road, trail, track

Friday

2006-12-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

i called in sick today at work. i wasn't sick, i just wanted a day off. one of the reasons why was to make sure i got a decent run in because saturday(tomorrow) i cannot run. i have a prior committment.

only a runner geek, like me, takes a day off with one of the reasons being making sure i get my my run in.

other runner geeks...you know who u are.

Back in the game...

2006-12-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Had a solid week of training: Sprint intervals at the gym, short run on thursday, 5.25 mile run saturday and 6.2 mile run today, sunday.

I've been looking at the marathon schedule I usually follow and to do the upcoming ING Georgia Marathon on 3/25/07, I will have to start following the schedule NOW. I'm ready to go. Ready to plop my race application in the mail. I have no excuse not to: a local run, a brand new course that will go through many of the neighborhoods i already run in and through, including my own, ING is the sponsor and sure to put on a great event and much buzz will be among the city, i think. This is the inaugural race! Who wouldn't want to be apart of it? I feel ready to pick it up, step it up and train hard. My lofty goal will be 4:00. This will be challenging as my best marathon time to date is 4:19 in

R.D.'s

town in 2001

I'm ready to see what I can do. How much I am willing to train? How disciplined can I be? How determined will I be? Will i get up on the bitter cold mornings in January to go run 17 miles? Will I be strong mentally?

Only through putting myself through the training will I be able to answer these questions for myself. The training is always so much harder than the actual race itself.

HERE I GO...HERE I GO...

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian and sub-2:12 marathoner

cheer on...

2006-11-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the annual Thanksgiving Day Atlanta Marathon & Half-Marathon. I did not run this year ( i have run the half in the past) but my friend, M.G. was running. I called him as I was coming home from airport on Wed. night to ask when he would be passing mile 10. I said I would try to get up & go cheer him on. I had coffee in the morning, grabbed a bottle of water for him, and headed over to mile 10. I arrived earlier than he said he would be there just so i wouldn't miss him and also just so i could cheer on more people. it was so awesome. I love going to races and cheering "strangers" on...The folks who were passing me were running at approximately 7:30/miles. No slouches there!! There was actually a small crowd of people nesr me and we all cheered everyone on. It was thrilling...i got so caught up in the moment. watching people with their pained faces as they were making a small climb up PEACHTREE ST with only 3.1 miles to go. I was clapping and cheering loudly for them...for every effort they made with each step. It's not easy to get out there at 7:00am on a cold Thanksgiving morning to go run 13.1 or 26.2 miles, no matter what pace you run! Soon enough...here comes bu buddy, M.G. at about at 8:30/mile pace. He stopped to say hi and grabbed the water i had for him. He sucked down his berry GU and went off into the last miles. I was so happy to see him and cheer him on. I know what it means to be a runner and have a pal somewhere on the course waiting for you...cheering for you. I was happy to do my small little part today. M.G. finished at 1:45 even. A great race. A great time. It's awesome to know i don't always have to be a runner to enjoy the experience. Cheers!

bodies, rest & motion

2006-11-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

Spent 2 days working out at the gym this week. Tuesday is usual gym day and I went yesterday because it was cold and very windy out. Ok. I wimped out.
But, I did get two challenging workouts in on the treadmill. Pushing myself to go faster and yesterday adding inclines at intervals while maintaning the same speed. I felt pushed, which was awesome. It hurt, but it was awesome.
I always lift afterwards and I really enjoy watching the other folks there…especially the men because they are sooo fit and muscularly defined. I love looking at the human form and seeing muscle definition, seeing veins, watching the flexing and extension of different muscles. Please don't mistake this for me liking body builders. NOTHING OF THE SORT. I like watching people pushing to strengthen themselves. I like watching a body at work, in motion.

As we head into the weekend, I am looking forward to long runs on both days. I just might run the ING Georgia Marathon in March and I need to decide soon……stay tuned.

San Music

2006-11-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

After work yesterday, went on a short run through the 'hood. Down and up the streets, mild & steeper hills. My shoes cunched the mutli-colored crispy leaves. I was without my IPOD which i don't always carry with me. Sometimes, it is just more compelling to hear my breath, my movement, and the sounds around me...even if it is the sound of traffic. Sometimes, I find, I can tune out from a rough work day by tuning in to my body as it moves along the streets. And, then of course, sometimes, I want to desperately tune out the sounds of the world and hear rocky or whitney in my ear. One is not better than another. Just different and both equally effective in taking me to another place.

3 Dot Sports Lounge

2006-11-06T05:01:00.000-08:00

Had 2 solid back to back runs on Saturday & Sunday. Sat was 6 miles & Sunday, 7 miles. Temps were COOL >> in the mid 30's. While not requiring long bottoms, I did have long sleeves on and my new ASICS Fleece Cap. Felt great to be out running longer again >> now, I am even having visions of running the ATLANTA THANKSGIVING HALF-MARATHON. Stay Tuned....

Browns did not win, but they covered the spread. YIPPEE.

Birds (FALCONS) sucked in Detroit. Consitency Fellas, Consitency....without it, the team will not be in the playoffs.

The SF GIANTS have a new coach and the free agents are out there....hopefully we will pick up some good, young players and field a solid, winning team in 2007.

Thrashers kicked ass on the road. Tonight, back in Atlanta to (hopefully) beat up on some team from Boston. :)

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, some total unknown guy from Brazil named Marilson Gomes dos Santos won the NYC Marathon in 2:09:58.
Lance Armstrong's first marathon was very good finishing in 2:59:36. Here's what he said afterwards, "Given the level of my condition, this was the hardest thing I've ever done," Considering all my Tours, even the worst days, nothing was as difficult or left me with such a sense of fatigue and so much soreness as the marathon today."

The Marathon...ahhh...you gotta love it.

BROWNS WIN, BROWNS WIN, BROWNS WIN!!!

2006-10-30T05:26:00.000-08:00

This should truly be the sports headline for the year. Somehow, the brownies found a way to keep The NEW YORK JETS at bay. YIPPEE! Man, I wish i could have been at that game!! (i even won a bet on the game. how's that for some luck!!)

On the road again...

2006-10-29T07:37:00.000-08:00

Ok. After 6 days of being cooped up and feeling ancy and angry yesterday afternoon, I "snuck out" for about a 12 minute run. Geez. About halfway through, I was so freaking dehydrated. I could barely swallow. It was amazing, really. I could still feel my body not quite ready so i went home. BUT I JUST HAD TO GET OUT AND MOVE MY BODY.

I've been replenshing my body with all kinds of liquid since i lost so much while being sick.

Waking up this morning, I could feel I was better. I was excited and happy to know I could go out again. (i'm such a geek!!)

I ran in a neighborhood I hardly ever run in cause it is not close to my house. It is near a place called the DEKALB FARMERS MARKET which has go to be the most amazing market in the world. It's indoors and has every spice, every vegetable, every, grain, etc... you could ever think of. I'm headed there to actually buy stuff to make some new recipes! (this is rare for me, folks)

Anyways, back to run....the neighborhood was FALL in all it's glory. Streets with tons of huge, overflowing trees in the midst of their change, leaves making puddles that i ran through....wonderful colors all around....yellow, orange, red....firery, woodsy, and just made me want to go home and build a fire in a fireplace i don't have. So many of the homes were decorated for halloween lending a more festive energy to the area.

The run felt soooo great even though it was soooo slow. Just under 4 miles. Most importantly, I feel like I am back. I am determined to FEED MYSELF BETTER, STRETCH BETTER!

I was so happy to be out again, feeling my feet hit the ground, listen to my breathing, notice my eyes and nose get watery from the weather, and feel the little aches as I went uphill. My physical energy is back and I could not be more delighted.

Cheers

Sick Bay

2006-10-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Have not run in 6 days. Caught some kind of bug early last week after 2 very solid runs last weekend. Missed 2 days of work and have been physically extremely weak. Hopefully, all has passed and i am now on the upswing. I had signed up to run in a little neighborhood 5k this AM, but was not able to go. I may try and get out later today and see how the body feels or just wail until tomorrow. It's amazing to feel my body so weakend. Don't like it. Like to feel healthy & strong!

Weekend Workout Report

2006-10-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday: went on a moderate 4 mile hike just outside of metro atlanta. Was awesome to be out in nature in the midst of fall. Trees are very full and just the slightest changing of colors. Part of the hike went alongside a river that did not have a whole lotta water in it. Big boulders were abound so one could walk out onto the boulders and be well into the river. It was GREAT to see and touch water again. The trail was varied; some parts were narrow with many crooked areas to navigate through; some parts were flat and wide; some parts required steep steps to get up and over an area. What struck me were the huge roots of the trees that were part of the trail. They have their own history and it continues on even as I write this; that is the thing about nature that I love…how it all just exists. We go and we see it -- we go to the beach, the mountains, wherever -- and it seems to offer us so much richness -- a calming and a bigger perspective, I find. About 14 years ago, I was on beach in Thailand -- and that water is still ebbing and flowing as I write this. The constancy of such things is comforting.

