Countdown: 2 weeks to race day

Hmmm.. so insanely busy lately, entire weeks go by and I marvel that it is already well into November. I'm working like a madwoman, currently in the middle of a 13-day stretch. Frankly, a little concerned I'm going to make myself sick. Not nearly enough rest, especially on top of training for the half-marathon. It is in exactly 2 weeks. I ran 9.9 miles yesterday morning and plan on getting to 11 before the race. Apparently adrenalin will help propel me the extra 2 miles I'll have never run before. Let's hope so. It's been very satisfying though, I've never run more than 8 miles in my life and I've been adding on more and feeling fine. Makes me wonder what my old cross-country times might have been had I been this determined back then. Ah well. Better late than never. I also loaded up on cold-weather running goodies yesterday. Got my beanie, gloves, some gel electrolyte thingies to eat while running. Apparently they help to get you past the energy slump. I'm just getting psyched as the race gets closer and I'm more confident that I'll actually be able to do it. I want to finish and run the entire thing, first, but also try to beat 2:10. Definitely think it is within reach.

Better be off to ice some leg soreness and get ready for the desk job in the morning....

No work Friday!

I have the entire day off. So nice. I'm enjoying it since I already did my 4 days at the NCC and I have a walking tour tomorrow from 9am-4pm. Slept in a little bit, went for a 5 mile run!!, watched Biggest Loser and nibbled on some of the strawberry tart I whipped up earlier this week (homemade whipped cream!) and hot cocoa. I realize now typing that that its a bit silly to go work out and watch an inspirational, living healthy show while shoveling food into my mouth but.... I's hungry!

Think I'm going to read for awhile (still on The Help, its fantastic and I'm enjoying it, just finding it hard to get solid reading time) and then head to Pancho's. The weather has really settled into being cool, windy, and downright brisk out. I'm resisting, but I'll probably have to switch out my summer clothes in the closet soon. I'm trying to layer a lot so that I can still get mileage out of the tanks and tees. But the boots are coming out tonight! (Med School party to celebrate the exams they just had. I will come back to post what I am sure will be hilarious (or hilariously nerdy) stories.)

ahh. running. So very hard to motivate myself when I've gotten out of a routine. But I'm back. Did 4 miles today in what I intend to be the start of an intense training for the next 6 weeks. That Half-Marathon is not going to run itself. :-b

And it's been a month since I've blogged anything. Been very very busy. Ali came to visit last weekend and we had a great time! Getting cheesesteaks, walking all over and taking fun pictures, making a checkerboard cake and animal pancakes, playing Moose in the House, hanging out with some Philly Gators, and unfortunately, watching the Gators lose to Alabama. Besides from that, a very nice mini stay-cation for me! I am very interested to see what she decides to do next year and whether the City of Brotherly Love will have a part. Snoopy dance in anticipated excitement? ;-)

This week I started my new part-time job as the Civility and Democracy Fellow for an NEH-grant project at the NCC. This week I'm creating a Google Site for all of the participants. I'm learning a lot! Like how to import a calendar and pictures and link to a Google Groups page. haha. AND on Friday I start my very first tour for my second job. I'm cramming Philadelphia history tonight in preparation. I really hope I can answer at least like 75% of questions people might ask. yikes! But yeah, the jobs hunt, and running all around for these things is keeping me pretty busy. Trying to cobble enough together to cover my expenses.

Pancho's birthday is this weekend and I'm uncharacteristically behind in getting ready for it. I don't know where the time is going. Its October already and Fall! Gotten quite cool out now and have to wear a jacket. I don't know if I can stomach the fact that its just going to be cold now for the next 6 months... ack.

I have slowed in my reading pace. Been on The Help for awhile now and probably will need to rush before the library due date next week. The first third of it that I've read so far is really really good.

September.. already!!

Waiting for dinner. so hungry. but watching Brian Williams so I guess its a wash. :)

All this news about Hurricane Earl does not make me miss hurricane season. HUUGE sigh of relief. but its a big one and could bring us some rain in the Northeast. but I'm still expecting nice Labor Day weekend weather. Pancho and I are going to NYC for a quick trip (Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon) to see some of his friends who are in town. I recommended Calle Ocho for brunch and their delicious sangria bar.... hehehe.

We're still up in the air about what we want to do on Monday though. Make it a lazy, true American relax and grill or go out and about to a wine and jazz thing a little ways from here. Either way, day off of work!

Ok. Dinner ready. More later.

I've kept a log of what books I've read (in full, cover to cover, didn't put a lot on from grad school for instance because I skimmed so many of them) since May 2003. It doesn't really feel like I've been doing it that long, but when I go and look back over it, I have no memory of reading quite a few things there. like classic stuff. Faulkner in April 2005? Henry James in July 2004? uhh..... which is a little scary that I can't remember what the books were about, let alone the fact that I read them.

Although its nice to think back when I somehow found the time to crank out 5, 6, 7 books a month. Its also been pretty handy when authors have several popular books out and I just can't remember for the life of me which ones I've actually read. Best example of this is Malcolm Gladwell. I can't keep the books straight. In reality, I've only read The Tipping Point but always feel like I've also read Blink. I will also say to someone, oh I read that a few years ago, and go to look and its been more than a few since Nov 2003 (Ella Minnow Pea).

Lastly, I used to strive to read at least 1 book a month. Things went really well for a long time, until school did me in, but happy to report that I'm back to the pace-- and then some! My more recent obsessive habit is to have read 1 book in the top 10 on just 1 of the NYT book lists. Its actually much harder than you think. Thank goodness for Eat, Pray, Love sticking around and the movie boosting it a bit.

I love the city in the summertime. Its insanely hot --we're supposed to break a heat record by at least 5 degrees today-- but its green and lush and you can wear all the delightful Florida-esque clothes that have been packed up most of the year. I'm also now sporting a very bizarre sandal tan with lots of strappy lines. :) Its nice to be able to walk around, with none of the undergrads, and get errands done on a Saturday morning, no car required.

Got up early to go running before the heat really set in. Breaking in my new New Balance sneakers which are soooo cute (hot pink, black, and gray, they're the Susan G Komen version) and make my feet spring off the pavement. Its tough getting back out after a month off but I needed to and now I have that nice sore feeling from using those lazy muscles again.

Had a great night last night for a friend's birthday. Went to Monk's Cafe for the first time and got to have a beer that I went on a brewery tour for when I studied in Brussels-- Cantillon kriek. Also got to indulge in some deeelicious frites and a duck salad sandwich! Apparently this place is well known, even out of Philly, for its authentic Belgian beer and food. I was pretty impressed! Then back for some homemade chocolate cake with mocha icing. It was super nice to see people who were back in town and to relax a bit at the end of the week.