Photo Friday: Progress

I hoped to paint all the first floor trim today. 6+ hours later, I realized that was not going to happen. Here is what I did get done:

The hall closet, including baseboards and 2 boards for hooks.
This is the best picture I could get.
Sorry 'bout that.

The front hall. Picture the other half of what you see,
plus baseboard all around,
plus the doorway you're looking through,
plus one side of the door you see in the lower left,
which I forgot to photograph.

 

The back hall. Can you tell where the patch is?
Neither can I.
Yay me for an awesome patch job!

Basement door
(with invisible patch)

Back hall.
Getting behind the radiator was FUN! (NOT!)

More back hall

Even more back hall (leading to the main hall)

I didn't take pictures of the doorway right next to the door above, or the bathroom doorframe, both of which also received a coat of paint today. I still have the two middle sections of hall, stairwell (with banister), 2nd floor porch door, and the entire 2nd floor to do yet. That may not all happen next week, as I'm taking Monday off for paper writing. I have 2 papers to write this weekend, I'm having company tomorrow night, and I have a birthday party to attend Sunday.

Pray for me. I'm going to need all the help I can get!

it would so seem

When I spend 5+ hours painting, I don't run. I painted Monday and Wednesday, and only ran 4 miles Tuesday. I did little today but sleep and homework.

Tomorrow I'll have some photos of the hallway. We're doing first floor woodwork, which means we're almost done. I'm really pleased with how the patchwork turned out.

Off to do more homework, then get more sleep.

One Word Wednesday: Spring!

Do you trust your GPS?

Superman and I each have a GPS application - his a Droid app and mine an iPhone app. You would think all GPS would measure the same distance as, well, the same. Mine mapped my last race at exactly the length it was supposed to be, though half marathoners complained theirs was long (I found out later some kids had moved the signs around. Race directors were able to fix them, but maybe not as precisely as they'd hoped).

After our last few long runs, I have developed a complete lack of faith in Superman's GPS. At one point it said we managed a 3 minute mile. Is that even possible? Certainly not for me! Our runs are peppered with me commenting "Is that your GPS? How fast are we zooming?" followed a short while later by "Mine just said mile ___."

After I posted about Saturday's long run, I wondered about our splits. While I do trust my GPS more than Superman's, I do not believe it 100% either. I was curious to see what Superman's splits said, and how they compared. Here's what our respective GPS showed:

You can see we're both all over the place. Sometimes his shows faster miles than mine. Sometimes my miles are faster than his. His splits have nothing to do with his announcements, either. Both our GPS announced mile 1 at the same time.

The biggest surprise for me was how fast we both measured the first 3 miles. The first half of this run is primarily uphill. My standard long run pace is somewhere between 12:30 and 13:00. No wonder I crashed!

For fun, I mapped things out on Veloroutes.org.

The first 3 miles

You can understand my confusion. It makes sense to me that Superman's GPS shows mile 3 as the fastest, considering more than half of it was downhill. On the other hand, by mile 3 I was already tired. A (comparatively) slower mile as shown on my GPS also makes sense. After that it just gets confusing. There's no way we did a 12:28 in mile 8. I quit running after mile 7, and on a good day I'm running a 12:28... on a short run!

Here's what the whole run looked like:

The full 11 miles

It also occurred to me after Saturday's post that I only took 2 Gu. This may have contributed to the "might not make it home" feeling. Either way, it was a calamity of errors I can't afford to make in the weeks to come.

What GPS do you use? Do you trust it?

I set myself up to fail

This is Superman and I on our way out for this weekend's long run. I had 12 miles on the calendar. I did not make it 12 miles. I ran 5 straight, then walked and ran and walked and ran an additional 2. At 7, I gave up. I had too much pain I was afraid would become damage if I continued. We did an out-and-back though, so I had to at least walk back (for a total of 11.25 round trip). I was completely spent, enough to honestly fear for a little while I would not make it home. Every run is a learning experience though, and sometimes I have to learn things over and over before they stick. Here's what I learned today:

I have to run every couple days - While I did expend a lot of energy painting 2 days this week, I did not run. I've skipped a full week of shorter runs twice now, and both times my weekend long run sucked ass. I started out stiff today and spent a lot of energy fighting my body in the first few miles. This made the first 6 miles of hill more difficult than it had to be, and exhausted me well before the run was half over.

I have to hydrate at least the day prior - I have been living on diet soda, which is already a bad thing because it sets my thyroid into overdrive. I also don't hydrate as well when that's all I drink. I sucked up an entire liter of water on this run, which at 50 degrees seems a bit much. I felt horrible at first, and didn't start feeling better until well in the 2nd mile (after I'd started sucking down water like I was dying).

I have to stretch and roll out after my runs - The first week I did my yoga/pilates class, my runs were incredible and awesome. This past week I skipped the class to write a paper. I also realized today that while I took an ice bath after last week's 11-miler, I did not roll out or stretch after that or the following day's 5-miler.

