Three Things Thursday

1) Turns out traveling for three weeks makes the week you finally get back to the office super busy.  Long hours and stress but I'm getting through it!

2) Ever been in an accident?  Well, I hadn't until about a week ago.  Everyone is fine and there was minimal damage but man, oh man, this has not been a fun experience.  It was the other drivers fault so their insurance is handling repairs, etc but it has been a lot of phone calls and paperwork.  Anyway, long story short I will hopefully be getting my car back tomorrow and be out of the rental.  Thank goodness I love Charlotte Leigh my CRV.  (Yes, I named my car.)

3) Is it really almost the end of September?  As of today it has been exactly 9 weeks since I was out on the roads running.  I am READY to get back out there!  My foot has mostly healed, I don't have pain while walking anymore and I've been able to go to spin class without pain as well.  However, I am really afraid that once I get back out running that I'll just get re-injured.  Please leave comments about how you triumphed over an injury and came back at least as strong as you were before, in not stronger.  I could use some encouragement. 

HOME

After an insane stretch of traveling every week I am finally home for a good long while without any travel plans for work. Since Sept 7th I’ve traveled over 1200 driving miles + two plane rides. Needless to say I’m all stocked up on hotel toiletries for my gym bag. I’m definitely ready for some quality time at home with Mr. Pi and Zoey and sleeping in MY OWN BED. Since being on the road this month I realized just how much I missed running. Running is such an “easy” sport to do while traveling…all you need is shoes and an outfit. Since I haven’t been running I was limited by hotel gyms, most of which only have treadmills or have limited other options. I was able to ride a couple of stationary bikes that look like they were older than me and I snagged one very quick 15 minute session on an elliptical. However, most mornings I slept in, took my sweet time watching cable channels I don’t have at home and enjoyed some peace and quiet before the craziness of my work days began. It was certainly a great stretch of travel filled with lots of learning, fun and beautiful sites but I’m glad to be home. Here are some pictures of my travels...posted some of these already, sorry for the duplication:


Trip #1:


Fires on 97 North in Washington

New route to avoid the fire, aka road to nowhere

Windmills in the Columbia Gorge (k, I didn’t actually take this one BUT windmills are THICK along both the Oregon and Washington sides of the Gorge)

Trip #2


Rushing river in Northern California

Crazy hail that piled up and looked like snow

Trip #3:


Unexpected Hollywood viewing…exterior shots from the hit TV show Northern Exposure filmed in a neighboring town of where I was actually staying but I ate dinner at The Brick, Holling’s place!

Photo from the Opening of Northern Exposure, nope I didn't see any moose!

So glad to be home and ready to get back into a routine!  With my Dad still in town for a few more days and a good looking weather forecast I'm hoping to soak up the sun (while it's still out) and tour Dad around my neighborhood.



Jammed Packed

Not much has changed since I last posted. I left on September 11th for another work trip (but not before Mr. Pi and I took on a house project Sunday midmorning---photos below).  At the airport I encountered some extra screenings, which I was happy to oblige but traveling on Sept. 11th took less time than I anticipated.  This trip took me to Southern Oregon/very far Northern California.  Again, the travel was packed and go, go, go but it was also amazingly rewarding and informative.


I was at work for only one day last week and then took Thursday and Friday as vacation days because a very important person was coming to town...my DAD!  We have been keeping Dad busy with house projects and hiking.


Like I mentioned above, before I left on my work trip and after we had recovered from the concert we went to after spending the day helping with our friends wedding we took on a house project.  We transplanted blueberry bushes!

I dug the grass up while Mr. Pi was at Burning Man over Labor Day

Mr. Pi digging more of a trench for the border

Moving the blueberries via wagon

Empty spot where they used to be

All moved into their new home

When Dad got here we didn't let him do much resting.  Soon after we got his stuff to the house we took off for supplies at Home Depot.  Time to lattice under the deck stairs!

The guys measuring it out

Lattice built

AND....finished!

We didn't give Dad much of a break as the following morning we were up and heading to the coast for a hike.  We knew it was going to be raining but I don't think any of us anticipated the rain storm we were going to hiking through for 8 miles.  All I have to say is thank goodness for my Columbia waterproof jacket (I need to post a review of this thing).  My foot also did pretty good for 8 miles though I could feel it a bit toward the end as we were hiking on a gravel road for the last few miles.

Starting the very windy and rainy hike

Walking down the beach

Brrrr!  But this jacket SAVED ME!

