New Shoes

Well it's about damn time is all I can really say!

I finally bit the bullet and invested in some new running shoes. I have been running regularly - despite my lack of posting - and am scheduled for a 14-miler on Saturday. After my 12-miler two weeks ago, I decided I wasn't setting myself up to succeed and determined new shoes were in order. My 12-miler was certainly more successful than my 10-miler (seriously, almost ANYTHING would have been better than THAT fiasco). Still, I hurt after and my feet were sore and swollen.

Okay, okay - all you runners out there will say that's normal for long distances in the heat. I should have said my feet hurt more and were more swollen than usual.

So, yesterday I made a trip to my local running store and tried a few pairs on. Now, I am generally brand faithful to Asics, but for whatever reason the past two times I've visited my local running store they haven't had any in stock (probably because they are popular). So, I tested out a pair of Saucony and two pairs of Mizunos. After much deliberation and running on the treadmill (in my work clothes - silly), I went with a pair of Mizunos. The good news is, my running store will take them back, no questions asked, within 30 days. So I can basically test drive them for 30 days! It's an awesome policy and I applaud them for really wanting their customer to be happy. I could have waited 2 weeks for some new Asics to arrive, but I admit I'm worried about the 14-miler and wanted to have some new shoes for that.

I ran in them this morning, and other than sticking a little to the new street pavement, I was happy with them. So I look ahead to Saturday and wonder if I'll get the run in or if it will wait until Sunday morning. I hate to change days, but the forecast calls for morning thunderstorms on Saturday and though that means slightly cooler temps, I'm not a fan of hard rain long runs. At least I have options.

Since my last post, not much has happened outside of my running life. I've started prepping for fall classes and a week ago had a class cancelled due to low enrollment. I'm pretty pissed off because I teach in BFA program and it was an upper-level scene study class that graduating seniors MUST have in order to graduate. Not only that, but I submitted on MONDAY a way to satisfy the student needs with my teaching load and I still haven't gotten word on if it has been approved! Seriously? Classes start on MONDAY. It's now THURSDAY. When am I supposed to prep for my change is course load and notify the students??? My department head actually got snippy with me for asking him yesterday. Really? Administration created this mess and I'm trying to fix it! Don't get snippy with me!!!

WHEW. Sorry, I'm getting mad all over again.

I also had a friend visit me from DC. It was a short, but sweet, visit. We didn't do much as she really just wanted to spend time at my house with my dogs.

Aside from that, it's business as usual. My critters are keeping me busy . . . though Jake appears to be settling down a LITTLE. He's only jumped the fence once since my return (knock on wood). Now if I could just get him to stop barking at Henry. SIGH.

That's about it. I'll let you know if I keep my new shoes. I'll also let you know how 14 miles go.

Some days I wonder why I'm a runner.

An Unlucky Occurrence

Okay, so last week I set out, as promised, for my 10 mile run. It was Saturday morning, a little after 6 AM, and it was already pretty warm with high humidity. I decided to follow the route that had me pass the house regularly so I could drink Gatorade during the run.

In spite of the Gatorade planning, I made four critical mistakes:

1. I ran my nine miles the Tuesday before my Saturday 10-miler.
2. I ate poorly the night before (this I discovered in hindsight and have now added a few foods to my "not the night before a long run meal" list).
3. I chose to sleep longer instead of get up and eat.
4. The route I chose, which is like a figure eight with my house in the middle, did not have bathroom at one end of the eight.

Perhaps you can guess what happened, but in the running world it is referred to as the "trots."

I ran the first two miles and was feeling pretty good in spite of the heat. I stopped for a quick sip of Gatorade (which, also in hindsight, was probably more than a sip and therefor too much), and ran three more. I could definitely feel the heat now, but I stopped again, drank too much Gatorade AGAIN, and headed out for another two mile loop. I was into my 7th mile, when I felt some kicking in my bowels and no bathroom in sight. In fact, the closest bathroom was my house and it was just under a mile away.

I thought, for about 30 seconds, I could get to the house. Clearly I was delirious from the heat. When my head started to really hear what the nether regions had been yelling at it, I remembered seeing some portable bathrooms adjacent to a soccer field in a nearby park. The fact that I hadn't noticed them when I ran by twice before that morning didn't register. I just prayed hard and walked funny as quickly as possible in the correct direction.

When I got to the clearing and soccer field, I could not see them. I was desperate at this point and tried to find a way to get into the copse of trees lining the field. Of course, it was all terribly overgrown and I new I was in trouble. My eyes landed on an island of tall grass nearby the trees and I just made my way to it. It gave me some "privacy" but at that point, all modesty was gone. I pulled down my shorts and pretended to be bear. While squatting, I saw those portable bathrooms: pushed over and laying on their backs. A hell of a lot of good they do in THAT position!

I was naturally relieved, but horrified too. I have NEVER had this happen to me as a runner. I have heard horror stories from friends and family, but figured I was one of the lucky ones. Not anymore. I guess I just chock it up to experience and hold on to the lessons learned.

