Fail Once, Fail Twice, Fail Many a Time

It has been a rainy couple of days here in Houston. We're talking two-hour rain delay, it took me two tries to get to school Wednesday rainy. Actually, all of Houston and Fort Bend ISD were on weather delays that day, and many of my students didn’t even make it to school. Whether it was because they legitimately couldn't make it in, or whether they heard the absence would be excused, I don't know. I do know that all HISD employees were encouraged to get to school at the regular time. Because there are secret back roads for employees that aren’t affected by the flooding, you know?

Anyway, Wednesday’s really chill day at school allowed me to be pretty productive in terms of crossing a few things off of my school to-do list, and it also allowed me to sit down and start in on a little bit of writing. And thinking. And processing. And Google Cardboard experimenting.

But I digress. I knew I was going to have to sit down and write a race recap eventually, because for me, writing is a way to work through my thoughts. And I had a lot of them following this past Sunday’s race. I went into this half marathon after almost six months of pretty solid training. Now, don’t get me wrong, not every run was great, far from it, but in the grand scheme of things, I felt as though the work I had put into this training season was of a pretty good effort. This was the first half marathon in which I had actually trained with a real goal time in mind. My runs were planned for that particular time, and my successes and failures were, again, based on how close I came to a particular pace.

So, imagine my frustration when we get an email just days before the race warning us that this race was now a “yellow flag” on the Event Alert System scale. Meaning runners should slow their pace and not expect to PR. The humidity was going to be at 96% at the start of the race, the temperature approaching 70 degrees, and it wasn’t going to get any better as the day went on. I was hearing and reading all of this, but was I really internalizing it? No. In my mind I was telling myself that I had trained for this sub-1:45 time, and I really don’t care what the weather is like, I’m going to get it. If I think positive and I have confidence in my training, surely the humidity won’t get to me.

Humidity slows my pace significantly

Because the humidity has never bothered me before (sarcasm). I’m typically a warm-weather fan, but temperatures in the high 40’s and low 50’s – that’s my ideal running weather. Humidity also really affects me, so I’m not sure why I thought January 15^th, 2017 would be the dawn of a new era. Regardless, I went into this race feeling nervous, but still fairly confident. I was told that I may not get that sub-1:45 with the weather the way it was – I can – but that I should be really pleased with a 1:47 or 1:48. I was cautioned, by my coach and by many others, that the most important thing would be not starting out too fast.

So what do I do? Start out too fast. Much too fast. My first mile was what my last few miles should have been had I done this correctly. And I honestly tried to slow myself down. I didn't dodge and weave as I normally do at the start of a race, using up unnecessary energy and logging more tenths of a mile than I should. But I would look at my watch and I was surprised to see how fast I was going even after I thought I had slowed. I felt comfortable at the pace I was running, and I felt pretty good through about mile 8. And that's when my legs started feeling it. And that's when my pace started slowing. And that's when I told myself I would really slow it down for a couple of miles so that once I hit mile 10, I could turn it back on and finish really strong. I still had hope of hitting that sub-1:45 time, but I would have to really rock those last three miles.

Not rocking the last three miles

And then I hit mile 10 and it was all I could do not to walk. I started feeling nauseous, I got a little bit dizzy, and to be honest, I can't really remember much of miles 10-13. I remember running by some fast food restaurant that just about did me in. I remember not yet completing mile 11 when my Garmin hit 1:32, and that’s when I was mentally out of it. There was really no way I was going to hit my 1:45 goal, and I had next to no confidence about even coming in before 1:48. I was pretty physically done, and I was clearly mentally done, too. I crossed the finish line at 1:50.24, and I recognize that a time like that is nothing to be ashamed of. I did pout about it a little bit, I sat down and talked it out almost first thing Tuesday morning with two - very wise, very knowledgeable, very goal-driven - fellow runners, and what I’m most frustrated about is the way I shut down mentally.

