22F? Bring it on!

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Coco

A few days ago I told myself that I would go for a run outside when it got back into the 30s, but the weather just hasn’t cooperated. I really wanted to go for a run yesterday, but the forecast of 17F with a wind advisory kept me inside for my elliptical/weights routine. This morning it was 22F, but no wind chill, so I decided to bundle up and head out.

I wore my heavier running tights and a medium-weight top under my super-light Brooks jacket, my light-weight Brooks gloves, my fleece Nike hat, and a scarf:

I also got to test out my “new” (refurbished) Garmin.

It definitely felt *brisk* outside, especially when I was just walking to warm up, but it really wasn’t bad.  I did my “usual” 4.5 mile loop and my average pace was about 9:50 min/mile. I think the dark slows me down, because I run faster on my Saturday long runs when I usually wait until its light outside. The Garmin worked well, except the “virtual trainer” was on, so it mostly displayed my pace as compared to a “virtual partner” running an even pace of 9:40.  Needless to say I came in behind, but he didn’t have to stop for traffic or dodge icy patches!

In December I like to listen to my Christmas playlists. I have one just for running with faster songs from artists as varied as The Blind Boys from Alabama, Harry Connick, Jr., Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley. It’s so fun to listen to while running past houses lit up with their holiday decorations.

Speaking of which, I really love my Nike hat.  It has a built-in pocket for an iPod Nano (the “old” rectangle style) and earbuds inside the hem.

I think someone should make a summer model with a pocket and ear buds tucked into a sweatband for all those races that ban headphones. :-O

Last night and tonight errands took me to my old neighborhood (we moved last summer), and I found myself feeling really “homesick” for my old running routes. It was the perfect neighborhood for running. We lived 1 mile from the bike path, where I could run south for a short, hilly route, or north for a more varied route. There also were plenty of flatter neighborhood routes to choose from. Now I live in a neighborhood that’s tucked between busy roads and every direction has at least one “heart attack” hill.

How cold is too cold for you to run outside? Do you have any favorite gear?

Do you have old running routes that you are “homesick” for?

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Coco

When I sent my three-year old Garmin back to get a refurbished replacement last week, the very nice customer service guy told me that there would be a 90-day warranty on the refurbished model. I figured that would be a great incentive to keep up my outdoor runs through the cold, dark days of winter.

Well, my “new” Garmin arrived yesterday (only a week after I sent my old one back!) and it is going to be sitting on the charger for a few days before I test it out.

It’s COLD outside!

The temperature reading at o’dark-thirty this morning was in the low 20’s and that is not counting the wind chill. Hearing the wind whipping around our house and whistling through the cracks makes me feel colder even when I’m still snuggled under the covers. The forecast for the next few days isn’t any better. It looks like we will drop into the teens over the next few nights. Brr! It’s times like these that I appreciate my treadmill.

I promised myself that I would run outside again once it gets back up to the 30’s. Hopefully that will happen this weekend before the snow comes and makes my route dangerously slippery.

I know people who live in Ohio, Minnesota and Canada who manage to go out in much colder weather, but I am just not in the mood to bundle up that much–especially on a weekday morning. Now, if my in-laws were here I might give it a try, because it’s never to cold to go OUT for a run when my mother in-law is visiting. 😉

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Christmas is Coming!

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Coco

My daughter got home from college on Friday, and she is leading the way in getting ready for Christmas. We did a shop-until-you-drop trip to the mall on Saturday, and she managed to find something for almost everyone on her list. The rest we took care of on Amazon and Zappos yesterday.

While I was out running more mundane errands (Target, Giant) yesterday, she and my husband put up our tree:

As much as I enjoy decorating the tree, it was nice to come home to most of the work being done–they left me a few of my special ornaments to put on and I may spend a few days assessing and rearranging and deciding if we need a few more.

While I attended to baking cupcakes for my husband’s birthday, my daughter continued her Santa work by wrapping all of the presents. Mine are still stashed in various closets, drawers and other nooks around the house!

