Finished in 34:10.  Soooooo much better than 37 minutes plus a lot of change.  Here are my interval run time paces (2:30 run/1:00 rest):

Interval# Pace

1   10:02 (hill)
2   10:13
3   10:03
4   9:59 (right before another hill)
5   10:25 (freakin' hill)
6   9:23
7   9:42 (coughing fit)
8   9:29
9   9:29
10 9:25

The mile splits were 10:48 avg pace, 10:43 and 10:36.  The rest intervals were all faster than 15:00 and at one point my walk pace was 11:48 which was faster than my last 10k pace when I was running.  Freakin' Galloway and clown shoes and running streak.  I guess I'll keep those things up to the next race in early February!

Because it's Friday and I want to relax, here's a picture of my dog on his doggie bed which is on top of a pillow on top of folded blankets on top of a couch.  Apparently that wasn't enough for him because he drags my feather pillow to also rest upon. 

And to show the Happenstance family blinking eyes during picture taking isn't restricted to just the humans . . .

Thank you.  Thank you for your time.

Wellllll . . . today I had a friend watch me run which is always embarrassing but she told me my left foot still lands very differently than my right.  Still.  And maybe that won't change with this stupid leg length thing but so far and Day 40 into the RWRunStreak, I thought this was improving.  Maybe it's an incremental improvement but it certainly feels like it's better than it has been in the past.  We only ran a mile at 9:56 with some stops for lights and a short hello to a climbing peep but hello!  9:56?  Way better than 13:00.  My feet feel pretty good in these ridiculously wide looking duck shoes but that's what my ridiculous duck feet need.

Race tomorrow and long, slow swim Sunday plus a mile run.  I'm committed to 42 days of the RWRunStreak in my head and I think I'll make it.

New Years was low key for me.  No going to a jam session like I did in prior years to a see a friend of mine's boyfriend sit in with other musicians which is always fun - Bluegrass musicians are all so welcoming and those james have got a great energy, great for getting tips on stringed instruments and my goodness, the fingerstyle is FAST.  But no.  None of that.  Started with a phone call to Germany that lasted hours.  Dude is moving to Stuttgart or has moved as of yesterday and justifiably was nervous.  But that's the nature of his job, it's nomadic, sometimes short-term but it takes him all over Europe (so far) and he meets so many different people. I know that last part can be intimidating to introverted people, though.  Ah, well.  But we toasted the New Year together in his neck of the woods then in mine.  Polished off a bottle of wine.  Not potent but enough to have me feeling sentimental. 

But I got to bed early enough to find energy to run 5.5 miles on Sunday with some of the ladies in the running group.  We were literally blown away by the wind.  I was glad I wore glasses because every little thing which could be lifted by the wind became miniature projectiles made to scratch eyes out.  Bleh.  My group stuck with my very slow intervals and we stopped often for window shopping since stores were open.  We even saved somebody the pain of needing a new cell phone by turning one we found at an outdoor table in to some restaurant staff.  Good for us, right?  After that, I did many, many loads of laundry.  Oy.

Monday was full of more chores and then some rock climbing plus the minimum 1 mile of running.  I may need a rest day very soon.  Sunday was the first day my leg felt a little wonky after 30+ days of running in a row.  My foot was landing weird and my hip had a familiar ache.  I stretched a lot last night and plan to do it again during lunch today. 

See?  Back to boring workout blogs and back to work.

Before climbing, I got my minimum 1 mile in around the tiny track (18 laps = 1 mi of repeated scenery insanity) and today got in 6 broken up miles (twice around a hilly 2.4 mi loop then rushing to meet my friends at Panera but actually saw them still running so I stopped and ran 1.2 more miles because I couldn't end with 4.8 . . . freakin' numbers). 

Last night's climbing was so-so due to stomach cramps.  I was glad I went, though, because I saw an old kindergarten/elementary school/high school friend and his lovely daughters!  They all climbed well and he looked like a natural on the wall.  I felt great on route 6 but when I tried route 4, the cramps hit.  Not good.  I took a longish break, did 2 features only then just called it a night.  I was hoping to work the Blushing Zebra to a difficult part I was trying to figure out.  I guess there's no gentle way to say it but I had to flush out my system to feel normal. 

