A Comeback?

I ran this morning. It was an easy 2 miles, that's all I aimed to do. My cold is better-sans the occasional coughing fit that usually takes place during the most inopportune time. But I ran it with no coughing at all, other than an "ahem" later in the morning. Cool!

Up next? Making up that 20-mile run I missed last Sunday. By my lonesome! I plan to run it Friday, since Jada is off from school. I will leave early to go run, while hubby takes care of the early morning duties until I return.

A Run to Reminisce On.....

I'm down here in Champaign-Urbana, during week 2 of my two-week hiatus from work, since the girls' summer program ended and school has yet to start. I'm still working, but working from home...and never a full day (except yesterday.)

Anyway, so the girls and I rode down to Champaign-Urbana with my mother-in-law to visit my siter-in-law and her hubby and baby. They went to school here at the University of Illinois, as did I and my husband. So anyway, I never mind coming down here. It's less than two hours south of Chicago, and every trip conjures up many, MANY memories.

So for those of you who also went to the University of Illinois, this ones for you:

I left the house for a late run, after 7am. Headed out to the intersection of Florida Ave and Philo Rd, which always seemed WAYYYY off campus back in the day. I ran west towards Florida and Lincoln, which is sorta the SE'ern most point of the campus. As I was running, I was a little annoyed by the slight hills that I didn't notice when driving this same stretch the night before.Approaching campus, I passed Orchard Downs (Family housing area--I think), the president's mansion where we protested one cold wintery night.)

At Florida and Lincoln, in came the memories. FAR and PAR residence halls (Florida Avenue Residence, Pennsylvannia Avenue....you get the picture.) I ran past the Illini Grove, thinking about those picnics after Quad Day and other events. I continued north to Nevada Street, and turned west heading towards the Quad. This stretch looks a lot different. There seem to be a lot of new university buildings, like an Early CHildhood Education center (with a daycare.) I passed by Busey Evans Residence Hall, BKA Borgeouise-Evans because it was so nice and ALL of the dorm rooms are singles. With central air. SWEET! I stayed there my last year, and it was like a hotel compared to any other dorm.

So I moved on towards the Quad, passing "The Black House," La Casa Cultural Latina and other student group buildings and arrived at the Quad. Running north, I saw students racing to make their 8am class. I remember those foolish days I took 8am classes. A class on the other side of the Quad can make all the difference whether you will arrive on time or not. (Now 8am doesn't seem so early, but it sure did.)

This post is boring...let me speed it up.

So I took a pitstop in the Union to get some water, came back out, passed Allen Hall and headed back south to the PAR/FAR area, then took a more residential street back east. I would have made 6 miles, but I stopped my run short and stopped at Walgreen's to pick up shower gel, lotion and toothpaste that, as I was running, I realized I'd forgotten at home.

Anyhoo....that is all. Sorry if my post is boring, I'm not feeling especially creative today.



"To thy happy children of the future, those of the past send greetings."

This week (Insert your own witty title here)

Whew, tired legs this morning! So much for my 11:12-11:15ish pace Tuesdays. I'm not sure if my legs are tired from doing an extra set of weights in the gym yesterday, or if I'm just tired. Maybe it's both. I'm not sure why I had the "bright" idea to do 4 sets on all my lower body weights. It seemed like some of it was getting easy, but raising the weights might be too hard. I dunno.

So this week is a 12-miler on Saturday, and I know it's only Tuesday and all, but the forecast looks GREAT! Lows in the upper 50's, highs in the mid 70's. No rain around after tonight/tomorrow morning, so hopefully that means no humidity sticking around, either.

But then on Sunday I'm running the Fleet Feet Women's 5K/10K race. My husband's cousin is switching to the 10K, but I think that it'd be wise to run just the 5K. Especially after my tired legs this morning. Can't wait, they have the cutest running shirts ever.

I'm not feeling very creative, sorry for this dull post.

Two for two on Tuesdays

So I had another great Tuesday run...45 minutes (didn't look at my schedule until later, to see that actually I was supposed to do 50 minutes.) But anyway, I did .01 faster than last Tuesday, which I admit is really nothing. But I also had another decent negative split. Scratch that, an AWESOME split.

