I Run for Hot Chocolate....and Wine

So if you haven't noticed already, all I have time for these days is posting to Instagram every now and again to show you guys that I'm in fact still alive and breathing, running races and packing for the move that will happen in just a couple of weeks now! This Sunday was my 15k and my friend's first race longer than a 10k!

 But first let's cover the race expo we went to the day before to pick up our bib numbers and swag. I got some new compression socks, race headband and race hat that is the best running hat known to womankind. I never knew a hat could define me so well...and JUST in time for the winter running season. Ready.

That night we carb-loaded with pasta of course and went to bed earlyish due to the early wake-up call (4:30am eff my life). We keep on saying that we'll never do this again...yet we always do...signs of addicts.

I knew a ton of people signed up for this race series but ummm....wow I didn't know that we would be met with all of THIS business.

There were several corrals that were released every few minutes or so which helped avoid bottlenecks, but of course it was still an issue and it's just inevitable. I mean clearly all of Chicago ran this dang race!

I was happy to change my corral so I could start with my friend. We were set to rock this race...because my headband says so.

One thing that is also inevitable when it comes to huge races like this one...there are also a ton of people who don't follow race etiquette (i.e. stopping to walk right in the MIDDLE of the road and starting in a corral that is faster than your average running pace). PET PEEVE TO THE MAX. But in any event, the weather wasn't as cold as I thought it would be and my gear was on point. I ran throughout the whole damn thing without stopping despite the uphill battles that were only in the second half of the race (of course). My playlist got me through and I crossed the finish line with a huge victory! And a medal that looked like a chocolate bar. Win.

Once Laura passed the finish line, we high-fived like pros and were off to feast on our mugs full of chocolate!

That hot chocolate was the absolute best...and it almost made me forget how much my hip flexors and ankles were burning. More selfies occurred.

I'm SO proud of her and she kicked some major ass. I mean....hot chocolate was at the finish line waiting for us soooo that's enough motivation for me.

We eventually made our way back to gear check and parted ways where I subsequently gorged on a grilled chicken sandwich waiting for my train ride home. Food never tastes so good than just after a race. NOMS. Hopefully everyone had a fabulous weekend!!!!

Weekending Done Right

 Before I get into my rant, let me just say that while I dread running in the dark, these sunsets are getting pretty darn amazing.

But okay so moving right along....with all of this potential for so many life changes coming about, it's safe to say that I find it impossible difficult to concentrate at work. You guys....Josh and I may have found the perfect home for us and I'm ECSTATIC. We're really hoping that everything turns out alright with the incoming steps i.e. the dreaded inspection. Anyone who's a seasoned HGTV girl like myself knows that you should never get TOO excited until after that's done and they say, "no, you don't have a rat infestation and this house will not collapse in a matter of days due to whatever damage." SO until then...I'll be crossing my fingers and toes and praying to every superior power out there that this house was meant to be ours and there aren't any major issues. Orrrr this...

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The house we fell in love with was actually the last of the MANY houses we looked at this weekend and my was it a sight for sore eyes. The last house was like the Ryan Reynolds out of a lineup of Toby McGuires. Flawed and just a huge disappointment. Don't you just wish that life had a fast forward button for just certain things like when you have to wait until all of the paperwork is in on your offer and the waiting period to see if said offer was accepted??? I mean seriously, I need a temp script for some anxiety meds with how I'm feeling right now!

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Shut up, T. Swift what do you know? Carrying on.

House news aside, Friday was full of amazing since a friend and I trekked up to Milwaukee to see Lorde and LORD OH LORD she did not disappoint!! Before the show started and when we thought we were right across the street from the venue, we managed to find a place called The Newsroom Pub. Of course a couple of journos like us would end up there and the drinks and food hit the spot. Not to mention our bill was a fraction of what it would cost in Chicago. Thanks Milwaukee, I'll be coming back again soon...

