Tonight was another workout with our PR group in which I hit my paces. I am still basing my workouts off my BQ goal, so I'm amazed when I actually meet the goal pace in these workouts since I feel like it is pretty aggressive for me right now.
Today was one of those days when I really would have preferred to have a relaxing evening at home. We need to go to the grocery store. We need toilet paper. But, it seems like there's just not enough time to take care of everything that needs to get done. K got home a little after 5 and he could tell that I had my "I don't want to go to the workout tonight" face on. He's seen it many times before. :)
But, we went. And, I backed into a car right outside of Rogue as I was parking before the workout. At that point, I really, really had no motivation or interest in running, but we were there so what else was I going to do? We went to the Eastside track for a 1.75 mile hilly warmup followed by 10x300's at mile pace with 100 recovery. My goal was 1:13-1:14 (6:30 mile pace). My splits ranged from 1:11-1:14, with more in the 1:11-1:12 range than the 1:13-1:14 range. I know it's going to get even harder to hit those times as the temps start warming up even more. I am running mostly by myself in this group, and I miss having a running partner to pace off of and keep me going (miss you Sadie!).
I am very much looking forward to my massage tomorrow night. I saw Ann about 3 weeks ago (I usually go every 2 weeks) and she said that I was in a lot better shape than I was the previous time she saw me. I don't think she's going to tell me that tomorrow night though. I know there is gonna be some pain as she works everything out.
Thursday is our workout with the Jemez group. Most of us are running Rocky Hill Ranch on Saturday, so it probably won't be too intensive. K and I are both running the 25k at RHR on Saturday. K wants to try to practice running even splits for a 5k (rather than starting out too fast like most), so we found a 5k to run on Sunday in Houston while we are there. Another busy weekend ahead!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
"A family affair..."
As Steve said at the awards ceremony for the Rogue Rush 5k today, it was indeed a family affair for K & m this morning. But, that doesn't mean I had a good race.
It was slightly chillier than I was expecting this morning, and I might have opted for a short sleeve shirt instead of my singlet and brought along something warmer for pre and post race if I had bothered to check the weather forecast. That was my lax approach to this race. I commented to K as we were leaving how much easier it is to run a 5k than the distances that I have been doing in terms of preparation. Usually when I leave the house for a long run I am loaded up on nutrition and fluids along with a change of clothes and shoes to prepare for hours of running out in the woods. But, today I didn't need a thing. It was kind of nice actually.
The race was up in Williamson County. The course went through a neighborhood, with the start and finish at a local school. We had asked Ruth and Carolyn about the course earlier this week and were told that it was pretty flat with a few turns. So, I was expecting flat. Um, not quite. The first mile was a pretty fast downhill mile, while there was an uphill into the finish with a few other slight up's and down's thrown in for good measure along the way.
I have been having a slight issue with my right lower tendon area since our hill workout at Ken's Loop on Thursday night. The uphill's are really aggravating that area, as well as my calves. It had my attention, but it didn't bother me too badly during my warm-up this morning. A few minutes before the start, I finally told K that I was feeling about a 25 today. That would be 8's, which I know I can run comfortably. It would not be pushing myself though. K encouraged me to shoot for a faster time, how about 23? Um, no. I am not in 23 shape right now thank you very much. I have been in the past, but not now. But, thanks for thinking that I could. :)
So, off we went. Indeed, the first mile was quite fast due to the downhill (although I felt that I ran it a comfortable and steady pace), and I freaked out once I saw the mile split and realized that I would be on PR pace if I could sustain that. Um, no I can't. I slowed considerably in mile 2 and 3, thanks in part to a few uphill sections, a lack of focus and fitness, and yes, not wanting to hurt. I walked a water stop. All that being said, I managed to hit my anticipated time of 25. Well off my top 5k times. In light of that, I didn't feel too deserving when I found out shortly after I finished that I placed 3rd in my age group.
K ran well, and I am really proud of him. He has only done a handful of runs on the road this year and a few speed workouts, and he can still run a sub-18 5k with relative ease.
K & m at the awards ceremony
It was slightly chillier than I was expecting this morning, and I might have opted for a short sleeve shirt instead of my singlet and brought along something warmer for pre and post race if I had bothered to check the weather forecast. That was my lax approach to this race. I commented to K as we were leaving how much easier it is to run a 5k than the distances that I have been doing in terms of preparation. Usually when I leave the house for a long run I am loaded up on nutrition and fluids along with a change of clothes and shoes to prepare for hours of running out in the woods. But, today I didn't need a thing. It was kind of nice actually.
The race was up in Williamson County. The course went through a neighborhood, with the start and finish at a local school. We had asked Ruth and Carolyn about the course earlier this week and were told that it was pretty flat with a few turns. So, I was expecting flat. Um, not quite. The first mile was a pretty fast downhill mile, while there was an uphill into the finish with a few other slight up's and down's thrown in for good measure along the way.
I have been having a slight issue with my right lower tendon area since our hill workout at Ken's Loop on Thursday night. The uphill's are really aggravating that area, as well as my calves. It had my attention, but it didn't bother me too badly during my warm-up this morning. A few minutes before the start, I finally told K that I was feeling about a 25 today. That would be 8's, which I know I can run comfortably. It would not be pushing myself though. K encouraged me to shoot for a faster time, how about 23? Um, no. I am not in 23 shape right now thank you very much. I have been in the past, but not now. But, thanks for thinking that I could. :)
So, off we went. Indeed, the first mile was quite fast due to the downhill (although I felt that I ran it a comfortable and steady pace), and I freaked out once I saw the mile split and realized that I would be on PR pace if I could sustain that. Um, no I can't. I slowed considerably in mile 2 and 3, thanks in part to a few uphill sections, a lack of focus and fitness, and yes, not wanting to hurt. I walked a water stop. All that being said, I managed to hit my anticipated time of 25. Well off my top 5k times. In light of that, I didn't feel too deserving when I found out shortly after I finished that I placed 3rd in my age group.
K ran well, and I am really proud of him. He has only done a handful of runs on the road this year and a few speed workouts, and he can still run a sub-18 5k with relative ease.
K & m at the awards ceremony
Friday, April 10, 2009
Let's try this again...
K just left shortly ago for the gym. I was craving some destimulation (is that even a word?), so I just shut out the noise and visual stimulation for a little bit. Now, I've got Patty G. playing, and I'll try to give this blogging thing another shot.
First of all, I am bursting with joy and happiness for our dear friends Holly and Chris who welcomed their new baby, Ruby Hope, into the world late this afternoon. They are alone, far from home right now. They have had such a difficult journey getting to this point and, unfortunately, there are likely to still be many challenges still ahead. But, for now, Ruby is finally here. Surrounded by so much love. I wish we could be there to share in this with them. See, I'm not a lost cause - I can still be drawn out by something meaningful and important. Much love to all three of them.
Much to my surprise, I am actually going to run a 5k tomorrow. I don't think I have run a 5k in 2 years?! A 50k yes, a 5k no. As part of the PR group, I was never actually intending to run any 5k/10k races during the program. It's just not part of my larger goals or training plan right now. K, on the other hand, loves the shorter distances and has been eager to get back to that to see what he's still got (which is a hell of a lot more than most of us even on our best days). For whatever reason though, he had decided against running the Rogue Rush tomorrow until earlier this week. I had a good speed workout on Tuesday night (400 at mile pace followed by 200 at faster than mile pace x 4). I hit all my times - 1:35, :45, 1:35, :45, 1:38, :45, 1:36, :45 (goal at 6:30 pace: 1:37-1:38 for the 400's and :48-:49 for the 200's). So, I figured I might as well give the race tomorrow a shot, especially since I would be up early anyway to go and support him. I am by no means expecting a PR tomorrow though. That isn't negative thinking, it's just a realistic assessment of where I am and where I was when I got my 5k PR a couple of years ago. I have only run 85 miles on the road so far this year. 85, that's it. Some of you run that in a week! I don't have any expectations, and I have no idea what pace I want to try to run. I don't like to hurt, remember? And, 5k's hurt. I'm going to try to work on my mental game and keep pushing even when it hurts. If I can do that, the race will be a success - no matter what the clock says when I finish.
I could really use some time off from work. Since our honeymoon last September, I have only taken 1 vacation day (that was for Palo Duro in October). I did not take any days off for the holidays. I have been the one working when everyone else was taking off (Christmas Eve, remember!) because I knew I had to hoard my time off for everything coming up. I am so ready for it to be my turn. And, it will be soon. Here is an idea of what we've got coming up...
