October Instagram Challenge: #Octogram with #Parkesdale

Disclaimer: This Instagram #Octogram #Parkesdale photo challenge is a sponsored collaborative effort between the Tampa Bay Bloggers and Parkesdale Farm Market. Other than prizes to be awarded as giveaways for the Instagram photo challenge, the Tampa Bay Bloggers did not receive any compensation for this campaign.

Halloween is kind of my thing.

So when discussions began among Tampa Bay Bloggers about co-hosting a Halloween-themed Instagram challenge, I was totally in.

Starting on October 1, I'm co-hosting my first October Instagram Challenge with the Tampa Bay Bloggers. 

 

Follow each of these bloggers on Instagram and the hashtags #Octogram and #Parkesdale.

 

The #Octogram Hosts – Blogs and Instagram IDs

Parkedale Farm Market – @parkesdale

Tampa Bay Bloggers – @TBbloggers

Denise of Run DMT – @Run_DMT

Scotty of Dads Who Change Diapers – @diaperdad

Life as Dad – @lifeasdad

Haley of Running with Diapers – @runningwithdiapers

Caroline of My Fascinating Life – @carolinecalcote

Tara of Everyday Ramblings of My Life – @tfunair

Jenny of Metamorfit – @metamorfit

Nanci of This Crazy Life of Mine – @auntnanci

Jina of Behold the Turtle – @behold_turtle

Stacey at Artsnark’s Artifacts – @Artsnark

Crystal of Thrifty and Frugal Living – @Latsyrc728

Beth of Making, Baking and Creating – @anasilan

Lydia of Running Wild(er) – @Wildlyd

Raffi of Running Betty – @rafdarrow

Mindy of Mindy’s Fitness Journey – @mindyartze

Carlee of Frugal and Fun Mom – @frugalandfunmom

Bonnie of Not So Modern Housewife – @notsomodern

April of Pixiedust Savings – @pixiedustsavings

To join in the freaky October Instagram Challenge photo fun, add your Instagram ID to the linky collection below. Then each day in October, snap a photo using the suggested photo prompt for that day and upload it to Instagram with the hashtags #Octogram and #Parkesdale.

Everyone who Instagrams and plays along will be entered for a chance to win a gift fruit basket from Parkesdale Farm Market valued at $65.90. TWELVE lucky winners (only eligible to USA and Canada residents) entered in linky tool below will be randomly selected on November 1.

We’ll be watching for your photos from the shadows of Instagram. 

Do you like Halloween? Are you going to join in the challenge? Let me know!

This week in running: week 11

I'm finally settling into that groove where I'm not panicking about my lack of progress. Why? Because I'm progressing! I'm finally at that point where all of the training clicks. Yay! It can get exhausting doubting yourself and your abilities.

Tuesday

Oh 800-meter repeats, you may be the first speed work that I haven't really cared for.

We only did four so that we could spend more time on stretching, and I'm thankful that we did. I didn't really feel like I needed extra stretching (although it can't hurt, right?), but I'm just glad we didn't have to run more of these things. 

I actually got progressively faster (as you're supposed to do ... shocking, I know)! And, I blew my last one out. Like it was WAY faster than the others. I get to the last one and know it's the last one, so I just go crazy. Maybe I should spread that craziness out over the other ones? 

Total: 3.4 miles

Thursday

Oh, the dreaded tempo run. We had to deal with 60 minutes of you (well, it actually ended up being 55 minutes ... oops). 

Not only do I have issues with tempo runs, but Sandy started causing gusty conditions in Florida this day. Like, really gusty. I'm not a fan of running in strong winds, I decided. This made for a difficult, slow run.

It's nice to have a waterfront running route – except when it's windy.

We ran out for 30 minutes and then back the same way. The only problem: a 5K was occurring on our route on the way back. It was an evening Halloween-themed race. Normally, I'd be all about it, but it was dark, and the runners had to run on brick roads. Clumsy me does not need to be running on brick roads in the daylight, let alone at dark. We stuck to the sidewalk, but it was still kind of crazy with water stations and additional people. I hate dodging people and things – it wears me out.

