Oh, yeah, that.... the race report. Y'know what? I'm flying solo right now, because Hub had to go to NYC for work. They closed the main office of his company, leaving only the Spanish-language branch in Dallas open. That cannot be a good sign. And, I'm also dealing with homework crap from the oldest child again. Damn, I thought we were done dealing with that BS last year, but apparently not. What I really want to do is to polish off the left-over birthday cake, but I know that won't do me any good. So I'm going to go to bed. Maybe I'll get back to the disaster race report later. But I know I can't relive that now. Sorry.
Edited to add:
BTW -- I did get on the TM for 2 miles at 12:00/mile today. I didn't want to, but I did. I do have another race in 6 weeks, after all. And it's not like I really "ran" 26.2 on Sunday anyway.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Done
5:45ish clock time.
I nearly quit twice.
It was hot. There were hills. And a massive, giant WALL.
But I finished. More details later. For now, the couch and a semi-coma call.
I nearly quit twice.
It was hot. There were hills. And a massive, giant WALL.
But I finished. More details later. For now, the couch and a semi-coma call.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Holeeee Crap!
It's freakin' HOT outside right now. Weather.com says 68 degrees; I call BS and call it at least 70. And it's supposed to be like this tomorrow, just a little hotter: forecast high of 82 tomorrow. Dang. I'm going to die out there. I'll be running as fast as I can just to get out of the freakin' sun.
Oh, and for my birthday, I also got a raging allergy flare-up and sinus congestion headache. I currently can't breathe through my nose, hear a danged thing, or keep my eyes open. pffffbt.
Oh, and for my birthday, I also got a raging allergy flare-up and sinus congestion headache. I currently can't breathe through my nose, hear a danged thing, or keep my eyes open. pffffbt.
Friday, October 27, 2006
On this day...
37 years ago today, I was born in about 2 hours from first contraction to first breath. I was an easy birth, apparently, but made up for it by refusing to sleep during night-time hours. For the first year. heh.
On my third birthday, I believe, I got a little red Curious George for my birthday. I carried that thing around for a long while, until he was ripped and faded and pretty much loved to death. I have always been a Curious George fan, well before this recent spate of Georgeism spawned by the new movie (which I loved, BTW, and the soundtrack for which TDP DinoBoy and I procured this afternoon).
On my sixth birthday, I had the first party I remember at my house -- my brother, sister, me, and the family down the block. That was it. One present between them. I have a photo of me in my beige/guacamole green gaucho suit, blowing out the candles on my Mickey Mouse birthday cake. Not that I'm bitter about it or anything, but it was always rainy and cold on my birthday, and we could never have the big ol' parties with the outdoor barbecues like my sister (May birthday -- we have photos of her behind two 8-foot tables covered in presents!) and brother (August -- no school, but his whole BASEBALL team came). I always swore I'd never have a kid in October becuase the parties suck -- people always try to foist an orange and black cake on you, or pumpkin-shaped cookies. And everyone wants to wear costumes.
On my tenth birthday, I was told that I had to wear glasses. And that if I wore them every day, I'd be able to go without them when I turned 13.
On my 13th birthday, I still needed the damn glasses. Still do.
On my 16th birthday, my two best friends took me out to a grown-up dinner (with no other adults) and then we saw Stephen King's Silver Bullet at the movies. It was a fabulous adult evening.
On my 17th birthday, the New York Mets clinched the '86 Series, two days after Game 6.
On my 18th birthday, my eventual husband feted me with a fancy dinner out (meaning not the dormitory cafeteria) and tickets to the upcoming U2 Joshua Tree concert. I still have the t-shirt.
On my 23rd birthday, a student in the TV production class I was TA for had an epileptic seizure while at the mixing board. We called the ambulance, and after they took him to the hospital to check him out, I made the rest of the class resume the lab exercise. They hated me, and I'm sure they thought I was a stone-cold-hearted bitch, but I had to show them that if that were to ever happen in real life, they needed to suck it up and finish the show or have dead air. When my eventual husband came to pick me up for dinner, I had a complete breakdown.
Two weeks before my 24th birthday, my eventual husband brought me an engagement ring and asked me to share the rest of my life with him. He was going to wait until my actual birthday, but we'd been to his best friend's wedding on the 1st of the month and he couldn't wait any longer.
On my 25th birthday, the two of us sat in the ob-gyn's office and listened to the heartbeat of my first-born son.
On my 31st birthday, I checked into the hospital at 5:30 am. Five hours later (I'd had to wait while the doctors took care of an emergency case), I met my beautiful curly-haired boy for the first time. He wasn't pinking up right away, so they took him to the NICU and gave him supplemental oxygen. He weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces, and was by far the largest baby there. Later that afternoon, they brought him to me and I finally got to hold him.
On my 35th birthday, I was in the midst of training for my first marathon. Hub had to work late that night, and I spent the evening watching the Boston Red Sox break the curse, taking the Series in four games under a full harvest moon in total eclipse. Johnny Damon led off with a home run. Four days later, on my first 18-miler ever, I fell and broke my front tooth in half. I blame it on the eclipse.
On my 36th birthday, I was preparing to fly to Washington, DC for the Marine Corps Marathon.
Today, I slept late (or what counts as late in this house, which is to say 6:15), then took my six-year-old birthday boy to the doctor for his well-child visit. No shots needed this year, which was a welcome relief to both of us. Then, we went to school for parent-teacher conferences. Both children were confirmed wicked-smart by their respective teachers. Of course, they're my kids, so I always thought that, but having it verified by third parties was a pretty good present. Although, we did find out that the Elder Child is turning things in late again; even with incomplete assignments the turkey still made the honor roll. The little one has a hard time sitting still, and has an off-the-chart imagination, apparently. Good news (except for the incompletes, but we made progress from last year) all the way around.
Later, we had lunch and then saw Open Season in 3D. Hub was anxious to give me my presents, so I got a new Longhorn visor for the race on Sunday, along with some nifty longhorn logo sneakers, last night. Today, he surprised me again with a dozen red roses. Not a bad birthday at all. In fact, it was pretty dang great.
Tomorrow, the celebration weekend continues with DinoBoy's party at the bounce house place. We've invited all of the kindergarten kids, and about 1/3 will actually be there. No dinky parties for this October baby! Not that I'm bitter or anything!
If I don't get a chance to get online tomorrow, the next time I'll check in is post-race on Sunday night. They've adjusted the weather forecast, and it's now supposed to hit 80 by mid-afternoon. I guess I'd best be done by then, huh?! Eeeeeep!
On my third birthday, I believe, I got a little red Curious George for my birthday. I carried that thing around for a long while, until he was ripped and faded and pretty much loved to death. I have always been a Curious George fan, well before this recent spate of Georgeism spawned by the new movie (which I loved, BTW, and the soundtrack for which TDP DinoBoy and I procured this afternoon).
On my sixth birthday, I had the first party I remember at my house -- my brother, sister, me, and the family down the block. That was it. One present between them. I have a photo of me in my beige/guacamole green gaucho suit, blowing out the candles on my Mickey Mouse birthday cake. Not that I'm bitter about it or anything, but it was always rainy and cold on my birthday, and we could never have the big ol' parties with the outdoor barbecues like my sister (May birthday -- we have photos of her behind two 8-foot tables covered in presents!) and brother (August -- no school, but his whole BASEBALL team came). I always swore I'd never have a kid in October becuase the parties suck -- people always try to foist an orange and black cake on you, or pumpkin-shaped cookies. And everyone wants to wear costumes.
