Thursday Catch Up

ON LIFE (IN GERMANY)

I want to meet the person who controls the weather in Germany. Because I'd like to register a complaint. In less than a week, the weather has gone from high-fifties to high-thirties. And to top it off, it's been rainy. The dwindling light doesn't need any help from storm clouds. kthxbye.

ON GOALS & PLANS

I'm 99% positive I would never get Ryan to agree to a halloween party unless he was under extreme duress. And I mean, EXTREME DURESS. For whatever reason he hated it growing up and didn't like getting free candy. I know, I know. I married the strangest person ever. 

Anyway, I did convince him to watch halloween movies for the thirteen days leading up to halloween. So I'll consider it a success. 

On Monday we'll start our thirteen days of halloween. Since neither of us are into scary or gory movies, we're watching a good mix of comedy and kid movies. To be fair though, Disney has some pretty awesome halloween movies. I'll share the movie list as we get closer. 

Now all I need is candy corn. 

ON CELEBRATIONS

As we truck along in our half-marathon training, we try to switch up how we attack our scheduled runs. Since tonight was a relatively short two mile run, we made it a "tempo run." Which just means run balls to the wall. And because Ryan is a freaking gazelle and I'm a snail, we ran separately.

Now, something I really struggled with when I started running was getting out of my head. I would run and the only thing I could think about was how much I hurt, how I couldn't breath, or how slow I was going. When I came over here to Germany, I used music to distract me so I could keep running. And then, once Ryan came, we started running together and we always talk about our days. 

Today was the ultimate test, With no one but me, myself, and I to talk to and no music to distract me, I just ran. It was without a doubt one of the best runs I've ever had. While these thoughts have run through my head before, today's were more like this:

"I'm not that far off Ryan."
"Look at those calves."
"He's really picking it up."
"Do not try to catch him, you're not a gazelle."
"Where is he?"
"These kids with scooters!"
"Would it be bad if I pushed one?"
"Focus."
"Avoid the wet leaves."
"Seriously, where is Ryan?"
"Don't look at your watch, don't look at your watch."
"Woo! First mile!"
"I just did what?!"
"Okay, you can do this. You're a gazelle."
"So smooth, so fresh."
"Why do bikers always have to sneak up on you?"
"Come on, people, move it. I'm running here."
"Okay, only half a mile left."
"He must be done by now."
"Wasn't he going to turn around and run back with me?"
"Swing wide on the corner, you don't want to run into Ryan."
"No? He's not there?"
"Seriously, where is he?"
"I'm doing what?! I'm on fire!"
"Light as a feather."
"There he is! Look at him, all surprised."
"Fist bump, because I'm crushing it."
"You got this."
"Run. Run. RUN."
"Sweet Jesus, hallelujah. Two miles."

And with that, I ran my fastest mile ever. Best day ever. Complete with chocolate and cookies. Because how can you not celebrate a personal record? 

Which, in case you're curious, is a 10:28 now. Down 21 seconds from my last PR.