weekly wrap: 9.17.17 – 9.23.17

Posted on September 25, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin!

WeeklyWrap

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

Things are mostly back to normal after Hurricane Irma. It’s amazing how one storm can derail so many things (and for us, it wasn’t even that awful, once things settled). We basically had to start from scratch with a lot of things, including the return to school – with the kids out for over a week, it was tough to fall back into things.

Sunday – rest

We ordered room service breakfast, simply because it’s one of little man’s favorite things. Mr PugRunner and I enjoyed our egg sandwiches on the balcony, while little man caught some more z’s. He must have been exhausted from everything because not even the smell of bacon woke him right up.

Before our check out, we got in some more pool time. It’s not often that we find ourselves swimming before 9 in the morning, and it felt pretty indulgent.

I had promised little man that we could go to the Lego Store in Disney Springs, but I had an ulterior motive: for months I’ve been wanting to try Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Kitchen, and I was able to snag lunch reservations before we needed to leave Orlando.

While it was a lot heavier than what we would usually enjoy for lunch, it was absolutely worth it: I had the Moonshine Mash (with watermelon infused moonshine), and we all shared deviled eggs and cheddar biscuits. Mr PugRunner and I split the Fried Chicken and Donuts, and little man got a chicken sandwich with macaroni and cheese.

I would have loved dessert, but we were stuffed, so we got cupcakes to go from Sprinkles.

Monday – rest

I wasn’t quite back to normal life – I was supposed to be on vacation, so wasn’t scheduled to work, which left me a fairly wide open Monday. I had some work to do at the school, and then some errands, which kept me fairly busy.

Tuesday – 5.5 miles, running

And running was back on, too! I met S for some pre-dawn miles, and managed to log 5.5.

I had another day off, and then I had to pay a visit to our outdoor mall to grab a few more things for our upcoming Scouts meeting. While there, I had lunch with S and another good friend.

Wednesday – 1.25 miles, running

And finally back to work. It was  a quiet day. Little man seems to be going through  growth spurt because he fell asleep after doing his homework, and missed his karate class. I didn’t want to wake him, just because he never goes down like that, and I was relieved that he didn’t seem to have a fever when he woke up.

Before dinner, Mr PugRunner asked if I would do a mile with him, and I was glad to oblige.

Thursday – 5.5 miles, running

Another early morning run.

I love seeing my miles add up!

In the morning, I helped distribute spirit shirts at the school. It was good to finally have them in and passed out. It’s going to be so cute to see all the kids in their new school-branded gear!

Thursday evenings are for Scouts. My den is almost finished with their first badge for their rank, which is pretty exciting. I can’t wait for them to be presented with it!

Bad news was our upcoming camping trip was canceled due to flooding at the Florida Springs and associated campsites, but we decided to make the best of it with a fun weekend.

Friday – rest

I really wanted to go to the movies, but instead, I rented Wonder Woman on Pay Per View and made myself some popcorn, which I enjoyed after running a few errands between some of my work locations.

We had a quiet night – I think we were all kind of worn out, and I had a long run in the morning.

Saturday – 9 miles, running

Before I met up with S, I managed to run four miles. I was going to stop at eight, then 8.5, but S pushed me to nine and I am really glad she did.

Mr PugRunner and little man took advantage of the rainy day to work on some tasks for a Scout badge. They talked about the circuit breakers and heating system in our home, changed some lightbulbs, changed the batteries in and tested all our fire alarms and lubricated all the squeaky doors.

It was a fantastic bonding experience for them, and we got some home repairs done out of the deal. They still have to wash the cars and take care of a few other things for the badge completion, but it was a great start.

That evening, there was a little birthday party in the culdesac. We had pizza and drinks while the kids played Infection until late at night.

 

I had 21.2 running miles this week, which was pretty excellent. I hope to keep my numbers right in this vicinity. I also hope that I can get to yoga fairly soon. My body really craves some stretching, but there just never seems to be any time.

I’ve got a great Breast Cancer 5K, Pink Up The Pace, coming up in two weeks, the family is going to run the IOA/Jaguars Stadium Challenge 5K (complete with concourse ramps and a finish on the football field), and then I have my Durbin Trail Mix Relay towards the end of October (if you’re local and want to win a free entry to the Durbin Trail Mix, visit the Empower Coaching page on Facebook and enter here). I’m pretty excited that race season is here!

How was your week in training?

Do you ever have those days where you really need to push for that last mile or chunk of distance?

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weekly wrap: 9.3.17 – 9.16.17 (hurricane edition)

Posted on September 19, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin, !

I didn’t post anything last week, for the simple reason that we were pretty much in the throes of Hurricane Irma, including the preparation and aftermath. Things were pretty intense and crazy, but we got through.