Ultimately, I finished the run. It wasn't even remotely pretty.

This Saturday, I am scheduled to run 12. I have been keeping up with my maintenance runs and will have rested on Friday. I will get up an hour early, eat a small breakfast, drink one cup of coffee, make sure my bowels are EMPTY, and sip my Gatorade. Oh, and on Friday night, I plan to eat brown rice, veggies, and either fish or tofu.

And pray I'm lucky once again.

Battling Heat, Humidity, Hills, Flies, and Treadmills

Believe it or not, the past several weeks, even though on vacation, I have been running regularly.

I am DETERMINED to run at least a half marathon before year's end, if not a full marathon. Admittedly, it hasn't been easy.

I got one run in on a treadmill in Columbus, OH on my way to Massachusetts. Once in Massachusetts, things were good for running because the weather was AMAZING . . . for about a week. I ran my two maintenance runs and had a pretty good 6-miler before heading to the beach - and the HEAT.

OH MY GOD WAS IT HOT. My brother is really good about keeping me on track at the beach, but on the Tuesday after the 4th, he wasn't feeling well and there was a heat advisory. For the beach. In New Hampshire. WTF? Regardless, I ran my 4 maintenance miles alone and nearly vomited around mile 3. This is very unlike me. I spent years training in the awful DC heat and humidity running 10, 15, 18 miles. I was surprised by my body's reaction to the weather, but I felt like I was suffocating. I walked about 1/4 mile and then finished the run. I spent the rest of the day recovering.

I decided for the rest of that ugly weather week that I would run earlier and my brother did join me. It was still gross, but we got it done. The day before we left, we ran 7 miles and my dad was nice enough to meet us half-way with some Gatorade. What a help!

From there I was off to Cape Cod for a night, and the next morning I ran the bike trail there. I was lucky my motel was right next to it! I ran 4, but again, felt a little like I was suffocating. At least there was cloud cover so it wasn't quite as bad.

Then I was off to Acworth, NH. It was still hot and humid along the northeast, and to add to my misery, Acworth is a very HILLY town. These are not your momma's hills! These are mother effing hills! On the first day, I walked 7 miles with a friend. The next day I tried to run 4 and hit one hill that went up 700 feet in very short order at the end of my run. No can do. I hate hills anyway, but this was ridiculous! Plus, I was battling the black flies who were trying to drive me mad with biting. Bastards!

Instead of going to war against hills, heat, and flies, I chose to walk the rest of my stay and wear a hat. It helped . . . some.

That weekend I was back at my folks' house and ran my 8 miles. Once again, my dad was stellar and met me half way with some water and a towel. It was still pretty hot, but not quite as bad and I did get an early start.

Then I was off to DC. It was terribly hot and humid there. We had heat advisories and air quality warnings nearly every day. Still, I got out and ran. I was staying with a friend in Hyattsville, MD and she lives just up a hill from a bike path. So I decided to run that, knowing full well it would mean hitting the hill at the very end of my run. I ran, trying to track mileage, but not quite sure how far I was going. It took me nearly an hour each time I ran, so I figured I had slowed down due to the heat.

However, my final morning there I clocked the mileage to the bike path and it was over a mile to get there! So including my mileage on the trail, I'm pretty sure I was running 6 miles. It wasn't much fun, and I was soaked with sweat when I finished, but at least I got it done. On the day I was scheduled to run 9 miles, the forecast was for heat indices over 110 degrees. I opted out and went to brunch at Eastern Market instead. A WISE decision!

Of course, I had to make those miles up and finally did at my hotel in Frankfort, KY. Nine miles on the treadmill. BORING. But at least it was climate controlled and I could have my water right there without carrying it.

Tomorrow I am scheduled to run 10 miles. And I'm nervous. I haven't seen 10 miles in nearly 2 years - since my stress fracture. I will be on my own - no father at the half way point, no dogs for company. But I'll get it done somehow. I haven't decided if I'm going to carry some Gatorade or if I'm going to choose a route that will run by my house once or twice. That gets really boring, but I despise carrying my liquids. And I've never had a running belt I've liked. I can't abide things wrapped around my waist. Even my jeans are low rise!

And of course, now that I've hit double digits, I need to consume calories before and during the run. Yuck. Back to oatmeal at 5 AM and a very soft energy bar cut in tiny pieces to carry with me.

Maybe I WILL run by my house.

It may be hot and humid tomorrow, but at least it will be flat, fly-less, and outside.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Plan B

Before the title concerns you, I DID manage to get my running in this week. It wasn't pretty for a number of reasons, but it happened.

One of the reasons would be my canine companions, Jake and Stella. Running with them can be a real chore! Stella hates the heat and by mile three I'm having to PULL her. Jake just wants to mark EVERYTHING along the route, so we "stop" far too often. I'm getting pretty frustrated. I long for the days when Zoe couldn't wait to get out the door and would run and run and run, usually off leash. She was just the BEST running partner.

