I've been tagged and I can breathe

So, a little more about the National Race for the Cure...I didn't realized that 50000 people would be there. Thus it is the largest or one of the largest 5Ks in the country.

And as my friend put it, Maryland's muggy weather makes it an instant cesspool. I liked that phrase.

OK, so we got back and I started working again on my alphabet soup papers. I was done all of the papers, but needed to write up my bid, quote, proposal or whatever you want to call it. I got my number and told bossman. He thought it sounded high. He gave me his numbers (it is to write 198 papers...the bid that is) and his was $500K more than mine. So he called the guy we are bidding to, and got an extension until June 30th instead of yesterday at 5. I WILL be done with this project on Friday though as I am going to Colorado to work on different Alphabet Soup (I work with DOT, and now will got to the FDA). Although working in CO will be bad in terms of missing D, G and P, the work sounds fantastic. Manufacturing Engineering. I only have 1 degree with focused discipline in that field, and another degree totally devoted to it, yet have never done anything with either degree. So I am super excited.

OK, so I didn't run this morning, nor did I go to work. The alarm went off and 5 hours later, I realized this and got out of bed. Oops.

But I will see if D wants to go tonight. He said he enjoyed the run on Saturday and his knee was fine. We didn't get to see the new niece yesterday. We are thinking this weekend. D works too late for us to get up there (60-70 miles) at a reasonable time.

I Got Tagged!
Tagging is one way that bloggers connect with each other and each other's blogs. And now I have stalkers... (no, this an inside joke, as my friends think I'm weird as I seem to know more info about people by googling and myspace). I got tagged by AKA Alice (I must be a drinker because I now am thinking of the drinking song, Alice WTF is Alice?) .

So, here are the rules of tagging:

Tagging is easy. Just copy the following onto your post. The rules of the game are posted at the start of your blog post. In this case, I'm asking you 5 questions about running. Each player answers the 5 questions on their own blog. At the end of your post you tag 5 other people and post their names. Go to their blogs and leave a comment on their blogs telling them they've been tagged and to look at your blog for details. When they've answered the questions on their own blog, they come back to yours to tell you. Got that?

So here goes:

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
1998, I did not run. However I was on my way to losing 37 pounds (that I gained back when I was married), and walked 3 miles 6 days a week. But running was not in the vocab.


2. What is your best/worst running experience?
My best running experience would be doing the Atlanta's Finest 5K. Of course this was my best time, but it wasn't that. Somewhere in the first and second mile, my feet felt like they were flying. They were really light, and it was just an awesome feeling. I haven't gotten that back yet.

The worst running experience? The Atlanta Run for Hunger (or whatever) 10K. It was March 2 and 80+ degrees. The whole course was hills. I was probably in the best shape I had been in years, and this was my 3rd 10K. I got my worst time. And it ended on a hill. But the end, I was nearly in tears. I now have a phobia of 10K, and if it hadn't been for the blogs out here for me to read, my shoes would have stayed in my closet permanently.

3. Why do you run?
In the beginning it was to lose weight. But then D started doing it with me, and it was a thing we did together and I enjoyed the company (even though we don't run together). Then I was able to go off one of my "crazy" meds for depression and only have to be on one. The overall feeling I get when I run is great. I can sort out my thoughts. Hence why you usually get "What goes through Al's head while she runs blogs."

4. What is the best or worst piece of running advice that you've been given about running?

Drink coffee before you go run. I don't know why I would follow this advice as coffee causes me to have a BM to begin with, that I would drink it before a run. But never again.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

When I dream about me, I have long hair. I haven't had long hair since 1999, I think. I've tried to grow it out twice since I've had it short, but it looks awful...very stringy.




Now, here is who I am tagging...

1. I'm tagging Duck at Euphoric Agony because she lives in a major city and blogs about running through it. I am jealous, as I can't run on sidewalks without horrible shin splints and avoid them at all costs, thus not be able to run around the city the way I want.
2. I'm tagging Yas at Seeyasrun - who is training for her first tri. She was very concerned about my weight loss (or lack thereof) awhile ago, and actually took the time to email me about it. I appreciate that, and don't think I ever thanked her.
3. I'm tagging Karen at Clear My Head, because I like to read about her runs through my fair city. I also enjoy her house blog.
   
