Snake Run

Drink the water drink it down
-Jack Johnson

Life lesson for today - complaining works.  I have, over the past few months, complained that none of my friends are waiting in their front yards with a glass of water in case I run by.  While I had no serious expectation, it seemed like it wouldn't hurt to whine about it.  Then today on my run, I came across the whole family in the front yard and the youngest one was shot from a cannon to get me water.  It was pretty damn good.  And now I can stop complaining about the water.  But you know, no one is ever waiting in their front yard with a bag of gold to give me ...

When I got up this morning, I was way more interested in my fantasy football team's injury report than any thoughts of a run.  I struggled out the door, but my run today really had no plan.  I had a vague long run in mind, but it looked like rain and I've been struggling a little with allergies, and I really didn't want to run, so I just started along the normal 2 mile neighborhood loop.  But then after the refreshment, I ran up and down every street in between.  Total came up to 4 miles.  I'm going to have to think about whether this is a great or terrible way to run.  Or maybe, like Voldemort, it is great and terrible.

T Dot

They got the weed, and they got the taxis
-The Clash

Yep - that's right, I visited the T Dot, Hogtown, The Big Smoke - whatever you want to call it.  I just try to blend and call it Turannah.  If you pronounce the second t, it's like announcing you don't live there.  Which I guess I don't.  But still it is in my soul.  I saw my good friend Lake Ontario and exchanged silent pleasantries and wished I was able to squeeze in a run.  But I was too busy - I saw a lot of friends, smuggled some money out of the country (or legitimately wired it), paid my $55 in corporate tax (my accountant doesn't suck), and snuck around the outside of my old house taking pictures (that's actually true - don't tell anyone).

The nation is not in a good place right now.  While south of the border we've all been distracted by creative officiating in the NFL, the NHL players have been quietly locked out.  What if this was the year for the Maple Leafs to win the Cup and they won't have a season?  OK - that's crazy talk, but it will be difficult to make it through a winter without Hockey Night In Canada and Thursday night games at the Fill Station.  Good luck my brothers.

I've been dragging ass a little since I got back and didn't feel like running at all today.  But I thought I would do something to get back into it.  So I set out to run the 2 mile loop inside my neighborhood.  And when I started I felt like crap.  And then I felt better.  No really.  I did.  I extended the run to just over 3 and felt way better than when I started.  Weird - but I'll take it.

Everyone's got to face down their demons
Maybe today, we can put the past away
I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend
- Three Doors Down

I have run every day this week, I swear. Mon and Tues were fairly decent runs outside, 3.5 miles walking a lot of the last mile. Yesterday was kind of a bad gym day. I had a morning meeting that threw off my fragile schedule, so I was at the gym around 1 and did 20 min on treadmill before I called it a day. Today was worse. I did 1.1 on tread and then a few minutes on bike. My a/c was broken last night so none of us slept well in my 89 degree house. So that was my excuse today. Tomorrow I plan to do 3.5 before driving down to the homeland.

Dr. Wilson, I presume

Go, Greased Lightning, tearing up the quarter-mile...

No, the title has nothing to do with my run. Yes, I defended my PhD dissertation last week, and I am going to milk that for all it's worth. 

I ran for the first time since last April, and it was totally my own idea to do it.  A lot of people take up exercise during grad school, ostensibly to relieve stress but *of course* it's a procrastination technique.  I didn't need any procrastination strategies -- with two kids, two different research projects, a teaching job, a private office where I could nap, and a Facebook account, I had all the procrastination opportunities I needed.  And instead of exercise relieving the stress of school, apparently I needed the stress of school to go away in order to be able to exercise.  Whatever works.

But now I remember why I hated running so much when we lived here before.  It's f-ing hot here, people.  I really muffed up the opportunity to run in a better climate.  Mmmm, snow...

Long story short, I'm back on the blog and on the streets.  Oh -- the total run was 1.17 miles.  I was like greased lightning out there.

