Texas in My Rearview!



Bye bye stuff!  See you later stuff!  Have a nice trip to Nebraska!!!

See you in a couple of days!!!

What Did I Say About No Plans!?

On Saturday morning while I was out doing my long run, my friend D had called and wanted to know if I wanted to drive into Ft. Collins for sushi and then on to Boulder to catch some of the 6th leg of the Pro USA Cycling race...

At first I said no, but once I got home and showered I changed my mind and called to see if she had already headed out...

Nope she was just filling up with gas...

So she swung by and picked me up...I was expecting her in her truck but nope...she had Barbie out for the day!!!

Then we were on our way!  Thank goodness for short hair!!!

Just entering into Wyoming

Dessert after a fab sushi lunch!  We split it :)

Cheese Importers...it was SO cold in there...they provide coats if you need one, but at least I had a long sleeve on and jeans...

I bought some fab cheese, fresh kalamata olives off the olive bar, some garlic olive oil, Bruschette and some orzo.  (We had a cooler in the trunk)

Approaching the Front Range of the Rockies...

Entering into Boulder

Trek Cycling had a patio with free Chipotle, beer and wine...I didnt end up buying anything but Diane got some new high dollar Shisamo (sp?) clip in shoes for her Trek

Jens Voigt made an appearance at the store and here he is signing Dianes Trek jersey she had bought in Singapore on her trip..

The sunset in our rear view on the way home....a long but wonderful day!!!!

 Honorable mentions with no photos...

Antelope, buffalo, deer, Clydesdales (all roaming around)

And then last but not least....3 camels!!!

I was like WTF?  But going 80mph in a convertible and seeing things almost last minute doesn't bode well for getting a photo op!!!

Digits and Miscellany - Week of August 20th

Monday: Run

Tuesday: Nada

Wednesday: Run

Thursday: Run/CrossFit

Friday: Rest Day

 

I will be sooooo glad when I am moved into my new place and back to some sense of normalcy. It’s truly exhausting mentally to be in temporary housing. I cannot eat/cook like I am used to and 5 weeks in, it is definitely taking its toll on me.

 

I’ve mentioned before how extremely busy I am at work and by the end of the day I am just exhausted. Mostly because I have to run from one side of the building to the other all day and then on top of that climb stairs and climb stairs and climb stairs.

It’s somewhat easier now, but I still hate stairs. :O)

Additionally even though I am waking up still so early in the morning I find it difficult to want to run from the doors of where I am staying, and I don’t want to get dressed and drive to where I like to run, therefore it gets pushed off to after work and well…like I said…

 

One more week (ish) and I will be moving into a permanent home and I cannot wait! Then I will be more apt to just walk out my front door each morning and run…or as it gets colder I still might wait until after work…but the bottom line is that I am certain my head and my body will want to do the things I haven’t been wanting to do and basically forcing myself. Thankfully yesterday was a light day at work and I had no motivation issues except I didn’t feel like running, I just felt like CrossFit but whatever.

 

I’m excited for the weekend as its going to be quite the lazy one. I will get my long run in tomorrow and then church on Sunday. That’s really all that I know for sure will be accomplished!

I might start packing up things for the move just to get a head start; only keeping out things I will need. I will be leaving for Houston on Wednesday and I am not bringing a bag or anything since I still have clothes there so it will be an easy commute back to HTown.

Hoping to get the keys to the house before I leave otherwise I will just get them on Sunday. I am only staying in Houston for a couple of days as I will be anxious to get back here and get most of my temp housing contents moved before the moving truck gets here on probably what will be Tuesday after the long weekend. Sure would be nice if they could get here on Monday!! Crossing my fingers.

