Sunday, December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas!

Miracles do exist, as our little house is actually clean and sparkly and ready for company!!
I didn't make it to Oakland this morning, but I did squeeze in a 3 miler right after opening presents.
Mom has been rolling out empandias (the Puerto Rican version of a meat turnover - yummy!!) all morning and now I'm back to help.
This will serve as my upper body workout since mom only rolled out 20 and theres 40 more to go!!!

Peace and Love to all

Friday, December 23, 2005

I was able to maintain a 9.2 pace for the better part of 4 miles this morning,
followed by a good stretch and (drum roll please, this is hard for me people!)
(2) 15 x 15 lunges, biceps,
(2) 10 X 15 triceps and
(2) 30 X 15 squats.

I'm slowly getting to like wt. lifting.

I'm pretty solid and tend to think I don't need to lift wts., but I'm coming to appreciate the various benefits.
I usually don't have time in the morning and well I'm just not motivated to workout after work.
So, I've been trying to hit a few major muscle grps whenever I use the gym's treadmill.

Hi Ho Hi Ho Off to work I go.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Not long after my last post that nasty virus that both M and T suffered through caught up to me. Gads! I can deal with muscle pain, sleep deprivation, and even running w/a cold but the nausea and headache that accompanied this particular bug kicked my ass. Today was my first run in 3 days!! 30 minutes of nothing special on the treadmill. I did a decent circuit around the gym though covering all body parts and stretching along the way. My stomach is still on the mend, I'm Hungry but nothing taste right much less good.

Things are busy around here gearing up for Sunday. I'm thinking about heading over to Oakland Christmas morning to run w/the Lake Merrit gang. My hairdresser happens to the sister of one of the coordinators.....I may find some people to run with yet!!

So, Happy Holidays to all. Though I've only been blogging for a short while, I'm happy and grateful to have found such a cool and supportive community to share running with, to learn and be inspired from. Take care, and Happy New year in case I don't get around to blogging for a few days.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Nice 70 plus minute run up at Wildcat Canyon this morning. I got a later than usual start, and was on the trail at 9:16. I noticed a couple of things, pulling on the tops of both quads and a little "twitching" in my rt. calf. No pain, breathing was fine.
I had a GU and half a plain bagel and some juice.

As it turned out my timing was good. I hadn't checked the weather report and was unaware of rain in the forecast. 35 mins out , I turned around and I noticed the first signs of drizzle, a mist really . It felt a little surreal, all grey and quiet, I was pretty much alone. Luckily it never amounted to much more than a drizzle that didn't pick until I returned to the parking lot.
No joke!!!

Brandy and I got busted by Mr. Ranger on this trail earlier this Spring. I didn't quite understand his directions when I asked him how to access that part of the trail that allows dogs. I'm sure he mentioned go Northeast up blah blah blah.
Theres another entrance to this trail that allows dogs. The one other female I saw was walking her dog and I asked her how she accessed the trail and she gave something more akin to a description rather than actual directions and I think I understood. Will go check it out.

So, now it's been raining quite steadily all day, and we just got back from spending pretty much all day at M's winter Showcase. The Tilden trails are gonna be a mess tomorrow.
I'm grateful for my typical oblivion when it comes to practical matters or I would've checked the weather report and talked myself out of going today.
I'm so resting tomorrow.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

This mornings run was harder than it should been....I took a sleeping aide lastnight and while I got some z's I was a bit groggy today. Walked over to bagel shop and consumed mass quantities di cafe and walked a little more before plodding my way along the BARTtrail.
For the first time EVER I stopped and stretched along the way, it felt good to stand in the direct sun as it was pretty chilly out.
There was no way I was going back to work today w/o running first...While I'm still a little keyed up about things, the run definitely took the edge off.

Today is going to be a good one!!!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Oh lordy.......Sleep is ever elusive. Monday night someone tried to enter T's truck sounding off the alarm at 12:30, and this morning around 1am M got sick ...Major mop up!!! All the linens and blankets had to be washed......uuugh!
I gave up trying to go back to sleep, caffeinated and waited until 6 for gym to open. Pulled off 3.25 in 29:00 flat had to hussle home for T to get to work.......Alas, what do I find upon my return?? Both of them sound asleep!!!!!!

I had a really shitty day at work yesterday and calling off today is sure to wag some tongues, I'm not even going to bother to offer to come in on Saturday!

Monday, December 12, 2005

Hmmm lets see, Susie "infected" me. So, the rules go like this list 5 random facts about yourself and list 5 names of folks you'd like to (know more about) infect.


1. I served in the california conservation corp after high school. I was seasonal firefighter.
2. I'm a certified massage therapist.
3. I served a mission in Italy for a year and half in the late 80s, however went inactive shortly
after my return to the states
4. I am ultra sensitive. I cry for any number of reasons, yet I'm not comfortable when others do,
weird I know!
5. I'm way too concerned about what other people think of me, I am prone to feeling guilty
when I put myself first.

People I'd like to know more about include:
Pink Lady, Noames, Brown Socks, It's a Beautiful Life and Running Red Sox fan.
I'm sorry I don't know your first names, but I've enjoyed reading your blogs.
And with the exception of a couple of you I doubt you'll even see this!

