Procrastinating

Because I don't want to read papers.

And I am eyeball deep in papers.

I have to finish this stack today because I want to return them to students tomorrow -- it's their last day of the term (summer session is broken into two, short, six-week terms -- my next term begins on Monday), but I'm just not feeling very motivated.

Thus, why I watched some of VH1's "Rock Honors" (Heart gave a good performance), why I played with Scooter for 20 minutes (he needs his exercise, right?), and why I'm currently blogging. If I just gave the work a focused, concentrated effort, I could be done before 5 pm, but I know me. I know I'll sit down, read 3 or 4 papers and then find an excuse to get myself something to drink or find a snack, or I'll turn on the TV -- for a quick break -- or I'll take Scooter for a short walk -- again, a "quick" break, and it will take me all afternoon and evening.

I know I'll get it done. I'm just not in a hurry to do it.

Hmmm....maybe I should take a quick trip to the store and get me one of those Starbucks Iced Coffees...

No.

I should read 3 or 4 papers first.

Rainy 3

It rained on me yesterday for my 3 miler, and I got my shiny new shoes all dirty.

But at least the rain kept me cool.

New Shoes!

Because I have munchkin feet that barely register in the adult shoe sizes (I wear a size 5), finding any kind of shoe is a difficult and often frustrating task. Same holds true with running shoes. However, after I started frequenting a running store, I settled into the right shoe for me: the Brooks Adreneline, which is always conveniently in stock (I actually wear a 5.5 for a running shoe -- you know, to give the toesies some room).

As great as it is to have a reliable shoe, as you can see from the line-up above, it can get rather boring wearing the same shoe month after month, mile after mile. So, when I walked into the store today I asked if I could try on some different shoes. The sales girl told me no.

Well, she didn't say "no" exactly, but she said that once you find a shoe that works and your gait hasn't changed, etc, that it's best to stay with the same brand and model. Fine, I thought, I'll get the same ol' shoe, but when I opened up the box, I got a terrific surprise: the shoe was the same, but the look turned out to be different!

I was thrilled that the colors were changed and the design style was slightly altered! It was enough for me to feel as though I was getting a different shoe even though I was getting the same one. Wa. Hoo. And I used a gift certificate I got for my b-day (back in April), so I also felt as though I got an incredible bargain as well! (See how easily I am tricked?)

Now, I know I don't need 3 pairs of old running shoes cluttering up my closet, so I should find a place to donate at least two pairs (I always like to keep one old pair as a "back up" -- I don't know why). But it's kinda hard letting go of old running shoes -- they have a history -- but along with some other, older street shoes, it's time for them to find a new home. "Move over old shoes! Time to make room for the new ones!"

Sunday's 8

Despite the fact that the afternoon and evening rain helped drop temps into the high 70s, it's still almost 90% humidity out there which made my evening 8 miler a little sweaty (to say the least).

I haven't run 8 miles since, probably, January? Maybe in February. Anyway, it's been awhile, and I could feel it. Not in the first 4 miles, and not even up through mile 5, but at mile 6, I was starting to feel tired, and at mile 7, I felt pretty much done. My foot was starting to ache and my right arm had rubbed against my sports bra (didn't remember the Body Glide there) and that was smarting as well. So I stopped at a red light that blocked my crossing and stretched a bit (for as much as I bitch about having to stop at lights, sometimes they can be a blessing). That seemed to be what I needed, and when the light turned green in my favor I resumed running and made my way through the last mile.

I didn't bring a watch or my Garmin (I'm not much for running with time gadgets), but according to the kitchen clock, it took me about 90 minutes, which seems right. My foot is still achy, but I stretched and iced and the hubby has promised a foot rub, so all of that should help.

But, I'm off to sip the rest of my Gatorade and enjoy some crappy Sunday night TV! Good night.

Brain Ache

I have a wicked bitch of a headache this morning. No, not because of drinking (although I did enjoy a few beers last night, but it wasn't enough to warrant a headache). The headache is actually a holdover from yesterday. I hate it when a headache lasts this long and I especially hate waking up with one (my husband was probably smacking me in the head last night while I slept; that, or the dog was bouncing up and down on my skull -- that's what it feels like anyway).

Hope it's not a brain tumor...

...anyhoo, I am saving my long run for this evening b/c unlike the rest of you dedicated individuals who are able to rise early and get your run or bike or swim in, I find any hour before 8 am to be evil, so I slept in. That means the 8 miler will have to wait until about 7:30 pm. Not necessarily the most desirable time of day, but that's how I roll.

And, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Including both of mine (sorry, I did not buy any gifts! I'm so disorganized and the day snuck up on me!)!

No Need for the Permanent Membership

Last night I ran 3 miles and the foot felt fine. So I was thinking today I would run another short run, probably 3 miles again, and then tomorrow do my week's long run: 8 miles. I had been aiming to do my long run today, but then several things impeded me. For one, I felt that one day of running was not enough to ease me back and go straight for the long run (granted, I did a lot of elliptical cross training this week, but it's not the same as running). But for another, I just didn't want to get up early this morning.

So, I'll just flip-flop the weekened training distances and then Monday I should be in good shape to resume my normal training schedule (if the foot is still feeling fine after the long run).

This is why I should NOT re-join a gym: I had a trial membership for 7 days, and how many of those days did I use it? 3. 3 days. There is good stuff at the gym, but I think my issue is just getting there. It's only 2 miles away, but for some reason, getting in the car and going there seems like so much more effort that lacing up my running shoes and heading out the door.

Day after Bowling

Despite the 4 leaf clover necklace and the beer, I did not perform well during last night's league games; I think my highest game was 110 -- but my memory is a little fuzzy, so it could have been a little better or a little worse. Maybe I shouldn't have bought those shots, hmmm...

Here's my team! The Pinderellas. From left to right: Meg, Amy, Shannon, and Me

Here I am crying into my beer; some friends gave me a diaper -- maybe for in my car. Meg is trying to either get a sip of my beer or sneak into the pic: I'm not entirely sure.

This was a little at-home warm-up: my pre-game, if you will. So, at the end of the night, my husband and I both found ourselves knuckle-deep in Nacho Supremes -- we were able to avoid the temptation last week, but not this week. Oh well, clearly this week has demonstrated how fallibly human I am, so I'm not gonna beat myself up over consuming some fast food.

Today, I was a little tired for my morning workshop, but I survived. Afterward, I met the hubby for lunch, and now I am definitely feeling the afternoon sleepies. I think I might take a nap and then go to the gym, or if the rain lets up, maybe I can run outside.

And the Prize Goes to...

...Kirsten D! For discovering this.

My only regret is that I am not the inventor of "Poop Off"; surely, that could've been a major claim-to-fame. I suppose, for now, my job is simply "Poop On": Let someone else think of how to clean up the mess!

And yeah, this whole incident makes me think of the "Seinfeld" episode where Jerry gives his car away b/c of the stink. You'll also remember how hard it was for Elaine to get the stink out of her hair -- thankfully my smell has not permeated such depths.

Soooo...no smooth way to transition away from this topic...but, in non-poop related news, I did not work out today. No, the mud-butt did not hold me back, and the foot is totally feeling normal again, but I just am not feeling like exerting myself beyond what it takes to type this post. Besides, "The Empire Strikes Back" was on HBO this afternoon, and after that I just had to watch "Dreamgirls" which arrived for me via Netflix yesterday. Thus, I decided to put on a kettle of tea, and park myself in front of the TV and I enjoyed both movies: "Empire" is a classic, and I just can't get enough of it, no matter how many times I've seen it (my personal opinion: it's the best of the "Star Wars" trilogy), and "Dreamgirls" was fantastic (that Jennifer Hudson was impressive).

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish up the laundry, get dinner started, and prepare for a killer night of bowling. I'm going to wear my 4 leaf clover necklace, so maybe the bowling gods will smile down on me this evening and bless me with an awesome match. Also, they have beer at the bowling alley, and tonight, I'm drinking up: It's not every week you crap yourself and then share the story with the world wide web.

Deep Thoughts

Well, I'm glad my poo-plosion could be of so much entertainment for you all: feel free to laugh at my expense -- that's why I share!

But what I find particularly interesting is how many of you seem to be able to relate: either you have pooed yourself or you know someone else who has -- clearly this is something of an epidemic. But it does make me feel better; I'm not alone on this embarassing matter, and some of your stories made ME laugh out loud.

Good lord, poo is funny.

Soooo....my car stinks today: had to drive to work sitting on a towel (for good measure) and with the windows rolled down. I am a little scared of what kind of science experiment will grow in there over the course of what will surely be a very hot, humid day.

Perhaps it's finally time to buy a new car.

