Adjusted Reality

“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” – Mark Twain

Month: November 2011

Bah. I Can’t Go Out Like That.

Leaving this up as my last post before thanksgiving isn’t working for me.  So instead let me list a small subset of the many things I’m thankful for instead of whining about…

-I am thankful for my legs.  They haven’t given up on me yet even when I ask them to do crazy things that no one should back to back.  Also?  Kinda HAWT.

-I am thankful for my awesome husband who is just awesome.  For example, one day on Facebook, he just exclaimed that he has the bestest wife ever.  When asked (because I certainly didn’t remember doing anything amazing), he just said he was thinking of how awesome I was and wanted everyone to know.  That’s only one of the myriad of ways he is wonderful, but it’s the one to comes to mind first today.

-I am thankful to have an awesome family that I get to spend all day with tomorrow, eat turkey, and play card games.

-I am thankful for my health.  I have nothing that keeps me from enjoying each and every day to the fullest and doing any damn thing I want to do.  I’m thankful for the funds to be able to continue to improve it through healthy, natural, and organic eating, athletic equipment, chiropractor, doctor, and dentist visits, nutritionist visits, gym memberships, and race fees.

-I’m thankful for the opportunity in racing to push myself to the limits.  I think it makes me a better person in my life to be able to be as mentally and physically strong and challenge those boundaries each and every time I toe the starting line.

-I’m thankful that on an average moment, the emotion I’m feeling is probably somewhere pretty close to JOY.  Through hard work and surrounding myself with awesome and amazing people, I have built a life that feels sometimes like I should pinch myself and it should go away, because it simply MUST be a dream. I’ve stopped doing that (the bruises are a bitch) but I try never to lose sight of how amazing I have it, even if I’m having a *moment*.

Happy Turkey Day everyone, and remember…

What are you most thankful for?

/Rant On

So, if you’ve noticed, I’ve really stopped talking about my nutrition/weight progress/etc, besides just weighing in once a week.

It’s not because I’m slacking or have given up.  I’ve just stopped seeing progress.  It’s fucking frustrating.  My nutritionist is frustrated too.  If my body cooperated, I should have probably been dipping into the 150s and close if not at my goal by now instead of just being stuck.

With all these gains I’ve been making in my running (biking, and swimming), imagine what they’d be like if I could lose this 25 and get back to my 150 happy weight.  If it’s really true that you can cut off an average of 2 second per mile per pound (not that I don’t trust Adam, it just seems crazy to me), I could be rocking almost 1 minute/mile faster paces if I could just deal with this shit.  I’m really noticing that getting sub 9:30 and especially sub-9 feels like a lot more work than it should, even though I have endurance I have never had before.  Maybe when it was 5 lbs it wasn’t a big deal but if I can rock this hard at 175, imagine what world dominance I could enact back at 150.

Plus, I could stop looking at race pictures and sob uncontrollably smack the race photographer for being at that angle smack myself for wearing those hideously photogenic but awesomely comfortable shorts be unhappy with them…

I’m not sure why 175 is so different than 150, but it really has been the tipping point.  In the 6 months I’ve stabilized here, I’ve been less inclined to go shopping, dress cute, and want to be photographed (except on race day, and only in flattering poses).  I’m sure I’ve even gotten to the point where people are talking behind my back.  Not that I care (really, if I still liked what I saw in the mirror, I could give a flying leap about what anyone thought), but I think I’ve finally crept up to “she looks bigger than she used to” status.  The convo would probably go, “Geez, Quix has put on some weight in the last 2 years.” “Yeah, and she’s always running and racing and doing shit, I wonder how that happened.”

You and be both, people.  I’m making endurance sports look really bad…

There are a few things I won’t do.

I can’t home cook every meal.  Working more than 40 hours a week (sometimes WAY more and unpredictable hours) and training like I do means that sometimes I’m going to need a packaged meal or takeout.  It’s just not feasable on days when I leave at 7 am and get home 12 hours or more later to spend an hour or more cooking food.  What I have done is identified places (like Elevation Burger, Jason’s Deli, and Chipotle) and brands (like Amy’s and Applegate Farms) I can trust to give me fairly decent options in terms of good quality convenience foods that aren’t full of crap.  You might be able to argue that it takes 15 minutes to throw together food, but sometimes when you have an hour of downtime a day or less, that 15 mins of couch crashing is GOLD.  I’ve been very honest about where my food comes from with my nutritionist and she thinks I’ve been doing a good job.

