Ladies, even when you're taken (translation: married, seeing someone, hoping to be seeing someone), it's still nice to get a compliment from some other person just to verify that you are, in fact, still "marketable." Well after I'd already gotten ready and was just about to wake up the girls, there was this loud banging at the door...WTH? So I go to the door and it's the City...the water department...do you have any of the cars out front? We need them to be moved so we can (blah blah blah), we're getting new water lines. Sweet. In a "homeowner" kind of way. Anyway....
So I move the car and then also move the carseats out b/c hubby and I are switching cars so that he can take mine to the shop, blah blah blah....so anyway, I was out there awhile. As I come back to the house, this guy in his PERFECT most Chicago southside white guy accent (think Saturday Night Live "Da Bears"), he says "You know maam, you are one good looking lady." Now some people might be offended by this...but you have to know when someone is giving you a compliment or not, and take it as that, don't get all hung up in sexism and feminism... So I looked at him and said "Thank you!" and went back into the house smirking, thinking 'my husband sure is lucky to have me!"
Date/Time: Jan 7 at 5:45am
Mileage: 4.71 miles
Time It Took: 56:31
Pace: 11:59
Miles this week: 4.71
Miles this month: 22.71 2008 Goal: 22.71/1000
Thoughts/Comments: WOW, can you believe it's January and the temperature was 55 degrees at 5:45 am. So tempting to run outside, but it IS January, which means it's still dark out at that hour. As tempting as it was to put off my run til later in the day and run outside, I hopped on the treadmill. I didn't feel like running much...headache...a little achy...but I ran anyway.
Mentally, I was struggling again...at first thinking that if I really didn't feel like running, stop at 2 miles. At about 2.5 miles I stopped and went and drank a few ounces of water. It was actually HOT in my "sunroom" exercise space. HOT. In freakin January, with the heat completely OFF in the house. Go figure.Ok, 3 miles is doable...and then I sorta felt better and said ok, 4.
So why the 4.71, such an uneven number for a treadmill run? Eh, I decided I didn't want a "clean" number. My original goal for today was to run between 4 and 5 miles, and I knew I could do 5 by the time I reached the end of my run, but I just decided to stop at the end of a particular song instead. 4.71 miles was enough.
Last but not least, on the way to work along Lakeshore Drive, there were so many runners enjoying this spring-like weather. shorts, short sleeves...NICE. Too bad our winter weather can't always be like this. At lunch, even though I brought my lunch, I'm still going out to take a walk just because it's supposed to be in the 60's. Did I mention it's JANUARY IN CHICAGO?
Date/Time: Jan 5 at about 7:45am after larger training team meeting
Weather: 35 degrees with a little wind-NICE! Mileage: 8 miles
Time It Took: 1:36:13
Pace: 12:01
Miles this week: 18
Miles this month: 18
2008 Goal: 18/1000
Thoughts/Comments: My group of 12:00 minute milers has been small to begin with, a few people trying the 11:30 group, and others trying the 12:00 and 12:30 5/1 run/walk group...but this week, I knew that two others might not be coming, due to post holiday commitments. I brought along my iPod just in case. Well neither were there, so I started out with the 11:30's. About a half mile in, and noticing they were going at a 12:00, I decided to move ahead and see what I could do for the day. I came across the 11:00 group and ran with them awhile. Their pace leader has a cool English accent that I enjoyed for awhile. I dropped back a bit to listen to my iPod. That lasted about 2 miles before I didn't feel like listening to it. I've gotten used to listening to the sound of the lakefront instead of music on Saturdays, fancy that.
At about the halfway point, I stopped and had a GU and kept rolling. I was starting to feel really tired, and I'm not sure if it was starting out fast, my legs not being as fresh from the slight jump in mileage (haven't run more than 12-14 miles/week since October), not sure....so I took a few walking breaks to drink Gatorade and stuff.
Mentally I was just not there either. I kept thinking, how the heck am I gonna train by myself for Cincinnati? Who the heck do I think I am to try and run a marathon? Maybe I should stick to half marathons. I guess we all have days like this as runners. Sometimes its hard to just think about the task at hand. And really, that's the whole point of marathon training...no, I probably shouldn't try to run a marathon TODAY or TOMORROW. But with good preparation and training, I can. Sigh. Today is a rest day and then off to week #2 in January. My goal for this week is 16-18 miles, which will require a longer midweek run since my last run for Winter Warriors next Saturday is only 6 miles.
Toodles!
p.s. Between Christmas and New Year's, I ate like you might imagine a rescued castaway would, big quantities, fast, a little of everything....I KNEW I was going to gain weight, and I went to my WW meeting anyway to weigh in. I figured if I "let myself off the hook" by not seeing the numbers, I might continue the tailspin.
p.p.s. Remember the horrible, debilitating cramping I had after my 20 mile run? Late last night thsoe same cramps hit me BAD. I had my cell phone next to me, so I called dear hubby and asked him to bring me some water and some salt. Dummy! (me, not him!) Then I realized, after I ran, I didn't drink or eat until like NOON b/c I went to WW, then came home, then took a really long bath, then go the girls dressed who were still in their p.j.'s, then got them lunch, and THEN I ate. And then I hardly drank anything for the rest of the day, which is unusual. Not even my beloved diet pepsi. Live and learn. And keep learning.