Sunday: went for a slow, easy 6.3 mile run through the neighborhood. The temperatures were a bit cool; I wore a long sleeve Under Armour top and shorts. Perfect. I know soon enough, I will be required to wear warmer bottoms & gloves. I have to say that I do love running when the temperatures are such that it makes my eyes water. I feel even more alive.

Hams and calves are still tight. Other than that, feel great. Ready to rock n roll!

This week in running

2006-10-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday workout: intervals that kicked my butt. A short workout with lots of huffing and puffing, especially since the road I was on had a gradual uphill & downhill

Wednesday workout: slow 3.5 mile through neighborhood and Piedmont Park.

My back is tight, my legs are tight; especially my IT Band on my left leg. I gotta be careful here as I do not want to get IT Band Syndrome.
My Hamstrings are very TIGHT and I AM stretching. What to do, what to do?? I feel like I need a massage all the time. Maybe I am REALLY getting old...that darn BICEPS FEMORIS!!!

Crashing in Charlotte

2006-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

One night's hotel stay before taxes & extras; $89

One scalped ticket 12 rows from end zone; $60

One hot dog; $3.50

One large garbage bag; FREE

Chance to see the team I have been loyal to for 26 years; PRICELESS

I had to get a run in before getting into the full festivities of the day. I went into the hotel gym to use the treadmill since I had absolutely no running rain gear with me. After 5 minutes on the crappy treadmill in a non-ventilated room, I said "screw this." I got my water bottle, my cap and headed out into the Charlotte rain. It was perfect, actually. Not cold at all, just some rain. I ran from the hotel and through downtown, passing by lots of parking lots filling up with fans. The first group I came upon was dressed in BROWN. I gave them a "go browns" cheer. A thrill, already. Soon, I passed Banc of America stadium and the Carolina Blue colors were showing up all over. The energy was building and building!! I fininshed my 40 min run with the last 2-3 minutes running up and down the ramp of the hotel parking garage! My blue cotton t-shirt was drenched, but I could care less. I got the run in and that is all that mattered.

Since it had still been raining when I left the hotel for the game, I had to find something to put over all my cotton clothing. As I stood waiting for the elevator, I swaped a large, gray garbage bag from the maids cart. I was set! With ripped holes for my arms and head, I made my way into Starbucks and then onto the stadium. I was a site, let me tell you! The garbage bag went all the way to the ground..so here I am in this gray monster bag, browns cap on, and Starbucks coffee in hand. I could not have been happier….grinning all the way to the stadium.

Picked up a ticket for $14.00 less than face value. Sat 12 rows from the end zone. By game start, no rain. I was so thrilled to be at the game….watching the team I have been loyal to since I was 10. They are not a good team right now and it showed. However, they DID have their chances, but like bad teams will do, they could not take advantage. Nevertheless, the experience was awesome and rewarding. It was great to be engulfed in the energy of a city who love their home team, even though I was not among them. There were plenty of browns fans around -- the orange and brown colors were plentiful in the sea of blue. It will be a long road before Cleveland has a winning club again, but until then, I, and all the other fans out there, will remain loyal. We are ridiculously hopeful, week after week; this could be the day…this could be the day….

Road Trip

2006-10-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

Decided to take a spontaneous road trip up North this weekend to Charlotte, NC. It is only about 4 hours by car from Atlanta. The Cleveland Browns are playing Carolina Panthers & I took the opportunity to come watch my team in ORANGE and BROWN. I have a brown BROWNS T-Shirt, a gray (one side), orange (other side) thick BROWNS jersey of sorts, and of course, my brown BROWNS cap. I love it. i'm ready. I'll be surrounded by white and blue fans of carolina.
Arriving yesterday, I was famished upon getting to my hotel. Before I left Atlanta, I had run in the AM and only had a bite to eat afterwards. Everything is basically downtown, so i walked from the hotel to the main areas and it was COLD accompanied by a misty light rain. Here I am, in my fleece, no hat on and my glasses. Oh well...i just kept walking. My hands were cold immediately. It was sunny and warm when i left atlanta...where the heck did this cold front come from?? Walking along, it was very quiet being a weekend day and the downtown area. I had to amuse myself at Starbucks for a bit and scarfed down a piece of their loaf bread because nothing else was open. Seriously. I was waiting around til 5pm so i could go into a restaurant. My body felt sooo out of it. I felt a little zombie-like walking around in the misty rain. I was having trouble paying attention. Finally, 5pm rolled around and i went into a nice little warm restaurant. I sat at the bar, had a glass of Sangiovese, calamari and a little gourmet pizza. I walked back to my hotel in the same misty rain, now fed and truly functional.

Today is GAME DAY. YEAH!!! It is still wet outside...perhaps a bit of a heavier rain now. I don't mind at all...i just don't have a proper coat to wear. Maybe I'll just buy a garbage bag somewhere...

In other news, it looks like my HEART picks are winning ahead of the HEAD picks in MLB PLAYOFFS. YEAH. So glad i never put real money down on the head picks. Go Detroit. Go A's. (even though they are now gonna play each other) Did anyone catch the Detroit Celebration?? I was almost in tears. They went out into the stands and shared their celebration champagne with the fans. it was crazy, wild, abandoned....it was awesome. I've never seen anything like that....!!!!!

I am now gonna go get a run in before i head to the stadium. Win or lose, i just hope its a good game. BUT, YES....let the DAWG POUND prevail!!! GO BROWNIES!!!

changes

2006-10-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

I'm following a new running schedule for about 6 weeks. I have decided to follow it to hopefull increase my speed and maintain a decent base while I figure out my bigger(longer) race plans.

Last weekend's workouts(not included in the plan which I started on Monday)

Saturday: 40 min run
Sunday: 1 hour run, 45 min bike ride

New Schedule

Tuesday: 4x800m (done on treadmill) (800m = 1/2 mile)
done at 80-85% HR Max

Woke up Wednesday and legs were soooore! Hamstrings were tight; I need to strecth more. How I wish I could afford a massage 2x a week!! The last repeat of the workout got me good. A short workout but felt great. Weights afterwards.

Today: ~~40-45 min run~~ Only did 35 min

a blog not about running

2006-10-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

With the MLB Playoffs, here are my "OFFICIAL" Predictions:

Yankees vs. Tiger:

Heart pick: Tigers.
Head/Money pick: Yankees in 4.

A's vs. Twins:

Heart pick: A's
Head/Money pick: Twins in 5

Dodgers vs. Mets

Heart pick: neither
Head/Money pick: Dodgers in an upset in 5

Padres vs. Cardinals

Heart Pick: neither
Head/Money Pick: Padres in 4

Athletes

2006-09-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Athletes I enjoy watching perform(past & present)

*in no particular order

1. Bernie Kosar - ex Cleveland Brown QB
2. Steffi Graf
3. Gabriella Sabatini
4. Martina Navratilova
5. Lance Armstrong
6. Anika Sorenstam
7. Boris Becker
8. Roger Federer
9. Greg Maddux
10. Roger Clemens
11. Barry Bonds
12. Will Clark - ex SF Giants first baseman
13. Tim Hardaway - ex Golden State Warrior basketball player
14. Rafael Nadal
15. Andy Roddick
16. Monica Seles
17. Stefan Edberg
18. Ozzie Newsome - ex Cleveland Brown Tight End
19. Warrick Dunne
20. Any of the US Womens Soccer Team from long ago; Mia Hamm, Bradi Chastain, Kristine Lilly...

FIRED UP 5K

2006-09-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

On this Saturday morning, I took part in a 5k in my neighborhood. It was the race sponsored by the Smokin' Fireman I worte about earlier. Opening my patio door while i had morning coffee, i noticed it was humid...the cool morning temperatures from the past few days were gone.
I walked/ran to the starting line as it was only a few blocks from my house. A colleague from work was suppossed to come as well, but there was no sight of him...perhaps he had an all-too-late friday night and just could not nudge himself outta bed. Oh well...there were plenty of other folks there...not a huge crowd, but a good sized crowd to start the weekend off by sweating, grunting, and climbing up and down the hilly streets of Virginia-Highlands. I expected the hills, but the course was still a challenge. I got a good start and kept a solid pace throughout. I pushed as much as i could on the hills, and just when i was done with one, another one was only a few yards away! These shorter races are so different from a marathon. They are quick and painful throughout, but the pain is different...i could feel my thighs absolutely burning and i was aching for more water than the little sip i took at mile 1.5. Not enough water on a hilly course, in humidity. I ended up COMING IN 3RD PLACE IN MY AGE GROUP: WOMEN 30-35. Yeah ME. My time was 26:25. Not bad at all given course conditions. But, to just give some reference to the time for the distance, earlier this year, I ran the same distance in 25:06; nearly a minute and a half faster. On a flat course, my best time is 24:44 and before the year is out, i would like to break that time.
For my efforts, I received a neat "medal" of sorts and of course, another T-Shirt. Lastly, I have one more BIB number to add to my growing piece of art.
Here's to the next challenge....