So, on to Plan B. I'm actually not even sure I know what Plan B is yet. I may try running with just Jake on my next long run (5 miles - yes, only 5 - it's still early in the training, folks). I now leash him with a Gentle Leader and that has helped his pulling and stopping some . . . and he's seems good for the distance, even in the heat.

Of course, I leave next Saturday for four weeks, so Plan B may be discovered while I'm away and dogless. I will get to run with my brother at the beach so that will be good. And my ensemble theatre company (The Misa Table)'s producer is now training for his first half marathon, so I'll have some running company when we're in workshop in NH (of course, he's like 6'2'' so I'm not sure how that's going to work exactly). But the rest of the time I'll be on my own.

After one doggie-difficult run, I posted on my FB page I was looking for a human running partner. I didn't get any volunteers, but my Pace Group Leader for Galloway Group all those years ago said he wished he was closer so he could join me (he lives in Boston). So there is the possibility of cyber-training with him and another friend. I'm going to check out my Pace Group Leader's online training site to see if it's something that interests me.

Now, as I mentioned, I did get my running in last week. I haven't been as diligent about cross-training (unless you can count walking 5 dogs at a time or mowing the lawn cross training). That really MUST change. And I haven't been able to track my time on my runs even remotely. I did look at some good training watches at WalMart the other day. I may just have to splurge and get one. Oh, and I need new shoes. Yup. Time for that expense. Still, running is pretty cheap by fitness standards.

So I haven't given up. Just moving on to a new plan . . .

The Plan

Well, it's six months to the day of the Tucson Marathon. I have spent the past few months running rather sporadically, so today I made a PLAN.

I pulled out my old MARATHON book by Jeff Galloway and put together a running plan in excel. Now, had this been a few years ago, I would have put a plan together with a time goal in mind. But as it has been 5 years, I've had a bad stress fracture, and gained some weight since my last full marathon, I decided to design a plan "to finish."

But at least it's a PLAN.

And a thoroughly thought out plan at that. I even looked up my teaching schedule to make sure that my running days were days that I had a later first class. I have my trusty 35 minute warm-up (thank you Fight Guy) for cross-training days and have even folded down the page of a 7 minute strength training guide from Runner's World which I will do every day before I run. I won a free 3 month membership to a local gym so, come August or September, I will go ahead and join in preparation of the COLD weather. I'll have no excuses not to run or cross-train. And, if I have any money come August, I might actually buy a copy of P90X for my own.

Today I'm going to read a good chunk of this old book. I got it when I trained for my first ever marathon (part of the AIDS Marathon Package), but I honestly don't think I ever cracked it open. Perhaps it will remind me why I want to do this crazy thing. And of course it will be full of good advice.

This morning I ran with Stella and Jake. I delivered Bennet to his new owners yesterday so it will be a little easier now with just the two (although as a puller, Bennet managed to keep us at a pretty brisk pace). I didn't get out until about 8 AM and it was already ridiculously hot and humid. Definitely the worst morning run we've had in a while. Still, we did it. It was a mere 3 miles, but that's okay. We're right on track in terms of training and I've run 5 in the not-too-distant past so I'm not worried.

My biggest hurdle is the long runs. In the past, I've always trained with a group and a coach. So I never had to worry about water/sports drinks along the way or even what route I needed to take to get in my mileage. And having others to run with made the miles pass quickly. Unless I can find a group that trains on Saturday mornings, I will need to be my own coach and motivator. This is my greatest concern.

Another concern, though less daunting, will be my diet. I know I need the proper fuel to train well and so I am going to have to be very careful about what I put into my body for the next six months. I have made a list for this week and plan on trying a few new recipes even. I leave in two weeks for a month on the East Coast. I know part of the time I'll be well-fed by mom (where I MUST learn portion control!) and then I'll be with my ensemble theatre company where a number of the company enjoy cooking so we always eat well there. Then I'll be in DC where I KNOW I'll indulge way more than I ought to . . . but oh well. I'll have my running shoes there so I intend to run it all off.

This past week, I've only had alcohol one night. I'm pretty amazed. I haven't had any in the house and cannot decide if I should hold off getting any when I go grocery shopping today. We'll see.

So I have a PLAN and I'm going to stick to it! I need to figure out how late I might be able to register for the race . . . although if I register NOW I might be more committed to the training. I'll mull that over for a few days and keep you posted.

In the meantime, if you have comments or suggestions, pass them along! Part of the PLAN is keeping up with this blog again!

Party of Five and Other Stories

Meet Jake. Jake is the latest stray to come into our life. He found us on February 28th, a block and a half from home . . . one day after my second weekend recruiting event in a row, and four days before my third weekend recruiting event and a trip to Colorado.

Jake is a sweet boy and fast friends with Stella. In fact, he gets along great with the whole pack. So we're back to a Party of Five. Yeah, it's a little silly to compare it to the 1990's TV drama, but it works for me. Here you have 3 male and 2 female "orphans" just trying to make it work together. Of course, Zoe is more like Charlie and Stella is more like Bailey, but together they're a family with all their ups and downs.

