Patio Construction

So, we've needed a new patio since we moved into our house 5 years ago. We're finally getting a new one this summer. Long story, but getting this done has been a process. We had the estimate done in April thinking the work would happen in May. Well, the last week of June it is finally happening. However, not without issues getting what we want. The patio will be flagstone, but I wanted brick. I'm a fan of matching things in design and the firepit we had installed will not match the patio stone. Yeah, another long story I won't go into here. Ask me some other time. The patio was laid today but the company does not have the sealer to put over it. It won't come in until next Wednesday. Nice. One would think a contractor would have all supplies on hand to do a job. We planned to be gone with our dogs after the sealer was applied so it would dry for 2 days. Now? Well, I'm really not sure how we are going to keep the dogs off the half-done patio, keep it dry, and them keep them off for another 2 days after it is applied. That involves a whole week if making alternative arrangements. Yeah, super mad. Let's just say this is how the whole job has gone. I will never use this company again. It's my own fault. I had a bad feeling from the start and got the name of another good company. I never called the second company. Stupid me.

At any rate, here are some pics of the process:



Old patio is gone.



Leveling out for flagstone.



New firepit. I love having fires and with the cost of adding this, we will be using it lots!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sneaky Dogs

Due to some work being done on our house and the extreme heat, the dogs were in the house for a few hours Friday. Todd was home most of the day, but had to leave for a few hours. The dogs have a crock full of at least a dozen toys, but Todd got them out a new one to keep them busy and from destroying the house. We keep a stash for them in a bench in our entryway.

Apparently, they decided to find some other activities to keep them busy...



Here is the bench as Todd found it upon his return home. I am guessing Murphy was able to use his nose to lift up...



After opening the bench, they (I'm assuming both dogs participated in this part) hauled toys all over the house with tags and all.



Who, us?? We are innocent! It is hard to be mad at them, especially since they didn't do anything too horrible. Such sneaky dogs!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thin Skin

So, I apparently have thin skin. For the third time in a row, I've had skin ripped off when getting my eyebrows waxed. This has never been a problem before?!?! I was told certain make-up and face creams can cause the skin in this area to thin. Not sure if that is true or not, but I don't wear make-up and only use Aveeno face lotion. So, that can't be it. Either way, it is super noticible!! People at work kept asking what happened to my eye. Between that and the Neosporin I keep slathering on to prevent scabs, I'm sure people must think I am a freak! I hope it heals fast!!!!

Running note: I have a feeling this is a running related injury. I'm serious!! I think when I sweat while running, I wipe my eyes and forehead so much that I have irritated my skin. Thus, the skin is sensitive, and is coming off with the wax. Yuck!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Storm Watcher

This is my neighbor's house before a bad storm last week. I snapped this picture with my iPhone. The quality isn't great, but it definitely captures the amazing clouds and straightline winds. We only lost the grill, which was lifted off the deck by the wind.

I sent this picture to my neighbor. We are both on Twitter and this made it around quickly. Eventually it got to Jim Cantore at The Weather Channel. They had the picture on TV the next morning. How cool is that? We were both already at work and didn't have a chance to set the DVR. But, I do feel like a certified storm watcher now!




Running note: Right before the storm hit, I saw a woman out running. I don't think she made it home in time. Hopefully she learned to always check the weather before heading out!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The importance of the ponytail

Maybe it is just me, but I feel like every female runner knows the importance of the ponytail.  It is pretty much required to survive training and racing, right?  Who wants to have hair flying all over the place or flapping in your face while running?  Definitely not me.  And that is where this story/rant begins.

I hate having any hair in my face while running, working out, or playing any sport.  It is one of my pet peeves.  The other pet peeve is little short pieces of hair sticking to the back of my sweaty neck and making me itchy.  I hate it!  Every time I go to get my haircut, I give my hairdresser the same story, which is pretty much along these lines:  When you are done, my hair must fit in a ponytail.  If that means erring on the side of leaving it too long, so be it.  Seriously, I am not going lie, I say it every time.  So why is it that my hair is too short every time I leave the salon?!?!?  Literally, every time.  I either get a bunch of hair falling all over the place because the hair dresser decided to add new layers, or they left me a nub of a ponytail.  Ummm, a nub that doesn't stay in place and is too small to really wrap a ponytail holder around is not a ponytail!  This happens to me EVERY time. What about my very direct above statement is there not to understand??

I've thought about this over the years.  I generally wear my hair medium length.  It looks better short, but I have to have a ponytail, so I keep it longer for that reason alone.  I think I have come to the conclusion that the hair dresser knows my hair looks better short and wants me to leave the salon with a great style showing of her great talent.  But, I do not want style, I want functional.  Functional is the most important part of running, whether it be the hair or the running gear.  It may look cute, but if it doesn't get the job done, then who wants it?  Cute shorts that chafe?  No thank you!  Shoes that cause blisters?  No way!  Hair that is uncontrollable while racing?  Never!

I see lots of girls with shorter hair running and I admire then for being able to run without the ponytail.  I can't do it and I imagine most other female (or males with longer hair) can do it since I see so many ponytails along the course.  So, here I sit, waiting for my hair to grow out from the nub to the official ponytail yet again.  I've got my headband in to keep the loose pieces from flying everywhere.  At least I am not holding hair down with bobby pins and my running ear band like last winter.  That was a disaster!  Here's hoping my next cut is better and my hair dresser will actually do what I ask (and pay) for...