Dinner Date Turned Disaster

*Warning: The following story is graphic. No, not violent, nor does it describe any strange sexual act, but it IS gross. I warn you, dear readers, that I share the following with some hesitance. Scratch that. With a great deal of hesitance. However, it's just too funny to keep between my husband and myself. Tonight, my friends, my worst fear was realized: The following is a true account, an all too real account.*

My husband and I decided to go out to dinner this evening, and we had a very nice meal. It was lovely conversation, good food, blah, blah, blah. The meal is not the story. After we paid, I could feel the rumbly in my tumbly that signals poo is on the way. Now, I should have just used the restroom at the restaurant, but you know that in a story like this "should have" is useless.

In the car, the poo quickly became a much more dire situation than I at first anticipated, and part way home, I had to tell my husband to "shush!" because I had to focus on not crapping my pants. Readers, it very quickly became a painful situation and I was sitting there in traffic, sweating with the effort to hold it in, near tears because I had to go so bad and we were stuck at a red light, and my husband is repeating: "It's okay, you can make it. We're two blocks from home. You can make it."

"Shut up! Shut up!" I yelled, "I'm not going to make it! I can't hold it! I'm gonna die..." was my response (clearly, you want me in an emergency situation).

And then it happened. I crapped my pants.

I literally could not hold it anymore and the light seemed like it would never turn green, and then...yeah, I pooped myself.

"Oh my God!" my husband yelled, "It stinks so bad!"

He rolled down the window, tears from laughing streaming his own cheeks, while I sat there in my own shit. And it was messy. Very messy. And I have to say, it was one of the worst feelings in my life because it wasn't just a little squirt of poo, it was a load in my pants and I was sitting in it.

Finally, the light turned green (and God had had his laugh for the day), and we raced home, quickly parked and I hauled ass into the bathroom where I showered so thoroughly I took off a layer of skin.

Thankfully, I made my husband promise (before we got out of the car) that he still loved me and wouldn't leave me over such a debacle (he also promised he wouldn't tell anyone, but I think he said that because he knew I'd be telling everyone myself...it's a disease, I have no shame), so that's good -- I knew those vows weren't for nothing. Otherwise, I have to admit that this is THE single most emabarassing thing to happen to me (and I got de-pantsed in front of the entire 6th grade!), yet I have to also admit that on a certain level, I'm relieved. My worst fear has finally been realized (and thank god it didn't happen on the way to school -- I would've had to call in sick and rush home), and it's kind of a relief for it to have just happened.

Now, on the other hand, I know my friends and husband will never let this die (I'm sure I will hear endlessly of this tomorrow at bowling, but that's the price I pay for my own forthcoming of the story), and my car will probably never smell the same (something tells me that might affect the trade-in value), and those pants are done for. Ugh.

Worst. Incident. Ever.

No Hoo-ah! for Hump Day

My energy is kinda low today. I was friggin' sleepy when my alarm went off this morning, and after lunch, I felt pooped, so I took a little nappy-nap. It. Was. Awesome. Slept for 2 full hours (I don't mess around with naps -- none of this "twenty minutes" crap for me; if I'm napping, I'm gonna be out for awhile, drooling away). Afterward, I certainly felt better rested, but still felt a bit out of it.

Still, I went to the gym and decided to plug away at the elliptical (BTW, on my way over to the machines, I was assailed by the salesman from Sunday; I assured him I was enjoying my temporary membership and that I was seriously considering the regular membership -- that was a lie), but my mojo wasn't what it was on Monday, as is evidenced by the numbers:

45 minutes
3.78 miles
425 calories burned

I thought about following that up with some time on the bike or the rower machine, but just didn't feel like it, so I headed home. The excellent aspect about today is that the foot is feeling rather fabulous -- totally normal. So a big part of me is eager to get it back out there on a run tomorrow. But then another part of me is warning that I should be cautious and restrained and hold off for another few days. What do you guys think? Run tomorrow? Or no?

MFin' Blogger!

Okay, sometimes, I fuckin' hate Blogger. I just wrote a beautiful post that would have enlightened all of your lives, but it wouldn't publish. Or rather, it said it published, it appeared on my "post" list, yet it was invisible on my blog.

I had to delete it. And I'm sorry, I don't want to re-write it. Perhaps later today I'll have something more significant to share; until then, I'm sorry for the void this very blah post will leave in your existence.

New and Improved Vitamins

On Sunday morning, I swallowed my final multi-vitamin and I was ready to search for something more digestible. What I found is glorious.

For those long time readers of my blog, you'll recall the numerous complaints I've lodged against the vitamin industry for manufacturing large, hard-to-swallow, disgusting vitamins; I have been making the demand for years that vitamins be reduced in size and coated in something tasty. Someone was listening.

The good people at Viactiv now have multi-vitamins that are flavor-coated, and they come in two tastes: vanilla and berry. I picked up the berry and I had my first one yesterday -- I can report to you, dear readers, that it goes down smooth, has a pleasant taste, and is indeed smaller than the previous vitamin (yet has all the same contents). Granted, it's more expensive (flavor-coating doesn't come without its cost), but for me, it's a worthwhile expenditure.

Yeah, I still have to choke down that horse-sized fish oil (omega 3) pill, but perhaps with another few years' griping, I will prevail on that front as well.

Elliptical Monday

The foot is again feeling better today, which leads me to think that perhaps I just strained or pulled something; at least, I hope it's as simple as that. I have been continuing with ice, IBs, and cross training.

Today, I went to the gym and remembered my mp3 for the elliptical. Much better. It was nice too to be able to work out in the afternoon (my most convenient time of day); it's too hot out there now to be able to walk, much less run.

Elliptical stats for the day:
60 minutes
5.7 miles
670 calories burned

After the workout, I headed across the street to Borders and picked up two new books, so now I think I will relax and read. Ahhh...

Cross Training Creativity

So, the foot feels better today than it did on either Friday or Saturday, but it still ached a bit, and I figured it might be pushing things to run on it. Yet -- I didn't want another day of rest. And, as you'll recall, I gave up my gym membership about 3 months ago. So, what to do?

7 day trial membership, my friends.

I went online and got a pass for 24 Hour Fitness (ironically, not open 24 hours everyday) and went in to the closest location (about 2 miles away). After filling out some informational forms and sitting down with an unfriendly salesman in his cramped office, I had a 7 day (free!) pass in hand, and I headed upstairs to their machines.

I did 35 minutes, which was just a little more than 3 miles, on the elliptical and then 15 minutes (also 3 miles) on a stationary bike. After that, I was too bored to stay any longer. There were no magazines and the overhead music was not great and the TVs were not broadcasting anything of interest. The foot felt a little tired, but not hurting afterward, and I'm currently icing it (Scooter keeps licking the ice). I figure I'll spend the 7 days cross training and resting the foot from the impact of running; if it still hurts after 7 days, I'll see the doctor, but if it feels better, I will resume running.

So, tomorrow I plan on returning to the gym, but I will need to remember my mp3 player and some magazines. I can't stare at the wall again for an hour.

6 Weird Things

Okey-dokey, I got tagged by Neese to post a list of 6 weird things about myself, so here they are:

1. When I add things up in my head, I think of everything in terms of 12. Example: If I were to add 7 + 8, this would be my thought process: I would take 8 + 7 (which is made up of 3 +4), add 4 + 8 because that equals 12, and then add the extra 3 that make up 7, and voila! 15 is the answer. Needless to say, adding takes a long time for me.

2. I only drink soda if it comes out of a can or soda fountain. I never drink soda if it comes out of a plastic bottle. However, I drink water out of a plastic bottle, almost exclusively.

3. I do not like foods that end in the word "loaf" ex: meatloaf, turkeyloaf, etc. Ech. Makes me want to hurl.

4. Nearly everyday on my way to school, I almost poop myself. Or, I fear that I may poop myself. There's something in the timing of getting up, getting ready, having my coffee, having my breakfast, and driving for 30 minutes that gets the system moving, and I inevitably think that I may end up crapping my pants. Thus, to prevent the possibility of such an incident, I have carefully chosen 3 spots along my route to school that are "possible poop posts": a Starbucks, a Chevron station, and a Publix (grocery store). These three bathrooms are up to my standards and are acceptable to poop in. I have had to make emergency stops in all 3.

5. I don't wear underwear. Or, at least, hardly ever. (Thus, making the thought of pooping myself even more terrifying.) I prefer the freedom that going "commando" offers me. The circumstances when I do wear underwear: when I'm wearing shorts, when I'm wearing skirts/dresses, or when I'm going shopping and know I'll be trying on clothes.

6. When sleeping in any bed, I always choose the side farthest from the door because I am scared that monsters will come and eat me. Therefore, my husband is always positioned as "monster bait."

Are those sufficiently weird? Now, for tagging others. Hmmm, who should be my victims? Miss Petite America, Brunette Chicago Gal, Krista, Kristen D, Runner26, and Tough Cookie: Have fun with it!

