Revel in the Normal...

I often write an entry when I've done something major, had a creative adventure, or have a plan to announce, but today I thought I would do something a bit different.

Revel in the Normal,
the mundane,
the routine....

Shocking, I know, but life is mostly the normal, everyday things that we do.
Work.
Cleaning.
Exercise.
Friends.
Making dinner.
Trying to figure out what to make for dinner.
Running errands.
Staying cool in the heat.
Planning.
Organizing.
Killing time.
Trying to find time.
etc.
etc.
etc.

The list of what we all do on a regular basis could go on forever and instead of saying, 'How boring!' or 'Why me?'

Let's start celebrating it.

This morning, I woke up, took my dogs on a walk, watered the garden, found out a client had cancelled and kept going on to the next item on the things that need to accomplished today.

Sometimes, at the end of a long one, it's all about how you look at it....

My dog's walks get me out of bed when I still want to sleep.
My garden is a heck of a lot of work.
My planning of meals drives me crazy to find new stuff to eat.
The cancelled client means my planning of the day just got shot.

or

My dog's walks gets me up, before the heat of the day becomes unbearable.
My garden provides yummy food to eat.
My planning of meals allows me to be creative on a daily basis.
The cancellation allows me to have a bit of unexpected free time to write.

It's all in the perspective of it all.  I'm not saying that I enjoy all of the stuff I do on a regular basis, or that I revel in it, but I think if we don't celebrate the everyday,
you won't enjoy your life.

Ya Me!!!
Ya You!!  for accomplishing all of the things you do on a daily basis that makes life run on.

And on those days that you just can not celebrate the mundane, the routine, and the normal,
remember that you are not alone.
Everyone, at some time or another, needs a little Calgon, Take me Away!!!

M.

Like the Musical Stylings of A Flock of Seagulls...

If you grew up in the 80's, 'I Ran' just popped into your head with that blog title, and this past weekend that's exactly what I did.

I signed up to run my first 5K at the Run Through the Lavender race that's held in Mona, Utah.  If you've ever driven I-15 in Juab county, you've probably seen the purple fields of lavender on the west side of the freeway, and that is what I ran through on Saturday.

the runner in the center is me!  running thru the lavender

On Monday, I got a little anxious.  On Tuesday, I was a little nauseated.  On Wednesday, my hamstring tightened up on me.  On Thursday, I melted (it was 104 F).  On Friday, I threatened to move to Canada, so I wouldn't have to run on Saturday.  On Saturday, I wondered why I had signed up to voluntarily run 3.1 miles, but I went to the start line anyway.

I have to talk a little about the weather.  If you live in Utah, the 4 days before my race where above 100 F temperatures.  UGH!!  On Friday, however, a rain storm went through most of Northern Utah and cooled the temps off.  YEAH!!!  Saturday morning, it was in the mid 60's and not rainy or windy.  Perfection for runners!

While waiting for the starting gun, I was talking to other runners about the course and the hill that makes up the first 1.4 mile of the race and how steep it was and strategies for the surge at the beginning.  It was a chip race, which meant your time did not start until you crossed the timer at the start line and ended when you went over the finish line, so you could wait for the surge of people at the beginning and still make your goal time.

I had enough adrenaline when that starting gun went off to run a marathon, but it quickly evaporated when I started and realized that dogging walkers and groups of 3 wide runners and ruts in the dirt road and the occasional mud puddle and thinking about my pace takes up a lot of energy.  Then the hill came.  197 feet elevation addition in 1.4 miles, have mercy.  It wasn't overly steep, but it went on FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!  After the race, while getting water and a snack, all of the runners were saying that their first mile was their slowest mile by far.  I was in that group.  I had to take a few 10 deep breaths breaks on that hill.

Once I turned the corner off of the uphill, my race plan started to gel.  I found a comfy running pace, my breathing evened out and I felt good.

On a side note, about this time, I'm guessing about 15 minutes in, the 1st place runner crossed the finish line in 16:21, averaging a 5:12 mile.

me, pushing to the finish line

 At about 2 1/2 miles, you could really see the finish line and the spectators could see you.  Talk about motivation to keep running!  My plan, about 3 weeks before the race, was to finish under 30 minutes, but then my running kind of fell apart, so I adjusted it to under 35 minutes, and guess what?  I made it.

My time  33:21!

Not the fastest time in the world, but out of the 1000 runners, I came in 382 place, 18th in my age division!  For my first 5K!

The promised land of no more running

If you want to run the Run Through the Lavender 5K, or they also have a Half Marathon as well, go for it.  It was a well organized and thoughtfully planned out race, and as an added benefit they give you a ton of gifts for signing up.  A technical running shirt, essential lavender oil, lavender stress relief roll on, a medal for finishing and a lavender plant!  Just do some hill training to help with that first 1.4 mile.  I did some, but not near enough and they were not long enough.

A sweaty, happy 5K finisher!!!!

Here's the kicker, I've already planned my next 5K.  It's in October!!!!
I started this adventure as a New Year's Resolution in January and it has taken me places I had not expected, but I am so glad that I did!!!!!

Thundering Herd....

If you own a Basset hound or two, like I do, at some point in time or multiple times, you will be sent this link...

50 Bassets Running

You will laugh and think 'yep, my dog looks like that too when he runs.'

If you also own a camera and are a budding photography geek, you will then round up your dogs and head to the local park and try to recreate the pictures.

At the park, you will quickly realize that Bassets while not great runners are even worse at stopping before crashing into said photographer.  They also get sidetracked on the way to you because they saw someone who might want to tickle their belly.   They will also get tired of running to you just so you can get the perfect shot with the perfect lighting and not do it anymore.

So, after making them run around, you will get the preppy dog shirts you found at Old Navy for $3 a piece and throw them on the dogs and take more pictures.  People will walk by laughing at the goofy dogs in the goofy shirts and then ask if they can come pet them.  It will make your day, but more importantly it will make your dog's day.

Without further ado,
here are Humphrey and Bacall running

                                                 Nice start, Bacall!!!

  Brakes would be good... (about 1/2 second later, I was cleaning slobber off my lens)

                                              Alright, Humphrey.... your turn

                            Keep going, Humphrey, you're not done running yet!  :)

               And now, the Thundering Herd of Basset Hounds are on their way!

                          Don't you hope, that you don't look like this while running?

 

                                           Whew, we made it!!!  No more running.

                               Can someone, please please please, tickle my belly now?

                                                     Or even just pet me?

              And if you have a cat, she will stay home and think
                                        Dogs drool and Cats Rule!