Showin' some Friday love

Pre-workout fuel: Too Healthy Pumpkin Muffin with peanut butter and a banana
Workout: Ran 4.25 miles in 36 minutes, 15 seconds; average pace, 8:32. "Biggest Loser: Power Sculpt" for 50 minutes followed.

Friday, Friday, Friday! Friday, Friday, Friday!

Come, on! Sing it with me!

Friday, Friday, Friday!

I sort of feel like I'm earning weekend today but that's OK. I'm going to breakfast with one of my favorite mamas (she's expecting twins!) tomorrow, and I'm fairly certain that Mark and I will go to the movies. We don't have any plans for Halloween, and I don't even think we're passing out candy (last year's effort = bust). It should be a calm, relaxing weekend.

Now, it's time to show Friday some lovin'!

Food. I like soup ... a lot - too much probably. We even have soup nights at the winter at Casa de Healthy Strides. Soup and sammies to warm the soul. Usually, though, my soup comes from a can and that can usually comes from Progresso. The brand is a bit more pricey than, say , Campbell's but it tastes better and is Weight Watchers-endorsed. The Vegetable Barley is my favorite but this week I took a HUGE risk and tried the New England Clam Chowder. You know what? I didn't spit it out. I actually kind of enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong - it's no where near as tasty as the clam chowder I had at a beachfront restaurant in Malibu. Then again, I'm only eating at my desk at work -- not on the deck, looking out at the Pacific.

Fitness. I'm thisclose to the conclusion of my October challenge. Yay! I have fulfilled my goal of strength training three times a week, and I hit my 83 miles on Sunday. Just one more run (a long one on Sunday), and I can call it D-O-N-E. Sort of. I'm already gearing up for November, and I ordered "Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training." I probably won't get to it next week, depending on when Amazon ships it, because I need to save my legs for the W.O.O.F. but I am looking forward to a shorter routine (just 30 minutes compared to "Biggest Loser" workouts of more than 45) and one that promises to beat Jillian Michaels in difficulty.

Life. Now this one's sort of fitness related, too, I hate to say. I was exchanging FB notes with my cousin about my status message proclaiming my registration for the 101st Annual Thanksgiving Day Race. You see, her brother had seen the update and decided that he wanted to do it, too. Of course, he then wanted her to do it. She was a bit uncertain - fearful we're all in better shape - but I assured her that I'd run with her and bribed her with finish-line bagels. I'm not sure if it was the support or the promise of bagels but I think she's in. Add in three other cousins who are already registered, and my family will be partying at the starting line.

Here I am excited about Thanksgiving and not giving a ... about Halloween. Do you have any great plans?