9 Days without a desk...

Busy friday but it's making the morning go by fast. I regret the greasy breakfast I bought at Hardee's this am. My body has become acutely aware that hash browns are not a good thing! I was starving & running late but a light lunch & dinner will cancel it out, I hope... :) It is amazing how the body adjusts to the good things you put into it & the moment you regress, it screams at you!

I value my time off even if it's just a weekend. (Not that I hate work. I like my job for the most part but to say that it challenges me would be a stretch.)

I view the next 9 days as one adventure after another. Everything from a breakfast invitation after I get back from NYC to putting a blanket in my back seat for July 4th fireworks.... Life is Good!

Boarding passes are printed so let the fun begin...

Spin class taken off schedule?

After driving across town to the Rec Center for Beginning Spin, they tell me they pulled it off the schedule & that it was a tentative class anyway. So, I took my $5 & put it back in my wallet & drove to my gym. I did the stationary bike there for an hour & managed some stretching.

Weight tonight was 124.5. (If I keep putting it here, I will be more aware of it & hopefully see 120 soon!)

BOUGHT!

After much chit chatting in the office this morning, I found myself on stubhub. Yes, I dub myself the Queen of cheap concert & football tickets. Stubhub is NOT always the way to go but I do look there from time to time when I'm interested in something.
Sooooo, on July 5th I'm going to be sitting 7 rows from the field (Sec 133-home side)with a fun person watching Urban, Chesney, etc... I've never seen a concert at LP Field, unless you count the 1/2 time acts at the Titans games.

Hannah & family are doing the downtown riverfront fireworks on the 4th. (So, I will be there.) None of us have ever done that either... I suspect I'll need a nap between volunteering at Firecracker & the fireworks. FUN!

SOLD!

After getting a text from Kirby about her July 5th Kenny Chesney tickets this morning, I decided to send out a text & email to a few people. Boom, they sold in like 15 mins! I'm not a huge country music fan, but I hear that Kenny & Co. put on a great show. A part of me actually wanted to go. :(

So, my friend, Dan C., bought them literally a few minutes before I was approached by B.B. in the office. Must be a "hot" ticket for July 4th weekend, eh? :)

My next visit to LP Field will be Aug 9th. :P

Imagine this...a fitness incentive?

My friend, Fara, who once upon a time used run with me, works for a federally funded program in Shelbyville. She works with low income children who need physical therapy & assessments on their growth progression. Anyway, her agency has given the employees an opportunity to earn 1 extra vacation day by doing something "measurable" for their own personal fitness. (She works with a lot of overweight people, apparently.) My guess is that they are trying to get the insurance costs down within the agency, who knows... So, Fara has decided that a 1/2 marathon is in her future for this Fall. I've tried to get her to do the CMM 1/2 in the past but life has got in the way of that. So, she's targeting the Music City 1/2 or possibly Team Nashville or maybe even the Huntsville 1/2. I hope my forever injured body allows me to train in time to do it with her. Who knows....guess I'll know July 17th if that's going to be possible. I despise being injured because I LOVE running & like to plan my races ahead of time.

Ok, you all that know me well know I'm just crazy enough to carry this sign at 5am to Times Square on my last day of vacation & get on TV. You have been warned! :P I have some 4th of July stickers I may put on it tonight.

Logistics, Logistics

The final little details are worked out. I even know exactly how many miles there are between Battery Park & 58th Street. ha! We are ready, set, go!

Workout Tonight:

About 45 mins of push mowing (front yard is so dry)
35 mins VERY slow on the elliptical (I over did it yesterday, sore shin)
15 mins bike

I could have done more but when I went in I saw Terri from Dr. Steven's office & we chatted way too long.
Tomorrow, I'm doing Beginning Spin & 30 mins aqua jogging.
I may be able to sneak in some AB work before spinning.
For the life of me, I can't get this last 5 stubborn lbs off of me, but the good news is that I've not really gained any weight.
Sunday at the gym, I weighed 125.5, yesterday was 126.5. It goes up & down by a few lbs from day to day. Ahh, the joy of being SHORT! NOT!
(3.5 weeks of NO running!)

Mark Twain Slept Here

Cheryl found out that Mark Twain stayed at the Hotel Belleclaire. He actually lived there for a while. How COOL is that??? Very old hotels are so interesting to me. The last hotel that I stayed at that seemed this fascinating was in Switzerland (May 1991). I do not remember the name of it but it had an indoor pool downstairs with naked people swimming. ha!

The Hale koa Hotel in Honolulu was awesome for a military hotel. It's on Waikiki beach just up the beach from Duke's. It has a very long, winding aquarium that goes out to the ocean where the fish can swim all the way up into the hotel lobby & back out. I stayed there for my 9th wedding anniversary in 1998. The Texas family was stationed there for 5 yrs near Pearl Harbor at that time.

Lonnnng Tuesday workout

Tonight's Workout:

90 mins elliptical
light leg & arm weights
AB work
Stretching/Pilates

It sometimes amazes me how quickly time flies while at the homestead.
From 5:35pm till 7:50pm, I was "working it"!

Happenings this weekend in NYC

Well, I got to googling & found out this is happening this weekend in NYC.
They have a 5k going on also. :P

I'm trying to figure out when/if we should try to go to ABC studios in Times Square & get on camera at "Good Morning America". (You have to be there at 5am to get front row!)
July 1st is probably the only day to do this insanity so if you happen to have "Good Morning America" on at 7am July 1st, you may see a sign that says, "Hello, Middle TN & Nashville Striders!"

Woman drowns while doing "deep water aerobics"

Well, not really but that's what it felt like...
Didn't catch her name but she knew I was new & well, I apparently have poor posture in the pool while doing some of the moves. With the aqua jogger belt & the arm weights on, my body just won't stay under water well. My body kept popping up above the water when it should have been under. Personally, I think she moved a little too fast in between moves, but that's just me. It just seemed to me that we needed more "control" over the moves to do them correctly. I know the chatting ladies behind me weren't doing them correctly. The moves she had us do were good but in the water you are fighting so much resistance that you feel uncoordinated! The arm curls killed me!
I aqua jogged for 30 mins before class & 30 mins after class. I feel water logged!

So, I'm rethinking the water aerobics classes. I may just throw them in once every other week for a while. Personally, I think I would have got more out of the Beginning Spin class today. I had thought I would do the Intermediate Spin tomorrow but I think I'll head to the homestead & saddle up the elliptical instead. Wednesday, I'll need to finish the yard so I'll be at my gym that day too for a short time. Thursday, I've got another Beginning Spin class planned, plus some aqua jogging after. My legs will be toast I'm sure.

I know the weather will change 10 times between now & Sat but it looks like highs in the low to mid 80's while we're in NYC. I can hang with that!

Not so lazy Sunday

I managed to get quite a bit done today. I'm about halfway packed for the trip. (Why so early?)
I don't want to be running around here Thursday night with my wits scattered everywhere. I want to aqua jog & spin Thursday anyway. After I leave for work Friday morning, I won't be home again until late on July 1st.
(Thinking of spending the 3rd with my Aunt in Nashville so I can get up early & help with the Firecracker 5k, not sure yet.)

