Day 329

Today I'm thankful for a good day at work. It was steady but not crazy busy. I was able to read and respond to all my work emails...and even read some personal emails. I spent (almost) my whole lunch break at lunch. Amazing! I sure hope this becomes the norm again.

Day 328

Today I'm thankful for my parents. I haven't been home for Thanksgiving in a long time and won't be this year either. I've been missing home lately. Chatting with Mom and Dad helps relieve that a bit.

Day 327

Today I'm thankful I made the time to get in a little baking therapy for Thanksgiving. While making cutouts can be frustrating (especially when the dough sticks to your counters despite large amounts of flour), rolling out the dough, cutting out the shapes, and frosting the cookies is so relaxing and fun for me. I love it!

Day 326

Today I'm thankful for warmer weather and being able to see friends, even if for just a short time. Geiner and Marcela came downtown for the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. We were able to find them in the crowd, watch the parade and fireworks, and then grab a quick dinner at Panera before they caught the train back out to the suburbs.

Day 325*

Yesterday I was so thankful it was Friday. I'm not sure I could have handled going to work another day. Thank goodness for weekends to recharge!

Day 324

I saw the homeless man who frequents a specific area on my way to work this morning. As usual, he greeted me with a smile and a hello. It was warmer this morning than the last couple mornings but it was still really cold out. I had been mentally complaining about being cold but after I saw him, I was really thankful that I had a long winter coat, boots, hat, scarf, and mittens. It breaks my heart to see the homeless outside any time of the year but especially in this weather. I'm so thankful for all that I have.

Day 323

Today I'm thankful for another fun dinner with my friend Lori who is in town for work from Minnesota for the second week in a row. I'm also thankful to know of two healthy baby girls who were born yesterday. Seeing new baby pictures definitely makes me smile!

Day 322

Today I'm super thankful for my running buddy, Natallie. I'm not sure I would have braved the chilly weather to run without her tonight. But, I'm so glad we did because I got to get in a good workout, vent a little, and find reassurance that what I was thinking about a situation that happened at the end of the workday was perfectly logical. Thanks, Nat!

Day 321

On this chilly November day, 16 degrees with a windchill of -6 degrees, I'm thankful I'm warm.

Race Report: Hot Chocolate 15K Chicago

Hot Chocolate finishers!

For the third year in a row, my mom, my friend Angie, and Angie's mom came to Chicago to run the Hot Chocolate 15k/5k. For the second year in a row, John and Keith ran it too. It's a fun race but a big race (almost 40,000 finishers)!

I was up at 5:20 so we could all meet in the lobby of our building at 6:10. We thought that would be plenty of time to get to the start area and into our corrals by 6:45. It should have been...but there was a very narrow chute leading to the front corrals. As the time warnings were announced over the loudspeaker, participants were yelling, pushing, and climbing over the gates. Eventually, those at the front moved the gates so we could all walk through. Then, we stood around for 15 minutes until the start. The start experience was very frustrating but the rest of the race was great!

Angie, Keith, Natallie and I started in Corral B and ran the 15k together. Angie paced us, starting out just under 10 minute miles and increasing the pace a little with each mile. Angie and Keith ran in front and chatted away while Natallie and I tried to keep up and chatted a little.

After the 5k split, I was surprised to see a "sweet station" with chocolate marshmallows. I LOVE marshmallows! There ended up being a total of three "sweet stations," the second with Tootsie Rolls and the third with strawberry marshmallows. Yum!

The four of us stuck together until about Mile 7 when Natallie couldn't keep pushing the pace. I stayed with Angie and Keith until Mile 8.5 and then told them to go on ahead. Last year, I definitely hit a wall around Mile 8 but this year I felt much stronger, though I was definitely ready to be done! I ended up with a 15k PR of 1:22:01, almost 3 minutes faster than last year! (John and Mom had 5k PRs and Keith had a 15k PR!)

Of course, the hot chocolate and chocolate fondue was amazing at the post-race party! So delicious!

Mmm...chocolate!

Distance: 15k
Time: 1:22:01
Cost: ~$71 including fees
Pros: Fun race with plenty of aid stations, yearly tradition with friends, mostly flat course, sweet stations, post-race chocolate, awesome goody bags
Cons: Crowded and mismanaged start corrals, long gear check lines after finishing
Would I run it again?: Yes!

Day 320

Today I'm thankful that I was able to talk to my grandma on the phone, thankful that I still have a grandma to talk to. Our conversation was short, as usual, but I'm quite sure it made us both feel loved.

