Thoughts for the Day

Outside my window...

leftover snow remnants and a beautiful day! 

I am thinking...

that the Keurig coffee maker may be the best invention known to man-kind. No Seriously. They bought one for the office to use, and I have to restrain myself so I only use it once a day. The glazed donut flavored coffee is my absolute fav. 

I am thankful for...

My fiance, who loves me despite my faults, my impatience, my potty-mouth, and my mood swings. 

From the kitchen...

I made a lemon pepper roasted whole chicken, roasted veggies and biscuits along with a delish salad. I it cost me $13.00 for all the ingredients and it has fed me and my fiance for 5 meals now! 

I am wearing...

a black shirt, charcoal grey/black slacks, and a grey and black cardigan/wrap along with my grey and black speckled socks and ballet flats. 

I am creating...

I painted a portrait of my Mother yesterday morning using acrylic paints on stretched out canvas.

I am going...

to work til 5, 45 minute commute home, then Zumba tonight from 6-6:45pm with my Mom. 2011 is all about trying new cross training activities! 

I am reading...

The Complete Women's Guide to Running

I am hoping...

..to get a good run in on my lunch break 

I am hearing...

the noise of the office

Around the house...

my fiance got about 500 tools for Christmas and we have no place to store them. At least thats what I am thinking the reason is that my lovely fiance has yet to put them away 

One of my favorite things...

The Keurig coffee maker, running, reading books about running, my new running sneakers, sleeping late (can't choose just one sorry)

A few plans for the rest of the week:

  work work work

   new Zumba class

tracking what I eat

tracking my mileage

get the tenants to pay their December AND January rent for pete's sake

refill my inhaler so I can try to run outside

Cuddle with the fiance and catch up on  True Blood 2 

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!


I was truly spoiled over Christmas time by my future in-laws and my very own family!


I received many running related items and it makes me very very motivated to improve in 2011. 


my new trail sneakers: 

book:

 book:

 two cases of my favorite water:

 Another Book:

 training log:

 Two years subscription to my favorite mag:

 my brother gave me a Nike gift card, and I ordered this: 

 and mom got me this nifty waterproof watch by Under Armour 

that's all! Hope you all enjoyed your holiday with friends and family! :) 

About me-5 Q's

1. What was your toughest race? 
My toughest race wasn't even the longest race that I did.. My toughest race was July 18th, 2010-the Fisherman's Tribute Race in New Bedford.  It was 94 degrees by 8:00am with 100% humidity. After mile 2, I felt like my muscles were refusing to make my body work. Every step felt like my stomach was lurching. the last mile was all uphill. As soon as  I crossed the finish line I (and 3 other people near me) were puking in the bushes. I couldn't even hold down water, my stomach was heaving. 
I then ran straight into the ocean with all my race clothes on and just sat in the water, to cool down. 

2. What are your goals for 2011? 
This is tough as I really haven't thought about it. My number one goal is to beat my PR time of 34:30 in the 5k. My other goal is to beat my 5 mile time of 1:04:00. Another goal is to complete a half-marathon after my wedding in August. 
I want to PR at the 2011 Mattapoisett Triathlon. 
Also lose 30+ lbs in 2011, would be nice. 
3.If you could live anywhere, where would it be? 
I love Fairhaven but would love to live someplace that there is no humidity (fat chance) and where I could ideally train year round outside. My asthma sucks in the winter. 
4. What is my guilty pleasure TV show? 
William and I don't have cable, and we have one television in the house we use for the WII and DVD player only. 
We watch shows on free-tv.com. We LOVE to watch Dexter, Criminal Minds, Glee, It's always Sunny in Philadelphia and I love Law and Order-SVU. Will doesn't like that show though. 
5. How do you keep a sense of balance?

That's tough to answer.. I always get 9 - 10 hours of sleep at night, and that really helps with me having enough energy to get everything I need to get done. 
Other then that, this is something I struggle with. The weekends are jam packed filled with races, training for races, or running around getting everything done so I can race. 

My hero..

is My Dad, Cleveland.

In 1994 my Father was hit by a mack truck. Literally.
Punctured his spleen, bladder, intestines, broke ribs, broke both feet in numerous places, legs, shattered pelvis. He was air lifted to Boston and stayed there for what seemed like forever. While at the hospital in Boston, he had numerous blood transfusions, had a catheter and colostomy bag inserted. He got a blood and staph infection at the hospital. After what seemed like months he was moved to a more local hospital, and where I could actually visit him. (I was under 16, and under 16 year olds at the time could not visit ICU.)
Then began rehab. He had to learn how to walk again. He had lost 60 lbs mostly muscle from being bedridden for so long. He also had to learn how to function day to day with the catheter and colostomy bag. (for those whom do not know, help you pee and excrete waste when your organs can't do it alone)
He was in a wheelchair then crutches and the finally walking on his own.
The accident changed everything. My father had to have skin grafted over all the wounds. My father's feet would swell if he was on them for longer then 10 minutes at a time. My father is permanently disabled and can never work again, because of that accident.

