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Enjoying the Run (and more) when the Break is Finally Over
Ok… so I have been absent for a really long time. January 2016 was my last post on this blog, and it was such a negative post. I would like to say that the past 20 months were easy and that I pulled out of this downward spiral with no problem, but it didn't happen. As a matter of fact, I got to the point that I quit running and working out all together. I stopped eating right, got overly sedentary, gained 20 pounds and lost my fitness.
But that's not the end. It does get better, even though it took a while for me to get myself together. I started a new job in August 2016… my dream job. I became a college professor. I am now the Assistant Professor of Marketing at West Virginia Wesleyan College. I couldn't be more excited. But it was also very challenging. Between learning this new job, prepping for classes and working on my doctorate, there just was no time for running. I gave in.
At mid-year, I decided to take a three-month hiatus from my doctorate to get better settled into the new job. It was the best move I could make. The year went well, and by the end of it, I was more organized and prepared for classes. After I got the year closed out and finished some projects over the first part of summer, I decided to hit the trail again.
It was tough…. I was starting over. I couldn't even run a mile without taking walking breaks. I was angry and disappointed at myself for letting this happen. But I was determined to keep moving forward. I was determined to carve out some time at least three time a week for some kind of workout, but would shoot for five if possible.
That was two months ago. Yesterday I ran 4.9 miles… to celebrate my 49th birthday. 🙂 Not only am I running now, but I got my old bike out and started bike riding, too. I'm waiting to get a new bike from Fat Tire Cycles, and should be riding it in the next couple of weeks. (I'm so excited!!) My husband and I purchased kayaks this summer, and we fell in love with kayaking and fishing on the nearby lake or river. I try to squeeze in at least one to two power yoga workouts each week as well. (My balance is in dyer need of it, for sure!!) This summer, we've also went horseback riding and hiking. I have so much energy now. I feel great, and I can't wait to get home to throw on some kicks, jump on the bike or stretch out on the mat.
What's the purpose of this whole post? I'm just here to tell you not to give up. It's so easy when we feel down, when life gets in the way and keeps us from doing what we want to do. But it's OK!! Sometimes, we just need to let life have it's way and tell ourselves that we will get back to doing what we love. Maybe we don't completely quit, but just settle for easing back a little until life settles down.
If you are where I just came from, don't give up! Hang in there and trust that everything will work out. If you need a break… breathe, rest, reorganize and the GO!! #EnjoyTheRun
Hopelessly Spiraling Downward
It's hard to believe it's been over 18 months since my last post. My how my life have made some radical changes in such as short period of time. My last post talked about my son in his senior year in high school. Little did I know that boy would end up joining the Navy like his big sister, Katie. So now I proudly have two sailors in the family. I'm sure you will hear more about them and their eldest sister, Brittany and her husband, Adrian. I can't help talk about my kids… they are my pride and joy.
2015 saw a lot of changes for me including some time management challenges that really hurt my running. We've been working on building a new church since late-2013, so every single Saturday (and a lot of evenings after work) was spent working on the building. It cut into my running time a lot and kept me from enjoying a lot of Saturday races.
Then, in June 2015, I enrolled in Northcentral University and started on my Doctorate of Business Administration. I had forgotten just how much time one had to devote to research, reading and writing when pursuing a graduate degree, but I was quickly reminded early in the first class. Unfortunately, it absolutely demolished my running time. I had also started lifting weights with some co-workers three mornings a week to add to my running training. However, the late nights studying and writing research papers left me too exhausted to get up at 5:00am for the early morning lifts or runs.
To add to the mix, working 45+ hours a week at a stressful job didn't help. And then I faced the heartbreaking challenges of having one sailor deployed for over nine months and traveling around the world on the aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and my other sailor (my baby and only son) leave for Navy boot camp and being away from home for longest stretch of his young life.
So I watched my workouts slowly fade. I went from running 100-mile months to almost no miles at all…. to running 15-mile long runs on Sunday to being lucky if I could get in at least one short 2-miler during the week. Lifting became non existent. I lost all my muscle tone, strength and endurance. I quickly lost weight from the loss of muscle, but then started to watch the scales go back up as the tummy fat took over. My diet consisted of overeating of junk food filled with fat and calories, and worst of all…. I had started smoking again. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally. I was unhappy in my skin and did not like the person, both the flabby physique and poor attitude, that kept looking back at me in the mirror. I looked into eyes of disgust, frustration and defeat. I was hopelessly spiraling downward quickly.
I knew I had to make changes, so I set out to re-evaluate my training, my mind, my life and my soul. Something had to change if I were to get myself back on track. I felt like I was in one of those dreams where you're running as hard and as fast as you can, but you realize you're actually running in slow motion….. feeling like you're running in water…. and getting nowhere fast. I was slowly dying inside in more ways than one. I felt lost on the trail with no hope of ever making it to the finish line. Something had to change… and it had to change quickly.
Have you ever felt like you were in that running dream…. heavy, slow and motionless?? When too many things were crashing down on you and you couldn't run away??
How did you handle it? My next post will share some of the things I did to pull myself back up, straighten out my life and get back to doing what I loved to do….. run.
Check back in soon to read my resolutions. Until then…. enjoy the run!!
Too Many Irons in the Fire
WOW….I knew I hadn't posted for a while, but didn't realize how long it had been. February 23rd was my last post. I had intentionally taken some time off as my scheduled just got a little crazy recently. I work a full-time job as a facility director for a correctional training academy, but I'm also an adjunct professor for a small local college and teach a couple of classes a week. I can typically handle all that and still get my housework/laundry done, blog once in a while and keep up with my running and racing schedule. However, my son added an extra element to the mix that made it near impossible to keep my head above water. I ended up with too many irons in the fire.
You see…my son is a senior in high school this year. Plus, he is the baby. I have no more "kids", just adult children. So I made it a point to make him, his education and sporting events top priority this year. Of course he has to play three sports which keeps us busy year round, but that's ok. Football season wasn't too hard to keep up with since they only play one game a week. But basketball proved a little more difficult with 2-3 games a week, and now it's baseball with as many a 6-8 games a week. He keeps me running, and it's not the kind of running that prepares me for half marathons. But…. just look at this face….
Who could refuse this man-boy the simple pleasure of having his mom watch him play baseball?? (Just so you know, he's being a goofball in this picture because they just won the game.)
Well, I couldn't resist. However, I couldn't keep up with everything and something had to go. So I took a hiatus from Running Hills and Hollars….the blog, not the actually running.
His season is winding down which is proving to be very bittersweet for me. I've watched this boy play baseball since he was just a tot and even shorter than the bat he would swing. I can remember his first hit off the T when he took off towards 3rd base instead of 1st base, and when everyone started yelling, he just cut across the pitcher's mound. Best of all….he was still safe. You gotta love T-ball. 😀
In just four weeks, he will be graduated from high school. He's already registered for fall courses at college, and he will be on his way in the adult world. Although I'm so very excited for him, I need something to keep me distracted from the inevitable heartache and deafening silence of the empty nest I'm about to face, so I'll be back to Running Hills and Hollars more. This spring I have run some distance races on which I'll be posting reviews very soon, such as "Haulin' in the Holler 25K Trail Run" and the "Gristmill Grinder Trail Half Marathon" to mention just a couple. I'm also now eligible to become a Half Fanatic, so that's definitely worthy of a blog post when I receive that honor.
I'll be back at blogging this week with my first of many reviews for summer races here in West Virginia. Be sure to stop back in to catch up, and I appreciate the patience of my readers during my time off.
Have you ever needed to step back from blogging for a while….
maybe due to burnout, or family obligations or some other reason?
Please share your story. I'd like to think I'm not the only one.
Until next time…..enjoy the run!! 😀
Learning from a Bonk
Running is easy! It's the easiest sport out there….right? I mean, all you do is move your legs and off you go. Move the legs faster and you run faster, move them slower and your run slower. There's no strategy, no thought process, no planning….. you just go run…. simple as that.
Ok, ok…. don't click on the back button. Let me finish. If you continue reading, I'm guessing you're one of the following people. Either your are…
- A non-runner who is looking for confirmation in what you've been saying all along
- A beginner that's thinking…. "If this is true, I'm doing something wrong."
- An experienced runner who's saying to yourself…. "This lady is nuts! But I'll read on just for the entertainment."
Well, for the non-runner… sorry, but my first paragraph couldn't be further from the truth. But if you're looking for a challenge, I encourage you to give running a try. And read on because what I'm about to blog may just help you out one day.
For the other two, you'll just be shaking your head and saying either "Good lesson learned…. thanks for sharing!" or "Been there… Done that!!"
I'm training for my first 25K, so I'm racking up the miles on my long run. But with the crazy weather we see here in West Virginia in February, sometimes I have to be flexible with my training schedule. I do my LSD runs on the weekends, mostly on Sundays. However, this weekend I run my 14-mile LSD on Saturday afternoon as the forecast was calling for sunny skies and temps in the 60's…. awesome weather!! Sunday was calling for rain. I wanted a spring-like run outside, so I decided…. kinda last-minute…. to do the LSD on Saturday.
So, I rode with my son to his baseball batting practice and 14.5 miles from the house, he dropped me off and I headed home. The first few miles went well… I enjoyed hearing the birds singing, saw several squirrels scurrying up trees and deer running through the fields, and felt the sun shinning in my face and the breeze gently blowing. Several cars blew their horns when they passed by, and I even saw some folks on motorcycles. They always wave… they seem to adopt runners into their secret hand waving club. 😀
As normal, between mile three and four, I sipped some water and chewed on some beans, then washed them down with one more sip of water. I was feeling good. But around mile seven, I started feeling tired. It wasn't my breathing, nor was it my legs feeling heavy, but a weariness in my upper body. I got to thinking about it and remembered that I had done a fairly tough upper body strength training workout the evening before…. one of my P90X3 workouts. Plus I had run three miles on the treadmill. But I had really pushed myself on the strength workout, and now I was still feeling it. I was amazed at how much it affected my running today. But I kept pushing through.
Then, somewhere between mile 9 and 10, I "bonked" or hit the wall. Again, my legs weren't really heavy and my breathing was ok, but I just wasn't feeling well. It took everything I had to swing my arms and I started getting sick to my stomach. My fingers were swollen to the point that I couldn't clinch a fist. I just wasn't feeling well. For the first time ever, I almost called someone to come pick me up. The last couple of miles I walked a lot. I turned off my Garmin at mile 14 and completely walked the last half mile as a cool down. And I walked very slowly.
When I finally got home, I was exhausted. I drank some ice water while I made a protein shake. I added frozen strawberries, a banana and some almond milk with the protein mix, and threw everything in the blender. In just minutes, I was drinking my coction in hopes of regaining some of my strength soon. As soon as I finished that up, I changed out my sweaty clothes for something dry, stretched out across the bed and fell asleep hard…. for three hours (and yes, without the shower). I reiterate…. I. Was. Exhausted.
