Well, I decided since I'm going to my Mom's again tonight that I'd just go ahead and get the 8 miles in this a.m. before work. I can remember when we did the Cannonball 10K ( I never did get my t-shirt from that) plus 2 miles and that 8 miles seemed ALOT longer than the 8 miles this a.m.!
I am glad I'm done -- I basically took yesterday off (other than the bike ride to work), so I'll wog Sat. a.m in Shreveport, but just for 45-55 minutes. That way I can get done before my Mom gets up and we start our day.
The next weekend when we do 15 miles, I'll also be out of town and am thinking of trying to get those miles on Friday as well. I just have to figure out a safe route with some shade from my house in Clinton.
I was able to bike from and to work each week in June! Only got in two days instead of four each week, but it feels good to get in some bike time. I will likely do the 30 mile ride in Clinton on the 4th -- it's an XT day anyway.
Hope everyone has a good run this weekend.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
The Ode
Thanks to all contributors. In order to help make the ode flow I took a few liberties with some submissions -- mostly just to put in first person or add a word or two to help with meter. I tried not to change the intent or basic content of anyone's contribution. This is quite a masterpiece. Thanks to everyone who added to the ode. Seems like good karma to have it ready for the half marathon!
I Am a Marathoner
By the 2007 Marathon Makeover Team
Up at dawn to beat the heat
I try to ignore the pain in my feet.
Prep for the run with a bit of stretching;
Don’t eat too much for fear of retching.
Up at four, he's out the door.
I know he wishes he could just sleep some more.
But Matt is there to help with set ups –
He promises not to forget the cups … again.
Marathon Makeover – I started from the couch,
I soon would begin to say daily, “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
How will my body know what to do
As I increase the mileage two by two?
Mark says “If the motion is forward, it’s a run.”
Surely you don’t call this torture fun?
Out before sun-up if I want to be cool,
Otherwise I’ll sweat a whole, big pool.
Labored breathing, pounding heart,
And that happens before I even start!
Some days this seems too much to bear,
The heat and humidity and wet, dripping hair.
Hydration, Hydration the ultimate rule,
I don’t even mind that I smell like a mule.
In January, 10:00 a.m. was so early!
Now that it’s June, that’s mid-day girlie!
Race ready shorts are just about right
With pockets to stash whatever I might.
But, if they’re too heavy and the crowd I do moon
I fear they’ll all be laughing, quite like a loon.
Tech clothes I wear with silver threads,
And a very cool visor sits on my head.
Just the right shoes and soft, seamless socks
Are things that I need to run and to rock.
Some run in shorts, others in skirts,
To beat the heat, not to be flirts.
I really do hate red burning thighs;
It really does kill my runner's high.
Garmin, Polar, Ironman are all the rage.
What I have on my IPod might tell my age.
Body Glide keeps the chafing at bay,
And gels, beans and GUs keep the bonk away.
Gasping for breath, it hardly seems fair,
But mouth breathers, beware, there are bugs in the air!
And mosquitoes in flight, I constantly fight
And itch and scratch at their nasty little bites.
One mile, two miles, three miles, four,
Gotta keep going or I'll hit the floor,
My neck, my back, it's not feeling nice,
I'll be so thankful for that tub of ice.
Tired of running, feet feeling heavy
Don't want to run the lake and levee.
But, if I'm telling the truth, I’d have to say
I'd rather run both than the #@*%# reservoir causeway!
Gotta keep going but, oh, my knee!
Am I the only one who has to pee?
I'll stop for a minute but no more,
It's stuck, oh no, the bathroom door!
Quick! Somebody! I need a map!
Made a wrong turn, ran an extra lap!
Oh this is dreadful, it's such a shame,
I can't find the direction from whence I came!
Up and down the hills I run,
Seldom have I had so much “fun.”
They say Chicago is really flat.
Do I HAVE to run hills to prepare for that?
Help me Lord it seems so far.
Will I ever make it back to the car?
Oh my feet, my ankles, my legs, the HEAT,
But I will not accept defeat.
Will this running ever get easier?
If I don't hydrate, I'll be queasier!
They tell us that we must carbo load,
If I eat any more, I will explode!
Lots of good carbs from Great Harvest bread.
That after-run snack can revive the dead.
