My Next Race

Well, I haven't run since October and by the sounds of my last post, it was pretty challenging. However, the weather here has turned and I have been tempted to shed my winter jacket and use my running shoes. In fact, I've decided on my next race:

http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_events-en_US/2010/02/26/2010-race-weekend-and-registration-information

I am not going to do the full marathon, just the half. It's a pretty penny in itself: $115. In the words of Nicole Jae Brown, that's bananas. Nonetheless, it was a promise to my sister after she gave me two sweet little nephews so I guess I have to. According to her, "You get really neat free stuff." That's her motivation... I don't have the heart to tell her a $115 is not free. My motivation? I already told you, keeping a promise. Duh.

So tomorrow, it all begins. Again.

Blowing The Cobwebs Off My Tennis Shoes

So today went as follows: woke up at five thirty, refused to get out of bed until six thirty, stressed stressed stressed, made a cup of tea, did some yoga, took a brief shower, put on some running gear, stressed stressed stressed, waited for my boss to pick me up. At eight thirty on the money, we made our way down to the 5k.

I had to chug some Pepto-Bismol before my boss arrived, followed by some water (hydration is key), because I was super anxious. It wasn't, "Oh, I am going on a light jog with Jen" but more of a "What the f*, I am going to a competitive race in the pouring rain WITH MY BOSS." In this case, only the strong survive.

When I popped in the car, I pretended to be happy to see her even though I secretly wished she had cancelled. We talked about throwing the entire thing off and just going to breakfast but we were already dressed so we made the effort. Upon arrival to the Lehigh Valley Parkway, the scene was chipper despite the rain. There were balloons (knocked over by the wind), pink shirts everywhere (hidden by ponchos), and a festive strech session (led by an overweight man). We made use of the toliets before starting to run our freezing toes off but I wasn't sure what was rain water and what was human water... Nonetheless, the coffers were empty, we lined up, the gun sounded, and out feet hit the pavement.... Errr... Mud.

The route was similar the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon but a little crueler. Right at the end of the first mile, there were two MASSIVE hills. The first mile is always the hardest for me with my body protesting the sudden movement. Objects at rest, for about twenty six years, like to stay at rest. The onset of the hills hurt. I admit, I had to walk at the top but once I hit the peak, I began to run again.

A similar thing happened at mile two but the hill was less steep so I managed to walk a little less and ran the rest of the way. Overall, I think I walked less than a quarter of a mile, which is pretty good considering that I haven't ran seriously since visiting Costa Rica in July. It's amazing what we can put our bodies through. Three months of drinking, occasionally smoking, and lots pizza still equates to an ok runner.

When we crossed the finished line, they yelled the time out to us. I heard 25 minutes, Jen heard 45, turns out we finished at 39 minutes. That's a 12.6 mile which I really don't mind since it was in the rain, uphill, both ways.

As soon as we got out of the herd of people that crowded around the end of the race, Jen looked to me and said, "Let's go." We did make an effort to pick up a free items, like water and a bagel, but beyond that, we had to bounce. Jen then took me out for a Mimosa breakfast. Nice.

There's No Bad Weather, Only Bad Gear

Ok REI, your motto is bull crap. Tell that to anyone who's been in a car accident. Did they just have bad all weather tires?? Surely that's driving gear!!

Here I am awake and petrified about running a 5k in 40 degree weather with INTENSE rain. The event is rain or shine and I'm running it with my boss so even though I want to chicken out, I can't. Layers. Lots of rain proof layers.

Yikes... Just Yikes

So tomorrow, I am off to run a 5k and it's SNOWING! The snow isn't sticking but it feels like ice outside. Brrr... And what's more, I haven't been running since Costa Rica (and I am not sure I ran more than three miles the entire time I was there) and I am running said 5k with my boss. This will definitely get me back in the game but I am curious how it will turn out... Any takers that I run the entire thing to prove I can?

Running in Circles Is SO Applicable

While I have not been running for some time, I have been very, very busy. This has allowed me to maintain my weight loss as being crazy is an excellent appetite suppressant. Firstly, my little sister had twins. YAY! Two big boys with red and black hair (fraternal twins - obviously). When I have down time, I am constantly shopping for them on diapers.com or the nursery section of gap.com. I NEVER thought I would be visiting sites of such a nature.

Secondly, I have severely upped my hours at the ad agency and this, in combo with the shoe store, has kept me busy. So busy that by the time I get home at night, I want to go to sleep rather than study for the GRE's - - which are coming up in seven, that's right, seven weeks. Yikes! So needless to say, running has not been the top of my priorities. I will, however, need to step up my game SINCE I am still running a 5K on Oct. 17th. Oh what a tangle web we weave...

Chipmunks, Death & Presents

This morning, while opening the blinds, I watched the cat chase something in the bushes. She looked up at me as to say, "Hi! Look at what I am doing!" And then, all of a sudden, she pounced deeper into the terrain and pushed out what I thought was a bird. It ran along the wall and up towards the porch with the cat following it. I went to the back door to see if the bird got away when I saw the cat coming up the steps... with a chipmunk in her mouth. I rushed over and closed the screen door - - I really did not want another dead chipmunk in the house - - and screamed for the boyfriend. There was an emergency and I really needed him to come downstairs IMMEDIATELY. He came down, sans clothes (it gets hot here at night), and sleepily stumbled to the back door. He's like, "The cat better not be doing something cute and that's why you woke me." Just as he said that, she turned her head towards us and displayed her kill - still in her mouth. The boyfriend chuckled, "Good girl, now you're mama's going to clean it up." No way. I did it once when he was bed ridden, that was more than enough. I don't do dead things. She eventually dropped the chipmunk and the boyfriend was able to pick it up to throw it away. Poor Alvin. Afterward, we thanked the cat for her present, as the polite thing to do, and went to make the coffee. What a start to the day.

September Slump

I don't know what it is about this week but I have not wanted to go jogging. I have the time and the energy, plus the weather is perfect, but I just don't have the passion. I think it's because I've developed a new habit - - coffee and cop shows. In the past, I wake up, am thirsty, slap on some running gear, grab a couple of glasses of water, and then head out the door for a jog. Recently, however, I wake up, am thirsty, grab a couple of cups of coffee, and sit in front of the tele scanning USA for whatever cop show they're playing. Today it was Monk. Yesterday, it was Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Both are pleasing. By doing this, I end up sitting in front of the t.v. for two hours rather than working out and/or studying for the GRE's. Sometimes, I fold laundry or run the Roomba so I can feel mildly productive but the rest of the time, I just work on getting the sleep out of my eyes. Why is that bad habits are so easy to make while good ones are so tuff? If we're really created in God's image, he's one lazy SOB.