Gus July 16, 2007 - March 7, 2018

Gus went peacefully during a lovely snowy evening, he did love going out in the snow. It was time, he rapidly declined physically and mentally his last two days.  

Gus came to us on December 31, 2010, it was a long journey from a questionable home from his puppyhood to being dumped at shelter and then rescued and brought to a kennel (no available foster homes) where he spent his teenage years (puppy prison as we call it) to our home for the rest of his life.  To say he had it rough is a gross understatement, so much disruption and stress for his first three years of life.  He overcame a lot to become a very happy, albeit, slightly neurotic dog, and my best friend.

We've lost three others previous to him, this one has been the hardest for me.

Thank you for all your good wishes during the last two months.  They have been very much appreciated.



It's not good bye it's see you later.

Weekly Recap: 6/12/2017 - 6/18/2017

Hopefully most of you followed the stream of consciousness of my blog last week, that happens when so much awesome stuff happens in a short period of time and I don’t make the time to do a proper reflection.

Monday the heatwave was due to start, anything over 70F is a heatwave to me so I spend most of June – August pretty miserable, less miserable if the humidity is lower, miserable none the less, sometimes a little heat rage rears its ugly head and I have to remind myself it’s not about me and move through it.  Ro and I had plans to walk before she taught spin class.  And when Ro and I walk it isn’t a casual lollygagging stroll, it’s a 14 minute pace, a power walk.  Slowing things down can be good in the long run for endurance and I can’t talk and run so well and we have a lot to talk about so we power walk.   I figured I could get my run in after and have a 10K at the end of the day.

I felt pretty warmed up (ha ha) by the time the run started.  It actually went pretty well, I was shocked.  I didn’t feel like cutting it short or walking.  Hmmmmm

Gus went to the Vet and get some dental work done.  Poor guy was born with a bad set of teeth and gums, so the last 4 may or may not have to come out.  In the pre-sedation check, the Vet discovered an irregular heartbeat, a normal thing in Boxers.  It’s not a surprise, it isn’t happy news, it is something we can manage through medication.  She will do some further testing on him to see what is going on inside that big old boxer boy chest of his.

This was our first outing to the beach, he looks so young!!

I took him on a short walk in the heat, yeah, a dog with a ‘heart condition’ he wanted to go.  This is what we do after dog dinner and people dinner; we go for a walk, so we did.

Tuesday is not a running day and it was hotter, I was glad to be in the icy gym for a circuit class, push-ups, weighted squats, burpees, shoulder press, mountain climbers, bicep curls, and triceps timed 3 minutes with a partner, 10 reps of each then your partner goes and you rest, when a minute left to go reduce to 5 reps of each.  It was fun, I got in an extra 5 reps on each, my partner seemed to think that was pretty ok.  I don’t know why it worked out that way, it just did.  Planked, and got a somewhat healthy lunch…

Dave was gone when I got home from work so I went for a bike ride down by the ocean.  That was nice and cool and there was surprisingly little traffic out.  That added more joy into my ride!



A nice icy shower with all the ceiling and box fans going made everything much better until the Imaginary Husband came home and turned off all the fans, “they make me have a sore throat”.  Um AC does that to me…. So I guess we sit and sweat.   Wahhh wahhhh wahhhh.  See, heat rage… it’s a thing.  And yeah, I'm not an easy person to be around ALL the time.

This is how it feels to me above 70....

Wednesday, while a running day was also a NY day, I got on the train with plenty of time to be in NYC before the meeting I was guiding someone through and wouldn’t you know, 90-minute delay because of a suspicious bag hanging off the 138th Street Bridge in the Bronx.  Good grief…  Of course, we need to be careful and everything has to be inspected and properly disposed of.  I was on one of the old train cars, no electrical outlets.  Thankfully I had fully charged my work and my personal phones.  Work was crazy with trying to figure out who was where and where our presenters in NYC or en-route…  I was very thankful that everyone on the train remained calm, this really impressed me.  For certain there was nothing anyone could do when the conductor announced we were stopped for an indefinite amount of time.  People busied themselves with their devices and making other arrangements for whatever needed to be done first thing in the morning.  Truly impressive, I was honestly concerned what could happen with a mass of people in a confined railroad car, I may have regained just a smidgen of hope for society.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Police-Activity-Stops-Metro-North-Traffic-at-138th-Street-428400163.html

Gus got a short walk, he is allowed those, after a discussion on what a short walk meant we decided a mile was short considering he usually does 3.  He has a mass on his heart and went on Thursday for a series of tests to see what they can discover.

I know Thursday isn't a running day, but I didn't run or do much on Wednesday, I ran at lunch, the weather was perfect, I think even my heat and humidity loving friends would agree, no?  Boy oh boy, that felt good, perfect temperature, breeze, humidity.  I should have done a long run!  Didn't have enough time, I was meeting with the current boss, the hopeful future boss, and future teammate, I needed to be timely!

Gus had quite the day, his abdominal ultrasound was 'unremarkable' this translates to if the mass on his heart is a hemangiosarcoma it has not metastasized into his abdominal cavity.  Good news.   He was fitted with a Holter monitor and I picked him up after work and he was glad to see one of his hoomans.  Not so much for the car ride home, though...  For 24 hours we note what he is up to and the techs that read the results from his 24-hour monitor can identify what is going on with his heart.

The leads disconnected and we reconnected the monitor wasn't one had to fix that.  We will see what sort of data this gives the vet....

I had put on new tires on Ruby and was eager to test them out.  We went on a quick 7-mile spin on Friday morning, and while I really wanted to get in a real ride (20 miles) there wasn't really time for that, I should have made the time, I did not.

I left for New Hampshire a little later than I wanted to, but it ended up being fine.  I made it to the hotel to meet up with everyone on time.  Got our bibs, went to dinner, and to sleep to be picked up at 6:30 a.m.  It was nice to take Friday off, and not have to mess around with work.  Nothing much has been going on lately.

Saturday was Mount Washington, I'm going to give that its own post.  It was a watershed race for me, as I'm coming to realize.

