Labor Day Weekend (where working out is my only form of labor)

September already! Seems impossible. I’m sad to say good-bye to the Summer months, but I love September. It’s my favorite word (no, really — I think it is), my favorite birthstone, and generally some amazing weather and beautiful foliage in NY. Lots to love about it, even if it arrived this year in a woosh of thunderstorms and humidity. I’m hopeful this will be a beautiful month, full of good things and Autumnal happiness.

This weekend certainly didn’t make for the best running weather (read: Saturday was the absolute most miserable run I’ve had since I started training). Saturday’s long run felt like torture. It was beyond any reasonable level of humidity (when any semi-normal person would have stayed home and gone swimming); my legs were so sore from my workouts this week; and I just wasn’t feeling great from the get-go. I was drenched through within a few miles, wiping sweat out of my eyes and sympathizing with runners who live in Texas. I can’t even imagine this being the norm. I’d have to make someone ride a bike behind me and fan me with those huge leaves and spray me with a Super Soaker the whole time. I really did try to think positive thoughts, but it was a rough one.

Needless to say, my hilly runs felt harder than usual and my pace was slower. Also, I accidentally stopped my MapMyRun, so Saturday’s run was split into two. I only made it just under 12 miles, so I tacked on the extra 5 on Sunday. That run felt better, but the weather was still gross.

I have to admit, I was super thankful when I woke up today and went to the gym rather than ran outside. I was dying for a good strength workout (in the AC), and it felt amazing. I actually really enjoy working out at the Planet Fitness near my parent’s house — plenty of room by the weights section to do my circuits, and I like the big, open, industrial feel. Nobody bothers anyone else, nobody seems to even care what other people are doing. Oh right, because it’s the “No Judgement Zone,” duh. Anyway — it’s refreshing — until that “lunk alarm” goes off and I get so jostled I almost drop my weights (which would apparently just set it off again).

Yeah, ya know, I just hang out by the heaviest weights…with my 5, 10 and 15-pounders hiding behind me like scared children.

I also made a quick stop at Wal*Mart aft the gym today (yes, I sure did), because they sell Danskin’s line of  workout clothes called Danskin Now, and I’m wild about these running shirts (I’m sporting the yellow above). They’re my absolute faves, and at only $6 a shirt, it’s the best deal ever. I ran in to snag a purple one (I already have the coral, blue and yellow, so this is one growing collection) and walked out with these gems as well:

Their fitted capris in a purple tie-dyed print. Way excited about these.

I’m pretty sure I subscribe to the belief that a girl can never have too many workout clothes (some of us buy shoes, some of us buy crazy running pants) and have succumbed whole-heartedly to the fact that I probably look better and am more comfortable in this sort of attire than anything else, soooo…where your treasure is, there your heart shall be also. 🙂

Other than this fun, my weekend consisted of a lot of amazing family time, lakeside lounging, and reading this riveting novel:

I won’t even say anything about it other than go pick this up immediately. Or at least read about it online to convince yourself it’s a must-read. The author — who is a truly phenomenal storyteller — is also the Senior Associate Chair for Theory and Practice of Medicine at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. And he has an MFA from Iowa Writers’ Workshop. And he’s written for a multitude of well-known publications (Wall St. Journal, New Yorker, New York Times, etc). Oh yeah — he also was the founding director of a major medical and health center at Univ. of Texas.

Pretty amazing. Kinda makes me feel like I need to get moving on my list of “things to do before I die.”

Happy Labor Day, loves!

Question: What was the best part about your weekend?

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