Thursday, October 30, 2008
Married fun...
Earlier this week I read about the "Annual Spooky Trail Run" hosted by Texas Iron on Stephanie's blog. I was immediately intrigued and thought it sounded like a lot of fun. So, I "told" K that we were going then we figured out something easy that we could put together for a costume while running. We raided my play therapy materials and I settled on a fairy while K was immediately drawn to being a conqueror (it suits him quite well!). So, we joined in on the fun for a short trail run on the Greenbelt tonight which included a "headless" mountain biker, checkpoints with candy, snakes on the trail, and folks in the bushes yelling and spraying silly string. We started around 6:45pm so it was still somewhat light for the first couple of miles, but given my dislike of trail running in the dark I turned back pretty early guided by my headlamp. Overall, it was a fun time...fun for a married running couple that is.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Lucky...
I feel so fortunate that (a) K and I enjoy each other so much (that's obviously a good thing since we're married!), and (b) that we are able to share a lot of our free time doing things together. Last night we enjoyed a 5-mile run on the Greenbelt ("together" as much as possible considering our different paces) followed by dinner at Rudy's. Two of our favorite things! Then, I spent the rest of the evening preparing for class tonight. Today we also had a rare treat in that we got to have lunch together since I was attending a training downtown. K picked me up and we wandered around looking for an "easy" place to get to and park before stumbling into a Mexican restaurant (Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina) that we had never been to before. We still had a little time to spare before I had to be back so we stopped at Polka-dots for dessert! Yum! Since I will be gone with class for most of the night tonight, it was nice to get a little extra K time today. Lucky girl indeed.
Monday, October 27, 2008
What am I afraid of?
In keeping with my past couple of runs, I decided to continue reminding myself tonight what it feels like to run comfortably "fast." So, I did a 2-mile warm-up from RunTex to Mopac then did the Enfield 4 followed by a cooldown back to RunTex for a little under 8 miles total. What I learned about where I am right now...it takes me a little while to build up to a "fast" pace but once I'm there it feels comfortable and I'm able to run faster with the same perceived effort (my splits for the 4 miles were 8:59, 8:46, 8:33, 8:12). I felt strong through the hills, so I have trail running to thank for that I think. Given that I haven't focused on speed in nearly a year now, it's not a bad place to start again. That is if I want to. While I was running, I also reflected on why I don't like to run "fast," even though I know I can (fast for me at least). First of all, it hurts and as the name of my blog states I don't like to hurt. And, equally important, I start putting immense pressure on myself to succeed and I don't want to fail. Then, I get back to the point where I was last summer when running stopped being fun. For now, a small first step might be for me to set a time goal for the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio half in a few weeks - not necessarily trying to PR or anything, but at least something to shoot for to try to push myself rather than giving myself permission to just run easy. We'll see...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Reclamation...
For an "off" weekend, we sure have been busy! We took advantage of (a) actually being in town, (b) me not having to spend the entire weekend working on stuff for my class, and (c) not spending hours running or recovering from running which allowed us to focus on our house. Our mission was to "reclaim" our house from the chaos of the wedding that we never really had time to recover from since we've been going non-stop (in one way or another) since the honeymoon. I offered to host the Christmas party for my co-workers again this year, so that provided the pending deadline that I/we needed to make this a priority. We unwrapped 95% of the wedding gifts then had to discard all of the boxes/wrappings and find a home for everything (in our already packed house). Overall, I feel good about the progress that we made, although we still certainly have plenty more to do to get this house in the condition that I would like (and that is still very far from me being perfectionistic about it!).
In running news, K and I went for a short run together on the Greenbelt Thursday evening so that I could make sure everything still worked after Palo Duro. Thankfully, it did. Friday and Saturday we also ran, but mostly we ran for free food. On Friday evening, we went to RunTex to meet Chris Carmichael of Carmichael Training Systems and Adam Wilk, a Team Timex athlete. The event was sponsored by Runner's World and consisted of a brief Q&A with both guys followed by a run on the 4-mile loop then pizza. The run essentially turned into a short tempo workout for me because I was running much faster to keep up with the pack than I have in a loooong time. Likewise, we did the Taco Run at Rogue on Saturday morning to remember what road running feels like. We ran 7-miles and, again, I found myself running faster than I wanted to. And, I'm not sure I liked it so much. I missed running trail - where the trail dictates how fast you can go in most cases and where I don't get sucked into running other people's pace because of ego. I got a massage yesterday and, as expected after the race, everything was pretty tight. So, I'm going to get in sooner rather than later for another massage next weekend.
We also managed to fit in some time with friends who we don't see very much. I did my first duty as an AMD wife yesterday. One of Kurt's co-workers is having a baby in December, so I went to his wife's baby shower at Chez Zee for brunch. And, K went to the diaper party for the husband last night. Then, we met Matt and Jennifer for lunch/brunch today at Zax. Both were nice outings with good friends.