On my tenth birthday, I was told that I had to wear glasses. And that if I wore them every day, I'd be able to go without them when I turned 13.
On my 13th birthday, I still needed the damn glasses. Still do.
On my 16th birthday, my two best friends took me out to a grown-up dinner (with no other adults) and then we saw Stephen King's Silver Bullet at the movies. It was a fabulous adult evening.
On my 17th birthday, the New York Mets clinched the '86 Series, two days after Game 6.
On my 18th birthday, my eventual husband feted me with a fancy dinner out (meaning not the dormitory cafeteria) and tickets to the upcoming U2 Joshua Tree concert. I still have the t-shirt.
On my 23rd birthday, a student in the TV production class I was TA for had an epileptic seizure while at the mixing board. We called the ambulance, and after they took him to the hospital to check him out, I made the rest of the class resume the lab exercise. They hated me, and I'm sure they thought I was a stone-cold-hearted bitch, but I had to show them that if that were to ever happen in real life, they needed to suck it up and finish the show or have dead air. When my eventual husband came to pick me up for dinner, I had a complete breakdown.
Two weeks before my 24th birthday, my eventual husband brought me an engagement ring and asked me to share the rest of my life with him. He was going to wait until my actual birthday, but we'd been to his best friend's wedding on the 1st of the month and he couldn't wait any longer.
On my 25th birthday, the two of us sat in the ob-gyn's office and listened to the heartbeat of my first-born son.
On my 31st birthday, I checked into the hospital at 5:30 am. Five hours later (I'd had to wait while the doctors took care of an emergency case), I met my beautiful curly-haired boy for the first time. He wasn't pinking up right away, so they took him to the NICU and gave him supplemental oxygen. He weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces, and was by far the largest baby there. Later that afternoon, they brought him to me and I finally got to hold him.
On my 35th birthday, I was in the midst of training for my first marathon. Hub had to work late that night, and I spent the evening watching the Boston Red Sox break the curse, taking the Series in four games under a full harvest moon in total eclipse. Johnny Damon led off with a home run. Four days later, on my first 18-miler ever, I fell and broke my front tooth in half. I blame it on the eclipse.
On my 36th birthday, I was preparing to fly to Washington, DC for the Marine Corps Marathon.
Today, I slept late (or what counts as late in this house, which is to say 6:15), then took my six-year-old birthday boy to the doctor for his well-child visit. No shots needed this year, which was a welcome relief to both of us. Then, we went to school for parent-teacher conferences. Both children were confirmed wicked-smart by their respective teachers. Of course, they're my kids, so I always thought that, but having it verified by third parties was a pretty good present. Although, we did find out that the Elder Child is turning things in late again; even with incomplete assignments the turkey still made the honor roll. The little one has a hard time sitting still, and has an off-the-chart imagination, apparently. Good news (except for the incompletes, but we made progress from last year) all the way around.
Later, we had lunch and then saw Open Season in 3D. Hub was anxious to give me my presents, so I got a new Longhorn visor for the race on Sunday, along with some nifty longhorn logo sneakers, last night. Today, he surprised me again with a dozen red roses. Not a bad birthday at all. In fact, it was pretty dang great.
Tomorrow, the celebration weekend continues with DinoBoy's party at the bounce house place. We've invited all of the kindergarten kids, and about 1/3 will actually be there. No dinky parties for this October baby! Not that I'm bitter or anything!
If I don't get a chance to get online tomorrow, the next time I'll check in is post-race on Sunday night. They've adjusted the weather forecast, and it's now supposed to hit 80 by mid-afternoon. I guess I'd best be done by then, huh?! Eeeeeep!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Call the POH-LEECE! (and Goals!)
somebody, quick! That girl is speeding! NOT....
Rather, someone should call me in on charges of impersonating a runner. sheesh. I did manage to get meself up out of bed this morning, and out into the chilly air (long pants and a long-sleeved tee required, thank you!). But, dang, as "fast" as I was on Sunday afternoon (at least for me), well, that's how SLOW I was this morning. Check out these blazing splits:
Mile 1 -- 11:25
Mile 2 -- 11:02
Mile 3 -- 10:52
So, yeah, I was anything but speedy today. And I felt fine. I just wasn't going fast. So any delusions of grandeur I was entertaining about possibly hitting 5:00:00 on Sunday just went "POOF" into thin, cold air. Bah.
OK, it's time to put the goals down in writing and out in the ether outside my head. I've really not thought about these too much (honest!). There's lots of reasons for that -- the biggest contributor is really that for the first part of this year I was so out of my groove because of work and stress and work. Putting on 15 pounds over my White Rock starting-line weight really played a number on me physically, but mostly mentally. I'm down from my mid-summer highest weight and have regained most of my fitness, but I've still not been able to shake the last 6-7 pounds to get back where I was when I toed the starting line in early December. We're not even going to talk about MCM, because that will just make me sad, to realize that I've slipped so much from a point where I was really at my leanest and meanest. But I'm as ready as I'm going to be, so we'll make the most of it.
I'm just glad that I was able to get back on board with the training and get the mileage in to be able to make it to the next race. Actually, I was reviewing my logs for this training cycle (after a comment I posted on Ben's site made me realize that I'm a bit OCD about them...), and I counted up the weeks, and I've put in just a bit more than 600 miles since May 1. That's about 100 miles a month, which is not particularly high, but I've been fairly consistent at least in that i've not gone more than 2 days in a rows without running some amount. I've certainly not been on the every day streak that I was before leaving for Disney last summer (again, leanest and meanest), but I've certainly not been slacking as much as I thought I was.
I've gotten slower this year, probably by about 5 percent, which is to be expected somewhat since I'm carrying about about 5 percent more weight than I was last year. But my 20-mile time this year was promising, as was my condition at the end of that sucker. So, all this blather and nonsense is just a long-winded way to say:
Dream Goal: 5:00 -- scientifically and mathematically possible if I maintain a bit faster than my 20-miler pace throughout; would be a PR by 25 minutes. So NOT going to happen, but if it did, I'd be doing a happy dance all the rest of the day/week/year.
Realistic Goal: 5:24 -- last year's White Rock chip time was 5:25; I'll take anything less as a PR; would need to maintain a pace of 12:20/mile, including walk breaks.
Bare Minimum Goal: 5:33 -- that's a 12:42/mile pace. I should be able to do that unless my feet fall off. Any slower and it would be my slowest 'thon to date.
I clocked a 5:33 at MCM, but that's because I was being all tourista during the race and snapping pix, enjoying the spectacle. Not that I won't enjoy the race and the scenery this weekend, but I dont' think Waco, Texas has as much to gawk at as Washington, DC.
so there. This post is subject to vaporize and self-destruct at any time if I come to my senses.
Rather, someone should call me in on charges of impersonating a runner. sheesh. I did manage to get meself up out of bed this morning, and out into the chilly air (long pants and a long-sleeved tee required, thank you!). But, dang, as "fast" as I was on Sunday afternoon (at least for me), well, that's how SLOW I was this morning. Check out these blazing splits:
Mile 1 -- 11:25
Mile 2 -- 11:02
Mile 3 -- 10:52
So, yeah, I was anything but speedy today. And I felt fine. I just wasn't going fast. So any delusions of grandeur I was entertaining about possibly hitting 5:00:00 on Sunday just went "POOF" into thin, cold air. Bah.