Poopy Foot

So, on Thursday afternoon I was walking Scooter when my ankle/top of my foot started to ache. It was kind of a weird, shooting pain and I was completely baffled by it -- I was walking the dog (which mostly entails standing around while he sniffs and rolls in things) for God's sake. So, I ignored it at bowling (and self-medicated with beer).

But it was really hurting yesterday. It doesn't hurt when I'm not on it, but when I walk, it's a sharp, shooting pain across the top of my foot, and this morning it was still paining me. What could it be?

I looked up some injury info online and in some running books and it could be several things: including a stress fracture. There's no swelling, no tenderness when touched, and as I mentioned, no pain when I'm not on it. If I have another injury that demands I sit out from running again, I'm going to throw up.

I didn't run my 6 miles this morning (too sleepy), and I took some ibuprofren and am planning on icing it. Perhaps I should not run at all today and see if the extra day of rest improves it. What do you guys think?

Beer, I mean "Bowling," Report

Here I am, bowling. Don't I have good form?

So, despite my expressed desire to "not drink too much," I consumed many glasses of beer (this is why pitchers of beer are so dangerous -- your glass just keeps getting magically refilled and there's no way to truly keep track of how many you've had), yet this was the key element of my game because my best game was my 3rd one (score: 139, not real great, but great for last night -- I had a dismal performance).

Overall, bowling was loads of fun and it was great to be back in league and see some leaguers that we hadn't seen in a whole year, as well as enjoy good times with the friends we see frequently (our circle of friends makes up a fourth of the league teams -- we are a presence). At the end of the night, my husband and I restrained ourselves from stopping by the Taco Bell drive-thru (there's something about the combination of bowling and beer that works up a terrible hunger for a chalupa); instead, we found ourselves at home scarfing down leftover paella. That's got to be a little better for us.

Anyhoo, this evening I have a party to go to where I really do need to take it easy on the drinks because tomorrow I have a six miler. But for today? Nothing but rest, homies, nothing but rest.

The Impossible (or, maybe just Improbable)

First of all, it did rain all afternoon yesterday and while it still remained humid, temps cooled off some and I was able to fit my 5 miles in before dinner. The rain continued through last night and is forecast for today as well, but this morning when I went -- gasp! -- running, it was just humid, no rain.

Yes, that's right. I did the impossible: I got up early and ran. I set the alarm for 6 am and was up and out the door by 6:10. I ran 3 miles and was home by 6:40. Showered, ready and out the door by 7 am (I am fast at getting ready, but I don't look real pretty). I told myself that if I got up early and did the run, I would reward myself with Starbucks on the way to work, so I stopped at 'Bucks and got me a grande nonfat latte and a croisant --- mmmm, delicious. I haven't had Starbucks in awhile, like maybe 5 weeks, so it was a good treat (still enjoying the coffee).

Tonight, we start our summer bowling league! Wa. Hoo. I love league. So, cross your fingers that I bowl like a superstar and that I don't drink too much. Even though tomorrow is a rest day, I would like to NOT feel like poo.

Summer Runnin'

Should be good and hot this evening for my scheduled 5 miles. This morning at 7 am it was 80 degrees with 80% humidity. There's a good chance it will rain throughout the day today, and I pray it does, otherwise? Running tonight will be HOT.

All By Myself

I did run my scheduled 3 miles last night -- it was hot as hell (at 7:30 pm, it was still nearly 90 degrees out there) and the bugs were nasty (damn little black things always want to fly into my eyes and nose), but I finished it.

I'm using Hal Higdon's Novice 2 program as my basis, but I tailored it to fit my schedule a little better. Essentially, I am running 4 days a week (a fifth day can be added or it can be a cross trianing day -- I suppose it will depend each week on how I feel) with 3 shorter runs during the week that build over the weeks (the peak distance in the middle of the week is 8 miles) and 1 long run on the weekend that peaks at 20 miles.

So, my next step is trying to find a running group. When I trained for Disney, I trained alone, and that made those long runs tough. Actually, I like to run by myself, but anything more than 12 miles is a bit tough when you're all alone -- thus, I shorted myself on many of my scheduled long runs in the course of training for Mickey's Marathon. I don't want to repeat that mistake.

Yet, I'm not totally excited to find a running group; in fact, the thought of joining a bunch of runners on a Saturday morning fills me with dread. Partially it's because meeting new people is always a little nerve-wracking, but mostly it's because other runners kinda freak me out (with the exception of all of you, of course). Will I look "runner" enough to them? Will I run "runner" enough for them? Will they judge me? And more importantly: how annoyed with them will I be? Will they be all peppy at that hour on a Saturday morning? Will people try to make conversation with me?

The situation kinda reminds me of college: Even though I was an English major, I hated hanging out with other English majors (such nerds :)) and it wasn't until graduate school that I started liking the company of (some) fellow English geeks. Same situation: Even though I'm a runner, being around other runners kinda makes me feel like tearing my hair out. Is it too clear a reflection of my own personality? I'm not sure, but I do know that I need to get over it. I don't know if I can do another 18 or 20 miles alone.

Alarms are Evil

Last night I planned to get up early this morning and get my first run of the "official" Chicago training underway. I set out my running clothes, set the alarm, and went to bed full of good intentions.

Yeah. I didn't go.

5:50 am is just too early for me. And the bed is always just right at that hour: So that means I have to save the run for this evening. If I'm going to stick to my new running schedule, there are some days when I won't be afforded the opportunity to do the run in the evening; it will have to get done first thing, so I will have to re-shape my morning attitude. Ugh.

No Kayaking

Instead of kayaking and getting to see some sea cows yesterday, we ended up going to see "Knocked Up" -- which was sooooo funny (but, I have to warn: it deserves its "R" rating; it's very raunchy) -- and then drank beer the rest of the day and night. That was fun. But we didn't need to drive 300 miles to do either of those things. Damn that Tropical Storm Barry!

Oh well. No kayaking. No manatees.

But we're home now, where it's 90 degrees, and clear -- hmmm, would be a perfect day to kayak here.

Anyway, I might run later tonight if I feel up to it. Don't hold your breath. Tomorrow begins the "official" Chicago training, so then I'll have to get my ass in gear, but that means that maybe today can be reserved as a last "slack off."

No Need for Sunscreen

Well, we're in the Tampa area, but guess where Tropical Storm Barry is heading through?

That's right. Motherfuckin' Tampa.

It's raining and blowin' here, so kayaking has been cancelled. Poop. It might clear up tomorrow and we might be able to go then, but we'll see. On the agenda for today? Maybe a movie.

Checkin' Out for the Weekend

Last night I was lazy, so I didn't run. But this morning, I did get out there for 3 miles, so I felt good about that (it's cloudy and cool today too so I didn't even have to get up early -- woo-hoo).

But, I have lots to do today. We're leaving this afternoon to the Tampa area with some friends for the weekend. Tomorrow we're going kayaking! Cross your fingers that we see some manatees! Have a good weekend everyone and I'll be back on Sunday!

Running Report

Well, it seems that many of you are already hippies, or "near-hippies" anyway. Hey, that's cool, you're still my homies, and you've actually made me feel like eating organic is not as impractical as I felt like it would seem. But I do have to admit that giving up meat is probably not going to happen any time soon for me (although, I can mention that in college I didn't eat meat for a year -- but my bloodthirst eventually led me back to my carnivore ways), even though I have too read many disturbing things about ranching and slaughterhouses. As long as I can separate cows from the corned beef that ends up gracing the deliciousness of a rueben, then I'm able to keep on eating the meatiness.

But aside from food matters -- organic or otherwise -- last night I fit in my first real run in a week: 3 miles. It went just dandy, and despite the fact that I'm still kinda stuffed up from the weekend's illness, I felt like I conquered that 3 mile loop in lickety-split fashion (perhaps I should start bringing along the Garmin again to get some times for you peeps); plus, the exercise broke up some of the congestion (hocked a lugey -- spelling? -- in the shower afterward; yup, I'm a lady) and it felt like it cleared me up some.

My walking partner cancelled on me for this evening, so perhaps, I should do another run tonight, and then I wouldn't have to go tomorrow morning...hmmm, we'll see how distracting TV becomes.

Pet Food Uckiness Continued

For those who've already read the post below and who have already started asking questions about pet food, check out this article. There are many other articles and web pages (as well as books, etc) on the subject of pet food and its lack of regulation. If you're concerned about the practices of such pet food companies, I suggest you switch brands -- but this requires some investigation of its own, so be prepared to think and read labels.

Which, as I mention below, leads me to urge us (myself included) to apply the same kind of logic to our own diets.

Dog Food Leads Me to Puzzle over Human Food

Last week, a news article about dog food contents brought some disturbing things to light for my husband and I. Some consumers are suing dog food companies (basically all of them) for falsely marketing the products they sell (this comes on the heels of the well-publicized food-poisoning of many pets due to contaminated products); now, I'm not foolish enough to believe that dog food truly contains what it has long advertised -- like "real chunks of steak" or the like -- however, I was disturbed to find that dog food may contain many of the following: ground beaks, feathers, and bones, euthanized animals (like from shelters), and animals that have been deemed unfit for consumption (like diseased animals).

