TAT CN Header

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Not So Tipsy, But Still Tipsy

Feeling a little better today. I'm at work. Not feeling as woozy, but am still feeling as though I'm swaying. I figure I'll give it another day or two and if the vertigo doesn't go away, I'll see a doctor (my plan of action is usually the following: ignore any problem until it goes away -- generally, it works!). What sucks is that I haven't run in a week, with the cruise and then the cruise-after-effect. Plus, I think that my husband believes I'm making up my after-motion-motion-sickness.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Mal de Debarquement

That's French for "I still feel like I'm on a fucking boat!"

So, we debarked on Monday morning, and I have been experiencing vertigo ever since -- a dizzy sensation like I'm still rocking back and forth on a boat. Yesterday, this feeling gave me the worst headache I've had in months, and today it made me feel nauseous -- I had to hurry home from my office because I thought I was going to barf (literally, there were a few moments while sitting at lights when I thought I was going to have to open the door and heave). I came home this afternooon and lay down for an hour, and that helped the nausea, but I still feel like I'm swaying.

Turning to the Internet for my health info as I always do, I looked up vertigo and motion sickness info. (I've always been very sensitive to motion sickness -- ever since I was a kid, I was barfing in planes, trains, boats, and cars -- I couldn't even ride the merry-go-round and the swings could be iffy. This is also why I prefer not to ride elevators; they not only induce vertigo, but they aggravate my slight claustrophobia -- yes, I'm plagued with several strange neuroses.) Anyway, I came upon this term above which basically means motion sickness after the motion has stopped, and is most common in women after returning from a cruise! Aha!

The crappy part was that it said the symptoms could persist for up to two weeks after disembarking from a cruise ship -- two weeks of feeling like the floor is slanting back and forth? That's not good.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Bahamas, Baby!

Okay, so I think our home computer is totally viral (probably the bird flu) and I'm not able to download pictures right now. So pics from the weekend trip will have to wait, sorry. But I have some time at work today to fill you in on the details via "my words" so I thought I'd do so. If you have only a short time to read the recap, glance at the "short version," but if you have time to read and absorb, read the "long version."

Short version: Trip was fun.

Long version: We boarded the ship on Friday and got right down to the business of eating and drinking. Before we'd left Miami, I was already pretty buzzed from the bucket of beer my husband and I split, which made the emergency drill a little more bearable (really, would we all be that calm and orderly if the ship were sinking? something tells me there would be panic and chaos). After the lifeboat drill, our ship pulled out of port, and my husband and I went to the spa for our scheduled massages.

I had been anticipating that massage for months, and I was practically giddy just thinking about it. The masseuse, however, was not so pleased with the knots she found in my neck and shoulders (every massage I've ever had has been like this: they always tell me I'm a ball of stress and need more regular massages). She spent nearly half her time kneeding out the build up of lactic acid in my neck and shoulders, and I have to be honest, parts of it were just plain painful -- but, she assured me it was entirely necessary. Later, she did spend some time on the rest of my body, and it felt so good to get my legs rubbed down.

When we were done with the massages, we got ready for dinner, but by then, I was really feeling the boat. On our cruise a year ago, I barely felt the boat move, but Friday night, it was swaying back and forth and by the time we were ready for dinner, I was feeling pretty ill. Still, I soldiered on and took some Drammamine and went to dinner. But while we were waiting outside the dining room for our seating, I felt the wave of barf wash over me and I had to dash back to the room and hurl. And that's how I spent the rest of that evening. My husband ended up ordering room service and watching a movie while I spent the night hunched over the toilet in our tiny bathroom.

Thankfully, on Saturday morning I felt better, but was sore from the massage. Our boat wasn't able to dock in Coco Cay because of rocky surf (apparently, the boat couldn't remain anchored), so we spent the day at sea instead, which was fine, since we had fun aboard ship as well. We climbed the rock wall (harder and scarier than I thought it would be), we lay out in the sun (husband got a little burned) and we napped and read. Oh! And I also found a lucky slot machine in the casino and won some dollars! Saturday was our anniversary so we had a nice dinner with champagne and so forth, and it was quite lovely and appropriately romantic.

