Running Shorts

And then there was ME!!

It just got a lot quieter around here.  The DC/NOVA (Northern VA) crew left and that crew now includes children #2-4 and various significant others.  Yes, I feel left out of all of their DC plans!  I might go visit in February.  I decided it's NOT fun to travel to see them for a race (like the Cherry Blossom 10-miler) b/c I will be no fun.  It's much better to visit when I can actually go out.

My brother and I suffered through our respective (independent) runs today.  We're sore from the race!  I could feel soreness during every step of my just under 12 miles.  It was wicked windy, hilly, and my legs are trashed.  I expanded my favorite 5.5 mile loop w/ a small add on and did that twice with a stop at the house to chug some water I stashed by the mailbox.  It was a gorgeous day out and I was in shorts and a t-shirt AGAIN.  The warm weather is kind of freaking me out.

A few generations of sports

To set the record completely straight-not that K cares that much (Riiiight...), K's time was found by the timing company and he was 19th overall-not 20th.  :)

Here is my grandma in her basketball playing days (front row-middle-in front of the cheerleaders).  We don't know if this was her and her friends or the captains or what but I will say that from the two yearbooks I was reading the girls varsity team was city champs both years!  Of COURSE my Grandma kept it real!

 

When she played there were six girls on the court at a time b/c they didn't think girls could run as much (my Dad's explanation as to why so many).

Today my Dad and I hiked the AT just south of High Point, NJ, and returned on the Iris trail next to Lake Rutherford.  Here is my Dad (taken with a blackberry):

PS.  I am sore from the race so I was racing hard!

Turkey Trot 2009

I was afraid to leave today's race site b/c I just know we'll never have such good Thanksgiving turkey trot weather again.  Forty-five to fifty degrees.  Sunny.  Just mah-velous.

Three thousand five hundred forty-six (3,546) people took to the Jersey streets for a 5k this morning.  There was also an associated 2 mile walk.  Both events are very family friendly.  My brother and dad usually see people they know: my brother's running teammates, parents of my brother's friends, or my dad's former work colleagues.

In big news, MY BROTHER GOT A SEEDED NUMBER!  He was number 21.  I thought I could go top ten or top twenty so I was all...oh, I bet I didn't get one just b/c I registered so late!  My family rolled their eyes at me.

It was a fairly narrow start (the width of a small town road).  My brother started up near the front (3rd row) and I started in the 5th row.  Some guy with a megaphone was announcing you shouldn't be up there unless you were planning on going sub-18.  I was not (could not), but I was not about to move back behind the 6 y/o and other people that weren't wearing actual running clothes.  Another woman up front (not the one w/ the 6 y/o) and I glanced at each other but neither of us said anything and neither of us moved.  At the end of the day NO women went under 18 but there were a bunch of us up there.  I know this race and people do NOT put themselves in the right places and it leads to huge congestion and getting blocked in.  My Dad also knew this from runing this race previously and after waving high to my brother and I at the front of the mass (my brother and I had left the warmth of the car before my Dad to warm up) he started with the 7 min/mile group even though that's not really his pace either.  At the end of the day that was the perfect place for him as he was surrounded by people who finished right near him.

My brother PRd!  That's exciting b/c he has solid PRs from his years of HS running.  But, in addition to being on the Georgetown crew team he is running 40 mpw and he won Georgetown's homecoming 5K a couple of weekends ago.  Today he got outkicked at the end but ended up w/ a 17:50.  He thinks.  He's not in the results!  Of course this is not amusing to him so he e-mailed the race company to ask if they can find his time.  But if he HAD been in the results he would have been 20/1,842 men.  It's not THAT big of a deal b/c his 15-19 AG is super competitive and he wouldn't have even been top 10.

As for me...eh.  I didn't feel like I was running super fast and I got a little discouraged at the 2 mile split mark (which my bro later told me he thought was off) when it sounded like I was running well over my PR.  PLUS, everyone told me how flat this course is WHICH IT IS NOT!  There are hills!  I thought I remembered hills!!  And they're still there!  I tried to not look awful for the photographer as I rounded the final turn and my picture is okay (my dad didn't see the photographer and his picture is pretty bad!).  With .05 miles left I heard my brother yelling for me to kick it in and, newly afraid a woman would pass me I picked it up.  I finished in 21:44 (7:00 min/miles).  I was hoping to challenge my 20:55 PR from September.  I was hoping to place.  Boo.  I will note that while I briefly wanted to stop racing I never felt like I wanted to quit the sport of running-a thought that never fails to cross my mind when I race hard and well-so that kind of indicates I could have pushed harder.  But I don't feel like my race was awful, I feel like my PR is solid and I can't expect to come near it every time especially given different race conditions, and I had fun with everyone.  It was a good day.

