Hanging with the Family: Thanksgiving

Sunday
Running:  At the crack of dawn, 1 mile before hitting the road.
Reading: Sense and Sensibility, I got through Volumes 1 and 2 on the road. 
Doing: Mainly driving.  I took the shortest route through downtown Chicago.  I had a couple moments of traffic, but mainly smooth sailing.  Once I got to Indiana I took the dog for a walk which turned into an adventure of its own.  We were charged by an over friendly Great Dane.  The dog wanted to charge deer, and I got to see a hawk and a turkey vulture.
Watching: Introduced Aunts to Doctor Thorne.  You are welcome.

Monday
Running: 5.5 miles in the morning, on a path I've liked in the past.  Then weights and abs in Aunt's basement. 
Reading: Still in volume 3 of Sense and Sensibility.
Doing: The main part of the day was helping Aunt Candy Cane (and she knows why I picked that nickname) put up her Christmas tree and other decorations.  I am not anti-Christmas.  I just don't decorate my place because I'm never home.  I don't mind decorating but I hate packing it all back up so I'd say I timed this well.  Aunt Candy had a great moment where she found a Santa with detachable legs. "He's just like me"
When Aunt Candy and I got back to Aunt Host's home, she was unhappy with the current lights on the outside tree.  She wanted to try the older lights I refer to as "the ones that will burn the house down" because they legit get hot when they are on. She had one crap string of lights and a few fairly decent strings.  We were picking the good bulbs off the crap string, and had the other strings almost fully restored when one of the strings shocked her and altogether went out.  And that was when I quit my light bulb job and went downstairs.
Watching: Finished Doctor Thorne.  Watched the first live show of The Voice. 

Tuesday
Running: 5.6 miles in the morning.  Snow was falling and it was gorgeous. I told family it's the good kind of snow with no wind and no shoveling.
Reading: Finished Sense and Sensibility.  Not sure what I'll read next.
Doing: The day started with a shopping trip and exploring Sam's.  It's mostly Costco by me, so this has slightly different stuff.   In the afternoon, I bowed out of assisting with the outside lights.  Aunt Host and Uncle Host went outside, and then something broke.  But it was not a something that would burn down the house, so we at least had that going for us.
In the late afternoon, we headed over to a local winery that was a lot of fun.  Some of the grapes are the same as what we have in Minnesota.
Evening: I said "I haven't had any positive experiences with a racoon" and that had to change.
Watching: The Voice.  I'm kind of surprised by the results.

Wednesday
Running: 1.3 miles.  Followed by another edition of Vacation weights. The dumbell fell apart. Sigh
Reading: Atomic Habits and this one has the distinction that I'm actually reading it.  Goal is to get it done before I have to leave town, so that I can start another book then and not have too many books open at once.
Doing: After running, I mostly hung out at home.  I did some early Black Friday shopping. This is the one time of the year Xero Shoes goes on sale, so I had to stock up.  Also, Flickr is changing everything, so I had to get a paid account with them.  I looked at getting a hotel room for the trip home, but I need to wait until the weather clarifies itself before deciding what I'm going to do.
Mom and Dad as well as some additional family arrived in the evening and we all hung out, had dinner, and hung out some more.  I'm already stuffed and that's before the big meal tomorrow.
Watching: There was a ton of basketball on but it wasn't my thing. 

Thursday (Happy Thanksgiving!)
Running: My annual Turkey Trot, around 8.5 miles, in the morning.
Reading: Still on 'Atomic Habits' and finding it both obvious and fascinating
Doing: After the run, I had sweet rolls for breakfast, then reviewed the weather long enough to know I needed to leave town a day early to head home.  Thanksgiving meal was around 1pm and lots of people came.  After the meal and dishes, we had a walk, which is also tradition.  In the evening, I did laundry and read.  Everyone else watched a movie.  I saw parts of it.
We had 'fourth meal' meaning supper around 9pm after the movie.  I had left over turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes.
Watching: Everyone else watched a movie but I just wanted to sit and read.

Friday
Running: 3.25 miles in the morning, plus a 'finisher' at the end.  I realized weights should happen but really won't.  Hanging with the family is more important.
Reading: I finished Atomic Habits and I started The Ministry of Utmost Happiness on the drive.
Doing: We went shopping at a few stores  to get the Black Friday flavor.  We hit Stein Mart and got a gift for Grandma, then Marshall's and got a gift for Mom, and then Eddie Bauer where we were all winners.
We had Italian Thanksgiving for lunch.  The lasagna was excellent.
Festival of Trees was a new activity for us.  We saw part of the show choir, all of the trees, and some of the dancing.  The Embassy Theater is gorgeous.  It's so old and well maintained, I loved walking around in it.
After that, it was time to pack and leave.  (Originally I'd planned to stay one more day, but I left early because of a snow storm that's going to swing through Illinois and Wisconsin on Sunday.)  I drove to Rockford and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.  Dear Future Self: it's the Holiday Inn Express at the Loves Park exit.  I mention this because there is a regular Holiday Inn an exit south.  Either one is fine, but I typically hit up the Express. 
Watching: The Road.  For reals.

