Random Runninghood: Facebook, Boston, Marathons, Books, Saying Yes, and More!

I'm not quite sure how I got lucky enough to find myself home alone  after dinner while my family is off to soccer practice.  So quiet in here.  I swear I'm married to Superman.  Not only is he off with all three kids while I get to stay here and to "clean up after dinner" a.k.a waste time until the last 10 minutes and then bust some major clean up bootay), but he cooked dinner while I was at the YMCA trying to fit in a speedish type workout on the treadmill.  He's definitely racking up the points!

I think this limited time calls for some bullet points:

• So Facebook wants to charge me for my posts.  Well, apparently, I can post all I want on my Runninghood Facebook page.  For free.  HOWEVER, if I want my followers/community to actually SEE my posts, I might need to pay for that. No thank you.  Right now, according to my stats, the only people seeing what I post today and quite often lately are my mom and closest friends.  Well, heck, I'm not even sure my mom sees my posts anymore.  Mom?  Do you?  Instead, I get this pop up a lot:

• Speaking of my mom (CherTheArt), love her most recent painting that she sold: 

The Protector, an original painting from CherTheArt  

• My personal challenge for today came from the familiar awareness that I say NO a lot!  Like way too much.  It is almost automatic at times.  About all sorts of things...things that others (and myself) might benefit from a "yes answer" to every once in awhile.  These things include trying new things, letting my kids do something that might require extra effort for me or against the normal grain, breaking from routine, treating myself to something out of the ordinary, etc.  So, today, I concentrated on saying YES to things that I might otherwise be too quick to say NO to.  It's neat to watch how these small but conscious YES DECISIONS can add to our life, open new doors, bring joy to others, and so much more. 

• As fall arrives, I can feel my appetite for running/training start to return a bit.  Summer for me brings such a more relaxed and non-structured side to it when it comes to running...long days, sunshine, sleeping in on weekends, lots of travel and being active with other activities outside of running, etc.  It feels good to want to settle into a more consistent running routine as winter approaches and I prepare my body for one or two spring marathons (The Boston Marathon and possible the Asheville Marathon).  Training during winter keeps me motivated and inspired during the months with fewer hours of daylight and sunshine.  In the past, living in Portland meant 9 months of constant rain and little to no sunshine.  Running gave me the endorphins and "inner sunshine" to help me through that depressing time of year.  Running more consistently also helps me stay active and fit during those holiday months that almost always sneak up on us.

• I love that it is long socks and boots season!  I have built up quite the collection of long socks but this black and white pair is my favorite.  I wear them all the time.  

• I love library days with my kids.  Really I love this town we live in, period.  But the library is one of my favorite parts.  It is so charming and just a very short walk from our house right downtown.  I'm going to miss it along with everything else in this community.  Most of the time we walk out of the library with at least a stack of 20 to 30 books.  This time my girls asked to get their own library cards (even though they don't need one).  You'd think it was Christmas around here with how excited my six year old daughter is!  She has her nose in a book ever chance she can get right now.  It is wonderful to see.  She can't wait to return her book and check another one out with her very own card.  So thankful to live in a country where we have books at our finger tips!  

One of my favorite things to do with my kids...learn and read!  We love libraries.  

• I spent this past weekend in Boston visiting a dear friend.  It was such a wonderful weekend.  Not only did I have the chance to get to know my friend and her family better, but Boston graced us with some most amazing early fall weather.  Sunshine, blue skies, and a perfect fall feel. Lots of talking, relaxing, laughing, shopping and running. We even went trail running but it was more of a hike at times...most technical trail I've run yet.  Only seven miles that took as long as 15.  And left me quite sore the next day!  I came home calm, refreshed, inspired and so so excited to be back in April for the marathon! 

AM took me trail running on a most beautiful trail. At one point we had a perfect view of the skyline of downtown Boston.   

I will always love this city!  Boston, you are beautiful!

Tried to get a decent picture that did the view justice but this will just have to do.  Both of us wearing our Brooks PureGrits.  

• My time is CLEARLY up!  I now have 20 minutes to hop in the shower, get the dinner dishes cleared up, and make it look like I've been doing something productive around here.  Time to use my mad clean-up skilz.  I demonstrate them in the following video from several years ago when we lived in Portland.  Although, I do have to say, my life is way easier now than it was when I was cleaning up after a 6, 3, and 1 year old.  I think I still find random lip wax laying around though.  And yes, I have one arm warmer up and one down after my run.  Oh, and yes, I'm also just pretending that my husband isn't home (that man really is him).  I also love how everyone is ignoring me as if I really do act like that all the time... I guess back then I probably did.  

1.  What's your favorite city? 
2.  What's your favorite season to train for a race? 
3.  Anyone else with a Facebook blog page having the same frustration with Facebook not showing your posts?  

Amanda 

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