yesterday, when i was trying to motivate myself to run, i asked myself the question: why are you running this marathon?
and i kinda came up blank.
i mean i have plenty of reasons why i RUN, but why i want to run a marathon? hmmmm...
i'm not running for charity. i'm not running with anyone or for anyone. i didn't just overcome some huge hardship, and i didn't just reach a new decade in my life.
the only thing i got was, i just do. it's just something i've always wanted to do. maybe just for the bragging rights. maybe just because it's hard and i just want to conquer it. and that all sounded kinda juvenile! like my life isn't hard enough that i have to add this "diversion" to make it interesting. and when i thought of it like that, it sounded kinda frivolous. petty. selfish, even.
i mean i guess we all kinda know running is a selfish endeavor. and for normal people, with families and lots of responsibilities i can see how the outlet for "me" time is warranted. but for the most part, i'm pretty much a spoiled brat. so why do i need the "excuse" to run?
i'm not quite sure where this is all coming from all of a sudden. all i know is i came up blank when i asked myself why i'm running this thing. except for that i just want to. which makes it sound like i want this like i want ice cream. or new shoes. i thought for sure training for this marathon would enlighten me about myself and life more. and i guess i'm feeling just as clueless about things now as i did in the beginning.
oy! it sounds as if i need to get out of my head and into reality! i guess i'll hit publish now, and reread it later to see if i really should just take it down. i sound totally mental.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
i tried, really i did.
i got up at 4:30 to start getting ready for my 6 am, 16 miler. i certainly wasn't in the mood, but damnit i haven't missed a long run yet and i wasn't about to start now when it counted the most.
but once i got out there, i just blech, didn't have it. i've run through a sinus infection before (my first half marathon to be exact) but i remember it being pretty miserable. and after 2 miles, i wasn't feeling so hot and i figured it would just be best to pack it up and go home.
i've been feeling pretty crappy the past 10 days, minus the day of my 5k, and don't know whether it's because i'm sick or because my head is in the crapper. probably a combo of both. so on the drive home i resolved to not let this get me down and do whatever it took today to make me feel good.
which so far has included taking a long, hot shower and shaving! i've made up a pretty face and donned a dress i bought a month ago but haven't yet worn because i haven't had the occasion. the plans also include a pedicure, a waxing, a haircut, a nice healthy lunch alone with a long way down by nick hornby. by then, i should be ready for a nap. or a movie.
happy thursday, peeps!
but once i got out there, i just blech, didn't have it. i've run through a sinus infection before (my first half marathon to be exact) but i remember it being pretty miserable. and after 2 miles, i wasn't feeling so hot and i figured it would just be best to pack it up and go home.
i've been feeling pretty crappy the past 10 days, minus the day of my 5k, and don't know whether it's because i'm sick or because my head is in the crapper. probably a combo of both. so on the drive home i resolved to not let this get me down and do whatever it took today to make me feel good.
which so far has included taking a long, hot shower and shaving! i've made up a pretty face and donned a dress i bought a month ago but haven't yet worn because i haven't had the occasion. the plans also include a pedicure, a waxing, a haircut, a nice healthy lunch alone with a long way down by nick hornby. by then, i should be ready for a nap. or a movie.
happy thursday, peeps!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
feeling better and feeling bad
feeling better: thanks to everyone's comments to my last post! i knew that once i posted my fears, not only would i feel better just getting them off my chest, but that everyone with much more wisdom and experience than me would help me put things into perspective. i'm taking everyone's advice: have fun and just enjoy the experience. i mean i will never again have a FIRST marathon!!! yippeeeeee!
feeling bad: my mucous issues have turned into a full fledged sinus infection. blech. i hate those goddamned things. i'm currently on antibiotics. i haven't run since my 5k on friday (where i PRed, thank you very much) but i can't bear to bag my 16 miler tomorrow. the plan is to start it and if i feel like utter poop, i'll stop.
feeling bad: i finally, officially broke things off with MH last night. (and you're probably thinking, wait, what was all that talk before about not getting involved with him? yeah, well i'm human and in my whole course of dating i've not been one to fend off the advances of a latin lover very well) so breaking things off a few months later definitely made it harder than if i had stopped things cold to begin with. and i think i was a little too honest with my reasons for why i don't think he's the one for me. when i got home i was like fuck, why am i so stupidly honest? i think i could have spared him hurt feelings. i wasn't trying to be cruel, just honest, but sometimes i have to remember it might be better to just be kind.
feeling bad: my mucous issues have turned into a full fledged sinus infection. blech. i hate those goddamned things. i'm currently on antibiotics. i haven't run since my 5k on friday (where i PRed, thank you very much) but i can't bear to bag my 16 miler tomorrow. the plan is to start it and if i feel like utter poop, i'll stop.
feeling bad: i finally, officially broke things off with MH last night. (and you're probably thinking, wait, what was all that talk before about not getting involved with him? yeah, well i'm human and in my whole course of dating i've not been one to fend off the advances of a latin lover very well) so breaking things off a few months later definitely made it harder than if i had stopped things cold to begin with. and i think i was a little too honest with my reasons for why i don't think he's the one for me. when i got home i was like fuck, why am i so stupidly honest? i think i could have spared him hurt feelings. i wasn't trying to be cruel, just honest, but sometimes i have to remember it might be better to just be kind.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
my irrational fears
ok so it's almost september! and after that it's october! which is the month i'm running my first marathon ever! i mean i like signed up for it many many many months ago. i've been dreaming about doing this for years now. and the closer the day comes i get a little more anxious. it's weird. it's almost like i don't want it to happen because there's something exciting about just having the dream. i'm sorta kinda afraid of what the reality of it will do to the fantasy of it. and i kind of like saying i'm gonna do a marathon. the idea of actually really doing it, still scares the crap out of me.
i still have my 16, 18 and 20 mile training runs to get through, so without having done those i can't really fear whether or not i will finish. my confidence come race day will depend heavily on how those training runs go. but part of me also wonders how in the world is doing one 20 mile training run enough to prepare me for 26.2!!! that's a whole 10k longer than my longest training run?! and isn't 20 miles where people hit "the wall"?! who the hell thought up my stupid training schedule and thought it was gonna be enough!?
so far in all of my long runs, i've never had to use the bathroom. #1 or #2. but i'm afraid my bowels will decide to go into overdrive come race day. or i'll be all hopped up on hormones from my period that i'll be bloated, cranky, and tired. during training i usually give myself a break during that time of the month but what if marathon day just happens to fall during that time of the month!?! ugh. i'm no longer on birth control so messing around with my cycle is out of the question, but the guilty catholic in me fears god's wrath for having used it in the past. not so much for the pre-marital sex mind you, but the use of artificial birth control. and if that whole paragraph was t.m.i., sorry.
another fear i have is that i'll run out of bodyglide. that my legs will chafe down to the bone. i mean really, can bodyglide really last an entire 5 plus hour marathon?? and not only run out of body glide but can my body really handle running on gu for 5 plus hours?! i've run for 3 hours on gu and done fine, but can i last for nearly double that time on just gu alone?
i really want to enjoy this experience, but part of me just wishes this was over with already. i'd like to resume a normal life where i don't have to worry about stuff like this!
i still have my 16, 18 and 20 mile training runs to get through, so without having done those i can't really fear whether or not i will finish. my confidence come race day will depend heavily on how those training runs go. but part of me also wonders how in the world is doing one 20 mile training run enough to prepare me for 26.2!!! that's a whole 10k longer than my longest training run?! and isn't 20 miles where people hit "the wall"?! who the hell thought up my stupid training schedule and thought it was gonna be enough!?
so far in all of my long runs, i've never had to use the bathroom. #1 or #2. but i'm afraid my bowels will decide to go into overdrive come race day. or i'll be all hopped up on hormones from my period that i'll be bloated, cranky, and tired. during training i usually give myself a break during that time of the month but what if marathon day just happens to fall during that time of the month!?! ugh. i'm no longer on birth control so messing around with my cycle is out of the question, but the guilty catholic in me fears god's wrath for having used it in the past. not so much for the pre-marital sex mind you, but the use of artificial birth control. and if that whole paragraph was t.m.i., sorry.
another fear i have is that i'll run out of bodyglide. that my legs will chafe down to the bone. i mean really, can bodyglide really last an entire 5 plus hour marathon?? and not only run out of body glide but can my body really handle running on gu for 5 plus hours?! i've run for 3 hours on gu and done fine, but can i last for nearly double that time on just gu alone?
i really want to enjoy this experience, but part of me just wishes this was over with already. i'd like to resume a normal life where i don't have to worry about stuff like this!
