How I complicated my life today

How I train: Q and A

2012-01-29T07:47:00.000-06:00

Thanks for all your questions and comments on my "How I train" series. Here are some I didn't get to:

Vanesssa asked:
What was your typical weekly mileage training for your first marathon vs. now?
I mentioned that I used to run about 20 miles a week (first marathon) and now I run about 45 miles a week (need to increase!) but what I didn't mention was the standard deviation. I am much more consistent now - before I'd have weeks with just 6 miles total followed by weeks with 12 or 28. Now I might dip to 30 after a race or peak as high as 65 on a race week, but generally I'm in the 40 to 50 range.

Nelly said: Not sure if this is the case, but you look way more powerful now than you do in that picture above from your first marathon. Not sure if you feel the same way.
One thing I didn't talk about what weight training. I do try to do weights at the gym once a week for just that reason: increased power. I think speed work might help, too, although hill sprints would be better. All I need is a hill...

Ali Mc asked:
I really want to know how someone like me (a relatively new runner) could train for their first marathon differently. Everyone says train to just finish but I'd love to BQ on my first one ....do you think that's possible??

Oh gosh. I don't know, I guess it depends on your base. I really think a runner shouldn't attempt a marathon until he or she has been running for several years. Not that finishing a marathon is insanely difficult; just doing one too soon can be disappointing. A young runner may get injured and will probably have a worse finish time than if they had waited until they had a very good base. I think if you have been running at least 30 miles a week for at least 6 months, and you regularly run in the double digits, and you've completed several half-marathons, and your half marathon pace is BQ pace or better, you will probably BQ at your first marathon. But that is total conjecture.

Kyria asked:

So, you said you never really did taper before, but do you follow a training "schedule" at all? Or just wing it? You seem kind of like a wing it kind of girl. Do you do speed work? Pace work? Hills?

Where do you find the time? Do you run in the dark?

While I use a training schedule as a guide, I mostly wing it. The training schedule just helps me plan when my long runs should be. I only do speed work on Monday nights with the Varsity Sports group, so if my training plan has additional speed work I just do a regular run. I almost never wear a watch, so I don't do any tempo runs or marathon pace runs or all that jazz.

Now that I work a set schedule, I run in the mornings before work. I get up at 6:00, and try to be out the door by 6:30.That still gives me time to get a ten-miler in, shower, get ready for work, eat breakfast, and get to work before 9:00. Sometimes it is dark, but that's ok; I live in New Orleans so you know there is NO crime.

Mickiruns asked:

Would you mind including a "I wish I knew ____ when I was training for my first marathon"?

Don't wear different underwear on race day! Ow, chaffing!

Sassy Molassy said:

I usually run 5-6 days per week and for me, reducing my mileage has actually been more effective. 45-50 miles per week are usually my max during marathon training. That being said, it could have been the combination of doing more comprehensive workouts (gym, yoga, lifeforce) that has improved my muscle imbalances so I'm not injured like I was before.

Well said, I think cross-training for muscle strength is a great way to prevent injury while increasing all-around fitness. Too bad I suck at everything except running (I wish you could see me attempting soccer as a kid, it was tragic).

Christy asked:

My question is how do you stay injury free with the increase in miles?

Ah-hah! Great question! Mileage increase should be snail's pace slow. But once you are up there, you're golden. Stay where you can tolerate it. It's the changes that put you in danger, not the actual higher mileage. For me, after I ran a marathon in fall of 2010, I had built up to around 40 mpw and stayed there by simply adding on races incessantly. I have gradually increased that to 45 or so over the course of almost an entire year. The key is to maintain mileage so you don't have to build back up.

Kinza said:

I would love to hear details about your eating habits.

I eat fairly well. Besides three square meals, I snack a lot, mostly on mixed nuts, fruit, or crackers and cheese. I don't have the most ideal diet, but I keep junk food to a minimum and I'm a healthy cook. Our most damaging meals come from eating out, which we do about once a week, but since my hubby and I both love food - and live in New Orleans - we aren't about to give that up! I don't drink soda or any sweet beverage at all, and I have raw fruit or veggies with every meal. I drink red wine several times a week and I'm a coffee addict, but I drink a lot of water, too. I could be more careful with my diet, but I'm fairly content with it.

Char said:

I don't get how you think you suck at distances over 16 miles and yet run a 3:09 marathon. Clearly you don't actually suck - is it that you don't like going so far.

Well, that's kind of you to say, but I actually do suck. I have just had to persuade myself that crappy long runs don't equate to crappy marathons, or I'd be perpetually worried about my performance. I routinely hit the wall, fall off pace, get sick, or quit early during long runs!

In fact, in all my ten races, I've only had one good twenty. Read about it here.

Thanks for reading all my training posts and for your comments! Of course, it turns out that the week that I put up posts all about running and training I ran fever and had a cold and missed running for three days - plus skipped a long run for my next race. Not an auspicious start to training.

How I train: the mental part

2012-01-27T07:33:00.015-06:00

The last part of How I Train is kind of a catch-all of things I didn't put elsewhere, but it concludes with one of the most important parts: the mental aspect! If I could credit one thing with taking me from a 4:15 to a 3:09 marathon, it's thinking I could do it.
But first some bits and pieces I forgot...

The mental aspect comes into play when one realizes one has run 27.2 miles instead of 26.2. Yes, I actually did that.

Injuries: At first (marathon #1), I was a big ball of injury - I was not in the shape to attempt a marathon and training hurt. This is why I'm not a proponent of the "You, too, can run a marathon" kind of plan. Sure, anyone can run a marathon. But first you need to build up a decent base, or the mileage increase will injure you!
My biggest injury was excruciating runner's knee that plagued me for months and lead to other, responsive injuries. I fixed that in 2 weeks by throwing out my motion control shoes and going neutral. Bam, just like that, no more pain. My only injury after that was a mild fracture sustained from a hard landing on a rough surface...playing chicken with a train. I know. Sorry. I do dumb stuff sometimes. It serves me right. It healed in a month and has been 100% pain free since then.

Gear: I'm not really into fancy running stuff. I got a Garmin for Christmas a year ago, but I only wear it for speed workouts, long runs when I don't know my route distance, and races. I wear an ipod for long runs and races, too, but not for everyday running.
I buy my socks and jog bras from Walmart. They are cheap cotton. I buy shorts off Ebay or Nike clearance. I got tights at Target last year for $1.99. I have only purchased a running top ONCE, since I wear mostly race T's. I snap up clearance shoes and try to spend less than $39.99 per pair.
To me, the appeal of running is that anyone can do it with very, very little stuff. I don't want to lose that feeling of fun and freedom, so I keep things low tech.
Right now, I wear Saucony Kinvaras - men's, since I have wide feet - and I love them. I wear them for long runs, track, races, and every day. I also have a pair of Karhu Fulcrum Fast, which I rotate in about once a week. I love my Karhu's, too, but lately I've been having trouble with fit. I think I'm between sizes in a women's shoe - men's shoes just fit better.
The best thing I ever did for my running was to switch to a neutral shoe. I'm a believer in letting your body, not an external device, correct for any imbalance or anomaly. If you think about it, you've been alive and kicking with that darned pronation or funny gait for 20+ years and it never hurt you before. When you do natural activities like walking, lifting, or sitting, you didn't need special shoes to prevent a catastrophe. So why do you need them for running, which should also be a natural activity? I'm not saying go totally minimalist, which didn't work for me (I tried it, I felt too much impact); I'm just saying, let your body do its thing. If you aren't having problems, don't let some running shoe store sell you a stability shoe to "fix' something.

Fuel: Before I run I have half a cup of coffee - full cup for a race - but I generally do not eat. I eat lightly before a marathon but no other distance. While running, I eat gels or oatmeal or white rice. Yeah, I bring teeny bags of cooked and salted rice and oatmeal with me. It's cheaper than gels.
For long runs, I only fuel for 18 miles and over. I bring two servings of fuel (2 gels, 2 bags of rince, etc).
For races, I usually bring a gel or two for a half marathon, although I rarely will take more than one.
When I race a marathon, I need fuel. I drink Gatorade at about every other water stop, and I bring about 4 gels.
I take my gels in halves since it's easier to get enough liquid down with them that way. I try to stay on a schedule of miles 6, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 - half a Gu at each. Obviously I will adjust this based on location of water stations.
For the rest of the time, my normal diet is just ok. I drink lots of coffee and have red wine at least 5 times a week. Hey, it keeps my cholesterol in check! I am lucky that I generally like healthy foods, especially fruits, veggies, and legumes, but I eat plenty of treats, too. That's why I'm medium-weight instead of pro-runner skinny. I like eating and food makes me happy.

What I don't do: I do not ice, I do not wear compression, I do not race without drinking water, I do not drink chocolate milk, I do not have mantras, I do not run barefoot, I do not diet, I do not take supplements, I do not bandit, I do not cross train, I do not stretch, I do not carb-load, I do not buy expensive accessories, I do not raise money for charity, I do not negative-split, I do not mid-foot strike, I do not do Yasso 800's, I do not run on treadmills, I do not run ultras, I do not use sunscreen. I do what I can, want, like, and afford...in other words, I keep running a hobby, not a lifestyle. Only you know just the mix of dos and don'ts that work for you! Some things I should do to improve but I'm not willing to sacrifice for them. Some things would be fun to do, but would cut into time and money I should spend on other things. You just have to pick and choose what works for you.

When the going gets hairy: So here's the thing. I don't like quitting or copping out. I don't usually make excuses for myself. I'm not silly enough to not allow myself a pass if I'm sick or injured, but I don't like going easy on myself. I'm not a perfectionist, just pushy.
I'm not built to be a runner. I'm a stocky, muscular build that doesn't promise long smooth strides. I'm heavier than most runners running my same speed. I have terribly damaged feet from wearing too-small shoes growing up, and I heel strike. But I do not give up and I don't make excuses. I think that's helped me more than any natural ability or training plan.

What's helped YOU more than anything else?

How I train: Racing

2012-01-26T09:26:00.000-06:00

Day three of how I train...
Today let's talk about races. After all, they're kind of why I run.

Races: I run a lot of races because they give me a goal to work for. Who cares if that makes me a moron. I like to schedule them close enough together that I don't have to start training all over again and I've always run better at my second race.
I feel like full marathons are my best distance, but I don't know if that is really true since I almost never run any other distances. I will do the occasional half, but short distances don't appeal to me. I know I am definitely a distance type because I generally underperform at short distances. For example, I have never run a 5k under 21 minutes! And not for lack of trying, either! I've noticed that if I use the Mcmillan calculator to estimate my race times, I will always outperform at the marathon distance and underperform at shorter distances. Meanwhile, if I attempt to do speed work at my extrapolated "5k pace" or "2 mile pace" I struggle to complete the workouts.

Training plans: I am not good at following training plans. I prefer, instead, to stay at half-marathon shape all the time, and build up to a marathon over the course of 4 to 6 weeks. However, I do usually use a training plan as a general guide, although I often jump in half-way through. I used training plans for my first two marathons, and they were not tough enough. They didn't challenge me, and they didn't have enough long runs or mid-distance runs. This is probably because they were beginner's plans and just had too much time off.

Sorry. I doodle a lot.

This is a plan I downloaded for the Louisiana marathon and sorry, I don't remember where from. As you can see, this one I started at week 7, since it actually included THREE marathons - two of my three 20+ milers were replaced by marathons. I did a lot of hand-correcting, and I was very liberal with this plan - it called for very high mileage (including a 28 mile run) and I cut almost every week down. Then I lost it completely around Christmas, when my husband took over my desk to put up my new computer, and it just resurfaced in a stack of files yesterday. Lot of good that did.

Recovery: After a long or hot run, I love love love club soda. Club soda and eggs are all I want. I actually rarely have carbs after a race or run - unless it is race beer, which is a good club soda substitute - but sometimes I will make toast to soak up egg yolks or put scrambled eggs in a tortilla. I don't do anything specific for my muscles to recover; I do like to walk around a lot the same day to shake out any stiffness. I am rarely sore after a race - or ever, really. I don't take days off after a race - I get out and run the next day. Like I said, not a fan of days off.
When I was a jogger I ate what people told me to eat (carbs), but now I eat what I crave.

Marathons: I have done ten marathons, and I don't claim to be an expert. But here's a general idea of how I run a marathon.
For training, like I said, I jump in in the middle. I stay ready to do 13 on any given day, so generally my first long run will be 16 miles. I might do one, two, or three 20's and kind of decrease mileage the week leading up to the race.
I have the very worst race preparation ever known to man and I've pretty much just assumed that something will go wrong pre-race. I will have a dinner of hot wings and wine, have the busiest 9-hour work day of my life the day before, stay overnight with friends who never go to sleep, be late to the start, have a dead ipod or watch, whatever. Not one single race has started out well, and that's just my life. Like I said, it's complicated.
Race morning I give myself two hours to get up, have a little oatmeal, get ready, go to the bathroom, and make it to the start. I don't warm up before the race because I just don't know how. I heard someone last week say they were going to "stride it out" before the race and I had no idea what she was talking about. I bring music since I think having a beat helps me in later miles, although I'm happy to talk to other runners until I start feeling like a pile of crap.
I would love to say that I pace well and negative-split, but I'll be honest here. I've never negative split in my life. I start too fast and those last miles hurt! (Oddly, miles 20 - 26 are my favorites. I feel like I'm almost home and it's mentally easier for me than, say, mile 16 or 18). Once in awhile I hit the wall - twice this season - but I am ok with that. As long as I started adding glucose early enough, I can push through it.
I am a big fan of cheering others on the course. Anyone out there is working hard and could use the encouragement, and it distracts me a little! So I'm pretty generous with the clapping, high-fives, and shouted encouragement. I always talk to people I pass, too, if it's a spread-out race: I'll tell them they look good, hold the pace, etc. I feel kind of mean and guilty passing people! Is that normal?!
Another distractor, besides cheering others on, is running tangents. I am a very good tangent runner and rarely go much over the race distance by Garmin (even in large RnR races I will be at 26.3 max). Tangents are like a game: I will think, "See that corner up there? Run a straight line to it". Then I reach the corner and pick the next object to make the shortest line.
When I get to mile 25 I always tell myself I will sprint and I never do. I am too exhausted. But those last fractions I'll hit it!

So what tricks do I have for successful marathons?
- Well, the biggest change I've made is having confidence going in. I literally cried after my first marathon, I was so miserable. I was slow, injured, and in agony. That didn't help me much going into marathon number two! But as time goes on and I have more races under my belt, I know what's coming and I can judge my own fitness for the distance. I am a very reasonably confident person. That is, I'm good at knowing what I can and can't do and being quite confident about it. I usually call my races like pool: I can tell you the night before that I will run a 3:15 or a 3:30. When I hit the tough later miles, I remind myself that I am in the shape to run a 3:30 marathon, and it is well within my ability. I reason myself out of the low-glucose panic that can set it around mile 18.
- I've gotten better at fueling. This is entirely a personal thing, so do what you have to do to stay fueled! But I will tell you two things that have helped me:
1. I underfuel for regular long runs. This is partly because I'm cheap and Gu is pricey, and partly to encourage my body to convert fat to fuel in an attempt to go longer on a tank of energy on race day. And to get rid of my Armenian butt (it's not working).
2. I follow a set-in-stone fueling rule during races: If I'm between miles 13 and 22 and I feel a surge of energy, I immediately take some fuel. I know that this is a sign that I've moved from blood glucose to secondary sources of fuel like muscle glycogen, and while I feel good now, I'll crash soon if I don't supplement. This usually hits at mile 16 or 18 for me. Last race I couldn't stomach the gel I took at this point - it nauseated me immensely - and sure enough, I hit the wall.
- I start in the right corral. Like I said, I have a lot of confidence in both what I can and what I can't do, and one thing I can't do is conserve energy while passing slower runners. I get caught up in bunny-hopping and the next thing you know, my first mile was a 6:42 and I ran a good bit over 1 mile to get around people. All my bad races were ones in which I started too far back. The corrals are there for a reason, and being correctly corralled at the start is safer, faster, smarter, and more polite to other runners.
- I set a general finish time or pace goal. No more of this, "I just want to finish" crap. And you know what? It is crap. If you set that as your goal, well, then you can do better than that. You trained hard for your marathon, and you know how you're doing. Set a reasonable goal and work for it. ANYONE can "just finish" a marathon. Challenge yourself to a goal, work for it, and beat it at your next race!

Tomorrow we wrap up with some odds and ends and the mental aspect of training.
And then this weekend I will get to some questions!

How I train: How I run

2012-01-25T07:31:00.001-06:00

Welcome back to my wholly self-centered, barely-masked bragging about going from a 4:15 marathon to a 3:09 in under 2 years. And still sucking at the 5k.
Yesterday I covered how much I run.
Day three of How I Train is about the type of running I do. This is just to describe my every day running.

The beautiful Audubon Park running path

Surface and routes: I run a lot on asphalt and some on paved sidewalks. I don't do trails. I also don't do hills, but it's not my fault. I live in a completely flat area. In fact, I often download or look at training plans that have hill workouts weekly and I just shrug and give up, just like that. I know I can't do hills, so why even bother trying the training plan?
I run in Audubon park a lot, because it is gorgeous (and it's about half a mile from my house. My house, around the park once, and back home = 3.2 miles on the dot). I sometimes run along pretty routes like St Charles avenue or on the levee (side note: running up the levee is a possible form of hill workout, and I have done that on occasion. Sorry if we flood next hurricane because I wore the levee out). New Orleans is a very picturesque place to run and I'm blessed to run here. I work my routes around water fountains; one thing that has never changed for me is that I must drink water while I run. I am amazed and impressed by people (like my little brother Abe) who can do double digits without any fluids. I stop for water even for 3 miles most of the time!
I never run on a treadmill. If you do, more power to ya. I get bored and the double impact (the belt AND your foot are moving) hurts my knees. I think treadmills do outstanding things for endurance and perseverance, and I totally think you could train for a marathon entirely on a treadmill. I, however, am too ADD to take it!

Distance: Generally, I run 3 - 7 miles a day with a ten miler once a week and a long run once a week. The long run is 13 - 16 unless I have a marathon coming up. Lately I have been bad about getting in that 10 miler, though. Sometimes it becomes nine.
If I am training for a marathon, I try to get in a 16, 18, and two or three twenties. I don't do more than 20 miles because I would get bored. This year I worked in two marathons as "long runs" and this got me my 20+. That worked very well for me; I didn't run them all-out but I pushed a little. It was great practice that I wouldn't have done all alone in the park.
In fact, another dirty little secret about me: I do not like the long run, it always intimidates me, and I almost never have a good long run. I'm talking about walking, hitting the wall, feeling queasy, quitting early. I suck at distances over 16!
I think my weekly ten miler has done me a lot of good, which is why I intend on getting that back. It's a manageable mid-week distance that trains your mind to consider double digits an average distance.
When I started running more seriously, I realized that distance had to be a part of my improvement. Before that, I would do one loop in the park - 3.2 miles - every time. To increase my endurance I knew I had to change that. Now, I rarely do just 3.2 miles: maybe I'll do it on Sunday when my day is very busy. Instead my basic short run is 5 or 6.2 miles.

