r.p. is back in commission! After she'd suffered through a week of that same yucky sickness I had a while back (a cold + insatiable need for snooze), r.p. was up to a morning run. We were very slow, but it was to be expected. For some reason it was hard for me too, even though I ran much further and faster during my solo runs while she was down. Its was likely due to lack of continuity. Anyway, I'm thankful for getting back at it.
Tomorrow is p.j.'s birthday. The big 39! He is starting off by meeting a friend for some mountain biking. He has been biking faithfully for almost a week now; I know it makes him feel excellent to be doing so, and I am very happy for him. I will be up before him, running with r.p., then I will get ready for the day and go to a new book club my bossy big sister (b.b.s)(not blood-related) is starting. We'll be reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, but tomorrow is just the meet and greet. Afterward, b.b.s. and I will do a little window shopping (shoes!) until p.j. is home from his ride and ready for the next thing. I'm not sure what the next thing is, but eventually his dad will be taking us to dinner. Ah, and his mom is taking us to dinner tonight. Free food and great company; I will heartily celebrate p.j.'s birthday! Meanwhile, a.h. will be coming back tonight to spend another week with us, which is perfect timing for his involvement in the birthday festivities.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Hey Look, It's a Picture! (What a GREAT Picture)
p.j. borrowed my bike and took a ride today. He had a goal distance which included a gnarly hill. He made it. I am terribly proud of him.
I have a running date set up with r.p. for the ridiculous hours of the morning tomorrow. Meanwhile, I ran solo again this late afternoon, as r.p. was under the weather this morning.
Again, my new Nike+ set up worked without a hitch. I actually have photo evidence. I've been meaning to implement pictures into the blog, but...well...no plan, right? Anyway, with no further ado:
I have a running date set up with r.p. for the ridiculous hours of the morning tomorrow. Meanwhile, I ran solo again this late afternoon, as r.p. was under the weather this morning.
Again, my new Nike+ set up worked without a hitch. I actually have photo evidence. I've been meaning to implement pictures into the blog, but...well...no plan, right? Anyway, with no further ado:
I should patent it, no?
It looks pretty slippery and rather insecure, and it is when handled with the mitts. But once strapped in, this baby doesn't budge and there's nothing between it and the iPod, except maybe part of my bicep. You can't see how the ends are strapped in, but I have tucked both ends under the laces. The end closer to the toe tucks under the lower laces, then is wrapped over the bottom lace and back under up toward the ankle. The end closer to the ankle is simply pinned under all of the upper laces. I am amazed at how well this works (so far). Lets not forget to notice that it's now waterproofed as well.
I ran 45 minutes again, again covering 4.3 miles. I had a painful side cramp the entire time and my lungs labored. I kept the cramp under control with intentional and deep breathing and pleas to God to keep me going (okay, requests, not desperate enough for pleas). The uphill portion, which is all of mile 2, brought a headwind against me, ugh. It was much harder than Friday late afternoon's 45 minutes and ever so slightly slower overall. For the last mile and a half or so, I felt much better and actually got to the "body is a machine" stage. Whew, finally. I realized I am finally in decent enough shape to "push it" without it resulting in physical catastrophe (a ride on Life Flight). I realized I was pushing it, and that I had the choice to shift 'er way down or to continue pushing it. That realization and the resulting sense of power made my choice easy: Push it. For the last quarter mile, I figured I should push it even more. I didn't sprint or go all out, but I picked up a chipper pace and took it home home.
Lance Armstrong introduced himself at the end and congratulated me on my best 1 mile time. What a guy. I had a sub 10 minute mile, which is nothing for most, but is enough to make me proud. I have a secret goal (again, not so secret now) to run my first 5k race in sub 30 minutes. Komen Race for the Cure is next month...
