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I've been a bit removed from the blogging world for the past month. I've been trying to thoroughly enjoy my maternity leave as it comes to an end. We also hosted my family over on Christmas Eve (about 40 people) for a nice homemade dinner. Needless to say, I was quite busy while also running around with Patsy! The Christmas season started before Thanksgiving when I took Miss Patsy Rose to go see Santa at Macy's.

Apparently I forgot to ask them to zoom in. Patsy looks so tiny! Oh well, new mom mistakes! I'll know better for next year! We also christened our baby girl in early December and she received lots of really cute Christmas clothes that she was able to get a lot of use of during the month of December.





In case you can't tell, our girl is pretty happy. We are pretty lucky we have such a wonderfully happy and adorably baby girl!

Her weight gain had been a little slow so I was nervous how things would go between pediatrician appointments. Turns out I was worried for nothing and she is gaining weight just fine, along her own curve. (She is in the 5th percentile for weight.) For those of you that don't know (I used to not know at all), all things baby are compared to these percentile rankings. These are data sets put together on a global basis, looking at babies' weights across the board. So, it is basically a system for moms to go crazy comparing their babies to others. :)

After hearing that our little Patsy Rose is doing just fine, I was able to stop worrying so much and enjoy the rest of my maternity leave! We hosted Christmas Eve at our house with my entire family so there was lots of planning, prepping, and cleaning that needed to be done. It was really wonderful to host Christmas in our home as a new family. We were able to enjoy the evening with our little girl without needing to run all over town at all hours of the night. :) Patsy's dress was PRETTY adorable. Carter's has some of the best baby clothes out there, seriously.



Now that Christmas has passed and the new year is starting, I have lots of big goals for 2014. I hope you're ready to follow along for the ride! :)

Life as a new mom has kept me pretty busy. Patsy isn't sleeping as much during the day as she once did, so her attention consumes most of my days. Plus, the end of my maternity leave is in sight so I'm really trying to make the most of our time left together! As the holiday season is upon us, I thought I would put together a gift guide for your favorite runner(s)! I'm not super fancy with images, photoshop, and nice links... So I created a Pinterest board with my top ideas! All gifts are $30 or less--many of which I've talked about on this blog before!

And just for good measure, I've included some fun holiday photos from previous years. (A full post full of Patsy's Christmas clothes will be following!)

Pepper all dressed up for the holiday season and Mokena's Pet of the Week in 2012

Breakfast with Santa in 2011

Christmas Eve Cookie Exchange 2011

Blogger Brunch and Jingle Bell 5k 2012

Saturday morning I got up bright and early. Not for my long run, but to get things ready for our blogger brunch! Maggie picked me up and we rode together (picking up Christina on the way) all the way to Erin's place in the big city! We dropped off our stuff and headed out for the run (but not before taking a group photo).

Photo Credit: Erin

Since we ran through part of the UIC campus, there were quite a few "This one time..." and "I remember when..." stories to those I was running with (I just couldn't help myself). After we got back, it was time for a mug of hot chocolate (perhaps with a little liquor in it) and for me to start prepping my brunch contribution, blueberry turnovers. They are best fresh out of the oven and I have not had success re-heating them so I prepped what I could and took over the kitchen once I got there. Once the blueberry turnovers were complete, it was time for me to put on my Christmas attire.

There was a little contest and I was hoping to win. Last year, we got a Santa Snuggie in our Yankee Swap family grab bag. (Front and back shots below, because it was crucial to get both sides. Thanks for the photos, Maggie!)

After tallying the votes, I was determined the winner (yay!!). It was pretty exciting (for me, at least) and I loved the swag bag of prizes that Maggie and Kim had put together. Now it was time to mingle, eat, and enjoy the party (and eat some more). I got to meet some bloggers I hadn't met before and put some faces to web addresses. It was really great to hang with so many other people that share the same interests (running, blogging, food)... I really couldn't think of a better way to spend my Saturday.

