we keep up the good fight. we keep our spirits light.

(Best photo ever! by Audrey)
My condo finally closed yesterday. Done, gone, finished. Breathe. Ben and I celebrated with a peachy bottle of Cava he picked up, and then LOTS of beer with Amy, Audrey, and Kenny at pizza night. We were quite... happy. Yup. And now we're a one-house family.

I'm super sore. Yesterday I thought it might be that I'm getting sick, and I spent a good hour of quality time with my stick. On this morning's (hung over) run, I realized it was because I snuck an extra 5 miles into last week's schedule, making it the most weekly mileage I've ever run, and more than 40, on top of every night on my feet at the races. That's why I'm sore.

I'm getting the same feeling I got last year at this time-- that this is a ton of training for one race. I'm looking at adding a second marathon in late May or early June- Madison? Grandma's? Someone talk me out of it. Race fees for Madison go up tomorrow, so I might just register tonight.

race report: snow.

So, first race of the season, Shamrock Shuffle 8k, and my goal was about 48 min. Then it snowed. Alot.

Woke up this morning to a whiteout. I've run in worse, but I've never been stuck in a start corral for 30 minutes in worse. The problem I had to solve was how to be warm/dry enough for the ride there and the corral wait, yet be dressed ok for the run. I decided to forget the gear check- that would leave me cold and wet in the coral- and run with a backpack instead. Dressed for a wet windy run, then bike raingear and overshoes, and rolled out.

It was cold. And wet. When we slow folks finally got to go, it was a good half hour after they corralled us. I took the waterproof layers off, shoved them in the bag, and crept forward.

There was a distinct soundtrack to this race, something like "schlook schlook schlook." The whole way through, 1-2" of slush. Hard on the knees and ankles at places. Really loud. Didn't get to look around at all, spent the whole time looking down and watching the pavement and trying not to get run into. I don't think I want to run the Chicago Marathon anymore. These crowds, they're not for me.

Aside from that, what's to say? it was 5 miles, I run that almost every day. I could have gone faster, I didn't really push. Conditions sucked. 51:02, slower than even my morning training runs (with stoplights and Molly stops.) Still in the top half of both women and my division, which at least offers some comfort.

They were giving away free Michelob Ultra at the finish, but I made a beeline home for a hot shower and accompanying shower beer instead. Half Acre love.

exhale...

(Photo: Audrey) The madness is over!
Yesterday I ran a 20. It wasn't bad at all. I carried a bottle and ate on the 5's, but hit lows mentally at 8, 12, and 16. Odd. Molly ran 10 of it with me. One more 20 to go.

Last night's final crit of the week was a bit zany. Audrey brought robot costumes, Dan picked up a "Half Acre Cycling Loves You" cake, and we were all a little stir crazy from 5 days of the same. It was super cold, the field was small, and we had fun with it. We wrapped the paperwork up last night, and now it's officially closed, done, and over. We made a little money, which is nice. Makes it more likely we'll do it next year.

This morning I was supposed to race a crit with teammate Mia. Weather was calling for 35 degrees and snow, so we flaked. I woke up to see snow was re-scheduled for 4pm and regretted that decision. Punished myself on the trainer for 45 min instead while watching the best movie ever, Josie and the Pussycats. (Sprint on the music!)

not eating dinner can eff you up.

(photo of Erica and Mike by Amy) Seriously. All week I've been at Calumet Park, missing dinner. And, whaddya know? I've lost 5 lb. My workouts are starting to suffer. My legs ache. I've had side stitches on the morning runs. And I'm just feeling kinda cloudy.

Yeah, normally losing weight is good. But I'm superstitious, and I don't want to lose weight on a peak mileage week. I want to lose it three weeks ago. Right now, I just want to get through this weekend's 20. And crit. And 8k race. Wowsa. Not a good time to shave pounds or cut calories.

Personal issues aside, this week's races are shaping up as not only a good idea but well liked. As in, wowsa! We had to turn 8 riders away last night because the field was full! A credit to seriously great teamwork- Erica and Audrey and Dan and everyone else just taking the reins and getting problems solved. Warm and fuzzy. Raced with love. I'm actually thinking we might do this again next year... and that if we don't someone else will. Oh, and guess what Road Cat 5 rider raced last night? Hopefully he'll tell you all about it.

working out the kinks, in a field of blue.

