Monday, August 2, 2010

Race Pace and Growing Family!

The 15 miles yesterday went well.  Normally our pace leader likes to do marathon pace during the middle of the run, or during the second half, but due to the extreme heat (low 80s when we started at 5:30 a.m.), we did it on the beginning of the run.  We ran easy to mile 2, then race pace to the u-turn at 7.5, then race pace for another half mile, then easy the rest of the way back.  Any given Sunday, I couldn't care less when we do the race pace, and I suppose I might even prefer it from a strength/mental point to do it at the end of the run, but yesterday's route was a long gradual downhill into downtown, then a long gradual uphill all the way back.  So it was kind of like cheating to do race pace only on the downhill, but I'm not complaining!

I wanted to try out my MTCM outfit but it's a short-sleeved shirt and by Sat night I realized that I'd have to be on crack to wear short sleeves in the morning instead of sleeveless in temps over 80.  So trying out the outfit will have to wait for Sept. probably.  I've worn it on several runs over 13 before, but never over about 16 as far as I can remember.  It's the outfit my husband got me for my bday last year -- Brooks navy and teal shorts and shirt. 

But the best part of the day Sunday came after the run.  I got home and relaxed for a little while, icing my feet, stretching, delaying taking a shower.  Our phone rang and it was my baby brother calling to say he'd gotten engaged that morning!  I'm so excited for them!  He and his fiancee have been dating since college, about 4 years?  Maybe 5?  She's really sweet and will make a stunning bride I'm sure.  She's from Michigan and they're thinking the wedding will be there next summer.  I'm not sure where they're going to live.  She currently lives in Milwaukee, and my bro lives in Chicago with one of my other brothers.  Maybe they can live somewhere in between.  I am a big believer in birth order stuff as it applies to families with 4 or more children in particular.  I married the baby in a big family, and the brother who got engaged is the baby in ours.  And I honestly believe the babies are the sweetest and nicest.  I told my bro's fiancee that she definitely is marrying the best of all of us.  She's a lucky girl, but he's also a lucky guy. 

The other big family expansion happened overnight last night.  We got a text that we became great-uncle/aunt again overnight.  The crazy thing is, it's another boy.  That makes 3 straight generations comprising 11 births and 100% male in my husband's family.  He has brothers, no sisters, all of their children are male, and now the one nephew who has had kids (second last night) has only had boys.  If I were a math person, I'd try to figure out the odds of that! 

Anyway, the weekend was quiet and productive, which was awesome.  I didn't do any Xmas shopping but I kind of started researching.  I didn't connect with all my besties but I at least left voicemails.  I still have to dig out school supplies to donate.  I'm wearing the heel cushions today and they feel good.  I went to pick up 3 orders of prints, including 1 order that was an 8x10 and three 4x6s.  The guy at Walgreen's had trouble finding that order (the other two orders were all 4x6s and were ready).  I said it was an enlargement and then he pulled it off the printer and put it in an envelope.  I asked to confirm that the three smaller prints were there too and he looked at the scanner tag and said yes.  My mistake for not trusting.  People who work at the Walgreen's photo counter are not bright or reliable, particularly less so when you interrupt their flirting with a co-worker to pick up your order.  I got home and started working on dinner; while things were cooking, I got out the prints to organize them and of course realized the smaller ones were missing.  I called the store and the idiot eventually found them and said I'd have to come back to pick them up while he was working b/c he didn't know how to make sure I'd get them after he was gone.  Of course that didn't work b/c of dinner -- I was so frustrated!  But my husband picked them up on his way home, so not a big deal.  It's just irritating that some people do their job so inattentively.  But I should have known better and checked myself before I drove home.  I blame it on being too distracted by the cute engagement card I picked out for my brother's fiancee.  Either way, now I just have to put the pics in the frames and then wait to get the all-clear on our renovations so I can rehang things on the interior walls that were impacted.  Hopefully that will happen in the next couple days before our lovely Italian houseguest arrives! 

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