S*Town

You guys. If you have a long commute or like to listening to podcasts while working out, you have GOT to listen to S*Town. The first 10 minutes will have you addicted. I promise. It’s from This American Life, the same people who brought you Serial (a podcast I also highly recommend). So good! It’s been making my morning get-ready routine far more interesting.

Also: yesterday I ran 6 miles in the middle of the workday so that I could have a couple margaritas at my work-wife Happy Hour. Priorities!

Just to back up a tad: Sunday was my 11-mile long run. Monday was an off day (when we made that kale salad!). Tuesday I was supposed to do an easy run around the park, but it was snow-raining and I was feeling 100% unmotivated and dead. So I lay in bed instead.

When Wednesday morning struck, I was feeling like I wanted to go to Happy Hour with my coworkers… but I knew I wouldn’t be keen on running after. I made the decision to bring my running clothes to work. That way, I could either get my run in during my lunch hour or skip Happy Hourto log some miles. Re-commitment.

I was so busy from 9 am into the lunch hour that I thought I wouldn’t be able to squeeze a run in before the 2:30 pm call on my schedule. But then everything cleared up at 1:00, so I changed into my running gear and head out into my work neighborhood (Glendale/Virginia Village) to move my legs.

I have had a love-hate relationship with running lately because I am way too quick to forget why I run, what I love about it, and how it should feel. The Garmin doesn’t help sometimes… it makes me focus on how I’m not going fast or far enough. (I attribute a lot my running strike on Tuesday to this all-or-nothing way of thinking.)

So I changed my Garmin display settings to just show the time. This way, when I was tempted to glance at my watch, I’d have to do math in my head instead of just instantly knowing how long I’d been running and what mile I was on. Math is hard, so I usually just noted the time and kept chugging along. I highly recommend this display setting for anyone struggling with pace-perfectionism!

I ended up relaxing and enjoying my easy-paced run… even with all those deceptively challenging  hills. As each mile beeped away on my watch, I found myself thinking, “I want to keep going.” I ran up and down every street (up hill in the middle of each!) and finished 6 miles before it was time to interview that man for a story I’m writing. Ding! I also had negative splits!

Somehow I was able to pull off the French-shower thing and look halfway decent for the rest of the day and Happy Hour with the ladies!

We met up at 100% de agave on Lincoln for some $4.50 strawberry margaritas and $4 quesadillas. We’d done a Happy Hour at this place before, and while the prices are low, I have to say: I never want to go back. The service is always terrible even though there’s no one in there. Boo. But it was a fun time unwinding with everyone, and I was free to munch on chips and guac without worrying about another burrito-run incident since my run was behind me.

Later, Nick and I had dinner with his friend who’s in town for a bachelor party. We split shrimp pad thai and drunken noodles with tofu from Karma Asian Fusion on Broadway. It was delicious and I ate way too much.

Oh, and fun news ahead! We’re going back to Crested Butte for Memorial Day weekend!!! It’s turning into a tradition! I cannot wait!

How’s your week going?