I am really irritable right now. Everything and everyone (including K and my well-intentioned friends) are getting on my nerves.
I think work is contributing to it. Things have been super stressful at work for the past couple of months with no relief in sight, and I think that I may have underestimated the toll that it is taking on me. Furthermore, I found out yesterday that I will probably be the lone psychologist here again for a little while at some point in the upcoming months. Then, I got anxious about how that may affect my plan to take 2 weeks off for the wedding/honeymoon in the Fall.
And, then of course there is the wedding stress. Underlying that though is the fundamental difference between me and K in terms of how we make decisions. I've written about this before...I tend to be much more decisive, preferring to make decisions quickly (not necessarily impulsively) so that I can prepare and move on to the next step. In contrast, K likes to mull things over for days and weeks before finally committing to something. Making travel plans tends to be an issue where this difference in style really becomes apparent and leads to conflict. Obviously, I'm also worried about how this will impact all the wedding decisions that are looming ahead.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Decisions...
So, the big wedding decision at this point appears to be between having a Saturday evening wedding in September vs. a Friday or Sunday wedding in October or early November. Obviously the main issue is the heat in early September, and anybody that knows me well knows that I am absolutely miserable when it's hot. K said that I'll literally melt walking down the aisle, and he may be right. So from that perspective, a Friday evening wedding in October or early November may work better...but then we think it may make it harder for some folks to attend who are traveling. We'd also have to work around some of the big fall marathons that our friends may be training for (St. George, Chicago, NY). Ugh. I don't know what to do!
Fortunately, I think that we have all but decided on The Allan House as the venue.
I told K that we're going to have to limit the wedding discussions to early in the evening rather than waiting until later at night because then it will keep me up at night. Lesson learned.
Fortunately, I think that we have all but decided on The Allan House as the venue.
I told K that we're going to have to limit the wedding discussions to early in the evening rather than waiting until later at night because then it will keep me up at night. Lesson learned.
Another trip...
An unexpected trip for work has come up. It looks like I'll be going to D.C. in the middle of March for a few days. I don't get to travel much for work, especially to a cool city, so I'm somewhat excited about this, especially if K is able to come with me.
I didn't go to our quality workout tonight because I had a horrible headache for much of the afternoon today. Work seems to be doing that to me a lot lately. I had to go buy a pair of shoes for work because there's been a crackdown on dress code - no open-toed or open-heeled shoes. I actually had a hard time finding a (mildly cute) pair that met that criteria, and I might even end up taking them back because I don't think they will look that good with a dress. Sigh, there are so many more important things to worry about than my shoes!
I didn't go to our quality workout tonight because I had a horrible headache for much of the afternoon today. Work seems to be doing that to me a lot lately. I had to go buy a pair of shoes for work because there's been a crackdown on dress code - no open-toed or open-heeled shoes. I actually had a hard time finding a (mildly cute) pair that met that criteria, and I might even end up taking them back because I don't think they will look that good with a dress. Sigh, there are so many more important things to worry about than my shoes!
RW Quote of the Day...
I'll be thinking this when we are running the LAB at 6:30am on Saturday (after going to a concert on Friday night)...
"I think there's only one sensible place for a person to be at 5:30 in the morning. That's in bed. And what am I doing? I'm out running. And I completely hate this."
-Derek Clayton, Australian marathoner, first to break 2:09
"I think there's only one sensible place for a person to be at 5:30 in the morning. That's in bed. And what am I doing? I'm out running. And I completely hate this."
-Derek Clayton, Australian marathoner, first to break 2:09
Monday, February 25, 2008
A lot to do...
The weekend seemed to go by in a blur...
On Friday night, we had dinner at Romeo's with Holly and Chris. They were the first of my friends to see the ring and celebrate with us, so it was nice to share our excitement with them. I had been feeling a little let down earlier in the day about how difficult it was turning out to be to get my friends together to celebrate and share in our good news.
Since we were up kind of late on Thursday night with the debate and other stuff, I was super tired and crashed pretty early after dinner. Despite that, we didn't make it to the long run on Saturday morning. I rationalized that it was just a 10-mile run so it was easy enough to do on our own later. Instead, we researched a few additional venues that Holly suggested the night before and then ventured out to a couple of places (Austin Museum of Art/Laguna Gloria and Mayfield Park - yes, the water stop on the Mt. Bonnell run). That pretty much wore K out from any other wedding stuff for the day, so I went to Paper Place (another suggestion from Holly) and made my first wedding-related purchase! I also went up to Crate and Barrel to pick up a wedding gift, and while I was there found out about a wedding party event coming up this weekend for couples to get registry info and register before the store opens, so I signed us up! And, since I was there, I stopped in at David's Bridal just to take a quick peek since it was in the same shopping center. I definitely had a "this is really happening" moment that afternoon. I managed to coax K into seeing a chick flick on Saturday night. We went to see "Definitely, Maybe," which turned out to be a decent little romantic comedy. It was the perfect end to a good day.
On Sunday, we did more venue research and went to see a few other places (Botanical Gardens, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Zilker Clubhouse). I got updated information about availability from a few places we are interested in today, and I think the Allen House and House on the Hill are among the top contenders for Sept. 6. I'd really like to make a decision within the next week, so stay tuned. I'm definitely feeling anxious about how much there is to be done and how expensive everything is, so much so that I haven't slept well for the past couple of nights. Sadie reminded me of this today though..."keep remembering that no matter what, you will look beautiful and you will say ‘I do’." And, isn't that really all that matters in the end?
