Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Crazay bikers

Today bf and I took to the rail trail and rode all the way from Brewster to Dennis (9.2 miles). So 18.4 mile round trip. It took us about 90 minutes. And my left bum hurts again. It was agitated after my mountain run and then the bike today. I have a faulty bum.

So I have to gripe about something here. Bf and I flew home today, both upgraded to first class but not next to each other. So we think we will have no problem switching seats with someone. I mean, it's first class right? All the seats are good. But lo and behold, we sat by the worlds two grumpiest old men, and neither would move. Effers. So we had to settle for passing love notes like in class. It turns out Bf has a secret talent for artfully folded notes. Who knew?

Monday, July 30, 2012

A great day on the cape

 Today on Cape Cod I did 5 miles (ran 4 walked 1) before most Arizonans were out of bed. Then I walked to the beach to read for awhile, and back (3 miles). On the way back I saw this totally awesome fox, bright orange. He was leaving by the time I got my wits about me enough to take a picture.
Later I rode a bike along with bf while he did his run which was, coincidentally, 5 miles. He did have to make a pit stop in the woods though, here he is emerging into the light.
So we ran along this Rail Trail that is a beautiful 28 mile trail on the cape. I'm unclear why it's called a rail trail, as there are no train tracks or train in sight, but it does go by cranberry bogs (which we may have seen but not sure what they look like).

I got to watch this sexy booty shakin it the whole way. And yes, bf must stop in the middle of his run to do pushups and show off his mid-calf black socks. Good times.

Big mountain

Wide River
There's an ancient pull
These tree trunks
These stream beds
Leave our bellies full
- The Decemberists, Rise to Me

Yesterday I was driving to the gym and looking longingly at the mountain when it occurred to me that it was only 86 degrees at 9am at the end of July, an occurrence so rare I had to take advantage. I had a water bottle and sunscreen in my glove box and a hat in my gym bag and I was ready to go! It was so beautiful after the monsoon rains and even a few puddles along the trail. As I ran I thought about my great aunt Ruth who passed last week. I think she is now part of the mountains and the wind and the bright orange, blue and grey rocks lining the path, and perhaps in that way she looks down at all of us each traversing our own rocky trails. And now she's back with Uncle George, the silhouette of his cowboy hat visible in the clouds. And that is where I will go to rest one day. That is church to me. That is God's grace for sure.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

One hundred five


Our hearts are only twenty-two
Our souls a hundred -five
There's a railway runs between the two
Like the freight-trains of our lives

-Ron Hawkins

I don't know how hot it was today in rural Texas, but I'll just go ahead and guess one hundred five.  It was probably "only" high nineties, but it was not good running weather.  I ran on the ranch today and so I did not see any people.  I did have a lizard run out, wait until I was parallel to it, and then take off at full speed.  It seemed to be sending a clear message that while Olympic hero (for a day) Ben Johnson may race a horse, I've got a long way to go before I can beat the local reptiles, let alone call out a mammal.

Canada note - when Ben Johnson won the gold medal the Canadian news reported "Canadian wins gold" and when his drug test was announced it reported "Jamaican immigrant found to have cheated".  Now he does commercials for the sports drink Cheetah and says "I Cheetah all the time".  Not sure if this is funny or sad.




Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sometimes the best way of lovin me

Is leavin me
Alone.
- Sara Evans

Listened to her latest CD in the car this morning and my initial impression of it a year ago still rang true. It generally sucks. Which is sad because she's so talented, but maybe she's one of those who had all the work done for her early on, but on her own she's not so good.

Anyway, I took Monday off cause I was sore from our Park City adventure. Yesterday I did a good 3 on dreadmill, but today wasn't so good. I have this pain on the my lower right calf. So I did 1.5 on dread then moved to the track but it was really hurting so I quit. My horoscope says today is a day to focus on my health, ie eat an apple or run an extra mile. At first I was pissy about that until I realized it probably meant quit early. So, you know, sometimes you have to make sacrifices like that for your health.

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Scorpion King

Would you sew my mesenteric together
Wonder smoke inside of my pulmonary
-Pushmonkey

I ran about 3 in rural Texas today.  This run was fueled by 4 days of car travel, Sonic, and Dairy Queen.  After all that fried food, I really do need someone to sew my guts back together.