I have to forgive my shortcomings - While last weekend felt wonderful, my quads have been stiff and sore all week. I'm guessing I built some new muscle there, then never worked it out to make it pliable and healthy new muscle. I have a lot of room for muscle growth, and I can't beat myself up because my body was tired this weekend. I'm prone to beating myself up, but learning from my mistakes will make future runs better.

While I didn't run the entire 12, my legs were completely trashed and I decided an ice bath was in order.

I solved the "ice maker doesn't work" problem

This was my last long run before taper for the Cleveland 10-Miler on the 23rd. I'm very happy I decided to train for a half marathon in preparation for this race. I've had a really good 11-mile run already, so today's run does not phase me. I know what I'm capable of. I just have to remember what I've learned over the next 2 weeks.

It's official

I'm taking a month off from school. Five papers every six weeks since last February (minus two weeks over Christmas and New Years) and I'm just a little burnt out. I need to recharge my brain.

How will I recharge my brain, you ask? I'm planning to:

1) take practice A+ certification tests
2) give myself a crash course in SQL Server (the word is out a local bank is planning to hire several entry level database operators in the near future)
3) keep up with the current A+ course I'm taking

The break won't start until May 3 because I have to finish the course I'm currently taking, but I received confirmation today that my schedule is set.

In running news, I have no news at all. After 16 miles this past weekend, plus painting this week, I haven't laced up at all. I do have 12 miles on my calendar tomorrow. It's supposed to be in the 60s tomorrow, so that should be nice. It's my last long run before taper starts. My next race is exactly two weeks away.

Letter to a Stranger

Once again it's time for me to visit the 30-day Letter Writing Challenge I've picked at for the last several months. If you're not interested in my letter, you can entertain yourself HERE. Warning, it's fast and slightly addictive.

These letters are difficult, each for their own reason. This one has been on my brain for several weeks as I tried to define the word "stranger." I have people I could write about, whom I've interacted with on-line but never met. Ultimately I followed Merriam-Webster's definition: "a person or thing that is unknown or with whom one is unacquainted." The next question was, what stranger has made enough of an impression on me I could write them a letter? I immediately thought of two, but debated about writing to either of them. Ultimately I chose the more benign encounter.

Mr. Creepy Stranger Guy:

I am not starting this letter with the standard "Dear," because you are anything but dear to me. You are creepy, or rather you were creepy 30-some-odd years ago when I encountered you. I don't expect you changed much for the better over time.

I met you when I was 10 - a chance encounter on my way home from the pool. I lived at the pool every summer, getting there early for swim lessons or swim team, only running home when they closed for the dinner hour. I was tan, fit and active, out the door every day, running, biking, swimming, and playing. At that time I had no body consciousness, no shame or even awareness of what image I presented. I was not interested in fashion, choosing my clothes for function and comfort. The only interest I had in my body was how far I could push it, and where it could take me.

I was in the early throes of puberty, and have been told at 10 I looked 15. Barefoot, beach towel around my neck, I was running past the old stone schoolhouse when you stopped me on the path. It was standard to wear just my bathing suit and a pair of shorts, all summer long. I had a two-piece suit that year. I only remember this because I was wearing it with my favorite, worn pair of cut off shorts when you stopped me. I only vaguely remember what you looked like, just that you blocked my way on the path. I don't remember what you said, but understood you wanted me to pull my towel aside.

I didn't understand then what you wanted, though I'm well aware now how it could have played out. I only knew that the situation felt bizarre and uncomfortable. You wanted to look at me. Luckily I wasn't yet frozen with the emotional baggage I picked up later in life. Not understanding, not comfortable with the situation, my fight or flight instinct set me in motion. I dodged around you, off the path, and ran all the way home.

Mr. Creepy Stranger Guy, you most likely don't even remember that day, but it has lived in my memory for over three decades. I didn't tell anyone until I was an adult, and even then it was in the strictest confidence. I attached shame to the incident as soon as I realized what really happened that day. I carried that shame for a long time, before I realized it wasn't mine to bear.

I'm guessing you didn't know my age or innocence, but I remember you as being too old for even the teenager you probably thought I was. Given your behavior, I don't think you had a relationship in mind. I don't know what would have happened that day, had I stayed. I don't want to know. I'm only glad I was able to flee when I did. I am also glad I never encountered you again, though I traveled that same path at approximately the same time every day. I hope no other young girl encountered you, or if they did that they too got away.

I don't know how else to end this, but to say goodbye. You are a piece of my history, but no longer a defining piece. I no longer blame or shame my 10-year-old self for that encounter. I do wish I'd known to report you, though. I was so completely innocent I had no clue what happened. I guess in a way that's a good thing.


On a lighter note:

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

5+ hours painting. Everything is primed. We start ceilings Friday.

Now, I'm joining these guys...

What would YOU do?

I'm having calendar conflict, and am copying off of Baby Weight My Fat Ass, who also requested calendar help today.

