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By kilax, March 21, 2012 1:18 pm

Featuring new jean jacket handed down to me from Gina! I swear, the Fashion Gods are looking over me. First, Erin finds a bunch of awesome clothes in my closet. Then my favorite coworker gives me some skirts. Next, I mention to Gina I want a jean jacket and poof! She makes one appear. What should I ask for next? I really want a new green top to match this navy and white skirt. 

Anyway… it’s hot in Chicago. Which means I am exclusively wearing dresses. 

Monday:

I thought it would be funny to send Gina a picture of Steven wearing her jacket. Along with other photos (not pictured) of her jacket visiting various landmarks in Chicago. Side note: it was a bad idea to get me an iPhone. Photo overload to all my friends. Apologies!

Tuesday:

Quick story – my favorite coworker left these earrings for me on my desk Tuesday morning! It’s funny because I have been waiting for some necklaces for me and her to come in the mail from Etsy and they arrived Tuesday night! So I had to wear my necklace on Wednesday to see if she would comment on it… and I could give her hers. 

And she noticed. And when I gave her her neckalce (a bit different than mine below) she was so so so excited. Made my day!

Wednesday:

I have only worn this dress once – at my graduation from college, in May of 2007! I remember what a big deal it was to fit in it then. Sigh. My weight has been up and down for years. Anyway, what do you think of the dress? Is it too whimsical for work?

I thought it would be really fun to wear a bright pink blazer with it. I saw someone with a bright pink blazer in NYC and kind of can’t stop thinking about it. It blows my mind that I am interested in something like that at all.

A few maintenance questions related to dresses:

1. How do you zip up the back of the dress if you live on your own?

I had to wake Steven up yesterday morning and today. He told me that his fine motor skills are not too good before 5:00 am! But he got the dresses to zip. I was talking to my favorite coworker about this (she has the orange dress in navy blue – she also has the b&w striped dress!) and she said she would just come to work with a jacket on and have me zip the dress up at work. 

2. A personal question – if going bare, how high up do you shave your legs?

Funny question, but I have thought about it this week – I typically only ever shave to the knee! I remember my mom telling me I never needed to shave above the knee when I was a little kid (my hair above the knee is very blond). TMI, TMI, TMI! But some of these dresses hit a bit above the knee, so I decided to shave higher for Wednesday. Ooo la la.

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By kilax, March 21, 2012 5:05 am

Time for an NYC recap! I was out there for work last Tuesday and Wednesday, then Erin came out Wednesday afternoon and we left Friday night. It was a whirlwind trip! I like to play pretend tour guide, so we fit a lot in. 

Erin actually wrote a really good recap on her personal blog. Check it out here! Make sure to read to the end so you get to the part about the boob job. And read Erin’s confession that she likes NYC pizza better than Chicago-style (gasp! secret – me too). Oh! And our almost run-in with a celebrity. 

In fact, just read her recap. It’ll be better than mine. Promise. 

…

Are you still here?

Even though I told you her recap would be better?

Okay… here we go, anyway!

Since Erin had never been to NYC I wanted her get a taste for as much of the city as possible. So I made a google doc list of recommendations and planned the trip by area and also by time of day – there are some things I think are better at night – like Little Italy and Times Square! Here’s the run down:

Wednesday: Highline, Washington Square Park, Little Italy via Broadway
Wednesday was special because Kelly (a Chicagoland blogger) was able to join us for our adventure! It was my first time meeting her and the three of us had a lot of fun. We walked from our hotel to Little Italy, about 4 miles. 

Thursday: Lower Manhattan: 9/11 Memorial, TKTS, Wall Street, Trinity Church, Charging Bull, Liberty Island, Ellis Island
Midtown: Flatiron, NYC Half Marathon Expo, Times Square, Broadway
My first time seeing a Broadway show! We saw Once and loved it. And we ate dinner at 10:30 afterward. Very New Yorkish? Ha ha ha. 

Friday: Central Park
Midtown: Times Square (lunch with Gina and Steve!), St Pat’s, Rockefeller, Bryant Park, Library, Grand Central, Empire State Building

The point of this trip was to see as much as possible and I think we were both exhausted by Friday night (if not sooner?)!

