Comments (8)

By kilax, May 10, 2016 6:23 am

Steven spends countless hours researching actual important things for the house – how to ventilate our attic and install insulation, how to clean up our pond, how to jack up the house and fix structural issues, etc., and I’m over here like:

“I’m going to research duck mating rituals”

Bob, Bertha and Bill having some, er, fun…

“I’m going to figure out why ducks become so territorial.”

So here’s Walt, just trying to get some food from the feeder, but Freddie is coming up from behind to chase him off. Freddie is so mean to the three mallards (Frank, Walt and Gus – Christina named them!).

“I need to research what all the trees are! Maybe the ones with thorns will turn out to be some sort of berry?!”

The perimeter of our yard is lined with thorny bushes. I spent some time Sunday cleaning up trash in that area (not sure if it was from the people who lived here before or bored teenagers when the place was vacant) and my back is all scratched up from thorns (note: I was wearing a tank top, ha ha).

“I wonder what all these native flowers are!”

One of many to identify… and this is actually a bloom on a tree.

“I need to find out why this salamander is so slimy looking!”

Not really, just wanted to gross you guys out. Ha ha.

Obviously, my interests lie in nature and animals! Now, should I search the internets, or use this as a reason to FINALLY get a library card?!

Comments (60)

By kilax, May 9, 2016 6:23 am

Yay! After a few crummy years, I finally had a good race at the Wisconsin Half Marathon!

Although, if you look at my splits, you wouldn’t think that…

Um, what the heck is going on there?

Ha. Well… we had some wind on the course. Which, truthfully, was better for me than sun and heat, which had been forecasted earlier in the week. I may have finished with the same time in the sun and heat, but would have been miserable. Surprisingly, I wasn’t miserable with the 17 mph constant winds from the north and (felt like constant) 33 mph gusts. I thought it was funny. And I just laughed. Laughed, laughed, laughed.

I laughed in the first mile, when I tried to start out slow. My plan was to run an 8:30 mile and see if I wanted to speed up or slow down from there. I kept trying to slow down but the wind was pushing me forward. Okay then. Guess we’ll go with it (8:10 first mile?!?!) and have some ugly splits. There was so much wind at my back and none in my face, that I started to get too hot – my sunglasses fogged over from touching my face. Yuck! It was still warm when we started – 67°. It dropped to 52° by the time I finished, though – yay!

This course starts by going south for 2.5 miles, then turns north for the five middle miles (in to the wind) to a turn around, back south for 4.5 miles, then north for the last mile or so. I thought as soon as we turned north, I’d feel the wind that was pushing me forward in my face. Not entirely! The downtown residences and buildings blocked some of that. Cool! (What did not block any of it? People. I was trying to get in a pack for some protection, but always seemed to be running with no one right in front of me. Oops. But I suppose this is the only time I’d want that!)

Where’d we have to go to really feel the wind? To the lake. Oh my gosh, it was nuts there. Sand was blowing off the beach and all over everyone (ha ha, I took a hot bath when I got home and there was sand all over in the tub when I was done!). There were times I didn’t feel like I wasn’t moving. But, it made me barely notice the inclines on the course this year! Score!

Here’s a photo I tried to take of the sand blowing all over – you can see the wind created some dunes that aren’t usually there! I also tried to take a photo of the caps on the wave, but my photo is crap, ha ha. Note the blown over course marker cone – A LOT of the mile markers were blown over. Craziness. 

So you can probably guess which miles were going north in the screenshot above – 6, 7, 8 and 13. I felt like I was keeping the same effort in to the wind as I was with it at my back, but I decided NOT to push it more than that, just to keep the same pace, and feel like death for the last miles of the race – it was a huge goal of mine NOT to finish with a death march.

When people got to the turnaround to go back south, with the wind at their backs, they smiled. I did too. I thought, “Finally!” But I didn’t feel it at first. What the heck? Did the wind stop all of a sudden?! Oh no it didn’t! There it is, pushing me up this hill! Wheeeeee!!!!

I ran three decent miles (9-11), and was happy that the out and back portion didn’t get to me as much as the past years. I was pleasantly surprised to see two friends from Efit around mile 11 and that pumped me up!

Then in the the last mile and a half my body was like, “meh.” I stopped at mile 12 to fill up my water bottle (hence that slower mile). And then we headed north for the last mile and my body was like, “SUPA meh.” Ha! So I ran another slow, not feeling like I was moving mile. And I definitely dropped the effort on that one.

