Holiday Spirit

November and December are the hardest months of the year for some people, me included. The daylight starts to dwindle, the weather turns colder, and people start to rush into the holidays. I've always had a hard time with the shift from summer to winter. Fall is really just a cusp season for me. I consider those first few weeks/months of fall as a nice extension of summer. Then we jump feet first into cold, dreary, winter.

It takes effort to stay positive at first. I have to remind myself to take care of myself every November, once I feel like the Grinch, ready to bite anyone's head off for merely looking at me the wrong way. For me, this means making sure I get enough sleep, exercise, and looking for the good things again. In summer, everything feels so nice and warm that if my mood turns south, I just need to go out in the warm sun. 

This also means that I am selective with whom I spend my time. I love my friends and family, but some of them are hard to deal with when I'm struggling with the winter blues. I'm sure you all have a few of these people in your lives - "negatrons", as my friend calls them. Negatrons seem to be everywhere right now - on facebook, twitter, on the streets, and I know I struggle with becoming one myself some days. They are the subject of many a holiday movie - The Grinch, Scrooge, etc. (Though I must say the ones I know in person are definitely not anywhere near as bad these classic characters.) 

December is my photo challenge for myself. I have to take and post a photo a day of something that makes me smile. That's pretty easy. However, it does get my mind into a positive vibe - looking for those happy moments. I could just post a picture of my cat everyday, as she makes me smile daily, but I'm trying hard to find different things to post. It's really helped to be constantly looking for those things/moments that make me smile. They are everywhere when you take the time to look. 

Something else I've been noticing lately is that while the world will always have negatrons, there are also many "positrons". (Ok, that's a real thing, not related to what I'm using the word for...) I've started to notice them now, as well. For instance, there is the man who hands out the newspaper on the street in front of my office building. Every morning, he's there with a "Good Morning" and a smile. I don't read that paper, but I make a point of saying good morning to him every day, and often times, he is the first person I speak to each work morning (other than my cat, of course). 

This week, my goal for myself is to take notice of more positrons, and maybe work towards being one myself. Is there a positron in your life? Maybe you are the positron in someone else's life! 

Ten Months Done!

Time to check back in with those resolutions I made ten months ago:

• start sketching - I started... And then I did not continue  - still haven't continued
• Continue French lessons - Yes! I'm half way through my second  third session of 2012
• Take a longer Vespa trip (technically only needs to be longer than to Fall River to count) - not yet! It's not looking good now that Vespa season is nearly over
• Minor renos at home - Not done, and no plans on completing this in 2012 - still no plans of doing any
• Pay off line of credit - I've paid off 58%  85% so I guess I'm still right on schedule!

I'm ok with not sketching and not doing renovations. I would have liked to take that longer Vespa trip, but I'm ok with not taking it. My line of credit and French lessons were the two I was really committed to, so I'm content with those two.

Forty Books Done!

Ten months done and 40 books read/listened to.

1. A Secret Kept, Tatiana de Rosnay
2. Bossypants, Tina Fey
3. The News Where You Are, Catherine O'Flynn (audiobook)
4. Hurt Go Happy, Ginny Rorby (audiobook)
5. Bittersweet Rain, Sandra Brown (audiobook)
6. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs
7. The Edge of Winter, Luanne Rice (audiobook)
8. The Gospel According to Peanuts, Robert L. Short
9. Broken for You, Stephanie Kallos (audiobook)
10. Bet Me, Jennifer Crusie (audiobook)
11. Anyone But You, Jennifer Crusie (audiobook)
12. A Town Like Paris, Bryce Corbett
13. Not My Daughter, Barbara Delinsky (audiobook)
14. The Sense of an Ending, Julian Barnes
15. Complete Without Kids, Ellen L. Walker
16. The Peach Keeper, Sarah Addison Allen (audiobook)
17. Seriously... I'm Kidding, Ellen Degeneres
18. Another Woman's Son, Anna Adams
19. Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (audiobook)
20. The Birth House, Ami McKay
21. How to Save a Life, Sara Zarr (audiobook)
22. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
23. Room, Emma Donoghue
24. Manhunting, Jennifer Crusie (audiobook)
25. The Cinderella Deal, Jennifer Crusie (audiobook)
26. Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, Stephanie McAfee
27. Fifty Shades of Grey, E L James
28. Summer at Tiffany, Marjorie Hart
29. Ape House, Sara Gruen 
30. It's Now or Never, Nicole Matthews
31. Smitten, Janet Evanovich (audiobook)
32. MWF Seeking BFF, Rachel Bertsche
33. Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn
34. Not Becoming My Mother, Ruth Reichl (audiobook)
35. The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Sarah Addison Allen (audiobook)
36. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
37. Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn
38. The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Sarah Addison Allen
39. Yes, Chef, Marcus Samuelsson (audiobook)
40. Two Little Girls in Blue, Mary Higgins Clark
41. Runaway Mistress, Robyne Carr
42. The Start-Up, Sadie Hayes
43. Knowing Your Value, Mika Brzezinski (audiobook)
44. Sharp Edges, Jayne Ann Krentz (audiobook)
45. Warren Buffett and the Art of Stock Arbitrage, Mary Buffett & David Clark (audiobook)
46. The Lost Girls; Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett & Amanda Pressner
47. The Best of Me, Nicholas Sparks (audiobook)
48. Any Minute, Joyce Meyer & Deborah Bedford (audiobook)
49. When God Was a Rabbit, Sarah Winman
50. The End of Your Life Book Club, Will Schwalbe (audio book)