Brace yourself for the last two weeks of my life and training.
Sunday – rest

Sunday, Funday! We went to a friend’s house for swimming and BBQ. It was lovely hanging out with some of our favorites.

Monday – RunJax Labor Day 5K. 

In the morning, I drove up to Jacksonville for the Run Jax Labor Day 5K. While it was hot and humid, I ran my fastest 5K since my injury. It was incredibly encouraging.

Afterwards, we grilled at home and had a nice meal with my parents.

Tuesday – rest

With the coming of Irma, people were very interested in shopping for supplies and getting themselves together for the impending storm, making work pretty quiet.

Afterwards, I had a Cub Scouts leadership meeting, where we discussed the plans for our first meeting of the year as well as some upcoming campouts. I am feeling more and more part of that group, which is nice.

Wednesday – 5.2 miles, running

I changed up my run day to Wednesday and got in a solid five miles.

Work was fairly quiet again. Irma continued its relentless trek towards Florida and people seemed way more interested in stocking up on supplies or evacuating. Preparation is key for hurricanes, so I was glad to see it, even if it did make things pretty eerie.

Thursday – 3.4 miles, running

I made the attempt to get back on track, but I was behind schedule so I could only get in 3.4 miles. Not so fabulous, but I had things to do.

The rest of the day was spent doing errands. I had work for PTA, and we needed more supplies for the house. Traffic was awful from all the people evacuating from the southern parts of the state.

Mr PugRunner and I had made the decision to stay put, but things were getting hairy. The school district had called for early dismissal on Thursday, as well as closings on Friday and Monday.

Friday – rest

Since we were home for the day, I organized a mommy-child movie trip. The weather was nasty and drizzly, so it was lovely to get some friends together to see The Emoji Movie. (It wasn’t as awful as I expected, either).

On our way home, we realized that no one felt the cooking, so we invited the husbands to join as at our local Mexican restaurant for some tacos and margaritas before the storm.

It was a great way to blow off some steam and relax a little. I think we all benefited greatly.

Saturday – 2 miles, running

My intentions? Good. Solid. However, the incoming Nor’easter had other plans. I got through almost two miles before I got caught in a heavy downpour. Fortunately, S went driving by and was able to snag my phone and get it to my house before it got soaked. She also treated me to my last Dunkin iced coffee in more than a week.

This was our last day of preparation, and we were in the zone. We had a friend and her two little boys coming to ride out the storm with us, and my parents wanted to pay a visit with my cousin (there is a lot of downtime before a hurricane which leaves people with lots of extra time and nervous energy).

We got everything ready to go, with little breaks to let the kids outside when the weather was decent.

Sunday – rest

The weather was pretty icky, and we spent a good portion of the day glued to the television. By midday, the outer bands had reached us, and we kept an eye on the weather reports from across the state.

Things deteriorated throughout the day. At around 8:30, we had a tornado warning, with the alert to take shelter. We all squeezed into our laundry room, ready to close up, but fortunately, the tornado lifted about six miles from our house. A little too close for comfort.

Mr PugRunner, little man and I slept on air mattresses downstairs so we could keep an eye on the news. The pugs approved.

Monday – rest

Our power cut out at about 1:00 AM. We had been keeping the house at meat locker temperatures leading up to this big moment, so it was tolerable through the rest of the night, even for the pugs.

The winds and rain continued through the morning, finally clearing around lunch time, when we were able to go out and survey the damage.

We were lucky – besides the power, the worst we suffered was some flooding where the canal came past our fence line in one corner of the yard. Fortunately, we had another 25-30 feet before the water would have reached our house so we just had to wait for it to recede. There is also a tree that is going to need to be cut down.

Others were not so lucky. Flooding was a huge factor and the power outages were extensive.

Also nice was that the weather was cooler and breezier than normal. We were able to keep our windows open and get some decent circulation, which made everything so much nicer in the situation at hand.

Tuesday – 5 miles, running

School was canceled for Tuesday, and later for the rest of the week. Many of our schools are used as shelters and there were areas of our town that were not ready for the return of residents.

Even though I knew I would be stuck with a cold shower, I ran my five miles. It was a great way to get out some stress and energy.

That night, just as the weather started getting to the point of uncomfortably warm, the power came back in our neighborhood. I felt ready to take on the world.

Wednesday – rest

It was finally back to work for me, and that meant a long day of getting everything back in place. Not too awful, to be sure.

We also had to come to terms with the fact that our vacation to Islamorada for our friend’s 50th birthday would not be happening. The Keys were flat-out closed due to the level of damage, and we were heartbroken for everyone who had no idea if their homes or business had made it through the storm.

Our Cub Scouts Packmaster reached out that afternoon to let us know that a friend of hers had donated some food and she wanted to set up a cook out to offer to families who were still lacking power. Between what was donated and what other scout families brought, there was enough food to feed almost 80 people. The kids were amazing, assisting with everything from food prep to serving without complaint in the heat, and I was really impressed that the pack pulled it together so quickly with such great turnout

They were even treated to a visit from some of our local firefighters, who were more than happy to load up some plates!

