Lazy List Day

I am taking the lazy way out today and copying one of my favorite bloggers by doing a quick recap of the week, TGIF style.

The highlight of my week was my extra day off on Monday. I went for a leisurely run and it was a beautiful day and the sun was shining and I couldn't have asked for a much better day. Except if the day included a breakfast with thick cut bacon, an avocado bubble tea and a few really good craft beers, which Monday did include!

The low point of my week was a sickness that has taken hold of me. It started with an overall achy feeling and a minor sore throat and blossomed into a can-barely-swallow or concentrate kind of thing with a side of headache and exhaustion. It's really put a crimp in my running style, which was not really doing very well in the first place. 

The best book I read was probably Orange is the New Black. I am currently also reading Wonder and Behind the Beautiful Forevers, which are both really good so far.

This week's workouts were not super great. As I mentioned in the "low point" section, I have been sick for most of the week. Luckily I did get a chance to go hiking on Saturday and snowshoeing on Sunday, as well as my leisurely run on Monday. Other than that, I have been lying pretty darn low, workout wise.

The best money I spent was a on a lot of good food and a couple of new beers on Monday! I tried a 7 Seas Rude Parrot IPA, the Maritime Jolly Roger Christmas Ale and the Fremont Triple Trifecta.

My plans this weekend include some trail runs (hopefully) if I am not too sick, a lot of reading and relaxing if I am, and a bunch of errands, such as grocery shopping and cleaning.

What are your plans this weekend? What good books have you read lately?

Jed Smith 50k

Last year, after running the Jedediah Smith 50k, I said to myself that I probably would not run this race again and that I would rather, "sit in the sun and drink beer and watch everyone else run by me 6 times." Unfortunately, this year it was supposed to rain, so I signed up for the race again.

It is a 4.9 mile loop on the American River Bike Path that you do 6 times, plus a little out and back at the beginning to bring the total up to 31 miles. However, as I mentioned in this post, it is the first Pacific USA Track and Field (PAUSATF, otherwise known as "PA") race of the year, and after having some down time in December, it's fun to get the season started, to see some of your racing buddies, and to get the legs moving.

The course is set up so that the start/finish line is in the parking lot of the park, so you can park your car and open up the back and have a personal "aid station" right there in the parking lot. That is what we did.

Car Aid Station and Finish Line Party

Although it was supposed to rain the entire morning, it actually only sprinkled on us a few times. It was also very warm and humid, as opposed to last year, when it was quite chilly! Since I had sprained my ankle a few weeks back and was still taking it easier on myself, I went into this race with the attitude that I would just run it at a steady easy pace and that if I felt ANY pain, I would stop and walk or just not finish at all. It's not worth injuring myself worse just to finish a silly race.

The first out and back was fun, as you see everyone in front of and behind you. It is about a mile and a half long in total. It got back to the start line in 13:19.  Then the loops start....

Loop 1 and 2 (58:13 and 44:31 / 8:49 and 9:05/mi): I ran both of these with a friend, and we kept up an easy conversation as we ran along. These miles went by quickly, until she stopped to go to the restroom and I carried on.

Loop 3 (44:09 / 9:01/mi): I put on my headphones in order to dull the boredom. I got lapped by two of the lead runners at the beginning of this loop. I remember thinking that last year I was nearer to the end of this loop when they lapped me.

Loop 4 (45:44 / 9:20/mi): My headphones died, leaving me with nothing. I kept getting passed by the lead runners, and it was fine, but it did keep reminding me that I was not running as fast as I should be.

Loop 5 (46:52 / 9:34/mi): As I started this loop, my ankle was starting to feel a little stiff. It wasn't really in pain, but I was starting to baby it, and this caused the other side of my foot to start to ache. On top of this, the fact that I hadn't run in three weeks was catching up to me. I told myself that if I could just finish this last loop, which would take me to a marathon distance, in less than 4 hours, I would walk the last loop. I got to the end of the fifth loop at 3:59.

Loop 6 (53:24 / 10:54/mi): As I neared the end of loop five, a friend said to me, "hurry and finish so you can have some soup", and in my mind I was thinking that I really could not wait, but on the other hand, now I was going to walk! I started to walk along and in my mind I was doing running math: if I walked a 15 minute mile, it would take me about an hour and 15 minutes to get to the end; if I ran a 10 minute mile, I could be done in 50 minutes. So I started to run once again.

A bit of a puddle

I finished in 4:52, which is about a half an hour slower than last year. However, I felt pretty good, aside from some soreness in the bottoms of my feet, which haven't been used as much lately as they normally have. I came in 4th in my age group. What I didn't know is that I was only 1 minute behind the 3rd place girl and 3 minutes behind 2nd place. If only I hadn't walked on that last lap!

The best part about the race was that we sat around afterward eating and drinking beers and watching everyone else come in and it only rained on us a little bit. I used to head home right after I raced, but one of the things I have learned over the years is that we don't run these for the race itself; we run them for the after party!

So, another Jed Smith in the books. Will I run it again? I want to say no, but the answer is probably yes.

Have you ever repeated a race? Do you stay after races or do you go home right away? 

Looking Back: January

Although January is a symbol of a new year, and you can essentially wipe clean the slate and start over, it is still one of  my least favorite months. Luckily I live in a place without snow or extreme cold, which means I am still able to go outside each day to run or hike, but for some reason, I am always a little bit glad when the month is over.

Running: The month started off great, with a New Year's day run with friends, a marathon Fat Ass on the first weekend, and many other great days out on the trails. Since I am training for a few upcoming races, I am supposed to be running roughly 50 - 60 mile weeks, and I was on track for that. Unfortunately, mid month I sprained my ankle and was unable to run for the last couple of weeks of the month. I ended up with about 189 miles for the month (out of approximately 275 total planned miles).

