Paris Trip Report - day 3, part 1

Started off day 3 with another lovely petit dejeuner. It was a cool morning, so we sat in a cafe that had heaters. Just lovely.

We walked to the Arc de Triomphe.
It's a long walk to the top.


I made it!



worth it for the views!



Traffic!

Strolled the Champs Elysees
Are you tired of my purple scarf yet? I am!

We strolled and shopped. Popped into Mont Blanc and Petite Bateau, among others. Picked up a toy train for Liam on the street for about 3E that spelled his name. On the recommendation of the fodors.com message boards, we stopped in at Laduree for some macaroons.



These are not ordinary macaroons, nor is there any coconut involved. They come in many flavors and the only word that can describe them is heavenly. Nathan took a few shots before being admonished by the salesperson. Who knew?!

We also stopped in at Angelina's Cafe for what can only be described as the best hot chocolate on earth. Angelina's is a traditional tea house - quite fancy, but it appears to also be quite touristy. I ordered the regular hot chocolate and Nathan got the white hot chocolate and a pastry. On this cool afternoon, it was the perfect snack to warm our bellies. So rich, I couldn't even take a bite of Nathan's pastry. We each had our little pot of hot chocolate and then an additional little pot of fresh whipped cream. This was definitely the day of sweets.

We walked all the way down to the Tuileries where the flowers were in bloom.


The spot where all the beheadings took place via the guillotine!






More to come on Day 3... the D'Orsay and best falafels in the world...

Paris Trip Report - Day 2

After getting some rest and bathing (did I mention our hotel did not have a stand up shower, only a bath tub?) we were ready to hit the pavement for Day 2 in Paris. We started the day with petit dejeneur which quickly became my favorite meal of the day - croissant, baguette w/ butter and jam, fresh orange juice and a nice steaming mug of cafe au lait. I still miss it. Nathan and I keep trying to re-create it, but alas it does not quite hit the mark. The French women are all so thin and gorgeous I cannot see how this is a typical breakfast!

The plan for Day 2 was to take the metro to near the Marmottan Museum - this is dedicated mainly to Monet. We'd thankfully been given some metro tickets in advance, but still had to buy more - took about 4 attempts to finally get it right. Ugh, it is sometimes so difficult to be in a place where you don't speak the language. Definitely out of our comfort zones, but we persevered. We got a little lost on the way to the museum, but really didn't care because we got to see more of Paris!



It was worth all of the walking to get there - takes you through Monet's career. Really beautiful. We also walked through some great Parisian neighborhoods, which I would equate to Manhattan's upper East side. Lots of kids, nannies, parks, bugaboos, etc.

Tired feet already!

We then walked to the Eiffel Tower. Finally, the first glimpse of this city's famous symbol:







Jules Verne Restaurant - need to make a reservation 6 mos. in advance!

It was mobbed there, we decided to come back in the evening to make the trek up the tower.
We took a break at the park next to the tower to regroup. Yes, I am reading Rick Steves.




On Rick's recommendation, I was very excited to visit Rue Cler, but it ended up being a major disappointment. I think we were off in the timing, it just didn't seem "alive". We had lunch at Cafe PTT - the only thing that was memorable was our waitress, who was annoyed with us because we didn't speak French.

En route to the next stop, we had a chocolate break...


Went to Napoleon's tomb at the Hotel des Invalides...








Went to the Rodin - absolutely beautiful museum and gardens. This is where Rodin lived and it just blew me away. He used to move his sculptures around his gardens - the first lawn ornaments?



My favorite - not by Rodin but his mistress Camille



The roses were out in full bloom.


We went back to the hotel to clean up for dinner at Le Grand Colbert. This is the French bistro from the movie "Something's Gotta Give" with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. I know, I'm kind of a dork for seeking it out, right? I did have the roast chicken and it was a great experience - loved the food and the service again great. Very handsome and attentive waiters! We should have a picture of us here, but the ladies sitting next to us were lacking in camera skills. And day 2 comes to a close...

Paris Trip Report - Day 1

I guess I need to change the name of my blog since the race is over, although I will continue to run throughout 2007 (and beyond)!

About 10 days after the Charlottesville race, Nathan and I headed to Paris without Liam for an urban adventure. With all of the time I spent training for the race, I hadn't left myself much time to plan Paris to the nth degree like I had done for our Italy trip in 2004. Oh well, that's what the plane ride is for, right?

The flights and transfers went smoothly. By the time we arrived, I was in desperate need of a shower and a couple more hours of sleep, but alas, it was not meant to be. We took a cab to the Hotel de la Bretonerrie in the Marais district where the front desk told us our room would be ready by 1 pm. Huh? It was about 8:30 am Paris time. We were tired and dirty and ... oh well, we rolled with it, because really, what else could we do?

In need of a shower!

Like my kicks?

We quickly re-grouped the "bag situation" and headed out to explore the closest sights.

Thankfully, it was a beautiful morning. We headed to Notre Dame on the island - free entry and very beautiful.







Next we headed to the Pompidou Centre where we got to view some modern art...



We headed back to the hotel to check in and get some rest. I was in severe need of a nap, so Nathan headed to the Louvre w/o me.



