Day 9

Time: 20 minutes

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (5 times)

I was a bit nervous to run today after my four day break and because I'm still not feeling 100%, but it went surprisingly well. My feet only hurt a little teeny bit and I didn't get out of breath. I did run a little bit slower today then I had been previously so that probably helped. I will probably continue to run at a slower pace for the next little bit. I'm glad today went well, it was very encouraging!

Duvet cover update

Thanks Carlo and Tara for the leads. I decided to go check at bed bath and beyond and I got lucky. I found the softest duvet cover ever, and it is the perfect shade of brown. It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but they said that if I come back with the receipt and a coupon they'll give me a price adjustment. Now I just have to keep my eyes peeled for a coupon. I think we get them at my house!! Here are pictures of the new bedding. I am so excited to go to bed tonight and enjoy my new spoils!

The Universe Is So Wise

If you could live this life over, Anne, would you still want there to be the same challenges?

Loaded question, huh?

Yeah, you cherry-picked each and every one. And you knew exactly what you were doing.

In awe of you -
The Universe

Week 2 Training Schedule

Yesterday was a rest day which was perfect considering I'm still not at 100%, and it also means I only missed two workouts. I'm going to try tonight's workout. It's only 20 minutes so I should be ok. I'll be posting post workout to let you know how it goes.

Here's this weeks schedule:

Jan. 29

Rest Day

Tip: Hydration and recovery are very important. For more information about Gatorade Endurance Formula, see http://www.itsonthecourse.com/

Jan. 30

Time: 20 minutes

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (5 times)

Tip: Wear light layers of clothes if running in cold weather. Avoid heavy, bulky clothes that do not breathe. You lose a lot of heat through your head and hands so be sure to wear a hat and gloves.

Jan. 31

Time: 36 minutes

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (9 times)

Tip: Be careful about running on snow and ice. Take short, choppy strides to avoid slipping or falling.

Feb. 1

Time: 25 minutes

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 4 minutes (5 times)

Tip: Try to do your workout at the same time every day. It will make working out a lifetime habit.

Feb. 2

Rest Day

Tip: Pick up a book on sports nutrition and think about changing your diet.

Feb. 3

Time: 35 minutes

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 4 minutes (7 times)

Tip: When running in the dark, make sure you are wearing reflective clothing, including a reflective vest.

Feb. 4

Time: 24 minutes

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 5 minutes (4 times)

Tip: If you are training on a treadmill, adjust the elevation to 1.0 to equate the effort of running outdoors.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

I bought THE cutest sheets this weekend, they're white with big greenish blue circles. The only problem is they clash with the sagey green duvet cover I've had for ages. I have decided that the new sheets would be absolutely the cutest thing in the world if they had a Chocolate duvet cover to coordinate with. Unfortunately Chocolate colored duvet covers are hard to find. Will you all keep your eyes peeled and let me know if you find one? Thanks!! :)

snowmen and meds

I forgot that I had taken this picture of the 7 foot tall snowman my roommates made when it snowed in DC on Sunday. They literally used all of the snow from the front yard to build it. It was AWESOME. Unfortunately the weather was pretty warm the following day and when I came home the only thing left of it was the bottom ball.

Here is the arsenal of meds I'm taking for my bronchitis. I was prescribed a cough syrup with codine in it to help me sleep at night and for whatever reason, it totally backfired on me! The first night I took it I was up until 5 AM! Luck for me it was Friday night so I could afford to run off 4 hours of sleep the following day. Yes that's right...4 hours! My body decided to wake up at 9 AM in the morning. I was a walking zombie. I tried the codine infused cough syrup again last night with *luckily* better results.

Days 6 and 7

Jan. 27
Time: 24 minutes
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (6 times)

Jan. 28
Time: 36 minutes.
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes (12 times)

I'm lumping these together because my reaction to these workouts is the same. I didn't do them. I'm not quitting, don't you worry, but I did go to the doctor on Friday. It turns out I have bronchitis and am to take it easy for the next few days. It's probably not the best idea to run when your bronchial tube is infected!! While I'm a little relieved to have an excuse not to run, I'm a little discouraged. I kind of felt like I was finally getting into the right frame of mind. I kind of feel like when I start running again it will be like starting from scratch. We'll see how it goes! I'm just going to nurse myself back to health and then I'm going to get serious about this!

For Rae and Carlo

...and anyone else who is curious. You can sign up to receive notes from the Universe here.

Enjoy!

Day 5

Rest Day

I'm glad for this, I feel sicker than usual. I'm actually going to the doctor this morning to see if I have something more serious than an annoying cough.

