Two-Legged Trash Panda

 We've had a fun summer. We haven't done anything too dramatic, by which I mean we've stayed mostly put and kept our drama mostly to the El Paso County area. We went to Indiana to perform a wedding for long-term friends of ours, who managed in amongst the wedding festivities to successfully deliver Kinky Friedman to us. It was apparently redemption, nearly a decade in the making. We tagged on a jot up to Michigan to see my parents on the tail end for a quick visit. 

We did a weekend to the Sand Dunes camping, where we climbed the dunes mostly to ourselves in the early morning, and then I ran through Alamosa the next day. Over the 4th of July, we took a great camping trip to Creede, Colorado, where we strolled a straight out of Main Street USA, made for Hallmark, Fourth of July festival, watched a mining competition, took things to our limits off-roading in the Jeep out to the Wheeler Geologic formations, and I got a couple of shorter runs and a long run in.   

Overall, however, running has been the defining characteristic of the summer. Training for an extreme trail half combined with a full marathon three weeks later means I'm constantly determining what my next run is, and balancing the need for elevation training with distance training. Eric has been very patient with me, and willing to accommodate the running schedule into our other commitments. On my end, I am trying to work out my running schedule so I don't cancel other things we want to do, so the calendar looks a bit like a jigsaw. No morning meetings? Ok, I can go up to the top of the Peak and run, then work later in the day? Commitment on a Saturday? Ok, Sunday can be my long run. 

I've also slept in different beds quite frequently so when the alarm goes off at 4am for a training run, I don't wake him up. 

I've also turned into a two-legged trash panda.

I'm putting in 40-50 miles a week, often with nearly 10,000 feet of elevation gain. I want to eat all the time. And I want all the garbage.

Last week I was mad at the grocery store because avocados were expensive and I didn't believe I should indulge in the cost. On Tuesday, I was seriously mad at past-Megan for making "responsible choices" at the grocery store and not buying all the salty snacks. Then I was mad at slightly-less-past-Megan for already eating all the salty snacks I did buy. I had a bowl of cereal at two in the afternoon, and that helped, but it wasn't the same. I told the past Megans they were in timeout.

I also ate that second lunch on the back deck in about one minute, with the bowl tucked under my chin like a slightly domesticated zoo creature. 

Wednesday night, I ordered buffalo cauliflower tacos while out with my friend Sarah, and then most assuredly ordered a third taco because two were not enough. I considered also ordering chips and salsa, but tried to have some decorum in public.

Yesterday morning I had first breakfast (chia seed pudding with blueberries) and second breakfast (Honey Nut Cheerios).  At 11am, I was wondering if it was too early for first lunch. 

Last night, after an Incline Club workout where our group leader said, "ok, head up Barr Trail as fast as you can go for 30 minutes, come down, do 8 repeats on Hydro Hill, then puke and die" I went to the grocery store. I bought all the snacks and avocados. And some other stuff.

Today I ran 9 miles, and took an ice bath while eating cottage cheese out of the container.

I just looked in the pantry. I'm hungry.

I don't want any of the food in there.