Speed: Last year I never did any speed work. In fact, I did none at all until this October. This fall I started joining a group that does speed work on Monday nights. I've improved since then (marathon and half marathon PRs) but if you do the math, I have actually improved less than last year. See, my Feb 2010 marathon and my Nov 2010 marathons showed a 14% improvement, whereas from Feb 2011 to Nov 2011 I only improved 6%. Of course, I do realize that time improvements become smaller as you get faster - it is easier to take 15 minutes off your 4-hr marathon than 5 minutes off your 3 hour marathon.
Speed work is kind of awful, but being with other people holds me accountable to complete the workout.
When we do speedwork, we are given assignments that are based on specific paces - like so many 400m reps at 5k pace, for example. To determine that pace we use a mile time trial or a recent race and plug it into the Mcmillan calculator. Here is where I cheat a little, though. I do not use my actual mile time trial or my actual race time. Instead I take my best race and knock a couple of minutes off of it, and I use that. this makes my speeds faster and is a sure recipe for injury or overtraining. Like I said, don't copy me.

Pace: I am not a big fan of the long slow distance. I run my long runs around marathon pace plus up to 30 seconds - that is an estimate. All I'm saying is I don't slow down a minute and a half per mile. I run lots of mid 7's and I think 7:40 is my sweet spot. If I settle down to a comfy pace and don't think about it, that is my pace. However, this comfy pace changes! If you asked me last year, I would have said 7:55. This year it is already trending toward 7:30.
I know a lot of people like to run their fast runs fast and their slow runs slow, but that didn't work for me. All it did was reset my idea of "fast". If the majority of your time is spent at 8:30 pace, then a 7:30 pace for three miles feels crazy fast! But if you usually run 8's, then 7:30 isn't that fast anymore. You'll aim for at least 7's. To run faster...I ran faster.

Music, Garmin, and the like: I used to run with music all the time, but I got out of the habit when my ipod was malfunctioning. Now I only use music for races. I think this has helped give me an extra boost during the race, since I'm used to having to set my own rhythm. I listen to a huge variety of music, most of which I don't particularly like, just because it has a good beat! Right now my favorite running song is "Break your Heart", even though I'd rather be caught dead than be observed listening to Ludacris otherwise (hello, his name is a misspelled word, so offensive!). If you want to get pumped up for a race, though, you cannot beat that opening!
BTW I do not have an ipod right now. I got a replacement 6th generation nano after my first generation was recalled, and I hate it. So from here on out I'm silent.
My Garmin 305 goes on for track workouts, long runs, and the ocasional ten miler when I need to make sure I'm home in time for work (yeah, sometimes I wake up late). Normally I run without it. I don't feel the need to obsess over my time or pace most of the time, plus I'm a pretty accurate judge of speed so I generally know how I'm doing.
Before I got my Garmin, I would bring pace bands for races. I still think pace bands are the BOMB for distances over 13.1! However, I don't use them anymore, as I would feel like my puny little arms were overloaded with ipod, pace band, and Garmin.

Next up: Racing!
Please...ask any questions in the comments!

How I train: Running volume

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

A quick note - Thanks for the questions. If I don't answer your questions here, I will do a Q and A post at the end and answer everything I miss.

Day one of How I Train:
Ah, volume. I know it's important, but so is having enough free time to re-read all the Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
Want to know a dirty little secreet? Part of the reason I got faster is because I didn't want to have to dedicate so much of my time to running. Faster = more miles, less time commitment.

Mileage: I run about 45 miles a week. To get faster, I added 15 to 20 miles a week. I think more would be better - probably 70 - but I simply don't want to commit the time. After a race I cut it down to about 30 for a recovery week.
If I averaged out miles for marathon #1, I did about 20 a week. Now I generally stay around 45, but I go over that on weeks that I race or do a 20 miler.
I know mileage has made a huge difference in my running, and I really would improve if I could buckle down and increase that number. Last year when I went from a 4:15 to a 3:27 marathon, I didn't do any speedwork - I just increased my miles. It's that important. If I could make just one change in my training it would be to increase mileage. In fact, I think ANY runner with the time and inclination to build up to and maintain 70 miles per week could meet or beat my marathon time. You just don't get good at anything without practice.
In the future I would like to add miles, so if you are friends with me on Dailymile and see me slacking off, send me a "Get off your tush" motivation.*

Days a week of running: I feel best with six or seven - six on weeks I remember to go to the gym and get my puny muscles pumping. I don't like taking days off. If I do, the fronts of my calves hurt the next day!
This is another change I made that improved my time - running just 4 or 5 days a week, like I used to, gave me fewer quality runs because I felt stiff and out of shape after off days.

Days off: Rarely am I off from running and the gym - probably two or three times a month. If I'm sick I take off, unless I feel like a run would do me good. I prefer to limit the excuses that I'll allow for a day off. When I was 4-hour marathoner, I took days off whenever anything hurt, believing that I was preventing injury. Not only was I injured anyway, I was just hurting my fitness, which in turn led me to more injury. I went into my first marathon with low levels of fitness and low confidence in my running.
This brings me to a point I meant to make: To a certain extent, running will hurt. That's ok. If you maintain a certain level of fitness all the time, you will know if the hurt you are feeling is normal and will go away (ie, sore knees from old shoes, pain from bruised nail bed, stiffness post-race, side cramps during a fast run) or if you are heading for an injury like a sprain, tear, or fracture. So it sounds paradoxical, but more running can actually help prevent injury.

Next up: How I run - the types of running, speed, and distances I do.
Questions? Ask below. If I don't know the answer I will make one up that sounds plausible.
*You aren't friends with me on Dailymile? Why not, you don't like me?

A week of how I train!

2012-01-23T07:30:00.002-06:00

Well, you asked for it...
So this week I am going to do several posts on exactly how I train.
As an introduction, a few years ago, I was one of those casual joggers who got bitten by the marathon bug. I ran my first marathon in 2010, poorly trained, injured, and miserable. My official time was 4:12.

My very first marathon! Feb 2010.

It was a bad enough experience that I laid off running for awhile, but I picked it back up 8 months later. I qualified for Boston at marathon #3 in November, 2010.

The beautiful Harrisburg marathon course, a great BQ course

A year after my first marathon, I ran a 3:27, agin at RnR Mardi Gras, and felt great doing it. Again, I took a little break - this time an injury combined with the hot weather kept me from running as much. I'm getting back into the swing of things this winter - my current best marathon is 3:09:36 (read about it here) and I ran a 3:24 in hot, windy weather with no Garmin or watch. My half marathons have improved, too, with a current PR of 1:30 from last month. That's down from the 2:03 I ran for my very first half.
Do I still have a long way to go? Of course!
While I can't claim to be fast, I CAN claim to have improved drastically.
I don't have a coach and I have no background in running, so a lot of what I do is just what seems to work for me. Take this as my personal story, not what will necessarily work for you!

Coming up this week:
- Running volume and mileage
- What kind of running I do
- Racing
- The mental aspect

Now ask me questions! If you have any specific questions on how I went from a 4:15 marathon to a 3:09 marathon in less than two years, ask away. I will do my best to provide helpful information!

Foody Friday: making broth

2012-01-20T08:11:00.000-06:00

Whenever I make a chicken, turkey legs, or bone-in roast, I also make some broth for later use. It's a money-saving trick that takes less effort than opening a teeny tiny Campbell's can.

My broth after an over-night cooking.

If I plan to cook some broth-worthy meat, a few days before I'll be cooking it I start saving my veggie scraps: carrot and parsnip tops, ends of green beans, tops of onions, celery leaves, even kale stems. I just throw them all in a bag in the fridge.
After cooking the meat, I save bones and scraps and toss them in the crockpot. If you cooked your meat in the crockpot, you don't even half to wash it first. This week I cooked turkey legs, and we ate some, but the rest I saved for use in turkey tetrazzini. After deboning the legs, I just put the bones in the crockpot along with all my veggie scraps (note - you may add the skin for flavor, but it will add a lot of fat to the broth). I add water up to the top, and season a little.
For turkey or chicken broth, I add salt, pepper, and perhaps sage, thyme, or majoram, plus some coriander seed.
For pork, I add whole mustard seed, salt, tiny bit of crushed red pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.
For beef, I add salt and pepper, rosemary, and a dash of worcestershire sauce.

Put the crockpot on low, cook overnight. In the morning turn it off and remove the lid to let it cool while you go for a run. When you get back, drain it through a colander into storage jars. I use jars that hold about 2 cans' worth, or as much as I'd use in a recipe. If you plan to freeze the broth, use freezer-safe jars. Let cool in the fridge and skim any fat off the top when it has hardened. At this point you can taste and correct seasoning. Incidentally, if you like vegetable broth, you can just keep a container for scraps in the fridge at all times, and when it fills up, make a broth.

My thoughts on taper

2012-01-19T07:26:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, I tapered before the Louisiana Marathon this past week. It's the first time I really tapered, so I was curious to see how I felt. Would my legs feel fresh and energetic? Would I be chomping at the bit at the starting line?

Underneath those tights are unprepared muscles.

Hardly.
Here's how my taper went and how I felt:
What I normally do: Well, this totally depends on what other races I've done in the past few days or weeks. Usually my last long long run is two weeks out; this could be 18 or 20. I drop volume just a little in the days leading up to the race, with 3 - 6 miles the day before the race. If I just ran a hard or long race, I may take the whole week leading up easy.
Taper summary: This time my last long run was 20 miles, a full three weeks out from race day, The next weeks my long runs were 14 and 12 miles. I did "easy" speed work each week, except that I skipped one week while I was sick. I decreased my total mileage to around 35 miles (down from 45 - 55) and my last week I did just 30 heading into the race.
How I felt before the race: In a made-up word, unfresh. My lack of miles and low speeds made my muscles feel unused, and each run for the last week felt like I had taken a long break. Rather than feel rested and ready, I felt stiff and uncomfortable. Less running affected my appetite, too, and I didn't feel like eating much. That would be normal, except I didn't want to head into a race hungry.
How I felt during the race: I started out with the same "unused" feeling in my muscles, as if I'd taken too many days off. But that was not the biggest problem. I think my long taper had made my body forget how to retain fuel for the finish. I hit the wall in this race, and that is NOT the norm for me, yet overall I had fueled well during the race. I just think you have to train your body to use fuel efficiently for a long distance, and my body wasn't used to this. Usually during a race I start feeling the need for fuel at very regular intervals: I start at mile 6, even though I don't feel like I need it yet, then I continue to take half-packets of GU at 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22. Sometimes I'll take some at 8 instead of 22. But this race I felt like I was burning through the energy and not hanging onto any of it. Result? WALL. 7:41 instead of 7:11. And felt like I was running a 5:30. Ugh.
How I felt after the race: I am rarely sore, but I think my muscles took this one a little too seriously. I have some quad and hamstring soreness. I usually recover speedily, but this time I'm not.
What I think will work for me: No more long tapers. I will do my last long run (like 20) two weeks out, and while my regular runs will be easy, I'd rather take an extra day off instead of decreasing mileage each day. I will keep the speedwork, as I find it keeps my muscles ready for race pace. And I will NEVER take off the day before a race if I can help it; when I have it has always resulted in poor performance!
So - do you taper? If so, how long? And if you run short distances, do you still do a taper or a rest day?

Wednesdays are half price day!

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

...At the Salvation Army!
For $17 I got:
Black skinny chinos from Banana Republic
A black tank top
A magenta silk Banana Republic sweater with tags still on
Giani Bini heels in pristine condition

Look at the price tag...I got that for $2.50!

An interesting orange button-down
A lovely floral shirt with bow
A cute green cardigan with puffed sleeves
A red top, also Banana Republic...must have been a BR kind of day for me!

...And put it all together!

Thrifting tip: January is the best month for thrifting, since people often donate after Christmas.

Louisiana Marathon: Race Recap

2012-01-16T07:27:00.002-06:00

The Louisiana Marathon was my "goal" race this year, meaning that when I finally decided to dig out a training plan,* I picked this race to stick at the end (I ran two other marathons this Fall as long runs). It was also the only marathon I've truly tapered for. So I was going in with a definite goal - 3:10 - and a less definite plan.

Oatmeal and coffee, made in the hotel room

Getting ready...sorry about the nasty bedhead and no makeup; that's how I roll for races!

Sunday morning David and I walked to the start area from our hotel. We had stayed a sleepless night in Hotel Indigo - thanks to the sobbing parents, security, and police which invaded our floor from 1 am to 3 am because the parents had gone out and their kids locked themselves in the room and refused to respond. Eventually the smirking brats opened up and informed the world that they did it "as a joke" (P.S. their parents suck for leaving them alone, too.) Total waste of money. I got NO sleep.
I was a bit concerned about running an inaugural race, but the start area was well-organized, there were ample port-o-potties, and the race started on time. NICE. All signs of a good race!
I had a garbage bag and throw-away gloves because it was in the 30's for the start.

Chilly start! Notice my super-convenient Gu armband and my drug dealer gloves.

So, since I didn't have a plan, I started out way too fast. I kept trying to reign it in, but the cold temps tricked me into faster speeds. I ran the first two miles under 7:00, but forced myself to pull back and kept around the 7:10 range for the first half. I was chatting for several miles with two guys planning on running a 3:10, and I'm blaming them for my early speed - they were out too fast, too! (They finished in 3:12).
The course was not as nice as Baton Rouge beach - more boring stretches of empty neighborhoods, less pretty lakes - and it was actually slightly hilly. Nothing bad, just lots of long stretches of mild grade and small hills. What sucked, though, is that the half and full course divided and reconverged several times throughout the race. This meant the a group of 7:10 pace marathoners were funneled into a group of 10:30 pace half-marathoners, where we were stuck for several miles, then got dunked in again even later - near the 11 or 12 mile mark for the half, when many of the runners at this point were slowed or walking (oh, and I had to skip the water stops; too crowded with stopped runners!). This happened three times; the last was near the finish, so I was dodging weary halfers drudging on, just trying to complete the distance. I'm not blaming the half runners at all; it was just the design of the course.This hurt my time a tad: I am queen of running tangents and had been spot on the mile markers, but after the second time the two races met, I was off by a full 0.1 mile (I finished with 26.35 Garmin, way far for me, since I'm good with tangents).
Around mile 16 I lost the guys I had been chatting with and passed a girl - the first female marathoner I'd seen all day - and then I passed Alison, a 16 year old from Baton Rouge! She rocks - her first marathon last month was a 3:24 and Sunday she ran a 3:15. If she was better at pacing she'd beat me. I was staying strong but I had no idea what my place was. I noticed several speedy looking women up front at the start; I guessed I might be top ten!
Then I hit the wall. Really. Here is where I think taper hurt me. I was not used to the distance and I hit the wall around mile 20. I had just taken a Cliff gel (from the course) and they are very thick, almost chewy. It tried to come back up. Like, seriously, I thought I was going to puke! I struggled, kept it down, but pitched the rest of the pack. I glanced down and my hard effort showed an 8:11 pace on the Garmin. It felt like 6:50's! By now I was so close, I just wanted to push to the end. I was getting very warm - it was in the 60's now - and the shadeless course left my head baking in the sun. I'd over-dressed in my tights. I was covered in sweat and my non-wicking Saints babydoll top was sticking to my body. Mile 22 crept up to 7:23. Mile 23 was even slower at 7:29. Mile 24 I was just holding on with 7:30. Mile 25 I ran into the halfers again and barely made a 7:41. Mile 26 I managed a 7:37, and finished the final fractions with 6:32 pace. I totally chicked this guy at the end, too.

I'm sneaking up behing you!

I passed you in the chute, SO rude! Sorry dude, I had a time goal :(

I didn't even realize that I was going to make 3:10 when I hit the wall because my foggy brain couldn't do math. I had myself running a 3:12 even if I kept 7:30 pace at the end - I cannot multiply on low blood glucose. Seeing a 3:09 as I came around the corner was a big boost; so was hearing that I was third female! I had no idea up to that point.

My shoes are doing an amazing job of hiding amongst the orange cones. Camo!

My official time was 3:09:36. I felt Ok at the finish, but I didn't recover as well as usual this time around. After my gel incident, I didn't take any more gels and was even afraid to eat. I was hungry, and no longer felt nausea, but I had come so close to throwing up that I didn't want to risk any food. By the time I realized that this was stupid, the food was gone and we were ready to drive home. So I think my muscle recovery is a little impaired by that. I also feel kind of crappy because I have a horrendous sunburn!
It's time now to think about what's next. I still have three marathons this season, but none are PR-friendly (warm weather, hilly course, Boston - I'm sure I'll bomb at Boston). Maybe I should plan longer term? What do you think?
*Then when my hubby set up my new computer, he threw it out to make room on my desk.

Into single digits!

2012-01-15T17:02:00.000-06:00

3:09:36. Today I ran in the "3's and single digits" for the first time!

And I won one of their art prints. I kind of like it, except for the purple pelican.

True Taper

2012-01-13T21:38:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm all set and tapered. The Louisiana Marathon is Sunday and I'm ready to go!
This is the very first marathon for which I have actually tapered. I had a forced taper (illness) once, but I generally just run a typical week with a long run no longer than 15 miles. This time, however, my last 20 miler was a full three weeks before the marathon! I decided to give a real taper a try, so I'll recap that later.
Right now, I feel a little off-peak. My legs have felt heavy and my short runs - I'll be going into the marathon with fewer than 30 miles for the week - are leaving me uninspired. I guess I'll know Sunday if taper is for me!

I really hope I don't forget my shoes after my run tomorrow.

I'm getting packed tonight because we are spending Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge watching the Saints game with a friend. We decided to go ahead and stay overnight since the race starts at 7:00 am and Baton Rouge is an hour and a half away. I personally would prefer driving the morning of, since I like to sleep in my own bed and drink my own coffee, but David made the decisions this time.
I decided to break out the Saints T-shirt for the race since they'll be playing the day before.

This lovely little gadget is a brand-new arm band for an ipod touch. I bought it expressly to carry Gu in. It holds three, so one will have to go in a pocket or my hand.

I'm also bringing my own coffee pot, coffee, creamer, filters, and a tub of oatmeal. I'm so high-maintenance.

Why the sudden rash of preparation? I figured that my lazy, last minute attitude I have toward racing makes me take the race too easy. It's all fun, when I should be working for something. I'm hoping that taking the time to carefully prepare will make me take this race more seriously. I'll need it. I'm hoping to PR Sunday!

How well do you prepare for a race? And what is the one thing you would never race without?
I can't say "time" or "ipod" because I've raced without both. I guess I'd say hair accessories. I wear a tight bun with two elastics and hair sticks. If my hair budges I'm miserable!

Foody Friday: freakin' nasty King Cake

2012-01-13T07:52:00.000-06:00

Carnival is here, and king cakes are begging to be eaten!
The first day of carnival is Twelfth Night, or Epiphany, or Armenian Christmas (as we celebrate in our house). Anyway, it's January 6th, and that particular morning I really wanted some king cake!
So much so that after my nine mile run I grabbed my credit card and made a cycle to THREE bakeries in our neighborhood (ugh, the constant temptation) in search for the first Kind Cake of the season.
No one had any. I was distraught.

In case you don't know what king cake is, it is a rather repulsive yeast coffee cake in a ring, decorated in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. There is a plastic baby hidden in the cake, and whoever gets the baby in their slice has to buy the next cake. It creates a purposeful vicious cycle of cake consumptions on Friday in the workplace. Kiss your resolutions good-bye, New Orleanians!

