Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Q and A Part Two!!

Midlife Cruiser asked:

Do you shave or wax your pits?

OUCH! I shave them.

Favorite make-up line?

Can’t say I have a favorite line that I use exclusively. During the week I wear very little make-up. Mascara and sometimes a mineral powder foundation since I spent too many years in my youth laying on a lawn chair trying to toast my body. (Arbonne or Mary Kay for this as when you live in a small town you are invited to ENDLESS Arbonne, Mary Kay parties) Most of my other makeup is free samples I get from my sister from all the money she spends!!! A big mixed back of tricks:)

Favorite book?

Geez. I’m giving two weak answers in a row. Again, I couldn’t list a single book as my favorite-I like many different types depending on what I'm looking to read. I don’t read many “Nicholas Sparks” type story books (no offense) If I read a story I am more apt to pick autobiographies or memoirs. I generally read more non-fiction than fiction. I read a lot of running books or books that I can somehow relate to running. I like books that provoke me to think but aren't WAY over my head. There are MANY of these and I'm not too proud to admit that!!!


Would you rather eat in or out?

I love to go out to eat but that’s probably because we have very few options here and I rarely do! When we’re home I imagine we get takeout or eat out maybe once a month if that. Even when we’re traveling with the kids on the weekends for hockey, most of what we eat comes from the grocery store. When Joe and I travel by ourselves, it’s a different story-ha! I think on average we hit like 5 restaurants a day just to try new things!

Jamoosh asked:

What is your perfect Distance?

Well, after my last marathon, I’ve decided my perfect distance is 19 miles. I’ve actually decided that next time I am going to sign up for a 19 mile marathon and I think I will do quite well! Joking aside, for sure my favorite distance is the marathon or potentially beyond at some point. My LEAST favorite distance currently is the Half Marathon which is somewhat surprising maybe. Of course this is always changing....If I ran a good one, it would become my favorite-ha!! It actually used to be my favorite. I don’t like running 5K/10K’s necessarily but I feel less pressure with them and time goals during marathon training. The HM is the only distance I am currently fighting with McMillan on. I haven’t truly run one hard since 2009.

Lisa@Eat.Pray.Run asked:

What's your favorite food spot (locally) and what would you suggest eating there?

Definitely Jake’s pizza! Small little hole in the wall that makes a brick oven thin crust pizza TDF. I always order the Oven Combo-no meat and I could clear a whole pizza off myself-ha! My favorite spot for a date night or atmosphere is the “Brickhouse” which is a restaurant built into an old creamery. I usually only order the spinach artichoke dip (which is NOT good for you) and wine here though.

What's your favorite local running spot/route?

Hard to say I have a favorite but I have a few that I use quite often . There is a 4 mile loop around my house. It includes ditch trail and gravel and actually has a downhill and an uphill which is rare around here. I also love to go way up by the Canadian border on a somewhat deserted highway. In the winter, I always run in town because of the streetlights but I much prefer to be out in the country by my lonesome!

Jill asked:

Do you ever wish you lived elsewhere?

I try not to dwell on things I wish were different and just be content with my situation, but yes, I often wish I lived elsewhere. We moved here after my sister died to be closer to my family. It would make a lot of sense in MANY ways for us to live elsewhere and we've contemplated doing this SEVERAL times..... On the other hand, my kids are so happy, I have great friends, schools are good, my family is here. When Max graduates from high school, Joe and I have plans to move for sure...

If yes to #1, and you moved to say Colorado (yay!!) where hockey is not popular, what do you think your kids would do instead?

Hmmm…..I think soccer is a great team sport. We don’t have it here because of the short season. I would for sure encourage Reese with running, I think Ryan would be a good swimmer-very strong arms and shoulders, Max loves baseball. My younger 2 would adjust quickly. Ryan is much more invested in her sport. We would have to figure something out with her….

If moola were not an option, what race would you like to do the most?

Kind of touched on this in my last answer post. For now, I would like to knock off the other two major US marathons (Chicago and NYC). There are marathons in Maine, Idaho, Vermont, and California I would also like to run in the next few years. Outside of the United States, South Africa or Ireland are both on my list along with London and Berlin of course. Pretty specific here-ha!

How many pairs of boots are on your fall shopping budget?

Ha ha Jill! You remember my midnight shopping obsession in search of the perfect boots! I have 3 kids in traveling hockey who will play 160 games this year. My boot budget as far as fashion over function has dwindled from not much to none-ha!

What is your highest mileage?

I’m not exactly positive of this. I once ran 82 because of a Sunday then Saturday long run but as a true week, in the mid 70’s.

If you could get free coaching from like an elite marathon coach, would you do it (beings you like to do your own thang :))?

Free coaching from an elite marathon coach. That would be pretty hard to turn down. Yes, I like to do my own thing and no, I’m not willing to spend money on a coach nor have I really desired a coach at this point but this would be interesting. Yes:)

Would you pace a friend in his/her come-back marathon after being injured for like a year, even it it meant being agonizingly slow?


I don’t think you will be agonizingly slow Jill and what marathon are we running?