Ick. I don't want Scooter to be eating fellow dog! Over the weekend, my husband and I dug deeper and found the practices of almost all major dog food brands (including "premium" brands like what we feed Scooter -- Science Diet) fill their food with questionable "animal by-products" and unneccesary filler (like corn meal -- something that is a common allergen for dogs and is almost completely indigestible). So, after some careful consideration, we decided to switch Scooter's food, but it got both my husband and I to thinking...

...about our own food.

At one point, over the weekend, we found ourselves sorting through web page documents on dog food and we were deep in discussion about Scooter's nutrition when it seemed to dawn on us both at the same time: We were spending more time, thought and energy on thinking about our dog's food than either of us ever had thinking about our own food. Granted, our food probably does not contain euthanized dogs, but we certainly eat our share of processed, hormone-injected, artificially-flavored foods.

I'm not saying that we suddenly turned into Birkenstock-shod granola-eating hippies, but we suddenly found ourselves wandering through the aisles at Whole Foods marveling at how good the apples looked. For my husband, price is always a central concern (he has long nagged me about the cost of buying organic eggs -- but ever since I saw a chicken fly off a chicken-truck on the highway, I have been very chicken-sympathetic, and I like to think that the eggs I eat came from a chicken who got to run around in a yard), but as we discussed it, paying a higher price for higher quality food will probably save us money in the long run (maybe it's an intangible price, but you get what I'm sayin'). We haven't completely re-shaped our grocery shopping, or our eating, but it was a step towards re-thinking what we eat and where it comes from.

I don't know if I'm capable of giving up my yellow dye #5 found in my precious cake mixes, and I doubt I will say goodbye to Diet Pepsi and the lovely phosphoric acid it contains, but I certainly could ingest a few more apples that haven't been soaked in pesticide. Who knows? Maybe I could go "hippie" after all.

Monday Night Return

By yesterday evening, I was feeling much improved, and aside from some congestion, I felt ready to get out of the house. So I decided to go for a short run.

It sucked.

I got 1 mile and at that point two things happened: 1. I realized my energy level had not fully recharged and that running had probably not been the best idea, and 2. My mp3 pooped itself. Well, actually, it seems to be malfunctioning when it gets to certain songs on the playlist. The simple fix would be to remove those songs, but I'm still pissed -- this mp3 player has given me nothing but trouble and I'm sick of spending too many afternoons on hold with tech support.

Anyway, at mile 1, I turned around and walked home, sans tunes. I'm feeling good again today, but tonight is a walking night. Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll be feeling good and ready for a full run.

Debating

On whether or not I should go to the doctor.

It's such a tough call. On the one hand, this could just be a simple cold and I would feel like an idiot going to the doctor for that (especially since it's Memorial Day today so nothing is open and that means my only choice is the emergency room).

On the other hand, this is the 4th time I've been sick like this in 6 months, and the cough (which is wet and mucus-y) and the headache around my eyes seem to suggest that I might have a sinus infection. And my thought is that if I don't see a doctor, this cycle will just repeat itself again in a few months.

What to do? What to do?

*Afternoon Update: I am feeling much better now than I was first thing this morning, so I have decided to NOT go visit the doctor, and if this recurs in another month or two, I guess I'll just kick myself.*

Progression of a Cold, Jess-Style:

Day One: Irritated throat. It feels dry like I just need to drink lots of liquids to make it feel normal. Refuse to believe it's actually a cold coming on.

Day Two: Full blown sore throat and stuffy head, maybe the beginning of a wracking cough. Now believe that it is a cold, but that it's probably just a "minor bug" that will be gone by tomorrow.

Day Three: Throat feels less sore, but the wracking cough is in full swing. It sounds like part of a lung might come up. Fever develops. Achy all over. Boogery nose -- for example, I might bend over and a string of snot may just slide out my nose. The symptoms seem to peak in severity at this point, and I usually have one of those fevery nights of sleep, where I wake up sometime in the middle of the night all sweaty.

Day Four: Fever has broken. Head still all stuffed up. Boogery-ness persists. Cough sometimes lingers for a full week, but the worst is over.*

I'm currently in Day Four, peeps, and last night the fever + watching "Pan's Labrinyth" (which is really excellent, BTW) = some really f*d up dreams.

*Edit: Scratch that "worst is over" statement. I feel terrible today. So much so that I've opted to stay home from a friend's bbq/poool party -- when I stay home from a social event, you know that means I'm ill.

How to Not Treat a Cold:

Do Not assume that because cold beer feels good on a sore throat that it will make the sickness all better. Instead, all those cold beers add "headache" to the list of aches that accompany a virus.

I've Got a Little Throat Thing

I don't feel so good today, homies.

Yesterday, my throat felt scratchy in the morning and as the day progressed turned into soreness. I drank about four cups of hot tea, which felt good on the throat, but by the time I went to bed, I was starting to feel icky all over.

Then I woke up at 5:15 this morning to let Scooter out and I definitely felt "the ick," so I took two Tylenol Cold pills, and I think they are the devil: sure, I'm cleared up but I feel like my head is full of cotton balls. I'm not running a fever and I'm not seriously boogery, so hopefully this is a minor, 24 hour bug that will blow over shortly, but for the day I think I might just chill out and read.

I've got to rest up for happy hour this evening.

Once Again

Again, last night I did not feel like running.

Again, my husband guilted me into going.

Again, I felt good afterward.

Again, I ran 3 miles without pain.

Hotel: Check. Flight: Check.

Okay, I guess I'm ready for Chicago! (Except for that whole "training" part.) Today I spent forever trying to find a hotel, and again, thanks for all the helpful suggestions, but it came down to the matter of just trying to find something. Everything in Chicago is either A.) Booked, or B.) $400 a night. So it didn't matter if I was trying to find something in Lincoln Park or on Michigan Ave, the results were the same, so I ended up finding something out by O'Hare -- the Marriott. Yup. Pretty special. (But the road it's on, is my last name -- I took that as a sign.)

But hey, for $150 a night this seems like a steal right now. Plus, being close to the airport will be convienent (the hotel has a shuttle) and it's very close to a train stop (looks like I can get on at the Cumberland station on the Blue Line and go straight downtown -- as someone mentioned, looks like that would be about a 45 minute ride), which as you guys suggested, is probably my best bet downtown on marathon morning anyway.

If anyone else out in Blogland is running Chicago and hasn't booked anything yet, do it now! Everything is filling up.

Which then brings me to airline tickets. On Monday, I checked fares and found some very reasonable flights, so I went back to those flights today, and for the price I wanted I had to act fast -- there were only a few seats left. I quickly booked those and now we're all ready: hotel is reserved, flights are booked, I am registered for the marathon (did that back in April -- also in the nick of time), and I guess all I need to do now is some running!

By the by, my husband and I are staying from Thursday, Oct 4 through Monday, Oct 8, so we will be part of the after-marathon celebrations on Sunday night! I'm looking forward to meeting so many of you RBFers; it's gonna be awesome!

Tired

Last night, I had the WORST night of sleep. I tossed and turned, and I felt like I woke up every twenty to thirty minutes. I had sporatic, restless sleep and today feel pretty much out of it.

Why?

Well, I blame my husband. It was he who suggested we try switching sides in bed "just for fun." Now, why would I want to do that? I have him strategically positioned so that if monsters come in the bedroom, they'll eat him first; plus, I like to be closest to the fan (can't sleep without a fan).

At 6 am when I got back into bed after taking Scooter out (who wouldn't trade his spot in the bed for anything), I told my hubby to "move over," and I got my last hour of sleep (the best of the night) on the appropriate side of the bed. The forecast is in favor of a nap this afternoon, and I can inform you that I will NOT be switching sides again tonight "just for fun."

A Sucky, Slow 3 Miles

Thanks for some hotel advice and suggestions; I guess I'll need to just look carefully at a few and make an educated guess. My husband and I are also planning to be there for a few days in order to make it more vacation-like, so we also want something that's close to the fun stuff. My goal is to book something by the end of the week. On the plus side, airline tickets are pretty cheap, so I'll probably book those soon as well.

And on to running news: Last night I did NOT want to run. I whined to my husband when he got home from work that I was tired and didn't feel like going and that maybe I would just skip it. Even though he's not a runner, he always has the right piece of advice (and he's rather stern with me about keeping to my schedule). He said, "You know if you don't run you'll feel guilty, so you'd better just go run and get it done with and then you'll feel good that you did it."

He was right.

I did 3 miles, again pain free (soon this may not even be a comment I have to make!), and when I got done I felt good that I had done it. But lord, did it suck. It felt like it took forever and my energy was sooooo low. But that's how it is sometimes; some days I just have to trudge through it and get it done with.