Can I make it to 50? We'll see. Maybe with the help of some more audiobooks. I have three books on the go right now, and some travel/airport time coming up, so it's possible. 

58% Check In

I really meant to check in with my resolutions at the end of June, when we were 50% through 2012. I didn't. Summers are busy, and honestly, there are way more fun things to be doing than checking in on resolutions. Especially when you you think you might be falling behind on some of your goals... So next week will be the end of July, and that means we're 58% through the year.

Here's a list of my resolutions, and my updates:

• Start sketching - I started... And then I did not continue 
• Continue French lessons - Yes! I'm half way through my second session of 2012
• Take a longer Vespa trip (technically only needs to be longer than to Fall River to count) - not yet! 
• Minor renos at home - Not done, and no plans on completing this in 2012
• Pay off line of credit - I've paid off 58%, so I guess I'm right on schedule!

Good thing I was ahead on paying off my line of credit before. I've had a bit of a lax summer so far for making payments. I've made them, but I've also given myself a lot of leeway to buy some new things and spend a bit more on entertainment. It is summer, after all. I'll have an easier time in the fall paying more when there's not as much fun stuff going on. 

Finally Beat My Old Half Marathon PB - Johnny Miles

My old half PB was set in September 2006 - 2:14:27. I've run a couple halfs since then, and a full, but haven't raced a half... I've been working on 10k races and beating the mental barrier that I had with being uncomfortable. I wasn't sure exactly what I should aim for in a half, so I figured I'd aim for somewhere between 2:05-2:10. I figured 2:10 was pretty doable, but would really like closer to 2:05. However, I didn't want to go out too hard and then blow the chance to PB at all.

Anyway. Here are the splits:

1- 5:58
2- 5:45
3- 5:56
4- 5:50
5- 5:46 (29:15 5k)
6- 6:13 - gel/walk
7- 5:58
8- 6:00
9- 6:00
10- 5:58 (59:24 10k, 2nd 5k in 30:09)
11- 6:16 - gel/walk
12- 6:12
13- 5:56
14- 6:39 - major side stitch, had to walk
15- 5:59 (1:30:26 15k, 3rd 5k in 31:02)
16- 6:18
17- 6:45 - gel/walk (mental break when I realized I'd easily PB)
18- 5:50
19- 6:20
20- 6:15 (2:01:54 20k, 4th 5k in 31:28)
21- 5:34
21.1k in 2:07:57

The first 10k was pretty congested as the 10k, half and full all ran it together, but it was pretty enjoyable. I like this race a lot and really enjoyed the first 10k. I just went whatever pace felt good and occasionally looked at my pace. I figured I'd just run, sort of aim for 6:00 pace, and see if I could hold on. My old injury (hip) started to twinge from about 1k on, especially on any inclines. Luckily, this course was really flat.

My 5k splits show how I was feeling. After the 10k-ers turned off to the finish line, the congestion was pretty much gone. It was nice to have some room again. (This course is 10k loops.) I was starting to notice just how salty I was, and was getting pretty hot. So, sometimes I'd take a quick little walk break. The iPod was a treat. I am used to racing without music and I really enjoyed having it to distract me.

I looked at my garmin at 17k and knew I was on pace for a PB, and though it was hurting, I could hang on to that PB for another half hour of running. Seems I let myself take a nice long walk here, judging by the splits. The last 500m of this race is across a bridge and then into the finish chute. Track work really helped as I knew I could speed up and hold it for basically one 400m repeat. I passed a woman, then she passed me back and I thought "Oh no you don't...." and I sped up. She didn't pass me again, and looking at my finish line pics, she wasn't far behind me! I passed quite a few people in the last 100m as I just gave it everything that I had left.

I'm pleased with my time. This really is one of my favorite races. I might have had a better time had I not taken a few extra walks, but who knows. It's obvious I was tiring as the time went on, but my 21st kilometer was the fastest of them all. Maybe there is a 2:05 in there for the fall. But for now, I'm pretty happy with cutting off six and a half minutes from my old PB. And I had a great day with some good friends.

The race photos are up now, and mine are here. Not bad, considering I usually look like I'm either dying or on some serious drugs in other race photos!

