I feel like I slept through this trainer ride.  Still feel like I could go back to sleep any second.  Rough night of sleep between the storms and the snorer. 

Yet another day on deck with the in-laws.  Ugh.  I come from a small family that didn't like each other very much.  These large, loud gatherings just wear me out.  Add to it that Jack didn't nap yesterday and is extremely cranky today doesn't help.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my friend jnieuwsma who finished IM UK today in 11:32:11!!!!

HA!  Take that!  I felt GREAT out there today.  I tried to keep at the 9:07 pace but I just felt good so I went with the flow.  WAHOOOOOOOO!  This now leads me to believe that I am completely allergic to hot, sunny weather.  Give me your cool, overcast days and I will deliver a stellar workout.  :) 

Time to go get clean and endure the in-laws.

What an amazing day it is out there!  Chicago has about 10 perfect days a year and I believe this was one of them.  I dropped Jack off to play with his little girlfriend Ava (though she likes cars and trains more than he does I think).  Met Brett a short time later and headed out.  Fun ride.  Learned more stuff, which is always good.  Picked Jack up, ate lunch and when he went for a nap, so did I.  Delightful!

Side note:  Outside of the obvious, can someone explain to me what so many fully-grown adult men do for a living that allow them to go to the forest preserves during the work day?  I've marvelled at the forest preserve activity for YEARS (exclusively male but age ranges from young to old, cars range from nice to pickup) but riding through there during what seems to be a "peak time" ... well, it seems to me you really have to need it bad to go that route. 

Thankfully Jack woke up hungry and breakfast is almost out of the way.  I'm hoping the landscapers will be here soon so I can place the trees and get on with the day.  Planned agenda: Early to the gym to make up my speed work run, then Target, then the Farmer's Market.  Busy morning.  And OWS tonight.

I started the run early .. by 9:15.  Warm up was fine but I could not hold the 7:47/mi pace.  I backed it off to 8:13/mi and that was still a stretch.  I think people were staring and pointing at the enormous amount of sweat pouring off me.  Ick.  Anyway, I did the best I could today.  As a bonus though, the gal behind the desk at the gym told me I had a nice body.  "I see a lot of women here, some super skinny, some really muscular and I don't really get it.  You have nice balance."  Considering I am still so bloated that I feel like a Macy's Day Balloon, it was good to hear. 

WARNING:  THERE IS TMI BELOW

That said, I'm cutting loose.  So a couple of months ago, I managed to lose 2 months of no kid pills.  I thought, okay, maybe this is a chance to talk to Frank about whether or not this is necessary.  We're done with having kids.  I wouldn't have to keep popping pills if he would do something to help out here.  Well, the past two months have ended that discussion.  What a miserable freakin' experience the cycle is when not pumped full of hormones.  Give me my drugs, NOW!  (BTW, I'm idiot proofing this process... going NuvaRing!)

So, that's an incredibly long lead up to .... I feel shitty today.  Cramping, hot flashes, general fatigue.  I'll run tomorrow.  AND I have half a dozen or so of those itchy, red, welty bites.  Blech.

But the yard is looking great! 

I can see, I can see!  There is so much light coming into my house it's silly.  All our heavy, gross old lady shrubs are gone.  Even if nothing else happened outside, I would be a happy woman.  Plus, watching the she-billy trying to figure out what's going on is most amusing.   

Coached session later today.  A little running, a little stength, a little balance.  Gait analysis.  I have to get used to working out later in the day again.  It's been awhile!

Not at all the night of sleep I envisioned.  I was abruptly awakened at 11:00 by a riptide of snoring coming out of my husband.  Went to the other room to try and sleep but couldn't get comfortable.  I had an unwelcomed 2.5 hour hiatus last night.  Thank goodness for coffee. :)

On the upshot here, the landscapers are going to start tearing out the ugly crap we have growing in front of our house today.  YEA!  I'll run out and grab a pic of it before they rip it out for the sake of before and after comparison.  I CAN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF THE FREAKIN' GRANNY POM POM BUSHES!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=nvyi8p6.bqpd2z6m&Uy=jcozev&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

30' swim later today.