On Friday night, we had dinner at Romeo's with Holly and Chris. They were the first of my friends to see the ring and celebrate with us, so it was nice to share our excitement with them. I had been feeling a little let down earlier in the day about how difficult it was turning out to be to get my friends together to celebrate and share in our good news.
Since we were up kind of late on Thursday night with the debate and other stuff, I was super tired and crashed pretty early after dinner. Despite that, we didn't make it to the long run on Saturday morning. I rationalized that it was just a 10-mile run so it was easy enough to do on our own later. Instead, we researched a few additional venues that Holly suggested the night before and then ventured out to a couple of places (Austin Museum of Art/Laguna Gloria and Mayfield Park - yes, the water stop on the Mt. Bonnell run). That pretty much wore K out from any other wedding stuff for the day, so I went to Paper Place (another suggestion from Holly) and made my first wedding-related purchase! I also went up to Crate and Barrel to pick up a wedding gift, and while I was there found out about a wedding party event coming up this weekend for couples to get registry info and register before the store opens, so I signed us up! And, since I was there, I stopped in at David's Bridal just to take a quick peek since it was in the same shopping center. I definitely had a "this is really happening" moment that afternoon. I managed to coax K into seeing a chick flick on Saturday night. We went to see "Definitely, Maybe," which turned out to be a decent little romantic comedy. It was the perfect end to a good day.
On Sunday, we did more venue research and went to see a few other places (Botanical Gardens, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Zilker Clubhouse). I got updated information about availability from a few places we are interested in today, and I think the Allen House and House on the Hill are among the top contenders for Sept. 6. I'd really like to make a decision within the next week, so stay tuned. I'm definitely feeling anxious about how much there is to be done and how expensive everything is, so much so that I haven't slept well for the past couple of nights. Sadie reminded me of this today though..."keep remembering that no matter what, you will look beautiful and you will say ‘I do’." And, isn't that really all that matters in the end?
Thursday, February 21, 2008
HILLARY!
We watched the Democratic presidential debate at Mother Egan's tonight. We even made the Out and About section on Austin 360 blogs, even though the reporter didn't quite get my quote right. It was supposed to be that I don't listen to K when he starts talking politics.
After the debate, we joined up with one of K's friends over at Union Park for a MS benefit featuring a fashion show from local boutiques. It was a rare night out for us, and it reminded me that's not really my scene anymore. It used to be many years ago, but now I'm more comfortable with a bunch of sweaty runners.
As we headed home shortly after 10pm (which is late for us), we ended up getting stopped on Congress and Barton Springs to allow a motorcade through. We followed it up Congress where it stopped at Guero's. There, I saw the Hillary signs and realized that it was her in the motorcade, so I took my chances and jumped out of the car. I didn't know what would happen, but I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see her. K was able to find a parking spot nearby and came over to join me. From what I gathered, her supporters/contributors had rented out the restaurant for the evening and Hillary stopped by to speak to invited guests only inside. A crowd of supporters rallied outside the restaurant though. We stood outside in the cold for about 45 minutes, while I bet she was eating inside. She finally came out the side door, and I didn't even get to see her because I'm so short. She got in the car and I was disappointed...until she got back out and made her way over to the crowd where I actually got a chance to see her. K was able to snap this picture from his taller vantage point...
Now, it's way past my bedtime. What a night.
After the debate, we joined up with one of K's friends over at Union Park for a MS benefit featuring a fashion show from local boutiques. It was a rare night out for us, and it reminded me that's not really my scene anymore. It used to be many years ago, but now I'm more comfortable with a bunch of sweaty runners.
As we headed home shortly after 10pm (which is late for us), we ended up getting stopped on Congress and Barton Springs to allow a motorcade through. We followed it up Congress where it stopped at Guero's. There, I saw the Hillary signs and realized that it was her in the motorcade, so I took my chances and jumped out of the car. I didn't know what would happen, but I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see her. K was able to find a parking spot nearby and came over to join me. From what I gathered, her supporters/contributors had rented out the restaurant for the evening and Hillary stopped by to speak to invited guests only inside. A crowd of supporters rallied outside the restaurant though. We stood outside in the cold for about 45 minutes, while I bet she was eating inside. She finally came out the side door, and I didn't even get to see her because I'm so short. She got in the car and I was disappointed...until she got back out and made her way over to the crowd where I actually got a chance to see her. K was able to snap this picture from his taller vantage point...
Now, it's way past my bedtime. What a night.
Life lessons...
One of my friends from internship, Pam, sent this to me this morning. Very good reminders on setting goals, appreciating what we have, and living every moment to the fullest.
"Dr. Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon is filmed on the Oprah Show giving what was his last lecture. I spoil no surprise by telling you that he will die very soon of pancreatic cancer. He is 46 years old, married, and the father of three small children. Between what he says and his attitude about his life and how he is using his time left to live, is so inspiring that I thought you would be willing to watch this video. This is not about religion or spirituality. The New York Times has written about him, and he was interviewed on Good Morning America by Diane Sawyer. It isn't too long, honestly, and you will be caught up in it immediately. So treat yourself to a really excellent philosophy of life lecture. Trust me...you won't be disappointed."