Here are the statistics, courtesy of my beloved Garmin:

Total Miles: 4.02 miles, average pace 11:12.

Mile 1 11:49
MIle 2 11:32
Mile 3 10:55
Mile 4 10:35

p.s. my husband's cousin, who started running and we run together on Tuesdays and Thursdays? She said today, "I'm going to train for the marathon next year." Hook. Line. Sinker. Got another one here, folks! Hee Hee Hee Hee, welcome to the madness, friend!

Alive and Running

Today was one of those runs that you’re all like “YES! I love running! I live for running! Running is life!” I had a bad run on Saturday, as you may have noticed by my little graph over there on the side, I ran what appears to be a random 5.34 miles…well that was supposed to be 10 miles. Mid-run, I ditched Lou, Meg and crew. I was exhausted and I just knew my heart wasn’t in it.

The day before I worked for 16 hours (almost straight, sans an occasional Michael Jackson break to watch a video and reminisce and be sad.) I baked and decorated 600 cookies for an event, standing most of the time, because that’s how I do my cookies, I cannot sit down, it makes it harder for me. (Don’t bother the artist while she’s at work, this is how she works, and that’s that.)

So by some miracle I was able to wake up and arrive on time, but after 5 miles I was DONE. Fast forward to today…still didn’t want to be out there running, but managed to make a go of it. After all, it was barely 60° and relatively low humidity! And it was a great run. At my 22:30 turnaround point I realized I’d gone farther than usual and thought there was no way I could keep up that pace, but I did. Towards the end I realized I had a shot at 4 miles. 4 miles in 45 minutes! That is rock star status in my penguin-slow book. So I kicked it into high gear for the last two minutes or so. Not only that, I managed to pull off a negative split. AND my last mile, according to my beloved Garmin, was 10:57. Not 11:57….10:57. Wow. Nice work.

And nearly the whole time, I was still thinking about Michael Jackson and the whole family (minus Papa Joe.) I know, I really do have issues and might be cracking up. However, a college friend of mine countered that I’m not so crazy, and that you can’t help but to be sad. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, and then in college in the 90’s when we put together choreographed stepshows each year, MJ was the soundtrack/dancetrack of our lives. Saying goodbye to him is saying goodbye to a little piece of yourself. And that, my friends, is hard to reconcile sometimes.

Tired.

Hey all,

I'm still around, just busy with more stuff at work. I took a self-imposed break after the Indy Mini, hoping my calf would get better. It hasn't...maybe just a little bit. So after one week off, I ran a measly 2 miles last Saturday. Monday was the "unofficial" kickoff to marathon training (I say unofficial because to me it's not official until we've met as a group.) Anyhoo, I was due for just two 40-minute runs this week (and cross training), but my work schedule was so crazy that I only got in one 40 minute run earlier in the week, and then today I decided to run 2 miles, just so my legs wouldn't rebel tomorrow morning during our first group run. So there you have it, you're all caught up with what's going on with me. WORK WORK WORK runWORK WORK short runWORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK.

Next up, 5 miles on the lakefront path tomorrow morning, rain or shine.

Oh the irony...

So on a day when running a mere 3 miles on the treadmill had me stopping to stretch twice, question my ability to finish, argue with myself that 1) it would be ok to just do two miles, but 2) you are already here, just do the 3 miles, or 3) maybe you are going to make your calf worse by trying to run the stupid 3 miles, is that number really all that important?

well...

I went ahead and registered for the Chicago Endurance Sports marathon training program. The one I trained with in 2007. My girl Lou is actually gonna be a pace leader for 12:00'ers like ourselves. A friend from work is already registered to traing up to the halfway point, and she also plans to run a 12:00.

But yeah, i had "one of those runs" that just humbles you and reminds you that every run has the potential to be a challenge all by itself, in one way or another. And to think I have to run 11 miles on Saturday. Yikes.

p.s. By the way, the sun came out this afternoon. I came outside and was all like "Wait. Something's different. It's not dark and damp and dreary and misty and foggy and cold and non-springlike for a second." GASP. "It's the sun. The SUN!"