After resting, we headed to the Bastille area for dinner at Brasserie Bofinger. We were unsure if our reservation was good, as the reply email translated to "we are happy to receive your reservation" but no confirmation. It ended up being no problem and we happily sat down to dinner. We got the three courses - Nathan had oysters, lamb, and ?. Tina had a salmon terrine, duck, and "floating island" - a meringue type of dessert. It was a really wonderful meal, impeccable service, etc. I loved how we were there for a couple of hours and the place really came alive. Watching other people and the French customs was a lot of fun. And so our first day in Paris came to a close.

charlottesville half marathon race report

We headed to Charlottesville on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Our hearts were and are still heavy with grief from the shootings that had occurred at VT on Monday. As I mentioned in a previous post, I decided to run the 1/2 marathon to support and in honor of the Hokies. Here is a picture of the back of the shirt I made to wear in the race:



We left early enough that Nathan got in a quick visit to Monticello while Liam and I checked into our hotel and grabbed a few zzzzz's. We went downtown to pick up my race packet and search for some dinner. I had a minor heart attack when they couldn't find my packet and then found it in the marathon pile... and were unsure if I'd be DQ'ed for doing the half marathon instead. I have to say (not to complain, OK I will) it was not the best organized event. Dinner was overpriced and forgettable, but our bellies were filled. We found a gelato stand and indulged. After wandering around the pedestrian mall and watching bubbles and street performers, we headed back to the hotel to get some sleep. Oh, did I mention they changed the start time to 6:30?!

Yeah, that was a bit of a shock and disappointment that was announced about a week or so before the race. The previous start time had been 7:30 - still early! I was up at 4:00 AM and dozed until 5:00. Even though the weather forecast was in the high 70's for the day, it was a dark and chilly morning...





Yes, my son is eating Wheat Thins for breakfast!

I'm excited?

I spent the entire 15 minutes of extra time at the start line waiting in line for the port a potties - no surprise there. Then I headed toward the back of the pack with my peeps - the slow pokes. :) In hindsight, I probably could have started farther up, but with my unpredictable injury I didn't want to get in anybody's way, soooo... I didn't even hear the start gun (or whatever) go off, we all just started moving like a herd of sheep, though a small one.

The hills started almost immediately. We ran through the downtown and university area - very beautiful and historic campus setting. Old, obviously. Nathan and I had planned to meet at miles 3 and 10, so I knew I didn't have too far to go before getting a boost of inspiration. I don't know if it was due to the early start time, but there was very little crowd support save the race officials and motorcycle cops (they didn't seem to happy to be working, either!). The roads were not fully closed either, so it was kind of hard for some of the runners to find their safe boundaries. I ran the first three miles probably slower than I would have under normal circumstances. My shin was OK, just OK but I certainly wasn't pushing myself. Seeing Liam and Nathan was so great, but I think Liam was confused (and sad) when I just kept running!



I also knew that I wouldn't see them for a while, so I was trying to think of other mental games to play to pass the time. I had my shuffle on, but instead of listening to it, I decided to enjoy the entire experience, the beautiful morning, and scenery. Around mile 4 the shin started flaring up. I was concerned, but continued to push onward. I felt good, although I was freezing. I couldn't really feel my legs, forearms, and my hands were like ice blocks. I got a very pleasant surprise around mile 5 when Nathan and Liam re-appeared, though it seemed they were followed by hills of gargantuan proportions every time I saw them! We were running through some beautiful country - golf course and then a wooded area. I was running alongside another gentleman, kind of lost in my thoughts when two deer crossed literally RIGHT in front of me. I screamed, "Oh my God!" It wasn't like cute Bambi deer - in the instant they passed me I thought they were wolves! haha, kind of funny now that I look back on it. I think with all of the recent "gunman" talk, it is safe to say I am on edge.

Mile 6.5 - the turnaround point - was quickly approaching. At the point where the marathoners split off, I felt pretty sad not to be joining them. At that point, I felt like I could have pulled off the full 26.2 - very easy to say at mile 6.5! The actual turnaround point was incredibly lame and anti-climactic. One orange cone at the end of a cul-de-sac with a white glove on it. No race official, no nothing. Oh well, on we go.





I decided to push myself for the second half since I felt ok and I knew what to expect (the course was an out and back). I'm proud to say, I did not get passed once the whole second half and passed several people. I firmly believe that my full marathon training helped me finish strong, though the hills were killer. I ended up doing a negative split for the second half - about 4 min. faster than the first half including a potty break.

I got to kiss this face every time I saw my two biggest fans!



All in all, I'm happy I ran the half marathon. I won't lie - I certainly felt some pangs of disappointment that I didn't run the full 26.2, but that is life. It was a good race and I was glad to be able to show my support for the Hokies. I don't know that I'd recommend this race unless you LOVE hills. It was beautiful scenery, but the crowd support was pretty much limited to the finish line.







Thanks to all my friends and family for the support they've shown me over the last four months. I've had fun sharing my marathon journey with you and I hope you'll keep reading to see what's next. One thing I realized is that it's lonely running races alone, so... who's coming with me next time?

hokie pride

To say that I'm devastated by the events that happened yesterday at Virginia Tech is an understatement. As I've told many friends, trying to put my feelings into words trivializes it, but I'll try. I was in shock, disbelief as the events unfolded yesterday and the horrific story just got worse and worse. Virginia Tech was a place I always felt happy and safe. I look back on my four years there one of the happiest times of my life. I spent many, many hours in Norris Hall taking classes and also in West AJ with my friends. One of the professors that was killed, Dr. Loganathan, taught some of the first civil engineering courses I took. He was one of the good ones that you don't forget, and now we never will. His death made an already personal tragedy much more real.