This is what my calendar looks like:

Remember, X means I did what was marked.

As you can see from all the scritchy-scratch, I've changed my program once already. I moved Monday's run to Tuesday and Tuesday's run to Wednesday, so I could count Monday's yoga/pilates class as my cross-training day. (I didn't go yesterday because I was struggling with a paper I didn't want to write).

I'm having a hard time getting to swimming, and have to get used to the back-to-back running, but I understand my legs will be stronger without the rest days in between. I just have to make sure I do rest at some point, or I will injure myself. With that in mind, I'm going back and forth about today's run. Mainly, I just don't wanna. I have been fighting motivation issues in both running and school. In this instance, my legs are a little tired but I'm sure they have 5 miles in them. I'll likely guilt myself into getting them done later today.

I chose a half marathon program for a 10 mile race to make sure I was comfortable with the mileage. Also because I have a half marathon 3 weeks later. After April's race I'm just winging it though. I want a low mileage rest week, but then I have to gear up again for May's race, but then I have to taper... Do you see my conflict? Add in that I'm walk/running Barefoot Neil's virtual marathon on May 1.

So, the week after April's race I'm going to ditch the Saturday 10-miler. Superman and I are planning to run one/walk one through 26.2 miles that Sunday, so I'll definitely get at least 10 miles run. The question then becomes, how do I treat the following week? I once walked 20 miles in a day, but that was a couple years ago and I don't think I've even biked 26. I'll be in something of the same situation I am today, where I haven't had the 2 rest days planned. I'm thinking after the marathon I won't be up to a 5-miler, not to mention 5-4-5 over 3 days.

When I drew up the plan for the 2nd race, I included the 12-mile run the first week of May because I would not have run even close to race distance for a month prior. The marathon changes things. I will have been on my feet for close to 8 hours (random guess there). I will have covered the full marathon distance within a few weeks of the race. On the original plan taper starts 2 weeks prior. The mileage reduces slowly, with a 7 mile long run the first week of taper. I'm considering following the original plan in this.

Then there's the week after the half. I have another 10-miler scheduled for June 19. I don't want to sit on my arse the week after the race, because I know I will get stiff. I also don't want to push too hard with mileage. I'm comfortable with the 2-3-2 format, but I'm thinking of spreading it out more. 2 on Tuesday, 3 on Thursday, and 2 on Saturday. Do I then dive right back into the 5-4-5 schedule? I am going to shift the long run a week, doing 10 the week after the race and 11 the following week. The June race is only 10, but I do like the idea of running longer than the race distance to ensure I'm comfortable with the mileage.

As I told Baby Weight My Fat Ass, I know it all depends on how I feel. This is not set in stone, and may very well change as I complete aspects like the marathon. I'm actually most concerned with the section after the half, and may push recovery for another week before I try a 10-mile long run.

After the June race I can rest up a bit. I might run the Forest Hill Thunder Run 5K in July, but the next big race isn't until August 14. There seems to be some on-line registration issues, but a I'm in the process of signing up for the Perfect 10-Miler.

What a weekend!

Warning: long weekend = long post. Get your coffee and get comfortable!

I started my weekend Saturday morning with the best long run so far this year. It was beautiful and sunny, dry and around 42 degrees. Superman and I took the park hill route, because it's a straight run. Almost exactly 11 miles from my house to the top of the hill and back. The elevation goes from 607 to the highest point at 724 ft. Yeah, that park hill is a mother. Every 3 miles I stopped for a Gu (two of those Gu stops were also traffic light stops) and I walked up 2 really steep sections of hill. On the way back I made a bathroom stop. All that, and I still came in feeling strong with a 13:19 overall pace. For perspective, this time last year I could only run 4 miles, and by the end of April my 6 milers were at a 13+ pace.

I've been taste testing Gu's randomly from the stash I accumulated last year. One of Saturday's was actually a raspberry Cliff gel, which was ok. I can completely do without the Cherry Lime Gu, and the mint chocolate is good. My favorite is the Chocolate Outrage. Tastes like brownie batter. I didn't have one of those with me though. The important part is, none of them upset my stomach. I had a bit of coffee upset early on in the run, but that went away.

Superman and I have been discussing getting rid of the Gu and bringing actual food with us. I know Ultra runners don't Gu so much, and I think an almond butter and jelly sandwich would be much more satisfying than the Gu. I also would be less likely to end my long run hungry, which seems to always be the case. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone reading this has experience with actual food over energy products. I wonder about accessing the energy fast enough if digestion is slower on the run, or if energy is taken up by digestion.

After my long run I took an ice bath. I laugh at myself with these, because it takes me 5 minutes to get in, and those 5 minutes are very loud and complaint filled. Then I get used to it, and focus on keeping my toes from aching too much with the cold. Superman is wonderful about timing them for me, and not laughing in my face over the whole ordeal.

