Shamrock 1/2 Marathon

Okay well, I am back from the Shamrock 1/2 marathon in Virginia Beach. I have to say they put on a good race and it was perfect running weather. A little chilly (weather channel said 30) but not too bad. Better than 90 and humid.

I don't have any real pictures to show you right now, as I took a disposable camera instead of my digital one. I had this idea I'd take it with me while running, but I nixed the idea.

I did just what I wanted until mile 10 when my leg started to cramp up a bit, so then I walked until I could see the finish line. But all in all it was decent and I was only 2 minutes slower than the race I did at Disney when I was 24. Not too shabby, FOR ME, although I wish I had run more. There is always another race, and I realize that perhaps a race this close to winter is not so good for me. Maybe May or October is better suited, as some days I missed out on training due to weather. I know some people can run on the treadmill, but I always get either 1) shinsplints or 2) back pain when I run on a treadmill. Plus, let's admit it - I have been a little depressed since Harland left and put on 10 pounds. Not too cool.

Anyway my time was slooooow. I'll admit it though, just because if I know you, you'll go look it up anyway. I think only like 250 people were left behind me. Haha. Oh well. I wasn't in it to win it, that was for sure. My time was 3:18... which is close to my 3:16 in Disney. I hope to work on my running this year a bit. Maybe I'll try a more local run in the fall.

Anyway, it was a good race. They have a lot of people cheering, the waterstop people really cheer well, and they have a lot of waterstops. They also have some DJs out there playing music, one band live, and some signs with Virginia trivia and funny slogans (an example I can remember: "I used to have nothing and I still have most of it").

The race ends with Yuengling beer and Irish stew (I only partook in the beer and only one cup, I don't know how people drank all 4 of their ticket's worth of beer... it would have made me sick).

The race is Virginia's first "Green race". The race book is a calendar, the bag that the t-shirts came in is one of those mini back packs. I don't really know how to explain what that is, so here is a link to one for sale.
The bag the food came in at the end was a lunch bag cooler thing. We also got a lot of gear - a technical tee (I got a large, I should have gotten a medium, d'oh), a sports hat (that says finisher on it, it's pretty cool because it is very lightweight with mesh and it fits my head which is hard for adult hats because I have a tiny head) and a plastic cup.

Also you get a medal too. Here is all the loot. I'll post more pictures later in the week.

Did it!

Well, I almost started this exercise vow off on the wrong foot. I had to go into work 2 hours early this AM (big project due) and then I had to stay 2 hours late too. But I bucked up (especially helpful was that I said walking was cool, if I had made this too ambitious - I never would have done it - I would not have wanted to run tonight). So even though I got home late and ate dinner... walking is okay with a full stomach... and walking doesn't get my adrenaline going to keep me awake at night. It is actually very nice outside. I had a very peaceful 40 minute walk. The weeping willow trees are starting to get leaves. There is one right near a light on my walk... and the leaves are so tiny it looks like the limbs are painted florescent green instead of brown.

It's not going to make me drop 10 pounds or anything, but it sure is a step in the right direction and even thought I was tired... it actually made me feel pretty happy when I was done.

Sometimes you just gotta talk yourself INTO something instead of out of something. :)

This raincloud matches everything I wear

So I admit it, I have been in a funk.

I haven't been eating healthy and I haven't been exercising regularly (and as a result have gained 10 pounds since October!) I have not knit at all since I last saw Harland in January. Not one stitch. I keep meaning to finish up a Christmas present for Susan, but I never have gotten the courage to try and rip back two rows that have decreases. I need to admit defeat and send her the rest of her present and work on this soon.

I've been reading a lot. A little too much - I have no less than 15 books on Harland's side of the bed. I took 9 out of the library and have read them all in a week and a half. I stay up later than 10, wonder why I can't get up early... I have even been bad about returning phone calls and e-mails, which I try hard not to do, normally.

Keeping the home fires burning is sometimes hard. I promise I won't whine on here about it much, I try not to talk about it... but I really miss Harland alot. This past weekend was particularly rough for no real reason. It's not that I'm crying or anything. I just feel really lazy. Like things just don't sound as fun to do.

I've been trying to keep busy which has helped a lot, I am sure. But I've decided that I need to have a 2nd Quarter resolution session to snap out of it completley.

