So I need a change of scenery today for my run, so I choose the arboretum, the last time I remember being there was in college, post sunlight and post many beers, so I had no idea what kind of running trail I was getting myself into....sober. I'd judge it as a pretty average running trail, plenty of little hills, dips, straights and turns. It killed ME, but I try to judge a course not based on my level, but rather how challenging it should be to the average runner. NOT that I classify myself a runner yet, I have to stick with it for a while, more than a year and consistently practice the sport of running.
So as I run the arboretum at UK, run.com says it is 2.45 in length to run the entire way around and today, as I push myself beyond where I think crazy has come and gone and I run consistently 6 minutes with 1:30 break in between (and I don't just casually walk - I keep walking large strides with arms swinging), 3 times around the arboretum trail. I'm sure I looked like a total spastic, not quite Phoebe from Friends, but rather I'm sure I had a "I'm going to die at any second so if you see that as you pass me and here a "phflump" on the ground, please call 911" look on my face the entire time as well as terrible posture and loud breathing.
As I run/die/walk, rinse and repeat, I profile every single person I pass. It makes the run quite interesting as I listen to Kesha "tik Tok", since I have no idea what that song is about other than it seems this "Kesha" really has no idea what it is really like to party and thinks shes good friends with P Diddy and brushes her teeth with Jack Daniels. Brushing your teeth with anything other than bleach after a hard night of partying will leave you with bad breath, something no one wants to be around including yourself, my dear. I could go on, but I need to get to the point here. So as I think about passing out and giving in to the little black dots I start seeing before my eyes at the 5 minute mark, I pass a group of Asians, looks like a small family, so I bet that at least one of them is a doctor or scientist smart enough to be able to determine my chances of living once I have passed out in front of them from running like an idiot. I bet that the female would be kind and pick up my head and try to wave air in front of me trying to get me to respond, while the "doctor" tries to feel for a pulse, and the scientist just shakes his head as he takes one look at me and realizes I am no runner, but a floppy excuse of an exerciser.
I keep pushing on, knowing that I haven't passed out in front of my caring asian female, the doctor or scientist, I look for another human specimen to determine if they shall be fit to take care of me should I drop dead in front of them. I pass two tall black men (not too shabby) and what appears to be athletic or slightly muscular. I bet that since they have passed me three times on the track I have run through only 2, that one of them, if not both, could pick me up, should I pass out and run me to an area where there are more people to help as one of them calls 911. I bet that they would yell for help should they need more and I bet that due to their brute strength they should be able to get me to a location where I could survive, possibly to the asians, so the doctor can check me out and the scientist can just shake his head.
I pass a number of younger white couples. I determine they are all useless. I pass two older ladies with a very old dog who I assume are lesbians (not the dog, I'm sure she is just a victim of circumstance), who have only in their late years embraced their homosexuality and are bitter for not having done so sooner or not been in an atmosphere or cultural environment where they could have, so they'd much rather enjoy their lesbianism to themselves and not be bothered thank you very much since they have time to make up for and would rather not waste a nice summer evening wondering if some sweaty girl who has obviously pushed herself too far is going to wake up from her running induced coma.
Some white guy with serious love handles (eew pull your pants up or please wear a longer shirt less revealing) and a black t shirt that is torn all the way down to his hips (I mean it is seriously a glorified large mens bib) runs really fast pass me, but then I look further down the trail to see he has slowed down, though I don't doubt his enthusiasm (he like many have passed me twice) he is obviously running a lot for show as well. I am running, just not to die whilst doing so. He will be useless to me also as he is so self consumed with showing off, I'm sure at the several pretty blonde chicks I've seen, I doubt he would notice my limp body on the ground and since I'm not blonde, I'm shit outta luck.
I wrap this up with a scattered Pakistani or Middle Eastern kind of people, most of which are NOT dressed to be exercising, and have, surprise surprise, a book in their hands while walking, or are just using the benches to sit. I bet that if I collapse around one of those benches I would get helped by the physicist, but would be shockingly awoken from my near death experience and be yanked back from the light like a bullet out of a barrell from a certain, shall we say, body aroma.
