got to have you

I just got back from a run and started flipping through a Road Runner sports catalogue that was sitting on the counter.  (Who knows how long it has been sitting there because mail just sits on the island and rarely gets opened or trashed in our house, yeah, we are those people).  What did I happen to come across that I now have to have. My beloved Asic Gel Kayano 15's... in PINK!

Hello beautiful!  :)  My husband will kill me if I buy another pair of running shoes though. Especially since I have a perfectly good pair of Brooks on my feet right now and the red pair of kayano's sitting by the door.  I may have to buy them under the radar.  Good thing I'm home all next week and happens to be traveling ;)  

Today's run went exceptionally well.  I wasn't feeling good all day and really lacking any sort of motivation.  Went for an easy 4 since I haven't run since Sunday  (only was able to do cross-training while in Texas).  My easy 4 happened to be at a 8:50 average!!! Haven't seen  an 8 on the screen  in awhile and I have to say it feels good. 

Florida Meetings Day 1

Well I made it to Florida and after nearly 30 hours of no Internet I have been able to connect! After day 1 of meetings (which is still not over) I realize this meeting is going to be worse than I expected. The sponsor team is RUDE and my company team is...interesting...At least the place is gorgeous and Jacob comes down tomorrow. Something to look forward to. Every break I am out the door to sit outside even if it is for only 5 minutes. Plus I was able to get a 3 mile run done on the beach! Wow! I forgot how difficult it is to run on sand. What a serious workout. Much slower pace (9:31 average) but felt like a great workout. Just happy to get outside and not run in pants, long sleeves, and gloves. I wish I could bottle the weather and take it back to Chicago.

For all of you wondering...I did get up early to go for a morning run before I left yesterday even after too much wine :) I may be a lush ;) (yes Bill I do talk about drinking too much wine a lot! Maybe I should work on that) And I am very happy that it got done with very few issues.

Alright I must go attempt prettify myself for the longest dinner EVER. I have 3 more of these dinners after tonight. Rock on. Please let my site coordinators be cool at least. And we have already received the "talk" about drinking too much wine so I will be on my best behavior in front of the client - no worries there folks ;)

Hey There Sweet Thang

The sun crept out today so that meant I absolutely had to go for a run. Its bright rays tricked me into thinking it was warmer than it really was though. Oh 50's and 60's when will you get here already? Except for the chill it was a good lunchtime run on the lakefront. Completely uneventful. I think I may have passed 2 people under the age of 80. Not too many non retired folks making it out there in the afternoon right now. I ran 4.5 miles at just under a 9 min/mile. I like getting my runs done in the afternoon. I feel like that's when I am at my peak. Plus with not many people (bikers, runners, random people walking to/from the fields and parks) or cars it is very relaxing and much easier to get into the groove. Hopefully I can continue to make the time to get out there over lunch more often.

The one thing that ruins a good run is the 1/4 mile walk back to my condo. It's a busy street in not the greatest neighborhood in the city (I swear it's coming around). Why is the men in this neighborhood (1/2 of which do NOT have a job so they have nothing better to do than walk around at 2pm and check out women) need to make some cat call or comment to any chickety with ta tas? I know I'm one hot piece of a** especially after a run but do these guys really think that I am going to be like all "hey baby how about you and me..." Yeah, not so much.

Last Trip (maybe)

Getting ready to leave on what potentially might be the last business trip of this year! I'm not going to get too excited yet because things (such as my manager's prerogative or study time lines) could always change. But as of Weds, Nov 28th at 6:15 I officially have nothing else on the calendar in the way of work travel. wahoo! But my running schedule is all messed up this week because of this short trip. I'm trying not to get too stressed about everything being all mixed up/fitting everything in for the week. Just before lunch today I was able to get in the "easy" 7 miles I had on the schedule. They didn't feel so easy but I maintained a decent pace. I wasn't really looking at the watch too much...just didn't have the energy to lift my arm to look at it. It was one of those runs that I just wasn't really feeling it but I wanted to get it done. It lacked all excitement and enjoyment. Lately that has been happening. I am sure it is both a combination of general burnout from this long training schedule and my poor food choices. I am trying to get back on track with the food this week - I even packed my own dinner to take on the plane (okay there maybe a cookie in with the apple and turkey sandwich). Hopefully that will make the difference in a couple of weeks...

