Don't Wait; Just Do

So Saturday, I ran 8 miles on a treadmill. It was hellish, but I got it done.  Hopefully I can sleep well (ahem, McMenamin!) next week so that come 6am, I don't feel like sleeping when the dog finally begins to be quiet.

On another note, I was looking for a Peanut Butter Pie recipe last week and came across this blog and recipe. I didn't read it immediately (I just looked at the recipe), but went back and read it.  And teared up.

So I got to thinking on my 8 miles of boredom...First, I thought about SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  I believe I get it in August. Who TF gets SAD in August?  But seriously, I pretty much hate being alive in the month of August (no, I'm not going to do anything irrational so no need to panic). I can look back at my calendars, diaries, blogs, and I know exactly what I was thinking, whether I expressed it or not.  My friend came up with the fact that perhaps because it is hotter than hell in August, I spend a lot of time inside. And my house is dark.  And that all winter I seem to spend outside.  Which led me to think about when I didn't put something off (the point of that other blog).

You all know Guinness was sick starting in October.  Well, she was also a fan of the outdoors.  Whether it was being at the park or sitting on the deck, she wanted to be outside.  After the anti-tethering law went into effect in Atlanta, she was not out as much.  So to get her outside, we would put our beach chairs on the front lawn and drink last September (the law is as long as we are with her, she could be on a tether).  We would spend many hours much to our neighbors' dismay drinking beer sitting out and letting her dig up the front lawn.

D and G

 How she loved it.  And as she got sicker and as the weather got colder, we just bundled up more, drank more and put more tape on her tube.  To see her come out from under a bush with a huge smile on her face was just awesome. 

Did a little digging

I'm the most beautiest princess of them all!

I also took her to the park where she would run around and say hi to people. She couldn't run as long as she would've liked but she got a few sprints in there.

Checking out the park on a December afternoon

Come January, D and I decided to have a date.  We looked at her (SB was at daycare), and put on our winter coats, gloves, hats, scarves and off we went.  It was 35 degrees and windy when we got to the bar. The bartender thought I was nuts when I told him to start a tab. I'd be outside.  Yet I remember that day.  Drinking Guinness with Guinness.  She sat on the sidewalk and people watched. A big smile on her face. D and I froze our butts off, but managed to down 3 Guinness beers. It was a great date. 

Crazy woman drinking Guinness outside in 35 degrees

 

Guinness loving Drinking Guinness with Guinness Day!

Checking out the snow with Scuttlebutt the day after Drinking Guinness with Guinness

20 days later she passed away. But I always have that.  We didn't wait to have fun.  We just did.

Ants...What are They Good For?

Training...  I'm in week 8 of it. Week 7 got a whopping 2 runs in.
The 2nd one was the Long Run of 7 miles. It almost didn't happen. While waiting for Scuttlebutt, I decided to step on this...

Ant Hill courtesy of some photo found on Google

 So after a few minutes, I noticed my ankles hurting and looked down to see my feet covered in ants.  D graciously grabbed SB while I ran into the street, took off my shoes, jumped and flailed around and killed lots of ants.  When I finally decided that I had killed them all, we resumed with our warmup walk.  I told D I was going to try to take SB 3 miles.  He said the same about McM.  At .3 miles I nearly fell over SB who just randomly stopped.  It didn't bode well.  We got to 2 miles when we saw D and McM coming back from where ever they came from.  I finally got SB home at 2.25 miles.  The rest of the run was uneventful, unlike the drunks at 7AM runs from the previous weekend.  The only excitement was at mile 5 when the illegal nightclub guys were making some ribs and drinking 40s and I contemplated asking for a sip, because I wanted some salt (I decided to go home and get some water that was on my porch).

My ankles are now black and blue.  They did blister.  Of course my fascination with my skin made me pop them (I wanted to be a dermatologist until I realized I had to touch other people's skin. That's just gross).  I'll probably add to the scar count.