Reading: Due to not running as much, it allowed me to step up my reading game a bit. In January I read 5 books. Actually, all of them were pretty good! My favorite was probably The Tipping Point (4 stars). The other four were:

China Dolls (4 stars) 
Little Big Lies (3 stars)
Goodnight June (4 stars)
Astray (4 stars)

Traveling: I went up to visit my parents for MLK weekend and had a great time hiking and exploring and playing board games with them. I even took the dog and she had so much fun running around off leash, acting like a dog. We also had a salamander hunt, ate Mickey Mouse waffles and ran a few miles on the snowy PCT. In addition to that, I went up to Sonoma county to see the Styx in concert. I haven't seen so many cougars in spandex pants all in one place in a long time!

Exploring with Mom, Dad and Emi

Misc: I was dogsitting a lot in January, so in addition to my running miles, I probably walked an additional 20 miles just by walking the dog twice a day. Also, since I could not run, I took advantage of a sunny day and took a really nice long bike ride around town. It was a lot of fun, although I may need to buy some of those funny padded shorts if I am going to do long rides in the future! My tush was sore the next day!

Alameda bike ride

How was your January? Did it go by quickly or slowly? What is your least favorite month of the year?

The Kick Off

This weekend kicks off a new season of racing that I thought I was ready for but now I am not so sure. (You thought I was going to be talking about football, didn't you?) Last year, I started off the season with the same race as I will this year, the Jed Smith 50k. I remember last year thinking after I had finished that I was, "never going to run this race again." It is roughly a 5 mile loop on pavement that you run 6 times in order to get to 50k (31 miles). However, it's amazing what 9 or 10 months will do, because I signed up again this year. However, I have been nursing an ankle injury, so I may just go sit on the sidelines and cheer.

In addition to Jed Smith, there are a few key races I will be doing this year that I am really looking forward to.

- Gorge Waterfall 100k: This race is close to Portland, in the Columbia Gorge area near Cascade Locks. I have been hiking in the area before and so I know that it is beautiful. The course has a ton of waterfalls on it as well; you can see them in this video by the Ginger Runner (go to about 2 min. to see the course). It is an out and back with about 12,000 ft. of elevation. I am looking forward to it, as I am traveling up there with some friends and we have rented an airbnb in the Hawthorne district of Portland and we will stay for a couple of days in addition to the race. I am really hoping it does not rain though! 

- Lake Sonoma 50M:  This race is one of those that always brings the big names. It is an out and back with about 10,500 ft of elevation gain. It is also a Montrail Ultra Cup race, meaning that the top two men and women qualify for an entry into Western States. Last year the top men were Zach Miller, Rob Krar and Sage Canaday. This year there are some good local boys such as Alex Varner and Dylan Bowman. These men will finish in about 6 hours, whereas I will be hanging out about 4 hours behind them. However, it will be fun to be part of such an important race. (This is a good video of the 2014 race by Billy Yang).

- Tahoe Rim Trail 100M: Yes, I did it; I signed up for a hundred mile race. Am I nervous? You betcha. I know I can finish, unless something goes horribly wrong, but I would like to do well. I know it is my first hundred, so my goal should really just be to FINISH. However, I would like to finish well under the 35 hour cut off time if possible. This will be a great race; I have done the 50M before, and the 100M is two 50 mile loops starting at about 7,000 ft. with a max elevation of about 9,500 ft. and a total gain of about 20,000 ft. There will be literally dozens of people there who I know, which I feel will be good motivation to keep moving. This race will be like a huge all night party with all of my friends.

In addition to these, there will be smaller, local races thrown in the mix, as well as times when I will be crewing and pacing friends for their big events. All in all, it is shaping up to be a great racing season and I cannot wait to kick it off!

Do you have any big races on the calendar this year? Will you travel for them or do you normally stay closer to home? If you are not a runner, what big plans do you have for weekend trips this summer?

Currently: January

Wow - this week has flown by! I love short weeks because I still have the same amount of work to get done but less days to do it in, so the days go by very quickly. I have also been dog sitting, so I have been getting up even earlier in order to take the dog out before work. This makes for long days, but at the same time they seem to be very short. 

Current Book - I am all over the show lately with books. I am currently reading The Tipping Point on my Kindle and The Virgin's Lover in hardback and I have 2 other actual books checked out from the library and 4 e-books! I am on a roll this month though and have already read three books. Let's see if we can keep this train moving! 

Current Running Path - New Years Day run: Mt. Tam summit #1. Last year a local ran to the summit 100 times. It's about 2,500 ft high. Last year I ran to the summit once. Maybe this year we will make it twice!

Current Drink - Strawberry smoothie with coconut water and yogurt 

Current Excitement - I am in travel planning frenzy and am currently booking up all of my summer weekends...   

Current fashion trend - Ultra runners and their beards. Did you know there is a twitter page for ultra runner Rob Krar's beard? Beard is the new mustache. What's next, I wonder?  

Current Favorite Blog/Website - I have been digging Google Calendars lately. I have always used it, but I just set up a shared family page and even have my parents using it. It's fun and handy! 

Current Garden Item - dirt

Current Love - My magic bullet! I have been making smoothies and sauces and it's so fun and easy.

Current Food - My go to food has either been salads or baked potatoes lately. I am feeling a bit lazy in the cooking department these days. I blame the dark of winter.

Current Indulgence - Cookies. I am still riding the holiday snack train and I can't get off. 

Currently Pondering - What is going to happen to the Euro? Is anyone keeping up with the news regarding this? 

Current Mood - Tired. Too many things I want to do and not enough time for sleep.

Current New Find - A new running detour, which takes me to this view:

 

Current Peeve - People who don't pick up their dog poo. I ran in the dusk/dark tonight and almost stepped in a huge pile on the SIDEWALK. Yuck. This also reminds me of my peeve regarding lazy people. Grrr.  
 
Current Song - I have always liked this band, and this song is catchy!




Current Triumph - I broke down and bought a nice down jacket (the Ghost Whisperer) with some of my Christmas money. Why is this a triumph? Well, I got it at about half price and I have been wanting one for a long time but I have been biding my time... I am excited to try it out! 
 
Current TV Show -  I watched Orange Is The New Black and enjoyed it (and am waiting for the next season to be released on Netflix). I also started watching Breaking Bad (finally) and am about half way through the second season. So far so good.

