Feet Move Forward

Today was the first day I ran since last Saturday. My right knee has been feeling like it's bruised (upper-outer knee cap) and it's a pain that gets worse when I run but eventually levels off. Because I didn't do anything to majorly injure it (no trauma), the internet tells me I'm just being a baby. Enter icing, ibuprofen, a brace I got from Target because I'm desperate, and six days off.
For the past week, I've been sticking to the elliptical or bike at the gym. And I hate them. Yes, hate. 
I'm confident that time moves at roughly half the speed it does while running. Thirty minutes on an elliptical, even with music and T.V to distract myself, feels like an eternity. I have to play mind games with myself to even stay on it. 
However, they are my only options for the times when running isn't an option (unless I'm looking to take a chemical bath in that which is the public pool).
Rant over. 
I've also taken time this week to create a game plan …

Friday 4 mile progression run on a treadmill. My knee hurt.
Dinner with my mom at Number 4 in Mankato, a new-to-me place. I had a wholly healthy salad and then splurged on an amazing dessert. It was gone before I even thought to take a picture of it. 


Saturday Nearly 5 miles of trails through Hyland. My knee still hurt. 
Coffee with John, who as of late looks like he should be wielding an axe. He does have a huge dog named Blue, too. There's a Paul Bunyan tie in here somewhere.
Hung out with G & G to help facilitate a little 61st anniversary (!!) interaction. (Gramps gets too nervous to take her anywhere by himself.) After ensuring that they both showered, we went to church and then out to eat at the most romantic place my Grandpa could come up with: Perkins. And it was perfect.
After I got them settled in at home, I headed out for a Big Night. It’s rare that I go out with the intention of becoming That Girl but Saturday night was the exception. Chino Latino vodka-jitos are…

Recently: Yesterday: No run because Tuesday was a long and emotionally taxing day that made me want to throw my phone across the room when my alarm went off at 5:25. And I had an early dentist appointment. Today: 7.55 miles, 59:17, 7:51 avp. Made up for sucking at life yesterday by busting out what felt like a solid, evenly paced run this morning. [splits 804, 757, 749, 755, 802, 749, 705 (fast last mile), 821 (.55 cool down)] _____________________________ Back to yesterday: I went to the dentist for the first time in years. Years. (Gross, I know.) Why? No particular reason, other than it seems like going to the dentist is something very easy to procrastinate on. I'll do it next month turned into, well, me just going now.
So I went, imagining a worst-case scenario of them pulling all my teeth. I was terrified, which the dentist no doubt picked up on when he shook my clammy  hand. He was very nice, though, and I relaxed a little after they didn't gasp when they saw my te…

Recently:
Monday- No running. Yoga at LA Fitness. It's been so long since I've been to yoga that I forgot it's not a good idea to wear shorts. I was worried about flashing people the entire time. Not zen at all.

Today- 5.52 miles, 43:41, 7:55 avp. [splits 820, 750, 805, 738, 752, 739 (.52)] Even pacing obviously wasn't my goal here.
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It's funny how plans can change within a matter of weeks.
I gave a broad overview of what I was doing with my time in this post. What I left out (but alluded to at the end of it) was that I was planning on going to India for four months. Between that and the fact that I was kicking it with G & G on a pretty regular basis, I wasn't in the market to find another FT job and was making life work as a Professional Volunteer.

Then some stuff started to happen with Grams that indicated to all of us that things were getting worse fast. Gramps still isn't hot on in-home care and them moving into a facili…

Recent runs: Saturday: 5 miles with four 1/2 mile intervals at 6:45 pace, 1/4 mile RBI. Painful but thankfully I had Robert as bike support. He always knows when to talk to me and when to stay quiet. Best ever.
Sunday: A very awful run. Set out for 10 miles but made it only 7 before I called it. Cold, windy and terrible. 8:30 average pace. (And thanks, Robert, for suffering with me. And for rubbing my biceps mid-run.)
Weekly mileage total: 29
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Friday was football back in my hometown where my little brother Petey is a senior. Go Giants!

While home, my mom tried to convince me to take this cat they found in a storm sewer. He's probably five weeks old and very adorable. I told her I'd consider it once I move into my apartment at the end of the month. I understand that accepting it would likely be accepting a lifetime pass into Cat Lady Land.
 
I was house/pet-sitting this weekend which involved monitoring some chickens, two cats an…

Recent runs:
Thursday: 4.38 miles, 34:58, 7:59 avp (my right quad protested a little)
Today: 4.4 miles, 37:19, 8:29 avp (an easy, no pain run. Ready for serious miles this weekend.)
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It's Friday.

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Eleven Things the Running Shop Employee Won’t Say to Your Face
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Today is my sister Juli's 26th birthday.

We are two out of the original three (same parents) so we're alike but also very different.
Growing up, Juli and I were pretty close. We shared a room in the first house I remember living in and pushed our beds together.



Then we started to grow up and I immediately entered into the awkward phase of childhood. Juli, however, remained cute. That's why I had to become fluent in sarcasm; I couldn't rely on my looks. Then we hit our teen years and things became more volatile, mostly because she got boobs before I did and being two years older, that was unacceptable.  
Really, though, Juli and I have very different personalities. She is outgoing and beautiful. Everyone who meets her is drawn to her and she gets her energy from being around people. 
And she's very brave. She went to Africa for two months when she was in college. She was gone for her birthday that year but I managed to take her out with me anyway. 

And Juli is w…

Recent runs: 
Monday, 3.06 miles, 32:19, 10:33 avp (easy, easy run to shake out after Sunday)
Tuesday, 5.1 miles, 41:38, 8:10 avp (slightly faster to remind my legs that I own them)
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If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you pretty much know how this all went down. If you don't, settle in because I'm starting with The Day Before the Marathon.
Saturday
The Day Before the Marathon kicked off with coffee and friends at Ann's!


 From Ann's I went to the expo to pick up my packet and peruse the expo. I practiced restraint and only bought one shirt, mostly because it had Minnesota on it. 

Saturday night is where things get crazy. I went to The Bachelor Farmer for dinner and decided to carb load with their gimlet (which is seriously the best I've found in this city) and popover with honey butter. Top 10 favorite foods. EVER.


 From dinner I went to an art party on Harriet Island and continued carb loading with wine and beer. Blame i…