Next, it was time for the optional gift exchange. It was a yankee swap grab bag and there were lots of running themed gifts (shockingly). I got to see some products I have not yet tried. (Those Injinji socks are still on my radar.) I picked Maggie's gift (not really surprised by this one) and I got a few more Bondi Bands to add to my collection. I really like them for the winter because they can help wick the sweat under my normal headband. My gift contribution was some Picky Bars in a box with cats lifting weights design, along with some pineapple Gu and a Oiselle temporary tattoo. (Photo of the box contents can be found here, with the winner.)

After the gift exchange, we took a big group photo before some folks started to filter out.

Front Row: Riyanti, Emily, Lindsay, Sara, Erica, Erin

In the front-front: Kelsey

Not pictured: Christina

Maggie and I hung around with some of the other stragglers and discussed spring race plans. We also tried to think of our next big blogger race that we've been planning since Zooma. It was then time for Kelsey and I to answer the age old question: who has longer arms. We've discussed this on one of Kelsey's blog posts (Is it weird that I looked that up? I didn't think so either.) and now it was time to test our theory. If you were wondering, my arms are longer than Kelsey, even though she is taller than me. We measured these proportions several different ways, each one creepier than the one before. (Special thanks to Maggie for taking photos to commemorate the discovery)

Who's taller?

Arms Length

Michael Phelps Wingspan

I had a really fun time and special thanks to Erin for hosting! I had an absolute blast and am already looking forward to the next event! They always end up being lots of fun, with plenty of inside jokes, and tons of delicious food.

I'm still waiting on that modeling contact.

Have you participated in a Yankee Swap event this year? I always do one with my family every year, and these types of grab bags seem to become more popular every year. Do you also notice the trend of these events becoming more popular? What is your favorite food to make around the holidays?

Last night we had our typical Thursday night run. Since I won't be doing my usual long weekend run due to our Blogger Brunch (#CRBHolidaze), I wanted to go a little longer. I didn't want to push it, but Maggie and I ran 6 miles. I wasn't even paying attention to our pace as we were deep in conversation. It really is great to have a running buddy, especially in the winter, for accountability and to help make things less boring.

Christmas is around the corner and I still have so much to do. This seems to happen every year, despite how much planning I try to do beforehand. Although, this year, I didn't get the chance to do much pre-planning. The tree is up, about half the presents are bought, and I still have a long ways to go. Oopsies. Part of the reason is that I don't know what to get folks. I often go the giftcard route if I can't decide, but I try to think of an actual gift first... And now it is also getting to be crunch time for the "free shipping" at various online retailers. And now I am anxiously awaiting several packages, hoping they arrive on time. Why do I always leave things to the last minute? My goal this year is to not have to shop on Christmas Eve. This usually ends up happening, but I'm going to try and avoid it this year, honestly. Are you a last minute shopper like me or do you get things done weeks (or days) in advance?

And I've finally decided to try Crossfit. (Although, I've heard that "You don't 'try' Crossfit. You either do it or you don't.") There is one by my house that is only $10 a try and I plan on going the week after Christmas. I could hate it (I think I might hate it) but I want to give it a try anyways (just to curb my curiosity, if anything else). If you have any tips for newbies, please let me know.

This winter I would like to have my little pup, Pepper, complete her first 5k. There have been a couple races where I've thought about it, but there ended up being not-so-great weather, dogs weren't allowed, or I wanted to PR and knew she couldn't keep up. Pepper was totally jealous of Waffles and Rex completing 5ks this past year, so we are in the search of a small, local, dog friendly 5k. If you know of one, please let me know! (If you're not sure if it is dog friendly, but it is a small and local race, I have no problems emailing the race director to ask.) :)

Goldendoodles think they are lapdogs. I guess I help perpetuate this thought.

Since every post needs a photo, here is one of me with Pepper on my lap. Yes, she tries her darndest to sit on my lap and loves the extra pets and cuddles that ensue. I think she believes she is still the same size she was when she was a puppy. Obviously, that is not the case.

