December 2010

Well, the Christmas holiday is winding down, the house is quiet again. Taking a few minutes each day to pack away the decorations and clean up.  Looking forward to a few down days before getting back to work on January 4th.  Just finished putting my 2011 list together  - includes being better about updating here.  List includes running goals, travel goals, household goals.  Also have a list of things I'd like to do to celebrate my 60th year. Will share more in January.
The year 2010 was full of good fun. Ran my first 10k, found a great group of women to run with. Next year I want to focus on physical things - hiking, diet, working outside. Hope to be better at communicating (thank you skype!)
Review of last year's goals:

• Run a race out of state SF in January
• Run a 5K in 30 minutes or less  not even close! Well, 32:25 so not bad
• Train for and run a 10K check
• Work on upper body strength (kettlebells) - will try again
• Run 50 miles in 30 days  YES!
• Enter at least 6 races  I think it was 5 but ran some pseudo races with Fleet Feet
• Bicycle after dinner during the summer  Nope

Life

So it's the last Saturday in August, lovely weather, dry. Just back from a 4.25 mile run in Glastonbury. So sad to see the procession of the hearse and limos carrying the young man from Glastonbury who lost his life in Iraq last week. Tears all around. So sad. But a beautiful morning for him to arrive home.

Plans? Enjoy the day, call the kids, finish my book.

Weekend ahead

So Kevin arrives on the redeye from SFO this morning. Tomorrow Caitlin and Virgil will drive down from Fitchburg and Grandma Gesek will be picked up to celebrate summer birthdays. Chuck's Steak House in Rocky Hill is celebrating it's 40th birthday with 40% off some menu items so we'll have happy hour here then head out to enjoy a nice evening together.

I've just finished a batch of Cinnamon-Raisin Granola to have for breakfast/snack. Love the aroma of the cereal baking! Feel like the Barefoot Contessa.

Reunion last weekend was so much fun. Perfect weather, just the right mix of people, beautifully decorated with Blue and Gold, great evening. Talked with people I probably never talked to before! Fun.

Running is going well. Jill Tierney and I did our usual track workout on Monday and last night ran a nice 3 mile route at a nice 11 mm pace. We're really doing well despite the humidity. It's becoming easier and easier and  more enjoyable. Looking forward to our usual Saturday morning group run, which should be about 4 miles.

Off work till next Wednesday. Nice end to the summer. Busy house for the weekend and then looking forward to UConn football starting up, a trip to California in November, and lots of fun stuff in between. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it.

Cramming for tomorrow's test. . .

So tomorrow is my reunion celebrating 40 years since we graduated from high school. Whoa. Did I say 40 years? But I only left Seymour for Storrs yesterday! Some of those memories are so vivid, not just visually but emotionally. I remember driving up what was then Route 86 to exit 99, the UConn exit. Traffic was backed up to Kathy John's. I sat nervously in the back seat while we crept along route 195.  Finally arriving at what was to be my home for the next four years. Meeting my roommate, meeting people who would become friends for life, leaving the comfort of home and being terrified to be alone. But I made it. And now I look back on these last 40 years. Graduating from college, marrying, having 3 children, sampling employment until I landed my wonderful job. I'm in a good place now.  Enjoying my running, new friends, old friends, life. Before I can meet my classmates tomorrow though, those 18 year olds I left behind that June of 1970,  I need to remember who they are. So off I go to study my yearbook. Go Wildcats!

Cool Deal at Royal Ice Cream

in Manchester.  Corky Vann recommended this in a recent Hartford Courant.
Royal Ice Cream Co. 27 Warren Street, Manchester
9 x 14 sheet cake goes for about $12
7" round are $8
Don't miss, the Royal Wich - decadent ice cream sandwich
Cash or check only
7:30 AM to 5:30 PM weekdays, and 7:30 am to 12:30 PM Saturday

www.royalicecream.com or 860-649-5358

So, where was I?

