So true!!!

I am on day 5 of no Ambien!!! I'm excited, this is longer than I have ever gone in the 7 years+ I've been taking it! Wow, when I write that it is so strange to think, 7 years! It was supposed to be a SHORT TERM fix to my being such a light sleeper and for a while, that worked. NO one can tell me it's not more than psychologically addictive. Stop taking it cold turkey after taking it for years, and watch the PHYSICAL effects. The vivid dreams, the mood shifts, the longing for easy sleep. 

Surprisingly enough, it is not too tough...yet. I think this week will be the real "acid" test. Working nights and having to unwind and sleep during the day. Luckily my apartment is in a very nice, quiet small complex. I love it here, my neighbors are young professionals that work days mostly, and are very quiet on weekends. I actually was shocked at some of the stretches of uninterrupted sleep I had this weekend...a couple were 4 to 5 hours each. I was prepared to wake up, and thought I would have more trouble getting back to sleep than I did. So I'm coming into the work week well rested. A great workout at the gym this morning, and I feel so much better. No craving food before bedtime, no uncontrollable hunger pangs that Ambien always seemed to induce. 

I'm excited about this process, and committed to making it work. The next phase will be to transition back to day shift work, but I'm not rushing that right now. Baby steps.....

I'm grateful to Dr Paul Cauvin of ARC, my family practitioner for years and years. The support was very critical to me. I think I almost wanted him to tell me to taper off it slowly, but he agreed it might be best with my history to just pull the plug and take the usual sleep precautions, no caffeine before bedtime, dark room, etc. He also encouraged me not to fight "sleeplessness" but rather to embrace it, read and let myself feel tired again. That really has worked!

Austin Fit, 3m Half Marathon here I come!

So the running obsession continues...I'm running the Fall season with AustinFit, which of course is affiliated with USAFit....or something like that. It culminates in Feb 2013 with the Austin Half Marathon (the even-crazier people train for the Full Marathon). I'm never going to stop hating the name "Half Marathon". It ain't half of anything, it's a complete ass kicking of a race. Too short? Run faster then!

But I digress, which is the whole point of blogging, no? I'm so grateful to the program, and so glad I sucked it up last year and joined. It took so much for me to get in the car that first day, I was scared shitless. What? Run with people I don't even know? Last time I did that I was wearing combat boots and birth control glasses! It turned out fabulously, after training the entire season with my 11 min/mile group, I went out with a couple of our faster gals (shout out to Amy and Eliza!) and averaged 10:45 over the 13.1 miles. Not bad for such a tough course!

A group of us ran throughout the summer (read previous bitches and moans) and I'm so grateful to them all. Mark mostly, who loosely "organized" it by inviting us to keep our running fitness up. And Amy, who makes running look as easy as breathing to us mere mortals.  We slogged through some hot, hot runs and I know we are all better runners for it. It will make those cool winter runs a piece of cake!

Not being injured is something I never take for granted any more, not since THE CALF....which for any new voyeurs, er readers, was the injury I suffered last Fall. I learned a LOT from that injury, I can assure you! I learned to build a proper base mileage before any race, and to not ramp things up too quickly. I hope to never make that mistake again!

So this fall, I'm moving up with our coach to the 10:45 min/mile group. My basic plan is to do faster tempo runs during the week, and build the mileage at a slower pace on the long Saturday runs with the group. I know given a good base, my race pace is always going to be a bit faster. This year I hope to run 10-10:30 at 3m (Jan 13th) and about 10:30-10:45 miles at the Austin Half, unless I just get super fast. Not going to happen at this age, I don't think! But speed is no longer my prime objective. Just staying in shape, and ENJOYING the runs is fine with me. Losing sight of the fun is the kiss of death for me!

My workouts are in a great rhythm right now, although quite a few people have commented on the lunacy they appear to be on the outside. There is a plan people. I have a bike I'm slowly paying off, and when I get on it this Fall to start riding again, I want to be in shape and hauling LESS ass up those hills. I'm fortunate in that I can devote a LOT of time to working out that most men my age can't. Idle and Perry do not get along well.

I guess that's it for now. Now go run. :O)

Latest Fat Analysis

So I was really stunned today when I stepped on the fat analysis scale - and it read down only 1.4 pounds!! I know my weight really does fluctuate - and sometimes as much as 4 lbs....but still. Fuck that was not cool.

Bill went on to do the "7 sites" pinch tests and there was where I see the best - and biggest - results. So my eyes are not lying, I really AM getting more fit, and less flabby.

Here is a guide to the pinch test sites...


So here are the before and after numbers:


Body test site                 Before measurement          After measurement (latest)

Chest                                            15mm                              10mm

Abdomen                                      40mm                              26mm

Subscapular (back)                        23mm                              20mm

Midaxillary                                     21mm                              19mm

Suprailiac                                       14mm                              14mm

Triceps                                           11mm                              7mm

Thigh                                               13mm                             11mm


So overall I'm happy with the progress, the weight routine I'm doing is really adding strength and obvious, view-able differences. Right now I'm doing 3 sets of 15 on the ab machine; tricep; bicep; back, and chest machines. It takes less time and is more focused than I was doing before. I barely rest between sets, and I use enough weight that I am at muscle exhaustion on the 3rd set. Arms have gone from 50 lbs post surgery to now at 100 lbs (triceps and biceps). Not where I once was, but getting better after just two months!

