Why today is awesome

1. I recieved a sticker yesterday from SUAR. That makes TWO stickers on my car, both beginning with "Shut Up".

2. My hair is a life-form of its own and must be doubling the size of my head.

3. I totally just told off a chick via email who filed a chargeback erroneously.

4. I'm THISCLOSE to talking H into letting me buy a pair of shoes for $140.

5. The fact that they are running shoes instead of fancy shoes makes me smile.

6. It's lunchtime, and Togo's has some fab mushroom and brie soup that I am loving.

7. I took #1 out for few hours one-on-one time Sunday. On the way to the car, she said, "That was fun, mama." It was a few days ago, but it still makes me happy. She's almost 12. I think my days of THAT are dwindling.

8. I wanted to go to Sbux today, but I didn't. Restraint!

9. The Disney Princess half is still at 65%. Woohoo!!

10. Thanksgiving ham is FINALLY gone!

11. Snork and I have a date tonight :D


What's making YOUR day awesome?

Dana Point Turkey Trot, recap

This race originally was pitched by Snork, following her Warrior Dash trip. She wanted to do the 10K, until she was reminded that is TWICE the length of a 5K. Heh.

Somehow, the Snork's didn't even REGISTER. Leaving me to run alone. I mean, H was there, but he's quick, so I didn't even see him after the starting line.

And this is how I ended up driving to Dana Point at 7am in this weather...

Brrr.

THANKFULLY, I was decked out in my Race Socks...

Cute, right?

Anyway, we get there, super early because we still needed to pick up packets and find parking... Which was a chore. But we found parking, about 3/4 of a mile away, and wandered down to the expo area. Down a cliff. A giant, giant cliff. At least it was a pretty walk, and warmed us up.

Pick up and bag check was manned by a giant group of disorganized kidlets - seriously, I'd guess middle schoolers, and a LOT of them. I saw more people freaking out about bags they couldn't locate, than people happily retrieving bags and going on their way. But, we picked up our race swag (cute neon yellow bag, non-hideous shirt, random snacks, and an effton of papers :D), re-packed the bag with our jackets, and checked them in, then headed over to the staging area.

This race was.a.mess. Seriously, a hot mess. There was something like 12,000 people participating, and kids running around, and PETS, people brought PETS and it was awful. I can deal with crowds, I was prepared to dodge and weave for awhile, but... seriously. Leashed dogs?? Ugh.

So I purposely placed myself behind what looked like the Serious Runners, and just in front of the Dog and Kid Brigade.

The first mile was great - it was congested, but I was expecting that. I felt good... no. I felt AMAZING. I hit mile 1 at just over 9 minutes - which is stupid, I don't run that fast, and I was intending to finish in 33 minutes... I knew I couldn't keep it up, but I was pleased.

Then the obnoxiousness started.

Some giant corporate team had a bazillion kids running as well - and they were darting in and around the runners. Followed closely by some woman dragging a smaller kid by the hand - literally, dragging him between the runners.

Yep. Me and at least two other girls went down.

The chick running with the group of heathens glanced down, and GIGGLED. Yep.. She sure did. Gigged. "Ooops! Sorry!" And bolted off. Which, let's be honest, I heard later that I looked pretty homicidal, so she may have feared for her life.

Anyway. The rest of this was ugly. I limped around after that for about a half a mile, and did a slow jog/walk/shuffle until the end. I was pissed, and hurting, and pissed, and wanted to kick some kids. I refrained, though. Somehow. :D

All told, I did NOT hit my goal of 33 minutes.

But, my knee is still swollen, and it hurts a lot, and this is significantly better than CDM was. So... I'll take it.

It could have been worse.

Three things Thursday

Thanksgiving edition...

1. I am super grateful for... Everything. Seriously. I have no complaints, and everything is perfectly in its place.

2. I'm debating about taking a nap. On one hand, I hate napping and it always always makes me feel sleepier after. On the other, I was up at 6am to race, and have a busy night of all-night shopping ahead of me. Sigh... Decisions, decisions.

3. Luckily!! Everything I want to get my kids is on sale this weeken. By sunday, I should be done with shopping for them!!