In running news, K and I went for a short run together on the Greenbelt Thursday evening so that I could make sure everything still worked after Palo Duro. Thankfully, it did. Friday and Saturday we also ran, but mostly we ran for free food. On Friday evening, we went to RunTex to meet Chris Carmichael of Carmichael Training Systems and Adam Wilk, a Team Timex athlete. The event was sponsored by Runner's World and consisted of a brief Q&A with both guys followed by a run on the 4-mile loop then pizza. The run essentially turned into a short tempo workout for me because I was running much faster to keep up with the pack than I have in a loooong time. Likewise, we did the Taco Run at Rogue on Saturday morning to remember what road running feels like. We ran 7-miles and, again, I found myself running faster than I wanted to. And, I'm not sure I liked it so much. I missed running trail - where the trail dictates how fast you can go in most cases and where I don't get sucked into running other people's pace because of ego. I got a massage yesterday and, as expected after the race, everything was pretty tight. So, I'm going to get in sooner rather than later for another massage next weekend.
We also managed to fit in some time with friends who we don't see very much. I did my first duty as an AMD wife yesterday. One of Kurt's co-workers is having a baby in December, so I went to his wife's baby shower at Chez Zee for brunch. And, K went to the diaper party for the husband last night. Then, we met Matt and Jennifer for lunch/brunch today at Zax. Both were nice outings with good friends.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
All good things must end...
Tonight we had our post-race happy hour at NXNW. There was a good turnout of folks from our training group, as well as a few other trail runners who weren't necessarily in our group. This has been such a great experience for us, from the new friends we met, getting to work with Joe, exploring local trails (in and out of Austin), testing my limits, and of course culminating with the race itself. I am sad to see it come to an end. I like what Joe said about completing the race and the training group - "There are more programs, more races, more adventures...but for this moment, you can file it away and recall when you need a good smile or a laugh. Now, its time to move on to the next adventure." Indeed. But, choosing what to do next is proving to be the hard part (more on that in another post...).
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Palo Duro Trail Run 50k 10/18/08
Yesterday was undoubtedly one of my best running days that I've ever had. The whole experience was satisfying and fulfilling in so many ways.
We awoke to a 4:45am wake-up call, although the nerves/excitement had actually awoken me a little earlier. We checked the weather and it was approximately 45 degrees, which likely meant that it would be even cooler inside the canyon. I put on my race gear with warm-up clothes on top for pre-race. We met up with Kelly S. and Dawn from our running group in the lobby at 5:15am and carpooled over to the park. The park gates didn't open until 6:00am, but we wanted to get in line early so that we would get a good parking spot. We actually ended up being 2nd in line and had plenty of time in the car to eat breakfast and stay warm until the gates opened. Thankfully, the parking lot where we parked was very near to the start/finish area, so we didn't have to walk too far with all of our belongings.
We checked in for our respective races then found a spot near the drop bag/aid station/trail to set up our chairs and get settled in. At that point my only concern was about staying warm. It was COLD, and I was second guessing whether I should run (at least the first loop) in tights and a pullover. But, then I saw Joe who was wearing shorts and a short-sleeve shirt. I figured he knows best, so I stripped off my warm-up pants and pullover a few minutes before walking over to the start.
K kissed me goodbye and wished me luck then it was go time. After a moment of silence to honor Red, we were sent on our way. I was with Stephanie at the start area, but quickly lost her as I tried to maneuver my way through the crowd to get in a good position on the single-track trail. I was reminded yet again that I really don't like running trail in the dark that much because it's hard to make out the changes in terrain, even with a headlamp. Thankfully, it got light out sooner than I was expecting, although it was probably a good way to start since it kept me from going out too fast.
I was definitely cold for the first few miles, but warmed up before too long. I had heard that the race is pretty flat, so I was surprised by the frequent short up's and down's in the first few miles. It wasn't anything too challenging and I was able to run them while keeping a consistent pace. However, I began to rethink that strategy somewhat after I had been leap-frogging with a couple of other runners who were walking the hills and passing me on the flats. As one of the girls passed me, she said "Don't worry, I'll get out of your way on the hills." Hmmm....
My first loop was a 6-mile loop. Other than being cold and running the first few miles slightly slower in the dark, it was pretty uneventful. I came back through the start/finish area and dropped off my long-sleeve shirt, hat, gloves, and headlamp and made a quick stop at the aid station for nutrition. I was out on my way for the 2nd loop at around 1:15ish.
