I was supposed to run my “long run” on Saturday. That did not happen. It was supposed to be nicer on Sunday and I had other stuff to do. Like stay up until 2 am on Friday watching videos of Ellen and Parks and Recreation on YouTube. I know. So adult. Sunday did turn out to be nicer. For a while. It was Easter but I only had plans until mid afternoon and then would have some sunny hours to kill. Except that’s only what I thought, not what was true. This meant that by the time I pulled in the driveway at 6 I was exhausted. Playing with a 2, 4, 6, and 9 year old is a lot of work. Cute work, but man they never stop. And who can say no when they giggle and ask “more?”. I told myself I could just go to bed if I got up to run in the morning. I’ve successfully made this bargain with myself before so I knew it was legit. Sure enough I woke up Monday and wanted to snooze button it. But I had promised myself so I crawled out, stumbled into running clothes, and flung myself out the door. 0.5 miles into the run I knew I was done. I spent a few minutes next to some bushes wondering if I was going to toss my cookies. I managed to calm my stomach and started walking home. I tried running one more time and almost immediately regretted it and returned to walking. Greeeeaaaat way to start a Monday.

On that walk home I thought about what I had eaten in the previous 24 hours. A big breakfast with bacon, eggs, cinnamon rolls (not a fancy breakfast without cinnamon rolls), and egg nog (no, it’s not Thanksgiving but my Mom saw it and decided it was appropriate because bunnies lay eggs and this is nog from eggs, what could make more sense. I love egg nog and liked where her head was at) . Then I had a teeny nap. Then birthday cake and a couple of cookies. Oh and some ice cream. Then some Easter candy and pop corn. I drank 1 diet coke and approximately 12 oz. of water all day. Then I took a nap from 6:30 to 8 and then proceeded to stay up until midnight. Clearly I am the model for perfect fueling for runners and my body was definitely ready to go running when I woke up. Not. I trudged off to work a little mad at myself. And a little worried about what my runs the rest of the week would entail. Yesterday I couldn’t get over the bad run. I was picking a friend up from the airport at 7. I told myself I would work, change into gym clothes, pick her up, drop her off, and hit the Y. I did all of those. Except the Y. I was tired from being out until midnight the night before. Instead I cleaned my apartment a little. That’s cross training, right?

Today I packed my gym bag again. It’s cold…again. And I wasn’t really sure what the day would bring. All I knew was that I had to hit the gym. Maybe I’d run. Maybe I’d cross train. I’d decide in the moment what kind of mental game I was bringing. Instead a friend that lives behind my office emailed saying she needed a running buddy for the night (in a house on the next block, not in a cardboard box by the dumpsters or something). She’s training for the Boston Marathon. In 12 days. I know what you’re thinking. Perfect running buddy for an out of shape slow poke like me. But she’s the best and runs slow with me and does it in a way that 92% of the time I don’t feel guilty for my slow speed. I picked the workout that I should have done on Saturday and resigned myself to simply repeat last week in my training schedule. And then we were out running and I thought :you know what. Screw it. Running with a friend who is better and faster is the perfect time to push yourself.” I yelled out the new intervals, for week 8’s schedule and she cheered my ambition. 10 minutes later I wholeheartedly wanted to take it back. We were running up hill (a gradual hill but it was hella long) and straight into the wind. 20 mph steady wind. Fun. We were only half way through the workout and my legs were spewing a whole lot of swear words at me. A whole lot. Really vile and mean words. I told my friend my legs weren’t holding up. They didn’t hurt. I was just reaching the end of my comfort level. Her response? “That’s fine. Just run through the pain” Best running buddy? Jennie.

We finished strong and she even convinced me to tag on an extra 30 seconds at the end. I told her I hated her. But I did it. And secretly she was my favorite. You can’t get anywhere until you push

Also. CAN IT PLEASE STOP BEING COLD NOW??? Thanks.

Hearts and bestest running friends to you all.