Sweatpant Land

Yesterday Brian wanted me to leave my house and I finally agreed at 5pm but I refused to change out of my sweatpants.

Thankfully I was wearing a decent pair and not my "don't wear those in public" sweatpants which are so baggy you could fit a whole other person in them.

Vacation means I wear sweatpants all the time, except when I am running. It is really going to be rough putting on normal clothes next week when I have to go back to work.

Today it was uncommonly warm outside for December! 48 degrees Fahrenheit! It took me forever to figure out what to wear so I wouldn't be too hot! There is still snow on the ground here but I think after today (and tomorrow with predicted temperature of 48F again!) it may be all gone.

Spandex, short sleeves and gloves. It was a perfect 3.25 miles although the hills were rough since I am not used to them!


And since it is the last day of 2010, I thought I would look back on my resolutions and goals I had set for 2010.

2010 Resolutions:
1. My mom gave me a five year diary for Christmas. Each day has 5 lines that can be filled with short thoughts. I want to write in it each day just like my mom has been doing since before I was born. Last year I tried to do a gratitude journal and I failed but I think this is a more manageable goal for me. COMPLETED! I wrote in my journal everyday! I found that just writing down a few things from each day was very manageable!

2. Be more patient and understanding. Enough said there. Work in Progress. I kind of forgot that I even set this resolution.

2010 Goals:
1. Build up mileage and run 1010 miles in 2010. I have wanted to run 1000 miles in a year for a while now. FAIL. I was on track to do this until I had my knee injury in September. I finished 2010 with 864.1 miles which is the most I have ever run in a year!

2. Make sure I enjoy running and that it doesn't become a chore. COMPLETED! I still love running and can't wait to see what 2011 holds!

How did your 2010 shape up?? Are you excited for 2011?? Anyone staying up until midnight tonight? I am not sure I will make it - I usually fall asleep around 10:30pm!

Happy New Years' Eve!

Why I love the Bike

Or should I say "Why I love the bike at my future Father in Laws house"

My parents have a bike in the basement. My future parents in law also have a bike in the basement.

The only difference is that the in laws have a HUGE tv in front of their bike. It is easy to bike an hour away with the crazy reality shows to watch.

Thank you google images.

I don't actually look like that. But that is the bike I use.

Since I am home again and have no TV to amuse me while I ride the bike, I tried to multitask while on the bike.

Don't try this at home: Biking and crocheting.

The yarn will get caught in the pedals and then you will have to stop to untangle it. I guess I will just stick to reading while biking OR just zoning out/daydreaming.

Tomorrow I get to run outside again!! And the temperature is going to be above 30F! We are having a heat wave!

Happy Thursday!

Too Much

These are a few of the things I have had TOO MUCH of in the past few days:

1. Candy - Being at the future In Laws has been great except for the fact that there seems to be an UNLIMITED amount of candy lying around the house.

2. Cookies and Coffee - Nothing like a mid morning snack of gingerbread cookies and coffee.


3. Running - I really haven't had any other options for working out besides running, so I ran three days in a row and now my legs HURT. Rest day required tomorrow.

Saturday (Christmas Day): 2.5 miles with Brian
Sunday: 3 speedy miles
Monday: 2.5 slow snowy miles

4. Read, Nap, Repeat - The afternoons have been filled with laziness where I lay on the couch and read my book, then fall asleep then repeat the cycle. It has been amazing! I love the holidays!

What have you had too much of this holiday?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A few days ago Janae posted about an early Christmas present from her husband Billy! He had been secretly running for a month so that they could run together! To get the full details read her post here!

When I read the post, Brian just happened to be sitting next to me! As I screamed in delight, I quickly re-read the post out loud to Brian! I was so excited for her and asked Brian what he thought.

His response - "That's nice."

I didn't think anything of it until today when Brian said he was going running with me! It was one of my Christmas presents and it was the best one I got this year! We changed into warm running clothes and headed out around the neighborhood!

It was a pretty nippy 24F outside but it was the best Christmas run ever!




Hope everyone is having a great Christmas!!

Food Coma

Today's work schedule:

7am Arrive at work

7-9am Check email, check blogs, check weather, etc

9-9:30am Group Breakfast

9:30-11:30am Actually do some work

11:30am-12:30pm Holiday Lunch (I brought homemade venison meatballs)

12:30pm-1:30pm Pass out in cube from eating too much

1:30pm-2pm Go back for seconds

2pm-4pm Actually do some work

4pm HEAD TO THE GYM


The meatballs I made warmed up in the crock pot under my desk in the morning. Every time I came into my cube I could smell them! They were delicious along with all the other food that was brought in (that filled the whole huge conference room table). I was doing alright until I got to dessert and then I went overboard!

