Merry Merry Joy Joy

I hope the holidays are treating you well. 

Clearly I've been a little delayed in my blogging. In fact, everything about this trip has felt a bit sluggish. I have been struggling to be motivated to do the full amount of my training.

Seriously how do people stay on these things? And I used to love spin class, but now the stationary bike bores me nearly as much as the treadmill. I know I have a lot of excuses. And I also know that I am the only one that suffers if I don't get the training in. So needless to say, I'm a bit scared of getting back to the training in January if I can't get my act together this week. 

Thanks to the free download from RunPrettyFar found here I've already written out my January training. 

Maybe I shouldn't have totaled the miles, but the handy dandy "Monthly Mileage" section was too tempting to leave blank! 

506.5 MILES!!!

Seriously. Again, this is why I'm nervous about what has been a pretty lazy week around here. 

I forgot how the gray, rain and cold affects my mood. Seasonal affective disorder anyone? It's real and it's hitting me hard up here! 

Luckily the hipsters are keeping me entertained. 

Stole this from a friend, but it's pretty accurate! 

Since I haven't been so good about training, what have I been doing? A lot of reading. For pleasure! I'm already on my fourth book over break. 

Where'd You Go, Bernadette has to be one of my favorites of the break. Written by, about and for Seattleites everywhere, this book had me smiling and nodding so many times. The main character is not a fan of Seattle, and I would say her descriptions are accurate, I just like the quirks she disdains.

This really does paint a great Seattle picture for those of you who aren't familiar with our fair city: 

"The motto of this city should be the immortal words spoken by that French field marshal during the siege of Sebastopol, 'J'y suis, j'y reste' - 'I am here, and here I shall remain.' People are born here, they grow up here, they go to the University of Washington, they work here, they die here. Nobody has a desire to leave. You ask them, 'What is it again that you love so much about Seattle?' and they answer, 'We have everything. The mountains and the water.' This is their explanation  mountains and water."

I don't know how many times since I moved to Florida that I have found myself longing for the mountains. And though the Gulf is near, I have never lived somewhere where I see the water so infrequently! 

I haven't seen the movie, but I am currently picking my way through The Rum Diary. A little bit because it was on sale for $5 and a little bit because it takes place in San Juan, Puerto Rico! Perhaps I should not prepare for our trip to San Juan with this book, but it is interesting to read a story set in a location you are soon to visit. Just need to remind myself that it's fiction... 

It's not the holidays without a few gastronomic indiscretions (aka another reason I feel like a slob): 

Fortunately a plan for an afternoon at the gym prevented me from eating like I gave a damn at Portage Bay Cafe. 

Chai and soy milk oat meal - yum! And it is even vegan. 

That is it was, until I added some whip cream from the toppings bar. The only whip cream I'll eat! Might have been the smallest amount of fruit/toppings I've ever gotten. Like I said, I was trying to be good! These oats were good. Gave me some ideas for future oatmeal breakfasts. 

I know you really just want to know what I got for Christmas! Well, my half ironman is my gift from my father. Got that one squared away back in October! From my mom I am getting the money to participate in Ragnar and I also got this sweet tri-suit! I was super nervous it wouldn't fit because it is an x-small. Hello - my tri shorts are a medium!!! Somehow I fit into it and can't wait to try it out back in Florida! 

Who decides the sizing of clothes anyways? Whoever they are, they seem to cause a lot of undue stress in my life. Rude. 

Besides that it's been a very casual Christmas. Joined a friend and her family for Christmas Eve dinner last night, then caught up with a few friends from high school. Woke early for breakfast and a game of scrabble with my mom before heading out to a matinee (This is 40). Now snuggled on the couch, watching 30 Rock and blogging to you wonderful people. 

I believe dinner with be a squash dish, accompanied by a kale and brussels sprouts salad. Yum. 

Merry ChristmaHannaKwanzaDan and Happy Holidays to all. Hopefully you are spending the day with people you love. I'm feeling guilty for the lack of sweating lately, so I promise both you and (more importantly) myself to get after it tomorrow! 

xoxo Sweat&Sparkle 

How do you get out of a work-out funk? How do you keep yourself on track training when you are on vacation? What did you get for ChristmaHannaKwanzaDan this year?