Super Tuesday!

Hey all!  It's bloggy blog time from the airport....FINALLY heading home!  I made it through TSA this time (again, we had to stop and play the a****x game, but all's safe and well.  In 3 hours, I will be back in NY...woot woot :-)

Yesterday was my big day in DC....and it was super! We started off in the conference area, learning about CWLA initiatives. My boss decided that the rep from congress was hot and proceeded to try to play wing man all day so that I could connect with him...JERRY, I'm MARRIED!  phht.  Silly man.  After 3 hours and a working caucus lunch, we headed out into the trenches...

 Rough life, huh?  My boss had set up appointments to meet with some big guys on the hill regarding child welfare, and I got to tag along, look important (or starstruck!) and throw in my two cents when asked (which, yes, I did get asked!)  But first, we had to pose....

 Not a bad backdrop.  Of course, it helped that it was 65 and sunny.  Such a rough life :-)
After posing, we went to meet with Louise Slaughter, Assemblymen Tonka, then headed past the supreme court to meet with Schumer and Gillibrand.

 

It was a long and draining afternoon, but really neat to experience and definitely worth it!  We boarded the bus back to the hotel about 6ish, and I discovered another perk to working on Capitol Hill...

You got to move it move it! 

No complaints.  And then I summoned up my last reserves for a mediocre dinner out...but with freaking awesome company:

Clearly, I left the maturity out on the hill.  A great catch up session, plenty o hugs, and another walk later (hey, its spring like to me!) we decided that all this exercise deserved one more thing...

Cold Stone.  Yum.  Traveling has some perks...can't eat at the 7-11 every day now, can we? :-)

All in all, super awesome, super packed, super fun day! 

And....now it's time to get back to reality.  5 days, 3 flights, 3 TSA check ins, 3 different beds, 1400 miles, 2 boxes of tissues, too many energy bars to count....but no partridge.

Just this guy when I get back.

He looks more fun than a partridge :-)

NoVA blows

...literally.  Now, in case you're wondering what a NoVA is (as I was when my bro texted me), it's Northern Virginia.

And it's kicking my ass.

I've never been allergy prone, but in the past 24 hours I've gone through a box and a half of tissues, 4 benadryl, and 3 hours sleep. Total.

All awesome things when you're on a business trip and have to meet about 200 people that you want to network with across the country.

And tomorrow, we descend upon Capitol Hill.  Hey, Obama, let's be friends!
Let's hope I can kick this guys tooshee before tomorrow...traveling while sick is just miserable.  Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but all I want is soup, the hubster, and my footie jammies (oops, don't have those.  But I have this belief that they would make me magically better.  And I enjoy that delusion :-P)
In other news, DC was gorgeous today-65 and sunny!  I managed to sneak outside for a walk during break and covered a few miles for some NEAT exercise.  Hey, it's snowing back home.  I can get excited over the small stuff.
After all was said and done, I collapsed back at the hotel for an hour (allergy meds'll kick your tush) and then headed out for another gourmet dinner.  Subway.  Livin large, people!  I did manage to sneak a bag of m&ms for dessert though...I suspect I'll need it in a few hours....
Ending the day by watching the Bachelor.....and poppin' 'ems.  C'mon Ben, don't be a total dumba$$ and prove those spoilers wrong.  Ditch the b*tch.
Are you watching this season's Bachelor?  Hate Courtney as much as I do?  Who do you think he's gonna pick?  Me, I can't wait till the "Women tell All" show!  If I was Nikki or Linzi, I think I would just leave :-P  (And here's where the hubster is glad I'm 300 miles away...our TV is safe from pillow and possibly heavier object throwing when he inevitably does pick stupid Courtney)
Nighty night!  Big day on the hill tomorrow then dinner with my older brother...I cannot wait!  Hopefully whatever I am allergic to down here disappears (though I do suspect it's work.  Maybe I can get a pass on that? :-P)

The Freak-ing TSA!

Am I even allowed to post that?  I sure hope so :-D  What a Day!  (Sunday).  After my debacle with my massage stick, I was a bit nervous about going through Charlotte's security.  Some of my southern counterparts suggested camouflaging the massager in foil to get through the cameras, but hey, I don't have anything to hide, I thought, let's give this a shot!

