For anyone who is interested in how my first Peachtree Road Race went, I blogged all about it over at Metroblogging Atlanta. (I blog about Atlanta over there a few times a week.) You can always see my last five posts there by clicking on the links over on the bottom right. Check it out, because they have some great writers blogging about the city in interesting ways.
Archive for the ‘Health and Fitness’ Category
Peachtree Race Report
Friday, July 6th, 2007I Did It
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007I ran the Peachtree. I am too pooped for words, so will have to update later on the details. It was pretty uneventful, but fun, and I am glad I did it.
Thanks to Nat and Steph for pointers/moral support, and congrats to Camille and Tara, who also finished their first one today.
Must sleep now.
Update-O-Rama
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007Phew! I am worn out. I never thought running 6.2 miles would take this much pre-planning. That planning is still in the works (coordinating transportation, childcare/husband, pre and post-race meetups, etc.)
Ran an easy 4 miles yesterday. I was way slow, but the knee seems to have healed nicely with the week-plus time off. I think cardio-wise, the 6.2 will be harder than it should have been for me, but with the conservative use of the knee, my body is going to thank me. Today I’m just resting up and thinking about a guilt-free big pasta dinner. I am also kind of excited about seeing the spectacle of it all. Should be a fun morning, once i get past that wakeup. I am not remotely human before sunup.
Still trying to work out networking issues. Having a complete bitch of a time uploading any pictures to Flickr.
Kids on a hike at Bill’s Mountain. They are all holding rocks. They evidently made a game of throwing rocks at a fallen tree. I don’t really know, because I was back at the cabin drinking beer on the porch.More Lake Lure pics here.
Holy Crap. I Ran Seven Miles.
Sunday, June 10th, 2007Wrote this up yesterday and forgot to click Publish:
Long day. Got up with kiddos at 7 am. Fixed breakfast and changed diapers. Waited till Todd got up and then went for my run at 9 a.m. Would have liked to go earlier, but Todd had only had a few hours of sleep the night before, so I didn’t want to wake him.
Anyway, did my 7 miler today. I am kind of amazed that I did it. If you had told me six months ago that I would be able to run from my house in East Atlanta, all the way to Grant Park, and back, I would have told you that was crazy talk. I walked parts (hill up Ormewood to Boulevard? Riiiiighht.. . sure, I’m gonna run up that thing. No problem.) But for the most part, I ran it. I conquered some smaller hills that would have beaten me a month or so ago, so that was good. Also, my pace was faster than last week’s six miler, although not as fast as the 6 mile run of a couple weeks ago. I brought water this time, and didn’t wait until noon. I am smart like that.
In other exciting parts of my run, I was allowed to refill my water at the lovely home of Carrie and Charlotte in Ormewood (many thanks to them – I miscalculated my water stops this time around), and I witnessed the Start of a race at the Brownwood Bike Rally, which probably messed up part of my time, but was kind of cool to see. There was a kid on a tricycle, and a guy on a unicycle. Pretty awesome.
I was back in time to just about kill myself getting myself and kids dressed for Scarlett’s birthday party, and to clean house in case random buyers wanted to purchase said house, which – let’s be honest – ain’t ever gonna happen.
All in all, a lovely day. Proud of me, proud of my ability to skip cupcakes after the 7 miles. Maybe I will lose a freakin’ pound one of these days.
Below, the resisted cupcakes, being consumed by husband and kids.
Deep Thoughts from Middle Georgia
Friday, June 8th, 2007Mostly, I’m thinking: So, the United States is making it their business to police the world, but they can’t even keep Paris Hilton in prison for 72 hours. . . .
In other ultra-exciting news: This has been my worst exercise week ever. Between the in-laws and parents and the number of sweets they have lying around, and the being on the road, and the heat of central Alabama and Georgia, and the wine drinking required to weather all of this, I am surprised I managed to get any exercise in. I did seek out the YMCA in fabulous Warner Robins, GA today. It is vastly different from the one I use in Atlanta. Gravel driveway. No air conditioning. Old machines that wobble. No pool. All in one big sheet metal, barn-like building. But hey, i did today’s run.
I was supposed to do it yesterday and x-train today, but that didn’t happen. Just like Saturday’s run didn’t happen until Monday, which knocked off both Monday and Wednesday schedules. It would have been easier to catch up if I had been at home, instead of a town that is all four-lane highways with no sidewalks. Okay, actually, when I was leaving the Y today, I took a back way home and found a good long place to run where I won’t be roadkill. But jesus. There are no trees out there.