Educators that run

Yeah, I’m upset about my lack of pacing, but in the grand scheme of things, that’s not a terribly difficult fix. It’s the mental aspect that isn’t sitting well with me. It’s the “what if” factor. It’s the “did I leave anything out on the course” factor. It’s the fact that I didn’t seem to believe in myself and my training when it mattered the most.

If I can maintain this pace for 26 miles, I'll be golden

I've mentioned on the blog before, I am sure, how much I dislike failing. I would even go so far as to say I fear it. Anyone made the FEARLESS connection yet? Anyway, I don't handle failure particularly well, nor do I take losing lightly. BUT, I’m also a fairly positive person, much to the amusement of others, and I think there was a lot of good to come of it. I think it’s kind of a wake-up call for me, really. See, I preach and preach about how I believe it’s such a good thing for my students to experience failure. Because they can learn from it and grow from it and use it as their motivation. So, I say all of these things in relation of the high school freshmen I work with, but here I am feeling sorry for myself for missing my goal time by five minutes. And I could go on and on about the parallels between education and running, but for the sake of people who are not in the field of education, I’ll stick to the 26-line expository essay.

One of the statements we ask our students to respond to each year is, "Write an essay explaining whether or not failure can strengthen a person." And every year I get some really fantastic essays. I love reading their stories of triumph, and how they, or someone they know, rose above failure. And one of the most commonly read phrases is how failure is a motivator. And that’s something I wrote about here. And that’s exactly my thought process going forward. As I look ahead to the next race I plan to run – a half marathon in Portland, Oregon, and ultimately, the Chevron Houston Marathon next January, I'm not going to forget this particular run. I'm not going to forget the disappointment I felt as I crossed the finish line. I'm going to let it motivate me to put everything I've got into every run. No excuses, no sob stories, no pity parties. It's not supposed to be easy, which is true of so much more than running. Failure(s) make the victory that much sweeter, and from here on out, I’m going to run humbly, hungry (literally and figuratively), grateful, and focused.

Ultimately, I love running. I love the freedom I feel when I’m running. I love the “me” time I get when I’m running. I love the endorphins and joy that come from it. I love the discipline it has taught me. I love the grit. And one less-than-ideal race – because Lord knows there will probably definitely be more of them – is not going to take any of that away. Running, or any sport or activity, should never define me. I love having goals. I love meeting those goals, but ultimately, what I love the most is the feeling that comes from meeting a goal after knowing what it took to get there. It's all about the journey. It's not about race day. Well, it is. But it's about the work you put in the days, weeks, months, years leading up to race day. And I'm ready to get after it. And I've absolutely got my eye on the Boston prize. Whether that's 2019, or 2029. But for now, I'm going to enjoy a few Garmin-free runs, and just run the pace at which my body feels comfortable. And take time to remember why I run, and all that it has taught me about life.

Half Marathon Sunday

Happy Sunday, all! I was hoping to get this up and running a little bit earlier than right now, but this is the first time I've really sat up since arriving home from the race. The 96% humidity hit me HARD, and I am finally, finally beginning to feel a little bit better. I won't go into the details, but we'll just say that I didn't quite reach my goal. And I could blame it on the weather, but I can moreso blame it on my pacing. Or lack thereof. I hit a wall at mile 10 and never really recovered. And I didn't totally tank, but I am a little bummed about my performance. The race itself was as fabulous as ever, though. The volunteers and spectators make this race happen, and I am so grateful for each one of them. And it hasn't stopped me from registering for next year's race. It also opened my eyes to the fact that, if I really, really plan on qualifying for the Boston Marathon, I've got to fully commit and fully focus on the task ahead of me. I get a couple of days to pout about it, a couple of days to rest, but you better believe I'm going to lace up my shoes and go after it again. With a new mentality and a fresh determination.

1. I’m happiest when… I am running (or walking my dog).

2. …Especially if it… is 60 degrees and sunny. With no humidity. 

