7.2 for me! Heading to core class shortly!

GREAT run. Did not feel like I ran 18 miles yesterday. It was 55 degrees but it wasn't humid. Felt really good! We will be at 80 again today. I was planning on 6 but felt so good I did 7. This ends me at 56 for the week! Another peak week next week and then a rest week! YAY!

My sister in law should be here around 9:30 and then we are meeting everyone at 10:30 for bridesmaids dresses. Should be fun! My SIL is bringing mimosas She is staying the night..should be fun! Don't think I will see much of HCF this weekend. He got home at 4am and has to be back there tonight and tomorrow! His job sucks.

Sandy - I didnt even think about that about the other jobs. You’re right You’re right about the invites, too. I really want them and I feel like nothing else will compare! I am the SAME WAY with late night/early mornings. It gives me anxiety. I am trying to be better about that though. DEAL - I will buy you plenty of beer Awesome on the yoga classes. Do they have a package you can purchase? Or is that the package price? If you enjoy it I would say go for it. Hope your 12 went well today! I am going to go through my budget sometime this weekend or next week (pay day) to see if I can swing the August trip! Really want to do it!

Carol - YAY!! Glad you see you are back! I am sorry you are sick Maybe from the plane? HCF is doing well, thanks! Getting used to his new lifestyle. We are at 50 days no smoking so thats an accomplishment! Have to say these past couple weeks have been the hardest. 45 people everyday on your trip?! WHAT! Bet you are happy to be home Nice run, but tell us more about the trip!!!

Judy - Nice workout yesterday! Have a great weekend!

Kathryn - Aw, thanks I am excited for Monday. When does that happen? I was looking up the cost of the other invitations and they would be around 600-800 after everything is said and done. I am sure I could find cheaper ones but I don’t want cheap!! I might as well just get the ones I want. I only want to marry once! Your pictures were beautiful!!! Have fun today!

Run4kupcakes - Wow, great run last night! Cars?! Yeah?! What kind?? I have been itching for a new car lately. I always go back to the fact that in 3 years this one will be paid off and I’m still under 50,000 miles. Would love a cheaper car payment though.

Lisa - Good luck today!!! Be careful of those special gummy bears

Tessa - LOL at DH’s mom’s invite!! Too funny. Okay, so the wording on the invite is going to be a battle with my mom. I think she wants “Mr and Mrs so & so request your presence for the marriage of…Liz and HCF”. I think that is too damn confusing! Too many names on the invite and if I were to get that in the mail, I would be like, WTH who is getting married? I am not ready for that battle. I want to win the lotto, too!

Happy Saturday!

Morning!  And just in time for training to be high for GC, I feel like I caught a cold.  Waahhh.  Maybe it's allergies, we will see.  Bah.  6 miles tonight.

Liz, nice 7.  Those temps sound great.

Shit, I still need to book a Detroit hotel and my car.  There is still time; we sometime do that the night before leaving.  LOL.

32+ muddy, rainy, hilly, monkey business filled fun miles. There was Fireball, moonshine, lots of snacks at the one randomly appearing tent in the middle of the woods (NOT an "aid station").  A stuffed monkey that one was to take pictures with and run with for a little bit. And 8 books along the course that one was to tear a page out of. Cindy and I did 5+ miles before the start and then one full loop then headed out for another 10 miles to get us to 32 (her birthday was yesterday and she turned 32). Used a handwarmer since it rained pretty much all day and never got above 39 degrees.  I did not have any special gummy bears but I did try the moonshine.

Tessa-define "a while" for when the mead can be enjoyed. LOL Abhay and I have made a few batches of beer ourselves. First was a cherry chocolate stout that was ready on Valentine's day.  Yeah for the good run!

Lizzie-I'm excited to see everyone.. not as much for the actual road race but... I take the good with the bad. Woot! Will be fun to finally meet you! I'll bring some gelato back from Italy for the occasion... too bad it will be on my hips. LOL

Damaris-remember that the race is in Toledo, not Detroit. LOL We have the Airbnb but for the life of me I don't remember who all is staying there... Kat, Susan, Lori, me.... Who else??? I just ran 32 miles don't be offended that I don't remember.

Karen-define "cold front"... pretty sure it isn't 39 with constant rain. LOL

Oh and Shannon did great.. no help to that *&%$@! who took off on her within .25 miles leaving her crying out there in the rain. She sucked it up, did ten then stopped but sucked it up even more and did 16 more. All on her own. She was bummed out but I was like WTF, you pulled off the pace needed to finish within cutoff (she wanted faster tho), on your own, in the rain, no support. Mucho kudos to her for that. And I really wish I could cause an injury to the woman who lives down there so can run the trails anytime, has done the 100 more than once but is now doing for sub 24. There is a special place in Hell (and I don't mean Michigan) for ultra runners like that. WHO does that to someone who has asked for your help on a trail you know well but they don't?  That really makes me angry. But it showed her (eventually) that she can dig deep and pull it off WHILE taking pictures and enjoying the views.

