Running for Turkey....and Pumpkin Pie!

Thanksgiving Day - it's a day of food, family and football. And, if you are an athlete, it's a day to race. Even if you aren't an athlete and you just want to put yourself in a bit of a calorie deficit for the day, the Berbee Derby is a great way to do it.

About 1/4 mile from my apartment is the starting line of the Berbee Derby. The Berbee Derby is a 5 and 10K running race. It's become quite the popular event in the Madison area in recent years. I think registration hit nearly 5000 this year.

Race Day in 2007 greeted us with chilly temperatures, wind and icy roads. I still hadn't registered for the race, but knew I wanted to run on Thursday. So, I dialed up my trusty running buddy Peter and we decided to head over to the starting line. I still hadn't decided if I was going to register or just run the race bandit, but once we hit the icy sidewalks on the way over the decision was made. There was no way I was paying to run in these conditions. Peter seconded that decision and we headed to the Fleet Feet tent.

Everyone was there and huddled in the tents with two portable heaters. It was so nice and toasty in there. You even started to sweat a bit and then going out into the cold was even chillier. Brrrr! At first Peter and I were going to do the 5K, but at the last minute I made the call and we were running the 10K. If we were going to get all warmed up running, it might as well be longer than 20 minutes.

I hadn't properly tapered for this race at all, so my legs were quite tired. We started out slowly and gradually built into a sub 8 minute pace. In mile 2 we caught up with my friend Ed and decided to hang with him. Afterall, my legs were tired and we didn't register so it didn't really matter how hard or easy we ran that day. Besides, Ed was running a nice strong pace.

It was a pretty typical 10K run and on a course that I run regularly. There was some ice on the trails and the wind was pretty nasty after the turn around. Mile 4-5 was really tough for me, but somehow I rebounded just in time for the final hill. Peter and I ducked off the course once we hit the 6 mile mark. We didn't feel it was appropriate to run through finish having not registered. Instead we walked it in while cheering other runners on. Most people looked like we were nuts, because we had passed quite a few of them along the way and here we were walking the last .2 miles and cheering.

We would have come in just under 50 minutes had we finished the race. I'd say that's pretty darn good for a day where I wasn't at 100% and conditions were less than ideal.

The race was over and the turkey and pumpkin pie eating could begin!

Saying goodbye to the Oz

Saying goodbye is never easy. Whether it comes as a shock or is something that is expected, it is still a difficult set of emotions to go through. It becomes increasingly difficult when you make the choice to say goodbye, even when it's the right decision.

On Friday November 16th, I got a call from my parents. Ozzie, our family dog of 14 years, was in bad shape. He had been in bad shape for awhile and most recently his paws started bleeding. His quality of life had truly diminished and it was really hard for my parents to take care of him. My parents had decided to have him put to sleep on Saturday November 17th. I knew it was the right decision and it was most certainly sad, but I was not ready for just how difficult it was going to be. I canceled all my plans and headed to Milwaukee on Saturday morning.

I really didn't want to go. I didn't want to see Ozzie and be upset and go through the whole experience. I wanted to remember him as the fun, hopeful and wonderful dog that he was. But, when times are tough, you need to be there for your family. And so I showed up Saturday morning at my parent's place.

I came in and Ozzie was just laying in the dining room. He used to be at the door jumping all over you when you walked through it. I went in and petted him for a bit and he lifted up his head to greet me. He was looking pretty sad until my dad came downstairs. In an instant, Ozzie was on his feet and at my dad's side. Dogs really are man's best friend.

My aunt Carol came over and spent some time with Ozzie as well. My dad made him pancakes and Ozzie practically inhaled them. It was hard to believe that he needed to be put to sleep. But then, he'd have his moments where he would fall down or have trouble standing and walking. And there were the bloody paw prints on the garage floor. It was clear that Ozzie's body was definitely giving in, even if his spirit was still kicking.