Psshhh.  Charlotte don't care about my stick.  Maybe they run.  But....nonetheless....I got pulled over and my bag searched...again. And the offending contents yanked.  And dye tested.  For something starting with the letter "A" and ending with the letter "x".  Thanks Mom TFB.
Whats that stuff?  Well, it's a mix of seasonings for steak and salad and soup, etc...and is twice the size and half the cost down south rather than NY.  So yesterday when I called my mom like a good girl to tell her i was safe n dandy in NC she wheedled for a small favor....good thing I have awesome friends who will stop at Charlotte's Walmart for me.  Good thing Charlotte's TSA has a sense of humor and an extra 20 minutes to rifle through my increasingly dangerous luggage and dye test all four bottles.  So glad we saved that $8 bucks...lol.  I told her she owes me big time!  Whatcha think?
And, in other news, I am deathly afraid of going through TSA on Wednesday to fly home.  What next, my kindle?  YOU GUYS CAN'T HAVE IT!

Hmm.  Well, after that mess, I made it through with 45 minutes to spare.  Meh, I shouldn't have rushed.  We were grounded for an extra 90 minutes due to engine troubles.  Argh.  Then, they overbooked the flight.  Then, I had to check my baggage because they ran out of room on the overhead bins (STOP charging so damn much to check a bag, guys!)...so glad I went through TSA hell to just check my bag!
Got to DC about 4:30, checked into the hotel about 5.  Not a bad set up...super soft beds, micro/fridge and a nice deep bathtub :-)
 I shelved the idea of running outside, decided to get lunch (yeah, ridic) and realized after walking around for a half hour, found 4 closed restaurants, and realized that DC closes at 5pm on Sundays unless you sit down to eat.  Lame lame lame!  Thoroughly defeated, I went to my last resort...7-11. 

Yeah, wow. CFC is paying for a mighty expensive dinner....a whole $14 bucks. Tomorrow is another day :-D
After all that, I still managed my 7 mile run, but on the hotel treadmill. Boo. Ya. Aladdin rocks my socks off...kept me entertained for an hour! Off to bed....full day tomorrow...then dinner with my old college suitemate! Can't wait!

It's Baby time!

Well, not for another month :-D  And NO! not mine!  But today, we celebrated my best friend and maid of honor, Rachael's, upcoming bebe!  What a whirlwind day!  It started out wayyy to early...5am wakeup call.  And then onto the airport, where I narrowly escaped a TSA pat down....but did get my luggage flagged.  And searched.  And re-run.  And had 3 managers come over to decide if an item in my suitcase was appropriate for travel before I could pass.  Nope, not kidding.  The offender?

Doh.  I'm an idiot.  Clearly, I was gonna start a smack down on the plane with my stick-I never even thought of it when I packed :-P  I had to explain to everyone what it was for...and the head security guard goes so...um..."Is this for business?"  No, just for...pleasure?  LOL  And she goes, "So what do you use it for?"  Well, um....  and then "So what do you run?"  And I just answered "Marathons" (which, now that I think about it, good thing I was wearing my National Marathon shirt....gives me street cred.  bwahahaha.

Well, after that debacle, I boarded the plane in my capris....in the 29 degree weather....and stepped out 2 hours later to 70 degrees...ahhh.

A quick drive to Fort Mills, SC...and it was baby shower time!
We had plenty of food...

An excellent Vanna White hostess!

Games! Baby memory...freaking hilarious! 

AKA-one clue...breast milk = milky way, Epidural= lifesaver, college fund = hundred grand, etc.

And prezzies for the new parents!  (Clearly, they liked them).

A whirlwind day, but filled with fun, family (adopted in my case) and fun :-)  Now, it's off to DC for the next 3 days....if I make it through TSA this time :-P (edited to add...stay tuned, we got another lulu from Charlotte to DC.....more tomorrow!!)

Spreadin the Love Friday

What NOT to focus on today:  The stress of a zillion mini to do's before leaving on my whirlwind trip, the steadily getting worse sore throat that I keep waking up with, along with body aches today (NO TIME TO GET SICK) or the weatherman that cheerfully predicts the fact that "Winter will be coming back tonight with snow and 50 mph winds!" when I have to get up at 5am tomorrow to go catch a plan.  NO.  We won't focus on that.
Let's focus on good things instead!  It's been awhile, so I figured it's high time for a "what I'm loving lately" happy Friday post!  Without further adieu....

