tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41204335984211724292023-11-16T02:09:23.886-05:00The Accidental RunnerMy journey from the couch to 26.2Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-34564950398737822042012-02-06T06:26:00.000-05:002012-02-06T09:54:50.889-05:00Vegan-ary Day 6 Super Bowl Edition<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">Yesterday was day 6. And I was worried about my willpower. Because I don't really have any. And it was the Super Bowl. I've always really loved the Super Bowl. Not because of the football, but because of the commercials and the food. In years past we could be found gorging ourselves on pizza, wings, cookies, brownies, chips and cheese dip, maybe some little meatballs or pigs-in-a-blanket. This year, we had to come up with a Vegan spread. <br />
<br />
Now the goal wasn't necessarily to eat healthy, just to eat vegan. I still believe that by cutting out all animal fat we still had a pretty healthy day as compared to Super Bowls gone by. <br />
<br />
Our menu:<br />
<br />
Coca cola brownies (box of brownie mix, 2/3 can coca-cola, mix and bake according to pkg directions)<br />
<a href="http://peasandthankyou.com/2011/12/15/gifts-you-can-eat-oyster-ranch-crackers/">Ranch oyster crackers</a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">Chips and <a href="http://chetroy.com/healthyvegan/?p=244">nacho "cheese" sauce</a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://peasandthankyou.com/2010/11/09/having-a-ball/">Cookie dough balls </a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">Spring Oreos<br />
PB filled pretzels<br />
<br />
We were sufficiently satisfied by all our choices. The brownies and cookie dough balls were <strong>amazing</strong>. I mean, if people and dessert could marry, I would live in polygamy with those 2 desserts. The oyster crackers were pretty good, but a little heavy on the onion powder for me. If I make them again, I will cut back on the onion powder and they will be perfect. The "cheese" sauce...well. It was fine. We ate it, and there have definitely been some things we have thrown away so the very fact that we ate it says something. However. Some vegans will say things like "so good even non-vegans will eat it" or "it tastes exactly like I remember cheese tasting". Ok. I will not lie. The people who say that must not have had cheese in a looooong time. This stuff was edible, I loved that it didn't give me a stomach ache, I loved that it didn't leave me feeling bloated, but it did not taste like cheese. It didn't. Now if I was desperate for football food I would probably make it again, but it wont be a weekly staple by any means. If you're thinking of trying it I recommend you use Fritos Scoops instead of plain tortilla chips. It tasted better on the Fritos. <br />
<br />
Oreos and PB pretzels are <a href="http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/Accidentally-Vegan.aspx">accidentally vegan</a> foods. I love accidentally vegan foods. They really help when I'm having major cravings and will power issues!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-80904729004586849012012-02-05T21:26:00.021-05:002012-02-06T09:36:41.164-05:00Vegan-ary Day 6<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">We got a cold morning run in, thanks to having my mom as babysitter. We did 2.3 miles in 30 minutes. Slow. But that includes a couple walk breaks. We still havent come up to full running since doing the walk/run program at our last Half and then taking a nearly 2 month layoff after. Anyway, it felt fine and we were really glad when it was done. We decided that this week we are going to run 30 minutes continuously by the end of the week. It's time. We usually run a really hilly route, so this week we are going to the track. The nice flat surface will give us a chance to work on our time goal and get our running confidence back. <br />
<br />
For lunch we decided to be brave and eat a couple new (to us) things. We tried Morningstar riblets and The <a href="http://theveganzombie.com/">Vegan Zombie</a> Mac and Cheese. </div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqwiU7SLanG17x_OfWyl4o2An3wKSQotuEEPidC4wr0ohE4x-7R_jUGfXASbwc4CJkNe3N8AZXYoNvD7iqa3zyvG4krMiHE_6-JBDLv8n7P7qtk2d5LiiZTOGmAYmMoFeCLX04dDWiqkE/s1600/ribs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqwiU7SLanG17x_OfWyl4o2An3wKSQotuEEPidC4wr0ohE4x-7R_jUGfXASbwc4CJkNe3N8AZXYoNvD7iqa3zyvG4krMiHE_6-JBDLv8n7P7qtk2d5LiiZTOGmAYmMoFeCLX04dDWiqkE/s320/ribs.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">Wow. Okay, the riblets actually tasted pretty good but I have a huge mental block when it comes to fake meat. The idea of it just grosses me out. Now, I think it's a fabulous tool to help someone transition. Like my husband. He has a hard time going without meat. It doesn't feel like a real meal to him without a meat and a couple sides. For him the fake meat is really helping. For me it's kind of creepy. On the plus side, it tasted (and actually kind of looked) like a McRib, which I always loved. Maybe on a bun I could get past the creepy...anyway, it tasted okay and I ate it and moved on with my life. <br />
<br />
Now...the Mac and cheese. Ok the prologue to the story is that I love the Vegan Zombie. His videos make me laugh and his recipes always look great and many taste great too. But I promised to give the good, the bad, AND the ugly so in the interest of full disclosure I did not dig the Mac and Cheese. I ate a few bites. I gagged. I gave it to the dog. Even the dog wouldn't eat it. True story. In 6 years my dog has never turned away food. Until today. Like I said, I am a huge an of the Vegan Zombie recipes, but this one just wasn't a match for me. <br />
<br />
Ok, the Super Bowl deserves its own post. Stay tuned. </div><div class="bloggerplus_image_section"></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_image_section" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-65KFRmMjMET6fkCeRxjSPuwL-Mi01FZinuSt_If2RsVK9Gm6ZHIeY2Xx1sEaYIey0GJBIAYZtAWTfSd34Leylg0DbqGgh0z_e5r9MAkPDyvPbuK-v67dNUMdibjHYKJHegBvyLmjTuIz//" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-65KFRmMjMET6fkCeRxjSPuwL-Mi01FZinuSt_If2RsVK9Gm6ZHIeY2Xx1sEaYIey0GJBIAYZtAWTfSd34Leylg0DbqGgh0z_e5r9MAkPDyvPbuK-v67dNUMdibjHYKJHegBvyLmjTuIz//" width="150px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(not today, but isn't he cute?)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-12132486798902814652012-02-05T07:30:00.000-05:002012-02-05T07:30:27.387-05:00Vegan-ary Day 5<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">I'm still here, still going on the vegan-ish diet. Thursday I donated blood at the blood drive at work. The lady who I ended up with was the most polite phlebotomist ever. However, she also must have been brand new because she butchered me. She put the needle in and missed the vein or something so I ended up with THREE OTHER PEOPLE coming over and the needle never leaves my arm. They just dig it around and around until they get it where they want. It hurt SO bad! Anyway, civic duty done but it wore me out and left me woozy so our run was put off again.<br />
<br />
Friday was my day off work. I did tons of laundry, washed some dishes, and watched some Gilmore Girls. Pretty good day off! Dave got home around 2 and we finally got a run in. And it was rough... Giving blood kicked our butts and we were s-l-o-w but another 30 minutes went in the books. <br />
<br />
Yesterday we spent the day trying to rearrange the basement and failing miserably. So we will probably be back at that today. Apparently rearranging things the day before the Super Bowl is anxiety-producing for my husband. Whoops. <br />
<br />
We also have a rainy run scheduled for this morning. I'm hoping to feel much much better than we did on Friday. My veins are feeling clean and my body feels good, so I'm counting on a good strong run. We shall see. <br />
