Where the Wild Things Are!

So I have long said that I don't wear my iPod while running in the 'hood.

Yesterday's run would be one of the many reasons.

G-dog and I got to have yet another run due to the 69 (hehehehehe) degree weather. We decided again to forgo the subdivision hills and just run extra in the neighborhood.

So down the German Shepherd pass. No GS out. Up to Terrorist Dog hill. No Terrorists out. All was quiet. Up condom hill, and still just a pleasant run. Start on AT&T deceivingly long street, and I hear, "You mother-f#&*er. You ho!" Some woman is screaming this at the top of her lungs over and over. A man comes out of his house and she starts yelling, "Get off of me, you mother-f#&*er! Get off of me, you mother-f#&*er!" He was 2 houses away from her. G-dog and I decided we would skip that road, turned around, and went down another road.
Up to Friday house, no one was out. Back down and to the end of the neighbor hood. Man walking with a twisted out hanger and no teeth. Asked me if he could have Guinness. Apparently he needed her for protection. I did not oblige.

We continued our run, contemplating what path we were going to take. Coming back up to Terrorist Hill again, and the crazy woman had made it all the way down there. Now she was standing in front of someone's house, yelling, "You don't know me! You don't know me! You mother-f#&*er. You ho!"over and over. So we skipped Terrorist Hill, and were now able to go up AT&T deceivingly long street. Came back down, and woman is walking with a man (not the one who came out of the house earlier) all lovey. Crazy, I tell you!

G-dog did her business. We were running again, and the woman who is routinely at the Citgo prostituting was walking the street. In the 3 years I've lived here, I have seen her pg for 3 times in 3 years. I think she had her baby a few weeks ago, because she was no longer carrying. Instead she was asking me, Guinness, crazy woman, the air, a tree etc. for money. We continued past her.

Came back around, ran the Terrorist hill with the terrorists out. Ran GS pass with German Shepherd out. Guinness strutted her stuff again. Crazy dog!

We managed to get 3 miles in under 47 minutes. The first and 3rd miles were under 16 minutes. The 2nd mile was where we had all the drama...it was near 17 minutes.

2 miles on tap for Thursday!

Time: 5:44 (walk)
Mileage: .22 (26:03 min/mile)
Time: 48:34 (run)
Mileage: 3.11 (15:36 min/mile)
Calories: 676
Max HR 179
Avg HR 157
In Zone 22:28

New Shoes and my running bud is taking a break!

So it seems everyone is thinking about shoes today (Marcy and Viper).

Which is odd, because I was wondering when I needed new shoes. Because I don't run marathons, I wear one pair. They are usually under the couch, because that's where I unwind after a run.

They are pretty ugly, and clunky, but the time I went for style (while getting fitted), it took over 2 hours, and 2 pairs of shoes later, I still had no shoes that worked for me.

So when New Balance sent me a picture of these yesterday, I wanted them...

But at $145, and having a pair with only 277 miles on them, I can't get them. BOOO!

So lalalala...yesterday, I told D that no matter what, to make me run when I got home from work. I got home from work, and flipped him the bird, cried and got in bed (I hate Mother's Day more than any other holiday and this years is hitting me particularly hard). After 5 minutes, I got up and slammed all the drawers looking for shorts, and not finding any. D asked what I was looking for, gave me his clean shorts and put on a slightly dirty pair. We finished getting ready and got Po and Guinness ready and then off we went for the poop break/warm-up.

Guinness and I were ahead of D and Po, so we got back to the house, dropped off the trash, and started our standard 'hood 3 mi run. It started out ok. Nothing terribly exciting. Hills, hills and hills. D passed us at .6 miles. We got to the top of the last major hill and Garmin said I had .15 miles to go before I hit 1 mile. Apparently I had not run the standard in so long that I forgot a part. Will make it up later. Guinness took another break, and luckily I had a bag, and someone left their trash can out.

