Week 8 2010 / Running, at least some

Week 8 2010:
Week’s Running totals: 39
Running Total for 2010: 339.45
Weight training: 1.5
Swim: zero (yeah, that's two weeks and no swimming. err)

Another calendar month coming to a close (thankfully!) which means another month close to warmth! February seemed like the month (from hell) that would never end. Probably because I spent the vast majority of it … sick, amongst other personal garbage. I’m so sick of being sick. Sick of being sick of being sick!! Happily, I’m feeling slightly better, though…not 100%, but at least I feel progress toward a healthier life is happening. It’s amazing how our view of things change so much when you are left feeling lifeless for a few weeks!

BRING ON MARCH!!

I ran 16 today. A true miracle considering the (miserable) week I’ve had! I met Tara and Beth downtown today; a sort of mutual destination point for all of us who are on complete opposite ends of the metro area. Downtown and vicinity has a lot of places to run so this worked well. Beth was a blast to meet, and just really sweet and as much fun as her blog dictates. Tara was sporting a lung issue….I’m half convinced it was my lung fungus that she contracted, probably when we were swimming last week (There ya go, Tara, A.D.D and lung fungus’ I have shared so well with you!); leave it to me to suggest running UPHILL for ¾ of a mile to a girl with a lung infection – smart move there, Jilly! She was having a hard time so at two miles, we turned and went back so she could just wait out the rest of the run Beth and I were to do. She hadn’t planned to run more than 6 anyway so don’t all hiss at Beth and I for abandoning her; she planned to get a some work done while we ran on so that we could all meet up afterwards for some FOOD! I’m feeling “ok” at this point, I mean, we’re talking 4 miles, but I could feel some crud in my lungs. Beth and I ran uphill along the path and were averaging a pretty good pace, but I truly was having a hard time with the hills….and the stupid lungs. I thought it would be a relief to head back downhill on the way back to meet Tara for lunch. But it wasn’t. By now, the lack of much running in the past 3 weeks was catching up to me and I was just tired. Thank God Beth was capable of simple math, unlike myself, and knew when we needed to turn around and head back. We hit 16 on the dot right in front of “The Market” where we inhaled our lunch (and Tara a beer :) ). Not to let a day go without an A.D.D. monent. We we were done running and I went to get my car key out of my pocket, it was gone. Pocket open in my pack. Thought I lost it. Felt horrible for asking Tara and her husband to give me a ride home - I don't exactly live next door. They are so sweet and so generous. Get home. Wait for eternity for college daughter to take me back downtown with spare key. 8 hours later, after I left my car at the REI parking lot, I return to car. Original "lost" key was lodged right in the passenger door key lock. Hum. Guess it never made it in my pack after all; I left it there when I opened the door. Opps. All I can say is I can't believe everything was still in my wallet. Oh good lord!! I think it's time for some serious A.D.D. medication!!

Beth, Tara; Sloan's Lake

Me; Cheesemen Park, downtown Denver in background

Me, Beth, Tara; having lunch at "The Market" downtown Denver

It was a great day. Not in weather as it was actually kinda cold with gray, damp air you find common in the Midwest, but great for me to get out of my suffocating, germ-infested house and around the company of great friendship. And what better than to run!!

One day at a time. That’s all I’m taking it. I’m not even going to update my calendar at the bottom because I have no idea what I’m going to do each day until I wake up, see how I feel, and take it from there. I am frustrated, to say the least; the obvious signs that 16 was difficult for me today shows how much conditioning I’ve lost, but I am encouraged slightly because I know, now, that though I may not race as well as I hoped, I think this crud is finally leaving my body and I have a little time to get in some training.

I just need to be smart about it, back off the miles (as much as it pains me to admit) and just get in more quality running. For now.

So there ya go, that’s the (sad?) running news.

On the home front news:
Saturday, Brendan (twin #2) was in a boxing match. His first. He’s been in a boxing bootcamp for about a year now but has never officially boxed another team or anything. He was so nervous. Friday, he wanted to head over to the gym after school to do a little bit of weights and some cardio. I thought I’d run while he did this, but my lungs had another plan and 3 miles was all I could tackle. So Brendan and I did some weights together and called it a night…Friday night at the gym screams loser all over it. Yeah, that’s us! Saturday, we head over to the boxing gym and wow, these kids who were up against our kids were like all muscle-y and everything. They looked like boxers. They looked like they boxed everyday for 3 hours. Our boxers, though tough, looked liked they boxed for an hour once a week. Like they do. Brendan’s opponent: Juan. Yep, Juan. Tattoo Juan. Muscular, 4% body fat, Tattoo Juan. You know where this is going. Within the first round, Juan smacked Brendan in the right eye and suddenly B’s wobbling. Let me just inform you that as a mother, to watch your kid get smacked in the eye and wobble is NOT a fun experience. Brendan’s coach told him to take a knee (they count for 10 to give them a break. I guess. I don’t know much about this sport. And there’s a reason for that!) and when he got up, he was still wobbling so his coach called the match. B lost. With about 3 broken blood vessels in his eye, his eye bleeding, and it swelling as it turned black and blue. Naturally, all the kids thought this was cool and B, himself, was pretty dang proud. I guess only a mother would freak over this sight. I’m not sure I can ever go and watch another one of these – at least not anytime soon. Here’s a few pics of the great boxing B.

The EYE. Pretty, eh?

College girl was home all weekend, though we didn’t go see any sappy movies to report. We did a little girl shopping on Friday night but being between seasons, it wasn’t even much fun. We did manage to eat a ton of food. If that counts for anything. During our food fest, she told me I was emotionally needy. Which is probably true...but don't you just sometimes wanna slap that brutal honesty??!!?? Haha. Don’t worry, Julie and Beth, college girl doesn’t call me either, unless she needs something. But she also only goes to school 20 minutes away so I do see her more than you guys. And seeing her makes me happy. Unless she's brually honest.

I have some new clients that I’m really excited about. Brian is going to run a half marathon here in a few weeks, and Alley is running a half in May where she is trying to land a starting corral position for her marathon debut in Chicago. They are awesome and I have been busy getting their schedules together and have enjoyed every minute. Another client, Emily, is getting ready to run her first marathon in 3 weeks. I’m so excited for her, she is running incredibly strong and super charged (huge pat on back to Jill. Haha).

I’m watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics, full of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day balloons. Hum. No more comments on that. I’ll close my blog for the night, on closing ceremony night of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Oh, other than to say: I don't work on Monday! Yeah, I know, ya love me!!

Run well, friends!!