Training Day 2

Today is training day 2. I ran 5 miles, cutting yesterday's time by more than three minutes (I didn't eat as heavy last night). One pattern I do notice is that my times are faster in the evening, probably since I'm working my legs at work all day.

I went to the Half Marathon this morning (not running it, but watching it). I saw Adrienne and June run in, both under two hours and thirty minutes! Go girls!

Watching it sort of saddened me. I should've been out there! But it's all good, because I'm training for the next half in Houston, which is the big one in January.

This week's training:
Monday - 5 miles after work
Tuesday - 3 miles after work (I'm staying late, can't do the whole thing)
Wednesday - 5 miles after work (if it's not raining, if it is, it's a bootcamp day)
Thursday - none
Friday - 5 miles
Saturday - none
Sunday - 10 miles. Hopefully. It's been over a month since I've gone 10 miles. It might be a slow 10 miles.

Thank God it's getting cooler. I feel alive again!

Mmm. I smell homemade pumpkin bread.

Cheers!

Once More

Today I signed up for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon (and thus receiving a free "In Training" running shirt!).

Today, I started training. 5 sluggish miles (no more steak, baked potato and wine for dinner before a run).

Here we go again.

Me Day

Today is a "me" day, which means I won't answer my phone. Unfortunately it's not a day of relaxation; it is a day of work. Grades are due Monday and I must finish grading and averaging. Although I might squeeze in a movie today.

This morning's run: 5 miles.
Temperature - fantastic
Run - eh. It was good because I did it, but I was feeling slow and sluggish (maybe due to the steak, huge baked potato, and wine I had for dinner last night).

First mile was 12:12, and it all went downhill from there.

Cheers!

I didn't get to run yesterday as planned (due to an "emergency" meeting at school). Anyway, I ended up not leaving work until almost 5:30 and I was so irritated that I didn't even want to run a bit (I wanted to run 6 or none, because if I couldn't get 6 in yesterday, I wanted to do it today).

So today I ran.

I had a good run.

I had a great run.

I had a fantastic run.

Mile 1: 11:43
Mile 2: 12:01
Mile 3: 12:36
Mile 4: 12:54
Mile 5: 12:15.

Yes, ladies and germs, my average pace was a 12:18. Take a moment to look at my posting from Sunday. Better yet, let me remind you myself... my average pace on Sunday was a 12:47, and that made me a very happy camper.

Today, I am tickled.

Cheers!

Gone and Not Forgotten!!

I had a fantastic morning!

I woke up at 9am (yes, that is extremely late for me, and I actually got 10 hours of sleep). When I got out of bed, my quads and glute felt significantly better. Should I run, or should I not? Mind you, I've run 2 miles in the past two weeks, and in my mind my legs have forgotten any previous spring strength they had and part of me is thinking, "Why bother. Why run again?" But I poked my head out the door and was greeted with a cold blast of air.

Well, hell. I have to run now.

So I geared up (sans fuel belt) and away I went from the front door.

WOW! I had the best run I've had since May!

Mile 1- 12:17
Mile 2- 12:20
Mile 3- 12:20 (starting to get tired, amazed I kept an even pace for 3 miles)
Mile 4- 13:10
Mile 5- 13:17
Mile 6- 13:20 (cool-down run, needing water and food)

My average mile was a 12:47, something I haven't managed to achieve on a 6 mile run since early May (according to my Garmin). And I haven't been able to hold a 12:20 mile consistently since then as well, which makes me happy!

I guess my body hasn't forgotten that much. Maybe the two weeks of non-running also helped heal my body (although the Tae-bo Boot Camp did its fair share to keep it in nonrepair).

So, I feel better again. I just wish the weather would stay like this so I can consistently get more runs this good in. I'll probably have to wait until November, though.

Cheers!

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

I have spent the day focusing on something I haven't done since maybe July: me. I have not left the house, I have not answered my cell phone, I have not chatted with anyone online, I made no plans for the day.

So what did I do, might you ask? Plenty! I did all of my grading, so that my Sunday can be school-free (relatively... I still need to work on the novel, but since I'm enjoying it I hardly classify it as work). I did beaucoup loads of laundry, I cleaned the sugar glider cage, I vacuumed, I cleaned my room, I read my novel, I watched tv, and I attempted to work out (see bottom note), I organized my shoe collection and wandered fondly/sadly down memory lane looking at the heels, wedges, and sling-backs (and realized that I haven't worn my awesome bronze heels since I went to Baton Rouge in June... I need an occasion to wear them again).

