Random Running Ramblings

So, took a 6 mile run today. Here are the random thoughts the marbles knocked loose:



* Ever get a song stuck in your head and it won't fall back out? It has a name - "Ear Worm". I read it in USA today. True Story. Mine today is Paranoia by Green Day.


* I have an irrational fear of Schnauzers. I saw one today on my run that barked and snapped at me and I nearly peed myself. Other dogs? All Cool. I blame the Sheridans and their devil schnauzer Ollie, who I swear might tear your arm off.
* Why do people insist on using those wimpy retractable leashes?? Like they are really going to be able to keep their dog from lunging at me or keep them from wrapping their leash cord around my legs and giving me a rope burn. A leash is meant to tether and control your dog, not to make you tiny yippy dog look like a yoyo on a string. ARGHH!

* Speaking of dogs, I am tired of coming home to a wet spot on the couch where the dogs have been licking their butt while I'm at work. Stay.Off.The.Furniture. Why is that so hard??


* I have no idea how I would ever be able to run with a running group, I am so flipping slow. I would get dropped like a bad habit pretty much immediately.

* Today, I ran 6 miles. It felt like shit, I did a lot of run/walking and longggggggg traffic stops at corners. Somehow, it was my fastest pace yet recently and was TWO.MINUTES. per mile faster than my plan's goal pace. TWO. per MILE. That is totally odd, but I'll take it where I can get it.

* Wanna make a beautician speechless? Try asking them you miss getting perms and wonder what their thoughts are. The look on their face is priceless. I have said that to 3 different beauticians lately, and they all gave me the same look. Guess that is a no.........rats.

* It's scary how close I am to having a household where everyone is over 18. really? How did I stay so young when everyone around me got so damn OLD??

* Kids are awesome. I pass this trio of 7ish year olds on the hill in front of Cozy acres most days on my runs. They are usually standing at the top of the hill racing in some form- running, biking, skateboards, etc. They are good about seeing me trucking up the hill and they wait for me to get past them before they blow the whistle and take off. It's totally cute. The last few times, they have drawn a bike course in chalk going down the hills with several start and finish lines marked and the path they drew itself has all kinds of zigzags and right angles. Anyone who could navigate that course, my hat is off to you. I personally would break my neck. :)

* Their parents are not, however. Last week, I saw a 6ish year old blow through a stop sign on a busy-ish street. He didn't look around at all, wasn't wearing a helmet, and was barefoot. I politely scolded him in my best Mom voice and said "You really should wear a helmet and shoes, you could really get hurt!". His mother walked up form behind and yelled at me, "Mind your own business, bitch." Nice parenting. Fail.

* Loving the weather. It was 78 degrees and sunny this afternoon. I ran in short sleeves and capris and was roasting. Summer, I love you.

There's Nothing Worse Than a Reformed Anything

Let me just preface this with a story from several years ago. The boys and I and my sister Michele and her 2 (at the time) kids took a nice little trip to Denver to visit our other sister Tracy. Tracy had really adopted the whole Colorado lifestyle and was eager to show all her favorite places. She took us up to the top of some mountain -like up where the mountain goats live, which was beautiful, but the air was really really really thin and made some of feel pretty lightheaded and sick. We made some dumb wisecracks to Tracy about "Granolas" in reference to the folks we were meeting in the Denver area. Tracy was pissed and if looks could have killed, we'd all have been dead. Due I think to lack of oxygen, we found this really funny. She still doesn't find the humor in it to this day.

Today I went to a seminar in Pewaukee, WI for work. I don't sit still well and after 90 minutes in the car and 4 hours of seminar, when we broke for lunch and I saw the fried, breaded mystery meat and bacon sandwiches on big white buns and fries, I decided to take a pass, make myself a protein shake I had in the car and take a walk instead to try to get rid of the ants in my pants and be able to focus in the afternoon session. It was starting to rain, but I didn't care much - I had a waterproof coat and an umbrella and a change of shoes in the car if I needed it. It was nice to get out and about and I am part Iron after all, so I already knew I was tough enough not to melt from a few raindrops.

