Christmas ideas for runners! (Aka stuff you can buy me)

I have a confession: I hate spending money on running gear. Hate it.

I will drop $100+ on a race and not think twice about it (hello, Nike Women's Marathon) but if you ask me to spend that much money on a jacket that I will wear daily for months it makes me want to cry.

Because of this I love Christmas because I can ask for whatever I want and then let someone else pick and choose what they want give me and I am truly happy with anything I get. The socks I wear are $10 a pair and even just one new pair makes me giddy. I mean, what better way to celebrate the birth of the messiah but with new shoelaces? Honestly.

Here are some ideas of things that I personally love that the runner in your life (or you!) might enjoy.

A good winter running jacket
If you live in a cold climate then winter running can be extrememly rewarding if dressed properly for it but they can be pretty expensive. I just got this jacket during my running store's Black Friday sale and while it was painful to fork over the money for it (I did get an awesome deal though) I have run with it every single day since and I have no idea what I did winters before this without decent outerwear. It keeps me warm but not too hot, water and snow run right off of it and it has a lot of reflective bits. I'm in love.

Link

Winter running pants

During the sale I also picked up a great pair of running pants. I really like how light they are while still keeping me warm but not TOO warm. That's the key, not overheating. I don't know how these will compare to my beloved Under Armor winter pants (that don't fit right now so that is the last we will speak of them until they do) but in 30-40 degrees they've been awesome.

Link

Running mittens

The worst part about winter running (in my opinion) is wet feet. The second worse is cold hands and the best way to prevent that it by some good mittens. The problem is that they are expensive. $30 for mittens is CRAZY so your runner might not want to buy them for themselves! But let me tell you what...they are worth every penny. Mittens allow your hands to stay warmer than gloves because they let the heat from your fingers combine instead of seperating them it to their own personal isolation cells where no heat can mingle. I don't have running mittens right now but that's probably changing this weekend before I find my fingers falling off in self defense.

Link

Smartwool socks

Wet feet, you say? Get your runner some Smartwool socks. They are usually around $20 a pair which is enough to make me hyperventilate when I think about buying more than one pair at a time but a pair as a little gift would be perfect (do you need my address? Let me know). They are too much for me to run in in the summer but in the winter we are solid (they are all I wear to work in the winter, too which is classy when my dress pants ride up and you see my bright green knee high snowboarding socks but I won't stop wearing them  and you can't make me!). My feet do still get wet sometimes but they stay warm and pretty happy and the people running with me don't have to listen to me whine...as much...because I always whine ;) And other than the thick hiking ones that I wear snowshoeing I run in pretty much all of the other ones.

Link

A subscription to Runner's World Magazine

This is one of the presents I have looked forward to getting for the last three years and my mom never lets me down, I love this magazine and have gotten so much knowledge from it that I would be sad without it. This year I am looking forward to my subscription running out so I can get it on my iPad and always have all the issues with me since I like to reference them. And by reference them I mean force people who could care less about running look at photos of what Kara Goucher eats post race (I have chocolate milk, in case you were wondering. It's the best recovery drink out there).

Link

The Runner's Rule Book

This book is a really easy read but pretty comprehensive on what to do and not do in the running world and even better is that it's FUNNY. New runners will find lots of great info (don't wear all black unless you're a ninja, the other runner's will laugh at you) and seasoned runner's will probably nod their head a lot and get a good chuckle from it (no, you're not the only one making fun of that person wearing all black). 

Link

The Runner's Field Manual

Written by the same dude who wrote the Runner's Rule Book, this is a bit more info on the running world written with the same ease and humor but in the style of a boy scout's field guide. I love this one equally as much as the first.

Link

Anything!

I truly love and appreciate anything that anyone gives me in relation to running because I rarely buy anything new for myself. There are tons of other things that you could give from big to small like:
-A running GPS
-Entry to a race
-A rack for hanging medals (check Etsy for some cool ones)
-A folio for storing bibs
-A handheld water bottle
-Gels or Shotbloks
-Get crafty and look up your runner's favorite race they've done (they probably talk about it a lot because we always do) and print a picture from the race and put it in a frame along with their race time and a spot for their bib. You can get the pictures and times just by using Google and digging a bit (but don't be googling my times because I am a tortoise right now but will still be fast enough to Mr. Miagi you in the face if you pick on my 10:30 minute miles ;)

So there you have it, I hope that helps someone!

