Life's Funner With A Runner Don't You Think?

I was finally able to get into a workout routine this week which has felt great. Most of my runs were outside except for my speed work last Friday. I did that one on my treadmill that I was finally able to use in my garage. I spent a day rearranging the garage and making room so I could unfold the treadmill. Now the view isn't great and I still have lots of work to do in there but eventually it's going to be our workout/drum/storage room. There's also a gym not to far from my house that we are going to get memberships too so I can do some cross training on my non running days.

The weather has been mostly cold and a few days with snow and hail but that's all melted away. I had a 14 mile run scheduled this past weekend I wanted to run it on Saturday cause the sun was out but the temps never reached above 29 and I was feeling sick (fighting a cold again ugh!) so I decided to make it a rest day. On Sunday the temps were better, the sun was still out and my son was at his friends house, so I set out in the afternoon for my run. It was an interesting run cause the most I had ran outside since I've been in Idaho is 7 miles so I knew the route would all be new. This actually made me feel a little uneasy so I ran with my phone just in case. The first mile kinda sucked cause I really had to use the restroom (probably do to the FRS Energy drink I chugged before hand) and the first two I ran to were closed! There was finally a porta potty near the second one that was closed that was absolutely disgusting but I had no choice. After I got that outta the way and thought I was finally in a running zone I noticed my mileage wasn't moving on my garmin. I must have not started it at some point so I ran for about a mile before I even noticed.
Overall I felt great for the 14 miles except for mile 13 where I was all of a sudden starving. I took one Clif Shot gel at mile 6 so it could have been that I needed another or that there was someone bbqing burgers in the park that smelled delicious. I tried the Tri-Berry Nuun during the run which I loved and can't believe I haven't used it before.
I didn't take my camera with me this time but I saw some men fishing and some ducks swimming along the river. I saw some beautiful houses along the course and a huge mansion up on a hill. I'll have to take a picture of it to show you guys next time.
After my run I rushed home to drink some yummy post run chocolate milk, stretch and foam roll, then take a shower cause I had to go visit my family.

I got this in the mail today....

Check out SkinnyRunner love her blog!

I'll be wearing it on a run this week. I love the sticker. I definitely think life is funner with a runner don't you?

Idahoan, birthday and the toughest race in the Northwest.

I made it too Boise! Life has been crazy this past week trying to get everything unpacked. I got my son registered in school and he starts on Tuesday, he's actually excited. He is really outgoing and funny so I know he will make friends easily.

It's been hard to get into a routine but I think it will finally come together this week. I was actually able to run today! The weather has been crazy lately. It snows, hails and then the sun comes out and this is all in the same day. My treadmill is hiding in the garage with some boxes around it so that isn't available to run on yet. I need to get a gym membership soon so I can have that as an option too. Today was actually really beautiful and sunny so I went for a 4 mile run at the greenbelt. It looks like a lot of my runs will be there cause I can't run straight out my front door anymore like I could in Tacoma, there's too many busy intersections and it's not a very runner friendly area. I ran 4 miles in 33:24 with an average pace of 8:20 min/mi. I pushed it a little the last mile and ran it in 8:07. I was a little stress from missing a week of training but it was a stepback in mileage week so I know I can pick up where I left off without feeling like I'm behind.


After my run in my socks and drinking a yummy FRS energy drink.

 I also got to celebrate my birthday again this past Saturday. My love surprised me with a lunch at Olive Garden since we haven't been together on my birthday for the past two years (last year he was deployed to Afghanistan and this year he was at the academy in Idaho). Our awesome friends (also neighbors) aka Ma & Pop Burton, as my love calls them, surprised me by showing up with a super pretty little plant, balloon with butterflies on it and a puppy cake. I enjoyed a delicious Strawberry-Mango Margarita and had a wonderful time. Thank you baby!!
(Ignore the ugly date stamps all over the pics, I took turned the feature off my camera so it doesn't come out again)

On other news there is a local half marathon that's proclaimed to be "The toughest race in the Northwest". Registration opened at noon today and all 2100 spots were sold out by 12:21. Here's a little description of the course:
"The start would be at Fort Boise (elevation 2725′), 8.5 miles up Rocky Canyon and over Aldape Summit (elevation 4797′), to a 13.1 mile finish at Robie Creek campground (elevation 3065′)."
You can read a mile by mile course description HERE
I had looked into this race last year and thought one day I want to run it. This isn't the year but I'm thinking next year...Does anyone want to torture themselves with me? Anyone??

