The good, the bad, and the "You're lucky I didn't see you, @$$hole!"

Good: Final long run of Air Force Marathon training is in the books. 14.11 miles, felt pretty good most of the time.

Bad: I was shooting for 16, but when I went to my car for water for the last 2 miles...

SOME ASSHAT STOLE OUR COOLER AND ALL THE ICE AND WATER! Seriously? Who steals a $10 cooler, 2 bottles of water, AND THE ONE I"D ALREADY DRANK HALF OF? You dumb F***. You are so lucky I didn't see you, or I'd have nailed some serious negative splits... and your face. I don't know who was angrier, me or my husband.
Come on, people. Who steals? Who steals ANYTHING, let alone WATER? ON BASE?????????

You can be damn sure that the security tapes will be reviewed.... since YOU STOLE FROM A MEMBER OF SECURITY FORCES, YOU MORON!

End of rant. Sorry about the profanity. Kind of. I'm still pissed.


EDITED AT 6:00 pm: The cooler turned up. Funny how that happens AFTER all of Security Forces finds out whose cooler was stolen. Kind of like the phone charger that turned up after the thief found out whose it was. And countless other items. 

DON'T STEAL, PEOPLE. Plain and simple!

I felt like I could run a marathon

I live for runs like today. 13.7 miles without a walk break (beyond a 30 second pause to refill water), and at a pace that would have been a half marathon PR this time last year.

Whose legs are these?

I felt like I could have run a whole marathon today. If I hadn't ran out of gu, I probably would have done at least 16, maybe more. And my previous longest-post-op run had been lat week's 10.12.

My husband, beast that he is, ran 8.75 miles on Friday, and then ran the full 13.7 today... If this had been a race, he would have pr'd by 11 minutes!!! And get this (you might hate him a bit here): he just started training for the Air Force half two weeks ago. The man is a machine. Running with is probably half of why today's long run was so spectacular. The other half (I hope) is the return on investment of strength training like a boss again.

Whatever the reason, today's run was awesome. Magical. Exhilarating. Easy. And that's something I never thought I'd say about a half-marathon distance.

Miss Prudence, the art critic

See that? She's judging my poor handwriting. Or sniffing the Sharpie fumes. Whatever. Goofball.

I painted those yesterday evening. (A bit early for Christmas ornaments, I know)

Earlier, I made this:

It's part of my pirate costume for Halloween. Needs a thicker ribbon, I think. Hopefully, I can run a fun run this year. I've got some sweet socks to go with it, and will only need a white shirt.

Some people will find it silly to make a costume for a fun run. Not me. After all, 2 years ago I spent 30+ hours making that old west floozie costume for a 5k. An hour for a half-corset is minor compared to that!

Today was a rest day- the first in 7 days! It has been rather nice to relax. I could tell I was getting worn down, so today was much needed.

How is your week going so far?

10 and 3

Whoohoo, finally did a double digit run! 10.12 miles- but it was a little odd: I ran 5.5, then put beef stew in the oven while waiting on the Husbeast, then he joined me and we ran together for about 2.25 until I turned around and he kept going. So I ended up at 10.12 (slightly longer route home- I always add on that extra .12 when I have the energy), and he did 7.75 miles. 

Yesterday, we both felt like an easy run, so we did 3.25 together. I'm not sure that a timed mile in the middle makes it easy, but it was nice to see that even when fatigued from a long run the day before, I can throw down a 7:19 mile (only 12 seconds slower than the one I did after 2 days' rest).

We are teaching this guy that it's ok to hunt for moles. He loves to dig! And I'd rather let the dog dig in one corner of the yard than put down pesticides.

The roof is finally fixed from the tree that fell on it last month. We've been fortunate that there hasn't been much rain since, so the delay was never a problem. Tim got the last of the gutters put up this weekend, so it's DONE!

I spent yesterday evening putting his baby photos in an acid-free scrapbook since his old album was falling apart. I can't lie, he still makes those exact faces!

Happy Monday, everyone! Let's go make this week great!

Random 5 for Friday

1. I finished yesterday's 100 meter sprints strong. Most were around 19 seconds, with one at 17. For these sturdy peasant legs, that's hauling asphalt!

2. When I went to shower afterwards, I found 2 dead bugs- a mosquito and a gnat- ON MY CHEST. Much as I'd love to blame speed, I think they died from sweat. Or stench. Sometimes you're the windshield.

3. This:

Another pattern from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. Love their patterns. This one will be Halloween themed.

4. I'm doing my long run today, Friday, instead of Saturday or Sunday simply because I'm afraid if I wait another day I will lose motivation. I'm shooting for 13.1...

5. ...because there are only 36 days left before the AF marathon, and I need the confidence boost of doing at least a half! And, let's be honest, if I'm serious about the Veteran's Marathon, I need to do a *few* more long runs than I did last winter before Circular Logic.