When I got up, I felt a little better, but still not 100%. I took a nice long hot shower, put on some clean clothes and decided to do some menial housework. That didn't last long. I was still tired and still not feeling very well. So I ate something again and spent the rest of the evening watching TV and napping on the couch. I finally went to bed at 10:30 and fell fast asleep.
I thought about it today and run the last couple of days through my mind over and over to figure out just what went wrong. I've run half marathons before and ran double-digit training runs lots of times, but never had I felt this bad. Then I remembered what I had done on Friday, the day before. My diet on that day was not at all supportive of an 14-mile run coming the following day. I had not met my daily required 170+ carbs, let alone carb-loaded for a long run. Additionally, I drank a lot of coffee on Friday instead of water-bombing like I usually do the day before a long run. So, I was not adequately fueled and hydrated in addition to being physically stressed from the upper-body strength workout and 3-mile treadmill run on Friday evening. It's no wonder I was so tired and weary during the last portion of my run and afterwards as well.
So what was my lesson learned….. not be flexible with my training schedule? No, I always need to be flexible with my training schedule, especially when I have a chance to run in appropriate weather as opposed to bad weather. But I need to watch my nutritional and water intake more closely. What I ate and drank on Friday wasn't enough for the workout and short run I did that evening, never mind the LSD on Saturday. Or perhaps I should have eaten a bigger, healthier breakfast on Saturday morning (I just had an egg, bacon, cheese sandwich) to help with fueling, and definitely drank more water and eaten something salty to help retain water better. Perhaps, I should have just been patient and ran later in the day, or maybe even wait until Sunday and run in the rain.
Whether I could reverse this bad run into a good one…. I don't really know. But one thing I do know is that I learned some valuable information about my body, my eating and drinking habits and my running. That's why I write this stuff down…. and when I blog it, maybe someone else will learn from it, too. Or even better, can share in the learning curve by sharing their experiences, insight and advice. Another thing I learned is that running is definitely lots of fun, but it's not easy, and to keep from "bonking," it does take a lot of strategy, thinking and planning. Never let the graceful, fluid movements of a successful run fool you into thinking it's an easy sport.
Have you experienced a similar run?
What did you learn from the experience?
Snow Running
In the United States a phenomenon occurs that we call "Winter." For those of us in the northern part of the US, Winter consists of cold temperatures, snow, ice and wind. Here in West Virginia, Winter has been reoccurring for as long as I can remember. And after reading the history books, it sounds like Winter has actually been around these parts for centuries. Nevertheless, people still seem to be amazed when Winter hits, especially when it hits in its fullest fury. Schools close, church services are cancelled, roads are impassable, wrecking crews make boocoos of money, and snowmen emerge from the drifts. But just because it's snowing and blowing outside, it doesn't necessarily mean that all of the fun has to stop…. people find fun ways to enjoy Winter with ice skating, sled riding, snow skiing, snow boarding and snow tubing. And for us runners, there is Snow Running.
Don't confuse that with "No Running"… it's "Snow Running." Last Winter was my first time trying out Snow Running, and I fell in love with it one the first run. There's just something so peaceful and immaculate about being a part of a wintry landscape. The air is brisk and clean; frigid to the nostrils and lungs…. the sound of snow crunching under each step creates a rhythmic echo that breaks the solitude of the landscape…. the sunshine reflecting off the snow is blinding to the eye but warming to the heart…. the feelings, sights and sounds of Winter is almost indescribable and nothing like any other season.
Winter is a sight to behold, physically, mentally and spiritually, but it requires some precaution and extra preparation for Snow Running. After experiencing running in these elements myself, and researching it through other blogs, fellow runners, virtual running groups and etc., I thought I would share some of the strategies I use to have successful Snow Runs.
I run a lot on narrow country roads where there's not much (if any) berm on which to run. Sometimes, there's absolutely nowhere to go if one car is coming, nevermind if there are two cars passing each other. So I have to really consider if and when it's safe to even run on these roads. If you run on/next to roads, you have to consider the ability of drivers to maintain control of their vehicles when passing you. If there's a chance they can lose control and wreck, or you're not able to get out of the way quickly and safely, then you may want to consider a different route that's safer, or an alternative such as the treadmill or an indoor track. If you run on sidewalks, remember to keep an eye out for ice, and be leery of the possibility of ice hidden under snow. Slipping and falling onto hard concrete could put a quick end to your running.
Consider the temperatures and dress accordingly. Dressing in layers allows air to be trapped between layers that will actually help insulate you from the frigid temps. Plus, if you get too warm, it makes it easier to take off a layer. Personally, I think it's just as bad (if not worse) to be overheated, than it is to be too cold. Keep your hands, ears and toes well covered and insulated. The greatest percentage of heat goes out the head, so wearing a hat will help keep you warm. Although I haven't tried it yet, I know a lot of runners who wear balclavas to keep their face warm and help with their breathing.
Speaking of hats, one thing I always do when it's snowing is wear a baseball cap with a bill to keep the snow out of my eyes and block the wind from my face. If it's cold, I'll wear a head band around my ears to keep them warm. I hate when my ears get cold.
I love to run with music…. I run with it almost all the time, even races. But there are two times that I ditch the music… at night and on bad snowy days. I don't listen to music at night because I want to listen for possible attackers (both men and animals) because I can't see them as well. When Snow Running, especially along roads, it's important to keep an ear open to listen for traffic. At the very least, wear only one earbud in the ear that's away from the road keeping the ear next to the road open so you can hear better.
Although I recommend ditching the music, I recommend carrying your cell phone with you. You never know when you may need help, and having the ability to call someone is convenient and smart. When it's cold, however, keep in mind that cell phones will freeze up and shut down. I carry mine in a pocket or in a belt that's under a layer or two of clothes and close to my body to keep it warm. I've been able to carry a cell phone and keep it on over the course of a half marathon by using this tactic.
It's nearing the end of January and I'm missing a very, VERY valuable part of the Snow Running gear…. traction cleats for my shoes such as YakTrax. These cleats will help your run better by giving you more improved footing which will increase your overall pace, but it they will also keep you from slipping, sliding and falling. I slid around a lot today during my 4-mile Snow Run and wished the whole time I had some cleats. I had a pair last year and loved them, but they have disappeared over the summer. I guess I'll be hitting the local running store soon to get a set.
Above all else, enjoy your Snow Run. Unless you live in the southern hemisphere or the North Pole, you only get to experience Snow Runs in the Winter months. Although it can feel like forever to those who are Summer-lovers, Winter really only lasts technically three months with just a few weeks of actual Snow Running weather. Being outside when the temps are in the high-20s to low-30s, snow flakes the size of pancakes are wafting down, the tree limbs are dressed in the soft white snow, and the sky is a brilliant blue is amazing and awesome…. so savor the moment, drink it in and ENJOY your Snow Run.
I had a wonderful time today on my Snow Run in my Winter Wonderland today, and am looking forward to a nice long 10-mile run tomorrow in even more perfect, pristine wintry elements. I hope you can get out there to experience Snow Running as often as possible. It's definitely unforgettable.
What is one of your most favorite Snow Running experience?
Do you have any other tips for comes to Snow Running?
3rd Annual Race Into the New Year 5k (St. Albans, WV)
For the first time ever, I ran a race on the first day of the year with the Third Annual Race Into the New Year 5k. What an awesome way to start out 2014! My husband, Tony and racing buddy, Wanda ran it with me. We traveled to St. Albans, West Virginia (near our state capitol, Charleston) to run this afternoon 5K race. Scheduling it at 2:00pm was a little different from what I'm used to, but they did that so people could stay up late on New Years Eve to celebrate, but not have to get up too early to race. Being in mid-winter, I especially liked the afternoon time as it give the sun time to come out and warm things up a little. Fortunately, the weather fully cooperated with a sunshiny day with temps in the 50's to 60's and little to no wind. The cost for this race was $20 if you pre-registered and $25 on race day which included a nice T-shirt and post-race snacks. This is the third and final race of the St. Albans Race Series which includes a quarter marathon in August, and 2- 5k's (one in November and this one on New Years Day). If you complete all three races, you earned a really cool looking medal (which is why I want to run the series in 2014).
There were a total of 189 runners participating in the race this year ranging in ages from 7 to 66. It was a very nice turnout. Over forty of the participants were involved with the 2013 racing series. The race is a typical city race with a the course that started and ended at the St. Albans High School and winding around the streets of a small neighborhood. There wasn't much scenic beauty, but the neighborhood was well-kept and several people came out of their house to cheer the runners on. The course was flat and fast with the exception of one small hill that even a beginner could easily handle. The course record was broken this year by David McCollam, 34 with a time of 15:28.
The race was well run with a very unique starting event…. after making the general race announcements and before shooting the starting pistol, the race director got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend. She said yes and all the racers and volunteers cheered for the young couple. It was quite exciting. The race was chip timed, so that sped up the awards program after the race. For the post-race activities, there were the usual snacks and water available for the runners, and the race awards and series awards were handed out. Instead of medals, the age group winners for the race received cool trophies with penguins on the top and a Christmas tree ornament.
The series awards and medals were definitely an encouragement for everyone to run all three races for the 2014 series. I finished the race in 30:46, but didn't place nor did I set a PR, which was a disappointment since the course was so flat and fast. But, just like the half marathon I would run a few days later, I had let the holidays get the best of my diet and training. It was just a fun race anyway and I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with Tony and Wanda.
I plan on doing this race again next year…. it was a great way to start out the new year and charge right into my running resolutions. The only problem with the flat, fast course is that it's easy to set a PR on it making the other 364 days extremely challenging to PR. But since I didn't do so well, I guess I don't have that problem personally.
Overall, the course wasn't very challenging, making it was more of a fun race. For that reason, I'm giving this race a silver medal since I consider it closer of an average 5k.
If you ran in this race, feel free to share your opinion. What did you think of the proposal at the beginning of the race?
Run to Read Half Marathon (Fairmont, WV)
The Run to Read Half Marathon took place at 2:00pm on a beautiful, wintry Sunday afternoon on January 5, 2014. There was no precipitation with temps in the 40's with no wind, so I thought it was perfect weather. However, as the sun went down, it did start cooling off a little. The entry fee for the race was between $25 to $40, depending on how early you registered. The proceeds from the event went to the Literacy Volunteers of Marion County, a very worthwhile and deserving organization.
The organizers were hoping for 400 participants, which they came fairly close with 268 people finishing the race. The beginning of the race was very crowded on the narrow course, so another 100+ people would have made it very packed. But more about this issue later. There were runners from all over West Virginia and several other states. The ages ranged from 13 to 69, so there was a good representation in each age category.
The race was held at the historic site of Prickett's Fort. It is a "rustic log fort and is a re-creation of the original Prickett's Fort of 1774, which served as a refuge from Native American war parties on the western frontier of Colonial Virginia."