I see one girl that looks a little heavier than me, but is much prettier and blonder and her and I pass at equal intervals on the course the three times we run around. I know she'd stop if she saw my body lying limp and she'd probably enlist her community college nurse training like she'd always hoped she would and save the day. The third time we pass, I look like washed up shit on a BP oil slick beach and she looks the same as the first time I passed her. Bitch.
Even with my most recent brush with people as a bad experience (the cell phone theft incident - I will blog about some day just not today) I still think good in mostly everyone I see. I don't judge harshly, but I do enjoy trying to read a book by it's cover, it often saves time, and hell, if I'm wrong it's a pleasant surprise!
I ran for 1:13:26 today and I feel like total and utter craptastic shaky blubber. 6 minutes on 1:30 off, consistently, I did accidentally walk for about 2 minutes at one point, but half way through my run I actually ran 8 minutes without realizing, that was cool. SOOOOOOOO I ran for over an hour and I feel like I ran my maximum today. 10K +7.35 miles which is 11.8286 kilometers. This is where I draw the line, this is where I stop. This is where I do this or less and push to run harder faster for longer and get my time down. PHEW. It sucks, I am taking Friday off from running and taking in a ball game instead. My pelvis hurts, my legs hurt and my knees are screaming at my feet "Why did you let her do this! next time hide the running shoes" Feet: "don't blame us, you are closer to her head, and obviously it was in her ass since she ran so obscenely long today". I'm a running racial profiler and I imagine that my feet have conversations with my knees and other body parts to try to talk myself out of running like a crazy person.
I need another hobby.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Rebecca 1; Bunnies 0
So last night's run was the first time that I had to muster up the motivation to go, then on the run had to the entire time continue to motivate myself. I find the first leg of the run particularly hard and a little boring now, so perhaps a change in running scenery to get me up and going again?
This was also the very first run that I did move up a step in my plan I maintained my effort from Monday night, which was to run for 5 minutes, walk for 1:30 and so on for 5.62 miles. I thought if I maintained that, then maybe to push myself I'd add on the extra mile to make it to 10K... not so. Just couldn't get there mentally last night, I still enjoyed the run, but not as much as I had been previously, because previously I had been making leaps and great strides, pushing harder and better and longer EACH DAY. Now my progress has slowed, I think a natural part of my training, but it is mentally tough. I can't blog about how I ran so much more in time, or ran so much farther than before, that is disappointing, but I should focus on how far I've come, so quickly.
I think what I would like to do is really push to run that 6.26 miles to make it 10K, not run the whole way, but just last that long. Use my 5 minutes running 1:30 walking and add on that extra mile. I really think I can do it, I'm just not that excited about it this time around. Then once that I have done that, I really need to concentrate on training just for a 5K, I feel like knowing I can complete 10K in one session, that will be a big achievement for me so that 5K won't seem so ominous.
I run across more and more bunnies each time I run the trail behind my neighborhood, hence the title. Yesterday it was like 7 bunnies, they are multiplying, like, well, bunnies!! If I wasn't so focused on not dying or crunching my knees due to the sheer weight of my huge ass running on them, I might stop to admire those docile bunnies and their fluffy white tails, but if they continue to run across my path, my knees won't be the only thing I crush.
Tonight my strategy is to have my ipod fully charged, Paul's Palm Pre ready to go measuring my total distance and to go to the Arboretum and complete the 2.45 total distance of the track 2.5 times. I'm kinda ok with doing 5 minutes running, but maybe I should do 6 minutes running, 1:30 walking. Try to move up one minute every two days. Slow progression has helped me a lot and I think that has also helped with me being able to feel like I have made large accomplishments and made strides in my training.
I do want to mention that though I was consistent from Monday night to Wednesday night training and for the the first time "didn't add anything" I did, actually run 6:30 twice with a 1:30 walk in between, i simply HAD to bargain with myself, that horrendous hill at the top of town branch I still cannot bring myself to run up, so I promised myself that I would run to near half way up, beyond my 5 minute mark and then let myself finish to the top by walking, but the deal was I still had to push myself. It worked...
