Tag Archives: running

…who did NOT die…

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In A Christmas Carol, the Muppet version, during the last scene, Gonzo/Mr. Dickens is holding the reveal. Did Tiny Tim make it? Or did he have a date with death? Gonzo lets us know, by stating: “And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die…” It’s probably one of the funniest Muppet moments, and certainly one of my favorite movie moments. It was even funnier this year when we watched it with a large group of my friends and Gonzo delivered his perfect line to a perfect crowd: everyone erupted into laughter, and my friend Scott and I still get the giggles (or whatever the giggle equivalent is for men) when one of us mentions it.

Anyways, my point is, on Friday, I ran 3.1 miles. It was on the treadmill. It was at zero incline. Flat surface. I had to stop twice to loosen my shoes and stretch my calves, for one minute each. I wanted to quit at mile 2. I wanted to quit at mile 2.5. I wanted to quit every second of the last half mile. But I prevailed because I had to. So I did the 3.1 miles. I was supposed to do 3 miles, but you know, I figured I should probably know whether or not I could actually go 3.1 miles just in case maybe that last .1 mile is really what was going to push me over the edge.

It took me 39:24. That’s an average of 13 minutes and 8 seconds. Slower than my best mile (of 11:35) but faster than you know, walking. Less than my original (arbitrary) goal of 45 minutes. It’s not fast. It’s not fancy. But I did NOT die.

The three miles were a little faster than the 13 minutes and 13 seconds it took me on Wednesday to run two miles. And my two miles today were a little faster, at 25:45, which was 12 minutes and 52.5 second average. These two miles were 58 seconds slower than my fastest two miles. Which is a smidge discouraging, but it’s better than nothing. Am I right? (Let’s hope I’m right.)

Jeff and I went to Michael’s today to get stuff to make Nikki and I shirts for the run. So at the very least, I’ll be well dressed. Less than a week left. Here goes nothing.

 

Relative Danger: a story of sorelle

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Chicks, it’s Friday. I am trying to keep my spirit up, despite the fact that apparently I am allergic to the entire state of California.

Last night was a hectic night, as are most nights at the HAP house. We’re shooting a photo shoot this weekend for Garlic, My Soul, and we had some prep cooking to do. We made doughnuts, pancakes, and muffins last night, and Corelyn spent today decorating our baked goods. Becca will be on hand for makeup and quiche-making, and Jeff will be around for man-power. Literally.

Anyways, this week has been long – and it’s been the week of 2.25 mile runs. I can’t believe I am already past 2 miles, and its killing me. I think it’s because I haven’t been to yoga in a while — too busy!! — but my shins have been KILLING ME. My sorella told me I could take a break, so this morning I dragged myself to the gym to do the elliptical machine. At 6:50, I was already late and turns out, it takes you longer to travel the same distance on an elliptical, unless you pump your legs so hard you have to hold on to the machine so you don’t fall off.

I kept an eye on the clock, and had to jump off at 7:20 to make sure I got to work on time. 1.75 miles is all I got before my time was up. It took 22 minutes in all (which actually was about the amount of time it took me to run it, so I guess I wasn’t that far behind.) I somehow had forgotten my lock (who knows where it is? I am hoping on the floor at home) so I had to go out to my car to get it then hustle back inside to get ready for work.

Needless to say, it was another crazy morning. Where’s the yoga when I need it? But when I got to work, Nikki and I signed up for the race. That’s right, folks; on the day I broke and needed a running break, I signed up to run a 5k that I’m not even sure I can do. We signed up with the team name “Relative Danger” just the right amount of truth and cheese. So cheer me on, send me shin stretches, and good vibes…I’m going to need them.

 

Running, running, running…

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Week 2 of the 5K training is on. It’s Thursday already (How in the WORLD did that happen?) and LA has cranked up the heat. 90 degrees is our high today, and it makes me glad today is  “rest” day.

Yesterday I meant to run in the morning. I packed my gym bag. I packed my things for work. I set my alarm. I knew I’d make myself add to my iPod’s playlist in the morning. Everything was ready. And I woke up…at 6:45. Too late to do ANYTHING about the fact that I was supposed to run. So I got up (at least I could be on time for work) and chastised myself the entire way to work, knowing this meant rushing to the gym after work to run before a scheduled meeting with MMC and Cor.

I left work on time, and got to the gym at 5:55. Not horrible, could be better. I stretched, cursed the fact that my jams were SO OLD. I got on the treadmill, already hot (damn 24hour fitness, please turn the air up, please) but determined. As I ran, I tried to keep my speed at 6.0 and above, as my sorella suggested, because it would help my legs not get tired as quickly because they were at my natural stride. I allowed myself less walks. My heart rate was around 180 the entire time, and I pushed, and pushed, and pushed. As I got to a mile, I was at less than 12:30, and I knew I was on to something. I allowed a quick walk, then was back at it. The result?

1.5 miles in 17:51. More than 90 seconds off my previous best time of 19:29. I am feeling good today. I think I need to work on pace (I am a sprinter, walker, sprinter, more so than a jogger) and figure out a way to run outside without falling flat on my face or getting run over in this crazy city. Also I’d like to avoid the loooooong hills that Hollywood specializes in. We’ll see how I do.

With this 90 degree weather today, I will be waiting until next week to see how the outside world is…meanwhile, tomorrow is another 1.75 run, so I will attempt to run that in the AM to allow myself a free Friday evening. This afternoon? A walk through the neighborhood to make up for my Tuesday rest day, possibly to Paula Deen’s book on tape or else some podcasts.

Meanwhile, if you could guys could send a mixed CD my way, and podcast suggestions for my walks, that’d be great.

