run log: November 2012

One race this month, the Turkey Day 5k, and a pretty consistent weekly mileage.  My foot is weird.  There are times, still, when it bothers me.  I can't say it's a pain, but I can certainly feel it.  I ran 5 miles this month...and it felt great the whole time.  I stopped and started walking for my cool down...Step, step, OUCH.  and there went my foot again.  I skipped a day running, and it's been ok since.  I guess I'll just keep on working it.
BUT, I have included a weekly YOGA class to my routine & I've added a day of P90X+, Total Body Workout.  Couldn't walk for two days after the first day in the workout room, but after the second time, it's not so bad.  I HAVE to keep up working out ~ especially this time of the year.  Because I can't stop chewing!!


November's totals:
46 miles for the month 
618 miles for the year
0 biking miles for the month
347.5 biking miles for the year
108 miles in my, for over 100 miles pretty white & blue Asics...

Some interesting facts:
Longest run this month: 5 miles 
Favorite place to run this month: ? still a question ~ probably with run club...
# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet: TWO!!  So happy to see them in the store!  I bought a BIG BAG and have eaten half of it (or more) and have two littler ones in the cabinet.
# of books I read this month: Three ~ still love my kindle :)
Monthly mileage record: 80.5 miles March 2012
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  13.1 miles ~ May 16, 2010 (Cleveland 1/2) 


PR's:
5K: 22:45 (Rabbit Run 10/30/11~ but I think it was a short course)
10K: 52:02 (Cleveland 5/15/11)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:55:04 (Cleveland 5/16/10)
marathon: 3:50:05 (Akron relay {team run} 9/24/11)

putting stuff in your mouth

A couple of funny stories from this week:
1.   Tuesday Grace and I were on our way to school.  We were traveling down Bennett Road, talking about that song we heard on the radio ("I'm the boy with the drum drums drum...) that we can't find to play for our families.  This is really off topic, but it's such a BAD song...and we can't find it to make fun of it...
Grace takes a sip of her tea and kinda freaks (I think I would have freaked more).  I look over and there's a BEE hanging out of the hole in the lid.  She says, "It was in my mouth."  Poor Grace.  How does a bee get in her tea...in November?
Here's the phone conversation I have with her mother.
"What kind of tea did you give your daughter?"
"I think it was Earl Grey."
"There was a bee in it."
"No, I'm pretty sure it was Earl Grey."
"You're not hearing me; there was a bee in it.  A bumble bee."

2.  Last night I was watching tv when I got a text from a coworker asking if I wanted some shrimp alfredo for lunch the next day.  I don't turn down food, so I say yum yum yum, feed me.  She was in a meeting all day, but I caught her kind of on a break and asked when she was eating lunch.  She replies, "We're eating in here."  I'm thinking, "What about my food?"  But I'm also thinking, "Did I miss something here?"  Lunch comes and there's no food.  Thank goodness for leftovers from birthday party yesterday & people willing to share.  So did she notice I'd gained 10 pounds and just wanted to do her part to help me eat less?  I'm not ever falling for that trick again.  I will always bring my lunch!

3.  Our lunch bunch had a winning powerball ticket...worth $7.  (about 40 cents each)

It SNOWED

Finally...after a few days of teasing flakes in the sky...we woke up to a layer {albeit thin} of snow on the ground.  Snow is so peaceful.  It's like a blanket from God, snuggling around you making you feel protected & loved.

Thanksgiving

I give thanks for my world.

(and my iPhone which takes panoramic pictures)

Today started with the Second Annual Turkey Day 5K.  A beautiful fall morning...sun shining by race time.  Jacob (22:30) was the big winner for the family, followed by Patrick (22:48), Mike (24:04) , who just took off after claiming he was going to "take it easy and not get hurt", then me (7th in my age group ~ official time 24:39 ~ watch time 24:33), Katie (28:06) & Megan (32:12), who proudly ran it all except for the water stop.  The end was rather interesting as the finish chute was about a tenth of a mile long...and BACKED UP.  After I finished the line into the chute started before the finish.  The workers kept yelling, "keep moving in the chute"  Except you can't really go any faster that the person in front of you.  There were so many people, they need to chip the race next year.  But I will still run it, even if they don't.  It's a great way to start the holiday of stuffing yourself.

As I said the weather was beautiful.  I heard of a weather forecast that they were predicting we'd have the warmest Thanksgiving in 30 years.  "Wow, I thought.  Great day."  Then I heard on another weather forecast that they were predicting the warmest Thanksgiving since 1982.  "Huh, I thought.  I guess I heard that other forecast wrong."  And I went about my day.  Later I was telling Mike how warm they were saying it was going to be...and it hit me.  1982 WAS 30 years ago.  (DUH...and I'm OLD).

