Race Report – sort of, and Other Random Thoughts

 

 

RACE REPORT

We belong to the Atlanta Track Club.  This is one of the largest run clubs in the country, and annually puts on one of the the biggest 10ks in the world-The AJC Peachtree Road Race, a 4th of July race that draws 60,000 participants!

Photo from AJC website

The Atlanta Track Club also has smaller races around the city throughout the year.  There was one nearby this past Saturday, so my husband and I decided to run it.  As long as you’re a member, many races are free.

I had worked on Friday night at my second job (P/T at a dress shop).  Lately, this job has been kicking my butt!  I’ve gone from eight hours a week to over 20!  Last week, I had to leave my F/T job in the middle of the day so that I could go home and nap.

So anyway, on the morning of the race, my husband started having an allergy attack.  He took a claritin, and we set off for the race.  The claritin didn’t work, and by the time we were almost to the race, he decided that he wasn’t going to be able to breathe/run.  I was never so gleeful about one of his allergic reactions in my life!! We turned around and went home. I got into bed and took a 2 hour nap!!  Guess I needed it.

A Completely Unrelated Item

Saw this on my way in to work today.  Glad it didn’t happen nearby me when I was out running!!

 

Another New Song

The singer is only 17!

 

 

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Finally…A Style Post-OK Not Really

Hi all.  I’ve been gone for a bit…going through some really tough stuff with my daughter right now.  It’s been rough.

Anyway, I know many of you have been waiting nearly a year for my first style post. HaHa…probably not.  Anyway, here it is.

We have been having a cold snap here  (for Georgia anyway).  I always wear gloves, but lately I’ve been having multiple episodes of Raynauds phenomenon in my hands.  Not necessarily when I run, but sometimes when I’m done.  Or sometimes just in the morning on my way to work.

Raynauds phenomenon is a circulatory disturbance where the circulation to extremities becomes temporarily short circuited, causing discoloration and tingling.  The episodes last for me for about a half hour.  There is nothing serious about this, but it is annoying and slightly uncomfortable.   It’s kind of creepy looking

These aren’t my fingers…but this is what they look like during an episode

I read on a web-site that mittens are better for keeping hands warm.  So yesterday I stopped at Old Navy for some mittens.  

Now you have to admit, these mittens have style!!

But wait, that’s not all…

The mitten part is a little ‘hoodie’ that you pull down to reveal fingerless gloves!!

And, as if it couldn’t get any better, they were $1.03!!  I’m pretty sure I’m going back today for some more!

I have a race on Saturday (the first one of the year), so I can try these out.  It is supposed to be really cold (for us). I’m excited about the race b/c it is my birthday race and I do it every year.  The first year I did it with my daughter…which is a nice memory.  Here’s to hoping things get better with her soon.

A Pity Party and Pants that Fit

Last week I was a bit down in the dumps.  From a purely rational standpoint, I perfectly understand what was going on.  As I’ve posted about previously, my routine  mammogram (in October) showed some unusual cells.  The cells were removed via a needle biopsy, and the surrounding tissue was removed during an outpatient lumpectomy surgery.  The cells were not cancerous, nor were they pre-cancerous.  All GREAT news! Nevertheless, this surgery, plus a previous surgery, plus the fact that my mother had breast cancer  put me at a really high risk for breast cancer (40% lifetime chance vs. 10%).  The oncologist suggested that  I consider taking hormone therapy (tamoxifen) as a preventative.  It has been shown to reduce a person’s risk by 50%.  But….there are side effects.  I was  scared to try it, but considering the scarier prospect of breast cancer, I obviously decided to try it.

One of the known side effects is depression.  Another is sleep disruption.  As I am getting acclimated to this drug, I have been experiencing these side effects (among others…which I won’t bore you with). The depression part is a bit weird.  It will be pretty intense for about 90 minutes…then gone!  (BTW this week it is all gone).

