Sorry Peeps

Sorry everyone... gosh, it seems like I've been away forever.  Recent trips to family reunions and all these "happenings" about the move have my blog on the back burner.  A quick catch-up is that Oklahoma was great (but hot) and I didn't get to run once!  I took Hannah with me and Abs and Elliot stayed home.  It was a great trip, but I'm glad to be home.

We also got a "pre-dump" of cash for the move from the Navy.  I guess it's really from the government, but whatever.  Anyway, that "pre-dump" will cover food on the days we don't have any in the house... and gas... and "incidentals" you can't think of until your stuff gets packed up and you have no more of it to go get until you unpack it on the return trip.  Stuff like renting vacuums or buying cleaning supplies to clean the house with.  It's also good for the hotel rooms you have to rent on the way and setting up phone lines and cable tv.

Anyway, just a quick shoutout!  Peace out, sports fans!  I'll update why I'm better than I deserve in a week or so!

Nice and Easy... well, kind of

To say that I went nice and easy the last few weeks would be untrue.  I did try to run nice and easy today, and that is below, but if you've ever had to move to a new place then you'll know that even a month or more out you are going nuts!

Abbey and I are moving to the Monterey area and even now we are going crazy with MORE stuff to do to prepare.  It's not the cleaning and organizing and throwing away of crap (although that's another BLOG entry about possessions.  We'll save that lecture for a later date), it's everything else.  It's getting our daughters ready for adjusting.  It's planning the drive.  It's trying to move bills and when to forward mail.  Oh yes... to do that you have to have a new address!  All craziness.

Irregardless... (isn't it regardless? Oh well, no time for an english lesson) below is my run.  I'm bummed that the "last 5 runs" thing on the right isn't working.  I would have to post every other run.

Goodness Gracious

I'm kind of a dummy.  I ran too fast (again) for my own good.  Maggie is pretty darn good at keeping me at a lower pace when I want to run long.  Today I had visions of running at least 4 miles, if not longer.  To my dismay I ran at a 9'17" pace which isn't fast, but it's too fast for me if I'm going to run like 5+ miles... yuck.

(Warning: trite phrases coming...!) I run because I love running.  Not because I'm competitive with anyone, although I am with myself.  I run because it's just me out there.  If I fail... it's because of me.  If I succeed... it's because of me.  I know that to run faster than 2 hours in the upcoming half I've signed up for... I know I'll have to train LSD (that's long slow distance) and repetitive sprints.  A combination of both.

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit... I'm done though.

Great run today... maybe a little too fast?

What do you think?

Still Broken...

Okay, the Nike+ thingy worked great for a long time, now... it's poop.

Maggie and I did just over 4 miles and she kept wanted to cross the streets leading back to our house. I don't think she realizes it's just an (extended) block we are running around, but that's okay. We've run Monday and today so she's happy. I have duty today so I have to be in very early tomorrow so we won't get our Wednesday run in, but I'm okay with it (if Abbey can stand the unexercised dogs!)

There's a new blog I stalk on the right side, "I Signed Up For This?!?" Pretty funny and a prototypical blog. I think it's great.

Class is postponed for this week. I have to catch up and do the lesson(s) that I put off last week. I very much like the point of the class and Abs and I are sitting down twice a month to discuss our financial status. Dave helps out... so does my class.

Since the holiday is fast approaching, so is the San Diego heat. It's AMAZING to me how the winds change and one day it's overcast and cloudy and the next day is 85 and humid. Man... I really feel like Dad. He watches the news (really the weather) every day. I'm finding myself doing the same so I can plan how early I have to go to bed. Which tells me when I have to wake up to run...

Nike +iPod

I'm kind of upset that the Nike +iPod data isn't showing up like it's supposed to!  GRRRRR...

Anyway, I appreciate the comments both on facebook, here, and on the phone of my blog entries of late.  I know I'm not the best at putting up topics for discussion, but it should be noted that Abbey and I are moving to Monterey!

I am also officially letting Alicia know that I signed up for the Big Sur Half marathon!  Alicia, your gauntlet has been thrown and I WILL BREAK 2 hours!  The question is... can you break 2:10?  That's the real challenge... isn't it?

On to better things.  I'm lastly putting out this quote I found on Jessica's friend's blog.  I thought it was amazing:

"I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power.  You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." -Jesse Owens

On that, I'll leave you.  Maggie and I are going to do her first 5 miler tomorrow.  I want to start getting her to do longer runs.  We've worked up from three 20-min runs a week, to 6 runs of three 30s and three 20s, and now to four 30's and one 45 minute run.  Wish her luck!

Books

I read ALMOST all of "The Official Book of the Dalmatian."  If you've never read any of a book like that, it's quite like reading a coffee table book.  You read it several times and you seem to find new stuff all the time.

I also "finished" "Wicked."  If you can call it finishing.  I skimmed past about the last 20% of the book and when I read the synopsis on wikipedia it was pretty darn close to what I understood the end of the book to be.  So... we'll call it... done, but I won't count it when you ask the number of books I've read.  From what I understand, "Bringing Down the House" (aka: 21, for the movie folks) will be out on video (or netflix) soon so we'll see how close it was to the book.

Lastly, I'm taking a class, or Bible study, taught by Crown Financial Ministries in my Church.  It's good, but I haven't found anything that wasn't yet in Dave's podcasts or book.  I'll keep you updated.  I very much do like the way it shows you Biblically how we don't OWN anything and how we are "stewards" rather than owners.

More to follow, as my boss always says!