Focus, Focus, Focus

Quick catch up on Friday, Yoga Detox!  I was scattered and bumbling into Yoga, muttering 'focus focus focus' to myself when Heidi said "Hey, Beth we are having a session on balancing the overactive mind next Saturday, think that might help?"  My reply: "focus focus focus, huh? oh yeah, yeah, I think so!"  At this present moment I can't think of what was going on other than realizing that I had to be up at 4:30 a.m. to get myself together to volunteer for a local breast cancer walk.  This is year number seven of the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation Walk Across SE CT TBBC Foundation for more information on this wonderful foundation.  They give 100%  of donations received to research!  I've been volunteering for the Traffic and Safety committee for now the third year.   The Traffic and Safety people are so important to keeping the participants safe in any walk or run.  I appreciate the volunteers at the races I run, this is the least I can do.

Yoga was good, once I got focused on the task at hand.  We did a lot of hip opening poses, which was nice prep for this Sunday's 20 miler!  Of course the Friday Night Yoga Chickens were up to their usual antics.  At one point Heidi instructed us into Child's Pose and to put our hands on our butts.  Debbie named this the Ass Asana.  Yeah, it as funnier at the time.  We closed Yoga with a nice Oooooommmmm all feeling much more centered than when we ventured into class.

The walk on Saturday was great.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  It was a long day, so very worth it.

Today was my second 20 mile run.  I had a stretch of 23 miles.  I ran 20.5 partly because I was running, ha, into logistical issues with parade goers in our little town, streets being blocked off and parade watchers putting up chairs.  Instead of fighting through that frustration I took the hill to home.  I ran up the hill at nearly a steady pace!  I think all the people lining up to watch the parade were a bit of an encouragement?

When I got home and guzzled down my chocolate coconut water while walking up and down the block something on the back of my right shoe caught my eye.  Blood?  Wha?   New shoes attack again (dress, not running), I had a little blister thing I put a bandage on and well the rubbing on the sock and the back of the shoe, wow, there was a lot of blood, I'll spare you those details.

Of course this needed to be documented!  While I was taking the picture a neighbor came up and said "Hey, Beth I hear you are a marathoner!  Congratulations!"   I corrected him and said in three weeks, hey, lets not count our chickens before they hatch, right?  He said it was rather impressive and wished me luck!   Sweet guy.

Well that is gross.

The run was good, really good.  20.5 miles in 3:56!

I kept pretty consistent through the run it was tiring and parts frustrating, all in all I got out of my own head about running while I was running and let my thoughts take over on other matters.  I haven't figured a solution for world peace, yet, but there is always hope, right?

On my run back into RI from CT one of the bikers who hang out on the bridge was grinning ear to ear and said "You go girl" and held out his hand to give me a fist bump.  Rock on dude, thank you!  That was a good lift nearing mile 14! Never underestimate the power of giving someone encouragement, even someone you don't know.

It was a beautiful cool, sunny, fall day, perfect for a run.  A few walkers out, a couple other runners and the usual bikers.  Really nothing much to report about the run.  I think I am fairly tired.  But it goes to show you what a little focus does for a person.  My last 20 miler was 4:16 with a pace of 12:47 pace.  Think how much better my 1/2 at Newport will be Sunday after a Saturday Meditation session?

Stats:

Summary

Route

Splits - Mile 17 - 19 were a little tough the rest pretty consistent!

Pace / Elevation.  Kinda explains mile 17 - 19, eh?  HILL!

Sincerely,
Beth, satisfied with today's run.

Wednesday, You Antagonize Me So

It is official, Wednesdays miles and Thursdays miles are getting flipped.  The day trip to NYC wears me out, and I can do 3 or 4 worn out and enjoy them, 6? Not so much…  Part of this training is enjoyment and injury prevention, right?


I decided to run my favorite trail tonight, Bluff Point.  

As I rifled through my gym bag, I found a new running skirt, shorts, bra, one shirt, flip flops, shoes, grocery bags, iPod, sunglasses, all sorts of stuff.  No socks.  Well shit.  There is a CVS on the way there, they will have something and I think I have some extra bucks...

Love the new running skirt, also love Sierra Trading post (where I procured said lovely skirt).  I have purchased skirts directly from the company (Skirt Sports) who makes the skirts, I may not be a born and bread New Englander but I totally buy into the whole "squeeze a Lincoln off a penny" mentality.  Heck I even take chicken or veggies back to the grocery if they are the least bit bad the next day after I bring them home.  Got a great deal on two skirts!  


Changed in the locker room next to my work area.  Hoped like hell the boys were busy and not paying attention as I left.  Of course Mr. Big is right there yapping away with my Work Husband, so they point and cat call.  Thanks guys.  But really, I'm not offended, but someone else may be and they can call HR on ALL of us!!  My hubb warns me that one of these days our tomfoolery is going to get us in trouble.  He may be right, he may be wrong.

Skittered off to CVS and found two pair of 'technical' shortie socks.  The price tag said $7.99.  This was an emergency and I did have $4 in CVS bucks, so that more than halved the price.  The cashier had a devil of a time getting the socks rung up.  She had to *gasp* enter in the barcode numbers.  The socks rang up at $3.99.  Score!  Free socks.  But I didn't get the penny... oh well...  The socks were actually not bad, fit well and didn't slip around and did keep my feet dry and blister free.

My run wasn't great.  My pace wasn't great.  I was tired, I knew I had 6 on tap and felt like doing 4.  I did 4... it was humid I was sweaty, I hated it until mile 3.  What is it with completing that damned mile 3 and everything just hitting its stride and I feel like I can go FOREVER?  Buller? Anyone?  Is it mental?  Is it physical?  I think most of running is mental...  or I'm mental...

At the end of the run, stretching my nice sweaty-warm-feeling-great-body my hand feels damper than normal. Oh it's pink, oh its blood.  Hmmm well I was on a trail, I did have on short socks, I'm bound to have gotten scratched.  Of course I snap a few pictures, nothing looks quite right, but I do garner some sympathy from my FB friends.  They rock, of course.  And one says 'Oh you are just trying to show off your legs.'  Ah actually no.  I do have a great leg picture, but I'll save that for another time... or never...  anyhoodles, I get little to zero sympathy, as I expected and deserved!

I had a notification the audio book I reserved was in and I had an audio book due.  Do I stop on the way home, pre shower or do I shower and go back out?  I go in the stinky mess that I am.  I stand back from the librarian explaining that I am stinky.  She says, oh sweetie, not compared to what we smell on a daily basis, at least we know you've been exercising.  Oh my...  guess the life of a librarian is not as glamorous as I had imagined.

Arriving home, the dogs are in a panic, it is 5 minutes past dinner time, hubb has gone off to a meeting... after they settle down and I begin their dinner preparation process my girl, my sweet Sage smells the blood and begins to clean my leg.  Awwww, what a sweetie.  Damn I hope she hasn't been snacking on poop that could get infected...

Who couldn't love these mugs?  (L- R  Jax, Gizmo, Gus, Sage)