Broken Foot – Week 2

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But at least my broken foot & I have been a little more active:

  • Played Mah Jongg
  • Visited with Amanda, my mentee
  • Went to the drive-in (saw Star Trek)
  • Went out to dinner with some tennis friends
  • Had coffee with a good friend
  • Read lots of books – The Reliable Wife, The  Girls From Ames, The Descendants, The Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Unorthodox, The Snow Child
  • Got my nails done
  • Had my hair cut and colored
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heal baby heal

Looking forward to my 2 week ortho appointment on Monday.  Fingers crossed that things are going well.

Happy Running!  Enjoy your weekend! Reading any good books?

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I is for Iphones & Ipads

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look what’s in my hand – my iPhone, of course!

I hardly go anywhere without my iPhone. (This comes from someone who resisted for a long time buying a smartphone & I work in the IT field.)

I started out only using it as a phone.

That meant that I still carried a camera.  (And I still prefer to take pictures with my camera.) Eventually, I got lazy and now I frequently use my iPhone as a camera.  In fact, my last half marathon was the first time that I didn’t carry a camera to a race.

Sarasota Half Marathon

my iPhone is in my SpiBelt

Until recently, I listened to music on my iPod Shuffle (I love how small it is) but now I even use my iPhone for tunes (since I carry it anyway.)

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iPhone is in my pocket

I do have some running apps (walkjogrun & runtastic) on it but I have yet to use them,  I am pretty content with my Garmin 205.

As for my iPad (I got it at least a year before my iPhone), it is invaluable.  I download books on it (though I do read real books for the most part), play Scrabble on it and most importantly, it keeps my sane on the treadmill.

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 I hardly ever watch real TV anymore.

I even prefer (if I have wifi) to read my e-mail or check Facebook on it.  Maybe it’s my “old” eyes but I just like the large screen.

Happy Running! Do you have an iPhone or an iPad?  If so, what do you use them for?

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What I am Loving Right Now

I’ve read this on some blogs and I am bored while proctoring at the bar exam so ….

Here is my list in no particular order:

  • YA Novels

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I started with the Twilight series because the girl that I mentor loved them.  After that, I read the Hunger Games trilogy which I enjoyed a lot.  Then I was recommended Divergent and Insurgent (the 3rd will be out soon) by Veronica Roth.  If you like this kind of reading, you must read Delirium and Pandemonium (Requiem is coming out in March) by Lauren Oliver which I liked even more. Now I’m on to Alli Condie’s series, Matched, Crossed and Reached. As Jimmy Buffet said in a song:  “I’m growing older not up…”

  • Compression Socks
drinking coffee out of my new Moscow mug

these are from procompression.com

I have them in white, black, argyle blue, green, purple, pink  and hot pink.  I’ve worn them during all my half marathons.   I got more while I was injured.  I wore them while recovering and racing. Now I just wear them during my long training runs.  I don’t know if they help physically but psychologically they do.

  • Chocolate Cream of Wheat

I ALWAYS eat hot cereal for breakfast.  It is also my pre-race breakfast.  I use 2 packages, add water and cook in the microwave.  Then I add some milk to cool it.  The chocolate feeds my sweet tooth.  It says  that it includes 9 essential vitamins so it is semi healthy, right?

  • Archer Farms Bottled Lattes

They are basically bottled Frappuccinos with the word “latte” slapped on the label. Regardless of the name, they taste very similar to Starbucks brand Frappuccinos.  You can buy them at Target and they are much cheaper than the Starbucks brand.  I’ve tried many of the flavors – vanilla, pumpkin, mocha, chai, etc. I love them.  And they’re only 100 calories.

  • Watching TV on my iPad

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I think I watch TV on it more than I do on a regular TV.  Recently, I have been catching up on episodes of Revenge.   It has been a Godsend for the treadmill at work when I can’t run outdoors- I also watch Smash, Nashville, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Wife – either at lunch or after work. Now you know what kinds of shows I watch.  Unfortunately the PBS app only has season 3 of Downton Abbey & I haven’t seen seasons 1 & 2 (which everyone is racing about.)

  • Liberte Mediterranee Yogurt

I started eating yogurt for the first time when I spent my junior year abroad in France.  I have been looking ever since (and it’s been a LONG time) for yogurt as good as the kind they make in France.  I finally found it!!  Coconut is my favorite. YUM!! I also like their vanilla.

  • Running Skirts
me feeling short with the Running Skirts ladies

October 2012

Half in Naples, Florida

January 2011

color-coordinated but too warm!!

February 2013

I have quite a few running skirts.  I even wear them over tights when it is cold outside. But the top one (from runningskirts.com) is my favorite by far.  The top one has compression shorts underneath.  It’s a little longer and it has a pocket on each side.  I wore it for almost all my races this past summer and fall.  So I just ordered another that I may wear for my upcoming half marathon.

  • Thomas Bagels

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I need my carb fix everyday. I used to be a bagel snob (I am from LI, NY) and never buy supermarket bagels but then I tried Thomas.  They are good.  They are soft and stay fresh for weeks.  My favorites are pumpkin, cranberry, corn, banana bread.  If I can’t find those flavors, I”ll eat honey wheat or cinnamon raisin.  They are so good that I just eat them plain for a mid-morning snack.  In fact, they have replaced my PopTart addiction 🙂

  • Red Wine

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I am not a big drinker.  In fact all I need is one mixed drink to get me drunk.  I rarely drink at all when I’m not on vacation or having dinner in a restaurant.  Usually I order Riesling.  I always felt that red wine gave you a headache. Recently, I have acquired a taste for red wine.  I am having one glass of Merlot almost every evening.    The French do it, right?  And they live a long time!!

