Olympic inspiration

I was going to go to the high school track, not ever having done this before, but because I watched some Olympics track running today and really enjoyed the 10,000M mens race. I watched the pros finish 10K in just over 27 minutes. I probably should have tried my own 10K today and called it my weekend long run. I didn't quite get that far. I watched a whole bunch of Battlestar Galactica Season One though as I have all weekend. Then feeling a little buggy eyed, decided it was time to work off some of the couch potatoness. Instead of going to the high school, I stayed real close to home today. Looped up and down all the north/south streets between the main streets in my neighborhood. Surprisingly, that's 5K. Not surprisingly, it took me 35 minutes.

Full moon

I went and checked out part of the 30K midsummer race that Yumke is running, but on my bike -- to crosstrain -- with my dad in tow (or maybe my dad had me in tow. Actually, that's more accurate). I have a special dislike of running that particular route, bikes are just fine. I don't know if it's because it's just so isolated at times, or the creepy bird sanctuary, or that I remember that one time in 2006 when Frankie decided he was ready to run 7 miles nonstop and I tagged along and found out quickly that I was not as ready. I may try to be at the finish line to cheer on Yumke (it depends on whether I get this peach crisp finished in time, as well as if I can find my bike light -- safety first!).
The route was partially set up, marked up by some traffic pylons with the blinky lights. There were some large puddles. And a very pungent fishy smell if the wind was blowing right.
We went off road to check out the birds.
That's also when we also discovered another community. The special type that like to sunbathe, as my dad put it as we turned around to head back to the main road.
Let's just say I wasn't expecting to see a full moon quite yet in the late afternoon.

Under The Wire

Things that I thought about while I was out for a 30-minute run (a rather slow 2.6 miles).
1. The Wire is a mesmerizing show. Friends of mine pushed the first season DVD set on me. I finally put it on today -- a far better alternative than going to a work party -- and watched 4 episodes. (Then HAD to run after viewing because I was feeling strangely aggressive after watching these aforementioned 4 episodes. Anybody else feel this way?)
2. I had forgotten my iPod. I noticed about 22 minutes into the run.
3. The storm clouds above my head matched my mood (not because of The Wire, but because of a generally forgettable work week). And if I didn't move faster, I might get caught in the coming rain. It already hailed earlier. Yes, hailed.
4. Where are my f'n regular pair of running shoes?

Triple haiku birthday wishes

three hours and ten

it's the last year this matters

why wait til next year

you're stronger, faster

waterfront is your home course

boston in 0-9

lots of happiness

and success for thirty-fourth

happy birthday yum!


After I wrote and emailed the above to Yumke, my dad picked me up for lunch. As we were nearing the grocery store off one of Yumke's favored routes, I saw him doing what he does very very well -- !running! In the rain! On his birthday! (too many exclamation points!!!)
It was too late to honk though.

Big hour

An hour-long run after work is so good because it just helps wash away a bad day. It wasn't the worst day, but my frustration ran fairly high today. But at least I feel better about my prospects at the halfmarathon next month. I felt okay with my pace throughout the early-evening run around the neighborhood, concentrating not on what transpired during the day, but focusing on my breathing and my stride. My stride was pretty pathetic, very short and a little uneven at times (for some reason, I cannot find my shoes so went with an older pair as I have last few days. My current pair may have been shoved into my parents' car from the camping trip -- who knows). My breathing was surprisingly unlabored today, and I think I should thank the summer of rain that has kept Toronto from being overly humid. With 4.5 miles today I logged my longest outing since... well, the half marathon in Cinci.

September wrinkle?

There is a possibility that I could still do reasonably well at next month's race if I moderately trained. That was the thinking up until early afternoon yesterday. Then I got two different pieces of professional news about an hour apart. The plans, if I get the greenlight and went through with it, would really put a lot of strain, among other things, on my training run schedule (the pretend schedule that I abide by. It's very loose.) Basically I may be on the road for pretty much all of September. I'd likely be back in time for the race ... but probably in no condition to run it. One two-week trip, which is on this continent, is 99.9% in the bag; the other two-week trip has considerably lower odds at 25% (there are three other people being considered) and it is on the other side of the world. It would be exhausting to do both, and of course I would like to do both because of the amazing opportunities they present.

If the overseas trip doesn't work out, there's a better chance to complete the half-marathon next month because I could keep up the running during the first two weeks and I would have less qualms running in a North American city. Overseas .... well, I'm not so sure. Nevermind that I think the climate might do me in.

So for now, there won't be an adjustment to my haphazard running schedule. I'm not sure if I'll just eat the entrance fee, defer to next year, or run/walk it. I'll know more about everything next week.

Texting away

The following are real text messages from me to my sister throughout the day on the way up north last Friday (times are approximate) :
1:22 Yo. Additional instructions: bring smores ingredients. We hv the stix. They're annoying already. Lol!
4:58 Lightning! Thunder! Hard rain. We're just arriving :( Bring yams
6:28 I want 2 cry
8:10 Rain sux. And i think i broke the hotel. [ed: hotel=my fancy tent]
9:26 It's dark. Im sleepn in the car. Dont bring ur bikes, likely 2 muddy. Might not need the yams either...

I also reverted back to my kindergarten self and had a major hissy fit because I was so frustrated with the rain and most of all, with myself, for being such a doofus about setting up a tent. I mean, wasn't I a Girl Guide? Well, I woke up with a very stiff neck and my first thought was, "Oh $*&#, I have undone all my physiotherapy and I'm out of insurance money." It took me half a day before I stretched it out enough. Oh and there were signs posted about bear sightings. Great.

Things only improved from about midday on Saturday, although there was a ray of sunshine during breakfast when my dad made fried bread (as gross as it sounds, but he fried sliced whole wheat bread in the leftover bacon fat).

I managed to fit one run in -- 36 minutes around the camp grounds. Of course it rained. So it wasn't the best camping trip ever, but I guess the family can laugh about this episode now. Since camp[, I've done some treadmilling too -- 30 minutes and 20 minutes on separate occassions, before I got into my shoulder strengthening exercises.

There's not a whole lot of time before the half..... and there may be a wrinkle... More tomorrow.

Going north

Heading to Algonquin Park for the annual family camping trip.
Hope to run leisurely. And not from bears...