My Party of Five is one of many reasons I haven't posted lately. The 3 recruiting events haven't helped either. Nor have they helped my training! Sadly, I have fallen off the wagon so to speak. I haven't been running in a couple of weeks and I only just returned to my P90X workout on Wednesday. SIGH. I was going to run on the 28th after our walk, but that's when Jake arrived. And I was going to workout in KC, but our hotel charged to use the treadmill. Yes, really. So, no way. However, I am under the impression that Jake will be good running company and on Tuesday I hope to test him out with a short run. Stella will naturally be a part of the test. So I'll keep you posted.

Work has been really nutty and my pile of grading just keeps replacing itself. As soon as I hand something back, something else comes in. I have only myself to blame for it all. One of these days I'm going to figure out how to plan my syllabi without killing myself.

The latest fun is I have TWO grants to get in . . . one for a visit of an old friend who was a part of the original Laramie Project in conjunction with our production this fall and one so I can teach a Restoration Comedy class with all the accoutrement. I still can't believe we don't have ANY stock for this! GRRR.

Oh, and I'm headed to LA with our Senior Showcase in April. Busy busy busy!

So yeah . . . the running has taken a hit. I don't think the half marathon can happen in one month, but I will get back to regular training this week. The weather is FINALLY supposed to improve (we might get 9 inches of snow tonight through tomorrow - WFT?) so it won't be quite so hard to motivate.

So I'm back. Forgive my absence. I'm sure there will be more stories about this crazy Party of Five. Come to think of it, if you include me and the cats, I guess we're more like Eight is Enough!

Obedience Training

Stella and I started her Intermediate Obedience class last night.

There is a really good dog inside of her . . . in fact, there is a really good dog outside, too . . . when she's on her own.

I sometimes think Stella wants to be an only child. And as an only child, I think she has the potential to rival Zoe in the good dog category. It's just when she's with the pack that she becomes Cujo.

Anyway, last night she did really well. It has been over a year since she and I finished her basic training and she managed to remember more than I thought she would. And we started working on the "heel" position. The trainer, Val, who knows Stella, decided to demonstrate the command with Stella and she did so well I joked that Val switched dogs outside the training room.

Obediently, Stella also ran my maintenance run this morning. I'm starting to wonder if I need to change routes. She seems to "stall" at the same place every run now. It's very strange. Still, we got our 3 in and I'm off to my P90X in about an hour.

Obedience training is really about training the master, not the dog. Most of the time it has to do with being calm, assertive, and patient while you get the dog to do what you expect of it. Oh how I need to apply this to my life!

Take a recent problem with my oven.

I have a gorgeous, state-of-the-art kitchen. But several weeks ago, my oven wasn't closing and in one final attempt to get it to close, I dislodged the locking mechanism. So now the oven wasn't closing - or working at all!

Well, I have a home warrenty, so I called and scheduled a visit from a repairman. Now, has it always been this way, or is it a new phenomena that repair men give you a time RANGE in which they'll show up? Seriously, I was told the guy could be there between 1 - 5 pm. Ummm . . . I have a job . . . this is nearly impossible for me. Well, I agreed and was told I'd be called when he was 30 minutes from getting there.

So I brought my phone to class with me and sure enough he called in the middle of it. I hate this because I have strict cell phone rules in my classes, but I explained the necessity before class began and dealt with it in the moment. Of course, it was 11:30 and he said he'd be there at noon. Excuse me? NO. I politely reminded him that he was scheduled between 1 and 5 and I couldn't be there at noon. Well he got pissy but checked and said he'd be there at 1. So I politely asked if he could please come at 1:30 instead so I could finish teaching my class (you know - the one he had so rudely interrupted to begin with). He grumbled, but finally agreed. There is an instance of my being the alpha dog. I was calm and assertive. Good girl!

So the guy shows up, I point out the latch and all, and he mumbles a few things and says he's ORDERED the parts and needs to schedule an appointment to FIX the oven. WTF??? FINE. So I schedule something for this past Saturday, forgetting I'm going to be in Toad Suck. Fortunately for me, I have a pet-sitter extraordinaire and her fabulous boyfriend said he'd stick around to meet with guy.

So I got home from my trip and there was a receipt and a note saying all was well. I was relieved, but made a stir-fry shrimp and tofu dish and didn't test the oven.

Last night, however, I wanted to fix a pizza real quick before I took Stella to class. I go to pre-heat the oven and lo-and-behold I get a "close door" message from the oven!!!! Are you KIDDING ME???

Sure enough, the latch I had so meticulously pointed out to the repair man had not even been REPLACED.

Seething, I called the repair number and started raging about the job. Part way through my rage, I remembered "calm and assertive" and apologized to the girl on the other end and carefully made my complaint. She agreed with me, but after taking all my information down and whatnot, she said I needed to call the home warranty people FIRST!!

I am fit to be tied here. So I called and waited, and waited, and waited . . . on hold . . . for many long minutes. Finally I spoke to somebody and she said they needed to do an estimate and then get back to me . . . via phone . . . sometime today. So once again, I leave my phone on during my class, against my own rules.

