This week's wrap-up and the Saturday sound-off

Ok, I had this all planned out in my head during this morning's long run, but one t-ball game, one McDonald's lunch and two baths has zapped it right out of my brain. So...let's see where the rambles take us. Kind of like my run this morning. We'll start there.

I had planned on getting up at 6:30 for a run this morning, but my son woke me up at 6 instead. I got him all set up with Sprout on TV, cereal, and backup snacks so he wouldn't wake Daddy (a poptart, fruit snacks, and a box of raisins, all pre-opened so he wouldn't need any help). I got going before 7. It was beautiful outside! There was very little breeze, and after yesterday's wind, that was a nice surprise. The temp was perfect (although I have no idea what it actually was...but shorts and a tank felt great). I had 5 in mind. However, my course kept changing as I'd run into loose dogs, which I've only done one other time at all. The first pair come up just 1/3 of a mile in. I turned up a corner and heard a dog and quickly realized he wasn't fenced in but was under a carport instead...and was quickly joined by his big brown friend at the end of their driveway. I did an about-face and changed my course. I kind of looped around to where I normally end my run and headed at my route backwards. That worked out pretty well because it met up with where I normally head over to a different neighborhood. At one of my turns, though, there was another dog...what looked like a German Shepherd. I didn't stick around to find out if he was friendly, so I backtracked around the block and kept at my course. The last dog came up toward the end of my run...and he was what we'd call an ankle-biter. I didn't feel like finding out if he was going to bite my ankles though, so I turned right before his driveway.

The only problem with these course changes was that I ended up finishing 5 miles farther from home than I thought I would. That left me with two choices: 1. walk back home, or 2. run back home. I figured I had to get home somehow and running would actually make it faster. It ended up being right at a 10K with just a little to walk home for a cooldown. I ran it in 1:06:43. At first I was upset with my pace, but then I realized that it was still faster than my fastest 10K race. I'm getting there. I just don't know if I'll be able to break that one-hour mark at my 10K at the end of the month, which I finally signed up for yesterday.

While I was running, I was thinking about the book Born to Run that I read this week. While the narrative is full of flashbacks and back stories (and somewhat hard to follow at times), it is full of tidbits about running that I wish I'd kept track of better. There needs to be some sort of guidebook or workbook to fill in as you read this book. The most memorable things I got out of it?
1. Eat like you are poor.
2. Try salad for breakfast.
3. Cheaper shoes are ok.
4. Our feet are amazing.
5. Easy, light, smooth

It really was an amazing story of how we are made to run if we let our bodies do it. It's also an incredible tale of runners and a race. It left me feeling encouraged in my running...and a little curious as to how far I could really run.

I also thought about some runners I know running in tomorrow's OKC Memorial Run, both in the half and the full. I said a little prayer that their runs would be blessed and can't wait to hear how it goes.

Once I got back from my run, I had to replace batteries in cars, rebuild tracks, find breakfast, dress kids and get to a t-ball game, so a lot of my thoughts have disappeared into mommy-land. I'm sure there were more. However, when I finally got the kids bathed and down for some much-needed naps, I logged onto my computer...and lo and behold! I won something off of Running Diva Mom's blog...some Wright socks! And what's funny is that I really need these since I had to scrounge this morning to find some socks decent enough to run in because my Wright socks were all in the wash. I needed that...just a little sign that said to me "Keep it up!"

And now, here is the weekly mileage report:
Weekly: 17.5 miles
YTD: 264.8 miles

That puts me at just over 60 miles for April. Pretty cool!

Post your miles here!