My Running Blog and Other Stuff

dave and i bought a house today.  pics to follow.  i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited.  1594 sq feet of goodness…..

The first week of training went well.  43.5 miles total.  Not as high as I’m used to doing, but its been a busy week.  Both in terms of work and other wise.  This week will be an upscale of 10% for the long run… (so only 13 miles for the long run!)

We’re in the process of converting the now “den” into a real second bedroom.. and hoping to get real furniture for the room soon. (No more airmattress, Kurt!!) Crash space for anyone doing Gasparilla next year or any of the other races in the area!! We’d like to have it completed soon so my MIL can come down here and get some real rest after her rehab…  but we will see.  It wouldn’t be until November, as its when the weather finally cools down here and it’ll be be after the taper/race prep/excitedness that we all know as Chicago!!(But still in race nuttiness mode for Goofy!!) Lots of work to do get that room done… my job is to help get rid of the “extra” stuff we don’t need.  A daunting task for pack rats like us…...  

Today was Saturday, and the day that I go do a spin class—both according to the schedule I found—and that its a change from the constant pounding that running does to my limbs…..  So anyway, I went to the gym, with the thought of just doing the elliptical for 45-50 minutes followed by the 75 minute spin class.  Yeah, right.   I woke up early, left Dave in bed and headed to the gym.  I ended up doing 75 minutes on the mill (8.25 miles) followed by the 75 minute spin class…...     Can’t even begin to tell you how great I felt after…. lets hope that continues to be the case tomorrow morning when I do my “long” run of 11 miles…. 

We went to the movies this afternoon.  Saw “Over the HEdge”.  The next few movies that we want to see are cartoons….. Cars, then Flushed Away…. we will also go see the Pirates of the Caribean II in the movies….  We’ll catch ’DaVinci Code’ when it comes out on DVD or when the comotion over it dies down.  I have to admit that “over the hedge” is a GREAT kid’s movie, but has enough oneliners for the adults!!  (The final credits had a great Star Trek reference, probably due to the fact that William Shatner did a voice in it…. priceless stuff) 

Dave is pushing me to finish this post as he wants to take me to a romantic meal out.  We don’t do that too often, so I’m really looking forward to it.  (its also to have me calm down after my 70 hour work week over the past 5 days, and another 65 hour work week upcoming for the next 4…...)

The training officially started today.  Thanks to a bunch of folks for feedback.  You guys are right, ya know, gotta stop this “more, more, more miles and I will get better stuff”...  mindset and just concentrate on quality workouts, and just putting some more fun into the workouts…. and speed and the distance will take care of itself, and the race anxiety will go away.  Supported training runs (ie at races) are definitely on the calendar. One is in december before goofy.  have to check the calendar to see where we are for the one before chicago.  got a couple of 5K’s on the calendar as well, but that would be just to mix things up a bit….

Other news—I’m joining the Lakeland Runners Club (www.lakelandrunnersclub.com).  They have Sunday long runs, and other track workouts on tuesdays.  The times work really well for our schedule, and i have a chance of actually making them.  Or most of them, anyway.  Dave will join with me, and volunteer for stuff…  we really need to meet some new folks.   Track workouts would be cool, maybe i can really get faster. I know they work from the time that I was so into it years ago.  lost that speed, but i think i can get it back.  This sort of stuff excites me to no end. (Maybe its just exhaustion talking)

One more tidbit.  Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers for my MIL.  We found out that her pacemaker failed/stopped/broke down and it no longer sent signals to her heart to beat regularly.  The wires that connect to the heart are fine, but the device wasn’t.  She got it replaced over the weekend at one of the BEST hospitals in Boston.  The procedure was explained to me by one of our docs, and we have nothing to worry about.  She’ll be fine. I know that in my bones.  Dave says he’s not worried, but i know he is.  I am too… in more ways than one.  She will be OK.

I’m so excited of the next few months—both on the roads, at home and otherwise.  more stuff to come soon.  I’ll post the training week on Sunday… 

Take care, guys… 

I will finish chicago, i will finish chicago!! i will finish the goofy challenge.

yeah, i said that about cmm.  but this energy is different.  very different. its mind over body. plus the two upcoming races will be on flat territory.  no crazy hills every mile.  i can do it.  piece of cake… with lots of training on the outside instead of on a mill. 

spin class was cancelled today(or rather, the instructor or the alternate instructor, never showed… I thought i may have gotten something screwed up, but it was the regulars tht were there, so i should have been OK!!) —so i ended up doing a sum total of 11 miles on the mill… (i had my gym bag with me so i couldn’t even think of running home like i would have perferred. ) Hopefully, the instructor will show up on Monday night for the cross training routine of the week…. 

tomorrow is a nice easy 14 miler.  hopefully outside—its been wicked hot out there…

prayer request, too, for my MIL.  she’s in the hospital (we’ll be talking later to her) as she fell in her apt. we’re thinking that something is wrong with her meds.  i can think of what blood tests are being done, too.  hopefully, this is a wakeup call to really taking care of herself. not likely, but one can hope.

new week, new attitude about racing.. thank you to everyone who commented here and on the boards.  you guys are the best.

so its a little more than 5 months to the chicago marathon.  new trainng plan new attitude.  pretty much going to start from square one in terms of a training plan.  not a lot of cross training (save the one spin class on saturdays that i love) and mostly running outside as opposed to the treadmill like i’ve been doing.  yeah, summer running will suck.  but i will get the job done and finish the race that i want so much to accomplish.

stuff is going well in other stuff.  heading home to fl tomorrow so that i can get myself together for monday.  dave is sore from the hiking, and its really the only reason why we are here. the shopping can be done anywhere, and most places around here are tourist traps anyway.  neither of us have an interest in doing the shows.  i’d rather see dave spend the money on new ’big boy’ toys….... and at $30 A SHOT for a two bit dinner its SO not worth it.  the way i look at it—the two shows plus dollywood were going to do will virtually pay for my airline ticket to chicago