3. I’ve always wanted to… learn how to surf.

4. My family and I… enjoy playing one another in Wheel of Fortune and Chain Reaction. Seriously. We bring the party with us.

5. I was a terrible… needlepointer. If that’s even a word. Once upon a time I was in Girl Scouts, and one of our meetings was a lesson on needlepoint. Our instructor, without even asking if anyone in the group was left-handed, told us that lefties have a harder time with needlepoint – for whatever reason, but I can’t remember. Anyway, I evidently had a very fixed mindset in the 3^rd grade, and as a result, I failed miserably at this needlepoint lesson. I also quit Girl Scouts pretty soon after that.

6. My first job was… a volleyball scorekeeper at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church.

7. I could eat the Garden Sammie (with chicken) from Local Foods everyday. Either that or the salad version. Local Foods has my heart. And a lot of my money.

8. I wish I could… sing. I envy those who can carry a tune, as I’ve got not a musical bone in my body.

9. I was born on the same day as… Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Bobby Brown, and Babe Ruth are among some of the most prominent. And in case anyone wants a countdown, that’s three weeks from today.

10. My all-time favorite film is… The Breakfast Club or Remember the Titans. I’m also a huge fan of Dead Poets Society.

11. I do a pretty mean… left-handed serve.

12. I’m still mad… that I didn’t make my senior yearbook quote “Life’s tough. Get a helmet.” My mom told me I would be mad at myself in ten years if that went to print. Almost seven years later and I still have regrets about the fact that I used a cheesy Walt Disney quote.

13. I met my husband dog… in Dimebox, Texas. I remember every moment of that sweet drive home.

14. I always knew I wanted… to be a teacher. It’s been my dream job since the 3^rd grade.

15. I’m not afraid to… skydive. I did it the day after my 18^th birthday, and I would gladly do it again!

16. I make the best… Slutty Brownies. My students had a field day with them. Both with the name and the taste.

17. I have almost absolutely no… respect for those who treat others as their inferiors.

18. I always cry when… I watch videos where soldiers return home and surprise their family members. I have never once managed to keep a dry eye while watching one of these homecomings.

19. I’m an avid runner now, but I still have days where I have to give myself a pep talk in order to get out the front door.

20. I spent two years living in a house with nine girls. Best two years of my life, but I would never do it again.

21. I wish my … students would learn to love reading and writing, and not see it simply as a means to passing a test.

22. At 5, I was deeply in love with Spaghettio’s and apple juice. Every. Single. Meal. I was in the running for world’s pickiest eater.

23. I believe if people practiced daily gratitude and showed a little grace, the world would be a better place.

24. I can’t stand… slow walkers. I’ve got places to go and people to see, people!

25. Whenever Boy Meets World is on, I’ll watch it.

(Source)

And with that, I'm off to pick up something to eat for lunch. Slash dinner. And then I'm going to sit down and watch football. Go Pack Go!

Lasts Survey

Okay, how is it the last Sunday of March? Where in the world has the time gone? I apologize for not checking back in with you guys yesterday after my half marathon, but I was movin' and groovin' ever since my mom and I made it home from Lost Pines. Well, not really, considering I went up to the MAC and tanned by the pool for about an hour, but after that, I was out and about running all kinds of errands. And when I got home, all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch March Madness.

So, let's back up a little bit. My mom and I arrived at Lost Pines right around 6:30pm. We checked into our room, made ourselves comfortable, and while my mom turned on basketball, I walked around the grounds a little bit. Though I have been to Lost Pines before, I wanted to check out the starting and finish line, and just spend some time outside, as it was a beautiful evening.

The race wasn't scheduled to start until 7:30am, and because I was literally three minutes away from the starting line, I didn't have to wake up until just after 6:00am. That's later than when I wake up for school! So though it was still early, it was later than I usually wake up, both on a school day and on a race day, so I can't even complain about the early hour. It was a crisp, cool morning, and while I was a little chilly at first in just shorts and a tank top, that outfit proved to be just perfect during the race.