Crappy weekend run and such

Great weekend with the exception of the working out / running. After such an amazing run Thursday I followed it up with the crappiest long run Saturday morning. It took everything to get through that run. First, I dressed to warmly and wore the completely wrong shirt. I tried new fuel and it was disgusting. My feet felt like cement blocks and legs like there were sand bags attached. But I finished.

Saturday night friends of ours from Denver who were in town visiting family and came to the city to hang out. For the first time in over year the whole group got together. Had a delicious dinner, good stories, lots of champagne and wine. Lots. My friend Janice kept saying "have another glass its my birthday". How could I not oblige the birthday girl?!? So there was no workout on Sunday. Yeah I won't be doing that again any time soon :) I'm on my best behavior until Dec 9th.

A great run and random 5

Last night I had a great run. I was ecstatic when I got home. Jacob (the sort of runner) didn't really get it. Yesterday was cold, like high of 37 degrees cold. I didn't get out for the run into 4:30 so it was dark and cold. No way was I taking the 7 miles easy. I didn't want to be in the cold any longer than I had to be. I upped the effort to where I pushed myself but knew I could still maintain the pace. Even with my stupid water bottle belt that wouldn't stay put I completed the run in under 63 minutes. That's averaging less than a 9 minute mile for 7 miles. That's awesome for me. I haven't done that since, well, it's been a long time. Even when I felt like I had slowed down I continued to run the same or faster miles.

And about my travel schedule. I do travel a lot. I can't do my job of reviewing data unless I am actually at the doctors office, hospital, clinic, etc where the subjects (patients) are seen. I have been doing this for 6 years on Dec 3rd (crazy). Over the years I learned how to make the workout fit in the schedule or otherwise I would become the chunky monkey I once was not too long ago. Sometimes it doesn't happen b/c seriously I hate waking up early or I'm just too tired from traveling for 89348730 hours. And eating is the most difficult because you eat out all three meals and there aren't that many healthy options. A girl can only eat Subway so many times for lunch over 6 years. I just try to eat less of whatever sounds good on the menu. And sometimes I don't so then I run/elliptical/bike/sit-up/push-up extra longer. It's a constant battle. And I've gained weight since I first started. At least it's nothing compared to what I used to be. I am looking forward to the day I am going to be home 90% of the time rather than the road 90% of the time.

Alright I was tagged a couple days ago by Amanda. Ever since I have been thinking about 5 random things about me...so here we go.

1) I am named after a Canadian waitress. My parents traveled to Niagara Falls while my mother was pregnant with me and had a waitress they liked named Jamie at some random restaurant. I was the only girl Jamie growing up. Plus that show Small Wonder (where the sister was a robot) the brother's name was Jamie. So I thought I had a boy's name and I hated it. I don't mind so much now :)

2) I auditioned for a Nike girls basketball commercial when I was a freshman in college. I got called back but my bad foot (I broke a bone in my foot that was later removed) prevented me from getting the part. I felt bad about it (definitely could have used the money!) until I saw the commercial and realized it sucked. There was supposed to be a series of commercials it didn't get past 2.

3) I love going to the movies. I'll see nearly anything once and I save all my ticket stubs. One day I'll do something crafty with them or pay someone who is crafty to figure it out.

4) I have an obsession with not smelling; therefore I have 6 different deodorants in the bathroom. Plus, I have one in my work bag and one in the car glove compartment. You just never know...

5) I have the mouth of a trucker. I love to curse. I know it's not lady-like but sometimes it is completely necessary.

traveling fool

Sitting here chilling in my sweet hotel room watching The Biggest Loser. Okay, it's not a sweet hotel room; just the same old Hampton Inn I always stay in Atlanta. But a girl can dream. Watching the biggest loser is making me feel guilty about my meal choices today, especially dinner.