I refused to give up on my king cake, so I bought one from Robert's Supermarket on the way home. Robert's has the best French bread in town, so their cakes should be good, right? So wrong! The cake was undercooked and filled with gobs of oozing red stuff (some cakes are filled, but that usually just means an innocuous strip of strawberry jam, not freaking jelly donut style!). It was overpoweringly sweet and their was about a cup of colored sugar on top.

David got the baby. And if this isn't the grossest picture you've ever seen you must be reading a med school text book.

I ate it anyway. I went into a sugar coma. I am still in said coma. I am typing this in a coma.
Louisiana people: You know you have a favorite. Who makes the best King Cake?
I actually like the ones they sell at Pj's!

Even more on body fat percentage

2012-01-12T08:11:00.000-06:00

In my last post, I talked about body fat percentage and mentioned that Matt Fitzgerald's book Racing Weight encourages you to measure body fat percentage in addition to weight. I thought it would be good to write a quick review for you, and I will definitely do that this week or next.

Image from a website about body fat, duh

But before I do that, I was thinking about the numbers I generated last post, including the whopping 33.72% that the Army method gave me for body fat. Last time I got weighed, I was 127 lb. That means that my actual body fat is 44 lbs, and if I lost all that body fat, my essential self would weigh 84 lbs. Now, that sounds laughable for me, since I'm over 5'7", even if you consider that you should probably add about 10% to that since no one has ZERO body fat. Still, it sounds way off! But here is the catch. It's not. When I had thyroid cancer, I got extremely skinny extremely quickly, and I weighed in at the doctor's office at under 90 lbs. (After my surgery to remove the tumor, I gained 30 lb in less than a month!)
So what I'm saying is, maybe the Army formula isn't that far off after all! It definitely gives a general sense of how much of your weight isn't essential...although I think it is not accurate for estimating how much of that is actually fat. But still, it is interesting, because I assumed that if I subtracted my supposed "fat" I would end up with a number too low to sustain life. On the contrary, I actually have lived at that weight, albeit for a very brief period of time!
That was some random personal history for you there. Hope you aren't too grossed out picturing what I looked like at 87 lbs. It was pretty awful.
And since we're talking about fats, take my poll:
On a delicious slice of fresh bread, you would slather:
a- real unsalted butter
b- light margarine spread
Obviously I would choose butter. I think it's one of the five major food groups.

Body fat percentage

2012-01-10T21:54:00.000-06:00

Can calculating your body fat percentage help you become lean, fit, and ready to race?

Probably.
If you go by Racing Weight, by Matt Fitzgerald, body fat percentage can be one of the best tools to reach your ideal weight for racing. I might review this book later. Once I lose those last 5 pounds. Kidding.

But there seems to be a bit of confusion on how to determine your body fat. Take a look at the results below: according to the website I used (based on height, weight, sex, and circumference of your neck, waist, low waist, hip, thigh, wrist, forearm, and bicep), I am anywhere from "obese" (the worst ranking) to "athletic" (the lowest except for "essential"). I think I'll just go buy an inaccurate body fat scale.

Results:
Using your measurements of a 25 inches waist and weight of 127 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be 33.72 % using the U.S. Army body fat algorithm, or 25.08 % using the U.S. Marine body fat algorithm, or 18.99 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 19.37 % using the formula developed by the YMCA.

Geez, sucks to be in the Army.

Picnic in the park and stupid taper

2012-01-09T07:31:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to highlight a moment of my weekend. It wasn't the moment in which I called Sean Payton names for running the ball so much in the first half (Dude, we are a PASSING TEAM, we have Drew! Quit running Ivory!). Nor was it the moment in which I humiliated my brother in public in order to confiscate his lighter. As you know, lighters are the only source of fire, so this means he will not smoke a cancer stick now, because he cannot light it. I'm having brother troubles lately, can you tell? I mean, with seven of them, one of them is always having drama. This particular brother (it's Abe, like I just said, I don't mind humiliating him in public) is especially trying lately.

But back to my moment. It was a lovely picnic in Audubon park with my hubby. We had tortellini salad, satsumas, and toffee, and we played football until it started to rain. Perfect Saturday afternoon!

You're welcome. I know you want this as your wallpaper.

Next Sunday is a marathon, and this time I am tapering - also known as pulling out all the stops on lazy. Really, I am just being a sloth. During the last week I start to question everything: What should I be eating? Is it going to be shorts weather? What should my goal time be? (Seriously, I change this a hundred times, landing on a number seconds before the gun. I am nuts.) Is it ok to do speedwork this week? Should I pop this blister on my foot, or leave it?
And then stupid stuff always happens when I taper. Always! Last year I had to work a 9-hour day the day before the RnR Mardi Gras marathon, and one of my techs was an hour late. Then we were insanely busy and I didn't get to eat or even drink water all day!
This week it's starting already. I have not gotten over my Christmas cold yet - it keeps lingering - and today the sore throat returned!*
Does taper drive you crazy? What the worst thing that's happened to you before a race? (As for right before a race, nothing beats this marathon!).
Do your siblings also drive you crazy?
*What? You think it's related to the Saints game? Nonsense. I shouted quietly.

Foody Friday: Three-ingredient soup

2012-01-06T06:28:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I'm feeling really lazy and don't want to get all gourmet after a long day of work. A perfect recipe for this kind of night is Sausage and Leek soup - just three ingredients and almost no work creates a cozy winter meal. All it needs is a salad!

Six hot Italian sausages, uncooked, sliced or removed from casing
2 stems leeks, washed and coarsely chopped
6 - 8 ounces of wide egg noodles

In a large stock pot, brown sausage. When nearly done, drain off any fat and add leeks. Cook for a minute or two to wilt. Add egg noodles and cover by one or two inches with water. Cook on high, uncovered, until pasta is tender; adjust water volume as needed to make an appropriate amount of broth. Add salt and pepper if needed.
Serves 8.

Packing lunch

2012-01-05T08:31:00.000-06:00

At my house we pack lunch to save money. True story: when David and I first got married, he wanted to replace his old television with a new, flat screen model. I made him put $5 in a jar for every day he brought his lunch until he could afford it. And just for the record he cheated and bought it two weeks early.
I eat a lot.
Between running for exercise and running around at work all day, I get hungry. Plus I just like to eat. Good thing I own a carry-on sized lunch bag.
Here's what I'm bringing today:

I read the paper on an operating table every day. Hey, my hubby already owned this steel table when we got married and I'm too cheap to replace it.

Lasagna for lunch (a mediocre recipe, sigh) with a big salad. I pack those lettuce leaves in there! And I only drizzle dressing in a corner so the whole thing doesn't get soggy.
Yogurt for mid-morning snack. This is uncharacteristic of me. I don't like yogurt, after being force-fed the homemade variety every morning for 12+ years, and Greek yogurt is crazy pricey. But I bought this when it was $0.50 a cup on sale.
Grapefruit for an afternoon snack. Can't wait to eat that juicy thing! Grapefruit are my favorite fruit!
Peanut butter cups for the hours between 4 and 6 when I wonder why I chose my profession.

What did you pack for lunch today?

Breaking in new shoes

2012-01-03T16:49:00.000-06:00

I wore my last pair of shoes for over 1000 miles. I didn't realize how old they were until my knees got a little achy. That was my warning bell to grab a new pair. Last week I switched to my new Kinvaras.

Tell me those shoes on the right don't look like they have 1000 miles on them! I am so impressed by the quality of those shoes! And ignore the grayness. The dirt is all me. I ran along the streetcar tracks.

Oh my gosh.
The difference was astonishing. I practically bounced in the air for the first few steps, there was so much more cushioning. My old shoes hadn't felt worn out until I tried the new ones!
I realized I needed to replace the old pair two days before the Ole Man River half-marathon, but I waited until after the race. Even though they were the same style, I didn't want to be breaking in shoes during a race.
How long does it take you to break in a new pair? A week? One long run? One ill-thought-out marathon?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T15:24:00.000-06:00

May 2012 be a year of love and happiness!

From David, Grace, and our sporadically lit tree. Let me tell you about the problem with pre-lit Christmas trees.

Free shipping from Saucony

2011-12-30T20:00:00.000-06:00

FYI peeps, you can use the coupon code FREE on Saucony's website and get free shipping on any order. Since it's after Christmas, there are lots of great sales, too!

The year in review...from Miss Zippy

2011-12-30T08:05:00.001-06:00

Miss Zippy started this...the runner's 2011 in review!

It's generally good to finish a race smiling.

I even have this color

Best race experience? RnR New Orleans - I enjoyed the race and felt great the whole time. Not my current PR, but best in my book!
Best run? I had a really good negative-split 18 miler this fall - felt strong and fast. My goal was a 3:20 marathon and I realized at the end of the run that I hit exactly the right pace without even pushing.
Best new piece of gear? I got Saucony Kinvaras this year and really like them.
Best piece of running advice you received? Incorporate speedwork....I think it is helping!
Most inspirational runner? My hubby...running a PR half marathon after only one ten mile training run! Crazy man!
If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? Working hard.

Favorite gift....

2011-12-29T08:05:00.000-06:00

Ok, I'm going totally materialistic on you here. I want to know:

What was your favorite Christmas gift this year, and who was it from?

My favorite was this computer I'm typing on because geez Louise it's tough to live computerless. But my favorite non-practical gift was The Stick from my hubby. I don't buy myself running toys and stuff, but he does - he bought me my ipod, my Garmin, and my Road ID, too!

Creating "Good Pain" since 2009

Your turn!

Races page

2011-12-28T09:53:00.000-06:00

I've been trying to keep all my races in order and you can view the page here.
As I cleaned this page up (I was several pages behind; forgive me, I have been without a computer for almost 2 months. SO glad Santa finally came!), I noticed that I've very steadily increased my speed over time.
Which is nice.
That's the point, really.
But it brings up a question I have for you. Would anyone be interested in a post on how I train? I don't want to sound haughty or arrogant because I honestly DON'T know what I'm doing. And I'm not a fast runner and I don't have any athletic or training background. The post would be more what works for me/what I am able to tolerate, rather than what other runners should do. But at the same time, I have chopped 33 minutes off my half marathon time and nearly an hour off my full marathon. So if you think this would be interesting or helpful to me, let me know.
And for your viewing pleasure, this hilariousness I found on Skinny Runner's rockin' blog.

I can SO relate to this!!!

Merry Christmas...ugly pictures for you!

2011-12-27T15:48:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! I worked Christmas day but I got off the day after. And it didn't matter anyway since I had a cold all weekend :(
So much for "I never get sick"!
As my Christmas gift to you, I am revealing a few of the ugliest race pictures ever, courtesy of my husband running the Jazz Half marathon.

It kind of looks like he's being shot, doesn't it?

FYI and etc

2011-12-22T20:51:00.000-06:00

FYI - Andy's comments (see last post) didn't bother me; we kind of kid with each other. I don't think he's serious with anyone.

Today we had a second line and a brass band through the whole hospital, including my pharmacy. Featured performer: Kermit Ruffin! A lady whose daughter died from cancer hosts the second line for cancer patients at the hospital each year.

There was a car fire in the garage at work, and because structural damage is inspected, we've all been forced to use another, further, sketchier garage. Tonight I saw one of the attending physicians make one of his residents go fetch his Porche from the garage for him! Curbside valet! So funny.

I'm working Christmas morning and I'm a little bummed about that.

Oh my gosh I cannot wait for Santa to bring me a new computer. I am so tired of sharing with the hubster!

Tonight I made bitter lime marmalade. So yummy! If you like bitter things that contain more sugar than an entire cake, that is.

My little brother is still sleeping on my sofa. I won the lip-piercing argument and he removed the wretched thing (he confessed that it actually drove him crazy and made eating a gross experience).

I have 20 miles scheduled for Christmas Eve...it is actually my last LONG long run before the marathon January 15th! So basically my sporadic training is in taper!

I really need to cycle into new shoes. My Saucony Kinvaras have 1000 miles on them! I'm very impressed with how well they've held up - and honestly I am sure I could get more miles from them but my knees are feeling achy so I think the inner foam has broken down. I heard from a few people that the Kinvaras were cheaply made, but I beg to differ - these wore very well.

How long/how many miles do you get out of your shoes?
Are you working Friday or off for the holidays? I'm working and I think we'll be dead. Boredom here we come.

How often do YOU race?

2011-12-21T07:59:00.001-06:00

I got yelled at by my "coach" last week.
Back up...
I don't have a coach. I started running on the track with Varsity (a local running store) on Mondays this fall, and the chap who leads it thinks he's my coach.
I've never been coached, and I sure don't want a coach. See, I didn't realize this, but all they do is yell at you.
I told my "coach" about my last marathon...the 27 mile one....and all I got was this:

Um, so rude!!!

Then I let it slip that I was running a half-marathon on Sunday (Old Man River half I ran Dec 18th) and I got a snide, "Yeah, like why would you ever skip a long distance race?"
Why indeed?!
I run maybe 5 marathons a year, a couple of halfs, and some other interesting distances like 10-mile or 30k. Not too many. If I were actually racing these races, as in, in medal contention, I'm sure I'd back off. But for fun, I'd rather run races than do long runs by myself. So why not?
How often do you race - and if you run marathons, how many is too many per year, and how close together is too close?

Old Man River Half Marathon

2011-12-20T07:24:00.000-06:00

In pictures...

At the start - 5k and half marathoners starting together made for a slightly crowded start

I tried not to start out too fast since the 5k crowd was pushing the pace. I kind of felt crappy for this race - cold and hungry and tired.

I ran with my (much faster) friend Celeste for the first 8 miles.

Celeste's last half marathon was a 1:29, so she was kindly holding back and sticking by me early on. I lost her at a water stop and she ended up finishing ten seconds ahead of me in 1:30:16, which is slow for her!

Quite possibly the worst finish line picture ever!

I finished in 1:30:26, a PR and first in my age group. Celeste was first in her age group, too!
My revolting face should tell you that this wasn't just an easy run for me. You know how some days just aren't your day? I felt like that. Cold, hungry, grumpy, etc. And my cute Santa socks let my feet slide around like crazy, so I could feel blisters forming on the tips of my toes.
Total let-down: there was nothing at the finish but bananas and oranges (I hate bananas and oranges are too hard to eat) and I was starving. This was big for a local race - 900 people - so I thought that was odd. And last year they had a pancake breakfast!

This was a good race for me to get under my belt because I have never run a long distance under 7 min/mi pace. That seems too fast for me - it's all mental - and it's good just to have done it once so I can get over that mental barrier.
Do you have running mental barriers, too? Like, "I'll never break a 2 hour half" or "I couldn't run double digits" or "Girls don't run sub-20 min 5ks"? For me it's seeing a pace under 7 - scares me! What's yours?

A long weekend!

2011-12-19T08:52:00.000-06:00

I took off Thursday and Friday last week to make myself a much-needed long weekend. I had some Christmas activities to finish up, but mostly this was just to get rid of some use or lose vacation!
I got interrupted by a very long series of phone calls at work related to one of my hepatitis C patients - this had to be solved or he'd miss his Friday injection. Then I got called in because the alarms were going off like crazy because my sub forgot to turn off a printer.
Other than that it was a fun weekend in which I:
- Had lunch at Commander's Palace, complete with $0.25 martinis and bread pudding souffle (of course).

pic from website

- Celebrated the end of the semester with friends who are first year law students.
- Took a walk in Audubon park to feed the ducks.
- Baked up a storm: gingerbread cookies, peppermint cake balls, more fruitcake. I tried a British boiled fruitcake recipe and it's just so-so.

- Went to the library and got some fantastic books - I love Trevanian!
- Finished shopping for David, including stuffing his stocking.
- Cleaned the entire house, did groceries, and other boring stuff.
- Watched football.
- Joined the Varsity Sports long run Saturday group for about 10 miles.
- Ran the Old Man River half marathon, 1:30:26, another PR! And first in my age group (I think 6th overall). I wore Santa socks!

And nobody noticed them :(

- Had an intervention with a sibling who decided to pierce his lip. Since he is now living with me (interim; the semester just ended) I have the power of food to control his actions. He's totally in the doghouse right now.
- Got a brake tag on my car the day it was due; I like to avoid those late fees!
- Snuggled on the sofa with my favorite blanket, a book, and the hubby.

Overall, a fun long weekend! How was your weekend?

Baton Rouge Beach Marathon race review

2011-12-16T08:15:00.001-06:00

The Baton Rouge Beach marathon is probably my favorite race so far, although it might tie with the Harrisburg Marathon I ran last year.
The race: You have options to run the full or half; it is a small race, and more runners complete the half (only a few over 300 finished the marathon).
Registration and cost: Early registration is $65 and $75 for half and full; late registration - which can be as late as the night before at packet pick up or even the morning of the race - goes up $10. This is rather high for a small marathon, but it was so superbly done that it is worth it.

Check out the website to register online; oddly, the website is amateur and silly, but the rest of the race is impeccably organized.

Free stuff!!!!!!!!

Swag: A ridiculous amount. First off, there is dinner - free - at packet pick up with salad, pizza, jambalaya, and beer. Second, "swag bag" takes on a whole new meaning when you realize that the swag is in an awesome bag! A duffle bag! (Half-ers got a string back pack). The swag included bright wicking socks with the running club's cute silly chicken logo, throw-away gloves, a coozie, a magnet, a temporary tattoo (also the running club's logo) and nice samples like Aquaphor. The shirt is a Brooks technical T, and it has no advertising on it - which I like. The medals also have the goofy chicken logo on them, and our awards were sturdy little plaques. I like the smaller size. I feel bad throwing out race awards but big ones are...awkward.
Course: You wouldn't think I'd rave about a double loop course, but I am! It's just a great course. There are patches of mild hills and plenty of tight turns, but overall it is flat and easy, and it is quite varied (neighborhoods, LSU campus, and the pretty LSU lakes). Variety is key for me, and even on the second loop it didn't grow dull (Maybe because I got lost and threw in some new stuff!). The course is sort of open to traffic but there are police at intersections. Nice mix of sun and shade.
Support: This is such a smoothly organized race, I'd recommend any race director visit this marathon for tips. Packet pick up the night before was easy and took no time at all; there were shuttles from parking areas to the start the morning of, which went without a hitch; the race started on time and the awards ceremony was quick and I didn't have to wait forever. Most of the water stops had entertaining costumes and silliness and were run like they ought to be - water and Powerade separate, volunteers even offering blue or red Powerade for the picky! There are not many spectators (maybe because finals are about to get underway at LSU?? But I thought more people would be out in the neighborhoods) but the volunteer support was top-notch.
Post race: Beer - and I mean your choice of bud with lime, bud light, bud 55... maybe more! - soft drinks, etc. and a spread of pastalaya, jambalaya, fried fish, french fries, mozzarella sticks (!) and more. It's in a pretty location - on the lakes in a park - so it is a great place to hang out afterwards and knead your hamstrings.
Awesomely, finishers times are printed and displayed within literally minutes of crossing the finish line, so you can immediately see how you did. Results are posted online the DAY of the race, and the race pictures were emailed out the next day! Which was a Sunday!
Etc - The race is chipped, and there is a discount hotel option with the race. If you register late you *may* not get some of the fancy swag like socks and gloves (I registered late and still did). The halfway point runs right by the finish line, so if that demoralizes you perhaps you should look the other way...it's a 7:00 am start, which I like, but which disgusts others. The weather can be anywhere from 70's to 40's this time of year.
So overall? Run it. It is awesome.

