Sunday Pics

The past few days have been busy with our houseguests. Yesterday, after my run and haircut, we went to the beach. Thankfully, we did get some fun in the surf and sun before the rain clouds moved in and rained us out. Below, our the nephews and my husband in the water. Later, my husband took the nephews to a local aquarium store (it's a big ass store, so it's cooler than it sounds) to see the sharks and sting rays and the rest of us took advantage of the quiet and took some naps. When they returned, we went out to dinner at Gameworks (like a Dave and Busters -- arcade + restaurant), had dinner and played plenty of games (personally, I rocked the Skee-ball lanes).

Today, I think we're going back to the beach, so hopefully the sun that's out now will stay that way.

Below is the promised haircut pic: I like my new bangs, and wish the SIL ws down here all the time so she could cut my hair! I've lived in FL for almost 4 years and still haven't found a regular hairstylist, but I think that moving to a new state just to cut my hair is not on her list of priorities.

Lastly, a Scooter pic:
He's been so busy running around, playing, and wrestling with the boys, that sometimes he just crashes. Too bad the kids have yet to do something similiar. Seriously, I'm pretty sure if you squeezed out the juice of a little boy, you'd uncover the ultimate substance for energy drinks!

9 on the 9th

Considering how many stops we made this morning, our time wasn't too shabby, but I don't think either Wendy or I will be winning this thing!

1: 9:48
2: 10:52 (had to stop and wait for the bridge the first time)
3: 9:41
4: 12:28 (I had to make a restroom stop)
5: 9:38
6: 11:03 (had to walk for a bit)
7: 9:44
8: 14:01 (had to stop and wait for the bridge on the way back -- this time for much longer)
9: 9:45

Total Time: 1:37:05

Otherwise, our miles were pretty consistent at a 9:45 pace and it was a good run.

When I got home, Jerry was just finishing up breakfast for everyone, so I got to come in and sit down to a nice breakfast, and then after I showered, my SIL (who is a hair stylist) gave both Jerry and I hair cuts. I'll post a picture of mine tomorrow -- it's the return of the bangs! -- but for now, I have to skedaddle.

Thanks to Wendy for running with me this morning (I'm sure that on her own, she would have had a much faster "race" today) and I hope everyone else did well with their own "9 on the 9th"!

First Thing Friday

Marcy asked yesterday: "Didn't you just have houseguests?"

Yes, yes, we did. But Florida is a popular destination this time of year and our family and friends often want to take advantage of the escape Florida offers them as they tire of winter, so even though we just had my MIL and FIL stay with us for a week, we have more family arriving today. This time, they're only staying for 4 days, but because there will be 4, instead of 2, and 2 of those guests are children, I imagine it will feel like a long visit (I'm picturing it as being very loud in our house -- good thing I have a full bottle of Excedrin Migraine in the medicine cabinet :).

It is nice to have family come and visit -- I just wish they could space it out a little better. Anyhoo, they arrive late this afternoon, so I knew I wouldn't get a run in this evening; thus, I got up and did my 3 miles this morning. And I am so not a morning runner! I got it done and out of the way for the day, but that's about the best thing I can say about it; otherwise, I felt slow, tired, and bogged down by the humidity. Blech.

Tomorrow I will escape from the house for a bit in the dawn's early light and meet up with Wendy, who was gracious enough to be my partner for tomorrow's "9 on the 9th." I''ll report on it afterward, and I'll look forward to everyone else's reports as well -- so have fun with it!

The Rest of the Day

After the "chocolate shotgun" experience this morning, everything else about the today was like buttah. I had classes and then came home and cleaned the house very thoroughly -- we have houseguests arriving tomorrow (my sister-in-law + her husband + their 2 boys; it's gonna = a house full for the next 4 days!) -- and then I went for a 6 miler.

1: 9:35
2: 9:23
3: 9:37
4: 9:49
5: 10:03
6: 9:57

Total Time: 58:25

So, my times tonight forced me to contemplate: If running the second half of your run faster than the first is a "negative" split, is running the second half slower than the first a "positive" split? Makes it sound like a good thing, doesn't it?

Close Call

I could also label this post "The Revenge of Chipotle" -- either way -- this morning's ride to work was dicey.

For those who have been long time readers, you know how I have some prescribed "poop stops" on my ride to work -- a Starbucks, a gas station, and a Publix -- these are places deemed clean enough and located strategically that should I feel the need to crap on the way to work in the morning, I can pull in and feel okay about myself. Long time readers also know that one of my greatest fears is to crap my pants, and with good reason.

So, as you know from the post below, I decided to skip an evening run last night and opted for Chipotle instead. I assume it's the combo of Mexican spices and black beans that really get the system moving, but I also suspect Chipotle employees of injecting laxatives into my burrito, because I swear that after I eat that food, my pooper is like a slip 'n slide for the next two days.

This morning, after I had my first cup of coffee, and before showering, I was able to drop a deuce -- ideal timing -- and I figured I had the "Chipotle" dump for the day.

I was wrong.

On the way to school, my guts started to feel distinctly uncomfortable. But I'm the sort who, optimally, would like to try and hold it until I can safely get to work, so I passed up my first two options: Starbucks and the gas station. Now, the last option, the Publix, is a bit farther apart than the other two and it is, unfortunately, after the busiest light on my route. So, of course, after I have passed my first two options, the situation clearly becomes more dire and in order to focus, I have to shut off NPR and blast the AC (because I get real hot when I'm holding in an explosive poo).

At the dreaded light, I hit the red -- duh, because Mother Nature has a wicked sense of humor and thinks the game of will-Jess-crap-herself? is hilarious. While waiting and praying for the light to turn green, I seriously thought that I was gonna have another terrible situation on my hands, but while thoughts of calling in sick to work (because I'd shit myself) were swirling through my brain, the light miraculously turned green, I sped into the Publix parking lot (nearly running a woman down who didn't have the sense to get the fuck outta my way!), and then sprinted into the bathroom.

All I can tell you is that it was sting-y, and the relief was like heaven.

Clearly, this was the running-gods' way of making me pay for choosing that cursed burrito over my run last night. Sorry, running-gods. I swear this morning's situation was punishment enough, and I promise to be penitent this evening and get my scheduled run in!

Running vs. Burrito

I was feeling rather sluggish this afternoon when I got home from class, and still wasn't feeling too enthused about an evening run when the time came around. I knew that I felt obligated to run, but I just plain didn't feel like going -- so I was kinda bitching and moaning (to myself) as I started to get out my running clothes...but then, I was literally saved by the bell!

Erin called. She had just gotten done at the prego doctor, and she was near Chipotle -- did I want to join her for a burrito?

Does anyone say "no" to a Chipotle burrito? If they do, I don't want to know them.

Of course, I said yes and stuffed my running clothes back in the drawer. Granted, eating a 1,200 calorie burrito instead of getting out there for a run may not be the best choice in terms of running; however, I believe in two things:

1. Sometimes, it's okay to skip a run. I try not to skip too many, so this makes the occasional missed run alright.

2. It's always better to make people, not running, a priority in life. I think it is just as healthy for me to enjoy a relaxing dinner and some laughs with my friend as it is to get a run in.

So, I missed my run today. Which is coolio -- would've been "junk miles" to me anyway since I would just be running to run -- and tomorrow I'll get my scheduled run in and I don't think the legs will mind the extra day of rest.

Super Tuesday

...or, Fat Tuesday.

However, neither "fat" nor "super" really apply to my day today. I will certainly listen to the results of "Super Tuesday" but even for me -- someone who loves to observe politics -- this political year has already become exhausting and it's only February; and I'm not religious nor am I in New Orleans, so Mardi Gras doesn't really apply to me either.

Although trust me, I would much rather be spending the evening throwing back whisky shooters and showing people my hooters than being slogged down in class all day -- heck, I'd probably rather be a ballot counter in California (wait, no, let me subtract that comment -- I would NOT like to have that job today) than to be slogged down in class. Because? Classes are busy right now, yo!

Which is why...you'll have to be satisfied by the worthless jibber-jabber above to suffice as today's post because I have to get back to work. I have two batches of essays I need to finish reading and a mountain of other tasks for this week.

This is exactly the kind of work I need a trained moneky for. Or, an army of trained monkeys for. Or, gnomes, house elves, children -- some kind of trained minion to do my bidding.

New Shoes

It's been a busy day, but I did make time for a 4 miler with my new "silver bullets" and it went well. New shoes are always a bit...weird...at first. I mean, the old ones are so molded to my feet that slipping into new ones always feels stiff and awkward at first, but after the first mile this evening, they felt good and I could tell the difference in fresh cushioning.

1: 9:39
2: 9:43
3: 9:35
4: 9:29

Total Time: 38:27

Now, I have to skedaddle because we're meeting with "our people" for our tax preparation this evening. Cross your fingers for a swawesome tax return!

New Shoes and A Challenge

One detail I forgot to include in yesterday's race report was that I did not run in new shoes. For those devoted readers who remeber that I mentioned on Friday that I was going to get new shoes, I did not lie -- I did go, I just didn't get the shoes on Friday.

Because my feet are smurf-sized, the store was out of my size (they only carry about one munchkin size per store) so they had to call one of the other stores, who did have it in stock, and have it sent over on Saturday, after the race. So I ran the race in an old pair of shoes, which is probably best anyway, and then picked up my new pair. And man, they are purty!