(image: Amy) Last night we figured it out. Erica and Audrey had most of the course set up before I got there, Erica reshuffled the registration paperwork so that it worked better for her and Mike, the roads were still cleared from the work the Cuttin Crew and our team did on Monday, the lights were on, the cops showed up to help, our kit came in, and suddenly the event was aglow with blue love. LOVE.
Even our spiffy new wool team socks showed up. FINALLY, wool team socks. I've waited years for these, and they look and feel awesome. The best part is the instep, printed with "race with heart." Hearts.
I'm actually finding myself with little to do at the races, since the other ladies are running the registration and marshal operations like rockstars. Dan is using his brand new license to pitch in and help with the officiating, so I'm just around in case of problems/emergencies. And to shout at teammates, by name, loudly.

The legs were tired this morning, though. I'm still running faster than I did all winter, which I'll credit to PERFECT running weather these spring mornings. 50 degrees. Ideal.

badly behaved.

So, for all that happened (and didn't happen) yesterday, naturally what stands out in my mind is how embarrassed I am at what a freak I acted like. I was at the end of my rope by about 6:55pm, seriously. And nothing excuses me being a weirdo. The fact is, all the people whom I haven't seen all winter who came out to support the race and asked "how's it going?" didn't want to hear about our troubles with the police or the route or the kit order or my troubles with my place. They wanted to hear, "yay, winter's over, how are you? Thanks so much for coming." But like I said, I was at the end of my rope, so instead they got some tirade about somethingorother. I take it all back. Thank you for coming.
Here's excuse #1: the place I've been trying to sell for 9 mos is finally closing on 3/30. I get a call last Wed that we have the wrong insurance and I have till 5pm Monday to produce the right stuff. Yesterday at 11am I got a call saying it would cost $1000+ to get the right insurance, and then I didn't get the paperwork till 4:47pm. That's right. 15 min before the deadline that would ruin the deal, less than 30 min before I was supposed to be at Calumet Park, I was staring at the fax machine thinking encouraging thoughts. It all worked out in the end, but it was expensive, and the stress probably took 5 years off my life.
Here's excuse #2: There were several last-minute issues with city departments, as expected, and one that necessitated a change in route. OK, so we can handle that. Little stuff, right? I guess it all just added up.
I mean, Audrey and Erica were rock stars. The Cuttin' Crew was there before I was, sweeping up the course. And everyone pitched in so happily. We had 52 racers and a good time in the end, nobody got hurt, everyone seems happy. It worked. (How the hell did that work?) I guess now that it's started it's such a group effort that I feel really, really relieved. This is where I say my team is the BEST TEAM EVER, but seriously, every single rider that showed up to help made me believe.

My midweek workouts are 5 milers this week, and I'm trying to kick them up to get my pace ready for Sunday's 8k. Despite 5 hours of sleep, this morning was fast.

Oh, and +1 race to this year's calendar. So far, 9 riders from Half Acre Cycling are going to Chequamegon.

a weekend more like a weekend.

Trying to forget about the big things hanging over my head (selling my place, a week of races, work) and just live. Saturday i rolled my ankle pretty hard just a mile into the run. Stopped for a few minutes, started walking home, and it was feeling better. So I ran back toward my neighborhood, and it was feeling fine, so I kept running to finish the 12 mile workout. Then after I got home it got big and puffy, and this morning it hurt like hell. Dumb, dumb, dumb. When will I learn?

But yesterday afternoon, Ben and I got things done. New glasses, grocery shopping, pick up little things we needed, cleaning up the old place... that kind of things.

Today Audrey and I saddled up for a ride to Calumet to figure out some final details for the week. While checking out the 100th street underpass, we found an unlabeled road that snakes up to the tracks. I love riding with Audrey because a bike ride turns into an urban exploring mission, and we find cool things hidden in odd places. And bloody maries. Did I mention those? Yes, of course.

the perils of running in Fargo.

I had 5 miles to log, and going with the "let's see how many random places I can run in" theme, I hit up Map My Run and found this. My hotel was one block off the route, it included a nice riverfront path, what could go wrong? Sounds like fun.

At 7am, later than I usually set out, it was still completely dark out. Wednesday's sunshine melted off part of the blizzard remnants, which were now hiding as black ice all over the sidewalks. I ran in the empty streets. I hit the end of 6th and went into the park, expecting the path to be down by the river, but instead, see a path on the other side of the river and a bridge that sort of suspends itself in the air, with no way up there. I refuse to believe the folks of Fargo are all just fantastic at jumping up there. I don't get it.

