NO Cooking on Thanksgiving

Yes, I am late to reporting my Thanksgiving summary.  It seems like this past weekend was peppered with drool-inducing photos of everyone's delicious home cooked Thanksgiving meals.

Not in my world!
...unfortunately, I don't really cook.
That's right, I need to be shunned from the blog world, I need to be domesticated.

But I did still manage to have three wonderful Thanksgiving Feasts:

Thanksgiving Dinner #1 
I had an early Thanksgiving Dinner at CCV on Tuesday night because Tappan's sister was going out of town the next day.

I ate a cobb salad as per usual.  It's my favorite salad treat-- corn, blue cheese, turkey, hard boiled egg, lettuce, etc.  Ok, I guess turkey does count as a Thanksgiving food.

Thanksgiving Dinner #2
I woke up and ran the Turkey Trot (read about it in this post), napped, and then headed to an early Thanksgiving meal out in the country in Goochland County, VA.

cozy home cookin' out in the country

loved the log cabin look

This was the real deal.  Family style.  All the regular Thanksgiving fixings.  I had worked up quite the appetite so I did end up eating my weight in food.

beautiful drive out in the country

Thanksgiving Feast #3
After stuffing my face out in the country and napping, I headed into work for a nightshift at 7pm.  At work, I stuffed my face some more, we had a pot luck buffet (I brought sodas.)

Did anyone else go out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving?  Or did you cook with your family?
My parents in Arlington did have a huge gathering of folks at their house, but I wasn't able to make it because of work.  In Richmond, I didn't participate in any meal-cooking, just face-stuffing.

Spring MTT Group Run + 20 Mile Run Along the Potomac

It's been a couple weeks since the Richmond Marathon and I'm now getting back into the running groove.  I've been playing it by ear 100% and I feel great so far.

Yes, running makes me this happy
(and yes, I had to repeat this pose from another run a couple weeks back
in this post.
It's just THAT much fun to pretend that you can
touch the planes landing over Gravelly Point at Regan National Airport)

I won't stray far from my love for too long!

SATURDAY RUN

Saturday was the first Spring Marathon Training Team (SMTT) meeting of the season.  We did 7.8 miles at an average pace of 8:05.  Met a fun new girlfriend who happens to work at the hospital with me.

SUNDAY RUN

I felt fine the next day and decided to do a long run on Sunday when I was up in DC.  20 miles, average pace of 8:07.

Tappan and I parked at Roosevelt Island and cruised (Tappan on bike, me on foot) along the Mount Vernon Trail, which follows the Potomac River.

By the end of the run, it eventually became dark and I do NOT recommend running here in the dark, especially by yourself, as there are no lights.

Mt. Vernon Bike Path, I love you.

Hey there, legs.

Hello Capitol and Sailboat.

Do you ever go running after dark?

Nope, I hate it.  Didn't plan the day well and I forgot that it gets dark so early, so we kind of got stuck doing it.  Darn you, daylight savings!

CCV Turkey Trot 5K Race!

I won 1st place in my age group for the Country Club of Virginia Turkey Trot!

I wasn't planning on running this race at all, but Tappan offered to sign me up the night before and I couldn't figure out a good reason why not to do it.

And I sure am glad that I did it because:

• the race was fun
• I won a metal (I call it my 'gold medal' hahaha) for placing 1st in my age group
• it was the hilliest race I've ever run, which was good because I think branching out and doing more hills is a positive
• I won a lava lamp in a raffle...which is high-larious to me.

My Turkey Trot schwagg

The weather was perfect, in the mid 40's.  Nice and crisp and cool.

I didn't have any crazy expectations going into the race.  I was told that the course is super hilly, and I pretty much never run hills (except for this past Sunday haha oops.)

So my plan was just to try to keep the pace in the low 7:00 minute miles.

Tappan has actually won this entire event in the past.  Unfortunately, he'll just have to wait until next year to avenge this record because his achilles is still on the mend.  Thanks again to everyone for their advice for him the other week.

A rogue bubble from the bubble machine snuck into my photo

Everybody lined up.  Race started promptly at 8:30am.

I enjoyed the late(ish) start, rolled out of bed shortly before 7:30.  Let's be real, there's never any reason to wake up earlier than possible in my world.

For breakfast I ate a granola bar and a pacific health labs 2nd surge (for a little bitty-bite of caffeine.)

Start line of Turkey Trot

No timing chip.

I really liked the size of this race.  Cute and cozy and small, but I still had some good competition.  There were 420 people that completed the race.

After starting, it took me a minute to weave my way around all the cute little youngins lined up at the front.  Within a couple minutes, I had more space around me and felt less claustrophobic.

YES that is a thumbs up!

