September Happenings

Do all dogs have the talent of curling up to cuddle with their bums right by your face?  LaBoeuf seems to, without exception, execute his preparatory "walk-around-in-circles" with the singular goal in mind of placing his posterior as close to your head as possible.  Perhaps if we relocated to the other side of the equator he would reverse his direction. 

My birthday is in September- it was very quiet this year since I was registered for a marathon the next day.  I ate with Maggie- she sweetly invited me to lunch with HER for my birthday, which meant school lunch, of course.  It was surprisingly tasty, but I did have to follow up with a second lunch to properly carb load.  One piece of pizza just wasn't going to cut it. 

I was in bed by 7:30 after a "senior citizen" dinner at Olive Garden- we ate at 4:30.  I had to rise at 3 a.m. the following morning to be to Salt Lake City in time to catch my bus.  I had to pee at the 7-11 on the way- this sign was on the door. 

Liza and I rode up on the bus together.  We wound up dealing with a huge delay- the bus in front of us was high centered on a rock- but it turned out to be for the best- we only froze at the start line for about 10 minutes before the race started. 

All smiles before the hell began.
We were just above Guardsman Pass.

I really tried to improve my race strategy this time around- I carefully paced myself the first 18 miles and I was able to run the whole time without bonking.  I shaved 45 minutes off of my last marathon, and I felt really good about that.  The decline was murder on the legs- I have never seen so many people walking the last few miles as I did at this race. 

My friend Anne was cheering at the finish line.
I got all emotional. 

Liza could barely stand up for this picture.  She also had to go down her stairs backwards for days since her legs were so sore. 

Big Medals.

Of course Bruce and the girls came and cheered for me! I was so happy to see them.  They are a very supportive bunch- they never complain about my early runs, or long Saturday runs, or general stinkiness.  I couldn't do it without them.

LaBoeuf has been with us for a year now.  He has made himself right at home.

He finds if he sheds on my clothes before I even get them on it saves him time later.

I bought him a new woobie and he was so excited.