Guess who hasn't called?

This means I'm back on the phone again tonight - and still with no oven.

Any chance I'll be calm, assertive, or patient? Hell no. Any chance they'll do what I expect of them. Hell no.

Guess I need more obedience training!

Toad Suck Dazed and Confused

This weekend I went to a recruiting event for my University in Conway, Arkansas: a.k.a. Toad Suck. Yup. Toad Suck.

I am still recovering from my trip on many levels.

First, I was pleasantly surprised by a number of the students who auditioned. Of course there is talent everywhere, but I frankly wasn't expecting to call back quite so many students in a place known as Toad Suck. What would YOU have expected?

Secondly, I was impressed by Mike's Place, the restaurant where Dr. Bob and I ate dinner on Friday night. The trip down took us through some very poor, very rural areas and to be perfectly honest it was depressing me. I honestly wondered, even in a college town, if our choices were going to be Huddle House (remember THAT story faithful readers?) or Pizza Hut. However, Conway has gone through a little revitalization and the downtown area is becoming a new destination for the inhabitants of that little hamlet. Mike's Place is clearly THE SPOT because even in that town we waited for nearly an hour to eat. Fortunately, there were a couple spots at the bar so Dr. Bob and I enjoyed a libation and chatted. I enjoyed the ambiance and was also surprised by the number of what appeared to be 30 somethings there who had all their teeth also enjoying a drink or two. Dr. Bob and I were eventually seated and we both enjoyed a fine meal.

However, our accommodations were not quite as nice. Now, we stayed at a Best Western, so it was clean and all, but around 3 AM was when the red-necks in raised trucks decided to return from wherever THEY had been partaking and proceeded to yell at each other for a good 15 minutes right outside my door. I scared them away by opening my curtains (I'm sure I look damn scary at 3 AM) so I was relieved I didn't have to call the front desk. Not that they would have done anything, if their "service" the next morning was any indication.

Dr. Bob had spent some time down in Conway in his early career and so he went to visit a couple of friends early Saturday morning. I got up, and since there was no fitness room (I KNOW!), I just went to breakfast. We had been promised it was quite a spread the night before, but don't believe everything you hear. When I arrived, all I could rummage up was a bagel and an orange. I shouldn't complain, but I really wanted some protein, as I anticipated a long day ahead of me. There wasn't even any coffee!!! Well, when the front desk staff was approached, she seemed a little put out that she had to make more coffee . . . and when we asked if there were any more eggs, she said she'd check. About 15 minutes later the coffee appeared, but there was no answer on the eggs. She was asked AGAIN and about another 15 minutes later she said there would be no more eggs. Really? I waited 30 minutes for nothing? SIGH.

Now, I was incredibly disappointed by the lack of a fitness room because I was supposed to get in my 5 miles on Saturday. I accepted the fact that it would have to wait until Sunday . . . but I was pretty grumpy about it. Especially since Saturday was indeed a really long day and my bagel and orange had to sustain me for 8 hours or so.

I did get out Sunday morning with Stella and all was going well until we were just beyond the 4 mile mark. Then my drill sergeant grew weary and began to protest the extra mile. Seriously, she pretty much stopped and refused to run another step. It was all I could do to get her to walk the final bit back to the house. SIGH. So I didn't make my full mileage.

That also meant running this morning wouldn't happen so my whole schedule is screwed up. I'm going to try to run tomorrow morning, but it will mean a two workout day with my P90X class. I'll let you know how THAT goes. And my running schedule won't improve for a few weeks. I have on-campus auditions this weekend, next weekend I'm in KC for another recruitment even and then I'll be in Colorado for several days. I'm excited to ski, but I'm not sure how much running I'll get in (I'm bringing my shoes damn it).

So I'm a bit Dazed and Confused in regards to my running schedule. Still, I suppose being able to say I made it to Toad Suck is worth it.

Sergeant Stella

So this morning I slept a little later than I intended. Maybe it was the sore throat, maybe it was my plaguing fatigue, or maybe it was both. Or maybe it was Tuesday's P90X plyometrics and my whole lower body was still sore!

I don't teach until 11 AM on Thursdays, however I do like to get to campus at a reasonable hour. So as I was dressing to walk the dogs, I was debating running.

The walk took about an hour as well - the dogs were enjoying a little sunshine and were taking their time - so by the time I got back, I had pretty much talked myself out of my maintenance run for the morning. I was telling myself I would get it in this evening after work.

I always unleash the dogs in the yard and then they can stay outside for a bit if they like. Stella followed me in and right to the where I hang the leashes. As I was hanging them up, feeling a little guilty about not running, Stella sat down and looked right at me, quivering a whole body quiver. The following is my recollection of our exchange:

Me: "What?"

Stella: Quiver.

Me: "What is it?"

Stella: Quiver.

Me: "What - you want to run?"

Stella: Quiver. Quiver.

Me: "You WANT to run?"

Stella: Hits me with a boxing paw.

