Bats!

(The title is an homage to one of Junebug's postings)

Wow! Lots of excitement yesterday. Let's start for work...

Now, lots of people in the city watch our CBS affiliate for nightly news, so for those of you who did - that was my school on tv last night.

At 7:45am, before school actually begins, someone gets on the microphone and says "Teachers and any students in the building on the third floor, we must close that floor down. Teachers go to the main office and students go to the cafeteria." I started laughing, for I knew exactly what that message was about: bats! One class period last semester we were on lockdown because of a lone bat swooping around on the third floor.

Well, this closing of the third floor lasted all day. A bat was found sleeping in a janitorial closet and someone got scared. And then another one was found. And another. Sometime after 8:30, the decision was to smoke the rest out.

I have nocturnal pets. I knew this was a bad idea. I was right. From what I heard from some teachers on that third floor, the fumigation woke the bats up and they started flying. Rumor has it that one went to the second floor and swooped into one of my friends' classroom. I'll ask her Monday morning for confirmation.

Then the fumigation got to the people on the second floor, plus the bats, so some of the second floor classes were being held elsewhere.

Ah, the drama. And then Channel 11 shows up.

The other form of excitement is the rodeo! But I'll have to write on that later.

Cheers!

The Philosophy of a Cookie

I stopped to get Chinese take-out tonight and indulged in my favorite Chinese food past time - the fortune cookie.

I love opening a fortune cookie, for during that split second in which the cookie cracks, I feel a glimmer of optimism. What will my fortune be? Will it be accurate? Will it be positive? One time I received one that said, "You love Chinese food." Rather than be let down by the obvious, I laughed and kept it in my wallet, showing it to people for a laugh. But the real reason I enjoy fortune cookies is that I like to think that fortune cookies offer even the most dour individuals a sudden surge of hope. Even fortune tellers offer hope? Have you ever seen someone go to a fortune teller to ask for bad news? I'm sure that's a rareity.

Today, I was not let down. The small paper in the midst of yummy cookie reads, "A new chapter in your life is being written."

That one fortune started a new thought process. Who is in charge of our lives? An old addage says that people are the authors of their own lives. I like to believe that. I like to look at twists and turns, ups and downs as chapters; as the lives of our parents a prologue; as our funerals and deaths an epilogue. As a wanna-be writer myself, I started to wonder, then, what are the plot points of MY life? If I die tomorrow, what was the climax? Could I classify the chapters in my life as people or places or experiences or years?

Then I started thinking: are we really the authors of our own lives? As an English teacher, I teach not only concepts of reading and writing, but themes in literature. I themes such as right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, a person coming of age, difficult conflicts to overcome, and, at times, Fate.

Dictionary.com contains multiple defintions of the word Fate, but they all have a reoccurring theme: that which is predetermined. Believers in Fate believe that their actions have already been decided for them and that they can't change things. Disbelievers in Fate believe that they choose their own paths, that nothing is unavoidable and that everything can be changed. One of the reasons that England's King Charles was disliked was that he believed in pre-Destination, a thinking that differed from the Puritans helped lead to his demise and eventual beheading. Charles Dickens might have believed in fate when he created Madame Defarge, the evil female in "A Tale of Two Cities" who knitted the names of those that were to be chosen to die by the guillotine (before they even knew it themselves). Even Shakespeare felt some inkling of fate and predestination when he wrote "Romeo and Juliet", for he called them "star-crossed lovers" and Romeo even shouts out "Oh, I am Fortune's fool!" after he plunges a sword through the snitty and murderous Tybalt, the much-loved cousin of his secret wife.

I, personally, lean towards Fate and Fortune. Several times I've tried to make my own Fate and Fortune, but was disappointed. A person can only do so much before she realizes her efforts are pointless and she must give up (especially when other people are involved). As much as I want something, someone else could rip that hope and dream away from me. I then have to look on it as Fate, for there is no way I can change the mind of someone who is as equally determined as I am, although equally determined in the opposite direction. And then if something bad happens, then something usually good comes from it. Maybe I wasn't meant to PR, for example, at the Houston half-marathon. Maybe Fate has it in store for me to rest for a while, recharge and mentally recommit, and then go on stronger.