I like that the Moobs are almost gone now. Lol!

I do need to get more serious about the nutrition and stop sabotaging my own work there. Easier said than done for a true Foodie!


Bottom line - room for improvement, but the New Leaf assessment says I've gone from a 52 yr, 10 month old body composition to a 36 yr, 7 months body. I'll take it!

Oh, and overall my body fat % went from 22% to 18%. More to come!

Cramming for a body fat test?

I look better now!

I have until Monday to "cram" for my next monthly body fat test. I did not post about the last test, but it was OK. I had lost 4 pounds and almost 6 pounds of body fat. [At this last weigh-in the machine from Hell says I now have only 19 lbs of body fat to lose. Yikes!] Yep, gaining some muscle! My trainer/nutritionist has me pumping the weights again. It really has ramped up my weight loss, I peeked at the scale the other day and was down almost 7. However, the "cramming" I have been doing lately is more cramming food into my pie hole. Hey, I'm cool with it. I may sound extreme to my Facebook friends who see that I am at the gym nearly every day, but I balance it pretty well. I spend time with my lovely daughter, and I eat. I have cut out a few things, but I am not one for deprivation. That sets me up to fail every time. I once lost 40 pounds on WW over a 6 month period, but I will never, ever do that again. I'd rather die fat and happy.

My clothes are fitting better, I don't have to force my ass into my bathing suit anymore, and I'm getting much stronger. In just 2 months, I've gone up 30-40 pounds on most of the machines I do. I'm still running on Saturdays, and will begin my half marathon training tomorrow, I cannot wait! I'll be running three this year, Decker, IBM and the Austin Half in January. And my bike is halfway paid off so I'll be riding again soon! 

Life is pretty damn good right now!

I flunked my body fat test....

Ok, so the latest in my world is that I am FINALLY ready to get truly serious about getting in complete shape. I can run a half marathon, I could probably ride over 70 miles on a bike. But am I REALLY and truly fit? Not even a chance. And I've done my homework, I know it's so much more than a number on a scale. I was watching a guy at my gym (LifeTime Fitness North in Austin) having a body fat analysis done yesterday and after recently reading a great article about body fat, I knew I needed the same for a baseline. It's the best way there is to gauge real progress, that takes into account muscle. Weight alone is misleading, I'm pretty muscular.

So I met William ("BILL") Priesser at the gym today for a scheduled body fat analysis. The great thing is that it is FREE for members, and I can have it done monthly to track my progress. Bill is a truly nice guy, very positive and motivating. He has done several metabolic assessments (MAP testing) on me over the years and is always really friendly but in a genuine way. Never a hard sell, but really knowledgeable. Here is the hard, fat (no pun intended) truths:

Body fat analysis by their new, state of the art body fat scale:

Weight - 214 (gulp) pounds, 5'9", 53 yrs old. Body fat %....25.1%. BMI over 31. Yikes.

Body fat analysis by standard "pinch tests" with calipers:

21.9 % body fat. Wish this was the better, more accurate number of the two. It's not. Although Bill told me I am pretty muscular all around, with great numbers on thighs, arms...and not BAD numbers on belly, back and waist.....obviously there is room for improvement. The electronic machine is a better test of "visceral fat" which often hides around internal organs, and shows as excess weight. It can be hidden somewhat by a more muscular build, which is a nice way of him telling me I don't LOOK fat....the bottom line is I have about 25 lbs of BODY FAT ALONE to lose.

Bill is a metabolic specialist, and I was really impressed that he went to great trouble to map out the dietary (ick) changes I really have to make. I knew it was coming, it is obvious that I may be gaining muscle mass, but I'm not losing body fat. Carbs have got to go WAY down, and I have to up my veggies intake to make up for the loss in fiber intake. Avoid whole grains, pizza (waaaah!), cereal (easy, don't eat it), rice. Damn. But you know what? I'm ready, and it's not a sacrifice at all. It's time to learn once again how to treat food as a fuel, not an addiction.

The final bit of good news is that I'm already on track, just need to lower the intensity of my workouts to stay in a "fat burning" heart rate range. Hard as hell for me to do, and it does seem counter-intuitive. But Bill made perfect sense, I have to train my body to burn fat by not giving it the choice to burn carbs (and spike my insulin levels while I am at it).

I know that I need true balance of diet and exercise to get the body I want....trim, and strong, and able to endure long cardio workouts (aka cycle rides and long runs).

Yes, there is a vanity aspect to it. But that is the lesser motivation, I really want to feel like I did the last time I weighed 180 - 190. And to have that kind of energy.

Stay tuned and monthly I will track before/current stats. I'm excited to be on this new journey!

New bedding

Thanks to my good friend Tashia for the "phone support" while I was shopping at Kohls for some new bedding... The old comforter is more for winter and was way too warm. I decided to add some color....

New Patio....

I really needed to get working on the patio, so I unplugged from all social media for a day, hit the gym and then went at it! First stop, Target! Love, love, love Target. I already had put down some "Astro Turf" (showing my age!) and I bought a great electric George Foreman grill. Trying to play within the apartment complex's rules, since I love this place!

$18 rug from Home Depot!

