Time for a new look

Yes, if I have not noticed (or totally color-blind), I have re-done my entire blog including finally putting the new header. It took me awhile to get all of my links from the all of layout set up, but it was worth it. I have been in a little bit of a funky mood and trying to understand it all.

After Josh got home from work, we eventually went out for a 40 minute run. It was a little bit cooler than the last run, but it made it easier to keep the pace up. After our run, we ended up at our favorite bar, Hopleaf, for a couple of beers, a bucket of Belgian mussels, fries, and a chocolate torte. Yummm!

We are both really tired now and slowly falling asleep. I have to go back to work tommorow and then another day off before working one more day before another day off to run the Shuffle. (It's a long explanation, but worth it!) They are talking a rain/snow mix for tommorow and Friday - YUCK!!

Tommorow - REST DAY! Yayy!

Today's workout
40 minute run
Mile 1 - 10:22
Mile 2 - 9:59
Mile 3 - 9:50
Mile 4 - 9:23
200 feet - 0:22
Avg Pace - 9:55/mile

Confession time..

...because I have been SO naughty and lazy. The last time I hit the gym or did any good cardio workouts was on the day of the half-marathon on Sunday. I have been MAJORLY slacking off....BIG TIME! On top of that, I have been eating REALLY, REALLY bad. People who are close to me don't even now about my naughty eating has been this past week. I have been keeping it a HUGE secret until now. Here's the list of things that I have been eating this week starting on Monday (Sunday does not count because I am restoring my carbs, etc): One theatre-sized box of chocolate covered Tootsie Rolls

• 5 piece of chicken nuggets and a Sour Cream and Chive baked potato (and LOTS of butter too)from Wendy's at the airport
• A Regular-sized Roasted Beef Sandwich with a 5 piece of Loaded Baked Potato Bites from Arby's Bagel and Cream Cheese (at lunch with a salad...and a croissant)
• Two large pieces of the cherry cheesecake I made as part of truce for my ex (Well, it worked...more later in this post! I know that I am going to get lectured after this.)
• A Frosty from Wendy's with chopped M&M's (right before the 2nd piece of cherry cheesecake...before I went to bed alone!)
• One really yummy piece of Flourless Chocolate Cake from Whole Foods that I ate after I talked before someone's bedtime tonight.
• Countless pieces of chocolate candy out of the staff's candy jars since Wednesday
• Two glasses of Chai Cider, which warmed me up tonight but loaded with 110 calories EACH
• One Frosted Old-Fashioned Donut from Krispy Kreme (after my chiropractor appointment on Tuesday morning)
• One whole mini pizza with hamburger, EXTRA mozzarella cheese, and basil from Old Chicago (and wished I had a BEER to go with it - DAMN IT!)
• One whole bottle of Raspberry Lambic upon my arrival back home from Phoenix (and BOY did I need it...even after the 4 beers during the victory party the night before!)
• One very yummy frosty tropical drink (with ALCOHOL!) at Kokomo's at the Mall of America with Danielle
• Chicken Strips and garlic mashed potatoes at Kokomo's to go with the tropical drink
• YUMMY Indian Food at my favorite Indian Restuarant in Roseville - THREE pieces of naan, Tandoori Chicken, Beef Josh, LOTS of RICE, rice pudding - SOOOO YUMMY, and those YUMMY fried malted balls drenched in sugary syrup that I ate later that evening with my salmon on Wednesday

There's more, but I can not think of it - or in total denial - right now. Anyway, I know that I am dealing with a lot on my plate right now - finishing up the divorce process, not being able to run because I am resting after the half-marathon until maybe Sunday, dealing with my soon-to-be ex who's still living with me, working two 12 hour shifts this week and one more thing that I am not ready to disclose...yet. I guess the damn emotional eating is starting to catch up to me again. I usually use the treadmill or eliptical to get rid of the stress and not feel guilty about eating this junk, but I know that the scale may catch up with me. Speaking of the divorce process, the divorce papers are SIGNED and ready to turned into the local family court. I was able to get the first part of the process done today, but have to wait a week before turning the original divorce papers. The lady at the family court told me that it could take as short as one week or as long as one month before the divorce is finalized by the judge and entered into the court by the court administrator. It took me over 16 months to get my first divorce finalized after losing my divorce attorney when I had surgery and changing judges too in the process. Of course, I was dealing with being married for over 7 years, owning a house, and having two children involved too. It makes a HUGE difference. This is the more quicker - and CHEAPER - version of the divorce. So technically I could be divorced by Valentine's Day if I get my way. I will be Chicago on February 10-13 for another visit with Josh as my host again so it will be a good time to have a get-together with any Chicago RBF members. Anyone for takers? Plus I also found out that my mom's selling the dream house that my late father built for them before he died. It is very painful issue for me. The house is the only thing left of my dad's memory. I hate to see it go. I want to beg my mom to reconsider, but she can not afford to live there. It's a very beautiful house too on a lake. Living on a lake in Minnesota is the ultimate dream, but will be a memory soon. I almost wish that my dad was still here and not gone. Anyways, I have attached in a previous post a song that is a little theme of my life. Well, that's according to this survey I took on MySpace.com, which matches that #1 song on your 18th birthday. This song was the theme to the 1992 show, "The Heights." This may be a show that you youngin's (those under the age of 25) may not remember or know, but it was one show that I watched when I was not working at my after-school job during my senior year of high school. (OMG...I am SO damn old!) It is similar to the Beverly Hills 90210, which I LOVED because it matched the same year that I graduated from high school in 1993.

The Vikings SUCK!!

Yes, I am NOT happy with the result of today's game against those damn Cheeseheads. UGHH! The refs did not help the Vikings out too especially during the start of the 2nd half. UGH! The Vikings SUCK!

Well, my night last night was not that great. I had a very busy event last night and was very tired when I got home. After I took my bedtime meds, I hit the sack and went to sleep. Unfortuately, the sleep was not completely sound....at all. I woke up THREE times with throbbing pain in my ankle and strong sense of thirst. I finally woke up at 6 am, ate a banana, took some Advil, and drank some water before heading back to bed. I did not feel at all rested by the time I woke up at 9 a.m.

I totally cancelled by run this morning with the TNT group. I had some pain in the bad ankle and had a gut feeling to not run today. I decided to listen to the feeling and rest it out today. I called the running coach to let him know that I will not be there. He agreed with my decision and felt it should be looked at again. It does not hurt to walk, but has been bugging for the last day or so sitting my desk. I would rather sit it out again this weekend, continue with the eliptical machine, and see the doctor to have it looked at. I may even finally give in and request a PT referral even though I have received awesome help from fellow RBF members. **sigh**

I feel horrible for not running and it's getting closer and closer to race day. I have stay committed to my training and fundraising. I do not want to let anyone down, especially my dad who's watching over me right now. I have so much personal stress and anxiety going on right now that I need to release it. Running is my personal source of therapy and adreniline release.

Plus I have been eating really badly lately. (Yes, this Firefly is not perfect in the dietary consumption too.) I blame the stress and pressures to increase my emotional eating. Plus the gloomy weather has not helped at all. I went grocery shopping on Friday night after work and bought a lot of healthy stuff to eat. I need to get myself back into the routine again. I need a swift kick in the pants by my friend, Chris too.

I plan to get back on the eliptical machine tommorow morning before or after the chiropractor's visit along with some weight training. I will get back in the saddle. I just need to find a way to do it. Again, I am NOT a quitter.