today something happened that reminded me that one thing i didn't blog last season was the account of the "misbehaving party".
the misbehaving party is the season wrap up, the everyone has a few (read: gets drunk) and gets jiggy with everyone we've been training with all season. so it was the phoenix, honolulu and disney crews, all fueled with a "all you can drink for $30" special. you knew the night was bound to be interesting.
towards the beginning before most people (not demps - he gets the award for most effective use of the open bar) were plastered, we had a little awards ceremony. the coaches give all sorts of awards, from most improved, to great runs, to good attitudes etc. some are serious, some are funny, some are based on fundraising.
as the ceremony went on, i kinda figured i was going to get something, but then as the pile got smaller and smaller, i thought...hmm i guess not. and really for the first time, my secretly-competitive self didn't mind. i had come to tnt, ran that marathon for bouv and had a freaking amazing time doing it.
the last coach award was the big one - the most valuable player. as ramon says - "this person embodies what tnt is - from the running to the fundraising - we're talking about the whole package. so the person that is getting this award, so first off not only did she sign up to run this crazy marathon, but she got two of her friends to join with her, and they don't even freaking hate her."
at this point, demps starts wildly shaking my shoulders and people are looking at me, oooh. he's talking about me!
he goes on to talk about how much money i raised, and that i was always smiling and how i sold my butt (and how it was a nice butt) and a bunch of just really nice things that are still making me blush. demps was adorably excited, picked me up and swung me around, and i had a ridiculous grin on my face as i went up, gave a booty-shake for effect and thanked and hugged each of the coaches.
i don't think i could have been happier winning an...oscar? like i said, it was already such a sweet victory to have made it over the finish line, but i really felt like it was a testament to bouv too - for inspiring me to do what i never thought possible, and to get mvp just said that i kicked ass for him.
but i'm not done yet. after the coaches, schwecky (our social captain) gave the award for most spirituous. i was only half-listening because i thought i was done for the night, but...the bum girl won that award too, which meant that i would get to keep the spirit tee for the season that i had helped decorate.
the rest of the night was a blur of whisky drinks, dancing and general merriment and drama. but what happens at the misbehaving party stays at the misbehaving party*.
and the point of all this, aside from bragging that i am *so* tnt? well the point is that today i got the spirit tee in the mail at work. i wasn't expecting it, and it's funny, i've been thinking about steve more than usual lately, i'm not sure exactly why. to see the collage of photos i had put together made me both happy and sad. i showed the syrup crew and told them about bouv and managed not to cry about it.
i can't bring myself to delete steve's phone number out of my phone. nor his e-mail address. i know it's silly and ridiculous, but part of me feels like it would be erasing a piece of him somehow. but i'm okay with keeping those things around for a while. bouv, whether in name or spirit, always sparks a smile.
*however, i am open to base forms of encouragement to dish...such as bribery.
Showing posts with label makin' me blush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label makin' me blush. Show all posts
Friday, March 16, 2007
Thursday, December 28, 2006
me vs. treadmill (and more!)
i'm back in ny now, but i'll fill you in on the last few days...
tuesday morning i went with a high school friend to see bouv's parents. we had a great visit - steve's brother was there too, with his sister-in-law & niece. it was really good to catch up with them, everyone's doing well. and oh my goodness is steve's neice a doll! she's a year-and-a-half or so, and she decided early in the visit that we were going to be friends. she'd come over and want to sit on my lap, or give me the little people bus to play with, or just snuggle for a minute before taking off for the next distraction. cute cute cute!
after that, i had a family day, and i decided to try to run on the treadmill in my basement. the treadmill is at least 10 years old, and a little bit springy for me, but i went for it anyway. however, the treadmill won again - well, actually it was the basement. our furnace and stove are down there, and it was *hot*. and...it was the first time i was down there since grizz died, and it was freaking me out a little bit so after 3/4 a mile, i called it quits. ah well.
yesterday i got a ride back to the city (yes!) and then had practice. it was a little chilly, but i kept with the shorts. christine was laughing at me again. and when i told ramon he was stuck with me for another season, he said he was quitting.
we ran two-mile repeats - a little less than a mile warm-up, and then 2-miles with reasonable effort, a little less than a mile recovery and repeat the 2-miles. it was good but definitely cold. i'm still enjoying the fun of running faster than i could, and it makes me excited for next season.
today...a bit of work, then a 4-5 miler, then cocktails. after jan 1, no more booze until the marathon. i also got a really sweet e-mail from anthony (the husband of a co-worker from gt) who was able to come home before christmas after his bone marrow transplant. he gave me all sorts of encouragement and tips...and the best part was this:
Your dedication to your cause is a great thing that your doing. I can't believe there are people out there that are so caring!
i'm not going to lie...i got a smidgen teary-eyed.
yesterday's mileage: 5.6
total mileage: 324.4
tuesday morning i went with a high school friend to see bouv's parents. we had a great visit - steve's brother was there too, with his sister-in-law & niece. it was really good to catch up with them, everyone's doing well. and oh my goodness is steve's neice a doll! she's a year-and-a-half or so, and she decided early in the visit that we were going to be friends. she'd come over and want to sit on my lap, or give me the little people bus to play with, or just snuggle for a minute before taking off for the next distraction. cute cute cute!
after that, i had a family day, and i decided to try to run on the treadmill in my basement. the treadmill is at least 10 years old, and a little bit springy for me, but i went for it anyway. however, the treadmill won again - well, actually it was the basement. our furnace and stove are down there, and it was *hot*. and...it was the first time i was down there since grizz died, and it was freaking me out a little bit so after 3/4 a mile, i called it quits. ah well.
yesterday i got a ride back to the city (yes!) and then had practice. it was a little chilly, but i kept with the shorts. christine was laughing at me again. and when i told ramon he was stuck with me for another season, he said he was quitting.
we ran two-mile repeats - a little less than a mile warm-up, and then 2-miles with reasonable effort, a little less than a mile recovery and repeat the 2-miles. it was good but definitely cold. i'm still enjoying the fun of running faster than i could, and it makes me excited for next season.
today...a bit of work, then a 4-5 miler, then cocktails. after jan 1, no more booze until the marathon. i also got a really sweet e-mail from anthony (the husband of a co-worker from gt) who was able to come home before christmas after his bone marrow transplant. he gave me all sorts of encouragement and tips...and the best part was this:
Your dedication to your cause is a great thing that your doing. I can't believe there are people out there that are so caring!
i'm not going to lie...i got a smidgen teary-eyed.
yesterday's mileage: 5.6
total mileage: 324.4
Sunday, December 10, 2006
"she's like angelina jolie!"
yesterday i went home for a friend's birthday party in worcester, ma. my friend haven and i had a fun drive up - great weather, no traffic and he has an amazing ipod. we also saw some great billboards. i'll post a picture or two later.
i drove from my house to worcester, which was about 40 minutes or so. it was the first time i've driven in a while and it was fun to be behind the wheel, radio cranked, cruising along the highway. i had a moment of panic when i realized what street the bar was on - it *could* require parallel parking. growing up in "the country" we didn't have to learn to parallel park. not even for the license test. anyway, i digress.
the party was a gathering of friends from college, most of which i haven't seen in ages. catching up with everyone made me really happy and snuggly, even without alcohol ;) everyone was really supportive about the run, and really excited about "project tattoo", promising to spread the word far and wide. as i was talking to a 2nd degree friend, she was asking about the run and said that my friend candice said "she's like angelina jolie with all the causes she's supporting!"
i could only hope to be so hot.
but seriously, the spirit of that compliment was definitely in the top 10. it put a huge smile on my face, it was so cute. thanks candice.
i got home to brimfield at a reasonable hour, and got up at one to head out for another run to nonna's house. the day was *gorgeous*. blue skies. 36 degrees and on the rise. a little breeze. i started out and had a new ache. in my right leg was the kind of pain that i used to think was a shin splint - muscle pain right next to my shin bone, in the front of my leg. it slowed down a fast start and after a few minutes of it not going away, started to really make me mad.
i tried to talk it down, stop that. it's a beautiful day, and i have no time for you to be complaining. so just stop now. and loosen up already! why do you have to be so tense! yeah, i'm a crazy lady. the one bad thing about the route i take to nonna's is that it is a lot of downhill in the first 1/2 mile (which while mentally "easier" is not actually easier on your body) and then is followed a bit later by a long, although gradual, hill. hills are not good for shin pain, and there were a few moments that i had to walk and try to literally shake my leg out.
once i crested the hill though, i had on more downhill and then it was nearly flat for the rest of the way, so i pushed through. once the pain dulled down enough for me to ignore it, i was going at a pretty good pace, and even with the slow points and stretches at the beginning, i cruised into nonna's right on schedule. yeaaaah.
back in the city and it looks like it's going to be a good week weather-wise for running...and i think it's time to start counting down to the marathon.
oh! and the tnt'ers training for honolulu ran today!! congratulations to larry (one of our honored teammates) and the hawaii crew for what i'm sure was a great run! i can't wait to hear all the gory details! xoxoxoxox
today's mileage: 6.1 miles
total mileage: 277.0
days until marathon: 35
i drove from my house to worcester, which was about 40 minutes or so. it was the first time i've driven in a while and it was fun to be behind the wheel, radio cranked, cruising along the highway. i had a moment of panic when i realized what street the bar was on - it *could* require parallel parking. growing up in "the country" we didn't have to learn to parallel park. not even for the license test. anyway, i digress.
the party was a gathering of friends from college, most of which i haven't seen in ages. catching up with everyone made me really happy and snuggly, even without alcohol ;) everyone was really supportive about the run, and really excited about "project tattoo", promising to spread the word far and wide. as i was talking to a 2nd degree friend, she was asking about the run and said that my friend candice said "she's like angelina jolie with all the causes she's supporting!"
i could only hope to be so hot.
but seriously, the spirit of that compliment was definitely in the top 10. it put a huge smile on my face, it was so cute. thanks candice.
i got home to brimfield at a reasonable hour, and got up at one to head out for another run to nonna's house. the day was *gorgeous*. blue skies. 36 degrees and on the rise. a little breeze. i started out and had a new ache. in my right leg was the kind of pain that i used to think was a shin splint - muscle pain right next to my shin bone, in the front of my leg. it slowed down a fast start and after a few minutes of it not going away, started to really make me mad.
i tried to talk it down, stop that. it's a beautiful day, and i have no time for you to be complaining. so just stop now. and loosen up already! why do you have to be so tense! yeah, i'm a crazy lady. the one bad thing about the route i take to nonna's is that it is a lot of downhill in the first 1/2 mile (which while mentally "easier" is not actually easier on your body) and then is followed a bit later by a long, although gradual, hill. hills are not good for shin pain, and there were a few moments that i had to walk and try to literally shake my leg out.
once i crested the hill though, i had on more downhill and then it was nearly flat for the rest of the way, so i pushed through. once the pain dulled down enough for me to ignore it, i was going at a pretty good pace, and even with the slow points and stretches at the beginning, i cruised into nonna's right on schedule. yeaaaah.
back in the city and it looks like it's going to be a good week weather-wise for running...and i think it's time to start counting down to the marathon.
oh! and the tnt'ers training for honolulu ran today!! congratulations to larry (one of our honored teammates) and the hawaii crew for what i'm sure was a great run! i can't wait to hear all the gory details! xoxoxoxox
today's mileage: 6.1 miles
total mileage: 277.0
days until marathon: 35
Friday, November 10, 2006
unstoppable...well usually
i'm home sick again, and bored out of my mind! i know its necessary so i can kick this nasty cold but there's lots to be done at work, and i can't run until i stop coughing - this stresses me out psychologically.
two things to brag about today:
1. this morning we passed the $7,000 mark! i want to hit $8,000 by turkey-day so this is a good start!
2. we got one of our weekly e-mails from the social captain today and it in was a little blurb about why i got the spirit tee...it made me smile.
Congratulations to Phoenix’s, Roxie, who won the spirit Tee this week. Whether it’s training, fundraising or supporting fellow TNTers- Roxie is unstoppable and always goes the extra mile. Roxie started TNT with an ambitious fundraising goal of $5,000 and has since raised it to $10,000. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to reach that goal and may even auction off a tattoo (a real one) on her butt with the name of the highest bidder. Roxie never forgets to bring her smile and positive attitude to practice, even when it is pouring rain. On marathon Sunday she spent the first part of the race cheering in Brooklyn and then joined TNT in Harlem, where she could be heard for miles shouting words of support till the bitter end, when the sweep bus passed. Congratulations Roxie!
hopefully lots of soup and bad tv will render me unstoppable again soon. right now i am very stopped.
two things to brag about today:
1. this morning we passed the $7,000 mark! i want to hit $8,000 by turkey-day so this is a good start!
2. we got one of our weekly e-mails from the social captain today and it in was a little blurb about why i got the spirit tee...it made me smile.
Congratulations to Phoenix’s, Roxie, who won the spirit Tee this week. Whether it’s training, fundraising or supporting fellow TNTers- Roxie is unstoppable and always goes the extra mile. Roxie started TNT with an ambitious fundraising goal of $5,000 and has since raised it to $10,000. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to reach that goal and may even auction off a tattoo (a real one) on her butt with the name of the highest bidder. Roxie never forgets to bring her smile and positive attitude to practice, even when it is pouring rain. On marathon Sunday she spent the first part of the race cheering in Brooklyn and then joined TNT in Harlem, where she could be heard for miles shouting words of support till the bitter end, when the sweep bus passed. Congratulations Roxie!
hopefully lots of soup and bad tv will render me unstoppable again soon. right now i am very stopped.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
i'm a team in training nerd.* and a lunatic.
every week on wednesday, in addition to the mission moment and the weekly "celebrity", the spirit tee is awarded. the spirit tee is awarded to participants who exemplify the spirit of what team in training is, go above and beyond the bare minimum, are involved, enthusiastic, and an inspiration to the other memebers of the team. people are nominated by their mentors, or other teammates, and then i'm guessing that a smaller group (not sure who) selects the winner.
the winner then adds to the spirit tee - a signature, picture of the person their running for, etc. it becomes a tribute to all the reasons that we run.
it was still raining when i was leaving work, so i traveled in my really spectacular high-boots + running shorts outfit, which was made even more trollopy by my long coat which pretty much hid the shorts. we were meeting in the park, which i was excited about because it meant i didn't have to trapse across canal street.
with the typical wednesday luck though, the trains were still running funky. i blamed it on the rain and decided not to get too worried. i ran into our social captain, jessica, who was doing announcements that night and we braved the way, but since she *had* to be on time, and i could be a minute or two late, she ran off ahead. the rain was steadily coming down, but it was still warm, so i tried to avoid puddles as i made my way to my to the fountain.
jessica first announced the celebrity of the week...and then, as i was peeling off my boots, she announced that i was the winner of the spirit tee! my face expressed my surprise. i got the tee because i was out cheering until the very end on sunday, because of my kick-ass fundraising (and big goals) and because i'm even thinking of...
oh wait. i haven't told you the idea.
i have a rather insane idea. depending on your sense of humor, adventure, and feeling about tattoos, you will think i am more or less insane. alright, i'll stop wasting time and just tell you.
i'm considering doing an e-bay auction. the highest bidder gets their name (first only!) tattooed on my bum.
[dramatic pause for reactions]
yes a real tattoo. no, not big. unless we get so much pr it goes corporate and then i will consider logos. i get final editorial and i will check id. i pick the ink, the font and the spot. i will pay for the tattoo. yes, the winner will get photo proof. no, i do not already have tattoos - this will be my first.
[dramatic pause for further reactions]
before you start commenting, (and by the way, if you guys have no comments on this post, i'm going to think that no one could possibly be reading!) here are my reasons.
1. this could have amazing pr potential. picture: "did you hear about he crazy girl who's auctioning off a tattoo on her butt for charity?" in e-mails, other blogs, who know - let's go for letterman!
2. i'm going to guess that this could build do a few thousand bucks at least. and you know i must reach $10,000.
3. people have gotten tattoos for *way* dumber reasons. or for no reasons at all. this is for charity people!
4. i can always have it lasered off.