Brooks changed the colors on them and now they are silver and periwinkle (when I oohed and ahhed over them in the store and remarked on their new color, my husband asked "WTF is 'periwinkle'?"). I haven't had a chance to take them out for a spin yet because today is a rest day, but tomorrow, you can bet that I'm excited to lace those "bullets" (b/c they're silver, I'm naturally gonna call them the "bullets") on and test 'em out.

I tried to post a picture of them on here -- so everyone could admire their beauty -- but Blogger is being a be-atch and I'm having some issues wih uploading pics. So, I'm sorry, you'll have to do without a visual for the "bullets."

Like I said, today I rest. Like God, I too need a day off, plus it's Super Bowl Sunday! The one day of the year my husband and I watch sports, so this afternoon we're headed to a friend's house for a party: lots of beer, food, and commercials (sorry, "football").

But, tomorrow, I am back to the miles. Eric challenged me to a February mile-off to see who can rack up the most miles in the month, and anyone who wants to join the challenge can feel free to be a part of it -- be forewarned that we're aready 3 days into the month -- but Wendy? You can't participate. Anyone who runs 173 miles in a month is gonna smoke us in this kind of challenge, so I'm sorry, you'll just have to sit back and observe the mortals and their mileage.

28:17

That's right folks, I have a new 5K PR! I beat my old PR, 28:28, by 11 seconds this morning on a 5K course that is not easy.

See, here in South Florida, most running surfaces are flat. Flat. Flat. Flat. Except for...bridges. Those are our hills, and this race has not one, but two bridges on the course, and one of them (the steeper of the two) is right at the 3 mile marker. It's just cruel.

Anyway...I don't want to skip to the end and ruin it for you.

The weather was cool and cloudy this morning -- exactly how I like a race day to dawn -- and the race registration, start, etc were very smooth, and there were only about 500 runners so the crowd was small. A quarter mile into the race, we came upon the first bridge, and I knew it was there, so I just paced myself one step at a time up and over and it wasn't too bad. After that, the majority of the course wraps through residential neighorhoods in downtown Ft. Lauderdale and these houses are beautiful to look at, so I enjoyed the scenery and just kept pluggin along.

I was pushing myself, certainly, but there's a difference in feeling -- some days, you're pushing yourself and that push really feels exhausting; but other days, you push yourself and it just feels good. Today was the latter feeling, which is really encouraging because I've worked hard in the past few months to make my short race-pace 9-9:20/mile, and to be running that and feeling so good is a huge difference for me. So, as I approached that wicked bridge at the end, I felt pretty strong; I glanced down at the Garmin and knew that my time was petty solid but because I don't do hills regularly, I also knew that it could throw my whole race off.

As I started up the incline, I just gave it all I had, and I managed to maintain my pace (but I was really working hard to do so); once I reached the top of the bridge, I just had the decline, which leads straight into the finish, so I let the decline do most of the work as I breezed through the finish and the clocked ticked off 28:17.

I think that had the course been flat, today might have been a day for a 28:00, or maybe even sub-28:00 5K, but that's wondering for a different day. Right now, I'm just pleased that I beat my previous PR. Now, I guess 28:17 will become the new time to beat.

Splits:
1: 8:59
2: 9:09
3: 9:07
.1: 1:01

Total Time: 28:17!

Thinking of Tomorrow

I think today after class I'm gonna stop by my local running store and get a new pair of shoes. I've been alternating between 2 pairs that have about equal mileage on them and I think both are ready to be retired. I've been buying the Brooks Adreneline for more than 2 years now, so the trip to the running store should be quick -- I don't even try them on anymore.

Then, I'm not sure if I'll run tonight or not: part of me wants to (just to get that first Feb mileage underway) but then I also think it might be wise to save the legs for tomorrow's 5K (but then again, a 5K is short so my legs don't really need "saving" for that).

Tomorrow's Rotary 5K is kinda special to me in the way that the Turkey Trot is also near and dear. See, the Rotary 5K was the first race I ran here in Florida, and I remember that year it was so cold we could see our breath. The following year, it was raining and the race was in the afternoon, and last year? I didn't run it last year -- I was sick. So, I'm glad to be able to run it tomorrow.

Having the HM last weekend and the 5K this weekend has me thinking about the difference in races. Clearly, longer races like a marathon, or HM, are difficult because of the distance. A 5K is a very different matter -- the distance isn't the issue; it's speed that is first and foremost for most runners in a 5K. Thus, the 5K poses a different kind of difficulty for me: with a long race, my primary concern is just finishing. Sure, I have a timeframe in mind, but really, I just want to finish. With the 5K, I know I can go the distance, but I have to go the distance quickly and that means running as best I can for 3.1 miles straight. It takes a different kind of physical exertion and mental competence to do this.

I am, of course, still hoping to beat my 5K PR of 28:28 (which is now starting to feel like a mythical time), and if I can run like I did on Wednesday, then I think I will; however, I am realistic and I know that every single day is a different running day and all I can do is put forth my best and hope the effort pays off.

4 + 91 =

Tonight's 4 were certainly harder than yesterday's 3 -- mostly because it was way warmer today, and I'm not Superman, who gets his super-human strength from the yellow sun; not me, I wither in the warmth. The first 3 were fine, but in the last mile, I had to walk for a minute.

1: 9:36
2: 9:11
3: 9:35
4: 10:21

Total Time: 38:44

Anyhoo, these last 4 miles of January bring my month's mileage to a grand total of 95 miles.

In previous months and years, I haven't been diligent in tracking my mileage, but I kinda un-officially decided that this year I'm gonna keep track of it. There's something about this running business that eventually makes you a slave to numbers, which is somewhat of a miracle if you consider me -- someone who can't add higher than 12 without a calculator and who used to not even wear her Garmin regularly -- to have become the sort of runner who tracks and records all her mileage and all her times.

What will be next? Upgrading to the 305 and wearing the HR monitor? Oh sweet jesus, that does sound kinda fun...

Recovery Run

Today, I was gonna focus on doing a short, slow recovery run. But the right elements -- perfect weather, rockin' tunes, and feeling well-rested -- all collided this evening to create a great run. I still kept it short, but for me, it was not slow.

1: 9:08
2: 8:54
3: 9:00

Total Time: 27:03

Folks, you're pretty much lookin' at the digits of a speeding bullet.

Much Better and A Surprise Discovery

First of all, I am feeling much improved. Still not 100%, but somewhere around 90%. Clearly, my immune system is superior and I can fight off a cold faster than other humans.

Remember my dilemma about pants about a week ago? Well, I was able to exchange the pants, and I got a new pair of pants (in the size 6 -- but a different pair) and 2 shirts. Never doubt my ability to return or exchange clothing, you just may not want to follow in my wake.

Anyhoo, bringing up those pants for the sake of bragging about returning them is not my point. Remember how I said they felt big? Well, I have come to notice in the past week that several pairs of pants feel a bit big about the middle -- not by a lot, but enough to notice a little extra room about the waist. So, this morning I decided to unearth the scale and see if there was some kind of difference, and viola! I am 3 pounds lighter! Huh.

I haven't really changed my exercise habits or my eating habits, so I can't really account for this loss, except that perhaps the gods have just decided to be beneficent. Or...could it be the lack of diet soda in my life? I'm reluctant to believe this could help shed pounds, but it's really the only primary thing that's changed about my diet in the past 4 weeks (although, I will admit to you that I've snuck about a handful of them in since New Year's). I mean, I've read that diet soda hinders weight loss, despite the fact that it has no calories, but I always thought that was bologna. I mean, it has NO calories!

What do you guys think?

A. The few pound weight loss is a fluke, Jess, and you'll gain it back on Super Bowl Sunday with the beer and chips.
B. The few pound weight loss is the result of weeks of dedicated running and the conscious consumption of frozen egg rolls and light beer -- the exercise and diet regimen of champions!
C. Your scale is broken, Jess.
D. The weight loss could be the result of eliminating diet soda from your day to day diet -- the additives, carbonation, and fake sugar make you fat despite the fact that the drink has no calories and is delicious.

Not a 100%; More Like 75%

In my congested-haze yesterday, I forgot to give the shout out that I had intended. So...*clear throat*...drum roll, please:

I am excited to announce that my good friends Jon and Shannon are pregnant! Jon doesn't have a blog, but if you'd like to offer your congrats to Shannon -- hop on over to her blog and tell her "congrats"!

It seems, as of late, that this condition (pregnancy) is rather contagious. Two years ago, it was my friend Amy, then Erin, and now Shannon. If I'm not careful, I could catch this bug -- and that's not something I'm ready for quite yet!

But, speaking of "bugs," I am feeling a bit better today. Well, enough to keep on with my classes anyway. I'm still congested and my voice is a bit raggedy, but the fever is gone and that makes a huge difference in how I feel. Today, however, is my long day at school, so we'll see how I feel after 12 hours of work.

Hopefully, tomorrow I will feel even more improved and will be able to get out and run. I deliberately took yesterday and today off in order to allow the legs to rest after Sunday's race, but I think by tomorrow I should be ready to hit the asphalt again. Plus, the in-laws depart today, so I'll have the house back and will maybe have more time to get that desired run in.

Under the Weather

I don't feel so good today, homies.

Not because of the race yesterday -- I mean, I have some of the standard soreness/stiffness that results after a long run but nothing abnormal -- no, I feel like I've caught a cold.