Thursday – 5 miles, running

I woke up a little later for this run. The mornings had been way too early and I really wanted to “sleep in” a bit. I also got to run through some “snow” – crushed ice that someone was discarding from after the storm.

Then it was time to start getting the house back together. Stores were still pretty low on supplies and gas was reported to be tough to find, so I figured we could clean and do laundry. I was pretty thrilled for the opportunity.

Friday – rest

Since I wasn’t leaving town, I was available for our PTA meeting at one of my teammate’s houses. A lot of things on the calendar had to be postponed or canceled so it will take quite some time to sort it all out again.

We braved the mall with my mom afterwards, so I could pick up some things for scouting. The place was slammed and I was a stressed out wreck trying to get a parking spot for lunch and get back on the road. Ugh. Since everyone was out of school, and in some cases work, it seemed like they all came for a day of shopping, food and air conditioning. Completely understandable but the streets were a mess.

Saturday – 8 miles, running

Much as I didn’t want to, I had to get these miles in. My running buddy wanted to join me for five or six, so I got up extra early to run two before I got to her house. It was a struggly run, with my hip aching a little and around mile 6.5, I just couldn’t catch my breath. We ended up walking a bit, and I was grateful for her patience through it.

I needed to be home on the early side because we were taking a small family trip to Orlando. Most of the hotels had emptied out as evacuees and stranded vacationers were able to leave the city, so we figured we could use a little break from reality.

The Mariott Orlando World Center was a perfect relief from everything. Our room was ready when we arrived, so we put on our bathing suits and spent the entire day chilling at the pool. Little man had the waterslides and made a new buddy, there were huge TV screens so Mr PugRunner could watch football, and I was able to read with a mojito in hand.

After a hibachi dinner, we went back to the pool to enjoy the nightly laser light show, and I’m not ashamed to admit we were all sound asleep by 10:00 PM.

 

 

It’s been a rough two weeks. We are familiar with the devastation of hurricanes (you can’t live in Florida and not understand the fury of these storms), but having two terrifying storms in back-to-back years is a lot to bear. According to Slate.com, our area wasn’t expected to be hard hit, but ended up in the top five areas of greatest impact. Not a fun statistic. Once again, I reiterate that we were incredibly lucky regardless, but I’m hopeful the rest of the season is quiet.

How was your week in training?

Have you ever been through a hurricane?

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weekly wrap: 8.27.17 – 9.2.17

Posted on September 4, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin, with guest host Pretty Lil Mudder!

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

The week leading up to a holiday weekend is always fun. There’s plenty of anticipation, and excitement to get everything done so we can kick back and relax. Of course, that means squeezing in a lot, but as always, we work hard to get it done.

Sunday – rest

My parents invited us over for a delicious Italian lunch. We hadn’t been able to visit in quite a while, so we were glad to have the chance.

Monday – rest

Little man had school pictures so we got him dressed nicely and off to school.

It was a bit of a rushing around day – after little man got off the bus, I had to take him directly to karate, and then leave to help set up for our Cub Scout Round Up. This is an event where current scouts invite their friends who might have an interest in scouts, and introduce them to some of the fun activities we do. There were several stations set up with different activities, some of the leaders grilled burgers and hot dogs, and there was even in-ground cobbler so everyone could get a taste of campground cooking. We had a great turnout, and as a result, lots of new scouts signed up for this year.

Tuesday – 5 miles, running

Even though I was up late, there were miles to be run. I couldn’t get my watch to cooperate so I had a few false starts, but I got in five all the same.

Mr PugRunner was home late from work, but we had a chill evening, regardless.

Wednesday – rest

Little man took a pretty nasty tumble off his skateboard: his goal has been to skate down our driveway, but there is a significant bump. He finally worked up the courage to try, and down he went. Nothing was broken, but he did scrape up his knee, and came down hard on his arm and helmet (one day, he will thank me for being such a stickler about him wearing it).

We skipped karate in lieu of cuddling on the couch. No regrets.

Thursday – 5 miles, running

Somehow, I totally lost track of my miles, even with my watch, and almost ran six. Thank goodness for S who set me straight! The humidity was just unreal, but it felt good to get it done.

Props to me for getting little man back on his skateboard for our trip to the bus stop. He was still a little sore, but I am a big believer in getting right back up on the proverbial horse and he fell right back into the swing of things.

I did some work at the school in preparation for that evening, where I was scheduled to help for the Open House for grades Kindergarten through two. Everything went great, but for a huge lightning storm that rolled through. We lost power in the school, the lights were flickering and we had to wait out the torrential downpour. Ugh.

