Ran this morning 3.8 miles in 40 minutes. Felt good. Felt not-splinty. Felt like I could have kept going if I had the time.
So I think I'm going running with Billy again tomorrow after work. That'll be another short but ass-kicking run, I'm sure, so I'll try to run Friday for 40ish minutes again. Then take Sat and Sun off, run Monday 40 minutes before the big day on Thursday. I can't believe my first 5 miler is only about a week away!!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Rest in Kitty Peace, Sugar
When I woke up yesterday morning, I had 3 cats. One may have been old and her ass may have been drunk, but she was there, and she was doing fine. By the end of the day she was gone and buried.
Sugar was a small (7lbish) siamese mix cat. She died near her 17th birthday. She was a Christmas present to me in 1990. Best Christmas present ever. I remember that Mom and Dad and I went out to this lady's house (who I forever after nicknamed The Cat Lady). She had tons of cats. She brought out this one tiny little siamese kitten and asked if we wouldn't mind taking this specific one, because she was the runt. We took her. I remember her getting all carsick on the way home - nastiness coming out of both ends, and how we joked about how much nasty smelling stuff could possibly come out of such a tiny cute little kitten. She quickly discovered that her favorite spot was curled up just below my right ear once we got home, and she purred like a motorboat. The white parts of her siamese-ness were so pure white that my 9-year-old self named her Sugar. She was polydactyl, meaning that she had an extra toe on each of her front paws, so we called her Sugar Mittens. She also loved laying in front of the fire. Soon enough she discovered that older people are stiller and quieter than young ones, and attached herself to my Mom. When she was about 3 years old, she got out of the house and was gone for about 2 weeks. It must have been Spring or Fall, because we were sleeping with the windows open and Dad woke up in the middle of the night to hear her crying. He followed the sound down the street and found her in front of the elementary school. He brought her home. She must have been drinking out of people's hoses, because after that she always preferred to drink her water dripping out of the sink. It really wasn't surprising that she could wake Dad up with her cry in the middle of the night, because boy, did that cat ever have a set of lungs. I once had an apartment neighbor tell me that she always knew when I left town for the weekend because she heard the cat crying. Sugar followed me to college at the end of my junior year when my roommate had moved out. That is when I will tell you that she saved my life, just by being there and being dependent on me. I actually told Mom that I'd only take her on a trial basis, because I knew she was more Mom's cat than mine, and I thought she'd be really happier with Mom. But she adjusted well, and even seemed to become attached to me, and we lived 5 years together happily after that. She was never an overly friendly cat, to the point that Preston and I nicknamed her "Old Biddy" in the past year or so, but she and I had an understanding. I would provide the food, water, and petting when she arrived on my lap, and she would arrive on my lap at least once per day. That was our arrangement, and it worked for us. She'd even show up specifically at times when I was stressed out, as if she knew that a purring kitty was just what I needed. I'll never forget how much she helped me in that way one miserable junior high piano recital day. We've had a couple of scares in recent years. In 2004 when I was in Denton, she was facing off with another cat on the other side of the window when she became entangled in the pull cord for the blinds and practically hung herself from her abdomen. I rescued her, but not before she sunk her teeth into my wrist in fear. That little puncture wound got terrible infected, one of the most painful happenings in my life, but I was just so glad that Sugar was unharmed. More recently, back in January when her ass got wobbly, I thought we were near the end. But she coped with her wobbliness really very well - so well that I was really quite startled when I found her paralyzed yesterday. And even more recently she escaped for a final time while I was away getting married. I though surely I'd lost her for good and was wracked with guilt, but 4 days later Preston found her a mere 5 houses down the street, seemingly no worse for wear. She lived in 7 places. Had 5 seperate kitty companions, all of which she tolerated and hated equally. I will miss her terribly. I'll miss her yowling every night when Preston and I are trying to watch tv. I'll miss having to lead into the house with my foot because she's trying to escape as usual past any unwitting human coming into the house. Most of all I'll miss getting out of the shower and laying down on the bed and having her arrive for her attention without fail, because she loved clean humans. I'll miss her crawling up me and sticking her nose against my lips for me to blow gently on, and I'll miss the motorboat purring that never ran out of gas.
