random thoughts for the day

One random thought and really one random question...

1.) i promise promise promise that if/when i have kids that i will make them take swim lessons and I will not let them quit in 3rd grade because they don't like it - but mostly because they are afraid of the 180 year old swim instructor - who use to scream at kids "I don't swim in your toilet - so you better not pee in my pool." I promise this so that my children will not be as lowsey of a swimmer as i am... let's hope they get their father's genes when it comes to swimming...

2.) If you could quit your job and do anything in the world and get paid for it - what would you do?

A glimpse of Summer, new shoes and another smack in the face of winter

Ok the glimpse of summer - was in Cincinnati for work on Thursday and Friday. I was able to meet up with a friend of mine who lives there for a nice 6 mile run and a fun dinner out. Did I mention I was wearing shorts? shorts! it was beautiful out - shorts and a long sleeve t. that's it. no gloves, no tights, no hats -- I felt like I was running naked - it was wonderful. it was the perfect run - put me in a good mood for days. Well until Saturday that is.

That's when the smack of winter part comes in. Saturday was one of those snowy days when I just did not want to leave the house - or the couch for that matter. Well I promised myself I would sleep in on Saturday - so I did. Then spent the day cleaning the house for the in laws who were coming over for dinner that night. Still no desire to run. I put my brand new running shoes on display in the middle of the dining room table as motiviation - still no desire to run.

So... finally 3 o'clock rolls around. The inlaws are coming at 6. - so if i'm going to do a 12-15 mile run I better get my butt out the door. Steve didn't have to push me this time - i knew I had to go - but I didn't want to. .. I was so angry with the fact that it was cold and too snowy to run on the sidewalks. Well I get outside and my garmin is not working. It won't turn off it won't reset and it won't find a signal. Great. Now i have to run 12-15 miles in circles around the neighborhood and I'll have no idea how far I've gone. So that made me even crabbier.
I started off doing what Elizabeth refers to as a "comb" run on the streets behind my house - since that would not require running through any snow -and I figured I would run for 2 hrs since it was 3:30 by the time I actually got out the door. I went up and down the one street twice and I got even angrier - and decided to explore for awhile. Long story short I was able to get a little further from home b/c some cities actually plow their sidewalks - unlike the fine city I live in. Well it seemed like forever before an hour went by - and I some how managed to run for 1 hr and 54 minutes. I did not have the heart to back track for 6 more minutes. Sometimes when you don't want to go out there - you need to push yourself - other times you should listen and just stay in. I felt like I was running through a wet paper bag that entire time. I can't remember ever enjoying a run so little. I think it's just a sign that I'm done with winter. I quit winter.
But on the positive side - the neighborhoods I ran in are really hilly - so I got some great hill work in... especially the last three miles uphill home. I got home and mapped out what i had run. 13 miles - that's about an 8:45 pace. So good to know - that although the run felt horrible - it was still a good run - and worth getting out there after all.

Now - next week is my 20 miler. Any one know where I can run 20 miles on Saturday at an 8:30- 8:45 pace - not by myself? (We're celebrating steve's b-day on saturday night - so i'm not going to be stupid and try to plan the 20 miler on sunday!) Thinking about running the "just a short race 30k" that monica is running - but just don't know if i can get moving that early to drive that far...

Perceived Exeretion Levels

Steve and I took advantage of our passes for one free spinning class yesterday. This was a first for both of us - and so we weren't sure what to expect. Overall it was a great work out - followed it up with an easy four mile (cramp filled run - note to self do not drink so much water during spin class)
Here is my problem with the whole spinning class. All you have is a red knob and in the instructor would say "turn your knob to add more road" ok - well how much road is enough road? i have no idea. On the wall is a chart of perceived exertion levels. It reminded me of the 1-10 pain chart they have in emergency rooms (another concept i think is silly) So she says ok - you should put on enough road so that you are at a "5" or "ok you should be at an 8 now" Now i was pretty tired - especially since i kept cranking up the road - but having trained for several marathons (i can't even imagine had i done an ultra or an ironman) I feel I've had my moments were I was in a high 8 range. Level 10 is "So tired i can't go on" Maybe i was there after my first marathon?? maybe? so how do you translate that to a one hour spinning class. There is nothing i can do in one hour that is going to make me feel like i did after that first marathon. So - I just kept cranking up the "road" and tried to not sweat on anyone. Think i'll give it another shot - just think the whole thing is a funny concept. Anybody out there have an opinion on spinning classes -- and their value or lack of value?

what a running weekend!