Lisa, now I am angry on Shannon's behalf. Although did the other woman offer help? Anyway, glad she managed to pull it off. And that you did also!

"While" -- mead can take up to a year to age to smooth drinkability. There's some in the fridge if anyone drops by. I served it at the book club meeting a couple of months ago when we were reading "Outlander" -- seemed appropriate -- and it was a hit. The two gallons on the counter will not be ready for a while. I would like to start some more but need to go to the homebrew store and get some wine/mead yeasts. Bread yeast is not the same.

HCK, buying cars is a maddening experience. When DD totaled her car we simplified the replacement process by deciding right away that she was going to have another Honda Fit. I need to replace my Mazda 3, looking at either another Mazda sedan (I love me my Mazderati) or maybe a Fit with a manual transmission. I do like to have a stick shift.

Liz, stick to your guns. It's your wedding, not your mom's, HCF's mom's, or any other relative's.

Damaris, you should be able to find a car rental even the day of the rental. Hotel, maybe not so much. Especially if that is a graduation weekend.

Carol, welcome back! Did you go to NZ already?

Karen, hope the pool party was good. New baby runners in August?

10 this morning. Some trail, some road. I ran down a road I have done before -- dirt track -- and I realized there was a golf cart following me with a couple of guys in it. I watched them for a while, noticed they were stopped, I think they were waiting for me to come back that way so they could tell me I was trespassing -- I may or may not have been in a restricted area that burned in the Sand fire.  *innocent whistle* So went on rather than back and finally found my way back to a road I know. Proceeded home via road rather than back on the dirt road. I hope they waited for me for a long time...

Lizzie - I saw your picture on FB of bridesmaids, so fun!!!  That is awesome that 50 days no smoking - great job!

Lisa - That is quite a fun day you had yesterday!!!  Unbelievable about the person supposedly “helping” Shannon.  Glad she was able to do what she needed to do without her!

Tessa - Yes, back from NZ  Followed by two guys in a golf cart????

Ginny - You have been really consistent in your gym work outs!!!  Good for you!

Are we doing shirts or anything for GC???  I know at one time there was talk about it.  I know I have been missing some, so just checking I didn’t miss anything?

New Zealand trip was amazing, the hiking was great.  DH did good.  Everything worked out, he actually didn’t do the “big” hike, he ended up being sick before we left and didn’t feel up to it.  But he still did a 13 mile hike. It gave us a chance to hike separately and get to know other people on the trip.  The Alpine Crossing was very hard and beautiful!  I think it was pretty close to Grand Canyon R2R difficulty, just shorter.

Run later today.

Carol

Running another 8.8 miles this morning wasn't that hard... you know what is really hard? looking at mileage for March and seeing 197.06 and not being tempted to go out for 3 more miles... THAT is hard. No wonder my knees are creaky... that is an all time high for me. Last August put in 170 and in December (?) had 164. Knew I had been running more but hadn't quite realized just how much. Typically I average around 120-130/month.

Damaris-you can stay at my place which is 15-20 minutes from the airport. Friday night you can either come out to Chelsea where Margaret, Kat and I are staying (45 minutes west of airport) or stay in my place. I'll hide a key for you. Sunday we are staying in Toledo too so you can stay there then. I know you're not allergic to cats and there is only one. She will like the company. Or stay with us in the AirBnB in Toledo. But seriously my place is available both nights.

Tessa-nice renegade run for you! Restricted? Strike up that 60's song about Signs. LOL I now feel a definite need for mead. Certainly seemed that the woman had agreed to take Shannon around the loop. I was the add on person. In the end I'm glad that I didn't go since now Shannon can pull a confidence boost out of the fact she did it on her own even if it wasn't as fast as she would have liked by maybe a minute/mile. I don't get it though. How do you arrange this months in advance, talk about logistics of the trail and where parking, know the out of towner is worried about the trail and the pace, and then take off after 1/4 mile? I can imagine Shannon said something like "go on" but wtf just start out slow. With the Trail Sister runs if there are faster people they go ahead then either stop and wait or double back to slower group if there is any question on trail intersections. More miles for them or just pause your watch fasties.

Ginny-ah yes! I wasn't sure if you had opted for more privacy! Spring is almost really here. Have no fear! Sure you can walk the half with some run breaks thrown in.

Carol-wow on the hiking for DH! Sigh... alpine crossing. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm not running Glass City sans shirt.

Lizzie-That is amazing that they all agreed to the same design! Sounds like an awesome day!

For Toledo I have down 5 people so... Katherine, Margaret, Ginny, Lori, and me. $66/each. I'm not too worried about charge as I know you're all good for it. Margaret did send me $$ through Paypal already. "Within walking distance to cafe and brewery." https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/18731429?s=51