The Fear

In recent days, or hours I've been struck by the fear, the fear of running 26.4 miles alone. Okay so it's not alone, there will be thousands of other runners around me, but who will be with me to tell me that yes that is "the wall" that I just fumbled into and I can and I will get through it, no tears, that's a waste of sodium, you can cry later when we can fill you with Powerade and homemade mac and cheese. I want to know that there will be someone there to make sure I get back to my residence safely - I do not trust my brain after that - I know what happens when I get tired. I get stupid, melt down stupid - hey folks I wrote the MCAT one glorious August day many moons ago, I know what I am going to feel like when 26.4 miles is over. In addition to the brain ache and butt ache, my quads and feet are also going to ache. I want someone there to tell me I wasn't ape shite crazy for doing this, that I really accomplished something and that in a day or two when we shop at Macy's this will all be a glorious moment, the pain will have subsided into the ethereal bliss of it all.

Right now, at this very moment I'm scared. I am scared that as I said to a friend of mine, that this is a case of where I set the line too far as a way of judging where too far is, and sweet Jesus I sure hope too far is not mile 1,5,7, 13, or even 20, but rather 26, the .4 we can hobble through.

All that being said, the fun part - my running team has dissolved - due to a recession, illness and well likely the fear contaminating others too. So if you are brave, stupid or just plain fabulous come on and join me for San Francisco. There will be homemade mac n' cheese and lots of glorious baguettes and vegan cupcakes to be had.


The Fear - LILY ALLEN

Website Wednesday

It's the "bible" for runners - the go to for everything from solutions to aches to zeroing in on your PR or even a BQ*. So of course it should be here for Website Wednesday - it's the place I go to for everything:

Runner's World

So whether you're training for a 10K, 1/2 marathon or a full, or maybe you just want to know where to start and all the help along the way. You may want to check out this link - which I will be following (but of course given that I don't follow instructions I'm going to be knocking off the first 4 weeks - eek)

*Boston Qualifying

To Middle America and Back

I crossed the finish line in Oklahoma long before many of my friends and family were awake. I travelled alone, ran and crossed the finish line. The latter two I did not do alone, I ran with strangers and quick friends and crossed with the cheering of a crowd that might as well been my family. Through the whole process I realized runners don't look like runners, we look like people, tall and short, thin and not so thin. We run and we don't necessarily run fast, maybe we run slow, but we run, we put on foot in front of the other understanding in some way or another that this is life. From the day we stagger to our feet we learn that one foot in front of the other moves us forward. This lesson grows into every other aspect of our lives. I ran on Sunday to say the way we get through the ugly parts of our lives is just that, with one weak and fumbling foot in front of the other. We have and will survive and the best way to honor our past, our legacy and our future is to put that foot in front of the other and just keep going. And while your at it, remember the number one rule of running according the marathoner behind me, "It's not how fast you finish, it's how you photograph. If you see a media camera, put your shoulders back, chin up and smile, then resume your running posture." The whole thing just makes me want to cry, cry tears of joy for finishing, for the families who stand there knowing you're running in someones honor, and for all the emotional and mental miles I've covered in the last 7 months.

Onward ho - San Fran here I come and maybe Seattle in between...

PS. I will be doing Oklahoma next year, but I sure hope and pray it won't be hotter and more humid than hell - temperature wise it was horrible. Event wise it was wonderful - go figure. And no, this isn't me in the photo.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjojones/3478135693/

Music Monday

Since I'm likely far too tired to walk, never mind think I have prepared this in advance, enjoy the pop stylings of Aly & Aj as I try and sort out the 90+songs I need to compile for San Fran... Sorry I am scraping the barrel, we'll get some more original, less pop music coming your way shortly.


Potential Break Up Song - Aly & AJ

Tootles until Monday...

I'm off to the races, all of them: work, commute, travel, travel and more travel, then of course the real race and then the sprint to the airport and then the travel, travel, travel and more travel. Let's just say I found a way to make the weekend likely the more exhausting than the race itself. Though on that note I'm ill again - seems I work in a very germ infested office - likely has something to do with the air circulation, no daylight most days and so on... but being ill means weakness, tiredness and coughing/sneezing. So if y'all wouldn't mind while I'm away sending some prayers, Om Chanti's or positive thoughts my way that would be much appreciated.

More Dating Fun on Website Wednesday

If I didn't manage to scare everyone off from the idea of a running date, or if you haven't tried out the wonderful (slightly sarcastic) world of online dating, check out these options for getting out there:

http://running.about.com/od/grouptraining/ht/runningsingles.htm

Music Monday

Sometimes we need to have those "angry songs" on our playlists - Three Doors Down, Linkin Park and the Foo Fighters are on my list. If you haven't considered them - have a listen (and a look - I've added the videos because I love the message in both of these):


What Ive Done - Linkin Park


The Pretender - Foo Fighters

Food Friday

We always hear that fish is good for you (obviously if you're pregnant - mercury levels are a concern - but that aside) and it is actually a very easy week night option. If you have fresh fish available to you - it can be even cheaper than traditional protein sources. I have the benefit of getting fresh fish from my local WF. If you are concerned about fishing practices, mercury levels, sustainability and such like check out http://www.seachoice.org/. So then how to cook your fish - barbecue, saute, bread, bake and so on. Personally I love this way of cooking fish because I don't have a grill and well I tend to burn my fish when I coat it and fry it.

