Snowed In

Blizzard!  Yes, it's true were are experiencing blizzard-like conditions here in NJ.  & on the one & only day that I actually had a plan to go to the gym.  Figures!  I had to substitute a P90X workout in place of the gym today.  It was ok.  I am not doing them in order.  I took out the cardio one first.  I think it was tape # 9.  Yawn.  Not exciting.  Maybe I am missing something.  Everyone I know that does it says it is so hard.  I am sure I am doing them in the wrong order/sequence, maybe that's my problem.  But if I am, I would think tape 9 would be harder than tapes 1-8.  There is another DVD out there called Insanity - perhaps that is harder.  Now, I am not claiming to be some great athlete, but it wasn't that difficult.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow.  I think I will try two of the tapes, as it doesn't look like I will be leaving the house any time soon & I see that the gym has now closed for the entire day tomorrow.  Back to the snow.  Here's a picture I just took of the front walk.  I'd take a picture of the back deck, but I can no longer open the back door.  It would be a good picture too, as my neighbor called me a few minutes ago to tell me that he got his Jeep wedged in the driveway & can't get it out.

The snow hasn't drifted too high on this side of the front porch.

Louie is not so crazy about the snow either.  I opened the door to let him out & he ran out, saw snow & ran back in before I could even get out behind him.  Good thing we are prepared in situations such as this (big package of wee wee pads).  Here is his disapproving snow face.

Since we are snowed in, we made the most out of our together time & made some fresh oatmeal raisin cookies.  Louie has his own treats, but I suppose he can have one too, if he ever wakes up & gets off the couch.

Doesn't he look comfy?  It's hard work putting those cookies on the cookie sheet you know!  So that was our day.  Snowed in in New Jersey.  Hopefully, it will stop snowing sometime soon so we can get out for a good walk & some outdoor exercise, but it's not looking so good.  The Weather Channel says it is going to stop snowing around 2 pm tomorrow.  2 pm?!?!  Yikes!  That's a lot of snow.  

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Back At It

Today started my training plan.  For the next two weeks, until January 1st, I'm going to get back to the gym & get as much cardio in as I can.  One of my friends, who is running the Disney 1/2 marathon in a few weeks has been brave enough to run outside, but not me!  I am not brave - well, I am but not when it comes to cold weather.

Tonight the gym was exceptionally crowded, which stunk because it means one thing.  The "January Gym People" are back.  Again, I've blogged about this before.....& how much I dislike the January newbies that clog up all the machines then quit in February.  I have to keep telling myself it's only 4 or 5 more weeks & then like clockwork - poof - they disappear.  I know I am in a bit of a foul mood today, which isn't very nice, but it has been a long, hard year & I am ready to put 2010 behind me.  I guess this is the time to look back & decide if I met any of my resolutions.

I believe one of my resolutions was to save money & pay down my debt.  I can say I haven't really saved anything, but I have considerably reduced debt.  Which is a step in the right direction.  Getting rid of the BMW & keeping just the SUV have helped me do this, even though driving around in the "dog car" as I like to call it is not one of my favorite things.

Flat stomach.  No comment.  Working out more, yes, I have really stuck to that.  & with the exception of my non-flat stomach, I was pleased with the weight that I have lost & managed to keep off.   I can happily say that I went to the beach all summer & didn't feel too awful about wearing a bikini.  Lets try to keep that going into 2011!  I'll keep trying for a flat stomach, but something tells me that they only way this will happen will be a trip to the plastic surgeon.  Hey, maybe for my 40th!

If I stick to my guns & keep a list of resolutions for 2011 - here they are:

1.  Work my butt off & train for Alcatraz.
2.  Swim at least 3x a week.
3.  Be debt free (ok maybe keep my Neiman Marcus & JCrew credit cards) a girl needs shoes & clothes you know!
4.  Buy a new bike.
5.  Finish some of my knitting projects.

OK, this probably is a really lame & shallow list of resolutions, but I'm at a loss people!  Today is the first day in a week that I haven't come right home from work & gone to bed - I have been so sick!!!!  But now I am feeling better & getting ready for the New Year!

Hope you have enjoyed my antics this year.  I hope to come up with some new material to keep you entertained in 2011.  I know that my Match.com monthly trial was a fun addition to my boring run, bike & swim posts.....so maybe adding - be more funny or have something more entertaining to write about - should be # 6 on my list of resolutions.   # 7 should be - learn how to write/stop having such poor grammar in your blog.  :)   Ah whatever!  Oh & # 8 - run 1,000 miles.  I believe I came up with that one (dope!) last week.  What in the world was I thinking????

Happy New Year to my 5 readers!!!!!!!

I WON THE CRAZY LOTTERY!!! I AM IN!

I received the following email this morning.....

Dear Jennifer Woods ,
CONGRATULATIONS! You have been selected to participate in the 2011 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon on June 5, 2011 in San Francisco, California! We are very excited to have you join us for this amazing triathlon experience.

It went on further to explain how I could register, etc. & let me tell you I am very psyched!!!!!  This will put off my Galway 70.3, but I don't want to pass up this chance to swim across the San Francisco Bay.

Swim training starts Monday!!!!!!!

The Waiting Game

Today is/was the day of the 1st lottery for the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.  Now I seriously don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for this, but I did & now I am waiting to see if I got in or not.  There was more information regarding the lottery process online today & I was a bit surprised to see that my odds of being chosen are 30%-50%.  What kind of odds are those?  To me, well those odds seem just plain odd!

