The Countdown and a Winner!

Happy Wednesday to all of you fine folks out there.

I've been a sporadic blogger the past few weeks because I am crabby and bummed out, and there's only so much whining you can do in a day.  

To all of you who commented on my bummer of a post last week, thank you so much.  When I started this blog, I expected it to be an outlet for my rants and a place to document my training; I never could have anticipated the love and support I feel from this community.  It's wonderful.

As a lot of you know - I've been not running due to a stress fracture in my femur since mid-August.  I've done two or three short walk/runs over the past month, but after some nagging pain in my femur returned, I've been doing NOTHING.  Seriously, I even skipped my swim lesson last night.  I feel like I could stay on the couch for days at a time.  

Anyway, I spoke with my orthopaedic surgeon two weeks ago (well, actually his nurse), and I was instructed to begin a "slow return to running" on December 4th.  I love when doctors pull dates out of their asses.  "Hmmm... looks like in exactly 241 hours your femur will be healed".  And I haven't gotten any direction as far as what a "slow return to running" means, so I'm going to follow Pfitzinger's stress fracture recovery program, only spaced out a bit more.  Also, I'm not sure if any achiness or other sensation in the femur is normal, or if I should stop if I feel anything.

Needless to say, I'm not thrilled with the quality of care I'm getting, but I am counting down the days until Sunday when I can run.  I'll write about every single minute in agonizing detail for you, don't worry.  :)

So that's that! 

Now, in giveaway news, I have a seriously awesome giveaway coming up tomorrow, and I get to announce the winner of the Handful... right now!

Drumroll please........


The winner is

LaRae!

Check your email and I'll get you in contact with Handful!

Have a super Wednesday!

Gobble Gobble Mother F..........

Fudgers.  Seriously, I'm making fudge tomorrow.  For my mom!  C'mon you guys.

Chocolate fudge.  And Oreo truffles.  mmmmmmm

I had a really crappy Thanksgiving this year.   It's my fault - I'm feeling depressed and edgy, and I hate it.  I don't get depressed too often, but when it comes, I know all I need to do is go for a long run to help pull myself out of it.

But you know what?  I can't run.  And that sucks.

It reminds me of when I was pregnant.  I had so much fear and anxiety with my pregnancy, and I heard from my perinatologist every week how slim the chances were of my kids surviving and thriving after I went on bedrest at 22 weeks... and I just needed to escape.  To get away to deal with it.

And I couldn't.  I couldn't run, I couldn't exercise.  Or drink, or smoke.  I couldn't even have sex.  Honestly - all of my coping mechanisms were tapped out, and it was a really difficult and humbling time in my life.

This not running thing is very reminiscent of those months - it makes me realize how very, very dependent I am on running for my mental health.  Not only for that endorphin "fix", but for the sense of accomplishment, the competition, that raw burn that you have when you've expended everything you have.

The pregnancy and the broken femur stuff has made me more well-rounded.   I have other ways of coping now.  I've started swimming, and doing yoga, and I really enjoy it.

And - since I'm not pregnant, I can have a drink.   And so today when my kids went to bed, I poured myself a fancy drink.  Cake flavored vodka and pineapple juice.  And I'll be damned if it doesn't taste just like a pineapple upside down cake.

Get in my bellyyyy...

Oh yeah.

And when I was getting ready to say goodnight to my kiddos, my husband snapped this picture.  And there is no crutch, no therapy quite as sweet and perfect as these little guys, and the handsome guy behind the camera:

My two little monsters.

So anyway, happy Thanksgiving to you all.  Send all of your happy running vibes to Wisconsin this weekend.  :)

A RELAY Good Time... Ragnar edition.

It's no secret.  I love puns.

Oldies but goodies:

• She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

• Time flies like an arrow.  Fruit flies like a banana. 

Ha! If you didn't at least crack a smile, I don't think we can friends anymore.

(Unless it's because you're having a really bad day.  Then I'm sorry for being so presumptuous.)  


Know what else I love besides puns? when Bonnie falls down on the Biggest Loser  RELAYS!


I've been lucky enough to be a part of several awesome relays through the years:

Fox Cities Marathon Relay 2007

Cellcom Green Bay Marathon 2008

Cellcom Green Bay Marathon Relay 2009

Butt the biggest one of all?