I had one of the best weekends for running in a long time. Started off on Friday morning with a good solid paced run with elizabeth in the morning. Woke up on Saturday morning - and felt just terrible. I don't know if it was nerves or what. I use to get really nervous before races - and lately I've learned just to go out there and whatever happens happens - you are going to have good days and you are going to have bad days. But now that I am seriously working towards getting fast enough to run boston in the next couple of years - i find myself faced with the old pre-race nerves again. I guess it's becuase I've put it out there for people to see - I WANT TO QUALIFY FOR BOSTON. there i've put it out there again.... so what happens if I go out there and run and i'm back to my old 10:30 pace again. What if one day I stop getting faster and just start getting slower again? Will i be the slow fool who thought she could ever be fastest enough for Boston? I know i have issues. Anywho - I got my nerves under control enough to stop my stomach from hurting and to stop gagging - and we set off to St. Malachi.

Steve and I started at the back of the pack - so fortunately I had my watch on - b/c we were about a minute behind gun time. I tried to take it easy on the first mile - didn't want to burn myself out like I usually do - but at the same time that race is so packed in those first couple of turns that I tried my best just to keep trying to get around people. Mile 1 7:33 - nice! especially since i felt like i had not gone out too hard. Mile 2 - just under an 8 minute mile - some where around there I saw Elizabeth while I trying to strip off a layer of clothing - that's what the picture is from. I always seem to over dress! Do you like the sweet all black spandex outfit I was wearing underneath? I need to learn to dress in layers that are more flattering when you lose the outer lays. Mile 3 was uphill - but i was watching all the faster runners fly down the hill in the opposite directions - so i knew if i could keep mile 3 under 8 minutes I would be good. I was starting to believe that i could make the goal i set at the turkey trot of breaking 40 on my next 5 mile race. Got to mile 3 23:48 or something like that - I was so excited to still be under 8 minute miles that I flew down the mile hill 4. Hit mile 4 somwhere around 30-31 something so i knew I really could break 40. I started to uphill finish and was pushing as hard as i could - almost threw up like i do every year on that hill - and i could see the clock about to hit 40. Fortunately i had my watch so I knew I was ok. Final chip time 39:16! 8th in my age group out of 93. I was so excited you would think i had just won the chicago marathon or something! Oh and steve also ran his best race ever - it was a good day all around!

So next day met with SERC to do 15 miles. There were six of us that ran the first 12 together. My goal was to keep my pace under 9 minutes the whole time. We ran the first 12 loop - and then four of us set out again to do another 6 miles. I felt really good til about mile 17 - at which point my feet and back were just done. but the good news - according to elizabeth - we ran at about an 8:50 pace overall!! whoo hoo!! What a great 18 mile run - now if i can just keep this up for the rest of my long runs - I'll be in great shape!!!

friday morning runs

Decided yesterday that I needed a day off - was beginning to feel a little burned out. So the hubby and I made dinner and drank some wine while watching tv - with ...get this... our windows open - yes it was actually that warm that we had the windows open for most of the early evening...woo hoo.

For the 2nd friday in a row i've run with espeed before work. I think it is clear that i am not a morning person - however I love running on friday mornings for some reason. It just seems like a great start to the weekend. Maybe it's because when I leave work - I can just relax - and not try and squeeze a run in. Plus I just like running with espeed on her easier days b/c they really push me - and I think running with someone who pushes me is the only way I seem to get out of my pace rut. I just always hope i don't slow her down too much!
Anway last week - we had a minor injury to report during the run - a parking lot sign reached out and bit me in the arm last week - scared me more than hurt me - still I learned to watch out for those darn signs (especially when it is windy out!) However today was a more significant injury report - poor espeed found a nice piece of ice and took a nasty spill. Being the trooper that she is - she brushed herself off and kept going. It wasn't til we got a few miles further down the road that she discovered the real damage she did to her hip... Do you remember the scene in the movie A League of Their Own where the girl's hip is all bruised and scrapped from sliding on the bases? I think e speed might have a bruise to rival this! Anyway that's all for now - happy weekend to all of you!

shamrock 15k

It doesn't take much to make me happy. Have a race where you give out long sleeve tech shirts and have bobbleheads for the age group awards and I am as happy as a clam!

