And I Almost Forgot...

I mentioned I was going to run that 25K...I haven't talked much about it since and haven't really managed the training I wanted to, but today I registered, it's 9/9...I guess I'm committed...I'm also taking the GMAT, I registered for that yesterday, it's 9/10...going to be a crazy 10 days.

Dogsitting

So mom and dad went out of town, they are on their way across Montana and other areas, getting to see one of my best friends on the trip too and it makes me jealous, but oh well, hopefully soon I'll be able to go see her myself. Anyway, Max is not a good traveler. He gets homesick. He would have to stay a lot in the truck (which honestly, he doesn't mind, he'll spend all day in that truck just waiting for it to go somewhere). But because it's kind of a pain, mom and dad asked me to watch him. I hemmed and hawed about it, wanted to have options to go out of town this weekend (I've had him a week actually already) but then realized well, L is out of town this weekend anyway, so I might as well have Max keep me company. This is how much of a helper he is. On Wednesday night I studied for the GMAT, took a break and watched an episode of Friends (I'm working my way through all 10 seasons which I purchased in May) then decided to review a bit more before going to sleep, while in bed...and this is how Max helped. He wouldn't even let me pull back the covers!

Last weekend he got to spend time with me at L's place downtown...he had a busy weekend. We went over and hung track lighting while drinking beer (L got a beermeister and had it filled with a yummy winter ale from a buddy of his that brews beer for distribution). Then Sunday we primered the walls in the area where he is doing construction...then ordered pizza and watched a movie. All this work tired Max out. It's hard to watch I'm sure.

I also have a pic of L with Max, but probably better not publish that without L's permission, since he does read this blog...Max told me it was OK to include him. He knows he's cute.

Clipping In, and Out

OK, so I've heard and read horror stories of crashes and problems with the clipless pedals on a bike. You know, the ones that allow you to not only get momentum on the down cycle of a ride, but on the up as well, actually allowing you to bike more efficiently AND work the quads and hams...I've never tried them before, but seeing as how L is a former bike race, works with teams and coaches, that's of course how he rides, and he's set up a bike for me with the cages (which I haven't used) but I was curious about the clip ones, and he had some shoes that are too small for him, and with insoles and socks, they did fit me pretty well...and of course he has a bike with the pedals...so yesterday I attempted it, and without a word on how to do it (he helped me get into the clips) I turned my foot, the way I'd heard other people describe it, and how I've seen people do it, and I clipped out...and didn't hurt myself!! Of course....I was on a trainer.....so the chances of my getting hurt were pretty much zero...but still....I did clip in (second time on my own) and out...now I might end up trying it sometime on a real bike, on a ride! L actually has a bike he just told me he's getting converted over with parts for me, that, if I so chose, I could use for a tri sometime...he's also suggesting it for some rehabbing for my issue that's been affecting my running, with some other device he was going to get to try out on me...we'll see....

Chicago Weekend Recap

Alright, finally a quick update at least of last weekend.

So as you saw from my post and picture, the team I was there supporting won and that was awesome, unfortunately the weather wasn’t great for the weekend and there were a few bad crashes, thankfully nothing for the Kelly team and I only heard of one instance of someone going off in an ambulance.

We flew to Chicago on Friday night and after our arrival at the hotel, went to get a bite to eat. Where we were staying, chain restaurant capital of the world. Seriously. If you wanted a chain restaurant, it was in this vicinity. We went driving down the road, figuring we’d go wherever looked good. Ended up at probably the only non-chain place in the area too. I had a reasonably good taco salad and raspberry beer (it was a brew pub) but no one else was impressed with what they had. Oh well. It was food. We went back to the hotel then and went to bed as it had been a long day. Unfortunately the Hilton Garden Inn we were staying at had very thin walls (now wouldn’t you think a newer hotel would be built better so as to keep noise out) and people were being loud so it was hard to get to sleep, not to mention sleeping in a double bed with two people isn’t great either, but oh well.

