Sunday, November 29, 2009

Thanksgiving weekend wrap-up!

Hope everyone had wonderful Thanksgiving weekends! I am way behind on blog reading as we were at hockey arenas all weekend but I hope to catch up soon. Thanksgiving Day was great for us. We generally spend this holiday with my husband's family but due to hockey tournaments over the weekend we opted to stay put! It was such an enjoyable day and I am still full 3 days later.





This is the first year I've been home for Thankgiving which also marks the first year I haven't been shopping by 4 am on Black Friday. I'm certain I have the only husband in the world who loves shopping! He could not stay home and opted to drive 30 miles to a sporting goods store to look for Christmas presents while I stayed home. I'm glad I let him go however because he came home with the cutest North Face Apex Aphrodite jacket for me for almost half price and just for the heck of it! He is the best shopper and I can honestly say he has never bought me something I didn't like!

Friday afternoon we packed up and headed out of town for my oldest daughter's weekend hockey tournament. Her team is undefeated, state ranked, and was projected to win this tournament. Four games later, we sat watching the championship game go into overtime. We lost! She is 11 years old. I don't ever remember taking a sport this seriously at 11 but she cried for over 3 hours as a result of this game. Then we get home this evening and she is begging for me to bring her to the rink so she can work on her slapshot. This girl is soooo determined!

Now to running news. I've said before that this will mark my first winter of running. I'm not the sedentary type and will always do some sort of exercise but I've never run outside through the winter and I've never been actually training for anything. Well, snow is on the ground now in MN and it is COLD! I woke up on Saturday morning and I just plain did not want to run, inside or out. All summer my brain was absolutely consumed with thoughts of running: my next run, my last run, where I was going to run, how fast I was going to run, how I was going to get to Boston etc... For two days in a row my mind has only been filled with dreadful thoughts about running: why am I doing this, it's too cold, I'm never going to make it, I don't want it etc... This morning I actually thought I would like to cancel my trip to Boston and head to the Caribbean instead which is where I would be going if I hadn't qualified. I seemed to snap myself out of it enough to do a 12 mile treadmill run this morning but it wasn't fun and I just felt tired and unexcited about the whole situation. I have 2 weeks before my training plan will officially start. I believe I have gained fitness not lost it since my last marathon and I will be starting my program in very good shape. I will make it through the winter and into Boston but I am seriously wondering if I will be interested in running a spring marathon in years to come. I finished up my week at 31 miles, down from 63 the week before. I'm guessing I will stay under 30 for the next two weeks if that.

Back to work tomorrow.......

14 comments:

Mel -Tall Mom on the Run said...

Winter running is rough...I am not sure I could make that decision Boston vs. warm weather and relaxing.. WOWZERS!

Beautiful pictures and awesome score for your hubs..

Melissa said...

You have a beautiful family and a fantastic husband for shopping!!
Good luck with the winter running. If it's around 40 here I think it's freezing. I can't imagine the weather where you are.

Genesis said...

aw your poor daughter. at least she's got a competitive spirit. cried it out and then got right back to work.

cold running sucks.

Mel-2nd Chances said...

your kids are beautiful!

To be honest, I prefer winter running over summer, and yes, I live in Canada. haha. I find it much easier to breathe. you just need to dress properly for it... layering is key. shorter strides if it's slippery out, and YakTrax for snow covered roads/sidewalks. honey in your water bottles if it's cold enough, apparently will help prevent your fluids from freezing, and despite what you might think, yes, you still sweat, make sure you hydrate!!! hope that helps :)

Unknown said...

Gosh, I just never think about NOT running year around and I think I would go crazy. That being said, I wouldn't want to run in the snow...that's for sure! Brrr! Today running in 50 degree weather make me shiver and shake. I'm such a baby!
What a sweet husband, a new jacket! And your daughter, what a strong little gal...I'm sure you're so proud of her!
Happy time getting back to work, it's going to be so hard!

Rookie on the Run said...

Your kids are so adorable! Your girls are going to be heart-breakers, that's for sure!

I don't know what it's like to run where it is really cold. I get cold, but that's only because I'm a wimp. I don't know what real cold is. :p

Good for your husband & even more so for you, since you're the one who scored a new jacket!

Jill said...

What a beautiful bunch of kiddos!! I constantly overdress all winter long for every single run I go on - you'd think I would learn. Nope!

Have a great week running!

Lisa said...

Personally, I can't imagine running through a MN winter. Even though I only know you through your blog, I have a pretty good feeling that all the winter runs will be worth it when you cross the finish line in Boston and see your husband and adorable children cheering for you!

Your daughter probably gets a lot of her determination from you.
Good luck!!!

Katie A. said...

ADORABLE family! So sorry for your daughter - but it sounds like they played their hearts out.

I am soooo with you lately on the running thing. Every run this weekend was a chore to get out the door. Which, like you, is a sharp contrast to how the rest of my year was. I would plan everything, everything around my runs. Now I just don't have the drive. And so funny, if I hadn't qualified for Boston, we would have been on the beach in Hawaii! LOL!
I have a marathon this weekend that is leaving me with a knot in my stomach. I haven't made up my mind yet if I am going to run or not. At least we are in the same boat together! Have a good week! :)

Janice {Run Far} said...

Every morning in the Winter, I think to myself "I DO NOT WANT TO RUN OUTSIDE" and then I go and with in 10 min I am so happy I went.

TMB @ RACING WITH BABES said...

Running Boston is going to be so worth every minute of winter running you have to do! Stay strong and bundle up.

Those are great pictures! Your kids are adorable!

Jen Feeny said...

Love the pics! Glad you had a wonderful holiday! Hmmm warm weather or Boston... :)

Teamarcia said...

Your pics are gorgeous! Glad you had a fun holiday weekend despite your daughter's hockey loss.:( I don't think I'd be training for a spring marathon if it weren't Boston...but except for last year the last few winters haven't been that bad...

Lindsay said...

sign me up! i'm sure we can find other marathoners to run in the caribbean on april 19th :)

your husband sounds awesome - shopping fiend, too cool!