Since the weather wasn't so great we had the beach to ourselves and even let Zoey off the leash...which we NEVER do

Near the end...very wet, very cold and ready to be done

After an awesome but very wet day of hiking we finished the night at a local pub and were all asleep by 10:00pm.  Not 12 hours later we were back in action continuing the demolition of the back yard!  This time we were ready to rip out some concrete.  We only managed to rip out one square before the rain started to come down pretty hard and we called it a day in the yard.  The boys watched football while I did some house cleaning.  Whew, what a weekend!

Starting the demo

Action shot of the sledge hammer

All demo'd!

 I'm off on another work trip tuesday-thursday this week and am hoping for nice weather where I'm headed!  I'm already over the chilly rain.  I shouldn't be, I know this is what it's going to be like for the next 10 months but I always mourn the last of summer with all my summery self!

Where I travel and am a klutz

I knew this was going to be the month of traveling for work but whew, I've only been on one trip and I'm zonked.  My first trip took me up through central/eastern washington state.  I'm not from the Pacific Northwest so my travels throughout these states have been somewhat limited.  On this trip I learned a few things...


1. Central/Eastern Washington is very dry.
2. Is very warm.
3. Smells like beer b/c there are a TON of hops fields.
4. Very rural!

Garmin didn't even know the road we were on.

5. Prone to forest fires.

This fire closed the highway that we were supposed to be driving on and instead we had to travel 2 hours out of our way to get where we were going.  The smoke cloud was HUGE and the entire area was hazy and smelled like burning forest.

It was a great first trip to kick off my travel month EXCEPT for the fact that the hotel chair "bit" me.  AKA I am a HUGE klutz and stubbed my toe so hard that I'm pretty sure I broke my pinky toe.  And yes, this is the same foot that I was recently in the walking boot for my Morton's Neuroma!  YIKES.

It'll be great to NOT be injured sometime soon!  

I got back from my first trip Friday late afternoon and I head back out tonight but in the few short hours I was at home I went to a wedding with Mr. Pi yesterday...

Rocky Butte State Park in Portland.  Great views even with the haze from the forest fires.

AND we went to a concert last night and didn't get home til 1:00ish.  Needless to say, I'll be using that plane ride today for a nap!  (Yup, traveling by air on September 11th, should be long lines at the airport and extra security but I'm prepared.)  

Here's to another week of travel and speedy healing for my poor foot.  In other foot news, my Morton's Neuroma has definitely decreased I can barely feel it anymore, which is awesome!  I went to a spin class last week and it didn't hurt AT ALL!  With the travel it's tough to fit anything in but push ups and abs but when I get back to my routine I'm hopeful I can start spin and weights classes again.  I'm still giving myself until the end of September to start running again, now with the toe, I'm hopeful that I can even make that timeline.

Happy running, biking and swimming to all of you!

All About the Shoes

Now that I’m bootless, at least for the time being, I knew I needed to raid my closet of all the terrible adorable shoes that probably didn’t help in my development of a severe neuroma.  So, operation clean out the closet began.  Here are some of the beauties I had to let go of…

After weeding out several pairs of shoes, what did I do…go shopping of course! This wasn’t your typical Nordstorms or Macys or even Aerosoles trip, I’ve hit a new bottom---I went to *GULP* one of those geriatric shoe stores that carry clogs and ugly teva/hiking sandals. It was necessary and painful. While some of the wedge/sandal shoes weren’t totally awful looking most of the flat shoes (which is the only thing I can really wear) were pretty bad. After trying on hideous pair after hideous pair I finally settled on these:

They aren’t super hideous but they definitely are granny looking. However, they serve their purpose, they are comfortable and my equally heinous orthotic fits in the shoe perfectly. I can’t wear them yet though, I’m still in running shoes since those are the only shoes at the moment that are remotely comfortable, even the granny shoes are a little much yet.


Speaking of running shoes…I’ve been wearing my basically brand new Saucony ProGrid Ride3’s since my foot started acting up and I had to give up normal shoes. The podiatrist encouraged me to try New Balance and Brooks as both are noted to have wider toe boxes and have a generally roomier feel to them. I normally order my running shoes online from RunningWarehouse but since I was switching brands I figured I should try them on before taking the plunge. At the geriatric shoe store they carried two running shoe brands—Brooks and New Balance, whatdoyouknow! So I tried both. I’ve tried New Balance before and really didn’t like them so I wasn’t all that hopeful. I tried two pairs from Brooks and two pairs from New Balance.


