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By kilax, March 17, 2014 6:23 am

Let’s make Monday a bit more fun and do some confessions!

Confession #1 – some of these are things you already know (ha ha, I didn’t realize how many until I found old blog posts talking about many of them)! This is a cop out list post in disguise, as I try to get back to posting this week. So the confession here is that I enjoy posting most days of the week, apparently, even if it’s stuff I’ve talked about before. 

Confession #2 – it completely cracks me up that some of the “big name” bloggers are “discovering” ALDI now (as ALDI paid them to). I have been shopping there since I was a little kid!

Photo from this post, hence the text

Confession #3 –  for some reason, two people could have the same behavior or characteristic I don’t care for, but I’ll let it bother me for one person, and completely not care for the other. This isn’t fair. But I doubt I’ll change.

Confession #4 – I’m not graceful at all, with my body. I’m constantly bumping in to things. I missed the last step of the stairs last week and fell on to the kitchen floor. I cut my hand by taking my coat off on Saturday, because I hit the thermostat with my knuckle as I pulled my arm out of the coat sleeve. I can’t dance (but that doesn’t stop me in ANY way, ha ha ha).

Confession #5 –  when I read your weekly training post recaps I typically (not always) skim all the pace/distance/etc. details and just focus on the big picture take-aways. I imagine people do the same who read mine? I doubt anyone cares what pace I run or how much I do in a week. I make all that stuff in small print for a reason – it’s just a reference for me.

Confession #6 –  I feel like I have just the right amount of friends, and the idea of “making room” for more friends in my life overwhelms me. But at the same time… it excites me, because I love meeting new people and discovering who they are. 

Confession #7 –  it really bugs me when people imply I must not do anything at work, since I work from home most of the time. As many other people who work from home will tell you… that is usually when you can focus and get most of your work done!

Confession #8 – however, working from home has made me want to go to the city even less than when I first started working in Chicago. Chicago’s just not my city. I mean, for the obvious reason that I don’t live there, but I also have never found a love for it that I have for other cities. 

Confession #9 –  one of my biggest pet peeves is when people don’t say please or thank you. Basically, when people seem to be lacking common courtesy. 

Confession #10 –  I’ve been completely ignoring sad/effed up news stories lately. I Just don’t want to read that right now. Blinders, on.

Gosh. It was hard to stop at 10. Ha ha! I have at least five things that didn’t make the cut. 

What’s on your confession list?

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By kilax, March 16, 2014 6:04 pm

Highlight of the Week: Having a blast teaching the Saturday cycling class!

Monday | March 10, 2014: 8 m run (w/Kelly) + teaching strength class
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 37°/35°, Time: 1:18:37, Pace: 9:50 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good/overdressed/getting sick
Strength: medicine balls & boxing, Difficulty: easy, Felt: okay! scratchy throat – hard to instruct!
Tuesday | March 11, 2014: rest (sick)
Wednesday | March 12, 2014: rest
Thursday | March 13, 2014: rest
Friday | March 14, 2014: teaching strength class + 5.5 m run (w/Bobbi) + 3.7 m snowshoeing (w/Jobi)
Strength: medicine balls & boxing, Difficulty: easy, Felt: happy
Loc: hood, Temp: 46°/47°, Time: 57:13, Pace: 10:24, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good! warm! happy!
Loc: Grant Woods FP, Temp: 49°/48°, Time: 1:12:37, Pace: 3.1 mph avg , Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Saturday | March 15, 2014: teaching cycling class + 12 m run (w/Bobbi) + 2.6 m walk (w/Steven)
Loc: Efit Studio, Time: 46:18, Pace: 18.2 mph avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good/encouraging
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 34°/38°, Time:2:15:41, Pace: 11:18 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: gassed for the first 5, better after GU break
Sunday | March 16, 2014: 3.5 m run (incl. 4×400)
Loc: hood, Temp: 22°/21°, Time: 35:05, Pace: 10:02 avg, Difficulty: hard, Felt: heavy/off

Notes:

• Ugh. I dislike that I crammed so much in to the last three days of the week, but that is what happens sometimes. My schedule will (hopefully) be better managed next week (and hopefully the cold I had will not come back).
• I enjoyed teaching the Saturday cycling class so much. I am kind of bummed I only taught two this year! Maybe I will teach more next year! I know I will definitely be in for more club outdoor rides in the upcoming months!
• Speaking of cycling, I’ve been reading RAGBRAI: America’s Favorite Bicycle Ride, and am getting so excited for my one day RAGBRAI ride with Will (here’s our route!). I am really looking forward to talking about the ride with him. I’m going to wait until he is not planning something else though, to do that, ha ha!
• I am SO HAPPY Bobbi is back to running (after a pesky shoulder injury). Man. I missed our run chats, the first few months of the year! I just feel so good after, even if the run was not the easiest! Hee hee. For our long run together on Saturday, we stopped at the post office to drop off my snister’s bridal shower and bachelorette invites (hence the pic*). I always think it’s fun to “run” my errands. Are you able to “run” any errands?
• The weekly running speedwork streak continues! Barely. See poor planning above. I left speedwork for Sunday. The day after cycling intervals and a long run. Brilliant. I cut 8×400 down to 4×400, but actually, am really happy I did any intervals, at all! Gotta move them back to midweek, next week.
• It was nice that the half mile park loop was mostly clear for Sunday speedwork, and that it’s been a bit warmer! Yes, even though I dislike spring**, I did like the warmth on Friday!

Link to Training Week 229

*Ha ha, that is the post office she sometimes takes Fake Meats packages to for Steven, so it was even funnier. To us. Only. I know.
**I actually have so many fun springs things going on this year, I MIGHT actually like it!!!

Comments (29)

By kilax, March 14, 2014 7:14 am

It’s 3.14! And you know what that means!

Three months until Christina and Will’s wedding (on June 14th)!!!

Oh, wait. Did you think I was going to say something about 3.14 being Pi Day? Hee hee. Well, that, too! Fun fact: Steven has a pi tattoo!

The wedding has been on mind a lot lately! For starters, I had a wedding dream last week. Classic anxiety dream – was late to show up, wearing the wrong dress, hair isn’t ready, there at the wrong time (months early), etc. I thought just the bride was supposed to have those?! It must just be a sign of how much I care! 

Also, Steven’s suit arrived this week (he is a groomsman!), and now that our Oscars party is over, I am deep in to bridal shower and bachelorette party planning! Which brings me to the title of this post. And I am sure this is something I have written about before, but it’s interesting to me to observe.

Are you quick at making decisions or do you do a ton of research? Do you like making them on your own? Or do you tend to seek input?

Obviously, it’s different for different matters. Sometimes, you need an expert opinion, because you just don’t have the knowledge. And in my line of work, it’s often good to get another set of eyes on a design, especially to check for compliance. 

But I really tend to be someone to make a quick decision, and stick with it, and be happy with it. I don’t enjoy researching a ton of options. I don’t mull over decisions. Honestly, if I am (and it’s not a major thing)… something is off. 

So it’s been nice that Christina told me to just plan her parties, with whatever I think is best! I have been asking her some questions (like which painting she wants to do at the bachelorette party and other preference things) and the bridesmaids too (to make sure they are okay with cost and what we are doing), but mostly I have been able to make decisions on my own. Which is so refreshing. Because I am in a lot of groups where I don’t have a say or input*, and it just makes me feel completely deflated and useless (hi, work). 

And… that makes me sound like a power/control freak. Hmmm. Nah… I think I just especially appreciate, lately, that someone trusts me to make decisions and plan things, on my own. 

*Or worse – it’s ignored/not valued

Comments (21)

By kilax, March 9, 2014 9:38 am

Highlight of the Week: Having company for all my runs!

Monday | March 3, 2014: teaching strength class
Strength: Medicine Balls and Boxing, Difficulty: easy (even # in class w/partner work), Felt: a bit off my game (too tired)
Tuesday | March 4, 2014: 3.2 m run (w/Kelly)
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 23°/21°, Time: 30:56, Pace: 9:40 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: harder than it should’ve/super warm!
Wednesday | March 5, 2014: rest
Thursday | March 6, 2014: 4 (?) m run (w/Kelly & Dave, incl. 1/2/3 ladder) + 4.1 m run (w/Anne)
Loc: inside, Time: 37:34, Difficulty: easy/hard (intervals), Felt: too hot
Loc: Buffalo Grove, Temp: 24°/26°, Time: 52:34, Pace: 12:49 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: okayish – heart burn
Friday | March 7, 2014: teaching strength class + 4 m run (w/Kelly)
Strength: Medicine Balls and Boxing, Difficulty: same as Monday, Felt: good! Excited to have Bobbi back in class
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 11°/16°, Time: 41:30, Pace: 10:22, Difficulty: medium, Felt: out of energy
Saturday | March 8, 2014: 10 m run (w/Bobbi)
Loc: Gurnee, Temp: 27°/25°, Time: 1:52:02, Pace: 11:12 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Sunday | March 9, 2014: 7.3 m bike + 20 mins yoga
Loc: home, Time: 30:09, Pace: 14.5 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: all messed up from DST
YogaWorks AM/PM Beginners DVD