At Target I found two great red chairs that are pretty comfortable, $25 each and a table for $20. On the table is a solar powered lantern that if it works I plan to hang and add a couple more. Not sure since the patio does not get direct sun. We'll see. I think it came out pretty well! I bought two long window planters that I'm going to hang from the balcony railing once I decide what I can grow......:O)

I also found a much cheaper Ikea TV stand I really like on Craigslist, $45, already put together:

This one is lower, which lowers the TV to the perfect viewing level. And it's a darker wood tone, that matches better, my older one was too modern looking. 

So, only the kitchen really left, it does not need much, just some art, maybe some baskets and fake greenery on top of the cabinets.

Oh who am I kidding? I don't think I'll ever be "done" with it. But I am having a ball doing this! My living room is better than any sports bar, and each area of my place has it's own feel and reflects a different facet of who I am. I think that is what a home should do!

Seeking a friend for the end of the world...

I can't wait to see this movie! Love Kiera Knightly and I could sure use a real laugh right about now.
It's been a busy month with the move into my new place. I can't believe how much I love it. Every room I've worked hard on. Living in an apartment is a decorating challenge, but one I've gone headlong into. I started with the living room. I finally just said fuck it and decided to decorate it like a sports bar basically. Purple walls (only 2 out of 4!), my 60" big screen piece of heaven, and every bit of Minnesota Vikings memorabilia I own everywhere. 

After

Before

I have hung the curtains my sister made me, they rule!

I love displaying all of Megan's cheer outfits, this is her wall:

Couch was a Craigslist special!

I went for "upscale hotel bathroom" in the - you guessed it - bathroom. I framed the mirror and replaced every fixture except the faucets:

Megs stuff is frilly, mine is manly!

I get one shelf, Megs gets the rest....

Next I decided I hated the linen closet and saw a magazine where someone had removed the door. That led me to thinking the shelves were ugly. And when I'm doing my reading I have to look at these every day. I found perfect length shelves at Home Depot, and added trim (same thing I used on the mirror frame). Although it's not a perfect match it was easy, no staining etc. They sit on the existing brackets so I can easily take them if I ever move, which I hope is pretty much never. I think they came out pretty cool:

Fugly old crap

New look.

I plan to fill the hinges and the striker plate holes with wood filler, sand and paint them this week. I'm that anal. Deal.

Megs needed her area, and although she is only with me a couple of weekends a month, I wanted to make it as nice for her as I can. So I turned the dining room into her room:

Ikea Hemnes daybed I bought new. My baby deserves the best!

I need to take a picture of  the bedroom, which I think is way over and above the nicest I've ever had, in an apartment at least.

Target curtains, $100 Craigslist bed!

I realized I rarely get company and any one that didn't like it I probably would not want around anyway. And I love it. Megs tolerates it. It's pretty much done, although I plan to buy this stand for the TV:

One thing I've learned in life, you have to surround yourself with memories. My place does that just fine. It's been expensive, fun, and quite a bit of work but in one month it has become a place I really love to go to. 

Austin 1020 race report....the patient lived....

I often think when I write race report posts that I should write them while I have that post race "after glow", but as with sex it fades way, way too soon! And then there are races like this one, where there is no real glow at all. I managed a nice fake "man I killed that course" smile in a post race pic, but it's more tongue in cheek that I added it to my Facebook page:

Don't be fooled people. I almost blacked out after this race, I actually went up to a EMT and told him I thought I was going to faint. He had me sit on the curb and watched me like a hawk for a while and the feeling finally passed. I faded so bad the last 2 miles it wasn't even funny - I've never wanted to quit running so badly in all my life. It was a bit warmer than any race this year, with horrible humidity (and a few raindrops) but nothing that unusual. My pre race ritual was the same as always, but 8 miles in and I was dying. Slower pace than I ran the Capital 10K in, and I felt great at the start, but I guess there are just those days you don't have it! The race was cool, you don't get to run many Inaugural races here in Austin, especially not one with 9,000 runners! Great finisher medals and t-shirts! I ended up 120th out of 190 males in my age group, so it could have been worse. Everyone around me at the end looked dead too. It was advertised as a flat course, and the elevation chart sure seemed to support that. But I felt like we were running uphill the entire time! I don't mind short, really steep hills, I love them actually....but these were different animals. Long, slow rises that seemed to stretch out to the horizon, blech!!! 

There were some really cool bands, one about every 1/2 mile. So I left the iPod in the car. Fail. I won't do that again, because there were points on this course I wanted to just shut out all the noise. Maybe it was That Time of the Month in my running cycle, lol. There was the omnipresent asshole at mile 9 telling us it was all downhill from there. It wasn't, and I shot him a look to let him know his attempt at humor was sadly lacking truth. I may or may not have said the same thing in the past at some point, but I never will again. It's just not fucking funny when you're dying out there. 

I had planned to meet my running buddies at the post race party, but I was too beat and I saw the rain rolling in. I hobbled to the car and got there just as it started raining. 

All in all, I'd love to do this race next year. I'll make this course my bitch. 