I know I am leaving out a lot of the details about the trip, but a girl has to have some secrets, right? Just kidding – I have no secrets. But I have talked about a lot of these places before, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask! And really, read Erin’s recap – she took the time to write all the fun little details. 

What I did want to say is how this was my first “Girls Trip” ever (I don’t count the time I lived in Rome and traveled with my classmates) and what a treat it was. The truth is, I could spend a lot of time with Erin anywhere and have a great time and intriguing conversations, but it was really special to be in NYC, just the two of us. NYC holds a special place in my heart and it meant a lot to be there with one of my best friends!

And really, there are not many people I could spend 24/7 with and not get sick of! Just being honest here… (see? no secrets!)

Who do you think you could hang out with 24/7 for a few days on end and not get sick of? Have you ever had a Girls or Guys Trip?

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By kilax, March 20, 2012 4:59 am

I still don’t feel quite caught up enough to write a proper post (how long am I going to make that excuse?!) so I figured I would jump on to a giveaway today.

When Erin and I were in NYC we stopped by the NYC Half Marathon expo for fun. I was hoping they would have some NYC themed running apparel that was not NYC Half Marathon branded. They didn’t, but I got a neat bracelet, and a fun running clock sign.

Background: I am a bit obsessive about my schedule. It’s actually something I am trying to work on being less anal about. But for now, I have all my runs on my calendar, and try to let Steven know when I am running, where and when I will return. I am actually pretty good at estimating when I will return (even accounting for post-run gab sessions with friends). 

Anyway, I got this fun clock sign to put on our kitchen/garage door so Steven knows when to expect me. Truth is, he won’t look at it (because he will remember what return time I have told him), but I think it’s fun. 

When I am not out for a run, I flip it over to the other side:

I bought one of these Gone for a Run Clock Signs to give away as well!

Gone for a Run Clock Sign Giveaway Rules

1. One reader will receive one (1) Gone for a Run Clock Sign.
2. Required to enter the giveaway: tell me who you tell, if anyone, before you go on a run, and how much info you give them.  
3. This giveaway is open until 5:00 PM CST on Thursday March 22. I will use random.org to select the winner. I will announce the winner on Friday March 23. 
4. This giveaway is open to all readers.

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By kilax, March 19, 2012 6:48 am

And no time to write!

I feel like I have a lot to tell you guys:

• All about my awesome trip to NYC with Erin.
• Our crazy plane ride home.

• That my two best friends met!

• How it feels strange to be in NYC and not be with Gina and Steve (not bad, just weird).
• The surprise visit from my parents.

• That my favorite coworker found my blog. Hi, favorite coworker.
• That the Target Pharmacy did not put my prescription in my bag and I did not realize it until this morning… and they thought I was lying when I called about it. Sigh.
• That I have one giveaway and one review/giveaway coming up.
• How happy I am that most of my team is not in the office today. Nice and quiet…

But I don’t have time to write. I’d rather catch up on all your blogs first… maybe tonight. Geesh. That week away really set me off! What are your first priorities when you get back from time away? Mine tend to be going through my email inbox! And laundry. Always laundry.

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By kilax, March 18, 2012 10:29 pm

One of the lazy parts of my run this morning I did not mention – no sunscreen. 

I was going to make a big deal about getting this burnt (burned?) on March 18 (so early in the year1), but the truth is, you can be an idiot like this any time of year. And looking at my blog posts from last year showed me that I did this on April 10, 2011 – which is not too far away. So, let’s move on to more important things – 

Can anyone recommend a type of sunscreen that does not block all my sweat and make me feel worse?

I am big on sunscreen, but not so much when I am running, because I sweat so much and sunscreen doesn’t let the sweat leave my skin. Long runs > skin cancer (sarcasm).

I’ve been off of Google Reader for a whole week! Eek! I’ll catch up soon…

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By kilax, March 18, 2012 1:22 pm

Monday | March 12, 2012: 8 m run (10×2 minutes with 2 minute recovery)

Ugh, this crazy wind! Despite talking to Bobbi the day before about how I should just be grateful to be running and forget about the wind, it still drives me a bit crazy at the start of my runs. UGHHHHH.