Exhausted!

It's been a tough week. I mapped out a plan to run 3 times midweek, run my long run of 9 miles on Saturday, all while hitting the weights again with two upper and two lower body workouts, and up my elliptical days from one to two. All this, and a HUGE project deadline at work on Wednesday. I knew Wednesday might get funny, so I gave myself permission to slack a bit on the elliptical stuff if necessary.

Well Tuesday night turned out to be an all-nighter for me. Ok, not technically since I did manage to grab a little bit of sleep from 5:30am to 6:50am. (You're thinking I should have gone to the gym then, aren't you? Kidding.) I have been tired ever since. I even downed a bottle of that 5-hour energy stuff they sell on the counters of 7-11's round' the world. I took it at 4pm, in fear of falling asleep while going to get the girls, or having a hellish evening of preparing dinner while my face was plastered to the couch. So that bottle of 5 hours netted me about 3.5, and I'm not complaining! I even played Sudoku in that time span, so consider that my rave review for the stuff--when absolutely necessary.

Anyhoo, then my mom called and asked if I was coming to their church's annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids (read: you bad parent, you, for not having planned any Easter festivities, purchased Easter dresses, committed to any egg-decorating EVER IN THEIR LIVES). In order to get there in time on Saturday morning, I would have to leave early enough that would prohibit my 9 mile run...unless I want to take the girls in their pajamas, and that's never a good look. Long story short, I ran it today.

So here's my rundown as to why I am so rundown:

Monday & Tuesday: 3 mile runs both days, felt great, swopping upper body and lower body workouts. On Tuesday's run, I did some ol Biggest Loser type stuff and really hit it hard in the last few minutes. Body check: what's that? Is that my right calf hurting a bit?

Wednesday: Nada (well, not working out, at least.) I was so busy at work all I had time for was a small bag of beef jerky (that I bought when I bought the 5-hour energy shot). It was tasty. Got home and ate my face off. Yelled at hubby when he told me to get off the couch and go to bed. Went to bed, but not before setting my phone alarm for 4:45. Make that 4:40, I might need an extra 5 minutes.

Thursday: After waking up at 5am, I still went to the gym. Thinking about maybe running Friday instead of Saturday, I did just 2 miles on the treadmill and FORCED MYSELF TO GO SLOW. I also did a workout of both upper and lower body in one day, which I absolutely hate doing...and not for any other reason other than I just don't like being around weights and beefcakes for too long. Body check: I think my calf hurts still. Hmm.

Friday: Let's do it! Take the morning off. Go run that 9 miles! I even got my sweet beloved Garmin working again. (AND FORGOT IT!) So I'm heading up Lakeshore Drive (honestly people, is it Lakeshore Drive, or Lake Shore Drive? I've seen it both ways.) And I notice the wind whipping up the waves something fierce and decide on a "NO" for the concrete monster, that's what I call the area near Oak Street Beach. It's a beast in the summer when the morning sun comes up over the horizon and slaps you on your face with no shade to be found. (There it is on the left, only this picture is obviously during warmer times. Those people off in the distance on the right? Well that was all water today.) While driving, I also pinpointed the area of the S-curve's latest victim that I read about yesterday. I wonder how many lightpoles along LSD have taken people out.

Anyhoo, so I park just north of the History Museum on Clark. At a meter. Gatorade? Check! Gu? Check! And I get out of the car and WHOOOOOOOSH! The wind hits me and I'm frozen immediately. As I walk over to the Ben Franklin statue in an effort to conjure up the good vibes of the 2007 training season with CES (and that's where we used to meet), I was coming up with all kinds of excuses...you don't even have your Garmin (b.s. there are half mile markers up and down the lakefront. In theory.)...you saw the forecast, it might be warmer on Sunday morning. (b.s. you're already HERE.)