Workout:
45 mins push mowing (will finish yard Wed)
65 mins elliptical
30 mins bike
AB work
some stretching with pilates

Hannah's wedding reception

OMG, I ate way too much food. Tomorrow will definitely be a BIG calorie burning day for me.
Ellendale's is a nice place, but not a place that I'd necessarily go back to again unless it were a function such as what Hannah had today. Just lovely. It was decorated in a beachy theme. (Casual & laid back, open bar, tons of food!) Most of Hannah's family came in with the exception of her brother in Afghanistan. He did a video message to them that we viewed along with a slide show of Jeff & Hannah. (VERY nice, very touching). The photos were of them as children, when they dated, & of course now. They are having a Michigan shower July 12th for most of Jeff's family & MI friends.

Hannah, outside next to the little gazebo & rock pond.
There were two ducks out there quacking at each other. :)

Sand castle cake with scuba divers behind it in blue icing. Too cool!
Michele C., Brianna, Kiera, & Jacob. They were very well behaved & entertaining. :)

Skylar gave out sand buckets filled with goodies inside to the children who attended.

Jeff's youngest daughter, Skylar, on far right. Such a cutie.

Jeff pulling off the garter with his teeth. Too funny!

(For some reason this is the only pic that I took of him that wasn't dark in the dining room.)
Hannah looked like the grecian goddess she always does......the dress was just perfect on her. :)
She could not have picked a better dress for her body.
The print on me, ummm, not so much... There's a story behind what I wore. It looked GREAT on me last night when I bought it. This small/petite kept falling off my shoulders! I've come to the conclusion that nothing fits me. I just need to stay in shorts & t-shirt for the rest of my life.

Fun evening, good times, loose clothing, open bar, beautiful bride, & just one more single friend off the market. Hannah got a GREAT guy & Jeff didn't do too shabby himself with her either. :P

RC Cola Moon Pie 10 miler (festival)

Overall male: (He smoked it in & was barely breathing hard when he got his chipped cut off!)

Overall female (We knew when she walked up to get her bib she would be the winner!)

Chips at 5am (still dark)! Hey, I was bored when I got there! ha!

The chips had come home...awaiting their trip back to the boards. ha!

Let me tell ya, I kept waiting for the rain. It sprinkled on me coming up hwy 82 from I-24, but that's it. From the looks of things, Bell Buckle got rain but Tullahoma/Manchester didn't. So, much for 50%. The humidity just seemed thick to me today. In years past, I've actually arrived at the set up area at 5am & had to wear a light long sleeve for the first hour of my volunteering. This morning...NO. I had thought that this would be the best weather since '05, nah, not really. While clipping chips, I noticed that there were more than a few people who mentioned they were slower than last year. The humidity really slowed some folks down.

At 5am, Diana just said hang with her, float around, jump in where I need to be, etc... The Chamber sent over PLENTY of folks to hand out bibs & everyone else did chips & race day registration. I helped direct the traffic to & from the boards where people were to "find the number by your name then get your bib". That was ok. I saw all the people that I knew would be there. (David, Jill, Joe, Dirk, Steve, Tom P., Terry Q. & Wayne.

Officially, we had 922 registered with about 10% no shows. We had one guy show up UNregistered at about 7:15am. At first he claimed to be preregistered but turns out he wasn't. I don't know what his deal was but the others gave him a chip/bib & sent him on his merry way. One guy showed up right after that telling us he passed the exit & ended up in Manchester, bless his heart. He must have still been asleep. (This is a recurring nightmare with me, showing up LATE to a race.) By 7:15am, Nick & his crew start moving the starting mats to the finish line. So, these two guys were just going to have to report their clock times to whoever manually puts that stuff into the results. Anyway, I would have been a nervous wreck if I had been that late to a race.

I clipped chips with some characters let me tell you. They were precious. I met Dennis C.'s wife. I told her she had a very nice, FAST, husband. They're just awesome people who donate their time at nearly every single strider's event. They made me laugh hysterically at times this morning. :)

No course records were set today like last year but it was pretty darn neat to see the first guy & gal come barreling into the finish line. I swear 90% of the shoes I touched, felt like they could've been wrung out! (so sweaty). I only had maybe 2-3 people touch my head &/or shoulders while trying to balance their shoe in front me on my stool. One guy who finished around the 1:10-1:12 mark was moaning really loud in pain when he came across the finish line. I've only seen that at marathons. He must have left NOTHING out on the course, seriously!

Some of the stuff people run in amaze me, too. A fairly large guy ran in heavy looking black sweat pants. I wanted to pass out when I saw him coming down the chute. Some people are wearing their shoes too long (too worn out) in my opinion. I saw some shoes that were definitely not anything that I could ever run in....some too flat looking, not enough cushioning, & some people had on what I would deem hiking shoes. Just odd to me, but what do I know...I have a freaking crack in my shin. To each his own in running attire. What works for others won't work for me that's for sure. You won't find me running in sweat pants in June. (I have a hard time keeping a shirt on in the winter!)

I was released around 9am. We had plenty of people clipping chips & at 9am, I found myself just sitting there with nothing to do. I was thirsty & hungry. Tom P. & I walked around a bit. I found some cool bottle cap necklaces that Cheryl's daughter's might like...(my Jersey gals!) After eating some sugar free ice cream in the super cool ice cream shop, we went to the awards ceremony & sat on a hay bail. It just didn't seem as crowded as last year. I think some people were so beat down that they went home immediately. :P

All in all a fun day in Bell Buckle.....I like volunteering but I LOVE volunteering & then running the race much BETTER! Next year! :)

No Pain

For the last couple of days, no shin pain. (no running & NO walking!)
I pray to God that the X-ray will show big time healing on July 17th. :)
Everyone's finger's better be crossed, ok?

After I leave Bell Buckle tomorrow, I've got Hannah's reception to attend at Ellendale's. It looks like a nice place. She's booked it for 50 people & told me to bring someone but I hate to ask anyone at the last minute. She's doing a beach theme in there since they did get married May 17th on Coco Beach. (Should be cool!)

I'm hoping to find time to find a bathing suit that fits my water running routine this weekend. Every suit except one is too loose in the water. I felt like I was dragging my red one behind me & the brown one wasn't much better. (Guess I need more of a snug fitting suit, eh?)

I'm looking forward to seeing my Kirby (massage therapist) after work.
She will die when I tell her about the shin. :(
I'm looking forward to an easy 1 hr on the elliptical after my massage even though I should probably do the bike, too. (I finally left my "hole" during lunch for mexican & I feel guilty!)
I've really been good during the week with my eating.

Good Luck to everyone running (or biking) tomorrow. I pray the rain holds off. If not, pretend it's Tom King '08 all over again. :P Just have fun!

Splish Splash

Ok, I was excited that I got to get in the pool & start aqua jogging BEFORE water aerobics. Cool Beans! I got in a solid 30 mins before class started at 6pm.

There were about 18 people in the class, which made it almost too crowded. I will say this lady knew what she was doing & did her job well. If I had to rate Winchester's & Manchester's water aerobic's classes up against each other on a scale from 1 - 10, Winchester 3, Manchester 8. You get more out of a class when the instructor isn't sitting on the side of the pool sucking on a popsicle barking instructions, duh! My only gripe would be no music. It would be so much better if there were music blaring in the background, but I realize there's another water therapy class going on, etc... I'm going to suggest to Carla that she approach DW Wilson & see if she can do a class in the new pool even if it's just once a week. She would make it HARD! :)

After we finished, I resumed the aqua jogging another 30 mins. The open swim got busy so I moved to an empty lane. I have to admit when the aerobics class was about to start I almost bailed for the Beginners spin class that starts at 6pm on Thursdays. Next week, I believe I'll try the Deep water class & the Intermediate spin. If I can't run I might as well mix it up a bit now that I have the schedules of everything figured out.

