Runners' Acronyms

My friend and Sub-30 Club founder Ted Spiker wrote an article recently that I just had to participate in. Runners really have their own language, but this is something totally different!

Ted's instructions are to edit the answers to reflect your running life. My answers are below. (The links are references and various Runner's World articles for those who are interested in the acronyms' origins.)

DNS: Did Not Start—No; I've never skipped a race for any reason.
DNF: Did Not Finish—No.
DNRTAL: Did Not Remember To Apply Lube—Oy, yes. The chafing on my bra-line that lasted weeks is a testament to that.
DFL: Dead Freaking Last—Not that I know of!
FFF: Finished Freaking First—Never.
BQ: Boston Qualified—LOL...no.
DQ: Didn’t Quit—Every. Single. Day.

POPOPOP: Pancake on Pancake on Pancake on Pancake—More like WOWOW. Waffle on waffle on waffle...Or COCOCO (cupcake on cupcake on cupcake...)
LYORP: Liked Your Own Race Photo—Yes! I've been lucky enough to have a few good ones.

It's between this one (finishing my first marathon) and the one below (finishing with my marathon PR). How can you not love photos that show the joy and relief of accomplishing such a thing?!

WAMTD: Wore a Medal to Dinner—I've worn a medal to brunch/lunch after a race. But never to dinner.
BTW: Bemoaned the Weather—For sure; about 9 months out of the year, really.

SSP: Shared Shoe Photos—Oh yeah!
TBT: Threw-up By Track—Ha, luckily no!
PR: Personal Record—YES! I'm still basking in joy over my marathon PR last February and my 5k PR in October.
PB: Personal Bartie—Yes! I feel special!

With Bart before the Space Coast Marathon!

CRAP: Certifiably Ruined a Porta-Potty—Haven't we all?
LOL: Leaked On Leg—Although I've tried, I can't seem to pee while in the middle of a run.
OMG: Ordered Many GUs—I've definitely ordered a giant box of Caramel Macchiato Gu from Amazon in the past.

Here's an old picture of Archie guarding my Gu from poachers.

BFF: Blessed with Fast Feet—Some days are more blessed than others.
BRB: Blisters Rubbed Bloody—Luckily no!
WTF: Waddled Through Finish—Not quite.
IDK: Injured Damn Knee—Ugh. Yes. Strengthening my hips and glutes has really helped with that, though.
EAT: Eulogized a Toenail—Yep, and boy was I proud!

I don't think it ever fell off, but it was bruised and nasty until it grew out! Also, how great is the quality on this old photo?!

GPBAJ: Got Passed By a Joggler—Not that I know of!

I'm sure many of you can relate!

Do any of these acronyms apply to you?

ABK

Would You Rather?

I know this survey has gone around before, but I've never done it. Because I'm tapering this week, I thought answering silly questions would get my mind off my upcoming race and the question of goals. (It didn't, but it was worth a shot.)

Goalies...and self-doubt.

More on this later. For now, moving on: Would you rather...

Run a 5k or marathon? As of right now, you all know I'm more in the mindset for a 5k! That's not to say I'm done with the marathon...just for right now.

Run a flat race in the heat or a hilly race in the cold? Being a Floridian, I've gotta say a hot, flat race. I've tackled a few and even snagged some PRs that way.

I'm beginning to see a pattern...hot, flat 5ks have earned me an AG award and a PR the last three times I ran them!

Get new running shoes or a new running outfit? New shoes! I have so many outfits now, but I can always use more shoes.

Run a long race without headphones, or without your Garmin/GPS? If the race has a lot of spectators, I can go without my headphones, but if it's well marked, I can go without GPS. This is a toss-up!

Run a PR that results in injury, or finish strong but miss your PR? I think most runners would agree that they'd rather miss a PR than get injured and be out of the game for awhile.

Do 100 squats or 100 sit-ups? Squats! Sit-ups aren't really good for you anyway, and I love how squats make me feel like I'm really strengthening my legs and glutes.

Plus, you can mix it up with lots of fun variations!

Run without socks or without a sports bra? I could probably get away with running without a bra but I think it would hurt. I have to go with socks on this one.

Run on a treadmill for an hour, or run around the same street block for an hour? Treadmill...at least I could have a TV to stave off boredom.

Run naked or take a naked yoga class? This is tough! If you're running naked you could speed by people and they'd barely register you...but if you took a naked yoga class EVERYONE would be naked so at least you wouldn't be alone/the sole focus. Then again, you'd be in one place, naked, for at least 45 minutes. I guess I'll go with yoga. (This question makes me think of Megan!)

