I just ran 8 miles on the treadmill. This included 2 phone calls and 5x600 at 5k pace. The phone calls were during the 90 second jogs in between intervals, of course.

While running, I watched the PBS Great Performances showing of Company. Company is one of my very favorite Broadway soundtracks. Two years ago, I was thrilled beyond words when Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park staged a new version directed by John Doyle. It was so wonderful and it then moved to Broadway. The Great Performances recording was from the Broadway version, but it seemed the same as the Playhouse version. My seats at the Playhouse were in the 3rd row, so even the TV closeups don't make for a better viewing experience than I had. It's a wonderful show and I highly recommend searching for a rebroadcast if you have TIVO or a DVR.


I've put in quite a few miles on the new treadmill, and I just noticed today that one of my dogs may have broken it in as well. Judging from the yellow spot on the carpet. Damn dog! Can't resist anything new and vertical.

Running for Office

I guess I'm back on the schedule. I had a little bit of delayed onset jet lag this morning when I woke up sluggish. After driving Sarah to school, I went back to bed. Round 2 of my day started at 10:30 and I went out for my 8 mile run. It's been snowing big, wet snowflakes all morning and hasn't stopped yet. Nothing seems to be sticking though. It just feels like it's pouring snow, which is better for running than if it were pouring rain.

I ran 8.25 miles in 1:25:27 (10:20 avg. pace). The route I run is challenging with lots of uphills, but it's in the neighborhood so I like it. Besides, there are two houses under construction about a mile and a half apart which means two nicely spaced port-o-lets should I need them! When I do my long run, I may do the loop twice and put out water and Gatorade. It will be nice not to have to carry them along.

As I was running, I saw a couple of yard signs for Barak Obama. Ohio’s Primary election is next Tuesday. Yesterday Obama was in town and today, Clinton is here. Not surprising. This is the part of Ohio that elected George Bush twice, but also elected Clinton twice before that (for all you Sara Jane’s out there whose memories are too young to know this fact). I plan to cast my vote for Hillary, but it really warms my heart to see the hopeful look in the eyes of Obama supporters. I don’t remember, in my own lifetime, so much energy and excitement by young voters over a presidential candidate. Yesterday, I was working at my kids’ high school in the College Information Center, where I have a lot of contact with juniors and seniors. Quite a few were trying to arrange schedules to attend the Obama rally at UC. It’s exciting!

By the way, for all you Jeopardy fans, the winner of last week’s Teen Jeopardy is a sophomore at my kid’s high school. I missed the finals, but I understand she missed an easy daily double. Who says you have to be good at math to be good at trivia?

Say Goodbye to the Creakies

I'm back from Las Vegas, and I have to say that running in Vegas was not a huge success. Traveling from East to West for a weekend is always rough with the time change -- especially going to a late-night town like Vegas. But for running's sake, I thought I would take advantage of waking up early on Friday morning and get my 15 miler in right off the bat. Besides, I wasn't going to let pass the opportunity to run in shorts and a t-shirt! Months ago, I loaded my 15 mile course, courtesy of Matt W., into my Garmin. I didn't count on heavy cloud cover, however, and it took ages to locate satellites. Twice I went through the "are you inside?" "have you travelled hundreds of miles since your last run?" routine. Finally I decided to just hit the "start" button and pick up the course wherever I was. It took about a mile, but I finally got a satellite and loaded the course. Unfortunately, since I was already a mile down Las Vegas Blvd, I couldn't figure out where I was supposed to turn. I thought I knew, but I was a 1/2 mile off, turning onto Spring Moutain Rd. instead of Twain. I was about to run right onto a highway on-ramp so I knew that was wrong! I just couldn't get back on course. Oh, well. I decided to continue on down the strip to Saraha. Then I was just making it up as I went along. Between doing my own thing, running up and down all the steps (including 3x both ways trying to get the Spring Mountain thing right (I tried both sides of the street)) and all the other stairs, I ran about 7 1/2 miles total. And when I say "total" I mean TOTAL.