OK, it's time to put the goals down in writing and out in the ether outside my head. I've really not thought about these too much (honest!). There's lots of reasons for that -- the biggest contributor is really that for the first part of this year I was so out of my groove because of work and stress and work. Putting on 15 pounds over my White Rock starting-line weight really played a number on me physically, but mostly mentally. I'm down from my mid-summer highest weight and have regained most of my fitness, but I've still not been able to shake the last 6-7 pounds to get back where I was when I toed the starting line in early December. We're not even going to talk about MCM, because that will just make me sad, to realize that I've slipped so much from a point where I was really at my leanest and meanest. But I'm as ready as I'm going to be, so we'll make the most of it.
I'm just glad that I was able to get back on board with the training and get the mileage in to be able to make it to the next race. Actually, I was reviewing my logs for this training cycle (after a comment I posted on Ben's site made me realize that I'm a bit OCD about them...), and I counted up the weeks, and I've put in just a bit more than 600 miles since May 1. That's about 100 miles a month, which is not particularly high, but I've been fairly consistent at least in that i've not gone more than 2 days in a rows without running some amount. I've certainly not been on the every day streak that I was before leaving for Disney last summer (again, leanest and meanest), but I've certainly not been slacking as much as I thought I was.
I've gotten slower this year, probably by about 5 percent, which is to be expected somewhat since I'm carrying about about 5 percent more weight than I was last year. But my 20-mile time this year was promising, as was my condition at the end of that sucker. So, all this blather and nonsense is just a long-winded way to say:
Dream Goal: 5:00 -- scientifically and mathematically possible if I maintain a bit faster than my 20-miler pace throughout; would be a PR by 25 minutes. So NOT going to happen, but if it did, I'd be doing a happy dance all the rest of the day/week/year.
Realistic Goal: 5:24 -- last year's White Rock chip time was 5:25; I'll take anything less as a PR; would need to maintain a pace of 12:20/mile, including walk breaks.
Bare Minimum Goal: 5:33 -- that's a 12:42/mile pace. I should be able to do that unless my feet fall off. Any slower and it would be my slowest 'thon to date.
I clocked a 5:33 at MCM, but that's because I was being all tourista during the race and snapping pix, enjoying the spectacle. Not that I won't enjoy the race and the scenery this weekend, but I dont' think Waco, Texas has as much to gawk at as Washington, DC.
so there. This post is subject to vaporize and self-destruct at any time if I come to my senses.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
I found it!
I've been searching for years for this -- i thought I was hallucinating it. I could never find it because who remembers something called The Geefle and the Gonk??
Still looking for the cooperation one about the potato salad and the picnic with the King. "You got it, King!"
Still looking for the cooperation one about the potato salad and the picnic with the King. "You got it, King!"
last long run done
by this time next week, I should hopefully be done or nearly done with the Miracle Match marathon. Today, I just now finished an 8-miler. Outside. At noonish. Do you have any idea how odd it is for me to run outside in the middle of the day? It just doesn't happen around here.
We went out last night to a comedy show in GP, and since we weren't out as late as we thought we'd be, we ended up bringing the boys home instead of leaving them overnight at Grandma's. By the time I put TDP DinoBoy to bed, switched out laundry so Elder Child would have clean hockey stuff for today, and getting ready for bed, it was closer to 11:00 than I'd hoped for. when the alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, I snoozed until nearly 6:30 before I just gave in and determined that an early morning run outside was not going to happen. Plus, I could hear the wind chimes outside the back door, and that is never a good sign.
So I had figured I could put a movie in for TDP DinoBoy and I would force myself to pound out the mileage on the treadmill while the others were at hockey. I wasn't looking forward to it, but i knew I had to get it done. When Hub came home from church at 10:30ish, he said that while it was a bit chilly out (we're in Texas -- 60 is downright frigid for us!), it was actually not too windy (BTW, that was a LIE -- winds were out of the north at ~11 mph -- felt stronger than that when you're running into it). So I laced up and headed out.
I dressed in shorts and my favorite long-sleeved tech shirt --it's the one I've worn in two of my three marathons, and will likely wear again next week -- and took my favorite route to the big park. It's three miles there, then a mile+ around the path. From there, i can take a couple of different ways home and I'm guaranteed to not fall short on the mileage. I'm not sure if it's the weather, or the extra rest I'm getting from the taper, but I astounded myself with my splits:
Mile 1 -- 10:07
Mile 2 -- 10:02
Mile 3 -- 9:56
Mile 4 -- 9:53
Mile 5 -- 9:55
Mile 6 -- 10:36
Mile 7 --10:16
Mile 8 -- 10:01
So, although I didn't have negative splits, I was very, very pleased with the speed today, both the fact that I started out faster than normal and finished strongly. No pain in the bottom of my foot like I've had here and there lately, and no knee or ankle issues. So now it's time to eat, hydrate and rest. And try to keep the taperitis to a minimum this week.
We went out last night to a comedy show in GP, and since we weren't out as late as we thought we'd be, we ended up bringing the boys home instead of leaving them overnight at Grandma's. By the time I put TDP DinoBoy to bed, switched out laundry so Elder Child would have clean hockey stuff for today, and getting ready for bed, it was closer to 11:00 than I'd hoped for. when the alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, I snoozed until nearly 6:30 before I just gave in and determined that an early morning run outside was not going to happen. Plus, I could hear the wind chimes outside the back door, and that is never a good sign.
So I had figured I could put a movie in for TDP DinoBoy and I would force myself to pound out the mileage on the treadmill while the others were at hockey. I wasn't looking forward to it, but i knew I had to get it done. When Hub came home from church at 10:30ish, he said that while it was a bit chilly out (we're in Texas -- 60 is downright frigid for us!), it was actually not too windy (BTW, that was a LIE -- winds were out of the north at ~11 mph -- felt stronger than that when you're running into it). So I laced up and headed out.
I dressed in shorts and my favorite long-sleeved tech shirt --it's the one I've worn in two of my three marathons, and will likely wear again next week -- and took my favorite route to the big park. It's three miles there, then a mile+ around the path. From there, i can take a couple of different ways home and I'm guaranteed to not fall short on the mileage. I'm not sure if it's the weather, or the extra rest I'm getting from the taper, but I astounded myself with my splits:
Mile 1 -- 10:07
Mile 2 -- 10:02
Mile 3 -- 9:56
Mile 4 -- 9:53
Mile 5 -- 9:55
Mile 6 -- 10:36
Mile 7 --10:16
Mile 8 -- 10:01
So, although I didn't have negative splits, I was very, very pleased with the speed today, both the fact that I started out faster than normal and finished strongly. No pain in the bottom of my foot like I've had here and there lately, and no knee or ankle issues. So now it's time to eat, hydrate and rest. And try to keep the taperitis to a minimum this week.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Yes, I know
that 10-day forecasts are worth about as much as last night's non-winning lottery tickets, but I can't help it! Especially when it's like this:
WOOT!!
SundayOct 29 |  ClearHi: 67° Lo: 44° | Sunny skies. High 67F and low 44F. | 35% |
WOOT!!
Friday, October 20, 2006
where did the week go?
hmm, between hearing some not-great news on something that I'd been led to believe was a sure thing job-wise and having the Elder Child suspended from school for defending himself against the class bully again, I've had a less than fabulous week. harumph. But, I have to keep reminding myself that things may not be what we want them to be, but that eventually, we look back and are understanding of the hardships we face, for they shape us into what we ultimately become. So I've been bummed and down in the dumps, but in the end, I've still got a really good deal going on here. I'm just frustrated because I see all kinds of things in the future that I'd love to do, and they not so much hinge on these changes, but having some stability and choice would help them come to fruition much sooner.
