Six on Saturday

Holla!

1. So much for my crazy training. I knew it would have to come to an end sometime because that's pretty much how I roll. Actually, I have a decent excuse this time. I got pretty sick last Friday.

The last time I got sick was in 2010 right as I was buckling down and training for my very first half marathon. I got really, really sick twice within a month's time. I was starting to think that I was invincible. It really sucks to find out you're a mere mortal. *sigh*

I didn't even get to take a sick day! I got sick last Friday and was sick all weekend. So I pretty much haven't run in over a week. I'm feeling pretty good today, so I might actually go out for a slow jog around the neighborhood tonight.


2. My sister had her first baby, so I am now a brand new auntie! Because I was sick, I haven't been able to go see the baby, yet. Hopefully, my sister will deem me healthy enough to visit her this coming week.



Kaitlyn Abigail

I've already been informed that I am not allowed to get her involved with horses (hrmph) so maybe I can get her involved in running. I'm excited to be an aunt. It's much better than having one myself! Disney Kids Races, here we come!! (Too soon?)

3. I'm also becoming obsessed with the show, Hannibal. I'm on the fifth episode. I can't believe that they can air stuff that gruesome on network television. It's as gross as Silence of The Lambs. It's really twisted. Check it out of you're into that kind of thing.

Watch it. I'm hooked.

Gillian Anderson is guest starring next week!! I was the biggest X-Files nerd, like ever, so I can't wait for the former Agent Scully to appear as a guest star!

(source)

4. I'm really starting to wish I had signed up for the Inaugural Dopey Challenge. It seems like I'm seeing Dopey hype everywhere. I can't stand it!! I can't afford to go in 2014, so really, it's a moot point. But still. I want to do it! At least I can console myself with the fact that Dumbo Double Dare is going to be so freaking fun. I've got a pretty good idea for one of my race costumes, but I need an idea for the second. Hmmmm...

He's so cute!

5. Registration is now open for the New York City Marathon. Somehow, I keep forgetting that I'm running it this year. Maybe after all of the hype from last year and then the drama of having it cancelled, it sort of floated to the back of my mind. It's six months away. At least this year, I'm starting with a better base. Last year, I sat on my ass for most of the spring, so when training started, it was a real bitch. Right now, I'm regularly running 5 to 8 miles, so I have a bit of a head start.

Hopefully, I will get to actually cross
 the finish line this time...

6. I still need to do my recap from the Pat Tillman Run a couple of weeks ago, but I'm feeling a little lazy. I've been cleaning my house for most of the day, so I need to get back to work. I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far. Happy Saturday!

Weird Relationships and Running

Happy Saturday!

There's a National Geographic Channel marathon of the show Taboo running today. Now I've never seen the show before, but I couldn't stop watching. Any time you think you've chosen poorly regarding your choices of mate in relationship, just remind yourself that at least you are not dating an inmate.

Yep. That's right. An inmate. Like from PRISON.

Getting married by proxy via the prison radio station. Romantic, right? (source)

This woman married a man serving at least another decade in prison. She met him when he was on the run from the law. They lived together for a year before he turned himself in because he knew that it was the only way they could eventually have a life together. Um, huh?

She then decided to marry him, but since he's in a maximum security prison, she got married by proxy (which is only legal in a handful of American states) over the prison radio. Romantic!

That's not nearly as weird as a man who married a woman serving a life sentence for her part in the brutal murder of a teen aged boy. The man, recently divorced, found her via the prison pen pal system and told her that he would most likely marry the next woman that came along. So they got married. 'Cause that makes sense, right?

He put up a mannequin in his living room as tribute to her - wedding dress and all - and pretends she is the real deal.

                  This just seems a little too Criminal Minds to me. Even the house is creepy!
(source)

Now, I don't believe in regretting past relationships because, regardless of how they ended, each one brought some sort of joy into my life at the time. I've mourned the loss of a few and maybe questioned my own naivete in thinking I could make them work out, but at least my relationship compass isn't lacking to the point where I'm trolling a prison pen pal system to find my soul mate.

