you do the Hokey Polky...

and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!

Friday was great. I ended up running 5 miles instead of the 4 that I had planned. Yep, and I ran the whole thing! I didn't do the best job of stretching, because after that I was getting ready for my girlfriends to come over... shower, over to Papa Murphy's to pick up pizza, stop at the liquor store for more beer, picking up the house.

We had fun on Friday eve. I made two pizzas, and we ate and drank light margaritas (sugar-free margarita mix - 10 calories per 4 ounces) chit-chatted at the dining room table for a while, then we all dipped our hands in the paraffin wax bath, and some did our nails. And we sat in the living room playing "I never". It was just very relaxing, and catching up with girlfriends. I was up until 2am.

I decided after the late night, there was no way I was going to get up and go running with the group at 8am. So I slept until I felt like getting up, then I started working on painting the accent wall that is shared by our living room and dining room. Eric bought the paint about a year ago, so it was about time! I emptied out the hutch and my curio cabinet, moved those out of the way, scrubbed the walls, taped, and painted two coats of "tomato bisque" paint on the wall.

Yep, so that was pretty much my day. I have been loosely following a half-marathon training program, and the long run for Saturday was supposed to be 8 miles. I was kind of thinking after the 5 on Friday, I would do 3 on Saturday... but with the painting that just did not happen.

So Sunday, I pulled out my waist belt with the water bottle holder, and set out. I ran 8 miles on Sunday.

Can I say that again. I RAN 8 MILES.

I have a couple of routes measured out from my house, but none of them are 8 miles, so I did a 5 mile loop, then a 3 mile loop.

And except for a small walk break after about 6.5 miles to take a drink of water (about 50 feet), I ran the whole thing. I ran the 5 mile loop first, and it was real tempting to call that good enough. But I don't want good enough. So I persevered. I was tired at the end, but it was all good.

This week is my turn-about. After a week of "eh" eating and not tracking things, I am back at it, notebook in hand, running schedule on a post-it on my computer. I will be traveling again this week, but I am not going to let that stand in my way.

Onward and downward.

~a