~*~CHEETAHS Sunday in the chillaxin' Den~*~

[meatlessinca]

Hiya Cheetahs!

LOL’ing over the comments of the toes in the Maui pics….actually they’re DH’s toes…lol…just kidding! There’s not many pics of me as I hate my picture taken (not photogenic at all!), dodge the camera constantly and will chase down any paparazzi that even tries to snap a glimpse..lol. However, if you look closely at one of the sunset photos on the beach, sneaky DH got a bit of my profile in one! Been busy getting shopping, cleaning, cooking, errands etc done before I have to head back to work Monday. Friday was football night at the high school (we won yay!) and Saturday I squeezed in a 5 miler while the dogs were at the groomer. Don’t want to overdo it as I have my 20 miler coming on Tuesday morning…yikes!

Wendi – Yah! What Cathy said! Holy shXt batman, you need a BREAK!!! Take that bosshole aside and TELL him what is gonna happen! And tell him you’re taking an hour for a run whether he likes it or not because if you don’t get your runs in you may end up going beserk on his…anyway, you need a break girl! Good luck at the show !!!

Cathy – Oh yah, upon closer examination, my amphipod IS yellow..i guess…just a neon greenish yellow…lol. WAY COOL job on getting another beast of a run under your belt! You are gonna have NO probs in Chicago! LOVE you pics! Wow, so green and pretty. Now it makes me wanna go take some pics of the hills I always complain about. Oh, btw, my friend and I get in to Chicago on Friday…

Carole – Are you running Napa in 2009? I would consider doing it but they have banned the headphone use so I dunno…I’ve done all but one of mine without the headphones but since I’m spoiled with the ipod it may be almost impossible to run without tunes…lol… Hey, the 2009 Napa marathon falls on my birthday! lol… I could come to cheer you on though if I don't enter it…glad the cortisone shot helped ya!

Wendy lou – Hope you are feeling better and the bartending job raked you in some $$$$. My DH stays home too if he has a night to himself. He’s a homebody…lol…

Dallas – No problemo re: the Chicago plans…You have sooooo much going on! I do hope we can see you though if you can swing it. IF not, I TOTALLY understand how family obligations can take precedence. I’ll be in Chicago from Friday til Monday. My flight leaves very early on Monday am….

Shelly – I wanna come over and check out your new “basement” ! LOL… yeah, I ran the Maui half marathon last Sunday while we were over there celebrating our anniversary that fell back in May..lol. Like how I conveniently booked our anniversary trip around a running event?...lol. Here’s what I posted last week about my run…..

“Ok, so this half marathon started at 5:30 am Maui time so we ran in the dark a while. I was shooting for an even paced 2:30 half for Chicago training and almost made that if not for my 4 (YES FOUR!!) potty stops! grrr…I was having some menstrual cramping, etc issues, so I just let the stops be ok and did the best I could. I did finish in a 2:40 something but haven’t checked my chip time yet. I forgot to turn off my garmin at the finish so I don’t know . I must say though, that this was a beautiful, friendly and fun half and I will do this one again if I come back to Maui. The locals and the volunteers here made is all the more better too! I had some pretty bad menstrual cramps toward the last few miles and started getting slow worthless runner thoughts so I started thinking about the cheetahs to get me through. I know this sounds cheesy, but I also played Christina Aquilera’s “Beautiful” song on my ipod the last stretch to rid myself of the negative slow runner thoughts and get over the finish line with a smile on my face. It all worked! Had a great run considering and I am thankful I’m able to even do it!”
Christine – LOL about the itch to buy something! I can help you with that! LOL. Wow, so you stayed at the Sheraton Maui in Kaanapali? We really loved the hotel and they upgraded us at no charge for our anniversary. We’ll definitely got back to Maui! Hope you and DD and DD’s BF had a great carb load! LOL

Hi Gloria, happy to hear you’re feeling better and may be able to get in a workout. Feels like we’re getting or Fall weather too! I love when the leaves start changing etc….

Linda – AWESOME job on your run!!!!! Hope you enjoyed the BD party! and some cake too! You earned it! LOL

Well, that should catch me up for now…gotta get in there and read the ending of my book – Sue Grafton’s “S is for Silence”….before my head starts doing the bob and my eyes shut on me!

Bye for now ladies!

POSH…

 

[RunninTeach]

Good morning, cheetahs! J

Posh—congrats on the football win! Even your weekends are jam-packed, huh? Yes, post the pics!! I imagine the CA hills would make these look like anthills. *lol* I love seeing where people run/ride, esp. ‘cause it’s usually far more scenic than my routes. One bonus of the Sunday long run is that the roads are a bit quieter. I could not believe the speeding that was going on yesterday. I actually did the fist-shake at one driver who came barreling around a corner way too close…Please tell me again, what time are you getting in on Friday? PS...love the thread title!

