Run Log: September 2012

And I almost doubled August's totals.  That's working {slowly} in the right direction.  The EXCELLENT news is that I ran 11 miles this past week (not at one time) ~ on pavement (and treadmill)~ and with Alleve, my foot is FINE.  AMEN, HALLELUJAH!  I will continue to take it easy.  My plan is to run 3 days a week, keeping it at 3's & 4's until my calves aren't the big knots that they are at this moment.  I will be a runner again.  I will.  I will.

September's totals:
34.5 miles for the month 
482 miles for the year
24.5 biking miles for the month
347.5 biking miles for the year
284.5 miles in my soon-to-be-retired-worn-at-Camp-Stigwandish red & blue Asics
24 miles in my still shiny VERY WHITE turquoise Asics ~ now 3 months old :)  But, I hope to report they are not as shiny white next month.
Some interesting facts:
Longest run this month: 4 miles {working in the right direction!}
Favorite place to run this month: "Hey, Coach, is there any place we haven't run here at Camp Stig?"  "Sure, let's go on an adventure."  And so began the finding of the BLUE TRAIL at Camp Stigwandish.  Not even on the MAP trail.  Nothing like leading 34 middle school cross country runners into the unknown!  We ran it until we could run it no more.  I'm pretty sure the rest of the trail was washed away.  We could find it no more down by the creek after climbing over lots of debris (and the skeletal remains of a deer ~ yuck).  It would eventually meet the White Trail below the rope, but we didn't press on, (as I wasn't completely sure where we were, and it was only 10 minutes until practice was over.)  Craziest run of the month!
# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet: ZERO and they are not in the stores, yet {I'm sure it won't be long}  But I do have a bag of Babe Ruth candy bars, chocolate truffles, Peanut M&M's & a bag of macaroons.  Gotta love birthday treats!
# of books I read this month: Four!  {and now I can read them on my Kindle...I'm still deciding if I like it better than books ~ don't think I'll like it better than books, but there are some pluses to the Kindle}

Monthly mileage record: 80.5 miles March 2012
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  13.1 miles ~ May 16, 2010 (Cleveland 1/2) 


PR's:
5K: 22:45 (Rabbit Run 10/30/11~ but I think it was a short course)
10K: 52:02 (Cleveland 5/15/11)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:55:04 (Cleveland 5/16/10)
marathon: 3:50:05 (Akron relay {team run} 9/24/11)

44 years old

blogging from my kindle fire.  rather cool, but not as quick at typing.  and it doesn't automatically capitalize for me.
but i think I really like this little thing.
a great birthday celebration yesterday.  cold stone creamer for my morning coffee, oh yum.  and amy brought me an iced coffee from mcdonalds, oh joy.  but lots of coffee for this girl who is slightly (well, maybe a little more than slightly) unsure/uncomfortable being the center of attention.  a luncheon of things that make you go YUM, and dinner at the Vault.  plus this amazing kindle from from my boys.
at age 44 I've been married to another 44 year old for the last 22 years.  Numerically speaking, this should be a great year, the year of palindromes.

#26

Laugh outloud!  Finally a good summer read...that I got to in September.  This is the place to start your NEXT summer reading...so save it 'til then.  Or don't.  You'll enjoy it no matter when you read it.  #26 is Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess.  Who I need to look up ~ just looked up and linked...I think I'll have to become a follower.  {Wonder if it'll get to be too much stupidness?}
Anyway.  Laugh outloud.  The woman is weird and doesn't mind sharing her weirdness so we can ALL appreciate our own weirdness and make the world a funnier place.  Example:  She talks about having a baby and how her vagina is now broken: (page 136) "Seriously, mine was all Franken-gina for a good year before it was presentable again.  But not "presentable" like I'd lay it out at the Thanksgiving dinner table.  I wouldn't have done that even before it got destroyed.  I mean, not that it wasn't a good trade-off, because it totally was.  And it's fine now.  Great, actually.  My vagina is great.  Slimming, even.  Thanks for asking."
Totally off her rocker...maybe never even on the rocker to begin with.  But funny in that, I-need-to-laugh-at-ridiculousness-because-the-world-is-such-a-crazy-stress-filled-place-and-I-want-to-leave-it-for-a-moment-and-laugh way.
Two other passages I marked which, as I look at them, aren't the funniest parts...so laugh at my ridiculousness.
p103 ~ That night I looked up at those same stars, but I didn't want any of those things.  I didn't want Egypt, or France, or far-flung destinations.  I just wanted to go back to my life from my childhood, just to visit it, and to touch it, and to convince myself that yes, it had been real.  Victor could tell I was upset, but I couldn't find a way to describe it without sounding ridiculous.  "It's nothing," I said.  "It's just that...Have you ever been homesick for someplace that doesn't actually exist anymore?  Someplace that exists only in your mind?"  {Which is EXACTLY how I feel about my children's childhood.  At times, I'm homesick for it.  Jenny Lawson finally put it into words for me.}
p152 ~ {talking about her horrible social anxiety which causes her to say stupid things at dinner parties and other social events...so been there!} It's like I have a censor in my head, but she works on a seven-second delay...well-meaning, but perpetually about seven seconds too late to actually do anything to stop the horrific avalanche of shit-you-shouldn't-say-out-loud-but-I-just-did.
Lots of f-bombs & things that could offend a person if they were so inclined to be offended.  I found her fresh and witty with a great style to convey the underlying wacked-outedness which we all live with...and usually try to hide from the world.