Tuesday was the 4.5 mile run. Unlike last's weeks where my heart almost went through my chest, I maintained the 9 minute/1 minute pace of 5mph/3.4 mph for 40 minutes and then took it down to 4.7 mph for the other 16.  Yesterday was my 3 mile run.  A little slow.  5mph for 2 miles, the other mile I tinkered all over the place but settled at 4.5 mph.  One walk, but that was to drink some water, as the heat even inside is just gross.

The Strangeness that is the 'hood

So Friday night I mentioned to D that our neighbor's other flower pot got stolen. He asked me about the flowers to which I had no clue...a colonic or a colossus or something, and no I didn't know what it looked like. He said it was across the street in another neighbor's trash (no, no one thinks that neighbor did it, more of the pot was too heavy and thus it was discarded).  So, we now have car break-ins, shootings, naked men hi-jacking school busses, kick-ins, copper theft, and flower pot thieves. Yay!  D notified the neighbor where the plant was, and he got it back.

So Saturday, this didn't deter us from getting up and taking the dogs running.  The temp was 77 (630am) when we left with disgusting humidity.  Scuttlebutt and I were going for 2 miles.  For those 2 miles, I cussed at him, yelled at him, pulled him, and watched him sniff every scent known to man.  We averaged 15:30 minute miles.  It was stellar.  At about 1.9, I realized it was awful because he didn't have his Halti on.  No wonder! I dropped him off (McMenamin was already home, because D said he didn't even make it 1.7 miles), and continued my run for 4 more miles.  I ran up the street and noticed I hadn't seen the 2 men drink beer and play chess.  I did notice a man and a woman outside. The woman had a red Solo cup and the man gave her a brown paper bag.  He returned to his home. I went down Stolen Car Hill and came back up to see the Solo cup on the ground.  I went on my new route praying not to get hit on Prison Rd, and passed the woman. She was now drinking out of the brown paper bag.  She was staggering all over the sidewalk and nearly fell on me as I passed her on the road (I don't run on the sidewalk because there are live wires and my hip issue).  So yes, I ran into a drunk at 7AM.  Woohoo.  I ran to German Shepherd Pass and continued my usual route.  Nothing exciting except that the people who have a Yard Sale EVERY Saturday did have some nice chairs. I actually ran to that road twice to get a better look.  D did not seem as interested in the chairs when I told him about them later. I finished the run.  This was the extent of excitement for Saturday.

Sunday we got to a late start (7am). It was only 76 but it seemed hotter than Saturday. I got Scuttlebutt ready with the Halti and off we went.  He was doing better. We had passed a Hispanic man (HM) twice. When we were coming back down Friday Hill, we saw D and McM.  Of course SB went haywire. So I stopped the Garmin, and let D and McM pass.  D yelled that McM had been looking for us and they had gone a sub 8 minute mile.  He (D) didn't look happy.  After they passed, we resumed our run (with Garmin on). The pass before Terrorist Dog hill, the HM was behind us again.  We ran up Terrorist Dog Hill and returned. No HM.  But when we turned to go to German Shepherd Pass there he was. He said something.  He said it again.  I stopped Garmin, and myself and asked, "What?"  He stumbled and asked what we were doing, I think, because I don't speak Spanish.  I said, "Running."  He slurred a whole bunch of words and not a clue what he said, but I'm pretty sure he was drunk from the way he was carrying himself.  SB didn't like him and back arched and teeth bore.  I turned back on Garmin and PULLED SB down German Shepherd Pass.  We turned around and HM was cutting through the church parking lot.  WTF is up with drunk people walking around at 7am? Don't they know they should be in the house on the couch watching stupid movies?


I dropped SB at home and finished my 4 miles rather quickly (not really) but totally aware of my surroundings which luckily proved to have nothing going on.  Then I came home.

July...WTF did it go?

D and I signed up for a half marathon that I think is on 10/2 (I guess I should look into that).  Prior to this past Tuesday, I hadn't run since July 8th.  I took a break because work consumed me (not really) and because then we went on vacation.