The run was adequate, but boring.  I saw three cows and one UPS truck.  No one did anything noteworthy.  Until after the run when I showered with a scorpion.  After giving it a sporting chance to sting me, I scooped it up and sent it to the sewer.  And by sporting chance, I mean I didn't notice it for a while.  And perhaps it wasn't all that sporting since it was already dead.

But most importantly, it is time to officially add another song to the playlist.  Ashtray Red by Pushmonkey is in.  I thought this song was about liking pot more than your girlfriend, but upon further review, that might be the Canadian interpretation.  I'm pretty sure that I actually have no idea what this song is about.  Check it out and let me know if you figure it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_usRQS31Q4w



Sunday, July 22, 2012

I wanna thank you
For lettin me
Be myself
- random band playing in park city last night

Yes I'm aware that this is a cover tune, a topic heavily debated by bf and I during dinner. Ultimately we decided that there's no way the famous band who sings that song was actually playing on a random stage in Park City, Utah. Today we went on an awesome if not exhausting 6 mile hike/run dropping from 8500 feet to 6500 feet in altitude. There was a lot of cloud cover but when the sun was out, it was fierce. Of note in this pic are bf's mid-calf black socks. Who says that's not cool?

Saturday, July 21, 2012

2.662

That's what I did this morning in Heber Valley, Utah and this was my view. It is gorgeous here. While bf is working I'm exploring the area.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Welcome back
Your dreams were your ticket out
Welcome back
To that same old place that you laughed about
- John Sebastian, Welcome Back Kotter

Yo Mister Kottaehh!  Epstein anyone?  Horseshack?  This was the song in my head as I stepped on the dreadmill today in honor of the return of our American bretheren Bad Haircut and jsw returning stateside from their Canadian adventure. Welcome home, guys.  I will miss the Canada pontification. 

Of note at the gym today - bouncy guy was there, the dude who leaps joyously on the elliptical like a gazelle, his hair doily bouncing gleefully.  Also this chubby chick (I realize that's probably not the pc term but I see it often on blogs) who is always on the same elliptical by the entry way, as if she is afraid to completely enter the room.  I have long admired this lady - she just puts on a smile and keeps coming back.  I've wanted to cheer her on but never wanted her to feel like anyone was paying attention to her.  There are a lot of "beautiful people" at my gym and it can be intimidating.  But I read somewhere on one of these blogs I link to or one that they link to that offering encouragement in such situations is a good thing.  And I have to say that if someone gave me a thumbs up on the treadmill I would get a kick out of it.  So I smiled at her and gave her a big thumbs up when I walked by.  And she seemed to get a kick out of it.

As I jogged I was listening to music along with Kotter in my head and watching an interview of John McCain (who has become a parody of himself) by Piers Morgan (who I can't stand) and McCain was saying that Obama's campaign has gone to far, and I'm certain they were discussing this ad I saw today which was pictures of countries Romney has outsourced jobs to set to the music of Romney singing America the Beautiful off key.  It was funnier than a SNL skit and I would have dropped to the floor rolling in laughter if it had been a SNL skit, but instead I was kindof horrified and saddened because its such obvious stupid shitty politics and I couldn't quite believe the Obama campaign did it.  I mean come on man, there are so many people that support you, why you gotta be like that?  What happened to the message of hope and change and all that crap? 

As I finished up my two miles and contemplated a third on the indoor track, I hesitated because of what I assumed was an agricultural worker jogging around it.  I was afraid I'd be injured by the canteloupes she was carrying in her shirt. (See prior reference to "beautiful people".  This is Scottsdale, after all.)  She eventually left though, removing one of my sources of entertainment on the treadmill, so I did a third mile on the track. 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Nostalgic Run

Do you like american music?
We like all kinds of music
But I like american music best ...
But every time I look at that ugly lake
It reminds me of me
-Violent Femmes

A very nostalgic run today.  The last one in Canada - I think.  I really have enjoyed running by the lake and (while it isn't ugly) I'm pretty sure Lake Ontario will always remind me of me.  I like that.