I met my bro and we found a good spot to wait for my Dad.  He had some idea of what he would run but unlike my brother and I who can't stop talking about splits and goals my Dad kept that info to himself.  K and I were guessing 30 minutes?  We were barely waiting and all of a sudden my Dad rolled in with a 27:54 (8:58 pace).  WOOHOO!  His fastest time in years.  At first he thought his pace was over 9 min/miles but I was like:  Don't forget the POINT ONE!

Before the race my Dad had said...alright let's meet at the car unless we have to go see if K placed.  K got out of the car and started warming up and I was all...Soooo um...there's a chance I might place so if I think I did I am going to check out the results before we pack up.  Actually, I think I have a better chance than K b/c my AG is less competitive.  My Dad was like okay, whatever works.  But of course my time was not what I was hoping for and we just went home after waiting a bit for the runners and walkers to finish up and clear out of the way of our sweet parking spot.

I checked the results a few hours later and discovered a few things:  1) My brother was not listed (see above) 2) My Dad's NET time, maybe, was used instead of his chip time and he started in the middle of over three thousand people (not cool-seriously the timing company did not have a stellar race; what was the point of our chips??) and 3) I was 3/136 in my 25-29 AG and 26/1623 women (my official time was accurate).  Surprise!  I made sure I told my family b/c I'm not going to look any bling gift-horse in the mouth and wooohoo attention please!  Plus, I didn't want them to think I was soo crazy and unrealistic that I had the unfounded gall to think I should be near the front of the pack and hey, we might have to wait and check to see if *I* placed!!

So yeah, just wanted to clear that up w/ the fam even though I think they're still more impressed with K's seeding!  My cousins also ran a turkey trot in Northern VA so it was a turkey trot family day!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  And nice job in your race up north today J!  Miss ya!

so late and should be in bed

i ran on the treadmill tonight.  it's been a while since i've been on one-since DC-but it was perfectly fine.  i didn't feel like running in the dark b/c i have to watch my step and my stride is consequently a little funky when i do that.  i took it easy.  i only hit 3.33 miles before my 30 minutes was up and i had to relinquish my mill so i did some sit-ups and relaxed while i waited for another one to free up so i could finish 4 miles.  low stress.

then began the rush to tie up loose ends and get out of town.  i have a lot of sports stuff packed.  perhaps most importantly, i've got my survival sleeping bag.  my dad and i are hiking and we can (and have) get lost anywhere.

How lazy am I?

Note to self...it may kill the romance to respond to questions about my day with: Can't you just read my blog?

I don't regret the way it went down

It all turned out for the best.  Four years and three applications later I finally got onto the triathlon team I've wanted to be on for quite some time.  So that's exciting.  But b/c they kept rejecting me I went and started another team in the interim which I'm not sure I would have done if I was on my new team.  In fact, that's why I didn't apply last year.  I was too busy with my school team (and, of course, I was tired of not feeling the love).  Plus, my bike scared the begeebees out of me.

But, for a couple of reasons I was ready to apply again this year.  One obvious reason is that I'm no longer eligible to be on my school team.  The second is that I want to be on a team with people my own age (god bless the teenagers) and with more triathlon experience than me.  I played a different role on the school team and I'm ready for a change.  I have a lot to learn and it will be great to be in an environment where I can be a sponge for a little while!

PS. MY APARTMENT IS CLEANER THAN IT'S BEEN SINCE I MOVED IN.  I don't want me getting on the tri team to overshadow this accomplishment!!!

Bachelorette

J pointed out that I live like a bachelorette.  I cannot in good conscience argue against this.

Today my apartment reached a tipping point and I had to act.

