More About Eating, Less About Running

Hubb's birthday was Monday, he is now older than me, again, pshew. It has been a tough 81 days!

Monday my work schedule was all bunged up, and I didn't get out for a run, I was kind of bummed but had a productive day which is probably more important, seeing as that is what pays the bills.   TRX was just me, we had class since I was already there, usually two is the minimum.  It was nice to spend an hour talking with my friend about subjects all over the map and noting that my core strength has dramatically improved since I started class, late last summer.  Guess regular conditioning does that for a person, eh?  She laughed about how I couldn't do a curl under plank to save my life and now I was managing a solid 9 on each side.  Huh...  

Hubb wanted to go to Captain Scott's Lobster Dock for dinner, cool, when he got there the line was outrageous so we went up to The Plum Tomato in Colchester.  Yes, a ridiculously long way to drive for pizza, it is simply the best pizza, large white, with chicken and triple pesto. Their pesto is ridiculous and the combo with a little romano cheese sprinkled on it, YUM.  Washed down with a couple beers, acceptable birthday dinner.

Tuesday I got in a double run.  Or really a triple.  3 at work, 1.5 warm up with Jana, which was damn close to my race pace, and 1 lap (1.5) of the Dog Watch 5K with Crutch and eventually we caught up with Jana.  I was done, that was mile 6 for the day.  It was fun watching every one come in and of course the beer afterwards.  Good to get some time to talk with Mike and Crutch about running and non-running things.   Great to meet 5K!  Hi!

So that brings us to Wednesday, wrapping it up quickly my legs were a bit sore, go figure.  Time to take it easy and do some walking.  What better place to take a walk, watch cows munch on sunflowers, and have ice cream, because no birthday dinner is complete without dessert, off to Buttonwood Farms!  

Sincerely,
Beth, see more about eating, less about running...  but if you were curious about the stats

Work Run 3 miles 9:51 pace
Warm up 1.5 miles 9:13 pace
One lap 1.5 miles 9:13 pace

See Mike, 8:30 isn't an easy warm up for me, it is a goal pace!!  Eventually I'll run a few yards with y'all!

MCM Training Week 5

Setting the stage:  I’m slightly cynical, with a side of sarcastic, sprinkled with a healthy dose of pragmatism. 

I joined a women s running group on Facebook.  An area where women can post about their running achievements, disappointments, challenges, and just get to know other women runners.  I joined a little halfheartedly, knowing I may pick up some interesting information a couple of tips but generally there would be forty seven thousand posts on the age old question do you wear underwear or go commando.  Seriously, a little tired of THAT conversation. 

Scrolling through, the usual underwear or commando questions, a few on pooping, some on fueling, a handful of  wave or no wave.  The posts that pique my interest more are about the first time or the millionth time running a particular race distance and goals people have for themselves...

Then there was something different.

Tammy

 Wow.

I open the snail mail once a week.  If I opened it daily I’d end up going through it more than once, and why bother.  So I sit down with the big basket of what amounts to mostly junk mail and open and sort into recycle, shred, deal with piles.  Even packages don’t get opened up right away.  Hubb works from home so he has time to stop, and open the package, and appreciate what is inside.  I prefer to take the time to appreciate what someone has packaged up for me, which makes them bananas.

Thursday night, after spin and some errands, I was home by 7, just me and the dogs to have an hour or so to decompress before hubb got back from his bike ride.  Perfect time for the mail!

One package were some books a friend returned with jams, jellies, and salsa she made, very cool!

The other package were sock monkeys, SMAC Sock Monkeys Against Cancer.

Phoenix  and NoMo
 Phoenix is all about SMACKING Lung Cancer out of this world
NoMo is the ALL Cancer fighting monkey.

I intended to give Phoenix to my mother, living with lung cancer for 6 years.  But there was Tammy…  a year younger than me, just starting chemo after surgery, a runner, chomping at the bit to get back on the pavement.  My mom always says how sad it is to see the young people in her support groups.

Saturday morning I mailed Phoenix to Tammy.  Saturday night I did the last 4 miles for my 14 mile long run, a long way of introduction that Tammy was in my thoughts and my loop in the park was dedicated to her.  Wilcox Park in Westerly is beautiful, calming, happy place, I hope some of that calming influence made its way to Tammy on my 1/4 mile loop.

