Attempting to outrun Sandy

First of all, sooo thankful that Hurricane Sandy didn't rear her ugly wetness until later yesterday evening!  

I was praying that we wouldn't be running in a torrential downpour.  I am pretty sure that the other 2 people running "with" me would have dropped out.  They would have however been forced to be a spectator and would have gotten soaked anyway.  

I figured if it was raining, maybe, just maybe it would make me run faster.  You know because I was so miserable from the rain and or coldness.  Thankfully we didn't have to find out if it would have made me run faster.  

Meg and I picked up our packets kinda late on Saturday.  Usually I like to get to the Expos earlier, a few more freebies and what not.  But she couldn't make it down until Saturday and I was pretty busy the last few days.

I actually didn't buy much.  I know right, shocking!! I did however purchase a new running skirt.  It's super cute, has all the different runs that a person can do, 10K, 13.1, 70.3....most of them I will never do, but one can dream right?!

No one wanted to wake up yesterday morning and Gary is super grumpy pants early in the morning, especially when he doesn't get his coffee.  Thankfully the race was here in DC so we didn't have to get up so early I couldn't function.  

Last year Gary and I signed up for the MCM 10K, this was our first "long" race and from there we've done the 10 miler and half marathon.  I think that the 10K is one of my favorites. I always get teary eyed during this race.  People's shirts are just so touching and the people running the race are quite inspiring.  If veterans can accomplish amazing feats, than I can do a measly 6.2 miles. I also admire marathoners. I often think "I could do it."  and sure, I "could" do it, but I'm not sure I want to do it.  Not to mention that both after and during a 1/2 marathon I do not feel that I could do a full. LOL!

Since we've moved to our new place (which, so far is water proof) the metro is much closer and thankfully the metro line by us ran us straight to the starting line.  This year was not as cold as it was last year, thankfully.  Last year Gary and I had to buy extra clothing as it snowed the day before and we were not "experienced" runners. And yes people, it is true, bridges do freeze before the roads.  We slipped and slid around last year.  I ran in leggings, gloves, head ear warmer thing.  This time, I wore a new skirt, from running skirts.  They were at the Expo and my green Northface long sleeve shirt.  I also wore my my Fit Approach pink shoe laces!

Does anyone else always have to go to the bathroom when you get to a race?! I do!  It's annoying and despite going multiple times at home when I see those green rectangle boxes my bladder goes, "take me there!"  However, yesterday, when I saw the lines....I told myself I could suck it up, that there would be other potties along the way.  HA! That's one complaint.  There were not enough port-o-potties.  At mile 5 there were tons, but I think only because that was around where the marathon began.  So I took a little detour which included opening the door on some poor unsuspecting victim,  though I do say it was his own fault since he didn't even lock it! Positive: Love having the Marines out supporting all the runners "Ooorah!"

So proud of my girl Meg! In May she and my other bestie T did their first run with me the Race for Hope 5K supporting brain tumor research. This was her first longish run and I am not trying to convince her to do that 1/2 in March.  If you are reading this, DO it! Sign up, here's the link for a little extra help:-) 

I enjoyed this run.  Tons of people, lots of energy.  I also enjoy running on the highway lol.  I did PR too. Pretty excited about that! And victory Sandy stayed away so that all marathoners an 10Kers could finish safely!

A few pictures from the day.
On your mark, get set, GO!  

Inspiration!

 Finished, there's my boo waiting for me!

 So proud of my girl!  You do it! Now get ready for our half marathon!

This is how I felt afterwards....too bad I couldn't do too much of that and instead had to prepare for Hurricane Sandy!
Looks like he just ran 6 miles haha, if only. The day will come my little friend when you will be my running buddy. Get ready!

Life Updates

Good Morning!

So the last few weeks have been a blur, boxes, tape, chaos.  We moved last weekend to a townhouse here in DC.  We had sold our condo in August and were just renting it from the girl who bought it for the month of September.  For some reason mortgage companies and everyone prefer to settle at the ends of the months, which make it just more of the waiting process for all of us.  So many hoops to jump through and people to contact and papers to sign and information to be sent.  Thankfully everything went smoothly.  

We were able to start moving stuff in a week before we closed which was a huge blessing seeing that we own WAY too much for two people who just moved out of a 2 bedroom condo and into a 3 story home.  At least Gary now gets his man cave.....of course it will be a major work in progress.  