We took some final pictures with Oz and packed him up in the car to head to the vet. My aunt Carol said goodbye and it was a pretty emotional moment. The car ride to the vet was normal. We talked about normal things, I think to avoid discussing the inevitable. We arrived at the vet around 1130am. Ozzie didn't want to get out of the car, nor did he want to go inside. I don't think he realized what was happening, but his last experience at the vet wasn't too pleasant.


The vet was really nice and it was a small local clinic. We took Ozzie into the exam room and my dad put him up on the table. I turned around and left. I just couldn't take it. I couldn't watch. It only took a few minutes and my parents called me into the room. I didn't really want to see Oz like that and felt bad that I couldn't stay in there with my family. I broke down the instant I saw my parents and apologized for not being there for them. I got to pet Ozzie one last time. He just looked like he was sleeping. I imagined he'd be all stiff or cold, but he wasn't. He was still warm and soft.

We left the vet soon after and I called my brothers. It was really hard to tell them about it, because it was really sad. Ozzie had been a big part of our lives for so many years. It was the same as losing a family member. We all knew it was the right thing given the condition he was in, but that didn't make it any less sad. And it certainly didn't make it easier to deal with.

Ozzie was the best. He was always hopeful that you'd give him food off your plate. He always sat and looked at you with those big brown eyes saying 'Please, please drop something on the floor'. Whenever he got off his leash, he'd make a break for it. And he was always hard to catch. In later years though, he didn't run as far or as fast. He always wanted someone to pet him. If you were on the computer or at the kitchen table, he'd come and take his nose, tuck it under your arm and bump your arm up. That was his way of saying 'Pay attention to me!'.

He knew the difference between the front door, back door and garage door and what each one meant. The front door usually meant he was going for a W-A-L-K. The back door meant his usual bathroom trip and the garage door meant a ride in the C-A-R. He loved car rides and going on vacation with my parents in the truck. He was truly my dad's best buddy. He loved hanging out with my dad and going wherever he went. Ozzie even came to see me at my 3rd marathon. My parents brought him to Chicago wearing his 'mountain dog' bandanna (courtesy of my father). He was very well-behaved, even in the big crowds.

Sure, the Oz man had his moments, but he was a great addition to our family. He'll always be in our hearts and memories. He was simply the best.

My Favorite Things

So, it's been well over a week and I haven't written anything. I've been thinking a lot about what to write about. Nothing earth shattering or exciting has happened in the last 11 days, but I've been thinking a lot about all those little things that make my world go 'round. Those random things that make you smile, take you back to your childhood, comfort you when nothing else seems to do the trick and makes you realize how lucky and blessed you really are. This is not an original idea - plenty of us think about this kinda stuff on a daily basis and some of us even share it with the world. So here it goes - these are a few of my favorite things:

1) My Bright Orange Adidas Fleece: It's cozy, has a 3/4 zip and little thumb holes for my thumbs. It always looks good and you can't find them anywhere anymore.

2) Going where everyone knows my name - Barriques: Each day I stop at Barriques and order my earl grey tea. Every barista and cook knows my name AND my order before I am at the front of the line.

3) 'Tis the Season for Snowmen: I love snowmen! All kinds, shapes, sizes and colors. This time of year you can find me at any one of the many stores in the area stocking up on Snowmen.

4) Sunday morning Jazz: My love affair with jazz started back in 2001 when I moved to Washington DC and was exposed to jazz. There's nothing like a relaxing, cool fall morning with some jazz on the stereo: Bill Evans Trio, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald....

5)Kitchen and Bathroom CLR: I hate, hate, hate cleaning the bathtub because no matter how long or how hard I scrub I can never get that sparkling clean feeling. I am thrilled to say THAT has changed. Kitchen & Bathroom CLR is the BOMB! I have never seen my tub so sparkling white and with such little scrubbing time. It's a cleaning product I know, but it the little things in life that make all the difference.

6) Mary Jane Crocs: I never used to like the look of crocs. Big, clunky and full of holes. I heard they were comfortable, but they were so ugly I didn't care. Then I saw the Mary Jane Crocs - basically, crocs for chicks. They are comfortable and I've even grown to love how they look. I now own two pairs - black and military green. Pink might be next on my list.

