Cheers to starting fresh!!

PS - I am sad holidays are over. We put stuff away last night. Sigh. I love that time of year! Now its birthday season for our family. Cake every weekend!

Oh Cathy, how did the race go?!

Hello hello Internet friends!  I missed you all.  But, it was nice to step away from the electronics for a week in hot, humid and sunny Mexico.  Heavy stress on the humid!  Dewpoint in the mid 70s the entire time - pretty sure I never stopped sweating LOL.  Took the week to completely relax.  Only exercise was about a mile on the beach, barefoot in a swim suit and a leisurely 8ish mile bike.  A bit of walking, too, but mostly lounging.  It was lovely!  Our place was no frills (no A/C) but it did have a kitchen (open air) so we could cook and it also included breakfast every day.  Nice to hang with some good people but so many dietary restrictions!  Hard to keep track of who can/will/won't eat what.  I'm MORE than happy to be healthy as a horse with the ability to eat everything and anything haha.

Experienced a lovely 100* temp change between take off and landing on Sat.  Ugh.  Back in the deep freeze.  It has not been above zero since I've returned.  Very happy to be home but not loving this weather.  It is currently -13* with windchiill -31*.  Makes me want to cry.  Yesterday went to the gym and was pleased with getting in 6mi indoors - 2mi on the track (16 laps to a mile ugh) - 2mi dreadmill - 2mi track.  With an RB so was tolerable.  Furthest I've gone indoors in years.  Gym doesn't open until 10am today but planning on spin class, barre class (never tried this but thought I'd make the most of my day pass) then meeting RB for a 45min run of some form (track/dreadmill).  Just trying to hang on until the weekend when lows are supposed to creep back up above zero.

Just a few shouts for now from memory:

Lizzie - makes me happy to see how strong you feel in your running.  Your consistency and determination is super inspiring!  Excited for you to hit some serious PRs in 2018.

Gatsby - nice to see you check in a few times!  No doubt 2017 was a tough one at times physically for you.  Happy that is now all in the past and you are ready to start rockin the longer stuff!

Tessa - nice finish to 2017!  You've been getting in some killer longer runs, too, woohoo!  Oh wow, that's ambitious to be running with a bag full of recyclables!

Laura - hope you had a nice break from work!  Are you ready to head back tomorrow?  I actually am not dreading it and am ready to tackle the challenges ahead.  I think I saw 5mi on the dreadmill for you?  That's endurance!  I love your new year's resolutions - mine are similar!  Stay warm!

Karen - congrats on the last 5lbs and I love reading your stories about your running group!  I would love to be a part of that.

Kat - I hear ya on staying in on NYE.  I call it amateur night haha.  You will do great at Bandera!  Muscle memory, ya know.  You got this.

That's all I've got for now.  Will be back to regular posting manana.  Super happy to have one more day to chill and gear up for 2018.  Let's make it a great one!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

Friday and Saturday I took days off. Except for the 3 hours of volunteer work.

Sunday, DC and I went to the gym track. It was a good chance to do 45 minutes with a bunch of other runners on the track. At the newbie time of year I know my fellow runners know what they are doing. The old coots still stand on the runner lanes and "pose" looking for someone to talk endlessly to. Today I’ll do a TM run downstairs. DC and I are going to the grocery this morning.

Safe and happy runs, All! 

2017 totals for the year

237.416 hours running

173.583 hours cross training

Good Morning Ladies!!

Sandy, welcome back, you have been missed.  Sounds like a lovely trip.  That is one big temperature difference.  I would stay in Mexico.

Lizzie, loved the mascara pic on FB.  You're gonna rock 2018 both running and in life!

Damaris, enjoy your 5 and OTF.

Judy, nice job in 2017, here is to an even better 2018.

OK, do I live in Southern TX or MN/OH/VA, etc...  it is 26 out, no lie.  It is warmer in Seattle.  What is up with that.

I have a dog person coming by in a few hours to interview, so between now and then I must pick up.  After, I might hit the mall to return 2 things.

The fireworks here last night were horrendous.  Someone was setting off those really loud deep booming ones for about 4 hours a few houses away.  The dogs were tolerating it better than me I think. I was with Lizzie, asleep (sorta) by 10pm.

Annoyed, our trail group was looking for volunteers for Bandera on Saturday and I signed up for shift after the run.  Well, I got UN-signed up.  The final list went out and I was nowhere to be found.  Emailed the guy and he never got back to me.  Miffed.  I like doing it and enjoy giving back to the community.