Drove home on Sunday met by two lonely dogs, got Gus out for a short stroll and called the week.

Mileage:

Feet:  23
Saddle: 27

It was a very low mileage week, between travel and the race I didn't get much time in the saddle or on my feet.  I'm good with that.

Books:

I am loving "America's First Daughter"  Martha 'Patsy' Jefferson Randolph was a force to be reckoned with!  The book is about Thomas Jefferson in parts, Martha mostly, and of course Sally Hemmings.  It is a romanticized version of history, I'm not fooled, however, I am really appreciating the writing and the narration of Patsy's life as the First Daughter.  Jefferson may have written all men are created equal, he didn't live that sentiment.  Like him or not, he was a founding father.

This is a long one so I'm not sure when I'll be done or what is up next.  I'm thinking Ulysses.  I've never been able to get through that one.  Maybe now is the right time.  I like Joyce's writing.

Knitting:

I wove in the ends on the sweater and haven't started anything or frogged anything.  I need to have a think about this and perhaps finish up some UFOs (UnFinished Objects) sew buttons on baby sweaters, block scarves, that sort of thing...

Definitely, need to find homes for a backlog of baby sweaters.

Sincerely,

Beth, a very impactful week, even with the light mileage!

Weekly Log 10/3/16 - 10/9/16

Monday (0/0/0) - Long drive, the drive East is an  hour longer than the drive West, always has been.  I've tried leaving at different times on different days, the result is the same.

I listened to "Many Waters" by Madeline L'Engle, the last in the A Wrinkle in Time Quintet.  I wasn't at all enamored with this but couldn't not finish it all at the same time.  I like the Twins and wanted to know if they made it home safe. Glad that is over and on to the next book.  I really love being able to download books to my phone and play them through the speakers in the car.

Team entered in the lottery for the Cascade Lakes Relay!  If we get in, no PMC for me next year.  I'm thinking that may be ok.  I may be able to do the Mt. Washington Century then!  A century+ the weekend before the PMC 192 wasn't going to happen this year, although it could happen next...

Tuesday (6/5/0) - After a leisurely wake up and lots of dog snuggles I took both dogs on separate walks.  Sure it's time consuming, however the weather is ideal for October, I think this is my favorite month.

Met up with Faith for a night run.  WOW it is so much easier to breath when the dew point is in the low 50's and the air is cool!  We had a good run.  She is recovering from a hellacious trail 1/2 marathon, and me well I'm slowly getting back to running consistently.  It was nice to catch up and I appreciate her wanting to run together once a week and her flexibility between our crazy schedules to make sure it happens!  It is kind of like therapy.  We confused a driver trying to pull out of his driveway, he shouted "I was trying to figure out what kind of car had bobbing headlights!!" referring to our headlamps (get your head out of the gutter).  I'm sure we were quite visible as we have a joint pet peeve (I think it really is more anger/disgust) about people out on the roads not making themselves easy to see.  The brighter the better, right?   It is not unusual for someone to ask me if I am an alien when I am walking dog(s) after dark.  Between the reflective vest, head lamp, and now the reflective harnesses for the pups.  You'd really have to be engrossed in your text to not see us!

Wednesday (0/3/0) - Today was a volunteer day with the United Way at a women's shelter in a nearby town.  Our group was cleaning and painting a two bedroom apartment for a woman and her two children to move into.  This will be transitional housing, from 6 months to 2 years until she can fully take care of herself and her children.  The organization that runs the center gave a really informative presentation on what they do and how they help from the moment the woman (or man) and if there are children the children comes to them and work they do with them until they are able to be independent and even after.  I was surprised to hear about all of the programs for the children, while I was cleaning, and painting it gave me something to mull over.  How must a child deal with that situation and what must they unlearn or relearn as a result.

At the end of the day the apartment looked great.  We didn't finish the bathroom, however two bedrooms, a kitchen and a HUGE living/dining area were cleaned, painted and all the paint spatters on the floor were cleaned up, the bedrooms set up and ready to be made up!  It was a great experience to help someone who probably never thought she'd be worth helping, and maybe making her life and her children's life better.  I was so touched with the center's workers compassion for the family moving in.  They would be getting all new linens and towels, not just new to them, brand spankity new!  At first I was shocked, what a waste to get rid of what the last family used, and, again, during all the cleaning and painting I had something to think about, I reconsidered my shock about this and how much nicer it would be to have new, never used items.

I hope who ever ends up there has success in permanently getting out of the abusive relationship that was the catalyst to getting help, and any other abusive relationships she may have collected along the way and really, prevents her from getting involved in another one.  She is worth it, hopefully a nice freshly scrubbed and painted and furnished apartment will show here people that will never know her do give a damn.

Thursday (5.7/2.1/0) - Back to running.  I could have blown off this run, I kinda wanted to.  I'm frustrated.  It's all on me so I contemplated what I need to do and that is lose the 10 lbs I gained over the summer (I usually lose the 10 I gained over the winter, and I really don't want to do the math and end up with 20, because, crap, that didn't really happen, it's more like 15 because there is rounding of something other than my cheeks, right?) and speed work.  Two things I am not a big fan of.  I celebrated my destiny by eating 6 donuts, because that is what rational people do, right?

Took both stir crazy pups for a walk, it was torture for all three of us.  They really needed to go run leash free, and burn off their boxer boy bonkers.  I knew this going into it and tried my best to hold it together and just let them wander and sniff and not push to keep moving.  It's their walk not mine.

All in all a frustrating day, these things happen.  The culmination of being gone, and the craziness of work grinding on my nerves.  I'll chalk it all up to it being one of those days and move through it and forward.

Friday (0/0/0) - Friday meetings should be banned.  After three hours of them it was time to run or get lunch and do the actual work I needed to do on Friday.  I got lunch and worked on my to do list.  Actually not feeling all that guilty for not running, today was a PT day anyhow.

Late in the afternoon I received notification of being recognized, not allowed to talk about it but I don't think any of my co-workers read this blog, but still...  Anyhow, it is nice to be recognized, and this really helped lift me out of my somber mood.

