Tag Archives: squadrunner

Long Time No See!

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Hmmmm…. I wonder whatever happened to that weird chick from NADB?

Well… THIS!

Corduroy and Buttons

Need I say more?! Meet Corduroy (Cordy) and Buttons. Yes, they’re litter mates – true-blue brothers bound by blood. They came from Texas and were rescued from a kill shelter after mom and siblings were dropped off. All of them found homes in either Colorado or the Pacific Northwest, so everyone had a happy outcome. And now those adorable, time-consuming pups are 3-1/2 years old.

Let’s see… what else…

The child (AJ) just turned 17. He’s in 11th grade and finally got to attend high school for the first time ever this fall. He let his hair grow nearly as long as mine during the pandemic, but then we had a chat. So we compromised.

Other notes of (possible) interest:

  • I got a new job working in the finance department of a health insurance company.
  • While I resigned from working at the wildlife rescue and rehab hospital, I am now a member of the Board of Directors as Treasurer.
  • I have returned to school to obtain my CPA.
  • I haven’t run a race since Marine Corps Marathon 2018, which I was a DNF as I got sick on the trip and, quite honestly, wasn’t trained properly… I was pulled after 10 miles.
  • Thanks to the pandemic, James now has a permanent remote position and works at home. More time to spend with the pups, ha!
  • We lost Meeps in September to liver failure. He was 10.

Holy crap… short and sweet and to the point, I guess. Lots of other things have happened, but I think that’ll suffice for now.

I am thankful to have been able to keep in touch with a lot of you on Instagram while I took this long break and am looking forward to catching up with you here. Also I’m thankful for the friends I made and kept through Strava and SquadRunner. It’s been a blast.

But for now, Cordial’s and I bid you adieu. Ja ne! (Anyone? Anyone?)

(Perhaps I should rename this blog to”How Paula Got Her Groove Back.” 😉 )

It’s Been A Good Week

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When I first started this blog, I used to go out for my long run on Sunday and compose a post in my head whilst on the trail. I’ve kind of slipped away from that. Well not today! I’m going back to basics baby!

Today just so happens to be Week 3 Day 1 of half-marathon training for me! I am now training for the Mountains 2 Beach Half in California, while Jamesy is training for the full. I’ll hopefully be coloring in another big state on my map! (My map! Where is my map?! I need to update my map!)

And you may be wondering how James has been doing as he’s let his blogging slip wayward (just as I have). He’s doing great! He did the Seattle Hot Chocolate 15K two weeks ago (yeah, yeah, yeah… I know… I still need to share what happened with me there) and then last weekend he ran the Lake Sammamish Half. His back pain from the herniated disk still comes and goes, but he rested all last week, went for an 8-mile run today, and now feels wonderful! He has, however, been on the bike trainer, so it’s not like he’s just laid around doing nothing.

Anyway, back to Mountains 2 Beach… we signed up for this race last year, the day registration opened. It is a gradual net downhill course, and if one is trained properly, possible PR potential, not to mention it’s a huge BQ possibility (Boston Qualifier). Obviously we’re not trying to qualify for Boston, but the point is, it has potential to be a fast course. A chance to redeem myself from 2 weeks ago.

And like I said, today was Week 3 Day 1 of training, #longrunSunday. 4 miles. Never mind the fact that I ran 8 last Sunday to complete a SquadRunner mission. SquadRunner and training plans… it’s going to be interesting to see how the two complement each other as I will always choose the higher mileage for our SquadRunner team and mission’s bonus points over what my plan says. Next week is filled with easy-to-complete missions every single day… looks like I’ll be taking on a little run streak and will have to force myself to rest next Saturday to nail the long run on Sunday.

And oh yeah… my 175-mile winter challenge… you know, the one that went from December to March? I’m almost done! Only 19 more miles left! Between that and SquadRunner, I managed to keep my base fitness through the cold winter months! Booyah! Welcome to Spring!

(Feel like I’m rambling much? Absolutely! It’s what I do best!)

Oh, by the way… we got our first baby in at the wildlife center. Yep. A cottontail. One month from now, we’ll have dozens upon dozens. Hey. It’s what we do… rescue, rehab, release. 🙂

Happy Trails!

Just a fun pic… I got new running sunnies, so AJ and I were playing around and being dorks. He’s kinda tall these days.

M.I.A.

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Okay, not really MIA. I’m actually in Hawaii! And it can be hard to keep up with you wonderful people while on holiday, so do please forgive me! My days have been filled to the brim with fun Hawaii activities, and I’m exhausted by the time I settle down to relax. I’ve only managed 2 runs while here, have had to forfeit the biggest Squad Runner mission points of the month, but I’m enjoying life immensely right now and loving the kicked back Island lifestyle.

