As you know, PSM and I have been taking yoga together for almost two months, well, you may not have known how long, but you knew we were taking it together.
People ask me how I like yoga…I’m getting there.
My favorite question and answer:
“How do you like hot yoga?”
PSM LOVES hot yoga.
I LOVE PSM.
For about an hour…
We went to yoga a little later today, there weren’t any early morning hot yoga classes, so we took the 11am hot yoga class with a powerful instructor. She changes her routine, goes a little faster than some instructors, and makes us sweat…wow! The thing I like is that she is doing most of the poses and moves with us, which made her sweat…a lot!
When we went to yoga it was about 35 outside, we only wore sweat shirts over our yoga clothes, as opposed to our big winter parkas, and I wore a pair of chucks, no socks, yeah! The snow is starting to melt, it should be gone by the end of the week. Do I hear a vroom-vroom of a motorcycle?
Oh! I forgot to tell you that yesterday, I was running errands, it was about 35 out and I put on my winter coat and hat and…dropped the top! Oh boy, Annie II was so happy, and so was I! I cranked up the heat, turned up the butt warmers and away we went. It actually wasn’t too cold, so I turned the heat down and just enjoyed the sunshine and the crisp, fresh air. Something people don’t realize about convertibles is that if you have the windows up and you’re going at a good clip, you don’t feel the cold or even the rain, if you happen to get caught in it, it’s marvelous!
But, back to my post! After hot yoga, we changed clothes, walked outside and I never put my sweatshirt on, just jeans and a t-shirt, and it was fabulous! We couldn’t believe it! Is it Spring already?! Yes, it was 47, and while to some, who live in much warmer climates, 47 may sound like chill fest, when it’s been in the single digits, 47 is a heat wave!
We went to brunch, which too much longer than it should have! [Possibly like some of my posts! ha ha ha] Apparently the restaurant had a rush of people…anyway…I was very excited about the drive home, I was going to drop the top and enjoy the sunshine. Let’s just say…in the almost 2 hours we were at the restaurant, I know, I know…the clouds came out to play and the sun said…buh bye…so we drove home, top up.
So…it was almost like Spring…for about an hour… But…it gives me hope, I know it’s coming! Wait, does that mean…Hope Springs Eternal? MUWAHAHAHA
I don’t know about you, but there are a few songs that make me dance in my seat. Yes, I mean that literally!
I have a plethora, ooh, big word, yeah! that make me get up and dance, and sing, and twirl, and make me smile, and make me feel good, and so much more, and yes, dance in my seat. If you are ever driving behind me when I have the top down on Annie2, my VW Beetle-Bug Convertible, I have been told you can’t see me! But if you pull up next to me, the music is blasting, I love it to the point of the mirrors shaking! and I am usually dancing in my seat! What could be more perfect! Dancing down the road in a convertible!
As I mentioned, there are many songs that make me dance, but dance in my seat, that’s another story. I have Pandora radio on while I work and depending on the station I am listening to, there are songs I can’t help but dance to. Today, it’s Queen Radio. What inspired me at the moment is Rusted Root’s Send Me On My Way, which is a great song, and featured in the movie Matilda, starring Mara Wilson and an amazing cast of actors, but we’re not here to talk about the movie, maybe another time! The Peanuts theme song will make me dance in my seat, but that ultimately leads me to getting up and dancing around the room like all the Peanuts characters, it also happens to be my all time favorite song.
In the past few years, The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman and an amazing cast, again, maybe another time! started making me dance in my seat. The next song that came on was Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest and then, just now…Come and Get Your Love by Redbone and while I’m thinking of it, almost everything on the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack.
I know there’s more, but right now, I have to keep working and if we kept talking about this, we’d never get anything done! So…you know what makes me dance in my seat, I must know…What song makes you dance in your seat? Happy chair dancing!
Um, yeah, what? Let’s see…
Today started like any other Sunday. We went to hot yoga, crazy…8am! We didn’t have to get up before the sun to go to yoga, wahoo! The class was a little crowded, I wasn’t crazy about it, it felt cramped. The odd thing about this location is that you don’t have to wear a mask in the studio, I think I’ve told you about it. PSM and I both wore our masks, but with the current state of affairs, it’s odd to see people put their masks on leaving the yoga studio to walk into the lobby. It is what it is.