Essential Running Gear (Plastic Baggie)
I like to check out new blogs periodically, though I don't have much time for it (but hey, it's fun! good enough reason?). Today I found Shut Up and Run, which is sharp, funny and kinda vulgar...oh so worth the read! Beth is running a contest, and I believe today is the last day to get in on it, so get in on it!
r.p. and I had a great run Thursday morning. Regarding Nike+ manipulations, I went with the cheapest and easiest solution and it worked like a charm. I usually put the Nike+ sensor beneath the lower part of the tongue of my shoe, strapped in my the laces. Although this wasn't a problem in the past, I considered the possibility that 1) a weakening battery might not be able to push the signal through the thick fabric of the tongue (sounds pretty ridiculous, but...?), or 2) maybe I'm lacing tighter and my sock or foot flesh is pushing the sleep button on the bottom of the sensor (also sounds silly, but definitely more likely). Hmm. So I put the sensor in the middle of the bottom of a plastic baggie and rolled the baggie up, from the top toward the sensor. Slick little devil. Then I put the excess tabs of baggie plastic under the lower and upper shoelaces and laced as usual. I meant to pin them in, but forgot. However, two runs did nothing to dislodge the sensor, and it stayed in place, fully revealed. Yeah, now I'm a swooshed Nike ad, if anyone cares to look.
As a safeguard, I wore one earbud, music turned off, so I could converse with r.p. and simultaneously hear if Nike+ had the ole disconnect (she tells me, "you're not running, sucka!" when I surely am running.). But not now: Ah, credit for two full runs! It will take a while to gain that trust again, but Nike+ seems serious about rebuilding our relationship.
Friday's run was sans r.p. I was a little apprehensive, as my runs with r.p. are always so enjoyable and the same hasn't so far been said for my solo runs. So I turned on the music - not too proud to admit I'm not a purist - and took off on sunny Friday late afternoon. I decided to go past the usual 30 minute run, since I had no schedule pincher to cut me short, so I went 4.3 miles in 45 minutes. I felt like I could go forever, but didn't want to wreck things by overusing an under-hardened body. My average pace was faster than it has been, even though I went further. I could feel that I was running faster than with r.p. (she only started running when we partnered up), but it really did feel freeing to just go. A little like flying.
p.j. and I went on a date afterward (yes, I did get cleaned up first) to our local Mexican fare, which is simply excellent. We ate much. We drank much (for us anyway - margarita sour on the rocks, por favor!). Then we went home and our romantic evening quickly turned to snooze. Yeah, we're livin' on the edge.
The rest of the weekend consisted of catching up on a very long to-do list. I didn't run, although I had been looking forward to running. Lack of a plan! Dag nabit. So tonight I have planned a run, and have j.p.'s support, since I won't have much wiggle room in the sched. Get home from work, get changed, hit the road, stretch, shower, get presentable, hit our core group. Totally doable, but no lollygagging allowed. And I am such a lollygagger.
Rain, rain, go away! I want a sunny run today!
r.p. and I had a great run Thursday morning. Regarding Nike+ manipulations, I went with the cheapest and easiest solution and it worked like a charm. I usually put the Nike+ sensor beneath the lower part of the tongue of my shoe, strapped in my the laces. Although this wasn't a problem in the past, I considered the possibility that 1) a weakening battery might not be able to push the signal through the thick fabric of the tongue (sounds pretty ridiculous, but...?), or 2) maybe I'm lacing tighter and my sock or foot flesh is pushing the sleep button on the bottom of the sensor (also sounds silly, but definitely more likely). Hmm. So I put the sensor in the middle of the bottom of a plastic baggie and rolled the baggie up, from the top toward the sensor. Slick little devil. Then I put the excess tabs of baggie plastic under the lower and upper shoelaces and laced as usual. I meant to pin them in, but forgot. However, two runs did nothing to dislodge the sensor, and it stayed in place, fully revealed. Yeah, now I'm a swooshed Nike ad, if anyone cares to look.
As a safeguard, I wore one earbud, music turned off, so I could converse with r.p. and simultaneously hear if Nike+ had the ole disconnect (she tells me, "you're not running, sucka!" when I surely am running.). But not now: Ah, credit for two full runs! It will take a while to gain that trust again, but Nike+ seems serious about rebuilding our relationship.
