Why?

Hi there.

I am trying to get out for a run. But I don't wanna. I am trying to talk myself into it while wanting to talk myself out of it. This is psychotic behavior. I am suited up and I think ready to go...just need to decide what to listen to out there.

I think I am going to listen to Cake to get me fired up. Then some Britney/Toxic if that doesn't work.

God save us all.

And the rain begins...

I was waiting for this...for the forecast to change for the worst and now it has happened! I did manage to get in another run in the good weather last night but from here on out it is going to be a wet season.

Wednesday run - 5.5 miles @ 8:27 pace

I meant to go 6, but I guess that didn't happen. The run felt okay, at times I looked down at my garmin to see my pace was over 9:00 which was disconcerting, but I guess I was actually going faster than that. Then I did yoga again at the gym, it was better than Monday's class (dif instructor), but still kind of whatever. Doing all of these warrior/chair poses while my quads are (still) sore is not my idea of fun, but I think overall it stretched me out.

And now I can say I've achieved my weekly goal of doing yoga twice! 100%! And I'm about halfway to my weekly goal of running 20 miles. Plans for this weekend include going on a hike near Mt Hood (unless it is absolutely pouring), doing some more running and some other fun stuff that isn't worth mentioning. Binge drinking is not a part of this weekend's plan, however.

I think I've done a pretty decent job in October. This was my first month getting back into the groove of working out and starting to eat well. I can't necessarily say I'm 10 pounds lighter or going to try out for the Olympics, but I do feel better in general. I'm sleeping better, not hung up about eating poorly and getting my muscles ready for some good action in 2009. I am going to 31 a week from today and really don't like feeling old around this time of year.

(Future thoughts to be documented at a later date: hiring a running coach and buying a 12'+ xmas tree.)

Two For Tuesdee?