So I just started running. Into the wind. And it sucked. I was so slow, although I don't exactly know how slow, because I looked at my cell phone at the beginning and at the end of my run to gauge some sort of time. I was cold, my hands were cold, my stomach...MY STOMACH was numb from the cold wind. I stopped to stretch like three times, my right calf telling me "You'll be sorry you did this!" But I made it to my turnaround point, took a Gu, and then everything became effortless. I don't know if it was due to less wind or the Gu, but I was in the zone. And then I finished. One hour and 54 minutes later. Crappy pace of 12:40, but now I only have one more long run before the Indy Mini Marathon.

I realize that my training for this race is less than ideal, but I'm glad that I've been able to make these "make or break" runs, regardless. It probably won't be fun, and I certainly have run other races more prepared, but at least I'm covering the distance, one way or another.

My calf has been hurting all day now, but sitting at my desk at work probably isn't much help, either. Extra stretching all weekend, and no working out AT ALL.

Week Totals:

Mileage: 17 miles, 4 runs

Strength: 2 upper, 2 lower

Elliptical (Cross training): 0

The Week that Kicked Butt (or more appropriately titled "The Week that Was")

AWESOME WEEK! I bounced back from a terrible Shamrock Shuffle and living on the fringe of lethargicness for quite some time now. So here is my weekly wrap up:

Tuesday:
-Up at 4:45, out the door at 5am, at the gym by 5:15!
-Ran 3 miles on the treadmill at the gym. They have some NICE treadmills!
-Lower body weight training. I like the idea of splitting up lower/upper body, because then I have more time to add extra machines in that I might not have time for if trying to fit it all in during one session.

Wednesday:
-same up-and-at-em moves
-Ran 3 miles on the treddy again. 2 days in a row?! Wow, that hasn't happened in a long time!
-Upper body weight training. HATE IT, my arms are weak. WEAK.

Thursday:
-up nice-n-early again, this time waking up before my friendly alarm
-Elliptical for some cross training of sorts. A nice change of pace.
-Lower body weights. LOVE IT. My legs are very strong, and I always feel like Superwoman when I get done. I plan on no knee injuries like last year, or at least due to a lac of strength training.

Friday:
-2 miles easy breezy
-Upper body weights. Chest and arms still soar from Wednesday.

Saturday:
-7 miles! This is my farthest distance this season, HOORAY. I was very nervous, and my poor sweet Garmin was not working, so I had to gauge time by my cell phone. My finish time of 1:26 puts me just over pace at 12:18. That finish time doesn't include the 5-minute coughing fit I had when pausing for some Gatorade. UGH!

Anyway, I'm just happy I met every goal this week. I hope to string many similar weeks together like this and achieve some good results come the end of the summer. WOO HOO!!!

Well it's late and I'm tired, sorry my writing isn't any more entertaining.

This blog sucks....and other less obvious things going on...

Hola! I'm still here, barely doing anything other than stuffing my face. But today marked something just short of miraculous. I actually ran TWO DAYS IN A ROW. And today I threw caution to the wind and ran 4 miles even though I probably wasn't quite ready for that. Whatever, I have a half marathon to run in like 6 or 7 weeks, SHEESH! Gotta ramp it up. I've shitted around long enough.

I'm feeling good, watching my intake and actually eating a good amount of protein, which i've never done much of, so hooray for me. ANd in all my cookie backing today (8 dozen to be exact), I managed to eat only 2.

I will try to write more and attempt to be more entertaining, but I make no promises.

Goals this week:
1. Run 3 to 4 times, including a 6 mile long run on the weekend.
2. Get gym membership activated to begin my cross-training two days per week.
3. Continue watching balance between carbs and protein. Protein is my friend! (and milk ain't half bad with a little protein powder in what would otherwise be a dreadful, milkbreathish experience.)

toodles, friends.