Looking at the forecast the first week of September looks to be a cold one here! Woohoo! Low 40’s in the mornings and only about mid-70’s during the day. Hope that forecast sticks!! Would be awesome to be in the new house with all the windows open putting things in their place…Can’t wait to be all settled in, and I know the Nugget will be super excited too! Wondering how he is going to react to stairs and a basement. So much extra room for him to expend all that damn energy he has! Plus it will be weird for me having 1600 sq ft of wonderful to just roam around in!!!!

 

But for me I just cannot wait to cook! I am already trying to figure out the first thing I want to cook and I think it’s a big pot of my wonderful spaghetti! Along with a roasting a big ol’ chicken!!!!!!!!!!! Probably do both in the same day!!! Ha!

OK, well I need to get back to work…Just wanted to take a few moments out to just write down a few things….

Because I Said So...That's Why

Without going into too much detail or boring text, I wanted to answer a few questions that I have gotten since leaving Texas.

Additionally it’s going to be short and sweet because frankly blogging bores me now. Which brings us to the 1st question.

1. Why aren’t you blogging much anymore?

a. Mostly because I am super busy. Or tired. Or unmotivated to do so. My job is very demanding and when I do get out of work I generally have something else to do, therefore the amount of time I spend not doing anything has greatly diminished from when I was living in Houston. And if I don’t have anything to do, I treat it as ‘me’ time and I want to just be a lazy bum. Plus I Facebook quite a bit and I guess that has become a way of me connecting to my friends and family. True I have a lot of readers I don’t even know, but again, blogging just seems to have lost its appeal. It fed a hole I guess you could say for quite some time, but now there isn’t a hole anymore.

2. Why on Earth did you move to Nebraska?

a. A job offer and opportunity that I would have been institutionalized if I hadn’t. Seriously the job that I was recruited for not only put me back in IT (information technology), but it’s with a fast growing company (who has already been in business for 50 years) that has staying power first of all, and second of all the growth opportunities here alone are enough to make your head spin. Coupled with the fantastic weather here (actually having seasons?!?!? Humidity around 12-15% the majority of the time etc?) I mean really, come on now…… yes, yes it’s a very very very small town, but its where Corporate is and that is that. Honestly I haven’t felt so at peace and at home in I can’t remember how long. In Houston, I was miserable. Not just because of the weather, but because I just always felt like a fish out of water. A lot of people might say they just can’t understand that, but it’s the truth. I was very unhappy and the only reason I ever went back to Texas way back when was because my Dad got cancer and then I stayed because of Mom. I always knew I would leave again. It was only a matter of time.

3. Did you take the job because they offered you a lot of money?

a. No. While I will admit I pretty much doubled my salary coming here, that wasn’t it at all. The job itself is one that I absolutely love, what I am great at and what I missed doing since I had left STG in late 2008. Plus when I first flew here for the interview at the end of June, I knew the moment I arrived here in this small space of the world that I had found somewhere that I could be completely and totally happy with as being a part of my life.  Plus the relocation monetary package was very very lucrative....

4. What IS your job?

a. As I said I am back in IT, working as a SrBA supporting Merchandising, Inventory and Planning, with a bit of my week being allocated sometimes to Marketing. I have my eye on the next stage already though and with about 6-8 months under my belt here I see no reason why that goal is not attainable in a short period of time.

5. What do you miss about Texas?

a. Um. Nothing. What I do miss is running with KW on Saturday mornings. Only because it’s a supported run with different routes planned out for you and I made some good friends there. Not that I ran with any of them, but good friends nonetheless. But again other than that honestly there is not one single thing that I miss. DEFINITELY not the crappy hot humid ass stupid weather. Good grief I am so glad to be gone from that.

6. But doesn’t Nebraska get really cold in the winter?

a. Yes. Yes it does. But I am told that it’s been 3 years since the temps dropped below 10deg. :O) And last year they didn’t even have that much snow, but did have cold weather. Here is the thing: I would rather be freezing cold than live in heat (10 months of the year) and humidity (12 months of the year). I would much rather have my summer mornings start in the 50’s and 60’s instead of the mid 70’s and 80’s. Even now we are getting 40’s some nights/mornings. Just depends. It still gets hot during the day but when its 12% humidity….I mean really? 90 isnt hot with that low of humidity!!! I am so looking forward to being able to wear Fall clothes, Winter clothes, Spring clothes and Summer clothes instead of just Summer clothes and 2 months of Fall clothes!!!!