Friday, August 24, 2007
race report: surprise! surprise!
ever since my last 5k time of 31:10, a PR, i might add, i've been itching to see if i have what it takes to run it in 30. but ever since i started working at the hotel, races were pretty much out of the question because i work in the mornings on the weekends. so i was stoaked to find one on a friday night in sacramento!
but with temps in the high 80s and tons of sun, the weather was much more suited for the beach than a race. nonetheless, i was still excited to be among my brethren runners. i wish i could bottle the adrenaline and excitement of race day! being surrounded by so many runners just makes me swell with pride. like i'm part of this great big "something". cheesy, i know, but it's the truth.
my goals for the race were to #1. not die in the heat (i'm so not accustomed to it) #2 definitely pull it off in 33 and #3. aim for 31, with wild hopes of doing it in 30. i sat in the my air conditioned car for as long as i could. i decided to pin my number on my belly instead of over my chest. and i tied my timing chip to my left sneaker, rather than my right. it's odd because i'm very superstitious but something told me to do it this way, instead of my normal way.
i made sure to hydrate like a mo'fo' all day yesterday and today. so i peed like 3 times in the hour and a half before the race. but once i started i swear to bob, my throat felt sooooo dry! i chalked it up to mucous issues, as i'm not fully well yet. i tried to not let it distract me. i knew there was a water stop somewhere along the course, so i just kept imagining i was in an ice castle with pools of ice cold water everywhere.
the first mile was tough. i made sure not to line myself too far back with the walkers like i did last time. but maybe i was too far up because i ran the first mile in 9:24!! what is it with me running sub 10:00 miles lately?! i was definitely feeling it, so i told myself to back off just a bit. my mouth was still parched and i had no idea where this blissful waterstop would be. at the halfway point, i finally spotted it and slowed to a walk to gulp down some agua. i was breathing hard and very very hot. i imagined i must be red at this point, which for someone as brown as me, means it's hot! but i just told myself, "it's supposed to feel uncomfortable. it's supposed to feel this way. this feels good!"
i chugged along to mile 2: 10:00. at this point, i'm doin 'the math and i know i have to run the next 1.12 miles in a little over 10 min. i'm seriously doubting i can. i'm hot! i'm breathing really hard! and did i mention i'm hot!!? but i pressed on. whenever i felt like stopping to walk, i said, "just keep running, pull back if you have to, but just run" and whenever i felt hot, i'd just repeat my mantra, "this feels good!" i probably repeated those three words like 100 times in the last mile, while i wondered just how much further i had!! my brain was racing just as fast as my feet were! finally i saw the 3 mile marker! i glanced at my watch: 9:59, overall time: 29:24:37.
HOLY SHIT! i just might fucking finish this 5k in 30 minutes! all thoughts flew out of my head and i just gunned it finishing in 30:12:28!!!!
ok so technically it's not a SUB-30, but i'll still take it! especially on a hot day like today. especially when i haven't even been training specifically for speed. i crossed that finish line and felt like a total bad ass!!!! i totally surprised myself. and that's what i love about running. it reveals to me just how much i underestimate myself and just how much i really am capable of. today wasn't so much a physical victory as it was a mental one. with the power of positive thoughts, i was able to trick my hot, uncomfortable, body into crossing that finish line faster than i ever have.
this feeling right now is one i'll definitely carry with me on marathon race day!
but with temps in the high 80s and tons of sun, the weather was much more suited for the beach than a race. nonetheless, i was still excited to be among my brethren runners. i wish i could bottle the adrenaline and excitement of race day! being surrounded by so many runners just makes me swell with pride. like i'm part of this great big "something". cheesy, i know, but it's the truth.
my goals for the race were to #1. not die in the heat (i'm so not accustomed to it) #2 definitely pull it off in 33 and #3. aim for 31, with wild hopes of doing it in 30. i sat in the my air conditioned car for as long as i could. i decided to pin my number on my belly instead of over my chest. and i tied my timing chip to my left sneaker, rather than my right. it's odd because i'm very superstitious but something told me to do it this way, instead of my normal way.
i made sure to hydrate like a mo'fo' all day yesterday and today. so i peed like 3 times in the hour and a half before the race. but once i started i swear to bob, my throat felt sooooo dry! i chalked it up to mucous issues, as i'm not fully well yet. i tried to not let it distract me. i knew there was a water stop somewhere along the course, so i just kept imagining i was in an ice castle with pools of ice cold water everywhere.
the first mile was tough. i made sure not to line myself too far back with the walkers like i did last time. but maybe i was too far up because i ran the first mile in 9:24!! what is it with me running sub 10:00 miles lately?! i was definitely feeling it, so i told myself to back off just a bit. my mouth was still parched and i had no idea where this blissful waterstop would be. at the halfway point, i finally spotted it and slowed to a walk to gulp down some agua. i was breathing hard and very very hot. i imagined i must be red at this point, which for someone as brown as me, means it's hot! but i just told myself, "it's supposed to feel uncomfortable. it's supposed to feel this way. this feels good!"
i chugged along to mile 2: 10:00. at this point, i'm doin 'the math and i know i have to run the next 1.12 miles in a little over 10 min. i'm seriously doubting i can. i'm hot! i'm breathing really hard! and did i mention i'm hot!!? but i pressed on. whenever i felt like stopping to walk, i said, "just keep running, pull back if you have to, but just run" and whenever i felt hot, i'd just repeat my mantra, "this feels good!" i probably repeated those three words like 100 times in the last mile, while i wondered just how much further i had!! my brain was racing just as fast as my feet were! finally i saw the 3 mile marker! i glanced at my watch: 9:59, overall time: 29:24:37.
HOLY SHIT! i just might fucking finish this 5k in 30 minutes! all thoughts flew out of my head and i just gunned it finishing in 30:12:28!!!!
ok so technically it's not a SUB-30, but i'll still take it! especially on a hot day like today. especially when i haven't even been training specifically for speed. i crossed that finish line and felt like a total bad ass!!!! i totally surprised myself. and that's what i love about running. it reveals to me just how much i underestimate myself and just how much i really am capable of. today wasn't so much a physical victory as it was a mental one. with the power of positive thoughts, i was able to trick my hot, uncomfortable, body into crossing that finish line faster than i ever have.
this feeling right now is one i'll definitely carry with me on marathon race day!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
back in the saddle
by bedtime last night i was feeling muuuuuuuuch better. i can breathe freely and the icky feeling is gone. all that's left is one final ball of mucus that keeps bouncing between my sinuses and throat. i really, really, really wish i had loogie-hawking abilities.
so this morning, feeling much more like myself, i mounted the spin bike and got to work. the instructor uttered the word "intense" and i braced myself. his technique was different than my usual spin instructor: less talking, less cuing, but more reminders about form, and better music. he also kept saying things like "push it! push it real good" and "aloha!" and "up your resistance, please. thank you, thank you very much". it was like spinning with elvis.
he also turned off the lights, so at 6 am it was pretty dark. but by the end of class, light started streaming in through the windows and i caught a glimpse of myself. and was actually kind of pleased. glistening sweat on any body looks pretty good in the semi-darkness.
i might get a run in with MH this morning, if he gets his butt up at a decent hour. as of late, he's been my slacking off partner, instead of workout partner, but damnit if i'm not gonna try to get us both back on track again.
