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By kilax, November 14, 2017 6:21 am

Two days.

Sigh.

Two days – that is all I lasted from buying something for Steven for his stocking, to giving it to him. (Note: it’s not Christmas morning ha.)

Ugh. And I thought I was trying so hard. I really wasn’t, leaving it on my desk and thinking about it each time I saw it.

Everything I buy from now on goes in to the guest bedroom – out of sight, out of mind!

The item (it’s an inside joke for a couple of reasons)

At least I was able to wait to post this – I actually wrote it yesterday! Woo hoo! Baby steps.

Comments (6)

By kilax, November 13, 2017 12:20 pm

It amazes me how creaky my body sometimes feels when I wake in the morning. Come on, body! You just got many hours of sleep! You should be raring to go!

Ha, the logical part of my brain knows that some of my muscles tense up at night and need to be stretched out to feel good. And another logical part of me knows that as I get older, that feeling is probably only going to get worse.

You know, unless I take care of myself, like by stretching every day…

At least I do a good job with a monthly massage!

Wouldn’t it be amazing to be a sponsored elite athlete and get a massage every day? And have someone cook for you? And take naps every day? And only have to focus on running and not work…? Ha ha ha – I got a bit off track there.

Comments (2)

By kilax, November 12, 2017 5:45 pm

Highlight of the Week: Getting all my runs in, and finishing off the week with a run with Jen!

Monday | November 6, 2017: 10 m ride + 4.5 m run (incl. 4 hill repeats) + teaching strength class
Indoor Ride Time: 38:27, Pace: 15.6 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: fine, just not positioned right (sore butt!)
Loc: hood, Temp: 39°/39°, Time: 11:06, Pace: 49:57 avg, Difficulty: easy-ish, Felt: good!
Strength: BOSU and two dumbbells, Difficulty: easy-ish, Felt: good, sweaty
Tuesday | November 7, 2017: 3 m run
Loc: Chicago Lakefront Trail, Temp: 47°/46°, Time: 30:08, Pace: 10:02 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great, just hungry
Wednesday | November 8, 2017: rest
Thursday | November 9, 2017: 4 m run (incl. 3×800)
Loc: Lake Andrea, Temp: 33°/33°, Time: 41:18, Pace: 10:20 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: pushed back by the wind
Friday | November 10, 2017: teaching strength class + 1,134 yd swim + 5 m run
Strength: BOSU and two dumbbells, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, but hard on the hips!
Loc: FitNation, Time: 25:00, Pace: 2:12 min/100 yd, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Van Patten Woods, Temp: 28°/28°, Time: 55:05, Pace: 11:01 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: amazing
Saturday | November 11, 2017: 10 m run
Loc: DPRT/Kilbourne loop, Temp: 28°/30°, Time: 1:59:17, Pace: 11:56 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: sluggish (didn’t sleep well)
Sunday | November 12, 2017: 12 m ride + 7 m run (w/Jen)
Indoor Ride Time: 47:40, Pace: 15.1 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: DPRT, Temp: 36°/37°, Time: 1:28:54, Pace: 12:42 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good

Notes:

• I love that I work close to the Lakefront Trail and can run there during lunch break but MAN, there are so many stop lights just to get out there. That would make me nuts if I had to do it every day!
• It was cold enough Thursday that my phone died during my run. Time to put that thing in a glove! (I remembered for Friday and Saturday’s runs, which were even colder.)
• The BOSU workout we’re doing in class is challenging my hips. We’ve been doing a curtsy lunge (aka skaters) with two dumbbells down to the BOSU and I feel it immediately!
• We had our first snowfall of the season Friday, and I had a peaceful, calm run on it on the trails. What a treat! The day before was warmer but windy, and felt a lot colder, so this lovely run was especially appreciated.
• Then I ran again on the snow Saturday. It rained for all of Sunday’s run. ‘Tis the season!

Link to Training Week 420

Thanks to everyone who entered the 11 Year Runniversary Amazon giftcard giveaway! Random.org picked #8 (each entry and favorite movie counted as two), which was Christina!