Dave and I went to dinner, seems like forever since we've been out.  Then again it's been three weeks since we were both home on a Friday night, so there is that.

Saturday (0/3.2/30) - Volunteering for the WTAC in the a.m  The Run for the Pumpkins.  This is the second year it is a trail race.  I ran it last year after getting home in the wee hours of Saturday a.m. from what started as lunch with Heidi in Manhattan that turned into day drinking and dinner and the restaurant owner giving me a ride to GCT to catch a train and Heidi a ride to the East Village.  This year, I haven't been on a trail run since the spring.  My confidence is shot, at the moment, so I supported the running community.  Just as good right?  It is amazing see all the runners come in from the first to the last.

Got home and decided it was time to get Ruby out on the road again, how long had it been since I had a bike ride.  I love the freedom of it and the ability to be in control of my own course.  I went down to the beach and was going to head home and thought I hadn't been on 91 in a while or done the Chase Hill Gut Punch hill.  I took off all the segments on my Garmin because I wasn't going to deal with trying to beat myself or the next person in line till next year.  I was going to enjoy riding in the fall.  While I knew basically where things started and ended I didn't pay them much mind and it all felt really good.  I still haven't studied my results, yet.  It was a nice 30 miles on the bike.  I do need to get my bike re-fitted, my back feels too hunched and I wonder if my handle bars are too low.  I'll make an appointment to get that done.  It will be worth spending the $$ on it,  for a more comfortable and stronger ride.



Gus and I had a nice hike in Champlin Glacier Park.  We had no plan and ended up back at the start after a mile!  I was looking at the kiosk, and where were we and after probably 3 minutes figured out we were back at the start!  We wandered and it was just fine.  I like that preserve and feel pretty secure I'm not going to get lost.  Kind of difficult when it is surrounded by paved roads and 134 acres.  I need to get a map to keep in my pocket till I get the lay of the land there.

Dave took Jax to scrub off some energy by chasing a ball.  It is nice to have two zonked dogs.  The more they move the more they need to move.  Funny how that works.

Sunday (0/0/0) - I may do something other than PT, I may not.  Glad I got out on the bike yesterday, definitely wouldn't be a good idea with all this rain.

Mileage:

Feet:  25 for a total of 1,362.6  against a straight-line target of: 1,559.3
Saddle: 30 for a total of 1,227.8 against a straight-line target of 1,559.3

Sincerely,
Beth, looking forward to OBX for a week at the end of the month!  Been a while since I had a real vacation.

Week 18: 6/13/16 - 6/19/16

Monday (7) - I was in NYC for work.  Running in NY isn't easy, you have to dodge people, vehicles, pigeons, bikes, a variety of things, even at 6 a.m.  It was clear from Sunday's shuffle running wasn't going to be happening, but I brought my stuff anyhow because I needed the upper body work out?

After a jam packed and successful day - remember that time in April I thought I might get fired for letting a participant in my company's annual shareholder's meeting know she should not be recording?  Well, when I got into the studio for the globally broadcast meeting for Monday, I got cheers.  The guys were all "You ROCK Beth!"  "You totally shut her down."  "That was unbelievably awesome." 

All I could say was, "Please tell me the whole thing was only audio recorded not video recorded."  Uber cool tech guy "Yeah, why?"
Me: "Because I'm pretty sure I was making inappropriate facial expressions."

After I was confirmed my face, that shows every feeling or expression I have, was only seen by the CEO (my bosses, bosses, bosses, boss), my bosses boss, and my bosses bosses boss.  Hey if you are going to do something, don't half ass it right?? I was very much relieved and enjoyed the praise for doing what I was told to do.  Stop any recording (audio or visual) at the meeting. 

It was pretty clear in the Order of Business:

     No cameras, recording equipment, electronic devices, large bags, briefcases, or packages will be permitted in the Annual Meeting. The use of mobile devices, photography or recording of the event is strictly prohibited.

I had a lovely chat with one of the folks from catering who has been at the company 40 years, and will be retiring in January when he turns 67.  I couldn't believe he was any older than 50.  Remarkable guy, happy, always smiling and saying hello.  There simply isn't enough people saying hello and smiling.  I do this when I walk down the long hallways at work.  Usually my smile and "good morning " is greeted with a glance to the floor.  Huh, do I have booger hanging out of my nose?  No wait, if I did they'd totally stare and totally NOT tell me, so hmmm, oh well on to the next victim...

Oh, sorry rambling, guess I am feeling a little less concerned about this hip issue, or maybe I'm emptying the beer shelf in the fridge... 

So the day was good, successful even.  I caught up with colleagues I don't get to see much and shake and howdy with new folks.

After work I ventured onto the East River Greenway.  I think this is a bit miss named as it isn't really green it's frigging NYC!!  There were some areas which were green and park like, there were also narrow pathways with nothing more than a Jersey Barrier separating the two lanes of cars zipping up town on the FDR and an asphalt path wide enough for two people to comfortably pass. 

The walk was enjoyable, the pathway curves a lot so I was always curious to see what I was going to see around the next bend.  After I'd been walking a while I checked my watch, oh wow, I've been walking an hour, how did THAT happen.  SO I made it around one more bend and turned around and headed back to MidTown after 7 miles of walking, to scare up some beer and dinner at a favorite bar.

The Greenway starts at Battery Park and you have to use 2nd Ave from 38th - 63rd street and it continues up to 125th street where it dead ends.  It is all part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, I think these things have a bajillion names..

In any event next time I get a few days in the city I will make it a point to walk all the way down to Battery Park and then cab or subway back to MidTown.  I'm kinda sad I didn't do that on Monday.

Tuesday (0) - Work Work Work didn't get home until after 10 p.m.  all I wanted was food and a beer, it was a long day.

Wednesday (5.6) - Hills with Ro, and then the Westerly Fun Runs where I volunteered to assist.  My quad/hip is throbbing.  Tommy was helpful when he said I spend a lot of time on my feet, speed doesn't have much to do with the constant impact.  He has a point, a point I've been trying to ignore. He did suggest swimming, no impact (except when I bash my head on a back stroke) and good cardio.  Smart man, that one.