The Deep water aerobics uses the aqua jogger belts in the deep end of the pool. I have a feeling that class may be more challenging. I need to make sure I write my name on mine. The shallow water class, which is what I did today didn't use the belts, of course.

Tonight:
1 hr water aerobics
1 hr of aqua jogging

Tomorrow:
1 hr elliptical

Saturday:
Volunteering at Moon Pie

Sunday:
Push mowing might be the exercise of the day, plus I have to start packing! :)

Running related link-what NOT to wear...

There is a little chatter on the strider's board about running attire today.
Ummm, this guy is a minimalist. :)

Top 10 observations of the evening

Tonight while my broke back shin & I rode the elliptical horse, I learned a few things.

1. The weather is looking like the best Moon Pie race weather since '05.
2. There really are WAY too many shootings in E.Nashville.
3. Falco died in a car crash at the age of 40. (Rock me Amedeous!)
4. Some ring tones at the gym really do get on my nerves.
5. There's a young girl at my gym who has some HUGE, muscular thighs. (Almost too BIG!)
6. I get WAY too much junk mail on the blackberry.
7. 1.5 hrs is just almost too much time on the horse. (I WAS STARVING when I finished.)
8. The person texting me was reading my mind.
9. I feel like I need an adjustment.
10. And......In 10 days, I will be on vacation for a WEEK!

During my 30 mins on the bike tonight, I noticed some soreness from Monday's spin class in my quads. GOOD! I also did some light leg weights.

I'm REALLY looking forward to my "chip gig" or whatever I end up doing Sat morning. Sometimes it changes when I get there.

Just not enough hours.....

I've been trying to make sense of the pool hours, classes, etc at the Rec center. If I'm going to pay $5 to use the place, I'm going to get in a good 2 hr workout there one way or the other. I was actually looking forward to the deep water aerobics class tonight but they close the pool after that class. No open or lap swim on Wednesdays after 7pm. So, maybe tomorrow? Apparently, the lap/open indoor swim is open after shallow water aerobics at 7pm on Thursdays. So, I'm riding the elliptical horse again tonight at the homestead. Giddy up!

By the time I have this "rehab" schedule figured out, my shin will be well & I won't care anymore. I am going to attempt the intermediate spin class next week, though. It looks as thought it starts 1/2 hr earlier than the Monday Beginner's class. I'm enjoying the variety right now but I am a creature of habit & the new running shoes I bought in April are wondering why in the world they have no miles on them right now. I know, I know....as my friend, Paul C. says, "patience grasshopper".

Stubhub browsing during lunch

I snagged 2 cheap seats via stubhub today for the 1st preseason game against the Rams at LP Field. You just can't beat them for Preseason but they tend to be higher than scalpers or ebay for regular season. Aug 9th, 7pm...my other obsession begins. I know, I know...but at least it isn't this way with me on every sport. There's just something about being in a sell out crowd drinking a margarita while watching Bironas' foot kick that ball to perfection. There's just something about the coffee & bailey's on a cold day while watching the scrambling on the field. There's something about screaming my head off with my friends when Vince takes off like a lightening bolt. It's Americana like baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, & chevrolet. (come on sing with me!)

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's boyfriend, "Putty" paints his face for a game & she got embarrassed? Well, I'm not a face painter, although I did get a football painted on my cheek once a long time ago before a game.

Tonight was the elliptical for 1 hr 30 mins, some serious stretching, crunches, & the bike for 15 mins. If there is anything that's going to happen while I'm not running, it will be firmer arms & abs, by golly!

Celtics or Lakers?

I saw Kobe's name on a car this morning with a line drawn through it. I also saw "Celtics" on a different car. Guess little ole Coffee county belongs to the Celtics. (I belong to my sister's beloved Spurs. :P )

I'm not a huge basketball fan but I may catch some of this game while riding the elliptical horse tonight. NO soreness at all from beginning spin, maybe I didn't work hard enough or I need to try intermediate/advanced? No walking on my rehab schedule anymore.

Also, I want to thank Jill again for referring me to the allergy clinic at Vandy. Sinus flushing is the best thing since sliced bread. (8 weeks & only 2 migraine pills) There has to be something to that. I have preached it's benefits to all my coworkers & friends.

Beginner's Spin class

Well, I was wrong, it was only 45 mins. At one point I had sweat dripping off my face onto the water bottle below me. I'm wondering if I'll feel any soreness tomorrow. I did enjoy it, though. (Something different!) The 15 min power walk upstairs made my shin achy. That scares me. If I can't power walk on it, then there's no telling how long it's going to take before I can even think about running on it. It only hurts when I walk!

I spent about 40 mins in the weight room before the spin class started. It wasn't crowded at all but the kids banging on the glass was not cool. My only complaint are the windows facing the indoor track from the weight room. The area for stretching is right there, too. "Hello, people, see my a$$ as I stretch my leg above my head." It's a really nice facility. I could get a discount there through work but since I live in a different city, I think my dues would be higher than a Manchesteran. (Is that a word?) So, I'll continue to pay my $25 a month to my gym & just spin, aqua jog, & do water aerobics when/where I can until this mess is completely healed. My gym offers classes such as Karate, Pilates, kick boxing, aerobics, & yoga but they have no pool. I cannot do Carla's kick boxing or anything where I have to bounce. We do not have spin there either. My problem will be solved once DW Wilson gets that pool open and/or my personal hell comes to an end.

Let's just say this was a Monday & I'm glad it's over. "Good Karma" folks!

Monday blahs

Other than push mowing for 1.5 hrs & laundry, I wasn't that productive yesterday. I guess my body (shin) finally brought me to a resting position or maybe it was the white water rafting on Sat. (I'm itching to go again!) It was an uneventful day, except that the plumbing problems have come back! Always something, ya know, especially when you live in an older home.

I am almost ashamed to admit this but I became engrossed in Deion Sander's reality show. I knew he was funny from the football commentaries but he's REALLY funny. August 9th, the Rams come to town. I need to round up my fun people for that. It's a Sat night preseason game.

Today, I'm going to do some cross training for about an hour & then my first spinning class at the Rec center. I've heard it kicks your butt. It's an hour long.

The fathers in my life

(I didn't have the patience to scan the pics to where you don't have to click on them to view them so if you care to see them, just click on the picture)

Of the 3 "fathers" in my life, 2 have passed. I was lucky to know my great grandfather until I was in college. My grandfather died in 2000. My dad is alive & kicking.