The second loop would take me farther out into the canyon this time for my first 12.5 mile loop. My hands were quite cold for the first few miles and I was regretting my decision to ditch my gloves, but they definitely warmed up within 3-4 miles into that loop. There were a few guys ahead of me on this loop so it was nice to have someone else within eyesight, while still being able to enjoy the solitude of running by myself. My GI issues reared their ugly head again at around mile 10, just after I had left an aid station with a port-a-potty too. I debated going back, but I didn't want to backtrack. I considered improvising by going slightly off course, but I was afraid of stumbling upon a rattlesnake or getting stuck by a cactus. I had to slow down and pause a couple of times to try to settle it down before I finally hit an aid station with a port-a-potty at mile 15ish. So, I took a somewhat extended stop at this aid station, but it was necessary and I felt so much better for the rest of the race once that was resolved. I was looking forward to coming back through the start-finish area this time because I would see K and the other 20k'ers there for support. I got my Camelback refilled, took in some food, and picked up my hat before setting off on my final loop. I was on my way at 3:50.
I had commented to K that my legs were feeling trashed already because of all the up's and down's, which I totally had not been expecting. I had a bad patch between mile 19-20 shortly after I had embarked on my final loop. The sun was out in full force by this point, so it was really bright (hence the need for the hat) and warming up. My legs were screaming with each uphill and downhill. Mentally, I was calculating (never an easy thing to do while running) how long it would take me to finish if I walked the rest of the way. I would estimate that I walked about .5-.75 miles (maybe closer to .5 miles) during this stretch. But, for maybe the first time ever, I was able to pull myself out of the negative self-talk and get myself motivated and going again. From that point I didn't have any more problems. After this setback, I recalculated a projected finish time and I realized that my "A" goal was still well within reach. That was enough motivation for me! I was running again and I never looked back. Yes, my legs were hurting, but I was still maintaining a respectable pace and passing a few runners here and there. I could not believe that I was still moving that well with each passing mile. I had been anticipating that the last 10-15k was going to be a struggle, but it actually wasn't. Mentally and physically, I was doing well and knew that I would make my goal. What an amazing feeling!
With the finish line in sight, I still had enough to give to kick it in and have a really strong finish, especially once I checked my watch and realized that I could get there by 6:45 if I tried. K was there waiting for me. I had done it. 6:45:53 (by my watch). I was so proud of myself.
Afterwards, I enjoyed a finisher's meal of a hamburger and hot dog while we watched a few of the other 50k'ers in our group come in. Then we went back to the hotel for a couple of hours to shower and rest before going back out at 6pm to see the 50 milers finish. It was really great to see the other Rogues come in. Very moving and inspirational. We went to dinner with a few others from our group to celebrate. I was still too keyed up and sore last night to get a good night's sleep. I still can't quite believe I did it.
We awoke to a 4:45am wake-up call, although the nerves/excitement had actually awoken me a little earlier. We checked the weather and it was approximately 45 degrees, which likely meant that it would be even cooler inside the canyon. I put on my race gear with warm-up clothes on top for pre-race. We met up with Kelly S. and Dawn from our running group in the lobby at 5:15am and carpooled over to the park. The park gates didn't open until 6:00am, but we wanted to get in line early so that we would get a good parking spot. We actually ended up being 2nd in line and had plenty of time in the car to eat breakfast and stay warm until the gates opened. Thankfully, the parking lot where we parked was very near to the start/finish area, so we didn't have to walk too far with all of our belongings.
We checked in for our respective races then found a spot near the drop bag/aid station/trail to set up our chairs and get settled in. At that point my only concern was about staying warm. It was COLD, and I was second guessing whether I should run (at least the first loop) in tights and a pullover. But, then I saw Joe who was wearing shorts and a short-sleeve shirt. I figured he knows best, so I stripped off my warm-up pants and pullover a few minutes before walking over to the start.
K kissed me goodbye and wished me luck then it was go time. After a moment of silence to honor Red, we were sent on our way. I was with Stephanie at the start area, but quickly lost her as I tried to maneuver my way through the crowd to get in a good position on the single-track trail. I was reminded yet again that I really don't like running trail in the dark that much because it's hard to make out the changes in terrain, even with a headlamp. Thankfully, it got light out sooner than I was expecting, although it was probably a good way to start since it kept me from going out too fast.
I was definitely cold for the first few miles, but warmed up before too long. I had heard that the race is pretty flat, so I was surprised by the frequent short up's and down's in the first few miles. It wasn't anything too challenging and I was able to run them while keeping a consistent pace. However, I began to rethink that strategy somewhat after I had been leap-frogging with a couple of other runners who were walking the hills and passing me on the flats. As one of the girls passed me, she said "Don't worry, I'll get out of your way on the hills." Hmmm....
My first loop was a 6-mile loop. Other than being cold and running the first few miles slightly slower in the dark, it was pretty uneventful. I came back through the start/finish area and dropped off my long-sleeve shirt, hat, gloves, and headlamp and made a quick stop at the aid station for nutrition. I was out on my way for the 2nd loop at around 1:15ish.
