Day 51: Wed Oct 2nd - Top Ten Autumny Things

Day Fifty-one: Holy Moly October is here!  As I've mentioned too many times before, Autumn is my favorite time of year. So I was thinking, while out running, of my top ten favorite 'Autumny' things:

1) Homemade chocolate chip cookies with hot coffee in a nice mug.
2) Reading / watching potentially stormy weather reports with excitement.
3) Down Comforters and fleece blankets.
4) Fuzzy socks and my favorite sweatshirt.
5) Trail running or hiking while kicking leaves or collecting them.
6) A good novel.
7) Bubble baths after a cold day outside.
8) Cooking with fresh ingredients just purchased at our local farmers market.
9) Teaching my daughters how to cook and learn about food and what is in season.
10) Anticipating the holidays, crafts, decorating and glorious smells Autumn brings us.

Day 50: Tues Oct 1st - Do The Run... then SMILE

Day Fifty:  Great run despite (another) night of not great sleep, but that is okay, that is why coffee was invented... or so I imagine. I am amazed at how, even when I feel like a zombie upon waking, I can still muster enough 'umph' to have a good run -  at least most of the time. It is amazing what our bodies can do when we tell the brain to be quiet. My mantra to myself is just simply "Do It". I would say "Just Do It"... but Nike stole that line  ;)  Kidding aside, for me, I don't let myself over-anticipate or dread any run. If my brain even attempts to, I just tell it to be quiet and just do the run.  Just like my sister-in-law always says "you never regret a run, even a bad one".  This is so true!  Good sleep, no sleep, zombie body, healthy body, pain, bad mood or even a stomache... after the run you are always glad you went, regardless if it meant you had to push through every step along the way, and even on the days where crawling felt like the better option.
I'm sure there are a multitude of theories, numbers, facts and ideas about the ratio of brain to body exertion in running, but for me... running is 98% mental and 2% physical. Once you break through the hurtle of the brain and are out the door, moving forward, one footfall at a time.... you just 'do the run'.  Then after, you smile :)

Day 49: Mon Sept 30th - Favorite Kind of Day

Day Forty-nine: Spent another 'Mama and Me' day hanging out with my older daughter Siena (last week it was my youngest).  Today we went running together at the large dog park trail and then let Jax play in the river, swim and play fetch with a large old stick.  The fall leaves were gorgeous and we noticed an amazing amount of fallen acorns.  It was squirrel (and dog) paradise. 
Now time to make some chocolate banana pancakes and do some fun projects around the house.
My favorite kind of day.

Day 48: Sun Sept 29th - Run and Rehydrate

Day Forty-eight: Had a great run this morning, despite 3 hours sleep, too many beers and dancing at a wedding last night with my girls.  Add on eating only a little bit of food, drinking zero water last night and VOILA..... hangover run!  Now time to rehydrate with water, coffee, a good breakfast and most of all, Tylenol. ;)

Day 47: Sat Sept 28th - Running @ Work

Day Forty-seven:
  Quite a productive day. I slept in a bit as I was beyond tired early this morning. So I mixed my running in with work and delivered my entire complex newsletters within 27 minutes... which included going up and down multiple flights of stairs.  It was much harder than I expected it to be. I had to be careful descending since I have a tendency to trip up and down stairs and I didn't want to fall down the concrete steps. That would have hurt!   So an easy-hard-quick-fun-run kind of day!

my festive office flag.... :)

Day 46: Fri Sept 27th - Panorama Blue

Day Forty-six:  The view of the skyline at the top of the trail before I descend.  Cool and very crisp morning. Here you can see the battle between the stormy clouds vs. early sunshine competing for majority in the sky. You can also see ,somewhat is the distance, the snowy tippy tops of the Rockies. It was 41 degrees according to my outdoor temperature gage, which I think might be my favorite running temperature.  In-between 40-50 degrees is ideal for me to run in. Even though it is chilly to begin, it is neither too hot or too cold while running. It's perfect.  