Wendi—As mentioned, I do understand totally that, because of the way circumstances happen to fall, there is nothing you can do about the current schedule except suck it up. But re: the time off—that’s exactly what I meant—that you demand it for after you get through the 17 days. As in, arrange for it now, so you have something to help get you through. It may not be his fault, but I do think he is guilty of taking advantage & working you (and others?) into the ground. A normal boss would be cognizant of the fact that you shouldn’t work people like this. Just because he’s not normal does not mean you have to keep taking the lumps. Or am I wrong? Will he offer you extended time after the show? I’m not trying to butt in with advice—I know you get enough opinions on the issue—but I can’t help feeling a little enraged on your behalf. I know this kind of extreme schedule would bring me close to breakdown mode. In fact, I’ve been there. When I worked in the political field, I was for a time doing the job of two people in an office that was understaffed as it was, and it was a very difficult time. But it helped me see that sometimes you have to fight for yourself. Sometimes the I’m-tough, I-can-handle-anything, no-complaints work ethic gets you screwed. There is a limit. Even bosses with good intentions overlook things sometimes, and as I’ve learned from experience, if you don’t speak up, you can’t expect any changes for the better. All the cheetah power’s goin’ to you, dear, to make it through these tough next few weeks!

Carole —Chuckled at your comment to Gloria. So, Mr. Mean Turkey is safe, then? Love the smiley—thanks! Not dorky at all re: Boston. How cool would that be to run the most legendary marathon of all? I would definitely make the trip up there to support! How did the pizza turn out? I am so in awe of your nutrition scores. I was doing better in the summer when it was a little easier to keep up with. Now that I’m back to school, my weight loss area is almost always all A’s, but my overall GPA is low. I am using it more to log things in after the fact (sometimes a day later) and not doing as much planning ahead of time, so things are a little backwards. And some of my choices have been junkier lately. I want to tighten up the reins these next few weeks because of the marathon and also get into better habits, generally. I work through lunch every day and often wind up picking at things, not really eating. Then when I get home, I’m ravenous. That’s a habit I need to break.

Go, Christine, go!!!

I had a funny dream last night. I think I was at some kind of expo or something, where I ran into Kate Hudson (of course), who, upon hearing that I am doing Chicago, introduced me to Lance. Had a nice convo with him for a few minutes and then asked him if he would be at the Livestrong tent afterward. He said he would only pop in for a few minutes after crossing the finish line. I asked him about autographing something, and he said he doesn't do that. I thought he was beautiful, anyway. End of dream.

I thought I would go for an easy run and plug in some weights today (I've neglected WP, abs, and weights this week!), but I think I will make it an EXT-based circuit instead.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

[gwd]

Good morning Cheetahville!

I have just a couple of minutes to say hi before I head out the door. Got some great zzzzzzz's last night...was asleep by 7:30 of so.

Carole - Count me in as part of the Boston cheering section, as well! I would LOVE to go if you qualify again! Thanks for the vibes for my upcoming "mary"!

Cathy - LOVE your dream...too funny! How are you feeling after that run yesterday? You must be in pretty good shape to be thinking of an EXT circuit today. Oh, I love to hear your thoughts on the problem at hand...you never "butt in" with your advice, on the contrary, I value it! HE would be MORE than willing to give me some time between this DC show and Harrisburg which we leave for Oct 12, followed immediately by another one in Mass starting Oct 15 (not even our horse, we're helping a couple of clients for the person riding our horse who will be stuck at Harrisburg with another horse she is showing and won't be able to service those ladies at that show and they will need a groom and someone to setup their horses....unfortunately, we've already agreed and I relly DO need the extra cash). The problem is there are only 8 days between DC and Harrisburg and, because we'll be in DC for almost a week, we'll be playing catch up with the clients at home to get them their lessons that they miss while we are all away. So that means I've got to catch up on riding their horses (most need to be kept "tuned up" so that their owners can have good rides on them) before their lessons that week. Unfortunately, the business is client-driven and the old addage of "what the client wants the client gets" is sooooooooo true. They pay a lot of money (well, actually, we undercharge for the services offered when you compare our services to other facilities) but it's still a good chunk of change and you can bet they want their money's worth. YES!...I will be asking for time off after ALL of that and will get whatever I want...the problem is getting to that date intact. Thanks for letting me ramble on about this...I sometimes feel it's the only place I can take this without getting into a heated argument about the subject and I sooooo value your opinion(s).

Posh - Oh, I can't wait to sit down and take a look at those pics! LOLing about chasing the paparazzi...can't stand cameras myself. Wow, 20 miles come Tuesday? You go Cheetah!!! OMG, LMAO about going berserk! You crack me up, babe! Today's lost run can't be helped...had to reschedule someone coming to look at two sale horses for early this morning so that we could squeeze in someone else who is coming to look at another sale horse midday so that we're sure to be done in time for us to get to the wake this evening.