April 18-19: Rocky Hill Ranch 25k in Smithville then to Houston for the Reds game
April 23-26: Trip to Guads for Jemez training
May 2-3: Home - Maze 10k
May 9-10: My mom is coming to visit for Mother's Day
May 14-17: Jemez 50k in New Mexico
May 23-June 7: Singapore
June 13-14: Home
June 19-21: Wedding in Ohio
June 26-28: Wedding in Colorado
July 4-5: May take a trip for 4th of July weekend, but may also just relish a weekend at home
July 11-12: Home
July 17-19: Tahoe 50k
July 25-26: Home
August 1-2: Maybe Chicago for my birthday - RNR Half-Marathon
Seeing it all laid out like that is a bit overwhelming, but also exciting. We also realized this week that ACL is the same weekend as St. George in October. I think K got slightly resentful upon that realization, but I reminded him that my date with St. George has been 3 years coming. Depending on the headliner for Sunday, I think we may end up cutting the trip short to make it back home for a few of the Sunday shows. Hmph.
We also realized this week that we have to tighten up our purse strings a bit right now in order to be able to do all of these things. K having to take a pay cut recently (in an effort to keep the company afloat) hasn't helped matters. Running shoes (road and trail), training programs, race registrations, travel to training runs and races is expensive! I guess it's all about what you choose to spend your money on - I used to spend it on clothes and shoes. Some people spend it on booze and late nights out. I run, that's what I do.
I think K will be happy to see that I blogged when he gets home...hope you are too.
First of all, I am bursting with joy and happiness for our dear friends Holly and Chris who welcomed their new baby, Ruby Hope, into the world late this afternoon. They are alone, far from home right now. They have had such a difficult journey getting to this point and, unfortunately, there are likely to still be many challenges still ahead. But, for now, Ruby is finally here. Surrounded by so much love. I wish we could be there to share in this with them. See, I'm not a lost cause - I can still be drawn out by something meaningful and important. Much love to all three of them.
Much to my surprise, I am actually going to run a 5k tomorrow. I don't think I have run a 5k in 2 years?! A 50k yes, a 5k no. As part of the PR group, I was never actually intending to run any 5k/10k races during the program. It's just not part of my larger goals or training plan right now. K, on the other hand, loves the shorter distances and has been eager to get back to that to see what he's still got (which is a hell of a lot more than most of us even on our best days). For whatever reason though, he had decided against running the Rogue Rush tomorrow until earlier this week. I had a good speed workout on Tuesday night (400 at mile pace followed by 200 at faster than mile pace x 4). I hit all my times - 1:35, :45, 1:35, :45, 1:38, :45, 1:36, :45 (goal at 6:30 pace: 1:37-1:38 for the 400's and :48-:49 for the 200's). So, I figured I might as well give the race tomorrow a shot, especially since I would be up early anyway to go and support him. I am by no means expecting a PR tomorrow though. That isn't negative thinking, it's just a realistic assessment of where I am and where I was when I got my 5k PR a couple of years ago. I have only run 85 miles on the road so far this year. 85, that's it. Some of you run that in a week! I don't have any expectations, and I have no idea what pace I want to try to run. I don't like to hurt, remember? And, 5k's hurt. I'm going to try to work on my mental game and keep pushing even when it hurts. If I can do that, the race will be a success - no matter what the clock says when I finish.
I could really use some time off from work. Since our honeymoon last September, I have only taken 1 vacation day (that was for Palo Duro in October). I did not take any days off for the holidays. I have been the one working when everyone else was taking off (Christmas Eve, remember!) because I knew I had to hoard my time off for everything coming up. I am so ready for it to be my turn. And, it will be soon. Here is an idea of what we've got coming up...
April 18-19: Rocky Hill Ranch 25k in Smithville then to Houston for the Reds game
April 23-26: Trip to Guads for Jemez training
May 2-3: Home - Maze 10k
May 9-10: My mom is coming to visit for Mother's Day
May 14-17: Jemez 50k in New Mexico
May 23-June 7: Singapore
June 13-14: Home
June 19-21: Wedding in Ohio
June 26-28: Wedding in Colorado
July 4-5: May take a trip for 4th of July weekend, but may also just relish a weekend at home
July 11-12: Home
July 17-19: Tahoe 50k
July 25-26: Home
August 1-2: Maybe Chicago for my birthday - RNR Half-Marathon
Seeing it all laid out like that is a bit overwhelming, but also exciting. We also realized this week that ACL is the same weekend as St. George in October. I think K got slightly resentful upon that realization, but I reminded him that my date with St. George has been 3 years coming. Depending on the headliner for Sunday, I think we may end up cutting the trip short to make it back home for a few of the Sunday shows. Hmph.
We also realized this week that we have to tighten up our purse strings a bit right now in order to be able to do all of these things. K having to take a pay cut recently (in an effort to keep the company afloat) hasn't helped matters. Running shoes (road and trail), training programs, race registrations, travel to training runs and races is expensive! I guess it's all about what you choose to spend your money on - I used to spend it on clothes and shoes. Some people spend it on booze and late nights out. I run, that's what I do.
I think K will be happy to see that I blogged when he gets home...hope you are too.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
What's really going on...
I promised K that I would blog today. But, even now as I sit down to write, my heart just isn’t in it. I haven’t blogged much at all for the past few months. A lot of things have happened, but I just haven’t really felt like sharing I guess. I think this is part of the larger issue of how much I have been hibernating lately - much more than usual. The call log on my cell phone and the sent mail folder in my email account would clearly illustrate that point as well as the lack of blog posts. I/we just haven’t been very socially engaged lately. Part of that is because we are always so busy it seems and tired as a result of work, running, maintaining the house (cooking, cleaning, laundry), etc. My emotional resources are just zapped, and I feel like I just don’t have the energy to give to others (outside of my professional life). People tend to drain me. I also think my friendships with people have changed within the past year. Maybe it’s really me who has changed? The wedding last year really hit home the point that everyone is busy with their own lives, on their own path that seems to be more and more different from mine. Kids, houses, training goals, careers (or lack thereof), relationships… Sometimes I just find it hard to relate or for others to understand where I am at.
I don’t think this is the blog post that K was expecting. He often asks me “Aren’t you going to blog?” after something has happened. He already knows everything, so I’m always a little taken aback when he says that. I finally asked him this week why he was so eager for me to blog again. Essentially he said so that he will have a better idea of “what I am really thinking.” His point being that if he asks me a question, then I will generally give him a brief response, while I tend to be more open in my blog posts. Point taken. It reminded me of having been described as “guarded” by others in the past. In all of my relationships, I would say that I am the most open with K (good thing, huh, since I’m married to him!). I’m an off the charts introvert though, which means that I am constantly in my head. Always thinking, processing, analyzing, evaluating, considering, planning. That’s what I do. And, in part, I think it’s what makes me a good psychologist.
So, that’s where I am right now. My life is good. I am happy. I am just keeping to myself a lot more at the moment. Maybe that will change or maybe it won’t. I don’t know.
I don’t think this is the blog post that K was expecting. He often asks me “Aren’t you going to blog?” after something has happened. He already knows everything, so I’m always a little taken aback when he says that. I finally asked him this week why he was so eager for me to blog again. Essentially he said so that he will have a better idea of “what I am really thinking.” His point being that if he asks me a question, then I will generally give him a brief response, while I tend to be more open in my blog posts. Point taken. It reminded me of having been described as “guarded” by others in the past. In all of my relationships, I would say that I am the most open with K (good thing, huh, since I’m married to him!). I’m an off the charts introvert though, which means that I am constantly in my head. Always thinking, processing, analyzing, evaluating, considering, planning. That’s what I do. And, in part, I think it’s what makes me a good psychologist.
So, that’s where I am right now. My life is good. I am happy. I am just keeping to myself a lot more at the moment. Maybe that will change or maybe it won’t. I don’t know.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Bandera, we finally meet...
On Saturday, I finally got to run the infamous "Bandera." I was eager to see for myself what all the fuss was about, especially since I wasn't able to run the 50k there in January when I got sick.
K and I drove out to Boerne on Friday after work then made the short drive over to Bandera on Saturday morning. We arrived a few minutes late though and everyone else had already headed out. Since the course was marked for us, I didn't really mind because I generally prefer to enjoy the solitude of running by myself. Solitude seems to be a pervasive theme for me lately, but that is for another post...