In related news, this is what The Universe had to say to me today:

"How could it be difficult, challenging or hard, Anne, when so many others have done it?
You know, anything. For instance, to be able to run 10 miles.
Don't you love good news?"

When I signed up for these mailings, it asked for a goal, to which I replied "run 10 miles" but this is the first the goal has been specifically mentioned. It couldn't have come at a better time!

Day 4

Time: 32 minutes
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (8 times)

First of all, thanks blogfriends for your comments and support. You have definitely helped me see another perspective and I'm learning to appreciate the challenge. You see, I've never been one to live by the words "no pain, no gain." When something gets too hard or starts to hurt, I stop. It's just not worth it to me. However, where in life does that get me? Nowhere! This running challenge is testing me in so many ways, but I know that if I push through it, the benefits and rewards are many...I'll have more energy, I'll be in better shape I'll (hopefully) be slimmer, and those are only the physical rewards. I also think that it will help me finally realize that I am capable of more than I give myself credit for, and hopefully that frame of mind will open me up to many new opportunities in life in general.

My feet still hurt today, but the pain wasn't as bad as it has previously. That's promising! Unfortunately my cough isn't getting any better. As a matter of fact, I think it may be getting worse. I'm going to try to get in to see a doctor soon as I think that there is something more serious going on. :( I hope this doesn't interfere with my training!

Coming clean

Last week I told you about my whirlwind trip to Utah, and how I really needed to see my family because I hadn't gone back for the holidays. Well that wasn't entirely true. Yes, I did want to see my family, they're great, but I had ulterior motives. You see, a while back I reconnected with an old friend (well I don't actually know that you could call us friends...we were more acquaintances) and we spent the next few months getting to know each other via email because he lives in California and I of course live on the better coast. He and I grew up 5 blocks from each other and he still goes home to visit quite a bit. As a matter of fact, when I went to Utah in November I missed him by a week on both sides of my trip. This guy is amazing, he's hilarious, charming, handsome, sweet, considerate, and generous (and the list goes on and on), and I'll be honest, I developed a big crush on him, it was virtually impossible not to!! I kind of got the feeling that he might feel the same way so I decided to do something crazy and very out of character. At the urging of an old friend, one who went to kindergarten through high school with the both of us, I decided that a grand gesture was in order and bought a plane ticket to Utah when I knew he would be there. The idea being if all goes well, we can hang out the entire weekend, if not...I get to spend lots of time with my family. It was a win win situation as far as I was concerned. Well needless to say, things went extremely well. We had a great time hanging out, playing games, watching movies and just getting to know each other. Leaving him and Utah was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time, but I knew that this was just the beginning of something great. I don't know what the future holds, but I'm excited to see what unfolds. And even better?? I don't have to wait long to see him again...he'll be out to visit me next week!! YAY!!
Ok, I know I've already posted this pic, but it's the only one we have. It's cute though huh?!

Your assistance please

I am on the never ending search for a new perfume. I picked up a few samples at Sephora I thought would be winners but I've been very disappointed thus far. At this time I would like to enlist the help of you, my fellow bloggers. Please drop me a line and let me know your favorite scents. My only rule is I don't like powdery scents. Other than that I love everything! Fruity, flowery, spicy, you name it. Help me out!!! PLEASE!!

Day 3

Rest Day

Also a reflection day. A few friends have told me that I need an attitude adjustment when it comes to running. I need to stop focusing on how difficult it is and how much I hate it, and start paying attention to how my body feels after I've done it. Chances are, I feel better post workout than I did before. I'm going to try that tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Adventurous dining

I went to dinner with my coworkers to celebrate the upcoming nuptuals of Jake. At Natalie's recommendation, we went to Washingtonian magazines #4 pick on their list of top 100 restaurants in DC, Restaurant Eve. The atmosphere was lovely and the company was great, as usual. Since I was not paying, I decided to try foods that I would not normally even consider ordering if I was footing the bill. I went on a limb and ordered for my appetizer escolar tartare (the evening special), which for those of you who don't know, is raw fish. It was incredible. I don't know what was used to season it, but it was buttery smooth and just plain delightful. For my main course I chose the pan roasted veal sweetbreads with fried oysters and house cured country ham. I had never heard of sweetbreads, but wouldn't you assume that it was a nice sugary carb as the name implies? Well it's not...not even close. Sweetbreads is just a very innocent and deceitful way of saying, "You're about to eat the Thymus gland of a baby cow...SUCKAH!!!" I should say that I was educated as to what they were and ordered them willingly. I was a little bit nervous but wow, it was tasty! It was so tender and flavorful, I thought I couldn't get enough. Then the slightly rubbery, but not chewy, texture got to me (I have texture issues) and I had a hard time finishing it up. I don't know that I'd ever order it again, but I'm glad I tried it. If you ever see sweetbreads on the menu, don't be fooled, but you should definitely consider giving them a shot!