7. So running in Nebraska is way better?

a. Yes. I am still adjusting to the hills and try to avoid them at all costs though :O) Its just not possible unfortunately. Unless I want to just run around in circles. I still have some issues with the elevation, but its better. I mostly battle fatigue and shortness of breath but as I said, its much better. It’s only been a month and some folks take longer than others. But because of the most awesome weather…..I looooooooooooooooooooove running here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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That’s all for today….I won’t promise to update more often because with me moving into my new house in 2 weeks its going to be even crazier!!!!!!!!!!! But I am so super excited!!!!!!!!! Got a refrigerator this past weekend at a decent price (under budget) and I have secured a clothes dryer (free) and possibly a clothes washer as well (free). All the utilities are set to be turned on in my name so its just a matter of time! Just over a week from now I will be in Houston to get all my stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Digits - Week of August 13, 2012

Monday:  4.5 mile run

Then later at the gym because my ADD was in uber-mode, I did:  3x200m rows followed by 30 butterfly situps (x3), then went on to do lat pull downs, tricep pull downs, 2 leg machines (hams and quads), step ups, wall balls, and some clean and presses.  

Tuesday:  Unscheduled rest day.  Exhausted from a long day at the office.  I'll make it up tomorrow by doing extra :)

Wednesday: 5 mile run; I had speed work on the schedule which called for 10 x 1 min at med.  5 of them I did at about 9:40pace which isn't medium, more like fast maybe?  The others were done at about 10-10:10pace.

CrossFit:  2 x
250m row
15 kb swings (20lbs)
25 burpees
15 kb swings (20lbs)
250m row

Plus I did a round of tabata (20s/10s) x 8 at 8:34 pace on the treadmill 

Thursday:
4 miles


Friday:  Rest day


Saturday:  11 miles on the schedule.  Got my route all mapped out.

Scenes From the Week

In just over 2 weeks I will be back in Houston for a few days to meet the movers.  They'll pack all my stuff for me one day and then load the next...I'm looking forward to seeing a few friends and my family!!  But I also know that I will be happy when I get back to Nebraska with my things following close behind me!  Plus when I return I will get the keys to my house!!!!

Yay for a house and my stuff!!  I miss my stuff!!!  :)

Beautiful Day

Fly Fishing

Near the end of one LONG day of about 4 hours of meetings to put out a fire and get a project done prior to the deadline for a new store opening and getting merchandise there with the proper software enhancements!

Good morning!!!

P after her 2nd 5K...she downed that beer like it was her job

Silver Dollar Grill and Bar.... $4.95 for a mushroom/swiss HOMEMADE burger WITH fries post race...so delish!

Loaded up and ready to carry home some garage sale items...not mine  :O)

So wanted him....simply beautiful but him, along with all the taxidermy items were bought in probably record time...employees only will get another shot sometime in the next month or two.  I think I need SOMETHING dead and stuffed for my basement right? :)

My $20 couch find for my new basement/gym/rec/office room, and its one of those that rocks!  So comfy!

My $10 desk for my new basement/gym/rec room/space for working...  :)

Digits

Sunday:  4 mile walk with P

Monday:  45 min treadmill run followed by 1000m row, SU's and butterfly situps.  Time constraints again this morning.  I could have continued running but I wanted to get in some other sort of workout and thats what I came up with in the time I had. 

