Today I'm linking up with Amanda @ Running With Spoons for Thinking Out Loud.
Please take time to visit Amanda and the other bloggers linked up on her site.
As you may know, I run in my neighborhood or on the quiet rural road behind it. I'm always amused by what I see lying in the street. For example, a yellow Easter Peep stayed in the same exact spot for months. It didn't melt, it didn't disintegrate in the rain, ants didn't eat it and obviously every dog in the neighborhood turned their nose up at it. It begs the question, is it really food? I admit, I missed it after it was gone.And then there was that mini Snickers dropped by a trick-or-treater. It stayed in it's wrapper for weeks, untouched by car tires. I have to admit, that one was tempting. I resisted.
So, I just ran my longest run ever {Happy Dance #1}. I ran 16 miles Sunday as part of my training for the Chicago Marathon. I was a little worried about being in my own head for that long...or just getting bored. Honestly, I don't remember what I thought about and it went quickly. I guess I was tuned into my music and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
I look forward to beating that personal distance record 4 or 5 more times as I continue training. One thing I'm going to enjoy about my first marathon is that I will receive an automatic PR. I guess I'll have to work a little harder for the second one.
I ran 113 miles in July, my highest month so far this year. {Happy Dance #2}. It was a month of no races, just like June. I'm still OK with that. Last summer, a running buddy and I traveled almost every Saturday morning if we could find a race within 100 miles. I don't want to spend that much time in the car this year. The local races will begin again soon. I'll be there!
What is rattling around in your brain today?
Do you see amusing things when you run?
Do you see amusing things when you run?
What do you think about on a long run?
I'm joining the Tuesdays on the Run link up!
Thanks to our hosts:
Ericka @ MCM Mama Runs,
April @ Run the great wide somewhere
Patty @ My no-guilt life!
Great job on that 16 miler! Do i see amusing things on the run? You know I do....
ReplyDeleteI'm saving the annoying items I find in the streets for our next That Time of the Month!
DeleteAwesome job on the 16 miler! I've never found I get bored with the thoughts in my head on a long run, in fact it's more of the opposite, I enjoy having all that thinking time:)
ReplyDeleteI love when I see random things on a run. Some hoarder house I run by in the city next to me, I pass by it at least once a week on a trail I run. They have this dummy that they change out and do creative things with, I love seeing what they come up with, the other day the dummy was fishing:)
Although that does make me wonder about Peeps, that they last that long. A friend told me the same about an ice cream sandwhich. Although I have not tried it, she said the ice cream won't actually fully melt ever because it's not real ice cream??? I haven't seen one of those on the road though, LOL
I would love to be able to see the dummy every day. That is actually quite comical and clever. I'm sure with all the stuff they've amassed, they can come up with endless possibilities for the dummy. I don't eat peeps, and probably never will now.
DeleteThat is so cool that you ran 16 miles! Great marathon training!! I am usually talking to my husband when I run so I just think about our conversation. When I run alone...I am not sure what I think about - ahhhh now I need to take a solo run and think about what I am thinking about!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'd be good at conversation on a long run. I think I zone out. I'd constantly be saying "Huh?".
DeleteWay to go on your 16 miler and congrats on running 113 miles in July! I think about a lot of things on my runs and sometimes nothing at all, just depends on the day I suppose. :)
ReplyDeleteI run so early, I think my mind hasn't had a chance to fill up with much. It's pretty empty. And so is my stomach. Actually, I'm probably thinking about food.
DeleteI've seen an alligator on one of my runs.Glad it was gone when I ran that way again, unlike that tempting Snickers bar!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure not I would have passed near the alligator a second time around! LOL.
DeleteOh yeah, foods that stay good forever are scary - I'm always reminding my husband of that fact.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd be racing next weekend but since it's hilly & I'm having an IT flare up, my chiropractor said it wasn't a good idea. I very sadly canceled our hotel reservations yesterday. I'd bern procrastinating on signing up - even filled out the form once but something went wrong & then I was waiting too see if it felt better. :(
But oct is my goal race. It's just there aren't a lot of 10ks & it's a distance I really enjoy. :(
Congrats on your 16 miler! WTG!
That is such a bummer you won't be racing. I've had trouble off and on with IT. The foam roller is my best buddy. When it's acting up, I purposely take a much smaller stride. Has it bothered you before?