Orthopedic appt in a week.  I was hoping the act of making the appointment would magically make the pain and throbbing go away. No.

Thursday (3) - Mikey talked me off the ledge.  I think his opening comment of "You look terrible" pretty much clued me in to this not running thing was a problem.  Ya think?  He recommended KT tape.  I did a little research and stopped at the easiest to get to drug store and picked some up, after the sticker shock. I thought, these things better work.  I've had KT tape before but it was years ago during one of those 60 mile walks for Breast Cancer and at that point on day 3 I was pretty much spent and nothing but a big bottle of Jack was going to save me in those days.  Anyhoodles...  I watched the application video and stuck this stuff on my quad.  My immediate test was could I stand on my right leg with out it buckling.  Holy Crap I could!

Took Gus on a 3 mile walk, he was a bit over heated and not loving it after the first mile but we had to get home and we had to go spy on Jeff V and see if his lawn was mowed, he usually does this on Thursday.  It was not, so Gus ate some grass and maybe tinkled on the curb...

The quad felt ok, better than it had been feeling.  I still feel a constant dull ache...  But it hurts less to move it or pick up my leg, so there's that, right?

Friday (0) - This was torture, I got it done though.

Saturday (6) - Took a short run in the a.m. hip/quad hurt the whole time, medium pain, not searing, definitely uncomfortable and I don't want to admit I felt it in the joint a bit.

I stopped mid run to pet Mugsy, a very calm Bulldog who seemed to enjoy someone paying attention to him.  It was nice little break to sit on the ground with him.  He definitely could smell my dogs on me, it's always cute when they do it's like they know who's a dog person and who isn't, so he took in some long sniffs and categorized them where ever it is dogs categorize these things and I moved on and he moved on.

Walked Gus... he enjoyed it mostly, I was too slow for him.  Poor guy.

Sunday -  Dave and I took our yearly road ride.


I got a little lost, no surprise there right?  Not that I haven't ridden it a few times and not that I don't have it programmed in the Garmin.  Oh well, it was a couple extra miles and hill climbs and descents.  It is an awesome ride.  Wonder if he'll ride a second time with me over the summer?

My hip wasn't in pain, even on the hill climbs, constant nagging ache, so if all else fails I get to bike.  As I sit here typing this with ice on my hip.  How is this even possible?

I'm a little frustrated, and I put on 4 pounds in two weeks, which doesn't really help matters.

Weekly Mileage:  21.6  (run:8.7 walk: 12.9)
Yearly Mileage:  988.1 against a straight line target of 942.2

Sincerely,
Beth frustrated she let this happen to herself.

Weekly Recap: Week -20: 5/30/2016 - 6/5/2016

This is a cut back week, an easy week...  Guess since I'm not completely up to snuff with my plan it really is a plain old week?

Oh yeah and I'm counting backwards, 20 weeks left of training!  Told ya I was going to tweak this as I went...

Monday (3) - Rainy lazy day I took full advantage of.  Surprisingly I'm more tired and achey when I do nothing than when I do something.  After dinner walk with Gus helped work out the kinks and I feel better.  I think he's regretting wearing his fur coat?  Jeff V and Helen Hayes maybe on to something with "rest is rust" ...

Tuesday (7.7) - 5 miles, kinda seemed easy, kinda seemed not easy, the humidity is up but the temperature is low, I'd rather cold and humid than hot and humid and my pace showed a bit of pep over past weeks.  I turned the HRM off on the watch because the battery was going low and I'd rather have the miles than the suffer score.

Gus and I had a nice walk on the beach.  It had been a while and I need to do this more, it is nice and quiet on Napatree after 6 and we can get in a good 2.5 miles.  During my walk I picked up, 7 mylar balloons, popped them and balled them up and then threw them away.  in a 1.25 mile stretch of beach 7 of those horrid things.  I know they get away from people, but wow...

Nothing else of note is coming back to me....

Oh wait, the bat... yes, the bat.  Dave swears there was a bat.  It's too early for bats in the house, that happens in August.  I think he may have had one too many beers...  nevertheless we went on a bat hunting mission through the house and did not find one.  Usually they land somewhere conspicuous, like a curtain or one of the steam pipes.  Dave figured he must have flown down to the basement.  Oh, ok, sure.

Wednesday (8) -  Power Hills with Ro, Spin with Jennifer, and then a Gus walk!  Busy day.  I walked Gus out to the Vet because Gizmo's ashes were back.  They were closed.  Gus was all "Wait. Woah. What?  The VET, you walked me to the VET!!?!?!?!"  I was hoping for one last walk with Gizmo.  Dave reminded me that we do have Diesel's, Sage's, and Gizmo's ashes and I could take all three of them for a walk.  I think he was being snarky, but hmmmm, maybe a nice moonlit walk to the end of Napatree, like we used to with all three of them and then they would get skunked and the drive home was awful!

Spin was interesting.  I felt like sleeping right at the beginning of class, it was an overwhelming urge, weird.  I managed to get through the class, but wow, I was a little concerned I'd pass out and fall off the bike and be embarrassed!

And there was a bat!  Poor creature met his demise in a mouse trap of all things.  There was one on the pantry counter, he must have hidden up under the cupboard and when it got quiet and he was going to fly around again to find his way out, snap. I found this when I fed the dogs on Wednesday night.  I'm sad, I don't like them or want them in the house, I certainly don't want them dead.  Sorry.

Thursday (2.8) - NYC for meetings.  My walk with Gus when I got home was a nice way to end the day.  6 hours of commuting (4 on commuter rail + 2 in the car) and 8 hours of meetings. There are going to be NYC meetings more than the once a month I had anticipated for the summer and early fall.  It will all work out... it always does.

Beer for the ride home - Beer Table in GCT BRILLIANT!!
Now to remember to add these things to Untapped so I remember what I like.

