There was a clue.

Earlier today, I was rushing out the door, trying to get my run before my next obligation. I went to put my house key into my pocket, but it was kind of flipped over funny and I had to fold it up to keep the key in.

Which should have been my clue.

But I didn't catch on and went running around town, thankfully not for very long. Because now, hours later (still in my running clothes because I'm going to get in another mile on the treadmill before bed), I walked by a mirror and realized...

My shorts are inside out. As in, the bloomers are on the outside. As in, it looks kind of like I'm wearing a gray cloth diaper over my shorts. And I ran around in public like this. Aren't I a great ambassador for runners?

P.S. I had a lot of running excitement over the week: 5K! New Shoes! The Best Running Store Ever! I'll share all about that later, but I had to let someone else in on this shorts issue.

P.P.S I'm getting in my long run after school tomorrow. I'm trying to get jazzed up about it, but I really wish I had someone to run with here. I just need a little more distraction from the fact that I'm trying to run 15+ miles.

Crocheted Hangers and Four Wheeler Rides

If the title didn't clue you in, this will kind of be all over the place.

First and foremost, happy birthday to Maddox! One of my good friends, Stephanie, gave birth (after a looong wait) today and I cannot wait to see her and the baby tomorrow! I've known Stephanie since middle school and I'm so happy that she became a mom today.

I didn't head out for my run until sorta late this evening. When I'm out here in the country, I really prefer running in the evening. It's cool, the frogs and crickets are coming out, the sun is setting...it just makes for a lovely run.

The only problem is that dark comes shortly after evening (you'd think I'd catch onto that) and I end up at my grandma's house after only 1 mile with no visible path home. (I was glad I came when I did though because my 83-year-old grandma was teetering on a step stool trying to disarm the low-battery-beeping of the smoke detector with a butter knife. My grandma is in better shape and a better engineer than at least 80 percent of the people I know, but that was a tricky battery to remove, even for me.)

Besides the satisfaction of taking out the batteries fixing the smoke detector and visiting with my grandma, there was even another reward: my newest set of Aunt Mabel crocheted hangers!

Hate away, but I love these things. I've previously received these from my Great Aunt Mabel at graduations and my bridal shower (while watching my jealous friends snicker in the background) and they are actually really useful for tank tops and dresses and whatnot.

The really cherry on the top of all this excitement, however, was getting to hitch a ride back home with my dad. I haven't ridden on my spot on the back of the four wheeler (backwards, legs hanging off the back, warm from the exhaust) in a long time. It's funny how something like that can instantly make you feel 7 years old again.

All in all, obviously, I had a very productive run. Let's hope all this goofing around doesn't bite me when I go for 11 miles on Sunday.

Yesterday, on my run, I saw...

• Josie choosing to run with me instead of Leslie because I'm much slower her favorite.
• (and smelled) a deer in the ditch that had been decomposing for at least 3 days.
• Josie almost attack a pack of cats.
• my elementary school best friend's mom.
• a pack of dogs almost attack Josie. (Karma?)
• a long, creepy, brown snake skin right in time to prevent me stepping on it.
• my little sister a good half-mile (or more) ahead of me at the turnaround.
• a dead snake in the road.
• the sun go down.
• my uncle in his driveway and darted behind some corn so I wouldn't get the no-running-in-the-dark lecture.
• a beautiful display of heat lightning in the distance.
• my little sister (finished with her run) driving back out to see if I was okay.
• the end of the driveway, barely visible in the dark, signifying I was finished!

and I felt...great! I tried this same 8 mile run on Sunday and came back home after 2 miles: hot, tired, and defeated. It's amazing what a difference a day can make.

One Reason I Love My Mom

Obviously, I love my mom for a variety of reasons, chiefly because she gave birth to me and raised me and all, but there are certain moments that just highlight my appreciation for her.

She, her friend, and my sister arrived in town late Friday evening. We had a extended supper, sat around visiting, and didn't end up at my in-laws' lake house until a few minutes before midnight. Trying not to draw attention and waiting for a scolding, I got out my running shoes and mumbled something about, "Since it's dark, I'll just jog around the yard for 10 minutes or so..."

My mom looked at me like I was crazy and I paused for a talk about time management and safety. Then she said, "Around the yard? That doesn't make any sense. Why don't you run up the road?"

So, as I ran, at midnight, pausing only once to hide behind a bush when a car passed (in case the driver was scary or might call the highway patrol about some crazy lady out in the night), I was thankful for my mom. And thankful for her appreciation/tolerance of my eccentricities. I'm pretty grateful for the seven miles she ran with me this morning, too.

Hope y'all had a good weekend too!

1 Mile with Flashlight and Gators

Remember how I was planning ahead? Well, I'm doing great so far except the mile I was going to run this evening got pushed back a little. I was going to run while my husband was at a meeting (is it bad that sometimes I feel like I have to run behind his back?), but he arrived home earlier than I anticipated. Then we visited Grandma and plans changed and we packed up and headed to the lake. And suddenly it was dark. And I was separated from my treadmill.

So armed with a flashlight (per my mother-in-law's clever suggestion, otherwise I would have been wandering the dark) and a warning from my father-in-law about "gators crossing at night," I hit the road.

Although I've seen many alligators in the swamp and creek along this route during daylight, I did not see any tonight. I almost squished a hoppy-toad, but that was about it.

I'll be the first to admit that daily running is not always practical, but how else would I end up bouncing through nature with only my flashlight and the frogs? I treasure my mini-adventures. : )