We now have outdoor space! So excited. We have a front porch which I have ALWAYS wanted and we have a balcony off of our master which I am currently sitting on early this morning- it's quiet and there is a nice breeze, almost gives the feeling of being at the beach.  We have french doors on our master, which I NEVER thought I would have unless I moved out to the burbs.  The builder did a great job.  He's a local, grew up here and now is giving back to the community by fixing up and selling run down homes.  Only problem is, I didn't get curtains yet, so sun up, sun in eyes! I did by myself a rather dashing looking eye mask...... the curtains should be coming sometimes next week.  Ahh the joys of being a new home owner.

Being a new homeowner, with lots more space....means that I want to fill it!  I want the outdoor furniture and the dining room table and the sofa for the basement.  I was hoping that more furniture would be on-sale at the end of this season, but so far I haven't found any great deals.  I know, I don't need it all immediately, besides Christmas is coming.....it's just hard I want it all done, but that's just who I am. 

So if you know of any stores and or websites with clearance on their patio furniture, please let me know!!

The master bedroom is mostly done I got us new bedding and duvet, the guest room looks like a tornado hit it, as does the basement. Those areas are not frequented often as of now.  The first floor is coming along nicely.  But SO much hardwood, which I love, don't get me wrong, but with the pets= lots of hair, especially since we now also have ceiling fans.  Blows EVERYWHERE! I told G that I need a roomba or something like that. 

Does anyone have one of those robotic vacuums like to roomba or the neato?

The neato looks super old school, but apparently scans the room and moves back and forth whereas the roomba kinda goes all over with no rhyme or reason.
I know that Bed Bath  and Beyond also has one that has received good reviews, but it's more of a mop and not a vacuum.  I know that it will completely take away vacuuming, but at least will prevent me from having to do it daily.


So that's what has been keeping me mostly occupied, that and working. 

Rock N' Roll Philly Half

Well, I just completed my 3rd half marathon.  Surprisingly it wasn't my worst time, considering.  My first was this past March and it was another Rock n' Roll 1/2 here in DC.  The hubs and I did pretty good training wise. It's also always helpful to have someone who runs with you.  I was really surprised with my time especially since we had some hills.  I think it was 2:19, no world record that's for sure.

In June I ran the Zooma Women's 1/2 and trained, but again not as well as I probably could have.  I ended up getting something like 2:35 or something along those lines.  There were a lot more hills than I had expected.

This last one was also a Rock n' Roll 1/2 and with summer's here being so hot and humid it made it difficult to run outside.  I have also quit the gym because I feel that it is a waste of money and if I want to take a class or go once in awhile it's cheaper to do it that way than to pay a monthly membership.  I only ran up to 7 miles while training for this 1/2 which is no where near what I wanted to get to.  My goal was to get to 10, maybe 11.  Thankfully we had BEAUTIFUL weather AND Philly is quite flat, HUGE blessing!

I didn't run with water this time just with my GU and iphone.  I did stop at every water station though.  I found that putting GU in my pocket makes it easier for me to take them because it warms them up and makes them a little easier to swallow.  They handed me an orange GU at around mile 9.  That was NOT good.  I have to stick to the chocolate and vanilla ones.  

 High School Friend, Abby, actually I've known her since 3rd grade! That's what like 22 years?!

 On your mark, get set....and major traffic jam

 Barefoot Runner

 Loving the run under bridges and along side the water.

Originally we planned on staying with my mother outside of Philly and then traveling in real early Sunday morning.  Thankfully Gary decided that staying in Philly in a hotel would be better for both of our sanities. We ended up staying at the Hilton Garden down on Arch and 11th right across the street from the convention center where packet pick up was and right next to Reading Market. There was also the added bonus of the Wawa right across the street.  It was prime location in my mind.  I also found a cheap manicure place right around the corner.  I got a $25 OPI gel manicure, usually in DC it costs $40. 

You could choose the comfort of your mattress....wish ours did that.

I didn't end up with the worst time in the world.  I got 2:26.  Next year I will definitely train harder.  I'm hoping that for the one in March next year I'll be much more ready, especially since I know the hubs will be running it with me.  

It was fun because I knew a few friends running it, all of whom are faster than I, but we didn't stick together.  My one friend from HS and I started together and ran a mile and then I told her just to go. This was also a special run because my mother was able to come with one of her best friends.  She's never seen me run and I thought it would be neat for her to experience a 1/2 marathon and all the participants.  

I felt good for the majority of my run.  I didn't hit a major wall until about mile 11. And...thankfully my feet didn't fall asleep as badly as they sometimes do.  It was really gorgeous running there along the river. 