For one person (me) I do the following:

1/2 to 1 lemon sliced,
1 shallot sliced
fronds of dill, fennel or whatever you have - a mild herb like tarragon would also work.
a drizzle of olive oil or grape seed oil - you could use butter if you wanted to.

On a piece of parchment paper large enough to fully cover/encase your fish, place the fish in the center, and then layer the lemon, shallot, herb and drizzle oil and salt/pepper then bring the lengthwise sides together and fold over, accordion folding tightly until you get to the fillet, then carefully flip the fillet over and fold the ends of the paper in, and place the fillet down - ends under. Then bake in a 375 oven for about 10 minutes -give or take - sorry - it's one of those things, everyone's fish will be different thickness and so on... serve with whatever your heart desires - mustard greens are on my menu this week...

Run Date Etiquette

Honestly I had never considered, a running date or a running date etiquette for that matter. However with the changes of the season, the opening of trails, and well our northern hearts start to melt and all hell breaks loose it seems. So on that note and because Google failed me, I spent my 5 miles this morning considering what I do on a run that might be offensive to someone, and since I'm Molly Manners, it was hard.

1. Don't Spit - I know runners do this, I don't and if you were per chance on a date with me and spat, I can tell you then and there I would stop and we would discuss this issue. I understand people spit, but if I see it, know about or hear it, oh lordy that's not right.

2. Leave the iPod, short shorts and your funky workout gear at home. This is as much of a date as any other date, that means if you've got your ears plugged, and I need to run in front of you for fear of seeing something I don't want to see, or because everything is dying down wind of you due to your rank than we're not going to have fun. This of course goes the other way - a full face of makeup is ridiculous.

3. It is about fun and not about anything crazy. Sure I'm as competitive as the next person, but save it for when you're not going to bruise the person. The last thing you want to see is your likely a little insecure date with that face, you know that face, the you killed my puppy face, she may force a smile, but you've done some serious damage whooping her butt on the 4 mile route.

Now, for me - I was trying to assess myself this morning as I was stretching... J of Disadventure made a comment about a top I was wearing on the weekend, I was wearing the same one today. I think it's acceptable, sure there is cleavage, but really how many running tops these days don't... and well let's be honest I sweat, I mean I am exercising. I was thinking about this specifically in regards to a local trail/hill/run. I love doing it, I think it would be a great thing to do with someone, but I sweat like a mad woman doing it, and well I think that would be horrible...

The ad that started it all, is seen above or at: http://capturingthe7.blogspot.com/2009/03/funny-running.html

Website Wednesday

This week's website has been nominated by J of Disadventure.com (and a running buddy), she's suggested these wonderful resources for all you Apple lovers, from iTunes:

PodRunner - provides specifically chosen songs along a theme, specified by bpm.

Run to 300, a podcast about a novice runner who was bet he couldn't run 300 miles. the winnings: $300.

2 gomers run a half marathon.

And for all you iPhone addicts, apps: Trail Guru for iPod Touch and iPhone, which charts your speed, location and route and allows you to upload to their website to see your running progress. Best part: free!

So there you go folks, no reason not to hit a trail or two - though you might be better off if you head out without the music on a flat the country road with a friend, tell a few gut busting jokes, and get lost accidentally, you might just run a few extra miles in all the fun...

Music Monday on Tuesday...

Well because yesterday was a holiday whether official or not... I was thinking about running music erstwhile filing this morning, thinking about the music that gets me moving - the funny thing is the music that makes me dance isn't always the music I love to run to, likely because I feel like stopping and busting some kind of cheesy, horribly nonrhythmic dance move...

I was thinking of the 80's as of late, of Boca Dresses (granted those were more 90's), Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson. So in that vein our current interpretation of the amazing 80's fashion...


If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5 feat. Rihanna

And honor of the 80's theme, dance the way it should be, ie. not my moves...

Website Wednesday

In honor of the dessert I'll be making this weekend for Easter, I thought I should direct your attention to this blog.

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/

Primarily because I prefer to have as many gluten free meals as possible, but it can become hard when most of our complex carbohydrate staple go to's are well not gluten free...

Music Monday

Sometimes when you find yourself suddenly awake and surprisingly running on a treadmill, as the case most Monday mornings, songs like these help get through the grumble mile, about mile 4 where I'm wondering what exactly I'm doing.

Website Wednesday

As I have mentioned briefly I am running (jogging, walking, crawling) the Half Marathon at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon at the end of the month. It is a fundraising marathon and while I'm not raising funds, I do believe in supporting the cause. So drop by and check out everything they're doing to pay tribute, involve the survivors and heal the city, even after all this time.

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/citronsmurf/211440484/