Family celebration in Newbury was yummy and fun.  We ate & played Beersbee (well, we watched Katie & Mike play Patrick & Jacob).  We couldn't find anything to put the bottles on, so they used sledgehammers.  Which worked well enough until the bottle was knocked off and shattered on the hammer!  We LAUGHED.  Katie was so afraid of the frisbee she would duck and make Mike catch it.  At one point the frisbee came zooming toward her, she hit the deck (almost concussing herself on the ground) screaming like she was being fired upon. Her and her sparkly butt crack me up.

giving thanks day 20

Today I am thankful for:

1. A hearty staff breakfast, while under attended, quite a pleasant social way to start the day.
2. A crazy mix-it-up day meant to promote anti-bulling...by having kids mix up where they sit at lunch.  Very well done and promoted by our superstar assistant principal...lots of kids and teachers dressed in their mixed up clothes. I actually had trouble with this...but did look delightful with different socks & shoes.  The very bestest part was the one braid and one pig that I wore on my head.  Brought me joy all day.
3. THANKSGIVING VACATION   certainly a highlight of the year.

gt day 19

Today I went to my annual health screening and found out for sure what I already knew; I'm much fatter this year than I was last.  My BMI, while still in the 'desirable' range...is 3 points higher.  My waist is 3 inches bigger.  I'm quickly headed in the very very wrong direction.  That's what I get from taking a break from running, not adding any different exercise & continuing to eat like I was working out.
Then I went to the surgeon to check on my scar (pictures another day).  It's healing nicely, but there's another spot he wants to take off (the dark freckle by my right eye...) so that's happening in January.
I am thankful that he's not concerned about the two areas on my nose that I was worried about.  Then he kinda made fun of me (in a very professional way) for being so worried...Such is me.

So today I am very thankful for:

giving thanks day 18

Today I was all set for my thanks giving.  I was going to be thankful for the great banquet that we went to to honor Patrick being named Academic All State for soccer.  We went to the banquet hall...only to be met with the news that they cancelled the banquet...after they cashed our $78 check!
So we don't have the Academic All State certificate.
We didn't get to hear a really rockin' speech {I'm sure}
We didn't get to eat a $78 meal.
And we don't have our $78.
I am thankful that Patrick was recognized for his academics.  And I'm thankful we didn't have to sit through the banquet {I guess}.

#32 & gt day 17

Today I am giving thanks for a run in the sun.  I could feel my stupid foot the full 4 & a half miles, but it was all done in the sunshine.  Beautiful day to run. {and I am thankful that I could only feel my foot, and that it didn't actually hurt...there is a huge difference!}

I also finished book #32 today.  Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear is one I actually bought from Amazon {with a gift card, so it was really a birthday present} ~ and it was also highly recommended by my mom.  Good Book.  And I'm excited because it's a series...{just bought book 2 ~ the end to my birthday money}  It's set during and 10 years after the first world war in London.  Maisie is such a unique character...from housemaid to socially equal because of her progressive employer and her intelligence.  A love story, a mystery, a history lesson, it's filled with interesting characters and lots of truth.

Quotes: {love that most Kindle books actually have page #'s}
p6 ~ ...rubbed her neck at the place where worry always sat when it was making itself at home.  [great visual]
p12 ~ cool word

p80 ~ 'nother cool word & I didn't know there was actually spelling for letters {this word is 'H'es}

p104 ~ Stay with the question.  The more it troubles you, the more it has to teach you.  In time, Maisie, you will find that the larger questions in life share such behavior.
p141 ~ There is nothing of which every man is so afraid, as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.
p145 ~ ...we are all a long time dead when we go, if you know what I mean.  This is our only ride on the merry-go-round.
p203 ~ Coincidence was a messenger sent by truth. {that's a Gibbs comment for sure}

fl: Even if she hadn't been the last person to walk through the turnstile at Warren Street tube station, Jack Barker would have noticed the tall, slender woman in the navy blue, thigh-length jacket with a matching pleated skirt sort enough to reveal a well-turned ankle.  ll: Well then, Billy--let's get on with it!