Clarence W. Warren: left pic-man with white hair watching me eat
My great grandfather was quite the character. He was the type of person that when he spoke, people usually listened & chances are they were usually laughing. He had a degree in biology-chemistry, which I have stashed somewhere along with the framed pic of me when I was 4 yrs old that hung in his bedroom for many years. I was the sun, moon, & air he breathed when I first came into the world. He & my great grandmother were a hoot & and half to observe. Those wild rook card games with the popcorn flying everywhere on Saturday nights were priceless. I also loved following him around in his garden. He worked for the local gas company until they practically made him retire. He was one of the founders of the Wesley Heights Methodist church not far up the road from his property. (My uncle Mack lives in his old house.) When I was growing up, I was told that I was a lot like him. I sure hope I am because he was such a wonderful, fun loving character that everyone loved to be around. He died in Jan of 1988. I'll never forget the crowd at the church. I got there late from Murfressboro. I was at MTSU at the time. I stood in the hallway with a lot of people who were looking into a packed santuary. One lady recognized me as a great granddaughter & told me to go in but I just stood there, stunned! If our lives are measured by how many people show up at our funeral, my God, he lived a full & lovely life.

Connie Mack Warren: man in dark rimmed glasses holding me & Fritz
We called him "Daddy Mack". He died in Jan 2000. (incidentally most of the deaths in my family have occurred in Jan, odd?!)
He worked for the railroad in Tullahoma & out at the base before retirement. He was tall & handsome when he was younger. He was quite the "catch" according to my grandmother. ha!
He was the only child of my great grandparents. My fond memories include him & my grandma dragging us off to Opryland or 100 Oaks mall, picking me up & throwing me up in the air while I screamed bloody murder, & the endless gardening. My grandparents had killer gardens. He used to crack me up at how he'd listen to "Swap n' Shop" on the radio every day of the week during his retirement. BTW, there was always a wennie dog around, Fritz 1, Fritz 2, & J.J. I will never forget how he cried when Fritz 2 got choked on a chicken bone. It was the first time I had ever been exposed to "death". It was the first time I ever saw my grandfather cry. I believe I get my love of animals, particularly dogs from him.

Robert W. Warren: young guy holding me-dig that red bow on my head!
Well, to say that my dad was a "playah" is putting it lightly. The man cheated on my mom for years. They finally divorced when I was like 33 yrs old but he's my father it's the law that I love him. I look a lot like him. He's retired from the National Guard & he was a federal employee forever. His penchant for speed came from drag racing cars (illegally in his early 20s) & then drag boat racing in his later years (his early 40s - present). He's a part time drag boat racer & keeps a small farm on the property he grew up on. He is the youngest of three & boy, was he spoiled, I suspect. :P
I have dad's chicken scratch handwriting, feet, & OCD tendencies. He used to check our stove over & over when we were little. (I did the same thing while married. Funny how this stuff comes & goes with stress?) I'll never forget the older mustang he bought for me for my 1st car. The look on my face was enough for him to take it back & get something more conservative! ha!
I didn't inherit my dad's need for speed.
My fondest memories are of him cursing in the middle of the night every Christmas Eve trying to get 3 bikes, 3 barbie houses, 3 Big Wheels, or just 3 of EVERYTHING put together before we were allowed to get up & pretend Santa just delivered them. Dad really should have had 3 boys instead of 3 girls, but nonetheless, we were never deprived of anything. If he didn't give us what we wanted we had two other men (mentioned above) who did. ha!

I know a lot of great fathers out there, some married, some divorced. My hat goes off to all of you who have that "balance" in life that allows you to be the father & man you want to be....

Happy Father's Day you guys!

White Water Rafting

I have only rafted on the Ocoee so I don't have anything to compare it to other than what others have told me. It's not bad at all. It's not like rafting in Colorado or in N. Carolina so I've been told, but it is FUN!

The Upper course is a lot more rough than the Middle. My partner in crime, Hannah, & I went for the first time 2 yrs ago. We had a blast & I screamed my head off. We did the Upper then which has the 1996 Olympic course on it. It was so cool. It's more rocky, more remote, & just loads of fun. The Middle is way more mild. The Middle is one that I would definitely take the kids on provided they are really close to 12 or older. The age limit is 12 but if you have a 10 yr old that could pass for 12 then they will not turn them away.

I've always used Quest Expeditions & never been disappointed. From what the waiter told us in Chattanooga when we got dinner, I think I'll stick with Quest. They supposedly have the best safety record on the river. I think I believe it now after hearing his little story of his last rafting trip.

Tom P. & I met up in the Manchester Walmart at roughly 8:20am. We checked in with Quest just before 11am their time. It takes a mininium 1 hr 30 mins to get there from Manchester's Walmart, fyi. Our bus left at approximatedly 11:15am for our 1/2 day excursion. It rained just a little & much to our surprise the water was not that incredibly cold. It's like bath water in July, Aug, & early Sept. So, for the record, when you've had a couple of 90 degree weeks, June is ok too. Tom took some photos with a waterproof camera. If he sends them to me, I'll post them soon. One in particular should be funny. Some ladies put walmart plastic bags on their heads, tied them, & then put on their helmets so their hair would not get wet. Too funny! It was their first time rafting & I really wanted them in our boat because they looked like fun but they were in another boat. The people in our boat turned out to be nice, though. The guide, "Jo-Jo" or Jordan was good but every guide I've had there has been exceptional.

We found out that Riverfest was going on downtown Chattanooga but didn't go. I was game but someone didn't make plans to have the dogs fed. :P A last minute Sat night into Bonnaroo just wasn't happening even though I suspect we could have got in fairly cheap. I had one too many margaritas in Chattanooga so Tom had to drive us back into Manchester. All in all a FUN day! There will be a full day rafting trip planned for Aug, I assure you. (Tom, you will have to have someone feed the dogs the next time, ok?)

30-30-30

30 mins elliptical
30 mins bike
30 mins walking on treadmill

Before someone else says, "Lisa, you better take it easy on that cracked shin!!)
Yes, I am.....everything is low impact, low resistance, easy pace. :P

Looks like some off n' on rain tonight & tomorrow. Figures!
Hey, we'll already be wet from the Ocoee anyway.

The news just said that the Olsen twins were at Bonaroo.
As long as they alert me when a Manning shows up, then that's ok. :)
Got a pix text of Willie Nelson just now from B.B.
I asked if he appeared to be sober & he said, "Yes, but the pot smell is making me high!"

Japanese coworkers who are with B.B. at Bonaroo.

Organized

Got the "Hairspray" tickets yesterday, printed the theater district map & the seating for the Neil Simon theater. We are 2nd row to the left of the stage. We're so close that we'll be able to smell the hairspray. :)

I printed off the Little Silver train schedule for our trip back into Jersey. I confirmed our room at the Hotel Belleclaire. I touched base with Eddie B. on our "free time" to meet up with him. The tickets to Ellis/Liberty Island have been bought & printed off. The "SATC" tour has been reserved. The 5.5 hr bus tour has been reserved. We are ready, set, go! I'm so organized I can't stand myself!

Afterwork, I cross trained until the cows came home.

1.5 hrs elliptical (slow/low impact but faster than Tues)

AB work

Pilates/Stretching

Light leg & arm weights

Happy 45th B-day to Mr. Colt 45, Chuck H.

We all told Chuck that the fur on the pockets would fall off in the heat but he kept checking back there anyway!
"I ain't sayin' he's a gold digga, but he don't mess with broke. Get down Chuck, go 'head, get down." Kanye must be close by!

Per Chuck's request, I think this pic was taken after he qualified for Boston. (Ha, I think NOT!)

