Ok...I try not to talk about politics too much, so as not to offend anyone with my concrete political views....but this Sarah Palin of the "political powerhouse of the state of Alaska" as McCain's choice as running mate, as a nod to those maybe still upset about Hillary?
Follow my line of thinking for just a moment please. John McCain is no spring chicken. He's old. Older than Reagan was when elected, and that was old, too. One of McCain's drawbacks is that he is so old. In choosing a VP candidate, one has to consider the readiness of the candidate to ACTUALLY LEAD THE COUNTRY in the unfortunate case that the president dies or is incapacitated. So how is she qualified? I mean, if Barack Obama is not qualified to be president, let the Republicans tell it, do you want someone of even less political experience literally one heartbeat away from the presidency?
And further, I think to imply or assume that Hillary fans would instantly be wooed by her is disrespectful to Hillary. I mean, let's face it, Hillary Clinton has credentials on top of credentials. Doesn't she?
I dunno, maybe I'm just too blinded my my liberal ways. I'm just glad it's not Pawlenty. I saw him on GMA yesterday and despised him within 2 minutes.
MIleage: Supposed to do 12; actually did 6.17 miles
Time It Took: 1:17:33 (including 1-min walk breaks after each mile)
Pace: 12:34
Miles this week: 6.17
Miles this month: 38.18
2008 Goal: 461.27
Thoughts/Comments: I don't even know what to tell you, as this was 3 days ago and I'm not trying to bring up all the bad feelings again. I was out there. I was tired. My knee was stiff. ANd then that little voice in my head rationalized "you don't have to run 12 miles this week when you're running 13 at the end of the week. You ran 10, you can push it to run 13 on Sunday." So I just quit. I know. I suck.
The rest of the week has been a whirlwind. Tuesday work, with an RFP interview. Wednesday we kicked off a project in Dubuque Iowa. I left at 4am and didn't get home until 9pm. Then yesterday was busy, including an impromptu RFP interview downtown (I was originally supposed to be off Thurs and Fri). Also yesterday, we had two appointments at the girls' respective schools. On top of that, I baked 80 cookies for a baby shower. Yes, 80. (Insane)
I'm beat. Gotta run at some point today, as well as decorate the cookies. And get the girls school supplies, etc...
So that's what's been up with me! And my so-called running.
Thoughts/Comments: Hey you! Remember you're still trying to complete this training for the marathon again, right? What a week! After my Tuesday run, work was busy with a trip to South Bend, finishing up a proposal for a big project that if we land it, it'll be awesome, preparing for another RFP interview that's taking place this week, etc... Then along with my mother/sister-in-law, I was getting everything ready for my younger sister-in-law's baby shower. I did all the games, ordered/picked up the cake, and did 40 cookie favors, in the shape of onesies. (Tried to post a picture but to no avail.) On top of that, Friday was the girls last day at their daycare that they've been at for two years, so I made a dozen cookies for each of their classroom teachers (total of 4).
This upcoming week is going to be just as crazy, including the RFP interview, a work trip to Dubuque, and staying at home with the cherubs for 3 days (Mon, Thur, Fri), getting them ready for the new school year and their new school/daycare. Sooooo...since Saturday morning I was busy finishing up for the baby shower, and I knew I'd be too tired to run Sunday, I opted to do my long run for Monday morning. The girls and I didn't even get home last night til almost 11pm. This morning I slept in til after 8am...UNHEARD OF! Then I decided to run at least 2 miles on the treadmill so that my legs don't die of shock tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning I will run my 12 miles. For the remainder of my week, I will do the following: Thursday 3 miles; Friday 3 miles; Sunday my half marathon.