Challa, white chocolate cherry or cinnamon swirl –
I’ll just eat a little, though, so I don’t hurl.
February was cold and my snot did freeze,
But come July, I’ll kill for a breeze.
All that sweat, you’d think I’d lose,
But as with many, I’ve the “gained weight blues.”
Some of the days I really feel cursed.
Thank God for the humor of Nissannurse!
My feet! My back! My legs! They ache!
Why do I run, for goodness sake?
Ooh, my clothes and shoes do reek!
Did I wash my bra this week?
Ouch! It hurts, that chafing thing
From sports bras, shorts and other things.
My friends all think that I'm insane,
Especially on Saturdays when I'm in pain.
They ask me out to have some fun,
I say, "No thanks, I've got to run!"
Friends listen to my whining
Even during our evening of dining.
Encouraging words from everyone
Makes recovery so much fun.
What all is this makeover really for?
Our body, our mind, and so much more.
The friends we have made will last a long time,
And our health will now be just fine.
Mark and Robin upped the bar,
Who else could make us run so far?
Matt’s cute and funny, Scotty’s fast,
Without them we would never last!
As I continue to add to this saga
I think, “It’s such fun to be a marathon blog-ahh.”
I have more energy now than I've had in years.
Thanks Fearless Leaders, to them 3 cheers!
Who knew we’d all become such good friends?
Encouraging each other to do stretches and bends!
We share successes, pains, and even SMELLS!
We could publish a book from our blog tales!
By Southwest to Chicago I’ll head
Leaving behind that feeling of dread.
My Marathon goal is only to complete
With all the whipper-snappers, I can’t compete.
When will October ever arrive?
I can only hope that I'll still be alive.
And when I cross that line with a smile,
I'll stop and think, “This has all been worthwhile!"
I’m not the same person I was when I started –
Couch potato dearly departed.
I've traded the junk food, TV, and naps
For pounding the pavement and following a map.
Marathon Makeover is our identity.
It's all about US, not just about ME.
We share, we care, and shed a few tears,
But crossing that LINE will bring many CHEERS!
We are all improved in body and mind,
Learning more about ourselves, it’s about time!
Pushing ourselves each Saturday to go longer
To keep to the course, to learn to be stronger.
I joined this craze to make myself smaller
Never imagined it would make me feel taller
Too scared to be confident, too new to be proud,
But I hear myself whisper, "I'm a marathoner now.”
By the 2007 Marathon Makeover Team
Up at dawn to beat the heat
I try to ignore the pain in my feet.
Prep for the run with a bit of stretching;
Don’t eat too much for fear of retching.
Up at four, he's out the door.
I know he wishes he could just sleep some more.
But Matt is there to help with set ups –
He promises not to forget the cups … again.
Marathon Makeover – I started from the couch,
I soon would begin to say daily, “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
How will my body know what to do
As I increase the mileage two by two?
Mark says “If the motion is forward, it’s a run.”
Surely you don’t call this torture fun?
Out before sun-up if I want to be cool,
Otherwise I’ll sweat a whole, big pool.
Labored breathing, pounding heart,
And that happens before I even start!
Some days this seems too much to bear,
The heat and humidity and wet, dripping hair.
Hydration, Hydration the ultimate rule,
I don’t even mind that I smell like a mule.
In January, 10:00 a.m. was so early!
Now that it’s June, that’s mid-day girlie!
Race ready shorts are just about right
With pockets to stash whatever I might.
But, if they’re too heavy and the crowd I do moon
I fear they’ll all be laughing, quite like a loon.
Tech clothes I wear with silver threads,
And a very cool visor sits on my head.
Just the right shoes and soft, seamless socks
Are things that I need to run and to rock.
Some run in shorts, others in skirts,
To beat the heat, not to be flirts.
I really do hate red burning thighs;
It really does kill my runner's high.
Garmin, Polar, Ironman are all the rage.
What I have on my IPod might tell my age.
Body Glide keeps the chafing at bay,
And gels, beans and GUs keep the bonk away.
Gasping for breath, it hardly seems fair,
But mouth breathers, beware, there are bugs in the air!
And mosquitoes in flight, I constantly fight
And itch and scratch at their nasty little bites.
One mile, two miles, three miles, four,
Gotta keep going or I'll hit the floor,
My neck, my back, it's not feeling nice,
I'll be so thankful for that tub of ice.