But when I look at 50% I think wow - that's like flipping a coin.  & if that is the case, I do have a chance!  Another odd thing was the email I received on Sunday regarding my registration.  I had registered 2 weeks ago (the first day!) & printed out my confirmation.  Unfortunately, due to some internet snafu or my inability to his the submit button, I wasn't registered.  But I'm thinking it may have been an error on their end because where in the world would they have gotten my email?  Either way, I went back online & registered.

Now I sit & wait.  I have no idea if I will get in, or if I have any business entering in the first place.  If I do find out (tonight, tomorrow or Friday) I will be sure to share the info, but if not, I will wait until January to see if I made it to the B list.  Somewhere, if I am picked, it will be listed on their webpage http://www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com/ESCAPE_From_Alcatraz_Triathlon.htm  so check it out!

In other news I have been so sick & haven't been to the gym all week.  Isn't that great for someone that seriously needs to get a plan in order?  What can I do though?  Can't wind up even more sick.  Perhaps I will make some oatmeal raisin cookies tonight....you know, for Christmas.  Yeah, like they'll last that long!

Check back soon to see if I won the lottery!!!!!!

Fellow Blogger & Alcatrazer - Farmer in Tractor Harvest's Corn to Lady GaGa Alejandro

Check out my online blogger friend Perry!I hope he doesn't mind me posting his, but since it is on You Tube, I doubt he will.  He told me the name of this corn husker thingy, but I can't remember.

1,000 miles

Ran tonight.  Sucked.  How's that for getting right to the point?  I eeked out a lame 35 minutes.  I just wanted off the treadmill.  Bad enough that I forced myself to go to the gym, but then I didn't even stay.  At least the other night I chained myself to the treadmill for an hour & fifteen minutes.  That seems a bit more respectable.

On the way to the gym tonight I started to think....what if I get into Alcatraz?  What if?  & it's a big what if.  Like 1,000 people would have to drop out for me to be considered, but hey it could be a Christmas Miracle, right?  Um...maybe.  But if (on the outside chance I do get in & if I do I suggest everyone go out & buy a lottery ticket that night) I do get in...I have to start swimming.  & as a lifelong swimmer nothing irritates me more than being cold & wet in the winter.  Crazy huh?  The good thing about the gym is that they have switched from chlorine to saline.  Yes, saline in the pool.  So I no longer look like a red eyed monster when I walk out of the gym.  Plus, my hair is not strawlike & my skin no longer smells like I took a Clorox shower.  That is the upside.  But tonight it was 20 degrees as I got out of the car & I couldn't even imagine getting in the pool no matter how warm it was inside.  Even with the nice showers & the entire setup I carry with me everywhere I go...I was in no mood to stay & get wet.  & lets not get me started on the water aerobics instructor, as she annoys me to no end.  Perhaps I should check the pool schedule & see when they have open swim on the weekends.

I should probably get over my crazy - I will only swim in the warm water, in the summer, when it's 92 degrees with a slight breeze off the water.  Come on.  What kind of athlete am I?  Clearly, a lazy one.  Now is the time of year that I have to look back & size up or sum up how I did.  I'd say C- ok, that's being pretty harsh.  How about a C+?  That seems more reasonable.  & this last month has been an F for sure.

Tonight as I logged on & thought about writing another post I saw a friends status on Facebook.  He has logged in 1,000 running miles this year.  Now that is impressive!  At least I think so!  I think I could do that as well.  It's approximately 20 miles per week.  Way easier to do in the summer, as I so love to run outdoors, but I think I can really get my butt in gear & aim towards that goal.  So for now I have at least a few goals for 2011.  Get 1,000 miles of running under my belt & get back in the pool.  Time to find a calendar, as I will need it to keep track of all of this.  Keep me honest people!

December 1st - Alcatraz Lottery

It's December 1st!  Today is the day to sign up for the Alcatraz lottery.  I signed up first thing this morning & printed out my lottery ticket.  For some reason though, I do not feel like Charlie in Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory - you know the boy with the Golden Ticket?  As usual, I feel as if I have gotten in way over my head.  I really am afraid that swimming in the San Francisco Bay might be quite a challenge to overcome.  Well, I still will find out on December 15th if I got in.  & I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't.  I didn't have a lot of race experience to put into the lottery form.  So who knows? 

I suppose that means that if I do get in....I will have to save up oodles of money to pay for my trip to San Francisco & to Ireland.  But have I spread myself too thin?  Are 2 big races really a smart idea?  Who knows?!?!?!  At Thanksgiving we talked about some crazy person who ran 50 marathons in 50 days.  Now that would be my definition of crazy!  So I think (at least in the race department) I am semi normal.  :)

If I don't hear back in 2 weeks, I believe there is a 2nd drawing for the lottery, which happens in January.  Kinda like the cheesy "B list" of weddings.  Like, we know you didn't make the first cut, but since Aunt Sally rsvp'd that she couldn't make it....we'd love to have you.  OK!  Being on the "B List" for something like this doesn't really make me feel unloved! 

So if all goes as planned, or unplanned 2011 looks to be quite a year.  I hope I can pull it off.  I want nothing more than to cross that finish line in Galway in September & maybe Escape from the rock in May!  Wish me luck!