Hey ya

Heeeeyyaaaaha
Heeyaaha
- Obadiah Parker, Hey Ya

This is the kind of rebellious gym day I had today. It was definitely bad-gym. Which, while definitely not as awesome as good-gym, is far superior to no-gym. That's all I have to say about that.

Overwhelmed by Taco Bell

You've taken me higher, and shown me what love can do
Where would I go, or be, without you
- Tim McMorris, Overwhelmed

Today I was like really busy people. I mean I had actual meetings and shit. And I took a lunch break. So I didn't get to the gym until 6 after I took the boy to practice. I did the treadmill and was watching this special on this artist who did simple, folksy looking paintings of black people and I was thinking I did something like that in 5th grade. It was bicycle safety week and I was drawing a picture of this kid on a bike with big old wheels and we had this amazing technology whereby we could take these colorful drawings and put them onto SLIDES and actually do a slide presentation for the class. Probably the origination of PowerPoint presentations in that class right there in Pinetop, AZ. But suddenly I was called out of class because it turned out Mr. Church had died of a heart attack right there at his desk at lunch that day. And I guess people were worried about telling me because I had him twice as a teacher, in both 3rd and 4th grade. And I liked him a lot. He used to keep tootsie pops in his drawer and I remember I stole a red one one day when I was trusted in his room alone at lunch, probably recording grades or something. I felt awful about that sucker for years. But my point is, when I returned to art class the next day, someone had finished my drawing and colored the kid's skin brown. I was really pissed because that wasn't what the kid looked like in my head. She looked like me, of course. But looking back, it looked kinda cool and unique, like the paintings on the tv today, even though I was embarrassed when it was shown in front of the class. I bet it would be worth at least two dollars today. I guess sometimes it takes someone else to show you what the world can look like. And it's funny where your mind can travel while running, if you let it. Anyway, I did 3, last one with strength training. And then I went to Taco Bell and ate tacos while watching sweaty 13 year old boys run football plays.

Deja Vu

I like hammering nails and speaking in tongues
Cause it doesn't remind me of anything
-Audioslave

Stop me if you've heard this before.  I got to the hotel in Dallas and had a little under an hour before dinner.  I quickly went to the fitness center and ran two miles (again with the sweet intervals).  Then I showered and went to dinner. 

Don't have to be the prettiest
If you have the mind and willingness
No one stops a girl who knows what she's got
- Jimmy Eat World, Stop

This has been a tough week for exercise, coming off of my strep throat last week. I did 3.5 and 3 outside Mon and Tues with lots of walking mixed in. It really feels like fall with the tiniest bit of crispness in the air in the mornings. Today I went to the gym and did 2.25 on dreadmill and then one on track with strength training, aka the nerd workout. It was slow and difficult but it got done.

step by step like an infant new kid

One of my favorite Black Eyed Peas lines....

Ran in South Boston Bay. In the end, the sea smelled better than me and the end of my 6 run jubilee.

Encore

Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind
Now can I get an encore, do you want more
-Jay-Z/Linkin Park

Put your lighters away - I know you enjoyed my reunion tour run a couple of weeks ago and so today is the encore presentation of that run.  Two differences - one important, one less so.  I decided to run the other direction, but more importantly, I had a plan on where I was going to go. 

I first ran past the friend who lives in my same city, uneventful.  Then on my way to the next house, I saw a local police car which slowed down and then did a quick u-turn.  What's this all about?  The jaywalking incident from 5 minutes ago?  A general "we don't need your type in this small incorporated community"?  Nope - he just wanted to go the other direction.  Which is too bad because I was starting to look forward to the ride out of his community, like an old school sheriff
 
I continued on my way and successfully completed the run.  Just under 8 miles. 

