The Artsy Fartsy Photographer

I think I told y'all we got a new fancy schmancy DSLR camera for Christmas (merry xmas to ourselves).
With the snow , frozen fog, and other weird winter weather we got over the past week or so, i took an opportunity to wander around our country neighborhood and take her for a test drive the other day. Here are just a few of my favorites!

Let's Recap and Look Ahead

Been off the blog train for a few days, enjoying some family time with my family and Mike's.
The Saturday before Christmas, I got up early for a run before we left to pick up Mike's mom and grandparents from the Madison airport. Got in a few miles by myself when I was surprised to find the SWAT team coming up behind me and they twisted my arm to join them for the rest of their run and for breakfast afterwards. Mike and Nick met me at the restaurant and then we took off for the airport after a quick shower. It was foggy out due to the warming temps and all the snow that was quickly melting. When we arrived we were glad to see the planes were still arriving as scheduled. About 10 minutes before they were due to come in from their connecting flight from Detroit as noon, that changed and everything was cancelled and rerouted. The plane was sent back to Detroit. Many phone calls and a long day behind us, they finally arrived at Midway airport in Chicago about 9:30pm only to find their luggage was lost in space and we waited a long while more while they filed their lost luggage claim. Finally arrived at our house after 1:00am.

Christmas Eve Day we drove to Merrillville Indiana to meet Uncle Mike who was taking the grandparents (his parents) to Ft Wayne for Christmas. We picked them up again later in the week at the same place.

(Here's a picture from the Christmas festivities of my nephew Jacob encouraging his sister Izzy to climb the stairs, apparently by channeling Satan...... My mom is the spotter)

Christmas was nice. My parents, my sister and family, Mike's mom, and his brother and family were there and we enjoyed good food, fun, and a cut-throat game of television trivia.

We spent endless hours with Mike's mom and grandparents shopping, laughing, ate every single thing in sight, and as usual it was over way too quick. We really cherish the time we get to spend with Mike's family. They all live in North Carolina now, so the togetherness opportunities are few and far between - I wish they were closer.... we really miss them.

We dropped them at the Madison airport New Years Eve day, and then we got ready for a quiet night at home watching movies and tearing down the holiday decorations. I am always so relieved when I can put that stuff away and get back to normal. By New Year's I feel like Christmas threw up in my living room.

Today, my parents left for their winter in Costa Rica, so we won't see them again til spring when the snowbirds return.

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Top 5 Funny Phrases from the Week:

1) "How does it feel to work for a company that sucks balls?" (Overheard being asked by the guy in front of us waiting to make a lost luggage claim at the airport)

2) "If someone put a gun to your head and said Poop or Die could you do it?" (I don't know why this came up......)

3) "I'm calling the police" ..."Well, I'm calling Wapner."

4) Dookie

5) Asked by Mike at Blockbuster: "Does this movie have humping in it? I can't watch a movie with humping with my grandparents..." (The movie was Georgia Rule....... the guy was technically right - no humping - but they say "Boner" and Lindsay Lohan took off her underpants and gave some guy a blow job........... I blame the Blockbuster clerk for that embarrassing moment)

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Status of My Goals for 2007:
*Complete my first Duathlon and my first triathlon, then continue to do as many as physically and financially feasible: DONE!
*Complete a 10K race or more: DONE, Several times! Also did my first half marathon
*Compete in at least 1 bike race: didn't do, not because there were not opportunities but because my focus changed from working on my strength - the bike -to focusing on my weakness - running.
*Learn to Mountain Bike: Done, but not well. Had a really hard time conquering my fear of falling down. Crashing....... not so much fun.
*Graduate from Ball State with a BS in Nursing, thereby making me qualified for the job I have done for the past 10 years...................... : DONE!!!!!! (Finally)
*Continue to gradually lose weight into the 150 range or better, and maintain without significant gain: Didn't do this. I held most of the year in the 170-175 range, and after a low point of 160-ish this summer, I found that I was not able to properly fuel my training as I increased my volume. I gave myself permission to focus more on maintaining my weight and on increasing my fitness and endurance. Still a long range goal, but lower on the priority scale (no pun intended).
*Learn to run with my nutjob dog without injuring either of us ;-) : Well, I found a good tool to run with her manageably (the Gentle Leader Walk Harness). Problem is it abrades her across the chest so we can't run often or it leaves her with a mark. We'll keep working on this at least on short runs this spring.

I also updated my mileage spreadsheet .

