Labor Day Weekend Recap

Why couldn't every weekend be 3 days long? Better yet, how about 5 or 6?

After escaping the Hurricane Issac rains that pounded Southern Ohio all weekend, I started out my holiday weekend by conquering Puke Hill with RRB, on Saturday morning (Cleveland only got a little downpour late Saturday night).

RRB tricked me into wearing a water belt ("But you'll look badass!"  I'm such a sucker). I've never worn my water belt before, and one mile in I was already raw and bleeding at the hip. I pulled up my shorts Steve Urkel-style for some extra padding, but not before it left a pencil-erasure sized goudge in my hip. It looks pretty cool!

Nothing says badass like a water belt

We had a blast tackling Puke Hill and ran a total of 7 easy trail miles. It was so much fun being on the trail! Since we were both injured last summer, we hadn't run there since 2010 and it felt so good to be back! Just like old times!



We don't call it Puke Hill for nothing!

I'm not a big fan of down hills

On Monday, my mom and I mom-touraged on the path together. It was even more humid than Saturday and we were both struggling to breath (she even took a picture of steam coming off my sweaty head)! Also making it hard to breath- trying not to laugh at my mom's insane slap-happiness throughout the entire run. Suuure, easy for her to laugh as she cruises along on her bike. Hmph!

But have no fear! I got my chance to laugh! After our mile 8 water stop, my mom fell into the canal. That's right. She rode her bike right off the path, down the steep 8-10 foot drop right into the murky canal. She claims she lost control of her bike while avoiding another bike going by. Whatever the reason, watching her slllloowly ride down into the canal was one of the funniest things I've seen in my entire life!

After she'd wiped off a bit of the mud

Once I established that she wasn't mad and going to blame me ("Mooooooommm.....Is it ok to laugh?"), I about doubled over in hysterics on the path. Luckily, she joined in with me. And it all worked out to her benefit because she got to get her flirt on with a very nice man who helped pop the chain back on her bike, completely ruining his white tshirt in the process.

We finished up our run, and aside from looking like a swamp-thing, a scratch to the knee, and now-muddy newly purchased running shoes, my mom was just fine. And I ran my fastest run EVER! I think when it's humid and I feel like crap through the whole run, I push myself more thinking I must be going slow when I'm really not. Which is how I end up running a 7:13 pace, faster than I've ever run, even in a race! I'm still a little worried about how I'll do for the Half next Saturday, but I am so happy!

We stopped at my brother's on the way back home from the path and I ended up run/walking the 1.5 miles back to my mom's with my neice and nephew (the last .5 miles I walked with my niece on my back). When we got back to my mom's, I tossed them some of my old t-shirts and we finger-painted in the backyard.



My mini Picassos

It was a great weekend!

Homesick

Almost 2 years have gone by since I moved away from Cleveland and my family, friends and beautiful puppy, and it still gets me. I'm going to blame this latest case of missing the family and my wonderful hometown on the Wednesday morning blues. I tend to be down in the dumps every Monday and Wednesday morning. These happen to be the days I run after work. Coincidence? I think not. I'd probably be in a super mood if I could get my run in first thing.

But, I'm digressing from the little pity party I've got going on here. My entire immediate family lives within a 1.5 mile radius of eachother. Which means, my brothers, sisters in-law, niece, nephew and mom are constantly dropping in on eachother. When I lived at home, I would often stop at my brother's house for a water stop during a run. In fact, this past weekend my brother and his kids ran to my mom's for just that purpose (my little monkeys are training for the WPAFB 10K!)

It's never too early to brainwash them on running!

my brothers, sis in-laws, neice and nephew

Anyway, it sucks. It's hard not to feel left out when you see facebook posts or email invites of everyone getting together, even just casually. I know they'd prefer me to be back home too, but it's hard to see life going on just fine without you.

I miss my friends.

 I miss running with my running buddy on the Towpath, instead of in circles all by myself.

RRB & Me

I miss lifting weight with mom at the Rec.

She's very enthusiastic

I miss curling up with my poopsie while I read a book on the couch.

He's attention-starved, can't you tell?

It doesn't help that I really just don't like Dayton. I miss having trees, diversity (everyone here has a pronounceable name!), different places to eat, Lake Erie. I suppose if I lived in Hawaii or Orlando, Fl, I might be singing a much different tune. Hehehe.

Huntington Beach, Lake Erie

BUT, all my wallowing aside, I wouldn't change it for anything. If I hadn't moved, I wouldn't be living with the love of my life (also a Cleveland transplant). And that, is definitely worth the move 3 times over. Alright, pity time is over. Ok, not really, but I won't bore you anymore. Friday is fast approaching, and it's uncanny how one's mood brightens as the weekend draws closer ;-)



Anyone else suffer from homesickness? How did you deal?

The House That Tink Built

Or painted :-) . IT IS FINISHED!!!!! I have never spent so much time and care on a painting ever! I really hope that my friend's father really likes it. I can't wait to hear his reaction when he gets it this Christmas. Here it is, the documentation of my cabin painting...and my new love of trees:

The actual photograph

Still hating trees at this point

Little by little



Just needs some landscaping!



FINALLY!!!!!!!