1.  Best new food find-fage 2% yogurt.  I've had every fat free version, but for an extra 30 calories, the 2% is so friggin worth it.  So decadent, so rich, so satisfying.  And, instead of the normal 2.49 price tag...so cheap!
2.  Lemon tea.  Nothing better for a sore throat, IMO.  I'm usually a coffee girl, but when I start to feel under the weather, I can't stomach it.  I think I've gone through half a box of this tea in 3 days.
3. New Girl-I know I've mentioned this show before, but this new half hour segment on Fox, starring Zooey Deschanel, is freaking epic.  Laugh out loud, spit out your cocoa funny.  It's basically the most nerdy, hilarious, awkward parts of yourself that you thought no one else would understand.  Well, apparently, they do!  9pm, Tuesdays, Fox.  Just do it,  You won't be sorry.

4.   Getting back into the training season!  I did my second speed workout this week (3x800 with one mile warm up and cool down) and even though I'm a bit under the weather, it hurt so good.  Hopefully I can get this boo-tay into racing shape soon!
5.  Light, pretty snow.  Note-not stupid snow that hurts travel....but we got a fine dusting yesterday, and it made the drive to Utica so pretty!
6.  New City Excitement!  While I'm happy to see some pretty snow, I'm excited to go play in a warmer city for a few days-it's supposed to be 60 in Washington...yup, Ill be the dork in capris and sandals.  I don't care.

7.  Best friend time!  I get to see my maid of honor, 8 months preggo.  And spend a whole day with her...first at her shower then just catching up-can't wait!  And then I get to spend an evening with Drew, my bestie from high school, who lives just outside DC.  So lucky!  Now if I could only find a way to pack the hubster in my carry on, that would be clutch.
8. Pinterest.  Okay, I think I finally got it.  It's a vision board online.  And addicting.  And somewhat scary-every day, I get at least 3 emails with new people following me...and I have no time to play!  Think I could get "pinteresting" put in my job description?  No?  Darn.
9.  Hello, Kindle Fire!  I know I'll eat a little crow, but I am in love with this baby.  Still love me some books, but I've already finished 3 books and am a little crazy with the apps...no, I promise, I'm not getting an Iphone.

10.  Flowers that last forever!  2 weeks later, and the carnations are still going strong.  Well, until the cat finishes them off :-D

Ahh, now I feel calmer.  Nothing like a little positive thinking to make the day better!What are you loving in your world lately?

All my bags are packed...

I'm ready to go!  Or not :-D  36 hours till my plane takes off, and I have to fit 5 days into a carry on...oh man. 
In order to lessen hair pulling out stress tomorrow, I decided to give 'er a go and start packing tonight.   bags One shower(thats BABY, not water based...harhar), one travel day, and 3 conference days for work....in a swing of 30 to 60 degree weather....with a carryon and a work laptop.  Deep breath.

I consulted the list (hell yeah I have a list, and of course it's broken out into shower/work/running/personal/plane/to do sections...  (NERD ALERT!)

Then pulled out my latest dollar store find...Vacuum sealed clothing bags-GUARANTEED to help give you more room in your bag!  (Although they aren't returnable, so I'm still trying to figure out that whole guarantee), and got to work!
I had plenty of complaints and last minute additions along the way (hey, TSA has a rule against 8oz liquids, not 8 pound cats, right?) errr....

But...after 2 hours of jamming...for "all intents and purposes" (yes Drew, that was for you!) my suitcase is 99% ready to go!  Now, a bank trip, grocery shopping, and last minute errands tomorrow...and then I'll be on my way to see my BFF in Charlotte, my BFF in DC, and to raze the Capitol with Kinship Legislation!  Whew!  Let the madness begin!

Can I call ya Joe?

Aye aye aye.  I would say, Happy Hump day!, but if the rest of this week is like the first half, I'm toast.  Sayonara.  Whew.  Is anyone else experiencing a crazy kind of week?  Is the full moon out?  Between work, prepping for this trip, feeling under the weather, and the basic order of what is right and just in this world being completely effed up (ambiguous, but somehow relate able, I am guessing!) it has been.  A.  WEEK.
Deep breaths, Rae.  So, in my inner Pollyanna spirit (silently retches), today I've decided to play the glad game (hawr hawr hawr).  Let's see if I can't find something to smile about. 