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By kilax, November 11, 2017 7:54 am

(about my sense of humor)

Remember when you were a little kid, and wanted to say a bad word, but didn’t want to get in trouble, so you’d say one half, and your sibling would say the other?

“Shhhhhhhhhh…”

“itttttttttttttttttttt!”

No?

Just me?

On Friday, my brother-in-law responded to an email I sent him with “booo.” I hope he understands my response of “bsssss.” Ha ha ha ha. Ha.

I was looking for a photo of me and my younger brother, who I’d often do this with, but my box of old photos is MIA. So you get this photo of young Kim (too young to be saying bad words with her siblings) instead.

Comments (18)

By kilax, November 10, 2017 8:29 am

Today is my eleven year runniversary – it’s eleven years since the day I started running!

The tattoo I got in 2014 to celebrate running

I started running to lose weight, like many do, and continued to do it for the enjoyment and stress release. Running is so ingrained in my life now – I feel grumpy if I don’t do it. Even if I am not racing, or running very long, far, or fast, I am still out there almost every day.

So let’s celebrate! I will be giving away an $11 Amazon giftcard (get it, a dollar for each year?) to one person! (not sponsored, this will be from my own cashola)

$11 Amazon Giftcard GIVEAWAY Rules

1. One reader will receive a prize.
2. REQUIRED to enter the giveaway: leave a comment telling me what you like to do for exercise.
3. BONUS extra entry (can be in same comment as required entry): tell me your favorite new film from 2017.  
4. This giveaway is open until 12:00 PM CST on Sunday November 12. I will announce the winners on Sunday November 12 (in the training recap post).
5. Random.org will pick the the winner.
6. This giveaway is open to all readers, in all locations.

Comments (8)

By kilax, November 9, 2017 6:28 am

• Two years ago, I wrote about the ponytail rule my middle school track coach had –
  he didn’t want to see any lateral sway in our ponytails when we ran. The implication was that it meant you were running inefficiently. In the comments, we couldn’t figure out WHY. Well, guess what I saw in an article in the November/December issue of Chicago Athlete? A somewhat explanation. Ha! I am still going to wear my hair in a bun and not worry about it though.

• Anyone who eats out with me knows that I LOVE Red Robin because they have a vegan and vegetarian burger option, and bottomless (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) fries. They are phasing out those burger options though, and replacing it with just one vegan* “ancient-grain-and-quinoa” (read: “trying to look healthy”) burger, and guess what? It’s gross (taste and texture). So gross I didn’t finish my burger last time I was there and I ALWAYS FINISH MY FOOD. Why Red Robin, why? Steven emailed them last month about the change and they sent some generic response. I emailed them again this week pleading they bring back the Boca burger (no response yet). That used to be my easy go to place with big groups of people, and I don’t think it will be anymore. Bummer.

• A local station started playing holiday music on Tuesday. Yay! I love holiday music, and it’s fun when the season is over, because then I get to hear all the new tunes I missed when they came out because I was listening to holiday music.
• Has anyone else started using the new google calendar? I like how it adds images to some of my events based on the title, like this one with swimming:

*They told us it was vegan on the phone, but we can’t confirm it on their website

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 154

Comments (14)

By kilax, November 8, 2017 6:24 am

Gah, I am so sick of dreaming about work each night. It ranges from me doing my job, to someone showing up in the office who hasn’t in years, to messing up at a meeting in front of “important” people, to not even coming in because I missed my train. Stupid brain.

How about a break from the work dreams? We saw the new Thor movie this weekend – maybe a dream about Chris Hemsworth instead? Ha ha.

I understand I’m dreaming about work because I’m thinking about it more, but I just want a night of restful sleep! And that’s already a challenge with this guy and his sister sleeping on me…

Comments (30)

By kilax, November 7, 2017 6:34 am

I haven’t considered running another marathon since my last one in December 2015. I was elated with how it went, and haven’t wanted to allocate the time to train for another one. <— lazy

But, man, if your favorite runner winning one of the World Major Marathons doesn’t inspire you to do something epic… then something might be wrong with you. Ha ha. Hmm…

That time xaarlin and I both had a random gift for each other – and it turned out to be the exact same thing – a pin of Amy Cragg catching Shalane Flanagan as she finished the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials.