<br />
I am having one adverse effect that I blame on the diet. Pimples!! I have 2 new, painful ones that have broken out in the last day and a half. Dr. Google thinks it might be dairy detox?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-39208862391549501452012-02-02T06:25:00.000-05:002012-02-02T06:25:23.808-05:00Vegan-ary Day 2I survived Day 2 of <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2012/01/month-formerly-known-as-february.html">massive diet overhaul</a>, although the cravings were pretty intense. It wasn't really cravings for anything specifically, more like I just wanted to eat...and eat...and eat, all. day. long. Just after lunch I started getting a migraine. I medicated it, but it still hung on kind of dull and in the background for most of the rest of the day. <br />
<br />
Since we were rained out of our run Tuesday, we were supposed to run yesterday instead. Well, my husband got trapped at work and couldn't get home in time to run before daycare closed. I really didn't have it in me to tackle the treaddy, and he can't tackle it because his head bumps the ceiling, so we decided to run today instead. I'm really anxious to see how it feels now that my body is already starting to feel more "cleaned out". <br />
<br />
The only other change I've really noticed so far is that this morning I only snoozed twice when my alarm off. I <strong>always</strong> snooze 4-5 times because I'm so so tired in the mornings. But this morning, just twice and then I was up and at it. Maybe a coincidence, maybe a result of the dietary changes. Only time will tell, but I liked it and I hope it's a habit that is here to stay.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-26502296557018203282012-01-31T19:46:00.001-05:002012-02-01T06:50:45.657-05:00Vegan-ary Day 1<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">This is my 100th blog post. For some reason I find that really exciting :-)</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br />
Today was a successful day by my standards. I didn't eat what most would call a "balanced" diet, but I expected that. The first few days are about breaking old habits and cravings and getting acclimated. Once that happens I'll start focusing more on variety and balance. <br />
<br />
The last few days, we were well aware that Vegan-ary was approaching and so we wanted to eat any foods that we knew we were going to miss. This was an attempt to "get it out of our system" in hopes that these same foods wouldn't trigger us to cheat or want to cheat. So we have binged on down home southern comfort food, fast food breakfast sandwiches, Chinese buffet selections, BBQ, you get the idea. We were so miserable after last nights Mexican splurge. Bloated, heartburn, stomach cramps, diarrhea. Basically how we used to feel all the time. And we have been feeling like that for days, since our "cheat-proof binge-fest" started. <br />
<br />
Well today, after one day of Vegan-ary, I am happy to report all the bloating, heartburn, and stomach issues GONE! I'm still really exhausted and feeling too lazy and tired to clean or do anything besides veg in front of the TV really, but I'm hoping those will improve with time. <br />
<br />
My run today was cancelled due to rain...and I just didn't feel like running in the rain. So I'll move that back to it's regularly scheduled Wednesday.<br />
<br />
Basically, no drastic changes yet, just ridding myself of the heartburn and all. Thankfully no major cravings yet either. I did have a mild headache all day and just SO tired. I also realized that I bought myself a little miniature Ben and Jerry's ice cream cup so I could have one last ice cream splurge, but <strong>I forgot to eat it!!</strong> Ugh. Now it's mocking me. I plan to feed it to the kids soon :-)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-23615764052670969792012-01-31T11:25:00.000-05:002012-01-31T11:25:01.111-05:00The Month Formerly Known as February<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The hubby and I embarked on a <a href="http://www.the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2012/01/thoughts-from-january.html">non-New Year's Resolution</a> on January 1st...but we are ready to grow the challenge.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We’ve decided to take on this 30 day challenge to eat mostly vegan, mostly unprocessed, mostly whole grain foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will do this all of February, plus today to get our total 30 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re calling it Vegan-ary (ya know…instead of February).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more “cheat days”, not for this month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going all in. The rules are pretty simple:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Eat a mostly vegan diet eliminating ALL meat, eggs, and dairy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are making exceptions to a truly vegan diet by still allowing honey (as the <a href="http://www.forksoverknives.com/">FoK</a> diet does) and gelatin.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Eat only whole grains at home when cooking or eating bread or pasta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we go to a restaurant we may bypass the whole grains requirement, so long as what we are eating is still a vegan meal (with noted exceptions above).</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Reduce added oils and sodium when cooking at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, restaurant meals are an exception so long as we stick to #1.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Eat primarily whole foods (grains, fruits, and vegetables) and cut out most processed foods (which we currently rely far too heavily on)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Don’t break the rules for all of Vegan-ary!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I want to post regularly throughout Vegan-ary to document the improvements (or problems) that I’m noticing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not my intent to document exactly what I’m eating and turn this into a food blog, although I will talk about it some if anyone is interested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m more interested in documenting how I’m feeling, changes I’m noticing, the way my runs are going/feeling/timing changes, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to look back and have a record of how improvements in my diet are affecting me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When we had our first 8 day streak (January 1-8) we were feeling down because we didn’t notice any changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or so we thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What really happened is that we had <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">forgotten just that quickly</b> how badly we had really been feeling before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I do not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>want to forget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want it on here in all its glory…the clichéd good, bad, and ugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so beyond ready for Vegan-ary to begin!