Notes:

• I have actually done speedwork every week for the last four weeks! This is very impressive… for me. Ha ha. I wonder how long I will keep it up?! My prediction is that I will stop after the Wisconsin Half on May 3rd. 
• Every morning when I wake up and stretch, I have really weird cracking around my neck and clavicle! I stretch on the days that I teach strength classes, but that’s it, so I decided to do some yoga at home this morning. YAWN.
• Besides riding my bike more this spring, I am looking forward to playing on a softball team in May! It’s something Steven and I have talked about doing for a few summers! I hope it’s as fun as I remembering it being from childhood! Is anyone else playing any team sports this spring or summer? 
• Aww, that makes me think of when Steven and I were on a bowling league in 2008, and it was just the two of us, because we hadn’t made many friends out here yet and didn’t know anyone else to be on our team. Things have really changed! I feel grateful we have so many local friends now!

Link to Training Week 228

Comments (43)

By kilax, March 7, 2014 6:18 am

Just a list of the “odder” things I love about winter (other than the cold, snowshoeing, drinking/eating all the hot things, and so on). 

• Kicking snow/ice build-up off my car – sooooo satisfying!

• The brightness of the sun reflecting off the snow

• Going on a cold run then coming home and taking a hot bath

• The solitude of the cold and the dark (until DST starts this weekend)

• Wearing (sometimes loco) hats to cover my loco hair

• Being snowed in (when we have no where to go)

• Snow mountains to climb on!

• AMAZINGLY beautiful sunrises (will have to see if they are that awesome this summer) (click to see larger)

• Okay, ONE soup pic, because I liked the way this one turned out:

The only thing I don’t like:

• Wet socks! UGH! I hate it when I step in a wet spot from someone’s shoe, when I have my socks on! EWWWW!!!

What are the weird things you love about winter?

Just kidding! I know I am one of few who love winter. Tell me one thing you are looking forward to when the snow/cold weather is gone!

I am looking forward to riding my road bike outside while I get ready for our one-day RAGBRAI adventure!!!

Comments (26)

By kilax, March 6, 2014 6:23 am

Ha ha ha, despite mentioning I was writing this, I forgot it was in my drafts folder!

For my birthday last summer, Valerie gave me this super cool tank with the NYC Marathon course on it.

I don’t think any race will ever surpass NYC as my favorite marathon, so this was a very special gift. And I love maps (and map graphics), so having one on a shirt excites me. Ha ha. 

Since I loved the idea of this type of tank so much, I decided to get one for Erin, either for Christmas or her January birthday, of her hometown marathon course, from the company that made this tank, Runskin. I remembered when Valerie posted about Runskin on her blog, she mentioned they will add a new course, even if they don’t have it. I saw that they already had a sticker with Erin’s hometown course on it, so I figured it would be feasible to add it to a tank! And if I contacted them early enough (Valerie had told me how long they took to send the NYC one), they’d get it done in time for either Christmas or Erin’s birthday !

No.

Here is when I contacted them:

• November 28 (Thanksgiving) – I fill out the form on their website. It’s Thanksgiving, so I expect it will take a week to reply. I hear nada.
• December 13 – I send them a Facebook message and ask who I can contact about the custom shirt. Hear nothing back. 
• December 14 (getting too late!) – I reach out to Valerie and ask for her personal contact at the company and email him. I never hear from him.
• December 19 – Try Facebook again. 

Note – there was no phone number on their website, otherwise, I would have called them. 

I was kind of disappointed. I felt like I did everything I could to reach out to them, and heard nothing back. 

But, eh, consumerism, not the end of the world, right? There are a million other things in the world to buy. And when I shop online, I don’t want it to be a pain, like this. 

This just made me think “Why do I have to chase you down to give you money?!” This is NOT the first time I have encountered this, AT ALL… but I won’t list every instance, out, here. 