So Tuesday I went back to the gym.  I prepared to run 4 miles.  I prepared to run them at a 12 minute-mile pace.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  I think I ran 4 miles in 53 minutes.  I think I left a lung on the treadmill.  D said he ran 3.2 miles

On Wednesday, I could barely walk. You know when you are so out of shape, that the next morning your body is in pain (but the good pain). Yeah, that was me.  So Wednesday afternoon, I limped into the gym and ran 2 miles.  No 21+ minutes, more like "can we run under 25 minutes?"  I did. But I was tired. Thursday, I changed at work and was driving to the gym.  As I was driving 5 miles in 20 minutes, I noticed I was falling asleep.  Like I had to roll down the windows (which did nothing since I wasn't moving) and blare the radio.  I ended up talking to D on the phone so I wouldn't close my eyes.  The gym just wasn't happening.

So this weekend I have a 6 miler planned.  I will do it. It won't be pretty.

Vacation pics!

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful

I will NOT go in the ocean, maybe!

Breaking the law! Breaking the law!

Scuttlebutt's Namesake

Beers of the Days 6 and 7

Chicks Dig Swimmers

CuRAZee!

Don't Kiss Me!

June is Over

So with one week left, I figured out I could meet Sparkpeople's Goal of 1000 Exercise Minutes for June.
Some purists might disagree with me, because I count my warmup, run, cooldown, and stretch as exercise.  (And I'm for the Oxford Comma).

So this week I had 4 runs scheduled with the last one ending tomorrow. I have completed 3. Yes, I made it to a Thursday run!

Tuesday's run of 3 miles was 35:39. Oh yeah, you know I wanted to die.  I kept my thunder thighs going though.  Wednesday's run was 2 miles of 22:44.  Again, pushed myself.  Thursday, my thighs hurt so bad, I could barely walk.  I haven't felt this sore in awhile.  And my biceps were tired.  I wonder if I'm running with my arms differently...hmm.  I don't know.  Anyway I took it easy for 3 miles at 38:18.  Except when I think about it, it is a faster easy.  I used to run fast at 41 minutes for 3 miles.  I was happy if the treadmill was at 4.5mph.  Now I'm at 4.7 mph as a slow day.  Now if this weight would come off.

So for June.
Weightloss: 0.2 pounds (maybe a little too much beer in there)
Mileage on my legs: 64.49
Races: 1 10K with a PR, one Virtual 5K with a dog
Exercise Minutes: 1044

Let's see what July brings with a holiday, a weekend away, and a vacation!

Sweat Your Thorns Off 5K Report

http://TheBoringRunner.com

So as of Friday night at bedtime, I had no clue where I was doing this race.  Saturday morning as I lay in bed, McM decided we should all lay on Dad.  So as we all laid across D, and he cursed us for elbows in the kidneys, McM got excited and hit me in the eye.  Claw mark across the eyelid and down the cheek.  This went with the claw mark on my pelvis and another one in my armpit (yep I look like a French woman and smell like a French man due to open flesh!) that he achieved by jumping on me at 3am Thursday am.

So I begrudgingly got up, and got ready for a run. D had already said he was taking McM, so I decided to take SB. So I solved where I was running. Now for how long?  Was it going to be 2 and drop off? Was it going to be 5K and quit.  I just didn't know.

After everyone had a poop break, SB and I were off.  Up German Shepherd Pass, up Terrorist Dog Hill.  STOP... Oh SB you have to poop again?  But I'm wearing spandex. I don't have another bag.  Oh wait, I wouldn't pick that up anyway.  Leaves with condoms and God knows what else.  It is natural.  It will disintegrate.  Good job for picking that spot!

