Blogging, Life, Recipes + Food, Work + Design

By kilax, January 25, 2018 5:33 am

• I got more information yesterday about what’s going on at work. I’m still disappointed, but I understand it better now. I’ll share more when it’s all done (in a few months).
• The RAGBRAI route announcement party is this Saturday! We streamed it last year and it was horribly painful to watch – way too drawn out. This year, I’ll just look up the course before I go to bed. My guess is that it will go through the far south of Iowa.
• Shutterfly had an offer for a “free” (you pay for shipping) custom notebook. I love this photo of me and Steven, so I used it. It doesn’t really go with the message I put on the cover though. Ha!

• For those of you who saw the film It, what did you think of it? I was expecting it to be better, and scarier (note: I haven’t read the book or seen the mini-series). I typically don’t like movies with kids as the main characters, so that didn’t help. Eh. At least I could sleep after watching it! (Except for my usual wake up to use the bathroom then feeling wide awake happening.)
• Ha, we got this flier for the Frosty Footrace in the mail yesterday. The caption on the front page cracks me up (especially the typo). A lot of us must have complained when they changed the format last year. I’m glad they’ve changed it back! (Brief history – I’ve been doing this 5K since 2009 as a goal 5K and they changed it (after I registered) to a “2 miler” last year and the race sucked.)

• Snow has been coming in some nights to spend the night inside. He LOVES the bed. And is SOOOOO cuddly.

• It looks like I am going to be blogging for another two years – I just renewed my hosting until March 2020. I hate that I have to negotiate the rates each year. Blah.
• And now for the COMPLETELY random. I’ve been talking about nachos a lot lately. I should probably make some soon, so I shut up about them. Nachos… droooooool…

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 164

Life, Work + Design

By kilax, January 24, 2018 6:23 am

Not about the government shutdown. Although I am a federal employee.

Has something ever upset you so much that to deal with it level headedly, you had to step back and give yourself time to calm the eff down?

I know, dumb question. How the hell else do you handle things?

It’s just that I’ve had several moments like that over the last year, so I’m thinking about it. Moments where I was so upset, I really couldn’t think or do anything about the situation. I had to give myself time to calm down. Let my heart rate come down. Let that “I may throw up” feeling stop. I had to wait to deal with it until I wasn’t filled with firey rage just thinking about it.

Okay, that last part may be a bit of an exaggeration. Ha.

But I have to shut down on the situation, until I calm down. It’s not uncommon for me to say “I need time to calm down” or “I can’t talk about it right now,” and it’s not that I’m avoiding it. I just need to be less angry. Then approach it with less emotion involved.

This happened to me Monday, with something work related. I was so shocked I didn’t know whether to cry or throw up. Ugh. I felt horrible.

But I am proud of how I handled it. I didn’t take it out on anyone. I talked to Steven, my snis, and friends for support. I went on a run. I wrote an angry inappropriate blog post and waited until today to publish this (and not the other one). I didn’t binge eat (<—- that’s a big one).

I feel like such an adult.

An angry, screwed over one (who feels slightly better today).

Unrelated photo of our snow dump from Monday night! I was so proud of myself for doing all the snow blowing, even though it looked horrible because the ground was so soft under the snow and dirt flew everywhere.

House, Knitting, Life

By kilax, January 23, 2018 6:23 am

Because if I saved this all for Random Thoughts Thursday, that post would be WAY too long.

• On Friday I came back in a great mood from my run… until I was undressing and realized my driver’s license was not in the pocket I put it in during my run. I was 99% certain it fell out somewhere in the car (not on my run), and was stressed out and annoyed until I found it. Ugh. I did find it though. When I unzipped the pocket it was in to take out my phone in the car, it fell in to that horrible crevice between the seat and the center console (you know, the one that the peanuts and popcorn and chapstick and dry cleaning stubs live in). I tried every different way of adjusting the seats to find it. Then, when I did, I had to use a pair of long tweezers to grab it, cause the slot it was in was so small. Fun times, for sure. I definitely learned my lesson to always keep track of my ID, though! And a huge thanks to Steven for spending time trying to find it, as well.

Photo from that run

• On Saturday we hung up the mirror Christina and Will gave us! I love how it looks! Every time we hang something, or decorate, or do a project, or a deep clean, or I walk down the stairs in to the living room, I get this feeling of “Man, I just love this house.”

P.S. That Cinnamon Caramel Swirl candle in the photo? Definitely a new favorite of mine!!!

