My Sunday was about:

An easy 5 miles that turned into 4 because of time constraints.

Gorgeous skies as I roadtripped to Omaha to pickup my bridesmaids dress.

Grocery shopping and running into a former tumblr.

Skype sessions with running-matt, some of my favorite chats of the week.

And a really good first date with a guy I had kind of written off. Sometimes people surprise you! Plus there was sushi involved! Total win in my book!

Monday, I ain’t even mad you’re rapidly rolling your way towards me. It’s race week, baby!

Lincoln half marathon training. W17, D6 easy 8

It was very windy, cool, and drizzly. Basically, fairly crappy running weather. But this turned out to be a very good run. The rains waited until I was just about done. I ran most of it. (With my heart condition I can’t always run if my heart beat suddenly drops during a run. It’s weird) I ran most of it pretty fast too. I’m pleased.

I like to run through neighborhoods. Today I discovered a little forest within a neighborhood. It was lovely and calming. I’ll definitely run thru there again.

Now I shower and get ready for another date!

Have a fantastic weekend friends!

BREAKING NEWS!

It was the last SOS run of Hanson’s today! Halle-Freakin’-Lujah! 6 Tempo miles. LET THE TAPER BEGIN!
Of course, the day after I see my Cardiologist, my chest hurt during my run this morning. Oh, don’t worry, it wasn’t the whole time, and I don’t think it was my heart, but still. It always worries me.
My left hip has been hurting for the last few runs I’ve done. This concerns me. Keep it together body, we just need to keep it together.
My hair is kinda big today. I dig it.
I’m speaking at my University today. I’ll be talking to a bunch of Journalism students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and talking about working in the News Biz and now in the world of the Non-Profit.
I have a ginormous zit forming on my chin. Thanks a lot face! Grr.
I’ve had some excellent conversations with several of my favs in the past few days. Good stuff.
One of the guys I went out with this week texted me last night to tell me how much he likes me, how beautiful he thinks I am, and how I have a great butt. Well ok then. Just lay it all out there. I mean, we went out 1 time, for less than an hour. Oh Boy. I didn’t even realize he checked out my butt!
But, the thing is, I don’t think I like him as anything more than a friend. He’s completely overwhelmed me with pretty much constant communication (I know, I say I want this, but when I get it, I’m resistant) and near constant messages of how I’m wonderful, amazing, beautiful, hysterical, etc. It feels like he just likes the picture that I present…but I really don’t feel like he knows me well enough yet to say all these things. We’ve only been talking since Sunday! Ai-yi-yi. My life. Why am I always saying, “how do I get myself into these situations?”

Have a great day friends!

As the caption says today was the last long run of training! [insert praise hands emoji here] I still have to run 8 next Saturday and there’s still strength and tempo runs…but this is done and I’m happy.

I took a mid-run selfie a la runningforbiscuits. I don’t look as cute as she does, but I tried! It rained intermittently on me during this run…You can see the ominous skies in the selfie. But no thunder or lightning, so I kept going. Success!

Also, those steps are solid. I was pleased to see that high weekly number!

This mini vacation has been fabulous! Shopping with my mom, runs in the morning, and a fabulous, relaxing time. I needed this!

Have a great weekend friends!

Things that warm my cold, dead heart

11 years of working in TV News made me find a way to push away the feelings that I have when horrible things happen to innocent people. Things like fires, death, accidents, murder…you just learn how to push past them and deal with the tragedies. I jokingly talk about my “cold, dead heart” but sometimes I wonder if it’s true: do I shut myself off from my feelings because it’s easier? Because not feeling is better than actually feeling any more? I don’t know.

But I digress. That’s not what this post is about. This post is about happy things. Things that make me feel. That hit me square in the gut, or in the chest.

I got the above text this morning from my 8-year-old nephew. He was sending me a picture of a rock he found for his collection…and eventually I had to get to work. I told him to have a good day at school (he was texting me while riding the bus) and his replies gave me warm fuzzies and such a swell of love. I AM loved. This kid you guys. He’s the BEST. (Yes, he still lets me call him ‘baby’. That won’t last much longer, I’m sure. Also, they all call me “Emmie” I ADORE that.)

Then we have a leg appreciation picture. I don’t really do these, because I don’t really like my legs. They are too big, in my opinion. But last night I was sitting on the couch and I wasn’t unhappy with them. They aren’t perfect, they will forever be a work in progress, but they’re strong, capable legs. Also, it’s the middle of April and I’ve got a pretty great tan line going already! 😉

Yesterday, I rage-ran. It was supposed to be an Easy 5 but I didn’t quite hit that 12:05-12:55 pace…whoops! This run felt so easy that I couldn’t help myself.