so this morning, feeling much more like myself, i mounted the spin bike and got to work. the instructor uttered the word "intense" and i braced myself. his technique was different than my usual spin instructor: less talking, less cuing, but more reminders about form, and better music. he also kept saying things like "push it! push it real good" and "aloha!" and "up your resistance, please. thank you, thank you very much". it was like spinning with elvis.
he also turned off the lights, so at 6 am it was pretty dark. but by the end of class, light started streaming in through the windows and i caught a glimpse of myself. and was actually kind of pleased. glistening sweat on any body looks pretty good in the semi-darkness.
i might get a run in with MH this morning, if he gets his butt up at a decent hour. as of late, he's been my slacking off partner, instead of workout partner, but damnit if i'm not gonna try to get us both back on track again.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
hey! who fart-leked?
i confess. it was me.
this morning when i woke up, i was definitely feeling better. not stellar, but better. i could actually breathe through one nostril and the congestion in my chest felt much looser. i figured since i was well hydrated and nourished, (i've been drinking honey laced hot water like it's my job and eating lots of homemade soup) i'd take a stab at a "long run". on the treadmill, just in case i needed to stop in a hurry.
the schedule had me down for 8, but i went into the gym happy to log at least one mile. so i took the first mile, nice and easy: 13:45. i felt pretty good at that point and when kanye west's stronger played i pushed it a little further: 12:29, 11:06. i took a walk break then ricky martin's cup of life came on and i turned up the heat: 10:53 and finished strong with kid rock's bawitdaba: 9:24.
so it wasn't a long run, but it still felt good to push my legs and lungs. i slowed when i felt like it, and kicked it up when the tunes got good. and i had to snot into my towel only 3 times the entire time! don't worry i gave the treadmill a good cleaning when i was done!
i'm resuming meds, and my regular get-well regimen hoping that friday can be a healthy, fun, fast day.
this morning when i woke up, i was definitely feeling better. not stellar, but better. i could actually breathe through one nostril and the congestion in my chest felt much looser. i figured since i was well hydrated and nourished, (i've been drinking honey laced hot water like it's my job and eating lots of homemade soup) i'd take a stab at a "long run". on the treadmill, just in case i needed to stop in a hurry.
the schedule had me down for 8, but i went into the gym happy to log at least one mile. so i took the first mile, nice and easy: 13:45. i felt pretty good at that point and when kanye west's stronger played i pushed it a little further: 12:29, 11:06. i took a walk break then ricky martin's cup of life came on and i turned up the heat: 10:53 and finished strong with kid rock's bawitdaba: 9:24.
so it wasn't a long run, but it still felt good to push my legs and lungs. i slowed when i felt like it, and kicked it up when the tunes got good. and i had to snot into my towel only 3 times the entire time! don't worry i gave the treadmill a good cleaning when i was done!
i'm resuming meds, and my regular get-well regimen hoping that friday can be a healthy, fun, fast day.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
poop, poop, poop
that is how i feel.
and i signed up for a 5k this friday night. looks like a PR is out of the question. hopefully by the end of the week i'll be able to breathe. without coughing. and snot dripping.
let's hope this is the last time i get sick before oct 21. because that countdown in my sidebar is ticking away pretty quickly! 2 months exactly! holy shiz!
and i signed up for a 5k this friday night. looks like a PR is out of the question. hopefully by the end of the week i'll be able to breathe. without coughing. and snot dripping.
let's hope this is the last time i get sick before oct 21. because that countdown in my sidebar is ticking away pretty quickly! 2 months exactly! holy shiz!
Friday, August 17, 2007
2 memes in 1
i think i contracted ebola on the bus, because since then i've felt like poop. the muscle soreness went away in a day, but some bug has my throat scratchy, my nose drippy with snot, and i'm draggin' ass i'm so tired. so...with no new workouts to log, here are my answers to 2 memes that have been floating around:
Jobs I've Held:
courtesy clerk at safeway
hostess/waitress/bartender
resident assistant
desk receptionist in my dorm
graphic designer
Movies I can watch over and over:
about a boy
bring it on
princess diaries
home alone
shawshank redemption
My guilty pleasures:
how can you have pleasure with guilt?!
Places I have lived:
northern california
washington, d.c.
bethesda, md
Shows I enjoy:
project runway
american idol
so you think you can dance
house
good eats on food network
almost everything on tlc
workout on bravo
Places I've been on vacation:
nearly everywhere in california
lake tahoe
las vegas
houston, tx
new orleans, la for mardi gras
nyc
upstate new york
boston, ma for st.patty's day
miami, fl
myrtle beach
the caribbean
hawaii
Favorite Foods:
homemade filipino food, especially luscious pork fat
any homemade authentic cuisine
greek food
steak
barbecue
ahi tuna steaks
dungeness crab
watermelon, white peaches, cold, cold grapes, lychees, mangoes
kettle cooked potato chips
beer
Websites I visit daily:
go fug yourself
dooce
gmail
your blog
Body parts I've injured:
my newly bruised toe
i broke my left arm falling off the monkey bars in second grade right before our trip to hawaii.
i had many mishaps with the exacto knife in design classes in college and took big chunks of flesh out of my fingers. no blood, just chunks of flesh.
Awards I've won:
i graduated second in my high school class, graduated summa cum laude from college, and won a second place tae kwon do trophy in college. i guess i'm only good enough for second place!
i think i won "best hair" in junior high. does that count for anything?
Nicknames I've been called:
i used to get called by my last name a lot. but other than that, i don't like nicknames. but i like giving them to OTHER people. HA!
--------------------------------
How many teeth do you have?
i don't know, how can you count them? all but my wisdom teeth.
Have you ever had braces?
ugh yes. my brothers on the other hand had perfect straight teeth without any help!
Name and tell us a bit about a pet you had as a child.
we had two little birds when i was really young, pixie and dixie. so when you use one of their names and the street i lived on as a kid to get my porn name you get pixie rose.
Where were you born?
redwood city, ca
How many siblings do you have?
2 younger brothers, one a year younger, the other 5 years younger than me
What was your high school's mascot?
an indian. i know, so wrong.
What was your favorite Halloween costume (either childhood or adulthood)?
one year in college my bff and i went to the thrift store and bought white lacy dresses, handcuffed ourselves to each other and went as lesbian brides. that went over very well at parties.
What's your favorite smell?
babies, post-it notes, scotch tape, new computer smell, new car smell
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
i'm proud that i've stopped trying to live up to other people's expectations. i am so much more comfortable being me nowadays.
Do you put the TP on the roll so that it feeds from the bottom or the top?
however it goes on, but usually i just plunk it on the tank.
Have you ever broken anything?
my car has been dented several times in the 4 years i've owned it. i have issues parking.
If you could travel anywhere, and the budget was not a factor, where would you go?
everywhere: greece, costa rica, all of europe, australia, the Philippines. you said budget wasn't a factor.
What is your dream job?
to be a perpetual student. or to get paid to travel and eat food.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
i tend not to get embarrassed easily. i have no shame. or i shun such moments from my memory so i don't have to think about them ever again.
What is your worst fear?
being alone.
i'm afraid of what life will be like without my parents or my aunts and uncles.
i used to be afraid of ghosts until 5 years ago when the ghost of my grandpa visited me the morning he died. now i feel like he's protecting me.
What year did you graduate high school?
1996
What was one of your new year's resolutions for 2007?
to run a marathon
There you go. You guys know the drill: You are ALL tagged! Copy the text, paste it into your post, and answer the questions with your own, original tidbits of interesting info, and pass it on if you so desire. Happy meme-ing!
Jobs I've Held:
courtesy clerk at safeway
hostess/waitress/bartender
resident assistant
desk receptionist in my dorm
graphic designer
Movies I can watch over and over:
about a boy
bring it on
princess diaries
home alone
shawshank redemption
My guilty pleasures:
how can you have pleasure with guilt?!