2012 Capital 10K race report

This was my 3rd time to run Austin's most famous race...and I have to say I enjoyed it the most! In 2007 I was WAY too focused on time to really enjoy the race, and although I ran a 51:49 (8:20 min/mile pace), I can't tell you anything remarkable about that race. Not a single memory. Must have had a good run, but who knows what was going on? The next year I ran it was the following year, in 2008 and my time dropped to 57:03 (Still a 9:10 pace!) and I DO remember why - I had to make an unscheduled pit stop at a Porta-Jane. Nothing will make you regret running in the "timed" category more than having to stop! I right then and there started taking my pre-race routine much more seriously! Hasn't happened to me since, knock on wood!

Fast forward to 2012 and I ran a 1:02:13 for a 10:01 pace. I woke op early on race day and I knew I was going to have a good run! The legs felt fresh - another way of saying I did NOT run enough the week prior to Sunday! I listened to some music, figured out how to connect my iPhone to my Kia Sorrento's stereo so I can control my tunes like an iPod connected and through the steering wheel controls. Sweet! I did the morning visit to the Porta-Janes, which I must say were the cleanest ones I have ever used. Something to be said for arriving early! I walked around a bit to loosen up and to take in the pre race atmosphere. It was warm, about 65 deg at the start I'd guess, and really humid. That had a lot of runners nervous, and the more I listened to everyone the more worried I got too! I looked around for some friends I thought were running and did not see them, so I headed to the "C" Corral, which I think was for 10:00 to 10:30 pace runners. After some local girl's duo murdered the National Anthem (It's "perilous fight" not "perilous flight" people!) we were off, and.....walking! With over 23,000 runners total, it can take a while. But we were actually running 5 ft before the start line, and I crossed it about 2:21 after the gun went off. Not bad! The first mile was a very easy steady climb up Congress Avenue, which is a cool way to get the legs warm before the first hill, a sharp climb after a right on 11th st. I knew what was coming, so I was trying to take things easy. I still was right at a 10 minute first mile. That was when I realized I had a shot at running under 10 min pace. Mile 2 took us over a couple rollers and down the monster that was the toughest climb in the Livestrong Half Marathon, when we were coming the opposite direction! Much easier going down, although I did see a few people with quads that appeared to be in trouble. By now I was sweating like the proverbial pig (I always do!) and I knew the one hill I dreaded was here...the longest hill and the toughest on the course. It was not as hard as it was when I ran the Turkey Trot (See The Calf history in earlier posts if you are truly bored!), and I think it was on the perfect spot on the course. After getting over it and then headed down the long downhill to Mopac, I knew I was doing well. At 3 miles I was right on 10 minute pace still. By mile 4 I was just girl watching, which I do without leering...much. Damn, runners have fine legs! The heat was starting to bother me at mile 5 and I faded just a little going up some small rollers on Cesar Chavez....but I was still doing well all things considered. I had only been bumped a couple hundred times by newbies that apparently had no idea that running a straight line is just being courteous, and I was not thirsty at all. Half of the two cups of water I grabbed on the course were just to pour down my back and on my head to cool off. My calf did not give me even a twinge, and I was really glad for that!

I really did not have much of a sprint at the end, which was cool since we were packed in the finishing chute like sardines. Sweaty, smelly sardines! They would do well to widen that a little. I might have made up that maddening 1 second that my final pace was (10:01!) But I was happy! All in all, it was a very fun race and I'll be back next year to do it again!

My final "grades":

246th of 429 in my Age Group (50-59 Male)

4,604th overall (of 9,929 timed runners - 23,000+ overall runners/walkers)

3,097th male (of  5,158 males)

7 miles....times two!

It was the tale of two runs:

Yesterday - met my running group at Town Lake and we initially thought we were running 5 miles. That turned out to be 6.6! But hey I felt great, the girls (and Mark!) are always fun to run with and I felt nice and rested after Wednesday's 7 mile loop. We ran the Scenic loop, and man those hills!!! That might have been the first thing that foreshadowed what today might be like....I was really sore after Megs and I shopped all day!! But I did get some couch time last night, watching my beloved Dukies and then the Longhorns each get hammered. Blech.

I'm always happy when I'm shopping with the Fashionista....

Today - I woke up out of sorts, and did my 3rd trip to the "library" in 8 hours. That was a omen I won't ignore again. Got to Town Lake and was stalling, it was cold, I was tired and I was irritable. Only another runner will understand me when I say I NEEDED to run. I did not WANT to run! It was a good thing I stalled, as nature called with a vengeance and I got a good sprint to the men's room in. TMI, I know! I felt OK afterwards, and I knew I was well hydrated. The fact I had to stop at 3 Porta Janes in 7 miles confirmed that!

This was one of the toughest, most mentally grueling runs I've done this year. It was no fun at all, but some runs are like that. I liken it to the last 10K of a Marathon - I am grumpy, I hate running and I want to quit. But I can't, and so I didn't. I was tired, yes. My legs were sore as hell, yes. But I was not in pain, and I knew I needed the mental toughness test to see if I could finish. In about 7 weeks I will find out if I am running New York this year, in November. If I am, I see a LOT of runs like this in my future. It takes what it takes.

I look exactly like I felt. Like Shit.

Was it worth it? Yes. Do I feel the endorphins and the thrill of another run completed? Fuck no.

a 10 K should be easy, uh, right?