Scenes to remember, inspire...

2006-09-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

2 of my favorite scenes from movies(as it relates to sport/training, etc...)

1)Rocky IV

The scene is when Rocky goes to Russia to train and decides to train in the middle of nowhere. His is full of doubt and grief and is pushed by his team and himself to keep going, train harder, push, push, push...it's awesome.

2)Miracle

The scene is when the hockey coach is trying to prove a point to his players and makes them get on the ice and do sprint repeats. Up and back they go...line after line. up and back. Up and back. They are winded, they are spitting, they are moaning. They cannot believe it each time the coach yells, "again". They are nearly falling over. As a first time viewer of the movie, I was uncomfotable in this scene, which i think speaks to its power. Finally, a kid yells out his own name. He says, "my name is so and so and I play for the United States of America"

It was a phenomenal scene of transformation. The team, the players, were finally understanding the gravity, the privelege, the importance of playing hockey in the Olympics and representing their country.

Recent Workouts..

2006-09-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sat
12 mile bike
1.5 mile run

Sun
6 mile run
8 mile bike

Wed
27 min run
fast, hills!

Thurs
28 min fartlek run,
5 min pace, followed by 1 min minute sprint, repeats

Sat
10 mile bike
1.5 mile run

Some good workouts lately. Not heavy in quantity per workout, but good quality.
I'm headed in the direction on duathalons. Will be boosting my workouts. Tomorrow, may not have time for both ride/run & if that ends up being the case, I will just run.

A Smokin' Fireman...

2006-09-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

After the end of a run recently, I was in the heart of my neighborhood. I ended there so I could get newspaper and walk home which is about 1/2 mile away. When I ended at a particular street corner, I noticed a man in uniform walking behind me. There I am, kneeling over, trying to catch my breath from the run and this guy says to me, "you running in our 5k"? I then realize he is a fireman and is walking across the street to his firehouse? "when is it?," I say. "Sept 23rd." fireman answers. "Sure", I say. He then pulls out a CIGARRET and lights up. I couldn't believe it. I'm totally energized and say, "whoa, what's THAT?" "I know...i know..." He says. Fireman then went into the firehouse to retrieve some fliers. He comes back out and talks about how the race is for a scholarship program for a local high school.I'm not really listening to what he is saying...i'm still stuck on the irony of seeing a fireman smoke...i don't know...something just seemed very odd about that picture. (he was also african-american, which when you take race and smoking into consideration, is just adding to his risk factors for a disease.)I said I would run the race, but I told him, semi-jokingly, that he had to work on the smokin' thing.

Sunday

2006-09-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

After running fast, short miles on the treadmill and longer runs last weekend in California, I was in for a rude awakening this morning as I set out for 6 or more. Though it wasn't hot, it was still humid and it wacked me down. I made sure I ate well last night, had no alcohol, had a good nights sleep. Perfect set-up for a good run. Nope. It was a treacherous and measely 5.7 miles. Damn you, humidity. I guess I had it pretty good while in Ca. last week when I ran 8, no problem.

HOWEVER, still felt great afterwards and after buying a bike pump today, I will be all set for my ride tomorrow. Have no idea how far I will go...i'm just gonna go!

After coming home from the run and feeding T2's cats, I walked in and quickly turned on the TV to watch Agassi at The US OPEN. Not a great match, but a thrill to watch hime one more time. Hopefully some of you reading this caught his few words to the fans afterwards which was tear-filled, genuine, and humble. I have steadily followed him and will miss watching him as I miss watching Steffi. Thank goodness there are still good and interesting players to wacth on the mens side, because the women's side has me a bit sleepy.

Petaluma, CA

2006-08-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend, i have been staying about 1 hour north of San Fran in a town you may or may not be familiar with...

Petaluma

(infamous for things such as the tragic adbuction and killing of POLLY KLASS and more recently, the brief stay here years ago by KARR...what is this place, child abduction, etc...central??)

NOW, to give a much better picture of this wonderful town...first and foremost, it is home of my best friend and her wonderful partner. it is also basically at the foot of sonoma county and gateway to the wine country. this is an old cow and chicken town that has come of age. the west side is more developed than the east side which is populated with quaint tree lined streets, victorian homes sprinkled about and hilly, windy streets. You are likely to find an old chicken coop on one street and million dollar homes on the next.

Downtown is filled with old antique stores, used bookstores, upscale california, all organic dining establishments, PEETs Coffee, cute little shops with high end items and affordable items. the folks here are friendly; i passed many people on my runs and everyone had some kind of acknowledgement; "hello", "hi", or "good morning". So pleasant! So refreshing! It's a wonderful mix and new and old. The old is quaint and a sunday can feel very slow, quiet, and dreamy...especially on days when the temperatures hover around 75 degrees with a faint breeze. one gets a delightful feeling of closeness and community as you stroll around downtown.

NOW...i've had 2 runs while staying here. One was a quick 3 miler from best fiends house on the top of a hill, through the west side neighborhoods, downtown & back again. a quickie done early morning with temps about 55-60 degrees. cool, but refreshing...especially from the ATL. Today, Sunday, I went for a much longer run. Best Friend and I drove to her gym on the other side of town where she went inside and I stayed outside. I said, "I'll meet you back at the house."
Basically, I ran all around Petaluma....running through old areas that used to house lots of land with overgrown rush and cool-looking yet abandoned wooden buildings from old farms. The area is all newly developed with clean streets and nice, cookie-cutter homes. Not my thing, but hey, it IS for someone else. After long flat stretches that took my passed a community college, a baptist church, stores and homes, I was actually itching for some hills. It's become kinda tough to run STRICTLY flat for miles and miles as the pavement gets to my hips. I crossed over an overpass and headed for the east side hills. Relieved and refreshed by the varied terrain, i zig-zagged my way up the hills to my friends place that overlooks the entire city and the mountains in the distance. Temps were again very cool and though i did work up quite a sweat from today's 8 miler, at least i wasn't chafing and burning from the heat and humidity.

busted out

2006-08-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

and ran 10.5 last Saturday. Was especially gratifying because I thought I had only done 9. When I drove the course later in the day, I realized I had run 10.5 including some HILLS

For Today..

2006-08-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat

caught in the rain

2006-08-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

last night, on a short and fast run (which is what i have been doing more of lately), i got caught in a light southern thunderstorm. how refeshing it was to run in the rain and feel the drops fall on my face and muddy up my eyeglasses. i could have cared less. it was great.
2 days ago, i ran in the park and instead of running in on the pavement, i tried to run as much as i could on the grassy-edge areas. I had forgotten how hard it hard rained the night before and as i stepped, my feet sunk into the muddy grass. my orange trail adidas were caked with brown and i just had to laugh. even the back of my calves became sprayed with mud. it was nice to "play" again.

there is a great line from an old book i once had:

"the world is round and a messy mortal is my friend; come walk with me in the mud."

I don't own an umbrella and won't. i love to get "hit" with the rain. it's life. it's real. do i really need to protect my head, my clothes?? no...not, really

a leak in the belly

2006-08-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

Robert Bly wrote a book called "FIRE IN THE BELLY" and I have always loved that title! I will often think of that phrase to decribe something i am experiencing or feeling. Well, right now, there is a LEAK IN MY BELLY. What i mean by this is that the fire is not ON FIRE for my marathon training, right now. This last weekend, i experienced something i have never experienced while training for a marathon.

I wanted to stop.

Mentally, I just couldn't push anymore. Because, regardless of the physical pain, at this point, IT IS ALL MENTAL. The physical pain is not just about the one run on any given day...it's because you are runnning day after day in various conditions and it builds upon itself.

The wanting to stop is not just about the marathon, though. I have had serious realizations lately about the way i have constructed my life and it has been overwhelming. One of the starkest realizations i have had is TRULY understanding what an incredibly high threshold of pain i have and endure in my life. While some of this is good, some of it is just unhealthy. Unhealthy especially when i look at the level of pain experienced versus the level of pleasure experienced.

if my heart was truly in this marathon, the mental warrior that i know i am, would show up and follow on. But, for the first time, my heart truly is not in this and I cannot push. Could I try to keep pushing, make it to the starting line and finish line? SURE. I know i can. But, the point is...I DON'T WANT TO. The fire in my belly for this is not there, RIGHT NOW.

I am very in tune with my body and while coming to this decision was heartbreaking in the moment, I feel i am listening to a bigger part of me...a voice that is trying to get me to listen.

Something that is telling enough is that i only signed up for the marathon. I did not book my flight or my hotel or any other arrangements.....

I am still working out, but not with that particular goal in mind and not following the rigid schedule it requires.