That night we saw the 10 PM showing of "Love" and there was no way I was getting up early to do any more running. Nor was I inclined to pay $20 for the privelege of running on a Bellagio treadmill. So, I didn't do any more running in Vegas. I did get plenty of exercise in the shopping department, and I think I even PR'd at DKNY.

The first couple of days, I experienced my usual running associated aches and pains. Right ankle, left big toe, right hip, burning sensation in the right knee... and I took Advil 'round the clock. But today, after having not run since Friday, I'm happy to report no pain. No creakiness. I guess you could say my body is feeling 45 and not 60! I hate to admit it, but I do pay for the benefits of running with an awful lot of aches and pains.

Tomorrow, I'll go back on the schedule, but happily it's a recovery week. You know what that means... 44 miles instead of 45. Since I've yet to hit the weekly max, it's all relative anyway.
Oh, about those Vegas shows that set us back close to a thousand bucks -- definitely worth it! "Love" is teriffic! The score is original Beatles and the acrobatics and costuming are maybe more gritty than the other Cirque's. There are FIVE different Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas now! Scott and I are Beatles fans and I've been wanting to see this show for a year. I kept thinking how much my kids would have enjoyed it too as I've been training their musical ear and proclivities since their infancy.

Bette Midler is a force of nature, as she proves right from the start when her show opens with a tornado blowing down the Strip. Her sense of humor is deliciously off-color and she definitely knows what Vegas is all about. As she says, "Las Vegas is the city that knows even more about cheese than Kraft." And so go the rest of her jokes. Showgirls? Of course there are showgirls. This is Vegas, baby!

Journalists Have all the Fun

I should have been a journalist. I'm starting to think they have all the fun. Sunday, I listened to a recent episode of This American Life which included a story by Malcolm Gladwell on his beginnings as a journalist with The Washington Post.

Well, as you know, I'm a fan of American Idol and just now, I perusing the internet for reviews of last night's performances by the top 12 male contestants. I came across this review in The Washington Post by Lisa de Moraes. I'm sorry, but did she really include both the words "ejaculate" and "cum" in a nationally ranked newspaper's entertainment coverage of a G-rated prime-time TV show?

I suggest reading the article without a beverage in your hand unless you've got a towel to clean up the mess when it comes out your nose.

Run? Oh, I'll do that later.

Searching for my inner ninja

I haven't posted here in over a week. My sister-in-law passed away suddenly last Tuesday. I did manage to run over 46 miles. I just didn't blog about it. Thank goodness I have running. It provided me with a few hours of quiet last week and I feel sorry for those who grieve who don't have this outlet.

So, I'm back and I'm blogging. Starting with today's run.

Last night I came up with the brilliant idea of making up my 20 mile run today instead of doing a 6 mile recovery run. It also probably had something to do with a 14 mile run on the schedule for Wednesday that conflicted with a manicure appointment, but whatever...

It was about 20 degrees with some wind when I set out, so I donned the ninja gear: balaclava, hat, jacket, windpants, beverage holster. Sunglasses provided the final menacing touch. I decided to do the big eight mile Tour de Amberley Village loop twice. The second time around I managed to stretch an additional two miles which left me with two miles to finish up on the treadmill. If I wasn't freezing my toushie off already I'd have finished up outside. Alas, I was only good for one more mile on the 'mill. As my daugher said, "why didn't you just run one more mile?" Well, 19 is all I had in me. My time was used up.

I still haven't showered. Maybe I'll wait and see how long it takes for anyone to notice. ;)

Reality

I did my 7 miles with 10 x 100 strides (was supposed to be 8, but I did two more to make the distance go faster). Treadmill. At 2 miles I was thinking of quitting, but then Sarah came downstairs and turned on the TV. She found a couple of shows that got me through the remaining 5 miles -- Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab and Flavor of Love. Nothing like a little Loser Reality TV to get the juices flowing.

Speaking of Reality TV, I can't even tell you how disappointed I am that Johnny (Jon Dalton) Fairplay was voted off the island on the first episode of Survivor Micronesia. I LOVE Jonny Fairplay. He's one of my favorite all time survivors! Who am I going to root for now?