Happy Running! What are you loving right now?

Staycation Has Begun

Not that I don’t love working but I can get used to this! It’s Sunday eve and tomorrow, there’s NO WORK for me!!

Usually when I take off from work, it is to go somewhere.

The week between Christmas and News Years, I am off (though I was tempted to go somewhere warm), and we decided to stay home. And I have nothing to do except:

  • Run – whenever I want (and not break my ankle on the ice!!!!)
  • Catch up with friends – celebrating my bff’s b-day on Thurs & annual tennis holiday party on Fri
  • Shop for bargains– love those after Christmas sales
  • Read – just finished Glass Castle & Gone Girl…any suggestions??
  • Knit – want to finish this pair of socks

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  • Go to the Movies – I want to see Les Miz, Silver Linings, Guilt Trip…

I may do more of the above the rest of the week but I really should do grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, cleaning, re-organgizing…

Then I won’t mind going back to work next Wednesday!!! Ha Ha!

Happy Running! Do you have the week off? What are you going with your free time?

Thankful November

I wasn’t organized enough to do this daily but I really was thankful each day of this month:

  1. Thankful that my friend encouraged me to learn to knit.  It keeps me focused and takes my mind off of my injuries.
  2. Thankful for having learned to play Mah Jongg.  I have met new people and it is a lot of fun and keeps my “old” mind active.
  3. Thankful for our boat and the people who live in Lake George that we have befriended because of it.
  4. Thankful for my tennis friends and although we don’t play tennis often together, we do other things to stay connected.
  5. Thankful for my job.  Besides the salary, I enjoy helping people and feeling appreciated.
  6. Thankful for my right to vote.
  7. Thankful that President Obama was re-elected.
  8. Thankful for a new Grey’s Anatomy episode and no more political commercials to watch.
  9. Thankful for USAir frequent flyer miles and being able to fly to Florida for free on December 8, Jan 19 & Mar 12.
  10. Thankful for the bloggers that keep me entertained and motivated to run.
  11. Thankful for beautiful weather and scenic places in my area to bike.
  12. Thankful for my cleaning lady and that once a month, I have clean floors & bathrooms.
  13. Thankful for only needing a painless cleaning from my dentist.
  14. Thankful for working across the street from Starbucks and being able to run across for an afternoon pick me up.
  15. Thankful for free flu shots at work.
  16. Thankful for my Nov. Foodie Penpal and the delicious goodies that I received from her.
  17. Thankful for my BFF Judy who has been my source of calm and advice for over 35 years.
  18. Thankful for being able to run ONE mile (pain-free.)
  19. Thankful for those who have been graciously subbing for me each week in my Monday tennis contract.
  20. Thankful for the exercise bike & wifi at work so I can exercise & keep up the latest episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice & Nashville on my iPad.
  21. Thankful for my hairdresser and hair dye – both which keep me looking young(er).
  22. Thankful for the excuse to eat stuffing and pumpkin pie with a view & the company of my hubby.
  23. Thankful for a Friday off from work. Time to catch up on laundry, shopping & decorating for the holdiays (EARLY!)
  24. Thankful for UVA gel and now beautiful nails for the next month.
  25. Thankful for the junk food and left overs from hosting mah jongg (we never have junk food at my house.)
  26. Thankful for DVRs – now I can watch Sunday night’s Revenge & The Good Wife.
  27. Thankful for our anti-Thanksgiving lunch at work esp the Oreo Cheesecake Truffles.
  28. Thankful for hospitals, doctors, nurses and that soon, I will hopefully be playing tennis and racing again.
  29. Thankful for my hubby and that we can put up with each other’s ups and downs.
  30. Thankful for our annual work Christmas party…lots of food & drink and the opportunity to dress up.

knitting socks

playing mah jongg

me & my tennis friends at a restaurant

me & my Lake George friends

The Corning Bike Path (on the Hudson R.)

Dark Chocolate bar from my Foodie Pen Pal

BOGO for 3 days!

Thanksgiving with a view & my hubby

oreo cheesecake truffles

Happy Running!  Did you participate in Thankful November?  What were you most thankful for?

How I Pass the Time When Not Running

After work, I usually run, play tennis, bike or do yoga.

Now what??


I do love to read.  I finished The Weird Sisters and am in the middle of Between Shades of Grey. I usually go to a used book stroe and trade in books and pick up new ones.  Believe it or not, the owner was handing out bookmarks.


Yup, that’s the 5k in my town (my 5k PR race 😦 )  How depressing!!!

The one person that is happy about my injury is my knitting friend.

When I broke my ankle, I knit 2 hats and 3 socks (due to her encouragement.). I stopped knitting as soon as I could run.

So now I am finishing the 2nd pair (the  pink one) and plan to make a third pair (the blue one).  My friend gave me a gift certificate back in May for a knitting store so  I finally went and bought wool for 2 more pairs of socks.  I thought I might enjoy applique but I found out that I prefer to knit.

And there’s also TV…

Counting down the days until I can run!!!!

Happy Running!  How would you pass the time if you couldn’t run?