I had signed up for this race awhile ago. Since my fitness has dropped off a bit in the past month, I knew a PR was out of the question. Instead, I wanted to have fun with this race. I had emailed the race director to see if dogs were allowed, in hopes of having Pepper complete her first 5k. They said dogs were not allowed (even though there ended up being more than 1 dog out on the course). I know Amanda has been doing some speedwork lately, so I had messaged her to see if she wanted me to help pace her to a PR. That didn't work out so well in February, but we decided to try it again this time.

On race day morning, it was freezing and rainy. Not really ideal racing conditions and I think we all thought about going back home and to bed. But we were all out there and ready to race anyways. This was a Christmas themed race and those are always my favorite! I drove to the race with my friend Kate S. and we met up with a bunch of other FN Runners when we got there.

Pre-Race photo with the FNRC Can you spot the bloggers??

Race day packet pickup was easy and we got the chance to warm up in the gym while waiting for the race to start. Considering the weather, this was definitely a nice perk. I found Amanda and we headed towards the start line. There weren't pace signs but we made sure to start in front of the "competitive walkers" sign.

The gun went off and my Garmin was having trouble locating satellite and getting a pace. It was clocking us at a 16:00 mile to start, which was a bit nerve wracking. I tried to make sure we didn't waste too much energy weaving. I tried to stay in front as a guide, but I told her that I would do the weaving and to try to take the straightest path forward. As I am apparently not a great pacer, we took the first mile way too fast at 8:10. Oops! I'm blaming it on my Garmin. I looked at Amanda when I realized my error, but we slowed down a bit, once I had a better gauge of our pace. The second mile had a little bit of an uphill and there was a young boy who fought hard to not get passed by us. Lol. We passed him and I tried to gauge how Amanda was doing. Her previous PR was 27:55 (about a 9:00 pace). During the second mile, I could just tell that we were going to get that PR. Despite our first mile mistake, I could tell it hadn't taken too much out of her. Having paced Amanda during our previous race (and been with her during the final miles of a few marathons), I could just tell. I think I even told her that we had this. She was going to PR, I could just feel it. We clocked our 2nd mile at about 8:40. That was much more comfortable.

Thanks to a running group friend, we were able to get this SWEET action shot. Look at that smile on Amanda's face! She know's what she's on pace to do. :)

For the last mile, I told Amanda that we wanted to try to pick off people as we were going along. Our goal would be to pass the person in front of us. This race was crowded enough to give that kind of motivation, but not too crowded. We passed some folks and I tried to give a range at how close we were to the finish. When we had a half mile left, I tried to continue to be motivational. (You know, typical "Kelly" energy, I guess you could call it.) We pushed towards the end. I told Amanda to "Go as fast as you can! But I know you probably already are!" Amanda admits to not having a kick so I was happy we took the 2nd half of the last mile a little quicker. The last mile was clocked at about 8:30. Amanda's Garmin finishing time was 26:12. (The race was gun timed so the official result was actually 26:22.) That is a PR by over a minute and a half. I was so happy for Amanda because I know she has working on this goal for over a year. I was so happy I could help her get there! :)

Post-Race photo... in all her PR glory! :)

I know we are all guilty of sometimes being too married to a pace that it holds you back. I'm kind of glad we took the first mile too fast. Amanda even said that her Garmin was clocking us at 8:10 and there was no way that could be right. It was right, lol.

After the race, we headed back to the gym, hung around and enjoyed the post race swag. There was soup, hot chocolate, pizza, Powerade, ClifBars, and cheese. I didn't try much of the food because we had planned to go out to breakfast afterwards. Quite a few folks in our running group got some awards (including a big PR and age group award for Maggie!) so it was definitely a great day for the club. After some cheering and photos it was time for breakfast.

In summary, I think this was a good race and I would probably do it again. I only wish it would I've been chip timed from the start. With so many people (about 400 participants), it definitely disadvantaged the average runner, who wouldn't start near the very front. The warming area and post race swag were some of the biggest perks.

Thank you for the support over the past few days/weeks/months as I have been studying for the big exam and haven't been around much. Special thanks to all my guest posters (Amy, Andrea, Paulette, Lisa, Maggie, Amanda, and Nicole) that made things easier on me when I didn't have the time or energy to post. I'm happy to be back with the living in more ways than one.