Current Wish-List - There are a lot of things I wish for! I would love to have Scotty beam me somewhere from time to time... but realistically, I am still looking for that perfect sleeping bag that is lightweight and keeps me warm and doesn't cost TOO much (almost impossible). This is the one I am considering, but it is kind of expensive, especially since I would prefer the 20 degree option.

Currently Delaying - This sounds really gross, but the dog I am sitting had a tick and I had to remove it and it was nasty. Yesterday I found another one and today I am hesitant to check her again because I don't want to have to do any more tick removal. It's gross!

What are you delaying? What is your current triumph? What are you reading?

Hi Ho, Hi Ho

I work with 7 guys. It's a bit like this:

Except there are not any deer.

We work in a small office with a long double-sided shared desk, which means I have someone on my left, right and center by about 1 - 2 feet. We can hear everything that the other people are saying. In addition to that, we have the TV on all day on CNBC or Bloomberg, plus we have a thing called the Hoot, which is basically like a CB channel where traders and other people can broadcast things and communicate with each other. It gets a bit loud sometimes.

Men, as you may know, are very simple. They basically talk about three things: money, women and food. When they get mad at each other, they lay it all out there. Fortunately, although I am generally pretty passive aggressive, this situation works for me. You just say what you mean and if someone has a problem with it, they say so, and then you get over it. It's much more efficient that the way that women do it.

However, it is funny how although men are not as bad at back stabbing or talking behind other people's backs, they do it from time to time. That is part of the problem of working so closely together every day. You really have to get along pretty well and carry your own weight, or it affects the entire group. There is one guy who is not quite there, as in he does things halfway and does not pull his own weight, and it really changes the feeling in the room.

I hear a lot of things in that room. I hear the F word at least a dozen times a day (and the S word? too many times to count). I hear the guys talk about their dates, how hot the new newscaster is on CNBC, or how their wife leaves the peanut butter knife out on the counter. They joke around with each other if one of them wears a pink tie or gets a new haircut. They talk about bathroom functions. I hear and know everything about them. And they are like family to me. You know how your brothers always annoyed you but you loved them just the same? That's how it is with these guys. They are my seven annoying, funny, lovable dwarfs. And I am Snow White.

What is your work setting like? Do you work in close quarters with the people you work with? Do you get along with everyone?

Best of 2014: Travel

Well, this about wraps up the "Best of" series, but I have saved the best for last! This year I sure did not get to travel as much as I have in past years, but I did make a point to go and visit a few friends, as well as getting a couple of "vacation" days in! Aside from that, I took many day trips / road trips to closer places like Sonoma county, Tahoe, and the Sierra Nevadas. As I mentioned in my finance wrap up post, travel overall is one of my bigger expenses, and it is not by accident!

Charlotte, NC: In February, I went to visit Lisa in Charlotte, and we had a great time eating our way through Asheville, as well as doing a bit of hiking and a lot of visiting!

Asheville, NC

Sisters, Oregon: A trip that has become a tradition, my yearly visit to Sisters was, as always, full of good runs, fresh air and lots and lots of visiting time with a good friend. In addition, she had just had her newest baby, and it was really good to spend some time with both kids! If you are ever in Sisters, be sure to stop at the Sisters Bakery; they have the biggest apple fritters you have ever seen and they are delicious! 

View from the PCT

New York City: I always love visiting New York and this time was no different! My dad was working there and I took the opportunity to visit him and my mom while the weather was good. We had a great time wandering around, sometimes running, and definitely eating a lot! 

Manhattan Bridge

Mayrhofen, Austria (and surrounds): In September, I spent about 12 days in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Everywhere I went was great, but one of my favorite things was a 5 day Alps hiking trip on the Berlin High Trail near Mayrhofen. Each day I would hike all day and then settle down at one of the huts for some food, maybe a song or two (the Tyroleans like their music!) and a game of cards. It was beautiful and I would go back there in a heartbeat (maybe in winter for some skiing).

Berlin High Trail

Some other highlights included going to Phoenix to pace a friend for the Javelina Jundred, to Boston for Easter with friends and to run the marathon, to Mt. Whitney for a nice three day weekend hike, to the Grand Canyon & Vegas on a road trip, to the Redwoods for a camping trip, to Reno for a race, to Bodega Bay for clam chowder and a walk on the beach and to South Lake Tahoe for MLK day and the Superbowl.

Mt. Whitney trail

2014 was a good year full of fun places and great people and I can't wait to start planning trips for 2015!!

Did you do any traveling this year? Where was your favorite trip?

Best Of 2014: Running

The last year of running has been an interesting one for me.

A few things happened; first I started racing with a team. I joined in order to be more competitive, but what I didn't realize was how many great people I would meet along the way. I have not only made friends within the team I am racing with, but through them, have met many other great people. In addition, once or twice a month, I have been running with a group on the weekends, which is totally new to me. And I like it. Usually I run as a solo artist, but I am beginning to learn that sometimes the miles go quicker when you are with a friend.

Last year I ran 2,552 miles and it was an interesting journey...Some of the highlights were:

Marlette Lake Trail

Running with my friend Kelly. In May, I ran a couple of races where I was injured and under-trained and so I got to run a few races with a friend who normally is a little slower than me. It was a really great chance to get to know each other better and this camaraderie carried easily through the year. In November I had the chance to pace her for the last section of a hundred mile race, and it was good to feel like I was giving something back to her, as she has been super supportive to me this year.

Tahoe Rim Trail

Road trips! It started off in January with a road trip to Sacramento for a race, and the year continued, with road trips for both my own races as well as others. Two of my favorites were a trip to Forrest Hill / Auburn for Western States where we cheered people on and ran around the trails a bit while we waited. The second was a trip up to South Lake Tahoe for the TRT 100. I got a ride up with a virtual stranger who is now a good friend, and I had a great time running on Saturday and cheering for everyone on Sunday. Sometimes the most fun part of the race is the after party and being part of the crowd. I also flew to Pheonix to pace/crew a friend and that was a very exciting trip as well. There is nothing more satisfying than being a part of someone's joy and success.

