Another Race this Weekend...

...the Delta Gamma Race for Sight 5K is this weekend. Last year, I ran it in 37.43. My goal this year is to run it in under 35. I really need to hit my goal because I need my confidence back. Ever since the 10K, I feel as though I've lost my running mojo. I know it's just a mental thing but so far since Saturday, the furthest I've ran is 2 miles. Last week, I'd look at 6 miles and be like ain't no thang, this week, I am doing everything I can to get to 2 miles. If I don't hit my goal this weekend, it's going to be a long month of training for the half. Wish me luck!

Welcome Baby Nick!!!

...last Friday, I went to visit Angie and new baby Nick! Angie is doing great to have just had such a handsome little boy. Here is the proud momma and her son.
Here's Nick lovin' his new swing
Big sis Daisy got some love from me too.
Here I am feeding Nick while he's looking at me saying, "I'm not so sure about you lady..."
Thanks for having me over guys! Angie, he's gorgeous!!! I hope I get to see you two soon.

PS
Happy birthday to the world's best big sister! LOVE YOU SHA!

Girls' Night Out...

...so Saturday night, I met up with Sarah for dinner at The Fountain on Locust. I cannot rave enough about this place!!! Delicious food, the world's smallest sundae for dessert and good company-what could be better!!! I've been dying to go to this place for MONTHS after Angie and her dinner club went there in the fall but, of course, we don't eat out if its not in St. Charles County so I had to wait for a "city" friend to venture out there. I had the St. Louis salad on a baguette toasted with garlic and cheese and their homemade potato chips-YUM!!! Then I ordered the world's smallest sundae with the after dinner mint per Sarah's request-omg-the best three bites of ice cream-ever!!!

We then headed over to Jazz at the Bistro to hear Erin Bode play. She was awesome and who knew that her husband was in the band as well. I also indulged there in a Thin Mintini-watch out, I was getting crazy!!! We also sat with another couple that were big dog lovers, I hope when we "grow up" that Matt and I have a relationship like they do. So thanks Sarah for a fun and much needed girls night out!

The Mighty 10K...

...this morning I ran the St. Charles Community College 10K. I went all alone by luckily when I pulled up I saw my good friend Angie so I was able to hang out with her and keep the nerves calmed before the race started. Here's how I stored my key.
Here I am after the race holding my free Smoothie King smoothie. Sorry, I'm crouching, this was a timer where the camera was set on the hood of my car. Quickly after this picture I sped off to work. Okay, so let's get into this whole race thing. WARNING: This is not a good post and it is not a pity post, it's a what's really going through that crazy mind of mine post. I'd looked at the race results from last year and saw that the slowest person finished in 1 hour and 17 minutes. So crap, I'm stressing all week that I'm going to finish last because my goal time was 1 hour and 15 minutes. I start off doing well, rocking out to my workout playlist that my sister created me, I glance behind me and notice that I am pretty close to the end of the pack but there's still quite a few people back there.

Mile 1 goes by, then mile 2 then somewhere between 2-4 (I totally didn't see the sign for mile 3), I realize there's only 3 people behind me. I glance at my I-Touch and I'm off pace, WAY off pace. I start to panic and get really down on myself, I'm near tears as I think to myself, "How am I ever going to finish a half marathon?!?" And let me tell you from the waist up I felt good, I was breathing fine, wasn't cramping it was my damn heavy legs of stone. My shins were hurting, my hips pulling, I felt like I could walk faster than my legs were shuffling along. I told myself DO.NOT.CRY. or there is no way you will ever finish. I get out of the school we ran through and noticed that the race crew is picking up all the cones behind us-how embarrassing.

I turn back to the main road and realize I'm not going nearly as fast as I can. A couple ladies were right in front of me so I tried to keep pace with them which really helped then they took off and I lost them. I just kept thinking hurry up and finish, maybe the time won't be as bad as you think it is. After mile 4, some lady passed me who seemed like she would be in good shape so I tried to stay fairly close to her. All of 4 and about half of 5 she was ahead of me then I realized I was getting closer. Suddenly during mile 5, I found my pace and was running...easy! I was able to catch this lady then she'd stop to walk then speed up to me again then stop to walk then speed up to me again. She tried talking to me but my I-Touch was up super loud so I just smiled and nodded then took off. I crossed the finishing line feeling strong but very disappointed when the clock said 1:19:30 (1 hour 19 minutes 30 seconds). Not only did I miss my goal of 1.15 but that's almost a 13 minute mile pace not to mention I finished 4th to last. Angie was there cheering me on at the finish line so after a quick thanks to her and grabbing my free smoothie, I was off to work.