Tired of running, feet feeling heavy
Don't want to run the lake and levee.
But, if I'm telling the truth, I’d have to say
I'd rather run both than the #@*%# reservoir causeway!
Gotta keep going but, oh, my knee!
Am I the only one who has to pee?
I'll stop for a minute but no more,
It's stuck, oh no, the bathroom door!
Quick! Somebody! I need a map!
Made a wrong turn, ran an extra lap!
Oh this is dreadful, it's such a shame,
I can't find the direction from whence I came!
Up and down the hills I run,
Seldom have I had so much “fun.”
They say Chicago is really flat.
Do I HAVE to run hills to prepare for that?
Help me Lord it seems so far.
Will I ever make it back to the car?
Oh my feet, my ankles, my legs, the HEAT,
But I will not accept defeat.
Will this running ever get easier?
If I don't hydrate, I'll be queasier!
They tell us that we must carbo load,
If I eat any more, I will explode!
Lots of good carbs from Great Harvest bread.
That after-run snack can revive the dead.
Challa, white chocolate cherry or cinnamon swirl –
I’ll just eat a little, though, so I don’t hurl.
February was cold and my snot did freeze,
But come July, I’ll kill for a breeze.
All that sweat, you’d think I’d lose,
But as with many, I’ve the “gained weight blues.”
Some of the days I really feel cursed.
Thank God for the humor of Nissannurse!
My feet! My back! My legs! They ache!
Why do I run, for goodness sake?
Ooh, my clothes and shoes do reek!
Did I wash my bra this week?
Ouch! It hurts, that chafing thing
From sports bras, shorts and other things.
My friends all think that I'm insane,
Especially on Saturdays when I'm in pain.
They ask me out to have some fun,
I say, "No thanks, I've got to run!"
Friends listen to my whining
Even during our evening of dining.
Encouraging words from everyone
Makes recovery so much fun.
What all is this makeover really for?
Our body, our mind, and so much more.
The friends we have made will last a long time,
And our health will now be just fine.
Mark and Robin upped the bar,
Who else could make us run so far?
Matt’s cute and funny, Scotty’s fast,
Without them we would never last!
As I continue to add to this saga
I think, “It’s such fun to be a marathon blog-ahh.”
I have more energy now than I've had in years.
Thanks Fearless Leaders, to them 3 cheers!
Who knew we’d all become such good friends?
Encouraging each other to do stretches and bends!
We share successes, pains, and even SMELLS!
We could publish a book from our blog tales!
By Southwest to Chicago I’ll head
Leaving behind that feeling of dread.
My Marathon goal is only to complete
With all the whipper-snappers, I can’t compete.
When will October ever arrive?
I can only hope that I'll still be alive.
And when I cross that line with a smile,
I'll stop and think, “This has all been worthwhile!"
I’m not the same person I was when I started –
Couch potato dearly departed.
I've traded the junk food, TV, and naps
For pounding the pavement and following a map.
Marathon Makeover is our identity.
It's all about US, not just about ME.
We share, we care, and shed a few tears,
But crossing that LINE will bring many CHEERS!
We are all improved in body and mind,
Learning more about ourselves, it’s about time!
Pushing ourselves each Saturday to go longer
To keep to the course, to learn to be stronger.
I joined this craze to make myself smaller
Never imagined it would make me feel taller
Too scared to be confident, too new to be proud,
But I hear myself whisper, "I'm a marathoner now.”
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals
It has been a good training week. I actually rode my bike home from work on Wed. and back into work this a.m. Did that last week as well with no flats or other adventures.
I decided to go to the Healthplex Tues and Thurs evening rather than the Ridgeland track. 96 degrees is just too hot to run laps. The 70ish temp in the Healthplex is so much better. Last night at the Healthplex I was actually able to run 3 minutes without stopping or walking. My workout plan was 5 minute brisk walk warmup followed by [90 second jog, 90 second walk, 3 minute jog, 3 minute walk] then repeat [jog/walk] set two more times.
So three minutes is pretty close to a quarter mile for me. Three weeks ago I could not run a quarter mile without stopping. Last week I could do one set and last night I did three sets. Hey, I might actually be able to run a whole mile before the summer is over. I must admit that I have really had my doubts lately that I would ever be able to run more than a minute. Now I think I might actually be able to join my sister on a 5K run one day.
