The Dirty Snowman

Week 7: Half Marathon Training

Goal Total Miles: 21 miles

Andrea and Frankie - two thumbs up!

Actual Total Miles: 21 miles

That makes two weeks in a row meeting goal miles. That has to be a record, right? 

Each run was faster than the plan suggested - well I think it was. My watch screwed up early in my run on Thursday, so I really don't have any idea of what pace I was running. So much for speed work. After I pouted like a five year old, I got over the fact I couldn't track my pace and just focused on getting in the miles for the day. My MotoActv has an attitude - and it needs an adjustment.

This week's holiday photo bomb is of Andrea and Frankie the Dirty Snowman. This lawn ornament was probably white at one point in its existence, but this guys is a long way from white now. I guess you really can't launder these blowup decorations. Frankie teaches us a valuable lesson about being selective when it comes to choosing the right holiday blowup character for your yard. One day, not to far down the road, Frosty won't be white anymore and you'll either have to trash him or continue to drag him out every year and face the embarrassment of a dirty decoration on your lawn. 

I'm guessing next year, that santa bear will be sporting a nice gray hue. At least Frankie won't be alone.  

Holiday Running

Week 6: Half Marathon Training

Vintage decorations rock!

Goal Total Miles: 20 miles
Actual Total Miles: 20 miles

Right on track. My speed work really helped my 5k time on Saturday - do doubt. I kinda look forward to those mid-week runs on the schedule. However, I really shouldn't make the mistake to run really hard on the day before a long run day. My legs really hated me on Sunday afternoon - and today.

Andrea and I have decided that we are going to take a picture with someone's holiday decorations each week on our long runs. Our first picture is of me in a johnny boat with a snowman circa 1971. What you cannot see is the blue lights they have placed under the boat that represents water when everything is illuminated.

Despite the fact I was sitting next to a snowman, I was sweating like it was July. Where did the winter go?

Reindeer Run Recap

Reindeer Run 5k
December 1, 2012, Macon, GA
25:07, 8th out of 71 in age group

Can we say PR? If anyone was taking pictures at the finish line on Saturday, my smile was a mile wide as I came around the corner and saw the clock, which read 25:20. That would have been 11 seconds faster than my previous best 5k time, but this was a pretty big, chip-timed race and I certainly didn't start near the front of the pack. A quick check of  my watch and it said 25:07 - and my chip agreed with my watch!

The course was anything but flat. In fact, reading Facebook posts of other runners and hearing folks lamenting at the finish about the hills has made me even more psyched about my finish time. I actually really enjoyed the course. Sure, there were plenty of uphill spots, but there were just as many downhill sections. I certainly hate when a course is all one slow incline without any breather. These hills you could see the top of so I like the sense of accomplishment I feel when I know I'm at the top.

This was my last race of 2012 and I'm so excited that it was my best of the year and I head into 2013 feeling like I could run a sub-25 race at some point!

My Personal Turkey Trot

Gobble, Gobble!

Week 5: Half Marathon Training
Goal Total Miles: 15 miles
Actual Total Miles: 16 miles

Whoo hoo! I exceeded expectations this week in spite of the turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, corn casserole and cobbler I put into my body this week.

Blow up lawn ornaments crack me up. It seems that every holiday now has blow up decorations. I think I've seen every version of Christmas blow ups available. This Halloween I saw a giant blow up spider on a lawn. But I'd never seen a turkey before - until our long run last Sunday. Yep, a blow up turkey. Full out gobbler. Awesome.

I also appreciate that the family included Veteran's Day in their display by adding the American flag and the Air Force plaque (which you can't really see here). This house is on our normal 10+ route, so I'm kinda excited to see what they bust out with for Christmas. I mean, if you invest in a blow up turkey, you must have some serious commitment to Christmas decorations, right?