Anyway, today’s run was not the best, but I did four miles and then checked out the new Starbucks here in town. I should say, the first and only Starbucks. It was funny to see old Ford pickup trucks with gun racks in the drive-thru.
Will be home tomorrow, as will Todd, so I can stop living on the charity of family.
Worst. Run. Ever.
Tuesday, June 5th, 2007You can’t even call it a run, because i was so freakin’ slow. I ran at my in-laws, in eastern middle Alabama, which is usually awesome, because they live in the middle of the woods, basically, in a huge neighborhood. Not a lot of cars, lots of wildlife, lake views, etc.
Yesterday, though, I had to go at almost noon. It was hot and muggy, and I didn’t bring water. They didn’t have any water bottles lying around, and so I figured I would stop and get water at the fire station, the golf clubhouse, and/or the driving range. Turns out they don’t have spigots on buildings around golf courses. I guess it is all on a sprinkler system. My first three miles were fine, maybe even faster than normal pace, but man, when I figured out there was no water to be had, and I still had three miles to go, with no chance of finding water between there and home, I was just not feeling it. Oh, and I got lost. Again.
I finished, with much walking, much cramping, and a fuckload of cussing at myself.
Lesson learned.
6.2 Miles = 1hr 28 min 31secs (14 minutes 17 seconds pace)
Catcalls from construction workers: 2 (What were they thinking? I must have looked like death eatin’ a ham sandwich.)
Morose: Marked by or expressive of gloom
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007One of those days where everything just seems so hard. Even using complete sentences. Getting out of bed. Going for a run. Getting house cleaned for showing, even though no one is ever going to fucking buy it anyway. Taking kids to sister’s, where Rollie craps in his pants, and we have to put women’s shorts on him for lunch at Fellini’s. Fall asleep on couch thinking husband is sick in bed upstairs and miss out on opportunity for nap time sex. Go to dinner with kids and husband and baby throws food everywhere. (Silver lining: Both of my kids are pieces of gold compared to brats in restaurant at same time, and whose parents seem immune to their screams. Take the cotton out of your ears, y’all, your kids are a fucking nuisance. Please remove them from the establishment.) Get home and realize no time to get in run before dark, so get bike out for a 30-minute ride and find tires need inflating and will not have time for ride either. Wonder why physically incapable of getting out of bed before seven. Water garden (illegally? Too morose to check watering restrictions) while thinking that for being this tired, you should have accomplished something. Anything.
Go drink beer and watch t.v. Not even energy to write or blog. Okay. Always energy to blog.
I like the word gloom. Feeling gloom? Not so much.
Saturday Run
Sunday, May 27th, 2007I cannot believe i am not more tired after running six miles and then helping my sister move all day. Also? Ikea is affordable for a reason: You have to put a LOT of shit together. Like, seriously, hundreds of small pieces.
I usually run outside on weekends, but today was a definite no-go. There was smoke everywhere, so I headed to the gym. Running on the treadmill for six miles is just plain boring, but I knocked it out.
Saturday run: 6 miles – 70 minutes, 20 seconds. (11:43 pace, which is pretty fast for me at this distance.) Um, also, I have never run that far before.
I’m Pooped and Negligent
Thursday, May 24th, 2007I have been exercising a lot lately. I wish I could do all the things in my life that I just don’t have time to do. Exercise more? Blog less. If I could just figure out how to get, like, 48 hours into one day. In the meantime, I guess I will combine the two.
My week so far:
Fixed chain on bike and pumped up tires to make sure the thing still works.
Monday: Ran two miles (2o minutes,) then ran up and down a hill for fifteen minutes to overcome fear of “The Hill.” Did not work. Am still frightened of the hill.
Tuesday: X Train – Swam .5 miles = 19 minutes, 18 seconds.
Biked 13 miles (stationary) = 36.03. Also ran 11:54 mile to see what legs felt like. Answer: Jelly.
Wednesday: Ran 3.91 miles in 45 mins = 11 min 31 sec pace.
Thursday: Swam 1 mile. (Timed second .5 mile at 19:26:29)
Tomorrow: Off
Saturday: 6 miles, plus Lisa’s move, minus kids, then drive to lake.
Tonight – Helping Leelee pack for the big move this weekend. There better be pizza.