I warmed up a bit from my ice bath, showered, and headed out to pick up packets for Sunday's race. If you remember back in the beginning of March I signed up for the Towpath Trilogy, if only to run with the Energizer Bunny, and oh by the way get another T-shirt. Sunday was the first race of the trilogy. The Energizer Bunny ran the half marathon, and because I was already on a half marathon plan set to end in 2 weeks, I ran the 5-miler.

No schwag. Just a neon green shirt that runs small.
It fits, but I'll have to lose a few pounds to feel comfortable wearing it alone.

I was in something of a hurry, because I had a date with the Energizer Bunny to celebrate completion of my bathroom. I wasn't home long before she and her brood came over. After a tour of the new construction, we headed out for ice cream!

Carb loading at it's finest!

Everyone I'm related to is something of a goofball!

I was supposed to work on a paper when I came home, but was too tired to focus. I tried to take a short nap, but that didn't work very well either. I did finally manage to get some homework done, then went to bed early. I had to be up at 6 to get ready for the race. 

I don't think I ever sleep well the night before a race. I wasn't even planning to race this race - just get my 5 miles in to qualify for the trilogy shirt. I had no real expectations, since I'd just run 11 miles the day before. My goal was simply to run the route without stopping.

I checked the temperature, and was surprised to see 50 degrees! What I'd planned to wear was based on 40 degree temps, so I spent some time scrambling through my wardrobe. I ultimately decided on the race T, my running capris, and a sweatshirt I didn't mine losing if I got too warm. I pinned my bib on, attached my timing chip to my shoe, gathered everything and set out for the Energizer Bunny's house.

Energizer Bunny's friend EB is not a runner, but she's gotten up with us at the butt crack of dawn to drive for every race my sister and I have done together. Now that's a friend! I met up with them and we figured out how to get where we needed to be. The races stared at different locations, so they dropped me off at my starting area about a quarter after 7:00. The race didn't start until 8:00, so I had plenty of time to take pictures.

The starting area

People starting to arrive

We lined up about 7:45

The officer by the orange cones had a brilliant voice for the national anthem

Mostly I stretched and tried to stay warm without wearing myself out. I found out later it was only 37 degrees. My outfit was perfect for the run, but not so much for the standing around before and after.

I didn't take any pictures during the race, but had a few impressions. On the way up the hill, right before our first turn, I passed 2 walkers. Considering where I passed them and the pace they were setting, they must have lined up right in the front row! I felt for the elite runners who were trying to win this and had to dodge them at the start. I also didn't understand the woman who passed me at one point, stopping at all the water stops ahead of me, then didn't follow the race course. I caught up with her at a different point on the course and realized she was just out for her morning jog, taking advantage of both water and Gaterade on her out and back.

I was surprised at how strong I felt. My legs were already tired by mile 2, but I just set a steady pace and kept to it. I'd hoped to run the whole thing, but decided as I approached the first water stop that I would walk those. I brought my own water bottle and took Gaterade when offered. Gaterade works much better with my stomach than Heed, and I am glad they changed brands this year.

So I'm just hoofing my way along, paying attention to my breathing, enjoying the sunshine and the view. I approach the turnaround at about the halfway point and am passed by 2 women. They weren't together, and one of them motored on by, increasing her lead on me at a steady pace. The other woman settled in just ahead of me. I was slightly annoyed, as she is one of those runners who chuff their feet forward on impact. She was expending energy against herself, and her footfalls were loud enough to be distracting. I acknowledged though that, had she been a blogger, she would have been writing about me as the heavy breather who's loud exhales were distracting to her cadence.

I was working the course at a steady pace, not pushing on uphills and letting gravity take me on downhills. There weren't many up or downhills, but even a flat course has slight undulations. It didn't take me long to realize that every time I started to catch up with the lady in front of me, she would put on a little speed and increase the distance between us. She was racing me!

I felt a little bad for her, because I wasn't racing. I thought about racing her for an instant, but quickly decided not. I was just out for a 5 mile run, the day after putting in 11 miles, and trying not to trash my legs or injure myself in the process. She walked through the water stops only after realizing I was walking them. She periodically looked for me over her shoulder. At one point I smiled, thinking it would make her day if she beat me. I started cheering her on in my head every time she pulled away. With about a mile to go, we hit a steep downhill and with gravity's help I pulled ahead. I was sad to immediately hear her footfalls stop. She'd given up, and finished a good 5 minutes after me.

I had no real time expectations, thinking at best I would finish as fast as the last few 5-milers I'd run. Since I'd never raced a 5-miler, anything would be a PR. Imagine my surprise when I came in at 59:04 - an 11:50 pace! I've only broken a 12-minute-mile once this year, and that was on a 2 mile run. This weeks runs have been awesome, and I'm hopeful that whatever I'm doing different, I keep doing!

After I caught my breath I went down the hill to the party area, looking for EB and some food. I knew I had about an hour to wait for the Energizer Bunny to finish. She was hoping to PR, but as the first race of the season without a real training plan behind her, that wasn't likely. She expected to come in somewhere between 2:00 and 2:10. I found food, found EB and we set up camp at the finish line.

show us how you really feel!