Places I have lived:
northern california
washington, d.c.
bethesda, md
Shows I enjoy:
project runway
american idol
so you think you can dance
house
good eats on food network
almost everything on tlc
workout on bravo
Places I've been on vacation:
nearly everywhere in california
lake tahoe
las vegas
houston, tx
new orleans, la for mardi gras
nyc
upstate new york
boston, ma for st.patty's day
miami, fl
myrtle beach
the caribbean
hawaii
Favorite Foods:
homemade filipino food, especially luscious pork fat
any homemade authentic cuisine
greek food
steak
barbecue
ahi tuna steaks
dungeness crab
watermelon, white peaches, cold, cold grapes, lychees, mangoes
kettle cooked potato chips
beer
Websites I visit daily:
go fug yourself
dooce
gmail
your blog
Body parts I've injured:
my newly bruised toe
i broke my left arm falling off the monkey bars in second grade right before our trip to hawaii.
i had many mishaps with the exacto knife in design classes in college and took big chunks of flesh out of my fingers. no blood, just chunks of flesh.
Awards I've won:
i graduated second in my high school class, graduated summa cum laude from college, and won a second place tae kwon do trophy in college. i guess i'm only good enough for second place!
i think i won "best hair" in junior high. does that count for anything?
Nicknames I've been called:
i used to get called by my last name a lot. but other than that, i don't like nicknames. but i like giving them to OTHER people. HA!
--------------------------------
How many teeth do you have?
i don't know, how can you count them? all but my wisdom teeth.
Have you ever had braces?
ugh yes. my brothers on the other hand had perfect straight teeth without any help!
Name and tell us a bit about a pet you had as a child.
we had two little birds when i was really young, pixie and dixie. so when you use one of their names and the street i lived on as a kid to get my porn name you get pixie rose.
Where were you born?
redwood city, ca
How many siblings do you have?
2 younger brothers, one a year younger, the other 5 years younger than me
What was your high school's mascot?
an indian. i know, so wrong.
What was your favorite Halloween costume (either childhood or adulthood)?
one year in college my bff and i went to the thrift store and bought white lacy dresses, handcuffed ourselves to each other and went as lesbian brides. that went over very well at parties.
What's your favorite smell?
babies, post-it notes, scotch tape, new computer smell, new car smell
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
i'm proud that i've stopped trying to live up to other people's expectations. i am so much more comfortable being me nowadays.
Do you put the TP on the roll so that it feeds from the bottom or the top?
however it goes on, but usually i just plunk it on the tank.
Have you ever broken anything?
my car has been dented several times in the 4 years i've owned it. i have issues parking.
If you could travel anywhere, and the budget was not a factor, where would you go?
everywhere: greece, costa rica, all of europe, australia, the Philippines. you said budget wasn't a factor.
What is your dream job?
to be a perpetual student. or to get paid to travel and eat food.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
i tend not to get embarrassed easily. i have no shame. or i shun such moments from my memory so i don't have to think about them ever again.
What is your worst fear?
being alone.
i'm afraid of what life will be like without my parents or my aunts and uncles.
i used to be afraid of ghosts until 5 years ago when the ghost of my grandpa visited me the morning he died. now i feel like he's protecting me.
What year did you graduate high school?
1996
What was one of your new year's resolutions for 2007?
to run a marathon
There you go. You guys know the drill: You are ALL tagged! Copy the text, paste it into your post, and answer the questions with your own, original tidbits of interesting info, and pass it on if you so desire. Happy meme-ing!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
a rude awakening
hey, did you know that san francisco has a lot of hills?
yeah, so did i.
but i severely underestimated just how hilly those hills actually are. which makes for a very craptastic 14 mile run. which could potentially make for a craptastic marathon. *sigh*
the one good thing about san francisco is that the weather is almost always runner friendly. which meant i could wait until after rush hour traffic to make the trek to the city. i packed my bags, a cooler filled with post workout nourishment and made the hour drive to union square. i parked in a garage and started donning my running gear when i realized that i had forgotten my headphones!!! argh! there was no way i was gonna go 14 miles with no tunes or cues from my nike+. luckily niketown was right there. though i had to go into the store totally geeked out in my nike visor, nike sunglasses, and nike tank, in full running gear complete with my hydration belt. then i plunked down $30 for overpriced nike headphones.
i decided that it would be a good idea to start running the actual marathon route so that i would be mentally and physically prepared to handle the course. i know from experience that running in a new place wigs me out because my brain has no visual references to tell me how far i've gone and how much more i have to go. plus i knew that if i didn't get any real hill training in, it would be a very real possibility that my legs would crap out on me. i followed the map from the race website as best as i could, and prayed that none of the roads i would have to run would be too dangerous during normal non-race, non-closure conditions.
so niketown is where i started. the first couple miles i weaved in and out of mobs of pedestrians, rushed through intersections and tried not to get run over. once i hit the embarcadero though, it was pretty smooth sailing. long flat blocks and i made nearly every green light. fisherman's wharf was a little crowded but not the clusterfuck i anticipated. from there i ran along the marina right into a fierce headwind. by that point i was about 5 miles into things. i started to tire so i took a gu and a walk break. i bought a water at little stand and refilled my bottles.
next came the stretch towards the golden gate bridge and the famous mile 7 with the bad ass hill. i ran through chrissy field and at one point missed my turn and ended up at fort point. so i doubled back and found "the hill". mother bitch! bikers dismounted their bikes, but damn if every single runner powered up. i was not one of those runners. i did my best but man, it was a no go.
and actually all of the presidio pretty much sucked ass. after that hill, came another. a long slow sucky ass hill. basically miles 7-10 were a combination of running, walking, whining, doubting, and near crying. i just could not will myself to run. my legs from my knees down were not happy. tight calves, tight soleus, rickety knees. all i could do was concentrate on just moving forward and enjoying the views of ocean and million dollar homes.
and while for every uphill there is a downhill, i don't much enjoy downhills either. but at least i was back to running. once out of the presidio, i ran in the bike lane on el camino del mar. and for the first time i was in a part of the city i'd never been before. i cursed every damn tree, every house. i was so tired. and my legs were seriously spent.
but i trudged on. because i saw the ocean! and a block before i reached ocean beach, right at mile 11, i spotted my oasis. BURGER KING!! just in time because i needed water and food. even though i had 2 gus by this point, my stomach was rumbling. and i figured if eating on the run was good enough for dean-o, it could be good enough for me. i popped into the BK for a bottled water and a small fry. yes, a small fry. i figured it had salt and simple carbs.
i popped a few tasty morsels in my mouth and held onto the bag for dear life. only 3 more miles to go through golden gate park. this is where the route got tricky because the map stopped naming roads through the park and i had to go by landmarks. the dutch windmill, the golf course, spreckles lake. and if i got lost, all i had to do was head for the panhandle and the japanese tea garden.
the last three miles were a pathetic attempt at running. my mind was long gone, my spirit pummelled and defeated, my legs tight, sore and pathetic. i ran when i could but mainly i walked. during this time, i just tried to pull myself together. figure out what i could learn and what i could do to make the next longer runs not suck so much. and therefore make finishing the marathon a reality.
i decided that i would run all my remaining long runs along the actual route. i also decided that it was imperative that i take my nutrition and hydration much more seriously. this is all stuff i already knew and should have been practicing already, but the thing is is that when i started thinking too seriously about this marathon thing, i would totally wig out, start to doubt my abilities and it would just spiral into total freakout, meltdown. so i'd been taking a more laidback approach, focusing on just one run at a time. this run however was a very rude awakening. and i'm hoping that the next month and a half before my taper is enough to be prepared.
because i ran from point to point, i had to get back to my car. my plan was to take a cab, but i quickly figured out that sf is not so much a cab kind of city. luckily it is a bus city. and after walking a mile further, i was able to find out what muni line i needed to take to get me back downtown. it gave me time to stretch though i didn't realize if i had just walked a block further i could have bought a gatorade at a gas station.