Run #91 Girl Interrupted

Date: October 21 at 5:50am
Place: treadmill at home
Mileage: 3
Time It Took: 35:23
Pace: 11:48
Miles This Week: 3
Miles This Month: 22.67
2008 Total: 511.57

Thoughts/Comments:
House Rule #1 The first step is always the creakiest. As I was sneaking out of my bedroom to head downstairs to the treadmill, I noticed how loud the stairs were. Maybe with cooler weather they are creakier? My first step and I was like "OH NO!" I heard Zoe tossing and turning, so I waited a few minutes before progressing.

And of course, just about 3/4 into my first mile, there she was at the door. "Hi Mommy! Mommy are you done? Mommy! Mommy!" So I got off for a few minutes, found Blues Clues was on Noggin (there's nothing more worthwhile on cable than the round-the-clock "It's like pre-school on TV" Noggin Channel.) I got her some chocolate milk, put her under a blanket on the couch and VOILA! I just bought a few more minutes for myself. As I was walking my cooldown she was back at the door "Mommy are you done? Mommy! Mommy!" and so I at that point I really was done.

Whew, getting runs in by hook or by crook!

Run #90 Just a run

Date: October 18 at 5:45pm
Place: Treadmill at home
Mileage: 3 miles
Time It Took: 35:43
Pace: 11:54
Miles This Week: 8.85
Miles This Month: 19.67
2008 Total: 508.57

Thoughts/Comments: Slept in this morning. Didn't feel like "running and rushing", because even though it's Saturday, I had to work for a few hours this morning at a community meeting. Anyhoo, I got the run in eventually. To meet my goal of getting in 4 runs this week, I will need to run tomorrow, also. Preferably in the morning.

Happy weekend, everyone.

Special shout-outs:

*to Andrea N, who will be running her first marathon tomorrow morning in San Francisco. GO ANDREA!!!!!

*and to a new running friend I met last week at Chicago who ran with Lou in the leg before I did, Freedom Runner, who will be running the marathon in Grand Rapids. GO LIZ!

Run #89 A little speed training never hurt nobody (at least I don't think so)

Date: October 17 at 9:15am
Place: Treadmill at home (Jada's home today, so when the alarm went off at 5:30am and I felt tired, I rolled over and said to myself "later!"
Mileage: 2.1 (My actual goal was in minutes, this was the mileage that I ended up with) + .25 cooldown
Time It Took: 24:00
Pace: 11:25
Miles This Week: 5.6 + .25 = 5.85
Miles This Month: 16.67
2008 Total: 505.57

Thoughts/Comments: So my goal is to do 1 speedtraining session each week. I would guess this qualifies:

*3 minutes at 5mph, followed by 1 minute at 6mph: repeated 6 times

Maybe I should shorten my slower pace to 2 minutes? I dunno.

Happy Friday everyone! Jada is off today and we're going to head out and do girl stuff. First stop, get these bushes (aka eyebrows) done. I get them threaded up in an Indian neighborhood.

Run #88 Back At It

Date: October 14th at 5:20am
Place: Treadmill at home
Mileage: 3 + .5 (walking, warmup and cooldown)
Time It Took (for the run): 35:37
Pace: 11:52
Miles This Week: 3 + .5= 3.5
Miles This Month: 14.32
2008 Total: 503.22 (Yay, I finally broke 500! Sheesh!)

Thoughts/Comments: My legs protested, but I just did it. To go from running 7+ miles with crowd-lined streets and people cheering and handing you water and gatorade and pretzels...to go from that, to the yellowish light oddly bouncing off the brick wall in my exercise room as I stare at the curtains on the window and amidst storage boxes strewn about is quite a letdown.

BUT! I should be happy that I have a treadmill at home and can get on it at the crack of dawn or even in the middle of the night instead of running while its dark outside (i wouldn't) or trying to figure out how I can fit a trip to the gym in my crazy schedule (i couldn't)...so I'm counting my blessings.

Have a great day!