On Sunday, we docked in Nassau, Bahamas, and we spent the day walking around town. And one of the best parts of the whole trip was some of the shopping. There were the regular tourist shops (t-shirts, postcards, the usual trinkets) and then there were the usual fancy-pants stores (Gucci, Coach, Cartier), but then we found this place called the straw market, which was a city block chock full of designer purses for cheap! At first, I thought they were knock-offs, but after inspecting the insides, and carefully examining the outsides, I concluded that they were indeed real (but maybe fell off a boat? I have no idea!). So, there was every designer you can imagine: Coach, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Kate Spade, I could go on, and they had all varieties of handbags, wallets, and luggage, and it was all priced to sell!

I walked away with two purses and a wallet for myself: a purse for my stepmom, a wallet for my mom, and a purse for my sister-in-law. It was awesome! I was so excited, I was practically shaking! And as excited as I was at the find, I think my husband was even more thrilled (he loves a good deal, even if it's on stuff he doesn't know or care a rat's ass about). After the high of purchasing so many expensive wares for so cheap a price, I was barely conscious of the rest of the day (kidding, it was fun in the sun!).

Yesterday morning, we arrived back in Miami -- to find that someone had backed into my car and knocked the driver's side mirror off, but what can you do? And I had class yesterday afternoon, so it was back to the grindstone right away. It was a good trip, but now I feel as though I need a couple days off just to sleep (you know how you feel like you need a vacation after your vacation?). Oh well, I'll ease back into the swing of things.

Told you this was the long version.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Catch-Up

I have a lot to tell everyone about our trip, yet I also have a lot of work to catch up on, so I don't really have time for a complete post. So, for right now, you'll have to be satisfied knowing that our trip was awesome and we had a lot of fun (I still feel like I'm on the boat -- swaying back and forth -- it's a little nauseating).

Most exciting news: My husband bought me a Garmin Forerunner 205 for our anniversary! (Some women want diamonds, I want gadgets for running.) And I started playing with it, but haven't even begun to understand it yet, nor have I had an opportunity to use it -- I haven't gone running since my turkey trot!

But for now, I must focus my attention on the stack of student papers waiting to be graded; when I get a chance, I will tell you all my stories and post some pictures. Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend; I'll look forward to catching up on the blogs!

Friday, November 24, 2006

Sea Escape

My husband and I depart today on our cruise to the Bahamas. We're celebrating our one year anniversary! It's a short cruise -- to the Bahamas and back -- but it's going to be so nice to get away and relax (massage, here I come!).

So, I will be away from Blogger for the next few days, but when I get back I will reward your patient wait with pictures and stories! Have a good holiday weekend everyone!

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Turkey Trot '06

It was cold this morning when I woke up: 44 degrees. Still, I decided to go with shorts for my Turkey Trot, and I wore a long-sleeved t-shirt with a short-sleeved t-shirt over it; however, I was cold pre-race, so I had on a winter vest and my mittens, as shown here, and which prompted the snarky question from my husband: Are mittens really necessary?

Before the start, I handed off the vest and mittens (and dog) to my husband and the only other thing I needed to do before race time was pee -- but I was outta luck. 2,000 racers + 2 ports potties = long line. So I held it. But perhaps it was the secret to my success.

In the first tenth of a mile, I couldn't break away from the crowd, especially irksome were the gaggles of kids -- I know that 5Ks are often family runs, and a turkey trot is especially a family event, but good god, someone needs to teach those kids to get out of the way (I saw one kid running in his soccer cleats; that's just a recipe for a shin splint but I guess kids are all rubbery so he was probably fine) -- but I was able to get out on my own after the start and that was helpful. First mile marker: 9:17 (convinced it could've been an even 9 if not for the beginning crowd). Second mile marker: 18:17 (awesome, right on track). Finishing time: 28:25!

This is a PR for Jess! Fastest time ever! And to compare, it's nearly a full two minutes faster than the 5K I ran in September and it's a full 5 minutes faster than this exact 5K last year! (Of course, when I ran it last year I might've been slightly distracted by the fact that it was the day before my wedding because that was my worst 5K time ever.)

So, the moral of the story? I guess I should hold my pee -- the desire to finish and get to a bathroom apparently makes me fast. That, and the cold weather.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Makin' Ugly Look Pretty

So the manicure/pedicure lady asked if I dropped something on my feet. "No," I told her. "That's from running."

"Running?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm training for a marathon, so I've been running a lot and the repetition often bruises toenails."

