Famous Among Dozens

Saturday, I got up and out the door to run 12 miles by 7:00 a.m. and I still felt like I'd been run over by a freight train by mile 8 or so.  One problem is that the temperature in Texas right now is something akin to the surface of the sun.  I've been tossing around phrases like "it's only going to be 95 today?!"  That my friends, is cray cray. 

Post run, I managed an ice bath with two bags of ice.  I don't understand how an ice bath is supposed to make you feel better.  I think the basic logic is that you'll forget that you were ever in pain from running as you sit shivering in pain in a bath of ice cubes.  I've never been so hot and then so cold in the span of an hour. 

Tonight is dinner (and wine) at Nonna --- oh, hello delicious Italian food that I might regret in the morning when I throw up in Tread class...

Just Say No

Saturday, I didn't leave for my 12 mile run until 9:15.  That means that it was 2 shades hotter than hell when I set out from my house.  I have gotten into some very bad running habits.  One of them is valuing sleep much more than my training.  I remember when I was acting, we would always say that "you do the play that you rehearse."  I think that probably translates - "you run the race the way that you train."  Why didn't I remember all the non-fun discipline that training involved?  I desperately need to kick myself in the butt or I'm going to be walking 18 of the 26.2 in November.  Prepare for turning of new leaf.

Podcasts are my life line on my long runs.  This American Life, Grantland, Slate ...  greatness.   I learned the term "scroll down disaster" this week on Slate's podcast.  That's a person wearing something acceptable from their head to their midsection and then having a terrible outfit below the waist/shoes.  I cannot wait to toss that phrase out at the perfect time.  Then, Grantland's reality TV podcast gave me the church giggles on the homestretch of my run --- either that or the heat was making me delirious. 

Also, as the picture indicates, I'm done with bad things.  I'm putting my foot down.  Hear that, bad things?  You better step off.  I'm only accepting good things from here on out.  Please and thank you.

I Love It

I explained to running that I would like to kick some butt this weekend, but running didn't listen.  I only had to run 9 miles on Saturday morning, but it might as well have been 19.  It was hotter by 9:00 a.m. in Dallas than some states get all summer long.  Is it possible not to look so sweaty and disgusting at the end of your run?  I bet Gwen Paltrow knows how (googling GOOP newsletters now).  By the by, Parker is licking the sweat off of my leg in the photo above.  Gross, I know.  She looks a bit demented there, but she's really very sweet (see pic below).

Anyway, the All Songs Considered (Best So Far of 2012) podcast + my weekly dose of Ira saved an otherwise boring, sun-raging 9 miles.  If you need a good running tune for the summer, I'm kind of loving the song "I Love It" by Icona Pop.  If you need a reason to train for a marathon in the Texas heat, I'm kind of at a loss right now...

Dear Heel, Please Heal

I want to tell you how I breezed through ten miles on Saturday.  I want to tell you how I'm going to *kill* it in NYC this year.  I want to, but I can't.  Saturday was brutal.

I didn't go to the lake (I know, I know) to run and that meant that I didn't get started until almost 8:00 a.m. when it was already approximately 11,000 degrees.  Honestly, I was a little cocky about running ten and boy, did I get a schooling.  I can usually tell how a run will go on the first mile - how my legs are feeling, the temperature, my speed etc...  Mile number one on Saturday could have been titled "uh oh".  I can think of a couple of other "titles" for the miles I ran that day, but they are not fit to print.  I haven't had a great long run this summer, but this was by far the worst.  To keep the fun coming, by Saturday night, my left achilles was in pain again.  UGH. 

I took Sunday and today as rest days and I emailed Maggie (my Lukes coach).  She says that I can still run, but I need to lay off the speed (um... that doesn't seem like it will be a problem).  She also said not to stretch my achilles right now because that just makes the problem worse.  The plan is to slow down a little and ice a lot after running.  According to Maggie, I can even go to the track work out on Thursday with the group as long as I "take it easy on the burpees."  Is she kidding?  I invented taking it easy on burpees.  Let's hope I can beat this thing before it becomes a monster.