Above pictures of some racing goal I had in high school for my half mile. I think I beat both of these, but I could never break a damn 2:30 half...so disappointing.

~~~~~

Since last Tuesdeee these are the only runs I've done:

Last Wednesday: 7.46 miles @ 8:41 average pace
Sunday: 4 muscle tearing miles downhill @ who knows what pace
Monday: 3.92 miles @ 8:48 avg pace

My quads are still torn to PIECES - I can't believe this. I don't know how these trail runners do it. Speaking of which...I met a friend who is into trail running and started a group in the area. I'm on their email list but these people are ridicks. They're going like minimum 15 miles at least twice a week and this includes massive elevation. Imagine your the toughest hike you've gone on...now imagine running it. What is wrong with these people? Of course I am a whore and want to be just like them. First I need to build up my mileage then start doing squats so I don't look like a fool. We'll see if it ever pans out but wouldn't it be cool to be a trail runner? Not to actually do it, but to say that you do it and walk around all muddy, sweaty and hot-looking? I do!

Back to reality, after last night's simple run I went to my gym for a yoga session. It was definitely lacking in the spiritual side, which is totally fine, but I was hoping it'd be more intense physically. It was okay, but I think I'd rather bust my ass in a bikram class and walk out feeling like a raisin.

I was hoping that writing this would make me inspired to go running, but all I want to do is make dinner and watch MSNBC. I suck.

At least I am 1/5 of the way to my weekly running goal and 1/2 of the way to my weekly yoga goal.

Whine Country and New Goals

Here's where I was this weekend:


Beautiful, no? Yes, but wine country = wine = drunk = nothing good! I did manage to do a 7.5 mile hike yesterday that was quite challenging and ran the entire way back down the mtn (3.8 miles). My quads are killing me today but I am planning to leave here in a moment to run and catch the last of the day's sun, then go to yoga at my gym. I don't know how good it will be, but we'll see.
My goal is to set a new goal this week:

1. Run 20 miles
2. Go to yoga twice
3. Do some form of cross training (spin, hiking, swimming, etc.)
4. Everything in moderation

Oh yeah - and VOTE!

Here are some more pics to quell your interest:


Recognize these folks?

Capillary Development

That's capillary with the emFAsis on the PIL. Not CAPillary, but caPILLary development. Say it now.

Our cross country coach used to say this was the phase of our training where we were getting in shape, simply putting in miles to develop ones capillaries. I think the idea was that the more one built their network of capillaries the easier it is to turn blood over from the arteries (red ones) to the veins (blue ones), pushing blood through the body more efficiently. It is either that or this asshole was just a pervert.

Anywho, this is what I've been striving for lately, getting back in the groove. This week's goal is to run 25 miles total. In two consecutive days I ran almost 15 miles, which is really good for me right now. I took yesterday off and ate pizza and drank beer. Then today I ate the leftover pizza for lunch. I am bummed out because I lost my master list of all things important. I finally schlepped together all of the random lists that I had going and wrote them down in six pages categorized by topic. And now it is all gone, along with all the lists from which I created it. It shouldn't be that big of a deal, but I've come to rely greatly on my lists - when I write it down the burden is released from my mind and I have to rely on my list. The result right now is that I feel hopeless - I think I was planning on running today but I can't remember.

If you see me wandering around Portland, please do me a favor and give me bus fare and tell me to put my pants back on.

Have a great weekend!

I got tiggity-tagged by AAMGA!

10 years ago:
1. On the 1st day of that year I attended the Rose Bowl and watched my team go undefeated and win the national championship.
2. Got dumped really bigtime.
3. Was given legal rights to drink alcohol!
4. Had a really really rough year and am so happy it has been a decade since its passed.
5. Lived in a basement.

5 things on today's to do list:
1. Take vitamins (done!)
2. Meet Jen at the farmer's market for lunch (done!)
3. Document my new goal of setting a new goal each week (that I just wrote it down means DONE!)
4. Test out my zip car tonight!
5. Go running (not done)

5 Things that I would do if I were a millionaire (I'm changing this to billionaire):
1. Invest in real estate
2. Open a vintage "stuff" store and spend weeks at a time on buying trips with my sister
3. Pilates
4. Feed the poor
5. Pay to hang out with Adam Duritz

5 Places I have lived:
1. Madison, WI
2. Washington, DC
3. Ann Arbor, MI
4. Rarotonga, Cook Islands
5. Portland, OR!

5 Jobs:
1. Hot air balloon crew member
2. Wedding/event pianist
3. Bus boy at Dominick's in A2
4. College apartment/house rental cleaner
5. IT guy


I tag Maritza, Jen and anyone else that is bored today!

Run Accomplished!

Well, I did it. I dragged my lazy ass on out and did 7+ miles - yay! It is a beautiful day out and once I got out there it felt really good. The first 0.6 miles was running (literally) errands (dropoff at library, pick up ZipCard), then I hit the waterfront and got serious. I pushed it a little harder than normal both because my legs were fresh and why not? I always get nervous about going a little faster, when really, if I get tired there is an easy fix - slow down! It isn't rocket science, just a little mental block that I need to get over. So, I am happy w/the results:

1 = 8:23
2 = 7:45
3 = 8:03
4 = 8:32
5 = 8:17
6 = 7:57
7 = 8:01
.07 = 7:37
Avg = 8:08

I really didn't have to stop at all, just slowed down if I felt like I was getting too hyperventily. I feel worked out! Now, on to my 1st night of yoga to stretch it all out!

Peace,
eed

Faulpez! Schloffmuetzer!