Oh! And what am I hoping Santa will bring me this year?

Link

The Garmin Forerunner 10. Isn't she beautiful? Fingers crossed!

What are you hoping for this year, running or otherwise?

Socks, shoes and a few challenges.

Here's what's going on: I sit down to write, I start to write, I get a paragraph in, I get distracted by something really important like Instagram or watching the bun trying to hide my socks when she thinks I'm not watching and then it's game over. Therefore, you are getting some bulleted business so that I can catch you all up and get back to this blogging thing because I miss it.

-My running is going really well. My base is at a solid 10 miles and I ran the best run I've had in two years last Sunday. It wasn't that I was faster than normal, it was that I felt amazing. I finally got in my running zone and when I was done I swear I could have easily done five more miles. You have no idea how good that felt, it's what I have spent the last 6 months working towards. My goal is to run at least one 5 mile run during the week and one 8-12 mile run on Sundays until February when I start half marathon training again in order to keep my base solid.

-That being said I have committed (in my own mind, which is all I need) to the Runner's World Holiday Running Streak where I need to run at least one mile a day every day until January 1. I'm not sure how it's going to go on days that I leave at 6am and get home at 8pm but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. You can read about it here: http://www.runnersworld.com/cold-weather-running/2012-holiday-running-streak and I am wicked excited about it so I am sure I will check in a lot about it.

-I've finished several races since I last wrote: the Wineglass Half marathon in Corning, NY; the Empire Half Marathon here in Syracuse; and the Baldwinsville 10k Turkey Trot yesterday. Both halves went much better than I expected and I finished almost an hour faster than the half I attempted in March. I will try to remember to write about them. Hold me to it :) And if I don't here are a few pictures:

Wineglass swag! The medal is glass as Corning is known for the Corning Museum of Glass, one of my favorite places.

Empire bling

-I have found my holy grail of sneakers. They are Nike's and I have no idea what exactly they are but we are in love and I have no intention of cheating on them anytime soon. Well, not counting when I have to start wearing my winter Asics soon. Do you hear that faint sound of sobbing? It's my butt because they weigh about a pound more than my normal sneakers. But anyway, back to the Nikes. They are soft and squishy and amazing and don't give me blisters and they look cool and they don't really show dirt and even when I'm done running I don't want to take them off. All of these things are proof that we were meant to be.

My soul mates.

-I signed up for my dream race last week after waiting 8 months for them to announce the sign up and I will find out December 14 if I got in. Please cross your fingers, toes and pray to the makers of Cadbury Eggs for me (aka my version of Jesus) that I get in.

Yes, that is a picture that I took of my iPad with my iPhone while sitting in my car on a call on my OTHER iPhone. God bless technology.

-Enough about running, I have another challenge that I have put forth for myself and it's a little something I like to call Curltember. My goal is to curl my hair every working day from now until January in honor of one of my most amazing friends who had to shave her glorious curls recently for a reason that I have named Nipplegate. And that's all you need to know because it's her story :) I will tell you that my hair might not make it out alive but I'm doing it anyway out of 90% solidarity and 10% insanity because my hair is super straight and curl resistant and it will take an act of Ulta to get it to hold a curl consistently. I bought a Hot Tools curling iron today, a gallon of heat protectant spray and enough hair spray to turn Nutella into silly putty. Let's do this!

Also, that lipstick is my life right now. It's Mac's Creamsheen lipstick in On Hold and I'm obsessed.

-I went to my friend's baby shower recently and wore the amazing BCBG dress I wrote about a while ago (which, btw, is also an awesome date dress. It's an awesome everything dress) and my current favorite Nine West shoes. I still have no idea why anyone ever wears pants. I mean, I do sometimes but I don't like it. Not one bit.

I also ate cupcakes of the cookie dough variety and they made me not fit in my dress the next day.

-As for my back, it's doing ok. It was better, then it was way worse, then I found out I had a herniated disk, then I started back to work, then I started back to PT, then I got some narcotics, then I was told it isn't a herniated disk, then I got mad because I hate the human medicine world and that's where we're at. I maintain I have a herniated disk though and am just working around it accordingly. AND FOR THE RECORD: No one has told me that I have to stop running! Quite the opposite actually because the longer I run, the better my back feels (most days, some days it's not happy and I take it easier those days). It's funny how once you have an injury everyone magically has an MD and has an opinion about it which usually is 1) You need surgery and 2) You shouldn't be running. I do appreciate the concern but it gets a little frustrating after a while. It's been improving with PT though so I'm sticking with that for the time being and I have decided not to go for the cortisone injections that the unhelpful spinal doctor prescribed to me in my 7 minute visit, 3 of which involved discussing his cat. If I am not feeling better in a few weeks that I am considering a second opinion but only because I like answers. It amazes me sometimes how different veterinary medicine and human medicine is, it's not too often that a client will let you get away with "I don't know" in regards to their pet's health yet that seems to be a viable answer for my own.