And finally, I give you Boba or Bubble Tea. They were selling it in the Student Union today. It’s not the best, but it could be worse. I got outside on this gorgeous spring day to get some. That’s a win in my book!

Also, today is my Friday!! 5 days of rest, relaxation and shopping await! I’m pumped.

Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement. You all are the best. Seriously.

Make it a great day friends!

It’s been a pretty great Saturday.

A good long run.

Gorgeous weather, beautiful trees, and flowers.

Conversations with some of my favorites both here and abroad.

A trip to the grocery store where I kept seeing the same cute guy throughout the store. Then he got in line behind me and was teasing me about the large amount of Quest bars I was buying…and the juice boxes I bought! I love those random moments!

And now dinner out with my favorite guy.

I think I kinda like you Saturday.

Everyone is a comedian…

runningshew is a great alarm clock and friend. She made me giggle at 4:30 in the morning…and then again around 7:30 with that gem of a photo. I know Maya isn’t a man in a dog suit, in fact, she looks like the sweetest, most gentle giant alive. But…
I think I’m having some anxiety dreams dealing with some things that I’m not addressing here. Suffice it to say that I’m involved in a couple of confusing situations and they appear to be manifesting in my dreams.
Last night I dreamed that my newlywed (about 6 months) friends had some young children they were either fostering or adopting. They told me that I had to babysit said children. I didn’t want to. In fact, I refused to go to the room the kids were in BY THEMSELVES! I wouldn’t look at them and ignored everyone who told me that I had to go watch these kids.
Then, Amy texted and I woke up…ending that dream.
I don’t know you guys…I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something about men and children. Or specifically…men WITH children.
Oy. My life.
In other news, the sun is FINALLY back today! It is supposed to be warmer and nice this weekend, just in time for my long run. There are only 3 weeks left of this Hanson’s Marathon Plan. I’m soooo ready for it to be over (the training, not getting to see my friends!) 6 days of running a week at this mileage is killing me.

Happy Friday Friends!!

Funk-y Town

The first photo shows my feelings about the fact that I snoozed my alarm so many times this morning that I couldn’t get up and run before work. Now I have 9.5 miles to do after work. Not a fan. Not a fan at all.
I never realized how much the weather affected my mood until I I realized that I haven’t seen the sun since Saturday. I’ve been a wee bit down and kind of ehhh because of that. I’m in a funk.
Despite the gray skies the world is exploding with color here in the Heartland. This pretty pink tree is on my morning commute. I like the bright yellow and pinks.
And I give you last night’s Easy run. I actually had a decent run. Negative splits (my last mile was 10:42! Whoops, not the 12:05 I was shooting for!)
After the marathon training is over, I’ve been contemplating what my next plan of attack is. And I want to branch out into more classes at my gym–including Spin and weight lifting classes! Although, Fun Fact: the guy I made out with a few New Year’s Eves ago is the instructor for the spin classes at my gym– File that under Reasons I DON’T want to take these classes! Oy! My Life.
In the past day I’ve been accused by TWO different men of not eating. Dudes. I eat. A lot. I promise.
I’ve gained some new followers lately. Hello friends! A quick intro: I’m Melissa. I’m 33. I used to be a TV News Producer, now I’m the Membership Director for an Educational Non-Profit. I’m training to run my 11th Half Marathon in May using the Hanson’s Half Marathon Method. I write about running, my life, and all the random things that happen to me along the way! Welcome aboard!

Sharpening The Saw: Why Productive People Always Have Time For Exercise

Bill Gates, Oprah, Richard Branson. They’ve all revealed that, though they’re incredibly busy, they go for a run each morning before jumping into work. Why do they make this a priority when the dem…

Run first thing in the morning, before your brain wakes up and knows what you’re doing!!

Lincoln Half Marathon training, long 10.

The winds are killing me. They need to stop. But I pushed through. Today is family Easter stuff so I’m excited to hang out with my nephews.

There’s a beautiful Magnolia tree blooming in my parent’s neighborhood. It smells amazing!

And, because it’s me. Something random always happens on my runs. Today, there was this woman sitting on her porch who started talking to me while I walked by, trying to open my fuel package. She told me how nice it was outside, then asked if I was “local”. (Umm, yes? Weird question) Asked if I was speedwalking…I told her I was running, but refueling. She then asked if I needed help opening it…even though I clearly had it. I told her no…and kept walking. She kept talking. Weird. So weird.

Happy Saturday and have a great Easter friends!