This race, y'all, was one of my favorites. I know, I say that after every race, but I couldn't have picked a better day for a 13.1 mile run. Though I'd venture to say the hills are even more prevalent than they are in Austin, something was so different about this race. I didn't start questioning my thought process until mile 11, but at this point I was weaving through the golf course, feeling as though I was at my grandfather's old house in Indian Wells, California. Somehow I made it to the finish line. And while it wasn't my fastest half marathon, finishing a very hilly course in under two hours, after taking almost three weeks off from running, is not something to scoff at. And, I finished 3rd in my age group! I give all the credit to KT Tape for getting me through this one!

Zooma truly puts on a great race, and I am so glad that I got to be a part of it. I love running the huge, popular races, but I also really enjoyed running this smaller, more intimate race. It never felt crowded, and I ran with some of the same women throughout the entire race. Zooma, you did your Texas race well, and I am already checking out the other Zooma race destinations. And Lost Pines, you hosted wonderfully, and I am already itching for a return trip. You exude "Texas" with your very real longhorns and abundance of bluebonnets, and I thoroughly enjoyed my 13 hilly miles.

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Last food you ate:
A couple of cuties. I go through those things like crazy these days!

Last beverage you drank:

Water, of course! I don’t like soft drinks, or juice, really, so if it’s not a glass of wine or a fruity cocktail, it’s surely just water.

Last workout you did:

Yesterday’s half marathon. Does that count as a workout? And I’ll probably find the time today to squeeze in a short swim, as it will not only stretch out my sore muscles, but it will also get my mind off of tomorrow. Which we won’t even go into right now.

Last thing you pinned:

Ha, I feel like I’m being called out on this one, because, whoops, I probably spend too much time on Pinterest, but the last thing I pinned was a picture of the cherry blossoms in Bonn, Germany. Wanderlust.

(Source)

Last blog you visited:
I actually hadn't consciously visited a blog recently, but this question inspired me to pay a visit to Julie's blog, Peanut Butter Fingers. 

Last tweet you sent: 
I retweeted this photo of Dwight Howard, James Harden, and Kevin McHale laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. I have been to this tomb, and it is extremely moving. So, to see some of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen paying this tribute to the soldiers who have fought for our country.

(Source)

Last place you visited:

Bastrop? Is that even considered a vacation? I kind of feel like it is because we stayed at Lost Pines Resort, which, if you haven’t been, rocks. But in less than two weeks I’ll be exploring San Francisco like a local with four of my best friends. And I cannot waiiiiiit!

Last time you did ab work:

I actually can’t remember the last time I did concentrated ab work, but I have incorporated core exercises into both this circuit workout and this circuit workout.

Last show you watched:

Does March Madness count as a show? Because that’s what was on TV all of yesterday. And I don't hate it.

Unfortunately, I had Arizona in my Final Four (Source)

Last thing you baked:

I baked some chewy chocolate chunk cookies last Sunday evening, just because I was in complete denial about the fact that I had to go back to school after a week of total relaxation. My parents enjoyed that procrastination strategy!

Last thing you Instagrammed:

A picture of me crossing the finish line of yesterday's half marathon. Shout out to my mom's iPhone 3 for capturing this gem.

Last item on your to-do list today:

Watch Duke make it to the Final Four. Go Blue Devils!

Have a great Sunday! I'll see you guys once I am F-R-E-E from the wrath of the STAAR test. Say an extra prayer for my kiddos, because Lord knows they need it!

Things I'm Loving Friday XXVII

It is Friday of my only five-day week for the next three weeks. So I think I can get through today with a smile on my face. And it's going to be a very relaxed day at school today. As I am sure you guys are well-aware, the STAAR test takes place on Monday (yeah, great choice, TEA), and while I could have used today to cram and get in some last-minute prep, I don't want my students going into the test with that stressed out mindset. I want them to feel relaxed and confident, and a day full of reviewing what the test will look like, answering any last-minute questions about what Monday will hold, and completing a fun EOC-related word search is just what my kiddos need.

