The Run from HELL

After a thoroughly enjoyable weekend (Friday night: Ladies night with Connie! Saturday night: Awesome party at our house with great friends!) Kyle and I decided to cap it off with a 10 mile run Sunday afternoon.

If you remember, Kyle and I are training for our first ever half marathon at the end of this August.  Up until about the past 2-3 weeks, training has been going fantastic.  I've hit 10 miles several times, my leg muscles were looking rock hard, and I was feeling very confident.

Notice however, I said up until the past 2-3 weeks.  Packing, moving, and last week's heat wave have frankly destroyed our progress.  It's unbelievable how fast you can get out of shape.  But none of this was considered as we prepared for a pleasant Sunday jog.

We had no idea we were about to go on the RUN FROM HELL.

I should have known all bets were off when we stepped outside to discover an oppressive, humid heat.

I should have known all bets were off when I recognized we didn't pack enough water.

I should have known all bets were off when as soon as we arrived at the Jane Addams Trail, Kyle thought it was a good idea to rip the sleeves off his shirt and wear one of those said sleeves as a headband. 

From the front it could just be your ordinary handkerchief.

The true story is told once he turns around.

A little hilarious? Yes.  A lot embarrassing?  Yes.  Incredibly disconcerting?  Absolutely.  Kyle has since said he would like to do this with every t-shirt he owns.  God help me.

Our run quickly went from embarrassing (Kyle) to dangerous (Whitney).  It typical Whitney fashion, I was totally consumed with the beauty of nature around me, oblivious to where my feet were landing.  Within 5 minutes from the start of our run I awkwardly stepped on a large walnut, thus rolling my ankle and going into a spectacular fall consisting of numerous somersaults.  The scene concluded with intense pain, tears, a dusty body, and a sprained ankle.

Thinking that I could only consider myself a true athlete if I continued, I (unwisely) forced Kyle to go on a  wobbly, gimpy 7 mile jog at the world's. slowest. pace. ever. 

The result of our jog:

- Me running the entire time either swearing, crying, or baring my teeth like a rabid dog.

- Both of us nearly passing out from sheer exhaustion from being out of shape and in what we later found out to be a Heat Advisory

- All too quickly running out of water and contemplating drinking muddy pond water

- Not being able to get out of that damned sun and achieving that "burnt to a crisp" look 



Weird tan lines? Check.  Bright red coloring? Check.

- A swollen, painful-as-a-bitch ankle.

Excuse the ugly feet.  Notice the swelling on my left ankle, OUCH!

After this run and the past few weeks, I have to admit I'm very nervous about this half marathon.  I hope we can pull it off and we never EVER have a run this awful again!

The highlight of our dismal experience?  We met a cute little turtle friend along the way!  And while you can't see it in the picture, it would appear our turtle wasn't having the best day either; he had a large crack in his shell.

I guess as the Turtle must already know and Kyle and I found out yesterday; you can't win them all, you can't win them all.

Home is Wherever I'm with You

Not to get sappy, but I'm oozing with happiness these days.

Moving in with Kyle has been a long time coming.  Nearly nine years in fact.  Sometimes I feel like Kyle and I are on a different path than many others our age: we didn't get married straight out of college and we haven't had five kids yet.  But I am utterly content with our journey. 

Since the age of 16 I've been pretty certain that Kyle was the guy I was going to spend my life with, so I've never felt the need to rush anything.  That being said, I've wanted to live with the guy forever now but life didn't always work out in our favor.  I feel so blessed to now be with him day and night.

Prior to dating Kyle, I used to be so cynical about high school relationships that ended in marriage (despite my parents being high school sweethearts).  How could you ever marry your first love without seeing what else is out there????  After meeting Kyle, my entire view changed.  Now I know how LUCKY I am.  If you were offered a few extra years with your significant other wouldn't you want them!?  I've just never wanted to see what reside on the other side of the fence, because my lawn (in my eyes) has always been perfect.  And now I can't get away from him :)

Thus far living together has gone smoothly.  Honestly after 9 years of dating there is not much I didn't know about Kyle.  One thing I didn't quite realize the extent of; is just how active he is.  Good Lord, he doesn't. ever. stop!  I love to just relax, sit and read a book, sit and watch TV.  Kyle? Oh no.  There is always someone to see, someone to call, something to do, work to be done.  He brings the activity, I bring the zen.