Can't remember that last thing I posted about.  It's mid summer 2010 now. We've experienced a hot and humid June and July with temps tomorrow expected to hit 100. Thank goodness we've had a quiet calendar and could deal with it. Went to the Traveler's Championship at the TPC and sweated our way around for two days! Enjoyed a wonderful 9 day cruise in May to celebrate 35 years. Picked 12 lbs. of blueberries last weekend. Drove to Cleveland with Virgil late June to visit Caitlin, then returned to celebrate the 4th of July with both Courtney and Caitlin. Hope to plan a trip to CA sometime this fall.

Still running. Actually celebrated my one year anniversary in June! Enjoyed a session with the Hartford Marathon Foundation training group to get ready for the July 10th Red Dress for Women 5K. It was fun, met some new friends and will start a new session tomorrow. Next: training for the Hartford Marathon Relay!  Kind of scary, but the way I figure it, what's the worst that can happen?? If I get the long leg, 7.5 miles, I can always run/walk. I think it'll be exciting and can't wait to get started. Jill Tierney will come with me tomorrow to see if it's something she'd like to do. We run together once a week and I think we'd make good running partners.

Also getting ready for the Seymour High School Class of 1970 40th Reunion in August!!! Anxious to catch up with those long lost souls - just hope I can remember who they are! I know it'll be fun. And on that note, I met Rick Goyette, Hugo Tansey and Al Stimpson for dinner last week. Fun remembering the early days at UConn.

Looking forward to Caitlin's visit this weekend, Courtney's week long visit starting next week, and Kevin's homecoming late August. And there goes summer!

Need to stay on top of this...

Sunny Sunday

Temperatures hit 50 today, I'm sure. Sunshine, no wind,  no ice to contend with, or snow, no gloves, no hat, only a long sleeved shirt and capris and sunglasses!!!!!  Just had to go for a run this afternoon, even though my knees were suggesting otherwise. So a short one it would be.

I avoid hills. I hate hills. Don't know why. Walking hills isn't so bad, but I was never fond of them. Now I know that walking them is easy. But, as suggested by Beth Weller, hills are my friends. So we better get along. I feel the need to bond with them thar hills.

Feeling a little motivation now to get my act together. Kind of have a feeling that I'll be running with Beth at some point, and I just can't have her whoop me. I know she's doing the Fleet Feet program so I better get it in gear.

Since I'd already run yesterday I decided I'd go for a shorter run, but incorporate a hill workout. Started by running down Sequoia, then around to BlackHaw and down the hill to the condos. O well, as long as I'm doing hills, I may as well run up that first hill. Good idea - it wasn't that bad and running down was good. My initial intent was to just run down BlackHaw to Evergreen and that hill would "be my friend" but threw the extra hill in. Gosh, I hadn't realized just how long that stupid Evergreen hill actually was! Walked halfway up, then ran to Blackhaw, down Loquat, UP SEQUOIA and called it a day after rounding the bend. O my. Good one. Maybe next time I should just think about running around the Oxford Park Club house and down. Anyway, there certainly is no shortage of hills in this neighborhood.

Glen and I went to the Hartford Marthathon Foundation Open House this afternoon. Interested in talking to someone about the training programs they offer. Looks like the best one for me is the 10k session starting mid July. Might also sign up for the 5k session that ends with the Run for Women race late July. I need motivation and hand holding!

Our Town

One of my favorite plays. Always thought the message was so simple and need to be reminded of it. Some students were interviewed after attending a staging/dress rehearsal.  The question the show wanted answered was, “would this play resonant with the ‘twitter and instant gratification’ generation”. Asked of this generation: “Is there enough in just (a blue sky), a sunny day, in just an ordinary day, to fill the need for stimulation?” The answer from one of the boys was a marvel of simplicity and truth. “The question is not – is there enough – but are you looking up?”

Smells like Spring!

