The Beast

Well, I'm moved into my new digs and I absolutely love it! It's hard getting over this five minute commute to anywhere I want to go, but I'm managing. My house is an absolute mess, but I still feel like I'm on vacation. Yes, I am happy! I actually had someone tell me I looked happy last Friday... of course, it was Happy Hour, so I was feeling good... but anyway, right now it's all good.

So I'm settling into my new surroundings and getting over the hellish nightmare of moving again, by myself. I managed to accumulate more shit than any one person has a right to own... and I'm slowly selling off stuff and giving stuff away. My two car garage is narrowed down to one with the extra furniture out there, but I'll find a new home for the stuff one way or another.

I've started running again, after taking a few weeks off during my move. I was up to double digits on my long run, and actually tried to register for the St. Louis half marathon. A blessing in disguise, registration had closed and I was SOL. Good thing, because as it turns out, I wouldn't have been ready for it with my three week hiatus. But my running is back on track, and now with the heat kicking back in we all a that new element. Beats the heck out of the winter running though, hands down.

I'm fortunate (putting a positive spin on it) to have a nice size hill (a couple of them actually) right outside my subdivision. My subdivision is rather small, so to get any decent run in I have to run down a very steep but short hill , cross a busy road (nice that there is a sidewalk), and just a block down is a nice wide road (Worley St.), with a painted bike lane! From that first stop sign up to the next stop sign is exactly .5 miles... and it is an awesome hill for training. I have lovingly referred to it as The Beast for some time, and for the three weeks I lived here, I eyed it cautiously, wondering if I should run it or bike it first. I've really been intimidated by it, wondering if there was any other route I could take to get out of here. The answer is, no, not safely.

So last Thursday I struck out on my run, and I conquered the beast twice, the first time at the beginning of my run (wtf was I worried about, piece of cake!), and the second time five miles into my six mile run (omg, it *is* a Beast!). Friday I took the day off and went to Happy Hour where I laughed my ass off at the renaming of White Castle to Black Castle... and on Saturday I did hill repeats on my bike on The Beast, ten of them. I followed the hill repeats with a short 1.5 mile jog, remembering what bricks are really about... pain. The Beast is great I've decided, a beauty to have right outside my door.