And today after school my mom and I are heading out to Lost Pines Resort, where we are staying tonight before I run my eighth half marathon tomorrow morning. I have kept this one kind of hush-hush, mainly because I wasn't entirely sure I was going to be able to run it. But I did my time, and I came back slow, and I think tomorrow's race should be a good one. Not only is the weather going to be pretty darn near perfect, but the scenery is going to absolutely scream Texas. Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes and cattle and (ugh) rolling hills. And a stay at Lost Pines, which resembles San Antonio's Hyatt Hill Country, is a pretty sweet perk.

But before I take a chill day at school, and before I head out to Bastrop, and before I get started on March's last (how did that happen?) rendition of Things I'm Loving Friday, I have to take a minute and send all my love to my Hills YoungLife family. Tonight is placement night, in which newly trained college students are placed on their new YoungLife teams. I've written posts about it before, but basically it's one big PARTY celebrating these students who are saying yes to loving middle school and high school kids in the Greater Austin area. And the old leaders get to wear crazy costumes and perform embarrassing skits. It rocks. And though I won't physically be there tonight, my heart is with you guys as the family grows, because what could be better than that?

16 Things You Can Do While Actively Monitoring During Standardized Testing

The writer of the blog Love, Teach came up with this list last year during standardized testing season, which is most definitely upon us. He came up with a new list this year, but I think I like last year's list better. You may think monitoring a test is an easy task, and is much preferred to actually teaching. W R O N G. I'm honestly dreading walking up and down the aisles and doing literally nothing (that is actually my worst nightmare) for FIVE hours, but some of the items on this list might make it a tad more enjoyable. My favorites? Honestly, I like all of them, but numbers two, three, five, and six really caught my eye. Monday, here I come!

Me on Monday (Source)

Hooray for Diffendoofer Day

Going along with the standardized testing theme, today I'm reading my students Dr. Seuss's Hooray for Diffendoofer Day. The teachers of Diffendoofer do things a little bit differently. Instead of teaching to the test, they teach students how to think. And while the principal is worried that his school is going to receive the lowest scores, resulting in his students being sent to dreary Flobbertown. His school ends up receiving the highest test scores, and more than anything, I hope this book serves as a source of encouragement for my students as they take on the dreaded STAAR exam. Maybe they're feeling nervous, but they have worked so incredibly hard this year, and I hope they know that I've got all the confidence in the world in them.

The Girl on the Train
I mentioned this book a couple of weeks ago on the blog, and I finally got around to starting it last Thursday while still on spring break. And, instead of doing absolutely anything school-related, I finished it this past Monday. And while I was a little bit confused at first as to who the narrator was - Spoiler alert! There's three of them - this is one thriller of a book. It's been compared to Gone Girl, which you guys know I absolutely could not put down. This book turned out to be much of the same. The three narrators are positively psychotic, each in their own way, and their hidden secrets and bizarre motives completely draw you into the novel. Toward the end it became more clear to me what was happening and who was the *most* guilty, but this book is a must-read for any of you who enjoy a good mystery and suspense novel.

(Source)

Nike Dri-Fit Touch Breeze

As I mentioned earlier, tomorrow I will be running my eighth half marathon. And I will not be making the same mistake that I did when I ran the Austin Half Marathon. There is absolutely no way I will be running that race in anything but a tank top and shorts. And while I love Lululemon just as much as the next girl, their tank tops just don't do it for me. I much prefer loose-fitting clothing, as I, and I have mentioned this before, am a sweater. So, it was my spring break goal to find a loose-fitting tank top that I could wear as I ran through the Texas Hill Country. And this tank top absolutely fit the bill. It's loose, it's comfortable, it's a little bit see-through, but you can wear a fun-colored sports bra underneath, and even better than that, it's on sale online. I ordered it in pink, just to see if I would like it, but I am absolutely ordering it in other colors. Good or bad quality of mine? You decide.

