Winning, Not Winning

Looks like I found a pacer for the Rocky Raccoon.  Never met him but he is apparently from the area, is familiar with the trails we'll be running and upon inspection of his FB page runs a ton completed a full iron man this year and loves beer.  I am so pumped he offered to pace.  My day was really looking up then I went grocery shopping and they were completely out of Boulevard Nutcracker Ale.  You win some you lose some.

Started my Christmas shopping today got about half way through it all.  Switched gears for the afternoon getting out in the warm 30˚ overcast weather for 22 miles.  Saw a few bikers and one other runner while I was out.  Two miles from being finished I decided to walk for a moment and take some pics of all the geese and deer but my phone died as soon as I snapped one pic.  No music for the last two miles but made it through without my jams.

Half way through my run I snacked on a gingerbread cliff bar.  So freaking delicious or I was starving and 11 miles from my car, either way.  Later this evening Gretchen wanted to make gingerbread men cookies so I bought a mix and we made some.  So not good at all.  Should of bought more cliff bars and cut men out of them.

This evening I got an email saying I had been accepted as a Nuun ambassador for 2015.  Nuun is my sports drink of choice already so this is exciting for me.  It is a 7 calorie electrolyte enhanced drink tabs that dissolve in your water bottle.  No sugar or sugar substitutes and so tasty.  The energy flavors are caffeinated.

Flavors currently in my cabinet. 

Long Run

Ran to the start of the trail on my 22 mile long run last week.  It was in the mid 30's, not to bad.  They have new mile markers every 2/10ths of a mile now with exact location information on them now.  Now when someone wants to murder me I can ask them to hold off till I can make a call and give the 911 operator my exact location.

This Thursday my official long run day I started off with an hour of piyo in the morning.  When your piyo instructor shows up at your Christmas party you kinda have to start showing up at her class again.  It's a great class I just was lazy and missed last week.  Class was great other than I don't know how I feel about the free style sun salutations.  I prefer just being told what to do.  After I went home napped then finally got out to run after 1.  Only saw 2 cyclist the whole time I was out.  Ran 20 miles went home showered put on a clean running outfit and immediately drove out to run another 4-5ish miles with the BAR group.  Does it make sense to shower just to go out and run again?  I have no idea but it feels right.

Only have 155.5 miles left to hit 2000 for the year.  With just short of 3 weeks left it seems like no big deal since I should be running over 50 every week anyway.  

Ways To Save With The Good Stuff

Christmas is not really my favorite time of the year just more to do and money to spend but in an effort not to be a total scrooge this year I bought Gretchen a Christmas tree.  She was really excited about it.  I let her start the decorating but then helped even things out.

A fun way to save on decorations is to make them yourself.  Here are some that I made in past years at Christmas.

A pinecone wreath made by painting pinecones and glueing them onto a plain wreath.

Ornaments made wrapping strips of pretty elastics around strofoam balls and knotting the ends.

Ornaments made by cutting the shape out of stiffened felt then decorated with glitter and ric rac.

Ornaments made by cutting hearts out of cardboard and glueing craft feathers to cover.

Coupons.com web magazine The Good Stuff is featuring gift guides to help you find gifts for everyone on your list.  They have budget friendly gifts, gifts for enthusiasts and hostess gifts.  Along with the gift guides Coupons.com is throwing The Good Stuff 2014 Holiday Sweepstakes where they are picking one $100 winner a week till Christmas and one $500 grand prize winner.

I Ran Now Give Me Pie

Had a really solid 20 mile run Thanksgiving morning.  I was not looking forward to it and not sure how it would go seeing how it was a super warm 25˚ out.  I was starting out at my parents house and planned to run to my sister's house in Warrensburg, exactly 10 miles away.  

About 5 miles out I decided I wouldn't turn around and texted my sister on my ETA at her house.  Then took a couple of pictures.  The whole run was a lot more pleasant than I pictured it being. Even though it was below freezing out there was really no wind.  I had dressed well for the run and did take a 30 minute break at my sister's house to dry out my sweaty clothes(gross I know).  She had water and saltines with peanut butter which was perfect snack for running the 10 miles back to my parents house.  The run back went by fast and I was starving when I reached my parents house.  Worked out perfectly since there was a Thanksgiving dinner to eat.

Got mentioned in the December issue of Ultra Running magazine.  A magazine no one has ever heard of but it exists.  It was a race report on the Hawk in September.  

Finished last week with 52 miles and the week before with 51 all ok but need to beef it up with only 6 weeks left of training till taper for the Rocky Raccoon.  Weather guys are says temps and conditions look to be pretty mild for the first half of December so I'm hopping.  Decent temps would make training so much easier and pleasant.