Excuses, excuses

Confession: It's been over a month since my last blog post and two days since I went for a run. I have fallen off the wagon. Since I ran my first 5K on Oct. 2, I've barely logged 23 miles. Total. Can that be right? How pathetic.

I had big plans to run a Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day, but I didn't do it because I have slacked off so much lately that I can't even trot! Also, the weather forecast on the morning of the race looked like this. No thank you, wintry mix. 

I even had big plans to run a 10K in December, which is now just two weeks away. It's not gonna happen. My training has slowed to a crawl, and now when I go for a run, it feels like I'm starting over. I can barely run two miles without stopping for a walk break. However, I have become a pro at making excuses for why I can't run. I won't bore you with my sob story about how in just the last month, I've made two trips to visit my parents (at least 700 miles each round trip), two trips to Washington, D.C. for work and spent over a week with a severe cold. Instead of rambling on about how busy I've been, I'll just give you the top three reasons I talk myself out of running every day. 

1. Running is HARD.

I run at a turtle's pace. Actually, that's not true. Turtles pass me like I'm standing still. And I usually quit before I reach my mileage goal because I'm out of energy. It seems that everyone else I know runs like a gazelle, and I become jealous and defeated before I ever put my shoes on.  

2. It's dark. All the time.

Since the time change, I have had a baditude, as Kelly would say, and I blame it on these cold gray days. It's pitch black when I leave work, and I feel like the day is over, when really it's just 5:30. Instead of hopping in the car and driving to a semi-lit park, I opt to collapse in a heap on the couch. With a pizza.  

3. It's cold.

I realize this list has become whine central, but seriously y'all, it's COLD. I fully intended to run today, but with a windy high of 47, I just couldn't make myself do it. No matter how much I bundle up, my ears ache and my nose tries to run away. Here in northwest Arkansas, we're right next to Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain - and it gets wicked cold.

Those three are usual suspects, but I can come up with any number of excuses on a given day. HOWEVER, I am determined to stick with this and keep running - through the fall - through the winter - but likely not through a wintry mix. Everyone has their limits.

And here are a few highlights from my super busy month! On one of my trips back home, I got to see my sweet baby niece turn ONE!

While I was in Washington, D.C., I visited lots of museums and took a nighttime tour of the monuments with Trea!

Here we are posing with Thomas Jefferson.

And while in D.C., I discovered the heaven that is Chop't. Thus, I almost ate my weight in a salad sandwich. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Yet another reason why I must get back to pounding the pavement!