Aeron: August 2008 Archives

I did it.  Last week I hit my mileage target and plotted out 50 miles.  It felt like a plot, much different than the 50 miles/week that I was doing not too long ago in track.  I don't know why it's so hard to increase mileage and get back into the swing of things.  When your in the grove, hitting a mileage target of 50 is nothing with even with cross training and intense workouts two or three times a week.  A few more weeks at this distance and then I know the 50 mileage range will feel like nothing.

Perhaps I'm tired because of lack of sleep associated with the active Olympic TV watching that's happening at our house.  Usually we are in bed by 9:30 pm at the latest.  We may be reading, but we are horizontal.  For the past week or so, it's hard to get in bed before midnight.  Track events seem to be mixed in throughout the evening, and for the last two night the events right before midnight were some of the best highlights.  To watch the russian gal hit another world record in the pole vault was great, and then the night before to see Lui drop out of the 100 was heart breaking.  The pressure that guy has on him must just be unbearable.  He's the rock star of the Olympics, and to not be able to compete is such defeat.

But the established ladies are sure making me excited!   38 year old winning the gold in the women's marathon!  Torres winning a very close second in swimming at 41.  It's hard, yes, because I really wanted to have a great track season this year, and felt that my body (at 41) was well up to the challenge -- late in the season as I begun to peak, I even felt that a personal best was within my realm.  But I'm so jazzed to see many women well into their lives putting it all together to be at the top of their game.  Age really is a matter of the mind -- but you need a strong mind to remind yourself at an older age, you need to take care of your self and do all the extra things that you could get away with in younger times (eating, sleeping, stretching -- you know the basic stuff).

Enough rambling today -- I got to get busy.  Marc and I are carpooling, and soon I'll be holdiing up the pool -- ugh, not a characteristic you look for in a carpool partner.

More later this week. aero 

What a great weekend.  It's was a long way in the coming, but I now feel recoperated from the SF marathon that worked its way into an extra long work week.  Didn't really do much, other than long runs, little diggin in the garden, and lounging around the house watching the tele.  Lovin the Olympics, doesn't seem to matter what sport is on, I'm glued to the competition and to see any little peak of the China culture.

For those wondering, Pene has recovered just fine.  She did get a shot of benadryl, and turned into a wild dog when that was in her system -- bouncing all over the place.  But after a day, the swelling started going down and she turned back into a cute, mellow little lab again.  Can you believe she's mellow -- so different from Hank at her age. 

I was stoked to get a solid week of running in last week!

46 miles, and one day of yoga.  A little weak on the cross training side of things, so hopefully that will change this week.  I've really noticed the difference in my core when I'm not getting into the pool for the deep water running -- this is my secret training tip.  Your tummy and arms get such a workout when you run in the pool -- but it's not an easy jog, I run pretty darn hard in the pool.  You can even do on-and-offs, drills and fast feet.  That's the joy of running in the pool, you can go as hard as you'd like any time you get in!  Unlike running, where rest days are the MOST important of all!

I should be hitting my target mileage for cross country (XC) this week, well actually my interim target mileage of 50 miles / week.  I plan on holding that mileage for a month or so and then moving it up to 55 miles.  We've decided not to do any XC workouts until I hit my target mileage, so I'm feeling like a plotter these days -- lots of long, slow miles.

And you know the mind of runners, only as fast as your last race or workout.  So these days, I'm feeling a little on the slow side and wondering if I have will ever have enough to beat my competition.  Insecure yes, that's me, and it's a constant challenge.  It's probably one of the main reasons why I run.  The constant need to prove to myself that I still got it!

But we all know that running is much more than competition.  Its mediation, connecting in with your surroundings, the place to figure it all out, and a way to get you tired so you can relax when you get back home.

Okay so what's happening this week...

• 50 miles of running
• 3-4 dog hikes (3 miles each)
• 1 day yoga
• 1-2 days running in the pool (I'm optimistic)
• ton of meetings at work
• start painting the running divas lounge (were going w/ various shades of orange!)
• driving the speed limit (got a ticket last week -- oops, but at least now I have a current drivers license)

That's what it's looking like right now.  I'll keep you posted.  I have this little nagging foot issue, can't tell if it's related to my achilles or the darn twisted ankle, but hopefully it will work its way out.  Good thing I'm not doing any workouts this week, but I may need to rein in the amount of days I'm running in the sand. 

Here's to a great week.  Enjoy!  aero

What a night.  Coming back from the San Fran Marathon, rushing into work on Monday -- I was really looking forward to some down time last night and a rock solid sleep.  Well, you can't always get what you want, right Mick -- this seems to be my re-occurring theme song. 

Who knows why, but starting at 1 am this morning, Pene, our fox red (not really too red) lab starts shaking her head, licking her front feet, and pacing outside our room.  I get up thinking she must need to go outside.  She hangs outside for a while, I relish in a few minutes of deep sleep, then she lets me know she's ready to come back in the house.  Well this continues, until my alarm goes off at 5 am. 

Now it's time to get up and get my running clothes on, cause Jennifer will be leaving her house too at 5:30 for our regularly scheduled Tuesday am vampire run.  So when I get up, and actually start waking a little I look at Pene and realize she doesn't quite look the same.  Rather than a petite little red head, she now resembles more of a charpay.  No wonder she was shaking her head and rubbing her muzzle -- it's completely swollen, she can barely see out of her eyes. 

The vet doesn't get in until 8, so we continue our morning and get in a lovely 7 miles. 

Just dropped Pene off at the vet (they didn't have any open appointments, so we needed to leave her there and Dr. Knighton will help her out between other appointments.  I'm sure Pene's very upset with me right now, she didn't get her food, or walk and know she's stuck at the stinkin vets!  Not to mention this funny look she's touting.  We think she was bit by a spider, so hopefully soon she'll get a dose of meds that kicks down the inflammation. 

I'm getting ready to go to work -- if they doctor Pene up this morning or early afternoon, perhaps we can both come home earlier today! 

San Fran was great fun.  I'll talk more about that later.  Have a good day.  aero