I've decided to downgrade the marathon this weekend to a half marathon due to the aforementioned shin splint injury. I'm running in honor of the Hokies who were killed, their families, the school, the students, and everyone who was touched by this event. Maybe it seems silly or just dumb but I cannot think of what else I can do other than send my prayers and hug my family a little closer.

moment of truth

I haven't run since last Tuesday (see previous post). I have been working out, stretching, etc. but it is amazing how tight and tired my muscles are, given this extended break from running. I still feel some pain in my lower leg going up and down stairs. TOnight, I'm going to go for a walk on the treadmill and perhaps try to jog just to see how things feel.

cause for concern

The marathon is in 10 days - I can't believe it is finally here. All the training has been done and the arrangements have been made. We plan to arrive in C'ville the evening before, do the packet pickup and drive the course. I'm still in denial about the hills. I haven't done much hill training, but that's ok. I did do speed work this time around!

I've had some problems with shin splints pretty much for the last 5 months. They've come and gone. They seem to have gone completely in my left leg. For a while, my calves were super tight. I am concerned about my right lower leg, though. I did a relatively short run yesterday and it really hurt. Really. I feel a little gimpy today and I didn't run. So, I am concerned. I have decided to not run until race day (supplementing with cardio through cycling) unless things dramatically improve. I'm getting a massage tomorrow night to see if the problem is just muscle tightness, but I think it may be something more. I still have all intentions of running next Saturday, but we'll just have to see what happens.

I freaked out about this a little yesterday, but today just realized... it's not about the race, it's about the journey. Yeah, it sounds a little trite to say that, especially since I may not be able to complete the task I set out to do 15 weeks ago, but it's not worth getting upset about for more than a passing moment. Every time I go run, I'm pretty thankful that I can run and something like this is not going to stop me in the long term.

last long run - part 2

OK, so I have a little more energy (just a little) this evening to describe what may be my last long run (ever?) before the marathon. To be consistent with the rest of my blog posts, I will start out with some complaining. Motivation was at an all time low. I had been sick all week with either a cold or allergies (to running?)... so I was kind of down. I decided to rest on Saturday and then run long on Sunday afternoon.

As usual, I headed up to the W&OD trail and set out to run. Due to some unforeseen um, digestive issues, I needed to head home after only 3 short miles. Don't want to get into the details here, I'll let you imagine for yourself. I was ready to bag the entire run, thinking up scenarios ranging from taking a day off from work mid-week and completing the run then to completely NOT doing it. I also considered "sitting in a field" which is what my friend Gigi would wax poetic about while she was training for her first marathon several years ago - meaning, her husband knew she was supposed to be running for several hours so she couldn't go home... so instead of running she would go sit in a field for a while then go home! I don't think this ever really happened, but it is a nice idea when you're desperate.

When I got home, Nathan gave me a nice pep talk and told me to shake it off and just run for a couple more miles to see how I felt. Of course, I knew I'd do the rest of the run then... So I did 4 - 4.3 mi. loops around the neighborhood. Yes, got kind of boring. But I had the security of stopping at home every 45 min. for whatever I needed. Most annoying part of the run was the constant running nose. But I did it and my time was not too bad either. My recovery last night was pretty good - I was not a zombie. Today, I did have to walk sideways down the stairs in the morning but things loosened up as the day went on. Less than three weeks to go!

last long run

I ran 20 today, but I'm too tired to blog about it. Just throwing it out there in case anyone is interested! More details to come... TLC

weird

The family and I headed up to Ohio this weekend, with the main purpose being Nathan's fantasy baseball league draft. I however, had 18 miles to complete. My in-laws generously agreed to watch Liam while I ran - I guess that was a win-win situation. It was an odd run. First off, I started in the morning, which is not usual for me, but good since the marathon starts at 7:30 am. I ran along the Towpath which runs along the Cuyahoga River. It was a beautiful setting for a long run, not much traffic and great weather (50's on the verge of raining).

My father in law dropped me off and I was on my way. I'd planned to do a couple out and backs stopping midway for gatorade and pb&j, which I'd stashed away in a bag somewhat out of sight (or so I thought). The bag also contained some extra Gu, gloves, and cheap sunglasses. Another thing that was odd was how friendly people were during my run. Normally, I try to give off a "don't mess with this b--" vibe with my shades, hat and no smiling since there can be some quite sketchy characters along the routes I choose. But everyone here was oddly friendly. That took some getting used to... :)

I finished my first out and back (9.5 mi total) and headed for my stash. I thought it odd that a half drunk bottle of Gatorade just like the one I'd packed was sitting on the bench where my stuff was. Oh, that was my Gatorade. Someone had rifled through my stuff and helped themselves to my Gatodare! Ack! Needless to say, this freaked me out. A lot. I mean, I had a whole 'nother bottle of Gatorade, but what if they'd done something to it (I was thinking spit or pee, not to be gross)? Well, I had no choice as I was by myself, so I drank my other bottle of gatorade and ate some pb&j which appeared un-tampered with. But i was freaked out - so I didn't drink or eat as much as I should've. So I resumed my run...