Could I be any more vague? I'm just rambling now, but I guess that's what happens when you start to get older. Oh, yeah, that -- my birthday is now a week away. And facing another year on the calendar seems to send me into introspective mode. I feel like my time to make changes is running out, because time slips away all too quickly, and life is too short to be unhappy or even mildly unsatisfied. You know, I feel like if something isn't like I want, then I need to do whatever it takes to make it right. But that's easier said than done sometimes. I'm not sure that I ever had any grand plan for my life, but now that I'm officially closer to 40 than to 30 (um, yeah, that happened last year, BTW), I feel like I was late to the race and have a lot to catch up on.
Ugh. I guess I should go clean up and try to relax for a while before I collapse into bed. Hub took Elder Child to hockey practice -- he was cleared for contact again, so I'm hoping he makes it off the ice in one piece. They should have wrapped up by now, and I'm trying not to read anythign into the fact that I haven't heard from them yet.
I just finished the last of my weekday runs -- 6 miles in heavy end-of-rush-hour traffic. I used to hate running in the evenings, I actually kind of still do, but the weather is pretty nice now right when I get home from work, and it beats having to drag my arse out of bed at o-dark-thirty. Plus on Fridays, I know The Dread Pirate DinoBoy is happily ensconsed at Grandma's watching Scooby Doo DVDs while Elder Child and Hub are at hockey, so nobody misses me much. I can take my time and mosey around afterward. Like I'm doing now.
I finally registered online for the marathon this week, so I'm really going to do this thing next Sunday. I have one more 3-miler tomorrow, 8 on Sunday morning, then 3-4-2 in the middle of next week. And then showtime, ready or not. Gotsa run. If I get a chance this weekend I'll post my goals like the Nancinator. I'm not sure that I'm brave enough to let them out of my head and put them down --- that makes them real.
Could I be any more vague? I'm just rambling now, but I guess that's what happens when you start to get older. Oh, yeah, that -- my birthday is now a week away. And facing another year on the calendar seems to send me into introspective mode. I feel like my time to make changes is running out, because time slips away all too quickly, and life is too short to be unhappy or even mildly unsatisfied. You know, I feel like if something isn't like I want, then I need to do whatever it takes to make it right. But that's easier said than done sometimes. I'm not sure that I ever had any grand plan for my life, but now that I'm officially closer to 40 than to 30 (um, yeah, that happened last year, BTW), I feel like I was late to the race and have a lot to catch up on.
Ugh. I guess I should go clean up and try to relax for a while before I collapse into bed. Hub took Elder Child to hockey practice -- he was cleared for contact again, so I'm hoping he makes it off the ice in one piece. They should have wrapped up by now, and I'm trying not to read anythign into the fact that I haven't heard from them yet.
I just finished the last of my weekday runs -- 6 miles in heavy end-of-rush-hour traffic. I used to hate running in the evenings, I actually kind of still do, but the weather is pretty nice now right when I get home from work, and it beats having to drag my arse out of bed at o-dark-thirty. Plus on Fridays, I know The Dread Pirate DinoBoy is happily ensconsed at Grandma's watching Scooby Doo DVDs while Elder Child and Hub are at hockey, so nobody misses me much. I can take my time and mosey around afterward. Like I'm doing now.
I finally registered online for the marathon this week, so I'm really going to do this thing next Sunday. I have one more 3-miler tomorrow, 8 on Sunday morning, then 3-4-2 in the middle of next week. And then showtime, ready or not. Gotsa run. If I get a chance this weekend I'll post my goals like the Nancinator. I'm not sure that I'm brave enough to let them out of my head and put them down --- that makes them real.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Tuesday run
Um, hi, Autumn? It's me, Skatemom. Where the hell are you?! It's still freakin' hot here. Yes, I know it's Texas, and that's what I signed up for, but still. I shouldn't lose two pounds of water weight on a 4-mile run. I shouldn't still be sweating twenty minutes after my shower. My kid shouldn't have to wear shorts and t-shirt just so he doesn't die of heat frustration picking a pumpkin on his field trip in mid-October. bleagh.
So, yeah, I did four miles this morning. Not speedy, but not dreadfully slow. Splits were negative and are here:
Mile 1 -- 10:43
Mile 2 -- 10:23
Mile 3 -- 10:25
Mile 4 -- 10:24
So it was a good run, even though I was all knotted up, and still kind of am. I'm hoping the weather breaks before next Sunday, or I'm going to be very mad. And hot. bleagh.
So, yeah, I did four miles this morning. Not speedy, but not dreadfully slow. Splits were negative and are here:
Mile 1 -- 10:43
Mile 2 -- 10:23
Mile 3 -- 10:25
Mile 4 -- 10:24
So it was a good run, even though I was all knotted up, and still kind of am. I'm hoping the weather breaks before next Sunday, or I'm going to be very mad. And hot. bleagh.
Monday, October 16, 2006
And so it begins!
I had the "I'm lost on the course" dream last night.
I was somewhere between miles 7 and 8, and when I scanned my card at the mile marker (wha??), the readout on the monitor said that I'd skipped mile 7, so I had to go back. Then after I'd done that, I couldn't ever get back to the right place to pick up the rest of the course. And my friend from high school (who, by the way, I did NOT have a crush on, nor did I ever consider him anything but a buddy, and who I haven't even thought about since high school - sorry Carl, but it's true! - so I'm not sure why he of all people showed up last night) was trying to catch me to give me my iPod, which was not really my Shuffle, but a Nano instead, like what I want but don't have yet. And then I got very sad and sat on the curb and cried because I was on pace to beat 5:00 (only 7 miles in, but still!) but now I was lost, and without my iPod, and the Nano was cool and all, but it had nothing good on it, just a bunch of current radio hits that I've never heard of.
And then I woke up, because the barometer is crazy with the weather we're having and my knees were both achy, also because I'd done hills on the treadmill yesterday morning. So, now I know for sure that I'm losing my mind, but not really, it's just taperitis, because I've had it before, so I recognize it completely. I knew it the minute I woke myself up from my dream. But that didn't make it any less disturbing. Nor did it make it any easier to get back to sleep. And I've only got a limited number of sleeps before October 29, not to mention I"ll be a year older by then. Argh.
No running today. I did do six miles of hills on the TM while watching Snoopy videos with Dread Pirate DinoBoy while Elder Child and Hub were tailgating in the rain at the Cowboy game yesterday. They were six very SLOW miles of hills, but hills nonethless, and it was a sight more than I'd really felt like doing.
This week calls for 4-6-3, then 3 on Saturday. I'm hoping that the weather cooperates; last week was a crazy mix of too hot, too cold, and too rainy. We shall see.
I was somewhere between miles 7 and 8, and when I scanned my card at the mile marker (wha??), the readout on the monitor said that I'd skipped mile 7, so I had to go back. Then after I'd done that, I couldn't ever get back to the right place to pick up the rest of the course. And my friend from high school (who, by the way, I did NOT have a crush on, nor did I ever consider him anything but a buddy, and who I haven't even thought about since high school - sorry Carl, but it's true! - so I'm not sure why he of all people showed up last night) was trying to catch me to give me my iPod, which was not really my Shuffle, but a Nano instead, like what I want but don't have yet. And then I got very sad and sat on the curb and cried because I was on pace to beat 5:00 (only 7 miles in, but still!) but now I was lost, and without my iPod, and the Nano was cool and all, but it had nothing good on it, just a bunch of current radio hits that I've never heard of.
