Category: Eat!

Unseasonably Warm

It’s December 28th and my run today happened in shorts and a tank top. Say what? Christmas day was in the 70’s and sunny. Boo hoo, I wanted clouds. 😦 Where is winter? I know I should stop complaining, it will be cold soon enough and I will probably complain about that too. I’m fickle like that 🙂 I passed one guy running in heavy black pants and full sweatshirt and hood followed by another 4 blocks later running only in shorts. I’m not sure which one seemed more out-of-place.

I did start out wearing a long-sleeved shirt but I lost it by mile 2. Ever have one of those runs where you felt like your stomach was leading you? I know I said that I wasn’t going to worry about December and maybe indulge a little, but I really shouldn’t have stepped on the scale this morning. Wah. And to continue the spiral, I ate a tri-tip sandwich while out shopping (Christmas returns) followed by a cinnamon roll at Panera. So counter-productive. But I think I have finally figured the new diet restrictions, so fingers crossed I level out soon. Plus my training plan starts Monday so bring on the calorie burn! Hopefully half marathon ready by February 15th 🙂

Today’s run was an easy 5.5 miles around the neighborhood. I normally don’t run after eating a lot of food because my stomach with its issue just doesn’t like it. But I am trying force myself to run through it. I usually don’t eat anything pre-race, even on half-marathon days. I know that I need to change that in the future. So like I said, I felt like my stomach was leading the way. That being said it was a pretty good run. Ran the first 3 in 30 minutes, with only a little walk break. As I rounded the top of a hill, I saw my mom and Zoey coming up it. I met up with them and walked with them for .5 mile. It added in another little hill but oh well, it had a big downhill. I took Zoey’s leash while we were walking but she must not have noticed, because about 3/10 of a mile in she looked up the leash and was very surprised to see me holding it. The look on her face was priceless. I left them at the downhill and ran on. I looped around and met back up with them at the school, water stop! I walked a bit more with them before running on to finish my run.

I love my new Garmin, and all its shiny new data. Even If I am still trying to figure it all out. I was able to send workouts to it but I have not made it to the track yet to test them out. Right now I all I know is that my pace is all over the place and my cadence is really low. More things to work on 🙂

I have one last guilty lunch with my family planned for tomorrow hopefully followed by a run. I also have boring errands and laundry to catch up on 😦

Anyone racing tomorrow? If you raced today, you rock!!!

Can you believe it’s almost 2014?!!

A Christmas 4

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you and yours are having a truly wonderful day!

Christmas day is the one day a year that I usually take my Slacker-ness to a whole new level. Like stay in my pajamas all day, Slacker, But that’s ok right? Christmas is one day of the year that it’s acceptable to wear matching pajamas, right? That was my plan for today. However things changed a bit after opening presents this morning. My amazing parents sprung for a Garmin for Christmas!! So I had to test it out right?

After a yummy breakfast and gift opening, we relaxed watching movies. Choice for the morning- Red 2. I then joined my mom and Zoey for an early afternoon walk. Well it was supposed to be a walk, but I really wanted to play with my new toy. So I would run ahead and then double back. I only almost lost them once. I threw in a hill loop and it took me longer to catch back up. It upped an easy run into a temporary tempo, ha! I ran with the Garmin and the Nike App, just to compare. They were pretty dead on to each other. 4.25 miles to 4.23. I love being able to check my pace as I am running. This may make me more neurotic than ever, haha.

Then it was time for an amazing dinner of Beef Stroganoff and the previously mentioned matching pajamas. Fleece ones this year, so much better than flannel. Then it was time for the Doctor Who Christmas special, a tradition these past few years. I won’t lie, I may get a little misty eyed this time around.

Hope everyone has had a great day!!

How many of you got running gear for Christmas?

~Christmas Parties and Randomness~

Happy Monday!!!!

Yesterday was our office Christmas party. So we all put on our party duds and met at a local steakhouse. For once I had the shorter drive, woo hoo!! After some reservation confusion (if you have 3 locations but all phone lines ring the same place, you think they would ask where you wanted to eat!), we were finally seated.

I live less than 10 minutes from this particular restaurant but I don’t think I have been there in almost 20 years. I was super excited when we chose to eat there because I have been craving a good Filet. Even better when I don’t have to pay 🙂 There were 11 to our party and I was rockin’ the single life at the head of the table, ha! Or was that the bottom? Hmmmmm. Either way it was still a blast. We started out by exchanging our secret Santa gifts. Mine knew me pretty well, a Barnes & Noble gift card, sweet!

This restaurant is big on the real steakhouse, cowboy theme. And the food was amazing. There is no such thing as diet, when you eat here. Every meal comes with beans, soups and salsa. Then salad, garlic bread, rice pilaf and potato spuds. Then you chose your entree. It was then followed by desert of a root beer float or after dinner licqour. Like I said, all included, so yummy. I chose the Filet Mignon, with Shrimp Scampi on the side. Up until that night I had never tried seafood. And yes, I know exactly what facial expression you are making right now. The Filet was amazing and the shrimp was, ehhh. I ate one and passed the rest around the table. Still not my thing but at least I tried it. 🙂 I topped everything off with a Root Beer float. I can’t remember the last time I had one, and they are just as good as I remember.