My entertainment this morning has been watching some Nene geese (Hawaii’s state bird) chase off wild roosters and chickens from their turf. (“Watch me whip… watch me Nene…,” okay, sorry, corny much? lol)

We return to the Pacific Northwest late Monday night, where it’s going to be a very cold 19 deg F. This is one time I’m not looking forward to going back home. But I mustn’t think of that now… I still have 2 days left in paradise!

Happy New Year!

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I got an email from my big sister nagging me about being lax on my blog, so I thought I’d just stop in and say “Hiya!”

My big sis Angela on graduation day from the University of Arizona.

Hope everyone had a rockin’ New Years Eve!!  It was traditional for us… a little karaoke and then we watched the Space Needle fireworks on TV.  We had some Christmas crackers to pop open at midnight, so minimal noise… other than the whistle AJ got in his.  And no… I have no idea why they sell Christmas crackers for NYE here.

After a nice 10-day vacation, I had to go back to work on Tuesday which proved to be difficult.  I had gotten used to sleeping in; however, I managed some time on the treadmill before heading off to work, hoping it would put me in the right frame of mind.  It may have helped. A little. Our first patient of the year was a barred owl trapped in a chimney.  PSA:  If you don’t want birds in your chimney, cover your chimney with wire so the birds can’t enter.  Nesting season will be here soon and some birds love to nest in chimneys.  Once a bird has laid its eggs, it is a U.S. federal offense to disturb the nest until it’s empty, so plan ahead and be prepared.

Tomorrow is D-Day for AJ.  Back to school he goes after a nice 2-week winter break.  I probably dread it more than he does.  Getting him up in the early morning hours is hellish… but Santa was smart and gave him a new alarm clock.  Now if only I could find one that sounded more like an air raid siren…

#truth

Thanks to #SquadRunner and the motivation I get from my teammates, running has been good to me… or I’ve been good to my running.  Either/or.  While my mileage wasn’t high by any standards last week (just over 13 miles), I did have a 6-day running streak going through New Year’s weekend, with 2 runs completed on January 1st to start the year off right (one was 1.5 miles, the other a nice 5K).  I have my first race coming up the beginning of March (Seattle Hot Chocolate 15K… more on that later), and I’ve also entered a 175-mile challenge… run 175 miles by March 16 (34 miles down, 141 to go).

Points reset every month.

So endeth the first week of 2018! Dilly dilly!  Make it a great 2nd week, my friends!!

Okay sis, you can stop nagging me now, lol. (c. 1973)

Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay

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That’s a saying we use regularly in my house. “Sittin’ on the dock of the bay.”  It completely explains our current state of activity.  No further explanation needed when asked ‘whatcha doing.’

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Wastin’ time

(Admit it… you sang those lyrics while you read them, didn’t you)

Today is the first real day of my holiday vacation and I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay.  And I’m not ashamed to say it loud and proud.

Anyone having fun with their runs and participating in the #RunChatHunt?  I doubt I’ll complete the challenge, but I have managed to find a couple of the items, such as inflatables:

And a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree:

James also created a SquadRunner team of 20 people to keep us motivated and running through the holidays and beyond.  We compete with other teams around the world for standings, and each day there is a quiz you can take for points, not to mention new missions (must reach a certain distance or time) which will also give you extra points.

Today’s mission is 9.5 miles.  I need to get out and complete at least half of it, but it is so cold out there.  Okay, nothing like riding a bike in 18 deg F cold (Jim… brrrr), but it’s cold for us… for me.  My cat has taken up residence in the warmest bathroom in the house and is laying on the heating vent.  You see, we had a White Christmas.  Yes indeedy… it snowed.

 

Anyway, back to SquadRunner, we have a great team and are currently ranked 41st out of a couple hundred.  Our 20 team members hail from around the globe… Germany, UK, Canada, East Coast, West Coast.  We motivate, encourage, and celebrate each other.  It has been such a great and positive experience and it makes me want to get out and get some mileage for the team… cold or no cold. But right now, I’m still sittin’ on the dock of the bay.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my relaxing morning, getting caught up with all of you:  AJ vacationing in Arizona; Brian re-running his Village of the Damned series (which is what got me hooked on Bonnywood Manor to begin with); AB traveling during the holidays and most recently Rome; and I always enjoy reading T’s happenings and thoughts, as well as Marie’s Monday school.  Also hoping for wellness for GH and a speedy recovery for Randy who recently ruptured his Achilles and had to have surgery.  And hey!  After a long hiatus, welcome back, WBFM!

Sometimes it’s good just sittin’ on the dock of the bay!

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!