This would have been my 5th marathon. It will have to wait. for now.

On sunday, as i was trying to run 17 miles, the battle within myself began about mile 6 and i went back and forth in mhy head. I stopped. I got angry. I started again. My shoulders slumped. I stoppped. I got angry and frustrated again. I started and finished until mile 8. I stopped. I stopped my watch and said, "that's it."

We'll see what flows from here. I am at peace with the decision. I will keep posting...it will just be a bit different.

Thanks for listening.

relief on the roads

2006-08-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

after 2 consecutive days of running on the treadmill (4 miles tues, 5 miles wed), i actually found myself relieved to run outside in the burning heat yesterday. 4.3 miles. on schedule. done.

it was a refresher to actually be outside for a bit because i have not been able to get out for lunch this week at work. cooped up inside and then going to the gym two days in a row was just too much of the INDOORS.

i had to see the trees, feel myself sweat from natures doing, and feel the varied terrain. of course, the first few miles on the treadmill were a relief as well, but 9 miles in two days on that apparatus was a challenge.

looking forward to the weekend morning long runs and being the crazy fool i am.

cheers.
train hard
train smart

a small sigh of relief...

2006-07-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

after posting last night, i caught some of the evening news showing the authorities had in fact arrested a man in the murder of the cyclist woman mentioned in prior post. a sigh of relief did wash over me and then of course, the rest of the emotions...anger, sadness, and apprehension. apparently, the woman fought back very hard and inflicted wounds on the guy before finally falling by his sick hands. (see,

Trinity2

for more helpful defense tips!) Good for this woman for trying like hell to get away! Good for this woman for trying like hell to save her own life while someone else tries to take it away.

before i went to bed last night, i was reading and looking at my new triathlete magazine. when i woke this morning i had a good boost of energy and felt ready to go. reading and seeing the athletes in magazines always gives me a little bit of extra pep. as i ran from my house and thur various neighborhoods of the city, my mind wandered to the sad story i have been mentioning. i was thinking about what i would do if i was attacked. obviously, i would fight like hell and try to get away and if i was going down, i would do all i could to make sure my attacker would be in bad shape before i let out a last gasp. they had better be prepared to leave me for dead because that is the only way they would survive. yes, as i mentioned to Trin, i have thought of owning a gun. i won't...but yes, i have thought of it. it's strange for me to even have that thought as i am very anti-violence. (i know it doesn't seem like it from this post) But, we are talking about my life, your life, OUR LIVES!

I was thinking about why i have been so disturbed by this news...by this particular death, especially when the dying are all around us...every day in the newspapers, IRAQ, ISRAEL, LEBANON, your city, my city, adults being killed, kids being killed, etc...senseless deaths all over the place. So, why this one? why did this get to me so much. I came to realize because this happened to someone who is part of "my community". No, I did not know her. But, she trained on the same road where i have logged many, many miles over the past 5 years. The Silver Comet Trail has been on of the perfect places for training. It's amazingly beautiful, especially now, in the heart of summer with it's lush, huge, hovering trees and pockets of shade. It's even beautiful in the the dead of winter when the trees are barren and there is a beautiful silence out there. I have always loved going out there on cold, rainy, winter mornings...only to find a few straglers out there like myself, pushing oursleves not matter what the conditions are. If you have followed my posts, you know that running is like a haven for me. It is almost a sacred experience..especially undergoing lots of training for a specific goal. So, it's no doubt that i am enraged by all of this and saddened by it. Fear and apprehension have tarnished something. Of course, I will go to the trail again. But, it will never be quite the same.

Nevertheless, I did have a pretty good run today. I passed some many people milling about on the saturday morning and it made me happy. i thought of tahoe and i felt thrilled to be out training for my goal. i am about 1/2 way through the training. the second 1/2 will be demanding, but i am ready. bring it on.

may we all be safe and cherish our moments. cheers!

death of a stranger

2006-07-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

for those of you not living in GA....a sad story emerged locally yesterday where the body of a missing woman was found on the Silver Comet Trail. if you have read my posts, you might remember that i frequent the trail almost every weekend for my long runs. the woman had been cycling in mid-day on moday and did not come home. she was murdered. obviously, reading news of this was shocking and very sad. though i am all too familiar with death of those close to me, i was still very distrubed by this news. i felt outrage at the person(s) who would do such an act. the trail has always been a safe place for me and a very well-populated place on the weekends. it's been a godsend for those of us who want to go exercise our bodies, minds, & spirits. just a few months ago, a woman had been attacked on the trail and thankfully, got away. it's so sad to me that we have to live in fear of another human being intentionally hurting us. won't death naturally knock on our door soon enough? i just don't get it...i don't understand the utter sickness of some people... Instead of going to the trail alone and losing myself in my music and/or the steps of my feet and the rhythm of my own breathing, i will likely not go there for a while. i hate that choice, but i just feel awful about it all. for the time being, i will stick the the pavement and city streets of atlanta. i, actually, feel the wind sucked out of me. i hope to wake tomorrow, fresh and ready. i hope to remember that while i am training for a specific goal, that this should also be fun. maybe i will find a sprinkler i can run through...

post run

2006-07-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

“You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again.”

-Pat Riley, coach of Miami Heat

Well, the above quote kinda sums up today's test. The goal was 15 and I only made about 12.5. What happened? Where was the breakdown? A few things come to mind: mentally, i was not as strong as i know i can be. i allowed myself to slip. physically, my body is tiring as it will with all these miles. I know to expect it, so know i need to focus more on recovery and make sure I am eating enough and enough of the right things. That's about all it is: mental and physical. the question for me is: why did i slip mentally? why was i not the dogged determined force i know i can be when called upon in situations like today? these are questions i will ask myself and find an answer. i know this amy sound maybe too serious, but this is who i am. this is what i put my energy into, this is my passion. i love the training because more than anything, it allows me to reflect after every run. i get to study myself. I am fortunate that i have the time to do this. Because, beieve it or not, the marathon training, is a micrcosm of life. it's a mirror. it shows me where i am great and where i suck. it brings pain and pleasure. it brings tears of joy and tears from aches, pains, and personal disappointments. it teaches patience, strategy and shows me the opportunity to be my own hero. it is so much more than "going out for a run", for me.
for the most part, each time i change my clothes into running gear: shorts, asics shoes, socks, nike coolmax shirt and vaious colors of bandanas, i am transformed. i get-a-way from the duties of life and have another day, another chance, to experience myself and find out more and more about the person i am. this is my playing field, my lab, my monastery.
cheers

it's not all fun & games...

2006-07-23T04:02:00.000-07:00

it's exactly 7:00am on sunday. i woke at 6:15am and lingered in bed...not wanting to get up. That's right. Today marks the first day of this training period where i actually did not want to get up and go run. Invariably, I will have these moments as every weekend morning(especially in the summer) is locked in and dedicated to my feet hitting the pavement. Let's see...what could be happening? Well, last week's 14 miler was brutal. painful. Today, I've got to run 15 so, of course, I want to go out again and experience the pain from before! (marathon runners are crazy, masochists) It's not even that i don't want to run, I just want the option to run later in the day. BUT THIS DAMN HEAT TAKES AWAY THAT OPTION. Sure, i could wait until noon to run the 15, but i am confident that somehow i would not finish and the disappointment of not finishing a long training run is not fun to sit with until the next one rolls along. So, this is what i am gonna do: GET MY BUTT OUT THERE NOW

Cheers

weekday relief

2006-07-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

RELIEF:

The easing of a burden or distress, such as pain, anxiety, or oppression.
Something that alleviates pain or distress

As we all know, the current and recent days/weeks past, we have experienced obscene heat conditions. (please note: i do love the heat/humidity, BUT THIS HAS BEEN NUTS)
I decided, for my own best interest, that i really needed some relief from the city streets and got a 7 day pass to a gym i am looking at joining. The first bit of relief was just going to the gym and having a pleasant time being a visitor. So many times, i am practically accosted by the salespeople who want my money to join their sooo-overpriced gym.(i don't need a tour, don't need them to explain the amenities, don't need them to walk me through the sheet with all their different pricing...uugghh, I hate all that stuff.And of course, the person is usually some twig of a girl who doesn't even look like she has ever sweated in her life or some huge honking guy who wears weights as part of his attire) Ok. So. The gym as totally NOT LIKE THIS. Very casual...c'mon in. Dressing room over there. Here are our prices if you want to join after 7 day free pass. OK. bye. Great. How pleasant!!!! RELIEF.

The next bit of relief came from running on the treadmill INSTEAD OF HILLS/HEAT/HUMIDITY. (i had to fight off my inner-critic of telling me i was weak for not running outside...a constant battle) I had a TV screen and i watched/listened to the Tour de France. Man, that was added inspiration. Those guys are just horses! Amazing. The demanding ALPS and they just climb & climb.