Day 2

Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes ( a total of 7 times)

Is it even possible that today was even more horrible than yesterday?! Well it was. I don't even think I had been running/walking for a minute before the bottoms of my feet started to hurt. The pain (not so) gradually moved up through my calves and I remained in pain for the duration of the run. My lung capacity sucks right now (I truly believe that my cough is a big contributor to that) but I drank water throughout the workout which definitely helped.

All I can think of right now is how impossible my goal of running 10 miles in April is. I sincerely hope this gets easier!

Tomorrow is a rest day. Hallelujah!

A note from the Universe

My friend Tara introduced me to a website that will send you personalized inspirational quotes each day. She said that she had received several that applied pretty well to her life, so I thought I'd check it out. I kind of feel like a lot of the notes aren't unlike daily horiscopes, that they are just general enough that they could apply to everybody and nobody all at the same time. I read today's note however, and feel that it's right on.

For your enjoyment:

"OK, can you keep a secret, Anne? Let me tell you what happens... There'll be trumpets, fanfare, and parades. Happy tears, giggles, and hugs. Shrieks of joy, fits of laughter, and reunions with best friends. There will be quiet, reflection, and revelations. Ah-ha's! No-way's! And, of course, You-have-to-be-kidding's! Eventually followed by a deep, often surprising, longing for what will by then be viewed as the dream-life you led. You could plot it on a chart. The point, Anne, of course, is that you are now living that dream-life."
-The Universe

Abbie and Jon

I met Abbie four years ago through a friend of mine (and Abbie's roommate), Shanna. We immediately hit it off and became great friends. When she decided to buy her own place and asked if I wanted to move in, I jumped at the chance. We became not only roommates but colleagues as well. Some may think that this is a recipe for disaster...that it would only be a matter of time before we resented the fact that we were pretty much together 24 hours a day, but with the exception of a few arguments and disagreements, that wasn't the case. Having Abbie as a roommate was the best experience I've ever had. We spent countless nights talking and laughing into the wee hours of the morning. Abbie is the most incredible person I've ever met and I can't imagine my life without her in it. When Abbie met Jon, I was worried that their evolving relationship would somehow change Abbies and my friendship, that we wouldn't have our late night talks, but on the contrary...they continued, and often with Jon. He spent so much time at our house that he became an honorary roommate and he affectionately referred to me as "their little daughter." I can't think of a more perfectly matched couple. They are two of the greatest people I've ever met.

Today marks their two year wedding anniversary. It seems like just yesterday I walked into the house to see them sitting on the couch with Abbies hair mussed. (Abbie are you horrified? You shouldn't be, it was funny!!) Man, how time flies! Here's to (at least) 50 more anniversaries, each one better than the last!

Day 1

Goal: Walk for 1 minute and then run for 2 minutes. Do this 10 times.

I know I just barely blogged about my training schedule and how it didn't seem too difficult. Well, that was before I actually tried it. Whoa that pretty much SUCKED! The first three minutes were just fine, but it was all down hill from there! The toes on my right foot decided to go numb and my lung capacity was less than stellar thanks to the cough I've had for the last week or so. By minute twelve both feet were hurting and I wanted to quit, and this was pretty much the case for the remainder of the 30 minutes. I am glad to report that I DIDN'T quit, but I really wanted to. Luckily tomorrow is only a 21 minute day, but I'll be honest, I can't wait until Wednesday (rest day).

Please tell me it gets better!!

Do or Die Time!

I have a confession to make, I have exercized maybe three times in the past few weeks and only one of those times included even a little running. I'm feeling really guilty and more than a little disappointed in myself but today marks the beginning of my "official" training. The organizers of the race I am running in April have set up a training schedule which begins today. On Sunday they email me my schedule for the week and then again each day with that days training plan. I will post it here for you all each week, so you have an idea of what I'm doing and also for any of you who might be interested in starting a running program. It doesn't look like it will be that difficult. If any of you choose to do this let me know...we can encourage each other! I know I'm going to need all of the motivation I can get! It also has some good tips that some of you experienced runners might find useful. Check it out!

