A New Record!

I ran 7 miles today! Of course it was on the treadmill because the weather has been so horrible here. My husband will probably not be impressed because he feels the treadmill is easier than running outside, but this is still a MAJOR accomplishment for me. You know what else? I did it in 1:10:30! Another 3/4 of a mile in only 6 minutes more than my 10k time! I guess that might be comparing apples to oranges since the 10k was on an outside course... UGH! I should just relish in the fact that I ran 7 miles and stop being a Negative Nelly!!

An Amazing Anniversary!

I kind of missed a few important details on September 17th's post. Well, I really wanted to address my 40th birthday on its own, and this week in September is just so jam-packed with days of distinction that I have to pay attention to each separately. So, September 17th was our wedding anniversary. 16 years ago I married my best friend and we've been very lucky throughout our marriage. We hardly ever disagree and we never fight. I mean, we don't even raise our voices, really. I truly believe I've hit the jackpot.

We are very compatible but we still have our own interests, like he loves video games (I just don't get the appeal) and I can watch the same movie over and over and over... (watched 'Sleepless in Seattle' for probably the 150th time this morning!). I think the most important factor in our relationship is that we love to laugh and make each other laugh. My husband has to be the funniest, quick-witted person ever. Thankfully, we've passed that trait on to our children and the dinner table is extremely entertaining, to say the least.

Our anniversary was not celebrated with a romantic dinner by candlelight or a night out on the town. Charlie had to work from 8am to 6pm and since his job buys lunch on Saturdays he just wasn't hungry for some Omaha Steaks' filet mignon. We didn't even exchange gifts because we wound up going into the city and seeing Mary Poppins with my parents and 2 of my sisters on the 18th. We've been spending money like water, so we had to let it just be.

I did, however, do something momentous on our anniversary. I participated in the Hampton Bays Lions Club "Over the Bridge" 10k! My very first 10k. I was so nervous running it alone, but I had my Garmin with me to keep me motivated and I made a new friend, Donna! My family makes fun of me that I talk to everybody and anybody, including women waiting on the bathroom line at a McDonald's in NYC. But she came and sat with me on the bus from the parking lot to the start line, so how do you NOT talk to someone who is sitting with you? It's plain RUDE if you don't, I'll tell you! I brought my iPod just in case, and I was able to use it!! I don't know why the registration form said "NO HEADPHONES ALLOWED" if it's not enforced, but I'm so glad it wasn't!! I was ecstatic with my results:

            116           834  Linda                 1:04:09            0:10:21               40F              Shirley
I came in 116th out of 136 participants, and 16th out of 21 women from 40-49. Usually the age groups are in 5 year increments, but not this race. I would have been 9th out of 12 women in the 40-44 category. I can't believe I ran 6.2 miles in less time than I ran 6 miles on my 40th birthday!


I absolutely LOVE my Forerunner. It kept me right on track!!

I don't know how I would have done without this little gadget. I felt so good when I finished, and Donna was waiting at the finish line for me! Isn't that sweet? I wish my family could have been there, but I called my husband right after I crossed the finish line with the great news. After really thinking about the course and that bridge, I was going to be content with a time of 1:15:00! Now I want to do another 5k on the same course as the Smith Point Bridge 5k with my handy, dandy toy. I want to break the 30:00 barrier!!!

Tuesday, the 20th, was my husband's 45th birthday. Since he had to be in work late I made him apple cinnamon stuffed pancakes. I felt bad not having anything special for him to open (like a new MLB PS3 game), but he likes if I don't spend money. I don't know if he knows it or not, but I'm having his family and my parents over for dinner on Sunday to celebrate his special day. Maybe I'll let him be surprised!

It Came and Went

So, it happened. I turned 40 on Tuesday. Let's start things out by saying even though I threw my husband a little family get-together for his 40th (nearly 5 years ago!), I didn't want him to do anything for mine. We had a pretty costly vacation in NYC last month and we're going back in to the city tomorrow to see 'Mary Poppins' on Broadway, so I didn't want him spending any more money. My husband is a worry-wart when it comes to money. He never feels he makes enough, we have enough, there will be enough... you get the picture. However, he is the most generous person you'll ever meet. He loves taking care of me and the kids, especially. So, why did I think he would listen and not do anything?

Well, since he works Tuesday nights and he wouldn't be able to take me out for my 40th, he planned to take me to dinner on Sunday, the 11th. Our favorite local place is Ding How. It's not known for it's wonderful service, but the food is great and so is the price! Anyway, it was sold last year and there's been some changes, namely our hot, sexy Asian, Kenny is no longer there. However, the main change is that the restaurant goes by the name Tony's Asian. This didn't dawn on me until I saw the credit card bill 4 days BEFORE the party. I thought someone had stolen our credit card. I was so sad that I had ruined the surprise. I figured once my husband checked the bills he'd see it and realize I knew. But he never checked the bills. So I kept my mouth closed.


At 5pm, we drove the 2 minutes to the restaurant and I tried my best to give a performance worthy of an Academy Award. I mean, just because there was a charge on the card, it didn't mean ALL of my family was going to be there to celebrate with us. But, everyone was there and I tried to pretend I was shocked. I guess I didn't do a very good job because after it was over my husband wanted to know how I knew, so I told him it was the bill. I hated telling him because I didn't want him to feel bad since he tried so hard to keep it a surprise and his paper trail ruined it. He didn't even tell our KIDS until 5 minutes before we left the house!



I tried to act surprised, but I was more mortified!

We had a great time and everyone was so generous with their gifts for me. I figured that if I got money for my birthday (I know my parents and my f-i-l give us money) that I would get myself a Forerunner. Wouldn't you know that starting on Sunday, Target had the Forerunner 110 on sale for $159?!? So, guess where I went on Monday??? I love it and I got to try it out on Tuesday with a 6 mile run at the track. I set it so it would notify me of my times every 1/4 mile. I took it nice and easy because I wanted to make sure I ran the entire time AND that I finished. Here's what I did the morning of my 40th birthday:

Not too shabby, considering it's the farthest I have ever run outside. Now I wear it on all of my walks with the little ones and I don't have to go on www.mapmywalk.com to figure out my pace (although it was nice to have). I think I'll wear it to the city tomorrow to see how far I walk. Wish I had it on our last trip!!! We walked A LOT!!!

Charlie came home early from work and picked up lunch for us (Subway- Eat Fresh!). I made stuffed zucchini for dinner and then we took the kids to dance and karate. It was an ordinary, run-of-the-mill Tuesday. And the party is over...

Smith Point Bridge 5k For Family Literacy

Yesterday was the big day. Well, not THE big day, but a big day none the less. The weather was nice, but it seemed to quickly heat up when we started running. Stupid us- we didn't warm up before the race because I was on the porta-potty line for a last-minute nervous pee. The worst thing that could happen would be to not be able to finish a race because I had to go! Of course, while on line, I was gabbing with the people around us about the fact that when you got to the front of the potty line, there was a sign saying there were additional bathrooms at the beach pavillion. Shouldn't that sign be at the BACK of the line? Who's going to get off the line, being the next person, to walk a 1/4 of a mile to use the bathroom??? Anyway, one of the guys waiting for a friend said the last stall was empty because the sign was green. Wouldn't you know I opened the door and got an eye-full of a man standing there peeing? Glad it wasn't a poor chick hovering!

So, the race started on time and we were off! My legs felt horrible from not warming up! And we were moving at a pretty decent clip. After going over the bridge and turning around past the visitor's center, times were being called out for the first mile. Before we hit the turn times like "7:10" and "7:20" were being called out. We were going WAY too fast. By the time we got to the 1st mile we were at 9:15, which is still faster than I run. I needed to SLOW DOWN! Going back up and over the bridge helped that happen, big time. It felt like it was getting hotter by the minute! My stomach started to bother me, too. I think I swallow a lot of air when I run. Wouldn't surprise me since I sound like I'm practicing Lamaze when I'm running. People sure can hear me coming!

The last mile was pure torture. My husband started talking to me to get me through it. All I wanted him to do was shut up! I just kept picking a landmark and getting myself to run to it. It really is hard to run without music, for me. It's such a nice distraction! Once I had the finish line in sight I tried to make a final push, but it didn't last very long. We finished at 30:36, 37 seconds shy of my goal of under 30:00. I was so disappointed in myself. All of that negative talk on the course slowed me down and kept me from reaching my goal. I am proud that we ran a 9:51 mile and that we shaved 4:04 off last year's time, though. 30:36 is now my Personal Best.

After that race, I have to reevaluate my goal for the 10k next week, though. A 10:00 mile just is NOT realistic for that distance. I don't even know if an 11:00 mile is now! So, to be safe, I think I will shoot for a finish time of 1:15:00 or under. So, I have to do under a 12:00 mile. I would also like to run the entire race and finish. I'm so anxious! I'm running on my own, without music again. I have to motivate MYSELF to get through this! I think I need to start working on some mantras or cadences or a playlist for my head to stay POSITIVE!!

September Goals

So, another blogger friend posted her goals for the month, and I thought that is an awesome idea to not wait until the new year or a season change, etc. to make myself a list of the things I want to get done. I have a lot of crap projects that need to get done around the house, and seeing that I'll have more free time since the kids are in school, no time better than the present to tackle them! I made the list a few days ago and have already begun to cross things off of it!

SEPTEMBER GOALS:
1). Clean and organize craft/storage room. Done 9/3
2). Clean upstairs rec room/hallway.
3). Sort through and organize my closet. Done 9/6
4). Sort through and organize Charlie's closet.
5). Sort through and organize CJ's closet.
6). Sort through and organize Chelsea's closet.
7). Sort through and organize Chelsea's dresser. Done 9/2
8). Sort though and organize Chelsea's desk.
9). Clean and organize school supply drawer. Done 9/6
10). Spray paint coffee table.
11). Spray paint end table.



Unfortunately, I didn't take a BEFORE picture of this room! It could still use a little work (as well as the redecorating!) but it was merely a storage facility before with our Christmas tree standing directly in the middle!

 Not an impossible list of things to accomplish and I've already gotten a good start. I also have 2 major events this month: the Smith Point Bridge 5k on 9/10 and the Hampton Bays Lions Club 10k on 9/17. My goal for the 5k is to come in under 30 minutes. I think this should definitely happen, barring any horrendous injuries or unforeseen issues, especially since I've been working on my speed for a long time now. My other goal for the 10k was originally to finish in under 60 minutes, but I think this is really asking for a little too much because: 1). it's my first 10k 2). I've never run this route (It's actually the first annual HBLC 10k, so no one has!) and 3). I'm running it alone, with no headphones allowed, so my husband won't be with me to push my pace and I won't have music to distract me. SO, I looked into what the average time is for a 40-44 year old woman (I'll be in a WHOLE new age bracket for that race!! :( !!) and I'm shooting for under 70 minutes. That also takes into account my last 5k's pace of a 10:16 mile. I will be very happy to come in WAY under that,but I also want to run the entire race and finish!

Oh, and I turn 40 in a week.

Only 12 days Until THE Day!

Well, only 12 days until my 40th. Nothing special planned and I am pretty sure my husband doesn't have anything up his sleeve, either. We did just make a mini-vacation out of the 5k at Yankee Stadium/Yankee game a few weeks ago, which cost a small fortune, so we really shouldn't do anything. September is a pretty expensive month with my birthday on the 13th, our anniversary on the 17th and my husband's (45th!) birthday on the 20th. I LOVE September!


Me and Charlie in Central Park on my annual birthday trip into the city. This was on 10/4/09.


Only 9 days until our 5k here at Smith Point Beach. That's nice because we get to run over the bridge that spans the bay from the "mainland" to Fire Island. Hopefully the weather cooperates again. I have never run in the rain before. Then it's on to the 10k on the 17th. That's another race that includes a bridge from Fire Island back into Hampton Bays. It's the Hampton Bays Lions Club 1st Annual Over The Bridge 5k. I hope it's organized! I love being able to do a run the 1st time it's ever ran, but that doesn't mean it will go smoothly.



Last year's Smith Point 5k Bridge Run- 9/11/10

 Chelsea goes back to school on the 6th. 8th grade already! This is the last year I'll be walking anyone to the bus stop. I finally stopped with my son when he went into the high school last year. He's going into 10th and starts on the 7th. After this year Chelsea can walk with her brother for 2 years. It's only about a 100 foot walk, but it's a 4-way stop, which means NO ONE STOPS! AND they get on the bus at 6:30am! It's dark from November until March at that time of day! I don't want to start packing lunch again! Waaahhh! Summer went WAY TOO FAST!