The next out and back did not go so smoothly. I ran out of sport beans at about mile 17. I was breathing really hard and feeling a little out of it. I definitely slowed. My main motivation was knowing my in-laws and Liam would be waiting for me at the end. I saw my father in law, Randy, at the top of the final hill and his excitement really pushed me through to the end. It was a great finish to a not so great second half. Liam seemed excited too, but that might not have been about me. :) Sadly, my bag was gone! I almost wasn't surprised, but pretty disappointed that someone would take my stuff - really, junk to anyone else. After a few minutes, Randy was able to retrieve it from the recycling bin. Someone had tossed my stuff!

Another weird thing was that I got a sore throat almost immediately after finishing my run. Dehydration? Not sure... We drove home where i was able to stretch, shower, and rest. I felt amazingly good for running 19 miles. Not too stiff or fatigued. And then the next morning (today), it hit me like a ton of bricks. My sore throat had turned into more - I wonder if I pushed my immune system to the brink. Today has not been as much fun - sitting in the car for 6 hours, trying to hydrate and religiously swab my nose with zicam while popping ricolas and praying that I don't get too sick now!

Anyway, just wanted to give an update on my long run. Next week is hopefully a 20 miler - we'll see how my health holds up. I'm optimistic!

wind at my back

I ran 17 today. I had planned to do it yesterday, but today was better weather-wise. Still windy though, and cold. Ugh. When is this going to end?

Everything was going along pretty smoothly, actually. I ran the W&OD trail again from Reston. Decided to head toward Vienna and turn around after 3.5 mi. to break at my car. I was feeling good, then immediately when I turned around the wind hit me square in the face. 8.5 miles of wind in my face. I was wondering how much this affected my time. I did slow down as I headed west. After my pit stop, I headed west toward Loudoun Co. for 5 miles and then 5 mi. back to Reston. Boy was I glad the wind was at my back those last 5 mi. Almost as if someone was pushing me along, encouraging me to keep going. Had a low point somewhere around mile 11 or 12, but managed to push through it.

I'm pretty tired right now. Nathan promised to rub my calves for me, but he is doing his long run. Liam's still napping - another epic. I'm wondering how long I can leave him in bed and still consider myself a good parent. :)

Only 2 more long runs and then the two week taper!! Only 3 long runs to go, including marathon day. Can't wait (to have a life again)!

day off

I decided to take an extra day off this week, which means I am only running 4/7 days. Oh well, I did feel that the rest was more important than getting in 3-5 more miles this week. My calves have been incredibly tight/sore. I rub them out every day and have been taking a lot of advil. I get these knots that just seem to hold on to my shins. This is new to me - all of my running related issues in the past have been my knees.

So, with this extra day off (Saturday), came A LOT of extra time. Makes me realize even more how much I'm looking forward to the days following the marathon. What will I do with myself? take lots of naps? go shopping? to the spa? :)

Nathan and I went to Dick's Sporting GOods this mornings to stock up on some sport beans for my long runs. I am attempting 17 mi. tomorrow. I have to say, I hate Dick's. I mean, it is a really nice store and generally has a great selection and prices. But the people who work there, well, I wonder why they are there. I have consistently had the WORST service there over a period of years. It was so bad today, I wondered why we continue to patronize them. Nathan decided against some running shoes on clearance due to the crappy attitudes of the teenagers who work there.

Thanks for letting me vent. Again. :)

pet peeves

Through this blog, I have come to the realization that I like to complain a lot. :) I generally try to be a positive person. Perhaps this is my outlet. Through the many hours I've logged running, I've come up with a list of pet peeves. Here is one of my latest:

Please tell me why when there is snow on the ground there is less likelihood to clean up dog poop? There is SO much poop on the sidewalks and adjacent grassy areas right now. What is up with this, people?

I also highly dislike the phrases 'cool beans' and 'thank you much'.

What are yours?

come be my friend

http://www.myspace.com/163238739

sport beans

These are good stuff. Try 'em if you get a chance - www.sportbeans.com

long run sunday

Nothing terribly exciting to post about my long run, except that I completed 15! Woo! Finally, it is all coming together. I decided to change my route since I am really tired of doing all the ones near my house. I headed up to the W&OD trail and parked. This is the trail where I did most of my MCM training, but that was all in Arlington and Falls Church. Today I started in Reston, headed east to Vienna and then west through Herndon and out to Loudoun County then back to Reston.

The majority of the run was great. I was protected from the wind much of the time. There were some challenging hills, which I need! I definitely had some rough moments but was able to push through them. It was by far my best long run to date.

Part of why it was so good was that I was properly nourished and hydrated. I've made some new food discoveries... well new to me at least. PB&J is a great pre/post workout snack or meal. I've been really resistant to Gu or any of the other gels b/c I just can't stomach them, so I tried some Sport Beans this time around. They are made by Jelly Belly and slightly bigger than regular jelly beans. I ate one every half mile and that seemed to work out pretty well. I stopped for gatorade once.