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-74534007524061594942012-01-30T23:04:00.001-05:002012-01-31T11:09:28.626-05:00Thoughts from January<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My husband and I aren’t really New Year’s Resolutions kind of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admire the people who are NYR kind of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can make a resolution and stick to it just because the calendar flips over to a new year then I think that’s great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes amazing resolve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Resolve that my husband and I don’t have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not NYR kind of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need a far greater catalyst for change than a calendar flip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This year on January 1<sup>st</sup> we did make a change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it wasn’t a New Year’s Resolution, and it wasn’t because it was January 1<sup>st</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was because there was a catalyst for change and randomly that catalyst occurred just a few days before the New Year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This happened:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrGKwj8Ck2k8NbsyHZjs1uo_AHYCnN56cV0gvRpWOA-eWn7ouAFPH4Ah4Im_tFVAJ4zfYWle9R08AE-yeDpuj_FIrMM3XwpvYRiNqV_uBX2gibFkGcshMeG4fLWw7YIgiyXHIIXHBTlXR/s1600/Forks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrGKwj8Ck2k8NbsyHZjs1uo_AHYCnN56cV0gvRpWOA-eWn7ouAFPH4Ah4Im_tFVAJ4zfYWle9R08AE-yeDpuj_FIrMM3XwpvYRiNqV_uBX2gibFkGcshMeG4fLWw7YIgiyXHIIXHBTlXR/s320/Forks.jpg" width="224px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We like to watch documentaries because we’re kind of nerdy like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re also aware that our four food groups are junk food, fast food, frozen food, and Paula Deen desserts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know those aren’t the healthiest food groups to build your day around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know it’s a horrible example for our children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that it is shameful (yet oh so true) that days will pass without a single vegetable or fruit passing through our mouths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all of these reasons we were completely entranced by <a href="http://www.forksoverknives.com/">Forks Over Knives</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really resonated with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, it kind of terrified us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in a good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A way that inspired us to finally make some changes that we’ve been working towards for years.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We took a couple of days at the end of December to pig out on some of our favorite foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then on January 1<sup>st</sup> we completely cut out meat, eggs, cheese, and all dairy, and we switched to all whole grains for our breads and pastas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We set out with a transition plan that allowed each of us in the house (including the 2 kiddos) 2 “cheat days” during the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This actually meant a cheat <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">meal</b> and not a whole day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We figured 8 crappy meals during the month and 85 really healthy meals was a drastic and marked improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it would help us get through the cravings and rough times, knowing that we didn’t have to cut out some of our old favorites forever, but just for a little while.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We had an amazing January where we learned a lot about our bodies and our health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had an 8 day streak where we were questioning whether there was any difference at all in how we felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we had our first cheat dinner which instantly brought on all of the symptoms that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">we had already forgotten about</b>: heartburn, stomach cramps, diarrhea, bloating, fatigue that made us completely worthless for the rest of the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then when we had our next streak of clean eating, we appreciated finally how much better we really felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t stop us from using all of the cheat days allotted to us, but it did make us wonder how we could feel if we cut out the cheat days.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Would our health improve?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would our energy soar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would our running times go down and runs feel better?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So we decided to find out……stay tuned!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-90120688129944816132011-12-22T10:20:00.000-05:002011-12-22T10:20:51.452-05:00Reflections and ChoicesWe're approaching the end of the year and I've been feeling really reflective. I think it happens to the best of us around this time. It's hit me especially hard this year because 2011 has been what I would consider the worst of my life. I've actually had a run of bad years as of late. I could choose to let that get me down, but instead I'm choosing to use that as a stepping stone to make 2012 fantastic.<br />
<br />
In November of 2009 my stepmother (of 25 years) passed away suddenly at the age of just 50. That was extremely difficult to deal with. My brother was in his early 20's but still lived at home, and he instantly became displaced. My sister was only 20. Neither of them could cope with much of the planning or decision-making, and as the oldest all of that naturally fell to me. And it was hard. And I'm not very good at mourning. It was a rough time.<br />
<br />
In April 2010 my grandpa passed away. It was not sudden or unexpected, but he had been sick a very long time. Every year at Christmas we all said "appreciate your time with him, this could be his last". I think we had said that for at least the last 10 Christmases. And he kept on hanging on. And we all sort of stopped believing that "it might be his last" because he was so resilient. But last April he finally lost the fight. And I took that loss extremely hard. Harder than I even expected I would.<br />
<br />
My grandpa left behind his 96 year old mother. We always said that she would hang on to take care of her sick son as long as he needed her around. And she did. But just a few months after he passed, so too did she. Yes, 2010 was rough on me too.<br />
<br />
In 2011, I haven't lost anyone I've loved and for that I am grateful. But I almost lost everything else. My husband and I have been married for over 7 years. We have two beautiful little girls. We have a life that I love. But this year, we didn't take care of it and we almost lost it all. We came to the very brink of divorce. And it would have been justified, and no one would have blamed me for leaving, but it's not that easy. I wasn't willing to throw away almost 9 years of history. I wasn't willing to walk away from my partner, my best friend since we were 22 years old. I wasn't willing to sacrifice my childrens' family or future. <br />
<br />
Together we have spent 6 months living in and going through hell, to fight for our family and our relationship. We have kept our childrens' home together, and kept it running smoothly, and protected them from the hard work we were doing behind closed doors to keep it all together. We have fought, and it seems we have won. But it was a terrible year in the making, a terrible year to get to where we are today.<br />
<br />