So, at dawn, I turn back, and find another "bike route" path further back along 6th. I jump on to it, and immediately ice has me sliding on my butt down into the river valley. OK, back up, running slow just in case. The path is a sheet of ice. Run a little farther, and BAM! About 5 mountains of snow, taller than the lamp posts, had been conveniently placed in the middle of the running path. I run in the adjacent field instead, which used to be tall grass, and I twist my ankle when I step on one of the stalks wrong. Ugh.

Continuing on, the path crosses a road. And that's where I learn, for the first of several times that morning, where the sidewalk ends. Fed up, I ditch the idea of riverfront running and head back into town. And promptly get stopped by a very long train crossing. (BNSF 2912, Ben, FYI.) It's getting lighter out, traffic is picking up, I can finally see the ice, but I'm starting to worry that I'll be late for work.

I turn South, past a lovely park, and fall on the ice AGAIN. Then give up, turn around, and head back. 5 miles. FFffffffffargo.

oyarite.

So, I'm always tired, I'm cranky, and I'm feeling burned out. Could it be that my mileage is about to top out for this training cycle? Ka-ching! Dang, it took me forever to put my finger on that one. Duuuuuh.

Fast 5 with Fartleks on Tue AM, then 3 with Audrey Tue PM, 8 at pace this morning, and 5 in Fargo's 19 degrees tomorrow. Since it's a step-back week with a shorter long run on Sat, I'm trying to make up with it with more SPEED. (I saw this in a movie about a bus that had to speed around a city, keeping its speed over 50, and if its speed changed, it would explode! I think it was called, "The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down.")

And tonight, in lovely Fargo. Which has some nice architecture, but is cold.

holding it all together.

It would seem that our race series is yet again within a pixie's hair of crashing, burning, and not happening, but no doubt someone or something will come to its rescue, as it has many times before, and the worrying will become yet another unnecessary distraction. People just get very gruff about paperwork and permits and deadlines, and I generally don't respect that because IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PAPER, we'll have it for ya tomorrow, ok? (update: Ta da!)

Yesterday I joined Audrey and Erica for a Sunday Bloody Mary Ride, which was awesome. I hate my road bike, though. It's jarring and uncomfortable, it goes faster than I prefer to go, and it's just generally lacking in the comfort, panache, and LOVE of my other steeds. We had a good time, though, and I can cross week 11 off the training schedule, still at 100% completion of the workouts.

Molly went to daycare this morning. It was odd not having her around the house while I got ready. She needs the doggie contact, though- after 5 weeks of sitting in the house she's turned into a princess of sorts. Super thanks again to Judi whose tips helped Molly heal faster, and our heart goes out to Bruno.

guess who's running again?

Molly's xrays looked okay yesterday, so today, Molly got to run part with me! The jump from 5 weeks of 0 to 18 was too much, so we started shorter.

My brother's in town, so I ran a 4 with Molly and Scott, then dropped the two of them off, and continued on. To the lake, around Northerly Island, down south on the path, and back again. I had trouble with focus- I wasn't as mentally prepared for this one as I have been, and I keep having to tell myself, "just get to the x" with X being the next 5-mile walk/gu break. What really burned, though, were my lungs. I had to keep the pace slow and steady because every hill, every little speed up, my lungs were on fire, compliments of my dang cold. But it's another run to cross off the list, just the 2 20's left, much better than last year's. The biggest improvement, though, is that my legs are very familiar with cruise control- just going after my brain is frustrated with the whole thing.

After I got home, though, my legs were angry. Here I'm sitting 2 1/2 hours later and it still hurts to walk. I forgot how much these long runs hurt.

dumb as rocks

(Ben uploads photos of himself and Molly when I go on work trips. I appreciate it so much. And no, I'm not saying Ben and Molly are dumb, since we all know they're smart cookies!)
I always hate my job when I come to DC. Headquarters is a sterile, unpleasant place and generally I try to keep my head down, get my work done, and get out. Recently, though, just as they're laying people off, they've hired a fresh new crop of middle managers who make the work even more fun. Yesterday I got in a tussle with one so dramatic that I had to bring a shop steward in to a meeting. I really, really need to get out of this place.

Though I'm carrying Ben's cold full-on now, I managed to get through my midweek mileage. Yesterday I ran 5 miles of the national marathon course, including the big uphill to Adams Morgan, which was fun. 18 tomorrow, back home.