Due to school, out-of-town visits and my version of a social life, I rarely get to spend time alone, which is something I truly do miss. I see 150-180 people daily at work, so I cherish alone time, time that is quiet. I miss quiet. In fact, the only person I've yet to speak to today is my mother (by default), and I'm ok with that! I needed this catch-up time.

As for the "attempt" to work out... since I'm not really training for a race now (I'm not doing the half marathon next weekend... on account of the weather - I don't race in hot weather if I don't have to), I'm varying my workouts. I only run when the weather is nice now, so I haven't run a lot lately (although I'm planning on a 6-miler tomorrow morning). Two weeks ago I bought the Billy Blanks Boot Camp DVD set. Wow. Ouch. I did the basic dvd and couldn't imagine doing the advanced. Billy Blanks kicked my ass, which doesn't happen often, since I've been doing advanced Tae-bo for years. Even the abs boot camp kept me in the fetal position for an hour afterwards.

After doing the basic dvd twice, I figured I'd try the advanced and see how bad it could be.

Two words: Big mistake. I did the dvd on Wednesday evening, yelling and straining and almost crying during the workout, and managed to survive only the first 41 minutes (of 55). Ever since then, my quads have been hurting. They hurt worse now than after my last marathon. And it's 4 days later! I haven't worked out since then because, frankly, I can imagine my quads tearing into tiny strands.

But today I figured, to hell with it. I didn't run because my Garmin was dead this morning (and I hate running without it now), so I figured I'd attempt the advanced boot camp again. I lasted 18 minutes. My quads hadn't recovered enough to provide ample strength to get through the multitude of squats and lunges.

Now I'm just chillin'. Maybe I'll answer my phone. Who knows.

Cheers!

Calling Baton Rouge

Nostalgia has set in... once again.

I moved away from Baton Rouge in 2001. I was 23, a recent college graduate with NO prospects for a stable future. I was working as a shift supervisor at Starbucks and my lease was expiring. I was not dating anyone, nor did I see it in the forseable future (argh). Since I didn't have a firm reason to stay, I figured I'd go back to Houston and experience the city as an adult, something I hadn't really done. I was excited at the prospect of a fun life. I forgot the fact that I would be starting over, since I'd be leaving everything behind in Louisiana. I love a challenge, however, and starting over can sometimes be great fun.

So I left.

I try not to regret anything I do. I don't regret leaving. However, I think this is the one instance where I would change things, could a trip back into the future be possible. Despite the fact that I've accomplished so much as a resident of Houston, I really miss Baton Rouge. I wonder what my life would've been like had I stayed. Would I have been a teacher? Would I have run those marathons? What would I be like as an almost-thirty-something?

This trip was more nostalgic than those of the past. In the past, visiting my friends was somewhat bittersweet. Lately, it's getting more than just bittersweet. I miss Baton Rouge. More than missing the city, I am starting to miss what my life could've been, had I stayed. I had so much fun at the LSU game, and had so much fun reminiscing with Eddie, Ant, Nick, Monique, Charles, April, Sean and Andy. Most of my friends still live there, or in other states. I've become a solitary individual as of late. My job supports that, since I need alone time to unwind and do work at home, but it can get rather sad at times. And I miss LSU football!

*** I wrote the first draft of this entry last night, too soon after arriving home. Now, 24 hours later, I am able to write with more logos than ethos.

With a clearer state of mind... I've been unhappy with Houston for a while now. I supposed lately I've been looking at all of my trip locales, weighing the pros and cons if I would move there. Baton Rouge is no exception. for now, until I know definitively what I want and how to get it, I'm going to join the LSU Houston alumni and put my name on the waiting list for season tickets for LSU football.

Who knows where I'll end up in the future. I just need to focus on the fact that progress report grades are due tomorrow and I haven't finished inputting them into the computer.

And the fact that Houston is drowning in this torrential weather. Why can't the rain bring cooler weather?

Cheers!

Who Am I?

I am not the person I was last year.
I am not the person I was three years ago.
I am not the person I want to be in five years.
I am not the person I want to be now.
Who am I?

Life has been so incredibly stressful (as some of you know as per our phone conversations). I've been given another class prep, which means extra lesson plans, extra exams, extra activities, extra everything. I now have 4 class preparations, which is an insanely large number. And that new class might be taken away from me next week. Who knows.

