Post furlough funk

So, we're back to getting paid for working - eventually.  It's kind of still sorting itself out, but I did get a paycheck, so that was nice.  This new sign in our office really is not so nice - kind of "we spent money on this sign, but didn't pay you..."

So, the best way to fight a funk is to run some miles.  On Saturday, I did the Eastside Cemeteries running tour.  Our guide was the (very fast) Bruce, so it was really 3.1 miles of fartleks with very interesting stories.

This was a very interesting part of the cemeteries I had not visited before - the African American cemeteries.

So, I was a little sore after that for the Gusto Push 10 mile race on Sunday - 10 miles of concrete and two passes on a concrete bouncy bridge that takes my vertigo to new places.  But, in the words of my nephews, I DID it!

Here's some frame-by-frame finish line pics of me running like a crazy running chicken. 

yep - puro gallina loca.  It was humid, so we had to replenish ourselves accordingly.

No races for me next weekend - I'll continue to fight my funk by traveling to Arlington to root against the Vikings.  In a Packers jersey. 

Blue

...is my favorite color, but not my favorite feeling.  I have been trying to fight the blues since getting the ol' furlough notice and dx last Tuesday.  After the 15k on Sunday, I put together a "drag myself off the couch" list of no-expense chores that I didn't dislike.

For example:

Dislike:                                                         Notsobad:
change way-high lightbulbs (did it anyway)    plant front bed with cactus
clean house                                                  clean and PUT AWAY all laundry (did it)
weed front yard                                            play with critters and plant leftover seeds to see what grows

And, so, I woke up at a normal time on Tuesday and set forth to accomplish those "notsobad" tasks - for about an hour before I got the call to return to work on Wednesday, without pay.  Lovely.  Work was a sad place today, so I just tried to shut myself in my office and do my job.  Again, without pay.

When I got home, I thought about just taking a nap and avoiding zoo run, but one thing that always helps when I am feeling blue - running with buddies.  These days, even a bad run is the highlight of my day.  So, here we were tonight, hamming it up and showing off some new shirts (paid for pre-furlough).  I included multiple group pics because I think the progression of the doggies is hilarious - click on the pics to enlarge.

super cheesy.  And I mean Laura - I'm just semi-cheesy.

 Wednesday night zoo run regulars, including the pooches.

And many of the Brak Pak

And las chicas de el Brak Pak (if this no pay.furlough keeps up, some of us may release a calendar :)

So, to my fellow running buddies, friends, and family - I apologize for being down, blue, depressed, and anxious.  Last Tuesday hit me pretty hard, with no 'cures' in sight.  Thanks for dealing with grumpy Sally and helping me off the couch.

And thanks to Michele for doing the legwork on new shirts and Ceci for printing - and the pics.  I see the whole world and I want to paint it a lighter shade of blue.

Catching up while I'm fu-ed

So, I had been pretty busy and did not get a chance to post the last few weeks' ugly race pics.  "Luckily," some "nice" folks in Congress decided not to do their jobs, and I got furloughed.  Exciting, no?  An unexpected vacation - I could travel, finish projects like painting, even take on a part-time job....but, no, no, and no.  I don't get paid, and, under my contract, I can't work at most other places, if they'd even hire me short (I hope) term.  So, instead, I am catching up on sleep and trying to check anything "free" off my to do list - which includes posting ugly race pics. 

So - here we go...On September 8, I ran the Scallywompus 10K at McAllister park.  It was hot and sweaty...and ugly:

Lots of starting pics of the crazy running chicken:

 During the run - trying to look like a real runner

After the finish - sweaty running chicken

And then, thirsty running chicken

The next weekend, I ran back-to-back races.  First up was the Partnership 5k, which consisted of 3 laps around the AlamoDome.  If you recall, that's how I used to add mileage during training runs for the Dallas Whiterock marathon - so, I was having flashbacks.  Which is my excuse for this ugly finish pic:

That just LOOKS painful.  But, since it was a nice, small race (and there were about 8 other races in San Antonio that day) - TA DA - 2nd Masters overall.  For real.

I won't lie - both of those guys lapped me on my second lap.  But the bling was HUGE:

The next day, I ran the Gusto 8 mile race from the Valero trailhead, but did not earn any medals.

And, dragging into the finish

 puro pollo loco

Next up, on September 28, was the SNIPSA Race for the Rescues 5k.  I normally alternate dogs for this race, since they conspire to kill me when I run/walk with them together; however, I tricked Laura into herding Gwen.  Before I could find Laura, though, they took me out (luckily, on the grass), Dingo slipped her harness, and they mooned the camera.

baddogs.  But, I found Laura and we got ready to 'race.'

 I like this shot - everyone looks nice, and I look like a contortionist, trying to make my spastic dogs look at the camera:

baddogs.

By 'race,' I mean:  take off at break-neck speed, stopping suddenly to poop (Gwen, NOT Laura and I), until we get to the first aid station for a swim in every dogpool (Gwen, NOT Laura, Dingo, and I), then slow to a trot, then another swim at the next aid station, and then drag into the finish at a slow walk.  But, we finished in under an hour, so that's a Gwen & Dingo PR, I think.

Gwen and Dingo were really in love with these huge 'dogs'

(I taught Dingo everything she knows about photobombing)

And then we went home and napped HARD - Dingo even slept through thunder.

Then, I got furloughed and diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis on Tuesday, October 1.  It was a pretty crappy day.  But I ran the SARR Members only 15k in New Braunfels on October 6.  A cool front had come through the night before, and it was a rare, cool, Autumn race.

And I'm off - and 9ish miles later...

 rounding the last bend, heading up the hill

 my "crazy running chicken runs up a hill" pose

and pretending this is easy, peasy, when my training has been pathetic.  But I finished and ate a taco.

 It wasn't a very good taco, which is why I was holding onto it for such a long time.  I finally ditched the taco and posed with my buddies Jim and Scottydog

And there you have it - about a month of ugly race pics.  So, on my furlough to do list, I can cross off "update blog" and move on to "scrape the shower scum."  Fun times - but at least running helps (somewhat) to fight off the furlough fog.  Now, write to your Congressfolks and tell them to stop sitting on their brains.