I think I’ll remember my own LIFE

So…I just wanted to let you know (because I know you totally want to do this), you can order me flowers for after I finish the race.  Just go here, and place the order.  It’s THAT simple.  I’ll get to pick them up after I finish.

We can call it a congratulations/happy birthday gift.  And come on…they’re so cheap!  I know you all want to let me know what a great job I did.

Ok…so yeah…that was actually pretty hard to type with a straight face.  I know my friends.  I’m pretty sure none of you will want to order me flowers (for either a congratulations OR a happy birthday.)  You’re all a bunch of sucky friends :-P  And…there are some readers I don’t know as well…but I’m thinking you probably won’t want to send me flowers either.  Sigh. 

So I’ll just look sadly at all the runners with their cool flowers. 

Ok…enough with the flowers already. 

I made my hamburger helper yesterday.  It was surprisingly not awful.  I’m still not really sure why I wanted it so badly.  Especially considering I had never eaten it before in my life…but whatever.  At least now I can say I’ve had hamburger helper. 

I also had a weird baking fit…and made a cake.  Except…not a normal cake.  I felt the urge to make a tuxedo cake.  But I made about half the size of the recipe.  And I’m not sure what to do with the rest of the cake.  I brought in a few slices today to give to the guys…but I still have half the cake.  I’d really rather not eat that all myself (ok…that’s a GIANT LIE.  I would rather eat it all myself…but that would be bad.  So I won’t). 

I’m guessing most of it will go in the trash.  What a waste.  But it was fun to make!

I’m now super nervous about Sunday.  Especially since today is my last day of work this week.  (I love our company’s policy of 4-day weekends.)  Awesomeness.

However, now I won’t have the option of work to distract me from thinking about the race.  My doctor did give me a cortisone shot in my knee the other day which will hopefully help with it’s running ability.  But we’ll see. 

Other than that…I got nothing.

3 days to the race…and 6 days to my birthday!  Hope you all got me something good

Enjoy your labor day weekend.  I’m not sure how often I’ll be posting the next week from all my traveling so enjoy the week too! 

I swear to God if ONE more person asks me if I’m pregnant I may just go psycho and start running around stabbing things.  I AM NOT PREGNANT!!!

I don’t care what you think about my weird food cravings and awful funk I’ve been in…I’m not pregnant.

Phew.  Feels nice to get that off my chest. 

Seriously…after that post yesterday…I received about 15 emails from my friends asking me if I was sure I wasn’t pregnant.  (Although I do appreciate people asking me in email and not in my comments for my mom and dad to start wondering as well).  But seriously people.  Did you all REALLY think I was????  Do you know NOTHING about me?

Anyways, moving on.  I attempted to make hamburger helper last night for dinner as planned…then realized I don’t know how to follow directions.  I apparently needed milk to make hamburger helper…which is unfortunately missing from my refrigerator at this time.  I ate some more chicken and rice and corn instead.  I plan to buy some milk on my way home and make the hamburger helper tonight.  Hopefully…that will cure that weird craving.  Still no plans to solve my hotdog craving.  But I’ll just take them one at a time. 

I did do my run yesterday.  The weather was really odd.  It was actually almost cold out…I had goosebumps for the first mile, but it was also really humid…so I managed to work up a sweat pretty quickly and was warm after the first mile.  (I’m still not sure how weather was cold and humid…but it was. We get some weird weather here). 

Also…I LOVE taper week.  I only had to run 3 miles…and seriously…after running 10 on Saturday…3 seemed like a piece of cake.  I have to do some sort of cross-training tonight…does cleaning count?  I’ll actually probably just do the resistance band workout again plus my pushups and clean.  I think that should give me at least 30 minutes of cross training activity right? 

I’m getting very nervous about running on Sunday.  I have this awful fear that this race will be a DNF and I will feel pathetic.  I’m still obsessively checking the website for updates and double-checking times and locations (I also have a fear we will get to the shuttles too late and miss the start the of the race).  Apparently I worry a lot.  They closed the online registration, but last time I looked they were pretty much sold out.  That’s a lot of people to be running with. 

I also keep going back and forth in my head about whether I should just ignore the doctor and try to run the whole thing (my knee isn’t bothering me as much lately on my runs) and my doctor is always overly cautious when it comes to injuries, or if I should stick with my run one, walk one plan that I think totally sucks. 

I am trying not to think about the running aspect of the weekend.  Instead, I’m trying to think about how excited I am to see Figgs and R this weekend.  I haven’t seen Figgs since last Halloween, and it’s been a month or two since I’ve seen R.  So that part is going to be super fun.  We also have a super awesome plan for Sunday night after the race. 