Well, so much for my quick post...it's a good thing I'm a fast typer. I probably won't be back tonight between the wake and and "after" gathering so have a wonderful Sunday ladies! Hasta lunes!

 

[RunninTeach]

Wendi—glad you were able to bank some zzz's. I nodded off way early myself and never ate dinner, so I think I can indulge in a few extra calories today. Yeah!...I feel good. My left ankle is a little sore, to my surprise. Not a big deal—I turned it during one of my runs this week, which I do fairly often. Usually it doesn't get sore like this, but I guess the added miles tired it out. Another reason why the EXT seems like a good pick...I'm glad you'll get some time off. Can't think of anyone who works harder or deserves it more! Of course, we'll be here for ya to help you keep your sanity.

 

[andtckrtoo]

Good Morning Cheetahs!

Cathy –LOVE the biking smiley!!! Thanks! Wonderful job on the 21 miles yesterday! I LOVE the photos!! It’s a very pretty run, even with the hills. Do you run the sidewalks or street? ITA about the catalogs. ‘Tis the season I guess. I haven’t heard of Tuscany, but I love Tuscan food, so it would take a lot for me not to enjoy that restaurant. Sounds like a great pre-race place. Oh, and I never thought you were attacking the sales industry. I’m the first to admit that many of my brethren do not have the best scruples. I am not good at new sales – my forte is in relationship management and keeping customers happy so they do renew. Not quite the same (at least I tell myself ) OOOOH – any dream of Lance is a good dream. *sighs like a school girl*

Wendi – Oh man! I’m so sorry to hear about your schedule! I understand the new girl wanting to see her sis’s baby, but wow! {{{{WENDI}}}} I do hope you get some serious time off afterwards!! And by the way – ITA with your response to Cathy calling you a masochist. Thanks so much for the Cheetah Power!!! I’m gonna need it!

Carole – Sorry your mom did feel so great today – I think there are up days and down days in any recovery. I’ll try to get the flight switched out. We’ll see. The cadence meter is an interesting device. Lance is said to spin out at a 90 RPM up hills – that would kill me (and most cyclists!). But, to increase your spin speed is always a good thing. I’m going to work on it.

Thomasina – No chillin’ for this Cheetah this morning! The photos I’ve seen of you are gorgeous! But, I know what you mean. I, too, tend to dodge the camera. Great job on fitting in the 5 miler while the doggies were getting beautiful!

I’m up before the birds to get ready for this ride. For once, before a big race, I slept like a log. The BF’s bike is here, hanging out with Mike – I’ll get the car loaded, then pick him up. The pasta dinner last night was fun. It's nice to have kids you actually enjoy hanging with. I’ll give a race report when I’m done. Not sure I’m going to bring the camera – I think DH has it – but I will have my iPhone, so that will work.

 

[Mckmain]

Good morning cheetahs

Posh...I dodge the camera a lot, but seem to have a habit if sticking out my tongue if someone catches me!!

Congrats to the Football team!! I am considering Napa in 2009. I am itchy to run another marathon as I get my miles up.....Not much sense in banning the headphones IMO, but I have never run with any! We will have to celebrate your B-Day of you come out to cheer!! I figure you will be watching the evening game today??...

Cathy...Yes, mean Mr Turkey has stayed put in his pen lately, but the handgun was my choice for him......The pizza was really good! Not for those who like a thin crust. You make it in 3, 9 inch cake pans...DH liked it a lot. Thank you re: my nutrition scores, I have been trying hard. It is funny but once I get started on loosing I do pretty well but maintaining has always been my issue. I have tried a couple of supplements too that could be helping. I think Cathe's program will help there as once I get to my goal then I can up the calories and eat well to maintain. I think once your marathon is done your eating will be easier to do well at. It is tough to try and maintain the different RDA's and stuff marathon training. Napa is usually the last West Coast BQ. I don't even know what my time would be to qualify as I have not looked for ages! I have those ravenous days when I get home too sometimes. I seem to do better when I munch on some dried apricots on my way home......Loved your dream. Enjoy your EXT circuit. Does your chiro do ankle adjustments? I often get those after long runs and they really help..

Wendi..glad you got in some good zzzz's last night. Thanks re: Boston. If I even did it, it would be awesome to have a special cheetah cheering section! I know you are a strong cheetah and I hope you can get through the upcoming grueling days unscathed and have some well deserved time off! Just a thought for your boss

Christine...WOW!! Lance is a machine, 90 RPM uphill??? I am sure you will do well increasing your speed. Thanks re: my Mom. I do try an explain to her that she will encounter some rough days. She has always been one to find something to dwell on. Enjoy the ride today and I can't wait for the report!!

I will be attempting a 14-15 mile run by myself today. My sister and friend are doing a relay race that I backed out of as I wanted to watch football!!! I had a nice 7 hours of itch less sleep and feel good.

Have a great day..

