Confession: I love winter running, and other stuff.

I may look like a boy, but I love winter running! My winter gear is very specific. I usually opt for a short sleeve and long sleeve shirt combo, always moisture wicking. (Location of short sleeve shirt depends on the fit of it!) I got a nice running jacket from my Miller-in-Laws for Christmas, so I'm stoked to try that out in sub 30 degrees conditions. In order to get my TREND SETTING boy look, I wear my favorite Eddie Bauer beanie with a scratchy wool hat over it. I tuck my ponytail in between the two hats, and it so freeing and comfy, a la boyish. Add in some running pants and running gloves (Biker gloves for 30-40 degrees, adidas performance gloves for under 30 degrees), and there you have it. Today, since it's VICTORY MONDAY, AKA the Packers won (15-1, playoffs!) I wanted to wear my red shirt and Packers beanie, but alas, Mr. Miller has misplaced it. I opted for the home town rep instead. So, here is Mrs. Miller on a 3.4 mile Monday COLD run: (34 degrees)

January one mile or more streak going strong.

Despite popular belief, I love winter scenery. I stopped stretch out my hip for a brief second, and when I looked up this is what I saw:

A little barren, but full of potential. I hadn't run in the park since the beginning of December, so it was nice to return to my running grounds. There were plenty of runners out there pounding the pavement. I liked it.

Something not to love: the gym in January. I'm considering a January Gym Gem photo of the week, displaying the ridiculously crowded gym. If you want to make a change, I'm proud of you and encourage you to stick with it! If you're just taking up space and doing a half baked workout, that's what bugs me. Worst January Gym Gem memory from last year: All treadmills taken up...more than two people sipping Arizona iced teas to hydrate while walking at a 2.5 speed. Maybe I'll just avoid going to the gym in the afternoons in January. 5am-ers are pretty much the same folks I've been seeing for a year.

I love this cute puppy photo!!! I forgot about this one from New Years Eve. Isn't Lambeau Puppy a looker in his tuxedo?! Love him to pieces. He's a refined pup who enjoys cityscape views of the Empire State Building and New Yorker building. Classy Lamby. Classy.

This is what I'm currently excited about:

I. LOVE. THE. OLYMPICS!!! I'm an Olympic nut. The summer Olympics far outweigh the winter Olympics in my humble opinion. Swimming is my favorite event, followed by gymnastics, track and field, beach volleyball, and basically I'll watch anything else that's on. Does anyone else remember this photo? Men's 400m freestyle relay? Oh yea, Australia was ready to wipe the floor with us. Not on that day. The US KILLED it! I was jumping up and down screaming, I'll never forget it. Statistically the US was not favored, but their perseverance won them a huge gold medal. What spurned this addition to the post? NBC Sports just showed a commercial for the London 2012 games. Did I mention I teared up? I know I know. There's just something about sports and achieving a dream that gets me all welled up...

NEW COUNTDOWNS! We'll have two. Two things to look forward to. One running related, one fun related. Both are going to require a ton of working out, discipline, and healthy living!

50 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

81 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

2012 Goals: #makeitcount

Big announcement! I got twitter! @mrsmillersmiles. We'll see how this goes!

2012 Goals will be ever changing. Just as life throws new obstacles and plans change, I plan on adapting and reexamining my goals monthly. I'll have big goals, as listed here. Then I'll have monthly goals, which will be recapped on the first of each month. I believe in attainable goals; not easy goals. Attainable goals are ones which are in your power to accomplish, yet require sacrifice and hard work.

I want 2012 to be The Year of Giving. I want to be more generous in life; generous with time, talents, and resources. This week I thought long and hard about a theme for the year, and I kept thinking of the NYC marathon (obviously, when do I not think if my marathon glory days?!), and I love that running meant something to more than just me; I gave, others gave, and impoverished children received. I want to continue using whatever I have to be more giving in every aspect of my life. As the Nike running campaign states, #makeitcount. I want this year to really count.

So, duh duh duh dun! The 2012 Attainable Big Goals:

Personal:
1. Stay organized. I'm not, Mr. Miller is, so I want to make an effort to give my time toward keeping a clutter free home.
2. Put in more thoughtfulness into relationships. My good friend AD in Florida sent me a a sympathy card when my grampy passed, an anniversary card, and a Christmas card. She always remembers things, and I want to be more giving in my relationships.
3. Read three books that will help me this year. I hate motivational books, but I know they help change you for the better, so I will try to read three this year! (up from half a book this year!)
4. Complain less.

