Let't talk about the weather....

It has been a year since my parents moved back into their house since the fire.  The evening of December 26, 2011 was life changing for my parents for sure.  Not as life changing as July of 2007.  Nor as life changing as October of 2011 either...  Ok well hard to know what was most life changing.  Although it could have been my mother's realization Tuesday night that her eldest and only daughter is a few years away from 50 and contemplaing running a 50 miler to celebrate that milestone.  She was more dismayed at the fact she could be the mother of a 50 year old...  ok so it is nearly 4 years away...  rather than her daughter doing yet one more bizarre and un-understandable thing.

Ok so that was a lot of information with not a lot of background in that opening paragraph.  December 26, 2011 half of my parents house burned.  Hell of a Christmas present, right?  After a lot of craziness with rebuilding they were in nearly a year later.  Thanksgiving of 2012 was when they were officially moved back into the house, half had to be rebuilt and the other half gutted and re-insulated, plumbed, electrical pulled, dry wall hung, re-finished?  Yeah, yeah it should not have taken that long, especially with the craptastic economy in MI and most of the trades desperate for work.  That is another story and it has been sorted out, obviously, as they were moved back into their re-constructed house.

Light switches aren't where they used to be and the step down to the 'new' part of the house on the second floor, pre-fire isn't there any more and everytime I take that route to go down stairs I end up slamming my right foot against the floor because there is SUPPOSED to be a step there, there was one for over 30 years...  

The other dates all relate to my mother's lung cancer diagnosis in July 2007, with October 2011 being her first full year with only one scan, the scan was the same as it had been since April of 2009 when she decided to stop treatment.  October 2012 the same, the radiologists lay one scan over the other and they are identical.  October 2013 had the same result, her oncologist, said he may consider the tumor dead.  October 2012 scan was very scary for all of us, with all the stress from the fire and the trauma with the rebuilding, IF something was going to happen it would have happened then, this was the conclusion my siblings and I came to.  October 2013 scan was a non-event to us because, mom is just fine, and you know what, she is.  

After a tense 13 hour drive from RI to MI on Tuesday, rain snow rain snow rain and just past Elyria OH it all stopped, dry pavement, I hadn't seen dry pavement since CT!  Whoop!  Watched quite a few cars twirl around on the thruway and end up in the ditch.  My dad and I stayed up a little too late talking (and drinking).  He was diagnosed with COPD in October.  At least he now knows what is causing his shortness of breath and has medication to slow/stop the progression and has to learn to just slow down and not get out of breath and wear himself out.  It was nice to see he was dealing with all of this just fine and making adjustments where he needed to.  

Wednesday greeted me with sunshine, in South East Michigan in November, are you kidding me?  This NEVER happens.  I quick checked the temp on my phone and found it was 59 and rainy back home and it was 19 with the windchill 6.  Huh... Well the sun was out, and here I thought Monday's run would be the last one in sun! 

Brrrrr......

Huh...  that sucks...

 I ran down to the main road and back to the house, this would give me a good clue on the temps and which direction was going to be colder.  Of course , the direction for the return to the house from the long part of the run was going to be into the wind.  Blargh.  I managed 3.7, I just couldn't do the extra few feet to make it 4 or to Lindsey road.  I was cold and still had to run BACK in the wind.  



The sun was out and it gave me the opportunity to run with my shadow!

SUN!!! 

Beautiful Sunset!

Sincerely, 
Beth, looking forward to seeing friends and family tomorrow. 

Slug...

Slug = Me on Sunday.

Hubb got up and left by dunno 6:30 a.m. to go on a bike ride in Acadia.  He ushered the dogs out of the bedroom by feeding them.  I promptly went back to sleep.  With the AC in the bedroom and the AC in the living room and kitchen downstairs the smart dogs, Gizzy and Gus, stayed down stairs, Jax came up and I found him sleeping out side of the bedroom when I got up at oh 8?  SLUG!  I think he was hoping to wrestle.  This is his fun thing, but only with me, wrestling in the bed.  He loves it.  Hubb tries to get him to wrestle with him, no dice, this is what Jax and Beth do and there are no ifs ands or buts about it.  I felt kinda bad for the little guy and we wrestled a bit but I really was ready to be up and get something done with what was left of the morning.  I wonder if he tried banging on the door and I didn't even notice?