I am starting to believe that there are no coincidences in life, that everything is meant for a reason. If something is meant to be, it will be. I still have my hopes, I still have my dreams, and I still have faith in some things that seem impossible, but I can wait. For if it is meant to be, it will happen. And if it doesn't, then something just as good will come in its stead.

And as for the fortune cookies, which are mass-produced... well, maybe I was meant to get those fortunes. Maybe we're meant to make changes that those fortune cookies recommend (unless it says "You love Chinese food").

My only concern right now is this: I accidentally tore my fortune. Hopefully that doesn't make the fortune null and void.

Cheers!

The Morning After

Ouch. I have never hurt so much after a half-marathon, but the reason is because I didn't run AT ALL three weeks prior.

Good news: My knee isn't bothering me a bit. It got a bit tired after walking around the Galleria today, but not really pain. The kneecap itself is a bit more sore than usual (as I realized when I accidentally ran into my desk), but that'll heal in time.

Bad news: There is none. :)

My quads and hamstrings hurt a bit, but what hurts a lot are my hip abductors and my glute muscles. Every time I stand up, I have to waddle a bit to get warmed up before I walk normally.

In a change of topic, now is the perfect time to take a small break from running and allow the healing process to continue: it's way too f*****g cold to go outside now anyway! By 7am, the temp will be 30 but it will feel like 11! Yowzas! I hope the school district closes the schools down. I have to use a lot of overpasses to get to my school (there's no way around it) and if the streets are freezing, I have no desire to put myself into danger. Episcopal High School is closed down, maybe the local district will follow suit. Besides, if the weather is horrible and the school district doesn't close down, we'll have only half the staff and half the students and then the day will be all a mess (as happened on a particular nasty flooding day last semester) and a waste anyways. Might as well close us down and keep us safe (and warm)!

Cheers!

Another Medal for My Shadowbox

My current finisher's medal count it up to 8!

I had one of the best runs I've ever had. Usually, I decide the quality of my run on my speed/time, but today I didn't. I couldn't, really, since I was injured, but the injury wasn't so bad.

My time was (according to the Garmin) 3:15:05. This was my slowest half-marathon, with VA Beach coming in a close second at 3:12. Originally, I wanted to complete it in 2:45, but those hopes flew out the window with my running accident 3 weeks ago. When I picked up my race packet, my hope was to finish. When I arrived at GRB, my hope was to finish without hurting myself. When I lined up in my corral, my hope was to finish without hurting myself.

Not only did I finish, I finished without hurting myself, and I had a fantastic time! Yes, I did run. No, I did not run the whole way, nor did I run nearly as much as I usually do, and the jogging was very slow. I started out jogging 2 minutes, walking 3. As the miles passed by, I upped my jogging to 2:30 and walking 2:30. Finally, in the last 4 miles or so, I upped my jogging to 3 minutes and walking 2 minutes. I used good judgement and if I started to hurt, I walked. I stopped and chatted with friends, I played tag/catch with a couple of people around me, I was in good spirits. AND I managed to have a pretty even pace throughout, which rarely happens.

Mile 1 - 14:59
Mile 2 - 14:57
Mile 3 - 14:51
Mile 4 - 14:09
Mile 5 - 14:35
Mile 6 - 14:39
Mile 7 - 14:17
Mile 8 - 15:00
Mile 9 - 15:04
Mile 10 - 14:41
Mile 11 - 14:53
Mile 12 - 15:09
Mile 13 - 16:29 (I stopped to chat with Coach Bill)
Mile .1 - 1:19

I felt good, my knee ached a bit but nothing serious. Finishing in 3:15 makes me very happy. The time flew by, never did I want to quit and never did I think I was going to (although I did tell my Mom and the Sailor that I would quit even at mile 1 if my knee hurt). I was busted by TNT Erin and Carmen at mile 10, who shouted "Erica! Why are you running! You need to walk! I'm going to tell your Mom!" But I swear, I wasn't going fast and I was very cognizant of every step my knee took.