EB and I heard several people talking about how the half marathon course was long. My Jog Log app started out saying their miles were short, but I heard "distance: 5 miles" just as I passed the finish line. I heard people saying the half marathon was almost a full half mile over, coming in just shy of 13.5 miles. Even with that knowledge, the Energizer Bunny wasn't happy with her time. I've decided she's just never happy unless it's a PR. That's a lot of pressure, to demand a PR every race!

She got food, we piled in the car and headed home. I still had that paper to write, and I still wanted to make bread this weekend. I got home, showered, and dug around the internet for a good dense, heavy bread recipe. Then I went back out for groceries.

Beer bread, called a "mash"

Yum!

It's a fact that I can't follow a recipe straight. I added sunflower seeds, flax, and oatmeal, then made it a batch and a half thinking those additions would be enough for 2 loaves. They are 2 very small loaves, but they are yummy! I will have to experiment with the type of beer to use. This was a chocolate stout, but I know nothing about beers. Does anyone know why each can has a ping pong ball in it?

Next week I'll try a recipe with yeast. I've decided I don't need a bread machine, since the bread I like doesn't work well in them. Machines knead the dough too much for the denser breads I like.

After making and taste testing bread, I got started on homework. Amazingly enough, I was too tired to focus on my paper again! I called my Dad, letting him know I'd have to write the paper today instead of continuing the painted we started Friday. I'll be back at his place tomorrow and Wednesday. I tried to get some sleep, but may have been too tired for that as well. I ultimately stayed up until 2:30 reading a whodunit, before finally getting to sleep.

I did sleep well, and still have that paper to write. I can't use fatigue as an excuse as it's due today, so I'm off to do that now.

The Gummi Bear of Doom!!!!!!!

Makes you want one, doesn't it? I know where you can get a blue raspberry one, free! Go HERE.

Then follow EMZ on her new blog (HERE), which is all about raising money for the Sojourner Center. She's going to run for 24 hours straight on a treadmill, to raise money for the center. You can read why HERE.

The center will use that money to help people affected by domestic violence. An awesome cause!

What does the World's Largest Gummi Bear have to do with the Sojourner Center and EMZ's run? Well EMZ's daughter wanted one, and managed to convince her Dad to buy one about a month ago. Then EMZ saw a bit in Runner's World magazine about how Gummi Bears make good fuel on long runs. 2 + 2 = she's got herself a bubble gum flavored 5 lb. Gummi Bear for her 24 hour treadmill run.

In the process, she convinced Vat19 (who sells the world's largest Bummi Bear) to donate one for the cause.

I don't even like Gummi Bears, and if I did I'd prefer just about any other flavored one, but I came up with $10 for additional entries in this giveaway. I can always send it off to Monkey Boy in Germany. With his workouts, he can afford the 12,600 calories...

It's an awesome cause. She's a great person. Go help her exceed her goal, and maybe win the fixin's for the world's largest sugar coma in the process!

Three things Thursday

1. This weekend I'm trying my hand at baking bread. My mother went through a spell where she made all our bread. YUM for bread hot out of the oven! Superman went through a stint a few years ago, where he made bread every week for a few months. I have in the past owned a bread machine, but rarely used it. That's why this time I will forgo the machine until I know how much bread I'm actually going to make. If anyone has any good thick, dense bread recipes, I'm interested.

Being Gadget Girl, I did price out one of these babies.
The Zorirushi Bbcec20ba makes 2 lb. loaves that look like loaves of bread.
You can also make meatloaf and jelly with it...

2. I'm not sure what I'm doing on my runs this week, but I must be doing something right. I feel like I'm actually running. I feel like I'm pushing, and even though today was the 3rd day of running in a row, the run didn't suck horribly. Yeah, I walked some. Yeah, my legs are tired, but I still felt like I ran the whole thing. Understand there is a difference between running and jogging, and a difference between what these last 2 runs have felt like, and what running usually feels like. Though not easy or comfortable, this I can get used to!

3. Now that I'm done with the bathroom, I've noticed the house looks rather shabby in comparison. Because I don't know what to do with myself, I started mudding some of the cracks I noticed around doors, windows, and baseboards. I found myself talking to a friend who might be able to get me a huge discount on paint, so I can redo the first and 2nd floors. I need a new kitchen floor and carpet throughout the house, but can't afford those projects yet. I am seriously thinking about what I want and how to get it done, though. 

Coincidence or causation?

Monday I took my first Yoga/Pilates class at the Y. This is not a real Yoga class, nor a real Pilates class. The instructor said nothing about breathing. She just took us through a mix of Yoga and Pilates poses, with a focus on core work. This is good for me because I need core work. This is also potentially bad for me because it was mostly lower ab work.

Here's the thing. About 12 years ago I had a serious of issues which resulted in 2 surgeries. Things were cut out. Things were sewn back together. Scar tissue formed. If you think about it, sewing things back together involves pulling and slightly overlapping the edges. The edges have to touch to heal, right?

