Egypt, Entry 2
The second of several journal entries from my trip to Egypt in 2004
1/5/04. 9:30 AM.
I thought I was tired when I wrote the last entry. I must have been, as I chose to use this book with the top sheet margin on the bottom. Oh Well.
Yesterday was an *eventful* day.
We met our taxi driver at 9 AM and he drove us to his buddies' stable at the pyramids. We told him that we probably wanted to walk, but he said it was far, and, since he was driving, we ended up at the stables.
We decided to go on horseback to see the sphinx, the sphinx tomb, the 3 big pyramids of Giza and the 6 small pyramids of Giza. We talked him down to 140 Egyptian Pounds (EGP), which was a pretty good price, $25 USD for 2 hours with horses, a guide, and entrance to the small pyramid and sphinx's tomb.
The pyramids were larger than I expected. Galloping through the desert was a blast. Our guide Muhammed was adorable and the photo opportunities on the mountain above the pyramids were much better than those we would have gotten on foot.
In short, it was a great way to start our trip.
Unfortunately, we returned to the hotel in time for me to have a good sized allergy attack from the horses and dust. The pollution doesn't help. I thought it was bad yesterday because my nose burnt with every breath. But this morning, from our balcony, I see that yesterday's haze is only 1/3 of today's brown-grey cloud. It was Sunday yesterday and most of the shops and businesses were closed. I suppose that does make a difference.
After a quick rest at the hotel, R and I walked to the metero, rode to the neighborhood where the Egyptian Student Center was, and got him a youth card. I was *extremely* self-conscious of my open v-neck sweater. Only 3 inches of my neck and upper chest showed. But it was enough to garner stares, comments, and help from an international businessman who blocked me from the hissing on the metro. I quickly realized that I hadn't seen any other women who were showing any skin below their neck.
The travel literature did not adequately prepare me for that reality. Thankfully, R had a windbreaker, which, once I donned, completely changed the reaction I was receiving.
From there, we took the metro to our new hotel, made a reservation, and walked for about an hour and a half downtown, across Gezira, through Zamelek, along the Nile and back to our hotel.
The walk was a great way to get a feel for the city. Once, when we were lost, we asked for directions in English and a nice man, roughly our age, pointed us in the correct direction. Over all, the people are respectful and polite.
With R, I feel very safe. Without him, as this morning in the elevator, I am a target, and a Saudi man felt free to touch my back, arm, etc. Disgusting.
Oh well. At least I have a turtleneck for today's outings. I'm sure the grime in the air will be on my face at the end of the day.
Off to the citadel!
July 31, 2011
Egypt, Day One
The first of several journal entries from my trip to Egypt in 2004
1/4/04. 2 AM. Cairo - overlooking the Nile.
Almost 24 hours after departing, we arrived (really? I didn't recall the trip being that brutal. Good thing I got it out of my system while I was young).
Despite the fear and warnings of many, I found navigating the airport, taxi, and hotel check-in to be *very* painless. Egypt is friendly and wonderful so far. The typical tourist expensive car at the airport was running, but even though neither of us really speaks Arabic, we were able to get a general service taxi to our hotel.
Our driver spoke passable English and again, horrible attempts at the native language get you *very* far. He is coming to pick us up at 9 AM to go see the Pyramids of Giza.
I'm excited to see them and happy with the feel of Cairo. I expected to be more overwhelmed.
No surprise, our $70 USD hotel room is ridiculously nice. Gorgeous dark hardwood floors, marble in the bathroom, modern wallpaper and molding, and best of all, a balcony on the 17th floor overlooking the Nile. Life is good.
I fear I may not be able to sleep, but a shower and a unisom should do the trick.
The first of several journal entries from my trip to Egypt in 2004
1/4/04. 2 AM. Cairo - overlooking the Nile.
Almost 24 hours after departing, we arrived (really? I didn't recall the trip being that brutal. Good thing I got it out of my system while I was young).
Despite the fear and warnings of many, I found navigating the airport, taxi, and hotel check-in to be *very* painless. Egypt is friendly and wonderful so far. The typical tourist expensive car at the airport was running, but even though neither of us really speaks Arabic, we were able to get a general service taxi to our hotel.
Our driver spoke passable English and again, horrible attempts at the native language get you *very* far. He is coming to pick us up at 9 AM to go see the Pyramids of Giza.
I'm excited to see them and happy with the feel of Cairo. I expected to be more overwhelmed.
No surprise, our $70 USD hotel room is ridiculously nice. Gorgeous dark hardwood floors, marble in the bathroom, modern wallpaper and molding, and best of all, a balcony on the 17th floor overlooking the Nile. Life is good.
I fear I may not be able to sleep, but a shower and a unisom should do the trick.
July 30, 2011
Decluttering
Today, my todo list was simple.
1. A 6 mile run with a friend.
2. Do some decluttering of the house.
How decadent! So much free time!
The run was done and I was showered by 10 AM.
So, I gardened.
I collected our first true summer harvest (July 30th is the latest date I've ever experienced for the first real tomato).
E and I biked to a local outdoor hotel restaurant and enjoyed a very american and reasonably-priced brunch around their pool -- the architecture, the elderly crowd, the menu of omelettes and salads and sandwiches, and of course, the view of the pool and the guests frolicking -- it felt like something out of The Graduate.
After a failed attempt at a nap, I cleaned and put things in three boxes for exit, one for trash, one for donation, and one for return to our former renter.
In the course of doing so, I found my journal from Egypt.
After reading it, I decided I will post the entries before I throw it away. Egypt may be the last trip I took without a computer, where I actually kept a written diary.
How times change.
Today, my todo list was simple.
1. A 6 mile run with a friend.
2. Do some decluttering of the house.
How decadent! So much free time!
The run was done and I was showered by 10 AM.
So, I gardened.
I collected our first true summer harvest (July 30th is the latest date I've ever experienced for the first real tomato).
E and I biked to a local outdoor hotel restaurant and enjoyed a very american and reasonably-priced brunch around their pool -- the architecture, the elderly crowd, the menu of omelettes and salads and sandwiches, and of course, the view of the pool and the guests frolicking -- it felt like something out of The Graduate.
After a failed attempt at a nap, I cleaned and put things in three boxes for exit, one for trash, one for donation, and one for return to our former renter.
In the course of doing so, I found my journal from Egypt.
After reading it, I decided I will post the entries before I throw it away. Egypt may be the last trip I took without a computer, where I actually kept a written diary.
How times change.
July 27, 2011
The Down Side of Travel
That aluminum germ tube? Jetting through the air full of recycled coughs, sneezes, etc?
Yeah, Europe gave me one final present.
I've been fighting this cold for 7 days. After 3 days, I had a brief respite when I thought it was gone. But no, it came back that night with a vengeance. It has been much stronger and humbling than any onslaught my body has faced in quite some time.
I've taken to sleeping in the guest room so as not to wake up E.
Prior to this, we've never slept apart if we were both at home. I don't like being away from him in the night. But, I also hated the feeling that I was making both of us suffer with each hack, sniffle, snort, and groan. In an effort to be a polite bed-mate, I was opting not to take advantage of the OTC meds in the middle of the night (which makes noise). Since I've moved to the guest room, I can rustle open the bag of cough drops, and open the pill bottles in the night with impunity.
This morning, I canceled my attendance at a professional event. Last night, I had the realization that even though I'm starting to *feel* better (and likely am no longer contagious), I sound so terrible that it would be a distraction and perceived as extremely rude by those who didn't know how long I'd been fighting the virus.
I can't remember the last time I didn't attend something due to sickness.
Generally, I'm a very healthy trooper. I have allergies, which are mildly annoying, but I almost never get the usual bugs that make the rounds. Historically, I've rarely fallen ill, but when I do, I fall hard, and often with things that no one else seems to catch.
This time fits the pattern. I am the sickest I've been in years. And, miraculously, E appears to have escaped it.
The upside is that I'm so grateful for the wonderful health I typically have and excited to get it back. My goal is remember this thankfulness and celebrate my health going forward.
That aluminum germ tube? Jetting through the air full of recycled coughs, sneezes, etc?
Yeah, Europe gave me one final present.
I've been fighting this cold for 7 days. After 3 days, I had a brief respite when I thought it was gone. But no, it came back that night with a vengeance. It has been much stronger and humbling than any onslaught my body has faced in quite some time.
I've taken to sleeping in the guest room so as not to wake up E.
Prior to this, we've never slept apart if we were both at home. I don't like being away from him in the night. But, I also hated the feeling that I was making both of us suffer with each hack, sniffle, snort, and groan. In an effort to be a polite bed-mate, I was opting not to take advantage of the OTC meds in the middle of the night (which makes noise). Since I've moved to the guest room, I can rustle open the bag of cough drops, and open the pill bottles in the night with impunity.
This morning, I canceled my attendance at a professional event. Last night, I had the realization that even though I'm starting to *feel* better (and likely am no longer contagious), I sound so terrible that it would be a distraction and perceived as extremely rude by those who didn't know how long I'd been fighting the virus.
I can't remember the last time I didn't attend something due to sickness.
Generally, I'm a very healthy trooper. I have allergies, which are mildly annoying, but I almost never get the usual bugs that make the rounds. Historically, I've rarely fallen ill, but when I do, I fall hard, and often with things that no one else seems to catch.
This time fits the pattern. I am the sickest I've been in years. And, miraculously, E appears to have escaped it.
The upside is that I'm so grateful for the wonderful health I typically have and excited to get it back. My goal is remember this thankfulness and celebrate my health going forward.
July 18, 2011
London
Almost home, but not. Quite. The English Language. But different. Summer. But raining intermittently.
The hip hotels here make me feel like my ordinary self on vacation at home, but for some reason I want to call it "holiday" and there are different toilet flush buttons, odd power outlets, and 0 is the ground floor.
To start our British adventure, we spent a beautifully stereotypical British Night and Day with two of my college roommates.
First, E and I missed our Eurostar train from Paris. This should say something about how laissez-faire Europe had made us. And, in fairness, we didn't really miss it, but we didn't arrive before they closed boarding, so we stared at our train from the platform above for 10 minutes before it departed. They wouldn't let us even try to board. Eventually, they gave us seat assignments on the next train. They did not seem to think the hour between trains should matter. And, since we were on Holiday, they were right.
Note to self, while much has not changed in the decade I've been gone, the Eurostar between France and the UK is much more complex, process-oriented, strict-like-TSA, and takes much more time to manage. If time is of the essence, be sure to arrive with at least an hour to spare for security, customs, etc.
We left the rainy overcast skies of Paris, and after passing through the chunnel were surprised to find London to welcome us with sunshine and an arch covered with Olympic rings that seemed to proclaim the great discovery we quickly made: St. Pancras has free wireless! Ahhh... the sweet sensation of sliding towards home -- the Internet is necessary and ubiquitous here, unlike at Gare du Nord, where we couldn't even pay for access.
After an email to our hosts explaining our delay, we took a quick tube ride to V's house, we walked a Kilometer or so and there we were: Guests in a beautiful Northern London home with dinner reservations for N's birthday at Veeraswamy.
Veeraswamy was easily one of the best meals of the trip, and definitely the finest Indian dining experience of my life. Yummmmm! Thanks to N's friend in LA who sent the recommendation!
Sunday, we slept in, had a big breakfast of toast, coffee, fruit, ham, and cheese. Except the ham was turkey, because our hosts were Jewish. But their kids still called it ham, because they are British and have hefty British accents (despite a German-American-English accented mother and American-English speaking father).
At around 11:30 AM, we finally motivated to move the entire group quickly through one of the breaks in the rain -- we walked through a local park, enjoying a zoo with ring-tailed lemurs, a secret garden, a pergola, a pond, and, in a surprise to all of us, a street fair in Hampstead.
A friend came out to join us for a pint at a good old-fashioned English pub (The Duke of Hamilton), followed by a late lunch at the oh-so-British chain of Pizza Express, then more walking, a Pimm's (although it was overcast and rainy), a relaxing afternoon of catching up and take-out sushi dinner, and a tube ride to our hotel.
Today, we did lunch while enjoying the river views with W (a friend and client) from the restaurant on top of the Tate Modern. We toured W's company's offices in Bankside, did a bit of work, enjoyed the displays of the Tate, took a leisurely walk through St. James Park, Green Park, and Hyde Park (despite the intermittent rain), and treated ourselves to a delicious Moroccan dinner on Edgeware Road.
Tomorrow promises to be more clients, a trip to the science museum, a good-bye dinner with one last college friend (and client), and then it will be time to return to the U.S.
This trip has been one of the best two week periods of my life. I'm the most relaxed I've been in at least 5 years, perhaps longer.
It's as if the return to Europe after a decade of absence was a reset button on my stress levels allowing me to return to a life before law school, before my father died, before my brother was injured, before much of the major stresses in my life. Somehow, my aged self, when put in the face of these slightly foreign cultures that are reminiscent of habits and approaches I freely experienced in my younger days allowed me to let go of my current life and reconsider it in a way I haven't done in quite some time.
I have learned, that at its most basic, I love my life. I love my husband, my family, my friends, and that I've structured my life such that I can travel, because it is extremely important to me.
Here, in these cultures, I've found myself thinking regularly about how important it is that things be done well. Since becoming a lawyer, and likely before, I've always tried to do things both quickly and well, despite the inherent conflict.
Europe seems to understand that conflict, and, if I may be so bold as to generalize, appears to have erred on the side of doing things well. If I lived here full-time, I suspect I would rant like many of my friends have done to us, extolling the virtues of the American end-product-based analysis and service-based economy (when you are a consumer). But, this vacation has allowed me to see and enjoy the benefits of a non-service oriented economy (e.g. a process-based commitment to quality).
Here, my brain feasts on languages I can understand but that are not native, my nose and mouth feast on quality local specialty foods and smells that could make anyone swoon in delight, and my eyes feast on the colors, light, and beauty of Europe's gardens, architecture, and art. How could I not feel blessed? I am happy to say that I took the time to pause, meditate, light a candle and/or say thanks in no less than three of the most beautiful places of worship in the world.
Of course, this rose-colored view of Europe is unfair. Unlike most of my EU friends, I have a big refrigerator and freezer at home. Our gas is cheap and highway tolls are essentially non-existent. When I sit in a restaurant, I don't have to wait 15 minutes wondering if I will be served at all. And, the dollar goes *much* further at home.
But, on balance, this trip was just too much tipped in favor of Europe. In addition to all of the linguistic fun and positive different world-view experiences that gave me things to think about, emotionally, I was able to fit in several visits to friends I hadn't seen in a long time.
And, I was able to share the entire experience with my husband and best friend. At times I wanted to pinch myself with joy. He waited uncountable times while I took just "one more picture." And, even better, he patiently listened and joined me in the verbal rehash of each day as I savored the wonderful remnants of its experiences.
I'm already planning our European return...
Almost home, but not. Quite. The English Language. But different. Summer. But raining intermittently.
The hip hotels here make me feel like my ordinary self on vacation at home, but for some reason I want to call it "holiday" and there are different toilet flush buttons, odd power outlets, and 0 is the ground floor.
To start our British adventure, we spent a beautifully stereotypical British Night and Day with two of my college roommates.
First, E and I missed our Eurostar train from Paris. This should say something about how laissez-faire Europe had made us. And, in fairness, we didn't really miss it, but we didn't arrive before they closed boarding, so we stared at our train from the platform above for 10 minutes before it departed. They wouldn't let us even try to board. Eventually, they gave us seat assignments on the next train. They did not seem to think the hour between trains should matter. And, since we were on Holiday, they were right.
Note to self, while much has not changed in the decade I've been gone, the Eurostar between France and the UK is much more complex, process-oriented, strict-like-TSA, and takes much more time to manage. If time is of the essence, be sure to arrive with at least an hour to spare for security, customs, etc.
We left the rainy overcast skies of Paris, and after passing through the chunnel were surprised to find London to welcome us with sunshine and an arch covered with Olympic rings that seemed to proclaim the great discovery we quickly made: St. Pancras has free wireless! Ahhh... the sweet sensation of sliding towards home -- the Internet is necessary and ubiquitous here, unlike at Gare du Nord, where we couldn't even pay for access.
After an email to our hosts explaining our delay, we took a quick tube ride to V's house, we walked a Kilometer or so and there we were: Guests in a beautiful Northern London home with dinner reservations for N's birthday at Veeraswamy.