You get the picture. Stella was insisting we go for a run! I couldn't believe it. So I looked at the clock and relented. Stella was right, after all. I'm not so good at afternoon/evening running; I usually find some sort of excuse to keep me from doing it. And she was determined to get it done.

So I quick changed my jacket, called the other dogs in, crated the little guys, and gave treats all around. Then I put Stella's gentle leader on (she was so excited she sat still - a rarity) and we were on our way. Stella sprinted down the driveway! Well, my plyometric-pained legs started screaming at me, so I had to negotiate a different pace with my dog-turned-drill-sergeant. We finally found one we could both agree on and settled in.

It was not easy, but I ran my 3 miles.

And I'm still very sore. But I'm also very grateful to my new and enthusiastic trainer for helping me get it done.

Good dog!

Fat Tuesday and Fatigue

They're partying it up in NOLA today. I've never been there for Mardi Gras . . . but it's on the list. I love a good party and they seem to really do it right.

Of course, you'd never know I was a party girl of late. Seriously, I'm like Ma Kettle or Sleeping Beauty. I go to bed early and though I often rise early, my body is crying out to stay in bed. It's pretty ridiculous.

I have had a battle with fatigue off and on for several years now. I used to be fine on 5 hours a night and there were times in my life when I got less (grad school, for sure - but I remember many all night parties during a certain production of R&J). I honestly don't know what's happened to me. Is it age? Is it something else? If so, what? Last year I had my thyroid checked, but apparently sometimes you can have normal hormone levels and still have hypothyroidism. The more I read about it, the more concerned I am I might have it. And I'm not a hypochondriac by nature.

Of course, I also consume a fair amount of caffeine. Granted, it's not even close to what I used to consume, but it's not very healthy and might contribute to my fatigue. I should really do another detox, but I need a good week of free time for that so the earliest will be June.

Don't get me wrong, I still manage to get stuff done, but all I crave is sleep. It's a strange place for me to be.

Still, it's not keeping me from going out tonight! The Artist and I (and maybe others) are going to enjoy a little Mardi Gras of our own. I'll get my P90X done, go home to the critters real quick, and then head out. And though I've promised to not earn any beads the traditional way, who knows what might happen?

Three Day Weekend

Today is Presidents Day and a holiday for me. Not that too many presidents of the past deserve a day of honor, but knowing this is really supposed to be called Washington's Birthday I'll let it slide.

I'm not going to complain about an extra day off. I was ready for it after last week's dossier madness.

This morning, I got up and like Saturday, it was snowing when I took the dogs for their walk. Unlike last Saturday, when Stella and I hit the road for our maintenance run (3 miles), it was still snowing. And blowing. And COLD. Holy crap was it cold!

In fact, I spent the first 1.5 miles debating only going 2. But, I'm really trying to live up to the "no excuses" attitude I adopted early in the year, and I made myself go the full 3.

Now, I'm generally a fair weather runner. And this runs in my family. I spoke to my brother yesterday, and he ran 5.5 Saturday and said it was miserable. It was 30 degrees - boo hoo! He's so spoiled by the Atlanta weather! Still, like him, I like optimum conditions when I run.

When I got back from my run, with no feeling in my feet, fingers, or face, I decided to check the Weather Channel. Well, the air temperature was just at 10 degrees and the wind chill was 1. Yes, 1 degree above zero. I'd swear it dipped below that zero mark a few times on our run.

People who live in Minneapolis or Chicago or Detroit and run all winter are either dedicated or mentally deranged. I'm going for the second. Seriously, do you just get used to it? 'Cause as I was running, I had trouble keeping my legs warm and it made me feel like I was running with lead legs. NOT FUN. And not something I'd want to get used to!

Still, I did it. And so did Stella with no complaints. Even when, during our last mile, we were running switchbacks that kept us facing the wind every other quarter-mile or so.

So today I try to enjoy the last day of my three day weekend. Funny, though, how you never really take the break, isn't it? I mean, I have managed to fill each day with chores, and errands, all sorts of things on my long "to-do" list. When really, I'd much rather be sitting in front of my fire, reading a good book.

SIGH. And, I've been trying to keep some kind of bug away. I've had a slightly sore throat for four days now. Fortunately, it hasn't good worse. Unfortunately, it hasn't gotten better.

What is it about taking time off - really off - that's so difficult for so many of us? Now, my current excuse would be that I got back to campus 3 weeks into a semester already in progress and I've been catching up ever since. But what about those times when you really don't have an excuse? What makes me mop my basement floor instead of reading or watching a silly movie? If I knew, maybe I'd be able to change my pattern.

Still, I did make some really amazing soup yesterday. So that was kind of a gift to me. And tonight I'm meeting a colleague for happy hour at a fun downtown spot.

Tomorrow, it's back to the grind on campus. And back to P90X. And by Friday, I'm sure I'll be ready for another three day weekend! Instead I get to go to Arkansas for a recruitment event. Whoopie!

How Stella Found Her Groove

Well, Stella and I got in 4 miles today. Yup, even Stella managed to stay with me to the bitter end. I think I can make a distance dog out of her yet.

