A week of no running!

So this has been a major disappointing week on running.  Not to make tons of excuses, but it just has not worked out well with my schedule.  We had our out of town visitors both Monday and Tuesday night.  I probably could have worked a run in some point Tuesday night, but wanted to sit and visit with our guests and watch the kids play.

I am doing the Hal Higdon half marathon intermediate training program, so I was supposed to rest on Monday anyway.  Tuesday was supposed to be a 3 mile run.  I figured I would get a run in on Wednesday, but Jeff worked late.  I needed to mow and tend to the garden anyway and by the time Jeff got home and I made it in, I was ready to prepare supper and go to bed!  My garden is bursting with green beans, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and dill. 

Thursday night I planned to run after Chloe's softball game.  However, about 15 minutes after her game started, the rain came in.  And boy did it rain.  Over 4 inches, with lightening and strong winds.  Needless to say, game was called off and my run didn't happen.  Chloe did get a single base hit before the game was called. Isn't my little chicken legs cute!!

Bg went to Branson with my mom, Granny and niece Faith. She left Thursday night and wont come home till Sunday.  It is the longest I have been away from her!  I will admit though, it will be nice not to break up any fights for several days.

Eating ice cream with Granny and Baby Faith (she will forever be Baby Faith to my girls).  And sun in her eyes at Osceola  Cheese (seriously, the BEST place to get cheese anywhere).

I have been reading running blogs and my favorite blogger so far is the Hungry Runner Girl (http://www.hungryrunnergirl.com/) and I am stealing her questions for the day.  Curious what my answer will look like a year from now:

1.  Would you rather run along a beach path or on a mountain trail? Well, considering I live in the mid-west, I don't really know.  However, I did NOT like running on the beach in Alabama, so I am going to say mountain trails.  Plus, I guess mountain trails are cooler.
2.  If you could choose the flavor of gatorade at your next race’s aid stations, what would it be? I don't think I like Gatorade anymore.  I drank a lot of Strawberry Kiwi and Lemon Lime in high school and loved both those flavors, but never see them in stores anymore. 
3.  If I gave you a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing that you would purchase with it? I really want to try some compression things- pants, socks, arm bands.  I see everyone at races wearing them and my friends swear by compression pants, but I am too cheap to buy any.  I am a fad follower!
4.  Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and how fast you want to run? I like to have a training plan, but don't follow it exactly due to my schedule.  Heck, this week I haven't followed one at all, but would prefer to follow one.
5.  Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end with the uphill? I like starting with uphills.  With my first 5K, I started uphill and only got stronger. 
6.  When you can’t run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do? Right now, none really.  I do some work on my Rock 360 (ab roller), but nothing faithful.  That is the downfall of living way out in the boonies- I would probably join a gym, crossfit or do a bootcamp if I lived close to one of those.
7.  What is your preference—>  Out and back, point to point or loop runs? Not sure.  It really depends on the length of the race.  Right now, I don't have a preference.  I don't think I would like point to point, b/c I like to end close to my car.
8.  If you could recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be a—> Good shoes and socks!
9.  Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs? Do my kids count?  I have seen deer, squirrels and turkeys.  I hear a lot of shuffling in the conservation area and the weedy ditches and prefer NOT to know what wild animal is hiding from me.  I see lots and lots of cows though.
10.  Ever gotten lost while out on a run? Not yet.  I don't run far enough away to get lost!
11.  If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days… what would that meal be?  I have no idea. 
12.  Capris or shorts… what do you run in most often? Depends on the weather.  I prefer capris so my thighs don't rub, but it is too hot right now. 
13.  At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go? I get into my grove between mile 1 and 2.  I don't know why that first mile is so hard.
14.  What do you do with your key when you run? My fitbit band, or the little pockets in my shorts. 
15.  If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one what it be? My first half.  The feeling during the race was amazing.  And I would have skipped the bathroom break.
16.  What type of run is your least favorite type of run? All of them, ha ha.  Not really, probably something to do with speed.
17.  What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to get your run on? My slow time in the last 5K and my emerging ab muscles.
18.  When you go for a run, do you leave right from your front door or do you drive somewhere to start? Both.  I prefer not to run on my gravel road right now b/c all the rain and fresh rock have made it a mess, but I don't always have the option to drive somewhere.
19.  When running in daylight—>  are sunglasses a must or an annoyance? An annoying must.  With my sensitive eyes, I wear sunglasses constantly- even when cloudy.  I bought some smaller, skinnier sunglasses that are easier to wear while running, but are pretty ugly.
20.  When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting? I do quit sometime.