I know that there are still hard times ahead. I know that my current situation is such that I will have to continue to <strong>choose</strong> my husband, even when some days I don't want to. I know that I will still get down, feel sad, be exhausted from the weight of it all. But I also know that <strong>I can choose how to respond.</strong> I can choose to find happiness and joy in my life. I can choose to make 2012 huge and wonderful and exhilirating. I can choose to make 2012 different. I can choose to really live in 2012. <strong>I can choose.</strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-34537574062053004382011-12-15T06:33:00.000-05:002011-12-15T06:33:00.403-05:00Treadmill ShoppingLike I said yesterday, my treadmill has a GIANT hole in it and I'd rather put money into upgrading to a better one than sinking money into a repair that costs as much as the treaddy did in the first place. I still have absolutely zero idea how the deck got a hole in it. I don't run with weights or kettlebells that may have fallen through it. The weight limit is 300 pounds and neither my husband or I come close to exceeding that. We don't use it for hours of long running or crazy bouts of speed (although realistically it should even hold up to that). Regardless, it's now a worthless piece of junk and I get to go treadmill shopping.<br />
<br />
Here are the contenders (in no particular order):<br />
<br />
<ol><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/FreeMotion-SFTL18909-Freemotion-Xtr-Treadmill/dp/B0038RJZC6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1323867980&sr=1-1">Freemotion Xtr</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Horizon-Fitness-HTM0794-00-T202-Treadmill/dp/B003TNNPZC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1323867750&sr=1-1">Horizon Fitness T202</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Horizon-Fitness-HTM0801-00-T203-Treadmill/dp/B003TU7PTC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323877143&sr=8-1">Horizon Fitness T203</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-7-Series-Treadmill/dp/B000BGMFHO/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1323877220&sr=1-1">Bowflex Series 7</a></li>
</ol>Unfortunately I am not independently wealthy, so this purchase is kind of a big deal to me. I'm feeling the pressure because I do not want to screw this up! If I make the wrong decision I will be sad for years to come. I'm going to continue scouring the interwebs for reviews of these models (and maybe others) and try to make a decision this week. I need a way to run SOON. Losing my stress relief has NOT been good for me!<br />
<br />
Anybody have any opinions on these or other treadmills. Any that you love? Or hate?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-68791683418030789702011-12-14T10:32:00.000-05:002011-12-14T10:32:49.404-05:00I Haven't Been on a Run<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"></div><div class="bloggerplus_image_section"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></img></div><br />
<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_image_section"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I haven't run in awhile. Despite proclaiming that <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-am-going-to-pr.html">I'm going to PR</a>. Which I'm still totally going to do. But, Winter has set in hard and work has set in harder. I've been getting home after dark every day. And my treadmill has died it's last death I think. I've run on it twice recently and it felt really bouncy and saggy. I decided to investigate and found that (unbeknownst to me) it is made of really thin crappy MDF board inside the treadmill deck, and somehow that MDF now has a big hole in the middle of it. It costs $129 for the materials to fix it, and the labor is probably astronomical. And I only paid like $350 for it, so not sure I wanna go there. So the bad news is that I haven't run. The good news is that I've been treadmill shopping. Soon I will have a newer, cooler treadmill and I'll be running again!</div><br />
The other problem with running is that my husband had his tonsils removed on Thursday. See pitiful man below:<br />
<br />
</div><div class="bloggerplus_image_section"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaYrgw0XGv3KJfNFZ3yrDJYW6C0G71gybgOIM_RbdrOXexxbEuPSAL-1EE2JcCvqo2FhM153dFGnb9k4zeJkp66KkcuezBBP23wCGLyxqEiROoDwtUwVub3e2dBzUkWqBPKWD8025zDBZ//" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaYrgw0XGv3KJfNFZ3yrDJYW6C0G71gybgOIM_RbdrOXexxbEuPSAL-1EE2JcCvqo2FhM153dFGnb9k4zeJkp66KkcuezBBP23wCGLyxqEiROoDwtUwVub3e2dBzUkWqBPKWD8025zDBZ//" width="240px" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been playing the good wife and taking excellent care of him willingly, HOWEVER:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><ol><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I spent 7 hours in the waiting room on surgery day, </div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">then another couple of hours making a pharmacy run and a grocery run for soft foods.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't mind doing either #1 or #2, BUT THEN</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I pick my 2 kids up from daycare and my darling eldest eats dinner and then pukes it back up.</div></li>
<li><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She puked all night long.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Including on the white carpet and several of her clothes.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I had to shampoo the carpet and wash laundry at 11 PM.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I normally go to bed at 9 PM.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh yeah, she also lost a tooth that day so I had to remember to play the tooth fairy.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">And I'm basically a single parent through all this because my husband slept for about 48 straight hours after the surgery.</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't begrudge anyone for any of the aforementioned things...but you can see why maybe I wasn't able to run over the weekend?</div></li>
</ol><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_image_section" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"></div></img>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-31799228254131174852011-11-17T20:04:00.000-05:002011-11-17T20:04:00.176-05:00I AM GOING TO PR!I'm claiming it, here and now! When I run the <a href="http://www.500festival.com/marathon/">Indy Mini</a> in May I am going to beat my PR of 1:58:59. I don't care if that means running it in 1:58:58...whatever the numbers, I plan to PR. <br />
<br />
The Mini and I have unfinished business since I <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-first-time.html">fell during training</a> this spring and had to downgrade to the 5K. I had to come back from that fall slowly, doing a run-walk thing instead of just a run thing. The marathon I was supposed to run on Nov. 6 was downgraded to a half. A miserable, painful, depressing, 2:47:45 half. It really wasn't depressing because of the time, but instead because of how awful I felt. I was in pain nearly the whole time, and the mental aspect never kicked in for me. I was down on myself the entire time.<br />
<br />
Well, I've got big plans involving a sports doctor and a whole lot of ambition and I am going to <strong>nail</strong> a PR this spring! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-12326549122990648862011-11-17T08:03:00.000-05:002011-11-17T08:03:08.256-05:00AhemI'm back. I think.<br />
<br />
I sort of disappeared on the internets when I had some bad, terrible, awful stuff go down at home. I sort of disappeared on people in real life too. I'm not really ready to talk about what happened, if ever. But I am ready to engage with the world again! <br />