Saturday my throat was kinda scratchy, yesterday when I woke up the throat felt sore, and by yesterday night, I felt feverish, congested, achy, and overall icky. I went to bed early and got plenty of rest, which certainly helped, but I still feel sick today. Blech.

I'm at school -- pressing through with my two classes for the day -- but all I can think about is returning home and crawling back in to bed this afternoon.

I think Karma is getting me back for commenting to a friend last week that I hadn't been sick in "forever." Now, the resulting congestion and achy-ness is Karma's bitch-slap in response to that previous comentary: "Oh yeah? Haven't been sick in 'forever' huh? Well, how's this for ya?!" Damn you Karma!

Miami Half: The Long Version

Pre-Race: The part that made me the most nervous in anticipation -- the getting to the race -- was actually quite simple. We got to the race easily, parked easily, and then had tons of time beforehand to stand around; however, I'm glad we got up early and got there early because it didn't take long to get crowded and I'm sure the traffic and the parking may have become more difficult if we'd arrived any later. At a quarter to 6, we assembled in our corrals and at 6:15, the race got underway:
Miles 1-4: The first miles were erratic in terms of pacing. The first mile was crowded so there was no choice but to stick with the crowd's pace, but the first mile was also probably the most scenic -- we crossed Biscayne Bay and the cruise ships were all lit with their night's lights and the sight of them with the city in the background was really pretty.

Just past mile 3, I spotted Laurel running and I said a brief hello. She was running with her group, so I left her with them and continued on my way.

1: 10:26
2: 9:34
3: 10:27
4: 13:02 (bathroom break)

Miles 5-10: This is where I felt like I was finally able to find my pace and these were the miles that I felt the best. In miles 1-4, I had a hard time breaking away from the crowd, I stopped a few times at fluid stations, and I stopped to use the bathroom; but by mile 5, I felt like I was all set and I basically set the "cruise control" in these miles.

The highlight here was running up Ocean Ave in South Beach just as the sun was rising -- it was beautiful.

5: 10:10
6: 10:51
7: 10:04
8: 9:58
9: 10:58
10: 10:10

Miles 11-13.1: At mile 10, we started to cross back from Miami beach into Miami and the bridge back felt like a steep incline at this point, so I walked the incline and then ran the decline back into the city. Crowd support here was awesome, but I was starting to lose steam. The last few miles were slow but I knew I was almost there so I kept pluggin away.

At 12.5 miles, I saw my husband. I stopped briefly to give him a hug but then he told me to get going, so I headed out for the last .6 miles. Even though it was so close to the end, the mental boost I got from seeing him really helped in that end segment. The half marathoners broke away from the marathoners, and then we headed down the shute to the finish.

The crowd was loud and busy, and it felt great to come down that straight away feeling so good. I passed my husband and in laws and then stepped over the finish line!

11: 11:38
12: 11:51
13: 10:22
.24: 2:33 (? regarding distance is addressed below)

I had estimated that I would finish somewhere around 2:20, so my time of 2:22 was pretty close to my estimation. I think I could do the distance in a faster time (most of my training runs were faster), but I think I'd need a smaller race with fewer participants in my way; hopefully, A1A in 3 weeks will be an opportunity to improve on what I did this morning.

Post Race: I got my medal, got the chip removed, and got my refreshments and then met up with my family. We didn't stick around long (it was starting to sprinkle) before heading back home for a shower, a big breakfast and a long nap.

This afternoon, I feel great. My legs are a little tired, but aren't real fatigued and I can really appreciate the half marathon as a race -- it's long enough to feel challenging, but not as long and exhausting as the full marathon. It was a great race and I will probably do it again next year -- the scenery is nice, it is well-organized, and the course is pretty flat (with the exception of the bridges).

Notes and Anecdotes:

• I saw a guy running barefoot. I've never seen someone run a road race in bare feet. I would imagine that would hurt, but he looked happy.
• Right after the 3 mile marker, we were on one of the bridges leading us into Miami Beach and I suddenly felt myself sway and I thought I had vertigo. But, no. The bridge was moving from the weight of the runners and the cars on the other side. It was really weird. The actual asphalt felt soft under our collective weight.
• My husband and in laws got to see Brian Sell, who was running the half, cross the finish line at 1:03, a new course record. I wish I could have seen the Olympian, but I guess once he finished, he didn't feel like chillin with the masses for a banana.
• My only complaint? The general crowd. There were approximately 20,000 runners, and for most of the race, we were restricted to one side of the road and that wasn't really enough room to spread out; plus, it made water stations really crowded, as well as the finishers shute. In the future, if the race continues to grow in size, they may have to close the roads completely so that runners have enough space.
• Garmin recorded the length of the race as 13.24; could the race have been mis-marked or did Garmin record the distance incorrectly?
  

Miami Half: The Quick Version

I finished with a chip time of 2:22:01. Brian Sell beat me by about an hour and 19 minutes. Dangit. I'd been hoping to be right on his heels :)

Anyway, I'll post something longer with pictures -- maybe later today or tomorrow. Right now, Jerry and his mom are cooking up a breakfast feast, and then I'll probably crash for a bit.

Peace out.

Congrats to...

...my husband, Jerry!

He got promoted at work yesterday -- he's worked hard and deserves it, so I'm proud of him and his accomplishment! And...now he can afford to buy me more Coach :)

But, back to what's most important here on this blog:

Me.

The expo was fun yesterday -- my Bib # is 16120 -- and I picked up a few do-dads at the expo. One funny detail though: the hat they included in my goody bag says "2007"! Oopsie. After the expo, we walked over to Lincoln Road in Miami Beach and walked in some of the shops and sat down for a beer. Eventually, we wandered down to the ocean so the in laws could see the beach, and then we drove up to Bass Pro and had a wonderful dinner a Islamorada Fish Company. By the time we got home, I pretty much crashed and I slept in this morning -- glorious!

Today, I think we'll mainly be lazy, and settle in early tonight. We have to get up at 3 am in the morning to leave the house at 3:30 tomorrow morning. I have made the executive decision to drive us all (I kinda have this control issue about race day morning) and we're leaving early to ensure enough time for parking, etc and the race begins at 6:15.

So, until tomorrow, my friends, auf vedersehen!

Hi-Ho-Expo!

First up today, some answers to your questions about Minnesota-speak from yesterday's post:

Sarah: "Uff-da" is a generalized way of exressing something that is too much or excessive. It's equivilants might be: "oh my!" or "goodness" or my version: "holy shit!"

Viv: Yes, think "Fargo" for the accents. Even though every Minnesotan is offended by the accents in that movie and claim they are exaggerated, I have found that they are pretty much dead-on. However, if you want a movie with less stressed accents, see "Juno."

Marcy: I don't have a MN accent b/c I did not grow up in MN. I was born and raised in Colorado. I moved to MN when I was 18, and lived there for 8 years. Then I moved to FL. Where everyone speaks Spanish.

There ya go. Hope you feel adequately educated about the nuances of the regional language.

In running/race related news: after class today, I plan to quickly run my planned 3 miler, and then I'm piling into the car with the hubby and the in laws and we're headed to South Beach for the Race Expo. After we "hi-ho-expo," we'll probably walk around South Beach, hopefully spot someone famous, and then stop some place for dinner.

I want to get to bed early tonight in order to be well rested on Saturday -- so I can worry about Sunday's race.

Have a good Funday Friday everyone!

Uff-Da

That's what my Minnesota in-laws would say about my day/week so far: "Uff-da!" (Having them here is such a funny reminder of MN-speak. After being away from the region for almost 4 years now, their accents and sayings have my husband and I crackin grins at one another, "dontcha know.")

Class itself is busy, fo sho, but I also have other responsibilities with my work and those have been busy lately as well. See, just like it's important for college students to have those clubs and organizations on their resume, it's important for college faculty to engage in similar "extra-curricular" activities for professional development. That means committee membership, department posts, research, publishing, etc. Currently, I have 3 extra-curricular activities that I'm involved in:

• I'm the English department liaison with the library (it's my job to order books on behalf of my department -- awesome job -- and my job to be the department expert on the library).
• I serve on the campus' library committee (can you tell that I like the library? my mom was a librarian, after all, so much of my childhood was spent there and I have great affection for it).
• And, I'm currently serving on the department's handbook committee.

That last one? It's the one that has me very busy right now. Every 3 years, the English department chooses the almighty handbook (you bought one when you were a freshman in college -- spiral bound grammar book -- remember it?) that we will use for the next 3 years. Exclusively. So, we have about 12 texts to examine and choose from. And that means we have about 6 publishing reps stopping by to try and push their particular two texts (textbook reps are to college faculty as drug reps are to doctors).

So, this morning instead of getting the extra time I usually enjoy -- surfing blogs -- I had to go to what are, essentially, sales pitches for 2 handbooks. And if there's anything more boring than trying to make a handbook sound interesting? It's two of them.

Anyway, add those meetings (which have been occurring every day this week), to my regular classes, and the fact that I'm staying today to help a colleague with a presentation (she's applying for a research grant and I have been helping her the past two weeks tweak her presentation), and I'm glad that today is a rest day for running.

Tomorrow, I run another 3 miler, Saturday I rest and Sunday is the half, so light running during the week to save up those "mighty" legs. Thus, even though it's only 3 pm, I am really looking forward to getting home this evening, sitting down to a nice dinner (in laws bought us a shiz-load of good food -- tonight, it's gonna be a seafood extravaganza with shrimp and crab legs!), and a beer.