She looked confused, but I wasn't sure if it was because of the language barrier or if she just didn't understand why someone would run so much that her toenails would bruise. Anyway, she did her best and they turned out looking much better than they did before and the foot massage felt sooooo good!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Save the Freezing Floridians!

Look at this freezing Floridian! The poor woman doesn't even have a coat (why? I don't know -- does she not own one? did she not turn on the news before heading out? does she not know what 40 degrees means?) These people are not meant to handle such cold weather: It numbs the body and the brain.

And me? Well, even though I grew up in CO and lived in MN for 8 years, these temps come as a shock to the system. It was in the 40s this morning, and for South Florida, that basically means hell has indeed frozen over.

This morning I actually got up early and ran before work (a round of applause, please), but I had to scrounge up some ugly looking running clothes for it: old yoga capris that are a little loose, a t-shirt and an old sweatshirt). People, I have become accustomed to shorts, sports bra, socks, shoes; it's that simple. Part way through the run, I shed the sweatshirt and tied it around my waist, but it sucks running in all those clothes -- I felt bogged down.

Temps are supposed to remain chilly tomorrow and Thursday and then warm back up on Friday, but that poses an interesting dilemma for Thursday's Turkey Trot: what do I wear? I may need to pop into Target and get some kind of running pant/capris and a long-sleeved shirt. Or, should I just go in shorts and t-shirt and count on the fact that I'll get warm during the trotting?

Monday, November 20, 2006

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!

Ahh, Christmas decorating. Nothing is more relaxing and fun than getting ready for the holidays.

It's Scooter's 1st Christmas, so the tree and the decorations and the wrapping paper are all new to him -- I already lost part of an ornament (let's just say it was a stuffed bear with skis, and now it's just a stuffed bear) -- here he is inspecting the ornaments on the lower branches. He's not sure if we're playing a game by having toys suspended at nose height, or if we're torturing him; it's kinda nerve wracking for a Beagle.

Obviously my hip feels fine now, fine enough to be standing on chairs and decorating. I took some aspirin this morning and stretched as best I could, and as the day progressed, it got looser and felt improved. I think I'll be fine to run tomorrow -- it's supposed to be cold (down into the 40s!) so it really will be like a Winter Wonderland, sans snow. I'll have to dig around for some warm weather running clothes, hmmm, I don't know if I own any of those.


We tried to put Scooter into some reindeer antlers, but he wasn't having any of that. He briefly snuggled my husband as if to say "thanks, but no thanks" and then wrestled out of them. It was cute for about 30 seconds. That's how long "cute" lasts in our house.

Maybe next year for Christmas our house will be finished; of course, that's what we wished for last year as well.

Hip Bone's Connected to the What?

Today I'm walking like an old lady. Particularly, I am sore and achy in my right hip which feels unbelievably tight and painful. When I was walking Scooter this morning, I felt like I was hobbling along. Looked it up in one of my running books (I prefer to self-diagnose) -- could be a mild case of bursitis: tendon rubs against bursa sacs and causes inflammation.

I'm going to ice it some this morning, take some aspirin, and try to stretch it out. I'll see how it feels tomorrow. I've never been this sore after a run before, yet I'm hesitant to run to the orthopedist; besides, he'd just tell me to do the same: ice, aspirin, stretch.

In other news, I slept like crap again last night, which is weird since I was so tired after running and I spent most of the evening laying in bed watching TV, struggling to keep my eyes open. Then, we turned out the light, and I was awake. This time I can't really blame the husband or the dog, I just couldn't keep my mind from racing. I tried getting up and reading for awhile, then I blogged some, then I went to bed -- still nothing. I moved into the guest bedroom to see if location helped; it didn't.

Finally, I went back in the bedroom and must've just been exhausted and then I fell asleep. This morning, I feel like I could sleep all day, but I figure I've got to get up -- if I sleep late, I may have the same problem again this evening.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Sweet Sixteen

My husband and I were dog-sitting today over at a friend's house, so I decided to plot my route from their house instead of from my own. At first, I was planning the normal long route, but then I thought about my friends' neighborhood, with its straightforward grid-like blocks, and then I plotted out what was essentially a track loop that was 1.6 miles.