Also, keeping in mind that I haven't run AT ALL in three weeks... I'm pretty damn proud of myself!

Even afterwards, my knee only stiffened up a bit. The stairs hurt a bit, but not as much as you'd think after jogging/walking 13.1 miles. I'm fine.

Despite the fact that I feel very happy about my run, I will not run again for at least a week. I'm taking a break and will pay attention to my knee, only running again after there is no pain whatsoever. And even after I stop hurting, I plan on running 3 or 4 times a week, 3 miles at a time. I'm going to keep having fun.

Congratulations, by the way, to Steve B., Steeeeve, Barbara, Bill, Cassie, Jessica, Beverly (who shook hands with President George Bush (42, not current), who was shaking hands with some finishers with Barbara for a bit), April, Jill, and anyone I might have forgotten. And a BIG congratulations to Junebug and Vic - they did it! They finished their first marathon!

I'll end with a statement I saw on one of the runner's shirt:
"Marathonning: When desire overcomes reason."

Cheers!

Walking Around...

I haven't run in 3 weeks, which marks the longest time I haven't done so in nearly two years. I'm so antsy that I'm grumpy, which leads to self-detestment, which leads to self-pity. Seriously, I don't know how the Sailor puts up with me these days.

I haven't been to the gym since Monday. I do believe that I pushed myself too hard too early. 65 minutes on the elliptical machine is fine for a healthy me, but a slightly injured me doesn't do as well. My knee's been twinging an extra bit this week, so I've taken some time off from the gym, which just adds to my crankiness. But the rest has been good. I'm still planning on walking the half-marathon, so the rest I hope will be very beneficial.

April flew in town today; she's running the half on Sunday as well. She brought me the goody bag from the Marine Corps 10k, the race that I bailed on. I now own a goodie bag of stuff I can't use, including a commemorative champion chip (one-time chip) and a Marine Corps yellow mock-t that I can't wear because I didn't run the race (but I might wear it around the house when no one is watching). Oh, and the race bib is cammoflouge (sp)!

That bag bothered me. I really wished I ran the 10k. I will run the 10k next year. I shouldn't've bailed out, but traveling was hard for me that weekend. Next year, I will wear the shirt.

I'm going to pick up my race stuff tomorrow. I think it will be my last half marathon for a little while. After this race, I'm going to hang up my running shoes for at least another 3 weeks, in order to completely heal. I will then have to start my training from scratch and I honestly don't know if I want to train for another half right away. I think I might just relax for a while, run 20 miles a week or so, very slowly building up my mileage to an 11-mile Saturday long run. I've been training for something since I started running and I think I want to take a break from training. 10ks are fine, but I'm taking a much needed break. Maybe I can focus on other aspects of my health now and worry a lot less about running and pulling an Achilles tendon, and running too many days in a row, and speed and time. Who am I kidding, I'll still run with my Garmin.

Cheers to running for fun, not being in pain (I hope) and enjoying my health.

And The Beat Goes On

Rehearsals start soon for the National Anthem choir for the Rodeo, and combined with the rehearals I'm going to have to have for the One-Act Play, I'm going to be a very busy person. I wish now that I didn't say yes to directing the One-Act Play, but too late now.

Today's gym workout:
65 minutes on the elliptical machine (5.25 miles).
3 sets of 10 bicep curl with 35 pounds.
3 sets of 10 tricep bend with 35 pounds.
3 sets of 10 lat pulldown with 75 pounds.
3 sets of 10 on the deltoid lift with 30 pounds.

Then I grew bored and left.

I have so much to do.

Cheers!

Ho Hum

Well, I don't have running stats, but I do have gym stats.