Wait. That gives me a thought! I'm bringing a case of beer to our next committee meeting! Wa-hoo!

Hump Day 3

Got my 3 miler in this afternoon, but -- phew! -- it was hot out there. In my 3rd mile, I really had to slow it down; I didn't want to catch on fire.

1: 9:13
2: 9:21
3: 9:57

Total Time: 28:33

But, I guess it was good that I got it done then because now it's pouring rain outside and we're getting ready for din-din.

Have a good evening everyone!

Tidbit Tuesday

Thanks for the completely divided advice on the pants. I still don't know what to do. If I just let them sit long enough in the closet, will house elves take care of the issue for me? I doubt it. My house elf, Lucky, is the laziest son of a bitch you'll find: it feels like I have to do everything!

Anyhoo...I'm sure I'll figure it out.

In other news, the in-laws arrived yesterday, but because I had a night class, I didn't get to see them until after 9 pm last night and then again only briefly this morning before I left for work. I don't know what my husband and they will do today while I'm being brilliant in class, but I think this evening we'll go out to dinner and such, which kinda poses a problem for my scheduled run today. Guess I'll have to try and squeeze it in before the fun begins.

As for today, I printed off some Miami Half info that has been sent to me via email, and I'm starting to get a little nervous about Sunday's race. Not because I'm scared of the distance or my finish, but I'm getting worked up about parking. By my estimation, I'm gonna need to leave home Sunday morning at like 3:30 am in order to have enough time to drive to downtown Miami, find parking, and get to the start -- which almost makes me want to drive down the night before and just sleep at the start line. I swear, for me, half the nerves of a big race are just the particulars of getting myself to the start line.

Is anyone else weird about this when preparing for a race? Or, am I the only one working myself into a tizzy about transportation?

Dilemma

On Saturday, I went and did some clothes shopping and among my purchases, I got two new pairs of dress pants. But these pants are problematic and I need some advice about what to do with them.

No, they don't have razor sharp fangs along the waist (although, that would really be problematic); instead, they don't quite fit right. See, at the store, I tried on a 6. It fit fine, but I felt it was a little snug, and because they are 98% cotton, I figured it was best to buy the 8 instead. I bought two pairs because they were on sale, and when I find pants that fit, I generally stock up.

Moving right along, I got home that afternoon and re-tried them on at home (I always do this after clothes shopping because I have to test things out in front of the home mirror to re-assure myself that everything looks and fits fine), and I discover that the 8s are rather roomy. Too roomy for my taste (I had about 2 inches of extra room in the waist). So, I took that 98% cotton part to heart and did my best to shrink them (it's a humorous irony that most people try to avoid shrinking their clothes, but I am constantly trying to shrink mine -- hot water, high heat in the dryer; unfortunately for my husband, this has led to the accidental shrinkage of some of his t-shirts -- his things don't need shrinking, but I'm a lazy laundress and sometimes I forget to separate).

They shrunk -- somewhat -- to a point I thought they'd be wearable, but I put on a pair this morning, and again thought them too big. I tried a belt, but it was cinched up to the point where I literally had extra fabric in the waist all scrunched up. I changed out of them and put on a boring old pair of pants (which BTW, are from the same store and are also 8s and are also 98% cotton -- so this gives me hope that perhaps more shrinking will improve the current pants).

So, this is my dilemma, do I:

• Return the pants and forget them?
• Exchange the pants for a size 6 and hope that future washings won't shrink those?
• Give them another few washings/dryings and hope for more shrinkage?
• Take them in to a tailor to have them adjusted to fit me better?

Let me know your opinions, peeps, I need help!

To Do List -- Done.

Guest bathroom sparkling and clean? Check.

Guest bed linens washed and free of Scooter fur? Check.

Rest of the house spotlessly cleaned? Check.

Grocery shopping done? Check.

Plenty of beer in the beer fridge? Check. Double check.

3 new ceiling fans and a new entry way light fixture installed? Check.

4 miler for Monday done? Ch-check. (9:13, 9:17, 9:20, 9:26 -- Total Time: 37:18)

Alrighty, I think we're ready for our family to arrive tomorrow! Now...I need a beer.

A Few Notes

Okey-doke, a few comments before I am banished to the land of the bathroom to scrub tiles in preparation of the in-law invasion tomorrow (actually, I think I lucked out in the in-law department -- they're terribly nice, supportive people who think I'm da bomb, but houseguests are houseguests and anyone who stays with us for 7 days in gonna annoy the crap outta me; as my husband says, "whoa, that's gonna give you a headache"; apparently, I suffer from family induced migraines).

1. I forgot to tell you that I also added My Chemical Romance's songs "Teenagers" and "Dead" to the running playlist. Both are swexcellent for running! (That's "sweet" + "excellent" = since "swawesome" died last week, I needed to find a replacement -- and this time? Let's try to use it in moderation so it has a longer shelf life.)

2. "Cloverfield" was, quite frankly, the shit. For those frustrated by the previews, relax. There's good reason why the previews are so ambiguous -- allow the movie to provide the thrills and intensity that it sets out to do. Trust me. It's pretty cool. Plus? It was only 75 minutes long. Perfect. More movies could learn from that kind of editing (*cough* "Pirates of the Carribbean" *cough*).

3. Um...I had 3 things? Huh, guess not.

Well, I'm off to inhale Tilex and finish the laundry! What fun my MLK day has in store for me! Hope everyone else is enjoying their 3 day weekend!

Oh wait, I do remember my 3rd thing: "Water for Elephants" is really good so far. Pick it up today and get started on it. It's swexcellent! (Well, I never claimed to be very good at moderation.)

Much Better

So, earlier today when I said I wasn't gonna run today? Yeah, I lied. I ended up running 5 miles, and everything about these miles was the antithesis of yesteday's crap run. 2 aspects of today's run were particularly conducive to a good run:

1. Cooler weather: It's in the 60s today with overcast skies and a breeze -- perfect for running!
2. I added some new tunes to spice up my playlist:

The Fratellis "Chelsea Dagger"
The Fratellis "Flathead"
Smashing Pumpkins "Tarantula"
Paramore "Misery Business"
Foo Fighters "Skin and Bones"

So, those factors, plus the fact that it's a whole new day, made my 5er much better. The only issue? Garmy had a hard tme with both finding and keeping a signal today. I had to stand out there for about 5 minutes for it to find its initial signal, and then in my first mile, I lost a signal for about .10 of the mile. Thus, my time on the first mile was recorded about 45-60 seconds slower than it should have, which means my total time was actually about that much faster too.

1: 10:11
2: 9:34
3: 9:10
4: 9:20
5: 9:29

Total Time: 47:48

Anyway, this wasn't the intended 8 miler for the weekend, but it does greatly improve my running spirits. And now I must skeddadle: we're off to meet some friends to see "Cloverfield" (hope the movie is more than just hype).

And that whole business in my post this morning about giving up alcohol for the week? I lied about that too. I can't go a whole week with houseguests without imbibing in some delicious cocktails! That was just crazy talk this morning.

Simple Conclusion

Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, and was contemplating giving my 8 another go, I came to a simple conclusion: My run had felt like I'd been sick but I hadn't felt any true symtoms of illness; still, it meant that I needed to look to the 3 things that I always have to go back and re-examine -- sleep, hydration, and nutrition. Poor quality of all 3 was probably the culprit in yesterday's crap run.

So, instead of pushing myself to make up the mileage today, I decided to treat myself as if I had been ill -- get a good night's sleep, drink plenty of fluids, and try to eat better. This morning, after nearly 11 hours of sleep (phew! must've really needed it!), I can already tell that I feel worlds better.

I may or may not put in some kind of run today, but I don't think I'll aim for the 8. Today, I'll rest up and start the week over tomorrow. Ultimately, I feel well-prepared for Miami in a week, so the failure to run the full 8 yesterday doesn't derail my confidence about the half. I'll aim for solid runs this week (may be difficult -- the in laws arrive in town on Tuesday and keeping up with runs with company in town can be tricky), but I also have to keep those 3 key things in front of me as I get ready for Miami. Thus, I think I'll refrain from the booze this week (again, did I mention my in laws will be here? -- not drinking with them, or because of them, may be tough), get a good night's sleep EVERY day of the week, remain hydrated, and keep an eye on my food.

As far as book purchases...I just bought one yesterday: "Water for Elephants" by Sarah Gruen. It was the Blogland Book Club selection this month and I have been eye-balling it for some months now. I read the first 50 pages last night, and I can tell already that it will be good.

Crap Run

There was only one word for my run this evening: shitty.

I started out intent on doing my scheduled 8, but only a mile in, I felt like poo. I can't improve upon that description by much: nothing hurt and I wasn't feeling sick, I just felt "blah." Could be the result of several factors, including the vague notion that sometimes a run just doesn't feel right.

Generally, I can work past such lethargy, but this evening, I got to the 1.5 mark and decided to turn around and go home. So, it was 3 miles instead of 8.

I haven't had this kind of crap run in a long time, and it seems like a fitting end to a week that has been pretty worthless in terms of running. Oh well. I think I may try to get up early tomorrow morning and give it another go -- we'll see if I'm up for a full 8, but I gotta put in something longer than 3 this week.