1.6 X 10 laps = 16 miles

I figured I'd give it a try. The advantage of trying this was that I wouldn't be far in case I had another spill or if I got tired and couldn't finish. Plus, by running by their house in each lap, I had an easy pit stop.

The first 8 miles went really well and I was feeling great, but then in 9 and 10, I started tightening up and feeling tired; also, the track idea was beginning to feel monotonous. In one way, it was mentally advantageous because the distance was broken down into very conceivable, easy distances, but after passing the same stuff for the upteenth time, I was beginning to feel bored. The last 3 laps were hard, and the last lap, the last 1.6 miles, was brutal. It was a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other effort and I had to walk part of it. But I finished. As far as the upper body (i.e. lung capacity, stomach sensitivity), I was feeling just fine. But the lower body (i.e. my hips, knees, ankles, and feet) was stiff and sore by the end. My right hip and left knee were particularly aching; plus, a blister developed on my already bruised second-in-command toe.

After showering and eating, I now feel pretty darn good, tired, but good. However, I have mixed feelings about meeting the distance. On the one hand, it felt great to accomplish that mileage, but on the other, I'm thinking about how tired I was at the end and how the marathon will be another 10.2 miles in addition to that 16. But I guess I just have to be confident that when it comes time for the race, I'll be able to get it done.

For now, I'm glad to get that 16 miler done. This week's long run is a little easier, 12 miles, but then next week it's the big 18.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Can't Sleep

Possibilities for why I can't fall asleep tonight:

1. Husband is snoring; snoring alternates between machine-gun rattles and train-engine blares.

2. Dog was positioned directly beneath my legs; he is not allowing me to fully stretch out.

3. I had, perhaps, had too much coffee today -- I can see my pulse in my neck.

4. I have a mild case of heartburn -- maybe I shouldn't have settled on that 11 o'clock "snack" that meant eating the rest of the chicken bowtie salad I made today.

5. I have too many things running through my mind; they range from thinking about the x-mas shopping I have left, to thinking about money, to trying to remember a song title when I can't even fully think of the song I'm trying to think of, to wondering if the platypus is proof that God does exist or proof that God does not exist, to feeling dismayed that the dog chewed through the comforter yesterday.

Something tells me that my run won't be first thing in the morning.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Grody Toenails

I know that not everyone wants to open up this blog and see pictures of my feet, but it's my blog and, you know, "I do what I want!"

So, a tour for the damaged toes: To the left, we have my newly bruised second-in-command toe. This bruise bloomed after the 13 miler 2 weeks ago. When my big toe (other foot) bruised last spring, I thought it was because of poor shoes, but after doing some research, I find that most agree it's just the result of the repeated pressure on the toes and it is commonly called "runner's toe." Sometimes the nail needs to be removed -- mostly it falls off on its own without nay risk of infection.

So, below: we have the aforementioned big toe. Sweet Jesus, is it gross. Therefore, I find it totally awesome.
My husband does not. He won't even look at it, even when I try to force it into his eyeline while he's reading -- he does not like that tactic.

As you can see from the picture, the old nail is slowly working itself off the toe while the new nail grows and replaces it. Thus, the old nail has become yellowish, flakey, and weak. I'm ready for it to be gone even if I'm left with a stubby nail, I'm sick of looking at it's grodiness.

Maybe I should just go in and get a pedicure this weekend and have them cover up the ickiness with pretty polish.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

A Countdown

7 days until Thanksgiving -- I get to trot a 5K that is literally right out my front door; I love this race! I get to eat lots of delicious turkey! And we get to decorate for Christmas! I love the holiday season.

8 days until we leave for the Bahamas -- We leave next Friday for a short cruise to the Bahamas and back. My husband and I are celebrating our one year anniversary, so we're indulging in this mini-vacation. We are looking forward to the promised chance to relax.

19 school days left in the semester -- This term has left me worn out and bedraggled. I'm sick of looking at some of my students (especially the ones who wander in late with nothing -- not even a pencil -- with them).

30 days until we leave for MN -- We're going home to visit our family and friends and we're going to be gone for two whole weeks. It's gonna be busy because we have so many people to visit, but it's gonna be nice to see everyone. Most people we haven't seen for a year.

