Boo yah!

I ran 4.15 miles this evening. It was pleasant, with many autumn leaves to look at, and I kind of rocked it seeing as how I've only run once since my marathon. It reminded me that I do, in fact, enjoy running. Good to know.

Today I learned two things that made me very happy, one related to my health and one related to my job. Rock on.

It was a good day. Now if only I were a more dedicated blogger... Ha. Details of adventures to follow, as Shawna and I will be attending a Rocky Horror Picture Show event on Friday (with full-on tranny outfits) as well as celebrating Halloween with several beers on Saturday. I'm liking fall so far.

Like an 80-year-old woman...

I went for my first post-marathon run today--it took me exactly three weeks before I felt the urge to run again. Well, I suppose I felt the urge, but feeling like going for a run and mentally convincing myself to go running are different things entirely.

My ipod totally froze, thus the lack of record of said run. But it happened... I ran about three miles, through the lovely fall leaves in the park and up the running trail. I really enjoy living downtown with awesome running locations available just outside my door.

It hurt a little. I'm an old woman, clearly. Perhaps I shouldn't take a three week running vacation anymore?

Now, time to make butternut squash soup.

Rest, rest, glorious rest.

It has been two and a half weeks since I ran the marathon. In that time, I have not run once. I've gone on a tiny hike, and walked places, and cleaned house, and unpacked after moving, and started a new job. But my running shoes remain firmly in the closet, and my ipod still boasts of a last run consisting of 26.3 miles.

I'm okay with this. I'm thinking I might be ready to run again by this weekend, but as of yet I haven't had the urge. Running that much for month after month really had me worn out. Besides training for a marathon (as if that's not enough) I was dealing with heartbreak, career change, trying to figure out where I was going to live, other crap that does not need to be publicized on my little blog, etc. I'm glad I had the marathon to focus on, but right now I am also glad to take a little breather.

Fast forward a couple months after training began: marathon is conquered (hell yeah), I have a new (incredibly handsome and charming) boyfriend that makes me happy, I share an apartment with my good pal Shawna, my new career rocks, and I am happy.

Hell yeah! Now, time for my nap...

I kicked marathon ass.

So... I meant to blog about my marathon on Monday. Then Tuesday. Then Wednesday. And now today! Nothing like procrastination, right?

I started off my weekend by going to dinner at the new boyfriend's house along with my BFF from college (and heterosexual life mate) and her boyfriend. We spent Saturday meandering about Portland and such, and I ate a delicious sandwich full of vegetables. That evening I spent eating carbs with some old pals, and then it was off to bed at an early hour to prepare.

Sunday morning I woke up, and I was cold. Seriously, it was damn cold. I got ready, complete with a bright pink shirt with sparkly skull and crossbones on the front (Shawna picked it out), energy gels down my bra, and fierce marathon face, and we set out.

Pretty much my emotions went something like this during the race:

Mile 1: Oh hell yes, I can run 25.2 more miles.
Mile 3: Britney Spears is lovely.
Mile 7: Am I done yet?
Mile 10: Hell yeah!
Mile 13: Only halfway... really?
Mile 16: Oh hell.
Mile 17: Haha, doughnuts.
Mile 20: Oh my word.
Mile 20.1253425: Shit.
Mile 22: Someone punch me in the face.
Mile 23: Really... punch me.
Mile 25: Almost there! Almost there!
Mile 26.2: HELL YEAH!

At mile 17 my cheering squad met up with me and the boyfriend ran along side me and gave me a bite of a maple bar with bacon on it. Ahhh, Portland.

Other noteworthy events: I saw the guy from my half marathon in April that I chased for 8 miles cause I wanted to beat him. He got faster in our time apart... bastard. Also, I saw someone dressed as Wonder Woman and we should be best friends. At the beginning I met two women who raised money for cancer research because one's 3-year-old son has leukemia. That really put things in perspective for me--yeah, I've had a whirlwind year, but that lady really has problems. I hope that her son is okay, and I'm so impressed that she trained for a marathon while dealing with all that.

Basically, I ran a marathon, and I'm so glad I'm done, and I nearly hurled at the end and my stomach was upset for awhile due to soooo. much. running. I don't think I ever hit a wall like people say you do--I think the whole damn thing is a wall. A wall I kicked down, bitches!

Some pictures:

Marathon: hell yeah!

5:10:48... 26.2 miles... Freak yes, I finished!