Veeraswamy was easily one of the best meals of the trip, and definitely the finest Indian dining experience of my life. Yummmmm! Thanks to N's friend in LA who sent the recommendation!
Sunday, we slept in, had a big breakfast of toast, coffee, fruit, ham, and cheese. Except the ham was turkey, because our hosts were Jewish. But their kids still called it ham, because they are British and have hefty British accents (despite a German-American-English accented mother and American-English speaking father).
At around 11:30 AM, we finally motivated to move the entire group quickly through one of the breaks in the rain -- we walked through a local park, enjoying a zoo with ring-tailed lemurs, a secret garden, a pergola, a pond, and, in a surprise to all of us, a street fair in Hampstead.
A friend came out to join us for a pint at a good old-fashioned English pub (The Duke of Hamilton), followed by a late lunch at the oh-so-British chain of Pizza Express, then more walking, a Pimm's (although it was overcast and rainy), a relaxing afternoon of catching up and take-out sushi dinner, and a tube ride to our hotel.
Today, we did lunch while enjoying the river views with W (a friend and client) from the restaurant on top of the Tate Modern. We toured W's company's offices in Bankside, did a bit of work, enjoyed the displays of the Tate, took a leisurely walk through St. James Park, Green Park, and Hyde Park (despite the intermittent rain), and treated ourselves to a delicious Moroccan dinner on Edgeware Road.
Tomorrow promises to be more clients, a trip to the science museum, a good-bye dinner with one last college friend (and client), and then it will be time to return to the U.S.
This trip has been one of the best two week periods of my life. I'm the most relaxed I've been in at least 5 years, perhaps longer.
It's as if the return to Europe after a decade of absence was a reset button on my stress levels allowing me to return to a life before law school, before my father died, before my brother was injured, before much of the major stresses in my life. Somehow, my aged self, when put in the face of these slightly foreign cultures that are reminiscent of habits and approaches I freely experienced in my younger days allowed me to let go of my current life and reconsider it in a way I haven't done in quite some time.
I have learned, that at its most basic, I love my life. I love my husband, my family, my friends, and that I've structured my life such that I can travel, because it is extremely important to me.
Here, in these cultures, I've found myself thinking regularly about how important it is that things be done well. Since becoming a lawyer, and likely before, I've always tried to do things both quickly and well, despite the inherent conflict.
Europe seems to understand that conflict, and, if I may be so bold as to generalize, appears to have erred on the side of doing things well. If I lived here full-time, I suspect I would rant like many of my friends have done to us, extolling the virtues of the American end-product-based analysis and service-based economy (when you are a consumer). But, this vacation has allowed me to see and enjoy the benefits of a non-service oriented economy (e.g. a process-based commitment to quality).
Here, my brain feasts on languages I can understand but that are not native, my nose and mouth feast on quality local specialty foods and smells that could make anyone swoon in delight, and my eyes feast on the colors, light, and beauty of Europe's gardens, architecture, and art. How could I not feel blessed? I am happy to say that I took the time to pause, meditate, light a candle and/or say thanks in no less than three of the most beautiful places of worship in the world.
Of course, this rose-colored view of Europe is unfair. Unlike most of my EU friends, I have a big refrigerator and freezer at home. Our gas is cheap and highway tolls are essentially non-existent. When I sit in a restaurant, I don't have to wait 15 minutes wondering if I will be served at all. And, the dollar goes *much* further at home.
But, on balance, this trip was just too much tipped in favor of Europe. In addition to all of the linguistic fun and positive different world-view experiences that gave me things to think about, emotionally, I was able to fit in several visits to friends I hadn't seen in a long time.
And, I was able to share the entire experience with my husband and best friend. At times I wanted to pinch myself with joy. He waited uncountable times while I took just "one more picture." And, even better, he patiently listened and joined me in the verbal rehash of each day as I savored the wonderful remnants of its experiences.
I'm already planning our European return...
July 15, 2011
France
I had forgotten how much I love this beautiful country.
A TGV to Montpellier and an easy rental car acquisition and we were on our way (through the ridiculously expensive toll roads).
We spent two days with friends in Provence near St. Paul Trois Chateaux -- gorgeous, and more importantly, relaxing in a way that the U.S. never seems to be for me. There was very little to do except sleep, read, listen to crickets, walk, run, enjoy the views of lavender fields, swim in the pool during the hottest part of the day, and, of course, visit a few small local towns (populations 200, 600, and 5,000) with the obligatory breaks to eat and drink extremely well.
My French started to return to me. I dreamt in fitful spells of Spanish, English, and French as my brain traded its usual daily efforts of law and Californian life for linguistic puzzles of fun. The first night in the country, with no light except the stars, E and I slept for 10 hours.
Languidly, when our time was up, we drove north to visit my childhood pen-pal, her husband, her children, and her parents.
I had forgotten how their hospitality was beyond anything I'd ever experienced before in my life. They reminded me. Daily.
They prepared several meals for us based on their memories of what I liked most on my last visit, 10 years ago. My pen-pal and her husband gave up their bed and slept with their children so that we could have their bedroom. I offered to seek out a hotel, but this was not well-received. They were so pleased I had returned after such a long absence and that they could meet my husband. They would have nothing less than us, in their house, as their guests.
The rental car sat unused while they insisted on taking time off work and personally driving us throughout the region -- treating us to walks in beautiful local towns (from middle age castle and tower-filled stone villages through more recent establishments like Beaune, the capital of Burgundy Wines).
L's husband, G (who has passed one of France's more difficult wine-maker exams and has been making small production wines for almost 10 years) spoiled us with his own version of the tour of the largest winery in Burgundy.
E was wonderfully patient with the great conversation and catching up for days (almost entirely in French), and of course, there was so much cheese.
After we said our goodbyes, it was amazing to return to Paris after more than a 10 year absence -- you truly do not *need* French to get around in this city anymore.
This has been, without a doubt, my favorite visit to Paris.
The hotel points splurged on a free luxury hotel in the Place Vendome? Simply brilliant. The service and attention to detail here are amazing. For example, our room came with complimentary hot beverages every day. So each morning, we call for our capuccinos and they are delivered within 10 minutes so that we can enjoy them on our balcony.
Walking everywhere we feel like going without a rush to see it all has been the best part. I tried to count yesterday, and I believe this is my 4th or 5th visit to Paris. At this point, I have a decent sense of where things are in the city, which, combined with the large visible landmarks means we can just walk with a map and seek out the things we wish to see. No need for a guidebook or checklist. The tourist pressures (oh, so difficult!) we felt in Madrid and Barcelona are almost non-existent, which leaves us with plenty of time to just walk, eat, and watch the world go by. The air-swing? The Ferris Wheel? Sure, why not?
And yesterday? Bastille Day? What a pleasure.
I woke to hit the gym while watching the parade on TV. After our cappucinos, we left our balcony window-doors open and listened to the planes as they flew over Place de la Concorde a few blocks away. Then a day in Montparnasse, and a wonderful surprise meet-up with friends of friends who squeezed us into their reservation at the delicious Spring.
After dinner, E and I and our new friends settled on the ground along the Seine to watch the fireworks near the Eiffel Tower.
Today is our last full day in Paris, which is sad. I am, however, certain that I will do my best to make certain it is not 10 years before my next visit to France.
I had forgotten how much I love this beautiful country.
A TGV to Montpellier and an easy rental car acquisition and we were on our way (through the ridiculously expensive toll roads).
We spent two days with friends in Provence near St. Paul Trois Chateaux -- gorgeous, and more importantly, relaxing in a way that the U.S. never seems to be for me. There was very little to do except sleep, read, listen to crickets, walk, run, enjoy the views of lavender fields, swim in the pool during the hottest part of the day, and, of course, visit a few small local towns (populations 200, 600, and 5,000) with the obligatory breaks to eat and drink extremely well.
My French started to return to me. I dreamt in fitful spells of Spanish, English, and French as my brain traded its usual daily efforts of law and Californian life for linguistic puzzles of fun. The first night in the country, with no light except the stars, E and I slept for 10 hours.
Languidly, when our time was up, we drove north to visit my childhood pen-pal, her husband, her children, and her parents.
I had forgotten how their hospitality was beyond anything I'd ever experienced before in my life. They reminded me. Daily.
They prepared several meals for us based on their memories of what I liked most on my last visit, 10 years ago. My pen-pal and her husband gave up their bed and slept with their children so that we could have their bedroom. I offered to seek out a hotel, but this was not well-received. They were so pleased I had returned after such a long absence and that they could meet my husband. They would have nothing less than us, in their house, as their guests.
The rental car sat unused while they insisted on taking time off work and personally driving us throughout the region -- treating us to walks in beautiful local towns (from middle age castle and tower-filled stone villages through more recent establishments like Beaune, the capital of Burgundy Wines).
L's husband, G (who has passed one of France's more difficult wine-maker exams and has been making small production wines for almost 10 years) spoiled us with his own version of the tour of the largest winery in Burgundy.
E was wonderfully patient with the great conversation and catching up for days (almost entirely in French), and of course, there was so much cheese.
After we said our goodbyes, it was amazing to return to Paris after more than a 10 year absence -- you truly do not *need* French to get around in this city anymore.
This has been, without a doubt, my favorite visit to Paris.
The hotel points splurged on a free luxury hotel in the Place Vendome? Simply brilliant. The service and attention to detail here are amazing. For example, our room came with complimentary hot beverages every day. So each morning, we call for our capuccinos and they are delivered within 10 minutes so that we can enjoy them on our balcony.
Walking everywhere we feel like going without a rush to see it all has been the best part. I tried to count yesterday, and I believe this is my 4th or 5th visit to Paris. At this point, I have a decent sense of where things are in the city, which, combined with the large visible landmarks means we can just walk with a map and seek out the things we wish to see. No need for a guidebook or checklist. The tourist pressures (oh, so difficult!) we felt in Madrid and Barcelona are almost non-existent, which leaves us with plenty of time to just walk, eat, and watch the world go by. The air-swing? The Ferris Wheel? Sure, why not?
And yesterday? Bastille Day? What a pleasure.
I woke to hit the gym while watching the parade on TV. After our cappucinos, we left our balcony window-doors open and listened to the planes as they flew over Place de la Concorde a few blocks away. Then a day in Montparnasse, and a wonderful surprise meet-up with friends of friends who squeezed us into their reservation at the delicious Spring.
After dinner, E and I and our new friends settled on the ground along the Seine to watch the fireworks near the Eiffel Tower.
Today is our last full day in Paris, which is sad. I am, however, certain that I will do my best to make certain it is not 10 years before my next visit to France.
July 8, 2011
Barcelona
The Sagrada Familia is the most visited tourist sight in Spain for a reason.
I felt like I was in the middle of an Escher painting -- the construction that is underway just exacerbated this sensation.
And, yes, the multiple recommendations we received to seek out Commerc 24 were all correct. Jamon, queso, y trufas en un bocadillo? Why have I never heard of this combination before? Simply one of the best things I've ever eaten.
Ever.
In other news, Catalan is messing with my head. I find that I can read it and understand without too much trouble, but I can't explain why. Some French, some Italian, some acquired Portuguese, Latin, Greek, and, of course, some Spanish.
Because I never really properly learned Spanish, whenever the opportunity arises, I find myself in a state of Spanish language acquisition (I surprised myself and some Madrileños by using the vosotros in response to a question in the street -- thanks Argentina!).
Madrid probably helped clean up some of my Argentinian-Italian habits and pushed me into more standard Spanish.
But Catalan? Not so much.
Do you know the excerpts where the first and last letter is correct but the middle is gibberish, and yet somehow, the human brain can read it? That's Catalan to me. I couldn't speak it to save my life, but I could try some spanglifrenchalian, and, unfortunately, when spoken to in Catalan, I do. Often to stares.
Nonetheless, despite the mind-bending nature of the written language here, I managed to have a fabulous time discussing cheese and olive oil with the woman at the cheese stand at the Boqueria -- Mercat de San Josep.
If you are a food nerd, this market is reason enough to come to this lovely city.
Okay, off to seek out some Basquetapas pixtos!
The Sagrada Familia is the most visited tourist sight in Spain for a reason.
I felt like I was in the middle of an Escher painting -- the construction that is underway just exacerbated this sensation.
And, yes, the multiple recommendations we received to seek out Commerc 24 were all correct. Jamon, queso, y trufas en un bocadillo? Why have I never heard of this combination before? Simply one of the best things I've ever eaten.
Ever.
In other news, Catalan is messing with my head. I find that I can read it and understand without too much trouble, but I can't explain why. Some French, some Italian, some acquired Portuguese, Latin, Greek, and, of course, some Spanish.
Because I never really properly learned Spanish, whenever the opportunity arises, I find myself in a state of Spanish language acquisition (I surprised myself and some Madrileños by using the vosotros in response to a question in the street -- thanks Argentina!).
Madrid probably helped clean up some of my Argentinian-Italian habits and pushed me into more standard Spanish.
But Catalan? Not so much.
Do you know the excerpts where the first and last letter is correct but the middle is gibberish, and yet somehow, the human brain can read it? That's Catalan to me. I couldn't speak it to save my life, but I could try some spanglifrenchalian, and, unfortunately, when spoken to in Catalan, I do. Often to stares.
Nonetheless, despite the mind-bending nature of the written language here, I managed to have a fabulous time discussing cheese and olive oil with the woman at the cheese stand at the Boqueria -- Mercat de San Josep.
If you are a food nerd, this market is reason enough to come to this lovely city.
Okay, off to seek out some Basque
July 5, 2011
Madrid
Oh, how I love it when cities have mass transit attached to their airports! Yay Madrid Metro!
Despite red-eye-fried-brains, we managed to get directions, pay 4 Euros for tickets, navigate the 1 connection, and voila, we were at Plaza de España within walking distance of our hotel.
On the other hand, the time change to Europe is never pleasant and despite the easy transit, this time was no exception. Thankfully, we'd done a 3 day stop in Atlanta, and we'd had to get up early for the Peachtree, so we only had 6 hours to cover instead of 9.
Even so, it took everything we had to check in and stay out of bed in lieu of the small walk to a nearby plaza, where we managed a deliciously languid half-awake lunch of delicious gazpacho, salad, and 27 month aged jamon iberico while we watched the world walk by as the misters sprayed us. Yup, in case we weren't certain, the hams hanging to cure from every open space in the restaurant ceiling confirmed it -- We were in Spain. Mmmmm.... Jamon.
A 3 hour nap, and then we were out on the town for a nice 6 mile walking loop at a pace that really couldn't be called walking with all of the stops (ice cream; wine, water, and olives; shopping at El Corte Ingles, dinner in Plaza Mayor while watching the sunset, and, of course, circular strolls through every plaza and alley we encountered. We left the hotel at 5:40 PM and finally returned at 10 PM -- hurrah for the contagious relaxation vibe here. At 9 PM, there are hordes of people strolling the very walkable streets, stopping for tapas or a glass of wine or a beer, not to mention the ubiquitous couples laying on the grass, relaxing and cuddling as if tomorrow couldn't possible hold any stress at all for them.
It is official, we are on vacation.
Oh, how I love it when cities have mass transit attached to their airports! Yay Madrid Metro!
Despite red-eye-fried-brains, we managed to get directions, pay 4 Euros for tickets, navigate the 1 connection, and voila, we were at Plaza de España within walking distance of our hotel.
On the other hand, the time change to Europe is never pleasant and despite the easy transit, this time was no exception. Thankfully, we'd done a 3 day stop in Atlanta, and we'd had to get up early for the Peachtree, so we only had 6 hours to cover instead of 9.
Even so, it took everything we had to check in and stay out of bed in lieu of the small walk to a nearby plaza, where we managed a deliciously languid half-awake lunch of delicious gazpacho, salad, and 27 month aged jamon iberico while we watched the world walk by as the misters sprayed us. Yup, in case we weren't certain, the hams hanging to cure from every open space in the restaurant ceiling confirmed it -- We were in Spain. Mmmmm.... Jamon.
