New Life

I made it through my first week of work at my new job and I am LOVING it! I have the feeling it's only going to get better and better as time goes by. I was telling New Life Mom last night that I can't remember the last time I was this excited about my employment. I think the job I enjoyed this much in the past was in North Carolina - seven years ago. Doing the same kind of work, only with little children. Obviously, this is a good fit for me. I'm so grateful. So, so grateful.

The only negative so far is that because I'm working both jobs at the moment, I'm not able to get to the gym for three days in a row. Even if I did manage to get up early to go some morning, the 12 hour days are long enough. So - two more weeks of that, and then I'll be able to seriously start training for my 5 miler in March. None too soon, right?! I'm going to have to push it for that six weeks if I'm going to feel confident for that race. But I'm up for it! At least that's what I tell myself, right?

So internet? Carry on. Because if all these awesome things can happen to me, it just proves that The Universe has good ideas for all of us sometimes.

The Crazy set in about 8 p.m. last night, so I put my shoes on, intent on a walk. The air was so crisp, the moon was shining, and I walked. And walked. And then, well, I couldn't help it. I broke into a jog. It was a mistake. But a block later, I tried again. Why do I DO that?! WHY?! Sigh. So, I limped home and iced it for about an hour and strangely, it doesn't even hurt this morning, like it has past mornings. What?!

'Tis a sad day, internet. Open toed shoes are no longer the norm. Don't get me wrong, I'll be wearing them whenever I can, but the season is coming to an end. Notice, I am not yet wearing socks or tights. It will be a woeful day when that happens. I'm sure I'll tell you all about it. Ha!

We did speed work at runner's club last night. Holy. Sweet. Jesus. Hard. Work. See? I can talk myself through a couple of miles at an easy pace. I am NOT fast. I don't think I will ever be very fast; that's not the point for me. I've discovered that the 8, 18 and 23 minute marks are the ones I have to work through and when I'm through them, I'm good until the next one. But this running as fast as you can for a quarter mile? For the birds. Now, I know that it will make me a stronger runner for my 10K, but I did not like it. The first time, I made it about half way around the track before I couldn't take it anymore. The next time, I made it three quarters of the way, and I kept going farther each time, but I never made it all the way around. Maybe next time, right? Of course right.

And then right before we left, I totally inhaled a mosquito. It was horrid. And then all night long, I kept gagging and retching because I was certain it was still in there. Gross. Cricket and I went to coffee right after, and here's where I know the weather has significantly changed. Before, we'd go inside the heavily air conditioned coffee shop and drink iced mochas to get cooled off. This time? We deck out our sweaty bodies in sweatshirts and shiver in the corner drinking the hottest coffee we can get because we're FREEZING with sweat. Oh, the changing of the season. Sure makes running more fun!

It is to be a glorious weekend! Maybe I'll go to the park and try this trail running everyone is so keen about. Could be an adventure!

Internet, have I got a surprise for you! Remember this thing in the garden? How I told you it wasn't doing anything but standing there looking pretty and making vibrant green leaves and tendrils? Well. I was doing a little repair to the tomato plants after a very bad storm we had on Tuesday night and I thought I'd just tuck a few of those tendrils in.