Cooking dinner

2011-12-14T20:07:00.000-06:00

Dear PicktSweet: Can I please have some florettes with my stems next time? Thanks.

You only get two florettes per bag, and thats only because it's family sized. Regular bags only get one.

Dear Premium Sausages: Are you seriously touting real pepper?! Who the heck uses artificial pepper? Is that the only good thing in your sausages that you could think of to brag about?

They aren't expired, I froze them, I promise.

I never get sick!

2011-12-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

Well, maybe sometimes I'm a tad under the weather.

Tonight I actually warmed up for speedwork, struggled hard not to throw up, then went home. This is honestly the first time I can remember quitting a run because I felt sick. Not because I'm Superwoman, just because I almost never get sick!
Are you the type with a stomach of iron and immune system of steel?
Or does every little germ make a cozy home in your lungs and tummy?

Ten Reasons I hate the Mississippi Coast Marathon

2011-12-10T07:42:00.001-06:00

1. I hate that I hate this race. It's dirt cheap, it's nearby, it's small, and it's got a homey feel. Both times I ran it I placed. But I hate it.
2. What the heck is it even called? Everyone calls it "Stennis" (it is on the Stennis station grounds) but that ain't its name.
3. The course makes you want to slit your wrists. Double loops of boring roads next to deserted highways. No spectators (Ok, this time I saw one family, twice - I was so glad to see them I creepily chased their little kid down for a high-five). After the half you're pretty much alone.
4. The director lies about nutrition. This is the second year in a row he has claimed that there was Gu on the second half and no aid station had any (yes, I asked).
5. The freakin' Gatorade is watered down. Last year the Gatorade was miserably watered down; a volunteer told me that someone didn't show up with half of it and they had to dilute it. Liars, again! This year it was just as pathetically watered down; you could barely taste it and instead of being neon colors it was just kind of off-clear. This was SO dangerous this year - the temps were high and the humidity higher and runners couldn't replace electrolytes.
6. The start is late. We started at 8:30. That sucks.
7. The course support is sucky. Here I am bashing volunteers again. I have never run a race in which the volunteers made you fight and scramble for your own water. This year was slightly improved, and some volunteers even called out, "Water or Gatorade?" which is always helpful. But by the second loop the stops were kind of ghost towns. At the last water stop before the finish, no one even acknowledged me - I helped myself while the volunteers played a board game!
8. The after-party leaves half the runners out. The average finish time for the marathon was 4:52 and that's skewed by the fast male winner (right under 3 hours). The beer was gone by the 4:30 mark; the food had been packed up and ready to go by 5 hours. The WATER was packed up at 5 hours! People who finished later than that were exhausted, wet (it had finally rained), dehydrated, and starving - and all they had was water from nearby water fountains. "Stennis" is a slow field, but the race doesn't take that into account.
9. The lack of support is dangerous. This year as I was getting ready to leave an older runner suddenly went pale and passed out. I ran over, elevated his legs, and noted his very feeble pulse and low body temp. I called EMS for the race, got his wife to bring me his sweats, and called for Gatorade. Guess what? We were out of Gatorade and water. He obviously needed sugars and electrolytes - his blood pressure was nonexistent - and we had NOTHING to offer this man. We were all out of food and drink. Luckily EMS was there...or not! The EMT assessed the situation and ordered ICE! That is the last thing this shivering, shaking, low blood sugar and low blood pressure runner needed! I got angry and told the EMT to shut up and go get glucose, and he told me that all he had was IV and he didn't feel like starting a drip. Nice. The gentleman had revived and someone had a spare Gu and a Poweraid; he sipped and started reviving. I didn't leave until his color returned and he could stand without feeling faint.
10. The photographers take crappy pictures. Joking.

What am I doing with my facial muscles here?!

Caveat: Some people love this race, and they aren't divas like me (kidding. I'm not a diva. But Ginny is, you know, more hard core than me!)
Final word: If I mention running this race next year someone please kick me in the stomach and talk some sense into me.
*Edit* - It would help to know that this race only costs $35 with early registration. Like I said, dirt cheap. That is, cheap for a marathon...pricy for what is essentially a long run with a long-sleeved cotton T. The T-shirt was pretty this year, though!

Foody Friday: Christmas Gift Boxes

2011-12-09T08:30:00.000-06:00

This Christmas I decided to rely on edible gifts for several family members in an attempt to prevent the "stuff" build-up that Christmas brings. I have a large family (there are 11 of us), so if everyone gives everyone else a gift, we are looking at a whole lot of presents (I remember Christmases growing up which involved 4-hour gift opening marathons. We always sedately and maturely took turns, politely thanking the giver, and it could take forever!)

My table covered in food for packing!

Food gifts are usually welcome and are gone before you have to store them, so they work well for my family.

Packing up boxes in Priority Mail flat rate boxes

This year's boxes included:

Festive!

- Brandied fruitcake, which should be nicely aged by the time the packages arrive. Tip: Soak the dried fruit (not the candied fruit) in your alcohol of choice for 12 hours prior to cooking; make sure you add all the alcohol to the batter, too, since it carried a lot of flavor. The cakes will seem dry when first done, but grow moister with age - do not serve for at least one week.
- Cranberry chutney. Tip: Although delicious on turkey or pork, chutney is also a fantastic appetizer spread over goat cheese and served with crackers.
- Peach preserves
- Grapefruit marmalade. Tip: Cook it when fruit is in season and store for Christmas!
- Flourless chocolate walnut cookies. Tip: If you are mailing cookies, choose a recipe that produces a crisp outside (for sturdiness) and soft inside (for freshness). FYI this is the best cookie ever invented. It is extremely easy to make and has just a few inexpensive ingredients, and the finished product is heaven in your mouth.
- Caramel candy corn as packing material - it's like a beanbag!

Festive dollar store ziplocs. The zips on the red bags did not work - the two sides were identical instead of locking together - so I tied with ribbon.

And in these festive Christmas ziplocs, we have:
- Maple-walnut brittle. Tip: To keep brittle brittle (especially when humid), make a pouch of dry white rice in a square of tissue paper and toss it in the bag. It acts as a desiccant to prevent the candy from softening.
- Christmas Spice coffee. Tip: When flavoring coffee, you can rub flavoring oils in, but alcohol-based flavorings like extracts will just evaporate. If you add cloves, be careful; clove oil is potent and can actually eat away at plastics, like storage containers.

Olde Tyme Pharmacy

2011-12-07T17:39:00.000-06:00

I'm at work right now, laptop plugged into guest access since my company blocks my blog (ha!), thinking about how much pharmacy has changed even since I started in this profession. I became a pharmacist in 2009, but my second job was in a pharmacy, so I've been doing this for 12 years (And that is why I know more about your insurance than your human resources manager. I am the THIRD PARTY QUEEN).
So much has changed in pharmacy since I started. Back then, only young white males abused Vicodin and Lortab (now every single demographic does). Manufacturer coupons for prescriptions were rare (now every brand name fights to offer a better deal .... mostly by playing on your hypochondria). You almost never had to contact a doctor for prior authorization (now I do it many many times a day, effectively giving insurers the right to make your health care choices!).
Back in the day drug reps used to bring pens, pizza, and pill trays (now they are prohibited. I miss my pens. I joined pharmacy for the free pens).
A few weeks ago out state gave us the go-ahead to consider scanned rx images as the legal record. What the heck?! It used to be all about the "hard copy", the actual prescription that the doctor wrote. It was golden. Now it's trash.
I am nostalgic for the hard copy!
I've decided that I practice olde tyme pharmacy - I still know your name. I probably know your date of birth. I definitely know your health conditions and your insurance.
I'll break the law for you. A little. I mean, I wish you'd pay attention and quit running out of refills on Friday night, but I'm not going to let you have a heart attack just because I couldn't give you a few metoprolol.
I get it if you need a vacation supply. I get it if you want me to pretend to put fairy dust in your kid's antibiotic. I get it if you can't afford your Crestor and need me to call and get it changed. I get it if you quite taking your psych meds because they made you sleepy (I'll still tattle on you, though. I know who your case worker is, too).
I kind of like to count by fives, and I am happy to throw in 2 or 3 free pills to use up an old manufacturer we don't carry anymore.
I'm getting so carried away by nostalgia that I just bundled up my hard copies in groups of 100, just like the old days.
Then someone came in and tried to pull the wool over my eyes about an early refill on a controlled substance, and a doctor copped an attitude with me (PUH-lease, you are so new to this darling, do not try to correct me about Louisiana Medicaid!) and I decided that olde tyme, new time, whatever time pharmacy could just all go to heck.

And how was your day?

Running the extra mile: Baton Rouge Beach Marathon recap

2011-12-05T07:57:00.004-06:00

This weekend was another PR for me, 3:22:18, which I am happy with. This is the first time I've run marathons back to back weekends, and the course was slightly (mildly) hilly. And that time is for 27.2 miles!
As you probably assumed from my last post, I got off course during this race. I'm not going to go into details, but let's just say I need to be more observant ... and police directing traffic are not course officials, so don't ask them for directions!
But the extra distance and messed up time, although not thrilling, doesn't really bother me. Remember, this race simply took the place of a long run, and I am very happy with my time and pacing for the race. My overall pace was 7:26 min/miles for all 27, but if you exclude the slow mile when I was lost and back-tracked (I stopped, looked around, asked directions, etc) my pace would have been 7:23.
And even with that slow mile, I hit 26.2 at 3:14:38!
So, while I would like to be able to claim a 3:15 PR, I am more just delighted to know that I have the ability to run a 3:15 - or faster.

Yes, I am totally showing this picture to PROVE I can run a marathon under 3:15; I am pretending I don't really care but obviously I do, LOL!

I spent the night before the race at a friend's house. BIG MISTAKE. His housemates didn't leave the house to "go out"* until 1 am, and since I had the couch, I had to stay awake. I finally turned out the lights, but I was miserable thanks to allergies. They have two dogs and I was having a very bad reaction to them, worse than usual. I was tired and slept anyway - until 3 am when housemates returned, flipping on lights and making horrific noise. They didn't head to bed until 4, and I got some fitful sleep, but my alarm was at 5 am so I was back up in no time. I was SO exhausted and my eyes and face were itchy and puffy with allergies.

This picture was actually taken AFTER I got lost and got back on course: almost finished! Look at how pretty is was!

I took a shuttle to the start, hit the port-a-potties, and chatted with some runners in my Monday track group who were doing the half. We started on time and I immediately noticed the rolling hills - I run in such flat conditions normally that the even minimal hills were noticeable.
The miles just flew by this race. I ran the first 6 right around 7:25's, and I reasoned I could shoot for a 7:30 pace or maybe a 3:15 race, depending on how I felt after the half. The course is a double loop, so we actually passed the finish line at the half. I cheered on the runners I knew, who finished just seconds before I crossed the half mark. I still felt just fine, so I decided to run 7:25's until mile 20, then speed up a little. I actually ran the next 7 miles under 7:25, and although I felt great, it was after 20 that I got lost. That was an awful feeling. My stomach dropped when I realized I didn't recognize the route and I would have to turn around! When I got back on course I had to pass two women I'd passed many miles before, and I admit my attitude sucked a little at this point. Knowing you are a full mile behind is so draining! Plus I took my last Gu at mile 20 - ok if you have 6 miles to go, but not really enough for 7!
Nonetheless I kept trucking - my pace for the last few miles was slower than I'd like, about 7:30 to 7:50, but I hit 26.2 in under 3:15, proving I CAN run that pace! After I finished, other finishers crowded around me. I had passed them and then suddenly vanished! And they wanted to know what happened. Let's just say it gave me plenty to talk about!

What was awesome: This pace didn't hurt or feel difficult, even with mild hills and slightly warmer temps than ideal (although it seemed like the North Pole compared to last week's inferno). I loved this race, and I enjoyed myself.
What sucked: It is a huge demotivation to go off course. I usually enjoy the final miles of a marathon - I'm almost done, it's fun to cheer other runners on, spectators are very encouraging. But this time my heart was not in it. I actually considered dropping out when I saw I was a mile behind.

I stayed long enough after finishing to get my age group award - first - and see that I was third overall. The post-race party was awesome, so I enjoyed that, but I missed my hubby and headed home after a little while.
Time aside, I loved this race. It ranks right up there with the best and I can't wait to review it. I had the best time and made some friends!

Question for you: have you ever run off course? If not, please lie and say you did so that I will feel better about my imbecility.
*What does this term even mean? It distresses me.

What marathon?

2011-12-04T08:25:00.000-06:00

I bravely chose these heels to wear to dinner Saturday after my marathon that morning. I personally think it's good to work the ol' quads out a tad after a long run anyway.

My feet probably think I hate them.

Please ignore my blotchy face disaster. I stayed overnight in a house with dogs, to which I am very allergic, and my face is reacting. Combine that with two marathons close together (wind and weather irritate my skin), and you have mild angioedema accompanied by stinging, raw, peeling skin. GROSS.

The Garmin says it all

2011-12-03T15:20:00.000-06:00

Look closely....notice anything unusual? (Broad hint: it's the distance).

Explanation of the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon to come Monday!

Off to Baton Rouge!

2011-12-02T10:35:00.000-06:00

I'm heading to Baton Rouge tonight to stay with my dear friend Brett, who used to be my roomie. We do not take serious pictures together.

Funny story: I lived with Brett, his twin brother BJ, and their mom when I was in college. I worked with Brett at Walmart pharmacy. I worked with BJ at a hospital pharmacy.
And I stayed with BJ for Thunder Road marathon last year...now I'm staying with Brett for the Baton Rouge Beach marathon!
I did decide to run BR Beach even though I ran a race last week. I am just going to treat this one like a training run, too. Hopefully not as many things can go wrong this time!
Happy Friday!

Happy December 1st!

2011-12-01T07:57:00.002-06:00

December is here and I'm all about the Christmas spirit. I kicked it off early last night cooking up a storm!
I made fruitcake...

Waiting to be brushed with brandy

Of course I had to sample it, even though it isn't aged yet!

half a pan, gone in a flash!

Canned some cranberry chutney...

peach preserves, pink grapefruit marmalade, and cranberry chutney (l-r)

And prettied-up jars of peach preserves and grapefruit marmalade for gifting.

I used wrapping paper to cover the jar tops - cheaper than fabric squares

Question for the day: What is your stance on fruitcake?
I personally love it, especially with a cup of tea. I am about to go hide those little loaves from myself.

I beat an Olympian

2011-11-29T06:36:00.000-06:00

I suppose you read all my griping yesterday. I was griping because the Mississippi Coast Marathon sucked. It really did. In fact I strongly dislike that race, so someone PLEASE remind me of that next year so I don't foolishly sign up again. I know it's only $35. It's $35 I could have used to buy, like 10 pairs of shoes at the Salvation Army.
So anyway, recap time. As you know, I ended up running this hot, muggy, windy race with no Garmin or watch. Soon after we started, I asked some of the other marathoners their goal pace. I was hoping to find someone to pace me...and keep me company in the boredom. Unfortunately, there was a pretty large pack hoping to run a 3:15 and two guys shooting for 3:30. This was a training run for me, but I didn't want to hit the wall, so I knew I couldn't do 3:15. I considered hanging with the 3:30 pair, but they almost immediately joined the 3:15 group. So I had no pacer - or much-needed company!

I was trying to look cute for the camera - this is at the finish - but my hair was soggy and blowing in my face. Notice the car sharing the road with me back there...totally tried to PASS ME as I headed into the finish. So dangerous.

For me, this race felt like it was three distinct phases.
Phase one was miles 1 - 10. I felt uncomfortably warm, but I was resigned. The pack hadn't thinned too much, and there were people around me to talk to. I realized I wouldn't have any time for this race and kept reminding myself that it was just another long run.
I kept the 3:15 group in distant sight. They swelled to about 15 people and were drafting each other in the wind. I had expected the warm, muggy weather, but the wind surprised me. It was shockingly strong! I was blowing all over! I wished I could keep up with the faster crowd for some wind protection, but I knew it would be foolish and I'd pay later on. In fact, first one, and then the other of the "3:30" fellows fell back and I passed them. They did not make their goal.
This part of the race felt like a warm summer mid-distance run: the kind you know you have to fit in, but that you wish you didn't have to run.
Phase two was definitely the toughest part. It was miles 11 - 20. Around mile 11, the heat started to feel very oppressive and the wind picked up. I was struggling to make headway and couldn't hear my ipod. The group in front of me splintered in front of my eyes, and suddenly there was just a line of single file runners trying to keep going in the warm, moist wind. I could feel myself slowing down. I was disgustingly sweaty and the wind was blowing my hair all over. I redid my bun (FYI I always wear a tight bun to run and it has never, ever come undone!). I was annoyed at the very dilute Gatorade and the lack of company (I passed a few runners who had been in the larger group ahead of me, but they were in no mood to talk!). After the half marathoners split off, I was almost totally alone.There was a turn around and water stop at mile 19 and I caught up to another runner there. He was feeling bad, and I told him I was, too. "I want to drop out at 20," I dramatized (I wasn't really going to do that, I mean how would I get back?!). He encouraged me to try to hit 8 min/mi and finish the race. I was happy to have his company, but unfortunately he was fading fast and I had to leave him. But I thanked him for his encouragement and wished him luck (he eventually finished maybe 6 minutes behind me).
This part of the race was mentally very challenging. I felt like I was futilely fighting the wind for a race that I didn't even have a clock for. It is also tough to be on a boring course with basically no company.
Phase three was the tail end and it got easier. After the little turn-around, nearing mile 20, I started to see other runners. I LOVE seeing other people at turn arounds and I talked to all of them! I was pretty sure at this point that I was the first female - I had passed most of the other women I'd seen in front of me and they were all running the half anyway. I had seen one or two faster ladies far in the front but they were doing the half, too. I made sure I cheered the other ladies I saw at the turn around, and I high-fived the second female. The distraction of other runners kept me going for the mile overlap until the course turned off and I was by myself again. However, even though this turn put me back into a headwind, it seemed like the weather had eased up a little. The impending rain had lowered the temps a tad, and the wind was less gusty. I kind of got my second wind. I passed some half-marathon walkers and one lady cheered for me - when I passed her I saw that she was like 8 months preggo! I cheered back! I had to stop once during this part to retie my shoe - how aggravating - but I didn't feel stiff when I restarted. I finally neared the finish and saw the lone clock on the course, at mile 26 (which I think is completely useless). I was shocked to see time in the 3:23 range - the wind had made me feel like I was barely moving, so I thought I was at 3:35 or 3:30 if I was lucky.
This part of the race felt easy mentally and physically, if only because I knew I'd be done soon.

Checking out the clock at the finish!

