you get out of it what you put into it

Sunday I played tennis with one of the girls on my trip to DC.  She lives in Atlanta and is a super-awesome tennis player.  I played in high school and then didn't touch a racquet for about 4 years until I played again last year.  It's been about a year again of no play.  I don't have the time with working full time and going to school full time and trying to run some to squeeze in a tennis league too.  I got my butt kicked.  It was an awesome workout though.  Needless to say, my entire upper body, from my butt up aches.  I guess those are all the muscles I don't use while running.  I was wondering why my abs hurt so much and then it dawned on me that I had played a tough tennis match.

Yesterday I arrived home after about 13.5 hours in the car.  It was a long drive home, but worth it.  What an amazing trip!  We got home around 6PM so I still had plenty of daylight to go play.  I thought I would ride my neighborhood bike loop and then maybe run a few miles just to stretch out my legs.  Well, I was about 3 miles from home when my bike got a flat tire.  I was so pissed.  UGH.  That was a long and frustrating walk home.  I even cried while walking down the road I was soooooooo mad.  Stupid bike.  I took it today and got the tire fixed.  Argh.  Anyways, I was so frustrated that I did not run.  Instead, I went to Arby's and got a milkshake.

Ran with the 10k training group tonight.  I would like to help coach them too, but I normally have classes on Tuesday nights (when they meet) so that wouldn't work.  This is my last week of summer break and I am enjoying it fully.  This group is tapering for the 10k race they are running this weekend, so it was only about 2.5 miles.  I ran a 9:30 pace.  I was pleased with that.  The heat was about 90* when we started, but the humidity didn't seem as bad today.  It really was a good run.  I had a nice chat with some of my favorite people.  I love that! 

Biked about 5.5 miles with Jonathan in the pouring down rain.  We had planned to go longer, but were both freezing.  It was dark.  We were cold.  It started lightning.  So we pushed hard for the last 3.0 (I put my bike on it's hardest level - not sure what he did) and called it a night.  We would've gone farther but he had to stop and talk to a neighbor which wasted a good 20 minutes.  Can you hear the positivity in my voice?  It was still fun.  Sometimes I love the rain, it cleanses you.  I should've ran rather than rode.  Oh well.

Ran on the mountain today.  This is my absolute favorite loop to run on the roads in town.  Unfortunately, I don't get to run here much.  My group meets here every Thursday, and that is when I normally have school.  I start back next week, so that means I made it only once over my "summer break" that lasted all of 2.5 weeks.

Super duper hot and humid.  My car said 91* when I got out of it at 5:30.  It is cooler on the mountain than it is in town too.  I took it nice and slow and chatted with my friend Laura.  AP - 10:30 

Another girl that I run with is leaving for vacation tomorrow.  Guess where she is going?  Salt Lake City!  I'm just a bit jealous!  I want to come to SLC and meet all of y'all! 

I got home and decided to cook a Mississippi Mud Pie.  Well, after literally catching the oven on fire, I got things under control and cooked away.  It looks yummy... I haven't had any yet.  I made the mistake of starting something at about 9PM that has to cool for hours when it comes out of the oven before you can do the next step.  Ugh.  I guess it will be a nice Friday treat when I get home from work tomorrow. 

Got up at 4:30 to meet a friend in town to run the Cotton Row 5k course at 5:20.  We missed a turn somewhere and ended up only doing 2.4 miles.  Oh well.  Quick pace.

Then ran the Cotton Row 10k course with my buddies at 6am.  We had a blast just chatting and running and making bathroom stops at construction sites!  Slow pace.  Enjoyable though.

Went to an auction for the rest of the day.  I love antiques!  I'm generally about the only person under the age of 60 at these things which is always entertaining.