Tonight at the gym:
15 minute Elliptical warm up
2+ mile run on treadmill
20 minutes of weights
45 minute spin class

Take that Holiday eating!! Hopefully I will have digested all the food enough so that I don't feel sick while working out at the gym.

Did anyone see the Lunar Eclipse last night?? It was pretty cloudy here so I didn't even bother setting an alarm to wake up.

Oh and I almost forgot - Happy first day of Winter and Happy Tuesday!

Sunday Funnies

I was tagged by both RIO and MARLENE to answer these questions! Thanks girls!


What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2010?

Well first there is finally convincing Brian to propose to me! Just kidding!
I think my proudest moment would be finishing the Boilermaker 15k with another PR for the 6th year in a row and also having the courage to join the local running club!

What are your running goals for 2011?

I hope to stay injury free for ALL of 2011. And to run some fun races as well as run some fun interval workouts because they are my favorite! I would love to break 1000 miles for the year too.

What is your favorite race?

I don't think I have one. If I had to choose probably the Pink Ribbon 5k I ran with my mom on Mother's Day!

What is your favorite holiday guilty pleasure?

Cutout cookies! And seasonal coffees and donuts and I could go on and on....


What is your most embarrassing running moment?

Just take a look at the pictures below. I was on the 7th hurdle in my 100m hurdle race in college outdoor track and I took a miss step and fell. Brian happened to capture the whole race on his camera. It is pretty funny to look back on it now, but it was not fun at that moment! (I am the one on the right in the black and orange).



TAG:
Hungry Runner Girl
Lacey
Lisa's Yarns
Kim @ ilaxStudio

Anyone else have any fun embarrassing stories to share??

Happy Sunday!

Basement Bike

Driving home from work today I had an internal argument with myself.

I don't really want to go to the gym.
If I go to the gym I will want to run on the treadmill.
I ran yesterday, I should NOT run today.
I can run tomorrow morning.
I want to go home.
I don't want to sit on the elliptical for 45 minutes. BORING.
Ok I will go home and ride the bike.
I will get out my old runner's world magazines and sit on the bike for an hour.

By the time I got to the highway exit for the gym, I had talked myself out of the gym and into riding the bike at home. This is why I get up at dark o'clock to workout.

I got home and picked out a bunch of my old RW's and went down to the basement.


I may have been a little over excited about biking in the basement even though it was pretty cold down there.


I warmed up pretty quickly and just kept going for 90 MINUTES! And now my butt is pretty sore.


I am pretty sure that bike is older than I am but it still works. Tomorrow morning I will be up early and headed to the gym to get a nice little treadmill run in!

Now I am finally watching the Biggest Loser finale! Did you watch it? What did you think?

Happy (basically Friday) Thursday Night!

Too Slushy for Snowshoes

All our snow melted over the weekend, in preparation for the snow we are going to get this week! It was 40F and so any plans for snowshoeing went out the window. Brian and I hiked instead and it was so nice to be outside. Our town has a lot of marked hiking trails which is really nice. We just need to get out and use them more often!


In some spots it was pretty slippery but thankfully I didn't fall. The hills were hard on my knee, but it wasn't too bad. Just some twinges here and there. I think we hiked about 3-4 miles but I have no idea.


After our 1 and 1/2 hour hike through the woods, we got cleaned up and went to our Holiday Christmas party! I look forward to this every year because I get to dress up! Plus I have a nice picture for our holiday Christmas cards!


Sunday I got a nice little workout in at the gym. Some people watching while on the elliptical followed by 1.25 miles on the treadmill. Then I laid on the couch for the rest of day.

Now its back to work! Happy Monday!

4:40am

That is the time I woke up this morning. For the third time this week.

I am tired. I am grumpy. I am ready for Saturday when I can sleep in.

I forgot how draining waking up early to get workouts in before work can be.

This morning at the gym I ran ONE whole mile. Woohoo!

On the way to work, I stopped and got myself this candy cane chocolate donut as reward for getting my butt out of bed and getting 3 great morning workouts in! Yum!


How do you reward yourself??

Happy Friday!


“I am not a ‘good runner’ because I am me. I am a good ‘me’ because I am a runner.”
-Kristin Armstrong

Check out this Giveaway at Endurance Isn't Only Physical!

Three Things Thursday

1. The last few days since we have been pounded with snow, Mom and Dad have let me park my car in the garage. This morning I walked out to the garage and typed in the code to open the door. Nothing happened. I typed in the code to the other door. Nothing happened. It was 10F/-13C (feels like 1F/-17C!) so I think the electronics in the keypad were too cold to work! I had to take my mom's car instead.