Come in 4th in the Olympics or 1st in the NYC Marathon? I'd rather take 1st at NYC. The pressure of the Olympics would freak me out, and I think I like the idea of accomplishing something so great that you can just be happy about it; I don't like the idea of placing 4th and having unfinished business and then having to wait 4 years to try again and get closure!

Do you have a good "would you rather" question to share?
Answer any of the questions in the post!

ABK

The "Newlywed" Game

I borrowed this idea from Megan! Today, July 10, Matt and I are celebrating 6 years of marriage - over half a decade! - so I decided we should play a how well do you really know your spouse game. I sent him questions and we each answered them for each other. Let's see how we did!

Now, not to toot my own horn or anything here, but I totally aced this. Matt had a lot of fun answering the questions and I had to edit his original answers down a bit, and they're still a bit long. I thought it was funny that he was sure I wouldn't know his first job, but I did, because I know him better than he even realizes.

I even got his Hollywood crush right, and he doesn't even HAVE a Hollywood crush!

I didn't edit #7 because I really love that he likes Alex Morgan for her feminism.

I told him, "I'm in your head!" and he looked vaguely concerned. Matt, on the other hand, was surprised that so many of his answers were "wrong". He claims I don't know myself as well as I think I do!

His answer to #11 is SPOT ON regarding Emma Watson.

Some of his answers aren't wrong...I just didn't give him lots of backup options like he gave me. In reality, he totally nailed 3, 4, and 11 along with the answers that obviously match up.

This probably isn't interesting to anyone but us, but y'know what? It's our anniversary and I'll post what I want to! ;)

Of course, a wedding post wouldn't be complete without a nostalgic look back on some of my favorite wedding photos.

Our first dance; laughing after Matt broke the glass at our ceremony; our first dance again; Steph's MOH speech; kisses at dinner; and my favorite of our posed shots.

We had a fairly traditional, non-denominational wedding, but we made it our own by incorporating some important Jewish traditions like the breaking of the glass and the chuppah. It was beautiful and intimate and a lot of fun! I've posted for our anniversary a few times, and I always get requests for more photos, so I'll link the other posts if you're interested:

2015

2014 (Matt's contribution to the blog...No wedding pictures, but I forgot he wrote this and it was nice to go back and read!)

2013

I know we got married young (I look almost the same but Matt has aged very well if I do say so myself!), but I still think it was one of the best decisions I ever made!

Here's to us and another fantastic year <3

Did you have a traditional wedding?
How well do you think you know your SO? 
How well does your SO know you?

ABK

I Leave You With...A Survey

I'll be gone all weekend for ASCD, so I won't be updating. I'm still feeling pretty cruddy so I'm not sure if I'll get to run while I'm away, but I hope I do!

Kim tagged me in this survey, and it's one I've never done, so I'm all over it! I think the copy/pasting made the font a little weird so...bear with me!

A- Age: 30!
B- Biggest fear: Manatees...actually, wide open water and the sea creatures therein, but people really think the manatee fear is hilarious.
C- Current time: 8:33pm
D- Drink you last had: Ice water. My throat has been parched all week from this cough!
E- Every day starts with: Wishing I could sleep another hour.
F- Favorite song: Right now I'm obsessed with all things Melanie Martinez. 

Her sound is so unique and dark. Thanks to Allison for making me aware of her!

G- Ghosts, are they real? No
H- Hometown: Hm. Beachwood, Ohio? What exactly is a hometown? Where you live, or where you grew up?
I- In love with: Matt...and rainbow sherbet.
J- Jealous of: People who can run 45 miles a week without getting injured!
K- Killed someone? Uh...no. What kind of question is this?! (Actually, last week Elizabeth accused me of trying to kill her during our 200 repeats so...maybe?)

Proof she was still smiling and alive after!

L- Last time you cried? Uh...I can't remember! I guess that's a good thing.
M- Middle name: Beth. (Suddenly my signature on posts becomes clear!)
N- Number of siblings: I'm the middle kid and I definitely suffer middle child syndrome.

The fam last Passover.

O- One wish: To live a life worth living. No, really. To not have to look back and feel like I squandered my talent or my passions.
P- Person you last called: My doctor.
Q- Question you're always asked: "What did you say?" "Can I go to the bathroom?" "What are we doing?" "When does class end?"
R- Reason to smile: The sunflowers Matt brought home for now reason this week.

S- Song last sung: Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama". I sang it while I ran, so you know it was good.
T- Time you woke up: 10:30, and I'm not ashamed to admit it!

Read the article here.