That's how i push myself, I eyeball an end point, then I bargain with myself as I get closer and closer to push the end point farther and farther. That's how I added on the extra mile, running that 1/2 mile back to walk home is easy, mentally, I've just GOT to stay motivated. I am using the hell out of my ipod pop running playlist and vanilla ice with some britney spears and young mc is getting a little old over and over. Time to get me some new music to run to! That's next.
I have officially sent in mine (and Andrea's) application for the 5K Great Buffalo Chase at Buffalo Trace. looks like a fun first 5K, I'm excited, my strategy to get myself extra excited about it, I have promised to buy myself that cute purple exercise top at Target and a new pair of exercise pants that go just below the knee. If I keep running like this, I will need to purchase a new pair of shoes, those really make all the difference!
I am also thrilled that Andrea is running too, now, we don't need to take over the running world, but having someone who just also knows the difficulty, the challenges, is very comforting and motivating. For the first time, I really don't feel competitive with Andrea (maybe I have just grown up), also that came out bad, I don't feel competitive with a friend for the first time. ANYONE I would always get competitive with and this time, it's really about a goal and enjoying that goal and the fact that I get to do that and enjoy it with a great friend is just gravy. Not kicking someone's ass.
This was also the very first run that I did move up a step in my plan I maintained my effort from Monday night, which was to run for 5 minutes, walk for 1:30 and so on for 5.62 miles. I thought if I maintained that, then maybe to push myself I'd add on the extra mile to make it to 10K... not so. Just couldn't get there mentally last night, I still enjoyed the run, but not as much as I had been previously, because previously I had been making leaps and great strides, pushing harder and better and longer EACH DAY. Now my progress has slowed, I think a natural part of my training, but it is mentally tough. I can't blog about how I ran so much more in time, or ran so much farther than before, that is disappointing, but I should focus on how far I've come, so quickly.
I think what I would like to do is really push to run that 6.26 miles to make it 10K, not run the whole way, but just last that long. Use my 5 minutes running 1:30 walking and add on that extra mile. I really think I can do it, I'm just not that excited about it this time around. Then once that I have done that, I really need to concentrate on training just for a 5K, I feel like knowing I can complete 10K in one session, that will be a big achievement for me so that 5K won't seem so ominous.
I run across more and more bunnies each time I run the trail behind my neighborhood, hence the title. Yesterday it was like 7 bunnies, they are multiplying, like, well, bunnies!! If I wasn't so focused on not dying or crunching my knees due to the sheer weight of my huge ass running on them, I might stop to admire those docile bunnies and their fluffy white tails, but if they continue to run across my path, my knees won't be the only thing I crush.
Tonight my strategy is to have my ipod fully charged, Paul's Palm Pre ready to go measuring my total distance and to go to the Arboretum and complete the 2.45 total distance of the track 2.5 times. I'm kinda ok with doing 5 minutes running, but maybe I should do 6 minutes running, 1:30 walking. Try to move up one minute every two days. Slow progression has helped me a lot and I think that has also helped with me being able to feel like I have made large accomplishments and made strides in my training.
I do want to mention that though I was consistent from Monday night to Wednesday night training and for the the first time "didn't add anything" I did, actually run 6:30 twice with a 1:30 walk in between, i simply HAD to bargain with myself, that horrendous hill at the top of town branch I still cannot bring myself to run up, so I promised myself that I would run to near half way up, beyond my 5 minute mark and then let myself finish to the top by walking, but the deal was I still had to push myself. It worked...
That's how i push myself, I eyeball an end point, then I bargain with myself as I get closer and closer to push the end point farther and farther. That's how I added on the extra mile, running that 1/2 mile back to walk home is easy, mentally, I've just GOT to stay motivated. I am using the hell out of my ipod pop running playlist and vanilla ice with some britney spears and young mc is getting a little old over and over. Time to get me some new music to run to! That's next.
I have officially sent in mine (and Andrea's) application for the 5K Great Buffalo Chase at Buffalo Trace. looks like a fun first 5K, I'm excited, my strategy to get myself extra excited about it, I have promised to buy myself that cute purple exercise top at Target and a new pair of exercise pants that go just below the knee. If I keep running like this, I will need to purchase a new pair of shoes, those really make all the difference!