Molly's supposed to be back to running this week or next, depending on X-rays. I can't wait!

getting older faster

I woke up this morning when I dumped a glass of water on myself by mistake while attempting to answer the wake up call at 5:30am. I woke up with Ben's cold. Dangit, Ben. I ran my 5 under a full moon at super-slow sick people pace, running laps around the boring suburban oddity called National Harbor that we're staying in.
This hotel, aka Death By Mini-Cheesecake, is obscene. It's big, really big, and it has a gigantic atrium and a very Vegas feel to it.
Anyway.
Yesterday was big protest day, and we were on CNN and just about every other news network not harboring a rightwing wacko agenda. Today we were on capitol hill taking our members to meet with their lawmakers. I love being around members. It makes me remember why I go through all this. It's been exhausting. I fantasized all day about taking a hot bath and going to bed early. I'm on it.
Tomorrow I move into the city, staying in a nice boutique hotel in Dupont Circle through Fri. I can't wait for Fri.

double mondays.

Working Sunday means you get not one but two Mondays! Plus, a new bonus- being asked after I get to DC whether I can stay for a few extra days. Through Friday. Would have been helpful to know before I packed, but who can say no to any request when layoffs are staring us down? This entire event has become a staff b!tchfest. Srsly.

Watch the news, though. We're doing big stuff in DC today and tomorrow.

I'm working hard though. Mileage is starting to top off around 40/week, I'm turning off the negatives and narrowing the noise to what I need and what I want. Measuring by goals and not superlatives. An ordinary girl just doing my thing and not trying to be cool or fast or whatever else magazines say I should be, but just being me, better.

i am not a whiner.

...but it's a constant struggle to keep it that way. today it started raining at mile 6.5. I was wearing a mid-weight wool top and knickers and that's it, and when the rain came, the north wind kicked up. Then it hailed a little. At promontory point I had planned to do a 180 and run back home the way I came, but it was really clear that it was too cold, windy, and rainy for that to work. I crossed under LSD into the 'hood and seriously considered calling Ben for a rescue. I was freezing, soaking, miserable.

But there I was in Hyde Park, not knowing any way to get home except via the path, but the wind wasn't quite so bad in the neighborhood, and I had no way to call Ben anyway, and I'd never abandoned a run before, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I just started snaking my way home, not knowing which way would make sense, but just going. I ran through some dicey areas. I was still cold, but around mile 13 it stopped raining and the sky lightened a little. The wind eased off. I kept running, still wet.

The hardest thing was to get over it- to forget about the hail and wind and cold. Even when things got better I was still thinking about what I'd been through, and I needed to just forget it and keep going. I was ok to finish the run, and I did, it was just pretty miserable because I kept thinking about those cold wet miles.

Whatever, it's just a run. 17.6. When I got home I had tasty new recovery beverage and Ben drew me a hot bath and lit probably a dozen candles in the bathroom. Love.

this is not a weather report.

I've always told myself i won't report the weather on my blog. "Gosh, it's nice out, so I'm going for a run/ride/squirrel hunting bout." Nope. Instead, I will subject you (or you will subject yourself, since you are reading this out of freewill, unless something has gone terribly wrong) to a tidy list of things that would make today nicer:
1. Margarita.
2. Balcony.
3. A few more hours of sleep, preferably gleaned in the afternoon in a sunny corner.
4. More jokes that involve Barry Wicks.
5. Ben's cold's departure.
6. Molly's broken leg's departure.
7. A full-time assistant to handle all the details.
8. Sunblock.
9. A good reason to need sunblock.
10. That dream job as a travel writer.

As a bonus, for you, my dedicated reader who made it through that grueling list, here are things that will make tomorrow nicer:
1. Enough bodyglide to cover every inch of my skin.
2. A superfast superlight windproof umbrella.
3. A same-day-return roundtrip ticket to somewhere that it's not raining.

forcing spring.

I ran in shortsleeves and shortpants (aka knickers, but I can't help but think of that kind) today. It was a little too cold for it, but it just felt so good, I couldn't help it. The IU campus is hilly, probably the hilliest run I've done, and my gizmo didn't find me till a bit into the run and I got turned around once (see, right there.) I also take back what I said to some folks last night about it being lovely- the part that's lovely happens to be where I'm sitting, but the fringes are just as ugly as Wisconsin's 50's buildings, only more rural-feeling. There are also far more frat/sorority houses. (I laughed when, after running by all the fancy cars parked in the lots of the Greek houses - which are on campus here! - I saw a house with normal working people cars in it. I figured that's the boys I would date. Then I saw it was the Evans Scholars house- guys who got scholarships from caddying. Yeah.)