After yoga, we needed to go to Costco, but since they weren’t open, we went to breakfast at Uncle Bill’s Pancake and Dinner House, open 24 hours, and nice enough, no wait for a table. They were definitely observing social distancing, it was nice. We definitely enjoyed ourselves this time more than the last time. The food is good, but it’s the service really, they have a great and friendly staff. The food is simple and tasty, what more do you want?
After brunch, we headed to Costco. Gas first, you know the advantages there, renewed our membership, walked into the store and realized that since it’s Sunday, the pharmacy is closed, no bueno! Oh well…back to the house to get some stuff done, PSM had to prep to head out of town for work this week. After a bit, before it was time to go, we had lunch, yummy leftovers from last night’s dinner.
When it was time for PSM to head to the airport, I took the pups for a w-a-l-k, have to spell it out, they understand the word walk! ha ha. And for those of you who have kids and no dogs, you thought you were the only ones who had to spell in front of the wee tots! nope! We spell lots of words, w-a-l-k is one of them, t-r-e-a-t or g-o-o-d-y is another. And…I know that as you’re reading this, you actually spelled out the words! CLASSIC! I took them for a w-a-l-k for two reasons…to take them out and make it easier when PSM leaves, so they don’t notice and whine! Smart!
Shortly after we got back, and PSM was well on his way to the airport, I put the girls into the crate and headed out. This year, virtually, I am participating in the Atlanta Hot Chocolate 15k. I started doing the race in Atlanta and even though I did the race twice in Denver, I still did it in Atlanta, same year, and I travel back to Atlanta to do the race. It’s an opportunity to participate in the same city I started in, and 2013 was the inaugural run in Atlanta. I started doing the 5k and eventually moved to the 15k.
This year, just like almost everything, it was virtual and you could do it wherever you wanted. I checked the distance and decided to walk to the park that PSM and I like to go to and now take the dogs to. It was about 3 miles to the park, then about 3 miles around the lake, then 3 miles home and next thing you know… I walked a 15k! 9 miles. Go figure.
Let’s just say it was c c c c c c cold! 16 degrees when I headed out. I was layered up, leggings, jeans, Cuddle Dud layer, Hot Chocolate sweatshirt, their swag really is the best!, my favorite winter coat, long and quilted, and my winter boots. I was nice and toasty! Headphones in, off I went. The boots kept my feet warm, but not the best for distance walking, well, with keeping a steady pace anyway.
The walk to the park was ok, not a lot of people on the road, I passed a few people actually walking in the park, so I wasn’t completely alone. There was snow on the ground, it was so quiet, at times you couldn’t hear anything and other times, all you heard were the ducks and geese. It was serene, peaceful, and beautiful.
After I walked around the lake, I walked the path to get back to the main road to walk home. Let’s just say, by the time I got to my neighborhood, which is about the same mileage I always start to question my decision to do this race! HA HA Every year I promise myself that I’m going to start training for this and this will be the year I actually run it and every year I forget that goal and promise to myself, oh well. Maybe one year I’ll listen to myself!
I got home, immediately put on my pj’s, I wasn’t going anywhere else! I let the dogs out of the crate, we played, they had dinner and I collapsed on the couch! Let’s just say right now, my body is questioning my sanity and I don’t think I’m going to argue with it! Hot yoga in the morning and a 15k in the afternoon? Sure, why not!
I really am trying to get home! As much as I didn’t want to leave Colorado, I almost never do when I visit, I did want to get home to my family. Apparently Mother Nature thought it would be funny to make my 12+ hour drive a 14+ hour drive, not funny.
I actually slept later than I had all week, go figure! Every day that I had wanted to sleep past 7/7:30am, no dice, this morning, I got up at almost 8am! And…this is the day I wanted to leave a little earlier, maybe by 8am so I could take advantage of the daylight for driving. I didn’t set an alarm thinking I kept getting up early, but no dice. So…the plan was to leave between 8:30 and 9am, just like I had when I left St Louis for Denver.
I got on the road, no issue, then…apparently it had snowed, and snowed a lot, outside of Denver, the entire state of Colorado, then Kansas, and if you’ve ever made that drive, you know both states seem to go on fore…ever!!! There was snow on the ground, in the fields, it was white, white, white! There were some places I couldn’t see ahead of me or on either side of me, then it would clear, ahhh.