The second loop would take me farther out into the canyon this time for my first 12.5 mile loop. My hands were quite cold for the first few miles and I was regretting my decision to ditch my gloves, but they definitely warmed up within 3-4 miles into that loop. There were a few guys ahead of me on this loop so it was nice to have someone else within eyesight, while still being able to enjoy the solitude of running by myself. My GI issues reared their ugly head again at around mile 10, just after I had left an aid station with a port-a-potty too. I debated going back, but I didn't want to backtrack. I considered improvising by going slightly off course, but I was afraid of stumbling upon a rattlesnake or getting stuck by a cactus. I had to slow down and pause a couple of times to try to settle it down before I finally hit an aid station with a port-a-potty at mile 15ish. So, I took a somewhat extended stop at this aid station, but it was necessary and I felt so much better for the rest of the race once that was resolved. I was looking forward to coming back through the start-finish area this time because I would see K and the other 20k'ers there for support. I got my Camelback refilled, took in some food, and picked up my hat before setting off on my final loop. I was on my way at 3:50.
I had commented to K that my legs were feeling trashed already because of all the up's and down's, which I totally had not been expecting. I had a bad patch between mile 19-20 shortly after I had embarked on my final loop. The sun was out in full force by this point, so it was really bright (hence the need for the hat) and warming up. My legs were screaming with each uphill and downhill. Mentally, I was calculating (never an easy thing to do while running) how long it would take me to finish if I walked the rest of the way. I would estimate that I walked about .5-.75 miles (maybe closer to .5 miles) during this stretch. But, for maybe the first time ever, I was able to pull myself out of the negative self-talk and get myself motivated and going again. From that point I didn't have any more problems. After this setback, I recalculated a projected finish time and I realized that my "A" goal was still well within reach. That was enough motivation for me! I was running again and I never looked back. Yes, my legs were hurting, but I was still maintaining a respectable pace and passing a few runners here and there. I could not believe that I was still moving that well with each passing mile. I had been anticipating that the last 10-15k was going to be a struggle, but it actually wasn't. Mentally and physically, I was doing well and knew that I would make my goal. What an amazing feeling!
With the finish line in sight, I still had enough to give to kick it in and have a really strong finish, especially once I checked my watch and realized that I could get there by 6:45 if I tried. K was there waiting for me. I had done it. 6:45:53 (by my watch). I was so proud of myself.
Afterwards, I enjoyed a finisher's meal of a hamburger and hot dog while we watched a few of the other 50k'ers in our group come in. Then we went back to the hotel for a couple of hours to shower and rest before going back out at 6pm to see the 50 milers finish. It was really great to see the other Rogues come in. Very moving and inspirational. We went to dinner with a few others from our group to celebrate. I was still too keyed up and sore last night to get a good night's sleep. I still can't quite believe I did it.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Rock Star...
6:45:53 "chip" time. 6:46:00 gun time.
I totally exceeded all of my expectations.
Race report to follow.
I totally exceeded all of my expectations.
Race report to follow.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Canyon, Texas...
Well, here we are. Canyon, Texas. The night before my first 50k. I'm excited. I know, that's weird, right?
We flew out of Austin mid-morning, had a short connection at DFW, and arrived in Amarillo around 1pm. We had a quick lunch there before the short drive to Canyon where we are staying. Since we had a couple of hours to spare this afternoon, I convinced K to go out to Palo Duro State Park so that we could check out the venue for tomorrow's event. It helps to be able to visualize the location and terrain. The weather was great, and I hope that it holds for tomorrow - low will be in the 40's when we start and rising up to the 70's by the time I finish. K, of course, will be done while it's still pretty cool.
Packet pick-up was held at WTAMU close to our hotel in conjunction with a (free) pasta dinner and the pre-race information meeting. There were lots of friendly faces from Austin, so that is comforting. Joe is of course a calming presence as well. This year's race is marked with sadness for many locals and returning trail runners as the race organizer, (Big) Red Spicer, died from cancer a few months ago. Everyone speaks of him quite fondly.
So, now it's time to get my gear ready for tomorrow then try to get a good night's sleep. It will be an early am wake-up call as we are shooting to carpool from the hotel at 5:15. The 50k and 50 milers start at 7am, while 20kers start at 7:30am. Sunrise is around 8 here, so I'll have to start with my headlamp. The 50k course consists of a 6-mile loop followed by 2 12.5 mile loops. K will make just one 12.5 mile loop. The start is apparently single-track and I anticipate that it will be pretty slow to start since it will be dark and we'll all be bunched up until the 50k and 50 mile course splits off around 3 miles in. I won't see K until I'm almost 19 miles in getting ready to head back out for my final loop. My goal for tomorrow is obviously to finish and, more importantly, to have fun. Joe starts our workouts by telling us to "Go play." I love that. And, I want to enjoy the experience tomorrow. The canyon is beautiful. I will obviously have a lot of time to be in my head tomorrow - that can easily turn bad if the negative self-talk starts in. But, it can also be a wonderful time to reflect and enjoy the solitude. My race plan is to start slow and keep it slow until the final loop - if I have it to give, then I'll pick up the pace, but if not, then I'll just cruise in. My "A" goal is 6-7 hours, my "B" goal is 7-8 hours, and my "C" goal is just to finish! Regardless of the time, I will be happy with it because I pushed myself and did something that I had never even considered before (after each marathon that I have ran I could not have imagined taking another step and tomorrow I will run 5 more miles, on trails no less!). I'm not going to stress about the time - I will take my time to refuel at the aid stations, potentially change clothes, use the bathroom, etc. because it is necessary to get through the distance.