"Dr. Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon is filmed on the Oprah Show giving what was his last lecture. I spoil no surprise by telling you that he will die very soon of pancreatic cancer. He is 46 years old, married, and the father of three small children. Between what he says and his attitude about his life and how he is using his time left to live, is so inspiring that I thought you would be willing to watch this video. This is not about religion or spirituality. The New York Times has written about him, and he was interviewed on Good Morning America by Diane Sawyer. It isn't too long, honestly, and you will be caught up in it immediately. So treat yourself to a really excellent philosophy of life lecture. Trust me...you won't be disappointed."
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Still glowing...
I asked K on the way to our quality workout last night if this has really hit him yet. No, he replied, but what's it supposed to feel like? I mean, we're still m and K. I wonder when it will really hit...trying on dresses for the first time, having that "this is it" feeling at a venue, finalizing a date? I don't know. I do know that I am still glowing and my ring is shining brightly.
Speaking of the ring, I was finally able to get it off on Monday evening, but then couldn't get it back on until Tuesday morning. The ring seemed to fit much better yesterday, and I was able to get it off a couple of times relatively easily. So, I think we're going to hold off on getting it sized for the moment. Maybe the jewelers knew what they were talking about after all when they fitted me in a 5 1/2!
I finally got to showcase my ring yesterday at work to some of my staff and also to our running group last night thanks to Carolyn. :)
We started putting together a preliminary guest list last night just to get a ballpark idea of numbers. K had been throwing out numbers of 150, 200, 250! Eek! Remember, K has the HUGE family. Both of our families will have to travel, so we're unsure of how much extended family will actually attend. I think these numbers will actually grow once his parents chime in about family who should be invited, but here's what we came up with so far...
Bride: 18 family, 32 friends = 50
Groom: 42 family, 42 friends, 16 work = 100
Bride & Groom: 21 friends
Total = 171
Holy moly.
We also discussed the bridal party for "K's wedding." I think we came pretty close to nailing that part down, thankfully.
Speaking of the ring, I was finally able to get it off on Monday evening, but then couldn't get it back on until Tuesday morning. The ring seemed to fit much better yesterday, and I was able to get it off a couple of times relatively easily. So, I think we're going to hold off on getting it sized for the moment. Maybe the jewelers knew what they were talking about after all when they fitted me in a 5 1/2!
I finally got to showcase my ring yesterday at work to some of my staff and also to our running group last night thanks to Carolyn. :)
We started putting together a preliminary guest list last night just to get a ballpark idea of numbers. K had been throwing out numbers of 150, 200, 250! Eek! Remember, K has the HUGE family. Both of our families will have to travel, so we're unsure of how much extended family will actually attend. I think these numbers will actually grow once his parents chime in about family who should be invited, but here's what we came up with so far...
Bride: 18 family, 32 friends = 50
Groom: 42 family, 42 friends, 16 work = 100
Bride & Groom: 21 friends
Total = 171
Holy moly.
We also discussed the bridal party for "K's wedding." I think we came pretty close to nailing that part down, thankfully.
Monday, February 18, 2008
This is really happening...
At the marathon yesterday between mile 23 and mile 24, a woman was cheering folks on and said, "This is really happening. You are doing this." That was running through my head last night and today...this is really happening. K and I are engaged! But, I don't think it has fully hit me yet.
The vast majority of my friends are already married (and have been for years at this point) and several already have children. So, I've been through many bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, and bachelorette parties, all the while quietly and patiently wondering if and when my time would ever come. It's so exciting to realize that our time is finally here!
The news so far today is that my ring won't come off. When I woke up this morning, my fingers had swelled up and the ring hasn't budged. Fortunately, Sadie called this morning while I was in the midst of trying every remedy I found online to try to get it off...she assured me that this was normal and not to worry. Well, I managed to stop perseverating about it after that in order to go on with my day, but it's still not moving. At least my finger doesn't look like a sausage anymore! I know, I know, there are worse problems a girl can have than having a beautiful diamond ring on her finger that was given to her by the man she loves.
I haven't immersed myself in the planning as I thought I would now that it's finally time. I think I just want to enjoy this moment for a little longer before I go all bridezilla on K. I did buy a bridal magazine when I went to the grocery store earlier and started flipping through it to look at dresses (Sadie, they only had 1 so I couldn't buy 4!). I am starting to get anxious about how many decisions there are to be made.
Thank you to everyone who has shared in our news. Certainly an important part of a strong relationship is being surrounded with people who love and nurture you. We are lucky to have that in abundance...
AWESOME!!! congrats!!!
-Sarah
Congratulations and Best Wishes to you and Kurt! What a wonderful day!
-Sadie
Congratulations, Mel! That is fabulous news! (:
-Brook
The vast majority of my friends are already married (and have been for years at this point) and several already have children. So, I've been through many bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, and bachelorette parties, all the while quietly and patiently wondering if and when my time would ever come. It's so exciting to realize that our time is finally here!
The news so far today is that my ring won't come off. When I woke up this morning, my fingers had swelled up and the ring hasn't budged. Fortunately, Sadie called this morning while I was in the midst of trying every remedy I found online to try to get it off...she assured me that this was normal and not to worry. Well, I managed to stop perseverating about it after that in order to go on with my day, but it's still not moving. At least my finger doesn't look like a sausage anymore! I know, I know, there are worse problems a girl can have than having a beautiful diamond ring on her finger that was given to her by the man she loves.