Fortunately, by the time we were ready to leave, everything had cleared up. Three of us went out for a late dinner to discuss the next few months of upcoming events.

Friday – rest

Fridays can be pretty uneventful. Usually I reserve them for cleaning the house, complete with changing sheets, mopping and washing the pugs’ bedding. So very exciting, right? But  I do  really welcome some downtime, too, so it ended up being a nice day.

That evening, we went out to dinner and to the local college’s women’s volleyball game. One of our friends is the coach and county residents get free admission, so we took full advantage. I have never gone to any kind of volleyball game, and I admit, it was kind of fun. Those women are powerful and it was exciting to see them in action.

Saturday – 8 miles, running

Much as I hated to drag myself out of bed, these miles had to be run. S agreed to go with me, but I squeezed in a few before I met up with her. It worked out perfectly and I felt fairly good when it was all over.

Since it was a long weekend, little man was going to spend the next few days with his grandparents, and they took both him and me out to breakfast before they left for their adventures.

And then, it was into comfy clothes to watch the Miami Hurricanes defeat Bethune-Cookman is their first game of the college football season. I napped, and we snacked throughout the rest of the day. All in all, it was a great day.

 

I was very pleased to have reached 70 miles for the month of August. While my focus has not been on getting faster (because in summer that’s fairly impossible), I am happy to be getting through each distance milestone towards my November half marathon goals.

This week, I will take on a Labor Day 5K, a few more meetings, including my first Cub Scouts Den Meeting as a leader, and we will keep an eye on Hurricane Irma to see what she will do over the next week. I am hopeful that her track will take her back out to sea, but it never hurts to be cautious and prepared.

How was your week in training?

Did you catch up on college football this week?

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celebrate with RunJax labor day 5k + tropical smoothie cafe

Posted on August 29, 2017 by runswithpugs

This is a sponsored post. I have been compensated for my promotion of RunJax Labor Day 5K and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. All opinions are my own.

Labor Day weekend is upon us, marking the final days of summer. With many people enjoying a three-day weekend in honor of the holiday, it’s a great time to get out there and hit the pavement for the RunJax Labor Day 5K!

On Monday, September 4, toe the starting line at 7:30 AM at the Baymeadows location of 1st Place Sports for a fast and flat 5K through a quiet neighborhood.

There’s even a one mile Fun Run for the kids!

All participants will score a gender-specific technical shirt and a gorgeous custom finisher’s medal. After you’ve earned your bling, join the huge post-race celebration for plenty of food and drink, and lots of drawings for prizes.

Register at any 1st Place Sports store location, or online here.

As always, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is there for your recovery. Choose from their extensive menu of delicious, nutrition-packed smoothies, or satisfying wraps, bowls and snacks, as a perfect way to recover from the morning’s race, and to prepare yourself for the barbecues and parties later in the day.

Will you be joining us for the RunJax Labor Day 5K?

What’s your favorite recovery smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe?

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weekly wrap: 8.20.17 – 8.26.17

Posted on August 28, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddling!

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

I have been scheduled to the teeth over the last month, and it’s a pretty delicate balance I’ve been managing to maintain. I’m definitely one of those people who likes to keep busy, but I am also an extroverted introvert and while I can do the whole social thing, after extended periods of putting myself out there, I do need some time to recharge.

Sunday – rest

I was sorry to have to say goodbye to Meghan after our amazing evening, but I needed to get home to see the boys for a bit before heading out to a blogging event.

The St. Augustine Moms Blog hosted a contributors afternoon at Board & Brush, a new creative studio where groups can gather to assemble and paint customized wood signs. We ordered our graphics in advance, brought our own wine and snacks, and when we arrived, everything was ready for us to go. The owner and staff helped us distress, sand, assemble and layer our paints, and it was nice spending time with fellow contributors.

The end result was fabulous and I can’t wait to do another class. There are some adorable holiday and seasonal signs that would make amazing additions to our home.

I guess I can’t leave Sunday without mentioning that Game of Thrones is rocking my socks this season. I can’t believe there is only one more episode in this shortened season!

Monday – rest

We have started falling into our regular routine with everything, so that’s a plus. Even though it was a rest day, I still had to be up and at the school early, so I didn’t really get to sleep in, but that’s ok.

The coolest thing about this day was I had my first post published on The Tempo, Rock ‘n’ Roll’s running blog!

Check it out here and don’t forget, we’d love to see you at one of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Tour Stops this year! Remember that code RNB15 will save you on most races!

Tuesday – 5 miles, running

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw the giant friend I discovered by way of my Knuckle Lights early Tuesday morning.

This guy is about two and a half inches long, and he has been out there every day before the sun comes up. I may have to give him a name soon.

At any rate, I managed to avoid a web in the face and got in five miles.

Wednesday – rest

I was very grateful for a quiet Wednesday. We did have karate, but I was able to get some writing done while little man was in class.