I saw David as I neared the finish line and I made sure to smile for his camera. As I neared the end someone called out, "You're fifth overall!" and I was much happier about that than the first female part - there were not too many women so I wasn't very excited about that.
After finishing, I gave David a sweaty kiss and sent him grocery shopping while I waited for my award (heck yeah I wanted my first place plaque!). I clapped for other finishers, including an older guy ROCKING a 3:37 finish. Guess what? Turns out he is 60 years old, and he's Benji Durden, a former Olympian. WHAT THE. If I'd known that at the time I would have had him sign my race number!
Turns out the "3:15" group turned into the "3:22" group thanks to the weather, so I probably could have hung on with them.
I waited for David, got my award, and stayed long enough to administer first aid to another finisher. But that story belongs in my "Gripes about the Mississippi Coast Marathon" post, which is still to come.

Oh my gosh the sweatiness. The guy behind me is the runner I talked to at the mile 19 water stop.

Overall, although this was a rough race, I feel like I could get a 3:20 marathon in better conditions or even just with a watch! I felt fine at the finish, no stomach upset, soreness, or pain, and I went running the next day and felt completely fresh. Now the question is - should I try to cram in Baton Rouge Beach marathon next weekend? Or is that pushing it?

The marathon I wasn't meant to run

2011-11-28T08:06:00.000-06:00

I have to split my recap of the Mississippi Coast Marathon into two parts: I need a whole post just to describe what went wrong that day.

Let's do this bullet-point style, shall we?
- The night before we had a birthday party and we missed packet pick up.
- The morning of the race I forgot that I was staying at my in-laws' house and that they have tall beds. I dropped heavily to the floor upon waking and rolled my ankle. It swelled.
- I charge my Garmin before we left - but somehow when I turned it on it was completely out of juice! I didn't even bring it.
- Last year, it took 20 minutes to get to the race start from my inlaws' house. The guards at the gate of the Stennis Space Center simply waved us through. This year, hundreds of cars were backed up as guards checked ID's against a list of participants. Um, slight problem, many people had others driving them to the race! It was such a mess. We didn't even get up to the booth until after the race start time - luckily the directors delayed the start by 20 minutes.
- After showing our IDs, my hubby thanking God he is a federal employee and got in with his federal ID, we got lost heading to the start area! When we finally got to the start hubby picked up my number while I got in the short port-a-potty line.
- I made it to the start with minutes to spare, but they were out of T-shirt (they're long-sleeved, so I wanted it as a pajama shirt).
- Hubby let me borrow his ipod nano, which has a stop watch, in the hopes that I could at least see my time if not my pace. I started it at the gun, but when I checked it at mile three it warned me of low battery - when I tried again at mile 5 it was totally dead! I had no watch and there is no time on the course, so from mile 3 onward I was going by feel!
- The weather. Oh, the freaking hellacious weather. The forecast looked bad enough:

Look at Sunday's perfect weather to the right. Gimme a break.

But reality was even worse. Before we even started, a thermometer at Cypress House where we started showed 80 degrees. Basically it was upper 70's to lower 80's throughout, with unbearable humidity. It was like suffocating - there was no relief until FINALLY a rain storm started, which was after I finished!
The worst part, however, was the wind. The course is windy anyway - it's tree-lined highways that act like wind tunnels - but Saturday, with a rain storm brewing, there was a ferocious headwind about 50% of the time. As luck would have it, most of the "tailwind" direction was well-blocked by trees and buildings, so we got no benefit from that (I did feel a substantial tailwind for about a mile of the loop - it is a double loop course). The wet, warm wind was so bad that it actually blew my tightly-wrapped bun out, and I had to re-do my hair. I was hunched into the headwind for so much of the race that my BACK chaffed from being curved against my jog bra. My back has never chaffed before. Besides that, the wind whipped my glases from my face and blew salt from my hair into my eyes. My shirt kept blowing up into my face. I could barely hear my ipod. Misery. Utter misery.
- As usual for this course, the Gatorade was watered down to the point of uselessness, and the Gu that was promised never, ever materialized. Dangerous for a race in this kind of heat.
- I had made a list of thanksgivings to pray about during this "training run" race, as a distractor. When I realized my Garmin was dead, I also penned in mile splits. Hahahahahaha. My sweaty self made short work of that index card! It fast became unreadable.

Not that I ran anywhere close to that pace anyway.

Sounds like a complete disaster, right?! Come back tomorrow to read how I eeked a PR and a first-place win out of that mess!

I just won a marathon.

2011-11-26T15:39:00.000-06:00

Under the WORST conditions ever. 3:24:26. Recap to come. Brace yourselves. It was ugly.

My race schedule, revisited

2011-11-25T08:27:00.000-06:00

Original race schedule for Fall/Winter 2011:
Clarence Demar Marathon
Gulf Coast Half
Middendorf's Manchac ten miler
Gulf Coast marathon
Baton Rouge Beach marathon
Ol' man River half
The Louisiana Marathon
The Wall 30k

Revisions:
I have to scratch Baton Rouge beach because the hubby has an event the same day. This is too bad, because I have heard that this is a good race.
It looks like we have to scratch Ol' Man River, too, because we MAY have plans and I'd hate to register and waste the money if I can't go.
And I'm questioning The Wall, because now that we have two running clubs in NOLA, there are other races that might not suck as much.

Boo. So much for Fall and Winter racing.
Don't you hate it when life gets in the way of running?

Twenty-six things I'm thankful for

2011-11-24T06:45:00.004-06:00

Saturday I am running the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon at the Stennis Space Center. It's actually supposed to be a training long run for me, just supported (sort of, this race has minimal support). I've never done a race truly as a training run, so I'm not exactly sure how to pace or what my goal should be (yes, I am always this last-minute with races!).
If I end up doing a long, slow distance like I ought to for a training run, I might start getting, well, a little bored and fatigued out there. To keep myself going, I decided to spend the race in prayer: thanking God for the many blessings in my life.

I have the handwriting of a seven year old

Or just 26 of them. I picked out 26 things I tend to take for granted and will start each mile out with a thank-you prayer for each thing. I hope my thanksgiving doesn't turn into pleas for help or "let me die" prayers around mile 22.
Yes, I have more than 26 things to be thankful for, but I thought this would help me get through boring miles with a pleasant distraction.
Have you ever created a distractor for a race or long run to get you through?
Happy Thanksgiving!!! XO

Skip day and health screening

2011-11-22T08:11:00.000-06:00

I'm taking an unscheduled day off running today because I have to go to a health clinic and have my blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, etc measured.
This is required for our new health insurance - that is, if we want any sort of decent coverage. Our insurance has a very high deductible, but the company pays the first $400 of it. IF you get your labs done! If you don't, you only get $200. Lots of companies are doing similar things with insurance. One large employer in the area allows you to decrease your premiums based on healthy blood pressure and cholesterol; others penalize you with a higher deductible if you skip these basic measures.
I like this general idea, but I wish my company allowed you to earn healthcare points based on good results. Right now, as long as you get the labs done (regardless of results), you get the extra $200. But my cholesterol and blood pressure are always very low, so I think I could benefit from a structure that paid you for being healthy.
Actually, I'm drinking coffee right now to increase by blood pressure because it is always so low that I scare people. It's usually something like 90/50 when I'm fasting, so I figured I'd have some caffeine and bump it up a little. Cheating.
What do you think about health screenings required by insurance? Smart move to catch potential health risks? Or invasive and greedy?

At long last, a new ipod!

2011-11-21T08:06:00.000-06:00

If you have been reading this blog for so long that you remember before I became obsessed with running, you might remember that my hubby tried to get me a new ipod Nano for my birthday in 2009. I had an old Nano, this one:

Remember these? It's like a relic of a past generation!

And I STILL have it. But it is on its last legs. The problem is that it eats headphones. The connection is eroded and kind of moth eaten, and it will sort of sound OK with brand new headphones. But after 4 or 5 uses, the headphone plug looks kind of eroded, too, and I start to have problems (pretty sure battery acid is leaking out and destroying the plug). Before long, I have spotty sound in just one ear. Or I have only base. Or only treble. Or nothing. Or only very faint and quiet squeaks.
Well, that problem is about to be solved free-for-nothin' (as my father in law says) because my ipod is part of a recall thanks to a few Nano batteries bursting into flame. I'm pretty sure mine WOULD burst into flame if it wasn't for the fact that it is drenched in sweat 99% of the time.

Yay for new free stuff!

Clarence DeMar is turning over in his grave

2011-11-18T06:28:00.000-06:00

Remember the Clarence Demar Marathon I ran in September?
The one with open-to-traffic roads, long course, and wacked-out clock at the finish?
They kindly sent out finishers certificates. The only problem is that they got the year wrong.

Someone forgot to backspace last year's certificate.

Recent running toys and tries

2011-11-16T15:33:00.000-06:00

Some recent running goodies I've been enjoying...
- Rice. Plain white rice with salt for long runs. It's pretty good fuel and kind of yummy.

But I'm better with butter.

- Socks with heel tabs. I'm not sure why it took me several years to accidentally buy socks with heel tabs and eliminate the raw spot on the back of my heel.

noooo, my socks are not Ralph Lauren!

- New Kinvaras, on sale for $45 - yes, that's over my budget of $39 per pair, but I pay extra for highlighter orange clothes.

Men's sizes, of course. I have big feet.

- Varsity Sports Monday Speedwork. I recently started to attend speed sessions with Varsity Sports on Mondays. For someone who never did speedwork before, it's a big change - I was surprised at how LONG the workouts are! They are generally 8 to 10 miles plus warm up, with every third week being "easy" (more like 5 or 6 miles). I've gone for four sessions, but the first was just a time trial. Will the speed help my races? We'll find out! More on this later.
- Hungry mornings. Another new try is skipping food even before long runs. I have really been struggling with balancing nutrition and stomach cramping during long runs, and my latest try is no food at all. It's tough for a slow long run, but for my PR half marathon it worked well. My former PR (from last December) was also on an empty stomach.

What have YOU been trying lately?

Irish Network New Orleans Launch Party

2011-11-15T18:20:00.000-06:00

I have no pictures of the actual event. Just imagine lots of pale people and Jameson. I do, however, have a plethora of pictures of the dress I designed and sewed in a night...plus another night to hem (ugh, hand hems are boring).

Single strap across the back

Another front view...look, no zipper!

This detail shows how the neckline stood out from my body (easy to do with proper lining and good interfacing)

And with my sweetie, who wants me to tell all of you that he doesn't really have a gut; his tux short was just billowy.

Sewing a formal....

2011-11-14T08:26:00.000-06:00

First you buy the fabric. $5 for the entire bolt.

Totally synthetic. But it looks like silk duponi.

Then you make a pattern out of the comics. I used an existing pattern as a size guide.

Why is there a feather duster in the corner???

After you cut the pieces, you sew and sew.

Try not to melt part of the lining with the iron.

Oops. Good thing it was just the lining.

Try it on for fit.

Pin the bodice and stitch.

I always forget that I have no boobs, then I have to go back and tighten the top.

Add in trimmings and decorations.

Pick out your shoes.

All set for the Irish Network New Orleans launch party! Tune in tomorrow to see the finished product.

Foodie Friday: Rosemary shortbread

2011-11-11T07:07:00.000-06:00

It's kind of illegal to call this shortbread, since it contains more than the key four ingredients, but I am breaking the rules here, mostly because these are cut in wedges. Kind of makes you automatically think shortbread, right? Serves these lovely cookies with plain chocolate and fresh fruit for an elegant dessert.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed and soaked in 1 teaspoon boiling water.
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Combine dry ingredients; work in butter, honey, and rosemary. A soft dough will form. Divide dough in half and press each half into an 8" pie pan. Score with a sharp knife to allow you to cut wedges easily when baked.

Bake at 300 for 25 minutes. Cut apart while still warm.

Operation Christmas Child

2011-11-08T09:06:00.000-06:00

Why, what's this?

It's a shoe box full of awesomeness for some 10-14 year old boy in a poverty-stricken nation!
Every year we try to put together a shoe box of gifts for Operation Christmas Child, a mission that distributes the presents to needy kids overseas. Click the link for directions on packing the box and to find a drop off site near you.
It's fun to make the shopping trip a little holiday event, and we always wrap our box in Christmas paper.

We packed our box with:
Boring stuff: socks, a T-shirt, pens and paper
Toiletries: toothpaste and toothbrush, soap
Fun stuff: handheld games, glo-sticks, silly putty, a baseball, crayons, a 500-piece puzzle, etc
Edibles: Candy and trail mix

Most box drop off deadlines are this weekend or the next, so get shopping!

Thank you for "updating" my PC, hubby.

2011-11-05T20:52:00.000-05:00

Yeah. Thanks a lot. I always had this perverse desire to corrupt Windows.

Ever since the "upgrade" this is as far as I've gotten. This screen alternates with blank black, no icons, but working mouse; both are accompanied by a lion-like roaring.

My best race yet

2011-11-02T07:05:00.000-05:00

Have you been listening to me complain about three bad races?
No more. Streak's over!
Saturday was the Jazz half marathon, a fun Halloween weekend race that I always run in costume (I've been a cowgirl and a pirate). This year I was a bumble bee. I made my costume by painting black stripes on a yellow tank top. Guess what I learned? Paint dries stiff and creates a boxy odd shirt that chafes at every stripe. Who knew.
I pinned wings on the back (made from a wire armature and black netting) and used chenille stems to attach antennas to hair clips. My stinger was black cardboard stapled to the back of my shirt. FYI try to avoid staples in your costumes unless you enjoy having tiny pieces of your flesh carved out with every step.
This race was a training/fun run for me, and I was woefully unprepared. We ran late because I forgot my number, and I woke up too late to eat. But since I've been having trouble staying fueled for races, I brought two gu's to make up for my lack of breakie. I also brought a garbage bag for the starting line, since the temperature suddenly dropped on Friday. Silly me. You can't fit a garbage bag over wings (wings also make car rides difficult: I rode to the race doubled over in my seat).
By the time I got to the start, I was way, way in the back of the crowd. In fact, we were some of the last people! I wasn't too worried about that, since it was a chip-timed race, but that meant I was in a slow group that walked to the start after the gun and then basically stayed walking after that (or mildly jogging). I was so thankful that a girl in pink seemed to be running my pace and was willing to cut a path - something I am bad at. I followed her closely for the first mile of the race.
Since this was a costume race for me, I determined to only glance at my Garmin at mile splits, and simply enjoy the race. It was a new course, so for the first few miles I concentrated on the course and maneuvering around the many slower runners who were in front of me.

Fun fact about this race: Since I started so far in the back, I passed many people, but no one passed me.

By mile three, I was running under 7 minute miles and felt...well, great. The weather was nice (cold and very windy, but it beats humidity!), even at 7 am some kids were out and they loved my costume, and I felt very strong. Nothing hurt, my costume wasn't really bothering me, and my stomach seemed happy. By mile four I decided, "This is going to be a good race. Run by how you feel. Don't let a number on the Garmin tell you to slow down or speed up. Just enjoy this." My confidence has been so low lately that I think I needed to give myself permission just to have fun. I stuck to my original plan of only checking mile splits, and I was very consistent.
At mile 6, I took a Gu to make up for breakfast. The course heads down St Charles, loops around Audubon park, and with the new course you are already at mile 8 before you exit the park back onto St. Charles. I was out of the park and back on St Charles before I saw anyone I knew: my friends Steve and Erin (who are getting married Friday!), David, and my pharmacy partner Ross, all heading down St. Charles to enter the park. I didn't see our neighbor Joseph, who rode with us to the race; the sun was in my eyes by then so if you didn't call to me, I didn't see you!
We had thinned out a lot out of Audubon Park, but I passed two girls with white race numbers. My race number was white, too, but everyone elses' was blue. I asked them about it and they explained that we were seeded and could have started at the front in the "fast" corral (there were only two). I was so far in the back I didn't even know there were corrals!

In Audubon Park, passing a runner wearing the same shoes as I was!

I continued feeling fantastic and having fun with my costume.In the park I ate half of my second Gu, and right after mile 10 I reasoned I should finish it rather then let it go to waste. This was the only bad part of the race (besides dirt blowing in my eye earlier, boo) - somehow I sloshed the Gu right up the back of my nose. You can guess what happens when concentrated electrolytes hit your mucous membranes: besides stinging agony, coughing, and sneezing, my nose started running like crazy! The irritation didn't go away for about 12 hours!
Other than that, the way in was just fantastic. I never felt tired, and since I refused to check my Garmin I never sped up at the end, either. I cruised across the finish in 1:32:38, a PR - in costume! When I looked back at my Garmin stats, every mile was sub-7:00 besides the first one: which is understandable since I had to fight past hundreds of people.

At the finish, messing with my watch.

I felt no soreness, stomach upset, or fatigue. In fact I wished the race would keep going! Instead I settled in to wait for my friends and David to finish. Then we sat on the grass and got a little loaded with the champagne Joseph's partner brought in a bucket of ice! The after party for this race is always good, and it was nice again - jazz bands, beer, hot dogs, red beans, and incredibly good jambalaya. And free delicious Jazzman rice!

Lessons learned from this race?
I need to chill out and have fun again. I have been placing too much pressure on myself to finish in a certain time and run certain splits, yet I haven't given myself the time and practice to do so. I need to train harder and race easier! I also need to realize that I'm just not going to be incredibly fast. If I was, I'd already be winning. I just need to do the best for me, and enjoy doing it.

Editor's Note: I have six hilarious pictures of David from this race. He looks like he is being fed raw eggs while being electrocuted on a hang glider. However, he is being a party pooper and won't let me publish any of them. Too bad. They are priceless.

A terrible fight!

2011-11-01T07:44:00.000-05:00

The other night the hubby and I had a terrible fight. In my dream.
It was the worst battle ever. It was over stupid little things, but we totally degenerated into insults, name-calling, and cheap shots, and at one point David CALLED HIS MOM to get her opinion, which clearly breaks all rules of fighting clean.
I woke up sad, angry, and anxious, and promptly woke David up with a sort of shuffling movement that could be interpreted as either a snuggle or a tackle (I still wasn't sure if the dream had been real and wanted to hedge my bets). I elicited promises from David that we'd had no such fight, but arguing with the hubby upsets me so much that it kind of ruined my morning.

I spell his name with two A's so it shows up first in the D's in my phone book!

I perked up when I got this text from David later in the day. How hysterical: he's apologizing for something he did in his dream! I've got to say, this man knows how to keep a girl happy!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:28:00.000-05:00

Jazz half-marathon 2011, 1:32:38 and a new PR!

After the race this Saturday

Hope your holiday is filled with all treats and no tricks!

Middendorf's Manchac ten mile race recap

2011-10-27T10:13:00.000-05:00

This race last year was the first time I ran sub 8's in any race except 5k's. It felt amazing! This year...not so much. This is my third under-performance in a row, which sure sounds like I'm doing something wrong.
And I am. Last week I ran a half, followed by two speedwork sessions this week in an attempt to get faster (still sucking at them, by the way). The result? I had lead legs from mile one. I could barely lift them!
The race is about 45 minutes away in Manchac, Louisiana, so far in the middle of nowhere that weather.com doesn't think it exists. Hence my choice of a my warmest, thickest T - the kind you never wear because by the time it's cold enough for the thickness, you need long sleeves - for a race that was in the 80's and full sun. The drive over was nice, and not too early since the race started at 8. I tried to document the sunrise on the drive across the spillway. Look how bright blue the sky was by 7:15 am!