I haven't immersed myself in the planning as I thought I would now that it's finally time. I think I just want to enjoy this moment for a little longer before I go all bridezilla on K. I did buy a bridal magazine when I went to the grocery store earlier and started flipping through it to look at dresses (Sadie, they only had 1 so I couldn't buy 4!). I am starting to get anxious about how many decisions there are to be made.
Thank you to everyone who has shared in our news. Certainly an important part of a strong relationship is being surrounded with people who love and nurture you. We are lucky to have that in abundance...
AWESOME!!! congrats!!!
-Sarah
Congratulations and Best Wishes to you and Kurt! What a wonderful day!
-Sadie
Congratulations, Mel! That is fabulous news! (:
-Brook
SO happy for you. You deserve it.
-Russ
Congrats! That is awesome news. You guys are a great couple and it's really cool the role marathons and running have played. Can't wait for the wedding!!
-Phillip
-Jake
Congratulations....Looking forward to the big day.That’s exciting news Mel! Congrats!
-Pam
-Jake
And to think that I was there "at the creation, if you will" -- I remember seeing you in some new boy's lap, your Uggs or Ugg-like boots kicked up in the air...:)
Good times.
- tara
Mel, congratulations!!! I am so happy for you both. How exciting!
-shailagh
Congratulations!! that's awesome! Let me know if you need any help
with the planning. I'm a pro! hee, hee.. .
My best to Kurt; We're so happy for you guys!
-Gabby
CONGRATULATIONS MEL AND KURT!! TOM AND I ARE SO EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN AUSTIN THIS FALL. KEEP US POSTED ON THE DATE!!
-MEG
-MEG
I am SO glad for you both! And how romantic to us runners!
-Carolyn
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! When is the big day??
-Michelle
Melissa,
Congratulations! I'm thrilled for you and Kurt. Let me know if I can help in any way.
-Rachel
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Engaged! (finally)
Well, my dear readers, since I left you not too long ago, K got down on one knee and surprised me with a marriage proposal! Since we first started talking seriously about marriage last November, I knew that today would eventually come, but he still managed to catch me off guard. I've been waiting (and pushing) for this day for a couple of months now, but he ended up choosing just the right day...marathon day. Obviously, this was how we met two years ago at the post-marathon bash, and running and marathoning have continued to be an important part of our relationship.
K called each of my parents last week to let them know and get their blessing. He's apparently had the ring for about a month now, and it has been hidden underneath the spare bed all this time! And, under our bed was a box with 2 champagne glasses in it that he got from the jeweler, and I had no idea about that either!
I feel calm and relaxed now. We've already called our parents, and I talked to my best friend/maid of honor as well. Now comes the planning! Thankfully, planning and organization are my strengths, but I know that there is still a lot to be done and that it will get stressful at times. K is a paradox of laziness and control, so I'm not quite sure how his involvement in this process will go. I can't believe this is finally happening! We're still looking at a date in the Fall (2008), but obviously this is going to be highly dependent on venue availability at this point. I'm actually off work tomorrow, so this will be perfect timing to let the planning begin!
K called each of my parents last week to let them know and get their blessing. He's apparently had the ring for about a month now, and it has been hidden underneath the spare bed all this time! And, under our bed was a box with 2 champagne glasses in it that he got from the jeweler, and I had no idea about that either!
I feel calm and relaxed now. We've already called our parents, and I talked to my best friend/maid of honor as well. Now comes the planning! Thankfully, planning and organization are my strengths, but I know that there is still a lot to be done and that it will get stressful at times. K is a paradox of laziness and control, so I'm not quite sure how his involvement in this process will go. I can't believe this is finally happening! We're still looking at a date in the Fall (2008), but obviously this is going to be highly dependent on venue availability at this point. I'm actually off work tomorrow, so this will be perfect timing to let the planning begin!
Marathons are hard...
And, we didn't even run one today!
We woke up a little before 7am and watched the online live coverage of the start and the race. I wanted to make sure we got to our starting point in time to see Brian Sell, who placed 3rd in the Olympic Marathon Trials in New York, running in the half. When we got to our starting point, we saw one of our former coaches, Mac Allen, and some of his runners who were also running 18 on the same route we were. We hung out there for a little while to watch the elites and the 3:20 pace group since Chad was one of the pacers. K and I set off a little while after that. Here we are all smiles at the start...
We started right out with the hills on Exposition. Fun! To make matters worse, my shin pain reared it's ugly head again, and I had to stop several times to stretch during the first few miles. I was really hurting and I thought that this was going to turn out to be a looooong day if it kept up. Fortunately, the pain cleared up by mile 5 or so (that's still a long time to be hurting though) and I didn't have any more shin problems for the rest of the run. I did have bad patches, but I also had good patches. What a great way to do an 18-mile training run - water stops, bathrooms, crowd support, and tons of other runners. It was great to see so many of our Rogue friends out there cheering - I saw Tim twice, Ed, Francie, Erin, Katie, and others. It's always nice to see a friendly face cheering you on by name.
I am so proud of everyone who ran the marathon today. I still think that the course is a tough one. I remember doing the LAB out there last year and the new course was a big reason that I decided not to run the marathon last year. As I ran today, I recalled running that LAB and even the stretches that were the same as the course two years ago and thinking about how much stronger and fitter I was then. I ran much faster and more comfortably both times. Ugh. I have a lot of work to do to get back to that point.