4. Mrs. Young (I don't know her first name) at Everchanging Lives because I enjoy stalking (or reading) about her, and tend not to comment often.
   
5. And I'm tagging Steeler Kelly, because she was one of the people keeping me motivated when I first started running, before I realized motivation comes from within.
   

Race for the Cure

D and I went to DC this weekend. Both sides of our families live there. However, I was so busy this week, I totally forgot to tell my side I was coming. Part of it too was we had planned for so long in coming for 2 particular events for his side, that again I just forgot. Oh well next time.

So we arrived and D's sis Stacey was at the airport. So was D's dad in a separate car. It was ok, because our niece was having an emergency thing (scary, but she is ok) and had to go to the ER, so Stacey left and his dad took us home.

Around 7 we went to D's sis Dawn's daughter's graduation party. She just graduated high school, and is the first grandchild (of D's parents) to graduate (she is the oldest). The party was fun. We got to see Dawn who has breast cancer. She looks great. I don't know what I thought she would look like, but except for the no hair, she looks healthy. Stacey and her fam also arrived. Her daughter was doing better and out of the ER, but Stacey said she (the daughter) couldn't do the 5K the next day.

Dawn's husband Tim and younger daughter were doing the race. So we all coordinated, and then went home.

Saturday morning we got up and took the metro to the National Mall. It was super hot. The race seemed a bit disorganized but I think it was more because the area was so big. I heard Hillary Clinton and Cynthia Nixon speak, but never saw them and once by the registration you could hear nothing. We met up with Tim and younger daughter. She was trying to decide if she wanted to run or walk (the walk started later than the run). Stacey showed up too. She and T's younger daughter (she is 14) decided to run. So D, S, daughter, D's dad and I all went to the start line. It took about 4 minutes to cross the start line. A lot of walkers which was annoying since the walk was starting in 15 minutes.

Finally started running. It was hot. I passed the National Monument and a color guard was out doing their thing. It was cool. We ran up and at mile 1 my time was 13. Their time said 16 minutes. We ran up the only hill, and came back down. Ran back past the monument and got to 2 miles. It said 29 minutes. Mine said 26 minutes. We ran on the road between the monument and the Mall. It was so hot. Sweat was running through my eyes. Turned onto another road. Had a lot of cheerleaders... "it's hot, it's hot, give it all you got." I saw D's Dad ahead of me. He was walking. More cheerleaders. "You are the Cure." A calypso band. The lady in front of me stopped running and started dancing. It made me laugh. We passed the Smithsonian. I'm not sure which ones. I could see the finish line.

I got to Mile 3, and you could no longer run. We had to walk across the finish line because there was such a cluster. D's dad and I crossed at the same time, according to my watch at 42:15. We walked to the end with a zillion other people. It took us about 4-5 minutes to get out of this bottle neck. We didn't see D or water. We opted to find water and then D, as I was a bit unsteady.

D ended up being at the water table. Stacey called. She and daughter finished too. Dawn's daughter was so proud, as she should be.
About 10 minutes passed, and Tim called to tell us where he and D's mom were. We couldn't believe how fast they walked it. They crossed and we found them. D's mom looked a bit disoriented. So we got her water and we stood around. D's mom said they only walked 2 miles...they took a shortcut. That was ok, since we were all worried about how hot it was (D's mom doesn't do well with the heat). Then we all went home.

Overall, I was so proud of us as a family. But dang it was hot.
I remembered why I didn't want to move back to Maryland. So muggy. Atlanta cannot compete with that. It ended up about 100 or 103 yesterday.

So later, after watching the Belmont, we went to dinner with the family. I had a really good time.

And this morning, D's brother called. We are an aunt and an uncle (again) to a new little girl. After work tomorrow we are going to see them.

Woohoo!

The ticker went down. I lost over a pound.

I am super busy. I know I owe some of you some emails, but frankly I just don't have time at the moment.

We re-fi'd the house today. I'm working on a proposal and 4 white papers due Monday. And I'm going to see the family tomorrow for my niece's graduation, and running the National Komen 5K on Saturday.

So I have 3 papers mostly done, the 4th is about .25 of the way done, I'll do the proposal sometime Sunday.

