Dopey Challenge Training Week 22 It's Turkey Time

My first run of the week didn’t happen until Wednesday. I needed some down time after such a busy month. I went in late to work, because our Interim GM left for the holiday and I have “Manager” duty until 8:00pm……. The day before Thanksgiving. 

 

I used this late morning to get my run in as well as decorating the house for the Christmas holiday. After work I went to bed early, because I need to be up at the crack of dawn to prepare the turkey and get ready for the annual Turkey trot.

 

And that’s just what I did. Thanksgiving morning after I seasoned the turkey I put on my Pilgrim costume and headed out to the Turkey Trot. Burn the calories before consuming the calories

This time of year always reminds me of the time when my son was very young and I used to take him to all the different churches and synagogues, houses of worship, etc. around Spokane to educate him on all the other ways people serve the lord. I did this because I wanted him to know there were more religious then just Catholic. One year we visited the Jewish temple during their annual open house. I love doing this every year, because it is so beautiful. The music, dancing and food were all so amazing. They also have a meal after their service and then we exit into a “gift shop”. It’s one of the ways they raise money. I bought him a dreidel and a gefilte fish flashlight. He was in preschool at the time and during one of their show and tells he brought his Jewish toys and somehow convenience all the kids as well as the preschool teacher that we were Jewish. I was not aware of this at the time, however when we entered the month of December that year, I received a Hanukah card from the teacher. When I confronted by sweet boy, he confessed to telling everyone he was Jewish. OMG!

 

So as a joke many years later, I bought my son a Mensch on a Bench, same concept as Elf on a Shelf. I would start hiding our Mensch 8 days prior to Christmas to keep with the Hanukkah theme. 

 

This year my son volunteer to help organize the Thanksgiving Turkey trot and I think he did that to get out of running it with me. After the race I showered, changed into something warm and enjoyed our Thanksgiving feast. 

 

I went to bed pretty early after our celebration because one of my best friends and I always get up at 3:30am the morning after Thanksgiving and head out for black Friday shopping. 

 

We usually stay out most of the day and try to get to bed early again because………………

 

The civil war games are the next day. Not the normal civil war, but the college football rivalry between the University of Oregon ducks and Oregon State Beavers. Now,  neither my friend nor I went to either of these schools, so I really don’t know when the tradition of celebrating this started or if we just needed an excuse for a party.

 

The Training plan went out the window this week, so I need to get serious or I’ll be in serious trouble! With most everything done, expect Christmas I will be able to concentrate on my running, because we are getting scary close to Dopey. 

Check out all the fun during Week 22, just Click here!

Dopey Challenge Training - Week 21 Sewing Selling Saving

The week started with the first snow of the season this meant my first run will be inside. This week is also the week I do my largest and longest craft fair of the year. It’s a three day event with the day before used for setup. This means all my training runs have to be done early and all three days in a row because once Thursday arrives I am MIA for Training. 

 

My house is also a complete mess which really bothers me, but I’m trying to put up some of my holiday decorations. 

 

Why I feel this needs to be done on the busiest week of the year is a mystery. I did manage to put my Christmas tree up, although it’s not decorated yet. I also got some laundry done. I’m working on our Thanksgiving menu but I’m starting to feel a little overwhelmed with so much to do.

 

The dogs are loving the Snow, of course they’re Huskies. They live for this time of year. They would stay out all night if I let them. 

 

At the end of this week all my craft fairs are done for the year! This weekend I sold almost all of my inventory, which I’m supposed to be happy about, but I worked so hard sewing all through the shut down during COVID to build up an enormous supply that the thought of starting from square one is exhausting. But I have to do it, because the payoff is great. 

 

These craft shows pay for all my Disney running trips (race registration, hotel, park tickets, flight and food). So I’m going to take a month off and then start the sewing again. I am setting some of the profits aside for a Black Friday purchase I’ve been wanting for a few years, an indoor exercise bike.

 

I’m feeling much more pain in my right leg and now my left foot is hurting, I think from being on my feet for the past two weekends. I’m hoping I can get my bike purchased and delivered soon after Thanksgiving, because I want to replace some of those training runs for biking in the hopes of healing before Dopey! Wish me luck!

Check out Week #21 by clicking here!

Dopey Challenge Training - Week 20 Recoup and Regroup

This week I was busy washing travel clothes, cleaning my house from our Disney trip and getting caught up at work.

 

I also have 2 craft fairs to get ready for and I am also starting to feel some pain in my right leg. I’m hoping it just from over use at the Wine and Dine races and walking around the parks. So I’m going to take it easy with my training this week. First run was a 45 minute walk followed by stretching and foam rolling. 

  

Bright and early Saturday Morning I was off to Mead high school for my weekend craft show. Thank goodness for my son and his girlfriend for helping me set up on Friday night.  

 

Treadmill for second run after the craft show was supposed to be 6 miles, but all I had in me was 3 miles. I was so tired from being on my feet all day I just couldn’t do any more than that. 

 

 

Back at selling my aprons Sunday morning and was very pleased with my $700 profit.

 

I packed everything up in my car and decided not to unpack since in three days I’ll be doing the largest craft show in Spokane. Custer’s Holiday craft fair. I did the Spring show right before everything shut down because of Covid, and I did really well. So I am very excited for this Holiday show since I’ve heard its more people attend this one than the Spring show. However, this means I have to drive around with a car full of craft crap and not be able to see very well. Oh well.

 

I only did two runs in this week because it was just too hectic and I was simply too tired. I’m okay with that since my leg was really hurting from standing all weekend I thought a rest was deserved. 

Check out Week 20 on my YouTube, just click here!

Dopey Challenge Training - Week 19 We're going to Disney World

I had planned to do my first training run on Monday so I could use Tuesday to pack for Wine and Dine. Well….. Halloween (Sunday) I was in bed with cluster migraines, this pushed my training run back to Tuesday. If you’ve never experience cluster migraines, I hope you never do. They are one migraine followed by another by another…. Well you get the point.  Even on my Tuesday run, I did not feel 100%, but I pulled myself together and got it done. I always feel better after a run, even when I’m sick. 

 

After my run, I did all my packing because Wednesday is departure day to Disney!! I’m using the three Wine/Dine races in place of the scheduled training runs.  And that extra 8.5 walk on the training plan, well I know I’ll exceed that in the parks.

 

Landing at Orlando airport was such a wonderful feeling. To be back and heading to Disney, I thought just kiddos got this excited. But, with the long pandemic hiatus of races I am ready to see and do everything Disney!

We stayed at Coronado Springs resort, we haven’t stayed there since the remodel and WOW is it awesome. We had dinner at Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago and margaritas of course. 

I had so much fun being back in Disney and it was very emotional at that first start line of the 5K. I’m not embarrassed to say I actually teared up when the fireworks went off AND when I crossed the finish line.

 

I ended up buying a race themed sparkle skirt and visor at the Expo to wear for the Half Marathon. I was okay with that, because the 5K and 10K were so cold and raining that when the morning of the half rolled around I was done with it all and was in no mood to wear a costume. 

 

After completing all the races, my son and I participated in our own challenge. We had purchased an “Around the World” challenge medal for snacking and drinking around Epcot. 

 

We had so much fun eating and drinking in an effort to complete the one mile challenge. The lines were crazy long so we did not complete all the flags on our medal, but it was sure fun trying. 

To watch Week 19 and all the fun we had at the food festival click here!