Stretches.Pumpkin.Running

We had an eventful weekend! So much fun and so packed full. I had the day off from work and headed to the airport to pick up ANDREW!! It all started at 11:00AM Friday morning.

Mister Handsome struttin' along the way hunting for my car. He was just as impatient as I was about waiting to see each other. awwee :)

Together at last!!!!! We haven't seen each other since the weekend of August 4th when we got engaged.

We had talked about a couple different places to have lunch, and ended up choosing our all time favorite Japanese Hibachi place. We had already started on the sushi when I took the picture.

"Mmmm..yumyuuummmm." 

I did not dominate this plate of food. Andrew was sure to make a happy plate with his.

I like to be generous, yes, but perfection is mostly the true part of this fortune. Why couldn't I get a fortune about winning money and living a completely happy uncomplicated life where everything is rainbows and sunshine?.... I guess I'll just have to strive to be generous and perfect. Strive.strive.strive.

Duh, we had to get Fro-yo. Normally I get the tart flavor, but this time wanted some flavah. Strawberry AND cookies 'n cream yogurt..with my mounds of goodies. Def a good choice.

 We had a long day of eating, shopping, hugging, and kissing... and dinner with his mom to finish the night.

I also had to dogsit on top of all of the busyness... so I laid all my running gear out for Saturday morning to help slow my morning roll.

The alarm went off at 5:20AM, and I got to the meet up place right at 6:05 to run. Everyone had started without me, so I booked it. We are talking power walk. As soon as I turned on my shuffle, "low battery". Crap. I said a little prayer that it would somehow last. It lasted all of 10mins. By that time I had caught up to Susan and some of the other group. Good thing because I was on schedule for an 11mi run. No music would have been torture by myself.

Susan and I stuck to 4min/1min intervals since she was having to cover 20mi that day. At mile 3, my garmin goofed up and went crazy. I ended up having to restart it and lost all of my time and everything for the beginning. Going on the 3.10mi Susan had on her watch at the end of our run, I covered my 11mi in about 2:10-15mins. Pretty good for me! It was def a struggle at the very last mile thanks to the ITband I never stretched during the week. Smart move Nicole. Oh and lets not forget a painful hip flexor on the opposite leg. Talk about an old lady limp. It was ridiculous.

 Fueled back up with Strawberry Banana HoneyMilk, pasta salad, and a banana.

So, I was in pain and tried every way to get that hip flexor to stretch after I had an ice bath and got decent looking. This was the only one that worked for me. Basically a split with the opposite knee bent.

I needed to strech my ITband and didn't have a ball around... so I subbed for a squooshy pillow that was really thick.

Instructions:

• Place ball, or squooshy pillow, inbetween thighs right above the knees.

• Bend at the knees and hips into a squatting position with an awkward look on your face.

Normally I would not have picked this stretch, but my PT suggested it since it is tight and painful right around my knee cap at the insertion. It def worked, and my quads were a little jelly after running 11mi then doing 25 squats. Ice and Ibprofen and I was good to go......

.....until I walked up and down hills in heels during our engagement picture session! We met the photographer at 3:30 and didn't stop with pictures until sunset at 7:00. We had SO much fun. I'm already ready to do it again. This was the picture our photographer posted on Facebook. I will get to see the rest on Wednesday!

Each time we got in the car to go to another location, Greg had me keep the camera to flip thru and see what all we had done. They already look ahhhmazing really small on the camera and unedited, so I cant wait to see the finished product! After we purchase, I'll be sure to post some of our favorites!

We had one more day together on Sunday and sadly we had to end it this morning when I dropped him off at the airport. This just means the next time I see him, we will have even less time apart and it will be so close to wedding day!!!!!

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So Friday was the first day of fall. That gives me everyone the excuse to eat and buy anything PUMPKIN related. When Monica posted this pumpkin pancake recipe on her blog this weekend, my mouth started watering. 

After work, I immediately went to the store and bought four, yes FOUR, pumpkin spice scented candles. It smells like fall heaven in our house right now.

 I had to resist the urge to by pumpkin filling and pumpkin pie at the grocery store. My cart was already full and I knew I needed to wait til next time. My lip is still poked out thinking about a pumpkin pie and how I am not devouring it right now.

Instead, I picked up my very first running magazine today and will spend my night reading this instead of sulking over my pumpkinless full stomach.

Oh! and I signed up for the Over The River Run during lunch today so I'm set to go with that! Only two weeks away! and still so excited to do the 4mi race on Wednesday at the Pub Run!!

P.S.
I haven't even ran my first half marathon and I'm already looking for another one to sign up for. :))