Joe had marked an 11-mile loop for us - 1/2 marathoners ran 1 loop (K), 50kers ran 2 loops (me), and 50 milers ran 3 loops. It was pretty chilly and windy that morning, and it took a little bit for my legs to get going but once they did they were definitely going. Overall, I had a really good run, which was another good mental boost to know that I could run 22 miles comfortably on that difficult terrain. I never really had any bad mental stretches either, which is just about unheard of for me. I kept waiting for my legs to fatigue or ache, but that never really happened. My Garmin pooped out on me before the run (which is seeming to be a frequent occurrence lately), so I had no sense of pace or distance. At first I thought that would stress me out because I really like having that immediate feedback, but then I tried to just embrace it and purely run. I know I had a strong finish, especially since it was on a flat straight-away. I still didn't take in enough fuel during my run, but I didn't really feel the negative effect like I did at Rocky Hill a couple of weekends ago. I did have some DP in between loops, and I could definitely feel the caffeine boost - definitely need to incorporate that into my long runs!
Oh, and I saw a snake! It was a small black snake with orange and yellow stripes that was positioned across the trail during my 2nd loop. I came really close to stepping on it, but thankfully my mind registered what it was at the last minute and I was able to step off the side of the trail to go around it.
On Sunday, I invited K to join me for a run on the Greenbelt. Note to self, do not do that again. He ended up going a different way than I was planning, and I ended up running considerably faster than I would have on my own on the day after a long run. At one point, I reminded him that I had run 22 miles the day before. Overall though, I was surprised at how good my legs felt.
So, what's ahead for the week - tempo run for our PR quality workout tomorrow night, hills for Jemez quality workout Thursday night, and 26 miles for the long run this weekend.
K and I drove out to Boerne on Friday after work then made the short drive over to Bandera on Saturday morning. We arrived a few minutes late though and everyone else had already headed out. Since the course was marked for us, I didn't really mind because I generally prefer to enjoy the solitude of running by myself. Solitude seems to be a pervasive theme for me lately, but that is for another post...
Joe had marked an 11-mile loop for us - 1/2 marathoners ran 1 loop (K), 50kers ran 2 loops (me), and 50 milers ran 3 loops. It was pretty chilly and windy that morning, and it took a little bit for my legs to get going but once they did they were definitely going. Overall, I had a really good run, which was another good mental boost to know that I could run 22 miles comfortably on that difficult terrain. I never really had any bad mental stretches either, which is just about unheard of for me. I kept waiting for my legs to fatigue or ache, but that never really happened. My Garmin pooped out on me before the run (which is seeming to be a frequent occurrence lately), so I had no sense of pace or distance. At first I thought that would stress me out because I really like having that immediate feedback, but then I tried to just embrace it and purely run. I know I had a strong finish, especially since it was on a flat straight-away. I still didn't take in enough fuel during my run, but I didn't really feel the negative effect like I did at Rocky Hill a couple of weekends ago. I did have some DP in between loops, and I could definitely feel the caffeine boost - definitely need to incorporate that into my long runs!
Oh, and I saw a snake! It was a small black snake with orange and yellow stripes that was positioned across the trail during my 2nd loop. I came really close to stepping on it, but thankfully my mind registered what it was at the last minute and I was able to step off the side of the trail to go around it.
On Sunday, I invited K to join me for a run on the Greenbelt. Note to self, do not do that again. He ended up going a different way than I was planning, and I ended up running considerably faster than I would have on my own on the day after a long run. At one point, I reminded him that I had run 22 miles the day before. Overall though, I was surprised at how good my legs felt.
So, what's ahead for the week - tempo run for our PR quality workout tomorrow night, hills for Jemez quality workout Thursday night, and 26 miles for the long run this weekend.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Back on track...
Tonight was my first track workout in over a year. Not kidding. When we arrived at the track, I even commented to K how big the track seemed - much bigger than I remembered and pretty far to go at the paces that I was supposed to hit.
This was our third workout in the PR 5k/10k program, and yes, only our first track workout. The previous two quality workouts had been a tempo and steady state run on a loop course on the road. I was definitely running at a much faster pace than I have been since I have been running on trail so much, but it wasn't necessarily anything too challenging. Having specific goal paces to hit tonight, especially the ones I chose to shoot for, was a bit intimidating for me especially just getting back into this. I end up with the whole fear of failure negative self-talk going through my head. I've got to slay those demons somehow...
Back to tonight's workout. The workout consisted of 1.75 mile warm-up to the East Side track; 2000 at 15k pace x 1 with 600 recovery; 1000 at 10k pace x 2 with 400 recovery; 400 at mile pace x 4 with 400 recovery (which I changed to 200 recovery); 1.75 mile cool-down back to Rogue. I decided to be way too ambitious for my own good and go with the paces for my BQ goal of a 3:40 marathon (8:24 MGP). So, here's how it went down...
2000 = 9:39 (9:42 goal) - this got me in a good place mentally to know I made this!
1000 = 4:48 (4:41 goal)
1000 = 4:50
400 = 1:48 (1:38 goal) - I knew I would not make that goal time (6:30 pace!)
400 = 1:44
400 = 1:42
400 = 1:39 - YEAH for starting conservatively, getting faster with each repeat, and coming pretty damn close to goal pace on the last one!
Much needed confidence booster to remind myself that I CAN run fast again and WILL run faster as I start training again.
This was our third workout in the PR 5k/10k program, and yes, only our first track workout. The previous two quality workouts had been a tempo and steady state run on a loop course on the road. I was definitely running at a much faster pace than I have been since I have been running on trail so much, but it wasn't necessarily anything too challenging. Having specific goal paces to hit tonight, especially the ones I chose to shoot for, was a bit intimidating for me especially just getting back into this. I end up with the whole fear of failure negative self-talk going through my head. I've got to slay those demons somehow...
Back to tonight's workout. The workout consisted of 1.75 mile warm-up to the East Side track; 2000 at 15k pace x 1 with 600 recovery; 1000 at 10k pace x 2 with 400 recovery; 400 at mile pace x 4 with 400 recovery (which I changed to 200 recovery); 1.75 mile cool-down back to Rogue. I decided to be way too ambitious for my own good and go with the paces for my BQ goal of a 3:40 marathon (8:24 MGP). So, here's how it went down...
2000 = 9:39 (9:42 goal) - this got me in a good place mentally to know I made this!
1000 = 4:48 (4:41 goal)
1000 = 4:50
400 = 1:48 (1:38 goal) - I knew I would not make that goal time (6:30 pace!)
400 = 1:44
400 = 1:42
400 = 1:39 - YEAH for starting conservatively, getting faster with each repeat, and coming pretty damn close to goal pace on the last one!
Much needed confidence booster to remind myself that I CAN run fast again and WILL run faster as I start training again.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Another weekend on the road...
We had a good weekend, despite the gloomy weather. We kicked things off with a yummy, early dinner at Botticelli's on Friday evening. We have been there a handful of times and have never been disappointed in the food. I had a delicious lasagne to carb up for Saturday's long run. After dinner, we stopped in at Sugar Mama's to pick up cupcakes for dessert. Then, we finally got around to watching "Iron Man" via Netflix. I know, so last summer. But, still pretty good.
Our long run on Saturday was out at Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville, about an hour east of Austin. I had never been out there before, and I was eager to get a sneak preview of the course for next month's race out there...until the alarm clock went off at 6am that is. Kurt dragged me out of bed and off we went. Thankfully, the temps weren't below 40 and it wasn't raining, those were my prerequisites for going. :) I really enjoyed the course, other than the mud that weighed down my feet! It reminded me a lot of Bastrop and Huntsville, which I both love. It felt like getting to run out there was my reward for running Waco the weekend before. My shins/calves didn't act up too much, although I did stop once or twice in the first few miles to stretch them. I managed my nutrition horribly - I give myself an F in that area during the run. All that I ate during the 3 hours that I was out there was 1 gel and 1 shot block (not 1 package of blocks, just 1 block). I could barely choke those down too. I had even brought a PB&J sandwich to eat in between loops, but it was in the car because I thought that I'd be coming back in to refuel sooner than I did. I was supposed to run one full loop then go back out for a shorter loop for 21 miles total, but by then I was already in the hole. I think that I would have done much better all around if I had done 2 of the 10 mile loops so that I could have come back in to refuel sooner then head back out. Yet another lesson learned. I guess that's why we do these training runs, right?
After a shower and a nap in the afternoon, we headed West this time out to Dripping Springs for a concert at my boss' house on Saturday night. We were very fortunate to see Slaid Cleves in a very intimate venue. We had a great time!
So, where will we be this weekend? Well, we're headed to San Antonio for the Spurs vs. Celtics game on Friday night. But, it's a scheduled "off" weekend for Jemez training, which I am going to happily take this time! (I say that now...) Seriously though, I have 3 quality workouts in a row this week between the PR and Jemez groups, so I'm sure I will welcome the down time, especially since Bandera is next weekend. I think we're going to venture out for the free SXSW show at Auditorium Shores on Saturday night to see Explosions in the Sky. Never a dull moment around here that's for sure.