Suggestions Welcome

Okay, so I have delayed in booking a hotel for our stay in Chicago over the marathon weekend and now I'm feeling a bit frightened b/c many of the hotels listed on Chicago's home page for the marathon are sold out for that weekend.

Now, I know I'll find something, but I must find it quickly (like today or tomorrow). Any suggestions from those of you who live in Chicago, travel there frequently, or know the city? Preferrably, I'd like something relatively close to the start, but I'm beginning to believe that might be pie-in-the-sky.

Anyhoo, anything in the central, downtown area (sorry, I'm not familiar with Chicago at all). I just don't want to be a $50 cab ride away from the start.

Saturday Evening

Rounded out my running week this evening by going for 4 miles. This brings the week's total to lucky number 13.

Makin' progress, my friends, I'm makin' progress.

Friday Night Fairy Tales

Last night, it was cloudy and rainy (translation = cooler), so I went for a run in the early part of the evening: another 3 miler that went excellent. And while it wasn't as hot out there as it could've been, it was still humid, so I was sweatin' like the devil in hell (most of the time, when I get home from a run, I have to peel my clothes off and it looks like I stepped into the shower with them -- I'm such a sweat monkey!), but it felt good, and I was again pleased with the run.

After my run, my husband and I made dinner, and decided that we just had to see "Shrek the Third." Now, in general we have a policy about NOT seeing movies on either Friday or Saturday nights, especially when the said movie has just been released (we have had some terrible theater-going experiences with the audience, i.e. teenagers, annoying the hell out of us, so we almost never attend a movie on those nights when the theater will be full); however, we both wanted to see the flick and we just wanted to go to a movie. We called some friends who came and met us at the theater, but the first 2 showing times we wanted were sold out. Which actually worked out fine: we went to a later show and popped in to a bar for a couple of drinks.

So, the movie was hil-ar-i-ous! I loved it. I think I loved it better than the first two, but my husband said he still thought the first one was the best, but he agreed that this was very funny (maybe it was the two beers beforehand, I don't know, but I found myself giggling and laughing through the whole damn thing!). Thankfully, while the theater was crowded (so, so many children -- although, for a 9 o'clock movie, shouldn't most of these 3-year-olds be in bed? I'm not a parent so I don't know, but it seems like getting home near 11 is too late for a young kid), once the movie began, they were marvelously quiet.

I really enjoyed the evening: good run, nice dinner, a few drinks, a great movie, ahhhh -- it was a fun time.

Weighed Down

When I was training for Disney, I was able to shed a few extra pounds and maintain that weight really well. But since Disney, with my knee, my running has been inconsistent (and then I took all of April off) and I've noticed as of late that those few pounds have crept back onto my frame. All of my clothes still fit, but I can tell that a few pairs of pants are just a bit tight. I hopped on the scale this morning and confirmed that I've gained 4 pounds.

Now, don't mock me. For me, on my frame, 4 pounds can mean a lot (and this was first thing in the morning, by mid-afternoon, I will certainly weigh about one pound more). Remember, I'm only 3 apples high, so every extra pound really seems emphasized on my size. Plus, I can feel the extra weight when running and that's what bothers me.

So, over the next few weeks, I've determined that I need to shed those pounds before my "official" Chicago training commences (did you see I actually added it to my sidebar under "upcoming races"? I finally feel like I might be able to run it). This does not mean I want to diet (ick, hate that word), but I do know that I need to reduce some of my portions and try snacking on things a little healthier for me (like an apple instead of cupcakes, which brings me to a scientific innovation that's just waiting to happen: cupcake flavored apples!). Anyway, I'm always so full of resolve in the morning, but come evening, I'm like: "Screw it, bring on the cupcakes!" Cross your fingers that my resolve holds.

T.G.I.T.

Thank God It's Thursday:

My husband returns home today -- yay!

That means? Tomorrow, he can take Scooter out at 5:30 am.

Clarification and 3 Miler

Regarding the sidebar and my archives, I guess I should've been more specific: I am on new Blogger (have been for about a year), and do understand that I can update the template in order to change any aspect of the blog's appearance. I guess I was looking for something more simplistic. Like an "easy" button? Suppose that is not an option.

Anyhoo, I had another good 3 miler this evening. Knee felt good, weather was nice, tunes were rockin. I did eat too much for dinner, so my stomach wasn't real pleased with the running. But what can I do? Eat less? Bah.

Tech Question

Is anyone tech savvy enough to instruct me on how I can save my archives in my sidebar by year instead of month? Blogger doesn't offer it as an option and all those months over there are kinda piling up and taking up room.

Push it Real Good

My run last night was great! I was feeling good, so at 2 miles, I decided to push things a little and see what 3 miles felt like. And guess what? No knee pain whatsoever! I can't express how elated I was when I finished. I felt like my old running self again -- it was awesome!

My secret? Lots of foam rollering beforehand to get the IT band loose. Also, I have been super-duper good about stretching and icing after.

Boh-ring

Saturday, I rounded out my running week with another short run, bringing my weekly total to a grand 8 miles. A little discouraging considering that six months ago 8 miles would've been just one weekly run, but I have to take what I can get and be happy that I was consistent last week, which is not something I can say about my running every week.

Yesterday was a day of running rest, and I went to lunch and a movie with friends and crashed early last night (to the sweet, sweet sounds of a thunder storm -- finally).

Today, I have been busy. I had class this morning, and I have been spending the afternoon cleaning, and I got to cross off two tasks from my list of projects while my husband is gone (clean ceiling fans -- very dusty -- and bleach tile in guest bath -- still feeling a bit light-headed from that one). Now, I need to read some papers and finish laundry. I plan another run for this evening, and it should be nice weather. We got more rain today and it's overcast, so it might be a bit cooler this evening, which would be lovely.

Saturday Morning Report

Scooter has been feeling a little icky the past day or so. He had his rabies/distemper vaccine updated on Thursday, and side effects of the shot include lethargy and mild ickiness (yes, that's a techincal term). Yesterday, he spent the entire day sleeping -- he only stirred when he heard me opening the refrigerator (a sign that he doesn't feel too bad).

Today, he continues to remain sleepy, but he might also be sad because my husband left this morning (I had to get up at the ungodly hour of 4 am to drive him to the airport) for a trip to MN. He's visiting family and will be back on Thursday, so until then it's just me and Scooter, chillin' like villains.

In other news, you might glance at this pic to the left and assume that, despite the presence of palm trees, this is a pic of the English Moors, but you'd be wrong. That's the golf course behind my house, and this is the strange smog that has been lingering for days now -- forecasters say it should clear by Monday, but still, it's eery.

By the by, note the water level in the canal -- see where the water is? Now, see where the bank of grass begins? That's where the water should be. Man, we need more than fog, we need serious rain -- the kind that's a slow drizzle for days so that it soaks in.

Lastly for you, my running news: went for a very nice, music-laden run last night and had no knee pain whatsoever! Wa-hoo! Still, I'm cautious, so I plan on keeping my run today short, but the improvement is so encouraging; plus, I can't tell you how awesome it is to run with my tunes again!

R-O-C-K

Total time spent on the phone with technical support with either Rhapsody or Sandisk (my mp3 manufacturer): 2 hours, 20 minutes.

Number of calls: 5.

Number of emails that sent me unhelpful links: 3.

Number of tech support people I spoke to: 7.

Number of people truly able to help me: 1 (who used lingo such as "like," "totally," and "dude" a little too frequently for my taste).

Number of people I cursed at: 1 (I may have uttered the words "motherfucking mp3 player" and "I want to throw this fucking thing in the garbage.")

Finally, finally, the "like-this-and-like-that" guy was able to help me. I had to totally wipe the mp3 clean, change some settings, re-configure something, promise him my first-born child, and then re-download my songs. But it worked! My god it worked! Now, I can actually use this mp3 player -- the one my husband bought me for Chirstmas. Christmas, people! I can't begin to detail the frustration I've expereinced with it, but now it works and my run tonight is gonna friggin' rock!

Reading Machine

Even though I do teach summer courses (they started on Wednesday), summer is generally a more relaxed time of year for me and I have a lighter schedule. So, I get to do more of my favorite things: read and run (the second one can only be done either early in the morning or late in the evening though -- summer gets HOT here -- and that leaves a lot of daylight for reading). For the past week, I have been diving back into reading like Paris Hilton into a martini -- I've been thirsty for it.

Currently, I am LOVING "The Other Boleyn Girl"! I'm only about halfway through, but it's so good I just want to lay in bed and read all day (hey, I don't have class today, so I just might do that!). Normally, I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, but this is fantastic -- go out and read it.