And let's add Numb/Encore by Jay-Zed and Linkin Park to the playlist.  I think this is a mash up, but I'm not really sure how to use that term.  I'm not a really big fan of either of these artists by themselves, but I like this.  Kind of like MGD and blackjack.  I won't do one without the other.  Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3METMAHEnvk

More Than Just One Song Away

This is on the rise music, this is novelty music
This is who can blame music, I don't get fooled by it
This is where'd you go music, this is come home music
-Hockey

It was raining today when I set off to run.  And maybe that was why I didn't really want to run.  But I did it anyway.  I ran a pretty quick 3. 

Mostly I am panicking that it has taken me 8 months to build a 1 hour long playlist (and I have no plans to finish the half marathon in 1 hour).  So I have to really focus on building the back half of the playlist.  And here we go.

Song Away by Hockey.  I know what you are thinking, but they aren't.  I swear.  The're from Portland.  Which is the most Canadian city in the US, but still technically not Canada.  I found out about this band when my friend slapped down a toonie (that's a two dollar coin) on another friend's coffee table, and then bought 2 songs on his iTunes.  It was like cavemen file sharing.  Anyway, I really like this song and it makes every running playlist.  Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjMHyq2vrQk

Feelin good
I'm feelin alright
- Rebelution

I went to the gym today and did a slow and easy three miles around the track. It felt good to be back, but I didn't want to push it with the nerd workout. That's all I have to say about that.

When the devil beats his wife

Admittedly I never understood that saying as it relates to rain when the sun is out, but it can be quite pretty (when it rains, that is, not the satanic spousal abuse). This was my view as I walked 3 miles with fat dog this evening. And it was my first exercise since my sore throat last Friday night, remember? Turns out I had strep throat and was in misery until this morning. What's that? Poor poor me, you say? I know! 

UConn Territory

Stay out super late tonight
picking apples, making pies
put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us
-The National

I went to Connecticut just to run on a treadmill.  Well, let me explain.  I went to Connecticut for work - there was a big training session and some associated social events.  We had a pretty full day of training and then got back to the hotel at 4:30.  My presence was required for drinks at 5:30.  Sounds like plenty of time to run.  I quickly ran 2.25 miles on the treadmill with some pretty sweet intervals that were fast and at incline.  Felt really good.

I was invited to a different dinner than the rest of the group and so instead of going to the apple orchard, I went to the steak house.  Which was really good, but I did have some hope of going to the orchard and eating the hell out of some Empire apples.  That's right - red delicious, fiji, whatever - none of them have anything on Empire.  Oh well.  I'm also sure that there would have been some entertainment at the orchard (and not just some weirdo looking for an obscure type of apples) since some of my co-workers discovered the "package store".  This is apparently the name for a liquor store in Connecticut since the liquor must be packaged in a sealed container when it leaves the store.  However, once you get to your car you can crack it open since open containers are OK.  Anyway, I'm sure there were hijinks, as these guys didn't come all this way to run on a treadmill.

The Virgo Monologue

Well, maybe I'll call
or write you a letter.

-Better Than Ezra

 

First - housekeeping.  Happy Birthday to:  my sister, my sister-in-law, my mother-in-law, the rocket scientist, the banquer, and eddie.  That's a lot of people in the last few days.  So if your card is late - sorry, but we're over capacity.  And we're still going to blame Canada Post. 

 

I ran a pretty decent 3 this evening.  It was only 82 after the sun went down.  Downright reasonable. 

Pity

It was more than I could take
Pity for pity's sake
- Corrine bailey Rae, put your records on

Or not. Everyone who knows me knows I love a little sympathy. I got to run outside yesterday, which was great. It was only 78 degrees and rainy around noon when I went out and did my 3.5 mile route. But I struggled and just felt really tired. So then today I woke up with sore throat and fatigue. I think I'm getting sick. :(. Bring on the violins, please. Or even the fiddle.

