Calling All Carrots

I am in need of some serious motivation.

Earlier this month, I declared my last half marathon was the most mentally difficult run thus far - by leaps and bounds. I also decided that it was completely necessary to run an organized race if I was going to muster any motivation to complete #8. As it turns out, that won't be happening. Why, you ask?

Here is a sample ALL of  the August races within a day's drive of Houston:

• Prude Ranch Races in Fort Davis, TX is just that - a day's drive. I'm talkin' 10 hours!
• The Hottest Half in Dallas, TX has a variety of concerning reviews from Runner's World contributors who claim it's stupid hot to slow-pokes like myself who were left on the course without enough water.
• I Ran Marathons half marathon in San Antonio, TX is the SAME 1.64 mile stretch of road over and over and over until you hit 13.1 miles. That's $75 to take EIGHT trips down the same path.

This means I will be running yet another half marathon on my own. Now my July run has some serious competition for the most mentally trying half marathon of the year, so I am asking you (or anyone you know, or anyone you've heard of) for the most awesomely motivating carrot ideas of all time! I need something to hold ahead of myself to keep me going through this weekend's mental Mount Everest. No suggestion would be ridiculous at this point.

During this morning's run I was pretty sure that the biggest ICEE I could carry would do the trick (as long as I am carrying it to the pool), but now, in my right mind, I'm not sure that it's enough. But it's a solid backup plan.

Ready.... GO!

(seriously, I really want your suggestions)

Half Marathon Monday: 13x13x13 - 7

 I can't believe Sadie and I have run SEVEN half marathons! We're past the half-way point, which is totally nuts!

Believe it or not, today was a real Half Marathon Monday. I got up at the crack of long before dawn and ran a half marathon before I went to work. This is how I know I'm crazy. Crazy for running.

The third month in a row, I haven't run an organized race, rather made my own 13+ mile routes. This one took its toll and was by far the most mentally challenging run thus far. I will definitely be seeking out an organized race for August. Where and in what temperatures is the real issue I need to address.

Who doesn't love running stairs?!

Today's route was very similar to May's run. Very pretty and a nice combination of pavement and softer surfaces. It also has beautiful views and I can start and finish at home! My least favorite part of this route is the intervals of microscopic hills and staircases that feel like Mt. Everest scattered throughout the last 2 miles. Up staircases, across front yards, down driveways and back up again. 

Despite the fact that it was basically a thousand degrees outside and humid as all get-out (when it wasn't raining I was surrounded by a sea of lawn sprinklers), this run's time fell squarely in the middle of this year's half marathons - 3 faster and 3 slower. I'll take it!

Final time: 2:44:56

Half marathon complete by 8am with a little help from my
good luck charms

No joke - this is what was in the kitchen when I got to work.

Essentials for the workday.

Hot as Hades: 13x13x13 - 6

It's officially summer now and I probably do not need to tell you that summers in Southeast Texas are HOT. So hot, in fact, that I will do my absolute best to run during the coolest part of the day, which occurs after the city has had time to cool off overnight and shortly before the sun rises again. 

With these kinds of conditions, it is absolutely imperative that the majority of my running is done before the sun rises (or else I will undoubtedly melt and die). If you know anything about my running pace, you will understand why this requires peeling myself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning. 

Check out those temps!

Despite unforgiving heat, an absurd timeline, and promises of a tortuous pace, the lovely Laila volunteered to join me. This is about where a proper southern woman would insert a phrase like, "bless her heart" implying that, although totally off her rocker, she is still someone I intend to keep around.

Laila (not convinced a photo was necessary) and I

We ran in the dark with the other overly-dedicated crazies, we jogged through the sunrise, and we chugged along hours later as multitudes of people passed us by with sno-cones. 2 hours, 57 minutes and 59 seconds later, 13.1 miles had been ran/jogged/chugged.

Once again, I squeaked in just under my long-standing and self-imposed deadline of 3 hours. There's no way I could pull off all of this without the support from family and friends who give out high fives, write notes of encouragement, knit bracelets of support, and drag me into these adventures in the first place. Because Lord knows I don't end up this nuts on my own!

Here are a few other photo highlights from this weekend's run:

Memorial Park sunrise

NEON runners

Covered in dirt!

This made everything right again. :)