Started to warm up a bit yesterday, and it had that Spring smell. Fresh air, birds chirping, wet ground. Went for a run this morning - I'm bound and determined to get back into a steady schedule. Ran 3 miles over the weekend for the first time in a few weeks. Today ran 2, sprinting from pole to pole, finished chugging up Sequoia. Nice weather forecast for the rest of the week so expect to get out 2 more times. Then plan on going to the Hartford Marathon Foundation open house on Sunday, with a 3 mile run prior with the group.

2010 Vancouver Olympics are over so thought I'd get back to normal bedtime. But this week looks like a catch up week for the networks so will probably drag by the weekend.

Made a huge pot of chili yesterday - the weight watchers recipe. Lots of tomatoes, zuchinni, beans and some ground turkey. Love it!

Left work eary today - felt a bit nauseous - I think I'm starting with some inner ear stuff- felt dizzy yesterday and my ear is a bit pressured. Will settle down to try to nap, then watch a movie.

Running in the Rain

I've often pictured myself running in the rain, but thought it would be a warm Spring rain. The weather has been all over the place, mostly cold, snowy, yukky. Not good for keeping to my running schedule. I knew that going into the winter though so haven't been down about it. Just don't want to stop.

So before I went to bed last night I pledged on one of my forums that I would get out and run this AM regardless of the weather. I rolled out of bed to the pitter patter of rain, peeked out the window to make sure it wasn't sleet (that's where I draw the line!) - pulled my rain geer from the closet and hit the road (warmed up inside - did some of the butt kicks and knee lifts recommended in that Masters video). Yes, it sure was raining. Pretty hard, actually. But I'd promised myself I could do a short workout so did my loop of hills, 2x around. Wow, pitch black, rain pouring down the shoulder of the road, storm gutters roaring. Pretty neat! So chalk that one up. Next time I run in the rain, though, it'd better be 60 degrees and daffodils peeping through. Time for coffee.

Running 2010

Carried over from running blog dated January 2010:

So, I'm drafting my race schedule for this year. I want to be realistic about this. Having something on the calendar will be an incentive for me to keep at it but I don't want this to be anything more than that. Running is the key here, not the racing. Although it's kind of fun to challenge my self to better my time, but I know I'll never be the 8mm runner. That's okay. This schedule keeps me on target to achieve my fitness goal of 6 races and spaces them to keep me fresh. Don't want to plan anything in the heat of the summer but will keep an eye out for something if the weather cooperates.

• January 3, 2010  ~ Lake Merced 4.5m SFO ~ 38:30 DONE
• March 14, 2010, 1 PM  ~ Max O'Hartford 5K reg by March 9 (feb 14 for discounted rate).
• April 3, 2010 ~  Bradley International Road Race 5k/10k ~ 8:30 AM - register by March 31 http://www.bradleyroadrace.com/
• May 15, 2010 ~ Kathy Macko Birthday Run - Cromwell, CT
• July 10, 2010 ~ Red Dress Run for Women - DONE
• August 29, 2010 - Old Wethersfield 5K -  http://www.hartfordmarathon.com/foundationnew.htm
• December 5, 2010 ~ Blue Back Square 5K Mitten Run -  http://www.hartfordmarathon.com/foundationnew.htm

Consolidating blogs

Thought I might keep a running blog separate from this one, but the thought of updating two blogs meant I didn't update either. So I'm pulling over a few posts from the other and will keep this one active.

From there to here - my start in running

What a difference a year makes. Every year, at some time or another, I've had the thought I'd like to run. I'd often pictured myself running, just running. But it was usually only a quick thought and put aside. Occasionally on my morning walk I'd run from pole to pole, but didn't take it further. Didn't know how. In June of 2009 I happened to think to google running plans, and found coolrunning.com. It was there I discovered the Couch 2 5K plan and the rest is history. I didn't take it seriously in the beginning, was stuck on week 2 for a few weeks. Then found the forums on the site and was hooked. My virtual friends on several threads were my motivators. We all ran those early weeks in the hottest, most humid summer ever. We planned our runs around the weather forecasts. Often I'd run at 5:30 AM and jump in the pool already dripping wet. I was psyched, though, and excited.