I pushed for a good 4 miles on the treadmill and what a relief it was to actually GO FAST again..so often, i feel like i am just slugging it out & shuffling my feet in these weather conditions. RELIEF!
The next day, I went back to gym and did another 6 on treadmill. A little bit harder to stay focused for that long, but again, i had help with the TOUR in my face!

& finally--the best kind of relief came yesterday when i plucked my tired and sore body down on the massage table & let myself be temporarily healed

Cheers

weekend runs

2006-07-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

i'm so fatigued right now, i don't even feel like writing...however this has become as much as a "journal" entry of sorts as it is a way to communicate with others....
the weekend runs were to be 7 on Saturday and 14 Sunday. Saturday, I headed out early, but not wicked early -- about 9am. 8 minutes into it and i was already feeling it in my legs. I think my body just took a beating with the 3 runs this past week on tues, wed, thurs...all after work in the wonderful atlanta heat and humidity. while i felt strong during the weekday runs, i was pretty pooped when i wasn't running. So, back to saturday...I took a route that had some hills and some areas of town that were more on the grungy side. I actually like running in the grunge areas cause it reminds me where i came from(poor neighborhood) and makes me motivated and thankful for where i am in my life and what i am capable of. However, the mileage was tough. My legs were tight and tired. I ended up only doing about 6.3 and called it a day. I have had enough training now to know when to push, when not to and so i was ok with the .7 less than what was called for on my schedule. 2 years ago, i would have been pissed at myself and may have gotten down on myself. GROWTH!
After a great dinner at a local restaurant and a good nights sleep, I woke today ready for the 14 miles on the Silver Comet Trail. I specifically went slower than usual(as is usual on longer runs) and felt like I got into a good groove pretty quick. Again, I started at 9am, but it was already very humid out. I had to stop at the 4.2 mile area to use the restroom and as i started up again, i could feel my legs were just heavy. Physically, i could have just stopped there. Of course, there was no way in hell my mental self would allow that to happen. Let me say this: i am one determined bastard!! So. I ran on. I sucked down my vanilla powergel and once i hit the 7 mile marker, I was half way done and turned around to head back to the start. One of the advantages of running this trail so often is that i know every spot, every mile marker and landmarks, like bridges, tunnels, etc. When i feel like i am losing focus, i think of those things to help me get back in line. When i passed the 4.2 mile mark on the return phase, i was thinking, "ok. easy. you've done 10 miles. 4 more to go. easy-peazy". Well, it was so far from EASY-PEAZY. let me tell you. I thought of stopping at mile 12. I thought of stopping at mile 13. But, I just couldn't. I came to run 14 damnit and i was going to run it. I didn't care how long it took me to run the last 1-2 miles, i just wanted to finish.
And I did, 14 strong.
When i finished, I took my green bandana off my head, drenched it in cold water and put it on my face. AHHH. refreshing. My shirt and shorts were completely drenched from sweat. The chafing under my bra and between my legs hurts like hell. I am walking crroked and gingerly. But, every minute, it is worth it.
I took myself out for pancakes afterwards to refuel.
The training is so much harder than the marathon itself. Race day is almost like a celebration. To me, crossing the finish line means everything. I have known no greater personal joy than when i cross the finish line of a marathon. It's an amazing and overwhelming feeling of personal achievement. Utter joy.
Cheers

a sentimental fool...

2006-07-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

this is one of my favorite tracks. I'm very sentimental about it actually. A great place for workouts and reflection.

Kezar Stadium
SF, CA

my haven....

2006-07-13T04:55:00.000-07:00

92 degrees for yesteday's run. i elected to go to the track at Agnes Scott College. There were only a few people there WALKING their laps. I wanted to do 4 miles. As I began, I felt good, and felt the reprieve from the prior days' hills. How refreshing to be on flat land!! Round and around I went and to be honest, i loved it. Some days it is hard to run just miles on the track, obviously...it can be boring and sometimes, i think "how can i even make 2 miles out here". However, I just got into such a groove today (with no music on my ears!) It was awesome. My surrouding ewre beautiful...green lush grass with towering trees on the track perimeter...and contrasting with the blacktop track. it's beautiful, really. Agnes Scott is a beautiful campus. It's quiet, serene and a bit tucked away from city life. As i rounded my final laps, I felt gratitude for this place. Tracks have always been a special place for me...a haven of sorts..for many years. I have gone to so many in different places to train and i find it a wonderful place for reflection. Often times, there is no one there and if they are, there is a respectfulness i feel is exchanged. it's as if i was going to church on any other day but sunday and just sitting in a pew...and seeing other people there too...praying or what not. We wouldn't dare disturb one another. The track is a special and sacred place for me...whether i am running intervals or running miles.
And for an extra special treat, at the end of the 4 miles, i took off my shoes and walked barefoot on the grass for a cooldown....one of my absolute favorite things to do....ahhh...simpple pleasures...

this and that...

2006-07-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

what i am currently wearing on most days

what i wear for the trails..

...and top listening songs on my IPOD (not in any particular order)

1) no more drama -- mary j. blige
2) rocky
3) plastic dreams -- jaydee
4) i've been waiting -- a mix by dido
5) bizarre love triangle - new order
6) black horse & a cherry tree -- kt unstall

almost 69

2006-07-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

ok. not that kind. geez...where are your minds at!!! :)

this was what we call a "pull-back" week in marathon training. i am following a schedule where the weekly mileage increases for 2 weeks, pulls back 1 week, increases for 2, etc....so, this weekend, I only had to run 6 on sat. and 9 on sun. saturday's run was weird. i didn't feel into it AT ALL. I actually felt sick, like i was going to vomit. strange. anyways, it took me about 3 miles before I felt normal and then, i only had 3 to go. the last 2 miles were the best. i felt strong and went strong up some hills.

sunday, i decided to run from my house again instead of going to the trail. (the trail is flat, roads around my house nothing but hills) My rationale was that if i run 9 miles of hills today, i will have a long, hilly run under my belt and the more the better. last Sunday's 12 miler (flat) felt almost too easy. so. i went out. not hot today, but more humid than i would have thought. again, my blue nike shirt and patagonia shorts were sopping wet early on. I do love to run through the city on sundays...there is hardly anyone out. streets are barren and quiet...i feel like i can see better, hear better, notice everything better. love that.
the first 35 minutes were all up/down and it just felt tough. i knew the route, but still, my quads were FEELING IT. I sucked down a vanilla powergel around 40 minutes and tried to kick it in for the next half. I was thinking of the wimbledon match i had watched earlier between Federer and Nadal...good match. I don't need extra inspiration, but these guys inspire me nonetheless with their athleticism, determination, fire, class, passion and WILL. I get fired up and ya know, it was easy to get fired up as i sat there on my couch. It was more difficult as i was on mile 7 of this hilly route. I just tried to stay focused and keep breathing, keep moving my feet; one foot in front of the other...
I ended up stopping at 1 hour 23 min. 8.5 miles. Almost 9. Almost enough.
I knew i was short and just had to be ok with it. I could have pushed it, but i didn't. My legs and really my entire body, has felt fatigued all week...maybe it was the traveling?? I have a heavy mileage week coming up. Tomorrow is rest day and then I'll hit it again on Tuesday.

Whatever you are doing...try your best. Sweat. Let it burn in your eyes. Feel the pain and then relish the effort afterwards.

hits and misses while running

2006-07-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

things that i love and that drive me nuts while i am out on the road:

HITS

1) finding a water fountain just when i need it
2) long downhills
3) discovering new places, paths
4) being inspired by fellow runners
5) having a song come on IPOD right when i need it most
6) running through puddles/fields

MISSES

1) when a car sees i am coming and continues to turn right in front of me
2) when anyone honks..even friends. please, don't honk. it's so jolting!
3) when i have to go to the bathroom (if you catch my drift)
4) when the sidewalk in front of me is crowded with people and they make no attempt to move even a little.
5) when i get lost, have no water, have to go to bathroom and it's hot. not a good combo.

a quickie...

2006-07-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

ran a bit of a different route this morning. sore legs. about 3 miles through downtown denver. ran through 3 small college campuses and very near Invesco Field - home of Denver Broncos (who I dislike with a passion because they beat my beloved Cleveland Browns 3 years in a row in the AFC Championship games.... :( many tears! ) Nothing too exciting to report about the run except that again, I felt no real effects of higher altitude. Maybe it doesn't kick in unless you've been running past 2 hours or something??? I'm just glad to be on schedule and feeling pretty good about it all. I've got to make plane reservations for Big Blue...Lake Tahoe. Yea C'MON!

mile high momemtum

2006-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

had my very first run in denver, co this morning. i had no idea what to expect given the thin air. my quick trip here comes at a perfect time since i will be running tahoe in 3 short months. what a great opportunity to see how my body reacts to the different climate.

with the assistance of the hotel staff, i found a route where i could easily make my way back to the hotel after anywhere from 3-6 miles. i ran alongside Cherry Creek, which has a cement trail alongside the actually creek. saw a few fellow runners, cyclists, and homeless folks as i cruised along. although it was only mid 60's, i was dying of thirst. i had no water and where was i gonna get some? no water faucets in sight! i contemplated drinking from the creek...but i decided my chances of getting some bug and landing in the local hospital might be more than 50%, so i took a pass. much too nice of a day to be gettin' sick.
i went to street level and quickly turned in to a gas station/convenience store and took some slurps from the women's bathroom sink. ok. good to go.

