A Mile or More in My [Running] Shoes

I’ve been trying to/meaning to get to this post for a long time now. I just got back to New York, and since I can’t get the keys to my new place until tomorrow, this seems like an appropriate time to get this done. Please forgive the picture quality… I don’t have an actual camera, so my phone is responsible for the photos I’m including.

My first two weeks at home were filled with meals at my favorite places, a Christmas party, a holiday brewery crawl, Christmas, a Lions playoff berth, losing my voice but acquiring a nasty cough, and lots of catching up with family and friends. 

Friday morning before New Year’s Eve, my college roommate and one of the best friends a girl could ask for carted me over to Detroit Metro for my flight to sunny Tampa. (Did I mention it was her birthday on Friday when she did all of this? See? Told you. One of the best.) Tampa was a whirlwind. Flip Flop Friday, a 4 mile run along Bayshore and into downtown Tampa with Rob, a New Year’s Eve filled with dancing, sequins, heels, and drinks with devilishly good-looking and impeccably dressed company, a trip to see The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, swimming in a pool with a giant frog named Jeremiah, and finally the second Lions v. Packers showdown of the season. (Didn’t end the way I would have liked, but at least someone was pleased with the outcome.)

Up and at ‘em bright and early on Monday morning to hit the road to New Orleans to watch the Wolverines in the Sugar Bowl! An incredible playlist, several sing alongs, a pit stop or two, tense moments following Big Ten bowl games on phones that wouldn’t refresh, 2 dead phones, 655 miles and 10 hours later, we were pulling into New Orleans for football and a mini ADPi reunion! First order of business: have a drink and watch the end of the Rose Bowl. Second order of business: have a shrimp po boy. After step one and two, it was time to hit up Frenchman Street for live music followed by a jaunt down Bourbon Street.

Tuesday morning (GAME DAY!) began with donning our maize and blue, brunch, mimosas, and a lot of bar hopping (including a stop at one of the coolest bars ever - seriously, beer, fire pit, and blankets in the warm NOLA sunshine? yes please!), and some more eating before finally making our way into the Superdome for the main event. The game wasn’t the prettiest, but our seats were incredible, and the outcome was everything I’d hoped for! It’s GREAT to be a Michigan Wolverine! Sugar Bowl Champs! Geaux Blue!

Probably three of the best weeks I’ve ever had. I owe my friends and family many thanks for helping to make it so memorable. I love you all and miss you all already! 2011 was an adventure, but I have a great feeling about 2012…

You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy when skies are gray.

You’ll never know dear,

How much I love you.

Please don’t take my sunshine away.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there, but an especially happy day to my momma. I am so lucky to have such a funny, understanding, strong, loving and supportive mom. I love you, Mom!

Happy Easter!

I woke up this early morning and dragged myself into work to quickly run my experiment before spending the entire glorious day with birthday boy Drew! We started out with a short brunch at our favorite downtown breakfast spot, Izzy & Nat’s. I had a mimosa and my usual, the challah french toast.

After we ate, we decided to walk the block and a half to the World Financial Center, where Drew had noticed some gorgeous flowers during his earlier walk.

This picture really doesn’t do it justice. It was romantic and was the perfect compliment to a beautiful morning and the great weather. We then took ourselves northward, to Soho to do some shopping. With the upcoming trip to Florida (3 more days!!!) I felt it necessary to pick up a cute maxi dress from Uniqlo. We continued our wandering, we spotted some more pretty flowers, and found ourselves at home right around the time that it started to cloud up.

Now, we’re home, and we’ve eaten dinner and baked cookies and we’re sitting on the couch enjoying the rain and the occasional lightning and thunder. Running tomorrow to get rid of the jiggly bits I’ve accumulated over the weekend… Ooof.

Ok, so maybe it wasn’t that bad, but considering the fact that Christmas is a mere 10 days away, it probably wasn’t an intelligent or selfless thing to do…

With half marathon training ramping up right after Christmas, I will have plenty of long runs outdoors in the elements and because I live in NYC, none of them will be particularly warm and toasty. In addition, none of the running gear I currently own is very effective in warding off frostbite. So, in an effort to keep myself from turning into an ice cube, I went to the Nike website and I ordered this:

and a jacket that I can’t find a picture of anywhere. I love purple and it’s perfect for Team in Training functions and the jacket is white because nearly everything I own for running is black or gray. (I do realize that white isn’t the smartest choice, especially given my knack for staining all of the white pieces of clothing I own, but I promise to be extra careful. And if not, it will be layered under other things anyway…)

I feel guilty about the purchases but I have consoled myself with the knowledge that they were reasonably priced and I got free shipping. Plus, thinking about how warm I’m going to be while I run around Central Park is enough to make me feel a little less awful for buying something for myself so close to Christmas. 

Does anyone else feel guilty for buying things for themselves around the holidays?