The Express

I'm a Syracuse University alumni and as a result of that I am totally psyched about The Express starting this Friday. The Boston Alumni Club is going to a preview of the movie, but I won't be here because I'll be in Hartford so I can't go, but I definitely want to see it when I get back. 

Yes, I know the football team is horrifically bad, but I still love them just the same. I bleed orange - although it certainly looks red from this experience - no matter how good or bad the 'cuse teams are doing.

Go 'Cuse!!

My Incident with an Inspection Sticker

You know those little inspection stickers that you find in our clothes? They typically are about one centimeter in diameter with a number on them? Yeah, well this is my story of how I got one stuck to the area on my bum right above my bum crack. Yes, re-read that sentence. Yes, please, go ahead and laugh hysterically and read it again. At some point though, please read the rest of this and find out how that happened.

On Saturday I went with a long run with my running group. It was really hot and humid. I did 15 miles and when I finished I was completely soaked. I looked like I had jumped in a pool and didn't dry off. It was so hot that a piece of gum that was in my fuel belt melted. I changed into some dry clothes, left the group and drove home. When I got home I had some more fluid and some peanut butter toast. At that point, I thought a shower sounded like a good idea.

I showered like I normally do - wash the hair, the face, loofah the body. Then I was rinsing off. I usually rub my hand over my skin to get the soap off rather than just stand in the water. So I'm rubbing away when my hand crosses over the spot right above my bum crack. That's when I feel this mark almost like a scab and I immediately think, "oh no, my underwear chafed me that bad?" I was not happy so I cranked my head around to see how bad it was.

That's when I saw the inspection sticker. So I think "oh! It's just the inspection sticker from my shorts." (Now, my shorts weren't new and I've washed them multiple times so I have no idea why it was still there.)

It's a sticker no big deal, I'll just wipe it off, right? Wrong! The inspection sticker was stuck to my butt! The glue had actually gotten so hot that it re-glued to my butt! I had to take peel it off along with all the little hairs that are there, which really didn't feel great. Then the glue was still there so I had to re-soap up the loofah and scrub the hell out of that spot.

After much scrubbing I was able to remove the inspection sticker and glue from my butt. This was not my proudest moment, but hey, it is pretty funny. So please check your running clothes carefully for any stickers when you're heading out for a super-hot long run before inspector number 112 finds you.

Training Update: Week of 7.14.2008

This week started out well and ended with the beginning of a heat wave. I believe the official start of the heat wave was Friday, Saturday was the hottest and it's still bad today (Sunday). Here's a recap of my week.

Tuesday
Easy run with stretching
This was a nice outing. Just an easy run to start the week. I like starting the week with this nice easy run, but I sometimes feel like I am left wanting more.

Wednesday
120 second hill repeats with gradually increasing difficulty of pace
Another good workout. I feel like I attract jerks though. Here's the thing... I am running up the hill - keep in mind I have already done a 2 mile warm up, drills and strides - and this man in a business suit is walking down the hill with gigantic bag sticking out at his side. I look up and see him while I'm about 10 feet away so I think, "OK. This guy is going to move to his right." Well, the man does not move so at the last minute I dodge to the right a smidge, but my elbow clips his bag. I think absolutely nothing of it because clearly this guy must know how difficult it is to move side to side while running up a hill at a pretty good pace. Well much to my surprise, he does not know what that is like because as I run back down the hill and pass him again - this time not hitting him - he spits. Yes, he actually spits. So I think well just another disgusting person spitting. Then I run back up the hill for my second repeat. He walks right in front of me and says as I run by, "Do you want to run into me again?" Man I was so mad. I sprinted up that second hill (which later proved to be my fastest hill) with all the frustration he put in me. Now, I know he will not read this post because hey, he's obviously not a runner, but just in case... Mr. Business Suit man, I hope that I hit your bag and that the sweat I produced during my intense workout splattered all over you. I hope that next time you will not spit at me like a coward when my back is to you. I hope that next time you will wait for me at the bottom of the hill so as not to interrupt my workout. I hope that you will someday again say to me, "Do you want to run into me again?" because I can't wait to say, "No I want to punch you in the face." And then I will punch you and I will run away because I am that fast and that awesome. So take that Mr. Business Suit man! Oh... and one last thing... thank you for the motivation so I could have a great workout.

Friday
Easy run with barefoot strides
No business suit man on today's run, just the usually man at the track. I am convinced he's an ultra runner because I see him there every time I go just running around and around and around and around and around and around. I have no idea how many times he goes around that track, but he is dedicated. He is there at the exact same time every single day. It's really impressive. So far we've just exchanged the "hello" and the "oh you should run closer to the sprinkler, it's so refreshing" comments, but someday, if I don't feel like I'm interrupting his workout, I'll ask him what he's up to. And back to my workout... it was humid today, lots of sweat. Barefoot strides are my new most favorite thing. I love strides. I also love running around barefoot because that's what I always did as a kid. So love + love = superlove. I super love barefoot strides.