Running up there and seeing tons of cyclists of all ages made me think we need to get Liam out there too. THe poor kid got a tricycle for his birthday but has had to resort to riding it in the living room due to all of the cold weather and darkness. I see some warm days up ahead!

flying

Just got in from an early morning run, albeit a short one. Just trying to loosen up and burn off nervous energy before my 15 miler tomorrow. I have not been a morning runner for a long while, due to weather and duties at home. When sleep is a precious commodity, it makes it that much harder to get up. I woke up earlier than usual today and after having coffee, reading the news and general internet surfing, decided I'd take advantage of this beautiful day. Boy am I glad I did. In just over 3 miles, I resolved some work-related issues that have been plaguing me, saw 7 people, 3 dogs, and 2 geese and a beautiful sunrise. I flew. Thanked God for this beautiful day.

defeat and redemption

Horrible long run on Sunday. After 3.5 miles of being blown around the trail, I headed back home with my tail between my legs and tears of frustration and disappointment in myself. I intended to complete my planned 15 miler on the treadmill, but even that goal would not be reached. With Nathan's encouragement, I reached a total of 10 miles before crawling into bed and pulling the covers over my head. They say it is not about the destination, but the journey, right?

On Monday, I did not really know what to do with myself. I wasn't really sore or too tired, but I felt defeated. No confidence. I ended up going for a run because I was pretty stressed at work and wanted that endorphin high! And it worked! Again on Tuesday! I had 2 great runs... am determined to tackle and conquer that 15 miles this weekend. Pray for good weather!

random thoughts 3/3/07

This week has been a pretty good running week. The weather has been quite spring-like and I've even enjoyed those runs on the treadmill, they've been fast. I even got to yoga class. I'm gearing up for a 15-miler on Sunday, with have a new (hilly!) route picked out. We shall see if I'm this enthusiastic on Sunday evening. It's amazing how optimistic a good night's sleep can make you.

I rounded out February with 125 miles under my belt - not bad considering it is a short month and all of the bad weather we had! Yeah!

The lingering aches and pains remain, mostly in my shins and calves. They don't bother me too much - I have to remember to stretch and rub out my calves. I bought "The Stick" (www.thestick.com) several years ago when I was training for MCM. It cost $25 and I thought I was being ripped off, but what a great investment it has been. For anyone who likes to roll out the muscles particularly in the quads or calves, I highly recommend it. Worth every penny.

I had some great fast runs this week, but also one in particular that was pretty rough. My legs felt heavy, and I just couldn't find my stride. I felt all over the place, kind of like Phoebe on Friends.

NRR (not running related) - Nathan and I have watched some good movies over the last couple weeks. The Departed and Babel were quite good but serious and I also enjoyed The Illusionist, even with Jessica Biel in it. Don't watch The Departed before bed - I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest with all the suspense and I could not get to sleep that night!

I guess that's all for now. Looks like a beautiful day, enjoy everyone! (all 3 of you)

shoutout to my Nathan

Training for a marathon is serious business. IMHO, one cannot do it alone - whether through the support of friends, family or spouse (or kids), help is needed. For me at least. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that my marathon would not be possible without the support of Nathan. I know I'm only halfway through my training program, so I don't want to jump the gun. But to even get to this point, I could not do it without Nathan. You see, he does a lot for me. He nudges me when I need it, calms my nerves, encourages me, let's me run long on the ideal weekend day, watches Liam or stays home while he naps so I can run, helps me sort out my ipod issues, deals with my crabbiness... The list goes on and on. Thanks Nathan!!

to making it count

I had (what I thought) was a great idea during my long run today (14 - yeah!). I was out there running and wondering what the heck good it was doing anybody but me. I am not into doing a Team in Training for whatever reason. There has to be a way to make all of this running count for something.

Something Nathan and I have never followed through on is consistent charitable giving. Yes, we do give to our church and the occasional donation to disaster relief. I have started donating blood on a semi-regular basis (OK, I've done it exactly twice, but I am scheduled to give again next week!). So I propose this - for every mile run and every 3 miles biked, we contribute $1 to the charity of our choice. You know Nathan and I both keep all of our workouts on spreadsheets (dorks!), so this should not be hard to track. The person completing the mile (or 3) decides where the money goes at the end of the year. For example, last year I ran 800 miles, so I could donate $800 to the charity of my choice. I don't know how many Nathan ran/rode last year. Whoa, this may cost us some money.

I came up with this idea on Lap 1 of 3. In fact, I did my best "thinking" on Lap 1. Anyway, on Lap 3 I found a $1 bill on the ground. I almost ran past it thinking, "I am not going to pick up someone else's dollar!" But then I thought "I am not rich, I am not going to just run past a dollar!" Anyway, as I went back to pick it up and then continued on I realized that this could be "a signt affirming my great idea. What do you think?

PS - Extra points to the first person who can correctly identify the movie I got my post title from. :)

random thoughts 2/22/07

Here are some of the random thoughts that went through my head as I ran outside today:

Oh, that's what my Achilles feels like!

How can one not feel like a stud when running fast through the light rain with Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' blasting on the headphones?

Mental note - drive route before attempting first post-ice storm run outside to avoid looking/feeling like idiot on multitude of icy segments.

Other mental note - check weather forecast before heading out the door. Wind? Rain?

Don't worry, trust God.

