Heading to St. Louis

My sister and I are heading home to St. Louis today after work. We grew up driving through the night to wake up at the beach - and now we're just doing the same thing backwards. :) But we're taking my new car wish I'm totally pumped about. The Crossfire use to be my mode of transportation - and I decided to trade it in last week for a 2006 Jetta. I traded in the Crossfire for two reasons 1) Needed more room - I can't fit more than one other person, much less a BIKE in the Crossfire and 2) lower car payments. I loved my crossfire, but it was time to grow up a bit and actually get a four door car. Please note - this is the first four door car I have EVER owned. Huge step for me.



So back to the drive. Since we'll be cruising in the sweet new Jetta - it should be fun. Allison and I are pretty good at taking turns driving through the night. One of the best things about long trips is (don't call me a geek) but books on CD's. I love them on long trips. They keep your mind going and help pass the time quickly!



Quick Random Note - if one more of my friends get engaged or have a baby with in the next year I'm either going to be BROKE or shoot myself :) Congrats to Mindy and Kristen!

Another quick note - I get on the Runners World Forum through out the day. At work I'm on hold quite a bit so it help passes the time. Anyway - if you get on the same threads, you'll see the same people. One person in particular really hit a soft spot one random day. She went on and starting typing about how her twin brother had just passed from cancer. She did not even know why she was posting. But it really effected me - how a person that I have not even met in person (but we both share the love of running) could make me so emotional. Anyway, she started to do Team in Training (TNT) to raise money and run a marathon for Cancer research. So I clicked on her link and donated $$. Not a huge amount - but anything helps. Cancer scares the shit out of me - so anything that can stop it needs to be done.

Random acts of kindness is the way to go. Click on her site and help out http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/nikesf08/ngriffin

Karma is a good thing. Pass it along.

FISHING!

This past Saturday - Jason did not have a trip so we decided to go fishing. Now, I'm not like your typical girl when it comes to fishing. I'm obsessed with it. I can fish all day long. And we did. All over the bay. We did not find any red fish, but I did limit out on grouper, snapper, and rocked out a few flounders. Looking forward to the fresh fish tacos that we are going to cook up tonight!

I never really talked about this before on this 'blog' but I'm also into Triathlons. Love them. I can swim and run all day - but the bike is my downfall. Mentally it just brings me down. So - I decided that the bike will not win. Mentally, I know I can rock out 40+ miles on that bad boy. So cheer me on as I take on this challenge!!

Also - we just found out the one of my fishing pictures made it into Florida Sportsman! It's a fishing magazine that is pretty popular all over the state! I'll post it once I get a copy!!

Too Hot Outside...

This morning my whole goal was to run around 13 miles. We met at 5am to beat the heat. But I think the heat beat most of us! It was so hot and sticky outside that the run was just plain painful! GU and water in hand - but nothing helped. I only got about 9 miles in - but I'm proud of my self for that distance!

After the run - I stretched on a near by beach access. The waves where high due to hurricane Dolly so there where a ton of surfers to watch. Anyway - as I was stretching, I look to the right and see 3 huge, wonderful looking wine glasses. Jackpot. They are now in the back of my car waiting to be watched and drank out of tonight! That is a great highlight about living where I live. Drunk tourists. In the morning when I run I find all kinds of random 'road finds' - cameras, hats, and now wine glasses!

Here are a few more pictures from the Maine wedding - breathtaking. The photographers just grabbed the whole weekend and captured everything amazing and stuck it on a picture for all of us to enjoy. They are putting together a slide show - but no one is going to see it until the reception a week from Saturday. Which brings me to how excited I am to go to ST. LOUIS!! I love that city. Please note the red for the good old Cardinals. Go cards!

TGIFFFFFFF....

Thank goodness it's Friday. Friday is date night for Jason and I. We usually go to this little hole in the wall Mexican place where we can bring our own beer - not too greasy and not full of cheese. Just the way we like it!



So I finally broke down today and tried some GU gel before my run. My runs on friday are typically not hard at all - but lately the heat and humidity have been bringing everyone down a bit. But I felt GREAT! I'm excited to try out tomorrow morning before my race! Possibly get a sub 21? That would be AWESOME. It's been awhile since I've done just a 5K - so it should be fun.

The best wedding party picture ever...

The photographers from the Maine Wedding just posted this picture on their blog - and I HAD to share this picture asap. You can also find this picture on page 20 in the newest J Crew magazine. (just kidding).

I love my running group...