I filled up my gas tank and it was just slushy, but when I pulled into the first rest stop along the highway, not only did I inch my way up to the house, I actually had to put on my waterproof winter boots with the fur because the snow was at least 6 inches in some places and a foot in others. Pretty to look at, not fun to walk in, with Chucks on!
Some of the roads had snow and some ice on both lanes, other areas it was clear on one side, where the trucks had been driving over the road. I loved when cars or trucks would go by and slosh my car with wet, grey snow, thanks a lot! This was a drive that had to be made carefully for a lot of it. There were a lot of electronic warning signs up along the highway.
There were some areas that were absolutely beautiful and some areas, well…even snow couldn’t make it pretty!
I have to say, I’m glad I didn’t wash my car after skiing on Friday or even Sunday. I knew I would be driving and thought about getting her washed before I headed out this morning, really glad I didn’t. Almost every rest stop and gas station, I was getting the packed snow out of the wheel wells, washing the windshield and wiping as much of the ice from the car doors. Fun! Bottom line, she will be getting a bath this week in St Louis!
Now, you’ll love this…or maybe it’s just me. And that was pure sarcasm…At some point during the week, the driver’s side washer fluid nozzle seemed to stop working…the passenger side is fine, driver side, not so much. So…if I crane my head to the right, I can drive looking out the passenger side! HA HA! I did a lot of window washing, let me tell you! Then…somewhere around Topeka, KS, I turned on the wipers, they swished and the driver’s side wiper FLEW OFF! really?! I promptly found an Auto Zone and $70 later, I am now the proud owner of a pair of Rain-X Quantum Wiper Blades, huh? I don’t remember them being so expensive, but they are! And really expensive for something that only lasts about a year and a half! But…I really like the Rain-X brand, and they are on snug as a bug in a rug, so I am quite happy and when I got home…they are still on! HA HA
I was tired of the food I had been munching on for the week and decided to stop for some grub. There aren’t a lot of options for me, but I know I can get a sandwich at Subway, I have always liked their veggie patty, and then I started to want one. I stopped at no less than FIVE Subways along the road, the first…the toaster was out. I would have asked about the patty, but you have to cook it, so no dice. The next location had just closed, and they just started closing earlier the day before. The next two locations didn’t carry the patty and the last location, the girl behind the counter had no idea what I was talking about. Sigh…vegan ham and cheese it is! At least my stomach stopped grumbling!
Back on the road, munching on my sandwich and listening to a podcast or some comedy on Pandora radio, I didn’t get tired until about 11:30p, I had effectively been on the road about 12+ hours at that point and I had about another 2 hours to go. I was doing alright and didn’t start to get tired until about midnight and at that point, I was so close to home, I wasn’t getting a hotel. I did, however, stop at almost every rest stop and every few gas stations on the way!
Best part…pulling into my driveway, walking into the house, peaking in on the fur babies, who had noticed that I was home [I had to ignore the whining! SO hard!], putting on my pjs and crawling into bed, pulling up the covers and…zzzz…
Today, I made an executive decision…nope, not gonna do it!
This morning I was supposed to do a 15k and yesterday the prediction was freezing rain in the morning. First, I couldn’t sleep, go figure…maybe I’d gotten too much sleep the night before, I had slept until about 9:30am yesterday. So, by 2am I was forcing myself to go to sleep and then I woke up at 3am, then 4am, finally at 4:30am, I got up, got dressed and headed out the door…in the freezing rain!
There was no one on the road and when I got to where parking was and the race start, no people. I drove around for a minute and then thought…wait, I’m an adult, I don’t have to do this! If it had just been cold out, race on, but it’s freezing rain, no thanks. No medal is worth this!
Executive decision made! I turned around, went back to where I was staying, worked out, showered and got dressed and got on with my day, all comfy-cozy and warm, good enough for me!
When you know something and don’t really need it thrown back in your face, huh?
I am travelling next week and one of my flights is home to Hawaii, going to spend the the rest of the year at home and we have special visitors coming to stay with us, more about that later!
Now, I booked this flight a few weeks ago, I waited too long to begin with since I wasn’t sure about my schedule, and that made it expensive enough. Now, something has come up next week that I need to re-arrange my flights for this weekend and going to Hawaii. Not a problem, get on the phone with the travel company we use for work and take care of it.
