more than I do. Total bummer, because for the maybe half mile that we ran together, we were able to talk and motivate each other! I can't wait for our next run together.

Painted vacation

I always have to take a deep breath on Sunday evening, a cleansing, refreshing, rejuvenating, invigorating, energizing, deep breath. It seems that my three day weekends always go by much faster than the first three days of my four day work week. There's always more "nothing" that needs to be done on the weekends, and always more work to do on weekdays.

This week, though, might be a little different, because it's the week before Labor Day, and boy do I have plans for that four-day weekend (movies, movies, "Lost," nachos, "Lost," "Lost"...)!

Of course, Tim has other plans: painting the upstairs bedrooms. I'm planning to be sick if he really goes through with that idea.

I hate painting. I hate shopping for colors. I hate moving furniture to the middle of the room. I hate doing prep. I hate taping off the borders. I hate doing a second coat. I hate watching for drips. I hate missing a spot. I hate doing touch-ups. I hate doing clean-up. I hate waiting for the paint to dry. I hate moving furniture back into place.

Do you paint? Do you like any part of it, besides the finished product?

Lost love, new love

I have failed to take ANY pictures at all this week. I think I'm losing my mind - not an excuse, just an explanation. We have been so busy!

I finished my second half marathon a little over a week ago (in 2:57); our neice came to visit; we had friends over for dinner last night; we have become singularly obsessed with "Lost;" and we work four ten-hour days. Plus, I'm training for half marathon #3 this November.

Oh yeah, and I found my new best friend: PINTEREST. Maybe our "singular obsession" with "Lost" was an understatement.


I've been looking for this as a bumper sticker for my car. Maybe I can get a sticker for my cell phone case; I would settle for that.


I found this in the DIY section, and I love it, I want it, I need it, ooooh baby. Here's the thing: we don't have kids, I'm not pregnant, no immediate plans or anything. I just want it.


One of my favorite sections in Pinterest is the quotes. This one really applies to someone in my life right now. Time after time, I try to reach out, and time after time, this person refuses to take responsibility, and doesn't do anything to help their situation. And then resents me. It's frustrating, to say the least.

Any newfound loves in your life? TV, apps, flavors, scents, anything?

Gatorade otter pops and #3

Where was I? I hit a wall at about mile 9, at the beginning of the second hill.


See? Taking more pictures...


I didn't know there was such great scenery around here, but from the top of Rocky Hill, it's great, love it. Really refreshing after miles of climbing.

One thing that I loved about this race was the goodies. They had water stations almost every mile or mile and a half. Mid-way up the second hill, they had Gatorade otter pops, which I combined with my quickly-vanishing water to help cool it down.

I was really nervous about this race because I hadn't run at.all. in the two weeks leading up to it; that, plus the heat, and the hills. I thought I would add at least an hour to my race time (the first and only other time I've run a half marathon, I did it in 2:22). I was beyond shocked when I finished this race in just 2:57, a mere 35 minutes more!


The last 5K is what really killed me, I just wanted to be done already.


I love race shirts, especially tech tees, like this one. Maybe I won't wear it to run (I prefer tank tops by, like, five billion percent), but it feels nice and light.


Remember I said I love this race for the goodies? Well, it didn't stop at the finish line! They gave out breakfast burritos, Odwalla Super Protein, oranges... So much stuff!

True to form, though, all I wanted to do was go home, shower, and sleep.


So that was what we did, watch episode after episode of Pawn Stars and nap on the couch.

All in all, a delightful day, and already I'm training for half #3, in Fresno in November. Third time's a charm, right?