I Won't Complain. 10K.

Well, maybe just a little. So, impromptu 10K with the Beer Runners peeps. I wore my Universal Sole shirt and my black MarathonGirl and, because there was the threat of rain, my orange Outdoor Research hat that I got for Madison. The rain did not came and my head was pretty hot, but such is life.

Long story short, final time was 54:55 (8:51/mi). My 10K PR from just earlier this year is 52:3x; I just don't understand how I seem to keep getting slower and slower. Although, I guess my 4 miler time wasn't that horrendous, so maybe I'm just not the best in heat and maybe I should have taken a potty stop before the race instead of ducking behind a not very hidden tree at mile 5.

Splits!
1 - I missed it. Doh. Garmin says 8:26/mi pace.
2 - This lap messed up due to mess up with lap 1. Garmin says 8:26/mi.
3 - 8:53. Sux.
4 - 9:05. Make it end. Have to pee.
5 - 9:21. Potty stop.
6 - 8:48. Gah.

I wish I could pinpoint the reasons for my sucktastic performance today, but I really have no idea. I have a circuit 10K next month and if I perform just as poorly, I will be miffed.

And, so, I have complained, but then I saw the following and it made me stop being such a pooh butt.

Fantasy Down. Goose Egg.

I meant to run early this morning before my gyne appointment, but I just could not get out of the bed and I was bordering on being late even. But, on the way from my building, I walked under the CTA El tracks and noted some CTA guys checking things out from the street and there was this one that was just the most beautifulist thing in this world and I really think it was Ron Huberman (he's the head of the CTA). I was Googling to find a good picture of him to put on here -- but none of them really looked as good as this possible Ron looks in person -- when I found this. The "this" is a blog post by a gay male Chicagoan that primarily gushes over Ron in all his hotness (and I am right there with him!), but also says that Ron is gay and in a committed relationship. I even did some additional Googling to see if this was true and sure enough, Ron Supa Dupa Hottie Huberman is gay, so all those fantasies I was having about his person as I was on the way to the gyne are all for naught. Not that they were actually going to happen if he was hetero...

Did the gyne thing, then hopped over to West Egg, a place I used to go for pancakes at lunchtime in a previous job incarnation, but it was full of tourists and I had no intention of waiting in line. Instead I jetted over to Panera Bread and had the turkey sausage and potato quiche for the second time this week; they are small, but tasty and it's likely best they not be any bigger because the calorie count is probably outrageous as it stands. Next, I made a trip to Walgreen's where I picked up some Red Vines and Psychology Today. I have never ever read Psychology Today, but there was a dominatrix on the cover and it said "Twisted? 7 Taboos That are Perfectly Natural" on the cover; I was sold.

Next stop was the theater for the 11:30 AM showing of Dark Knight (I was actually there at 9:30 AM only to find out that the 10 and 10:30 shows were sold out). I got there at 10:30 AM, but the theater was open, so I got to read quite a bit of my magazine. Dark Knight was a good movie and there were quite a few movie previews that looked mighty good, too. They are bringing back the Terminator, but with Christian Bale as the star, I have a renewed faith in the franchise!

Finally, there was the walk back home which takes me past a lot of shopping places, so...I bought a couple pairs of shorts (I only had 2 pair total in my current size and it's hot out there!) at Express, then I bought a couple shirts and a couple bras (I honestly have like one bra that is my current correct size, I have been living foul in this respect: my poor boobies) and a pair of sunglasses (frivolous, yes), and finally, I went on a hunt for some sandals to wear to the beach tomorrow that weren't as bulky as my one supportive pair, but that were still supportive since I will be wearing them after a race and likely for a while. I found some strappy Merrells at Nordstrom Rack --I actually just took a pause to go look at them on my feet -- that seem to fit the bill.

So, no run, but lots of walking and shopping (no more shopping this summer! I have done enough damage). I have actual things to go to this summer, thus the need for clothes that actually fit in a respectable quantity. Honestly, the only reason I have so much going on is due to meetup.com's Beer Runners group. I'm having a blast, they keep coming up with cool stuff to do. So, tomorrow, 3-5 of us ladies will be running the 10K and two of the guys will be coming to cheer then we'll do brunch and chill at the beach. Wednesday, the are having a Wine & Cheese night where everyone brings a bottle of wine and fancy cheese; I'm going to get all dolled up because shit, I don't get out much and I will take any reason I can get to bring the sexy; I've not broughten the sexy all year and summer is almost over!

Ok, time to do some stuff for school. Last week, thank all that is holy!

And on Friday, she ran. 14 miles.

I needed a long run like nobody needs a long run which is why, on a Friday, I went for my longest run of the week. It was awesome. I felt like a runner again.

Actually, it didn't start off awesome. It started off with tightness in my shins and calves, but once I got to mile 6, I got into my zone and then, awesome. So, 14 miles at a 10:45 pace. I started with 11+ min/miles and dropped it ever so slightly over the course of the run.

Wore my pink MarathonGirl with the matching tank and found myself fully covered in sweat by the time I got home. I swear that whatever fabric they use on the MarathonTank is like the softest stuff, it feels good even when completely soaked with sweat and it doesn't start doing that annoying clinging thing that some tops do when saturated. How do they do that?!