For now, I think I may take a quick trip to Barnes and Noble -- nothing improves my mood like buying a few books with some of my Christmas gift cards.

Hell in a Handbasket

The running has gone downhill this week: no run yesterday or today. Yesterday, I was too tired and today -- well, I don't really have an excuse; except that this evening we went to a friend's for bbq and beer and the run did not get done beforehand.

I'm gonna have to make my Saturday 8 miler really count since the mileage this week has been weak.

Of course, I'll probably save that 8 for evening. Tomorrow? I am SO looking forward to sleeping in!

Foo Pics

The hubby and I and some crazy faces. Dave Grohl -- Foo Fighter frontman -- and the other Foo rockin it out on stage.
Yeah! Rock on.
For more, concert commentary, check out Erin's blog. She was a trooper last night -- the rockinest prego friend I know.

So, after a night with lots of beer, loud rock, and very little sleep, and a full day at work, I came home, made dinner and have pretty much pooped out. In other words? I'm skipping my scheduled run for the day. Part of me feels guilty, but sometimes, Jess needs sleepy time.

So Sleepy

The concert last night was really great (at the request of my concert-companions, "swawesome" has been put to bed -- after I told the waitress at dinner that a draft beer would be "swawesome," everyone pretty much had had enough), and the Foo put on one of the best performances I think I've ever seen: they played for a solid two hours, with a five song encore!

My only complaint? The show didn't get started until 8 pm, the Foo didn't hit the stage until 10 pm and we didn't get home and to bed until almost 1 am. That's pretty late for a school night, and this morning I am hurting for some more sleep.

I'll try and post some more details and pics later this evening, but for now, I need coffee. Lots of coffee.

Got My 3 Done

1: 9:21
2: 9:22
3: 9:25

Total: 28:09

Now I'm ready to ROCK OUT! Swawesome.

Homies That Rock

First of all, I got this picture, below, via email from Lisa this morning, and really? It's just priceless -- and I so wish I could have been part of the RnR in AZ crew this year -- but next year, if you guys are still planning on reconvening for the event, you can count me in! Until then, I think I might have to save these homies as my screensaver :) But, speaking of sportin' the classic Jess rock 'n roll pose, tonight I'm gonna be holding the devil horns high as I rock out to the Foo Fighters! Seriously, I'm psyched to see Dave Grohl and his fellow bandmates return to South Florida to rock the hiz-ouse. We saw them about 2 years ago when they swooped through on tour with Weezer (another of my favs) and the Foo were friggin awesome -- truly, they are a band that really rocks to see in concert. And tonight is gonna be even more swawesome (that's "sweet" + "awesome" -- I would like everyone to start using it regularly since it annoys the crap outta my husband, who swore to me last night that he is only going to use it to mock me) because we got really swawesome (see how versatile it is?) seats. Honestly. If I wanted to, I'm gonna be able to spit (throw my bra) on Dave Grohl -- we're that close.
And, what makes this event even more swawesome is that Jimmy Eat World is opening for them and I *heart* Jimmy Eat World (even though none of my concert companions really care for them). So, this afternoon after class, I'll need to run my 3 miler as speedy as possible, so I can get ready for pre-concert dinner and drinks. Hmmmm...what should dominate the run's playlist? Perhaps a little Foo and a little Jimmy Eat World? I think so!

Tuesday's 12

Not miles. Hours. At work.

Tuesday is my long day on campus: I have 2 day classes, then an afternoon of office hours, and then a night class, so I'm here from 9 am until 9 pm. I actually don't mind being on campus that long -- it does force me to get some work done (or read blogs and write emails, ya know how it is, homies) -- but it does mean that I take Tuesdays as a running rest day.

Thus, I have nothing running related to report; however, I do have a few student-related stories:

One student, the most unique, is 82 years old. Yup. You read that right. 82. She decided after her husband died to return to college and earn a degree, and this is her second semester. Can you imagine? 82 is my grandparents' ages! She's very interesting and has lots of valuable insight to add to class discussion, but I can tell her long-winded comments annoy the younger members of the classroom. 18 and 19 year olds don't really appreciate having a grandmother in the class. I wonder, though, if they'll ever reflect back on her and her endeavor and appreciate her courage and bravery for doing what she's doing -- daring to live life for as long as she's capable. I hope so. Certainly has provoked me to think differently about "retirement."

One guy showed up to class today when he hadn't been there at all last week and he hadn't contacted me. The first part of their first assignment was due today. He asked me after class if he had "missed anything" last week. I told him, sarcastically, "No, we've been waiting for you to show up before we did any work." I noted this afternoon that he withdrew from the class.

Lastly, in one of my literature classes this afternoon, we were discussing the short story "The Story of an Hour" about woman, in 1894, whose husband dies. As part of our discussion, we compare and contrast the nature of marriage in 1894 and marriage in 2008. I asked them to list some of the motivations for marriage in each era, and three people said "looks" were the main reason people get married in today's modern world. "Looks"! Man, I thought such superficial attitudes were only on TV. Guess I need to adjust some expectations.

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll have more as the semester progresses. But one thing's for sure: teaching at the college level is never boring. No sirreee, always interesting.

Monday 4

After class today, I stopped by the grocery store to do the week's shopping. And as I read last week on Redneck Mommy's blog, "The only thing I dislike more than sucking cock and stepping in dog shit, is grocery shopping." That. That right there is my sentiment exactly. She was just, oh, so much more eloquent than I could be in expression.

This afternoon's visit pretty much summarized why I hate the grocery store:

• Parking sucks. I always have to circle to find a space, and that alone makes me angry enough to plow down the elderly and small children.
• The full parking lot pretty much guarantees a long line at the deli, where there is inevitably 2 people working. At their slowest possible speed. I mean, c'mon, slice faster bitches!
• The aisles in the grocery store are really only wide enough for 2 carts -- yet people are either too absent-minded or too clueless to realize this, and one of these days I'm just gonna start ramming carts outta my way.
• There were 3. Count them: 3 lanes open. So the line to each one was several people deep. I chose one at random and got stuck behind the. slowest. lady. in. the. world. Seriously, I didn't know people still wrote checks (or that the grocery store still accepted them). Nor did I know that it is possible to read an entire People magazine while waiting for someone to write a check (it wasn't a total waste -- I did get the low down on Britney's latest wacko-attacko).

Needless to note, by the time I got home, unloaded the groceries and put them away, I was more than ready for the stress relief of a run. And it was everything the grocery store was not: fast, efficient, and rewarding.

1: 9:25

2: 9:22

3: 9:24

4: 9:12

Total Time: 37:24 (Blogger is screwing with my spacing -- thus the giant spaces between splits. Can't figure out why.)

As per my blister after Saturday's 14 miler: it deflated on its own and didn't bother me on this evening's run. But I did learn that many of you are "pickers" -- grossos!

Roachy Beginning

Woke up this morning to find myself staring down at a cockroach. It sucks when the first thing you spy on a Monday morning is a cockroach on the floor. He held his ground too and just stared back at me. And he was still staring at me 5 minutes later when I sucked him up in the vacuum -- brave fucker.

For months, we haven't seen a single roach, but in the past few days I bet I have sucked up about 5 or 6 in the vacuum (big ones too). It sure doesn't make me want to empty the vacuum's container.

Hope everyone else woke to far more pleasant visions this morning.

Racers and Rest

Well, they're off! And by "they" I mean all of those who are running either the full or the half marathon in Arizona this morning. For those of you who want some updates or witty banter, stop by the RnR blog for my commentary.

Meanwhile, those who are running Disney today are 4 1/2 hours into it, so I hope everyone there is having a good race. As for Houston? I'm not sure of that race's start time, but I do hope that racers there are also enjoying a good race.

As for me today? The closest I am getting to running is via observation. Sunday is rest day for Jess. And I plan to do that like it's my job.

Saturday Long Run

This morning I met Wendy again in Deerfield to run A1A for a 14 miler. This is my peak distance before Miami in two weeks -- next week I'll scale back to an 8 miler -- and I was feeling pretty tired this morning. However, I did have a great night's sleep, so that did help. The run itself was a little slow, especially after 8 miles because we took more frequent and extended walk breaks, but after the run I felt great, and right now I feel pretty energetic -- rare: generally, I pretty much feel like going back to bed after a long run.

1: 9:44
2: 9:45
3: 9:53
4: 11:09
5: 9:52
6: 9:51
7: 9:45
8: 11:26
9: 11:26
10: 10:37
11: 12:12
12: 10:20
13: 12:47
14: 11:53

Total Time: 2:30:52

So, yeah, we were petty consistent through 8 miles, but then the timing became more erratic. Like I said, we did quite a bit more walking than usual, but that's fine, we still got the mileage done.

Strangely, I have a big blister on my left big toe, and I haven't had a blister in a long time. Should I drain it? Or let it drain on its own? I kinda want to pick at it.

Last of all: best of luck to everyone who has a race this weekend (there's quite a few), so I hope everyone does well and has fun at RnR in Arizona, at Houston and at Disney! Race safe!

Perceived Reality

Some days the difference between how I perceive a run and how it really is is significant. Today, for example, I felt tired (as I pretty much have all week) and slow, and I thought for sure I was running much slower than usual. But when I finished up the 3 miles and reviewed the laps on my Garmin, I was surprised to find them evenly paced at my normal pace:

1: 9:33
2: 9:31
3: 9:28

Total Time: 28:33

I guess this is why the Garmin is a handy device. Sometimes it's there to remind me that perception is not always the best tool of measurement when it comes to assessing a run.