39 days until Christmas -- Speaks for itself. I hope Santa brings me either a Garmin Forerunner or a new Coach bag! (hint, hint, Santa)

52 days until the Disney Marathon -- Mickey, here I come!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

My Disney Getaway

Booked my hotel for the marathon. I originally wanted a Disney hotel, primarily because they offer a shuttle to the race's start, but I waited too long and everything Disney is booked solid for the weekend. So I got a hotel as close to the action as possible; it looks nice.

The big race isn't too far away now -- eek!

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Feeling Shy

So, I did not get up to run first thing this morning (I know, breaking news) so I thought to myself: I will bring running stuff and run in between classes this afternoon, shower in the gym's locker-room, and I won't have to run tonight after class.

But then I got a case of the "shy."

First of all, the women's locker-room at the community college where I teach is not what you'd call "nice." In fact, it's not even a cousin of nice. And what gives me a particular case of "shy" is that the showers don't have curtains or doors -- just wide-open stalls. Now, I know some of you probably played sports in high school and you might be one of those people who walked around the locker-room naked without a shred of self-doubt. Well, I too played sports, but was like a magician with a towel in order to shower and dress without the slightest glimpse of my naughty bits.

So, I could still run and then just be gross and sweaty for my night class, but I also have a case of "vanity," and while I may not be a beauty queen, I at least like to appear well-groomed for my classes. And I don't think a quick dash of deodorant or a splash of water on the face will help what will surely be sweat-monkey-Jess.

I guess that means I'll haul my running stuff back home and run tonight after I get done with class. *Sigh* It was a good idea in theory, but I don't think I'll follow through with it.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Failure

After my fall last night, I was feeling disappointed in myself. Much of this marathon training has not gone exactly as planned. I have been too hungover, too tired, too naseous, and too over-worked to complete every single mile listed on my schedule, and trust me, it pains me to know that I have missed those miles -- miles that, in my mind, mean a better marathon, a better experience.

When I began training, I took pride in checking off the runs on my schedule and felt that adhering to my schedule was the key to my success, so veering from it wasn't thought of; yet, as the days and weeks have worn on, I have re-arranged the schedule, skipped some runs, made up some runs, and have let some go by without making them up. So the fall last night and the incomplete 15 miler felt like another example of how I had deviated, and had even failed, from the list.

Then I thought about it, and you know what conclusion I came to?

Oh well.

The training thus far has not been perfect, and often times it has been worse than hard: it has been tedious. I have failed in more ways than I care to count, but somehow I feel that this is valuable. Even though I am running this marathon seeking a sense of accomplishment and personal success, I also must remain pragmatic: I will not always succeed and I will not always feel satisfied by this experience. It's my first marathon, and as I train, I find that I am constantly learning and adjusting (I've never run distances like this before, so each long run is a new experience -- experiences frought with the peril of failure), so that maybe for the next round of training, I will improve. I'm not trying to excuse my short-comings, I'm merely acknowledging that they exist, and that, to be honest, I regard them as an essential part of the process.

Too often, runners (and all others) become obsessed with goals, and failing to meet those goals can upset us, but what we (or, at least, I) have to realize is that failure sometimes teaches more than success does. I will try the long run again, maybe it will be better, but maybe it won't.

I suppose what matters most is the trying.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Tonight was not a good run.
First of all, I didn't really feel up to 15 miles, but I gave myself a mental talking to and decided that whether I felt like it or not, I needed to get it done -- that's what training for a marathon is about; it's hard and sometimes you don't want to do it, but you do it. So I started it.
At about mile 6.5, the sidewalk came to a stop and I was left to run in either the grass or on the road. Because the road is a busy one and there was no shoulder there, I thought it best to run in the grass -- which was really more sand, rocks and patchy crab grass than soft, plush golf-course grass. I'm not used to running on such uneven ground, and then an overhead streelight went out and I was momentarily plunged into darkness.
That's when I tripped over a sizable rock and went tumbling into the dirt. The fall wasn't as bad as the one last summer (when I skidded across the asphalt and splashed into a puddle), but I scraped my knees and palms and found myself covered in fine silt. I got back up and decided that even though my knee was throbbing and my big toe (which stubbed the rock) was aching a bit, I was gonna run on.
But after about a mile, and when the sidewalk resumed, I was feeling achy from the fall and mentally out-of-whack. So, at the next pay phone, I stopped and called my husband and asked him to come and fetch me. In total, I ran 8 miles. And I curse that patch of land without a sidewalk.