Friday (3.1) - NYC knocks me for a loop sometimes.  I could not get it together to run I could barely get it together to find matching shoes!!  I did manage to get it together to walk Gus in Grills and do a little off marked trail exploring.  I'm feeling much more confident that I can remember things and direction.  We found an asphalt road!  I have to find the history of that preserve, what was back there before it was a preserve.

See asphalt!!

Saturday (16.9) - Took a field trip to Milford NH to take a run on the rail trail that will be the scene of my possible demise as I attempt 100K, which is 4 full Brookline to Milford runs (15 miles) plus an additional 2 miles.  My mind is in the game and not in the game.  I'm on the fence, and still on the fence.  This is probably the absolute perfect setting for me to do this, 30 hours to complete 62 miles.  its a 23 minute pace for 24 hours 29 minute pace for 30 hours...  I honestly think it is the long runs in the heat that is getting to me.

The trail was nice, it is flat and fairly unexciting, I scared up lots of squirrels and chipmunks, no snakes that I noticed but those things don't bother me, no moose or deer either, :(.  Burlingame is far more diverse.  I ran out the 7 miles to Brookline (the last 1/2 mile is in a camp and I really didn't want to trespass, it's asphalt and nothing exciting).  I ran the first mile back then walked a mile, then decided to walk 1/2 mile and run 1/2 mile till the end.  That actually worked pretty well!  When my watch would vibrate at the mile I would walk, I was half heatedly aiming for a 15 pace.  If I can keep my mind together (considering it's held together with fraying binder twine and gum it is rather questionable) on these hot long runs through the summer there's a chance I'll succeed.

Running through the tunnel at night, is a singular, and good reason for running!

Sunday (2.9) - Yeah yeah 5 were on the schedule.  I was in a really productive mood when I woke up  and didn't want to break my stride ticking off projects on that annoying to do list. I'm nearly to the bottom of the list and the feeling of satisfaction was far greater than the joy of running in the rain.  And actually that says a lot as I do love to run in the rain.

Checking off the items in the: "Do It Later" category

Weekly Mileage:  44.3 (run 24.5  walk 19.8)  --  I'm off my running total -- I did get in my long run!
Yearly Mileage:   925.6 against a straight line target of 865.1

Sincerely,
Beth, still on the fence however leaning towards full commitment, running in the heat sucks for me and every time I'm out there I think about how nice this would be on the bike....  but come October 22 - 23 in NH it will be cool and the race really really sounds fun.

Weekly Recap: 4/416 - 4/10/16

Monday (6) - The Cherry Blossom race sent out a note that we should take a couple days off and resume running 2 days after our race and maybe run 2 or 3 miles at an easy pace.  Hmmmm, but it's Monday and it's time to run.  So I did.  And well if I run, I run 6.  I really don't think this applies to me, and honestly, I didn't race the race, I ran it, and damn if running those flat flat flat roads was so easy on my knees!  Brrrrr-lingame beat up my knees pretty well.

It was a good run and I enjoyed being out, bummed I missed the last of the snow and ended up running in the rain.  Took a peek at where the car went into the drink at Eastern Point Beach.  This is a huge fear of mine! Fortunately she is OK.  But really I do double check that I'm in the right PRNDL since starting to drive an automatic.  At least with a stick you have a bit of a warning you are going the wrong way, automatic and step on that gas solidly and whosh there you go!

We are having weather some people dislike (snow) again and people are losing their minds.  Really?  I thought New Englanders were a hearty bunch.  OK, the runner ones are, the rest of them, wow, go pull up your big girl and boy panties and move somewhere else.  Meanwhile, despite the ballerina neckline this totally suits the ones not whining!!

Moral:  Make the best of your situation!

Gus didn't get a walk, he did get his teeth brushed, to say he wasn't pleased is pretty accurate.  He enjoyed the 'poultry flavored toothpaste' but the brush not so much.  This is going to be a long process.  SO he didn't get a walk post brush to reinforce good things happen when he cooperates.  Guess we shall see if he curls up with me Tuesday a.m. if he forgives me.

Yeah, no this wasn't the case.  It was more me talking sweet and getting the toothbrush in his mouth and trying to hit one of his 4 teeth, although it felt like there were more teeth in there, hmmmm....

Tuesday (9.1) - Dave was up and out by 6 a.m. to get some instrument wood in New Hampshire, leaving me with solo dog duty, I wish he'd of let me know before I left work Monday so I could have made Tuesday a work from home day.  Oh well.  The dogs were all ready for me to hunker down on the couch. When he's not home I'm perfectly content to work from home.  Besides I may have actually been able to get started on the dreaded taxes!!

The day started with a headache about 4 a.m. some acetaminophen was all that dumped out of pill bottle on my table so I took those.  Gus took the opportunity to curl up with me in the space Gizmo and Jax weren't using.  Didn't even put a dent in it so when I was up at 7 I rooted around for the Vitamin I and dealt with Dog Breakfast.  Got into work and immediately downed some coffee, yes, that was going to help.  Um no...  Went out for my lunch run a bit early.  Maybe the sun and the fresh air would do me some good?  Not so much.  I enjoyed the run for its ability to take me out of my mind and blared my music maybe a little Pop Evil, AC/DC, and Motley Crue would drive away what ever demon was twisting my brain lobes in to ever tighter ropes.  Guess the good thing was I couldn't feel any other aches!!

After some food more Vitamin I downed with iced tea for more caffeine a bit of the edge came off.  When I got home I took Gus for a walk and that helped clear my head a bit more and the twisting and poking in my brain seemed to go away, really the evil little thing was hiding behind my left eye.  Yippieee....

Thinking it's either because I'm a girl or I have a sinus infection.  Guess if my teeth hurt tomorrow I'll know it's a sinus infection.

Wednesday (2.8) - The little demon headache was running around trying to hide in my brain, but eventually went away and my teeth felt fine.  Girl logic, don't question it, it's really not worth it.