Our long run on Saturday was out at Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville, about an hour east of Austin. I had never been out there before, and I was eager to get a sneak preview of the course for next month's race out there...until the alarm clock went off at 6am that is. Kurt dragged me out of bed and off we went. Thankfully, the temps weren't below 40 and it wasn't raining, those were my prerequisites for going. :) I really enjoyed the course, other than the mud that weighed down my feet! It reminded me a lot of Bastrop and Huntsville, which I both love. It felt like getting to run out there was my reward for running Waco the weekend before. My shins/calves didn't act up too much, although I did stop once or twice in the first few miles to stretch them. I managed my nutrition horribly - I give myself an F in that area during the run. All that I ate during the 3 hours that I was out there was 1 gel and 1 shot block (not 1 package of blocks, just 1 block). I could barely choke those down too. I had even brought a PB&J sandwich to eat in between loops, but it was in the car because I thought that I'd be coming back in to refuel sooner than I did. I was supposed to run one full loop then go back out for a shorter loop for 21 miles total, but by then I was already in the hole. I think that I would have done much better all around if I had done 2 of the 10 mile loops so that I could have come back in to refuel sooner then head back out. Yet another lesson learned. I guess that's why we do these training runs, right?
After a shower and a nap in the afternoon, we headed West this time out to Dripping Springs for a concert at my boss' house on Saturday night. We were very fortunate to see Slaid Cleves in a very intimate venue. We had a great time!
So, where will we be this weekend? Well, we're headed to San Antonio for the Spurs vs. Celtics game on Friday night. But, it's a scheduled "off" weekend for Jemez training, which I am going to happily take this time! (I say that now...) Seriously though, I have 3 quality workouts in a row this week between the PR and Jemez groups, so I'm sure I will welcome the down time, especially since Bandera is next weekend. I think we're going to venture out for the free SXSW show at Auditorium Shores on Saturday night to see Explosions in the Sky. Never a dull moment around here that's for sure.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
"You don't always do what's smart..."
I knew last Thursday that I wasn't feeling 100%. I attributed it to just a general run down feeling from having such a busy week (on top of busy week after busy week). I definitely wasn't eating or sleeping the way that I should be. For example, I didn't have dinner last Wednesday until 9pm because my day and evening was jam-packed with work, running, and a massage. I know. My body started telling me that it wasn't happy with me the next day. I had to work late on Thursday and I missed our group workout that evening as a result, so I was able to get in some extra zzz's until K got home from the workout with dinner. Then, Friday was off to Waco after work for the race on Saturday. I had a sore throat on Friday and started taking throat lozenges with mild relief. I still wasn't feeling 100% on Saturday, but I didn't feel bad enough not to run either. But, afterwards, I was even more exhausted than usual after running 20 miles. I laid down around 6pm for a nap and didn't really get up until late Sunday morning. We were heading to San Antonio in the afternoon for the Spurs vs. Suns game, and I started having flashbacks of the last time we were there for a basketball game during Bandera race weekend when I had to make a visit to the urgent care clinic because I had been sick for days. I started popping different meds on Sunday hoping that one of them would be the magic bullet. We were still able to enjoy the game, although I knew that things were getting worse rather than getting better. I went to work yesterday and made it through the day, still hopped up on OTC meds. But, today was a different story. I went in to work, but called it quits shortly before noon. My head felt like it weighed 50 pounds, I had no energy, my ears were popping because of fluid drainage, and I couldn't focus so it was a waste of time when I really should be home in bed. So, I'm proud that I did just that.
Tonight was our first group workout of the PR for the 5k/10k group. I had accepted the fact that I was going to have to miss it...until right at 5pm. I don't know what came over me, but I started getting ready to go. The workout was a steady state run, so no track work. Somehow I rationalized that I could do the workout even if I had to slow my pace considerably to compensate for feeling like crap. Makes sense, right? K was surprised to see me in running clothes when he got home a few minutes later. You see when he asked me if I was going to run yesterday, I inquired "Would that be the smart thing to do?" He replied, "No, but you don't always do what's smart when it comes to running." Ah, he got me there. So, that's what I reminded him when he wanted to know why I was going to the workout.
The workout was a 1-mile warm-up with drills followed by a 2, 3, or 4 mile steady-state run with a 1-mile cool-down. My Garmin wasn't working so I did not have a clue as to my splits or pace while running. I asked a guy how fast we went through the first mile when we hit the 1-mile marker and he replied "7:50." Oh, crap. I have no business going that fast right now. But, it was nice to know that I could. I've done less than 5 runs on the road all year thus far. I need to remind myself what it feels like to run at a faster pace again. I do love the trails, but I also need to reconnect with my road speed again if I want to try to qualify for Boston at St. George this year. It's a long "road" ahead...
Tonight was our first group workout of the PR for the 5k/10k group. I had accepted the fact that I was going to have to miss it...until right at 5pm. I don't know what came over me, but I started getting ready to go. The workout was a steady state run, so no track work. Somehow I rationalized that I could do the workout even if I had to slow my pace considerably to compensate for feeling like crap. Makes sense, right? K was surprised to see me in running clothes when he got home a few minutes later. You see when he asked me if I was going to run yesterday, I inquired "Would that be the smart thing to do?" He replied, "No, but you don't always do what's smart when it comes to running." Ah, he got me there. So, that's what I reminded him when he wanted to know why I was going to the workout.
The workout was a 1-mile warm-up with drills followed by a 2, 3, or 4 mile steady-state run with a 1-mile cool-down. My Garmin wasn't working so I did not have a clue as to my splits or pace while running. I asked a guy how fast we went through the first mile when we hit the 1-mile marker and he replied "7:50." Oh, crap. I have no business going that fast right now. But, it was nice to know that I could. I've done less than 5 runs on the road all year thus far. I need to remind myself what it feels like to run at a faster pace again. I do love the trails, but I also need to reconnect with my road speed again if I want to try to qualify for Boston at St. George this year. It's a long "road" ahead...
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The good, the bad, and the ugly...
So often running is a combination of all that. I was originally going to just write about today's race (which ultimately had a little of all 3), but I decided that I should also write about last weekend's race to remind myself of the good stuff too. I think I focus too much on the negatives, but the successes also deserve attention to - if nothing else than to remind myself of them when the going gets tough (like it did today).
So before I get to today's race let's back up to last Saturday. Last weekend was actually scheduled to be an "off" weekend in our Jemez training plan. But, you know me, I don't know what to do with myself when we're not running, especially driving all over Texas to run. So, about the middle of the week, I started checking out the race calendar for the weekend to see if there were any good options available. And, sure enough there was. I checked in with Cheri and found out that her and Jeff were planning to run Doogie's Run in Warda, and I talked it over with K who was not enthusiastic about (a) me running when I wasn't supposed to be, and (b) me dragging him along with me, especially on a rare weekend that didn't involve travel. I think K knew that ultimately I was going to do what I wanted anyway, and he wasn't surprised when I called him at work to tell him that I had registered for the 25k.
So, last Saturday morning we headed out to Warda, about an hour east of Austin. It was a pretty easy drive, which was definitely made better by the fact that the 25k didn't start until 10am so we got to sleep in a bit before heading out. The race is held at Bluff Creek Ranch, which is home to a member of HCTR. His hospitality is really what set this race apart and made me happy that I decided to run. He opened his home to the runners, allowing us to get in out of the brutal winds while waiting for the race to start. Once we got there, I automatically started comparing myself to the other runners thinking that everyone is so much fitter and more experienced than me. It was a pretty small race, with the women actually outnumbering the men for the 25k. So, at 10am, the race director sent us on our way. I settled in with the first group of 5 runners for the first few miles until I had to stop to stretch my calves a couple of times. They loosened up quickly and I didn't have any more problems throughout the run. I was able to catch up to the other runners ahead of me about halfway through the first loop, in part due to some flat straightaways in a couple of open fields. I was amazed at how great I felt! I finished the first loop in 2nd place and was 3rd to head back out of the aid station but quickly regained the 2nd position. It was interesting to actually be running aware of where I was compared to the other runners, and Marcia definitely had me running scared for the second loop. I knew she was behind me somewhere, and I kept looking over my shoulder but never really saw her. I slowed down a few minutes overall on the second loop, but not significantly. Even though it wasn't a PR for me at this distance, it was good enough for 2nd overall and 1st female. With a larger field of runners, I probably would have been decidedly Average, but on that day, on that course, with that field of runners, those were the results. And, I will happily take them. I got a very unique award made of wood, and I also got to enjoy a yummy Longhorn burger after the race. Again, the hospitality of the RD made this race great, and I'm happy that I decided to run it.