I may not believe in God or heaven for myself, but I hope that there is a kitty heaven, and I hope she is outdoors in it where she always wanted to be, playing like she was young and napping in sunny spots, and finding someone's lap to purr in and be petted in, but only when she wants to. She was a good cat. We had an understanding. I loved her, and I will miss her.
Sugar was a small (7lbish) siamese mix cat. She died near her 17th birthday. She was a Christmas present to me in 1990. Best Christmas present ever. I remember that Mom and Dad and I went out to this lady's house (who I forever after nicknamed The Cat Lady). She had tons of cats. She brought out this one tiny little siamese kitten and asked if we wouldn't mind taking this specific one, because she was the runt. We took her. I remember her getting all carsick on the way home - nastiness coming out of both ends, and how we joked about how much nasty smelling stuff could possibly come out of such a tiny cute little kitten. She quickly discovered that her favorite spot was curled up just below my right ear once we got home, and she purred like a motorboat. The white parts of her siamese-ness were so pure white that my 9-year-old self named her Sugar. She was polydactyl, meaning that she had an extra toe on each of her front paws, so we called her Sugar Mittens. She also loved laying in front of the fire. Soon enough she discovered that older people are stiller and quieter than young ones, and attached herself to my Mom. When she was about 3 years old, she got out of the house and was gone for about 2 weeks. It must have been Spring or Fall, because we were sleeping with the windows open and Dad woke up in the middle of the night to hear her crying. He followed the sound down the street and found her in front of the elementary school. He brought her home. She must have been drinking out of people's hoses, because after that she always preferred to drink her water dripping out of the sink. It really wasn't surprising that she could wake Dad up with her cry in the middle of the night, because boy, did that cat ever have a set of lungs. I once had an apartment neighbor tell me that she always knew when I left town for the weekend because she heard the cat crying. Sugar followed me to college at the end of my junior year when my roommate had moved out. That is when I will tell you that she saved my life, just by being there and being dependent on me. I actually told Mom that I'd only take her on a trial basis, because I knew she was more Mom's cat than mine, and I thought she'd be really happier with Mom. But she adjusted well, and even seemed to become attached to me, and we lived 5 years together happily after that. She was never an overly friendly cat, to the point that Preston and I nicknamed her "Old Biddy" in the past year or so, but she and I had an understanding. I would provide the food, water, and petting when she arrived on my lap, and she would arrive on my lap at least once per day. That was our arrangement, and it worked for us. She'd even show up specifically at times when I was stressed out, as if she knew that a purring kitty was just what I needed. I'll never forget how much she helped me in that way one miserable junior high piano recital day. We've had a couple of scares in recent years. In 2004 when I was in Denton, she was facing off with another cat on the other side of the window when she became entangled in the pull cord for the blinds and practically hung herself from her abdomen. I rescued her, but not before she sunk her teeth into my wrist in fear. That little puncture wound got terrible infected, one of the most painful happenings in my life, but I was just so glad that Sugar was unharmed. More recently, back in January when her ass got wobbly, I thought we were near the end. But she coped with her wobbliness really very well - so well that I was really quite startled when I found her paralyzed yesterday. And even more recently she escaped for a final time while I was away getting married. I though surely I'd lost her for good and was wracked with guilt, but 4 days later Preston found her a mere 5 houses down the street, seemingly no worse for wear. She lived in 7 places. Had 5 seperate kitty companions, all of which she tolerated and hated equally. I will miss her terribly. I'll miss her yowling every night when Preston and I are trying to watch tv. I'll miss having to lead into the house with my foot because she's trying to escape as usual past any unwitting human coming into the house. Most of all I'll miss getting out of the shower and laying down on the bed and having her arrive for her attention without fail, because she loved clean humans. I'll miss her crawling up me and sticking her nose against my lips for me to blow gently on, and I'll miss the motorboat purring that never ran out of gas.
I may not believe in God or heaven for myself, but I hope that there is a kitty heaven, and I hope she is outdoors in it where she always wanted to be, playing like she was young and napping in sunny spots, and finding someone's lap to purr in and be petted in, but only when she wants to. She was a good cat. We had an understanding. I loved her, and I will miss her.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Running with a Buddy
Yesterday I went for a run with a buddy of mine from work.
