Thankful Thursday

I've been dying to tell everyone some stupendous news (yeah, stupendous, got out the ol' thesaurus) in six short months, yours truly will be .... an



No, no, no, there is not a crazy science experiment that is going to turn me into a bug, but I couldn't find a good picture to show that I'll be Aunt. Except for maybe these two ladies, but I'd rather not chain smoke around my future niece or nephew.



I also thought about using this picture but due to obvious reasons, it would also not make sense. What? Isn't it obvious? I'm not...a syrup maker. Duh?



All jokes aside, I am thrilled that Big Sis and BIL are in the "family way" as my Granny would say. I've decided I'm going to take my niece or nephew under my wing and teach them all the wonderful things I know. Things like how to make the best Halloween costumes ever and how to run a marathon after properly training for it. Oh and how to trick their parents into sending them to Europe for the summer to study "art." Heh.

I'm so thankful that I'll get to see my sister become a mother, my BIL become a father, and my Mom & Stepmom become grandmothers. I'm sad I won't get to see my father with this new source of love and joy but I know he's watching and is so proud of my sister and will be watching over this sweet baby.

I'm gonna spoil that kid rotten. Auntie B CANNOT wait for this little bundle of joy that I think my family has been needing. It's truly, truly a blessing.

What are you thankful for today?

Bok bok

The Miami Marathon is supposed to be my "A" race for this year. Well, technically it'll be next year, but you get my point. And with that Scarlet Letter, each and every run I see on my training plan makes me nervous. I've set a lofty PR goal and I'd love to reach it. I know that you can't always predict how a marathon will go, but I figure I may as well go with that whole shoot for the moon thing. I mean, what the hell else do I have going on? Heh.

Lately the training run that has been getting my running-shorts-panties in a wad is the pace run. I'm not lying when I say this pace is not really "my pace." At least not yet. I was actually going to do my pace run Monday night but when I got past my warm-up mile, I talked myself out of doing it. D'oh! I ran my easy run instead. Of course I could say that I needed the easy run and justify however I could, but honestly, I was just being a chicken.


And since the pace run is so important and there is no rest for the weary, I rescheduled it for Tuesday morning. Considering it's only the third week I've gotten the pace run in, I finally felt more "normal" running it than I have previously. I've been so nervous about going too slow that I was killing myself by going too fast. I did have a little help Tuesday morning by way of another runner in my running group who kept me on track. I am most grateful to her and actually started to feel as though I could do this. The pace felt more comfortable and more "me."

It's hard work getting to a lofty goal. I commend all of you who do this for each and every race. I don't know how you do it, but I commend you. I don't know if I have the mental strength to do it for each and every race, let alone this one.

I've said that this is the race where I give it my all. I don't want to look back at this training cycle and feel like I didn't put in the work. I want to say, "I trained hard. And it paid off!"

All in all, I guess the only thing for me to do is take it one run at a time. And stop being a chicken.

What's a race you've worked extra hard for? Ever feel like you've set a super high goal for yourself? Can we ever achieve world peace?

Happiness

I know that I'm a wee behind in posting but I had a long weekend followed by a long Monday and am just now getting a chance to look at blogs and catch up on your running adventures. That being said, this post is really just to direct you over to Red's blog, Caution: Redhead Running because I feel as though we all need some happiness in our lives now and again and there is no better way to get happy than by being happy for someone else.

My heart wants to explode at the happiness I feel for her. She's had a rough six months with her injury and has been such a trooper through it all. In addition, she's been a great friend to me when I've been down or needed an ear, or shoulder, or other body part to whine/cry/lean on, etc. You get the picture.

In any event, I am just so stinkin' happy for her and Spike that my eyeballs are sweating. Go read her blog right now and don't forget the tissues.

Happiness happens.

Thankful Thursday

Since I'm totally cracked out running right now I figured I'd let you all in on some running paraphernalia that I'm currently loving, liking, and/or rocking. The Detroit expo had a lot of stuff to peruse so I'm happy I found a few new things to be obsessed with. And guess what? I'm incorporating all of that stuff with things that I am thankful for today! Let's begin!