The course itself is one of the unique aspects of this race, especially since it is held in West Virginia. This course is almost completely flat. The most gain in elevation my running app showed was 200 feet during mile 10, which for anyone who has run in this state knows that is very minimal. This made for a pleasant flat, fast course. A former railroad track, the course has been converted into a rail-to-trail to include bridges, a tunnel and beautiful scenic views of the river and woods. Less than 5 miles of the course was asphalt, with the remainder being crushed limestone. The park crew had cleared the majority of the trail of snow and ice the day before the race, so on race day there were minimal icy spots, and a little mud in a few places. The crew did an awesome job prepping the course to make it safe for the runners. 😀
The race was well run by the director and committee. The volunteers were friendly and always helpful and supportive. With this many participants, I'm sure it took a lot of work to organize it so well, so the race crew definitely gets a two-thumbs-up. The post-race event was awesome. Since it was chip timed, awards were handed out as soon as the winners crossed the finished line, so there was no need for everyone to wait until all runners had finished. But there was lots of great food…. including hot chili, fruit and more following the race. There's not much better than a bowl of hot chili on a cold winter's day.
As for how I did… well, I didn't set a PR which kinda bummed me out since the course was so flat and fast. But over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, I ate too much and didn't stick to my training as I should have. So I paid for it during the race. I finished 212th overall and 5th in my age group, with a time of 02:23:11 (4 minutes slower than the half marathon I ran 5 weeks earlier). The bling wasn't too bad… everyone received a finisher's medal, and instead of T-shirts we got a toboggan and gloves. The toboggan had the Run to Read logo embroidered on it and is very well made.
I really liked this race as it allowed me to kick off the new year with a major run. The flat, fast course was a pleasant change of venue as it was nice for once to not worry about the hills…. you could just set your pace and run. A couple of things I feel could use some attention was in regard to the beginning of the race. The start line was overcrowded, and I was surprised no one was knocked down. On top of that, some of the speed walkers were in the middle of the pack, holding people up (one of my biggest race pet peeves!). I wonder if waves of runners according to past race pace could be set up so smaller groups could start at different times. If that's not possible, at the very least it would be nice if the chip timing mat were at the beginning. Racers in the back of the pack have a lot of time added before they ever get across the starting line. Granted, it's only a few seconds to a minute, but every second counts…. right?
Overall, it was a good race and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's definitely one that I will plan on doing again next year. Additionally, this is the first race of a three-part race series, so this year I hope to run the 10k and 5k (or possibly changed to a 1 1600 meter, I've heard) to get in the whole series and earn the series T-shirt. If you're looking for a flat, fast long distance race in West Virginia with some history, beautiful scenery and competition, I'm sure you won't be disappointed in the Run to Read Half Marathon in Fairmont, West Virginia. For this race, I've given a gold medal.
For an additional review, visit Sandy Runs. Her blog tells about her stories as a Marathon Maniac, Half Fanatic and 50 State Marathon Club member. It was a pleasure having her visit West Virginia and she gives an excellent review of the race.
If you were at this race, feel free to add to the review. What did you like the most about the Run to Read Half Marathon? What did you like the least?
A correction from the RD, Jim Woolfitt: Just to set the record straight: MCPARC (Marion County Parks and Recreation Commission) gets the credit for clearing snow off the trail & the parking lots. The parking lots are not under MCPARC's jurisdiction but the park superintendent is not complaining. MCPARC also helps with the water stops providing manpower, tables, chairs & water coolers.
2014 WV Race Review Changes
My racing scheduled has slowed down a little with winter upon us, but I've still been crazy busy with the holidays, work and preparing for a new semester as an adjunct professor. So I'm running a little behind on writing reviews for a couple of races I did complete at the beginning of January. (But they will be coming in the next few days!)
The main reason for my delay is that I've been trying to decide on a template to keep the race reviews consistent. I want to deliver information to you that may help you decide on whether or not to do the race in the future, but I want to be sure I don't miss anything. So that has contributed to my belatedness as well. Please accept my apology and know I'll step things up to get you more timely and accurate information. Here's is what future reviews will entail….
- Race details such at distance, time, location, weather, cost, sponsor/charity, etc.
- Pre-race and post-race events
- Runner information such as how many, ages, etc.
- Course details
- How the race director, committee, volunteers did
- Awards and how I did
- Pros and cons
- Miscellaneous such as history or race or area, local legend, etc.
- Overall rating
- Pictures of the race will always be included
For the overall rating this year, I thought I would use something visual. At first I thought I would use the Star Rating with one star being a bad race and five stars meaning it was a great, can't-miss-this-next-year race. But I didn't think stars really related much to running. So I decided to use medals. Hey, we all love to get medals from the race…. this was my chance to give a medal back. So I will give gold medals to top races, silver medals to middle ground races, and bronze medals to the needs-a-lot-of-work races. Of course, please realize I'm giving you "MY" opinion of the race…. there are always others with different opinions. But I do try to be open-minded when rating something.
Finally, and something I'm very excited about is the fact that I may have some guest bloggers helping me with race reviews. Last year I ran in a lot of races, but of course I couldn't hit all the races in West Virginia. So I'm talking with some running friends of mine that hit races in other areas and of different distances to add some spice to my race reviews.
So I wanted to write-up this short post to let you know what's coming to my running blog in the very, very near future. If you run West Virginia races and would be interested in sharing your review here… just let me know. I can't pay you for the review, but I can help promote your blog, website, Facebook or Twitter page. It's always interesting to get a review from someone else's perspective.
What do you think of the template I'll use??
Is it too much information??
Am I missing any information someone may want to know about races here in West Virginia??
My Workout Buddy, Tony
In the past, I have added cross training to my running schedule to improve core strength, leg strength, flexibility and etc. I've used programs such as Christine Felstead's Yoga for Runners, Rodney Yee's yoga programs, several different Jillian Michaels' workouts, and lest I forget the trusty ol' weight machine. When I've done these workout series, it usually wouldn't last more than two weeks, three at the absolute longest. But this week, I committed to 90 days of the newest workout on the market…. P90X3!!
Yep… I have a date with Tony Horton, himself, six days a week at 5:30 in the morning. Well… Saturdays will be a little later. I've completed the first three days of the LEAN option of the program, and I'm feeling it. My core, legs and even arms are all a little sore, but it's a good type of sore.
To make it even better, my 18-year-old son is doing the workouts with me. He's a senior in high school and plays sports year round. (The picture to the left is of him and me before the Senior Night football game in November 2013.) At first, I doubted he would be interested, but he seems excited to be doing it. Because of space issues, we do the workouts at different times, but we keep track on the same calendar. I make the \ slash of the X, and he makes the / to complete the X. It sounds silly, but it's our way of completing the team goal… and it matches the Tony Horton's X theme. (Oh and by the way, my son's name is Tony, too.)
Working out… whether it's running, circuit training, lifting weights, spin class or whatever…. it's always a lot more fun when you have a partner. It helps to have someone hold you accountable. I don't know about you, but I tend to believe the stupid, crazy excuses I make up to keep from working out or cutting a session short. But with P90X3, I've given my son strict instructions to keep pushing me no matter what I tell him. Trust me…. he'll do it…. he likes to watch me suffer. 😀
Tony (my son) and I are also part of a Facebook P90X3 challenge group. There are 15 of us in the group together encouraging each other, motivating each other, and crying on each other's virtual shoulder. We leave tips, hints and recommendations, and of course lots of praise and high-5's for accomplishments. So far, it's working great and a definite added support system to help me live through the next three months.
I'll keep you appraised as to how I progress through the program, what transformations occur and whether or not I'm successful meeting the goals I've set for myself. You are welcome to hold me accountable as well. I can use all the help I can get. I have my first 25K scheduled at the end of March which is right at the end of this program, so being successful with P90X3 might make or break that race for me.
The beginning of a new year always entices people to make improved physical fitness a New Year Resolution. Unfortunately, it's just a short-lived fad for the majority of people. Having a support group or a workout buddy helps improve the odds of being successful with the resolution.
Did you set a physical fitness resolution this year?
Are you a part of a support group or have a workout buddy to help you out?
What type of support group do you have to help you be successful? Is it a physical group or virtual group, or a combination?
If you have come up with a unique idea, I would love to hear about it and I'm sure other readers would, too. You might just have the answer to help someone else be successful in completing their 2014 physical fitness resolution. 😀
Enjoy the run!! 😀
I Ran to Palm Bay, Florida
As the 2013 is coming to its final hours and minutes, I'm sitting here trying to keep myself occupied (and awake) long enough to watch the ball drop at midnight. I have an hour and 40 minutes to go, and the Texas A&M and Duke football game isn't doing that much for me. Although I have to say… Johnny Football is as impressive as ever.
Anyway, I'm tired of football as that is about the only thing on our TV during Bowl Season. So I thought I'd write my last post of the year. I didn't know what to write about, so I did some social media surfing and checking on the weather for the next few days. I have a Running into the New Year 5K tomorrow in Charleston, WV with clear sky's and temps in the low-50's. YEA!! But then I have a half marathon on Sunday afternoon with a forecast of rain/snow combination and temps in the high-30's to low-40's…. I fear that's going to be a long 13 miles. 😦
As I was thinking about my running accomplishments for 2013, it really struck me that I ran 867 miles this year.
For a novice runner in her first full year of running, that's not too bad. Then I thought to myself… it would be really cool to see WHERE I could have run to… something like a Forrest Gump moment…. just taking off and running until I was done. But instead of 3+ years, it would be 867 miles for me. I played around on Mapquest.com for a while finding where I could go.
Going north, I would be somewhere between Montreal and Quebec, Cannada. Now, I have never been to Canada and would probably enjoy the visit, but NORTH? No thanks… I've had enough of cold, snowy weather here.
So I thought I'd head out west and ended up near Joplin, Missouri. I guess that would be ok, but that's not much excitement or relaxation.
But then, I started looking south…. aahhhhh, Florida!! Sunshine, palm trees, ocean breeze, warm temperatures…. that's where I wanted to go. What an awesome run that would be. And when I got there, I could run on the beach early in the morning to watch the sunrise and maybe catch a glimpse of dolphins jumping out of the water near the shore. So, I ended up near a little town on the eastern side of the state along the ocean called Palm Bay. From the pictures I saw of the area, it definitely looked like the perfect destination. Well worth running 867 miles, for sure.
Here's a map of what my annual mileage looks like. It sure makes it look a lot more extraordinary than just looking at numbers. It was fun to find where I would finally end up, just to abruptly stop and tell my zombified followers… "It's time for me to go home now."
Where did your 2013 miles take you? I encourage you to map it out. I used actual road routes, so I would have went even further had I used the way-the-crow-flys method of measurement. You may be even more amazed (and proud) at your accomplishment. If you do map it out, let me know how far you went and where you ended up. I'll help share your post with my virtual running friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Enjoy the run!! 😀 kc