A 3 hour nap, and then we were out on the town for a nice 6 mile walking loop at a pace that really couldn't be called walking with all of the stops (ice cream; wine, water, and olives; shopping at El Corte Ingles, dinner in Plaza Mayor while watching the sunset, and, of course, circular strolls through every plaza and alley we encountered. We left the hotel at 5:40 PM and finally returned at 10 PM -- hurrah for the contagious relaxation vibe here. At 9 PM, there are hordes of people strolling the very walkable streets, stopping for tapas or a glass of wine or a beer, not to mention the ubiquitous couples laying on the grass, relaxing and cuddling as if tomorrow couldn't possible hold any stress at all for them.
It is official, we are on vacation.
June 28, 2011
The Flower Girl Saves the Day
So, you may recall, that last winter, I hired an illustrator and created a children's book from a story I made up for my neice to give it to her as a Christmas present.
She loved it.
It turned out very well, and I'm quite happy with it. You can see a preview of it on Lulu.
Lulu offers a promotional program called Global Reach where you pay them a fee and they list your book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and "other retail sites."
I signed up a while back and they informed me it would take 6-8 weeks for my listing to show up.
Today, on a lark, I searched on Amazon and finally found it.
They listed it for $147.65. You know, the paperback book written by a no-name author and illustrated by some talented but not very well-known illustrators. Ummmm.... What?
Let's see, you can buy it directly from Lulu for $15. You'd think they'd pick a mark-up for Amazon that allowed them to clear the same margin or something a little higher. I would not think the mark-up would be around 1000%.
Unfortunately, I'm much too busy to do anything about this right now except complain on this blog. But one of these days (after Europe), I'll chase 'em down and ask them for a refund or to explain how their pricing is in any way a good faith offering.
In short -- Consider yourself warned about the Lulu GlobalREACH Distribution service.
So, you may recall, that last winter, I hired an illustrator and created a children's book from a story I made up for my neice to give it to her as a Christmas present.
She loved it.
It turned out very well, and I'm quite happy with it. You can see a preview of it on Lulu.
Lulu offers a promotional program called Global Reach where you pay them a fee and they list your book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and "other retail sites."
I signed up a while back and they informed me it would take 6-8 weeks for my listing to show up.
Today, on a lark, I searched on Amazon and finally found it.
They listed it for $147.65. You know, the paperback book written by a no-name author and illustrated by some talented but not very well-known illustrators. Ummmm.... What?
Let's see, you can buy it directly from Lulu for $15. You'd think they'd pick a mark-up for Amazon that allowed them to clear the same margin or something a little higher. I would not think the mark-up would be around 1000%.
Unfortunately, I'm much too busy to do anything about this right now except complain on this blog. But one of these days (after Europe), I'll chase 'em down and ask them for a refund or to explain how their pricing is in any way a good faith offering.
In short -- Consider yourself warned about the Lulu GlobalREACH Distribution service.
June 24, 2011
Summer is Officially Here
As of 10:16 AM on Wednesday, the days are officially getting shorter. I can't believe how quickly the first half of the year flew by. But, it did.
In personal running news, weekly track intervals feel like they are paying off. Despite last night's barbeque, I ran my 3 mile loop at a nice 8:41 pace this AM. That's the fastest I've done the 3 mile loop since late April. I'm nowhere near my historical speed bests, but at least I'm headed in the right direction.
I must say, training for a 10K is much more manageable than training for a marathon. First, the overall mileage commitment is lower, so it takes less large chunks of time and sleep. Second, and perhaps the more enjoyable reason, you get to run faster, so the miles you do take less time than if you were doing them in marathon training.
Last night, I hid from the start of BBQ and watched the US outdoor track and field championships Women's 10K. Shalane Flannigan went out alone and stayed there to finish just under 31 minutes (30:59.97) -- I hadn't seen her run before, but I now understand why she is referred to as the current best U.S. female distance runner. Kara Goucher ran a great race for second (31:16.65) and Jennifer Rhines held on for third (31:30.37) after Kara dropped her, pushing to keep her lead when she saw Desi behind her on the big screen. Desiree Davila (one of my heroes) met the Class A standard time and a set a huge PR (31:37.14) for a solid 4th place. If any of the first three women are unable to run at World's Desi will have the opportunity take their place.
Tonight is the 5K, which I'd love to watch. The start list includes many of the 10K folks. Shalane promised to give it her all, while Kara indicated she may not run it if her coach doesn't think it's a good idea. Desi is on the list, and I'd love to see her run because she's almost certain to PR again and I'd like to see her show her stuff in a shorter race. Since she isn't guaranteed a spot on the 10K team, she may be willing to go all out in the 5K in a way that no one has seen her do in competition before. Unfortunately, the race is only available on TV (which we don't have).
In all honesty, it's probably for the best that I can't get sucked into all track and field, all night. The end of June is a rough time on a transactional attorney. I have way more to do than I have time to do it. So, now that I've finished my workout, today and tonight promises to be nothing more than working through a large list of work tasks. I'll fit in a couple of breaks for a healthy dinner (yumm leftover roasted veggies and beets from BBQ) before doing some yoga and heading to sleep.
Tomorrow, after a quick trip to the track for intervals, we're headed to beautiful San Diego for a wedding (and maybe, if I'm lucky, we'll be in the hotel during one of the re-plays of the 5K).
As of 10:16 AM on Wednesday, the days are officially getting shorter. I can't believe how quickly the first half of the year flew by. But, it did.
In personal running news, weekly track intervals feel like they are paying off. Despite last night's barbeque, I ran my 3 mile loop at a nice 8:41 pace this AM. That's the fastest I've done the 3 mile loop since late April. I'm nowhere near my historical speed bests, but at least I'm headed in the right direction.
I must say, training for a 10K is much more manageable than training for a marathon. First, the overall mileage commitment is lower, so it takes less large chunks of time and sleep. Second, and perhaps the more enjoyable reason, you get to run faster, so the miles you do take less time than if you were doing them in marathon training.
Last night, I hid from the start of BBQ and watched the US outdoor track and field championships Women's 10K. Shalane Flannigan went out alone and stayed there to finish just under 31 minutes (30:59.97) -- I hadn't seen her run before, but I now understand why she is referred to as the current best U.S. female distance runner. Kara Goucher ran a great race for second (31:16.65) and Jennifer Rhines held on for third (31:30.37) after Kara dropped her, pushing to keep her lead when she saw Desi behind her on the big screen. Desiree Davila (one of my heroes) met the Class A standard time and a set a huge PR (31:37.14) for a solid 4th place. If any of the first three women are unable to run at World's Desi will have the opportunity take their place.
Tonight is the 5K, which I'd love to watch. The start list includes many of the 10K folks. Shalane promised to give it her all, while Kara indicated she may not run it if her coach doesn't think it's a good idea. Desi is on the list, and I'd love to see her run because she's almost certain to PR again and I'd like to see her show her stuff in a shorter race. Since she isn't guaranteed a spot on the 10K team, she may be willing to go all out in the 5K in a way that no one has seen her do in competition before. Unfortunately, the race is only available on TV (which we don't have).
In all honesty, it's probably for the best that I can't get sucked into all track and field, all night. The end of June is a rough time on a transactional attorney. I have way more to do than I have time to do it. So, now that I've finished my workout, today and tonight promises to be nothing more than working through a large list of work tasks. I'll fit in a couple of breaks for a healthy dinner (yumm leftover roasted veggies and beets from BBQ) before doing some yoga and heading to sleep.
Tomorrow, after a quick trip to the track for intervals, we're headed to beautiful San Diego for a wedding (and maybe, if I'm lucky, we'll be in the hotel during one of the re-plays of the 5K).
June 17, 2011
Yellowstone, Other-wordly
A view of the run-off from one of the hot springs, depositing brightly colored mineral and bacterial deposits on its way to the river. Note the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Bright turquoise bacteria like it very hot -- 200F+ which is boiling at Yellowstone's altitudes in the 5000-6000 ft. range.
When the pressure builds, the geysers go. Search for videos of old faithful and boiling mud pots if you'd like to see some spectacular sights.
We saw tons of these. I assumed they must be baby meese. Brother informed me that they were Elk cows. Makes sense. I just wonder where all the boys were, we didn't see a single Elk rack.
The colors indicate temperature. If you had to choose your adventure, go for the red, as blue and turquoise are the hottest...
Bison, Bison everywhere. Zoom in for a look at the bison beh-behs. (Note the steaming thermal features in the background and the fact that it's snowing on May 30th).
And, of course, no trip to Yellowstone would be complete without a visit to Grand Prismatic Spring -- Too huge and brightly colored to believe without walking the path around it.
A view of the run-off from one of the hot springs, depositing brightly colored mineral and bacterial deposits on its way to the river. Note the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Bright turquoise bacteria like it very hot -- 200F+ which is boiling at Yellowstone's altitudes in the 5000-6000 ft. range.
When the pressure builds, the geysers go. Search for videos of old faithful and boiling mud pots if you'd like to see some spectacular sights.
We saw tons of these. I assumed they must be baby meese. Brother informed me that they were Elk cows. Makes sense. I just wonder where all the boys were, we didn't see a single Elk rack.
The colors indicate temperature. If you had to choose your adventure, go for the red, as blue and turquoise are the hottest...
Bison, Bison everywhere. Zoom in for a look at the bison beh-behs. (Note the steaming thermal features in the background and the fact that it's snowing on May 30th).
And, of course, no trip to Yellowstone would be complete without a visit to Grand Prismatic Spring -- Too huge and brightly colored to believe without walking the path around it.
June 14, 2011
Mellowing Out
This week, E and I (each) have both had more than two separate (and unrelated) people tell us "You look like you could use a vacation."
That's a bummer, since, ostensibly, we just got back from one.
And, it was, in a way, a vacation. It was wonderful to see family, to run a marathon, to enjoy the beauty of Coeur D'alene, Yellowstone, and to drive parts of the country that many never see.
But, more importantly, the trip was really space and time to process and do all the things we needed to do in our very complicated business and personal lives prior to moving back home from 3+ months of a temporary existence in the Seattle area. Oh, and while we process that stuff, we needed to remain available for those in our business lives that claimed they couldn't let us go completely dark, so, believing them, we couldn't completely "check out."
Now, back at home, resettling, we just have to do the things we agreed needed to be done on the trip. Oh, and make up for lost time. So the so-called road trip vacation didn't really relax us if you do a net-net analysis (but man was it worth it, in terms of education about that part of the country and just thinking outside of our comfort zone due to the long hours in solitude with only each other).
Slowly, but surely, we've been crawling out of the hole of the undone todo lists. Estimated tax payments due 6/15? Done. Filing all the documents that haven't been dealt with in the last 3-4 months? Done. The rest of the year's travel plans? Done. Business chaos for E's startup? Ridiculous, but we've identified a date I feel I can count on whereby it will all be done, one way or another.
In short, we're moving, slowly, towards a place where I feel like our trip to Europe in July may actually feel like a true (European) vacation.
I'm starting to get excited!
This week, E and I (each) have both had more than two separate (and unrelated) people tell us "You look like you could use a vacation."
That's a bummer, since, ostensibly, we just got back from one.
And, it was, in a way, a vacation. It was wonderful to see family, to run a marathon, to enjoy the beauty of Coeur D'alene, Yellowstone, and to drive parts of the country that many never see.
But, more importantly, the trip was really space and time to process and do all the things we needed to do in our very complicated business and personal lives prior to moving back home from 3+ months of a temporary existence in the Seattle area. Oh, and while we process that stuff, we needed to remain available for those in our business lives that claimed they couldn't let us go completely dark, so, believing them, we couldn't completely "check out."
Now, back at home, resettling, we just have to do the things we agreed needed to be done on the trip. Oh, and make up for lost time. So the so-called road trip vacation didn't really relax us if you do a net-net analysis (but man was it worth it, in terms of education about that part of the country and just thinking outside of our comfort zone due to the long hours in solitude with only each other).
Slowly, but surely, we've been crawling out of the hole of the undone todo lists. Estimated tax payments due 6/15? Done. Filing all the documents that haven't been dealt with in the last 3-4 months? Done. The rest of the year's travel plans? Done. Business chaos for E's startup? Ridiculous, but we've identified a date I feel I can count on whereby it will all be done, one way or another.
In short, we're moving, slowly, towards a place where I feel like our trip to Europe in July may actually feel like a true (European) vacation.
I'm starting to get excited!
June 13, 2011
Citius, Altius, Fortius
This weekend, in addition to knocking many items off the todo lists, I was a running movie nut.
First, I watched and sincerely enjoyed Without Limits (one of the movies about Pre).
I also finally watched Chariots of Fire, which was such a wonderful story and much more than I expected -- full of history, musical theatre, and amusing portrayals of life in Cambridge and Scotland in the early 1920s. The famous theme song is only played during the introduction and the conclusion, but does not feature in the actual movie at all. Interesting that the song (and that it was a movie about running) was all I knew about the film before watching it.
Yesterday morning, I did speed intervals on a track for the first time in a very long time.
I had hoped to do 15X400 with 200 jogging recovery. Instead, I only managed 8X400 with 200 recovery (the last 4, I opted to walk the recovery).
Holy crap, that was a serious workout.
The total mileage (including a walk beforehand while chatting with R) was barely over 4.5 miles, but I was sore all day as if I'd raced all out for a 10K or more.
Interestingly, my abs and arms were also sore, which doesn't usually happen to me after a run.
Apparently, there's really something to the idea that running fast recruits more muscles and is a better workout than running slower.
I'll definitely be hitting the track a few more times before the Peachtree Road Race.
(oh, and R's fiancé works for Powerbar, so he's sending me a box of products to try so that I'm never unprepared to fuel for a race or long run again. Woot!).
This weekend, in addition to knocking many items off the todo lists, I was a running movie nut.
First, I watched and sincerely enjoyed Without Limits (one of the movies about Pre).
I also finally watched Chariots of Fire, which was such a wonderful story and much more than I expected -- full of history, musical theatre, and amusing portrayals of life in Cambridge and Scotland in the early 1920s. The famous theme song is only played during the introduction and the conclusion, but does not feature in the actual movie at all. Interesting that the song (and that it was a movie about running) was all I knew about the film before watching it.
Yesterday morning, I did speed intervals on a track for the first time in a very long time.
I had hoped to do 15X400 with 200 jogging recovery. Instead, I only managed 8X400 with 200 recovery (the last 4, I opted to walk the recovery).
Holy crap, that was a serious workout.
The total mileage (including a walk beforehand while chatting with R) was barely over 4.5 miles, but I was sore all day as if I'd raced all out for a 10K or more.
Interestingly, my abs and arms were also sore, which doesn't usually happen to me after a run.
Apparently, there's really something to the idea that running fast recruits more muscles and is a better workout than running slower.
I'll definitely be hitting the track a few more times before the Peachtree Road Race.
(oh, and R's fiancé works for Powerbar, so he's sending me a box of products to try so that I'm never unprepared to fuel for a race or long run again. Woot!).
June 11, 2011
Full Plate
The last time I bought toilet paper, I bought a full 24-pack of 1-ply. It's very thin and not soft. Every trip to the bathroom is a reminder that I am not paying as much attention to details as I should be. I'm very excited to use the last roll and treat myself to some fluffy 2-ply tissue.
This morning, I woke after a night of insomnia and fitful dreams. I realized I just needed to buckle down and do a bunch of work - for my business, for E's business, and for our mutual finances and general life stuff. I actually need to knock things off the todo list. It's gotten to the point where I have no other choice.
I felt so disappointed.
I just wanted a weekend at home.
To do nothing and relax.
But, that is not what I get right now, and I have myself to blame. I am incapable of relaxing when the todo lists are too long. The good news is that my business is going very well. The bad news is that I let my todo lists get too long and there aren't 35 hours in the day.
And, we've got a big trip planned in July, so the deadlines are more concrete and immovable than they ordinarily would be.
Here's to hoping that after a weekend of effort, with shorter lists, I'll feel lighter, more on top of things, and less stressed.
Simplicity...
The last time I bought toilet paper, I bought a full 24-pack of 1-ply. It's very thin and not soft. Every trip to the bathroom is a reminder that I am not paying as much attention to details as I should be. I'm very excited to use the last roll and treat myself to some fluffy 2-ply tissue.
This morning, I woke after a night of insomnia and fitful dreams. I realized I just needed to buckle down and do a bunch of work - for my business, for E's business, and for our mutual finances and general life stuff. I actually need to knock things off the todo list. It's gotten to the point where I have no other choice.
