Olympics, studying, and running galor!

Hi all!

I know you won't believe it, but I think it's the first day I have sweat in Washington this year! It's an amazing 82 degrees today, a vast difference from the rainy low-60's we have been experiencing the last two weeks... What a wonderful start to a week of getting back to training!... (Ignore the nerd-ness.)

So going back a month or two: after some hard and enervating workouts/races, I found out that I was vitamin D and B12 deficient as well as low on iron. We believe that when Brie and I went to altitude, the adjustment really messed with my levels. After a visit to the doctor, the nutritionist and then a joyful shot (of what Im sure was stinging peanut butter meant to be B12) right in the caboose....Oh!, not to mention a regimen of vitamin D, iron derived organic cow liver and odd remedy of wild strawberry extract, I am starting to feel better. The depressing part about all of this is that I had to stop running to allow my body to catch back up. I was pretty down about it in the beginning. Its extremely frustrating to have a goal of season culminating races and to not be able to race at any of them. Although feeling like I was missing out on the fruit of all my running toil, it would have hurt the 2012 season if I had continued.

Okay, so fast forward to present time again. Maggie, our australian shepherd, and my out-of-shape self have been hitting the trails and enjoying the nice weather. Dallas is still running at full force and doing amazingly well! He has chosen to race on the All-Army 10-miler Team and will race in Washington, D.C. this October. Its really great to see him back in full force. Work, on top of running, on top of life, on top of taking on a 10 mile race in a few months, he is rocking it!

Aside from running, things are kinda crazy on the home front. I'm studying for the GRE, the major test needed to get into physical therapy school. Its a four and a half hour test at the end of August. Dallas is back to school too. His Master's classes started back up a week or so ago. He is kicking so much life booty! In addition to the study time and school work, we were sent a letter on Friday that said our lease was up on September 1st. So, our study breaks have now become 'packing breaks', as well as 'sell the majority of our stuff breaks' since we have decided to move out of our 1800 sq. ft. house and into a two bedroom, 1000 sq. ft apartment. (Anyone need a microwave or love seat??)

Also, I have two Special Olympics tournaments at the end of the month! I can't wait! We have a softball tournament and golf tournament to take advantage of all this great weather. It should be blast. After the tournaments, thanks to the moms, I get to fly (drum roll please) back to Missouri for four days!!! It has almost been a year since I have been back home. All these great things are the silver lining to my GRE study and stress fest, I am very blessed to have these to break it up.

We have to take a special paragraph to give HUGE props to my awesome mom!!! She once again is more amazing than anyone could imagine. Last month she won Gold and Silver in the 5,000m and 10,000m, respectfully, at the Senior Olympics aka Senior National Games in Houston, TX. She also qualified and competed (in her USA gear!) in the 10,000m at the World Masters Athletic Championships in Sacramento, CA. There she decreased her personal record, ran an amazing race and fell in love with Sacramento. Watch out Midwest family, she might just up and leave one day. I, as always, can't explain how proud of her I am and how much of an inspiration she is!

Hope everyone out there is enjoying there summer and getting in some good times with family and friends! We miss everyone and invite you all out here whenever you get an inkling. :)

Much love and milage,
Ash and Dal