Week 12

This side of 12 weeks ago, I was TWEAKING out about running 13.1 miles. Now, running this half marathon (this coming Sunday, eek!) seems to be the simplest thing I've got going on. I've got all of my gear ready to go and I've run 12 miles as my furthest distance to date. I know I can do this. Or, rather, this thing is barreling at me like a freight train sooooo looks like i'm running it. Now go ahead and ask me if anything else in my life is this simple..... it ain't. Oh well, keeps me on my (swollen) toes, I guess.

In other news- it's fall. I've decided I'll tolerate the colder weather if it continues to look like this after a 12 hour work day:

After the marathon's passed, it's time to start doing autumny-things. I think the below inspiration should help:

Cider donuts- fall's one and only food group, in my book

pretty blushy neutrals

 please let this entire outfit be only $25

Have an inexplicable urge to get my Martha Stewart on with a pumpkin or two

Oh heeeyyyyyy double digits

Ran 10 painful miles on Sunday. Brought my shiny, new fuel belt and tried out one of those gu packets and everything. Was even able to pull my bones and joints together enough to run 3.5 miles tonight. I can tell ya this... I think I like these shorter runs. I was raging after work today for whatever reason and most of my angst burned off around mile 2. The longer runs prove to be a little too much time alone with the crazies in my head. Anyways, what I'm saying is, maybe I'll keep up this jogging shindig once the marathons' passed. Maybe. But, if you think for a second i won't be taking a week off from mapmyrun.com, shorts that ride up, and profuse sweating, you're sorely mistaken.

GU

Hit the 9 mile mark with my friend Callan on Monday night. So proud of us but, dear god, do we need to invest in fuel belts. Running that far without water is a. not a bright idea and b. makes me melodramatic to the point of yelling obscenities at slow cars and bikers who cross my path. Also, according to my new-found running gurus at work, it's time to start "gu-ing". "Gu" being a sugary, energy-producing gel that comes in such flavors as chocolate (barf, pass- in no way shape or form do I want any sort of thick lactose notion at any point during this run) and margarita (... I can dig it). You're supposed to down these things at least a couple of times during the 13 mile death trot  awesome jog for spurts of energy. Anyways, apparently they're a godsend, and let's face it, I can always use a good burst of energy, so what-the-hey why not "gu" a little?

Side-Tables, Cape Cod, and Arm Chafing

Firstly, the long overdue "after" photo of the sidetable I re-did (aka re-painted and slapped a gorgeous, new Anthropologie handle onto)

Wud-up Martha Stewart:

Secondly, Cape Cod proved to be as relaxing and needed as expected. It's hard to go wrong with perfect weather, endless ocean and the September issue of Vogue at your fingertips...

I'm just hoping the below artsy pictures will last me through the looming cold weather that's slowly starting to creep her way into MA. Un-invited. What a bitch.

Tiffany blue toenails- still shamelessly sporting these in open -toe  pumps around the office

Charlie- livin' the life

burnt caramel ice cream from P-town . Obviously devoured half of it before breathing and stopping to take a pic. 

Lucy stayed in her carseat for, almost, the entire week

stairs to and fro the beach... i chose to shimmy down the side of the dune instead . In case  I went head over heels, I decided smooth sand would be preferable to old wooden stairs

sunset on our last night. sigh. 

Now, onto my favorite topic: running!!!!! Relieved to say things have progressed slightly from my last post on this subject. I was able to run almost every day whilst on vacation due to the fact that a. I could run whenever the hell I felt like it (as opposed to the 8pm-ers I have to pull on normal weeknights after work) b. the Cape has the CCRT- a path that marks every 10^th of a mile which was really convenient. Plus, however far up the path I’d go, I’d obviously have to run my ass the same distance back so I’d never get the chance to quit in the middle as I often fancy doing.  Things  progressed enough that I was able to bite the bullet and run 8 miles this past Sunday. Gotta say, it’s a pretty cool moment when your body allows you to pull off something like that.

                                                                                                                         

Not to say that my body isn’t turning on me in other strange ways. I went through a serious bout of underarm chafing about a week ago. This did not phase a fellow co-worker/marathoner, who told me it’s perfectly normal… so, weird, but OK- at least it’s not my thighs. ALSO, the same co-worker warned me about toe-nails coming off and let’s just say I’m on the verge of that one. Apparently, this one’s due to my shoes being too tight. This is easily true considering my feet are screaming by the time I’m done running so it looks like I’m on the market for some (NON-EXPENSIVE) new running shoesies. Admittedly, I was just going to try and man-it-out with this current pair until my roommate reminded me that if I let my toenails fall off due to the fact I’d rather buy cute fall boots, then people would seriously judge my priority setting abilities and think I’d hit some sort of low in life. So, WHATEVER, I’ll buy new sneakers…but dear god, don’t let DSW have some sort of boot/ loafer-pump endcap while I’m there. I don’t think  it’d be fair to ask me to resist that.

