Longest run yet!

Hello yet again.  Since I last blogged I have run my longest mile I've ever run and did my first cross training.  All the while life happened of course.

Like I said in the last blog, Mike and I caught 2 salamanders and decided to make them pets.  Who knew that keeping a couple of tiger salamanders would cause so much trouble!  Currently we're having problems with their food.  They eat smaller insects such as crickets and earthworms, but I decided to try to take the easier route and feed them little pellets that are sold at the local pet food store, but since they're wild, they don't seem to be eating it.  I'm not the biggest fan of crickets (mostly because of the constant chirping) so I'm heading to a bait shop today to grab some small red worms.  My many years of fishing has prepared me for how gross worms can be for some people.  Below is our current terrarium:

We are planning on adding a divider that will allow us to have half the tank as a water environment where they can swim and the other half as a dryer/mossy area with a water bowl and places to hide.  In the meantime, I'm making sure they're moist by checking on them in the morning and night.  I've grown up with salamanders my whole life (Angela and I used to catch at least 30 of these a day from our windowsills and release them in a safer place closer to the pond).  I'm hoping they decide to eat the worms, if not I'll get crickets... the sacrifices I make.

ANYWAY!  This is a running blog right?  Wednesday I was scheduled to do field work on the same day I was supposed to run 5 miles.  If you've ever had a job that is in the sun all day, you know how tiring that can be.  We ended early and Mike "forced" me to go tubing on his family boat that afternoon.  Before I knew it, it was 8pm and sunset is around 8:30... crap.  Running at night makes me nervous with all the creeps in the world, but I decided to go anyway.  It was actually really nice having cooler weather and a beautiful sunset to watch.  The only downside was a side stitch that happened around mile 3 probably from the Scoopie Kids meal I got from Culvers earlier that night for dinner around 6.  But, I pushed through it and ran the entire way.  And according to my RunKeeper, I set TWO records:

Longest run and longest time run.  It's the little accomplishments and hurdles that I have decided are worth celebrating.  It's great having a wonderful boyfriend who's supportive in every accomplishment I make as well. He's great :)

Yesterday was my cross training day.  These days I have decided to dedicate to light/low-joint work.  Since I don't go to a gym with a swimming pool (which would be GREAT for my joints), I've decided that the elliptical and some strength training would be just fine.  I had field work that day and didn't get home until about 5:30 and had forgotten I had made dinner plans with my dad.  So, I ran out there and had a DELICIOUS meal with marinated steak, twice baked potato, and possibly one of the best salads I've had.  We played with the dogs he was dog-sitting and played a game of pool.  I ALMOST won!  Around 9pm we had to call it a night and I still had to run to the gym!  I was exhausted, but it felt so good to commit to my workout and work on my arms/core.  Once I got home I crashed and it was wonderful :)

Today is my rest day and I'm looking forward to biking to a coffee shop and getting food for my pets on my way home.  Tonight I'm going to see Les Miserables by Four Seasons Theater with my friends Becca and Angela.  I'm so excited since in high school I did two youth musical workshops with their company as well as a youth production of Once on this Island.  I am so excited to see some familiar faces in the show and enjoy my rest day.  Tomorrow I'm waking up early for a 5 mile run before going to Devils Lake State Park all day, can't wait!