I liked the stride of this girl in front of me.
I passed her after 0.5 miles, but it was fun to check out for a few minutes.

The course was almost entirely on the CCV golf course.

Hill #1.  Pretty much the entire course was rolling hills, aka my personal torture.

One or two accidental spectators were out playing golf, but otherwise it was pretty quiet on the course.  

This was fine by me, I'm sure no one missed anything beautiful going on out there with me.

the home stretch

At the end, I was tired, but my legs didn't feel as bad as I had expected.  Despite pushing it hard, especially at the end, I was passed by two people right in the middle of the last big hill.

love how Tappan caught me floating,
my favorite type of photo

And then it was done.  3.1 miles felt short.

I forgot to turn off my garmin at the finish line, so I had to wait for the official results:

21:40, which is an average pace of 6:58

It was enough to win the age group (females 20-29).  I was in the top 5 overall.

I was happy with this, considering how ridiculously hilly the course was.

Yes, it was a little uncomfortable.  But it was doable.  Obviously it was not a pace that I'd want to sustain for a marathon or anything crazy like that.

all done, let's go get some snacks now

Afterward, there were awards and a raffle.

This was when I won the fabulous lava lamp.  I've got that puppy plugged in right now, channeling in vibes from the 1970's.  Looking for my tie dye shirt.

Actually funny that I mention it, because I don't know if you can tell, but I was actually wearing my tie-dye sports bra for the race, maybe that's why I randomly won the lava lamp.

Folks milling around post-snacks,
collecting prizes.

Not going to lie, I'm really nerdy and am excited to hang this on my wall.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Did anyone else run a Turkey Trot this weekend??
This was my first ever Turkey Trot, but I can imagine making it an annual thing-- I was extra ravenous for the rest of the day, great way to start Thanksgiving-- I was able to pack in lots of delicious goodies all day and night long.

ACE Group Fitness Instructor Prep Course

I know all of you out there probably had crazy fun weekends....

...but in my corner of the planet, I was holed up in a classroom at my gym all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon, taking a prep course for the ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification.

I am planning on becoming an ACE-Certified Group Fitness Instructor and I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a FREE prep course at the Cary Street Gym!

Yes, that's right-- my gym is awesome.  This ACE prep course usually costs $400 to $500 dollars.  And I was lucky enough to do it for free.

8am on a Saturday morning....sitting in a classroom.
You can just catch the delight in my eyes.

I've raved about my gym before (this post).  It's affiliated with the hospital where I work and it only costs $14 per month (pre taxes.)  The group exercise classes are FREE and they have tons of fun incentive programs, such as the Ironman Distance Challenge, which I talk about in this post.  And OK I know this is dorky, but I was even featured on the VCU Recreational Sports Blog.  Check that out here.

What is ACE?

• it prepares you to become a group fitness instructor

What is on the ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification?

• It is a 3 hour, 150 multiple choice question exam
• the exam covers anatomy, kinesiology, exercise physiology, instructional techniques, class design, cueing, and injury prevention

How do I sign up for the exam?

• Click on this link to sign up for it.  You will be directed to select your electronic testing facility.

How much does it cost?

• Exam costs $249

Why am I doing the class?

• I want to eventually create a class on strength training for runners!  The class will focus on core, abs, legs and everything else to target areas that will help with running.  I also would like to teach spin classes one day, but that's a whole different certification (Mad Dog).  

I haven't yet decided when I'm going to take the exam.  It'll be sometime in the next couple months and I'll let you all know how it goes!


So tell me, do any of you coach or teach exercise classes?  Any personal trainers out there?
One day, many years down the line, I would love to help others reach their running potential, but I have lotttts more work on my own running before I branch out.

Running Post-Marathon

The full title of this post should be "Running Post-Marathon, aka Beautiful/Favorite Sunday-Run Views around Richmond."  But I thought that would be too long and annoying to catch anyone's eye.

Sometimes I go for Sunday drives in the car, like the one I talk about in this post.

But the weather on Sunday was unseasonably warm and beautiful, so I went for a "Sunday Run."  Tappan's achilles has still been bothering him so skipped the running and rode the bike next to me.

Gorgeous View #1 from Libby Hill Park, facing West
...after running up one of the hills.

I did 8.00 miles in 1:03:32, which is an average pace of 7:56.  Felt comfortable, except for the yucky 350 ft hills X 2 (during miles 4 and 6) on Broad St.  I don't usually run hills, so this isn't my favorite part of the run, obvi.

I chatted with Tappan for the parts when he was riding next to me.  Picked it up a little during the last mile.

This was a destination run...over to Libby Hill Park, which is my favorite spot in all of Richmond.

[Read about my Valentine's Day date at Libby Hill Park in this post.]