Off again.  Drug Hill, Bell South Hill and Friday Hill.  1 Mile in 14:30 minutes.  Not too shabby for SB.  Chased a squirrel, and back to the school.  Coming up on 2 miles and how was SB doing.  OK.  Not too hot.  We ran back up Terrorist Dog Hill and then he decided he had enough.  So it looked like 2 miles. So we ran down Nemesis Hill and he pepped up.  Meanwhile I was cursing McM for all the claws.  All the salt from my sweat was dripping into the claw marks and my pelvis, armpit and face were on fire.  While I was cursing him, we passed D and McM, so that didn't help.  It hurt to blink.  We ran over to the Stolen Car Hill and SB was still going strong.  Up to the prison, and back to Stolen Car Hill.  Then he started running funky because 2 dogs had spotted us and he was looking for them.  He did a little strut too.  So we turned around and the "scary dogs" saw me, and ran away.  SB pulled hard to run for one of them.  I'm a mean mommy and wouldn't let him go. Back down the hill, and still strong.  45:00 for 3.11 miles.  Dare we go .89 more?

What say you, Scuttlebutt?  As he pulled me down the hill, it was clear we were going .89 more.  We got to the turn and he stopped.  Just walked.  So we walked about 3 feet, and then he was good to go and we got up to the cul-de-sac.  There is a lot of grass, so we had to sniff all the grass.  We got up to the top of the CDS hill and more grass.  More sniffing.  Finally he was good with all the sniffing and we had .4 to go.  So we ran down the hill and to the front of the subdivision.  Then we were done.  I took his Halti off and put the leash on his collar.  Was he tired?  Nope, he pulled all the way up the hill to the house. When we got inside though, he acted like he had never run at all.  Huffing and puffing and getting Dad to get water and such a little actor.

But he is a cute one.

Scuttlebutt and McMenamin lounging, watching TV, drinking and sleeping while D and I work all day

When Running with D

So I managed 2 of 3 runs this week (so far). 

I ran after work on Tuesday.  I was still feeling eh about the whole 10K, but changed my clothes at work and drove to the gym (my gym doesn't have locker rooms).  On the way there, I got stuck in traffic on the Connector. So for once, I looked around (I typically drive with blinders on).  The man on the side of me was fine.  Like mouth fall to the floor fine.  He was in a convertible. He had broad shoulders that fit the tan leather seats very well. His face was smooth.  He had a strong jaw line.  He said something to me.  So I rolled down the window, and he says, "Yes, it is me."  I said, "I don't know who you are. You are just hot."  With that, his lane starts moving, and I see he is driving a Ferrari (no vanity tags).  He is driving towards the Ted. So I go to the gym and relay the story to D (who is already at the gym). He thinks it was Jason Heyward, although he would have been late seeing as he was on the Connector at 5:20 and game time was at 7:10. I looked at pictures, but he has shit on his chin in the pictures. But he is the only Brave that is dark enough and wide enough to be him (the Braves have A LOT of white players on their team...I hate baseball so I had no idea of this).  But it could have just been a fine, rich black man. 

Anyway, so I decide to run the first of my 3 miles faster than normal.  Then oh, let's see if I can do one more.  I got to 27 minutes at 5.2 mph before wanting to die, and ran the total 3 miles at 35:15.  I ran fast because D had already left and was making dinner (leftovers).  So I didn't want to keep him waiting.

Wednesday, I changed but traffic was a mess.  So I just went home.  At 730, I didn't want to run. D said "C'mon. It is only 2 miles."  So off we went.  Since we were in the same car, I knew he would be waiting on me, so I decided to go fast again.  This time at 5.3.  I thought I was going to die.  But I did it.  22:45 (I run the first 2 minutes at 4.9 to get acclimated to the machine).  I did my walking after but not the stretches.  That was because we had to hurry home to watch Franklin and Bash.

Thursday, at work, I led a meeting. The PM asked if I was on something (in so many words), because my eyes wouldn't focus, I lost my train of thought in the meeting 3 times (in 30 minutes), and I couldn't read something.  Basically I was so exhausted, I could barely sit up, let alone function.  So the 3 miler has been pushed to Sunday.  I did go home and sleep 11 hours. 

I was going to find a race to run the Sweat your Thorns Off 5K, but the only one I could find starts at 830.  WAY TOO HOT/HUMID BY THEN. So the SYTO5K will be done either at the gym or very slowly with a dog.