Lake Ponchartrain

Sun peaking through the cypress swamps

Close to Manchac

They couldn't find my registration.
Drama.
We started a little late and since the race starts straight up a hill (bridge, I mean, we just don't have hills in Louisiana), I shrugged off my slow pace. But by the end of the first mile I realized that I wasn't getting any speedier. I decided that was OK; I'd run about 7:15's and try to pick up the pace at the turn around. I reasoned that it might just be that I needed to warm up. The course is completely in the sun and my head started baking a little. I knew at mile 3 this was a throw-away race: I just could not get into it. Luckily just then a fellow ran up to me and said, "Hi, I'm Kenny, I'm going to run with you and chat awhile, and I'm not going to hit on y'all because I'm gay."

Kenny is the camera-ham in green. Nice legs, Gracie.

So! Kenny and I ran together for most of the remainder of the race. I lost him between miles 6 and 7, but he was entertaining company although his pace slowed and held me back a little. I didn't mind because I thought we'd probably both speed up at the turn around.
NOT.
Hello, headwind! I guess I didn't realize we'd had a brisk tail-wind the entire first 5 miles, so the last 5 were straight into the wind. I increased my effort, but I only barely held the same pace. I was by myself for most of the second half, and kept basically the same position the whole way. I finished in 1:12:18 by Garmin estimate, 6th female and far slower than I intended to run.
I suck.
I think I will have a few easy weeks (including the Jazz Half Marathon, but I'm running that in costume so it's no pressure! It's Halloween weekend) then buckle down to a training plan.
Any training plan suggestions? I think my goal race will be the Louisiana Marathon in mid-January, but the plan has to incorporate two marathons as long runs because I already have two on my plate. I like plans with running every day or almost every day because when I take days off my legs get oddly sore in the front (no idea why this happens).

I wore this in public

2011-10-25T14:53:00.001-05:00

Sorry, people of New Orleans. Someone forgot to hit "start" on the dryer last night.

My color-theory professor would turn over in his grave if he were dead.

Huge discount for RnR New Orleans, today only!

2011-10-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

RnR New Orleans offers a Saints Win Discount: if you register the day after a Saints win, you can deduct the same amount as the point spread. Given the Saints' pummeling of the Colts last night, today you can get a whopping $55 off registration for the March marathon or half marathon.
Offer expires midnight tonight!

Weird, just weird

2011-10-22T15:23:00.000-05:00

You know what's weird? My sister in law has a blog. I discovered that my brother Johnny is taking the GMAT and applying to another grad school from her blog. This is also the way I learned that my brother was having his tonsils removed (followed shortly by multiple psychotic drug-induced ravings from same brother, who was sure his hydromorphone was giving him kidney failure).
I have to keep up with my Army brother Joey by coercing my husband, who has access to Army email through his government job, to email him - thus reducing my husband to a courier of messages like, "Are you taking your glucosamine for your knee? Make sure you wear socks to bed when you're in the field so you don't get a chill."
The best way to keep up with Abe, my running brother (who lives less than half a mile from me and works at my favorite coffee place, which is less than a quarter of a mile away) is to make politically inflammatory Facebook statuses in the hopes that his idealistic, sophmore-at-a-liberal-arts-school self will comment in indignation and, in doing so, reveal a tiny bit about his every day life.
I can't talk to Sam because he doesn't talk. He says five words a month, and they usually aren't to me.
Nate makes it challenging. He doesn't do social networks because they are beneath his brilliance and he won't text because it costs him ten cents and darn it, if brilliant people aren't always broke. His emails are often brief and in Haiku form, so spend large portions of my day wondering if he really is caught in summer thunder, or if the phrase was allegorical.
Izzy said something to me but his voice is so deep now I couldn't concentrate, I was too busy wondering where my cute little baby who used to play Three Musketeer dress up all day went. And who is this 6-ft giant with a beard?!
And little Matthew is still too young to be allowed to use the phone without permission, twelve being apparently the age of phone accountability at my parents' house.
Communicating with my brothers is so weird.

Gulf Coast Half Marathon race review

2011-10-20T08:48:00.000-05:00

Gulf Coast Half Marathon - Mandeville.

Hosted by Joe Relaxo, whoever the heck that is.

The race: One of a series of Gulf Coast half events. Over 1000 people run, so it's mid-sized. It is still rather warm weather mid-October, but the start is at 7:00 am and that avoids some of the heat and humidity.
Registration and cost: You can get in for $40 if you register early. Prices go up to $105 for race day! Packet pickup is available in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, or Mandeville, but all on different days. Not convenient. No pickup morning of, which is strange 'cause you can register morning of.
Swag: Cotton T - but kind of nice looking - and a medal that doubles as a bottle opener.
Course: The course is really pretty. It starts in Fountainbleau state park and includes sections on the Trace (a paved bike trail in the woods), along Lake Ponchartrain, in the park, and in Old Mandeville.

The finish line, complete with an announcer who calls out names of finishers (rare in a smaller race)

Support: Plentiful aid stations - I think there are 11 - with water and some with Gatorade. Some locals come out and watch; not tons but some. Chip timed but no time on the course.
Post race: Band, beer, and taco salad (weird-o).

Lines of cars heading out of the park

Etc - Major issue with this race is that there is only one way in and out of the park, which causes a bottleneck, AND the course goes along this route as well! This is the only flaw for an otherwise enjoyable and well-run race, but it's a biggie: Just like last year it took me an extra 20 minutes to get in thanks to the backed-up line of cars trying to get into the park, and just like last year I sat in traffic waiting to get out. The drive home should have been under an hour; it took us an hour and 30 minutes.
So overall? It's a pretty little course and well-run, but don't do it unless you plan to stay for the whole after party (and there's kind of slim pickings as far as food goes, so if you think you'll be hungry

What I look like when I run.

2011-10-19T08:01:00.000-05:00

I can't give credit to this because my sister posted it on my FB wall from who knows where.

Joey's home!

2011-10-18T07:15:00.002-05:00

Joey, soldier bro', randomly decided to come home this weekend for a visit. He also decided to make it a surprise and rope me into being his accomplice. Naturally, the first thing I did was text my dad and inform him that Joey was coming home but to pretend he was surprised. My family does not do well with surprises. They are invariably gone on a long trip / replacing the toilet / not speaking to each other (it is amazing how silent a house with eleven people can actually be) / in the throes of influenza / at the ER / protesting a rezoning law / digging a well / giving birth / buying a dog / taking the ACT / giving twelve pets a flea bath* when you try to surprise them.

Joey arm wrestling Abe and Sam

After picking Joey up at the airport, we took Joey and Abe to dinner at Figaro's, where the salad is literally so good I would take it from a small child (kids don't like salad anyway, right?). We drove across the lake to my parent's house on the Northshore where everyone valiantly pretended to be surprised...we ended up staying a long time, and since the drive home is an hour, David and I didn't get into bed until almost 2 am. Unfortunately that's all the visit we got, since Joey was only home briefly to pick up his car and drive it back to Georgia.
I think it's a 12 hour drive so that sucks. But we were all glad to see Joey alive and well and I think he was happy to get some real food; that child ate enough pasta at Figaro's to fill a bathtub.

Anyone else have military family? How do you handle the long trips and distance?
My Dad was a Coast Guard officer before he retired and, when he was captaining ships, would be gone often for long periods of time. He retired and became a school teacher and he's home twice as much now! I think it kind of drives my mom nuts!

* These are actual examples.

Gulf Coast Half Marathon 2011 - recap

2011-10-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

Last year, I ran the Gulf Coast Half in 1:46 and it was the first race that I felt I was "fast" in. Seeing an 8:05 pace made me realize that I could run faster than my typical 8:30 - 9:00 pace, and was the first reason I ever contemplated attempting a BQ. This year, I wanted to take ten minutes off my time from last year and run a 1:36.

The Gulf Coast Half starts at 7 am, and it's nearly an hour's drive from our place - on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, a.k.a. The Boonies. Besides the drive, I knew from experience that parking would be a nightmare and we'd better get up early. David and I stumbled out of bed at 4:30 am, and even though I knew fueling had been an issue for my last race I couldn't eat anything. I made toast but after one bite I tossed it. I think it's these early mornings that get me!
The race starts and finishes in a state park, and we arrived with 50 minutes to spare, but by the time we crept single-file to the parking lot, we had just half an hour to do a bathroom run and get to the start. I met my little brother Sam and my dad before the start. Sam calmly informed me that he was feeling sluggish and, rather than run a 1:20, he would have to run a 1:24. This cracked me up. Sam is very, very, very quiet. He rarely talks, but when he does it is to the point. It turns out that his projection was almost spot on!
I started near the front and mistakenly went out too fast, but I thought I'd be ok since the announcer cheerily told us all that the second half would be accompanied by a brisk tailwind. I figured if I tired it would pick me up! The race went by quickly and smoothly, but my pace was all over the place. My first mile was fast, then I had a few at goal pace, then I hit a long, slow section. Part of the race is along the lakefront, and rather than a tailwind we had a stiff headwind that kept at us all the way in. In addition to the wind, the sun was surprisingly strong for such an early race (it was also surprisingly warm; the temps were upper 70's all the way to 80 F). The miles along this stretch were my toughest and slowest. I should have taken a Gu here, since I brought one in lieu of breakfast, but I didn't; I felt tired near the end but I didn't feel like my blood sugar had crashed.
Of course, I love seeing people I know on the course. This time, I only saw Sam - he was in 5th at the time and keeping a nice pace. There is only a short portion that doubles back, and I left it before David got there, so we missed each other.

Sam looking...ill.

There were a few funny things about this race. The first is that after mile one, when we spread out, two guys and a girl passed me over the entire rest of the race. And I passed two guys and a girl over the entire rest of the race! This was weird, since my pace was bonkers!
The other - embarrassing - thing is that my dad was waiting for Sam, David, and I to finish. As I neared the finish, another girl was just seconds behind me (she trailed me the entire race; after she told me I was pacing her, poor gal), and my dad made a huge scene hollering that I needed to hold the pace, another girl was just behind me, etc. I did hold my pace, and crossed the line ten or twenty seconds ahead of her. I felt so bad for her! But I went up and apologized later and she was such a good sport. The funny thing is that she actually beat me by two seconds! She had started far in the back, but since the race was chip timed she came in behind me but placed higher!

Sam, who finished in 1:23:50 and won his age group, waited for David with me. David forgot he had registered for this race and only realized it three weeks ago. He had been training for another half that is two weeks away, so he had this one sprung on him. But he still finished in 2:00:44, not bad at all!
I finished in 1:35:13 and was inexplicably disappointed in my time and place. I was 10th overall and 5th in my age group; I beat my goal, too. I think it has dawned on me that from here on out, I have to work to get faster. For an entire year, all I had to do was show up and I'd PR - but that was because I was running seriously below my intrinsic potential. Now, I'm running at my level of natural ability, and if I want to PR I have to work for it: train, monitor my pace, consider my fuel. When I don't - like today - I struggle to meet my goal, and still under-perform. Given my long-term goals, I should be able to run faster than I did today, and it should feel easy to me. I guess it's time to face the music and start working harder!

Tell me about the race for which you trained the hardest and ran the best you ever have.

Foody Friday: Sweet Potato Toppings

2011-10-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

Just like I love a good loaded baked potato, I like my sweet potatoes with toppings, too.

What a colorful dinner!

Here I sauteed shrimp with mango, scallions, red bell peppers, and cilantro and made a sauce with yogurt, lime juice with pulp, and sriracha sauce. It was delicious on a baked sweet potato with extra yogurt on top!

How do you like your sweet potatoes?
If I'm eating them "plain" I love lots of salt and butter!

Making the money!

2011-10-12T06:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a big day at work for me because...
...I got my September profit and loss statement and discovered that in September I made a profit! This is a big deal because my store just opened at the end of April! We became profitable after just 5 months, rather than the expected two to five years.

Whole foods strawberry shortcake

I treated my staff to cake for the occasion.
This is a big relief for me, because I don't have any business training or experience. I'm a pharmacist! But I'm also the store manager, and I was worried that I wouldn't have the savvy to turn a profit. Lucky for me, our overhead costs are very low, so we're squeaking by!

How has your work been lately? What is your job? Anything at work that has been hanging over your head?

Sam's debut

2011-10-08T07:40:00.000-05:00

This brother is running his first real race tomorrow.

Sam, looking like a poet

He's run a few local races before , including a 4-miler in which he beat a local standout who runs cross country for LSU (I don't want to be mean and name this person, but basically our pep talks before races pretty much always include, "Get out there and beat so-and-so!"). But this weekend's half-marathon is his first larger race, and his first long-distance as well. (He ran the Crescent City Classic 10k a year and a half ago, but he had not begun running seriously at that point and ran it for fun.)
I think Sam will be really, really good. He's not tall, just average, but has long legs and is quite lean. He doesn't run as far as Abe does, but his speed has passed Abe's up. He's still a teen so he has time for improvement, too.
I think if he has a good race he can do this half-marathon in about 1:20.
Gone are the days when I could outrun my little brothers!

Do you have siblings or kids in sports? Are you their rabid fans? Do you urge them to beat other specific kids? Haha. Good thing I don't have children; I'd be the soccer mom everyone hates.

Clarence Demar Marathon Race Review

2011-10-05T08:59:00.001-05:00

I already posted the recap of this race, but for those of you who might be considering running it, here's the review:
The Clarence Demar marathon is in tiny Keene, NH, and runs at the end of September/beginning of October.

The race: This is a really small race, only a few hundred runners. It's kind of a "runner's race' - no frills, no big medal, lots of local history.
Registration and cost: $60; you can register all the way up to the night before the event, which is cool. But frankly that's a lot for a very basic race.
Swag: None, pretty much. There is a tech-T, but it's cheap material ( I do like the no-sponsor plain back, but actually this race NEEDS sponsors in a big way, so I guess that's a bad thing). There are medals at the finish...and that's it. Age group and overall plaques are given; I was accidentally given the wrong one. In their defense I didn't notice either.

Course:The course is advertised as "fairly flat and fast" and I do think it would be fast for runners who are used to hills. It's actually a rather hilly downhill course, and several runners commented that the course mirrored Boston's course. The first half is a rolling downhill; the second half is more flat, with some rolling hills and a few tough climbs. There's a net elevation drop of about 300 feet. The first half, in the mountains, is beautiful; it gets a little boring as you go but overall a pretty and enjoyable course. A major disadvantage is that the roads are not closed for this race and the runners aren't even coned off; it's a little nerve-wracking in twisty mountain roads. There are police directing traffic at major intersections, thank goodness.
Then there is this hilarity. Yes, the official course map actually informs you that the finish is not marked....but it's near a storm drain and a manhole cover.

And it's in Comic Sans. I hate Comic Sans.

Support: The volunteers were fantastic for this race; great attitude and very up-beat. However, there is no Gu or gels on the course and only half the stations have Gatorade. The miles are marked; time is not.
Post race: Pretty sparse - bagels, soup, soda, fruit, cookies, and massages.

Heck yeah I got a massage! Poor girl. I was SO sweaty.

Photos: I don't normally comment on race photos, but I thought this quote from the website kind of summed up the whole marathon:
"2011 Clarence DeMar Marathon, Keene, NH Sept. 25th We had car issues and didn't make it to the finish line in time to photograph all the runners, sorry! Those of you whom we did get will have photos in three of the galleries. Everyone will have a photo with the race name. Thanks for looking!"

Etc - This isn't chip timed and for a 34 year old marathon, it still needs some work. For example, the course was long, almost certainly because we started well behind a spray painted "start" on the road. I commented on this, but I lined up with everyone else. My Garmin read 26.67 - that's more than poor tangent running. Oddly, the times were recorded incorrectly. If my watch time didn't match course time, I'd shrug it off. But I noticed that the time intially posted for me - 3:35:19 - was WAY off. Then I noticed that the time recorded on the website was different: 3:35:09. But my watch read 3:34:58, and I didn't hit the stop button on it until after I had finished and received my medal! As soon as I finished, David commented that the time on the clock had been "jumping around" (I, of course, was not looking, as I was too busy posing for the camera). Lo and behold, he caught it on film: look at the times in these two consecutive photos!

I approach the manhole cover...

Dude, what? I took one step and lost 9 seconds!

So that definitely needs work. Also of note, the course closes at FIVE hours, FYI for leisurely marathon runners. So overall? I loved the volunteers and the serious runners who participated. I had fun, and you couldn't ask for kinder people, but I really think this race needs to adopt some sponsors who can make this more of an event for the $60 fee. It needs Gu, more Gatorade, and a little course TLC. And next time the course and time need to be just a little more exact.

Training at work

2011-10-04T08:05:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I have to do online training at work. They talk to us like we're not-very-bright six year olds.

Well, geez, Christopher, do you think it might be...that big button that says, "REPORTS" right there?!

Well, if it wasn't for Christopher Compass I'd never have known what "delegate" means.

Visiting Keene

2011-10-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

The husband and I visited Keene, NH, last week, and despite the relative warmth I enjoyed seeing New England in the early Fall. I'm actually from Connecticut, so I get a little homesick for the Northeast. Keene is small, but clean, attractive, and very well behaved.

And every Jack O'Lantern counts.

Seriously. Keene holds several world records for...the largest pumpkin party? And the chamber of commerce would like you to know that YOUR PUMPKIN COUNTS!
We couldn't do as much as planned in Keene because as usual, our US airways flights were both delayed (mechanical) and we ended up in Keene 5 hours later than planned. I have sworn off US airways flights before, but this time I mean it. They have very poor customer service and problem-prone flights. The day before the race we barely made it to Keene in time for packet pickup, and the charming race volunteers recommended some pasta places. We went straight to Luca's, which was pricey but delicious. For dessert we had a chocolate pyramid, which was like tiramisu (heavy on the liquor) ensconced in a rich chocolate shell.

Delicious!
Obviously, race morning I was a little occupied, and David went to church while I ran. After the race, we went on a Fall foliage drive, with the intent of ending at a hiking spot. However, the first location recommended was closed, and by the time we reached the second it was dark. We went for about a mile walk in the woods but David was not happy with the dark and we headed back.

The foliage was just starting to turn, but the scenery was adorable regardless.
We caught the late football game at Vendetta's, a sushi sports bar with boutique beers. Somehow they make this work. The food, beer, and staff (one very friendly football-obsessed bartender) were all outstanding.
Our flight didn't leave until 5 the next day, so we had time for another outing Monday morning. So we climbed Monandock Mountain. What else would we do on tired, post-marathon legs? There were two separate trails to the top.The first started out gently sloping up, and was mostly just light woods.

My cute hiking partner, who complained the entire way uphill

I am seven.

The next trail was quite steep (few pics here, since David was protecting the camera for most of the climb) and it was straight up a rocky creek bed. Basically it was a climb up stiff boulders, and it was tough on my super sore legs.
My general fatigue caught up with me and I required a little rest.

I look so worn and wan here that I feel sorry for MYSELF!

(The trip down, by the way, was beyond murderous for my poor quads; I literally cried).
The view at the top, though, was worth the pain!

The peak behind us

Trying not to fall to our deaths

Overall verdict? Keene is cute and hospitable. I hope they win their pumpkin record.

Fall favors

2011-09-29T21:04:00.000-05:00

My trip to New Hampshire inspired me to make some fall-themed favors for a friend's wedding shower (the whole thing is actually an autumn theme). I bought plain cream cards from Clearbags.com (my favorite stock website and the place I bought the materials for my own wedding invitations). They just so happened to have fancy homemade linen envelopes on sale for $2/pack of 50! Look at the mica flecks and grass and leaf inclusions. So perfect for the theme!

