Run Log: November 2013

Debating.  Do I do the Toledo Marathon in April ~ or don't I?  The training schedule is already on the fridge, supposed to start 12/9.  I'm keeping up with a semi-regular routine now...and I've done 8's and 9's on Saturdays all month.  I'm fit enough to start the training & run the thing...but do I want to?  I want to be able to eat anything I want.  I want to qualify for Boston.  I want to run #2 & have it not be quite as bad as #1.  I want to train with my husband.  I don't want running to be a job.  I don't want the post-marathon let down.  I don't want to hate running.  I don't want to be at mile 18.
But November was a better running month.  Run Club met twice {just me and Cheryl despite all the promises from the other members}  I did a few long runs outside.  I enjoyed running on the treadmill {I'm not lying either} My body feels good & my pants are just a little tight...And Mike & I starting a holiday running streak.  I saw it on Runner's World fb page.  We will run at least a mile every day between Thanksgiving and New Years.  I'm three days in & so far so good.  It took me longer to get dressed & locate a satellite than it did to run the mile yesterday...but I did it.
I really would like a running partner ~ I know it's me, because, deep down, I really do like to run alone.  But I got used to running with Dodd over the summer & just yacking the miles by & it's really good motivation to get out there...you can't let your partner down.
And I have to add...I've won awards in the last three races I've run.  I'm more proud of that than I really should be.

November’s Totals:

95.65 miles for the month 
1129.35 miles for the year
0 biking miles for the month
132 biking miles for the year
423.06 miles for my orange mizunos ~ I bought a new pair of shoes two weeks ago because I was at Second Sole & had $70 in gift certificates...but they are still in the box.  These Orange Mizunos are award winning shoes... I can feel that they are getting close to retirement, but I'm pretty attached to them.  Every race I've run in them has netted me a prize ~ two firsts and a second {in my new old lady age group}  I love those shoes.

My WEIGHT:  Because it just can't be a number:  Yesterday morning the scale said 133.  This morning it said 135 {I KNEW I should have just taken yesterday's number} And, because I wasn't happy with the 135, I weighed myself after my 9 mile run, 132.  That's the story of my weight.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month: 9.4 ~ Kept those Saturday runs right around 9 all month.
Favorite place to run this month: ? I'm struggling to answer this one.  I guess I'll have to say Painesville & the Turkey Day 5K route ~ even though there were icy spots, it's always fun to race {especially when you win a pie}
# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet: there's a brand new bag sitting on the table in my bedroom.
# of books I read this month: two
Monthly mileage record: 155.46 ~ August 2013!  WOW
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.2 ~ October 13, 2013 ~ Northern Ohio Marathon

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: 1:47:35 (Cleveland Half 5/19/2013)
marathon: 4:01:04 (Northern Ohio Marathon 10/13/2013)

Turkey Day

The Third Annual Turkey Day 5K sponsored by the Lake County Central YMCA ~ we've been in each year & I am the only one in my family who thinks it's a great idea...but, since I'm the mom, they all got up and dressed {Lots of layers on the chilly (22° & slightly snowy Thanksgiving morning}and off to the Y we went.  The run was good ~ a little icy in spots, so my time wasn't earth shattering {some day I'll get that 21} but at 23:44 it was good enough to win first in my age group {love being that 45 year old in the 45 to 49 age group}

We had to wait around for the awards to get my pie...and it's not such a good looking pie...but it's my award winner pie & I love it.

Had a great finish...heading to home {didn't realize it} but I'm running next to one of my XC dads.  He yells out, "Don't let me beat you, Becky." and the race was on.  Didn't know I had a sprint in me, but those competitive juices flow fast & I was off.  I think I just beat him, but it was a fun end either way.

The fam all finished well...Megan with a head cold {yuck} and John's first run with us.  It was a good morning.  Then we ate all day and now I need to go to bed!