Anyhoo, on a related but separate note, I thought you guys might appreciate a brief running/mother anecdote: I received an email from my mom today checking in on me and asking about my regular news, and I emailed her back, mentioning in my note that I was in the middle of training for 2 half marathons. She emailed me back that she was glad I had decided to go with half marathons instead of full marathons because she and my step dad were worried about me "ruining" my legs and feet doing all that running that I did when training for Disney and Chicago, and she feels it's best for me to stick with the shorter races for my own good.

Her comment seriously made me want to sign up for a full marathon. I'm 29 (almost 30), and I don't know when I'll ever quit feeling rebellious against my mother.

Maybe it's another case of my perception versus reality, but sometimes my mother really rubs me wrong.

Lazy Legs

My legs have been feeling fatigued this week, and at first I was puzzled since my mileage has not been anything out of the ordinary, but then it dawned on me this evening during my 6 miler that it's probably because for the last 3 weeks my legs spent their days propped up on the couch, but this week I'm back at school and that means several hours everyday standing in front of the classroom, in heels. So, I guess the legs need to ease back into the semester as much as my mind does.

Anyhoo, despite the tired legs, the 6 miles went just fine. The weather outside was pleasant and my brain was busy unwinding from the day, so the 6 miles went by quickly.

1: 9:46
2: 9:47
3: 9:41
4: 9:51
5: 10:01
6: 10:14

Total: 59:22

Now, I think I might do some foam rollering to try to ease some of this muscle tension in the pooped out leggy-legs while I watch Jeopardy! Dang, I'm a nerd.

Official Commentator

For those of you running the Rock n Roll Half in Arizona this weekend, I have been named the "official commentator" on your race! So, I will be posting updates about your progress here, and while I expect to receive phone calls and emails on race day to help me update, please also leave your bib#s here in this post's comments so I can track you online and update readers on your progress.

I'm looking forward to posting lots of excellent finish times!

Lethargic 3

The last two days have been very busy -- and this afternoon I felt beat and pretty much done with whole "return from break" thing. So, when I set out for the evening's 3 miler, I was NOT feeling it. I got out there. I got it done. And, yes, I felt better afterward for having done it. But some days? They don't feel like run days.

1: 9:47
2: 9:48
3: 9:48

Total Time: 29:25

1 Week Down, 51 To Go

So, now that we are a week into the new year, I figured I'd give you a brief update on my resolutions:

1. I'm doing just dandy without soda. However, I should qualify/clarify what I gave up: I did NOT give up caffeine. No, no, no. That's just crazy. I still drink my 2-3 cups of coffee every morning. I don't think I could dress myself without the java; instead, I did give up my one Diet Pepsi a day. And really, I wasn't drinking it because of the caffeine (next to coffee, the caffeine in a diet soda is neglible), I was drinking it because it was a sweet, delicious treat every afternoon. Now, I just get water. Not as sweet or delicious, but better for me, I think.

2. I have been good at taking my vitamins everyday. I gag just thinking about it, but I have been doing it.

3. Flossing every day has also been going well, and I had a dentist appointment yesterday that went fine, so the teeth are good.

4. I haven't yet made appointments for the eye doctor or regular check up doctor. But I still have 51 weeks to get those two appointments in.

5. As far as eating better, well, I have been trying to be more conscious of what I ingest (I'm munching on a healthy apple right now), but I can't say I've made any major dietary changes in the past week.

So, all in all, I've been doing pretty well with the resolutions. Of course, 7 days is not necessarily reason for a ticker tape parade -- by now, you should all know that it takes 21 days to form any kind of habit :)

Back to the Grind

My first day of the term went alright -- except for the fact that I brought the wrong syllabus to one class (in my defense, it's the same class, same time, but one is on Monday/Wednesday and the other is Tuesday/Thursday -- so yeah, I brought the TR stuff to the MW class) but it's no biggie; I can bring them the right materials on Wednesday. One weird thing though: in one class I have two students with the exact same first and last names. I've never had that before. I told the two of them that they'd have to include their middle names on their work.

After class, I had a dentist appointment. My toofers were in good condition and I thanked my lucky stars that I didn't get "The Floss Nazi" (one hygienist there is a little rough). So, with clean, cavity free teeth, I came home and laced up my running shoes for a 4 miler before dinner.

It was a great temperature out -- cooler but not cold -- and the run went smoothly:

1: 9:20
2: 9:11
3: 9:34
4: 9:32

Total Time: 37:38

And now that dinner is resting comfortably in my tummy, I will retire for the evening to rest up for day number two of the term. Hopefully, tomorrow I will bring the right materials to the right class.

Re-directed

Need a new exercise regimen? Something to help you keep those New Year's Resolutions? Well, go check out my friend Ryan's blog for his patented 7 minute muscle program that he guarantees is "Better Than Nuthin." Seriously, even if you don't apply the 7 MM technique he describes, I guarantee it will work your abs from laughing. It made me spit out my coffee this morning, and that almost never happens.

What are you still doing here? Go over there!

Last Day of Break

Today is my final day of my Holiday Break -- 3 weeks have never gone by so quickly -- and I feel as though I should do something significant to take advantage of my last day off, but nothing really comes to mind. But whatever I chose to do today, tomorrow I have to get up early, get dressed in clothes that aren't sweapants, and return to school. It's the start of a new term.

No running for today. It's rest day for me, homies.

Saturday Dozen

Wendy and I met up again this morning for a 12 miler, and despite a strong wind blowing off the ocean and an upset stomach (I would not recommend Cajun food and beers the night before a long run), the 12 went well.

For first 3 miles, my stomach was really iffy (poor choice of aforementioned dinner and drinks) and for a bit I seriously thought I might hurl, but we took a walk break in the 4th mile and after a bit, the stomach settled and by the time we reached 6 miles, I felt fine. The temp was perfect out, and we were able to keep a very even pace (almost exactly 10 minute miles -- with the exception of the miles where we took brief walk breaks to drink water or take GU).

1: 10:02
2: 10:07
3: 10:09
4: 11:14
5: 10:10
6: 10:09
7: 10:36
8: 9:56
9: 10:57
10: 10:36
11: 10:53
12: 10:14

Total Time: 2:05:11

2 interesting anecdotes:

1. A cranky bitch snapped at Wendy to "move over" on the path. Wendy had moved over but I guess we hadn't created an adequate space for this approaching woman and her running partner to pass us. The woman was such a bitch about it that I kinda felt like pushing her into the grass. Most runners I know are nice, happy people; this woman was not. I am guessing that she was on the return leg of a 20 miler and she was cranky because she was tired. Yeah, that's the excuse I'll give her.

2. We passed a young woman who was running in what appeared to be a 2 piece swimsuit. And the top of the suit was kinda of a peach color, and since she was white, from a distance it was hard to tell if she was wearing a top at all. The whole getup looked very uncomfortable to run in.

Goldilocks Goes for a Run

This 3 miler was too hot.

This 3 miler was too cold.

But, today's 3 miler was just right:

1: 9:16
2: 9:02
3: 8:54

Total: 27:12

Continued Cold

The cold snap here continues with temperatures here in South Florida dipping into the 30s, and with a "wind chill" (I've never heard the weather people use that phrase in this region before!), it has certainly dipped below freezing in some spots. Bad news for citrus growers and Disney goers alike.

So for my run today, I donned clothes that I haven't pulled out of the closet in over a year: running tights, a long sleeve tech shirt that has extra long sleeves with thumb holes (kinda doubles as simple gloves), and a stocking hat. I just had a 3 miler scheduled for today, but I took a route that is out and back -- in this case that meant 1.5 miles into the cold wind and 1.5 miles with it to my back.

1: 9:44
2: 9:37
3: 9:35

Total: 28:57

Once I got out there and I warmed up, the cold weather was actually comfortable. It's just that initial shock that is hard to adjust to. Now, I know that all of you who live in colder climates are laughing at my struggle with the recent cold temps, but consider how suddenly the cold descended on us: Tuesday it was 80; yesterday, we woke up and it was 38. That's a huge difference overnight. I know it's not as cold as what some of you are currently experiencing, but it feels dang cold to me right now.

The good thing is I get to break out some rarely used cold weather clothing: sweaters, coats, etc, and that's kinda fun -- it's like getting new clothes!

Five Frigid Miles

As I mentioned earlier, temps plummeted last night here in FL -- getting as low as 30 in some parts (abnormal for FL), but by the time I ran today (mid-morning) it was in the mid-40s. Brrrrr.

It started out really cold. The first 1.25 miles was north, straight into a wind that occasionally took my breath away, but after I turned east, the wind was hitting me less directly and the miles started to go more smoothly. I could appreciate the chillier temp as I got warmed up, and by the 3rd mile, I was enjoying the cooler weather and how much easier it is to breathe cool, dry air. The last .25 of a mile was north again, and I had to push hard into the wind in order to maintain my pace, but in the end, the 5 miles went well and I was pleased with how even my splits were.