rainy days & Wednesdays

Always get me down.  Just one of those 'blah' days.  Didn't sleep well.  Head in a fog.  Nothing going right.  Impending doom feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Soccer not going right {according to this mom}.  Kids at school irritable & grouchy.
Got home & thankfully Mike was dressing to go for a run.  I joined him  ~ side by side on the treadmill at the good 'ol Y.  Got my 3 miles in.  Amazing what a little exercise does for your mood.
Remember this for the next rainy Wednesday!

That Bugs Me

I bet I could write a book...There are just those things that totally bug me.  I know they are totally irrelevant to life, but they bug me.
Here's one:  On the NFL uniforms there is a Nike swoosh on each sleeve.  The one on the left shoulder is 'swooshing' in the correct direction.  The one on the right shoulder is 'swooshing' backwards.  Everybody knows there is one direction for a Nike swoosh.  I don't understand the point of 'swooshing' in the opposite direction. Bugs me every time I see it.
Of course, while looking for a swoosh to add to this post, I ran across an article on this very topic.  Granted, it makes a good point about the shoes {I could summarize...but go read the article}.  Still,  it doesn't change my mind.  I vote wrong & stupid.

#25

I finally finished the third Fifty Shades book with #25, Fifty Shades Freed by E L James.  This is how badly written the books are...they end with: "That's all...for now.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading."  Which is exactly how most middle school girls end their stories.  There is quite a bit of embarrassment admitting that I read them ~ and not just for their sexual content...which got old after awhile, to be honest.  But the story did wrap-up, we found out quite a bit of the 'missing information' and the story was enjoyable and it made me think about what true intimacy is.  The fantasy aspect was a draw too ~   Who wouldn't want to meet a megamegamillionaire & have him fall head-over-heals for you?  But now I'm done, and I can take my reading book with me when I go to the dentist or the doctor or the soccer game again.
fl: Mommy!  Mommy!  Mommy is asleep on the floor.  ll: I love you too, Christian. Always.

Intermingling, Marching, Ghosts & Goals

Let's start with the most permanent (because it was actually printed in the paper) news.  Patrick scored his first varsity goal!  Preventing the shut-out.  It was really a 'garbage goal' ~ it bounced around down there & because he didn't give up, he was there to tap it in.  The best news is that he played his best game of the season.  Always there, always challenging for the ball.  It was great to watch him. {and yes, I was an embarrassment when he scored...quietly so I really only embarrassed myself in front of all the 'cool parents'}

Wednesday's News Herald ~ about Tuesday's game (9/18/12)

Ghosts:  My parents were in town this weekend.  I hadn't seen them since New Orleans in April. It was a good weekend...filled with Friday Night Football {for the band} and Saturday Soccer...all afternoon!  But Sunday we went out to Jewel's Dance Hall & rode our bike south on the Greenway Trail.  Dad & Jacob took off ~ leaving Mom & me to leisurely ride and enjoy the beautiful weather and the leaves that are just ready to start changing color.  {My mom LOVES the fall leaves & really misses fall ~ as it snowed that day at their house.}  Mom & I rode 12 miles & turned around to ride slowly until the guys {who went out 15 miles} caught up to us.  We got to the old train trestle and stopped the enjoy the view & wait.  Dad and Jacob show up and get off their bikes to also enjoy the view & have a Cliff Bar.  When, out of nowhere, a "woooooosh" sweeps past us, loud and long and with enough force to rustle the leaves on the trees.  We all paused and looked around, thinking, "What could that have been?"  We all heard it and we all saw the leaves rustle. I think it was a ghost train speeding over the trestle.  very very strange

Marching: Wednesday was also the annual LCMEA Band Festival ~ the Madison Blue Streak Marching Band performed their 50's show in their 50's attire ~ so easy to dress my boys ~ jeans, rolled up & white-T's with candy cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve.  Patrick, once again, has a 'dance role' in the show & it was captured by the News-Herald videographer ~ {Check out that link} Always a fun time!