But! The speedwork session (at 5:30 am in the rain and wind) was still somewhat successful. I felt good. My legs did not get tired until the 8th interval. I remembered to be mindful of my posture to help with my breathing. Another but! – I did not hit my pace at all! I did 2×10 mins between 7:32-7:38 and my pace was either too high or too low:

7:44, 7:40, 7:41, 7:31, 7:41, 7:30, 7:20, 7:31, 7:36, 7:28 ( I bolded the ONE split that was in the right pace range)

I think that is pretty good for me, for running in the dark, after only being up 30 minutes and eating a ton of food the day before. But! I would like to become more consistent.

Distance: 8.0 | Start Temp: 53° | End Temp: 56° | Time: 1:12:16 | Avg Pace: 9:02

Tuesday | March 13, 2012: 5.25 m run (easy)

I got to run in Queens with two of my favorite people – Gina and Steve! Not at the same time though. Someone had to stay home with Luca! So I ran 2.7 with Gina then 2.55 with Steve. It was fun to run through their area of Queens with them, and see it from a different perspective. I stick to what I know when I go there! It’s fun to follow someone. Of course, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t bumping in to them. Oops. 

Distance: 5.25 | Temp: 65° | Time: 57:35 | Avg Pace: 10:59

Wednesday | March 14, 2012: 7.3 m run (easy)

I wanted to run early Wednesday morning, but it had to be early… yuck. So Tracy helped hook me up with Tara, who lives near Central Park. So I ran 3 miles up 5th Avenue from my hotel and met Tara there. It was so neat, running on 5th Avenue at 5:30 am, when there was hardly anyone out! I bet it’s rare for the sidewalks to be that empty

Central Park however, was very busy! It was cool seeing so many bikers and runners out that early in the am, in the dark. 

I only was able to run 4 miles with Tara, which is a bit of a bummer – not enough time to talk! But we both had to be at work by 8:00 (then I got back to my hotel, showered quickly, got in the Subway station and saw an email on my phone not to get there until 10:00. It was later pushed to 11:00. Fun times.).

Distance: 7.3 | Start Temp: 58° | End Temp: 60° | Time: 1:11:41 | Avg Pace: 9:48

Thursday | March 15, 2012: rest

Friday | March 16, 2012: 5 m run (easy)

On the way to Central Park from our hotel a lady in our hotel said to me and Erin “You know it’s raining outside, right?” I just said “cool.” You can’t come all the way to NYC and not run in Central Park! Besides, it was barely raining – a light mist that stopped. That doesn’t mean it was a bit chilly, but once we started running, we were fine!

We started at Columbus Circle and went counter clockwise on the bike path – we walked one mile and ran five. Since I don’t live in NYC, running in Central Park still feels like such a treat to me. I love how it feels (is?) like a little oasis in the middle of the city. I love that you feel like you are in nature, but still get a glimpse of all the buildings and cultural surroundings. 

And Erin and I had not run together in ages so that was a huge treat! The miles always fly by the fastest with her! 

Distance: 5.0 | Temp: 40s | Time: 50:25 | Avg Pace: 10:04

Saturday | March 17, 2012: rest

I was originally going to run 14 on Saturday and take a few classes with Katie on Sunday, but my parents were unexpectedly in town! What a treat! My schedule got moved around a bit. We did walk a mile though! And walk Data. 

Sunday | March 18, 2012: 14 m run (3 miles @ HM pace)

What a lazy slow run. I didn’t get out of bed until 8:30, and did not start running until 10:00. It was slow. And hot. There was a break at mile 5ish to get more water and respond to some DrawSomething prompts on my phone. There were other breaks. 

Miles 7, 8 and 9 were supposed to be at 8:30. Sigh. I got 8:49, 8:34, 8:43. Good for me in this heat, I suppose. It was 78° when I finished. 

Steven rode his bike with me for the last 6.2ish miles! That was a nice treat! I haven’t spend much time with him for about a week!

I hope this heat goes away. Until… May? I like running the best in the 30s-40s!!!