about 3 or 4 stops into my bus ride, someone actually came down to sit next to me. seriously dude? i have been running for the past 3 hours and you choose ME to sit next too. i mean sure my nips were at full salute since it was chilly in my wet tank, but seriously, i could not have looked or smelled that good. though after a quick glance around the bus i realized i wasn't the dirtiest person on the bus. ah, the joys of the city.
after traversing down haight, we finally made our way downtown where i made a beeline for a hotdog stand for a salty jumbo pretzel and a vitamin water. the pretzel ended up being a smart purchase because the swath of parchment paper made it was the perfect size to shield my chest and offending nips! i scarfed the pretzel down during the 4 block walk to the garage where my other treats awaited me. i threw on a long sleeve shirt and dug out my accelerade and grapes. by this point i felt totally bloated from all the liquids. once i had my fill, i grabbed my bags and headed for the gym.
for a spin class.
just kidding! who do you think i am?! i headed to a sf branch of my gym for a much needed shower. there was NO way i was gonna drive home in nasty running clothes. although i do have to say that my new running skirt was dry as a bone! but it felt ever so good to get into a warm shower, dry off and get into my jeans, dry socks, and my warm hoodie. by the time i changed it was about 5 pm. my original plan was to have dinner at a greek restaurant downtown but i realized that even after eating dinner, i would be stuck in rush hour traffic during the ride home. so i called my tita who lives in sf to see if she was home, and she was! score! she offered to make me fried chicken so it didn't take much twisting of my arm to forego gyros and hummus for homemade goods. and green tea ice cream! WOOT!
so now here i am, well fed, more rested, watching MTV with my cousin waiting out the traffic. i am definitely going to have to eat better and drink more before my long runs. because i'm realizing now that the only time i peed today was this morning. once when i woke up and once before i left for sf. also, i was under the wrong impression that because i have been stuffing my face the past 2 weeks that i wouldn't need to "carbo-load" before my run. dumb. dumb. dumb.
from here on out people, my training is gonna have to be different. much more serious. much more focused. let's hope it's not too late to pull this marathon outta my ass!
splits:
1: 12:04
2: 12:04
3: 12:09
4.19: 14:45 (i thought i hit the splits button but didn't)
5:10:56
6: 12:59
7: 13:22
8: 14:14
9: 14:39
10: 15:27
11: 14:32
12: 12:49
13: 13:19
14: 13:31
T: 3:06:51
15:14:56 (walk to bus)
yeah, so did i.
but i severely underestimated just how hilly those hills actually are. which makes for a very craptastic 14 mile run. which could potentially make for a craptastic marathon. *sigh*
the one good thing about san francisco is that the weather is almost always runner friendly. which meant i could wait until after rush hour traffic to make the trek to the city. i packed my bags, a cooler filled with post workout nourishment and made the hour drive to union square. i parked in a garage and started donning my running gear when i realized that i had forgotten my headphones!!! argh! there was no way i was gonna go 14 miles with no tunes or cues from my nike+. luckily niketown was right there. though i had to go into the store totally geeked out in my nike visor, nike sunglasses, and nike tank, in full running gear complete with my hydration belt. then i plunked down $30 for overpriced nike headphones.
i decided that it would be a good idea to start running the actual marathon route so that i would be mentally and physically prepared to handle the course. i know from experience that running in a new place wigs me out because my brain has no visual references to tell me how far i've gone and how much more i have to go. plus i knew that if i didn't get any real hill training in, it would be a very real possibility that my legs would crap out on me. i followed the map from the race website as best as i could, and prayed that none of the roads i would have to run would be too dangerous during normal non-race, non-closure conditions.
so niketown is where i started. the first couple miles i weaved in and out of mobs of pedestrians, rushed through intersections and tried not to get run over. once i hit the embarcadero though, it was pretty smooth sailing. long flat blocks and i made nearly every green light. fisherman's wharf was a little crowded but not the clusterfuck i anticipated. from there i ran along the marina right into a fierce headwind. by that point i was about 5 miles into things. i started to tire so i took a gu and a walk break. i bought a water at little stand and refilled my bottles.
next came the stretch towards the golden gate bridge and the famous mile 7 with the bad ass hill. i ran through chrissy field and at one point missed my turn and ended up at fort point. so i doubled back and found "the hill". mother bitch! bikers dismounted their bikes, but damn if every single runner powered up. i was not one of those runners. i did my best but man, it was a no go.
and actually all of the presidio pretty much sucked ass. after that hill, came another. a long slow sucky ass hill. basically miles 7-10 were a combination of running, walking, whining, doubting, and near crying. i just could not will myself to run. my legs from my knees down were not happy. tight calves, tight soleus, rickety knees. all i could do was concentrate on just moving forward and enjoying the views of ocean and million dollar homes.
and while for every uphill there is a downhill, i don't much enjoy downhills either. but at least i was back to running. once out of the presidio, i ran in the bike lane on el camino del mar. and for the first time i was in a part of the city i'd never been before. i cursed every damn tree, every house. i was so tired. and my legs were seriously spent.
but i trudged on. because i saw the ocean! and a block before i reached ocean beach, right at mile 11, i spotted my oasis. BURGER KING!! just in time because i needed water and food. even though i had 2 gus by this point, my stomach was rumbling. and i figured if eating on the run was good enough for dean-o, it could be good enough for me. i popped into the BK for a bottled water and a small fry. yes, a small fry. i figured it had salt and simple carbs.
i popped a few tasty morsels in my mouth and held onto the bag for dear life. only 3 more miles to go through golden gate park. this is where the route got tricky because the map stopped naming roads through the park and i had to go by landmarks. the dutch windmill, the golf course, spreckles lake. and if i got lost, all i had to do was head for the panhandle and the japanese tea garden.
the last three miles were a pathetic attempt at running. my mind was long gone, my spirit pummelled and defeated, my legs tight, sore and pathetic. i ran when i could but mainly i walked. during this time, i just tried to pull myself together. figure out what i could learn and what i could do to make the next longer runs not suck so much. and therefore make finishing the marathon a reality.
i decided that i would run all my remaining long runs along the actual route. i also decided that it was imperative that i take my nutrition and hydration much more seriously. this is all stuff i already knew and should have been practicing already, but the thing is is that when i started thinking too seriously about this marathon thing, i would totally wig out, start to doubt my abilities and it would just spiral into total freakout, meltdown. so i'd been taking a more laidback approach, focusing on just one run at a time. this run however was a very rude awakening. and i'm hoping that the next month and a half before my taper is enough to be prepared.
because i ran from point to point, i had to get back to my car. my plan was to take a cab, but i quickly figured out that sf is not so much a cab kind of city. luckily it is a bus city. and after walking a mile further, i was able to find out what muni line i needed to take to get me back downtown. it gave me time to stretch though i didn't realize if i had just walked a block further i could have bought a gatorade at a gas station.
about 3 or 4 stops into my bus ride, someone actually came down to sit next to me. seriously dude? i have been running for the past 3 hours and you choose ME to sit next too. i mean sure my nips were at full salute since it was chilly in my wet tank, but seriously, i could not have looked or smelled that good. though after a quick glance around the bus i realized i wasn't the dirtiest person on the bus. ah, the joys of the city.
after traversing down haight, we finally made our way downtown where i made a beeline for a hotdog stand for a salty jumbo pretzel and a vitamin water. the pretzel ended up being a smart purchase because the swath of parchment paper made it was the perfect size to shield my chest and offending nips! i scarfed the pretzel down during the 4 block walk to the garage where my other treats awaited me. i threw on a long sleeve shirt and dug out my accelerade and grapes. by this point i felt totally bloated from all the liquids. once i had my fill, i grabbed my bags and headed for the gym.
for a spin class.