WTD: 43.6 (87% of planned runs)
YTD: 232

I Hate Running

I rearranged my weekend to get my long run (18 miles) in today because today's weather is gorgeous and tomorrow it's supposed to be cold and windy. I had to promise Sarah that I'd be home in time to make her bun and help her with her makeup before ballet so that meant I was going to run 15 outside and finish up the final 3 on the treadmill with American Idol.
When I set out, I was wearing a tights, a long sleeve shirt, a lightweight vest, and a running hat with a bill because rain was predicted. I ran around the loop and realized the wind was pretty bitter, even though the air was warm, so I swung by the house and changed into my NYCM jacket and picked up my sunglasses. One more wardrobe malfunction at the .5 mile mark involving my heartrate monitor and I was on my way. I listened to the soundtrack from Spirit of the Marathon for the first 5 miles. At 5 I ate a gel then had to stop at a friends to use the bathroom. We ended up chatting and I realized that I forgot to stop my Garmin, so I think that little visit ate up about 5 minutes.

I ran another loop of the neighborhood and realized that the wind had really picked up. Also, the hills were getting to me big time. By the time I got home, it was only 14 miles and almost 2:50 minutes. Whoa! Was it the wind? Was it the hills? Was it the Pfitz program? I have had so many sucky runs that are weather related that I have no way of really knowing why they suck. I checked weather.com and it indicated 19 mph winds with gusts of 34 mph. How much of an impact can that kind of wind have on the overall impact of the run?

I made it home in time to find my daughter, very distraught that I was late, thinking that I had forgotten about her bun. I quickly made the bun, did the makeup, changed my clothes and went downstairs to the treadmill. 0% grade (hey, I was hurting already), I started at 10:00 m/m, moved down to 10:54, then 12:30, then I was walking. After a mile and a half I had to call it quits. I barely made it home for the 14 -- who was I kidding that I could do 3 more on the treadmill?

Next week, I think I'm going to eliminate at least one recovery run. I honestly don't think they have anything to do with recovery -- they are just more miles and I am fatigued from so many long runs.

Super Sunday Run

So, let's talk about my run today. Not to much to say. The weather was perfect: brisk and about a sunny 35. No wind. I went a very meandering route as I only had it planned up to 8 but I had to figure out another 4 on the fly. Not easy when you're only about half a mile away from home with 3 more to go! But I did it by going up and down the streets.

Whoops! Since this is a scientific blog, I better include the data. 12 miles/ 2:06:27/ avg. pace 10:31/ avg. HR 152.

I turned it into a 3/1 not because it was scheduled that way, but because I had to pick Sarah up from Sunday school at 12:00. I made it home by 11:51. Just enough time to whip up an Endurox and get to the synagogue with 2 minutes to spare! It pays to live close when you've got Hebrew school and Sunday school to contend with.

This afternoon, when you all are watching the Super Bowl, I will be one of the few lucky parents who gets to go to the Hannah Montana 3D Concert movie. Choke. I only hope I get home in time to see Tom Petty.

College Search

Another gym day. No running.
Squats w/ bar 20 x 3

Deadlifts w/ bar + 20 15 x 3

Pushup rows w/ 10 lb dbs 15 x 4

Half squat on wall w/ alternating shoulder presses (10 lb dbs) SS pushups x 4

Unilateral db curls (10 lb) SS DB kickbacks (10lb) x 4

Core (Rebounder, ball crunches, ball pikes).


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This morning, Scott, Freddie, and I had our first meeting with Freddie's guidance counselor at school. It was our first opportunity to talk about colleges in a meaningful setting. (Versus - oh, this college sounds cool -- they have shuffleboard!). I found it very useful and it set my mind at ease in a few ways. At least now we have a list to start from based on some things Freddie thinks are important where he goes to college. (Fortunately, academics scored a 9 out of 10 on the importance scale, LOL).


Some of these colleges I've never even heard of!