When the Moon hits your eye

Like a big pizza pie, that's amore.

I sure enjoy pizza, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Not just any pizza though.  I mean the fast food chains, Dominos, Papa Johns, are ok, but NOTHING is like NY and NJ style pizza.  I don't know what it is. I think I've posted about pizza in the past.  

There aren't really any good places in DC, although the jumbo slices in Adam's Morgan taste good, but only after having a couple drinks ;-)

Anywho, here's my review of H & Pizza

A few weeks ago, another new restaurant opened up on our favorite street, H Street.  It's called H & Pizza.  It's a "fast" food pizza place the supports local farmers, the pizzas are not pre-made and everything is fresh.  

Perhaps it is because they are new, but the lines are crazy(good for them, bad for me). Hopefully things will calm down. You can create your own pizza with unlimited toppings, or you can choose one of the creations.  People sure do go overboard when you can have unlimited toppings! I saw one guy putting shrimp and chicken and arugula, cheese, bacon and whatever else he threw on the poor pizza.

You get up to the counter and choose your crust, traditional, whole wheat or whole grain.  Then you choose your sauce, classic tomato, spicy tomato, basil pesto, red chickpea, garlic puree(what I got) and mushroom truffle. Your cheese choices: housemade mozzarella, provolone blend, ricotta, asiago, goat and daiya mozzarella. There are also finishes and oils that can be applied after backing. They also have drinks, alcoholic too, salads and desserts.  

Coming out of their oven! Hot and Fresh!

There isn't a lot of seating there, but you can share tables and we met some nice guys there.

 I also LOVE that the tables have ice water on them and, with lemons. I heart water and especially love it with lemon, so that's huge points in my book.  I think they also have water on the table without lemons too.

My delicious choice- gnarlic(super garlicy), but also added mushrooms

The crust was crunchy, but not overly so. 

Gary of course got the meat lovers one

They also add freshly cracked black pepper too if you want it.  

So, will I go back?! You Bet!  

So, if you are in the area, check it out, plus there are a lot of other great restaurants around there too.

Got Stress?!?

How do you de-stress at the end of the day? 

As of late I definitely have been feeling stressed.  We are moving on September 28, not too far from where we are, but we have a lot to do before then, arrangements to make, boxes to pack....I am super excited though.  Only 17 more days and we will officially be home owners.  Feel free to send housewarming gifts:-), we also take cash!

Tonight was Back to School Night, for teachers that is one of the least favorite days of the year.  I got to school at 6:40 and just got home at 7:40 so I was at work for 13 hours. I know, some of you work more than that. I, however am not used to it at all.  

So tonight I am having a nice slice of Dairy Queen oreo cookie ice cream cake.  

I'd also really like a glass of wine, but we don't have any bottles currently. I guess I could run across the street, but I'm just too tired and I am already in my pjs. I'd post a picture, but you would all be too jealous of the look I am sporting right now.  

I think food is one of my favorite de-stressers...I also enjoy running, but after putting in a 13 hour day I'm beat.  I'm also a little worried about my half marathon on Sunday....eeeek, so not ready. If I was going to run a 10k like I am at the end of October I would be set.  Let's just hope we have beautiful weather.  The last few days have been truly "Fall" weather.  

Can't wait for this to happen!

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is only Wed, just gotta push through.  Happy Hump Day a day early!

Foodie Penpal Reveal!

Excited again, got another package.  It arrived on time, but I wasn't home so I couldn't receive it.  I've been so busy, but was able to pick it up yesterday.  

So, here's my foodie PenPal reveal.  The person who sent me a package is from the midwest, her name is Stephanie and has a blog at Athlete at Heart.  Check her out. She's had a rough last few weeks, but I hope she's doing a lot better!  Thanks again for my package Stephanie!

This is what she sent me....

I'm really excited to try the chia and it's so great that it is decaf because I fear caffeine.  I can't try it yet, because it is too hot out, but as soon as that cool crisp fall day hits I'll be heating up some water.  Stephanie also sent me these delicious chocolate almonds which are not in the picture. Why?! Well I opened the package in the car and immediately decided I had to open those ASAP.  I also decided to share with my fellow riders.  I must have left it in the car. But they are super yummy!

If you are interested in participating.....

Here are the details:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month. 
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. 

If you’re interested in participating for September, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by September 4th as pairings will be emailed on September 5th!

*If you’re from somewhere besides the US, Canada or Europe and want to participate, send me an email and I’ll see if we get enough interest this month!