In Feb, 2010- my father went to a hospital after having what felt like an anxiety attack. After 3 days of tests and not being told anything of what was wrong, they told my Father that he needed a triple arterial bypass surgery. They stated that he was so sick, that if he had even a minor heart attack, there was no way he could've recovered from it. He would die.
They operated on my Father. when they cracked his sternum and opened him up, they saw that all 4 arteries were completely blocked. The doctor did not have my Father's permission to bypass the 4th artery (and my father was completely out and unable to approve)  but he made a life saving call-and did it anyways.
After surgery, the doctors explained how they were going to put my father on a pain medication regimen as he recovered from having his sternum cut open (which they say is the most painful part). My father absolutely refused, took out the morphine IV drip they insisted on having, and finally relented to having Tylenol with Codeine.
On Nov 25th 2010 my Father did his first road race. a 5k that I was one of the co-race directors of.
Today, my Father walked "until he couldn't walk anymore"-just to see how far he could go. I put in the route on mapmyrun.com and my Father walked 7 miles today.
SEVEN MILES.
Now I've done road races longer then that- but I have never had to go through what he did.

Some people don't know this, but every other road race I do, I ask for an XL tee shirt and give them to my dad. He wears them proudly, hoping someone will ask about the race so he can say "My daughter Lisa is a runner!"

what my Father doesn't know... is that every single mile that I am sweating, huffing, puffing, I dedicate to him. I think about all he has gone through and what little complaining he did to get to where he is right now.
and If that doesn't inspire you to Shut up and Run- then I don't know what does.

My dad after his surgery..

What I am reading..

I am obsessed with books about running. Half of my Christmas wish list is books about running- 

Currently I am reading: The Long Run- by Matt Long


It is about a NY fireman, marathoner, triathlete who was training for Boston Marathon, when he was hit by a coach bus, while riding his bike to work. 
His journey from hell and back can really knock the whining out of me. If he can do this, any of us can do this. 


I'm almost done with it, and can't wait to start a new one! 


In other news, I have been very sick with a sinus infection. Like knock down sick. I know what the Docs say- if you are sick from the neck up, you can keep on working out. Neck down- take it easy. 
Well I am all neck up, but have been in no shape to work out. 
I rode the recumbent bike yesterday for 20 minutes along with some light lifting, 


Today I am determined to run at least 2 miles, but will see how I feel when I get on the treadmill. 


Stay Classy, New England :) 

Oh Asthma, How I loathe thee...

Well the winter is officially here and If I can see my breath, it is too cold for me to run outside. And this is because of my asthma. Running in cities with high levels of smog, poor air quality, and running in the cold all cause me to sputter, cough, and my airways to spasm. I have my Pro-Air inhaler, that I tuck in my sleeve and that sort of works, but I can only use it so much before my heart starts super racing since that is one of the side effects. I have put a muffler around my mouth so that I am breathing in warmer air, but mostly I am breathing in my own CO2, and that kinda stinks. 
So my only relief is ..the dreaded hamster wheel. Yep. The TREADMILL.  ugh. 


I don't really know what else to do. I love running in the winter, I can run much farther and faster and really see gains on my pace in the winter, but the cold is brutal on my lungs. 
On the treadmill I play little games to get me through the monotony, such as - varying the pace, doing fartleks, tempo work out, intervals, hills etc... but still.. borrrrrinnnnng... 


Maybe this winter, I will try to focus on x-training for my triathlons. More swimming and indoor biking. 


I am definately having a "poor me" day... 

Downtown Jingle 5k

Woo hoo my first blog post.. So I must admit, I am a big READER of blogs but have never written one. I follow some runner pal blogs so I figured it was time to put out one of my own.

Today I ran the Downtown Jingle 5k in Downtown Providence, RI. I ran with my best pal Hillary S. and this was her second race ever, so it was super exciting for both of us I have done a few races in Providence, all big ones and thought what a nice way to cap off my 2010 racing year with a nice Jingle Bell Jaunt..

Here are some details of the race-
3000 people ran it.
It was 33 degrees out.
It was super windy.
and It was super fun.

The volunteers and race officials are amazing. They did a great job blocking the streets and intersections, they did a great job directing people the right way to go, and a lovely volunteer even watched my race bag while I raced.

From the start to mile 1- the crowds were slightly frustrating. I will put this out there; I have some major pet peeves when it comes to running races.  I dislike when people start talking and joking and being loud and rude during the national anthem. Someone is up there singing in front of 5000 people. Please- be quiet.
Another pet peeve is when people start elbowing and pushing to get to spot at their designated pace time. W have B tags, it hardly matters what position you are in, if you didnt get to the starting line in time, then oh well, move back.
Walkers.  It is admirable and awesome people are walking. Please- just move as far to the side as you can. I really do not like it when people SPRINT to get in front of you, then completely slow down to a walk, causing me (who is running) to run around them. It takes more energy for me to run around you, then it takes for you to walk closer to the sidewalk. please and thank you.
after the 1 mile mark, the crowds thinned a little. We got cute jingle bells to wear and I tied mine into my shoe laces so they jingled all the way. FUN!
The costumes were funny and cute. I give those people props because I would get itchy running in a silly costume.
I can't have any complaints about this race, well put together, and our times were posted immediately onto coolrunning.com.

I don't remember my exact time but it was in the 37:00 range. My times were really good last spring, then humidity and engaged life sucked the time off my average. Here's to training so the spring times are better then ever come 2011!
CHEERS!