Source

So, as I executed my speed work in the pool (if you can call it that, off season tanked my 800 TT by 30 seconds-poo), I thought about the world around me.  And then, the lane next to me.  Today, I am thankful for....JOE(S). 
Say what?  Well, it started out innocently enough.  Halfway through the day-12:30, exactly on the top of the hump of hump day (well, close enough) I was on my 2nd out of 3 800's in the pool. Splashy McSplasherson on my right, killing my stroke, was pissing me off.  Then walked in my buddy Joe.  We've known each other for about a year now...last year he was training for IMC and I was training for my Ironman, and we managed to hit the pool for roughly the same workouts twice a week at the same time.  I could never remember his name, so I dubbed him IronJoe to force myself to remember!  After about 6 months of gabbing, I realized that his wife directed the plays I used to be in middle school, and I graduated with his younger son in Webster.  Small world.  Anyways, he's awesome.  55 years old and still kickin' butt and takin' names (we trade racing each other in the pool and he keeps me going!)  Anyways, IronJoe made my last 800 15 seconds faster than the first two by making me catch him.  Winning.
This afternoon, I took the mail over to the post office for our program at work, per the usual.  Now, I'm not sure if I can really say this on the Internets, but I'm not a fan of our government lately.  Lawsuits, ridiculous tickets, court processes, and the sense of "fairness" and "justice" (excuse me as I choke on my green tea).  Anyways.  Yay for heading off to deal with bureaucracy!  Anyways.  I was lucky enough to run into my pal, Joe, my favorite mailman.  I have no idea why we started talking, but I see him about 3 days a week on my way to the post office, and he is about the sweetest government worker I've ever met-always smiling, a good story to tell, and a friendly wave.  Yay for Postman Joe for making me smile on a cloudy day!

And for my last Joe....well, he isn't really 3 dimensional.  See, I've had a run with trash TV lately...and have gotten hooked on the Bachelor.  Bachelor Ben is now down to 3 women, and I swear, one is the spawn of Satan.  Well, last night (okay, Monday, but I watched my DVR last night) he got rid of my favorite little bachelorette, Kacie B., and kept the total B mama Courtney, who I am quite sure he only keeps because she likes to get nekkid.  Loser.  I can't wait for the "Women Tell All" show...momma's gonna need her popcorn and two hours of laughs that night :-P  Bachelor Ben, you are dumb.  Therefore, I renounce you in favor of the best Trash TV I know...Family Guy. Seth McFarland is totally wrong, but I don't wanna be right.  Oh yeah, and there's a Joe in that one, too :-D


Source



So, there ya go.  My day fixed, just by Joe. 

And, as they used to say back in the '80s...

knowing (that)....is half the battle.

GO JOE!

The Jesus Diet

Disclaimer: I really have no strong pull toward any religion in particular....please take this, as always, with a grain of salt :-D
So fat!  Okay fine, it's the one day I can say that without eliciting an eye roll from the hubster.  Happy Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday!  Are you celebrating today?  Gonna eat cake?  Do a dance?  Earn your beads?  Get your man card revoked? :-D
Yeah, me either.  Though I would seriously kill to go to New Orleans one year for Mardi Gras...how frickin' cool would that be?

But, after today, the party's over.  For 40 days, right?  Now, I'm an (extremely lapsed) Catholic, but when I was growing up, we went to church on Ash Wednesday, gave up meat on Fridays (which, IMO, is a huge conspiracy, but that's a post for another time) and also participated in the Jesus Diet.

What, what the??

As in...we gave up chocolate.  Or Peanut butter.  Or sweets.  Or soda.  Or...you get the picture.  And it was always really, really hard to give up something you love for 40 days for your religion....right? Or were we doing it for the right reasons?