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Harry Potter Uptown Funk

Someone shared this video on Facebook, and I was laughing throughout the entire thing. I already like the song Uptown Funk - it's catchy, and you can't help but sing along. And you guys know I'm a huge Harry Potter nerd, so this was bound to be a match made in heaven. This video isn't what you first think of when you think Harry Potter, in fact, it features the biggest enemy - Voldemort - and his fellow Death Eaters. If you don't know what I am talking about, stop reading this blog and pick up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. You'll fly through it, promise. Anyway, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you're sure to enjoy this video. My favorite line is "Fill my goblet, put some fire in it," but really, the makers of this video are extremely clever!

Adios, mis amigos, and I will talk to y'all after I run a casual 13.1 miles. Have a great Friday!

An Austin Weekend

Things I should be doing: preparing for school tomorrow.
Things I'm not doing: preparing for school tomorrow.

I realize that I did very little school work this weekend, but sometimes that it's very necessary to take a step back and enjoy the moment you're in. And that's just what I did. I headed to Austin immediately after school on Friday. Seriously, I was in the parking lot by 3:20pm. Can you tell that it had been a long week? In order to avoid Friday afternoon traffic, or at least some of it, I took the Westpark Tollway all the way to the Grand Parkway, which then took me to IH-10. Once I got on IH-10, it was smooth sailing all the way to Austin. I even made it with just enough time to pick up my packet before enjoying a three hour dinner at one of my favorite Austin restaurants with one of my closest friends, who just happened to be my prom date our senior year of high school.

Prom 2010, no regrets, ya know?

We went to Mandola's Italian Market, where I enjoyed my usual Mista Salad with chicken, we split a bottle of red (yes, red!) wine, and of course, indulged in some gelato for dessert. How can you go to Mandola's without a scoop or two of gelato? You just can't.

We had fun catching up and reminiscing, and it's nice to know that some things just never change.

I didn't go to sleep until almost midnight on Friday, which for me, is really out of the ordinary. So I let myself sleep in until 9:00am before getting up and heading over to the relatively new Town Lake Trail Boardwalk for a pre-race run. I felt like such a tourist when I had to ask how to get down to the boardwalk, but once I got there, I had a great 2.35 mile run. The weather was just about as perfect as you could ask for, and my run was quick and easy.

After my run, and before heading back to the hotel to shower, I made a quick stop over at JuiceLand for a green smoothie for breakfast. I forgot how much I love that place, and smoothies in general, as I no longer have a smoothie place really anywhere close to my house.

After a shower and gathering up some of my school work (see, I did some!!), I drove over to campus with the intent of sitting on the BOGA (Big Ol' Grassy Area) in front of the Tower in order to get some grading done. I didn't get much done, as I was joined by Dylan not shortly after setting up shop. Yes, this was planned, and no, the irony of it being Valentine's Day was not lost on us. It was really, really good to see him and catch up with him and just talk to him. I hate how in our society when a couple breaks up it often means cutting off any and all communication with one another. That really stinks because often that other person is your best friend. I know Dylan was mine, and he was the first person I turned to for so many things. It's hard to lose that person in your life, and while some people might have warned me against seeing him so soon, nobody but us knew the relationship that we had, forgetting that we were friends way before we ever even thought about dating. And it was comforting to confirm that we are right where we need to be - as friends - but that we were able to pick up right where we left off, if that makes any sense at all. Maybe it doesn't, and that's perfectly okay, because it works well for us. Like I said, it was nice to see him, and I also managed to get a little bit of color into my pale skin. A win-win. And an extra win for being reunited with this beauty for a couple of hours.

We even grabbed a quick lunch together at Vert's (we each paid for our own meal, so it wasn't even a Valentine's date), before parting ways. I headed to my favorite spot in all of Austin - Mount Bonnell, where I was, of course, joined by many other people on such a beautiful day. I spent some time writing and thinking and enjoying a most beautiful view.