1: 9:41
2: 9:42
3: 9:31
4: 9:35
5: 9:36

Total Time: 48:06

40 Degree Difference

Okay, some of you may have pictured my New Year's Eve like so: a downtown hotel room, tons of friends, buckets of champagne, Snoop Dogg, and me in the center sportin' 2008 glasses and a noise maker. I know, I know, I may seem like a rockstar, but the truth is that the closest I get to being a rockstar is pelting out off-key songs on Rock Band -- no, my New Year's Eve was more like this: me, my husband, some friends, some games, fireworks, and a cooler of beer. So, basically it means I was sippin beer and kickin ass at "Scene It" for most of the evening, but somehow, all those beers, and the half a bottle of Asti caught up with me and I was pretty drunk. Good thing our friends have a spare bedroom because my husband and I crashed there for the night.

Yesterday? I was a pile. All. Day. Long.

I watched about 3 hours of a show on TLC called "Big Medicine" about these two bariatric surgeons who perform gastric bypass surgery on obese people -- I was fascinated by it. Each time my husband came out in the living room, he'd ask: "Are you still watching this?" Yes, yes, I was.

Anyway, I had the headache from hell all day, so I did not run. Let's call it a "sick" day, okay? Today, I plan to run my scheduled 5, but overnight the weather has dipped into the 40s! Can you believe it? It's absolutely frigid out there, and it's not supposed to get much warmer today. The cooler temp should be nice once I get warmed up, but to start, I'm seriously thinking of pulling out the wool hat and mittens!

Yesterday, it was 80. Weird.

Starting the "Healthier" '08

...with a hangover.

Ugh. Where's the Advil?

2008 Resolutions

Despite the fact that my 2007 goals didn't quite pan out like I expected them too (see two posts below -- "The Value of Failing"), I still look forward to making new goals for 2008. So, here are the much anticipated 2008 running resolutions:

1. Achieve some race variety. I would like 2008's race calendar to reflect a variety of distances and races. I haven't finished planning the race year (and much of it will probably be planned as the year progresses), but I would like to not only complete the races I have planned through April, but I'd like to do a 10K (a race I've never done before -- it's hard to find them, they're a disappearing species), a 10 miler, and maybe another 15K or something.
2. Set a new 5K PR, dangit.
3. Focus on what Runner26 referred to as the 3 S's: speed, strength, and stretching. I often neglect both the strength training and the stretching, and this neglect is what lead, I believe, directly to the IT pain I suffered in both legs throughout 2007. Plus, I'd like to see some improvement on my speed. That means I have to actually consciously focus on it, instead of just wishing for it.
4. Enjoy the running. I have to remind myself of this from time to time. I run to relieve stress and to feel good, strong, and healthy -- and sometimes I lose sight of everything that running provides for me, so I'd like to keep that in mind in the forthcoming year. I may give a lot to running, but it more than returns the favor.

But, I also have some resolutions that are not running related, but are, I think, related to my general health. Running helps keep me in pretty good shape, but it's not the only thing I can do to take good care of myself. Thus, a few resolutions to help me keep my overall health care in mind:

1. I'm giving up soda. Yes, you heard me right. I, Jess, am giving up my precious Diet Pepsi. I have one can left in the fridge (I purposely bought enough to bring me right up to New Year's Eve), which is for today, and then no more. I've decided that while it is delicious, the aspartame, the phosphoric acid, the carbonation, and the artificial flavors and additives just can't be good for me. So, I'm going to eliminate it. This is gonna be hard...
2. I'm going to resume taking a multi-vitamin every day. Vitamins and I have tumultuous relationship -- I like to take them as a sort of "insurance" for my nutritional benefit, but I hate swallowing the dang thing ever single day, so off and on for years I have see-sawed back and forth with taking them and not taking them. I figure in 2008, vitamins and I are back on.
3. I'm going to floss every day. Seems simple, right? But, I hate flossing and therefore do it about 6 times a year. No matter how many times the dental hygienist scolds me for not doing it, I just hate it. But I know it is vital for my dental health. So, bring on the floss!
4. I need to make a few doctor appointments. I haven't had a general check-up in almost 2 years, and I haven't been to the eye doctor in 5 years (but, I do go regularly to the dentist -- every 6 months -- I'm good about that one). Oopsie. Time to do both.
5. Eat better. Because I run, I often figure I can eat whatever and however much I want, but it's just not true. I need to eat more of what's good for me -- whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean protein -- and less of what's not -- extra fats, sweets, and refined carbs. Two months ago, I decided to cut fast food altogether (and by "fast food" I mean McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Burger King, etc, but I do still eat at places like Panera and Chiptole, which my husband labels as "fast food" but I think they are in a different category), and I want to keep that up. That food is just toxic and I want to avoid it to the best of my ability.

So, that's it, health-wise, for 2008. Like all resolutions, I think of them as "guidelines" -- terms that are flexible and forgivable but that are intended to motivate me to being a better person and taking better care of myself. I think they're all achievable, so I'm looking forward to a healthier me in 2008!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's Eve!

Twilight Ten

Because I had the 5K yesterday, I bumped my week's long run to today, and because I like to sleep in, I'd bumped its time to this evening. The 10 miler went pretty smoothly:

1: 9:29
2: 9:38
3: 9:51
4: 9:55
5: 11:16 (walked while I took half my GU and drank half my water)
6: 10:34
7: 10:38
8: 11:59 (walked again while polishing off the GU and the water)
9: 10:54
10: 10:56

Total Time: 1:45:21

The second half was certainly slower than the first half, so I could've paced myself a little better, but overall, it was a good, relaxed run by myself. When I got home, I did some slow stretching and foam rollering and now my legs are feeling pretty good.

Hubby made a delicious smelling dinner, so I think I'll sit down to that and spend the rest of the evening chillin. Hope everyone had a good Sunday!

The Value in Failing

I didn't really mean to indicate in my race report yesterday that I thought that time was bad. I was just a bit disappointed because this 5K was the last one of the year where I had the opportunity to try and break my PR of 28:28, and at the Turkey Trot a month ago, I missed that by 5 seconds -- this 5K, I missed it by a wide berth of a whole minute and some change. That's the only reason I was grumpy about the time.

Breaking that PR has been important to me because it was the last chance of the year to actually realize one of my running goals for the year, but now I know that the year will expire and all of my goals I set for the year will be left unfinished.

Last year, after I completed the Disney marathon, I made my year's running resolutions:

• Complete another marathon
• Complete a half marathon
• Break my 5K PR
• Run a race distance I never have before

Simple goals, right? Well, let's see what happened to them all:

• Trained for Chicago, but only completed 8 miles of the race before bowing out due to heat exhaustion. Thus, I did not complete another marathon. I trained for it. Ran it. Did not finish it.
• Trained for the A1A Half last year but training after Disney was plagued by IT pain that I kept ignoring. Race day? I was hurting so bad 2 miles in, that I walked off the course in tears because I knew I wouldn't be able to finish. That was the only half marathon opportunity I created for myself, so I did not complete a half marathon.
• I only ran 4 5Ks this year: Corporate Run in March when I was still suffering from IT pain (this was the last race before I decided to take all of April off to really rest and attend to the IT), 4th of July 5K where it was a bazillion degrees out, the Turkey Trot, and the one I did yesterday. Never beat that 28:28.
• Lastly, for all the running I did in 2007, it was mostly focused on Chicago, which consumed most of my running time and energy, and I never did accomplish a race distance that I'd never done before.

Therefore, in many ways, 2007 was a failure in terms of reaching and achieving my goals. I'm disappointed in this, but I also think failure is important. It can teach us humility, resilience, and mental/emotional flexibility -- all immeasurable things that are important to a runner, and to a person, nonetheless. So, even though 2007's running goals weren't a success, I tried my best. That's all I can ask of myself.

And now, I get to look forward to 2008 and set some new goals! Stay tuned for those.

Resolution 5K Race Report

Well, it was one of my slower 5Ks this morning, homies, and I can't pinpoint exacty why. True, the beginning was crowded and the road narrow, but my first mile was my fastest mile. And true, it was a warm morning, but isn't every day warm here in South Florida? No, I don't think there's any particular reason why I was a bit slow out there, and in general, I guess I just didn't push myself very hard (especially in miles 2 and 3). But, it's okay. Slow happens.

Mile 1: 9:15
Mile 2: 9:34
Mile 3: 9:54
Mile .1: 0:54

Total Time: 29:38

Additional Upcoming Races

In the back of my mind, I've been considering the ING Miami Half just as long as I've had my eye on A1A in February, but I haven't committed to it and haven't really brought it up. But despite the fact that it is only 4 weeks away and only gives me another 3 weeks afterward until A1A, I have four-fold reasons for wanting to do it.

• For one, it's supposed to be a nice course. I like nice courses. And because this is South Florida, that also means it's a flat course. I like flat courses.
• It's close. Miami is about an hour's drive for me (sometimes less, sometimes more, depending on traffic) so it seems like a shame to pass up an opportunity to run something that is nearby.
• After March, the race calendar gets pretty sparse in Florida, so I feel as though I should take advantage of the races while they're available.
• I can do it. I know I can, so why not?

Thus? I'm signing up! So, I am henceforth thinking of January and February as a double-header: 2 half marathons in 2 months! Yippie!

But, not to be forgotten, I also committed to Nancy's 9 on the 9th in January, and hopefully others out in blogland will be joining me "virtually" for that race!**

** Correction: Thanks to Marathoner in Training who corrected me on the 9 on the 9th. I thought it was January, but it's really February. I'm still signed up for the event -- I just would've been about a month ahead of you guys (could've made me the winner by default, right?)

