Today is the architect’s birthday. We had a lovely morning – hanging out on our new almost-finished patio drinking coffee. I went for a run, and then we went down the street for lunch burritos.
Tonight we’re hanging at Zoo Brew.
This is the 7th birthday I’ve celebrated with the architect – and I couldn’t be happier about that. This has been a tough year, but there is no one I’d rather buy a birthday beer for. I love you, Mr. Architect!
This week has been busy! Between not getting enough sleep, having only three days to do five days of work (usually I have four days to get my five days in), having two big projects due this week at work, and having all these social engagements, this week has been craZy (with a capital Z)!
Tuesday evening, I totally bailed on my kick-ass new neighbors and our planned taco night. The architect made me dinner, and I was in bed by 8, asleep by 9.
I chose to skip the pool Wednesday morning in lieu of an extra 2 hours of sleep (and that was definitely the right choice). It was only later that day that I remembered that in our party-minds Monday evening, we’d decided to have a cheese party Wednesday evening (the 2nd set of kick-ass neighbors have Wednesdays & Thursdays off, so it seemed a good time to schedule that – at the time).
So – I decided that I would get my swim in Thursday morning. I worked hard all day yesterday, hoping to get home in time for either a run or bike ride before the cheese party. Shortly after 5 PM, I closed up shop, walked out of my office, locked & closed the door. And then, not 5 seconds later, I said, “Fuck.”
Do you know what was in the office? My keys. Car keys. House keys. Office keys. There was no one in the office, and I didn’t have the information I needed to contact people who would let me back in. So I called the architect, and he came & got me. Of course, by the time I got home (with a stop to get cheese & wine), there was no time to exercise pre-cheese. And if you know me, you know that I am never late for a cheese event.
I made a rhubarb crisp, and then there was cheese! And wine! But only a little wine. I had one glass & had just refilled when my neighbor (from kick-ass set #2) requested a garden tour. And since I could talk about nothing but my garden for days on end, I, of course, obliged.
I told everyone all about the evil mole that I will slaughter with my bare hands (if I ever catch it), all the different produce that we have, the problem with slugs, and this weird creeping disease that’s plaguing some of our greens. I was in the raised bed gardens talking, and decided that instead of turning around & walking out like a normal person, I would continue to talk and back out like a graceful person. There is one problem though – I am not a graceful person.
I tripped over the side of the raised bed & went ass over teakettle. I did not, however, drop my glass of wine – and only spilled about half of it. I would’ve felt ever so much better if I’d actually had more than 1 glass of wine pre-fall – because falling while drunk is funny. Falling due to stupidity/clumsiness is just pathetic. *sigh*
So, I have a pretty bruise on the back of my right heel (where I hit it on the side of the garden) and general soreness. And now this overwhelming fear that my kick-ass new neighbors are going to start avoiding me since every time we hang out, I fall down.
Today, the architect drove me to work, so no morning workout today, either! However, I will yoga tonight, and will run/swim tomorrow. I’ll probably bike on Saturday & then I’m doing a trail run with a kick-ass person who is not my neighbor on Sunday, so although I’m not hitting all my workouts, I should get most of them. And, I really was treating this as my last week of ease before marathon training starts June 1 (holy crap).
I didn’t measure or take corn pics last night (due to the fact that I was falling out of my garden), but rest assured, most of the little corns are doing well. There are a few scrawny stragglers (I’m looking at you, James Corn), but Carrie Corn is pretty much the queen of the corn field!
Happy Thursday, peeps!
And good luck all you crazy marathoners in San Diego this weekend! The Ambitious One & Mr. Pi, Aron, Tara, Maritza, Danica, Julianne, Amanda, Kristen, Maddy, Shelly, and anyone else I may have inadvertantly left off the list. I’m sad I’m not there to see everyone’s San Diego abs, but I know you’re all going to ROCK this thing! Have fun & run strong!
I don’t think I’ve blogged about my kick-ass new neighbors yet (hi kick-ass new neighbors!), and I’m not sure I have the energy to do so today. I am sleeeeeeeeeepy.
I had a great weekend – the architect & I are making a patio in our backyard, so we worked hard on digging & lugging & hauling & being all strong & stuff. I bought a grill, so we grilled Friday evening & then again last evening.
I had my great trail race on Sunday.
Last night, our kick-ass new neighbors came over & we grilled up some corn & various meat products. We had rice & drinks. And then, once again, we had more drinks. And soon, it was the middle of the night! (for me, that’s any time after 11 on a school night.)
And so, I went home. Drank some water and went to bed. Which is exactly what I would like to do RIGHT NOW!
Tonight, I think there are going to be tacos. But probably not beer – at least not for me!
The good news is that I think everyone escaped last night without injury. No broken toes, no bruised tailbones….so we’re definitely making progress!
I hope everyone else had an equally kick-ass weekend!