So much to be thankful for in my world :)

#31

I Really REALLY like the King and Maxwell series.  #31 on the year is Simple Genius by David Baldacci.  Another riveting story that keeps the pages turning.  The mystery is intrieguing and the continuing storyline between Sean and Michelle keeps growing.  I know this is a TV series; I'm not sure I want to watch it.  The characters I've got in my head are very much mine & I like them. I don't want a TV image to ruin it.  However, if the show is done as well as the books...I'll bet it's a good show.  If only that were the most serious decision in my life...

Good Words:
p53 ~ triumvirate

     a group of three men holding power

p374 ~  reconnoitering

     make a military observation of a region

fl: There are four acknowledged ways of meeting your maker: you can die by natural causes including illness; you can die by accident; you can die by another's hand; and you can die by your own hand.  ll: He paused, took her by the hand and said, "Don't ever leave me, Michelle."

Catching Fire

I don't see many movies, but I made sure to see this one.  I waited too long to watch the first one and had to do it in my living room.  So, a year ago, we made a vow to go see this one in the theater, and I'm very happy I did.  I was a little hesitant when I saw it was almost 2 and a half hours long...really?  Who can sit that long?  And when it ended, quite abruptly, Anita and I looked at each other and said, "It can't be over; that wasn't 2 & 1/2 hours."  But it was.
I do have to say the movie is better than the book. {which I think was pretty poorly written in parts}

Glorious

I got to run outside today, just ahead of the approaching cold front.  It was about 30 degrees ~ but the sun was peeking through the clouds.  There was a wind from the west, but I dressed appropriately (I'm getting better at that!)  For the record: underarmor tights {LOVE them}, skirt, underarmor thick shirt & my A-Basin vest.  Headband and gloves rounded out the outfit & I was sweating when I wasn't running west.  My left knee stiffened up?!, but I know that's IT band so it's ok to keep running and deal with it later.  As I was running north, down {literally} County Line Road, the sun came out brightly & snow started falling from the sky.  It was so delightful and beautiful.  I felt like a little kid ~ smiling up at the approaching flakes.  Absolutely glorious!

#30

I really like these Sookie Stackhouse novels ~ #30 is Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (#2 in the series).  I find it difficult to 'place' the type of book.  The covers make them seem so light-hearted, almost comicical ~ but the stories are a little dark & sexual and violent.  It's hard to take a character named Sookie seriously, but the stories are deadly serious.
What if vampires were suddenly considered 'mainstream'?  What if the supernatural beings we all assume are myths, were real?  Interesting concept...with lots of killing!  I can't wait to read the next one.
~ need to note that I did not sleep well this week & actually finished this book this morning around 4:00am...because I couldn't sleep.


Quote:
p26 ~ I don't lose my temper a lot, but when I do, I make a good job of it.

Good Words:
p101 ~  ennui

       feeling of listlessness and dissatisfactin arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.
p121 ~  vehemently

       showing stron feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense

fl: Andy Bellefleur was as drunk as a skunk. ll: And mine had, too.

Snow & the road

I think snow is beautiful.  I know it's not the most popular thing...but, as my commute to work is 3 miles long, it's not changing my world much {oh no, my 5 minute commute is 7}.  I'm sure I would feel differently if I were driving further to work.  But I'm not.  And I love snow.  This was Tuesday, November 12 {JB's 15 & 1/2 b-day ~ also staff meeting & parent-teacher conference day...who schedules these things that way? ~ well, I know who...}  I consider this our first snow ~ as it's still in a few places {like the back stairs, since I didn't shovel}  Our yard is still full of leaves, so this weekend {when it's supposed to be close to 70} will be full of moving wet leaves...yuck.

It sure is pretty.

And here's our 15 & 1/2 year old {+2 days}  Finally got away from work...really.  Conferences & a training back to back days!  I've NEVER had an evening training before...but this week, when Mike's out of town & JB can get those temps...he has to wait.  But today was the day.  He passed & I spent the $22 and he even drove to pick up our celebratory dinner from Jade Garden.  Took the 'back roads' as I didn't want him on route 20 yet.  He's really cautious & has just the right amount of fear.  I didn't yell...REALLY I didn't yell.  I'd tell him what to do & if he did it not quite right he was all like, "I'm sorry..."  I think he's going to be just fine behind that wheel.

and that's his new varsity jacket.  This has been a week of real lows & real highs for this kid.  But the lows are his to share, not his mother's.  I'm just really proud of him.

