How it came to be

On Friday I was thinking about my five mile run the next day and I thought to myself, "Woah, wait a second, how did this happen?"

You see, I ran two 5ks last October, which were my first ever races and I haven't ran any races or, really, ran much at all, since. And now I'm signed up to run a 15k?! What the?

And then I realized this is where it started (May 22, 2011):

For the first time this year, I had ran outside. On May 22. I did three miles around my neighborhood and mentioned that I should sign up for a couple more 5ks for motivation. Kara wanted me to double that. I thought she was crazy. A couple of months went by, and then...

 there was (July 18, 2011):

And before I knew it (July 18, 2011):

Oh the trials and tribulations of being goal-oriented and competitive. Kara, you're a trouble-maker!

So, anyhow, how did my 5-mile run go, you want to know?

Before.

Truth be told, I'm only posting this picture because of Pippi.

After.

I didn't feel like smiling. I didn't feel awesome. I started out too fast on the run (my Garmin told me at the fastest, I ran a 7:32 pace. Oops). I decided to bring along my Nathan Quickdraw bottle and I'm glad I did because it was bone dry by mile 3 and then I was just mad at myself...for starting out too quick, for drinking all my water, and for generally being a dumbass.

At around mile 2.5 I hit a side street where a skunk had recently bit the dust, and the smell was awful! It was way worse than when a diesel truck passes you and hits the gas, making you want to throw rocks at it (or, you know, grenades, whatever you have handy). Throwing rocks at a dead skunk carcass didn't seem like a helpful solution.

Let's see...I was also mad that the fancy running socks I was "prescribed" just aren't cushiony enough and I started getting blisters on my toes. So I fast-walked most of the last mile and grumbled my way back home after 4.5 miles.

MUST WORK ON PACING! I wish the Garmin had some sort of electrical current to zap me when I get too ambitious with my pace. That would sure teach me quickly!

The rest of my weekend went like this:

Pippi laying in awkward positions while I did laundry

Pippi, asleep in yet another awkward position while I was reading.

Lots of reading this! (I'll finish today so
I can start on book 2. YAY!)

At one point last night I looked up the titles of the other two books and one website said right in the opening paragraph of the page, how this book ends. I was pissed. They may be receiving hate mail.

And then, in my pursuit to save money, I decided that this week I was going to go cheapy cheap CHEAP. I'm going to hate myself by Friday, but I went ahead and made four days' worth of steel cut oats for breakfast, and for lunches?

That's right, four whole days' worth of pasta for lunch. On Friday (payday) I'm so treating myself to Subway for lunch! I feel like I'm in college again, except with "high-class" food instead of ramen.


Today I decided to skip my dentist appointment and stay home to monitor a rash Pippi has acquired that seems to be getting worse. A dog with allergies? Ohh here we go.


I hope you had a more successful long run (or runs) than I did. It's a new week, so get ready!