/End rant :)

And with that I think you are all sufficiently updated on my life so I will leave you with a parting gift of the bun rearranging my socks when she thinks I'm not looking. The Smartwool ones are her favorite because they are more stiff than my Balega running socks and are therefore easier to throw. I think? Who knows, I'm not a bun.

I'm back! With a What I Wore Wednesday!

I'm back! Where have I been? Mostly on my living room floor counting strings in my area rug but that's another post for another day.

Last week was my first official week back to work and it was pretty exhausting. Aside from that I was ridiculously excited to wear something other than running pants, tshirts and Biofreeze (when the menthol smell starts to not even register in your olfactory senses then you know there's a problem) and last Wednesday was almost 80 degrees so I took advantage of it and wore a new dress that I am currently obsessed with. As in the first three days I owned it I had it hanging on the outside of my closet so I could stare at it. Should I not be admitting those kinds of things to the general public?

I first saw this dress at JCrew months ago but at 100% silk with a $200 price tag it was nowhere in a price range that I was willing to consider. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I happened upon it on massive clearance (it's been marked down for a while but it was marked down again) and that combined with an additional 30% off sale means I got it for $40. Heck. Yes. The necklace was a similar situation, I found it last week at a JCrew over an hour from me on massive clearance for $41. Tis the season for me to shop JCrew, it seems. Oh, and denim shirts? They are my official fall and winter jam and I wear them with almost every single outfit I put together. Good thing I own many.

Dress: JCrew
Denim shirt: Madewell
Necklace: JCrew
Shoes that you can't see: Black flats from Lord and Taylor

Today was Halloween so of course I needed to wear orange and black. I try to every year because not only is it festive, it prepares me for Syracuse basketball season when we eat, sleep and breathe orange. Yesterday I slammed two of my toes into my foot board of my bed and it was so bad that I hurled my phone across the room and almost hurled my breakfast. I think I just sprained them because today they are movable but painful and 5 colors but I can't fit them into dress shoes so sneakers it was. And how perfect are these sneakers for Halloween anyway? I get that it's not that exciting of an outfit but I ended up on my knees for hours cursing at a Netgear router so it worked out.

Sweater: JCrew
Shirt: JCrew
Pants: Express (the Columnist pants which are the greatest pants to ever happen to me)
Shoes: Vans
Earrings: Marc by Marc Jacobs

And just to spice things up I went out for a friend's birthday the other night and got to wear clothes that were neither for work nor running (a very exciting event in my life!). I also was able to challenge some unsuspecting guys to a pinball match because my favorite bar has a pinball machine and they thought they could own me. SO. WRONG. If you think you're good at pinball I officially challenge you. I might not beat you but I will definitely have fun trying :)

Dress: A small boutique in Syracuse
Jacket: Guess
Watch: Target
Shoes that you can't see: Nine West nude pumps

So how have you all been? I promise I will be back to blogging soon and will update you with all of the weekends I spent running half marathons and then lathering in Biofreeze. Oh, and I finally found my holy grail running shoes! I know you can hardly stand your excitement for hearing about them :)

Also, as always I am linking up with the Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday.

Glossybox vs Birchbox: September 2012

Well ladies, it's that special time of the month again. No, not that one! The one where I compare this month's Glossybox and Birchbox and I have to tell you, it's tough to tell which one is better this month.

First, a quick run down of what they are in case you were unaware.

Glossybox and Birchbox are both monthly subscription services where you get a sampling of beauty products to try.

Cost 
Glossybox: $20/month
Birchbox: $10/month
Arrival
Glossybox: Usually the last week of the month
Birchbox: Usually the second week
Products
Glossybox: Higher end with one or more full sized products included each month
Birchbox: Mid to high end with deluxe samples and the occasional full sized product

After going back and reading last month's review I think that it seems like I like Glossybox over Birchbox which is not exactly the case. Glossybox has just been sending better items the last few months whereas I was getting frustrated for a while with what I was getting from Birchbox. Last month was getting on track to a better box and this month's was amazing! I was ridiculously excited when I opened this box and you will see why in a minute.