While running I thought that I can't let MD get to me...I just need to live my life. 2 miles down. In the midst of mile 2, my foot starting hurting in the middle, right below the ball of my foot. Definitely I need new shoes, is what I thought. I wonder how many miles I have on these (277). I know they are over a year old. In front of the school, G did her business again. I didn't clean it up, only because what dog poops 3 times in an hour? I had no more bags. Of course there were people there to watch her. I felt like a total tool.

At 2.85 miles she went again. She also wasn't looking good. We got home at 3.15 miles. Time was decent except for the 3rd mile. G's stops were a lot. Got home and gave her lots to drink, but her recovery was too slow. It looks like the standard 3 miles is being moved to the treadmill. It is too hot for her, and I can't shave her, and D doesn't want me running in the 'hood by myself. I can't wait for October when we can resume our runs.

Time: 9:34 (walk)
Mileage: .33 (28:59 min/mile)
Time: 51:10 (run)
Mileage: 3.15 (16:14 min/mile)
Calories: 691
Max HR 187
Avg HR 171
In Zone 7:42

I Ran

Well I had a blog and it went away to the far netherworld of my computer cache.

So the alarm yesterday went off at 530. D and I looked at each other and he reset it for 7. We got up and went to work. I have a whole 12 hours this week. Woohoo!

I went and got him goggles. It was a whole thing because Sports Authority had them for $17.99 and $16.99 with the same SKU and you know what they rung up as. This was after I verified with an employee that they would be $16.99. Also I mentioned Dick's had them for $16.99. So off to the cashier, and he had to get the manager who acted like it was the biggest deal. She even said,
"It's only $1." I said, "It is about to be $16.99 less in your till. I'll go to Dick's." I got the goggles for $16.99.

So on the way home, D called and said he wasn't doing Shred because his work was once again FUBAR and he was way ticked off. That was fine.

So I got home, and Guinness, Porter and I went for our .25 mile warmup/poop break. Then Guinness and I dropped Porter at home.

Now I don't know why because the first mile of my 3 mile route is almost identical to the first mile of my 1 mile (or 2 mile) route, but I find it so much easier. So after 1 mile we talked to the German Shepherd. Guinness must have had 5 quarts of water before I got home, because she peed like every 100 ft, or so it seemed. We ran up to the prison. One guy at the convenience store talked to her. She wanted no part of him. We skipped the elementary school hill because it would have kicked my ass. Plus it is on the 4 mile route, not the 3 mile. We ran 3.32 miles. I wanted to go 3.5, but I didn't plan out the run, and Garmin is dead and I keep forgetting to recharge him.

We got home. Guinness drank some water and then went under the bed to sleep (her den). I made dinner; D came home; we ate, and facebooked.

Elevation of my run...

Time: 12:01 (walk)
Mileage: .25 (48:04 min/mile)
Time: 52:55 (run)
Mileage: 3.32 (15:56 min/mile)
Calories: 691
Max HR 179
Avg HR 158
In Zone 23:44

Exciting times in the ALB household...or not

Well, nothing exciting is going on with us. Our Christmas tree is still up, our dogs are still nuts, and we are still running.

Sunday, D decided to join me and Guinness for our run. After I showed him the 3 mile route, wrote down half the route's directions for him, and told him the rest of the route, we set out. He was about a block ahead of me for about 2 miles. But then he decided to do his own thing. So I don't know where he went. He went about 4.5 miles.

Guinness and I ran the prison route. She had fun. She hit puddles, and got to bark a lot. A lot of potty breaks. But her walk was good. My run...it was long. I have no idea how long I ran, because I messed up the timing on the Garmin, because I walked Porter before the run, but never looked at my time or reset it. So oh well. We also walked so total was 5.17 miles in 94 minutes.

Today I was going to work late, but lost motivation. So I came home. D was already dressed for our 3 miler, so off to the track we went. My time is getting better (back to where it was). And I am a total nerd. Who runs and thinks, I'm 1/12 of the way done. What other numbers don't go in to 12? What about 24? and so on and so forth. So exciting. I did try to remember the Bell's beer that I like. They might distribute in GA, so I am excited. I will have to find my beer notes (another sign that I'm a nerd...I note my beers).