I tried to have a decent finish though, and not look like death when I crossed the finish like. Success?

Note: Steven got a lot of pics of me making concentrative running faces. Of course, I am only sharing the smiley (read: flattering) ones.

I finished in 1:53:07, which is a second fastest half marathon time for me. Cool!

And even though my splits were HELLA crazy, I am proud of this race. I kept a steady effort until those last one and a half miles. I enjoyed the race despite the nutso wind, and the race itself went by really fast! I saw a lot of people running, and saw a lot of people I knew spectating. And had a good time.

But… I am happy it’s over! This is not the race for me to try to PR, which I write every year, yet, I still think I will train and PR it, when spring is a really hard time of year for me (with the weather shift to warmer and more daylight, I get a bit depressed and put on weight). So. Let’s see if I say I am going to try to PR it again next year. SOMEONE TELL ME NO!

Next up running-wise – I want to train for a 5K in October. That’s it for now! I’ll keep my mileage going and see what I can do with any fitness gained from 5K training.

Other tidbits:

• Rachel got her PR! I am so proud of her. She ran a fantastic, even race on this stupid windy day. YAY!!! (This was especially important to me (WAY more important to me than my race), because I wrote her training plan and was highly invested in it – we’ve been chatting most days about her runs since January.)

Anne, Rachel and me! Anne ran the 5K!

• Brian’s (my boss at Efit) son, Sam, completed his first half marathon, in a push chair! A team of people (including his mom, brother, a few relatives, an Efit trainer and Efit classmate) all took turns pushing him on the course! How cool! I was so stoked to see them during their race and kept wondering when I would! I love this picture of Sam smiling!

• I am so grateful Steven comes and takes pics at my races! I am sad I forgot to get a picture of us together though. Wah.
• Steven was getting set up at his first photo spot (mile 1) when he heard the race start. He said as soon as he heard the horn blow to start, the wind picked up. What wonderful timing. At about that time, I said to Rachel as we were standing waiting to start, “they were right about one thing – the wind!” She actually saw lightening before we started! Eek! But nothing happened. No rain. Just some nice clouds covering the sun for some of the race!
• Major props to the volunteers this year. Dealing with that wind must have been a nightmare. I saw someone trying to pick up cups as they were blowing every which way! Eek!
• I can’t imagine doing the full marathon in that wind, either – I think their last eight or so miles would have been in to it. Props to them, too.
• This is my eighth year running this race! I’ve run every year since the inaugural. So I feel like I have to keep doing it, even though I am finding out I am kind of… not so interested in it anymore. Maybe I will stop at ten years. Ha.
• I had a KILLER headache on Friday – most likely from the huge weather shift we had. Highs in the 50s Thursday, then 80s Friday. Then back to the 60s, Saturday. Ha ha. No wonder it was so windy. I’m happy the headache went away cause it was baaaaad.
• I love how the race medal has a cape!

• I carried my own water, but took some of theirs on course, too. I did stop twice to drink their cups, and at mile 12 (MILE 12 HA HA!) to fill up my water bottle (I was soooo thirsty). I took a gel at 4, 8 and mile 11.5 (was hoping it would help – not so much… just made me soooo thirsty).
• I ended up with 13.18 miles, which is pretty good. I tried really hard to run the tangents!
• Edited to add: my knee didn’t bug me during the race, yay!
• Edited to add, II: the wind made it a big problematic for spitters like me. Eek.

Comments (4)

By kilax, May 8, 2016 8:31 pm

Highlight of the Week: Running a solid race at Wisconsin.

Monday | May 2, 2016: 20 m ride + teaching strength class
Indoor Ride Time: 1:15:05, Pace: 16.0 mph avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt:good, sore quads from Sunday!
Strength: Sand bags and Slam Balls, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | May 3, 2016: 4 m run
Loc: Chicago Lakefront Trail, Temp: 60°/62°, Time: 33:08, Pace: 8:16 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: hot
Wednesday | May 4, 2016: rest
Thursday | May 5, 2016: rest – massage day!
Friday | May 6, 2016: teaching strength class + 3 m run (incl. 5×1:00)
Strength: soft balls and cones, Difficulty: easy, Felt: not good – bad headache
Loc: hood, Temp: 82°/83°, Time: 24:52, Pace: 8:17, Difficulty: medium, Felt: OMG SO HOT
Saturday | May 7, 2016: Wisconsin Half Marathon
Loc: Kenosha, Temp: 67°/52°, Time: 1:53:07, Pace: 8:37 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: fine
Sunday | May 8, 2016: rest