 

[andtckrtoo]

Carole - enjoy your 14-15 mile run! If you and Thomasina run the Napa Marathon, I'll be there to cheer you on! We can all stay in our Condo!
Well - I'm all loaded up and ready to go - I'll tell ya - getting ready for a bike race is much more complicated. Trying to load two bikes, gear and everything else into the back of DH's Lexus without scratching any of the above was interesting. I just have to feed the dogs and I can be off. I'm eating breakfast right now. I'm not hungry but I've read (and it makes sense) that you cannot make up for a skipped breakfast while riding (or running) - so force SOMETHING down. I'm eating Kashi Go Lean, Soy Milk and a banana. I've been really good the last few days with cheese and other dairy, so the bloat is gone - thankfully!

 

[Fit_mommy]

Hi Girls.

It's almost 10:30 and I'm JUST starting to perk up here. LOL Last night was an experience for certain! I made awesome money between the tips and the hourly wage. Comes out to over $20 an hour CASH! Can't argue with that now can ya!? We worked from 4pm to 2am (2 hours of that were set up and clean up). I have never been so tired IN MY LIFE though! All in all it was a good night. I was a nervous wreck at first but after about an hour I relaxed a bit. Had I been able to have a drink I could have relaxed ALOT MORE and ALOT FASTER! I even started makin' drinks myself instead of just pourin' wine and crackin' open beers. I felt like an idiot standing there doing nothing while my friend made 6 drink orders at a time with a line waiting so I made what I knew how to make to start with and then learned a few more simple drinks along the way. If he ever needs the help again I will definately consider it. OMG the people at this wedding can DRINK, let me tell you! I should have focused on one person and kept count of how many they had cause I'm thinkin' any one of these folks could drink me AND DH under the table any day. WOW. Towards the end of the night one gal had THREE full mixed drinks in front of her and tried to order a FOURTH!!! Yeah, she was flagged! LOL

Okay, enough babbling about my night....

Not sure what's on tap work out wise at this point. I'll have to figure that out soon though...

BBIAB with personals.

 

[Fit_mommy]

Personals....

Whoa boy...lots to catch up on around here this morning! LOL

Carole: Itchless sleep is the best kind of sleep there is. So do you run with music when you are alone? Perhaps you'll enjoy the long stint by yourself. Let us know how it goes. How was the pizza last night, btw??

Christine: GO cycling Cheetah, GO!!!! Can't wait to hear the race report!!!!
Oh not surprised that your DH would be hangin' with his buddies if you weren't around. I just don't know what's wrong with my DH sometimes! I know I'D be callin' everyone I know to make plans. I would NEVER waste a "free" night like that! Sorry about your tire woes on the trainer y'day. How annoying! I have to agree about the flats after bring it to the shop. Seems to work out that way with lots of things. I swear DS gets sick right after his well visit to the pediatrician!

Wendi: (((HUGS))) Sorry about the long hard stint at work you have in your future. I know you'll pull it off with flying colors though. You are a dedicated and hard worker. You deserve nothing but the utmost respect (and a large paycheck) for all that you do!!!!If your boss doesn't see that then send him here...the Cheetahs will straighten him out REAL QUICK!

Posh: I understand about wantin' to just hang out at home (alone) once in a while but c'mon! He had a wifeless and childless night for TWELVE HOURS!!! He should be ashamed of himself for sitting home in front of the boob tube all night! MEN! I didn't comment on it but I admit to giggling when I noticed the toes in that pic.

Gloria: My job at the bank wasn't my dream career but it paid the bills and I really liked my boss. This is why I am considering it again. I swore when I left there that I wouldn't go back into banking/collections. DH wants a shot gun. We have a hand gun that he got a couple years ago now I guess. We go to the shooting range now and again to fire it. The first time we went I cried. I had never even SEEN a gun in person prior to that let alone fired one. I was petrified. I am more comfortable with it now though and admit to finding it fun as well.

Linda: Oh I am so glad your 20+ miles was a great run! Seems like Cathy's zen run was contagious cause I had an awesome 15 miler after that as well! Don't you wish you knew the secret to the good runs? I purchased shot blocks to try. I have the cran razz flavor. They are okay. They do the job so as long as I can tolerate them flavor wise they are good enough for me. I noticed the caffeinated ones but considering my love affair with coffee, caffeine is very easy for me to come by! LOL I've actually cut the caffeine down to next to nothing! I make 2 cups every morning with 1/2 reg and 1/2 decaf and then that's it's 100% decaf from there!