Fortunately, this was just the breather I needed to get myself back on track.

Thursday – 5 miles, running

I had to get up even earlier than normal for my run because little man had a 7:30 AM dentist appointment! Yikes!

In the meantime, I earned my Launch and bonus Summer Strides medals from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Summer Virtual Series!

I can’t wait for these to come in the mail in a few weeks!

In other news, little man had his best visit yet – no cavities and everything is looking fabulous. Way to go, buddy!

When I dropped him off at school, I spent some time volunteering and working on some last minute things for our upcoming Movie Night. I feel like school is coming together for us all, and I love it.

Friday – rest

Friday was all about getting ready for our Family Movie Night. I cleaned the house, caught up on all the laundry and worked on final signs for our photo booth and food tables.

I was able to catch a quick lunch with a dear friend

and then my co-team-member picked me up around 4:00 PM and we headed to the school to set up.

Since it was our first major event, it was a little nerve-wracking. We managed to sell and serve pizza, popcorn, candy and drinks, run a small photo booth,

and get everyone settled for a great time watching a movie in the cafeteria.

We were exhausted when everything was broken down and cleaned up, but a margarita with some friends was just what the doctor ordered, and we enjoyed some time winding down from a fabulous night.

Saturday – 7.25 miles, running

I was thrilled that a neighborhood friend agreed to join me for my long run. She did five miles with me, which definitely helped the time pass more quickly.

After a shower and breakfast, we met friends for our monthly family day at a trampoline park. There were some new additions to the ninja warrior course, and little man surprised us by climbing on up and making a leap for the big bag.

He didn’t quite make it, but he also wasn’t too far off.

Of course, I had to calm my nerves with a wine slushy.

We had a great afternoon and were happy to schedule another one in a few weeks.

 

I know I am stretched thin right now, but I always do better when I’m busy. I’ve been meeting and spending time with some amazing people, and I am grateful for the opportunities to push out of my comfort zones and challenge myself.

There are more big events coming up this week and this month (can you believe it’s almost September?), so stay tuned to see if I can get it all done!

How was your week in review?

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Thoughts on the season finale of Game of Thrones?

 

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weekly wrap: 8.13.17 – 8.19.17

Posted on August 21, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin, and guest host Madhuri!

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

I feel like things are hitting the groove. I don’t know that I have ever been busier, but the more I have on my plate, the more I seem to be able to accomplish, so I’m working with the momentum.

Sunday – rest

After Tour De Pain, I was more than happy to just chill out and do absolutely nothing.

Monday – rest

This was little man’s first day riding the bus to school. Everything went rather smoothly, so the week kicked off to a great start.

After work and school, we got little man to karate. He had tested into the advanced class before the start of summer, took a few months off to get a breather and picked up right where he left off. He is with older students and the nature of the class is a little more serious, which he seems to be enjoying.

Tuesday – 4.5 miles, running

With a morning event at school, I had to be up extra early to run, but got in 4.5 solid miles.

After that, I helped set up a breakfast for the Kindergarten parents, dropped off some info for parent volunteers, and got myself to work.

Later that day, I found out that I had picked my running shirt wisely. Best Damn Race had announced its Jacksonville medals, and they are beauties! I love the theme this year.

(Are you running BDR Jacksonville on January 13? Code RUNPUGS will save you $5 here or at any other BDR city)*.

Wednesday – rest

Wednesdays are mostly quiet days, which I am loving.

I stayed home while Mr PugRunner took little man to karate. I just had way too much to finish up, and he hadn’t been to one of little man’s new classes. Little man had his first turn with a bo staff, and did an incredible job.

Thursday – 4.5 miles, running

Much as I miss the extra morning sleep, I am enjoying the sunrise runs again.

I met a dear friend for breakfast at a new, local cafe, and we had a great meal and chat. We’ve both been so busy with kids and school and life, and I was glad we were able to carve out some time to hang.

The name of the day was errands, and I got all those done, before little man came home. Since they really haven’t been getting much homework, he had a playdate before dinner and then one after. He’s also been riding his skateboard a ton – it’s his preferred method of getting around the neighborhood.

Friday – rest

In the morning, we had a meeting with most of our PTA Team. We were darn productive, making signs and organizing to-do lists for our first round of upcoming events. I think we are in pretty good shape.

When I got home, I went on a bit of a cleaning spree. I was going out of town and wanted everything in decent shape for the boys while I was gone.

Saturday – 7 miles, running

I woke up late and was really nervous about hitting the road, but the weather had dropped to 74 degrees and thick clouds hid the sun. I had planned to do five and hoped for six, but for the first time in forever, I felt incredible and strong, so I went for seven.

It was a huge confidence boost that I desperately needed.

Then it was off to Orlando! Due to a conflict, I had been unable to join Meghan for her birthday celebration a few weeks back, so it was time to make it up to her!

