Breathe!

Wow ok what a crazy day. I am literally so wound up from work I decided I would take a few minutes away to write this entry and mentally slow down!

Being gone last week has left me in a huge pile of work to get caught up on so that isn't helping my stress levels. Not to mention I decided to be lazy and not go to swim this morning, thinking I'd have time to get out over lunch. Since that didn't happen I've been getting a little stressed out thinking about how I have to crank things up a notch to be ready for the half IronMan in.....7 weeks! I can make up swim tomorrow morning but honestly the stress point is around finding more time to fit in longer periods of biking and running.

But to throw in a point to smile about, last Saturday was my birthday. I ran the Heart of the City Half Marathon down in Burnsville. (Ask me a few years ago if I would ever RUN a race on my birthday...well...almost any day and I would have laughed at you!) Considering I hadn't done any running for nearly two weeks prior I was happy that I just finished without having to walk any more than through a couple water stops. It started out looking like rain but UNfortunately the clouds broke up and it was hot and muggy as all hell for the second half. My TNT pal Jim ran it as well. And while it was a slow pace for him, he did hang out and keep me company through the hard last few miles! We also chatted with a few other random racers which was fun. Found two other women that are also planning to do the Twin Cities marathon in the fall as their first ever marathon. Just like me! :)
That evening, I went to Treasure Island Casino with Ed to throw in a few bucks. I managed to make $40 in scratch off tickets at the convienence store on the way there and then bank another $350 between blackjack and Big Bass Bucks. But I have to give big credit to Ed's birthday contribution of $10 for me to play the Big Bass Bucks that had me come away with $150 :)

But now the trip is done, my birthday is over and it's back to "real life". Hoping tonight I can relax a little and schedule out the rest of my training and studying for the week.

OK I feel a little better now.....back to work :-P