Saturday morning we were up and running errands and then over to the race site to set up the tent. I was helping out with the vendor tent, trying to encourage people to sign up to win a bike. We didn’t have a great turnout, but it wasn’t too bad. We had the ability to chat with people and that was fun on occasion, but unfortunately it got cold. We closed up in time to see the guys race finish, but most of the Kelly team had pulled out as they were told to avoid crashes and there was one early on and the big race was on Sunday. After the race we were back to the hotel to relax a bit, then L and I went to get a bit of food, nothing too exciting, we ended up at basically an A&W Restaurant, food was OK…

Sunday morning up earlier to be able to get out to the site for the earlier starts. (and no time for a run, which I hadn’t had time for on Friday or Saturday either, so my plans for the week of running cut from the planned 38 to only 22) More bad weather and not many people but we did our best. Closed down in time to see the last third of so of the race and it was an exciting thing to watch with the way the guys were riding. Seeing the win was awesome. We headed back to the hotel, showered off, loaded up and were on the road back to Minneapolis by 7:30 pm…it is about a 7 hour drive normally and with the rain and bad conditions we drove about 4 ½ hours and around midnight stopped for a bite and to sleep. We made the rest of the way back early on Monday morning and made it back by noon, not in enough time for the noon plans L had, but he cancelled them and we took a brief nap at my place and then he went home and I slept a bit longer, deciding not to come in for the half day I had planned, and I didn’t even run on Monday like I had wanted to. Oh well. All in all a fairly fun if not extremely busy weekend. Unfortunately I hadn’t gotten to see the friends I had planned on seeing and didn’t have numbers to call others so it wasn’t quite what I had originally planned either, but oh well. With luck I’ll be having lunch with some of them tomorrow and maybe see others on another trip.

So for the week last week running was a bust. This week, I’ve managed to get a 5 miler on Tuesday, and 9 last night, which is OK…Tuesday I was really tight by the end and last night I was really tight in the first 2 miles but loosened up, unfortunately I tired my foam roller after and I didn’t get anything loosened up the way I had wanted to. I think I need L’s help on this one.

Tonight, after work, I’m driving to meet my parents to have dinner and get their dog from them. They are going on vacation for the next two weeks and Max doesn’t get to come along…so he will be with me for the next two weeks…hopefully he’s not as naughty as he can be at times when he’s “abandoned”. At least maybe he’ll be happy that it’s only him and not another dog going to be there. He might enjoy that at least. We’ll see though. I might take him out for some runs with me. He’s a Jack Russell so lots of energy, although he’s gotten a little lazy….

National Criterium Champs

I don't have time for a big update right now, but I wanted to post this picture. It is of the Kelly Benefits Strategies Team. This is with about 12 laps (1 mile per lap) to go in the race, my first view of the team in front. It was very cool cause I was in a Kelly Jersey at the time too. I had gotten into position on the 2nd to last turn of the course and just got ready to take what I hoped would be cool pictures, not knowing that the team had made a move into the front spots and that they would pretty much stay there for the remainder of the race.

You’re Kidding Right?

OK, so I’m flying to Chicago for the weekend. Leaving today around 4:50. It’s just the weekend, and we are driving back. This all came up because the pro bike team L works for is competing in the National Criterium Championships in Downer’s Grove over the weekend and he is flying down today and driving back so suggested I should come too. I found a cheap enough ticket and thought why not, so we fly down tonight after work and then drive back on Sunday after the last race. I was going to visit friends while there and still hope to see them, but now I also got invited to work at a booth the team has up and get paid decent for it so I said sure…since the liquid ban, the times I’ve flown, I’ve checked my bags cause it was just easier…due to it just being a weekend, I thought what the heck, I’m going to carry my bag on and deal with the bag for my personal items…I knew it was a quart bag and found that I didn’t have any around, so I ran (literally, didn’t feel like driving later, needed a run of 6-7 miles and it’s about 3.5 to the grocery store) and got bags, came home, opened the box and looked at the bag. You’re kidding right? I’m allowed to carry liquids, in 3 oz or smaller containers, onto the plain as long as they are in ONE, one quart, see through, zip top bag…umm…yeah. Maybe for a boy. As a woman, and one that wears contacts, my smallest saline solution bottle is 3 oz. That takes up 1/3 of the bag. Then I need deodorant, well, thankfully I have a sample size of that to bring, but if I wanted to bring shampoo and conditioner, shaving cream, face lotion, make up (thankfully I don’t wear foundation) and any number of other things I could include, there is no way it would all fit in that bag. I have to buy gel when I get there cause I don’t have a small enough one anyway. I’m going to use the shampoo at the hotel, will buy razors and am not bringing along my body glide (which I bet I’ll regret if I get my 12 miler in this weekend like I want to, but it just won’t fit in that bag) but it still barely fit…it sucks!! And really, in the grand scheme of things, does it really prevent anything or is it just a way to appease us in thinking that our safety is being handled? And on that note, has anyone seen this?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20298840/site/newsweek/from/ET

The Issues Continue

Alright, so while I made mention of finishing the training week last week, one thing I didn’t mention is that my leg was still having issues. I haven’t said much about the true nature of the problem and I thought maybe blogging about it might help.

Probably about 10 years ago, maybe more, I noticed an issue with my right hip. It was a problem mainly when it comes to sleeping. I would lay on my side and it would bother me. Not so much pain as it was just “uncomfortable”. Also on long drives, particularly when I am driving, that area would bother. It was basically in my sciatic area, although it was not something easy to define. I had seen a doctor for it, and she told me it was bursitis. I lived with that for a long time. Then in 2001 I finally saw a PT. It was convenient (at the place I worked) and free…so that worked. He did a fantastic job. He worked it with an ultra/sound, he had me doing exercises and he lectured me on all kinds of “bad behavior” (like crossing legs and not having good posture on the elliptical). He also got me to start running. He kept pushing me to run, I told him it bored me on the treadmill as I liked reading on the elliptical, he suggested books on audio…I thank him much! (and wish I knew where he worked now as I would see him again even having to pay for it) I stopped seeing him unfortunately and hadn’t quite been fully healed and of course I had regression.

I started in a new job and decided to see another PT and get it adjusted. Well, this PT was awful. She just had me do resistance exercises with her and a few on my own, didn’t help much and I stopped after a few sessions as it wasn’t worth it.

Chiropractic had been suggested to me as well, but I was leery about it. I finally had a recommendation for one that insurance covered and I went to see him. He helped some, but it still didn’t quite get what the first PT had done. Then I was having some issues with my left IT Band (remember, it was my right hip/sciatic area that was the problem, which makes sense to a degree that it's the left area that has more problems, oppposites and all) and I went to see another Chiropractor who also provides active release therapy. My insurance didn’t cover him but I thought it was worth a try since he was highly recommended. He helped some, but it still didn’t fully take care of things. Last I saw him was in 2005. After Chicago I took time off, relaxed running wasn't sure about another marathon, but finally decided maybe and got more serious and into building up again.

I trained really well, really hard in early 2006 and everything felt fantastic almost EVERY run…very few bad runs and I hated rest days because things felt so great. I ran my marathon PR in June 2006. Just before my run, things were feeling a bit tight, but nothing major. I saw a massage therapist who had been recommended just a few days before my race and everything was great race day. I took a bit of rest, probably not enough though, and started up training for Marine Corp in October 2006. Goal was getting a BQ since I had been so close without actually shooting for it in June…anyway, things bothered me all that training, things were tight (all on the left side) and it just never felt great. I saw the massage therapist again and this time it wasn’t quite so great. That run was so so, but fell far short of my goals (I was 2 minutes ahead of pace at the half and then finished in 3:56).

Since October runs just haven’t been great. I run, and there are maybe a few that have been OK, but everything feels so tight most times. My glute is the biggest issue. Both sides have tightness, but the left is by far the worst and sometimes causes issues down my left leg. Shorter runs aren’t terrible, but longer runs (at least over 10 miles, the 15 this weekend was a part problem) really cause an issue of tightness all the rest of the day. I’ve had massage done on it, nothing consistent though and I just don’t know what to do about it. Another Chiro has been suggested and I’m willing to do that, but need to wait till January due to insurance things (I’m on a deductible plan again and if I’m going to be spending a lot I need to wait till I change to the lower deductible) to try it. I think getting consistency in massage work would be part of it. I might have to break down and start getting a massage on a once a week basis to try to get it loosened up...maybe more…and yes, I have someone that can help with that, unfortunately it being his regular job, I don’t feel right asking him for one. If it’s offered, I’m always willing to take him up on it, but the inconsistency in the timing of when it can be worked on, and the fact that I’m just not one to ask for help (I’m the one that if someone asks what I’m doing on Saturday and I am…oh say painting, and they ask me if I want help, I’d say sure, but if they say hey, maybe we can do something later in the day, I’d never suggest hey, if you help me, I can meet up with you sooner as it will be done sooner, just not good about asking for help as I hate to inconvenience people). I might need to find money in the budget to actually buy a massage package…but I am just trying to figure out if that will help or not. I can’t figure out what else might be different in my training from last spring that felt so great all the time and worked really well to what is going on now…what did I do…I’ve had suggested that the “injury” needs to be allowed rest (I couldn’t take a whole week off, but I did take 5 days in a row off and that didn’t help). I just can’t call it an injury as there isn’t something that caused it, it’s something I can run with, and it isn’t consistent in what is tight and/or sore and how sore and/or tight it feels all the time.