Due to the excess of ice remaining on the sidewalks, I ended up getting in about 5.4 miles as opposed to the 8 I'd hoped to run. It was still a great run and I was so thrilled to finally get outside again. I'll get the rest in on the TM tonight - I don't have much to do since Nathan will be otherwise engaged, except to play on my new macbook. ;)

slippery Sunday

Not for me of course... I did my long run on the TM. Yes, I did complete a half marathon on my trusty treadmill. I almost named this post "torture" but of course do not want to offend anyone. After all, i am pretty lucky to be able to train in the comfort of my own home when weather conditions are not cooperative. It was a painfully boring 13.2 miles that I could not have completed w/o Nathan's support. I had little motivation (again!) knowing that I would have to complete such a long distance inside and then my ipod was on the fritz (again!) so that was really frustrating. I was ready to just throw in the towel for today but Nathan gently nudged me in the right direction (thanks, honey!). He even went so far as to re-create my playlist to the extent possible onto his ipod so I would have music to run to. What would I do without this guy?? So, I think this is week 8 completed. Next week calls for temps up into the 50s. Downright balmy!!

weekend roundup

This week has been a difficult running week. On Tuesday, we received several inches of snow and ice, paralyzing the region for the remainder of the week. While I was lucky enough not to be called in for snow duty (people are still working this weekend!), the weather still wreaked havoc on my running program. I did have some awesome treadmill runs (oxymoron?) both at home and at the gym. When I saw the weather forecast for this weekend, I was pleased to see that one day would reach into the 40's. No worry - I am an expert in cold weather running! Right. Now the forecast has changed - today will reach a high of 37 but tomorrow will be a few degrees colder and WINDY. You'd think I'd be concerned but the fact of the matter is that the sidewalks and trails are still solid ice (several inches) - it is too cold to melt. I checked the runnersworld.com marathon forums to see how other people were dealing with the weather and what I found is that basically you have to do your long run indoors. Ugh. Someone had done 22 and someone else 18. On a treadmill. Oy. This week's plan calls for 12-16, so I am aiming for 14. Funny, what I wouldn't give to be able to run outside in the cold and wind!

long run sunday

After a weekend of visiting with friends and family in celebration of Liam's second birthday, I faced the fact that I had 10-15 miles to run before Sunday was over. After putting Liam down for his nap, I pulled on my Under Armour, prepared my gatorade-water mix and got ready to hit the pavement. I'll admit I was moving pretty slowly. I downloaded some new music (highly recommend Gwen Stefani's Sweet Escape single for running) and headed out the door to complete my 12.9 miles. I decided to do 3 loops of 4.3 miles so I could stop at home for the inevitable potty break and gatorade. The first lap actually felt good, considering how hard it was to get out the door. The second was even better and so on with the third. My time for each loop got faster and it was an all around great run. Sure, I was a little out of sorts by the time I finished, but it's been about 5 years since I've run this far. Week 6 - complete!

firsts

I reached new heights today with regard to running. I was actually planning to get in a ho-hum 4 miles on the TM during lunch (yes, STILL butt cold and windy). But today was just one of those days when the legs felt so good. I kept increasing the speed on the TM to see how fast I could go. I normally top out at about 7.3 mph and can't sustain that for more than a minute or so. Well, today I am proud to say I reached 8.6 mph! For those that know me, I am a renowned slowpoke - the tortoise to Nathan's hare. For me to reach 8.6 mph is unthinkable, but I did. That is just under 7:00 min/mi. pace! I was able to maintain a fast pace for a good bit of the run... and the runner's high was well, euphoric.

love to hate - part deux

To follow up on my post from yesterday re: the broken treadmill - well, I must admit I was in quite a state. Things were not good in the Curtis household. Not only would I miss my long-ish run, but it was going to cost me at least $150 to get someone out to my house to look at my treadmill. Nathan suggested I google the mfr and error type - this turned out to be a great idea. I sent a panicky email to tech support not expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised to hear from Kelly very quickly - she hooked me up with a recalibration guide which allowed me to beep boop boop the buttons on the treadmill and get it up and running again. Not only did I save $150, but I also managed to get in the 6-7 miles called for by the training plan.

love to hate

The treadmill is the machine we all love to hate. Some more than others. While there are times I do hate it, I am always grateful to have it as an option, especially on days when weather keeps me from the great outdoors.

This has not been a great week with respect to running. A slew of unplanned doctor's appointments for Liam kept me from getting my run in on Monday (he's fine). Then there was that lunch date I'd planned months ago with a friend for yesterday, though I did get up really really really early - you don't want to know how early - to get in a short run in the morning.

Today is Wednesday, my mid-week longish run day. And then there is the 1.5" of snow we got last night, which still hasn't melted from the sidewalks. So I turned on the TM to get in my miles during lunch... but all that showed up on the display is E2. What is E2? What does E2 mean? To me it means no run... again. AAAAAAh! I'm about to go insane. Nathan says the sidewalks are clear enough to run, but I'm not so sure. My options are to risk injury on slippery sidewalks (not to mention that it's still butt cold... AND windy!) OR accept my sister's gracious offer to run on her TM (thanks Sharon!) OR just not run. I really don't like option C. What will I do? Stay tuned.

butt cold - part 2

I successfully completed my 8.6 mi. long run today, amid cold temps (30's) and wind. I have to say it was my best long run to date. I was hydrated and well nourished (see previous post on Anita's) and had all of the proper cold weather gear. I came up with a theory today about running in the wind - it just makes me want to go faster, even if I have to run into it. Because the fast I run, the faster I will be out of it. Pretty profound, eh? I felt pretty strong the entire run and did not succumb to the dreaded "tina shuffle" except for maybe during some recovery time after a hill or two. I ended up changing to a winter hat after my first lap because my ears were freezing, though I did miss the brim of my ball cap protecting me from the sun and wind. Will I ever be satisfied?