I felt so disappointed.
I just wanted a weekend at home.
To do nothing and relax.
But, that is not what I get right now, and I have myself to blame. I am incapable of relaxing when the todo lists are too long. The good news is that my business is going very well. The bad news is that I let my todo lists get too long and there aren't 35 hours in the day.
And, we've got a big trip planned in July, so the deadlines are more concrete and immovable than they ordinarily would be.
Here's to hoping that after a weekend of effort, with shorter lists, I'll feel lighter, more on top of things, and less stressed.
Simplicity...
June 6, 2011
Vacation's Over
We had a wonderful time driving around the pacific northwest of the United States.
Soon, I will post photos of some of the gorgeous sights and wildlife we saw.
But not now.
My first dream last night was about running.
All of the rest were about work: invoices that need to be sent, piles that need to be handled or filed, and, of course, language that needs to be drafted. Today.
Back to the grind.
We had a wonderful time driving around the pacific northwest of the United States.
Soon, I will post photos of some of the gorgeous sights and wildlife we saw.
But not now.
My first dream last night was about running.
All of the rest were about work: invoices that need to be sent, piles that need to be handled or filed, and, of course, language that needs to be drafted. Today.
Back to the grind.
June 5, 2011
Mid-Year Review
I'm inspired by a friend's blog post titled, "Where I've been so far this year" so I'm going to follow the theme, too.
Locations (this may be the most traveling I've ever done in 6 months):
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Atlanta, Pasadena/Los Angeles, Bellevue/Seattle, Whistler, Spokane, Coeur D'alene, Montana (drive through), Yellowstone, Craters of the Moon, EBR-1, Twin Falls (and the gorgeous Shoshone Falls), Reno (CRAPS!), and of course, Lincoln/Rocklin (CA).
Yoga Classes:
0. I hope to change this number soon.
Miles:
645.6. I've registered for a 10K in July, a half marathon in October, and a marathon in December -- so if I stay healthy and train hard, I just may beat my annual mileage record of 1391.4. This isn't a goal, but if my training plans make it happen, so be it.
Books:
12. Not quite halfway to my goal of 30, but much better than the 0/30 I'd finished on March 8th.
Garden:
The Summer Garden is halfway in the ground. Typically, it's in the ground and done by mid-may, but with all of the travel and wacky weather this year, I'm very behind. Today, we bought a machete (MACHETE!) and E hacked down the remaining weeds in the last two boxes. It took him about 30 minutes to get them all down vs. the 3 hours it took me to do one box with the clippers two weeks ago. Apparently, we actually needed a machete. Who knew?
Work:
I've stayed quite busy these last 6 months. Every single new client I've taken on in the bay area this year is based in San Francisco. This is quite a change from my historic client base, which tended to be more peninsula/Silicon Valley centric.
I'm inspired by a friend's blog post titled, "Where I've been so far this year" so I'm going to follow the theme, too.
Locations (this may be the most traveling I've ever done in 6 months):
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Atlanta, Pasadena/Los Angeles, Bellevue/Seattle, Whistler, Spokane, Coeur D'alene, Montana (drive through), Yellowstone, Craters of the Moon, EBR-1, Twin Falls (and the gorgeous Shoshone Falls), Reno (CRAPS!), and of course, Lincoln/Rocklin (CA).
Yoga Classes:
0. I hope to change this number soon.
Miles:
645.6. I've registered for a 10K in July, a half marathon in October, and a marathon in December -- so if I stay healthy and train hard, I just may beat my annual mileage record of 1391.4. This isn't a goal, but if my training plans make it happen, so be it.
Books:
12. Not quite halfway to my goal of 30, but much better than the 0/30 I'd finished on March 8th.
Garden:
The Summer Garden is halfway in the ground. Typically, it's in the ground and done by mid-may, but with all of the travel and wacky weather this year, I'm very behind. Today, we bought a machete (MACHETE!) and E hacked down the remaining weeds in the last two boxes. It took him about 30 minutes to get them all down vs. the 3 hours it took me to do one box with the clippers two weeks ago. Apparently, we actually needed a machete. Who knew?
Work:
I've stayed quite busy these last 6 months. Every single new client I've taken on in the bay area this year is based in San Francisco. This is quite a change from my historic client base, which tended to be more peninsula/Silicon Valley centric.
May 29, 2011
What a Beautiful Bonk (Coeur D'Alene Marathon Race Report)
All in all, it was a great race -- friendly runners, well organized, gorgeous views at every turn. E and I already talked about coming back one day (although folks on the course spoke highly of Windermere as a local alternative, so perhaps I'll do that one next time).
The race was a great size -- only 2500 total runners (1/2, full, and 5K), and just 600 marathoners, including the walkers, who started 2 hours before the runners. At the 7 AM marathon runners start, it was a cozy group of 200-300. We had the course to ourselves until the half marathon leaders started passing us (staggered starts for appropriate space are such a nice perk that many races don't manage well).
One interesting difference between this race and others I've done, due to their local roots, there were many Marathon Maniacs on the course (seemed like at least 5% of the pack). They lent a fun spirit to the day, constantly cheering each other on when they passed one another and offering tips of the trade to us non-maniacs. At one point, I sided up to a black-jerseyed-maniac and asked him how many marathons he'd done.
This is my 161st. But, I'm trying to get back into shape, so I'm treating it like a nice easy training run.
So much for my plan of using him as a pacing buddy...his training run left my race in the dust shortly after that conversation.
So, as the title of this post might indicate, I hit the wall. Hard.
Before the wall, all seemed quite well.
The weather, despite predictions of showers, had changed to beautifully cool partly sunny skies just two days before the race. The views on the course of the lake were some of the best I've ever had on a race.
I'd had chips and salsa and pasta for dinner (I love me some excuses to carb load!) and had hydrated while watching The Fighter for inspiration before a bedtime of 11 PM.
I woke early, relatively rested, and ate a good breakfast of a banana, a waffle with peanut butter and honey, coffee, OJ, and water.
I jogged to the start, waited just 7 minutes in the cold, and we were off.
My original goal was to break 4 hours, or, if I couldn't do that, then to try to beat my PR of 4:04:27. I successfully reigned myself in on the early miles (partially thanks to the continuing digestion of breakfast -- a good trick if you, like me, have a habit of going out to fast). I finished the first 3 miles in 25:49.07, despite feeling like I could have gone much faster.
Even with the conservative approach, I felt good and strong, and hit the half marathon around 1:58:30 or so (I forgot to hit lap on the garmin, so I'm guessing by a few seconds).
I kept the pace, comfortably, enjoying the gorgeous views of the lake and the river, and I managed to hit mile 18 at 2:46:42 -- a 9:16 average pace, which would have put me at the finish line at 4:02:47 -- and there were some downhills left.
Unfortunately, it was not to be. My average pace for the next 8 miles shows the explosion I had no idea was coming -- 10:49.50. I wish I could blame it on hills... but no. The worst was definitely behind me. In fact, there were some very nice forgiving downhills in the last few miles. I just couldn't take advantage of them.
Ouch.
At one point, I reassessed my goals and tried to set 4:10 as a new finish goal. But, no, I couldn't muster the energy for that one either.
4:13:12.
An average pace of 9:40.
Certainly, nothing to complain about. I'm healthy, which is always something to celebrate. It's the fastest time I've run out of all of my 5 marathons except for my PR, when I was almost 4 years younger and more than 6 pounds lighter on the awesomely downhill course of CIM.
Plus, my mom was able to come to the finish line since she was nearby to help with my sister's new baby. I never thought my mom would come watch me finish a marathon in Idaho, of all places. It was so fun to see her there and to enjoy lunch with her and E afterwards.
But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, and I definitely learned a few lessons.
#1 -- It is not good to discover, the night before the race, after the expo has closed, that you forgot your preferred race fuel (in my case Gu). I read race reports and comforted myself with the claims that there were many aid stations and they were well stocked. Much better than nothing, but I would have preferred to bring my Gu. Next time, I will not make this mistake.
#2 -- Not all race fuels and sports drinks are equal (corollary -- it is not a good idea to learn how unequal they are during a marathon). For the first time in my life, I suffered a calf cramp on this run -- for about 4.5 miles from 19 - 23.5 I had to slow down by quite a bit to deal with the inability of my right calf to do its job. I was shocked. This is a very common runner's issue, but since I've never had one, I thought I was immune. My calves are kind of over-developed due to genetics, gymnastics, and diving (both sports in a past life, at this point) and I'm usually very good about making sure I've got my electrolyte intake nice and high, both before and during races.
This time I'd gone so far as to have a nice salty dinner and I'd eaten a banana before the race for potassium. During the race, I alternated the race-fuel options of Hammer Heed (not such a great taste) and Hammer Gel coupled with water at every other station.
To the race's credit, there were more aid stations on this marathon than any other race I've ever done. It seemed as if there was almost one every 1 - 1.5 miles. My experience would claim that this should keep me nice and well-fueled, especially given the pleasant temperatures of a start at 47F and a finish in the low 60s.
But, I sure didn't feel that way. From post-race research, I discovered 2 important differences between the Hammer products (which I'd never tried) and those I've used in the past: a) Hammer products have no simple sugars. They are sweetened with the no-cal sweetener Stevia and avoid glucose and sucrose. b) Hammer products have about 1/3 the sodium of other sports gels and drinks.
I can't be certain, but given how much I hit the wall, I think I'll err on the side of caution next time and be certain to stick to fuels with higher sodium and glucose/sucrose in addition to all the other goodies that Hammer's products contain.
#3 -- Racing experience can make up quite a bit of time. While this may be my 2nd fastest marathon, it did not feel that way. I hurt much more than I have in slower races. I was relatively well-trained, hitting a higher average weekly mileage than ever before during the marathon training cycle and thanks to the hills in Washington.
But, as I mentioned, I'm nowhere near my ideal race weight, and I've only been doing consistent longer distance weeks for 3-4 months instead of the more than a year of straight high mileage I've had under my belt for past marathons. I was pleased to see that these disadvantages were more than offset by my refusal to go faster than 8:45/mile (and my exception to the speed rule on downhills, where I let myself go as fast as I felt comfortable) and my refusal to walk without a very good reason -- I know I'm in good enough shape to run the whole 26.2, no use drawing it out.
So, I only stopped to walk through aid stations and once, on a hill during mile 26, when I was running on empty and it was apparent I wasn't going to break 4:10. I suspect that if I'd deployed these tactics in earlier races, those times may have been faster than this one, as I was lighter, younger, and had a better aerobic base. Chalk one up to age and deceit over youth and vigor [grin]!
All in all, it was a great race -- friendly runners, well organized, gorgeous views at every turn. E and I already talked about coming back one day (although folks on the course spoke highly of Windermere as a local alternative, so perhaps I'll do that one next time).
The race was a great size -- only 2500 total runners (1/2, full, and 5K), and just 600 marathoners, including the walkers, who started 2 hours before the runners. At the 7 AM marathon runners start, it was a cozy group of 200-300. We had the course to ourselves until the half marathon leaders started passing us (staggered starts for appropriate space are such a nice perk that many races don't manage well).
One interesting difference between this race and others I've done, due to their local roots, there were many Marathon Maniacs on the course (seemed like at least 5% of the pack). They lent a fun spirit to the day, constantly cheering each other on when they passed one another and offering tips of the trade to us non-maniacs. At one point, I sided up to a black-jerseyed-maniac and asked him how many marathons he'd done.
This is my 161st. But, I'm trying to get back into shape, so I'm treating it like a nice easy training run.
So much for my plan of using him as a pacing buddy...his training run left my race in the dust shortly after that conversation.
So, as the title of this post might indicate, I hit the wall. Hard.
Before the wall, all seemed quite well.
The weather, despite predictions of showers, had changed to beautifully cool partly sunny skies just two days before the race. The views on the course of the lake were some of the best I've ever had on a race.
I'd had chips and salsa and pasta for dinner (I love me some excuses to carb load!) and had hydrated while watching The Fighter for inspiration before a bedtime of 11 PM.
I woke early, relatively rested, and ate a good breakfast of a banana, a waffle with peanut butter and honey, coffee, OJ, and water.
I jogged to the start, waited just 7 minutes in the cold, and we were off.
My original goal was to break 4 hours, or, if I couldn't do that, then to try to beat my PR of 4:04:27. I successfully reigned myself in on the early miles (partially thanks to the continuing digestion of breakfast -- a good trick if you, like me, have a habit of going out to fast). I finished the first 3 miles in 25:49.07, despite feeling like I could have gone much faster.
Even with the conservative approach, I felt good and strong, and hit the half marathon around 1:58:30 or so (I forgot to hit lap on the garmin, so I'm guessing by a few seconds).
I kept the pace, comfortably, enjoying the gorgeous views of the lake and the river, and I managed to hit mile 18 at 2:46:42 -- a 9:16 average pace, which would have put me at the finish line at 4:02:47 -- and there were some downhills left.
Unfortunately, it was not to be. My average pace for the next 8 miles shows the explosion I had no idea was coming -- 10:49.50. I wish I could blame it on hills... but no. The worst was definitely behind me. In fact, there were some very nice forgiving downhills in the last few miles. I just couldn't take advantage of them.
Ouch.
At one point, I reassessed my goals and tried to set 4:10 as a new finish goal. But, no, I couldn't muster the energy for that one either.
4:13:12.
An average pace of 9:40.
Certainly, nothing to complain about. I'm healthy, which is always something to celebrate. It's the fastest time I've run out of all of my 5 marathons except for my PR, when I was almost 4 years younger and more than 6 pounds lighter on the awesomely downhill course of CIM.
Plus, my mom was able to come to the finish line since she was nearby to help with my sister's new baby. I never thought my mom would come watch me finish a marathon in Idaho, of all places. It was so fun to see her there and to enjoy lunch with her and E afterwards.
But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, and I definitely learned a few lessons.
#1 -- It is not good to discover, the night before the race, after the expo has closed, that you forgot your preferred race fuel (in my case Gu). I read race reports and comforted myself with the claims that there were many aid stations and they were well stocked. Much better than nothing, but I would have preferred to bring my Gu. Next time, I will not make this mistake.
#2 -- Not all race fuels and sports drinks are equal (corollary -- it is not a good idea to learn how unequal they are during a marathon). For the first time in my life, I suffered a calf cramp on this run -- for about 4.5 miles from 19 - 23.5 I had to slow down by quite a bit to deal with the inability of my right calf to do its job. I was shocked. This is a very common runner's issue, but since I've never had one, I thought I was immune. My calves are kind of over-developed due to genetics, gymnastics, and diving (both sports in a past life, at this point) and I'm usually very good about making sure I've got my electrolyte intake nice and high, both before and during races.
This time I'd gone so far as to have a nice salty dinner and I'd eaten a banana before the race for potassium. During the race, I alternated the race-fuel options of Hammer Heed (not such a great taste) and Hammer Gel coupled with water at every other station.
To the race's credit, there were more aid stations on this marathon than any other race I've ever done. It seemed as if there was almost one every 1 - 1.5 miles. My experience would claim that this should keep me nice and well-fueled, especially given the pleasant temperatures of a start at 47F and a finish in the low 60s.
But, I sure didn't feel that way. From post-race research, I discovered 2 important differences between the Hammer products (which I'd never tried) and those I've used in the past: a) Hammer products have no simple sugars. They are sweetened with the no-cal sweetener Stevia and avoid glucose and sucrose. b) Hammer products have about 1/3 the sodium of other sports gels and drinks.
I can't be certain, but given how much I hit the wall, I think I'll err on the side of caution next time and be certain to stick to fuels with higher sodium and glucose/sucrose in addition to all the other goodies that Hammer's products contain.
#3 -- Racing experience can make up quite a bit of time. While this may be my 2nd fastest marathon, it did not feel that way. I hurt much more than I have in slower races. I was relatively well-trained, hitting a higher average weekly mileage than ever before during the marathon training cycle and thanks to the hills in Washington.
But, as I mentioned, I'm nowhere near my ideal race weight, and I've only been doing consistent longer distance weeks for 3-4 months instead of the more than a year of straight high mileage I've had under my belt for past marathons. I was pleased to see that these disadvantages were more than offset by my refusal to go faster than 8:45/mile (and my exception to the speed rule on downhills, where I let myself go as fast as I felt comfortable) and my refusal to walk without a very good reason -- I know I'm in good enough shape to run the whole 26.2, no use drawing it out.