Anyone racing this weekend? Running long? Resting and enjoying it?

EDIT: My husband and my running "coach" both bailed on my today... long run has now been pushed until tomorrow (because my head is just not in it to do 13 alone). Guess that means I'll be doing strength training tonight after all.

Bomblet: a short story (and some other known aliases)

Recently, a friend asked why my twitter handle was @bomblet
(When I use my esty store, it's also under Bomblet, FYI).

Besides discussing how weird it is that we have these online personas, and how I find it a little sad that kids will never know life without the internet, I explained:

Why my husband was deployed, I found a pamphlet on identifying IEDs. Those that are 5" or less in diameter can be called bomblets. Shortly after finding this, and thinking that was such a cute name for an explosive, it came up during a skype call with him, and he said something along the lines of me being small yet explosive.

And so I am a bomblet. Small, yet powerful. Full of contained energy, ready to explode (usually in a good way).

So now you know.

While we're talking nicknames, here are some others he's given me:

Wif. Chubs (to remind me I'm NOT fat). Fluffy Cupcake.

And recently, my running coach gave me a new one:

SPARKLES AND SUNSHINE!!!!!

Add those all together, and it's not a bad description.

For those of you running the Veteran's Marathon, you'll know me by the one who is constantly moving, smiling, ADHD, and seemingly on a constant sugar high, probably wearing something shiny/sparkly. Yep. Bomblet-Chubs-Fluffy Cupcake-Sparkles and Sunshine.

You've been warned.


Anyone else have funny/odd nicknames? What's the story behind them?

Last-minute

Friday evening, I got talked into a 5k for Saturday morning. $8 and only a 15 minute drive? Sure, why not.

On the way there, I had to pull over and take this. Too pretty.

The 5k was part of Denver Days (Indiana, not CO. Denver is near Santa Fe, Chili, Peru, and Mexico. Don't ask).

It was well-run for such a small event- registration was easy, and we got a t-shirt and a coupon for an elephant ear if you came back to the festival in the afternoon.

The course was an out-and-back on the Nickel Plate Trail. My on complaint was that there was no on manning the turnaround, which was nothin more that an spray-painted arrow. If I hadn't been so close behind another person, I would have missed it.

Ok, so maybe I have a second complaint. The age groups were 30 and under, 31-45, and 46 and up. 30 and under? Geez. I was the 6th female, but the women ahead were 44, 48, and three girls under 18 from one of the local cross country teams. For an event that had over 100 people, I'm still thrilled with how I stack up in our small pond, but let's be honest: we all love a W. 

I finished in 24:30. Happy, happy, happy. New PR (still not counting Eastwood's short course). I can almost taste a 23:XX.

Yesterday, we did a single times mile, and I was pretty happy to run a 7:07, but I was bummed that I felt like I had some left. Good thing we're doing another in a few weeks.

Here's hoping that my method of strength training and speed work will help me gut it through 26.2 in September... And maybe I can blow past that 5 hour mark in November. It's feeling more and more possible!

Veteran's Marathon training: Onward!

I ran 45 miles in July. While not a notable number in itself, it's commendable IMHO since I had previously been off 6 weeks. What matters most is that each week, I can tell I'm getting back to where I was before. Each week, I feel a little stronger from strength training and long runs. Each week, I get a little more hopeful that the AF Marathon might offer a chance for a PR, and the Veteran's Marathon will be my best bet at breaking 5 hours... or better.

(I'm a big dreamer)

Take yesterday. I ran in my new Brooks PureDrift shoes again. Thursdays have been longer runs with the group lately, so we all headed out to do 3-7 miles, based on each person's current fitness and what they can accomplish in under an hour. I ended up with 6.25, and even though I was feeling Wednesday's ass-kicking strength and conditioning class, I wanted to keep going, and going, and going. I had one of those runs where the euphoria washes over and makes you feel impervious to any muscle fatigue and ready to take on a marathon. Even though my shorts were reminding me why I prefer running skirts, I wanted to keep running. It was humid and so difficult to breathe, but I wanted to keep running. I was hungry, but I wanted to keep running.

I've missed that feeling.

So, July ended with 45 miles, 10 strength workouts, and 12 yoga sessions. I feel like I'm finally done rebuilding. August has had 4 amazing runs so far; I hope this trend continues.

I struggle to get in long runs in the second half of training, so I've been looking ahead to that gap between AFM and the VM, and have found a local half marathon that I'll be signing up for. I might do another one near my mom's at the end of October, too. Thankfully, that one never fills up, so I know I can wait until mid-month to make my decision.

Anyone know of any halves here in north central Indiana in August? I'd love to find an affordable (under $50) half yet this month. I'm toying with the Indy women's half, but it's $50. And I hate having to drive to Indy, find parking, and deal with all that is a bigger city. Small town girl here, and I like it that way.

Know of any good deals on Gu/Sportbeans/Clif Shotbloks? It's getting to the point where I need to buy in bulk again.

