Tomorrow is a special day...and other random things

Going with bullets and pictures today. Just kind of need a brain-dump...my apologies to you lovely readers for dishing out a sloppy mess of a post!

Training...

* The speedwork hurt me :(

Well, I can't blame it entirely on the speedwork. What I really should blame it on is not adhering more closely to the Don't Run, Run Faster training plan. Running hills, super hills, and mega hills...mostly on dirt...three times a week and then using the elliptical and the StairMaster two to three times a week for added cardio (that incorporates some core solidifying so that you don't fall off the machines), throwing in a little rock climbing to round things out was keeping me feeling good. Then came some scheduling crap. I only had time to squeeze in some runs after the kids went to bed...running loops in my neighborhood. Flat and on the asphalt. Now I feel some weird plantar fascitis-y thing...some lower leg tightness...increased hip and lower back irritation. So I'm heading for the dirty hills again.

* I have a race coming up. It's a Thanksgiving morning turkey trot.

It's a short, small race. It serves as my benchmark event, gauging my progress since I returned to running 2 years ago after a decade of nothing. I have a time tickling the back of my brain...but I'm not going to share it. Sorry. Too many variables in my schedule and my body at the moment to lay it out there commitment-style. We'll see how things are a couple of days prior to the race. Suffice it to say that I am really excited to run as fast as my little legs will carry me :)

Family...

* I am really loving my family and being a mom. It would be nice if the pay were better, but all in all, I wouldn't trade it for any job in the world. I get to hang out with these cool guys every single day...

Yes, there are times they drive me insane...and those times are probably more frequent than not. But they are a great group of people. We've been going for more hikes in the hills and more walks along the bay lately. It's been so nice. The weather here has been amazing. The scientists might be onto something with that whole global-warming notion. It's a bummer to think about the big picture on that one, but hanging out in shorts, flip flops and a tank top in November does have a sweet side.

Tomorrow...

* It's Election Day! I don't use my blog as a political platform...I can't do that. And if you try to in a comment, I'll delete it :D Will you be voting? Do you feel it is every of-age American's responsibility or duty to vote? 

* It's my half-birthday! I might make myself half a cake. But then again, I failed to make a cake for my husband for his FULL birthday a month ago...so perhaps I should just make a whole cake and tell him it's in honor of his birthday but in my head pretend that half of it is half about my half-birthday. Six more months and I'll be halfway to The Big One ;-)  Are you a birthday person? Do you celebrate half-birthdays?

Turkeys...

* Lastly, because this is a Turkey-Sighting Blog, here is a recent turkey. I really don't know if this is a wild turkey or a feral turkey...or if there's a difference. Miss C (in the lower right corner) likes to chase turkeys. The turkeys don't care much for that game. Interestingly, these turkeys don't gobble...they cluck.