gt days 15 & 16

I am thankful for the opportunity to see Beauty and the Beast at the Palace Theater yesterday with the 'Madison Theater Club' {or whatever they call themselves.}  Quite an undertaking to organize 57 people to see a play.  It was much fun & Lydia curled my hair {kinda felt like Nellie Olsen <3 being="being" caused="caused" for="for" got="got" home="home" it="it" late="late" me="me" miss="miss" nbsp="nbsp" p="p" pretty="pretty" thankful="thankful" to="to" ut="ut" we="we" which="which" yesterday.="yesterday.">
I have a yesterday and today thankful too.  Helen handed me a glass jar of real cow's milk {STRAIGHT FROM THE COW} (and, yes, I KNOW that milk from the store is real cow's milk.}  I forgot to drink it yesterday, so I got to enjoy it at lunch today.  Kinda like drinking whole milk {which it is}  QUITE YUM.

Today I am thankful for my red cowboy boots.  They are adorable & made me smile every time I looked at my feet today.

gt day 14

Today I am thankful for run club.  After a pretty sleepless night (the benedryl is no longer working),  the last thing I wanted to do today was run.  But, because Cheryl was counting on me, I suited up...and, of course, it was just what I needed.  Four miles later I felt much better.  I really needed to go for a run!  Yea for ARC!

trying to be thankful day 13

Probably the crappiest day this year.  I started to type 'of my career'; that's  not so true.  But it certainly is up there.  So Madison is rated Excellent with Distinction, but the special ed subgroup at the middle school did not meet the state's benchmark.  Today was the staff meeting where the guy from the state came to tell us what we have to do as a staff.  The whole meeting felt like a punch in the gut.  It's so frustrating to work so hard...and fail.  And to have your principal say those exact words about you (really aimed at the sped/math staff) at a staff meeting.  Today was a first.  I couldn't stop the tears.  Couldn't talk about it most of the day.  I was really the first time that I really had the thought, "I don't want to teach any more."  That's a frightening place for me.  I don't just love my job.  I am a teacher.
Today I have to be thankful for my students.  I just went in my room, closed the door and taught.  They do what I ask them to do.  Try, for the most part.  And are fun to be around.  For reminding me why I do what I do, I am thankful for my students.

gt day 12

I am thankful for benedryl.  My poor Fonzi dog has been itching & scratching and, the worst part (because I'm a terrible person) keeping me up all night long.  I started giving him benedryl ~and it's working!  Thank goodness.
I'm reminded of this because he's sitting here licking and scratching...and I need to go get him his meds ( wrapped in yellow cheese) and go read my book...which is my favorite part of the day!

gt day #11

Today was a beautiful day in Ohio (so we drove to PA...but more on that later).  It was in the 70's, and after church I did fall clean up in my much neglected gardens, and Mike took his very fancy, fancy brand name leaf blower (I would included the brand name if it actually meant enough to me to remember, but it's a good name)  Sometimes, when I look at my yard and my house I am so totally amazed that those two young & stupid in love college kids now are successfully (crossing fingers here) raising two kids, holding down good jobs, living in an amazing home that Mike redid with his own two hands.  I am truly amazed by what we have built together.  I am beyond blessed and forever thankful.
And in PA today I bought myself a pair of red cowboy boots.  <3 p="p" them.="them.">

gt day 10

Today I am thankful for my children.  I'm still amazed that I've raised such good smart children.  I am blessed.

gt #9

I took the day off of school to attend Betty's funeral.  It was a touching service which ended with Pastor Tom saying, "I like to think that on Monday morning at five am, Smitty drove this Model T to collect his sweetheart and take her to heaven.  Life can be the fairy tale we want it to be.  And for that I am thankful.

gt day 8

Went to calling hours for Betty Smith today.  Betty has been a mainstay in our lives since we first moved to Thompson back in 1992.  Her grandson, Adam is one of my favorite students ever.  Brian and Jason are two of Mike's all time favorite students.  I've always wanted to be like Betty.  She just loves you and tells you what's what.  {however, as Mike so lovingly pointed out, Betty could take it as well as dish it out...I'd have to learn to take it if I want to be like Betty.} She finally is at home, where she's really wanted to be since her Smitty died some 15+ years ago.  I know she's celebrating, but I'm going to miss her.  So I'm thankful that I knew Betty and that I got to see Adam {fresh back from Germany for the funeral} and that the Smiths have been a part of my life.

gt #7

Today is a day where I've had to really think about what I'm thankful for.  It's been one of those days.  I had tons of paperwork to do at school (some due to procrastination ~ don't judge)  some personal issues (I'm not a nice person) and a long day (conferences)  just made for a day not to be too thankful for.  However, by the end of the evening I was feeling pretty proud of myself.  I wrote 2 IEP's today.    TWO!   Yes, I will need to proof and revise, but the hard work is done.  So I am thankful for the three and  half hours I was forced to be at school today because I got so much work done.

