October is Over

Sooo.... I think it's been a while since my last Tuesday post. Sorry about that, but life has been getting in the way of blogging. Monday night is always a hard night for me to want to do anything. Many things to recap though. Jessie and I have been enjoying lots of things in our life recently. One thing that I am happy about is no longer having to cut and chisel apart frozen chubs for the dog.

We had been buying 10 lb. chubs of frozen chicken meat for the dog, and I was responsible for cutting apart and portioning it for the dog.

She is always very interested in how I portion it out.

Well the most exciting part is that the age of the chub has ended! The dog food company has discontinued making the food, and now we just buy whole, sliced chicken from the store and thow it in her bowl. I feel like I work at Pollo Tropical. "You want a quarter chicken or half a chicken?"

Work has been going well, and we can now say that we are debt-free! So thankful that God has provided good work for me and has more than provided for our needs. I have been working next to a guy named Gary and have really enjoyed hanging out with him some too. He had the front cover off a Cummins ISX the other day. I thought it was interesting, so I took a picture.

Might look like a scrap pile to you, but it's very organized.

Also found a very old Mack in our truckyard the other day. It came in for a state inspection and failed terribly. We enjoyed the train whistle of a horn that it had though.

I think the year model was 1990

Not a very nice ride

Had to dig some wiring out of the frame rail in a trash truck. I was proud that it only took me about two hours to find the issues going on with this truck. Normally, it would have been in the four to six-hour range. 

Hydraulic oil had leaked into the wiring and ruined it. Along with trash juices :/  

All that to say, work has been going well. I am currently in a class at a Mack and Volvo training center for three days. Although it has been mostly review, I'm glad that I get to attend. Gary has been taking the class with me, and the other day we also went shooting. Because it was so close to Halloween, we decided to shoot zombie targets.

If you look closely, you will note ten fatal holes in the zombie.

I shot the ten rounds from about 12 yards

This is Gary who is very happy to be shooting the zombies after a long day of work.

Jessie did a great job with her Halloween activity by carving a really scary jack-o-lantern.

I was impressed

We spent the evening at our pastor's house, giving out candy from his front yard and enjoying a small fire on one of the first cool nights of the season.

Jessie also did a great job breaking her PR on a Half Marathon run.

Here you can see her passing the competition at the finish 

We also had a good time at the first drive-in theater we have ever been to. It was really fun watch a movie on the big screen from our car with everyone else and their dog.

The power wagon out to the movies

Great times were happening at this photo shoot with Matt and his new gal, Olivia. We love having good friends - old and new - here in the big city. It makes it feel smaller.

Things were taking a little longer then I wanted. 

The month of October had really been full of great activities and I will end with one of my favorite that happened. I was called up by our local Indian Motorcycle dealership and told about free demo rides going on through Saturday. I was very excited to go. The morning of was about 45 degrees outside, and I rode my bike out there (and was kind of frozen when I arrived). They asked which one I wanted to ride and I replied, "Which one has a windshield?" Here are the bikes I was able to ride.

First ride was on the Chief. Base model complete with windshield 

This was my next ride called the Roadmaster. It had an adjustable windshield, heated seats, and heated handle grips.

The last ride was on the Scout once it warmed up.

Had a great time but don't plan on ever buying any of those bikes. Either too much money or not enough bike.

Thanks for reading through this random catch-up post and hope you enjoyed it.

Currently listening to: Miss May I, Bon Iver, and Audio Slave

Currently working on: test questions like "What is the part number for an injector nozzle kit for a 2003 Mack CH?" 

Currently thinking about: Is it socially-acceptable to wear spandex running pants outside of the house without shorts over them, or do the shorts make it worse? Why is it cold?

A Run for My Money

Last fall, I ran a half marathon I called "The Race I Would Run Again and Again." I would, too, except that it's no longer conveniently located. Yesterday I ran my first race in Dallas. While the course itself was fantastic, my experience is one I would not like to repeat.

Back up about ten days.

Brooklyn and I were on an easy run, and I began experiencing sharp pain in my knee. We ran even easier, and I took note of my pain level. Over that weekend, my pain continued. I knew the issue, because I'd made this mistake before. In fact, the only other time I'd experienced knee pain was when my shoes were shot.

My current Mizuno Wave Inspire 10s were ten months old and had about double the intended mileage. My Scottish blood was holding out for the new shoe releases next month. This was against my better judgement, but it kills me to spend $120 for new shoes. Shame on me, right? Well, I ended up back at Luke's Locker last Sunday and came home with a beautiful new pair of Brooks Ravenna 5s. (Hooray for SMU student discounts!) I love them! While fit is the top priority, I am also thrilled about the color and the fact that they share the same name as my dog...

Brook and my new Brooks!

But I digress. A new pair of shoes was the solution, but it really needed to be implemented four months ago. Needless to say, my pain did not go away. It came back 1/4 mile into my runs. My sweet Orlando running buddy, Mollie, told me it was likely my IT band, due to the location of my pain. The IT band runs down the side of the thigh to just below the knee. The irritation of those muscles and tendons is what causes the sharp pain on the top-outside of the knee. The good news is that this is not a permanent issue. With daily stretching, this can be fixed. Better late than never, I began stretching my IT band and icing my knee with all diligence.