Week 1


Jan. 22
Time: 30 minutes
Goal: Walk for 1 minute and then run for 2 minutes. Do this 10 times.
Tip: Always begin walking to warm up your legs. After a couple of minutes, begin walking faster and faster until you start jogging. The running portion should not be a sprint.

Jan. 23
Time: 21 minutes
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes ( a total of 7 times)
Tip: Try to find a running shoe specialty store to get properly fitted with a good pair of running shoes that will work for you. The kind of shoe you should use will depend upon the structure of your foot, your gait, size, etc.

Jan. 24
Rest Day
Tip: Rest days are important to let your body recover from hard work. If you are used to other kinds of aerobic activities, you may want to consider cutting back during this training program, especially in the month of March.

Jan. 25
Time: 32 minutes
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (4 times)
Tip: The running portion of your workout should not be a sprint but instead a slow acceleration from your walk.

Jan. 26
Rest Day
Tip: You may want to think about doing light upper body weights as part of your preparation for Cherry Blossom.

Jan. 27
Time: 24 minutes
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes (6 times)
Tip: You may be feeling stiff and sore after these first few days. Don't be alarmed. That is a normal feeling that will eventually go away.

Jan. 28
Time: 36 minutes.
Goal: Walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes (12 times)
Tip: When running in the cold, try to start running into the wind so that you will have the wind at your back at the end. It is very uncomfortable to have to head back into a cold wind after you have worked up a sweat running with a tailwind.

Whirlwind Trip

First, let me apologize to all of my friends in Utah. I was in your hood over the weekend and I didn't tell any of you. In my defense it was a very last minute trip and I had very limited time...like 2 days. Because I didn't go home for the holidays I took this opportunity to come out and see my family and get lots of hugs and kisses from the kiddies. I can't believe how much they've grown in the two months that have passed since I was out last. Will is walking and Thomas and Abby are talking more and more, such smarties those guys! I also got the chance to hang out with Pete, who I've known since we were itty bitty. We were never friends growing up, but have recently reconnected. It was such a blast spending time with him and getting to know him better. He's the greatest guy! What a great weekend!!

Then:

(this was cropped from our 6th grade picture)

Now:

Longwood Gardens

I went up to Philly last weekend to hang out with and distract the beautiful Holly while her boyfriend was busy working on a school project. We took advantage of the 70(!) degree weather and visited the Longwood Gardens. This place is quite impressive, especially considering it's winter and not much is blooming. I don't know how many acres it sits on but it feels like a lot. In addition to the gardens, there is an enormous conservatory that houses many exotic plants and flowers, and the main room was decorated in red and white blooms in honor of the holidays. It smelled so good in there! I would love to go back in the summer to see the gardens in all their glory.

Side note, how hot am I in this picture?!!

You can see the rest of the photos here.

100 things...

Several of my blogging friends have posted a list of 100 things about themselves and I have decided to do the same. I hope you enjoy this little insight into me!!