I am also thrilled that Andrea is running too, now, we don't need to take over the running world, but having someone who just also knows the difficulty, the challenges, is very comforting and motivating. For the first time, I really don't feel competitive with Andrea (maybe I have just grown up), also that came out bad, I don't feel competitive with a friend for the first time. ANYONE I would always get competitive with and this time, it's really about a goal and enjoying that goal and the fact that I get to do that and enjoy it with a great friend is just gravy. Not kicking someone's ass.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
I Run, therefore, I Blog.
Blog when I run, run when I blog, so if I can keep one of them up, I can keep both of them up and stick to something, then if I don't I don't achieve two things at once. hmmmpf.
I am blogging BEFORE I run tonight though, my knee hurts slightly ( I think I may have to give up my insane high heels before long) to protect the longevity of my knee and running.
I will try to just do the 5 mins run and 1:30 walk tonight for the total of 6.26 miles. I wasn't intending to train for a 10K, but it seems quite easy, at this point. Once I feel like I can run for 8-10 minutes I will alternate between running a 5K as fast as I can, then work on endurance for a 10K, so my goal is to run a 5K before July 3rd, but in my training also finish a total length of 10K (run/walk or as long running as I can).
Took Joseph to see Toy Story 3 today, Pixar did a great job, lots of fun and some adult messages in tehre, (don't read on if you haven't seen it) but there is a scene where they toys look like it's the end for them in a firey inferno and they all calmy look at each other and grab each other's hands one by one and knowingly look into what will be their demise as toys. Serious stuff for a three year old, obviously it turns out well and they don't "die" but it was tough to watch and I wonder what went through Joseph's head as he watched that. Joseph is quite an acutely emotionally tuned in kid, he shed a tear when the wife died in "UP", he said "I sad" didn't explain, but knew because of the music cues and the coloring and the husband's sadness that it was a sad part of the movie. At this point during Toy Story though, Joseph was in my lap and he just intently watched. He sat up right and intently watched every single part of the movie, not one look of boredom or incling to do something else. He has LOVED the movie CARS for so long, but he has defintely taken a shine to all the Toy Story movies, so being able to take him to this movie and watch him enjoy it, was special for me. I am glad for Paul that he didnt' go, Paul is a big softie now that he is a dad and just loves Joseph millions of sixes. Paul, I think, would have teared up at the scene where Andy's room is empty and his mom gets sad because he is going off to college, that didn't make me much sad at all, I look forward to Joseph growing up, I definitely got sad though throughout the movie though, of just Andy growing up, because Joseph does that everyday. He grows up, grows taller, smarter, cuter, every single day and a little bit of my heart breaks, but a little bit of my heart grows bigger. So it's pretty much even stevens.
So I took a long lunch today, but am staying late to get my work done. I am thankful for a job that has such flexibility, as long as the work gets done and hell, I'm not seeing a movie every week or month even on my lunch break, it should work out fair. I have so much to say about Joseph and his emotional maturity, he is still a kid but has a sense about him that is sensible, kind and caring, just something extra special he has right now and I hope he doesn't grow out of. Ever.
So I will blog later tonight, I will run, therefore I will blog.
Until then.
I am blogging BEFORE I run tonight though, my knee hurts slightly ( I think I may have to give up my insane high heels before long) to protect the longevity of my knee and running.
I will try to just do the 5 mins run and 1:30 walk tonight for the total of 6.26 miles. I wasn't intending to train for a 10K, but it seems quite easy, at this point. Once I feel like I can run for 8-10 minutes I will alternate between running a 5K as fast as I can, then work on endurance for a 10K, so my goal is to run a 5K before July 3rd, but in my training also finish a total length of 10K (run/walk or as long running as I can).