So, everything that last Saturday was, today was the total opposite. The Toughest 'N Texas Trail Run in Cameron Park in Waco was on our training schedule for Jemez (50milers running the 50k, 50kers running 20 miles, half-marathoners running 10 miles). I have not been looking forward to this race since we got the training schedule, in part because it seemed like a jump in distance from the previous long runs (although I had actually been running slightly more in my long runs than I was scheduled for so that I would be better prepared for the increase to 20 today). I knew that today's race would be hilly, which made it a good training run for Jemez (as opposed to Prickly Pear in San Antonio which I had previously hoped to run). But, other than that, I didn't really know what to expect, which proved to be critical during my first loop.
With my race scheduled to start at 7am, we opted to drive up to Waco after work yesterday rather than head up early this morning as some of our training buddies did. Traffic on a Friday afternoon is never a good thing, even considering that we took the tollway to avoid going through Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown. I was hoping that we'd make it in time to pick up our packets so that we could save a few minutes this morning, but no such luck. We got there just as they were loading everything up and getting ready to head out. Alright, fine. So we headed over to Olive Garden for the requisite pre-long run pasta dinner then called it an early night. I have been feeling pretty run down for the past couple of days due to some jam-packed days and not enough down time, so I was eager for an early bedtime to see if the extra sleep would make a difference. The wake-up call at 6am still came early, and we quickly got ready and headed downstairs to see if the hotel already had breakfast out a little early. No such luck again, so we had to stop at a nearby gas station on the way to the race site to pick up something to eat. Note to self - don't count on breakfast from the hotel next time and make sure to bring what I want to eat with me. Once we arrived at the race start a little before 7am, I was surprised to find the 50kers still there because they were supposed to start at 6:30. Apparently their race had been delayed because the water had not arrived yet. Okay, well, that gave me a few minutes to chill then. There was supposed to be a 30 minute difference in the start time for each race, which turned out to be cut down to 15 minutes because of the race delay (this would prove significant for me during the first loop).
I was not in a good place mentally when we started the race. I was really oozing negativity, and as we know, the mental aspect of running is so, so critical. The first 3 miles of the course were really the hardest in my opinion, and I wish I had known that ahead of time because I got really overwhelmed with the negative self-talk telling myself there's no way I can do this for 20 miles, especially once I realized how long it had taken me to cover those first few miles. My shins and calves were talking to me during the first few miles as usual, so I had to stop to stretch several times. Normally, this doesn't bother me at all because I know it's necessary and that it will resolve soon. In a race setting though, it really had a negative impact on me mentally because it meant that the majority of the runners pulled away from me, especially during those first few HARD miles. Just to give you an idea of what I am talking about, there was a short uphill section through bamboo trees where the incline was so steep at a couple of points that I was nearly on all fours trying to get myself up and had to actually use the bamboo to pull me up a couple of times. Again, since I didn't know the course, I had no idea how much of the course would actually be like this.
I was essentially in meltdown mode for the majority of the first loop. Seriously. To top it off, the lead 10 miler guys passed me at mile 2 (remember, I had a 15 minute head start on them and they were already passing me so early on the course). K was in 3rd place and he passed me a few minutes later. Then, more of the fasties passed me, but what really exacerbated the meltdown was that the middle of the packer 10milers were also passing me. Yes, I know they were not running as far as I was so they could maintain a faster pace, but there is no excuse for me to have been in that position. I didn't want to be out there. I wasn't having fun. I wanted to quit.
And, then I hit the second aid station after mile 7. I drank some DP (I drank coke for the first time during a trail race during Palo Duro last year and I think it really helped), and I was like a new runner at that point. I made a huge attitude adjustment and got myself through the first loop. I checked in with K, told him about the horrible part of my first loop, and informed him and myself that I was in a much better place now and would be okay. Quitting didn't even enter my mind again at that point. I knew what was to come and was much better prepared to handle it. My legs never really felt heavy or too tired, and I was happy that I was able to run so many of the hills during the second loop. I even passed several other 20 mile runners on that loop, so that was good. I finished feeling strong, but the important part is that I finished which seemed impossible for awhile there.
So, there ya have it. The good, the bad, and ugly as promised. And, lessons learned.
So before I get to today's race let's back up to last Saturday. Last weekend was actually scheduled to be an "off" weekend in our Jemez training plan. But, you know me, I don't know what to do with myself when we're not running, especially driving all over Texas to run. So, about the middle of the week, I started checking out the race calendar for the weekend to see if there were any good options available. And, sure enough there was. I checked in with Cheri and found out that her and Jeff were planning to run Doogie's Run in Warda, and I talked it over with K who was not enthusiastic about (a) me running when I wasn't supposed to be, and (b) me dragging him along with me, especially on a rare weekend that didn't involve travel. I think K knew that ultimately I was going to do what I wanted anyway, and he wasn't surprised when I called him at work to tell him that I had registered for the 25k.
So, last Saturday morning we headed out to Warda, about an hour east of Austin. It was a pretty easy drive, which was definitely made better by the fact that the 25k didn't start until 10am so we got to sleep in a bit before heading out. The race is held at Bluff Creek Ranch, which is home to a member of HCTR. His hospitality is really what set this race apart and made me happy that I decided to run. He opened his home to the runners, allowing us to get in out of the brutal winds while waiting for the race to start. Once we got there, I automatically started comparing myself to the other runners thinking that everyone is so much fitter and more experienced than me. It was a pretty small race, with the women actually outnumbering the men for the 25k. So, at 10am, the race director sent us on our way. I settled in with the first group of 5 runners for the first few miles until I had to stop to stretch my calves a couple of times. They loosened up quickly and I didn't have any more problems throughout the run. I was able to catch up to the other runners ahead of me about halfway through the first loop, in part due to some flat straightaways in a couple of open fields. I was amazed at how great I felt! I finished the first loop in 2nd place and was 3rd to head back out of the aid station but quickly regained the 2nd position. It was interesting to actually be running aware of where I was compared to the other runners, and Marcia definitely had me running scared for the second loop. I knew she was behind me somewhere, and I kept looking over my shoulder but never really saw her. I slowed down a few minutes overall on the second loop, but not significantly. Even though it wasn't a PR for me at this distance, it was good enough for 2nd overall and 1st female. With a larger field of runners, I probably would have been decidedly Average, but on that day, on that course, with that field of runners, those were the results. And, I will happily take them. I got a very unique award made of wood, and I also got to enjoy a yummy Longhorn burger after the race. Again, the hospitality of the RD made this race great, and I'm happy that I decided to run it.
So, everything that last Saturday was, today was the total opposite. The Toughest 'N Texas Trail Run in Cameron Park in Waco was on our training schedule for Jemez (50milers running the 50k, 50kers running 20 miles, half-marathoners running 10 miles). I have not been looking forward to this race since we got the training schedule, in part because it seemed like a jump in distance from the previous long runs (although I had actually been running slightly more in my long runs than I was scheduled for so that I would be better prepared for the increase to 20 today). I knew that today's race would be hilly, which made it a good training run for Jemez (as opposed to Prickly Pear in San Antonio which I had previously hoped to run). But, other than that, I didn't really know what to expect, which proved to be critical during my first loop.
With my race scheduled to start at 7am, we opted to drive up to Waco after work yesterday rather than head up early this morning as some of our training buddies did. Traffic on a Friday afternoon is never a good thing, even considering that we took the tollway to avoid going through Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown. I was hoping that we'd make it in time to pick up our packets so that we could save a few minutes this morning, but no such luck. We got there just as they were loading everything up and getting ready to head out. Alright, fine. So we headed over to Olive Garden for the requisite pre-long run pasta dinner then called it an early night. I have been feeling pretty run down for the past couple of days due to some jam-packed days and not enough down time, so I was eager for an early bedtime to see if the extra sleep would make a difference. The wake-up call at 6am still came early, and we quickly got ready and headed downstairs to see if the hotel already had breakfast out a little early. No such luck again, so we had to stop at a nearby gas station on the way to the race site to pick up something to eat. Note to self - don't count on breakfast from the hotel next time and make sure to bring what I want to eat with me. Once we arrived at the race start a little before 7am, I was surprised to find the 50kers still there because they were supposed to start at 6:30. Apparently their race had been delayed because the water had not arrived yet. Okay, well, that gave me a few minutes to chill then. There was supposed to be a 30 minute difference in the start time for each race, which turned out to be cut down to 15 minutes because of the race delay (this would prove significant for me during the first loop).