Actually, we have a bunch of fun things to do after the race.  There’s the music festival (Hello Billy Idol and the B-52s!) which I will be attending in my pegged jeans, legwarmers, and day-glo shirts.  (Ok…it will probably be too hot for that…but you get the idea).  And I’ll tell you the other plans we have after we get back from the race.  Just in case we chicken out haha. 

Anyways, only 4 more days to go!

Has anyone else been in a funk this ENTIRE summer?  Or is it just me? 

I’m not really sure what’s up…but seriously.  I’m annoying even MYSELF with how irritating my mood is. 

Anyways, I finally snapped last night and decided I needed to do SOMETHING that would make me feel better.  I randomly decided to do a “summer clean” (like a spring clean…just a season late).  I went to Target (yay shopping!) and bought all sorts of fun cleaning supplies. 

I ATTACKED my bathroom last night.  Seriously…attacked. 

I usually clean my bathroom once a week (nothing worse than having a dirty room where you spend the most time naked) but last night was a super deep clean.  I scrubbed my tub for about an hour last night (yay using chemicals and a not well ventilated space) and it looks FANTASTIC!  It looks better than it did when I moved in.  I also deep cleaned the counter and the toilet and the floor.  Seriously.  My bathroom is awesome. 

I also cleaned the dining room and the living room.  Most of my clutter is either in the dumpster or on the proper shelf somewhere. 

I washed all my bedding (probably not the best idea to wash my comforter at 8:00 last night…It took a real long time to dry before I could go to sleep).  I reorganized my closet (again) and sorted through some of my books. 

Tonight after running, I plan to do my kitchen (which is a HORRIBLE room and it always looks cluttered b/c of it’s awful layout) and my guest bedroom.  Since I have a guest coming on Friday, he should probably be able to use the bed…you know.  If I want to be a good host and all. 

So…I’m still in a funk…but at least it will be a clean funk!

Also…I have been randomly CRAVING the WEIRDEST foods.  For example.  I want hamburger helper.  I have NEVER in my life eaten the stuff.  But for some reason all I can think about is eating hamburger helper.  I finally broke down a bought a box last night.  I plan to cook it for dinner tonight.  We’ll see if I even like it…or if I think it’s disgusting. 

And…hot dogs.  I don’t usually like hot dogs.   I haven’t eaten a hot dog in YEARS.  However, I have been craving hot dogs for about a week now.  Maybe I should make a meal of hamburger helper and hot dogs.  Yum. 

So how does everyone else get themselves out of a funk?  I’ve got nothing…

This weekend was definitely interesting. Friday night was enjoyable (how could it be anything but).  I actually CANNOT remember where we went.  I just know it involved food and beer (however, I swear there was not enough beer consumed to explain me not remembering it).  Apparently my memory is just a bit shoddy.  Saturday invovled waking up at the butt crack of dawn (not really…it was like 7:30) and driving out to the West End to get my car inspected (stupid state inspections) since it’s due by the end of this week. When I got to the dealer, there was this lady in the waiting room that should have been in a freaking hospital…NOT at the car dealer. 

She and her husband were there.  The lady was wrapped up in a blanket like it was a shroud, moaning and shivering.  Like she was on her death bed. 

I am SUCH a germ-o-phobe.  I get SO angry when sick people go out and bring their sick germs everywhere.  (I’m not talking about a cold or something lame like that…but when you’re really sick…STAY HOME!).  Seriously, she sounded like she was dying of the plague or something.  I had brough a coffee in with me, but she got within a foot of it, and I refused to drink it in case she had breathed on it.  I felt like I was attempting to hold my breath for the 30-40 minutes I was in the waiting room.

Seriously.  If your husband is there…why do you need to be there as well???????  Argh. 

When I got to my car I slathered the anti-bacterial hand gel all over my hands (which I know doesn’t really do anything…but it’s a psychosomatic thing). 

Ok rant over.

After I left the dealer I went home, put on my clothes and went for my 10 mile walk/run.  Which took FOREVER…but whatever.  I did it.  It’s done.  And makes me feel that I should at least be able to FINISH the half marathon this Sunday.  We’ll see how the knee feels

I was supposed to be in South Carolina today meeting a vendor…but…I was driving there yesterday and I’m about half way there and I get a call from the vendor cancelling the meeting.  Blah!  So I turned around and drove back to VA.  Lovely 8 hours of driving for nothing.  I get home, and I’m watching TV…and I remember at like 10:30…I was supposed to do my fantasy football draft that night.  ARGH. 

Yeah…missed that one. 