Soon after the first surgery, I started having lower back issues. I developed arthritis in the same hip the surgery was on. Coincidence? Maybe yes, maybe no. The back issues could be related to falling from the top of the pine tree in our back yard as a child. I landed on my ass on a root, and walked funny for several weeks after. That tree was as big as our house and it's astonishing to me that I walked away with no lasting damage. I do blame the arthritis on the surgery. I believe things got pulled, then things started rubbing where they hadn't...

I'm jumping all over the place here, aren't I? Stay with me now. The 2nd surgery was a direct result of the back pain. In addition to the tree incident, I also fell down at least 2 flights of stairs and popped something doing a throw at Tae Kwon Do. After years of doctor's visits, Xrays, scans, and several prescription drugs, they finally thought they figured out what was wrong with me and decided to operate. They didn't find what they thought, the back pain didn't go away, but I now have more scar tissue across my lower abdominal area.

What does all this have to do with my Yoga/Pilates class? Not much really, because the Yoga/Pilates class is the means to the end I'm trying to reach. In class we did a lot of lower ab work. Yesterday my knee hurt, which means my IT band was inflamed again. I rolled it out, which helped some. Later, I stretched on my Pilates ball and the pain went away. Want to know what I stretched? That's right, my lower abdominal area. Coincidence, or causation? I'm beginning to think this is where my problem lies. I'm not yet sure what to do about it except keep stretching and working the area. The scar tissue will never go away, but I understand it is possible to make it stronger and more pliable.

Oh, and by the way:

I still have to scrub the grout stains off the tile, then seal the grout. I also have not actually INSTALLED the sink faucet, but otherwise I am effectively done. Now to put my house back together and start thinking about how and when to do the kitchen...

Ok, so I lied

You don't get bathroom pictures today, because it's not quite done. I thought I could salvage the old sink faucet, but whoever installed it did not do so correctly. The whole underside was rusted and corroded. Of course, Superman discovered this just about the time Home Depot closed. No sink tonight = no pictures of a finished bathroom. I'm sooooo close!

In other news, I actually got out to run today. This was difficult as I've been having trouble with motivation. It's also difficult because apparently I've forgotten how to breath. I've got seasonal allergies, my thyroid is acting up (which also makes my nose run for some reason), and my back is stiff from all the sanding and grouting and painting I've been doing. Superman pointed out this past weekend I'm panting within the first 5 minutes, which probably explains why my runs have been the suck lately. This is not good when your planned run is an hour or two!

I tried to focus on my breathing today, but found my music got in the way! I was most comfortable in a 3-in, 3-out rythm, and none of my music matched that beat. Last year I ALWAYS ran with music. No ifs, ands, or buts. This year, I've run 2 and 3 milers without music. Tomorrow's run is 4 miles, and I'm considering running it without music to focus on my breathing.

I considered today's 5 mile run a precursor to the 5 mile race I'm signed up for Sunday. Should be interesting, especially since I'm running 11 Saturday as part of my regularly scheduled training plan. We won't even talk about the fact that I start painting my parent's tomorrow. I only signed up for the 5-miler because Energizer Bunny wanted to run it, though she's now running the half. That and the Towpath is celebrating their 20th anniversary, so we get a T-shirt if we do all 3 races they put on this year. Because I need more T-shirts. I was going to do the 10-miler and the half later in the year anyway. It just made sense to sign up for this one as well.

It doesn't get much better than this...

I took a shower in my own house this morning. You'll get pictures when I have the sink installed, which will be some time tomorrow night. Superman is going to help me with the plumbing.

My parent's hallway is ready to paint. Getting this far was a long process, involving a lot of mud and ladder climbing. Wednesday I start to prime. We should finish this project next Friday. Then we'll see what can be finished before they host Easter.

I start my new yoga/pilates class tonight. There will be a lot of markups on my calendar, because I'm switching my cross-training day from Wednesday to Monday for this class. Monday's run will become Tuesday's, and Tuesday's will become Wednesday's. This makes 3 days of running in a row, which will be interesting, but it also gives me 2 recovery days after my long run. The way I feel today after Saturday's 10 miles, I think this is a good idea.

Best of all, THIS came today!

Can you tell how excited I am? I've wanted one of these for quite a while. As soon as I saw the package I ripped into it, put the shirt on and started taking pictures. Thank you EMZ It's a perfect fit and I love it!

Anything and Everything

I am convinced I am capable of anything I set my mind to. I will find a way to accomplish anything, so long as I want it enough. I just have to want it enough, and set my mind to it. Those are not always the easiest things to accomplish.

What I am not capable of, is everything. At least not everything all at once. Case in point: This past week I  completed an A+ certification lesson, finalized an MIS project, and attended a new MIS class. I sanded and mudded my parent's hallway. I have been to Home Depot and/or Lowes every single day. I painted and grouted my bathroom walls, and today laid the tile floor.  

