But doing it anyway. What can I say? Jeanne and Nod are awesome! So awesome, in fact, I want to adopt them and force them to live with me forever and ever.
It would have been nice if we had a little bit of sunshine and the weather was warmer, but it didn’t interfere too much with our weekend plans: shop, shop, shop, eat, drink, shop, hot tub, eat, drink, drink, drink, sleep, shop. Repeat x 3.
Throw in an icy half-marathon, a makeover, teaching Ms. Not Born to Run how to wear a bra Texan Style, an obligatory Starbucks rescue or ten, and you’ll have our weekend. Full and Fun!
In preparations for the upcoming visit of the infamous Ms. Not Born to Run and Nod, I decided I better actually run and have some fun. And who else better to practice those skills with than my funner, runner and wine sipper friend/Martini Twin, Michelle! Saturday, we ran 13 miles in the rain – and in the rain, I created my new # 2 motto: If you gonna run, run fun!* It’s hard to argue with that kind of brilliance. (Well, unless you’re at mile 17 of a marathon and your quads are on fire, but I totally plan to change that this year.)
We petted zebras and kissed horses and finished in 2 hours and 17 minutes (we won’t mention anything about the auto pause feature on our Gamins during our petting zoo break) and beat our virtual partner by 2 minutes!
We finished soaking wet and with smiles on our faces.
Hello Internet People, I promised more blog and so I must provide; even if it is boring, I am a woman of my word. (How’s that for fancy? Two commas and a semicolon. Although I have no clue if they are correct.)
This past weekend my friends Marta and Milka came to town for a visit, which is always fun – but it’s especially fun when Marta inspires you to get off your ass and run – and so we ran a whole 7 miles – in the really, really, really cold weather. But not as really, really cold as it has been. I have a half marathon in less than two weeks and I’m only up to seven miles. (Don’t tell Jeanne!)
On that first 7 mile run in I count how many days, I was also able to try out my new kicks, a pair of Nike Free’s I ordered off eBay. They felt very strange on the first run – but I bet I need more than one run to get a final verdict – so, I guess I should get to it and start moving. But so far, way better than the Newtons.
Onto swimming. It is improving – with emphasis on the ING. I’m still the slowest in the C (read: last and slowest) group, but my form is getting better – or so the instructor says. I can now successfully swim 10 lengths of the pool without stopping or drowning. It’s the small miracles we are thankful for, IPs. The small ones.
Today, I must get a run in. I must. I missed swim yesterday because of my sinus infection, but I’m feeling a little better today and the temperature is in the 50s, so I need to get out before the rain sets in for a steady 3-day downpour.
Not much else going on, but this is more than 140 characters, so I think I’m meeting the quota.
2009: I refer to it as the year micro-blogging took over the world. I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook and Twitter, I love the instant gratification and yet it’s the fast food of blogging. And in 2009, I ate the fast food and didn’t give very good blog. I also had a love-hate and an I’m-sick-of-being-injured affair with running – I only ran 297.77 miles for the entire year. I can’t remember a year when I ran so few – I only raced one half-marathon and only a handful of 5ks.
2009 wasn’t totally bad, let’s recap the Runner Susany goodness:
I meet my friend, Michelle, and we’ve been inseparable ever since – and so was born the Martini Twins. She came into my life at the perfect time, and I’m grateful for her friendship and the fun she brings into my life.
I learned how to ride my bike. I learned how to ride my bike on the ROLLERS. I learned how to ride my bike on the rollers and in the closet. I still impress myself with this feat. Who doesn’t miss the roller videos or the paper plates?
I participated in my first bike rally and triathlon and I discovered the transition to the dark side isn’t as dark as I thought it would be – well, except for the swimming part – it still continues to be a dark abyss.
The Chef and I had the most fabulous and romantic vacation in Napa where the Chef and I also got to meet and ride with two of my favorite people, Pamela and Juls. I look forward to seeing them again this year.
I was also fortunate enough to have my SECOND meet up with the Toasts. How many of you can say that? Just consider me special.
Somewhere in 2009 my baby turned into a gorgeous teenager. She continually amazes me, I’m so proud to be her mother – and yet, terrified to have a gorgeous teenage daughter. Where’s my big stick?
I had a last minute meet up with my high school friend, Rachel, and her family before Christmas, it was a wonderful surprise to see them.
Celebrated the new year a little early with my Chef in New Orleans! Anything goes there, Internet People. Anything.
I was still in my 30s. I turn 40 in 2010 and if I recall, when I was Kenza’s age I thought turning forty meant that dropping dead at any moment was an appropriate thing to do. Is it too late for me to change my mind? But wow, 40.
So far, 2010 is predicting to be my best year for running yet. Next weekend my friend, Marta, and I are going to run the Jiggle Butt 5k with my friends Cindy and Deana and at the end of this month my blog buddy, Jeanne of Not Born To Run fame, is coming to Dallas and we’ll run our first half-marathon of the year together. I’m so excited to meet her! So January 2010 already beats 2009. Go me!
And since we are speaking of Ms. Not Born to Run (who really can and does run), you’ll never believe this – guess who called me a few weeks ago? Called me on the phone – the. real. live. phone.
Play with me for a moment.
“Ring, ring – hello.”
“Hi Susan, my name is cchrzzz mczzzdozzzl from buzzzss to runz” (Static)
“Huh, I’m sorry did you say not born to run, is this Jeanne? are you calling about your trip? I think our connection is bad” (Jeanne sounds awfully manly?)
“Let me call yozzzzz baczzz from my offfizzz.”
“Ring, ring – hello.”
“Hi Susan, This is Chris McDougall, You might have heard of my book Born to Run. I’m looking for someone to design a web site for me.”
“Uhhhh, holy crap, YES I KNOW YOUR BOOK. You are the most famous runner dude in the entire world and I’m talking to you on my cell phone!!!!! I will make you the best web site EVER!”
Okay, so maybe that last part didn’t really happen like that, but you get the idea: Mr. Born to Run, Christopher McDougall, called me on the phone and SRA and I are making him a web site. The world’s greatest web site, too.
I know what you’re thinking “Wow, Runner Susan, you’re famous if Chris McDougall is reading your blog!” I wish, but sadly no, he was a referral from another really cool site we did, and if I were Fisher Susan, I’d be all excited too. But we can all pretend I’m famous by association – because I’m making Christopher McDougall a spanktacular new web site. Did I mention that already? ChrisMcDougall.com – it’s still a work in progress, but what do you think? Now go and buy his book.
His book is changing the way I think about running, and working with him on his site is a huge inspiration. And don’t for a second think RS hasn’t taken full advantage of the situation by probing Mr. Born to Run with every question possible about running – and he’s been super nice to answer them all. I have every intention to make 2010 my best year for running yet! And you know what? I’m born to run. How about that? Living proof:
Running more isn’t my only goal in 2010:
I’d like to complete a 1/2 Ironman
PR in a marathon or two
PR in a half marathon
Run 1000 miles over the year
Swim like I am not going to die the moment I touch water
Be happy with my body weight
Have more fun
Be a more forgiving person
Meet new friends
Be the best wife I can be
Be the best friend I can be
Be the best mother I can be
Cook food that tastes like food
Blog like I mean it,
and if I could own a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, my life would be complete (just don’t tell Christopher).
There you have it, Internet People – it’s been one crazy year and I look forward to another with you in 2010. Here are a few pictures from 2009, which you’ve probably already seen, but here for your viewing entertainment in case you have 3 minutes and 46 seconds to waste.