r u n n e r g i r l r e b e c c a

I'm moving! With my boyfriend! Well, he's fully moved, and I'm partially moved, and will be fully moved this weekend! I just have to get through this pesky little last week of work at school (luckily only two full days and two half days, we can do this).

Last Wednesday we moved most of the big things we had with his dad's help, came back, and then returned back to our apartment Thursday evening with the last of his things, and I sadly came back home yesterday evening.

We're now an hour and a half away from both our homes, in the home of Michigan Wolverines, in a cute little apartment, in a nice quieter area about a mile and a half from downtown. We can walk to lots of places easily, there's so much good running for me (with hills!), less than 15 minute drive from the rock climbing gym.

Our first extended weekend was a lot of fun: setting things up and organizing, run exploring for me every morning, a farmer's market walk on Saturday where we got some fresh spinach and kale for smoothies and some yummy cookies, other walks to explore and pick up food, two rock climbing trips (our first times back in months so we're weak but excited to go regularly now and get back to being strong!).

T is starting a remote summer internship with Strava today and I'm so proud of him and excited that he has this opportunity! After this he has some in person classes for the fall and winter semester, he was all online since starting going back to school last summer, and then he'll be done next spring. As for me, I'm hoping to most likely find some work at one of the area schools.

Finish Line Friday 🏃🏻‍♀️

Last run before Boston - done!!!

I've already mentioned multiple times how this training cycle hasn't gone quite how I've wanted it to... but that's okay, because I am healthy, happy, and excited, and that's all that matters!

Got my my final double digit run on a beautifully sunny day yesterday ☀️

~ Beginning of April photo dump ~

Some random things going on:

Two weeks from now I'll be a two time Boston Marathon finisher!! (Three if you'd like to count the 2020 virtual) I'm super excited to be heading back finally! I'm officially in the taper now and and resisting the urge to start checking the weather (if it's as bad as my first time in '18 I will quit running forever lolz) I didn't train nearly as much or as hard as I have for past marathons, but I've done enough to make it through (hills will hurt though) and I have no time goals anyway, just a goal to smile and high five lots and enjoy being able to run this prestigious race for the second time!

Last week was spring break and while the weather was mostly bleh, I was glad to just be able to relax and spend extra time with my two favorite boys. I did have a yucky little cold for the first half of the week, but at least it was then when I could get some extra rest, and not during a regular week.

Middle school track starts today! We were supposed to start yesterday but it was sleeting and in the mid-30s. Tomorrow it is also supposed to rain all afternoon. Early spring in Michigan. What a blast. I'm looking forward to coaching again and have a new coaching partner, the high school history teacher. I'll miss the first meet unfortunately because that's the day after Boston when I'll be traveling home. This will be my last time coaching here, as I don't plan to be here next school year, but hopefully I can do other coaching in the future!

St. Patrick's Day 5k - my first 5k since the last time I did this race... in 2019! Whew! 

21:46, about exactly where I figured I'd be at, and with some pretty even splits, too (6:58, 7:02, 7:01, with a big push at the end at 5:56 pace), so I'm happy. 7th place out of 1,128 for women, 2nd in age group.

Howdy, friends.

Just another random photo dump for recent runs, because I guess that's just my style of tumblr-big now.

I would just like to say goooodbye, February!

Running's been extra tough this winter because of a variety of factors: having a case of the blahs because doing 100% outdoor running in Michigan in the middle of winter is sucky, and also because, well, it's been almost two years since the pandemic began and I didn't do a lot of hard running since it started. Lots and lots of easy miles. I've only run one race since 2020, my trail marathon last august, and since it was a trail race I didn't really do any speed work type stuff.

So trying to road marathon train (for Boston!) again finally after two years has been difficult. I set out to do 15 yesterday but stopped at the halfway point because I just felt off, and could tell that trying to slog through the rest wouldn't do me much good. I didn't intend on crying in his armswhen I got back and told my boyfriend that I was stopping early, but I did, and I teared up again when he sent that "hi super strong runner" message this morning.

It's just frustrating sometimes to not be running as well and as effortlessly and as much as I'd like.

But this is just a season, a small part of my running career. I will get back to where I was, and I WILL get even better than that, too. It won't be during this training cycle, but this is a start, and I know that even so, this race will bring me lots of joy and inspiration.

Called it quits yesterday after two miles because I could tell that my body just wasn't feeling it. Today I picked up where I left off and did a good job getting in some intervals! Listen to your body!

Snow day round two ❄️

Decided to be a little more productive on this bonus day

- made some pancakes from scratch

- did some cleaning

- 5 miles on some not spectacular, but not too horrible, road conditions, but featuring a very cold wind

- plus a Kody walk right after

- polished off the chicken minestrone soup leftover from Tuesday

- did a few errands: blood drawn to check my hemoglobin/hematocrit (I was severely anemic summer 2014 and still keep tabs on it yearly), Meijer to get a few odds and ends, and got gas

- load of laundry completely taken care of

- showered, with a hair washing