Rob & Des: April 2014

Annapolis ZOOMA

Here I go again on my own! I do love running. Right now, while i'm growing another human inside me - its gotten a lot harder to run. I'm slower & I can't go nearly as far. And it just takes it out of me. I've been running a lot less lately - but I'm still trying.

But, normally - I love it. It's freeing. I love being alone with my thoughts and my iphone singing in my ears. I love listening to the rythms between my breath and my feet (it reminds me of listening to the "song" of a washing machine load). And I love watching the scenery. Even though I always run the same paths - they change everyday. Its spring in DC right now - and so the trails are all covered with a carpet of petals (and pollen sniffle sniffle sneeze!). Its beautiful. And I love seeing the sun come peeking out behind each tree as I pass. yay. It's my own form of meditation & my time with earth/nature/God.

Back on track - I ran another half marathon in Annapolis in June last year. Actually I believe it was June 1 - the day before our 6th wedding anniversary. It was on the hot side. And the course was very hilly! I knew this ahead & time - and luckily, the trails by my office are hilly & were great training. I totally did not PR - or even close on this course. I took it easy. I walked when I needed to, to catch my breath, or just give my little legs a break when they were whining. And, while my time was no where close to my time from Virginia Beach, the next day - I woke up without a single ounce of pain in my body. The entire week after VA Beach - I was in pain. ouch.

Plus - Annapolis is lovely. Nothing but lovely!
If I could pick a different city to live in Maryland (and not have to consider commute to work) I would pick Annapolis.

starting/finish line

Navy/Marine Corps Stadium

Pre race - got my longhorns represented, my number, and my awesome Merrells!

the bridge - one massive hill!

me at the top-ish of the bridge

March madness!

I swear, I'm only half crazy. For St. Paddy's day weekend, my parents came up & hung out with us for a while & then they traveled with us to Virginia Beach - where I ran the Yuengling Shamrock half marathon. This race is where I ran my half marathon PR 2:28 (which i know isn't an olympic record by any means - but good enough for me!!)

This race was pretty miserable. It was about 40 degrees and misty and gloomy and windy and the sun never really came out. I think a lot of my motivation to keep running was just to get out of the miserable weather!

I guess I was the only one up for beer at 10 in the morning. but, it was delicious. And, from Rob's face - you can tell he was cold & miserable. This is his dammit Des, just get me out of here smile.

St. Maarten

St. Maarten was the last port of call on the cruise. We had a downhill hike scheduled. We were all sunscreened up, and in the van on the way to the starting point, when it started raining. And it rained enough to make hillside/mountainside slippery enough that the excursion comany called it. So, instead of doing a downhill hike, we got a tour of the island - including some shopping time in a local market place - and a trip to a local attraction ... the "airport bar" i'll call it. The island is so small, that the planes don't have too much of a landing strip to land on. And they start coming in really low right over the beach. So, some brilliant person put in a bar right by the airport landing strip so that tourists could come get their hair blown back by the planes coming in & just watch the fun.

fishbone dog!

St. Thomas

On St. Thomas we did an awesome excursion - snorkeling!! yay.
I was really hoping to see a sea turtle, but alas, no luck. But it was still a great experience! We had a big group - which was fun on the catamaran to hang out with everyone (and drink some island rum punch on the way back). We saw tons of fish & the water was great. And, the safety briefing did include the instructions to pee on a jellyfish sting.