1. I took piano lessons for several years when I was younger.
2. Despite all of my lessons, I can only play one song all the way through from memory.
3. When I was 9 years old I wished my name was Brenda.
4. My parents almost named me Amily.
5. I was on the volleyball team in Junior High and High School.
6. I have always wanted red hair like my brother and sister.
7. I can’t bend my left thumb.
8. I’ve known my oldest friend for 21 years.
9. I absolutely hate calling people on the phone, but I don’t mind when people call me and can often talk for hours.
10. I have been on 2 dates in the last 5 years.
11. I lost 20 pounds last year.
12. I want to lose another 20 this year.
13. I am SUPER shy.
14. The fact that I’m shy surprises most of my friends.
15. I have a mole on each of my cheeks…the same place most people have dimples.
16. I hate surprises.
17. I read the last chapter of a book before I finish the first.
18. I would go back to high school if I had the chance.
19. I got my bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Utah.
20. I love watching reality television.
21. I taught myself how to knit, although I will probably need actual lessons to be able to knit anything other than a scarf or a blanket.
22. I have a hard time staying on task and completing tasks.
23. I love to laugh.
24. I’ve experienced some crazy things while living in DC:
25. The Beltway Sniper (my dad was actually at the Home Depot an hour before a woman was shot and killed there).
26. An air raid evacuation.
27. A biological terror attack (Ricin Week 2004).
28. I'm very impatient.
29. I think I have beautiful eyes.
30. Despite taking countless sewing lessons from my mother, I STILL can’t sew in a straight line.
31. I don’t know how to cook, not even scrambled eggs!!
32. I really want to learn how to cook (but who wants to cook for one person?!).
33. I think that cilantro tastes the way BO smells.
34. I read the Deseret News Obituaries almost every day.
35. I do not own a passport.
36. I like my steak cooked medium rare.
37. I have really dry skin and it makes me very self conscious.
38. I can’t sit at my desk with my shoes on.
39. I eat bananas in a very strange manner which is too difficult to describe.
40. My long nail beds are the saving grace to my otherwise ugly hands.
41. I love my short hair so much that don’t think I’ll ever have long hair ever again.
42. If I have anything to say about it, I will never live in Utah again (nothing against Utah…I just like the east coast better!).
43. I love children but often worry that I would make a bad mother.
44. I love taking pictures although I don’t take nearly as many as I would like. Photography is in my blood.
45. I love doing nice things for the people I care about. Sometimes it freaks people out.
46. I lived in Utah until I was 23 and never skied.
47. I drive a silver 2002 Mazda Protégé.
48. I love singing along to my ipod while driving in my car…often complete with hand gestures.
49. My favorite part about working out at the gym is looking at myself in the mirror for an extended period of time.
50. I hate getting my face wet.
51. Watching a movie without falling asleep is a rare occasion for me.
52. I love playing Dance Dance Revolution on my Xbox.
53. I often win when I play games which is good because I’m a sore loser, but bad because I tend to gloat.
54. I was the jump rope champion in 4th grade.
55. I don’t like to be in large groups of people. I have a touch of social anxiety.
56. I prefer to sleep without a pillow.
57. I often cuddle with my body pillow though.
58. I have a full size bed but find myself sleeping on the very edge of the bed.
59. I have a hard time falling asleep in a bed other than my own.
60. I really enjoy reading.
61. Some of my favorite scents are laundry vents (but only when someone has clothes in the dryer) freshly cut watermelon, and here’s where you think I’m crazy…cigarette smoke and skunks.
62. I’ve met Alan Greenspan.
63. I spoke to Buzz Aldrin on the phone.
64. I have climbed into the Statue of Freedom which sits on top of the US Capitol.
65. I’m horrible at keeping in touch.
66. There isn’t one thing I’m especially skilled at. I’m only kind of good at a lot of different things.
67. I would love to volunteer at a children’s hospital.
68. I’ve always wanted to break a bone so that I can wear a cast.
69. I secretly LOVE attention (I guess it’s not so secret now!!).
70. I have thousands of songs on my ipod but listen to the same 100 over and over again. Most of them are techno.
71. I wish I was creative.
72. I can cry over pretty much anything, even crabcakes.
73. I always worry about what people think of me.
74. I want to be liked by everyone, although I often pretend that I don't.
75. I often have conversations in my head prior to having them for real so I don’t say stupid things. It doesn’t always work.
76. I love jewelry…the chunkier the better.
77. I sometimes worry that I’ll be single forever.
78. I’ve done lots of things in the last few weeks that have really surprised me.
79. I think I’m capable of more than I give myself credit for.
80. I’m a loyal friend.
81. I only drink water and milk.
82. When I’m tired I either get really cranky or I just shut off and don’t talk to anyone.
83. I work with the greatest people in the world.
84. I have an awesome family.
85. I often find bald men very attractive.
86. I worked in the political world for 3 years yet I care absolutely zero about politics.
87. I think that if I ever get married I will elope (of course only if my husband doesn’t mind).
88. I think I have a good sense of humor but I’m often slow at “getting” jokes.
89. I have a hard time expressing my feelings.
90. My favorite colors are brown, fuchsia, lime green and orange.
91. I love getting hugs and kisses from my nieces and nephews.
92. I don’t like to eat crunchy foods like carrots because they take lots of time to chew .
93. I love watching movies.
94. I love getting mail…even if it’s just a bank statement.
95. I’m horrible at sending thank you cards.
96. I am the youngest of 4 children but was definitely not spoiled. I believe that honor went to the redheads in the family.
97. I love kit kats but can’t eat any until July 1 (Curses to you Corey!!!)
98. I would love to travel to England and eat lots and lots of English chocolate and be wooed by the fabulous accents.
99. I want to learn how to swim properly.
100. Writing his list was TOUGH!

It's Birthday Time AGAIN!

This time the honor goes to my biggest brother Andrew. Happy Birthday! Maybe I'll give you a present this year (which would probably be the first one ever). Eat an extra serving of cake and ice cream for me. I have to live vicariously through others these days!

Also...Happy Birthday Kristi!!

2007

Make this year be the best one yet!