New Balance 890

New Balance 10 (these were honking shoes but comfy)

Brooks Adrenline GTS 11

Brooks Trance

I was surprised that I liked all four! They were all very comfortable and my orthotic fit in each one nicely. I ended up going with the Brooks Adrenaline mostly because I found them to be the most cushy. Close second were the New Balance 890.


I probably won’t be doing any running in September (per September goals) but when I’m ready to hit the roads again I will have a nice new cushy, wide toe boxed running shoe.


Now for my curious questions to all you readers out there…


1. Have you gotten rid of “cute” shoes since you started running?


2. Anyone else been to a geriatric shoe store and walked out with a shopping? (Please tell me I’m not alone)


3. How many brands of running shoes have you tried?


(Brooks makes five for me. I started in Addidas, I left Addidas for New Balance, left New Balance for Mizuno, left Mizuno for Saucouny and left Saucony for Brooks. Brooks will still have to prove himself on the roads when I’m back out there before I will officially claim I’ve left Sacouny for good. Sounds like the makings of a good romance novel doesn’t it?)

August Recap + September Goals

When I was typing September I wrote July...yup, I'd like to repeat July and August again--I LOVE SUMMER, please don't go...


Onto the recap.  Given my foot and going into a boot I'd say I fared well in August but I'm ready to get back out on the roads again.  Sadly, I think I'm still a few weeks away.


August Recap:

1. Do a post on the patio project, including all of the to-do’s and ‘before’ photos of the yard. Catalogue the adventure via blog, I’m guessing it is probably a two-month project.--FAIL.  Mr. Pi and I did make a list of all the pre-patio projects that need to get done before we can actually lay pavers.  I am planning to post that list soon and also do a post on the project itself.

2. No running until August 20th. Yup, I’m officially NOT running for 4 weeks (starting last Friday). It’s necessary and I’ve accepted it. Doctor said two weeks but I’m self extending this to 4 weeks.--SUCCESS.  Sad, but this has been successful.  It's September 1st and I haven't run since July 28th.

3. Since I’m trying to rest the foot, it’s time to whip the upper body into shape. Here I come weights and pushup challenge.--Half success.  I have been doing weights and pushups but a bit more sporadically than I'd like.

4. Complete some distance of the Covered Bridge Ride. I am signed up for the century but it’s doubtful I’ll be able to complete that distance, I’m leaning toward metric century or even the 40 mile family ride.--FAIL.  Decided it wasn't worth further injury.  Instead of riding the century I scraped paint, sanded, primed and re-painted by deck railings.

5. Order (or create) some artwork with Mr. Pi. He has been wanting to decorate our house a bit more. I’m personally a bit of a minimalist but I agree it could use some spicing up, especially the downstairs bathroom.--FAIL.  But I have looked on Etsy and found some items that I favorited, that's a start.

 6. Complete a 2 mile swim. My swim distances have really varied swim-to-swim but I’ve done a few 3000 yd swims so I think it is well within reason to do a 2 mile (3525 yds). I’m not really going for a straight swim necessarily, though I may do that as well, but rather a swim workout of 2 miles. I’ve gone back to the book and have been loving the workouts.--SUCCESS.  I've done multiple swims over 3000 yds and two at 3525 yds (or two miles).

 7. Healthy eating focus. Since I won’t be spending a ton of time running and biking, I plan to use some of that time to get back into meal planning and cooking for the Pi’s.--Half SUCCESS.  I've been cooking more but I was also traveling for work and we had company in town which makes it hard to eat healthy.  But this is a work in progress.

 8. Finish blog re-design.--Mostly SUCCESS.  I'd still like to change a few things around but I added the tabs that I wanted to add and it's mostly finished.

September's 9 goals for the 9th month.

1. Post the pre-patio project list.

2. Be more consistent with pushups and weights. 2x per week of weights, 3x per week PUps

3. Get back out on my bike. (This is obviously contingent on the status of my foot injury.)

4. No running for another 4 weeks. Yup, I'm giving myself another complete month off from running to properly heal.  It's going to be tough as I'm already going a bit nuts but I know it's necessary.

5. Eat vegetarian for a week.  I don't eat a ton of meat as it is but I'd like to go veg for a week this month and consciously choose healthy vegetarian options (aka NOT all PASTA).

6. Order some artwork with Mr. Pi.

7. Continue with the swimming!  I'll be traveling a lot for work in the month of September so I don't want to set a specific amount of swimming since I'm not sure what I'll be able to fit in but I'd like to try for as much or more swimming than August!

8. Go to a yoga class.

9.  Think about/start planning a winter weekend getaway. (Yes, I know it's early to be thinking about this but I really want to rent a cabin or something this year for a weekend.)