So, I only stopped to walk through aid stations and once, on a hill during mile 26, when I was running on empty and it was apparent I wasn't going to break 4:10. I suspect that if I'd deployed these tactics in earlier races, those times may have been faster than this one, as I was lighter, younger, and had a better aerobic base. Chalk one up to age and deceit over youth and vigor [grin]!
May 26, 2011
A Short Rant
For the second time in a month, Southwest has no record of a flight I swear I booked.
Today, we showed up at the airport and tried to check in for tonight's flight to Seattle prior to our drive to Spokane to meet my new nephew! Woo hoo!
Last time I caught it the day of when I tried to check in online (which I don't always do).
Both times I had the flight info in my outlook calendar, where I always enter the appointment *post* payment.
Yet somehow, those awesome sale fares were never booked. Instead, both times, the last minute flight has been 3-5X more expensive than the on-sale fare I thought I'd booked.
Moral of the story?
With Southwest, make sure to note the confirmation code before you put the flight in your calendar (especially when booking southwest sale fares).
Note -- with Alaska, I have never had this problem. If I enter the flight info after payment, I'm always *somewhere* in the system.
OF course, once that somewhere was a state where I was "cleared to fly" but not "in a seat." Had the plane been oversold, I would have been screwed. It took an agent 10 minutes to even figure out what happened (and the delay could have meant I wouldn't have made it to the gate in time except my flight ended up being delayed by 2 hours). Once they figured it out, they smiled and said, "Oh good, there are still seats left, I've booked you for a middle seat in row 27." At the time, I was, as you might imagine, underwhelmed with his success. Today, after having to accept that we'd just book middle seats on a flight tomorrow at 12:30 because tonight's evening flight was oversold, I realize just how lucky I was.
Have I mentioned I'm excited that tomorrow's flight to SEA is my last flight for a while?
Also, I should give huge props to Hyatt. Despite calling 2.5 hours after the "cancel without fees hour" when I explained my situation, they were very happy to cancel my reservation. I reiterate my position: Airline rewards are worthless. Hotels are where it's at.
For the second time in a month, Southwest has no record of a flight I swear I booked.
Today, we showed up at the airport and tried to check in for tonight's flight to Seattle prior to our drive to Spokane to meet my new nephew! Woo hoo!
Last time I caught it the day of when I tried to check in online (which I don't always do).
Both times I had the flight info in my outlook calendar, where I always enter the appointment *post* payment.
Yet somehow, those awesome sale fares were never booked. Instead, both times, the last minute flight has been 3-5X more expensive than the on-sale fare I thought I'd booked.
Moral of the story?
With Southwest, make sure to note the confirmation code before you put the flight in your calendar (especially when booking southwest sale fares).
Note -- with Alaska, I have never had this problem. If I enter the flight info after payment, I'm always *somewhere* in the system.
OF course, once that somewhere was a state where I was "cleared to fly" but not "in a seat." Had the plane been oversold, I would have been screwed. It took an agent 10 minutes to even figure out what happened (and the delay could have meant I wouldn't have made it to the gate in time except my flight ended up being delayed by 2 hours). Once they figured it out, they smiled and said, "Oh good, there are still seats left, I've booked you for a middle seat in row 27." At the time, I was, as you might imagine, underwhelmed with his success. Today, after having to accept that we'd just book middle seats on a flight tomorrow at 12:30 because tonight's evening flight was oversold, I realize just how lucky I was.
Have I mentioned I'm excited that tomorrow's flight to SEA is my last flight for a while?
Also, I should give huge props to Hyatt. Despite calling 2.5 hours after the "cancel without fees hour" when I explained my situation, they were very happy to cancel my reservation. I reiterate my position: Airline rewards are worthless. Hotels are where it's at.
May 25, 2011
Touch and Go
A friend of mine was studying to get her pilot's license and often talked about "touch and goes." It sounded like a fairly complicated maneuver where one went through the mechanics of landing, rolled for a while and then went through the mechanics of take-off. You know, nothing but transitions, the hardest thing for humans to handle.
That's how I've felt for the last several months. Land in one city with just enough time to touch down, run around like a chicken with my head cut off, and then take off for another one.
Finally, as of last Wednesday (1 week ago already!) we only have one residence.
I've spent the last week enjoying the California weather, and tending to all of the things that were lost in the shuffle. Also, I was privileged to be the matron of honor in the gorgeous wedding of the friend I've had the longest out of all of my friends. It was very similar to my sister's wedding, in terms of my responsibilities and the number of familiar faces. This felt right, because in many ways, E2 feels like a sister as well.
Anyways, between the wedding, getting settled, getting the garden in the ground, catching up on bills and very busy clients, I've barely had time to come up for air.
Tomorrow evening, we head out for a road trip, where we visit my sister and her husband, I run my marathon, we visit Craters of the Moon and Yellowstone and on the way back we visit brother, mom and neice.
Except, of course, this is yet another touch and go -- my sister is being induced into labor tonight. So it's likely she won't be home yet or definitely won't want guests when we arrive.
No problem, we booked a room at the Davenport which was only $5 more than the Doubletree. Score! Hopefully we'll get to the meet the little man before we leave. Bonus, I'll get to see my mom as well.
This is the year that my travel planning has been epic in terms of timing. Between accidentally booking free hotels in Paris on Bastille Day and managing to plan a trip to visit my sister right when the baby is born before I knew she was pregnant, I'm thinking I may have missed my calling.
Anyways, that's a brief summary of where I've been and what I've been doing in the last few days. I can see a much more calm life and regular posting on the horizon and I'm excited to get there.
But, the excitement of my new nephew, the road trip, the marathon and the national parks calls for just one more lift off before I can touch down and relax for a more proper homecoming and rest.
A friend of mine was studying to get her pilot's license and often talked about "touch and goes." It sounded like a fairly complicated maneuver where one went through the mechanics of landing, rolled for a while and then went through the mechanics of take-off. You know, nothing but transitions, the hardest thing for humans to handle.
That's how I've felt for the last several months. Land in one city with just enough time to touch down, run around like a chicken with my head cut off, and then take off for another one.
Finally, as of last Wednesday (1 week ago already!) we only have one residence.
I've spent the last week enjoying the California weather, and tending to all of the things that were lost in the shuffle. Also, I was privileged to be the matron of honor in the gorgeous wedding of the friend I've had the longest out of all of my friends. It was very similar to my sister's wedding, in terms of my responsibilities and the number of familiar faces. This felt right, because in many ways, E2 feels like a sister as well.
Anyways, between the wedding, getting settled, getting the garden in the ground, catching up on bills and very busy clients, I've barely had time to come up for air.
Tomorrow evening, we head out for a road trip, where we visit my sister and her husband, I run my marathon, we visit Craters of the Moon and Yellowstone and on the way back we visit brother, mom and neice.
Except, of course, this is yet another touch and go -- my sister is being induced into labor tonight. So it's likely she won't be home yet or definitely won't want guests when we arrive.
No problem, we booked a room at the Davenport which was only $5 more than the Doubletree. Score! Hopefully we'll get to the meet the little man before we leave. Bonus, I'll get to see my mom as well.
This is the year that my travel planning has been epic in terms of timing. Between accidentally booking free hotels in Paris on Bastille Day and managing to plan a trip to visit my sister right when the baby is born before I knew she was pregnant, I'm thinking I may have missed my calling.
Anyways, that's a brief summary of where I've been and what I've been doing in the last few days. I can see a much more calm life and regular posting on the horizon and I'm excited to get there.
But, the excitement of my new nephew, the road trip, the marathon and the national parks calls for just one more lift off before I can touch down and relax for a more proper homecoming and rest.
May 18, 2011
Nostalgic Already
Washington brought out the big guns and treated us to gorgeous weather (the bay area does not have skies that blue or water that gorgeous or snow-capped mountains in the distance). Also, our local friends made themselves amazingly available to say goodbye and hangout over our last few days.
This resulting in me, today, walking back to the apartment after lunch in the park with friends, sad. Much more sad than I expected. It was only 3 months.
And yet, we tried on a different life, and there are many great things we will miss:
-walking distance to friends (as in 1 block to their building!)
-a gorgeous park across the street with a lovely 1/2 mile gravel loop
-All of the Happy Hours full of amazingly decadent food and drinks
-the blissfully cool temperatures and hills that made me a much better runner faster than anything I could have done at home
-E's new friends at MSFT and AMZN
-A slower life. With less friends and business obligations, we had much more time to hang out, just the two of us. We will try to implement that policy at home, but if history is any guide, it will be difficult. In Washington, it was guiltless -- no refused invitations to spend the third Saturday in a row with just us -- it just happened that way. At home... well, we are, for better and for worse, much more frenetic.
But, we are now home. And that, too, is a great thing!
Washington brought out the big guns and treated us to gorgeous weather (the bay area does not have skies that blue or water that gorgeous or snow-capped mountains in the distance). Also, our local friends made themselves amazingly available to say goodbye and hangout over our last few days.
This resulting in me, today, walking back to the apartment after lunch in the park with friends, sad. Much more sad than I expected. It was only 3 months.
And yet, we tried on a different life, and there are many great things we will miss:
-walking distance to friends (as in 1 block to their building!)
-a gorgeous park across the street with a lovely 1/2 mile gravel loop
-All of the Happy Hours full of amazingly decadent food and drinks
-the blissfully cool temperatures and hills that made me a much better runner faster than anything I could have done at home
-E's new friends at MSFT and AMZN
-A slower life. With less friends and business obligations, we had much more time to hang out, just the two of us. We will try to implement that policy at home, but if history is any guide, it will be difficult. In Washington, it was guiltless -- no refused invitations to spend the third Saturday in a row with just us -- it just happened that way. At home... well, we are, for better and for worse, much more frenetic.
But, we are now home. And that, too, is a great thing!
May 13, 2011
My Next Long Run Will Be a Marathon
I switched up my training to add one more long run this week after I was unable to do the 20 miler last weekend. After reading about the Hansons' plan (which I may opt to do for my next marathon), I decided running on tired legs was a good thing. Especially if I had enough time to recover. And, of course, I was a little concerned about missing my last long run before the race.
So, today, the last predicted sunny day of our stay in Seattle, I decided to combine a friend's plan to run up Queen Anne with some additional mileage around Green Lake.
Wow. This was the hardest long run I'd done in a long time. It wasn't quite as bad as the training run from hell. But still -- starting with a warmup followed by a 1.6 mile climb up a large hill is a good way to tire yourself out long before the 16 miles are done. Oh, and when you do the 16 miles 5 days after the hilliest half marathon you've ever done (at marathon pace), you may not be totally recovered.
Plus, in my infinite wisdom, I had some wine while waiting for my delayed plane last night. I almost always choose to eat healthy and avoid alcohol the day before a long run. Today reminded me why.
Finally, I only brought 2 Gus. I really could have used 3 or 4. But, I was feeling like I could use some measures of caloric austerity after the wine last night. Note to self, skimp on the wine before the long run, not the Gus during...
Overall, I'm thrilled that I'm finally ready to taper. I'm tired. Literally. Lately, I fall asleep before the double digits on many nights a week. I've done more 40+ mile weeks in training for this marathon than ever before, and it is taking its tole on me, both physically and mentally.
Today, around mile 10, I experienced something I'd never experienced before. I just wanted to sleep on my run. I honestly considered whether I could fall asleep while running.
Thankfully, I pushed through, and now I'm on the downhill slope to the race. Nothing but 8 miles or less for 16 days (including some pure rest days!) and then I get to test my fitness against my old self.
Wish me luck!
I switched up my training to add one more long run this week after I was unable to do the 20 miler last weekend. After reading about the Hansons' plan (which I may opt to do for my next marathon), I decided running on tired legs was a good thing. Especially if I had enough time to recover. And, of course, I was a little concerned about missing my last long run before the race.
So, today, the last predicted sunny day of our stay in Seattle, I decided to combine a friend's plan to run up Queen Anne with some additional mileage around Green Lake.
Wow. This was the hardest long run I'd done in a long time. It wasn't quite as bad as the training run from hell. But still -- starting with a warmup followed by a 1.6 mile climb up a large hill is a good way to tire yourself out long before the 16 miles are done. Oh, and when you do the 16 miles 5 days after the hilliest half marathon you've ever done (at marathon pace), you may not be totally recovered.
Plus, in my infinite wisdom, I had some wine while waiting for my delayed plane last night. I almost always choose to eat healthy and avoid alcohol the day before a long run. Today reminded me why.
Finally, I only brought 2 Gus. I really could have used 3 or 4. But, I was feeling like I could use some measures of caloric austerity after the wine last night. Note to self, skimp on the wine before the long run, not the Gus during...
Overall, I'm thrilled that I'm finally ready to taper. I'm tired. Literally. Lately, I fall asleep before the double digits on many nights a week. I've done more 40+ mile weeks in training for this marathon than ever before, and it is taking its tole on me, both physically and mentally.
Today, around mile 10, I experienced something I'd never experienced before. I just wanted to sleep on my run. I honestly considered whether I could fall asleep while running.
Thankfully, I pushed through, and now I'm on the downhill slope to the race. Nothing but 8 miles or less for 16 days (including some pure rest days!) and then I get to test my fitness against my old self.
Wish me luck!
May 9, 2011
My Husband Is a Genius
On technical matters, I never forget. He's a freak of nature in how smart he is.
But tonight, we had the best date night we'd had in a long time. And I'd forgotten -- he's also a genius when it comes to enjoying steak.
At least 2 months ago, he'd identified John Howie Steak as the one big celebratory date night splurge meal he'd like to do before we left the Seattle area.
We'd been a few times for their Happy Hour and while I agreed that their offerings were good, I was not sold.
First, their menu was *very* expensive.
Second, with such a great happy hour menu, I found it hard to justify going all out.
But, E was insistent. He'd scoured their ever changing menu and drooled over drying cuts in the cold cellar. This was his one request while we were here.
So, of course, we made plans to fit it in (and, we wanted to do so with enough buffer before our trip to Spokane/Coeur D'alene/Yellowstone that we wouldn't want to avoid steak on our trip -- 'cause if she hasn't yet popped out the Kid, my pregnant sister has plans to treat us to steak, too! Yay!).
Turns out, tonight ended up being the night for steak. So, we made reservations and walked on down.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Best steakhouse I've been to in the United States.
E knows how to pick them. That is no joke.
Plus, we deployed the trick we learned in Argentina and opted to share. The 3 (4 oz.) filet sampler. USDA prime vs. American Wagyu vs. Australian Wagyu. We blind tasted and laughed -- telling the USDA prime from the Wagyu was a piece of cake. Telling the Wagyu from each other was an acquired taste.
Add a glass of bubbly for me and a syrah for E plus a half bottle of Sequel 2006 Syrah, salads beforehand (plus a breadbasket full of awesomely decadent bread selections), and sides of macaroni & cheese (to die for) and polenta with American Wagyu bolognese (too much, to be honest, we didn't even pack it to go) and we were in heaven.
All in all, it was a perfect date night.
On technical matters, I never forget. He's a freak of nature in how smart he is.
But tonight, we had the best date night we'd had in a long time. And I'd forgotten -- he's also a genius when it comes to enjoying steak.
At least 2 months ago, he'd identified John Howie Steak as the one big celebratory date night splurge meal he'd like to do before we left the Seattle area.
We'd been a few times for their Happy Hour and while I agreed that their offerings were good, I was not sold.
First, their menu was *very* expensive.
Second, with such a great happy hour menu, I found it hard to justify going all out.
But, E was insistent. He'd scoured their ever changing menu and drooled over drying cuts in the cold cellar. This was his one request while we were here.
So, of course, we made plans to fit it in (and, we wanted to do so with enough buffer before our trip to Spokane/Coeur D'alene/Yellowstone that we wouldn't want to avoid steak on our trip -- 'cause if she hasn't yet popped out the Kid, my pregnant sister has plans to treat us to steak, too! Yay!).
Turns out, tonight ended up being the night for steak. So, we made reservations and walked on down.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Best steakhouse I've been to in the United States.
E knows how to pick them. That is no joke.