U- Underwear color: This is right up there with the question about killing people...
V- Vacation destination: I don't have a favorite, so I'm going to go with my DREAM vacation - New Zealand! Or a tour of Europe!
W- Worst habit: Okay, this is embarrassing but...skin picking. I have dermatillomania, which is an OCD disorder. (Admittedly I'm self-diagnosed, but I'm 100% certain I've earned the diagnosis.)
X- X-Rays you've had: Feet and teeth
Y- Your favorite food: Sushi or chocolate. Anything chocolate.
Z- Zodiac sign: Aquarius...but I don't think it has anything to do with my personality or how I get along with others.

Share something random about yourself in the comments, or fill out the survey!
How do you define "hometown"?
Teachers, can you relate to Q?

ABK

Q&A - What My Husband Thinks of My Running

I borrowed this fun little survey from Kristina. Matt is pretty good about listening to me drone on and on about running, so it'll be interesting to see how much information he really absorbs.

My commentary is in italics.

1. Does my running make you want to run?

Not usually. It makes me want to paddle. But there are times when I’m at a race, that I wish I would have done it with you. 

Matt recently told a local reporter that he was inspired to paddle his 33-mile race this October because I run marathons and he needed to balance our relationship! I'll post on his race as it gets closer.

Also, Matt says no, but history shows that he has actually run quite a few races with me...albeit most were before he began paddling.

2. What do I eat before I run?

Many different things: Gu gels, cookies, energy gummy chews, cereal, granola bars. 

Especially cookies and cereal. A couple cookies actually seems to be great fuel for me, but a bowl of cereal - which I'm addicted to - is pretty awful because I always get sloshy-stomach! 

3. How far do I run most days?

2-5 miles during the week. Longer runs on the weekend. 

It's more like 4-6 on weekdays right now because of training. I rarely run anything less than 4 unless I'm coming back from significant time off.

4. What kind of running shoes do I wear?

Asics Kayanos. And you are VERY particular about what color they are. And you stop using them based on how many miles are on them, not what they feel or look like. Which I get, but is very weird to me since I wear all my shoes/sandals until they literally fall apart.

Ha! Yeah, I will drive to a dozen stores if my usual running store isn't carrying the color I want in my size. Color helps me run faster! And yes, Matt literally will wear his shoes until there are holes in the soles.

He's totally right. I tried these GT-2000s but am going to get a new pair of Kayanos for long runs. I just like the feel better, and I'm shoe-loyal.

5. What is my favorite race? 

Hmmmmm….The Sanibel 10k? Or maybe the Lakewood Ranch half marathon since it goes through your parents’ neighborhood.

These are good guesses! I do love the Sanibel 10k and try to run it every year. I liked the Suncoast Half, which is what he meant, but I actually think my favorite half is the Ft. Lauderdale half I did on my birthday this year. It was perfect before, during, and after! I also loved Ragnar...picking a favorite is hard!

How can you not love a race that has a beach sunrise, great cheer squad, and falls on your birthday?!

6. Do you like going to my races?

Yes. You train for them for so long and they are big accomplishments. I can’t see any good reason to not go and support you there.

I feel really lucky that Matt feels this way. I've seen in my running groups that some spouses not only don't go to races, but are vocally opposed to the time their runners spend running, so I think I'm a lucky minority here.

7. What have you learned from having a wife who runs?

The importance of training and eating healthy. I have also learned how healthy it can be for a relationship when both of us are focused on fitness goals.

So...if he's learned from me the importance of eating healthy, it's from me being a great NON-example! Did you catch the part where I fuel for runs with cookies? But I definitely agree with the second part.

8. If I could run with anyone living or dead, who would it be?

You always used to ask Archie to run with you, but he never did. Probably because birds aren’t especially good at running. I’m guessing he would be at the top of your list right now, though...

Ugh, this hurts. I did always ask Archie to come run with me (or do our laundry, or the dishes, or vacuum...but obviously his lack of thumbs got him out of most housework). If I'm trying to avoid being a sobbing mess, though, I'd say Stephen King. We'd probably walk more than run, but I'd love to pick his brain and he's well-known for liking to take long walks.

Archie always wanted to run with me, but we couldn't find shoes to fit his little dinosaur feet.

9. Bonus: name two of my running blogger/online friends.

I’ve met a good number of them in person before. And I can picture all of their faces in my head. But I am absolutely terrible with names. So, for partial credit, I’ll give you the name of the online group most of them are a part of: The Sub-30 Club!

This was totally unfair of me to ask because he truly is the worst when it comes to names. Matt's met Kristina and a whole bunch of women and men from the Sub-30 Club! And this December, he'll get to meet Megan!

Matt took this photo of the Sub-30 Club with Bart Yasso, but apparently couldn't remember anyone's name...Even those he's met more than once! It's nothing personal! Sorry guys!