#31 and gt day #6

Today I am thankful for a number of things:  #1  My brother, Bob is flying into Cleveland for meetings and has time to come and visit us here in Madison.  I haven't seen him since April, so it will be great to spend some time together.  I also heard that Mitt Romney and Joe Biden will also be at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport around the same time he's landing, so I hope he is able to get in and out quickly!  Which brings me to #2 I am SOOOOOOO thankful that it's election day {no school ~ so I had a clandestine rendeavu with my loving husband at McDonald's} and the political ads will END.  No more recorded phone calls.  No more annoying political commercials {here come the Christmas ones}. No more debating.  It's OVER.  #3  The SUN IS SHINING and #4 I RAN OUTSIDE.  Life is grand.

Also, I finished book #31 ~ Nora Roberts The Next Always (Book one of The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy).  I've never read Nora Roberts and I think I've finally found my go-to summer read author.  I love a good, happy story where the good guys are good and the bad guys always get what's coming to them.  It's what you would expect in a romance that includes a ghost living in the old Inn.  Don't expect great literature ~ but it's much better written than Twilight or Shades of Grey!  Of course book two is not available from the library on Kindle, so I had to place a hold on the actual book {OH NO}, and book three comes out this week ~ so I'm number 277 in the hold line on that one.
fl: The stone walls stood as they had for more than two centuries, simple, sturdy, and strong. ll: Her boys--and his--their boys let out whoops and cheers, and ran toward him with dogs barking at their heels.

gt day 5

Today I am thankful for a husband who is up for anything.  Today is our first YOGA class.  I have wanted to take a yoga class because I think it will be good for me as a runner.  I think many of my injuries are due to a weak core (and why would I want to do core work on my own?) and lack of flexibility.  So the secretary and I decided to sign up for a class.  and she bailed.  and Mike said he'd do it with me.  We missed class #1 because we had to work bingo last Monday, so we go in a class late, not knowing what we're doing and I'm afraid I'll fart.  I told Mike that, as a man, it's his responsibility to claim my farts, but I don't think he bought it.  Nevertheless, I'm so thankful not to have to do this alone, even if I have to claim my own.

gt #4

Today I am thankful for memories.
On our way to church this morning, I look back at the kids and Patrick is playing his DS.  "Are you playing Pokemon?"  I ask.
"yep" ~ and we just laugh.  Oh the memories of my little boys playing Pokemon on their DS's in the car.
We reminisced about the time Jacob, sitting in the seat playing Pokemon, said, "We have to go back."
"Jacob, we're not going back."
"We have to go back."
"Why?"
"I forgot my pants."
Sure enough the kid was sitting there in his boxer shorts.  We went back.

And then we pulled into the church parking lot.  Mike says, "Save your game."  And Patrick replies, "A little late to be of any good."  True enough.  Mike would say that every week as we pulled into Thompson, not the parking lot.  Oh the tears, "I can't save, I'm in the middle of a battle."
Time flies, but we are left with the best memories.

giving thanks day 3

Today I am thankful for the sunshine that is trying its hardest to peek out from behind the gray clouds.  I think it's been well over a week since I've actually seen the sun.  And I miss it.  Even though it's only 40 degrees outside, it makes me want to get out there and soak some up.
Thank you, Lord, that there is always sunshine after the storm.  Even if you have to wait a long time for it, there is always the promise that it will come.

giving thanks day 2

Today I am thankful for finally getting to see The Hunger Games.  Girton and I planned on going together...but, life got in the way.  Mike is headed to the Cavs game and my bright idea was to borrow Gracie's copy and have a movie night.  I mentioned it to Chris today at work, and she can make it.  I am excited.

#30

David Baldacci's Split Second is book #30 ~ here on the first day of November {the official give thanks month}  And I am Thankful for a great book on my Kindle.  This is a library book...{How do you check out a digital book...it's m*A.g*i.C}  This one kept me guessing and thinking and trying to put the pieces together.  I was very happy that it was good, because the only other Baldacci I've ever read was Christmas Train...and that {despite the fact that I wanted to ride the train} was a really poorly written book.  I will give Baldacci a third chance...and he sure has a lot to pick from!
fl: It only took a split second, although to Secret Service agent Sean King it seemed like the longest split second ever.  ll: And they officially clinked glasses on it.