Also, I just finished Jen Lancaster's new book "Bright Lights, Big Ass" (you can find Jen's books and blog here) and I laughed myself into spasms. Seriously? Some of her stuff is so funny, that my husband asked to hear some of what was so funny. Especially for those of you living in Chicago, you'll want to read this book (she lives there and some of her antics detail stories about living in the city).

I do plan to run this evening -- if I can part with my book for that length of time!

Still Smoky

It's supposed to remain smoking like this through the weekend: fires continue to blaze in much of Florida and into Georgia, and with Tropical Storm Andrea off the coast, I guess the hazy air will be slow dissipating.

There are health warnings, but it's mostly for children and the elderly -- it's just like any other smog alert, but Floridians generally don't have any experience with smog because the air is pretty clear here, so most people are out and about as usual. I still ran my 2 miles last night and it went well. No knee pain, still some tightening, but for the most part, it felt good and I continually feel encouraged by the progress.

Smoke Screen

Wildfires in Central Florida and Southern Georgia have made the air here in South Florida hazy and smoky, so much so that for part of the morning some roadways were closed and officials issued mornings about breathing in the smoggy air.

This picture, from the newspaper, shows the haze for morning commuters. So, even though the air is cooler today than it has been in days, running in it is hazardous (although, really? 2 miles of breathing it shouldn't hurt me any -- I'm tough).

We need rain, folks. We need it bad, so do your rain dances for us, and offer whatever sacrifices you feel are necessary; we need some moisture!

Not my Run Day

It truly is cooler today, too bad it's not a run day. I plan on doing abs, arms, stretch, and then going for my ritual walk this evening with my walking partner. Cross your fingers that the cool spell remains until tomorrow, so I can run in comfortable weather.

On a totally different note, now that I've been without a gym for 2 months, I'm starting to miss it: Am I crazy? I'm considering re-signing up. But probably at a different gym. Or, am I? I can't decide.

Running on the Surface of the Sun

Because it is a little cooler today and there's a slight breeze, I figured I could run at 5 pm this evening instead of waiting until 7:30 or 8 when the sun goes down.

That was an asshat idea.

The breeze I'd felt earlier wasn't blowin' on me while I ran, and the clouds parted and a single ray of sunlight beat down upon me the entire way. Granted, I only ran 2 miles, but I was sweatin' like a whore in church, and by the end of those 2 miles, I was cursing myself for my stupidity.

About once each summer I say to myself: "Self, it doesn't feel that hot out here, maybe I'll go run now." Then I have an experience like the one this evening, and I remember that experience until the next summer. Sometimes stupidity is just as cyclical as the seasons.

Pretty Toes and a Hot Dog

I went and got that pedicure yesterday, aren't my toes pretty? (How do you like that flip-flop tan line?)

I also did some more laying out by the pool yesterday (the past few days have been soooo relaxing!), but only for a little bit because it was too hot! Lately, the humidity has drastically increased (yet, it's incredibly dry here -- we're on water restrictions; what a paradox) and the temps during the day are ridiculous.

I took Scooter for a walk in the early afternoon and when we returned home, he plopped down on the cement floor to cool off. Poor thing; it's hot for humans, but can you imagine wearing a fur coat out there? A pup needs his A/C!
Since it's hot out there, I obviously can't run during the daylight hours (and we already know I didn't get up early to run this morning), so I'm planning another evening run tonight. I'll still keep it short. You can't imagine how much of a doofus I feel like when I read everyone else's blogs and you guys are reporting "I ran an easy 10 miles this morning" while I'm struggling through a measely 2.

But, I'm not going to be bothered by that. Patience. I must be patient.

Baby Steps

Yesterday rocked. I ended up chillin' by the pool (but only for a bit because I got too hot out there) and I finished my book (luh-ved it!), so I didn't get the pedi -- maybe for today. It was a very relaxing day yesterday and I topped it off by going for an evening run.

I kept it short again -- 2 miles -- and it went really well. I went out with a completely different attitude last night. You see, usually, I start thinking and worrying about my knee before the run even begins ("omigod, omigod, what if my knee hurts? does that mean I should extend my rest period? should I go back to the orthopedist? omigod!" yeah, that's a disturbing window into my thoughts), but last night as I set out, this is what I thought instead: "Yeah, it might hurt. Accept it. If it hurts really bad, you might have to walk for a bit. So be it."

Seriously, I think my change of thoughts made the difference (mind over matter, grasshopper). Instead of fighting the idea of my knee hurting, I just accepted the fact that it might hurt, and if so, I would accept that too. I can't just like the parts of my body that work nicely for me; I have to like the parts that are also troublesome and, sometimes, painful. I know, it's very yoga of me (that "Eat, Pray, Love" really influenced my thinking!), but I swear I won't start talking about auras anytime soon. When I used to practice yoga regularly, I had a teacher who always said: "Remember, you're not in competiton with anyone, not even yourself."

I've tried to keep that in mind in all aspects of my life, but lately I have been especially conscious of it in regards to running. So again, there was some knee tightening in the second mile, but nothing that caused me pain or discomfort, and I finished the short run feeling good. I know that my runs over the next few weeks will need to remain short -- progress will be slow, and I'll need to be patient -- plus, I know I'll need to continue stretching, icing, and foam rollering, but yesterday's run felt like I turned a corner, and that was encouraging.

Day Off

I finished the semester yesterday: read the last pile of papers I had and submitted my grades. Ah, what a relief to be done. Granted, my summer courses begin on Wednesday (May 9), so I don't get much of a break, but I am taking today and the weekend off of school work -- feels sooooo good.

So, because I had decided to take a break today, I figured I'd go and catch up on some beauty treatments; first up: eyebrow wax. Now, I know many women who can competently pluck their own eyebrows and they look great -- but I am not one of them. First of all, when I pluck, I have a sneezing fit, my eyes water, and I'm a mess. Plus, I'm not great about that whole "even" business and so I come out of the bathroom looking cock-eyed. I'd rather go in, have those hairs ripped out in one swoop rather than plucked out one at a time, and leave the "even" business to a professional. So, I've been going to this girl for 3 years -- ever since I moved to FL (and I just happened upon her by chance -- what a miracle), but she recently decided to up and move to Orlando (bitch). Crap, so I decided to return to the same salon and test out the new person they hired.

I guess she did an oh-kay job. I feel like she left them thick in some spots and kinda thin in others, so when I got home, I took it upon myself and my rarely-used pair of tweezers to fix it, and I think I did an okay (notice the difference in spelling -- that indicates the level of "okayedness") job, but this means that I'm not totally satisfied with my current eyebrows, AND now I must search for a new eyebrow-wax-girl which kinda sucks. That, or I could go with bushy-brows. Not really an option.

Next up on my list today: a pedicure. Maybe. Part of me really wants that pedicure (especially since my friends got me a gift certificate for my b-day, and what do I love more than a pedicure? a free pedicure!), and my feet are totally gross looking right now, but part of me also doesn't want to leave the house again today. So I'm torn between sitting at home (and perhaps by the pool) and finishing my book (I love it: "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert -- I highly recommend it), or going to get a pedicure?

Hmmm, rough life, huh?

Lagging Behind Already

Yeah, I never made that evening run last night -- big surprise there, right?

We didn't get home from happy hour until almost 8 and I still had a stack of papers to finish reading, so I read those (and finished them) until "Lost" came on at 10.

One thing I certainly have struggled with is time management. I need to make room for running, yet am often busy with work, home, friends, and, well, other stuff. Certainly it could be argued that "other stuff" could take a back seat, but I need my time each day to read, watch tv or a movie, or play on the Internet -- I need that brain time off (skipping out on friend time is just not an option for me -- I like my social hours). I know that trying to juggle all these things is not unique to me, and I just have to figure out a comfortable way to make running a priority.

Last fall when I was training for Disney, I really feel like I short-changed my marathon training (the result? this ITBS), and I had resolved not to do that the second time around, yet I'm three days back into a running schedule and what do I do? Skip running in order to enjoy mixed drinks and sushi (which was pretty damn delicious and fun, BTW).

Balance Ball

Yesterday, I inflated the balance ball my husband got me for my b-day, popped in the accompanying DVD, and set to work on abs with it. Phew, it was tough. And combined with the ab workout I did the day before, I woke up this morning with sore stomach muscles.

I sneezed in the car on the way to class this morning, and I about cried, so I think I will take the day off of abs today.

In other news, as I ease my way back into a running schedule I find myself meeting up with my arch enemy: the morning run.

I don't why I keep trying to make myself a morning runner because I just really hate mornings, and the last thing I want to do first thing is strap on my shoes and head out for a run at 6 am. It's just not me.

I had grand ideas last night as I laid out my running shorts, shoes, socks, bra, but come 6 am, I just went back to sleep. This sucks because I'm supposed to go out this evening for sushi and drinks -- will I have the willpower to run after that? We'll see.

