Blogger Shout Out

Just a quick post to send a shout out to Amy over at FitnessMeetsFrosting. Last week I mentioned here that it was my birthday week. She promptly emailed me and asked for my mailing address. At first I was worried that she wanted it for stalking purposes, and I spent several days looking out the blinds for someone hiding in the neighbor’s bushes with binoculars focused on the bedroom window. But to my relief, that didn’t happen (yet)!

Instead, what I got was a birthday present! Frosted Lady sent me some Rocktape!!!

I have the exact same running form as the gal on the box.

This was thoughtful because she knows I’m a runner/exerciser. And she knows I’ve had a couple knee related injuries recently. So that’s a cool gift.

I’ve never met the Fit Meeter in person. We haven’t spoken on the phone or via skype. But we are blog-friends (and Twitter & Instagram buddies), and it was really cool of her to do this. So thank you Amy, you totally “Rock”! (get it…rock, Rocktape…I’m so clever)

How bout you? Has a virtual friend ever sent you anything? Last thoughtful gift you got? Why didn’t anyone else get me anything?!?! (KIDDING!)

Birthday Runs & Tacos Addiction

The day after St. Patrick’s Day is my berfday.  Always has been.  Which is kind of bitter sweet.  Sweet in the fact that it’s so close to one of the biggest parties of the year.  Bitter because the day after St. Pat’s, not too many people want to party (many are hungover).  But I can’t do nuthin about it, so I try to make the best of it!

I celebrated with a Guinness in my personalized glass, along with the 4 leaf clover plant my wife got me!

Bring me luck!  #please #luckyclover #andluckyguinness

I seem to always go for a run on my bday and that didn’t change this year.  And to keep the birthday week going, I did another run today.

And look out competitors in my age group – I did hill repeats for the first time this season.  Hill repeats are basically the beginning of speed work, and soon I’ll be moving back to the track.  #Yeehaw!

Other than that, I’ve been taking full advantage of birthday meals this week.  So far I’ve had three taco meals.  I took a photo of two of em.  (I scarfed down the third before I could snap a pic.)

That’s an Independent and a Dirty Sanchez from Torchy’s Tacos. #Honestly #that’stheirnames #veggietoo

Mahi Mahi was so Goodi Goodi. #Iknowit’samahisteak #youputthepartsinsoftcorntortillas #tomakeataco

I still have a few days left in my birthday week, and I have some more stuff planned.  #willkeepyouposted

How bout you?  Anyone doing hill and/or track work?  What’s your birthday meal?  Am I using hashtags correctly?  Anyone want to celebrate with me the day After St. Patty’s Day next year? #i’llbeyourfriend

Never Trust the TV Weather Dude

I have known most of my life that the weather updater person on the local TV news shows were never very accurate.  Growing up my dad used to say, “The weatherman couldn’t predict a bowel movement, let alone the weather!”

More recently I spoke with someone who said they can only accurately predict 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the weather happens.

I’m sad to say I forgot both of these lessons yesterday, and I paid for it with a run loss.

Yesterday it was in the 80’s (American), and the lead story on all the local news was that overnight the temps would drop to the 30’s and it would be WINDY.  They were talking 45 mph (American) gusts.  And that wind would be cold and would make it feel even colder outside.

Like a fool, I believed them.  I mean, after all they had maps and satellite images and ‘futurecasting’ all used to dupe me.

I had planned to run hill repeats this morning, but when the alarm went off, I could hear the wind blowing against the house.  I thought, “I don’t want to run up and down hills in the face of tornado like freezing winds.”  So I slept in.  Mistake.

It was a little windy, but then again it’s always kind of windy in North Texas.  It was a little colder, but not the near freezing temps they had predicted.  I should have run, it would’ve been perfectly fine.  It’s actually quite lovely out.

Lesson learned, don’t trust the TV weather dude or lady.  Another lesson:  You can’t control the weather on race day – It could be hot, cold, windy, rainy, etc.  So you might as well train in all conditions too.

Anybody else ever get tricked by the TV/Internet meteorologists?  Does the weather ever adjust your running schedule?

-Scott

Sibling Visit

I have been missing in action (I wish there was a shorter way to say that phrase) a bit this week.  Just it’s been crazy, busy, and good.  Here’s a quick update.

My sis came to town for a few days.  We had family get togethers.  We also met for lunch (tacos of course).

My sis, my lil gal, and me me me me meeeee. (sorry was warming up my vocal chords there)

Other than that, I’ve got some runs in.  My last one was 4 miles at 7:55 per mile.  Felt good to open up the legs a tad.  It’s starting to warm up around here and I’m looking into some races.  I’ll keep you posted.

Hope everyone had a great week!  Tell me something – highlight of the first week of March?

10k, Putt-Putt, & Thundersleet

The weekend started out great – temps took a sudden upswing to the 70’s/80’s on Friday and Saturday.  We took full advantage.

I got up and ran 10K to start the Saturday.  The miles will go toward these two challenges that I’m taking part in:  Around the World Running Blog Relay and 100 Miles in March by Fitfluential.

I was going to run anyways, might as well join the challenge!

Afterwards, the 5 year old begged me to take him to play putt-putt.

We’re quite a pair – like bread and putter.

He’d never played before in his life, and I’m not sure how it got into his head, but it sounded like a fun idea to me.

Good thing they had more than one green, because he got a hole in one.

Afterwards, he begged me for a hot dog.  He typically doesn’t like to eat any kind of animal protein, so this was a new one too.  Maybe it was the nice weather and the smell of people BBQing in the air?  I’m not a huge fan of him eating them, but figured it was a special day.  We went to a really cool patio bar that’s friendly to pets and runners alike.  It was packed.  He got his dawg and I got a brewski.  Here’s a 6 sec video I took of the scene:

The next morning, the wheels fell off.  The temps dropped to the low 20’s and we got freezing rain.  Oh, and something called “Thundersleet”.  It’s apparently that thing when it’s sleeting and thundering at the same time.  It’s weird.  I wasn’t about to run in that noise, so it was off to yoga at Lululemon.

A man’s child pose.

For some reason, the boy begged me to let him tag along.  He really wanted to go.  I was excited to bring him, but looking back I’m not sure why he wanted to come.  He spent the entire class playing games on my phone.  Oh well, eventually I’ll get him to participate.  Baby steps on the way to child’s pose, I suppose.

As the day went on daying, the weather continued to worsen and colden.  Wind chill was around 0 degrees and the roads got all iced over.  It was a real bummer of a way to end the weekend.  But I did get to weather it in a cool way.  I moved from the ice outside to the ice inside where the Dallas Stars NHL pro hockey team plays.  When I’m not running, I’m a video producer and so I that’s what I was there doing.

On ice #selfie!

So there is the weekend that was.

How was your weekend?  Last time you putt putted?  Last time you yogad?  Last time you patio barred?  Doing any March challenges?  Ever been caught in thundersleet?