Weekly Recap & Pairings

Heyyyyyyyyy!  How are youuuuu?  I hope your (last) week went very well -- it seems like several of us blogging--runners are in a rut with running, blogging, or both.  *Group hug* because for real, we're all in this together.  I'm hoping to read some great news from y'all today, and if not, I'll read as a *listener* (sometimes that's all we need -- someone to just listen).

Last week went pretty well for me.  I'm not sure if that 10K got the stick out of my butt, but I had a solid training week.  Windy had a wonderful week, too, in smashing her weekly mileage PR!

Monday started off with a solo spin with heavy climbs.

And it was finally cold enough for me to open up my hot chocolate drawer at school!  Work husband and I enjoyed a cup during our prep -----> perfect.

RANDOM but AWESOME pairing:

Tuesday morning brought on a rainy, cold run with Windy.  3.17 soppy miles, and Windy didn't even mind getting all wet.

Another awesome pairing:

Wednesday was another Windy run.

Thursdays are my rest day, and thus, are all about the giggles.

Friday was finally here, which left Windy and I with another 5K.

It was also our Halloween fun fair at my school!  Specials Teachers (me on the left, work husband in the middle [he's 6.5], and our Art Teacher on the right) stick together on things like this:  We were Rock, Paper, Scissors this year.  For some reason, I thought that scissors should look angry and raw!

Windy and I got up early to rock out a four-miler.  It was so crisp and beautiful out, and I believe I spied a few snowflakes.

Harry cheered me on from home. <3

My second job = a sports administrator for my school district, so I get to go to all of the fun things on the weekends, such as our City Championships for Cross-Country.

Most of these days include a lunch I can eat right out of the box, and Starbucks doesn't disappoint.

We had Sophs this weekend (though we didn't go ANYWHERE -- Harry was feeling crummy, I felt pretty cold, and I think Sophs just felt like being lazy), but we kept with tradition =

Hot chocolate + "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".  I felt like expressing my true feelings for Lucy by way of Snapchat.

Sunday morning was to bring my longest run in quite a while, and finish out my biggest weekly mileage week in over a year.  I figured that this called for a totally new playlist.

So much Olafur Arnalds.  He's my music bae.<3

It was cold and sunny outside, and the new running tunes did their job!  Feeling motivated and strong after I finished, I celebrated (after taking a looooong, hot shower) by taking two naps over the course of four hours.

What do you think we should pair with this?  A tasty stout?  Steamed milk?  Double up with hot cocoa?

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Weekly Workout Recap!
Monday - 45 minutes spin, with jumps, hills, sprints, and jogging out of the saddle.
Tuesday - 3.17 miles with Windy
Wednesday - 3.1 miles with Windy
Thursday - REST
Friday - 3.1 miles with Windy
Saturday - 4.1 miles with Windy
Sunday - 7.53 miles

TOTAL:  21.01 miles
WINDY MILES:  13.48

Really the only thing that was missing was a Yoga sesh, to which I will definitely make time for this week.:)
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What were your miles like this week?  


Is it cool or cold where you live?


Let's get real and talk about food:  FAVORITE kind of cookie?!

It was time to grow up.

HI, GUYS!  I'm so excited to *SEE* you today!  Tell me how your week has been, please...but first, some random ramblings of me Thinking Out Loud...

1.  HOT CHOCOLATE STREAK from Tuesday afternoon.  If I don't post about it, then it didn't happen.

2.  Also?  After years of having to mooch off Harry's Aunt to go to Costco, Harry and I figured it was time to grow up and get our own account.  Buying a brand new car recently didn't make me feel nearly as much of an adult as getting a membership at Costco.  What's up with that?

3.  I grabbed some yummy stuff for the week.  I totally cheated on my Amy's burritos, and it was worth it.  These are yummmm-o.

And this quinoa + brown rice mix has been my fave for a while.  I found a box of it at the Costco for way less than I usually pay at the grocery store.

3.  (It deserved its own number.)  AND MY FAVORITE THING FROM COSTCO!
(Until we buy the two packs of huge Nutella jars.)

4.  In other news, if I tell you that I'm going to get your a present (in this case, a growler of beer from our friend's brewery), I always make sure I get it to you safely.  

5.  HOT CHOCOLATE STREAK PHOTO from yesterday!  

6.  Clearly, no matter how much I adult, it's still a struggle.



7.  Something that made my day yesterday was getting out my cold running gear.  Going to the track with the gang is still pretty important to me.  Walking around the track several times, fighting the urge to trot next to them (or even for a few meters) is part of my process.

8.  And it's a darn good thing I got out some of that gear and threw on two layers, too!  The wind was FIERCE!

 8.  Look at me go!

At a blazing 2.3 mph.:)  Oh, I did 3/4 of a mile last nigh --- NO DAS BOOT!

9.  We went out for a brew, then came home, and this is where I stood.  For ten minutes.

10.  I know that Suz will NOT be happy about this, but I cannot get enough of the white stuff!  

Happy Friday Eve, y'all!

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Do you enjoy cold (THIS COLD) weather?