She took me to Taste! Central Florida, a charity event benefitting Second Harvest Food Back of Central Florida and Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.

Over 40 local restaurants and chefs and more than 20 beverage vendors were on hand, serving tastings of some of their finest cuisine. There was a silent auction, a giving tree and several other fun events for the party-goers.

It’s not often I am able to get dressed up and attend events like this, so I soaked up every moment. Plus,  I got to spend time with one of my favorite people.

This week will be interesting. Not only is today the solar eclipse, but we have some fun things happening across the board. I am considering the addition of some races to my calendar for September, so I need to see how scheduling those will work.

How was your week in training?

What are your plans for the eclipse?

 

*I am a Best Damn Race Ambassador. I receive compensation for my promotion and review of the Best Damn Race Events. All opinions are my own.

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race report: celebration 5k

Posted on August 19, 2017 by runswithpugs

I have often discussed how I love racing on holidays. It’s just become part of the day’s traditions for me, and that’s why, after a late night of watching fireworks, on one of the hottest days of summer. I toed the start line of the Celebration 5K.

This race always ends up being pretty large. It features a wide range of paces and abilities, and people are always eager to run or walk with the full-size American flags that are offered.

Before the race began, the RD called one of the runners to the start line, where he handed the mic to her boyfriend. A beautiful proposal followed and there was tons of cheering to celebrate the newly engaged couple.

After the National Anthem, the race began.

This course is fairly simple: just a big rectangle around and through a quiet neighborhood. The first mile is a rather nondescript straightaway that never seems to end, but once you make the first turn, things pick up.

Since I was running with S, that first, mile-long length actually passed fairly quickly. In fact, we went out a lot harder than I intended, but since we were feeling ok, we just went with it. It’s always nice to have a buddy there for the miles.

Due to the blistering temperatures, two water stops were made available on the course. Additionally, some spectators were handing out freezer pops after mile 2. I don’t think I love anything more than freezer pops on a hot run: the little burst of sugar and coldness are just the thing to keep me moving.

Finally, we rounded the corner from the main road to the finish line and kicked it in to high gear to complete the 5K. Happy 4th of July to us!

The after-party boasted watermelon, electrolyte ice pops and cold beer.

There were contests for watermelon seed-spitting and watermelon eating, although I didn’t stick around for those. We had plans for later in the day and were excited to get on with our BBQs and celebrating.

What’s your favorite holiday run?

Have you ever participated in a watermelon seed spitting contest?

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weekly wrap: 8-6.17 – 8.12.17

Posted on August 14, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin, with guest host Michelle!

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

Well, we did it! We survived back to school and all that came with it! I was mostly worried about oversleeping or forgetting something, but everything went along pretty smoothly, which was a relief.

Sunday – rest

On Sunday morning, little man and I went to my Webelo co-den-leader’s house for a planning meeting/playdate. We were able to work through some rough ideas in advance of our upcoming leadership meeting, and of course, her kids got to play with mine.

In the evening, we did a little hot dog and s’mores cookout to celebrate the end of summer. The kids on our street played with water balloons, enjoyed running around and even submitted to having ice water dumped over their heads for an impromptu ALS ice bucket challenge. It was perfect.

Monday – rest

Little man went to spend the earlier part of the day with his best friend and I went off to work. Since camps are over for the summer, he was going to have much more fun with a buddy than at the office with his dad, so it worked out perfectly.

Tuesday – 4 miles, running

I had to get back on an early schedule, so I made sure to be up and out before sunrise. It was a little odd running in the dark again, but that’s how we do it during the school year.

Little man had an incredibly fun day at the beach with our friends, and when I picked him up, we had to do some driving around to pick up some last minute things for back to school.

In the evening, it was time for a scouting conference call, to sort out some details for upcoming events.

Wednesday – rest

Finally, it was orientation day, and the first day of being able to actually explore our new school. Eek!

Since I had work, I helped my fellow PTA parents set up the membership and spirit wear table, and when Mr PugRunner, little man and my parents arrived, we set off to find his classroom, drop off his school supplies and meet his teacher. The classroom was incredibly welcoming, we already adore his teacher and the new school is amazing.

With that done, my parents took little man to do a little shopping and get his hair cut and we all met back at the house.

Little man wanted Japanese for dinner, so we all went to his favorite place for sushi and hibachi chicken and rice. It was a great meal to end the summer and we all turned in at a reasonable hour.

Thursday – 3.75 miles, running

I earned my second medal of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Strides Summer Series with this one. If you’re not signed up, you are missing out! (and remember – code RNB15 saves you on select Run Rock ‘n’ Roll events!)

We had pancakes for breakfast, packed lunch, and it was off to the first day of school. We got little man settled in his classroom, chatted with his teacher for a few minutes, and then I helped some of the other teachers and PTA members direct students to their classes (since everything is new, it’s easy to get turned around and some needed assistance finding their way).