Thanks for the idea, Kristina! I urge you guys to share this survey; it's fun to see yourself through the eyes of the person who knows you best!

What question would you add for your SO?
What question would you ask Matt, if I did another survey post someday?

ABK

Versatile Blogger Survey

I am so excited that Meg tagged me to do the Versatile Blogger Survey because it's been awhile since something like this has come around. I love filling these out because I end up learning things about myself I hadn't realized before.

1. What is something people might be surprised to learn about you? My mom and I share a birthday! I always tell her I'm the best present she ever got.

One of my favorite pictures of my mom and me.

2. Have you ever met someone famous? I've met a few famous people...Most recently, I met Jill Biden, Eric Stonestreet, Cal Ripken Jr., and a few other baseball players during the All Star Game weekend last summer. I also met Sugar Ray when I was in high school and was a little surprised at how tongue-tied I got!

With Ironman himself.

3. What is something you hope will never come back in style? Mall bangs! I can respect a resurgence of '80s styles, but the hair is just bad.

Sorry, DJ, those bangs have got to go.

4. What is one thing on your travel must-see bucket list? This is tough, because there are some places I'd like to see again, but if we're talking places I haven't seen yet, I'd have to say New Zealand! If the photos of it are this breathtaking, I can't imagine how it must look in person!

I mean...how can you look at this picture and not want to go there?!

5. Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life? Probably Natalie Portman or Emma Watson. They're both brilliant women who have rocked the normal bodies, brown eyes, and brown hair nature gave them instead of going all Hollywood on us. Plus, Watson's activism is really admirable.

If you squint really hard, I could pass as their less glamorous sister!

6. Who is your favorite Disney princess? I have to say Belle. Even when I was little, I always identified with her the most - I loved that she was the only brunette princess, she's smart, and she doesn't take sass from any man!

Hipster Belle knows what's up.

7. What would you sing at karaoke night? "Don't Stop Believing'...I'm totally a cliche, but at least I embrace it.

8. Who would you want to be stranded on a desert island with? For my sanity, Matt. For my survival, Cody Lundin.

You know you've got a legit survivalist on your hands when he refuses to wear shoes...ever.

9. What is your biggest pet peeve? I have a ton of pet peeves (what does that say about me?!), but one weird one is people who talk really slowly or repeat themselves a lot. Why can't people be efficient speakers?!

10. What clothing item/accessory/shoes do you have way too many of in your closet? I own WAY too many jeans (well over a dozen pairs, and that's after donating literally 20 pairs this year) and cute-shoes-I-bought-on-a-whim-but-never-wear-because-they-pinch. Honestly, I rotate the same six outfits or so...I have no clue why I own so much stuff.

Now, I'm going to tag a few bloggers! 

Janelle @ Run With No Regrets

Kristina @ Kristina's Blog About Running & Life

Lizzy @ Run Hare Run

Kerry @ Yoga on the Run

Answer any of the questions above!

ABK

Thanksgiving Survey

Tonight's the first night of Hanukkah, but I'm spending it in the car on my way to the homestead for our usual epic Thanksgiving dinners. I know I won't have time tomorrow for my traditional holiday-run-reflection post, so this mini post is a tide-over to set the mood. 

This mini questionnaire was stolen from Beth at SUAR, and if you don't read her blog yet, I have to question your sanity. 

To do: Cut and paste below into comments and add your answers. Feel free to cut/paste onto your blog for fun.

1. How old do you have to be to move up from the kids’ table? 

Depending on the number of kids, old enough to "behave"...but at my Thanksgivings we had so many kids, we were happy to have our own table!

2. Stuff the turkey or cook stuffing separately? (aka salmonella or not?)

No stuffing. It allows for regular and gluten free stuffing, and a non-contaminated turkey!

3. Who sits at the head of the table?

My parents. 

4. Pumpkin, pecan, apple pie?

Chocolate pecan. 

5. What the hell is mince meat?

I'm not sure, but grammatically speaking, shouldn't it be minced meat?

6. Is it okay to play Christmas music on Thanksgiving?

No. Wait until December. And preferably out of my earshot. I kind of hate Christmas music. 

7. In five words or less, worst Thanksgiving memory?

Was 6, tasted beer. BLEGH. 

8. Speaking of leftovers. Who gets dibs on them? 

The host, starving college students, and starving teachers/young adult children. 

9. Worst Thanksgiving food?

This is my favorite holiday because all the food is good! But sometimes a good dish gets messed up. Lumpy gravy...no thanks. 

10. Best Thanksgiving quick joke?

This is embarrassing...I honestly can't think of one. 

Share a Thanksgiving joke in the comments!

Answer a question or two...or all!

Have a wonderful, gratitude-heavy, fun-filled day!

ABK