I'm going to share it all with you.
Starting now, I am going to really try and start exercising. No - not try - DO. I'm thinking 30 minutes a day, nothing fancy, walking counts (maybe even Wii fit should count). They say exercising boots one's mood, so this should help. I'm going to make a little counter over on the side to keep track. I'm not good with an actual fitness journal type blog (as we have seen).

And I suppose in perspective gaining a few pounds from eating too much sugar and french fries, being lazy and reading too much isn't really that bad. I mean it sure beats a lot of other stuff one who is feeling down might do. :)

Happy Ides of March!

Daffodils, Blossoms and Flurries?

Well we had a really nice weekend last weekend. The today I waited for the bus in some flurries this morning, and on the way home I also had to wait in flurries. March is a strange month.

Last night was my last watercolor class, which is sad. I signed up for next set, but there are 4 weeks in between. Before class we had a little "banquet" which was really just meeting at the bar nearby. But there was a drawing for prizes, and I won a new brush, and it was a size I didn't have so that was really neat. And when our names were drawn, the teacher gave us an "award title" and mine was 'quickest learner' which made me pretty happy.

Here are my last two class paintings (although as I mentioned, I may be taking the weekend workshop in 2 weeks).

The Purple Forest (yeah I'm not sure why I have been in a purple phase lately). This was a study of negative space.

And the house - practicing shadows.

Midweek Weekend Update

Well I have had a very busy week this week, this weekend was the big fundraiser for Arlington County's Red Cross Chapter and I worked some overtime on Monday and Tuesday so I didn't have the chance to post my weekly blog post (Harland has posted something new on his blog too, with pictures!).

The fundraiser a basketball tournament. I was in charge of the kids activities... unfortunately, there were not as many kids this year as others. I think it was that the weather was too nice. We had that snow storm that dropped 6 inches of snow on us on Monday, then this past weekend it was in the 70's! I think everyone wanted to get out!

Here are some pictures...
Here is me with the Mascot - 'Ready the dog'.

Here's a picture of the kids area. That's a parachute on the ground, one of my favorite things to play with when you have a group of kids.

And here is a b-ball action shot. The ball is in the air above the guys. I like how the one guy looks like he's just standing around with his arms behind his back (La lalala la), and everyone looks like they're ready to pounce!


This week is my last week of watercolor painting... then I have a 4 week break until the next session. Oh, I am going to miss it. There is a weekend workshop last weekend in March, I am seriously considering taking it.... and I am really looking forward to this weekend, I have nothing planned and I'm keeping it that way!

Misc. Posting

Well not much is going on... I'm doing some laundry. I know, I know! This is very exciting because usually I do all my laundry on Sunday afternoon! And it's Wednesday! You know, every once and a while you just have to mix things up and let loose!

Also I "cooked" some Bipimbap Tonight as well. By cooked I mean I cooked some rice and fried an egg and I went to the Local international market and bought a tray of Bipimbap veggies and some red bean paste. Threw it all in a bowl in a pretty design, added some sesame oil and ate it up. Yum! I haven't done this before and I did two things wrong. I added too much red paste and not enough sesame oil. You couldn't even taste the oil. Oh well. I'll know for later.

Dad talked to me on the phone the other night and wanted to see this dreadful painting. I really dislike it, so this one is for you Dad...

I also took some pictures of DC from across the river (while at my work) of the snow. People like snow pictures.


What is out there in the distance? Here is a photo with the zoom on.

And this is funny, we actually had so much snow that the apt. complex had to shovel out the 2nd floor! Hahaha! I never saw that before.

Snow, Snow, Snow!

Well I woke up to snow. Our office has a two hour delay, I'm waiting for my apartment to plow the parking lot, and for the road I live off of to be plowed. Even the major highways are not really clear... I guess I will have to emerge soon. I think I'll wait a bit to decide what to do... I'm debating on whether or not to take a vacation day.

Anyway here are some pictures from when I woke up this morning...



And I had a really lazy weekend this weekend... The only thing I did that was remotely anything other than watching TV/movies/reading was a walk to the library and get some books. Oh and I made a quiche aux artichauts (with artichokes)- with Swiss cheese freshly grated by moi! Actually, I guess it is more of a "gratin" since I did not make a crust.