One last suggestion I had, (after yesterday stating that I might not be running the 25K that I just announced) but one person I thought could be there to watch can’t be, my bad on counting weekends and dates wrong, and the fact that I can’t do any speed work and I just know it’s not going to be a great run with the issues going on…anyway, the suggestion was to stop running and bike instead…OK, I was probably rude in the way I responded, or stubborn or what not, but I’m a runner. I’m not a biker. I don’t care much for biking. It’s harder for me to bike than it is to run (seriously, my legs hurt and I just can’t seem to go very far, 20 mile run, no problem, 20 mile bike ride, you’re kidding right?) and I just don’t get the satisfaction from it. Bike ride for enjoyment? I don’t get it…to me it’s a way to get from point A to point B without a car and faster (and less sweaty) than a run. Also, I’d have to spend twice as much time biking as I do running to burn the same amount of calories and part of my reason for running is to keep weight down and/or lose weight…I just don’t know what to do anymore…and it makes me upset. I remember great runs. I remember the euphoria, even in the most unfavorable of conditions, and I miss it. I miss it very, very much…

Training Week 1 of 5 for 25K

First training week went OK. Granted I was already in the middle of the week before I put the plan together, but I did finish it as I laid it out, well, almost. My plan called for 6 mile tempo run on Friday (4 miles at tempo pace of 8:30), unfortunately the heat was up around 93 and the dew point was around 70 and it was just too warm to do it. Not to mention I don’t think I ate well enough for the run either. I was feeling weak, like I needed fuel, but, at the same time, I was feeling nauseated and I think if I had had anything more to eat I would’ve thrown up on the run (it was definitely heat related). I got home and took a cold shower and had a nap. It was just a bit too brutal. Later I went with friends out for drinks and was up too late (already having decided to move my long run to Sunday) as I found out a band was playing near home so we went there and watched that till bar close, then I crashed out and didn’t even hear the nasty storm that came through. I was up on Saturday morning doing some cleaning and chatting with a friend before going out for some food and to run some errands. I was pretty lazy most of the day but managed a 6 mile easy run around home and then just stayed in watching movies before getting to bed around midnight. Sunday I got up and took off for a 15 miler and not wanting to delay more than I already had, I skipped breakfast which was probably not a good idea. I made it through the run but only managed a 9:46 pace, and considering I had done 17 last long run at a 9:10 pace, I definitely needed something more. I managed 35 miles for the week though, and some stretching, working the yoga in this week hopefully.

Sunday I vegged a bit at home most of the afternoon and then ended up going grocery shopping and managed to buy mostly good for me things…I tried to stay away from the middle “bad for you” aisles of processed foods. It’s unreal how expensive it is trying to eat healthy though. For one it’s hard to find bread. Wheat breads can be very dry, and I’m not a big fan of that, I like it a little more moist, but I want it healthy, and lower calories if possible (all bread seems standard at 100 calories or more a slice). However, you find lower calories and it has High Fructose Corn Syrup in it, and/or it’s low in fiber or has enriched and not whole wheat flour. Why is it everything has HFCS’ in them? I mean seriously, we know, or it’s coming out more and more that it might be a huge contributor to ADD, yet EVERY food seems to have it in. What is wrong with real sugar? Gatorade/Powerade…a runner’s friend…second ingredient is HFCS…it just sucks. I would love to get away from processed foods, I’m making an attempt at it, and trying to reduce HFCS (problem is I have a HUGE sweet tooth) but it’s so hard, not to mention it’s so expensive. It’s no wonder Americans get fatter and fatter…the cheapest way to eat is crap. I did make one new find I’m excited about though. They have a cheese that has the “good bacteria” for digestion on the market, in strips and in cubes, so I bought some to try it…if I notice a difference I’m going to decide it’s worth having once a day…until I can maybe convince myself to eat yogurt…I’m just not a fan of the texture of it…

Anyway, tonight, hopefully getting a shorter run in, but if not, that’s OK…L is back and we are going to get together. Last night he was getting into town late, I had suggested if he wanted he could come by, but it was even later than he had hoped and it just didn’t work logistically. I was a bit disappointed when I woke up and realized he wasn’t going to stop by. This weekend in Chicago should be fun though. I’m now taking off early on Friday and probably taking the full day off on Monday, but we’ll see what happens.