I still can't get over the fact that she's 17. And might I add, we almost missed the show entirely. Because um no one let us know that a million buildings in downtown Milwaukee were in fact labeled "BMO Harris" and that the venue was on the Summerfest grounds. FAIL TO THE MAX LIVE NATION! Luckily we weren't too far off and we made it to our seats with our drinks just in time.

She head bangs like a pro and it was amazing. I wish I got a snap of that. It was the best thing to witness.

I must say though, she was mighty clever to avoid unwanted photography at her show by constantly being in a cloud of smoke or having crazy strobe lights going off. I managed to get a few shots in though. If you EVER have the chance to see her live, DO IT. We were jamming out all night long.

Sunday was spent expending ALL of this adrenaline that was surging through my veins by running close to 8 miles. It was a PERFECT day for it too. Fall??? You could have fooled me! It was gorgeous outside and I maintained my pace throughout my whole run! #beastmode.

Unfortunately, my Bears didn't enter beast mode at all and fell to the Packers pretty hard...but we're not going to talk about that...luckily the hubs and I had plenty of good energy to hang onto with finding a house that we loved and did some research on the area. I also signed up for another 5k for a cause that is very dear to my heart. I've had quite a few family members who have been diagnosed with breast cancer so I'm going to run this race pretty hard. And just MAYBE place in the top three in my age group. Always good to think big right??? After this last run, I think it just might be possible!

Also, those boots I was raving about last week delivered and I'm in boot heaven. 

Friday Freakout: SELFish Bully

So yesterday I read about how SELF magazine contacted a runner who was wearing a tutu during a race. She didn't know how the photo was going to be used, but just like everyone else, she was flippin' excited and said "sure!" Little did she know, they would bash her for wearing a tutu. It turns out she was wearing a Superwoman outfit complete with her tutu for being a cancer survivor. It motivated her to get through training and to complete this race. She ran a dang marathon WHILE undergoing chemotherapy. Do I really need to pull out the four-letter c-word here for what SELF has done to this poor woman? Yes, I do.

As a runner myself, this is not only offensive because of her personal story conquering her battle with cancer, but because I feel that SELF magazine is being a giant bully. And I don't like bullies. Shove that subscription up your ass, SELF. You can find the full story and details here. It makes me so mad and so sad for this amazing woman to have felt so humiliated.

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But really, I've participated in quite a few races myself, and I think it's all too common for people to just have fun by wearing a costume or whatever else with the daunting task of finishing a race no matter what the distance is. If a tutu gives a runner the momentum to keep going and finish that race, you go girl! Work that damn tutu! Want to wear a cape throughout the whole race? More power to ya! This whole debacle really rubbed me the wrong way. A fitness magazine such as SELF should be all about empowering people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle, not bashing them. I have no time for bullies. And seriously, do your homework, SELF! Usually runners have a reason why they dress up for races! Fricken idiots! She was rocking that tutu for charity. I hope you feel real dumb, SELF.

 

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The editor-in-chief took time out of her day to apologize...if you want to call it that. Really she just hair flips the whole thing and says "oh we didn't know she was a cancer survivor" yeah well really that's an excuse? You can read the the "apology" here. You know what's on the "BS Meter" now?? Your magazine, SELF! I hope you feel like reaallll big jack-holes, SELF. Have fun dealing with the decline in revenue for this really awful snafoo. And ya know what? I'm going to wear a damn tutu in my next race in honor of Monika Allen. If wearing a tutu apparently makes me "lame" according to them, then I want to be lame 100% of the time. Forget about the tutu, what about rolling around in colored dye on the gravel and running through it? Yeah that's me and proud of it. You have one less subscriber, SELF. TGIF!

I embrace my lameness. Come at me, bro!

Cheers to all of you other LAME race participants who wear costumes and other things that make us so high up on SELF's lame meter. I know I'm heated about this topic. Do you participate in runs? How do you feel about this? I feel like going all Tony Montana on their asses, but I'll just stick with this passive aggressive blog post instead.