Consistency

Woooo! Yes! I'm super consistent lately. I've been running almost exactly 20 miles a week for a few weeks now. I think I'm ready to take it up a notch. Also, shockingly, I've been doing strength work twice a week for five weeks. I used to do it more often -- 5 days a week -- but it made me crazy and apparently that's not sustainable.

I dragged Maple down to the entrance of Seward Park yesterday so we could spectate the Seattle Marathon. It's the closest point on the course to our house, and it's a good spectating spot - you get to see the runners twice since they run into Seward Park, around it, and out. It was so much different than spectating Boston, which is the race I've seen the most in person (7 times). I told Maple we couldn't drive because there wouldn't be any parking. Wrong! There were no other spectators there when we got there, about 10 minutes before the leaders came through. I love that I moved to another place where I can walk to spectate the city's marathon. And Seattle gets bonus points for being slightly more chilled out than Boston.



We had fun cheering for the leaders and the middle-of-the-pack-ers. By then Maple was bored and I had to get ready for my own long run. I headed back down to Lake Washington Blvd and ran alongside the back-of-the-pack-ers for five miles, carefully running on the sidewalk so I wouldn't be mistaken for a marathoner. I went under the I-90 bridge and got all the way to Leschi's village before my watch beeped for 5 miles and I turned around. Surprisingly, there are some really nice houses right underneath the I-90 bridge. That's a strange Red Hot Chili Peppers real estate proposition. I was tired on the way back but managed to push it to 9:15 pace for miles 8 and 9.

On Thanksgiving day, we had our own family 5k in the park. Maple ran the whole thing!



I used to hate Thanksgiving because of my Settler Guilt. Wow, I didn't know Settler Guilt was actually a thing until I just googled it. Apparently SGS is going to be a recognized psychological disorder soon. Then I can feel better about feeling bad. I spent years refusing to celebrate Thanksgiving, or at least being embarrassed about having to observe it with my family, because how can you celebrate massive cultural destruction, not to mention lots of killing and stuff? It's kind of a downer.

In the last few years I've been trying to get with what's good about the holiday: being thankful, having the day off, spending time with family and friends. But I still feel weird about it. Living in Seattle makes my Settler Guilt both worse and better. I've lived in 8 states and of course they all had Indian blood and bones in the soil, and real live indigenous people too. But as a typical modern American, you don't really notice. Except for the Casinos. That's messed up.

In Seattle, a city named for a Duwamish chief, where a few years ago a large government project was halted when they realized they were building on top of an Indian burial place, the reality of the history in this place stays in your mind. There are totem poles and Indian art all over the Pacific Northwest, and it's not just in the past. Chief Si'ahl's tribe is still fighting for federal recognition. Indigenous people are still around, did you know that? Some of them even read this blog! Hi Stephanie!

Next weekend is Maple's 5k for Girls on the Run. She had her practice 5k a couple of weeks ago. I'm her running buddy, and we're really looking forward to the big day. I am so impressed with the Girls on the Run program. It's not all about running:

"The Girls on the Run lessons encourage positive emotional, social, mental and physical development.  Participants explore and discuss their own beliefs around experiences and challenges girls face at this age.  They also develop important strategies and skills to help them navigate life experiences. We start with helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are and what’s important to them.  Then, we look at the importance of team work and healthy relationships.  And, finally, the girls explore how they can positively connect with and shape the world."

Maple loves it, which makes me so happy. If you get the chance to be involved with Girls on the Run as a running buddy or a volunteer, or if you're considering it for your daughter, do it! Anyone (female) can sign up to be a running buddy for a girl in their area. Running is so cool.

This week I'm hoping to up my weekly mileage a bit while keeping my long run the same. I will also find a race to run in January. It feels good to take December off, but I need something to train for.

How was your Thanksgiving? Tell me how you celebrate, and if you think about the people who lived here before us.