It’s been such a full week and it’s only continuing now. I’d like to blog more often because I feel when I finally sit down I have so much to tell, but it’s hard finding the time to just sit still and write!
This last Sunday was my longest run to date- 14 miles! I got up bright and early to meet my team at 5:30 in the morning. I’m being featured in the Space Coast Runners Newsletter in the ‘ Run a Mile With’ column. Basically a little feature about runners in our community. I was excited they asked me to be interviewed and submit some photos. I knew I wanted a picture of my team so we took one this last Sunday.
Well the picture was the easy part! I didn’t have time that morning to eat, I only had my smoothie. I think this along with other things going on that day made my iron drop. I felt drained. My friend started having hip pain so around mile 11 for me (9 for her, she was doing 12), we dropped back from the group. Instead of doing 30:30 intervals, we started running 30 seconds and walking 1:30. We did this for the last 3 miles or so. On the way, we found a guy that was running on his own and struggling. He joined us and we chatted along the way. He used to be really athletic in high school and college, but now in his 40’s, he had a hard time making exercise a regular thing. The three of us encouraged each other and had a good time.
I came home and rushed to get ready to go to church. I don’t always go to church on Sundays due to my training, but my husband was helping during the service. We go to a Methodist church that we enjoy a lot. The vision statement is ‘ Love God, Love each other and Love our neighbors in extraordinary ways”. I think having such an open, welcoming and accepting vision as this is what it’s all about.
We then headed to a fundraiser for the Melbourne Avian Rescue Sanctuary. One of my friends is a bird owner and deeply involved with the organization ( she’s on the right hand side). Did you know many of these birds live for decades, sometimes 80 years! That’s why this rescue organization is so important, many times they take in the same bird over and over. It’s not as glamorous as a puppy rescue, but I love all animals. We had a great time. There were 4 wines to taste and my husband loved being surrounded by all women (the girls in the middle were sitting with us).
When we finally came home, I think I was too wound up to actually take a nap. We decided to order in a pizza ( I had, after all, a 1400 calorie deficiency). While I was ordering the pizza, my Twitter notifications started going off. My friend Laurita over at Espresso Con Leche was holding a giveaway on her blog for Marc Anthony tickets. Now before you knock him, he is an idol in the salsa genre. I admit that I do not like him singing in English, but this man knows how to do salsa well. I’ve been wanting to see him for a while know, but as he lives in Miami, Florida concerts are some of his most popular. Tickets are always expensive. But I had thought, ‘Why Not?’, since this is the actual day of our 6th wedding anniversary. I bit the bullet and bought the tickets. Then on Sunday, it turns out I won tickets on her blog! I promptly sold mine on StubHub. I was worried we’d be up in the nosebleeds, but these are club level tickets! I am elated to celebrate our anniversary listening to one of our favorite singers. I’ve always said one of the best things we did for our marriage was learn how to dance. There is so much non-verbal communication and it’s also downright hot when a man knows how to dance. So pardon my wedding collage.
My wedding, like most of my life, was on the Texas-Mexico border. We got married in a church in El Paso, TX where I went to school and had friends, but later, we crossed into Cd. Juarez for the reception, where most of my family lives. To this date, my friends say it is one of the most fun weddings they have attended. The mariachi was first class and was a gift from my dad. I wouldn’t have wanted my wedding any other way.
I could take up a whole blog on marriage lessons, but this is a running blog after all. This last year has been so fun, taking up running and new challenges and getting fit together.
This week is a semi-off week, with less mileage. Definitely well timed as we will be on celebration mode this weekend.
Is there an artist you’ve always wanted to see?
Correle Martha! 
Congrats on running your first 14 miles AND your anniversary!