Saturday
Running: 1.2 Miles at home after the drive.  Sometimes these 1-mile runs are absolutely the hardest runs ever.
Reading: I kept on with Ministry of Utmost Happiness for a while.  Around Black River Falls I switched over to music and singing along for the rest of the drive. 
Doing: Driving.  I woke up around 5:30am, hit the road by 6am, and was home before 11am. A note to my future self here: Breakfast at Holiday Inn officially starts at 6am on the weekends. It was all out there and the coffee was hot around 5:50am.  Packing the coffee thermos was a fantastic idea.  Leaving around 6am still puts me in Minneapolis before 11am.
Watching: The road.  And now I've got a hankering for Downton Abbey, related to an earlier discussion.

Long Run Thursday: Turkey Trot

Plan: I'm going to start working with a coach soon.  Her suggestion at the moment is to run the runs, not run/walk, so that's what I went with.  Also"don't look at the watch" which I did almost until the end.  (I had a plan about where it was okay to take a look.) 

Route: This is my aunt's neighborhood.  I mostly follow the curb on the left side of the road around the neighborhood.  There's a couple places I deviate but that's the general rule.  I cross a main road at one point because the other side has hills and some scenic woods.
Weather: Cold and windy but no snow.   It was 27* and 10mph winds.

Wardrobe: Brooks Running pants, Smart Wool Compression socks, smart wool top, wind proof jacket, hat, gloves (which did eventually come off) and Merrell Trail Crusher shoes.

Execution: I felt great and had a great time.  Towards the end of the run my stomach got a bit upset, which hasn't happened on a run in a long time.  That's probably more about the foods I've been eating this week than anything else.
Nutrition: LOL, see above.  This was a fasted run.
From today, I learned: Running just felt good today.  I had a blast.
Bonus: This post is mostly about future me. I found myself really wanting a 'long run report' so I remembered what to do for this run. 
To my future self: the way the map is drawn works out to about 8.6 miles.  Adding those last two side streets at the end would probably bump it up to just shy of 9 miles (and then have fun running up and down the driveway to get that last little bit, right?)
Also to my future self: the marker for mile 8 is slightly off because I accidentally lapped my watch at 7.96 when I took my glove off.

Cincinnati: Bonus trip

It occurs to me, I never talked about a quick trip home.  I found a great ticket deal on Frontier Airlines and bought a quick ticket to get home.  The ticket was a no-frills situation, meaning my seat wasn't assigned ahead of time and I couldn't bring anything except a personal item (read: SMALL backpack).  I was okay with that.  I'd read the 'fine print' and knew what I was getting myself into.

Friday:
Early: I got up to run, and prepped to head out the door.  I did the bus-light rail combination to get to the airport.
Flight: I was in seat 1B.  Calm down.  There's no first class on this plane.  I've never sat that close to the front before.
Cincinnati: Mom fetched me at the airport.  After the obligatory Skyline stop, we headed over to see Grandma.  I had a bonus visit with a cousin who is in Texas by way of California and Ohio.  We had a great visit with each other and with Grandma.
That evening we had supper and then Mom, Marge, and I saw Christmas at Pemberly which I adored. The actor who played Arthur reminded me of David Hyde Pierce (and I can pay no higher compliment).  It was a good time.  With Ribbons!

Saturday:
Morning: I had a run on one of my favorite trails in Cincinnati.  It's all down hill at the end.
Visit 1: Dad and I went over to see Grandma.  We woke up her up around 10:30am, like a teenager.  I was a little worried at first but we had a great visit.
Afternoon: We had a date in Kentucky to see some of my favorite people in the world.  It was Master Luke's birthday.  He got a copy of 'The Hobbit' because he hadn't read it yet.  I asked for a call or letter so I could know what is his favorite part.  (Personally I like when Bilbo puts them in the barrels and floats the drawves down the river.)
Evening: I saw my 'downstairs Mom and Dad' (they need a much better Blog name) and Marge again for supper.  Then all of us went to see Colette.  I went as an "I'd like to see downstairs Mom and Dad" but was pleasantly surprised at the movie itself.

Sunday:
Morning: Guess where I went for a run.
Morning Bonus: I got a big mug of coffee, came back, and watched the NYC Marathon.  I was shocked my Mary Keitany and stoked to see Shalane come back and take 3rd.
Lunch-ish: We had a family shopping trip to buy food for supper and prepare some of it.
Afternoon: We hung out with Grandma.
Evening: I got a visit from some of my favorite people north of the border.  Cousin has been married for the last 18 months, but with Super Mom for much longer than that.  Super Mom's baby was born late March.  My visit was chiefly with Super Baby.  Super Mom asked to see some older pictures of our family and we found some gems where cousin and I were 4 or 5. Super Baby has her Dad's ears.  Dad's ears are also my Uncle Jerry's ear's and my Grandpa's ears.  Just saying.