I noticed that other than the water issue, i was crusing along pretty well. i was surprised, actually. was it the flat streets of denver? was it the rest i got yesterday? was it cooler temps and no humidty? has living in atlanta really paid off to the degree that i feel so much better in cooler temps? or coulf it possibly be the thin air of this mile high city??
that's just another neat part about the training...the reflection, the questioning, the inquisition of the body and what makes it tick. mentally, i feeel incredibly strong. and physically, i am getting better and better...

after the run, i went into the hotel "gym", lifted a bit and played a little basketball. i love the swoosh of the ball in the net. what a great sound....swoosh. or is it swish?

happy 4th, be safe and have thrills.

SGT. FUNTANILLA

2006-07-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

ahhhh...yesterday was a 12 miler --back on the trusty Silver Comet Trail. 6 out and back. I don't know what the heck happened betweeen having coffee at home in the A.M. to beginning the run about 1 1/2 later at 9am. As I began my run, i realized what a crappy mood i was in. I wasn't excited to be running, wasn't motivated, wasn't driven...was just kind of BLAH. AND I HATE THAT CAUSE I AM NOT A BLAH PERSON. I had a difficult time focusing, even with my IPOD tunes in my ear. As I ran those first few miles, i just wanted to stop. I was in such a foul mood. I don't know why really...just maybe one of those times...then, my music started to really annoy me and i took off my headphones and just listened to everything else around me; the fellow runners, cyclists, dogs, birds,, women walking & talking, and then settleing in to just listen to my body, my breathing, my feet hitting the trail. finally, i found my rthythm and was on cruise control until about mile 9. I had sucked down a PowerGel at mile 8, which usually gives me a good boost, but by mile 9-10, i was starting to falter and cramp up a bit. Amazing how the change happens so fast. I was comfortable running along and then, BAM!..the pain is alerady there. And that is when this SGT. Funtanilla kicked in inside my head. I have no idea where it came from...maybe the coach deep inside of me...the total motivator...but this was more unforgiving and tough than a coach. (hence, Sergeant) This was the one thought that my inner voice kept saying to me: "you think you deserve to be out here? you think you got what it takes? well, c'mon then, c'mon". Again and Again, that was the voice. Each time it played in my head, i just got more and more pissed off and determined to stay strong and finish strong.
And I did. 12 strong.

That's the beauty of the training. I never know what it will be to help me get though it.

While i disagree with the military and war, etc....i think i would have done just fine in boot camp. i am one tough bastard, let me tell ya.

Give me an H...

2006-06-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

so, yesterday's route was somewhere different. i did not want to run from my house as i need different sights now and again. i parked in a supermarket parking lot, from where i could run and return to do my dinner shopping. (look at me, combining trips, saving gas, etc...go me!)
i carried my trusty water bottle as the temps were far from cool. i made my way through decatur, zig-zagging my way through this quaint little downtown area and then headed toward it's outskirts. i found my way to columbia dr. and headed south. once i passed the Seminary and it's manicured lawns and soothing architecture, i hung a right on Kirk Ave. A quick, short uphill followed by a sweet downhill only to be followed by a long, steep, uphill. i climbed and climbed and climbed some more. finally, i get to the top..only to see a short reprieve before i headed northwest on candler ave and by sweet Agnes Scott College (where were the women??) While the hill up to the college is not steep, it is long and still has an incline to trudge up. I pass the school and again make my way through downtown decatur --finishing up at my vehicle. The parking lot was right next to a cemetary. As i clung to the fence to catch my breath and stretch, i was looking right at the headstones and plots of those lives who have been lost..those whose bodies have left this earth by one way another. I gave a silent thank you to god, to the spirits above that have kept me alive and well. May I use this body well. Wear it out and have nothing left when my day comes. until then, i will keep pushing, climbing, sweating, cheering, moaning, gasping, and shouting.

tough track

2006-06-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

yesterday, i decided to get a track workout in. it has been cooler temps the past few days...meaning, not in the 90's. i went to a local nearby high school and took aim at the oval beast. it went like this:

2 warm up laps = 4:19

4 x 400 @ 1:40 each (with a recovery of equal time between each lap)

cool down lap

5 minutes of stairs.

by the end, i was huffing and puffing, but happily so. the 400's were tough. about halfway through each lap, i was ready to stop. i had to find extra gears each time around. i pumped my arms harder and focused on my breathing. what i love is that i need no external motivation to get me there or to get me to go harder. the motivation comes from within. this is what i get to do; this is what i want to do. it is so much more than just a running thing....

gotta have some fun...

2006-06-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

sunday long

2006-06-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

sunday, cooler temps, but humid. there was a thunderstorm last night and more forecasted for today, but none this morning. my weary body made its way to the trailhead of Silver Comet and the parking lots were already full. I had my gear on and headed out, hoping to make a good 11 miles. 5.5 out and back. Surprisingly, I was cruising along much better than i had imagined. i was steady and paid much attention to my posture and focused more on looking ahead instead of looking down, which i do much too often. lots of folks out today, especially cyclists. the trail was beautiful and fresh and dark with the trees hanging in the middle of the trail. last nights storm was a bit forceful and lots of leaves, sticks, and other debris were scattered along the trail.
during the return phase, i came across a family of 4; mom and infant and little boy and girl. the little girl reminded me of myself or prehaps more, my little sister as a child. she looked mexican with tan skin and jet black hair that was neatly combed and braided into a braid ponytail. she was dressed in denim shorts, white sneakers and a white top. her wrist was adorned with many bracelets. as i approached nearer, she began running herself and stayed in front of me. she looked strong and determined. about 1/4 mile later, she stopped. i said, "c'mon, you can't quit just cause it's getting hard. c'mom" she stood there looking at me for a long while while i ran off. i got the feeling she didn't start again not because she couldn 't , but that maybe she was getting too far from her family. i was bummed. i wanted her to keep going.

in times like these, i feel urges to coach again. maybe, just maybe....

don't rain on my parade

2006-06-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

this will be a bit of a different post(just to let you know right from the get-go). this morning's run was in 70 degree weather, but humidity levels were up! not even ten minutes into it and i am sweating. run was slow and deliberate as i wanted to make sure i got in a good 6 miles around the neighborhoods near my house. i deliberately chose a route that would take me into the heart of midtown and by piedmont park as this weekend is gay pride and i expected people to be out and about already..even at 930am...i figured there would be a buzz around the area and just kinda wanted to check it out. let me preface all i am about to say next by mentioning that although i am a lesbian, i am far from being in the closet and i am just as far from being out and in anyones face about my sexuality. i simply exist. i am not ashamed of who i am or who i chose to love, but i also do not flaunt it or make it a priority for anyone to know. and as far as being politically active or anything of the sort, i am quiet. like i said, i simly exist. i believe in fairness, equality and freedom.
so. as i entered the heart of midtown and what i consider to me the heart of gaytown here in atlanta (10th/piedmont) i come across a bunch of young and older men who were holding signs. my first thought was that they were gay men who were protesting the upcoming gubernatorial race betweeen cathy cox and mark taylor. i thought they were holding signs to say "boycott the vote" since both candidates are shunning the gay pride festivities this weekend and cox did a turnabout on her support of gay marriage. anyways, as i ran closer to the men and saw what the signs said, i saw they were not gay, but ANTI-GAY, white, bible-thumping, christian men ranting and raving about god this and god that and sin this and sin that. there was even a guy with an intercom spewing things that i didn't even take the effort to try to hear what he was saying. one of the signs said :"god didn't create boys to grow up to be gay". there was only about 15 protesters...but i was shocked to see them, right there in th heart of mid/gay town. talk aout raining on a parade! i shook my head in disgust and as i waited for the light to change, i said to one of them, "don't you have anything better to do?"

like i said earlier, i am not very politically acitve and am generally low key in my lifestyle. i don't even go to gay functions very much...i hadn't even planned on going to gay pride weekend/festivities this weekend. nevertheless, those protesters truly pissed me off. i mean, really, have you nothing better to do? i don't ever see gay protesters showing up at straight events and pulling out there protesting signs...i mean, what year is this? this is 2006. get with the freaking program people. who is anyone to tell anyone else who they can love? that is the bottom line. no one. no one has that right.. we are free people, part of the human race, bleed just like everyone else, hurt just like everyone else and love just like eveyone else. don't fucking stand on a street corner and tell me what is right and wrong. who gave them the authority to come out and judge those of us in the community?

i wanted to stand there and tell the protester guy that if he really wanted to do some goood christian work, why doesn't he go stand up for some kid who is getting the crap beaten out of him, or go help clean up a junkie a few miles away or go cure all the white male members of the clery who are constantly in the news for sexual assualt. don't stand in the middle of midtown on a beautiful saturday morning, on the cusp of atlanta's gay pride weekend and rain on our parade...

but oh, i forgot, i said i was for freedom...which also mean freedom of speech. damn!

quote of the day

2006-06-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

If you want to run, then run a mile. If you want to experience another life, run a marathon

-Emil Zatopek

wheels...