And then I woke up, because the barometer is crazy with the weather we're having and my knees were both achy, also because I'd done hills on the treadmill yesterday morning. So, now I know for sure that I'm losing my mind, but not really, it's just taperitis, because I've had it before, so I recognize it completely. I knew it the minute I woke myself up from my dream. But that didn't make it any less disturbing. Nor did it make it any easier to get back to sleep. And I've only got a limited number of sleeps before October 29, not to mention I"ll be a year older by then. Argh.
No running today. I did do six miles of hills on the TM while watching Snoopy videos with Dread Pirate DinoBoy while Elder Child and Hub were tailgating in the rain at the Cowboy game yesterday. They were six very SLOW miles of hills, but hills nonethless, and it was a sight more than I'd really felt like doing.
This week calls for 4-6-3, then 3 on Saturday. I'm hoping that the weather cooperates; last week was a crazy mix of too hot, too cold, and too rainy. We shall see.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Saturday
woke up late. went grocery shopping with the Hub -- we blew threw Neighborhood Wal-Mart in about 25 minutes and picked up $100+ worth of stuff. the fridge and pantry are now stocked, so there's no excuse to go out to eat or pick up stuff on the way home. dangit.
then I went running. 6.29 miles -- it was a bit longer than I expected because I couldn't cross the street where I wanted. It was raining and cold. I had just sat down to a great breakfast taco left for me by Hub when he called from Grandma's to tell me The Dread Pirate DinoBoy was waiting for me to pick him up for skating. Gah! I hadn't showered yet, and honestly didn't have it in my plans for today to hit the rink. But, he's not been interested in skating for about 4-5 weeks now, so I guess if he's ready, we take him up on it. So we just now got home, and now I'm ready for a hot bath. It's still yucky out, and it would be nice to just hang out at home all the rest of the day. I think TDP DinoBoy and I have enough food and DVDs to last us a while.
then I went running. 6.29 miles -- it was a bit longer than I expected because I couldn't cross the street where I wanted. It was raining and cold. I had just sat down to a great breakfast taco left for me by Hub when he called from Grandma's to tell me The Dread Pirate DinoBoy was waiting for me to pick him up for skating. Gah! I hadn't showered yet, and honestly didn't have it in my plans for today to hit the rink. But, he's not been interested in skating for about 4-5 weeks now, so I guess if he's ready, we take him up on it. So we just now got home, and now I'm ready for a hot bath. It's still yucky out, and it would be nice to just hang out at home all the rest of the day. I think TDP DinoBoy and I have enough food and DVDs to last us a while.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Friday Night Run
I bailed on my morning runs twice this week. Twice. "Bailed" as in I got dressed, put the shoes on, strapped on the Garmin, and left my house, but then ended up not running.
Tuesday I made it about .25 mile away from my house before I started to feel raindrops. Although I've run in the rain many times; hell, I trained for my first 'thon almost entirely in the rain, I decided that I just didn't feel like it that day. So I turned tail and headed home. And literally crawled back into bed (Dean Karnazes actually ran the White Rock Marathon recreation later than morning in the same storm -- shows you what a total WIMP I am).
On Wednesday, I managed to run 5 miles, although the schedule called for 8. I just didn't feel like getting up that early. On Thursday, I again dressed and left the house, only to come back in after picking up the newspaper. Today, I didn't even pretend. I just hit the snooze button twice, then finally turned off my alarm at 5:20, and slept until 6:00. I regretted that as soon as I left the house to take the boys to school, though -- it was a gloriously clear, cool morning custom-made for a nice run. And I missed it because I was just lazy.
What exactly is going on with me? Is the 20-mile long run being done a signal to me to totally slack off until race day? Am I just exhausted of waking up at 4:45 every weekday morning to run and then still feeling like I'm 10 minutes behind the rest of the day? Is the uncertainty and stress of my life finally taking its toll? Whatever it is, I don't like it. And like I posted earlier, I'm feeling out of whack and totally out of sorts.
So what did I do to combat this? Dino Boy is spending the night at Grandma's tonight, per usual routine, and Hub was taking Elder Child to hockey practice (he can skate again, just no contact yet). And I decided that I needed to run. That I could salvage this week if I did the 8-miler tonight and a leisurely 6-miler tomorrow morning. When I got home from work (after a freakin' 80-minute drive -- GRRR), I changed into my Marine Corps Marathon tech shirt, a tangible reminder of the journey I made last year, and I mapped out an 8-mile route that would keep me away from most of the heavy weekday traffic. Then, I hit the streets. I didn't take the Garmin, mostly because I'd left it on after Wednesday's run and it was completely dead. I did bring my iPod, because that little 1*4 inch piece of white plastic has what little inspiration I have left in me inside it. I glanced at the clock before I left, and then I just ran. I listened to the songs the Shuffle fed me, and I breathed, and I ran. I didn't worry about my pace or my mile splits or anything else but just running. And trying to come to peace with all the thoughts and worries and uncertainties in my head. And trying to find my mojo.
Did it work? I'm not sure. But I'm sitting here sweaty and salty and with tired feet and a big bottle full of water, trying to replenish my body. And I feel a little bit better. Not great, but better. The mojo may still be AWOL, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit around and wait for it to come back on its own.
Tuesday I made it about .25 mile away from my house before I started to feel raindrops. Although I've run in the rain many times; hell, I trained for my first 'thon almost entirely in the rain, I decided that I just didn't feel like it that day. So I turned tail and headed home. And literally crawled back into bed (Dean Karnazes actually ran the White Rock Marathon recreation later than morning in the same storm -- shows you what a total WIMP I am).
On Wednesday, I managed to run 5 miles, although the schedule called for 8. I just didn't feel like getting up that early. On Thursday, I again dressed and left the house, only to come back in after picking up the newspaper. Today, I didn't even pretend. I just hit the snooze button twice, then finally turned off my alarm at 5:20, and slept until 6:00. I regretted that as soon as I left the house to take the boys to school, though -- it was a gloriously clear, cool morning custom-made for a nice run. And I missed it because I was just lazy.
What exactly is going on with me? Is the 20-mile long run being done a signal to me to totally slack off until race day? Am I just exhausted of waking up at 4:45 every weekday morning to run and then still feeling like I'm 10 minutes behind the rest of the day? Is the uncertainty and stress of my life finally taking its toll? Whatever it is, I don't like it. And like I posted earlier, I'm feeling out of whack and totally out of sorts.
So what did I do to combat this? Dino Boy is spending the night at Grandma's tonight, per usual routine, and Hub was taking Elder Child to hockey practice (he can skate again, just no contact yet). And I decided that I needed to run. That I could salvage this week if I did the 8-miler tonight and a leisurely 6-miler tomorrow morning. When I got home from work (after a freakin' 80-minute drive -- GRRR), I changed into my Marine Corps Marathon tech shirt, a tangible reminder of the journey I made last year, and I mapped out an 8-mile route that would keep me away from most of the heavy weekday traffic. Then, I hit the streets. I didn't take the Garmin, mostly because I'd left it on after Wednesday's run and it was completely dead. I did bring my iPod, because that little 1*4 inch piece of white plastic has what little inspiration I have left in me inside it. I glanced at the clock before I left, and then I just ran. I listened to the songs the Shuffle fed me, and I breathed, and I ran. I didn't worry about my pace or my mile splits or anything else but just running. And trying to come to peace with all the thoughts and worries and uncertainties in my head. And trying to find my mojo.