When I got home, Kiddo and I tried that Vegan Black Metal Chef tempura asparagus sushi roll recipe we picked up from @oceanstarr 's site.  Woohoo!  They turned out great!  I've used an egg wash whenever breading anything so I was pleasantly surprised how light and crispy these turned out using just water and flour.  Kiddo did a great job overseeing the frying.  The end product wasn't greasy or overbearing.  It was flavorful and clean. 

Can't really see it but we had VBMC playing on my spankin' brand new Kindle Fire.  Peoples, I can't even tell you enough how much this and the digital Dark Horse comics has saved me in shelf space. 

Is there a rule like pancakes, first roll doesn't count?  That's what's in the 3rd pic.  It's thinly sliced yellow pepper, 3 tempura asparagus and way too much seasoned rice.  Still good.  We kind burned away our taste buds with the wasabi which was incredibly strong - the good stuff. 

And finally catching up on some pics I promised to post . . .

Here is what I won from @buyit 's giveaway contest!

It arrived on a day that just sucked.  I was getting worked piled on from both coasts and Bermuda and never thought I'd have anything to smile about.  Then it arrived. 

Shiz, girl, you'd think there were a dozen freakin' glasses in these boxes!  They were very, very securely packed.

And here they are!  @buyit 's mug on one side . . .

and "STALKER" on the other.  HA!!

See?  I send you clickies, girl. 

Happy New Year, all!  I'm running again tomorrow, running and climbing on Monday and somewhere in between is okinomiyaki, my last x-mas present!!!

1 whole mile for Day 32 of the #RWRunStreak and 1.25 miles of swimming.  The running was way, way better than the swim.  I felt very bouncy and uneven for the swim because I was in a lane next to a wall, there was a swim team next to me and a guy sharing my lane swimming breast stroke wayyyyyyy big.  His legs kicked out almost beyond the lane boundaries.  Looked very painful and flaily and it was awkward getting around him even though I was on my side.  You just can't stop and punch a fellow in the deep end, ya know? 

Paid off my credit cards (almost all business related) and made arrangements to invest in something short term for the Kiddo's tuition in 2013.  Finished off the November financials and analysis, the GAAP entries and finally convinced my parent co that my co owes them money please take it.  For real, this year it's been terrible trying to get my affiliates to take my money.  What the hell? 

Last things on my agenda is to get all my freakin' laundry put away and the floors mopped.  After that, I think the Happenstance House is in order emotionally, financially and physically.  Chop chop!  I guess this makes me a grown up.  Well, fine.  So it does.

Off to climb!  Everyone have a great New Year!

The Kiddo and I are going to make this tonight and I'm SOOOOOO EXCITED.  Sans rocks, broken glass, nuts and bolts . . . this is from something I saw on @oceanstarr 's blog about a month or so back.

4.0 miles of running after I received my bonus and raise . . . I've sold my soul to the corporate devil but made enough to cover Kiddo's extra 12 months of undergrad that her scholarship won't cover since she switched majors.  It was a quick reminder of why I work hard.  Two more years then I get to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.  If I'm still at net 0 or higher owing nothing to anyone, then maybe I'll just work at a gym.   I feel like my best moments were when I could bridge that body-soul fitness connection. Even if it's just mopping up sweat.

But not before I stockpile a bunch of running shoes for the future like some demented road running shoes-instead-of-nuts hogging squirrel.

Then I went climbing again.  Another good night.  I feel heavier than I've been in the last 2 months but physically, the running is starting to come together and so is the climbing.  No races, no feeling of pressure or competition, it's all good.

So on to day 32 of the RWRunStreak!

Ahhh, buried in work.  But I found time to run last night in the not so freezing and non-snowing weather (wow, trumped up reports wayyyyyy off on the accumulation expectation which ended up being 0" in Louisville).  Did short, intervals for 3 mi, a one minute interval at 9:00-9:30 mpm pace, a short walk, then repeat until I finished the loop.  Day 30!!!

O, and this came up on the playlist.  Hell if I started singing 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall as my running song.

Twice around the Scenic Loop which is about 4.8 mi then straight away to indoor rock climbing and 7 routes including getting one features only section I'd been working on the last few weeks.  Ripped up the skin of my hands but it's necessary.  I feel like I climbed better than in the last month and a half.  Nice to get over some of those humps, literally.  Now back to work.