The plan was to get up with Hubb and get in those two miles I shorted myself on Saturday on the beach.  Mentally I just wasn't having anything of it.  2 miles, really Beth, no big deal.

Cleaning seemed to be what I wanted to do...  I seriously need to get some therapy.  Piles of junk in the guest room were sorted and pitched into a pile for Good Will or put away.  Found the place mats and napkins that were re-homed while we were painting the dining room.  Discovered a pile of coats.  I think I mentioned my coat addiction.  I was able to part with 2 of the 5.  Pillows were put away, blankets and quilts stored in the trunk they have been piled on for months. A few things were put into a 'think about it' pile. I think this is called nesting, not being a slug?

Then I took a shower.  And loaded the Good Will stuff into the car.  Thought about going into Groton to drop it off and decided I had plenty of other things to do to avoid those two miles that seemed to be scaring me for some reason?

I didn't go so far as to dust, that would DEFINITELY mean I need therapy.  Lemme tell you about the dust issues in this house.  Hubb is a luthier.  Not a Lutheran a luthier he is Catholic actually...

Anyhoodles this process of instrument building, well he hasn't built one in 3 or 4 years, TYVM economy.  What he has been selling is the wood.  People aren't interested in purchasing a finished bluegrass mandolin but they are interested in trying to make their own and for the small shops still in business Hubb sells great Red Spruce tonewood for mandolins and guitars as well as carved tops and backs....  He has a logging buddy who helps him cut down the trees in the Baskahegan forest in Brookton, ME.  One or two a year depending on what he needs to stock.

Mandolin

Even with a dust collection system it is ridiculous.  I gave up years ago and do the bare minimum.  I'm angling for a maid service, let's just say it isn't working...

Where was I going with all of this....

Oh my run today... 

Stellar, actually.  The temps and the dew point had me a little freaked out, what IS my problem, but I had time between 10 and 12 to run.  I didn't get up with the alarm at 5:30.  Slug.   Chris in the fitness center wished me luck on the run, with trepidation I opened to door to the great outdoors.  Not bad, really not bad.

Decent weather really, and that 10 MPH was off the water!!

I had 3 on the schedule for today,  easy peasy,  by the 1.5 mile mark I felt good and decided to run the 2 I shorted myself on Saturday.  Running along the water helps immensely, I'm sure.  My pace wasn't stellar but it wasn't horrible and I felt really great after the run and bounced back to my desk pretty pleased with myself.

Sincerely

Beth, pleased and welcomes the NYC rest day tomorrow!

Let's NOT Talk About the Weather

Welcome Spring!



From "The Week"

I’m a little tired of all the bitching and kvetching about how cold it is and how the ground hog lied and what about global warming. Spring starts March 20th, it has for years. Yes, yes, last year in this area it was a high of 60 degrees, nice and warm.   Rewind to 2011 it was a high of 42, remember that?  Rewind a little further and 2010 presented us with a high of 69.  Just for giggles, let's peek at 2009, a high of 43! Are we starting to see a pattern here people?   *SMIRK*

BTW The average temperature is 48 for this area. Check www.wunderground.com at the wayyyyy bottom you can find the history for your area.  Golly gee wizz, I am so glad Al Gore invented the internet so all this information at our finger tips.

See, lots of varying data points!!

So there, nener nener foo foo, it is the cycle of the weather. Can’t we find something of substance to discuss? Perhaps the 7 Marines killed in a training exercise? Ok ok, yes a rather headdy topic. So Failing that topic of substance, if we HAVE to talk about the weather, what are the weather predictions for Boston? Or is it too early for that? I’m not even running it and I’m on the edge of my seat hearing about it from co-workers and virtual friends!

I digress… (Surprised?  No?  Didn't think so.)

So what have I been up to that is soooo important I can’t blather on and on in this blog? Please, let me account for my absence.

Monday: A lovely quick morning 5K naked run, no tunes, no watch, started the week. I think I’ll try to run sans tunes more often, perhaps just using them on long runs? The weather was nice, I remember it as sunny and a bit windy. I ran clock stupid, to take advantage of a set of long hills (going down versus going up, yeah yeah, lazy me) this also seemed to put me running into the wind more often than not. Not sure how that is possible when running a rectangle… Monday night is TRX. I do love that class and the gals. The topics vary all over the map, we all got the most laughs out of food. Where to get the best hot fudge Sundae and friends that will drive you all over hell and back only to never find one and ending up at the grocery store to get a pint of to die for ice cream. The downfalls of eating a whole box of Fig Newtons, don’t ask, if you don’t already know you don’t want to and don’t try this at home. Why, yes I can eat an entire box of Fig Newtons. I'm not proud of this.

