Marathoner.

Yes, I can now say I have completed a marathon. While it was hotter than I had hoped and therefore finished in a much slower time than I had expected, still I have a shiny new medal to add to my collection, along with a lot of memories.

As I often do with this blog, I am going to put the main ones down here so that I can hopefully remember as much as possible.

Top Ten(ish) T-Shirts Seen on the Course

10. This was a bad idea. (on the back of a less-than-perfectly fit, middle-aged man)

9. Where’s the finish line?

8. Running is a mental sport. We are all insane.

7. Find your happy pace.

6. Imagine how big my @ss would be if I didn’t run marathons. (worn by a rubenesque woman)

5. My Last Marathon (followed by a list of 6+ marathons)

4. Cheer up, you’re about to pass a Kenyan. (sported by a heavier-set African (American?) man)

3. Yes, I run like a girl. Try to keep up.

2. Does this shirt make my butt look fast? (I actually saw this one at the expo but I loved it!)

1. I’m going to finish this f***ing marathon. (This one became one of my mantras by the end!)





Top Ten (ish) Signs Seen on Course

10. Hurry up so we can go drink.

10. Don’t s*** yourself. (uncensored on the sign!)

9. You PAID for this?/ Where are you going?

8. Come on honey, it’s not as bad as childbirth. By the way, you have laundry to do.

7. Worst Parade Ever.

6. Only 3.6 more miles to BEER.

5. Pain is temporary. Bragging rights are forever.

4. I thought you said 2.62 miles?! (at about 2 1/2 miles in!)

4. 26.2 miles...because 26.3 would be CRAZY.

3. Someday you will not be able to do this anymore. Today is not that day.

2. Running takes balls. Other sports just play with them.

1. It’s long and hard, so do it fast. That’s what she said.

Top 5 Things I Learned Running a Marathon

5. It hurts. A lot. And You feel tired sooner than you think, at least if it's a warm day. I started feeling tired a little less than halfway through, but managed to feel a little bit better for a few more miles at least before I started wondering if body parts would fall off before the end.


4. Forget planning. I could have saved myself a lot of unnecessary worry if I had let go of any hopes of any particular time. I knew from about five days prior that it was likely to be a bit warmer than I had hoped. I knew with at least part of my mind that I should just focus on finishing as soon as they raised the alert level to yellow for the race. Even the first half of the race, I was hopeful seeing all the people still within sight with "5:15" and "5:30" on their backs. But then I kind of ran out of gas around mile 15.

3. Enjoy the run. As much as it hurt, there were a lot of cool things to see. There were several runners and speedwalkers I saw who were over 65 years young and still going strong. There were cancer survivors and fellow charity runners. There was a man running with a full-size American flag on a pole. There was Endorphin Dude, complete with bedazzled blue cape. There was a man who ran and juggled four small bean bags. My favorite, though, had to be the blind runner. He had a retinue of helpers to prevent any mishaps; a few out to the sides, and one guide next to him holding one end of a small piece of rope, the other end of which he held. I didn't even know it was possible for a blind runner to complete any kind of race, and here was one running a marathon.


2. It gets emotional. I was a bit surprised when, right around Mile 23, I started to tear up. I suddenly thought of my dad, how much I missed him and how proud he'd be that I even made it that far. I could really strongly feel his presence, so I knew he was there. I was already so tired but I was determined to finish if I could just dig deep enough to get the last ounces of energy out. I asked Dad to help me, and I believe he did. It's hard to run with tears streaming down your face and a lump in your throat.

1. Having support makes all the difference. Running 26 miles was not even on my bucket list until a few years ago when I started running. The person who first inspired me to run was my brother, who ran his first marathon over 10 years ago. He has always encouraged me, from running my first 5K in 2007 to yesterday, when he ran with me despite my painfully slow pace. He cheered me on, insisting that he would just make sure I could finish the race. He even managed to make me laugh: in the last quarter mile there is a small hill, after which you turn and see the finish line. He said, "If you run up this hill, they give you a medal." I think it was in large part due to him that I found the wherewithal to pull out a slightly faster run for the last 400 yards of the race.
I am also grateful to all of the generous donors who contributed to my fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Your kind wishes and words as well as knowing that together we raised such a significant contribution lifted my spirits when the fatigue was trying to crush me. Knowing that we helped others in the situation I lived through as a teenager made my relatively small accomplishment that much more meaningful. Thank you; your generosity means more to me than I can accurately express. Each of you had a hand in both helping me cross the finish line and bringing a cure for blood cancers that much closer.