This evening I ran out to go pick something up at Walgreen's. As I exited the store, I had this strange feeling, I was all like "what is THAT? A CHILL?" BRING ON FALL, I SAY!!!!!!! Tomorrow morning it's supposed to be like in the upper 50's or low 60's. SWEET. Joey put the girls in bed tonight, and I think he must have fallen asleep up there. Ah, peace and quiet! A few minutes ago, I had to turn off the ceiling fan. Nice! And now, it's just me, my laptop, and the Lifetime Movie Network. Ah, the simple pleasures.
p.s. As i sit and type, I"m icing my knee. This morning I figured why bother, it was JUST a 2 mile run...and then my knee was kinda sore all day.
Ok....so I've been intrigued by the barage of advertising anyway. A chain restaurant featuring an EGG WHITE sandwich? C'mon, it probably tastes like cardboard! So this morning when I saw another add...was hungry after running....well I decided that I would pay a visit to the Dunkin Donuts just a few blocks from the girls' daycare. (After I dropped them off.)
So I get to the store and they have two kinds (although I've heard there are four different flavors available throughout the U.S. of A.) So between the veggie or turkey sausage, I waffled a bit () and decided on the veggie.
Let me tell you, it was GOOD. Not GOOD in a "well that was pretty good for calorie-laden, sugar-laced, we're going to kill you by age 50, greasy fast food joint" kinda good. But good like "a GOOD breakfast sandwich from the neighborhood coffee shop" kinda good. I was quite pleased and will be going back again to try the turkey sausage one.
Try it, you'll like it. WW'ers, either of these filling, fiber-filled sandwiches will set you back just 6 points.
Place: Lakefront/63rd St. Beach; 72 degrees and 87% humidity, but it really didn't bother me today.
Mileage: 4.01 (yes, I'm counting that .01)
Time It Took: 47:57, which includes two 1-minute walk breaks
Pace: 11:57
Miles this week: 4.01
Miles this month: 30.01
2008 Goal: 453.10/1000 (see? that .01 upped me to a full 1/10 of a mile!)
Thoughts/Comments: I struggled mightily to get out of the door this morning. It's still too dark. Run on your treadmill. "Trust your fear" was what Oprah echoed in my head as I drifted off to sleep last night. Even as I was pulling away from the house--Oh, there's a light on in the basement, what if it sets the house on fire while I'm gone.
But I went and ran and enjoyed the sun coming up and the seagulls (aka flying white rats) and cyclists and other runners and the people who said/nodded "good morning" and even the ones that didn't.
And now I get to get ready for work and head off to exciting South Bend for a big meeting for work. Oh, joy.
So I didn't blog about it this past week, but Wednesday was my final day of physical therapy. I'm healed. ok, well it doesn't quite work like that. But they said I progressed very well over the weeks...Daphne, who is leading the whole "patellofemural pain syndrome research project" video taped me again like she did on my first day. Over the next 3 months I need to continue my home exercises at LEAST three times per week. I asked about the big muscle strength training, like what I've been doing on the machines, and she suggested the gym membership thing...we'll see about that. I go back in November for another check-up. Daphne is one crazy chic. She wasn't my trainer all this time, she's leading the research project. She seems to be one of those transparent people who says exactly what's on her mind the moment it pops into her head...for example...one day this guys comes in with like a b, ag of stuff, in a plastic bag. He didn't speak English very well, it was hot out, so he looked a little disheveled, to say the least. "inaudible-inaudible-um Tiffany?" So some dude goes "there's no Tiffany here, you have the wrong place." Then Daphne said, "Wait, are you the courier? Are you here for Daphne?" Then everyone's like "ooooohhhhhhh, ok, situation resolved." So it was already fine, but then Daphne and her crazy self was like "I'm gonna be honest with you buddy, I thought you were some crazy dude coming in off the street trying to sell us something and we were about to kick you outta here!" It was sooo funny. ok, maybe you had to be there, but it was one of those things you're like, everyone was THINKING that, but not gonna actually SAY it, right? Not Daphne!
Anyway, back to my final check-up with her...she asked about the marathon and what my plans were. I was honest. I said "I really don't know, I'm going to try, but for right now, each long run every weekend is my marathon, I can't worry about October when it's August." She said that was the right attitude. OK...next topic.