Friday's run was sans r.p. I was a little apprehensive, as my runs with r.p. are always so enjoyable and the same hasn't so far been said for my solo runs. So I turned on the music - not too proud to admit I'm not a purist - and took off on sunny Friday late afternoon. I decided to go past the usual 30 minute run, since I had no schedule pincher to cut me short, so I went 4.3 miles in 45 minutes. I felt like I could go forever, but didn't want to wreck things by overusing an under-hardened body. My average pace was faster than it has been, even though I went further. I could feel that I was running faster than with r.p. (she only started running when we partnered up), but it really did feel freeing to just go. A little like flying.
p.j. and I went on a date afterward (yes, I did get cleaned up first) to our local Mexican fare, which is simply excellent. We ate much. We drank much (for us anyway - margarita sour on the rocks, por favor!). Then we went home and our romantic evening quickly turned to snooze. Yeah, we're livin' on the edge.
The rest of the weekend consisted of catching up on a very long to-do list. I didn't run, although I had been looking forward to running. Lack of a plan! Dag nabit. So tonight I have planned a run, and have j.p.'s support, since I won't have much wiggle room in the sched. Get home from work, get changed, hit the road, stretch, shower, get presentable, hit our core group. Totally doable, but no lollygagging allowed. And I am such a lollygagger.
Rain, rain, go away! I want a sunny run today!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Detective Work and More Nike + Woes
"Tap tap tap tap." It's 3:30 a.m., why is someone tapping on our bedroom window? Since I assume a burglar or murderer wouldn't announce his/her presence before breaking and entering, I'm not too alarmed. I do, however, call out, "p.j., someone is knocking on the window!" p.j. is still snoring, so it looks like I will have to be the brave knight (or the stupid horror movie chick). I pull the blind aside and scan the very dark back yard. Nothing. Wait a minute, we always leave the porch light on, so why is the back yard so dark? This will take further investigation, although I already suspect a.h.'s friends are beckoning him to sneak out, but are mistaken about the correct bedroom window.
I quietly leave the bedroom, pause to listen for the would-be escapee, hear nothing, and tiptoe down the hallway in my underwear. I peek around the corner to look out the back patio door without being seen (do other people close their privacy curtains?). Curses, someone has left the over-the-stove light on! I can see nothing out the window.
I consider for a while, then make a mad panty dash past the patio door for the light. I quickly turn it off, then dash to the window before the poor kiddos have time to recover from the streaking. Peering out, I see nobody moving. I run to the front to be sure they haven't gone around. Nobody there. Back to the back door. It's time to expose the culprits, so I flick the back porch light on. Still nothing! I watch intently for the slightest movement, but they are so still that I can see nothing. There are spots of deep shadow they could be hiding in, or they could simply be around the sides of the house.
After considering poking around out in the yard in my underwear, I reject the idea and simply stand watch for about 5 minutes, sure they will come out and reveal themselves. Still no sound from a.h. upstairs and the doors are locked, so I assume he either hasn't awoken or is still hiding upstairs. The buggers stand still so I finally give up and go back to bed.
A while later I hear it again! Again I say, "p.j.! They're tapping at the window!" He rolls over and says, "Noooo, I'm kicking the wall." Right back to sleep.
Seriously.
Despite my rude nocturnal awakenings, I was up again at 5:00 a.m. to be at my r.p. running spot by 5:30. I sort of feel like a rock star. We had another good run, but Nike + felt it was time to hose me again, so it recorded less than half of the run. Lovely. I'm pretty mad at it today, because r.p. and I ran the farther than previously. I guess we don't know how far though, since Nike +...ok, grumble grumble!
I'm wondering if the sleep button on the sensor is somehow getting pushed inside my shoe. I have a new method planned for our next run. Well, it's narrowed down to a few methods based on a little research. I will have to remember to keep looking at the time progress as we run (which I HATE doing) to be sure it still agrees with me that I am running, as it doesn't warn that it has stopped until two minutes after it has stopped. That means for each stoppage, there's two minutes of time and distance not recorded - that is, if you are using headphones and happen to hear the warning. This morning I didn't hear it either time, so I lost a bunch more time and distance before noticing it had stopped. Real bummer.
I'll let you know how the new method works, or if I lose my sense (-e +or) altogether.
I quietly leave the bedroom, pause to listen for the would-be escapee, hear nothing, and tiptoe down the hallway in my underwear. I peek around the corner to look out the back patio door without being seen (do other people close their privacy curtains?). Curses, someone has left the over-the-stove light on! I can see nothing out the window.