Why was the first Ragnar logo picture I found a pint glass?  hmm..

We are doing the Madison to Chicago Ragnar Relay on June 8-9, 2012.  It's 200 miles of the glorious, sweaty awesomeness of twelve girls piled into two increasingly stinky minivans and running.  And running.  And running.  

Here's who we have so far!

Rachel at Running in Real Life

Kim (that's me!)

Falon at Falon Does Marathon

Jen at Adventures of a Badgergirl

Kim!

Jamie at Running Diva Mom

Amy from Running 4 From Life

Linda at Mom Running From Cancer

Marcia at The Studly Runner

Lisa!

What's missing?

YOU!!!!

We have two spots left!  Email me if you want to talk all about it!  twinlane@live.com

Have a super Tuesday!

Your Tatas Deserve this GIVEAWAY!

Man, I don't even know what to say about this giveaway.

 In fact, I'll just copy/paste an email I sent to Jody from Handful, Inc.



Jody.

On Wednesday, I got this ridiculously delightful piece of lingerie you call the Handful.

Today, Friday, I'm only slightly embarrassed to report I literally have not taken it off except to shower since I snatched it out of the hands of the delivery guy.

I freaking love this bra.

Kim

From Handful's website:

"It's not just another ordinary sports bra, but the first and only Handful Bra made to fit your style in and out of the gym.  It conceals from warm-up to cool-down, so you've got one (actually two) less things to worry about.  And it looks terrific on its own or under your sassiest shirt to keep you at the top of your game 24/7."




  I love the product so much, I seriously can't stop feeling myself up and checking myself out in the mirror. 

My mama is going to be so proud.

Form vs. Function

Here's the deal.  For me, a sports bra is all about function.  I wore this for heated yoga, on a run, for a bootcamp class, and I loved it.  It held my girls in perfectly - no bouncing.  The function of this bra is top-notch.  

What I had been overlooking previously in my sports bra criteria is form.  I was fine with sacrificing the pretty shape and style that I expected from normal, non-sports bras.  But when I tried on the Handful and I saw how awesome my girls looked, and that you couldn't see any nipplage AT ALL... man, I'll never look at my old sports bras the same way.

Uhh.. I hope you have tickets! haha.

I know I am ridiculously ebullient in this review.  This bra is that good.  

Kimmy likey.

Handful has been kind enough to offer up a bra to one lucky winner!

To enter:


I'm going to try out Rafflecopter.  It's super easy to use - just click each item for instructions, then do whatever it says, and click I Did This!  That's it - no need to leave comments down below.... unless you have any questions, or you just want to tell me how much you love me..  :)

Wisconsin - Come for the Beer, Stay for the... Brats!

I'm pretty sure most of you non-Wisconsinites are going to read the post title differently... but I mean brats, as in bratwurst, not brats, as in whiny kids in the supermarket.

Full disclosure here:  I'm not originally from Wisconsin, and I'm not even German (there are approximately seven people not of German descent who live in my area), but man, do I enjoy some beer and brats.   Allow me to take you on a visual tour of the food of my adopted state.

Traditional Wisconsin Cuisine

Exhibit A:

Giant brat, mustard, sauerkraut. Don't knock it til you've tried it.  

Exhibit B:

Giant (half-consumed, of course) beer.

Bonus points for beer being in giant stein:

That's it!  That's all you need to know about Wisconsin food.

That's Lambeau field in the background of the first two pictures - I was lucky enough to go to the Packer/Viking game on Monday night, and it was a great game.  Before the game, we all had to hold up big colored cards to create a cool Veteran's Day tribute:

My view from the eye-hole of the card.

Thank you Veterans!

Every branch represented on the field - very cool.

My veteran hubby and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Hope you all have a great weekend -  check back Monday for an awesome giveaway!


P.S.  Have you ever eaten a brat?

Things I Hate Thursday

Hey - head over to Jodi's at Run Jodi Run and check out the Q&A with yours truly!  Thanks for featuring me Jodi!




It's been awhile since I've done a Things I Hate Thursday... but never fear.  My wrath is still there, and I've got enough TIHT (yes, that 'H' is silent) posts to keep the anger sharks at bay for a while longer.