Getting 2nd place overall female at the Tamalpa 50k. As I was running through the aid stations, people kept shouting out that I was third, and I thought that they just could not count very well, or had missed someone going by. Then at the second to last aid station, they said that I was 2nd woman, and I just thought that this proved my point that they were not really paying enough attention. When I came through the finish shoot, the race director put his arms around me and told me I was second and I was floored! In addition, I got a cool fleece pullover and a drop bag for my efforts!

Anthony Chabot Park

Seeing Broski become a stronger runner as the year has progressed. In March, Broski and I ran the R2R2R together and although it was tough for him, he went on to run the Tamalpa 50k, his first official ultra. In addition, he has really come far in his training and has even signed up for a couple of races in 2015 already!

North Kaibob Trail

Training in the Marin Headlands. They are not really super easy to access (I have to cross a bridge and drive about 20 miles) so I often just run in my own backyard. However, when I do get extra time or have wheels, I love to treat myself with a run in the headlands. The weather is great, the views are fantastic and you can get a decent amount of vertical climb in a relatively short time.

Getting an award!! My running club voted me the ultra runner of the year! It's such an honor, especially since there are a lot of people who are faster, volunteer more, are nicer and who run more races than me.

There are really just too many to list. Other highlights included a Rim to Rim to Rim run at the Grand Canyon, getting to run Boston after the terror of last year's race, and running my first 100k in May. 

So what is on the agenda for this year? Hopefully more fun, more road trips, races and friends. Definitely a lot of hard work, as I have signed up for a 100 mile race this summer! It will be interesting to see where my training takes me and whether or not I become a sniveling mess after running 80 miles.... More on that later!

What were your top running moments in 2014? What are your 2015 fitness goals? 

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

I feel that I have always been a pretty frugal spender. However, I do not skimp when it comes to certain things. Interesting though, is how my "actual" spending list stacks up to my perceived spending list. In this post from 2012, I thought that the heavy expenses would be: travel, gifts for other people, and running related items.

In all actuality, I was not too far off. Check out the pie chart** below:

Let's break it down, shall we?

Rent -- This includes rent and utilities. This is a category I didn't really consider as something that I "splurge" on, as it is a necessity. However, this is clearly my biggest expense, at over 2x the cost of the next category.

Travel -- I was right when I said I would spend the most on travel. In 2014, I did not skimp on the trips. I went to Charlotte to visit Lisa, central Oregon for an annual summer trip, Mt. Whitney, New York City, Europe and Phoenix. In addition there were several weekend trips to Tahoe, Sacramento and Marin for running excursions as well as many trips to Sonoma county to hang with Broski, and home to see my parents. Looking at the numbers, the dollar amount I spent on travel was a bit outrageous. However, I will bring a bag lunch every day if it means spending that money on traveling!

Dining Out -- This category is pretty self explanatory, and includes dining at all restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

Transportation -- This includes mostly public transportation / commuting costs. However, a couple of times a year I rent a car to get to races or to holiday functions, so car rental and gas are also included in this category. Really, about half of it could also be added into the "travel" category.

All Other --There were a lot of categories, and I had to get rid of some of the smaller ones. However, some of the other categories that were higher on the list but didn't make the cut were: taxes (2.4%), insurance (2.2%), gym (1.1%), credit card fees (0.89%), and entertainment (0.61%). Apparently my main "entertainment" is Running or Dining Out.  

Shopping -- This category is pretty broad, but basically includes the following: gifts, toiletries & household items (non food), clothing & shoes, electronics and books. The bulk of this category went to the gift subtotal. This distant second runner up was toiletries/household items. Funny enough, this year I only spent $4.00 on books, as I am getting most of them from the library these days.

Running -- This includes the cost of races and shopping for running related items. I found it interesting (and proving my theory) that it was high enough to warrant it's own piece of the pie and to not get lumped into the "all other" category.  If transportation costs were also added in, this category would probably be closer to 9%.

Groceries -- Although this is 6% of my spending pie, when it all boils down to it, I spend less than $40 per week on groceries. To note, I very rarely buy meat or alcohol, which are two of the more expensive things. However, I make up for this by buying lots of fancy nuts and cheeses. Of course my food cost is also supplemented with dining out, but even added together, total food costs equal about $80 per week, including booze, coffee and fancy nuts. This also includes food eaten while traveling. This cost could have been a lot higher, but my brother is a wine (and beer) maker and so I can't remember the last time I bought a bottle of wine in the store.

Health -- This mostly includes my premium, but also includes co-pays and contact lenses, which are minimal.

**Not included in the pie was any money set aside for retirement, savings or investments.

The Verdict? I was pretty much spot on regarding where I spend most of my money. I love budgeting how to spend, as well as looking back to see where it all went. I feel that being aware really makes a difference in your spending, just as logging your calories makes you think twice about reaching for that second piece of pie. In order to keep track, I use my bank's "Portfolio" tool, which lets you upload/link all of your accounts so that you can look at them all at the same place. I have also heard good things about Mint, and have just started to try in out recently. So far it seems to have good budgeting tools.

What will I watch next year? I could spend more on groceries and less on eating out, but I really do not eat out that much unless friends are in town or I am traveling. I could save a lot of money by not traveling, but that is one of my rewards to myself and I am not really willing to give that up. However, the Europe trip I took was not really a "budget" trip, so I could have saved by staying in cheaper lodging and/or buying my plane ticket earlier (it was over $1000!). I could also save by buying less gifts or less expensive gifts for people, as well as not buying so much running related stuff.

All in all, I was pretty happy with my spending this year. If you check out Mr. Money Mustache, he writes a post every year about how much he spent the last year, and I am about on par with him. Of course, his is for two people, but on the other hand, he does not have to pay rent (especially rent in the Bay Area). How about you: Do you spend more, less or about the same amount as Mr. Money Mustache?

Do you keep track of your spending? Where do you spend the most? What costs do you feel that you need to minimize and/or cut in 2015?

Best Of 2014: Books

Although this year I did a lot more studying than reading for fun, and have not been posting as much as I normally do, I could not resist the yearly recap post phase, which is always so fun. These recaps are often where I get ideas for my next year's travel, books and races!

