Day 90 - A Little Yog and Some Crafting

Let's be real: saying yog instead of jog is so much cooler. Moving on...

My very stiff muscles this morning required a little jog/yog. Well, I suppose they didn't require it, per se, but it was necessary if I planned to use my legs today. Coincidentally, I did. Even though I'd eaten breakfast, I discovered 1.5 miles in that I didn't have enough fuel for the machine. I quickly grew weak and nauseous and power-walked the 1.5 miles back home, which was actually fine, as it gave me enough additional blood flow to do some good stretching. Then, I stuffed my face with about two meals worth of food. I think I've recovered all the calories/carbs/etc. burned during the 21-miler. Just to be safe, I've continued stuffing my face all day. :)

I also did some crafting today -- a pretty easy and fun project from Pinterest that required only tiles from Home Depot, mini-felt pads, modgepodge, and some maps (which you can get from AAA for free if you're a card-carrying member). And voila! You have these great coasters. I've also seen people do these with race bibs; it's the same idea.

I did DC, B-more, NYC and SF.

By now, I'm certain you've heard of Whitney Houston's passing. It's sad -- an incredible voice and a gifted performer, but such a tragic off-stage life. I'd like to remember her like this (a great song to run to, by the way):

Day 78 - Friends

I hope you have friends as awesome as mine; but my suspicion is that you don't, because mine are really, really, really awesome. Really awesome. Friends who read this: thank you! With you, life is half as hard and twice as good.



Thank you for reading this life-related, running-unrelated post. I shall resume with the running thing tomorrow.

Day 60 - Old Faithful

Today's scheduled run: 4 miles

Today's completed run: 4 miles (or 3.9998, if you consult Garmin's non-rounded- number)
Pace: 8:24 (avg)

I felt really strong today. Helping me along was the little guy on the left. In case you are actually technologically advanced and are unfamiliar with this small white thing, that is an original iPod Shuffle. Released January 11, 2005, this baby was all the rage when I got it, which I think was shortly after it's release date. I even have an armband made just for it. I guess if I was really cool I would have used the lanyard attachment that came with it, but I can only handle so much cool at once.

My family in NC returned the shuffle to me while I was home for Christmas, informing me that it no longer worked. I was skeptical. This is an Apple product after all; they don't break... ever. (Except for that one iPod touch I have that's only ever given me trouble, but that's not the point.) Anyway, back to the point - I occasionally enjoy running with music, and I've very much appreciated it during these last few runs, which I fear would have been sluggish and boring otherwise. However, I really hate running with my iPhone - it feels so big, and it doesn't ever seem to sit on my arm properly. Enter: Gen. 1 iPod Shuffle, which I was certain would work despite my family's statements that it is dead. Needless to say, I was right; and this little stick of an iPod has made the perfect running companion for me.

I'm all about technological advances. I love my iPhone, and I love my MacBook Pro; but I can honestly say that Old Faithful has carried the day better than the iPhone for running. I guess it's carried the day better than my MacBook, too. Could you imagine me trying to run with that?

Day 59 - Erratic Pacing

Today's scheduled run: 7 miles

Today's completed run: 7 miles
Pace: 8:55 (avg.) with splits ranging from 9:07 (slowest, mile 1) to 8:34 (fastest, mile 7)

I successfully yet inadvertently completed a negative split, the term used when the second half of your run is faster than the first. I would like to know myself well enough as a runner to be able to know that my paces are that erratic. I think the Garmin will help me in this area, because I can see instantly what my pace is and know how I feel. Strangely, though, the first two miles, which were moderately-paced, felt torturous, while the last 3, which were quickly-paced, felt awesome. I think it was just a weird running day. It was also cloudy and rainy and almost dark. Still, the miles are done.