Cathy: Congrats on the run yesterday girl! Great job! Okay so it wasn't total zen this time but you still did fantastic! I must go read your blog now! You are gonna rock Chicago!!! I LOL'd at the pumpkin icecream sign. You just need to learn how to eat an icecream cone and run at the same time and that sign will no longer be just a taunt! So I went out and bought a non drowsy allergy med to stop the faucet before heading out for the night. It worked...a little TOO well! By the time I was driving home I was blocked up solid. UGH! I had to come home and take nyquil to reverse the effect of the allergy med before I could go to sleep. LOL Thanks for the sweet words regarding the 'tending job. I tried to smile alot and DEFINATELY faked it. Seemed to work out quite well. As for going back to the banking/collections gig...I wasn't what you call FOND of doing collections but somehow I managed to be pretty succesful at it and made a pretty good buck doing it. I also loved my boss at my last job which is actually the biggest reason why I'd consider getting back into it if he was hiring. It's not my dream job but there are much worse alternatives, right? The PE job would be something to think about if I could wrap my mind around going to college part time for about 1000 years to get my degree! How much fun would that be if we worked together. I worked with BF at 2 jobs. It definately made it more fun at times.

Looks like that about catches me up for now! Time for a nap!

BBL!

 

[Me2]

Good morning! I didn’t make it back last night. After the party, DH and I went to dinner. My niece had a lot of food at the party , along with cake, chips, veggie tray, etc)…..but we didn’t know that, so we had made dinner reservations…..so we just went to dinner afterwards. (lol…no…we didn’t eat at the party, too J )

Wendi - Your Mish Mosh yesterday sounds wonderful! Good job! I hope how soon you can slow down a bit in your work! I agree with telling your boss that you need a couple of days off! I’ll bet you are counting down the days for Oct to be over with! That is just awful that you have to work that many days in a row….especially with such demanding, hard work!

Carole - I am glad your mom seems to be doing better, according to the docs! I guess the pain is just where she is healing? Sorry she is hurting! I am glad your itching is subsiding some! I know, from experience how horrible that can be ….especially at night! Enjoy your 14-15 mile run!

Shelly - I do love the Cytomax! And I just found out that my local GNC carries it in the canister….so, hopefully, they will continue to carry it and I won’t have to order! J

Christine - Goooo Christine! Enjoy and have fun! A dualathon! That would be fun!! LOL….I had originally “thought” you meant “personality wise” on the bikes….but then I started to doubt myself J I do remember that “Mike is the one that got you into biking! Isn’t he the one that looks like the guy in the Extreme KB workout? It is good that you got the cadence meter and so now you will “know” exactly what you are doing! That is great! Sorry about all the tire problems, though!

Gloria - What kind of dog is Pip? I am sure you have said, but my memory is kind of short, lately Is the weather where you live now anything like it was in Montana, or is it totally different? My DH heads off to Great Falls the first week of Oct.

Cathy - Great job on your run!!!! J I am sorry it didn’t feel as good as last long one, but you did a great job! Ouch! I hate when I chafe and the shower runs on it! Talk about instant pain! I loved the pics you posted of part of your route! Those are some good sized hills! LOL….I love the sign along your route…..I would make it a PIT STOP and go in and at least get some ice water!! J Pretty area too! Shoot! Sorry the chiro was so rough on your shoulders and upper back! Your dream was funny! LOL….I wonder if he really won’t do autographs?? At least it was a pleasant running dream! I had the nightmare about missing the start of my Distance Run and the marathon. Not having my running clothes with me….and having to rummage for clothes and having to wear winter tights and winter top to run a hot race in! I was crying and acting like an idiot! I woke up in a sweat with my heart pounding Enjoy your workout today! Wow!!! You are tough!!! I’m not doing anything today!

Posh - I’ll bet you take good pics! I know the one of you with your haircut that you posted was good! (that is the only one that I have seen of you….but I am sure they are all great!) Good job on your 5 miler. When you do your 20 miler on Tuesday….what time will you do it? Do you have to work that morning? Congrats on winning the football game!!!

Wendy - I am glad your night went well last night with the bartending! I could pour the wine and beer….but wouldn’t be able to mix any drinks! I have no idea of what goes in what! I am glad you enjoyed it! Congrats on the extra cash! Good job on your class yesterday!

So far, this morning, I am not having any adverse effects from yesterday’s long run! Yay! But I do think I will take the day off, anyway. I think with my “age”, it would be better for me

Hey to everyone!

Linda

 

[Me2]

Wendy - Thanks, regarding my run! The Cran Raz is what I have been using all the time, until now. I like them I am a caffeine (coffee) nut, too! I usually have a huge mug before me runs and every morning. but this time, I just drank a little bit. And then did the Shot Blocks with the caffeine a couple of times during the run....thinking that if I kept the caffeine at a "steadier" level without letting it totally "crash" like it would do with my "big mug" it may help. Not sure if it was "real" or psychological I really need to cut down on my daily amount of caffeine, too. Good job on your cut down! I may start doing the 1/2 and 1/2 again. Good idea! So....you are working on "totally caffeine free?" Gasp....you'll have to change your signature!!!