A new addition to my playlist - Beautiful Day by U2 - was well received. Gotta focus on what I can do with this body and be thankful for that.

random liam post

check out Liam having fun with fingerpaint:

www.nathancurtis.com/blogs/liam

Backstory - several years ago, I was feeling creative one Saturday afternoon. I headed the local craft store and purchased a very large canvas and some paint fully intending to create something to hang on our empty walls. I even created a prototype on a small canvas! But, I guess with the small canvas, my creative juices ran out. And the large canvas sat in the garage for many, many months. Sure, it got moved around the house from time to time. Nathan even gave me a deadline by which I would need to create something. Fast forward to a couple years later - Nathan opens the garage door this morning and declares he is tired of looking at the blank canvas. An hour and some fingerpaint later, we have the masterpiece created by Sir Liam with help from mom and dad. Voila!

breakfast of champions?

I've been eating the same thing for breakfast for about a year. Every morning, I start out with the requisite coffee and some scrambled egg whites. What goes in the eggs varies, but I have been enjoying a combination of onions, a little chopped up bacon and of course a little cheese. This seems to satisfy my always large appetite until at least mid-morning until I can get a snack, usually on something like grapes. But lately, I've been less enthused about the eggs. I don't know if it's because I cut back on the cheese ratio, but they just haven't been as good. Nothing else seems to be as filling, though, and I've learned that my body really needs a good breakfast to set the stage for the day.

One of my favorite treats for breakfast is a breakfast burrito from Anita's. If you don't know what this is, you should really come to VA and find out. First off, they are only $0.99. One is usually enough, though the fellows often get 2. I've seen people order many more than that!

Last week, I experimented with some oatmeal, which I always love. That seemed to hold me well for a while. And while I would love to enjoy a bowl of cereal every morning, I know I would be hungry in about 30 minutes.

If anyone is still reading this blog, what are your favorite breakfasts? Off to Anita's... :)

"butt cold"

I got to "sleep in" this morning until 7 am. When I wake up and the hour number on the clock is anything past 5, I am pretty happy. So I sit here typing and enjoying my coffee as the house slowly begins to wake for the day.

Nathan informed me that the forecast for this weekend was "butt cold" according to the local meteorologist. This is not good for Tina's long run. Luckily, this weekend's long run is shorter at 6-10 miles planned. I'm shooting for 8.6. Last weekend, we dropped a considerable amount of cash at Dick's Sporting Goods to get Nathan and I better outfitted for cold weather training. He already has a lot of gear. I ended up getting some Under Armour leggings, a warm top, and some gloves. I almost returned them during the week, because they were really expensive (about $50 each) and I didn't see the need. But stepping out this morning, I think I will be keeping them.

I have to say I was pretty disappointed with the women's selection at Dick's. I would normally get gear from title9 or roadrunnersports.com, but I didn't want to wait. I checked out the selection at REI last night, but it was not much better. Stay warm!

food is fuel

I had an interesting revelation over the weekend. Drinking lots of water makes me feel good. I don't drink enough - I've always really struggled with getting my daily intake in. You would be shocked and alarmed if you knew how much diet soda I drank. It was late Saturday morning and I began to feel really weak and lethargic - it occurred to me that I needed to hydrate for the Sunday long run so I began chugging water and I felt amazingly better. Yes, I know. I'm an idiot. A 32 year old idiot who is just realizing all the virtues of water.

I've also been thinking a lot about food as fuel. How am I going to get through these long runs without bonking? I do seem to get a little farther each week before I start feeling like crap. I guess that is the point of a training program. I bought 4 new Clif bar flavors today - so far, "Blueberry Crisp" is a winner. I don't know if I can do "Gu" again. I don't think I have the stomach for it anymore, but we shall see.

two a days?

The weather gods were playing with me again today. Wednesday is my normal work from home day - the opportune day for my mid-week medium length run. I had heard "flurries" in the forecast, but the flurries continued pretty steadily all morning. I also quickly realized that my winter running apparel is severely lacking. So... the treadmill. again. For some reason, treadmill runs take me longer. I suppose I take more breaks because I get bored pretty quickly. I ended up having to cut my 6 miler down to about 4 when the phone rang. Not happy. I decided to get in a few more miles after Liam went to bed. So in total, I ran almost 8 miles today, but in 2 shorter segments. I realize that working out like that is probably not going to help me run long distance any better, but still good to get the miles in - that's my story anyway. I figure at this early stage of training, it is not going to have a huge impact.