Run #85: 15 days and 885 cookies later

Date: September 29 at 5:40am
Place: treadmill
Mileage: 2 miles, plus 1/4 mile warmup and 1/4 mile cooldown
Time It Took: 23:49 for the run part; 4:18-warmup 4:06-cooldown (and yes, I'm counting the mileage towards my goal which I probably won't reach anyway.)
Pace: 11:54
Miles this week: 2/running and .5/walking
Miles this month: 24.1 + .5 = 24.6
2008 Goal: 488.97

Thoughts/Comments: Are you crazy? 2 weeks and no running? I mean, ok, I'm not running the marathon, but I AM supposed to be there to support Lou and will be running the last 8 or 10 miles with her...but I can't be all weak and unready while she needs me to be strong, right?

So the louder my legs protested and the louder my inner self ridiculed me, the louder I turned up my iPod. Didn't stop once. And just like that? Back on track. I felt pretty good.

As for the post title, yes, I had cookie orders totalling 885 cookies, which is why I've been ghost on this blog and not running at all. It has literally taken up all of my free time and included to all nighters IN A ROW to get them done. From the baking to decorating to labeling individual bags...I've seen enough cookies to last me a lifetime. Also, I've got my website up and running and almost ready to take orders ONLINE....so exciting. I will pass on the link very soon.

To those sweethearts who will still have me, and have commented on my blog with nothing in response, THANK YOU and I will be visiting your blogs TODAY.

Run #83 GASP, two midweek runs?

Date: September 11 at 5:30am
Place: home on the treadmill (why is that room so HUMID?! UGH!)
Mileage: 3
Time It Took: 35:38
Pace: 11:52....I'll take it
Mileage this week: 6
Miles this month: 9
2008 Goal: 473.27/1000

Thoughts/Comments: What's worse than running on a treadmill in a humid room at 5:30 in the morning? Running on a treadmill in a humid room at 5:30 in the morning WITH NO IPOD! (needed charging.) And what's worse than THAT???

(If you're easily grossed out, stop reading...)

Ok, so I set my clothes out the night before, where are those pants? Dangit. Dare I go back up the creeky stairs and more than likely wake up the world's lightest sleeper known as Zoe. Out of the corner of my eye I spied the laundry basket.,.with MONDAY'S running clothes in it. And in my mind it was my surest option of getting in that much needed run. So I put on my stinky running shorts. Still, some 3 days later, WET. Eeeeeeew, nasty. Disgusting. But Zoe didn't wake up and dangit, I met my goal of keeping my legs moving before my date with the unknown....the Chicago Half Marathon. It's not unknown in not ever having done the race--or the distance...it's an unknown with the extreme lack of training and poor preparation.

I've found in running you sometimes do crazy things that you wouldn't normally do...drink from a water fountain on the lakefront path b/c it's hot as hades, you're out of water and who cares if that dog just left from getting his water-lapping on (Yes, I've done this). Now I will add "wearing 3-day old nasty stinky running clothes" to the crazy things I wouldn't normally do. Please be assured that I would never, EVER do this while running outside or with people...offensive odors before you've broken a sweat, (clothes, morning breath, et al) are absolutely unnacceptable. I mean, runners, am I right or am I right? Help me out here!

Anyway, carry on friends! I've got a busy weekend and upcoming week. I'm baking/decorating 500 cookies (yes, you read that right) for an event next week. from now through the end of the month, I will have baked and decorated 870 cookies in cookie orders. YIKES x 3.

Run #82 just maintaining

Date: September 8
Place: treadmill at home
Mileage: 3
Time It Took: 35:37
Pace: 11:52
Miles this week: 3
Miles this month: 6
2008 Goal: 470.27/1000

Thoughts/Comments: well, i guess i'm just "maintaining" until the half marathon on Sunday. I don't know what's going to happen, but I will be there and I will finish. Can't say it will be pretty though.

Run #81 Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood

Near lakefront at Museum of Science and Industry, probably low 60's or maybe even upper 50's. Perfect.
Mileage: 3
Time It Took: 35:09
Pace: 11:43
Miles this week: 3
Miles this month: 3 (I sense a pattern here)
2008 Goal: 467.27/1000

Thoughts/Comments: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I took the one less travelled...because while driving over to the lakefront I discovered a hole in my running pants...right in the crotch area. Unsure of what was or was not visible, I took a path that I felt would be less travelled. So nothing poetic here friends, move along.