Ladies: shorts or running skirts? I'm a skirt convert. Let's just say skirts don't gather where they shouldn't.

You'll see me coming!

Yesterday, I went to TJ Maxx looking for shorts with a better pocket. Which I found, and will be trying out today. But the deal of the day, for just $10:

Believe me when I say they are much brighter in person!

They feel soft. Fast. Ok, fast for me. And definitely the kind of clothing that will make it easy for my husband to find me after a race... Or for cars to see me at midnight.... Or for the astronauts in out space to know my exact location....

My kind of running gear!

Run love

Yesterday, we did a group Indian run. About halfway through, I hear one of the guys say, "Kasey loves running so much, she sweats hearts!"

Apparently, I was doing just that- my sweat had formed a heart on my back!

But by the time we finished, the heart had grown with so much run love that my whole shirt was soaked.

Here's to run love.

Let's get REAL

Guess what? I HAVE CELLULITE!!!!

Feel free to zoom on my thighs. I've mastered the pose that makes it less visible, but it is still there. And probably always will be, if that terrible obsession/experiment of getting to 98 pounds when I was 20 proves anything. At 98 pounds, I ruined my bones, worsened my eyesight, and STILL HAD CELLULITE.

So you know what I do? I say eff it. I've learned to be ok with it. We are not friends and never will be, but I'll let that freeloader ride around my thighs as long as she still lets the muscle show through most days. Because I'd rather be strong with a little dimpling on my legs than back to having weak bones (eating that little and that poorly took about 7 years to get my skeletal system back to normal... even after I'd finally made leaps and bounds mentally, my body reminded me it needs love 100% of the time).

Know what I've realized? NO ONE ELSE SEES IT. I'm probably the only one who looks at the side of my thighs when I sit down wearing shorts. I'm the only one who gets bothered by it when I fold over to stretch my hamstrings. I know for a fact my husband sees nothing wrong with it (btw: he's balding. and doesn't give 2 poops about it. I love it when he shaves his head).

My whole point is this: we all have issues, insecurities, etc. My students often ask me what I do for my arm workouts, or abs workouts.... they don't even notice the cellulite. We are our own worst critics. Once I stopped loathing myself and began to love myself, a true miracle happened: I WAS HAPPY. And then I met my husband. Funny how that works. And he has been there to remind me any time the stupid voices begin that they are just that: stupid.

Through my journey of being overweight, then underweight, and now healthy, I've made my motto:

What's the point of being skinny if you can't open a jar? Because believe me, when I was under 100, I could barely open a box of cereal.

I still have moments of negativity. My arms don't always fit in T-shirt sleeves. Where the old version of me might have been defeated, afraid I was getting fat again, and would have then went on a self-loathing rampage, now I look in the mirror and flex. Bam. Muscle. I am strong, I am powerful, I am awesome. Not perfect, but where's the fun in that, anyway?

Do yourself a favor every time you find something you hate: find 2 more that you love. They could be your eyelashes. Your cheekbones. Whatever. Self-love over loathing. There's a rockstar inside all of us, even if our singing makes dogs cringe.

Soap?

I went to the mall for hand soap and gu/sport beans. And somehow, ended up with these:

Love. They make my platypus feet happy. I was running errands before meeting with the running group, so of course I had to try them. 

5.85 miles of running happy (was hoping for 6+, but I got that cold tingly skin feeling that's a big warning sign to stop). And, somehow, through new shoe magic or the fact that there was an audience through some of the run thanks to a drill the Marines were doing, I managed to keep every.single.mile under 9:30. That's big after that 6 week hiatus I had. 

I love these shoes. They're the kind that you forget you have one, and yet the pokey rocks didn't bother me, either. Perfect. They felt marvelous on road, gravel, dirt, and track. LOVE.

What can I say- they were under $60!!! And, one of my other pairs is getting close to being pulled out of the rotation. Win-win.

Can you tell I love pumpkin scented soaps in Autumn? This cooler weather makes me feel like it's pumpkin time already!

I made out like a bandit at BBWs, too. All this under $27. Happy feet, clean hands.

I'd call that a successful shopping trip!

The only downer on the day was finding out that not only did I NOT get either job at the gym, they're not even filling them... indefinitely. Oh, well. I guess I'll continue my 2 hr work weeks as an independent contractor, teaching yoga and still pinching myself that I get paid for that. thank goodness I love my current job. BUt, this means my student loans will continue to creep down, and that tree damage might not get fixed as soon as we'd hoped, and the Soda stream will probably have to wait until next year (see where my priorities are? at leas ti put fizzy water after debt and home repair! LOL).

Overall, it's been a great day. Now, if I could just stop shaking... methinks that might have been heatstroke today.

What's the best deal you've gotten lately?

Favorite brand/scent of hand soap? BBW is my go-to, since many other brands (like Dial) give me horrible allergic reactions.