My dad used to yell this at me in a German accent when I wouldn't wake up. Apparently this is the equivalent of calling someone a lazy bones or sleepyhead.

I AM SO LAZY.

I hate that I've taken three days off and working on four if I don't remove my ass from this chair. It has been cold in the apt from which I work and it makes me not want to go anywhere. Why would I when I can see the whole city from my window?

To jerk myself out of this I googled motivational quotes, let me share a few with you:


Quote:
The concept of total wellness recognizes that our every thought, word, and behavior affects our greater health and well-being. And we, in turn, are affected not only emotionally but also physically and spiritually.
Author:
Greg Anderson


Quote:
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
Author:
Aristotle


Quote:
Don't make excuses--make good.
Author:
Elbert Hubbard


Quote:
The cure for grief is motion.
Author:
Elbert Hubbard


Quote:
We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.
Author:
Frank Tibolt


Quote:
Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain.
Author:
Ralph Waldo Emerson


Quote:
Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live.
Author:
Ralph Waldo Emerson


Quote:
Sometimes we become locked into a short-term pattern of reacting to immediate needs and missing the long-term benefits of positioning ourselves to deal with more important life issues and priorities.
Author:
Eric Allenbaugh


Quote:
Progress is the activity of today and the assurance of tomorrow.
Author:
Ralph Waldo Emerson


Quote:
He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence.
Author:
William Blake

Blah blah blah...I gotta get outta here.

Marathon Maritza

a. Is way cooler than Mariska Hargitay.
b. Is one of the most intelligent people I know and translates that into wit, humor and kindness.
c. Is not a slut or a biotech.
d. Is going to ROWHCO at the Nike marathon tomorrow!!!!!!
e. All of the above

Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! Por supuesto. Good luck tomorrow kiddo - you are going to have a wonderful day.

Love,
Your ex-officemate and blogging mentee

On The Ball

Header is in reference to the ball I've begun using as a desk chair in my oficina. I'll have a six pack by next week.

I ran a bunch this week and I'm really proud of it! I've also been really cognizant about what I'm eating and doing a good job with that too. Except we had a friend in from out of town last night which meant copious amounts of alcohol. I had an entire pitcher of Hammerhead Ale from McMenamin's, then at few glasses of wine. This all makes for a zenlike morning for me. At least I had salad for dinner and didn't partake in dinner #2 that all the boys had at 1 a.m. (Why do they do that? How can they do that?) I sat there and watched them eat and then distributed aid to a guy at the restaurant that had an apparent heart attack while we waited for the ambulance. I'm not kidding. I was drunk off my fanny, and suggested we do CPR. Then I realized the guy was conscious and that was not necessary, which ended up being hilarious in hindsight. Honestly I was the only person taking any sort of action! The waitstaff had called the ambulance but the people they was having dinner with were all very nonchalant, drinking their wine and acting like they didn't know him. The fucker was laid out on the ground and no one was down there with him!!! Anyway, I didn't save any lives, but I at least felt like I helped the guy out a bit.

Drama!

So, I probably had enough calories in this morning's breakfast to negate all of the good stuff I did this past week but here's the report:

Mon - nada
Tues - 6.7 @ 8:19
Wed - 4.8 @ 8:21
Th - 3.88 @ 9:51
Fri - 8.13 @ 8:36
Weekly total = 22.79

Here is what my running log looks like:

So I may put in some more miles tomorrow, but definitely not today. All of these runs were even keel, Thursday's was a leisurely run through some neighborhoods, crowded sidewalks and a lot of stops & some hills at the end. Friday was longer than I wanted and by the end I was really sore. I rounded that run out w/a lifting session at the gym, all upper body, then I ran home.

I'm sore.

PS - learn CPR!!!
PPS - here's kind of what the night looked like....

Work/Life Balance

I mentioned that I am a nerd with spreadsheets, so I'd like to share a little tool I've used to analyze where I spend my time and to redistribute as necessary when I'm not feeling balanced. It is a work in progress, but I can share it w/you if you leave your email address in the comment*. I can't figure out how to upload a document to blogger (anyone know?).

Do you have any tools like this? What is your current w/l balance and what is your desired w/l balance?

*Disclaimer: I am not an expert at excel or work/life balance, so don't take anything too seriously.

Few Times I've Been Around That Track

...and its not just gonna have been like that...

I'm dreadfully posting another picture that make you think twice about my sanity. Every kid likes to be a ham, but what the hell? Why did I pose like this and who allowed me to do so. This was from the 1992 track photo shoot (my freshmen year of h.s.). As you can see I really was the tiny one - no chest and more legs than I have today.

This has to be the most ridiculous school sponsored photo taken to date. Great composition with the hospital in the background too.

So....back to present day.

I went running a little while ago and it finally felt absolutely GREAT. I ended up going 6.7 miles because I wanted to make up for the threee day hangover vacation I took and because it was one of those days that you wanted to keep going. (RE: hangover...I'm too old for this. I was literally incapacitated on Sunday, then yesterday was still dehydrated and felt like crap. I hate it!)

So, the stats on today's run:

Mile 1 = 7:34 (understandable, this is downhill)
Mile 2 = 8:19
Mile 3 = 8:36
Mile 4 = 8:54 (don't know why I slowed so much here)
Mile 5 = 8:30
Mile 6 = 8:13 (I intentionally tried to hit a neg. split)
