Phew... another weekend gone bye-bye...

Damn.... I feel like I accomplished a lot this weekend:

• Ran a half marathon
• Made 10 dozen cookies today for a cookie exchange (I made buckeyes in honor of Troy Smith, Heisman winner....yes, I am sports fanatic)
• I helped a gal friend realize her boyfriend was a total f'in loser and dump his ass
• I put up my Xmas tree and it looks maravilloso!
• I found my "Society of Bourbon Spokespersons" certification (see below). I even think Brownie was pseudo-impressed with my credentials. Or maybe just the fact that I am a southern ex-sorority president that drinks whiskey and smokes Cuban cigars that I smuggled back from El Salvador.

Well, I can also say the half marathon soreness has mostly subsided and I can't wait to get back to running!! Only 7 weeks til the 3M Half! It actually felt pretty good to get out on the driving range today and break in my new pitching wedge. Who cares where the ball went?

OMG- how much do I looooooooooove the Cooper River Bridge Run design for next year?? It is sooo fetch (OK, I have watched Mean Girls too many times today) I am really looking forward to kicking the Bridge Run's butt this year- I definitely have its number after last year! The 2005 Bridge Run marks my official year anniversary of getting back into running after a 8 year hiatus. Of course, I only spent 2 weeks training in anticipation of last year's run so I am sure to blow this thing out of the water! Wooooooohhhhhhoooooooooo

T-$

Oh my heavens- the soreness, the pain...

Uh OK. Running a half marathon was SUPER FUN. Now I cannot even walk. Yesterday's remedy was to drink a couple beers, pop a few ibuprofen, and nap it off. Now I feel like someone shot my legs. Took a gun and shot them. No camo required as I was moving at a snail's pace yesterday too.

I am feeling like it not really acceptable to be drinking beer on a Sunday morning?? I think I am currently within the window of holy time.

So today I am supposed to be baking Christmas cookies with the gals for a cookie exchange Monday night before my flight to LA. Let me tell you how it normally works...

We all meet for the exchange- usually around 20 girls. And 20 bottles of wine.
Everyone brings around 6-7 dozen cookies.
You trade cookies, taking 3 or 4 of the ones that everyone else made- the whole point being that you end up with an assortment.

• Inevitably, at least two of the gals burn the hell out of their cookies. They are black and crispy and no one likes them. Then everyone talks shit about you for the entire year and you have only the next yearly exchange to redeem yourself.
• At least a few ladies make the SAME cookie and feel like they are competing against the other (similar to how you feel when someone shows up at a party in the same evening gown)- this is a huge issue. I happened to make the same hershey kiss cookie as someone else last year and it was pretty brutal competition.
• Every year, a couple gals get so drunk- they can't pass the tins of cookies without dropping some/all of them on the floor. I happen to find this funny although my cookies have never been dropped.

On another note- my travel schedule is showing no signs of letting up. This week- Los Angeles. Next week- Colorado Springs. Week off for Xmas and New Year. Fire it back up January 2 with MN and WI (again), then DC and VA, Philly, Austin and Houston.... hoping to make it over to China or Australia in the spring for some vacaaaaation which sounds so nice right now.

Happy Sunday (aka Tiffany Blog Day)

Ta da!! My first half marathon is in the BAG!

Good news!! I am still alive!! :) The race went extremely well- although it was sooo cold (22 degrees at race start time- it is usually around 50-60 degrees so it was chilly!)

I finished in 2:18 which was 12 minutes off my 2:30 goal. I am very happy with the finish and look forward to cutting a couple minutes off my time at the 3M half in Austin. Not to mention the (pre) post-race margaritas and karaoke (did I make that up?)