No resolutions here.  Some hopes/desires, but that is it.

Thank you ladies for being so wonderful and supportive in 2017 (and before.)  I count myself lucky to have you all in my life and look forward to continuing the fun in 2018 and beyond.

Kathryn

Karen, sorry no race today, hope you got a run in. And no wifi? Horrors! Have fun in FL.

Kat, few things are more annoying than being un-signed up for a volunteer shift without any warning. I gave up on refereeing soccer after a couple of times where I signed up, suited up, and showed up only to discover that they had preempted me for someone who needed to put in a volunteer shift because his or her kid was in an age group where parents were required to put in a certain number of hours. Forget it. Thank you for trying!

Very annoyed with the fireworks people.

Judy, nice yearly totals!

Damaris, have fun with the 5 and OTF.

Sandy, good to see you back and glad you enjoyed yourself. No AC in Mexico? That does not sound like fun. Ouch on all the different dietary restrictions. I reiterate my attitude towards Thanksgiving and Christmas: there's no one food that everyone will eat, but if you have a variety of foods and everyone has something they can eat then it's good. Nobody should expect everyone to change their eating to accommodate the most restricted diet in the room. If it's a case of life threatening allergy then you avoid cross-contamination, but if it's a case of "I have moral objections to eating animals" then fine, don't eat them, but don't tell your companions they can't consume meat in the same house. And this is a very long time vegetarian talking.

Liz, good work on the 8 miles! Wow, that sounds cold.

We do not routinely get raises. I have had one (less than 2%) in the last 3 years. Many colleagues have gone longer than that with no increase. Health insurance costs, OTOH, go up every year, as do commuting costs. We are going backwards.

On better news, 13.7 this morning with RN. She decided not to go the reverse Rose Parade route, so we ran from home. Very hilly. We saw lots of people, spent some time talking to a man with a very friendly German shorthaired pointer, explored several side roads, and were pleased with ourselves by the end. Cold when we started, hot when we finished. Now about to do some cooking for the week. RN and I are both trying to do Dry January and I'm going to see how many days I can eat vegan also.

Happy New Year!

6.75 in the cold. I'm not used to this, we usually don't get this many consecutive days below freezing. Also did some strength training, get some new workouts, so needed to give one a try.

Lizzie, do you carry your phone in a waist pack? I don't think mine's ever shut off, I put it under my tops.

Seloc, welcome back! That's quite a temperature swing. Glad the trip was fun & relaxing.

KatS, I feel your pain with the fireworks. I was hoping since it was 10 degrees and feels like 0, people would stay inside. Nope. Started around 10 and kept going past midnight. Arimathea, I definitely want to shove those fireworks where the sun doesn't shine.

Whew, made it through last party of the holiday season.  I love friends, and family, and parties, but I'm ready to get back to my boring introvert routine.  Ran 6.7 miles this morning. Lovely sunny day to start off the new year.  A little bummed that I got waitlisted for the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 mile race that I want to do in July.    Not even sure where I am on the waitlist since I can't find that info anywhere.  So, I'm going to wait a bit and see if they provide any more info, then I'll decide what to do.

Seloc, glad that you're back!  Did I tell you that my DH and I honeymooned at a place on the beach in ZIH?  It had two bedrooms and a bathroom inside, and the kitchen was outside.  Rustic, which is our style.    UGH on being back in the deep freeze!  A shock to the system for sure.  Good for you for getting in some miles at the gym.

Lizzie, I can't imagine running with ice in my eyelashes!  I turn the big 5-0 in 2018 (how is that possible!?)

Damaris, laughing about hammering away stress.  If you market it right, that could be a win-win business idea.  People pay you to hammer stuff, and your house projects get done.

Judy, it's the newbie time of year for sure!  My usual running path was quite busy today.

Kat, how annoying that they flubbed your offer to volunteer.  Whoever's in charge of organizing volunteers should not be.

Karen, no wifi?  Weird.  And good luck.

Tessa, I've already failed at dry January.  Not that it was a goal of mine, but I do feel like a little drying out wouldn't be a bad idea.  Sounds like a good run with RN.

Kupcakes, argh on the fireworks.  Are they legal?  Or just easy to find?  Not legal here, although of course there are always a few firecrackers going off on NYE that people picked up somewhere.

Back to work tomorrow, sad face...