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....

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler - Recap

November co-worker, Miho, had the brilliant idea of entering the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.  She set up a team for the lottery, so we either all got in or not.  A few of us did the NYC ½ lottery in 2015 and some of us got in and some of us didn’t, so that wasn’t so much fun.  This would be better!

The lottery closed on December 11th.  That was the day I put my name in.  I was really struggling because I knew I had the Rutgers ½ two weeks after and I don’t like to be gone twice in a month.  Did I really want to use up the last of my credits from when Dave went to Utah for a week leaving me to do solo dog duty for 7 days?

December 14th our team was alerted, we were in!  There were going to be 7 of us gathering in DC to run.  Two women I work with, two sisters of one of the women, a friend and a boyfriend of another woman.  

Those 3 or 4 of you who follow me regularly know that I imploded at Marine Corps in 2013 so the thought of going back to run those same streets was a little overwhelming couple that with my lack of miles and motivation in 2015, my longest run was 13.1 at the watershed Gansett ½ in October.  It was time to get back to enjoying running in 2016.  For me this meant to run races for fun, and not commit to to much in advance.  

I’m not a big fan of huge races or out and backs, so going into this I really had to focus on getting in a good 10 mile run with 16,000 of my closest friends and nothing more than that.

Goals:

A:  1:45
B:  1:50
C:  Do not die

1:45 was easily achievable with a 10:30 pace, a pace I maintain fairly regularly with not much effort.  Could I maintain that pace weaving in and out of people in the 20 MPH NW winds?  

Fortunately it has been windy for my local runs so I knew what the struggle against the wind would be, but maybe would all these people help block the headwind?  Not so much.

Full results here.

My result: 1:47 10:39 pace – pretty darn close to my A goal, honestly I really wasn’t focusing on anything but feeling good while running and not letting the demons I’ve allowed to sabotage me lately win and only checking my watch on occasion.  I had the pace set to the pace at the moment, not the lap pace so it wasn’t much help anyhow!  I could feel when I was lagging and the paces showed me what I felt.  I feel like such a grown up runner girl being able to 'feel' my pace.



I’m pleased with my effort and result.  Mostly how much I was able to change my attitude about the things I like least.

The odds were stacked against this race, overall dislike of huge races, running around people, navigating around people, out and back courses, and my recently acquired (an now gone) fear of completing a 10 mile run.  (Wonder if there is a 10 mile phobia?)

Driving into DC with trusty Waze by my side, Thomas told me I would be in DC in 5 hours and 39 minutes.  I don’t think at 7:30 a.m. he really had accounted for the slow driving due to rain nor the unbelievable traffic in DC or the fact I need to stop to get coffee, food, and gas.  We arrived 7 hours later, two hours before bib pick up closed.  That was my main concern, get to DC before 4:00 so I had 45 minutes to pick up my bib.

Bib pick up was easy; all you needed to know was your number.  My friend was stuck in traffic and wasn’t going to make it to bib pick up.  She forwarded me her confirmation and I was able to pick up her bib also!  Off to get the race shirt and wander around the expo.  All super simple and not over crowded.  

The race also had a great app that helped with directions and questions and runner info.  I’ve never used one of those before and it really was a good resource.

I took a short walk to the start area, the Washington Monument.  I hadn’t been there since Marine Corps 2012 when I met three new friends and we were ‘trapped’ in DC for nearly a week due to Super Storm Sandy knocking out power and flooding train tracks.  It looks even more beautiful on a sunny day with the grounds filled with people flying kites.  Truly amazing to see in our current state of constant chaos; people enjoying themselves.

Our met for dinner at a brew pub, great conversation, laughter, good beer, and good food, just the right stuff to ensure a good night’s sleep!

We arranged to meet at 7:15 a.m. for a quick photo and those that wanted could go off to their corrals.  We decided to all stay in the second to the last corral mostly to stay warm!  It was cold, and windy.  The day before the race the race director made the decision to take down all course signage, timing clocks, tents and eliminate the pre-race activities, all but the singing of the National Anthem, and all post-race activities.  The communication on this was EXCELLENT at the expo, via eMail, and via the app.  Race day greeted us with 20 MPH sustained NW winds with gusts to 50 MPH.  A half marathon in Middletown CT was postponed due to the winds there.  I think their winds were a bit stronger.  Syracuse, on the other hand had their 1/2 in a blizzard (or something like that).

The Group!
Emily, Tanya, Miho, me, Rebecca, Mary, Kelly
Miho's boyfriend took the picture

We got our group picture, Tanya and I snapped a selfie and in the middle of a conversation our wave was off.  Whoops, get the watch started and run silly girl!

Mile 1 (11:01) was as expected weaving in and out, I let the crowd carry me along and didn’t get frustrated with the people walking.  Running into the wind.

Mile 2 (10:21) a pace more like I expected, half way across the bridge, no one blew off in the gusts!  Into the wind most of this mile.

Mile 3 (10:25) off the bridge and back into the wind for our second out and back.  My hands were burning and stinging, they were FINALLY starting to warm up in my gloves, yeah!!

Mile 4 (10:38) and with the wind at our back, my hips were tightening up.  Eat a couple gummy things silly.  SO I did and that felt better. Mental or real?  Who knows, chewing the three gummies kept my mind off of anything but NOT choking on the gummies! Passed the water.  Wow the cups were everywhere what a mess, I wonder how many ended up as litter across DC and into the water?

Mile 5 (10:41) the gummies started kicking in a bit or who really knows. We were on our third out and back and back along the parkway we ran from the start out to the bridge.  Really pretty with all the trees, maybe next time we will get Cherry Blossoms.

Mile 6 (10:40)  and back into the wind to then get to the part where had we run a week earlier the view would be 2,000 cherry trees in bloom.

Mile 7 (11:01)  and along the Potomac, I stopped for water, there wasn’t a choice but to stop and get water and then run again.  It was a ZOO!  I think MCM has water on both sides.  Grabbed Gatorade first, whoops, then some water which was what I really wanted.  I doubt I actually needed a drink it was nice to walk for a bit.  Ate three more gummies, probably a good idea to get back on my fuel at 3 miles plan for longer distances. 

Mile 8 (10:39)  and wind at our backs, people were slowing and walking so there was bobbing and weaving.  Someone was passing out Dixie cups of beer, nearly got tripped by someone cutting cross-ways to get the beer.  I passed on the beer, I had a race to finish and while I wasn’t going to meet my A goal (unless I started my watch a minute early) I really wanted to be done, I was getting a little (ok a LOT) tired of being around people.

Mile 9 (10:48) and we are into the wind, the people weren’t blocking it, which was surprising, no matter where I went I couldn't catch a draft.  WOW! I could imagine how beautiful this was in full bloom.  And oh my, was this the site of the 2013 sweat encrusted porta potty break after the 20K mark of MCM 2013, why yes, yes I think it is.  And then the image of the gal who elbowed me in the gut while screaming something foul about slow people.  Ah yes, not a fun memory.  I moved through it, that was a long long time ago.

Mile 10 (10:18) and no break from the wind. Wait? What?  On this pancake flat course we were experiencing a climb; it was all of 20 feet and felt like a mountain!  Where is the finish line? Was it at the monument or before it?  Oh shit there it is!  Better speed up!  So the race ended like it started -- as a complete surprise to me!

Would I do this one again?  Absolutely!  Yes, it has everything I hate about a race and I loved it and would do it again! What was the difference?  Perhaps because it was a surprise to get in, a surprise to start, and a surprise to finish?

Sincerely,
Beth, surprise!

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!