OK so the results...

Time: 42:25 (run)
Mileage: 3 (14:10 min/mile)
Time: 21:00 (walk)
Mileage: 1 (21.00 min/mile)
Calories: 771
Max HR 182
Avg HR 156
In Zone 9:50

Time: 94:17 (run/walk)
Mileage: 5.17 (18:14 min/mile)
Calories: 1149
Max HR 184
Avg HR 152
In Zone 29:46

Last Run of the Year

Well, I got up this morning and walked the pups. Got home and was wide awake, so I put on the pants, the shoes, the brace, the HRM, the Garmin, the bra, the shirt and a coat. Put Guinness back on her leash and off we went. We went on our tried and true 3.1 mile course. I hate it/love it very much. It is ALL hills. You start out downhill then go up hill and seem to climb for awhile. The first mile was ok. I had to stop twice to adjust my knee brace. My knee cap seemed to want to move around. Finally I got the brace set right.

We did the first mile in 17 minutes. The other 2 miles I guess were better, I didn't hear the beep at mile 2. It was rather peaceful being up and running at 8. No one was out. So it was just me and Guinness. I showed her what a Dumpster was, we woofed at the German Shepard, stayed away from the Pit Bull, and waved to the Dalmation in the window. I have stopped using my iPod on neighborhood runs, because I already don't hear very well, so I need to be aware of the cars. Lots speed. I think we yelled twice at cars to slow down. Got the finger and returned it once.

Finally we were done.

Then getting through some issues, D and I went to the liquor store and got some coffee stout from Milwaukee (I have to look up the name), LH Milk Stout, Guinness, and Pipeline Porter.
Oh and besides contacting the credit bureaus, if you know what to do if a medical drug test with your SSN, name, birthday, and address, flew out of your car and went high in the sky, across the street and disappeared, let me know.

Happy New Year.

Time: 52:08 (run)
Mileage: 3.13 (16:40 min/mile)
Calories: 383
Max HR 181
Avg HR: 158

I have been running really, I have

Just haven't been posting.

I hope Santa was good to those of you who celebrate Christmas, and otherwise, I hope whoever was good to you.
D and I had a very nice Christmas. We both got what we wanted although I was shocked because I didn't even think about what he got me. He got a Capitals Hockey Jersey. He has been looking at it since they changed the design last year. But really who has the money for that...apparently his mom and I do. He was totally shocked, I think, and he was very happy.

I got 3 books and 2 CDs and a leaf blower from his parents (I asked for it). D decided I was getting a Garmin, but then realized he knew me and wasn't sure if I had researched which one I wanted and all that. So on the 26th we went to the running store so I could talk to the guy about it. He answered all my questions but was selling it (the 305) for $80 more than Amazon. I got him to sell it to me for $20 more. Since neither of us was sure that it would work with Vista, I felt the $20 was worth it as it would be easier to return to him.

So today Guinness and I got all set up and off we went. We changed our route but not by much. The first mile was very slow. I didn't use all the fancy stuff so I know the first mile was 17 something (we had some pee and poop breaks). The second 2 miles were hell. It was raining and that's where all the hills are. Finally we got through it and beep beep. Mile 4 was done. And I wasn't even home yet. So we got home at 72 minutes. Our pace was slow, but we had fun on the run. We (I) talked and she ran in the puddles.

Good run in terms of relaxing, bad in terms of time. Eh!

Time: 72:38 (run)

Mileage: 4.34 (16:44 min/mile)

Calories: 532

Max HR 185

Avg HR: 168

From last Saturday:

Time: 73:38 (run)
Mileage: 5 (14:44 min/mile)

November = 4 miles

So somewhere in my crazy head I had decided each month would mean add a mile to my weekend run. This means November brings 4 miles. So yesterday, D and I planned on running. Instead we went to Taco Mac. We intended on going to the Georgia Tech game vs. FSU. We drank lots at Taco Mac. We intended on having a good dinner. We left Taco Mac and went to the liquor store and bought more beer. We were within 4 blocks of Tech campus and never got to the game.