Took Joseph to see Toy Story 3 today, Pixar did a great job, lots of fun and some adult messages in tehre, (don't read on if you haven't seen it) but there is a scene where they toys look like it's the end for them in a firey inferno and they all calmy look at each other and grab each other's hands one by one and knowingly look into what will be their demise as toys. Serious stuff for a three year old, obviously it turns out well and they don't "die" but it was tough to watch and I wonder what went through Joseph's head as he watched that. Joseph is quite an acutely emotionally tuned in kid, he shed a tear when the wife died in "UP", he said "I sad" didn't explain, but knew because of the music cues and the coloring and the husband's sadness that it was a sad part of the movie. At this point during Toy Story though, Joseph was in my lap and he just intently watched. He sat up right and intently watched every single part of the movie, not one look of boredom or incling to do something else. He has LOVED the movie CARS for so long, but he has defintely taken a shine to all the Toy Story movies, so being able to take him to this movie and watch him enjoy it, was special for me. I am glad for Paul that he didnt' go, Paul is a big softie now that he is a dad and just loves Joseph millions of sixes. Paul, I think, would have teared up at the scene where Andy's room is empty and his mom gets sad because he is going off to college, that didn't make me much sad at all, I look forward to Joseph growing up, I definitely got sad though throughout the movie though, of just Andy growing up, because Joseph does that everyday. He grows up, grows taller, smarter, cuter, every single day and a little bit of my heart breaks, but a little bit of my heart grows bigger. So it's pretty much even stevens.
So I took a long lunch today, but am staying late to get my work done. I am thankful for a job that has such flexibility, as long as the work gets done and hell, I'm not seeing a movie every week or month even on my lunch break, it should work out fair. I have so much to say about Joseph and his emotional maturity, he is still a kid but has a sense about him that is sensible, kind and caring, just something extra special he has right now and I hope he doesn't grow out of. Ever.
So I will blog later tonight, I will run, therefore I will blog.
Until then.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Electronics suck and ruined my 5 mile achievement
Stoopid Electronics. They totally hate me. Just when I thought I got my classic ipod (1st gen) working again, it stops only 1/2 mile into my run today. This is total crap. THEN upon arrival at the Price homestead post 5miles, Paul's Palm Pre decided not to register my total run length today, only my time. I added an additional mile onto the run from yesterday so I KNOW I ran over 5miles, 5.26 precisely, but exactly I am not sure. STUPID GPS, maybe an alien spacecraft was parked illegally in front of the satellite tracking my running distance. I hope that guy got a ticket.
So the entire run I had to listen to myself breathe, breathe like a weirdo and concentrate on how much drier my lips could possibly get and if I breathed any harder I would spit on innocent passers by, now that's collateral damage. Not like wearing two watches is dorky enough (one to see how long it takes and one to switch on and off my stop watch, 5 minutes for running, 1min 30 for walking, rinse and repeat). I did purchase some "iron man" pink sunglasses that are very light weight and block the sun from making me squint even more and making my evil eleven appear 10 years older than I actually am. (Evil eleven are those two vertical lines beside each eyebrow as they meet in the middle at your nose - I look evil or pissed off even when I am happy - years of concern leads to looking angry all the time. Probably keeps people away, which I don't mind, but nonetheless, I am SERIOUSLY contemplating botox and if I had an extra $450 every couple of months I would totally do it)
I digress...
So I think I am spunky keeping to running my 5 minutes and walking 1min 30, with one exception walking 4 minutes as I approach the largest hill of the run I just SIMPLY cannot do, but I make up for it by running for 6 min 30 on the next run and then pushing myself to over 5 miles. Music would really make it all much better, until I can get my ipod situation worked out I am just going to get a cheap MP3 player and fill it with crappy embarrassing songs to run to.
I also fear I have injured myself. It doesn't hurt or bother me when I am running, however, when I stop to walk, it starts to hurt, not bad, no swelling, but just sore. So I am taking Tuesday off from running, getting back at it on Wednesday, hopefully with a renewed desire to kill my 5 miles.
Every time I run, I have pushed myself for some small goal, just to see if I can push it, really get there, really work towards a 5K or even a 10K. Maybe by the end of the summer I could run a 10K - that would be cool. Dad said he used to be able to run 10K in 44 minutes, I am currently running (plus a little walking) 5 miles ( a little over) in 56 minutes I include a warm up walk and a cool down walk each of 3-4 minutes.
On a different note, the episode where Peter Griffin on Family Guy turns gay (due to an experimental shot he takes for try to pay off the debt he has incurred from racing a retarded horse that causes injury and devastation during its one and only race) is the funniest FG episode ever. Seth McFarlane, you are comic genius.
