My New Running Buddy....Gus

You know those days that you just need a little motivation to get out there and run....when it's in the mid 40s and rainy...when you just don't want to settle for a treadmill, but are having a hard time lacing up the shoes to face the elements? It's been dreary and rainy hear for several days in a row. Actually, today was the first day we had dry running weather in about 4 or 5 days. Blah...makes me just wanna curl up under the covers and sleep the winter away.

Well, I have found that a running buddy that loves the rain! He doesn't mind the rain, as a matter of fact when we take him out to "do his business" and it's raining, we have to get a treat to get him to come inside. I don't mind running in the rain...it can be fun, but after a couple of days of it, and it's cold....I'm really just not feeling it. But Gus....he's all about it!

Gus is a smart boy! Today is his 8 month birthday! We have had him for 3 months. As soon as I start putting on my running gear he gets super excited!!! He loves to run, just like his momma of course (*wink)! And check out those big brown eyes....A girl can just melt with those puppy dog eyes...of course I'll take you for a run big boy!!! Who's a good boy?! 

 So....this past Saturday my boy Gus and I headed out for a short and easy run in the rain. He started out fast like I knew he would, but I figured we could take it down a notch after the first mile...nope. We kept a pretty decent clip for 4 miles and had a blast jumping through the puddles. After we were done I helped him up in the hatch and we were both completely drenched and yes...we both smelled like wet dog.

I always keep a blanket and some extra towels in the back...They came in handy this day! 

*For those of you reading this, that I would call running buddies...no worries!!! Gus is still too small for the longer distances, and you know who you are...And of course great friends (*and family) are hard to come by and even those big brown eyes could never replace you! <3

~Happy running! From Kathy and Gus :)

Competition is Good for the Soul!

A little competition never hurt anyone. As a matter of fact, it feels pretty darn good! I have spent the past several many weeks watching my baby girl train and run cross country. This is her first year in middle school, and her first attempt at running. It all started when I told the coach that she was too lazy to ever want to run. He told her, and the rest has been history! She did start out slow and steady. Through much pain, sweat, a little blood (she's a little clumsy like her mother-ha!) and yes even tears she has pushed herself beyond anywhere that I thought she would go.

I am so very proud of her. It really was like at some point after the season started something clicked and man was she competitive...is this the same girl that cleaned the dirt off the bases and play with the grass in tee-ball, the girl that showed up for tennis in the summer heat, and go to basketball practices just to see her friends.

In her first meet she heard one of her coaches tell her that there was a girl right on her tail, and she kicked it in to finish ahead of her....I think it was like a shot in the arm for her. Her self confidence has boomed and has transferred over in her school work and everything... Yup! That's right! My babygirl made high honor roll her first grading period of middle school. Oh yeah!

 She still has fun with her friends, but when she's running it's game on! This was at a regional meet in Michigan. She finished 37th out of 250+ out of 6th grade girls. The boys and girls started at the same time. This was the largest race she has ran in to date.

 It has been fun taking the whole family along to different meets to cheer her on! This is Zach and our newest member of our family~ Gus! He was so excited to take him with us to this invitational...Gus has been a great addition to the Miller family! Getting him was a story in itself, we were able to rescue him from our local shelter....Share the love! Adopt a pet! :)

So, in the middle of all of this cross country traveling and cheering on I was also in the middle of my volleyball season. Both of these activities were great for different reasons. However, I chose to put my own training on hold a bit in order to do them. In the last two weekends I competed in a 5k and 10k. The picture above was from the 10 k. It was tough, but my mantra that I kept repeating to myself was "no regrets-don't give up!" It was a family event. My "wee one" ran the 1 mile fun run, and the Mr., Syd and I ran the 10k. We had a good day! I finished my first 10k in 52:43 not a bad time at all! But guess who beat me by 20 seconds.....yep Sydney! I told you she was competitive (wink*) ..the Mr. beat us both cause he's fast like that.

I started out too fast, and stopped to puke twice...first time was gross (mental note, not to eat too much for breakfast even if you think you have "plenty" of time to digest)...second time just dry heaves.. it was a tough course, but felt soooooooo good to be running a race again.

I have started helping coach the off season cross country group...she thinks it's so I can spend more time with her, but it's really so I can get faster so she doesn't beat me at the next race!!! kidding...kinda' ;)

..That and the core work they do is torturous, I need to get a jump start on bikini season Spring Break isn't that far off....

~happy running!