track workout or bust, a little gardening & a preschool prodigy

 Today's workout: 4 miles on the gym treadmill 36:32 (9:08) followed by a quick 15 minutes on the precor (I couldn't stay away from it!)

Tonight I am gearing up for my 1st track workout.  Our local running store that provides free support for Saturday morning long runs (4 water/Gatorade stations) also provides a free Tuesday evening track workout year round at a local high school.  So many of you have told me to begin some speed work, so I thought this would be ideal.  My only other experience with track workouts were in San Francisco when I was training for wildflower 1/2 Ironman....I loved the experience and I am very excited to find some speed in my legs and meet some new running peeps.  I will let you know how it goes...

Yesterday I had a parent teacher conference for my 4 year old.  And what do you know, he can cut a straight line with scissors so he is being moved into the gifted program.  I am totally kidding.  I actually think that whole things is quite ludicrous with regards to preschools, prekindergarten and kindergarten these days.  What a child learned as a 5 or 6 year old a few years ago in Kindergarten they are now expected to know as a 4 year old in preschool.  All in all he did quite well.  From being at the park for hours on end everyday his motor skills are quite good...he scales the fence instead of simply walking through the gate....BUT the teacher pointed out that he would not and could not identify numbers.  I had to laugh because he definitely can and when we got home from school he informed me that he just wasn't in the mood to show "Ms. Sue" that day in school.  Thata BOY!

And the garden.  I have been pleasantly surprised how well it is doing after I nearly killed it back in the beginning of December.

What's left of the cauliflower...

My cauliflower plants got ripped up yesterday as all 6 heads grew and unlike broccoli they don't generate any shoots for "baby" cauliflowers.  Also, I love seeing new things that I did not know would happen or exist when it comes to the garden...did you know that left to grow a cauliflower would end up like this?  growing green sprouts...turning purple?  Luckily Oz trimmed my 3 remaining heads up for some soup

Did you know that broccoli turns into this?  I feel like I must have grown up in a cave or something because I had no idea that if a head of broccoli was left to sit and grow and grow all of the "green" that we eat that is the head becomes amazing yellow flowers.  I ought to cut them, but they have brought so many bees to the garden and so I keep cutting the smaller broccolini from the base to eat and have left these flowers alone.  Pretty cool!

The eggplant that once looked like it was in the final stages of life is sporting about 15 or so flowers = 15 or so yummy eggplant!

The frail green beans are also growing...so excited for so many yummy things! 

Bought a hanging strawberry plant

The onions (all the long stalk looking things) are getting big.  I have no idea how to tell if there is an actual onion under there though...I may have to have a peak soon!

How's your day? Whatcha running today?

Do you have a garden?

Have you taken part in a group track workout?  thoughts?

A wonderful bloggy "friend" and someone who I consider a running mentor could use some prayers for her family...

Jen- Running Sane