Run #3 what do you do when you really don't feel like running?
Date/Time: Jan 4 at 6:20am
Mileage: 3 miles
Time It Took: 34:33
Pace: 11:31
Miles this week: 10
Miles this month: 10
2008 Goal: 10/1000
Thoughts/Comments: I guess I really didn't feel like running this morning. My goal this week is to run 15-18 miles, and I was going to run T-W-T and then Saturday. Well yesterday my sore throat and tired legs convinced me to wait til today. Right before I actually woke up, I dreamt that I woke up, looked at the clock that read 8:24 and thought (in my dream), oh well, too late to run, guess I'll have to either run on Sunday or just run the low end of my goal mileage. But then I really woke up and it was 5:59am. At first I started to tell myself I must really not want to run, and I started to doze off, but then I said to myself, "GET YOUR BUTT UP!" SO I got up and ran.
I even had some new music to run to, and revealing it to you will reveal what a dork I am. I added some band music that included "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" (Bears Fight Song), the Notre Dame Fight Song and the LSU Fight Song. I love those band songs, and I have a knack for being able to pick out the trombone part at any time b/c both my older and younger brother played trombone and I was forced to attend many-a lame junior high and hgh school band concerts. Attending the dorkfest were only other bandmembers families, most certainly. Those bandmembers were/are a strange breed. When I was down at U of I (that's University of Illinois), I lived right across the street from where the marching band held midweek practice. I think there's a building there now or a parking lot, but it was right next the Huff Gym/Huff Hall, for those who want to reminisce. For a time I lived in Van Doren and also in the Triad. So I really started to dig that college band music. And now I've uploaded some onto my iPod. (Insert video here: Mike Myers-ala Saturday Night Live- coughing while masking the namecalling "dork! dork! dork!")
Well, 2007 is coming to a close, and I couldn't be happier. Though 2007 was interesting, I'm glad to see it go, and hopefully the stress will leave with it...stress from the Chicago Marathon debacle...stress from buying our first house and moving, etc....so let's quickly recap, no need to draw things out:
This year
I lost 30.4 pounds (net, b/c at one point I was at 34 pounds)
I logged 137 runs, totalling 644.23 miles (I didn't actually start running this season until March, and I had two bouts of non-running periods shortly after the marathon and when we moved; so I think that's pretty good.)
Next year
I will continue my better eating habits--the ones that fell by the wayside a few days ago and lose 20-30 more pounds so that my "50 down and marathon bound" thing will actually be true.
I will RUN A MARATHON that will hopefully not be cancelled due to excessive heat, though I guess I have no control over that.
I plan to run for a goal of 1000 miles. This is an average of about 20 miles per week, but actually it gives me permission to start off a little slower, since I will log more during marathon training season. I'm already at a head start b/c I'll be running all January and February. But not on snow/icepack.
That's all folks. Happy New Year, or as my 3-year old would say, "Happy You Near!"
For weeks, holiday tv has bored me to death. Then suddenly, on New Year's Day, my beloved University of Illinois (alma mater) is in the Rose Bowl. The last time they were in the Rose Bowl I was 12 years old and I proclaimed (to no one in particular) that U of I was where I wanted to go to school. Anyway...according to what I can find, game time is at 2:10PST, meaning 4:10 CST. Now at 7 CST the newest version of the Biggest Loser begins, followed by an all new Law and Order SVU, my all time favorite show. Wringing my hands. What's a girl to do? First off, what bowl game is over in less than 3 hours?! Secondly, how on earth will I have time to get the girls in bed? I don't do VCRs or DVRs, but I might have to do something. UGH! That being said, GOILLINI!!!!
And I feel I must stand on my political platform and say that I am one in probably a very small minority of alumni who will state proudly that I'm so glad they banned "the Chief." It's about time!!!!!!!!!
Run #137 Last LONG run of the year on Saturday, and quite possibly the most difficult
Scheduled/Actual: 11 miles
Time It Took: 2:17:53
Calculated Pace: 12:32 min per mile
Time Of Day/Temp: 7:45-ish / low 20's, windy, and b/c of the snowstorm yesterday, a brief warmup above 32, and then going back below freexing, there was "icepack" and snow pack", complete with frozen footsteps all over the path.
Thoughts/Comments: While driving "up the coast" from the south side to the north side along Lake Michigan, it didn't seem all that cold or bad out. I even turned off the drive and immediately found a parking spot in a non-metered area-SWEET! (Yes, the meters start at 8am, which makes for bad timing when running for 2 hours.) Anyhoo, I carefully zipped my coat all the way up to avoid any more "hickey-like" marks and stepped out of the car. WOOSH, that wind hit me and put some pep in my step as I walked over to the pacer meeting at Fleet Feet. BLah blah blah, turnaroundpoint here, CES water station there, there might be some ice out on the path, blah blah blah.