As I finished up and walked towards the entrance there was a little flock of ladies surrounding the entrance puffing on their cigarettes, including the girl who was sitting near me in the classroom. She gives me a look like I have 3 heads for walking around in the rain, and then she says "Don't you have sense to come in from the rain? You didn't even eat lunch!"

I replied by telling her that I had brought something to eat since I know I can't really eat the types of foods they usually serve at seminars. She then clucked her tongue and said, "Yeah I guess you must be all ORGANIC GRANOLA type of person."

My first response was to tell this bitch to suck it, but Tracy's face popped into my mind and the look on her face that day on our trip, and I just had to smile.

My response? "Granola is too high in calories, I'm more free range chicken." And I kept walking. Puff on, bitch.

My Grampa Klumpp is often quoted as saying "There's nothing worse than a reformed anything," and I think that's probably very true....... reformed couch potato, reformed fat chick, reformed smoker. He's also known for asking what the display model at the checkout is and when told it's a tester, responded with "I knew a girl like that once." But that's a story for another time.

I'm Loving It

Well Spring is finally starting to show some sign of springing and I for one could not be happier. Training days are only headed in the direction of harder and longer (I think I just heard Lucas say "That's what she said" as I typed that....) so it's just good to know warmer days are on their way.

Things I love this week:

* watching the snow melt and trying to identify the things that are left behind. Let's face it, the snowbanks are looking a little rough and looking at them got old weeks ago. they are not pretty fluffy piles of whiteness anymore: they are full of sand and grit and trash and are more a dingy gray nasty color. As the fog, rain, and warm temps melt the snow, I like to try to identify the things that emerge from them. Last year, I remember finding the GIGANTIC-EST pair of granny panties I have ever seen. I laughed forever trying to imagine who they might have fit or how they could have ended up in the middle of a snowpile in front of Franklin Middle School.

* Feeling fast and strong on the run. I have no illusions of breaking any land speed records, but the run is on track, ahead of the goals paces set by my Runners World marathon plan, and feeling OK. The last 2 years at this time, I was struggling with IT Band issues, skating the edge of injury, and basically hating where I was in training. I am not hung up on doing well at Madison Marathon in May, just on finishing and feeling good. It is basically a catered training day for me with the big race being IMWI in September. Thinking about it that way is making me much more laid back about the whole thing. Ask me again in September how much I like running, the answer could be different.

* Daylight Savings Time. It's this weekend y'all. It makes me smile every time I look at a calendar and see it again. Longer days, more daylight at times I am actually awake - how could that go wrong??

* Being able to run at 6pm without a headlamp. I pretty much don't have a lot of choice but to run in the evening. Being able to lace up the kicks and go without bring enough light to illuminate Las Vegas is huge for me.

Things that are bugging me this week:

* With Spring comes mud. Lots of mud. And water. I am a magnet for stepping into a mud pit of super puddle and having to run squishy til I get home. My new shoes are now gray. I am not eashing them until it dries up a bit.

* I've lost about 20 pounds, but need to lose about 20 more in my mind. It cannot come off fast enough and it is frustrating me.

* People who can't be supportive or intentionally derail me. Especially people close to me. Mike has taken to making snarky comments to me about what my plans are for the evening. "How many HOURS are you planning to work out tonight?" Thanks, I know I am slow and it takes me a long time to do what I need to do. I actually have a formal plan, detailed online for you to see every day if you are really that interested. I am not just flying by the seat of my pants, but I am following a plan laid out by a coach (in a book anyhow), it's not like I am just some sort of exercise addict or I am just randomly doing a bunch of training for no reason. I'm actually kind of proud that I am starting week 5 of the plan and haven't missed a session or a goal, so be nice and lose the tone and the advice based on nothing. So basically folks, if you can't be constructive or supportive, kindly STFU, mmm-k?