I never really thought about this before.  I've given up non food items, too, like swearing.  (That lasted 7 minutes).  Or biting my nails.  (3 days).  But mostly, it was food.  And, according to the Catholic Faith, this was supposed to help me get closer to God.  Did it?  I doubt it. 
Unless you count "Oh God, I would KILL for a Snickers Bar!" or something.  Rather, it led to a self-righteous 40 days of "Oh, I am such a saint for giving up (fill in the blank), maybe a few pounds lost (though I doubt it-if you give up peanut butter, sub out Reese's for M&Ms= ridiculous justification), and absolutely nothing to do with faith.  Just a self imposed diet for 7 weeks....and what does that have to do with the true meaning of Lent?
Well, herein, "The Jesus diet", as GOMI (Get off my Internets) coined it.  Man, I love that site.  Nothing like bringing down one's ego and getting a little laugh in first thing in the morning. 
BUT. 
Back to our discussion.  Their premise- people give up sweets or "unhealthy things" during Lent to better THEMSELVES, not get closer to their faith or to do good.  Seems selfish and not too "faith based". And, ya know what?  I kinda agree. Might be controversial, might be wrong, but I don't really need to go around parading "giving up peanut butter" for 40 days to (lets be honest here) fit into a smaller swimsuit for Jamaica.  (Oh, did I mention I'm going there?  Pfft :-P).
So, I hereby renounce the Jesus Diet.  Time to find something to do for 40 days that doesn't entail a selfish challenge.  And don't worry....I won't blog about it.  This isn't about me :-)
What do you think about Lent?  DO you give something up?  Why?  Can you relate at all, or am I a total moron?  (Yeah, you don't have to answer that last part).

Lock and Load

Ahhh, it's Monday!  Where did the weekend go??  This week is going to be crazy crazy busy....I've got two presentations, 150 folders to prep, a PowerPoint to create, and assignments to distribute before leaving the office for 4 days.  Then, on Saturday...early early...it's time to fly to Charlotte NC...then to DC on Sunday-Wednesday night.  I have to pack, do conference prep, get to the bank, grocery shop, prep meals for the weekend....and a zillion and one things around the house to get ready to go.  Anyone ever notice how darn hectic it is the week before a trip?  Yeesh!  Of course, salute to my  type A personality...you all know I have the mother of lists put together for To Do's and packing :-)  But, I need your help with a third list...the Kindle list!  The hubster wants a list of books that I want for my kindle cause he's amazing like that...what should I give him?  Here are a few I've got....

1. Hunger Games trilogy (No, I haven't read it yet!!)

2. The Pact: Jodi Picoult

3. The Best of Me: Nicholas Sparks

4. Calico Joe: John Grisham

5. The Pillars of the Earth: Ken Follett

6.  Unbroken: Laura Hillabrand

7.  Killing Lincoln: Bill O'Reilly

8.  Bossy Pants:  Tina Fey

9.  Seriously...I'm Kidding: Ellen Degeneres

Read any good books lately that I can add? 

I'm a super quick reader, so the hubster is being proactive on this one....I just started my first Kindle book (yep, it took that long for the hubster to give it up) last night and am already over half done!  Amazing what not having to turn the pages does :-P

We did it!

 Sometimes, life is like a (cardboard) puzzle.

You step up with good intentions.

And hammer away.

Then, you get side tracked.

For a few days....or weeks :-P

You try to make all the little pieces fit (sometimes with misguided vigor).

And then, when you accomplish something big, you stand back and admire it.

Or, just, ya know, tell it to go straight to hell.

Whatever works.

Pfft.  There goes 3 hours of my Sunday.  

Screw you, puppy.  I don't want one any more.  

Well, at least a puppy...a dog might be different.  