I was not in a good place mentally when we started the race. I was really oozing negativity, and as we know, the mental aspect of running is so, so critical. The first 3 miles of the course were really the hardest in my opinion, and I wish I had known that ahead of time because I got really overwhelmed with the negative self-talk telling myself there's no way I can do this for 20 miles, especially once I realized how long it had taken me to cover those first few miles. My shins and calves were talking to me during the first few miles as usual, so I had to stop to stretch several times. Normally, this doesn't bother me at all because I know it's necessary and that it will resolve soon. In a race setting though, it really had a negative impact on me mentally because it meant that the majority of the runners pulled away from me, especially during those first few HARD miles. Just to give you an idea of what I am talking about, there was a short uphill section through bamboo trees where the incline was so steep at a couple of points that I was nearly on all fours trying to get myself up and had to actually use the bamboo to pull me up a couple of times. Again, since I didn't know the course, I had no idea how much of the course would actually be like this.
I was essentially in meltdown mode for the majority of the first loop. Seriously. To top it off, the lead 10 miler guys passed me at mile 2 (remember, I had a 15 minute head start on them and they were already passing me so early on the course). K was in 3rd place and he passed me a few minutes later. Then, more of the fasties passed me, but what really exacerbated the meltdown was that the middle of the packer 10milers were also passing me. Yes, I know they were not running as far as I was so they could maintain a faster pace, but there is no excuse for me to have been in that position. I didn't want to be out there. I wasn't having fun. I wanted to quit.
And, then I hit the second aid station after mile 7. I drank some DP (I drank coke for the first time during a trail race during Palo Duro last year and I think it really helped), and I was like a new runner at that point. I made a huge attitude adjustment and got myself through the first loop. I checked in with K, told him about the horrible part of my first loop, and informed him and myself that I was in a much better place now and would be okay. Quitting didn't even enter my mind again at that point. I knew what was to come and was much better prepared to handle it. My legs never really felt heavy or too tired, and I was happy that I was able to run so many of the hills during the second loop. I even passed several other 20 mile runners on that loop, so that was good. I finished feeling strong, but the important part is that I finished which seemed impossible for awhile there.
So, there ya have it. The good, the bad, and ugly as promised. And, lessons learned.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Where have I been?
I haven't been blogging much lately. 4 posts in February? I'm not entirely sure what to attribute the decrease to. We've certainly been busy as usual and had our fair share of happenings lately (heck, I even won a trail race this weekend so you'd think that would warrant a post of it's own on a blog about running!). But, a lot of our life is the same old stuff too - work, run, repeat. Not to imply that any of that is boring or repetitive. Well, work can be. I guess I just haven't felt like taking the time to blog in my already seemingly over scheduled life.
So, let's start back with an update...
Running...I have still been running exclusively on the trails (other than a short slip back to the road for the sake of convenience once a couple of weeks ago) and am still loving it. I think K and I are both curious to see if I can really go back to road running this summer for training for St. George (which I confirmed my guaranteed entry for this year). The 5k/10k PR group starts up next week, so that will be a preliminary test of how I feel to be back on the track in well over a year now. I've been having some tightness in my shins again lately which is related to the tightness of my calves. It is apparent during the first couple of miles during my runs, but then dissipates once I stretch a few times. I have been trying to do better about rolling out my calves and have continued with my regular massages, but it's definitely something to continue to monitor. We have a hilly race in Waco on tap for this weekend (K is running 10, I am running 20).
Work...This week will mark a huge shift in my primary job responsibilities at work which should allow me to get back to doing what I enjoy - seeing kids. I will be handing off a lot of the managerial aspects of my job to another one of my staff members who has been promoted into a new position (which was created to compensate for the fact that we lost the other psychologist position to a different unit). This is the part of my job that I liked the least and that took up the majority of my time, so I am really hopeful that my morale will improve once I get back to doing clinical work again! I was invited for the second year in a row to speak to the UT law students in the juvenile justice clinic today, and I had such a good time! I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge with them and helping them become better attorneys in some small way. I am fortunate that I get to do a relatively good bit of training in my job, which I enjoy. Long-term, I got info this week about our retirement plan at work. If I maintain employment with the County, then I will be eligible for retirement at 52. That sounds so good! Although it means 20 more years...that doesn't sound so good.
Travel...We are definitely on the go. We have a lot of weekend trips planned for running - training runs and races - over the next few months. In terms of non-running trips, we are also getting ready to book our trip to Singapore at the end of May/beginning of June. K is going to take the remainder of his sabbatical (1 month) and I got approval from my boss today to take the 2 weeks off that I was hoping. K's best man moved out there shortly after our wedding last year and will be there until September, so we are going to take advantage of knowing someone there and going to visit. We're also hoping to go to Malaysia and Thailand while we're out there as well, although his friend mentioned that there has been some political unrest in Thailand so it might not be the best time to go.
K & m...It's amazing to me to realize that we have been married for 6 months now. I cannot believe that time has passed so quickly! We also recently had the 3-year anniversary of when we first met. What a great 3 years it has been!
So, that should catch you up a little bit.
So, let's start back with an update...
Running...I have still been running exclusively on the trails (other than a short slip back to the road for the sake of convenience once a couple of weeks ago) and am still loving it. I think K and I are both curious to see if I can really go back to road running this summer for training for St. George (which I confirmed my guaranteed entry for this year). The 5k/10k PR group starts up next week, so that will be a preliminary test of how I feel to be back on the track in well over a year now. I've been having some tightness in my shins again lately which is related to the tightness of my calves. It is apparent during the first couple of miles during my runs, but then dissipates once I stretch a few times. I have been trying to do better about rolling out my calves and have continued with my regular massages, but it's definitely something to continue to monitor. We have a hilly race in Waco on tap for this weekend (K is running 10, I am running 20).
Work...This week will mark a huge shift in my primary job responsibilities at work which should allow me to get back to doing what I enjoy - seeing kids. I will be handing off a lot of the managerial aspects of my job to another one of my staff members who has been promoted into a new position (which was created to compensate for the fact that we lost the other psychologist position to a different unit). This is the part of my job that I liked the least and that took up the majority of my time, so I am really hopeful that my morale will improve once I get back to doing clinical work again! I was invited for the second year in a row to speak to the UT law students in the juvenile justice clinic today, and I had such a good time! I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge with them and helping them become better attorneys in some small way. I am fortunate that I get to do a relatively good bit of training in my job, which I enjoy. Long-term, I got info this week about our retirement plan at work. If I maintain employment with the County, then I will be eligible for retirement at 52. That sounds so good! Although it means 20 more years...that doesn't sound so good.
Travel...We are definitely on the go. We have a lot of weekend trips planned for running - training runs and races - over the next few months. In terms of non-running trips, we are also getting ready to book our trip to Singapore at the end of May/beginning of June. K is going to take the remainder of his sabbatical (1 month) and I got approval from my boss today to take the 2 weeks off that I was hoping. K's best man moved out there shortly after our wedding last year and will be there until September, so we are going to take advantage of knowing someone there and going to visit. We're also hoping to go to Malaysia and Thailand while we're out there as well, although his friend mentioned that there has been some political unrest in Thailand so it might not be the best time to go.
K & m...It's amazing to me to realize that we have been married for 6 months now. I cannot believe that time has passed so quickly! We also recently had the 3-year anniversary of when we first met. What a great 3 years it has been!
So, that should catch you up a little bit.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
This is my life...
I was not eager to come home from our trip last night. Mostly because I knew what was waiting for me - real life. Real life includes work, multiple loads of laundry (it continues to amaze me how many loads of laundry that I do on a weekly basis), necessity for a trip to the grocery store (which got postponed until tomorrow), cleaning the house (in preparation for the maid to come tomorrow), and preparing for a party at our house this weekend. And running of course, although I was eager to get back to that.
This trip was mostly about K getting one more chance to ski this season and he did just that. We flew into Denver after work on Friday and had opted to make the drive up I-70 that night so that we could avoid dealing with ski traffic on Saturday morning (since K got to experience that firsthand last month). The drive was a bit harrowing initially as we started making our way up into the mountains. It had rained earlier in the day, the roads were sanded and icy in spots, it was dark, and there was a surprising number of cars on the roads. Thankfully, we made it to Keystone without incident, although it was pretty late by that point. K got up bright and early to hit the slopes, while I was eager to decompress from the busyness and go-go-go of the previous week. I had a leisurely day to myself and explored the resort areas for a little souvenir shopping. Once K returned from the slopes, we then turned to the task of trying to find somewhere to eat for dinner which turned out to be quite difficult given that it was Valentine's Day. After several dead ends, we ended up at a Chinese restaurant in Silverthorne. Not terribly romantic, but it was really just food that I was after at that point. On Sunday, we made the relatively short trek over to Vail for the day. K & I went our separate ways once on the mountain, particularly since he wanted to fully explore the mountain since it was his first time there. We stopped in Silverthorne again on the way back to the hotel to pick up something for dinner and make a quick stop at the outlets there. Then, yesterday we stayed at Keystone again, although had considered going to Breckenridge to ski there before heading back to Denver late afternoon. Thankfully, the drive to and process at the airport went much smoother than it did last month. We got home around 11:00pm and quickly got about the business of unpacking. Reality came quickly.