Did it work? I'm not sure. But I'm sitting here sweaty and salty and with tired feet and a big bottle full of water, trying to replenish my body. And I feel a little bit better. Not great, but better. The mojo may still be AWOL, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit around and wait for it to come back on its own.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
It's Taper Time!
Alright, with the longest long run officially done (and BTW, after walking around the school campus for two hours with the kids at their fall carnival, I no longer feel *any* twinge of guilt for coming in .25 mile short on that), it's Taper Time. Let the madness begin!
Splits from this morning are below. I went back to the 1 mile/1 minute intervals, since the 10 minute/1 minute thing was very confusing to look back at and see how things really shook out. A few good/bad/ugly notes:
Good:
I felt strong throughout, even at the end. I gave myself permission to slow down on the home stretch, with about 4-6 miles to go, but before then, I'd kept a fairly consistent pace between 11:00 and 11:15ish, with some later splits even under 11:00. It was a nice, steady run, and it helped alleviate a lot of the concern I have going into Miracle Match at my current condition. I never felt completely wiped out, like I have at the end of my other longer runs, and I'm going to go ahead and chalk that up to a greater energy store. Or just that my body knows what to do at these distances. And for all the inconsistencies in my training this spring, I have put in the mileage after all, so I'm hoping it pays off when it counts.
Mile 1 - 11:11
Mile 2 - 11:09
Mile 3 - 11:10
Mile 4 - 11:05
Mile 5 - 11:06
Mile 6 - 11:36 (included stopping watch for break at park)
Mile 7 - 11:11
Mile 8 - 11:03
Mile 9 - 11:09
Mile 10 - 11:22
Mile 11 - 10:54
Mile 12 - 10:49
Mile 13 - 10:46
Mile 14 - 11:00
Mile 15 - 11:49
Mile 16 - 11:42
Mile 17 - 11:28
Mile 18 - 11:56
Mile 19 (.75) - 9:12
Walking intervals (I count as mile 19) - 18:00
Total Time: 3:49:45
Average pace (running) 11:18/mile
Average pace (overall) 11:38/mile
Extrapolated time at this average pace for the full 'thon comes up to 5:02:28. We shall see -- I'm not going to get excited about the possibilities for a sub-5:00 time yet.
Splits from this morning are below. I went back to the 1 mile/1 minute intervals, since the 10 minute/1 minute thing was very confusing to look back at and see how things really shook out. A few good/bad/ugly notes:
Good:
- The weather -- Perfect for fall running. Low 50s at the outset, warming up to mid-60s by the time I got done at 9:15ish. No humidity to speak of and just enough breeze to keep me cool.
- Hydration -- I finished the first 20 oz bottle at mile 11 and had just enough left at the end in the second bottle for that last chug at the end. The Powerade/water mix with a dash of salt in each bottle was just right -- I had to spit a few times toward the end to get that sticky sensation out of the back of my throat, and was wishing for just some plain water about then, but otherwise, it served me well. I had no swelling in my fingers, and while I was salty at the end, I wasn't caked like I have been in other similar situations.
- BodyGlide -- I bought the big stick Friday and was generous with it, epecially on my feet. I've had problems with blisters and hotspots on the outside of my foot,around the joint at the base of the big toe , so I slathered it there, and it helped a ton. It alleviated any extra excuses to cut the run short, so that alone is worth it.
- The sunrise -- gorgeous high clouds colored the sky pink and orange, and I turned into the sun right when it was coming up. Amazing, and it kept me going for a while mid-run to just appreciate the beauty of it and my sheer joy in seeing it while doing something I really love.
- GI issues -- OK, not so much an issue, but at risk of TMI, my body has found itself waiting for about the 5 mile mark to decide it's time for some action. Not a problem during the week, when I'm out and back by then, but on a big loop 20-miler, or during the race itself, it could be problematic. I HATE porta-potties, but because my kidneys seem to shut down during long runs, that means I have avoided having to stop for potty breaks on the last three 'thons. I was hoping to keep that streak intact, but the last two long runs have found me grateful to be in/near the park with the restrooms (and actually quite clean and nice restrooms at that, thankfully!). I'm going to have to work on that somehow. The Waco race is about 90 minutes drive from the house, so maybe the travel time will take care of that. Let's put this in the category of things I'd rather not to have think about.
- Feet -- I switched the gel insoles I'd used in my Nikes to the New Balance this morning, hoping to avoid the bottom of the foot pain I had on the 18 miler. the insoles were somewhat successful in that goal, but I still found them aching more than I'd like by about miles 12-14. I ended up running a few miles on the shoulder and grassy median to alleviate the pounding of the pavement and sidwalk. Which I could have done longer if my ankles were stronger and I didn't have to pick my way through the grass, bumps, holes and such to keep from tripping. And having to focus on my footsteps slowed me down a bit.
- Nothing really. Boy, that feels good to write!
I felt strong throughout, even at the end. I gave myself permission to slow down on the home stretch, with about 4-6 miles to go, but before then, I'd kept a fairly consistent pace between 11:00 and 11:15ish, with some later splits even under 11:00. It was a nice, steady run, and it helped alleviate a lot of the concern I have going into Miracle Match at my current condition. I never felt completely wiped out, like I have at the end of my other longer runs, and I'm going to go ahead and chalk that up to a greater energy store. Or just that my body knows what to do at these distances. And for all the inconsistencies in my training this spring, I have put in the mileage after all, so I'm hoping it pays off when it counts.
Mile 1 - 11:11
Mile 2 - 11:09
Mile 3 - 11:10
Mile 4 - 11:05
Mile 5 - 11:06
Mile 6 - 11:36 (included stopping watch for break at park)
Mile 7 - 11:11
Mile 8 - 11:03
Mile 9 - 11:09
Mile 10 - 11:22
Mile 11 - 10:54
Mile 12 - 10:49
Mile 13 - 10:46
Mile 14 - 11:00
Mile 15 - 11:49
Mile 16 - 11:42
Mile 17 - 11:28
Mile 18 - 11:56
Mile 19 (.75) - 9:12
Walking intervals (I count as mile 19) - 18:00
Total Time: 3:49:45
Average pace (running) 11:18/mile
Average pace (overall) 11:38/mile
Extrapolated time at this average pace for the full 'thon comes up to 5:02:28. We shall see -- I'm not going to get excited about the possibilities for a sub-5:00 time yet.
19.75
I hit the stop button on the Garmin around the corner from the house, when it read 19.75 miles total time. I feel like I *could* have finished out the last .25, but I wanted to walk it out at the end and cool down properly, and that wouldn't have happened if I'd finished up right by the front door. So, there. I'll have splits and all in a bit -- right now a nice freezing ice bath awaits. The boys have been enjoying walking into the bathroom and dipping their hands into it and screeching, "Eeek! that's cold!" Thanks, guys!
I'd been dreaming of pancakes with syrup on them right about mile 12ish, but when I walked in the door, I found a plate of scrambled eggs and three buttermilk biscuits waiting for me. Hub is so awesome most times! So that was breakfast. I'll probably have a slim-fast protein when I get done with the ice bath to help with recovery. Then later today is the kids' school carnival, and they always have great food there, so that will be lunch. I'll have splits later.