Today, I'm thankful for:

1. Power Crunch Bar. I was actually introduced to these by my friend D this weekend. D works for Women's Running Magazine full time so she knows a great snack when she sees one (since she gets to see a lot)! These are surprisingly delicious and high in protein. They are perfect when you just need a little somethin' somethin'.

2. Yoga Toes! Yes, I bought these at the expo. I couldn't help myself. I was told by a podiatrist that my toes could be on their way to getting all jacked up and I'm not having that. These are supposed to relieve stress and tension and help with recovery. Mostly though, they just feel good. (You're welcome for the no photo of my feet.)

3. Mizuno Wave Inspire. I know I was all about the New Balance shoe but after the shin weirdness I decided to try another brand. I know I'll go back to NB at some point but I am loving these Mizuno's right now. They are stability but not as much as I previously needed and the raspberry and black is a great alternative to my typical "white with another color" shoe.

4. Yasso 800's. Yup. Still love 'em and still thankful for them. Refer back to THIS post to see how much I love them. Wrote a song about it....

5. Being a Fit2Run Ambassador! I'm pretty excited about this one. A local running store asked for folks who were interested in being an Ambassador for their store and since I shop there so much I figured, why not? I'll get to be a quasi-sponsored athlete. Yay! More to come on this.

6. The Perfect Halloween Costume. I've been sort of blah this Halloween season and could not come up with a costume idea. But then - it hit me! And no, I'm not telling what it is. You'll just have to wait for that post. Ain't I a stinker? Hint: Vh1.

7. Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" video and song. I don't really like the lyrics to this song cause it's not a very nice thing to do, but I do think the song is super catchy and the video is fun. Plus I just flat out like Robyn.

8. The marathon cheater, 100-year-old marathoner, and the birthing marathoner. These people gave us bloggies a lot to ponder and discuss.

9. The Redhead is coming to visit! This means TWO sightings in one month. Epic!

10. This ingenious way of zombie proofing your home:



What are you thankful for today?

Detroit Half Marathon Race Report

I am finally getting to this post cause the day back after a travelling race is always crazy. While this post is titled a "race report" I didn't really, truly "race." I must admit that I got a bit swept up in the atmosphere of the race at times and had to check myself, before I wrecked myself. Cause running too fast on a training run is bad for yo' health. (Remember that song?

D and I got in to Detroit late Thursday night and were greeted with the lovely warm cookies at the Double Tree. I have to tell those of you thinking about running Detroit next year that you MUST stay at the Double Tree downtown. It's a block or so from the start and finish of the race and is the PERFECT location. I Kid Rock you not. (He's from Detroit. Get it?)

On Friday morning D and I set up the booth and got ready to meet all the fabulous runners picking up their packets. I work with Women's Running Magazine very, very, very part-time and really enjoy it. We sold magazine subscriptions as well as cute pink tees, socks, and other running goodies. The magazine sponsors 4 women's only half marathons and 5Ks with awesome medals. Head over to the site to see if one is near you. If not, make it a girl's trip and head on down to Florida! (I'm an official pacer of the 2:30 group.)

I was pretty stoked on Friday because I got to meet Lisa from Early Morning Run. Unfortunately, our picture came out blurry and I didn't realize it until I got home. Boooo! Fortunately, she was just as nice in person as she is in her blog. Yay!

I also got to meet the Detroit Runner, AKA Jeff. He was also very nice and this picture turned out well. At least I didn't fail on this one. While he was at the booth, Meg O, stopped to say hi to him so I got to meet her too! Bonus meet-up!


On Friday at the expo, Red and Sun Runner showed up and carted us to the fabulous Greektown where we met up with Spike. We had a most excellent dinner and I mowed down some grape leaves. I had everyone try them and I believe Red was surprised at how delicious they were. If you ever eat Greek food, you must get them. Yum!