It was getting close to 5:30pm by this time, so I decided to head back to my hotel to just relax and do a little bit of work (yeah, that last part didn't happen), and get everything together for the race the next morning. I turned off the lights just before 9:00pm, and I was out within seconds. The sunshine really does take it out of you!

The Race

Oh, the race. I knew something was up when I didn't pop right out of bed when my alarm went off, opting to sleep for just a few minutes more. Because I had gotten about eight hours of sleep, so it's not as though I was lacking in that department. But I was so comfortable in bed, and it took me a couple of minutes to get going. However, once I got up, I was good to go. I got ready quickly, I ate my usual breakfast of peanut butter and sliced banana on whole wheat bread, and I headed downtown to secure a parking spot near the starting line. I thought I would hit traffic, but it took me about 10 minutes to get to my parking garage. I had plenty of time before the start of the race - I used the bathroom, walked out the pre-race jitters (I don't really have those, but I do like to keep moving), and I staked out a pretty good spot at the starting line.

Now, I was feeling a little bit thirsty before the race even began. I knew that wasn't a good sign, but it wasn't dire enough that I felt as though I needed water. I also messed up. It was much warmer than I thought it would be, but I still wore a long-sleeve Nike Dri-Fit top with my Lululemon shorts, as opposed to a short-sleeve shirt. So I was feeling very warm very early on. Combine that with hills that I most definitely wasn't prepared for - it's been just seven months since I moved back to Houston, and now hills are a foreign concept - the fact that I did not drink enough water nor eat enough calories yesterday, and I had a rough race. Well, not the entire race, as the first eight miles were great. I started feeling dehydrated around mile seven, so I was stopping to get water and Gatorade any chance I got. My pace was a little bit slower than usual from the get-go, but only by about five to 10 seconds per mile. Around mile 10, I started slowing down to running 10 minute miles. Every part of my body wanted me to stop - my legs were aching in a way that they had never felt before. I knew it wasn't just that I was tired, it was that I simply didn't have enough water in my system. I thought about stopping to walk, and I would have had I really started feeling bad, but I told myself to just keep putting one foot in front of the other, no matter how slow I was moving. That's what I love so much about running, that it is such a mental sport. I saw this sign at the perfect time, "When your legs can't run anymore, run with your heart." And that's exactly what I did, because my legs were not happy with me. And I think I could have crawled up the hills faster than I "ran" them.

All of that being said, I fought the fought and I finished the race. And I absolutely loved running through one of the absolute greatest cities in the world. I got chills when, at the start of the race, the announcer said, "Let's get ready to run Austin, Texas." I didn't have my best race, though to be fair, it certainly wasn't awful, but I proved to myself that I can push through physical exhaustion and rely on what I've got inside me. And half marathon number seven is officially in the books. I still love running, I still love Austin, Texas, and I'm still half crazy. And because I saw quite a few great signs whilst running, I have to share them with you. I wasn't smiling quite as much throughout this race, but every now and then a clever sign brought the smile back to my face.

• Chuck Norris never ran a marathon
• I pushed for 4 hours, so you can do it too
• I'm proud of you, random stranger!
• Run like someone stole your tacos (In Austin, this would truly be a tragedy)
• Chafing the dream
• It could be worse, you could be doing burpees (A M E N)
• Remember, you paid $$ to do this!
• Short cut -->
• It's all downhill from here! (Lies)
• You run better than the government
• Even Kanye thinks you're a winner
• Your butt looks better than Kim K's
• I run, left shark dances
• My last marathon was on NETFLIX
• You feel like crap, but you look good like crap
• Half marathon game on fleek tho (my students would have appreciated this one)

Texas Forever

Austin, you did me good this weekend. It felt so good to be back in my other "home" city, and I'm ready to tackle the school week ahead of me. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!