Here is the upshot:
Running miles: 594.88

Biking Miles: 1885.7

Swimming yards: 57,950 (or 32.93 miles)

My unofficial goal for the year, never having set an annual mileage goal before was a stab in the dark at 2007 total miles for the year, so I guess GOAL MET and exceeded at 2513.51 miles. Now I have a benchmark for 2008 and can set a more aggressive goal.

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My 2008 Dashboard:

I know some of you all don't believe in New Years Resolutions, but I think it is important to have goals to work towards to focus attention in the right direction. The concept for goal setting we use at work is something that they call Dashboards. I think of these goals like the dashboard of the car, something that is always in front of your vision as you move forward.

So that's what I am putting out there this year - my personal dashboard, my vision for the year 2008.

* Complete 2 Half Iron Distance (70.3 mile) Triathlons. We are officially registered for the Spirit of Racine and Iowa Pigman. If all goes well with them, we will get registered for IMWI for 2009.

* Complete my first marathon. The plan is for the Madison Marathon in May. Maybe there will be more than one, but let's just say one for now.

* Do the Danskin Sprint Tri with my sisters. (No pressure girls - it's just for fun!)

* Maintain my weight in the 160-170 range (after taking off the Christmas 10 of course). Maybe even dip into the sub-Athena arena as long as I can manage my endurance nutrition at the same time.
* Run a sub-30 5K. (borrowed that one from Misty, good goal)

* Get my spring cleaning done before December for a change. (Thought I should throw in a person non-exercise goal)

Mileage goals:

Run: 1,000 miles

Bike: 2,008 miles

Swim: 100,000 yards

In Tribute to Our Elvis Loving Friends

While shopping at WalMart (AGAIN!) we found these little numbers and they immediately made me picture GeekGirl and S Baboo and their Vegas Marathon dressed as Elvis. So of course, we had to buy them. There are still some left so either they are weird or we are sick of eating sweets.









Behold the counter full of junk food it had to contend with last night - my stomach hurts just looking at it again......

Merry Christmas To Y'All!

Hope you all have a great day, get lots of good stuff, and eat til ya puke.

(Or enjoy that Chinese food and movies! )

We have lots of company this week so we will catch up with you all next week.

Tagged by Cindy

I have been tagged by Cindy, so here goes:
So here are 5 unusual or interesting things you may not know about me:
1) I hate getting flowers. It took me years to get Mike to stop sending them to me. They are expensive and they don't last long at all. I never remember to water them, never remember to throw them out til they stink. Now, that's not to say I don't enjoy cuttings from someones garden, that is a little different.
2) I am obsessed with shoes. I love to buy them and I love to covet them on other people. One of the first things I look at when I see people are their feet to see what shoes they have on. One of my favorite pairs EVER was a pair of neon blue calfskin ankle boots I bought on the Loop in Chicago in high school. They laced up and kind of looked like elf shoes. I have no idea what happened to them, but if they were still around I would wear them every day. I actually think the shoe fetish comes from being so heavy for so long - the shoe department is the one place where I could talk shopping with everyone, I didn't have to go to a special fat girl section of the store.
3) If you tell me I can't do something, I will do it simply to prove you wrong. I am just that stubborn. And I will do it all pissed off with a chip on my shoulder.
4) I am horribly messy, even though I try really hard to keep my things cleaned up. I keep everything because "I might need that later" and it piles up everywhere. My fear is that someday, I will be the little old lady whose house is just packed with collections of CRAP I can't part with, with only little narrow paths so I can get to my bed and the bathroom.........
5) I have a lot of fun reading blogs and following what people are doing with them. I think it is just a little weird and awkward to meet these people in person. It just seems totally creepy to go up to someone and say "Hello there internet friend, I'm J-Wim..." . It' feels a little like Peter Parker introducing himself as Spiderman, which would never happen - the superhero persona is supposed to be kept a secret..... Plus, I am often just at a loss for small talk, so these meetings are sometimes really really awkward.

Now for the forward tags: How about......... Michele, Tracy, Renae, Brigitte, Regina. Let's hear it ladies.

No Butt Pictures At All

Misty pointed out recently that there has been a theme to the pictures I have chosen for my posts and as I look back, there does seem to be a trend toward the cherubic bare bottom. So I am making a concerted effort to make some more clothed choices, at least for a little bit here. Just thank your lucky stars they weren't pictures of my ACTUAL butt........ bullet dodged. WHEW!