My view on our long run this morning by the canal.

This morning, Tara and I joined the San Diego Team for a long run. The weather is unseasonably nice today in Phoenix, AZ. Most of the group just did a 5 mile run since they are tapering for the race next weekend, but we did 7.5.

Susan, our coach, ran with us for the first couple of miles, and by "run" I mean she strolled along while Tara and I shuffled at our incredibly slow HR pace. Susan reassured us that we're on the right track by slowing ourselves down. We got to chat a little bit about heart rate and I told her that I regularly run at a heart rate of 170, even all the way up to 180 and she definitely agreed I should slow it down. I'm crossing my fingers that I will eventually get faster by going slower first, but it's hard!

We shuffled along, slogging through 2 hours at that slow pace, but we were able to have a conversation throughout the whole work out, so it has been nice to have someone to chat with to distract me from how long we were out there.

As the few runners passed us on their way back, Susan turned around and ran back with them to let them back into the store (we met at Sole Sports this morning rather than way out at Pecos Park) and Tara and I continued on our way.

A park along the canal.

Running over the 101 freeway.

All in all, it was a good run. We had beautiful weather and it feels good to be regularly training again. I'm finding that even though we're jogging very slowly, I'm not dreading going out and running because I don't feel completely trashed afterward.

So far, my 3 day weekend is starting off nicely. Please be careful out there this holiday weekend and do not indulge too much. Or do, but don't drink and drive!

Always looking to try new things!

There's no I in Team!

Wow, what a night! We had a meeting for the NYC Marathon team for Team Chances. I had no idea what to expect or what kind of people would be part of the group, but I was certainly not disappointed. And I got my official team tech shirt. Woot!

There are 30 people on the team, so I didn't get to talk to everyone, but the group at my table was awesome. Everyone was not only friendly and nice, but also seemed like a lot of fun, which is important. I also met a follow blogger, Ari, who invited be to be part of an AZ blogger group, which is pretty cool!

I'm so excited about all of this. I truly think this entire experience will be life changing. Not only running my first full marathon - and the NYC marathon is considered to be the best marathon in the world - but also the process of training with a team and being part of a group that helps others better their lives. My first run with the group is Saturday morning and I'm actually looking forward to it!

Completely off topiic, but did anyone else watch the season finale of Criminal Minds last night? Holy...

That had to be the absolute best season finale I have ever seen.

(source)

I'm really bummed that Paget Brewster won't be on the show anymore. I loved her character. I numbed the pain by having this for dinner:

Yes, I will have another...

To top it all off, Bam Bam The Wonder Pony was an absolute angel this morning when I rode him. He's come so far. I'm a proud mommy.

Besides being a show horse, he's pretty good at entertaining himself.

So yeah, life is pretty wonderful these days.


X is for...

I had to go with X-Files when I was image searching the letter X and I found this particular X.

I was the biggest X-Files nerd you can imagine. I started watching at the beginning of the second season and watched it all the way until probably the 7th or 8th season, when it got completely ridiculous...and I think it's possible that Mulder had died and come back to life several times at this point.

X-files was the first show I was obsessed with. The Internet was just getting really popular at that point and I discovered X-Files news groups. I spent hours in awe of all of these strangers getting together and discussing my favorite show. I even discovered fan fiction. (I might have even written some, but it's so horrible, I won't outright admit it.)

Man, did I love everything about the Mulder and Scully dynamic.

                                                                                                            (source)

                                                Love them!                                (source)

Yeah, T and I pretending to work for the FBI in 1998 while on a choir trip.

So letter X is a tribute to the very first show that had me hooked. I miss you, X-Files.

And since I found the pic of T and me in Washington, DC, here's another amazing shot I took with a crappy camera from the airplane when we left for home. I don't think it's possible to take pics like this these days because I don't think most airlines can fly this close to the Pentagon anymore.

Forgive the crappy quality, we didn't have digital back then!

Hope you've all enjoyed my nerdy side. Only TWO LETTERS TO GO!