October is one of my favorite months. It starts off strong with my wedding anniversary on October 1, and ends in a spooktacular way on Halloween. Deborah and I noticed that many of our coffee date guests are having coffee on Friday, so we are going to try opening the Ultimate Coffee Date link up on Fridays and see how that goes. To keep it real, please make sure you stop by other coffee date posts throughout the weekend.
This weekend I ran the 10 mile race of the 2018 Reston Perfect 10 put on by Potomac River Running. I’ve run this race several times before–and twice as many times if you count the Reston 10 Miler that shares the same course in March.
This is usually my favorite time of year for running, but OMG the rain! And if it’s not raining, the humidity has been oppressive. In September! I think Mother Nature needs to join this month’s Runfessions over at Marcia’s Healthy Slice.
She also could join the Friday Five link up at Running On Happy and Fairytales and Fitness. Should Deborah and I invite her to join the October Ultimate Coffee Date next weekend? Only if she promises to bring nice weather!
Fall snuck up on me this year. Probably because it doesn’t feel like fall yet. Our weather was a bit cooler this week, but still very humid. So, when I bought new running shoes last week I didn’t realize I would be kicking off fall with new kicks–but I had decided I needed new shoes for my fall races.
Well, so far I only have ONE fall race on my calendar, but there’s bound to be more, right?
I agree that laughter can be the best medicine for a number of situations. It certainly is the best stress-reliever. If I can laugh at the ridiculousness of my woes–like when the wind blew a sign off a building through the rear windshield of my car–it helps me get through the b.s. of sorting things out.
This week I learned that laughter–and remembering the times spent laughing together–can be the best balm when faced with the unexpected loss of a friend.
I was shocked when I learned that my very best friend from college had died. At first, her Facebook page was filled with comments of disbelief–Tell me it’s not true! How could this happen?! But as the hours and days went on, people shared their memories along with their anguish.
One thing that struck me is how similar our recollections were, even though we knew Maiyah at different times, in distant places, under different circumstances. People shared about her generosity with her time and talents, her adventurous spirit, her passions for music and dance, her dedication to personal growth and spiritual healing. People shared pictures of Maiyah dancing, singing, drumming–and just being silly. I wasn’t there when the pictures were taken, but I could have been. They all showed the Maiyah I knew, doing things I could picture Maiyah doing.
Not my picture, but I know that wild coat!
I am so sad that Maiyah has left this world, but all my memories are grounded in laughter. Laughing over the waiter giving her and my toddler daughter a kids menu when we all went out to eat–yes, we were being silly but did she really look like she was 12?! Laughing at how my elementary school-aged son played a brutal game of Monopoly–how did he always end up with hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place? Laughing over the regrettable side effects when my beagle got into the entire package of rawhide chews she had brought as a gift. Laughing over convincing each other to try bacon ice cream at the beach–who thought it could possibly be better than funnel cake?! Of course there are quieter memories–times spent sharing, talking, and just being together. But even if there were tears, there was laughter. And now, even as there are tears, I remember the times we spent laughing together.
I thought about skipping the Weekly Wrap link up hosted by Holly and Wendy, and I thought about keeping my thoughts of Maiyah to myself. But this is real life, and this was my week. In between time spent stalking Maiyah’s Facebook page for updates and memories, there were challenges and successes at work, catching a movie with another dear friend, date night with my husband, and lots of sweaty workouts.
Monday: OTF
This workout was tough! It was one of the few times I’ve gotten my heart rate into the orange zone on the rower, and definitely the first time I got my heart rate into the red zone on the treadmill. It’s not really a goal–it feels pretty miserable!
Tuesday: Aimee’s class at Cyclebar
Wednesday: 4.5 Scooby Miles
Do you like Scooby’s mug shot?
Thursday: 3.2 Scooby Miles + Strength Workout
Friday: Yoga Sculpt at CorePower Yoga
I’d never been to a Yoga Sculpt class at CorePower Yoga, but for some reason it’s what I was in the mood for on Friday. The only thing yoga about the class was flowing through chaturanga-upward facing dog-downward facing dog between sets–and holding horse pose while doing biceps curls. Otherwise, it was an intense sculpt class held in a moderately heated (90-93°F) yoga studio. I liked that instructor led us through a pace that let me focus on good form instead of struggling to keep up, and by the end of class my arms/shoulders needed to skip chaturanga and just recover in dog-downward facing dog! While I didn’t suffer from DOMS for days afterwards, it did wake up some muscles I hadn’t heard from in a while.
I ended up using the 5 lb weights for everything.
Saturday: 11 mile run
The woman in my MRTT group I ran 10 miles with last week had a 12 mile run on her marathon training plan. I told her I’d do 10 with her, but as we approached the 5 mile turn-around point, I decided I could hang on for another 1/2 mile before tuning around so she’d only have to tack on 1 more more my herself. My glutes were reminding me of that yoga sculpt class and my legs wanted to quit at mile 9, but I pushed on.
These ducks made the most of the flooding last week’s rain left behind.
A few more hills means a few more minutes in the orange zone.
Sunday: 38.8 mile bike ride.
No, I could go 0.2 more miles. let alone 1.2 more! I planned an easy route in my head, and while it was pretty easy, it was longer than I thought–that’s what happens when you don’t stop to add up the different segments you are piecing together!
Basically, we rode from our house to Shirlington and did the Arlingon Loop with a detour over to the Capital Crescent Trail for an out-and-back to Bethesda.
My heart got to take it easy, but my legs were still tired!
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Do you have a friend who always makes you laugh?
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