And I've been trying to bring the beauty to our home.  Slowly but surely she's coming together.  (I WILL post pictures soon!)  For the most part, we are so happy with the place we got. 

The Good:
- It's an old home with tons of character and charm
- 10 ft ceilings!
- Original hard wood floors throughout
- HUGE front porch
- Deliciously perfect little nook upstairs
- The fact that it has an upstairs
- Its our first place, it's the Ritz baby

The bad:
- It's an old home with tons of character (a little "over-used" in some places) and charm (meaning someone must have been under a spell when they put that 500th coat of paint on some of these doors)
- Teeny, tiny kitchen
- Teeny, tiny bathroom
- Ummmm, hello spiders!
- The Underground Railroad, aka our terrifying limestone basement

Yet even the bad I'm beginning to love (minus the bugs).  I love my history, so I love this house.  I even just purchased two large black and white "lost photographs of Freeport" to frame and hang above our couch.  Pretty beautiful and pretty original if I do say so myself.

Yes I must say things are coming together.  I can't complain.  I have my family, I have my friends, I have my home, and I have Kyle. 

Someones in a good mood today.

TWENTY - SIX

No matter how much I wish money (or lack thereof) wouldn't impact my life - it does.  From day to day decisions to long-term plans, I can't get away from it.

Take Kyle's race car.  Kyle has been racing for the past few years.  Yesterday, his race car was officially sold.  Why?  Well, largely due to the fact that Kyle and I are soon planning on moving in together and truly need every last dime.

Kyle confessed to me that he would typically spend a couple hundred dollars per weekend during race season.  Once, we added up how much he's probably spent over the past few years on everything race-related and the amount literally silenced me.  (And that doesn't happen that often when I'm with him).

If Kyle chose to continue racing this year we simply wouldn't be able to afford to move out of our parents and in with each other.  Sucks, but its true.

It is also true that had Kyle not been racing the past few years we probably could already be living together.  But I never asked him to stop because I know that racing is his passion.  A hobby he absolutely loves.  And trust me, if there is one thing I know: it's hobbies.

Remember, I'm the daughter of a football coach.  I believe that you should be able to do what you love throughout your life.  I also understand that a hobby can take up lots of a person's time.  But while my dad's hobby takes time, he also MAKES money from doing it.  Kyle's hobby takes time and money.

The time thing I can deal with.  But the money....unfortunately is another issue.

If only we had more of it!  We'd be living together and #26 would still be sitting in the shop.  But alas, that is not the case.

I pray that one day Kyle can race again.  He seems incredibly pessimistic about that but I hold out hope.  I couldn't ever imagine having to give up my passions (teaching, coaching, Harry Potter) so it sucks seeing him have to.

It is just so very sad because I know how much Kyle loves racing.  I know how much his dad loves it.  I know how much it meant to the two of them.

I have this annoying habit of always blaming myself for things and so while I know I didn't ask Kyle to quit and while I know for financial reasons it is a necessity, I still can't help but feel like its all.my.fault.

I hate seeing Dave and Kyle upset.

But at the same time I feel so incredibly excited about finally (after 8.5 years) starting a future with Ky.

It's a catch-22 I guess

I just hope our future can involve a race care again.  True, I still won't ever understand the fascination about watching cars go in circles and getting dirt in your teeth...but...I know it makes the person I love happy - so it makes me happy.

Damn money!  Here's to hoping that one day again there will be a twenty-six in our midst (and more than that in the bank account)!

Mr. Romance

Kyle really knows how to bring the romance.  Last night, at our Valentine's Day dinner date, the conversation turned to how little money I have right now, and how very poor I am (truly, $28 in my bank account right now).

Whitney: "I am so poor.  I seriously think I might have to start stripping"

Kyle:  "And the good news about that is, you don't even have to be good looking to be a stripper"

Whitney: [blank stare]

Kyle: "Oh...that didn't come out right did it?"

Sigh, he melts my heart