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Sweet Rewards II

You see the thing is, I had no intention of running today much less back up to Strawberry Canyon. Sleep has been an issue lately and I completely sabotaged any prospects of a run on Saturday cuz Friday, after staying up past 11pm, I got back up around 2am puttering around the house until 3:30. Took M to see the Narnia flick...The only exercise I (we) got was due to my parking several blocks away to avoid paying the ridiculous $5.00 per hr. parking lot fee! I did manage to unpack the x-mas box and get a few things ready for the party. T came home w/the Tree marking a close to his wretched holiday schedule...yay!!! I went to bed at 8pm and didn't wake up till 6 am...double yay!!!
I'm prone to guilt and today it came from the fact that Brandy has been short changed for the past couple of weeks and was in major need of a decent run.
I wasn't exactly in attack mode but I scaled Big Bertha. I got to the place where I left off last Sunday and tacked on another 10 mins.....for a total of 45 mins out (3.6 mi). I ran another 30 mins back and then walked , got Brandy back on the leash as we approached the parking lot, she was a mess having managed to find the one mud hole up there.
Holy crap, I ran 6.5 miles in 75 minutes!!

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Thank-You

As I drug my butt outta bed this morning, grumbling about the cold, with cup of coffee in hand I logged on for inspiration. Thanks to Finally Running and Pink Lady, the pics shamed me enough to get going. Does serious frost build-up on my car qualify as serious weather? I think not! T kept putzing around teeth chattering and i showed him Pinks report.....that shut him up!!!

Nice 40 minute run this am.

I must add today's is M's first basketball game. I have lamented in the past over her lack of physical activity....it's not entirely true, we're just different. Anyways she signed up for 4th grade team and is really enthusiastic.......I'm so proud of her!!!!!!

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Sweet Rewards

After three so so runs this week, things turned around today. I took a chance on Strawberry Canyon and was happy to find a relatively dry trail, no mud waffles today. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a couple women in the car next to me, they got started a few minutes before me as I fiddled w/my new water bottle, gloves and hat. They were fit and had the appearance of real runners......you know the type tall, thin unlike my short stocky stature. I hung back (way back) on purpose as not to embarrass myself.
The trailhead begins immediately with a gradual but steady climb that flattens out mercifully in spots, good thing cause it leads to one LONG steep ass hill, I'll refer to as Big Bertha.
Despite hanging back I caught up w/the women at the foot of Big Bertha....they walked
and as I passed them I said "call me crazy but I'm going for it!" I kept my head down and arms pumping and took Big Bertha Down!!!!!!!!
I got to the top and kept on running. The trail is pretty flat at this point but starts a gradual ascent after a 1/4 mile or so. The sky was so clear the sun warm on my face....I felt so happy
I started to cry. I turned around after 35 minutes and you know the rest......boing boing boing wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!
I never saw those women again and they were gone by the time I got back to parking lot an hour later.
Several years ago I attempted to run this trail, I got maybe a third of the way......nowhere near where I ended up today...that felt very very nice.
For the record I had penne pasta w/red sauce for dinner lastnight, got a good solid 8 hrs sleep. Pre-run I choked down an espresso GU (kind've gross), and filled my waterbottle w/gatorade.
Not sure I like the hand-held hydration system, it was fine while wearing the gloves, but after awhile I got too hot and took off the gloves which caused the bottle to get slippery. I kept having to switch hands.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Going Through the Motions

Some runs are just this way. Despite a beautiful albeit chilly morning I had to force myself off the couch. Instead of running to the trailhead I caught a ride w/T (whom won't be home until midnight!) I ran for 31 minutes walked for 12 and ran for another 6 towards the gym where I planned to continue to go through the motions of an upperbody workout but when I got there, I remembered it isn't open until 10 on Saturday's (even more lame, it's closed on Sunday's.......but it's super close to our house and T did some signage for the owner and we have a free membership).
I stretched for a bit on the cold concrete out front of the gym then decided to check out a ceramics shop/gallery nearby.....ended up walking home (another 3 mins) parked myself back on the couch and proceeded to eat my favorite bagel:
the works w/sundried tomato cream cheese.

It's okay, I'll be sure to get good sleeps tonight and have a GREAT run tomorrow.

Sidenote, M and I had so much fun decorating a gingerbread house lastnight. COSTCO has the nifftiest little kit out right now.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Let the holiday madness begin

I broke from tradition this year by NOT hosting Thanksgiving instead opting to volunteer at the turkey trot..No problem we had a good time, got home around 11 and made a nice smaller dinner which we ate with T when he got home.
Sometime between getting home and eating with T, I called the in-laws to say Happy Turkey Day and before I could stop myself I suggested that we have Christmas at our house. I hadn't even spoke with T about it, it just sort've slipped out. I can only attribute this to some latent guilt I had about doing exactly what I wanted to do on Thanksgiving.
The thing is, I come from a small not-so-close family with 2 sibs out of state and the only family I see on a regular basis is my mom. T on the other hand has a huge family (in my opinion) and when we host party's the list includes aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandparents....Oh jeez it just goes on...suffice it to say theres a lot of them.
There will be 22 people here on Christmas day.
Perhaps some may see this as a modest number to me it's a little freaky.
All I can say is thank God for Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale and the fact that I'm a runner now!!!!
Tuesdays run was sweet, a light drizzle that got a little heavier at the end of my 35 minute run. There's a man I've come to know on the BART trail.......I'll refer to him as the "Happy Runner" when I first spotted him in my early days, I could barely run a full minute, he'd be singing as he ran , his form was noticeable too he sort've floats at a steady clip, always shirtless and always grinning. Over time we'd make eye contact and after about a year we'd say hi. Occasionally, we'll chat while running in place for a minute , give a high 5 and continue running in opposite directions.
In a weird way I feel connected to this guy, and to some of the other runners I see on the trail (not to mention my favorite bloggers!), whether it's a smile or a nod, a considerate gesture like sidestepping to let another runner stay on the dirt trail vs the pavement. There's another woman I can't seem to make eye contact with but I always try, she's got some type of gait disturbance, but I see her all over the place, sometime I'll work up the nerve to say "Hi" Then there's another older man, a stroke survivor, he wears a running sandal and I always feel a little guilty when I pass him.
I know, I'm a freak!!