So we're off and running, with a nice size group of 5 12:00 people this week. Two were joining us from the 11:30 pace group. So we are approaching the North Ave. bridge that goes over to the east side of the lakefront path when we see one of our runners and another pace leader lamenting over what seemed to be a fall. "You shouldn't run on that, I'm calling one of the coaches." He was limping and looked to be in pain. I took that as a sign to encourage my group to walk over the icy bridge. We all agreed that we shouldn't run on ice, especially on a bridge. So we walked carefully and couldn't wait to get off the ice. As we turned to head north on the path, we all, at the same time, let out a collective "Ohhhhhhhh", as the path was sheets of ice, well iced over footsteps for as far as the eye could see. I tried running in the snow just to the right of the path, but that was even more difficult, b/c underneath that snow was sand.
So we're going along SLOWLY, runners from other pace groups ahead were bailing left and right. One of ours bailed. I wanted to say "to heck with this!" and leave too, but as a pace leader, I couldn't just leave my runners high and dry. (Note: i was ready to ditch the path if they were, but not until the last runner decided would I do such a thing. "K" said she really wanted to try and finish b/c this would be her farthest distance to date.) So we're plodding along, using all kinds of new muscles as we try to keep our balance and "run". The first few miles were awful. We finally started getting to a halfway decently clear path when I realized I really had to go to the bathroom. Now this may be TMI (Mom, that means "too much information", and I won't explain that again, so please remember), but I cannot hold it like I used to...two babies will do that to a lady. Anyhoo....I already knew that the park district locks down the bathrooms from October thru spring...we get to our turnaround point when I decided I had to do something. So my fantastic 12:00'ers waited for me...they suggested I go "over there by that area...no one is running over there." So I did and was about to cop a squat when of course a runner came by. She came and went, so in the freezing cold I bared all to the wind behind the blue shed in the parking lot at Foster Beach. It wasn't so bad and I felt like a million bucks afterwards. So we're running back down to North Avenue, all happy to be on the flipside of our run. At our second water stop I noticed that my personal Gatorade on my fuel belt was freezing and turning into a Gatorade slushy. It was kinda tasty, though a bit disconcerting. Coach Mike said that to avoid the ice on the way back, we should cross back over to the west side of the drive after Belmont Harbor. Cool! Well we did and he was DEAD WRONG. It was icy, if not even icier.
So our miles are getting tough again. "K" really needed to go to the bathroom, so I told her I'd stop with her at St. Joseph Hospital, again, TMI, but she needed to do more than #1. The other two runners went on ahead. She ran into the hospital and I stretched outside. My hamstrings were killing me from all that rocky running. I also stopped the stopwatch (for her break and my previous one.) Anyway, after this break, we finished our last 2 miles. It was sooo hard, I wanted to stop and walk the last two miles, and twice I nearly fell, and she slipped a few times too. But when we finished, I felt like we truly earned the name of our training group: Winter Warriors. Maybe it should be called "Winter DAMN FOOLS", but whatever....there are only two more training runs left before about half of the group is off to Cabo San Lucas for their half marathon. As for me, I'll be hitting the treadmill, and just the lakefront on days with clear pathways and temps above 30. Sheesh!
For good humor, here are our mile splits-by pace-courtesy of my Garmin named Celia (after my awesome pace leader in the summer training...I miss her!) Anyway, my normal "long run pace" for the training group is 12:00 minute miles. Read it and weep:
Run #136--My first run as a southsider, ON the southside
Scheduled/Actual: 50 minutes / 55:24
Mileage: 5 miles
Calculated Pace: 11:04 pace
Time of Day/Temp: 3:45pm / 42 degrees
Thoughts/Comments: I couldn't resist....the weather this morning when I dropped the girls off at "school" (as we call it, but it's actually daycare)...driving along LSD (Lakeshore Drive) was beautiful, sunny and clear. Now although this time off this week is dedicated to finishing up work in the house and unpacking and getting comfy, i decided I'd have to work a run in somehow. The lakeshore was calling me.
By the time I got out there it was overcast, though, so I brought along my jacket. Wow. Are those southsiders friendly or what?! On the north side you can barely get a nod from those fast runners, and cyclists? Fagheddaboutit! But on the southside, wow, everyone was nodding and doing half-waves and the like. Even cyclists. I couldn't believe it. Joey (hubby) said maybe it was the holiday spirit, but I'm betting on just a different atmostphere...we shall see how this one plays out. Anyway...I started off "fast" and slowed down tremendously. Here are my mile splits (pace):
Mile 1: 10:31
Mile 2: 10:55
Mile 3: 11:08
Mile 4: 11:20
Mile 5: 11:29
By the end of the run, my neck was hurting and it occurred to me that my jacket must be rubbing me funny. Sure was, I have badddd chafing that nicely looks like two hickeys. Real nice.
anyway, it was a fantastic outdoors run to bring in my new running life on the southside. i'll write more and check on all you guys' blogs soon, hopefully after the girls go to sleep. (no, they're not in bed yet and it's almost 9pm. SIGH.)
I lost 30.4 pounds (net, b/c at one point I was at 34 pounds)
I will continue my better eating habits--the ones that fell by the wayside a few days ago and lose 20-30 more pounds so that my "50 down and marathon bound" thing will actually be true.
Wringing my hands.