A dumpling, a sausage, and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Three loops...2.83 miles each = 8.49 miles... + 2 (0.78) = 1.56... 8.49 + 1.56 = 10.07, but I'm calling it 10.1 because today is a rounding up kind of day :) In any event, I completed a double digit run for the first time since January (I think).

Each of the three loops took 30 minutes...give or take 30 seconds. Total running time for the 10.1 miles was one gorgeous hour and 45 beautiful minutes.

I had no running buddy accompanying me this weekend, but I found myself in a great headspace and feeling physically pretty awesome so it all worked out okay. The survival nuts-n-bolts: took a good hit of water and a substantial hit of Nuun and a short pee break after each of the first two loops. I ate a date at end of that second loop, too. I almost went without a fuel stop and just focused on hydrating because I had great energy. No GI issues...just pee issues. I attribute my solid energy and belly to my hearty and amazing lunch. I ate said lunch at just after 1 o'clock and started my run at 4:25 p.m. It consisted of approximately 1/3 cup of cooked brown rice, half a can of organic black beans, half a tin of sardines, and about a quarter of a jar of Green Mountain Gringo hot salsa. Yeah, sardines. It tasted kind of weird...okay...kind of gaggy. But that was where the ton of salsa came in handy ;-)

Anyway...

It's hard for me to know if I felt kind of barfy because of that sugary date roughly an hour into things or because those sardines and hot salsa were catching up with me. Or if I felt a significant mental distraction set in at about the 8-mile mark because I didn't fuel enough during the run...or because I am just not really in 10-mile running shape yet. Hmmmm... things to ponder....

But the coolest thing about my run today was: my family :)

While not exactly running buddies, my husband and my two sons went for a hike around the loop while I ran. Can I use 'whilst' there? I figured they would be slow enough for me to jam on three loops to their one. And my calculations were spot on. They finished up mere moments before I came skipping merrily down the road, eager to continue for "just one more mile (and a half)!" Luckily, they were still having enough fun that they didn't mind waiting.

I felt on top of the world when it was over. I felt really strong except for the half-mile distraction thing around Mile 8. I felt tanned and toned and drop-dead gorgeous...kind of like this...

Evidently, I am delusional.

My ever-tactful son upon my arrival at the car: Gee, mom...you look fat!

Me: Yeah, well I am kinda fat...ish...

Him: No, you're not. It's just that your clothes are soooo tight! You're all...squeeeeezed...You look like a... a... a combination of ...

[yes, you guessed it...]

a dumpling,

a sausage,

source of sausage person

and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Between my son's awesome comments and my husband shouting out...

GO, CAMEL!!!!

every time I passed by, 

I think it's safe to say that perhaps I might rethink inviting my family along the next time I go running!

And even though we're roughly the same age, I am probably not going to be mistaking myself for Elle Macpherson again any time soon.

Have you felt beautiful yet this weekend? If you did, did it last? Or did someone burst that bubble for you?