DeleteSo glad your training is going so well! We had some mice in our pantry. They ate the chocolate out of some M&Ms and left the shells. I have never looked at an M&M in the same way again! I would think the Peep would melt with all that sugar, but I guess the marshmallowyness protects it!
ReplyDeleteOh, my. To know a mouse won't eat the outer shell of an M&M is pretty disturbing! Thanks, Coco. I'm not sure I can look at one the same way ever again -- that's a GOOD thing! LOL.
DeleteI was wondering what you had done to get that fitbit badge! Great job on the long run. I don't know what I think about on long runs... random thought always flit through my head but I generally don't remember them afterward.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Fitbit is spot-on accurate. But it definitely thinks I climbed some serious hills. I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't remember their thoughts during a run.
DeleteThat tells me exactly why I hate Peeps...
ReplyDeleteNo way should hills be involved in a long run with this heat & humidity.
Thankfully, I already didn't like Peeps. I miss the little fella. I can't find a flat route near my house. At least all of the hills were gradual on Sunday.
DeleteWoo hoo on hitting your highest monthly mileage this year! You are going to love how flat the Chicago Marathon course is. You'll tear it up after all the hills you are used to training on! =)
ReplyDeleteI totally would have wanted to pick up that Snickers bar, too. Sigh...
Is Chicago REALLY that flat? I hope! I've been duped by that advertising a few times. LOL.
DeleteWow those peeps lasted a long time! Hummm makes you wonder how long they last in your stomach an mine has had it's share of Peeps! I do love them.....DID love them, not so sure now??? We'll see come Easter. So proud of you for your 16miles! And I'm glad it wasn't that bad on ya! I do have hope.... What I think about on my long runs? Some of those miles are like dreams I guess, I don't remember anything, surely my mind was off somewhere but I can't recall.... Happy Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteI never was a big fan of Peeps, now I think I'll just pass. (Don't they make some dipped in chocolate? I think I ate a few of those.) I'm sure I will have a few more very difficult, steamy, nasty long runs this coming month. It helps to know they aren't all like that. Maybe we run too early...before our mind is awake?
DeleteWow! 16 miles and in the summer. I am in awe! Congrats.
ReplyDeleteSummer is not over either. I hope the humidity will be down by the time I get to 20. At least I can dream...
DeleteYou are so right. If I'm in pain or can't breathe well...there is NO zoning out. I think I see a little tiny light at the end of our nasty summer tunnel. Hooray! This is a cut back week, so if it's going to be miserable again, let it be this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI laughed so hard at the peeps & mini snickers! Ha! I have to admit that sometimes I'll also see a piece of candy in its wrapper on the street & it tempts me. Then I think how my dog eats crap off the street & how I don't want to sink to his level! Congrats on the 16 miler & highest mileage month this year!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed that no dog ate the peep. Maybe they just licked on it?
DeleteWay to rock 16! I've been noticing lots of broken glass along the roadside lately,which ticks me off. I mean why throw bottles out of the car? So rude.
ReplyDeleteOh, don't get me started on my PET PEEVE of littering. There is no excuse for throwing anything out of a car!
DeleteOMG! Peeps are my sons favorite so I guess after 27 years there is a permanent layer of them in his gut! YUCK! Congrats on the miles! Wow! and i love my local races- to much fun!
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes, he must have a permanent layer. I'm about ready for a race! It's been too long.
DeleteFor a while it seemed like I saw random things every time I was out running. Used condoms, silverware, a stress ball. Lately I'm not noticing stuff as much as I'm noticing a lot of people changing their landscaping to conform to new water regulations in California.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to see how people are changing their landscaping. I'm always checking out what is blooming in everyone's yard or their "yard art".
DeleteGreat job on 16 miles! I'm so sad that my FitBit broke this weekend so I couldn't join your challenge :( A new one is in the mail though so please invite me next week! I need those steps :) Also, completely agree that peeps are not food. Dan is obsessed with them and constantly has at least 3 boxes at all times. I'll have to tell him about that story and hopefully he'll finally realize he's eating a bunch of chemical foam. Gross!
ReplyDeleteOh, no! Didn't you just get that Fitbit? I'll definitely invite you again! My numbers are low this week. I never liked Peeps but that really was an eye-opener. It didn't dissolve in the rain!
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