Putting a "Spring" in my Step!

Well the more "committed" I get to this running gig, the more I realize I still have so much to learn.  Today I was educated all about fitness shoes and how wrong I've been doing things for all these years.  I actually went to a running store where they assessed my stride, foot placement, etc.   Turns out you're supposed to buy running shoes considerably bigger than your "normal" shoe size to give your toes plenty of room and avoid some dreadful thing called "black toe".  Ewwww!  Anyway, case in point.... I normally wear a size 7; however, the running shoes I bought today are a size 9!!!  Um yeah!  Took me a while to get over feeling like I have clown shoes on, but honestly the lady was right!   I ended up getting Brooks running shoes with glycerine cushions.  I tested them out this evening and I felt like I could have gone for another 3 miles!  (Now if I can convince the rest of my body of that! LOL!)  I'm proud to say I've set a new personal record for distance run this week....12 miles!  However, I'm sad to say I'm going to have to go even further than that in ONE run when October rolls around.  A half marathon is just over 13 miles.  I'll get there... it's just going to take a while.

On a similar topic... the garden is starting to "spring" up.  Today we could see beans and snow peas popping up!  Yea!  I'm really excited!  I'd better get to researching new recipes to make good use of all these goodies we'll have soon!  Unfortunately the weeds are springing up too.  I'm guessing you know your yard is an "eye sore" when you get grass samples left on your front porch! LOL!!  Only a few more weeks and they'll be able to spray the hydromulch.  I'll be so thankful for the reduction of muddy foot prints in the house!

The other "news" we have is that our patio extension is finally going to happen.  They're coming tomorrow to frame and pour the concrete.  We decided on 16' x 18' and we're going to be putting a red cedar stained pergola over it.  I'll be so glad when our back porch doesn't look like the grill section of Lowe's or Home Depot. Ha!  Seriously, Jarred has 4 grills out there! (and he swears he needs them ALL! LOL!)  What I'm more excited about is that it'll be done just in time for "grilling season"!  One thing I LOVE about living in this part of Texas is the beautiful evenings.  We are blessed with the most amazing sunsets here.  Oh how I long for the lazy days of summer.  Only 6 more Mondays until school is out!  I think I can.... I think I can!!!  Geez! I'm as bad as the kids!  Thank goodness tomorrow is the weekend!