The Giant Race

While running my last half marathon, I swore I'd never do another one (I think I've done that with all three of them!). But after the pain wore off, I started dreaming of my next race.

Brad and I just signed up for The Giant Race Half Marathon in September in San Fransisco!

We had planned to run the 10K, but it's already sold out... so we decided to bite the bullet and do the half.

WOOHOO :)

Eryn says she's going to run too, and Mom and Dad are thinking of  walking it! (Dad's a HUGE SF Giants fan!)

Now we're shopping for orange-and-black running gear :)

Another day, another 5K

I think I've found my calling: pacing/motivating slow runners!

So Connie has two "Individual Fitness" classes during fourth period - alternating every other day. We did one final Thursday - a 5K run through Cook Park. Today I ran again, this time for the 4B final.

I brought up the rear again, helping a couple students make it under 40 minutes to get full credit. They were reluctant but humored me while we played the "lollipop game." I am proud of their hard work :)

I finished 3.15 miles in 39:08, a 12:25 average:

 

Refueling:

 I needed a couple things from the store and decided to just peddle over to Bi-Mart:

I love my bike :)

Prompted by another blogger, I joined the June Green Smoothie Challenge. So when I got home, I grabbed some greens from the driveway and threw together a small smoothie to hold me over until family dinner later in Newberg.

In the mix: baby spinach and chard, canned pineapple, flax, Greek yogurt and soy milk.

Very tasty!

 Also kicking off today is my birthday month!

I believe wholeheartedly in milking birthdays for all you can get. And since my birthday falls on a Thursday this year, I'm claiming the weekends on both ends!

Mickey's ready to celebrate, too!

:)

Sneak peek

There might be three people dressed like this in tomorrow's Starlight Run in Portland:

:)

Bug for sale

When Connie asked if I would run the final, a 5K in the park, with her "Individual Fitness" students, I jumped at the chance to get paid to work out!

I started in the back with a student who was not an athlete but was working really hard to do his best. We played what is affectionately known in my family as "the lollipop game," where we pick a point and run until we get there. Then we pick another point and walk to there. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Breaking it down into small goals is a great way tackle a hard task!

We covered the first 1.43 miles in 22:31, a 15:47 average, before the student headed to the finish.

I kept going, speeding up and trying to pick off students in front of me. I taunted them, saying they better not let me catch up and pass them! One group was walking but took off running when they saw me coming :)

I did the last 1.68 miles in 14:03 - an 8:22 average!

In all, 3.11 in 36:35 - an 11:46 average.

I celebrated with a choco milk:

Sue's Bug, Lillie, was parked at my photo spot:

She's selling this beauty. Interested??

:)

HA!

This one made me laugh :)

Forgotten photos: Mud Run

I was in such a rush Friday to get in my workout and post it before driving to the beach that I left my camera plugged in to my computer at home! Oh my gosh!! 

Fortunately, Eryn was not a slacker and had her camera. She loaned it to me for the holiday weekend.

When I was downloading pictures, I discovered the Eryn rarely empties her memory card. She still has pictures on there from our trip to New York in 2010!

She also has pictures from last year's Mud Run with Brad, Mike, Luann and Tyler. Sweet!

Team Solstice Stupidity ready to go:

The start/finish line:

And we're off!

Unfortunately, the spectators were confined to the parking lot area and couldn't see us run our 6 miles through muddy obstacles.

But they did get to witness the final obstacle, where we had to crawl under the cargo net. Co-worker Andy was in an earlier heat:

Waiting our turn:

 

Here I go:

Brad:

Luann:

Tyler:

Mike:

Sprint to the finish:

Muddy!

Mud running out my pants:

Such a fun day :)

Gratitude - 5/30

I am grateful for a productive morning.

I am grateful to be invited to run with my friend's PE class.

I am grateful to dig in the dirt.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" James 1:17 NIV