So I dove in and registered for the Cap 10K today - I have some friends here at work that are running it too and I love hills!  I was reading my results from previous races on this cool site:

http://athlinks.com/racer/106648682

Click on "See all 37 races" and you can see what I once was able to run - it blows my mind that I always thought I was slow!! Running a 10K in 48:10 on a hilly course is NOT slow! Flat out impossible at this point, but I really am cool with that. I distinctly remember the Cap 10K I ran the same year - I was still under an hour despite having to veer off course and using a porta potty!!!

My running these days is much, much more fun and although I am getting faster through sheer repetition, I don't really have any time goals in mind. I'd really like to come in under an hour but with the huge hill on this course I really don't see it happening! So my #1 goal is to have fun and encourage the guys I am running with. We should have good weather, this race will be huge with the crowds! It's an annual Springtime rite of passage in Austin!

My Yelp review for the Austin Half Marathon!

Really proud of refrigerator magnets? You bet!

My review is for the 2012 Austin Half Marathon, which I absolutely loved! This was the final race (of 5, a 10K; 10 miler, and 3 half marathons - Decker, 3M and Austin) of the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge. 
I'm so grateful that I trained with Austin Fit this year - the runs really prepared me for the hills on this course, which are going to approach legendary status in a few more years. I swear that mile 12 mother fucker gets steeper every time I tell the story! 
The organization that Livestrong has added as the new corporate sponsor for years to come cannot be underestimated. Sure, with 18,000 runners you're bound to have some issues that are almost inevitable, like port-o-janes with long lines, finish chute delays while dumb asses stop and gawk, etc. Read about the 2012 Vegas Rock and Roll marathon if you think we have issues. 
I can't say enough how much I loved the course - it was SO smart to move the start to the north side of the Capital and give us a much needed warm up before the trek up South Congress. The rolling hill that is South Congress gives several nice flats to catch your breath, and then comes that wonderful rolling drop down South First. I was blown away by the Livestrong Mile along Cesar Chavez, which was covered in yellow chalk messages on the road, and lined with the loudest, most wonderfully supportive volunteers anywhere on the course. They just rejuvenated me so much, and I high fived as many as I could! 
When we reached the Mopac crossover, man that seemed to suck the strength right out of me, but I knew the real killer lay ahead. I had purposely NOT driven that course so I would not know what it really looked like. There are a few hills before mile 12 that get your attention, but that bad boy really did impress. I vowed to run the entire hill, and I did. It was amazing how slow I was moving when I got to the top!! But I owned that bitch! For all the fear and complaining I heard about this hill, think about it folks. Would the course be BETTER without it? Hell NO! Easier, sure. But better? NOT! It gives you an unbelievable pride that you conquered it. Whether you run, walk or crawled it, when you got to the top and saw the angels - God love em! - you had to smile! Great crowd support here too!
I also loved that last mile to the finish...it challenged too and there is NO feeling like powering around that corner onto Congress and seeing the finish line!
The medals, so beautiful! One of the coolest ever:

 The event t-shirt I will wear proudly! It is a fantastic Nike tech T with the coolest graphics I have seen anywhere. 
Honestly, the bands and musicians playing were cool for the most part. and I know most runners appreciated them. Me, I had my iPod shuffle cranking out more energetic stuff to get me up those hills. I made a point to take the ear buds out now and then and interact with my Austin Fit running buds Amy and Eliza (thanks for pacing me girls!), and some other cool peeps on the course. To all the lovely ladies that wore pig-tails, extra kudos to you! Yeah, I find them sexy. Deal with it. :O)
Austin, be proud of these twin jewels, I ran the marathon in 2008 and I enjoyed that too, in a really sick way! But I am hooked on the Half, and I have Feb 17th, 2013 already saved to do this again!

Like I need an excuse to Pig out on Italian food...

Dinner tonight!

That's right, time to pig out!

Tonight is prime carb loading time for the Austin Half Marathon, and I need another new place to review for Yelp! My new addiction. Blogging about food. Some of the cool kids have unwittingly friended me on there, lol.

So Megs and I will go sacrifice our bodies to the carbs, and I only hope the place is as good as it once was. I went years ago several times, and I remember the Cannelloni being really most excellent.

I'm trying my best to rest for the Half Marathon Sunday, but it's not easy. I did an hour on the elliptical and an hour on the stationary bike last night at LifeTime. Craving some cardio! The legs feel so strong, like I could go all night. And even after another night of riding the cubicle hell chair, they feel great. I can't wait for this race, no real pre-race jitters yet, just a strong excitement knowing I will be running 100% healthy! After coming off an injury, running takes on a very special luster.

Tomorrow is packet pickup and the first day of the expo, I will be like a little kid in a candy store! My bib number is a Palindrome!! 10201!!!! Download the app (search Austin marathon in the app stores) and track me Sunday!!! It will have an interactive map that will track my bib via GPS!!! So cool!

Awesome new ear buds for just $18!

Damn these rock!