I learned something: running with someone is very different from running alone. For me, much harder (though it probably didn't help that we had selected a hilly route - AP). Well, make that several somethings that I learned, because I also learned that conversation pace is slower (or slower feeling) than I normally go.
He ran me so hard that I had to stop to walk twice (twice!!) in a 30 minute run.
But I'm taking it as a challenge. As long as I didn't run him off with my slowness, I'm so going to keep doing this 'til I stop sucking at it. It'll also be like finally starting some speedwork/hill training, which I've been meaning to do anyways.
Afterwards, Preston and I went over to the Museum of Natural Science to see Lucy. Wow, Lucy.
I learned something: running with someone is very different from running alone. For me, much harder (though it probably didn't help that we had selected a hilly route - AP). Well, make that several somethings that I learned, because I also learned that conversation pace is slower (or slower feeling) than I normally go.
He ran me so hard that I had to stop to walk twice (twice!!) in a 30 minute run.
But I'm taking it as a challenge. As long as I didn't run him off with my slowness, I'm so going to keep doing this 'til I stop sucking at it. It'll also be like finally starting some speedwork/hill training, which I've been meaning to do anyways.
Afterwards, Preston and I went over to the Museum of Natural Science to see Lucy. Wow, Lucy.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Do you smell something fishy?
I take a fish-oil liquid cap every morning for cholesterol-happy-hunting. For some inexplicable reason, I like to play with the pill first. Well, not totally inexplicable. The pill is really big, and when cold, lodges in my throat sometimes. So I kind of roll it around in my hands and squeeze it a bit to soften it up before I swallow.Yesterday morning it burst. Oh yes. At my desk at work. The damage was mostly limited to my hands. I immediately got up to go wash them, but after countless washings yesterday and two showers, my hands STILL smell fishy.
Moral of the story? Just like mom always told you: don't play with your "food".
Another 40 minute run for 3.6 miles this morning. Stopped to stretch calves/shins once in the first mile.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
My Purple Shirt and a Compliment
Last week I got out one of my favorite shirts that had been sequestered in my closet because I (read here: the girls) had gotten too big for it and it was gaping in the front when I sat. It is this lovely deep purple shirt (almost black) that I brought on a whim for too much money back when I still did stuff like that (read: pre-mortgage). I love that shirt. It is also the only shirt I have that accomodates my amethyst necklace (won in a work auction for $15) and earrings (X-mas present from hubby last year to go with the necklace) well.
The purple shirt is too big. You read it right. The formerly gaping bra revealing shirt is now *too big*. WTF?? It looks like it freaking swallowed me. Hangs limply all over me, hiding everything about my upper body. Waaaaaaay too big. I guess I'm making progress after all. RIP, purple shirt. Hope someone at the Goodwill loves you as much as I did.
On Thursday when I was leaving work, my purple shirt joy was re-inforced. I was headed to the 5K, and a woman who I work with asked if I was going to the gym. I said no, to a 5K for a short run. Then she said that she had noticed last week in a meeting we were in that she thought I was losing weight. I said yep, almost 20 pounds. 20 pounds!!! She seemed totally shocked. Then she started backtracking to make sure she hadn't offended me.
I'm never offended. If you can tell I lost weight and you think I look good, bring the compliments on!!! You may just give me the impetus I need to get over a hump. I swear I'll never think you were implying that I was fat before. ;-) Because I know I wasn't. And I actually think it is cool that no one realized I had that much weight to lose. Who knew that my body could hide it so well?? Well, good for my body, but let's not go back there, m'kay? 6 pounds to go (yes, I'm currently stalled - have been for almost a month, but at least it is holding steady). 6 pounds to go!!
The purple shirt is too big. You read it right. The formerly gaping bra revealing shirt is now *too big*. WTF?? It looks like it freaking swallowed me. Hangs limply all over me, hiding everything about my upper body. Waaaaaaay too big. I guess I'm making progress after all. RIP, purple shirt. Hope someone at the Goodwill loves you as much as I did.