My daughter and I went through some rough times during her early high school years, and back then it would have been hard to imagine spending time together like we did this weekend. Now we can bake together, shop together, and just chat. We still step on each other’s toes and push each other’s buttons once in a while, but we are able to step back, let go, and move on. I was really looking forward to her coming home, because I knew she would drag us all out of our ruts and get us into the Christmas spirit, and I am enjoying–and drawing on–her energy as we count down to Christmas Eve.

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Harried Holiday

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Coco

Two weeks from tonight is Christmas Eve, but it isn’t the holiday that has me stressed. With a few shopping trips and a few more clicks on Amazon, I know that there will be presents under our white pre-lit Christmas tree and in the stockings that we will hang with care over the gas fireplace. I was able to host Thanksgiving dinner without much advance preparation (we were out of town the weekend before), and I’m sure I can pull it off again at Christmas. It helps that my kids are older and don’t have any impossible-to-find items on their wish lists. As long as we have ham and crescent rolls for dinner and apple pie and ice cream (for my daughter) and whipped cream (for my son) for dessert, they will be happy.

(I am reminding myself of all this so I don’t get too stressed.)

No, this year it is work that has me pulling my hair out and wondering how I am going to get everything done before the holiday. I don’t know what is going on, but I feel like the items in my in-box are multiplying like the Star Trek Tribbles. If I get caught up, it’s only because my assistant has fallen behind on processing the items in her in-box. Some days we pass files back and forth like we are playing “hot potato.”

I am trying to prioritize, focus on one thing at a time, and delegate. I think I can get caught up on my big items next week and then maybe I’ll even have time the next week to get organized. I hope my optimism isn’t shattered by a forgotten project or new crisis.

This week I sacrificed most of my personal time to work. I did keep up with my o’dark-thirty workouts, but those were driven as much by stress than any notion of taking care of myself. I had one fun dinner with some women who have blurred the lines between work and friendship, but the other evenings were spent working or at work functions (’tis the season for those too). Next week I will feel more pressure to leave work on time because my daughter just got home from college, but it’s more important that I get my work done before the holiday so I can relax and enjoy a few days off. 

At a different time of year, I might spend Saturday or Sunday working to get caught up, but I have too much to do to get ready for Christmas and I refuse to give up the whole holiday season for work. My priorities for this weekend including seeing my son’s wrestling match, going Christmas shopping with my daughter, decorating our Christmas tree and celebrating my husband’s birthday.  I also need to find time for laundry, grocery shopping and a bit of housework.

‘Tis the season!

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Dark Chocolate Taste Test

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Coco

I am a firm believer in the principle that dark chocolate is a health food–antioxidants and all, you know.  It is also a satisfying treat that doesn’t have that many calories.

When I travel, I like to have some dark chocolate on hand so I can fight off the urge to polish off the cheesecake or seven-layer chocolate cake that seem to be standard fare for conference meals. On my most recent trip, I forgot to pack some in my bag, but was craving *a little something* after a long day.  I went foraging in the hotel gift shop, and the best I could find was a Hershey’s Special Dark bar:

I broke off a row of squares and tried to savor it, but it just wasn’t that good. It felt grittier and more sugary than the chocolates I am used to. And no wonder–it only has a 45% cocoa content, while I usually opt for 70% or higher.

The next morning when I was getting my breakfast at Starbucks, I noticed that they have a new dark chocolate bar:

I added it to my order and stashed it in my hotel room so I wouldn’t be tempted to nibble on it throughout my day of conference sessions. I made it through a business dinner, got a glass of wine from the hotel bar to enjoy in my room (an easy way to avoid the outrageous mini bar charges!), and settled in for my taste test.

I have to say, it was really good. I didn’t really notice the Via (instant coffee) bits, although I’m sure they added some flavor.  The chocolate was much darker and much more satisfying than the Special Dark, and it took some willpower to stick to a 1/2 bar (about 1/2 ounce) serving.

I can’t find information on the cocoa content, but apparently it is made by Santander Chocolates which produces single origin Colombian chocolate–no shortcuts there!

Starbucks already has the lock on my preferred on-the-go breakfast (Low-Fat Turkey Bacon & Egg Sandwich or Perfect Oatmeal) and is a reliable place to pick up a normal-sized sandwich for lunch or dinner (if I’m working late). Now I’ll have to add it to my list of convenient places to pick up some excellent dark chocolate. 😀

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