Three Birthday Highlights + Goals for This Age

Hey, good morning and happy Monday!

Let me say this real quick (as though reading required a finite amount of time):  I do not usually make my birthday a big deal.  However, I've had a change of heart over it; nothing major, just pointing it out before the actual day happens is a huge leap for me.  I'm not even sure where this stems from, other than just not wanting a ton/an ounce of attention (?). 

At any rate, I'm talking about it now, lol.  Here are a few things that stuck out during what ended up being a pretty low-key birthday --

1.  Windy and I went for a 3.8 mile recovery run.  My legs felt fine, after having ran the half the day before.  It was warm -- ugh, 43*F.  Windy ran with her tongue dangling out of her mouth nearly the whole time.

After hitting my first 25-mile week in what *HAD TO BE* months last week, a 20-mile week (with only three runs) felt pretty good.  I'll bump it back up this week.

All of the snow and ice melting = Windy gets pretty dirty.  She cleans herself after we get done with our runs and walkies, but I seriously need to give her a bath this week.

While we were running, Harry ordered me some birthday breakfast! 

I had to get a ton of work done for school, and laundry.  I actually adult'd on my birthday ---- is this what "old" is?

2.  Harry and I took off to dinner around 5:30pm, and my Mom text me, right at the moment I was born.  Awwwww!

3.  Dinner at Kuma's.  Harry knows how to treat/feed/celebrate me.  We started off with fried pickles. 

And their mac n' cheese of the month -- THIS PLATE HAD TO HAVE WEIGHED FIVE POUNDS.  It had their house Mac & Cheese blend with Angus sirloin Philly steak, Caramelized onion, Sautéed mushrooms, Smoked Provolone, Giardiniera.

I ate maybe five bites and I was full.

We came home and I had more homework to finish *sad trombone*.  We had a rare brew to celebrate my day, and I mosey'd off to bed.  It was a solid day, and all I really needed.  All of the messages, calls, texts, and Facebook posts made my day!
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Let's talk about goals for this age.  Harry asked me about this while we were at dinner last night, and I figured that was *blogworthy*.  I wrote about my goals for 2018 (HERE); to me, even though my birthday is so close to the new year, I like to make goals for my age.  I only really have two for this year:

This year, I NEED TO GET MY SPEED BACK.

As I said in my 2018 post, THIS WILL TAKE A TON OF WORK.  A ton of GRADUAL work.  I know that by the middle of the year, I will have a solid base, upon which I can rock that speed. 

I also need to get my strength back!  As a former bodybuilder and heavy (not necessarily *POWER*, but close enough), I haven't rightly learned how to build strength as a runner.  I'm practically starting from scratch.  It'll be interesting.  It'll be tough.  Like me.  (lol)

So yeah, that's pretty much it.  I want to focus on getting back to where I was, pre-injury, and for the love of Pete, stay there.  I'll have to restrain myself at times; I won't get anywhere if I'm not being smart and get myself injured/sidelined again.

Thanks for reading!  I hope that you have a WONDERFUL day!:)
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Do you make new goals for your age?

Tell me about the last delicious thing you ate!

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