May Day

Last night was my first run in a month. Went 2 miles. Nice and easy -- didn't bring an MP3 or Garmin. Some tightening and discomfort in IT band in 2nd mile. I'm going to continue stretches and other preventative measures, but I'm also gonna keep running.

May's goal: rebuild base in order to prepare for "official" marathon training the first week in June.

B-Day Beach Bash

For a combined celebration of both my husband's b-day (yesterday) and my b-day (a week ago), we planned a beach party with our friends on Sunday. So, we spent the day yesterday on the beach playing bocce ball, throwing the frisbee in the ocean, laying in the sun, enjoying drinks, and eating snacks.

And I monkeyed around on the exercise bars some (those bars were hot! and the sunscreen made my hands slippery, so it wasn't easy to do any hanging).

The weather was perfect (hot, but we had a breeze and a spot in the shade), the ocean felt great (it was so clear and refreshing), and the company was excellent (they brought us some wonderful gifts, so we love them). By the end of the day, I was pooped: The combination of sun, sand, and surf sent me to bed by 9 pm.

It was good b-day fun though!

Pictured here are the two b-day-ers. My husband, the Jer-Bear, and me! Do we look older and wiser?

Happy Birthday to:

My hubby! Happy b-day, Jer-Bear!

Much Better

Alright, we decided to paint over the brown (that looked orange) with the red we had (and love). I think it turned out well, and even though I still think the yellow in the kitchen is bright, I think I'm warming to it.

Above: View of kitchen from living room. To give those of you who have never been to my humble dwelling some perspective: This wall used to be a full wall (my husband created the pass-through) and it was floor-to-ceiling mirrors!

Here below, we have the dining room/entryway from the living room (which, to give an accurate description, I should note that the living room and dining room are really just one big room -- but we plan to utilize it as two separate rooms). Again, the walls to the left and that small wall that extends over the entryway were all mirrors (it was like a disco in here!) and the wall to the right was floor-to-ceiling wallpaper. Clearly, you can see that we still have a lot of work left to do, like installing floors, para exemplo. We may be finished with the whole shebang in another few months (we've lived here two years -- good lord, I do NOT recommend buying a "fixer upper.")
And lastly, below is a view of the kitchen from the doorway. See what I mean about that yellow being reminisicent of a pad of butter? Oh well. It's not so bad, and once some more stuff is done in here (like replacing the appliances -- in stainless steel -- and fitting a microwave over the stove in that now empty spot), I will probably like it. As a side note, don't you love my blue teapot? A gift from my hubby.


So, yeah, that's what we've been working on for the past week. Excuse the small tirade from Thursday; sometimes this remodeling project overwhelms me, and I tend to flip out every few months (but it's funny what gets to me; I washed dishes in the bathroom for two months, and I was cool, but some paint doesn't turn out how I want it, and I'm a mess: go figure).

I Hate Paint: A Diatribe

I actually don't hate paint, I love paint, but I hate it when paint does not turn out how I envision it. Currently, we are painting several rooms in our condo that flow together: the kitchen, the entry way, the living room and dining room, and it's a pain in the ass to get the colors to be cohesive within the rooms.

The yellow I chose for the kitchen turned out to be much brighter than I wanted, and I feel like it's a giant pad of butter. I love the red I chose for one wall in the living room/dining room, but the coordinating brown looks more like orange, so the combo of the three colors makes me want to pull my hair out (I swear, when I looked at them on the paint cards, I was envisioning something sophisticated, not something from PlayLand).

The brown (that looks like orange) clearly has to be re-done (since husband refuses to change the kitchen). That means one more thing to do....ahhhhh! I need one of three things: an army of trained monkeys, a troup of helpful elves, or a gaggle of gnomes; if any of you have these handy-dandy creatures in your employ, please send them to my house.

Worn Out

This week has already felt long, and it's only Wednesday!

See, it's the end of the semester for me, which means grading-galore (while fielding many emails and calls for students -- they get very worried about their semester grades at the end of the term, that kind of worry would serve some of them better throughout the term), and I've been busy working on the house with my husband (sorry, honey, but I think I did a crap job on the paint I did this morning!) -- a never-ending project; plus, we had Lou's death and funeral, which has been upsetting. And...a pile of other little things, which always seem to converge at once, right?

Added up, I am feeling exhausted this afternoon, and head-achy (usually stress-induced: my shoulders get all tense and I can feel my poor knoggin throbbing). But, I am done with class for the day (but certainly have a daunting pile of papers that I'd like to return to students tomorrow, but I'm not sure if that will happen) and I'm headed home. I'm going to swallow a few Advil and grab a Diet Pepsi from the vending machine for the drive home (the caffeine sometimes helps a headache).

Thank God that by the end of next week, much of this stuff will be done. And...hopefully, I can resume running then too (my main source of stress-relief).

A Final Farewell

I have typed three different versions of this post, highlighted and erased each one. Nothing quite seems to say what I want to say, so I will keep it simple:

Today was Lou's funeral. The service was lovely. The church was packed. Now, I suppose, we move on.

B-Day Report

My birthday was very nice -- thanks for all the well wishes -- and I enjoyed the weekend.

On Saturday, my husband and I went to dinner at The Melting Pot and we had a fondue-tastic time (I wanted to drink that bowl of chocolate at the end even though I was so full), and then we relaxed and watched a movie at home ("Casino Royale" which I thought was so-so).

Then yesterday, my actual b-day (and soon-to-be national holiday -- I'm checking into the details), we spent most of the day painting. I know, I know, I shouldn't do work on my b-day, but our condo remodeling is getting really close to being finished, and every day spent on it, brings us one day closer, so we painted one wall in the living room (red!) and we primed the kitchen (what a bitch! I hate kitchens and bathrooms). But in the afternoon, we got burritos from Chipolte and we met up with some friends to see "Hot Fuzz" in the theater.

This. Was. Awesome. I laughed harder than I have laughed in a long time. I am a big fan of "Shaun of the Dead" but I think this was almost better than that. It was hil-ar-i-ous! (I think those Brits are just plain funny anyway.) So, that was excellent.

As for b-day loot, my husband got me some great stuff including a gift card for the local running store (sweet!) -- I think I might get new shoes with it, and he got me a balance ball (so my abs of steel workout can continue). I got many other treats as well, but none else are running related (and it was mostly money and gift cards from my family). Scooter got me a gift card for Starbucks, which was very thoughtful of him, considering he has no allowance.

All in all, it was an excellent b-day, and I'm looking forward to the year of 29! I think it will be awesome.

Happy Birthday!

To me!

Carpe Diem

The suddenness of our friend Lou's death has me reflecting about how short life is. I know it's cliche, but when someone dies suddenly at the age of 50 -- leaving so much behind (or when they are gunned down at age 19 or 20, as we've also seen happen this week) -- it reminds those of who are still living of the value of life, and the responsibility we have to that life.

Lou was someone who thoroughly enjoyed his family, his friends, his work, and his hobbies (NASCAR and bowling were what he shared with us); life simply emanated from him -- I always saw him with a smile on his face and arms open and ready for a hug (he also frequently offered advice on my bowling stance or swing :). I'm saddened that the world has been robbed of him and that spirit; yet for the rest of us, it's a lesson on how to live our lives.

There's no time like the present to make sure we embrace our loved ones, let them know how important they are to us, and pursue the dreams and goals we have for our futures -- deferring that which we want to accomplish is foolish. All of this seems an apt lesson for me on the eve of my birthday; it's a reminder of all that I've experienced and lived and what I have before me as well. The year before me, and each year to follow, and each year that has preceded, is precious, and I'm thankful I have so many people to share it with.

Thanks Lou for teaching us and reminding us about how full our lives truly are. Even in death, you sought to show us something.

"No more to build on there. And they, since they
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs."
--Robert Frost "Out, Out--"

A Tribute

To our good friend, Lou, who passed away this morning.

The news is both shocking (he was only 50) and heartbreaking (he leaves behind a wife and two daughters). He was a warm, viviacious person, and he will be missed dearly.

*Goodbye Lou.*

Rest, Schmest

Officially, I have not run in 17 days.

And it's killin' me.

At first I thought the time off would be glorious because ever since I started my running endeavor, I'd been wishing for some kind of extended break, but now that I'm experiencing it, I'm hating it.

And I still have 10 days to go!

I really hope this rest is what my knee needs b/c I'm gonna cry if I start out on a run on May 1st and it hurts again.

"Good Mornin', Good Mornin'!"

Oh, I am in an excellent mood today, my friends! Perhaps I woke up on the RIGHT side of the bed (and got just the right amount of sleep), or perhaps it's the gentle thrumming of my heart (love my coffee!), or maybe it's because this semester is nearly over and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel of essays, or perhaps it's because I got to choose my schedule for the fall term and I got to choose a class I've never taught before, and I'm ecstatic to do so!

I'm nothing but rainbows and moonbeams today folks!