just kidding! who do you think i am?! i headed to a sf branch of my gym for a much needed shower. there was NO way i was gonna drive home in nasty running clothes. although i do have to say that my new running skirt was dry as a bone! but it felt ever so good to get into a warm shower, dry off and get into my jeans, dry socks, and my warm hoodie. by the time i changed it was about 5 pm. my original plan was to have dinner at a greek restaurant downtown but i realized that even after eating dinner, i would be stuck in rush hour traffic during the ride home. so i called my tita who lives in sf to see if she was home, and she was! score! she offered to make me fried chicken so it didn't take much twisting of my arm to forego gyros and hummus for homemade goods. and green tea ice cream! WOOT!
so now here i am, well fed, more rested, watching MTV with my cousin waiting out the traffic. i am definitely going to have to eat better and drink more before my long runs. because i'm realizing now that the only time i peed today was this morning. once when i woke up and once before i left for sf. also, i was under the wrong impression that because i have been stuffing my face the past 2 weeks that i wouldn't need to "carbo-load" before my run. dumb. dumb. dumb.
from here on out people, my training is gonna have to be different. much more serious. much more focused. let's hope it's not too late to pull this marathon outta my ass!
splits:
1: 12:04
2: 12:04
3: 12:09
4.19: 14:45 (i thought i hit the splits button but didn't)
5:10:56
6: 12:59
7: 13:22
8: 14:14
9: 14:39
10: 15:27
11: 14:32
12: 12:49
13: 13:19
14: 13:31
T: 3:06:51
15:14:56 (walk to bus)
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
i expected this
finding new trails to run is one of the best things about living where i do. even though i log a good amount of miles on the treadmill, i love getting my shoes dirty in the great outdoors. i rarely enjoy running along city (or in my case) suburban streets. i'd heard good things about rockville hills park, less than 10 minutes from my house. so off i went, planning to log an easy 5 miles.
easy they were not. and 5 i did not log. the trails were rocky, windy, and at places very narrow and right along the edge of the hill. the scenery and views were AMAZING but this was not the ideal location for me to get in my first few miles after a 2 week hiatus. about a mile into the run i realized the terrain was too rough and in places too steep for me to get in a good easy workout. so i turned back. along the way i ran into a super buff chick and her 3 super buff dogs! for awhile i also ran behind a man who at one point stopped, dropped, and pounded out some pushups. holy christ! i hope i'm that fit when i'm in my late forties!
once back to my car i decided i couldn't just call it a day, so i drove to the lagoon to finish out the rest of my run. and even though the terrain there was familiar and flat, my legs just weren't feeling it. neither was my brain. i managed to eke out another 2.25 miles, though.
so it's a pathetic re-entry into training, but it's to be expected. i'm very much looking forward to yoga tonight. i think my muscles need it. especially before i attempt my 14 mile long run tomorrow. yeah, we'll just see how THAT goes.
easy they were not. and 5 i did not log. the trails were rocky, windy, and at places very narrow and right along the edge of the hill. the scenery and views were AMAZING but this was not the ideal location for me to get in my first few miles after a 2 week hiatus. about a mile into the run i realized the terrain was too rough and in places too steep for me to get in a good easy workout. so i turned back. along the way i ran into a super buff chick and her 3 super buff dogs! for awhile i also ran behind a man who at one point stopped, dropped, and pounded out some pushups. holy christ! i hope i'm that fit when i'm in my late forties!
once back to my car i decided i couldn't just call it a day, so i drove to the lagoon to finish out the rest of my run. and even though the terrain there was familiar and flat, my legs just weren't feeling it. neither was my brain. i managed to eke out another 2.25 miles, though.
so it's a pathetic re-entry into training, but it's to be expected. i'm very much looking forward to yoga tonight. i think my muscles need it. especially before i attempt my 14 mile long run tomorrow. yeah, we'll just see how THAT goes.
Monday, August 13, 2007
where i've been
 |
| GBW 2007 |
i've been doin' a lot of partyin'. and eatin'. and drinkin'. but not a lick of running.
in my defense, dc was insanely humid and this northern california girl has lost all tolerance for crappy weather. i packed all my gear to run, totally excited about running on my old trails again, but holy crap was it ever so hot and humid. i was out one night at 1 am and it was ridiculously swampy. i don't know how i ever trained for my first half marathon in that sauna last summer. my hat goes off to all you swampy runners. that shit is bru-tal!
i did find other ways to sweat though. my college bffs and i made our annual trek to dewey beach for some fun in the sun. i had my fill of crab cakes, tacos, thrasher fries, grotto pizza, and buckets of corona. then we danced it all off at the rusty rudder.
see? totally sweaty! so sweaty i had to wring my shirt out when we got back to the hotel. gross!
this is what $8.50 in french fries looks like. i swear i didn't eat them all myself, but i'm embarrassed to admit that i probably could have if i really wanted to.
i also spent some time back in the city, visiting other friends and my old office. i made it to the portrait gallery which opened late last year after years of renovation. i also did some major shopping, including a new running skirt!
but after a week, i was ready to get the hell outta there and get home. it surprised me how much my visit back made me realize moving was the best possible thing for me. i really had my doubts in the beginning. and surprisingly even though i'm back at home with the 'rents and waiting tables, i'm happier now than i have been in years. it's taken 8 months, but i think i'm FINALLY ready to start what i moved to california to do. START MY LIFE OVER AGAIN.
which happily coincides with my 29th birthday! festivities included a huuuge cookout, bowling, and karaoke! karaoke at a place called "uncle bong's pizzeria". how could you NOT have fun at a place like that?! our crew of about 30 took over and we had the best. time. ever. eventually our d.d.s got us alcoholics home in the wee hours of the morning and even managed to stop and get some late night mexican takeout.
so as you can see, a workout is in serious order. in fact, i probably shouldn't stop running until i hit next tuesday. but my, oh, my, is it ever so hard to get back on the wagon!
oh i almost forgot, here's a picture of my toe exactly a week after the ice-block incident!
Friday, August 10, 2007
whew!
got my stuff. thank GAWD!
i do want to post about my vaca, but i'm too busy unpacking and preparing for my birthday fiesta!! woot! truth be told i've been celebrating for about a week now, so the culmination of the actual day on sunday will no doubt tire this old lady out!
and for the record, this is my last birthday. i'll be 29 until no one believes me anymore. :)
i do want to post about my vaca, but i'm too busy unpacking and preparing for my birthday fiesta!! woot! truth be told i've been celebrating for about a week now, so the culmination of the actual day on sunday will no doubt tire this old lady out!
and for the record, this is my last birthday. i'll be 29 until no one believes me anymore. :)
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
i'm hoooooooome!
with my feet firmly planted on california soil, i can happily declare i'm home! but my luggage? not so much. mother bitches! i never check baggage but with the new liquids rule, i basically had no choice because i require excessive amounts of hair product and lip gloss. so i turned my bags over to tsa. and now look what happened!
i get ansty at the baggage carousel. i worry that someone will walk off with my bag and i'll be forced to confront them (or worse not realize someone has walked off with my shit). i worry that my bag will have busted open and all my dirty undies will be spilling out. and then i worry that my bags are in bolivia instead of sacramento, california. they've tried to assure me that they're on the next flight in, but who knows.
i was smart enough to carry-on my laptop and my custom orthotics for my running shoes, but not my actual shoes. my digital camera however is lost with the luggage, so pictures of my beautiful bruised toe will have to wait til later.
i bet you can't wait! (and say a prayer to the gods of lost luggage that my things make it safely back to me!)
i get ansty at the baggage carousel. i worry that someone will walk off with my bag and i'll be forced to confront them (or worse not realize someone has walked off with my shit). i worry that my bag will have busted open and all my dirty undies will be spilling out. and then i worry that my bags are in bolivia instead of sacramento, california. they've tried to assure me that they're on the next flight in, but who knows.
i was smart enough to carry-on my laptop and my custom orthotics for my running shoes, but not my actual shoes. my digital camera however is lost with the luggage, so pictures of my beautiful bruised toe will have to wait til later.
i bet you can't wait! (and say a prayer to the gods of lost luggage that my things make it safely back to me!)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
i'm a brick house!
is it cheating if you break up your 12 mile long run with an hour spin class in the middle??
