Hey, hey! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!
I am linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin for the Weekly Wrap.
As it turns out, I didn’t end up playing tennis this weekend, but my team actually won state! I was supposed to play Friday afternoon. However, one of our girls won her first match 6-1, 6-1 that morning and still felt fresh, so it made sense to let her play again. Honestly, I was relieved not to play. The tournament snuck up on me and I didn’t get much any practice in. I would’ve been totally winging it and when you have a state championship on the line, that isn’t really the best approach.
I’m so proud of my team! Here are the 4.5 Alabama state champs!
It’s hard to juggle tennis and [ultra] marathon training. Tennis is so hard on my feet and it was hard for me to find time to play this spring. Tennis was my first love (sports wise) and I hope to get back into it more seriously one day, but right now running is my main focus. Running will likely be the main focus for at least the next 4 or 5 years and then, who knows, maybe tennis will take over. My running years will likely peak during that window and tennis is a lifetime sport. I just need to play enough over the next few years to be somewhat competitive when I am ready to get back into it.
This weekend was a big training weekend for me. The 50K that I am looking to do is in 4 weeks. That doesn’t leave too much time! It isn’t really going to be a goal race, but mainly just want to do one so that I can continue my birthday streak. I need 31 miles for 31 years. One day I’m going to have to pick a new birthday tradition (or perhaps just switch over to kilometers), but for now I’m going to continue with the whole run my age in miles thing.
Saturday morning I ran with Daniel and his friends. I ended up doing 12 miles at just under 8 minute pace (7:52). The guys picked it up some towards the end of the run, so their average was a little bit quicker. I enjoyed running with Daniel’s group at a pace a little bit faster than I would have if left to my own devices. I think it’s good for me to push the pace a little bit every now and then on an easy run, just to get out of my comfort zone.
Of course coffee and breakfast afterwards at Warehouse is just an added bonus!
Rebecca and Savannah came and met us for breakfast and Savannah really enjoyed her fruity pebbles donut. She kept picking the entire plate up and brining it to her face instead of picking up the donut because she doesn’t like to get her hands sticky. She is a little OCD like her mama!
Since Daniel was finally off work this weekend (hallelujah), we headed to the bay with our fur baby for a little bit Saturday afternoon. Brooks did his typical fetching and waller around in the sand thing. He’s a mess. Like literally a mess after this …
The remainder of the day was an HGTV Flip or Flop marathon with some rest thrown in.
Sunday morning was the longest run of the training cycle thus far and of course, it was crazy hot and humid (I guess that’s pretty much a given at this point, but I feel the need to say it every time just in case you aren’t familiar with lower AL summer weather).
Rebecca and I had a good 22 mile route mapped out with lots of options for water. Jessica joined us too! She isn’t even training for anything specifically and hasn’t really done a long run since Boston in April, but she did the entire 22 with us. You know … no big deal, except for that she is kind of a big deal. People know her. She’s very important. Anchorman quotes never get old right?
Not going to lie, the run was a bit of a struggle. There were buckets of sweat, lots of laughs, a few tears, and even a few choice expletives (the end of the run was a bit of a peach show), but we got it in. Summer long runs are all about survival and y’all … we survived! Cue Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” lyrics.
Daniel was our knight in shining armor when he brought us all Route 44 drinks from Sonic at the end of our run. I really just thought it was so cool that we ran 22 miles and that when we finished the run we drank a 44 oz. treat and the temperature was 88 degrees. I love number patterns! Nerd alert. I guess that’s the accountant in me.
We cooled off in the fountain, which was quite heavenly!
That is all of the running related activity that went down this weekend. I feel great (considering I ran 22 miles this morning) and I’m ready to tackle another week!
What was your favorite thing you did this weekend?
I’ve always wanted to learn to play tennis. Maybe when I get to the point where running is a struggle. I think that’s a great pace for the 12 miler! I’m very impressed you’ll be running your age for your birthday. I couldn’t do that even if I used kilometers. Thanks for linking Sam. We will survive this AL summer!
Yes we will!
I’ve always wanted to learn to play tennis. Maybe when I get to the point where running is a struggle. I think that’s a great pace for the 12 miler! I’m very impressed you’ll be running your age for your birthday. I couldn’t do that even if I used kilometers. Thanks for linking Sam. We will survive this AL summer!