Notes:

• Last week I complained about runners not acknowledging each other on the Chicago Lakefront Trail… this week, it was all about too many tourists out around the museum campus, not paying attention to what they were doing! Ahh, tourist season. A good reminder for everyone to pay attention to their surroundings, especially if on an exercise path. And during commute time in busy areas. And… all the time. Please.
• I normally feel antsy not running my typical amount during taper, but this time, I felt so lazy and didn’t want to run at all. And this week, I tried to get extra sleep (I took a nap one day on lunch break, slept a bit after work another day, and used my Friday off for a nap! – maybe I was intuitively doing this?! (pdf here)). I’ve just felt so tired lately.
• So, yeah. Really lazy this week. Hopefully this is not a sign for how all of May will be!

Link to Training Week 341

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By kilax, May 7, 2016 5:25 am

I was a bit suspicious when I got a card in the mail addressed to “Mom.” Was Data actually thoughtful enough to remember Mother’s Day this year? And to send me a card?!

But when I saw what he wrote inside, I knew for sure, it was from him. Awww.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Comments (14)

By kilax, May 6, 2016 4:11 am

Time for a hodgepodge of house updates!

We purchased a used mower! This was exciting for Steven to research. He had a lawn mowing business in high school, and wanted to get something similar to what he had then. And he found it on Craigslist from a nice farmer south of the city (of Chicago). Next up… building a shed to put it in. 

Hola, toro.

Part of the FHA 203k Streamlined work on our house was replacing the sliding glass doors in our dining room and living room, because they were rotted. The new doors were installed when we were in Dallas (thank you, Bobbi, for taking care of Data!!!) and it was nice to come home and see them – they’re gorgeous! And it’s been so nice to use them! Next up… we’ll get a new door like this in our bedroom, too! W’e’re just waiting for it to come in in the next couple of weeks. This wasn’t part of the original scope of work, but they did so much less work on the roof, we asked for more work to be done on other things. 

No photos, but also, as part of the FHA 203k Streamlined contract, we’ve had parts of our roof and attic worked on. And redone, over and over again, because the contractors aren’t very good at communication. Fun times. Next up… fixing up the attic and putting insulation in it ourselves, since the contractor wouldn’t clean it out as well as we wanted before putting insulation in. Sure, put insulation right on top of spots soaked with animal urine (?!?!). 

We had a different water treatment system installed (by a separate contractor, outside of the FHA 203k Streamlined work). The aerated water treatment system didn’t work, so we had that one taken out, and the hydrogen peroxide one installed. So far, so good! We’re drinking the water again, my baths don’t stink like sulfur, and my clothes are… less smelly. That clear tank in front of the two black tanks in the system below is the hydrogen peroxide, which we have to fill when it gets to a certain low point (not yet). Next up… keep track of how much of it we use/how much we spend on it (beyond this initial install). 

New smaller system on the left, next to our water heater, on the right.

We had been waiting on the downstairs bathroom to be mostly done to get matching hardware for it and the upstairs bathroom. We ordered that and started installing it yesterday. It’s so nice to have the toilet paper on a bar! Like, really nice! Ha ha. Next up… get more drywall anchors to finish the upstairs install!

Best photo on my blog, ever

And! We hung up our first picture! Just three months after moving in. Ha. Next up… hang up more around the house!!!

Comments (15)

By kilax, May 5, 2016 6:24 am

• Ha, I started looking for the MBP bracelet while my snister was here and after she left. I had a feeling she left it here! I found it Tuesday am when I went to get dressed – she had attached it to the hanger of a new shirt I got when I was with her. Ha! Good one, snis, good one…

• My second race of the year, the Wisconsin Half Marathon, is in two days! And today is my second (!!!) rest day/pre-race massage day! I put in miles, but didn’t train as hard as I could have, on the roads, or in the kitchen. Going for a PR or running “for run” will be a race day decision, depending on how I feel, and the weather. I’d rather have a solid race than go out too hard and die, as I have the last two years. I don’t want to end the spring racing season with that feeling. Again. But I’ll bring this pace band just in case. (Also, this race doesn’t have the best monthly timing for me, so there’s that.)
• Christina did a lot of research and found a house for all of us (ten people!) to rent when we’re in Alaska! I really appreciate that she did all that hard work and coordinated everything. It looks like the place will have some great views:

• It’s been so nice to use the new bathtub, but I seem to have lost my hot bath stamina – I can’t stay in there as long as I used to without getting dizzy/too hot. I’ll have to build it back up. Maybe I should write a training plan? Ha ha.