 

[Mckmain]

Christine...WOW!...I forgot you had a condo in Napa!! Sounds like a fun time next year. Now I have to do it.....I can imagine how tough it is loading up 2 bikes and all the gear. Your breakfast was a bit like mine. I had the soymilk and then some Multi Grain Cheerios and Banana Nut Crunch cereal mixed. Glad to hear the bloat is gone...Have a great ride.

Wendy...loved the drinking wedding goers review!! I always wanted to be a bartender, just thought I would drink too much by making mistakes with the drinks! I have never run by music, unless there was a band in a race! I have no problem running by myself. The pizza was great, definitely good for those that like a thick crust.

Linda...I think my Mom's pain is due to her leg being out of the brace that held it straight. Now with mobility it is a bit painful, but she seems to be dealing with it okay. Yes sleeping after the shot has been wonderful! A day off is good after a long run of 20+ miles. I am right with you on the age issue...

I had a great 15 mile run. I even ran about 1/4 of a mile (around 10.5 miles) with Beau. My DH was down watering my Mom's outdoor plants and we met up.....I was happy about keeping a very consistent 10:43 pace for the whole run! I am slower on long runs and trails are even slower. I ran mostly asphalt today so it was faster, but I felt good. Off to watch

 

[fitg]

Good Afternoon Cheetahs!

Christine: We are working on making sure Pip is well trained. It is crucial for her to know the commands so that DH can hunt with her in the woods. Ellie is trained well and she has been a great teaching tool, as Pip wants to do everything she does. They have become pals. GOOD LUCK ON THE RIDE TODAY!!!! Looking forward to hearing how it went!

Cathy: A data projector is the same thing as your LCD. Wow, I thought we had it bad with student computers! Each teacher has three in their room. Ours our ancient too. We have one computer lab and a class set of wireless laptops that we can check out. Sometimes it is hard to get into the lab for us too. NICE RUN!!! You had me cringing thinking of showering when chafed! OUCH! Your pictures were very nice. You live in a very pretty area with all those trees! Too funny about your dream!

Wendi: I told DH that I wanted to try to shoot skeet this fall and he is excited. It is something else for us to do together. I am too sensitive to hunt animals. I can't even watch Bambi without crying! LOL! That is ridiculous you have to work that much. You will get through it. I will be thinking of you. (((HUGS))).

Carole: I didn't get a chance to make the soup until this morning. It is simmering as I type. I put one can of jalapeno Ranch Style and one of the regular. I like things a lot spicier than DH does too. I have not made homemade pizza in a while. Glad you enjoyed it. I am a thick crust person. Great run today!! Enjoy football!

Posh: Congrats on the Maui half! I love that song "Beautiful." I am not a fan of the camera either. The leaves are starting to change and it has been cool and comfortable. I will be thinking of you on Tuesday!!

Wendy: I knew you would be just fine bartending! It is nice to have the extra cash I am sure. Liking the people you work with is key. Keep us updated when you email your old boss. Is the bank close to home? My DH has several shot guns and really wants a hand gun. My dad was a hunter so I grew up around guns. I imagine it would be scary never having seen one before. What did you decide today?

Linda: Pip is a Llewellen Setter. They look like English Setters. She is speckled white, brown and black. DH and I were talking this morning about how calm and nice she is for a pup. The weather here is different from Montana. It is a lot drier out there. In MI we get A LOT more precipitation. It was pretty windy in Livingston due to the mountains. Did you see that Livingston was voted one of the top ten coolest places to live? DH and I miss it very much. We were just talking about that yesterday. What will your DH be doing in Great Falls? So happy you got in your long run. Enjoy your much deserved rest day!

Got in a 3 mile run this morning. Feeling pretty good. Went to the BFs for dinner last night. They have two dogs and we bring ours over and they just play like crazy. It's fun to watch. Now off to check some papers. This is my least favorite part of the job.

Have a great day Cheetahs!

 

[RunninTeach]

Afternoon, cheetahs!

I had one of the most incredible massages ever this morning. She worked extra on the quads, hams, and calves, and some of it was painful, but it done me good. I booked a post-mary massage already. I will confess, I'm feeling so blissed out, I have no desire to work out at all. I might just not.

Christine—how was the ride? I run the sidewalks wherever possible, shoulder if I have to.

Carole—thanks for the blog comment. You have no idea what a boost that gave me to get your vote of confidence! I was thinking of my comment to you about not running Napa and how I've been saying it'll be one-and-done for me. But I kind of have the feeling it won't be. I've been reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami (highly recommended!) and I just came across a passage where he writes that he's not concerned about his marathon time (he's run many); he just wants to ENJOY it. I think that is what my focus will be for Chicago: just finish and try to have fun. But I think at some point, I will want to try again and have a more respectable finish time...Do you have any supplement recommendations? I think the chiro does do ankle adjustments. She actually adjusted my toes before. That didn't tickle...Love the smileys—too cute!...Great 15 miler & pace!! Here are the BQ times for '09:

http://www.runnerstrainingguide.com/boston-marathon/

Wendy—Oh OK, I think I got the bank confused with maybe another job I thought you once said you didn't care for. It sounds like the bartending/catering is a sweet set-up. Glad it went well and provided some entertainment, too. That would be awesome to work together! I think you'd be great at the middle school level. What about going to school FT? Between online and night classes, you might be able to structure your schedule around Joey's school and bang it out a little quicker...*lol* about the pumpkin ice cream. I have yet to try it, but that danged sign is mighty tempting.

