So what do you think?

So here it is...my new wheels. So this entry still had something to do with running, I had my son take the picture right after I came home from running in 85' and I think it was probably 150% humidity. I was drenched. Tomorrow I am going to ride my bike to a swimming hole and try to double up to get ready for the tri. Only four more weeks to go!

I love my job

I know most you are travelling to work right now cursing those overpaid teachers with the summers off. But right now I am loving my job, baby!! Yes I may be broke each summer, but there is no price on recharging and rejuvinating my spirit and body (there really is no cure for my crazy mind;) Since school ended, I have had so much fun and relaxation. I have also exercised everyday and it feels easy.

This weekend I have three parties and going to see a great local band - The Quiet Life - check them out on their myspace. They are out of New London and they are four talented young men. I love them, can't wait to see them. I played one of their songs - How It Goes- FOUR times in a row the other day while driving. That's how much I like them.

Well gotta go leisurely prepare and eat a healthy breakfast. Bye!

Getting the first tri jitters

Okay I know I said my training was going great in my last post, but I am starting to get nervous about it all. It is unchartered territory for me and I am thrilled and frightened all at the same time. Of course I am most concerned about the swimming portion. I know I can complete that short distance, but I have never been in the water with that many people at the same time. I have never raced on my bike either,well not since I was ten years old :)

I am slowly but surely recovering from this freakin' divorce crap. I bought a new car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Lauredo. It is really nice. I'll post some pics as soon as I get my camera battery recharger back from my classroom which I haven't stepped into since the last day of school.

My baby turned eight years old yesterday. We had a great day. Both of his big brothers had sleepovers of their own, so we were on our own. First, he played in the All-Star game for baseball, then we went out to dinner to Friendly's, and finally we had a slumber party in my room. He and I cuddled up to watch the Red Sox kick some butt. It was probably one of my top ten best days ever in my life.

Graduations, Car buying and Training

My oldest son graduated eighth grade on Monday. It was intense. I really miss his dad when we hit these milestones. He would have been so proud of him. There is nobody on earth that really gets how great your kid is except the other parent and his dad and I really loved these kids. I guess every big event has that sad undertone because his dad isn't there to celebrate with us.

I am still buying a car and it sucks. I just hate it.

My training is going GREAT! I love swimming, biking and running!

Buying a new car - yikes!

My old shitbox car, a 1999 Mercury Villager, has finally pissed me off long enough. Every time it rains, water gets in the engine and it doesn't work until my soon-to-be ex-husband fixes it. So basically he dangles control over me every time it breaks down so today it rained and he was mad at me and did not offer to fix it.

Soooooo I called my stepdad and we went car shopping today. I drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee Lauredo, it was sexy and awesome. I also drove Chrysler but it was too squishy and claustrophobic. Then I drove 2006 Ford Explorer, black and sleek. It has seven seats without the look of a minivan which I am ready to give up since now I am hunting for men!

So the very cute but too young for me car dealer let me take the car home for the weekend to see if I like it. Well wouldn't you know my oldest son was checking the car out and he locked the keys in the car. GREAT, right? So I have to call the cute, but young dealer to figure out what I should do. He proceeded to drive over to my house to open the car for me. He TOTALLY thought I locked the keys in on purpose just to get his cute little bod over here, but I swear I did not. It was quite embarrassing. Luckily I had five little boys over here so he only flirted for a few minutes.

Tomorrow I complete a duathlon of sorts. I am riding about 20 miles to a park in Hartford, then doing a run for autism and then riding my bike back the 20 miles. I am so excited, I can't wait!

Race for the Cure

Yesterday, I traveled in a mini-coop to Hartford, CT to run a 5K race for the cure. It was a blast. I finished in 24:40 and had a great run. I had a little left at the end, so I am looking forward to next race and pushing myself a little harder. With the recent life changes, I have lost about 15 pounds, so from here on in you will not hear about my fat ass anymore, it is pretty nice actually and can move up hills a lot faster!! So cheers to not being able to eat or sleep for two months, it does wonders :)

One cute little race story. There was a former soccer coach of my middle son running the race. I had a problem with him because once he told my ten-year-old at the time son that he wasn't going to play anymore that day because "they wanted to win". So yeah, I hate him. But anyway, he lined up near me at the start of the race. I kept him in my sights for the first mile and then freakin' passed his loser ass on a hill at the end of mile on NEVER TO SEE HIS SORRY BUTT AGAIN!!!. It felt so good to beat that bum.