I will not give up alcohol.  I have given up sugary drinks and mixers, as well as beer for the most part, but you can take my vodka and La Croix or wine away from my cold dead hands.   Drinking an obnoxious amount on a Saturday night is not what makes me fat.  It’s also been a constant through the last 4 years.  Also, now it has pretty much 100% coincided with long run or bike or brick day, where I’m burning over 1k calories if not upwards of 2+, so it’s not as if I’m not earning them.  My nutritionist has asked me to whittle this down a little, but is down with the boozin’.

I will not give up a little sweet indulgence here and there.  Nor has my nutritionist asked me to.  I oscilate between a bite or two of something every other day and abstaining but having a full serving about once a week.  This week will probably be a little more than normal due to holiday feasting but sweets are not really my downfall.

I have pretty much given up grains.  I feel good where I’m at.  If I have too much at once I feel bloated.  I can still have something wheaty right after a long run and feel great, but that’s about the only time it doesn’t feel like a brick in my tummy to have more than a serving of grain at one time.

So here, I have to take a little aside from my normally positive self and whine and rant.

It’s not fair that I eat as clean and healthy as I do and I’m still 175 lbs.

It’s not fair that I train as hard as I do and I’m still 175 lbs.

It’s not fair that a friend who I inspired to run jumped on a treadmill and is, within a few months, doing under 20 minute 5ks at 3% incline, and I can barely break 27 minutes right now.

It’s not fair that no matter how much I eat like an athlete, or train like an athlete, or think like an athlete, I can’t manage to look anything like an athlete.

It’s not fair that by getting better at swimming and stronger arms, I make my top heavy self noticeably top heavier which makes me less happy with my physical appearance in light of vanity/clothing fitting/etc (approaching Eastern European Swim Team status).  See?  Look at all that shoulder!

It’s not fair that I can’t seem to lose this weight, and it’s both cathartic and frustrating at the same time that throwing money at a nutritionist didn’t work.  I have spent years doing the research and was disappointed in myself that I couldn’t figure it out.  It’s taken a trained professional 6 months with 0 scale progress now too.  At the very least I don’t feel dumb.

It’s not fair that there is nothing easy left to try.  I don’t consume caffeine.  I don’t consume sugary drinks.  I rarely eat foods that are nutritionally void and if I do it’s occasionally, in small quantities.  I don’t emotionally eat.  I eat generally lean meats, healthy fats, rabbit food, whole grains at meals.  I snack on fruits, veggies, hummus, jerky, organic cheese, and nuts.  I drink enough water.  I train a lot.  I take rest days.  I listen to my body and know (usually) when to push myself on through and when to bag my workout.  I am happy, albeit a little stressed lately with work, but enjoy my life.  I sleep 8 hours on average per night.

The only theories I have left are:

-Something is wrong with my body that’s not diet or exercise related.  I ran the gamut of tests in August though with even a full, extended thyroid panel and everything came back fine, so I doubt it.

-It really is portions.  I’ve done *better* lately with measuring and spot checking, but I haven’t whipped out the measuring cups and spoons at each meal.

-Zliten is pushing for overtraining, but I would say 4 sessions of 30-60 minutes per day and 1 long run per week is not any more than I was doing during tri season.  Running for 3+ hours is pretty intense, but I seem to be handling it.  And this is not a new problem.  It’s not as if I was losing weight during off season last year…

Other than that, I just don’t know.

I am thankful to be able to do what I do now, and look how I look now, let’s just make sure that’s stated right here.  Five years ago, just fitting into a size that didn’t start with 20-something or walking up a flight of stairs without being winded was but a dream to me.  Now I’m bitching about being less than half that clothing size, and about only being able to run twice as fast as my max speed used to be on a treadmill.  Feels petty.

However, I’ve put in the 5 years of work.  For example, 5 years ago me would have been giddy with joy with my salary.  However, present me is just satisfied with it because it’s what I deserve for the job I do and the experience I have.  Just like my weight.  I feel like it’s time for the dividends of my hard work to fall into my lap, kthx.

