Scientific Proof

Finally, scientific confirmation for what we Drunkrunners already knew:

"Guinness good for you - official"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOKLAHOMA where the wind comes sweepin' down the plains...

The bad news:
I have pulled out of running the Houston Marathon.

Here is my justification to those of you (read: Deetschei), who are grumbling and disappointed:

1. 12 weeks to train for my very first marathon was just a silly and painful idea - no rest weeks leading up to the big day, no rest weeks from my 12 mi. run to my 20 mi. run, no rest week in between back-to-back 20 mi. runs, ... etc.
2. I waited way too long to buy a bib. The bib-exchange is ridiculous. People are selling bibs starting at $100 and then the organization tacks on another $40 exchange fee. I like running, but I do not like it enough to pay a minimum of $140 in order to punish my body. I can do that for free!
3. The job market put me behind on my training and I pushed myself too hard to catch back up and have developed some knee issues (see various previous posts about 2 ACL surgeries, 1 meniscus repair, and 1 meniscus removal).

Ok, now that I have put you in your places and defended my decision...

I have good news:
I will be running the Oklahoma City Marathon on April 27th. The even better news is that Ginifer and my as-of-yet-unmentioned-sister (who I will let come up with her own drunkrunner name), will be running the half-marathon!!!! Woohoo!!!! This will be the first time any of us have run these distances and run them competitively. While I am trying to stay a Positive Polly, my only concern is Oklahoma in late-April. It could either be freakin' cold (which I actually wouldn't mind) or it could be freakin' sticky and hot (which I mind greatly). But I shan't think about that now. Gotta keep my eye on the prize.

I took the last two weeks relatively easy, because I still have not recovered entirely from my 14 miler - which kind of scares me... However, I ran just over 9 miles yesterday at a 9:22 pace, so I couldn't have broken myself too badly. But the knee pains persist, and I have developed an unpleasant stabbing pain* in my calf/ankle. It might be time to really invest in a good, expensive pair of shoes. I think I might have come to learn finally what all this IT band hooha is about, unfortunately. I went for a run the other day, stopped to catch my breath and when I tried running again, I had this sharp stabbing pain* run down the side of my leg from my hip to my knee. Hmmmm. Not pleasant. When I tried putting my foot down to move forward and put weight on it, my leg felt like it was going to buckle. Scary. But that was the other day and I didn't have the same problem yesterday, so hopefully it was just a fluke.

Anyshmoo. I am going to do some "fun runs," as Sixpack would call them, and try to work in a few longer runs (12 & 14) for the next couple of weeks, before my training plan for the OKC marathon begins.

Ho ho ho. I wish you all a happy holiday and hope that your stockings are stuffed with lots of fun running gear. I, too, have loaded the list with new running apparel as well as a request for weights and a weight bench. Soon I will be stealing back my skinny runner's legs from Sixpack!

Deetschei!!! When is your race? Good luck to you and Sevey!!!! Be sure to drink lots of beer at the finish line (as if I needed to tell you!)

* Has anyone noticed how we repeatedly use the term "stabbing" to refer to certain running pains? I, personally, have never been stabbed and hope never to be stabbed, so I am not sure if "stabbing pain" can accurately describe what I am feeling. I suppose a more apt description would be "it feels like I *imagine* it might feel, if someone took a big rusty, semi-dull knife and stabbed it repeatedly into my leg." I wonder how a doctor would respond, if I went into his office and described my pain in such vivid terms... Might have to try that out for kicks. ;)

Questionable Running Foods

To the long list of Questionable Running Foods I would like to add this menu item: Sauteed Happy Family.



Just had to share that typo. I love them!!!!

quick post

I know i owe you a real post (and this isn't going to be it), but I just wanted to drop in realquick and tell everyone how great it is to hear about you guys sticking through the bad times running. Very inspirational! How was the 16 miler, Dr. P.P.?
I am frantically trying to get ready for my flight to the USA tomorrow so I can't publish anything substantial, but I have resolved to compose something during the voyage. This means that sometime in the next few days you will get to hear about my recovery week (ooh!!!!), some new running gear I received for Christmas (aaaaahh!!!!) and my verdict on a new entry in the series of questionable food before the run: steak and onion pie (huzzzaahh!!). Keep up the good work, and don't forget that we run because we enjoy it :)

Skinny Runner's Legs and 6 miles down!

I'm working hard here trying to get back on track. The best part is, I'm running for fun these days. I left the house this morning with the plan of running 5 miles. I had the plan of running to Glen Park and then climbing back up the O'Shaughnessy Monster. It's 1.5 miles uphill, followed by another 1.2 up to the top of Twin Peaks. By the time it was all done, I had actually run 6 miles. It was awesome!!! It was fun! That was the best part. I had a great run.

I also noticed I have developed a serious case of skinny runner's legs. Yes that is right. I somehow managed to lose all of my fat from my legs. They are downright twigs. Rather interesting. I've always had those farmer's thighs. Now they seem to be disappearing. I'm hoping they don't go too far, but in the meantime, I'm loving my new life as Lance Armstrong.

Just chiming in and letting you know I'm feeling a little better.