I did my standard run and felt great at the start.  Felt less great at the end, but so it goes when you take two weeks off.  Of course, I saw some crazy crap on my run.  I saw a man rollerblading who was either John Stockton or was wearing boxers as shorts.  I know runners who have confused pants with underwear, but this is a far greater crime against society.  When I reached Canadian Tire, I thought I should toss up the double rods to wish it farewell, but the sidewalk was crowded.  There was a man on a bike and an older woman on a scooter lined up at the crosswalk giving each other the stink eye.  I was pretty sure they were about to race.  I hope for her sake that it wasn't for pink slips since she got destroyed.  Even I passed her - and I was giving the fast and the furious crowd plenty of space.

Love ya Canada - and we will stand on guard for thee.



Monday, July 16, 2012

Mixing it up

Today I did an ugly sweaty two miles on tready then went out to the pool and swam a half mile. Then I read by the pool for awhile. Not a bad workout.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Today I swam twenty laps or about 2/3 of a mile and it felt a lot better than last time. It was a decent workout, and then I sat by the pool and read my People magazine and enjoyed the gorgeous cool weather. It was overcast and a little rainy for the second day in a row, high of 90 degrees! Happy July indeed.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Five-one-five-oh

Somebody call the popo
- Diercks Bentley

That song always makes me laugh!!! I took advantage of a rare break in the heat to run outside. It was 84 and cloudy at 9am and I even got a few blessed drops of rain on my face. It was way humid though and my sweat dripped into my eyes and drained out like salty tears, like I was weeping for joy. I did my 3.5 mile route and walked most of the last mile but it was my best workout of the week. I skipped Wed because the suckage had gotten too bad for the week. Yesterday I did a miserable hot 1.5 miles on dreadmill and then half on track. Ugh. All good today though, having celebratory cervesa.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Livin on funions and beef jerky

Yeah.
- Better Than Ezra

The gym sucked today, that's all there is to it. 1.5 sweaty trudging miles on dreadmill is all I had in me today. I didn't even bother to see what I might have left on the track. Also I did some swimming laps on Sunday, a half mile. I may do that more often now that it's so damn hot.

Monday, July 9, 2012

The last excuse that I'll claim
I was a boy who loved a woman like a little girl.
- Ron Pope, A Drop In The Ocean

I hit the gym this evening and was a bit surprised to learn that the gym is no more appealing after a day at home than it is after a day at work. I did two on tready and one on track. Was contemplating how my feet have started to hurt a little when I run on the track, probably because it's such a hard surface, but I would think my new Sauconys should handle it better. Wait. I got these back in January. Guess I can't call them my new Sauconys anymore. But I am loathe to shell out the skrill for some actual new Sauconys. How often to people get new running shoes?

Friday, July 6, 2012

So what would you think of me now?
So lucky, so strong, so proud
I never said thank you for that
Now I'll never have a chance.
- Jimmy Eat World

I felt particularly fatigued today because I worked so hard all week (ok not). Today was my fourth workout this week and maybe I'm having a hard time getting back into it after my week off. So when I got on the treadmill today my right hamstring was barking at me for some reason, it was sore and tight. I plugged away at incline until 1.5 mi and then I took a walk break, and then another before I got to 2. So I figured I would finish up on the track and just run or walk or whatever I felt like doing, and oddly enough I felt good running. I did one and had started into another when bf showed up and instead of working out he reclined with feet up to watch me finish. So I had to keep running because a long time ago we crossed paths running on a trip and I was walking but started running when I saw him. He was none the wiser but I later admitted it to him (after he got lost on the way back to hotel). After that he gave me a play list titled "ran some". So I can't walk in front of him ever. And I finished my second mile on the track with the above very cool song on repeat. It's an awesome song to run to. So four total today!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

I am about to die for lack of a kindred soul to understand my misery.
- Trevor Hall

That is an overly dramatic expression of how I felt on my run today. It wasn't that bad but it was damn sweaty. I'm that girl walking through the gym with sweat circles on my neck, back and armpits. But the song is fitting in another way. An old friend posted a picture on Facebook of my 8th grade volleyball team where I had this awful perm like pubic hair on my head and my coach had dubbed me "curly joe". Good effing times. Then my sister reminded me how I had saved up for that perm and how sad it was that I then hated it. And how it was snowing outside and our dad wouldn't come pick us up so we were preparing to walk the three miles home but the hair lady wouldn't let me leave to walk in the snow with wet hair so she called her son to drive us home and he was the older brother of this popular girl in my class, class president in fact, and I wanted to die of embarrassment and we had him drop us off a block from our house so we wouldn't get in trouble for letting him take us home.  Thank god for my sister and kindred soul.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Solidarity of Youth (Middle Age)