Distance: 14.0 | Start Temp: 65° | End Temp: 78° | Time: 2:29:50 | Avg Pace: 10:42

Week Summary: 39.55 miles

What a fun week! It was not very balanced, exercise-wise, but I got to run in a lot of cool places, with a lot of cool people. And I probably walked 15 miles over the last three days in NYC. If not more!

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By kilax, March 16, 2012 6:53 am

When you travel for fun, do you make a list (or even itinerary) of the things you want to see/do? Or do you get there and wing it/just go with the flow?

I am a travel researcher! I make a list of interesting things I may want to see where I am going, then figure out how to fit them in my schedule. I usually don’t have an exact itinerary, but I definitely have things in mind for that day! And for this trip to NYC, I made a google spreadsheet list of things to do/see and an accompanying map!

But I also like to explore. Something might catch my eye and I’ll have to go check it out. It’ll be something I hadn’t planned on seeing, but will be so glad I did when I return!

I coming home tonight, so not much travel talk after this! Ha ha. 

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By kilax, March 15, 2012 5:00 am

I’ve mentioned that I am apt to give opinions when someone asks for them. I’ve mentioned that I am a very open, until I have a reason not to be. Have I mentioned that I blabber? And it takes awhile to get a clear story out of me, if ever? That I ramble? That my thoughts don’t always connect (to outsiders I mean –  they do to me)? That this is an example of that?

These quirks got me by before. It doesn’t seem like they will on this work detail, if it happens. Someone on the team is so obsessed with diction/semantics that I was constantly getting corrected on how everything I said was wrong. “That may be how you do it in Chicago, but not here.” Okay then. That is all I am going to say about that. 

If this detail happens I am either going to end becoming really blunt and direct (which would probably come off as bitchy) or beaten down. We’ll see. 

Wednesday night it was beaten down. It took awhile to perk my mood back up. 

But I got there – after (during) a wonderful evening with Erin and Kelly. Kelly is in town for work, and walked to our hotel, then we walked to the High Line,

to Washington Square Park, 

down Broadway, then to Little Italy. We walked four miles from the hotel… and even more for Kelly. I think we deserved all of that food and wine? (And whine?) I really had a lot of fun! Just what I needed. 

Have you ever had an encounter with the diction police?

I am happy I have friends like Erin and Kelly who will put up with me the way I am!

The winner of the PB2 Giveaway is Losing Lindy. Please email me your mailing address and I will send it to you (kilax@ilaxstudio.com). Thanks to everyone who participated! 

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By kilax, March 14, 2012 4:54 am

It’s so weird being in NYC for work, when I normally come here for “play.” Every time I get in the subway my brain tells me to figure out how to get to Gina and Steve’s house, but that is not always where I am supposed to be going!

Sometimes it is though:

But I’m working too. And my work involves some play. Well, fun is a better word:

Anyway, I guess if I am going to be coming out here more for work, I better get used to the feeling of NYC being a place of work and not just play. I can’t look at every day as an “explore NYC” opportunity.

Or can I?

Ha. I guess the bottom line is that I don’t want NYC to lose its magic feel if I start working out here. But maybe the new work will be so exciting, it will only make the city more exciting! I think that is a possibility! 

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By kilax, March 13, 2012 4:55 am

Seeing articles about how last weekend was the last one for outdoor ice skating in Chicago bummed me out. I don’t think anyone is going to relate to this, but I kind of missed having snow and cold weather this winter. I feel like we had such a weird limbo winter… I think it has to do with my funky mood. The whole “not dealing well with things not going how you expect them to” issue.

I didn’t get to snowshoe once this “winter.”

Or ice skate.

Am I the only one who missed having a proper miserable winter?

Probably. If you answer no, that you missed it too, you need help. Like me.

Now that it’s getting so warm, it’s making me worry about summer’s fast approach. And running in the heat. And wearing swimsuits. Ahh!!!

Since it’s likely no one will relate to that babble, maybe you can relate to this (frustration). I arrived in NYC last night and was checking my work email, when I saw one that said I had to wear pants tomorrow. I could not get on the building site with a skirt. Guess who only brought a skirt? Guess who thought about packing pants and didn’t? Guess who is borrowing a pair of pants from Gina?! Thanks for saving my butt, Gina!