Morning intervals

We skipped our runs last night to have dinner in the park with friends and then get to sleep at a decent hour. A very good decision!

Instead, Brad went out before work this morning. He's been climbing every weekend and hasn't laced up his running shoes in a couple weeks. He said this morning's run was the hardest 5K he's done :) Good thing he still has three weeks before our half marathon...
I waited a little longer and went out after Law & Order: SUV (My vacation's almost over... I have to indulge while I can!)

I'm trying to get my speed down for the Disney race, so I set out to do some intervals.
I ran circles through Summerfield, a nearby retirement community, and kept passing the same guy. He probably thought I was nuts.

Here's a breakdown of my intervals:

9-minute warmup @ 10:00-minute miles
2 minutes @ 7:56-minute miles
2 minutes @ 11:10
2 minutes @ 7:56
2 minutes @ 12:29
2 minutes @ 7:57
2 minutes @ 11:47
2 minutes @ 7:51
2 minutes @ 15:07
2 minutes @ 7:38
8 minutes @ 10:54

3.61 miles in 35:36 minutes.

WOOHOO! :)

Spooky!

So which is worse...

Halloween displays in August or the fact that seeing it made me so happy?? :)
I love fall :)

Whole-wheat cinnamon swirl bread

Saw this whole-wheat cinnamon swirl bread on Eat, Live, Run and drooled. Looked easy enough so I gave it a whirl.

I'm still afraid of yeast, so I adapted her recipe and used my bread machine.
Add in order to bread machine:
1/2 c warm milk
1/2 c warm water
1/3 c sugar + 2 t
3 T melted butter
1 c whole-wheat flour
2 c all-purpose flour
1 T cinnamon
1 1/4 t salt
1 package yeast

Put it on "dough" setting and let the machine work.

Mix together in a small bowl:
3 T softened butter
1.5 t cinnamon
1 T sugar

When the dough is done, roll out on a floured surface to form a long rectangle. Smear on the butter mixture and tightly roll. Place in a greased loaf pan and brush with an egg wash. (I was out of eggs, so that's why mine doesn't have that egg-wash shine on top)

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 minutes. Let cool and slice.

This was actually easier than I expected and tastes very good! And now our house smells like a giant, hot cinnamon roll. Brad's already eaten half the loaf :)

No. 21

After finishing all my Michael Connelly novels, I decided to try Sue Grafton. My sister has read all her books and really likes them. I only have two, so I started with "S" (the series starts at "A")
I thought it was a good mystery! I read through it quickly, eager to find out who was the murderer in 1953. I did find it a bit hard to keep track of all the characters and the timeline since it kept switching from present time to 1953. I needed to take notes!

Also, I wasn't impressed with the ending. After 340 pages of buildup, it just ended in a couple pages. I felt like the wrap up wasn't sufficient for the amount of background and such.

But I did enjoy it and will read my other one. Then maybe I'll borrow from Eryn so I can read the entire series :)

Not so much

Some days you feel it. Others days, not so much.

My schedule called for 8 miles today, so I set out all my gear last night and planned to go this morning while it was still cool. No more waiting for the sun and heat. Brad's out climbing again, so I ended up staying up too late reading. Then I didn't wake up until almost 9 a.m.!
It was still cool and cloudy as I ran, but I was really tired. The first 5 miles were great, nice and slow and easy. But about mile 6, I kinda hit a wall. I was just plain pooped.

I took a sit down in Tualatin Park and then took extra walk breaks on the way home.

I did manage 8.14 miles, but it was ugly. An 11:27 average. Blah.
Oh well.

Now I must eat - very hungry!!

:)

Fueling with fish tacos

Got out late today to do my requisite run.

I put it off all day, choosing instead to read in bed, take TWO naps (reading makes me very sleepy!) and eat fish tacos and catch up with Kendra. We hadn't hung out in way too long!

So the sun was setting as I headed out to run 20 minutes, walk 1 and run 20. Thankfully, that meant it was cooling off - yay!!
I went 4.32 miles in 41:57 minutes - a 9:43 average including my one walk break.
I briefly debated skipping it. But I called Eryn so she would hold me to it. Thanks, Sis!! :)

Changin' it up

Like most women, I dread trying on swimsuits. But you know what I hate more?? Choosing new frames!

I've worn glasses since I was 16, and it never gets easier. I usually get really frustrated. Sometimes I cry.

It was time, and I got new ones today. I kinda like them. Brad says they look good, but he has to :)
At least it's done. Now if I can just get my mind to adjust to the new prescription so my head will stop hurting...

:)