When are you coming to Colorado to hang with me?

I will, I promise:)

OK-I still have a few more to get to which I will eventually here! I'm pretty sure Raina is the only one who actually might have a clue why my husband would use tampons. I'm not exactly sure if it's because her husband uses them too or she's just a smart lady:)

16 comments:

Britt @ Chicago Runner Girl said...

The Chitown marathon is calling your name...Jenn come run me in 2012...you won't regret it!

Love your wit!

Julie said...

Jenn!!! Holy cow lady I have missed you! So good to see a comment from my Minnesota super star! I hope that your summer is going well. Can you believe it is almost freaking August!!! Where does the time go? This was a fun post to read. I always enjoy reading posts with random information that helps me learn more about my blogger friends:) We need to exchange e-mails and chat a little. Do you facebook? Let me know if you do or look me up.

Take care Jenn!

ajh said...

Yes to the marathon in Vermont.It is such a good one!

And thanks for reading EVERY word in my IMLP post. I am now stalking blogs trying to find other posts about it because it was such a great experience. I hope others felt the same way. My son (24) had just as amazing an experience a spectator as I did. We're trying to figure out how to do it again next year. Volunteer? Maybe.

Keri said...

I love it- the perfect distance, 19 miles!

Anonymous said...

If money wasn't an issue I would probably do Marine Corps Marathon. I've always wanted to do that one.

mid 70's is crazy! Anything over 40 and my body starts to break down. I don't think I'm made for marathons like you.

I'm sorry to hear about your sister. i didn't know.

Amanda@runninghood said...

Ha 19 miles! :) Good one. This pizza place...will you take me when I come visit? Oh gosh, now my mouth is watering and I want to eat right this second. yes on the OUCH about waxing pits. And Mary Kay...me too. Everyone seems to sell it. :)

Sorry this isn't a very great comment...I'm pooped and it is late. :)

Anonymous said...

I think 19 miles is a perfectly good answer. My perfect distance is 18 miles.

Lindsay said...

Just so long as you and Joe retire to the sunny southeast I'll be ok with that :) sorry bout the (lack of) boot fund though. HINT HINT OFFSPRING. ;)

Raina said...

I always ALWAYS read all your posts to the END. But this was so worth it today! I need to subscribe to your post by email so I quit being late here. :D

Even after reading that you wish to move, I still think I want to see Minnesota and the Wisconsin area. I will bring bug repellant!

I was wondering about the makeup too- but I am terrible at asking questions, I guess! Mine is a sparse hodgepodge too. No one is selling Mary Kay here anymore! WTHECK?
Ooops...I should be more careful... I think someone from church might have heard me say that & now I will have a few brochures!

The PERFECT distance ...yes..that's a moving target. I KNOW you could really bust out a great HM if you weren't always in HEAVY training! Come on. One day off and a light week is NOT a taper. :) I know you could kick McMillan's butt!

And...yes. If my husband used tampons I'd bet he'd go for the Equate brand. HA! He might have used them at one time or another....

mfranks said...

Haha, I will let you know how it goes.

Gees, you log some serious miles- I'm one to talk.
The half-marathon is also my least favorite- or I love to hate it (one of those).

Suzy said...

Great answers!! Based on your food answers...do you eat meat? Just curious.

Jill said...

Yay, can't wait for the hanging with me part - and the pacing me part. :) Meg has me thinking of Carlsbad Marathon in January. She's a great hang-er-out-with-er (and a free place to stay, score! :)) and it'd be perfect timing before Boston!! Hum....

Ana-Maria RunTriLive said...

How did I not comment on this? I read it many times, comments included:) Love these Q&As, Jenn, bc you are funny and you make them interesting.
Is it weird I have never heard of Mary Kay or Arbonne? I wear little make up, too, but always some type of foundation. Lucky to have a sis who gets samples:) I often get bags of clothes from my SIL, some stuff even with tags on...
I read mostly nonfiction too, but do love autobiographical stories.
Nah 19 miles, 26.2 IS your favorite distance!
The HM is for you like the 10K is for me. Just do one after October! HMs are more ammenable to taking risks than marathons, I think. In a marathon if you start too fast you are toast, in a HM, you can hang on.
I'll do Berlin and London with you. And Paris, yeah!

Happy Feet 26.2 said...

finally time to catch up with Jenn. I've enjoyed reading your Q & A.

Holy Mileage in the heat. Sweet! I'm on my way back up - woo hoo!

Yes, 18 would be perfect for me, but then if it's 18, I'm sure 15 would seem perfect. urgh!

Nice to catch up with what seems like an old friend.

Jess @ Blonde Ponytail said...

If Max likes baseball, my hubby will need a recruiting DVD on him! ;) It's cold in Pullman, WA (Washington State Univ) so at least he would be prepared. He's gotta be a stud with your gene pool!

I love your honest candor Jenn! You are so practical and mentally tough and freaking gorgeous to boot!!!

XLMIC said...

Jenn! I can't believe I never came back after my phone-reading to leave you a comment here. I want you to come run a race out in SF so that I can go and holler at you!