We still have a little more than 2 months of training ahead of us before Big Sur. There's still a lot of miles to be run. Then, there will be 26.2. I think this sign is hilarious...
The harder path in life generally always has a sweeter and more rewarding ending. Just like the marathon.
We woke up a little before 7am and watched the online live coverage of the start and the race. I wanted to make sure we got to our starting point in time to see Brian Sell, who placed 3rd in the Olympic Marathon Trials in New York, running in the half. When we got to our starting point, we saw one of our former coaches, Mac Allen, and some of his runners who were also running 18 on the same route we were. We hung out there for a little while to watch the elites and the 3:20 pace group since Chad was one of the pacers. K and I set off a little while after that. Here we are all smiles at the start...
We started right out with the hills on Exposition. Fun! To make matters worse, my shin pain reared it's ugly head again, and I had to stop several times to stretch during the first few miles. I was really hurting and I thought that this was going to turn out to be a looooong day if it kept up. Fortunately, the pain cleared up by mile 5 or so (that's still a long time to be hurting though) and I didn't have any more shin problems for the rest of the run. I did have bad patches, but I also had good patches. What a great way to do an 18-mile training run - water stops, bathrooms, crowd support, and tons of other runners. It was great to see so many of our Rogue friends out there cheering - I saw Tim twice, Ed, Francie, Erin, Katie, and others. It's always nice to see a friendly face cheering you on by name.I am so proud of everyone who ran the marathon today. I still think that the course is a tough one. I remember doing the LAB out there last year and the new course was a big reason that I decided not to run the marathon last year. As I ran today, I recalled running that LAB and even the stretches that were the same as the course two years ago and thinking about how much stronger and fitter I was then. I ran much faster and more comfortably both times. Ugh. I have a lot of work to do to get back to that point.
We still have a little more than 2 months of training ahead of us before Big Sur. There's still a lot of miles to be run. Then, there will be 26.2. I think this sign is hilarious...
The harder path in life generally always has a sweeter and more rewarding ending. Just like the marathon.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Showtime!
I love the bumper stickers that Runtex put out this week on the water coolers that say "Showtime." That it is.
I like that we're still able to participate in the marathon tomorrow, but without having to be all freaked out and edgy with taper madness since it's not our goal race. I got a massage last night, which I had really been looking forward to. Ann didn't seem too worried about the reemergence of the pain I had this week - we both attributed it to the hill work we've been doing for the past 2 quality workouts and the long run last weekend, as well as the increased volume. I'm hoping she worked her magic. We'll see how my legs feel tomorrow and next week. After my massage, K met me at Vinny's for a pasta dinner. I crashed out pretty early last night, so I got a good night's sleep. We got up this morning and went to the Expo to check it out. I got a couple more shirts from One More Mile to add to my collection. I love them! The ones I got today are "Marathon Ho" and "I know I run like a girl - try to keep up." K got one that says "This seemed like a good idea 3 months ago." Oh, and I even got a "fanny pack" for Big Sur so that I can carry my camera with me to take pictures during the marathon. I may give it a test run tomorrow.
After much deliberation, I think we've finally decided on our route for tomorrow. We're going to join the marathon course at mile 10 (around Enfield and Exposition) then run with everyone until about mile 25.5 (around 15th and San Jacinto) before heading back on Enfield to where we started. This accomplishes my main goal of avoiding the run up Congress (and not having to get up quite so early!).
Good luck to all of our friends running tomorrow! I hope to see some of you out there.
I like that we're still able to participate in the marathon tomorrow, but without having to be all freaked out and edgy with taper madness since it's not our goal race. I got a massage last night, which I had really been looking forward to. Ann didn't seem too worried about the reemergence of the pain I had this week - we both attributed it to the hill work we've been doing for the past 2 quality workouts and the long run last weekend, as well as the increased volume. I'm hoping she worked her magic. We'll see how my legs feel tomorrow and next week. After my massage, K met me at Vinny's for a pasta dinner. I crashed out pretty early last night, so I got a good night's sleep. We got up this morning and went to the Expo to check it out. I got a couple more shirts from One More Mile to add to my collection. I love them! The ones I got today are "Marathon Ho" and "I know I run like a girl - try to keep up." K got one that says "This seemed like a good idea 3 months ago." Oh, and I even got a "fanny pack" for Big Sur so that I can carry my camera with me to take pictures during the marathon. I may give it a test run tomorrow.After much deliberation, I think we've finally decided on our route for tomorrow. We're going to join the marathon course at mile 10 (around Enfield and Exposition) then run with everyone until about mile 25.5 (around 15th and San Jacinto) before heading back on Enfield to where we started. This accomplishes my main goal of avoiding the run up Congress (and not having to get up quite so early!).
Good luck to all of our friends running tomorrow! I hope to see some of you out there.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Too much...
There is only 1 of me. There is only so much "urgent" that I can attend to.
I want to cry, numb out in front of the tv, and then hide in bed.
But, I can't do that.
I want to cry, numb out in front of the tv, and then hide in bed.
But, I can't do that.
Happy Valentines Day!
Having been single more years than I have been involved in a relationship, I've never really been a fan of Valentine's Day. In fact, an ex-boyfriend actually broke up with me (by phone) on Valentine's Day during my 1st year of grad school. Now, that was a rough time.