<br />
I've got some big goals set for my next half marathon and I'm ready to put them out there in Blogland and then <strong>make them happen</strong>! More on that in my next post :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-80784552530278947082011-07-14T11:22:00.000-04:002011-11-17T08:03:41.736-05:00Body CombatMonday night I tried something new. I went to a Women's Only Club (NOT the same as a gentlemen's club, fyi) and got a 3 month membership. They don't have cardio equipment, except spin bikes, as it is a "class only" kind of place. They offer <a href="http://www.lesmills.com/">Les Mills</a> classes like Body Pump and Body Combat, a spin class, weight lifting classes, etc. <br />
<br />
Monday night I went to my first class, Body Combat. It was fun, like Zumba, so you didn't really feel like you were quote-unquote working out. BUT it was so much easier than Zumba because you didn't have to be a Dance Goddess to keep up. It was a mix of different styles of martial arts moves set to music. We did all sorts of combinations of punches, kicks, lunges, chops and so on. We didn't stop moving the ENTIRE HOUR. I was a sweaty, tired mess and could barely lift my arms by the end of the class. And <strong>I loved it!</strong><br />
<br />
Every day since that class I have been so, so sore. My abs feel like they've never even been used before Body Combat...like I only just discovered them. I obviously got an amazing arm workout too, because OW. <br />
<br />
Anybody else ever try Body Combat?? Did you LOVE it?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-23972458821936594402011-07-13T21:21:00.000-04:002011-07-13T21:21:20.136-04:00Be Nice to Me. I Gave Blood Today.Okay...giving blood is an excellent thing. I feel like it is my civic duty, as a healthy and able-bodied person to donate blood while I can. There is a critical shortage right now so it is especially important. I give every 2 months, unless I have a race coming up within a couple weeks time. Today at work we had a blood drive, and as usual I donated.<br />
<br />
Tonight when I got home from work and church it was gorgeous outside. It was about 88 degrees with a nice breeze. Amazing considering the last two days topped out at 105 degrees. So although I generally swear off running/exercising the day that I give blood, tonight I couldn't resist heading out for a short run.<br />
<br />
Ummmmm....1.1 miles in 13:59. In 13:59 I took no fewer than 3 walk breaks. My chest hurt, my arm hurt, and my pride hurt. There's a reason the Red Cross tells you not to do any strenuous exercise the day that you give blood. Trust me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-73967155086350867782011-06-28T20:31:00.000-04:002011-06-28T20:31:19.176-04:00Bike Shopping...Winning!Is Charlie Sheen old news by now? My apologies...<br />
<br />
But I did it! I bought a bike!!! And she's a beauty...if I do say so myself.<br />
<br />
A Diamondback Vital 2 Hybrid. She rides like a dream!! Here's my new baby:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSiNc8z3lNzwtGBoLEprl6ly6Bc5pLHweXjjgQuqu84QwyIqnYpLB65zUJjlt4FVwpWEJcWtjRoWfU965dluYsrK_i47zvUJY2vq0t5dQh1eiHYRVX9YEWOgBGKCGfv-hf5rY_zo_8HWy/s1600/101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSiNc8z3lNzwtGBoLEprl6ly6Bc5pLHweXjjgQuqu84QwyIqnYpLB65zUJjlt4FVwpWEJcWtjRoWfU965dluYsrK_i47zvUJY2vq0t5dQh1eiHYRVX9YEWOgBGKCGfv-hf5rY_zo_8HWy/s320/101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I seriously love it! I got it for sale at Dick's Sporting Goods. I paid $278 plus tax. And I feel really good about it! I've ridden it 3 times (then left for two weeks on travel and had to leave her behind...frown) and it was so smooth and fast and a great workout and I just really love it!!!<br />
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And I can't believe I'm sharing this goofy picture with you all, but safety first :) I even got a matching helmet:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDv80lZR6zc1E46iLkeHUoXNVHVUYyoOeb7EjhiOehPeaNEIx-GJsvFhDh9YKqmLMXDYHFgEsVwYoEkmqgR-veM1vxp_weoMehDXnzDVlhebr3PD5zGSJNfvN8V401Gr-iH_eaPeqapFQj/s1600/103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDv80lZR6zc1E46iLkeHUoXNVHVUYyoOeb7EjhiOehPeaNEIx-GJsvFhDh9YKqmLMXDYHFgEsVwYoEkmqgR-veM1vxp_weoMehDXnzDVlhebr3PD5zGSJNfvN8V401Gr-iH_eaPeqapFQj/s320/103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And now I still have time for a run this fine evening. Wonder if I'll find my motivation?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-8057113619528459522011-06-24T18:28:00.000-04:002011-06-24T18:28:21.802-04:00What I'm ReadingRight now I'm on travel for two weeks in the lovely state of Alabama. Seriously, I do love it. I love the way people talk here and I love that you can find sweet tea everywhere you go. Actually, it would be faster to tell you what I don't love. People don't seem to believe in turn signals here. That's it. Other than that, I'm happy as a clam here.<br />
<br />
Anyway, two weeks travelling means two weeks of privacy, quiet evenings, working out whenever I want for however long I feel like...in other words, no kiddos running around. Naturally I miss them dearly, but I do love being able to kick back and read for hours if that's what I want to do. As a mom, I miss quiet reading time every once in a while!<br />
<br />
So...in honor of my coveted reading time (and thanks to a very expensive trip to <a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/?ad=GLBKSBAMM&gclid=CPeknIzJz6kCFUTBKgodqXr8Lw">Books-A-Million</a>), here's what I'm reading:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiff_tf5nhfgEWXufh52u0eIXvr_x5IDvhyphenhyphendY92TBiK-1QDWea6bRY7CsCVjgqwUzZh62rDzLiFrk1vlq9p1Drba-BAJrjsaqORIB1ULH6Pui5oM750w14GcBQx_wUUFRFuCXH-rklTH888/s1600/110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiff_tf5nhfgEWXufh52u0eIXvr_x5IDvhyphenhyphendY92TBiK-1QDWea6bRY7CsCVjgqwUzZh62rDzLiFrk1vlq9p1Drba-BAJrjsaqORIB1ULH6Pui5oM750w14GcBQx_wUUFRFuCXH-rklTH888/s320/110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
1. Gossip Girl<br />
<br />
Am I a teenager? No. Do I still love the guilty pleasure of Gossip Girl? Absolutely. I've just purchased books 3 and 4. Quick, easy reads that will take you back to high school...without the horror of actually being there.<br />
<br />
2. Smokin' Seventeen<br />
<br />
I am Stephanie Plum's biggest fan. Seriously, all of the Stephanie Plum books are HILARIOUS and if you haven't read them, you MUST. Now. I wait anxiously on each new book and then I buy it in expensive hard back because no way am I going to wait until the paperback comes out. And if she ever chooses between Ranger and Morelli I don't know what I'll do because I. love. them. both.<br />
<br />
3. If You Were Here<br />
<br />
Jen Lancaster's first venture into the Fiction world. I have read every one of her non-fiction books and follow <a href="http://www.jennsylvania.com/">her blog</a> and she cracks me up. I love when the written word is so good that you actually laugh aloud and people look at you like you're nuts. Jen Lancaster always does that for me, and I have no doubt that her fiction book will be excellent as well.<br />
<br />
4. Working It Out<br />
<br />
This was an impulse buy that I didn't know I was looking for. It's written by Abby Rike who was a contestant on The Biggest Loser. I LOVE that show, and Abby's story never ceased to amaze me. Her husband, daughter, and very young (only weeks old) son were killed in a car accident. She was supposed to be with them, but had stayed home sick at the last minute. After the accident, she put on huge amounts of weight, which she subsequently lost on The Biggest Loser. Now she's written a book all about her amazing story of living on after tragedy, and I can't wait to read all about it.<br />