AND I'm being transferred for 2 months to another office in a far away state. 2 months away from D, Guinness and Porter.

And I think I became an aunt yesterday, but I accidentally deleted my SIL/BIL's phone number from my phone, and D did too (in our defense, there was a mixup about what numbers they had).

OK, so before my head spins, I'm off.

Another day of not sucking!

Yes, I put the picture of Johnny Depp up again, because looking at him just makes me happy.

So yesterday, we didn't have the pollo mojo thing. Both of us got home after 8 and were tired so we went to the local taqueria. I'm not sure if they are going out of business but I hope not. They have gotten rid of their liquor license, purposely, their AC wasn't working (it was over 90 degrees yesterday), and the guacamole was store bought, not fresh. Barring all that, it was good. I got 2 al pastor tacos (I usually get 3) and some beans, chips and guac.

We got home and I was tired.
After a bit we went to bed.

This morning, the alarm went off at 5. I only hit snooze twice. I got up and went to the gym. Started my run. I set the treadmill for 90 minutes. I walked 5 minutes and started running at 85. By 80, I was ready to go home. By 75, I was sweating like 4 whores in church. At 70, I had gone over a mile. This continued until mile 2.5. Mile 2.5 to mile 3.3 went by quickly. Then back to playing with the clock. Finally it read 29 something and I was done. I walked .8 miles (to finish the 1 mile walk that I started at the beginning).

And I was hot. So I spent $1.25 to be like LeBron James and drink some Grape Powerade. It was pretty good, but it is more calories than Orange Gatorade. But in a Coke Machine in Atlanta, you won't find a Gatorade. Imagine that. So I'll have to see about other flavors.

I got home and D was still there. That was a lovely surprise. I thought he would have already been at work.

Today is more acronym hell.

Time: 55:41 (run)
Mileage 4.0 (13:55 min/mile).
Time:20.00(walk)
Mileage 1 (20 min/mile)
Calories: 962
Max HR 186
Avg HR 164
In Zone 27:40

Yum!

Regulatory Acronyms

They are my life. NEC, NFPA, ANSI, etc.

So that's why I have been quiet. I am writing some papers and doing lots of research.

So I'm still working on the food thing.
I had a bacon and a biscuit along with 3 bottles of water.

Lunch is Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein, yogurt and applesauce.

Dinner is Pollo con Mojo de Ajo with spinach (I think).

Water will be consumed all day, with some diet ginger ale, coffee and diet coke.
And a run is not scheduled.

Where did the time go?

So Friday, after beating myself up for not running on Thursday, I got out there. 87 degrees, and a SLOW run on the track. The walk part was slow but that was because some lady was out there with her puppy, and of course I had to play with her (the puppy). So 47 minutes later, I was done.

Time: 46:28 (run)
Mileage 3.0 (15:29 min/mile).
Time:23.06(walk)
Mileage 1 (25)
Calories: 884
Max HR 182
Avg HR 162
In Zone 28:48

Saturday I had every intention of doing something but the East Atlanta Beer Festival came by so fast that waking up at 11 am and being ready to go eat at 12 pm and then to go drink at 1 pm I just didn't have time. But I had a good time drinking. It was fun. To add to Viv's challenge, I decided to load up on pizza, beer and Chinese food all before Sunday's Weigh In.

BTW, I still love Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray SPF 15. We were out all day in 90 degree heat and sun, and I got zero burn or tan. Woohoo!

Sunday came and bwah on that weigh in. Anyway, I kept telling myself to go run, but I didn't. I determined in order not to suck, I would run first thing Monday morning. Well 5AM came and the alarm went off. And I got out of bed. And got dressed and drove to the gym. I got on a treadmill and ran 4 miles. I am so proud of myself, for not sucking. I also tried the Gatorade G2. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It tastes like really watered down Gatorade. I like the sugar of Gatorade, so I will just have to get used to G2. But it was on sale at Kroger, so that's why it was tried.

Time: 57:05 (run)
Mileage 4.0 (14:16 min/mile).
Time:21:42(walk)
Mileage 1 (21:42)
Calories: 879
Max HR 176
Avg HR 152
In Zone 36:36