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Many professional managers say that tips stands for "To Insure Proper Service". To the average bartender, tips are a crucial part of making a living. The one thing you must remember is that people tip you for the service that you give them. Whether working at a neighborhood bar, hotel, restaurant, winery, or private party, a bartender should conduct themselves as a professional at all times.
Making drinks is only a small part of the bartender's job. Dealing with the public takes patience and above all, is a learned skill. Here are 20 tips to consider for making tips as a bartender:
- Smile! And be friendly. Say hello to each customer before they greet you.
- Be polite. Use please and thank you frequently.
- Learn your customer's names and what they drink.
- Keep a neat and presentable appearance. Don't be a slob.
- Try to avoid controversial topics like religion, politics and marital matters.
- When asked about the above topics, try to be conservative and middle of the road. Don't commit to one side or the other. You may offend other customers.
- Constantly watch your customers for their individual needs. A good bartender can sense when a customer needs a cigarette lit or a refill.
- Don't make customers ask for a refill. Ask them as their glass nears empty.
- If a customer is becoming intoxicated, you may want to wait until their drink is completely empty to slow down their drinking.
- Always light customer's cigarettes. This is a courtesy, not a pick up method.
- Keep customers ash trays clean. Remove the dirty ashtray by "capping" the ash tray with a clean one to prevent ashes from spilling. (If there's three butts I nan ash tray, change it.)
- Do not allow customers to gamble when intoxicated. It is against the law in some states.
- Check ID's on any customers that look 25 or under.
- Don't give free drinks without the managers permission.
- Don't let boyfriends or girlfriends hang out at the bar while you work.
- Don't smoke behind the bar.
- Don't cross pour liquor. This is called "Marrying" and is illegal in all 50 states.
- Don't allow customers to get too loud or use profanity
- Cut people off if necessary. This is the law! You must get comfortable with it.
- Have fun!
If you follow these simple guidelines you are sure to keep everyone happy bring in the doe after your shift!

