50 Shades of Grey in large print

The final official training week for my marathon next month is complete, and this week is an easy breezy taper week of only 41 miles. 

Last week was rough, and not just because I ran a total of 59 miles. Wednesday night my sister called me to tell me that our grandmother had taken a turn for the worst. I left for her nursing home in Pennsylvania first thing Thursday morning and spent the next three days at her bedside with my family, saying our goodbyes. She passed away late Saturday night.

My sister, Gram, and me (at my wedding, if the veil didn't clue you in)

I have about a million sappy things I could say, so it's probably a good thing that I decided to write this post in the morning with coffee rather than last night while I drowned my sorrows in red wine and coffee. I'll save my reminiscing to do with those who were lucky enough to know her, because there really are no words that could possibly explain how special she was. I did try when I wrote an uncharacteristically lovey dovey post about her awhile ago. I'll just throw out there that she was almost finished with the second 50 Shades of Grey book, in large print, when she passed away, and I don't think you'll find too many copies of that in nursing homes!

Rocking out to Shout at our wedding!

If I ever needed running, it was this week! Obviously I still turned to my usual favorites, chocolate and wine, to cheer me up but nothing really does the trick like a good run. And you know who else really helped? My girl Ke$ha! Did you know it's physically impossible to cry while listening to Blow? You can't argue with science.

I've long expressed my jealousy for Kari, Kara, and anyone else who owns a treadmill and is therefore able to run while watching TV or movies. I was finally able to try it out for myself at the Friday morning by streaming Netflix on my Kindle using the hotel treadmill and wi-fi. I have been dying to see Brokeback Mountain basically since it was in theaters and just never got around to it (probably because I almost never watch movies that aren't based on young adult novels I've read) so that was the perfect choice.

The experience was all I hoped for and more. 11 miles flew by, even with 8 x 400s (overall pace 8:34). There was an elliptical positioned right behind me that a woman and her husband took turns on (no way I was giving up the one treadmill) so I amused myself by assuming they thought I was running speed intervals while watching gay porn. 

After that, I had one last 14 miler on the schedule. I couldn't get up early enough to do it Saturday morning, and then unfortunately my mom and stepfather were forced to see what usually only Eric has to deal with - how annoying I am when I am supposed to run and don't. 

I get fiesty.

They made it until about 2pm until they insisted I take a break from the hospital and run, and my cousins suggested a local bike path which turned out to be mostly flat and deserted, aka perfect. I did 7 miles at an 8:33 pace and then did the other 7 the following morning at the same pace while watching old episodes of The Office on the treadmill. 

I watched the episode with Phyllis's wedding, so I tried to keep the theme going with a pic from my mom's wedding. 

I don't really know how to close this post except to say that I am going to miss Gram so much, every day. I've been blown away by friends, coworkers, and even strangers reaching out to express condolences and share kind words and funny stories about Gram, so I'm going to ask a more lighthearted question for the comments section. 

What's your favorite entertainment for the treadmill/gym? Be specific - as in particular artists, podcasts, TV, etc.