Sometimes You’re the Windshield…

…sometimes you’re the bug.

I’m feeling more like the windshield these days.

This past weekend was wild and crazy to say the least. I had 10 miles on my plan for Saturday but knew it was unlikely I would get it in. The Hubs had class on Saturday AM and by the time he got home I had to take LB to a birthday party.  I took my running clothes just in case it was a drop and go party but once there I decided it was best to stay. Plus the weather was really ominous. Storms had been brewing ALL day.

Sure enough, a couple of hours into the birthday party a neighbor ran over and announced, “Turn on the radio! There are tornadoes everywhere!” That was my queue to get LB and get out of there! I grew up in OK where tornadoes are common. I know driving in a tornado is NOT smart. But I wanted to get home. I listened to the warnings for a minute and decided I need to go. LB and I ran out in the wind and driving rain. I questioned my judgment, it was BAD. But We got in the car and I called The Hubs, told him to turn on the weather and call me if a tornado was between me and home. We made it home and came inside. I stood in front of the TV watching the huge swatch of red stretching from Raleigh down to our town. There were a couple of tornadoes around, to the north of us. Then all of a sudden about 8 little tornado symbols popped up all around us and then BAM! The power cut out.

Now this is never good. I went out on our porch to watch the skies. The Hubs and I attempted to put our cars in our neighbor's 6 car garage but with the power out the doors wouldn’t open. It was hailing and driving rain.

LB, Lazy Dog and Nelly watching the storm

In the end we were fine. Our house and our neighborhood were spared. There were pieces of insulation, siding and house all over our yard. Near by neighborhoods and schools were not fine. There was a lot of damage and devastation around. But we had no idea what was going on, we still didn’t have power. Long story cut short, we were without power for almost 24 hours and were stuck on the outside of town due to the path of a tornado that went straight across all roads leading into town.

It was so calm after the storms I almost decided to go for my 10 miler then. But I didn’t. We hung out, tried to order pizza (but we didn’t know about the tornado close by and the damage) and the pizza guy had to be the one to tell us he couldn’t get to our house. So we grilled some dogs and just hung out, sans electricity.

I read Runner’s World by candle light…

Sunday our power was still off. I decide I might as well go for my 10 mile run if we couldn’t leave the house. I set out for 10 miles in my 3.6 mile neighborhood. At 9.4 miles I was done. Bored out of my mind and just done. I walked up our drive like a whipped dog, with my tail between my legs. I threw a mini tantrum, complaining about running in the neighborhood and how boring it is. The Hubs asked me, “Do you wanna go run on Pope?” “Nope.” “The busy street out there?” “Nope.” “You want to go run in Tacoma?” “Yes!” I miss all my running routes in Tacoma. Everything about them. I am not adjusting well here and I just can’t shake it. I am trying to think positive thoughts and stop the negative thoughts that creep in, but it is so hard. All I want is one more run, ok a million more runs, in Tacoma….

Funny enough, I had gotten a picture text from Jill- Running to Sanity that read, “30th street misses you!” Awe, the hill I called The Hill of Death. That hill that would KILL the end of my runs! I would save it for the end of my runs, run up it and then only had about 1.6 miles to home. I miss it too….

The Hill of Death-30th street Old Town, Tacoma

Monday I was busy all morning watching the Boston Marathon working and didn’t get to run until 4 PM.

It was HOT. Ok it was warm, 78 degrees. We are on a warming trend that is only going to get worse from here on out. Today is 80’s and tomorrow we break 90’s. Hello NC summer. I set out for 4 miles in the neighborhood and new it would be tough with the sun and heat. I need to get used to it. It my upcoming 70.3 the run will begin around 12 or so. I am going to die to be thirsty and hot. So it it is best to train my body to perform in the heat.

Self-timer photos RULE! Before the run…

Self portrait-After the run….

I look waxy-sign of heat exhaust? Heat stroke maybe??

And speaking of my signature pose…I am loving all the pics you guys are sending me!! They have me cracking up!! Keep them coming! Don’t know what I am talking about?? Well go HERE and see for yourself! It’s your chance to enter to win an Allied Medal Display!!

Thanks for reading this long, drawn out post! Off to to some work, then swim and run and then more work….Such is life these days.

Happy Tuesday friends!!!