Ro and I used to run on Wednesdays, till the skiing accident.  She can't run, and hasn't run.  She begged off, I insisted we walk if she could do that.  We walked.  I thought I might run after, but for whatever reason I'm hungry and can't even fathom running, so I had lunch.  Feh, tis what it tis.  I can run on Thursday, more important to catch up with Ro and her torn meniscus.

Because of things going on with my company my evening meeting wasn't necessary (I had to forgo spin for this meeting and I was on the wait list but still didn't get a bike) so I found a massage appointment.  I'm always leery with a man masseuse,that they will be too gentle, they won't be as aggressive with their elbows in my difficult to break apart fascia to get to my problem muscles.  Well, lemme tell you, Warren rivaled Amy tonight.  I finally had to say UNCLE when he got at the bound up crap on the right side of my lower spine.  PERFECTION!  I'd totally let him and his elbows go after my pirifomis.  After 55 minutes on my back I can finally turn my head and see over my left and right shoulder.  Hmmmm... since Amy seems to have fell off the planet, it may be a good idea to see if I can get another appointment with Warren.

Thursday (5.3) - It was raining and I needed to run.  So run I did.  I didn't make my 6, but Muddy still gave me kudos.  It looks like I put in effort, I kind of did and kind of didn't.  It was really a fun run aiming for the puddles and enjoying being outside drenched.  It reminded me of the one Girls on the Run 5K I did, poor Sophie, her first 5K and pouring rain.  She skirted the first puddle, I suggested she run through it and I stomped through it and she looked at me like I was nuts.  By the end she was plowing through the puddles too!  Good effort on my part and I enjoyed being out for the run and the novelty of being a weirdo.

An evening of chaos and not home till nearly 9, as a result Gus is a little ticked with me.  I'll take him out on the trails over the weekend.

Friday (5) - No I'm not back sliding.  I ran with Faith and let her push me a bit.  I need it once in a while instead of my usual shuffling.  Plus I'm tired, whine whine whine...  We had a nice run which I managed to take us into the wind the whole time!  Whoops!

Saturday (4) - Yeah it looks like I'm backsliding, seriously I'm not.  I took a zero today and went to the most killer Yoga class with Jennifer at LA Fitness in Cranston.  Wow, excellent.  Then we swam, it felt good to get back in the pool.  Laps on my front and laps on my back.  I prefer swimming with my face out of the water.  We all have our things.  The class was late a.m. and we all slept in so even a morning walk with Gus didn't happen.  Neither of us could remember the last time we slept till 9 a.m. we both needed it.

After I got home Giz and I went to the beach dragging him around for 1/3 of a mile in the sand is exhausting so I took Gus out to Barn Island for a walk to relax.  He hasn't been out and I feel guilty.  Dave takes Jax out a couple times a weeks to Burlingame he rides and Jax runs. As Dave says "all dogs all the time" yeah, it's kind of true.  They are so sweet and they let us sleep in this morning, no 6 a.m. WOOHOOO IT'S A NEW DAY LET'S GET IT STARTED, WHERE'S MY BREAKFAST, OPEN THE BASEMENT DOOR I GOTTA PEE running up and down the hall jumping on and off the bed crazies...

My plan is a long run on Sunday, 10 miles or maybe 11.

Sunday (13.5) -  There may be a dog walk later who knows.  I really need to clean out the flower gardens and it would be nice for Gizmo to get some time to sit in the sun and get some fresh air.  There was a dog walk, Gus is rather persuasive.  The grocery shopping didn't get done... oh well, who needs food.

For whatever reason this long run took a lot out of me.  I am more tired than after Brrr-lingame or the Cherry Blossom, how can that be?  I wanted to stick to a slow pace 11:30.  Hey, even 11:30 is slow, for me!!  ha ha ha.  I peeked at my watch every couple times it buzzed and it seemed like I was reading 11:40ish pace.  Imagine my surprise when 11:30 on the nose popped up as the pace for the run. Weird.  All in all a good run, I felt good for all but a few miles when I was desperate for a porta potty.  This is happening regularly and beginning to disturb me.  Mile 7 there was one in Avondale.  I went by the boat yards, in season they have them, off season, not so much.  So the track of my run goes hither and yon a couple times as I was on the hunt for the blue or green box of relief!

Weekly Mileage:  45.6  (run:32.9 walk: 12.7)
Yearly Mileage: 587 against a straight line of 556.5  (for a bit of a bank going again)

All in all the week ended better than it started.

Sincerely
Beth, off to do some gardening she guesses....

Weekly Recap: 3/28/16 - 4/3/16

Monday (3.5) - Rainy and cold and unmotivated I took a 0.  My left knee feels much better and more solid so I think it was the right "decision" to not run.  Gus and I had a rather brisk walk after dinner.  Wowza I forgot how energetic he can be.  Gizmo woke up not being himself.  I was pretty sure this was the end.   We think his schedule was thrown off from us being in MA on Sunday and not getting home until late.  Plus it was a rainy Monday, perfect day to spend on the couch sleeping like the near dead.

Ok maybe not COMPLETELY appropriate, only a wee bit?  A friend of mine sent this to me after telling me I take the adage "treat every day like it's his last" literally.

Tuesday (10) - What is that idiom: "March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb"  March has been a lion pretty much all month, and there are just a few days left!!  Today we were treated with 20 MPH NNW winds.  There really isn't anywhere to go to get out of them, it's best to gird your loins and JFGID.  I'm sure there are scientific surveys that say running into the wind doesn't slow down your speed more than running with it speeds up your speed and there are others that say you get back about 25% of what you lost running into a substantial wind.  The last three miles of my 6.66 today were slower not only because they were the last three but because of running in a wind tunnel.  It took everything I had to pass a walker.  How embarrassing.

When I saw my watch at 6.66 and I was at the gate, it was perfection.  No point in getting to an even 6.7

Gus and I had a brisk walk in the wind.  Can't wait to get him back out on the trails.  That will have to be next weekend as I'm in DC this weekend.

