Feet First

I seem to be obsessed with running right now. Maybe I'll lose the 15 subscribers I have, but I can't help myself. When you're waking up between 4:45 and 5:15am to run in the dark, it really needs to be a big deal.

Fortunately, my body is rewarding me for all the hard work by getting faster and not hurting. Yay, body! Yesterday I went to the gym to run 8 400s at a 5K pace, as Mr. Higdon told me to do. But I was running late, so I thought I'd sub in 4 800s, although I knew it would be a push. My 5K pace is really 8:34, but I was going to try 8:22.

Check it out. I ran 4x800's at 8:00! With a 2:30 lap in between each one (OK, I walked a little between #3 and #4). I was so excited! My heart rate didn't even get high until #4, either, I probably could have gone one more notch up on speed.

And I'm only on my second of eight weeks of the training. This *is* exciting.

I also treated myself to the most absurdly expensive shoes imaginable. I didn't realize they cost $135 until I went to pay for them, but after trying on six other pairs, I fell madly in love with them. They have all kinds of neatness: memory foam at the top, stability where I need it, plus a heavy cool factor. I threw in a pair of running tights for the coming winter and a fleece jacket (that was on super discount) as birthday gifts from my parents (thanks for the checks, Mom and Dad!) and I look like a Real Runner.

Plus the nice sales lady is convinced my IT band problems are due to my wonky left leg, which she claims pronates, although my right does not. She said bumping up to "stability" shoes from "neutral" should do it. Whether by placebo effect or virtue, right on cue, my left leg feels perfect, and not even a tiny twinge of knee pain in either knee since switching shoes.

Now, on to other business. I have children - did you know? I seem to forget in all the excitement about myself.

So they started back to school (last week, ahem), and here is the best of the photos. My over-achieving firstborn junior is taking AP English, Honors Physics, TAing World History and is probably in Elementary Brain Surgery...I've lost track. She will have a GPA of 7.9 by graduation, I'm convinced. She has jumped into a leadership role within the Leadership class, and along with a friend, is planning a three day sleep-away field trip with the new sixth graders next month.

Joe has moved up to pre-Algebra, all the regular 7th grade stuff, plus Art and Martial Arts as electives. He has some tough teachers this year, it will be an adventure. But he is really enjoying being the not-youngest on campus, and we're all amazed at how small the incoming sixth graders look compared to the ginormous 7th graders.

And we're back in the tumult of the school year, just like that. Friends, frolic, tests, projects, great books, scientific calculators (2 this year!), picture day, trips, dances, another prom, another graduation. In the blink of an eye.