Life just doesn’t work out that way.  It usually takes just a little longer than you expect or think is reasonable to get what you want.  And it’s just not fair.  Doesn’t mean you get to give up though…

/rant off

Marathon Training Week #5 – Don’t Want No Short, Short Course

Workouts, then blahblahblah…

Last Week:
Monday: Reverse Ladders (1200m, 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m (@ 8-8:30) with 200m recovery in between @ 12) + crunchtime
Tuesday: 30 mins bike hills, yoga
Wednesday: 7 mile L tempo (9:45 min/mi)
Thursday: off (yoga/stretching)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: Azle Half Marathon!!! (…err 11.25 miles?)
Sunday: off

This Week:
Monday: Hill repeats (6x 1/3 mile 3% incline @ 10 min/miles, flat at same pace/same distance) + crunchtime
Tuesday: 30 mins bike hills, yoga
Wednesday: 5 mile M tempo
Thursday: 30 min swim + weights
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: 16 mile run morning, Warrior Dash afternoon
Sunday: off

Weight: still 175.  Bleh.  However, it’s the week where I expect not to lose so it’s fine.  I’ll get angry if I’m not getting lower next week.  I did also eat a few not-so-good things this weekend so I will just focus on being a good girl this week and seeing if I can get the scale to budge.

Let’s talk about the race.

I was mentally not feeling it the day before.  Notatall.  Each and every day last week was crazy at work.  I actually did 9-3 at jury duty and then rolled into work and stayed until 11:30pm.  Thank the dear fluffy lord I had the sense to stop at home first and take half an hour to throw a pile of  stuff on my yoga mat that was to be packed.  When I got home I just had to trust that 4pm Quix had done her due dilligence and just threw everything into a bag that night, and got up the next morning at 7am and threw that bag into the car.  I’m getting pretty good at packing for overnight races.  The only things I forgot was an extra plug for my garmin charger (which I didn’t need anyway) and my slippers (but had comfy sandals so it was fine).

We left Austin around 4:30pm and hit a little traffic on the way up, so it was a 4 hour drive, not 3.  We rolled down the street to the hotel and it looked SKETCH-TASTIC at first, but then magically transformed into suburbia, so it was fine.  We checked into the room and the only thing they had left was smoking. BLEH.  I can’t believe our apartment used to smell like that… ugh.  Since it was already 8:30, we decided dinner was first priority and tried to get into Applebees but it was PACKED.  Like so packed we didn’t even want to order takeout.  Instead, we went across the street and hit up Ginger Browns, and ended up with some amazing food.  Salad, monterrey chicken, mashed potatoes, rolls – perfect pre-endurance-race food.  Plus, they gave us two of the most awesome cinnamon rolls for free.  I was so stuffed I had to save it for the next day (but still so so so so so good).

I was still totally un-excited, my legs were sore, my brain was worn out and foggy, but I did the normal pre-race routine of laying stuff out, trying to poop, biofreeze, trying to poop, relaxing and watching tv, actually finally pooping, and then drifting off to bed just before midnight.  The awesome thing about the race was it was at 9am, and only 10 mins away, so waking up at 7am was just fine, thanks.  I got up, showered, got dressed, got my breakfast and caffeine on, and started to get a little in the mood.  The weather was beautiful, just a little cold and a little windy, but it was def. workable.

This was the same weekend I did Rock N Roll San Antonio last year.  It was a trip how different these races were – RNRSA I was lucky to get a hotel over a mile away from the start so I didn’t have to deal with parking and shuttles.  Azle, we parked in the Junior High School parking lot, which was also the start.  I love the energy and support of big races, but sometimes, little local races are a blast too.

I couldn’t decide whether to run with the jacket or not and made the call 5 mins before to take it off before the race, and I’m so glad I did.  I hate running with sleeves unless it’s way cold, and to take off my jacket, I would have had to take off my camelback and zune.  I probably need some of those compression sleeves I see spiffy runners wearing all the time (hint hint Santa).

Anyhoo, here’s the breakdown…

Race Pros:
-Saturday race.  Sunday races suck.  ‘Nuff said.
-Easy parking, packet pickup, etc.
-I think small starts are fun, starting 15 minutes back feels anticlimactic
-9am start meant sleeping in until 7am and having a leisurely morning, not a crazy 5am wakeup time
-Everyone was friendly and even the police support seemed geniunely happy to be supporting and/or racing the course
-Nice neighborhood and scenery
-3 loop course – for some that’s a con, but I often run loops and like knowing and being able to plan for what’s coming
-Nice weather… it was supposed to be windy (like 15-20 mph), but being on neighborhood streets that were pretty shielded, I didn’t feel it.