2006-06-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

on my past two runs, we've had temps in the low-mid 90's. humidity has been low. both running days went much better than expected and to what do i attribute that? well, it could be one of several things: 1) the choc. chip clif bars i've been eating before hand have some extra kick in them 2)i'm running A LOT slower than usual 3) someone has slipped something in my cofee or 4) i am getting stronger, better, etc...
I'll take any and all of the above for reasons. I don't care what it is...all i know is the runs have not felt too strenuous, which is refreshing.

yesterday's run was the higher of the two day temps --somewhere in mid 90's and by my watch, every 3-4 minutes, i was taking sips of the ice cold water i carried.

i ran through the (upper class) area of my neighborhood where the streets are wide and the large, green leafy trees are plentiful. the lawns are well manicured and the streets are well-kept. on this hot, late afternoon, i was more than grateful that i was not running in sacramento or bakersfield, where, believe me, trees are sparse and the dry heat with no shade will absolutley flatten you like the pancake terrain you run on. those cities are flat and barren of the lushness that atlanta has to offer.

during the later part of the run, i noticed a man in wheelchair across the street apparently waiting for a bus. i looked over at him a few times and the first thought that comes to mind was: how can i not run? how can i not keep going and SEE what i can do? how can i not go when there are those who absolutely cannot! how can i not run TAHOE? How can i not go out west and challenge myself on the higher altitude terrain of that beautuiful city? I want to run...for the guy in the wheelchair and for everyone else who CANNOT. Here i go....

finding rituals...

2006-06-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

one of the things i enjoy is finding rituals via training. a few times now, i have combined training with a trip to the wonderful Dekalb Farmers Market. Sundays seem to be the day this works best. Today, I ventured out and parked near an entry onto the path. While running, my mind drifts toward many things of course, but one of the thoughts becomes the building of my grocery list; Wallaby Vanilla yogurt, some kind of meat, salad fixins, fruit, almonds. Yep, that'll about do it. I am notorious for not really being able to think beyond about 2 days worth of meal planning. Maybe I can work to at least 3-4 days and see how that goes.
As I am purposfully slowly moving along, my body finds a nice, gentle rythym andI feel as though i am doing minimal work. Not every run in hard, not every run is gonna give me that runners high, not every run is going to give me challenge so great i feel like i am going to puke. some runs are just runs....kinda uneventful and slow. this is part of the true endurance training. being patient, being willing to get out there and go, minute after minute, mile after mile. I had happy thoughts knowing with each step i took that no matter how far or how fast i went, that i was still doing my body good....making my heart pump harder, increasing my red blood cells, increasing my blood volume and the countless mental and emotional carvings that come with each dedicated step.

the run was followed by a slow and refreshing 8 mile bike ride along the same route. then, i was done. really. off to the market to pick up the list. i was fully exercised and then shopping for things that would sustain, repair, and refuel. the sustenance of yogurt, almonds, strawberries, & kiwi was delicious as i watched Brazil do their magic against Austrailia.

These are the very neat days of summer when every weekend day seems to be filled with some sports event that is very inspiring and gratifying to watch. Last weekend: French Open, this weekend World Cup...

Looking forward to Wimbledon, more World Cup and the baseballs games flickered in between.

rise and shine

2006-06-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

woke up this morning at 6am cause i had a running co-hort picking me up at 630am so we could start our run at Silver Comet by 7, before the heat and crowds hindered us. driving along the barren highway on this saturday morning, we were in the middle of conversation when i turned to my right and saw a stunning ball of deep orange with the slightest red hues rising above the horizon. sunrise over atlanta. beautiful. it's been awhile since i have seen the sun rise. what a breathtaking sight she was, whispering her "good morning" to us as we went to honor and push our bodies.

and that we did; 6 solid miles on the SCT. 3 out, 3 back.

thank you, sun. thank you, friend.

cheers!

I AM NOT A JOGGER!

2006-06-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

Something I forgot to mention about one of the runs last weekend: I went out the main door of my apartment building and stood on the front step. While I was adjusting my IPOD and surveying the temperature, I turn to see my neighbor sitting on her patio. We exhange "heys" and smiles and then she asks me(more of a statement than a question) "you going for a jog?" (UURRGGHHHH,(i think) A jog? Sure, I am going for a jog and i'll see you in over an hour) This of course was all my own inner dialogue within the span of about 10 seconds before I smiled nicely and said, "yeah..."

Let's just get this straight: JOG definition: To go or travel at a slow or leisurely pace. To proceed in a leisurely manner.

RUN definition: To move swiftly on foot so that both feet leave the ground during each stride. To take part in a race or contest

No, dear neighbor, I am not a jogger. If i was, i surely would not get up early on a beautiful, hot sunday morning and push myself into the painful territory of the atlanta city streets and her hills.

I am a runner. True and blue to the core. my face becomes contorted, sweat falls off my body and stings my eyes, my legs ache from the steep, lengthy hills and when i am done, i am done and doubled over from pain, great ecstasy, and the ecstasy of being so absolutley consumed with the activvity of the moment; the pure pleasure of self-challenge.

small and large favors

2006-06-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

road, trail, track

the goal for today was anything over 6 miles. had to start late cause i got poor sleep and i wanted to catch the Men's French Open final between Nadal & Federer. I was hoping for a great match as I love watching the Grand Slam events and I'm a Federer fan. Much to my dismay, it was not a great match...nothing too inspiring and Roger did not play too well. In my opinion, a let down for a French Open Finals event.

Alas, I headed out the door in the 11am Atlanta Heat. Man, it was hot. I took it slow and steady and found a route that was appealing even though it had hills. With all the hill work i've been getting in, i feel my body is actually performing better in these type of conditions. And truth be told, I COULD have woken early and got the run in prior to the heat, but I actually wanted the extra pressure of the rising temperatures. Call me a masochist, but getting out there and training in unfavorable conditions can only make be better, physically and mentally. Maybe mentally even gets the greater edge because i deliberately put myself in a more challenging environment. I am determined to see and feel what my body can do and how far i can push it and how much i can withstand mentally and physically. Each time out, I am my own experiment; the road, the track, the trail are all my laboratories.

But, let me turn now to small favors...as i am rounding the bend on beautiful Prado st, i see a house with sprinkers going and i cross the wide road and run through two of them, allowing my legs to get wet with cold water --a small favor...sooo refreshing at about 50 minutes into the run. Gives me a little boost right before i make the short, steep, awful climb over by Ansley golf course.

Once I get over the "hill", i am just out of water (NOT soapy, but warm) and i realize there is a supermarket nearby where I can reload. To my great surprise, there is a STARBUCKS inside the store(news to me) and I suddenly think, "yes,cold water". I ask the young barista if she'd refill my water bottle. Ice, she asks. Yes, Please, I reply. if you have never had a cup filled with water from Starbucks, you are truly missing out. from my vantage point, they've got the coldest and best tasting water around. Thank goodness for Large and Small favors.

soapy water?

2006-06-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

last night, i soaked my hand-held H2O bottle in soap & let it sit over night. this morning, i rinsed it out, filled it with my crappy home h2o & 2 ice crubes. I definitely needed the water as it was already quite warm at 9:30 when i ambulated out the door. after the first 8 minutes, i took a much needed sip...only to taste SOAPY WATER. yep! Apparently, I had not sufficiently rinsed it out. Great, I thought...here I am on a very warm saturday morning, hoping to get at least 5 miles in and the one thing i have with me is SOAPY H20. Ick! is right. Well, nothing to do but SWALLOW and BEAR IT, which is exactly what i did.

At only 15 minutes into the run, it was already tough and my level of exertion felt high. What was it? The heat? Not enough fuel? The bike ride last night that might have taken something from my legs? WHAT? WHAT? I had my trusty Chocolate Powerbar this morning....and Alas, that is one of the things about running...about training and I am sure the dedicated runner knows what I am talking about here...we are in a constant mode of self-evaluation. evaluating our bodies, our moods, the outside circumstances...anything that could have led to a not so great or a better than average run and all the runs in between. Nothing against "joe runner", but i doubt he/she goes through this mental process. I, for one, enjoy it. What am i doing if not evaluating what i have done? ultimately, it tells me about WHO I AM. Running and training is the constant mirror, giving constant feedback. I welcome it. Bring it on. Soapy Water and all....

donut inspirations?