Tell me one song on your running mix, iPod/Phone/etc. that gets you REALLY pumped while working out or running.


PLANS THIS WEEKEND?  

It was the right thing to do, and my THEME SONGS*

Yesterday was mine and Harry's anniversary!  We're going to celebrate for real this Friday, but as for yesterday, Harry wore the shirt I got for him last year.  Thanks, Oiselle, for making things for Grooms.:)  He wore this same shirt last year doing a treadmill workout the morning of our wedding.

While Harry was out, Sophs and I got to work on a "No Boys Allowed" fort.  We pretty much dominated the front room.

After Harry got back from his run, I hit up the trails with Lola for a 60-minute (+ 5 minutes) ride.

It was about 91*F when I head out, and it was either going to a forest preserve or the Lakefront (no shade).  I opted for the shady ride, and did NOT leave the house without a bottle full of Nuun Active. I'll do anything to avoid the bonk on the bike.

I got a picture of this deer's booty for you while cycling.  I'm soooooooooo talented.

I immediately picked up Harry and Sophia to get our free Slurpees from 7-Eleven >>>>> CELEBRATION SLURPEES!  The Slurpees at our local 7-Eleven had workers on the Slurpee machine handing them out.  Forget getting any other size today, haha.  I got SUPER LUCKY -- the camp kids were heading over from the park after hitting the pool, and Sophia says there were ~130 of them walked in right after I got my Slurpee.  Man, oh man.

Ah.  That's how we celebrate.

Back to dominating the front room.  It was the right thing to do.

Harry has classes Monday (and Wednesday) evenings, so while he was off, Sophs and I treated ourselves to our favorite meatball subs with the best home fries you'll ever taste.  They don't photograph well, but they are delishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

The rest of our evening = Watching "Friends".  Sophs absolutely loves it, and I don't ever mind watching it.  In fact, I could watch it forever and ever.
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Marcia, MCM Mama Runs, and My No-Guilt Life would like to know...

You know, I couldn't possibly choose just one.  I have several songs that I have Easter-egged throughout my playlist (I make sure to spread them out)

Most of the songs that make me go-go-go are mostly upbeat in tempo and in spirit.  Some of them have that competitive sound to them, and others are put on my playlist to make me really enjoy the moment, even provoke tears...;)  This is my half marathon playlist --- I have a few this year that I'll be rocking it to!

FYI:  "Let It Go" is an absolute MUST.  I hopped on that guilty pleasure train late, and I'm still on it, chooo choooooooo.

I just figured it'd be way more fun to make a list for you, rather than throw out one hour and forty-four minutes of melodic fury by the way of YouTube vids.;)  Some of those toward the end are the ones that will BRING.IT.HOME for me!  Do you put your best music toward the end of your playlists, too?

Thanks for the link-up, ladies!
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Are you injured right now?  With what?


Did you get your free Slurpee yesterday?  


Were/Are you a "Friends" fan?

Ups and Down, #WIAW, and *Brain Hug*

Three words:  Freshly-------> fallen ------->  snow.

I wish it could snow at warmer temps, although this morning wasn't terrible.  I nearly ripped off my gloves halfway through it.  One thing is for sure:  Snow is sooooooo pretty.  And the crunching noise it makes when you run on it makes my heart smile.

Erm, hello.  Creeptastic.  It was only a short run, and I seriously thought about going another mile.  I then started thinking about all of the work I needed to do today, and that messed with me enough to make just head on home.  Needless to say, I'll go the extra mile next time.

I showered up and was off to work, using some Jeep-powered 4WD to get over the un-plowed snow and ice.

My mind was elsewhere this morning.  I put my coffee from my lovely neighborhood Dunkin' Donuts (they put my name on the cup every single day with a SMILEY FACE) on the hood of my Jeep, and watched in slow motion as my beloved cup of coffee slid off and onto the cold, hard ground.  I made a dramatic noise (something along the lines of a howl and a gasp...a gowl?  A howsp?), grumbled, then went off to work.  I'm lucky that my Principals purchased a wonderful Keurig for the staff last Christmas.

A friend of mine from college texts me every single day to lift me up.  It's something I really look forward to.

My fifth graders love my tunes.  I'm teaching a basketball unit, and today was all about ball-handling and dribbling.  I had to get these kids in the mood to rock out some mad skillz.

Crab-walking is for winners.  Just ask these guys.

Go read this.

#WIAW!

Greens + my latest favorite veggie (I'm obsessed with peppers now?), brown rice and quinoa, an Amy's burrito, and WHOLLY GUACAMOLE.<3

Thanks to our beautiful hostess withe mostest, Jenn @ Peas & Crayons for the link-up!

And finally, the tangents have lead to your *Brain Hug* for today --

This video doesn't make me think, so much as it makes me want the little coffee cup of math chocolate.

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QUICK:  Favorite kind of chocolate?  White?  Dark?  Milk?

No one actually likes running in extreme weather, right?

If you have time, do you consider going an extra mile, or another exercise, or another pose, or another few minutes?