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Okay Cubbies I love you but seriously losing the first game in crap play and giving up 5 runs in the 2nd inning of the 2nd game...really??? It's hard to be a Cubs fan. It hurts..

On to other news. I am in Ohio visiting the family - Fred (my dad) is having a clambake. It was supposed to be for my new husband and I but now that my stepmother has been diagnosed with breast cancer and has chosen to have a mastectomy (due to family history) later this month it is more a party for them. Regardless, it will be fun but none of my friends could make it so it should be interesting! I'll have pictures and plenty of stories by Sunday :) Always good drunk Fred stories :) Hopefully I will get a run or two in this weekend but we will see.

It being breast cancer awareness month - Ladies my step mom had countless mammograms due to the family history but found it in a self exam. Be sure to do you self exams and go for regular check ups. Hopefully MRIs will be covered by insurance soon! I can say my race schedule will include more races for breast cancer awareness for sure. And my stepmom is passionate about getting insurance companies to recognize that mammograms are not enough.

Returning to the Smelly Gym

Since it turned out to be a rainy and cool day I decided I needed to get my butt to the gym and actually put the membership fees to some use. It has been months since I have been there; once summer hits I never want to be cooped up in a sweaty/smelly place and I have a some small weights at home. Can't say much has changed...it still smells. It being first time I have touched weights in months I took it easier. Definitely not in the shape/weight when I stopped going but surprisingly not too bad. I'm actually looking forward to making a habit out of this again :) Although I may not be saying that once the weather takes a real turn for the worse and there's *gasp* snow on the ground!

In other running related news - I signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15k. Really how could I not? There is no real training plan in effect just yet (I might want to get on that) but honestly mr. garmin hasn't come out of his sanctuary just yet so until I have enough courage to ask him out again there probably won't be a plan. I'm hoping to work up the courage next week once I get back from visiting my family in Ohio.

For all you Cub Fans

A New Race

So I just found ou there is the one and only 15k course in Chicago - Nov 2nd. The hot chocolate run. Since it is the only 15k I may have to excuse the Halloween run for that day... just for the chocolate. Well and the fact the start race is less than a mile from my house even though the start is 7am on a November morning. If I sign up now I get a free fleece and hat!!! Tell me why I should OR should not run. The first item I could give you all - I'm not in shape AT ALL!!!

Attempt 2

Thanks to the fantastic weather we are having and the fact I left work a bit early I was able to run last night. Not far mind you but at least I got out there. My hammies were still hurting from my first attempt last Friday which almost made me stop after the first 1/4 mile. I noticed the extra weight a bit more and the legs were still sore but overall a better run. I know it will get easier it just really sucks right now knowing where I was at before I took an extended break. I'm kicking around the idea of a 10k next month but we will have to see how crazy my upcoming work travel becomes and if I can get back to my former conditioning level!

Random thing I saw on my run yesterday - a 80 year old man on a cool new skateboard with the sunglasses that all older people wear b/c they cover the entire face; however these glasses were the mirrored kind so they added a bit of "coolness" to the overall look. I love Chicago sites :)

Otherwise I have no news! Very, very bored now that I don't have a wedding to plan and general life craziness to freak out about anymore!

Post wedding run round 1

Tonight was my first night back...to running. OMG. It hurt so bad. I think of everything now as pre-wedding and post-wedding. 5 weeks pre-wedding I didn't run . I didn't do anything; however, I was so stressed I could eat whatever I wanted and lose weight. It was fantastic. I want to plan weddings forever now :) Now post wedding I continue to eat whatever I want but now I have a "bit" of a belly. It hangs over the jeans - yuck. Not so good. Plus, I have just been craving a run. I wanted it so bad and I finally managed to come out of my post wedding funk and change into running clothes and run. It wasn't pretty and it didn't last long ;) but I ran and well it didn't feel good. My knees hurt, everything jiggled but I am motivated to keep with it and get back to where I was pre-wedding. Next is to find my next race because I need some motivation.

Bula (hello in Fiji)

Bula!!! Hey all! I'm back from Fiji. Well I was back a couple days ago but I am still not acclimated to the time change! So exhausted during the days and wide awake at midnight! 17 hour time change can be a mess! Such long travel days there and back and next time I will so get a flight straight from LA to Fiji but Oh my goodness I wish I could have had 2 more days or maybe just never have returned. It was AMAZING. So incredibly relaxing. We didn't see a ton of regular Fiji unfortunately it was a lot of touristy Fiji. Honestly, I don't care. My whole point was to relax and be chill for this first time in nearly 2 years. And I have to say mission accomplished. I loved Fiji!!! I have to say their mixed drinks sucked so I have total beer bloat. We drank a lot of Fijian beer (I love Fiji Gold) and Australian/New Zealand red wine. There were nearly no Americans and I saw 3 of the 330 Fijian islands but my goal is to return in the next 5-10 years. I am not a morning person but was up by 7am everyday and in bed before 10pm. Hahaha. It was great! I am so sad work starts again on Monday. I am thinking of going rogue and returning to be an island bum. oh the life! We has some delicious curry and who knew I even loved curry - It was fabulous! I just can't say enough, the people are wonderful and it is so beautiful. Go if you have the change and don't question the cost! It is so worth it :)

Instead of attaching all the incredible pics I'll take you to the link. We took over 100 pics if you want to check them out ;) It's the same link as some of my wedding pics (still no professional pictures) but just go to the Fiji set.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamieandjacob