This was a very exciting weekend.
On Saturday night Ken and I went to the downtown thriving metropolis of Longmont, Colorado. We sat at a bar and had nachos and beer (well, I had wine because I am very sophisticated) and watched the Christmas parade. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve sat at a bar and had nachos. It was exhilarating. And, I’m glad I’m not back in the bar/dating scene anymore.
The woman beside us was going to the gas station across the street and offered to buy us a Mega Millions ticket (jackpot = $586 million if you are lounging under a rock). I only had a $1 (I never have cash on me). She bought us one ticket and said we owed her 10% if we won ($58.6 million – did I do that right?). She asked for my address and I told her I was homeless.
Ken and I started talking about what we would do with the money if we won. We both agreed we’d first take care of our families, college, etc. Then maybe travel, buy a house in Costa Rica, then figure out some massively amazing way to combine our love for running/fitness and charity work. Then maybe do another Ironman because those are expensive ass races.
On the way home we drove by this house up the street from us.
Talk about overachievers.
At our house we are under-achieving. Charlie Brown would be proud.
Sunday found us climbing thousands of feet on this trail.
Yes, my friends, that is the trail I just ran up.
It was at first icy, slick and windy. It then turned into muddy, slick and windy. We were hoping for 10 miles, but at the top of the mountain we could not find the trail under all the snow and I did not want to end up like that poor family in Nevada, so we headed down. We did a whopping 7.5 miles.
Post-Ironman, I am back to mostly running. It’s no secret that swimming is not my favorite (something about having to shave too often, then finding hair and pubes in the pool, then being cold and having to dress and undress. Not to mention all of the naked people in the locker room who try to give me advice). I love my bike, but I do not love my trainer, and it’s been way too icy and cold to be out on the roads on a bike. Running has therefore been the star of the show.
Monday: Ran 2 miles with Heidi
Tuesday: Swam 2,200 yards
Wednesday: Ran 9.5 miles on snowy trails (10F degrees)
Thursday: Off
Friday: Ran 6 miles with Heidi
Saturday: Ran 6 miles (road)
Sunday: Ran 7.5 miles (trail)
Total: 31 miles (+swimming)
I am not sure what is going on here, but Heidi really should be more discreet. Not very lady like to lay spread eagle on the ground. Especially during a run.
Today I got all excited because the Fed Ex guy actually parked in my drive way.
I figured this meant he had some tremendously large gift for me, but it was just this. My GU variety mix.
The most devastating part of the whole thing was there are no salted caramel GUs in the mix. WTF GU?
Time to stop procrastinating and go do some actual work.
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What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery? Would you still work? Do you ever play? We never play, but decided to give it a shot this time. I mean we do have a 1/259 million chance of winning, which I think are very good odds.
Favorite GU flavor? Lemon Lime.
Do you decorate your house? Over or under achiever? You know my answer.
SUAR
PS: One last thing. If you want to save 30% on X2 Performance products (I swear by them as a training supplement), go HERE and put in code XMAS30 at check out.
HA! Great comparison with the holiday display. I'm much like you, and have to look out to my neighbor's winter wonderland each night. Depressing!! I feel so lazy now... but will end up calling the neighbors a bunch of suckers when they're trying to take down the display in sub zero temps and snow come January.
ReplyDeleteI would get out of debt so fast it would make my creditors' heads spin. Stop working in lieu of laboring away at something I love. And if you saw our house, it has "underachiever" ALL OVER IT.
ReplyDeleteI read 10F as 10f*ing degrees for some reason.
ReplyDeleteMe too....
DeleteI used to decorate outside only to come home to a different strand of lights out and a new fuse blown every night. Screw that. I have a tree and a few things sitting around. Good enough.
ReplyDeleteWe usually only play the lottery when it's whopping. I would still work but it would be in some way, shape or form affiliated with running. Maybe I should start planning now, just in case.
Wow - who needs to decorate with that right up the street?!
ReplyDeleteIf I won the lottery, I would take care of my boys, buy a house in Hawaii and then the rest could be invested, donated, whatever I don't really care because I will be on the beach!!
I play the lottery about once every 3 years which probably makes my odds stellar that one day I’ll win and if I do, well, I'd quit working immediately and I think I’d run a marathon in every state and force my non-running hubs to go with me because I’ll be able to afford it, and I can torture him at the same time. Bliss.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite GU flavor is Strawberry Banana. I tried the salted caramel on one of my last long runs and almost pooped immediately.
I do decorate my house but I can never be the over achiever because based solely on their light displays, two of my neighbors are obviously obsessed with Las Vegas or being seen from the moon or both, losers!
Hi there, I am a friend of Ed's and really enjoy your blog. Since you are a fellow Longmonster, you may want to check out the awesomely motivating and self-destructive pleasures of BreakAway Cycle and Strength. It is a zillion times better than riding on a trainer. This is not a paid advertisement and I am not in the employ of BreakAway. I am just a serious convert and disciple! Anyway, if you haven't checked them out, the first class if free! http://breakawaylongmont.com/
ReplyDeleteThanks Jabe. I will definitely try this out!!
DeleteThis is our first year in our house so every holiday feels like a learning opportunity. This year for Christmas we learned, we are underachievers... oh and we learned the same thing for Halloween too.
ReplyDeleteUnderachiever--because I never play the lottery. If I did, I'd play the Little Lotto--where the prize is 100K. Enough to pay my bills and maybe bring my house up to date (we're stuck in the 80s). I'm also a Christmas underachiever. Isn't a lit Christmas tree in the front window enough decorating?
ReplyDeleteI play the lottery way too much and never win very much. But if I did win, I would help out my family including extended family and then donate much of the money. I would still work but only for my own business (to be created). I prefer Hammer gels over GU but just tried the salted caramel GU flavor and love it! Total underachiever on decorating the house but I'm OK with that. Less to put away when XMAS is over. That trail you ran looks like fun!
ReplyDeleteI've never played the lottery, but IF I did, first off pay off all debts, then let the fun begin! Fun = helping family, donating to favorite charities, and buying a vacation home.
ReplyDeleteFavorite Hammer Gel: Espresso (sorry, not a GU user!)
I'm usually an overachiever on the inside and underachiever on the outside. We are in Hawaii this year and I don't have a single decoration. #FWP
If I won a lot of money from playing lottery I would quit working for pay and volunteer somewhere: either the animal shelter or food pantry. I rarely play the lottery though...
ReplyDeleteI like the orange flavor GU but would love to try the peppermint one....and we do decorate the outside of our house...we used to be over achievers but now we're more middle of the road (getting too friggin old). Merry Christmas!
I live in ND and all I got out of this was that you have snow in your front yard, your neighbor, through your window with the fed ex truck has green grass in their front yard as does the hills you run in.. I get my exercise shoveling snow and chopping ice to make a path to get out of my house... in -20 below weather lately. I love your blog. It is my bedtime story each night :)
ReplyDeleteIf I won the lottery I'd put my sister and seven brothers through college, then all their future kids. Then I'd buy a grapefruit tree, because I've always wanted one of those. Then the rest? I don't know. I'm so cheap. I guess I'd just put it in the bank.
ReplyDeleteWhen I win the Lottery I'm coming to visit you...
ReplyDeleteYou are a total over achiever when it comes to house decoration, compared to us. When we first bought the house I told my wife I'd be happy to put up lights. And take them down when she wanted them down. Cycle complete. Period. Over. None of this putting them up again. Up had already happened, was wasn't going to happen again, because I'd then just have to take them down again, and we all know where that goes.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely still work--I think I'd lose my mind if I didn't--but I would take some ridiculous vacations and maybe a couple month-long breaks! I don't ever play, though--the lottery is more expensive for less payoff in Australia. :(
ReplyDeleteThe pictures you post of Heidi remind me of my dog, Maddie. She rolls around in awkward ways and ALWAYS has some sort of ball near her. Today we did a 4 mile Garrison Run (I'm in the Army). Recovering from an IT Band strain, this was the first real run I've done. It was a great feeling to finish!
ReplyDeleteWhat a BEAUTIFUL run!
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I'm married to an overachiever AND a perfectionist, so there are a lot of lights, they are all perfectly aligned, and it required nothing on my part.
If I won I might get that personal trainer and chef. Then I'd have no excuses, right?
Now I want nachos. The last time I was in Boulder, my brother took me to Southern Sun, which had some pretty damn fine nachos. I think I started with beer.. maybe a beer flight... then switched to wine, because I'm also classy like that.
ReplyDeleteI thought you said "beer fight." Now that would be fun too.
DeleteFirst thing I would do if I won the lottery would be to pay off my remaining debt - the house and my student loan. Then, knowing me, I'd probably give a bunch away to charity and my family would be irritated that I didn't share more with them.
ReplyDeleteAs for Christmas decorations, I'm definitely in the underachiever group. We still don't have ornaments on our tree and we haven't done any outdoor decorating. Bah Humbug! Kidding - I did bake cookies and deliver them to some neighbors, which was a first for me.
Overachievers: xmas jammies video... You should try that Beth!
ReplyDeleteif I won the lottery, I'd leave my 4 kids with their dad and bail!
ReplyDeleteFirst thing I'd do if I won the lottery: pay off the mortgage and line of credit.
ReplyDeleteFavourite Gu flavour: Cherry Lime or Chocolate Mint - can't decide between the two
I lean toward being an overachiever with the decorating. It's so dark - all the lights make me happy :)
Thanks for share!
ReplyDelete---
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