Ta Ta For Now

Tomorrow I'll be making the drive to Idaho! I can't believe it really. It's bitter sweet, but I'm excited!

I was able to run 7 miles on Sat and part of it was with my best running friend Tiffany. I forget how much I like running with other people. I normally run solo. But running with someone else make the miles go by so much quicker! I'm going to miss that most. Being able to run races with her. We ran pretty much every race together. Even if we didn't actually run the entire race together we always started together. But I always knew if there was a local race going on it was just a matter of time before one of us suggested we run it! Though I cannot be replaced, right Tiffany? :) I know that she will have Alyssa and Tiana to run races with. Right Alyssa and Tiana?? :)

So I was going to make this kind of a goodbye post. But then I decided it shouldn't be goodbye cause I definitely plan on coming back to visit WA... it should be my favorite saying by Tigger... TTFN ... Ta Ta For Now!

I leave you with some pics of some awesome people that I can't wait to come back and visit

Tiffany and me at my company banquet in Portland

Before the start of the Ft Lewis Mud Run

Getting ready to go watch New Moon

My Best Running Friends Tiffany & Tiana



Tiffany & Will



Going to miss the fun times with you guys!!

I'll see you all soon!

I love when...

I  wanted to post a little Valentine's Day note to my love...

I know we couldn't spend Valentine's Day together. But I don't need a specific day to show you how much I love you. And I know you feel the same. The little things you do make everyday feel like Valentine's Day. Here are just a few things I love...
I LOVE when you cook for me, you make the most amazing meals!
I LOVE when you hug me so tight I can barely breath
I LOVE when you make me laugh
I LOVE when you tell me I look beautiful
I LOVE when you send me flowers with cute little messages on the card
I LOVE when you randomly text me I love you
I LOVE when you put your arms around me or when you hold my hand
I LOVE when we lay on the couch at the end of the night and watch our tv shows
I LOVE that you love me and want to spend the rest of your life with ME


Here are a few of my fav pics of US

Moving and a new half marathon in the PNW

This week is BUSY! Movers will be here tomorrow to pack up the house and take everything on Friday! I squeezed in a 12 mile run on Tuesday and a 7.5 mile run today. Hope I can fit in the rest of my runs this week but I have so many things on my To Do List.

On another note there's been a new half marathon announced for Gig Harbor, WA. It's going to be held on Oct 16, 2011 and is called Race for a Soldier Harbor Half Marathon. The cause is something close to my heart, it will benefit military family members in need. I would love to come back to WA and run this one but it probably won't be possible :(
Here's the link to the article about the race. Spread the news if you live in or near the PNW! If the half marathon is a success this year it could potentially turn into a full marathon in the future!

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/09/1537556/going-the-distance-time-to-pull.html?storylink=fb

6 miles of fun in Boise!

I wasn't sure if I'd get a run in while on my trip but I had brought my running gear anyway. This bag is just the perfect size to keep all your gear in.

On Saturday I woke up and drove to the Boise Greenbelt. (From my house there it looks like it's a 10 min drive away). I wore my running tights and a short sleeve with a long sleeve over it. I got hot during the run so actually had to take off the long sleeve! The sun was out and it was beautiful. The Boise Greenbelt is 23 miles long and runs parallel to the Boise River; on both sides, with bridges along the way so you can cross over to each side. There is also multiple parks connected to it and as well as the Boise Zoo. I used to live right off the greenbelt and I would ride my bike with my little guy in one of those baby bike seats. When he was older he would ride his bike and I would walk the dog so we could go play at the park. The greenbelt is also along the Boise State University campus so when I was going to school and working there I would walk or ride my bike from one end where I worked to the other end where all my Health Science classes were (about a mile apart).

Here's some of the pics I took of the run....

You can see a runner on the far left of the pic. I saw lots of runners, a few with their dogs and they were all friendly and said hi as I ran by!

BSU campus along the greenbelt

The blue turf and BSU Stadium. Can't wait to go to a game it's been too long!

I crossed over the bridge to run on the other side.

View from the top of the bridge

I ran with no music.. well the music was these guys all along the belt making whatever noise it is they make. I was just hoping they didn't attack me as I was running by like a cat did as I ran down 30th last time. Which I can't believe I forgot to mention in my 10 Miles of Awesomeness post! Well the cat didn't really attack me but it was sitting by a fence opening and as I ran by it reached out it's paws and whacked my leg as if it was trying to trip me!