I used 21 coupons at Bed Bath & Beyond.  I bought unchipped dishware and two storage bins to put my sports stuff in so that I can clean up the giant sports pile under the window.  (Unfortunately, in placing items in the bins I noticed I have 5 pairs of sneakers I need to recycle.  See next sentence for why this will be problematic-the sneakers will be here for-ev-er.)  I also finally donated the pile of clothes under the other window that have been sitting sorted since August.

Tomorrow, I clean and take out the recycling.  And learn how to cook.  [NB:  I'm not really going to learn how to cook.]

I still don't have food in the fridge but I'm chalking that up to the Thanksgiving holiday and my heading out of town soon.  It would just be SILLY to buy food now.

I had a nice 11 mile run this morning.  To make up for the driving rain I've been running in Boston was blessed with 54 degree sunny weather today.  I ran at noon in summer clothes with a visor and sunscreen.  Lovely!  My legs are tired though.  I can feel the miles piling up.  I'm worried I will feel fatigued for the 5K on Thursday.  That will be disappointing.

Also, I'm not sure if this is mainstream news or not, but Texas, in an attempt to prohibit gay marriage through a 2005 state constitutional amendment, may have accidentally prohibited anyone from marrying anyone.  Subsection B of the amendment states:  "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."  So for all of the people married in TX since 2005..stay tuned as to whether or not you're legally wed!

Enjoy the karma TX.

On edge

I feel like going for a run.  Unfortunately, I already ran this morning.  5+ miles.  Booyah!  I had some extra time b/c I was going straight to court and didn't have to be there until 9:15 AM.  This was a low-stress roll-in at 9:15 court appointment.  I know the courthouse well-I walk there-and I didn't have to do anything but "be a presence and observe."  This is in contrast to "find a courthouse somewhere in Massachusetts you've never been, meet people in person you've only talked to on the phone, submit a report to the court, and possibly talk.  And be new at your job."  Today was the former so I took a little detour on my route and FINALLY added an extra mile to my run.  It was a great run.  Just delightful.  And I feel so good finally adding to my weekday mileage.

But egads...I am so riled up right now.  After I made it to my office at noon it was non-stop phone calls for 6 hours.  A former boss who played baseball in college described being attorney as the closest he comes to playing sports anymore.  It can get you feeling really competitive!

M-training take 8

I actually have no idea what marathon training cycle this is for me.  But it's only just begun (week 3?) and I'm already asleep all the time and freakin starving.

This highlights what I've known all along-I love my bed and burritos.

As for the marathon training-I'm using a novice schedule tweaked slightly to make it a bit more challenging (adding in speed work).  I have simple goals this time around:  A) Finish, B) PR (sub 4:25), C) sub 4, and D) BQ.  I have minimal confidence I'll reach any of them.  I've been telling people I'm training for about two months-until I get injured and call it quits.  Given my track record it's hard to be more optimistic.  I am really excited to try winter marathon training though.  I hate running in the heat and I hate missing fall (short) racing b/c of m-training or injuries.  This could be the right fit for me.

Highlights/lowlights from today's 7 miler

Pouring rain.  But I still seemed kind of dry for three miles.

The BU bridge construction/detour was not a problem b/c I know the area well-it's near why I used to live-and I felt so comfortable and familiar with the area and just thrilled w/ myself for not being a Boston-newbie anymore.

The BU bridge was my turnaround and then I was running into the wind and driving rain.  Suddenly I was soaked.

My wrists were numb.  I don't have waterproof gloves so I went without.

I saw the bridges near my apartment in the distance and focused on getting to each one.  It was a relief being under the bridges b/c the rain stopped pouring on me for a brief moment and each one brought me onto more familiar ground.  I felt happy once I was back on my short daily route and almost home.

The River was thankfully empty in both directions during mile 5 when I was hunched over and gagging on snot.  I blew my nose on my wicking shirt (already in the wash) and all was good.'

Because of my numb wrists I could put the key in the door lock but I couldn't turn it.  I stood in the hallway waiting for either my hands to thaw or a neighbor to come turn the key.  Neither happened so I took my sneaker off and used it to push on and rotate the key.  It took me a while to get the key out of the lock.

Eventually I was in the apartment but my hands were too cold to cook so I took a shower and shaved with frozen hands which was-not surprisingly-hard to manage.

Now I'm warm and dry and thawed out about to go get my hair cut.  I have errands to do but given the weather...I think I'm staying inside.