Living this LIfe I've been Given: Getting ready for a holiday weekend!!

(Morning in the neighborhood)

So this week has been fun! Really it has been. I can't say that it's really that much different than any other week...well a few differences, but you know attitude makes all the difference. So at work the office is closed next week, so everyone was in a good mood...looking forward to some time off. Maybe some of us more than others. *smiles* I thought I had a job lined up for next week, but it fell through, so I guess I'll just be training....and probably cleaning the house! (uuggghhhh).

I did a mountain bike ride on Monday after I worked at one of my favorite fill in offices in Wake Forest, and YES I still am a terrible mountain bike riders. I get really nervous going over all the rocks and roots...it's my INSANE desire to WANT TO STAY ON MY BIKE AND NOT FALL, that makes me such a spaz! So during that ride I managed to bruise up my knee pretty good while I was (it's a little fuzzy what I was trying to do) maybe unclip. So somehow I banged my knee into the stem of my bike. It's like when you hit your funny bone in your elbow, except it was knee. Ohhhh it was crazy painful. I literally had to just stop and stand there....I thought I was going to puke, but I didn't. Luckily Pryde (the ride leader) was pretty awesome and fairly easy on me. I was the only follower on Monday night.

Tuesday I was supposed to swim, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I always save my workouts for after work...something to look forward to or just don't want to get up any earlier than the normal 5:15 am. So after work the weather was TERRIBLE. I had planned to meet 3 friends at the Lake and do my Endurance Swim workout there. However, there was a big storm coming through and there was no swimming to be done. Should I have done something else....perhaps strength training?? Possibly, did I....NOPE.

(Scout patiently waiting for his walk in the morning)

Wednesday was a no work day....and a long run day. I got up and ran 10.25 miles before it got to hot! It was super humid out, but that's par for the course here in North Carolina. I arranged to meet my friend Jess at the halfway point and run back to the beginning together (than I drove her back to her car...it's the least I can do for someone getting up and running with me). I started at a little after 6:30, and was feeling pretty good on the first 5. I had frozen my water bottles so I would have cold water to drink along the way (I have a fuel belt that I wear on all my long runs...and some of the short ones too...that carries water and food around my waist). Coming back got a little harder as the sun started to beat down. By the end I was DRENCHED...as in I looked like I had gone for a swim....FOR REALS!!

(my very WET HAIR...after the 10 mile run)

(Jess and I after the 10 mile run)

Later on on Wednesday I met up with Jess and her husband Steve at the lake and made up my swim, even though my Awesome Coach let me know I didn't have to make it up, but I could if I wanted to. It was a beautiful swim at the lake, but the fish they were a nibbling. They only get ya if you stay still for to long. *winks* Ohh and they just tickle, but it's a weird feeling for sure. The surface of the water was crazy warm, and it made it an interesting swim! We all swam out to the rock (.5 miles) and back (another .5 miles) and got out.

(little slice of Heaven....Falls Lake)

(Jess swimming in)

(What my car told me the temp was after the swim)

Thursday (yesterday) was a timed 1000 yd swim. I went to Pullen pool...and it was HEAVEN. I mean really I haven't been cool water in so long! The pool felt GREAT! A little chilly when you first got in. I'm sure people who weren't lap swimming didn't love it, but they can go to the outdoor pools then. I did a warm up swam my 1000...or was that only 950, I guess I'll do another 50...so I either swam 950, 1000, or 1050....my time was either 15:13, or 15:57. Then I did a cool down and came home.

This morning I took the little monster to the dog park to get some energy out, before we take a road trip up to Virginia to visit the family. It's going to be a weekend of swim/bike/run/hike/dog walk/playing games/hanging out/ eating Willy's/enjoying time together GOODNESS.