Pride, slide, snide

That is my Saturday in 3 rhyming words.

First thing sat morning I dragged my sleepy booty out on a much anticipated/overwrought 15mile run.

that's right. 15miles. My LONGEST RUN EVER.

I was SO freaked out about this one. I had to move it from Fri evening to Sat thanks to the earlier and earlier sunsets that i am trying to cope with. And I couldn't decide what to do as far as timing, playlist, nutrition, hydration, etc.

I decided to go 1st thing saturday and run my normal route bringing along 2 packs of sports beans with the intention of taking one at 6mi and 12mi. Hydration was my biggest worry since I HATE carrying a bottle for such a long distance but I decided to bring it along with the intention of tossing it if it bugged me.

The run was pretty great. The TNT marathon team was doing a long run (complete with aid stations and spectators) which completely motivated me. It was so awesome to see all the TEAMmates out there and yelling "Go Team!" as people passed. They completely motivated me without even knowing it. I wanted to find out what distance they were doing but we were running in opposite directions and I never got the chance.

The last few miles I started feeling really tight in the legs. i refused to stop at stop lights or anywhere because I thought if I stopped I would lock up and be stuck in that position forever. When I got home (2:25) I followed all the appropriate proceedure: stretch, ice, rehydrate, reaosnable refueling, shower.

I was so proud of myself. 15 miles!

I didn't have much time to waste though, I was meeting up with my sisters and nephews to go to Wild Waves water park (aka my happiest place on earth). I was DREADING all the endless stairs leading to the waterslides but since I LOVE WATERSLIDES it was fine and I had a great time.

My nephews are getting so big! The oldest (3yr old) even went on a rollercoaster! Too stinkin' cute.

It was a great day. We headed back to my Mom's where the exhaustion began kicking in. Thanks to the livliness of my baby nephews though I perked up a bit and went out to dessert with my mom and sister. Totally fun too. Until I made a snide remark to my Mom, hurt her feelings and have been feeling like crap ever since.

There is no one I would less want to hurt especially when she is already down in the dumps. Also, I wish she had something like triathlon or running that could make her feel as good as I do when I do those things. She deserves it. She deserves to feel strong and in control. And free and complete.

so it was a bummer end to a bitchin day but I'm a work in progress and set backs are part of the game I guess.

I did still run 15 miles though.
15 MILES!

You’re never sorry when you go

This is what I tell myself every time I finish a workout and is the most valuable weapon I have against laziness.

Tuesday night I was SO TIRED and had no desire to go for my scheduled run. No desire. Except for the voice in the back of my head that said "You're never sorry when you go." And I went and had a great run and a short swim.

Wednesday night I was SO TIRED and got done with work happy hour pretty late. No desire. Except for the voice in the back of my head that said "You're never sorry when you go." So I went out for a great 6miler.

Thursday night I was SO TIRED and was stuck across the lake until late then had to go back into lab to finish up at around 8pm. No desire. Except for the voice in the back of my head that said "You're never sorry when you go." So I went to the gym, got road-raged by someone who happened to be going to the 24hr Fitness too (awkward, I didn't know if it was road-rage or `roid-rage). We carefully avoided getting into the same elevator but I was worried he was using that time to key my car or something then, after only being able to get the crappy treadmill, I ran exactly one lap and went home.

Well it works 2 out of 3 times.

Another thing you won't be sorry for doing is getting on the national bone marrow donor list.

You have to order a mouth swab kit to get HLA typed and that usually costs ~50bucks BUT

Through September 22, the National Marrow Donor Program is waving the
normal fees for registration (usually about $50).

http://www.marrow.org/HELP/Events/NASCAR/index.html

You may need the promo code: NASC262101

 

New Monday motivation

I just found a new motivation to drag my Monday self to a spin class. The instructor is total eye-candy. He isn't my typical type but he makes busting my butt a bit easier. I'm 80% sure he is same sex oriented but that doesn't matter.

There also happens to be a yoga class right after the spin class. I am going to try to work that in some weeks. I think I'm trying to transition into my inside workouts now that it is starting to get dark earlier and earlier.

last week was pretty good and ended in a 13mile run on Fri. I felt really good until the last few miles I started feeling really tight in the legs. I think taking a stretching break wouldn't be the worst idea ever. I did the yogurt covered pretzel thing again but it felt more harsh on my stomach this week than last so I may continue tweaking that. Maybe plain pretzels?

My new battle though is with diet. after my long runs I eat like a crazy person. For the next 4 days. It is really bad. I need to get over the mental reward system I have in my head. I am frustrated that I'm not making noticeable physical progress anymore.

Mountain Climbing

Climb ev'ry mountain
Ford ev'ry stream
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dream

A dream that will need
All the love you can give
Everyday of your life
For as long as you live

On Sun I went on a bike ride with my family, so it was my Mom and Emily, my sister and her 2 boys (2 and 3yr old) and I. It was totally a scene from the Sound of Music which we acknowledged by referencing most of the songs from the movie. My mom (as we grinded up a 0.25% incline) began singing "Climb every mountain," and, I don't know if I was just sort of hormonal or what, but the lyrics really hit me.

Work hard to find what you want in this life and then don't relent on making that happen.

Sometimes it worries me that at 26 (and RAPIDLY approaching 27) I am still on the dream finding part.