Gratutious Dog Pics

Scooter and I went to the dog park earlier today, and he found some friends to run with, and all that running can make a little dog hot, so he likes to play in the wadding pools to cool off. I think it's too cute how he splashes and plays in the water.

Even though I slept in today, I have been getting chores done -- took Scoots to the park, went to the grocery store, and now I'm cleaning this cursed condo. Of course, lurking there at the end of the day is my 15 miler that I really don't want to do. It's not so much the distance but the time; it's gonna take me nearly three hours to run that, and just thinking of it makes me groan. Can I do part today and part tomorrow? Can it work like that?

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Saturday

I did do a short run last night even after I was tired from shopping. The Scooter dog and I went for a quick 2 miler. Today, I found myself back at the mall (so much x-mas shopping to do and yet so little to actually find at the mall) and I returned equally tired. So, I napped and now I think I'll go for a 3 mile run.

I had been thinking of adding a 5K to my schedule for today, but we have a gathering to attend this evening and the times would conflict. Every once in awhile I guess you have to choose time with friends instead of time at a race.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Shopping

Does shopping count as training? Because I walked liked a million miles in the mall today and I'm pooped (for part of that I was carrying a very heavy Crate & Barrel bag). Do I still have to run tonight?

Thursday, November 09, 2006

The New Blogger

Okay, so most of you have probably already updated your use of Blogger and have gone to Blogger Beta, or whatever it's called. Yesterday, I figured, sure, why not switch it over, it sounds promising. And that's when my blog fell off the face of the world wide web. I freaked. But it turns out that Blogger really does have my best interests in mind, and sure enough, my blog re-appeared. If it had been gone, I think I would have seriously called in sick for work today; I would have been sick at heart if I lost my blog -- I have been posting to this postage stamp piece of cyber-real estate for nearly a year and half and I am quite invested in it.

Anyhoo, in other news, I cut last night's run short: from 7 miles to 3 (I was still pretty stiff and, you know, wasn't feelin' it) -- and this after several of you labeled me "consistent." Thankfully, I have the day off tomorrow (Veteran's Day Observance), so I will have time for a longer run then. Today, I am resting and, well, teaching my little hiny off.

P.S. Interestingly enough, Blooger's suggestions for labels on this post are: scooters, vacation, and fall. WTF?

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Lost

No, not my favorite primetime show (which won't air now until February -- damn that ABC!); instead:

"Oh Sweet Jesus, I thought I lost my blog!" I logged into some "new" blogger service and *poof* my blog was gone. Thank the lord, I back-tracked out of that and was able to retrieve this precious little piece of cyber-space.

It was an unholy nightmare!

Stiff-Legged

My 5 miles yesterday was like running with tree trunks for legs. I didn't think I was still stiff from Sunday's 13, but apparently I was. After the first mile, I loosened up and it wasn't so bad, but I felt like Frankenstein's monster lurching through that first mile.

This morning I was studying my schedule and realized I had been looking ahead of where I actually am, and I didn't have to do 5 yesterday, it was supposed to be 3. The good news is that I only have 7 tonight instead of 8; somehow that one mile makes a difference. I'm sore again this morning and my toe next to the big toe (I don't know its technical term -- second in command? index toe?) is sore around the nail. I hope I don't develop another black toenail.

I'll try to drink plenty of fluids and do some stretching today so I can feel more comfortable during my evening run tonight: You can't go too fast running like C3PO.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Lance's Time

This morning a co-worker asked me: Do you know what time Lance Armstrong finished the New York marathon on Sunday? I promptly responded: 2:59:36. Impressed, the co-worker and I went on to discuss aspects of Lance and his marathoning.

Apparently, I am viewed now as the departmental expert on running and marathoning (only because so few others run -- I know of only one other and she's out of commission for now, she's the one who fell off the treadmill), so other instructors feel compelled to ask me marathon or running questions, and my prompt reply this morning made me feel like a real runner. Funny, because it seems as though my own running should make me feel like a real runner, but instead, it's the knowledge of the sport and current running events that somehow re-affirm my part in it.

BTW, I'm sure you running bloggers already read what Lance said about the marathon, but I feel it bears repeating: "It's the hardest thing I've ever done," says 7 time Tour de France winner. Certainly does make completing a marathon sound more elite, doesn't it?