Birchbox

This month Birchbox teamed up with Vogue to create a box to "jumpstart your autumn beauty collection" (their words, not mine, but I still like it).

1) Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir perfume sample I am loving the smell of this, it smells like WASPy yacht club society ladies which I am putting in a request to be reincarnated as. I'm already planning on purchasing a small travel sized bottle of this as it's much heavier than my typical scents so I will only use it on special occasions but it's seriously delicious.
2) Color Club Birchbox Custom Color in Put a Pin in It I think I read that these colors were inspired by fall and Pinterest and although it's pretty I'm not into shiny nailpolishes in the least so I will probably stash it to use in a giveaway someday soon. 
3) Dr. Jart+ BB cream I haven't found a BB cream yet that will rip the Dior foundation that I worship from my hot little hands but I still give them all a fighting chance. Maybe this one will be the one? I'm not sure though because it's American made (see the Glossybox review below for more info on what I mean).
4) twistband hairtie I think these are really cute to wear around your wrist but they don't hold my hair tight enough because it's too straight and slippery and slides right out. It's good to keep in my work bag as a backup though (nothing is worse than needing a hair tie and not having one, am I right or am I right?). Plus the print is so cute so who cares if I look like a hot cheerleader mess?
5) Fekkai Essential Shea Shampoo and Conditioner This made me squeal in happiness a little. I know it's just a sample but I LOVE this duo and I always have some in my shower to use once a week or so just to switch things up (my daily combo is Redken Clear Moisture which I've used for years). It lasts about a year that way but last time I decided to change and I got the glossing version instead and I've been missing this one so I'm happy to get a wash or two of happiness out of it.
6) The Brushguard Variety Kit This was a lifestyle extra and I think it's supposed to hold the shape of your makeup brushes as they dry after you wash them. I'm pretty excited to try it on my Mac 188, it gets a case of Florida humidity style disco momma hair after I wash it and spreads out like crazy which is annoying. 
7) THE BEST PART OF THE WHOLE BOX Do you see that little card in the middle? The one that has the magical word "Madewell" on it? Also known as ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORES OF ALL TIME?? It was a $25 off a $75 coupon code and I do mean was because I already used it. I'm also working on convincing my friend to give me her code too. I have no shame.

Overall this was my favorite box I have ever gotten from them and it may be because of the Madewell code. It's the little things, people.

Glossybox
This month's theme was also fall which is perfect because everyone knows that the fall in upstate NY is the best ever. Why else would we have droves of people flocking in just to look at leaves? If they knew what it was like to have to rake them day after day then they may change their tune a little but it means unlimited supplies of freshly baked apple cider donuts at the apple orchard near my house so whatever.

1) GKHAIR Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner Are these boxes telling me something with the hair cleansing items? Because I swear it gets washed 1-2 times a day much to my stylist's dismay. Anyway, I've never heard of this brand but it smells amazing and it has keratin in it which is all the rage right now (for people with body and volume and curl in their hair, none of which I posses). There aren't any ounces listed on them but they are a decent size and they retail full size at $20.00 apiece.
2) Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water I am most excited about this because it looks just like Bioderma which I have heard great things about but can't get here in the states unless I order it from Amazon at an exorbitant amount. It's a water like makeup remover that (allegedly) leaves no residue and I am always on the hunt for something that won't tick my super sensitive skin off. This bottle is 3.38 fl oz which is a full sized product that retails at $13.00.
3) Kryolan for Glossybox lipstick in Glossy Pink I have known about Kryolan for year but have never owned any of their products. They were originally created as stage makeup I believe (I may be wrong and I'm too lazy to google it) but have gone more mainstream in the last few years. Seeing as I am getting old and inching towards my mid early thirties I have started liking lipstick so I am pretty excited about this. It is a full sized product and retails at &14.
4) Missha My Perfect Cover BB Cream I learned about BB creams a few months ago from an online friend who is obsessed with them. She has told me time and again that they were created in Asia and that while they have finally caught on in the US, our versions are nowhere near as good as the Asian ones. A BB cream is supposed to be a tinted moisturizer, foundation and SPF all in one and they are supposedly amazing. I have only used American ones but this will be my first Asian one as it is Korean made. This is a full sized product and retails at $29.99.