Healing - inside and out!

My life has been a tornado of events since my last post. I fell and injured myself at the same time as my marriage fell apart. I am not sure what was more painful, just kidding. So now I am a single 38 year old nutcase, but at least I can now run, bike and swim again. I think my injury was God's way of making me slow down and take care of my kids and myself. Now I am can rebuild my life one day at a time. Wish me luck, I hope to post a little more now that school is winding down.

I am a pinky

You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird.A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone.You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are.You get along well with: The Ring FingerStay away from: The Thumb

I took a test I learned from Trisaratops, but I can't figure out how to link you there. Sorry. Wait I'll try again www.trisaratopsadventure.blogspot.com
Ok go there and she knows how to link you to the finger test. Bye from the pinky!!

I am a pinky

You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird.A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone.You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are.You get along well with: The Ring FingerStay away from: The Thumb

I took a test I learned from Trisaratops, but I can't figure out how to link you there. Sorry. Wait I'll try again www.trisaratopsadventure.blogspot.com
Ok go there and she knows how to link you to the finger test. Bye from the pinky!!

Crazy and I am taking a break

Hi my running friends,
I need to take a blogging break. My family needs me and I can't be distracted right now. Be back to report on races from time to time and I will miss reading all about everyone's adventures.

Bye for now but not forever.

ps I only have 25 more days without chocolate. God help me.

I can't stand the rain.....

"I can't stand the rain...I know a song with that in the title. Yesterday we picked up three inches of rain that settled on top of roads and snowy yards. It seeped into basements and underneath the hood of my car. Therefore, my Friday night consisted of a pissed off husband whom had to vacuum out about three hundred gallons out of one of our rental properties. Then he had to deal with my whining about my car needing its sparked plugs replaced before the water in the engine froze (oh well too late, he never got home to fix it).

I was already bummed out about not running very much this week and now I wouldn't be joining my running group for our Sat. morning run. I rolled out of bed around 7am, hoping some of the black ice would have melted.

I was wrong.

I slipped and slid the entire five miles this morning, by the time I got back to my last hill by my house, I was so pissed off. I have a full day of basketball games and a birthday party tonight, so I won't be able to enjoy the warm temps projected for today. Sometimes you just can't get it right.

But I have NOT eaten chocolate in TEN whole days. I even had to bake a chocolate cake last night and not lick the bowl, that was temptation, let me tell ya!

Another Snow Day

Last week we had an awesome week off and this morning we awoke to yet another snow day! WOOHOO! The snow was amazing. My little son said when he woke up it looked like the Chronicles Of Narnia, the movie.

Taking the day off today, maybe I'll practice a little yoga and lift some weights, but my legs are heavy from the rockin' race on Saturday. By the way, I came in 155th out of 210 runners. Right smack in the middle!

Colchester Half Marathon

Today I walked my sweet doggie at 7am and the temp was 18 and the wind was whipping. I went back in and crawled into bed with my husband and said, "oh my fu@*ing goodness, what the he!! am I thinking running a fu#&ing half marathon today." I watched the weather just hoping the meterologist would say that by 10am the winds would calm and it would be a balmy 40'.

NO. SUCH. LUCK.

Well I got to the race and my stepdad convinced me we could do this and we went out for a mile warm up. I instantly felt better about the whole idea. I warmed rather quickly. I had a great race. Every mile came so quickly it was great. At mile 6, a huge deer darted out of the woods and scared the heck out of me, but it was cool too. Then at mile 11, we have to finish going up a long, long did I mention long hill. The last two miles were in the wind too. They really really really sucked. But I got it done and finished six minutes faster than last year. Let me stress this is no candy-pants half marathon, it is very HILLY and with the wind today, it was killer. But now that it is over, I feel GREAT!