Things on the running front have not been what they once were. I've been running a dismal 2 days a week for the past month. I knew this would happen, and I think my legs were happy for the break. I have a big 2013 planned, so I'm ready to start tuning things up again in December. I was happy I was able to at least get in a few miles here and there to help relieve some of the stress and anxiety along the way.

I am signed up for the Jingle Bell 5k in Kankakee next weekend. A huge group from our running club is going to be there and I'm looking forward to hanging out with everyone! I know I'm not going to PR so I offered to try and help my friend Amanda to a PR. We will see what the day brings, but I think she can do it. :) We all plan on wearing wacky Christmas sweaters and sparkle skirts to the race. I'm no stranger to wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, while running or in public.

What is the goofiest outfit you've ever worn to a race or group fun run?

Yesterday I worked from home and was able to multi-task while also doing things around the house. I'm really hating the "Outlook" app that defaults in the internet browser. I can't seem to get anything done! I might have to go into the office a bit tomorrow to update my time card since I can't do it from home. :(

Since I was around, I was able to meet up with FNRC for their weekly Wednesday run at 5pm. Since Pepper was bored, she came too! (Photo credit: Maggie at Run for Pi(e))

From Left to Right: Megan, Jeni, me, Pepper, and Maggie

We finished 4.0 miles in 38:33 with an average pace of 9:38. That includes stop for traffic and the turnaround. I tried out my homemade ponytail hat (crafty idea courtesy of RFP) and it worked out perfectly. I felt good (no ankle issues) and the dog did a really good job!! She didn't start off super fast like usual so it was a lot easier to keep a steady pace. She even had on her blinking light too! I also got to see how the infamous Knuckle Lights operate and I must say that I was impressed. However, I'm not sure how they would work if I am also holding a leash.

After the run, I went to the movies and saw New Years Eve. It was cute but kind of  celebrity overload. There were so many different storylines going on, I wasn't really a fan. However, I now want to see Valentine's Day just because. :) The hardest I laughed at the whole movie was at the Muppets reminder to turn off your cell phone. I was literally laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. My 2 SILs weren't as amused as I was.



As I previously mentioned, I participated in a few virtual races on Christmas Eve (a 10k and 5k). I didn't win a prize for the 5k, HOWEVER.... I did win a prize for the 10k! Steph at Run for Fun worked with a few other bloggers to put on this race. The prizes were donated and I ended up winning best dressed (tied with another runner) for this ensemble.
I'm sure you're wondering "Kelly! Where did you find such a fantastic outfit?? That sweater is amazing!" My response is simple. I always like to stay up-to-date with the latest fashions. That is why I always pick up the finest Christmas attire at the thrift store.

The prize is a pair of Five Bamboo Cropped Leggings. I've never tried their products before so I will be sure to post a review once I've given them a good workout. I'm so excited! What types of blogger giveaways have you won?

In celebration of the Christmas holiday, I was off work on Monday. To celebrate, I went over to my dad's house for breakfast, tried to catch up on laundry, and was lazy. I spent most of the day wearing the Santa Snuggie we received in our random grab bag. Here are some more photos from our lovely Christmas Eve and morning!

I plan on wearing that all winter long.

Yes, my husband crosses his eyes in every photo

Family photo!

As you can tell, I'm obsessed with my dog. We got matching pajamas.

Normally I don't get home from work until 6:15 so I am never able to make the fun runs at Running for Kicks that start at 6 every Monday. However, I was able to make it out in time for my first run with the group. When I got there, I was acting shy as I didn't know anyone there and everyone seemed to know each other. Then Joe arrived and Amanda soon after. Because we run through the streets of Palos, I thought it would be fun to bring the pup and get in her run for the week as well. Special thanks to Judy for taking these photos!

Amanda and I ran the whole 4.35 miles together, with the dog as well in 41:57. She (the dog, not Amanda) had a rough first quarter mile (shocking, right?) with lots and lots of pulling (she wanted to run with the 7 min mile group apparently). After the group spread out a bit, we found our stride. As I'd like to take her to a race eventually, I want to try to get her used to running with a group while still listening to me. I figure the more we practice, the better she'll be! (We're going to try another attempt on Wednesday.) It was great running with Amanda again, post injury report. I'm getting excited for Christie Clinic training!! In the end, I was happy to turn a lazy Monday into a productive one, ending the day with a good run.