P.S.  I heart you, Ira Glass.  For every single second you distracted me from the scorching heat and the pain of those miles with your delightful podcast, I thank you.

The Truth About Cows

I'm pretty sure this earring-wearing cow is laughing because there's crack in the cheese that he makes.  Only 35 calories in that wedge of goodness?  Cows are born liars.

Speaking of snacks, let me introduce you to the best apple of all time.  The one apple that gives it a run for its money is the apple that they give you at the finish line of the NYC Marathon, but you have to run 26.2 miles to get one  --- you can weigh the cost/benefit analysis on that.  If you don't have that kind of time, go pick up a Jazz Apple.  You will fall in love immediately.  You will want to give this apple a promise ring and run away to Vegas with it.  Don't say I didn't warn you...

Lost in My Mind

I'm pretty sure that I might have an overactive imagination, but my left ankle started to hurt after my "run" on Saturday.  I decided to take Sunday off.  Monday, I ran 6 miles, but had the odd pain again.  It wasn't really a pain so much as a tightness.  After all the injury troubles, I panicked and took another day off.  Better safe than sorry, right?  It takes discipline to run, but it takes even more to make stretching and rest your BFFs.  I've been trying to run smarter these days and to rest/recover when I need it (even if the schedule says that it is a running day).  I ran 6 miles this morning with no pain ... er... well, no foot pain at all.  So, I guess it worked.  Fingers crossed. 

My pace this morning was meh.  I was pretty excited that I ran the last three miles of my run faster than the first three.  That's what we call a negative split in the biz.  Props to me.  Then, I realized that the last three miles of my run are entirely downhill so I'm nearly guaranteed a faster pace every time I run that route.  Oh well, I'll take it.

I've been dying to do Hood to Coast for a couple of years.  I just recently saw that you can do Ragnar Relays all over the place.  Hmmmm....  how do I bribe 10 people to join in on this fun little adventure?
http://www.ragnarrelay.com/running_events

Smack Down

On Saturday, my workout worked me.  Please look at how bleary-eyed I am in this photo.  That's a delirious smile and check out the tangled janky hairdo (jealous much?).  This is what happens when 12 miles hands your butt to you on Saturday morning.  I wouldn't say I "ran" 12 miles as much as I "covered" 12 miles during my outing.  When I wanted to quit, I kept trying to focus on the fact that when you have an injury you would kill to just be out there giving 12 miles a try and that at some point in the summer, 12 miles is going to be a short run.  In any case, I did not die and that's a good start to any Saturday.

Craig has been struggling with achilles tendonitis.  I don't even know how to explain how hard it is to be injured.  There's the physical pain, of course, but much worse is the mental beating you take.  All you can think about is running ... and getting back to it ... and calculating how much the time off is costing you.  Craig is one of the most talented runners I know and seriously tough.  I'm sending him good wishes for a speedy recovery. 

Sunday was my dear friend Timmy's birthday.  He's been such an inspiration to me over the past couple of years.  He told me that he *might* train to run NYC again this year with us.  I'm hoping that by posting it here, it will make the whole idea ... more than a *might*.  I am his biggest cheerleader.  COME ON, TIMMY! 

Go Big or Go Home

I ran 6 miles yesterday.  Nothing special.  The exciting news from yesterday is that the water fountain is University Park is fixed now.  I know that you have all been worried about that.  Stand down, everyone.  Crisis averted.

Today, the schedule said to run 3 miles.  Naturally, that made me want to run at least 5.  Running is a weird mental addiction where you always think that you need to be running at least twice the amount of miles that you actually are running.  I mean, if 3 miles is good, 6 must be twice as good, right?  The thing is, there's a science to the training and you can really get in trouble if you start adding a lot of "junk" miles (that's a technical term).  Injuries are lurking at every corner.  Junk miles are a good way to get one.

I stuck to the 3 miles today, but I decided to use the short run for speed training.  I don't want to brag, but ... ahem...one of my miles was at a 7:50 pace.  SEVEN FIFTY, people.  Read that again because I am certain it is the last time you'll be reading about a 7:50 mile on this blog.  Sub-8-minute-KC.  Boo to the yeah. 

