It is still Thursday, right?? My days are all mixed up this week, but no matter. I have three wonderful things to tell you about!
1. My Secret Santa Bloggy Gift came in the mail today!!!! So, I’ve totally spent this week Charlie Brown-ing by the mailbox. Waiting, waiting, waiting (which is pretty silly since the bloggy gift I sent out probably just made it to its recipient today, too). But I really love a good Secret Santa surprise and I just couldn’t wait for it to arrive and surprise me! Oooooh, and it was a good one, too. In fact, it’s three gifts in one: it was a package in the mail (omg, I love it when packages come in the mail!), it’s a BOOK (which means it’s a present I get to open again and again!), and it was from a blogger I didn’t already know (yay for new bloggy friends!) Thank you so much to Laura from Laura’s Boise-full Life (and a big thank you to Jill for organizing this whole thing – what a wonderful holiday treat)!!
Laura’s message: This is my favorite book and I hope it inspires you on your journey. I’m so excited to read this!
2. There was another surprise in the mail today!! I got not one, but TWO packages in the mail today, thereby making it pretty much the best mail day ever. A while back, I won an Honorable Mention prize from Marcia’s virtual Race to End Lupus, but it didn’t come in the mail. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really think anything of it – people get busy and life happens, so I didn’t think it was a big deal until I got an email from Marcia asking if I’d received my prize. Oh, bummer! It must’ve gotten lost in the mail. So, most people would have left it at that, but not my girl Marcia. She went and replaced the missing prize and it wasn’t some token Honorable Mention, it is FULL ON FABULOUSNESS! Thank you so much Marcia!!!! Check out this amazing Lift Your Sole necklace (accompanied by a sweet note):
I’ve “window-shopped” at liftyoursole.com lots of times and absolutely love this necklace: A marathon doesn’t build character, it reveals it.
3. I’m a winner, too!! Laurie announced the winners of her Holiday Cheer giveaway today and I was one of them!! All because I admitted in public that I rarely clean my shower…
Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was whining about the blahs??? Wow, well they are gone, gone, gone-ity GONE today! A girl could really get used to all this lucky/happy/awesomeness! OH, but wait! There’s more:
4. Speedwork is the answer. And it doesn’t really matter what your question or problem was! I love speedwork. It is quantifiable proof that you are even more bada** than you thought. When selecting my speedwork paces, I usually choose something that I think will be challenging, but within my reach. For today’s 4 x 800 repeats, I was aiming for a 7:20 pace. I felt reasonably confident about hitting that goal and thought I might even have a little wiggle room if I was feeling really good. I haven’t run 800s in a really, really long time (like almost two years) and I was so pleasantly surprised at how fast they went! As soon as I was thinking, “I can’t hold this pace any longer” it was over. I felt amazing as soon as I got going and knew I had hit my splits, but maybe you can imagine my surprise and delight when I loaded up my Garmin stats to find these paces: 6:55, 6:54, 7:01 and 7:06. HOLY CROW, I ran a pace that started with a 6?!?!?!? I’m pretty sure this qualifies as a Christmas miracle.
Wishing you all a very happy and healthy holiday!!
Julie @ Hotlegs Runner says
hooray for presents!!! =)
nikeathena says
“Power of One” is a favorite of ours – I hope you enjoy it! There’s a sequel I keep meaning to read.
I love you admitted you rarely clean your shower. I am guilty of the same – unless I decide to take a bath, then at least the tub gets cleaned.
Have a wonderful holiday!
Slomohusky says
Merry Christmas!
Tortuga_Runner says
Speed Demon! Fantastic secret blogger gift, let me know how the book is when you’re done.
Jogging with Fiction says
I love presents in the mail! mail is pretty much my favorite thing ever
Happy Feet 26.2 says
I absolutely have a love affair with speed work. hill repeats, on the track, fartleks, it’s all good. what a great Garmin surprise! Merry Christmas to YOU!
Julie says
Yay for getting awesome stuff in the mail!
Holy cow, you are a speedy one! I am going to have to start doing more speed workouts in order for me to see some improvement with my speed/lack of speed:) Nice job…6 minute mile pace…you were booking it!
Merry Chirstmas!
Karen says
The things we do to win prizes ha ha… I rarely clean mine either if that makes you feel better – my husband does it for me when he gets tired of looking at it 🙂 sad but true… Have a great Christmas!
Laura says
I’m so glad the book made it AND that you haven’t yet read it, that makes my day! I’m glad that Jill assigned me you because I have really enjoyed keeping up on your blog the past couple weeks! I hope you have a very merry Christmas!
DRog says
pretty much the best mail day ever!!!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family
Derek
Big Daddy Diesel says
Merry Christmas!!!
Laura says
Woohoo!! Way to rock out that speed workout! You’re SO FAST!!!
LMC says
I knew speedwork would make you feel better! The nice surprise packages didn’t hurt either! Have a very Merry Christmas!!
Rose says
I love getting packages and letters in the mail SO MUCH.
Aimee says
Yay for presents!! 🙂
Nice job with the speedwork!
I hope you have a great Christmas!
Alma says
Merry Christmas P!
TRI714 says
Great gifts !! Merry Christmas
Colleen says
Hope you have a great Christmas (and what an awesome Thursday post!) 🙂
Kristin says
Yay for awesome presents! Merry Christmas to you!!
Jill says
I’m so glad your gift arrived safe and sound :). Looks like a very inspiring book – I will need to check that out! And look at that cool necklace, too – jealous!!
Nice job on the speedwork, Speedy!!! 🙂
A very Happy Holiday to you!!!!!!
tri like mary says
There IS nothing better than packages in the mail and two in one day? I’d pass out from the excitement! It helps that they were both for you and that they contained some awesome stuff! Glad to hear your BLAHs are gone – they’re never fun. Merry Christmas!
Christi says
Speedwork rocks! It always gets me out of my funk!
Merry Christmas!
Chris K says
Wow, you hit the jackpot when the mailman came. How cool to get someone else’s favorite book. Maybe you can post a book review. Great job on the intervals – fast!
The Green Girl says
Team Marcia seriously rocks.
Congratulations on hitting the postal jackpot!
Teamarcia says
Forgive me for taking eons to read this–my puter has been hijacked by these kids home on break, very awesome book and phew thank heavens you got the necklace! So glad you like it!