Bitching and Moaning

Haven't written in awhile due to sheer embarrassment. Why am I embarrassed? Because it seems that I have counted my chickens before they hatched... or, however that saying goes. 2 weeks ago, i was rambling on about how my half marathon training seemed to be getting easier but, alas, I have completely jinxed myself.

The cramping/ side stitches are back with a doubled-over-illness-inducing, painful vengeance  and (a new development) I feel as heavy as an elephant with each step I take. So, as the title of this post would suggest, I'm completely frustrated.

I got into this knowing it isn't going to be easy. I didn't enter it with the mindset that I want to do it to lose weight, or to show off a 13.1 sticker on the bumper of my car, or to even impress any of the people at my company who are participating. I am doing this for myself. I'm the queen of self-doubt and I figured, what better way to quiet my bitchy little inner demons than by completing something that always seemed out of the question. I'm trying my best to do this the "right way." I'm sticking to my training schedule as much as possible and I'm trying to watch what I eat (admittedly, I've dropped a couple pounds. Win.) but, I'm in no way progressing and it's becoming increasingly difficult to rally my inner cheerleaders.

Now that I've made it abundantly clear that it's high-time to stop feeling sorry for myself, it's time for a new plan of attack:
1. Use vacation to Cape Cod next week to get back on track
2. Figure out how to demolish evil cramps forever
3. Finish every single run... even if I have to walk
4. Chill out

fdshfsjklaksivjusoj. OK. Wish me luck.

Case of the Mondays

Feeling slightly blah today. Had a perfect, lazy summer weekend that seemed to end way too fast. My friend Ashley helped to remind me that a positive attitude may help me through this day. Thus, I've decided to use my lunchbreak to share things that get me "jazzed" as this yogurt in front of me and the run that's on the horizon ain't doin the trick.

1. sharkweek- 'nuff said
2. DIY projects. just started the makeover on this sidetable for my new bedroom yesterday: It isn't quite completed yet but I thought I'd post the 'before' as a teaser:

3. mercury glass- stared at these puppies at West Elm for a solid 15 minutes the other day (may have to go back and purchase ASAP):

4. Martha Stewart brand glitter:  http://www.michaels.com/Martha-Stewart-Crafts%E2%84%A2-Fine-Glitter/pc0898,default,pd.html ; wanna glitter paint a cat?!?! because you can: http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/glitter-painting
5. this sweet picture I just discovered in my phone of  Charlie:

If Giuliana Rancic can do it...

Hokay. Don't want to jinx anything but this running thing is becoming ever so slowly (we're talking molasses slow) less akin to chinese water torture. I'm still not really where i should be stamina-wise and there are still some obnoxious cramping issues, but it seems like my body and mind are starting to make peace with this process and for that I'm VERY hesitantly grateful-ish. I think G. Rancic best expresses my feelings on half-marathoning in this emotional clip, circa season 2 of 'Giuliana and Bill': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHh_bj6kBkY . I mean, there are some blatant differences between G and I - namely, her "physical challenges" being the IVF treatments she is recovering from, and mine being the layer of fat around my thighs and mid-section that severely  hinders my aerodynamic abilities... but I think we all get my point. PLUS, I take it as a personal challenge to one day be as fabulous as G, and if I can't afford Intermix, then this damn marathon's gonna  have to do for the time being.

Now- on to the NYC trip. As usual, it was an absolutely fantastic time filled with out-of-this world theater, excessive food & drink, and an un-planned visit with 2 of my best friends from college, Katie and Tracy, who happened to be in town on the same weekend!

The main things I took from this trip are:

1. I need a camera because taking pics on my iphone ain't cuttin' it

2. I need to find my "Barefoot in Paris" cookbook because the french bistro fare at cafe Bari (see image of toasted baguette with avocado spread and fresh-squeezed lemonade below) reminded me of my days studying abroad in Paris

3. i need more glittery clothing 

4. I want to know when i became "that girl" who takes pictures of walls

5. if I don't find the recipe for the caramel and coconut cupcakes that we sampled from Magnolia Bakery, nothing in my life will ever be OK again. 

Enjoy-

3.