I need to be a Time Lord

I haven't written a post in HOW MANY DAYS !??! Jesus, where the hell is the time going ?! Someone get me a Tardis so I can go back and update this more often. I could have sworn I only wrote a post the other day and it wasn't THAT long ago. Le sigh. Well, since it's been forever and a day, how about some updates, yes ?

I'm Only Doing this for Donuts

I was not about to let another Training for Tuesday pass me by without getting on board !

Weekending - My Legs Hurt

I've come to the conclusion that if I could just pretend the weekdays don't happen, that I would be a much happier person.  Since that's not really an option, and I'm forced into adult responsibility and mandatory socialization, I'll just relive this past weekend to make myself feel better over my severe case of the Mondays.

World's Okayest Runner

Today marks 52 days until the Richmond Half Marathon.  It seems like a good time for a training update considering I've updated this a total of, um, zero times...

After attempting to create my own training plan after extensive google searching, my resident super runner/Fleet Feet Training program coordinator/favorite human in the whole world helped combine the 3 calendars I had into one super awesome training program...AKA he threw them out and made one that worked for me. 

(Yes, he knows I took this and that this would end up here eventually)

The general idea was that during the week I would train for time (Run for 35 min, Cross Train for 25 min, you get the idea) and that on the weekend for my long runs, I could focus on distance.  Without boring you with the sordid details of the affect of humidity on my lungs this summer, I can honestly say that my training got started last week.

Which means I really don't have too much time to start getting my miles up.  Right now I can do 5 miles for my long runs no problem.  Except I should be doing anywhere from 8-10.  I'm working on being okay with this and just focusing on doing what I need to do to make sure I'm smart and uninjured and progressing and not dying.

My biggest struggle at the moment is knowing the difference between pushing through pain to get to the next milestone and when to be smart enough to stop.  Currently I keep erring on the side of smart.  On Saturday I had this plan to do a run I've wanted to do since I laced up my shoes again: Run from my apartment to my second home favorite coffee shop, Cup A Joe.  It's 7 miles.  I was excited, I was ready, and I had it all planned out.  That whole week the weather had been phenomenal, I was running (and BREATHING!) better, I was doing hill repeats and running faster than I had been since I started trying to train in August.   Of course on this lovely Saturday that I had been looking forward to for what seemed like forever, the heat came back - FAST. Realizing I had started my adventure too late in the day, I cut my 7 mile run to 3.6 miles.

Tonight I plan on doing a 30 minute run just to get my legs moving again.  They've been hating me rather seriously since Saturday but I think I finally got all the knots out of my calves. Also, in order to avoid freaking myself out, I'm focusing on getting myself in good shape to run a 10 miler on October 24th.  Which based on where I am now, seems 100% completely accomplish-able (is that even a word ?) 

Until the next update, here's a picture of the newest addition to my running shoe family:

ALSO ! I'm looking for some fun running related apparel either to wear during training or a race or just when I'm being lazy in sweatpants.  

What are your favorite running shirts ?

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Real Talk: The universe is out to get me.

Okay, probably not, but it certainly feels that way right now.  My birthday is on Thrusday and honestly, I just want to relax.  Zero stress. Please.  Ugh.  Why is it so bad, you ask ?

• We had to put down sir Loki last week.  He was my first ever pet rat and I loved him more than I thought possible. Insert broken heart emoji here.  It was just the worst.  Sleep well, little dude. 

• I found out that my job wants to convert my contract position to a full time position (which is what they said when they originally hired me).  Which is super yay.  Except they want to offer me an "assistant" position over the "coordinator" position that I've been doing, which results in a $6/hour pay cut.  Which means I'll have to get a part time job on top of a normal 40/week full time job just to pay my monthly bills and oh, I don't know...eat food ?  Unfortunately this just causes more and more stress for the long run unless I can get a new job pronto.
• B and I almost broke up.  No, I don't want to talk about, and yes we're good again. Still super stressful.
• I dropped my phone in water and now the speaker isn't working well.  Insignificant, I know, but when you're already having a shitty time, it kinda just makes it worse.
• The brakes on my car have decided that they no longer want to do the one job they have: stopping my car.  So now it's currently in the shop.  For who knows how long and for some ungodly amount of dollars (that I don't have and REALLY don't have a way of making up), I'm sure.

Suffice to say, my stress level is so high, I constantly feel like I can't breathe.  Literally, I've almost used up my inhaler for nothing other than just trying to not hyperventilate from stress. I'm not trying to complain, but honestly I just need to get it all out. 

I've enlisted the help of a trusted friend to help with the resume (even though she's insanely busy and I feel terrible asking but I'm desperate for the help and I just know she's amazing at what she does and this is the longest sentence of my life but I love her).  I'm trying to focus on things I can control and trying to stay positive. It's not working very well, but points for trying right ? I'm hoping that everything will balance itself out and this means that super awesome amazing things are going to happen for me soon.  I really hope so, otherwise I think I might just have a heart attack. 

Any suggestions to help manage stress ?!