Getting All Caught Up

I have four random and unrelated things that I need to get caught up on in today's post.

1. Jess's Interview
2. FF5K
3. I need...
4. A really cool giveaway link

The Interview
A few weeks ago, a sorta backwards tag thing-y was circulating around the Internets where instead of randomly being tagged, you asked to be tagged and so I asked Jess to send me some interview questions, which she wrote just for 'lil ole me!

Well, it took me almost three weeks to get to answering her really excellent interview questions, but here they are (Thanks Jess, they are really good questions, which made me think...LOTS).

1. If you could accomplish only one thing in the rest of your life, what would it be?

I'd like to write a book. To be honest, I sorta already wrote one if you count the dissertation (250ish pages...In the my doc program, we used to joke about how finishing a dissertation was like childbirth; it took about 9 months to create, was painful, occasionally made us lose sleep, then afterward, we really didn't remember ANY the pain, but had proudly given birth to a finished "work").

But seriously, I'd like to write a book that someone else would actually want to read. I'm not sure what I'd write about, sometimes I think this blog has some good fodder. I'm sure it'd be non-fiction. I'm not that good at making shiz up....although I do occasionally exaggerate (but just for the humor value).

2. In terms of running, what's your favorite race experience?

I know Jess asked for one experience, but I narrowed it to two. I had a really good race at the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon back in October. Being in San Francisco with Elsie, Alberta, and Edith and 20,000 (mostly) women runners was a really good time, lots of laughs, endless shopping at the Nike store, and I even got a PR in the race.

But even though I completely messed up my hip and foot at Carlsbad last month, I had a really great race experience there too. I ran with Betty the whole race; something we hadn't done since our first 1/2 marathon two years ago. We laughed, joked, and talked almost the whole time. And I got to run with fellow blogger Penny and got to meet Yas, so that was a really excellent day as well.

3. If you were to select a food that best describes your character, what would it be and why?

That's a tough one. I think I'd choose something like Gumbo...it's a deceptively complicated dish to make, and it isn't all that it appears to be. When you first look at a gumbo, it looks like just another stew. It's brown with what appear to be some really overcooked vegetables. But it's not like that AT ALL. It's spicy and rich (when it's made right). I suppose I'm a bit like that...I have a spicy part, and while I'm not rich money-wise, I do have a life rich with people, family, friends, and experiences -- the really important things. Like a good gumbo, which takes a pretty long time to cook, I also think it takes a while to get to know me. At first people tend to think one thing about me...maybe that I'm a bit bossy and arrogant (and I sort of am), but when they get to know me, I think (hope) they find out that I'm a really loyal friend and that they can always count on me.

4. What's the best part about living in Southern California?

Oh, the weather, by far, is the BEST part. I just got back from the cold weather, and while it's nice to visit the snow, and I do LOVE to ski, I would never want to live in a cold climate again. Just the effort to get dressed to take the trash out is enough to keep me away. So, even though it's cold today (by SoCal standards) and it is POURING rain, it's nowhere near the 18 degree weather I was in over the weekend. That, and I know that by the weekend, it'll be sunny and warm again.

5. If you could teach your children only one lesson in life, what would it be?

I want to (and try to) teach my children that life is all about choices and decisions that they have to take responsibility for. Hopefully, most of their decisions will be good ones, but occasionally they'll make bad ones. The best thing they can do is take responsibility for bad decisions. I try to help them see that sometimes they will find themselves in situations that they did not choose, because that happens. In that case, the thing they will have control over is how they deal with it. They can make the best of it, or they can make the worst, that is their choice. They will also meet people who are also making good and bad decisions, and while they probably won't be able to change the decisions that other people make, they will be able decide and choose how they are going to respond to them. Sometimes people will treat them poorly (yes, as they are both in the teen/tween years, this happens plenty these days), all they can do is decide how they are going to respond to being treated badly.

It's such a tough question...and probably if I'd answered this question when they were younger, I'd have answered it quite differently, but like I said, as they are becoming teenagers, the whole choice/decision/take responsibility for yourself is HUGE!

So...if you'd like to play along:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

FF5K

I walked/ran/walked for an hour this morning (20/20/20) on the dreadmill and now I'm sitting here, finishing up writing this blog, bag of ice on hip, rolling foot on frozen water bottle. Day-um! I'm a good multi-tasker. In that hour, I managed to rack up 4.25 miles at a rip-roarin' 4.4 pace... and although it's a couple of days late, I'm counting 3.1 miles of it as part of the Freakishly Flexible 5K in honor of Non-runner Nancy. If you haven't followed Nancy's trevails, it seems that she has some super, duper, extra flexible tendons which are causing her great grief and may result in the end of her running career...something which I hope doesn't happen. In support of Nancy, USJogger at JogAmericaBlog hosted a virtual 5K race that took place at some point over the week/weekend...so today counts for me. I hit 3.1 on the dreadmill at about 41 minutes (I was back to walking at this point).

Injury report
Hip felt pretty good through the whole walk/run/walk thing. A little tight when I finished. The PF...we'll, let's just say it's not gone, but running with my foot taped really seems to help a TON. As I was running today, I was pondering how my running goals have certainly changed in the last month...and have gone from running a 2:15 1/2 marathon, to just being able to run for 30 minutes without pain or further injuring myself.

Which brings me to my current dilemma...whether or not to register for and run the La Jolla 1/2 Marathon, which is on April 26. One of my running goals this year was to complete the triple crown (Carlsbad 1/2, La Jolla 1/2, AFC 1/2). La Jolla is the second leg, and is arguable the most difficult of the three races. It's 69 days away...and it sells out, so if I'm going to run it, I need to register ASAP.

I need...
Marcy posted a funny tag that I just had to participate in...Here's how it works: Google "[your first name] needs" and share the first 10 results. Then pass it on.

Since we know that Google knows all (at least this is what many of my students think when they're doing research), Google tells us this is what I need (man, this is better than a magic 8 ball!):

1. "war" stories
   
2. cash for a new designer purse
   
3. a good strong drink
   
4. to update my needs
5. to step away from the computer
6. a teddy bear
7. an advocacy office
8. professional help
9. input
10. parameters

OK...that's pretty funny, almost all of them seem to be somewhat accurate...sad...but accurate

Giveaway Link
FINALLY...if you're looking for a great free stuff giveaway, look no further than today's post by NikeMom at Adventure Seeker. She's giving away some really cool biking gloves in her GEARED for WOMEN Giveaway.
Now, I'm not a biker, but I'm thinking of getting started because Betty has this crazy idea that we should bike around Lake Tahoe this summer. I think it's nuts. I've driven that road plenty of times in my life, and I can't imagine biking it (although I know people do). I certainly don't have the kind of road bike I would need for such a trip.

BUT...last time Betty had a crazy idea like this, I ended up running a marathon, so I'll keep you posted. If I win the gloves, I'll take it as a sign. :-)

Have a great week everyone!