February 23rd is the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon in Orlando.  A girlfriend decided WE needed to be princesses, who can refuse a tiara, right?  I fully expect CMK and I to cross that finish line with Tammy and witness her receive her well deserved tiara.

Sincerely, 
Beth, glad she didn't give in to her cynical ways and checked out the posts in the WRC and agreed when CMK wanted us to be princesses

Blessing of the Fleet - Recap

I signed up for this fully anticipating this to be a humid and hot sufferfest... and yet again Mr. Potter, your killing me here...   Not being one to pay attention to the news or weather, I was prompted to check the weather as I was informed I would not be eating the WTAC crew's dust, but their rooster tail as they sped through the puddles.   HA!!

The plan was to meet up with the gals, and leave the husbands to tend to the children and the beer as the women ran.  I asked hubb if he was interested, and he was ok with the idea.  I am thankful to have a portable go with the flow partner.  We did introductions of the hubbs and took off for the starting line and to meet up with another runner!

Ladies who Run

I saw another one of the runners I blog stalk, looking very serious as he made his way to the starting line. I called out his name and he stopped dead in his tracks, hopefully I didn't derail his concentration.  But seriously, it was nice to put a name and a face together, finally!!  Can't wait to read about how you killed this race.   Eventually I'll track down (congratulations on killing last years time) every last one of you!!  Muwahaaa....

Ok so the run 10 miles, not a shitshow or sufferfest...  But for a Friday after a long work week flat run, it was challenging!

Monia of Insert Witty Running Pun Here and I ended up pairing up for the first 5 miles.    We did the typical with the Blessing and went out too fast for mile 1 (9:16)  With a bazillion runners and even starting more towards the middle you get caught up in the excitement and the gradual downhill to the water.  Gain of 13 feet loss of 47 feet.

Mile 2, 10:39, gain of 45 feet loss of 8 feet, ok, that is a better pace.  Love being able to chat with Monica,  we had Laura and Mary in our sights, and Nicole and Jennifer right with us.

Mile 3, 10:00, gain of 16 feet loss of 58 feet, ah hitting our stride, I wanted to be around a 10 minute mile, still keeping the pace with every one, Jackie is way out in front of us, as expected!!

Mile 4, 10:13, gain of 16 feet loss of 21 feet, on target, we were both feeling pretty good, 

Mile 5, 10:27, gain of 16 feet, no loss, it was at this point Monica bowed out and I was left to move forward alone.  Along the most boring part of the race until...

Mile 6, 10:23, gain of 52 feet, no loss, finding my solo stride, and we are in my favorite part of this course, in the trees. 

Mile 7, 10:10, gain of 8 feet, no loss, ahhh... and getting back into civilization

Mile 8, 10:29, gain of 21 feet, loss of 58,  seriously Beth, what is going on, suck it up princess

Mile 9, 10:01, gain of 8 loss of 12 feet, well I did get to see my hubb!!

Mile 10, 10:05, gain of 16 loss of 60 feet, really Beth, that is a big loss, whimp.

1:43:04 (2012: 1:45:51) not bad!

We look wicked cute, really we did run hard!!

This was my second year running this race.  And I'll say the finish chute was so much more well managed and the runners got a chance to walk a bit before the onslaught of spectators milling around with their umbrellas, prams, kids in tow...  So I didn't feel so much like screaming or wiping my drenched body against their nice dry clean clothes.  Ok, yes, I am a bitch...  and really Potter, this would have been the race to show up to!

We managed to get out to the rendezvous point... trying to round up a herd of women is well, challenging...  somehow Monica and I managed to miss them!!!  Oh well, we took the long walk back.  Ding dong here, the one who gets lost on fairly well marked trails led the 1.5 mile walk back....  yeah, we should have taken the bus to the HS, don't judge, I am not known for making the best decisions!!

All in all the double rainbow over the finish line tells it all.  

Peeking at the results it looks like the WTAC guys met their goals great job guys!!!!  And happy belated birthday to Jeff I see you bumped up to +3 from me versus the +2 from previous races.   Long live those born in the 1960s!!!

Sincerely,
Beth, up way to late past her bedtime...  old people need their sleep.