Plus, we deployed the trick we learned in Argentina and opted to share. The 3 (4 oz.) filet sampler. USDA prime vs. American Wagyu vs. Australian Wagyu. We blind tasted and laughed -- telling the USDA prime from the Wagyu was a piece of cake. Telling the Wagyu from each other was an acquired taste.
Add a glass of bubbly for me and a syrah for E plus a half bottle of Sequel 2006 Syrah, salads beforehand (plus a breadbasket full of awesomely decadent bread selections), and sides of macaroni & cheese (to die for) and polenta with American Wagyu bolognese (too much, to be honest, we didn't even pack it to go) and we were in heaven.
All in all, it was a perfect date night.
Oh My Aching Quads! (aka Kirkland Half Marathon Race Report)
Yesterday, I ran the most difficult half marathon course I've ever run -- the Kirkland Half Marathon.
It was near the top of my list in terms of total elevation change, but it was a road race instead of a trail run. The two other extremely hilly courses I've run were trail runs -- which are notoriously slower and less of a "race". Also, trails are much more forgiving on your feet, quads, and back when you are taking the extra force of the downhills.
Finally, several of the roads on this course were extremely banked. This meant that in addition to pounding on the pavement, at times, we were running at an angle, with one leg repeatedly hitting the ground lower and pushing off harder than the other leg. Unfortunately, this caused my running buddy to pull a muscle in her calf. (Poor thing! I'm so sad for her.)
The hills were placed such that there really weren't any long flats on the entire course. If you exclude an unscheduled walk break due to my running buddy's injury, I did the remainder of the course at 1 second/mile faster than my goal pace for the marathon (8:59). This felt great because the course was very difficult, so if all goes well, I feel confident that my marathon pacing goals are reasonable.
For example, while I hit my goal pace average with 1 second to spare, I only ran one split within 14 seconds/mile of goal pace (Mile 2, 9:00 on the dot). The remaining splits were all over the map including miles as fast as 8:03 and as slow as 9:42. The elevation chart from my Garmin explains why.
The first 1.3 miles were rolling hills with a net gain of over 270 ft. When we finally hit the crest of the final hill and could see the downhill, I looked at H and said, "Holy crap that was brutal. We're at least 30 seconds behind."
The next 2 miles (again rolling hills) had a net loss of 320 ft. So, we made up the lost time (and then some) and decided to try to hit our goal pace despite the surprise of the course difficulty. (Note to self, when races don't post pace elevation profiles, be very suspicious).
The next surprise was a 250 ft. climb over 0.7 miles for a 6.7% grade (9:24 for that mile). Followed by a 100 ft. drop over 0.5 miles, a 50 ft climb over 0.2 miles, and so it went...
From mile 5 to mile 7, we slightly rolled through a climb of 200 ft. The next downhill was my favorite (because I love downhills) but I heard the cursing and frustration of many whose knees, legs and backs did not enjoy it -- a 330 foot drop over 1.2 miles -- an average grade of -5.2%, which in reality was made steeper by the 2 sharp climbs of 30 and 20 feet they threw in the middle to break it up.
The remaining 5 miles of the race was nothing but a 50 ft climb, two 100 ft climbs, a 200 ft climb, and two 70 ft climbs plus the intermittent drops. Nary a flat to be found.
I was thrilled to open the elevation profile for my upcoming marathon and see that while there are some rolling hills with 20-30 ft climbs and drops none of them are particularly sharp, and there are only two serious climbs to consider. Both of them are around 100 feet in total gain (and loss) with an average max grade of 2.9%. Yes, I'm sure they will be difficult because a marathon always is, but at least the hills will be nothing compared with yesterday.
Due to H's injury, my plan of doing 7 out and back after the race turned into 1.5 out and back while she was in the medical trailer. My total mileage of 14.6 was nowhere near the 20 I'd hoped for. But, I didn't feel too disappointed. In fact, as the day wore on, and the physical side effects of the effort hit me, I realized it was probably for the best that I hadn't done the full 20 -- it would have likely beat me up a bit too much and this week's training would be shot.
So, I recorded the week's total mileage at 45.81 and moved things around this week to include a 16 miler instead of 12. Thankfully, I did fit in one 20 miler three weeks ago (I'd forgotten about it and was very happy to see it in my log), so I'll just have to make due with the late-stage sub 20 long runs and hope for the best.
3 weeks 'til the marathon (and the trip back to California where we can enjoy sunshine!)
Yesterday, I ran the most difficult half marathon course I've ever run -- the Kirkland Half Marathon.
It was near the top of my list in terms of total elevation change, but it was a road race instead of a trail run. The two other extremely hilly courses I've run were trail runs -- which are notoriously slower and less of a "race". Also, trails are much more forgiving on your feet, quads, and back when you are taking the extra force of the downhills.
Finally, several of the roads on this course were extremely banked. This meant that in addition to pounding on the pavement, at times, we were running at an angle, with one leg repeatedly hitting the ground lower and pushing off harder than the other leg. Unfortunately, this caused my running buddy to pull a muscle in her calf. (Poor thing! I'm so sad for her.)
The hills were placed such that there really weren't any long flats on the entire course. If you exclude an unscheduled walk break due to my running buddy's injury, I did the remainder of the course at 1 second/mile faster than my goal pace for the marathon (8:59). This felt great because the course was very difficult, so if all goes well, I feel confident that my marathon pacing goals are reasonable.
For example, while I hit my goal pace average with 1 second to spare, I only ran one split within 14 seconds/mile of goal pace (Mile 2, 9:00 on the dot). The remaining splits were all over the map including miles as fast as 8:03 and as slow as 9:42. The elevation chart from my Garmin explains why.
The first 1.3 miles were rolling hills with a net gain of over 270 ft. When we finally hit the crest of the final hill and could see the downhill, I looked at H and said, "Holy crap that was brutal. We're at least 30 seconds behind."
The next 2 miles (again rolling hills) had a net loss of 320 ft. So, we made up the lost time (and then some) and decided to try to hit our goal pace despite the surprise of the course difficulty. (Note to self, when races don't post pace elevation profiles, be very suspicious).
The next surprise was a 250 ft. climb over 0.7 miles for a 6.7% grade (9:24 for that mile). Followed by a 100 ft. drop over 0.5 miles, a 50 ft climb over 0.2 miles, and so it went...
From mile 5 to mile 7, we slightly rolled through a climb of 200 ft. The next downhill was my favorite (because I love downhills) but I heard the cursing and frustration of many whose knees, legs and backs did not enjoy it -- a 330 foot drop over 1.2 miles -- an average grade of -5.2%, which in reality was made steeper by the 2 sharp climbs of 30 and 20 feet they threw in the middle to break it up.
The remaining 5 miles of the race was nothing but a 50 ft climb, two 100 ft climbs, a 200 ft climb, and two 70 ft climbs plus the intermittent drops. Nary a flat to be found.
I was thrilled to open the elevation profile for my upcoming marathon and see that while there are some rolling hills with 20-30 ft climbs and drops none of them are particularly sharp, and there are only two serious climbs to consider. Both of them are around 100 feet in total gain (and loss) with an average max grade of 2.9%. Yes, I'm sure they will be difficult because a marathon always is, but at least the hills will be nothing compared with yesterday.
Due to H's injury, my plan of doing 7 out and back after the race turned into 1.5 out and back while she was in the medical trailer. My total mileage of 14.6 was nowhere near the 20 I'd hoped for. But, I didn't feel too disappointed. In fact, as the day wore on, and the physical side effects of the effort hit me, I realized it was probably for the best that I hadn't done the full 20 -- it would have likely beat me up a bit too much and this week's training would be shot.
So, I recorded the week's total mileage at 45.81 and moved things around this week to include a 16 miler instead of 12. Thankfully, I did fit in one 20 miler three weeks ago (I'd forgotten about it and was very happy to see it in my log), so I'll just have to make due with the late-stage sub 20 long runs and hope for the best.
3 weeks 'til the marathon (and the trip back to California where we can enjoy sunshine!)
May 2, 2011
Blooms
This weekend, the weather treated us to gorgeous sunshine with a few clouds. So, in addition to enjoying my long runs and a barbeque with friends (and their chickens and kids). E and I drove out to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
There were rows of colors as far as the eye could see.
When the sun came out, the colors were almost too brilliant to bear.
They come in all shapes and sizes. This is one of my favorite tulips of the day, Claudia:
For Christmas, my brother-in-law gave me a book titled The Thoughtful Gardener. It is a hilarious collection of vignettes by a British Master gardner. I'm 3/4 through it, and only this week hit the first entry related to vegetable gardening. Previously, I enjoyed gardening for food. But this book (and the trip to the tulip festival) have broadened my horizons and I now have plans to plant bulbs and flowers for more than just attracting pollinating insects.
In running news, my mileage hit 47+ last week. I've never had a training week that heavy before, and this week's is scheduled to be even larger. So far, I'm holding up relatively well -- my legs are tired and tight from the weekend's long runs, but I feel strong and ready for today's 6 mile recovery run. 4 weeks 'til the marathon!
This weekend, the weather treated us to gorgeous sunshine with a few clouds. So, in addition to enjoying my long runs and a barbeque with friends (and their chickens and kids). E and I drove out to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
There were rows of colors as far as the eye could see.
When the sun came out, the colors were almost too brilliant to bear.
They come in all shapes and sizes. This is one of my favorite tulips of the day, Claudia:
For Christmas, my brother-in-law gave me a book titled The Thoughtful Gardener. It is a hilarious collection of vignettes by a British Master gardner. I'm 3/4 through it, and only this week hit the first entry related to vegetable gardening. Previously, I enjoyed gardening for food. But this book (and the trip to the tulip festival) have broadened my horizons and I now have plans to plant bulbs and flowers for more than just attracting pollinating insects.
In running news, my mileage hit 47+ last week. I've never had a training week that heavy before, and this week's is scheduled to be even larger. So far, I'm holding up relatively well -- my legs are tired and tight from the weekend's long runs, but I feel strong and ready for today's 6 mile recovery run. 4 weeks 'til the marathon!
April 29, 2011
Conscious Eating and Depleting
So, I gained 10+ pounds last year. Between my brother living with us after his accident and starting my own law practice I found myself with many reasons to eat richly and not as many openings for vigorous caloric expenditure as I might want.
Lucky for me, I'm dense. I carry excess weight fairly efficiently. Based on how I look, I've never been problematically obese. I didn't have to buy new clothes, they just looked a little less attractive. So, I packed on a little less than one pound a month for a year and that was that.
But, now that I'm facing reality, obviously I need to lose the 10 pounds. And, once I started looking into the latest health and diet information, I found that I couldn't ignore the reports on adipose tissue around organs in western people vs. Afghanis.
And, I really can't ignore that as a very slow runner, I'm 30+ pounds heavier than my newfound hero Desiree Davila. As the fastest American Female Boston Marathoner, she's the epitome of health. While I, shorter than her, am fighting off 10 lbs to get to a *goal* weight that is 20+ pounds heavier than her race weight.
I've heard Kevin Patterson's saying: "Your body will forgive you for eating just about anything if you move enough." I like that logic. I just need to start moving enough to make me feel like I belong to the covered class.
Unfortunately, I've also read Born To Run (Awesome Book!) and it led me to think that if the secret to human health is running like the historic running cultures, then truly, it's also about a simple diet made primarily of plants.
Moving alone may not be sufficient.
Plus, in my newfound quest for health, I read the reports from the Biosphere and the amazing health benefits the previously healthy by western standards biospherians experienced from eating a diet that was entirely self-produced. And, there are tons of articles and studies showing the benefits of applying the principles of anti-inflammation to the modern diet -- most of the experts in this field have specific foods they recommend and almost all of them are unprocessed plants. It's pretty obvious where the science is headed (and I'm sad to see the information isn't getting as much press as I'd like because there's no money to be made off of it).
We may not like it, but it looks like Healthy Humans do best with regularly meeting 90%-100% of their needs (easy to do with a primarily plant-based diet), plus the occasional celebration full of caloric/protein/fat/mineral/vitamin/co-vitamin excess and the occasional starvation every now and again.
So, where does this leave me?
Well, for starters, I'm moving more. As I mentioned, I'm training for a marathon. It feels great to be so full of motion and momentum. Yesterday, I ran the fastest 3 miles I'd run in 2 years. I felt so alive.
On the other hand, if I am honest with myself, I think the issue is not just about movement. Let's say I accept that 1 tsp once every three days of Turmeric can significantly reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, or that 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil is as good as 200 mg Ibuprofen for calming muscular inflammation.
If that's true, then shouldn't the counter be true? Shouldn't 2 tsp of fats or sugars separated from their natural counterparts have similar strong effects on me? Isn't it weird that at the airport, when they offer me something fried as my quick meal before I board my flight, I can consume (in addition to whatever has been fried) 200 Cals of plant fats without the mulitple pints of fiber and all of the vitamins and minerals I'd historically have to consume to get those plant fats?)
And, yes, I'm aware of the Sugar is Poison movement.
But, I don't have a sweet tooth and I'm watching my caloric intake to get back into my acceptable weight range (so I can evaluate whether I need to re-define "acceptable"). Therefore, at the moment, I have no direct issues with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Since I've been trying to eat primarily plant-based foods with minimal processing (limiting my grain intake to unmodified whole grains has been educational) and generally shy away from pre-prepared food, I haven't seen much of the backlash from this article, which apparently is large and fascinating. Good for Lestig.
In summary, tonight, at a local mediterranean joint, I was shocked when my squid came breaded and fried. The menu said that it was cooked in white wine and garlic. Little did I know that there was a breaded/fried portion of the prep. I realized it had been weeks, if not months since I had had truly fried food. Don't worry, I got over the surprise, enjoyed my unexpected treat, and the leftovers are in the fridge for tomorrow post run.
But, it got me thinking. If you're actually looking to implement a historically, evolutionarily healthy diet/lifestyle, you probably have to start with avoiding almost all of the culturally normal American food (fast food, restaurant food, packaged pre-prepared foods) and getting down to what Americans would consider an almost starvation weight. Once there, you'd need to stay active and continue to avoid the majority of the culturally normal American food except the occasional (once a month, perhaps?) splurge.
So, Washington -- Thanks! You gave me the time and space to experiment with instituting an eating pattern and level of running activity to become much healthier. Oh, and you made me appreciate my Californian weather in ways that nothing else ever could.
So, I gained 10+ pounds last year. Between my brother living with us after his accident and starting my own law practice I found myself with many reasons to eat richly and not as many openings for vigorous caloric expenditure as I might want.
Lucky for me, I'm dense. I carry excess weight fairly efficiently. Based on how I look, I've never been problematically obese. I didn't have to buy new clothes, they just looked a little less attractive. So, I packed on a little less than one pound a month for a year and that was that.
But, now that I'm facing reality, obviously I need to lose the 10 pounds. And, once I started looking into the latest health and diet information, I found that I couldn't ignore the reports on adipose tissue around organs in western people vs. Afghanis.
And, I really can't ignore that as a very slow runner, I'm 30+ pounds heavier than my newfound hero Desiree Davila. As the fastest American Female Boston Marathoner, she's the epitome of health. While I, shorter than her, am fighting off 10 lbs to get to a *goal* weight that is 20+ pounds heavier than her race weight.
I've heard Kevin Patterson's saying: "Your body will forgive you for eating just about anything if you move enough." I like that logic. I just need to start moving enough to make me feel like I belong to the covered class.
Unfortunately, I've also read Born To Run (Awesome Book!) and it led me to think that if the secret to human health is running like the historic running cultures, then truly, it's also about a simple diet made primarily of plants.
Moving alone may not be sufficient.
Plus, in my newfound quest for health, I read the reports from the Biosphere and the amazing health benefits the previously healthy by western standards biospherians experienced from eating a diet that was entirely self-produced. And, there are tons of articles and studies showing the benefits of applying the principles of anti-inflammation to the modern diet -- most of the experts in this field have specific foods they recommend and almost all of them are unprocessed plants. It's pretty obvious where the science is headed (and I'm sad to see the information isn't getting as much press as I'd like because there's no money to be made off of it).
We may not like it, but it looks like Healthy Humans do best with regularly meeting 90%-100% of their needs (easy to do with a primarily plant-based diet), plus the occasional celebration full of caloric/protein/fat/mineral/vitamin/co-vitamin excess and the occasional starvation every now and again.