<br />
Now...where to start?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-91865153976233992852011-06-13T09:07:00.000-04:002011-06-13T09:07:11.366-04:00Breaking News! Breaking News!I totally just registered for my first marathon. I've been trying to get in a healthy and trained up place for 3 years, and I finally seem to be there. I bit the bullet, paid the money, and will be running the <a href="http://healthyhuntington.org/marathon-race-information">Marshall University Marathon</a> in November!!! <br />
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Now I'm off to research some training plans that are friendly to injury prone runners like myself :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-8749072650445448652011-06-07T08:20:00.000-04:002011-06-07T08:20:38.462-04:00Bike Shopping FAIL...The Saga ContinuesI tried to buy a bike last night. I wanted to. I had my purse at the ready and I think I might have paid any price if I had found a bike that screamed <strong>This Is The One</strong>. <br />
<br />
But none of them really did. I went to several stores. I rode at least a dozen different bikes. Around the store. And I felt like a gigantic goob as people watched me pedal through the aisles. But I was on a mission.<br />
<br />
There were things I liked about each of the bikes. Some of them even made me feel fast... But I never got that special feeling. None of the bikes gave me that comforting "oh, this is what the right bike feels like" vibe. I'm still just as confused as ever. Scratch that. Now I'm more confused.<br />
<br />
So, that does it. I'm going to a specialty bike shop. I know I can't possibly afford their bikes. But I definitely need their help.<br />
<br />
When I first went to a specialty running store I was intimidated. I feel like that again now. What if I don't speak the language right? What if they laugh at me when I leave? What if I can't afford anything in the store and they get mad and throw me out for wasting their time?<br />
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But really, what's the worst that can happen? In the end, the specialty running store helped me immensely. I found my first really great fitting pair of shoes. And I was even able to afford them. <br />
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Here's hoping my specialty bike shop experience goes the same way. Wish me luck!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-22638176840119193392011-06-06T13:24:00.000-04:002011-06-06T13:24:04.057-04:00Couch to ???Introducing...The Accidental Biker...maybe.<br />
<br />
I've been toying around with the idea of biking for several weeks now. I've been perusing <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/">Bicycling Magazine</a> (it's no Runner's World, but it's a start), envying the Super Serious Bikers around town (and the neighborhood kids too...who am I kidding?), and trying out/lusting over/trying to understand the bicycles at every store in town.<br />
<br />
I know <strong>nothing</strong> about biking. Less than nothing. I've spent very little time on a bike since I was a kid. I especially don't know anything about bike types besides my purple mountain bike. I picked it out back in the day because it was pretty. I've never sported a bike helmet, or bought special shorts, or tracked my mileage or speed or "aero". What on God's green earth is "aero"??? But I want to learn.<br />
<br />
I'm not really sure what I plan to do with biking. Are there races? Is there a biking equivalent to the 5K? Better yet...is there a couch to 5K plan in the biking world? That's definitely what I need right now.<br />
<br />
I think I'm ready to take the plunge and buy a bike. Heaven help me, because I still don't know what kind to buy. Mountain? Cruiser? Hybrid? Comfort? Whoa. But I've perused and envied and lusted long enough. Tonight I hope to stay at the store(s) until I make a selection and bring home a bike. Even if it's just because it's pretty. <br />
<br />
And for now, I'm just going to ride. At least until I figure out what else I'm supposed to be doing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-37887414701013749992011-05-28T07:13:00.001-04:002011-05-28T07:13:38.394-04:00What a Long, Strange Spring It’s Been<p> </p> <p>I had a really great time <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2011/05/snoozing-is-for-wienies.html">working out in the morning</a>, while it lasted. Actually, I really do plan to keep up my morning workouts, maybe I’ll even work out this morning. But I have been derailed a bit.</p> <p>Wednesday I had a fantastic morning workout. Then I came home from work where the girls and I literally walked in the door 2 seconds before a torrential down pour. The tornado sirens started going off about 4:00 so we were hiding out in the basement closet and listening to the loud noise of something pelting our house. After the sirens stopped we went upstairs to find this:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDihW6ZkcAGrU96GSYz82I7S1kJCi7oqjGlaniQh8TzRt0mZcrMBiWKxzy87fjaiBclN1P0CAqVLUUUHhAwXrcPJNLDWjp3kkbr2yXLVAHl_LP5EwhyphenhyphenRQD-5Monjjck8dPSBkzJIWd3-3/s1600-h/139%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="139" border="0" alt="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NZljTQFCUSap-SqkHDtQP1ONuEXCdq1R_hOydqqNnIOEU4XtcCXqrKIbg7mVbAbxq5z0D0kHvvCT5B5_B2UuPVu1gsLYOrClu9gdFyAheEe_MoyY9CGy0GV7UyBovpK2PiByGjGhxOBP//?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> <p>It’s hard to see but all those white flashes of light are hail.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xDansPrqyrVzSweGOAf9t5-fg4Q2hWe8IYqgrCieHL1OsPCkET0Y0rbGic6vPcqt0VWT7O3DnspfjulofHnp4NbuLk3iLT0aSoTjyqTr93-1pnI4EShhwM9fFv32warZ4wnAUuquEu7s/s1600-h/150%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="150" border="0" alt="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBWBzH7y5cOL9UDNyge5RPWGv8oEnTiX72oCBbXSHGkeMNJlrQgmJkgNAtdXxlbOGsPFHDY-GP6-qBMY5lrPLxPu3FrYAUsepm26nknOfaVVZIZl2cO9QzUmPaI5EG6GbSeHqSSdtC3Wg//?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIslpkRRVnlY36QTEzJkMxZBAYjPhxqF5TkPXS9jUQq3AyTlo9c8cvJn3vU5lfdRKqkf9AnWmkutz2IWCs2by09BXdAIX1NCE5Gz2Lq2xeQbmPo3fhpKVouz1maMLzoo-YC4n4TTza4TKq/s1600-h/154%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="154" border="0" alt="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCryQpomup-DalXw2arzG0_x_8pXGNn-n8oWR2-3pb7-o0VPURIL5_uVpkjHxqrla00SbcONzXONkJ7ACWj5Hr_k6FeRaraoaxIvKI5M9aKzR5JHbMoJAMv1cmRKXNWZ3KyWTwymIZ5Q9//?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> <p>The biggest hail we’ve ever had in this house, for sure. It was bizarre because it only hailed in the back yard. Out front (where our car was parked) had only a few pieces of hail. Only one of them hit our car, so I counted us lucky.</p> <p>When Dave got home we went out for dinner, and on our drive home got reports of more storms on the way. So, we went home and turned on the TV where all programming had stopped in favor of covering the storms on the way. They kept telling us that there was a storm headed for us, and that the radar showed clear rotation. The weather forecasts were actually astonished at how clear the rotation was on the radar, apparently it was uncanny. So naturally we were kind of freaking out (privately…didn’t want to freak out the kids!)</p> <p>Around 8:00 the sirens sounded again and we were back in the closet, listening to hail pound our house, and debris crashing around. This time the hail was baseball sized. It was already dark, so I didn’t take any pictures. Also, we glued ourselves to the TV because a) we thankfully still had power and b) they were reporting a <strong>tornado in my tiny town</strong>. It had gotten dark, so news crews (who are stationed 2 hours from us) couldn’t make it in time to get pictures or aerial footage.