Now, it's back to work for the next few days. But I'm going to try to work from home Wednesday through Friday. My boss told me to use my discretion. Considering how slow and bored I already am (before 9am), that is the definite plan.

What types of workouts do you usually do on Mondays? Group runs? Cross training? Rest days? I usually like to start off the week with a weights workout, to start off the week "strong." (Pun intended.)

Friday I took another rest day to give my ankle a break. I took the day off of work and was able to finish all of my Christmas shopping by 9pm... Just in time for Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve morning I met up with the F'N runners for a virtual 10k. We were all asked to wear Christmas attire to get into the holiday spirit. I had a tough decision to make.

I ended up going with the white one. Considering the temperatures were in the 20s, I was verry happy to have had that vest. But, I don't know if my outfit was festive enough in the end...
We completed the 10k and even did a little more. We completed a total distance of 7.12 miles in 1:09 with an average pace of 9:37 including a stop at the turnaround, a stop to blow my nose, and several hills there and back. My ankle felt fine during the run which I was pretty happy about. It was a great run with some great folks!! We then met up at Starbucks to consume more of those calories we just burned off and exchanged and ate cookies. I must say, there are some fine bakers in the F'N Running Club!

Christmas Eve was full of some good news with my Aunt getting engaged! She is in her mid-50s and has never been married so we're pretty excited. It has been a long time in the making! Toph (the husband) and I exchanged gifts Christmas morning before going over to his parents house. I'm most excited about my gift certificate to Running for Kicks! I'm definitely going to use it to buy a new pair of shoes in January or February.

What was your favorite running/runnerd gift you received for Christmas? Mine was a running vest, complete with a reflective strip and pockets that zip.

Yesterday I continued my Christmas shopping on my lunch break and thankfully I am almost done! I'm debating taking off work on Friday since 1) no one will really be here and 2) I still have tons to do!

Last night I met up with my friend Sharon who is in town for Christmas from Florida. She is originally from the Chicago area but currently lives in Florida with her Air Force husband. She is not yet used to the Chicago weather and misses that Florida sunshine! Last time we hung out over the summer, we went out to dinner and then planned on going for a run together. She knew I was training for the marathon and I was her motivation to get out on the trail and get in some miles while in town. Now, it has become sort of a mini tradition for us to hang out and go for a run when she comes home. Last night was the continuation of this tradition as she came by around 6:30 (I just will never make a meeting with the F'N runners at 5pm) and we went for a 5 mile run with the pup.

I am kicking myself for not taking a photo of us together, so a picture of our stats will have to do!



The weather last night was gorgeous for a run, in the mid-low 40s. If any of you have ever run with a dog, you know that they mainly have 2 speeds. Super fast sprint and slow as molasses. Like me, Pepper (the dog) likes to start of really fast so it took a little while to get her into a steady pace. Once we got moving, about a 1/2 mile in, she finally got the hang of it and stopped trying to jump up in Sharon's face while also chewing her leash. Our splits were pretty consistent, all things considered, and we leisurely enjoyed looking at the Christmas lights. Towards the final stretch, all of a sudden Sharon says "There's another dog!" As I glance, an adorable bulldog starts running towards Pepper to greet her, across the street as a car is coming. Thankfully the car saw the dog and slowed down. The bulldog was friendly so it made the greeting much easier, but I felt bad as the owner comes running over and thanks us. We had to stop and make sure everything was okay, just as I hope any other dog owner would do if our dog did the same thing! Ironically, the bulldog had a "Bad to the Bone" dog collar, as the owner was dragging it across the street by its collar saying "Bad dog!" Since I'm a crazy dog person, I apologize if this is too long to be talking about a dog greeting, but I just had to share!

