Cause for Celebration

Yesterday was a good day for me. I MET ANOTHER RACE GOAL!! The Trolley Run 4 miler is a fun run and brings out the crowds with over 10,000 registrants. The course is super fast as it's pretty much all down hill, but it also goes through my old hood so I'm really familiar with the course AND where the pain usually sets in.

I have done this race, um, I think four times and every year I keep getting better!! Love this!! I skipped on doing it last year after the marathon because, well, I knew it would be ugly slow. This year, I set a ambitious goal - FOR ME. I am still not fast but I'm getting there, slowly but surely.

I'm not going to lie - it was not easy. It HURT!! I know that at the 3 mile marker I usually start to see flashers and have to grit my teeth to just get it done already. This year, the hurt started at 2.5 and I really thought I was not going to make my goal time. I hung on, slowed the pace, and just kept telling myself to do whatever it took to finish strong. If that meant slowing a bit, so be it. FINISH STRONG. And I did just that.

Liz and I both celebrated a little because this has been a long time coming. She's writing the best workouts and I'm doing the work to the best of my ability. Wow. It's so amazing when it all comes together!!

That cute little frame that includes all my 2010 race goals is still packed away in a box, but the goals are still there - front and center - in my mind. I'll unpack them soon enough. I can't wait to check the next one off the list.

Cheers to everyone else who is starting out 2010 with personal bests, podium places, and AG wins!

Think I Better Run, Run, Run...

Whew! I can't believe I made it to Friday. That's what I kept telling myself all week - just try to make it (in one piece) to Friday. I did. Barely.

Last Friday, I moved into the new place. I am normally really organized when it comes to moving but this time - not at all. We moved the big stuff, but I have had to make several trips with the Jeep for days after, for the smaller, "I'm not sure what to do with this" type stuff, and the "I don't want this, do you? no? well what are we going to do with it?" type stuff.

Saturday I bagged my two-hour ride. It was a smart decision being as I was simply exhausted and sore from moving the day before and really just mentally needed the down time to organize and, well ... think. Fun times Saturday night at the Stewart's in celebration of Ty and Darcey!! I always look forward to events at their house - they are true foodies and this time it was a plethora of desserts with dessert wine pairings. YUM-O!!

Sunday ... oh yeah, another busy day of workouts, time spent at the house, and then some quality time chillin' with my girls - Michelle and Aubs. Miss you Michelle!!!

So ... despite all the chaos, it was a fun weekend for sure!! This week... a whole other story. Blur...

Ripped from Facebook - actual shot from The Uptown show during 1901 encore

THE highlight of the week - PHOENIX concert!!! I left work early, got in my swim, ran home, showered and met Aubs and Adam for the show. It did not disappoint and they played a perfect set - only 1.5 hours long which is just enough for this old lady and I was in bed by 11.

So I made it through the week. The house will close today so ... that's done. Tough stuff.

BUT ... this weekend!!! Hooray for weekends! I am RACING on Sunday and it's a big one. Well, big one for ME. It's only a little 4-mile foot race but I have set an ambitious goal and I'm ready to GET IT DONE!! Also have set aside a little "me" time and some time to simply unpack and unwind. MUCH NEEDED!!! Next week is taper week in prep for next weekend .... FIRST TRI of the season!! (Oh and wedding the night before.)

Sigh. Exhale. Smile. :)

Of Poles and Fried Hats

Yesterday was definitely one for the record books and was full of memories that will be forever burned into the Book of Flossy.

First of all, the weather this weekend has been fabulous! Sunny and highs in the 70s. Saturday morning started out with the roofers showing up at 7:30 am (new roof for the new home owners - lucky them!) and then on to the cable company to where we had to appear IN PERSON to make changes to the account. I know, you're hooked on this story, right?

So after all the chores were out of the way, time for a run! Strong south wind but I didn't mind - it was a beautiful spring day on the Trolley Trail with the Redbud, Forsythia, and Crabapples in full bloom.

Done with the run, quick shower and then on to ... POLE DANCING!!!

Oh yes, pole dancing. My friend and teammate celebrated a milestone birthday this week and invited us to take a class with her down at Poleworx in the West Bottoms. I was in because, honestly, I have driven past this place before and had heard stories of friends who took the class ... AND I have had a secret curiosity to learn how to swing my legs up over my head and slide down a pole. HA! HA!

It was fun - lots of laughs for sure! How did I do? Well, let's just say I may have the strength but I am totally lacking in the coordination and grace departments. My legs, hips and thighs have a lovely tie-die pattern to them with all of the bruises I acquired!! There were photos taken, but don't expect to see them here OR on Facebook.

Leaving the bottoms and headed back home to pick up the bike for an easy pedal over to West Plaza for Kim's birthday FRY PARTY!!!

What is a fry party, you ask? Well, apparently, you get a bunch of people together and deep-fat fry a bunch of stuff. Besides the traditional egg rolls, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings, they fried a turkey, hot dogs wrapped in bacon, pizza, BUTTER, okra, pickles, olives stuffed with blue cheese, PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES!!!, reese's pb cups, bananas (to die for!), and, thanks to Adam, a Clif Bar. Nothing but fried, processed food. I ate slowly and little bites knowing that I would probably end up feeling like poo on Sunday. After we left, I heard (and later saw photos on FB) that they fried a baseball cap. I'd say we left the party at the right time.

Departed the fat fest on the bike with an easy roll through the Plaza and Plaza traffic which included PROM traffic. Oh brother. Great people watching for sure. Quick stop at Adam's and then homeward bound where I crashed on to the couch and didn't move for an hour.

Good times for sure with great people ... but my arms and legs AND STOMACH can't take this kind of fun everyday. Just makes you appreciate it even more.

"Yada, yada, yada, I'm really tired today."

The next two weeks are going to be a whirlwind, a flurry, a tornado of activity. Looking at my calendar, I have every single weekend in the month of April booked with social events or activities. Not to mention trying to pack, move, sell a house AND of course, train.

Last night Robyn and I had an easy run on the Trolley Trail - windy and highs in the low 80's made it the perfect night for a slooow jog through B-side. We hit the Mixx for dinner, then rolled over to the Aubs to finish painting the new digs. Before I knew it, it was 10 pm and I was beat. I barely had enough energy to get my sorry butt in the shower and crash into bed.

Cheesecake or cheesewiz? You decide.

If I can just hang on for two more weeks ... ahh, who am I kidding? My life is always busy! But that's just the way I like it.

These two make it look easy.