</p> <p>We were very lucky, we had no damage to our home. The hail got our cars this time, so we have some good sized dents and dings in both cars, but other than that we were really lucky.</p> <p>At 10:15 the sirens sounded yet again. We were in the closet for an hour this time, and about 10:30 the power finally cut off so were in the dark except for the light of a flashlight.</p> <p>It was a SCARY night, seriously. We were up (kids and all) past midnight. </p> <p>Thursday we were still without power until about lunchtime. There was definitely no morning treaddy time. When I went in to work I was able to check out the news and see that there was a confirmed EF-2 tornado in our town, about 5 miles east of our neighborhood. Thankfully, it was in a less populated area, so the destruction was minimized, but there were still several houses that were completely flattened and 12 injuries reported. But, no casualties, which is a blessing.</p> <p>The 10:15 tornado warning produced an EF-1 tornado north of us, which flattened a neighborhood, but thankfully only caused 8 injuries and again, no casualties. </p> <p>Driving past the devastation is heartbreaking. But it is amazing to see huge cars and trucks, flipped on their sides, picked up and moved from their driveways, bent and broken…houses flattened to a pile of rubble…and yet to know that somehow the people inside were left mostly untouched. </p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-58122180216053657402011-05-25T12:12:00.000-04:002011-05-25T12:12:39.356-04:00Snoozing is for WieniesToday, for the 2nd day in a row, I woke up early and worked out before work!! Me, who CANNOT get out of bed without snoozing for an hour. Yes, an entire hour. Me, who would rather snooze 2 extra times and then sport a wet ponytail to work than to actually get up and put effort into looking nice.<br />
<br />
I didn't do anything super intense because I'm still having the weird calf pain. (p.s. I really am going to get that checked out soon, I just have to find (make) the time) I ran a mile yesterday morning on the treaddy, then did some free weight strength training for upper body. Today I ran another mile and did some lower body strength training moves. <br />
<br />
I love going through the day knowing my run is already done, instead of spending the day mentally wrestling with how and when I'm going to fit it in. I also really do feel better during the day, energized and such. I LOVE IT! The only downside is that it's dark, so I'm running inside on the treaddy instead of outside which is a) boring and b) hurts my calves worse than pavement does. I have been catching up on episodes of I Used To Be Fat to help alleviate some of the boredom! <br />
<br />
I'm hoping tomorrow will be another snooze-less morning workout day!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-37246921280015181482011-05-19T11:38:00.000-04:002011-05-19T11:38:56.569-04:00Plumbers, and Thin Mints, and Treadmills-OH MY!I was bored and decided to see what search terms have led people to me this week. It's usually good for a laugh, you should try it. The search terms were:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>how to be a runner its hard</li>
<ul><li>Wow, how much do I complain on here? People who <strong>hate </strong>running find my blog. Great.</li>
</ul><li>marathon training</li>
<ul><li>Scary. I have never actually run a marathon, so please don't take advice from me. Seriously, just don't.</li>
</ul><li>any day i am too busy to run is</li>
<ul><li>Yep, now that sounds like me.</li>
</ul><li>image thin mint crack</li>
<ul><li>Okay, is anyone else picturing a plumber here? No comprendo this search term.</li>
</ul></ul>And now back to running. I ran 3 miles on the treaddy Tuesday night while watching Biggest Loser. I won't spoil it for anyone, but can I just say "YAY!". I LOVE the way the top 3 is shaping up! <br />
<br />
The run itself was torture. My knee felt pretty good but my "insides of calf/shin areas" were on fire. I think that's a technical term. My mind also was not on board with a full 3 miles. But I persevered and the run is in the books.<br />
<br />
I think I've decided to go ahead and continue with <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2010/10/marathon-training-begins-kind-of.html">the plan to run a fall marathon</a>, even though <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2011/05/im-baaaaack-indy-mini-race-recap.html">my half was a bust</a>. In fact, I've already reserved a hotel room. Just have to take the plunge and register for the race. More on that as it is finalized!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-39821364234260201502011-05-15T08:35:00.000-04:002011-05-15T08:35:25.949-04:00I'm Baaaaack - an Indy Mini Race RecapHello all! I hope you haven't left me during my long absence. And now I don't even know where to begin...<br />
<br />
Almost exactly 2 months ago <a href="http://the-accidental-runner.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-first-time.html">I fell down</a> and I've had a hard time getting back up. My knee has re-gained all of it's skin, but it still hurts like you wouldn't believe and feels a little twisty and out of place. Leading up to my <a href="http://www.500festival.com/marathon/">half marathon</a> I never ran any longer than 3 miles, and most of my runs were more like 1.5 - 2 miles. I knew there was no way I could run a half and that I would have to downgrade to the 5K. Frankly, I was depressed about it. I know it wasn't a lifelong goal like Boston (and I can't imagine living with me if it had been that big of a race) but I had been training and training and was having the moment robbed from me by a stupid crack in the sidewalk and I was angry!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I didn't want this blog to become a place where I wallowed in self-pity (and have it live on forever in the world of the internets) so I've been away. Mostly taking piddly little training runs and then finishing off a lot of these:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPd7r_YItBuoUR4crk9IlrEl8FTrUaptwpqfNeOAHK7pVMxLpVWweygdFcEmzhZQxrmnXdVyhAC6k5hE2tavDknFBa2lbd7Wa16J_K40_XhPY3N0lshMg7dDxTh9x5eyKneTsnsQudjwN/s1600/P5050013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPd7r_YItBuoUR4crk9IlrEl8FTrUaptwpqfNeOAHK7pVMxLpVWweygdFcEmzhZQxrmnXdVyhAC6k5hE2tavDknFBa2lbd7Wa16J_K40_XhPY3N0lshMg7dDxTh9x5eyKneTsnsQudjwN/s320/P5050013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind the Liquid Plumr. I wasn't <em>that</em> down about the sitch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So anyway, I spent the whole week leading up to the race toying with the idea of running the half anyway. I mean, I had paid for the half, my shirt said I ran the half, and if I had to I could run or walk that far. You know, if I was being chased or something. The night before the race I laid out my gear for the morning:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMfa1CMc7LwKe9S7Y5-fZXlJ7UU1sR1ScL2zCanRGlC2TlD0D4DPMffC37EdyQbbw4YnNJpGDcX8rQMyqrmWF7fCp1P8bXtIRZfehT2qvMtyUvIjID0Li7TKW-ZJ8Od92f72i9ZicPT6P/s1600/P5060055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMfa1CMc7LwKe9S7Y5-fZXlJ7UU1sR1ScL2zCanRGlC2TlD0D4DPMffC37EdyQbbw4YnNJpGDcX8rQMyqrmWF7fCp1P8bXtIRZfehT2qvMtyUvIjID0Li7TKW-ZJ8Od92f72i9ZicPT6P/s320/P5060055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We woke up race day and took the requisite pre-race picture (both of us <strong>still</strong> thinking maybe we could do the half, and knowing we would be crippled for a good long while if we did):<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKtnqTYYiE2rFmgO7UP-9k_2ThgCqCFFTF-1QCehHE2GOFM_P_5xjjHYzFUpb_84NDVWLClaMX5-NpOOKSlax5MAiPZG-BMoJWhODmrYDQ4WE_YSqMi0Fcp_uIn_IZ3B4o-4BvTrgSZyg/s1600/P5070058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKtnqTYYiE2rFmgO7UP-9k_2ThgCqCFFTF-1QCehHE2GOFM_P_5xjjHYzFUpb_84NDVWLClaMX5-NpOOKSlax5MAiPZG-BMoJWhODmrYDQ4WE_YSqMi0Fcp_uIn_IZ3B4o-4BvTrgSZyg/s320/P5070058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes we look haggard...it is early, don't judge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We literally walked out the front door of our hotel room into the corral for the 5K. The starting corrals are lined up for blocks and blocks, but somehow we picked the perfect hotel for our corral. Go us! Usually we have to walk a mile in the freezing cold.