Saturday, March 5, 2016

Coffee Talk (March)

Welcome to Coffee Talk!


It's a gorgeous weekend here in Dixie.  I'm drinking coffee out of my new Starbucks mug from New Orleans.  Thankfully it's nice and big but also the perfect weight (important stuff!).  My coffee is Dark Magic with hazelnut creamer and a dash of cinnamon.  Let's settle in and chat. 


Over Coffee...

In addition to coffee mugs, I'd remind you how I like to collect Christmas ornaments from places we travel.  I found this very creative hand painted oyster from a local artist in Jackson's Square in New Orleans.  It bugs me that she didn't paint NOLA on there.  I wonder if anyone could tell the difference if I applied my own artistic skills to it (aka Red Sharpie).  I do appreciate the year though!


Speaking of ornaments, one of my favorites is my candy cane striped 13.1 that I purchased at the Route 66 expo a few years ago.  I spotted the matching 26.2 at the Rock N' Roll expo.  I simply had to...



Over Coffee...

I'd tell you how I decided to return to regularly running 5ks to work on my speed.  In fact, I'm scheduled to be at Footprints to the Finish Line Saturday morning.  It's a wonderful ministry benefiting families with children in the hospital NICU.   It should still be chilly at race time, so perhaps I can be at least a little faster than two weeks ago.  If memory serves, it's a flat course as well.  My fingers are crossed.


Over Coffee...

You'd hear how excited I am to be running another half marathon next weekend (# 38 in fact).  You'd also hear how it's taking a boat load of self control not to run one every weekend.  It's going to sadly get too warm very soon!  Guess who is also running?  Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin will again be by my side.  I can't tell you how nice this is. 

We are both HALF CRAZY, and together -- we are a whole load of it.

The overwhelming majority of my half marathons have been done SOLO.  I have running buddies but few (maybe one) have truly crossed over into the world of half marathon addiction.  Tricia's crazy rivals my own!  The great thing is we only live about 160 miles apart.  In the grand scheme of things, we are practically neighbors and can meet at races if we choose.  Come to think of it, that's how we met in the first place!

Along the line of crazy, I'm contemplating mooning up in Half Fanatics.  I realized one way I can achieve Mars is to run 3 half marathons in 10 days in 3 different states.  That is so doable!  I've just got to find the right weekend combination.   Gah -- I wish I had thought about it a little sooner.

Do you collect anything?

What would you tell me over coffee?



A huge Thank You to our Ultimate Coffee Date hosts!

Please visit and join in too!






43 comments:

  1. Good luck on your 5K today! I tend to not do them because they take up so much time for so little mileage, but they do give you a chance to push your pace. Love the mug and the ornament! Thanks for joining us for coffee!

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    1. Thanks. We don't have near as many local 10ks for some reason. It's much easier to find a 5k.

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  2. Wow 38 half races is a lot! It's always more fun to run with a friend isn't it? I meant to collect those Starbucks mugs but I kind of forgot. I don't really collect anything unless you count work out clothes :) Thanks for joining us for coffee today!

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    1. I've got things I haven't had a chance to wear. I think that is a sign I may have too much.

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  3. Good luck on your 5k. I am looking forward to shorter races for speed work for sure.

    Look at that ! You and Tricia back at it again...too cool!

    I collect shot glasses and wine glasses.

    Cute ornament.

    Mars is totally doae....you got ths!!)

    -tamieka@fitballingrunningmom

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    1. Thanks. A 5k makes me run much faster than I would on my own. It's pretty easy to get to different states where I live, so I think Mars is very doable.

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  4. I actually do collect mugs -- I try to get one from everywhere I travel to. Which makes storage in a small kitchen difficult. And I like to use the ones from races when I'm running. And the ones from one states on cold days & visa versa. We all need our quirks.

    It's really too bad Darlene doesn't live closer to you guys, she'd love to be running all.the.halfs with you! She keeps saying we should run one together, but I don't think it's every going to happen because she's impulsive with race sign up and I'm a planner (and of course going after my states).

    But we are going to a half together next weekend -- except I'm doing it as part of a relay. You are so lucky to have Tricia so close!

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    1. My kids are always complaining about too many coffee mugs in the cabinets. If you are going after states, you will eventually have to come south. Just let me know!

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  5. Hope you race goes great! I totally love that coffee cup. Some of the city cups in that line are really cool and others I have seen are kinda blah, but that one is great. I bet you could find a paint pen to fix that ornament right up. Might match a little better than Sharpie.

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    1. You are right, some of the SB mugs are not very impressive. I thought this one was cute. Thanks for the paint pen tip!

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  6. Why hadn't I even thought of the NOLAA mug? I SO NEEEEEED to run RnRNOLA next year! I loved following you and Tricia's antics there. Yeah I think I'd be in there with a red Sharpie.

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    1. Starbucks was in the same block as our hotel. Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought of it!

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  7. Ok, I am moving south!!!

    I collect Starbucks mugs - not surprised are you?

    And I will be doing my 5ks. I forget what it is like to run fast. Or if I can?

    I can't stop myself from signing up for halfs. So far 1 for, 1 for Mar, 1 for May and 1 for Sept but there's 1 in April and Aug and Nov that tempt me. I need an intervention.

    Running with you ( and Tricia & Wendy) would be so much fun.

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    1. I'm just aiming for faster. I'll never be considered "fast". You do need to come south. I will probably still run that FL race in April if you are interested. Maybe TN if I can figure out my 3 halfs in 10 day thing.