Linda—well, it wasn't easy, but it wasn't awful. Sometimes we just have to slog through. Yeah, I sometimes wonder what is worse—a steep hill or a long, graduated incline. I think I prefer steep. I think TN must have an abundance of hills, no? I've only driven through, but I remember even the highways were a lot of big, rolling hills. I had to smile about your nightmare—I'm betting I will dream something similar as the time nears.

OK, I need to get myself sorted for school. Have a great rest of your Sunday!

 

[Me2]

Carole - Oh, I see. Yes, I can see where that would be painful! Great job on your 15 mile run! Your pace was great! I go a lot slower on longer runs, too……but heck….I am not even fast on short runs Great job!

Gloria - I’ll bet Pip is adorable! Yes, I did see that about Livingston! DH will be going to his good friend’s ranch and they will fish. It is a yearly, or twice yearly thing for them. No fair! I want to go! Good job on your 3 mile run! LOL….I can imagine that grading papers would not be my favorite thing to do, either! Have a good evening!

Cathy - I am actually in WV. But we do have a lot of hills and mountains! I have any mountains that I run regularly. They are further away from me. Probably at least an hour’s drive. But I have a lot of steep hills J I am with you! I was just telling DH that very thing yesterday! I think a gradual incline that doesn’t really look like much at all is worse that a real steep hill sometimes! I asked him if it was a psychological thing…since we see the steep hill and automatically think…”I’ll never make it up that mountain!” and then with the innocent looking gradual incline, my mind doesn’t psych itself up. I don’t know…..just a theory
Great job on your run! Isn’t it amazing that it is now time for your taper?

 

[andtckrtoo]

RIDE REPORT!!

Well, sorry, but I don’t have any photos. It’s too bad because parts of this ride were absolutely stunning. We started off from Woodside high school about 7AM and the first three miles were uphill – not too steep but constant. Then the road turned into rolling hills paralleling highway 280. About 5 miles into the ride we started riding beside a reservoir and the views were beautiful. We did a big circle and came back to riding along the reservoir and back into Woodside. That was about 20 miles and at mile 17 there was a well supported rest stop


At mile 23 the climb began and continued for a good 4 miles to the top of Kings Mountain Road. That was tough, but towards the top, it started to rain of all things. I think it was just very heavy fog. One thing about cycling in California is that if you ride the mountains at all or travel any distance you have to prepare for the weather to change. It can be a 40-50 degree temperature difference with a 30 mile radius. So, instead of being very hot, I was chilly as I reached the summit (to a bunch of Woodside Cheer Leaders cheering us on – that was a cute touch) and the next rest stop (they had cream cheese and peaches sandwich – according to the woman at the stop, that’s what they feed the Tour de France riders – I had some – good sandwiches!

Then it was off again – up another climb (no, the climbing wasn’t over yet) of about a mile. We were climbing and tired but the sun was starting to peak through the clouds in there in the woods we were riding through the rays of sunshine that were reaching the ground (you know what I mean – the rays were actually visible). It felt as if heaven was pretty close (but we just needed to get through the hell of the hill! ). Once we hit the top of that hill, we had literally 7 miles of down hill. What a blast! Just a nice decent – not too steep – but fast and fun. I really enjoyed that.

We rode by some horse ranches ($$$$ area), and back into town, then turned towards the second loop of rollers we had. At the point there was about 12 miles to go. This part went by quickly except for my new nemesis – Alpine Road – what a sick joke. I swear there were places the so looked to be down hill, but were instead a continuation of the climb. We were on that road for about 4 miles and I swear it either looked flat or down hill, but I could not get above 12 mph and that was pushing it!

FINALLY we came to our last rest stop. Another very well supported one - for a local ride supported strictly by volunteers, they did a very good job and everyone supporting it was friendly and sincerely appreciated the cyclists). Then came the last six miles! These were all rollers until the last mile – it was all down hill back into the school and the finish line! YEAH! We put the bikes away, then sat down to BBQ Chicken breast, pasta salad, green salad and choco chip cookies!! YUM! This is definitely one I’ll consider next year. What a fun ride!

 

[andtckrtoo]

Wendy – glad to hear you made out like a bandit and actually enjoyed yourself!! Yeah, some people can really indulge in free booze – amazing, isn’t it? I like to be able to function the next morning. I have been known to waste a free night – I like the quiet time from time to time. But I do like to hang out with the girls, too! Well, the tire that DD’s BF put on held up like a champ during the ride today – so that was good!