Why I Run.

As I have occasionally posted on this blog about my running exploits, the fact that I run should not come as a surprise to my readers. However, perhaps the idea of me (an average at best runner, certainly not the fastest, and generally considered recreational) running a marathon seems a little, well, insane.

Well, dear readers, I'm here to tell you that there are many times (during my 18-mile run last weekend, for example) that I would readily agree with you. But there is a huge reason why I keep getting up, lacing up my sneakers, and heading out on the trail, the road, or the treadmill, as the case may be.

That reason is that cancer, particularly (to me) leukemia, sucks.

I will not rest until I have accomplished my goal of raising a significant amount of money to combat the types of horrible blood cancers that steal people's beloved family members in the blink of an eye.

People like my dad.

My father was a vibrant, energetic, active, kind, funny and loving man. He was an amazing dad. He worked hard, but he played hard too. My favorite memories of him include his booming laugh, the way you could hear from inside the house if he was swimming in the pool in the backyard, early morning fishing trips at the lake, and "stealing" popcorn from his bowl until he told me to go make my own.

The Christmas I after turned 16 wasn't much of a Christmas at all for my family. Dad wasn't feeling well at all, and he finally got a blood test that revealed, on Christmas Eve, that he had acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The doctors' prognosis was that if he survived the first three days, he would hopefully have three months to live. Unfortunately, he had the three-day variety, as the mutant cells attacked his lungs, and then his brain. We barely had a chance to absorb the news of his illness before he was just gone.

I run to prevent others from facing a harsh reality like that of my family. I run to hopefully help increase the survival rate of AML, and even find a cure for it someday. Someday others could develop this disease, but survive to watch their little girls graduate from high school and college, get married, earn master's degrees, and have children. My dad missed all of that, and I know he would have loved to have been there in the flesh, though I know he was with us in spirit.

I know some of you don't know me from Adam, but if you have any change to spare, I would really appreciate it if you could contribute to my fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They are dedicated to researching to find a cure for blood cancers, and they also help families afflicted by these diseases by offering them vital information on the diseases as well as available treatments and therapies so they can make their decisions with more confidence. Every penny over my goal of $1000 will go directly toward their research and patient outreach programs. Thank you to all of my angel donors who have pitched in thus far, and thank you to those who may be moved to donate now.

There is an opportunity to leave a message when you donate (and the donation may be made anonymously as well), and if you would like to share the name of a loved one who is a survivor or victim of cancer that you would like me to acknowledge on my race day jersey, please do so. I would be honored to add them to my list of honorees to which I am dedicating my run.

I will end this with the link to my fundraising web page. Have a look around, and really, even a dollar or two would be appreciated and would make a difference. Thank you!

Running my brain.

Hey folks!

I did my second 8 mile run in two weeks today, and I am pleased to say that while I am still not setting any land-speed records, I did shave a few minutes off last week's time. Probably partly because although it was still quite warm it was much less humid today than last Saturday.

I really wish I could tell two runners I encountered on the path today about their unfortunate wardrobe choices. One woman was wearing white running shorts and a black sports bra, but she (hopefully) had no idea that when her white shorts got wet they revealed the lacy underwear she had on underneath. Even if I had been close enough to tell her I probably wouldn't have, since then she would still have to find her way home knowing how exposed she was. Sigh. Another runner, a man, was wearing light gray cotton shorts to run in, and his groin area was quite sweaty...so that area of his shorts darkened considerably, making it appear as if he'd peed on himself. Guys: if you don't want to spring for technical fabric running gear, at least make it black or some other dark color!! Yikes.

Haiku News

Way to go, New York!
legalizing gay marriage
as everyone should.

This is probably
one of the only times that
they're sixth for something.

As if Holocaust
victims suffered not enough,
some women were raped.

On a lighter note,
Winklevoss twins just can't stop
suing Zuckerberg.

Snapshot of a race.

The sea of humanity pre-race.

I haven't done this before, and I think it's high time I do. I may not be the fastest runner but I like to think I get more out of it than those solely motivated by the clock. I keep my eyes and my mind wide open while I run. I have gotten inspiration while pounding the pavement more than once.

Today, while running the world's largest 8K (about 5 miles) race, with a field of 4,000 runners, I realized how many fun moments are involved in every race I've been in, but how few I end up remembering. So I decided that I will try to record a few things that stand out in my mind with every race I run this year. Here goes.