Overall the run was great! I only took pics during the first two miles when I was warming up then put the camera away and just enjoyed the run. I wanted to stay at a 9:05 to 9:10 pace. Mile 1 was at a 10:08 pace and mile 2 was at a 9:16 pace. Miles 3 and 4 were at 9:06 and 9:08 pace. I felt good so I didn't pay attention to my watch until it beeped at the next mile and said my average pace for that mile was 8:37!! I was very surprised because I still thought I was running somewhere at a 9 min pace! I decided to speed up a little to see how I felt and finished mile 6 with an average pace of 8:25!! I still felt great and not winded or like I was running fast at all. This makes me want to run a 5k and set a new PR!

My overall pace was 9:07 and my time was 55:09 for 6.05 miles. I guess I need to start pushing myself a little more to see what kind of speed I am capable of! But I give credit to the speed and hill workouts I've been doing the last couple of weeks. That and the majority of my runs lately have been without music for part of the run if not for the entire run so I can focus more on my form and breathing. I also figure it's good training to go without music since at the Portland Marathon my ipod died on me cause of the rain somewhere after mile 16.

The sun came out at the end of the run and I stretched then headed back to the house to get ready and spend the rest of the day with my family who lives about 25 min away from Boise.

Weekend trip to Idaho

On Thursday I started the drive to Idaho for the weekend. It's about 8 hours. The drive was uneventful. The dogs were pretty well behaved and Z read the entire drive there and finished his book (one of the Whimpy Kid series book). It was actually cute he kept telling me what page he was on. I think this is the fastest he has ever read a book. I was a proud mommy cause normally it's hard for me to get him to read his 20-30 min a night. I listed to Born to Run on audio book. I like to listen to music for a little bit of the drive then listen to audio books for the last parts of the drive. The public library is great for checking out audio books! I thought it was a great book, only problem was I wanted to go run instead of sitting in a car for hours.

Friday was my loves graduation from the academy. It was a great ceremony and I was verryyy proud of him. Z and I got to pin his badge on him too! Here's some pics of the ceremony.



After the ceremony we headed over the Rick's Press Room Grill & Bar for lunch. This place was featured on Guy Fieri's Diner, Drive-ins & Dives. The food and service were great! It's owned by a husband and wife. He cooks and she's runs the entire front of the restaurant. I had the Sun Valley Club which was a awesome! It was a lot of food though and had to take the rest of it home.

There was 4 of those hidden somewhere under those fries

Gene had a burger with a fried egg on it. I wasn't so brave as to try it. You can read his review of Ricks Press Room Here and to see a pic of his burger :)

I definitely want to go back to this place it was delicious and I also want to try the dinner menu.

It was a long day especially after waking up at around 4:45am so I took a nap which I rarely ever do. I forget how much I love naps! Afterwards we went over to Starbucks where I got a yummy tea and enjoyed the evening together. Saturday was a busy day. I got a 6 mile run in and visited my family. I'll post on the run later with lots of pics!

Running while traveling...

So I'm leaving for Idaho tomorrow!! Not to move yet but going to Gene's graduation from the academy for his new job :) It's been about 6 weeks since we were last together so I miss him lots. Yes we have been apart for longer but it's still never easy.

I'm taking my running clothes with me though I don't know if I will have time to go for a run. We have lots on the agenda and are finalizing everything on getting our house back too (We still own a house there, we were leasing it out till we moved back)

I incorporated some hill work on Monday's 10 miles of awesomeness long run and also on today's 6 mile run so I don't mind skipping the hill repeats I had on the schedule for tomorrow. But I have a 6 mile run scheduled for Sat and a 12 mile long run scheduled for Sunday. Did I mention I am driving to Idaho? Well yea so there's no way I can come back on Sunday and run 12 miles. I am going to reschedule the long run for Monday. But I do want to try to get in the 6 mile run this weekend. Maybe I'll convince Gene to go on a running date with me early Sat morning :) *hint hint if your reading this my wonderful 1SG who I love very much :)

I'll be sure to take some pics to post later. Not sure if pics from the drive will be entertaining. I think I just want to survive the 8 plus hour drive with a 9 year old and 2 dogs. Wish me luck! haha

Now it's time to finish packing. Which for me is a loooong process.

Here's a pic of the Boise Greenbelt along the Boise River. Can't wait to get back to running on it :)

How do you make up your runs when your going to be traveling? Do you get them all done before you leave or do you fit in your runs no matter where you're at?