Linda – Glad to hear you’re doing well after your long run! Probably a good idea to rest – your age or not – you silly goose Good memory! Yes, Mike looks a bit like Steve Cotter. I swear running is so much easier and cheaper in some respects. No maintenance on anything but yourself! But I love cycling.

Carole – Great job on the 15 miler today! Enjoy football! Cannot believe the Dolphins destroyed the Pats – but hey, without Tom they are not the same team. YES – and it’s ready now, so it will be there when we need it next year! Just let me know the dates and I can reserve it. Since Cathy is leaving early Monday – and my flight is later, I was thinking of seeing if I could rent a bike and ride the Lake Shore path. I know you can run it, too. Would that be cool with you?

Gloria – isn’t it great how one dog can train the other? I love a well trained dog. I think it helps them and makes them just happier over all. Glad they have become pals! You need a pic with the two of them together!

Cathy – enjoy your blessed out feeling. The EXT will be there when you’re ready, but as I told Linda – after running 20 miles, some rest can be a good thing! I like to run the sidewalks, too – keeps me out of the street.

Enjoy everyone! I'm ready for a nap!!

 

[karenvictoria]

What a great day yesterday. We really needed it. We ended up getting home about midnight and then I woke up at 9. Haven't slept in like that in ages. Had to do laundry and clean the house and then clean my mom's bathroom for them. So exhausted today. Before we left yesterday I did 2 miles on the XT and then walked all day at the park which was heck on the calf. I brought icy hot patches with me and changed them out all day. It helped but it is still pulled. We had an awesome time yesterday.

Christine the comet is still there. They consider that a kiddie ride now since most of the coaster are outrageous. My two girls and dh love the coasters by my 6 yo could only get on the Comet. We were girlfriends all day and did little rides and the train and monorail togethere. Loved it. Then before we left we went to chocolate world and then bought 16.00 worth of candy. Lots for dh lunch and chocolate licorice for me. My favorite.

Anyway wanted to check in some and will be back tomorrow. I'm still beat. Glad today was my rest day.

 

[RunninTeach]

Gloria—How in the world did I miss you? That seems to happen sometimes since we moved to the new forums. I just got done checking some papers myself. Nice run this morning. We are not much of a "Garden State" anymore, at least not in my neck of the woods. It's quite built up, but I try to avoid the more heavily trafficked areas on my runs. I get a little annoyed that a good number of roads have no sidewalks and no shoulder. It's not exactly the most pedestrian-friendly place to live.

Christine—LOVED your race report! What a mix of terrain and weather. How cool about the cream cheese & peaches sandwiches ala Tour de France. Interesting combo. How did it taste? Sounds like a very tasty post-ride BBQ...I did think I would be ready to work out this afternoon/evening, but every once in a while a good massage or chiro adjustment will leaving me this way. In the end, I don't feel guilty taking another rest day. It was a busy week, and at least I got in my bare minimum runs. I'll take that. Agreed about the sidewalks.

Linda—Oh, duh, that's right, WV. I'm sorry. Can I use the massage as my excuse for being spaced out? I think you could be right about the psychological factor of the hills. I tend to work harder on the steep ones to get 'em over with quicker. I can't quite believe it's taper time, either. Have you decided how long your longest long run is going to be?

 

[fitg]

Cathy: That massage sounds wonderful! I noticed there wasn't sidewalk in some places. YIKES, I can't imagine running on a busy road. I have always thought of NJ as being all concrete, so it was refreshing to see all the trees. I am not done with the papers...I have been downloading songs to my ipod.

Posh: That "Beautiful" song was not the one I was thinking of. It is a good one though. The one I love is by James Blunt. I have a very good memory with this song.

Christine: Thank you for the race report! Fantastic job! Sounds like some great food! I will be posting pics of the dogs when dh gives me my camera back. He has a tendency to buy gifts for me that he wants and uses them all the time!

Karen: Glad you had a great day.

Linda: I miss MT so much. My DH does too, but loves the Great Lakes too. I would pack my bags in a heart beat. I had the chance to live out there with a job at Montana's Rib and Chop House as a manager, but I am a teacher at heart. Had to decline the offer. I have a MT certificate, but the jobs available are in the middle of nowhere and do not pay MI salaries/insurance. I think we will end up there some day. Now we have this business going so it may be a while. Patience. One of our business partners went out there for fishing last week. I know your Dh will have a great time! I have been wanting to post pics of the dogs, but DH is manipulating the camera. Soon. She is the prettiest dog I have ever seen. Of course I am biased!

I am typing listening to my ipod. I downloaded some songs in between school work breaks. A little bit of everything...Beastie Boys (I know, not appropriate for a teacher, but hey, I like it), Jewel, Edie Brickell, John Prine and some folk songs from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? movie. Be back tomorrow!