I do 99% of my travel arranging myself, we have a great travel port that I can select flights, cars, hotels, the whole lot. When it gets complicated or I need to change, rearrange, whatever, I call them, and let them do the searching, they can look at more things at the same time, they are incredibly helpful.
What I didn’t appreciate, after I told this person why I was rearranging my travel at least three times, he says “most people book flights to Hawaii in March”. Gee, ya think? All my flights from February to October of this year were booked in January to avoid the high prices. This flight was not and obviously, if I am booking tonight for next week, it ain’t gonna be cheap.
So…it might behoove, isn’t that a great word! you to listen to what I am telling you and why I am doing this right now and not throw it in my face that because I am rearranging travel it is that much more expensive. Wow, thank you Kreskin.
Anyway…after all of that, I am finally booked going where I need to and I am going to be home to celebrate New Years Eve with friends and family, that sounds good to me and all that matters.
On a side note…I walked a total of 6.85 miles yesterday. I could not get myself out of bed in the morning, my alarms were being funny, so…in the evening, I got on the treadmill and did 3.49 miles. I’m comin’ for ya’ 15k!
So…did I mention that I knew I would be in pain today?
The day after I did the Honolulu Marathon 10k? Then sitting on one flight for 7+ hours, in a 2nd seat with minimal movement? Then a one hour flight stretched out, but not moving?
What do you think happened when I stood up and walked off that plane? Oh yeah, then driving an hour plus to get to the client site? Then at the client site, walking a little, but a lot more sitting? Oh my!
Let’s just say my legs were saying ” you are an awful individual, why do you hate us so? And because you hate us, we will make you miserable!” Done! What I will say to my legs and any other part that is cursing the vessel? Get ready! This was the kick off!
The kick off? Yup! I am about to start training for the Hot Chocolate 15k in Atlanta in February! What? Yup! This will be my third Hot Chocolate 15k. I truly want to run it, or at least run the majority of it and I know if I just set my mind to it and train, I can do it. If you think about it, it’s really just 3 5k races! It’s 9.3 miles, just 3 5ks combined into one race.
And…if I can run a 15k, a half marathon is not that far off, that’s 13.1 miles. This is a goal I am setting for myself. Send good feelings and swift feet vibes into the universe for me, I’ll run around and hopefully they will fall on my head and be absorbed into my feet!
And what I’m going to do…be accountable. I’m going to tell you what I do each week, it may be a full post or just a blip at the end of my daily posts, but I want to share my journey with you, just like everything else I do!
Ready…set…run!
Well, if you were me this morning, you would have been at the starting line of the 45th Honolulu Marathon/10k!
This was my first race in Hawaii since I moved here, crazy, right? I’ve been wanting to do a race here and here I am! PSM had registered for the race, I wasn’t scheduled to be home this weekend so I didn’t sign up. Since he’s still recovering, I said I would run in his place! Yesterday, we went to the Expo, picked up his packet and I was able to get a t-shirt in my size, go figure, bling! We couldn’t transfer his bibb number, so when I got the results, they were under his name. I just want to know what my time is.
It was VERY early when I started out. It doesn’t help, as you know, that I don’t sleep very much! I fell asleep about 12am, go figure and that alarm went off at 3am, what? This is Sunday, what have I done to myself? Of course, I also haven’t trained for this one, duh! I snoozed and finally got up at 3:10am, got dressed and out of the house at 3:34am, yup, I even brushed mt teeth!
Hit the road and made it to the Honolulu Zoo at 3:57am, drove around and finally found a place to part at the Marriott and rushed to the Zoo about two blocks away. I really need to start carrying cash so I can park in the lots! I completely forgot! And I have done so many races, you’d think I would remember! I re-read the email and it said that the last shuttle was leaving at 4am! What?! Go figure…on island time, the last shuttle was right there and I made it! 4:22am! We were dropped off near the start and all walked over, then with my fellow racers, stood in line for the port-o-potties!
As we waited for the start, the fireworks started, what a show! Then, somewhere around 5:15am we were off! It was still very dark, but lots of lights and good vibes in the air. We walked/ran down the streets that are usually packed with people, cars, tourists and locals alike. We ran past the mall, where PSM had his shoulder surgery. Ala Moana Boulevard, which means “Path by the Ocean” in Hawaiian, we saw King Street, Queen Street, Prince Street I felt like royalty!