So, where does this leave me?
Well, for starters, I'm moving more. As I mentioned, I'm training for a marathon. It feels great to be so full of motion and momentum. Yesterday, I ran the fastest 3 miles I'd run in 2 years. I felt so alive.
On the other hand, if I am honest with myself, I think the issue is not just about movement. Let's say I accept that 1 tsp once every three days of Turmeric can significantly reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, or that 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil is as good as 200 mg Ibuprofen for calming muscular inflammation.
If that's true, then shouldn't the counter be true? Shouldn't 2 tsp of fats or sugars separated from their natural counterparts have similar strong effects on me? Isn't it weird that at the airport, when they offer me something fried as my quick meal before I board my flight, I can consume (in addition to whatever has been fried) 200 Cals of plant fats without the mulitple pints of fiber and all of the vitamins and minerals I'd historically have to consume to get those plant fats?)
And, yes, I'm aware of the Sugar is Poison movement.
But, I don't have a sweet tooth and I'm watching my caloric intake to get back into my acceptable weight range (so I can evaluate whether I need to re-define "acceptable"). Therefore, at the moment, I have no direct issues with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Since I've been trying to eat primarily plant-based foods with minimal processing (limiting my grain intake to unmodified whole grains has been educational) and generally shy away from pre-prepared food, I haven't seen much of the backlash from this article, which apparently is large and fascinating. Good for Lestig.
In summary, tonight, at a local mediterranean joint, I was shocked when my squid came breaded and fried. The menu said that it was cooked in white wine and garlic. Little did I know that there was a breaded/fried portion of the prep. I realized it had been weeks, if not months since I had had truly fried food. Don't worry, I got over the surprise, enjoyed my unexpected treat, and the leftovers are in the fridge for tomorrow post run.
But, it got me thinking. If you're actually looking to implement a historically, evolutionarily healthy diet/lifestyle, you probably have to start with avoiding almost all of the culturally normal American food (fast food, restaurant food, packaged pre-prepared foods) and getting down to what Americans would consider an almost starvation weight. Once there, you'd need to stay active and continue to avoid the majority of the culturally normal American food except the occasional (once a month, perhaps?) splurge.
So, Washington -- Thanks! You gave me the time and space to experiment with instituting an eating pattern and level of running activity to become much healthier. Oh, and you made me appreciate my Californian weather in ways that nothing else ever could.
April 25, 2011
Exhausted
I had more girl time this weekend than I've had in a very long time.
3 roadtrips with friends.
Dinner with my mom, sister and our girlfriends.
Preparing for and helping to host my sister's baby shower.
The bachelorette party of one of my best friends.
A Sunday of recovery and hanging out with one of my college roommates.
Our flight back to Washington left at 6:40 AM, today.
Oh, and I kicked it all off with a 20 mile run on Friday morning.
Yes, I am about to lie down for a much-deserved nap. (Thanks to my clients who have treated me to a rather mellow Monday so far!)
I had more girl time this weekend than I've had in a very long time.
3 roadtrips with friends.
Dinner with my mom, sister and our girlfriends.
Preparing for and helping to host my sister's baby shower.
The bachelorette party of one of my best friends.
A Sunday of recovery and hanging out with one of my college roommates.
Our flight back to Washington left at 6:40 AM, today.
Oh, and I kicked it all off with a 20 mile run on Friday morning.
Yes, I am about to lie down for a much-deserved nap. (Thanks to my clients who have treated me to a rather mellow Monday so far!)
April 21, 2011
Boston, reviewed
So, the Boston Marathon was an epic event this year.
The fastest marathon ever ran by a human (2:03:02)? Check. The second place guy was faster than the standing world record as well. And he was in his debut marathon.
Ryan Hall running the fastest marathon ever run by an American (2:04:58) and taking fourth? Check.
Kara Goucher setting a PR by 2 minutes and taking 5th 6.5 months after giving birth to her first son? Check.
Desiree Davila (previously, a relatively unknown U.S. runner) leading for much of the final miles and thrilling us as she pushed the pace of the leaders and surged to battle for first, finally finishing second place (by 2 seconds) and breaking the U.S. women's course record? Check.
Joan Benoit Samuelson (holder of the prior U.S. women's course record) running a 2:51 at the age of 53? Yup, that happened too.
All in all, it was one of the most amazing sports events I've ever watched.
I may never be in good enough shape to qualify to run it now that the new standards are in place. But I'm definitely thrilled to enjoy it as a spectator and I may just go and volunteer one day to experience the thrill of the day in person.
So, the Boston Marathon was an epic event this year.
The fastest marathon ever ran by a human (2:03:02)? Check. The second place guy was faster than the standing world record as well. And he was in his debut marathon.
Ryan Hall running the fastest marathon ever run by an American (2:04:58) and taking fourth? Check.
Kara Goucher setting a PR by 2 minutes and taking 5th 6.5 months after giving birth to her first son? Check.
Desiree Davila (previously, a relatively unknown U.S. runner) leading for much of the final miles and thrilling us as she pushed the pace of the leaders and surged to battle for first, finally finishing second place (by 2 seconds) and breaking the U.S. women's course record? Check.
Joan Benoit Samuelson (holder of the prior U.S. women's course record) running a 2:51 at the age of 53? Yup, that happened too.
All in all, it was one of the most amazing sports events I've ever watched.
I may never be in good enough shape to qualify to run it now that the new standards are in place. But I'm definitely thrilled to enjoy it as a spectator and I may just go and volunteer one day to experience the thrill of the day in person.
April 16, 2011
Ahhh...Boston
On Monday I'm going to enjoy this year's Boston Marathon. I'm rooting for Kara Goucher, Ryan Hall, and Joan Benoit Samuelson to all have an excellent day. The international field is very strong with both of last year's winners returning and some wildcard debuts as well. It is going to be an exciting race.
My marathon PR is a 4:04:27. For the last several years, I've considered the potential goal of running the Boston Marathon. Until this year, my Boston qualifying time was 3:40:59. Based on some of my speed workouts in past years, when I've been at my fittest, I think it probably would have been possible for me to hit that time if all things went well, but I haven't made the lifestyle rearrangements and training commitment to make it happen.
This year was supposed to be a magical year -- because I will have switched age groups, I'd only have to hit 3:45:59 to qualify. My original plan was to get back into shape for the Coeur d'Alene Marathon and try to PR. Then, if I felt strong and motivated, I'd try to qualify for Boston at CIM in December.
Unfortunately, things have changed in Boston that make this plan less likely to be successful than I had hoped.
First, Boston registration has hit its max number of participants in record time in the last few years. Historically, you could register as late as February for the April race. But, 2010 registration closed in November 2009 (ahead of CIM in December). And, 2011 registration closed in just 9 hours when it opened in October.
To address this, the Boston Athletic Association has changed the way registration works. First, it will be open in September and will close two weeks later.
In other words, CIM BQ times run in December must be used for the Boston Marathon two calendar years after the calendar year of CIM. Or, in my case, no magical qualifying age-group boost from CIM this year.
Second, registration will now be in tiers. Athletes with a qualifying time of 20 minutes less than the BQ will be allowed to register first, 2 days later, those with 10 minutes to spare are welcome, then those with 5 minutes to spare, and finally open registration for all comers with a BQ who haven't yet registered.
If I am honest with myself, achieving a BQ time has always been a long shot goal for me (even with the now-unavailable magical age-group boost). Doable, but close.
My guess is that this year's registration will be full before the open registration period begins. I think the Boston Athletic Association thinks so too, because in addition to tiered registration, starting in 2013, the qualifying times will be 5m59s faster than their current levels (or, despite the new age group, I'm right back up to 3:40 again).
Additionally, Boston will now confirm people's times and register those in each tier in order of speediest qualifying finishes.
I belong to one of the most populous demographic groups in marathon running. So, I'm guessing the actual qualifying and registration time cutoffs for those in my group are going to be *MUCH* faster than they have been.
I guess what I'm saying is, it looks like if I want to qualify for and actually register for the Boston Marathon, it's going to be a much larger commitment than I originally expected.
I'm not sure how I feel about that, for me. I think it'll make for a much more competitive and prestigious race. But I'm just not sure that level of performance and the sacrifices it would require are attractive to me.
I think I'll just focus on Coeur d'Alene for now -- 6 weeks to go and I'm definitely getting back into shape. I checked my running logs and my 6 miler this week was faster than anything I've done in more than a year (including faster than runs I did 7 pounds lighter!). This has been a step-down week of 33 miles and I've got a 10K tomorrow, so after the race, I should have some good feedback on speed and fitness to help me reassess my marathon pace goals.
On Monday I'm going to enjoy this year's Boston Marathon. I'm rooting for Kara Goucher, Ryan Hall, and Joan Benoit Samuelson to all have an excellent day. The international field is very strong with both of last year's winners returning and some wildcard debuts as well. It is going to be an exciting race.
My marathon PR is a 4:04:27. For the last several years, I've considered the potential goal of running the Boston Marathon. Until this year, my Boston qualifying time was 3:40:59. Based on some of my speed workouts in past years, when I've been at my fittest, I think it probably would have been possible for me to hit that time if all things went well, but I haven't made the lifestyle rearrangements and training commitment to make it happen.
This year was supposed to be a magical year -- because I will have switched age groups, I'd only have to hit 3:45:59 to qualify. My original plan was to get back into shape for the Coeur d'Alene Marathon and try to PR. Then, if I felt strong and motivated, I'd try to qualify for Boston at CIM in December.
Unfortunately, things have changed in Boston that make this plan less likely to be successful than I had hoped.
First, Boston registration has hit its max number of participants in record time in the last few years. Historically, you could register as late as February for the April race. But, 2010 registration closed in November 2009 (ahead of CIM in December). And, 2011 registration closed in just 9 hours when it opened in October.
To address this, the Boston Athletic Association has changed the way registration works. First, it will be open in September and will close two weeks later.
In other words, CIM BQ times run in December must be used for the Boston Marathon two calendar years after the calendar year of CIM. Or, in my case, no magical qualifying age-group boost from CIM this year.
Second, registration will now be in tiers. Athletes with a qualifying time of 20 minutes less than the BQ will be allowed to register first, 2 days later, those with 10 minutes to spare are welcome, then those with 5 minutes to spare, and finally open registration for all comers with a BQ who haven't yet registered.
If I am honest with myself, achieving a BQ time has always been a long shot goal for me (even with the now-unavailable magical age-group boost). Doable, but close.
My guess is that this year's registration will be full before the open registration period begins. I think the Boston Athletic Association thinks so too, because in addition to tiered registration, starting in 2013, the qualifying times will be 5m59s faster than their current levels (or, despite the new age group, I'm right back up to 3:40 again).
Additionally, Boston will now confirm people's times and register those in each tier in order of speediest qualifying finishes.
I belong to one of the most populous demographic groups in marathon running. So, I'm guessing the actual qualifying and registration time cutoffs for those in my group are going to be *MUCH* faster than they have been.
I guess what I'm saying is, it looks like if I want to qualify for and actually register for the Boston Marathon, it's going to be a much larger commitment than I originally expected.
I'm not sure how I feel about that, for me. I think it'll make for a much more competitive and prestigious race. But I'm just not sure that level of performance and the sacrifices it would require are attractive to me.
I think I'll just focus on Coeur d'Alene for now -- 6 weeks to go and I'm definitely getting back into shape. I checked my running logs and my 6 miler this week was faster than anything I've done in more than a year (including faster than runs I did 7 pounds lighter!). This has been a step-down week of 33 miles and I've got a 10K tomorrow, so after the race, I should have some good feedback on speed and fitness to help me reassess my marathon pace goals.
April 15, 2011
Cooler Than We Thought
Thanks to my plane delay, tonight, we ended up showing up for one of our local late night happy hours for dinner at 11:15 PM. Pearl's free valet parking, mussels, tuna tartar, sautéed wild mushrooms, tenderloin bites with blue cheese and an extra side of bread? Oh, hell yes. We were spoiled rotten. And we devoured every bite amongst the cool digerati.
We were also out 'til after midnight, which for us is a serious rarity. Last night, I fell asleep at 10:30 PM before my 23-yr-old roommate in CA even made it home from his workout.
Add the pretty people in town for business in their gorgeous clothes and we were very happy with ourselves this evening. We felt like perhaps we were not seriously lame and old.
In fact, after our impressive late night performance on a Thursday (before a Friday and Saturday of ridiculously good behavior to prep for Sunday's race), the only downside was, by the time we got back to our building, all of the useful parking was taken and we had to park 2 floors down, far from the elevators.
All-in-all, given the scenery and delicious food, it was worth it. At least this once. Next time, we'll likely skip it, but at least we now know what it's all about and that next time we'd prefer a slightly less hip establishment.
Mmmm... I'm so happy to have butter sauce soaked bread (mussels with bacon and a separate mushroom dish???) in my belly. It's a rare option these last 4 months, since I've been committed to healthier eating and training. But, boy-oh-boy, when it's available, the hind-brain is all too happy to indulge in the high calorie protein/fat feast. Yummm!!!
Thanks to my plane delay, tonight, we ended up showing up for one of our local late night happy hours for dinner at 11:15 PM. Pearl's free valet parking, mussels, tuna tartar, sautéed wild mushrooms, tenderloin bites with blue cheese and an extra side of bread? Oh, hell yes. We were spoiled rotten. And we devoured every bite amongst the cool digerati.
We were also out 'til after midnight, which for us is a serious rarity. Last night, I fell asleep at 10:30 PM before my 23-yr-old roommate in CA even made it home from his workout.
Add the pretty people in town for business in their gorgeous clothes and we were very happy with ourselves this evening. We felt like perhaps we were not seriously lame and old.
In fact, after our impressive late night performance on a Thursday (before a Friday and Saturday of ridiculously good behavior to prep for Sunday's race), the only downside was, by the time we got back to our building, all of the useful parking was taken and we had to park 2 floors down, far from the elevators.
All-in-all, given the scenery and delicious food, it was worth it. At least this once. Next time, we'll likely skip it, but at least we now know what it's all about and that next time we'd prefer a slightly less hip establishment.
Mmmm... I'm so happy to have butter sauce soaked bread (mussels with bacon and a separate mushroom dish???) in my belly. It's a rare option these last 4 months, since I've been committed to healthier eating and training. But, boy-oh-boy, when it's available, the hind-brain is all too happy to indulge in the high calorie protein/fat feast. Yummm!!!
April 10, 2011
Slow
Yesterday, I ran next weekend's 10K race course with V at a nice easy pace and was a super lazy bum for the rest of the day. I started and finished Mennonite in a Little Black Dress while laying in recovery yoga poses and laughing out loud -- one of the most relaxing days I've had in a while. It felt good to stay in one place for more than 24 hours after so many weeks of flying back and forth between the bay area and seattle.
Last night, we had a nice healthy meal of matzo ball soup (I now make it from scratch), steamed broccoli, and salad. I went to bed and fell asleep at a reasonable hour and had high hopes for yet another awesome weekend long run.
Today's long run was supposed to be 17 miles. I'd registered for the Soaring Eagle 10 mile trail run and figured I'd add the 5 mile loop and a 2 mile out and back to make the total.
Unfortunately, it did not go as smoothly as I hoped. First, despite printing directions from the race website rather than relying on the duplicitous google maps, the directions were still a bit confusing and I had to backtrack, making myself late for the start. A very sweet wife of a distance runner picked me up rather than continue on her exit as I parked (far from the start) and she drove me right up to the flags, assuring me that they'd just started and that she'd see me at the end. (She did, and she recognized me and introduced me to her husband. What a great running supporter!)
Since everyone else was already on the course, I skipped the registration tent and just asked the organizers which color streamers to follow (orange, they were all orange). I headed out and quickly slowed to a halting dance between puddles and muck. The entire 15 foot width of the main trail was a collection of muddy shoe prints! I don't mean slightly muddy, I mean, you could see the imprints of the sides of people's shoes in the mud. Extremely muddy! With all of the slipping and sliding, I was barely doing a 20 minute mile. After half a mile, I decided I'd be better just road running my long run and I turned around. But, once I returned to the start, the organizers saw me and pointed me up a single track trail that was in much better shape.