Apple bottom shorts with the fur
Everyone was looking at him
He hit the track
He talk some smack
He got low, low, low, low…….

He had the high top Reeboks with the straps
He gave that big booty a smack
He hit the track
He talk some smack
He got low, low, low, low

Well, you get the idea if you’ve heard the song! Ha!

Picture in mind: Chuck running 400s in track shorts with fur on the pockets in high top Reeboks with a strap. Colt 45 in the water bottle.

My Pool Rant

I try very hard to follow rules & be aware of posted schedules. I printed out the pool schedule for the swimplex, studied it, & I even got another one at the pool last Sat on my first visit. I noted that on the 12th & 26th that they have swim meets so the indoor won't be open to the public. No big deal, I'm not going over there on Tues & Thurs anyway.

On the schedule, they have 5:00-5:45pm Parent-Toddler swim. 6:00pm is water aerobics & then at 7:00pm is lap swim. On Monday, they had 3 lanes open for lap swim when I got there so I jumped in at 5:40pm. The parent-toddlers were in the 1/2 that wasn't roped off. So, no problem. I jogged, did aerobics, then jogged again after aerobics. Today, the pool was busier. Again the parent/toddler was 1/2 the pool with 3 lanes open for lap swim. I quickly changed & noted that the first lane was empty. So, at 5:35pm, I jumped in to do my pre-aerobics jog. 10 mins into it, a lady wearing an orange moo-moo walked over & recited the schedule to me that I have memorized in a tone that I didn't care much for at all.

After she recited the schedule, she said, "You need to let someone know when you get in."
I said, "Are you a life guard?" She was dressed in an orange moo-moo dress for pete's sake. I thought she was someone's mother or grandmother to be perfectly honest.
She said, "Yes, but there isn't one on duty at this time so you need to let someone know you are getting in."
That didn't make sense because the REAL life guards were walking around EVERYWHERE but she walked away & I finished my jog, did aerobics, & then did another 35 mins after aerobics. During aerobics I came to the conclusion that she was a swim coach & the 2nd lane was full of her students.

1st of all, me in pool with an aqua jogger, I suspect I'm pretty dang visible. 2nd of all, when I paid my $3 to get in, I'm sure they took note of me. The lane was empty & if she wanted her swimmer's to use it, I would've been glad to get out. Her swimmers were piled up in the 2nd lane & David S. was using the 3rd lane. I'm fairly certain she said something to him, too.

I had time to think about it & when I left I checked their board again. There was nothing there about the swim team practicing. There's nothing about their practice times on the schedule. NO SIGN UP ANYWHERE that I could see! The lane was open so this was an honest mistake on my part if I invaded her swim team's time. So, I asked the teenager at the front desk when their practice times were so I wouldn't interfere again. He said that they practice every day but he wasn't sure exactly when...well, that sure was a lot of damn help! So, before I left I let him know what she said & that it would be nice if they were on the schedule or had something posted. He apologized. For now on when I see Miss Moo Moo wearing swim coach there, I sure as heck won't get into the pool BEFORE 6pm.

DW Wilson's pool just can't get finished fast enough for me now! At least there when you walk in people know what's going on & will tell you if & when you can use the pool.

Oh yeah, I'm not anonymous anymore. A lady recognized me from my gym & from seeing me out on the road. I explained the deal about my shin. Ugh! I saw a guy running outside on the trail that circles the fields & swimplex. I seriously wanted to cry then...

I'm almost jealous....

(The bus said, "Guitar Hero" on the side of it, btw)

Walmart was surprisingly not a big deal at lunch. I was craving a tuna sub & had to load my gas card (3 cents off with card). For once Walmart had every line open, like they should be during lunch. That's the fastest I've ever checked out during lunch here in Deadchester. ha! I stood in line in Subway with some 20-somethings. They were all getting pretty excited. One guy was from Alaska. He had spent one week in Montana & was here for the festival, obviously. He cracked me up. He opened the paper, took one look at the pic of all the people from a previous festival & said, "Beautiful!" I laughed. I tell ya, I'm almost jealous.....Chris Rock & Kanye West. The hip hop gal in me would love to go this year but the cool white water of the Ocoee is calling my name Saturday. Tom P., you better get here on time! :P

Yep, there it is.....

I'm too sexy for my sleeve, too sexy for my sleeve
So sexy it hurts
And I'm too sexy for Moon Pie too sexy for Moon Pie
CMM and Purity
And I'm too sexy for your marathon
Too sexy for your race
No way I'm disco running
I'm injured you know what I mean
And I do my little turn in the pool
Yeah in the pool on the side of the pool yeah
I do my little turn on the catwalk in the pool
I'm too sexy for the elliptical too sexy for the weights
Too sexy by far
And I'm too sexy for my jogger
Too sexy for my jogger what do you think about that
I'm a model you know what I mean
And I do my little turn in the water
Yeah on the catwalk wearing the jogger
I shake my little touche in the jogger

Right Said Fred says, "Don't be hatin' the sleeve" baby!


1 hr 30 mins elliptical (slowly/low resistance/low incline)
AB work (yoga ball crunches)
light leg weights
Some serious stretching (pilates)

I try never to be a victim of poor planning. :P

Last week I snagged our 2nd row, Orchestra "Hairspray" tickets (June 28th) at the Neil Simon theater.

I booked both our Ellis - Liberty Island tickets (June 30th) & our 5.5 hour party bus tour (June 29th) for NYC today during lunch. I have just about worked out all the logistics thanks to Cheryl. We will be taking a NYC cab ride at least 2-3 times. (I hope we live to tell about it!) :)

I got my calf sleeve today & immediately put it on. It's like a security blanket already. I figure the added support can't hurt. I'm wearing it to the gym tonight.

By the way, these are fabulous!

The anonymous one...with Coffee County Tags

Ok, so it's exactly 30 mins from my work parking lot to the parking lot of the Winchester Swimplex. (Man, I must really want to do water aerobics & aqua jogging BAD!) I'm ok with that. It's only $3, VERY few people, & it's been a nice change so far. Nobody knows me there, which is actually quite a nice change. I was totally anonymous Sat & today. Yes, I'm getting a few odd looks from the older people because I'm in a two piece bathing suit, the jogging contraption, & the fact that I was actually working hard during water aerobics. One lady said, "You are really moving fast." I told her that I came for a good workout. We did have an older gentleman in our class tonight. His wife refused to get in the pool. All in all a good class but it is what you make it & I'm going to make it hard for me. Again, my arms are dead!

I have managed to scrape both big toes on the bottom of the pool while jumping around & jogging. Did you all think I would NOT injure myself in the pool? Come on, this is lisasinjuries.blogspot.com now! ha!

I got in the pool at 5:40pm for 20 mins of aqua jogging. I had sweat coming off my forehead. I was out of breath & at 6pm, I was looking for the water fountain. A very nice life guard gave me a plastic cup of water from the front desk. At 6pm we started water aerobics. It was definitely better than Sat but still not as good as the lady in Tullahoma. I'll have to make sure I tell her that I appreciate her hard-nosed water aerobics class the next time I'm in there.
(Target opening of NEW indoor pool, late Aug/early Sept)

After class I put the aqua jogger back on for another 35-40 mins of jogging. My right, injured shin/calf cramped like a "mutha f". I had to stop & stretch it several times. Ugh, agony!