Anyway, last week I had the sadness thing plus the sleep disruption.  On Tuesday I was awake at 3:00 am with no possibility of going back to sleep.  Eventually I got up and went outside for a run in the dark–all the while feeling sorry for myself.  WHINE WHINE WHINE were the only thoughts running through my head when suddenly a beautiful flash of blue/green light flashed across the sky.  A meteor!!  I took the meteor as a sign to BUCK UP and stop being such a baby (and I did)!  Later I googled the meteor.  It was part of the Geminid Meteor Shower.

I didn’t take this picture, but this is what it looked like

So the other action that I took to reverse my sadness last week was retail therapy.  Generally, I don’t enjoy shopping b/c it makes me feel guilty to spend money on myself.  However, one of the side benefits of my second job (at a women’s clothing chain store) is getting to shop at the company store.  Everything there is $2-$15 except the leather jackets and skirts which are $20!  I hadn’t been in a while, but thought I’d go to holiday (and self) shop.

For the past several months, I have cut my wine consumption down from 2 glasses a night to 1 a week.  I did this b/c I found it was easier to get up early for my run.  An unintended consequence was that I lost 8 pounds!! But now my pants haven’t been fitting.  Most of the weight went from my belly and rear end, and my pants have become droopy.  I have been constantly hitching up my saggy pants like a hill billy!

The crotch of my current pants are down to my knees! And not in a stylish way!

But, for $5 a pop, I was able to buy some pants that actually fit!! Amazing how wearing pants that fit can change your  whole outlook!  I guess its the little things!

So, after my Tuesday pity party, things have been pretty good.  Hope you are having a great week so far!

Today I am trying a link up for the Weekly Wrap hosted by Holly @ HoHoRuns and Tricia @ MissSippiPiddlin.   See rules here. Thank you ladies!

Dorky Tuesday

Everything I did was dorky or dumb yesterday!

Let’s Start With the Run

The weather has changed, and its a bit colder now.  For some reason, the cold is REALLY bothering me this year.  Not sure why, b/c last year I was fine with rolling out of bed and going OUTSIDE to run in the 20’s in the dark.  So far this week and last, it hasn’t happened.  I’ve lost a few pounds.  Could this be the reason I’m feeling colder?  (And by a few, I do mean a few…6ish). Even when I’m not running, I still feel like I can’t get warm.  And yesterday was no exception.  I left work early, and got ready for my run.  I dressed to accommodate my coldness.  Full hoody, tights…couldn’t find the gloves or I would have put those on too. I even had the hood up when I left the house.   Well…I got outside and felt a bit overdressed.  Went back inside, and changed, then checked the temp.  It was 58 degrees!

Next Up: Meeting Daughter’s New Boyfriend

Do you remember how nervous you were the first time you met the parents of your new love interest?  Let me tell you, it doesn’t get any better when the roles are reversed.  I have to say, I wasn’t so much nervous as anxious.  What do you say??? How do you start a conversation with a kid who’s so nervous he’s about to pee his pants? What do I have in common with this kid that I can have a conversation with?  I’m pretty good in social situations.  It’s one of my superpowers.  But even I couldn’t come up with anything to say. Eventually, I talked about soccer with him. But yeesh!  I couldn’t wait ’til they left!

Is this how dorky I looked?

 

Feeling Old

When I was meeting the boy, I realized I couldn’t see him.  I didn’t have my glasses on.  My daughter and the boy left (thank goodness), and I went searching for my glasses.  Really, I searched multiple times in every spot of the house that I’d been in.  I wandered around for at least 15 minutes and finally gave up.  Put on some old heavy glasses that slip off my face when I sweat/run and headed out the door in my overdressed fashion.  When I went back inside to remove some layers, I found my glasses.  Oh Boy!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving… I’m running a half marathon.  Then a small Thanksgiving at my house.

I’d like to wish all of you good luck and speed in your races tomorrow if you’re running.  And a Happy Thanksgiving to all (or Happy Thursday to my UK and Canada friends)!!