I wasn't sure how it was going to go when I first got up. As usual, I let the dogs out, then fed them, then got ready to walk them. As we embarked on our usual 2 mile walk, it started to snow. No big deal. By the time we reached the half-way point, it was really coming down. The streets were quickly disappearing under a blanket of the white stuff and when we hit the 3/4 mark, it was snowing so hard I had to keep my head down. I was surprised by it, and didn't enjoy getting it in my eyes, but otherwise enjoyed it. It was sure pretty and everything appears so peaceful.

We got home and I had to change my jacket as well as get the little dogs in their crates. When Stella and I left for the run, it had stopped. So much for pretty and peaceful. Now it was just messy.

But we went on our way. Now, as it is Springfield and I am the pied-piper, I saw a stray dog along the run. I tried to call it to me, but it was too scared and trotted off the other way. I know, I know - no more dogs! But I just can't run past a loose animal and not TRY.

Stella was a trooper. About the half-way point, she wavered a little . . . but then she saw another dog and suddenly her energy was up and she was raring to go. Of course, for Stella the increase in energy was to attack the dog . . . but I reigned her in and when we passed the dog, she found her groove. After that, it was like she'd been running with me all her life.

It's hard leaving Zoe behind; and Zoe gets a little jealous when we leave (so did the little boys, but they get over it quickly). But I know it's best for all to leave Zoe here and take Stella along.

So next maintenance run is Monday morning. It's a long weekend for me - hurrah! Of course, that doesn't mean I won't be working.

Still, it feels good to be finding a routine again. And now that she's found it, let's hope Stella doesn't loose her groove.

The Dog Ate My Homework and Other Excuses

So last night I finished up the last of my dossier documents. It was about 9 PM and I was feeling relieved that the work was done and I could turn the academic scrapbook in without embarrassment. The building was quiet, either my colleagues had finished their work or were putting the final touches on at home.

I had been saving my work all along with the intent to print at the very end of the project. So I brought up the first and hit "print." Suddenly an error box appeared on my screen. Now, I've seen these before, and never worried about them, so I hit "send report" (assuming somebody, probably in India, would get the message some day) expecting the box to go away and for me to try to print again successfully.

WRONG.

I hit "send report" and everything disappeared! I nearly fainted. I'm certain I said something . . . probably along the lines of "WTF?" Once I calmed myself, I opened Word up and, fortunately, my documents had been recovered and I could save them . . . just not print them.

So I typed a quick e-mail to my Department Head and his assistant explaining my situation. I had to laugh as I sent it along . . . I suddenly felt like a student using technology failure as an excuse for not getting a homework assignment done on time.

This morning I e-mailed all the documents that needed printing to the assistant and got my work done. And it appears the "error" with Word has magically been fixed today (maybe that somebody in India took care of it!). Whew!

Still, there was a time when I thought I was going to have to tell the Personnel Committee, "my dog ate it" (seriously, I've got four of them and one's a pit bull mix - who would doubt me?)!

Tenure, Merit & Review - Oh My!

It is finally here. The time to turn in our dossiers for merit and review . . . even though there is no money for merit pay or promotion. It is right now that I question my new career choice.

For those of you who don't know, putting together your dossier is like documenting your life for the past twelve months in every conceivable way that would apply to your teaching, service, and creative/scholarly work.

It's kind of like scrap-booking academia style.

I'm quite serious. You must save every scrap of evidence that you have been productive for the year. And then you get to write about it! So you explain your value and then prove it with all your scraps of stuff.

It's like having to reapply for the job your in again - only much harder.

Now, I like my job and want to keep it, but this process makes me want to run screaming for the hills. Since this is my first attempt at my dossier, I have asked advice of tenured and those ahead of me in the tenure process for advice. What I get from each is as different as the individual I ask! I'm so frustrated.

I feel I have done a pretty good job at keeping track of my work, and then I look at a colleague's dossier (who, granted, went up for tenure just this past semester) and about have a heart attack. I read others' letters of application (yes, like I said, reapplying for my freaking job) and want to cry.

I know I just need to bite the bullet and get it done. I'm wasting time and energy fretting about it. But in spite of me saying "I don't care what the committee thinks," I do. I want to put a strong first foot forward and I don't want them worrying about my contributions in any area. I just resent the process and consequently avoid it.

Time is running out. They are due tomorrow so at some point today I'm going to have to just deal with it.

OH MY!

Following Impulses

Okay, so in my more specific goal of running my 7th marathon this year, I also have a more general goal of getting back into shape. I have actually been doing a workout DVD at home on my non-run days, but I was getting bored and frankly wasn't having near enough fun. I had seen some ads on TV for other DVDs and was even debating a purchase, when my school Health & Wellness Program advertised a P90X CLASS.

Well, I had heard my students raving about P90X so I thought it would be worth checking out. On impulse, I contacted the H&W coordinator and she said before I could participate I had to take a fitness test. Really? Just to participate? Apparently.

