Goodbye August, Hello September!

Um, hello September? How is that even freaking possible?! I could have sworn summer just started. Maybe it's these 100-degree days that make me swear like it's still June and that our students just graduated last week. Wrong? Well, damn.

Through a text conversation yesterday with the superbly awesome Jacky (Iron[wo]man in training) and Monica (who's out for another marathon PR in Chicago), I was a little down on myself. August was not the training month I'd hoped for - July was terrible in terms of getting out there and getting my runs or anything fitness-related in, but with working 60+ hours in four days every week for five weeks, that's just bound to happen. And I need to learn that that's okay. In my head, it's not - I have goals to work for, things I want to get done and I feel behind. 

Really, for what it was, August wasn't terrible. Not awesome, but not terrible - a decent 60-mile showing for finishing up those 60+ hours weeks and getting it done mostly on Saturday mornings. In that regard, that's a win! But as Jacky said yesterday, it's a new month. New goals. It all starts now. So with that... bring it on, September. Bring. It. On.

• 110 miles: This is a stretch, andI know that, but right now it's 90% mental for me. Not hitting snooze, not convincing myself that I'll run when I get home in the evening. I wanna come back big, catch up on my 1,000-miles-this-year goal so I can earn my pin (as of August 31, I'm 424 miles short). I got this!
• Start Strength Training: Always a weakness. Always. But with a lot of halfs coming up in the fall, most of which I'm pacing, I need to make sure I'm at my best and I know a lot of that is to start working on my strength and muscle endurance. I don't have a plan, just an out-loud commitment to doing some core work, getting on some weights and getting to work.
• Cut Back on the Soda: I got through said 60+ hour weeks with a lot of Dr. Pepper. And Starbucks. I recognize it and with a new month, it's time to get back to being better - namely with the soda intake. I know I can't drop back down to zero and I'm being realistic about it, but I need to treat the Dr. P especially like a treat and not an every-day necessity. I'm jumping back onto Waterlogged to track my water intake and hold myself a little more accountable each day.
• Pay Off One Credit Card!: In line with my year goals, I'm thisclose to paying off a card this month and I want to make sure I get to it to working towards lowering the debt. It'll be a stretch this month as it'll be a slightly higher payoff than I'm used to each month, but the fact of paying off one more is a little more exciting than the stress is worth. 

I'm excited. I'm nervous. But I wanna get to work. Boom - let's go!

What are your September goals?

August Recap

august!

Despite August being hot and gross, and it being as tough as it was personally, I set out to make #August100miles happen, especially after starting on track in July and then falling to a summertime cold that set me back. After just 37 miles in July, preceded by a pretty solid June, I was ready to make August the month I'd hit it. Mind you, the only other 100-mile month (115) I've had was my peak month of marathon training in December 2012. So yes, this is a big freaking deal!

Even more than that, as you can clearly see... ever since moving back to California last summer, I've struggled. Evidenced by my lack of writing here, but even moreso by those numbers. I struggled with managing a new job, a hefty commute from July - December, and managing a life for the first time in two years. In Georgia, running was my life because that was all I had. Spring of this year helped me get moving a little more, as my work commute was all of 5 miles, and you can see some upward movement finally. And now... now I feel like I'M BACK. Yes, this is only one month in, but I feel it. I'm ready.

Total run mileage: 100.4. HELLS. YES! 
Highest weekly run mileage:  29
# Runs: 29 - lots of those double days!
# Rest days: 10, which is a lot more than I thought I had! 

# Cross-training workouts:  2-3, just walks with Molly! 

# Races: 1

     - Renegade Race Trail Series #3

Favorite run: I know I only did one race this month, so I have a tie between that one and a new exploratory run. I super duper PR-ed the 3rd trail race of the series and am pretty excited about. Again, still not convinced trail racing is the jam, but I had a blast... now if only that medal would arrive! 

Most hardcore run: I think it was all of those double-days... where I'd run 4 miles on the trail and then come home and run 3 more on the road, or some combination of morning and night runs altogether. It was partially to get these miles down and partially in preparation for Ragnar Napa which is coming in just two and a half weeks! I've got some hefty legs again and this time, I'd like to actually be prepared for them! 

Current obsession: Job hunting? Is that an obsession?

Current song: .Anything Neon Trees because a) I love them and b) Doug surprised me with tickets to see them tomorrow night and I. AM. SO. EXCITED. 

Current need: A sense of being a productive member of society! Gah! I'm not one to just sit around and laze about - I think that's one thing I've appreciated about being at my parents' and them getting up early... so I do too. Whether it's to run, or blog, or just catch up on email, it's nice to get my day going early. That way when I DO jump back into work, it won't be a total shock to my system. I'm not the type to be unemployed and sleeping my days away. No ma'am.

Current triumph:100 miles. Duh. 

Current goal: Going to work towards #September100miles too - let's go! 

What are your biggest accomplishments from this month? Goals for September?