Work is crazy right now. I am a traveling fool until Nov 28th. In Atlanta this week, Pembroke Pines, FL next week, then back to Atlanta. Then December is mine to catch up on everything I couldn't do the rest of the year! No traveling! Well unless you count the marathon and going home for Christmas. If I travel because I want to it doesn't count.

The schedule has me on an "easy" week. Monday I ran 5 miles on the treadmill. The last mile I did hill repeats. Decided just to throw those in and they seriously kicked my butt! Definitely going to be working on that more often. Then I ran the stairs back up to the hotel room. Overall a good workout. Today I moved up my workout that was supposed to be for tomorrow because of what else but travel. It was supposed to be 7 miles but I did 6 miles on the treadmill. I'll probably make up that mile running outside on Saturday.

long day but a good run

I feel like it is much later in the week than Tuesday. Yesterday was a long day. Had the alarm set for 4 am to catch my 6:45 am flight. ugh. I had Monday's with early flights. Jacob and I had the debate if it is better to travel on Sunday versus waking up nearly 3 hours before the sunrise to fly the same day. I say no. And here is my reasoning - you take a 5pm flight to get you into Florida by 7:30pm. I would have to leave my house by 3pm to catch the flight and of course I didn't pack on a Saturday night so my day would be over at 1pm while I try to catch up on work I need to take with me, packing, and general getting ready to go. Your Sunday is then ruined. I complain about 4 am but it is a heck of a lot better than losing a Sunday to work travel. Now if I was headed to a beach...ah, for another day I suppose.

Anyways, woke up at 4am finally made it to the site around noon and left for the hotel around 5pm. I quickly changed to run a planned 5-7 mile easy treadmill run. The schedule called for 7 miles but I was tired! Some lady was walking on the mill so no dice. I stay in Hampton Inn's and there is only ever one treadmill if I'm lucky. I decided to go back upstairs and grab my phone, debit card, and ID (after marathon 1 I'll never leave home without some form of identification now!) and head outside. Now, I have traveled here several times and never ventured outside usually due to the extreme heat but the only path I know of is a concrete sidewalk. Yesterday was humid but not unbearable. I told myself I would go for as long as I could but no pressure. Then as I turned onto the main road I hit the headwind. A little over 2 miles I came to a gas station - Thank God! I got some water and stretched my calves. Very close to having a nasty charlie horse. That would not have been good. The run back went smoothly and I felt strong. I know the tailwind helped! I am not sure on time (left the running watch at home) or distance (maybe short of 5 miles).

No workout today because I am headed home. I have a local visit tomorrow (which should be interesting) then speed work is on the schedule. And it is Halloween so that means Jacob and I are headed out for our annual dinner at a haunted bar (the Red Lion). We have never seen the ghost but the costumes are always entertaining and the fish and chips are excellent!

Waiting on others

Sitting here waiting on other's to get through their work so I can finish mine. Another report coming stating "CRA did not complete____ due to time constraints" when it is so not my fault. Moving at a snail's pace. Normally I wouldn't care but tight deadlines are coming and I would rather get it done now before the craziness is in full force. They don't seem to be too concerned. I try to explain it needs to get done and why it needs to get done. Again, no one seems to concerned.

I'm traveling home this evening so no workout for me today. I was able to complete 6 miles on the treadmill yesterday. It was meant to be a tempo workout of 6 miles with 4 miles @ 8:40. I am still trying to recuperate and lost a lot of my endurance (more than I realized!) so I did a mile warm-up, 1 mile at 8:50 pace, 1 mile 9:20, 1.5 miles at 8:50, 0.5 miles at 9:20, 1 mile cool-down. Not bad.

There happen to be a few races this weekend occurring where my long runs take place so now I'm worried when I'll get the run done. I am a creature of habit and don't like to alter my long run course too much, especially when all the mile markers are nicely displayed and water fountains are still running. We'll see maybe I can maneuver around the races somehow. I wanted to join in the Trick or Treat 5k or 10k but Jacob says I'm not allowed - too much too soon. He thinks I'll push too hard and hurt myself again. I think he is crazy but don't want to race with no support. I still have time to change his mind :)