A New Plan – Including a Race!

OK, today I need to get focused back on my training, my workouts and my diet. I have been floundering on the workouts and I think part of it is the lack of training plan and/or race to run so I’ve decided on a race. OK, I’m not “officially” registered for it yet, but I’m 99% sure I’m going to register for it in the next few days and will run the City of Lakes 25K this year. It is near home, it’s a nice, fairly easy course, 2 hills and you run the course 2 times so technically 4 up hills, but you also get decent down hills on both of them. I’ve actually run ¼ of the course in a race already, the 5K I did on St. Patrick’s Day was on Lake Harriet, half of the course. The course is 2 laps around Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun, finishing at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. This course is part of the original City of Lakes Marathon, which was replaced with the Twin Cities Marathon (City of Lakes was just around the lakes and is the course that Dean Karnazes used for his 50/50/50 last fall). They wanted to keep a remnant of that race so created this 25K to be run at a time of year people are gearing up and could use it as part of a training run for fall marathons. Another plus to this race, instead of the typical cotton T-shirt, racers receive a 14 oz beer stein. I like the thought of that, too bad the race is on a Sunday as I probably won’t want to fill it all that much after the race, unlike how I would’ve if it was on a Sunday.

I actually put together a training schedule for the race already as well. With the help of the Smart Coach at Runner’s World and a little adjustment to create a bit more mileage and a few longer runs, and an adjustment on times that were provided to me, I think the schedule looks good and doable. The race is 4 weeks from this coming Sunday, but considering, other than last week, my running has been there, at least mileagewise, I should be fine. Other than the week of vacation I had in April (11 miles) and last weeks pure laziness (6 miles), my lowest week this year was 28 miles and my highest week was 50 miles (back in May) averaging 37 miles a week for this year. It’s been 2 ½ weeks since I’ve run a “long run” but that was a 17 miler and it was at a decent pace.

Now, beyond the running and getting that back on course, I need to get my eating back on track. I’ve been so bad on that lately too and I hate that. I’ve gained about 4.5 pounds when I was within 4 pounds of my goal weight, so now I’m 8.5 pounds above what I’d most like to be at and I’ve been just horrible when it comes to eating. So it’s time to make some dietary changes, getting back to what I was doing, less snacking, eating better, eating less…baby steps on that, a new change each week is probably how I’m going to have to do it. There is just too much junk going into my body and I know that has to partly be causing the problems in lack of energy that I sometimes encounter on my running…time to get back to http://www.fitday.com/ and start keeping track of everything I eat and slowly cut back on the calories and pay more attention to what I’m eating.

Finally, I need more cross-training. I’m doing zero on the strength training and zero on “real” yoga (I do some yoga moves to stretch after a run, but that’s very little), so here goes, goals for next week:

August 13 – August 19, Monday – Sunday

1. Food – keep an accurate accounting of all eating for at least 6 days of the week on http://www.fitday.com/
2. Exercise – Besides the running schedule, back to yoga, at least one session of Rodney Yee’s Strength session

Doesn’t seem like much, but baby steps to get back on track…

Hump Day

I ran…it wasn’t far, it wasn’t timed, but it felt pretty good. This was the first I had run since last Thursday. Which OK, to some that isn’t much, but considering it’s been rare for me to take 2 days off in a row, and run less than 5 days a week (and usually 6 or even 7) that is a big deal. Especially since I was really just taking the time off cause I didn’t feel like running. I’m lacking that motivation still, but at least getting out for the 4 I did last night it felt OK and I enjoyed it, even though it was pretty warm and sticky. I haven’t fully decided if I will run tonight or not, maybe, maybe not, we’ll see. If I don’t, I’m going to attempt getting in a good yoga workout and/or stretch and get some cleaning done. If I do, it probably won’t be far, but that’s OK. This weekend I’m going to attempt a longer run at some point since next weekend I will be in Chicago.

