Eight Days and Counting

A week from tomorrow I will run a half marathon. Indeed, the even starts at 9:00, so I will likely be done by this time next Sunday. I am so excited. I can't wait to run it, I can't wait to be there and feel the energy and accomplish something that a year and a half ago I thought was impossible.

I have today off, yay, and so far have enjoyed a wonderfully relaxed morning. I woke up at about 7:30 and messed around online for a bit, then made some delicious oatmeal with 1/2 cup of oats, 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/3 cup water, almost a tablespoon of vanilla (I don't believe there's such a thing as too much vanilla), one smashed up banana, a tablespoon of chia seeds and about two teaspoons of almond butter, and about a tablespoon of agave. I whipped it up until it was a fluffy oatmealy-mess on the stove then topped it with some raisins, goji berries, and about a quarter cup of nature's valley peanut butter granola, which is my favorite stuff in the world. It was delicious, the granola added the perfect crunch and its kept me full all morning. After breakfast, and the daily run across the streets for caffeine (although as the boy and I were saying this morning I really should just buy a coffee press and grinder... then I could just make my own french press, and it would be more or less free as I get a free pound of coffee a week), the boy and I sat in bed watching the Olympic broadcast, and talking. Pretty much a perfect Saturday morning.

Today I drove my boyfriend to work, and then went to buy some new/old running shoes (new in that they are new, old in that I bought the exact same model I had before as I adore them - mizuno wave riders, pretty much the best shoe ever). My old pair have served me faithfully since early August, and have taking me through my 10k and all my half marathon training, but I think they are just about done. I know you aren't supposed to run a race on new shoes, but I have a three miler today, an eleven miler tomorrow and some runs next week that should break them in in time. After buying new shoes I stopped at whole foods so I can make these raw chocolate chip cookies and these chocolate puddle cookies I promised the boy I'd make. Of course, me being me, and whole foods being whole foods, I also bought a ton of other food to experiment with this week. I just can't help myself when I am in there, but as my dad said, it's a good sign when the thing you spend the most money on other than rent is food, it means you're buying good food. So I'm going with it.

Now there is a three mile run and some strength training in my future. The question is whether or not I feel like braving the rain for three miles or braving the 'dreadmill.' Chances are, seeing as it is only three miles I'll do them at the gym, that way I can easily transition into doing some weights, planks, stability ball crunches etc. Then I get to come home and bake, bake, bake... and then the boy and I are celebrating our four year anniversary (again, as the first time around was our semi-disastrous snow-camping adventure) at Vij's one of our favorite west-coast style Indian places. Seriously some of the best food ever.

Ok. Time to stop procrastinating and start running.