Needless to say, I feel like I can sleep really well tonight. I wore myself out!

It's that time again....

Bonaroonies everywhere....but by Friday morning, they'll be inside the camp ground. I sure hope there's no deaths this year. The weather usually goes one of two ways; hot dust bowl or rainy, muggy mess. Wed & Thurs will be the most crowded on the local roads.

I usually head to the Cool Country 5 miler this particular weekend because sometimes this falls the same weekend of the CMA festival. That didn't happen this year & neither did the 5 miler. I couldn't have run it anyway. This Saturday, I'll be headed to the Ocoee. I'm excited!!

My age graded award from last year at the Cool Country 5 miler. (sigh) It sits on my desk at work.

Itchy, scratchy, but well hydrated

I got up at the crack of dawn to push mow for 1.5 hrs. (I'm sure the neighbors didn't like it but they're all old & get up early anyway.)
It wasn't 90 degrees yet but I had sweat in my eyes & somehow a stick got lodged in my hair. I had no idea it was there until I got in the shower. I bet I looked goofy out there. There's no telling how long I mowed with it.

Later today, I did the stationary bike slowly for an hour. I stretched & did ab work. My arms & the backs of my thighs were stiff when I woke up & I could feel the stiffness on the bike. Whatever I did in the pool yesterday sure gave me a good work out! :)

I don't know if it was the pool, the mowing, or the fact that someone was burning something but my eyes stayed itchy & scratchy all day. I couldn't get enough water & crystal light lemonade down this weekend but at least I don't feel dehydrated. :)

A Quillen wins a NON-running race?!

Terry Q's son, Cody, rocked Sonic hill in Tullahoma today undefeated ALL DAY LONG. I didn't get there until the afternoon. Everyone was sweltering in the heat. I missed my friend, Ted, he had already left the hill. Tommy was still there & we chit chatted at the top of the hill under the tent where the cars were put on the track to be let go. It's always fun to watch every year with my buddies from DW Wilson. They work HARD putting on this race every June.

I was excited to still see Cody's car was still there. Tommy said he was still ahead in his class. The white car next to the bright yellow is the car that Terry has probably worked his butt off on for a while. As he said in a recent conversation, "We'll get it this year! We know what we're doing." Tommy & I noticed that lane 1 had a little dip in it at the bottom of the hill. They were switching lanes every time they had two cars compete against each other, which made it fair. Personally, I believe the city needs to pave this road.

They had the barrel racer cars for fun. I was so tempted, SO TEMPTED!!!!

Getting ready to head down the hill!!!
I almost missed this shot! And the winner....Cody Q. is going to Akron, OH for the national championship.
The winner is announced & picked up by his VERY happy dad! In all the years I've known T.Q. I don't think I've ever seen him this ecstatic. He's going to Ohio & it won't be for a marathon. :)

Water Aerobics, Aqua jogging, too much sun, & bike stuff

Friday afternoon, I did all kinds of arm weights & a few leg weights, 1 1/2 hrs on the elliptcal (very little resistance/incline), walked 35 mins, & did some ab work. Today, since Carla's pilates (Carlates) was cancelled, I headed to the Swimplex. From 10am-noon, we had the pool.

For $3 I got my money's worth, 1 hr water aerobics, 1 hr aqua jogging, & 1 hr sunning with a good magazine. The water aerobics was shall we say "interesting". I've only done the one class at DW Wilson & I loved it. The lady made you work! This one...not so much....snoring, boring. The gal that was supposed to conduct the class didn't show up. Apparently, they have several life guards who conduct the classes. (Probably a good thing!) A guy who doesn't normally do it started the class by telling us to do certain basic stuff. I almost asked him if I could get out & get my aqua jogger for pete's sake. I will say my arms got a great workout. My arms definitely need a day or two to recover!

It wasn't until I started aqua jogging that my legs got the workout. Oh Lord, I had forgotten just how challenging it really is...the first 15 mins seemed like an eternity. It would help if they had music in there! The inside pool was not busy at all, which was nice. For the most part it was just me & an older lady that hour. The life guard told me that I was wearing her out. I was huffing, puffing, & trying to breath. When I hit the 50+ min time, I took off the jogger belt & kicked off on it for about 5 mins before getting out. When I stood up, I thought my legs were going to go down. I did notice that a couple of times, my feet & my right calf were cramping before I got out. The last 10 mins of the jog, I had to stop once for a few seconds to stretch my calf & feet out. I had forgotten how much sweat comes off my forehead while in the pool doing that. I have no idea how 1 hr of aqua jogging translates over to running 1 hr, but to me.....running 1 hr would seem so much easier than this....seriously. My body was TIRED from fighting the water.

I laid in a pool chair & read for an hour soaking in some sun. I don't believe in the "tan thing" anymore because I don't want to look like the woman from "There's Something about Mary". Remember her? She looked like a dried up piece of leather. I've already done the sun worshipping thing in my 20's/early 30's. I can tan VERY well, but there comes a time where you just don't want to take the chance of seeing the wrinkles or heaven forbid skin cancer. I really try my best to cover up with sunscreen, especially my face. Today, my left arm got more than the rest of me. Weird! Oh well, it will be the darker arm tomorrow.

I headed to Woody's to check out their bikes. They can order me one & it will arrive in 2 days. Apparently, there are several types of bikes, the comfort/casual bike, the road bike, the mountain bike, etc..... I would feel like a dork if I got a "comfort" bike, seriously. Now I just have to weigh out what I will use it for, when I will use it, how much I'm willing to spend, etc... The really nice lady there (can't think of her name) said that if I bought a "comfort" bike & decided to trade it in on a road bike later, they would take it back as a trade in depending on what kind of shape it's in.....pretty cool! I saw a Trek road bike that I really thought looked cool for about $1,300. Yeah, I know, I know.... So, I'm still thinking.... I will not make a decision until I get back from NYC. Whatever I buy, I want to be happy with so I will use it & not feel like a dork. The only event that I can seriously think of that I would like to ride in is the "Eddie George" Tour de Nash that goes on downtown Nashville every May. That would be cool! So, we shall see.....



A sign of the times....or maybe it's a sign to me?

Black Clouds trying to move out.....

Yes, everyone...our email is screwy today at work. Just FYI, if you've sent me something & it's bounced back.

Woman next to me is annoying the crap out of me today. She has like 3 weeks left & I'm sorry to say, I'm not really going to miss her. :(

Asking someone who's got a stress fracture, "What are you running from anyway?" is not cool.
Let's just say I felt like Jackin' them up!

Called my cousin Ben, in Vegas, he had just witnessed Tina Turner rehearse. Too cool!
I HAVE to go see him sometime this year...

Ordered a calf compression sleeve off the internet after reading what "Old Man" blogged & posted on the strider's board. I had no idea what they were called & I need something to add to my arsenal of running injury devices. FYI, my right calf measures 15 inches, which is borderline med/large. (Monster Truck calves!) The bad feeling in my legs at Urban was RED FLAGS waving BIG TIME!

I have devised a "Rehab" plan for the meantime...lots of different stuff.

Incidentally, the doc said that if I had got into NYC's marathon that I could have probably started training in plenty of time, which tells me he was/is looking at me running sometime in Aug. The July 17th X-ray will tell me the actual answer to that speculation.