Details to follow... I also started a brand new job today and have to watch a movie about the roller derby this evening. I'm a busy woman. And I'm very sore.

Rise and shine.

It is currently 5:36 a.m. I am up to go run a few miles, the last of many that I've run in preparation for this marathon. I can run a marathon, right?

It's very, very dark out there. Damn fall.

Okay, Sunday, bring it on.

Picture this...

So there I am, in all my birthday glory, looking really fabulous in my suit, having a great time with my sister and handsome new boyfriend, and laughing with all my pals. I look particularly lovely and my ass is smaller than normal due to the fact that I'm going to run a marathon on Sunday (vomit--so nervous).

And now, please, imagine having the ex-douchebag boy that created all sorts of havoc in my life in the same bar. I didn't know about this until today, but apparently I got some super awesome secret revenge by ignoring the fact that he was even there. That's probably because I didn't know about it.

Rock. on.

Sleep.

I'm so boring. Seriously. All I do is work, sleep, run, eat, work. And not in that order.

Someday, I'll be a good blogger.

Anything is better with glitter.

I decided to let a new boy stick around for awhile, despite my best intentions and tendency to keep people at arm's length...and he has proceeded to impress me by getting me a birthday card with glitter and cupcakes on it, and enclosing a gift card for coffee.

Clearly the boy knows my priorities.

In two days I will no longer be homeless, and probably Shawna and I will need to decorate the whole house with glitter and loveliness so that I enjoy having a home again (renting a room is not the same).

In four days I will be 25, and that feels very old, but probably only because inside I am 80 years old.

In one week and four days I will be done with a marathon (I hope) and feel very tired and accomplished.

Right now, I am going to take a nap.

Sleeeeeepy.

Exhausting day. Coworker walked out and quit without notice, and I leave as of next week to start my new job (woo!) so I have to figure out how to train two new people as soon as they can get them hired. Yeah.

I was considering ways in which my body has changed throughout marathon training this morning. I have come up with the following:

1. More blisters.
2. More calluses.
3. Suddenly capable of super human feats like running 20 miles.
4. Oddly colored toenails.
5. Increased awareness of muscles that I did not know existed.
6. Appearance super sweet running sock and camel back tan lines.

Things that have not changed:
1. The relative size of my ass.
2. My inexplicable desire to finish a marathon.

Please note that I have officially finished my last double digit run until the marathon itself. Totally pumped. I ran 4 miles this morning and my ipod was as good as new! Amazing what $10 will fix.

Really?

Discovery of the night: my ipod is not broken. My headphones, however, are a problem and cost $10 to replace.

I now hear the sounds of glorious music again.

I really wish I had found this out before I completed a 20 mile run.

Damn.

Weekend.

Things I have accomplished so far this weekend:

1. 12 mile run
2. Bonding time with parents
3. Basset Hound cuddling
4. Quality time with best pals
5. BBQ extravaganza
6. Treasure hunt in the cleaning aisle for mythical cleaning product
7. Garden harvesting
8. Fake birthday celebration (it's next week)
9. Zombie repellent installation
10. Football watching
11. Marathon playlist creating

And to think, it's only Saturday

I would very much like to be running 8 miles right now.

Instead I am sitting at home, eating spaghetti squash with turkey and spinach and tomato sauce (weird and yet delicious combo) and blogging. Totally the same amount of physical exertion.

This is me being smart. This is me knowing that my body needs a break, as my knee was incredibly sore after my 20 mile run and did not like my attempts at running yesterday.

Remember all those other times I ignored super sore parts of my body and ended up injuring the crap out of myself and having to take several weeks off running? This is my attempt at having that not happen. I'm exceptionally frustrated and hate taking breaks and hate resting when I know I should be running 8 miles. In the long run, I think this will be a better idea though.

I can and will run a marathon in two weeks... right?

Ice packs are my friends.

Am I really running a marathon in two and a half weeks?

Really? Where do I come up with these ideas.

I'm off to run 5 miles and then watch the premiere of the Biggest Loser with two pals and their mom. Yes, yes I am that awesome.

Someday I'll write way more on here, I swear. I miss you, blog.

20 miles: all downhill from here!

I am so excited to be done with the 20 mile run. Hello, tapering... 12 miles next weekend sounds like the most glorious thing ever. I have no idea how the full 26.2 will go on October 4, but there's only one way to find out, right?

