Hi there!
Thank you for sharing all of your comments and personal stories today on my Always trust your gut post. Unfortunately, many women have either felt vulnerable or been in an unfortunate situation, but I think the fact that we are having this discussion will do a lot of good. It will help keep us safe, aware, and open to new ideas to help protect our safety.
Eric and I didn’t have much luck finding any personal safety items in stores today so we ended up ordering online. I purchased Sabre Dog Spray (which is legal in Canada) and a Street Defense Personal Safety Alarm that clips on to a waist-band. I figured the waistband would be the most practical place for me to put an alarm because I will likely be carrying the dog spray in my hand. I plan on bringing both items on my runs from now on.
When the items arrive, I will be blogging about them and letting you know what I think!
I also got around to updating my Half marathon and Try-a-tri training plan, which can be found below, on my Run page, or by clicking here.
I started my half marathon training on February 1st. This training plan morphed into half-marathon + try-a-tri training shortly after our announcement on April 12th.
Since February 1st, I have had 37 rest days, which averages out to being 2.46 rest days per week.
This included a week off from my groin pull and exercise ‘funk’. It pays to rest your body! Today was a rest day as well.
~~~
Last night’s birthday celebration was fun!
We went out for Mexican food…yum.
I started off with a huge beer:

Followed by my weight in salsa and chips.

For my main, I ordered veggie fajitas.
Look at this steaming veggie skillet!

BOOM.

The veggies were fried in lots oil and they tasted sooooo good.
I also ate my weight in fajitas. I lose all hunger cues when I order fajitas and I just eat until I am stuffed and can’t move. It happens every time!

Oh guacamole, how I love you.

But boy did I get stomach pains later from the garlic (I can’t digest garlic well). Gets me every time.

I had 4 fajitas and I couldn’t move. Either could the rest of my family. I was in good company.

After dinner, we went back to my brother-in-laws and we exchanged gifts for 1) Mother’s Day, 2) My father-in-law’s birthday, and 3) My birthday.
We had a grand ‘ol time.
My brother-in-law, Dave, looking thrilled to have his picture taken.

My brother-in-law Steve (looking less thrilled) and Joanne (thrilled). :biggrin:

My mother-in-law Margaret and my sister-in-law Ewa on the far right (ignoring the photographer).

Not sure where my father-in-law was when these pics were taken! Hiding?!
BENNY (thrilled, but wishing you would scratch his head)

Like most Goldens, Benny will be your best friend if you so much as look his way. Or just stand in his relative vicinity (within a 2 mile radius).
I got some lovely and very thoughtful gifts!

- Measuring cups
- Bike tune up kit
- Bike pump
- Padded Chef’s mat from Costco (oh my feet will be HAPPY come Monday!!! yippee)
and some lovely dish towels.

Tomorrow is my actual birthday. The big TWO SEVEN on the oh five, one six, twenty-ten. Tomorrow, Eric tells me what we are doing is a surprise. Sounds exciting!
We are celebrating my birthday next weekend with friends, so the festivities will continue on another week. Just the way I like it. :tongue:
Enjoy your night!
I love this post, someimes you gotta just indulge and enjoy it at the moment! Love the chef mat also! If only I lived in canada I would so work for your bakery and help you concoct awesome things. Move to ny :P Anyway I hope you have an awesome birthday !
Happy early birthday. Hope you have a good day and an amazing surprise.
There’s really nothing better than a good platter of Mexican food. Yum!
Sounds like so much fun! Guacamole is the best when it’s like that, super fresh!
Happy early birthday!
I always eat my weight tortilla chips and salsa. We always had the Que Pesa brand growing up, alllwaayyss, it was the one thing that you could be sure would be in our kitchen, and whenever I get my hands on chips and salsa it’s big time comfort food!
I hope you have a wonderful day, girl! :)
Happy Early Birthday!!! Glad you had a good time!! :)
Bring me into a Mexican restaurant and I am uncontrollable! haha the chips, oh the chips! Too bad I live in San Diego and there is a mexican restaurant on every corner. ;-) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope your day is amazing and I’m glad you’re okay after yesterday’s fiasco!
Have a GLOWING Birthday! Have fun with whatever awesome surprise Oh He Glows has for you, and enjoy the continued festivities!
Angela, Have a wonderful birthday! I also loose all cues when I’m around chips and salsa…it’s just something about mexican food!
Happy early birthday! How fun that you get to enjoy it now, tomorrow, and next week as well. That’s the way to do it. I’m excited to hear what the surprise is.
Thanks for sharing the information about the personal defense items. You REALLY got me thinking about this and how I would like to get some of these too (I have been chased by more dogs than I can count). About the “street defense personal safety alarm”, how did you decide on that one, over other similar items? I was also noticing this one: http://www.streetdefender.com/cgi-bin/catalog.pl?catalog=0 which seems to be smaller and more compact. Just curious how you decided on the one you got, as you’ve obviously done the research, please share how you came to your decision. Thanks for bringing this to light…I have similar concerns and often get very indignant that as women we have to fear for our safety. Guys don’t seem to have the same risks and can just go out for a run just about anytime or anywhere and not really worry about their safety simply becaue they are GUYS. But females absolutely cannot do the same thing. Such is life I suppose, but thanks again for sharing your safety ideas on this.
I looked at that one too, but it didn’t seem to have the belt hook that I was looking for. I think the website has a FAQ page too with more info about the different kinds.
Happy birthday! My gosh, I feel young. ;)
Yay for birthdays! I hope you take the day off tomorrow and enjoy ringing in the big 2.7 : ) Love the pea towels – super cute!
Happy birthday, Angela!
Happy birthday SIL. Hope my brother spoils you tomorrow
Glad you see safe and sound after your adventures in the woods
I ate my weight in cheese pizza, frozen yogurt and candy today. Good thing tomorrow is a new day!
Im the same way with fajitas, when I eat them I eat until I cant move. Theyre just so good!
I’m SO glad you were okay from the scary happenings on the run. Also glad you found some safety items to carry along with you. I didn’t realize we are pretty much exactly the same age. I’m 27 on July 3rd :) Happpppppppppy Birthday!!! It looks like your gifts were perfect and how fun to celebrate all of those different occasions. I’ve decided it’s pretty much IMpossible to not eat a whole basket of chips while out for Mexican. Just one of those thing…I have the same problem with fajitas. Glad you had a good night with the fam and can’t wait to see what Eric has in store!! Have an awesome relaxing fun day!!!! xo
Oh, the veggies look YUM! I love salsa, guacamole, etc. Mexican is my fave – so good!
I tweeted your post on the women’s intuition and self-defense. Thanks for sharing your experience, and your heart. That’s such a beautiful – and very important – post!
And Happy Birthday, girl! Hope it’s the bestest ever!!!!
Healthy hugs,
Michele