• Really random thought: I never volunteered at a race last year! I need to make sure I do that this year!

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 97

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By kilax, May 4, 2016 6:16 am

I was pretty excited to see my calendar indicated the most important holiday of the year…

Ha. Of course it does. It’s a Star Wars calendar (from the Dollar Spot at Tarjayjay – score!).

I don’t have much planned for Star Wars Day! I do have my Millennium Falcon shirt on. Maybe today will be the day I finally buy The Force Awakens? I know, I know. It’s a shame I STILL don’t have it.

Oh gosh, I have to share the cutest thing – while discussing Star Wars with Luca during our Dallas trip, we found out he has a unique way of pronouncing “Millennium Falcon.”

One of our presents for Luca was this Hot Wheels Death Star case that came with an X-Wing, a Y-Wing, a TIE fighter, and the Millennium Falcon*. I think we’d actually discovered his unique take on the name before he opened his gift, but playing with the toy prompted this conversation:

“Luca, say ‘Millennium.'”

“Millennium!”

“Luca, say ‘Falcon.'”

“Falcon!”

“Luca, how do you say the name of Han Solo’s ship, the Millennium Falcon?”

“Millennium Balcony!”

Ha ha, love it. He’s too cute.

May the fourth be with you!

*Luca thought it was the Hot Wheels Millennium Falcon he already has, but alas – he has the one from The Force Awakens with the rectangular satellite and this was the one from Return of the Jedi with the circular satellite. Phew. I also explained the difference between his black TIE Fighter and the gray one we got him.

Comments (19)

By kilax, May 3, 2016 5:40 am

… if you visit, we may put you to work!

We were stoked for Christina and Will to visit because we wanted to spend time with them, and show them the new house, but also… because we had a HUGE project list we thought they could help us with! Muah ha ha. Ha. (Actually, this is Steven and Will’s thing – they love working on projects when they’re together – and they update each other on projects when they’re apart, too!)

Steven had been enthusiastically working on his project list with Will for about a month, making sure he had all the parts and pieces, and brainstorming the best way to do things. Unfortunately, they hit a huge hiccup when they went to install the hood for the kitchen – the hood is designed for 8′-0″ ceilings and the space where we’re putting the hood is 7′-0″ tall due to a soffit. So they had to figure out how to fit all the required stuff in 1′-0″ less of space, and spent most of the time on that, which was not one of the “fun” projects on the list!

But working on that meant they painted the wall behind the hood/fridge area (yay!), which was half painted when we bought the house. And now the hood’s up (and sounds like a jet engine when you turn it on):

I’ll have to post a picture when it’s all finished and the house is not a construction zone! I still need to post pictures of what the rooms in the house look like!

They did have time to install our wireless antenna outside (and run cables from it through the attic), cover openings in the attic (to keep animals out), shorten an old shower curtain rod (from our townhome) and install it, and add accent lights on the stairs.

It was raining hard when they installed the antenna. Eek!

How many men does it take to install a shower curtain rod? Three.

Data spent a lot of time supervising*!

My to do list with Christina focused on sprucing up the first floor bathroom and the guest bedroom, and finding a rug for the foyer. I needed her design input as well as support while shopping (because I hate to shop and search for things and be around crowds and get REALLY frustrated). And we were successful! I love the new bed set we got for our guest bedroom. We’d been using a red one forever that was in good condition, but made the room feel so heavy. This feels fresher:

We also found time to goof off, too:

We live super close to the Jelly Belly Wisconsin Warehouse, which you can tour. We weren’t planning on stopping, but we drove by and Christina wanted to check out the shop so we did, then decided to do the tour. It’s as lame as people have told me, but we had fun! And we enjoyed trying lots of different flavors of Jelly Bellies!

Their trip here was a crazy whirlwind! They got in late Thursday and left early Sunday. We were successful in cramming A LOT in though. I hope they get to come out again soon… and that we get a chance to go to their place in Kansas this year!!!

*Data does not seem to be freaked out by construction noise at all. Steven and Will were cutting something in the kitchen and I was thinking “Oh man, I hope Data’s not freaked!” Then I walk in to the kitchen and Data is sitting on the floor, watching them. Ha ha.