A woman posted on the strider's board that she was turned down for the 3rd time in a row for the NYC marathon. (I feel bad for her & less bad for myself.) Guess she's automatically in next year, though! :)

Under the flourescent lights.....

...the truth came out.

I have a stress fracture & I was in bad need of a pedicure. So, that's what I did after I left. It didn't help the fracture but my toe toes look so much better. :P

Dr. Steven's was playing with his new machine. It reminded me of google maps where you can zoom in & out. He zoomed in on the peninsula (my shin bone) & focused on the little cul de sac (my tiny little fracture). He said that the bone looked like it was "thickening" in that area & of course the tissue was "puffy". I knew it sure looked it! I'm going back July 17th for another X-ray. (NO Moon Pie, NO Marine Corp 5 miler, NO 4th of July race) I'm not to broken up about it but being told not to do something makes me want to do it. After he gave me the shot in my bursa tissue last Oct (in my hip) on a Thursday, he said to ease back into running in about a week. On Sat, I did the Halloween Hunt 5 miler. This time it's WAY more serious so I will do what I'm told. He's thinking at least 2-3 months. I pray it's not 3 WHOLE months. I'd like to be ready to run again by the end of July, seriously!

So, aqua jogging, aqua aerobics, elliptical trainer, bike, walking (no treadmill, though) weights, pilates....that's my options. I never put the elliptical on a very high incline/high resistance anyway so he's ok with that. It's probably been a long time coming. It's just been very inconsistent, very sporadic pain, & easy to ignore when you are struggling to breathe. This has not been my year so far, I tell ya. It's NEVER been this bad for me. I can remember thinking to myself sometimes, "Man, I'm lucky, I'm not injured." Oh well...add this one to the list.

So, 5:00am, June 21st, I'll try my best not throw Moon Pies at everyone that's running, ok. Here's your damn bib, check it for errors, & have a good race! If you don't turn the chip in, you'll get a kick in the shin.

(I'm KIDDING!!) :)

Ugh, taking a REST day!

"Hairspray"

I just bought tickets for "Hairspray" in the Neil Simon theater for 8pm, June 28th.
2nd row, orchestra level
I'm going to teeze my hair up HIGH, spray it with lots of hairspray, wear high heels (because I need to make this injury worse!), & I'm going to pretend I'm Carrie Bradshaw. :)

Will someone stop by Greer Stadium & let Jeff Fisher know we can't make the charity softball game this year? (it's June 28th also) :(

Self Diagnosis, well sorta....

Believe it or not from Jan '05 until my first 'bout with shin splints Oct '06, I was totally sick & injury free. I ran my fastest 2 marathons during this time at CMM. (4:23 & 4:17) To say I trained well, would be lying but I was injury free. :)

Yes, when I jump there is a dull, mildly uncomfortable pain in the right shin. My right calf stays tight. So, that did not alarm me at all. I've had a very dull, sporadic pain in my right shin ever since Dec. I vaguely remember it while running in San Antonio during the holidays. It wasn't anything to be alarmed about or was it? I have a BAD habit of ignoring pain. Let's see... how many races & how many so called training runs have I done since Dec??? (Cedars 1/2, Tom King 1/2, CMM 1/2.......)

The end of Jan brought about the "OTHER" issue which appears to be gone thanks to sinus flushing. (I think...) Also, I've only taken 1 migraine pill in the last 6 weeks so there's definitely something to sinus flushing. I plan to do it for the rest of my life! ha!

If I have to stop running for 6-8 weeks, of course, that means I'll be volunteering at Moon Pie. No Big deal, I usually volunteer & then run it anyway! I personally think everyone should volunteer at least once a year anyway. Obviously, this means I'll be doing a lot of pool running. Trouble is the local pool is underconstruction. I'll probably have to drive over to Winchester (less crowded than Manchester). When I battled shin splints in both legs back Oct/Nov/Dec of 2006, I bought an Aqua jogger. LOVE IT! I actually got what I believe to be a "runner's high" off of it once. I've loaned it out to a few people when they were injured. I've used it in Tim's Ford lake a few times, too. Now, I'll just have to figure out where I put the dang thing. :)

Now would be a good time to check out bikes. I do NOT want to spend a lot on one but I don't want anything dorky either. When calling MOAB a few weeks ago, they told me that for what I would probably be looking for.....starting price $600. (I expected to hear $1,000). Now may be a good time to explore that idea. I have NO desire to pick up duathlons or triathlons so it would be for cross training & kicking' around on only.

So, there's my answers.....this afternoon, I'll get Dr. Steven's answers.

To say that I'm bummed about not getting in on my 1st try for NYC's marathon is an understatement but most people don't get in on their first try so why should I? There's always next year, the next year, or the next year....4th time you are automatically in, I believe.

June 28th, I'm heading to NYC to party! We've finally chosen "Hairspray" which will be playing at the Neil Simon theater at 8pm on the 28th. "Hello Lova".......here we come......

"No" NYC Marathon for me this year...

....there's always next year, though. :)
NEXT...

Now to find out what the deal is with my shin this afternoon.
Then figure out what I can & can't do by this Fall.

Cousin Ben: When are you coming to Vegas?
Me: Let me see if I get into the NYC marathon first.

Me to sis: Well, looks like I'll come do the San Antonio half with Mark.
Happy 17th Anniversary to you guys.

If a decide to do a full, Memphis might be good.

"Honey, why does that woman keep looking at her shin?"

It was a Wednesday night at the gym...lotsa talking.
Chris & Carla, Jody E., Terri (from Dr. Steven's office), & even Terry Q. walked in to harrass us.
I hope the cameras caught that! ha!

1 hr 5 mins elliptical. (easier than last night)
25 mins bike (slowly)

I'm so preoccupied with the state of my swollen shin, I felt like I was worthless in there.
And of course I'm pretty tired of seeing this message:

The U.S lottery is in progress, please come back to check your status later.

It's after noon in NYC...

I'm embarrassed to tell you all how many times I've punched in my name but it still just says "lottery" by it. June is in....I'm such a geek, I looked for her too. By her name says "accepted". I believe it's her 2nd year trying to get in, right, June? I'm so happy for her that I almost got up & did a "high kick" behind my desk. How exciting! Other than Boston, this is my "dream" marathon. :)

I felt like Nancy Kerrigan today.

The dang right shin looked swollen & a little blue on the front. I made EVERYONE that sits around me look at it. "Yes, Lisa it's definitely swollen." It felt like Jeff Gillooly had hired a hit man to hit my shin with a baton. It's achy & tender to the touch. So, the hypochondriac in me called Dr. Stevens for an appt on Thursday at 2:50pm. (gee, why not just 3pm?) I hope to rule out a stress fracture. At the risk of sounding negative, that's probably next on the long list of injuries. It's been hurting off & on since Dec but not enough to alarm me so I'm guessing the hills recently have made it worse. Come to think of it, there was a monkey on the 11.2 with a baton Saturday or was that Jill because I did have on some pink shorts! ha!
I seriously hope it's just some swollen tissue/shin splint. If so, I'll take about 3-4 days straight off from running & then test it.

