Quick Life Catch Up + Effortless Long Run

Well after my meltdown from last week, I appear to be back on track.  Luckily the Super Bowl didn't interfere with any running or studying plans because football has been over for about 3 weeks now.  Bring on the pre-season.  I hit 40 miles last week for the first time since the end of October, and I feel pretty good.

Saturday I had the most effortless long run of 15 miles.  FYI Runs over 10 miles are never "effortless" in my book, but this one was.  I swear, I'd only been running for a couple of minutes when I hit mile 5, and only a couple of minutes later I was at the halfway point.  I was also super shocked at the pace I was hitting for a controlled HR run.  I averaged a pace of 9:21 for the run, which isn't too far off from sub 4 pace.  And all but mile 15 were comfortably in my long run HR range.... yippee!  Mile 15 I just wanted to be home washing the salt off my face.

Since I took such a blog hiatus, there are some random things I didn't have a chance to share with you.

A week or so ago, I did a quick little run in between work and class, thus I was still wearing my heart rate monitor during class.  At one point, I looked down at my watch and saw the lowest resting heart rate I've ever seen for myself:  45.  Am I alive?!?!?!  When I was checking my heart rate regularly last spring, my rhr averaged around 55, and only once dipped under 50.  Jeepers.

We have had the most amazing weather ever.  Yes, there have been a couple of icy days, and way too windy to run outside without getting major windburn, but I've only wore my "winter" running coat twice. It's insane.  Me and my light wind breaker are doing some work out there.  And half the time I end up taking off my windbreaker and tying it around my waist.  Can I please have a 30-40 degree marathon day?  kthxbai.

I took none of your advice on the hairz suggestions, and ended up going dark.  This picture doesn't really do it justice but it's a couple of colors or rich dark chocolatey brown with a couple of caramely gold highlights (anyone else hungry after that description, geez louise!)  Here I am with my "birthday margarita" that looks like a root beer float.  I realized that Kyle had never taken me out for my birthday dinner, so best believe I got another night of mexican out of him. :)

And in random photos, on my impromptu tempo run last week, I looked down and saw blood flowing down my calve.  Cute.  When I got home I saw two gashes on my calve, and blood on the side of my other shoe.  That's probably a bad sign for your form if you're kicking your calves to the point of bleeding, no?

Kyle had his work Christmas party (yes in January) and I attempted to look cute.  I really tried to channel my inner Zooey with the high waisted dress (that you can't see) and tights.  Didn't hurt that my coat and clutch were flawless together.  [awesome lighting courtesy of my apartment hallway, blurry photo courtesy of Kyle's inability to use his iPhone camera.]

I came home from work to find this beautiful necklace from Jenn, with the sweetest card ever.

This is my ZOMG IT'S SO PRETTY smile.

Turks was missing.  Then he was found.  I hope this isn't any indication of what kind of pug mom I'll be.  Psssst.... Turks may be getting a brother or sister soon-ish (of the pug variety, not the human child variety, obvs).

And I got a marriage proposal via latte foam.  At least that's what I'm assuming it was.