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you had to “chase someone down” to give them your business?

Funny thing, I clicked on their website today and saw this:

Ha ha, you can email them, but they probably won’t respond. 

I wonder what is going on. The last time they updated their Facebook page was December 2nd. I really hope all the people that placed holiday orders with them, actually got them! And that they are more responsive when they open up shop, again. 

Note: unresponsiveness makes me NUTS. Maybe this just bugs me. If I email you with a question… please respond. At some point. On that note, I booked a venue for my snister’s bachelorette party yesterday and the lady was SUPER responsive and helpful! I thanked her for that a few times. 

Comments (42)

By kilax, March 5, 2014 6:18 am

As you guys know, Steven and I really enjoy seeing movies, and we’re so happy we’ve found local friends who like to discuss them and see them as well! So this year, we hosted an Oscars party for our movie buddies!

We went with a “going to the Oscars” theme, so we set up a red carpet, had a photo op back drop, schwag “bags” (really, popcorn buckets with goodies in them), and even did Oscar awards (from the Lake County Academy Association) during the commercial breaks.

Of course, we had a spread of food to keep us going during the loooooong Oscars! We started with veggies and three kinds of homemade hummus, and chips with three kinds of dip! Later we served homemade breadsticks (NOMZ) and four homemade thin crust pizzas (“meat” lovers, veggie, cheese and taco). And of course… dessert! Oscar themed cookies by Maria’s Oven (Maria is a local friend) and my homemade chocolate chip ones.

Hee hee, and you guys remember Steven’s costume? We suggested people dress up as a character or came in their “red carpet” best. I did NOT expect doing my hair and makeup to take that long, GEEEESH. I was trying to look like Amy Adam’s character in American Hustle and I had to improvise a way for my boobs not to fall out of my dress. Originally, I was going to wear a cami under my dress, but eh, if you got it, use it.

Chris came as Jennifer Lawrence’s character from that movie, so we were able to have a (giggle?) fight over our man. Ha ha.

Ha ha, as you can tell we had a fun time taking pictures!

The night was a blast, and it really meant a lot to me that our friends wanted to participate with us.

And I really like the actual show – I only got a little snoozy during some of the songs and tributes. Ellen cracks me up. I need to watch her talk show sometime.

We all filled out ballots for the actual Oscars and ended up doing a pool as well. Chris took away the winnings… Steven and I were in second. I refused to vote for Gravity for more than two categories. Heh heh heh, I know my friends in real life are sick of hearing me say I thought Gravity sucked but I haven’t ranted about it on here yet! And yes, the special effects and editing and blah blah was good. But the movie was so boring to me. Emphasis – to me. Lesson learned – stick with your gut reaction when seeing a preview – don’t go by what the critics say is “good.”

Which is funny to say, since I am talking about having a party to watch awards be given by an academy’s opinion on things. I actually don’t tend to favor many of the movies that go up for Oscars. I am definitely more of an action/sci-fi movie fan. But I still enjoy watching the show! And definitely had a blast watching it with friends! It would be fun to do it again, especially since it was a joint effort of planning and work between me and Steven, and we enjoyed the process!

I have to thank my family and friends who inquired about the planning and then after the party to see how things went. They were so thoughtful! My mom was so in to hearing about it. She is so cute. She told me last week that she was trying to get a surprise for me – she had emailed the Ellen DeGeneres Show to see if they would send a stand-up cut out of Ellen to my house for the party! Ha ha, my mom was disappointed they never got back to her, but I thought it was so awesome she asked!

Comments (45)

By kilax, March 4, 2014 6:16 am

It feels weird to call my hometown “home,” because that is not where my physical home is… or where my “heart” is (if you go by the whole “home is where the heart is” thing). 

Yet! I find myself saying things like “I am going home,” when I talk about going there. And when a friend is traveling to their hometown, I call it “home.”

Weird. 

Ha ha, not really weird, it’s just habit. And I bet a lot of people call it this.

Is the town you grew up in always called “home”? Along with wherever you live, now? 

My parents moved in to the home they live in now when I was very young, but I am curious about people whose families have moved… is their “home”/hometown now not where their parents live? AHH, what is that like? What do you call “home,” then?

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By kilax, March 3, 2014 4:31 pm

Woo hoo! Tonight marks a year that I have been teaching the Monday night strength class at Essential Fitness LLC (Efit)! The first class I taught was March 4, 2013. 