Me, D, Sun Runner, Spike, and Red.

On Saturday morning, D and I did a quick 3 mile run on the hotel treadmills. It was yucky outside so we felt like the treadmill would be our best option. It was rainy, windy, and chilly. I wondered how this would play out for Sunday. Since Saturday was the longest day working the expo I prepared myself for the fact that my legs might be tight on Sunday. I also hydrated like a maniac and helped myself to carbo loading via Eminem's (Ok, fine so I had M & M's but since the former is also from Detroit, I felt the need to put his name in the post. How very Slim Shady of me.)

While at the expo I also met up with this guy...



It's the Deal Chicken! I had no idea what that was until I looked it up while typing this post. Frankly, I just wanted my picture with a chick.

After a long day of meeting awesome runners and selling awesome magazines, D and I headed back to the hotel for dinner and sleep.

On Sunday morning I needed to get in three miles prior to the race start to make my 16 mile long run. D and I got up a bit early and ran around the hotel to get in the miles. It was about 47 degrees but felt good and the $1 gloves we bought at the expo worked like a charm for those first few miles. Since we were so close to the race start we finished the three and stopped back in our room to deposit the gloves and hit up the restroom.

We then headed back down and lined up in our corral. My plan was just to keep it easy and run between an 8:45 and 9:00 pace. This did not happen because I got caught up in the race atmosphere. Of course, D left me about a half mile in and I didn't see her again until we finished. She is a super strong runner and I really admire her.

For the first few miles I kept it comfortable and enjoyed the views. And then we hit the bridge. Holy crap this bridge is high. And it takes you up, up, up and then down, down, down into Canada. Once in Canada you run through a lovely park along the water. I really enjoyed this part of the run. And the Canadians were out to cheer us on which was nice. I believe someone said "Run strong, eh?" Just kidding.

The bad part about leaving Canada is that you must run through a tunnel to get back to Detroit. Eff that tunnel. Seriously. I hated this part of the race. You see, I'm fairly claustrophobic. I'm ok for a short time in small places but too long and I start feeling panicky. The tunnel was about a mile long and once you were in the middle of it, it got hot. And there was no breeze. And I was sweating like a pig. I started imagining every movie scene where people are trapped in a tunnel. All I could do was keep running and squinting trying to see that light. That light, literally at the end of this stupid tunnel. I did not like the tunnel.

Needless to say, we finally emerged from the tunnel and the cold air was such a welcome slap in the face, I almost yelled, "Hit me again Ike! And this time put some stank on it!" I'm sure others will say the tunnel was nothing, but I personally did not care for it. I'm A-OK with my wimpiness.

As we made our way back through the streets of Detroit I made sure to look around and see the sights. I had no idea what I was looking at but I always try to do this at races that are not in my own town. I high-fived a row of little cheerleaders and giggled when some older cheerleaders chanted, "Run, run, run, run, run, run! Everybody!" to the tune of LMFAO's "Shots." A runner next to me commented on a hill we were ascending since she was wondering aloud what I was thinking. "How many more hills in this race?" Heh.

We came to the straight away and it was nice to see the finish line straight ahead. I hate when races make you turn before the finish line and you can't build up a sprint to the end. I picked up the pace and finished with a 1:52 and some change. I am happy that I stayed only a wee bit faster than I wanted to and I really enjoyed the race. The post race food and drinks were good and the volunteers on the course were super helpful. I don't know if I'd run Detroit again, but only because I am a wimp in tunnels. Overall, the race was great!

I'm glad to be home but I have so many blogs to catch up on. Happy Tuesday!

Thankful Thursday

I'm leavin' on a jet plane....

And I'll certainly be back again but I'm so so so so thankful for this trip to Detroit. I'm heading out this afternoon and can't wait! And since I love a list here are the reasons why:

1. I get to see my Boo, the Redhead! We have dinner plans and she's bringing Spike and the Sun Runner! YAY TIMES FOUR BILLION!