Intermingling: Back in August (the 31st to be exact) Mike & I drove to Lyndhurst and walked to Brush High School with his mom & Dan to see the Madison Marching Band perform at halftime of the Brush v Madison game.  For some unknown reason I mention to the lady at the ticket booth that we aren't really here for the game; we're here to watch the band, so we'll move on over to the home side at halftime.  She informs me that once you go in, there is no way to get to the home side unless you come back out and pay to get back in on the other side. {strange}  So I say, "We'll just sit on the home side then."  She agrees with me as her daughter was a majorette and she understands just watching the band.  So off to the home side we go.  As halftime approaches we hear an announcement from the PA: "Attention all fans.  It is a Brush High School rule that the visiting fans must remain on the visiting side of the field.  There will be no intermingling of Brush fans and Madison fans."  oops

#24

Well, since I read the first, I had to read the second (with the third to follow) ~ Becoming more and more 'Twilight', except for the fact that I'm cheering for all the main characters.  The writing is still so bad & we're told more about the characters than we're allowed to 'see'/experience & some of the situations are so contrived...Really, how could a person possibly do all that these two did in a single weekend?  Not possible.  And now Jack...Which seems so forced to me...
But, I want to read the next one to find out what happens.  Still embarrassed to tell you the name of book #24: Fifty Shades Darker by E L James {of COURSE you don't use punctuation in your name}
fl: He's come back.  Mommy's asleep or she's sick again.  ll: His chance will come soon.

River Run Half Marathon

"This sure sounded like a good idea when we signed up."

"Is it raining?  It better not be raining.  I'll be so pissed."

"There's no race day packet pick up.  I'm so pissed."

Whiner Nation before the River Run Half Marathon.

Wondering if we really should have stopped in the muny lot!

So Jackie ran without the bib that she paid for.  {We made sure she got the medal she was entitled to.}  To Whiner Nation's credit, it was raining pretty hard when we pulled into the parking lot for the start of the race.  At 7:50, as we made our want to the start line, it stopped raining & by the time they hit mile 1 the sun was shining.  According to Mike the race was all uphill & mostly sunny {he did not have his sun glasses}.  According to Jackie the race was downhill {and her calves & back hurt because of it}until mile 9 and then it was a little uphill & it was mostly shady.  Listening to them recap their races was hysterical.  They both agreed that the PowerBar Energy Blasts Gel Filled Chews were a life saver, the race was hard, and we were in Ohio.  They disagreed about everything else, to the point that Jackie asked, "Did we run the same race?" {best line of the day}

Brynn & I navigated into the unknown and were able to catch them at mile 5.5.  We had a blast being obnoxious and cheering on the runners.  Then we made it to the finish line with plenty of time to spare & see everyone finish.  

This was Mike's retirement run ~ time for a break for his aching hip flexors ~ and he finished wanting it to be done.  Here's his text:

"Shitting in the woods at 7:40, balls chaffing mile 8, nipple bleeding at finish.  1:49 time.  Glad I'm done."

Mike looking good at mile 5.5

Crock Pot Days

Fall is the craziest time of the year.  School, XC practice, soccer games.  Doesn't leave much time to eat dinner.  Last Tuesday we were all out of the house by 7:30 am and didn't get home until almost 10:00 pm.  {and it was the worst soccer game of the season, a huge loss to Geneva}.  I have a dinner menu for the month, so we actually eat food that doesn't come from McDonald's.  I was doing so well, until Thursday...when I think I reached my limit of preparedness.  The story of dinner that day pretty much sums up how the world is turning for the Bartons.

Knowing that I would be going straight from XC practice to the 5:00 Varsity only soccer game at MHS, I put the chicken & the ranch dressing & the buffalo sauce & the butter into the crock pot that morning & turned it to low as I walked out the door.  Patrick texted me {when he got home & was supposed to turn the crock pot to warm, eat dinner & get back to school for the game} saying, "I think the crock pot is broken, the butter isn't even melted."
Oh, the best intentions that work out...some of the time.  We ended up eating at Joey's & having buffalo chicken Friday night...after I fixed the tripped GFI outlet.

Patrick has applied to college ~ Akron & University of Cincinnati ~ I am so knotted inside.  On one hand, I'm so excited for him.  This is a great time of life.  He's so ready to start that chapter {as soon as I teach him how to do laundry}and I know he has so much ahead of him.  On the other hand, I'm not ready to close this chapter in my life.  Once again I wish I had the ability to express myself eloquently.  My baby is grown up.  My job is pretty much done.  And the question...did I do it right?...weighs on my heart.