Mr PugRunner and I had a lunch date and then I baked cookies and made a mac and cheese casserole for after school snack and dinner, respectively.

Little man got off the bus all smiles and had a fabulous first day! I know it’s going to be a great year!

Friday – Tour De Pain, 4 miles

Day 2 of our new routine, and all was going pretty well. There were a few things I needed to pick up for the weekend and when I got home, Molly was having a really hard time breathing. The vet was able to see her that afternoon. She is 13 years old, and we have been very lucky with her health, but sometimes she scares me. Fortunately, the vet said she was doing great, considering, but that she had an inflamed and irritated soft palate. She got a shot of cortisone and a sedative and we were able to go home and cuddle.

With that weight off my shoulders, I was able to make the trip to Jacksonville Beach for the first part of Tour De Pain. Four miles on the hard packed sand at 6:30 PM. It was absolutely brutal, so hot that my phone actually turned itself off due to overheating. Yikes.

I left directly after the race, drove home for a shower and a salty burger, and got myself in bed.

Saturday – Tour De Pain, 3.1 + 1 miles

This was my craziest day to date. I had to be up and out the door at 5:30 for the second part of TDP: a 5K road race at 7:00 AM. Done and dusted.

I hustled home, showered and changed, and went into work to cover one of my teammates for a special fitting for a local moms fitness group. It was a lot of fun and everyone was really happy and excited to continue their training.

Then it was off to meet the boys at a birthday party for one of our dear friends’ sons at a trampoline/jump park.

Obviously, it was tons of fun and we even carried the party over to Whit’s Frozen Custard, a place I have been desperate to try.

Ice cream before a sprint is never a great idea but I decided to take the risk, even though I still had the Tour De Pain Mile Sizzler. I had no regrets.

I was hoping the boys would join me at the race, but it had been a long day for them too, so they went home and I went on for my final mile.

I was VERY happy to get home that night.

 

Lots of miles, lots of smiles and lots of great times this week. It feels great to be back in a routine, and now it’s time to get geared up on some of my long run miles. Apparently, November is coming one way or the other, and I have some half marathons to think about.

In other news, Best Damn Race just released their Orlando medals, and I cannot wait to earn some of these! I absolutely love the style and the colors and the shape, and really everything about them! Code RUNPUGS saves you $5 on any Best Damn Race distance in any city, so don’t miss out!

 

How was your week in training?

Are you ready to start ramping up your miles?

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weekly wrap: 7.30.17 – 8.5.17

Posted on August 7, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin, with guest host Heather!

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

Guys, it is on like Donkey Kong. School starts this week. We are still getting things going at the new school and I have been rather involved at the ground level with that. In addition, scouting is right around the corner, so I spent time with that.

Sunday – rest

My run got derailed big time by a torrential downpour. It was an absolute mess, and while I have been good about heading out in a sprinkle, this was just too much. I rolled over and tried  to go back to sleep.

In the afternoon, we met some friends and their kids at Rebounderz. We bought all the kids four hour passes that included unlimited jumping, bowling, laser tag, a $5 arcade game card and a few other things. The adults hung out with cocktails and appetizers, while the kids jumped and played. It was the most brilliant way to spend a day, and we agreed that we would go ahead and make it a monthly occurrence.

Afterwards, we had dinner together at a pizza place, and went home full of good food and laughter.

Monday – 4 miles, running

Much as I hated it, I rolled out of bed early to make up for my weekend shortcomings.  On the plus side, I earned my Pheidippides medal for the Run Rock ‘n’ Roll Summer Strides Virtual Run Series, so that made it a little more fun.

Work was absolutely insane and I was very grateful to get home. We had our first big PTA meeting at a local restaurant, so I was able to meet the wonderful volunteers with whom I will be working over the next year (or two). We have a lot of great ideas, but there is lots of work to be done, too.

Tuesday – 4 miles, running

Back to back runs are never my favorite, but sometimes, they must be done.

Another day of work, and I was glad to come home and just chill with the guys.

Wednesday – rest

Wednesdays have been pretty quiet. I was glad to be able to get some things done around the house.

Thursday – rest

It was an early, early morning for us.  We had the Teacher’s Welcome breakfast at the new school, so I had to drop little man and my friend’s house (the school is still technically a construction site!), grab same friend and head over to help serve and pass out all the fun PTA info. We are getting our groove, but we have a good team.

That evening, I had a birthday dinner with some girlfriends. We went to Hawkers, which serves Asian street fare. It was beyond yummy, and now I’m craving roti and meatballs in curry gravy. Sigh.

Friday – 4 miles, running

One more four miler for the week. I can’t imagine why I was a little dehydrated, but I got it done.