Race Cons:
-Course was short almost 2 miles for the half due to a screw up.  10k course was short about 1/2 mile.
-Only 1 water stop for the 10k, only 2 for the half.  This is why I rock my camelback, but still, water at 4.2 and about 9 miles?  Unacceptable.
-It was hillier than I thought.  It wasn’t *bad* but I certainly could have done without the long long incline from about mile 9 to 10.5.
-Streets at times were a little uneven, my tootsies definitely felt it.
-When they gave awards they just called names, not places, times, or ages. I’m still waiting for the results to come up.  I know I was at least 2/3 for 30-34, but it would be nice to know if I was 2/3 or 2/10 or whatever, and also how much I was beat by/beat 3rd place by…

Personal Pros:
-I rolled the dice on trying something new on race day – a new, bigger, gel holder that Zliten bought for me Thursday night.  At first I couldn’t figure out what to do with it, but found that clipped to my pants in the small of my back, I didn’t notice it there at all.  It worked like a charm and will be great for marathon training runs.
-Even though the course was short, the run felt REALLY short.  I guess my 2.5 to 3 hours running lately means a slightly short half marathon feels like a short run.  Score.
-I feel like I got better at hills this race.  When I could, I powered up them, shortening and changing my stride, trying to burn more of my lungs and quads and save my calves and hammies.  My cadence improved – avg 87 and hit 90 on some miles (at least 90 is the goal).  When I couldn’t, I power walked up them (@ 15 min/miles) for a bit, which stretched out my legs and let me save up a little energy to rock the flats even harder.
-I busted past at least 5 people on the way to the finish.  My max pace?  6:33 min/mile.  I definitely wanted to make sure I had the best chance possible at AG podium!
-My pace was just about right on my planned marathon pace and I really wasn’t wasted at all after.  Legs, lungs, everything felt peachy keen and WAY better than I have after a training run in a long while.
-I ended up with an AG silver medal (and I reckon there was at least 3 because they gave out a bronze right after me)!  My second placement medal in 2 races!  Woohoo!

Personal Cons:
-Not the race’s fault, but I had an mp3 player screw up which only left me with about 1 hour worth of music instead of the 4+ I had on the playlist – luckily they were all songs I didn’t mind listening to twice.
-Short course meant my nutrition was off – I did mile 5 and mile 9.25 – I kinda wasted that last gel, it was kicking in 1 mile to the finish.
-I felt the fade around mile 9, but it was definitely not as bad as normal.  Longer running distances lately and the gels helped.  I might consider really stepping up the nutrition sched for the marathon, maybe sucking down as many as 5 gels…

So overall – 1:55 for 11.25 miles, or about a 10:15-ish pace.  I would have been on track for about a 2:14 finish at 13.1 miles, which would have been fine with me.  My legs are not in PR condition right now, and while it would have been nice to pull one out of my ass, I’ll have to settle for a solid run I feel great about, and a 2nd place medal.  So yeah, it didn’t suck.  Plus, it couldn’t have been official because of the short distance, so I’ll save that PR run for another day…

Then the weekend collapsed into a bit of a spiral of crappy food.  In N Out and some boozin’ was planned, but the cinnamon roll wasn’t.  And for dinner, I only had a bowl of potato soup, so the fruit and veggies?  Non existent.  Then the next day cheesy Mexican food and some cake at a baby shower… I redeemed myself with dinner of the rest of my fajita meat and veggies on top of a salad and some mango and I’m heading into the week salviating over getting some healthy food in my cake hole.

So this week my focus is keeping track of my (good healthy properly portioned) eats, making it through my training, getting enough rest, cleaning up the house for guests next week, and resting up for my epic adventure on Saturday.  I’ll be doing a 16 miler in the morning (we’re going to try out Town Lake for the first time, Zliten and I are going to do 7 and then bring his Kindle and wait for me to finish up my +9) and then we go home, get changed, and head out for our 2:30pm wave of Warrior Dash.  I wasn’t going to do it but then we got a groupon for it for half price and a friend at work really wanted to so… the total for the day will be about 19.5 miles.  I plan on taking that last 3.5 REALLY slow.

How’s your week going?  Ever done a training run before/after a race?  What would you splurge on if your next meal had no calories?

Marathon Training Week #4 – Angry Animals, Angry Legs

Numbers then deets…

Last Week:

Monday: 30 mins bike hills + crunchtime
Tuesday: 6×800s @ 8:30 min/mile with 90 seconds rest interval (12 min/mi)
Wednesday: 25 min swim, yoga
Thursday: hills (6×400 with 400m flat intervals)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: 15 mile long run
Sunday: off

This Week:

Monday: Reverse Ladders (1200m, 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m (@ 8-8:30) with 200m recovery in between @ 12) + crunchtime
Tuesday: 30 mins bike hills, yoga
Wednesday: 7 mile L tempo (9:45 min/mi)
Thursday: off (yoga/stretching)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: Azle Half Marathon!!!
Sunday: off

Weight: still 175.  No budgey.  My nutritionist lady person is starting to get frustrated.  I am too.

