I am soooo glad its starting to warm up. I am starting to feel blah about running the longer distances. Sunday was a nice run with a friend. There was good conversation, pretty woods to run in and some time for me. Problem is, said friend can't run as far as me. I have another friend who runs with me who runs much faster and farther then I do. I seem to be middle ground and am having trouble finding others who are middle ground. For all that I live in an urban area and there are over 150 people in my running group, why the heck can't I find someone to run with me? Do I have cooties? Do I smell bad and don't know it? What the heck yo? I get that running is a solo sport, but people run in groups all the time. I train all week by myself, I am just looking for 1 day. Maybe the warmth will people people out. Races are gearing up and there are always people at those. So yeah, I am a bit whiny. We all get that way sometimes.

The 14k rocked. But I don't think the hubby will be joining me on any more long runs. Snicker! "We have to get up how early?" he asked. "Its how cold out?" and "Really? Doesn't your knee hurt? Why are we doing this again?, oh yeah, You're crazy!" But, he came with me, told me he loved me and wouldn't ever let me forget he came with me, and ran with me-sorta. About 10 minutes into it, he decided I was at the wrong pace and took off on his own, but that's OK. I find I love to have someone to start with and end with but the in between is all conversation in my head. Probably makes me a bit crazy, but there it is. This go round was more focus on my knee. I went with it taped. KT Tape is AWESOME! Wore my layers like a good girl, though I really wanted to be red, white and cute for the valentine's theme. I am happy to settle for warm and comfortable though. So, off I went. Whenever my knee hurt I would focus on my stride and form and counting. Yep, counting. One, two, one, two, my feet it the ground. It the right spots and you don't go down. Focusing on the form also made me a little faster. Better yet, at the end, my knee didn't hurt, I didn't hurt and I was ready for more. Note to self, my husband loves me very much, but no more long runs for him. I am getting faster despite my hurt knee. Better yet, I can beat the pain!

Running a 14k this weekend. Normally, I would be so excited people would be shaking their heads at me; i.e my husband. The side of my knee has been bothering me for about three weeks. I took a week off and just did other cardio then ran 5 last Sunday. I did OK with the 5- sorta. Monday I tried to get back too it, after all, I have a 1/2 coming up in April, but I couldn't even run on the treadmill. I wanted to cry. Not from pain, but from frustration. So in true suck it up buttercup attitude, I went and got KT Tape and plan to push 4 more tonight. If the tape works, I will feel better about this weekend. Being hurt SUCKS! I don't think I have ever slowed down in my life! I played with broken bones, screwed up ankles, probably even a minor concussion. Suck it up was a mantra. Guess I am finally getting old. Damn, my husband was right.

So I FINALLY got my new sneakers. I had been running in Brooks GTS, which were awesome, but a bit heavier. I had put many miles on them and recently added a bunch of mud. So now I have new mud sneakers and new running sneakers! Recently, my knee had been bothering me More precisely, the side/back of my knee. It hurt to go down stairs, went away when I ran, then hurt more after I ran. Self diagnosed ITBand issue. Seems to be going around. Three other girls in my running group have similar issues. Maybe it was something in the limited edition snow we got here in Virginia that we only see every 5 years or so. Either way- suck. So, with miles and pain adding up with the snow, it was time for new shoes. I actually went and got properly fitted. They measured, they photographed and they let me put my nasty bare feet on their nice shiny clean floors the gentleman assured me they washed each night. I guess he thought the face I was making was at his floors not the thought of me messing them up. NOT a job I want, touching all those feet. Ewww! and tada! I am now the proud owner of Asics Kayano 19's, though the first shoe he offered was the Brooks GTS, but I wanted to try something different, 'cause there has to be the miracle shoe that makes you fast- right? However, with the Virginia is for Lovers 14k 2 weeks off, I had to rest that darn ITband. I ran a lovely 10k with my running group through the woods last Sunday, cause hey, they offered wine at the end. But I paid for it. Normally, I would push through, but I really don't want to screw this race that's coming, so here I am, ogling my lovely shoes that I still haven't worn. Darn it!

Last saturday was the 2nd XC race in my series as a 6k which will finalize next saturday in an 8k. It was freakin' cold, muddy and a whole lot of hard up hill at Mt. Trashmore, if it had been forested it would have been like running through the woods behinds my parents house, minus a few deer. Through the mud, up the little hill, catch your breath, up the big hill, down the big hill, catch your breath, though the mud and do it again. It was hard, muddy, cold and wet and I wasn't winning anything, BUT I loved it. My shoes have to dry to scrape the mud off, my ears were cold even with the hat (not so sexy hat), and I was not ready for the big hill, but I did it :P, I wasn't last and I actually would do it again!

Running Home

Saturday morning I ran a cross country race in a park tucked in the back of Chesapeake. Such a nice change of pace. I really enjoyed it. The fog sat on the hills so thick it made your hair damp and the river and pond off to the side looked like soup. There were birds every where and the best part...you couldn't hear any traffic. Had the hills been bigger (and the air MUCH colder), I could almost imagine I was running at home in Maine. A great way to start the morning :) I wasn't the fastest by any means, but I certainly enjoyed the run and the whole way, I kept looking off to the side at tiny animals popping among the greenery. Home, home, home. Its such a funny place. You can't wait to leave when you are young, but the way you remember it when you are older, it suddenly becomes a mystical place you would love to raise you kids. Trust me, growing up on an island mid-coast Maine, is incomparable. I can remember running up hill, (yes, both ways- we lived at the top of a hill) the wet air tasted like cold sea, and the bite of the cold could seep through the wool layers, but you felt so alive when you ran, as fast as I could, just a mile, just long enough to get rid of whatever adolescent anger I had that day-chasing my mind, even then.