Friday Five: Playing Hookie

"Of all the rights of women, 

the greatest is to be a mother."
-- Lin Yutang

My husband's cousins are visiting from the east coast so Duder got to skip school and we had a fantastic day!

1. First we went to the Fish Hatchery. I wish the picture of him sitting in a giant size fish egg wasn't blurring because my spawn looked so cute sitting in it. I had a general concept of how hatcheries work, but really I had NO.IDEA. We watched a little movie about how hatcheries work in the visitors' center. I love how the Parks System communicates efforts at sustainability so honestly. There was a portion of the video that was quite violent, but all the kids ranging 3-12 watched and understood it as part of the effort to sustain the Steelhead and Salmon species and less like the brutal and violent scene that it was.

Duder gave it two blurry thumbs up.

2. Then we took one of our cousins to the zoo while the rest of the family headed home to rest. It was so fun to be at the zoo today. All the animals were lively and we made perfect timing for the train and the carousel. While the boys had a great time, we only lasted an hour before they were both obviously exhausted.

3. Super Hubby is finally ready to let go of the beast. This is his blue F150 long bed. We replaced said truck in October, but it is only now that Super Hubby is ready to let it go. This truck was very manly with all kinds of fly fishing equipment installed in the camper, a great big Lebowski bumper sticker on the back (now removed) and he had even had a beer bottle opener welded on the hitch (also now removed). The long bed made it easy to car camp and we had a great trip in this vehicle this past fall. I will miss it too. Anyone want to buy a truck?

4. I have a running partner for tomorrow! Woo Hoo. We are going to log 4 miles and then I am going to Krav Maga. Lunch with our visiting cousins early afternoon and I think we have something Saturday night, but I can't remember at the moment. Saturday is going to be freak'n awesome.

5. Since I was sick and didn't run for a full week and this week I have taken it easy by only doing cross training, my half marathon PR is looking a little lofty. Sure I have 7 weeks so all is not lost, but It would have been nice to have had a stronger January. I have revamped my plan with my new circumstances and it has changed my a ton. Lower easier miles during the week and a few weeks of 8 mile long runs. I don't mind 8, whatever, that is fine. But to have 3 days a week of running with a couple low 2 mile easy runs and either a speed or tempo run in the middle of the week. I have never followed a plan intended for "performance". Does anyone have advice for me on accepting 2 miles 2 days a week with a quality speed/tempo day sandwiched in between, as sufficient effort? I am used to 3-6 daily, 10% increase in long runs with an ultimate goal of just finishing the distance. Actually the more I look 2 miles 2 days a week sounds great, but I wonder if it is enough?

Why I Kick A$$: I let my son have dessert before lunch. Yeah I am reckless that way. I ran up and down rows of fish-runs as excited as a three year old, managed two small people at the zoo and not once lost my temper, my cool or my patience. Letting my son skip school and me skip work and hanging out with my three year old is the best thing ever!

Thankful Three

1. Out of town visitors
2. Fiesty Sumatran Tigers and Lemurs
3. Finding 4 different socks on the side of the washer machine