I've been having some weird Rocky Balboa moments while running around Baltimore. I suppose the city and Philly are somewhat similar in appearance depending on where you are, i.e. more industrial, a lot of row homes, narrow streets, etc. Every now and then, particularly around train tracks, I imagine myself also climbing the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and throwing a few punches. Depending on where I am and how I'm feeling, I might throw the punches mid-run anyway, just for kicks. Or punches. This is especially prone to happen if "Eye of the Tiger" is playing. (The '90s were too cool for school.)

I do often find myself running through Little Italy, just like Rocky. However, no one has ever started cheering for me or high-fiving mid-run. Then again, I also don't hurdle benches. And the whole city of Baltimore doesn't run after me with encouraging shouts. But those are just a few minor differences between us.

Day 19 - A Busy Rest Day

As usual, today is a rest day, which is good because I am busy, busy, busy with a lot of fun things. I am headed to DC this weekend to spend some time with friends there, which is always a gift, because I have some wonderful friends there.

The weekend starts with volunteering at the race expo for the RAM Racing Hot Chocolate 15k/5k, which is tomorrow at National Harbor. I was supposed to run the 15k, but my plans changed. However, I'm still going to pick up my swag (because it's a jacket, not a t-shirt!) and volunteer. I've never been able to volunteer at an expo because of work schedules, so I'm looking forward to it. Happy running to those who are running this weekend, BTW!

After the expo, the weekend will be filled with visiting friends. It won't be all fun and games, as I have a 20-page paper to write for my Human Behavior class, but I've already planned a study party with a friend of mine who is taking classes right now. It's always nicer to study together, even if productivity drops significantly during that time. :) I'm also looking forward to the 6 miles I have scheduled for tomorrow. It's a drop from the last few weekends, and I'm feeling strong for it already. Let's hope that stays!

To close, I'll leave you with two very interesting articles from Runner's World.

Why Is Running So White? This article was so interesting to me, both as a runner and a social worker. In fact, I brought it up yesterday in my policy class, because we were talking about health disparities based on various demographics, i.e. income level, race, etc. Something so basic that I had never thought of before is that if you are living in an unsafe urban area, as so many people of color do, running is not an option. Running is a flight technique, not exercise. So interesting and so relevant for so many of our Baltimore residents and neighborhoods.

Transcendental Steps I read this article this morning, mostly because I've been trying to figure out if I want to challenge myself to run iPod-less. I'm not interested in the Buddhist meditation aspect, for obvious reasons, but I do think the principles are transferable in some ways. I could spend time meditating on the things of the Lord (Philippians 4:8), and I could simply talk with Him. I should relish that opportunity, not fill it with bad music. I'll let you know how it goes...

What are you up to this weekend? Anything fun? Any running?


Until tomorrow...

Day 12 - Wide Open Like a Lake

Price Lake, Blowing Rock, NC

When something can be that beautiful in a picture taken with an iPhone, you know it is really beautiful in person.

While the siblings attempted to skip stones and make boats out of leaves, I sat in the sun, taking in the flatness and stillness of Price Lake. Over the worry of what is to come, I sang Sara Groves' "Like a Lake."

so much hurt and preservation
like a tendril round my soul
so much painful information
no clear way on how to hold it

when everything in me is tightening
curling in around this ache
I will lay my heart wide open
like the surface of a lake
wide open like a lake

standing at this waters edge
looking in at God's own heart
I've no idea where to begin
to swallow up the way things are

everything in me is drawing in
closing in around this pain
I will lay my heart wide open
like the surface of a lake
wide open like a lake

bring the wind and bring the thunder
bring the rain till I am tried
when it's over bring me stillness
let my face reflect the sky
and all the grace and all the wonder
of a peace that I can't fake
wide open like a lake

everything in me is tightening
curling in around this ache
I am fighting to stay open
I am fighting to stay open
open open oh wide open
open like a lake

Tomorrow, I will run 9 miles, and I will decorate a Christmas tree and bake cookies, and I will love on my family and let them love on me. And I will stay open, like a lake.

Until then...