• On Saturday, Bobbi and her husband came over for dinner and games, and we laughed so hard playing the 5 Second Rule game (not an affiliate link). The gist of the game is that you have to name three things from one topic in five seconds. For example, three breeds of dogs, three tv dads, three national parks, three books, etc. If you can’t name three items in your turn, it goes to the next person, but they can’t list any of the things you did! It gets silly and I was laughing so hard I almost cried. I love that feeling!
• On Sunday, I started working on some wash cloths my mom asked me to knit for her sister-in-law. I was ashamed when I went through my knitting stash and found MANY unfinished projects, and so many skeins of beautiful yarn I’ve been gifted and haven’t used. Ugh. But working on the first cloth, and having it go so easily and all come back to me, and enjoying it SO MUCH gives me hope I will get to those other projects and beautiful skeins! It feels great to MAKE something.

Totally posed knitting by the fireplace photo.

• Sunday was the first weekend day all year that I’ve had a free day with no plans and it was GLORIOUS!!! I got a lot done but was lazy too. My only regret is not taking a nap!

Running + Training

By kilax, January 22, 2018 5:46 am

… is a good thing… right?!

I’m a confident person. There are only a few things in life that make me feel self doubt:

1. Running
2. Work (being forced to do things I don’t know how to do, or WANT to know how to do)
3. Certain relationships

Don’t worry, we’re only going to talk about running!

Photo from the last race I attempted to run fast at… on April 1, 2017

It blows my mind, that even though I’ve been running for over ten years, I still have feelings of “am I going to finish this run?” before each one. And “is this run going to be hard? AHHHH!” if I am doing speedwork.

It’s only before the run and goes away when I start running. It’s not debilitating. It’s not stress or anxiety, it’s just a feeling (and I don’t get stressed before races, except goal 5Ks). That little bit of self doubt. That little bit of fear. It’s crazy to me! I know I can do it based on past experience, or even my run the day before!

This isn’t something that worries me, it’s just something I wanted to share, because I bet other people can relate. And I do believe that a little bit of that self doubt is not a bad thing. You don’t want to be too cocky. You don’t want to be too sure of yourself.

Kind of related: one of the lessons in a favorite training book of mine (How Bad Do You Want It?) is about “bracing yourself” – always expecting your next race to be your hardest, as opposed to thinking that you’re so well trained it will be an easy effort. Expecting some pain when you’re pushing yourself in competition makes you more mentally prepared to handle it when it comes. Makes sense, right?

Not that I’m really a competitive runner, ha. But I like reading about these things, and imagining if I were!

So, that feeling of “will this run be hard?” needs to be turned in to expecting it to be hard, and being fine with it! (I am talking about speedwork only, ha! I LOVE running easy most of the time!)

Running + Training

By kilax, January 21, 2018 2:45 pm

Highlight of the Week: Running with Dad / teaching two challenging classes / two great long runs / warmer weather!

Monday | January 15, 2018: 4 m run (w/Dad)
Loc: Switzer/Anitoch Loop, Temp: 14°/14°, Time: 46:50, Pace: 11:42 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, slow & cautious on the ice and snow
Tuesday | January 16, 2018: 7 m run (incl. 8 hill repeats) + 25 mins strength + 10 m ride
Loc: hood, Temp: 20°/23°, Time: 1:21:29, Pace: 11:38 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: great, just very slow on slippery snow
Indoor Ride Time: 39:18, Pace: 15.3 mph avg avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: okay, still pissy about work
Wednesday | January 17, 2018: rest
Thursday | January 18, 2018: 10.2 m run
Loc: reverse Kilbourne/VP Woods loop, Temp: 31°/32°, Time: 1:41:19, Pace: 9:56 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, glad to run on clear roads, grateful for the stress release
Friday | January 19, 2018: teaching strength class + 1,008 yd swim + 17 m ride + 4 m run
Strength: Airex pads, kettlebell, & circuit, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, but tired (sleepy)
Loc: FitNation, Time: 21:32, Pace: 2:08 min/100 yd, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Indoor Ride Time: 54:19, Pace: 18.1 mph avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good, excited to teach the class!
Loc: Lake Andrea, Temp: 40°/40°, Time: 37:06, Pace: 9:16 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, held back in the wind!
Saturday | January 20, 2018: teaching indoor cycling (16.5 m) + teaching fitness boxing + 3 m run
Indoor Cycling Time: 54:12, Pace: 18.3 mph avg, Difficulty: easy then hard at the end, Felt: good! sweaty!!!
Strength: dumbbells & boxing, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: hood, Temp: 46°/46°, Time: 29:34, Pace: 9:51 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great to have the sun on my legs and arms
Sunday | January 21, 2018: 13 m run (incl. 8×400)
Loc: Outlet mall/Lake Andrea loop, Temp: 37°/38°, Time: 2:12:41, Pace: 10:12 avg, Difficulty: easy (a few intervals were hard), Felt: great