Valentine's Day also falls less than 2 weeks before our anniversary, so we have 2 days pretty close together where it's all about "Rah-Rah M and K!" :)
K brought me 2-dozen roses last night when he got home from the gym, which was very unexpected. We woke up a little early this morning so that I could give him his gifts - an Ipod shuffle (Property of Big K), a massage with Ann for next week, and a brick with our names on it to be placed at Lou Neff point on the trail. What a great idea!
We're going to dinner at Chez Zee tonight. We've never been there before, so I'm looking forward to checking it out. But, first, I have to run 7-miles after work. Hopefully, it will be a good run and I can get through it quickly and easily. I ran 4 on the trail last night, with some mild shin pain again. I'm so ready for my massage tomorrow!
Valentine's Day also falls less than 2 weeks before our anniversary, so we have 2 days pretty close together where it's all about "Rah-Rah M and K!" :)
K brought me 2-dozen roses last night when he got home from the gym, which was very unexpected. We woke up a little early this morning so that I could give him his gifts - an Ipod shuffle (Property of Big K), a massage with Ann for next week, and a brick with our names on it to be placed at Lou Neff point on the trail. What a great idea!
We're going to dinner at Chez Zee tonight. We've never been there before, so I'm looking forward to checking it out. But, first, I have to run 7-miles after work. Hopefully, it will be a good run and I can get through it quickly and easily. I ran 4 on the trail last night, with some mild shin pain again. I'm so ready for my massage tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Update...
Let's see where I left off...
On Sunday, we met the P*Dipps at Mars for an afternoon happy hour. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon to enjoy sitting outside with friends...I even had 2 glasses a wine, which as K will tell you is pretty atypical for me these days. Instead of buying groceries and going to the gym which we should have done, we opted to grab a quick bite at Central Market before going to see "There Will Be Blood" with Holly and Chris. With all the positive buzz that it's been getting from the critics, I guess I was expecting something more than it turned out to be. To make matters worse, I ended up spending my massage money from Monday night on the evening, so I didn't get my massage after all.
In terms of running, I ran the 4-mile loop on the trail yesterday. I had some shin pain during the 1st couple of miles and had to stop to stretch, but it cleared up once I got to the Rock so the rest of the run turned out fine. We did the Marshes for our quality workout tonight. I think this was the last quality workout that I did with Ruth's fall marathon group last summer before bowing out to deal with my leg issues. I definitely had a better run today - probably because it wasn't blazing hot! This is weird though - sometimes my feet will fall asleep when I'm running. I don't think it's because my shoes are too tight. I'm not sure what it's about.
We got our bibs in order to run on Sunday. K and I still haven't decided what part of the course we're going to run. I also have a couple of friends who are running on Sunday who I could join up with. But, it's their day, not mine. So, I may just run by myself. I talked to one of the Rogue coaches after our workout tonight about Big Sur since she's run it twice. For the most part, she said the hills aren't THAT bad after training here in Austin - definitely nothing as bad as the Run from Hell. Whew.
On Sunday, we met the P*Dipps at Mars for an afternoon happy hour. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon to enjoy sitting outside with friends...I even had 2 glasses a wine, which as K will tell you is pretty atypical for me these days. Instead of buying groceries and going to the gym which we should have done, we opted to grab a quick bite at Central Market before going to see "There Will Be Blood" with Holly and Chris. With all the positive buzz that it's been getting from the critics, I guess I was expecting something more than it turned out to be. To make matters worse, I ended up spending my massage money from Monday night on the evening, so I didn't get my massage after all.
In terms of running, I ran the 4-mile loop on the trail yesterday. I had some shin pain during the 1st couple of miles and had to stop to stretch, but it cleared up once I got to the Rock so the rest of the run turned out fine. We did the Marshes for our quality workout tonight. I think this was the last quality workout that I did with Ruth's fall marathon group last summer before bowing out to deal with my leg issues. I definitely had a better run today - probably because it wasn't blazing hot! This is weird though - sometimes my feet will fall asleep when I'm running. I don't think it's because my shoes are too tight. I'm not sure what it's about.
We got our bibs in order to run on Sunday. K and I still haven't decided what part of the course we're going to run. I also have a couple of friends who are running on Sunday who I could join up with. But, it's their day, not mine. So, I may just run by myself. I talked to one of the Rogue coaches after our workout tonight about Big Sur since she's run it twice. For the most part, she said the hills aren't THAT bad after training here in Austin - definitely nothing as bad as the Run from Hell. Whew.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
"Why do we do this to ourselves?"
K and I ran on the trail on Wednesday night then had dinner at Zax. As we were getting out of the car back home, he inquired, "Why do we do this to ourselves?" I sought clarification and asked, "The running or the eating?" The running, of course.
We asked ourselves the same question again yesterday.