Running has helped me turn over new rocks and look for more within and outside of myself. Doing things that you never imagined you could (like running a killer 13miles on a Fri night!) does slowly begin to realign the boundaries that you set for yourself. So I am easing up on myself and trying to see where life takes me. But man is that hard!

 

It all goes back to reminding myself of the poem that was read to my incoming college class. The copy that was printed in the matriculation program has been with me ever since and is now hanging on my wall.

ITHAKA

As you set out for Ithaka
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - don't be afraid of them:
you'll never find things like that one on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
wild Poseidon - you won't encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope your road is a long one.
May there be many summer mornings when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you enter harbours you're seeing for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfumes of every kind -
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to learn and go on learning from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you're destined for.
But don't hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you're old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you've gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you'll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean

An alternative translation of "Ithaka"

Constantine P. Cavafy

And I think Mother Abbess is in agreement with the sentiment of Ithaka. While on this journey you should be looking for what you want but in the end, it is the journey that matters most.

 

Is the definition of insomnia

watching an entire episode of The Tyra Show because of your inability to sleep?

Ugh, I went to bed 3 hours ago and can't get to sleep. I am SO tired all the time lately and trying to make a concerted effort to get some zzz's. i want to get back to running and lifting weights in the morning but as is I am having a tough time dragging myself out of bed to get into work at a decent hour.

This is way too early for my winter hibernation routine!

Long run tomorrow, i am actually kind of sickly looking forward to it.

Are you Palin my leg?

Ok, I had no intention of letting this become a political blog because...well that would take WAY too much research and factual information rather than me just blabbering about running/biking/swimming BUT this has been killing me and, since this is mainly for my own edification, I wanted to relate my general feelings about this VP pick. and I am going to use a triathlon analogy.

People out there train years for Ironman. It seems like most of those people take it upon themselves to learn everything there is to know about the sport. They train each discipline and seek out the expert advice. They spend countless time and money. The investment is HUGE and none of it guarantees success but it gives them credentials before they even set up their transition. I personally am in awe when someone tells me they are TRAINING for IM.

And I imagine I would be slightly disturbed by a person who has NO IDEA what a huge task it is strolling up to the starting line on a Huffy with P.F. flyers and water wings. At first it would be almost humorous and slightly pitiful. And then it would be frustrating and slightly insulting.

_______

Ok, analogies are hard so I am going to be more direct. On my 3rd grade report card my teacher wrote "stands up for her gender whenever she sees fit" so I have been a slight F-word as long as I can remember. I have always been proud of those who broke the glass ceiling from Lucretia Mott to Nancy Pelosi. I have always been in awe/enraged that women have begun to take it all on. and I KNEW one day that would mean President of the US.

But I am not proud of this pick. It feels like an absolute insult. Her credentials are paper thin and choosing her said that the main concern was pandering to their base whilst trying to appear progressive. As much as I looked forward to the day when a woman was in a Federal executive office there were lists of people more qualified, both male and female.

Clarence Thomas was no Thurgood Marshall but at least he wasn't the first.

______________
And if anyone has shown up to an IM as described above and was successful, then great! At least that is proof that what looks to be an unmitigated disaster can turn out OK.

Si se puede!

I did it! 2 great examples of how I can still train and live my life!

Last Thur I had a flurry of activities to see to, not the least of which was making it to a group ride. But this meant getting into work early, leaving early to make an appointment across the lake and back by 6. I made it! AND I was on time to pick up my friend for her going away dinner afterwards! I felt like I accomplished everything I wanted that day (work, personal, training, friendships). Sometimes while I was training with TNT I fretted about the fact that it had become all consuming and I couldn't sustain that type of focus without sacrificing other areas of life. So I was stoked to have it all come together, even if just once in awhile.

Fri I had a pretty good 13 MILER. 13 miles. A Half-Marathon. The distance I haven't run since I slogged my way across the finish line in Tucson 11/30/07 (OK, truthfully it was between 12 and 13 because I lost my Nike+ adapter for my ipod so I went by time and my approximate knowledge of the trail). But, dammit, I ran that distance on a Fri afternoon after a long day of work! I have decided I am starting to feel bad at 7-8mi which means I need to take some fuel around 6 miles or so. I hadn't planned well for this run and had forgotten to get my new running fave, sports beans, so I picked up some (4mini) yogurt covered pretzels, thinking that would be a nice carb/salt/pleasure mixture for me. And it was good, gave me the energy I needed to finish. I felt pretty loopy the rest of the night though.

The one thing I have let slide during this transition to triathlete is my volunteer work. Specifically I haven't been as involved as I would have like this campaign season. Typically I pour my entire weekend and some weekday evenings into these efforts but now I have a conflict of interest. But I said to myself, "Self, you must make time for ALL of the things that are important to you, and this (the upcoming election) is one." So despite the fact that on Tue I try to do a run/spin class combo, instead last night I did a run/data entry combo. And it was good.

This is not to mention the fact that I got to spend the weekend at my baby nephew's 2^nd b-day and my Mom spent the night at my house. I ate like crap, hung out with some of my very favorite people, got in some pretty good workouts and did some of my civic duty. It was a good week last week.

When I am not feeling so upbeat I will discuss that I am CONSTANTLY EXHAUSTED and I have turned consumer crazy with my desire for all sorts of cool gear and my new car got dinged pretty bad.