Total: 4.5 miles

Sunday

We had 11 miles on the schedule, but I did the Halloween Halfathon because I'm an overachiever. Not really. I just love Halloween, costumes and races.

It wasn't my best, but it wasn't my worst. I was hoping to do better, but I'll take it. You can check out my recap (and costume) here. 

My first running costume

 Total: 13.1 miles
  
How was your week? Have you ever done 400-meter repeats? Do you like them? Do you like tempo runs? How do you deal with running in windy conditions? Have you run a Halloween race? Did you dress up? 

The wrong food encourages randomness

Yesterday, some food item I ate made me sick. I'm not sure how to narrow it down and determine what it is so I never eat it again.

It could have been the Mexican food we ordered out for lunch. Or the chicken, black beans and rice sample I tried at the grocery store after work. Or the hummus and tomatoes I had for dinner. Or those five fun-size pieces of candy I ate (it was Halloween, you know). Ahem,  pretend you didn't read that.

I'm betting on the grocery store sample. No way it was candy. No way.

Whatever it was made me miserable last night into today. Thankfully, I'm feeling better. That is the only good thing about food poisoning: it's over quick.

While my body (and mind) recovers, I'll leave you with some bits of randomness.

• I'm the featured blogger at Fitblogger today! Check it out ... if only for the sole reason of seeing a picture of me with my hair down.  
• In a week, I'll be preparing to head to Texas to see my Alma mater (and No. 2 team in the nation), Kansas State, take on the TCU Horned Frogs. I haven't been to an away game since college (a LONG time ago). It should be interesting since both schools' colors are purple.

Victorious in enemy territory (I didn't wet my pants; it poured
the entire game).

• Then, on Dec. 1, my boyfriend and I will be in Kansas to see Kansas State take on Texas. Hopefully, they'll still be undefeated and in that No. 2 (or 1?) spot. It should be a fun game, if only for the fact that my brother despises the University of Texas and our seats are by the Texas ramp. Texas players and coaches walk by us each time they head on or off the field ... and my brother isn't afraid to taunt them. I'll do the horns down symbol, but that's about it. I despise other teams much more (hello, University of Kansas and University of Oklahoma).

Source

• I love holidays. I love traditions. So, I can't believe I let one drop. Well, yes I can. I got so burnt on carving pumpkins last year with this disastrous, difficult pattern that I didn't even bother this year. Kinda sad, but I can still feel the irritation so I figured it best to not have sharp carving tools in hand.

• After seeing all the costume photos (from friends and celebrities), I now have all of these ideas for costumes for next year. Unfortunately, I won't remember any of them and will start wondering what I'm going to be for Halloween next September. Oh, well. That's part of the fun, I guess.

How was your Halloween? Did you avoid the candy (unlike me)? Did you carve a pumpkin? What are your traditions? What was your favorite costume you saw this year? Do you like college football? Do you go to games (home or away)?

The costume failure

I love Halloween. I love costumes. I love making my own costumes (no sewing, please). So, I was excited to go to my first Halloween party of the year last night.

It was the Abnormal Formal at a local art gallery. Two super creative friends submitted rockin' art to the event.

Theresa the Pinata with her work

Caroline, Day of the Dead pinup girl, with her work

It was a cool event with a Day of the Dead theme and a fashion show and live music.

But, what wasn't cool was my costume.

I usually love costumes, but this one just didn't work.

I built it around a pair of tights I wore on Halloween's past for a witch costume.

I love my purple- and black-striped tights!

I started thinking about what I could be. After a little Google research, I decided on a dark ballerina that quickly turned into a Black Swan-inspired ballerina. 