2006-06-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

while on my sunday run on peachtree, i ran a simple out and back course, approximately 5 miles. The turnaround point where I took a 30 sec break to stretch my quads and gulp some warm(ick)H20 was Dunkin' Donuts. No, I didn't plan it that way, it just happened to be a good spot time wise to turnaround. During those few seconds of stretching, sweating and swallowing, I was reminded of Lake Tahoe. Tahoe? Here I am in this sweltering city, in the middle of a bright, sunny and hot morning and I think of TAHOE? Where is the connection? Where do the synapses in my brain connect to recall Tahoe? I've come to believe it was simply the dingy parking lot of Dunkin' Donuts. Here..see if you can follow me: Dunkin' Donuts reminds me of traveling because it's the kind of place I would venture while on a long drive somewhere and I was desperate for something to eat and FAST. It is reminiscent of a place i would only go to if in a drunken state or a "hurry-i-need-get-back-to-the-craps-table" state...which of course reminds me of gambling and then, TAHOE. See, that's not so hard. Did you make the connection? Follow me? Got me? Ok good. Now see if you can follow this? Thinking of Tahoe and the incredibly beautiful place it is makes me want to go back and the first thought that comes to mind is the MARATHON ON OCT 1.

The darn donut! It just might've gotten me where it will hurt!

i am not only a runner...

2006-05-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

sometimes i like to just lay around or goof around in a pool. here is the one and only, Delaney, and I, in the fabulous pool at the Luxor in Las Vegas. We made our deposit over a few days and had some fun in the meantime. Photo is curtesy of the winner in the group, E.N.

snake encounters

2006-05-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

took a ride yesterday up to kennesaw battlefield to get some trail work in. starting at burnt hickory and heading towards kolb farm, the trail is very tough with some long and steep inclines. as i passed dallas hwy and was abut half way to the water fountain near kolb farm, i ran quickly down a short downhill and almont came to a screeching halt when i saw a SNAKE in my path. for a split second, i thought it was just another piece of wood in the path, but as i got closer, i noticed it was took mutli-colored and wiggly to be wood. I was already in full stride and gave a "whoa" as i stepped over the slimy creature when i noticed that it wiggled its way back into the forest. i think i might have startled it more than it startled me....do you think?? NAH....

i stopped at kolb farm/water fountain to re-fill my H20 bottle with some colder water and get my face wet. it was a hot one out there and i was only 50 minutes into the run. my legs were about done and feeling painfully heavy. i wanted to at least make it an hour out there. the bike ride yesterday was catching up with me, but i wanted to keep going. i thought to myself, just make it to 55 minutes, ok, just make it to an hour...etc...

The 2nd half of the trail does become a bit easier and has tighter, more narrow trails. this is my favorite part...the narrow trails with their zig-zagging architecture reminds me of the great dipsea trail...ah, how i wish i could run that race this year. (they rejected me...again!)

I knew i was getting close to cheatham hill on the backside and where i thought i could stop, but just beforehand, i encountered an incline that i just could not finish. i was done with 1:19 under my belt.

i took a 6 minute break and ran/walked the rest of the 2+ miles back to hickory farm. my legs were thoroughly used up and i couldn't have been happier. anyone got an ice bath?

2006-05-24T04:35:00.000-07:00

spent time in the beautful(and very laid back) town of Asheville, NC recently. nestled in sight of the blue ridge mountains, this quaint town is a must visit!! after speaking with the local women working at the one running store in town, Jus' Running, i made my way to Mt Pisgah to seek out some trails they recommended. I began at one of the trail heads where there were a few other vehicles in the parking lot; other runners like myself reading for the day ahead, some mountain bikers getting their gear all in place for the muddy trails that were sure to exist after last nights loud thunderstorm. I made my way onto the trails, FINALLY breaking in my new Adidas Trail Shoes (orange and very cool) After about .5 miles of forest roads, i entered onto the narrow single track trails. It became more of a running meditation as there were so many rocks and stumps and other trail debris that one had to be super conscious of where the feet were landing. Fine by me. I listened to my surroundings and smelled the clean air around me. Though the birds chirping were faint sounds, my breathing was almost melodious.
The trails were windy with challening and steep uphills and downhills. I found myself every now and again pushing hard on the uphills, taking advantage of the surges that came from simply being somewhere inspiring. I WANTED to work harder. I WANTED to feel my legs ache from the pushing. Is it only the runner that understands this? Is there anyone else out there who "gets" this? As the time and miles went on, my breathing was heavy and grunts were frequent as I continued to climb up and down...but that was my own music...out there in the middle of Mt Pisgah, Asheville, NC

a quick thought

2006-05-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

while training, if it doesn't hurt, i don't think much progress will be made. it's gotta hurt. it's gotta be painful. LEAN IN TO IT. It will make you better!!

club workout musings

2006-05-17T05:05:00.000-07:00

yesterday after work, i went across the street to work out at a club. I am fortunate to be using a 7 day pass right now. there doesn't seem to be all that many members(which is fine by me) but for the folks who are there, they REALLY look they belong there. everyone i have seen in there from my 2 days worth of experience look incredibly fit and in some sort of training program. these are ot just your once a week work out people...these are seriously fit-looking folks, focused and determined looking in the workouts. refreshing to be in such atmoshpere as it just makes me want to work harder as well. i noticed many people wearing some sort of I-POD(go AAPLE!) and many wearing UNDER ARMOUR clothing. How's that for a couple of stock plugs!

Anyways, I made my way to the treadmill, IPOD shuffle tunes filling my eardrums. In front of me there are about 8 flat screen elevated tv's and only one has something that interests me...espn. But, it's espn news, so not very exciting to look at while i am pounding away on the TM. I see talk shows, music videos, cnn news and other programs i am not familiar with...and i am thinking to myself as sweat is coming down over my eyebrows and sides of my cheeks, WHY do they(club personnel?) put these programs on the tvs? I mean, how inspiring is THAT? If I ran a club, i would have something sport related on every screen. I mean, while you are pushing yourself on the TM, ellipitcal, cycling...do you really want to look straight ahead to see the news or someone talking on a couch? I don't...but maybe that is just me. I think there should be stuff like old coverage of the Hawaii Ironman, Olympics, World Cup, even Tennis would do. Anything but the news and talk shows.
Nevertheless, I tuned into my own world of Ipod music, pounded away on the treadmill, let the sweat pour over my face and got a decent 3.1 miles in. Not far, but i can only stay so long on the treadmill....

More from Lake Lanier (4/23/06)

2006-05-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Post race smiles from me and buddy, Marcus.
My first Duathlon! Hopefully 1st of many.

Train hard, train smart

Lake Lanier Duathlon Photos (4/23/2006)

2006-05-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

In transtion from the first 3 mile run to the upcoming 16 HILLY mile bike ride through the beautiful surrounding area of Lake Lanier

silver comet ride

2006-05-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

yesterday training was a 16 mile ride along the serene and not too populated Silver Comet Trail. I began at the trailhead and went out 8 and back. The temperature was cool..maybe somewhere in the low 60's. There was a slight cool breeze and initially, I felt a bit chilled . Once I got going and got into rhythm, I was felt comfortable. Legs were tight and heavy again today (even with 2 days of rest) and I am aware that my diet has not been very good. Not necessarily eating bad stuff, just not enough good stuff. You know...the veggies, the fruits, etc....
I decided to mix up the ride a bit and push the pace every 2 miles for 1 mile. This turned out to be a great choice as it mixed up the ride and given the trail was not all that busy today, I had the feedom and space to really speed up. During the last mile push, my quads were hurting and wanting to stop, but I kept pushing on. It's gott hurt. If it doesn't hurt, i won't get better and that's the goal. Keep training, be smart about it, and get better. Get faster, become more efficient. Learn from every time out. Whether it's a run, walk, ride...learn from every experience.

I finished and quickly put my bike in the rear of my xterra, sucked down a Vanilla flavored power gel, put on my running shoes and hit the trial again for what i hoped would be a 2 mile run. Of course, it's always an adjustment to start running after riding...to get my legs into a different motion. Practice, practice, practice...this was only about my 5th or 6th time of riding and running, including the Lake Lanier Duathlon last month. As I made my way across the first bridge, the rain came thundering down...i, and many others, were caught dead in a typical, spectacular, late morning Georgia Thunderstorm. I didn't mind, nor did it seem did anyone else. We call kept doing what we do; run, walk, cycle, rollerbalde. I put my glasses in my rear pocket and kept going. Soon enough, i made my turn around and headed for home base. The heavy rain continued to fall through the trees, a refresher actually, to some heat that was starting to build. Back at the car, i changed out of the wet clothes into clean, warm sweats and t-shirt; happily tired by the adventure rejuvenated in spirit.