I didn't take many pictures this time from our trip, but there are some here.
This was our second year that we opted for a ski trip during marathon weekend in Austin. I truly have no desire to run the marathon here again. I don't like the course changes that have been made in recent years, and well, we all run these streets so much anyway that it almost feels like nothing special. I'm definitely one who likes to travel to different places to run - to experience somewhere different from a running standpoint and also just for the sake of traveling. So, I signed up today for the Tahoe Rim Trail Run 50k in July. Joe and Robert are putting together a continuation group for this after we finish Jemez in May. I'm not sure yet what this does to my goals for St. George in October. Endurance shouldn't be an issue, but speed will be if I am sacrificing roads for trails for the better part of this year. I guess we'll just see how the next few months go. I had a good massage with Ann tonight - calves, hips, hamstrings, it's all tight. Thankfully, I'm not experiencing any major problems with my running right now, and I hope it stays that way.
As we were headed to the airport last Friday, we had a discussion about buying our first house. It was prompted by me picking up a flier that day for a house nearby on Travis Heights Blvd. As those of you familiar with the area know, it was not cheap. After doing a very preliminary search of houses, I finally understood better in terms of why people move to the suburbs - so they can actually afford a nice, good-sized house! K is pretty steadfast about NOT moving out to the 'burbs though and he seems convinced that we can afford something in our preferred area within the next 1-2 years (if the stock market turns around). Although we are outgrowing our current place (and are unsure how we are going to fit a large number of people here for a party this weekend), we are relatively content to stay put for a little while longer. The sheer thought of packing, moving, and unpacking is a pretty strong deterrent for us anyway!
This trip was mostly about K getting one more chance to ski this season and he did just that. We flew into Denver after work on Friday and had opted to make the drive up I-70 that night so that we could avoid dealing with ski traffic on Saturday morning (since K got to experience that firsthand last month). The drive was a bit harrowing initially as we started making our way up into the mountains. It had rained earlier in the day, the roads were sanded and icy in spots, it was dark, and there was a surprising number of cars on the roads. Thankfully, we made it to Keystone without incident, although it was pretty late by that point. K got up bright and early to hit the slopes, while I was eager to decompress from the busyness and go-go-go of the previous week. I had a leisurely day to myself and explored the resort areas for a little souvenir shopping. Once K returned from the slopes, we then turned to the task of trying to find somewhere to eat for dinner which turned out to be quite difficult given that it was Valentine's Day. After several dead ends, we ended up at a Chinese restaurant in Silverthorne. Not terribly romantic, but it was really just food that I was after at that point. On Sunday, we made the relatively short trek over to Vail for the day. K & I went our separate ways once on the mountain, particularly since he wanted to fully explore the mountain since it was his first time there. We stopped in Silverthorne again on the way back to the hotel to pick up something for dinner and make a quick stop at the outlets there. Then, yesterday we stayed at Keystone again, although had considered going to Breckenridge to ski there before heading back to Denver late afternoon. Thankfully, the drive to and process at the airport went much smoother than it did last month. We got home around 11:00pm and quickly got about the business of unpacking. Reality came quickly.
I didn't take many pictures this time from our trip, but there are some here.
This was our second year that we opted for a ski trip during marathon weekend in Austin. I truly have no desire to run the marathon here again. I don't like the course changes that have been made in recent years, and well, we all run these streets so much anyway that it almost feels like nothing special. I'm definitely one who likes to travel to different places to run - to experience somewhere different from a running standpoint and also just for the sake of traveling. So, I signed up today for the Tahoe Rim Trail Run 50k in July. Joe and Robert are putting together a continuation group for this after we finish Jemez in May. I'm not sure yet what this does to my goals for St. George in October. Endurance shouldn't be an issue, but speed will be if I am sacrificing roads for trails for the better part of this year. I guess we'll just see how the next few months go. I had a good massage with Ann tonight - calves, hips, hamstrings, it's all tight. Thankfully, I'm not experiencing any major problems with my running right now, and I hope it stays that way.
As we were headed to the airport last Friday, we had a discussion about buying our first house. It was prompted by me picking up a flier that day for a house nearby on Travis Heights Blvd. As those of you familiar with the area know, it was not cheap. After doing a very preliminary search of houses, I finally understood better in terms of why people move to the suburbs - so they can actually afford a nice, good-sized house! K is pretty steadfast about NOT moving out to the 'burbs though and he seems convinced that we can afford something in our preferred area within the next 1-2 years (if the stock market turns around). Although we are outgrowing our current place (and are unsure how we are going to fit a large number of people here for a party this weekend), we are relatively content to stay put for a little while longer. The sheer thought of packing, moving, and unpacking is a pretty strong deterrent for us anyway!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Trail therapy…
It’s been another one of those weeks when I have felt pulled on by people, mostly at work. It seems like everyone needs something from me. Nothing too big or overwhelming when considered individually, but it’s the sum of it all that takes the toll on me. Thankfully, I had some really good trail runs this week which helped counterbalance all of that. Yet another reason that I don’t run in the morning is that I really look forward to running after work because it just erases the stress of the day for me.
On Tuesday, K and I decided to do something different and started our run from the Moonshadow entrance. K did a good job of navigating our way through Travis Country and we got in some good hills for about 5 miles or so. On Wednesday, I had a fantastic solo run on the flats from 360 to Barton Springs for about 7 miles. Last night was our group workout at St. Ed’s. However, K and I opted to run hills on the Greenbelt by ourselves again since it was too hard to make it up there with traffic after work by 6:00. Yesterday was one of those days when I didn’t really have time to breathe at work and I was considering not even running because it felt like “one more thing to do.” I knew I would feel better though once I got out there and I did.
Despite the busyness of the day yesterday, I noticed that the only time that I felt relaxed was when I was actually with a kid in the afternoon. There are some changes coming at work that should allow me to do more direct clinical work again and pass off more of the direct management of staff to someone else. I think I will be a lot happier once that happens.
So, it goes without saying that our ski trip this weekend is very well-timed! I am looking forward to a few days away – no stress, just me & K.
On Tuesday, K and I decided to do something different and started our run from the Moonshadow entrance. K did a good job of navigating our way through Travis Country and we got in some good hills for about 5 miles or so. On Wednesday, I had a fantastic solo run on the flats from 360 to Barton Springs for about 7 miles. Last night was our group workout at St. Ed’s. However, K and I opted to run hills on the Greenbelt by ourselves again since it was too hard to make it up there with traffic after work by 6:00. Yesterday was one of those days when I didn’t really have time to breathe at work and I was considering not even running because it felt like “one more thing to do.” I knew I would feel better though once I got out there and I did.
Despite the busyness of the day yesterday, I noticed that the only time that I felt relaxed was when I was actually with a kid in the afternoon. There are some changes coming at work that should allow me to do more direct clinical work again and pass off more of the direct management of staff to someone else. I think I will be a lot happier once that happens.
So, it goes without saying that our ski trip this weekend is very well-timed! I am looking forward to a few days away – no stress, just me & K.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week in review...
Another week has whizzed by. K and I have already been married for 5 months! Where does all the time go?
Well, running obviously takes up a lot of our spare time. Last week I ran 6.5 miles by myself on the Greenbelt after work on Tuesday. I really freaked myself out because I suddenly realized that if something happened to me then nobody would have any idea where I was. I was running a section of the trail that I had never been on before. I knew where I was though, but I just got myself freaked out and quickly made my way back to more well-traveled parts of the Greenbelt (after screaming bloody murder when I got startled by something in the bushes). We had a quality workout on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, so I was running with the comfort of my group at that point. Wednesdays workout was about 6 miles of flats, while Thursdays workout was about 5 miles of hills. My only issue was running the more technical sections in the dark on Thursday. I am super skittish about running in the dark. I am worried about getting lost out there by myself and also of getting hurt. This weekend was scheduled to be an “off” weekend. However, since we will be out of town skiing next weekend, then I decided to go ahead and get a long run in this weekend. I still took 2 days off in a row (Friday and Saturday) to make sure I got the prescribed rest days then ran 15 miles yesterday out at Bastrop. My calves were super tight for the first few miles, but then I felt fine after they loosened up after the first 4 miles or so. I think the hills in this program are going to aggravate my calf issues. I had a massage with Ann last Monday, so I am going to have to do better about using the TP equipment in between those biweekly sessions.