While waiting for the race to begin in my assigned start corral, I let my gaze wander over my fellow runners. I saw a group of women with pink t-shirts emblazoned with the name of a suburb "Hot Moms" and a cartoon mom with a baby in one arm and a martini in the other. What a fun-looking group that was! Another fun group I saw was a quartet of young men clad in green tights, green body paint, and green Afro wigs. Looking at the pictures from this race in years past, I realized they have been showing up like this at least for the past two years.

On the race course, I saw several small children with signs reading "Go Mommy!" and a man dressed exactly like Will Ferrell's character in the SNL Blue Oyster Cult sketch ("More cowbell!") complete with a cowbell, that made me smile.

Running through the city is always fun, as it's the only chance you can get to run at speed without worrying about traffic signals and cars. Every time we ran through an underpass tunnel, many runners couldn't resist shouting to hear their own voices echo back. Many of these passes had bridge railings filled with well-wishers rattling noisemakers, ringing bells or just clapping and cheering. Every one of their efforts was appreciated.

Also, many thanks to God for preventing the earlier-predicted thunderstorm and providing a welcome cool breeze at the perfect moments to revive me when I had been running in unaccustomed heat and humidity longer than I liked.

Finally, after the heartbreaking last hill (WHY???), turning the corner and seeing the finish line was priceless. I was so happy to find something left to kick into high gear and pass another 10 or so runners at the end. I was also pleased to beat my old time by 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Hopefully my dedication to training will continue to pay off through the rest of this year and result in my finishing the marathon in 5 hours. We shall see.

On my way...

Again it has been too long since my last post. Forgive me.
Sigh.
I am in the process of signing up to run my marathon with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am close to this charity because my father died of acute myelogenous leukemia when I was in high school. I think he'd be pretty surprised that my brother and I have become marathoners since then, but he'd also be proud.
My baby boy now has two teeth and is apparently working on a few more, as he refused to nurse before bed tonight and screamed his cute little head off for a few minutes instead. Ah well, it's only temporary.
Big brother is cute as ever, still talking our ears off. He spent quite a while today banging away at his little keyboard while wearing 3 Mardi Gras necklaces, a pair of my sunglasses, and a baseball cap. He is mastering the potty and even can tell you what sound a lot of letters make. I'll be excited to see how he does at preschool in the fall.
I'm still thinking on the next poetry challenge. Hopefully some of my old faithful will come back with that one. Of course I always welcome new participants as well!
I had better get going now, though; the boys have been getting up around 7 lately...earlier than they used to let me sleep.

Like the wind.

This morning, I rose before the sun and ventured out to the harbor to participate in a 10K race. Amazingly, I have run several races well past that distance, but I had never run a race of exactly that length. I have, however, run that distance as my "long run" many a Saturday, so I was not worried about my ability to complete the race. I just hoped I would be able to maintain a reasonable pace. 

As we assembled at the starting line, I enjoyed looking at the small population of runners who had arrived in costume (there was a separate costume contest after the race). My favorite was the mom and dad (with their child in a stroller with them) both dressed as Hooters waitresses. Mind you, it was 45 degrees this morning. This took a large commitment even for the female half of the pair, but then a whole NEW level of commitment for the man, who even donned a long blonde wig and falsies for the full effect. 

I was just hoping to finish within an hour and 15 minutes; I am not the fastest, just determined. However, at the first split I realized I was keeping just under an 11 minute/mile pace. That is not too much slower than my 5K pace, so I was somewhat amazed. As I passed mile after mile, I was keeping pretty close to that pace, and despite this surprisingly-blistering (for me) pace, I even found a sprint for the finish. I don't have my official time yet, but my watch tells me I finished in 1 hour, 7 minutes and about 40 seconds. We'll see what the official clock says sometime in the next 24 hours, but I am pretty proud of that time!

A very interesting discussion is unfolding on the poetry analysis thread for this week; check it out here. 

Haiku News

Andrew Lloyd Webber

diagnosed with prostate cancer;

don't write about that!

Co-pilot of flight

that missed St. Paul airport says

no one was asleep.

Busy-ness.

Apologies for missing my opportunity to blog yesterday; I was meeting my BFF, Dr. Isis, for a semi-annual date to the spa and some dinner. I was home late and had partaken of some Jameson, so again, my apologies.