Now, I'm going to go poke at the ham in the fridge, watch a movie with my family, and see if I can talk them all into driving to Joshua Tree on Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.”

Dana Point is done. My time was 35:53. Not quite the 33 I was hoping for, BUT, there's A Story about that, which will include battle injuries.

So.... While I didn't hit my goal, and I walked a pretty significant portion (for a good reason, wait for the story), my time was still 2 full minutes better than my last 5K time, and I'm happy with it.

H even said I could get the Running Skirt I've been stalking (again, because the story will explain so much).

Score.

Things currently freaking me out....

1. My run last night was outside.
2. It was cold, and I don't like cold.
3. I still am not crazy about running outside, but it certainly does get better each time.
4. My shins started hurting again yesterday.
5. I had been pre-emptively icing after runs, but stopped because everything seemed to be under control. Apparently... Wrong choice.
6. I haven't received my bib number for Tuesday's race, even though H has.
7. The website does say I'm registered, so I probably shouldn't be putting that on my list.
8. I still need to buy socks for Thursday. No way I'm racing without Socks.
9. The weather Thursday am? 36*. Yikes.
10. I don't know if my Black Friday promos for work are going to actually happen, and I don't like working with incompetent folks.
11. I was hoping to bust out of work early tomorrow. I got a meeting scheduled at 1. Sigh.
12. I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. None.
13. I don't even know what I want to get my kids.
14. I've been toying with the idea of not buying them anything. Crazy, right?
15. I'm inside. It's 55 outside. I'm wearing yoga pants, a thermal tee, and wool socks. I'm still cold. 36 looks rough.
16. I have a big project at work to inish, but I've spent the las two days doing (a) a project that is not anything CLOSE to my job (but it's certainly fun), and (b) in a 6 hour meeting.
17. I'm racing in 35 hours and 25 minutes.

Holy crap

Phew.

I just ran FOUR MILES. That is one mile further than I've ever run, ever (the most being 3 miles last Saturday).

I was freaked out before going, just like I was freaked out for week 5, day 3 of C25K, when I was supposed to run 20 minutes straight.

Aside from a moment of thinking I might have to run outside and puke (around mile 3.8), it wasn't awful.

Phew. I'm tired.

Three Things Thursday!

1. This is my average pace by week over the last 7 weeks since I started c25k:

I hear race pace is even faster, something about the "excitement" and "adrenaline". Helllloooo, Running Skirt.

2. I am currently plotting my Thanksgiving/Black Friday plan of attack. I am one of those crazies that shops on Black Friday. So far, this looks like my game plan: race at 7am. Collect my free stuff. Come home and watch a parade (heehee). Cook a bunch of stuff to undo the 7am race. Toys r us 10pm. Outlet mall at midnight. Coach around 2am. Home by 3. Macys at 4. Misc other shopping. Sleep. Eat pie for breakfast. Shop. Go see Tangled. Shop. Eat more pie.

It's going to be epic. I am sad My Sister won't be around to not sleep and eat pie and shop with.

3. I find that I am *really* missing hiking lately. I was considering a quick hike this weekend, but there's rain in our forecast. But soon, I think I have to. My trail shoes look sad and lonely. I've gotten so focused on sucking less at running, that everything is revolving around that, and I'm afraid I'll get burnt out. I've spent a small fortune on race registrations, so... burn out cannot happen. And, plus, variety is the spice of life and all that, right?! Besides, winter and spring are my favorite times to hike in SoCal - the air is cool and clean, everything is green and lovely. Sigh. Next weekend, for sure.

Between a round of pie and a nap.

Worldless Wednesday.....

Three Things Thursday

1. Running update: I'm currently stalking the Disney Princess Half, and warily eyeballing this declaration of being 65% full. I can't commit until I successfully finish the 10K in December, so I'm really hoping this number doesn't go bonkers in the next 5 weeks! Additionally, I've got my eyes on this baby:

Coast to Coast Challenge! I need that medal.

Additionally, 1a., tonight is a 2 miler, per my training plan, and I actually said, this morning, "Two miles... that's it?" I never would have imagined those words coming out of my mouth.