The tutu turned out awesome, so I was encouraged. But, then I decided I didn't like the tights with it. Then, I wondered why I was being a Black Swan-inspired ballerina in the first place. The movie was entertaining, but definitely not my favorite by any means. But, I was encouraged again when Theresa did my eye makeup.

Pretty sweet, right?

But, all put together, I think I look like a drag queen.

I'm a real girl, I swear! I'm not just dressing up as one.

Sigh.

But, on the bright side, I plan on running a race in my rockin' tutu at some point.

And, I'll have more chances to redeem myself in costume, like at my upcoming Halloween Halfathon.

Day 37 (Nov. 1)

It's race month! When I looked at the training schedule today, I didn't have to flip months to get to the race. It's in November! Now weeks away as opposed to months. And, I'm excited! Not nervous. I'm sure that will come, but as of now, I'm ready to run this thing!

Our training group plan today: run 55 minutes with five, 4-minute hard intervals with 2-minute jogs in between the hard intervals, and the remaining time is a cool down. My legs felt a little stiff to begin, but loosened up throughout the run. We had a strong wind at our backs to begin, and I think it made me super-fast (well, super-fast for me is probably what most people consider a slow jog). When we turned back, and we ran into this wind ... yeah, not so fast. But, overall, it was a good run.

Now, for randomness in bullet style:

• Do not believe the difficulty rating on those pumpkin patterns. The past few years, I've done what they consider an easy pattern, and I agreed with their rating on those (one pumpkin on a scale of one to four with one being the easiest and four being the most difficult). I thought the next logical step was to do a two pumpkin difficulty rating, and I was SO wrong.

• This thing was a PAIN. I hated transferring the pattern. I hated carving it. I hated looking at the end result. I will stick to one pumpkin designs from now on because I am remedial. Or, the pumpkin pattern creators are liars.

Yes, I screwed this thing up in a major way. Normally, I'd toothpick pieces to stick that I accidentally cut out. Normally, I'd scoop out more of the insides to make it brighter. Normally, I'd clean up my cuts to make it look sharper. I. DID. NOT. CARE. I hate this pumpkin and the process of carving it.

• Although the jack-o-lantern was a bust, I thought my dog looked adorable. This made up for all my frustration.

• Jessica Simpson is pregnant! I actually let out an audible squeal at work when the news was confirmed. I love this girl (not in a scary-stalker kind of way; more of in a she's-my-favorite celebrity kind of way). I'm so excited. Really.

Day 35 (Oct. 27)

This run sucked. I really don't have much to say about it except that I hated it.

We ran 55 minutes: 10-minute warm up, 30-minute tempo run and a 15-minute cool down. OK, maybe I was being a little harsh. I liked the warm up, but I definitely hated the rest of it.

I don't really know what went wrong. Except it was hotter than usual, and I didn't drink enough water. Oh, and I felt nauseous. Sounds like a recipe for a great run.

Since this run bit, I didn't take any photos or want to remember it in any way.

So, I'm including a happy photo. Today, we dressed as a pack of Zorros at work. It rocked.

A scary prospect

I love costumes, so Halloween is my kind of holiday. I'll dress up even if it's not Halloween, so it's nice to have a time when people don't look at me so strange. Oh, wait ... they still do. But, not because I'm wearing a costume at an inappropriate time.

This year, I have two costume parties. The first is tonight, and it's just a general costume party. I didn't know about it until late (a boyfriend's coworker's friend's party ... or something like that), so I haven't really been planning a  new costume. But, I do have plenty of options to choose from.

My next party is next Saturday, and the theme is "senior prom with a bloody twist." I have some ideas, but really haven't started on a costume for that. I'm excited about the possibilities, though.

What I'm not excited about is that both of these parties are on a Saturday night. I have long runs on Sunday mornings at 7:30 a.m., and we're getting to our longest runs of our training (10 miles each for the next two Sundays). These are important runs, but these are also important parties. So, I've got to enjoy myself at the party (with limited or no adult beverages) and call it an early night. I'm not good at that normally, but especially when costumes are involved.