Happy July 4th and Peachtree Road Race Update

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Fourth of July.  Mr. Southern and I finished the Peachtree is pretty decent time, especially considering the longest distance we've run in recent months has been 3 miles.  Since I didn't strap my webcam to my head, I am completely stealing pictures to show you some of the highlights.  There is nothing better to get you into the Fourth of July spirit than a little run down Peachtree.  I invite y'all to come next year!

First, thanks to Moe's for being loud and crazy.  We count on you every year.  Though I'm not sure why so many people risked their lives to grab one of your t-shirts.

via See Dad Run. Run, Dad, Run

And of course the Holy Water from St. Phillips.  If you missed the hydrant-turned sprinkler, or were in need of some Holy Water, St. Philips has you covered.

via See Dad Run. Run, Dad, Run

Chick-fil-A- you do your city proud.  Loved the Cows. And I believe you were the ones playing Springsteen's Born in the USA.  Love it.

and again, via See Dad Run. Run, Dad, Run

Norfolk Southern was one I didn't remember in the past- great sign (We think you can... We think you can....We think you can....We know You Can!) and fun bluegrass music.

And to whoever was playing Overture of 1812 and Neil Diamond's Coming to America- thank you!

Whole lotta love for Crystal Springs water, Coke, and Blue Bell for the after-race treats!

yep, via See Dad Run. Run, Dad, Run

And of course, the Waffle House.  Their t-shirts for the race this year said, "We Run So We Can Eat."  I get it now.  I enjoyed my waffle. :-)

Peachtree Road Race Preparation!

I received my Peachtree Road Race packet today!  This year is the 40th anniversary of the infamous race.  For those not in the know, the Peachtree is a 10k run held every July 4th on... you guessed it... Peachtree in the heart of Atlanta.  Over 50,000 runners participate in this event.  So if you're looking for a good time- as in, breaking a personal record- this is not the race for you.  If, however, you're looking for a good time- meaning you appreciate the revelry on the sidelines- folks dressed up as Lady Liberty or Uncle Sam,  bands playing, tons of people cheering and early-morning beer drinking- then this is the race for you.  Since I tend to get bored running- and need some form of encouragement- this is the perfect event for me.

Mr. Southern registered us this year so you can just imagine my surprise (read: shock) when I received my number.  No, I'm not in the elite group, but somehow, those nice people at the Atlanta Track Club determined that- even with my terrible time in my last half-marathon- I am a "real runner."  I'm no longer in the back-of-the-pack clan, which consists of a few real runners, lots of walkers, and a few run some, drink some (beer), run some people.  I'm in the THIRD wave!  Mr. Southern is in the second wave- no surprise there.  And all participants will be timed this year... which is why I had to blur my number.  I couldn't have y'all seeing just how slow I really am.

Here's the Official Instruction packet for the race- the picture will give you a sense of how packed it is!

And lastly- my favorite sponsor.  Am I the only who finds it ironic (or at the very least, funny) that the Waffle House is a long-time sponsor of a 10k run?  

But I suppose since I'll be starting the race much earlier this year, I can probably recover enough to have a waffle while it's still morning.  :-)  The beer will wash it down.

Hope to see you there!  I may attempt to bring my camera so I can share all the Independence Day craziness.  

-Emmie

Shedding my Assets

Time for a personal post- and a quick break from decor/gardening/cookingetc.  

Admittedly, I sometimes feel like the only curvy Southern gal in Atlanta (which is ridiculous, I know) but this baby got back (and some chest...and with that some heavier upper arms).  Which means that it can be difficult sometimes to pull off my favorite prepster looks by J Crew and Lilly.  

Additionally, I've managed to regain some pounds since our wedding that I had worked so hard to shed.  So, starting today, I'm kicking myself back into gear.

For me, that means two things: Weight Watchers (aka Dub-Dub) and Jillian Michaels.  Now, I have to admit that I am growing tired of Jillian's pop-up ads, but this girl is effective.  Also, after listening to her on Mike Huckabee's show (yes, Mr. Southern has a ridiculous affinity for FoxNews), I was even more inspired.  She used to eat Cheetos (my favorite snack food)! So yes, she is highly commercialized now but I don't care.  She's got great fitness routines and I'm planning on buying other DVDs (I currently own the 30-Day Shred and Biggest Loser Cardio and Sculpting).

For the WW, it's not fun.  I am a huge foodie but the sad truth is that I (and most people) cannot eat whatever we want whenever we want.  I will still bake and eat ice cream and dine out- I just have to learn to do it in moderation.  I'm just not terribly good at moderation- in anything in my life!  But, it's more not-fun trying to squeeze into clothes that used to fit than it is to count points.  The key, of course, is remembering that.  

I'll probably never be a size 4, but I am committed to getting back to my size 8.  And for me, that will be kick-ass enough.

Emmie