subset: commoncrawl


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Texture Pack #1
Adding textures to your portrait and fashion images can help add a bit of visual depth and emotion to your photographs. This texture pack includes 20 grunge textures to help set the mood of your images. Watch Lindsay's 'adding textures in Photoshop" tutorial free on Youtube!
Textures are 5000px on the long side!
See more: Digital Tools


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"Every horizon is a treasure chest; every blank map, a story waiting to be told." – Liu Lang, Mists of Pandaria
Since it's introduction in 2004, Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft has become the most-subscribed MMORPG in the world. The fantasy game takes place in the world of Azeroth, which was first established ten years prior to WoW with Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. As the game grew more popular, the universe grew as well. It has seen five expansions with a sixth on the way: The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, and Legion coming in August 2016.
Azeroth and its neighbors Outland and Draenor have changed over the five-game expansions, especially in Cataclysm due to the rage of evil dragon Deathwing. However, one thing remains true: Azeroth is a beautiful universe. Four continents housing thirteen unique races create a very interesting place to be. A colorful environment, engaging characters, and unusual creatures work together to make Azeroth unforgettable. With over 5 million subscribers in 2015, it's obvious that players love the World of Warcraft. If you find yourself wanting to bring a bit of Azeroth into your real life, the following collectibles are for you!
Character Plushes
Your favorite pets, companions, and NPCs have been brought to life in the cutest way! Riverpaw Gnoll Chieftain Hogger comes in a huggable size with Lil' Hogger. Newcomer Pepe's plush features an articulated head and gripping feet, meaning he can sit on your head for longer than an hour. Hopefully, he will be released with his four costumes so you can find them all! The Murloc plushes will have you saying RwlRwlRwlRwl! The most popular amphibian in Azeroth comes in blue, orange, white, purple, green, pink, and even undead. Other adorable plushies from Blizzard include a faerie dragon, frostwolf pup, tiny Chen Stormstout, and more.
Bulwark of Azzinoth Backpack
You won't have to slay Illidan Stormrage to loot this amazing replica of his shield, but you will have to pay $99.00. A small price considering it could increase your Armor by 2000 for 10 secs, AND be used as a backpack. Binds when picked up.
Art Books
World of Warcraft is known for having less-than realistic graphics, but for good reason. Though they aren't at the pinnacle of virtual reality, WoW's graphics create a unique aesthetic and make the game accessible to players with hardware that is not up to date. Blizzard's artists are always hard at work though, creating the stunning images we see in the game. They've released several art books like The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King so we can view their creations in high definition. The mesmerizing books contain concept art, drawings, stories of development, and final renders, allowing you to see how the world is created.
Cosplay Leggings
Suit up with the Alliance as King Varian Wrynn calls you to battle. Feel the electric power of the arcane magics of the Nether. Become the Forsaken Queen as you slip on the armor of Sylvanas Windrunner. With these leggings from Wild Bangarang, you'll be ready for anything!
"DING!" Level Up Button
The Level Up Button from ThinkGeek brings new meaning to real life achievements. Finish your homework? Level up! Get a promotion? Level up! Run 3 miles? Level. On. Up. See the demo here!
Hearthstone Holiday Ornament
Nothing says home quite like holidays and Hearthstones, so why not combine the two? The light-up Hearthstone ornament will make any inn feel like home for the next Feast of Winter Veil, without the 30 minute cooldown.
Alliance and Horde Leather Belts
It's ok if you haven't visited your profession trainer in a while, you can still equip yourself with one of these leather belts. Show your allegiance to the Horde or the Alliance and you'll look like a Leatherworking Draenor Master!
Tankard O' Terror
Get prepared for Brewfest this year with this stein replica from Taverncraft. At over 9 inches tall, the Tankard O' Terror can hold plenty of Ogre Mead, Mudder's Milk, or Thunderbrew Stout. Prost!
Armor Set Robes
Robe Factory's premium World of Warcraft armor set robes is an excellent addition to your wardrobe. These highly-detailed embroidered robes will keep you warm and comfy while raiding, running quests, or just laying on the couch. Take your choice of Warlock, Priest, Paladin, Female Draenei, or Bloodfang Rogue.
Character Action Figures
Recreate your favorite in-game battle scenes or produce your own with action figures from DC Unlimited. Eight standard series and four premium series of figures provide you with plenty to play with when the server is down. Use your imagination with Rottingham, Garona Halforcen, Garrosh Hellscream and many more.
Weapon Replicas
"It is called the Doomhammer because when its owner takes it into battle, it spells doom for the enemy." – Orgrim Doomhammer
There's no better way to enter the battleground than with Doomhammer. This reproduction by Epic Weapons may not have been forged in a pool of elemental lava, but it will make you look really cool.
The Doomhammer will set you back $99.00, but Rubie's Costume Company provides some more economical weapons. The Warglaive of Azzinoth, Lionheart Executioner, and Death Night Rune Blade will fit right into your arsenal at $17.99 each.
Alliance and Horde Throw Blankets
Find the nearest inn and snuggle up with a faux lambswool blanket with Alliance or Horde logo. You'll keep warm and be well-rested when you're ready to get back to your adventures!
Collectible Coin Sets
Now your coins can represent your faction thanks to DC Unlimited. For the Horde, Thrall adorns the gold, Lady Sylvanas the silver, and Cairne Bloodhoof the copper. On the Alliance coins, King Varian takes the gold, Magni Bronzebeard the silver, and Tyrande Whisperwind has the copper. Which side will you choose?
Game Soundtracks
Bring the unmistakable sounds of Azeroth into your home with these game soundtracks. Beautifully composed with instruments like the nychelharpa, uilleann pipes, Scottish flutes, and the didgeridoo, there is an album for each game expansion, and one with music from the taverns. All are available in the iTunes store.
Ready to travel to the World of Warcraft? Get collecting!


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DetailsProduct description:Applicable to unmanned aerial vehicles, car, shipborne photographic equipment and high-power high-definition zoom PTZ damping. Using 1570N / mm low stress and high toughness Baosteel materials, multi-strand low twist way twist into a spiral steel wire bundle, made of cage shape.Installation board with 6061-T6 aluminum alloy super-hard aluminum alloy material, high-precision multi-axis CNC machining, the bottom of the screw hole overhead design, side hole rounded round, to avoid grinding line.Damping wire shock absorbers use the material's viscous damping characteristics, so that the impact of instantaneous shock energy, as much as possible in the damping layer. Greatly enhance the high degree of high-definition photographic equipment effect, become a real water ripple nemesis.Yield strength (N / mm2) ≥205It is recommended to use the extrusion type to pull the structure to install more effectively, the installation hole is 2.5MM.Note: It is strictly forbidden to squeeze the shock absorber, so as to avoid damage to the steel damper.Related parts no:Steel Shock Absorber / Damping CR0.8A TL2973Steel Shock Absorber / Damping CR0.8B TL2974Wire Shock Absorber / Damping CR1.2A TL2975Wire Shock Absorber / Damping CR1.5A TL2976Wire Shock Absorber / Damping CR2.0A TL2978Tarot damping pan / tilt ball / medium type TL10A05Tarot damping pan / tilt ball / small TL10A04Product Specifications:Damping wire shock absorbers × 1 group 7.6G
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成版人抖阴app下载Farewell according to F
10:30pm. Began writing farewell post.
10:31pm. Turned on Pandora to the "Boys Like Girls" station. Skipped 3 songs, changed to the "Explosions in the Sky" station. Serious/solemn times call for serious/solemn music.
10:38pm. Resumed writing farewell post, now armed with copious amounts of ice cream and a box of tissues. Who knew this would be such an emotional turning point? Now I know how Kevin Jonas probably secretly felt when he got married. Happy a new chapter of life was starting, but sad to say farewell to millions of adoring female fans who would gladly date him without commitment. But, unlike C, I'm not looking to date anyone. And I'm not a dude. That analogy is starting to crash. Backpedal. It's time to reminisce.
10:45pm. Blankly staring at computer screen. Skipped another lame song on Pandora. Finished first pint of ice cream. Logged in to Facebook. Oh, the hours I used to spend reading FCN. I guess now I'll have to turn to Facebook to fill those empty moments.
11:37pm. Still on Facebook. It's almost like a pain-relieving narcotic. I completely forgot about FCN's dissolution for nearly an hour.
11:52pm. Decided to face the facts and focus on the good times rather than the saddening reality of FCN's conclusion. Skipped more songs until Pandora started cursing at me and exploded. Time for silence I guess. But that's fitting. FCN deserves her moment of silence. Farewell, FCN. I've spent more time as a FCN reader than as a FCN writer. And frankly, I'm really sad to see the magic stop. Yes, it's time. All good things must come to an end, and we just have to let them go. But did that kind of advice lessen the sting of the phase-out of eight-track tapes for Bill Lear? Doubt it.
This is it. Goodbye hijackers. Goodbye Anonymous. Goodbye faithful readers. We're sure you have more important things to do with your time online, like maintaining your farm on Farmville, or compulsively clicking the StumbleUpon button... but if you get the chance, look us up. These posts will be here as a lasting monument to the good ole days of blogging.
Like the Wicked Witch of the West after an accidental shower… I'm meltingggg…