Tuesday as many of you know was Big Mike's 40th birthday. No exercise was performed that day. The original plan was to go to SWAT swim and bring treats. Due to a huge snow and ice storm though school were closed and since we swim at one of the middle school pools, swimming was also cancelled. Instead we took Mike to Red Robin for the best burgers in the world. We were careful to let the cat slip out of the bag to our server. Before we knew it the servers swarmed around him to sing . They asked him his name, he answered "Miguel" and they announced that it was Miguel's birthday. (He later decided that if he had been thinking more quickly, he should have said his name was McLovin, like the dorky kid from SuperBad - we thankful his brain was in slo-mo). The song they sing goes "happy, happy, happy birthday" but Mike usually sings along to it (when we have been there in the past to observe) and his version goes "happy, happy F'ing birthday" so we were glad he didn't choose to sing along. When they were done, Mike sucked the helium out of the balloons and talked in funny voices and we headed home. He may be 40 on the outside, but he is more like 12 on the inside. Don't let him fool you into believing he is a grown up - he is totally lying.

Wednesday night after work I was scheduled for a tempo run but it was so slippery out, I couldn't go. Instead I sat on the spinner and did some drills while I watched the movie Waitress. The movie was about a waitress in a pie diner who finds out she is pregnant and has a schmuck husband - the theme was how pie was a metaphor for life and the life cycle. Although I will never get the 1:45 of my life back I spent watching this stinker, I did get in a great spin workout, so I guess it evens out in the end.

Thursday was again swim night. We went to swim and I had the best intentions of trying the B workout instead of the C, which is a little lighter. About 1400 yds into the workout, I saw my BIL Jeff waving to me to get out the pool and come over by him and the lifeguard her was talking to. Apparently, he somehow got his finger caught in a hole in the top of the table he was sitting on. And it wouldn't come out. And he was getting kind of vaso-vagal so Jeff wanted his nursey friend there right quick. The guard says "I think I 'm gonna pass out" and I said in my best nursey voice "I think so too - even your lips are white.......put your head between your knees cause I don't want to have to catch you when you fall....." We tried some ice to try to shrink the finger. Didn't budge. We lubed it up with conditioner out of my swim bag. Didn't budge. There are always janitors around the building int he evening, so I set out to find one that could bring a tool or two. As I trotted off sown the hall in my swimsuit and swim cap, I realized that it was Christmas Choir Concert night and the halls outside the pool were FILLED with middle school students and parents. And I am walking through them in my wet swimsuit - Choice. I flagged down a teachery looking guy who happened to be the vice principal, told him to find one of his guys and bring the big tools. He decided that it would be better to call 911, which he did. So, before we know it there is a pile of firemen and paramedics there to rescue our lifeguard. Five minutes later he was free, but by that time, it was time to pick Lucas up from work so we were done. Turns out the guy is a swim coach and was covering for one of his swimmers who was supposed to guard. He gave the teachers there a pretty good laugh once he finally was set free.

This morning I got up early for the SWAT pancake run. I knew I would be running way behind the group so I tried to make it clear I didn't want anyone to wait for me or try to shepherd me in. It was absolutely gorgeous out. 22 degrees so it was was pretty cold, but it was snowing the whole time - great big huge fluffy flakes- which was just so cool. I was feeling really "on" today so after finishing up the 5 miler I drove home and ran another 3. It was awesome. We have had a ton of snow and ice lately and the sidewalks are pretty poorly shoveled for the most part, if at all and most of the corners are plowed in and no one shoveled them back out, so really it was more of a trail run today to keep from slip-sliding away or falling off snow mounds. Time was pretty slow, but really more as a result of me trying to be careful than having problems running. I got the Yaktrax I ordered in today's mail, so I will have try them out soon and see if it makes a difference.

Tomorrow I'll do another long spin to start off the training week and then we will get serious about scrubbing up the house for Christmas festivities.

Hey Y'all

Where did I leave off?

Friday I took a little run by myself before dark in the slush and cold. Not much to brag about but got it done. It is a real challenge to try to the specific workouts (tempos, keeping certain paces, etc) when trying to combat the uneven terrain of Midwestern snowy sidewalks. Some people shovel a little, a lot, or not at all - and forget about the corners - those suckers are so heavy that if you don't have a snowblower I pretty much have to jump a mountain and cross my fingers. It really is more of a trail run than a track workout, at least that's how I'm counting it.... Got in 4.3 miles.

Saturday and Sunday were really do-nothing days workout-wise. I had good intentions, they just fell apart somewhere along the way. We did the last of the Christmas shopping except for a few odds and ends. Found a superdeal from Costco on 305s (got 2) and also found a sweet deal on a Digital SLR camera and lens (I am sick of expecting professions shots from a pocket camera). Chalk that up to Christmas presents to myself.

