Look at the Loot!

This has got to be the best prize package ever!  Even better than the Price Is Right stuff 'cuz I don't have to pay taxes on anything I have won.  Spike over at Running Spike wanted to place a bet on when the Chicago Marathon would sell out.  I guessed 672 hours and the actual sell out time was 741 hours.  Sounds like I had some insider information doesn't it?  I guess I am just a good guesser.

Dear Spike,

• How did you know I like to run ninja style (i.e. dressed all in black) especially for early morning runs?  The amphipod is perfect! 
• Look at all of the chocolate stuff.  I totally wanted to have a Macrobar today after my 11 miler but figured an empty package wrapper wouldn't make for a good photo.  Haven't tried either of these items so I am excited to try 'em out.
• Sweet PhD socks!  I am picky about my running socks and these are ones which I LOVE.   
• I have heard other bloggers talk about the Yankz and how much the like them.  I am sure I will too.   

Thank you Spike and Redhead.

Good luck to all of those who are registered for the Chicago Marathon.  May it NOT be 85 degrees like it has been the past 3 out of 4 years and may it NOT steal your running mojo from you like it did from me (thankfully, I have stolen bits and pieces of it back in the past few months -- sucka!).

On to other things...

I had a pretty decent 11 miler this morning with my sherpa.  I have been doing my long runs either at the scheduled time (Saturday morning) with the running group or with a few ninjas from the running group on an alternate day when our schedules conflict with Saturday run times.  I couldn't run Saturday morning because I had to work and one of the ninjas has had the flu for over a week and I forgot about asking the other ninja if she wanted to do the long run on Sunday.  So I accepted the fact I was stuck doing a solo Sunday 11 miler, but thankfully my husband offered to ride his bike along side me for my run!  Yes, I have got the most supportive husband in the whole wide world!!!!!

I had in mind that I wanted to do a trail that kicked my butt last year (so I took it out of marathon training rotation early on) because of the killer hills.  We drove to the trail and on the way I remembered that they don't plow this trail but with the warmer temps lately I thought maybe it would be OK.  No such luck.  The trail was packed with snow still.  So we drove over to an alternate trail and we did the same route that I recently ran a 10 miler on.  This, too, included hills. Yay, me for conquering hills.  Overall I had a pretty fantastic run, but the last mile could not finish quick enough.  I think it had to do with the fact I had to run past my car and then back in order to get in that last 0.8 miles.  That stinks.  I hate doing that.

I made a deal that after any run longer than 10 miles I treat myself to one of these.  I really like them and they help me recover so much better than what I would normally do which is....uh...nothing.  And I feel like crap for two days when I do...uh...nothing.  'Nuff said.

You know spring is on the horizon in Michigan when you see one of these:

Hello feathered friend.  We have missed you.

Yes, my friend, that is a robin and I saw one today.  WAHOO!!

With the warmer temps comes melting snow.  One thing I noticed a lot while out running this morning was the massive amounts of dog poo I had to dodge on the trail.  Do dog owners take the winter off from picking up after their pets? Just an observation.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and got miles. :o)

Miles for the week (Sunday - Saturday): 10.  Off kilter 'cuz of today's Sunday long run .