Grass and leave (top) and mica (bottom) envelopes

The cards were very easy to make: I used craft paint (haphazardly mixing red, yellow, brown and green with gold and champagne glitter paints) and painted the backs of fresh leaves, then pressed them on the cards. We made 200 cards.

My table covered in drying cards

Once they were dry, I bundled them in packs of 6 with envelopes and tied with raffia.

Piles of leaves!

Tada! Perfectly fall favors!

Clarence DeMar Marathon: Race Recap

2011-09-27T22:07:00.000-05:00

Well, it was just what I thought it would be... a practice race! Not my best effort at all, but I learned some lessons.
The morning wake-up was way too early: I got up at 5 am for the third day in a row, meaning I was about 9 hours down on sleep. The trip up to New Hampshire had been annoying stressful. We'd planned on having Saturday afternoon in NH for a few activities, but due to mechanical issues on our first flight, we missed out second flight. The next flight we got on was then delayed due to another mechanical problem! We wasted the entire afternoon in the airport, barely made it to packet pick up, and I was left generally stressed, hungry, and dehydrated. I rolled out of bed Saturday wishing I could sleep a little more. Fueling mistake #1: Although the hotel had a breakfast buffet, I felt nauseated from my early wake up and threw my oatmeal out after one or two bites. David dropped me off at the finish area, and I took a bus to the start. Everyone on the bus was talkative and friendly, and I met plenty of Maniacs and 50-staters, including one gentleman who was running his 50th state that day! Fueling mistake #2: I was on one of the first buses, so I had a long wait until the start without any food. The race started at a church in Gilsum, NH, and (charmingly) the pastor showed up, opened the church (which was the original 1772 building), and started us with prayer.
When 8 am finally rolled around, we lined up....in the middle of a road. There was a clearly marked start on the pavement, but officials pushed us back to some arbitrary imaginary line. Now this did not surprise me, since race info clearly states things like, "The finish line is not marked" (I kid you not). I mentioned the start marked on the road, but no one really responded. So...off we went.
This race is gently hilly with some sharp downhills and an overall elevation LOSS of about 300 feet. Not bad! I thought. Actually, I struggled! The downhills at the start are so sharp that I had trouble controlling myself! I am so unused to hills. But it was fun to fly down them, even knowing I'd be sorry later. I think that for a runner who runs hills regularly, this would be a fast course. And my first half WAS fast, about 1:36. Fueling mistake #3: I started out too fast.

In the mountains near Keene

The weather was, as expected, warm and muggy - even in the mountains. It was low 70's early on and later in the race I passed a school with a sign that put the temp at 81 F. Interestingly, there is no traffic control on the course except at major intersections, meaning we were actually running in the road - no cones, no signs, no road closures. This was a little nerve-wracking in winding, hilly areas.
My Garmin was well ahead of the course since mile one, which was partly due to a slight stray off-course (some of the arrows, it turns out, were for the electric company, not runners, who would have thought), but that should have accounted for only .05 miles...but despite my tangent running my Garmin read 26.67 at the finish! Because of the winding hills, I was having trouble at water stops. They popped up so unexpectedly that I didn't have time to prepare and take some Gu. Fueling mistake #4: I didn't take any Gu until the second half, too late for the pace I was keeping. When I finally did shove some Gu down, I instantly regretted it. And here comes the best part. I started throwing up. I started early on - like mile 14 - and from then on, it was a battle. I threw up every time I swallowed anything. Fueling mistake #5: Throwing up all nutrients is a bad idea. The result was a distinct drop in pace (although surprisingly not bad at first; I was running 8's or 8:10's), and the onset of muscle cramps. As expected, at mile 20 I hit the wall hard, struggling to maintain 10-min miles. Fuleing mistake #6: I only brought three Gu's, so by now I was out of fuel. There was no Gu on the course and only half the stops had Gatorade. I was passed by two women on the way in, and everyone was so encouraging we just cheered each other on. I'd led for the first twenty miles. I finally finished, and I'd never been so happy to be done with a race in my life. I was third female overall in a little under 3:35.

Heading for the finish...hot and sweaty.

Post-race I signed up for a massage right away, but the poor lady had trouble with my knotted calves and quads. I got some soup down and started to feel better, but the nausea stuck with me for a few hours. I realized I was starting to dehydrate. I'd sweated profusely (it was pretty warm for a marathon!) and thrown up, too, and I was starting to feel kidney pain, headache, and anxiety coming on. Unfortunately I could only stomach water - the thought of Gatorade made me ill - so I took some electrolyte tabs from a medic and sipped water.
The race awarded first overall and age group awards. The age groups were a little odd - the first group was "up to 39" and then it was ten year increments from then on. I placed second in my age group, but when I got home I realized I'd been give the third place plaque! Hilarious. The third place lady had left already and they must have handed me hers. And also bizarre - my time was recorded off by fifteen seconds. I have no idea how this could occur. David took a picture of me as I crossed the line, and the clock reads, "3:34:52" clearly, yet my time is recorded as 3:35:09. What the?!
Later,when I got the hydration thing under control, it hit me that my quads were so sore I couldn't sit down or get up from a sitting position. My muscles took a beating from the downhills, and the soreness is lingering two days later!
Overall, the race gave me lots of "Huh?!" moments (it's kind of crazy, wait for the race review) and lots of lessons (I need to work on pacing and fueling and I need a "wall" strategy - if I hit it again, I can't let myself fall apart like I did this time). But I still enjoyed this for a small marathon. The organizers and volunteers were some of the nicest people I've run with, and the area of Keene, NH is adorable. I think in a cooler year and for hill-prepped legs this would be a fast course. As for my fitness, I knew I wasn't in fantastic shape, but this race gives me areas that need work. It's obvious that if I want to get faster I have to increase my mileage and actually do some speedwork. It wouldn't hurt to do some treadmill inclines, either.

Do you have any "wall" advice to share? And what lessons have you learned in a race?

Weather Channel wins

2011-09-24T09:13:00.000-05:00

Despite all my angry staring, the Weather Channel won. Race morning should be 80 degrees, rainy, and between 97 and 100% humidity depending on whether it's raining or just steaming.

Change, weather! Darn you!

I am wearing shorts and a tech T for the race. This is my first marathon in shorts! I've worn capris before but I much prefer long tights. Shorts are my least favorite option, but obviously in this weather I have to go with shorts, even though they are no fun in the rain and offer no compression for my tired muscles.
I am wearing my Saucony Kinvaras. This will be their debut marathon. I thought about going back to the Karhu Fast's, but I decided to give the Kinvaras a try since this is my mulligan* anyway. I'm also thinking about trying out a new music playlist, but I probably won't since I only collected about an hour's worth of music and I don't like messing with my ipod while I race. I just want to get all my new things and kinks out early this year and this race seems like the time to do that.
So, what else do we have planned in miniature Keene? Some rainy walking and hiking; part of a foliage tour (yes, I know it's early); covered bridge photo ops; and a relaxing Sunday night watching the game and having a beer. My hubby is missing the Saints game for this race, and now I feel pangs of guilt. But it's just the Texans; they're boring anyway.
So...will the weather kick my booty? Or will it be cake after a summer of highs and humidity? To be continued!
Tell me your absolute ideal running weather.

*I had to go to this stupid golf tournament for work and picked up some terms. I don't play golf and the game nearly bored me to tears.

Keene! What is going on with your weather! Stop this absurdity!

2011-09-23T07:26:00.000-05:00

As of today's weather reports, Keen NH will be warmer - and have higher humidity - than New Orleans.
I'm hoping it gives me a competitive edge...

Freaking stupid marathon

2011-09-22T08:33:00.000-05:00

I'm running the Clarence DeMar marathon this Sunday, and I should have known it would suck after seeing the injudicious use of Comic Sans on the website (Comic Sans is a non-font and should never, ever, ever be used).
Let's gripe.
1. The weather is going to be terrible: rain, high humidity, not hot but certainly not cold, either. What the heck, New England!

I just realized that since I checked the weather last night, the forecast has been changed to reflect a high of just 76 rather than 79, so I might need to stop whining. But whining is fun.

2. Hills. Boo.
3. I will be exhausted. Because of a scheduling mix-up (my employer's vacation scheduler basically does not understand her job at all), I am going to be putting in about 60 hours this week, including an off-site flu shot clinic, which usually means a day of no food, water, or bathroom breaks.
4. Lucky me, the marathon falls at an unfortunate time of the month, which means pain, cramps, all-around bad-attitude, and 3-5 extra pounds of water weight sloshing around for 26 miles.
5. There is no Gu on the course and I bet the TSA will take all my Gu away. And Keene, NH is in the middle of nowhere so I doubt they will be selling Gu at the grocery.
6. I feel fat and slow.

Sharpie Queen

2011-09-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

My friends used to call me the Sharpie queen because I was always armed with a permanent marker to correct public grammar errors. The problem now is that fewer such errors are on signs and posters. Instead, they are on computer screens, and my husband is annoyed when I marker up my monitor.

Who the heck gave this trash 3 stars?!

Missing Alfred

2011-09-19T20:42:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to update regular readers on the family of David's best friend Alfred, who passed away this April. David has been making an effort to visit Alfred's 2 year old daughter every few months. He is her godfather, and now, more than ever, he wants to be a significant part of her life. He'd like her to feel like she knows him, and at her young age he's worried she'll forget him if too much time goes by between visits. We live about an 8 hour drive apart (or a direct flight, hurray!) and we've been able to see the family three times over the summer.
This past weekend David traveled to upstate New York for a memorial service for Alfred. Unfortunately, I could not attend because I could not get time off work. The service was mainly for the sake of his mother, who could not attend his funeral since she was in the CCU recovering from quadruple bypass at the time of his death (while this is a terrible situation for a mother to be in, in a way it was a blessing, because in light of the seriousness of her surgery, she and her son had a long and serious phone conversation just days before his death. It was meant to be a farewell love you call in case she did not survive the procedure; who knew it would be the other way around). I know this service was tough for David, and I wish I could have been there, too.
We, like the rest of Alfred's family (Davis has long been considered basically family), are struggling with sadness, anger, and sometimes still disbelief. It's hard to know how to cope with such a large loss. As the months pass, David and I have tried to handle our grief in appropriate ways.
1. We recall the many funny memories that include Alfred on a regular basis. David has thousands of stories, and even as a newcomer, I have plenty, too. Alfred actually drove David and I to our reception after a limo mix-up at our wedding!
2. We spend time with David's godchild and talk comfortably about Daddy with her. Although she was only 2 1/2 at his death, she is a smart cookie and talks about him clearly. She'll even pick out a family photo and relate what happened at the time ("This is after we went to the zoo!").
3. We pray for peace about the circumstances of his death. As more information comes to light surrounding the events that lead up to Alfred's sudden and tragic death from sepsis, we are filled with anguish as we see how easily his death could have been prevented. But these thoughts only lead to frustration and bitterness and they don't bring Alfred back. We have been struggling to let this go. This is especially hard for me, as, with my medical background, I bristle at the breaches of standard care and sepsis protocol.
4. If we need to be sad, we're sad. We cry if we have to. We miss him.
5. We write letters to the family. I know Alfred's family is feeling a lot more of the same grief we have. We've made an effort to record memories and sorrows and share with his family. We're all bearing each others' burdens of grief.
6. We don't do Alfred-y things. Alfred was a big LSU fan and we avoided watching the game. Although we find that talking about memories is helpful, going out of our way to do things that we would ordinarily do with Alfred (David basically only watches LSU if Alfred wants to watch the game with us) just highlights his absence.

Of course this isn't the kind of sadness that passes quickly, but I think we're doing ok now. David still has rough spots and sometimes I'll see tears in his eyes, but he's coping well.
Please continue to keep all of Alfred's loved ones in your prayers.

Did you get your flu shot?

2011-09-16T07:37:00.000-05:00

Here I am making sure that everyone at Delgado Community College gets theirs!

I wore my boy hair.

Flu shots and all the fixin's

Actually...I haven't had my flu shot this year. There are two reasons for this:
1. I work alone, and I don't know how I feel about giving myself a vaccine.
2. The preservative-free vaccine isn't available yet and I think it's inadvisable to inject mercury into your muscle every year.

So. Do YOU get the flu shot? Why or why not?

I did it.

2011-09-14T22:25:00.000-05:00

Registered for Boston.

Unicorns run fast!

I kind of never thought I'd run the Boston marathon - I mean, not even a year ago, when I despaired ever breaking 4 hours in a marathon.
Not even when I started to move my legs a little faster and first BQ'd, with exactly 9 seconds to spare (and didn't realize it until Dailymile and bloggy friends told me....I'm such a loser).
I think I'm a little worried that I'll never get in another year, as running gets more popular and I get older and slower. So I went ahead and registered.
I must say, for all my complaining, registration was fast and simple (ie, you select your qualifying race from a drop down menu, etc). That's good, because I was doing it on my laptop at work while trying to figure out why some neurosurgery resident wrote an rx for "morphine 4 mg tablets" (Hello! No such thing! And if you meant "hydromorphone" [she did] that's an entirely different drug!).
I tried to talk my little brother Abe into running it, too, but he may be doing a semester abroad next Spring. I'd like the company, though.
So now I have a late Spring marathon in the books. I'm pretty excited!
Anyone else register/registering?
How did it go?

BR: the new BQ

2011-09-12T14:24:00.000-05:00

Was qualifying for Boston a challenge?
Try registration! It opens this week in a wave-style registration that allows the fastest runners to register first, and allots remaining slots to the fastest of the "general qualifying" group.
The idea is to keep Boston fast, which makes sense to me.
But I have some ideas that the BAA might also consider. I mean, if they ask me. Which they won't.
It makes sense to simply make the cutoff times stricter, and not just the 5 minutes that go into effect next year. The time cutoffs have changed a lot over the years, but right now they are just too slow to keep the Boston mystique. I'm not saying BQ time is slow, it's not - it's fast, and any time I BQ I totally act like a jerk about it. But a lot of very average runners like myself is not how the BAA envisions their race, so rather than give a half-chance to people in the lower strata of BQ times (isn't it dumb that I have to use terms like BQ strata?!) they should just make it a lot harder.
And while we're making it harder let's look closer at certain groups. I've come to agree that women are kind of given a pass with qualifying times. I don't have the science to back it up, but I don't think that men on average are capable of a half-hour faster marathon than women. I think 20 or 25 minutes would be better. There is also a little bit of a problem with the age group division. Once you turn 35 you are considered old and get extra time to qualify. That means that for this year a 35 year old woman would get a full 3:45 for her race! And women tend to mature later in running, so she's probably at her peak. Then you get an extra 5 minutes for every five years!
My ideas?
1. It needs to be harder for everyone, like a 3-hr for guys and a 3:25 for girls (and yes, that means I wouldn't qualify!).
2. Let's make it a little tougher on the girls, especially in that 35-40 bracket.
3. Quit with the weird age divisions. How do you have one bracket that is 16 years, then all the rest are 5?
4. Lose the wave registration. Once times are more stringent, you won't need them. This system sounds like a great big logistical disaster that will generate a tide of anger and complaints, and since it judges entrants based on time anyway, BAA might as well simply restrict registration to those it deems fast enough to compete.

So while I'm waiting for BAA to consider my ideas (haha), the big question is - will I try to register? In the past, I have said no, since my husband's frenemy who irritates the crap out of me lives in Boston. However, we visited anyway last Spring and I loved the city so much I do want to go back. So I am going to attempt to register. I'll be in wave 2...or, as the website refers to it. "BQ-10". Silliness!

Are YOU registering for Boston?

Is "BQ" a goal for you?

What's your opinion of the new times and registering procedures?

What are you wearing this weekend?

2011-09-11T13:40:00.000-05:00

I truly suck at this. I could NOT get a self portrait with my head and shoes in it at the same time, and just forget about focus. Oh and the fact that the wall and guitar take up half the picture? Sorry. I can't seem to help that.

The classic Myspace self-portrait, bizarre facial expression included.

"Leaning on this banister is so fun!" Take two in an attempt to showcase the shoes.

Gray pointelle polo: No Fleas Market, $2.99
Black Banana Republic cropped pants (yeah, they fit me like capris, but they're labeled as ankle crops. My big derriere takes up so much fabric it makes them too short. The curse of a big booty!): Ebay, $8.99
Fierce Nine West platform peeptoes in black croc: No Fleas Market, $6.99
Chandelier earrings: my jewelry box
Undone hair and makeup: Sunday special!

I hit up the No Fleas Market yesterday on my walk back from bringing Abe some apples at work (everyone needs to have a taste of the first McIntosh crop of the season!). No Fleas is a thrift store that benefits animal welfare (several organizations) and although their selection is small and prices rather high, I did find a few winners. I also got a black strapless cocktail dress by Express. It's simple and elegant, but it oddly has too much fabric around the stomach (it's a slim fit style...obviously, I mean when is the last time Express made something loose and billowy?). It almost seems like it gets wider at the waist and tapers at the hips! Oh, well, nothing a seamstress like myself can't fix!

What are you wearing this weekend?

Sad Friday

2011-09-09T08:28:00.000-05:00

My nephew demonstrates how pretty much all of we Saints fans feel today.

Long run in the rain

2011-09-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I cranked out 18 miles in the middle of a tropical storm. I have to say, it was less than ideal conditions. It was early in the storm still, so temps hadn't dropped much yet, and the rain was ferocious and hard. Winds whipped around me and kept flipping my hat brim up (I wore a ball cap to shield myself from the rain a little). It was impossible to avoid all the puddles and the downed branches turned the park into an obstacle course. I left my Garmin home since a) it couldn't find a satellite in the downpour and b) I didn't want it to be damaged - I know it is water resistant, but this was some serious rain.

Hopefully the Garmin is more water-resistant than the dye used in my shoes, but I wasn't taking chances.

I struggled against the wind for about 11 miles, stopping every 2 or 3 miles to wring my socks out. I decided to cut the run short when I saw how blistered my feet were getting, but when I reached the house David was just leaving for his run. My pace was already pathetic so I decided to run his 5 miles with him. I grabbed some pretzels to eat on the run, and headed back out. It was strange throwing a slow 5 into the middle of the run - David runs between 1 and 3 minutes slower per mile than me, and in this rain he was struggling to keep his pace under 10 minute miles - in fact, it felt harder than if I'd picked it up and run 5 fast miles. I don't know why that is, but it seemed fatiguing. I definitely enjoyed the company, though, since only 4 or 5 hard core types were out in the wet. The park was downright lonely!
I left David to run home by himself and finished the 18 with another loop around Audubon park. I must say I was glad the run was over. It was a challenge!

Some thoughts on this run: Any little change (rain, wind) seems so tough to me. How could I ever handle hills?! What challenges you on your runs?
Lots of people love running in the rain but I could take it or leave it. Are you a rain runner?
For some reason I have not really needed much fuel on my long runs this year. Last year I would have had a Gu, some oatmeal and probably a few chomps during 18 miles. Saturday I had 6 mini pretzels and I was fine - and I did not eat before I ran, and I left the house late (slept in and didn't start until 8:30). How much do you eat during a long run?

Tropical Storm Lee

2011-09-07T07:31:00.000-05:00

It brought rain.