Wednesday (3.7) - Finally Ro and I can get back on our run/ run & walk /walk time.  I've missed my 40 minutes with her jibber jabbering about this and that.  She had a wicked bad skiing crash a month ago and her right knee is giving her fits and is swollen.  So she is very limited on the amount of running she wants to do however a walk is not out of the question!  Goodie.  I thought I MIGHT get in some more miles running after the walk.  I didn't, I was hungry.  I'm happier having this time with my very few friends!

    

   


Spin was an interval class, wow Kim teaches a great class!  I'll probably miss these over the summer when I'll be out on the road bike...

No dog walk, Dave and I were finally home together, time to get caught up on TV and eat pizza.

Thursday (9) - This wind, ugh.  I know I live on the coast and run on the coast, but really has it been 20MPH++ this consistently ever?  I've only lived out here 17 years...

The run was good, it was a struggle into the wind, I got my 6 and was satisfied with that.

I packed some Skirt Sports shorts I've been iffy on for a while.  I had my usual shorts, but as I picked up those Aimee popped into my head.  She is a HS girlfriends recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer (stage IIIC) so she is pretty far along with the progression of the disease, there is no stage V, and I don't know if they ABC stage IV.  What great news to get on your 49th birthday, eh?  Anyhow Aimee loves purple, and I mean OBSESSED with purple, her wig is lavender!!  These shorts have purple polka dots on them and oddly enough the latest pair of my favorite running shoes came in purple.  I think of her when I run, I pray and send good vibes.  I don't honestly know if this helps, it does make me feel like I'm doing something being 760 miles away from her.  In our private FB group started so she could let us know what is going on I posted a pic of my outfit explaining that: "While I am far away, you are always in my thoughts and prayers and apparently also in my gym bag."  Laughter is good medicine.  While I thought the shorts were too short, they are just fine because Aimee loves purple and knowing you have people rooting for you, her mantra is Go! Fight! Win!, it will be good luck for her when I wear the shorts.  The chemo will attack the cancer and she will survive and live to see all her grandchildren born and at least turn 21.

Gus and I went on a walk, he likes his hour of Gus time, sometimes it is a struggle to get him into the house.  Noooooooo...... I don't want to go in I want to go further.

Friday (0) -  I took a zero, it was a bit of a battle.  Like a few people today I had meeting issues.  Some went out and got their miles.  I had Chicken Schwarma salad (that counts as healthy?)  fortunately not the resultant borborygmus my tripod mates usually get from this lunch (or taco salad which was Mon and Tue).  Finished up some work, edited a document for publication, tinkered with a spreadsheet and went home for Friday afternoon nap.  I'll give myself a pass what with a race on Sunday and all.  Although I've been doing that a bit too often lately and my March numbers show it compared to my January numbers.  Still and all I'm on track to meet my goals.

I am ahead of 2015 for my running miles and I'm very pleased with this.  Walking isn't pulling me along as much as it could.  I've got about a 22 mile bank for the first quarter.

Saturday (2) - The day was spent driving to DC for the Cherry  Blossom 10 Miler.  Happy to get out of the rain and ick of New England.

Sunday (13.2) - Cherry Blossom 10 miler recap to follow. 

After and uneventful ride home I took Gus for a stroll.  I have to start brushing his remaining teeth, I was working up a strategy for this  torture.  He is so schedule orientated I am going to try with the teeth brushing (he has 4) before the walk so he knows he gets something he wants after the torture.  I started last night by sticking my finger in his mouth, he was not pleased with that.  You'd of thought I stuck the finger somewhere else!!  We had a nice walk and he decided to treat me to an early morning snuggle on Monday to let me know I was missed.  Awwwwww..

Weekly Miles:  41.1  (run: 22.7  walk: 18.4)

Yearly goal:  541.4  against a straight line target of 517.9

Sincerely,
Beth, sallying forth to the 2nd quarter of 2016!

Weekly Recap: 2/29/16 - 3/6/16

Monday – (8.1)  Last day of February, it’s finally over, the extra day and all.  I struggled on this run, still sore from Saturday is the only thing I can put my finger on. 

Weights at the Y, I’m pitching out the leg extensions and curls, they really bug my knees.  I miss TRX, have to find another class.  

Jax’s turn for a walk, two hiking adventures for Gus and he needed to give up his walk to his little brother.  Jax was good for nearly the whole walk, usually just before mile 2 his eyes start spinning in his head and he is looking for trouble to get into.   

Disappointed there was not a Downton Abbey to catch up on.

Tuesday – (6) The weather alert on my phone said 45 MPH wind gusts, but I couldn’t figure out the time frame.  Crossed my fingers it would be the usual amount of windy on my run.  Pulled the trigger on the fall ultra, all signed up, I’m terrified in that fun roller coaster ride sort of way. 

Yoga was much needed to settle my mind.   Dave was out for the night, so I made a quick stop at the Packy on the way to Yoga and picked up some new to me stouts and porters.  No I didn’t get them cold, I got them warm.  My brain was not engaged.  I did have a few things I like in the fridge at home.  My MI beer stash is very sparse,  and I need to go visit my parents,  how fortunate! 

Wednesday (6) The wind was at it again, I know living and working on the coast it should be expected, but wow, this has to be some sort of record of windy days.  Always reminds me when my youngest brother asked our father “Where does wind come from?”  Dad pointed him to the encyclopedias in the library, “Look it up.”  Back in the days before google I wonder if he ever did find his answer, he sat on the floor in the library surrounded by the encyclopedias for most of that afternoon.  I don’t know if he ever bothered to ask another question after that. 

This 6 was a struggle for me, I zigged and zagged a bit to mix it up.  Maybe next week 6 will seem normal to me.  I have some mental block with 10 miles that I am going to conquer over the weekend. 

Spin another interval class wiped me out further.  Hopefully I'll sleep like a rock tonight.