We flew out of Austin mid-morning, had a short connection at DFW, and arrived in Amarillo around 1pm. We had a quick lunch there before the short drive to Canyon where we are staying. Since we had a couple of hours to spare this afternoon, I convinced K to go out to Palo Duro State Park so that we could check out the venue for tomorrow's event. It helps to be able to visualize the location and terrain. The weather was great, and I hope that it holds for tomorrow - low will be in the 40's when we start and rising up to the 70's by the time I finish. K, of course, will be done while it's still pretty cool.
Packet pick-up was held at WTAMU close to our hotel in conjunction with a (free) pasta dinner and the pre-race information meeting. There were lots of friendly faces from Austin, so that is comforting. Joe is of course a calming presence as well. This year's race is marked with sadness for many locals and returning trail runners as the race organizer, (Big) Red Spicer, died from cancer a few months ago. Everyone speaks of him quite fondly.
So, now it's time to get my gear ready for tomorrow then try to get a good night's sleep. It will be an early am wake-up call as we are shooting to carpool from the hotel at 5:15. The 50k and 50 milers start at 7am, while 20kers start at 7:30am. Sunrise is around 8 here, so I'll have to start with my headlamp. The 50k course consists of a 6-mile loop followed by 2 12.5 mile loops. K will make just one 12.5 mile loop. The start is apparently single-track and I anticipate that it will be pretty slow to start since it will be dark and we'll all be bunched up until the 50k and 50 mile course splits off around 3 miles in. I won't see K until I'm almost 19 miles in getting ready to head back out for my final loop. My goal for tomorrow is obviously to finish and, more importantly, to have fun. Joe starts our workouts by telling us to "Go play." I love that. And, I want to enjoy the experience tomorrow. The canyon is beautiful. I will obviously have a lot of time to be in my head tomorrow - that can easily turn bad if the negative self-talk starts in. But, it can also be a wonderful time to reflect and enjoy the solitude. My race plan is to start slow and keep it slow until the final loop - if I have it to give, then I'll pick up the pace, but if not, then I'll just cruise in. My "A" goal is 6-7 hours, my "B" goal is 7-8 hours, and my "C" goal is just to finish! Regardless of the time, I will be happy with it because I pushed myself and did something that I had never even considered before (after each marathon that I have ran I could not have imagined taking another step and tomorrow I will run 5 more miles, on trails no less!). I'm not going to stress about the time - I will take my time to refuel at the aid stations, potentially change clothes, use the bathroom, etc. because it is necessary to get through the distance.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Better...for the moment at least
10:15pm and I just got home from teaching. Mind you, I left here at 8:20am this morning for my "real" job. Thankfully, class went well tonight. The students appreciated the extensive feedback (and amount of time involved) that I gave them on their assignments, and I think that their anxiety has been reduced somewhat about the next assignment. I got several frantic emails from four (of 13) students on Monday, but I think everything is better now. Thanks goodness because their anxiety was stressing me out! I jokingly told K that I needed to start tonight's class with a relaxation exercise to get them to calm down. Grad students.... :)
I had lunch today with a colleague who I've mentioned before is interested in selling me his practice as he plans to retire early next year. We've had a few conversations about it before over the past few months, and I have expressed my concerns - mainly the stability and security issue. But, obviously, going into a well-established practice lessens that tremendously compared to getting one off the ground yourself. I'm certainly honored that he thinks of me so highly to entrust me with his "legacy" to some extent. I told him that I would keep an open mind, and K and I will likely have dinner with him and his wife sometime soon to talk more about the details.
I missed our final group workout last night because I wasn't feeling good and I needed to prepare for tonight's class. But, I did meet up with everyone afterwards for Joe's pre-race talk. As he talked, it started to hit me that this is happening THIS weekend. I am going to run 31 miles on Saturday. I'm excited to push my limits in that way, but I also felt slightly nervous as Joe talked last night. The more that I think about it though I think it is more about eager anticipation than true anxiety. Now that class is behind me for the week I can finally focus on the race! We are flying into Amarillo on Friday then going to the pasta dinner and pre-race meeting that evening before the race on Saturday. Joe clearly told us to prepare for anything in terms of the weather up there because it is so unpredictable - last year was in the upper 90's, but there have also been times when the runners have been in their ski jackets because it was so damn cold. From what the forecasts are saying (for whatever they are worth, not much according to Joe), the weather should be pretty good for us this weekend. So, I'm sure I'll be stressing out about what to pack tomorrow night while also trying to fit it all in one carry-on bag since we are flying on American.
