Today’s run

I headed out for today’s run fully intending to come home, shower, and change before doing anything else for the day.

Oh, how plans change.

Instead, I’m sitting here 10 hours later still in my running clothes. I have been to a soccer game, the salon for a cut and color, and have been relaxing at home by the fire, working on my Snowy Owl afghan. All without showering. Or changing. And it feels great.

It was a tough 6.3 miles this morning. The five day old snow was crusty and had not had any traffic to pack it down. So things were a bit slow going. And I didn’t eat breakfast before heading out. So I needed my emergency gel 1.66 miles into the run. Good thing I had it stashed in my water bottle pocket. But, a bald eagle soared overhead at mile 4, and that was all I needed for a perfect run.

Anyway, it was a great run. And I saw my son’s soccer game, and I have a fresh cut and color on my head. Pretty perfect if you ask me.

Doesn’t everyone read Popular Science at the salon?

Week 3

It’s week three of the No Excuses challenge and this week the blog topic is to write about why I live with #NoExcuses.

Wow. That’s actually a bit hard to do because I feel like I have excuses all. the. time.  I actually feel like lately I have more excuses for why I can’t run than for why I can.  When in reality, I know that I could make the time, if it was really that important to me.

But that is part of why I joined this challenge. I wanted something to push me a bit, to motivate me to movement I’d rather curl up under a blanket with a book.

So for me, #NoExcuses means just that. Get it done. Make the effort. Bonus points if I do more, and blog or tweet about it. But what is important to me is that I do it.

So today, I did. 5 miles on the treadmill – after dinner and before bedtime stories and snuggles.

I did it. For me, for my health, and for my family.

Snowy owls, Sunday, and other ramblings

I am so glad for running friends.  I’ve said it before and I am sure this is not the last time I will say it, but there is no way I would be the runner I am today without having a few great friends to run with.

It also helps when one of those friends is training for a 100 mile race this spring.  With all the miles Josiah is putting in, I should never have an excuse for not having a running partner.

This morning he was intending for 3 hours on his feet, so Phil and I met him.  Phil was shooting for 1.5 hours, and I thought, “Maybe I could do two hours.”

2 hour run? Nailed it.

Turns out I did have a two hour run in me. Actually I had a 2.5 hour run in me.

It was a fantastic start to my week (plus having Monday off for MLK day is also going to be fantastic…).  Now if only I could sit, knit and watch TV for the rest of the day…but the kids are not going to allow that to happen.

I have been working on a new knitting project the last few weeks.  I cast on on New Year’s Day, and picked these colors to go with our new furniture (supposed to be delivered this week!  yay!).  What I would really love to do is sit and work on this all day, but I probably won’t quite get a chance to do that.  I’m calling this my Snowy Owl throw, because I decided to name all my projects after birds this year, and because – well, just look at my inspiration picture below!

Greys and orange.  I love how modern this is looking.

Snowy owl. See the orange eyes?

back from the depths…

Wow.  I have read blogs where someone says “I’m back, sorry for the break!” and thought, they were gone a really long time.

Yeah, not quite like this.

I am not sure exactly what I am doing back here, typing up into WordPress, but I think it’s a good thing.  I have been missing this outlet for my writing.  But I haven’t missed spending a ton of time on the computer.  Because, you see, I felt overwhelmed with life in general, and so to cope I pulled back.  Way back.  I stopped blogging.  I stopped tweeting.  I stopped posting on my personal Facebook.  I cancelled this blog’s Facebook page.  I needed to have some air.

And do you know what?  It didn’t really help.  I mean, not checking Facebook was (and still is) a great relief.  I like people a whole lot more when I am not reading the minutiae of their every waking hour.  And I liked finally not feeling obligated to post, or comment, or tweet.

So why am I back?

Well, it’s 2015.  I need a bit of a fitness “push” – and so when I saw there was a new online challenge, I decided to give it a shot.  I mean, I already have a blog, I have a Twitter account, so I figured it wouldn’t take much more for me to join a challenge for some accountability.

So here goes.

I’ve joined the Fit Approach #NoExcuses challenge.  Maybe it will work, maybe not.  Either way I hope that I will enjoy getting back into a tiny online presence, without it sucking up too much of my time or energy.  My friend Paula did this MadLib and I thought it was cute, so here goes my version!

• Hey 2015, it’s me RunningUnplugged (nickname, spirit animal, real name, blog name)

  This year I would like to run 1000 miles (I ran 774 last year), minimize stress, and enjoy life.

  It would also be super duper awesome if I also spend more time playing with my kids this year. It’s not a resolution, though, just a reminder to myself to try and have the best year yet because who doesn’t want the best year yet?

  The thing I am looking forward to most this year is celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary with my husband.

  I’ll use the one thing that truly gets me out of bed in the morning which is coffee to help me get up, get running (verb) and get after my #NoExcuses 2015.

  Speaking of excuses (ahem), my very favorite excuse is I am too tired, I just want to chill and I have used it to get out of doing anything but knitting and reading on more than 999 (number) occasions.

  I vow to move my body and be more healthy this year even if it means I have to get up early or work out after the kids go to bed.

  Even if my alarm clock gets eaten by the dog in the middle of the night, I’ll still wonder how a dog got into our house.

  I will stop blaming the aliens [ex: kids, dog, husband] for eating the rest of the chocolate when everyone knows it was really me.

  My family [job, hair, car, husband, kids] are not the reason I make excuses. I will show my family [same as before] who’s boss this year and get my run [type of sweaty activity] on.

  I know that Pilates [type of workout] is better than chocolate (but it’s really close)  [noun]

  I will reward myself by sleeping in on Saturdays (when there’s no soccer, baseball, or other kids’ activities…)

  Want to join the fun? It’s easy, just…

  • Copy the MadLib above
  • Fill in the blanks with your own answers
  • Tag 3 friends to share how they’ll make 2015 the year of #NoExcuses!

    Tag, Tweet, shout-out, call, text, fax or email 3 friends to take this survey and share how they will have a #NoExcuses 2015. Remind your friends to simply fill in the underlined parts!

    Use the #NoExcuses hashtag and post to win prizes from Augusta Active,ShowerPill, ActivMotion Bar, WIN Detergent, Actio926, Beaming with Health, and Sasquatch Racing

    PS: Click here to join #NoExcuses.