Runner's Log: April 2013

Another Record Month!  AND I'm {knock on wood...cross my fingers...} injury free.  It's been an April full of firsts ~ longest RUN EVER {13.5}  ~ most mileage EVER {107.5} ~ decided to RUN A FULL MARATHON {WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?}
I've been watching these inspiring people {Mike, Jackie, Brynn} train for the Cleveland Marathon...and I want to do it to.  {I REPEAT...WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?}  I will sign up for the first Lake County marathon to be held in October.  The 20 week training starts May 27.
So, before I type a running log again...I will have run my second half, signed up for my first full & started training.  I will also have a senior who will be done with school, a classroom full of boxes awaiting transport to the new middle school & only a few days left of school.  As April was a month of firsts...May will be a month of change.  I will survive.

April's totals:
107.5 miles for the month 
347.5 miles for the year
0 biking miles for the month
112 biking miles for the year
131.5 miles in my black, pink & blue Asics ~ the left one is muddy thanks to a drive trying to kill me and a mud puddle I had to step in.  But, being black...you can't really tell that it is muddy.

My WEIGHT:  According the the LOSE IT! app, I weigh 131 pounds.  According to the scale this morning, I have no idea.  It was 133 yesterday...and I decided NOT to count my calories any more.  It was an obsession...one I need to be away from for the next few weeks.  I need to eat some carbs over the next two weeks before the race.  I need to learn to eat healthy stuff when I'm hungry because it's the right thing to do...not because of the number of calories.  I was obsessed & it wasn't good.  I will continue to fit into my new size 6 pants (seriously...they make pants bigger these days) and I will continue to eat healthy.  And I'm going to train for a marathon.

Some interesting facts:
Longest run this month: 13.5 miles!!!!!!!
Favorite place to run this month: ?!?  I really liked the loop of River road to Bates...until the dog almost attacked.  I'm serious.  If that truck hadn't driven by, I think I would have been eaten.  I haven't been back there since & I don't have a new favorite place yet.
# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet: I still haven't looked so I still think it's three. 
# of books I read this month: Four!  Wow.  The last one was finished within minutes of being taken off my kindle {slight hyperbole}
Monthly mileage record: 107.5 ~ April 2013.  Two record months in a row!
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  13.5  Sunday, April 6, 2013

PR's:
5K: 22:45 (Rabbit Run 10/30/11~ but I think it was a short course)
10K: 52:02 (Cleveland 5/15/11)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:55:04 (Cleveland 5/16/10)
marathon: 3:50:05 (Akron relay {team run} 9/24/11)

Visit from Texas

Is this closer to my dream of having My brother Bob move to S-W corporate so I can get the perks? Maybe...(probably not, as his wife would never live in a place that snows)
But we did get to enjoy a nice (long) dinner. Good times with Uncle Bob.

Springing {finally}

April 28!  April 28!  I don't know for sure, but this seems REALLY REALLY late for the trees to first bud & the Magnolia & Cherry trees to bloom.
Better late than never {or like last year, have a nasty frost & lose all the blooms}
This weekend I got to pLaY in the DiRt! * JoY*
I even planted peas that will hopefully climb up the tee-pee I made last year.  I moved some flowers & weeded & weeded.  There's still lots to be done, but it's such enjoyable work.  {I often wonder why I so enjoy digging in the dirt for hours and so dread vacuuming for 30 minutes}
Here are some delightful pictures:

On this delightful Saturday I also was privileged enough to sit at Jacob's JV tennis tournament...for 6 hours.  He lost two and won one.  Played very well in one loss and the win.  It was good to watch him play & have fun & enjoy the sunshine.

#11

A new Myron Boltar is #11 ~ Live Wire by Harlan Coben.  I'm pretty sure it's the very last SPOILER ALERT as he sells MB Sports Reps at the end.  And it ended very sad.  With many unanswered questions.  First of all, I don't remember EVER hearing about brother Brad.  I know I have a horrible memory...but I really thought Myron was an only child.  And then Brad's dead ~ and Win has to kill Hermon Ache to clean up Myron's mess...p353 "As Myron held his friend in his arms, he knew that nothing would ever be the same between them.  Something in their relationship had changed.  Something was gone forever."
But now we have Micky...the star of a new series for young adults.  I don't think I'll be reading them, so I have to say goodbye to another dear friend, Myron Boltar.  I hate the end of a series.

Quotes:
p10 ~ Harmless enough on their own, but life is about context.

p15 ~ ...Springsteen concerts.  Good things are rare.  They are to be cherished because they always leave us too soon.

p135 ~ Myron remembered something his father once told him: People have an amazing capacity to mess up their own lives.

p187 ~ She responded that he should be fruitful and multiply, but not in those exact words.  {must remember this one ~ love that dry Boltar sense of humor}

p197 ~ A mistake-proof life is not worth living.

fl: The ugliest truth, a friend once told Myron, is still better than the prettiest of lies. ll: Myron stood and listened  and while he knew the echo would quiet again, he hoped that maybe it would never go silent.