if you're asking why in the world i would even do such a thing, let me explain. tomorrow morning, my normal day off, i have to work. tomorrow night i leave on a red eye for d.c. thursday is my normal long run day, and tuesday is my normal spin day. a 12 mile run after a red eye seemed less plausible than a 12 mile run interrupted by a spin class. and if you're asking why in the hell would i bother with spin if i was already going to do 12 miles, let me explain. i am on crack.
spin has become kind of a drug. i have come to look forward to punishing my body on that bike. i can tell it's making me faster. i can tell it's making me tougher. it's just an hour a week, but that one hour a week is like training gold. so i didn't want to miss it.
and i couldn't miss my long run either. i'm going on vacay for a week and i know that a long weekend at the beach and a few days in the city catching up up with old pals will mean lots of food, lots of libations, and few opportunities to get my sweat on (besides dancin' my ass off). hence my pre-vacay exercise-fest!
the first 6 miles were pretty uneventful. i kept a nice, slow, easy pace. you could even call it fun! splits: 13:12, 11:56, 12:02, 12:16, 11:57, 11:59, .25 walk cool down.
then i downed a powergel and set up my bike. i thought for sure i would totally tank in class, but it's amazing what your body can do fueled by powergel with caffeine! we split into 3 teams to do anaerobic intervals, then we did a hill climb, then we finished with two sprint intervals. i didn't really start to feel it until we hopped off the bike to stretch. i was like, uh oh, these 6 miles are gonna su-uck!
and they pretty much did. i took half a powergel (no caffeine this time) and half a gatorade. from the waist up i was totally fine. from the hips down i was like lead. or more like tight, tight rubberbands. which i hear is a very common feeling for a brick workout. my splits are pretty abysmal but hey what do you want from me? my legs had been moving for over 2 hours at this point! splits: 13:43, 12:23, 12:22, 14:17, 12:54, 11:30, .25 walk cooldown. the only way i got through it was to just take it mile by mile. once i finished a mile, i walked to drink and at mile 9 i took the other half of my powergel. i considered bagging it at 10 miles, which would have been a valiant effort but i said to myself, fuck it you can pull 2 more miles out of your ass. and i did. i even managed to pull a 11:30 for the last mile. that last mile i just imagined myself on marathon day, climbing up the hills of san francsico, feeling super buff, super strong. the power of positive thoughts is a strong force my friends.
on the way home, i made two stops. the first was to in-n-out burger. i'm serious. i ordered a double-double animal style, protein style, fries, and a milk. for those of you who don't speak in-n-out, that's 2 burger patties with sauteed onions (animal style), pickles, tomatoes, 1000 dressing wrapped in huge lettuce leaves instead of a bun (protein style). i scarfed that sucker down like no one's business. and those french fries? sweet, sweet heaven. i didn't eat them all though. as hungry as i was, i just couldn't stomach all of them.
my second stop was to safeway to buy ice for my bath. they had 20 pound bags of cubed ice and 10 pound ice blocks. i thought 40 pounds of ice would be overkill, so i bought one of each. except that when i grabbed the 10 pound ice block, another 10 pound ice block fell out of the freezer and onto my left foot!!!!!
mother bitch! i was like freakin' steve carell in 40 year old virgin when he gets his chest waxed. so of course the clerks turn their heads to stare as i curse and hobble and hobble and curse. but does anyone come over to see what the hell just happened? no! fuckers!
so then i hobble to the checkout and i'm practically in tears at this point and does anyone offer to help the injured hobbling girl carry her 30 pounds of ice to her car? no! fuckers! i worked at that store one summer and i know for a fact that it is a rule to offer help out to any customer with 2 or more bags!!! you can bet i am writing an email to the manager of the store and ratting those lazy fuckers out.
so it's kind of ironic that the ice i bought to help ease my pain ended up causing me the most pain! and i know some marathoners end up with black toes and missing toenails, but i don't think this is how it happens to most.
so i bathed, both icy and warm. the toe is still throbbing like a mo'fo' and i'm icing it again. i hope i can sleep despite the pain 'cause i got a long day ahead of me tomorrow. but by this time tomorrow, i will officially be on vacay!!
if you're asking why in the world i would even do such a thing, let me explain. tomorrow morning, my normal day off, i have to work. tomorrow night i leave on a red eye for d.c. thursday is my normal long run day, and tuesday is my normal spin day. a 12 mile run after a red eye seemed less plausible than a 12 mile run interrupted by a spin class. and if you're asking why in the hell would i bother with spin if i was already going to do 12 miles, let me explain. i am on crack.
spin has become kind of a drug. i have come to look forward to punishing my body on that bike. i can tell it's making me faster. i can tell it's making me tougher. it's just an hour a week, but that one hour a week is like training gold. so i didn't want to miss it.
and i couldn't miss my long run either. i'm going on vacay for a week and i know that a long weekend at the beach and a few days in the city catching up up with old pals will mean lots of food, lots of libations, and few opportunities to get my sweat on (besides dancin' my ass off). hence my pre-vacay exercise-fest!
the first 6 miles were pretty uneventful. i kept a nice, slow, easy pace. you could even call it fun! splits: 13:12, 11:56, 12:02, 12:16, 11:57, 11:59, .25 walk cool down.
then i downed a powergel and set up my bike. i thought for sure i would totally tank in class, but it's amazing what your body can do fueled by powergel with caffeine! we split into 3 teams to do anaerobic intervals, then we did a hill climb, then we finished with two sprint intervals. i didn't really start to feel it until we hopped off the bike to stretch. i was like, uh oh, these 6 miles are gonna su-uck!
and they pretty much did. i took half a powergel (no caffeine this time) and half a gatorade. from the waist up i was totally fine. from the hips down i was like lead. or more like tight, tight rubberbands. which i hear is a very common feeling for a brick workout. my splits are pretty abysmal but hey what do you want from me? my legs had been moving for over 2 hours at this point! splits: 13:43, 12:23, 12:22, 14:17, 12:54, 11:30, .25 walk cooldown. the only way i got through it was to just take it mile by mile. once i finished a mile, i walked to drink and at mile 9 i took the other half of my powergel. i considered bagging it at 10 miles, which would have been a valiant effort but i said to myself, fuck it you can pull 2 more miles out of your ass. and i did. i even managed to pull a 11:30 for the last mile. that last mile i just imagined myself on marathon day, climbing up the hills of san francsico, feeling super buff, super strong. the power of positive thoughts is a strong force my friends.
on the way home, i made two stops. the first was to in-n-out burger. i'm serious. i ordered a double-double animal style, protein style, fries, and a milk. for those of you who don't speak in-n-out, that's 2 burger patties with sauteed onions (animal style), pickles, tomatoes, 1000 dressing wrapped in huge lettuce leaves instead of a bun (protein style). i scarfed that sucker down like no one's business. and those french fries? sweet, sweet heaven. i didn't eat them all though. as hungry as i was, i just couldn't stomach all of them.
my second stop was to safeway to buy ice for my bath. they had 20 pound bags of cubed ice and 10 pound ice blocks. i thought 40 pounds of ice would be overkill, so i bought one of each. except that when i grabbed the 10 pound ice block, another 10 pound ice block fell out of the freezer and onto my left foot!!!!!
mother bitch! i was like freakin' steve carell in 40 year old virgin when he gets his chest waxed. so of course the clerks turn their heads to stare as i curse and hobble and hobble and curse. but does anyone come over to see what the hell just happened? no! fuckers!
so then i hobble to the checkout and i'm practically in tears at this point and does anyone offer to help the injured hobbling girl carry her 30 pounds of ice to her car? no! fuckers! i worked at that store one summer and i know for a fact that it is a rule to offer help out to any customer with 2 or more bags!!! you can bet i am writing an email to the manager of the store and ratting those lazy fuckers out.
so it's kind of ironic that the ice i bought to help ease my pain ended up causing me the most pain! and i know some marathoners end up with black toes and missing toenails, but i don't think this is how it happens to most.