We tried the new all-you-can-eat pasta buffet at Cannoli Joe's on Friday night to make sure we were fueled up for the run on Saturday, then went to bed relatively early to ensure that we were well-rested. With running, there's so many things out of your control on any given day, but at least I could go into Saturday's run knowing that I had done these things properly. When the alarm went off at 6am, amazingly, I didn't whine or say that I wasn't going. We got up, got ready, and got down to business. We were surprised to find out about a change in route than in the past - rather than heading straight for the hills, we were supposed to run the 7-mile loop on the trail from Barton Springs before heading to Stratford. I wasn't thrilled about tackling the hills with 7+miles already on my legs, but whatever. Fortunately, Sadie was there doing a shorter run since she is pacing at the marathon next weekend, so she started out running the first 8 or 9 miles with me until we got to the water stop at Redbud. She's a great running partner - we took it easy and didn't push the pace, chatted about various things, and she didn't complain when I walked a few of the hills. I honestly didn't remember that first hill on Stratford as being that bad, and I walked it for the first time. I'm really okay with that at this point since that is what I am going to do at Big Sur if I want to. NO PRESSURE! So, after Sadie headed back, I was on my own to tackle Terrace Mountain and the rest of the fun awaiting me. I ended up getting lost and tacked on a little extra mileage as a result. I got to a crossroads on Terrace Mountain where the way the street sign was positioned was somewhat confusing as to which road was actually Terrace Mountain. There was a hill right there that I thought I remembered running before, but the street sign was at a diagonal and wasn't pointing that way so I went the other way. I should have known though that if you have a choice between a hill and not a hill, Sisson will always choose the hill. I had to retrace my steps once I finally figured out that I was on the wrong road and then I was able to get back on track - starting with that damn hill. I think that if we had run a flat route, I probably would have had a pretty decent run overall because I felt okay in terms of cardio (aside from the hills) and I didn't have any shin pain again! I can't even remember the last run that I had problems with my shins...I think it's been at least 2 weeks now that I have been pain-free. And, I have 2 massages scheduled for this week - one of the more relaxing ones with the students at the massage school tomorrow and then my regular one with Ann on Friday. We're running 18-miles next weekend on the marathon course. Since I ended up running a little over 17 yesterday with my detour, I'm not quite as nervous about it as I was yesterday's run. I think the excitement of the other runners and spectators will make it even better.
After the run, I had the requisite burger for lunch and then got ready to go to Sadie's bridal shower at Barton Creek Resort and Spa. I'm very excited for her and Chad!
K and I crashed out for a couple of hours when I got home then finally got up to have dinner at Rudy's. Thankfully, my legs feel much better today than they did yesterday. We are contemplating a trip to the gym later. But, first, we're meeting friends at Mars for happy hour this afternoon. I guess that means I'll finally have to change out of my nightgown.
We asked ourselves the same question again yesterday.
We tried the new all-you-can-eat pasta buffet at Cannoli Joe's on Friday night to make sure we were fueled up for the run on Saturday, then went to bed relatively early to ensure that we were well-rested. With running, there's so many things out of your control on any given day, but at least I could go into Saturday's run knowing that I had done these things properly. When the alarm went off at 6am, amazingly, I didn't whine or say that I wasn't going. We got up, got ready, and got down to business. We were surprised to find out about a change in route than in the past - rather than heading straight for the hills, we were supposed to run the 7-mile loop on the trail from Barton Springs before heading to Stratford. I wasn't thrilled about tackling the hills with 7+miles already on my legs, but whatever. Fortunately, Sadie was there doing a shorter run since she is pacing at the marathon next weekend, so she started out running the first 8 or 9 miles with me until we got to the water stop at Redbud. She's a great running partner - we took it easy and didn't push the pace, chatted about various things, and she didn't complain when I walked a few of the hills. I honestly didn't remember that first hill on Stratford as being that bad, and I walked it for the first time. I'm really okay with that at this point since that is what I am going to do at Big Sur if I want to. NO PRESSURE! So, after Sadie headed back, I was on my own to tackle Terrace Mountain and the rest of the fun awaiting me. I ended up getting lost and tacked on a little extra mileage as a result. I got to a crossroads on Terrace Mountain where the way the street sign was positioned was somewhat confusing as to which road was actually Terrace Mountain. There was a hill right there that I thought I remembered running before, but the street sign was at a diagonal and wasn't pointing that way so I went the other way. I should have known though that if you have a choice between a hill and not a hill, Sisson will always choose the hill. I had to retrace my steps once I finally figured out that I was on the wrong road and then I was able to get back on track - starting with that damn hill. I think that if we had run a flat route, I probably would have had a pretty decent run overall because I felt okay in terms of cardio (aside from the hills) and I didn't have any shin pain again! I can't even remember the last run that I had problems with my shins...I think it's been at least 2 weeks now that I have been pain-free. And, I have 2 massages scheduled for this week - one of the more relaxing ones with the students at the massage school tomorrow and then my regular one with Ann on Friday. We're running 18-miles next weekend on the marathon course. Since I ended up running a little over 17 yesterday with my detour, I'm not quite as nervous about it as I was yesterday's run. I think the excitement of the other runners and spectators will make it even better.
After the run, I had the requisite burger for lunch and then got ready to go to Sadie's bridal shower at Barton Creek Resort and Spa. I'm very excited for her and Chad!
K and I crashed out for a couple of hours when I got home then finally got up to have dinner at Rudy's. Thankfully, my legs feel much better today than they did yesterday. We are contemplating a trip to the gym later. But, first, we're meeting friends at Mars for happy hour this afternoon. I guess that means I'll finally have to change out of my nightgown.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Another week down...
As usual, I'm relieved that Friday has finally arrived. I already feel so much less stressed now that the weekend has officially begun.
The primary stressor this week turned out to be (ongoing) conflict with an employee. I continue to have difficulty managing this individual and it really creates a lot of stress for me. After another incident yesterday, I was reminded that this is not what I went to school for and racked up thousands of dollars in student loans in order to do this. I dubbed myself the "schedule nazi" yesterday because I found myself spending way too much of my time and energy having to deal with employee schedule issues. Ugh.