Tuesday: I spent the day in Manhattan. This is a very long exhausting day. I was supposed to attend a morning seminar on Anti Bribery and Anti Corruption, it was cancelled due to the Government sequester. Blargh. Of course, to make best use of my time, I arranged other meetings for the afternoon the kind were you want to see ‘the whites of their eyes’. So no choice but to make the trek into the city. The bonus for me working in NY for the day, is being able to spend it with my boss. No, I am not being sarcastic, hard to believe, IKR? We share an office for the day and had quite a few things to discuss. It is nice to be able to have conversations as the topic arises either from all of a sudden remembering or an eMail reminder. All together an extremely productive (and exhausting) day. I managed to get on a train before 6 p.m. with some Crumbs cupcakes (Peanut Butter and Monkey Business) for hubb. When I finally got home the pack was happy to see me and get dog hair and slobber on my good clothes, grrr.. Of course my ever faithful Gizzy was right there to help me with my PT, I don’t want to get up any early than I have to so I do it when I get home. It is nice to not be alone, but I could do without the face licking. Thanks pal…

I'm bored.  Why can't I lick your face?

Wednesday: A nice quick, afternoon 5K, sans tunes was on the agenda. I did wear the Garmin. I only peeked at it twice. I think I’ll borrow the idea of wearing it backwards just so I have it but it is hard to read. The sun was brilliant on the wonderful first day of spring the wind was gusting 19MPH off the water. UGH. As I left the building another runner said, “The wind is strong and cold, however it is not constant. ENJOY!” I did and had a new fleece running top, so happy to not have to wait until fall to wear it for the first time!

Thursday: No planned run for today. I’m dreaming about a trail run tomorrow afternoon, cutting out of work early for an “off site meeting”. I’ve also been pondering signing up for a ½ marathon trail run at the end of the month.  There is also a 10K option. I really want to do the ½, for the experience, the longest I’ve run on trails is 9 miles. No doubt I can do it. As one of my marathon girlfriends says “Beth, we are marathoners we can do anything.” Honestly, I’m most concerned about slowing the whole race wrap up process down, when I come straggling in as the last runner. Hmmmmm….  Thoughts? 

Sincerely,

Beth, quickly catching y’all up, thanks for stopping by!

P.S.  One of the fun agenda items for my "off site meeting" tomorrow afternoon.

Wednesday -

Seeing as I missed Monday and Tuesday wordless Wednesday would be a bit of a, what is the word, weaselly way out of a post, yes?

Monday was TRX (no run), I do love that program and spending an hour with the girls.  Plank rolls are still tough for me, interestingly the planks balancing on my left are easier than on my right, I'm right handed so that seems off to me.  Thoughts?

Tuesday was a mid morning run.  It was lightly snowing, it felt like I was running in a snow globe, sans the water.  Actually really refreshing and I finally started feeling like I was running smoothly.  Sunday's trail run was a choppy mess, I just wasn't feeling the run, I was enjoying being outside and in the woods and it was only 7.5 miles, so suck it up butter cup and keep moving forward!! Anyhoodles I started feeling the love this run about 2 miles in.  The difference may have been I turned LEFT, yes LEFT out of the gate. Arriving back at the gate 4.5 miles and 47 minutes later I wanted to run more, I didn't, there wasn't time.

Today was an after lunch run.  Of course I couldn't pass up the egg salad and chips for lunch.  I am soooo fortunate to have an iron gut.  I got out of the gate and remembered LEFT and went LEFT and thankful I did the wind was NW and right off the water and so nice to have that at my back up the hill and then around the lower loop by the water and the upper loop through UConn's Avery Point Campus.  The last mile of my 5.1 52 minute run was all down hill and I felt like a million buck.  From the beginning I was feeling the love this run. At about mile 3 I was starting to feel the runner's high and it was wonderful.  I haven't felt anything but a glimmer of it since Marine Corps Marathon in October.  This happen to anyone else?

My pace still isn't where I want it, but I think getting that feeling back is more important and more conducive to getting faster.  Plus it is cold and my butt and thighs never seem to warm up.  Any suggestions?  Other than running inside?