I consider for a while, then make a mad panty dash past the patio door for the light. I quickly turn it off, then dash to the window before the poor kiddos have time to recover from the streaking. Peering out, I see nobody moving. I run to the front to be sure they haven't gone around. Nobody there. Back to the back door. It's time to expose the culprits, so I flick the back porch light on. Still nothing! I watch intently for the slightest movement, but they are so still that I can see nothing. There are spots of deep shadow they could be hiding in, or they could simply be around the sides of the house.
After considering poking around out in the yard in my underwear, I reject the idea and simply stand watch for about 5 minutes, sure they will come out and reveal themselves. Still no sound from a.h. upstairs and the doors are locked, so I assume he either hasn't awoken or is still hiding upstairs. The buggers stand still so I finally give up and go back to bed.
A while later I hear it again! Again I say, "p.j.! They're tapping at the window!" He rolls over and says, "Noooo, I'm kicking the wall." Right back to sleep.
Seriously.
Despite my rude nocturnal awakenings, I was up again at 5:00 a.m. to be at my r.p. running spot by 5:30. I sort of feel like a rock star. We had another good run, but Nike + felt it was time to hose me again, so it recorded less than half of the run. Lovely. I'm pretty mad at it today, because r.p. and I ran the farther than previously. I guess we don't know how far though, since Nike +...ok, grumble grumble!
I'm wondering if the sleep button on the sensor is somehow getting pushed inside my shoe. I have a new method planned for our next run. Well, it's narrowed down to a few methods based on a little research. I will have to remember to keep looking at the time progress as we run (which I HATE doing) to be sure it still agrees with me that I am running, as it doesn't warn that it has stopped until two minutes after it has stopped. That means for each stoppage, there's two minutes of time and distance not recorded - that is, if you are using headphones and happen to hear the warning. This morning I didn't hear it either time, so I lost a bunch more time and distance before noticing it had stopped. Real bummer.
I'll let you know how the new method works, or if I lose my sense (-e +or) altogether.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
r.p. and L&R
Ahhh, the life of a person with a running partner!
We have had three great runs so far, although Nike+ didn't give us credit for the first one (forgot to hit "Done" or something; I don't even hate Nike+ for this, due to extreme gratitude for my running partner). We have run a little over a half hour each time, and it has just...flowed.
We meet in a well-lit and large subdivision which is between both of our houses, but far enough that we have to drive. Unexpectedly, the drive there and home has been very pleasurable and of some use. When the alarm goes off, my mind tells me I need to get out of bed "to go meet r.p.", not "to go run". I get dressed, get in the car, turn on the heat and the radio, and take off for a drive instead of taking off for a run. So far, pretty easy! When I get there, I see r.p.'s shining face and am happy to be with her. We get our warm gear on, start up the conversation, turn on fickle Nike+ and take off running together. So far, oh so nice and easy. The conversation makes the time just fly, as well as hides the difficulty, and I find myself wishing we had more time. We finish up, stretch out, say goodbye and then I take a nice drive back home. Wow, so easy, and I want to repeat it all soon! r.p. has expressed the same sentiment, and is so excited to be out running!
Oh hey, we just now made another arrangement for tomorrow morning. I'm excited!
Tonight p.j. and I start facilitating a small group in the Love & Respect class at church. It's a married people's thing. We went through it last year and found it to be absolutely essential to our marriage and caused us to be totally changed in ourselves and our marriage - for the better. Immensely better. Life sure did take a turn, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
We have had three great runs so far, although Nike+ didn't give us credit for the first one (forgot to hit "Done" or something; I don't even hate Nike+ for this, due to extreme gratitude for my running partner). We have run a little over a half hour each time, and it has just...flowed.
We meet in a well-lit and large subdivision which is between both of our houses, but far enough that we have to drive. Unexpectedly, the drive there and home has been very pleasurable and of some use. When the alarm goes off, my mind tells me I need to get out of bed "to go meet r.p.", not "to go run". I get dressed, get in the car, turn on the heat and the radio, and take off for a drive instead of taking off for a run. So far, pretty easy! When I get there, I see r.p.'s shining face and am happy to be with her. We get our warm gear on, start up the conversation, turn on fickle Nike+ and take off running together. So far, oh so nice and easy. The conversation makes the time just fly, as well as hides the difficulty, and I find myself wishing we had more time. We finish up, stretch out, say goodbye and then I take a nice drive back home. Wow, so easy, and I want to repeat it all soon! r.p. has expressed the same sentiment, and is so excited to be out running!