Through out the week I run with different groups of people. Some people can go some mornings while some are not able to - so it's always fun to see who shows up. Today I ran with the ladies who are all training for IronMan. Two are heading up to Wisconsin and one is going to be racing in the Panama City Beach Ironman. These women are amazing - and the great thing is is that they are all between the ages of 35-50!! True motivation. It's great to run with people who push you in a positive way. For instance today, I was planning on running 5 with them - and ended up doing 9. Love it. We also get together to swim and bike as well. I feel super lucky to have great people to train with! Having positive people around you just makes everything better!

Speaking of Ironman - I was asked to volunteer in the Panama City Beach one. I get all of the goodies that come with the race which I am super pumped about. I'm not ready for an Ironman myself, but I would much rather volunteer then sit there and watch if I'm not participating. Anyway - I'll get to on the back of a motorcycle and make sure that racers are not 'drifting'. Awesome.

Nothing too exciting going on right now - but I'm going to post some fishing pictures from this season so far. If you check out http://coastadelmar.com/ you'll see a few of them :)

Back from Maine

I'm trying to get back into the groove of things. Six plane rides and several bottles of wine later - I'm back in Florida. Back to work. Ugh. But the Gable/Jolly wedding was amazing. I don't know who's been to Maine - but all of the little harbor towns are breath taking. And the weather! No sweat or frizzy hair here! At night it felt like Christmas on the beach.

I am so incredibly happy for Gina and Chris. They are such a good match and compliment each other perfectly. It will be so much fun to sit back and watch how their lives will mold together. And we did come to the conclusion that they will have little red headed babies!!

It was also good to see friends that I have not spent time with in forever! Kika now lives in Perth, Australia where she is finishing up her masters. Mindy is the golf coach and the University of Missouri and Ali is lives in in DC working for Fox news. Crazy where everyone has ended up - but it does not seem like a moment has passed when we all get together. Spending some quality time with the parents was also great. I am so close to both of them, so we always have a good time together!!

No working out done over the weekend - too much wine consumed and the bed was just to comfortable to get out of. And to make me feel worse - the parents got up and ran every morning. Ugh.

Here are a few pictures:

More to come!! :)

Bad Mood

So - according to my wonderful boyfriend, if I don't work out I become a bitch. Not a total bitch, just not as nice and laid back as I usually am. So now he's on 'workout' patrol. If I go longer then one day with out any type of workout, he'll be on my case. Bless him :)

Getting ready for my trip last night I decided to update my ipod a bit. I don't use it all that much, so the music is kind of dated. Anyway - I found this wonderful new program on itunes called PODCAST. Love it. And the ones that I downloaded are free! I'm sure this has been around FOREVER, but I'm pretty stoked about it. So I'll be listening to 'Zen and the art of Triathlon' for most of my trip. Good times.


I have no clue what to pack for my trip. Living in Florida for as long as I have, I've lost my sense of weather. Here either it's hot or kind of hot. I've been going through my wardrobe for the past few days and hopefully I'll make the correct decisions so that I don't freeze or look like a total tourist. Actually - I could care less about looking like a tourists, but being cold is another story. Also, for some reason I ALWAYS take into consideration to the airlines misplacing my bags (which has happened more then once). I usually take a carry one with all of the essentials - makeup, toothbrush, change of clothes, and for this trip my bridesmaid dress. I have a fun night ahead of me - wine, cleaning and packing. Whoopwhoop.

Here is a picture of one of the guys that I train with and myself after a race a few weeks ago:

Workouts - 4.5 miles today - tempo

yesterday - 3200 yards after work (didn't post yesterday)

To work out again

So - after a 5 day hiatus, I'm back. My body just would not get out of bed all weekend - which was very nice. You can't beat laying in bed on Sunday morning with the New York Times, watching the Sunday Morning Show on CBS and a good cup of coffee. And the fact that it's pouring outside. I could not think of a better morning :)

Anyway - up this morning and ran about 5.5 miles with two guys in my running group. It was about 70 out with fog. PERFECT running conditions. I was itching to go further - but after my 'time off' I decided it would be best if I just cut it short. Plus my work out schedule is going to be really thrown off from tomorrow on.

I'm heading to Maine - Islesboro Island to be exact - for my best friends wedding. It has a nautical theme which I find kind of funny since both the bride and the groom live in Missouri - but it's going to be beautiful. The brides maid dresses are not bad and I do plan on wearing it again minus a few inches from the bottom. And I've never really been to the east coast before. That brings up the question - do I need a passport to even get over there :)

Here is a picture of the dress...