And I still ran into a friend!

This week in running has been non-existant. The girls (thus I) have new schedules. I have to get up at around 6am (latest) to get ready, and then get the girls up absolutely no later than 6:45. Zoe goes to a daycare near our house, and then Jada and I have the privelege of driving up Lake Shore Drive, my favorite place to be in the entire city-even with traffic-up to her school. REAL SCHOOL, Inter American Magnet School. We drive from 7100 S. (71st/South Shore) all the way to 4000 N. at Irving Park Road.

So after doing this week of mayhem and playing fully the role of mommy and leaving behind the role of runner this week (and sorry I could not travel both), it has occurred to me that weekday runs will now only be possible on the treadmill, and starting probably no later than 5am-ish. (well I could run outside in the pitch dark, but I don't trust my neighborhood or the pitch black lakefront.)

Good news though. So far, absolutely no knee pain during or after running today.

See you.

Run #80 Just get up and do something

Date/Time: August 31 at 7am
Place: 63rd street beach, about 65 degrees
Mileage: a "just do something" 3 miles
Time It Took: 35:02, which included walking 3:30 of it
Pace: 11:40
Miles this week: 9.17 (sheesh what a joke)
Miles this month: 41.18
2008 Goal shot to hell: 464.27/1000

Thoughts/comments: Well. I did something. Thought tempted to turn on the tv and watch more Hurricane Gustav coverage, instead I just checked the most recent stats, threw my running clothes on and headed out the door. Nice morning, though the sun seemed especially bright. Surely the difference between running at 6am and 7am.

I can't quite call it, why I'm so mesmerized by Hurricane coverage. I will tell you this, I was the exact same way about Hurrican Katrina, well before it hit. I literally lost sleep. At the time I was sleeping on the couch because at 7 months pregnant with Zoe, it was the only semi-comfortable place in the house. So I would doze and then "oh! where is that hurricane now!" Hurricanes (and people) are fascinating. It's like abig wreck that you can't avoid. You know it's coming, you don't want to believe it. Some get out, some don't for a variety of reasons. And it's mind boggling for me to understand that some people don't leave b/c they don't want to. Even more mind boggling that some people can't b/c they have no money, no car, no nothing (that is very sad and makes me realize how lucky...no, how blessed I am.) I remember watching the random interviews before Katrina hit. This one woman with a small child on her hip was like "Yeah, we live on a shrimp boat out on the water....No we're gonna just ride it out, we've never had a hurricane hit directly, we've never run now, we have nowhere to go, we'll be ok," I always wonder what happened to her and that poor little baby with her risk-taking mother. And I still marvel at all the different lifestyles in our country. People live on shrimp boats?!

Well now that was a weird run-report.

Run #79 Reporting late

Date/Time: August 25 at 5:45am
Place: Lakefront path from Oakwood (3900 S.)
MIleage: Supposed to do 12; actually did 6.17 miles
Time It Took: 1:17:33 (including 1-min walk breaks after each mile)
Pace: 12:34
Miles this week: 6.17
Miles this month: 38.18
2008 Goal: 461.27

Thoughts/Comments: I don't even know what to tell you, as this was 3 days ago and I'm not trying to bring up all the bad feelings again. I was out there. I was tired. My knee was stiff. ANd then that little voice in my head rationalized "you don't have to run 12 miles this week when you're running 13 at the end of the week. You ran 10, you can push it to run 13 on Sunday." So I just quit. I know. I suck.

The rest of the week has been a whirlwind. Tuesday work, with an RFP interview. Wednesday we kicked off a project in Dubuque Iowa. I left at 4am and didn't get home until 9pm. Then yesterday was busy, including an impromptu RFP interview downtown (I was originally supposed to be off Thurs and Fri). Also yesterday, we had two appointments at the girls' respective schools. On top of that, I baked 80 cookies for a baby shower. Yes, 80. (Insane)

I'm beat. Gotta run at some point today, as well as decorate the cookies. And get the girls school supplies, etc...

So that's what's been up with me! And my so-called running.