Below is the view from Libby Hill Park that gave Richmond it's name back in the olden days...because it resembled the city Richmond on the Thames over in England.

My trusty partner in crime on his bike.
James River in the background.

What's strange in this photo?
Perhaps the fact that there are gorgeous fall leaves...
...in 60-something degree weather.

Another of my favorite views in Richmond.
On Church Hill, overlooking the city, toward the West.

How long do you like to wait to run after a marathon (or any type of race!)?

I pretty much felt fine two days after the marathon (sore quads for the first couple days)...but I made sure to wait until the end of the week to go for a run because I don't want to get injured.  I did a 4 mile slow test run on Friday, which felt great.  So yesterday I thought it'd be OK to just go at whatever pace felt comfy.  And it felt sooooo good to be back out running.

My Marathon Race Photos Are Here!

It was fun to get some photo reminders of my first marathon last weekend.

It already feels like it was an eternity ago so it was nice to momentarily live the Richmond Marathon again!

Wish they'd taken some photos from the beginning part of the marathon, the only photos online were from the last 7 or so miles.

Just prancin' across the finish line of the Richmond Marathon

Flying mid-air across the finish line of the Richmond Marathon

Somewhere on Northside?
I actually have no idea where this photo was taken.

I ran the whole time with one iPod earphone in my right ear.

Feeling some misery

Creepin' through the Northside, perhaps mile 21?

I am always a mouth breather...
I know, I know...in through your nose, out through the mouth.
But I NEVER do that.  I think I have a bad septum?

And then I see the end......

Heading down the last hill...

 Almost there...

Do you usually like your race photos?

Eh, don't usually love them, they usually get better with time.  First time I glance at them, I'm usually disgusted.  But they eventually usually grow on me.  I like these mainly because of the memories.  Probably in a couple weeks I'll start thinking that I look cute in them haha.

VMFA Mummy Exhibit

Last night I went to the member's preview of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for their brand new mummy exhibit.

The exhibit is called Mummy:  Secrets of the Tomb and it's open to the public from Saturday November 19, 2011 until Saturday March 11th, 2012.

I've been in love with Egyptian history ever since history in my fifth grade class with Mr. Pascal in Arlington, VA.  I can still remember the vividly colored cover to that textbook and the paper mache sarcophaguses that we would make....  I digress.

The exhibit features more than 100 ancient Egyptian objects from the internationally renowned Egyptian collection of the British Museum.  This is the collection's ONLY appearance in the US, so make sure you check it out.

The exhibit opens with a 30 minute 3D video that focuses on the life and death of Nesperennub, a temple priest from over 3,000 years ago.

All nerded out in my 3D glasses

The 3D video visually unwrapped the mummy from his linen coverings down to his naked body and examined what on earth could have caused his death, what his diet was like, how they prepared him for the after life, and what he probably looked like when he was alive.

The 3D video was so realistic, I wanted to reach out and grab some of the objects that popped out of the screen at us.  I may or may not have actually done that a couple times.

Per the usual Egyptian fashion, his brain had been removed through his nose and his other vital organs had been removed, wrapped up and stuffed back in his body, along with some little souvenirs for the afterlife.

After the video, we wandered over into the gallery and saw more mummies and artifacts including:

• "additional human and animal mummies; a gilded mask; Egyptian jewelry; canopic jars used for preserving the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines of the deceased; massive sarcophagi lids; statuary; and tomb lintels." -VMFA

No photos allowed in the exhibit, so here are a couple goodies from the VMFA website:

One of my favorites from the VMFA Mummy Exhibit.
This blue color was very rare.

I am watching you....at the VMFA Mummy Exhibit

Afterward, we paraded around the gift shop, humoring ourselves with fun Egyptian props :)

Btypes and I needed a photo with some sort of Egyptian prop
so we found a giant one in the gift shop

Hey buddy, you're wearing my King Tut head covering!
It's OK though, let's be friends.

The ancient Egyptians loved cats...
and I LOVED this blue color.

For ONE dollar, you can make your own name in hieroglyphics.

As Btpes pointed out, this man is probably mumbling
about how he was once a temple priest and now he's a tin pencil box. 

Of course we then had to explore the beautiful lobby of the VMFA.

These chairs are high on the looks scale...
...but low in the comfort department. 

Love this beautiful museum, check out my favorite flying rabbit crazy animal in the background.

Can you guess that this statue is my favorite feature in the entire museum?

This exhibit gives you a great dose of Egyptian fun without having to travel over to London to visit the British Museum.  So go check it out!  Tickets for adults are $15 (go here to purchase them) and the exhibit will be open until March 11th, 2012.  VMFA Members can check it out for free.