What I Did When I Wasn’t Running

Running in November (after the marathon) and most of December pretty much went down the tubes. But there were some bright points:

I got my picture on a Wheaties Box.  My friend and former neighbor Peggy, who has the highly enviable skill of being able to do open-water swimming with ease, sent this awesome gift to me after the marathon. On a related note, I once collected a Wheaties box that had Mary Lou Retton on it. Full circle.

Yes, I ate my Wheaties.

I gave these shoes their once-a-year wearing (to the LitWorld Holiday party).

Wearing these for 3 hours = worse than running 26.2 miles. Why did I torture myself?

I took several spinning classes at a private studio in the woods of CT. Mary introduced me to it. While it’s actually quite inexpensive it feels a little like a cross between a yoga studio and a country club, so I can feel little snobbish-slash-not worthy when I go.

Schwanky.

While not a “bright point” per se, I had strange asthma flare-ups that lead to a change in medication and a future trip to the pulmonologist. (Apparently “adult acquired asthma” is a thing.)

Mama bear, papa bear, baby bear.

I got this nifty running hat from my friend Jade. It’s got a nice high tech wicking fabric, but it’s in a military style design, which all the cool kids are wearing. She also sent me a running mix CD of totally inappropriate rap songs. Jade makes me feel like I’m 13 again and we’re biking to the convenience store (strangely enough called “Convenience”) to buy Fun Dip.

Phat hat. (Yes, I’m wearing pajamas and a fleece hoodie. So very stylin’.)

While visiting my parents, I ran on their treadmill. Your eyes are not deceiving you. There are 3 TV’s within viewing distance. I’m not even going to attempt to answer the question of why this scenario exists. So of course, I didn’t watch any of them and ran with my ipod music instead.

Look closely, and you might find a fourth TV that I haven’t heard about yet.

While in my hometown, I ran 3 icy miles with my friend Dave, then I ate donuts, as one does when one runs with Dave.

Yum yum in my tum.

My husband got me this sweet road bike for Christmas. It still needs a name. I was thinking it’s a “she”, but now I’m thinking it’s a “he”, so it will sound vaguely sexual when I announce I’m going for a ride. “Time to get on Marty McFly and do a 20!”

Rides like buttah.

I signed up for my first triathlon, in June. Now if I could only get over my giant fear of open-water swimming (Note to self: Be Like Peggy – see above) with 100 other people, I’ll be good to go.

This is my husband’s medal from last year. Will this be mine, all mine??

I got into the NYC Half Marathon on March 17th (lottery luck!). As for training…guess I’d better get on that. I was kind of enjoying all the free time and the sleep and whatnot. But I’d gained back the pounds I’d lost from marathon training. I was becoming a big cranky-pants. Time to find the runlove again.

I started the New Year with a run with my bud, Mary. (I’m looking like a bandit due to the blasted asthma.).

I look like I’m on the run. Get it? HA!

It was a chilly, hilly 3.5-miler to start off January 1st. I’m glad I started back. My foot is still bothering me a bit, but wow, that felt good to run like that again.

So, what have you been up to lately? Have you done a triathlon? Do you spin? Do your parents have 3 televisions in the same room? I want to know! Leave a message in the comments.

Happy New Year!