So I go to my mailbox the other day, and the FAO Schwartz catalogue is staring up at me, enticing me with all of its fancy toys and promises that my children will love me forever if I only buy them everything on its pages.


My kids already have lots of books, blocks, and balls (oh my!), so what else could they POSSIBLY need? 


Well, let me frickin tell you. 


For starters, no bedroom is complete without this:

Your child's very own ride-on menagerie!  This elephant is a steal at only $649.99.

 Seriously.  I wish I was making this up.


Does your little girl love Dancing with the Stars as much as my kids love peeing on screen doors?  Then you'd be remiss to waste this opportunity to be a proud new owner of a DWTS prototype Barbie doll!

Choose from the Waltz, Samba, or Super Slutty  Barbie for only $1,500.00!  

And after you're done teaching Slutty Barbie how to belittle poor plain Malibu Beach Barbie, you might want to get your sweet little angel one of these:

Her very own Barbie Foosball Table!

At only $24,999.99 (I am not f*cking kidding here guys) you can't afford NOT to buy!

And last, but certainly not least, is this gem.  I mean - I know I can remember being a little girl, and playing with my Etch-a-Sketch, and thinking:

"You know what, this is really fun.  But you know what would make it more fun?  $1,499.99 worth of 'dazzling, handset sapphire Swarovski crystals'"

I'd like to take this opportunity to tell Mr. Schwartz (because I'm sure he reads my blog) that instead of ordering from his catalogue that so perfectly represents everything I despise about the culture of this country, I'm going to go ahead and use its glossy, glistening pages to pick up the little piles of turds my cat leaves me every morning on my stairs.   

That is all.

I Might Have Crapped My Pants and Two Winners!

Someone was nice enough to post a picture of me and Rachel spectating at Zooma Great Lakes on their facebook page:

Source: Water Street Dreams

Haha - remember when I talked about this race and my dilemma of taking a dump on Richie Richerton's lawn?  Based on the pained look on my face, I'm pretty sure the photographer captured the exact moment when my good conscience and superior butt cheek-clenching muscles overpowered my gastrointestinal forces and my desire to soil the smoking jacket man's lawn.  Sweet sign though.

Onto the important business!

There were 89 entries in the giveaway for the Resonates necklace and bracelet.....

#10 is.... 

Vanessa at Gourmet Runner!

#43 is...

Mom in Motion!

OK ladies, send me your addresses and I'll get your prizes out to you!  Vanessa, you were drawn first so let me know if you'd like the necklace or the bracelet.

Congrats ladies, and thank you to Resonates for sponsoring this giveaway!

Quick question for you this morning - Rafflecopter: yay or nay? (yes, there may be another sweet giveaway... soon!)

Friday Five

1.  Happy Veteran's Day to all of the men and women who have served our country.  Extra Veteran's Day love to my sweet and wonderful husband who served as a medic in the Army.

My sweet and strong husband.

2.  I am going to run again this weekend!  I have given my femur extra love and smooches so it won't break.  I'm pretty sure that's how that works.

Running in la-la-la LAMBEAU with my hubs.

3.  Rachel is coming up this weekend to hang out with me and my kiddos - well, really more my kiddos, but I am like that free gift that comes with whatever you really wanted on the infomercials that sounds pretty cool but is actually just ends up being lame.

We'll probably spend half our time snuggling (with the kids, weirdos), a quarter giggling about poop and wieners, and a solid quarter coming up with awesome new Weird Al-esque running songs.  The blog world has no idea what's about to drop on them.

Yeah, we're pretty badass.

4.  Falon is awesome.  She got me this.  And it is awesome.  End o story.

How did she peg my personality after only a few hours?  

5.  Don't forget to enter the Resonates jewelry giveaway!  Ends Monday.

Safety Expectations in Races

As you may recall, I have been not running due to my silly femur, so I've been getting in some quality spectating hours cheering on friends and strangers.

I'm finding that you get a totally different perspective on a race's organization when you're spectating instead of running.  As an entrant, I am most aware of the organization of the expo, packet pick-up, the starting area, water stops, and crapper availability.  All of these things together, plus route, crowd support, and swag contribute to my overall feeling about a race, and I'm pretty easily satisfied.