A weird thing that happened was after the race, I bought a large decaf and bagel to refuel and warm up. I continued to rehydrate myself and I just now peed. I went four hours drinking mucho water and only now just peed. Wow. I pee often, so this is weirding me out.

Sorry no race pics, my camera battery was not available.

Winter Fun

Every Lenten season I start anew!! I ban sugary treats and chocolate decadence from my belly for only the Lenten season mind you! But it is the cleansing my body really needs. I always feel like crap around this time of year, I feel bad about my skin, my butt, my overall mood is usually kinda sucky. This winter hasn't been horrible so my winter blues have only been aquamarine not midnight blue! Yesterday was my first day without inhaling, I mean ingesting, at least my daily pound of chocolate and I could tell I really needed to do this, because I had a strange calmness about it. Like, girl, you know what you have to do, just do it.

Not Enough ;)

For those interested, I did not do enough of my hopeful activities on my weekend away. My husband was sick throwing up all night the night before we left, so he was a little weak and couldn' t keep up .... on the hike!

Happy and Thankful

I had a great weekend away with my husband. We had lots of fun and relaxation. Today I did a mini-tri. I rode stationery bike for seven miles, ran three miles and swam for twenty minutes. It was fun, can't wait till race season begins.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today we are finally having a winter storm. It is not the cool kind of storm though, where the trees and yard look pretty and white and you can build snow forts and have snowball fights or make snow angels or snow people. No it is a snow that hurts called sleet and freezing rain. That did not stop my wild boys from sledding down our driveway that is a sheet of ice!

Been running some, swimming some, today I plan on using my bike with the trainer in the garage. Got the Colchester half marathon in a week, can't wait! Going away with my sexy husband for our anniversary this weekend! He asked what I wanted to do this weekend when we went away, I told him two things: hiking and f#$king! He is one lucky man!

Thank you

A big thanks to the helpful hints for more effecient breathing while swimming. I'll let you know how they worked. Today Sadie, my new running partner doggie, went on the rail trail for 6 miles and then she relunctantly waited in the car while I ran another four. I am trying to get ready for a half marathon in three weeks. The picture on the left was me at the finish last year. I was TIRED! I plan to run between ten and twelve each weekend before the race. I am happy with today's run because it is ten degrees and I couldn't find my face mask. My cheeks were FROZEN! I also was full of energy the whole run which felt really great.

I have to get on the bike soon. It is lonely out there on the trainer in the yucky garage!

Swimming Issues

I know this is a "running" blog family, but I hope some of the triathletes will read my blog and help me resolve my swimming issues.

#1 I have a hard time breathing, I have the mechanics down for the front crawl, but by the end of lap one, my lungs are burning. Then I switch to breast stroke for a length and do another two front crawl laps. All my other body parts are able to do the front crawl without incidence, but I am not breathing effectively. I breathe on alternating sides every three strokes. Help me, please!

#2 I have chapped skin from the chlorine, some embarrassing areas too! Any ideas to protect my delicate skin?

I know I have a third one, but I can not think of it right now!!

Bye!

Cute Kid Story #2

Our dramatic play center is currently a doctor's office. One little four year old today was the doctor while I was the patient. Imagine a very cute little kid that we affectionately have nicknamed Phillip Johnny Bob at our house. My kids often delight in hearing Phillip Johnny Bob stories and this one is to be added to the list.

PJB, "I have to look in your ear." Uses plastic doctor light scope thingy.
PJB, " I see your brain", pause for effect "It's a pea-brain"
We both start cracking up. PJB obviously has an older brother, a normal four year old is not that sophisticated in their play!

Ran 12 miles yesterday, some trails incorporated. I thought I was only doing 10, so I was way happy when I got home and mapped my run. I wonder if I bought a garmin if it would steal some of the excitement from wondering how long I am running sometimes.

Cold here, taking tomorrow off! Yah, I love sleeping in!