Yes, even in the practice rooms at school. And yes, the ice pack is tied onto my knee with a scarf.

I walked/ran (or sometimes just walked) and listened to my body. I knew I was mentally and physically prepared for this race - so much that I had secretly hoped to set a new PR, inching my way closer to 1:45. Ever since running with my new training coach...

"Get moving, Welsh!"

...my times have become faster with little effort. Who knew how much a Weimaraner could benefit your run times?

Naturally, I was disappointed, but for once in my life, I took it with good humor. I mean, does anybody else remember my crazy race history?

1. Sprint Triathlon - had to bow out due to severe anemia
2. Princess Half Marathon - ran after having food poisoning the night before
3. Baldwin Park Half Marathon - ran with a sinus infection
4. Jacksonville Bank Marathon - had to bow out due to being hospitalized ten days before the race.

Truly, it's laughable. What's even more ironic is that I run nearly every day without issue. It's only when I sign up for a race that bad things begin to happen. Maybe I should try signing up day-of? Who am I kidding, that would never do for this Type-A planner.

I picked up my race packet on Friday morning, still unsure of how my knee would feel. On Thursday, I had run two miles without pain - a significant improvement from the beginning of the week. We both know there's a big difference between two and thirteen miles, though! I freed myself from any goals or time commitments and just decided to finish. I couldn't bring myself to bow out of another race.

Cool shirt, huh?

Friday afternoon, however, things went south. By evening, my throat was tight and my sinuses were congested. "Really?!" I stayed home from game night and hit the hay early. When I awoke at 4:30AM, I was convinced I had strep throat. A quick flashlight examination revealed white spots on my tonsils. Great. So now my knee is the least of my worries.

Nothing says "It's go time" like Dayquill!

I was incredibly close to bowing out. Instead, I made a salt water gargle, took some honey and essential oils, and chugged some Dayquill. I ate a bowl of oatmeal, even though I had no appetite, and went back to bed for an hour. I decided I would hit up a walk-in clinic after the race. Tyler dropped me off at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, in the heart of the arts district, thirty minutes to start time. I was nervous, to say the least! I met up with Mary Anna, and we did a short, easy jog together.

The race was much smaller than I had envisioned (just under 2000 registrants), so I crossed the starting line only thirty seconds after gun time. The 1:50 pace group was a ways in front of me, but I kept them in my sights. My plan was to take it easy for the first half of the race. Mary Anna started out running sub-8:00 without realizing it! The adrenaline kicks in, and you don't realize how fast you're going. I love my Garmin for being a reality check!

Around mile 5, we made it to my stomping ground! Yes, the race course went through my neighborhood! The best surprise was waiting for me at mile six. Pastor Winburne and Mary Margaret had walked a short distance from their house to cheer me on - prior to 8AM on a Saturday! It was incredibly encouraging to see some familiar faces, and it kept me going for the next few miles.

Running through my neighborhood was one of the best parts of this race. So many families were out, little ones in footie PJs, cheering on family members and friends. Others were there as spectators and cheered for strangers. One of my favorite scenes was a Dad with two small children. One was in a stroller, and one was standing next to him. All three were eating breakfast tacos out of a huge paper bag. Only in Texas.

The course led us to the Katy Trail, another one of my running spots. I knew that once I stepped foot on the trail, I would be close to the finish line. The Katy Trail goes all the way into downtown. With five miles to go, I began inching my way closer to that 1:50 group. My knee was feeling fine, though my toes were going a bit numb. (This is why you're supposed to buy new shoes well in advance!) Miles 9-11 were collectively my fastest, and I left the 1:50 group behind. I guess I accidentally left Mary Anna behind, too! Oops! I thought she was right behind me. We weren't talking much during the race, so I wasn't surprised when I hadn't heard from her.

When the Katy trail dead-eneded into Downtown, I had just over 1.5 mies to go. I was tired. Normally I save my best for the end of a race, but I felt exhausted. It was all I could do to down four of my energy chomps throughout the race. I was afraid to eat anything else, for fear of throwing up. As we looped the Arts District, there were African drum circles and other ethnic bands. Turning the next corner, I saw a crowd lined up and realized I was close. In my previous race experiences, I've always reached this point elated, high on endorphins. This time I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. I knew my pace had incredibly slowed on my last mile, but I didn't care. All of a sudden, it hit me. I was going to set a PR! As I neared the finish line, I saw three racers slightly ahead of me. I found the energy to pass them as I finished. Blame it on the Mitchell competitive spirit. It runs in my blood.

See the city in the background?

As I crossed the finish line, they announced a Jessie from Dallas, TX. I was slightly upset, because they didn't ask me to list my hometown; they just announced my address city. Hmmph. I didn't have enough breath to correct them.

Still, I was never so happy to see my family! During the race, Ty picked up Aunt Sharry. It made me feel especially loved that she took an interest in my race! (I know these are not the most fun to attend!) They were both there to cheer me on at the end.

My beloved spectators!

Mary Anna crossed just a few minutes later - sub 1:50 for her first half marathon. That girl is a champ!

Family!

After the race, we went to Another Broken Egg. I had been craving their berry pancakes. This darn sickness left me with a loss of appetite, but I managed to down some of that delicious berry pancake! Aunt Sharry had a quinoa bowl that I am going to try next time.

Our day's activities ended at a local walk-in clinic. I think I utterly confused the office staff and technicians, because I had an ice pack on my knee, but I was there about a sore throat. Turns out this clinic (just down the street from us!) just opened this week. It was complete with a mini fridge and Keurig machine in the lobby! The doctor was thorough and kind.

My strep test was negative, but the doctor told me I had sinusitis. Before I'd left the building, she'd sent my prescription over to my preferred pharmacy. Talk about efficient! She also told me I had untreated allergies - did you know Dallas is one of the top three worst cities for allergies? She also recommended Mucinex D, because she said untreated allergies lower the immune system. So my sweet hubby took me home, set up our loveseat-couch bed, picked up my prescription, and then hit up the grocery store.

I watched Hook with my Weimaraner and iced my knee. Ty and I were thrilled to discover an SEC game on our local station. What is all this Big 12 hype?! We topped off the evening with the World Series, and then I hit the hay. Per doctor's orders, I am resting today, too. Hoping to be back at it tomorrow!

And now for the race stats!

Finish time: 1:47:37

Average pace: 8:13/mile

Fastest mile: 8:03 (mile five)

Slowest mile: 8:31 (mile thirteen - told you I slowed down:)

Age group (F, 20-24): 8th of 96

Overall female: 55th of 1,040

Overall: 238th of 1,755

Fall Festivities

Don't get me started on the weather here. It's unpredictable, to say the least. What I do know is that when it's sunny with a high of seventy five (did you hum along?), you don't complain and you don't remain indoors.

I've lived through twenty-four eighty-five-degree Octobers in Orlando, so I offer no apologies for my enthusiasm about experiencing this phenomenon called autumn. Even if I am a little over-zealous. 

Look a him go!

I was on fall break Monday and Tuesday this week, so I decided to take Brooklyn to a dog park Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, those plans were never realized, but not for lack of effort! I arrived at three different dog parks, only to discover all three were closed for various reasons. Poor Brooklyn finally realized we weren't getting out of the car....

After that nice detour (on the toll road, no less), we went home and made our own "park" in the backyard. I enjoyed a cup of tea and a book on Soviet music while Brooklyn chewed on sticks and old coffee tins. We were thankful just to be outside.

It's taper week, so Brooklyn and I have been taking it easier on our runs.

"Can we go faster, please?!"

Strolling through our neighborhood on a lazy Saturday

I had an appointment at school yesterday, which I realized was unfortunately scheduled during the SMU football game. Honestly, I don't know how people manage such enthusiasm for a team who is predicted to lose every game this season. The football team's record definitely hasn't dampened the tailgating scene. The main drive of campus is covered in red and blue on game days. Because of this, parking is always terrible! Yesterday I took advantage of our proximity to campus and walked. The weather was perfect, the football scene was hopping, and the friendly policemen stopped traffic for me at the crosswalks.

Saturday has become our weekly date night, and last night was exceptionally adventurous and fun! We drove to Ennis, Texas (about 30 miles south) to a drive-in movie theater. They offer double features at each screen, and you can choose from six different screens.

We saw Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Naturally, I slept through the second film.)

The theater was packed! Our screen was the most "family-friendly," so there were vans full of soccer teams and trucks with dogs and kids alike. The "regulars" were easily recognizable with their trucks backed in and camping chairs in the truck bed. Our wagon worked just fine, and I made a comfy blanket bed in the back.

The theater provided us with an FM station, so the sound came right through our car speakers. They also had the old-fashioned speakers staked in the ground next to each parking spot. We tuned in, rolled down our windows, grabbed some snacks, and enjoyed the show!

During the first movie, Brooklyn stood watch over the wagon and alerted us to any activity. Since she wasn't barking, we let her fulfill her role as watch dog. During the second movie, she and I both conked out!

And now, some shots from our relaxing lake walk/run this morning. Again, no apologies. Please come visit. I'd love to take you there.

Following a much-needed church service (have I mentioned what a blessing King's Parish is in our lives?), we had some friends over for lunch. Hospitality is so much easier when I don't stress about everything being prepared and perfect ahead of time. In fact, I just put the ladies to work today, peeling potatoes and washing lettuce. The men tended to the grilling. It's always more fun to cook together anyway.

Missing Hannah in the photo, but we had fun with these folks!

We're reaching that point in the semester where things speed up at an alarming rate. Paper deadlines approach, performance dates loom, flu germs float through the hallways, and bed times shift to a later hour. In the midst of all that, I am grateful for time to feel human. I love Sundays, and slowly I'm learning to love rest.