So here they are, in no particular order, my top seven reads from 2014. You can find past lists here: 2013, 2012, and 2011.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking -- This one took me a bit to get through, but it was because it's chock full of information and it was a lot to take in. However, I really related to a lot of the things that she talks about. For instance, introverts are not necessarily shy; they just need alone time to recharge and prefer less stimulus than extroverts.

Mr. Penumbria's 24 Hour Bookstore -- This was a fun and fast read about a quirky old man who owns a bookstore in San Francisco that turns out to be more than just a bookstore. I liked the story and it had a few twists, plus it was set in the city, so that gave it an added plus.

Eleanor and Park --A story about an unlikely pair of friends in high school, this story was one of those ones you just can't put down because it is so fun!

Unbroken -- You probably know all about this because of the movie, but it's a story about an Olympic runner turned WWII airman who gets stranded in the ocean for many weeks and captured by the Japanese. He goes through hell and lives to tell the tale. It's a very interesting book.

Orphan Train -- I didn't realize this part of our nation's history, but large trains full of orphans were sent to the Midwest from the East Coast and were "adopted" and made to work on the farms there. This was an eye opening and interesting read about one of the orphan girls.

MWF seeking BFF -- A thirty something who has just moved to a new city sets out to make a new best friend. She quickly realizes how hard it is to make friends when you are a married thirty something. She tries really hard though, pulling people from all walks of life, and ends up with a few good friends in the end.

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry --  Recommended by Lisa, this story did not disappoint. This is the story of a book seller on a tiny island in MA who ends up adopting a stowaway baby. He is a likeable character and he goes through some of the same worries and thoughts and tribulations as we all have gone through. It was one of those books I could not put down.

So there you have it! This year's list is a lot smaller than the past years, but there are always a few good ones. This year more than others, I put a lot of books down unread. I probably started but did not finish at least a dozen books. I have decided that it's not worth my time to read a book I am not getting into.

How about you: What was your favorite book this year? Did you put any down without finishing them?

And In With The New

At the beginning of this year, I did a huge purge of all things old and moldy and holey. 2015 will be no different. Gone are the days of too big pants, too tight underwear, and year old stewed tomatoes. Actually, I try to be pretty good about either using things or throwing them away, but I do have a bit of hoarder in my genes, and so some things are harder than others to get rid of. However, my neat freak usually wins out and my spreadsheets come out and then there is no stopping me. So here it is, the list.

2015 New Year List:

Throw away: any socks with holes, underwear with holes, mismatched socks (this one is difficult for some reason!) too small pants (this year I have a few thanks to my new office job with no lunch break, which is when I would get a nice walk in), magazines not yet read, newspapers not yet read (don't get scared; there aren't that many of these), expired food items, old paper files, towels with holes, too short sweaters and DVDs I will never watch.

Do this soon: Read any books on shelf that have not been read yet, then give them to Goodwill.  Cook any nearly expired food items.Watch any DVDs, then give them to Goodwill. Write thank you notes. Update Christmas card list.

Organize/back up: photos, contacts, computer files, paper files, drawers, closets, shelves.

Dust/Sweep/Clean: top shelves, fans, under and behind all furniture. Toilet, tub and windowsills. The top of the refrigerator/dryer, the back/front porch and the garage.

Take to Goodwill: All clothing/books/DVDs (see above re too short sweaters and previously read books).

Prepare next year's planner, including running calendar, vacation calendar, goals and expenses/budget. Recap last year's goals, expenses and budget.

Certain things are easy, for example throwing away holey socks. It only takes one (painful) day of walking around with a sock with a hole to realize that it is not worth keeping. Another easy (and fun) thing for me is the rehash of last year's goals, expenses and budget and the preparation of this year's. Lastly, usually there is not very much old food, as we are pretty good at eating things before they go bad. The exception would be things like Halloween candy, which does not get eaten, and therefore sits around for quite some time.

Not as easy to do is the deep clean (it's not that fun), the reading or tossing of old books and magazines (I feel that I "might" read them "soon"), and the getting rid of too tight pants. I mean, what if I lose weight in a couple of months? I wouldn't want to have to go out and buy new pants! That would be a waste. How many pairs of pants does one person really need though? I'm thinking 17. Just kidding. Sort of. Well, at least one in every color and every size, just in case, right? You get my point. They are hard to throw away.

The bottom line is that cleaning out my closet or dusting the top of the fridge makes me feel like I am starting out the year fresh and new. It also makes my brain feel less cluttered, which is the most valuable part of it all.  So let's bring in the new year with a de-cluttered house and mind, shall we?

Do you do a yearly deep clean or purge? What is your least favorite chore? Be honest: how many pairs of pants do you own (and of the total, how many actually fit)?

Woof!

There is a guy in my office who sometimes makes this noise when he is overwhelmed, and it sounds like, "woof!" I think he is really saying, "oof" or basically, "phew". However, the first time I heard it, I thought he said WOOF, and so it has kind of stuck. Any time things are getting out of control or we are feeling a little crazy, we call out, "Woof!"

So....Woof!

The last couple of weeks have been crazy. In addition to getting all my Christmas cards sent out, I met up with my brother to be a sweeper (tail end safety runner) for the Northface 50 mile race, and went to two holiday parties and met up for a holiday weekend with my family. This is on top of the normal every day stuff, such as grocery shopping and working out. We also got a new client at work and the past couple of weeks have been a flurry of activity getting him set up.

Don't get me wrong, it has been fun, but I can see why some people get stressed out during the holidays, especially if you are the kind of person of which social interaction is overwhelming. Personally, I bring it all on myself, so I am not complaining! However, it will be nice to roll into January and hopefully read a few more books and spend a bit more time relaxing.

A couple of things on the agenda this week are:

- A visit with a friend from high school. She is coming to stay and we will do a lot of walking and eating and gabbing.

- The annual cookie making party with my friend and her daughters. Her daughter is 4 and last year she helped decorate all of the sugar cookies with heaps and heaps of sprinkles! It's become a fun tradition and everyone at work benefits from it as well!

- A Sunday morning run in the hills. As always, no week is complete without some time outside. I am lucky to live in a place where we can run outside year round and I am taking advantage of it! I love where I live...