A couple notes:

• I am very competitive. I wanted to beat my VP after he beat me by one second at a 10K last month. I saw he was ahead of me by 4-5 minutes at the 6-7 mile turnaround point. I knew I could catch him as I saved myself for the second half of the race. I ended up catching up with him just after the 12 mile marker... passed him... and beat him by a couple minutes. Woohoooo- I rock.
• The pain in my calves after finishing... damnnnnn
• In typical Tiffany fashion, I did manage to zip my neck into my jacket beforehand and slip on a patch of ice before the race and bruise my knee. NOT the best way to kick off a 13.1 mile race!
• My longest training run before the race was 8 miles. Miles 9-11 were not the prettiest. But as I pointed out to the guy running next to me at the 10 mile point- the remainder was like a 5K with a 10 mile warmup. Riiiiiiiight. I am always the optomist.
• On a personal note- sports bra chaffing is not good. My boobs hurt. Maybe they are too big- ha ha hahaa....I put rubbing alcohol on them afterwards and have never felt pain like that in my life. Brutal. At least it took away from the pain in my legs. Sorry for the graphic visual- that is just the way it is right now, OK? Funny they did not offer to massage that area after the race. Hmmmm....
• Now I am snuggled up in a blanket on my couch. I plan on sitting in this same spot for as many hours straight as possible. A little peppermint lotion on my feet and snuggly socks and I am all set.

I am too tired to come up with a poem about the race. Here is the quick summary:

Cold running

Boobs hurt

Drink beer afterwards

Snuggly blanket rocks.

Twas the night before my half...

and all through the house,

Tiff's friend Edi was sleeping as sound as a mouse.

Tiff drank beer at her pre-race dinner,

Chugged 'em down to show she was a sinner.

She polished her nails, she downloaded Jay Z,

To round out her music collection on her MP3.

Alarm set for 4:30 AM, what will she do?

Procrastination setting in- you know it's true.

Pop the cork on some vino, just one little nightcap,

Soon she will lay down for her pre-race nap!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay she is not tired-she is wide awake,

She considers the drunk dial calls she will make.

P.S. I found the man of my dreams :)

COUNTDOWN TO MY FIRST HALF MARATHON....

39 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!

Woooohhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooooo

I'm in heaven... college bball has started!!!

Ooooohh how I looooove college basketball. I have to admit, college football season is one of my favorite times too... but I am ready come Nov/Dec for some baaaaaaaasketball. Therefore, I am knocking out some work emails tonight in Milwaukee watching Arizona and Louisville in the Jimmy V Classic. Gooooooo Cards!!! I am in heaven.... heaven... heaven....

Phew- I am getting a little antsy about my half marathon on Saturday. Life has been totally crazy the last couple months with traveling almost every week for work and I feel like I am drinking out of a fire hose! I head back home late tomorrow night, couple days in the office, half marathon day, and then I pack up for Los Angeles. Spend a week or so out there... head home for a couple hours to do laundry, and head to Colorado Springs (I know, I know... makes no sense coming back to Charleston, SC in between those trips!)

Sadly, I am debating whether to even put my Xmas tree up. Here is a pic from last year- I really got into it! (Not to mention the 3 bottles of wine my friend and I put back when decorating!)




















I am debating whether to just keep the thing in storage already pre-decorated. I think I am just feeling a little burnt out, work-wise :)

I have already deemed it too cold to run outside in the morning so I am gonna log a couple miles on the treadmill in the morning and do a little elliptical.

OK, halftime is almost over. Back to biz-NASS!

Treadmill + Tiff + MTV Reality TV= 7 miles!

I know, I know... you probably come read my blog for the fantastic running commentary and all that crap... I know I have been a little off base lately due to my social butterflyness.

Yes, I did run tonight. 7 miles on the treadmill and it wasn't that bad! MTV Reality def helps.

Those 7 miles definitely bought me enough burnt calories for a couple glasses of vino tonight.

YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arriverderci, kids :)

Hay yall- It don't git much better thun this!

Uhhh yeah. I am in Minneapolis. NOT the place you want to be in December. And to make matters even better, I go to Milwaukee tomorrow. Milwaukee... as in Wisconsin. Trading up? Not exactly. It is 9 degrees here. That's farenheit, folks. This poor southern gal is freezing her ass off- at least I am having a good hair day to mask my frozen over ass.

Well... one thing is for sure... people that live in really cold weather have nothing to do besides drink. Luckily, I am meeting up with a pledge sister from my sorority (aka wreckless drinking) days that lives here. She is southern too so we can freeze together- and drink wine!!

Just checked into the hotel and am deciding my workout attack. It is too cold to run outside (plus Minneapolis does not seem like the best place to be running outside). My hotel has a fitness "suite" which is code for a hotel room with a bunch of gym equipment crammed in. They also have some arrangement with the gym across the street (for a mere $11/day which might actually include tomorrow morning too) which is the REAL deal- machines, classes, etc. Basically, a dream come true for me.