Monday didn’t end up making it to the movie as we expected to do. It was getting late after we visited the bridge area and L was hungry and didn’t really want food from Brit’s. He suggested we could go buy the movie instead and then watch it at his place. I was exhausted by the time we finally started watching it, so we ended up stopping it and going to bed, but that’s OK. It is a good movie and it can be watched another time. I had seen it already (we almost got Blood Diamond instead and I still do want to see that, but will have to wait for another time). If you’re looking for just a cute chick flick, Music and Lyrics is a good one (I think it was Dori that asked about it). And as long as I’m reviewing movies, Bourne Ultimatum is definitely worth it. We saw that on Friday and it’s an excellent movie. I think I heard someone else saying this but it seems to be accurate, each Bourne movie just got better.

A Quick Recap

I found a few connections now to the bridge disaster. One of my roommates co-workers daughters (follow that?) was on it at the time of the collapse, well, she was just getting onto it and managed to stop, she hit something and was hurt and is in the hospital, but she’s OK and is going to be OK. My brother’s girlfriend’s uncle was also on it and was in surgery but has come through…it’s unreal that the disaster you saw actually only had 5 deaths. Granted, there will be more as there are 8 still missing and cars still to be recovered, but the amount of devastation that could have come from it, we’re very lucky it wasn’t worse than it was. This in no way is meant to take away from the pain of those who have lost loved ones, but it has brought a national level of knowledge to things that could be happening and is maybe going to push people to check and prevent from potential other worse disasters that could happen.

I was a lazy, unmotivated person last week too. I haven’t been involved in strength training since I left my old job and the fitness center there. I haven’t been involved in any crosstraining since then and I haven’t done much for yoga either in that time frame. I’ve gained about 3 pounds and I was so lazy last week…my only run was on Thursday. Six miles to clear my head after Wednesday. I should run tonight but am feeling a little tired and thinking I might just go home and nap before my evening festivities…I’m such a putz…I know, maybe it’s something I needed, but I haven’t run that few of miles in a week in over a year…heck, after my last marathon I ran a 10 mile race the next weekend for “fun” with a friend…sigh…

My weekend was hectic. Friday night L and I went to see Bourne Ultimatum, after I recovered from some sadness and crabbiness I was experiencing, then Saturday I was up early and off for my family gathering. It was a lot of family time but wasn’t as bad as it might have been. Unfortunately the weather was cool and rainy, so the wave runner and pontoon weren’t really used…OK, I did take the wave runner out, they had a high end one, and it was a blast, but was chilly. We did sit around the fire for a while then too, and then I went back home and back up again the next day. I was there pretty late yesterday afternoon too so not much down time last night and I would’ve liked more. Today is hectic too. I have a friend who sells PartyLite (candles for those not familiar with them) and there is a new catalog and she’s having a party to show the product from 6-7 tonight, then if it keeps from raining, one of the bars downtown has a movie night every Monday in August and tonight Music and Lyrics is the show, so L and I are going to go see that (it’s a British pub and British themed movies, this one I suppose was picked since Hugh Grant is in it). It’s a fun thing but too bad the weather isn’t “typical” August weather right now. Also, plans are set and I’m flying to Chicago for the weekend next weekend. L is there for a bike race and he suggested I should fly down with him and drive back with him on Sunday. Gives me a chance to see friends there as well so it will be a weekend away. Should be fun, but busy. Ah so much going on and so little time really for things. And I have yet to focus on studying for the stupid GMAT. I did get a practice test done, with no studying and learning, came up with a 570…a lot of the math stuff was pure guesswork, and I didn’t really pay much attention to answers for the reading stuff either…just kind of worked through it fast to get it done. No, not smart, but oh well…I’d really like a 650-700 for a score, that should be good to get me into Carlson, so we’ll see. A 570 without any studying and rushing through is probably not too bad…and not best indication of my actual ability. I think read of people doing similar things on practice tests and ending up in the 650 or better range, so guess we’ll see.

Oh My God!

I had a dental appoinotment tonight, then made a quick run to Trader Joe's to get a few things for this weekend and heard a news report break in (thank God I listen to talk radio most of the time and they would cut in for something like that) and heard a report that a 35W bridge had collapsed. As they described it, I had to think about the area to really figure out what they were talking about...not just a bridge over it, like I had been thinking, but the big section of it that I used to drive almost everyday, that my brother does drive everyday, collapsed into the Mississippi River. This is a huge section of road, and a major traveled section. The only thankful thing is it was a lighter time of day for traffic, but at least 50 cars were involved, some still on parts of the bridge and some in the river...For those out there with beliefs, please say prayers for those involved and their families.