Last 0.7 = 8:04 (I stopped at mile 6, stretched for 15 minutes, then ran this bit home, uphill, but I must have had more energy left after stopping)
TOTAL MILES = 6.7 @ 8:19 pace

Anywhoo - I am pleased with the way this turned out and how I felt. I felt really good. Weather outside is perfect - low 60s and sunny.

I wanted to add in last week's speed because I forgot:

M = 3.5 miles @ unknown pace, my Garmin died
T = 0.0 miles
W = 3.6 miles @ 7:58 (I intentionally went fast & it kinda sucked)
Th = 3.6 miles @ 8:55 (I intentionally went slow & it was a breeze)
F = 3.99 miles @ 8:28 (I think Goldilocks/Stella found her groove)

If you're in Portland, go out there and tear up the Springwater Corridor...there's something in the air today that is working...

Good Old Days

I have been running for a long long time. I scrapped these photos from the glory days back at T.L. Handy Intermediate and Bay City Central High School for your viewing plaisure. I took pictures of these pictures while I was visiting home (Michigan) this year. It is kind of taking me a while so I'll spread these out across posts.

Have fun!


This puts us in 8th grade, so Spring of 1991. The quality here is horrible, but you can still distinguish the big hair - I am 2nd from the left in the 2nd row. Our shirts said "No Speed Limit" - because that's just how we rolled. I think we were the Wildcats. Our head coach was Jolie Doty and that guy was her boyfriend. They were only like 22 years old at the time but they seemed so old and awesome. I ran everything from the 100 m dash to hurdles to the 800. Our schools consolidated the year prior so we had inherited this awesome facility that used to be the high school's. The track was great, the pool was great too. I swam this year too but haven't found any pics.

Beginning of the End?

My recap of my first M-F push is as follows:

M = 3.5 miles
T = 0.0 miles
W = 3.6 miles
Th = 3.6 miles
F = 3.99 miles


Every day I ran the same route. As boring as that may sound I actually like the routine, being the same spot and comparing it to how I felt yesterday or the day before at the same time. I'm sure I'll get bored with this eventually.

As this is my first real week getting my shit together, I spent a decent amount of time formulating plans and charts and graphs to forecast and track actuals. It is really nerdy and embarrassing and dorky and exciting all at once. Screen shots to follow in the next few days!

I'm taking today off and leaving in a minute to join Jen and Zach for happy hour. Jen did 17 miles today so I suppose deserves the gorgonzola fries more than me!

I wish I was going to be America's Next Top Model...instead I'm in the running to become America's Next Plus-Sized Model.

White People Like Marathons

This entire site is hilarious, but the following article is very appropriate for this forum:

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/26/27-marathons/

Which reminds me, I still need to order pics from last year's race....

Randomness...

Just like McCain did to Palin, like Obama did to Biden, and then Jim to Pam....I GOT TAGGED.

6 random things about misself:

1. I f'ing ROCK.

2. I used to be a bus driver.

3. I collect junk and love any thrift store, garage sale, flea market I can find.

4. I work from home which means I'm stealing company time all day long. And I talk to myself too.

5. I'm crazy.

6. I was the runner up pick as the actor-double to the little possessed girl in Poltergeist III. I was 10 and devastated when my almost brush with Hollywood (in Chicago) was stolen right away from me! I did get asked back months later to "sit in" which meant that my mom and I wandered around the set and talked with actors all day. It was *awesome*!

I would tag someone else except I know that no one reads this. How sad, huh?

Love,

Emily

Nolte Fever

God love my mom for sending me links to Nick Nolte stories. Did you hear that his house recently caught fire? Need the scoop....check it out here: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b32877_nolte_house_fire_what_hell_happened.html

I am fascinated with Nick Nolte. I do not understand how he could go from the sexiext man alive to this:

I never had much of an opinion on the guy until I saw this 20/20 episode that followed him around for a day and highlighted his health regimen. There he was on screen, a frazzled mess with a daily routine of downing 150 horse pill vitamins and testing his own blood. WTF?

Be well, Nick...be well.

Oh Crap

Here we go again! Inspired by a fantastic race yesterday I signed up today for next year's Portland marathon! 2009 baby! I know that Maritza and Jen are doing this too so I am really excited to have a crew to track training with.

I met up with Josh at miles 8, 10 (8 and 10 are the same place, after a turnaround), 13 and 21. He'd prepared 4 disposable bottles of HEED powder for me to hand to him at these spots and he says they were the trick in his not cramping up. I am amazed and so proud of how well he did, as I drove from mile 21 back to the finish I got all choked up, overcome with emotion. Totally cheeseball but that's what these things are all about. I found out later that he was doing the same thing after I left him at 21. (He doesn't know about or read this blog, so I'm not worried about embarrassing the poor guy now...)

I went for a quick run today but the damn Garmin failed me and batteries died right away. Not really sure how far I went but I think about 3.5 miles. The weather is just perfect right now for running....low 60s/high 50s and cool/fallish.

(Side note: I am not really in the market for a baby right now but I'd like to give him/her the middle name "Bacon", like Perry Bacon from the Washington Post. I absolutely needed to get that out there.)

For the legions of people who lay their eyes on this site - I must advertise that I get an awesome discount on Garmin products through my employer. Let me know if you're interested and I'll work it out for you! I've already done this for 2 friends and saved them good $$.

Peace.