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)

I'm Robinson Crusoe...wait who is that?

OK, so yesterday was the Jingle Jog 5K. I woke up at 5:40 with the alarm set to go off at 6:00.

My bladder was very full, but I didn't want to get out of bed. I decided to rough it like Robinson Crusoe. At 5:50 I realized I had no idea what that meant. I never read Robinson Crusoe, so who knows. At 6 I got up, relaxed the bladder and got ready. I wasn't sure if D was going or not since he was feeling horrible the night before. He got up and got ready too.

It was a lovely 27 degrees. We got in the car and went to the race. I told D about the Robinson Crusoe thing. He asked if I was on drugs. We got to the race, parked, and went and looked for registration. We found that, and then realized we had 40 minutes to kill. We walked around a lot. Mostly to keep warm. We looked for my co-worker Seth who was the one who convinced us to run. We couldn't find him. We also couldn't find the start line. So we kept walking around. Finally we found it. We asked a guy to take our pic and then Seth found us. We all got in the start. Seth went up front, I stayed in the back. D decided he was going to run with me. That lasted about 10 seconds into the race.

Me and D

Me and Seth

So the race started. Lots of kids. I really wish there were age limits to these things. Lots of moms, making sure everyone was holding hands! Yay (insert eye roll). Anyway, after tripping over 1, I decided to run my own race. D was infront of me, but I could see him. We ran down to Einstein Bros and they yelled at 14 min for mile 1. I decided that albeit slow, I was just going to run. I have been sick, and there were a lot of people, and WTF is that...dogs running. I don't mean German Shepherds, Goldens, Labs, or other normal size dogs. I mean Pomeranians and other rat dogs. Never mind I don't like toy dogs, but it seems cruel to make those legs run 3 miles.

I thought about this at the start of mile 2 which was a HILL. Everyone around me was walking. I kept talking (so people thought I was crazy), telling Guinness to pull me up, we can do it. Now this was crazy, because Guinness was back at home sleeping. But it got me up the first part of the hill. The hill would flatten and then go up. All of Mile 2 was like this. I seemed to have surrounded myself with this annoying woman and 4kids, the mom/son/shitzu combo and 2 women with a poodle. The 2 women with the poodle had no patience for anything, and had I been walking I think I would have made 2 new friends. Everything I thought was annoying they voiced. The road was crappy. If I'm going to pay $1M for a home around here, I want a better road (there were lots of potholes.) Those kids are brats. How is it 10 year olds have better running gear than me? I thought it, they said it. Finally we finished mile 2...30 minutes.

Mile 3 started. It was mostly flat. I just started to try to pick it up. My lungs hurt but I felt I was going fast (my time would show me I wasn't). So the 2 ladies were still talking. We got to some photographer and the rat dog people stopped and posed. But they STOPPED. That was it. The 2 ladies fell into them, and finally said, "Pick up your damn dog will ya!" This made me laugh and forget about the fact that their posing made the photographer not get a pic of me. Oh well. The last turn was all downhill. I went on my way and left everyone behind. I crossed Mile 3 at 44. So I crossed at 46:05.



D and Seth were waiting for me. Seth ran at 31 something and D ran at 37 something. We went and got our shirts and get water. Did I mention it was 27 degrees. Well I guess water wasn't important. Of course I could get coffee or hot chocolate. We realized too that Seth lost his key. So we looked everywhere, and went into Home Depot where D bought me some water. We finally found the key at Lost and Found of the race. So we all parted. I was still perturbed about no water. This seems to becoming a theme.



So later in the day D and I decided to check out the Porter Bar. Pretty good. A little confused with the name since the beer list seemed focused on wheats. I did have a Left Hand Milk Stout and a Great Divide Porter. D had a Beamish and a Great Divide. We also split a Reuben and a Ham and Cheese. The French Fries were awesome. Although the bartender thought I didn't like them because I only had 5.