Today I discovered a way to attach my dog's leash to my child's stroller, so we were able to avoid the whole find-street-parking-at-the-vet's-office circus and just take the stroller. It was a lovely, comparatively-warm day, so it was actually pleasant. Pair that with my more-intense run this afternoon and another, shorter walk after the boy's nap and I've partially made up for not doing a long run last weekend. I wanted to but my social commitments prevented me from doing so. I did sign up for the last 10K race in my area for the next several months, however. It's next Sunday morning. Amazingly, I've done a handful of 5Ks and a pair each of ten-mile and half marathons, but I've never done an actual 10K race. I've run the distance many times in practice, however, so I'm looking forward to the race.

Before I forget, I want to point everyone's attention to this amazing, topical poem on the whole "balloon boy" story I wrote a haiku about the other day. Thanks to Cicely for bringing it to my attention!

Haiku News

UConn player stabbed,

died after school-sponsored dance;

no suspects just yet.

Cyberthiefs target

Facebook and Twitter accounts;

use your common sense.

Gang member added

to FBI's Most Wanted;

new tape says he lives.

Inspiration.

This morning I went to turn on the news while I fed the boy his breakfast and prepared for the day, when I suddenly remembered that it was the day of the Chicago Marathon. My brother has run and completed that marathon at least 2 or 3 times, and it's on my bucket list to complete someday--hopefully within the next five years. I mean, it's a great city and it's supposed to be one of the flattest courses out there. (I HATE running hills!!!) As I watched the grace and beauty and seeming effortlessness of the winning runners, I realized, I'll never, ever look that good when I run. Then again, who cares? I feel pretty great when I run lately. If I don't forget to take my fuel on my long runs. If I don't eat some Shot Bloks before a longer run (over 5 miles), I feel like I'm running through cement. Unfortunately, that's what happened on Saturday...but I made it through  my seven miles regardless. 

As I gave my feelings more thought, I realized that somewhere along the line I have accepted myself as a runner. I am a runner, even though I'll never win a race. I am a runner, even though the average observer may never recognize it. I am a runner, because if it's been a few days since I've run, my feet get itching to move again. I am a runner, because after the first minute or so the automatic motion is comfortable and comforting, sort of like rocking in a rocking chair, only with more sweat and wind. I am a runner, because I don't even breathe hard while I run anymore. I am a runner, because I can say I'm going to run x number of miles and I do it. I am a runner, because I have completed two half-marathons, the second of which was actually a joy to run. I am a runner, because I actually LIKE running now. Even on crappy run days. So there's that.

The other thing that I find inspiring about running is that I get some good ideas while out there. Sure, I usually listen to music, but I'm also doing a lot of thinking, relatively uninterrupted. I determined on my last run that I should probably make a major change to my novel-start project, to change the POV to first person from third. I am already worried it will be seen as some kind of Harry Potter rip-off, so that change will help distance it from any comparisons. I feel like my idea is different enough not to set off alarm bells anyway, but more distance is better. So I hope that will help me get going more on it...I'm now on page five, when I started this story nearly a year ago. Sigh...

Haiku News

Nineteen sixty-eight

Pan Am hijacking suspect

finally caught...wow.

Israel left out

of Turkish NATO event;

Gaza is to blame.

Homeless find a voice

in St. Paul TV station,

spread awareness, too.

Disney, part 2: the Reckoning

Today dawned bright and early for me--in fact, so early that the sun wouldn't actually rise for another 1 1/2 hours--so forgive me if I'm not making a lot of sense right now. I'll probably be headed for bed just after I finish this post.

I rolled out of bed, put on my race clothes and equipment, and headed for the start line. I've been in quite a few races now, but this was only my second half marathon, so I was a little bit nervous still. My only goal was to beat my previous time, last year's amazing-to-have-finished-without-proper-training just over 3 hours. My unstated goal was to be a heck of a lot closer to 2 1/2 hours than to 3 hours, but I wasn't going to hold myself too hard to that. I started out trying to follow a pacer who was going to get her group in just under 2.5 hours, but I couldn't keep up with them after the first few miles, so I decided to just trust my watch and my training. As I made this decision, I saw my heart rate return to its familiar territory when it had been hovering rather high, and I knew I had made the smart choice. 