Ab-solutely April

Because I failed at "National Ab Month" back in February, I decided to make April another go of it: it makes sense with the alliteration that's possible, and the fact that I have some down time while I rest from running.

Getting bored with the exercises I know or have available on DVD, I went to the web to broaden my ab exercise base. At www.fitnessmagazine.com under the link "abs" there are tons of exercises for all aspects of the abdominals (like the one to the left). Some, you don't even need to sit up for (but some exercises do seem to be fond of scarf twirling -- I don't own a scarf and am not much for twirling).

Six pack here I come.

Well, that might be more realistic if I hadn't had a brownie for breakfast. Eh, I'm not perfect.

A Moment of Silence

For those at Virginia Tech. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to all of those connected to that campus: students, professors, administrators, parents; yesterday's events were tragic.

Drunken Debauchery

Those are the only words to describe the last four days.

Our beloved friends, Jen and Stacy, arrived in town on Thursday and we kicked off the weekend then, and I don't think any of us stopped celebrating their presence until this morning when we all felt the repercussions of it. I haven't been drunk four nights in a row since probably....hmmmm, well, maybe a few years ago. I would say back in college, but that would be a lie (there have been many drinking sprees in my 20s).

So, even though I think we're all glad to be returning to our normal routines (with far fewer drinks), I think I speak for the whole group when I say, "we'll miss you two!" It was great having them here.

But good lord, me thinks my liver needs a break.

Only 7 Days Left

of being 28.

In one week, I will turn 29. Awesome. While I'm looking forward to my birthday, I also think a retrospective of 28 is in order:

I went on several vacations (to DC, Denver, MN, Bahamas), I ran my first marathon (Disney), I had a temporary full-time teaching position (fall term), which led, I think, to my being hired for a full time permanent position (upcoming fall), I consumed many beers and had lots of fun, my bowling team did not place number one in league, but we had a good time, my husband and I continued to remodel our condo and we get closer to finishing all the time, and I had a 5K PR (28:28): overall, it's been stupendous.

I have a good husband, a lot of good friends, a cute dog, a nice (eventually) house, a good job, and a family that lives far away (kidding); well, they do live far away, but they're a good family as well. All in all, 28 and its previous years have been awesome to me; I imagine when I turn 29 NEXT Sunday that it will be a year full of much of the same nuggety goodness.

O' Bloggers, Where Art Thou?

I guess it's a testament to the ever-changing nature of the Internet, and specifically, to Blogland, that some of us emerge and some of us fade away. Lately, it seems as though some established bloggers have fallen into the latter category.

Running Rabbit has pulled the plug on her blog, Liv hasn't posted in months and I assume she too has abandoned her blog, Runnergirl is still posting, but in her last post, she seemed to wobble on the decision as to whether she should continue to do so, and Bob's blog address link, which has always been previously reliable, now takes me to this. (Bob, if you're out there, what happened?)

But in the cycle of Blogs, as old blogs die, new ones are born. So, you'll note that my sidebar's list of blogs I visit has changed and I've updated the list to reflect the running blogs I am currently reading. So, "goodbye" to those bloggers who have chosen new paths (don't be afraid to visit), and "hello" to the blogs that are either new or I have just discovered.

I'm feeling H-O-T!

I know that much of the country has been experiencing a rather frigid April, but here in South Florida, summer is now underway!

Blech, it's hot.

It's been in the high 80s and low 90s with increasing humidity this week, and I have been reminded of what it's like here in the summer (and it has me questioning the need to train for Chicago during these months -- but I'm already committed, so I guess I'll get used to it as I have in the previous summers). The other night, Erin and I went for a 3 mile walk and by the end, our t-shirts were drenched with sweat and we had bugs stuck to our sweaty faces (damn those little gnats that emerge in the spring).

Both walking and (in a few weeks) running will need to take place under cover of darkness. At least then I don't have to worry about applying sunscreen.

Push ups are a great strength training exercise. They strengthen the muscles in your arms, shoulders, chest, back, and stomach, and are one of the single best exercises for your upper body.

Too bad I suck at them.

Since I'm taking a break from running to help improve the ITBS in my right knee, I've been walking regularly and incorporating yoga and at-home strength training (I'm starting to second-guess canceling my gym membership two months ago). So, I've been trying to do some form of ab work on a daily basis as well as push ups. Yesterday, I pushed (pun intended) myself a little on the push ups and tried to do some regular push ups instead of the girl ones I usually do (knees on the floor).

I could do two.

And I think any trainer would question the quality of those two. My arms wobbled, my elbows did not come to 90 degree angles, and I struggled through both of them. It was either those two regular push ups or the 3 sets of girl push ups that left me sore today. I can feel it in my chest and back especially.

Geez, I'm never gonna be cut out to be a Navy Seal.

Pills, pills, pills

Lately, I've been feeling like an old woman with her stacks of pills to take each morning. I've been taking a multi-vitamin, a fish oil (omega-3 fatty acid), and ibuprofren (and actually, I've been taking the recommended dosage of IB twice daily). Together, they make a neat little stack of medication. Plus, a friend recommended, and gave me to try, "Mona Vie" which is a supplemental drink that contains a cocktail of natural juices and, perhaps, ground-up elves for good measure. That, I take in a one ounce shot, and actually, it's kinda tasty.

All of this crap better be worth swallowing.

I Could've Slept All Day

I'm so tired today.

Maybe it's a case of the Mondays, maybe it's because I overate yesterday for Easter, maybe it's because we were dog-sitting over the weekend and they wore me out, maybe it's my class schedule which only allows one day off a week, or maybe it's because my allergies bugged me this weekend -- whatever the case may be, I fell asleep last night before 10 and slept until 9 this morning, and I still felt like I could have kept on leasing my space in dreamland all day long.

All Signed Up

for Chicago!

I registered yesterday, as promised, and it's funny, but just registering gave me the same rush I remember feeling almost a year ago when I signed up for Disney: It's exciting to have that goal in front of me, and even though I know the challenge will be daunting, I'm looking forward to the experience.

Thanks to all the readers who have given advice about the ITBS -- I will consider it all (however, I have to admit that accupuncture scares the bejesus out of me; I am not a fan of needles -- but perhaps I will be brave).

As a last note for this post -- it represents my 500th post! Incredible, huh? I have found a reason 500 times to jibber-jabber (mostly about running). Although, considering that I have hosted this blog for nearly two years (June will be my two year blogoversary), it also demonstrates that I have taken significant breaks from the jibber-jabber (even a motor-mouth needs a few days of rest). Thanks for reading! Running wouldn't be the same without the community of "bleaders" (yeah, that's "blog" + "readers"; clever, aren't I?).

The Bloggers Have Spoken

The responses to yesterday's post have certainly helped me to decide about Chicago: I'm going to sign up today!

And then take 3 weeks off running.

Yup. I do really want to be there for Chicago, but in order to do that, I think I need to give my knee some serious rest. So, I will take a real hiatus from running and will resume training the first week in May with short runs to re-build my base.

It's scary to think about taking so much time off running, but I think it's necessary in order to rehabilitate my knee. I also plan to follow the PT's stretching regimen, which was prescribed weeks ago and which I have kinda followed. I will ice, take IB, rest, stretch, and hopefully all of that will alleviate the problem. Also, my husband is going to MacGyver a foam roller for me -- or, if anyone knows of a good place online to buy one (that is not where I will pay $20 for a stick of foam -- I mean a good roller recommendation), let me know.

Thanks for all the support -- looks like I'll be seeing many of you in Chicago! Woo-hoo!!

On the Fence

about signing up for Chicago.

I keep talking about running Chicago this fall, and I really, really want to (30th anniversary, etc, it will be awesome); however, I'm unsure about the status of my ITBS in my right knee. I have been waiting for it to subside, and then I was gonna sign up for the race, but the weeks have ticked by and I feel like the registration window will close very, very, very soon. I need to decide.

My husband said I should just sign up to secure my place, and if I can't run it, then I'm only out $100. Is he right? Should I just sign up, hope that continued treatment with the knee will improve the inflammation, and plan on running Chicago? Or, do I cancel my dream of Chicago this year, give the knee significant rest, and plan on a winter marathon?

What to do, what to do?

Monday Night Run

Even though I was really tired last night, I still managed to drag myself outside and fit in a two mile run. It felt pretty good, but my knee ached again, which is poopy. Does anyone have a magic wand on hand that will magically make that issue disappear?

A Return to Routine

Our houseguest departed at the crack of dawn this morning, so now it's back to our regular routine. While I was sad to see her go, it is nice to be able to resume normal activities. So, now I've got to return to my running (I've been a total slacker), my healthier eating habits (lots of high calorie grub in the past week), and I need a short hiatus from drinking (March was a celebratory month and between St. Paddy's, camping, and company I drank many, many beers).

Today I'm trying to catch up on some work, but I hope to get a short run in this evening so I can begin to re-establish my schedule.