Saturday
Long run
The plan was 12 easy miles and then two a little harder and two a little harder than that. However, when I was pouring sweat at mile 3 like I had already run 10 miles I knew I was in for a tough day. The whole crew was out today - Sarah, Paul, John and myself. I love running with this group on long runs, we seem to always have something to talk about and when we're not talking it's a comfortable silence. I know I suck up to my group every week, but they really are awesome. We just need a group name... . So the first 12 was hot and humid. John & Paul left somewhere around the 12 mile mark because they were planning to do 13-14. Sarah and I continued on for our 16-17. All of a sudden I can feel my body burning up. It was really just from the cheeks of my face up. Then Sarah says, "wow, do you feel like it just got hotter all of a sudden" and I couldn't have agreed with her more. I said "yeah, it feels like my face is really red." She glances over at me and agrees that it in fact is really red. I told her I didn't think I would be able to add on the extra loop at the end of our run to make it to 16, let alone add on two to make it 17. She agreed and noted that our perceived exertion for today was probably longer than what we were actually running. It was just unbearably hot and humid today. We ended up cutting back to 15 miles. I was happy be did and confident that we made the right decision for our body. It was actually so hot that a piece of gum I had left in my fuel belt and melted. And it was so hot that I had an odd incident with an inspection sticker, which is so hilarious (at least to me) that I've posted it separately (click here).

All in all good week, but please humidity go away!

Total Weekly Miles: 30 miles

Janette vs. The Storm Cloud

I went out for a nice easy run tonight. I was really questioning going out. I had this urge in the pit of my stomach that said, "man, I really don't want to go tonight. Couldn't I just skip this one?" I just had a bad feeling, but I knew there was a reason this was planned, a reason why I should do it. After all, I believe everything happens for a reason and that we are always where we should be. I reminded myself that this is the plan and if I had no really legitimate reason for missing it, then I would just have to get out there and do it.

I left around 4:30pm and all was going smoothly until about 35 minutes in. I had actually been thinking about a post for my blog when at that moment, I turned around and saw this gigantic navy blue storm cloud! That's right, it wasn't black, it was navy blue and that's how I knew it was bad. I could even see the layers in the clouds. It was unbelievable. So for the remainder of my run, I went at more of a get-me-away-from-this-freakin'-storm-cloud-and-back-into-my-apartment-safely pace than an easy pace.

I somehow managed again to finish my run again before the rain (I did this Friday night too). Except this time I missed a lot more than rain. According to News Channel 5, I missed 60 mile an hour wind gusts, hail and torrential downpours. Here's the picture of the Doppler I took when I flipped the news on when I got home - my house is somewhere in that red. Following the Doppler are two pictures of the clouds that were over my head as I finished my run.



I made my dinner while I watched this storm pass by. It was pretty incredible. There was one particular crack of thunder/lightning that I was pretty sure killed my building because it triggered the alarm to go off. I was pretty freaked out, but of course taking my deep, relaxing yoga breaths. Within 20 minutes the temperature had dropped from 77 degrees to just 66. I spent quite a few moments here thanking whatever power it was that I went for my run when I did and made it back when I did. If I hadn't, I probably would have been either stuck under a tree somewhere or holed up in a gas station awaiting the end of the storm.

The sun was already coming back out on my way to teach gentle hatha yoga. How poetic is that? A big storm to end a run and then sunshine for yoga. I love it! (Please note the photo below - I do not typically take pictures while driving.)

And then as if the weather couldn't get any more interesting (yes, I'm a nut about the weather, big deal. I love it. If Dave is reading this he has been laughing and calling crazy the entire time.) the sunset out my apartment window was gorgeous!

Tonight at my yoga class, I left my students with this thought: "you are just where you should be." For me, that meant I went for my run just when I should have, I did the route I did and the amount of time & distance because I should have. I didn't know at the time why I was doing all this, but looking back I realize it was so I could stay safe and out of the mess of the storm we had tonight. So the next time you're wondering why you're doing something you shouldn't be or you're having the time of your life or you're just wrapped up in your loved ones arms, just remember, you are always where you should be.

[A lot of people tend to disagree with me on this "everything happens for a reason" and "you are just where you should be" idea. I welcome all your comments whether you agree or not, but please no this is just my opinion and keep an open mind about it as I will keep an open mind free of judgement on any comments you may post.]

Sleep, Pain & Hills

I'm blaming the full moon - and not my terrible diet as of late or my silly little schedule because of course those have been perfect [insert sarcasm here] - on the fact that my sleep the past two nights has just been terrible. On Monday night, I woke up almost every hour tossing and turning and dreaming crazy weird things. Tuesday night I decided to stay up late watching the Celtics beat LA in the NBA finals (haha Kobe!) and then my body was awake at 4am. And to top it all off the other night I watched this sleep study that in a nutshell said decreased sleep can lead to reduced intelligence and not to mention type 2 (I believe it was type 2) diabetes when extremely sleep deprived. Here is the article from 60 Minutes. Check it out... it'll motivate you to go to bed and stay there for at least your 8 hours. And if you love sleep as much as I like to, you might even be there for 12!

I did a 7 mile hill workout tonight and I have to tell you I was scared. Why? Well because hills hurt. I had to keep reminding myself that pain is pleasure (please read that as pain is pain and you should stop the activity, but discomfort or a new sensation is not pain and you may continue the activity, but most importantly listen to your body). All I had to do was take it one hill at a time and push through each one nice and steady one step at a time. And that's what I did. I have to admit that I did get a little motivation from these two quotes:

It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys.
-- Emil Zapotek

To keep from decaying, to be a winner, the athlete must accept pain - not only accept it, but look for it, live with it, and learn to accept it.
-- Dr. George Sheehan

I felt good during the workout, but I definitely needed this motivation to push me through. I feel like I've been recovering very well lately, but with my increased mileage this week we'll see how that turns out. I'll be certain to get my sleep for the next couple runs I have planned this week.