The Disneyland Half Marathon is truly an experience. If you are all inclined to try one, I highly recommend it (and I'll bet its counterparts in other seasons in Florida and in California would be lovely too). I hope to do it again someday. Of all the races I've done, this one by far had the most awesome cheering sections. Highlights included running through California Adventure and Disneyland before opening hours, greeted by various cast members and costumed characters; running right next to the Big A at Angels Stadium; actually running ON THE WARNING TRACK of said stadium while being shown on the JumboTron to a large crowd of scouts and their parents who were squirting us with water and blowing bubbles; the cheerleaders and marching bands of every local high school out in force at an ungodly hour for teenagers with just as much enthusiasm as a pep rally; the mariachi band and mini-hula dancers along the course; and all the crazy Disney-themed costumes many runners wore. Popular choices were Minnie Mouse and Tinkerbell. I also saw Huey, Dewey, and Louie toward the end, complete with padded duck bottoms and yellow "duck feet" slipped over their running shoes. 

Two humorous side stories: Just after mile 10, a woman dressed as Pocahontas and her companion, a gentleman wearing a tiara, stopped to meet a friend, who opened up his cooler and handed each of them a can of Tecate beer. I can only assume they were going to slam the said beer and continue on with the remaining 5k. I could never do that but I found it hilarious. The other is just about all the fun signs. My personal favorite was one that simply said "Just Keep Swimming," Dory's favorite mantra/song in Finding Nemo. I love that movie, and it makes no sense in a foot race so it's a fun thing to keep in your head while running crazy long distances. Someone else was holding a sign that said "If Mickey can run this, so can you." Ha...none of the costumed characters actually employed by Disney were running with us, but I saw Mickey and Goofy at the start line and Chip, Dale and Minnie were jumping up and down as I crossed the finish, so there's that. 

Oh, and I finished in an official time of 2 hours, 35 minutes and 42 seconds. That put me pretty squarely in the middle of over 11,000 finishers. I was thanking my lucky stars for the recent cooling trend since extreme heat zaps me and it had been in the 90s until this weekend. Today topped out at 83, but it was only in the 70s by the time we finished, I think. One mysterious phenomenon that always seems to happen to me is that once I see the finish line, no matter how tired I felt right before that, I can suddenly pull out a sprint (or at least what feels to me like a sprint right then) and pass a few people on the way there. It makes me feel good, anyway. 

After I got showered and felt relatively human again, we got to meet up with a good friend of mine from about 5 years ago who currently lives close to the park and has an annual pass. It was great to see her and introduce her to my son and my mom. She was able to show us a few of her tips for getting through the park quickly, which came in handy with a sleepy guy. He got to see the Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, the Winnie the Pooh ride, and the Tiki Room as well as going on "It's a Small World" yet again. He still loves it. He seemed to enjoy everything, actually. Probably the funniest thing with him today was that we waited to see a parade on Main Street before heading home, and despite it being loud and right in front of him, my boy fell asleep before it was over. He didn't wake up till we had to get him in the car from the stroller. What a sweetie.

Haiku News

Radio stations

in Venezuela shut down;

prez sez they hate him.

Tila Tequila

claims Shaun Merriman choked her;

near-acceptable???

Senator Nelson:

could reach health care compromise

with trigger system.

Flying Feet

I was utterly surprised to open my eyes this morning at 9AM and realize that my son had not stirred yet. He is generally awake by 8:30 at the latest. After a few minutes I did actually hear him murmur from his room, which quelled any momentary fears that he'd somehow hurt himself to the point of non-communication while he slept. I wasn't complaining about the extra sleep; I didn't get to bed last night until after midnight for no good reason.

I was very glad to have that extra sleep, as I had my longest solo run ever today: 11 miles. It was only one mile more than last week, but I was so abysmally slow last Saturday that I was kind of dreading it in the back of my mind. I needn't have worried. From the start, my body felt relaxed and energized, like I had some hidden springs in my shoes. I had many times where I almost missed my walk break (I run 5 minutes and walk 1) because I was running so easily. This does not happen for me every time, so I was really enjoying it and cautiously hoping it would last the whole run. Amazingly, it nearly did. I was only really tired at the last mile. I ran the first 8 miles in 90 minutes and completed the whole run in just over two hours. Unfortunately, I still overran somewhat--I had about a mile left to walk to get back to my house--but otherwise it was just about perfect. I think the weather really helped. The last few long runs were completed on humid, hot days when the air has been sapping my energy, whereas today was in the low 70s with a good stiff breeze that was somewhat cool. PERFECT running weather. Now, if I could just get a day like that when I have my half marathon two weeks from tomorrow...

