It’s time for another Wednesday Word link up with Deb! This week’s word is Appreciation.

I’ve bounced around a bit with these Wednesday Word prompts, often tying it in to whatever I had going on that week. But this week I’m choosing to stay running-specific with it. As many of you know, I love running races. I love pushing myself gunning for a best time, but I also enjoy the atmosphere of a race and the opportunity to run in a place I may not otherwise get to see. Races wouldn’t be nearly as fun without the spectators there cheering us on (often with funny signs).

Two years ago I read a wonderful article in the July 2013 edition of Runners’ World (the Boston Marathon special). The article was called Standing Ovation, and it was a tribute to the spectators. It captures my thoughts on appreciation for spectators and those who support us in our endeavors perfectly, so I’ll let a few excerpts do the talking…

That last line is a great reminder: “…it’s easy to take them a little bit for granted.” That’s so true, and it’s important to show some appreciation for spectators. Most of all, for our personal cheerleaders. In my case that’s my family.

Barry is often up for any adventure or crazy race I decide to sign up for. When he opts out, he’s still often there to cheer me on. My dad has always been one of my biggest cheerleaders in life, and he continues to do so now.

The article goes on to talk about how they do all of this for us. And they do so with humility, often saying “I’m just here to watch.” But it’s not just, because we couldn’t do what we do without your support. And even when we are caught up in doing what we do, know that you are appreciated.

How do you show your appreciation for the ones who root for you (in running, or in life)?

We took a mini trip (with a lot of driving) to the east coast this past weekend for my college roommate’s wedding. It all got started on Friday morning when we hit the road. What should have been a five hour trip ended up taking eight. This was slightly due to a navigational error on my part, but mostly due to traffic (Barry would probably say it was more of a 50/50 split, but he’s not the one writing this). We had the camper and dogs in tow, as usual.

We were able to meet up with my dad for lunch on the way down. He was also headed out of town for the weekend. Although he was headed to a different destination, our paths crossed partway through. It’s always great to spend time with my dad, and it was a nice break before tackling the rest of the trip. Finally, we arrived at our campground.

On Friday evening we went over to my college friend/now coworker’s house for dinner. It was cool to hang out and meet some new people. I also got introduced to a new card game called Dutch Blitz. It was a really fun, fast-paced game and I have since purchased my own set for future use!

On Saturday morning I slept in a bit after a late night Friday night. I went for a late morning run, which also doubled as a self-guided running tour of the peninsula. We camped at a really neat place, and I’m going to dedicate a whole post to it later this week.

Saturday afternoon was the main event: the wedding. Barry and I had a great time, and we got to catch up with some friends we hadn’t seen in awhile, as well as make some new friends. It was also fun to dance the night away (although my feet are still feeling the effects of that…).

This was also my first wedding reception that had a photo booth. Definitely made a few trips to that thing throughout the night 😉

Yesterday morning started with a walk on the beach with Barry. Our campground had 500 feet of private beach, which was really nice. I also got started on my very own beach glass collection.

Before we hit the road, Barry and I went to check out Fort Monroe and the Casemate Museum. There was a lot of history to see and read about there. The fort itself is surrounded by a moat, which is really cool. More details later this week.

After that, it was time to load up the dogs and travel home. The dogs had a wonderful weekend. They are pro’s at relaxing in the camper.

Unfortunately, the drive home took nearly as long as the drive to get there. At first it was traffic that held us up – to be expected for a Sunday afternoon in the area we were traveling from. Then there was the terrifying event with the left front tire of our truck, which happened to take place at 65 mph as we made our way down a mountain.

This may not make a lot of sense, but basically what happened was the bands inside the tire had busted and we were really lucky the entire tire didn’t blow. The entire front of the truck started bouncing around like crazy, as if we had blown a tire. Barry safely got us to the shoulder, and then we made it down to the next exit to put the spare tire on. From there it was mostly smooth sailing the rest of the way home. Anyone who camps will attest to the fact that there’s always something that goes awry when you take a trip. Sometimes it’s minor and sometimes it’s more on the major side. But we certainly learn something each time!

Have you ever played Dutch Blitz?
If you camp, what crazy things have happened to you? There was the time a tire on our trailer blew while we were going 65-70 mph on the interstate; Also that time it snowed nearly 6 inches overnight and weighed down the awning so much we couldn’t get the camper door open in the morning. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at that 🙂
Ever been to a wedding with a photo booth?

I recently saw this survey on Deb’s blog and thought it would be fun to join in! It’s a running-related survey where you choose your favorite for each category.

1. Location: Trail, Road, or Indoors? This is a tough one for me, because I like all three! At this point, I’d say trails are my favorite. I like the solitude and peacefulness of being out in the woods. They’re also very challenging, and I like the opportunity to make myself a stronger runner while out on the trails.

Roads and indoor tie as my second favorite 🙂 During the week I often spend a lot of time with my treadmill, nicknamed ‘Sven.’ The main reason for this is that I just don’t feel like going back out when I get home from work. I think it’s just a phase I’ve been in this spring, and I don’t expect it to last for forever.

2. Time of Day: Morning, Noon, or Evening? During the week, my favorite time to run is evening. But on the weekend I definitely prefer mornings. It can be hard to get up, but I love being out there and feeling like the rest of the world is still sleeping. 3. Weather: Sunshine, Mild, or Hot? My ideal weather is April 25. Just kidding 🙂 Actually, my favorite is mid-40’s, and partly cloudy. Perfect weather for capris and either a t-shirt or a light long sleeve.

4. Fuel: Before, After, and Sometimes During? Before: typically a Power Bar or Luna Bar. I also occasionally will eat a Honey Stinger Waffle as a light snack about 30 minutes before a long race. Before a full marathon or a half marathon that I expect may take awhile, I eat a pancake with a light smear of peanut butter.