Things of interest this/last week:

15 miles is the longest I’ve ever ran.  EVAR.  I could pretty much divide it up into 3 sections: mile 1-5, warmup, getting into it, etc.  Mile 6-11, I took a caffeinated honey stinger gel and it was dance party USA!  I was making great time (better uphills than I had previously down it) and I was singing and dancing to the music while I was running – seriously, I’m sorry people of Austin who might think they just spotted a crazy person, but I was having a good time. Mile 12-15 were not as happy, my legs were dying and I took copious walk breaks.  Overall, I held a better pace than my 14 miler (11:35 vs 11:47) and felt better.  My legs were just as wrecked though (read: took my shower sitting down in the tub, limping around until the biofreeze actually kicked in, etc), but until I really got a good double digit base over the summer, I’m pretty sure I felt this way after my long runs before.

Gel preference so far: Any Honeystinger>Hammer Green Apple>GU pineapple>GU chocolate mint>Hammer vanilla.  I think the key is either honey or fruit, and although I really, really liked the GU chocolate mint, it turned my stomach a little since it was super thick.  The hammer vanilla didn’t kick in fast enough and tasted kinda like stale frosting (so, since I love frosting, not all that bad, but still…).

Damage after the run: IMMEDIATE: tight and tense to the point of fairly decent pain – calf, hamstring, and glute muscles.  Gone within a few hours.  NEXT DAY: quads (?) a little sore as well, right ball of foot almost feels bruised.  MONDAY: general soreness but no big D.  Runners – how do I lessen/avoid the massive back of the body pain that immediately goes away after I stop and decompress a bit?  I had lungs for many more miles and probably a faster pace but my legs were going to die if I didn’t stop just then…

The animals around our house are acting BIZARRE… a bird smacked into our sliding glass window.  I figured it HAD to be dead with the sound it made, but it was just standing there, staring at the glass, looking a little dazed but definitely ok.  Then, yesterday, we found the ballsiest squirrel!  He followed us, protecting his 2 little patches of landscape, and stood between us and whatever he was protecting, waggling his little tail at us.  We were amazed, so we kinda messed with him, going back and forth to see if he’d give up.  He held firm.  Pretty crazy.  So, if the animals all rise up and take over here soon, you heard it here first.

This week, my eating goal is to make sure I a) write down everything I eat, even if it’s just two bites and b) make sure I’m estimating portions better.  When I was doing some spot checks last week, I got about 50% right – my half cup pasta and my fage breakfasts were right on, but my 1 tbsp pb was more like 1.75 (and though I haven’t checked, I’m pretty sure my salad dressing is underestimated too.  I was hoping to really have made more progress by now, and as my mom said this weekend, “with all your training, I’m surprised you haven’t gotten smaller”.  I’m really surprised by the way I eat that I have made so little progress lately.

I had jury duty and actually got selected for the jury.  At first I was BUMMED because it was a crazy bad time to be out of work, but it was actually fascinating to see the process.  They actually all do say “objection” and “overruled” and stand to address the judge and it’s this crazy dance and they send the jury to deliberate and it’s all very different than how things happen anywhere else.  Seriously, if you can get on a short trial like I did, I highly recommend the experience!

This weekend’s race is up in Azle, TX.  Which is just outside Fort Worth.  Fort Worth has In N Out.  I think I may be more excited for the post race lunch than the race itself.  I’m still debating strategy.  I’m not tapering for this one at all but I kinda want to race it.  I don’t know if I have it in me NOT to try for a PR, but I haven’t been such a speedypants lately.  We’ll see.  It will also be Zliten’s first 10k, which will be exciting!  He did 6 miles this weekend and thinks he can add the .2 at the end.  He just needs to think about the double double and keep his eyes on the prize.

So yes, my questions for the audience:

1.  Any tips for my back of the body soreness?

2. What’s your favorite gel/in race nutrition?

3.  Any signs of an animal uprising around your parts?

Hope your week is awesome-tastic!  Think fast thoughts for me!

Crispy-fied: Marathon Week #3

I literally said to a coworker today, and I quote, “My brain is so fucking fried from this last month I’m surprised i can put my pants on today.”