Idiocy is...

...making the same errors over and over and failing to learn from previous mistakes; thus, I believe myself to be an idiot.

You may recall that last week, mid week, I made the mistake of running 5 miles at 3 pm and feeling absolutely awful because of the afternoon heat. Well...

Today, the particulars were slightly different -- 3 miles, not 5; 4 pm, not 3 pm -- yet the same feeling of exhaustion under the afternoon's sun after two miles and I felt spent. I walked some in the 3rd mile and still finished the 3 under 30 minutes, but I really need to learn to be patient and wait for dusk.

1: 9:21
2: 9:31
3: 10:44

Total Time: 29:36

Maybe a few more runs where I feel so hot my head will catch on fire and then I'll learn, and I can graduate from "idiot" to "moron."

Boxing Day's 5

My 5 miles yesterday were like buttah:

1: 9:38
2: 9:38
3: 9:47
4: 9:52
5: 9:46

Total Time:48:43

I got to run with a new pair of shorts and a new visor I got for Christmas, both by Brooks, and they were super-duper comfy.

This evening, I have a 3 miler on the schedule, and in between, I have to get started with some work for school -- prepping for next term. The last two nights I've had nightmares about being unprepared, so I'd best get some stuff done so my sleep is a little more restful!

The Hodge-Podge Post

So, I don't think this post will have much cohesion, so bear with me as I haphazardly jump from topic to topic. First up? A few Christmas pictures.

Scooter with some of his Christmas loot: The audience demanded pic of the new Coach purse:
Yes, Christmas was fun. We opened gifts, spent most of the morning on the phone with relatives, then spent the afternoon at a friend's house where we played games, drank a few beers, and had a splendiferous crab dinner (I love crab -- it's dinner and a project in one, very entertaining and tasty). Today, the hubby returned to work and I set to some chores:

• returned a few gifts
• laundry
• grocery store
• bank
• return movies
• wrote "thank you" notes for Christmas gifts
• picked up the house
• watered plants
• officially registered for both the A1A half marathon and the 5K I have this Saturday
• balanced checkbook

I also got to sit down for a bit this afternoon and read one of my new books. I finished "Atonement" last week (very, very good -- now I want see the movie) and I finished "No Country for Old Men"by Cormac McCarthy on Christmas (I think it is no exaggeration to label McCarthy one of the best living American writers, and this book, like his others, was awesome -- but it is violent, so it may not be suitable for all audiences -- I now also want to see this movie adaptation). So, what books did I get for Christmas that were in my pile to choose from?

I got "The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold; I read her book "Lucky" (her personal account of being raped when she was in college), but I've never read her fiction before and this is her new novel. I got "Rhett Butler's People" by Donald McCaig; I am a huge "Gone with the Wind" fan and this take on Rhett Butler's story got good reviews, so I'm intrigued. I also got "The Quiet Girl" by Peter Hoag (author of "Smila's Sense of Snow), and I got the book that is now my current read: "The Sharper the Knife, The Less You Cry" by Kathleen Flinn. It's about her time learning to cook at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and I read about 50 pages this afternoon and I can tell already that's it's great. I love reading about food, restaurants and cooking, and so far it's a good addition to that genre. I would recommend it if you liked "Julie and Julia" or "Eat, Pray, Love."

Still left on my "to do" list for the day? Run my scheduled 5 miles, but I'll do that in about 2 hours, when it's a bit cooler out.

Happy day after Christmas everyone! I hope the return lines were short and the exchanges smooth!

Merry Christmas!

Now, I know that Christmas is supposed to be about love, family, sharing time together, and all that other bologna, but I gots to say, this year? Santa was good to me, folks -- I gots loads of loot!

My husband and I got a Garmin GPS system for the car, we got new pots and pans (very much needed), and we got money and gift cards.

But those are presents I have to share. What did I get all to myself?

I got a stack of new books (yippie!), I got new running shorts, a new running visor, and an LED light bracelet for running in the dark (it really freaks my hubby out that I may get run down while running in the early morning), but the best present of all? A new Coach purse!! Ah, Santa, he knows my love of Coach well. It's a beautiful bag -- it's a suede sable brown with dark brown handles and buckle. I love it, and it was a complete surprise, which makes me love it all the more!

My husband also made out like a bandit, and Scooter too (he got lots of new toys and bones, and even a new collar and leash), so it was a glorious Christmas morn in our household.

For the rest of the day, I shall pose in front of the mirror with my new purse, and then I suppose I'll take a break from admiring it to go play with our friends. I hope everyone else is enjoying a wonderful holiday! Merry Christmas!

Eve 3

This afternoon, we went to lunch with friends and then spent the afternoon playing games and drinking beer. And despite having about 5 beers, I still went for an evening run after they left around 4:30 pm.

Now, I've never run whilst slightly intoxicated, but I would not recommend it. The run itself was fine, if a bit slow, but the overall feeling was not optimal:

1: 9:37
2: 10:07
3: 9:48

Total Time: 29:33

After I got back from the run, the hubby had prepared a beautiful Christmas Eve meal for the two of us: prime rib, twice baked potatoes and sauteed asparagus, so we ate up and it was delicious! I think we may just be lazy for the rest of the night -- maybe watch a movie or something (TBS begins its annual 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" at 7 pm so we'll probably watch that). And tomorrow? Presents!!

Hope everyone else is enjoying the holiday!

Christmas Eve Eve

There are many advantages to spending the holidays with family: the love, the joy, the traditions, the drunkeness. But there are also advantages to staying home -- just the two of you -- for the holidays:

• No travel stress.
• No crowded house with the heat turned up WAY too high while you roast in your sweater and fight the oncoming headache.
• No guilt-eating of the holiday cookies and candies that your mother-in-law made. Just. For. You.
• No decisions about whose family you spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with -- thus, no guilt about shorting someone on time with you.
• No sleeping on the tiny bed your husband had when he was in high school, and now you, he, and the dog are all jammed in there.
• No worries that your dog will crap in a strange bathroom and then smear it all over the place because you left him alone in a strange house while you went out for beers to catch up with friends.

Plus:

• Instead of spending last night at your grandparents' house eating the 7 layer Jell-O, you and your husband spent the evening at a relaxing wine bar where you both sampled lots of wine, ordered a cheese and olive platter, and played two games of chess.
• You got to spend yesterday afternoon watching "The Simpson's Movie" and episodes of "Deadwood" instead of trapped in the kitchen explaining to your mother that it's your business that you never took your husband's last name.
• You get to sleep in this morning intead of waking to the pounding of children's running overhead at 7 am.
• You got to prepare a big breakfast with your husband, in your own kitchen, in temperate FL (with the windows open and a nice breeze), this morning instead of sitting down to a big breakfast in a kitchen 2,000 miles away and freezing temps outside.
• You get to go to a matinee this afternoon instead of attending yet another gift opening at yet another grandparent's house.

Ahhh, it's so relaxing to stay in FL for the holidays!

8 Miles, 2 Donuts, and a Latte in a Pear Tree

This morning when I got up at 6 am, it felt fr-fr-freezing out, but realistically, it was probably in the mid-50s. Still, as I drove to meet Wendy, I wore a long sleeved tech shirt, a sweatshirt, and I had the heat on full blast in my car (and part of me thought of donning mittens and a hat). But even though I was chilly to start the run, it was really the perfect temp to run in -- once I got warmed up -- and by the end, I had even shed my tech shirt and was down to the standard two pieces.

Mile 1: 9:41
Mile 2: 9:58
Mile 3: 10:01
Mile 4: 10:47
Mile 5: 9:55
Mile 6: 10:21
Mile 7: 9:52
Mile 8: 9:41

Total Time: 1:20:20

I stopped the Garmin right at the 8 mile mark, but we did run about one more block before stopping completely; I just didn't record it -- thus, my time this morning was about 6 seconds faster than "8 on the 8th" and I was pretty happy with the run. Plus, it was nice to run with Wendy again and the route along A1A is nice, especially first thing in the morning because we can see the sun rise over the ocean.

On my way home, I experienced an odd, intense craving for a donut, which is weird because I haven't had a donut in...I don't know how long. But it just sounded so good, so I pulled into a Dunkin Donuts close to home and picked up a few donuts and a coffee, and the donuts smelled so good that I inhaled one in the car -- the other I ate once I got home and got showered. So, I guess I got my donut fix for the year, and damn, they were delish!

Mileage for the week: 22. And today's the 22nd! And it's my bro's b-day! Co-inky-dink?

Funday Friday!

Today is a day of running rest, which is good because my legs are feeling a little tired from 5 days straight of running and they need their rest for tomorrow's 8 miler with Wendy.

So, I think I'm gonna go run a few errands (I haven't actually driven anywhere since Sunday -- it's been awesome! -- and I figure The Green Hornet will want to get out and stretch its wheels some) and perhaps treat myself to a Starbucks latte. Usually, on Fridays, I buy myself a coffee drink as a treat for "Funday Friday" but since I'm not on my way into work today, I didn't feel like I deserved it, but I'm sitting here sipping my regular brewed coffee and it just doesn't taste "fun."

*Side note* Have you guys ever noticed that when you eat peas, the next day, you poop them out whole? Or is that just me? I swear I chew them, but I also swear they are floating around the toilet in their original shape the next morning: What's up with that? Do they just move through the digestive system unchanged? I'm really puzzled by this.