Texas Metric Marathon - 26.2K

The half-marathon fiasco (read about it here) came at a crucial and inconvinent time since I was about to go on vacation and then travel for work missing two full weeks of Katy Fit (the running group that I coach and use for encouragement and support) AND my arrival back would be just a few days before my next race - the Texas Metric Marathon. I knew it would be all too easy to just slip into not working out...so I was determined not to let that happen.

I made sure to get in my 12 mile run the morning we left for vacation. Despite waking up and running alone in Terry Hershey Park while it's still dark (I do not suggest it...) and having my iPod die on mile 4, I was able to finished the run and in a nice breeze for a change.

On vacation, I made sure to bring my running stuff and was able to get a couple short runs in plus our hiking and walking helped. I intended to do a 14 mile run on Saturday, our last day of vacation. However, the thought of spending our last night of vacation with me going to bed at 8:30 pm to get up and run seemed unbearable...and unfortunately our flight was arriving late Saturday night and I knew a run Sunday on a lack of sleep and travel would be inevitably bad making me even more discouraged...so instead I ended up skipping it.

I did all of my workouts this week and was able to hydrate and carb loading properly and felt good despite having missed one long run. I was amazed and encouraged by all the kind words that you all left me after my last race post. There are a lot of people out there cheering me on and encouraging me - AND IT HELPS SO MUCH!!! I feel so incredibly blessed by the support I have in my life while I strive to train for another marathon.

Okay, back to the race today. So again the weather was horrible. HOW IN THE HECK IS IT 70 DEGREES WITH 90% HUMIDITY AT 5:00 AM?!?!?! When I checked the weather Plan A went out the into and Plan B went into effect. What's Plan B? (It's not the type you are thinking...) Plan B was to finish - and not walk.

Jason offered to take me and stay with me again (I have the BEST husband in the world!). I ran the 26.2K (~16.28 mile) 3-loop course and was greeted and encouraged by Jason each time around. He was armed with the camera so I made a real conscious effort to look good in the pictures since I am doomed to take horrific running pictures...I did not succeed (and am sparing you by not showing the REALLY good ones...

I am having some pain in my left knee (non-surgery knee) as well as some ankle pain. I had a painful, but necessary massage tonight with Keith - my personal torture masseuse. After he worked on both and felt around I think they are my IT band and calf - so ice, stretch, and endure. :-)

It's just 62 days until the Houston Marathon!!

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Guy's Night, Girl's Night

This week while I was out of town Jason took advantage of his cancelled classes and free time to have a couple guy's night. He and his good friend Huy went to Track 21 - an indoor go-karting place near our house. Then on Wednesday he played pool with a couple of good friends from church.

I got a chance for my own girl's nights on Thursday and Friday. Thursday I went with my Pi Phi sisters to Well Done Cooking Class - a fabulous place to take cooking lessons and make delicious food! Jason and I have been there a couple times before and when we were planning our Pi Phi calendar for the year I knew it would be a great event for our group!

We chose a menu of Thanksgiving sides to help with the upcoming holidays and all of the recipes we made were delicious!! There was cranberry sauce, cajun sausage stuffing, carrot souffle (my favorite!), sweet potatoes, and broccoli & rice cassserole. (If you want to know more about Well Done Cooking Class and see their fabulous class offerings click here.)

On Friday night my friend Emily and I visited the Nutcracker Market. It's an annual fundraiser for the Houston Ballet. It's a massive four-day event with tons of Christmas and specialty items. Emily and I went three hours before close when it's half price tickets - and about all the shopping we can handle!

And here's some of the goodies that I purchased! Not a whole lot and not bad financially either!

Until next year...!

Today we got a chance to spend some time with our friend Huy. In just a few weeks Huy is moving to Saudi Arabia for the next 2-3 years. It's nice getting to spend some time with him before he leaves us. Huy is a fraternity brother of Jason's and has been a good friend for many years. He was a groomsman in our wedding and we have loved having him in Houston! Huy wanted to get a round of golf in with us before the move and the weather couldn't have been more perfect!

Now the boys are playing Wii Mario Kart while we wait for pizza to arrive. Then carb loading and an early bedtime for me since the 26.2K Metric Marathon (~16.28 miles) race is tomorrow!

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Glamorous Business Travel...

Warning: post title and content contains extreme sarcasm.

The past year I have worked fields in South Texas... they are some really glamorous locations to visit. I mean, who doesn't want a view of Falcon Lake from their hotel room when they go to stay in Zapata, Texas?

And even better than that, who wouldn't want to visit Laredo, Texas? A place so fabulous they even made a tv show about it on A&E called Bordertown: Laredo. Ten fabulous episodes documenting local police protecting the US border from Mexican drug cartel threats...

[Mind you, Jason and I saw the preview of this brand new show the night before my flight out to Laredo... I promised not to go anywhere alone (including my morning runs...) as Jason looked at me wide-eyed. (Side-note: just a couple months earlier ConocoPhillips suspended travel to South Texas because of an incident where a field operator was confronted by illegals...yep, they lifted suspension just in time for Lease Reviews and my business trip. Nice.)]

Today I am flying out to Del Rio, Texas.

Again, a hop, skip, and a jump to Mexico. I won't be going anywhere alone.

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