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  8. **1 for Feb.

    I did 7 last year but 8 between Dec & Nov would move me up a level. Half crazy I am.

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  9. Okay 38 half marathons! I am applauding you right now. I think I collect coffee cups, yep I think so if I had to answer the question. I would collect running shoes if I could afford to. Have a great weekend, thanks for the coffee chat.

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    1. But, I won't just buy any old coffee cup. It has to meet my requirements! LOL. At least they are cheaper than running shoes.

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  10. I keep saying I'm gonna start collecting mugs from our trips! I still haven't though! Maybe I'll collect coffee instead, lol? I seriously can not wait til this weekend! Gonna be a great time! I'm off to the RV show, hubs is rushing me ..... :)

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    1. I like picking up mugs because it is something that I will use and won't sit around to collect dust. It'll be a tough race, but a good time.

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  11. I would LOVE to do more races with you! I'm really starting to get into the swing of this 50 HMs in 50 states thing now and would love some company. If things had gone as planned, I'd have done LA this year too. I had originally wanted to do RnR NOLA, but if I'd gone to New Orleans, my husband definitely would have wanted to come with me. And since my dog just had surgery three weeks ago, we didn't want to board her, so we nixed that. Then I decided I'd do one in Baton Rouge, which would have been today, but then things just kept happening and it seemed like the universe was TRYING to keep me from going, so I didn't go to it either. I made the decision last Saturday to skip it this year, and then Monday I got an email about early registration for RnR NOLA next February for $50! I was all over that! haha Right now, Kansas on 4/16, Wisconsin on 8/20, and Louisiana on 2/5/17 are all I have definite plans for, but I'm working on my fall schedule now!

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    1. Hey Pam! Good to hear from you. It'd be great to run again with you! We are southern neighbors too! I may be headed your way if I decide to move up to Mars. I need 3 different states in 10 days and TN would be an easy choice. It'll be a long time before I get to all 50. AK, NC & SC are probably the next easiest states. Definitely keep me in the loop with your fall picks! I haven't even thought about fall yet. My calendar is blank.

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  12. I collect ornaments from places I travel as well! And I have those Starbucks mugs from all the places I've been with my sister. Except Charleston. I keep checking the website, but none yet...

    I sure hope we can all meet up at a half sooner rather than later...

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    1. Someone told me (could have been Marcia) that you couldn't order the travel mugs online. I've noticed they have different styles or series of them. The Disney one I bought is nothing like the NOLA. Let's make plans!

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  13. I love collecting ornaments, too. Congrats on the 5K, I saw your Instagram post! Nice work! I suppose us NorthEastern folks might have it a bit easier on planning half marathons in different states since the states are all relatively small and easy to travel to. If you ever head up near Philly let me know and you've got a place to stay!

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    1. I never thought about the proximity of your states. You are right. That 5k HURT. I think that is why I prefer a half. You get to run easy for a little while.

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  14. I collect those Starbucks mugs - love that NOLA one! And I saw that candycane 13.1 ornament on a Christmas tree on a trail in North Carolina; it's so cute and I want one for myself. Fun that you have a set of them. :)

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    1. My very first SB mug was from New York in 2008. I still drink out of every day at work. It looks nothing like the ones they have now. I'm going to hang an ornament in the woods...just because.

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  15. What is half fantatics? How was the 5K , I did a trail run 5K yesterday :) Good luck to you and Tricia sounds like another fun adventure! I love to collect ornaments too from places I visit- did you add NOLA to your ornament? We won't tell!

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    1. Good question! You earn your way in HF (and the membership has exploded the last few years) then complete a crazy amount of races within certain time frames to progress through moon levels. I joined initially because it was an excellent place to find races and read reviews about them. I'm going to add NOLA to that ornament!

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  16. It's great that you and Tricia are running another half together! I wish I had a running buddy who shared my love of the half distance. I like your idea of doing more 5Ks to work on speed - that's something I really need to work on.

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    1. I can't tell you how many of these things (most) I've gone to by myself. And that is OK - it certainly never stopped me. But having someone by your side is nice, even if it's only a few times a year.

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  17. It's great to hear that you'll be racing again! Have fun!

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    1. I need to pack a few more in before it gets too warm. Sadly, I missed much of our cool weather.

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  18. Ha ha! Love that you found a great partner in crazy!

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  19. That is a pretty ornament! I hope you enjoy your race - I can't wait to get to double digits in half marathons, I can't imagine running nearly 40 of them! That's awesome that Tricia is your racing buddy! It's great to have that buddy you can have to support you and vice versa!

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    1. There was a two year period where I was able to run 14 and 17. They'll add up quickly that way. LOL.

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  20. How great that you & Tricia can see each other often. 160 miles is a big distance though ! Glad you are back to running regularly, hope you are feeling good.
    I don't collect anything but how fun to have a mug and ornament collection. What great memories.

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    1. I buy mugs because I like to use them. They don't sit on display or anything. I drink out of one from NYC every day at work. I guess the distance is all about perspective. It's not a big deal here to hop on the highway and drive that distance.

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  21. You will be back in the game too. We are going to be excellent running buddies as we are the best of friends already. Hang in there!

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  22. I love that mug! I'm going to be in New Orleans at the end of the month and may have to pick that up.

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    1. I should actually buy the mug from my local Starbucks, but it's not very impressive!

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