How is your holiday going? What do you have planned for this week?

Looking Back: November

Get the advent calendars out! It's almost Christmas! This year, I have to work the day after Christmas and so we are going to have our family time a couple of weeks beforehand, so it's coming up quick! So let's recap November before December gets underway. November was a good month, albeit a busy one!

Running: November was a whacky running month. The first weekend, I paced a friend for a 100 mile race in Arizona, which was about 40 miles for me (overnight, in the dark, in the desert). The weekend after that, I paced a different friend for a 100 mile race, which was another 22 miles. Besides that, the rest of the runs were pretty minor. However, due to these two, monthly mileage came in at 186 miles.

Reading: Due to the fact that I spent a lot of time with other people and not a lot of time at home, I had one of my worst reading months this month! I read ONE book, Quiet, which I really enjoyed. However, it is not one of those "quick page turner" kind of books. It has a lot of interesting information and I took a few notes, but it was more like reading for knowledge than for pleasure. If you like the book, or if you want to hear a little about it, OR if you need a new podcast to listen to, check out this episode of the TED Radio hour.

Traveling: For pacing, I went to Phoenix and then to Auburn/Folsom. Both were dry and dusty and I did not see much due to the fact that I was mostly there in the dark. In addition, I went up to my parents for the weekend and then to my brother's for Thanksgiving. It was great to see my parents and to be "home" for a while, since I will not be heading up there for Christmas. November starts the busy weekend (and driving) time for me, so I often rent a car for the months of November/December. It ends up costing less money (and considerably less time) in the long run. I still think that my decision not to have a car otherwise is a good one.

Rainy run at Mom and Dads

Misc: Other than that, I went to all-you-can-eat Korean with the lads at work, had a great time at a Trail Running Film Festival, met up with a friend twice for Indian food and much needed girl talk, and drank a lot of yummy beer including this Sculpin IPA.

How was your November? Are you ready for the craziness of December? What is your favorite beer?

Coffee Talk

I am having a hard time forming more than a list these days... but there are a few things we would talk about if we were having coffee today. First I would ask you:  

How is your week going? What's the weather like where you are? What big things are going on in your life lately?

I am not really one for small talk, but I may start the conversation off by saying that it's finally raining here! We have been needing it so badly. Of course, this is literally just a drop in the bucket, but I will take it. The other good thing is that this hopefully means that it is snowing in the Sierras and I can soon do some skiing and other winter sports.

Next I would delve more into my week by saying how I sometimes really love working with all men (not as many emotions running wild, no line in the ladies room EVER) but sometimes men can be as bad or worse than women when it comes to being catty and/or talking about each other behind the other person's back! They sometimes whine so much I want to just smack them. That and one of them keeps stealing my supplies.... As much as they are a pain, I do like the group I work with. In fact, last night we all went to all-you-can -eat Korean BBQ and I  gorged myself on spicy pork and little side dishes!

I need a quick and effective fitness routine that I can do at home. Do you have any suggestions? My criteria is that I want it to be less than half an hour and I do not want to have to pay for it. This month, and even more so in December, is filling up with week day activities and I need something quick I can do in the gaps of the day.

I have not done any Christmas shopping, and I am behind on starting my Christmas cards. This year I am having trouble getting motivated to do projects. This also bleeds into my running life. I just can't muster up the energy to go running on the week days lately! With the holidays around the corner, this is not going to get any easier. I need to make a list/schedule and start checking it off.

I would love to do this multi day snowshoeing trip in Yosemite. Seeing the valley in the snow would be absolutely priceless! I have added it to my list of things I want to do, which is getting longer and longer each day!

source

Okay, your turn: Where do you want to travel to this winter?  Have you started your shopping yet? tell me what fitness routine you are doing for the winter!

Running, Eating, Travel

Happy Friday!

When I saw Amber's post about some of the things she was doing lately instead of blogging, I thought I would play along and do the same, especially since I have been a especially bad blogger this year! Sometimes life just gets in the way, I guess. Here are a few things that have been keeping me away from being a dedicated blogger.

Working - This is probably one of the biggest time takers in my life. We are always pretty busy, and to top it off, we stay late and then I often end up doing research for a little while at home as well. Top this off with commuting and you have a good portion of the week that is taken up by work related activities. In addition, my boss recently asked me to take on more responsibility in my position and I accepted, so the workload will only get heavier, not lighter.

Baseball - This is over now, but if I look back on the last month, baseball took up a good chunk of time. I watched a few games at a bar near my work, went to my brother's house for another and watched a few at home. Now that it's over, I am not really a big football, basketball or hockey fan, so unless it's for a social outing, I will not be watching a lot of sports for several more months.

Walking - I have been trying to finally get together with friends for those walks we always talked about doing. It's a great way to get some exercise AND catch up with a friend at the same time. Sometimes we even go for a snack afterwards, so it's a mini girl's (or boys and girls) night out, fitness style.

Reading - I feel like I have not finished that many books lately, but I have started a lot. I decided that if I got half way through a book and I was not really feeling it, I would put it down. This has been happening to me a lot lately! I think in October I put down 2 books and in September, maybe 2 or 3. It feels a bit like a cop out or a waste of time, but again, is better than reading the whole book and not liking it! However, it makes it so my reading tally per month is not as high as it could be.

Cooking/Eating - I have been making a lot of easy "to go" dishes, like egg fritata or baked oatmeal or soup, that I can make a big dish/batch of and can take with me to work and eat on the go. Since I am saving time eating these dishes, I am making it up by eating a lot of after dinner snacks. I need to get a handle on this, as the holidays are fast approaching, but I do love a nice handful of mixed nuts (or two) after dinner. I blame my parents for this, as they would sometimes have trail mix for dinner if nobody else was around.

Running - I have not been doing a lot of week day running, maybe 15 miles or so, but during the weekends, I have been crewing and pacing for friends who are running ultra races. This entails going to the place, in my case Phoenix one weekend and Sacramento the next, and running overnight for about 8 - 12 hours with my running friend. This brings me to my next thing on the list...