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Brave Orchids sister, Moon Orchid, is moving to America from Hong Kong. Brave Orchid has not seen her sister for thirty years, but has now finally raised enough money to afford to pay for her plane fare. Brave Orchid, her children, and Moon Orchids adult daughter await her arrival at the airport. When they finally meet again, each is amazed at how old the other looks.
Moon Orchid, who has never been to America—"the Gold Mountain"—before, is thrilled by everything around her. She follows her nieces and nephews around the house in Stockton, commenting on their intelligence and abilities, much to the childrens annoyance. Indeed, she is soon little more than an annoyance to the entire household. Her inability to perform even the easiest tasks, such as washing dishes or mending clothes, renders her useless in Brave Orchids mind. Brave Orchid can barely even employ her sister to fold towels in the family laundry.
Brave Orchid has brought her sister to America for a reason, however: to help Moon Orchid reclaim her status, after thirty years of marriage, as the wife of a successful doctor in Los Angeles. Moon Orchid, like her sister and so many other Chinese women, married in China just before her husband left for the Gold Mountain, and received a generous allowance from him while she was still living in China. It had become clear in the many years since he left, however, that her husband had no plans for bringing Moon Orchid over to America, and had in fact married again and started a family. Though Moon Orchid is too timid and embarrassed to confront her husband, Brave Orchid wants her to march straight into his house and treat his new wife like a servant, to reclaim his new children as her own. She tells a talk-story about one of their brothers, who took a new wife in Singapore and then had to build a second house for her and their children when his first wife returned and confronted him.
Moon Orchids opportunity to see her plans through arises when her daughter must return home to Los Angeles. The daughter had once tried to contact her father, Moon Orchids husband, but had been rebuffed. Moon Orchid reluctantly agrees to make the trip to Los Angeles, so they pile into a car with one of Brave Orchids sons. On the drive down, Brave Orchid tells talk-stories about a Chinese myth of an Emperor with four wives. The Empress of the West had imprisoned the Emperor in the Western Palace, and it was up to the Empress of the East to rescue her husband.
When they finally arrive at her husbands office building, Moon Orchid is too scared to enter, so Brave Orchid goes to the mans office instead. Brave Orchid sees her brother-in-laws new wife, a pretty nurse, and decides to have her son trick the doctor in to coming down to the car. Brave Orchids plan fails miserably. The doctor, younger than both of the two women, addresses them as "Grandmothers." When Brave Orchid tells him the truth, he coldly tells Moon Orchid that he wants nothing to do with her, and that he could get in trouble if anyone ever found out about their marriage. They never see each other again.
Moon Orchid moves to Los Angeles to be with near her daughter, but begins to have delusions about Mexican "ghosts" plotting to kill her. Brave Orchid brings her sister back to Stockton, but her delusions only become worse. She walks around the house turning off lights and locking doors, believing someone is going to come and take all of them away. At the end of the chapter, Brave Orchid takes her sister to a mental asylum, where she eventually dies.
"In the Western Palace" is different from the rest of The Woman Warrior in both tone and voice. Kingston is hardly present at all, and in the few instances in which she does appear, she speaks about herself in the third person—the "absent-minded and messy" eldest girl, or the one married to a husband who does not speak Chinese. The narrative of Moon Orchid and Brave Orchids trip to Los Angeles is told in a fairly vivid manner, but one wonders how Kingston, if she was not there herself, knows so many of the details. We learn in the next chapter that Kingston learned the story of the trip from her sister, who in turn learned about it from the brother who drove the car.
The fourth chapter marks the first appearance of Kingstons siblings and her father. Through Brave Orchids descriptions of the children we learn bits about their lives: a son, in Vietnam, who is known to "stick pencils in his ears"; a daughter with the "unlucky mark" of a curled lip; a second son who is "thick- headed"; a third son who is an "inaccessible cliff"; and a bratty sister, the "raging bellows." These less than complimentary descriptions are all, we presume, given to Moon Orchid by her sister, Brave Orchid. Indeed, Brave Orchid spends much of the chapter criticizing her own children for being impolite and for not respecting or understanding Chinese customs. Brave Orchid is equally critical of both her own sister and niece, thinking of them as "lovely, useless" women who are no good to anyone.
Like the other chapters, "In the Western Palace" is a story of culture clash between old world, as represented by Moon Orchid and Brave Orchid, and new world, as embodied in Brave Orchids children and Moon Orchids doctor husband. Moon Orchid and the children can barely comprehend each other; she follows them around the house, while they talk in English about how crazy she is. Brave Orchid, for her part, stubbornly clings to the notion that it is her Moon Orchids right to live with her husband in America. In doing so, she forces her poor sister into a horribly traumatic confrontation with her husband. Brave Orchid makes her decision based on Chinese myth—the talk-story about the two Empresses—and the story of her brother who took two wives. When Brave Orchids son questions her decision, she criticizes him for knowing nothing about how Chinese society works.
Part of the power of "In the Western Palace" comes from its blending of humor and sorrow. Moon Orchid is at once both a comic and a tragic figure. She makes us laugh as she follows the children around the house, marveling at their every action; furthermore, the ludicrous schemes she and Brave Orchid concoct regarding the confrontation with her husband have an almost slapstick quality. This very confrontation, however, is anything but funny; it is hard not to wince when her husband sees the two sisters and calls them "Grandmothers," as Moon Orchid sobs hysterically. In a sudden and powerful role reversal, Brave Orchid and Moon Orchid become the ghosts in America.
Despite all her mistakes and shortcomings, we do see—as we saw at the end of "Shaman"—Brave Orchids tender side. She tries desperately to comfort Moon Orchid as she slowly deteriorates. Like the girls who chanted her own spirit back home in medical school, Brave Orchid takes her sister in her arms and tries to make her spirit come home. She stays awake with her sister in her madness and often sleeps at the foot of her bed. She humors Moon Orchids paranoid delusions and decides to put her in a home only when her ravings have become too upsetting to the children. In a chapter in which Brave Orchid is usually criticizing her children, the story is an important reminder of Kingstons own feelings towards her mother.
The Woman Warrior – Chapter Four: At the Western Palace


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A new large-scale UK study has found that taking fish oil supplements and probiotics while pregnant and breastfeeding can reduce the risk of egg allergy and eczema in children.
Carried out by researchers at Imperial College London, the study is one of the largest ever research reports on how a pregnant woman's diet affects her baby's allergy and eczema risk, with the team assessing over 400 studies involving 1.5 million people.
The team found that when pregnant women took a daily fish oil supplement, containing a standard dose of omega-3 fatty acids, from 20 weeks pregnant and during the first three to four months of breastfeeding, the risk of their child developing an egg allergy was reduced by 30%.
In addition, taking a daily probiotic supplement from 36-38 weeks pregnant, and during the first three to six months of breastfeeding, reduced the risk of a child developing eczema by 22%.
Taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy also appeared to reduce a child's risk of peanut allergy by 38%. However, researchers cautioned that this finding was based on only two studies and therefore the results are not as reliable as those found for egg allergy and eczema.
There was no evidence to suggest that other dietary factors such as fruit, vegetable or vitamin intake, or avoiding potentially allergenic foods such as nuts, dairy and eggs during pregnancy made any difference to the risk of either allergies or eczema.
In addition, another fatty acid, omega-6, was not found to have any effect on allergy risk.
Although it is still not known exactly what causes allergies and eczema, the study's lead researcher Dr Robert Boyle noted that previous research suggests fish oils may help reduce the risk of allergies by "dampening down" the immune system and preventing it from over-reacting.
Studies that have looked at probiotics, which contain live bacteria that may influence the natural balance of bacteria in the gut, have found that an imbalance in this naturally-occurring bacteria may increase allergy risk.
Allergies are also more common in those who already suffer from eczema, although further research is needed to understand better the causes of the two conditions and how they can be prevented.
The study also revealed some evidence for links between longer duration of breastfeeding and a reduced risk of eczema, and breastfeeding was also linked with a lower risk of type one diabetes.
The Food Standards Agency, who also commissioned the study, advises that women should continue to follow the current Government advice to exclusively breastfeed for around the first six months of age and continue breastfeeding thereafter. Pregnant women should also continue to follow government dietary and supplement advice.
The findings can be found published online in the journal PLOS Medicine. – AFP Relaxnews


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See this product listing on Trane.com


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Deciding to create a fresh, unique cryptocurrency for the web can be an exciting time. From inspiring your targeted online community to actively trading it, there are many steps to fostering a new coin. Make sure you have what it takes to develop and market the coin in mind.
Define the Purpose
Knowing what the coin you endeavor to make needs to have a purposeful statement attached to it. In other words, provide people with inspiration in their hearts and minds as to why your coin is worthy of their attention. Can it benefit or change previous and current coins? What is it ultimate purpose? They want to know especially what is in it for them as traders, investors, and speculators of your coin is.
Organizing what percent of your coin's annual revenue will help determine how much the initial investors receive back in return for their well-earned support. Figure out what percentage you would like back if you were an initial investor, then aim for that mark to give back to the newly-born community.
Cultivate a Community
As with any online niche, there are communities specifically attracted to what you have to offer. Before any of the following steps, creating an engaged community is essential. Just like creating an online product, you must make sure it can be successfully marketable before you buy all the necessary stock to sell. Making sure people back up your purpose and vision is crucial before creating the coin at all.
You can find other like-minded individuals fit for small teams and solopreneurs on bitcointalk.org. The existing forums contain a wealth of connections, do's-and-don'ts, and helpful advice to point your community creation in the right direction.
To Code or not to Code?
During this step, it is essential to decide whether to create a cryptocurrency fork or entirely new digital coin built on blockchain technology. For example, Bitcoin forks are daughter coins derived from Bitcoin's open source code. Ask yourself if you want to tweak a famous, existing currency to mend its drawbacks to make it better or venture off on an unpaved road to build something brand new. Noticeably, the former indicates a swift coin takeoff, while the latter denotes more nerve and an overall investment of time and money to code from the ground up.
Keep in mind, there are pros and cons to both paths. While it might be lucrative to start quickly through an established coin's code, the principal coin has full right to use your tweaks and improvements to better their coin further. The reason is freely available, open source code – everyone can share. If you keep something secret, no one will want to be a part of your coin offering. On the flip side, putting hard work into persistent action by creating a brand-new currency can reap greater rewards in the long-term.
Pitch to Miners
Now that you have hired developers or can develop the coin yourself, it is time to entice miners as to why they should take part in your coin. In order for your growing audience to even be able to use the coin in the first place, they need a way for the transactions to occur. Through mining, this becomes possible. It makes it possible for transactions to unlock and lock crypto wallets in a breeze. Whenever you thoroughly complete the coding, do not be too "sales-y" to the miners.
Of course, they are apart of the entire process of accepting it just as investors and merchants. But, they get the ball rolling, so they should be created with the most care first. Not to say that investors and merchants do not receive the same amount of respect, but keep in mind that miners are going to be the beating heart of your coin's life.
Connect with Local Investors and Merchants
Instead of taking the world domination approach, going locally yields much better results. Reason being is that there is so much competition when you are starting out that drowning is likely inevitable. Obtaining local support to take your crypto-coin to the next level is what your goal is now. Moreover, people find the uncommon commonality of a local person to help out much more attractive than placing their trust with someone in a different country or halfway around the world.
In addition, this step can also bring great returns if your code is good enough to standalone in the first place. Networking will not hurt, but excellent code can do the talking for you.
To be frank, the probability of a successful altcoin is slim. But, that is the way the world works with any type of business. Be proactive and learn how to work around the bumps in the road ahead. If you never give up, you will get to where you want to be with your newly-risen cryptocurrency.