I am not sure what this will all mean for the Marathon -- how much will be run vs walked, but I'm pleased with my progress for the most part. (wish it was a little faster, but I guess that's what age does to you.) I would be tickled pink if I could get to where running three minutes then walking one or even two is comfortable for me for the Marathon. We'll see what the summer brings!
"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb." -- Winston Churchill
I decided to go to the Healthplex Tues and Thurs evening rather than the Ridgeland track. 96 degrees is just too hot to run laps. The 70ish temp in the Healthplex is so much better. Last night at the Healthplex I was actually able to run 3 minutes without stopping or walking. My workout plan was 5 minute brisk walk warmup followed by [90 second jog, 90 second walk, 3 minute jog, 3 minute walk] then repeat [jog/walk] set two more times.
So three minutes is pretty close to a quarter mile for me. Three weeks ago I could not run a quarter mile without stopping. Last week I could do one set and last night I did three sets. Hey, I might actually be able to run a whole mile before the summer is over. I must admit that I have really had my doubts lately that I would ever be able to run more than a minute. Now I think I might actually be able to join my sister on a 5K run one day.
I am not sure what this will all mean for the Marathon -- how much will be run vs walked, but I'm pleased with my progress for the most part. (wish it was a little faster, but I guess that's what age does to you.) I would be tickled pink if I could get to where running three minutes then walking one or even two is comfortable for me for the Marathon. We'll see what the summer brings!
"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb." -- Winston Churchill
Monday, June 11, 2007
How hot was it?
It was so hot on Saturday that:
- the birds had to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
- farmers fed their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.
- the cows were giving evaporated milk.
- the trees were whistling for the dogs.
- my greatest jogging fear was, "What if I get pass out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"
- I realized that asphalt has a liquid state.
- I saw a dog chasing a rabbit...and both were walking.
- I broke into a sweat the instant I stepped outside at 5:30 a.m.
Sorry I wasn't able to join the group Saturday. Will be out of town this Saturday, too. I will be with the group for the half marathon, though, and am looking forward to seeing everyone.
If it's this hot in June, yikes, I hate to think what August will bring!
Thanks to all the contributors to the "ode". I've reposted the latest version on the message board and will leave it up a few more days before "finalizing" it. It's truly becoming a masterpiece!
Hope everyone has a good training week.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Adventures in biking
For the past two weeks I have been trying to start biking to and from work some as I blogged earlier. The planets have not aligned to make this happen. First time I tried I got a flat after 2 miles. Had to walk back to the office and get the car and just drove home as I didn't have a spare tube or pump with me.
Second time I tried, I got 12 miles before the bottom dropped out of the sky. I was one drowned rat. Thank heavens for good friends who will drop everything and come pick you up -- and bring a towel! Had planned to ride in to work the next morning, since my car was still at work, but had another flat.
Okay, so now I have a new tire, am carrying a spare tube and air cartride with me, so I brought my bike to work today and hope to ride home tonight and back in to work tomorrow. With any luck, the air will stay in my tires and the cars off my back.
Remember to share the road!
Second time I tried, I got 12 miles before the bottom dropped out of the sky. I was one drowned rat. Thank heavens for good friends who will drop everything and come pick you up -- and bring a towel! Had planned to ride in to work the next morning, since my car was still at work, but had another flat.
Okay, so now I have a new tire, am carrying a spare tube and air cartride with me, so I brought my bike to work today and hope to ride home tonight and back in to work tomorrow. With any luck, the air will stay in my tires and the cars off my back.
Remember to share the road!
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Bring on the Body Glide!
Heat, sweat, fat, friction...Ouch!
Did my 11 miles in Shreveport on a nice trail that follows the Red River for about 5 miles. Up and back, and a little extra. For some reason I got some severe chafing under my left arm. First time that's happened...same clothes I always wear, but I'm wondering if I've lost some inches in my arms and chest that made the fabric looser and more prone to chafe. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Did my 11 miles in Shreveport on a nice trail that follows the Red River for about 5 miles. Up and back, and a little extra. For some reason I got some severe chafing under my left arm. First time that's happened...same clothes I always wear, but I'm wondering if I've lost some inches in my arms and chest that made the fabric looser and more prone to chafe. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
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