Where Are My Pants?

I guess I have to drag out my long underwear for the race!!

I sure hope it doesnt snow...

Luckily in Iowa this week it is supposed to be up to the 30s and maybe 40s...so I will probably try to brave a practice run outside. Maybe.

Dinner Will Drag Me Down

Some foods NOT to eat before you go running:

1. Taco Salad

2. Anything with HERBS (ie. herb cream cheese)

3. Anything with SPICES (ie. Mexican food)

4. Anything with any flavor at all!!

All this I have learned from experience. Yet, somehow I keep forgetting. I go to lunch and it is sooooo good...and then I go running 5 hours later and I regret having a nice burrito for lunch. So, on the day of the race, I shall eat...something very plain!!!

So, Lucy and Gma are going to be there to cheer us on. Now we really can't flake, I guess.

Gonna Run Baby Run!!

I think the Kings of Leon said it great when they said, “Gonna run baby run like a stream down the mountainside…with the wind at my back, I wont ever even bat an eye.” There is more to the song, but I like that line, because when I am running, and I am feeling like not running, it makes me run just a little bit faster.

Maybe you have guessed what I am getting at; I am running again. Still not love-love-loving it, but somehow there is a peace to it once you hit a certain pace that is…pretty nice. And of course when you are done, it is great. And I don’t mean great because it’s over, but great because it does give you a certain high feeling which is nice. A long run and a glass of wine and I am toast!

All the experts say the best way to make sure you keep up with your training is to sign up for a race. That means you have to train, because if you don’t train you will either run really badly at the race, or skip the race all together. So, on top of that they tell you to sign up for a race and tell a bunch of people. So that way you will hopefully NOT skip the race OR do badly because now people are going to watch you and ask you about it later and you will want to save yourself the embarrassment.

Having said that, I feel the need to inform everyone that I signed up for a race. I signed Mr. Lovely up too, so now he can’t flake out either. He actually is the one that suggested it – the New Bedford (his home town) half marathon. He has wanted to run a half marathon for a while now and what better than one in his very own home town! So he finally convinced me to do it as well, although I have not been running for the last year and now I am in Iowa, where it is negative many frosty toes wind chill factor degrees outside!

Running in Louisiana was interesting – it was usually very hot, sometimes kind of chilly and once in a while (winter time mostly) perfect. There are running trails everywhere and when Mira and I needed a long run, we just ran from the office; it was about 10 miles to our hotel from there. Here in Iowa, in the middle of winter, there are not many choices. Apparently, from what I can see, they DO have a lot of running trails, but right now they are not really accessible. I did try to run outside one time – it was probably about 20 degrees outside. I ran for about 4 minutes, and then walked the rest of the 2 mile loop. I have not gone back there again. I have been running on the treadmill, which is a drag. It is already hard enough to run for an hour straight but on the treadmill all you have to stare at for an hour is the wall. Needless to say, I have been staring at the wall a lot.

Ironically enough, I am a little worried about the weather in Massachusetts; it will be cold. Perhaps I should go outside and run after all. Do a little “weather” training instead of strength training…

So, will my treadmill training pay off? I don’t know, but yesterday I ran 8 miles, so now I know that I can run 13 – once you get going, it gets easier and easier. So, I may not finish fast, but I will finish! Will I freeze before reaching the finish? Maybe I will, but if I do make it to the end, I expect a nice glass of wine waiting for me!

Homeward Bound

Tonight I get on a plane and go...home...yay! I am very excited to see the family and some long lost friends, get some work done and eat some real Mexican food! First stop will be Sacramento, which is just a jumping off point and a convenient place to buy groceries and to stock up on...well, anything really. Then a bit of a drive home to see my mom...yay! Dinner plans for Saturday night include Sara, Grant and Jay, games and pork loin, cooked by Mr. Lovely.

After putting Mr. Lovely to work, Mom and I will lay around and read and eat bon-bons... hehe... No, I want to show him around the local area etc... Then we will go to San Francisco, which I am very excited about as well, as I have not been there in...seems like years! When I was home last time I did not get a chance to go to the city -- I want to eat and eat and eat!!

Anyway, cant wait to see everyone!! California here I come!