And my auto-draft?  Pretty shitty.  This should be an interesting season. 

Anyways, I’m getting super nervous for this weekend.  Stupid pre-race jitters.  All I know is that at least I won’t be dead last (I have plans to knock K and Figgs over at the finish line if that’s what it takes to beat them). 

At least this week is a taper week…so I won’t be freaking myself out over bad longer runs.  Right? 

So I totally had the best title ever if I DIDN’T get the position.  Come on…how awesome would this be if I got rejected from the program?  “‘Dear Baby, Welcome to Dumpsville. Population : You.” or…”You tried your best and failed miserably.  The lesson is: never try”. 

However, unfortunately, I had a little more problems coming up with a positive title. 

And in case the title hasn’t already given it away…

I GOT THE POSITION!!! 

I rock.  That is all. 

Today is a day of pictures that make me happy.

Two years ago, I was visiting a friend in Minnesota and we went to the Body Worlds exhibit at a museum in Minneapolis.  This was my 3rd trip to this exhibit (I’d already seen it once in Philly and once in New York) so I wasn’t as in awe of this time around.  Also…my friend didn’t realize they were real people and got kind of grossed out by the whole thing when I explained what the exhibit actually was (and I got claustrophobic from all the people in at once), so…we ended up going through the exhibit kind of quickly.   Also…goodness that was quite the run-on sentence there.

However, the rest of the museum was fun.  But I’m embarassed to admit that the best part of the museum was the bathroom.  Seriously. 

I went into the stall, and turned to shut the door and there was this awesome poster hanging on the door:

For some reason I can’t get the picture to post smaller and open up larger…but whatever.  If you can’t read it it’s all about Binky going for a jog one morning and needing to take a porta-potty break. He wonders where all the poop inside the porta-potty goes.  Conveniently, the person in charge of picking it up and disposing of the waste just happens to open the door at that point and explains the whole process to Binky. 

Pretty lame yes, however, the BEST part of this poster had to be the last frame:

Bye Bye Poopies.  For the last two years now, EVERY time I poop and flush the toilet…I always think “bye bye poopies”.  And every time…it makes me laugh.  (I apparently have the same sense of humor as a 10 year old…but moving on).  Seriously…my favorite picture of the entire trip. 

A friend also asked me to help her design a tattoo she’s goign to get on the top of her foot.  She wanted something running related that wasn’t a shoe with wings (or even wings on her actual foot).  This is one that I came up with. 

She would need to have the artist clean it up…but what do you think?  Ugly or cute? 

Anyways, I should probably go do some work now. 

Have a lovely weekend!

I actually managed to leave work at a normal time yesterday (oh yeah).  So K and I went shopping for some new walking shoes for her.  She signed up for the half marathon!  Awesome.  So even though she’s just going to walk it I’m super excited we got another person doing it.  Also…she hasn’t done ANY training…so her completing this thing will just be another reason to laugh at me for taking as long as I will  :-)  (that logic makes sense in my head…but I’m not sure how to convey it to anyone else haha).

Anyways, I finally found a new sports bra (I’m sure the guys are as excited to hear this as I am to write it haha).  Under Armour I love you!  (Although I don’t love your prices).  This thing is hard core.  There will be no required doubling up.  Seriously…I’m strapped in so tight the girls won’t be going ANYWHERE.  Always fun.  I will be doing a test run with it on Friday to make sure it will be comfortable enough for the half marathon. 

I found a wrist “pocket” as well that can carry my pack of sport beans and my key.  (Since my timing chip will be in the place my key normally goes).  I hate having shorts that don’t have pockets.  I’m not a huge fan about having this thing around my wrist…but I guess it’s better than having to carry them. 

I’m torn about bringing my camera on the run.  Since I’m not going to be running this for a serious time…pictures could be fun to have.  But do I really want to carry a camera around in my sports bra for 13 miles?  That will probably be a race day decision.

Not counting today, the race is in 10 days.  I’m beginning to get super nervous about my lack of training these past few weeks (stupid knee that STILL hurts).  I know I promised myself I was just going to treat this as a fun run…but I REALLY wanted it to be a good run.  I feel like all the running leading up to this month was so hard for me to do…and I stuck with it and I was doing so good…and I feel like it was all a waste now.  (I know…running is never a waste…but it’s just so disappointing).  I managed to ramp up from barely running a mile to being able to run 8.  Now…I can barely run 2 in a row.  It’s just so disappointing. 

I’m hoping that having Figgs and K there with me will make me feel better about not having a hardcore run and I’ll be able to just have a good time. 

Anyways, I’m just going to spend the rest of the week trying to get excited about walking half the race. 