Then is when we decided we should leave...the man and woman who sat down next to us were interstesting. First the woman had enough collagen that we were sure she wouldn't be able to feel if she was giving her man a BJ. And he had this little case. It was black leather and it was a little roll. It looked like a dildo. So with his little dick on the bar and her lips we were making fun. Then they wanted to know if the fish and chips were greasy (huh!). The bartender goes, "No, they are just cooked in oil." The 2 didn't get what he meant so they ordered it. I think they were high too because they ate popcorn, fries and the fish and chips. And they were grubbing. I stretched back and then saw it. The chick had hair extensions that were coming through. It was so bad. I don't think the picture did justice. It is hard to take a pic in a dark bar incognito.

Bad hair

So we left.
Fun day!

Time: 46:05 (run)
Mileage: 3.1 (14:52 min/mile)
Calories: 1277
Max HR 190
Avg HR: 143
In Zone 13:10

I'm STILL here

It is like I almost fell off the face of the earth.
Well, I have sort of.

First, SIL's biopsy was benign. Yay!

Second, my knee finally feels better, I went and got yet another brace and was ready to run!
And then I got a cold. All in my head. And then I got better for a day. And then I got the flu.

So I'm recovering from that. I decided to sign up for a 5K this Saturday since I haven't run since 11/15. Aye yi yi! I'm a bit nervous.
But as my friend Kara pointed out...eh just have a good time for 45 minutes and then you'll be done!

I'm here

Random pic of the new favorite, although Guinness is still the best in terms of hangover forgiving.

No, I didn't quit running, and I'm not back in Colorado, and I'm not depressed.

Just busy. If you recall, I had said my knee was bugging me in my last 5K. Well I iced it that night, and on Sunday night, limped around the grocery store. So another day without a 4 miler. Tuesday, I said. Tuesday came and I was still limping.
Ah, I'll wait 'til Saturday.

So Saturday came and D and I had a date. That didn't involve running. It involved eating chili, putting up the Christmas tree and drinking 32 beers (combined, not just me). In all that, I hit my knee on the coffee table. So, more ice.

The table where I hit my knee. And the table that has our beer cans on it from the day's activities.

Sunday, I said I would run after we went to the mall. 20 minutes into the mall festivities, I was limping again. It feels a lot better and I'm hoping to do something on it on Thursday...

And I still have to find my brace.


Oh, think good thoughts...my SIL found another lump.

Pancreatic Cancer 5K

So, Friday I was exhausted. I did the headbob thing at my desk from 1 to 130 when I said Fuck It and went home. I slept from 2 until 6. I still felt really tired. Nothing exciting happened on Friday night.

Saturday D went to work, and I got up around 830. A and I were doing another 5K. This one was in Grant Park for Pancreatic Cancer (link tells you what PC is since neither A nor I knew). I got to A's around 9:15. It was 55 degrees. We walked down to the Pavillion and signed in. Our reception was a bit frosty since neither of us raised any money for it (again, we didn't even know what it was). So we got our T-shirts that we had to ask for, as opposed to those around us who received them. We also asked about the course, and got, "I don't know." So back to A's we went to put our T's in the car. And back to the pavillion. Opening ceremonies were going on from 10-1045. In that time, I found out that A doesn't mind a black man being over her (politics, sortof), which still has me chuckling. She found out that I haven't shaved my legs in about 3 weeks. Terribly exciting...we still didn't find out what PC was, but that usually you are black, old, a smoker, a diabetic, a man, and have very little chance of surviving...or so said the white, young non-smoker, no-diabetic female survivor. Finally the ceremony was over and we had to walk to the start line.

There weren't a lot of runners (we found out this was the first run, the 3rd walk). The walkers were on a different route. So the race started. I just kind of ran it. My knee was bugging me and it had been so I wasn't out to set a record. We ran near the Interstate and back to the park and up my least favorite hill in GP. Got up to BLVD and ran on the sidewalk. I was very careful because I was sure I was going to slip on the wet leaves (it rained overnight). Mile 1 was 13:45...I knew I was going slowly, but ok. I passed 2 12 year olds and they would pass me then walk, and then I would pass them. Finally on Atlanta, I passed them and 3 more people. Up onto Cherokee. This is an up/down street. The hills aren't hard, just long. I really didn't want to run on the sidewalk but looking at the slope on the street, I knew I would hurt my leg more. Mile 2 came, and it was 28:58. Getting slower.
There were some really good volunteers on the course and they cheered me on. Sometimes being at the back of a pack, you wonder if the volunteers are wondering why you aren't just doing the walk. This is what I thought they thought. There were a lot of cops for the race too. So finally I got to the turn and ran down hill. And all the walkers were on the street and I had to run against them up that same dreaded hill. The cop told me it was the last hill, and I could do it. By now my knee REALLY was talking. I walked half of the hill. I got to the top and resumed running. I passed the start cone. This run seemed really long, like at the cone it should be over.

