My husband had Monday off from work and yet somehow the week still managed to seem extremely long. Wednesday we both thought that it was Thursday and the end of the week dragged onnnn. The temps have been less than favorable, but on Thursday we reached 70's again and I was bound and determined to make it a GREAT day for all.
I packed the backpack, grabbed the dogs leashes, and luckily also remembered my full frame camera. I don't remember the last time the pups haven't just been to our park that's across the street, and I forgot how much Elsa, our Golden, lives for water. The day was BEAUTIFUL, and while I Instagram storied it all, my husband texted and said, "Wow! You're feeling BRAVE!" The aftermath looked like all four of us getting insanely muddy, and the dogs getting bathed by me with freezing cold water in our backyard--but it the morning definitely won the GREAT award!
One of my favorite things about the week was that I got to hang out with my friend Lauren and her son Jadon TWICE. I wish I had remembered to take a few pictures of THEM, but I'm so blessed by her. She's also the one helping me find motivation to run and train for the mini marathon, that part coming later ;)
Our week also looked like slow mornings, playing Jenga, me having third and fourth cups of coffee, Bible stories, and by the end of the week, painting a solar system [ALL Pierson!] Oh, and Reese's all red she has declared the Red Sea.... Asa joked and said, "So he's our Realist and she's our Impressionist!"
Reese also had ONE great nap day [she usually only makes it an hour] and stayed asleep until her "clock turned green," so I promised her popsicles if this could happen. That was also the day we went hiking; imagine that, she actually got wore out!
Okay last but not least. Lauren asked me a LONG time ago if I would run Louisville's mini marathon with her and I completely laughed her off. I have never trained to run, and my "good" runs at the gym have been 2-3 miles, TOPS. One afternoon, a rather stressed out one, I did four miles on the treadmill. Later I asked Asa, "Why did I do that? That was random. I don't even have a fitness GOAL, and I'm SUPER sore." (I seriously could hardly walk?!) I told Lauren and she said, "If you can run 4 miles, you can run further." So it got me thinking. I told her I would meet up with her one weekend and run outside with her and some other ladies, just to see HOW far I could do. That's the other thing, I don't think I had ran outside in years at that point!! To my disbelief, we ran 6.3 without stopping a single time, and I felt GOOD!
My ankles and left knee did start bothering me soon after 3-4 days of running a week, so she and I went to our local running store Feet Fleet and had our gate/feet examined. I left with brand new running shoes and an insert, because two employees informed me how badly my ankles pronate--which explains the soreness and tenderness I've been feeling.
Well, she and I planned for 7 miles to be our long run this week; after doing 5.3, 4.5 and 3. We made a new route and set out and oh my gosh, we did it. (She's done 7 before, but 6.3 had definitely been THE longest I've ever ran in my life). I am SO thankful for her pushing me and I can't remember the last time I've felt this accomplished.
SO? 13.1 miles...here I come! I hope!