What I have not done this week, is run. 

This is my half marathon training schedule. The X's are days I have completed the exercises scheduled. The blued out squares are days I have not completed the exercises scheduled. Please note this past week (that would be the all blue one). I've been too physically exhausted from the other things I'm doing, to do anything physical.

If I'm lucky, tomorrow I'll get to the pool in time to swim. That hasn't happened yet this week, because I've been too tired to get out of bed in time.

I'm actually looking forward to my run on Saturday. I've found a new path with long slow rolling hills. The uphills don't kill me so much I can't fly on the downhills. I like flying on the downhills. Makes me feel like I can actually run.

Tomorrow, I'll be cleaning up some of the construction mess. I have to wait until at least mid-afternoon to grout. Saturday (after my 10-miler) I will put the toilet back, seal the grout, and put up fixtures. Saturday night, I will take a shower in my own damn house, before going out to celebrate!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

This is how I spent my afternoon:

4 stores. <$100

I pull the toilet tomorrow and should have everything finished by Saturday night. Sunday is clean-up, and I finally have my house back!

If I'm lucky, I'll get my first run of the week in tomorrow, as well!

What HAVE I been doing?

I apparently fell into something of a funk this past weekend. I've been eating a ton of junk food, not hydrating, forgetting to water my plants, and basically not taking care of stuff around here. I did get my 9 miles in Saturday, thanks in part to Superman. I had 6 on the calendar yesterday, but blew them off in favor of a lazy morning. I'm currently procrastinating as I told myself I'd do the 6 today.

After my lazy morning yesterday, I worked at my parent's. We are almost ready to prime and paint the hallway. I'll do the final sanding/mudding on the 2nd floor Wednesday, and we should start painting Friday. First and second floor, front to back hallways with stairwell, a closet, and a refrigerator nook means at least 4-5 days painting: prime, ceilings, walls, trim. I'll have before and after pics to post when we finally get that done.

Because I didn't get my run on in the morning, I made a deal with myself and put in hard work on my bathroom yesterday instead. I'd painted over the weekend, but still needed to paint the door frame and medicine cabinet. I got that done and started working on putting up the new light fixture. In getting the ground wire out of the electrical box, I dumped a ton of what looks like pencil shavings onto my newly painted, still wet medicine cabinet! Then, just as I was finishing the installation, wouldn't you know I dropped the nut that holds the whole thing to the wall down the crack between the tub and floor! I prepared to go to Home Depot for a replacement. When I went back to get my phone out of the bathroom, I brushed up against my newly painted door frame, getting paint all over my favorite jacket. *SIGH*

Every single day I work on the bathroom, I have to run to Home Depot or Lowes. So I went to Home Depot for a replacement nut, only to find they didn't have anything that would work, and oh by the way I bought that fixture at Lowes. So I went to Lowes and found something that would work.

It was after 6 by the time I got home. I threw my jacket in the wash and got to work. First, I repainted the medicine cabinet and door frame. They will need one more coat, which I'll do today. Then I finished putting up the light fixture. Once I had the fixture up, I realized I'd miscalculated. I couldn't close the medicine cabinet door! I spent quite a bit of time bending and arranging the fixture, all the while praying I wouldn't break it and have to make yet another trip to the hardware store.

Finally!

I think I need to get lower wattage bulbs, as one blew out already while I was working on the next stage of the project.

Once I got the light fixture and medicine cabinet working together, I started grouting. This went much faster after I jury-rigged my tub faucet. I need a piece of pipe for the spigot, but was able to use the shower pipe Mr. Math left behind, to get water. Lugging a bucket of water upstairs every 5 tiles was not working! I was able to get almost half the room grouted last night.

Today's trip to Home Depot will involve a piece of pipe to connect my tub spigot, and a solution to get the "haze" off my tile. The grout says I should be able to wash it off, but that isn't happening. Hopefully by the end of the day I'll have the whole room grouted, the faucet fixed, and the shower curtain rod up. Once I seal the grout I'll be able to shower! THAT is progress!

Oh, and my team handing in our final paper yesterday, as that class ended. I get a week to relax a little while the new class gets under way, before I have to start writing papers again. Yay!

A letter to my dreams

You thought I forgot, but I didn't. Way back in October, I set myself a challenge to write 30 letters. Not just any letters. 30 specific letters. 30 not-always-easy letters. The list can be found here. I've already written a letter to my best friend, to my crush, to my parents, and to my siblings. This letter is to my dreams.

If you're not interested in my letters, you can click the image below for something more interesting. Check out the archive here for some truly beautiful shots.

Dear Dreams,

I'm not talking to the skeletons I saw in a waking sleep after watching Prom Night as a pre-teen. I'm not talking to the ever-changing, rambling maze of a house that I frequently visit in my nocturnal excursions. I'm talking to my goals and aspirations. Specifically, what I want to be when I grow up. Where are you, and why have you always been so elusive?