I'd been dreaming of pancakes with syrup on them right about mile 12ish, but when I walked in the door, I found a plate of scrambled eggs and three buttermilk biscuits waiting for me. Hub is so awesome most times! So that was breakfast. I'll probably have a slim-fast protein when I get done with the ice bath to help with recovery. Then later today is the kids' school carnival, and they always have great food there, so that will be lunch. I'll have splits later.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Fair day
The fair is so cheesey, and loud, and crowded, and overpriced, and chaotic.
It was greatness.
We didn't stay for the game, but were still there for about four hours total. When we got home, I watched the first quarter and then retreated to my room for a 2 hour nap while the boys watched the rest of the spectacle that is the Red River Shootout. I woke up in time for the 4th quarter. Greatness.
I'm about to map my 20-mile route for tomorrow morning. Then off to bed. Water bottles are filled and in the fridge. Garmin is charged, iPod should hold out for another two hours if I'm lucky. Stopped off at Run On! and picked up another monster-sized stick of BodyGlide, so we should hopefully be chafe-free.
g'night.
and Hook 'em!
It was greatness.
We didn't stay for the game, but were still there for about four hours total. When we got home, I watched the first quarter and then retreated to my room for a 2 hour nap while the boys watched the rest of the spectacle that is the Red River Shootout. I woke up in time for the 4th quarter. Greatness.
I'm about to map my 20-mile route for tomorrow morning. Then off to bed. Water bottles are filled and in the fridge. Garmin is charged, iPod should hold out for another two hours if I'm lucky. Stopped off at Run On! and picked up another monster-sized stick of BodyGlide, so we should hopefully be chafe-free.
g'night.
and Hook 'em!
Friday, October 06, 2006
it's Friday!
yee-haw! and, of course, we're going to the State Fair tomorrow. No tix for the big Tx-OU game, unfortunately -- they were all over eBay, but at $200 a pop, it's not worth it. But we will still head out for the atmosphere and the craziness, and so Elder Child can wear his Longhorn jersey and yell at some Okies. :)
what else? Things are looking better today than in my earlier posts. No particular reason, but maybe just that it's Friday.
I ran 5 miles this morning. Nothing particularly remarkable about it, though. A bit cooler than Wednesday, and took a while longer to get in the groove, but it got done. Total time was 53:00. I will try to squeeze in 2 tomorrow before we pick up the boys from Grandma's and head "into town" for the fair, but if not, no worries -- we always do more than enough walking at the fair. Prolly not enough to balance out the corny dog, monster cinnamon roll and saltwater taffy, but the fair is a once-a-year thing, and I've missed the last two years!
I'm taking the camera, and soon enough I'll post photos from Seaworld on Flickr, along with photos of the finished office and of course from tomorrow's burnt-orange fun.
Peace out and Go Horns Go!
what else? Things are looking better today than in my earlier posts. No particular reason, but maybe just that it's Friday.
I ran 5 miles this morning. Nothing particularly remarkable about it, though. A bit cooler than Wednesday, and took a while longer to get in the groove, but it got done. Total time was 53:00. I will try to squeeze in 2 tomorrow before we pick up the boys from Grandma's and head "into town" for the fair, but if not, no worries -- we always do more than enough walking at the fair. Prolly not enough to balance out the corny dog, monster cinnamon roll and saltwater taffy, but the fair is a once-a-year thing, and I've missed the last two years!
I'm taking the camera, and soon enough I'll post photos from Seaworld on Flickr, along with photos of the finished office and of course from tomorrow's burnt-orange fun.
Peace out and Go Horns Go!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
I got a "D"
Apparently, DinoBoy is being introduced to the concept of letter grading this week. He announced to me that Dad earned an "A" today for being a good Dad, and I got a "D." Nice. Well, I'm not quite sure how to take that. I know I'm not going to be their favorite as long as I'm the "enforcer" in the house (and I am), but a "D"? I guess I should feel lucky I didn't get failed completely.
I asked him why, and he said it was because I yelled at Elder Child this morning. Well, yeah. It was 7:00, about three minutes before we HAVE to leave the house, and said child had been sitting at the table, reading the sports page (with the Grade A Dad sitting next to him the whole time, incidentally), with NO socks, NO shoes, uniform shorts unbuttoned, NO belt, and unbrushed teeth. And, with his "broken wing," the child moves more slowly than he does on a good day. So, there was NO way we'd be ready for school on time. So, yep, I yelled at him, pretty much asking him what in the world he was thinking sitting around when he wasn't ready to go. And for that I get a "D."
And we wonder why I head for the chocolate. Oy.
I asked him why, and he said it was because I yelled at Elder Child this morning. Well, yeah. It was 7:00, about three minutes before we HAVE to leave the house, and said child had been sitting at the table, reading the sports page (with the Grade A Dad sitting next to him the whole time, incidentally), with NO socks, NO shoes, uniform shorts unbuttoned, NO belt, and unbrushed teeth. And, with his "broken wing," the child moves more slowly than he does on a good day. So, there was NO way we'd be ready for school on time. So, yep, I yelled at him, pretty much asking him what in the world he was thinking sitting around when he wasn't ready to go. And for that I get a "D."
And we wonder why I head for the chocolate. Oy.
things that sucketh...
because I've been in a semi-deep funk lately, I give you the following things that more-or-less suck:
My weight – we had “family night,” mandated by the school, last night, and spent it looking at photo albums together. In all the pix from Disney last summer, I looked awesome – as flat a stomach as I’ve ever had, toned legs, just generally I looked good. Still had a way to go, but I would KILLL to look like that again. That was 13 pounds ago, and I’m not sure what it’s going to take to get me back there again. At this point, I’m just trying to get to the start line of Miracle Match without having to roll there.
My job – obviously I can’t go into specifics, but suffice it to say that my job is high on the list of things in my life that sucketh
My commute – on its own, or because the end point is the above-mentioned job, the drive I have to and from work is slowly yet surely sucking the lifeforce from my body. I love my car, but I really wish I didn’t have to spend 10+ hours a WEEK in it. There are jams and construction along the way nearly every day, and because I head from west to east, I drive into the sun ALL THE FREAKIN’ TIME. Add in one or two stupid people who don’t know how to drive, and I want to jump off a cliff. Average time to get home this week and last has been nearly 70 minutes. It fries my brain, stresses me out, and leaves me too wiped out to function normally. And it makes me bitchy and demanding to the kids in the morning, because if we don’t leave at exactly the right time, my whole day goes to sh!t.
My eating – I am an emotional eater. I think I figured that out way back in college when I’d had a crappy day and suddenly realized I’d eaten an entire bag of sunchips without even thinking about it. You would think that arming myself with that knowledge would go a long way toward stopping the behavior, but nope. I still find myself craving and needing sugar and chocolate and the crap that my body needs least when I’m stressed. Which, if you look at #2 and #3 on this list, is pretty much all the freakin’ time.
My house – I love my house. But it’s a total disaster right now, because my housekeeper hasn’t been AWOL. She was set to come back about three weeks ago, and actually showed up and started but then had to leave because her child (who has spina bifida and has a stomach tube and is in a wheelchair) was injured at school that day. She hasn’t been back yet. And I’m too lazy to do it if she could show up any day now. Hub finally gave in and mopped the kitchen floor and swabbed down the toilets and the tub, but only half-heartedly. So it’s not at all a health hazard, yet, but it’s certainly not as clean as it should be considering I finally caved and got a regular once-a-month person. But I feel guilty about nagging her to see if she’s coming back, and I kinda think having to deal with her kid put her off schedule and such. So I’ve been patient while my house degrades around me.
The Rangers – yeah, it goes without saying that they suck. They have for 30 years, why would we expect it to be any different this year? But watching the Yankees erupt in the 3rd inning last night reinforced how much we’ve been cheated out of quality baseball in this town.