So fast forward to today. We hung out, went to lunch and to the grocery store. Terribly exciting. I got on the computer and mapped out 4 miles, because I didn't feel like going to the track. Although, it would have been an easier run. So I did the hood run, except I added a dreaded hill, and ran 2 other hills twice. This got me to 4 miles. So studying the map, and then I got dressed and got Guinness ready for her "walk." We did the .25 mile warmp and she did her business. Then we returned home to discard her business and start the run. The first mile starts on a downhill and then loops up a hill back down to the front of the subdivision. I then went back up that hill I just had gone up and back to the front of the sd. Then up the hill that I had gone down. Turn and a long hill. There is a loop, so I did that twice. By this point I had gone 1.5 miles. I ran past the German Shepherd house, and the usual routine. The "Friday" house was empty. Actually most people were indoors. Of course I started my run at 4 when the Falcons were on, so this might be why.

I ran past the PitBull House. They scare me; not because they are pits, but because they are viscious. The Rottweiler there is scary too. They all like to show their teeth, and one of the pits that I have seen up close has too many scars for a normal house animal. I think some Michael Vick goes on in that house. Anyway, we got to the school, and ran around the front, and then had to go to the side. On the side of the school there is a park at the bottom of the hill. As Guinness and I ran down the hill, I nearly fell over from the gravity...that's how steep it was.

There were some people in the park with their 4 dogs not leashed...pissed me off. Of course the dogs came over to us, and one of them wasn't nice. I usually just ignore, but one wouldn't leave us alone. It licked my leg, Guinness showed teeth, and I kicked it. This was a total reflex. The people said shit but I said the dog needed a leash. All the while I continued my run. So back out of the park was the dreaded hill, but Guinness and I focused on leaves on the ground to pass. And finally we got to the top. I was so proud of us. The rest of the run was uneventful. When we got home, I leashed up Porter and took her on my post-run cool down walk.

Time: 65:15 (run)

Mileage: 4.06 (16:04 min/mile)

Time: 32:32 (walk)

Mileage: 1 (32:32 min/mile)

Calories: 1125

Max HR 184

Avg HR 153

In Zone 28:58

New Day of Running in the Hood

Porter

So I got home yesterday, and told Guinness that we were going on a 'hood run. She was either really excited by this or really had to go outside to do her business. Anyway, I leashed her and Porter, changed clothes, and off we went for our warm-up walk, and the "do your business" walk.
12 minutes later, we dropped Po off and were off.

Down the hill and up another one. We waved (well I did) to our neighbor. We went down the hill and to the end of the development before going up another hill. And another. Did our loop (this is point F from previous post). Dying. But I told G-dog we were still on. Passed 2 other neighbors who said, "Go! Go! Go!" That got me to the dog lady's house (Point G). The next block, I heard "You can be anything you want, it doesn't matter what race you are!" from a little girl to an older boy. Another little boy raced me on his bike (he won). Guinness saw a squirrel and we chased that. At Point N, there were 3 guys sitting outside their house. It looked like a scene from Friday (the movie). It made me giggle, which caused me to breathe, which REALLY made me think of Friday. Their house was midway on a hill. So when I came back down the hill, it didn't help that I breathed incorrectly right in front of them, had to stop and hack up a lung. Timing is everything.

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful. I finished 2+ minutes faster than I did on Saturday, which made me happy. I also was dead when I got home, and Porter and I didn't go on a cool-down walk. I did stretched for 10 minutes.

In other news, our Furminator came. Guinness doesn't like it. Porter likes it on her butt. The hair it took off of her in 40 minutes was astounding (I won't share the picture).