2. Wednesday run = 0.75 miles. My knee is a little tight today but nothing that a little ibuprofen can't fix! I am afraid to increase my mileage any faster than quarter miles. Does anyone follow the 10% rule? (10% of 0.75 miles is 0.075 - that may be a little too slow of an increase!)

3. 16 Days until Christmas!!!! I better get on my Christmas shopping! Have you finished your Christmas shopping???

Happy Thursday!!

Mini Run

If the past few days are any indication of what winter will be like then we are in for a long, cold and snowy next few months!

The snow started falling on Saturday night and has night let up since! We are supposed to get another 3-5 inches today!

Start of the snow - Saturday night

Monday morning I decided to brave the snowy roads at 5am and go to the gym. My car was covered in about 7 inches of snow. Cleaning it off was a workout in itself.

I got to the gym safely and settled in on the elliptical. My knee felt good so after 30 minutes, I jumped on the treadmill.

4 minutes of running! I covered 0.5 miles and felt no knee pain which was amazing and even surprised me. I guess all those PT exercises really have been helping!

Today my knee doesn't hurt or ache which I take is a good sign! Just to be safe I am going to wait and run tomorrow. Don't want to rush back into running and then hurt myself again!

Anyone brave enough to get out and run in the snow?? I wish I could but for now I am sticking to the treadmill because it is
1) better for my knee and
2) safer because there is just too much snow on the roads.

Stay safe! Happy Tuesday!

The search is on

First off: BRIAN DO NOT READ THIS...if you happen to be reading my blog do NOT go any further...DON'T RUIN the Surprise ;)


**Note: I have no pictures because most bridal places don't let you take pictures until you decide to purchase a dress. What a bust.**


Saturday I had my first two appointments to try on wedding dresses! I was nervous and excited. My mom and I went to the first shop where the lady helping us explained the process and then let us pick out 6 dresses to try on. I really didn't know what style I wanted so we picked out a few different types and got started.

The first one had a few elements that I liked but it just wasn't doing anything for me. It just felt like a dress. The second one though, I walked out and looked in the mirror and I felt like a bride. And that is when my mom started crying which made me start crying. That dress fit me perfectly and I felt amazing it in! It had all the elements that I wanted and I knew that this was the style of dress that I wanted. It had ruching on the bust and bodice and a little bling under the bust and on the hip with slight pull ups on the skirt (all terms I learned on Saturday!)

The only problem: The price.

This dress is similar to the one I love!

It was a lot more than I wanted to pay for a dress that I would only wear once. Plus add on top of that the cost of alterations (hem and bustle) and then a veil plus jewelry!

I tried on the rest of the dresses we selected, one of which was very close to the second dress that we loved but I kept thinking about that one dress and so at the end we tried it on again. It was gorgeous but I knew we wouldn't be ordering it that day because we had just started looking at dresses (plus the price).

The second place I just didn't feel comfortable in. I tried on a lot of dresses - a bunch by Maggie Sottero including the one pictured below, but they were all really heavy and too extravagant for me. I got lost in all the embellishments and ruffles. They were beautiful but just not right. We ended up leaving there and I was still thinking about the dress from the other shop.


I feel like I have a good start on deciding on a dress...if only they weren't so expensive!

After dress shopping, I met up with Brian and we went and started our wedding registry! I think Brian was more excited about this than me! We wandered the aisles and picked out things that we liked which was hard because we don't even know where we will be living once we get married! I even let Brian register for a PS3 even though I am pretty sure that no one will buy it for us!


It sure was a busy day filled with all things wedding - Sunday I took a nap while watching football I was so exhausted! Who knew that dress shopping was so much work!

The weekend went way too fast! How was yours? Happy Monday!

December!

Happy December! Now it is officially time to get out the Christmas lights and start shopping! This morning I started by decorating my office with a poinsettia! It definitely adds a little something to my otherwise bland desk.


I also received this cute little catalog in the mail the other day. I just love the Christmas charms Tiffany & Co. came out with this year...if only they weren't insanely expensive. This reminds me it is time to start making my Christmas list!


In the style of Lacey, I decided I would make some goals for December to help me stay on track with my stretching and lifting.

December Goals:

1. Stair Climber for 30 minutes - Previously this hurt too much with my knee and honestly I have been afraid to try it again. Once I am pain free I hope I can try it again.
2. Start running again by Christmas - This really all depends on my PT and since I have another appointment tomorrow I am hoping for some good news! I am still on a running hiatus and I am feeling good.
3. Lift 2x a week - I have been doing this and I want to continue. I can already see the difference.
4. Stretch every day - I already do this as well and I can actually touch my toes now! Only took me two months of consistently stretching but it is worth it!

And as I type this, a co-worker just informed me that it is snowing outside. If I look back to my post from this EXACT day last year, it snowed as well! It really is December!

Have a great Wednesday!