Running/Fitness:
1. Help new runners complete challenging races. My next half marathon is in March, and I have one but possibly three friends who want to run their first half. I would rather help others cross the finish line than get a PR for me. If I get a sub 2 hour half this year, awesome. If not? Who did I help cross the finish line?
2. Cross train regularly. I've been having hip cracking issues, and weight training etc will help solve it.
3. Try workouts from Shape magazine at least once. I love this magazine and always intend on trying the workouts, but I usually flake. Not in 2012!!!
4. Run races that benefit causes close to my heart. I don't do a ton of races, because quite frankly they can be expensive. However, when I do run races, I want it to be about more than the run. #makeitcount
5. Get 100 followers on the ol bloggy blog! Somewhat running related :-)

January Goals:
1. Run at least one mile every day in January.
2. Send five cards to five friends.
3. Finish all yoga and Pilates groupons that expire at the end of January.
4. Do something completely selfless for a stranger.

If you made it this far, wow. Maybe you should follow the blog if you haven't already seeing as you committed to reading a really long post, why not follow and see how it turns out?!

Happy commencement of The Year Of Giving. #makeitcount

In 2012, no matter what: I'd still run!

Happy New Year Miller Style!

This is my New year in a nutshell! I'm blogging from the new (at least to me) blogger app on the iPhone so this is not a typically formatted post. Oh the horror. Its really plain and I can think of 29 ways to make it better....alas something is better than nothing.

Suffice it to say, we had a fun 3rd Annual Miller/Gray +? New Years Eve. Lambeau puppy was especially excited to break out his formal wear...doggy tuxedo!

I successfully executed the Nike+ Hangover Challenge: running one mile today :-) Spolier alert: a goal for January is to run at least 1 mile a day for the whole month! Join the January jogathon! (name pending trademark...) there's still time to join me! Do it! All the cool kids are.

Happy New Year to you all! Enjoy some pictures. 2012 Goals coming soon!!!

Central Park Running Date

Running is easier, with a little help from my friends! R CAME RUNNING WITH ME! She's awesome. She's a new runner, wife, works in finance, and a fabulously amazingly wonderful friend. She has been doing so well and building up her endurance the smart and proper way! (10% increases). We had a grand time running. We started with a mile and a half on the 6 mile loop, then opted for the less hilly reservoir for a couple of loops to finish out a 5 mile run. 5 miles? Well, I actually ran to the train because I was running late, then decided to jog it out and clock it on my way home because I was feeling extra stellar, so that ended up being an extra mile! (.5 each way). That's the longest I've done since the marathon. I ran 4.5 at the beginning of December and felt confident to start building a long run on the weekends again, but I got sick for almost two weeks. Then, you know, Christmas happened.

Needless to say, I'm feeling better and more excited about running. I was getting a little down there for a while. The holidays were a tough season for my family, and after the marathon it appeared that my body was rebelling against me (Kidney infection, massive cold...). Now, I'm feeling the "get to" rather than the "have to" urge to get out and pound the pavement. By the way, R and I seemed to have planned our poses. Outside knee bent and turned in, arm on the hip, what?! Twinsies. Hey R, running a half marathon in March would ALSO make us twinsies. (I may or may not have sent her the training plan last night and infomercialed her today to convince her to join me...)

We met some really nice tourists! Kind people took our pictures...even though we live here...but we had to document our first run together! Even more exciting, it was R's first run in Central Park! Those are my marathon tops inside out...I love these two shirts, but felt weird wearing my World Vision tee with my name written loud and proud on the front. I didn't want every day New Yorkers shouting out my name in the street...just crazy Marathon supporters on 11/6/11.

What better way to celebrate a great run and the beginning of New Years weekend?! Thai. Mr. Miller and I went to our favorite Thai restaurant in NYC. Below are our entrees of choice; sadly, we don't really deviate because they're that. stinking. good. Seriously.

Thai beef salad. YUMMY.
Pad Thai. Hello old friend.

However, there was a show stealer from the excellent run. On the way home I stumbled upon some construction work. Look what they were constructing:

4. Blocks. From. My. House. Oh my. It's about to get real. I mean really real.

Any big New Years Eve plans?! Mr. Miller and I are going to R and her Mr.'s apartment for our third annual celebrating of New Years! So far on the menu: MANY RIDICULOUSLY YUMMY THINGS.

Tomorrow is New Year Goal time!

2011: The Year of the Marathon

First order of business: Cute Christmas photo!

Christmas Jammies are the BEST! Ella Bella was feeling sickies, but thankfully she perked up to open some gifts. Evan was so excited for everything. They are such sweeties. My youngest niece and nephew. Disclaimer to my fellow McAuliffe siblings: I love all my nieces and nephews equally.

2011 Goals Recap: I was the 1%. They say about 1% of Americans will run a marathon in their lifetime. I saw some calculations via googling, but really, we're all just estimating here. Let's go with 1%, it's more ironic that way! Anyway, I listed one main goal: running a marathon. CHECK YEA! It happened. I completed my "New Years Resolution", "2011 Goals" etc! Now, mind you, I only set one goal, because a marathon often takes up that much energy (As I've learned...). I had started setting up monthly goals but somehow tapered off (Who would taper off from goals???), so I think I will reinstate that for 2012. So, here goes the 2011 reflections that you've all been waiting for!