I continued to BLVD, and then turned into the park. Only .1 more miles. Yay! I crossed the line at 45:27. I was horrified at this time. To make matters worse, they wouldn't record mine or Anne's time (she waited for me at the finish), because "they already know who the awards are going to." WTF! That isn't the point. So that ticked me off.
We went and got some water and they still had some... Yay! And then we walked home. A said her time was off from the cemetery run (part of the course was the same) by 2 minutes. Hmmm so was mine.

So I got home and looked at another GP run we had done, and my time was faster for that and that run was over a year ago, when I started running. Something was wrong. The difference in the courses was the beginning. So out to US Track to map the damn thing. Turns out it was 3.3 miles. Now in the grand scheme of things this isn't a lot, but it is almost a lap at the track, which equates to about 3 minutes, so things started to make more sense.

I'm still irked by that and the lady who wouldn't record my time. But eh...I got a T-shirt, and now I know what Pancreatic Cancer is.

Oh and then on Saturday Night, D and I did a case race of Pipeline Porter. Needless to say I didn't run 4 miles on Sunday.

Time: 45:27 (run)

Mileage: 3.3 (13:46 min/mile)

Calories: 912

Max HR 187

Avg HR 166

In Zone 12:43

Crotch sweat...

You know when you have been running and you know you are the shit? I mean, you know you can run up hill in the snow for 20 hours straight... Why is it then that a piddly 3 miles on the dreadmill will kick your ass.

That was me last night. D and I went to the track. There was no parking at the school...something was going on. And Bootcamp was already on the track. So around the corner to the gym we went.

Let me first say, I didn't want to run on the track or on the treadmill, but I got home to late to run through the hood. It was too dark. I was in tears over something and just wanted to be by myself. When leaving for the track, I snapped at D and cried some more...All the more reason to go run.

Back to story...
So we got to the gym and changed to short sleeves (we had a backup plan for once). By this point I wasn't talking because I knew if I did the dam would break. So I started my walk. Then I started my 5K. The music playing at the gym was shit. I think I listened to REO Speedwagon, Journey and Air Supply. Not great running music. I focused on that the first mile. I finally finished that mile at 13:38, and started the 2nd mile. It wasn't great. At one point, I leaned my arms on the treadmills, so my legs wouldn't have to carry any weight. Why the hell am I so tired, I was wondering. It wasn't the speed. Why is my HRM reading 77bpm? The guy next to me left and my HR went up to 177. Answered that question. Ah the hills. You can do it, AL. 4 minutes into the hills, I'm going, "No fucking way can I make the hills." So I put the incline back at 0. Finished mile 2 at 27:28.
Mile 3: Just kill me now. How did I run 4 miles last week? Hell how did I run 3 miles Saturday? If I'm still shuffling my feet at speed 3.7 is that considered running? I basically played with (read slowed down) my speed for the last mile in dying torture. I finished at 43:42, I think. I walked .1 mile afterward and thought my legs would give, so I went and got on the bike.

On the bike, I rode 2 miles. While on the bike, I smelled crotch sweat. I don't think it was me. I smelled it when these 2 guys stood behind me (1 was on the stairmaster and the other wanted the bike I guess). When the bike waiting guy would walk around the gym, the smell would lessen. So I am guessing it was him. 10 minutes on the bike I was done. I now couldn't get crotch sweat out of my mind.

D and I went home and he cooked dinner. Just to be on the safe side that it wasn't me, I washed all my shorts with Dawn and Tide, and took a shower.

I didn't have time to think about what had upset me before the run. I guess that's what running, biking and crotch sweat is for.

Time: 43:42 (run)

Mileage: 3.1 (14:06 min/mile)

Time: 6:00 (walk)

Mileage: .3 (20.00 min/mile)

Calories: 727

Max HR 185

Avg HR 140

In Zone 3:42