Has anyone else been running around like a chicken without a head lately? 

I went from having no work to do, to being slammed with work.  I actually really like being busy, I love having work to do, I just hate when I get 6 new projects all at once all with the same deadlines.  It seriously cuts into my internet time. 

My vacation is definitely cancelled…which totally SUCKS!  So…I need to find me some good things to do in Indiana to make up for the fact that I will not be on vacation as expected.  I’m trying to work out a way to go to Indiana and also go on vacation after that.  We’ll see how that goes. 

The running kind of sucked yesterday.  I apparently think the sun goes down much later than it really does (or else I am under the mistaken assumption I can run much faster than I really can).  I got to the park last night and ran 2 miles and the sun was pretty much gone after that.  I got chased out by the cops again which was fun. 

Luckily tonight is just the resistance band workout and Week 4 of the push-ups.  I FINALLY moved on.  (Only took about a month).  I can do those any time of the day.  So there should be no chasing by the cops (at least I would hope not). 

I am beginning to feel like all I do anymore is eat, go to work, run, and sleep.  I haven’t even been able to have a decent happy hour lately I’m so tired from work.  That’s just tragic when you think about it.  My friends are beginning to wonder what’s wrong with me and why I don’t like them anymore.  Sigh.  Hopefully this week/weekend will be free. 

All in all…I’m super boring and I’ve got nothing else to share.  (Ok…I really am boring when all I do is work).  Sucks. 

Have a good time tonight without me guys!

Having a dream about running is basically the same as waking up and actually GOING running right?  Because I totally had the best dream this morning.  My alarm went off around 5 this morning, and of course the snooze button had to be hit (I always hit snooze at least once before waking up).  Apparently, I hit off…not snooze…b/c I had this weird dream that I woke up, got dressed and went running.  And it was the BEST RUN EVER!  I ran 8 miles in about 50 minutes and I wasn’t tired or anything. 

When I woke up for real, I was kind of confused if I really had gone running…then I realized there is no way I can run that fast for real so it must have been a dream.  However, it was such a good dream, I decided I could skip my running that morning and sleep in a little longer.  (Yeah…it doesn’t take much for me to convince myself to keep sleeping).  I’ll just run again this afternoon.

I also did my walk/run 4 miles yesterday so I’m not too concerned about missing this morning. 

My vacation also most likely just got cancelled.  Which is definitely upsetting me.  I had plans to take off the first week of September (it’s the half marathon AND my birthday that week) and go to the shore and then home.  But apparently now I will be going to Indiana for the second half of the week.  ARGH.  Stupid Indiana.  I don’t want to go to work on my birthday.  (And yes…I AM whining…bite me).

Anybody know of any fun things to do in Indiana? 

So this was a crazy weekend.  I managed to give my presentation on Friday and not mess it up TOO badly.  I still spoke too fast (actually, one of the director’s at the meeting mocked me a little at the meeting and asked me to take a breath.) but my manager told me that other than the speed of my presentation…it was done well and I answered the questions in a “smart” manner…whatever that means. 

There were some crazy storms that day, so I didn’t bother with a run…and went straight to the bars.  Always fun.  I tried a yummy berry wheat beer that totally made up for the awfulness of the last fruit beer I tried.  Sadly, I have NO idea what kind of beer it was…it was just really good.  So…if I ever make it back to that bar I know what I will be drinking

I finally tried to run again on Saturday.  My knee is still sore and swollen from a week (? how long has it been now?) ago but it’s just really frustrating me not being able to go out and run when I want to (especially since the half marathon is in 2 weeks…ugh).  And yes mom and dad…I went to the doctor…they don’t see anything worrisome.  So Saturday I was determined to do something even if it hurt (I never claimed to be intelligent…).  I managed to do a 6-mile “run” except it wasn’t really a run.  I walked a mile, ran a mile, and repeated this 3 times until 6 miles was finished.  I wanted to do an 8 or a 10 mile repeat, but it got dark and the cops kicked me out of the park (seriously, a cop came along the path and blew his whistle and told me I had to leave.)  I felt like quite the little delinquent. 

My knee actually held up ok for this “run” so I think my NEW plan for the half marathon is to do this run/walk a mile thing for the full 13.1 miles.  I guess I’ll see how my knee holds up for that.  And my last desperate attempt to finish will be to just walk the damn thing.  But I really don’t want to do that if I don’t have to. 

I also watched the woman’s marathon on TV.  However, the announcer calling their initial 2:30 pace a “pedestrian” pace made me kind of hang my head in shame since I’m not expecting to do much better than a 3 hour time for the HALF-marathon.  Sigh.