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...
TAT CN Header
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, January 28, 2008
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!
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!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
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!
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!
Friday, January 25, 2008
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!
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!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
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:
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!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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!
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?
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?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
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:
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!
Monday, January 21, 2008
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.
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.)
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.)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, January 18, 2008
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!
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!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)