Top Ten reasons why you didn't run yesterday

10. As you left your house, all decked out and ready to run, the arctic blast that followed froze your lungs in less than a second.
9. One nightmare +
8. Two new molars +
7. Three runny noses =
6. Not enough sleep
5. Thirty minutes after breakfast, the sun set.
4. The gym or basement treadmill or front door was just waaaaaay too far to travel for a run.
3. That extra doughnut for breakfast was amazing.
2. I couldn't find my running clothes among the mountains of laundry accumulating in my front room.
1. Run? Oh yeah, do I still do that?

Fortunately, I didn't need to use ANY of these excuses today because ... I actually ran yesterday.

Oh yeah. I feel that.

Holy cow. I just saw this video on the blog, Run Like a Girl and thought it was genuine hilarity. All you runners out there will TOTALLY know what this is all about. 

Love it.

Is it just me?

Hi, my name is Paige and I'm paranoid. 

I have no idea exactly when it started, but I have a feeling I must have been pretty young. The sweet memories of my childhood are riddled with fears of being kidnapped in my home, in my backyard, at the bus stop, at school, you get the point. I swear I thought every window-less van that passed me had some scary man in the back with candy ready to lure me in. Maybe that's why I never ate a lot of candy. 

Now, as an adult, I'm still totally paranoid. I'm OCD about locking the doors at night and turning on the outside lights. I sleep so lightly when my husband's gone and will wake at any tiny squeak. I even imagine ways to defend my family if an intruder ever did enter my home. Yesterday my husband went trail running and took an inordinate amount of time so I went looking for him. Yeah. I said I was paranoid. 

So this gets me to my next point which is also another excuse for not running: Daylight savings. The days here have been just way too dang cold to venture outside with my baby and submit him to an hour of screaming icy torture while I run in place against hurricane gale-force winds that freeze my scrunched face in place. Yeah, that's just not happening. My other option is to wait for my husband to get home and watch the baby while I run. Well, even when pigs fly and my hubby gets home by 4 p.m. it's already dark 30 minutes later! And me and my paranoid self imagine that every pedestrian is a serial killer merely disguised as a "dad taking his dog for a walk" or "two friends on a run." Yeah, I know, totally classic serial killers. The good thing in all this is that I'm sure I beat every PR I've ever made on those night runs. 

So yes, I am paranoid and I admit it, whole-heartily. But, let's be honest here. Am I the only one who does this? 

A letter

Dear Motivation,

   

It's been a few weeks since I last saw you. Things were going so well between us, but now I'm beginning to worry. You haven't stopped by like usual, and even when I tried to call on you, you weren't around. Are you avoiding me? Have you left me and found another more worthy individual? I miss you and want you to come back to me. I feel sad and lonely when you're not around. I sit on my couch and eat Halloween candy and ice cream, waiting for you to come find me. But you don't. Please come back to me. I need you.

Sincerely,

Paige

Hibernation rears its ugly head

It's officially C O L D. Here comes my hibernation period. I try to avoid it every year, but it sneaks up on me each time!! I am totally, 100% a warm-weather girl and winter just throws me way off balance. Maybe it's from my lack of vitamin D. Or maybe it's from cold blood in my veins each time I leave the house. I ran twice this week and couldn't wait to be done. I feel I may have to suck up my pride and join the gym. Anyone care to join me?

Just in case you weren't sure

how TOUGH I really am:

Unfortunately the diaper bag kinda gave me away. Luckily I remembered to put it down for this one:

Grenade Launcher

And this one:

M16

Wow. I liked that post so much I didn't know what to say next.

So this is all I've got: I had my hair cut and lightened today. I never get it cut (I'm growing it out so it's been over a year!!!) and I never get it bleached/dyed (I've had bad home experiences with this and my hubby likes the au natural look). Well, I did both today and I like it. Except that my hair now smells like bubble gum and it's giving me a headache. Hmmm... good thing I went running after I got it done so the sweat mixed with the bubble gum really makes it even better. Yum. Sweet dreams.

Me with a bubble gum headache.