Thursday (3.2) Non-running day, and I really wanted to make it a super slug day and do nothing.  Dave took Jax out to Burlingame and he was nice and tuckered out after dinner.  Gus, on the other hand, hadn't been anywhere since Sunday and was bouncing between the silent treatment or breathing in my face.  Clearly, he was not going to let me get out of a walk, so at 9 p.m. we went for a walk.  The wind had died down so it was actually pleasant weather, and a stary night with the clear skies.  Of course this made me wired before bed fortunately Gizmo was very snuggly, Jax was happy to have someone to curl up with, so they pinned me down and the three of them serenaded me with calming boxer snores that lulled me off to sleep.

Friday (6) Probably the last snow globe run of the 2015 - 2016 winter...  it was very joyous until "The Last Train to Clarksville" popped up on the iPod.  Huh?  There have been a few songs lately that have me scratching my head 1) I don't remember putting them on one of my Running play lists 2) I don't remember even adding them to iTunes 3) Maybe the being that stole the filler hose for my windshield washer reservoir also has been messing around with my iTunes?  So that passed, eventually.  While I did like the Monkey's at one point in my life and played the hell out of my Mother's album I can't for the life of me understand how this happened.

Saturday (9.3)  Mystic Hare Hop 5K recap here.  Fun 5K.  I needed to push myself more than I did.  I'm satisfied with my time and I had an awesome time on the horrible hill out and back because I got to see everyone!!  

Took a quick shower to make it out to the spot where I planned on spectating for the Ocean's Run 1/2 Marathon, I knew quite a few people running it.  Crutch was also planning on the same spot.  Great minds.  We were at about mile 7.5, and I though the race started at 9:00 so 9:30 would get me there a bit before the front runners would be rounding the corner of Shore Road and Noyes Neck.  Well the race started at 9:15 whoops.  Crutch thought it started at 10 so he would have totally missed them, better early than late?

I wish I could have gotten an athlete list so I knew more people to look for!!!  I missed quite a few.  Got pictures of may, I probably should post the ones of the people I don't know to the event page, I won't.  I'm not in all that giving and kind mood, of late.

It was very sad to see that the RD wasn't able to get someone to marshal that corner, it was fairly busy with turning traffic.  

Took Gus out for his first trail run, we went to Grills, it seemed like if (when) I got turned around (lost) it would be easy enough to get un-turned around (found).  Yes, staying ON the marked trails would be the smart thing to do that didn't happen after I found "The Big Hill" and Gazelle's secret fort plastered with Rod Stewart album covers and empty bottles of Cherry Schnapps.  

My plan was to go on the Blue trail to the Yellow / Red trail to the Yellow trail and then the Blue trail and back to the car.  Somehow I got on a Red trail and the "Big Hill" then no marked trails.  I missed the Yellow marker?   Guess back in the day this was a big dirt bike course?  After I got down from "Big Hill" there were 'trails' unmarked and definitely worn in just not used a lot, my legs were scraped and bloodied, nothing picture worthy.  I followed a few till I really felt completely disorientated and knew the RR tracks needed to be to my right and the sun to my back to find my car.  Well I found the RR tracks so we ran along them for a while, till I found what looked like a cut in, then a Yellow trail, then no markings and well I should have stayed on the Yellow trail, we turned around.  Then found the Orange x-country ski trail, ahhh, I knew that would lead back to the car, and BOOM there was "The Big Rock" from last week.  And eventually Vinnie.

Grills Trail Map (I should probably have with me)

My GPS - the black circle is where the "lost" happened.
The yellow dots are Big Hill (the lower dot) and Big Rock (the upper dot)

Garmin gave me 5.28 miles, WoofTrax gave me 5.7 miles.  Nothing is ever exact with GPS. I'll take the 5.3 and call it good. 

Took a mile for Gus to figure out what we were doing, then he was great about letting me "chase" him, and we'd take walk breaks as needed.  Eventually he'd stall and sniff for a while and then race up behind me and pass me and look over his shoulder with this "ok runner girl, catch me if you can" look.  It was SO fun.  It has been a while since I've seen him run like that.  I think this is going to be a lot of fun for both of us.

Gus on top of "Big Hill"

Sunday (7.3 + whatever I lost in my first attempt) My plan was for 10, my bodies plan was to rebel. I got to the end of the street and it was clear I needed to turn around.  I did that.  Fixed that problem, Gizmo was on edge, comforted him for a while and contemplated this 10 miles (the mistake, thinking).  I'm having a real hard time with that number for some reason.  It is completely mental because clearly with the double yesterday I was nearing 10 and with the GPS fudge, lets call it 10....  Next weekend is Faith and Joe's wedding and the Bolton 5 miler with this hill Faith won't shut up about.  So that's got me wiggy.  I 'ran' up Mt. Washington Auto road, not once but twice and this 'hill' has me wigged.  I need to reprogram my brain!!!!

I started out on my usual route to see the cows, twice.  Made it along Canal, and stopped, and turned around.  I was done 2.1 miles, done.  I cursed myself and wondered what the hell was my problem. As I'm slogging back a Volvo Station Wagon slows down and stops and a big hairy arm comes out the window.  Ahhhh Gary on his way to Agway for chicken feed.  That made me smile, I'm looking forward to the boys stories on Monday morning.  They all got together and played cards at Gary's on Friday night.  Still didn't perk up my pace.  I did remember I do this for fun and at least I attempted the run, so no point in beating myself up.  This gem popped into my head on and off as I self medicated with the small amount of endorphins I could pull from this run.  As I passed Grey Sail Brewery Gary was back by with his chicken feed!  At least I was still running at that point.

Editor's note: Gary said I looked like I was suffering.  Not sure if this is validating or if it makes me feel better.

The afternoon was a trip to the beach for Gizmo.  It is a project getting him loaded in the car then 'walking' him through the heavy sand.  I look forward to this and I don't.  He had a grand time dragging me this way and that on the beach and finally had enough and hightailed it back to the car on the hardtop parking lot.  Goofball.  We went about 1/2 mile, easy.  

Giz at Misquamicut

Feet: 45.9 (37.4 Run 8.5 Walk)  3958 against a straighline target of 363.7

Sincerely,
Beth, Wondering if it is time for a cutback week or integrate longer runs and one more rest day?  And I wonder if it is going to be warm enough to bike to work next week!