Time: 48:43 (run)
Mileage: 3.14 (15:311 min/mile)
Time: 12:00 (walk)
Mileage: .25 (48:40 min/mile)
Calories: 800
Max HR 186
Avg HR 156
In Zone 11:00

Yay me!

So Guinness and I went on a run. I didn't want to go. I've been getting worried about my 5K next week, and besides the hills, I'm fatter, and slower, I don't know why I'm having trouble grasping the 5K.

Anyway, we decided to go running in the neighborhood. We took Porter with us for a warm up .25 mile walk and they both did their business. Then we dropped Po at home. I wanted to stay home too, but Guinness was acting nuts so off for a run.

The first part of the run (A-D and right where the Finish sign is --that's a turn) was rather pleasant and that consists of 2 hard hills. After the turn we went up another hill and it seemed to kill me. What was worse is at F I had to make a loop and then go back up the same hill. We kept going though. G-J was pretty easy. I took a picture at J to show you all the prison.


Obviously this isn't the main building, which is beautiful especially at night (no I'm not being sarcastic; it really is). The stretch from M to S back to G was pretty hard. The hills weren't long, or steep but I didn't want to do them. I don't think it helped that at M I heard a gunshot and at N I heard another one. I tried to play it off in my mind that it was a car backfiring, but police sirens were soon heard. I never saw the police though. Back at F, Guinness and I saw Mecca (the blue house in the background). (This is also the hill that going up twice killed me).


And finally we were home. I took Porter for my post run cooldown of another .75 miles.

My time wasn't fantastic, but I feel good about the run. I have decided the time doesn't matter on the Run Like Hell. Anne and Vic will be there waiting for me at the end. And I'll have finished. I know I can run 3 hilly miles without stopping. So yay me.

Oh the scale moved down, like 1 pound this week. Good things I did...ate less rice, more fruit, less ice cream. Bad things...little journaling, less exercise.

Time: 50:50 (run)
Mileage: 3.14 (16:11 min/mile)
Time: 35:23walk
Mileage: 1 (35:23 min/mile)
Calories: 1052
Max HR 188
Avg HR 160
In Zone 22:18

What goes down must come back up

No, it's not a post about vomit. I live on the top of a hill. Anyone who has been to my neighborhood has commented that it would be a hard run. blah, blah, blah.

So thanks to a link Duck had which I found better than map my run, I checked out my hood to see if I could run 3 miles. I could. So Guinness and I started out with a .25 mile walk so she could do her business. Then we started.

Down the big hill and we took a right. (A) Up the hill and around the culdesac twice (B) . And down the hill. Another right (C) to the end of the subdivision and turn back around (D) and back up the hill. Continue up the hill and take a right (E). Still up the hill and take a right (F)and down the hill. Come back around and back up the hill. Out of the subdivision. To the jail and back (G). Take a left. (H) Take another left (I). By now I should have gone a mile. Back to the jail (J) and back and a left again(K). Pass street and run to the Prostitute Penis Truck(L). Turn around and take a left(M). Take another left and to the church by the Penis Truck(N). Back again, and another left. Down to the crack house (not really) (O), and back. Take another left. Up a slight hill and dead. Left again(P) and by the school. To the main road and back again (Q). Looking at the hill. Knowing if I go down it I have to come back up. I didn't take that left. (R)

SOOOOO Guinness and I went straight and took another left (S) on our way back. We were supposed to take a left, but we took a right and ran back to the jail (G) and back and then back to the subdivision. We thought we would let it all hang out at the hill all the way down to the house, except, I live on a hill, so we ran up the hill past the house to the end of the street (T) and back (FINISH) .I swallowed some vomit. We came inside and Guinness got water, I walked around.

Then I unleashed her and leashed Porter and she and I went for a .75 mile cool down. Sooooo....

Time: 47:25(run)
Mileage 3.14 (15:06 min/mile)...horrible time but it is done!!
Time:30:00 (walk)
Mileage 1 (30)
Calories: 977
Max HR 188
Avg HR 164

In Zone 21:38