Siberian Husky, hubster?  Please? :-D

3 ounces

Yay, it's the weekend!  How's everyone doing?  It's been a weird day here in western NY...sunny one minute, snowing the next, and ranging from 25 and windy to 38 and sunny.  Strange, strange.  I pulled the inner wuss card and renegged on my long run, pushing it to tomorrow.  Instead, I did a tempo 30 lime ride on the trainer to the Musselman course and watched some crazy soap opera tapes from during the week.  (Yeah, I rocked the VHS.  No judging).
I also started packing for next weekend...next Saturday I fly to Charlotte, NC to be at my besties baby shower (can't wait!) then hop a plane to DC on Sunday for a 3 day work conference, then fly home Wednesday night.  Whew.  world traveler (for me).  And while I'm excited (can't wait to see my Charlotte friends and my DC friends and go to a coll conference), I'm a bit bummed to leave the hubster for 5 days (girls, hands off! :-D) and I'm getting into my ridiculous type A pack mode where I throw everything on the bed in the spare room then pack and re-pack 700 times.  First and easiest on the agenda?  Toiletries!
Well, it's easy for me.  I'm flying 3 times in 4 days, so I needs to be prepared for TSA (ahh, the lovely pat downs).  And of course, the 3 oz. rule.  Seriously, who has body lotion in a 3oz or less container?  Well. I do.  Lots of 'em.  And they aren't all hotel freebies, but they were all free :-D  See, I'm the kinda crazy cat lady thrifty shopper who trolls the Internet to score free stuff (or super duper cheap!) and then, come travel time, am good to go!  I've got face wash, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, gel, lotion, contact solution, deo, and mini makeup samples...all free and TSA approved :-)  Going on a trip in the next few months?  Check out these sites!
Walmart.com-head to "free samples".  You can usually get decent size samples of body wash, shampoo, etc., if you fill out a short survey.
Cereal.com:  Subscribe to their newsletter, and every Friday, you'll get a email with the weeks freebies.  Some are lame, where you have to fill out a bunch of information and do some "offers", but some are easy peasy.  I just scored a suave "hair kit" for free...dry shampoo, mousse, shampoo and conditioner, all in 1.5 oz bottles.  Sweet.
Startsampling.com:  The mother load.  There is a whole section on the home page for free samples, and also an entire forum dedicated to where the crazy coupon trollers have found free samples (I want to be these people when I grow up!). I've gotten anything from a book of kashi coupons for 4 free products to free cat food on this site.  Good thing my kid isn't picky!
Redplum.com:  This is a great site for coupons, recipes, AND freebies!  They also do weekly contests for gift cards for places like walmart, target, etc.
viewpoints.com:  Probably my favorite.  Sign up to be a member and agree to review your product (a 5 minute commitment at most!) and they will send you oodles of coupons for freebies.  My most recent coupon-a free box of shredded wheat, then 5 extra coupons for 1.50 off a box.  Combine that with a BOGO sale...awesome.  Ahem, sorry.  They also do health and beauty coupons, though only about half are travel sized.
 And as a last resort...head to the dollar store and pick up some clear containers to store your full sized stuff in.  I still prefer the freebies, though :-D  Happy hunting!

Rekindling the Flame

Who celebrates Valentine's Day on February 16th?  The Glaser's do, I guess :-D  Since the hubster was sick on Tuesday, we agreed to wait until this weekend to celebrate, but through kismet...both of the gifts we bought each other showed up yesterday (yeah, we're lax on that whole February 14th thing :-P)  So, like the 5 year olds we are, we exchanged gifts last night and will go out for the holiday this weekend!  (I can deal with celebrating twice if I hafta...lol) Also, coincidentally, both of our gifts were flamin' hot.  Here's what I got for the hubster...

Yay for Splish suits!  Though he was a bit cautious when I told him it was a "grab bag" suit, he was most impressed with the result.  I predict it will make him lightening fast in the pool!  (Har har har)
And here's what he got me!

Now, where he got a kindle fire WITH a case for $20 bucks, I don't want to know, cause that was our limit (sneaky guy!!), but who am I kidding?  I LOVE IT!  And, to top off the already sweet gift, he went looking for all my favorite authors and got me 12 new books for my business trip next week!
SWEET!  I was blown away.  The only catch...he did make me promise that when I hate the ending of a book, I won't toss the kindle across the room like I do the hardcover version.  I think I can handle that :-P
So, of course, last night was spent playing with the kindle and downloading "Angry Birds", "Words with Friends" and the "Fart App".  Yeah, that was all him.

Love my new toy!  Tonight-first kindle book....hopefully without too many facebook and email distractions!  That is...if I can get the hubster to stop playing Angry Birds...

HEY.  That's my present, hubster!  (Yeah right, who am I kidding? :-D)

Do you have a tablet?  Love it?  Hate it?  I swore up and down I would never get one, but they can't be beat for traveling, especially when you're a book whore avid reader like me!

