Extra Spring

There was a little extra spring in my step today as I ran the first leg, 8 miles, of today's two parter. I took extra care with my darling children's breakfast and lunches: "Oatmeal you say? Of course darling girl. Only 2 waffles for you Tylor? Feeling alright?". I wisked them off to school for the first day of the year. Oh, the spring in my step for the second leg. I ran on clouds and barely noticed the traffic and the chill in the air. It could have been snowing today and I would have been happy. Oh, the joy that school brings each Fall!!

Last Long One

School starts tomorrow. (insert mom doing happy dance here) Today I decided to do a longer run than usual. I ran up and around Communication Hill twice and then back home for a pit stop for a total of 10.5 miles. Then out again for another 4.25 around the neighborhood. So, 14.75 miles.

My longest run this summer before this one has been 13 miles. I like being a middle distance runner. I don't feel the need to do marathons any more - I've only done 2. I don't feel the need to show exactly how far I can push my body. I may not be the fastest or the longest but I know that you need to find your distance. What is your mileage? Where do you feel a little Zen?

Tomorrow I have to start breaking my run in two. I will get in as many miles as possible before I have to get the kids up at 6:30, make breakfast, make lunches, carpool and home again to run the 2nd leg. I should be in the shower by 8:45. And who cares if my hair doesn't look great until carpool pick up??

Only the Second Time

Wednesday I wore a short sleeved running shirt for only the second time this summer. It has been so cool each morning that I need the long sleeved shirt at least for the first 3 or 4 miles. I like to get my shirts a size too big so they are loose and comfortable and so I can push up the sleeves without taking it off when I start to get too warm.

Temperature matters to me a lot. I run hot and with the added heat of the day I get over heated and then I turn into a slug if I am exercising. The heat of the day kills my energy. I have watched my husband for years run or exercise during the heat of the day shaking my head. He comes back drenched in sweat but energized and ready to proceed with his day. Not me.

I have friends who enter races and want me to do it with them. Or they want me to join their running group or just run with them. I can't. Most races start at 9 or 10 in the morning and if they are a half marathon or such then it is putting the race in the heat of the day. I have run several race courses that wind through my neighborhood well before the race starts having the race course volunteers watch my progress. I do enjoy a course that leads me in areas I don't typically run. Honestly, the thought of all those bustling people scares me as well but that's another post.

Running in the morning isn't all about me being a morning person. It allows me to run farther and faster because it is cooler.

Dear Running Shoes:

I wanted to let you know how much you have meant to me these last 6 months. I knew it wouldn't last forever but I didn't see this coming at all. We had some good times you and I. We have seen some amazing heights, okay, it was Communication Hill (CH) but it was still a nice view. And, we had our low points; 28 degree mornings, a pack of dogs stare down and that weird '80's runner (headband, leg warmers, too short shorts). You got me through some bad spots; street paving tar, puddles and black ice to name a few. You have been there for me every morning. Every single morning rain or shine. You haven't complained when I have abused you (that wasn't a pile of brown leaves like I said) and have stood proudly beneath me when I treated you worst (I know sprinting isn't my strength but you gave it your all). So, when you died on me yesterday I was suprised to say the least. I think it must have been that last run on the Santa Cruz beach on Thursday that did it. You were doing just fine but I could tell you were tired (okay, it was me but you felt heavier). Friday it felt like we were slogging up CH but you made it and I thought you were going to pull out of it just fine. But, alas, it wasn't to be. You gave it your best I'm sure yesterday but that last down hill on CH your heart just gave out. Okay, it wasn't your heart it was your toe. I slid forward and my toe slid through the mesh. It was startling to watch it happen. I had to stop and try to save you but you were gone. You wanted to hobble on but I just couldn't watch. Every step was painful for you so I had to do it. I had to let you go. Don't think I won't remember you, I will. Every morning as I set off I'll shed a tear for you. For all those miles we saw together.