Cabot Trail Relay 2012 - Leg 7

This was my 6th year running a leg of the Cabot Trail Relay. In the past, I've run legs 1, 3, 8, 15, & 16. Now I can add leg 7.

The elevation profile from my garmin 

I knew that the first 5-8k was uphill, gaining 100m elevation, so thought I'd start slow, ideally about 6:30/km as I knew I could make it up on the downs. I had no idea what I was in for. By 3k, I gave up on the idea of hitting the mats as my hamstrings were already dying. I took a walk break at 2k, then thought "I'll just take one every 2k up the hill" and then that didn't work - took a few more.

I'd pass runners, saying "I think we deserve a downhill soon," and then it came!!! I LOVED the downhill. I just flew. I looked at my garmin many times and saw it flashing a 4:40 pace down those hills on the fun parts. (For me, that was super fast - my usual "race pace" is just around/under 6:00/km.) I knew it would come back to get me, but I couldn't slow down. I knew I still had a chance to hit the mats. I had no idea that it would basically be 5k up hill, then 5k down hill.

After 10k, it got HARD. The little ups started again, then more down. The quads were beat. Luckily, at 10k, my support crew were there to give me some water and give me an excuse to walk. I took a few walks when I needed them, knowing I still had to finish on an uphill.

At around 13k, I got to the washed out bridge and knew I just had to turn the corner and run up the hill. Another runner and I kept passing each other and were pretty much together from 10k on. I took a little walk, and she passed and tapped my back and yelled "Come on!" I said "I am. But I need to catch my breath for that last up hill!" I then started running and she walked. I said "Now YOU come on!" and she did. She was on my heels and just as we got to the old finish (400m to go) the next leg of the race started. "Damn," I heard her say. I was thankful to have her there for the last of the race. It often happens, meeting a runner on the road and using them to help you along. I wanted to thank her and say hi after, but I didn't see her again. I only knew her from the back as the girl in the lululemon shorts with the brown ponytail.

I ran. I saw Trish, who was road crew, and heard her yell SO loudly "COME ON, ANG! RUN!" I yelled back "I am!" and tried to run faster! The mats were already folded up. Boo. But, I at least SAW them. I got an official time. I got my hug from Trish before she had to leave for the next leg. I did all I could do that race.

I came in 48th out of 70. That's a good placement for me! The official results say I ran 1:20:03 for 13.5k for a pace of 5:56.

It's done. I'm content, but still have to go back to get across the mats another year, before they are pulled up. This is the closest I've come to crossing the mats in the six years I've run this race. Next year....



Garmin Splits in min/km:

1-6:00
2-6:26
3-6:10
4-6:51
5-6:31 (31:58 5k)
6-5:32
7-5:03
8-5:40
9-5:02
10-5:23 (58:38 10k - 7 seconds off my 10k PB, making the second 5k a new unofficial PB of 26:40!)
11-6:43
12-6:28
13-5:59
0.37k in 2:12

Total = 13.37 in 1:20 = 5:59 pace

2012 and a Third

That's right, we're one third of the way through 2012. I decided May 1 was as good a day as any to update my progress on my resolution.

Last time I checked in, two months ago, I was behind schedule by about $20. Now, I'm ahead of schedule! That's right! I should be at 33% of it paid off now, and I'm at 47%! My tax refund helped, as did adjustments to my spending habits.

I'm determined to stay on this financial plan for more than just the duration of paying off some debt. I.e. once I get it paid, I won't just go crazy spending and booking trips. I'll stick to a budget! There is no reason that I can't start planning financially for future events (i.e. that trip to Paris I'd like to take in 2014)!

With the news lately of lay offs and positions being done away with, it also hits close to home that it is very important to have a good cushion to land on if needed. I have friends who now have to compete for their jobs with their colleagues, and one never knows when they may be in the same situation. So, I may also shift more focus into that emergency fund.

It has been quite easy to shift my spending to a saving mode instead of spending. Things I've started to do that have made a difference are:

• Put $$ on a Starbucks card - when it runs out, I wait until I can refill the card
• Pre-plan expenses - now I've been putting aside money left over each pay for expenses I know are coming up, like new running shoes and a new jacket - that way, I don't have to put it on Visa or adjust my budget
• Take cash out each pay - I have a general idea of how much "entertainment" money I have, and I like to have it in cash. Then when I am getting low, I can see that I am getting low and choose what I want to do more... Sometimes that means choosing between a bottle or wine or going to the movies.
• If there is any money left in my account between pays, I transfer it to savings or to my debt. That $5-10 adds up!
• Library visits - when I run out of $$ before pay day, a trip to the library is a free way to get some movies or magazines to look at
• Pay attention to what I'm spending and on what...

Hopefully when I check in again in July, I'll still be ahead of schedule!