You’re so sad, and pathetic. So sad! So wilty!

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That is what I just exclaimed to the spinach I spied in my fridge. Home from running for the night (we’ll get to that in a minute) and now showered, and starving, I ate a few handfuls of “Trekking along with Cashews and Hibiscus” and realized I needed to figure out what to eat for dinner.

The kitchen left clues that suggested Jeff had pasta earlier in the day. “So I am guessing you won’t want pasta for dinner, too?” I asked. “No, I’ll do pasta again,” he says over the phone.

Do I have the ingredients for cheese sauce? Barely. The showing of the cheese in my fridge is distressing. Only parm, and a half-block of raw milk cheddar. Did we have any red sauce on the shelves? No. Now, to those of you who live in LA, I know this will shock you. Don’t worry – I have the supplies to make a sauce from scratch, but my stomach is rumbling NOW. Plus Jeff has to rush back out to work tonight, so that won’t do.

Jeff offers to stop at TJ’s for sauce and sausage – our favorite quick dinner. So now, to the kitchen to prepare the water for pasta (of which we’re dwindling close to less than 5 pounds. Jeff assures me we must use up our “random” pasta before we add to the collection. I am skeptical.) Spinach and chive linguine I must have bought once at TJs, although I don’t know what possessed me. I don’t like linguine. It must have been for something, but now it’s tonight’s dinner.

And now, a vegetable, which leads me to the conversation with the spinach. I opened the fridge, scared of what I’d fine in the vegetable drawer. The CSA from last week is half eaten, and I went to the farmer’s market yesterday and committed a cardinal sin of the farmer’s market. I was on my cell phone when purchasing. I also (sin number two) was in a time crunch, as yoga started at noon. This led to the purchase of a large bunch of spinach, a medium bunch of kale, two crowns of broccoli, an onion, some garlic, three lemons, and who knows what else.

This melody added to the Swiss chard, artichokes, beets, carrots, baby carrots, onion, and garlic I ALREADY had made for a very green fridge. Oh CSA, why can’t you teach me another way to each artichokes?

Anyways, back to tonight, and my kitchen. Like I said, I had a lot of veg. So I figured Jeff would prefer broccoli to say, chard. Opened the fridge, and spotted the sad, pathetic, ONE DAY OLD spinach. “Really? Really you look like that? I bought you yesterday. Pathetic.” So the spinach went in, and then the broccoli as planned, head shaking all the way.

Luckily Jeff knows that TJ’s for sausage and sauce also means garlic bread, so we have that to look forward to.

Meanwhile, I ran Friday and then again today. 1.75 miles today, 23:35. Not bad, says Nikki, and my feet. My body is so sore from yesterday’s yoga where I had a great aha! moment that involved really working my arms like I should have been all along from plank to up dog. Anyways, tangent. This run was the longest yet, probably the longest distance I’ve ever run just to run, and my feet did NOT blister over. They instead have callused. I take this as a good sign, despite that all this working out has led me to talk to spinach in my kitchen…

Probably started off like me…

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So we’re on Day 5 over here, and already I am learning about the blessings and curses of a scheduled training plan. So far, running has been fine, but not great and not bad. I’ve improved from Monday to Wednesday, but my blisters are that much more developed. In fact, after running Monday night then Wednesday morning I am giving myself until tomorrow after work to run so I can give my blisters that much more time to heal. We’ll see if it makes a difference…

Monday was running for the first time, which I did at Liz’s gym. This proved beneficial because having someone potentially seeing you run makes you push yourself harder, I find.

Tuesday was a rest day, so I chose to walk for 40 minutes to keep my body moving. This was to Trader Joe’s and back, where I purchased some Brussels for dinner. The walk was good, but I got a little bored, and it was a smidge cold. I think I’ll try to make sure I have a walking partner at least on my weekend walks, and maybe finally upload my Paula Deen book on tape or some podcasts to my iPhone so I can be interested while walking.

Wednesday was my second running day, but I knew I had to run in the morning because Liz and I had yoga that evening. I got up, lugged two bags/outfits to my car, and headed to the gym just before 7:00. 19:29 later, I was done. Shaved thirty seconds off my 1.5 miles, and I am happy to report my best mile time as of late of 12:49. Definitely an improvement. Seeing results so quickly is really great and satisfying, but don’t worry – I’m not getting used to it. The blisters did resurface, however, at full strength, which was nerve-racking as I had to run again on Friday.

Wednesday night it poured, just in time for Liz and I to head to yoga. We arrived soaked, disheveled, and out of place. It’s not that we don’t walk the walk – we came in with our mats, dressed in what could pass for legit yoga gear. We just don’t necessarily talk the talk, if you will. That is to say, when the instructor said, “Now it looks like sitting might not be the most comfortable for some of us, so why don’t you lie down,” I couldn’t look at Liz, for fear of bursting out laughing. Not to mention the point where the man in front of us fell asleep during savasana. There were definitely a few times that I was in tears laughing, holding it in for the sake of not letting Liz lose it. Needless to say, next time we go to yoga it will not be to the “gentle” class. No, L, it’ll be Level 1.

Thursday I spent recooping. It’s holiday hours at work, which means I get off an hour early. I headed down to Bella Bridesmaid to try on my dress for Nikki’s wedding and then headed home for an evening of hanging out with Jeff. A few house hunters and food network later, I’m gearing up for tomorrow’s run. I’ll be headed to the gym after work, then I will be ready for a weekend away from running. Knowing that the weekend requires walking but no running, per say, is a blessing, but the curse lies in a Monday run. But let’s get through Friday, first.