Working & Running - Black Cats and Big Dogs

I've been a busy girl!! We have implemented a new accounting system at work and it is keeping me busy and stressed out!!!!!! I was so worried about how quickly I would catch on etc. but that hasn't been the problem, no the problem is a million little glitches that cause me to constantly have to put on the breaks and undo everything I've done... over and over and over. Kind of like when Robert tried to run in Atlanta last weekend, he constantly had to stop at red lights. Bailey demonstrated it for us last night and it was hilarous!
My stress level has gotten so high that it kind of scares me... my skin gets flushed and I feel feverish and I often feel on the verge of tears. I can just imagine what it would be like if I didn't run almost every day!!!!
Enough about work.... let's talk about the good stuff

RUNNING:
I have had some AWESOME runs this week!!

Monday close to 5:00 Brenda e-mailed that it wasn't looking good for her to get out of work in time to run. I e-mail back no worries I'm running late too.
About 5:45 or so she called and said I'm just going to have to go home and run on the "dreadmill" .. No NO NO I told her NO! we would wait for her, I really was running behind and the later the better for Michele. She said she thought she could get there about 6:45 or if she was lucky 6:35. So when I got to Michele's we decided to run through her neighborhood, we started off at a very EASY pace and just enjoyed the fact that we were running in daylight. We were keeping a close eye on the time to make sure we got back before Brenda. As we were heading down her road, we could see Brenda's car. UT OH.. but hey it's only 6:33. We thought maybe she would be waiting for us or in the house. I ran into Michele's house to use the restroom real quick. I almost didnt' finish the run.. Jame's had made "filet kabob's" and they smelled so good I just wanted to stay and eat and chat with him!
Still no Brenda so we decided to head out on our usual route, we took a shortcut hoping that we would intersect with her. We approaced the cross road's and Michele said well we can go this way or that way. We decided to head in the opposite direction hoping to run into Brenda. Just a short distance later we say a shadow and it was Brenda. woo Hoo!!! Brenda had about 2 miles at that time and we had 2.75. It was a really fun run, we picked up the pace but it wasn't killer, we were able to talk and laugh. My favorite kind of run!! AND no stomach issues!!
It was amazing how great I felt after this run, mentally and physically!!
I had taken Sunday off after the Race on Saturday and although nothing was hurting after the race I think the rest did me good.

Tuesday:
I knew that tonights hill repeats were going to be on a different hill. More of a gradual incline and not as tortous as our normal steep hill.
It was 53 degrees when I was driving home from work yesterday so I dressed in a skrit and short sleeve tech top but threw on a light jacket just in case.
When I got to the school I was freezing!!! As we were listening to Dennis talk Bailey, Cheryl and I all huddled together. It's funny because Cheryl and I both could be Bailey's mom but it felt more like she was the mom and we were the kids last night she had her arms around both of us... but let me tell you it definately helped keep us warmer.
We started off our warm up run and that was exactly what it was... we took it nice and easy!! As we ran by Andrea's house Bailey and I both said we didn't feel the need to use the faciliteis. This would turn out to be a mistake on my part. It was maybe 5 or 10 minutes later when the dreaded poop monster showed up. I had to walk a bit and then I had to completely stop and cross my legs. VERY uncomfortable! We werent' too far away from our hill and things had settled down. I asked Andrea if I could use her restroom and I was going to have Dennis give me a ride but I decided I shouldn't wait so I asked Andrea to send her dad my way when he finished talking. This hill was actually closer to Andrea's than the other one so I was able to make it to her house on my own, I was even able to jog a little bit. I know I have said this before but Andrea's husband is a sweetheart to just let people come and go in his home whenever they please!!! Actually I didn't see him last night he was giving the little one a bath.
When I came out Dennis was waiting for me... boy was I embarassed!!!!!! He gave me a ride back and I got back to the group just as they were finishing their first round. I waited for Bailey and Cheryl to come down. When I saw Cheryl she told me there was a port-a-potty on the hill. I wish I would have know that sooner!!
We were doing 3 uphills with the first 2 at 80% and an easy jog down and then the third uphill you were supposed to run easy and then fly down hill. Although this hill wasn't steep it was really LONG!!!!!!
Intermediate were doing 2 sets for 6 hill repeats and Advanced were doing 3 sets for 9 hill repeats. I had said in the beginning I was going to do the Advanced wokout but after my stomach problems decided to do the intermediate workout. Bailey and I did the workout together for the most part, she would of course fly by me on the way up but she would usually wait for me up top and then we would go down together. On my first trip uphill Brenda also let me know about the port-a-potty and then a minute later Cindy let me know. LOL
I finished my second set at the same time everyone else finished their third. Cheryl had already finished and headed back. Her leg was bothering her again and she didnt' want to take any chances!!!
When we got to the bottom of the hill Bailey said I'll wait here while you do your next set... WHAT? Um no I'm just going to do the intermediate workout. She said NO you are going to do the Advanced! LOL such a bossy girl!
I let Brenda and the others know not to wait on me that I was going to complete my workout. Andrea was worried and offered to come back and get me with her car. So nice to have so many people looking out for you!! She hadn't realized that Bailey was staying and didn't want me to run back by myself.

I was on my last downhill the one we were supposed to "fly" on. As I first started down the hill I saw a black cat, I am very superstitious and this made me a little nervous, it didn't cross directly in front of me, but still you never know. It was maybe 10 seconds later and I was flying, paying attention to my stride and my arms when all of a sudden this HUGE.. I mean HUGE dog came chasing after me barking up a blue streak. I almost had a heart attack!!! It was a good thing I had already used the bathroom otherwise I might have had an accident!!!
Of coruse I had to stop running, I knew if he wanted to attack me I wasn't going to be able to outrun him and I thought maybe if I walked he would calm down. Well he kept coming after me but he would stop just short of actually invading my space. Although it only lasted a few seconds it seemed to last forever!! I was thinking where are Michele, Brenda, Joan all the dog people when I need them!!! LOL
I see Bailey running up the hill towards me, she said she had been watching my shadow when all of a sudden she saw another shadow and it was big and jumping. She came to save me!! LOL Luckily the owner called the dog back but it was over for me. I told Bailey I am not going back up that hill!! LOL
Of course I blame the black cat!!!!!

I was a little worried about the run back to the school... the shock of the dog had my legs feeling a little quivery.
We started off at a good pace and our conversation immediately turned to poop. We told poop stories all the way back to the school. At one point I was getting a little breathless and I said are we racing??? I think it was all the poop talk, it made us want to hurry up and get back!!
I thanked Bailey for making me do that last set... she said she knew I would be mad at myself if I didn't. She already knows me so well!! Brenda does the same thing. If I start talking about cutting a run short she always encourages me to keep going!
When Bailey and I got back to the school I had 4.83 miles so of course I had to keep going until 5 so Bailey and I ran through the parking lot until we both had 5.

Even with the poop, black cat and Dog I had an awesome run last night!!!! It was an adventure that's for sure!!