So I'm happy to report that while my knee was hurting for a good part of the day yesterday, by night it was feeling better. ANd this morning? Shoot, I felt like I could go for a short run, but I didn't. No need to push it, over-zealousness after an injury is often what does people in. (Also advice from Daphne and crew. Even the slight pain for a bit afterwards...normal and okay. ANyway, Tomorrow morning I will run, as long as I get my work done tonight that needs to be on my boss's desk in the morning.
And on that note, let me end this post, as this particular read is likely a dull one, and pretty much just to pass on the information to ya.
Run #76 I (barely) get by with a little help from my friends
Date/Time: August 16 at around 6am
Place: Lakefront, 31st Street Beach up to Oak Street Beach and back, and then another 1/2 mile south and back, upper 60's
Mileage: 10 miles
Time It Took: Here's where it gets ugly....2:16:43
Pace: Um....13:40
Miles this week: 13
Miles this month: Does it matter? If so, 26
2008 Goal: 449.09/1000
Thoughts/Comments: Where do I begin? I can't even figure out where. ABout a mile in I noticed my knee, well, just under my knee, it was slightly hurting. Uh-oh. But it wasn't horrible, so I just kept going. I did the whole "walk one minute" after each mile, but then that turned into about 3 minutes twice, and only in the first half of my run. At around 7am or so, near Navy Pier, I SWEAR I saw Lou's boyfriend..but I've only seen picture of him on her blog, so I wasn't too sure.
I got to the water fountain at Oak Street Beach (4.5 miles), and I stopped. I stopped Ye Olde Garmin and just stopped and stretched. Drank. Watched about 5 CARA pace groups go by hoping against hope to see Lou...didn't happen. I thought "Maybe I could trail a long with her for awhile, it'd be like old times." This spot was a happenin spot, not only were all the running groups stopping there, but people were donning wetsuits to go swim in the water, there were people on bikes, etc....So after an eternity of just taking in the sights, I decided to be on my way. I ran another half mile before walking some more. PATHETIC. Then I ran another half mile.
But then up ahead and the mile marker...WOW! There's my old pace group that I ran with just a few times before my knee injury. I really only two of them, and of course they remembered me. THey were at their turnaround for a 14-miler. So I ran with them and they were nowhere near running a 12:00, and I didn't even care. We ran a half mile and then we stopped at the bathroom...oh yeah, I forgot that one chic has to go to the bathroom like TWICE in a run. Anyhoo, I was not trying to ditch company, so I waited with them. Watch off. Then we're off again, shuffling along at 13:00 , and this time I didn't stop til back at 31st St, nine miles. Then I went another half mile south with them, and then the last half mile I was along again, but headed in the right direction...towards MY CAR.
It was a horrible run, and I'm not sure why, and I'm not trying to overanalyze it. I do think I might join the group next week and run the first half of my run with them. We'll see.
So as I strolled through the supermarket (who says supermarket anymore?), I noticed a new item on the shelves. Kashi Honey Sunshine. "Honey-kissed Seven Whole Grain Cereal Pillows." I was intrigued. I read the stats in true WW fashion "100 cals-1.5 grams fat-6 grams fiber", ch-ching, my head did the math at 1 points per serving. (3 for two servings, and if you're ravenous, or food-obsessed, 6 points for three servings.)
Well let me tell you friends, this cereal is DELICIOUS. Especially if you have a hankering for Captain Crunch cereal, because quite frankly, it tastes awfully familiar. But with the old Captain's WW stats at 120-2-1 for 1 cup, weighing in at 2 pts-5pts-7pts for 1, 2 and 3 servings (and you're hungry later b/c of so little fiber), well folks, I think we have a winner here. Plus, who doesn't feel good about buying from Kashi?
Ah, the simple pleasures.
) and decided on the veggie. 