I had lunch today with a colleague who I've mentioned before is interested in selling me his practice as he plans to retire early next year. We've had a few conversations about it before over the past few months, and I have expressed my concerns - mainly the stability and security issue. But, obviously, going into a well-established practice lessens that tremendously compared to getting one off the ground yourself. I'm certainly honored that he thinks of me so highly to entrust me with his "legacy" to some extent. I told him that I would keep an open mind, and K and I will likely have dinner with him and his wife sometime soon to talk more about the details.
I missed our final group workout last night because I wasn't feeling good and I needed to prepare for tonight's class. But, I did meet up with everyone afterwards for Joe's pre-race talk. As he talked, it started to hit me that this is happening THIS weekend. I am going to run 31 miles on Saturday. I'm excited to push my limits in that way, but I also felt slightly nervous as Joe talked last night. The more that I think about it though I think it is more about eager anticipation than true anxiety. Now that class is behind me for the week I can finally focus on the race! We are flying into Amarillo on Friday then going to the pasta dinner and pre-race meeting that evening before the race on Saturday. Joe clearly told us to prepare for anything in terms of the weather up there because it is so unpredictable - last year was in the upper 90's, but there have also been times when the runners have been in their ski jackets because it was so damn cold. From what the forecasts are saying (for whatever they are worth, not much according to Joe), the weather should be pretty good for us this weekend. So, I'm sure I'll be stressing out about what to pack tomorrow night while also trying to fit it all in one carry-on bag since we are flying on American.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Not so happy Monday...
As I'm taking stock of how I'm feeling this Monday morning, I noted that I'm feeling tired and run down (not surprising given that things are so go-go-go without much extended down time). These are generally the perfect ingredients for me to get sick, which is almost how I feel right now. As this awareness hit me, I had a flashback to getting sick the week of the Chicago Marathon in 2006. And, well, I kind of have a pretty big race coming up this weekend too. Great.
I'm also still really struggling with the demands of the teaching gig. It is taking a toll on me emotionally, physically, and in my relationship with K as well. As I was ruminating in bed last night, I had another realization - if part of the reason that I am doing this is for the money (which it is), then I could easily be making the same amount (if not more) with one psychological evaluation in private practice with less time required. That put it into perspective.
And, another thing, my pre-race massage that I had scheduled weeks ago (because I'm a planner) got canceled yesterday. There's no way that I can fit one in before we leave on Friday morning either. So, that just sucks.
I'm also still really struggling with the demands of the teaching gig. It is taking a toll on me emotionally, physically, and in my relationship with K as well. As I was ruminating in bed last night, I had another realization - if part of the reason that I am doing this is for the money (which it is), then I could easily be making the same amount (if not more) with one psychological evaluation in private practice with less time required. That put it into perspective.
And, another thing, my pre-race massage that I had scheduled weeks ago (because I'm a planner) got canceled yesterday. There's no way that I can fit one in before we leave on Friday morning either. So, that just sucks.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Nothing left...
I knew this was not going to be a "fun" weekend, but it was worse than I imagined.
In an effort to have some sort of break this weekend, we went to the movies on Friday night ("Body of Lies"). Then, we went to the Super Target at SouthPark Meadows to get a gift for an upcoming baby shower. Man, I love Super Target - I haven't been to that location before, but I might just bear the extra stress of driving on I-35 to go there instead of going to the one that I usually go to on Lamar. We capped off the night with a treat from Amy's Ice Cream. It was a lovely, low-key night out with K.
Since this weekend was an "off" weekend from running, I was looking forward to finally having a chance to sleep in, especially when I was up early several days last week for work and other things. I jumped right in though mid-morning to doing stuff for my class. I had to watch 13 20-minute videos of my students role-playing a therapy session with a classmate and read their accompanying critique paper and transcript analysis. Meanwhile, I had effectively "kicked" K out of the house so that I could focus on my work, so he went out downtown to watch football with friends. After about 6 hours though, I hit a wall. I was wiped out. And, I had 8 more videos to go! I was hoping to take a break with a nice dinner out with K, but that wasn't in the cards. Watching football downtown with friends apparently turned into getting drunk while watching football downtown with friends. I was not happy. So, we had a huge argument instead of my nice dinner out. And, I finished off the night with reviewing yet another video and paper.
So, I woke up (alone) this morning and once again dived right into grading the assignments. Again, I really tried to maintain focus and just plow through it as best I could. I'm relieved to say that I just finally finished. I am absolutely brain dead now though. Wiped out, got nothing left in me.
I really don't know if I can do this. I mean, I know that I obviously "can" because I just did, but I don't know if I want to do this, especially if K isn't willing or able to pick up the slack around the house and provide emotional support to me when it's needed. Again, I worry because this isn't the end either. Tomorrow night, I have to prepare my lecture notes for 3 chapters for class on Wednesday.