Paul has been successfully putting Joseph to bed by 9pm on the nights that I run and it has been blissful. Kudos to Paul for making this work and getting routine into Joseph, he will need it when pre-school starts this fall. Joseph still crawls into bed with us anywhere between 4am and 7am every night, but I am not going to get up at that hour and deal with putting him back to bed. He is only 3 and hell, if he wants to cuddle in the morning, then I am cool with that, he goes to sleep in his bed and spends the majority of each night in his bed and naps in his bed, I am going to allow myself this one thing with Joseph. He woke up Saturday morning putting his arm around me, gently trying to wake me, me gently trying to ignore him, knowing that Sunday was Father's Day and I would have to get up, Joseph said "Mummy, I want you to make me some oatmeal and chocolate milk, please". I said, "Daddy, go make Joseph breakfast" Joseph: "No! Mummy, you make the oatmeal and chocolate milk, you are the best oatmeal cooker." lol. the ONLY thing I can make to anyone's satisfaction. Everything else cooking FAIL.
So the entire run I had to listen to myself breathe, breathe like a weirdo and concentrate on how much drier my lips could possibly get and if I breathed any harder I would spit on innocent passers by, now that's collateral damage. Not like wearing two watches is dorky enough (one to see how long it takes and one to switch on and off my stop watch, 5 minutes for running, 1min 30 for walking, rinse and repeat). I did purchase some "iron man" pink sunglasses that are very light weight and block the sun from making me squint even more and making my evil eleven appear 10 years older than I actually am. (Evil eleven are those two vertical lines beside each eyebrow as they meet in the middle at your nose - I look evil or pissed off even when I am happy - years of concern leads to looking angry all the time. Probably keeps people away, which I don't mind, but nonetheless, I am SERIOUSLY contemplating botox and if I had an extra $450 every couple of months I would totally do it)
I digress...
So I think I am spunky keeping to running my 5 minutes and walking 1min 30, with one exception walking 4 minutes as I approach the largest hill of the run I just SIMPLY cannot do, but I make up for it by running for 6 min 30 on the next run and then pushing myself to over 5 miles. Music would really make it all much better, until I can get my ipod situation worked out I am just going to get a cheap MP3 player and fill it with crappy embarrassing songs to run to.
I also fear I have injured myself. It doesn't hurt or bother me when I am running, however, when I stop to walk, it starts to hurt, not bad, no swelling, but just sore. So I am taking Tuesday off from running, getting back at it on Wednesday, hopefully with a renewed desire to kill my 5 miles.
Every time I run, I have pushed myself for some small goal, just to see if I can push it, really get there, really work towards a 5K or even a 10K. Maybe by the end of the summer I could run a 10K - that would be cool. Dad said he used to be able to run 10K in 44 minutes, I am currently running (plus a little walking) 5 miles ( a little over) in 56 minutes I include a warm up walk and a cool down walk each of 3-4 minutes.
On a different note, the episode where Peter Griffin on Family Guy turns gay (due to an experimental shot he takes for try to pay off the debt he has incurred from racing a retarded horse that causes injury and devastation during its one and only race) is the funniest FG episode ever. Seth McFarlane, you are comic genius.
Paul has been successfully putting Joseph to bed by 9pm on the nights that I run and it has been blissful. Kudos to Paul for making this work and getting routine into Joseph, he will need it when pre-school starts this fall. Joseph still crawls into bed with us anywhere between 4am and 7am every night, but I am not going to get up at that hour and deal with putting him back to bed. He is only 3 and hell, if he wants to cuddle in the morning, then I am cool with that, he goes to sleep in his bed and spends the majority of each night in his bed and naps in his bed, I am going to allow myself this one thing with Joseph. He woke up Saturday morning putting his arm around me, gently trying to wake me, me gently trying to ignore him, knowing that Sunday was Father's Day and I would have to get up, Joseph said "Mummy, I want you to make me some oatmeal and chocolate milk, please". I said, "Daddy, go make Joseph breakfast" Joseph: "No! Mummy, you make the oatmeal and chocolate milk, you are the best oatmeal cooker." lol. the ONLY thing I can make to anyone's satisfaction. Everything else cooking FAIL.
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