Caitlin signed up for a 10K in early August in Shelburne Falls, MA so I tagged along to run the 2 mile race. It was actually pretty cool early in the morning and I survived to finish, and I wasn't last! I was hooked. Went on to enter the Old Wethersfield 5K to celebrate my graduation from c25k, the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day, and to finish 2009, the Blue Back Square 5k Mitten Run in December. Joined the group workshop at Fleet Feet to train beyond the initial program.

That's it in a nutshell. Running has become a joy in my life, something to be excited about, something to motivate me. I've learned it's never too late to start something new. I'll be 58 this year and I'm looking forward to hitting more milestones. More in 2010.

It's February!

As always, January came and went in the blink of an eye. Good riddance, I say. It was cold, cold, cold, and I'm glad it's behind us. My running was cut way back and now I need to ramp it up if I'm going to run in the St. Patricks's day race.

Spent the afternoon yesterday at Kerri's baby shower. Carol, and Kathy of course, threw a lovely Pink Pajama Party. Didn't wear PJ's but enjoyed lounging in sweats and socks. It's amazing what a baby needs today. The old list of basic needs sure has changed. Didn't even know what some of the things were called! I wish we could live more simply though - it's just stuff afterall.

Visited WPI on Saturday - alumni game then the 2 varsity games. Nice to be back on campus and to catch a glimpse of Caitlin. A quick stop at LLBean and a bite to eat at Johnny Rockets before heading home.

It's Friday...

It's been a long, cold, dreary week and I couldn't wait to get home and try one of these Limoncello Martinis.  Kevin treated me to a bottle of Limoncello for Christmas and it's been chilling in the fridge waiting for a day like today. It's very sweet, not sour at all.  So the pure lemon juice in this recipe helps balance out the flavors.  Hope you savor these as much as I did.

Limoncello Martini

• 2 oz citrus vodka
• 2 oz Limoncello
• Juice of 1/2 large lemon
• Sugar

1. Rub cut lemon along the ridge of a martini glass.  Dip glass edge in sugar.
2. Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add vodka, Limoncello, and lemon juice.  Shake until well blended.
3. Pour mixture into sugar-rimmed glass, and serve with a lemon rind twist.

Fitness Goals 2010

These are subject to change but for now, this is what I'd like to accomplish this year:

• Run a race out of state
• Run a 5K in 30 minutes or less
• Train for and run a 10K
• Work on upper body strength (kettlebells)
• Run 50 miles in 30 days
• Enter at least 6 races
• Bicycle after dinner during the summer

Cross Country Caper

First adventure in a while. Liz Mac, Brynya, Courtney and I drove her new Honda Accord cross country after Christmas. Got out a bit later than planned, but eventually hit the snowy road at 5:30 AM on Dec 28. Coolers full, GPS set for San Jose, and we were off.  First stop, Knoxville, TN. Travel agent Glen booked us a room at the Best Western which was a welcome stop. Checked in and headed to Chili's for salad and a cold beer. Up early to visit Nashville, Graceland, Opryland. Made it to Oklahoma City and another Best Western by nightfall. Subway sure tasted good. Next leg was through Amarillo amidst a surprising snow fall. Drove along the Historic Route 66 and stopped to snap pictures of the Cadilac Ranch. Made it to Flagstaff (Fairfield Inn) early evening on New Year's Eve, with hopes of getting to the Acorn Drop. Restaurants were full so settled for take out at Chillis, a bottle of wine, and watching the ball drop in NYC. Made it to the Hoover Dam on Friday, January 1, 2010 - awesome. Spent a few hours driving the strip in Las Vegas, dropping a few coins at Ceasears Palace, and enjoying a relaxing $15 martini! Next Stop California!!! Spent the night at a new Holiday Inn in Bakersfield before arriving in San Jose on Saturday.
The trip was so much fun, full of laughs, pleasant attractions, and great company!