The Inadequacies of the Internet

You would think that with all the shit out on the web, there would be ONE still from the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day showing the scene in which T-1000* gets frozen by liquid nitrogen and its legs break off its body as it tries to keep moving. Maybe I just don't have the patience to spend more than 10 minutes searching, but with Google images and all the other resources, it shouldn't even take that long.

The point of this ramble, you ask me? Well that scene perfectly describes how I felt on the first half of my 6.43 mile run today. I took Tuesday's 2miler off, because I was still in pain. However, thanks to nature and those good ol' endorphins, the pain gradually became bearable and almost forgettable. More to report after Sunday!

I agree with Sixpack, didn't running used to be fun??? ;)

*The only reason I know the name of that damned robot is because of all the googling I had to do in the first place. No, I am not naturally that geeky.

Nike+ Video

Seriously funny Nike+ spoof video. Check it out: Nike+ Spoof.

Week 12 and General Update

Body For Life, Round 1 is over. It was 12 weeks, most of which were pretty close to the prescribed plan. Although in retrospect I have to say I could have done a few more workouts and probably would have seen better results. In the end, I've lost 15 pounds and am in great shape. Thanksgiving and that IT incident really through a wrench in the works, however.
Between visitors from out of town and parties and what not, I fell off the running wagon big time. Yes, I conquered the fire trails, but that was about it. As a result I WILL NOT BE RUNNING HOUSTON! I've had to think long and hard about that one, but it's the best decision. Forest will not be running -- he's in too much pain and decided to move the surgery forward. If I ran it I would probably injure myself--not something I want to do three times in a row. I want to come out of the next marathon healthy and ready to go. This means longer training. Instead of forcing a marathon to happen that would probably be a bad idea, I've decided to take a week or so and just run for fun--something I haven't done in a very long time. Then I will begin a slow training program to get ready for a marathon in June (perhaps one in Santa Cruz.)

That's the long and short of life for me right now. I'm exercising a lot and looking for the time to do a little more. Running is stable but uninspiring. I need to get the drive back. That is what I will work at doing over the next few weeks.

I Done Did Went and Broke Myself

Kids, what have I done? What did you let me do? What did you encourage me to do???? I am a complete physical wreck after today's 14 miler. To date, this is the furthest and longest I have ever run. I do admit, after 2 hours I did begin to wonder why exactly I was doing this to myself and how much more excruciating running for 3-4 hours could possibly be. It was then that I started to wonder if I was cut from the same cloth as you marathon alumni. Do I have the same steely determination and drive? I am beginning to question my ability and drive. Yikes!!! And all this because of a painfully difficult 14 mile run. Grrrr.

In all actuality, this run should have taken place last week, but a) I was flying home from Thanksgiving in New Jersey, b) I was preparing to leave on Tues. for a job interview and thought that hobbling around a campus from 8:45am-10:30pm might not make the best first impression I would like, c) those were my two main reasons. Since this week was suppose to be my "rest" week, I swapped weeks and made Thanksgiving week my extra-cushy rest week (perhaps a bit too cushy). I realize now, however, that I will be increasing my long runs every week until the last recovery week before the marathon. Ouch. I suppose that is the price we pay for turkey, pumpkin pie, and liquor.

In response to Deetschei's glorious achievement of the allusive 100 Mile Month, I have yet to reach this goal. If you count literally from say October 22 - November 22, the closest I have come has been just over 90 miles. I imagine that in the next few weeks, as my long run distances increase, I might just hit the Century Club - oh wait, doesn't that involve 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes? Well, I already belong to that club. This will be my second Century Club then.

Back to the 14 miler today. I was a bit disappointed that my time increased over the 12 miler I did two weeks ago, but it was 83 and humid today [don't even get me started] so I take some solace in that - my avg. was 9:43 (up 38 seconds from the 12 mi run). I am much faster when it is cold, really. But, at some point along the way, I decided that finishing the distance was my biggest goal, as the furthest I had run up to this point was 12 miles. So I consider this a minor victory today and am pleased that I didn't break down into a messy shamble on the side of the road and have to call Ben to come pick me up! Yay! Hooray for minor victories. Plus, I burned a whopping 1547 calories (according to this handy website: Map My Run that I stumbled across and am posting a link to via our website. For people without the Nike Plus, this is a handy alternative to route mapping and calculating your workout. I would hesitate to save your runs though, as that seems like an ingenious way to let perverts and rapists find out where you run!) On the downside of things (because you know that with me there always has to be a downside...), my calves are killing me and my knees aren't feeling the best. I won't go into great detail, but upon coming home my body wasn't sure which end it wanted to expel things from first. I am pretty sure that I might have been dehydrated, despite carrying 32 oz. (2 lbs) of liquids on my run. If only the public park's water fountain had actually been working. That was a dirty, dirty trick on the part of the city's Parks and Recreation crew. They are due a very nasty phone call tomorrow.

Sooo, despite my sudden lack of faith in my ability to actually finish a marathon after only running 14 miles, I think this week has been pretty good. Hopefully the temperature will cool down and next week's 16mi won't be quite as daunting.

Distance: 24.05
Time: 3:46:42
Avg. Pace: 9:25
Overall Impression: Clearly I am doing something wrong, as I only had one car honk at me today. Must investigate.