Thank you sir, I'll have another! Tonight I trekked to the local Wally World and was all set to buy another pair of my favorite $40 (+tax!) Sony ear buds. The ones I buy always crap out on one ear and last about 3-4 months at best. I use them a lot, both at the gym and while running. They had great bass and never fell out, two absolute must-have traits for ear buds, in my book. They also came with a nice short extension cable, so I could use them and set my iPhone or iPad on the elliptical/treadmill and not have any reach issues. And of course they were sold out of them. I "settled" for the above iFrogz Luxe ear-buds with built in mic, and all I can say after my test run with them was WOW!!! I did an hour on the elliptical, an hour on the spin bike at my LifeTime Fitness, and not a single issue. They never slipped out at ALL, had SUPER bass and great all around sound - just as good as the more expensive Sony's. And at $18 tax included (Walmart), I think it was a great investment - just in time for Sunday's Half Marathon!! I'll update with longevity issues if there are any, but I think these are really solid, cables seem strong, they are super comfortable, in short a great buy. I love the mic control too, a simple way to pause music finally on my iPod shuffle or iPhone! Oh, and they come in quite a few different colors, but I went with the simple black ones to match my iPhone. Of course.

One of my favorite movies..."The Nines"

I love this movie - it's quirky, mind-bending, suspenseful, you name it. The original posters headline Ryan Reynolds and Hope Davis, and both do excellent jobs with their roles...but it's Melissa McCarthy that steals every scene she is in. I think she's simply beautiful:

She's well known for her funnier roles, she kills it in "Life As We Know It"; but here she shows her true range. Watch the scene (it streams on Netflix currently) where she tells Reynolds what she really thinks of him. It's a shame that Hollywood hasn't done more with her. 

On the running front, I ran a really fantastic 7 mile loop yesterday at Town Lake - from Austin High to the I35 frontage and back via Riverside Drive and the trail. It was such a beautiful day to run, one of those warm days we get right before a cold front hits - and hit it has! I've learned to watch for these days, because once the cold front hits, so long to warm outdoor running! Me, I love running in the cold but a warm sunny day can't really be beat.

My favorite commercial from the Super Bowl!

Google Search identified her as "some Italian super model". Yep, and the Pope is just "some old catholic priest" too....fyi it's Catrinel Menghia and she's Romanian.

It was a close call between this one and that really good doggie that was burying the cat and bribing his owner with Doritos to stay quiet. In the end, sex sells, and I did not mind selling out. Note the really hot tattoo on her neck that matches the emblem on the Fiat Abarth 500? No? Well, if it's any consolation, I missed it on the first shot too!

What WAS she saying to the lucky guy?

"What are you looking at?! Are you undressing me with your eyes? Poor guy, you cannot help it? Is your heart beating; is your head spinning...Do you feel lost thinking I could be yours forever?

Let the Google searches begin!

Movie night with Megs...

My fear of heights got a workout on this one!

One of the things Megan and I share a passion for is movies. It's something we have always done, from Barney VCR (remember those?) videos and Beauty and the Beast to "R" rated movies we both sometimes squirm watching with each other but love nonetheless. We've always enjoyed the experience, and these days we even do it in a more healthy manner! We've found that eating BEFORE we go saves us from going overboard on movie junk food. Cheaper too!

We headed to Lakeline Mall last night so I could get a new (black) case for my iPod and a screen cover. I knew my girl needed some new jeans so we stopped in American Eagle and she found some great ones. We found her a couple of cute tops too. Yep, shopping with her has to be way up on the list of fun things to do. She will even let me help pick things out sometimes! Whenever I work overtime, it's often so I can help give her the extra things that support does not cover. She is the most grateful child - er, almost woman I know. She has never been a want, want girl - I have had to work hard to spoil her. She's worth it all, it's only $ after all. The real value is the time we spend together, it's all good. Even when it's not, lol.

We saw "Man on a Ledge" last night...surprisingly good, very edge of the seat stuff. And hey, Genesis Rodriguez ain't bad either:

Would not kick out of bed for eating crackers.

Rest day for me, so no workout. Tonight I will get a good 5 miles minimum. The next two runs with Austin Fit on Saturday mornings are 5.5 and then 7.5 miles...and the following Sunday is the Austin Half Marathon. I'm so excited about this one! The days to train are flying by, and I'm doing some super cardio cross-training workouts at LifeTime. I have all my new music on my iPhone and can't wait to run with it tonight!!!

Life is fragile...

Today I read a story about a man that reminded me once again how fragile life can be. This poor soul backed over his two year old son and the boy died. I cannot even imagine his pain and the depth of the despair he must be feeling. I do know stories like this touch me profoundly. No parent should ever outlive his or her child, but to be involved personally in an accident like this has to torment someone the rest of their life.

It's one of the oldest - and therefore probably one of the most true cliches - that life is fleeting. None of us are guaranteed another moment. I don't have a lot of "Geez, I wish I had done such-and-such thing" thoughts at my age, because I tend to live very much in the moment. Some of the things I've done turned out quite badly, some very well, but I don't have many regrets. I think every experience I have had helps me to be the person I am today. I'm not jaded about love, even though people with better "track records" than mine are. I would rather err on the foolish side of Love than on the careful side. In one of my favorite movies, "Meet Joe Black" Bill Parish tells his daughter (Anthony Hopkins to Claire Forlani)

"Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. I say, fall head over heels. Find someone you can love like crazy and who will love you the same way back. How do you find him? Well, you forget your head, and you listen to your heart. And I'm not hearing any heart. Cause the truth is, honey, there's no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven't lived a life at all. But you have to try, cause if you haven't tried, you haven't lived."

