They prayed for rain. Ironic that the RNC is being canceled, pretty much.

Run #80 Just get up and do something

Date/Time:  August 31 at 7am

Place:  63rd street beach, about 65 degrees

Mileage:  a "just do something" 3 miles

Time It Took:  35:02, which included walking 3:30 of it

Pace:  11:40

Miles this week:  9.17 (sheesh what a joke)

Miles this month:  41.18

2008 Goal shot to hell:  464.27/1000

Thoughts/comments:  Well.  I did something.  Thought tempted to turn on the tv and watch more Hurricane Gustav coverage, instead I just checked the most recent stats, threw my running clothes on and headed out the door.  Nice morning, though the sun seemed especially bright.  Surely the difference between running at 6am and 7am.

I can't quite call it, why I'm so mesmerized by Hurricane coverage.  I will tell you this, I was the exact same way about Hurrican Katrina, well before it hit.  I literally lost sleep.  At the time I was sleeping on the couch because at 7 months pregnant with Zoe, it was the only semi-comfortable place in the house.  So I would doze and then "oh!  where is that hurricane now!"  Hurricanes (and people) are fascinating.  It's like abig wreck that you can't avoid.  You know it's coming, you don't want to believe it.  Some get out, some don't for a variety of reasons.  And it's mind boggling for me to understand that some people don't leave b/c they don't want to.  Even more mind boggling that some people can't b/c they have no money, no car, no nothing (that is very sad and makes me realize how lucky...no, how blessed I am.)  I remember watching the random interviews before Katrina hit.  This one woman with a small child on her hip was like "Yeah, we live on a shrimp boat out on the water....No we're gonna just ride it out, we've never had a hurricane hit directly, we've never run now, we have nowhere to go, we'll be ok,"  I always wonder what happened to her and that poor little baby with her risk-taking mother.  And I still marvel at all the different lifestyles in our country.  People live on shrimp boats?!

Well now that was a weird run-report.

If you're looking for inspiration, don't stop here

This quote keeps playing over in my mind, as swiped from RBR's blog: 

"...In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or brilliance. They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."

~ Anonymous (taken from Matt Erbele's, It Takes Time to Get Good)

So right now, some 900 or so people are running the Half Madness half marathon in Batavia, IL in the far west suburbs of Chicago.  I am not one of them.  Why?  Here's my "detailed list of all the raional reasons why not", a list that grew in my head throughout the day:

1.  I'm not ready.  I have hardly run this week and my longest run of 10 miles was 2 weeks ago. 

2.  Knee still not 100%.  It's wayyyyy better, but not 100%.

3.  Worried about pace.  This is a small race and small races tend to attract faster runners wth very few "penguins".  Course closes in 3 hours.  (My pace is 2:37-ish, but that's assuming no walking breaks...and i have NOT been hitting that pace with my longer runs. 

4.  Unfamiliar course, and running "alone".

5.  Ugh.  Have to pack up my clothes, the girls clothes and drive 50 miles to stay overnight at my parents.

6.  Running a much more comfortable race, one I've run, starting line 2 miles from home, running buddy Lou is running with me, running buddy Meg cheering us on and meeting us for breakfast afterwards, running with some 15,000 other people, no worries of the course shutting down before I finish.

So these are how the thoughts added up in my head yesterday in the late afternoon as I sat at yet another baby shower unscrambling baby words and chatting with good friends from my college years.

Instead I came home and obsessed about Hurricane Gustav, "Decision 2008" (switching between MSNBC, the Weather Channel and CNN, all of which were covering both.)  And then I made some cookies to attempt some new designs.  And no, I didn't eat any.

So anyway, if you're looking here for inspiration, don't stop here.

No comprendo

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.

Run #79 Reporting late

Date/Time:  August 25 at 5:45am

Place:  Lakefront path from Oakwood (3900 S.)

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.

Triathlete dies in bike crash

See story here.

Run #78 Remember?

Date/Time:  August 24 at about 8:30am

Place:  Treadmill in my ultra-stuffy exercise room

Mileage: 2 miles

Time it took:  23:49

Pace:  11:54

MIles this week:  6.01

Miles this month:  32.01

2008 Goal:  455.10/1000

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. 

2007 Chicago Marathon re-hash, subtitle Race Director Carey Pinkowski can kiss my @$$

It's the runners faults that we didn't have enough water and we plain botched the marathon...they're at it again, this time using the tools at the Chicago Tribune to get across their message.

I sent a comment, but it's probably as long as the article itself.  Maybe they'll post it.

Product Review: Dunkin Donuts Flatbread Breakfast Sandwiches

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.

Run #77 Untitled due to lack of creativity

Date/Time  August 19 at 5:50 am

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.