But it does bring up the challenge of the mid-week longer run - what to do? The most I can get in during my lunchtime run without too many eyebrows being raised at work is 4, maybe 5. So I guess I'll keep them on Wednesdays and hope for the best.

the weather waits for no one

After last week's unfortunate long run, I spent the weekend hydrating and making sure I was eating right in preparation for this week's long run. Yes, it would be cold but armed with my trusty new running tights, I knew all would be fine. That is until I looked out the window and saw this:

I'd even proposed to Nathan earlier that I would get up and run before church... but the pull of my cozy bed was too much to fight so early on a cold January morning. Such are the pitfalls of training for a spring marathon I suppose. Onward to the treadmill for an 8+ miler. At least Liam had fun breaking in his new snow boots:

Ok, I'll admit that I'm using this blog to shamelessy post pics of my kid. Enjoy!

aches and pains

A blog about running and marathoning would not be complete without some griping about aches and pains. I'm a little bit down because I have some nagging pains that don't seem to be going away - shin splint, neck pain, little tweaks here and there. As of today, I decided to focus on the Beginner training program because frankly it is about half as much mileage as the Intermediate program. The good thing about this is that it will allow me more time to cross-train and strengthen up the weak areas. I should also have more rest and recovery time. My work schedule has been quite heavy lately, which means fewer lunchtime workouts. I mean, do they not understand that I NEED to work out?! Priorities, people!

I read an interesting article today about women and why most shouldn't run:
http://www.coreperformance.com/article.php?p=3&s=1&id=273

After my demoralizing gimpy shortened lunchtime run, I almost agreed with this jerk. But then I just realized he had probably been passed by one too many women and needed some type of "outlet". I will say that he does have some points, but his attitude and delivery suck. Anyway, just thought this was interesting.

swirl, tap, and buff - NRR

On a whim, I picked up the bare minerals starter kit from Ulta cosmetics store. I'd seen the infomercials a million times and was pretty impressed with all of the results on TV (hmmm, is this the beginning of my testimonial?). My daily makeup routine consists of applying makeup at the stoplights on the way to work. in the dark. so you can imagine how GOOD I look every morning! I put some on tonight before heading over to Mom's for a family dinner and miracle of miracles, Mom commented on how good my makeup looked! Without prompting! While I'm probably still a girl looking for mom's approval, I have to say this is the best money I've spent in a while.

long runs - what NOT to do

I had a long run scheduled for today - 7 to 10 miles for week 2 of 18. I decided to do two 4.3 mile loops which would put me right in between 7 and 10. Armed with my new nike elite running socks, I headed out the door. Another beautiful Sunday afternoon in mid-January! As the run quickly degenerated into a shuffle, I began compiling a list of things I am doing wrong:

1. indulging in chips, salsa, and margaritas the night before a long run
2. counting coffee alternaing with diet coke as "hydration"
3. finishing Liam's half eaten cheese dog for lunch does not equal "fueling up for my long run"

As you can see, there are some holes in my nutritional plan. Gotta work on that. It wasn't all bad. It was really a nice day for a run, there were lots of people out, my much discussed playlist was spot on and I ended up completing 7.5 miles. Week 2 - check!

random liam pic

shoutout to lisa vidonic

Lisa is running the Houston Marathon this morning - just started about 45 minutes ago. This is Lisa's first marathon, but she has a good shot at qualifying for Boston. Go Lisa!! You are truly inspirational.

what was number 1?

More on the music theme. I found this neat website - put in the date you turned 18 and see what was the number 1 song. Kinda fun - for me it was End of the Road by Boyz II Men.

forgettable runs and music

The last few days have been filled with good but forgettable runs on the treadmill. I am very much a wuss about running outside when it's cold and windy. This weekend's long run is 7-10 miles and I think it is going to be rainy by warm-ish.

Having dinner with some girlfriends last night, the discussion turned to best running songs. The runnersworld forums have a whole thread dedicated to this. Last year's anthem was Move Along by The All American Rejects. Here are some other songs on my playlist:

Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Lose Yourself - Eminem
We Are the Champions, We Will Rock You - Queen
SOS - Rihanna
Everlong, One by One - Foo Fighters
Life Wasted, Worldwide Suicide - Pearl Jam
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

What are your favorites?

best post workout snack

My recent favorite has been taking some low fat organic vanilla yogurt and then mixing that up with a sliced up banana. Mmmmmmmm. Filling and fulfills that sweet tooth of mine.

What's yours?

it has been done

Well, I'm officially registered for the Charlottesville Marathon on 4/21/07. First thought, am I nuts? Second thought, what have i done? Third and final thought, I can and will do this!

I took a rest day from running today and lifted weights at the gym. Tomorrow will be 4-6 miles, likely on the treadmill. Sounds boring, but I gotta catch up on my Tivo!

RIP ipod

So, my big ipod is officially dead. This is one of the best gifts Nathan ever gave me - a surprise after I spent many months studying for the PE exam.

I ran 4.3 outside in the cold and wind today. I wore running tights for the first time ever and was pretty comfortable. I'm pretty tired tonight. I did not have my normal lounge time during Liam's nap today - Nathan and I spent a fair bit of time trying to figure out which of our many smoke/CO detectors had a low battery.

Week 1 of 18 training weeks is now complete. I'm doing a cross between a beginner and intermediate training program I found on runnersworld.com. Now I just need to officially register for that marathon...

random pics

Not from today, but a recent playground visit...