Saturday night after going for cake and birthday fun for my niece Taylor, we went to the SWAT Christmas party at Kitty's place, which by the way was the fanciest house I have ever been inside. Really......like million dollar house nice.......like at least 8-10 bedrooms and bathrooms nice...... like I went to Africa and shot all the rugs you are standing on kind of unusual. Dave and his band played for us and we all got dressed up in our fancy clothes, Spandex and tennies were banned for the night. It was a blast. I think Mikey is posting pictures on the SWAT site.

Tonight after work, Mike and I went for another slush run. It's kind of challenging and I don't think Mike liked it much (cold and wet) but we did it and lived to tell the tale.

Tomorrow, be sure to go to Mike's blog and wish the old fart a happy birthday........... He's 40 now, by the way, officially in a new age group. Shouldn't be long now before all conversation leads to talk of early bird specials, senior discounts, constipation, and the state of his bowels.

Another Day of Snow and Surf

Tuesday and today were swim days. Tuesday we did the SWAT practice and followed the workouts Alison posted for us. I love it that she plans those out or I would probably end up swimming the same mindless plodding laps each time. I watched Tina doing laps of fly, which incidentally was my stroke once upon a time in the distant past, so I gave it a whirl myself. I did a 50 of fly and it was super fun. Mike was watching me as I came to the end of the length of the pool so I asked how it looked - he said "it looked like you were laughing"...... I guess I was, I had no idea I still had it in me anymore and I was enjoying it although it didn't feel nearly as fluid as when I was a kid. Anyhow, got in 1600 yds of 100 repeats on Tuesday, then did 1850 in a mixed 50s, 100s, and 25s tonight.

Both days were snowy and put our little clown cars to the test. They are a big change from the the 4WD SUVs for sure! I used the snow blower yesterday for the first time ever Wednesday after work - Man that was an adventure! I am not strong enough to manage that machine by myself but I bet I gave the neighbors a laugh. I hope no one heard the F bomb drop as I blew off the sidewalk that goes nowhere, right about the place where the blower dropped off the last flat and ended up spewing dirt all over.

My sister Tracy sent us the funniest thing today, thought I would share the video of the Keeney girls elfed up. I laughed so hard I think I peed a little.

Taking my life in my Hands

Today, I spent the day trying to figure out if it were possible to run outside. I scoped out the sidewalks and streets as I drove to work. I checked out the windows of the 5th Floor where I work. How icy is too icy? How well did my friends and neighbors shovel? Saturday we got dealt an icy mess. First there was snow. Followed by sleet, then freezing rain, then slush. Made for a yucky slippery mess, and people did their best to scrape the crap off their walks with varying degrees of success. (mini RANT: I can't stand it when people think it's OK to not shovel at all - no attempt- I know you were home, I saw your tire tracks!! Just plain lazy and dangerous!)

I am also working on a training plan to get ready for my first marathon in May and them 2 Half-Irons later in the summer. The training plan started um.... yesterday. What did I do yesterday? A whole lot of nothing. I went shopping and folded laundry, but I don't think that qualifies as cardio. So today I was itching to do something - I can't get off track ALREADY!

When I got home from work, I made the decision to run outside. I laced up the kicks, bundled up and took off, flashers on my arm bands and miners light in my back pocket. Much of the run I had to run in the street, although the parking lanes were mostly as icy as the walkways . I had to slow down lots not because I was tired, but because I didn't want to spin ass over teakettle down the sidewalk like a curling stone. My goal pace according to RWOL Smart Coach was 13:19/mi (I think that's wrong - don't think even I can run that slow), so my 12:04 avg pace was not too bad. Actually it wasn't too bad for me WITHOUT the ice lately......

When I got home, I got my butt cheeks thawed out, then hopped on the spinner to make up for a part of yesterday's planned bike that I blew off. Punished myself for another half hour or so with some drills : sprints, SLPs, standups, and so on.

Tomorrow: SWAT swim

Wed: Another after work run (Supposed to snow, so maybe will try spin class instead)

Thurs: SWAT swim

Fri: Spinner and yoga

Sat/Sun: Some other sort of self-punishment for extended periods of time - a long run and bike of some sort.

Holiday Greetings from the Wimmer Boys

Guess how thrilled the Wimmer boys are about having our family picture taken for our Christmas Card?

As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words.

Quote of the day: "Why do we have to wear these GAY matching shirts?"

"Hands at sides. If they are in front it looks like I'm trying to touch your butt."

Good times. yeah. Good times.....