On a better note, my runs have been good this week (well, aside from a "twinge" I have had with my left tendon, I think). I am really nervous about the "Run from Hell" tomorrow. It truly lives up to it's name. I think the last time I ran this route was during the heat of the summer and it was one of the first long runs that I ever walked - unfortunately, that set the precedent for me that it's okay to walk and now I don't hesitate to. We're going to have a good pasta dinner tonight to carb up for tomorrow.
We have a few social events for this weekend that I am looking forward to. I'm going to Sadie's bridal shower tomorrow afternoon - I hope that I'm conscious, mobile, and in good spirits after the run tomorrow morning! Then, on Sunday, we're meeting "the gang" for happy hour at Mars. It will be nice to see everyone and catch up.
The primary stressor this week turned out to be (ongoing) conflict with an employee. I continue to have difficulty managing this individual and it really creates a lot of stress for me. After another incident yesterday, I was reminded that this is not what I went to school for and racked up thousands of dollars in student loans in order to do this. I dubbed myself the "schedule nazi" yesterday because I found myself spending way too much of my time and energy having to deal with employee schedule issues. Ugh.
On a better note, my runs have been good this week (well, aside from a "twinge" I have had with my left tendon, I think). I am really nervous about the "Run from Hell" tomorrow. It truly lives up to it's name. I think the last time I ran this route was during the heat of the summer and it was one of the first long runs that I ever walked - unfortunately, that set the precedent for me that it's okay to walk and now I don't hesitate to. We're going to have a good pasta dinner tonight to carb up for tomorrow.
We have a few social events for this weekend that I am looking forward to. I'm going to Sadie's bridal shower tomorrow afternoon - I hope that I'm conscious, mobile, and in good spirits after the run tomorrow morning! Then, on Sunday, we're meeting "the gang" for happy hour at Mars. It will be nice to see everyone and catch up.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
I told you so...
I didn't want to go to our quality workout tonight. I really, really didn't want to go. I threw a huge tantrum up until the very last minute. We were doing Scenic hill loops X 3 = 7-mile+ workout. It wasn't that I didn't want to do it necessarily, but it was more that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it. K insisted that we were going, and we did. Turned out that I actually had a pretty darn good workout (but, don't tell K that) - I didn't walk the hill at all, which I know I did the last time I ran this workout in the heat of the summer, and I even finished strong on the cooldown back to RunTex with a nice tailwind giving me a boost to run comfortably at under a 9-minute pace. K made yummy cheeseburgers for our post-workout meal. Now, we're watching the election media circus.
Time flies...
It's already time to renew our lease at the lil' blue house. Wow.
And, I've been "the boss" at work for a year now. Again, wow.
And, I've been "the boss" at work for a year now. Again, wow.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
First days of February...
It's been a pretty low-key weekend that didn't get off to a good start. I had my massage with Ann on Friday after work then got into an argument with K about dinner that ruined the rest of the night. I ended up sleeping in on Saturday morning and doing the long run by myself around 9am. It was a long, slow, bad run. I didn't have any shin pain, thankfully. My legs just felt like lead though. It was terrible. The next couple of weeks are going to be tough...16-mile Run From Hell on Saturday and 18-miles at the marathon next weekend. Kill me now.
I took a good long nap yesterday afternoon - another beautiful Saturday wasted by sleeping. K and I went to the grand opening party at the new Rogue store, RoguEQuipment, last night. I've said it before, but it's just not the same Rogue anymore - no more P*Dipps and Olives. The folks that I knew were greatly outnumbered by the folks that I didn't. I did get the chance to catch up with Sadie for a little bit though, so that was good. Afterwards, K and I went to dinner at Mrs. B's, a cajun and creole restaurant on the East side.
We got up early (for us) this morning and went to Kerbey Lane for breakfast. Yummy pancakes! K used 3/4 of the syrup canister on his pancakes. Seriously.
We went to check out another open house this afternoon...House on the Hill. I really liked the casual feel to the place (as I reminded K, I am a "beach casual bride" after all). Essentially, it's a private estate that you get the run of from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. But, of course, the availability for the Fall is already quite limited.
I successfully avoided having to watch the Super Bowl tonight. K is watching the game with a friend at Ringer's downtown. I'm going to pick him up at 8 though and we're going to the gym.
I took a good long nap yesterday afternoon - another beautiful Saturday wasted by sleeping. K and I went to the grand opening party at the new Rogue store, RoguEQuipment, last night. I've said it before, but it's just not the same Rogue anymore - no more P*Dipps and Olives. The folks that I knew were greatly outnumbered by the folks that I didn't. I did get the chance to catch up with Sadie for a little bit though, so that was good. Afterwards, K and I went to dinner at Mrs. B's, a cajun and creole restaurant on the East side.
We got up early (for us) this morning and went to Kerbey Lane for breakfast. Yummy pancakes! K used 3/4 of the syrup canister on his pancakes. Seriously.
We went to check out another open house this afternoon...House on the Hill. I really liked the casual feel to the place (as I reminded K, I am a "beach casual bride" after all). Essentially, it's a private estate that you get the run of from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. But, of course, the availability for the Fall is already quite limited.
I successfully avoided having to watch the Super Bowl tonight. K is watching the game with a friend at Ringer's downtown. I'm going to pick him up at 8 though and we're going to the gym.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)