In August 2010 I purchased this bumper magnet:

I thought 2010 was my year. I was 26. I was going to run 26.2 miles in the Hartford Marathon. However, it just wasn't in me then. I got a slight injury, a set back here and there, and suddenly I was out of contention to successfully and safely complete a marathon, my first at that.

Insert charity entry. After not getting in to the NYC Marathon through the lottery, I harassed Juan at Team World Vision until I received that AWESOME call: "You're IN!" Amazing. Thrilling. Holy schnikies. This was really happening!

Training began. Countless runs into Central Park. Up at 5am to run before the heat. I got to know the pavement. Running home from school to get longer miles in midweek before dark. Things got serious. I even tried yoga! It was an amazing summer and an amazing fall. Successfully running 20 miles for the first time was the most exhilarating and exciting accomplishment of my training. Proud face below:

Speaking of fall 2011: I ran a marathon on 11/6/11. It was a truly amazing day. Everything worked perfectly. Weather, gear, fueling, fans, family and friends support: PERFECTION.

On November 6, 2011, I became a marathon FINISHER. And I got the medal to PROVE IT!

2011 was just the beginning. Just as the sign below said, I'm only at the start. 2012 looks to be amazing. 2011 was the year of Finishing. Finishing training. Finishing the long runs. Finishing fundraising. Finishing.a.marathon.

When I run, I run to finish. I wonder what I will finish in 2012? Prospective goals coming soon. Until then, if you don't think you're the best, you're not the best.

You're the best if you give your all to something, succeed or fail. In 2011, I was the best I could be.

I will be my best in 2012.

All of the lights

Christmas was great! I got this AWESOME marathon ornament from Coach Jen from Gone For a Run! We went to Connecticut for a McAuliffe Christmas Extravaganza (I'll post photos tomorrow!), including 5 siblings, spouses, 12 nieces and nephews...needless to say, it was a full house! Christmas morning we drove to Rochester, NY for a Miller Christmas Extravaganza! Clearly we were traveled out. I took naps, was lazy, and all around sloth. I loved it. Poor running me felt guilty. So, my first day back in NYC I took to the streets:
I got new pants! What better way to motivate a run? I have one pair of running tights from last winter that are my tried and trues, but alas, they won't stay that way if I can't rotate wearing them with other pants! Spoiler alert: They. Were. AWESOME! I really liked them. Helpful running tip: buy running pants with a drawstring. If do not, you'll have slouchy pants and a plumber's crack that is not so attractive, even if you are passing people. Tonight's run was interesting. I almost got hit by two cars (Actually tapped by one), the wind was pushing my feet to the right or left when they were mid stride, and I only tripped once (Insert heart attack).

The best part of my run: All of the lights. (Insert Kanye song...) I loved running through my neighborhood. I set up a scavenger hunt to make this run more entertaining: I weaved in and out of streets to find some notable light displays! So, below are some of Astoria's brightest and finest!

MY FAVORITE: Charlie Brown's Christmas.
It felt like the Nutcracker here!

Best in show: These two yards! They're next door neighbors. Same owners? Competing neighbors?! It was a light spectacular!

This was the classier of the two.

Poor blow up displays blown over by the wind!

Poor Frosty. Santa is holding his ground against some fierce wind!

The Happy Holidays LED sign took things to the next level. What's next?! This yard had EVERYTHING going on!

So, there you have it: a run with all of the lights! Tomorrow I will be reviewing my 2011 goals (Typical), and give the tentative 2012 goals (Even more typical). It's simply that time of year! Out with the old and in with the new!

Confession: I still love Party Rock Anthem.

Every day I'm shuffling...

A time to Believe!

Definition of BELIEVE

intransitive verb

1

a : to have a firm religious faith
b : to accept something as true, genuine, or real

- Merriam Webster Online Dictionary

What do you believe? I believe in Jesus. I believe in God. I believe in Christmas. I'm so excited for this season of hope. I'm excited for family. I'm excited for my impromptu work get together tomorrow afternoon to celebrate the Holiday Break! Three cheers for being a teacher!

Can you believe this line?! Well, it was twenty people deep. However, I DID choose to go to the Ann Taylor Loft in Times Square. Not smart. You know it's last minute when you determine store locations by their closeness to the subway! However, I had a successful last minute Manhattan shopping expedition after work that went fairly well; no fights, no anxiety attacks in an overheated store, I even had a snack when my blood sugar ran low! Overall, completely productive.

I believe in pajama days!!! Tomorrow is PAJAMA day in kindergarten! I don't mention it TOO often, but I am an elementary school teacher. I can't wait to wear comfy cozies to work tomorrow and watch some Christmas movies!!!

I believe it's time for the Christmas card reveal. My VERY good friend M makes these amazing one of a kind cards for me every year. I show her a design and BOOM she's got it! This year we went with three different colors to add some variety. ENJOY!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!