Monday:
Morning: Just one more time for the trail run, right?
Last coffee and visit with Grandma.
Lunch/Afternoon: Mom and I actually had a great time shopping for office furniture and beds.  And I got one last Skyline lunch into me.
Evening/night: Ask me about flying home.  It wasn't bad service, but it showed me what happens when a smaller airline with fewer planes hits a delay.  Happily, I did make it home in time to vote, which was my ultimate goal.

Flying Home... a story

6ish Sunday night - check in online.  I am in seat 25A.  I'm pretty sure that's the last row.

3pm Monday - start asking the Google Maps lady how to get from Springdale OH to the airport.  She suggests going all the way around on 275.  This sounds both ludicrous and correct, so I advise Mom of the plan.

3:20pm Monday - Mom and I are done shopping. We've made one last pit stop before the 'road trip' to the airport. We get on the road.

4:00pm or so - arrive at airport.  Hug Mom goodbye.  Make request for two handed hug, because that's a thing that has to happen sometimes with Mom.

4:20pm - there is a bird in here.  Inside.  In the airport.  Not a pet.  It's like a sparrow or something.  It's really freakishly close to me for a wild animal, and I used to be a wildlife biologist. 

4:35pm - Mom calls.  "What'd I forget?"  Mom says I didn't forget anything but I am a GENIUS for not getting on 71/75 Southbound because it is stopped.  It's really the Google Maps lady who's a genius, but I'll take the credit.

5pm or so - the flight delays start. Original departure time was 6:05pm.   First delay update was an 8:15pm departure.  But the plane kept not leaving the airport where it was parked and having some maintenance test it kept failing. 9:20 departure.  10:20 departure.  11:05pm departure.
I am considering going to the Delta counter and purchasing a ticket for tomorrow, just in case.
Also, I begin to research my ballot since I have to vote.  That's the one optimistic thing I did all night.  "I'll get home in time to vote so I have to know what's going on"
I Facetimed with one of my favorite people in KY. He got to play flag football at the Bengals Stadium.  He said it's very big from standing on the field.
I called a friend who is a former airline employee (not from Frontier).  Friend calmly explained the airline really is doing the right thing, and all they can, though also acknowledged the frustration of not knowing what's going on.

8:15pm or so - plane has studied, passed its tests, and is scheduled to depart.  We are awarded food vouchers for $15 (which is kind of a lot).  They do not work a Graters.  They cannot be used for alcohol.  That gets a collective groan.
I grab my voucher and head down to Smash Burger where I am first in line.  As the lady is talking to the kitchen about my order she yells "nine in line" and then "all vouchers".  All I heard from the kitchen was "DAMN!"
I made friends with a 7th grader from St Paul academy who is anxious to get to school tomorrow (versus trying to get out of it) and and 8 year old from Blaine who does Tae Kwon Do and Dance.  She likes dance only when the music is good.  Her brothers play soccer but it's not her thing.  She's also on her student council/senate and she's learned you don't just vote for people because you like them, you have to vote for who has good ideas and can help.  (As I'm researching school board candidates and court justices).

9:59pm - plane from NC lands in CVG, though we are in some doubt because it takes a few minutes to arrive at the gate.
Thus begins the slowest 45 minutes of my life, watching people get off the plane, then watching them wheel people off the plane, then having the 3 zones ahead of me board.  All while I watch the rain POUR down outside.  Will the plane take off tonight?!? 

10:50pm - I am on the plane.  25A is not the last row.  It's second to last. We sit for a while with the door open which makes me not trust that we'll actually depart tonight.  But, the dude in the middle seat of my row got moved up to a window seat somewhere, so now we all have more room.

11:00pm - the door closes and we push back.  And then sit there again, just long enough to make me nervous.  Also, a kid is crying.  I totally get it.

11:05pm - bumpiest take off I have ever experienced.  Seriously thought I was going to die, and then remembered if I was really dying I'd come out of my body and it wouldn't hurt.  The fear and nausea means I'm going to live.  Wahoo!
Since I checked the weather, I know it's also raining in Minneapolis. Which means the landing will likely be just as uncomfortable.

Switching to Central Time:
11:45pm (still Monday) - very smooth landing.  I am nothing but surprise and relief.  I'm also in the second to last row of the plane, so I have some time to glory in that feeling.
Getting off the plane a guy stops to put on his jacket in the only area not blocked by moms off to the side trying to get their little ones back in strollers.  I went around him.  I was so done.

12:05pm - I ask TSA agent how to get to Uber pick up.  (I know it's not in a normal place.)  She was done with her job and said 'ground transportation' which was true for the first 100 feet of my journey, but then became incorrect.
Bloomington Police officer is super friendly and sorts me out, mostly.
Then I get to the other end of the skyway bridge and there's no sineage to go back down a level, but that's the level the cars are on, so that's what I do.  My Lyft driver was super close and very friendly.

12:45pm - I am hone and unpacked, and my backpack is put away. I did not believe this was going to happen.  Also, all my clocks are wrong and I have no idea what's the time.

Happy Election Day.

Running Conditions in October

It's been a fascinating month weather wise.  I say this typing with my patio door open, after two different snow days.  I'm seeing how much I use my various buffs for head cover in the slightly cooler weather.