Well as the day started off I wasn't certain what to expect at the shamrock 15k - as we headed out that morning i expected to see a snow covered mess - and was expecting to just have a fun run. Well when we got there I was suprised to see the roads down to bare pavement. I had originally planned on getting an 18 miler in - by running the course twice. But that morning I assumed that would be a bit ambitious on a snow covered hilly course - so I didn't bring my water belt or ipod or garmin - or any of the things I deem esential for an 18 mile jaunt. So I decided to just go for the 9.3.

The race started off downhill for about 3 miles or so and then took a steep steep turn up hill. (it was more of a staircase than a hill) I ran the first couple of miles with Monica and then ended up running with a very nice man for a few miles. He was running a bit faster than I could handle on all those hills - so I lost him eventually. But between the two of them - it made the run fly by quicker. Well as I was running I was amazed at how much longer we spent coming up the hill then we did going down - didn't seem quite right. I was invisioning us having to jump down off a cliff to get back to the finish. Anyway - once i realized that the uphills weren't going to stop anytime soon - I realized that this was a great training run for the pig. So i tried to pass a few more old men before the end of the race - and I ended up finishing in 1:20:27 - about a 8:36 pace I believe. I was pretty excited about that - and I ended up 3rd in my age group. Oh and as a special bonus - steve got an age group award in the 5k - so our m antel now has a his and hers matching set of running bobbleheads! gotta love it!

what a weekend!

Here's some snowy pictures from the blizzard of 08!

too much too soon and brand new towels.

why do I always do this? i start something and I go waaay overboard. This going to the gym in the morning thing. good idea right? well for a person that does not easily fall asleep before midnight most nights - this is a tough transition - so one would think this would be something said person would kind of ease into. I don't know - start off with a couple times a week -- not every morning since you joined the gym. I couldn't fall asleep last night and so slept through the alarm. Was suppose to meet espeed for a swim - and didn't make it -- and i don't want to be that person. that person that says they'll be somewhere and doesn't show. sorry espeed. but i guess i learned my lesson. maybe for now i'll focus on going to the gym in the morning 2-3 mornings a week - not 5. that will certainly make it easier to guarantee that i will be there on the days i plan. on an upside though - since i got to shower at home this morning - i finally got to use the brand new towels we got as wedding gifts... it was like showering at a spa!

put your money where your mouth is.

Alright i finally bit the bullet and registered for the pig. I know i know - i've been saying for months now that i was going to run the pig - so I should have been signed up by now. I don't know - i guess there was a small part of me that was afraid I wouldn't actually be able to do it - training in the winter is hard enough - let alone with everything else i had going on. But - i realized last night enough is enough - stop making excuses - and put your money where your mouth is. I guess i'm just afraid that all the progress i've made in the last year is going to be for nothing - and i'm going to go out there and run a 4:45 marathon again. I know i am capable of a 4 hr marathon - i think the only thing that is standing in my way is my brain. ugh. so positive thoughts only.

I hit snooze one time too many on sunday and didn't make the to catch a leprechaun race - guess i'm glad i didn't pre-register. So instead i did my 12 miles by myself that afternoon. Overall pace 8:35 -- not too shabby! especially since I picked up my pace on the second half of the run. So - schedule says 18 miles next week. Can't stand to do that one alone. I found a 15k race - the Shamrock run in cuyahoga falls that is at noon on sunday (I wish all races started at noon!) I might just run that course twice. We'll see though. Oh - and I swam a mile this morning... i stopped every 50 yards - but I swam a mile - baby steps here people... baby steps!