I know it was overcast and rainy. My eyes are sun-sensitive.

Strong winds.

Down the block from us.

Flooding.

This is such a hysterical picture on the cover of the Times Picayune. I mean, what is going on here? A disabled man with his pants down is choking on a phone while drowning? Shouldn't there be a caption like, "After this photo was taken, TP reporter pulled wheelchair bound man to safety from flood"???

Broken umbrellas.

One of many casualties.

But it also brought forced relaxation. That's why we call it a "hurrication" and I must say they are much more enjoyable when you don't lose power. During Gustav the hubby and I enjoyed a few days together playing cards and eating Chex mix, but it was nicer this time around with lights, A/C, and Thai food!

What's on your feet?

2011-09-06T08:13:00.000-05:00

Lately, these.

I love the Saucony Kinvara's I bought for $39 (last year's model). They're light, wide enough (I got men's), and allow natural foot movement. I'm a little concerned about their durability since the outsole is so minimal, but so far I'm quite happy with them. (The oustsole is black rubber. Can't see any in the pic above? That's 'cause it's only on small areas of the forefoot and heel.)
Of course I'm still loyal to Karhu.

New in Box, woo hoo!

I still have this shoe, the Karhu Fast Ride, in green (I ran my last marathon in them) but they're showing age so I replaced them with these bright red bargains - just $30 on Ebay. I also went up half a size. My feet have grown (or have my arches fallen?) since last year and I've been buying larger shoes. Right now when I wear my green Fast Ride's I have to wear my thinnest socks and it's still kind of rough.

So how about you? What's on your feet these days?

No. 2 Pencil

2011-09-05T05:30:00.000-05:00

What?! What is this horrid, yet familiar thing upon my desk?!

A freakin' scantron?! I thought I had sworn off these things as soon as I had my Pharm. D in my hand!

And it's true that I did promise myself when I graduated that, after 8 hard years of studying and constant tests, I never take another exam. Ha, then I had to take that little thing called the NAPLEX in order to get my license. Forgot about that.
But here I am, years later, with a blue book and scantron on my desk. Why? Well, it's basically so my company can pay to print me new business cards with more letters after my name.
Lots more letters.

AAHIVP.
Seriously, couldn't they shorten that somehow?!
As the Market HIV Pharmacist, I am required to obtain my America Academy of HIV credential so that I can prove that I kind of know what I'm talking about when I answer my market's HIV questions. The great thing about this is that I was planning to take the exam anyway when my company called and offered to pay for it! Oh yeah! Love that.
I'd love to dive into my exam tonight, but guess what? It has to wait. I don't own any number 2 pencils.

What I'm wearing this weekend

2011-09-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

This outfit features my sausage shorts, so named because they make my thighs look like blue sausage.
It's all good.

Sorry the guitar is taking up the whole picture.

Notice the cleverly chosen wedges and shorts to keep most of me dry as tropical storm Lee dumps rain on us. It is seriously wet out. We got about 12 inches so far.

T-shirt: Forever21 (I'm really getting too old to shop there) - $1.99 on clearance
Long shorts: $3.99 at Bloomin' Deals thrift store
Gold Colin Stuart wedges:also $3.99 at Bloomin' Deals thrift store. They were brand new!
Long necklace: Alloy for something like $1.99. It's very long so I tied it in a knot.
Gold hoops: Gift from the hus for our anniversary
Belt: This used to be a purse of mine and when the purse had a run-in with a permanent marker I cut it up and used the braided handles to make this D-ring belt (FYI it is hard to sew leather, but super easy to sew fake leather) FREE.

What are you wearing this weekend? And let's get tacky up in here...how much did it cost?

We have acquired smog.

2011-09-01T20:08:00.000-05:00

It's actually a marsh fire. It's so strange living in the city, yet being so close to big pieces of nature (like huge marshes, wide rivers, alligator-inhabited swamps, and Chalmations....haha, local humor).
This week a water-locked area of marsh was struck by lightening and caught fire, making downtown New Orleans look like Mexico City.


Downtown New Orleans at 9:00 am

View from my parking garage

And because New Orleans love drama and just about everyone who lives here is a hypochondriac, my work day was filled with scores of people wearing masks inside closed buildings.
I love it.

Silly Putty Queen

2011-08-31T07:51:00.000-05:00

I would like to publicly* announce that I am the Silly Putty queen.

A little bas-relief smirk

This guy looks like one of my customers. Hope he doesn't read my blog.

And that my husband is husband of the year for bringing me home a little egg of the stuff to play with. I love him.

Random running crap giveaway winners were selected by asking my husband to pick numbers.
Momma on the Run, you got yourself a very used Spibelt.
Nelly, you may now learn to run like a Chi, as long as you ignore coffee stains on the pages.
Julie from Trailing Along, you can be as confused as I was by the Runner's World book.

Please email me your mailing addresses at mgr.13777@store.walgreens.com
And yes, I'm using one of my work emails so if any psychos read this they can only stalk me at work and not my safe and cozy home.

*Every time I type the word "public" I am scared I'll type "pubic" and my spell-check will not catch it.

My next race...

2011-08-29T07:37:00.001-05:00

I just signed up for the Clarence DeMar marathon.

The race is in lovely Keene, NH.

It's September 25th.
So, I kind of have to do a sort of accelerated training. Heehee!
I picked this race because I have a good chance of seeing some pretty fall leaves and let me tell you, that's something this transplanted Yankee misses.
Oh for a cup of cider and a cold fall day! Even such a day which requires 26 miles of running.
So, my plan is to do my long runs on the next few weekends:
16 miles < Did that this Saturday
18 miles
20 miles
12 miles
marathon

The rest of the week I'll keep the same. Right now I'm on a semi-schedule that looks like this:
Monday: Easy 3 - 8 miles
Tuesday: Ten miles at 7:30 to 8:00 pace
Wednesday: Gym - full body weights
Thursday: "Speedwork" for 3-5 miles (I am attempting to do real speedwork but I usually degenerate to pathetic fartleks)
Friday: Easy 3 - 8 miles
Saturday: Long run (used to be 8-14 miles but I'll be ramping that up)
Sunday: My choice of cross train, short fartlek run, or rest day

Has anyone else done a short-notice marathon?
Tips?
Advice?
I think I'll be ok since I have a base of 30 - 40 miles a week already, and this is my "throw away" race to kick the season off. I need one race to gauge my fitness and guide me in my goals for other races later in the year.

Giveaway of running crap

2011-08-25T07:23:00.003-05:00

You might have noticed that I don't do blog giveaways. This is because companies who have things to give away look at my esoteric lifestyle and decide that I'm a bad brand ambassador. Then they look at the six people who read this blog and decide a give away isn't worth six new customers anyway.
But today I'm giving away some old crap I don't want.
1. First there's this book.

I bought this book because the tagline says, "The ultimate eating plan that will make every runner (and walker) leaner, faster, and fitter." Who doesn't want to be leaner, faster, and fitter? I bought this when I was forming some race goals and decided that ambitious race times meant I needed to watch my diet and weight more closely. This book seemed to have just the eating plan I needed to maintain my weight and keep a good ratio of lean muscle to body fat.
It doesn't. It's more of a diet book in the sense of weight loss than a what-to-eat guide for runners. I should have read more than just the title.
I think it is appropriate for people planning to use running to aid weight loss, especially new or returning runners. A lot of it is good info, it just doesn't apply to me.

2. The second piece of crap sitting in my house taking up room is this Spibelt. I bought it on Ebay, so it's twice-used. I wore it once, for a marathon, and I hated it. It just felt weird to me. Like running in a belt. Because it was running in a belt.

3. And another book. I bought this used, too, back when I had runner's knee. This is way back, more than a year ago, before I caught on to the fact that I should be in a neutral shoe and the guys at my local running store were kind but mistaken. I thought Chi running would fix my knees, but honestly it just takes too much effort. I don't like thinking about my running or thinking about my form - it takes all the fun out of running and I run primarily for enjoyment.
The yellow page edges are courtesy of spilled coffee. Librarians hate me.
So, how to get one of these gems?
Simple.
1. Follow the blog, obviously, I'm not giving my high quality used books away to complete strangers.
2. Tell me which item you want.

If more than one person wants an item I'll have to do a random drawing, so I guess you have until August 31st.

Nike Tempo Vs. Target C-9

2011-08-23T06:39:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to compare Nike tempo running shorts to Target's C-9 version of them. You are welcome for taking 7,000 mirror photos in an attempt to demonstrate fit.
First off, a price comparison. Tempos are usually $28 -$32 but often go on sale for less. I paid $14.99 for the Target shorts, which I still think is a lot.
Next, fit.

Target C-9 running shorts

Nike tempos (at this point I found my flash)

Here's the deal with this: Tempos have a unique tapered leg design. I think this is to prevent upper-thigh-flashing incidents, but honestly it's kind of weird. Note the bizarre ballooning going on here in the tempos...

The front and back seem to be cut exactly the same. Weird.

...Whereas the C-9's have a more traditional straight leg. It seems that the Nike's have too much fabric and it bunches and billows, and the C-9's have a flatter fit.
It would make sense to solve the problem by going down a size in the tempos, but it doesn't work that way. These are smalls, and the lining and waistband fit me. There is just extra outer fabric. If I got XS shorts the waistband would cut me in half.

Crappy useless pocket

Decent pocket

Speaking of waistbands, let's discuss quality of design. Waistband features here...the Nike's have elastic in the waist and a kind of faux drawstring. The C-9's however, have a functional front drawstring. I personally prefer elastic over drawstring for the way it feels and the movement it allows. Another little quality concern is the key pocket design. The C-9's have this rinky-dink little front pocket that can barely hold a key, instead of the lining pocket the tempos have. And while I'm on the subject of quality, notice anything about the side strip on the Target shorts? Yeah, that gray used to be white. The color bled when I washed these.

Lastly I want to touch on the moisture wicking properties. This is the big claim to fame for tempos, which are made with Nike dri-FIT technology. And I've got to say, it works pretty well. I get soaked with sweat during summer long runs, and my tempos definitely get sweaty, but when I wear my C-9 shorts saturated fabric slaps my legs (spraying sweat droplets) for the last half of the run. It is extremely uncomfortable to run in soaked fabric - it rides up your legs, sweat dribbles down the backs of your legs, fabric bunches wetly.

So the verdict? Although I like the cut of the C-9 shorts better than the tempos, I rely so much on the moisture wicking fabric that the tempos win on that strength alone.

What's the most important thing to you when you buy workout clothes?

Sewing clothes without a pattern

2011-08-22T09:31:00.000-05:00

I like designing clothes, and I'm a passable seamstress, so occasionally I whip up a little dress or jacket that strikes my fancy. After years using an old industrial Kenmore with only one stitch (I made my wedding dress on that thing!) my husband surprised me at graduation with a new machine. Sadly, the gift coincided with the cessation of Wal-mart's fabric department. Luckily, it looks like my favorite dollar-a-yard source is back and I recently bought some fabric that toes the fine line between cute and frumpy.

Is it "aw" or "maw maw"?

I only had 1.3 yards of 45" fabric, so I knew I had to make a simple dress, but with a floral pattern you have to be careful not to make a housedress or mumu.
When I design and sew without a pattern, first I sketch the finished dress, and usually I also sketch out what particular pattern pieces will look like.

This time I decided on a simple one-shoulder dress with an oriental look. I put in an elastic waist to create shape since I planned on having a blousy, gathered top and skirt. I tapered the hem of the skirt to add more structure.
Once I make a design, I free-hand draw a pattern on the fabric with pencil. Sometimes I trace other pieces of clothes - for example, if I want to make a short sleeve, I might use another short sleeve top to get the armhole and sleeve right. You can also use a measuring tape and body measurements, of course.
Don't forget to add seam allowance! I also leave extra fabric if I'm unsure how something will hang or fit - I did that with the neckline on this dress since I have not sewn a one-shoulder dress before.
Before doing any sewing, I try the clothes on pinned together and make adjustments.

Try it on with the shoes you would wear it with.

Then once stitched, I do a try-on and take a picture. I study the picture to look for flaws. You can see that the side hem is messed up on the skirt one side here - my tension was too tight and it looks wavy from very slight puckering. These things are hard to miss in a mirror, which is why I take a picture.

When I fixed the skirt hem I also made it a little less full.

The finished product got lots of compliments! The loose fit on the top made this dress ideal for walking outside in the August heat, so I wore it for Dirty Linen Night. The only problem is that I had to skip the pockets I had planned to put in the skirt - there just wasn't enough fabric leftover!

If you were choosing a cocktail-style dress that had to be the last one you ever bought, would you choose basic black off the rack or a completely unique brightly colored frock designed just for you?

Summer beach days.

2011-08-18T22:09:00.000-05:00

I can't wait for summer to end. I don't like the weather here in New Orleans in the summer at all, and I pine for crisp New England autumn days. For all I care we could just skip summer.

My little nephew Lüc and I in Waveland, MS

But maybe I could just keep those days at the beach playing with the nephews. I mean, that's pretty cute. I'd hate to miss out on those witty bitty baby goggles.

What's your least favorite season?

Running Fads

2011-08-18T07:15:00.000-05:00

Chi running.

Ultras.

Jeff Galloway.

Barefoot running.

Couch to 5k.

Orthotics.

Heel strike.

Running skirts.

Heart rate training.
Ice baths.

Minimal footwear.

Run less, run faster.

Compression wear.

Running fads cycle in and out, a lot like fashion, and - also like fashion - they can be a mix of dos and don'ts. You ever see a model in an outfit and say, "It works for her, but I could never pull it off"? Well, that's a healthy attitude toward fads, too.
Now I'm not saying barefoot running is bad or Chi running will injure you. What I am saying is that these surges of popularity are accompanied by testimonials and reports that elevate certain techniques and styles to the level of a magical cure. But they aren't. No one gait, shoe, technique, pace, or training plan will work for everyone, and none of those things are the secret to a fantastic PR unless they are accompanied by common sense and hard work.

The following statement applies to all running fads: This won't work for everyone. You need to know your own body and abilities well before trying something new, and you absolutely need to ease into any change slowly to avoid injury. Be smart. Be careful.
And above all, don't fix what isn't broken. If you are running fast, happy, and injury-free, and if you are setting and achieving goals, I think you've hit the sweet spot. Don't change a thing.

Cheap Date Wednsday: Dirty Linen Night

2011-08-17T07:30:00.001-05:00

It's too late for you to take advantage of Dirty Linen Night this year, but I'll give it a shout-out anyway since you can do nearly the same thing on any given weekday by roaming the French Quarter for open galleries. Dirty Linen night is the quarter's answer to Julia Street's uppity White Linen night. True to its roots, it's funkier and boozier (most galleries were serving alcohol) and the entertainment is the same old street performers who are out every night.

Always get the seafood martini at the Pelican Club, especially if you try the COOLinary menu.

David and I enjoyed dinner at the Pelican Club, taking advantage of the summer COOLinary menus, then walked the quarter and looked at art. The galleries in the quarter are a mix of older art bought by dealers and sold in galleries, plenty of tourist-bait "art", and some original artists with showings (Julia Street is almost entirely shows by local artists). It's a different vibe, too - more relaxed, more drinking and eating, more varied clothes.
Including red dresses. Dirty Linen fell on the same day as the red dress run, and plenty of guys and gals in red dresses were still on the streets.

I'm a wimp so I only have shots of back views!

David and I rarely brave the French Quarter, but some of the art was inspiring. This trip made me decide to make these visits more frequently. After all, some people take vacations here just for the quarter! I suppose I should appreciate it. Where else can you see men in red dresses asking their friends if they have panty lines?

Do I have to take Synthroid?

2011-08-16T07:14:00.001-05:00

The thyroid story: When I was 19, I woke up one morning with a lump as big as a golf ball on my neck. It hadn't been there the night before - I know, because I'd worn a tight choker-style necklace and it fit just fine, but wouldn't meet around my neck the next morning. Boom, lump overnight. I'd actually never been to a doctor except for stitches at this point, but I took this seriously and had a fine needle aspiration and radioactive uptake scan. I was home from college for the summer and returned to school before I got the results, and because of an error by the receptionist (she pulled the wrong file when I called to get the results: this was before the days of HIPAA and you could still get results over the phone!) I thought I had a benign goiter that would go away with some iodine.
Well, a few months later I ended up in surgery, having a 55 mm encapsulated tumor removed, along with most of my thyroid. I recovered well, and took levothyroxine for about a year. One day I read about thyroid regeneration in the young and decided to quit taking my levothyroxine. I did, and my next blood test results were in the normal range, although my TSH was significantly higher than the last test. Nonetheless, I stayed off levothyroxine for years.

Look at that brachydactyl thumb!

Success?
I thought so. Unfortunately it looks like I'm back on the stuff. I returned to my doctor a few weeks ago after my hubby urged me to because he was sick of cleaning up hair balls all over the floor. My steady hair loss plus dermatological changes made me think my thyroid was hypoactive, and after I got my blood work back I found out that it is. Am I disappointed? Well, yes. I don't like taking medications at all. I'm bad at it: I forget, I eat right afterwards, and I forget to get my refills. Of course I'd rather not need to take anything because I'd rather be naturally healthy! But I'm going to take it. Hopefully it will combat the symptoms mentioned above, along with the I-don't-want-to-get-up lethargy.
How about you - have you ever had to take medication but you didn't want to?
Are you good about taking a daily dose? As a pharmacist, I should be, but I'm not. I need to hear your view to give me better insight to my patients!

NOTC anniversary race report: It WAS a disaster!

2011-08-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

See the guy with white hair? He rocks. This is the only time I've ever beaten him.

I knew my gray jog bra would be bad luck.
I chose to run to City Park to the start of this race, since it was just a 3-miler, thinking this would give me 13 for the day (I ended up taking a short cut at the last minute which knocked a whole mile off. Did you know that Orleans Ave meets Marconi Dr?! Midcity's angled streets have me permanently confused).
Well, it was a blistering hot day, and the race didn't start until 7:45. The sun was up and the temps steamy by the time I arrived to pick up my number. I regularly run in just a jog bra, but I don't like to race that way so I was wearing a shirt - the extra layer plus the lack of water on my four mile run in combined to leave me uncomfortably overheated by the time I arrived. I drank water sparingly, not wanting to cramp during the race, and steamed under a tree waiting for the delayed start (now 8 am). The race was short, hot, and challenging. I felt very tired and warm and only dragged my butt to the finish. Cute surprise, the hubby came out to see me finish, which worked out perfectly because I gave him my race T-shirt to bring home. It's a nice shirt: technical T, and good looking too:

Front has a nice logo...

Back has nothing! No sponsors! Oddly appealing!

I realized after I finished that I was 4th female, which means everyone struggled, but I cold have kicked myself: the third finisher was just seconds ahead of me and I could have kicked past her but didn't; based on my time I didn't think I was even in the top ten women. Oh well. I will have to start cranking this up a notch come Fall. I've gotten too lazy in my running!
As far as the race goes, it was standard NOTC stuff, which means fun and flat, but the anniversaries are special because the shirts are nice and the entry fee is cheap ($15 for members). I didn't stay for the after party - I ran home, which felt completely awful - but it looked like fun.
Summary: I am crap at short distances and only blue jog bras are appropriate for races.