And, ya know, work 40+ hours at my full-time job too.
In an effort to have some sort of break this weekend, we went to the movies on Friday night ("Body of Lies"). Then, we went to the Super Target at SouthPark Meadows to get a gift for an upcoming baby shower. Man, I love Super Target - I haven't been to that location before, but I might just bear the extra stress of driving on I-35 to go there instead of going to the one that I usually go to on Lamar. We capped off the night with a treat from Amy's Ice Cream. It was a lovely, low-key night out with K.
Since this weekend was an "off" weekend from running, I was looking forward to finally having a chance to sleep in, especially when I was up early several days last week for work and other things. I jumped right in though mid-morning to doing stuff for my class. I had to watch 13 20-minute videos of my students role-playing a therapy session with a classmate and read their accompanying critique paper and transcript analysis. Meanwhile, I had effectively "kicked" K out of the house so that I could focus on my work, so he went out downtown to watch football with friends. After about 6 hours though, I hit a wall. I was wiped out. And, I had 8 more videos to go! I was hoping to take a break with a nice dinner out with K, but that wasn't in the cards. Watching football downtown with friends apparently turned into getting drunk while watching football downtown with friends. I was not happy. So, we had a huge argument instead of my nice dinner out. And, I finished off the night with reviewing yet another video and paper.
So, I woke up (alone) this morning and once again dived right into grading the assignments. Again, I really tried to maintain focus and just plow through it as best I could. I'm relieved to say that I just finally finished. I am absolutely brain dead now though. Wiped out, got nothing left in me.
I really don't know if I can do this. I mean, I know that I obviously "can" because I just did, but I don't know if I want to do this, especially if K isn't willing or able to pick up the slack around the house and provide emotional support to me when it's needed. Again, I worry because this isn't the end either. Tomorrow night, I have to prepare my lecture notes for 3 chapters for class on Wednesday.
And, ya know, work 40+ hours at my full-time job too.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Thoughts for Thursday...
First of all, I just did something that I haven't done in who knows how long. I ran on the road, in our neighborhood no less (Travis Heights = hills, remember). And, I felt so strong. I remember running that loop a lot back when I was having so much shin pain and really struggling with my running overall. It never felt as good as it did tonight. I feel ready for PD next weekend. 31 miles, bring it on! My main goal until then is just not to get hurt, which means no trail running except for our last (easy) group workout next Tuesday. I fell at the beginning of the workout this week as I was going down the HOL. So, I backed off and pulled up the caboose which was a first for me. No need to push it right now. What's done is done. Nothing but rest and a couple more short easy runs over the next week. I can't wait.
Something else that is a first for me/us tonight is that I think that K and I may have just reached an acceptable plan for the holidays (this was a big source of conflict for us for the past two years). We even booked plane tickets 3 months in advance! That never happens because of K's (in) decision-making style. Maybe change is possible. :)
Work has been super busy (and stressful) this week. I feel like I've put in 2 weeks worth of time within the past 4 days. Last weekend seems like forever ago. I'm so relieved that tomorrow is Friday, although I have a weekend full of doing stuff for my class ahead of me. We'll probably have very little fun K & m time this weekend. :(
I've also been gradually working on getting my name changed with all the necessary entities. I have not internalized my new name at all though, and we both keep using my "old" name without really thinking about it. My plan was to still use my maiden name professionally, which I think is making the transition more difficult in other areas because I say and write my maiden name sooo many times a day at work. I've got a lifetime to get used to it, I guess.
Something else that is a first for me/us tonight is that I think that K and I may have just reached an acceptable plan for the holidays (this was a big source of conflict for us for the past two years). We even booked plane tickets 3 months in advance! That never happens because of K's (in) decision-making style. Maybe change is possible. :)
Work has been super busy (and stressful) this week. I feel like I've put in 2 weeks worth of time within the past 4 days. Last weekend seems like forever ago. I'm so relieved that tomorrow is Friday, although I have a weekend full of doing stuff for my class ahead of me. We'll probably have very little fun K & m time this weekend. :(
I've also been gradually working on getting my name changed with all the necessary entities. I have not internalized my new name at all though, and we both keep using my "old" name without really thinking about it. My plan was to still use my maiden name professionally, which I think is making the transition more difficult in other areas because I say and write my maiden name sooo many times a day at work. I've got a lifetime to get used to it, I guess.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pictures...
We (finally) got all (745) of the wedding pictures from the photographer uploaded.
http://drmelissalong.shutterfly.com/
At some point, I'll also add some that we got from others and from the cameras on the tables.
But, this should be plenty to get you started for now! :)
And, if you want to order any, you can order them directly from Shutterfly.
Enjoy!
http://drmelissalong.shutterfly.com/
At some point, I'll also add some that we got from others and from the cameras on the tables.