Travel - For the past several weekends, I have not been home much. This has either been due to the above pacing duties, which took me away for two weekends, or for other fun outings, like when I drove to Auburn to meet my parents for a hike, or before that, I went to Santa Rosa to hang with the broski. This coming weekend, I have plans to do a run with some friends north of San Francisco, brunch with Grandma and a then hike with the broski in the wine country the next day. Once again, running, eating, travel....

Socializing - I don't consider myself very social, but lately I have even been doing things on weekdays after work, which is crazy, as I am generally a week day hermit. I met a long time friend for a much needed catch up session (with a run! It was a perfect combo). I have an after work all you can eat Korean BBQ planned with the lads at work and a Hunger Games premier event with some colleagues next week.  This too, will only get heavier as the holidays near. I already have three Christmas parties to go to, not including our family one, or the weekend before Christmas when one of my oldest friends will be visiting. Things are ramping up and the calendar is getting full.

Holiday stuff / Crafting - Nope, I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet, but I have started working on my Christmas cards! The other thing that will be done soon is the grand Christmas cookie baking and decorating extravaganza!

Organizing - This has been on my To Do list for ages, but I have been whittling away at it slowly. I am trying to organize my computer, make sure all my photos are backed up, clear some space off my computer, back up my phone etc. Also, I have been trying each month to get rid of a bag of clothes and to NOT buy any more. In addition, it's almost time to do a deep clean and dust and purge, but I will probably wait until after Christmas for that. One of the funny things with having a roommate, is that every time I throw something away, she buys something new! It's a constant game of organizing and reassessing!

Gardening - Winter is almost here and the garden is an overgrown mess. I have been getting rid of the old weeds and veggie masses and prepping the beds for next year's crop. We will not plant for about 5 more months, but it still feels good to clear out the garden and get it looking tidy for next year. 

Oh! A couple of "things I WISH were on this list" are: getting a haircut, getting a massage, writing in my journal, hiking in Tahoe (or skiing, I am not picky), going up to my parent's house, doing more strength training and/or yoga, reading more, knitting more, taking more photos... and many more.

What are YOU doing instead of blogging?

Looking Back: October

November is well under way, and like many have said before, October was a full and busy month, which of course made it go by quickly!

Reading: October was not a great reading month; I finished two books, which I liked, and started two books, which I could not get into and did not end up finishing. The two books I read were Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, which was a fun book about the juxtaposition between computers and books, and And The Mountains Echoed, which was good but not as good as A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Running: I am having issues with my Garmin; first the strap fell off and now I am having trouble uploading it to Garmin Connect, but I think my mileage was around 170 miles for the month of October. I had one 50 mile race, but other than that, I think I did not have a run longer than about 15 miles. It feels nice to take it easy a bit, but I do feel my waistband getting a bit tighter! This is what happens when you are still eating as if you are running long runs every weekend (aka candy and snacks right before bedtime!) but you are not running as much.

Near Sonora Pass

Travel: I met up with my Mom twice (along with Dad, brother and his lady once) in Auburn, where we took a nice hike and swim on the Western States Trail and then had brunch in the town. For those who don't know, the Western States is a 100  mile race from Squaw Valley (Tahoe) to Auburn, and it was fun to take my family on the trail and show them a few miles of it. We also swam in the American river twice, the last time being on the 19th of October. It was not very warm, but it sure was fun to be able to swim in October! Auburn is a cute little mining town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas and we found a great breakfast (brunch) place where we ate 4 egg (I know!) omelets with pancakes and biscuits and gravy.

Schat's Bakery

I also went to Santa Rosa and hung out with Broski and the lady a couple of times. First was the day after my 50 mile race, and Broski punished me by making me hike straight up a hill in 90 degree weather. The other time was during the World Series when I went to their house to have dinner and watch the game. They came down to the city for game 6 (the one that we lost) as well. Broski has been doing harvest (he is a wine maker) and so has been working 24/7, so it was nice to see him and his lady a few times!

Lastly, my Dad, brother and I made a trip to Mt. Whitney, where we had a great time hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which we consider our "backyard". We had a great time in Lone Pine afterward, wandering around and watching the World Series in a town where most of the locals are Braves fans. We also stopped in Bishop at the Schats Bakery for some sheepherder bread and pastries on our way out, as well as stopping near the Sonora Pass for a quick run/hike to stretch our legs after being in the car for a while.

In addition to all of that, there were many week night activities in October, which made it feel as if I didn't get much of a break. I am currently reading the book Quiet, and in it, it talks about how introverts need to be alone to recharge. I definitely do! Hopefully November will have a few more days for "recharging"!

How was your October? What is your favorite thing about Autumn? Have you read any good books lately?

Orange Friday

This week was a short and fast one, as I had Monday off. It was nice to have a four day week, especially with some of thing things that have been going on around here, but it really did make for a busy and quick week!

The high of my week was...I will say it in a photo. What an exciting week! This photo is from 2012, but today, we will have another parade. It has been a very interesting season.

Giants Parade 2012

The low of my week was...this week I didn't really have a low! I guess I would say that I am disappointed in the way that the Whitney hike went on one hand, but on the other hand I had a really good time with my brother and Dad, so it's not really that much of a low really. It was very cold and windy and my brother had a bit of sickness so the hike didn't quite go as planned.

The favorite thing I read was....Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore. What a fun and quirky book!

My favorite thing I heard was...a few episodes (podcast) of Freakanomics. I listen while I run and it is a fun way to pass the time.

The best thing I spent money on was...The trip to Whitney...gas, food, beer and lots of pastries! It was an 8 hour drive each way, but was totally worth it!

My plans this weekend include... a trip to Phoenix to pace/crew some friends of mine at the Javelina Jundered (100 miles) race! It will be a good time, as it is at a park where we will set up a tent and it is a multi loop course, so we will be able to see them a lot and to run as many loops as needed with them.

How was your week? What plans do you have this weekend? Do you know what a Javelina is?

End of Week Musings

And then it was Friday again. I always prefer a job where the time goes by too fast over one where it is too slow. However, lately, its like Monday and Friday are the only two days of the week! If only Saturday and Sunday were really long, it would not be too bad, I guess. I am still learning a lot of new things each day at work, and this, coupled with the regular day to day, makes the time just fly by.
 