Yes we will!
Wow, 22 miles! And in that heat!!
Whew. It was tough!
Wow, 22 miles! And in that heat!!
Whew. It was tough!
Hooray for a 22 miler followed by a Sonic drink! I love those diet cherry limeades they have there, or either a diet coke with a shot of vanilla in it… so yummy and refreshing as a treat. I know it’s not the healthiest thing in the world to drink, but it’s tasty and sometimes you gotta treat yo self. That fruity pebbles donut would be a good treat too.
Congrats to your team for winning in tennis even if you didn’t play. I agree with taking running a bit more seriously as a sport. One of my friends strained a hamstring playing church softball and now has to miss 2 weeks of running, so injury risk is another thing to consider with other sports. But tennis is still there in the off season or other “seasons” of life, too.
Yes! We actually had diet cherry limeades 🙂 great minds think alike!
Hooray for a 22 miler followed by a Sonic drink! I love those diet cherry limeades they have there, or either a diet coke with a shot of vanilla in it… so yummy and refreshing as a treat. I know it’s not the healthiest thing in the world to drink, but it’s tasty and sometimes you gotta treat yo self. That fruity pebbles donut would be a good treat too.
Congrats to your team for winning in tennis even if you didn’t play. I agree with taking running a bit more seriously as a sport. One of my friends strained a hamstring playing church softball and now has to miss 2 weeks of running, so injury risk is another thing to consider with other sports. But tennis is still there in the off season or other “seasons” of life, too.
Yes! We actually had diet cherry limeades 🙂 great minds think alike!
That great they were State Champs. I used to play tennis when I was in school and I loved in. I haven’t played in quite some time. Brooks us so cute I the sand. My lab is the same way when she goes to the beach.
Brooks loves to swim and play on the beach. I love labs and golden retrievers! They are the best dogs!
That great they were State Champs. I used to play tennis when I was in school and I loved in. I haven’t played in quite some time. Brooks us so cute I the sand. My lab is the same way when she goes to the beach.
Brooks loves to swim and play on the beach. I love labs and golden retrievers! They are the best dogs!
I cannot even imagine doing long runs in that type of heat. But your “after party” looks so amazing. That’s super cool about doing a 50K on your birthday for 31 miles! Who knows, maybe when you are 50 you will be doing 50-mile ultras.
Ahh! Who knows! I have a feeling that by the time I’m 50 my legs are going to be run-out, but that would be awesome #lifegoals 🙂
I cannot even imagine doing long runs in that type of heat. But your “after party” looks so amazing. That’s super cool about doing a 50K on your birthday for 31 miles! Who knows, maybe when you are 50 you will be doing 50-mile ultras.
Ahh! Who knows! I have a feeling that by the time I’m 50 my legs are going to be run-out, but that would be awesome #lifegoals 🙂
Did you say Fruity Pebbles donut? Oh wow I use to love that cereal! Even though I don’t eat donuts often I would have to make an exception seeing this one! Great job on your 22 miler! That is awesome and in this heat too! Wow just wow!
Ok my favorite thing to do this weekend was go up the creek, in a ski boat looking for gators. Yup but it was fun! 🙂
Hey, I’m a country girl at heart. We grew up on the AL river going shining for gators at night. Now I don’t want to swim with them or anything like that, but as long as I am in a stable boat and we are just looking at them, I’m cool with it 🙂
Did you say Fruity Pebbles donut? Oh wow I use to love that cereal! Even though I don’t eat donuts often I would have to make an exception seeing this one! Great job on your 22 miler! That is awesome and in this heat too! Wow just wow!
Ok my favorite thing to do this weekend was go up the creek, in a ski boat looking for gators. Yup but it was fun! 🙂
Hey, I’m a country girl at heart. We grew up on the AL river going shining for gators at night. Now I don’t want to swim with them or anything like that, but as long as I am in a stable boat and we are just looking at them, I’m cool with it 🙂
Brooks looks like he really enjoyed himself! I love his name 🙂
Brooks looks like he really enjoyed himself! I love his name 🙂