Last night I was dazzled to see Ethiopian food available in little Bloomington, but when I walked in the restaurant's door, the host asked if I was there for Italian or Ethiopian. WHAT? This wasn't going to be good. They sat me next to the only other occupied table in the place - a couple of mormon grad students on an awkward first date - and explained that service might be slow since the young white guy who was the only server was also the cook. Ugh. Yeah. You can imagine how the rest turned out. It was fun watching that couple do an odd verbal dance around who should pay the bill, or if they should split it.

We went to a bar called Nick's last night, which I'll liken to the student union at Madison - or maybe the Plaza? - but they asked me for 2 forms of ID to get in. I haven't been asked for a second form since I was 19 and happily handed over my big sister's ID and credit card.

indiana, we're all for you.

So, I'll admit that I'm secretly sort of excited to finally see IU. I mean, we've all seen Breaking Away, right? Well, I'm going to dress up in my best 1970's outfit and hang out outside whateverthatbuildingwas and hope that a dashing young fellow who rides bikes comes and flirts embarassedly and shamefully with me. (Then I'll flash my wedding ring and say, "no, thanks, I've already got one that's probably faster than you." Ha.) And one more random run on the map.

I've been playing a stupid dork game lately called "get your average pace down!" It's not so easy when there are already 750 miles factored into the average, but this week, I pulled it down one second! Someone pop some champagne. No, really. It's nice to see things speed up a spell. This morning's 8 mi pace run was again a failure, averaging about 33 seconds per mile faster than pace. What what?!? For this I blame last night's dinner of grilled cheese, tater tots, and PRB. It makes me fast. Take that, the man.

Last night the women of Half Acre Cycling met up with the superawesome women of another team we love for some top secret drinkin' and social time. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this will be the BEST SEASON EVER.

And then there's the bad news. Chris was right when he said things are a big bag of suck lately. Yesterday 65+ of my coworkers got layoff notice, including some close friends and our office manager who's 6 years short of retirement. The office manager cried. I'm super glad I still have my job (for now) but who knows what's coming, and who knows how we'll cover the workload of all the folks leaving. * dread *

ups and downs.

Ugh. So just after unveiling Our Great Plans to more than double the number of races inside the Chicago city limits, everyone has some nitpicky thing to say. Will it be light enough? Will the races be long enough to count? Won't the cops come? Seriously, do you think we would have thrown down the thousands of dollars and gone through all this crappy process if we didn't know the answers to those simple questions? Maybe I shouldn't be annoyed. Maybe I should take it as them trying to help the newbies. Maybe they assumed we organized this loosely, like the alleycats of days of yore. Maybe it blows peoples' minds that our little 2nd year team could have it this together. But it certainly sounds like some cranky backseat driving is going on. We do have it this together, and we have pieces of paper from 439765282746 different city entities confirming it. The haters, they see us rollin'.

Sunday I ran stairs for 30 minutes, thinking I'd do it but escape the 3 days of pain that followed when I did a full 60 minute. (I still hurt today, but not as badly.) I wore my HRM and had to laugh when I saw the readout. Up and down, up and down! Later, I went with Audrey, Lisa, and Claudia to the gym, where I was reminded how much I hate gyms, and lifted some weights n' such, in the model of a good cross-training day.

Today, I ran a fast 5. Only I didn't look at the plan this week, I just assumed 5, so I actually overran the plan by a mile. Getting out of bed was by far the hardest part, particularly because I'm getting some kind of cold. The gizmo went nuts and said I was superfast, which I'd love to believe, but can't. I lost the key to my bike lock, my jeans are smelly and I didn't realize till after I was sitting at my desk at work, and it's just the kind of day that makes me want to GO HOME NOW.

Oh! And I forgot. Work's sending me to Bloomington on Wed-Thu. I'm staying in the student union hotel on Wed night. I hope they have a bar, like the Wisconsin student union does. I'll be running on the IU campus on Thu morning. Route ideas greatly appreciated.

fruition

BAM!
And thus my winter project actually is going to happen.
If you're not a road/crit rider, consider volunteering, please. I'm still overwhelmed at trying to find 10-12 marshalls a day for 5 days in a row.