I hate running...

I don’t like working out, either.

I’m a pragmatic/logical person, and with this whole MBA and all that, I understand the concept of ROI…

You can ride a bike for 2 hours

You can sit on the elliptical for 1 hour

Or you can run for 20 mins.

Since I want to be healthy and fit, with the lowest amount of time investment, running is the logical option.

I was talking to a friend of mine about this, and she challenged to me join her and her sister-in-law-to-be at a 10-mile run around the Baltimore zoo. I decided to start a training program to meet the goal well before the race because I was really worried about going from the 1 mile I was at, to the 10 miles I needed. That meant that I needed to come home from Australia at 4 miles.

I am proud to say, I made it!

I figured I’d share the runs I took ‘cause they were pretty unique – thanks to my new favorite website www.mapmyrun.com.

The first run was 2 miles at my Dad's "farm". My youngest brother did the run with me, and given that he's a super fantastic soccer player, and could have beat me running backwards, I appreciated his patience to take this run with me.

The next run was around my Dad's house, and it was beautiful!

Then we went up the coast to Byron Bay (more on that in another post), and I took another 2 mile run along the ocean road. 

I did that run a second time, and made it a little longer. 

Before we left, I took on my ambitious goal... 4 miles. 

and yikes, I picked a route with some HILLS!

you can see the profile at mapmyrun too.

Since I've been home, with my severe jetlag, I've managed a 2 and 3 miler... and this weekend, I'm taking on a 5!

Yikes!!!

Lunch

I just took a quick 2mi round-trip walk to have lunch at a unique restaurant - Sauca.

Its a sunny 65 degrees in DC, and everyone was out walking. 

I went past Banana Republic, the Navy Memorial, the old Post Office, the IRS, and stopped at the steps of the National Portrait Gallery to grab a European inspired sausage wrap here:

You find out where the Saucamobile by watching Twitter... or checking their website.

On my way back, I watched as a group of people closed off a block of street to setup the farmer's market that will be there this afternoon and evening.

I love living here.

Fact

Man, I am a lousy blogger.

Truth is, I've been spending the months figuring out what the routine of my life is... and it's getting pretty well defined.

I travel to the District most days of the week, and to my company's office once a week or so. Basically, I work in 3 places. This means I carry my "office" with me... and I don't have any filing.

I have been very good about the Pilates, and have really been enjoying the two instructors. Although one is moving to Budapest next month, so we'll see how instructor 3 is. I was thinking the other day about how many instructors I've had over the two years that I've been doing Pilates, I believe its eight so far.

A friend of mine talked me into running a 10 mile race through the Baltimore zoo in June... at the time, January, it seemed pretty do'able. I've been trying really hard to add distance to my runs, but oh my do I hate the running. It is so easy to find a reason not to. sigh. I am going to have to knuckle down now and work on it, or I will pass out from being at AT for too long!

Other than that, errands, home maintenance, pet attention, and personal experience all thrown in.

I am loving living in VA. I loved the fall, the winter, and now the spring. So many birds, so many colors. A cool breeze.

I'm taking a short break from regular life to visit my family in Australia. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and being in their world. I will miss my family at home.

We have big plans for the summer... redo parts of the garden, build some garden furniture, take some trips around the area, kayak/canoe on a river - the Potomac preferably, and see some of the sites of "The War of Northern Aggression".

Can't wait!

I will try to be better at having a presence here too.... promise.