But, this should be plenty to get you started for now! :)
And, if you want to order any, you can order them directly from Shutterfly.
Enjoy!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
What a day...
This morning found us waking up at 5:30 am at a hotel in College Station. After checking out of the hotel a short while later and hitting the road, I commented to K that this is one of those crazy runner things that we (I) do...driving before the sun is up in another part of the state to go run.
Today, we ran the Trail Twister in Bryan for our last long run before Palo Duro in 2 weeks. The distances were 10k, 30k, and 60k. Those running the 20k in PD (K) were supposed to run 10, while the 50k'ers (me) were supposed to run 25 today. Joe told us not to race this since this wasn't our goal race, and I followed his instructions. My only goal for today was to get the miles in, slow and easy. It was a relatively small race (100-150 participants), including several from our training group who made the trek out there. It was very well-organized, with clear course markings and great aid station volunteers. The course went around Lake Bryan, and it reminded me a lot of the Maze from the Rogue Trail Series in that there were so many twists and turns. Not a lot of rocks thankfully, but plenty of tree roots to jump around. So, back to my run...I didn't feel quite as strong today as I did last weekend in Bastrop, in part likely due to not managing my nutrition and hydration needs as well today and the much higher temps today. I had GI issues again, and after last weekend, I have no shame (whether that's good or bad) about popping a squat in the woods. I also took a spill fairly early on in my run, and had several other close calls too. But, nothing serious, thankfully - just enough to shake me mentally though. So, the plan was to run the 30k easy and then go back out to run the 10k course afterwards to get the mileage in. Now, that was hard. When I crossed the finish line, I told Joe that I didn't think I had another 10k left in me. I was hoping he'd say that's okay and tell me that I had done enough (especially since it was so warm), but nope - he told me to take a break, get some food and fluids, and get back out there taking it very easy. So, that's what I did. I got it done. Now, I'm ready for the taper! And, the big day is 2 weeks from today.
In 10k news, K was first overall in his race. He's K, he can do that. I'm proud of him, and I'm glad that he had such a good run. He got a really cool plaque as his award. Our finisher's medals are pretty cool too.
So, we got back home in the late afternoon with just enough time to shower and get a quick nap before tonight's festivities. We went to see Jackopierce at the Cactus Cafe. The first time that I saw them was at SMU in 1994. 1994! It's still very meaningful every time that I see them. I've seen them in different cities with different people who were important in my life at various periods. And, tonight, K and I saw them for the first time as husband and wife. It was my kind of show too - early (7:30pm) and with seating. I'm old, remember? :)
Now, I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. Then, it's watching videos and grading papers all day...
Today, we ran the Trail Twister in Bryan for our last long run before Palo Duro in 2 weeks. The distances were 10k, 30k, and 60k. Those running the 20k in PD (K) were supposed to run 10, while the 50k'ers (me) were supposed to run 25 today. Joe told us not to race this since this wasn't our goal race, and I followed his instructions. My only goal for today was to get the miles in, slow and easy. It was a relatively small race (100-150 participants), including several from our training group who made the trek out there. It was very well-organized, with clear course markings and great aid station volunteers. The course went around Lake Bryan, and it reminded me a lot of the Maze from the Rogue Trail Series in that there were so many twists and turns. Not a lot of rocks thankfully, but plenty of tree roots to jump around. So, back to my run...I didn't feel quite as strong today as I did last weekend in Bastrop, in part likely due to not managing my nutrition and hydration needs as well today and the much higher temps today. I had GI issues again, and after last weekend, I have no shame (whether that's good or bad) about popping a squat in the woods. I also took a spill fairly early on in my run, and had several other close calls too. But, nothing serious, thankfully - just enough to shake me mentally though. So, the plan was to run the 30k easy and then go back out to run the 10k course afterwards to get the mileage in. Now, that was hard. When I crossed the finish line, I told Joe that I didn't think I had another 10k left in me. I was hoping he'd say that's okay and tell me that I had done enough (especially since it was so warm), but nope - he told me to take a break, get some food and fluids, and get back out there taking it very easy. So, that's what I did. I got it done. Now, I'm ready for the taper! And, the big day is 2 weeks from today.
In 10k news, K was first overall in his race. He's K, he can do that. I'm proud of him, and I'm glad that he had such a good run. He got a really cool plaque as his award. Our finisher's medals are pretty cool too.
So, we got back home in the late afternoon with just enough time to shower and get a quick nap before tonight's festivities. We went to see Jackopierce at the Cactus Cafe. The first time that I saw them was at SMU in 1994. 1994! It's still very meaningful every time that I see them. I've seen them in different cities with different people who were important in my life at various periods. And, tonight, K and I saw them for the first time as husband and wife. It was my kind of show too - early (7:30pm) and with seating. I'm old, remember? :)
Now, I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. Then, it's watching videos and grading papers all day...
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