Notes:

• I was able to get one last run/bike in with Dad on Monday before we went back home! It was another challenging run – it had snowed and iced over the night before. I’m glad neither of us fell during that workout, or the previous ones!
• I did not manage my time well this week. I put off my speedwork – I usually do it on Thursday, but wanted to run long after a stressful work day, and I didn’t want to do it Friday or Saturday after cycling intervals. Also, I should not have waited to practice my cycling class until the day before I was teaching it! I was all about doing what I wanted to in the beginning of the week, not what I needed to. Sigh. Will I learn my lesson? <— likely not.
• As I was running next to cars on the road Thursday, I could taste the salt their tires were spitting up on me from the road, even through my gaiter! Yummy…?
• It was a blast teaching indoor cycling and fitness boxing back to back. That cycling workout though – it nearly did me in! It was intense! I hope my students felt it, too!
• I didn’t end up doing my scheduled Thursday speedwork until Sunday, then when I looked at my calendar for Sunday, it showed tempo. Oops. Um, let’s count Friday as tempo?!
• I was able to run forty miles last week and this week. I’d like to stay at that average for the year, but right now it requires two double digit runs a week, and that isn’t always going to be feasible!
• Does anyone else come up with a huge to do list during their long run, then try to remember it all to write down when they get back?

Link to Training Week 430

Health + Fitness, Music

By kilax, January 20, 2018 7:06 am

The playlists I create for my weekend* classes are crucial to the success of the class.

I keep fitness boxing songs at a certain tempo and energy, to keep the class moving. And I put the most intense songs at the end of class.

When Mom came to fitness boxing!

My indoor cycling class relies on the playlist to lead the workout. The workout is timed “per song,” and I find appropriate songs for intervals, “hills,” riding out the saddle, sprints, and so on. (It’s quite a bit of work, ha!)

I have favorite songs, but I’m always trying to find new music so things don’t get stale.

So here’s my question! When you’re attending a group fitness class, what’s more important to you – that the song has the right tempo to get you moving, OR that you’re familiar with the song? Or a bit of both?

I am wondering if people work out harder to songs they know, or if a tempo of a song they don’t know can just take over and lead the way. IF that makes sense.

When I took group classes, it was all about tempo and style. I remember taking a few and thinking “I HAVE to find out what that song is!” I didn’t need to be familiar with the song.

It’s different when I run though – I prefer the upbeat, sometimes high tempo songs I know.

Let me know what you think – I am curious how other people operate!

(And I think my students like my playlists. I’ve gotten compliments on them, and two gave me an iTunes gift card for Christmas and said “we love the playlists you make!” Aww.)

*I’ve found it doesn’t matter as much with my weekday strength classes, but I do often put the higher tempo/more intense music at the end of class.

Life

By kilax, January 19, 2018 6:47 am

My baby, the KIMBOT, hit a huge milestone yesterday – 200,000 miles!

Major thanks to Steven for snapping this pic. I knew he’d be in the car when it hit 200,000 and I kept telling him over and over I wanted a photo of it. He was driving on the interstate when it happened, so he pulled over and took the pic. He said the lighting was really weird, so he had to wait for a semi to drive by and conceal all the shadows, then take burst mode photos until he got a good one. Aww. That’s true love!

To treat her, she got a car wash today! And maybe she’ll get detailed after the crummy weather is over in the spring.

I’ve had my Infinti FX35 since 2009. She’s a fun, reliable car (we’ve had typical wear and tear, and made investments in her). I foresee her being my ride for quite some time… but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been looking around. Particularly at the Jaguar F-PACE. drooooooooooool

Someday…

Life, Work + Design

By kilax, January 18, 2018 6:23 am

• When we were in KC this weekend, my snister gave me a mirror they had that no longer fits with the decor of their house, but I think will look great above the table in our foyer. I am excited to hang it!!! <— much adulting.
• Also, when we were in KC, I had to get a photo of me and mom (and Steven, ha) wearing our Holiday Mile Challenge tees and medals! Mom enjoyed the challenge, and wants to keep walking, and do the Chocoholic 5K this year!