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In 2010, we interviewed Delhi 2 Dublin, the hugely successful Canadian band that confuses and delights people with their mix of Electro-Celtic-Dub-Bhangra music. Today's #throwbackThursday takes us back to that interview in Toronto.
Lead singer Sanjay Saran getting photobombed by a very mischievous looking bandmate, Ravi Binning.
Delhi 2 Dublin, or D2D, have released several albums and performed all around the world since our interview four years ago. Back then, they had just released their sophomore album, Planet Electric (mixed by DJ Swami!), that revealed a fun, playful sound, including a song about "Coca Cola Raang," a shout out to us more "dusky" or darker skinned gals.
Watch our interview with D2D front man, Sanjay, about life on the road, Transformers and music. Plus, see concert footage from their 2010 Toronto performance at The Revival.
Planet Electric is available on iTunes and at delhi2dublin.com.
Video Production By: Naveen Girn


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In this patent infringement action, Plaintiffs Brian Horowitz and Creative Outdoor Distributors USA Inc. (the "Plaintiffs") filed a motion for sanctions against Defendant Yishun Chen ("Yishun") and his counsel, David Lin ("Lin") for alleged misconduct that took place during the depositions of defendants. The court had previously granted a motion to compel a further deposition, noting "that Lin and Yishun left the room while questions were pending, Lin improperly instructed Yishun not to answer questions, Lin made frequent speaking objections to coach Yishun, and that Lin was disrespectful and personally attacked opposing counsel."
The court ordered the video transcripts filed so that it could review the depositions for itself. After reviewing the transcripts, the court determined that there were several instances of inappropriate behavior by the Defendants and their counsel. For example, the court explained that:
The court also found that an off-the-record conference between the attorney and Yishun was also troubling. The Court explained as follows: "Gibby asked Yishun when he gave Defendant Kevin Xia the right to protect his patents, to which Yishun replied, "2016, the end of the year, or perhaps it was at the beginning of 2015 when I first started working with him." Gibby asked, "So, either the end of 2015 or the beginning of 2016," prompting Lin to object, "I don't think that's what he said. I think he said the end of the year, 2016," and Yishun to answer, "That's what I remember." Gibby then asked, "When you gave Kevin the right to protect your patents at the end of 2015 or the beginning of 2016, did you put the right for him to do that in writing at that time?" Lin objected, "I think that misstates his prior testimony. His prior testimony, I believe he said," causing Gibby to protest that Lin was coaching. Continue reading


text: Money Medical Cannabis Industrial Hemp Amendment rejected by Ohio attorney general By Connor Perrett Posted on March 24, 2016 4 min read 0 0 848 Photo courtesy of Scott Beale via Flickr. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine rejected a petition Monday that would have created an amendment to legalize marijuana for both medical and industrial purposes. The failed amendment, known as The Medical Cannabis Industrial Hemp Amendment, received 2,131 signatures, putting it well above the 1,000 signatures needed for review by the Ohio attorney general. "The amendment is unique in that it does not set any legislation or regulation within the amendment," said Theresa Daniello, founder of Grassroots Ohio, the group that proposed the amendment. "It declares the right of patients to have access to medicinal cannabis, it creates a right for the small business person to make it an even playing field so that we can protect all Ohioans' rights in this industry, it protects the rights of farmers and the growing of industrial hemp and finally — I believe the most important thing — is that we take it out of Schedule I in the state of Ohio." Daniello said that removing hemp as a Schedule I drug will allow for much-needed testing and research. DeWine rejected the group's proposal for two inconsistencies in the proposal's summary language. "The summary language omits references to proposed amendment language that 'industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis shall be researched, regulated, and promoted by the State in a manner substantially similar to other agricultural crops,'" a press release from DeWine's office said. Additionally, the press release said that the summary language of the proposal noted an age limit on licensing and ownership of marijuana, but the proposed amendment itself placed only a limit on licensing but not ownership. Although this is the first time Grassroots Ohio has proposed such legislation, it is not the first time an amendment has been proposed to legalize the drug in Ohio for medical purposes. In fact, DeWine rejected another proposed medical marijuana legalization amendment just two days prior to his rejection of The Medical Cannabis Industrial Hemp Amendment. That legislation, the similarly-titled Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment, was proposed for the fourth time by Ohio Medical Cannabis Care LLC and was rejected by DeWine on Friday for 11 different reasons. Daniello says her group is not deterred by DeWine's rejection; rather, they are back at work to address his qualms. "We had very minor mistakes and we are currently paying petitioners to gather again, and we will be going in on either Friday or Monday with our corrections," Daniello said. "We are very confident that we will be approved."


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Marking the 150th anniversary of British composer Edward Elgar's birth "are many broadcasts, celebrations, and major publications. But exactly what Elgar stood for and what is unique about his music are more than ever being questioned. ... Old assumptions are being challenged, clichés rejected. And in a welcome development, the major festival is in America, which Elgar visited several times to conduct his music." The New York Times 08/05/07
Continue reading For His 150th, Scholars Take A Fresh Look At Elgar
As posted in


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Our Vision
To develop and commercialise a novel universal screening test for the early detection of breast cancer that is safe, cost effective, accurate and available to all women regardless of age, race and geographic location.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst women, therefore, the effectiveness of the screening and diagnosis technology used is a high priority.
The current model relies on a woman having to be physically present at a clinic for breast imaging. This is not always ideal as clinics are not readily accessible, and it is not necessarily convenient for the visiting patient. Many women are also not very comfortable with the process of breast imaging which can involve multiple technologies. While the present technologies are currently state of the art, there is a high cost involved, and well-known performance limitations that result in only a small subset of women who are actually eligible for screening.
Our Mission
BCAL Diagnostics aims to shift the paradigm in breast cancer screening and diagnosis by introducing a blood test for detection of the disease. The implication of such a technology could revolutionise the way we prevent and manage breast cancer by allowing a blood sample to be taken remote from the site of analysis. This means that the technology will allow access to more women, anywhere in the world, who could provide a blood sample, at a time and place of their convenience. Such a test would fit into a woman's routine health regime and be incorporated into their personal lifestyle.
In addition, with such high levels of accuracy, this technology would provide greater peace of mind, for a woman, between annual checks.
The BCAL Diagnostics technology could utilise a single blood test on multiple levels:
1. Disease prevention: Assess the presence of the disease in women who have a familial history for breast cancer
2. Diagnostic mass screening: Routinely screen women who are at highest risk of developing the disease and those women with any breast abnormalities
3. Post-intervention: Monitor patients who have had breast cancer for recurrence and the effectiveness of treatment
IMNIS Industry Mentoring Network in STEM
Australian Scientists behind a game changing discovery
Dharmica wins "Women of Style Awards" in the Science category, May 2017
The Future is Female – InStyle
Morgans 40 under 40 – Dharmica Mistry, BCAL Diagnostics
Young shire scientist's discovery of simple breast cancer blood screening test set to undergo clinical trials
December issue of Virgin Australia's inflight magazine, Voyeur, as a star of 2016
Scientific Advances
Commercial Progress
2016 Young Woman of the Year - Dharmica Mistry
My dream is to have this for every woman: The young doctor who made a breast breakthrough – SBS News The Feed


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Interpretive Report
Provides the full profile and an integrated analysis of the scales that gives depth to the components of personality measured by the test. This report examines the deeper motivations that orient individuals, the characteristic modes they use to construct and transform their cognitions, and the particular behaviors they have learned in order to relate to others. The interpretive report also includes the Clinical Index score.
View a sample Interpretive Report (335KB)
Profile Report
Presents prevalence scores for all 24 scales in a newly revised, easy-to-read graph. The profile report can help give administrators a quick picture of the individual's personality styles.
View a sample Profile Report.(331KB)
These documents require Adobe PDF Reader to be able to view them. You can download this free software via the following link: http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
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These badge requirements were updated on 22 May 2018. The previous badge requirements can still be used until 31 May 2019, to allow for transition where necessary.
When doing any activity online, make sure you stay safe. You can find resources on how to stay safe online here.
We are partnering with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, an amazing charity specialising in bringing digital making to people all over the world, to develop these badge requirements, new for May 2018. The new badge requirements move away from abstract concepts to use digital skills to solve problems, build resilience, help their communities and express themselves. Take a look at the Raspberry Pi partner page to find out more.
Activity resources have been released to support stages 1, 2 and 3. The activities use a range of easily available kit, and most of them don't require internet access in the meeting place. Some activities use a device called a micro:bit and you can find more information about this here.
These badges can also contribute towards a CREST Award. Find out more here.


