Author: Jilligan
•10:30 PM
Today I had a workshop which meant I could squeeze an extra 30 minutes of sleep in this morning. Which also meant no morning run. Oh well, the baseball games tonight were early and the temperature was going to stay under 100 so I knew I could squeeze the run in. Since my daughter and I had spent two nights staying up watching Charlie's Angels reruns, I was tired.

After the game I knew if I sat down I wouldn't get up to run so got my running clothes on, put up a little laundry, got the kids settled, and headed out. It was a nice 82 degrees with no wind to speak of. Thank goodness because we have had fires all last night and today so I was afraid the smoke would be bad. Headed out on an easy 3/1 pace. Avoided hills the first mile and settled in for a nice little 3. I also wanted to try out a patriotic shirt I was thinking of wearing for Saturday's 10K. Under Armour that I really like but worried the symbol will be hot and the shirt will be short. It was okay.

I had been freezing my water bottle which would typically melt early but not tonight. I had this huge chunk of noisy ice to carry for 3 miles. I looked at every sprinkler I passed thinking I could get some more water to melt it but they were all fine sprays and would have soaked my handheld carrier. Oh well, at least the birds, skunks, dogs, and possums could hear me coming! Ka dunk, ka dunk, ka dunk!

All in all, the weather was great. The lungs felt great. Legs were okay. Clothes great. Blister fine. So I went ka dunk, ka dunk, ka dunk all the way home.
Author: Jilligan
•10:00 AM

This weekend is a baseball weekend which means my DH has spent a lot of time at the fields because we are hosting the tournament. This morning instead of a long run with me he had to go work on some lights. Since the field is right by the country club I thought I could sneak my long run in on the course before the golfers got out.

Yesterday in a state of stupidness, I ran at noon. It was barely under 100 with no breeze. To continue with the stupid theme, I decided to change my run/walk pattern. I held on for two miles. I was delirious the 3rd mile. I made it back to the house somehow, angry with myself, with my running, and with my stupidity.

Today it was 75 when I started and 84 when I finished. I could run under the shade of the trees at times. I had a bathroom. I had a place to refill my water. I went back to an easy 3/1 pattern. I loved running. Everything was good with the only exception being a blister from yesterday's heat that I forgot to bandage today. It's a bloody mess but I'll take it.

I love running, at least for today. And since I am taking it one day at a time, I'll take that too.


Author: Jilligan
•1:36 PM
I hate birds of all kinds, ducks, birds, peacocks, etc. I am scared of them. My kids think it is so funny to go to the zoo to watch me run from the stupid birds. Ducks chase me if we go to the pond. You get the picture. There is no love in this relationship, simply hate. Last night my middle son played a baseball game and the field was next to the zoo. All night we could hear the birds calling to each other or secretly plotting how they were going to escape to come get me. My son kept saying they were calling my name. My sister kept telling me one was behind me. See how they taunt me about it.

Anyway, today on my run, I heard a bird, probably a hawk, calling out. I didn't think much of it except that it sounded like it was saying my name. I even turned around to see if someone was calling me. I didn't see it or anything else so I kept going. As soon as I turned around to start running again, the bird swooped down and tried to rip some hair right out of my head. Of course I screamed and then very stupidly reached down to pick up some black ash from the trail, HOT! I threw it at the bird, screamed a little to get the fear out of my system and the burning sensation out of my hand. I took off my sun glasses to look at the damage. Of course the hair on the top of my head was poofed out of my pony tail from where the bird tried to snatch it. As painful as it was, I am thankful it didn't go to the bathroom on me. Wish I would have had my phone to take a picture.

Stupid birds. See why I hate you.
Author: Jilligan
•9:46 AM
Just checking in. I was told I had been missed today so thought I better check in. Got a new toy, I mean tool at work so thought I would test it out.

Haven't blogged lately because of lots of negative feelings and didn't want them to come out on the blog. Surprise, I can keep my mouth shut sometimes.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Author: Jilligan
•11:12 AM

A lot of my job involves attending training. In the past few years I have been to over 400 hours of training. The last year and a half, not much of the training has been new. Lots of repeated ideas, lots of the same material, same videos, same books, etc.

This week I had one day of great new training. It got me excited about the season of summer training. Today is the opposite. It is dull. It is boring. It is a waste of my time. I hate having my time wasted.

So the question is can a wasted day be salvaged. I can sit through 39 more power point slides. I can get a good lunch. I can enjoy the time with the teachers that are sitting through the training with me. Or I could leave the training. Will it get better after lunch? Should I be forced to sit through this? I have tons of work I could be doing at the office. I have tons of work I am taking with me next week on my trip. So there are multiple reasons I am angry about having my time wasted. 

What happens in other professions? What do you do if your time is being wasted?

5k
Author: Jilligan
•10:22 AM

Two 5Ks within 6 days of each other is unheard of around these parts! But it with one in Houston and one back home, or at least in driving distance, I managed to get them done. I also improved my time by over 2 minutes.

Sunshine placed 5th in is age group. DH placed 6th and I placed 12th. In both of their races 30 seconds separated the first 5 places. DH said he wished it was like a tri where ages were written on runners calves so he would know who was worth passing. Jo told me to tell him everyone is worth passing!

After the early race, I got to take a long long nap. Then Baby girl had a softball game. Then Train had to get some driving hours in so we headed out for supper and a little shopping.

Great weekend so far.

Author: Jilligan
•7:15 AM

Racing two weekends in a row is not always smart but when a race pops up close to where we live, we have to take advantage of it. Close still means an hour away so we were up early this morning. "Sunshine", DH, and myself were the only ones running. "Train" was going to watch the youngest and was just going to come with us in case there were any cute girls to look at. However, when I went in his room at 5:00, his teenage mind had sleep on it not girls.

I was hoping this would be a family thing like it used to be. I mean we get up early and stay up late for the kids stuff all the time. I am a little hurt that the other two kids didn't want to come. But oh well.

Sunshine will try to run with DH and then can drop back with me if he needs to. We did an easy 2 last night and he was fine. Race is close to a golf course so should have nice rolling hills! Not looking for anything but a place to run this morning.

Author: Jilligan
•6:36 PM

I really should have been born rich. I love having some time off to spend with my kids at the pool. Thankfully the pool was open late today and two of the kids were able to go with me. The water was still very cold this early in the summer but the kids didn't mind. Thankfully they are old enough to keep each other or themselves entertained. I tanned and slept. Then I had a conversation with an adult outside of my work relationships. Truly a great afternoon.

Debating about a 5k tomorrow. Everyone wants to run but the youngest isn't quite ready for a real 3 miles. That means someone has to sit out of the race to stay with her. Lots of hills and she weighs too much to even think about the jogging stroller. So we will see how it plays out in the morning.

Storms came in last night and my middle son, "Sunshine" wanted to run with me in the rain. That's all well and good but it was raining sideways and the lightning was terrible. He opted for p90x and I waited 30 minutes. I got two miles in the rain but the lightning came back and was too close for comfort for anymore distance.

Thankful for the rain, the time with my family, and the ability to exercise. Enjoy the weekend!