Thanksgiving sans Turkey

Monday:  45 minutes yoga
Tuesday:  5 mile run
Wednesday:  4 mile run, 45 minutes yoga
Friday:  8 mile run
Saturday:  5 mile run, long walk with Abby and Mia

This will be our first Thanksgiving without a turkey on the table.  To be honest, I am kind of disappointed because roasting a turkey slathered in olive oil and smothered in herbs was one of my favorite cooking activities.  Jerry will miss the smell of the turkey roasting in the oven all morning for sure, but we are looking forward to the many other delicious dishes on our menu. Here is the official menu:

Sweet Potato Casserole with Gingersnap Streusel
Killer Cranberry Sauce
Warm Wheat Berry Salad with Dried Fruit
Aunt Raffy's Stuffing (from Giada's Everyday Italian) minus the sausage
Mashed Potatoes
Deviled Eggs
Rolls
Italian Cream Cake

In the evening I am planning to make Hot and Sour Thai Tofu Soup to change it up a bit!

Thanksgiving has become a traditional day of rest for us.  There will be parade watching, followed by the dog show and maybe a movie or two.  If my memory serves me correctly there will most likely be a run for Jerry and I and/or a long walk with the girls.  At some point we will work in a good, long conversation about being thankful which is something I have been feeling a lot of lately.

Fresh Air

Monday:  8 mile run
Wednesday:  5 mile run
Thursday:  4 mile run with Abby
Friday:  30 minutes yoga
Sunday:  5 mile run
Monday:  20 minutes stability ball
Tuesday:  4 mile run with Abby
Wednesday:  hike with Jerry, 30 minutes stability ball
Thursday:  5 mile run
Friday:  4 mile run
Saturday:  5 mile run


I've been trying to maintain some basic level of running while not letting too much fitness slip away.  Weekly totals for the past two weeks were 17 and 23.  Abby also got back to running and it was great to share a couple of runs with her.  We ventured over to the Buckeye Trail and were surprised to see some residual snow mixed in with some very sloppy mud.  The sun was shining that day, and all the yellow leaves on the trail lit up by the sun with Abby running out ahead of me made for a really spectacular memory.

Saturday brought the annual Twinsburg 5-mile Turkey Trot.  Abby and I did this race last year and she whooped me by a mere 30 seconds or so.  This year several of her cross country friends decided to run and  I graciously opted out of the fun.  Some one has to cheer, right?!  It was a beautiful day and they all did really well!  Abby finished in 40.03 and was most happy about passing a few of the high school girls along the way.  Here she is (in purple) with her peeps at the finish line.



Gina has officially started the high school swim season.  It is the typical grueling schedule but not too many 5:30 am workouts this year.  In lieu, the coach has added a few Saturday mornings and, of course, the 4-hour workouts through the holiday break.  There have already been some teary discussions about how to manage it all and whether or not it will be a good year.  Academics first.  Always.

Jerry was able to take Wednesday off work and we enjoyed a great day together - a sort of late celebration of our 19th anniversary in August.  Over the years we have perfected the ultimate cheap date and I would not have it any other way.  We packed a healthy mostly whole food picnic and a thermos of coffee and then headed to the Valley for a few hours of outdoor fun.  We hiked from Kendall Lake to Ledges and then drove over to beautiful Pine Hollow for our picnic.  It was really nice to spend some time together discussing the past, present and future.  Crazy years ahead of us, but we have made it this far, and I have no doubt we are going to go the distance! 

One more photo to share of Gina and Abby as they left for school the other morning.  I really thought it was a great everyday shot of them looking happy and ready for a day of school.  I can't believe how fast the years fly by.  The three of us took a really nice walk yesterday with Mia while Jerry finished up his run and some things around the house.  We seem to have some of our best talks when we are out in the fresh air and moving along the earth.  Ever since they were tiny babies I have tried for at least a few minutes of fresh air every single day to clear out the lungs and brain.  I really think it makes a difference.

Something Beautiful

I am loving this song lately and have finally figured out how to share videos!  Enjoy!

Content

Sunday:  26.2 mile run
Friday:  5 mile walk/limp/run
Monday:  1 hour yoga, 5 mile run
Wednesday:  20 min exercise ball, 5 mile run
Friday:  1 hour yoga, 4 mile run

Recovery from Columbus Marathon has gone pretty well.  I have the usual twingy right ankle and sore toes.  There is still one questionable toe nail but it seems to be healing.  I also have some tightness in my left IT band that I am not so happy about. I really just want that to go away.  I'm going to have to work on that in order to avoid a serious issue brewing in the future.  Physically things are pretty normal.

Emotionally I am very content.  No beating myself up because I did not go under 4 hours or get a BQ time.  It's really just fine.  I am probably more psyched about running now than I have been in a long time.  Running just for the sake of running.  I've had to break out the cold weather running clothes.  This morning it was very cold with a heavy frost, BUT the sun was shining and I knew it would be a great run.  Thoughts were swirling in my brain; they bubbled up one by one and I just kept dealing with each thought the same way:  it's okay, God is in control, I am content right now right where I am with what I have. 

I've spent some time browsing at spring marathon choices.  There are some interesting options.  We'll see what winter brings.

In general, the family fitness seems to be in a little bit of a funk.  We eeked out a nice walk/hike locally on Sunday.  Some of us were a little grumpy so it was not the best, but as always the fresh air was helpful and I think everyone felt a little better when we returned home.  Any remaining grumpies were banished by the amazing time we had working together in the kitchen to make Chile Rellenos.  Gina had found the recipe in one of our vegetarian magazines.  Wow was that ever a project but so worth it! Muy delicioso!

 I don't think I mentioned in my blog that Abby was able to break 14 minutes in the middle school cross country 2-mile race.  It was sheer awesomeness.  The girls team went on to win the NOC division for the first time ever.  Amazing group of runners this year and so fun to watch. Here is a tiny clip I took during one of their meets.  It's not great but I love the sound of people cheering for these kids.  Something about it makes the joy pour right out of my eyes.   Abby is the sixth runner in blue and white!