Oh hey, we just now made another arrangement for tomorrow morning. I'm excited!
Tonight p.j. and I start facilitating a small group in the Love & Respect class at church. It's a married people's thing. We went through it last year and found it to be absolutely essential to our marriage and caused us to be totally changed in ourselves and our marriage - for the better. Immensely better. Life sure did take a turn, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Of Course You Would Do It This Way!
Yesterday I met my mentee. We had never emailed or talked on the phone before, and we knew virtually nothing about each other. I must confess, it was a bit awkward.
However, it was beautiful. She is warm, sharp, attentive, lovely, confident and gracious. Who is mentoring whom? I already knew I wasn't up to the task, but I go where God sends me, so He must know what He's doing (figure? ha!).
And can I say...I'll say it anyway. When I mentioned running, her hands fluttered up and she got a spark in her eye. She said she has been trying to get into a fitness habit, and has been praying to establish running or some such thing into her life but has been struggling. Seriously. I asked if she wanted to run together and she quickly replied, "Yes!" She runs similar distances and times as do I. We figured out that we can both run regularly in the early mornings, so it's a plan! She put her hands up to her mouth, grinned big, and said, "Running buddy!"
What was I lamenting just yesterday?
However, it was beautiful. She is warm, sharp, attentive, lovely, confident and gracious. Who is mentoring whom? I already knew I wasn't up to the task, but I go where God sends me, so He must know what He's doing (figure? ha!).
And can I say...I'll say it anyway. When I mentioned running, her hands fluttered up and she got a spark in her eye. She said she has been trying to get into a fitness habit, and has been praying to establish running or some such thing into her life but has been struggling. Seriously. I asked if she wanted to run together and she quickly replied, "Yes!" She runs similar distances and times as do I. We figured out that we can both run regularly in the early mornings, so it's a plan! She put her hands up to her mouth, grinned big, and said, "Running buddy!"
What was I lamenting just yesterday?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Partner
I have wanted a running partner for so long. Not so much for the companionship, although that's certainly a wonderful plus, but for accountability. I've had a couple of running partners in the past, and we got each other out there each day. We motivated each other. Leaned on each other. Pushed each other. I have been wanting that since long before I actually started running again.
I live in a small town on the edge of a very large town, so you'd think I could find a partner. None of my current friends are into running, though, or else they live too far away from me to be able to make it work regularly - I'm not looking for the once-a-week meeting, but I want that daily "let's go" partner. I thought it would work to find someone in the very large town, as I work in that very large town every weekday. However, I have afternoon/evening obligations 3 to 4 of the weekdays. No matter, I couldn't find a running partner in the very large town anyway. I still hold the hope, however, of finding a partner in my small town. Someone who will cause me to relish the challenge of getting up early each morning, or stepping out of laziness late every evening. Someone who likes to run the same kind of distances and is at about the same level. A female, because it's not worth it to me to appear as though "something might be going on" with a man other than my husband.
I'm starting to think this person doesn't exist. But I desperately want her to! I look forward to meeting her and to meeting with her for a daily run. Nope, I haven't given up.
I live in a small town on the edge of a very large town, so you'd think I could find a partner. None of my current friends are into running, though, or else they live too far away from me to be able to make it work regularly - I'm not looking for the once-a-week meeting, but I want that daily "let's go" partner. I thought it would work to find someone in the very large town, as I work in that very large town every weekday. However, I have afternoon/evening obligations 3 to 4 of the weekdays. No matter, I couldn't find a running partner in the very large town anyway. I still hold the hope, however, of finding a partner in my small town. Someone who will cause me to relish the challenge of getting up early each morning, or stepping out of laziness late every evening. Someone who likes to run the same kind of distances and is at about the same level. A female, because it's not worth it to me to appear as though "something might be going on" with a man other than my husband.
I'm starting to think this person doesn't exist. But I desperately want her to! I look forward to meeting her and to meeting with her for a daily run. Nope, I haven't given up.
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