...With an S: Week 6

To say my training was way off base last week would be a gigantic understatement. My goal was to get in some type of workout every day. Epic failure is the only way to describe it. Everything started out great on Monday. I went for a run, with the dog, my pace was a little bananas, because he just does what he wants, and I follow. It's more about just getting out and moving when I take him, not about getting really quality miles in. It was fun and then I followed it with an hour of yoga. It looked like the week was going to be very successful training wise. Wrong. I didn't work out again until Friday.

I was convinced at the time that I had a good reason for not working out each day, but looking back, I'm pretty sure that's not what really happened, for the most part I was being lazy. One day I had to do laundry, but the other two, I was just feeling off and didn't want to do anything. I know that working out would have made me feel better, but I could not get myself motivated. I even got to leave work early Wednesday and Thursday, leaving me with the perfect opportunity to get in a longer run or workout. But, alas, I wasted it.

Friday however, I redeemed myself, a little bit. Back to Friday, I got off work at 1pm, so I decided to take the dog for a hike at Fryman. He loves going and it seems to calm him down a bit for a few days, he's just much happier when he gets to explore the great outdoors, and Fryman is always an adventure for him. Although, he was incredibly pokey and curious this time, and kept trying to climb into plants and bushes. I wouldn't mind, but I don't want him to get bit or attacked by an animal. We took some new side trails and had a good time exploring. So, 3 miles down, and dog was pooped.

I got home and decided it was still early enough to go for a run. I had a mile in mind that I wanted to hit, 7. But, before I left, I decided since my previous runs hadn't been great (I've had a couple of not great runs in a row, and its been beyond frustrating), I would just go for as far as felt good and then come home. I wound up running four miles, at a fairly slow pace, about 11 minute miles. It wasn't a fantastic run, but it was an improvement over my previous runs and I was glad to get a few more miles in.

Fun new shoes!

I did not get in a workout on Saturday. Instead I was at the LA Marathon expo all day, and I got some awesome new KSwiss shoes. They are seriously so comfortable. I can't wait to go for a run in them. I volunteered at the booth til 1pm, and when I was just about done, I ran into my favorite running family, the de la Vega/Yepes clan. I ran the LA Marathon with Lisa and Rico last year, and was super sad not to get to run it with them this year. As they are all super busy all the time I decided to wander around the expo with them. I found some fun new stuff (more about that in future posts), and found some races that look like fun (again, more later).

Sunday was a fail for working out, but I did something more important. I woke up at 5am not to run, but to get out on the course and support all of my amazing friends running the LA Marathon in that insane weather. They were out there in that torrential downpour for hours kicking ass and I could not be more proud of each and every one of them.

This is what the street looked like when we got there,
just barely raining (~mile 6)

This is what the street looked like about an hour later,
flooded gutter, almost ready to crest onto the sidewalk

Deborah, my first TNT mentor, already soaked at mile 6
(she looked, at the time, like she was thinking about trying
to get across the 3 foot wide gutter river to hug us, but then
thought better of it). She is so amazing!

Lisa, Amanda, Deborah, Allison, Stacey, Matt, Arin, Michael, George, Rico, Greg, Joy, Paula, Betty, Erika, and everyone who's name I am missing (I'm sorry, there were a lot of you out there), you are all an inspiration to me. I was so sad not to be out there running with you all, but on the flip side, I could not have been prouder to be out there supporting each and every one of you on such an insane day. You each inspire me in your own way, and make me want to run longer and train harder and do better. Through that crazy rain storm you each proved how tough you are. You can do anything and you make me want to be right out there with you every step of the way.

Lisa, my favorite running buddy ever! And, a rock star!
Looking great at ~19

Amanda! My other favorite running buddy...
There's a reason she looks so excited at mile ~19, and it
wasn't just the pb/nutella/banana sandwiches ;)

Matt, also looking good at ~19, I think the sandwiches
Susie and Becka made, made everyone feel better

Rico and Greg, sandwich time at mile ~19!

Arin is super excited for not only the sandwich but the dry
shoes and socks she had Susie bring for her, such a good idea!

Epic failure turned into pure pride and joy as I watched my friends and everyone else out there battle through those insane conditions.

Here are a three more pics of the day (I took a ton of photos, but here are three of my favorites, I also capture Waldo, the guy with the watermelon on his head, a guy with a monkey on his back, a teenage mutant ninja turtle and SOOOO many others that I'll share another day)