Weeks 12 and 13 Training Update

Less than 30 days to go! I'm getting super excited for the race and for the much needed mini-vacation. I mentioned previously that we were in a car accident around Christmastime. Raisin Bread convinced me to see a chiropractor and the scan above is what my back looked like in mid-January. FYI - red is bad and black is really really bad. I've been through two weeks of treatments and am starting to feel much better. Here's hoping my next scan looks significantly different!

Week 12
Saturday: ran 10.05 miles

Week 13
Monday: 1.32 miles on Elliptical
Thursday: 1 hour Pilates Circuit class
Saturday: ran 4 miles

Photo Essay: 2013 Presidential Inauguration

Week 11 Training Update

Photo (Source)

I did it! I ran over nine miles last week. It feels crazy to think that just a few months ago I wouldn't have even had the desire to run that far. If that isn't crazy enough, this week I registered for the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare (a 10K followed by a half the next day). What the what?! Yup, I've lost it!

Week 11

Sunday - ran 8.02

Friday - ran 2.82

Saturday - ran 9.38

Posted with Blogsy

A Look Back: Epcot 2011

With my trip to Walt Disney World soon approaching, I started to look back on my first visit with Raisin Bread in 2011. That time we only were there long enough to see one of the parks. I chose Epcot because it seemed to be the most unlike the parks we have in California. 

My FastPass skills proved to be as sound as ever, and we pretty much got to see everything we wanted to in that one day. Although we have Soarin' at California Adventure, we made a beeline straight to that. I still love that ride. For the next few hours, we somehow found ourselves on every boring ride in the park with a few enjoyable attractions interspersed throughout. 

There was Living with the Land, which was interesting but not exciting at all. It was a nice peek behind the scenes though. 

The Seas with Nemo & Friends was equally as boring as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland. For such a cute movie, I wish it could be given better rides. 

Believe it or not, I had never once seen Captain EO in all of my years of going to Disneyland. I had high expectations, and it did not disappoint in all of its 1980s glory. RIP, MJ.

Next was Mission: SPACE. My most regretful experience of all of Epcot. You know you're too old for the Orange Team when you think to yourself during the ride, "We're only going to Mars, right? We don't have to go back to Earth" and "If this lasts 5 seconds longer, I'm going to hurl." Raisin Bread was in a full sweat when we were offloading.

  

We needed another boring ride to get our senses back to normal, and Ellen's Energy Adventure was just the ticket: boring and long!

Spaceship Earth was next and proved to be an excellent place to take ridiculous photos of ourselves. 

Test Track was our last ride in Future World before we moved on to the World Showcase to visit the countries of the world.

There was Mexico and the Three Caballeros. 

 

Norway and Eric the Red. 

China with terracotta warriors and lotus blossoms

The signs of Germany

Japan with Taiko drummers and Monchichi. 

Beautiful tilework in Morroco.

and France with its gorgeous architecture. 

We ended the evening in the UK to view Illuminations. 

I'm looking forward to my upcoming trip, WDW!

Christmas Time in NYC

After finals were over and done with, Raisin Bread and I decided to pop over to NYC for the weekend! The weather was still mild so it made for a wonderful time for a celebration of another successful semester.

We arrived very late on Friday night and checked into the Aloft in Downtown Brooklyn. Thank you, SPG! Although it was convenient to the subway, I found it to be a pleasant hotel in an odd location.

It was close to midnight but of course, this being NYC, we found some late night grub at Bijan's. This place was low-key, welcoming and friendly.

I had their signature drink, the Bijan, which is vodka with pineapple, mint, elderflower and cayenne. Additionally, we shared some appetizers: eggplant and crushed walnuts, assorted olives, yogurt and shallots and Persian-style chicken wings. Those were some of the most excellent chicken wings I've had, both tangy and spicy.

The next morning, I went on my Brooklyn to Battery Park and back run. Afterwards, we journeyed over to Chelsea Market. This was my first time to Chelsea Market, but the crowds were so thick that we weren't able to explore that much. Instead, we really just wanted to duck in somewhere for brunch.

We selected The Green Table. We shared pigs in a blanket while I lunched on the vegetarian mushroom pot pie and Raisin Bread had the chicken pot pie. Yum!

Our afternoon was spent at another location that I had never visited before: The Highline. Let me just say that I love this place and think it is such a special place that everyone can enjoy. Later, we braved the crowds for some shopping at my favorite store, Century 21, before returning to the hotel for a nap.



The weekend happened to coincide with SantaCon. From what I gathered, this consists of dressing up as Santa Claus and drinking. The funniest thing I heard that weekend was said while we were on the subway, heading for dinner. Two well-spoken men were having a conversation, but when we approached a subway platform near midtown, one of them looked over and said, "Stupid Santas. I hate them."

For dinner, we met up with some friends at Yakitori Totto. The food was good but I was expecting life-altering yakitori. Alas, it wasn't to be. Three of the things we ordered: tuna and avocado salad, chicken skin and galbi. 

Next, we were off to Radio City Music Hall to see The Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular. How can this show not get you into the holiday spirit? 

We were able to make it to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree five minutes before they switched off the lights! 

Christmas smooch!

Late night dessert at Kyotofu in Hell's Kitchen rounded out our evening. I had no idea that Japanese tofu desserts existed, but they sure were yummy! I had the warm chocolate mochi cake. They also gave us green tea cookies afterwards, which were not exciting. 

The next morning we had brunch at Cafe Luluc before heading home. Here's my spinach and goat cheese omelette.

Until next time, NYC!

Aloft New York Brooklyn
216 Duffield Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Bijan's
81 Hoyt Street
New York, NY 11217

The Green Table
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011

Yakitori Totto
251 West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019

Kyotofu (CLOSED)
705 9th Avenue

New York, NY 10019

Cafe Luluc
214 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Week 10 Training Update

Photo (Source)

Seven more weeks to go! It's starting to feel real. My schedule is still a little bit off this week. Trying to get back on track and serious next week. 

Week 10 

Tuesday - 25 minutes of yoga

Thursday - ran 1.6 miles

Saturday - ran 4 miles + 20 minutes of Pilates

--------------------------------------

Goals Progress

1. Finish my MBA - still on winter break
2. Finish my first 10 miler - N/A
3. Finish my first half marathon - N/A
4. Exercise three times a week - YES!!! 
5. Participate in Meatless Mondays regularly - N/A (no Mondays yet.)
6. Eat out less = save money - I didn't eat out for lunch all week! Woohoo!

These are three new goals:
7. Run 700 miles this year - Total Mileage To Date (TMTD): 5.6 miles (694.4 miles to go. Oof). 
8. Try out two new workout classes - Zumba? Kettlebells? Spinning?
9. Post once a week