I think this is the first week ever that no one has submitted anything for the poetry challenge so far. If I don't get someone's poem by Tuesday, what is the point of my spending an extra hour making another challenge? I am kind of sad. I really enjoy reading your poetry; I hope I haven't driven you all away. You know I don't bite--show me your great idea!

Haiku News

VA workers get

millions in bonuses while

vets await their checks.

Just because women

voted, Taliban cut off

their index fingers.

Swimsuit model's breast

implants' serial number

identifies her.

Ughh...

I did my ten-mile run this morning, after dragging myself out of bed when it was still dark outside. The sad part is, despite being up at a time where the heat was not a factor, I ran that distance 20 minutes slower than my race time from May. Yes, I forgot my fuel (I usually eat some Shot Bloks halfway through the run), and I had a little tummy ache at about mile 7.5, but I didn't think it was enough to slow me down THAT far. Sheesh. Probably the best moment of that miserable run (besides the end) was when, as 50 faster runners (I kid you not!) passed me, Miles Davis' "So What" came on my iPod. Sometime soon I plan to write a poem about that serendipitous moment. I mean, really. So what if it was super slow? I still ran 10 miles this morning. That is the furthest I've ever run outside of a race. And I made it, and feel fine now. Who cares if I beat my old time, it was just practice.

Haiku News

Quadriplegic man

wins the right to starve to death;

what a way to go.

Turks and Caicos seized

by the British government;

corruption alleged.

Over one thousand

people remain trapped due to

typhoon in Taiwan.

Fleeting Friday

I'll have to make this one kind of fast, since I have to get up early for a 10-mile run tomorrow. I only have 3 weeks before my half marathon, so this week's long run is 10 miles, next Saturday will be 11, then 6 to rest up before the race. Whew. At least I know I should do and feel significantly better than last year since I've been training since March. 

I know I have said this recently, but let me reiterate how much I love my son. He is just so adorable. This morning he woke up loudly chattering in his crib, and when I went in to get him dressed, he danced around and sang little songs. He is learning new dance moves by the minute lately. The other thing he did today was finally learn the last few parts of his face. He can now point to his head, hair, ears, nose, mouth, squinch his eyes shut, stick out his tongue, click his teeth together, point to his chin, cheeks, and forehead, and he can show you his hand or fingers. He learned eyes, forehead, chin, hands, and fingers today. SO cute!

Haiku News

Welfare minister

of India suggests folks have

more TV, less sex.

Thirty-four years since

"Squeaky" Fromme pointed her gun

at Ford, she's released.

Help Kenya Project

refurbishes computers in

exchange for new trees.

Sweet Sunday

I couldn't resist the temptation to continue my alliterative title streak (in case anyone had noticed). 

My 5K today went well. I didn't get the best night's sleep (just too short, really), but I got to the race in plenty of time and felt good, and the weather was pleasantly cool and overcast. I hate to brag, but I managed to shatter my personal record by a full two minutes and five seconds--new record is now 31:26! That's just over 10 minute miles, when my previous record was around 11 minute miles! I was amazed that I could push myself that much harder. Needless to say I am pleased. I was also glad that my niece could come out to run/walk with my mom so she wouldn't feel like she was holding me back. She didn't quite beat her old record, but considering the fact that she arrived via redeye flight from LA this morning, she did great. I'm proud of her. 

Haiku News

Six-foot jellyfish

terrorize Japan's anglers;

this is no movie.

Mehdi Karrubi

blasts Iran for "thoughtless lies:"

protests not attacked??

Slapdash Saturday

So, my mom will be here very early tomorrow morning, and my niece is going to sleep here tonight, and I still need to finish cleaning up around here, so I'd better make this quick. I'm sorry for the post-and-run, but you know how it goes sometimes.

A few awesome things I discovered today: Eric Whitacre, the writer and creator of the "Sleep Project" I showed you last week, is doing another one with his piece, Lux Aurumque. It is a beautiful song which I had the pleasure of performing with a choir I was in a few years ago, and you can bet I will be submitting a video to participate this time around! I recommend you do the same if you are a singer inspired by that first video he put together. You can find out the details here.

Mr. Whitacre also shared these two videos that I found extremely enjoyable as well, so here they are for your viewing enjoyment. 

First, a cute little girl turned into an electronic music project.

Next, a music video (I'm guessing it's Japanese, but I'm not sure...), in which there is amazing choreography using webcams. It doesn't matter if you have no idea what the words say.