I was literally out the door yesterday, on my way to run, when I realized my ipod is totally and completely fried. I was also completely exhausted as I had slept on the couch (my sister was over and I didn't want to wake her up while I was up and about on my way to run in the morning, so I made her sleep in my bed). Sleeping on the couch actually meant barely sleeping at all--so I was just so overwhelmed with frustration that I didn't go for my run yesterday. I couldn't face the thought of over 4 hours of running with absolutely nothing but nature to listen to, and for some reason I just decided to give up for the morning and go the next day.

It's all mental, and I am well aware of this. I know that physically I am capable of training for and running this marathon. But my head doesn't always agree with me. Anyway, I ended up sleeping in, and spending extra time with my sister--well worth it. We hiked up the butte next to my house, went to a local beer festival with some pals, and floated down the river. Turns out we're having a sudden heat wave, so it was nice and hot and almost like summer was still around. (At one point while floating we saw a freakish rodent creature that caused me to utter the following: "What the hell is that? Is that a muskrat? If it is, I'm officially terrified of muskrats!")

So. Today I was all by my lonesome with no other plans except for my 20 mile run. I woke up bright and early, ate some breakfast and set out--fried ipod and all. The Nike+ arm band SUCKS, by the way. It's built in such a way that it allowed my sweat to occasionally get into the ipod, and as such has created water damage. Of course, water damage is not covered by the warranty. Super. Oh well, it's gotten me through a half marathon and almost all of my marathon training so I suppose that'll have to do. Anyway, it's doing this awesome thing where I can only hear music and background vocals, and sometimes the faint hint of the actual vocals in the song.

Want to know what hell is like? It's a 20 mile run, during a heat wave, with ridiculous sunlight beating down on you, with nothing to listen to except music with no words. Try listening to a Britney Spears song like that sometime--it's music with just a lot of "oooh, ahhh, ohhh" added in. Around mile 17 I started to become slightly insane and thus found the amusement in this situation. Yeah, ipod, you can just suck it.

Anyway, about this mental thing--I'm doing this to myself. I'm frustrating myself, and worrying myself, and putting too much pressure on myself. When I first started out this morning I had terrible stomach cramps (something wasn't sitting right, who knows what...), and I felt sooooo slow. Around mile 2 I stopped to walk and almost cried with frustration because I feel like I'm not living up to the standard I have set for myself. I kept running anyway, and sang Kelly Clarkson songs to myself (since I couldn't hear her doing it), and eventually realized how ridiculous I am. Yes, I was super slow today. Yes, it was like when I only first started running and ran at the pace of a chubby turtle. But by the time I was done I realized that doesn't matter to me--all that matters is that I completed 20 miles, and did so to the best of my ability, and it was greuling and crazy and all I care about is finishing.

I'm nearly certain that I'm not even going to use my Nike+ during the marathon--I need to stop worrying about time. My goal is to finish.

Freakishly early

It's 5:33 a.m. on a Saturday. I've been awake for approximately 45 minutes and in just a bit will be departing on a 20 mile run.

What the f is wrong with me? Saturday mornings are for sleeping. Clearly, my brain does not like to remember that.

Ah, well, there's always nap time.

The good news is that this is the longest run I will (hopefully) complete before the marathon on October 4. Here is what the remainder of my training schedule looks like:

Week 16 (next week)
Mon: 5 miles
Tues: 8 miles
Thurs: 4 miles
Sat: 12 miles

Week 17:
Mon: 4 miles
Tues: 6 miles
Thurs: 3 miles
Sat: 8 miles

Week 18:
Mon: 4 miles
Tues: 3 miles
Thurs: 2 miles

Oh, week 18, how I long for thee... This is going to be worth, it, right?

A lovely evening...

So my plans for the evening originally included running 5 miles, hanging out at home, and going to sleep. They ended up evolving into way better versions of the same activities!

My younger sister didn't have weekend plans, so she drove over to hang out with me! I went for a five mile run while she rode my bicycle and kept me company (and took pictures of me looking hardcore)... please note:





I think I look more ridiculous than hardcore, possibly because each time I saw her with the camera I tried to make my ponytail look particularly bouncy.

Then we came home, ate chicken-veggie enchiladas that I made for us, and are sitting here watching a cheesy movie. Hello, Friday! :)

Big plans for tomorrow: 20 mile run, possible river float, and a short (and hopefully relatively painless after my run) hike with the sister. Happy weekend!