On Thursday when I was leaving work, my purple shirt joy was re-inforced. I was headed to the 5K, and a woman who I work with asked if I was going to the gym. I said no, to a 5K for a short run. Then she said that she had noticed last week in a meeting we were in that she thought I was losing weight. I said yep, almost 20 pounds. 20 pounds!!! She seemed totally shocked. Then she started backtracking to make sure she hadn't offended me.
I'm never offended. If you can tell I lost weight and you think I look good, bring the compliments on!!! You may just give me the impetus I need to get over a hump. I swear I'll never think you were implying that I was fat before. ;-) Because I know I wasn't. And I actually think it is cool that no one realized I had that much weight to lose. Who knew that my body could hide it so well?? Well, good for my body, but let's not go back there, m'kay? 6 pounds to go (yes, I'm currently stalled - have been for almost a month, but at least it is holding steady). 6 pounds to go!!
Monday, November 5, 2007
4 Mile Fun Run - Opted Out
The Optimists' Club 4 Mile Fun Run down in Sugarland was on my schedule for Sunday, but I opted out after a going away party for a work friend went to almost midnight. Preston justified it for me. There'll be lots of runs, but this particular friend will only leave work once. Good call.
I have a little guilt about it, though. I really wanted a longer-than-5K-but-shorter-than-5miles under my belt before Thanksgiving. I'll check out the local schedules, but don't hold too much hope for it.
So, ran 40 minutes this morning for 3.6 miles. Shins are still pissy. I stopped twice to stretch them and my calves, which seemed to help a lot, but I'm getting pretty frustrated with it. Thanksgiving 5 miles is my freaking A race for the whole damn year, and I'm not happy with feeling like it is being threatened by my stupid shins. I'm in practically new shoes (less than 50 miles on them, I think), I am not adding tons of new mileage, and I've noticed some new definition in my calves, so I suspect that it is just a case of my calves being too strong for my shins. I'm trying to add some shin-strengthening exercises each evening when I'm watching tv, and at this point can only hope.
I have a little guilt about it, though. I really wanted a longer-than-5K-but-shorter-than-5miles under my belt before Thanksgiving. I'll check out the local schedules, but don't hold too much hope for it.
So, ran 40 minutes this morning for 3.6 miles. Shins are still pissy. I stopped twice to stretch them and my calves, which seemed to help a lot, but I'm getting pretty frustrated with it. Thanksgiving 5 miles is my freaking A race for the whole damn year, and I'm not happy with feeling like it is being threatened by my stupid shins. I'm in practically new shoes (less than 50 miles on them, I think), I am not adding tons of new mileage, and I've noticed some new definition in my calves, so I suspect that it is just a case of my calves being too strong for my shins. I'm trying to add some shin-strengthening exercises each evening when I'm watching tv, and at this point can only hope.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Rice Owls 5K Race Report
As I said yesterday, I knew I wasn't running for a PR. 30:53.3 @ 9:58 minute miles.
It is funny: I've gotten so used to each and every race being better than the last, I am actually feeling a little down about it. But I know I'm being unreasonable. I'll get it right soon - this is still my 3rd best 5K time ever!
I was right to be concerned about time. I got off of work at 5, changed clothes in the bathroom (forgot to bring a plastic bag for jewelry, so raced in full work jewelry!), and didn't hit the car til 5:20. I made it to the race with just 15 minutes to spare. For my hyper-early neurotic personality, this just isn't enough lee-time, and because of that, I was having a little rumbly in my tummy. Just perfect for racing. (Sarcasm.)
I had also had a long day at work. My two best friends there are both leaving for bigger and better jobs this month, and my emotional nerves are starting to get a little frazzled.
My car thermometer read 85 degrees right before the race. It might have been a little high, but there is no doubt that this was my hottest run in the past three-ish weeks.
Anyways, with all of that in mind, I found it un-fun that once I hit the event and got my chip (very cool chip-holder, btw, a velcro strap for around the ankle) I actually had a lot of standing around by myself time, not knowing anyone there.
Finaly, we started. The best part of this race, for me, was the Rice U Naval ROTC unit, which ran chanting about 100 yards behind me for pretty much the whole race. Really helped to keep my mind off of things - thanks NROTC!