In total the amount of full sized products in this month's Glossybox totalled around $57, plus the shampoo and conditioner samples. I just got this box today so I haven't tried anything yet but I am excited to.
*********************************************************************************************
I am not sure if I have mentioned it before but not everyone gets the same thing in their boxes. The Glossybox is mostly the same (for example a friend got a mattifying lotion instead of the cleansing water) but the Birchboxes tend to be vastly different every month. When you sign up you create a profile that sends you products a little more tailored to your needs.

Oh! Also! I finally convinced a man friend of mine to sign up for Birchbox Man so look for Justin to be doing a guest post review of his Birchbox when it arrives! (and there will probably be some gratuitous bunny pics as he has two as well that I call The Bits).

As always, here is a link to join Birchbox if you'd like. Or if you are more interested in Glossybox send me an email to maresydotesblog@gmail.com and I will send you an invitation. 

How were my pictures this month, any better? I will still be using my iphone until I get fancy and buy a real camera someday but I took them near the window on Trixie's kitty ledge and she wasn't too happy about it. She tried to sneak in to sit on top of everything and I caught her in the act.

My molding is not yellow, I swear. It's slightly off white. 

Hello again!

Friends, if I could give you one piece of advice about running it would be this: Body Glide. And don't forget to use it when you decide to run 13 miles. Or 9 miles as I did last Sunday and forgot it then, too. I'm paying for it now, that's for sure. I wore a new sports bra today and it rubbed spots raw on my collarbones which is miserable and I forgot to load my feet up on it too and got two massive blisters.

So anyway, if you caught that yes, I ran 13 miles today. I wanted to make sure I could do it before my race. Neither my running partner nor I were into the run today so it was slow going and even though I was mentally prepared for it my body draaaaaaagged. I hate those runs, they never make you feel good because you feel like you're fighting against your body the entire time. However last Sunday I ran 9 and it was an awesome run and I felt like I could go forever. I'm hoping I am that way next Sunday for my race.

I was still happy when it was over.

I apologize for being absent but once I found out I was out of work for another three weeks I got pretty depressed. Noah the PT and I talked about my running and I decided to cut way back to help my back rest and that's been upsetting. I really wanted my mileage closer to 30 miles a week at this point but I am only doing Sunday long runs, Tuesday training runs and then an easy run on Friday or Saturday which is hovering me in the 17-20. I also stopped with the massive cleaning of my house (most of it is done anyway) and spend most of my days laying on the floor of my living room. For those that think I am living it up while being out of work, I'm not. I've listened to my doctor and PT since the beginning and have done everything they suggested in order to heal sooner. Neither have ever told me to stop running completely since the initial 3 weeks I took off in July which I'm grateful for. Noah the PT is also a runner and he understands that I can't just stop without being insanely miserable so I've just cut back. Mentally it's still hard though, I am so used to going going going all the time and holding down the floor of my living room gets old fast. Thank goodness for Netflix and Youtube is all I can say.

The great news is that I am going back to work on October 1st *cue cheers and confetti*. I also have my MRI tomorrow so I will finally know what is going on which I am hopeful is nothing major. I will never understand human medicine and the idea that the answer of "I think" is better than "I know". I feel like I have to fight for diagnostics to identify the exact problem vs veterinary medicine where we want answers and we want them in 10 minutes. Such a different world.

In other news, Trixie has finally taught Archie how to play dead. If you see in this first picture, she has been working on it since Archie was very young and I think the bun finally has it perfected.

Look at how tiny Archie is trying to sit in her hay bowl! I die.

A pro.

Welcome to Miami. And by Miami I mean Destin.

Yesterday I took the bun outside for the first time. I thought she would be really excited about it but it turns out that for the second time in my life I was wrong (I won't tell you about the first time, it still stings). I thought I would put her harness on her, set her in the grass and she would do happy bunny leaps of joy (called binkies) and eat a bunch of grass. Instead she freaked out until I opened her crate at which point she ran in, peed in the corner and did 10 minutes of angry digging on her blanket. That will show me I guess.

Sitting on my lap is better than the terrifying grass, apparently.

Not. Happy.

I spent the better part of this week in Destin, Florida with an awesome friend of mine. We didn't do much except hang out on the beach and drink a gallon or two of wine and it was glorious. I also got a second degree sunburn but that's par for the course, there's no amount of SPF that protect my milk white self from speeding towards melanoma (for the record I was wearing SPF 70). Because of my sunburn that I got the first day there I didn't run at all and that combined with spending so much time relaxing means that my back feels better than it has in over a month!

