Liebster Award!

Last week Jen from Running with the Girls tagged me for the Liebster Award.  I have been on vacation and haven't really had time to write this post so now that I am home and it is raining, I'm going to get it done!

This Liebster Award is for up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers.  I guess that is me--I don't know how up and coming I am, but I certainly don't have 200 followers.  Yet.... :)

Liebster is a German word that means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Rules for receiving this award:
1.  Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2.  Answer the questions the tagger asked, and then come up with 11 questions for the bloggers you are tagging.
3.  Choose 11 people and tag them in your post.
4.  Notify the people you have tagged.
5.  No tag backs.

11 Things About Me:

1.  I am suffering from plantar faciitis now and it really sucks.  My left heel hurts on and off when I run. During the run it's fine, but afterward, wow!  Watch out.  I'm like an old man hobbling around.  I got some new sneakers the other day so I'm hoping that will help.  

2.  I guess I'm going to be coaching the youth field hockey program at the local Y this fall.  I kinda offered because I wasn't sure there was going to be a coach and I wanted there to be a program.  Also last year the communication and organization of the program was not very good and I know I can do a better job with that.  As far as actual field hockey?  I never played at the high school level but it's pretty similar to soccer so I think I can manage.  At the 3rd-5th grade level it's really just about getting the girls to be able to control the ball with the sticks anyway.   I hope it doesn't interfere with my running.... lol.

3.  Thank goodness the Olympics are on only every 4 (or 2) years.  I would be a fat, lazy slob if they were on all the time.  I can sit all day long and watch the most random of sports.   Not good for my fitness.

4.  I cannot stand pork rinds.  I think they are the grossest (is that a word??) most disgusting things ever.  My entire family loves them and I just about gag and puke every time my husband buys them.  They all eat them and the smell just about sends me over the edge.  Gag.

5.  13 days until my 42nd birthday.  I cannot believe I am in my 40's.  

6.  There is less than 3 weeks until my first Olympic tri.  I still do not have a wetsuit, nor have I done an open water swim.  I guess I'd better get on the stick.

7.  I have never traveled out of the USA other than Canada and Mexico.  I would love to visit Australia, Italy, Africa (for safari) and Iceland.  Someday...

8.  I love having vacation, but I love coming home from vacation even more.  After about 5-7 days, depending on where I am, I am ready to get myself back home.  It is so great to sleep in your own bed, with your own pillow.  Oh!  And my cats!  I've missed my cats so much!!

9.  The other thing with vacation is the disgusting amounts of bad-for-you-food that you ingest.  It's even worse when we stay with my parents at camp.  It seems like all we do is eat.  I've had more junk in the past 4 days than I have had in the past 3 months.  

10.  I do not really like Mt. Dew in a bottle.  Mt. Dew in a can tastes so much better.  No idea why.  

11.  While running the Beach to Beacon last weekend, we ran through one spot and all I could smell was cigarette smoke!  Seriously.  What the hell are you doing at a road race smoking??  Why are you smoking still anyway?  Especially at a road race!  Have some common sense people.

My 11 Answers

1.  What is your favorite Olympic event?
My favorite Olympic event has to be gymnastics.  I have watched gymnastics all my life wishing that I could be that girl, with the perfect butt, doing double back flips.  

2.  Have you lost a toenail?  Did you just leave it or paint over it?
I have lost a toenail only once when I was 11ish.  I never paint any nails, toes or otherwise, so nope.  I don't paint.

3.  Running skirt or shorts?
I love running skirts, but they are cost prohibitive so I have more shorts.

4.  What is your favorite pizza combination?
I haven't had it in forever, but my favorite pizza is from Rosalie's in Bar Harbor.  Whole wheat crust, with hamburger, spinach and fresh mushrooms.  

5.  Do you write a menu for the week?  
Hell, no.  I'm lucky to have an idea for what dinner is to be that night when I get home.  Thankfully, my husband usually starts the cooking and I just help when I get home.  It's almost always some kind of meat, pasta or potatoes, and vegetable.  

6.  What are you training for right now?
Right now I am training for the Rev3 Olympic Length Triathlon which is coming up on 8/26.  After that, my next big thing will be the Maine 1/2 Marathon.

7.  Running shoes--what do you look for in a running shoe?  Do you have a favorite brand?
I am not really learned on the value of having many running shoes and having different shoes for training vs. races.  So really, I wear the Kinvara for everything.  I have learned lately, that I should probably have a training shoe and keep my Kinvaras for racing.

8.  Dream race?
Ironman.  Anywhere.

9.  Do you run the same race year after year or do you like to try new ones?
Both.  I love doing the same races to see if I can improve on the previous year, but I also love trying new races.

10.  Do you listen to music on your runs?  What are some of your favorite tunes?
Lately (in the past 4 months) I have not used anything on my runs.  But when I did use music, I want stuff that is upbeat and fast.  Lots of current pop and dance music.

11.  If you had your own garden, what would you grow in it?
Let's assume that I don't have a black thumb, like I do, I would grow everything.  Lettuce, spinach, cukes, peppers, broccoli, carrots, peas the works!

My 11 Questions for my Tagged Friends

1.  If you could live somewhere else, either in US or out of country, where would it be?
2.  Would you rather have wealth or fame?  Why?
3.  Would you rather be able to race really fast but be hurt afterward, or be slow but never hurt?
4.  What is your favorite drink?
5.  What is your dream job?
6.  Lake or ocean?
7.  Do you have a bad habit like chewing your fingernails?  What is it?
8.  I am a little nutso about recycling.  Our transfer station recycles everything so I do too.  Paper, all plastic, newspaper, cardboard, cans.  Do you recycle?  Is it easy to recycle where you live?
9.  What race are you most proud of?
10.  What chore do you hate the most around the house?
11.  Do you love a Disney vacation or somewhere less crazy?

My Tags:
Carrie at Maine Mom on the Run
Lisa at Getting it Done on the Run
Danielle at ooh breathe just breathe
Middle Aged Runner
Rachel at Running in Real Life
Trinity at HipFitFam
(not so)SuperRunnerMom
Terzah at BQby40
Niki at Just Keep Going

That's it.  Everyone else has more followers or hasn't been active with blogging for a while.  I hope you all have a great weekend!!