2. I was really hyped this morning about this great Bento that I packed for Baby. She's decided she doesn't like sandwiches anymore, and has been incessantly asking for Lunchables. Gross. So, I made her a Lunchable:

And drove her all the way to her school, which is by my office (30 miles from home). Except, today is Veteran's Day. School is closed. Oops?

3. I'm still CO washing, and I think it's getting better? Hard saying, honestly, 'cause I've been braiding it and setting it loose in the morning, so it's tough to tell where the unruly ends and the creepy begins.

Unless you change how you are,you will always have what you've got.

Psssst...... Do you know what this is?


That'd be my half marathon training plan, with Day 1 crossed off.

And, do you know what this is?



That'd be my phone confirming that I have, in fact completed Couch to 5K, and that I can, in fact, run 30 minutes anywhere, any time.


And, do you know what THIS is?!

Okay, so it's teeny, but... that'd be my first half marathon registration, DONE.

I call today, a success.

Dear iPhone

Dear iPhone,

We've been together for a few years now. I wasn't sure right at first if things were going to work out - you were pretty fancy, and I didn't think I deserved you. All sleek and sophisticated.... I'm a working mom of three kids. Things in my life are messy, and get crazy.

But you stuck by me. Rememer, that time in Manhattan, we were going down the stairs at a subway station, and I dropped you. You rolled down the stairs, but when I picked you up, you were just fine. (That's also when The H made me buy you a case. That doesn't mean he loves you more than I do, though.).

Eventually, I upgraded you to a newer version. And you were still pretty. But something seems... Off. I think we've lost the spark. You turn off my apps at will. You run slow. You don't last as long as you used to, and now I have to keep a charger at work, and in the car. The worst offense, though, is that you keep telling me that I'm in Santa Ana, when I'm clearly in Irvine!

I just don't know what to do with you. When things are good, they're so great! But they're often not good, at all. Sigh. It pains me to say this, but I'm afraid our time is over.

It's going to be a bit of a transition, I have a year left on my contract, but I just want to be happy. Maybe a nice Android is what I need.

I'll miss you, iPhone.

Kind of.

-G


(ps, don't forget, this dude with the garmin!!! I think I need it.)

Two thing Friday?

1. The Hair is a lump of atrocious. It's greasy looking, and scuzzy, and overall freakish. CO wash = not a success.

2.This Dude is giving away a Garmin405. Which I badly, badly want.


Happy Friday!

Three Things Thursday

1. I'm super, super psyched to be working with TMB Endurance Training on a training plan to get me to my goal 10K time in December. After which, you'll recall, The H says I can register for the Disney Princess Half.

2. I tried running outside again, and I still hate it. I have no sense of pace, at all, and start out stupidly fast, and then I'm miserable and end up practically crawling home the last half mile. Literally. I mean, I SAW a light changing 50 feet ahead, and I couldn't even jog over to push the cross walk button. It was ugly.

3. Today was Conditioner Only wash, take 2. So far, it's not too scary, but I'm afraid to speak too soon. Fingers crossed!

Wordless Wednesday....

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.”

My goal of visiting one park in October was successful, but only kind of. I may have cheated, a little, and visited a weird park right by my house because they were having a Farmers Market, which was weird and sucky. Just like the park! Suck less, Orange County Great Park! There is not much Great about you. But it IS a park, so I'll take it!

The Hair is being a little shady lately. About 2 weeks ago, randomly, I woke up, wandered into the shower, and started washing my hair. Like, with shampoo. Just like it was the most normal thing in the world. I'm not sure how that happened. And my hair hasn't been the same since.

In fairness to The Hair, I also, randomly, decided I would play with Conditioner Only washing after that. I'm not sure why I thought that would be a good idea, after what I'd just done to it, and The Hair did not really seem to care for it. So, back to baking soda and honey next time.

Oh. Also. I hacked off a bunch, too. Like, 3-4 inches. Like, by myself. On a whim.

My poor hair. Someday, I'm guessing, it will revolt and just fall out.

October Running recap:
I logged 34 hours of running in October.
I went from running 90 sec intervals/walking 90 sec, for 2 miles, to running straight through 2.5 miles.
I went from a pace of 13:11 to 11:06.
I averaged 8.25 miles a week.

I'm 3 weeks out from the Turkey Trot.

That running skirt is practically mine.