2. I get to run a half marathon as a training run AND get a medal. I love me some bling.

3. This awesome half marathon runs into Canada which is pretty cool because it's like a whole other country. (Hee hee...)

4. I ADORE working the Women's Running Magazine booth because I get to meet and speak with so many runners. From first timers to people who've run over 50 marathons, it never gets old. It's really like working at a runner's Disneyland.

5. Lots of time with my girl D. She is who hooked me up with this sweet side gig and she's a lot of fun to travel and work with. Not to mention, she totally kicks butt as a runner. The woman can fly.

6. I need a little trip. A little change of scenery. And of course, a little break from the heat. It is supposed to be 86 degrees today. A did I mention how humid it is - still?

7. EXPO STUFF! Ok fine, I'm sure some of the stuff is not needed, but I have found some really great deals at expos.

8. Greektown. Detroit has a delicious Greektown filled with nothing but, yep, you guessed it, Greek restaurants. Dalmades here I come!

9. Possibly seeing THIS GUY.

10. I love to travel. Period.

What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday

(Were there an actual zombie invasion, I'd be in trouble because I certainly didn't get him in the head. But, if this were a home invader, I'd be good to go.)

Day in the Life

Everyone's favorite pooping blogger decided to open up the "Day in the Life" post to other bloggers to join in. Since my life is so exciting, I decided to play along. Ok, fine I decided to play along since sometimes it's difficult to come up with things to write about. I warn you, my life is quite the opposite of exciting. Heh. But on the plus side, there are photos.

I chose Saturday as the day I'd use for my "Day in the Life" post.

I woke up at 5:00 AM to get ready for my first long run of this training cycle. Before I left the house, I hit up the computer to check emails and blogs and such. I may have to give up the 'puter for a week cause I'm pretty sure I have an Internet addiction.

After getting in my 14 miler, which I was very happy with, I headed to work for a few hours. Not having time to blow dry my hair or put on anything but a t-shirt and jeans, I typically look like a bum on the Saturdays I head into the office. So sorry company but this is what you get for making me come in on a Saturday.

I did some work at work and may or may not have been streaming Ironman Kona in the background. The race was awesome and the Chrissie Wellington cannot be human. She's absolutely amazing.

I left the office and headed home to change and then it was back out on the road to go put the deposit down on my new place. I am happy with my new location and although I HATE moving it'll be nice to be close to my sister. Plus I get to drive and run and walk and bike along this waterfront sidewalk which will only be about 2 or 3 miles outside my front door. (Too bad it was overcast on Saturday cause when it's sunny out here it's just lovely.)


I then headed over to my sister's place where I had no choice but to play with my fur-nephews while she finished getting dressed. I love them.

The pooch on the left is Wesley. He is the older brother to the pooch on the right, Bruiser. Bruiser is quite a handful since he's not a year old yet and has tons of energy. He's also quite the ladies man.


Once we got to the mall, we shopped our faces off as evidence by the no face below. Har har. I was a little tired at this point because I had a busy day and was all but ready to eat dinner at about 7 PM. I tried on the dress below but passed on it because I think it's going to start getting cooler soon and I needed to think about fall clothing options.

I didn't leave the mall empty handed though and got a new khaki blazer, a pretty printed dress, and the candelabra below. It's from Yankee Candle and I was shocked that all the fall stuff is on sale there and they have their Christmas stuff out. It's not even mid-October! Bananas!

After dinner at the Nordstrom Cafe, which is super tasty, I headed home and passed out with the new issue of Runner's World.

That concludes my Day in the Life. Please feel free to join in the fun and post some photos. Sure, our days aren't exciting, but as SUAR said these represent the wonderfulness of everyday life.

Happy Monday.

We've got a secret

Those of us who compete in running races and triathlons have a secret. We know something that a lot of people don't. We know how to endure. Our sport even has that word in it - endurance.