This is where I”m at this week mentally.

Physically, I’m fine.  Minus a little pulled neck muscle getting out of bed on Monday (right? 14 mile run? No problem.  Getting out of bed?  Too much for Ol’ Bod), I seem to be holding up well.

Mentally, while the LAST thing I want to be doing after getting off work anytime from 8pm to 11pm is waking up early to get running, swimming, or biking, but it’s such a great way to enjoy waking time outside of work.  I’m a-ok and have no desire to skip training once I get up and going.  Sometimes paces have been a challenge, but I know I have plenty of time when I’m mentally stronger to really crush it.

I’m definitely in a better place than I was last year, begging the universe to just GET MY LAST RACE OF THE YEAR OVER WITH so I could rest.  I’ve got 4 in the next few weeks and I’m stoked for each one of them.  One I’m even frontloading with a 16 mile run and limping through in the afternoon with friends.  Bring it on!

Here’s training…

Last week:

Monday: Ladder Sprints 400m, 600m, 800m, 1200m, 800m, 600m, 400m (@ 8:15-8:30 min mile pace), 400m recovery
Tuesday: 30 min swim + yoga
Wednesday: 5 mile M tempo (9:30 pace attempt, more like 9:55…)
Thursday: 30 mins bike hills + weights (10 mins weights, but I’ll take it)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: 14 mile long run (done!!! a painfully slow 2:45, but done and was even able to limp into work right after)
Sunday: off

This week’s plan:

Monday: 30 mins bike hills + crunchtime
Tuesday: 6x800s @ 8:30 min/mile with 90 seconds rest interval (12 min/mi)
Wednesday: 25 min swim, yoga
Thursday: hills (6×400 with 400m flat intervals)
Friday: off (yoga/stretching)
Saturday: 15 mile long run
Sunday: off

So, more of the same, working in some hills, and running the longest I ever have.  I am just conceding the 2nd weights session this week, something’s gotta give with the long hours.

Weight is about 175.  I’m getting tired of this mid-170’s bullshit, but I am taking solace in that my winter clothes seem to look and fit about the same as they did last year, when I was about 10 lbs lighter, so it may not all be doom and gloom.  Sometimes I think my frustration with my shape stems from adding mass to my upper body, but that mass keeps me gliding through the water like a fish when I swim, so function may have to triumph over form here.

Once I get through this crazypants period at work, I am going to figure out how to conquer this.  I am now eating the right things, but I think I’m overestimating how much of the right things I am eating.  I’m thinking about maybe breaking out the measuring cups.  Maybe trying a week of calorie tracking with the ratios I’m supposed to eat.  Maybe just really trying to tune into my hunger and deciding whether I am HUNGRY or just want something in my mouth (that’s what she said?).  Maybe keeping more interesting veggie snax around.  I need to do some thinking.  Right now, I’m just getting by so I’ll just keep doing that…

Other interesting tidbits:

-I have jury duty for the first time ever in Texas on 11/9.  Hopefully I don’t get selected (although it might almost be a nice break from work, it would NOT be nice for the folks stuck here without my help :P).  I’m going to bust out my Princess Leia costume (props to anyone who gets the reference).

-I’ve got 5 more work weeks left of the year (and one of them is the short Thanksgiving week).  I’m so freaking excited for 3 weeks off!  The idea of being able to do my long runs whenever during the week during the phase when I’m building mileage sounds AWESOME.  The only bummer is 2 of those weeks are without my Zliten since he does have to work.  Trying to think of fun by-myself adventures.  I know I’ll be reading a lot, hitting up thrift stores for some new wardrob-age, and cooking a lot.

-Our company party is actually on the last Friday of my work year (Dec 9th).  Hopefully I don’t get so crazy I get fired it’s a lot of fun!

-We went super lazy-tastic for Halloween this year.  I dug out my corpse bride set that I used for the wraith costume, and Zliten went as an obscure character from a book he’s reading that pretty much wears a robe and sweat pants (he’s a modern day wizard – his robe is his bathrobe, the hockey stick is his wand, and the skull is essentially his familiar)!  It was still a fun time, we still got very drunk (damn you hop skip punch and skittles vodka), and I actually got a bunch of compliments on my costume.  Next year, I’ll do something spectacular!!! I always say that though…

I think that’s about it.  Just looking forward to the weekend with a laser focus.  What is your one most important healthy eating tip?  What were you for Halloween?  What would you do with yourself if you have 2 weeks off at home by yourself?

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén