A nice relaxing evening is warranted.

#My365DaysOfHappy

My collection grows.

If my math is right, this marks cup number one hundred and one.

#My365DaysOfHappy

My dog has a truck!

Actually she’s not sure what to do with it.

Really though, I have a truck. Best part is that it was FREE. I just need to do a few things and it’ll be great.

#My365DaysOfHappy

Yesterday was the Spring Brooks Truckload Sale. Brooks is the running shoe brand that I've always used, and since they're a local company, they have an outlet store up in Bothell. AND twice a year, they have a clearance sale. It's a great way to score some awesome shoes for a hell of a price.

Last year, I picked up a couple of pairs of shoes - and those shoes kick started what I call Running V.2.

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Back in 2006, I became a runner for the first time. It started when I got my first pair of real running shoes.

It's kind of funny still, looking back at the dates. First pair of running shoes - 4/22/2006. Fast forward almost 11 years exactly - 4/15/2017 - and I started again by buying a pair of shoes.

I ran solid for the next six years, and racked up almost 4,000 miles. I also completed:

• One 5K- (the course was mapped wrong)


• Twelve 5Ks


• One 5K+


• Two 8ks


• Two 10Ks


• Three 12Ks


• Six Half Marathons


• One Full Marathon


• One Hood to Coast Relay

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Back to present day - sort of.

It still feels like a lifetime ago, but sometime during those six years of running, I tweaked my knee in such a way that it never got better, and it started to hurt to run. Plus since I wasn't running, I started putting on the weight that I lost, which of course made it harder to run and hurt my knee more.

I started going to the gym again in 2016. Started doing what I did when I first started (even before running) - biking. It kicked my butt, but I kept at it and I started seeing some improvements. And I started running on the treadmill. They were short SLOW runs, but I started doing it again. Things hurt though and it wasn't a fun expereince.

Last year I decided to start using all of my benefits (since they were costing me out of pocket now) and I visited a Physical Therapist. He gave me some assistance and things to try, which I did for awhile, but it's hard forming the right kinds of habits.

I still kept up with the running this time and actually started seeing some longer distances (over a mile!) and even picking up a little bit of speed.

But I decided that I needed to do it right - get some shoes, start the spreadsheet tracking again. Even dig up the old GPS running watch.

On April 18, 2017, I wrote this:

Years ago, when I was running, I made a spreadsheet to track my mileage.

That spreadsheet grew to not only track mileage, but mileage on each pair of shoes. And even a separate tab that tracked how many miles I ran with the dogs.

And there were graphs and charts and everything. (No pivot tables because whatever!)

I stopped using it after six years and 3981 miles.

Last weekend I bought two new pairs of running shoes. Because excuses be damned, I'm going to run again.

I've now ran four days in a row - probably the most I've done in years.

Saturday - 2.4 miles with a 2 minute walking break after 2
Sunday - 2.48 miles with a 2 minute walking break after 2
Monday - 1.1 miles because life sucked
Today - 2.45 miles - almost non-stop except for a 30 second pause to drink water.

I now have a new spreadsheet.

It's empty, but it does have 8.43 logged miles . . .

It's funny to me - this old spreadsheet started in April of 2006; the new one April of 2017. The first one had the first set of runs in the 2.5 mile range. This new one, the same.

And then just this past Sunday, I ran 2.5 miles non-stop for the first time since 2012.

I'm doing this again dammit.

---

It's now been one year, and I'm still running.

I have ran 739.85 miles (works out to about 60 miles per month.) I'm halfway through my third pair of shoes' "life." And I've managed an hour solid of running, and even seen the 8+ mile distance twice.

I don't run outside as much as I would like - it's just not light enough outside yet, but the sun is staying out later and later every day. And even though I had planned on a couple of 5Ks this year, they haven't happened yet. I am still going to do them - maybe I'll repeat what I did that first year of running - the 5K in June, the 8K in July, the 10K in September, and then the 12k in December. Maybe I'll see a half marathon in my future again . . .

My knee still bugs me at times but it's manageable. If I continue losing a pound here and there, I think that that'll make it easier to run on. Plus I've noticed while on the treadmill, that when I run at a faster pace, I have less knee pain (I just don't have the stamina - yet - to maintain that faster pace for the entire run.) I am dealing with something new though - at first I thought it was a blister on my little toe, but now I've decided that it's a corn on my toe. And those definitely hurt! So I have some medicated pad things that are supposed to treat it. Fingers crossed it helps!

Current goals are to hit that elusive 100 mile month - I've come close in February when I ran 90.83. Thinking that 80 miles per month is a bit more manageable, plus that'll get me 1000 miles in a year. (I'll fill you in on a secret - someone told me that they were in a competition of sorts with their sister, and they were going to do a 1000 miles. I'm not part of it, but I'm going to do it too, and I bet I'll be able to get there because I know what it takes to maintain that pace throughout the year. It's a lot harder than they think - kind of like a half marathon.)

I'm still paying myself $1 for every mile that I ran - it seems like a silly game to play, but it helps me pay for my shoes (and eventual race fees.) Heck, I've ran enough that I've bought four pairs of shoes already so it's working, regardless of how silly it may be to some.

Not sure if I'll see the same speeds that I saw when I was ten years younger, but I am finding that enjoyment of just running again. It's physically challenging, but it's also mentally refreshing. And I'm hoping I find that place of peace I used to have when running.

The morning started off with sleeping in - basically my only day to do that. It felt nice.

It was now time for coffee - and what’s better than freshly ground beans? Not much.

And now Ninkasi is helping me drink said coffee by lying in the most UNhelpful location of them all. Silly cat.

He looks pissed.

When I got home from he gym I was surprised to find two 🦆🦆 in the backyard.

New shoes!

Today was the last day of the Spring Brooks Truckload sale, so a drive to the far away lands of Bothell was done.

Why all the driving? Because of the sale of course!

I managed to grab three pairs of shoes (enough to last me until next March/April) for about the same as one pair in the stores.

Of course after I get home, I realized that I bought two pairs of the same color. Whoops.

So much sugar today.

First our dept had a “continental breakfast” - I use quotes because it was simply fruit and pastries.

And then we had a birthday pie and ice cream event.

AND THEN there were root beer/coke/orange floats - with whipped cream and sprinkles.

No wonder my run was harder than it should have been.

Sometimes something as simple as freshly washed bedding can make an otherwise shitty day bearable.

Not much like listening to the rain as you try and fall asleep.

It’s times like these where I miss having you to talk to.

There has been plenty of thoughts bouncing around my head that I really need to put down onto paper. Otherwise I’m afraid they’ll eventually drive me crazy.

Sometimes winter is the best.

Other times it’s fall.

But right now is pretty good too.

Bonus: airplane!

I remember when a coworker posted an ad at work about having a litter of puppies that needed homes. There were two to choose from. I don’t know what it was about this little black dog, but she’s the one I picked.

She’s been through so much with me - it’s a most like she’s been through all of the things that make me ME.

I love this little black dog.

And speaking of Texas ...

One of my employees who works in Texas is at the office this week, so I took him out to Hot Dogs on the Ave - I mean - The Red Hot.

It sounds all hipster - but craft beers and gourmet hot dogs is where it’s at!

Hard to believe that this fat kid can run over 5 miles nonstop. But it happened.

I realized this morning that I didn’t do a Day Ninety-Six. Fail.

Still not sure how it happened, but I collect Starbucks Mugs.

I used to have a list on FB but since I deactivated that page, I wasn’t able to have a list to refer to. So today I built a special page on my website to serve as a reference, and to show off a little.

A fun little eBay purchase arrived.

Took a slightly different trail today - it wasn’t what I was expecting. So I went on an old route and paid attention to the flowers.

As much as I enjoy winter (bring on the rain!) but spring is fun too.

A couple of weekends ago marked the 20th anniversary of my moving to Washington. Well, technically, back to Washington since I had lived here as a kid.

That got me thinking. I moved here for a job and knew no one here. I didn’t have much, but I did have Grocible.

So I’ve been thinking about him. How it was just him and me for awhile.

I still miss this dusty old man cat.

Not a good gym day.

After taking two days off, I hit ye olde treadmill again and only managed two miles before I gave up.

Everything hurts and nothing felt right. See how tomorrow goes. Now for pushups.

Watson wanted in on some of the photo action

Sometimes you just need to streeeeeetch and your cat bed has the wrong dimensions.

Oh Ninkasi