With that, think of me getting up very early tomorrow morning and running my little heart out for 3.1 miles, then (hopefully) waiting for my mom and niece to finish. Should be a nice day, it isn't predicted to be very hot, and cool-ish is ideal for running. 

Haiku News

World's oldest man dies

at one hundred thirteen; vet

active till the end.

Homeless paid to hold

spots in Capitol Hill lines

for lobbyists? Hmm.

Motorcycle cop

kills woman at 14th stage

of Tour de France...oops.

Finally Friday!

I titled this post more because my husband has been running ragged the last few days than because I was actually feeling like the week was so bad. While he stayed up till ungodly hours doing horrible legal drudgery, I was going to bed before 11:30 and sleeping peacefully. I am glad to have him (fairly work-unencumbered, even!) for the weekend. So is our boy, who has missed him mightily.

I am assigned to run 11 miles (!) tomorrow...at least the temperatures look to be delightfully mild for running all weekend, even at noon, so I don't even have to get up early to enjoy a non-sweat-drenched run. Ahh. Then, on Sunday, my mom is coming in to town to visit, and she is going to participate in a local 5K race with me and my niece. That will be so much fun!

Before I forget, make sure to check out Paige's abecedarian here. She manages to maintain her poetic voice regardless of the format her poetry takes, an admirable trait.

Haiku News

RIP, Cronkite,

you made news elegant...'and

that's the way it is.'

Jerkwad of the day:

on-duty cop admits he

assaulted woman.

Really, CNN?

if your hair catches on fire,

you need doctors' care?!?

Friday Fake-out

Today was one of those days where, after my walk, I cursed weather.com. See, I saw earlier that they predicted at least 50% chance of thunderstorms all afternoon, and naturally I thought it wise to go out in a shirt with sleeves and long pants. WRONG! It was at least 80 but felt a lot hotter thanks to really high humidity. Then the sun came out about halfway through the walk and it was blazing. Luckily I carry the boy's sunscreen with us at all times and quickly applied it, but man, was I sweating by the time we came back. Of course, my dog took her sweet time going to the bathroom afterwards, too. Ughhh. But at least I got out there at all--I was dreading having to stay inside all day.

I will have to closely watch the predictions for tomorrow, as my training schedule calls for a 10-mile run. It will be good to know whether I should try to get up early to get out there before it gets too hot, or if I can risk waiting till naptime at noon to venture out. I have done this distance before, but not since a 10-mile race in May, and for some reason it seems particularly daunting today. Perhaps I will have to actually go to bed early tonight so I will feel better prepared. 

Haiku News

Assholes of the week:

resold gravesites, kept the cash,

discarded bodies!

Very same bastards

managed to neglect coffin

of poor Emmett Till.

GM plans to sell

L.A. used cars on Ebay;

should start at a buck.

Florida couple

who adopted twelve children

killed in robbery.

First time in ten days

only two Most Popular

stories on Jackson.

On burning WAY too many calories...

So, I was assigned by my half marathon training program to run 9 miles today. I did that, although somewhat slowly, since I didn't get out there till about noon and the high today was 88. At least I had my iPod, that can distract me a bit so it doesn't seem quite as long. I only had a little while to stretch and wait on the boy to wake up from what turned out to be a VERY long nap, then got in the shower and got ready for the BBQ. My lovely husband suggested we take advantage of the nice weather and walk. I am used to walking above and beyond my running requirements, so I agreed, but walking nearly 2 miles on a nearly-empty stomach is not recommended. We made it, it was fun, then we turned around and walked the nearly-2-miles home again. What's funny is that my husband was needing to lie down while I got Jamie a little bit more food, a bath, and bedtime. I'm sure I will be sore tomorrow, but at least it's my rest day. I have until the late afternoon to recover until we go to the zoo with my siblings and their families. It should be a nice day, not nearly as scorching hot as the past few have been. I am looking forward to a zoo trip that's not freezing, as one of my good friends could tell you it was when we tried to go in April. Brr!!

Haiku News

MJ's death is sad,

but is not more important

than Iran's troubles!

Boo-hoo, Ponzi man,

now the Feds took all your stuff.

Feel your victims' pain!

11-year-old

not deported after all,

brings awareness, though.

Dispatch from the sahara, part 1

Hello folks, 

Poetry challenge will follow shortly. I am separating them from my main blogs, so here's this for now. Today was much less frustrating; the boy was generally cheerful, I was able to set my small gift idea for my impending wedding anniversary in motion, and I had a successful if short walk in 90-plus degree weather. When I peeled my son out of his stroller his entire head was wet with sweat and his skin was moist like a frog's. I took him into the A/C post haste and gave him a glass of water, and all was well. Poor thing, he doesn't remember the summer heat from last year! 