5. i think it's a pretty funny story.
but BACK to the spirit tee! so in addition for generally kicking ass at practice and having team spirit and fundraising like a mad woman, i think that i am even considering doing this pretty much put me over the edge to win. and now i have to figure out how to do steve proud decorating the shirt. i'm thinking maybe some red sox emblem of some sort.
we then went and ran 4.7 miles (in the rain) and then had a pizza dinner with one of our honored teammates. unfortunately, she was a little far away from me so i wasn't able to get her whole story and so i'm going to try to attend another event with her.
and about the tattoo - because i care what you think, i'm going to leave you with a little survey on the tattoo topic. but remember. this is a dictatorship. a benevolent one, but a dictatorship none the less. so vote vote vote people!
today's mileage: 4.4
total mileage: 193.1
ps: we didn't do the test today because there were so few people and it was tres slippery to be running in the rain. i'm going to guess it's going to happen next week.
*when i say nerd, i mean it in the most affectionate of terms. steve used to call me "nerd", "kiss ass" and "brown noser" all the time in jr. high school. mmm actually, in high school too. and yes, he meant it will love too.
the winner then adds to the spirit tee - a signature, picture of the person their running for, etc. it becomes a tribute to all the reasons that we run.
it was still raining when i was leaving work, so i traveled in my really spectacular high-boots + running shorts outfit, which was made even more trollopy by my long coat which pretty much hid the shorts. we were meeting in the park, which i was excited about because it meant i didn't have to trapse across canal street.
with the typical wednesday luck though, the trains were still running funky. i blamed it on the rain and decided not to get too worried. i ran into our social captain, jessica, who was doing announcements that night and we braved the way, but since she *had* to be on time, and i could be a minute or two late, she ran off ahead. the rain was steadily coming down, but it was still warm, so i tried to avoid puddles as i made my way to my to the fountain.
jessica first announced the celebrity of the week...and then, as i was peeling off my boots, she announced that i was the winner of the spirit tee! my face expressed my surprise. i got the tee because i was out cheering until the very end on sunday, because of my kick-ass fundraising (and big goals) and because i'm even thinking of...
oh wait. i haven't told you the idea.
i have a rather insane idea. depending on your sense of humor, adventure, and feeling about tattoos, you will think i am more or less insane. alright, i'll stop wasting time and just tell you.
i'm considering doing an e-bay auction. the highest bidder gets their name (first only!) tattooed on my bum.
[dramatic pause for reactions]
yes a real tattoo. no, not big. unless we get so much pr it goes corporate and then i will consider logos. i get final editorial and i will check id. i pick the ink, the font and the spot. i will pay for the tattoo. yes, the winner will get photo proof. no, i do not already have tattoos - this will be my first.
[dramatic pause for further reactions]
before you start commenting, (and by the way, if you guys have no comments on this post, i'm going to think that no one could possibly be reading!) here are my reasons.
1. this could have amazing pr potential. picture: "did you hear about he crazy girl who's auctioning off a tattoo on her butt for charity?" in e-mails, other blogs, who know - let's go for letterman!
2. i'm going to guess that this could build do a few thousand bucks at least. and you know i must reach $10,000.
3. people have gotten tattoos for *way* dumber reasons. or for no reasons at all. this is for charity people!
4. i can always have it lasered off.
5. i think it's a pretty funny story.
but BACK to the spirit tee! so in addition for generally kicking ass at practice and having team spirit and fundraising like a mad woman, i think that i am even considering doing this pretty much put me over the edge to win. and now i have to figure out how to do steve proud decorating the shirt. i'm thinking maybe some red sox emblem of some sort.
we then went and ran 4.7 miles (in the rain) and then had a pizza dinner with one of our honored teammates. unfortunately, she was a little far away from me so i wasn't able to get her whole story and so i'm going to try to attend another event with her.
and about the tattoo - because i care what you think, i'm going to leave you with a little survey on the tattoo topic. but remember. this is a dictatorship. a benevolent one, but a dictatorship none the less. so vote vote vote people!
today's mileage: 4.4
total mileage: 193.1
ps: we didn't do the test today because there were so few people and it was tres slippery to be running in the rain. i'm going to guess it's going to happen next week.
*when i say nerd, i mean it in the most affectionate of terms. steve used to call me "nerd", "kiss ass" and "brown noser" all the time in jr. high school. mmm actually, in high school too. and yes, he meant it will love too.
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