New Year's Promise to Myself

2009 will be the year . . .

. . .I finish the Chicago Marathon. (I can't change the blog title to "My Fourth First Marathon." Besides a tongue twister, it's pathetic.)

. . .I will lose the "baby" weight. (My youngest "baby" turns 5 in April)

. . .I will properly cross train (Taking steps toward this already, meeting with personal trainer)

As a result . . .

. . .I will meet my goal of finishing the Marathon before I'm 40 (Oct 2010)

. . .I will not cringe at the sight of me in family photos that will be taken during our June vacation

. . .I will be able to buy a dress for our niece's summer wedding because I like it, versus buying one because it hides and covers the best.

I know reading this you may think that New Year's resolutions are often broken. Not this time. I'm too fed up with myself.

Now if I can just get building maintenance to move that vending machine further away from my office . . .

Race Schedule Revisions

Updated my race schedule on the left. New Year's Day Run? Yeah, not going to happen. I think I'm finally, FINALLY! coming out of my months-long running funk. Signed up for a new Half in Chicago, the 13.1 Chicago in June. A few days before we leave for vacation, so that should be interesting, given everything that comes along with vacation prep, finisheverythingatworkbeforeI'mgoneforaweek prep.

Hmmm, I have three halfs on the schedule. That might be a little much. I have to think about that.

Conference call coming up at work, gotta go.

My Butt Hurts

Went to my first-ever spinning class tonight. The instructor told me that my butt will hurt tomorrow. Well, it hurts now. I liked it, even if I was a little uncoordinated in the beginning. I can see how it can be addicting. During "sprints" the guy next to me was going so fast! I've never seen anyone's legs move that fast. To quote Chandler from "Friends": "His legs flail about as if independent from his body!"

I've been keeping a fairly regular workout schedule the last couple of weeks, between my personal trainer visits, other sessions at the gym and the treadmill at home. (No running outside for me, I live in Chicago! Yes, land of Blagojevich.) Goal is to get in shape, lose the extra pounds and get strong for Chicago Marathon '09.

While he doesn't need to lose weight, I've been getting on Mike's case to work out because if he works out, I'm more likely to work out. If he's not, I'm likely to make excuses.

Special note to my blogging friends: I know I've been terrible about posting AND commenting on your blogs lately. I will get back to it soon. Between the holidays and spending more time at the gym I haven't been on the computer much. When I have been on the computer, I've been researching info for a summer Disney trip. (If anyone's been to the Grand Floridian, would love to hear your reviews.)

Ok, gotta go address some holiday cards. In the spirit of the holidays, I leave you with this. Thanks to Mary Ellen for sending it my way. (Be sure to pause my playlist on the bottom left.)

Random Thanksgiving Post

I need to be at Mike's mom's house in a couple of hours (Mike's at work, meeting him there) so even though I need to find clean pajamas for the kids, find clean clothes for the kids, get myself showered/dressed, supervise son's shower, give daughter a bath, walk the dog, do the dishes, fold the laundry and stop the kids from fighting, I'm going to post this random list I found at Unfocused's blog. Oh, and I have about 7 minutes left on the laptop battery. I do not procrastinate.

Items in bold, I’ve done; items in plain text, I haven’t.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (Going to DisneyWorld in June, does that count?)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (Unless screaming Skid Row songs while drunk on the way home from a party in collegecounts . . .then no)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (I've run IN a Marathon)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (Ahem, Mike?)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Clearly I need to travel more.

O iPod Where Art Thou?

I can't find my iPod. I need my iPod to run. Yes, I'm one of those runners. Especially on the treadmill. Looked everywhere last night and today and came up empty. Mike may have it easy Christmas shopping for me this year, I may need a new one. (I'm a little scared it was on top of the newspaper pile that was tossed out. If that's the case, then someone picking up the recycling bin has a new iPod Nano that says "Love, Mike" on the back. Oh, and a Nike + sensor)

Mike offered to let me use his iPod Shuffle and while I'm not looking forward to it, I just might need to. Why don't I want to use his Shuffle? Well, here's a couple examples.

My iPod has music like this:



Mike's has music like this:



My missing iPod has music like this:



Mike's Shuffle includes music like this:



Ok, truth be told I don't know that he has King Diamond on his Shuffle, but he has some King Diamond Cds and I'm just trying to prove the point that we really don't like the same music. Truth be told twice I do have some of "Mike's music" on my iPod . . .Rush, a little Metallica, Spock's Beard and some others. But the vast majority is not for me.

Where is that iPod?!

A New Record

I think I set a new record for the longest time I've ignored my blog . . .or those of my blogger friends. It's been awhile, I know. Nothing specific, just busy days, busy nights, a lot of stuff . . .and a little laziness here and there.

To all of my blogging friends, I know I haven't commented lately, it's not that I didn't find your posts interesting, I just didn't um . . .read your posts. Or any posts for that matter. Hope to get caught up over the next few days. To get you caught up on me, here's some quick updates:

• I took one step closer to becoming a svelte and fit runner for the Chicago '09 starting line and had my first workout with a personal trainer. My trainer is great, very sweet and patient. She was particulary sweet and patient when I let the weights slam back down during the first exercise.
• I took very few steps the next couple of days after the workout - - which focused on weight training exercises -- because I've never really lifted weights before and was sore as hell. My limp around the office and my struggles getting in and out of the car was a constant reminder of how unfit I am. Ninety year olds move around easier that I was.
• Haven't signed up for any 5ks because schedules (what race is nearby, if Mike is off of work to stay home with the kids, if we don't have anything conflicting) haven't worked out.
• We started a Biggest Loser contest at work several weeks ago. So far I've lost weight, gained weight, lost weight and gained weight. So I'm hoping the next weigh-in - -the last one - - that I at least lose enough to meet my original starting weight. Sad, I know.
• I kicked my Red Bull habit! Went cold turkey and so far, doing pretty good. (I may have been a tad crabby for a couple of days.)

Ok, gotta get back to work. Can't get to the gym tonight because of other stuff we have going on, but planning to run on Friday and do weights the gym on Saturday. Next personal training session on Monday.

Shattered

My dreams of quitting my job and spending my days working with a trainer to get me ready for Chicago Marathon '09 are shattered.

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Draw date: October 31, 2008
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