A few weeks ago, I cheered my mama on when she ran the Zooma Great Lakes Half Marathon.  My mom did awesome.  The race organizers did horribly.  This race was unbelievably dangerous.  

The course was beautiful - steep, rolling hills on roads surrounded by trees in their autumn glory.  But the scenery wasn't what took my breath away - it was the shock when I realized the roads weren't closed to traffic.  The course was not well marked, and the runners were not protected.  Vehicles were flying over blind hills, around blind corners, and I don't doubt that most of them had NO IDEA there was a race.  I can't even count all of the close calls I saw that day.  

Outraged, I posted a stern note on Zooma's facebook page, and when I was contacted by the race director, I didn't mince words with my thoughts on their glaring safety issues.

This past weekend, I spectated for Rachel and Falon at the Tyranena Beer Run.  This was a really fun run to watch, and according to my pretty runner ladies, the course was beautiful.  

However, when the race started and the speedy runners charged towards my first spectating spot about a mile in, I couldn't believe that not only were the roads NOT closed to traffic, there wasn't even a police car escorting the leaders.  They were running down the road into oncoming traffic!  

I want to make it clear - I don't think this was a very dangerous situation.  There were maybe three or four vehicles on the road when the runners approached, and they all slowed way down, and then either pulled a U-turn, or just pulled over to the left side of the road.  It was actually pretty funny to see the look on the drivers' faces.  "Uhhh, are these dudes just running right at my car?"  There were no close calls, and the drivers were respectful of the runners (a stark contrast from the fine residents of Lake Geneva who cursed at me and Rachel for closing the roads.  That weren't closed. )

This has gotten me thinking... am I expecting too much?  Do I run races where the roads are open, but I just don't notice since I'm a middle-of-the-packer?  I have gotten a lot of blog traffic recently with queries like
"Zooma race traffic issues" and "Zooma race safety", so I'm thinking I'm not the only one that's pondering this stuff.

SO!  Here's what I want to know.

What are your expectations when you enter a race on public roads?  

Do you watch for traffic during a race?  (I don't.  I'm pretty sure I'm too busy scaring other runners with my throaty panting and the wild flailing of my arms.)

Do you yield to cars?  (We saw a lot of this in Lake Geneva - runners stopping and waving cars through).  

Have you had any close calls during races?  

Lay it on me - I want to know what you think.

Running Jewelry Giveaway!

Happy Monday everyone!



So excited for an awesome giveaway this morning.   Resonates creates beautiful and unique jewelry from nickels and dimes, and they were kind enough to send me a necklace and a bracelet from their collection to review.

The bracelet is really cute - it's made from a dime and is a very pretty shade of red.  I usually can't wear bracelets because I have really skinny wrists and they always look weird on me, but this one fit well and was thin enough that it was comfortable and didn't look out of place on me.

I love the necklace.  Love it.   It's a gorgeous shade of purple, and is just the right length.

I am a coin collector, and I love that the jewelry is made from dimes, and that you can see the face of the coin on the back side of the pendant.

Roosevelt's got your back.  Errr... chest.

So, there are three really awesome things about this company that I think you should know.

1.  I emailed them to ask if I could send them a dime from the year my dad was born and make some sort of memorial necklace.  Debbie said they'd be happy to, and that I could pick any image I wanted for the face of the pendant, as long as it wasn't trademarked.  That is great customer service, and I can't wait to have it made.


2.  They have other running necklaces and triathlon jewelry, and just about any other design you can imagine.  Here are some of my favs:





3.  They are really reasonably priced.  Most of the necklaces are $15 each, but they look much pricier than that in person.


And now...

The Giveaway!

There will be two winners! 

 One person will win the plum 13.1 necklace, and one will win the scarlet Run bracelet.  

To enter:

(leave a comment for each entry)

+1 Become a follower of my blog or let me know if you already are (mandatory).

+1 Like Resonates on Facebook .  (mandatory).

Bonus entries.

+1 - "Like" Life in the Twin Lane on Facebook

+1 - Visit Resonates on Etsy and tell me which is your very favorite item.

+1 - Share this giveaway on any of your various social networking tools, you tech-savvy folks you.

This giveaway will go through November 14th.