10 miles of suck.

I think I actually went 12 miles tonight, I really do. My damn ipod froze again (I forgot to saran wrap it, so it was my own fault) and unless I ran freakishly slow I ran a lot more than it said I did. I really thought I learned my lesson last week, but apparently not.

Other lessons I apparently have not learned:
1. Do not drink beer with Shawna the night before a 10 mile run.
2. Do not get a late start so that while running the darkness prevails and one must use an ipod as a flashlight.
3. Do not run without saran wrapping ipod, as it will lead to a lack of music for 1.5 hours and that is really boring.
4. Do not eat junk food the day before a long run. Do not eat junk food, period, as it makes a person feel like junk.

I learned them this time. No, really, I mean it.

18 miles: the day of mean old women

I was three miles into my run yesterday when a woman stopped her car and began screaming at me that it was hard to see me at that time of day. She was pissed. My theory is that she was also crazy--the thing of it is that I felt I was perfectly easy to see. Granted, it was just barely daylight and hard to see anything. But I was wearing a white shirt, had a reflective Camelbak strapped to me, my dorky reflective triangle thingy strapped around my waist, and was on the opposite side of the road and really far off to the side in the gravel next to the ditch. Pair all that with my ipod strapped to my arm and I looked like a reflective space alien from Planet Safety. What more did the biotch want? A spotlight shining over me? I considered saying, "Maybe it's because you're 90 and should have your license taken away" but that seemed inappropriate.

Around mile 14 two elderly women pulled over and asked for directions to the Catholic retreat. Mind you, I was in the middle of the desert, no church in sight, and am distinctly not Catholic. I finally figured out that they needed to go to a church in a tiny town nearby and sent them on their way. They were exceptionally cranky that I wasn't their personal tour guide and didn't know where their retreat was, and it wasn't until they were long gone that I realized I sent them the wrong way. Oops. They totally had it coming, I'm pretty sure. Also, they interrupted a lovely interlude whereupon I was belting out "Don't Stop Believing." Yes, sometimes I sing while I run. It probably uses too much oxygen, but it's crazy entertaining when you're in the middle of an empty desert and have been running for hours.

(Several men in suits also asked where the Catholic retreat was. Eventually people would slow down and roll down their windows and I would yell, "Catholic retreat? Turn right on the next road and it'll take you right there." Those Catholic people definitely need to invest in some signs.)

There also appeared to be sort of a Steven King-esque theme to my run. Holy roadkill. I'd be bouncing along, rocking out to Journey, and BAM! Dead bunny. Kind of unpleasant. But it definitely kept me on my toes...

All in all, it was a perfectly pleasant 18-mile run...one of my favorite runs in awhile. I think something is seriously wrong with my mental state when I use the phrases "18-mile run" and "perfectly pleasant" in the same sentence. Regardless, it was nice. It was cloudy and cool outside and it gave me lots of time to think. It took me a ridiculous amount of time, but at least it boosted my confidence a little that I might finish this marathon after all.

I followed my 18 mile run with a lunchtime margarita with the sister (blackberry!) and a trip to the auto parts store. We proved our mechanical abilities by replacing a headlight bulb all on our own. What's up, female independence?

Then I hike--four miles, uphill both ways, up the side of a mountain. I also peed in the woods, in a little nook of the forest. I'm so rugged. Please observe how outdoorsy I look:



All of this was followed by the most awkward dining experience ever. Clearly, this was not my day with old women. I was sitting in a booth, eating Chinese food and talking to a boy, and an elderly woman was seated a table near us with her back to us. I'm mid-bite into a piece of lemon chicken... and she totally lifted a cheek and let her flatulence problem be known to the entire room. The woman casually went back to eating, and her daughter acted as if nothing had happened. I, meanwhile, started laughing so hard I thought chicken was going to come out of my nose and said, "Did that just happen?" Yes, I'm a 12-year-old boy.

So. 18 miles, crazy old women, hiking, margaritas. Good weekend.

18 miles: yeah I did.

I have many interesting tales from my 18 mile run today (it was a freakishly long event in my life) but they will have to wait--I have a margarita date with my sister and I'm extremely behind. Gotta hit the road!

But look, here is proof... See that big dip? That's called a huge hill kicking my ass:



Consider this my blog post of the day that essentially tells you that I don't have anything to post. You're welcome. Recap of my 18 miles to follow tomorrow.