Reviewing my Garmin downloads I just noticed the weather is included.  Either I've missed this for a while or it is new.  Huh...

Stats:

Tue (2/5) Weather - It was snowing!!!

Tue (2/5) Summary

Wed (2/6) Weather - but I remember it as sunny, huh...

Wed (2/6) Summary

Sincerely,
Beth who is feeling the love from the run, finally!

Runnercicle

After giving a friend new to running in the winter, he is training for his first 1/2 marathon happening in April,  some advice on dressing for the weather, my current predicament is rather funny!  It was semi solicited advice, his question was how to deal with the cold air and getting his lungs acclimated.  Something I never really thought about, or if I did it is a distant memory.   A friend of his and I pelted him with advice and what we wear and what works.  I am a girl, I wear skirts, I like skirts, I used skirts in an example of when I switch to tights, when the temperature is consistently below 32F I switch to tights.  His friend suggested he reconsider skirts.  Perhaps you had to be there for the exchange?

Anyhoodles as I got dressed this a.m. for my 19 miles I checked the weather it said the temperature was with in my skirt range, what I neglected to check was the wind chill, NOT in the skirt range.  As you can see in this history of the weather, it was above 32F at around 8 a.m. and due to climb, however the 10MPH wind was dragging that down to 29F holding it pretty steady and the sun that was out, went under cover of clouds.  Blargh...  whaddyagonnado?

Temp History

The usual suspects were out this Sunday a.m.  I asked the stoop sitting smokers if they ordered this weather, they said they did not and we vowed to figure out who did and have them return it!  Many of the dog walkers had Santa suit dog coats on their dogs, so cute!  It really was cold, and it really was a beautiful day, until it wasn't.

The wind was bearable, just before the second hour started there were enough trees to break the wind.  After that, not so much, and I was running into the wind.  Absolutely nothing breaking it.  Lovely. This made me think about Phoenix in January and the Rock n' Roll marathon, hmmm maybe I'd be too warm, I should check the weather for that time of year.  At one point Katy Perry California Gurls came on and I tried to take myself to sunny warm SO CA. Feh, sort of worked, at least singing took my mind off my cold and getting colder legs, is that really possible, how can they be getting colder?

I pushed through, knowing that I had posted I was doing this 19 for a couple of fellow runners experiencing some running challenges.  I knew where I could short cut my route and get in just about 16, I landed at 15.78 at my front door.  I entered the house, and Hubb said, "You look cold. Really cold. Your face and legs are beet red."  I said "I am" and pulled up my shirt to show him my even more beet red belly, yeah that was under cover of a shirt, long sleeved, those come out at temps below 40/45F, it was beet red.   As I warmed my legs by the fire and as they started to thaw - Ok, yes, a bit dramatic, they weren't actually frozen, just REALLY cold - the pain then started.  I commented "Wow my legs hurt."  Hubb chuckled and said, "It is going to get worse, jump in the shower and warm up those muscles."  His years of skiing and swimming taught him that lesson, I suppose, I never did ask how he knew of this torture. It was painful. I'd rather have shin splints.

The water warmed me up quite nicely and I got fairly well stretched out.  My right knee is tight from my tight IT band.  I'll roll tonight and that should help break up that scar tissue.  I really need to focus on not letting the IT band get worse...

As I still 'owed' 3.25 Miles, on the 19 commitment, and Gizmo hadn't been out of the house in a week, I took him on a hike in the woods to more than make up for the mileage shortage.  Taking a leaf colored dog to the forest covered in leaves does present some challenges, fortunately he does have a handsome gray muzzle making him easier to spot.  Plus he 'checks in' regularly in the event someone is handing out a treat.  He loved romping through the woods, he loves going somewhere and doing something and not having the other dogs around.  I took him on a slightly different path at Bluff Point, so there were new things to explore and he could get off leash more as there are less people who venture down those particular trails. Yes I was dressed appropriately and did not freeze!

Sometimes a leaf colored dog is hard to spot among the leaves!

All in all the run really wasn't bad.  I started out a little fast, walked a little between some discomfort in the knees and just plain having cold legs. Guess it is time to put away the skirts and dig out the tights or at least pay attention to wind chill. Live and learn, right?

Stats:

Sincerely,
Beth, who will be packing tights for tomorrows run and remembering that thing called wind chill!