Light More Homes 5k

We rock Christmas socks

Light More Homes 5k 
November 17, 2012, Macon, GA
25:50 - 3rd in age group

I love a cute race shirt. If it is a tech shirt - even better, but to me if I spend $20, $25 or in the case of this race $30 - on a race it should have a cute shirt to offer participants. In spite of the expensive entry fee, the shirts for this race were absolutely ugly. There's really no nice way to say it. While it was a tech shirt, the very large gray fabric with black, red, yellow, green and blue primary colors and a list of sponsors a mile long on the back will be going to the very bottom of my running drawer.

The money is going to a good cause (Habitat for Humanity), so the shirt really shouldn't matter. But what this organization failed to realize is that the 300 people who ran this race and got this shirt would probably wear it in public and advertise your organization year-round if it were somewhat attractive.

Note to all race organizers - post a picture and the measurements of the shirt on your registration site.

Faith and I wore festive holiday socks for this race. Have you ever tried to find pink Christmas socks? I mean, red and green would clash horribly with my hot pink shoes so those weren't really an option. I did find two pair believe it or not and I'm wearing the others in December for the Reindeer Run.

As far as my time is concerned - the clock said 25:41 when I crossed the finish line. They posted 25:50 as my official time. My watch said 25:45. I guess the truth lies within there somewhere. The course wasn't easy - two laps of the same route with three large hills. I'm not a fan of running the same route twice, especially when there are challenging hills. I mean I ran them once - wasn't that enough?

I think I may skip this race next year and spend my money on a turkey trot somewhere.

Week 4: Half Marathon Training
Goal Total Miles: 19 miles
Actual Total Miles: 20 miles

See, I told you I'd make up that mile I was short on last week.  I'm listening to an audio book right now while I run - Defending Jacob by William Landay. I'm lucky to live in an area where you can check out audio downloads to your iPod from the library. The only downside is that you have 14 days to finish listening to it, which can be challenging if your book is 50 hours long. I find that days when I have to long run alone, it helps keep my brain busy and I don't look at my watch as often.

I Run For: Crack Dip

Top Left: App State wins.
Right: Roxy and I enjoy the Greenway.
Bottom Left: Kev and I during pre-game festivities.

Week 3: Half Marathon Training
Goal Total Miles: 18 miles
Total Miles: 17 miles

Yeah, I'm a mile short this week. I didn't map out my long run quite right.  I'll make it up next week. Nothing more to see here.

We went to my favorite part of the world this week for a family reunion/tailgate/Appalachian State University football game. Family reunions that involve sports, alcohol and food are the only type of family reunions I want to go to.

My contribution for the event included a simple pasta salad, crappy box brownies, and my signature tailgate crack dip. Just make it - you'll find out why it's called crack dip. Be sure to have lots of crackers on hand. You'll thank me later.

Tailgate Crack Dip
16 oz sour cream
1 packet of Fiesta Ranch dressing mix
3 oz bacon bits (the real kind in the bag)
1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 to 3 tsp hot sauce (optional if you like hot stuff)
1 green onion sliced thin (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Mix everything together and refrigerate for 24 hours. I like to serve it hot if I'm at home. Just heat in the oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Add a little extra shredded cheddar on top before you put it in the oven for extra yumminess. Enjoy!

Source link to original recipe that I've gussied up for my own taste.

Cotton Pickin' Cotton Picker!

This is a John Deere Cotton Bailer. 

Week 2: Half Training
Goal Total Miles: 17 miles
Actual Total Miles: 12.5 miles

Yep, that 14.5 miler killed me last Sunday. I wasn't prepared for the distance. I hadn't built up to that distance. I wore my legs out - period. Those extra six miles I ran last week will have to apply to this week. It all counts, right?

Today's long run was interrupted by this cotton bailer. We had to stop our watches and make our way to a church parking lot to let this darn thing pass. If you are dying to know how this thing works, here's a video of one in action - not the same model but it does the same thing. You know you run in the country when a cotton pickin' cotton picker interrupts your run.