With K’s cell phone contract with Sprint ending last week, we made the switch to AT&T in order to get an iPhone. It turned out to be our Valentine’s Day gifts to each other. K hemmed and hawed about it though saying that he didn’t need one. Yeah, but if he didn’t get one and I did, then I know he would always be playing with mine and I would never get to use it! We got them on Friday night (I think I freaked the AT&T guy out with how prepared I was) and have enjoyed getting acquainted with them this weekend. The only problem turned out to be that I had to give up my Dallas number (sigh) and get an Austin number. I am officially an Austinite now, I guess.
We enjoyed a rare Saturday off from running this weekend. It was great to sleep in, especially since we were up late on Friday playing with our new phones. I caught up on the DVR while K went to the gym. Then, we went to see “He’s just not that into you.” I couldn’t believe that K willingly came to see it with me. It was pretty funny in how realistic some of the single drama was presented. Afterwards, we had dinner and picked up a new flash drive so that we could transfer all of my music from my old laptop to my new one. K got that all taken care of for me which I was very appreciative of.
We are looking forward to our ski trip this weekend. We got an unexpected upgrade from the condo we initially reserved to a swanky hotel at the base of the mountain in Keystone. I have no idea why, but we’ll certainly take it! Depending on weather, we may ski at Keystone on Saturday, Vail on Sunday, and Keystone on Monday.
Well, running obviously takes up a lot of our spare time. Last week I ran 6.5 miles by myself on the Greenbelt after work on Tuesday. I really freaked myself out because I suddenly realized that if something happened to me then nobody would have any idea where I was. I was running a section of the trail that I had never been on before. I knew where I was though, but I just got myself freaked out and quickly made my way back to more well-traveled parts of the Greenbelt (after screaming bloody murder when I got startled by something in the bushes). We had a quality workout on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, so I was running with the comfort of my group at that point. Wednesdays workout was about 6 miles of flats, while Thursdays workout was about 5 miles of hills. My only issue was running the more technical sections in the dark on Thursday. I am super skittish about running in the dark. I am worried about getting lost out there by myself and also of getting hurt. This weekend was scheduled to be an “off” weekend. However, since we will be out of town skiing next weekend, then I decided to go ahead and get a long run in this weekend. I still took 2 days off in a row (Friday and Saturday) to make sure I got the prescribed rest days then ran 15 miles yesterday out at Bastrop. My calves were super tight for the first few miles, but then I felt fine after they loosened up after the first 4 miles or so. I think the hills in this program are going to aggravate my calf issues. I had a massage with Ann last Monday, so I am going to have to do better about using the TP equipment in between those biweekly sessions.
With K’s cell phone contract with Sprint ending last week, we made the switch to AT&T in order to get an iPhone. It turned out to be our Valentine’s Day gifts to each other. K hemmed and hawed about it though saying that he didn’t need one. Yeah, but if he didn’t get one and I did, then I know he would always be playing with mine and I would never get to use it! We got them on Friday night (I think I freaked the AT&T guy out with how prepared I was) and have enjoyed getting acquainted with them this weekend. The only problem turned out to be that I had to give up my Dallas number (sigh) and get an Austin number. I am officially an Austinite now, I guess.
We enjoyed a rare Saturday off from running this weekend. It was great to sleep in, especially since we were up late on Friday playing with our new phones. I caught up on the DVR while K went to the gym. Then, we went to see “He’s just not that into you.” I couldn’t believe that K willingly came to see it with me. It was pretty funny in how realistic some of the single drama was presented. Afterwards, we had dinner and picked up a new flash drive so that we could transfer all of my music from my old laptop to my new one. K got that all taken care of for me which I was very appreciative of.
We are looking forward to our ski trip this weekend. We got an unexpected upgrade from the condo we initially reserved to a swanky hotel at the base of the mountain in Keystone. I have no idea why, but we’ll certainly take it! Depending on weather, we may ski at Keystone on Saturday, Vail on Sunday, and Keystone on Monday.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Up’s and Down’s….
This weekend had its up’s and down’s, which is an inevitable part of life, relationships, running, etc.
Running was the big positive from the weekend. We headed out to Fredericksburg right after work on Friday and got there just in time for a good pasta dinner at the Italian restaurant we discovered when we were out there last time to run. Wiped out from the busy week, I crashed pretty early once we checked into our hotel. We met up with our group at Enchanted Rock on Saturday morning, with folks running various distances. The weather was fairly chilly when we started, but I quickly shed my top layer a couple of miles into the run. It turned out to be good running weather as the day went on. I ran the first loop with Charlene because we had both decided that we weren’t going up and over the rock when we got to that point. When we reached that point, she said this is where the girls part from the women. I did it last time we were out there, was terrified, and had nothing to prove by doing it again. However, the alternate way that we ended up going turned out to be scary in its own right. I was one of the few who opted to run a full second loop so I ran that one by myself. I enjoyed the solitude and had a good run overall. Afterwards, K and I had lunch at a German restaurant in town before heading back to Austin. I also had a good solo run yesterday afternoon on the Greenbelt - with temps in the upper 70’s it was hard to believe it was February 1st. There were so many people out there enjoying the great weather. I had to step off the trail several times to allow mountain bikers through. But, all in all, it was just good to be out there running.
Now for the negative. Overall, K and I have a fantastic relationship. We enjoy each other so much. However, we continue to argue about household chores and responsibilities. I’ve blogged about this many times before, but I feel like I am stuck in a 1950’s marriage when it comes to the division of labor in our marriage…except, oh wait, I have a career and support myself. K is not the provider for the family and I will not be put into the role of doing it all. It is absolutely infuriating. We both grew up in households in which our fathers were the providers and not around very much, while our mothers took care of the house and the kids. Nothing wrong with that model at all, but it just does not apply to us. Given the fact that we both have successful careers and each earn a respectable paycheck, I can’t understand why a more egalitarian model of running the house isn’t in order for us? This is further complicated by our personality styles – I’m a nurturer and K enjoys being taken care of. So, it’s a perfect setup for me to do more and him to take more. Enough ranting (for now at least). The precipitant for last night’s argument (the second within a week about this though) was that I am trying my hand at cooking and baking right now. So, this weekend I made a Death by Chocolate cake, Country French Bread, and Lasagne. Everything turned out incredibly yummy. Obviously though, this required use of a lot of dishes to prepare everything, which K was not happy about since he was responsible for cleaning up. He sure seemed to like eating all the good food I made though…
Running was the big positive from the weekend. We headed out to Fredericksburg right after work on Friday and got there just in time for a good pasta dinner at the Italian restaurant we discovered when we were out there last time to run. Wiped out from the busy week, I crashed pretty early once we checked into our hotel. We met up with our group at Enchanted Rock on Saturday morning, with folks running various distances. The weather was fairly chilly when we started, but I quickly shed my top layer a couple of miles into the run. It turned out to be good running weather as the day went on. I ran the first loop with Charlene because we had both decided that we weren’t going up and over the rock when we got to that point. When we reached that point, she said this is where the girls part from the women. I did it last time we were out there, was terrified, and had nothing to prove by doing it again. However, the alternate way that we ended up going turned out to be scary in its own right. I was one of the few who opted to run a full second loop so I ran that one by myself. I enjoyed the solitude and had a good run overall. Afterwards, K and I had lunch at a German restaurant in town before heading back to Austin. I also had a good solo run yesterday afternoon on the Greenbelt - with temps in the upper 70’s it was hard to believe it was February 1st. There were so many people out there enjoying the great weather. I had to step off the trail several times to allow mountain bikers through. But, all in all, it was just good to be out there running.
Now for the negative. Overall, K and I have a fantastic relationship. We enjoy each other so much. However, we continue to argue about household chores and responsibilities. I’ve blogged about this many times before, but I feel like I am stuck in a 1950’s marriage when it comes to the division of labor in our marriage…except, oh wait, I have a career and support myself. K is not the provider for the family and I will not be put into the role of doing it all. It is absolutely infuriating. We both grew up in households in which our fathers were the providers and not around very much, while our mothers took care of the house and the kids. Nothing wrong with that model at all, but it just does not apply to us. Given the fact that we both have successful careers and each earn a respectable paycheck, I can’t understand why a more egalitarian model of running the house isn’t in order for us? This is further complicated by our personality styles – I’m a nurturer and K enjoys being taken care of. So, it’s a perfect setup for me to do more and him to take more. Enough ranting (for now at least). The precipitant for last night’s argument (the second within a week about this though) was that I am trying my hand at cooking and baking right now. So, this weekend I made a Death by Chocolate cake, Country French Bread, and Lasagne. Everything turned out incredibly yummy. Obviously though, this required use of a lot of dishes to prepare everything, which K was not happy about since he was responsible for cleaning up. He sure seemed to like eating all the good food I made though…
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