We passed by the Honolulu City Lights Display, can’t wait to go back and actually walk around! There were people in costumes, some of them a lot of fun. There were Minions, Pokeman, Rainbow Brights, Santa and Mrs Clauses, even a honeymooning couple! A lot of the businesses have giant displays set up for Christmas.
So many people cheering each other on, there were some clever signs, most I didn’t take pictures of, since they were in Japanese! Most of the runners were from Japan, as JAL, Japan Air Lines was a major sponsor, Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS and SportsBeauty, just to name a few! Someone told me a joke “What do you call 30,000 Japanese running after 3 Kenyans?” “The Honolulu Marathon!”
I crossed the finish approximately 1:45 after I started and the sun had just started to come up about 20/25 minutes earlier, it was nice to run past the beach as the sun was rising to greet us. I got my medal, banana and malasada. A malasada is a Portuguese confection, made of egg-sized balls of yeast dough that are deep-fried in oil and coated with granulated sugar. They were first made by inhabitants of the Madeira islands and when the Portuguese immigrated to Hawaii, they brought them along! Now, they have become a Hawaiian delicacy and staple. You won’t find them anywhere else in the United States, unless the owner is from Hawaii! Our favorite breakfast place makes malasada pancakes, O M G!!!
After the race, got a few photos taken and as I was standing in line struck up a conversation with a nice Japanese woman named Jackie who said she was going to start studying English right now!
Then it was time to get back to my car and since I wasn’t sure where I was and there was no shuttle, since we crossed the finish line near the zoo. I asked someone directions and they sent me in the wrong direction! This went from a .3 mile walk to 1.5 mile walk, what?! No thank you! I called for an Uber! Yes I did! Best money I spent all weekend!
Back home I sat on the couch and…zzzzzzzz. I had planned to finish packing and then take a nap, nope, sleep took over, apparently Mollie and I were both dead to the world! It was He kupaianaha [Hawaiian], 素晴らしい [Subarashī] [Japanese], vunderlekh [Yiddish] that would be Marvelous in English!!!
Then it was up, pack, head to the airport and dread what my body is going to feel like after I am on a plane for eight hours barely moving…think I’m going to be a bit sore?! You would be correct! I saw a few people with their marathon and 10k shirts on at the airport, wonder how many are on my flights!
I am so hoping all that exercise will wear me out and get me to sleep on the flights, fingers crossed!
Holo, JJ, holo! [Hawaiian for run]
I’m a legacy! Wow!
Ok, let me explain what a legacy is and then how I am and why it pays to say something.
As you know, this weekend I did the Hot Chocolate 15k in Denver. This was my fifth Hot Chocolate race, two 15k’s, the rest 5k’s. The majority were in Atlanta and some in Denver.
A few months ago Ram Racing, who sponsors and puts on the Hot Chocolate Race, among others, sent out an email to all participants about their new Legacy Program. You would get an a medal, pin, beanie, picture frame and a special bib to wear, in addition to your race bib showing that you’re a legacy.
The legacy categories are three, five and ten years. Three is bronze, five is silver and ten is gold.
I got the email and rushed to check, yup, I have five! You know me and my bling!
Then… they send an email changing the policy… you have to participate for those years… in the same city.. what?! Now I’m just annoyed…
So… Have you met me? You guessed it, I went to guest services and said my peace. The woman I talked to, Serena, was very nice and understanding. She looked up my name and saw that I had participated in at least five Hot Chocolate races.
And… ready… She told me that the organizers are going to honor those that received the original letters that said three, five or ten years in a row. What? Really?! I wasn’t trying to get something, I wanted to voice a concern. But… yrs, they are going to honor my five years!
So…I got a five year silver medal, in the shape of a mug, a silver five year pin, a picture frame and my legacy bib! There is also a beanie, which they are mailing to me. I got it!
Now, if I decide to do this race again, which I have a feeling I will continue to do, I participated in the inaugural race in Atlanta in 2013! I will be sure to do the race in the same city.. if I want the legacy to continue.
Thank you to Ram Racing and The Hot Chocolate Race for honoring what you said and recognizing those of us who made it.
It really does pay to say something!
Peaches Prattlings 