As a side, I have switched hair dressers several times and it always turns out the same - shorter than I asked for.  No, 1/4 inch does not mean 1/2 inch.  Ugh!  The good news is one of my favorite old hair dressers is back in action locally, so I am going back to her next time around.

Running Shoes Retired

I retired my running shoes from this spring today.  It was sad to see them go on many levels...

I am making room for a new pair already purchased and another new pair on the way.  All of them - retired, new, and in transit - are Asics Gel Nimbus 11.  I love, love, love the Nimbus 11.  I think I am on pair #4 at the very least.  The shoe is light (they have decreased the weight over previous versions), very cushioned (I am all about a soft shoe), and they work well for people with high arches (me! me!).  So, I have been buying them over the years.  I think I started with the Nimbus 9, went to the 10, but the 11 is my favorite so far.  I figured I would be in love with the 12 after all my experiences.  I ran out to get them the first week they were available, but returned them after wearing them around the house for an hour last month.  Awful.  I hated the fit.  The shoe seems longer and narrower.  I always wear a 9.5B in Asics.  I have for the last 5 years without any deviation.  Since the Nimbus 12 had such a different fit, I ended up trying a couple of different sizes and widths, but it just didn't fit right.  So, in my psycho addiction to the Nimbus 11, I ran out to buy a pair and then decided today I should order a backup pair to my new pair.  Yes, I am a little crazy about a shoe once I find one I like.  I had to scour the web to find a Nimbus 11 in my size as they are now discontinued and out of stock many places. Sniff. Sniff.  But, I found a pair.  Ironically, from my favorite running shop in Illinois - Body N' Sole in Champaign.  I didn't even think to check their site, but it came up in my google search.  Awesome!  It is a great locally owned business if you are ever in the area.  Great store, great people, and good prices.  It definitely was not in the color I wanted (pink - bleh!), but in running, the shoe is more important than the look.  As my dad used to say, it is not a fashion show out there.  True.  Very true.  Anyway, I ordered the shoe at 6pm tonight and got an email at 7:30pm that the shoes had already shipped with a UPS tracking number.  (And that is why they are such a great store!)  I took my new pair for a test run tonight to break them in.  A very quick 3-miler before class.  It was so hot out there.  It's that time of year where you have to peel off your running clothes when you are done.  Yep.  Gross.

I am also saying goodbye to the shoes that made it through three half marathons, a marathon relay, and a couple of 5ks.  Not to mention all the training involved.  They were great in the snow, on the ice (with my yak tracks hooked on), and in the rain (including the downpour of the IU Mini).  My estimate is that I covered about 405 miles in about 4 months in this shoes, maybe more.  Definitely my constant companion!  They also helped me get a half marathon PR and my 5k PR.  But alas, these shoes were worn beyond their years.  I don't think I have ever let a pair get so broken down and also continue to run in them.  For some reason, I know I need a new pair of shoes whenever I start getting knee pain after running.  I've had that pain for a couple of weeks now, but haven't wanted to give these guys up.  (Well, honestly, I haven't wanted to wear my new ones out in all of this rain and crappy weather.)

I shipped them off today to the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Program.  They recycle old shoes (any brand) into surface material for tracks and playgrounds, as well as use some of the materials in their clothing line.  Yes, I do realize that Nike is making money off my old shoes.  But, they were way too worn out for a shoe donation program.  I wanted to recycle them and Nike offers that type of program.  I would much rather they do good with the shoes (money or otherwise) over having them sit in a landfill taking decades to break down.  Runner's World did an amazing article called The Runner's Footprint a few years ago.  It talks all about the impact of running shoes and the sport of running on the environment.  It is definitely a bigger imprint than I thought.  So, until there is a more sustainable shoe that I like, I either donate or recycle every pair of old shoes.

Goodbye to my old running companion.  Thankfully, I have a couple more of the same to keep me going!

5k PR!!

This past Saturday I ran in a 5k. This race was significant for a couple reasons. First, this is the first short race I have done in a very long time. Second, this is the first Mag 7 race (local race series) I have done this year. I have missed so many this spring!

This was a new race in town - The Firefighter 5k. It started and ended at the downtown firestation. It was an out and back course that included a water stop at another firestation. Minus the fact that the course was super hilly, it was a great race. Definitely well organized and very fun hanging out at the station.

The morning was overcast with temps in the upper 60s. Good for running except it was rather humid. I ran near a girl I know. I tried to beat her but she had a better kick at the end and beat me by a second! Ugh! I am not good at sprinting at the end of a race. I finished in 24:58. This is my new 5k PR time as far as I can tell from some of my old race times (still trying to complete my whole list)!! Finally, but barely, in the 24's!! This is good for me, although I am not sure I can sustain that especially in the summer races. I am not good at running in the heat at all. I just don't adjust well to the humidity and have a hard time catching my breath when the air is so think.

Normally, a race that good would get me points in the Mag 7 race series. But the competition was tough, especially in my age group! I didn't get any points, but the turnout was huge, which is great for the series.

It is definitely hard to go from longer runs to shorter runs. My legs are used to trying to pace myself over longer runs.



My friend Andrea and I post-race.



Chasing after my friend Mandy's son post-race.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone