Track update

The school called back and left a message saying as soon as renovations are done I can use the track until sundown any day they aren't using it.

Track...

I am looking for a good 7.7 mile(12.4K) running circuit, using our falling apart but trustworthy map and Google maps.  

I need one that has sidewalks for the stroller and doesn't go through any questionable areas.

It can't be a 3.5 mile round that I run twice because I don't trust myself to make the second round.

I'm also looking for a track that I can use for sprinting.

I'm not keen on the idea of sprinting down a sidewalk by myself.

If there were more people it would just look like a race. 

By myself, I would just look like an emergency.

I called the local high school.  It's about a mile away and there are sidewalks about three quarters of the way there.

I introduced myself and asked if they let people in the community  run on the track when not in use by the school.

The first woman answered with an emphatic yes and forwarded me to the woman who would give me the schedule of when the track was available.

The second woman was not nearly as sunny and bright as the first.

When she found out that I was an individual and not an organization she said she'd have to ask and started spewing about a locked gate and insurance and liability.

She did take my name and number though, so I am hopeful that she will call me back.

If I am not allowed to run at the high school, I might see if I can run on the track at one of the local fire stations.

I am determined to do this.

Urban-Warrior Challenge

I am not a runner.  The longest distance I have ever run is a mile.

Hurdles and 100m dash for me, thank you.

But I want a challenge -and a big one.

So I'm training for the Springfield Urban-Warrior Challenge.

It's a grueling 12.4 Kilometers with 20 challenges thrown in.  

Challenges like hurdles, pull-ups, dead weight carries, hood slides, climbing, and more.

The course goes through places of Downtown Springfield that I wouldn't want to run alone, like the mile long underground waterway tunnel.  

I'm not going to try to make this year's SUC.  I only have 7 weeks to train for it.

But I will be at next year's.

Because it's cold and I have a little one, I've only been training inside.

Here's my routine.

If you're wanting to get some abs, this will do it.  

I'm already seeing results, and I haven't been consistent enough to do it every day.

50 jumping jacks

50 crunches

25 leg lifts

50 bicycles

25 squats

15 sumo squats

50 calf raises

180 arm circles

15 push-ups

50 jumping jacks

1 min plank (on elbows)

Anyone interested in making a team and becoming warriors together?

House-sitting inspires creativity

We are still house-sitting.

We house sit quite frequently.  

Most of our friends live in the country, so us city-folk get as much vacation as the homeowners do.  

There are almost always animals, a blessing and a curse.  

It is an odd thing to live in someone else's house, without them, for any length of time.

Your leisure time takes a temporary shift and you start doing whatever the family did.

I love looking forward to reading someone else's book collection.

Or playing a new board game.

Or playing outside in their tree fort.

We normally house-sit for friends who home-school.

This ensures ample amounts of books, board games, art supplies, educational computer games, etc.

Things I love to do.

Our current house-sitting abode is normally inhabited by kids who go to school all day and the family has different pass-times than me.

They bake together.

But their convection/conventional oven is acting up, so I haven't been doing a lot of baking.

They must check most of their books out at the library, because there are very few here.

They have an awesome tree fort and woods.

But it's only 29 degrees out with snow and I have a 16 months old with no snow gear.

Both the daughter and mother have tons of curling irons, leave-in curlers, and straighteners.

I have tried multiple ways and tools to curl my hair, and none of them are staying.  

The internet is sketchy. 

Hence, the lack of blog posts.

They do have direcTV though.  

I love watching the history channel or National Geographic's channel while I knit.

None of this is meant to be mopey.  

Since being here, I've been more creative.

Venison Jerky covered in chocolate.

(It wasn't great.)

Calling 1-234-567-8910.

(It just says that the circuits are busy, try again later. No matter how many times you call.)

I even tried watching a couple more Doctor Who episodes on TV.

(I don't really care for them.)

If I hadn't have been here, I would never have tried those things.

But I am ready to be home.