Nothing like the blues to get you in planning mode. I'm still on my doctor-ordered two weeks rest so that my foot will heal from a stress strain on the metatarsal area. This has been particularly challenging as I've been off ALL foot-related activity, which means no running, no yoga, no spin. It's been years since I've been this sedentary - actually, I think the last time was when I was on tour with my band and we had to drive hours a day to get from gig to gig. As it turns out, I'm not well-suited to the dirty (folk)rocker life. Being on the road was depressing, and after the tour ended (Fall 2006) I've been committed to moving my body. (And I've never toured again.) During the first week of healing, I was pretty patient (and fairly impressed with myself). Then came Day 10. My mood went south. Fast. No running (or even walking as exercise) meant a lot less sunshine. And of course no exercise endorphins. Besides that, I have no idea how to eat for this kind of sedentary life. I've given up trying to figure it out, and just hope two weeks is all the rest this foot will need. When I'm feeling down, yoga and running are the things that bring me back up, and to be honest, this week has been hard for other reasons as well. Of all the weeks, this is the one for yoga and running. One of our sweet kitty cats passed away Friday morning. Since last Sunday we've been taking care of him, sitting on the bathroom floor brushing his fur and watching him quietly transition out of this world. Yesterday morning I left for work, and Darby held Scooter through his last breaths. He's buried now in our backyard, and today we stood with our girls at his grave. It started raining yesterday, of course, and still is, which suits our moods just fine. So, to while away my time for the last few non-running days, I'm plotting #100. This is one of the big ones. As I wrote the other day, it feels impossible that my body will carry me 18 miles to the beach. But it can, and it will. #29 - run for 25 minutes straight. I've come a long way since #29. Literally. 663 miles, in fact. Friday, January 27 was the first day I started using the sportypal app to keep track. At the beginning of January I couldn't run the 25 minutes. By Friday January 27 I was running 45 minutes. Now, I've gone for 2 hours. #100 - run from our home to the beach This will be my longest run so far, on Dec 30, from our home in Toluca Woods to the end of the pier at Venice Beach. I can run 13 miles in 2 hours. This will be an 18 mile run. 18.2, actually. It should take around 2 hours and 40 minutes, if I don't stop along the way. Since I'll need to refill water a few times, though, I think it'll take me closer to 3 hours. I've gone back and forth between the Santa Monica and Venice Beach piers, and have finally settled on Venice Beach. There's something about the Venice Beach pier that draws me lately. It's less touristy. Lots of fishermen. I have photos of me and my brother down there from a years ago when he came out to LA to visit. Darby and I held hands for the first time as we walked down it on one of our first dates. Later, my first holiday week with his daughters, we all went down to the beach and I have pictures of the girls rolling around in the sand on a moody December day. Also, I'm particularly interested in mapping out the route and deciding on a date because I've decided to do this as a fundraiser for a charity. I'm still trying to decide on which one. I love animals, and we could do something in Scooter's memory for an animal shelter or Farm Sanctuary. Or, Darby and I recently performed with one of our bands at a fundraising event for Valley Cares Family Justice Center, which provides support and services for victims of domestic violence. Or, perhaps an environmental cause like Heal The Bay, a local organization working to protect and heal the Southern California coastal waters and watersheds. I'll be considering and researching more about these options in the next few days, but meanwhile I wanted to have a plan for the run so that I can focus my energy on the fundraiser, on my recovery, and on the training with which I'll soon be back on track. 
Marking my calendar. December 30. 18.2 miles. From my house to the Venice Beach Pier. Meanwhile, today is Saturday. A rainy, fireplace-y, pizza and movie kind of Saturday. On Monday I will be off my two weeks rest, and plan to run a short 2.5 miles. THANK GOODNESS! By the way, speaking of having the blue, it would be a shame to not clue you in to the antics going on here while I've been writing this post: blue hair dye. 
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