At work, I was very quiet and didn't say much. My "team" and I talked about the race so they tried to discourage others from asking about it because they knew I was upset. I didn't think to much about it but when I got in the car to drive home, I broke down and lost it. Yes, I finished and it was my first 10K ever. I thought it would be a good idea to get something longer than a 5K under my belt before the half-marathon. And let me tell you, physically the race wasn't that hard it was a pure mental thing. But I felt like such a failure!!! Way off pace, fourth to last, I feel like I let everyone down...myself, my co-workers who are always asking me about my workouts and encouraging me, my blog friends who think I'm doing great, my running friends at Daily Mile...pause while I wipe away some tears...

There is just so much going on in my life right now and I thought running would be a good, healthy outlet but now I just feel like this adds to the list of my disappointments and failures. But like my dad reminded me this morning, I told him once that, "I'm not a quitter" so I'll keep trucking on and training for the half on June 5. Hopefully it'll go better than today.

Mmm, I Heart PB...

...my co-workers know me well...very well. I heart peanut butter...a lot, I'm sure if you've followed/read my blog for awhile, you would know this. I mean hello people-I give it up for LENT!?! So long story short, I heart PB...a whole heck of a lot, got it?

My old boss stopped by around Christmas time to tell me about this PB he'd found. It's all natural by Peanut Butter & Company. It comes in Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate and I think a cinnamon swirl or something along those lines (if it doesn't say chocolate, then I don't care!). The only probably is, we can only find it at Kroger out in Troy!!! So in January, we were out visiting Matt's family and I stopped and got me a couple jars-yummo!!! Then the other day at work, Paula (who is prego so go over and tell her congrats!) brought me some of this yummy peanut butter! Yummy! Thank you Paula, it went great with my pretzels.
Okay, so my boss tells me about Inside Out Peanut Butter Cups. This recipe was super easy, a little messy and the only disappointing thing is that it only made 6. You can use mini cupcake pans (which I don't have) and make more though. When I took the crust out of the oven, it reminded me of a peanut butter cookie then the filling is like a melted Reese's...OMG! They are in the fridge right now harding but I taste the filling and it's to die for!!! Lucky Angie, I'm bringing her some tomorrow if Matt stays out of them like I told him to! Happy Friday everyone!

Lamb: Book Review by Me...

...okay, so I've totally slacked off on reading. My prime reading time is deer season so I started this book when we went to Florida and couldn't put it down then I got home and forgot all about it. I FINALLY finished Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore last night. Don't get me wrong, just because it took me 4 months to finish it doesn't mean it's not a good book, it just means I'm easily distracted. So here goes, my thoughts without giving the book away:

*Wow! Not at ALL what I expected. I am not a highly religious person so I would really like to hear the thoughts from someone that is or more so than I, which is probably anyone. I mean I thought it was a good book and I think it would be a little more clear if I had a better understanding of some of the things that went on (I found myself during our trip asking my mom a lot of questions) but I'm not sure how they would take it...like would they consider it to be sacrilegious?

*Can we just say there is a lot of fornication going on in this book? WOW!

*Mary Magdalene not how I pictured her from the Bible. She kind of reminds of woman power-Mary rocks!

*I really came to love Levi throughout the book. I mean he's an awesome friend to Joshua AKA Jesus and he's hilarious plus he marches to his own drum. I was really sad with Levi at the end of the book but happy in the epilogue.

So overall, good book...would definitely recommend it. I know there's some of you out there that have read it so please let me know what you thought of it.

Words on Wednesday...

...I don't have much to blog about so here goes nothing...

*Today is my last full day of work this week! I can't wait to sleep in on Friday and then I'm going to see Angie and meet Nick for the first time-super excited about that.

*Running a 10K (6.2 miles) race this weekend, hope it doesn't rain, hope I don't come in last either. My goal time is 1 hour 15 minutes, the slowest person that did the race last year was 1.17-yikes! I'd better be booking it!

*A co-worker sent me this recipe for Inside Out Peanut Butter Cups. After hearing what she says and reading the recipe, I soooo cannot wait to make them.

*Matt had to work late last night so I decided to order some Papa John's. I love that stuff but man oh man does it make me THIRSTY! All day today I'll be guzzling water to recover from that stuff.

*My good friend Beth just got engaged a couple weeks ago and called to tell me she's getting married in Florida in October. Sweet! Road trip!!! Matt probably won't get to go but it'll be nice to have a girls weekend, or I'll just be a third wheel to some other couple. I'm so happy for Beth and I love beach weddings! It'll be awesome.

*Got my car back...$3,000-ouch to my pocketbook but I took it well, probably because I put it on my credit card. Now when I have to take the money out of my savings to pay off my credit card THEN I'll break down and cry.

Happy Wednesday everyone!!!