Motivation?

I don’t know what has happened to me this summer but I’m suddenly feeling so lazy. I haven’t run the last two days and tonight might not happen either since I’m seeing the dentist at 5:30 to have a filling replaced, which I think is totally unfair and sucks, why do I have to go be drilled on when I don’t have a cavity? I’ve been doing all things right, but since the thing is over 20 years old and is an old metal one, it needs to be replaced…sigh…oh well. I haven’t been under the drill in a really long time…I don’t know if this dentist is big on use of Novocain or gas or both either….hopefully more on gas. I hate Novocain. But I digress….I’m not sure if a run will happen after the dentist or not. We’ll see how I feel. I also need to run a few errands and might do that after the dentist. Namely I have to get to Trader Joe’s for a few things and tonight might be as good a night as any to do that. Or is it an excuse again to not run? I know part of ramping up a training plan is you need a focus race to ramp up, and I haven’t chosen one of those (although might do the City of Lakes 25K in September). It’s a month away, I have plenty of time to even get some speed work in…but I’ve still got the hamstring/glute problem going on and I don’t feel the motivation to deal with that. I don’t mind the running, but it has been so lackluster. I can get out and do it, but since I don’t get that “wow, I can run forever and why don’t I?” feeling from it anymore, or at least I haven’t in quite a long time, there doesn’t seem to be much point to it anyway. I go out, I run my 4-5 and that’s that. It’s mainly to keep from gaining weight anymore that I do it either and I’ve noticed my running dropping too. I need something…anything…to help me out…I didn’t even have the ambition to do that half this Saturday that I have done before and enjoy…I’m so tired of this and I’m gaining weight because of it too.

I also need to get focusing on the GMAT. I really do feel the interest and motivation to start classes. And I don’t want to wait a year on taking classes. Which means applying for and getting accepted (which is not a guarantee) for Spring Semester. This means application being filled out and sent in by October 1. This means taking the GMAT within the next month, month and a half at the latest to get scores in by then (that shouldn’t be too big of a problem since scores can immediately be sent to schools and I think are then sent in a paper format within a few weeks). They also apparently take later applications as I saw something about late acceptance for this fall, so I’m probably not horribly stuck on that deadline…maybe I should start on my essays at least. It’s funny, as I was home over the weekend and talking to my mom a bit about the GMAT. I mentioned how I was pretty bad with grammar and that was a section…she said she was good at it…I showed her the examples from one of my books…she could see my frustration then! I think it’s almost all luck in getting good scores on that thing honestly!

My last week was pretty OK. I was home over the weekend as I mentioned. My aunt and uncle were home from Alaska. They come home once a year and it was nice to get to see and visit with them. The family went out to dinner on Friday night to a nice little dive kind of restaurant/steakhouse that has excellent food and good prices (8 ounce really good filet mignon, potato and salad for $16.95), froze sweet corn (long process for those not familiar with it by blanching and then cutting the corn off the cob and putting it in the freezer for scalloped corn…so yummy!), and then had dinner, courtesy of my aunt and uncle, salmon shark, halibut and salmon…I’m not a seafood person, but was conned into trying it all and had to admit it wasn’t too bad. Sunday I was on the road back to the metro and then Monday L was back from his race out east so I picked him up at the airport and we had dinner and hung out that night. Nothing major. I hadn’t seen him in a week though.

This weekend I have a big family thing again. My dad’s mom turned 90 last December, they are having a family reunion kind of thing (just the siblings and their families) at a cabin on a lake just outside the city (about an hour drive I’ve been told) and at first significant others weren’t invited but now it’s been deemed OK, so I invited L, this is scary because it’s pretty much all the immediate family on my dad’s side…we’re talking probably 30-35 people, give or take a few…he has met my parents and briefly met my sister and her boyfriend, but that’s it. Unfortunately with some other races coming up and his being out of town for them, and needing to do business related construction work, it’s likely he won’t be able to make it. Which is disappointing but what do you do? Unfortunately looks like another year of wanting to camp is gone as well as weekends have just disappeared…I might just have to head out on my own if I really want to go camping again ever. I’ve said that before and had people talk me out of it because they were going to come with…guess what, that never seems to happen! Ah well.