So, I headed up the hill once more, ran where I could, splashed through several puddles and creeks, slipped and slid through entirely too many mud patches to count, and finally finished the 10 mile loop in 2:01:08 (give or take a few percentage in either variable due to the turn around and watch stopping and general GPS tomfoolery in the forest).
Trouble was, after all the jumping, slipping, sliding, and avoiding roots, the 10 felt like much, much, more. And, my shoes were sopping wet and covered with mud.
I made a deal with myself and did another 2.5 miles and called it a day.
Yes, I was 4.5 miles short. No, I did not like that reality (although I did like the reality of the brownies and pizza at the "finish"). 3-4 inches of mud on the main road and creeks full of muddy water on the single track made for lots of jumping and lateral motions to deal with obstacles that couldn't be avoided. It felt like much more distance than it actually was. And, my shoes had some evidence of just how hard I'd worked for those 12.5 miles. Even after the last 2.5 miles on the road to shake loose much of the gunk, they looked like they'd had a rough day:
I'm hoping that in hindsight, the decision to limit the muddy miles will appear intelligent, but I'm somewhat apprehensive of the fact that it's 7 weeks 'til the marathon.
I'm recording 36.06 miles for this week (instead of breaking 40, per my training schedule). This total includes a great mid-week loop with a friend (on sabbatical from UW -- academic life sounds heavenly!) around Greenlake and yesterday's trial of next weekend's race course.
I now know that next week's 10K will be *very* hilly (including starting on a very steep hill, which is probably smart to space out the runners, but quite difficult, nonetheless). I'm not looking to PR, but the course is fully paved and will be traffic-controlled, so I am excited to push myself and to use the results to inject some useful data into the assessment of just how fit I am (allowing me to evaluate my goal pace for my first marathon in more than 2 and half years).
Onward!
Yesterday, I ran next weekend's 10K race course with V at a nice easy pace and was a super lazy bum for the rest of the day. I started and finished Mennonite in a Little Black Dress while laying in recovery yoga poses and laughing out loud -- one of the most relaxing days I've had in a while. It felt good to stay in one place for more than 24 hours after so many weeks of flying back and forth between the bay area and seattle.
Last night, we had a nice healthy meal of matzo ball soup (I now make it from scratch), steamed broccoli, and salad. I went to bed and fell asleep at a reasonable hour and had high hopes for yet another awesome weekend long run.
Today's long run was supposed to be 17 miles. I'd registered for the Soaring Eagle 10 mile trail run and figured I'd add the 5 mile loop and a 2 mile out and back to make the total.
Unfortunately, it did not go as smoothly as I hoped. First, despite printing directions from the race website rather than relying on the duplicitous google maps, the directions were still a bit confusing and I had to backtrack, making myself late for the start. A very sweet wife of a distance runner picked me up rather than continue on her exit as I parked (far from the start) and she drove me right up to the flags, assuring me that they'd just started and that she'd see me at the end. (She did, and she recognized me and introduced me to her husband. What a great running supporter!)
Since everyone else was already on the course, I skipped the registration tent and just asked the organizers which color streamers to follow (orange, they were all orange). I headed out and quickly slowed to a halting dance between puddles and muck. The entire 15 foot width of the main trail was a collection of muddy shoe prints! I don't mean slightly muddy, I mean, you could see the imprints of the sides of people's shoes in the mud. Extremely muddy! With all of the slipping and sliding, I was barely doing a 20 minute mile. After half a mile, I decided I'd be better just road running my long run and I turned around. But, once I returned to the start, the organizers saw me and pointed me up a single track trail that was in much better shape.
So, I headed up the hill once more, ran where I could, splashed through several puddles and creeks, slipped and slid through entirely too many mud patches to count, and finally finished the 10 mile loop in 2:01:08 (give or take a few percentage in either variable due to the turn around and watch stopping and general GPS tomfoolery in the forest).
Trouble was, after all the jumping, slipping, sliding, and avoiding roots, the 10 felt like much, much, more. And, my shoes were sopping wet and covered with mud.
I made a deal with myself and did another 2.5 miles and called it a day.
Yes, I was 4.5 miles short. No, I did not like that reality (although I did like the reality of the brownies and pizza at the "finish"). 3-4 inches of mud on the main road and creeks full of muddy water on the single track made for lots of jumping and lateral motions to deal with obstacles that couldn't be avoided. It felt like much more distance than it actually was. And, my shoes had some evidence of just how hard I'd worked for those 12.5 miles. Even after the last 2.5 miles on the road to shake loose much of the gunk, they looked like they'd had a rough day:
I'm hoping that in hindsight, the decision to limit the muddy miles will appear intelligent, but I'm somewhat apprehensive of the fact that it's 7 weeks 'til the marathon.
I'm recording 36.06 miles for this week (instead of breaking 40, per my training schedule). This total includes a great mid-week loop with a friend (on sabbatical from UW -- academic life sounds heavenly!) around Greenlake and yesterday's trial of next weekend's race course.
I now know that next week's 10K will be *very* hilly (including starting on a very steep hill, which is probably smart to space out the runners, but quite difficult, nonetheless). I'm not looking to PR, but the course is fully paved and will be traffic-controlled, so I am excited to push myself and to use the results to inject some useful data into the assessment of just how fit I am (allowing me to evaluate my goal pace for my first marathon in more than 2 and half years).
Onward!
April 5, 2011
The Need For Speed
I'm suffering from a cold. It sucks. Big time. My allergies are already super lame here -- who knew that Washington was the capitol of pollen? Even with all the rain to clear the air. But, after discussing with many folks, I've been re-educated. Snot is a way of life here for people like me. Blissfully non-allergenic air, like the sunshine, is just another thing about the bay area I didn't appropriately appreciate until now (and I'll never take for granted again).
Anyways, I've been suffering from a full-blown viral snot-reproduction party in my nasal cavities for the last several days. Lame.
Only up-side? Running clears my sinuses. I already had a pretty good incentive and motivation to run, but now, I've got to rein myself in from running more than what's on the training plan because I know that when I run, I can breathe.
Today, I did outdoor speed training at our local park. I haven't done outdoor speed training in a very long time. I'd forgotten how variable my top speed is while doing speed outdoors. The treadmill is so reliable on that issue -- it just does the speed you tell it to do, and voila´ you are training appropriately. Outdoors, there's wind, dogs, people, turns, and, of course, your own motivation.
Needless to say, while I felt more sore than a treadmill workout, the new Garmin that E bought for me was brutal and painfully accurate in its honesty. Today's outdoor workout was not anywhere near as fast as it would have been on a treadmill. And yet, I can't help but think it's better for me, nonetheless. I feel like I had a better workout than if I was on the treadmill. At the end of the day, I'll take that metric over the fancy wireless data feed anyday.
The goal was 6X0.25miles at 7:30 pace. Yes, I know many people would not consider this speed training.
Good for them.
Today, I averaged 7:45 or so across intervals at as quick of pace as 7:33 and 7:35 and as slow as 8:07. Clearly, consistency is not my strongsuit.
But, despite my sickness, I went out for the speed workout. And despite the variability and slower than hoped for times, it went well.
Overall, I'm happy to be moving, slowly, haltingly, perhaps incorrectly, but at all times with much momentum towards may Marathon in May.
Here's to increased speed and hopes for healthy fitness on the weekend of the race!
I'm suffering from a cold. It sucks. Big time. My allergies are already super lame here -- who knew that Washington was the capitol of pollen? Even with all the rain to clear the air. But, after discussing with many folks, I've been re-educated. Snot is a way of life here for people like me. Blissfully non-allergenic air, like the sunshine, is just another thing about the bay area I didn't appropriately appreciate until now (and I'll never take for granted again).
Anyways, I've been suffering from a full-blown viral snot-reproduction party in my nasal cavities for the last several days. Lame.
Only up-side? Running clears my sinuses. I already had a pretty good incentive and motivation to run, but now, I've got to rein myself in from running more than what's on the training plan because I know that when I run, I can breathe.
Today, I did outdoor speed training at our local park. I haven't done outdoor speed training in a very long time. I'd forgotten how variable my top speed is while doing speed outdoors. The treadmill is so reliable on that issue -- it just does the speed you tell it to do, and voila´ you are training appropriately. Outdoors, there's wind, dogs, people, turns, and, of course, your own motivation.
Needless to say, while I felt more sore than a treadmill workout, the new Garmin that E bought for me was brutal and painfully accurate in its honesty. Today's outdoor workout was not anywhere near as fast as it would have been on a treadmill. And yet, I can't help but think it's better for me, nonetheless. I feel like I had a better workout than if I was on the treadmill. At the end of the day, I'll take that metric over the fancy wireless data feed anyday.
The goal was 6X0.25miles at 7:30 pace. Yes, I know many people would not consider this speed training.
Good for them.
Today, I averaged 7:45 or so across intervals at as quick of pace as 7:33 and 7:35 and as slow as 8:07. Clearly, consistency is not my strongsuit.
But, despite my sickness, I went out for the speed workout. And despite the variability and slower than hoped for times, it went well.
Overall, I'm happy to be moving, slowly, haltingly, perhaps incorrectly, but at all times with much momentum towards may Marathon in May.
Here's to increased speed and hopes for healthy fitness on the weekend of the race!
April 3, 2011
Momentum Building
This week's long run was 15 miles. I haven't ran 15 miles (or more) in a single run since my last marathon, the San Francisco Marathon, in August of 2008.
So, completing 15 in one run feels like a huge milestone.
Today, I cleared it quite easily thanks to the weather and a new friend. I know V from lawyer networking in the bay area, but she's up here now, working for MSFT. She emailed me to let me know she's training for a half in May and looking for a weekend running buddy. Done!
We agreed that she'd try to join me on my medium length runs on the weekends. This weekend, we planned to meet up at Pioneer Park for a medium run on Sunday.
Yesterday, howevever, the weather was not on my side. So, I decided to hit the treadmill for a medium run on Saturday, and to fit our joint run into the middle of my long run on Sunday.
It worked perfectly. It was a little less than 7 miles from our place to the park entrance and because I knew I was meeting someone, I didn't let myself drop the pace -- I put in a nice solid 7 miles and arrived at exactly the moment V's car passed the entrance. Once we met up, we did a very enjoyable and amusing (muddy, a few adventures in getting lost) 5 miles. From there, V kindly drove me back to the main I-90 trail entrance where I did my remaining 3+ miles and then walked back to the apartment to cool down. 1 pre-run latte, 2 gus, some water, a post-race shower and lunch of Greek food, and I feel great.
In fact, the most sore part of my body right now is a strange collection of muscles including my right triceps, the muscle that does external rotation in my right forearm, and my right latissimus dorsi. WTF? I noticed it yesterday and asked E if he had any ideas -- nothing. But today, on my arrival back from the run, he asked, did you say your arm hurt? (while rubbing his right triceps and lat).
I laughed out loud. Once I saw that he was sore in the same areas, I knew exactly what had happened. Friday night date at the Arcade was apparently a little too aggressive on the air hockey and the ski-ball. Comedy.
In other news, my weekly mileage hit 39.59. Washington definitely seems to be agreeing with me and my running goals right now. Onward!
Marathon Countdown? 8 weeks to go.
This week's long run was 15 miles. I haven't ran 15 miles (or more) in a single run since my last marathon, the San Francisco Marathon, in August of 2008.
So, completing 15 in one run feels like a huge milestone.
Today, I cleared it quite easily thanks to the weather and a new friend. I know V from lawyer networking in the bay area, but she's up here now, working for MSFT. She emailed me to let me know she's training for a half in May and looking for a weekend running buddy. Done!
We agreed that she'd try to join me on my medium length runs on the weekends. This weekend, we planned to meet up at Pioneer Park for a medium run on Sunday.
Yesterday, howevever, the weather was not on my side. So, I decided to hit the treadmill for a medium run on Saturday, and to fit our joint run into the middle of my long run on Sunday.
It worked perfectly. It was a little less than 7 miles from our place to the park entrance and because I knew I was meeting someone, I didn't let myself drop the pace -- I put in a nice solid 7 miles and arrived at exactly the moment V's car passed the entrance. Once we met up, we did a very enjoyable and amusing (muddy, a few adventures in getting lost) 5 miles. From there, V kindly drove me back to the main I-90 trail entrance where I did my remaining 3+ miles and then walked back to the apartment to cool down. 1 pre-run latte, 2 gus, some water, a post-race shower and lunch of Greek food, and I feel great.
In fact, the most sore part of my body right now is a strange collection of muscles including my right triceps, the muscle that does external rotation in my right forearm, and my right latissimus dorsi. WTF? I noticed it yesterday and asked E if he had any ideas -- nothing. But today, on my arrival back from the run, he asked, did you say your arm hurt? (while rubbing his right triceps and lat).
I laughed out loud. Once I saw that he was sore in the same areas, I knew exactly what had happened. Friday night date at the Arcade was apparently a little too aggressive on the air hockey and the ski-ball. Comedy.
In other news, my weekly mileage hit 39.59. Washington definitely seems to be agreeing with me and my running goals right now. Onward!
Marathon Countdown? 8 weeks to go.
April 1, 2011
The Unhappy Hour
One of the great things about our temporary relocation is the opportunity to try new restaurants. When E's folks were in town, we ate out for every meal, both in the greater Seattle area and in Whistler.
We still have plans to hit up Salumi, Mario Battali's dad's deli, one of these days, but that will likely need to wait for a weekend so we can make a full Seattle day of it.
Due to the economic downturn, many of the fancy restaurants in the Seattle area have taken to having happy hour menus with small plates in the restaurant's theme and lower priced drinks. Since we live within walking distance of downtown Bellevue, we can walk to many of these options in less than 5 minutes. Additionally, some of the restaurants have taken to offering the happy hour menu again, after the traditional dinner hour. This results in the interesting side effect that the happy hour menu is available from 3 - midnight in many of these restaurants with only a short break from 6:30 to 9 or so.
So, we've taken to eating only during happy hour (or avoiding the "unhappy hour" as I like to call it) at some of our favorite restaurants like Seastar (a walk to an early dinner of half-priced oysters, deviled eggs, and raw fish?), Daniel's Broiler (early or late deliciousness with a view of Seattle from the 21st floor), and John Howie Steak (Did someone say *fried* gnochi?).
There are several more options we're looking forward to trying like Pearl and Monsoon.
Unfortunately, my favorite local restaurant, Din Tai Fung does not have happy hour, nor do they take reservations. So we go there at odd hours to avoid the 1.5 hour wait as well. E's favorite restaurant, Sushimaru is so reasonably priced that every seat along the conveyor belts are full with a wait on the benches along the wall during workday lunch and dinner hours.
In short, the traditional eating hours are not a good time to be eating at restaurants in the Seattle area. But if you're flexible on time, you can get quite a great deal.
One of the great things about our temporary relocation is the opportunity to try new restaurants. When E's folks were in town, we ate out for every meal, both in the greater Seattle area and in Whistler.
We still have plans to hit up Salumi, Mario Battali's dad's deli, one of these days, but that will likely need to wait for a weekend so we can make a full Seattle day of it.
Due to the economic downturn, many of the fancy restaurants in the Seattle area have taken to having happy hour menus with small plates in the restaurant's theme and lower priced drinks. Since we live within walking distance of downtown Bellevue, we can walk to many of these options in less than 5 minutes. Additionally, some of the restaurants have taken to offering the happy hour menu again, after the traditional dinner hour. This results in the interesting side effect that the happy hour menu is available from 3 - midnight in many of these restaurants with only a short break from 6:30 to 9 or so.
So, we've taken to eating only during happy hour (or avoiding the "unhappy hour" as I like to call it) at some of our favorite restaurants like Seastar (a walk to an early dinner of half-priced oysters, deviled eggs, and raw fish?), Daniel's Broiler (early or late deliciousness with a view of Seattle from the 21st floor), and John Howie Steak (Did someone say *fried* gnochi?).
There are several more options we're looking forward to trying like Pearl and Monsoon.
Unfortunately, my favorite local restaurant, Din Tai Fung does not have happy hour, nor do they take reservations. So we go there at odd hours to avoid the 1.5 hour wait as well. E's favorite restaurant, Sushimaru is so reasonably priced that every seat along the conveyor belts are full with a wait on the benches along the wall during workday lunch and dinner hours.
In short, the traditional eating hours are not a good time to be eating at restaurants in the Seattle area. But if you're flexible on time, you can get quite a great deal.
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