Back on Track

I was very nervous about my first run of the summer with ATP, but I did okay on Saturday.  My average pace was around 8:40.  I was hoping for my average pace to be closer to 8:30, but I'm also hoping for a unicorn and a rainbow.   Overall, not too shabby for my first 8 mile trek of the season with ATP.  My left leg didn't really bother me (woo-hoo!).  I think that's due to all the stretching I've been doing.  Next week's group run is 12 miles --- which means that this week's task is all about downloading podcasts.  I have *got* to come up with something to listen to besides the People's Pharmacy --- even I have my public radio limits.  It seems that the NPR 6 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. time slot on Saturday mornings is for broadcasts intended to lull its listeners back to sleep.  If the run doesn't kill me next week, listening to that show might. 

Saturday morning, I also made the first of many post run stops at the Taco Joint.  Hello, queso. You never disappoint.  It was so nice to spend some time with you again.

Tread

I have a love/hate relationship with Tread --- or is it just hate?  I keep meaning to get into a routine that includes at least one Tread class a week, but yesterday was the first one that I have attended in weeks.  I really like the teacher (Brandon) and I love how I feel when I walk out of that class, but I got my butt handed to me yesterday.  I wish you could see these people in the class with me that run effortlessly with their treadmills on a 12 incline at a speed of 10.  Why am I the one running the marathon?  These people could beat Ryan Hall in a foot race. 

My left leg held up pretty well during the class, but I'm sore today.  Good thing it is a rest day *and* that I wore my compression socks under my work pants.  Very sexy.  Very.

I stuck mostly to the schedule this week and will be attempting an 8 mile run at the lake tomorrow morning.  It will be my first run at the lake since last October.  There better be a stop at the Taco Joint if I survive.  Nothing says celebration like a bacon, egg and cheese taco.

Oh, Thank Heaven

There's a 7-11 about 2.5 miles from my house.  It has rescued me so many times from certain dehydration death.  For $1.29 you can purchase a life-saving bottle of water.  The cashiers think I am insane ... or maybe just insanely out of shape.  I usually stumble in drenched in sweat and gasping for air.  The worst part (for them) is when I pull the sweaty dollar from the back pocket of my running skirt to hand to the poor cashier.  People, I'm a catch.  There's just no doubt about it.

6 S-L-O-W miles this morning (including a quick stop at my favorite convenience store).  I don't know why I was moving like a snail. 

It is National Running Day --- so, everyone get out there and ...well, you know ... run. 

THUD ... THUD ... pant, pant... THUD... pant... THUD... pant.  That's what you might have heard if you had the misfortune of being anywhere near me while I was attempting to run on Saturday.  It was my first 10 mile run since my marathon last November and I wouldn't say I was exactly light on my feet.

I decided that 10 miles was outrageous considering that I am coming back from an injury and a winter full of queso.  My plan was to attempt 8 miles and to run in the neighborhood instead of at the lake.  I didn't want to feel any group pressure to go longer or faster than I should.  Of course, I should have realized that my worst "peer" pressure comes from me.  So, naturally, when I got to the turn around for my 8 mile run, I thought why not push it just a bit and try to run 9... and when you're already running 9, you might as well run 10, right?  It was a slug fest, but I managed to cover 10 long miles (with several water and curse breaks).  My brain knows that there will be a point in this training season where 10 miles will seem like cake.  My brain knows it, but my legs don't believe it.

4 more miles on Sunday morning where I tried to drown myself in sweat.  Week 2 of training = done and done.

Texas ---> NYC!

Trip to New York for the holiday weekend.  I love that town.  We ran 2 out of the 3 mornings.  I think that's pretty good considering that I felt like running approximately 0 out of the 3 days that we were there.  Just kidding.  There are so many great places to run in NY.  We just weren't close to them.  We settled for a non-scenic stretch of the river close to a gas station.  At least it was convenient.  6 miles on Saturday and 4 miles on Sunday.  Points for me!  Of course, I have to subtract those same points + more when you think about how much eating and drinking I crammed into 3 days.  Joe Allen's, Frying Pan, Beauty and Essex, Levain Bakery, Spotted Pig (Dutch Baby!), queso at David's, lunch at Momo fuku ssam bar... a seriously delicious itinerary prepared for us by Timmy.  Can you see why I need to start running twice a day to keep up with my massive love of food?

