December recap.

Happy new year!!!

I rang in 2011 with some great girlfriends:

Our husbands were around, too, but we all make for a cuter photo :-)

This was the third year that we've had a new year's eve party at our house since moving in 2007 and I love being able to celebrate with good friends. It's just fun to end one year and start another surround by fun, happy people!

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As 2010 ended so did the month of December, which happened to be one great month of running. Helped by warmish weather and my newfound friendship with the treadmill, I was able to run my highest mileage since September 2009.

No kidding! My highest monthly mileage in over a year. Writing that, I feel slightly ridiculous. Like, what was I doing October through January last year?

Who knows.

Anyway, this month I made time to run while also making time for fun things like, oh, Christmas. Speaking of which, did I ever show you Conal's masterpiece? No? Well, here's his gingerbread house, or, more accurately, his graham cracker house:

He loved that thing. Every day he was picking at the "siding" and by the time we tossed it, most of the m&ms were gone.

So, good clean fun. Now, back to the running. Here's how the month looked:

December stats:

Running (miles): 84.7
Cross-training (sessions): 4


Love it.


Now, bring on 2011. 


~ Felice

The running year that was.

It's the end of the year. Time for reflection and resolutions and parties and all that. Count me in!


So, yeah. Last year I had some goals. Did I reach them? Well, let's have a look at each of my goals and how I did:

To run strong and well throughout the year. DONE! True, I was pregnant for most of the year but I still ran strong. I ran a few races while pregnant, ran until week 38 of the pregnancy and then started again two weeks after giving birth. Now, with my little guy just about 12 weeks old, I feel great!

To set at least one new PR. Ha to the ha, ha, ha! Yeah, pregnancy running doesn't really lend itself to PRs. Enh, no big deal.

To run outdoors more often than indoors. DONE! Although I've been running on the treadmill more lately, for the rest of the year I ran outdoors. 

To meet some other running bloggers. DONE! I met, ran, raced and became friends with Amanda, Suzy and Darlene. Love them! 

To run 1010 miles for 2010. Yet another ha, ha, ha. I made just over 600 and consider that a win.

To break the death-grip that is my Starburst jellybean addiction. The death-grip is too strong for me to even discuss this one.

Not too bad. Some of my goals simply had to go out the window once I learned that I was pregnant. There was just no going after a PR or 1000 miles in my preggo 2010. And, believe me, I am 100% OK with that. Overall, it was a great running year for me.

I ran 611.8 miles in 2010. I ran six races: a 10K, a marathon relay (5.7 mile leg), a 3.5 miler, two preggo 5Ks (FRW and one while vacationing) and one 5K 8 weeks after giving birth. I helped some non-runners become runners.

And now, I'm looking forward to 2011! I have plenty of goals for the year and I've been planning out my races so I'll post about those soon. I also have an exciting challenge that I'm putting together that I hope you all will be into. More on that really soon!

In the meantime, I hope you all have a terrific New Year's Eve and I wish you the best in 2011. Thank you all for visiting my site and for the comments, encouragement and support you provide. I appreciate it :-)

Cheers and happy running!

~ Felice

Eating (and eating) and running.

So, wow. I sometimes have to wonder how it is possible to consume So. Much. Food. over the course of so few days. I mean, gingerbread cookies, Christmas chip cookies, chocolate crinkles, trifle, monkey bread, that white chocolate-cereal-pretzel mix stuff. Not to mention Christmas brunch, Christmas hors d'oeuvres and Christmas dinner.

Yeah, I ate a lot. And then I ate some more.

Fortunately, I ran a good bit, too. I extended my long run to 6.5 miles, ran a hilly, chilly 4.5 miler at 8:45 pace, and logged a few easy runs. And with that, the scale stayed right where it was the week before. Thanks, running!


Now, I'm prepping for New Year's Eve, which will undoubtedly include more eating and, I hope, more running!

I have to say, though, I've enjoyed it all. I love the goodies of the season -- who doesn't? But, now it is time for normal eating again. Oh, well . . . I'll miss you, cookies. And you, too, white chocolate-cereal-pretzel mix stuff!


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So, non-food related question for you all: If you've used McMillan to estimate your race times, have you found it to be fairly accurate? I input some times to see where I should be for the half-marathon and I'm just wondering what other's experiences have been. THANKS!

Happy Wednesday!

~ Felice

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday (the "ho, ho, ho!" version).

It was Santa time at pre-school yesterday and, boy-howdy, were the kids into it!

Santa asked Conal to check if the beard was real. It was.

Time with Santa --

 

Two brothers!

Ho, ho, ho and happy Wednesday to you!

~ Felice