I could not agree more. If there is something you have never done, and you've always wanted to do it, my suggestion is do it now. You may not have a tomorrow to do it in....

3M in the books...next!

Can't wait to add this one Feb 19th!

This year was the 4th time I've run the 3M Half Marathon, and again I was reminded why it is the best race in Austin! This year I met about 6-7 members of my Austin Fit training group to run the race with them. I was so glad later that I did! The plan was to go out with them for the first 10K and then decide if I wanted to crank it up any. And just the opposite happened.

The start was COLD! around 38 I am guessing. I was glad I wore my Nike cold weather tights, at least at first. It did not take me long to shed my throw-away sweatshirt (they eventually get donated to Goodwill!) as I always warm up quickly. Not even 1/2 mile and off it came! I had some throw away gloves that lasted to the 1 mile marker. The start was really a letdown, since our group lined up WAY at the back. Could not hear the star-spangled banner, the announcer, the start, nothing! We just started running as the masses ahead of us took off. Smooth but in some ways I missed the excitement of starting in the middle of the pack. It did not take long for our group to split up. Two ladies we knew were running for time were the first to go, leaving 4 of us...Mark, our pace group leader from A.F., an older guy named Gary and myself with Tiffany. We all met Tiffany's fiancee before the start, really nice guy who it would turn out we'd see 3 more times! Tyron I believe his name was.

Not to quibble, but I was annoyed at our pacer. He was going out too fast, running faster than the 11 min/mile pace I thought he was going to lead....which is what we trained at. It proved to be too much for Tiffany, who was really having difficulty breathing. I decided at the 3 mile mark to stay with her for moral support. I felt so badly for her, she was tough though and stuck it out. Her fiancee met us along the course a couple more times and at the finish, which was cool. He had to do some real scrambling to get around the course with so many roads closed off!!

I felt really strong, but the slower pace did take a toll on my hamstrings, since I was not striding out the same. I adapted overall so it was cool, and I was glad to be able to help encourage Tiffany to finish. She was really grateful and that was nice. I've had runners do it for me - pace me in on a bad day - and I know how it can help. It was time to pay it forward. No regrets at all, it helped really make it a special race....

Great photo ops at the finish line, can't wait to see the pics with the Capital in the background! Super nice medal, best yet.

Helped Dennis put up some siding on his house later in the day. Megs helped with some painting, we ate some dinner and then I took her home.

Next up is the Austin Half Marathon, the last race in the Austin Distance Challenge! This one is flat the first 7 miles, then some killer hills come. I am ready, and excited!!! This will be a huge race, as it's run in conjunction with the Austin Marathon. I will add pics as I get them!!

3M is almost here and the hay is in the barn....

3M has the finest SWAG!

Went out last night for a 5 mile run at Brushy Creek Lake Park. Yup, the same 5 mile route that I had a disastrous run on not too far in the distant past. But that was then, this is now. The calf has healed completely and did not squawk once!

I did my trigger point rollout first and afterwards too, and as always it really makes a difference! I used to have such bad knee pain I would hurt for days. My recovery is getting faster and faster! My run was so, so cool. It was perfect, 65 deg outside so I worked up a good sweat, ran negative splits so I was finishing strong. I'm completely ready for 3M, can't wait to run this with my Austin Fit training group!

I can't wait to post my race report Sunday! :O)

January's "Shit that makes me happy"...

"This is going to be complicated" - Do you know which character said this?

1. Spending time helping some friends on their house. 
2. My calf is healed! Two long runs in my Austin Fit training group (11.2 and 12.3) with no strains!
3. New running friends through Runner's World magazine forums...Paulette and Kristy rock!
4. Learning that some high school friends are coming to Houston in March!
5. Two playoff watching parties. 
6. Bought "The Happiness Project" one sentence journal..happiness takes some effort!
7. New music - "Cough Syrup"; "Nothing"; "Set Fire to the Rain"
8. Movies - Top Gun (classic); Into Temptation; Pride and Prejudice (can't watch this too many times!)
9. LifeTime fitness workouts - especially the elliptical and spin classes...and the weight is finally dropping!

Last word on "The Calf"....I hope!

Soon there will be 4 pieces!! 

I ran a very hilly 12.2 miles with my Austin Fit group yesterday!! Woot!! What a great day to run, sunny, no wind and COLD! I got to wear my Nike running tights and I think they are the best purchase next to my shoes I ever made! Could have run in shorts but it would have taken longer to warm up!
We did a route down Scenic Drive, and in the area of the Run 4 the Water course where I injured the calf to begin with. What sweet revenge! I ran hard up all the hills, including the stairs at Congress Ave on the way back to TxDot where we meet. I felt strong at the end, and had a good sprint with another lady in the group. We were running 8:30 at the last 1/2 mile....:O)

I do have a nagging pain in my left achilles tendon, but hey it's always something right? Could be related to the calf...I'm increasing the Trigger Point exercises and we'll see how it is Weds. Dr Wagenblast has a free injury diagnosis clinic that I can always go to if I think I need it. For now, ice and ibuprofen really helps.

So two weeks until 3M and I think I'm right where I want to be pace wise. I've been running the long Saturday runs with the 11 min/mile group and I feel I'm really holding back, so that's good. I will start with them at 3M and evaluate at about 3-4 mile point. I'm guessing I will move it up to 10:30 at least....I know the pacer and she is excellent!

