Verklempt

I'm still in awe of everyone's amazing-ness! I can't stop looking at my fundraising page and seeing that $4,000 and 100%! I even got a little verklempt :) You guys are absolutely amazing!

This is me today and I'm sure I'll be like this at the finish line

xoxo

Lauri

Thank you!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I could not have done it with out all of you! Just now I met my fundraising goal of $4,000!!!!

Thanksgiving morning I ran the turkey trot with Kuma and let him beat me ;) It was such a great run. I met a mentor from the new season's team, Kristen who ran my pace and we chatted through the whole 3 miles.

I also don't think I mentioned this, but a few weeks ago my hip gave out on a long run. Coach Jen told me there still may be a chance to switch back to the half, and I did. I feel a million times better about this decision. This allowed me to take two full weeks off my feet and rest giving me time to heal well with out falling too behind. I am also MUCH less stressed seeing as I have already run 14 miles and know how I felt about it and that I can do it.

Pushing yourself is always a good thing. However pushing yourself too far to the point of injury, not so good. I plan to sign up for more races through the next year and keep training. I'm also thinking about entering the lottery for the NYC marathon just to see if I get in or not. By then I would be ready for the full after a whole year of running.

I'm still so blown away of what Team in Training has helped me to accomplish so far! I'll be back for another round.

Now to one last month of hardcore training!

Creamy Vegetable Soup

No story for this one. Just make it and enjoy it :)

Creamy Vegetable Soup

· 1 medium onion chopped

· 3 strips bacon chopped

· 1 tbsp olive oil

· 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

· 2- 16oz bags frozen California medley vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli and carrots)

· 1-10 ¾ cheese soup

· 1- 10 ¾ cream of chicken soup

· 3 cups milk

· 1 tsp chilli powder

· salt and pepper to taste

· chicken broth or water

1. In a large saucepan, heat up olive oil, sautee onions and bacon till browned.

2. Add potatoes and vegetable, stir to coat with onions and bacon mixture.

3. Add cheese and cream of chicken soup, milk, salt, pepper, and chili powder.

4. Add enough water, chicken broth or a combination of the two so that everything is covered.

5. Simmer for about an hour.

6. Optional: puree with a stick or immersion blender for a smoother soup

7. Serve with some crusty French bread, biscuits.

Notes: You could also make this in a slow cooker on low for 6 hours. The longer the better.

Make it a meal: Pair with a tuna melt or grilled cheese sandwich.

14 miles back on my feet

Saturday was my first run back on my feet. 14 miles! For not running in two weeks it was not so bad, although had I ran on schedule I would have had an easier time with it.

We ran in a preserve park trail, which was gorgeous. It was quite a chilly 33 degree morning and everything was covered in frost. Along the trail there are several small wooden bridges and streams that ran along the trail. There was also a fog that sat upon the lake and made me feel like I was in some magical place. I was waiting for gnomes to come out of hiding and hand me drinks.

My first eight miles went strong and I felt great. Mile eight I hit the wall. My foot started bothering me I ran about another mile and a half and then had to walk the rest of the miles.

The whole run took 3:36:18 with a 15:42 pace slow but I walked.

I'm just happy I'm back on my feet.

For the rest of the day I curled up in bed and slept.

Running and the Creative Process

I don't know how the creative process works, but it always seems, as I'm running...that thoughts start coming in; sentences start coming in.

Robert A. Caro, biographer

There could not have been a better quote for me to read today from Runner's World. I find that almost every time I run I have ideas of all sorts spilling out of my head like a boiling pot bubbles over. Something I could never figure out. There have been several instances where I have made notes on my cell phone so I would not forget.

It's a bummer I have not run in over a week now. I've been nervous about my leg and want to give it sufficient time to heal up and I've found myself in a bit of a writers block for all my school work. This semester my papers have been so much better, maybe because running allows my some serious thinking time alone.

Thursday I plan to get back out there after my physical. I hope everything is okay with my leg now as its feeling better. This Saturday I am looking at a lengthy 14 miler in the morning with Emily and Bonnie. We are going to run on our own this week and plan a new route. As much as I love running with the team on Saturdays we keep running in the same park, which I don't think is the best for long runs. There are several shorter routes most of which are about 3 miles so we keep running loops and meeting back in the middle. I find this a little frustrating and easier to want to stop running. So we're going to try something new instead.