After all that calorie loaded goodness, I really should have gone for a run tonight, but nah. After a good day at work, I finished up the last bit of my final while watching a cheesy Christmas movie. It was filmed in my town, I had to watch! Tomorrow, I have a date with the bore-mill, oops, sorry- the treadmill.

So I leave you with a little random-ness inspired by my morning commute and Christmas music. Apologies in advance for the cheesiness. Oh, and please no on sue me, I have no money, but you are more than welcome to all my bills!

And some more festive pictures from Saturday-

Anyone else Secret Santa’ing this year?

Any good Christmas parties?

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

Normally I like Friday the 13th, and I can still say that even after my first car accident years ago that was on Friday the 13th. But yesterday was rough. It started out good, but then a very important piece of equipment broke. Customers were stressed, I was stressed. We called in a tech, then the back office, then the network provider and all 4 of us had a lovely little conference call trying to figure out what the heck went wrong and how to fix it. This felt like it took forever but I think it was about an hour and a half. We finally got it running but still have no idea why it went cuckoo. 😦 I’m saying trickster elves.

We’ve been running a toy and food drive since thanksgiving and look how amazing our customers are-

And this is the third time it has been emptied. It’s been this awesome at all of our locations too. 🙂

Last week, my doctor suggested (ha!) a new diet to see if it helped. I waited to start until this last Monday because I had good food in my fridge and cabinet that I refused to let go bad. Like apples! I will so miss those honeycrisp. 😦 I have been so hungry all week, and after the stress of yesterday, I just wanted pizza, so I picked one up on the way home. 🙂 Yummy. And the ingredients are not on my bad list so I can lie to myself that way right?

Today was spent errand running with a little bit of Christmas shopping. Prior to the shopping lunch was pizza again, but this time it was Red Brick, so totally acceptable. 🙂 After a little procrastinating of the presentation that I need to work on, it was over 60° so I went for a run. I was slow (oops pizza) but it felt good. I even threw in a couple of hills. When I hit the bottom of my driveway, I was close to 5 miles so I did what us crazy runners do and ran another block and back. Finished at 5.26. While I was adding in that little bit extra, i ran passed a house that had an inflatable Santa in the yard. There was also a girl with a bow and arrow. No, Katniss, no!!! Hehe, luckily the Santa was still standing on the return trip.

Tonight was a local holiday tradition, the Vine St Victorian Showcase. It’s also always been a family tradition to go, but tonight it was just me and my mother. We were able to walk there also, so yeah for extra miles. Granted, these ones were a lot colder. The street is blocked off, the houses are decorated, there are carolers and dancers and cotton candy, hot chocolate vendor’s, lots of fun. So to finish out this post, here is what I saw tonight. Hope you enjoy them!

This house is my favorite! I love how the ornaments float between the trees 🙂

Any local or family traditions of your own?

Anyone else get a warmer day?

A Slow Return

I really didn’t plan on a running break this long. As of this morning, I had not run since the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. After the wonderful but calorie laden birthday dinner for my parents, I was going to try and run the next morning. I had my doctor’s appointment Wednesday morning so I had some extra time. My alarm went off; I silenced it and checked the weather- 25 degrees. Umm, no thanks. Hello winter and I rolled over and slept more.

Back to Tuesday, I had mentioned that my mother wanted a cake? Thanks to the Madonna Inn, I delivered. Sugar Rush anyone?

I also presented with the Pops with this shiny new Garmin.

Right now I honestly can’t remember what I did Wednesday night, so not sure why I didn’t try for the gym. Hmmm, oops. Thursday was school, and I have to say, I cannot wait for class to be over. This class has dragged on and on and on. Just 2 more weeks. I have a plan to submit, a presentation and a final in that time but it’s so close!!

Friday was a little crazy at work. Someone called in sick and then later in the afternoon, the system crashed. It was a short outage but was no fun while it lasted. The tree was finally delivered but it came so late that it still isn’t decorated. Bummer, but that leaves something to look forward too for next week.

photo 5 (2) — But here’s a little of my tree!

I met a friend (NikeC) after work for dinner to catch up. We ended up chatting for a few hours; I think the restaurant may have been a little irritated, oops. It was a good talk, life and running, plus good food, good times!

Today started out cold again, so I slept in a little. Then I ran some errands and ate a yummy lunch. I was trying to find an inexpensive party dress for next week’s work Christmas Party. I found one that fit the budget but I am still on the fence. I have a week anyways. And then it was after 3. I so did not feel like going to the gym. The Slacker in me was whispering “one more lazy day, maybe one last weekend, you can run on Monday”. The whispers were so very tempting. It was cold and I had rolled my ankle yesterday ( I was stepping down from a credenza onto a squishy chair wearing 3 inch heels, so in other words my own damn fault). It was a little twinge, but it needed rest right?

No!!! I changed speedy fast and was out the door. I was wearing long sleeves but forgot gloves and an ear warmer, oops. I knew I was going to be sluggish and I was. But it felt good to be out and running, cold ears and all. I ran the neighborhood, hills and all. 3.8 miles later I was done and was greeted with this cuteness-

My ankle was fine throughout the entire run, but I have felt it ever since. That twinge feels very tendon-y. hmmm. I have some Christmas shopping to get done tomorrow, and hopefully I will get in another run. Fingers crossed!

How has everyone’s weekend been?

Any Racing?