Sunday, January 29, 2012

A good run and celebrity sighting

There are two things you should know about this weekend.

No. 1: I ran 9 miles (9.2, actually) for the "fun" of it.

No. 2: I met the winner of the marathon Olympic Trials, Shalane Flanagan.

Which do you want to hear about first? Did I hear the batch of White Chicken Chili that I just threw in the slow cooker?


Sorry. You'll have to check out my new menu page.

So back to my weekend. I ran 9.2 miles and met Shalane Flanagan. Since I ran first, let me chat about that. OK? OK!

I had 8 miles on the schedule for today, and I was counting on the run going as my Sunday runs have for the past few weeks - Mark joins me for the first few miles, shares stroller pushing duties and then baby wrangles while I finish up. However, Mr. Mark woke up with a 101 degree fever and running was out of the question. I was already feeling pangs of mother's guilt for leaving Miles all afternoon so I thought I'd take him and Denali for all 8 miles.

Of course, I was naive in this plan because I assumed that Miles would sleep for the entire run. Yeah. Not so much. I noticed that he was awake at 3.75 and at 4.5 miles in, he let me know that he was not happy and was not going to be a part of an 8-mile run. Thankfully, I was relatively close to home and I was able to drop him off just after 6 miles.

I feared that the last two miles would be difficult. My legs, already tired from Body Pump, would be fatigued from the stroller's resistance (+pushing it in the snow) and my mental game would not be there. However, as I set off alone, I had one of those rare moments in running. I felt like I could run forever. I was enjoying the activity so much that I missed my turnaround and ended up at 9 miles.

Crazy, right?

Onto No. 2. I met Shalane Flanagan.


She was the keynote speaker at the track club banquet and my new BFF. I mean, it was written in the stars - we have the same shirt from Target.

Shalane had a lot of great things to say, and she is very much a testament to hard work and believing in yourself. I took notes on the things she said but I'm too tired to go get them. It's not like you need a book report, though - just look at those arms!

How was your weekend?

7 comments:

  1. I am going to have to try the white bean chili! I will put it on my list for this week. Erica

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  2. YAY!! (except for that new BFF part, let Shalane know I've got my eye on her!)

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  3. that is so rad you got to meet her and her musclely little arms.

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  4. you met SHALANE!?!?

    way freaking jealous! how COOL!

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  5. awesome!!! i'd love to meet her too. i have met kara, who i thought was so sweet and nice. It's great to have these amazing ladies as role models (esp kara, being a new mom and all )

    and great job on the 9 miler!!

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  6. you ran 9 miles for the "fun" of it? Girl could you bring some of that over here? lol

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  7. <------ this girl is jealous that you met Shalane. How completely awesome.

    And way to get it with that 9-miler! I will be sucking some inspiration from you in the weeks coming up here. Oh, and I hear you'll be making an MI appearance at the Martian?

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