so i bathed, both icy and warm. the toe is still throbbing like a mo'fo' and i'm icing it again. i hope i can sleep despite the pain 'cause i got a long day ahead of me tomorrow. but by this time tomorrow, i will officially be on vacay!!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
holla' atcha girl
on the docket today: 10 mile long run. aka the run where nearly every male driver stopped to honk at me. the SUV full of air force guys i didn't mind so much, but the dudes in the garbage truck. ick. proves yet another one of my theories: men will holler at anything in a skirt.
i chose a route straight outta the door of my house: to the golf course, around it and back home. a much hillier course than i've been running as of late. and hills are what i need to start getting used to if i'm not gonna die come october.
i've somehow lost my watch among my many possessions piled in my room and i've been running without it for a couple of weeks now. it's kind of nice because i don't get so caught up in my time and pace and i listen a lot more to my body. i did have my nike plus system though so i was able to clock the time of my entire run.
the first three miles were pretty smooth and when i reached the halfway point i was pretty stoaked to hear i was under an hour. there were times my mind would drift off and suddenly i'd drift back to consciousness and remember oh, yeah i'm running. i love when my body goes into autopilot like that. it's the closest thing i've had to an out of body experience. when i hit 8 miles though, i started to get a wee bit tired. only 2 miles to go i told myself. that's less than half an hour, you can do ANYTHING for less than half an hour.
the last mile kinda just sucked. i was tired and dumb enough to leave the biggest hill for the end. and just as i started my slow climb up, what song comes up on my ipod? the rocky theme song. i just had to laugh. what luck! so i huffed and i puffed got my ass up and over the hill and completed my 10 miles in 1:51:33!!! boys and girls that is an 11:08 average pace!!!!! for this petite chica, that is one big effing deal! holla' atcha girl!!!
i think i deserve a day at the beach, don't you?! happy thursday, y'all!
i chose a route straight outta the door of my house: to the golf course, around it and back home. a much hillier course than i've been running as of late. and hills are what i need to start getting used to if i'm not gonna die come october.
i've somehow lost my watch among my many possessions piled in my room and i've been running without it for a couple of weeks now. it's kind of nice because i don't get so caught up in my time and pace and i listen a lot more to my body. i did have my nike plus system though so i was able to clock the time of my entire run.
the first three miles were pretty smooth and when i reached the halfway point i was pretty stoaked to hear i was under an hour. there were times my mind would drift off and suddenly i'd drift back to consciousness and remember oh, yeah i'm running. i love when my body goes into autopilot like that. it's the closest thing i've had to an out of body experience. when i hit 8 miles though, i started to get a wee bit tired. only 2 miles to go i told myself. that's less than half an hour, you can do ANYTHING for less than half an hour.
the last mile kinda just sucked. i was tired and dumb enough to leave the biggest hill for the end. and just as i started my slow climb up, what song comes up on my ipod? the rocky theme song. i just had to laugh. what luck! so i huffed and i puffed got my ass up and over the hill and completed my 10 miles in 1:51:33!!! boys and girls that is an 11:08 average pace!!!!! for this petite chica, that is one big effing deal! holla' atcha girl!!!
i think i deserve a day at the beach, don't you?! happy thursday, y'all!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
run, spin, run
tonight's workout kicked serious ass!!!
7:00 2 mile run
7:30 -8:30 spin class
i'd missed the last 2 weeks for family stuff, so i knew class would kick my ass. plus i was already hot and sweaty from my 2 mile warmup. i set up my bike and tried to mentally prepare myself for the hell that is spin class. then some tiny little twig of a girl set her bike up right next to mine. like closer than i usually set my bike up next to MH. beeyotch, what the eff is up with that? i swear to bob her waist was the size of one of my thighs. needless to say, i promptly put my shirt back on. i know, i'm such a hater.
after the warmup, the instructor says we're doing partner intervals. with MH gone this week, twiggy turns to me and asks to be my partner. effing great! the instructor then says that whoever if the youngest of the partners starts the intervals first. turns out twiggy is effing 18!!! a whole 10 years younger than me!! shit!
so yeah, as if spin wasn't bad enough i've gotta keep up with a hardbody teenager during anaerobic intervals. talk about motivation. i'm freakin' sucking wind just to show i'm not a lame old lady, and i swear to bob, someone in class farts!!! i nearly choked.
after that, we did a hill climb, then sprint intervals. fun fun. and oh yeah, someone in class farted AGAIN! lay off the frijoles before class people!!!
8:30-9:05 3 more miles
after class, i hopped back on the treadmill and went another 3 miles. the best part was i ran them at 11:20. and i wasn't even tired!! i'm thinking that luscious pork fat is my body's fuel of choice.
i'm feeling pretty much on top of the world! yay endorphins! i've eaten, showered, and my brother just called saying he's got the makings for irish car bombs and just bought the 80's edition of guitar hero. it's gonna be a long night, folks. but we both have tomorrow off! woot!
7:00 2 mile run
7:30 -8:30 spin class
i'd missed the last 2 weeks for family stuff, so i knew class would kick my ass. plus i was already hot and sweaty from my 2 mile warmup. i set up my bike and tried to mentally prepare myself for the hell that is spin class. then some tiny little twig of a girl set her bike up right next to mine. like closer than i usually set my bike up next to MH. beeyotch, what the eff is up with that? i swear to bob her waist was the size of one of my thighs. needless to say, i promptly put my shirt back on. i know, i'm such a hater.
after the warmup, the instructor says we're doing partner intervals. with MH gone this week, twiggy turns to me and asks to be my partner. effing great! the instructor then says that whoever if the youngest of the partners starts the intervals first. turns out twiggy is effing 18!!! a whole 10 years younger than me!! shit!
so yeah, as if spin wasn't bad enough i've gotta keep up with a hardbody teenager during anaerobic intervals. talk about motivation. i'm freakin' sucking wind just to show i'm not a lame old lady, and i swear to bob, someone in class farts!!! i nearly choked.
after that, we did a hill climb, then sprint intervals. fun fun. and oh yeah, someone in class farted AGAIN! lay off the frijoles before class people!!!
8:30-9:05 3 more miles
after class, i hopped back on the treadmill and went another 3 miles. the best part was i ran them at 11:20. and i wasn't even tired!! i'm thinking that luscious pork fat is my body's fuel of choice.
i'm feeling pretty much on top of the world! yay endorphins! i've eaten, showered, and my brother just called saying he's got the makings for irish car bombs and just bought the 80's edition of guitar hero. it's gonna be a long night, folks. but we both have tomorrow off! woot!
Monday, July 23, 2007
damage control
this morning i got up at 4:30 to get my ass on a treadclimber and a precor. in an hour, i burned close to 700 calories!! which doesn't even come close to burning off HALF of what i ate this weekend. pints of guinness and corona light (on different nights), homemade cookies, my weight in cheese, enough rice to feed china twice, and sweet luscious pork fat! (if you haven't had a roasted pig, you haven't yet lived!)totally worth the 5 miles i'm about to log. and an hour of yoga to unblock any digestive chakras.
i wouldn't have to work so hard if i just ate like a lady :)
Friday, July 20, 2007
girl power
i've been too busy yapping about my fat arse to properly acknowledge that i've been "tagged" as a rockin' girl blogger. woot! thanks chicas. and to pay it forward, as anne says:1. jen
from the second i started reading her blog i thought to myself, "she is exactly the kind of athlete i want to be!"
2. josie
who doesn't love a girl who loves spam? she has me laughing all the friggin' time! yet she can be so introspective and thoughtful.
3. neese
this is the girl who inspired me to do speedwork!!!
4. chicago gal
maybe she's my long lost sister or we were born on the same wavelength but it is so eerie how our lives are so parallel, even though we're on opposite sides of the country living very different lives. she's smart and isn't afraid to speak her mind.
5. gina
i envy the way she writes. so effortless yet perfectly and delightfully descriptive.
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