September Run Log

I forget how difficult it is to get my runs in when I'm coaching once school starts...and it starts to get dark earlier...but I'm managing.
Cross Country has been going very well ~ the boys have been beaten only twice, by the same team {Solon} and the girls are getting faster and stronger each week.  Yesterday the girls finished top ten.  And, by top ten, I mean the first 10 finishers were Madison.  Rather amazing.
Ran all my long runs this month with Mike & Dodd and I'm pretty sure Mike is enjoying group running.  Part of me misses the alone time or the time with a podcast that I would get on a long run, but not enough of a part to actually go out there alone.  Those two make the miles go by faster than they do when I'm alone.
The next three weekends are very full ~ a half, a concert, and another half.  I'm anxious about doing to halves so close together ~ but excited to run something other than a 5k.  The forecast is calling for cold and rainy this Sunday...but we're still far enough out to hold onto some hope for 62 & overcast with very little wind.  Dream Big.

September Totals:

93.91 miles for the month ~ hate when I'm under 100.
1070.8 miles for the year 

196.08 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ didn't wear them this month

607.88 miles in my pink Brooks Glycerin 12. Camp Stig shoes ~ So, they aren't as muddy as you would think...but that's changing tomorrow when we run the FULL White Trail {and it's rained the past three days}

217.51 miles in my Nike Vomero ~ 

121.1 miles in my light blue Brooks Glycerin 11 ~ 

Training for:   The Northern Ohio Half...this Sunday!  &  The Columbus Half October 18 

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Dear Sugar, Stuff You Should Know, & This American Life, Love & Radio, RadioLab & Stuff to Blow Your Mind. New ones: Lore & downloaded Hidden Brain, but haven't listened to it yet.

My WEIGHT:  I have NO IDEA.  I'm so afraid to get on the scale because my eating has been totally out of control.  Clothes still fit ~ but I need to make better choices.  or at least talk about making better choices.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:  15.55 ~ an amazing run!

Highest  weekly mileage this month: 35.57 September 13 to September 19 ~ but only because we did a long run on Sunday and another on Friday.

Favorite place to run this month: at night on the sidewalk downtown.  I do love running at night.

# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet:  NADA
# of books I read this month: None.  Wow, I think that's the first time I've gone a month without finishing a book ~ had one halfway done & it was removed from my Kindle.  Hope I remember what happened when I get it back.
Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.36 ~ May 17, 2015 The Cleveland Marathon

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:58 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/12/14)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

Run for the Grapes

Another race for the three of us... Run for the Grapes, where I had my birthday PR last year.  No birthday & no PR for me, but it still was a PR for the season. 22:56.  Mike finished for a PR of 22:44.  We both placed THIRD in our age group  {some fast old ladies out there today!}  Dodd was close to a PR & placed FIRST in his age group.  Mike and I pretty much ran side by side for the first two miles.  Then Mike took off & I couldn't keep up.  For a guy who hates 5K's, he sure runs them well.

I think the reason I do so well is at this one is that I'm Purple Cow Powered {PCP ~ more powerful than the potato chip power I ran on last week ~ Mike and I bought 5 bags of potato chips for the Browns tailgate last Sunday...yeah, we did...and donuts}

A selfie of five Madison peeps ready to race.

In honor of our Mount Union legacy, we wore our Mount Union gear.  I wish Mike didn't look so disgusted in this pic, because I would love to have a good picture of the two of us.  I have NO IDEA what was going on that made him have this face...but it kinda makes me laugh.  

The Madison Teacher crowd.  Gotta love Craigo's pigs!  She embraced my theory that they are a party for your head.  {and Dodd's bib sure is pinned on crooked.  What's wrong with him?}

Here are my boys with their awards.  Wish I had a better look on my face for this one...but, as with the other, it makes me laugh.

Happy Saturday

This is Sasquatch barf.  Proof that Sasquatch live in our backyard.  This is a pile of barf about two feet in diameter ~ probably 15 feet from the crab apple tree.  

This is us walking our senior band member down the football field at last night's football game.  Round Two was emotionally easier than Round One.  When Patrick was a senior I was sad at every 'last' and every 'senior moment' {as Principal Fisher calls them}  While I'm still a little sad...I'm enjoying the moments more.  I'm enjoying getting to know Patrick as an adult & I look forward to what the future hold for Jacob as well.  It's a good thing.

We are so fortunate to have Nurse Bevan to love on all the band kids.  She takes pictures of EVERYTHING and shares them with us all!

Austin and Jacob preformed the solo for the National Anthem.  They nailed it.  So proud of these two kids.

And when I brought in the week's mail after this morning's run...there was a purple envelope for Jacob Barton ~ Mount Union wants him.  It's a great day to be at Purple Raider, for sure.  I think the path has been set.  He'll be playing tennis for Mount in the fall of 2016.

And to CELEBRATE a Purple Raider...I 'had' to have a Purple Cow at the Grape Jamboree!  along with a sausage sandwich...it was the perfect Saturday lunch.  We joined the Dodds {who thankfully get there early to put down chairs & blankets for a perfect parade watching spot}.  Enjoyed spending time with those two boys...and watching Jacob march down the street.  Jackson yelled, "Jacob, Jacob, Jacob" when he went by.  So sweet.  

the highlight reel

Yesterday I think I experienced the highlight of my teaching career.

