Home from Vacation!!

Hello everybody! The last time I posted, I was getting ready to go to Myrtle Beach for a family vacation--yes, the family vacation that included my strange family set-up. We had 2 condos, and in condo #1, it was my dad and stepmom, and her son and his girlfriend (both awesome and hilaaaarious!!!), and in condo #2, it was my big brother and sister-in-law, my mother, and myself. My baby brother didn't come this year, since he and his wife just had their baby a couple months ago.

The cutest munchkin ever!!!

So yes, the family vacation....An entire week of hanging out with the coolest people ever, and every time we get together, it's like a comedy club--the whole family is freaking hilarious, so every day (usually before 9am) my face and abs would be aching from laughing so hard!

There are some major highlights of this vacation:

 

Not sure if this will play right, but it was the beach when we first got there, the most peaceful sound and sight in the world as far as I'm concerned.

Second, this was the first time I've run with anyone else. Big brother, sister-in-law, and I ran in North Myrtle Beach's Beach Sweep 5k on Saturday, September 17th. I initially thought that we'd be running on a boardwalk or something. Surprise of all surprises, we ended up running along the beach, in the sand, with the tide rolling in (or out? never really did figure that out, just that it was gorgeous!)...So, first time running with people, first time running in sand, and  FIRST TIME RUNNING IN THE VICINITY OF SOMEONE WITH A GARMIN!!!! Can I just say a few things about all of these firsts: 1. I loved running with my bro and sis-in-law! They kept pace with me, which was cool, and we talked the whole time and I only walked twice, very briefly. It really passed the time and made it seem like so much less effort!! 2. Running in the sand is different. Not harder or easier, just different. Luckily, we were running on a harder, packed sand (unlike later in the week run on soft sand, which is much harder!!) and 3. THE GARMIN IS FLIPPING AMAZING!! My brother wore his that I'd gotten him earlier this year, and it really kept me going-he'd tell me how much time I had left for each mile in order to PR!

Sis-in-law, bro, and me before Beach Sweep 5k

AND IN CASE ANYONE WAS WONDERING--I PR'D, AND IT WAS MY BEST SINCE I STARTED RUNNING!!! I think we can all remember that I was doing really well (in my humble opinion) with running prior to my car accident:

Janked-up old car

In my first 5k, I was at 40+, and after the accident, my best was 43+. Since then I have been working it out, slow and steady just trying to keep moving. So (TAA-DAAAH!) my PR at the Beach Sweep 5k was 39:45, which is @ 12:49 minute/mile (and I've been up in the 14+ range)!!!! I am so stinkin' proud of myself! So cool too, to get to share that with my family!

A couple days later, I took the Garmin out for a spin by myself, and ran on the beach 1.5miles in 20:45 (@13:51m/m) in midday heat (from the condo to the pier and back). And promptly went back to the room and ordered MY GARMIN FORERUNNER 305!!!

Hopefully this will take you to a link....

 So I am waiting (not so) patiently for a sweet little package from Amazon that I am soo excited about!!!!

Other fun vacation things:

THE BEACH

From the Apache Pier, looking towards the condos--ours was the 4th one--gray and white--Wyndham Seawatch Plantation, Myrtle Beach, SC

Apache Pier

Sexy, huh? Mid-way through daytime run, gettin' my tan on

At least I don't look scary in this one...too much!!

 And when I was gone, I got two things at home waiting for me!

1. ChiRunning video

To try and keep my back in good shape (and there was a discount through Schwaggle!)

and

where i got this

 

2. FLEAS----GRRR!!! As soon as I got home this morning, at 6am and after driving all night, I came home to fleas, so I had to go out, drive to WalMart, get flea shampoo and spray,and  flea collar for the cat, come home, spray the house down, bathe the dogs, vacuum everything, and do laundry all day!!! And amazingly, I am still glad to be back...

--Marge