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Besides his radio career Melvin Jakobs started as a club and festival DJ in 1994. In those days he already played for crowds up to 10.000-15.000 people and was a resident DJ in Crete, Spain, Austria and on the island of Aruba.
His career changed at the end of the 90's as he got interested in radio & television marketing and the television format industry. In 2013 a festival organiser asked him to make his comeback on stage and even even after an absence of many years everyone was impressed by his unique performance, DJ Skills, musical choice and his incredible feeling with the crowd. A renewed career was born and in no time Melvin Jakobs was booked again for club and festival gigs in Hungary, Italy, Germany, Ibiza private Party's and of course in the Netherlands.
As a DJ he is a chameleon with his incredible musical choice from Dance, House to Dance Classics. Melvin Jakobs adapts effortlessly to the crowd even if they are twenty or above fifty years of age. Melvin Jakobs brings everyone into ecstasy!


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Growth Trends for Related Jobs
Medical assistants in hospitals and doctors' offices perform routine chores such as taking a patient's medical history, recording vital signs, drawing blood for testing and scheduling follow-up appointments. They're typically trained on the job, though professional certification provides an objective measure of competence. Many employers offer higher pay or preferential hiring for certified assistants.
National Averages
The Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2012 reported an average wage of $14.69 per hour for medical assistants, or $30,550 a year. The lowest-earning 10 percent reported annual incomes of up to $21,080, while the top 10 percent of medical assistants earned $41,570 or more. These numbers are very close to the figures reported by the American Association of Medical Assistants in its 2011 salary survey. The average wage reported by the AAMA survey was $14.67 per hour.
Certified vs. Non-Certified
The AAMA survey separates the income of Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) from the income of non-certified medical assistants. Respondents who identified themselves as certified reported an average wage of $14.94 per hours or $29,460 annually. Respondents who identified themselves as non-certified averaged $13.43 per hour, or $26,568 a year.
Other Factors
Other factors affected medical assistants' reported incomes, including location and experience. The BLS reported Alaska as the highest-paying state, at an average of $39,900 per year. Washington and Hawaii were also among the top five. Not surprisingly, the AAMA found salaries highest in its Pacific grouping, which included those three states as well as high-paying California and Oregon. The AAMA survey also analyzed pay by years of experience. Respondents reporting two years' experience or less averaged $24,882 a year. Assistants with six to nine years' experience averaged $30,123, and assistants with 16 years or more earned an average of $35,882 per year.
Certification and Career Prospects
In its salary survey, the AAMA reported over 100 inquiries per day from employers wanting to verify assistants' credentials. Certification is important to employers both as a measure of professionalism and because it's often easier to bill for the services of certified staff. Certification is available from the AAMA itself, as well as American Medical Technologists, the National Center for Competency Testing, and the National Healthcareer Association. In each case, candidates must take and pass a certification exam in order to earn the credential. Some credentials require formal training, others will accept work experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects strong demand for medical assistants, with a projected 31 percent increase in employment by 2020.
2016 Salary Information for Medical Assistants
Medical assistants earned a median annual salary of $31,540 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, medical assistants earned a 25th percentile salary of $26,860, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $37,760, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 634,400 people were employed in the U.S. as medical assistants.
- American Medical Association: Health Care Careers Directory -- Medical Assistant
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics -- Medical Assistants
- American Association of Medical Assistants: 2011 Medical Assisting Salary Survey
- American Association of Medical Assistants: Become a CMA
- National Healthcareer Association: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
- National Center for Competency Testing: Certification Information
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Medical Assistants
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical Assistants
- Career Trend: Medical Assistants
Photo Credits
- Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images


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The Duquesne University SBDC offers a variety of entrepreneur events and classes from our First Step workshops to our annual Entrepreneurs' Growth and Networking Conference.
We are sure there is an event that will help you start or grow your business!
If you are unable to attend a workshop, please contact our office at least five business days in advance of the workshop to receive a full refund. Notifications received after that time (until the day of the workshop), a credit will be given towards a future Duquesne University SBDC workshop within a year from the registration date.
No credit or refund will be given on notifications after the workshop starts. No credit or refund will be given on no-show situation.


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Cook Up the Ultimate Tailgate with Thousands of Cooking and Grilling Tailgating Items from Tailgate Giant! Shop Grills, BBQ Aprons, Pizza Ovens, Fryers, Smokers, and all the accessories in between. We have some of the most innovative Grilling items on the Planet as well as all the Team and Branded Gear you Need!


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Mena G. is a fundraising consultant who moved to Ottawa in August 2010…and it all started because of a conversation in a British pub, with an old school friend and her Canadian husband. We were so delighted when my friend from her school days said she was coming home for a visit. She had moved […]
Category Archives: Mena G.
Hey Mena G. – welcome to Ottawa!
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How to Clean Grout Before Resealing
Grout sealer can repel moisture and stains, keeping your grout free from water damage and mold or mildew. Over time, exposure to water and cleaning products can wear away the seal, leaving grout porous and vulnerable to mildew growth. Before resealing the grout, you must clean it thoroughly to allow the sealer to penetrate the grout's porous surface. White vinegar or baking soda is safe and effective for all types of grout, but you may want to consider using bleach for tough mold or mildew stains on light-colored grout.
Cleaning With Vinegar
Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray the grout thoroughly. Allow the vinegar to sit for at least 15 minutes.
Scrub the grout with an old toothbrush or grout brush, working on one grout line at a time. Rinse the brush often to remove any residue.
Rinse the grout thoroughly with water and dry it with a towel. Allow the grout to air-dry completely.
Cleaning With Baking Soda
Mix 3/4 cup of baking soda with 1/4 cup of warm water to make a paste.
Apply the paste to the grout with an old toothbrush or grout brush and scrub it thoroughly, working on one grout line at a time.
Rinse the grout with water and dry it with a towel.
Cleaning With Bleach
Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of warm water and 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach.
Dip an old toothbrush or grout brush into the bleach mixture and apply it to one grout line at a time. Allow the bleach to sit for at least five minutes and scrub the grout with the brush.
Rinse the grout thoroughly with water to remove any bleach residue. Dry the grout with a towel.
Things Needed
- White vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Old toothbrush or grout brush
- Towel
- Baking soda
- Bleach
- Do not mix bleach with vinegar or any other cleaning products, as it can release toxic gases.
- If old grout sealer is still present, remove it with a floor stripper and rinse it thoroughly before cleaning and resealing.
- Wear rubber gloves and eye protection when working with bleach.
- Consider using a commercial tile and grout cleaner if you don't have other products on hand.
Photo Credits
- Liquidlibrary/liquidlibrary/Getty Images


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Tara Elliott can't be stopped.
The hard-rocking Jersey Shore chanteuse started turning local heads a few years back, rocking out like nobody's business with her revolving-door backing band, the Red Velvets. And while Elliott first caught listeners' attention with a boisterous revival of '70s gutter punk, she and her band have taken a sonic leap forward by looking even further back on her second album, "Drop a Needle on the King."
For this album, Elliott has recast herself as a soulful psych-rock queen, conjuring up shades of Steppenwolf, Love and the 13th Floor Elevators.
She comes blasting out of the gate with the album-opening "21st Century Mata Hari," with a powerhouse "Bond"-theme-esque vocal proving again that she's one of the best singers around. She doesn't let up from there. The fuzz is severe and the grooves are deep on a cover of Yoko Ono's "Death of Samantha," and the title track is the Tara Elliott sound distilled to five minutes and two seconds: a sultry vocal wrapped around crunching guitars as the bass and drums lay a rock-steady foundation.
As a longtime fan of Elliott and her work, it's great to see "A Leopard's Spots Don't Change" here. It's been a highlight of her repertoire for years, and here it ends the album on the perfect note, one both soothing and powerful.
Tara Elliott and the Red Velvets will celebrate the release of "Drop a Needle on the King" 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 at the Wonder Bar, 1213 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park. The Brakemen, Section 8, VyntEdge and Jenny and the Felines round out the bill, cover is $10.


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You won't find glitter or a sappy message on this card, but we think the bride and groom will like it all the same. Let us help you wish the happy couple a great day and lifetime of happiness.
FRONT: "Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness"
INSIDE: [blank]
FRONT: "And so it begins..."INSIDE: "Another day in love. Happy Valentine's Day"
As we grow up and move around the world, sometimes we won't be able to...
FRONT: "Congratulations on your wedding"INSIDE: "Wishing you both a lifetime of joy"