Family Time

This week is a down week for me and it came at a really good time. I really needed a down week with lower mileage as I have been building and building and I was feeling the effects of that build. I took three days off earlier in the week and I even managed to squeeze in a massage from the best, Lily. Anytime I see her she works magic and knows just where to go without me saying a word. My legs were tore up and hurting especially my left calf. My quads were in no better condition either. But that just means I have been training hard.

On Thursday I took Traildog out for a run and I felt a lot better. My body wasn't so stiff and my mind was clear and open. It is amazing how a few days off can really recharge my body and my mind.

Today I plan to head up to Overlook and get one more look at K2. I want to know this monster of a hill. I want to be able to get up it without hesitation and the only way I know how to own something like this is by going up it during training. This way I will know where it is runnable, the steepest sections, and where I am going to place my feet.

Every time without fail when I go up K2 I end up getting very frustrated with this hill and I need to learn to calm myself and just go with it. Because getting frustrated at something I have no control over will only use up my energy and put me in a negative state. I have to remain calm and positive and always moving forward. Calm and positive!

Traildog giving love to my niece!

With a down week I have also been spending a bit more time with Lil Man. In fact one day he called and asked me to come over. So I did what any good auntie would do. I dropped everything, well I wasn't do much and packed up Traildog and headed over to spend the afternoon with him. I want him to know that just because I don't live there anymore doesn't mean I wont spend time with him.

She is getting so big, and she looks like me when I was a baby

I have also been spending the past 5 Thursday with him. I typically get in my long run early so that I can be over there to walk to his pre school and pick him up, with Traildog of course and my sister. Then we spend the afternoon together playing "Star Wars" (A new game I made up which makes him giggle until he is red in the face) and sometimes we just talk and hang out in the backyard eating our pre-soccer snack and focusing on hydrating. He even tells me "Meme I hydrated at pre-school."

Not sure who is walking who?

Then we all pile in the car and head to soccer practice, I of course am asked every time to sit in the back seat with him. This means I have to squeeze between his booster seat and my nieces car seat and sit in the middle. My niece just smiles at me and Lil Man also has a grin from ear to ear whenever I sit with them. My sister I am sure feels like a chauffeur with everyone in the back seat and front seat available. I am not sure what everyone thinks when I squeeze myself out of the back seat once we arrive at soccer!

Lil Man has a blast at soccer practice and is learning so much from his coaches. Things like, no hands, no stinky toe (which means don't hit the ball with your big toe, but instead the inside of your foot.) And there are a few other rules but I can't remember them. It's great to watch and hear him laugh and see his improvement each week.

 The sticking of the tongue out seems to run the family!

It has been great to watch Lil Man play soccer and I only hope he continues with it or at least another sport.

My niece is growing so fast and each time I see her she is bigger. Her new thing right now is sticking out her tongue or putting her entire fist in her mouth. A talent not many of us me included can do. She is very adorable and also very talkative, I told my sister it will be interesting to see both of them on road trips just talking away. I enjoy having those conversations with her and she just talks and smiles at me. I can't believe she is almost 5 months. I remember when she was born and so tiny.

So far it has been a very good down week for me. Recharging and spending some much needed family time with the ones I love.