Monday: REST!
Tuesday: 10 mile bike ride + pushups + weights
Wednesday: morning swim/afternoon run (3 miles)
Thursday: yoga + pushups + weights
Friday: run/swim/run (5 mile run)
Saturday: 15 mile bike
Sunday: run – length to be determined – maybe 5-6 miles
Again – it’s all about flexibility & listening to my body. If I’m still sore on Wednesday before the run, I’ll skip it. Basically, I just want to run a total of 1.5 miles this week to beat my May 2008 run totals – no real pressure!
I also have my goals for next week.
May 18-24
Monday: Easy 3 miles
FAIL! Kind of! I took a rest day for no good reason other than it was hot – but I made it up the next day
Tuesday: 60 minute bike ride
I ran 3.5 miles in the AM to make up for Monday’s skipped run. In the evening, the architect & I tooled around our neighborhood on the bikes. He helped me practice my shifting & turning skills. We ended up at about 10 miles total.
Wednesday: AM swim; PM trail run
I did my AM swim, but traffic was so bad, that I couldn’t get to the trail to meet my friend for our run, so I went home & sulked.
Thursday: yoga
I ran 4.5 miles in the morning to partially make up for skipping my Wednesday run. It was hard. I did, of course, go to yoga – and it was awesome. I FINALLY hit Crow pose (for a half second, but still! yay!) and then I went home & drank all the beers in North Portland.
Friday: Easy 5 miles; swim
Due to the fact that I was hurting from my 8 miles of running this week, and listening to the advice of some, I took Friday off altogether. I did some weeding, finished putting my new grill together, and planted the rest of my garden.
Saturday: 60 minute bike ride
Again, no exercise – I bruised my tailbone in a small falling down incident on Thursday, so did not want to sit on a bike seat. Instead, I dug up my yard for 2 hours in my continuing quest to eliminate all of the grass in my yard. The architect thwarted me by finishing our beautimous trellis and the planting grass behind it.
Sunday: 20K trail race (I will post later this week about my trail race goals).
I chose not to post about my race goals, because the way I was feeling late in the week, I realized that I did not have too many goals. My #1 goal was to finish the 20K & not feel like I felt post- half marathon. I tried to treat the race as just another long run, only with uncommonly good support (seriously – best race support ever). I averaged about 13 minute miles over the 12.4 mile course (that had 935′ in elevation gain). I finished not last and I felt good at the end. And then, I had a Coke! and it was good. The Cheetah, who also did the race, finished about 10-15 minutes before me, which is only remarkable because she ran an extra couple of miles AND was still in line for the porta-potty when the race started. She is a machine!
Other – push-ups at least TWICE! Weights – TWICE! Abs – THREE TIMES!
I did my pushups twice & abs once. I did nothing else, but I did work on an at-home weights program that I will implement in the next week.
And now, for the mini-race report.
The race started at Lower Macleay Park in NW Portland. The first (and last) 1.4 K were on Lower Macleay Trail, and most of the rest was on Wildwood Trail (although the turnaround involved running up the Firelane 1 Connecter which was a very steep .1 K, and then .1 K on the fireline before turning around).
I tried really hard to just keep a steady pace & not get upset when people passed me. I think I succeeded – although a lot of people passed me. Almost everyone in fact. It was so beautiful today, and most of the race I was by myself on the trails – which was kinda nice.
The aid station at 9.9 K was FANTASTIC! They had fruit, and gels, and cookies, candy, salt, just about everything you’d want. I had two cookie pieces & 1 payday piece & 2 glasses of water before turning around.
The out & back trail was kind of nice, because a) you had an idea of what to expect & b) it was definitely a LOT more downhill on the way back!
I think I was only passed by 2 people on the way back – including the Cheetah.
At the finish line, I grabbed a coke & a piece of a Poptart, 2 handfuls of peanut M&Ms, and a bowl of chili! After I finished my coke, I had a diet coke (n0 reason to get carried away just because I just burned 1000 calories running) & then headed home. The shirts are awfully cute – but pretty girly! I’m not seeing too many of the men wearing theirs about town. 
Overall, although I had some pain durning running (right arch, both knees, right hip flexor), I felt pretty strong at the finish line. I was pretty glad to be done, but am not sapped of energy like I was after the Hippie Chick half.
I enjoyed the race so much that I think I’d recommend it over the Hippie Chick any time – and will probably do that instead of the Hippie Chick next year.
Friday night I was in a grouchy mood & was bitching to the architect that I was going to quit running because it was too hard, and it hurt my body (although not as much as falling off a stool at one’s neighbors’ home & bruising your tailbone, not that I’ve done that) and that I was just going to get fat again, because exercise was stupid.
I think it’s safe to say that urge has passed. I guess I’m still a runner!
I hope you’re enjoying your weekend – I know I am!
And now – time for that post-race beer!
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