Famous

Here's the email sent out by the Hermes Cleveland 10 Miler that Mike and I ran last year.  We decided not to run this year, not because we didn't enjoy the race...but we're pretty singular minded people (simple, OCD...you can take your pick).
My run-club-mate, Cheryl said she was reading through and went..."hey, I know those people."
We are famous!

10-Miler Tips     presented by                   10-Mile Relay Runners - you will receive instructions with your race bibs at packet pick-up, but please note that the first-leg runner MUST use the WHITE race bib; the second runner MUST use the BLUE bib.    NEW for Relay Runners - there is an option to take a shuttle. Visit the website for details. All runners should wear your race bib on your front top layer of clothing so that our photographer, Thomas Horvath, can capture your photo! Searchable race photos will be posted on the Hermes website a few days after the race. Event photos will also be posted on the Hermes Facebook Page immediately following the race.  Make sure to smile as you cross the Finish Line! Get to know the 10-Miler Course before the race!     Before the start of the race, warm-up clothes can be left in the gear van, located near the Start Line in upper Edgewater Park. Items will then be available near the Finish Line at lower Edgewater Park. Make sure to include your name on your bag. Hermes is not responsible for lost or stolen bags. WATER STOPS will be located at Miles 2, 4, 6, and 8. GATORADE will be available at Mile 6 and 8. HAMMER GEL will be available at Water Stop Mile 6. PORTO'S will be located at the Start (Upper Edgewater Park), Lakewood Park, between Miles 7 and 8, and at the Finish Line (lower Edgewater Park). Race signs, mile markers, volunteers, timers, and course marshals will be along the route to guide runners. The turnaround is on Lake Avenue just before Webb Road. The Finish Line is located at lower Edgewater Park after you run on the path through the Park. Maps of the course are available on the 10-Miler website, www.clevelandtenmiler.com The Hermes Cleveland 10-Miler is included in the 2013 Road Race Series Driven by Quick Lane at Valley Ford, so register today. Click here for details   Run Together...Ride together!   If you are running with a friend, please plan to ride together to the race. Parking space at upper Edgewater Park and the surrounding area is limited. We strongly suggest that you park near the Finish Line at lower Edgewater Park and walk to the Start Line. Arrive early so you can stretch before your run, take your time, and not be late to the start line. The Race will start promptly at 8:30am   Registration closes Wednesday, April 24th at 9am.    Thanks! The Hermes Race Team

spring, Ohio style

Thursday was 86°.  86°… The AC was on at Madison Middle School.  The kids were wearing shorts.  The sun was shining...and the wind was blowing.  After school I changed into my shorts, t-shirt & sandals, lathered on the spf & watched and watched a tennis match.  After the match I walked over to the track, unwilling to leave the outdoors, and watched the MMS track meet until JB returned from Lakeside on the .  Then I put on my skirt & t and went for a very hot run at the  path.
A glorious spring day.h

This was my view this morning:

hippo

This little plastic hippo greeted my 45 year old husband as he walked to the grill to cook his birthday steaks.  It's just a little plastic hippo.  Where did it come from?  

It's  giant mystery!

Maybe a happy birthday present to Mike.

Good Stuff

Things are going well here in Bartonland.  Patrick is currently in Toledo visiting Jake with four of his friends.  It just feels right for my 18 year old kid to be off to college for a weekend.  Maybe I'm accepting this phase of life.  ~ but I know I'm not alone in my longing for my little boys back ~ Last night at the Winking Lizard, Mike was in the restroom when a man and his little boy came in.  The little boy insisted on using the urinal {how grown up} So there he was, pants around his ankles, as Mike is washing his hands.  The stalls are all filled and another man walks into the restroom.  The little boy turns and says to the man, "The potties are all filled up."  Mike was almost in tears telling me the story...as we both remember how adorable it was to have little boys.
Good Tennis stuff:
From the Lake County Tribune ~ Friday, April 12, 2013 {in reference to the match on April 4}  Pretty cool stuff ~ a picture of the big one and some good words about his match. {second paragraph} And then, keep on reading {because I didn't, until Mike pointed it out}, because Jacob {known as Barton} was involved in the closest match of the evening.

Also ~ another double victory for our Barton Boys on Friday 4/12:

My good stuff: New favorite beer:I love the Winking Lizard & the great beer recommendation by our cute little server.  A great chocolate stout ~ and it's organic ~ so that makes it a health food.

And the whole reason we were at the Winking Lizard for dinner on a Friday night was because after losing 20 pounds {reward being a oreo & peanut butter cup blizzard for lunch yesterday} none of my pants fit me. Rather ironic that I went on the diet in the first place, because I didn't want to buy new pants.  But there I was, with my size 10 pants hanging off me.  So we went to Kohl's to buy some size 8 pants :)  On the way in Mike asked me how long it had been since I was in single digits... and I honestly don't remember.  I've been a size 10 forever.  