Mr PugRunner took us all out for breakfast at Maple Street, and we had some awesome family time.

My friend in the next neighborhood hosted a mom’s back-to-school party that night, and we had a blast with delicious appetizers and cocktails Not even the lightning storm that sprang up could deter us from a fabulous evening.

Saturday – rest

I wasn’t feeling up to too much on Saturday. I had to make one trip to the grocery store, just because our plans changed and little man and I would be hosting a friend and her two daughters for homemade pizza and extra chocolatey dessert. (Mr PugRunner would be heading off to a concert).

 

Prior to that, we went to little man’s best friend’s birthday party. It was tons of Lego, pizza, games and candy, and obviously, everyone had a blast.

We really couldn’t have asked for a better day.

 

I confess. I am overwhelmed and slightly scattered. I know that things will fall right into place as soon as school starts, so I am just holding on until then. And yes, I would like to get back to the gym big time. I miss boot camp and spin, but I desperately need a more consistent schedule before it happens.

How was your week in training?

Are you experiencing any end of summer craziness?

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weekly wrap: 7.23.17 – 7.29.17

Posted on August 1, 2017 by runswithpugs

Happy Monday!  It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and MissSippi Piddlin, and guest host Deborah!

If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!

 

Sunday – rest

The weather was pretty miserable, so we just decided to go bowling and run errands. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon. I’ve been working on setting up a quiet homework/study space for little man in our mostly unused home office, so it was nice to have spare time for that.

Monday – rest

I was back to work,  but we had plenty of fun planned in the days ahead.

Tuesday – 5 miles, running

I finally got in a nice, solid 5 mile run. Temperatures are still pretty brutal, but it is what it is.

Little man had his first day of Apple Camp. Our local Apple store offers free camps and classes, and I was really excited to be able to score a spot in this one. It was three, 90 minute clinics with the goal of animating some original characters with iMovie and Garage Band. From what Mr PugRunner said, Day 1 went really well.

Wednesday – zip lining

After work, I picked up little man to take him on a little adventure. One of his summer bucket list items was to go zip lining, and the local zip line course was offering a really incredible resident discount for the month. We had already checked the place out so we knew he would be able to handle it and Wednesday was the day.

It was ridiculously fun. My last zipline adventure was more of an adventure course with tightropes and slack ropes and all kinds of terrifying ways to get to the zips, but this was much more basic: seven zips, four or five bridges and a few ladders. It was also fully guided, meaning that tour guides climbed and zipped with us, and handled all the clipping on and off as we went. I loved that I didn’t have to worry about anything.

I also loved that little man, our cautious, non-daring, feet-on-the-ground, child, loved it, too. He didn’t balk once, and I was so proud of him for doing such a great job. There was one platform where you had to “walk the plank” instead of squatting, leaning back and releasing, and even I had to take a minute to work up the nerve, but he just stepped right off and went for it.

Thursday – 5 miles, running

I had a little bit of a sore shoulder (where I zipped in a little too fast on one of the bigger lines), but I was able to bang out five miles. Yay.

This time, I got to go to Apple Camp, and it was a blast watching all the kids let their creativity work.

After it was over, we got lunch together and then we did some back-to-school shopping. We needed some new gear for Cub Scouts (he’s moving to a different shirt color) and I had to get my leader manual. I hope I’m up for the challenge.

Friday – rest

For the final day of camp, the kids did their final presentations. It was really cute to see all the completed movies. Everyone got a certificate of completion and a flash drive of their short movie, too.

We had ice cream before lunch as a way to celebrate the last day of camp for the summer

and then it was off to our friend’s neighborhood to swim.

When we got home, Mr PugRunner was already at our pool, and so we grabbed fresh towels and joined him. Our neighborhood had Food Truck Friday that night so no cooking for this girl! Whee! Instead, we had some super tasty kebabs.

Saturday – rest

I just couldn’t get myself up and out, making my miles for the week fairly disappointing. To be honest, I spent most of the day lounging and reading I didn’t want to go to the grocery store or do much of anything. In the evening, we had a birthday party/open house at a friends’ and that was the extent of our day.

 

I am looking forward to (or not) some pretty crazy scheduling in the weeks ahead. It’s to the point where I broke down and got a huge wall calendar so I can keep track of everyone’s activities (color-coded, obviously). It will hopefully help me get my personal blogging back on track, too.

Additionally, I am good to go for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Summer Strides Virtual Run (thanks to my affilitation with Rock ‘n’ Blog). There are some great medals, depicting the history of running. Participate in all three virtual runs, and get a fourth, bonus medal, too! This will be a good motivator for me.

And, of course, code RNB15 gets you a nice discount on select Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series events.

Next week is back to school for our area, and so I’m going to be pretty swamped. Fingers crossed that I can get everything accomplished!

How was your week in training?

Ever have ice cream before lunch?:)

 

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