Cowboy Up

And set up shop at the top of four seasons
-"Cowboy"  Kid Rock

Started a new job.  An American one.  My first trip was to Dallas and in between work and dinner I had about 45 minutes.  I zipped up to the workout room in the hotel (not the four seasons) and ran 1.5 miles on the treadmill and did a couple of sets on the machines.  Then I took a quick shower and ate dinner and watched the Cowboys play the Giants.  And I was sad that I didn't draft Kevin Ogletree for my fantasy team (whoever he is) and happy that I didn't draft Eli Manning.  But I did pick his brother (Manning, not Ogletree), and so I'm really hoping whatever completely natural substance Roger Clemens is using to fuel his comeback is also being injected into Peyton's neck.

Slower

Slower slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

- Snow Patrol, Run

That is how I ran this morning - slower and slower. I couldn't seem to wake up. I started on the track hoping that a warm-up would help. Did a mile there and then moved to dreadmill for inclines. Two more miles with some walking mixed in. But I got three done so all good.

Today I did 2 miles on tread and one on track with strength training. Am very tired tonight. Nuff said.

I just dropped in

To see what condition my condition was in.
- the big lebowski

Bf and I celebrated labor day by going to the gym and then spending the evening on the couch watching this classic. I didn't have a good gym day because by the time I got there I was starving and I can't run when starving. So, I did a quarter mile on the treadmill until I got exhausted, then I got on the bike and did 20 minutes, then I finished the mile on the track. Not pretty, but it got done I suppose.

White Hot

I'm white hot
I can't take it anymore
I'm white hot
Yes I'm burning to the core
-Red Rider

I set out today with grand designs and no plan on how to achieve them.  I thought I would do a reunion tour and run by the houses of my three good college friends who live close enough.  I had no idea how long of a run this would be, but I knew it would take me through 3 cities and roughly 6-8 miles.  Seemed like it would work.  Guess what - it didn't.

It started out fine as I jogged into the neighboring city and ran past the first friend's house.  Of course, as I've come to expect, no one was standing in the front yard with water.  Then I realized that I had no idea the best way to go to the next destination.  There's a major highway, railroad tracks, and lots of dead end streets in between.  I pick a route and start running and then realize it is just too damn hot for this ambitious of a run today.  As you know, I always assign a reason whenever I stop running and today is no different.  Sometimes these reasons are normal - right knee pain, back pain, lungs not getting it done, and sometimes they are not (waffles).  Today's reason is somewhere in between - too damn hot.  So at about the three mile point I started to walk and head straight back home.  On this walk I compared my reasons for stopping running to explanations in professional sports - like when Tim Duncan was held out of a game this year with the reason - old.  Or when someone snuck Sergei Fedorov onto the injury report during his holdout with the reason - wallet.  These thoughts cheered me up enough and some fortuitous cloud cover appeared and I was able to run the last 1.5 miles.  Total distance was 5.5 with a one mile walk mixed in.

After the run I went out and bought a cucumber and lime Gatorade - the whole time thinking about Will Ferrell in The Other Guys.  There's a scene where he and Marky Mark are looking for information and the antagonist distracts them with free tickets to shows and water with cucumber wedges.  Further proof that Will Ferrell can make anything funny.  And he is right , the cucumber does accent the Gatorade ...

By the way - here it is if you want to enjoy it again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3IQNPCIZ-k

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
But I know the heart of life is good
- John Mayer, Heart of Life

Today was pretty awesome. I slept for about 10 hours last night and went to the gym late morning well rested. I did 2 on treadmill but extended my 2% incline to 1.35 mi then finished up on 1%. Then I did a mile on the track with strength training every 3 laps. I've decided I really like that workout. It makes the strength training bearable. And, I'm pretty sure the hip flexor exercises will help my butt cheek problem. Now I'm gonna reward myself with a little relaxation reading by the pool.

Also I have a new favorite gym person. There was this tiny old lady, probably 4'8" walking painfully slow laps around the track. She took a rest break after every lap. It looked like maybe she was recovering from a stroke, and my heart nearly burst with admiration for her. This jackass guy was sprinting laps and at one point darted between me and her to avoid having to slow down, and I'm sure it startled her. I wanted to punch him. A-hole.