Megs and I went out to Dennis' place and I helped him get some more siding on, today I wimped and am taking care of this sore Achilles....later we will head out there to watch the Texans. Boring for her, but important to live my life and take her along I think. We can't shop as much as we usually do as I am buckling down some on my finances. We are eating only at home and so far, so good! Cooked Cindy's cheesy potatoes and baked Cod last night, yum!

I want to take a bite out of the Big Apple!

Ok, I am pumped up now!!!!

Perry Huntley,

We have received your application for the ING New York City Marathon 2012. Your entry number is 903482. Please include this number and your name in any correspondence pertaining to this race.

To check your status, or to update/change your personal information, you can log in to your NYRR online runner account.

After the non-guaranteed entry drawing for U.S. and international applicants is held shortly after the application closes on Monday, April 23, we will process the fees for those accepted and e-mail both accepted entrants and those whom we do not accept.

For more information about the ING New York City Marathon, please visit the NYRR website. Thank you for your interest in the ING New York City Marathon 2012.

Best of luck,

New York Road Runners

There are good runs, and then there are GREAT runs!

Forgot to watch it this week! Runners, watch it!

Some days all the stars align, the God(s) looks down favorably on the running nerds of this world, and the weather cooperates. Today was one of those days that affirms why I am a runner.
After missing my long run last Saturday - they did 9 hilly miles - I was really eager to get back with my group today. The route was perfect - MOSTLY flat - and I had "bail-out" routes if the calf totally locked up and I got left behind. But the kicker? It was a scheduled 11 MILES!!!

Monday and Friday I saw Dr Wagenblast, and he did ART on The Calf. Monday I got in 4 good miles at Town Lake, very slow pace...even for me. Thursday I did a treadmill 5K and things were tight but overall encouraging. I did several long gym workouts with cross-training on the spin bike and elliptical. Friday morning I felt really good, with the only exception being a painful twinge in my right hammie that kept coming and going. I did my Trigger Point exercises daily, and skipped them on Friday. Did them this morning before I left the house...

The mental game this week was a tough one. Sure, I had a bad run on the Turkey Trot Thanksgiving day and 10 days later ran 13.1 in the Decker Challenge....but I was not sure I could repeat that comeback....and then one of my new "virtual running buddies", Paulette from Brooklyn, posted a terrific poster on her Facebook page, that said "The voice in your head that says you can't do this is a liar!". That became my mantra today! I was determined that short of seizing up completely, that damn calf was NOT going to stop me. I focused on a lot of positive self talk, every time any doubts popped up. In other words, I talked to myself almost the entire run. I have learned that it really helps to encourage the others in my group, that while telling them how good they look, how strong they are running, it psyches me up every time! Today it paid huge dividends. We were about 9 miles in, and the lead pacer fell back due to stomach issues. The backup pacer came forward and challenged 3-5 of us up front to pick up our pace on an uphill stretch!! This younger lady did just that, and I just stepped up into her slipstream and told myself I was not going to let up, no matter what! And I did not. I felt strong, and tough, mentally when it mattered most. It had nothing to do with anyone around me, really. I popped my ear buds in, and good old Sammy Hagar extorted me...."Right here, right NOW!". Gotta love it when music pushes you over that hill like it does not even exist. We all really felt super and waited to high five the group as they all streamed in. My watch died somewhere around mile 9 I think, and it really does not matter. It was a run I'll never forget.

Thanks again, Paulette!

2012 starts off with a whimper...

The Calf, it bit me in the ass again. I was so excited last Wednesday to be back on the Brushy Creek trail for a short (planned) 5 mile run. The calf felt great and I was coming off a good Saturday long run of 7 miles. I had no cause for concern...until I got about 1 1/2 miles in and the familiar stiffening started again. I still did not panic, since this has been the norm for every run since it happened. Usually it has stretched out and I've been OK after that. I was running a bit faster than I had been, about 10 min/mile pace. Snail slow compared to....well fuck that comparison. It's not 2008 anymore.

So going across the dam at Brushy Creek Lake, it finally totally locked up just like it did on the Turkey Trot. Only faster. I was able to stretch it out and finally hobbled to the 2 /12 mile point, then headed back. I had to stop again and stretch it, and then I was able to jog it back to the car, VERY slowly. In a panic, I called Dr Wagenblast to see if I could get in the next day. No such luck, full and closed Friday.

Fast forward to Monday, saw the doc. Mild strain this time, and I finally had to admit I have not been doing my exercises, and that is not good! So I went to his free Trigger Point stretching class that night, and got it back on track. He was really patient with me as always, and helped me realize I may need to ALWAYS stretch with Trigger Point before and after runs, and ice the calf. It works, so I'm not going to mess around with what works. Twice a day as a minimum!

After my visit I did a slow 4 mile run at Town Lake and although a bit stiff, the calf held up OK. Monday night I hit the gym, as well as Tuesday. I need to get this extra weight off:

All I can say is this is going to motivate me to get that weight off!

This weekend I'm hoping to be back with Austin Fit for my long run. Praying even!

Discovered this gem on a movie (Fever Pitch) soundtrack....love it!