Tuesday:  4 mile run with some speed thrown in for funzies 
CrossFit WOD:  3 x rowing, butterfly sit ups and kettlebell swings 

Wednesday: 3 mile run (just didn't feel like running; not sure why I am having a hard time right now other than by the end of the day I am just exhausted from work)
Crossfit WOD:  400m run, 50 kb swings (20 lbs), 200m run, 30 air squats, 400m run, 35 butterfly situps, 200m run

Thursday:  Rest day (switching Thurs and Fri due to a 5K and switching Sat and Sun due to an event I am working Saturday morning to mid afternoon)

Friday:  Sponsored night 5K run.  Told a coworker I would run/walk it with her since it was her first one and I talked her into doing it :)  It was hilly, it was SOOOOO windy (a few times felt like running in quicksand) and it was also gravel in some parts, but she did it!  Ran 2 min/walk 1 min.  She was BEAT by the end but it was fun to do it with her.  $10 5K and included a t-shirt :)  Can't beat that!

Saturday:  Rest day  (volunteered to work a 2 hour shift at the company sponsored departmental garage sale which was held in the corporate parking lot so I was up at 5:15...was SO much fun; pictures later!!!)  Some of us are off to the movies tonight since we got a new movie!  Bourne Legacy (YUM jeremy renner!!!)

Sunday:  6 miles (that's what the schedule calls for....)  :)  A nice 53 deg this morning too....oh how I love me some Nebraska!

Nike Does It Again

Best.  Commercial.  Ever.

Another Week Flies By

It was about 56deg and just a little wind when I set out for my long run yesterday.  Have I mentioned how much I love living here???  :)

I didn't want to do another Saturday run on the treadmill, so I packed a little cooler with water, and had mapped out a 3 mile loop and I knew a 4 mile loop from there, so to get 10 it was easy enough to do putting me back at my car for water.  I did carry my little 10oz handheld which I hate but I knew I would want water along the way if only just a bit here and there.

It was flat on the first 3 mile but the 4 mile loop I took the trail and it has hills plus after getting back the 2nd time I hit a hill there near my car that I just ran up and down getting in some extra hill work just because.

I miss having water stops and a route someone else plans for me, but that's just the reality for me now.

I will be home end of month and will run with KW then for a 13 miler, then since I will be home for Christmas, my last long run before Houston will be with KW as well so that is great for me.  By then its gonna be colder than hell here and I would probably end up having to do it on a treadmill which makes me nauseous just thinking about...I'm sure a few of my long runs are going to have to be done inside.  Bummer.

After finishing up I decided to drive into Cheyenne to get my toes done and a bit of shopping.  Along with eating a huge hamburger and fries at Chili's.  Its the little things that make me happy.  I took the drive alone since P was heading North for the day to float the river.  Too cold for me to do that even if they were in a galvanized tank.  :)

Scenes from the week:

P and I went to see DKR's Friday night.  SOOOOOOOOOOOO good and I was so excited at the ending!!!

Along the Oregon Trail.  Anyone know this national landmark?

Yeehaw!!!!

Pine Bluffs WY.  I pulled over at a rest stop to see the magnificent views.  So pretty!

My snugglebunny after a long day of running, driving and shopping

Digits

Monday:  2 miles am (I fiddle farted around and its all I had time for)

5 miles pm with a tabata thrown in there running at 7.5

CrossFit: 21/15/9 of situps, kettlebells then a 200m run (full on sprint) in between each set 

Tuesday:  3 miles followed by SU's, jumping jacks, air squats and a few burpees.  I was sore as hell from Mondays WOD and I really didn't want to do ANYTHING, but at least I managed this even if it was just in the gym here where I am currently staying 

Wednesday:  Got my Kenyan Way marathon training schedule today...so I did my required 5 miles with the speed thrown in somewhere in the middle.  Also met a lot of runners today thanks to HR and them sending out my bio to the entire company along with a photo...I got stopped in the stairwell and excited about meeting other runners here who train for longer distances!  Got invited to go on a half marathon trip with them!  Woo!

Thursday:  4 miles

Friday:  Rest day