There I am, trying on pant after pant & nothing looks quite right.  The sales girl says, "I think you need a size 6."  WHAT!?!  

and YEP!  a size 6 fits me.

And I have proof...because I still don't believe it, even though I'm wearing the size 6 jeans right now.

Life is good.

Tennis Time

Today's Box Score from the paper:

The first Barton is Patrick & the second Barton is Jacob.  Pretty cool to have both boys with varsity victories in the News-Herald.  And Madison won 5-0.  That doesn't happen very often {like tomorrow, when we play Perry}.
Savor the good!

#10

The FOURTH book of spring break...finished at 9:30 pm Sunday!  {It counts!}  The third In The Garden Trilogy ~ #10 is Red Lily by Nora Roberts.  Another pleasing romantic tale of girl, boy & ghost & gardening.  Kind of all the things right up my ally!

fl: She was desperate, destitute, and demented.  ll: No one sang there.  But its gardens bloomed.

First Blooms

The crocuses actually bloomed a few weeks ago and have just been biding their time to feel some warmth.  Today was the day.  Finally.  The wind picked up from the south and we hit the high 60's to low 70's.  {I ran in my new skirt & white underarmor shirt with my new matchy matchy Asics.  Quite the sight!}  And the gardens are slowly awakening.

The first of the daffodils came to life today & if we keep these warmer temperatures, the rest are soon to follow.  Spring is hope.

long run

The long run is an entity all it's own.   It has it's own place in training and it has it's own place in the head.  There are days when it's all I can do to plod through a 3 mile run, but on Saturday that all changes.  Everything is different when I head out the door to put in some serious miles.
Thursday I had a miserable run.  It was kinda warm {which means just above freezing this spring} and the sun was shining...so to treat myself I went to one of my favorite running spots...the bike path in Geneva.  And every step I took was like running through mud.  I forced myself to put in those 5, and it wasn't a joy.   So, I was a little nervous heading into today's long run.  Last week's 12 was really good...and you don't always have good runs...and I'd just come off a bad one...and the weather was till only kinda warm...not really warm...and I couldn't decide how far I wanted to run..
So I just went out and ran.  And I went 13.5 in 2:05.  It was amazing  my longest run EVER.
But back to that ling run mentality.  I don't know what it is, but when I leave for that long run, time doesn't really matter.  It's just me, my tunes, and the road.  I get to the point where I think, only 5 more miles, I'm almost home   What s that? And why can't I have that when it's everything I've got to get 3 in?

I'm so proud of myself and the fact that I ran a personal long today.  I'm also so excited for the Cleveland Half in May.  {I'm also seriously contemplating a full...what is wrong with me?}

#9

The THIRD book of spring break 2013 is Book Two of the In The Garden Trilogy.  #9 for the year is Black Rose by Nora Roberts.  This time Roz gets her man and the ghost is out of control.  The ghost thing is a little much, but the genealogy it brings into the plot is interesting.  Another sweet & drama filled romance...perfect for spring {HA! not so springy around here...} break.
Quote:
p10: But that was life.  No one knew better than a gardener that life never stayed static.  Cycles were necessary, for without them there was no bloom.  {ahh...I'll try to remember that one}

fl: She dressed carefully, attending to the details of her appearance as she hadn't done for months.  ll: And in the gardens of Harper House, someone walked, and raged, and grieved.  With mad eyes burning into the candy-blue sky.

#8

Second book of spring bread 2013 ~ #8 on the year is Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close.  Each chapter details the transition from college student to 'grown up' of a group of college friends.  Some chapters are heartbreaking and some are laugh out loud.  Most ring very true to what I've seen in life.  I did feel a little removed from the whole thing...I was that girl who married her college sweetheart, but unlike the girl in the book, 22 years later, we're still going strong.
Quotes:
p20 ~ "Appletinis," Meg had said brightly.  "Do you want one?"  It was the last complete sentence she said that night.  {HA!}
p123-124 ~ Mary had always been scared of her imagination...Brian Sullivan brought all of that back.  Every time he came into her office and stood next to her desk, Mary imagined waht would happen if she put her hands on his belt buckle and started to take off his pants.  Her blood pounded in her ears, and she tried to reassure herself that she wasn't going to do any such thing.  But then she's [ass him in the hall, and she'd think, "What would happen if I just went up to him and said, 'Let's have sex right now'?"  She tried to tell herself that she was in charge of her action, that her brain couldn't take over.  And then she thought, "This is what happens to people right before they go insane."
fl: Isabella's sister, Molly, was married with ten bridesmaids in matching tea-length, blue floral Laura Ashley dresses.  ll: "Sweet Jesus," Isabella said, looking at the bottle.  "You're right.  The worm turned."