Thanksgiving 5k Run

Today was the Freeze Your Gizzard Cross Country 5k. It was a great morning for it, cold at 36 degrees but virtually no wind which was a real treat. After running in very gusty conditions yesterday, I was a bit worried about what today would bring.

The route was pretty hilly today. The "cross country" part was no joke. I ran the entire thing looking down at my feet worried about twisting an ankle. I like the cross country races though, the terrain takes your mind off of how far you've been and how far you still have to go!
Early on, I'd say about 1.5 miles in, I found myself directly behind two boys that couldn't have been a day over 15. They were all arms and legs. Long thin limbs flying around. They had creaky voices and were talking non-stop about video games. As much as I'd love to hear about the newest advances in X-Box, I decided to pass. There were a lot of runners and the course was pretty tight so it was hard to get by people but everyone was laughing and having a great time.

As I was nearing the finish line, I looked up ahead of me, I'd say about 100 yards, and spotted to young kids. I'm talking 7 or 8 years old. Just trotting along having a great time and here I was, behind them, breathing pretty heavy by now and thinking to myself 'I signed up for a half marathon (something I'm still kind of freaking about having signed up for!) and 2 8-year-olds are kicking my butt in a 5k?!' So I dug deep and found some more gas and managed to pass them just before the finish line. It wasn't until after the race that I found out there was a 1-mile 'Fun Run' for the kids and they were running in that one! Kind of a relief, I have to admit.

It was a good time and I'm happy I attended.

Can't think of a title

Me and my posse are headed out of town for the week of Thanksgiving. Don't worry, the neighbor's going to feed the dog but I do need to cancel the paper. Don't let me forget. Oh, and diapers, baby food...should we take the stroller? Pack sandwiches, napkins...the camera. Ummm, I know I'm forgetting something...socks, underwear, nursing pads...oh, yeah, and my sanity.
Have a great Thanksgiving, SMR crew!

if you can look past the weight loss focus...

this site has some really good recipes:

http://www.shapefit.com/weight-loss-recipes.html



Im seriously considering making my own pretzels now.

No reason.

Just the fact I now have a recipe.

Why - oh why - didn't I take Auto Mechanics in school...

I hate vehicles! With as much fiery passion as I hate a not-to-be-named-evil-mega-store-starting-with-a-"W" (different post for a different day) I hate my minivan. Let me tell you it is definitely not the "minivan that drives like a sports car" right now (true sales pitch for the Mazda MPV Minivan when we bought the sucker about 6 years ago). More like a "minivan that moves like an old biddy with a walker" on the highway.

Last week I had the emissions test done on the minivan. This is something you have to do in Tennessee before paying the annual registration fee. I think it is all a farce and is a way for the state to embezzle $9 per vehicle - genius!

Anyway - all was fine til I started to get on the interstate. I was pressing the gas, the engine was "revving", but the speed was not increasing - lovely! I was able to get to about 50 miles per hour and had about 3 semis coming up behind me - again, lovely. Thankfully, my exit was the next one down so I was able to make it without too many people honking their horns at me (I've got your license plate numbers suckers - not sure what I'll do with them, but I'll figure something out).

So - after an hour long visit to the dealership the very nice head of the service department (not being a smart a** here, he really is nice - must be some sort of mutated dealership employee) told me the bad news. Vanessa (the girls' nickname for the minivan) needed a boob job and a tummy tuck - ok - not really - but that would be what I would consider the equivalent of a new transmission.

As the cost of this overhaul almost knocked me over, I thought I would be a bit more creative in retelling that part of the story. Here goes:

A new transmission for Vanessa equals:

1. 7 pairs of brand new Jimmy Choo shoes
2. 700 boxes of Starbuck's Refresh Tazo tea bags
3. 10 Kate Spade Tarrytown Samson purses
4. 40 American Girl dolls
5. 1 lower level 2008 Super Bowl ticket
6. 35 one-hour-long messages
7. 9 iPhones
8. 5 Wii Customer Choice Bundles

Happy Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year's, Happy Valentine's Day, Happy St. Patrick's Day, Happy Easter, Happy Mother's Day and Happy 4th of July 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 to me!

Why, oh why - didn't I go to a vocational school and learn the amazing skill of auto mechanics. I just HAD to have that Public Relations & Psychology degree! Dang it!

Health Tip

A colleague clued me in yesterday: To prevent coughing at night, put Vick's Vapor Rub on your feet, with a pair of socks over it. I tried it yesterday and I swear it works! Let me know if you have heard of it, or if you try it and get results.

Winter in Virginia Part II

Thanks for all the great comments I got on my Winter has arrived in Virginia post. You guys had some great tips! As a result, I'm happy to report that you all successfully got me off my wimpy butt and out on the path and I had a great 6 mile run that morning! The cold was only a factor for the first few minutes but I started off slow, dressed for the weather and had a great run. I'm hoping to keep up this trend and become a fan of running in the cold like Kimberly because I am not looking forward to being banished in doors already. And another thing Kimberly, you are so right, it isn't that cold and I totally agree, I'm sure there are a lot of people out there laughing at my wimpyness over the weather! : )
This weekend, I am participating in a Thanksgiving run - the Freeze Your Gizzard 5k - at Ida Lee Park. I'm sure it's going to be quite chilly on Saturday morning but I'll be ready for it!

Win 1 of over 60 Prizes at the Classy Mommy Cyber Baby Shower!

Hi See Mommy Run Gang - We're having a "Cyber Baby Shower" at Classy Mommy right now to benefit the Project Peanut Butter charity - and in honor of my future arrival that is waiting to come into the world any day now! We've raised $685 for Project Peanut Butter and there are over 60 prizes for Readers. Check it out to see the gift items I reviewed, what prizes are available for you to win, and to play fun baby shower games too!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the Cyber Shower Blog Post on Classy Mommy to enter by Tuesday Nov 13th at 10 PM CST. Prizes will be awarded randomly from the comments..

Try to remember to include you email address and prize preferences too so we can contact you easily if you win a prize! Visit the Cyber Shower here.

time change lament.

For some reason after a day or so my daughter easily adapted to the falling back.

She's an up at 5 down at 6 (am and pm respectively. her day isnt only an hour long) kid of gurl and after 2 mornings of up at FOUR even she had enough.

Me? for some reason *I* am up at four...have been up at four since the time change I mean.

there's nothing better than having this quiet hour or so to work and nothing WORSE than the brutal realization that I'll be tired around 7 when the toddler tornado is just getting going.

that's about it from this None Too Motivational Mama this morning.

Oooh, except the fact that I WILL be working out in 3 or 4 hours (is that motivating or tiring sounding? I cant tell.) AND Im working on a new project which will involve workout demos (nongym. with your toddler in tow :)), free and a blog.

Good times.