Some people will say that we are crazy or addicts or that we didn't get this fulfillment earlier in our lives. But I say, to hell with those people. Call us crazy, call us addicts. Sure, maybe we weren't track stars or high school football heroes, but what does it matter now? Some of those former early achievers are now listless and reliving past glory days while we are out making new ones.

We aren't all winning age group awards or even finishing in the top ten but we know what it takes to finish what we started. We endure. We thrive. We give it all we've got. We know that pain is temporary and reaching a dream is forever.

People are always afraid of what they don't understand. How many times have we heard our friends say "I could never do that." And how many times have we ourselves thought "I could never do that." And then, against all odds, we do. We train. We toil. We hurt. We endure.

This post is for everyone who has set a goal and is on the way to meet it. This post is for those who never considered themselves athletes. This post is for those who received little support on the way to their goals. This post is for everyone who signed up for that very first race and thought "I can do this."

Just remember, when it hurts - it's temporary and only a little pain stands in the way of your dreams. Endure and never give up.

Thankful Thursday

It's so close to Friday I can smell it! It smells like chlorine, a long run, and a trip to see some friends in Orlando. But first, let's get our thankful on!

I love Halloween and I've had my decorations up since last month. I can't help it. Cute and creepy things make me smile. Except that creepy guy I saw at the CVS before I ran last night, he was just creepy, sans the cute.

While I'm not a huge candle person, I do LOVE the Halloween decorations they have at Yankee Candle. The two below are the cute and creepy version of the painting American Gothic. As soon as I saw this last season I had to have it. I'm so thankful for awesome Halloween decorations that make me smile every time I see them.

Remember when KC thought up the DWYLLC? Well, since I was such an over achiever and got in my five bike rides in one week, as soon as she set the rules, she made me a little something as a "prize." Being the crafty gal that she is, she made me an anklet from bike chain pieces. How cute is that? (Not creepy at all but I still love it!) Please note my amazing stripey Injinji toe socks.


Thanks so much KC! I'll wear it with pride knowing that I am getting closer to being a real cyclist. I'm super thankful for you and my sweet anklet! Please head over and give KC some love cause she's got a BIG race coming up. I'm so excited for her.

And lastly, I'm so thankful for this book:

Big Sis bought me this book after she saw it on The Today Show. Even though the Ironman dream is far, far away for me (um, 112 miles on the bike!?!?) this book makes it seem doable for the average Joes. It's an easy to read book that is just so inspiring. It's actually been making my eyeballs sweat. Heh. I only have a chapter or two to go and I'm looking forward to reading how everyone does. I recommend picking it up even if you've never completed a triathlon because the stories make you feel good and that's always nice.

So what are you thankful for today?

So it begins...

Today is the first day of my Miami Marathon training plan. I love the smell of spreadsheet in the morning!

I'm hopeful that I can get through this training plan unscathed and fit and make it to that finish line in the beautiful (and please oh please cool January temps) Miami!

I initially only signed up for this marathon because my bestie, P-Funk, decided she was ready for her third marathon and I had said all along that whenever she was ready for her next one I would be there! And guess what? It's become a fully sanctioned BRA (my running group) event with about 20 plus runners heading south for either the marathon or half marathon. Even Caribbean Steve is shelling out the dough to run this race.

My shin has been feeling fine since my trial run on Saturday of four and a half miles and my "recovery" run of four miles on Sunday. I got my plan from Coach EK and I was surprised to see that based on what I'd like to run, I am not pantsing my poop about the various paces. They all seem doable barring anymore shin issues. I'm crossing my fingers that I can get to the start line healthily.

I'm using the Detroit Half as part of my training and am actually looking forward to freezing my buns off up there since I'll also get to see my Boo, Red, as a bonus. (If you are running Detroit, please come say hello at the Women's Running Magazine booth.)

Since I am taking a break from tri racing and focusing on the run I must warn you that I'm going to become a full on running junkie. I will continue to cross train because I am really loving Dolly right now but to reach my Miami goal I must commit to my first love...the run.