(here are closeups from the panorama above)

Day 45: Thurs Sept 26th - Dear Achilles....

Day Forty-five:  (Letter to my Achilles tendon)

Dear Achilles Tendon,
We've been friends a long time.  We have been through a lot together. Between surgeries long ago, ice baths, ice packs, rough massages to break up scar tissue so you would be out of pain and lately through the many sessions of yoga to help you stretch, strengthen and be your best. You've always been there for me. In return, I have tried everything to keep you injury free.  But lately,I feel that you are fighting against my efforts to make things work. I feel your resistance to loosen up as I get ready to run each morning.  You flare in defiance, rebelling against my trying (and pleading) for you to feel healthy and strong.
I hope we can continue a harmonious relationship, as I cannot run without you.  We make a good team you and I. 
I appreciate you dear Achilles.  I will do anything for you to be happy. I will bribe you even.  If you could just hang in there for the next 320 days, I will forever be grateful!
With much love, ~ Celeste 

p.s., if you continue to be difficult, don't EVEN think that means I will give up!  I won't cave to your stubborn tendencies, even if that means I have to run, at times, with a limp.  So be it! 
I can be just as stubborn as you. :)

Plant version of my Achilles Tendon... entwined thorns and all.

Day 44: Wed Sept 25th - The Fire Before the Storm

Day Forty-four: "The Fire Before the Storm".  I'm pretty sure that is a book title, or at least it should be.  This sunrise was absolutely gorgeous. Again, the photo doesn't do it justice, but the sunrise was beautiful while it lasted.  We have 2-3 days of rain and cold coming our way, along with snow in the mountains and possibly foothills (if we are lucky).  I know, I know.... it is a bit early for snow, but the first snowfall is always exciting. I can be patient however. This morning was absolutely perfect.  It was cool, not humid and other than Jax refusing to go around a pile of what I am assuming to be fox diarrhea, it was a morning that reaffirms why I run everyday.  As for the paw to poo...... "SPLAT"... Jax back foot hit dead center in the middle of a large pile of shit, and the worst kind of poop. I even exclaimed briefly "You dumb dog!" when he refused to go around on the path. My tone was funny in nature, or so I thought until I got a glare from someone walking along the path. Oh well.... it wasn't THEIR dog who just coated his foot with runny green goo. To top it off the river was virtually dry and not helpful in my effort to clean up his paw.  *sigh*.
Here is the photo of the sunrise.    Good thing I took a picture of the sunrise as opposed to the paw.... Gross!!

Day 43: Tues Sept 24th - Colors of Autumn

Day Forty-three:
After a few lighter days of running it felt good to have a longer run this morning.  Over the weekend I felt that my body (and feet) was screaming at me to take it easy. So I listened. While still running, I ran a bit slower and shorter. I also gave Jax a few days off. 
Today we rocked it!  My feet felt light and my legs fast.  
The temperature was chilly at first (48 degrees) but perfect.  The colors of Autumn are popping up everywhere. The glorious yellows, deep reds in contrast with the remaining dark greens are beautiful. Today is supposed to be a hotter day, 87... but there is a storm-a-comin'!  :)  Yay! I love stormy weather.
 

Day 42: Mon Sept 23rd - Mama Day

*I better check my draft box when I think I've published a page... it appears that on a few occasions it didn't actually publish on that day.
Day Forty-two:
Had another light run today. My daughter ran with me on this 'surprise Monday'. Her and I had a "Mama day".  For explanation, this means that once or twice a school year I surprise one of them with a day home with me (on my day off). We spend the day together cooking and doing fun projects. After our little run we made chocolate chip pumpkin bread.  She did a great job! It was super good warm out of the oven with small amount of butter melting on top.  She is actually learning to cook with me as a part of a school learning project. We are making a recipe book with fun memories and photos, which she will then present to the class in a couple months.  So the 'day off' was educational and yummy too!