But, as I constantly remind myself, ENJOY the moments.  Last night was the Perry/Madison football game {Madison won 28-27 in a wild, wild finish} & 50's night for the band.  Check out my rumblin' trumpet players:

My face is getting better.  Here's proof:  {Helps that the newer pic is a little blurry too.  If I just keep moving, no one will notice the Harry Potter scar on my cheek.}

August 24

September 8

And a funny Mike Barton story:
He had done something that really bothered me.  And he'd done it for the 15th time.  And I'd finally had enough.  I went upstairs just seething.  He came up, oblivious to the fact that he'd pissed me off...Here's the conversation. {remember I'M PISSED}
B: "If I were you, I wouldn't talk to me yet.  I'm still really pissed."
M: "What are you mad about?"
B: "You always...{honestly, I don't really remember what he always}...and today was the last straw."
M: "So you're leaving?"

What kind of answer is that?!?

#23

I think I'm done getting book recommendations off the internet.  #23 was from yet another "good summer read" list.  And it was not a "good summer read".  Summer is over...and the best summer read has been 50 Shades...and that's not saying much!  #23 was Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead.  It's about straining to be in the upper class of society, keeping up the appearances and basically how shallow your life is when this is your ultimate goal.  The questions of who we are, what we stand for, and our purpose in life are examined and not brought to a good conclusion.  It follows a family through the Thursday, Friday, & Saturday wedding of marrying off a very pregnant daughter.  The bride seeming to be the only member of the family we really don't get to know at all.  The father (the narrator) is a total idiot.  I spent the whole story feeling sorry for all the characters.  

fl: By Sunday the wedding would be over, and for that Winn Van Meter was grateful.  ll: When her revolution was complete and they were separated by the length of their arms, joined only by their fingertips, he let go, releasing her into a life of her own making.

Run Log: August 2012

The Good News:  I almost tripled my July milage.
The Bad News:  I'm right about what I usually ran in a week before the foot injury. {I still hate to say plantar fasciitis ~ and I still have to look up how to spell it.}
I AM running.  I've been running with the cross country team ~ and my foot feels GREAT when I'm running & just a little tight when I'm done.  Yet I am so AFRAID to run.  I fear it hurting again.  I fear another 6 weeks of NO running at all.  I fear being too old to run.  
I remember when Dad had to quit.  He'd been running for as long as I remember...and the doctor told him that if he didn't quit running he'd soon be forced to quit walking.  He took up biking & {from what I could tell} really enjoyed that.  I just talked with my mom & we were discussing getting old & falling apart.  She brought up Dad being forced to stop running.  She said it was so hard for him.  I think I get that now.{Which opens up a whole 'nother conversation about seeing our parents as people.}  I don't want to wear myself out so I get to that point...Because {obviously} I can not control my calorie intake.  Thursday I put on a pair of pants...and they were too tight to wear. 

August's totals:
18 miles for the month 
447.5 miles for the year
57 biking miles for the month
323 biking miles for the year
270 miles in my semi-retired-worn-at-Camp-Stigwandish red & blue Asics
4 miles in my NEW SHINY $150 VERY WHITE turquoise Asics ~ which are still very very white as I refuse to wear them at Camp Stig & they are 2 months old with very little mileage!
Some interesting facts:
Longest run this month: 3.5 miles
Favorite place to run this month: The White Trail at Camp Stig!  SOOOOOOOO much fun!  It's a 1.25 mile loop of really rough terrain.  Over log bridges, over two HUGE fallen trees (some of those little XC kids can crawl under the one), up a steep muddy embankment that would be almost impossible without the rope strung up on the trees to help you pull yourself up, zig-zagging through the trees.  The best is that the kids BEG to run it!  Crazy coaches that we are, let them...and they come back with twisted ankles, scrapped up knees, cuts from the prickers, out of breath, sweaty & tired.  AND want to do it again.  {Reason # 354 why I love middle school kids.}
# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet: ZERO ~ felt a little sorry for my non-running self...so I ate it {that an it's almost time to buy new bags...}
# of books I read this month: Three  {funny how this is the only number I write out...}  

Monthly mileage record: 80.5 miles March 2012 
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  13.1 miles ~ May 16, 2010 (Cleveland 1/2) 


PR's:
5K: 22:45 (Rabbit Run 10/30/11~ but I think it was a short course)
10K: 52:02 (Cleveland 5/15/11)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:55:04 (Cleveland 5/16/10)
marathon: 3:50:05 (Akron relay {team run} 9/24/11)