Speaking of being proud.  Patrick girlfriend went to UC for a college visit today.  They took down a care package from me & stuff from them too.  The gf's mom said he looked real good & she thinks he's taller.  It just warmed my heart to have someone love on my kid for me.  I miss having him around.

Butter

Butter ~ my theme being, butter makes everything better, makes this story even odder.

This morning's conversation with my husband:

Mike: So I'm happy with everything you did yesterday except you used the last of the butter and didn't put a new stick in the butter dish.

Shall we disect this statement?

First I shall start with where I took the conversation, because the rest of it was still rattling around in my brain trying to find a place where it made sense.

Me: I didn't use up all the butter.

Mike: Yes you did, and you didn't replace it.  Who does that?

Me: I didn't use up all the butter or I would have replaced it.

Mike: So you're blaming your son?

Me:  Well, he probably is the one who used up all the butter making the corn cake on Thursday {where he didn't really measure anything...like only used half of the Jiffy corn bread box, but that's another story}

Mike: So you're throwing Jacob under the bus.

Me: but I didn't leave an empty butter dish.

And then the sermon at church today was about keeping a healthy marriage by being honest with each other.  He kept calling me butter.

But let's go back the the part that is still rattling around my head 13 hours later.  "I'm happy with everything you did yesterday." ?!?!!!!!

What?
You keep track and GRADE what I do everyday?

Later he said, "We'll you always say thank you when I take out the garbage.  I was trying to be complimentary."

Some days, he infromed me, I earn an incomplete; he just doesn't tell me about it on those days.
And that's funny, because it's kinda true.

But really?

Run Log: October 2013

Two days into November and I can finally recap October ~ The month of my marathon.  A low mileage month ~ 1/3 of my miles for the month happened on one day.  But ~ two weeks after, I'm starting to love running again.  It feels right and my body can move & it's all good.  I really was worried there for a while. I trained for my half starting in January & the week after that race I started training for my marathon.  I spent 10 months in training...and after the race there was such a let down.  Running had no purpose.  Running has ALWAYS had a purpose for me.  It started as weight loss ~ and became my quiet time ~ and became my stress relief ~ and became a way of life ~ and then it became a job.  The week following the race can be compaired to the first week of summer vacation.  You are so excited to not have to work ~ but there's really no routine or structure to your life yet.  It's relaxing.  But then the next week ~ you crave some type of structure or routine.  In summer, it's easy to find that routine... late coffee with Matt Lauer, a run, pool or beach, a good book.  But after the marathon, I couldn't find a running routine.  It still hurt & it felt awkward & I had a hard time convincing my mind that I needed to run.  And then my pants got tighter! {I knew I wouldn't be able to stop my food consumption}  And I found motivation.  Today I ran a great 8 on a dreadmill/treadmill at the Y.  {stupid rain}  and it really was a great 8.  I'm back.

October’s Totals:

89.78 miles for the month 
1033.7 miles for the year
0 biking miles for the month
132 biking miles for the year
327.41 miles for my orange mizunos ~ that are still so comfortable.

My WEIGHT:  On October 31 at 6:05 am, it was 135.  I started my 'Lose It!' app on the 30th {and only tracked that day ~ because two pairs of pants were tight earlier in the week}  But since I ran 8 today...I may just eat that Halloween candy {& keep running}

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month: 26.2 {I have to believe that will be the longest run I ever do}
Favorite place to run this month: The Rabbit Run.  A race that ended 23 minutes after it began!?!  A GREAT idea!!! {and the lake looked beautiful & I remembered all the run club runs along those roads...I miss run club}
# of bags of Candy Cane Kisses left in my cabinet: only a few pieces left in the candy dish
# of books I read this month: two
Monthly mileage record: 155.46 ~ August 2013!  WOW
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.2 ~ October 13, 2013 ~ Northern Ohio Marathon

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: 1:47:35 (Cleveland Half 5/19/2013)
marathon: 4:01:04 (Northern Ohio Marathon 10/13/2013)