(Not so) Speedy Gonzales

Back on the training train! (hardee har har).  So, I talked a bit about my FIRST half marathon training plan, which technically was supposed to start on March 12th, but since I'm running Johnny's St. Patrick's 5 miler on the 17th (of March) I figured I should run well, more than once every other week before I toe the line.  I feel super confident about running five miles (I'm the idiot that runs 12 miles on a whim) but speed?  Well...my PR for this race is a 38:03 and...heh...I doubt I can come close.  But I'm gonna darn well try!  So, I added on 4 weeks to my half plan and started this week!  So far, I've done a speed workout (which was overshadowed by hallmark day) and today, I did a 4 mile tempo run!  How'd they go?....

Speed Work #1(Tues)

Source

Warm up 1 mile
4 x400 @ 6:58 pace
Cool down 1 mile
Total:  3.5 miles, 29:43 (8:29/mile)

Tempo #1 (Today)
4 miles @ 8:05 pace (goal)
4.16 miles = 33:43 (8:06 pace)

Well, for the most part I hit my paces, but was it HARD.  I felt more like a dying moose than a speedster, but hey, it's only week one.  Ironman training really kills your speed.  Off season kills it more :-D  Off to go re-acquaint myself with my grid foam roller...such an abusive relationship, but keep going back for more.  pffft.
Do you have a love/hate relationship with speedwork?  I could run long all day long, but specified paces scare the crap out of me.  Especially ones with a "6" in the front!
In other news...the hubster finally made himself official this week and got his "M Dot" tattoo!!  I call it a reminder of a huge accomplishment, he calls it corporate branding.  either way, we (kinda) match.  Check it out! 

Awww.  (I'm the left, he's the right).  Iron twins.  I shudder for out future children :-P

How do I love thee?

So, how was your commercialized holiday?  We took a backseat to Valentine's day in the Glaser house...hubster was feelin' really under the weather, so Engagement chicken became chicken soup, and Reese's sundaes, cook n serve.  Ahh, well.  We'll celebrate this weekend :-)  We did pay homage to the couch and the hubster rented a cute, silly, romance (Friends with Benefits), so it wasn't a total loss.  More just a nice low key night at home.  With a sick baby.  I mean, husband (hey, he admits he's a baby when sick :-P)

But it still goes down as one of the best February 14th's I've had in awhile :-) Why? Well...this story starts about 4 weeks ago. Even though I'm *cough* taking the year off from tri's (I have NOT signed up for any!), I still get emails as a past participant of the Musselman tri, arguably, the best half ironman in New York the country. (IMO). The race director Jeff Henderson (the reason WHY Musselman rocks so much!) decided to run a contest to see who could write the best poem depicting Musselman, or, officially "Woolsports Musselman". The catch? You could write any kind of poem you wanted-limerick, sonnet, free form....but it couldn't have the letter "I" in it.
Do you know how hard that is when writing a poem about SWIMMING, BIKING, RUNNING, and TRIATHLON? Yep. Well, I kinda just laughed it off and went about my day. Until a few hours later, at lunch, faced with a 45 minute recovery swim...and...I forgot my swim mp3 player. See, I'm a swimmer that thoroughly enjoys zoning out in lieu of staring at a black line...fail. But, to be fair, I come up with some really good ideas when forced to entertain myself. Like....poems? I started playing with words (no, I did NOT forget to stop at the end of the lane and end up smacking my head....derf), and a mile and a half later, had the workings of what I thought was a decent poem. I wrote it down as soon as I got back from break, spent a half hour cleaning it up and laughing at the absurdity of it, then said what the heck, and sent it off.

They announced the winner yesterday.

It was me :-P
So, what did I win?  My poem will get published in the Geneva paper.  In the Musselman program.  Read aloud at the pre-race briefings.  Oh, and, um....a free race entry.
Well, hell yeah I'm in!  Musselman 70.3, July 15th!
Jeff Henderson, you rock my world. 
So glad I didn't fully commit to taking this year off :-D

And, since I know you wall want a good laugh....here's the poem!

 
 Seventy.Three
Through the waters of Seneca Lake,
We freestyle stroke along the wake.
Out of the wet and onto the dry,
Through town and country our two wheels fly.
98,560 yards of two wheeled fun,
Now’s the part where we can run.
On two feet we trot through road and dust,
Forward movement always the must.
After 69,170 feet of covered ground,
The end, so near, we leap and bound.
Legs break at last through tape and hustle,
We thank the gods that made us MUSSEL.
***

Have you ever entered a contest on a whim?  Been shocked when you won?  This seriously made my week!!

