Running With Perseverance

Xmas Run

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Coco

Since I skipped my long run last weekend for my son’s wrestling tournament (Saturday)and my Christmas Cookie Bake-A-Thon (Sunday), today I did my first long run since the Hot Chocolate 15K. Because Christmas is only a week away, I decided it was time to listen to my “Xmas Run” playlist. It’s an eclectic mix of fast-paced songs from various artists and compliation CDs.

Xmas Run
Christmas Wrapping (The Edge of Christmas)
Cool Yule (Rebel Pebbles)
Run Run Rudolph (The Edge of Christmas)
Dig That Crazy Santa Claus (Hipster’s Holiday)
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus (Hipster’s Holiday)
‘Zat You Santa Claus? (Hipster’s Holiday)
We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo (Hipster’s Holiday)
Nine Little Reindeer (Gene Autry)
Here Comes Santa Claus (Gene Autry)
Up On The House Top (Gene Autry)
Santa’s Comin’ In A Whirlybird (Gene Autry)
Santa Bring My Baby Back (Elvis Presley)
Sleigh Ride (Harry Connick, Jr.)
(It Must Have Been Ol’) Santa Claus (Harry Connick, Jr.)
I Pray On Christmas (Harry Connick, Jr.)
Last Month Of The Year (The Blind Boys Of Alabama)
Go Tell It On The Mountain (The Blind Boys Of Alabama)
Born In Bethlehem (The Blind Boys Of Alabama)
For Unto Us A Child Is Born (Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration)
Glory To God (Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration)
Hallelujah! (Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration)

It was in the 30s, but overcast. I wore the same long-sleeve shirt that I’ve worn on other 30-degree runs, but would have been comfortable in a thicker one. Not having that sunshine really makes a difference!

As I reached mile 6, I had to decide whether to head home for a 7 mile run or add an out-and-back spur for an 8 mile run. I had a sudden craving for pancakes, so I decided to run 8 miles and make pancakes for breakfast. 🙂

Garmin Data
Total Distance: 8.1 miles
Total Time: 1:16:45
Avg. Pace: 9:28 min/mile

Do you have a Christmas playlist?

Posted in Fitness | Tagged Christmas, Long Run, Playlist, Running | 4 Comments

Time Flies

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Coco

I had to go into total denial mode to stop myself from freaking out yesterday.

Only 10 days until Christmas!

And now it’s only nine!

I have done only the slightest bit of shopping and don’t even know what I want to buy for my mom, my husband or my kids. If you find me wandering dazed and confused at the mall, please give me a tall-skinny-one-pump-peppermint-mocha and point me to the massage chair at Brookstone.

I really can’t believe how fast this year has gone by.

And how is it that my baby boy

is all grown up

and looking forward to going to college?

He got his early decision acceptance letter yesterday. Of course that’s good news, but I was almost happier to find out that the college bookstore has an on-line portal and still promises to be able to ship in time for Christmas. That’s one thing crossed off my list.

Are you ready for Christmas?

Posted in Life | Tagged Christmas, College, Empty Nest, Family | 4 Comments

Three Things Thursday (The Half-Baked Edition)

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Coco

Questions About Baked Lays Nutrition

Last weekend there was enough of a break in my son’s wrestling tournament for us to go out for lunch. My husband had noticed a Subway near the venue, and I was happy to have a healthier option than the pizza slices they were serving at the concessions stand.

I ordered a 6-inch Turkey sub and added a drink and chips to make a “meal.” (We still had a few hours of wrestling to get through–I needed fortification!)

As I was nibbling on my chips, three things on the Baked Lays package annoyed me.

“We start with all natural ingredients . . . .”
Everything starts with all natural ingredients. The real question is what do you end up with?
Ingredients: . . . Corn Sugar.
Is that the “new” name for high-fructose corn syrup?
“Happiness In Every Bite.”
Look no further–all we need is highly processed snack foods!

I also was amazed at how much “marketing” was squeezed onto this small package!

Do you think any of these things crossed the line?

Posted in Food, Venting | 7 Comments

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday (The Hill-Hater Edition)

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Coco

My reaction to the finish line hill at the Hot Chocolate 15K!

Don’t I look miserable?

(Sorry MarathonFoto®, I’m not paying for that one!
What happened to the ones where I was smiling?)

Have you entered my Waterlogged App giveaway?

Posted in Fitness | Tagged Hot Chocolate 15K, Running, Wordless Wednesday | 3 Comments

The Twelfth Annual Christmas Cookie Bake-A-Thon

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Coco

This post was originally published December 9, 2010. This weekend I participated in the Thirteenth Annual Christmas Cookie Bake-A-Thon. Same friends, some of the same and some new cookies, definitely the same fun tradition! Did you see yesterday’s post with a Waterlogged App giveaway?

6 friends + 7 hours = 13 different types of Christmas cookies

I’m sure it started innocently enough. Twelve years ago, three of us decided to get together to bake Christmas cookies. We each planned to make a few recipes, and brought our own ingredients and equipment to work side-by-side in my kitchen. It’s a busy time of year, but it was nice to carve out some solid girlfriend time to relax, catch up, and get one big holiday “to do” done. Our families didn’t complain because we came home with a variety of gorgeous, delicious cookies.

Somehow, despite job changes, family changes, and local moves, we’ve managed to keep this tradition going for 12 years! Our group has grown, but we all are lawyers who worked at the same firm at one time or another. Although work brought us together, it is friendship that has made this event such a priority that we set aside a weekend day in December to get together.

This year all six of us were able to make the appointed date. We each made two different types of cookies (double or triple batches to have enough to divide by six) and one of us had pre-made cut-out cookies (a huge time saver we finally adopted a few years ago!) that we decorated while other cookies were baking.