ATP schedule says we run 10 this Saturday.  10?  TEN?  Exercise panic attack, party of one.

In Memoriam

After two marathons and a lot of training runs, my first Garmin officially bit the dust.  We tried hard to revive it, but I finally broke down and bought a new one --- which actually holds a charge and might also have a better than 20% accuracy on its GPS (hooray!).  Still, hard to part with this little thing. 

*****A moment of silence please.****** 

You were a good friend, Garmin --- even if I'm certain you were purposely recording my time as much slower than my totally awesome actual fast pace.  I appreciate every single mile that you slugged through with me.  Sorry for the cursing.  Thankful for the company.  May you rest in peace.

Do as I say, not as I do

I heart sleep.  I really, really heart it.  Sometimes, instead of getting out of bed to work out when I *know* I need to, I let my evil sleepy-self talk my smart-self into staying in bed.  "You can run after work.  The extra sleep will do you good..."   What my lying  sleepy-self fails to mention is that it will be a bagillion degrees after work and that I'll be tired from the long day and just want to head to Shinsei for 1/2 price wine night.  Last Monday was one of those days where I was lured by the siren song of sleep and had to trudge out a run post work.  I managed to do my scheduled 4 miles, but I wanted to kick my sleepy-self's butt.  Must get out of bed when the alarm goes off.  Must get out of bed when the alarm goes off.  Must get out of bed when the alarm goes off.  Hey, sleepy, I'm talking to you.  At least there's only 6 more months of early mornings. Blurg.

As a side note, the water fountain is out on University right by the church and the tennis courts.  Apparently, no one got the memo that this water fountain is integral to my summer training.  I wish you could have seen my heart bust in two when I realized this fountain was dry and full of sand during my "Bikram" run on Monday evening.  I'm hoping the University Park residents won't stand for this long because this little fountain is one of the brightest spots on every run.  I told Timmy that I was going to create a running app that shows where all the water fountains are in Dallas.  I mentioned that all the cool kids are pro water fountain and the app would be wildly successful.  I think he said something about the fact that cool kids do not run with their iphones.  Point taken.

Breaking Bad

So, I ... ahem... took a tiny (8 month) break from posting.  While I was away, I ran the Marine Corp. Marathon which was *#$* freezing, but a very meaningful experience.  I didn't know what to expect for that course.  I heard it was hilly.  I did not hear that it might sleet and snow 12 hours before your race.  No way that should happen in October.  Have I mentioned how much I hate cold weather?  I have nightmares about running in the shade that day with the wind from the river beating me at every turn. Brrrrrrrr....  I did PR in the race, but it was not without a slew of curse words.  Like I said though - extremely meaningful.  The marines on the course and the wounded warriors were inspiring.  I got teary when a marine put the finisher medal on my neck at the end and said, "we're so proud of you."  Sniff sniff.

Post race, I drank a thousand beers and had the best burger of all time (Clyde's).  Timmy had an apple pie + champagne waiting for me in my room.  That is the most delicious dessert I have ever eaten.  No contest.  I may or may not have eaten some of the left over pie out of the tin while I soaked in the tub the next day.  It is also possible that I made a stop for a bite of pie on my way to the restroom in the middle of the night.  None of this can be confirmed. 

But then *****sigh*****, I made an attempt to run the Thursday after the marathon and ... something wasn't right.  I don't know where it happened, but my quad felt like it needed to be traded in for a new one.  Every single time I lifted my leg, there was pain.  Terribly inconvenient.  I won't bore you with the details, but I had to take a big break from running.  When finally got to start up again, I had to take it easy and start building mileage all over again.  Such a whipping.  It has been a long road, but I'm coming back.  Up to running 6 miles and all signed up for another summer of killer training with ATP.  POW.

Dear Running - Oh, how I missed you.  Let's never break up like that again.