Monday, November 06, 2006

Ouch

Yeah, I'm sore today. Not as sore as I thought I'd be, but I'm still pretty stiff. Last night, I stretched and drank plenty of water, but I knew that today my legs were gonna feel it. It's mainly my quads that hurt, especially when I sit down (that squating move you do to sit into a chair -- ow!).

Today I'll rest and tomorrow I get right back into it with 5 miles. Looking at my schedule for the next few weeks is a bit intimidating: this is where the running gets serious (I guess that's why it's marathon training), and my scheduled long run for the weekend? 15 miles.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Triumph!

I did the 13! That's a half marathon, baby, YEAH!

Some notes on the journey:
  • It rained on me between miles 2 and 3, and even though it was a brief rain, I got soaked. Thankfully, the shorts I was wearing dried out easily and the rain was nice and cool, so I didn't really mind.
  • I did not wear my fuel belt; instead, I brought along a few dollars in my tiny shorts pocket and bought some water from a gas station. It was easier than dealing with that darn fuel belt (I have delayed getting used to it).
  • I walked some while I drank my water; and later in the last mile, I walked a little bit as well; otherwise, it was all running.
  • The last three miles were long. 13 miles is far.
  • Lastly, I think I've unlocked the secret to my nausea: I believe Gatorade to be the culprit. Every time I drink Gatorade before or after a long run, I throw up, but when I stick to water and then have a big glass of OJ when I get home, I seem to be fine. I suppose I should experiment with some other kind of replacement drink, but I'm reluctant to re-enter the world of post-run-barfing.
  • I'm gonna be sore tomorrow.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Ho Hum

Not much to report. Had a relaxing day today: read, went to see "Borat," stopped by see my friend's new baby (I saw him yesterday too after I went and voted early -- he's pretty cute for a newborn; generally, I think they look like aliens, but he's not so alienish), and then I ran 5 miles. Tomorrow, I'm gonna aim for the big 13. Eek!

I am also thinking of adding two new races to my schedule between now and Christmas (a half marathon in Dec and a 5K next weekend); I'll investigate those tomorrow as well. Lastly, I should hop to it and reserve a hotel for Disney. Maybe I'll have more interesting things to report tomorrow. For today, I am lazy.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

The '07 Race Debate

Even though I haven't yet finished my first marathon (Disney, January '07), I'm already thinking about what to race in the coming 18 months (I have a tentative goal called "3 before 30" to run 3 marathons before I turn 30 in April of '08; Disney will be #1). It's hard to decide because there's so much out there to run.

Here are a couple of possibilties:

Grandma's Marathon in June '07 and then the ING Miami Marathon in January '08.

Fargo Marathon May '07 and then Marathon of the Palm Beaches in Dec '07.

Twin Cities Marathon in October '07 and then A1A Marathon in Ft. Lauderdale in Feb '08.

You'll note the location trend: I'd like to be able to schedule a marathon close to family so they could come and see me and we'd be able to fit a visit in then, and both my husband's and (most of) my's family are in MN. And it would be nice to do a winter marathon back here in FL (because, well, the weather is glorious that time of year).

But after hearing everyone's stories of Chicago, that makes Chicago (Oct '07) a contender, or there's also Marine Corps (also Oct) in DC (where my dad lives, and I always love visiting DC -- one of my fav cities). Now, I know that there are many years to run many marathons, but it almost feels overwhelming (like being in the bookstore and craving the need to read every single book in there).

So, what do you guys think? How should I schedule the '07-'08 marathon season?

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

All Saints Day

In honor of Saint Something (I'm not Catholic and have no clue what saint covers the need for a day off, but I'm sure there's one out there), I took a personal day today and I stayed home to get papers read and to get some things done around the house. It was glorious to be home all day and I got tons done (amazing how NOT being at work better enables you to get work done). My goal this week? To not have any papers to read over the weekend. If I get what needs to be done, done tomorrow, that may be feasible. I have a dream of seeing a movie in the theater and going to see my friend's new baby, oh, and running the dreaded 13 miles.

Tonight I went running after dark and went 7 miles. It went well, I felt terrific, had a good post-run dinner provided via the hubby, and I feel confident that 13 miles will be do-able this weekend. It's the number that feels unholy.