After: Whatever sound good – usually eggs and coffee.

During: I almost always have water with me, because I like having water to sip on whenever I want it 🙂 Apart from that my favorite running fuel lately is Root Beer and Salted Caramel flavored GU’s. 5. Accessories: Music, Watch, and More? Years ago, I ran with music all of the time. I absolutely had to have it on long runs, and I usually had it for all of my runs. But over the past couple of years I have pretty much stopped listening to music. I like just hearing what’s around me.

However, I do love my Garmin. I have to know, down to the hundredth of a mile, how far I ran! I’m also a big fan of my handheld water bottle and my hydration vest. I typically have one or the other with me during most outdoor runs.

6. Rewards: Food, Wine, or….?

It’s hard to say on this one. I don’t typically plan any sort of “reward” that’s food or beverage related after a run or race. Sometimes during a long run I’ll plan what I want for breakfast. After races, I often have other fun plans, so I guess those are kind of like rewards?

7. Type of Run: Long, Tempo, Intervals, Hill Repeats, Progression, Recovery/Easy?

Long runs are currently favorite, because they’re my social hour (or two…) with my running buddy, Kim. We’ve been running together since fall 2012, and I look forward to these runs each week.

 

That being said, I have a second favorite type of run. While I trained for the Marine Corps Marathon last fall, I used the Hansons Method. My favorite workouts during training were the longer track workouts (5 x 1K and 4 x 1200m) and the intervals (despite calling them crazy for prescribing those workouts). I always felt my strongest during these workouts.

The longer the interval, the more I enjoyed it. They were tough, but I felt so accomplished at the end of each one. That probably means I should consider introducing them into my regular training!

Your turn! Join in on the fun and fill out the survey. I’d love to see your responses!

What are some of your favorite workout-related things?

I’m joining in on Deb’s Wednesday Word link up again today. Today’s word is: challenging.

How does this relate to Hank’s birthday? Well, Hank is a bloodhound and bloodhounds by nature are extremely stubborn creatures. However, they are also very sensitive to correction and easily get their feelings hurt. As you can imagine, this mixture creates quite a challenge when trying to train and raise a bloodhound, and keep him from becoming unruly. Bloodhounds are also very large dogs (almost always over 100 pounds), so it’s important to have them well trained before they’re fully grown.

The challenge presented by a bloodhound is a rewarding thing, though. It requires you to work hard with your dog, thus bonding with him in the process. I think a lot of challenges we face in life are like this. Some are challenges we choose, like raising a puppy or running a marathon, while others are ones we just have to face. It takes hard work and dedication to overcome both types, but it’s so rewarding when we do!

Yesterday was Hank’s fifth birthday. I cannot believe Barry and I have had him for nearly five years. It seems like just yesterday we were picking up 7 week old Hank on July 4, on our way home from our honeymoon. He was so tiny back then, although 19 pounds is actually quite big for a 7 week old puppy.

He has grown from a rambunctious puppy into a strong and handsome dog. Hank loves chewing on a rawhide and playing fetch in the yard.

Most of all, he seems happiest when we’re all home and he can just relax with us and with Scout. Napping is a hobby he is very passionate about.

I got Hank shortly after graduating college, which also happened to be shortly after getting married. He’s the first dog I’ve ever been able to call truly mine and I couldn’t ask for a better “first dog.”

Hank is a bloodhound, and it’s very much apart of his nature to track. All of his features contribute to this – from the long ears that waft the scent into his nose, to his wrinkles which act as blinders to keep him from getting distracted. It’s ingrained in him, and using his nose is something he has done on his own from the time he was little. When he was a few months old, Barry and I started working with him tracking us. This past year, we became involved with a bloodhound Search & Rescue group. It has been amazing to watch Hank tackle challenges, improve, and learn new tracking-related skills.

In turning five, Hank is now officially middle-aged. He still acts young and runs around like a limber puppy, but he does have a few gray hairs growing in on his temples and muzzle. He’s not worried, though, as he hears the ladies find a touch of gray reassuring. A sign of wisdom and maturity.

 

He still likes to play, though. His favorite game is fetch – even though he’s not always the best at actually catching the ball!

We celebrated his birthday with a new birthday rawhide….

….and some puppy ice cream.

Scout got to have some too, of course, because it wouldn’t be fair to just give Hank stuff.Scout’s birthday is in August, so both dogs will get to celebrate again in a few months!

If you have pets, how old are they? What challenges have you faced with them?

We had a fun weekend this past weekend. I hope everyone had a nice Mother’s Day yesterday! Almost everything we did this weekend kind of centered around moms, actually. Barry and I welcomed the weekend with a challenging trail run Friday evening up Draper Mountain. The view from the top never gets old.

On Saturday morning I met up with Kim for a 4 mile run. She brought her little one along with her. With one mile to go I asked if I could push the stroller. It was tough to push! Kim swears you get used to it, but I’m not convinced.

When we got finished our run, Kim’s daughter was ready to get out of the stroller and run off some energy. She was so cute running around the playground!

On Saturday afternoon, Barry and I went to Kim and Chad’s reveal party (Kim is due in September). They did one of these for their first baby as well. It was exciting to find out they are expecting a boy! One of each.

On Sunday morning I did an easy 3 miles on the treadmill (while Barry was out doing a 15 mile long run). Then we headed down the interstate to visit with his parents for Mother’s Day.

We enjoyed a nice afternoon and had a late lunch of ham, rolls, green beans, sweet potatoes, corn, and fruit. Yum! After hanging out for a bit, it was time to head back up the road.

What did you do for Mother’s Day?
Have you ever been to a baby reveal party? Apparently it has now become a ‘thing’ that they make decorations for and everything!