Tomorrow promises to be another scorcher, so I will likely repeat today's short walk rather than going for my usual 2-3 miles. No big deal, it's not really needed exercise on my running days, like tomorrow is supposed to be. Although, there is still a bunch of stuff on our treadmill since the carpet is still drying out, and I can't leave while the boy is napping in the house alone, and it's going to be too hot to do a hill workout in the afternoon tomorrow with the jogging stroller. Hmm. Let me know if you all have any ideas!

The boy was pretty cute getting ready for bed tonight. He was especially chatty, which for him lately means he is babbling all kinds of gibberish with full inflections. Tonight he was particularly attached to gohpteegohpteegohptee. No idea what that could be, but it's cute. He gave me a bunch of kisses and actually said "Mommy" once. (Usually when I ask him, he thinks for a second and says "Daddydaddydaddy.") What a sweet guy.

Haiku News

Clerics in Iran

join anti-government groups;

this seems promising.

RIP, McMahon;

Johnny's sidekick, Star Search host,

all-around good guy.

S.C. governor

went AWOL, now says he was

hiking the A.T.?!?

Parker, Broderick

welcome twin girls: Marion

and Tabitha. Hmm.

Late night blogging...

Okay, I have a headache so I am sorry if this is not up to my usual standards. I had a lovely evening with my husband, dinner and a Broadway caliber show...I love living in the city! It's hard to believe that this week will mark 8 years since a couple of 22-year-olds fresh out of college and with no idea what they would do for careers got married. Time flies when you're having fun. 

Insert your own fanfare sound effect here, I give you my poem based on my non-iPod 8-mile run this morning. Bear in mind, this is a rough draft.

Thoughts on 8 Miles

Running

I wish I had

Remembered to set my

Alarm last night, now it’s too hot

Sweating.

Let’s see…

Can I recall

The route I set last night?

No, here’s a better trail. Now there’s

No cars.

Oh, dear.

Why does that guy

Think he can wear tiny

Exercise briefs and stretch a black

Bungee?

Not that

I’m trying to

Set any speed records,

But why is everyone out here

Faster? 

Guy with

A cute dog, which

Knows just how to keep cool:

Jumping in every puddle here.

Wet dog!

Oh, crap.

Mental math sucks;

I ran this path too far.

Now I have a mile for cool down.

Oh, well.

The song

That keeps playing

In my head (since no iPod):

Jewel's “Standing Still”. Apropos;

I’m slow.

Stomach

Hurting, a mile

Left. Keep running, left, right,

Almost done, can’t give up now, al-

most…done!

Haiku News

Protesters are met

by batons, water cannons;

Iran's in chaos.

Air France compensates

victims' families with just

$24,500?!

Slightly happier news:

Pixar grants girl's dying wish

to see "Up" at home.

Pissiness and the Long-Distance Runner

Two of my ideas for my blog entry occurred to me during my 7-mile training run this afternoon. First, as I ran by a quaint eatery, I noticed a sandwich board by the sidewalk advertising their "Chicken Leg's Dinner." I spent the next several minutes wondering what a chicken leg would have for dinner, if indeed it were possible for a chicken leg to eat. I am no expert in chicken anatomy, but I don't think chicken legs have mouths or digestive systems. Seriously, folks, you don't need an apostrophe when you make something plural.

Next, I was passing by a bar within a few blocks of Wrigley Field in the midst of the Cubs' game against the Twins today, and two guys were standing outside the bar smoking. One of them comments (I'm not sure if this was actually meant for me to hear or if he was trying to joke to his friend): "You're not really running with Gatorade, are you?" I had already passed him when he managed to slur this gem out, so I turned my head to yell that I was running 7 miles, so yes, I was running with Gatorade. Stupid drunk asshole. I may not look like I run really far (I am not perfectly stick thin), but even though I am pretty slow I get the miles in. At least I am trying to take care of myself, not smoking and getting drunk at 1PM on a Saturday. So shut up. Ugh.

So there's my rant for the day.

Haiku News

Six Flags is bankrupt,

but claims guests won't notice it.

Let's hope they are right.

Ahmadinejad

claims to have won in Iran.

Opponents: he's wrong.

Bye-bye analog:

Somehow 300k called

because unprepared?!