Ahh, amour!

Hello hello!  And Happy Valentine's to you all! Yep, I said it.  Happy Hallmark day :-D  Hey, I guess if there's a mass market for wearing red and being sappy, we may as well all eat some chocolate and enjoy it, right?  And, just to sweeten your day....I give you....the top 10 reasons to heart (or at least tolerate!) February 14th :-D

1.  There are some fabulous indulgent groupons available today.  Running skirts?  Aww yeah!  Mani or pedi for $20?  Don't mind if I do!
2.  Or, if you want to keep it free, check out Mizuno's awesome red/pink shoe giveaway!  Who's your best runnign buddy?
3.  New Girl.  With a valentine.  Fishing cherries out of a drink a la "Can I have your cherry?"  I'm spitting out my coffee in anticipation of the ridiculousness!

4.  Or, if ya know, you love your honey and he's a crazy sports fan, the Buffalo Sabres also play tonight.  Why they would put a hockey game on on Valentine's day is beyond me...someone in the NHL hates the day and wants to start some marital spats :-D  (Thank goodness we have a DVR!)

5. It's a great night to have a decadent dinner and/or dessert...whether attached or unattached!  Tonight, I'm in charge of dinner and the hubster's doin' dessert.  On the menu....yum...engagement chicken!  Yes, I know.  I'm married.  No one said it had to make sense.

6.  Two words:  conversation hearts.  How can you not love these guys?  I'm not a fan of the taste, but the whole "U R mine 4ever" gets me every time.  Just not "Text Me".  Never, ever "text me".  yeesh.

7.  As Victoria  so rightly pointed out...HELLO! Discount chocolate tomorrow!  Don't buy chocolate for today-wait till tomorrow when all the red and white stuff is 75% off!  Personally, I think it's fine to wait to exchange chocolates.  I'd rather have twice as much for less $$.
8.  No matter how old you are, you can still watch silly Valentine's day themed cartoons....does Charlie Brown get a valentine from the little red haired girl?  Watch and find out! 

9.  Seriously.  How could you not laugh at these?  Even if you have no one to share them with, (ok, heck who would even want to take part in this??) The ridiculousness had me in stitches.  And free laughs are always good.  Seriously, though....would anyone buy these?  I'm intrigued.  Wow.
10.  And, lastly, no matter how much you might publicly hide your girly side...this is the day you can flaunt it.  Wear pink.  Watch romantic comedies (if your S.O. hasn't already commandeered the TV for the sabres game!) listen to "I will always Love You" (or just DVR the documentary.  So sad.)  Personally, I've got the Bachelor DVRed, along with "Valentine's Day" to get me through Speed work (and couch time) later.  Good thing we have 2 TVs.  Dibs on the bigger one.  Love you, hubster :-D

Source

Have a wonderful hearts n flowers n chocolate day, sweeties!

Fluffy Flakes n Cakes

Yesterday, I embraced the true meaning of Sunday....rest, relaxation, and jammies.  I woke up to this:

And decided immediately it would be a low key day!  I cancelled my run (hey, I don't start my plan till tomorrow), got my cardio in by shovelling the driveway (8 inches of snow = cardio and upper body, boo ya!) and then, celebrated Sunday....with these:

Super Fluffy Strawberry Pancakes
1 cup pancake mix (let's not get too Martha Stewart!)
6 oz strawberry greek yogurt
pinch salt
1 cup water

I could also call this the idiot proof pancake recipe, but I won't diss myself too much :-)  Stir all your ingredients together...then for the magic.  Walk away for 10 minutes and let the batter rest.  This makes the fluffiest pancakes in the world! I like to make my 'cakes medium sized....so I add a bit less than 1/4 cup batter and ended up with 6 pancakes.  I suppose that means you could share...if you wanted :-)  Check out the volume on these babies! Easy to make, sinful tasting, added protein for some nutrition.  Win win.  And, dare I say it, perfect for Valentine's day, should you choose to want a fluffy, pink brekkie?  Don't wory, guys.  I won't tell.

Know what goes good with these?  A fresh cup of coffee.  And jammies.  And the Sunday paper.  Mmmm, the little things in life. 
How was your weekend?  Did you get any snow?