When xaarlin text me Sunday morning that Shalane Flanagan won the New York City Marathon, I immediately had tears of happiness (especially when I saw the photos and videos of Flanagan’s emotional finish). I’ve loved following Flanagan’s career, and have always rooted for her. To see her finally get this big win, on what she said would be her last race, was just amazing.

I selfishly hope she doesn’t retire though!

Comments (13)

By kilax, November 6, 2017 12:54 pm

Thanks, Data, for doing your tribal meow, on repeat, from another room on a different floor, while I was on the phone with my boss this morning.

I was about to mute the call to yell at him to shut up when my boss goes “is that a cat?”

Sigh. Yes, a cat who wants to play, and should play with his sister instead of making those horrible noises.

“I love cats!” she said.

Phew.

I’d really like to make a good impression on the person (her!) who might ask to extend my detail… maybe I should tell her two of the cats have Game of Thrones names – I know she’s a fan. Ha!

Comments (4)

By kilax, November 5, 2017 5:49 pm

Highlight of the Week: Doing my speedwork on Thursday (and not putting off until the weekend)!

Monday | October 30, 2017: 4 m run (incl. 3 hill repeats) + teaching strength class
Loc: hood, Temp: 47°/48°, Time: 43:47, Pace: 10:56 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: annoyed with cars – what’s new?
Strength: Airex pads and plates, Difficulty: easy, Felt: decent
Tuesday | October 31, 2017: rest
Wednesday | November 1, 2017: 3 m run
Loc: Lakefront Trail, Temp: 42°/44°, Time: 30:32, Pace: 10:10 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Thursday | November 2, 2017: 5 m run (incl. 6×400) + 5 m ride
Loc: hood, Temp: 47°/48°, Time: 53:30, Pace: 10:41 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: like I could do exactly six repeats, ha
Indoor Ride Time: 19:46, Pace: 15.2 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: tired legs
Friday | November 3, 2017: teaching strength class + 1,008 yd swim + 4 m run
Strength: two dumbbells and BOSU, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, but creaky in one hip
Loc: FitNation, Time: 22:12, Pace: 2:12 min/100 yd, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Loc: VP Woods, Temp: 43°/42°, Time: 43:31, Pace: 10:53 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, annoyed with all the “rock” stops
Saturday | November 4, 2017: teaching fitness boxing + 4 m run
Strength: whole body, gloves, and pads, Difficulty: easy (mostly observing), Felt: good
Loc: hood, Temp: 44°/45°, Time: 43:30, Pace: 10:52 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Sunday | November 5, 2017: 12 m run
Loc: Lake Andrea/outlet mall loop, Temp: 46°/47°, Time: 2:20:10, Pace: 11:41 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great

Notes:

• I renewed my yearly swim pass this week, so I need to make sure I go to the pool at least thirty-eight times by October 31st next year, to make it worth the cost (versus paying a drop in fee)!
• The temperature was in the high 40s with low winds Thursday so I headed out for a run in shorts and a tank and quickly realized I should have worn gloves too. Oops. I won’t make that mistake again – my hands were cold (for hours!) until I made a mug of cider and held it just to warm them up.
• I did all my weekly runs during lunch break this week. I like that a lot better than running after work. After work I just want to be laaaaazy.
• Boy, I woke up feeling sore Saturday (and Sunday) from the BOSU workout we did in strength class Friday morning! I like it when that happens – it means I worked something I haven’t in a while.
• Yay, I actually did a long run this week! And really enjoyed it. Sunday morning is a quiet time for runs and I enjoy not having to think about too much traffic.
• Monthly recap time. In October I ran 102.9 miles (24 runs), cycled 40 miles (4 indoor rides) and swam 2,520 yards (3 swims). My coldest run was 34°F and my warmest was 80°F. I taught 9 strength classes, and 2 fitness boxing class. I did 1 strength training session at home.

Link to Training Week 419