7) Black Fleece Winter Hat: This hat made it's debut at the 2004/2005 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in Central Park (NYC). Everyone in the race got a hat. It's probably made of some cheap fleece material, but I love it. It covers my whole head/ears and looks adorable. I wear it all the time. I dropped it last night at a restaurant and am just about to go and pick it up.

8) Super HOT, long showers: These are especially awesome after a cold run or bike ride in the winter-time. I typically crank up the temperature of the water, do my washing up and then just stay in there until the hot water runs out. It usually takes about 25 minutes. So, this isn't a very green thing to do....but I contribute in other ways to the environment.

9) Cloth Shopping Bags: So, yeah it's kinda hippy-ish, but I love my cloth grocery bags from Trader Joes. I try to use them as much as possible - they are a lot more sturdy than paper or plastic and I feel good about the fact that I didn't just waste a few bags.

10) Quality time with my couch: The cushions are starting to sink in the middle of the couch and the color is fading, but my navy blue couch from Sears Home Life is still the best place for a nap or relaxing in my apartment. I've had that couch for 7 years now and I always appreciate curling up on it with a glass of wine or tea and my super soft Barefoot dreams blanket.

11) Favorite Holiday Drink: Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks - they are back!!! Just had my first of the season and it was oh so yummy! I get it tall, non-fat, ez whip...It kinda depresses me that I speak Starbucks, but hey - you pay for consistency and convenience.

12) Fall/Winter Running: It's my favorite time of year to run. You always start with a bit of a chill, but once warmed up you can run comfortably. No humidity or extreme heat to sap your energy. At the beginning of fall, you start out with cool, crisp runs and watch the sun go down. As the fall progresses and daylight savings hits, runs turn dark and you can see the stars.

13) Thanksgiving Day: What a perfect day....in Madison, we get to kick the day off right with race and then follow it up with football, food and relaxation. To top it all off, most of us get the next 3 days off of work/school.

As I sit here typing, I realize I could easily keep rattling on and on about all the wonderful things I have in my life. The most important pieces of my life though are friends and family. I'm very lucky to have such a great core to surround myself with.

My Very Own Office Space

Ever seen Office Space? Remember that scene where they take the copy/fax/printer machine out into a field and destroy it with a baseball bat? That's how I feel about my PC at work. In general, my PC worked just fine for over a year. Every now and then it would make some funny noises, but it never seemed to affect it's performance.

In recent months though, it was become the object of my destructive fantasies. Back in August, the PC decided to just stop working. I couldn't get it to run programs, boot up reliably, etc...It took Dell nearly a week to come out and fix it. Apparently, a new fan was necessary. (Now the clicking noise is gone, so that's good). I would like to note that all of this has happened AFTER we replaced the hard drive.

The next bit of excitement involved some wonderful Windows Updates. You know - that annoying automatic pop-up that tells you to update your computer so it runs faster and more efficiently. Yeah, well, those Updates proceeded to crash the whole computer altogether. We then had to remove Vista Professional and replace it with XP. Another day lost to getting my computer reset so I could work on it again.

Finally, there is the day-to-day slowness that occurs each time I reboot the damn machine. Even as I type this, my typing is on delay. I type the words and they don't show up right away. It's frustrating and really cuts down on productivity at work.

Lucky for me, there is one year left on the warranty. The odds of getting a new machine - not real great. So, I've started thinking about how I could 'rid' myself of this awful machine.

1)Leave it in my Las Vegas hotel room and hope the cleaning staff takes it home. (I even left a huge note saying 'TAKE ME' with the username/password on it.)
2)'Accidentally' spill tea/coke/water on it during the workday.
3)Drop it off in the middle of Verona Road and watch as it gets smashed to bits!
4)Stage a 'robbery' of the PC while walking down State Street.
5)Try to infect with a computer virus so that the hard drive is destroyed.

There is a glimmer of hope that I may get a new PC. After enough complaining and lost productivity, management comes around. We are making a few last ditch efforts to save this PC. So far, there's no improvement in how it's working.

Keeping my fingers crossed.