If you're looking for a great hotel I highly recommend the Hilton Sandestin.

Despite the fact that the entire area was overrun with children (seriously, it was crazy but they all cleared out by Monday) the hotel was awesome as was the area of Destin. The beach was right out the back door of the hotel and there were two outdoor pools and one indoor pool. We rented an umbrella and chairs and sat by the ocean (that was so warm to swim in!) and at night we took the little trolley that the hotel shuttled people back and forth to the warf area with. There was shopping and restaurants there and lots of outdoor music. There are also quite a few shopping areas in the town and I finally found a black blazer that fit my abnormally small shoulers properly! I even got to go to my first Tommy Bahama which was a neat restaurant with fantastic sangria. We had so much fun and it was a great week.

I thought for sure that I would go to my recheck appointment at my doctor today and he would give me the green light to go back to work on Monday but instead he told me that he wants me out another 3-4 weeks. Womp womp. I understand his reasoning because over a month ago my back was feeling better and I went to work full force and reinjured it but that doesn't make it any easier to hear. The good news is that I bargained with him to let me call in a week to see how I am feeling and reevaluate so that I can maybe return sooner. I also have to go for an MRI which is never exciting, I usually do ok for the first 15 minutes and then remember that I am stuck in a huge magnetic tube and can't move and then I start to panic but I AM looking forward to knowing what exactly is wrong. I'm staying positive that they find nothing and it's all been psychosomatic ;)

I leave you with a shout out to my awesome hat that saved my face from getting charred on the beach, high five to JCrew.

August weight loss and running report

My August weight loss didn't go as well as I'd hoped (I wanted to try for 10lb lost, what was I thinking?). I "only" lost four lb but hey, that's 4 less on me! My measurements have gone down and that is better than the scale going down so I'll take it. I'm pretty sure I'm not losing weight as quickly because I'm not eating enough calories. I just don't eat a lot in general and when you take sugar and carbs out of your diet your caloric intake is almost non existent. At least mine is, unless I decide to eat bacon every single day which would be gross. I am not on that "OMG BACON IS THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!!1!1!" bandwagon. I mean, it's good with pancakes but I don't die over it. Except for the burgers at Nosh in Portland, Maine that have bacon ground into the burger meat and they're amazing. My September goal is 5lb, something attainable I think... I hope.

As for running my mileage and workouts were good for this week, here's the run down:

Sunday: 10 miles
Monday: Physical therapy (trust me, it's a work out)
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: Jullian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout
Thursday: 3.5 miles and physical therapy
Friday: Rest day (PT made me really sore the day before)
Saturday: 5 miles

Total mileage: 22.5! I'm finally past the 17 mile barrier I've been hanging out in!

I'll be missing my running group tomorrow and Tuesday so I am going to try and stay focused and get my miles in anyway. I've been rotating shoes between my old busted Ravennas and the devil Mizunos and I am getting less blisters. I'm still getting them but not as many and they're in different spots which is good. The ones that frustrate me (and hurt) the most are the ones that form right under and area that had one a day or two before. I am thinking of switching to Nikes for my next shoes, I keep seeing a lot of people wearing them and it makes me curious to see what they would be like. I haven't had a pair of Nike's since high school so I have an unbiased opinion of them. Plus I could create my own color combo online and they will make them for me, how awesome is that?? Here's what I came up with:

How awesome do they look? I mean, really. They're pretty amazing and I can even get my name on the tongues which is an A+ in my book, I like all of my things branded with my name so no one touches my stuff. Yes, I'm an only child. Why do you ask?

My back is pretty ticked at me when I run anything over 6 miles but I just need to work on getting it stronger. I haven't been showing as much improvement as Noah the PT would like so when I go to my doctor recheck on Friday (the one that determines if I can go back to work or not) he wants me to discuss with my dr having xrays and/or an MRI done. Awesome. Pttthhhhb. I'm trying to stay positive but I got really upset when he said that on Thursday and I almost became a blubbering mess so we only did an hour's worth of exercises vs 1.5-2. I'm hoping that I can regroup the next few days and rally to bring my positivity level back up because being a piss ant isn't going to get me anywhere.

Does anywhere out there run in Nikes? What do you think of them if you do?