Santa's List

What am I missing?

Ellie has given me the task of coming up with some stuff that I'd like to get for Christmas, and I'm really struggling with it. I've gotten to the point of eliminating the "not-fun-but-needed" items, having recently purchased a new (to me) car, and today getting chains for the snow blower and heavy duty shovels (I got OWNED today by the Blizzard that came through--thank God for helpful neighbors or I wouldn't have gotten out of the driveway).

So now I'm thinking of "fun" stuff to get, and I need help. Considering I'm pretty much a fanatic when it comes to running (I've run a total of 9 miles our in the elements since the Winter Weather/Blizzard Advisories began last night), I'm asking for help! It seems to me I'm pretty set when it comes to gear.

What's essential to your run? Better yet, what's something you use when running occasionally--not always--and LOVE because it's available for those certain runs when you need it?

...In other news, I'm messing around with the look of the page...I feel like a change. As for running, it's been pretty steady:

• Monday/Wednesday: easy 3-5 miles, with Parsenn towing me
• Tuesday: Hills, Hills, Hills. I've been increasing the work. Last week was 16 repeats, 4 miles total
• Thursday: Long run, last week was 17, this week is 18...weather pending
• Friday off, then a fast run on Saturday and a longish run Sunday

I'm hoping to run well at Psycho Wyco, and then bust a PR in a marathon in May. I'm not sure which Marathon yet, but I find myself leaning towards the Wisconsin Marathon.

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Now What?

The Chippewa 50K has been cancelled, apparently. Last year's event was, by far, my favorite run yet, and my spring had been planned around running it again. Not any more.

I'm unable to find another trail 50k that I'm interested in. Trail Mix, perhaps, but probably not. Instead, I think it's back to the roads (hopefully for the last time) to try and break 3 hours in the marathon. I'll have to get my trail fix totally taken care of at Psycho Wyco in February. Ellie has informed me that May is OFF LIMITS due to baby preparations (due date May 20, and that due date is inherently +/- 2 weeks), so it's looking like either the Wisconsin Marathon or the Jailbreak Marathon might be in order. I need to check back, though, as whatever event I do must ALSO work with our Bradley Class scheduling. Yikes! The calendar is filling up and Little Baby G (G is for Giebler, not Glaven...WHERE ARE YOU?) isn't any bigger than an orange yet!

Last weekend's 10K was a blast, although I had forgotten how much those shorter races can hurt. This week is the Sleigh Bell Run, of which I'm on the committee. The same local runner (2:2x marathon pr) has won the event 6 straight years, I believe, and he also won the 10K last weekend. My goal for the event? Finish closer to him than last week (He beat me by 6:24 in the 10K).

Local runners, hope to see you there!

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