Yesterday: 45 minutes elliptical machine, 80 ab crunches, 30 quad/glute presses at 175 pounds, 30 hamstring presses at 60 pounds, 30 quad pull-ups at 60 pounds, 30 interior hip abductors at 50 pounds, 30 exterior hip abductors at 60 pounds.

Today: 40 minutes elliptical machine. Today was supposed to be an upper-body day, but I got to the gym a bit later than I wanted.

Nothing exciting. My knee feels a great deal better. It still hurts to stretch it and it still hurts to touch it, but the stairs didn't bother me as much today and I was even able to jog to my car to avoid the rain. I call Doc tomorrow and I'll ask him if it's ok to walk the half-marathon. I'm sure he'll be ok with that.

Not only am I going to a teacher's conference in Canada, but I'll also be going to one in Vegas! The Vegas conference is during the summer and ends two days before my birthday, so I'm thinking about staying an extra 3 days so that I can celebrate my birthday in Vegas. Anyone want to come and party with me there (remember, I'm not much of a partier or drinker, so it will be low-key celebrating, but in a fantastic city!)? It'll be in July.

Cheers!

Tales from the Doctor's Office

I hope you guys are happy - I went to the doctor today for my knee!

After x-rays and the reviewing of them, Doc said that nothing is seriously hurt - there's no broken bones or torn ligaments. The pain can therefore be attributed to one of two things:
1) Ripped patella tendon (which is the majority of my pain). I have to ice it and take all of the medicine that the ER doctor gave me (I stopped after a few days).

If it's not much better by Friday, then I have to call Doc, and he'll get me set up with an MRI because...

2) It could be a problem with the cartilage.

He asked me if I was going to give up running, and I said for a month and he said good idea.

Therefore, I will not run until AT LEAST February 2. Until then, I'll be at the gym a lot, getting buff again.

Cheers!

Testing... Testing.. 1...2...3. Bingo!

Happy New Year!

As is my relatively new custom, I had a very low-key New Year's. I am not a big fan of partying to bring in the new year because I came to realize a couple of years ago that if I have a fantastically fun and exciting New Year's Eve, I have a crappy year, but if I have a low-key New Years, I have a pretty good year.

Case in point: last year. I can't remember what I did, but I know it was uneventful. And I had a pretty good year overall.

So yesterday went like this: AM trip to the gun show (where the Sailor looks for guns and accessories and I look for the coin collectors and the jerky vendors - but I bought a beautiful walnut shadow box for my race medals). Afterwards, I went solo to Yvonne and Stephen's, where we just lazed around reading the paper, eating homemade brownies and then I made dinner. They're trying to convince me to move to the Webster/Clear Lake area, which sounds tempting sometimes. Anyway, I went home after the late dinner and was in bed by 11:30. I did wake up at midnight to take "Happy New Year" calls, but then zoned right back out today.

So it's a new year. How am I spending the first day of the new year? Not as I'd like it, but it's not bad. I WANT to be running the 8 mile resolution run (last year I ran 11 on New Year's Day). I am still sidelined, however, for probably at least another month (I go to the doctor tomorrow to find out). Instead, though I went to the gym.

Yes, I went to the gym. I haven't worked out in over a week and I feel my muscles beginning to atrophy. I went to test the waters, so to speak. Here's what I can do without pain:

1) Use the crosstrainer machine. No problem! I was on it for 35 minutes and only felt tightening in my calves. No knee pain whatsoever, probably because it's no-impact.
2) Arm weights (duh)
3) Hamstring curl
4) Quad pull

What I can't do...
1) The quad press
2) Lunges
3) Squats
4) Anything with impact, meaning running and Tae-bo is still out.

I feel great knowing that I can use the elliptical machine. I was a gym rat before I started running, and it looks like I'll become a gym rat again until my patella ligament can handle the stress of jogging again. It's not so bad after all. It's only 4 or 5 more weeks, I'm sure.

Happy New Year!