I've been slowly dropping everything that I used to cherish. I haven't worked on my script since June. I wasn't cast in the last show I auditioned for, which turned out to be a good thing since I have no time now anyway. I won't audition for anything anytime soon. I've basically all but dropped my mentoring duties with Team in Training. I'm dropping the Rodeo. I don't spend much time with my friends.

I can't make time for me anymore, so how can I possibly make time for others?

Most of my days are spent at work: 10 hour days (sometimes 12). My weekend are filled with grading and novel reading (for class) and writing quizzes and updating grades and creating activities and research. Sometimes I manage to eke out a bit of time for the Sailor, sometimes not. Sometimes I get a chance to catch a matinee by myself. Sometimes I get time to read 5 pages of a novel (instead of the 100s that I could devour in a weekend).

I cut my hair Sunday for the first time in 6 months. I haven't had my eyebrows done in forever. I badly need a manicure. My clothes need ironing. I feel guilty when I'm at home and doing work, because I could spend that time on me. On the flip side, however, I feel bad doing stuff for me because I have so much grading to do. My workouts aren't near what they used to be. I hate spending time away from my home because drive time is time wasted or could be used reading or running or something else. I feel pressured to go to bed early so that I can wake up early to workout, but I'm so exhausted that I automatically re-set my alarm when it goes off early.

Right now, I'm trying to decide: wake up early and go running, or wake up early and go to work and catch up on my grades, since progress reports are due next week and I have a slew of essays I'll be working on soon. And then this weekend I'm going to Baton Rouge, which means I have less time to do work.

AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

So that's why my updates haven't been as faithful. It's 7:46 and I'm thinking, "Why am I writing this? I need to grade those darned quizzes!" and yet I'm thinking "F***K it, by brain is dead and I need to recharge."

My stress level is way to high for me right now.

Sigh.

One True Knife

I was in heaven last night.

In addition to the wonderful weather (in which I ran 6 miles at 6:30pm, instead of waking up at 5am as I've been doing during the summer), I went shopping. In a couple of months, I will be moving to a new townhouse, so I've been slowly buying things for it (more like replacing my old things for newer, better things). A couple of weeks ago, I splurged on fancy sheets. Now I've been eyeing a variety of pots and pans and knives at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Yesterday, I bit the bullet on my knife purchasing. I like to cook, and I know that cooking is better/more fun with the right knives. Therefore, I want a very nice set of Hinkel knives. I hemmed and hawed about buying a butcher block of "ok" knives and then slowly buying the expensive ones. But then I was talked into just beginning the expensive collection now. Ok. Let's do it.

I bought a Hinkel Four-Star Professional Santuko, and a pairing knife, and then the wood block came free, since I spent over $100 on two knives. I know that sounds crazy, but it's not like I spend hundreds of dollars on clothing and jewelry. I'm very minimalistic. Plus I got one of my extra stipends and I wanted to spend some, before putting the rest into savings.

So last night, after my great run in Sugarland (during which I discovered Lost Creek Park and fell in love with it!), I had great fun slicing and chopping. Wow. That santuko knife slices raw meat (I need to be careful with my hands since I know they can cut flesh), finely chop jalapenos and onions, lemons and tomatoes. I have never had so much fun chopping.

My next purchase: a pot that I've been salvating over for a while.

Watch out world, there will be a lot of cooking from me from now on!

BATS!

I just had the most disturbing dream that I can't go back to sleep. It's midnight, so what else is there to do besides blog about it!

Basically, the dream boiled down to this: my mom, some random older female and maybe my sister and I were in our old house (the one in which I grew up) and it was infested with bats. Seriously infested. They were in the corners, in the potted plants, in the bathroom, in the kitchen. There was even a random tarantula in our kitchen that was nabbed by a bat and served as a hearty meal for the nocturnal creature. The weirdest part about it was that Condoleeza Rice was asleep in a spare room, and she was known for her excellence in killing bats, yet Mom kept telling us not to wake her up, despite our pleas and our arguments that there could be bats in her room with her. The bat-filled dream/nightmare scared the living daylights out of me.

I have NO idea where that dream came from. I am not afraid of bats. I do not think about bats at all unless I'm running by the Waugh street bridge, in which one can't help but think of bats as the smell of the bat guana hits runners' noses. And I really can't explain where Condleeza Rice came from. The only thing I can think of was that I was watching CNN.com at the gym and they were talking about her (and it stuck). As for the bats, the Sailor and I strolled into Party Time and Garden Ridge Pottery this afternoon and wandered around the Halloween displays.

I didn't even eat right before bed. I'm clueless.

And yet still a bit freaked out.