Ha ha ha! Very funny that the March chalkboard from last year said “goodbye snow!” on it! We just got dumped on with snow this Saturday. Love me some snow. 

And now, for a recap of each month of teaching and what I have learned, including many, many pictures…

Just kidding! no1curr!

A lot has changed in a year though (gah, I hope, right?). I got my ACE personal trainer certification in July. I continue to study each week (Data is still “Study Cat”!) and take continuing education.

I’ve expanded my music horizons a lot to try to find good tunes for class (I still prefer 80s tunes and classic rock the most, it seems!).

I started teaching the Friday 5:00 am class in September. And I taught my first cycling class this weekend!

I sport my Efit gear for as many things as possible! Ha ha! As I’ve mentioned – Efit is my workout family!

And two very important things:

1. I’ve made awesome connections with the people who take Efit classes. I sometimes feel odd calling them “students,” because we teach one another! And it’s really cool, with so many classes offered (every weekday), I’ve gotten to workout with many different people – whether they are taking my class as a make-up class or switching to Monday nights for awhile. 
2. I’ve had so much support from family and friends. Several family members and many friends have taken my classes, sometimes driving from over an hour to come. That means a lot to me. As it does when they check in to ask “how class  is going.” Thanks for all your support!

And the most awesome thing about teaching? GETTING TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO!!!! Ha ha ha. That is about the only area in life I get to do that. It’s fun. Heh. 

So tell me, what do you like about the group fitness classes you take? I am always looking for tips and ideas!

Comments (13)

By kilax, March 2, 2014 10:07 am

Highlight of the Week: An Efit student told me they thought my Friday class was “really fun”! And teaching my first cycling class at Efit on Saturday. 

Monday | February 24, 2014: 13 m bike + 3 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: inside, Time: 45:00, Pace: 17.3 mph avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: challenged
Loc: hood, Temp: 24°/24°, Time: 30:56, Pace: 10:18 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: dead from the bike ride/annoyed w/the wind
Strength: Resistance Bands & Body Bars, + step, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: hyper
Tuesday | February 25, 2014: 3.2 m run (w/Kelly)
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 14°/13°, Time: watch messed up, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: tired (body)
Wednesday | February 26, 2014: rest
Thursday | February 27, 2014: 4 (?) m run (w/Kelly, incl. 3×4:00)
Loc: Libertyville Sports Complex, Time: 38:11 (if my watch is right), Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good (maybe that means I wasn’t working hard enough)
Friday | February 28, 2014: teaching strength class
Strength: Medicine Balls and Boxing, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: excited to try a new workout
Saturday | March 1, 2014: teaching cycling class + 3 m run (after class, w/Efiters)
Loc: inside, Time: 47:30, Pace: 17.5 mph avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: pumped
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 18°/19°, Time: 36:56, Pace: 12:18, Difficulty: easy (but super slippery – had to walk some), Felt: hungry
Sunday | March 2, 2014: 8.55 m run (last 5 w/Dawn & Pablo)
Loc: Park School (Round Lake), Temp: 5°/9°, Time: 1:36:30, Pace: 11:17 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: too cold

Notes:

• On Monday, I tested out the bike ride I was going to teach (really, lead) at Saturday’s indoor Efit cycling session, and I really enjoyed it! I made a playlist that was 47.5 minutes long, and planned out something different for each song – warm-ups, cadence drills, intervals (speed sessions), endurance work, standing, cool-down, whatever… it was so much more fun (and purposeful) to ride my bike with something planned, even though I usually do some intervals on it, when I ride indoors.  And I think the class went well, too!
• I had some “mystery” runs this week. Ha ha. On Tuesday, despite each mile split being 10:35 or below, the Garmin said my average pace was 10:42. I have no idea how far I ran when I did intervals on Thursday, which actually isn’t making me too nuts (I’m not really caring about mileage this year). And Sunday’s run just made me laugh. It was  a hard effort in the snow, wind and cold air… and I felt like I was pushing it. My average pace was no where near where I thought it was, though! Dang, that snow slows me down. 
• Speaking of snow, when I was running on Sunday in the street, a huge plow was coming my direction, so I ran to the other side of the ride. The plow driver honked twice and gave me the thumbs up! Ha ha. It was nice to have a, well, nice interaction with a driver!

Link to Training Week 227