Oh, and my new boss totally gave me a compliment today; it was pretty cool. I am good for something after all.

I'm doing a women's 10K this Sunday. I hope to be able to just about match my PR, but, eh, I dunno. This weeks running has been spotty and I just did a long run and plan to head out for a few tomorrow morning before seeing the gyne (joy) and hopefully, catching The Dark Knight at IMAX. See, my gyne appointment is at 8 AM (long story on that one) and the ticket a friend who can no longer attend said movie is for 9 AM. I have little hope on making it, but who knows...perhaps I will be first in line tomorrow?

I cannot write a paper

But I can read this celebrity blog for hours! The dude that writes this is hilarious.

Oh man, I will never finish this paper...

One Week Later. 23.78 miles.

July 9 - 4.14 miles easy (10:53/mi)
July 10 - Skipped run. Shit.
July 12 - 10K trail race. 57:18.4 (9:15/mi)
July 13 - 8 miles easy (10:35/mi)

July 15 - 5.44 miles easy (11:01/mi)

And, now I'm all caught up, but I gotta say I haven't felt very excited about running or at least my running all week or maybe even all month. Thus, the lack of blogging. But, I've also been quite busy socially. No, no dating, just hanging with the Beer Runners and I went hashing Saturday. So, pretty much I've been drinking too much and running too little and not getting a whole lot else done (like sleep). Like right now, I should be writing a paper for school, but I felt compelled to finally blog.

I want to feel accountable again, but I just feel kinda burned out and my race performance this past weekend makes me feel like a herb. My effort was lacking. I was also working on 8 hours of sleep in two nights, so maybe...maybe. There is a 10K this weekend sponsored by a store I don't really like, but some Beer Runners are doing it and I dunno, I wanna see if I still suck.

I know that every race cannot and will not be a PR, but now I feel like my limit for improving has capped for the year, so like what's the point? Even though, I of all people should know that plugging away and keeping at it are what will eventually bring you results. So, I gotta look to the big picture. Except the big picture includes a marathon hiatus next year because I can't take on the course load I want to take on and train for a marathon or do the traveling required; I am looking forward to focusing on shorter distances, I am not looking forward to building back up to marathon shape post-hiatus.

Ok, gotta do paper and stop myself from buying milk and donuts and going bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Agh Agh. 7.07 miles.

Morning came really soon, but I hopped out of bed around 5ish AM and was surprised at how dark it still was outside. Daylight is leaving us already! I thought that today's workout would be pretty easy. Just 4 tempo miles at 10 mile pace (8:55) when the past two weeks I had done 5-6 miles at half marathon goal pace (9:03) and those went well. Boy was I wrong! I really hope that it was just the fact that it was pretty darn hot and humid out there and not that I completely suck that made it feel so hard.

Warm up - 15 minute jog + 4x100m strides | 1.73 miles | 12:17/mi
1 - 8:56
2 - 8:55
3 - 9:02
4 - 8:52
Cool down - 1.34 miles | 11:14/mi

Mile 3 completely sucked, but I was able to reel it in for mile 4 partially because I desperately wanted it to end as fast as possible. The cool down was pretty awful, too. Felt like I was just shuffling along.

The new boss started today; she is certainly way better than the old one. And, I got out of class early. Unfortunately, I really need to leave class early on Thursday, so it would have been better if it had been reversed. Ah well.

Oh, but there is more. I have a tale. I was standing on the Green line platform minding my own business when this guy walks down the platform towards me, so I get out of his way and then he stops and says something that I can't really hear. I say "Huh" and he repeats whatever it was and I responded with something, then he continues to say something else I can't understand and I just kind of utter a sound of agreement and hope he continues along his way. But, he doesn't, he says whatever it was I didn't hear again and he's giving me this sop you up with a biscuit look. Oh, and he didn't smell too good. Then he proceeds to tell me his name and before he could ask me mine, I say "I don't want to talk."

"Huh?"

"I. Don't. Want. To. Talk. I am not interested in talking to you. I. Don't. Want. To. Talk."

Then he looked pretty offended and I just kept looking straight ahead into the distance until he walked away. But, it was kinda scary because everyone else that had been on the platform seem to have disappeared, so I fastened my umbrella, so it would be more useful as a possible weapon and kept my eye on dude because after he went away, he started to come back, so I backed into a more open area to prepare for umbrella combat and that's when the train came.

Random people talking to you on the street is all fine and good some times, but when someone is obviously disinterested and then you ply them for their name, I consider that harassment. I'm too old for this crap.

Case of the Mondays. 3 miles.

Today is my brother's birthday. In case you wanted to know.

Other than that, I did my usual Monday thing. Dreaded work. Did not make it to the gym. Getting out of the bed seems to be getting harder and harder these days. Need to get back to the gym...

I did do some push ups and I completely suck at them. I did 10, then I did like 6 more and I was done. Next I did some of the same plank stuff I usually do and then, it was time to get ready for work.

Work was not so bad as I thought it would be. And, I actually ate pretty well during the day. At night, though, I went to run with the Beer Runners group and that was cool, yet, hot as hell. I only had one beer! Go me! I also had cheesy fajitas that I am sure were not good for me. Got home at a reasonable hour even.