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I slipped and fell on the trail during the last mile of our run last Saturday. I ran a 5k on Sunday and felt fine. However, during my run yesterday, my ankle started bothering me during the last mile. I ran through it since it wasn't severe and massaged it when I got home. I am now sitting at my desk, icing it in hopes that will make things better. It doesn't hurt when I walk or sit still but I don't want this to become an injury. I plan on using the foam roller on it today or tomorrow, and I plan on resting the next 2 days. I might do some cross training tomorrow, if there is time.

Now, I will leave you with a video of one of my favorite Christmas songs. I never get sick of it and HAVE to play it on full volume in my car. I'm not joking.


Do you have friends that you like to run with when they come to town? Who is your favorite running buddy? If you have a dog, do they run with you (and do you have the same pace issues as me)?

Every year my work friends and I would meet up at the Chriskindle market in Chicago and eat a delicious potato pancake lunch. Yesterday was this glorious day. I looked forward to it all morning and it certainly lived up to expectations!

Potato pancake lunch (already ate 1 before I took this pic)

When I got home from work last night Toph (the husband) had made dinner. Fake meat chicken breast, grilled zucchini, and mac and cheese. It was delicious and totally hit the spot. After dinner we got in my car and drove around to look at Christmas lights. I had a few places I wanted to stop (such as Candy Cane Lane in Mokena and a few mansions in New Lenox). Then, we heard about the cool lights at Odyssey Fun World. "Cool" is an understatement. When you pull up, there is a sign telling you to change to a specific radio station. Yes, the lights then blink and correspond to the music! It was really awesome to watch and I highly recommend it to anyone that lives in the area. Even our dog stood still for 5 minutes to watch (I think she was just confused).

After dinner and our excursion, it was time to hit the gym. Since my weekend schedule was a little hectic, I did some weights and went for a run after. I tried a variation of the progression run I saw in RW.

I don't know if it was because I ran after lifting or the incline was too high (I usually run at 1.0 or 1.5. This time it was at 1.5) but those 2.25 miles seemed much harder than usual. I like the idea of a progression run though. With my race experience over the weekend where I started out too fast (and this is not the first time this has happened), I think this patience thing is something I need to work on. I shall try this workout again!

After the run, I decided to hop on the spin bike for a tune and do some workouts I remembered from spin class. I got through one song (David Guetta and Usher's "Without You") and decided I was tired and it was time to go home. When I got home I had just enough time to brush my teeth and go to bed before 10pm. I would consider that a productive day! Granted, the house is still a mess, laundry still needs to be done, the dog needs a bath, and I still have to buy Christmas presents.... but there are only so many hours in a day.

In other news, I received an email this morning from MarathonFoto telling me that all my Shamrock Shuffle race photos can be found in one place. Since my race photos are split between my married name and maiden name, I was pretty pumped to see the photos from my first Shamrock Shuffle in 2007 (still waiting to hear back about my 2008 photos). I don't know what was up with my hair that day/week/year, but these photos made me smile, big time.

How far back do you have race photos? Have your photos gotten better with age or worse? My race face is still the same! (Then: 2007, Now: 2011) Haha

Yesterday I decided to take a rest day. My husband and I spent the night sitting on the couch, sharing a Red Baron pizza, watching Aladdin. I can't think of a more perfect evening, to be honest.

Since I've been posting a few recipes lately, I'll leave you with another one instead of a normal blog post. I absolutely love pot pies. They are my favorite thing in the whole world. A few weeks back I found a recipe online for pot pie pockets. On Sunday night, I whipped up these bad boys in less than a half hour (prep and baking). All you need is some crescent rolls (I keep several tubes of the seamless stuff on hand), can of vegetables, can of cream of mushroom soup, and meat. Since the husband is a vegetarian, I cooked up 2 fake chicken breasts to cut up and include as well. I spread out the dough and fill up the pockets until they can barely close (as opposed to following the specific portions on the recipe card). They baked for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Mine wasn't hot enough (I like my food scolding), but my husband thought the temperature was perfect.

Either way, this is a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey and whip up if you're short on time. What's your favorite quick and easy recipe?

ALSO, if you're bored and looking for a laugh, send a call from Santa to all of your friends! Merry Christmas!