Ran the first mile in 9:58, what would ironically be my pace for the race. Second mile in 9:47. Third mile must have been a bit over 10. Unusual for me to slow down in the third mile. The second mile felt longest, as usual, but the third mile was unusually tough for me this time too. Don't know if it was my mind, my left shin (stoopid shin!!), or my body after the long (10 hour) day at work, but I just didn't have it. I am proud that my pacing was relatively even throughout, even though I didn't follow my normal pattern.
Only complaint: no food at the end, and only one line for water with little tiny cups that had to be filled (took forever). I'd like to see bottled water at the end.
All in all, nice training run for me. I would always prefer Preston be able to come to these things with me - might not bother in the future if he can't. Not too sore at all today, so hoping to be primed and ready to go on Sunday morning (assuming I haven't overdone it the night before in one of said work friends' going away party)!
It is funny: I've gotten so used to each and every race being better than the last, I am actually feeling a little down about it. But I know I'm being unreasonable. I'll get it right soon - this is still my 3rd best 5K time ever!
I was right to be concerned about time. I got off of work at 5, changed clothes in the bathroom (forgot to bring a plastic bag for jewelry, so raced in full work jewelry!), and didn't hit the car til 5:20. I made it to the race with just 15 minutes to spare. For my hyper-early neurotic personality, this just isn't enough lee-time, and because of that, I was having a little rumbly in my tummy. Just perfect for racing. (Sarcasm.)
I had also had a long day at work. My two best friends there are both leaving for bigger and better jobs this month, and my emotional nerves are starting to get a little frazzled.
My car thermometer read 85 degrees right before the race. It might have been a little high, but there is no doubt that this was my hottest run in the past three-ish weeks.
Anyways, with all of that in mind, I found it un-fun that once I hit the event and got my chip (very cool chip-holder, btw, a velcro strap for around the ankle) I actually had a lot of standing around by myself time, not knowing anyone there.
Finaly, we started. The best part of this race, for me, was the Rice U Naval ROTC unit, which ran chanting about 100 yards behind me for pretty much the whole race. Really helped to keep my mind off of things - thanks NROTC!
Ran the first mile in 9:58, what would ironically be my pace for the race. Second mile in 9:47. Third mile must have been a bit over 10. Unusual for me to slow down in the third mile. The second mile felt longest, as usual, but the third mile was unusually tough for me this time too. Don't know if it was my mind, my left shin (stoopid shin!!), or my body after the long (10 hour) day at work, but I just didn't have it. I am proud that my pacing was relatively even throughout, even though I didn't follow my normal pattern.
Only complaint: no food at the end, and only one line for water with little tiny cups that had to be filled (took forever). I'd like to see bottled water at the end.
All in all, nice training run for me. I would always prefer Preston be able to come to these things with me - might not bother in the future if he can't. Not too sore at all today, so hoping to be primed and ready to go on Sunday morning (assuming I haven't overdone it the night before in one of said work friends' going away party)!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Twisty-tie Pwnage
This morning, Preston and I watched as Cal, the big black cat, lay quitely next to the twisty-tie that he had been attacking earlier.
Suddenly, his brother Grimmy comes flying around the corner, makes a stealth attack on Cal, and withdraws.
Cal sits there looking confused for a second, then smacks the twisty-tie emphatically and calmly walks off.
I look at Preston, "Cal really is your son."
P: "Why do you say that?"
Me: "Because he killed the twisty-tie when he was really mad at his brother."
P: "Maybe he was just showing Grimmy what he would like to do to him."
Me: "I'll pwn you like I pwned this twisty-tie, bitch."
P: "Uber-pwnage."
Suddenly, his brother Grimmy comes flying around the corner, makes a stealth attack on Cal, and withdraws.
Cal sits there looking confused for a second, then smacks the twisty-tie emphatically and calmly walks off.
I look at Preston, "Cal really is your son."
P: "Why do you say that?"
Me: "Because he killed the twisty-tie when he was really mad at his brother."
P: "Maybe he was just showing Grimmy what he would like to do to him."
Me: "I'll pwn you like I pwned this twisty-tie, bitch."
P: "Uber-pwnage."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)