• I was bummed we couldn’t watch the Summer Olympics in 2016 (we don’t have a cable account to log in to watch them stream), so we ordered an antenna and tuner to see if we can get a signal to watch some of the Winter Olympics in February. I hope it works! We’re equidistant from Milwaukee and Chicago, and kind of in a dead-zone, reception-wise, but this antenna is supposed to have a far range! We’ll see…
• A space I designed is actually being built, as I designed it (mostly), on the floor I work on now! That’s exciting for me!

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 163

Life, Travel

By kilax, January 17, 2018 7:35 am

The other part of our Kansas City trip was to celebrate a late Christmas with my parents and Christina and Will! This is how we typically split our holiday celebrations with our families – one in December (on Christmas) and one sometime in January. I like spreading out the cheer (and do not like trying to cram two families in to back to back weekends – too draining).

We drove to Kansas City because we had gifts to bring, and would have gifts to bring back. It’s about five hundred and seventy-five miles, one way.

GAH.

We did the first drive in four shifts. One of our stops was at Hurts Donuts in Des Moines. Steven loves sharing his love for Hurts Donuts with everyone!

Crazed, been in the car too long eyes

Nine hours is a loooong time to be in the car (we left at noon and got there at 9:00). We were definitely getting punchy well before we arrived. Ugh. But I know all about raising chickens now (that is what Steven researched while I was driving).

William waited up for us! Aww.

On Saturday I ran in the morning with Dad (William did not want to come, ha),

helped with party decorations and food prep,

ate Minskys,

then we had our Christmas!

Aka, all the ladies exchanging things we bought each other at Bath & Body Works. Seriously – my mom and I bought each other the same candle. Steven said it was somewhat painful to watch us open each item and ooh and ahh over it and smell it and pass it around. Ha ha ha. Ha. Don’t worry, it wasn’t ALL Bath & Body Works.

After presents, Christina treated me, Mom, and Alyssa (our sister-in-law) to manicures! Can you tell which hand is mine?

Then we ran errands for the party, and picked up Chinese food for dinner! I got the tip on where to order from from a worker at Bath & Body Works <— yes, we have a problem.

Why did the restaurant ask if we were having a party? This is food for six people. Ha.

Sunday was all about the party (and a morning run with Dad, and Steven met a friend for breakfast)! After the party, we went to see my brother-in-law Andrew’s new office, and he encouraged me to write my signature equation on his whiteboard. Ha.

On Monday, I ran with Dad again! I feel lucky we got to work out so much together. It’s a treat for me to chat with him, one-on-one, for so long, uninterrupted by other things!

We also went to Mud Pie, then headed out around 11:30. And made the long-arse drive back home (three shifts this time). I’d say we were less punchy this drive, yay!

Something exciting happened on our drive – we saw a sun dog in person for the first time! I was so excited! It lasted for a couple hours, and became most prominent/beautiful right before sunset. I was only able to get a bad photo through the car window.

And… that was our trip! Ha. My post makes it sound like we didn’t do much, but we were busy the whole time! I hope we have more relaxation time during our next visit! And that we take more photos together!

Life

By kilax, January 16, 2018 8:33 am

William’s first birthday party was on Sunday at Christina and Will’s house in Kansas!

Will, William, and Christina

I loved the party theme – “Time Flies”! There were lots of plane details in the decorations, and in the food.

Each airplane closepin held up one of his one month photos! Recognize that blanket in the photos?

Somehow, PB&Js taste even better when cut in plane and cloud shapes! (There was a meat option, too)

The plane toys were a huge hit with the children (ha, and adult) guests!

We ate,

William ate his cupcake (they did a smash cake the day before his birthday the previous weekend),

and opened gifts!

We got him this roller coaster he had on his wishlist, because, duh. It’s for ages 2-5, so he uses it with an adult for now. It’s also fun for adults – you know we tried it!!!

It was great to visit with everyone at the party! Some of my family was there (my parents, and my older brother and his family),

and my in-laws came, too!

And of course, Christina and Will’s friends and some of Will’s family was there!

I was glad we had decent travel weather (for January) to go to Kansas City for the party. It was frigid and windy each day we traveled, but we didn’t have any issues with snow until we were two hours outside of Chicago on our way home yesterday. I would have been bummed to miss the party if the weather got in our way!

And back to the “Time Flies” theme – HOW is this little guy already ONE?! Craziness.

My snister and I are really close, and chat every day, and know everything that’s going on in each other’s lives. So I always know how William is doing and what he’s up to! But I wish we could all see each other more often. I miss them all!