I was working with a seventh grade autistic student in math class.  We were working on two-step word problems involving addition and subtraction with fractions {I know...kids hate them as much as adults}.  My co-teacher was doing the hardest problem with the students whole group, and my guy doesn't do real well whole group.  So I was sitting with him and helping him process it.  He's a very bright kid, and usually knows right away what to do, but he just couldn't see the two-steps and what the problem was asking of him.  As his frustration is building he was trying every avoidance technique...jumping out of his seat, changing the subject, refusing to read the problem, sharpening his pencil...I just keep redirecting him to the task at hand.  He is getting more and more frustrated and starts to shake & he puts his hands to the side of his head, and in his very abrupt and loud voice says, "You are hard to defeat."
I just burst out laughing.  Take that Middle Schoolers!  I am hard to defeat.  I don't think I've every been complimented so highly by a student.
But the story gets better.  We continue to work...and finally I can see the light bulb go on.  He had that 'ah ha' moment, frantically writes on the paper & shows me the answer.  "Yes!" I say.
He jumps up, shouting, "I did it!  I did it!"  And he leans across the desk and awkwardly hugs me.

seriously

I love my job.

Run log & Glow in the Dark

Ran a race Saturday night ~ Saturday night at 9:15 {delayed a little bit by the THUNDERSTORM and the DOWNPOUR from 7:35 until 9:25}  I was really looking forward to this race...because it was going to be so cool ~ dress up to glow & run in the dark with a big group of friends on a warm August evening...with free beer at the end.  Had people over for dinner before hand ~ and Team Beef decided to represent.  I do say we look great ~ and Ohio Beef Council reposted our instagram pic ~   Don't be fooled...this picture was taken between downpours.

Here's the group of teachers and husbands.  Kirsten & Max also ran...but were too late for this picture.

Start line ~ Dodd, Kelly, Me & Max!

Proud of this girl!  Ran more than the last mile.  She's amazing in my book.  And Mike & Dodd are the best photo-bombers.

SOOOOOO... Under the heading of Totally Obnoxious ~ These four people are standing in line to check our places...behind a pretty large family who is taking their time photographing their finishing times...  We get up there & Dodd types in his bib ~ FIRST PLACE IN HIS AGE GROUP ~ yea!!!.  Then Kelly ~ FIRST PLACE IN HER AGE GROUP & FIRST PLACE FEMALE ~ holy cow!!!  Then Mike ~ FIRST PLACE IN HIS AGE GROUP ~ AMAZING!!!!!.  So I go...the one who usually is the only one to place.  Second Place in my Age Group.  They all point at me and yell, "loooooooser!"   We had to be the most obnoxious group in the whole place.  

Best part of the night was the really cheap free beer afterwards.  We're standing in a circle talking and drinking our beer and Mike says, "This tastes like college." and he was 100% correct.  What a fun night.  Got home, went to bed & woke up early to run 12 miles.

Overall #3!

So running for the Month of August, on this, the first of September was good.  Became difficult once school started to get my runs in during the week.  I run with the XC kids, but I can't do a five mile run with them... it's all broken up into smaller chunks.  Ran the White Trail a couple of times & that is ALWAYS fun.  

I did something to my right leg...just where my achilles attaches to my calf muscle.  I've put some KT tape on it...and that has made all the difference.  That stuff is MAGIC.  I'm pretty sure I've just stressed it running at Stig ~ and the race on Saturday just agrivated it...and the 11.5 early Sunday morning just did it in.  

Lots of racing to happen this fall.  A nine miler, a few 5k's, and two half marathons.  I'm excited to run this fall...

AugustTotals:

113.94 miles for the month
976.89 miles for the year 

196.08 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ didn't wear them this month

603.05 miles in my pink Brooks Glycerin 12. Camp Stig shoes ~ and boy are THEY MUDDY and getting a hole in the side.

188.01 miles in my Nike Vomero ~ Like these a lot for my shorter runs.

61.52 miles in my light blue Brooks Glycerin 11 ~ Like these for my long runs and races.

Training for:   The Columbus Half October 18 ~ and, let's be honest, the Northern Ohio Half won't be a training run.

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Dear Sugar, Stuff You Should Know, & This American Life.  New ones: Love & Radio, RadioLab & Stuff to Blow Your Mind.  Still have those...haven't really been listening to podcasts while running...been running Sunday mornings with Mike & Dodd.

My WEIGHT:  Was 137 yesterday morning {three pounds heavier than last month} but it was at the end of my parent's visit...and we had Dairy Queen TWICE and dessert almost everynight.  Maybe I'll be better now that Mom's back in Colorado

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:  14.01  Glad to be back at 14.  12 & 14 are my favorite long distances

Highest  weekly mileage this month: 25.53 ~ August 16 to August 21

Favorite place to run this month: The WHITE TRAIL

# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet:  NADA
# of books I read this month: One
Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.36 ~ May 17, 2015 The Cleveland Marathon

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:58 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/12/14)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)