Need a little time to wake up
Need a little time to rest your mind
You know you should so I guess you might as well
-Oasis
4.25 today.  Running those sprints on Monday was a terrible great idea.  My whole body hurt this morning.  As always, it was an adventure waking up to run.  I set my alarm for 5:25, woke up at 4:45 and tried to go back to sleep (and failed), and then got up at 5:15.  A friend of a friend of mine who runs and blogs did a 30 day challenge where he woke up at 5:00 every morning.  Not for me - I don't like it.

And it was clearly too early for anyone from my generation to be a awake.  For the first mile and a half everyone I saw had gray hair.  But then later in my run I came across people of my generation, who all felt it was necessary to give me a little wave to show solidarity with me as we invaded the time/space of the geriatric crowd.  So I guess I am now in the early morning running club.
I know you don't doubt yourself anymore
When you feel like leavin, you walk out the door
And I bet you got nothin left to learn
It's better that way cause you never get burned
Do you miss me?
- Joe Purdy, Miss Me

Well today I was back in my realm as a gym slave. Independence day indeed. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated though, and I'm glad I got a run in in Denver. I did two at incline on the dreadmill, then a third mile on the indoor track. The dreadmill area was like a damn swamp. It is lovely and overcast outside today ad we probably could have made a go of it on the mountain, it's much cooler than the forecast predicted (77 degrees!! Get your jacket!). Anyhoo I'm glad I went and also glad bf and I went to ihop after except that I ruined all my hard work with delicious waffles and eggs while bf had a dainty 350 calorie breakfast.

Monday, July 2, 2012

The Days Between

And we raise the white flag
So they can paint it red and blue
Getting into bed seemed easy enough
Getting out's a little harder to do
-Joel Plaskett

Yesterday was Canada Day.  Wednesday is America Day.  Right now we are in the days between. 

What is the difference between Canada Day and Independence Day?  The color blue.  Both holidays are built around BBQ, fireworks, and decorations using the country's flag.  If you take July 4th and add maple leafs (stupid hockey team - that now sounds grammatically correct to me), and subtract stars and blue you now have Canada Day.

Today I went to the park with a young infielder to partake in America's pastime.  I played first base and fed him grounders and fly balls and he ran around and made plays.  My job was way easier, so when he needed a rest I ran some sprints.  I did what I call "walk back" sprints.  I won't explain further - I think you get the idea.  2 sets of 5.  Not quite Siberia, but a little bit like Rocky and Apollo on the beach - without the splashing and hugging.


Sunday, July 1, 2012

A long hiatus

Well ladies and germs, I'm back after a week in the Grand Tetons (which incidentally means giant boobies in French, I learned). I did a ton of walking around and on Friday we kayaked 7 miles so I am counting that. Today I'm in Denver visiting family and did my first run in a week. I think I did 4 miles. I ran the first 2 and it was pretty much all downhill. I ran and mostly walked back since it was mostly uphill. Altitude felt mostly okay since it's about 6000 feet in the Titons.

Here's a pic of some of the fun we had hiking around Yellowstone. Pretty cool.

Not Good Enough

Was it ever enough?
Was it ever too much?
When will I ever be enough?
-Sunriser

I was talking to a friend last night about running and we were discussing how terribly we run the last 2 miles or so of a 1/2 marathon.  I've said before that if you were watching the Vegas run from above, I probably looked like a salmon going backwards, upstream against all the runners flowing past me.  (And not like a Great Blue Salmon of Justice like The Tick)

So I went home and realized that what I'm doing is not good enough.  I don't have any desire to run another 1/2 marathon where I feel like complete ass at the end of the race.  And it was confirmed today as I struggled after about 2 miles of my standard run.  And so I stopped for 30 seconds and decided if I was going to walk home or change what I do.  I chose to take the baby step of extending the run.  I ran 4.5 instead of 4.  But I must evolve.  I don't know what comes next, and I hope we don't have to go deep into Siberia like Rocky did, but if we must, then we must.  Peace out.

Oh and Happy Canada Day.