Reason #127 for running in the morning

Reason #127: Kids don't like to get up early. When they have to get up early they are not active until after food and sufficient time to digest said food. Thus running in the a.m. is pretty safe from having milling children about.

(This morning Lauren woke up early because of a bloody nose and proceeded to beg to go running with me. She got dressed, shoes on, helmet on, bike ready. We left the house at 5:30, it took 35 minutes to go 2.5 miles. I had to remind her repeatedly which was left and right and to look both ways when crossing a street and to get off the sidewalk when a walker/runner was in front of her. We stopped three times so I could explain that I can't have a 'running conversation' about what we are going to do today/tomorrow/etc.. I need my alone time.)

Thwack!

There are a few perils in running in the dark. Over the years I have managed to identify them and find ways to avoid said perils:

Pitching sidewalks - run on the street
Sprinklers - run on the street
Dogs barking behind fences - run on the street
Cars on road - run on sidewalk or right next to curb
Driver's turning where you are - okay, I've thumped a few hoods but really I just
stop and stare (glare) as they look startled
Prius - not as much noise so a bigger threat. Feel vibrations first and note engine
so listen to your feet and see above.
Dogs chasing me
A. Small dog - out run it or turn around and give it a swift kick* (typically
missing but the dog gets the drift)
B. Medium dog - Stare it down but if it keeps coming stand still and yell at
the idiot owner who is saying, "He is just playing. He won't
actually bite you!".
C. Large dog - Stand very still as it barrels towards me and hope it doesn't
knock me down while I yell at idiot owner. (see above)
D. Pack of dogs - Yes, this has happened. I turned a corner where 5 dogs were
running down the street towards me. I stopped but didn't
lose eye contact with the "leader". I yelled, clapped and
generally took over and sent them home. I didn't continue
down that same street ... just in case.
Raccoons - As long as you are loud they run away. I accidentally got in between a mom
and her babies in a tree once and got a pretty good threat but again, run
in the street.
Bicyclists - watch for them as they can't be heard and move quick!
Other Runners - cross to opposite side of street and generally avoid
*Note to dog lovers - I am not a dog hater I just hate being bitten. I am not out to injure the dog just to get it away from my achilles tendons. I am annoyed with owners that think, "my dog won't bite you". Dogs are predators and a runner looks like prey.

In spite of my wisdom of the ages once in a while I still miss something. This morning it as a bush branch that had sprouted out over the sideway. Right above my eye level. Thwack! It was just woody enough as to sting the second time it hit me - this branch was really long! I felt it on my forehead and put out a hand to push it away, caught part of it but it bent out of my hand, hitting me again and gave me a nice welt.

Thank goodness for bangs...

Give it a Listen

The Empty Chair - Author Jeffery Deavers - Read by Joe Mantegna - 2000

There are certain things that make listening to a book appealing to me; 1) An interesting plot, 2) A reader that has pre-read the story and understands the inflection and, if a reader given to changing voices for the characters, a spareness to the accent or gender of the character, 3) A good flow to the dialog and story line. This book had none of that. None I tell you.

Joe Mantegna had the worst voice for this reading! He was flat where he should have been animated, he used accents that were heavy and so thick as to be completely unintelligible, he slogged through dialog that should have been snappy and a bit pithy, and his sarcasm was non-existent, I was never sure if it was meant to be sarcastic or not!

The premise sounded great! It is about a NY City criminalist that goes to South Carolina for surgery only to be pulled into a murder investigation pitting him against someone he trained.

I was one chapter in before I thought I about turning it off. One more chapter and I was running a 12 minute mile because I was trying hard to understand his accented dialog. And on chapter 4 when I decided I couldn't listen to one more minute. I think that took up about 25 minutes of a 10 mile run. 25 minutes of my life that I won't ever get back.

I have read one other Jeffery Deaver book, The Sleeping Doll (2007), and enjoyed it. But this one lacked a reader that could be listened to for any length of time. Maybe give the book a try but give it a miss on the listen list!