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the 5K starts in the half marathon A-D corrals. Corrals E-Z are already lined up behind you and the half marathoners who want to get into A-D stand off to the side and shoot you ridiculous 5Kers dirty looks. As a person who downgraded to the 5K you can feel the energy, nerves, excitement, etc of all the people behind you who are about to do something they've trained and looked forward to and maybe even feared for months. Personally, I understood the glares from the people on the sidelines waiting to get into my corral. Last year I was in Corral D, and I wanted the 5K to get out of my way already, because it was COLD on the sidelines and at least in the corral I would have body heat surrounding me. All of that energy surrounding the half made me still want to get out and run it while standing in the 5K start line. Glutton for punishment? This girl right here.<br />
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In the end, we did run the 5K. It was so congested that we walked for almost the first half mile. When it finally cleared a little you had to spend the next half mile or more dodging people, weaving in and out, because no one actually lined up according to their pace. In the end, Dave and I finished together in 33:07, the first time we've ever run a whole race together from start to finish. It was a nice thing, running together. But next year we are totally running the half!!<br />
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We got done in time to head back to the finish line of the half (score some Dippin' Dots) and watch the quickies finish the race. I even saw some people I knew from our running group at home and one guy I went to college with (random) and cheered them on as they ran down the final .1 mile. It was exciting and fun to cheer for people. You could see who had some left in the tank and who was totally crippled by their effort. One chick actually had blood gushing down her legs (we think from chafing, we <strong>hope</strong> from chafing).<br />
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We cleaned up and went to do our traditional post race gorging of ourselves. Dave wanted PF Chang's and so for the first time in my life I tried tofu (the sacrifices we make for love):<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1uOn5B3KWFdEkwcw_qeQ_o9eivIGVr6Ej3iX5UlER8hFfZ-Fi1m_-5VsPCTqQVkuOyPwhNNGt43W4xUHbSuQQ6s95rzmwtTW_r5V8z4Og6BE3Ret6iViIAi8fsc6eJ0kmq9LLvrJky9Z/s1600/P5070060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1uOn5B3KWFdEkwcw_qeQ_o9eivIGVr6Ej3iX5UlER8hFfZ-Fi1m_-5VsPCTqQVkuOyPwhNNGt43W4xUHbSuQQ6s95rzmwtTW_r5V8z4Og6BE3Ret6iViIAi8fsc6eJ0kmq9LLvrJky9Z/s320/P5070060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, just no. Nononononono.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had to wash the taste out of my mouth with something:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47y0lepFHxPWYiuPeeFT0fgQj51_9DHn9b9WFYPc58_iW7OoX7mOFjbitMGAwFh_tcrVWJrs5n_ECEDQiou7kS8Il1FrSFL3MrAZpRqgedFoVy7NX-i5VK_PZdIYYoqXF8QgWebjy1yYb/s1600/P5060050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47y0lepFHxPWYiuPeeFT0fgQj51_9DHn9b9WFYPc58_iW7OoX7mOFjbitMGAwFh_tcrVWJrs5n_ECEDQiou7kS8Il1FrSFL3MrAZpRqgedFoVy7NX-i5VK_PZdIYYoqXF8QgWebjy1yYb/s320/P5060050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
While we were walking around the mall eating our cookies we saw a Proactiv vending machine. The things you can buy out of vending machines these days astounds me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguk0UizJ_wuIVmtsJd8UtcWKkKSj5ggSF7_0JrIC3aDauC10B8M1G_dZLGyO25bEqGBd1i9IgaTR5VEuXHk_6G1HWb0qkgAol_Op0-e4Xg4lvKJ5cMcIocsXjruskRKpRTYYvACxc6HDpN/s1600/P5070061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguk0UizJ_wuIVmtsJd8UtcWKkKSj5ggSF7_0JrIC3aDauC10B8M1G_dZLGyO25bEqGBd1i9IgaTR5VEuXHk_6G1HWb0qkgAol_Op0-e4Xg4lvKJ5cMcIocsXjruskRKpRTYYvACxc6HDpN/s320/P5070061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The good news is, we weren't crippled by running a 5K (smart decision? yes.) and we were able to have a great weekend playing mini golf, shopping for new furniture, and eating yummy chocolate at The Melting Pot. But we will be back to avenge the Indy Mini next year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-18925727187443716802011-04-14T22:19:00.000-04:002011-04-14T22:19:47.477-04:00Oh. Em. Gee.I am now settled in to my third hotel in four days. Here is why I abruptly left hotel #2 this morning: <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39lZia6gcJOU_uz54BDlgOdbozdF-EqWbFq7Rwhql1vvy3F7NLDk4NZhNiKB8pdPVWxQXzhKUDV6Oa5DCfMcCDscc8JMhqCYYeYW3-H0XGG5lcYvEUvPxtBRuKQ6zGHfirxjloJfM4k9P//" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39lZia6gcJOU_uz54BDlgOdbozdF-EqWbFq7Rwhql1vvy3F7NLDk4NZhNiKB8pdPVWxQXzhKUDV6Oa5DCfMcCDscc8JMhqCYYeYW3-H0XGG5lcYvEUvPxtBRuKQ6zGHfirxjloJfM4k9P//" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Dude.</div></img><div id="bloggerplus_image_section" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120433598421172429.post-47428722407230256922011-04-12T21:18:00.000-04:002011-04-12T21:18:08.384-04:00Let's RecapYes, I've been gone for FOREVER. It's been a crazy time in my world. Here are some highlights:<br />
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1. Opening weekend for the Cincinnati Reds. We were there. It was fab. More on that at another time, but suffice it to say I was living up every minute and not so much blogging it.<br />
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2. Dave and I are both on travel for work (1000s of miles apart). The girls are with grandparents. The night before we left Dave took on story time like the great dad that he is. Super sweet:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. I have been so busy with travel that again...not so much on the blogging. I just checked out of my hotel on my lunch break today because it was the worst hotel I've ever been in. The highlights: exhibit a) there was hair in the bed. it didn't belong to me. exhibit b) instead of a counter in the bathroom there was one of those little 3 tier wood shelves that you buy at walmart for like $12. 8 inches of wood shelf is not a great place to set your hair straightener while hot. exhibit c) the train tracks beside the hotel, where the train runs every hour on the hour between midnight and 6 a.m. Remember, those are just the highlights. There's more I could tell you if time allowed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. I ran at the crap hotel. It was on a crap treadmill. I wanted to take a picture because it was literally the jankiest treadmill I've ever seen, but there was a dude there and I didn't want him to judge me. Looking back, I should have asked him to take the picture so there would be a picture of me ON the jankiest treadmill ever. What is wrong with me???? 2 miles, 21:44. Bashed in knee still hurts. Badly. Half marathon is only 23 days away. Worried? Well, maybe a little.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. When I hastily checked out of my crap hotel room and made the run for my new hotel room I left my iphone charger plugged into the wall. Epic fail.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0