The weather – it’s going to be 93 today. And yet, when I look at the calendar, it says October 4. Surely there is something amiss. I mean, I know I’m in Texas, but c’mon and cut me a break already. Humidity is high, but not beastly, thankfully. Otherwise, I’d really have to just find a deep dark cool cave to climb into until November.
Hub and the kids are awesome, meanwhile, as are all my friends at work and in real life. So that’s why I’m not in deep depression like I could be. Things beyond the above are stuff I can’t complain about. I just feel stuck and that’s not a good feeling.
So, there. Sorry to be Debbie Downer.
ORN – 9.5 miles today. Had to get up at 4:25. As in AM. I’d have done 10 except I ran out of time – see #3 above. Slow and tortuous pace – average for the 8.5 I did on the streets was 10:50/mile. I finished up the last one on the treadmill at the house after making sure boys were up out of bed. But I felt good once I talked myself into not bailing by mile 2.
Yesterday’s ORN – 5 miles. Nothing remarkable. Didn’t have the Garmin or the iPod, so it was all just about running.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
what a weekend!
um, let's see, what DID we do this weekend?
My folks are great -- bickering with each other pretty much nonstop, in that way they do. Driving each other nuts, but if one of them is sick, it sends the other into a tizzy because they've known each other their whole lives and can't stand to be apart. Of course, my dad's first words to me were, "Gaining weight, are you?" Yeah, love you, too, Dad. From anyone else, I'd say, yep, it's been hard getting back to fighting weight where I was last year, or, I've actually lost weight since I saw you last, but from him, it just sends me. Something about how he said it -- in the same tone as when he calls me "little girl," despite the fact that I'm 37 in less than a month and have a family, job and home of my own. Nope, no issues here with fatherly acceptance, none at all...
The actual trip to the Valley was terribly boring and physically exhausting. Being in the car for that long just wipes me out. Four hours on Thursday night, 7 total on Friday, and another 4 this morning. Ugh. And, yeah, my in-laws didn't rent a van like they said -- we all six squeezed into their car. Yes, it's a freakin' Lincoln Continental and as big as a house, but it is still not made for a six-person roadtrip.
Lunch in the Valley, however, was deee-vine, and reminds me of yet another reason I'm glad I don't live there. If I did, and ate refried beans and chicken enchiladas like that all the time, I'd no doubt be 60 pounds overweight instead of the 25ish that I am now. But, I have to say, Day-um, they make some good Tex-Mex food down there. And don't get me started on the fresh tortillas. Sigh.
Seaworld was quite fun, even though someone forgot to tell the weather that it's October already, dammit, and it was prolly way above 90 late in the afternoon. We were fooled by early morning coolness and clouds into thinking we'd gotten away with nice weather. But by shortly after lunch, when we'd seen all the shows (and gotten our photo taken with Shamu!) and were left with just walking around the concrete jungle, the sun was merciless. But the boys had fun, and the sealion/walrus show is hilarious, and DinoBoy will now be known as the Dread Pirate Monkeyboy.
Dinner in San Antonio -- replay the paragraph above about Valley tex-mex for the San Antonio dinner experience. Good freakin' food, although miserably unhealthy and portions WAY too large for one person. And add in the pralines and leche quemada candy from Mi Tierra, and I'm doubly glad we don't get down there too often.
I did manage to run while I was gone -- I did 3 miles on Friday morning on the crappy treadmill at the hotel before we headed out to the Valley. Probably didn't do much to mitigate the damage from the enchilada lunch later that day, but it was better than nothing. Which is what I did yesterday and today (unless you count walking for 7 hours at Seaworld exercise -- I kinda do, esp since I carried DinoBoy on my back like a monkey for a while there at the end). Next week is 20 miles for the Sunday long run, so I just consider this a HUGE (yoooge, i tell ya, YOOGE) step-back week.
What else, what else? Oh yeah, I just got back from the drugstore, where I had to buy an arm sling and children's extra-strength pain reliever. For Elder Child's broken collarbone. He moved up from a non-check hockey league to checking league. Today was their first checking clinic. Apparently, we didn't do too well. Sheesh. Luckily, one of the other hockey dads is an ER doc, and he gave him a once-over and gave Hub some instructions to get him through the night. They should be here any minute. More later, I'm sure. Fun times.
My folks are great -- bickering with each other pretty much nonstop, in that way they do. Driving each other nuts, but if one of them is sick, it sends the other into a tizzy because they've known each other their whole lives and can't stand to be apart. Of course, my dad's first words to me were, "Gaining weight, are you?" Yeah, love you, too, Dad. From anyone else, I'd say, yep, it's been hard getting back to fighting weight where I was last year, or, I've actually lost weight since I saw you last, but from him, it just sends me. Something about how he said it -- in the same tone as when he calls me "little girl," despite the fact that I'm 37 in less than a month and have a family, job and home of my own. Nope, no issues here with fatherly acceptance, none at all...
The actual trip to the Valley was terribly boring and physically exhausting. Being in the car for that long just wipes me out. Four hours on Thursday night, 7 total on Friday, and another 4 this morning. Ugh. And, yeah, my in-laws didn't rent a van like they said -- we all six squeezed into their car. Yes, it's a freakin' Lincoln Continental and as big as a house, but it is still not made for a six-person roadtrip.
Lunch in the Valley, however, was deee-vine, and reminds me of yet another reason I'm glad I don't live there. If I did, and ate refried beans and chicken enchiladas like that all the time, I'd no doubt be 60 pounds overweight instead of the 25ish that I am now. But, I have to say, Day-um, they make some good Tex-Mex food down there. And don't get me started on the fresh tortillas. Sigh.
Seaworld was quite fun, even though someone forgot to tell the weather that it's October already, dammit, and it was prolly way above 90 late in the afternoon. We were fooled by early morning coolness and clouds into thinking we'd gotten away with nice weather. But by shortly after lunch, when we'd seen all the shows (and gotten our photo taken with Shamu!) and were left with just walking around the concrete jungle, the sun was merciless. But the boys had fun, and the sealion/walrus show is hilarious, and DinoBoy will now be known as the Dread Pirate Monkeyboy.
Dinner in San Antonio -- replay the paragraph above about Valley tex-mex for the San Antonio dinner experience. Good freakin' food, although miserably unhealthy and portions WAY too large for one person. And add in the pralines and leche quemada candy from Mi Tierra, and I'm doubly glad we don't get down there too often.
I did manage to run while I was gone -- I did 3 miles on Friday morning on the crappy treadmill at the hotel before we headed out to the Valley. Probably didn't do much to mitigate the damage from the enchilada lunch later that day, but it was better than nothing. Which is what I did yesterday and today (unless you count walking for 7 hours at Seaworld exercise -- I kinda do, esp since I carried DinoBoy on my back like a monkey for a while there at the end). Next week is 20 miles for the Sunday long run, so I just consider this a HUGE (yoooge, i tell ya, YOOGE) step-back week.
What else, what else? Oh yeah, I just got back from the drugstore, where I had to buy an arm sling and children's extra-strength pain reliever. For Elder Child's broken collarbone. He moved up from a non-check hockey league to checking league. Today was their first checking clinic. Apparently, we didn't do too well. Sheesh. Luckily, one of the other hockey dads is an ER doc, and he gave him a once-over and gave Hub some instructions to get him through the night. They should be here any minute. More later, I'm sure. Fun times.
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