Day 319

Today I'm thankful that I was able to sleep in this morning. I didn't wake up until 11 (after going to bed at midnight) so I must have needed some extra rest. I can't remember the last time I slept that late.

Day 318

Today I'm thankful for my awesome coworker who left gifts for us while she's on maternity leave. My Starbucks hot chocolate and Starbucks gift card will surely help me get through these 12 weeks without her...though I miss her already!

I'm also thankful it's Friday and I have the next two days off with minimal plans.

Day 317

Tonight I'm thankful for a delicious supper at Bandera followed by drinks at Starbucks with John and Lori, and a very entertaining Dee Snider's Rock and Roll Christmas Tale with John. It was such a fun night!

Day 316

Today I'm thankful to have all the warm clothes I need to stay warm in this chilly weather.

Day 315

Today I'm thankful to all the veterans who have served this country so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. Happy Veterans Day.

Day 314

Today I'm thankful for all that I have: my family, my friends, my job, my apartment, my coworkers. I could go on and on...

Day 312-313

Yesterday I was thankful that Mom, Gwen, Angie and I were all able to walk all around the city. We probably walked 6 miles yesterday from my building (175 N) to McCormick Place to pick up our race packets (2300 S) to Dick's Sporting Goods (500 W) and back to Macy's in the loop. It was a long day but one filled with good conversation and lots of laughs.

Checking out the Macy's Christmas tree

Today I'm thankful to celebrate another birthday. Modern society might seem impersonal at times with social media, etc. but it sure is nice to get so many birthday messages on Facebook and via text and phone call. And, of course, receiving cards and gifts in person and in the mail is still fun too!

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k finishers!

Even Google knew it was my birthday!

Day 311

Today I'm thankful for a great evening with John, Mom, Angie, and Gwen. We had lots of laughs and a delicious dinner at Yum Cha topped off with gelato at Mariano's. It's so awesome to have forever friends who you can pick up right where you left off with after not seeing each other for a whole year!

Day 310

Today I'm thankful for a relaxing evening at home. I decided my to do list could wait. Ahh!

Day 309

Today I'm thankful for yoga. (Of course I am, it's Wednesday after all!) Tonight's class was much-needed and so very relaxing!

Day 308

Today I'm thankful for a good day at work, a great run after work, and a delicious supper.

Day 306-307*

Day 306 - Yesterday I was thankful that Natallie and I finally went out for the trail run we've been talking about for a few months now. It was an absolutely beautiful morning and so much fun to be out on the trails. We even saw two deer!

Day 307 - Today I'm thankful for a relatively pleasant experience at the Drivers Express Facility. I don't think I've ever felt that way after being at the DMV before!

Resolutions update #8

1. Keep exercising. I ran 77.48 miles, did strength training 4 times, and did yoga 3 times in September. I ran 72.22 miles (including the 2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon) and did yoga 3 times in October. I also started foam rolling more regularly to help with recovery. Even though the marathon is done, Natallie and I are still planning to continue running 3 times a week through the winter. And, we're signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15K next weekend as well as the Santa Hustle 5K in December.

   

   This is what 23 miles looks like!

2. Eat more veggies. No progress here from last time as far as tracking goes...really need to figure something out! I do feel like I'm doing a pretty good job of eating veggies though!
3. Enjoy the moment. Still trying! 
   
4. Make a baby. Still working on it!
5. Read for pleasure. I finished Kushiel's Scion and Kushiel's Justice and started Kushiel's Mercy, the sixth and final book of this series. I'm even more behind in my Sports Illustrated magazines now...I need more time in a day!
6. Give thanks every day. I've forgotten about these a lot...but I still usually remember to think about it throughout the day.
7. Explore (more of) Chicago. Natallie and I ran a 23 mile training run which took us further north than ever before. We made it to Evanston! We also took the train to Chinatown for one of our last runs so we could run the last 6 or so miles of the marathon route. The marathon itself took me to places I hadn't been before which was really fun! John and I also went to Open House Chicago with Geiner and Marcela which took us to a few new places.
   

   

   Exploring Lake Point Tower

   

Day 303-305*

Day 303 - I was thankful to be able to attend the Chicago Scholars Onsite with my scholars. It was a long but fun day. It was a good news only day but there were a few tears too. All six of our scholars were accepted to at least one college. Woohoo!

Day 304 - I was thankful that it was Friday!

Day 305 - Today, I'm thankful for a nice day at home with John. We worked out and watched the Badger game. Then I did laundry and cleaned. Relaxing and productive!