Truth be told, I secretly LOVE aerobic and step classes. I usually line up in the 2nd or 3rd row to let the 4'8" gals see themselves in the mirror- I am a towering 5'11" and would eclipse the entire studio. I would do aerobics every day if I could. Just a fact.

OK, enough blogging. I did my work today- woke up at 5 AM, took 2 flights to get here, did an hour long sales call, and I am off...

Oh yeah- the life of a traveling diva :) Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

Sunday Blog Buffet

For some reason, I find myself blogging a lot on Sundays. I think it goes back to my procrastination habits and usually, blogging is a lot more fun than cleaning, packing for my MN/WI trip tomorrow, hauling the Xmas tree out of storage, doing work work, running 10 miles, or talking to most of my relatives on the phone (Sundays are when they all call me- I know, I know... that was harsh) There are times that it is really pointless to sit on the phone and basically talk about nothing.

Let me break it down. My life is both incredibly simple and complex. Definitive, right? I travel every week for work (which I love), I run, I pay my bills and do laundry, and I like to hang out with friends when I have time. Through subtle hinting and comments, I think a lot of my family members are just waiting to hear the magic words from me, "Yes, I've met someone! Yes, we're getting married! Yes, we are having x number of children! My life is now complete!" No offense to anybody- but that it not what will make me feel complete. Yes, that will be a nice complement to my existing life- but there is soo much more out there for me right now.

So- (insert name of relative)- quit asking me! I will be sure to invite you to my wedding one day and you can dance to Kool and the Gang and drink all the bourbon you want... on my dime! :)

OK, I know that was a heavy blog to read- especially when I am supposed to be writing something about running, right?

The weather outside looks crappy- it is bleak (bleek?) and looks cold. I will admit- I have not been outside yet. I had planned on running 10 miles today- my ankle is still a little sore from yesterday and I think I might actually can my long run this week and just focus on a couple shorter runs this week in anticipation of Saturday's half. Hal Higdon might not approve though- I have been following his lead since May when I started running again. Oh well... I guess I should also explain one of the MAIN reasons why I do not feel like running today. Maybe these photos from last night will explain it better than words:







Yes, that is me in the front middle with the umbrella behind my ear. You can't hide class.

I find myself wondering today who actually reads these blogs. Who sort of demographics make up my readership? Men? Women? Single? Married? 6 mile pace? 12 mile pace? Possibly reading this blog during recreational time in prison? (no thanks)

So... in a gallant attempt to find out who the hell you are... tell me a little something about yourself. I promise I don't bite :)

Reindeer Run Recap

Ran the Reindeer Run this morning downtown... perfect running weather... high 50's, low 60's. Peeeeerfect. I started closer to the front of the pack after the start line debaucle at the Turkey Trot and having to run on the sidewalk. First mile- 8:08- VERY good (and fast) for me... until I stepped on one of those damn reflector thingys in the middle of the road and twisted my ankle. It hurt like hell for about 25 seconds and then I could not feel it. I finished up the race in 28:01- knocking another 17 seconds off my time but narrowly missing my goal of a sub-28 min 5K. Oh well... I avoided the post-race beer in lieu of stretching out and having breakfast with some gal pals. OK, that's a lie. I had 3... no 4... beers. My ankle really felt good then.

I get home and start moving my ankle around and it hurts like hell. I am going to ice it and hope for the best. I really need to get in my last long run tomorrow (10 miles) before my half marathon next week. I guess I am a little mad I ran this race today just for fun, knowing I should have knocked out my long run today. Tsk. Tsk.

I will admit- I am just feeling a little nervous about next week. I was supposed to run the half with my friend Edi- she ran Marine Corps a few weeks ago and is totally burnt out now. She had a couple nagging injuries and will still do the half- but not run the whole thing. I am determined the run the entire way... and will probably just find someone else to pace with... or it is just Me, My Running Shoes, My Garmin Geek O' Meter, and the MP3 player.

Well, no use in crying over a twisted ankle. I have a part-tay to hit tonight... one of my bestest friends kicked cancer's A$$ and we owe him a big celebration. Looooove his shirt :)