The high of my week was... after work festivities, usually involving the Giants game. On Tuesday, I met up with some coworkers at a bar near the office; on Wednesday I had "Sunday night dinner" and the game at my brother's house. Both nights were a lot of fun, even though the Giants did not win both games!

The low of my week was...lack of working out. I am feeling a bit of blah lately and have been snacking too much and not exercising enough. It's like a long taper without actually training for anything. It's a vicious circle, as not working out makes me feel like eating snacks and eating snacks makes me feel like not working out.

The favorite thing I read was.... a poem that my Mom wrote when she was in New York. She gave it to my Dad and he shared it with us. I think it's sweet that they still do things like that for each other. The best thing is that my Dad may have written one back. I will have to ask him about it this weekend.

My favorite thing I heard was... the song "Baby Got Back" on the radio. I was in the car at the time and I turned it way, way up and got my groove on by dancing and singing along while waiting at a red light. What a great way to put some pep back into my step. LA face with an Oakland booty!

The best thing I spent money on was... gas. I don't really drive very often, so when I do, its usually for a good reason, and so buying gas = an adventure! This week I used it to go to my brother's house for a Giants game / birthday bash / dinner. It was well worth both the money and the time!

My plans this weekend include...hiking Mt. Whitney with my brother and Dad. We did it all together in 1995, when I wore flannel pants (it was the style then!) and my brother's old Reeboks. I don't remember having any altitude sickness but I do remember it being really cold at night (in September) and being really happy to reach the top. I wonder how it will be nearly 20 years later... (that kind of made me feel old just knowing that I can say "20 years later" and it not mean that I was a baby that long ago)

Mt. Whitney -- 1995

How was your week? What are you doing this weekend? What did you wear hiking when you were a kid?

Friday Fun Day

Happy Friday everyone! I hope everyone has fun plans for the weekend. Here's a quick recap of the week.

The high of my week was...the Giants making it to the World Series! Let's go Giants, let's go!

The low of my week was...the volatility of the market this week. Although I did take advantage of it and I bought a few more shares of stock. It can be fun, but also stressful at times!

The favorite thing I read was....And The Mountains Echoed, a book by Khaled Hosseini. It was not quite as good as A Thousand Splendid Suns, but it was a really good read and it gave me a bit more insight on life in Afghanistan.

My favorite thing I heard was... this commencement speech from Navy Seal William McRaven, about why the little things, such as making your bed every day, do matter.

The best thing I spent money on was... nothing. I actually did not really spend any money this week. I guess if you count last weekend, I went out for lunch with my brother, and that was fun! However, during the week, I really only spend money on commuting and groceries, but this week I did not even go grocery shopping!

My plans this weekend include... meeting up with my parents for lunch and maybe a walk or hike on Sunday, and probably a nice long run and a bunch of much needed errands on Saturday.

How was your week? What do you have planned for the weekend?

The City

My Dad has been working on a temporary assignment in New York City for some time and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see him, as well as one of my favorite cities, before his assignment was over. To top it all off, my Mom was game too, so we decided to all meet up in the city and do a bit of exploring.

The great thing is that my parents have both been there long enough that they were not as interested in the touristy side of things, so we did what I love, which is to wander around the neighborhoods exploring, eating and people watching. Also, they have both been doing a fair bit of walking and so they had built up a good stamina. In addition, they have figured out the subway system and enjoy utilizing the public transportation options. As you may know, my parents live in a very rural, mountainous area where there are only about 12 neighbors in a 50 mile radius, so it was fun and interesting to see them in a city setting. My Mom has discovered a new-found love for blogging, and was snapping photos of everything along the way.

I arrived very late on Friday, after taking an after work flight from San Francisco. I thought this (and the three hour time difference) would cause me to sleep in a bit, but we were up the next day around 6 and were ready for some action! We started by meeting in Central Park. Dad and I ran there and Mom walked. After meeting up, I went for an additional few miles while they headed down toward the breakfast place. Later, I met them in Hell's Kitchen at the Galaxy Diner, which was okay, but was nothing special.

Who you gonna call?

Afterward, we headed down to the Staten Island ferry, them via subway and me via the East river. We took the ferry over to Staten Island, which is free, and affords a really nice view of the Statue of Liberty and the city skyline. After we got back to Manhattan, we wandered up toward SoHo. We wanted to get a nice pastrami sandwich at Katz' deli, which is where one of the scenes in When Harry Met Sally was filmed. However, it was overcrowded and overpriced, so we walked over to Chinatown and had a really great pho at Pho Grand.

Mural along High Line

On Sunday, we got up and headed toward the High Line. Once again, I ran and my parents took the subway. The funny thing is that I beat them every time! We walked along the High Line to Chelsea and stopped for a bagel and coffee, before heading down through the meat packing district to Tribeca, where we were going to see the Ghostbusters firehouse. It looked just like it did in the movie! Next, we headed over to Brooklyn and took a really nice walk along the promenade and over to Dumbo, where we rode the merry go round and ate yummy pizza.

Brooklyn Promenade

After a shower and a small break for me, I headed back out to meet Mom and Dad in the upper East side, where we were planning on having dinner. However, it was pouring rain and it took me a long time to make my way up to see them. I even had to buy a $5 umbrella from the guy on the street! I finally got up to meet them, and we wandered around the upper East side to the Heidelberg, where we ate pig knuckles and sauerkraut and drank liters of beer. I think with this, I sufficiently tired the parents out, because as soon as we got home, everyone pretty much passed right out!

Manhattan Bridge

Monday was Labor Day, and we got up, went for a run, and then met up with a coworker of Dads (and a former coworker of mine) for breakfast at The Comfort Diner, where I had the most delicious lemon ricotta pancakes! To walk off the pancakes, we headed back over to the East River and then just sat in the shade and watched the boats on the river for a while.

Run / Walk Schedule

That night I took a bus to the Newark airport where I flew to Germany, but that is a story for another day!

What is your favorite thing to do in a big city? What is your favorite city to visit? Do you ever split up your runs into smaller pieces?