I Made Week One My Bitch.

Week one is done! I ran 25 miles this week and biked 49, and I feel great. I knew I felt like shit when I took two weeks off, but having all these endorphins pumping again made me realize just how awful I felt. This week I felt greeeaaaaat. It may be because I got so much exercise, but I think it has a lot to do with a certain man from my past baring his soul and stating his intention to move to STL to be closer to me. Yeah, it's probably that. Either way, I'm chipper as hell, and not even the antics of the local homeless men could bring me down this week.

Anyway, as promised, here are details from my 10-miler turned 8.2-miler. I planned on doing 10, but I cut it short for a couple reasons. One: it's so hot. Not the good kind (hawt), but the bad kind (f*cking miserable and humid). Two: I started bleeding around mile 4. You know how sometimes your run ends, and you noticed a shoe full of blood that makes you feel like a badass? This was not one of those times. It hurt the rest of the way home. I don't need blood to feel like a badass, I KNOW I'm a badass.

It's 1 mile from my front door to the brewery. It's great fun to run along the fence next to the Clydesdales and the Dalmatians.

When I'm passing through the brewery I always expect Oompa Loompas to start scurrying about. It has the whimsical feel of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, except for the stale beer smell, which gives it the not-so-whimsical feel of my college dorm room.

Benton Park is the namesake of an adorable neighborhood next to mine. This is right around mile 2.

As soon as you cross the street from the park, shit gets weird, and I'm not just talking about the sidewalks.

Some guy gave me a crazy look as I stopped to take a picture of this. Maybe I shouldn't take photos of the hood until I'm fast enough to outrun the average hood-rat. That will be...never.

And just like that, around mile 3 I'm in the lovely Tower Grove Park.

The Lily Pond is one of my favorite places in St. Louis.

It's a lovely place for a picnic, and by picnic I mean watered-down Cytomax and Sport Jelly Beans. Somebody bring me a sandwich and a glass of Shiraz, please.

In the midst of all this beauty...

It's hard to believe that buildings like the last one are right around the corner from this gorgeous house. I guess it's all about what side of the street you look on!

This is a memorial to a 30-year-old woman found here a couple weeks ago. It is sad, but too special not to share.

I'm back in my hood and I cut through the alley of Feraro's Pizza (my FAVORITE pizza place and the best post-race meal) to head back to my street. Once, when some weirdo started running with me and told me he was going to follow me home, I lost him by sprinting through the alleys of Soulard. This may look a little rough, but the Soulard alleys are actually gorgeous. You get to see the courtyards and back entrances to all the townhomes.

My street!

The farmer's market is right across the street from my house. These two old men are out there rain or shine playing music for the crowd. They're awesome and inspiring.

This has nothing to do with my run, but I had to show off my great seats at the game last night.

Here's the plan for the week:

Mon: easy 6 (I totally thought today was a rest day. BOO)
Tues: rest/XT
Wed: Speedwork 5
Thurs: Easy 5
Fri: rest/XT
Sat: Long 12
Sun: Rest/XT

B is coming this weekend, so hopefully I'm still able to force myself out of bed on Saturday and get my run on.