Tonight:
1 hr 5 min elliptical (moderately HARD, I was sweating)
free weights arms
some pilates & yoga ball crunches

Hannah & Jeff are finally back. Monday's plane was grounded in Tahiti so they had to take a much later flight bringing them to CA to spend the night there. I can't wait to hear the stories & see pictures. I mean, my gosh, she's started off with pics of her & Jeff Fisher checking in baggage! Excuse me but she's just a little close! ha!

My immediate Japanese boss came back from her long weekend in NYC. She brought me chocolates from Marie Belle. They are handpainted chocolates & fabulous!

Tomorrow........

Lottery Results Coming June 4
The lottery for the ING New York City Marathon will be run on June 4. Results will be posted throughout the day with final results available by 11:59 p.m. on June 4.

5 pages of Tennesseans showed on the website.

Changing my run schedule, I hope....& some reflecting

My goal for the summer is to get to bed earlier & get up at least 2x a week for a morning run. Yeah, I know, I know...I sound lazy but I am NOT a morning person. I purposely set my alarm to go off 20 mins early just so I can lay in bed & listen to the news. After I've heard about all the accidents, shootings, & gas hikes, I check my email & head to the shower. I live 20 mins from work & I'm at work at 7:30am Mon-Thur & 7am on Fridays. I need at least 45 mins to get ready in the morning just so I don't look like a ragamuffin dragging into the office. Something's got to change. I cannot run in 90+ degree heat at 5:30-6pm all summer long. Last Aug, I managed to log about 150 miles. It's a wonder I didn't suffer a heat stroke.


19 years ago ago today, I began a journey that ended in 1999. On that journey I met some GREAT people, three of which I would not trade for anything in this world.


James Quinn of Medina, OH: He was my ex husband's first roomie upon arriving in Germany. (Sweet, quiet, well educated guy) He was a college professor who got bored & wanted to see the world so he joined the Army. He & two other guys that we were friends with over there were like my big brothers. I wish I could find the other two. So, Derek Brown & Barry Frederick, if you stumble upon this blog, leave me your contact info, please. Long story short, my ex saved Quinn's life during the Gulf War. I thought those two would be life long friends after that but turns out after the divorce, I got custody of Quinn, which is perfectly fine with me. I'm the one who gets the Christmas cards every year. He's finally, REALLY happy now. You see a few years ago, he was sitting in church praying & asking God why he didn't have anyone to love him. As he put it, "God, I'm not a bad person. Why is it that the Menendez brothers can find love but I don't seem to deserve it." Well, Betty came along soon after that. Ahh, the power of prayer!


Cheryl Honaker of Brick, NJ: We met at TR Thornton Co. in Belton, TX. Ft. Hood was over 100% capacity & it's a wonder she & I could find jobs at all. We shared an office with an accountant, Jim. (He was hiliarious!) We worked basically customer service. It is a bridal apparel company. They make knock offs of bridesmaid dresses. Oh the stories! Let's just say we survived & if either one of us had to work that job for the rest of our lives, we would have hung ourselves. There were days where we hardly had time to go the bathroom & then there were days that we were so bored the boss encouraged us to bring reading material. We even had a rack of dresses we would try on and prance around the office in....it was too funny. When she left for Germany, I seriously missed her. I'm so glad to still have her as a friend today. She's still married to the same great man she had in TX & has two beautiful girls.


Annmarie Friebe of Philmont, NY: (I hope I spelled her last name right!) Annmarie was probably the ONLY sane coworker I had in Clarksville. We worked for a United Way funded Preschool for underpriviledge children. There were a few that the parents could pay but not many. I had the 2.5 yr old room & Annmarie had the 4 yr olds right next door. She was my saving grace if it had been a bad day. Annmarie had been in a car accident many years before coming to Clarksville. Over the years she had to endure one eye surgery after the other. As a matter of fact she's getting a synthetic cornea a few days before I head to NY at this end of this month. She hopes to join us at some point while we are there. I haven't seen her since 1997. She still has "Sarge" (the dog they adopted while living in Clarksville) & the same Ft. Campbell soldier, Daniel, as her devoted husband. I'm so glad we've kept in touch!

Random Monday Afternoon Thoughts

-Woman at work next to me NEVER remembers to put her cell on vibrate-ANNOYING!
-The bathrooms at Wood's Reservoir were open, thank goodness.
-The women's bathroom was already trashed.
-My achy shin, the heat, & the fact that I left my sunglasses & rag at home forced me stop after 3.25 slow, sweaty miles.
-Chris P. is ALWAYS out on the Mach Tenn course running or riding.
-Shirtless guy with black sweat pants walking near my gym needed a "manzierre"
-When I'm sleep deprived, I'm not nice.
-After 35 mins on the elliptical, I really wanted to get ice cream but I came home instead.
(note to self: freezer is empty. BUY ICE CREAM)

A couple of text mesages n' stuff

I noticed my right shin had the swollen place on it this morning (not surprising). I took some ibuprophen & went on to the MAC to cross train. (my ABs wil be sore tomorrow) I was in there almost 2.5 hrs this afternoon. They have a few machines that I didn't notice the first time I was in there. One of which I never did figure out. They also had an exercise class going on, too. I wish Carla had a Sunday afternoon pilates class at our gym.

1 hr 5 mins elliptical (moderately slow)
20 mins bike (real slow)
yoga ball crunches (made them burn!)
About 20 mins of pilates moves (the stretching felt GOOD!)
free weights on my arms & various arm weight machines
A few light leg weights (machines)

Got a text from Patti telling me she'd call me in exactly 2.5 hrs to talk about "Sex & the City". Apparently, June, Patti, & myself can all identify with the "dark" mexico scenes. I promised myself a long time ago...I won't ever allow myself to get to that point again.
Yeah, the movie made me think of a few "interesting frogs" from my past, too.

-Being told, "You are the best friend I've ever had, but....."
-Getting dumped because his son was getting too close to me.
-Being told that I'm too active for him.
-Being told, "Lisa, you aren't going to get me to run!"
-Meeting the racist who had numerous DUIs
-Being met at my car with a bouquet of flowers by an astronaut...ummm, now where is he now?
-Having my office building buzzed by an Apache helicopter pilot who lied a lot & loved Prince way too much!
-Last but not least..."toescurler". Not a bad guy, just not the one.

The storm startled me around 3-4am! I was NOT happy considering Zorro woke me extra early Sat morning. So much for sleeping in... I did go back to bed later for an hour. I left the place exactly how they left it. I could not find the vacuum, but it wasn't bad anyway. When I got home, I found a post it on my desk that says they'll be back tomorrow. I thought they'd be home today. Zorro should be ok by himself one more day. He sure was fiesty & fit to be tied this weekend. I had just washed out his water bowl & filled it up when I found him in the main bathroom with his head in the toilet. He just looked at me when I yelled like "So, what!" I caught him watching me sleep this morning, too. I like cats but I don't remember my dog, Foxxie, ever doing anything so goofy other than shaking her feet off before coming in out of the rain. I raised her so well! :)


Something to look forward to on TV happens in 67 days!!! Can't wait! :)

Text messaged Eddie this morning to say "hey!" He texted back, "See you soon" in NY. Incredibly nice, sweet, & Cool person! Hey, and he loves the GIANTS, too!

My San Antonio Sis sent me pics of the new pond they built. I'm pretty impressed. Now if they can just keep Toby & Eva out of it this summer....ha!