As a child I wanted to be a veterinarian, because I loved animals. It seemed like a good answer to the inevitable question "what do you want to be when you grow up?" I still love animals, but experience showed me being a vet also involved blood, gore, and death. I just wanted to love animals, not operate on them. I certainly didn't want to put them down! Being bit by a dog didn't help, either.

In Junior High, my guidance counselor suggested I find a nice man and settle down. I'm not sure what test results brought that up. I didn't realize at the time what a horrible thing that counselor did to me. I just took it to heart. I started thinking about becoming a masseuse, because the guys I practiced on seemed to think I had talent.

In High School, when asked where I saw myself in 5 years, the answer truly was that I didn't. I was convinced I would die young, because I simply couldn't conceive a vision of where I would be and what I would be doing. I don't think I understood the question to mean "what do you want to be doing in 5 years?" or even "what do you want to be when you grow up?" I lived very much in the now, with no plans or aspirations, no goals to look forward to beyond graduation.

After graduation, I became engaged. That was something to look forward to! A wedding! I had no real concept of what married life would be like. I certainly didn't think the divorce would be final 2 years later, to the day. During that time I'd started going to school to become an accountant, as I found the columns and numbers fun. I left the marriage with our bedroom set and credit card bills. He got everything else, including the car, making it very difficult to get to school and work. The CPA dream was discarded.

I found someone else and made babies. Now I had direction! I would be a mom, the best mom I could be. When that relationship fell apart, I was given the opportunity to go back to school. I could be more than just a mom! I still didn't know what I wanted to do, so took classes until I found something I liked. I almost ended up in a CPA program again, but what I really liked was to play with clay. I planned to open a storefront, renting shelf space to local artists, selling my work, and teaching classes in the back. I would work on pieces at the front counter while I minded the store. I even worked out a floor plan.

That relationship didn't last either. I realized I couldn't support myself and my children as an artist, and found a job based on my computer skills. I put you away, dreams, focusing on the reality of putting a roof over our heads and food in our mouths. I was able to do that for 10 years, until my children were grown. Then I started thinking about you again.

I thought about that little shop, and tried to see where I could take my art. Without confidence and a good sales drive, the avenues I approached didn't lead anywhere. I think part of the problem is, I've stopped believing in dreams again.

My poor dreams, you are now a means to an end. I dream of working in the IT field, not because I have a passion for it (though I really do like the idea of playing with computers all day), but because it's a good field to be in. I dream of having enough money to fix my house, to buy a car, to maybe go on a cruise some day. I dream of putting enough away so I can retire.

I have little goals that get me through the day. Races I want to run. Classes I want to finish. I always put something in front of myself, so I have a direction and something to learn. I just don't know where those somethings will ultimately lead. I'm back in high school right now, with no clue where I'll be and what I'll be doing in 5 years. Maybe by then I'll have new dreams, and the means to achieve them.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Grout, paint caulk...I might actually have a shower by the end of the weekend!

I'll lay the floor next week, and be done! 

I also replaced an old cabinet and rearranged my kitchen:

Big doin's going on

I'm scraping together $50 to support EMZ of If I Can't Convince You, I'll Confuse You in her 24 hour treadmill run. EMZ is my kinda gal. She rocked a 50 mile Man Against Horse race. She's run like a gagillion (11) marathons. She's a great Mom who starts food fights with her daughter. She's also one of the more positive, inspiring, and supportive people I've ever come in contact with. EMZ is pulling off this insanity to raise money and awareness for the Sojourner Center.

From the Sojourner Center website:

Since 1977, Sojourner Center has provided shelter and support services
to thousands of individuals affected by domestic violence.
Through empowerment families discover hope and have the opportunity
to build a new future free from violence. As the nation's
largest domestic violence shelter, Sojourner Center is
a tireless advocate for domestic violence victims and survivors.
With the continued support of the community,
Sojourner Center can help women and children
overcome the impact of domestic violence, one life at a time.

Please consider donating. Donations can be made through EMZ's blog (here). Click the Donate button on her right sidebar, and it will take you step by step through the process. While you're at it, check out her blog. She's funny. She's real. There is no one like EMZ.

Meanwhile, if you take a look over at my sidebar, You'll see I'm participating in my first marathon! Well, it's not a real marathon. That won't be until next year. This is a virtual marathon put on by Barefoot Neil, because he can't participate in the real one he signed up for. Family comes first, and you have to respect the man for that.

The deal is, I have to run 26.1 miles on, or within the 2 weeks before, May 1st (with at least 1K run on May 1). I'll be running mine cumulatively. Neil will run his all on May 1. He's a madman who runs outside all through Calgary winters. Click the picture to check out his race, then check out his blog.

In the real world, this was my 4 mile run today. 40 degrees is not bad. I knew I would be running in the rain. I did not know I would be hurdling over snow piles and puddles. It made for an interesting time, at any rate.

Back to tiling. Hopefully I'll get the walls done today...