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!)

My Watch is a Jerk (& Dopey Training)

So the previous couple weeks I wasn’t able to follow my Disney Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2 in 4 days) training schedule due to some sudden weird ache in my knee.  But since I’ve got it rested and taped up, it’s been much better.  I was able to jump back into it the past few days, and that makes me happy.

Dat my RockTape job.

This may change, as the weather here is supposed to go from righteous to growdy.  Today it was 80 degrees (American) and sunny.  Tomorrow it’s supposed to be in the 30’s and sleet/snowing.  What?   And then it gets worse.  Supposed to get colder and colder and icier and icier.  That could mess with my weekend training.

Click to enlarge.

As you can hopefully see, I’m supposed to do 4, 9, 19 on Fri, Sat, Sun.  This weekend is also the Dallas Marathon, and they came out today and said that if the roads are too icy, they will cancel it.  That’s a bummer.  Especially for all those people traveling here and all those who have done months of training.  Here’s hoping the weather dude on TV is as accurate as he normally is (not very at all).

Anyway, since I’ve been able to run again this week, I was trying to be smart and take it easy.  Take it a little slow.  Well, when I got home from one of my runs and plugged the Nike+ GPS TomTom watch into the computer to record my run, it gave me the following message…

Insult me then try to get me to buy stuff, is that your game?

Yes, my training device is mocking me.  It’s insulting me.  It’s taunting me.  Why?  I can only conclude that it is a big stupid head jerk.  I already know I’m running slower than normal…that’s by design you butt-clown!

Ahh well, I’ll get him/her back (somehow) soon enough!!!

How bout you?  Ever been insulted by a robot?  Do you think we’ll be able to run this weekend?  How you doin?

Thanksgiving Running, Gear Deals, & Butt Sweat Hearts

Over the weekend I got to run again!  I had taken 8 days off to let my knee heal more, and on Turkey Day I gave it another go.  I ended up going an easy 4 miles.  Progress!  If you missed what happened the rest of that day, you can see it here.

Anyway, it was stiff and not quite right, but much better than it had been last time.  So come Saturday, I decided to give it another go.  My RockTape came in the mail (which was exciting for me) so I taped up the leg, and met with my peeps at Project Run 214.

Some of the group!

Many of them are preparing for the Dallas Half and Full Marathon this coming weekend.  This was their last big training run.  I was supposed to go 12 miles, but told myself I’d take it easy breezy lemon squeezy.  I’d be very happy if I even made it to double digits.

Well, a funny thing happened.  I ended up running in the front with a gal who will be doing her first half come Sunday.  I hadn’t seen the training course, and of course, we got off track.  I didn’t want to cut out early and leave her, so we just kept going.  Ended up finishing over 13 miles on our make-shift route.  I was thrilled for her going that far for the first time, and happy that my knee held up!

The real test came the rest of the day, I didn’t want the knee to hurt me like it had after my earlier runs.  I’m glad to say that it didn’t the rest of the day!  I think the Arnica, rest, cross training, and other stuff I’m doing is helping!

My kind of PED’s.

When I woke the next day, it did hurt some, but not as bad as before.  I went to yoga, and that seemed to really help it.  It’s still not right, but it’s getting better.  Hopefully I can continue to run while it heals completely.

Anyway, it was also a big shopping weekend here in the States as companies roll out specials.  I was in luck because a new store in the RunOn chain opened near my house.  Besides the weekend specials, they also had grand opening deals.  Besides that they also gave gift cards if you brought in old pairs of shoes to recycle.  Besides that I had earned some cash in their rewards program.  All combined, I was able to score a pair of my Brooks Pure Flow 2 for a really really really good price (and they threw in a pair of Feetures socks, double score)!  Aaaand, they had free beer and snacks.  Triple score!

My butt sweat where I sat shows that I heart Brooks shoes.

Also this weekend, since Thanksgiving is now over, we set up the fake Christmas tree.

All our ornaments on the bottom half of the tree.

Another highlight came when the boy and I had our own brunch date at one of our fav Tex Mex joints.  Like me, he also likes to ham it up for the camera…

I wonder where he gets it from?

So pretty good times.

How bout you?  Get any good gear deals?  Is your crib decorated for the holidays?  How was you weekend?