That gave me pause.

But I decided to go for it anyway. I went for my fitness test and the first thing I had to do was a pull-up! WTF? I couldn't even do pull-ups in elementary, and I sure as hell can't do them now! From there I had to do wall sits, and a jump test, and push-ups (those I CAN do), and a bunch of those really hard "crunches" where you have to keep both legs up and your back up and BALANCE as you do them, and a load of jumping jacks.

By the time I finished the test, I wasn't sure I wanted to join a fitness program that required me to be fit in the first place! Still, I passed, and made the commitment to particpate (I had nothing to lose - it was free!).

So last night was our first workout. I arrived with a great deal of fear and trepidation after the fitness test. There were 18 of us, mostly men, and our instructor - I'll call him JJ - handed out these NOTEBOOKS full of information about the program and what to eat and when. This was NOT alleviating my fears, but I was kind of excited about having some plan on how to eat. Then we started with a cardio program. I really liked the beginning as it used a lot of yoga and I had been missing a regular yoga practice (I may try to find a Sunday morning class still). Then we progressed to more intense exercises. I was able to keep up most of the time, but they did this thing called a Dreya roll and that's when I just laughed. I'm hoping I'll eventually figure it out.

Now, I was very worried I wouldn't be able to move this morning, so later last night I took a whirlpool bath (love my tub!) in hopes that it would help. I'm happy to report that, though I do feel the major muscle groups today, I am not immobilized by pain. Whew!

Of course, the food thing is another issue. I managed to have some good choices for dinner last night - a vegetarian chicken replacement (considered ultra-lean) and some steamed veggies. And breakfast was all right as well with cereal and fruit. But when I took a good look at the breakdown in proteins, carbs, etc. I discovered my carb addiction cannot be fed on this plan. SIGH. At least, not for a few weeks. In fact, I'm going to have to figure out how to get all the protein suggested! Perhaps this weekend I'll spend some time looking for recipes that utilize the recommended protein sources. If I can remain enthusiastic about the program, perhaps I can break myself of my convenience food eating and start cooking more.

I only have a few complaints thus far. First, though JJ is enthusiastic, he just does the workout with us instead of helping us get the moves down or correct our form (in fact, based on a few moves I saw him do, his form isn't good). Also, I wish they had measured us so we could do a before/after comparison. Finally, though you do warm up quickly, the room is a little chilly and that's no so good at the start or finish of any workout.

Still, most things being positive right now, I'm going back. Tonight is our second night and we will be working out 3 nights a week. This fits in great with my running program, although I'll have to switch up one of my running days. I just need to get Stella on the band-wagon.

This is one impulse I hope to keep following!

The Year of Marathon Seven?

I cannot believe it has been FOUR MONTHS since my last post. SIGH. I think since I don't have a specific race, and a charity one at that, I just don't make the time like I used to.

Well, maybe things are about to change. My brother and sister-in-law are planning on running the Kentucky Derby 1/2 Marathon in April and have asked me to join them. I haven't committed to it yet since I'm not sure what my school schedule will be like (it's so close to the end of the semester - a NUTTY time for me). Still, I am looking ahead as if I'll run the race.

Now, I ran this race with my brother way back in . . . 2006 was it? Sheesh. I generally prefer to run NEW races, but at this point I need ANY race to get me back into shape.

Part of my training plan is to teach Stella, my pit/boxer mix, to be my running partner. So far, she is reluctant. This morning we managed 3 miles, but I had to work pretty hard to keep her going for the last mile. To be fair, she has no stamina built up and it's quite possible either breed is not good at distances. And frankly, all other dogs will pale somewhat to my beloved Zoe. She helped me train for all of my previous marathons and half-marathons. She's a trooper. We ran one 15 miler together in the DC heat, with her running in and out of the water, and she was eager to play when we finished. So Stella has some pretty amazing paws to fill.

But I'm so out of shape myself I can't complain. I'm hoping to keep the three mile route as our maintenance run for the time being and continue to build our mileage on the weekends. We'll see. I think if I take it one mile at a time I can get there.

What has me most motivated is the chance that another full marathon may be possible this year! I am not directing in the calendar year (having directed the cursed Macbeth last fall and looking forward to The Beaux Strategem in Spring 2011) so I can get a little more rest at night. A few friends have put in their two cents, but I am inclined to run Tucson in December of this year.

There are a lot of good reasons. My good friend PhD (one of the Hula Ladies) is down there and the weather is nearly guaranteed nice. It's my birthday weekend and the 4th Avenue Street Fair will be going on. There are lots of nice spas (in case I want to treat myself) and my semester will be nearly over by the time the race runs. These are all great things!

Yes, I dream of more exotic locales. Paris is still on my list. And Spain. Hell, pretty much anywhere I haven't been will do! But, thinking realistically, this could be the perfect race. And I might be able to convince the remaining Hula Ladies - or others! - to join the fun.

So I'm looking ahead, not behind. The past does not equal the future and certainly I can get back into marathon shape by December.

So here's to 2010. The year of marathon 7!