Jam-packed weekend!

WOW - this was a weekend jam packed with excitement and hard work!

I started off Saturday morning with 3 sweaty miles on the 'mill while watching my newest Netflix obsession: Say Yes to the Dress. I can't stop watching!

 

Then it was over to Eryn's for a deck-raising party - her birthday present from the fam. 

Just getting started:

Lots and lots and lots of digging holes and trenches for the footings. You'd have no idea how sloped Eryn's yard is... until you have to level a deck on it :)

Fortunately the weather was good (dry but not too hot), and we got the bones all finished before total darkness set in.

With rain predicted, Eryn decided to wait on placing the decking so that she wouldn't have to wait longer for it to dry out before staining. I think the decking/stain comes later this week.

So proud of my family for working well together and getting this done - without any major meltdowns or ER trips! This is truly an accomplishment ;)

Brad's family is all from the Midwest - Indiana and Ohio. Part of being in their family is learning about Indy racing - and spending Memorial Day Sunday watching the Indy 500. I figure if I can make Brad watch the Super Bowl, I can learn to like Indy!

We gathered at Grandma Barbara's house in Newberg to watch the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. I LOVED how she had Speed Racer napkins, checked-flag place mats and and flags and a little oval race track set up. A woman after my own heart!

And it ended up being a really exciting race - at least in the final laps!

On bonus-day Monday (Aren't three-day weekends glorious?!), I got up and did some chores and then went outside (!) for my long run of the week. I hadn't done a real run outside in a very long time, and I was really anxious about it.

Brad offered to go along, and that ended up being a bad idea. I get too worked up emotionally and psychologically when I run with him. Totally my fault, not his. But I really need to remember to just go solo next time.

Although my Achilles did fairly well, the run was very hard and disappointing. My legs were shot from Saturday's digging/squatting/lifting, and I couldn't get my head on straight. I did 6 miles around a 10-minute pace, including several walk breaks. Next run will be better...

After a short re-charging nap, we consulted our new Washington County bike map (thanks for the tip, Shari!), picked a trail, loaded our bikes in the car and left for what we thought would be an easy, casual ~14-mile shakeout ride. 

Wrong.

We quickly realized that this trail, which runs under the power lines from near Scholls Ferry Road to Hillsboro, went OVER Murray Hill. And then OVER the hill next to it. And because of all the switchbacks (thank goodness for switchbacks!!), it was more like 10 miles each way.

Holy cow!

Our turn-around spot at the end:

Then 10 miles back, OVER the mini mountains. Phew, we made it!

The whole point of this "little jaunt" was to test out my new road bike. It's totally awesome and I love it! BUT... it's a road bike, not a mountain bike. I was working HARD to get up those hills... like, REALLY hard.

Brad was pedaling three or four times on his mountain bike for every one of my strokes. Mine is not geared for hills. Fortunately, my legs/butt are built to climb, and I killed it ;)

The whole time back, we were talking about our friends who were no doubt chillin' with beer, burgers and kiddie pools while we were out working our butts off. Not sure we're the smarter ones ;)

Thinking this was an easy ride, I brought along just one bottle of water and to share, just two Honey Stinger Waffles we scored free at Thursday's Discovery Run. The chocolate was good, but the vanilla was excellent. Yummy, but not enough calories and fluids for this ride!

I'd love more vanilla for my birthday, if anyone's looking for an idea :)

We stashed our bikes in the car, which we'd parked at Big Al's on Barrows, and drove the short distance to Five Guys, Subway and Jamba (two-for-one coupon!). Brad had been craving a Five Guys burger all day.

Subway veggie patty for me:

We are pooped from our busy weekend - but so satisfied! I love that we spend our free time pushing our bodies to the limits and really earning those burgers :)

What might next weekend hold???