« January 2008 | Main | March 2008 »
February 29, 2008
TGIF, but...
I am glad it's the weekend (and that Matt is coming home from California tomorrow afternoon) but I am also bummed because I won't be running. I used to look forward (well, dread sometimes too) Saturday long runs and Sunday recovery runs at this time of year, when it is still cool but not too bad, and now that my running schedule is less predictable, I just look forward to two days in a row and my social runs with Camille. I'll be on the bike for sure, and I wouldn't feel that bad about it if I was getting better at going up the stairs. But it doesn't seem like it's better at all, at least not during that one activity. I am thankful that I can bike, and hills there are getting less painful for sure. At least Netflix came through with the latest "House" DVD.
I don't know what happened this morning with my alarm. I thought I pressed the snooze bar fewer times than usual but there I was again, trying to get ready as quickly as possible to prolong my potential workout time. I watched two absorbing episodes of "In Treatment." I thought I was the only one who liked the show, and then the New York Times published an article in the Styles section yesterday about how all these women have major crushes on Gabriel Byrne, who plays the therapist! I wouldn't say that, but I don't mind looking at him for an hour straight.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 8:46 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2008
Still waiting to feel better
I was going to write that my knee felt a little better today, but I just went downstairs to get the mail and had to limp back up. Another indoor workout weekend is in the cards for sure...ugh. Based on past blogs this will take another week or so to "clear up" but I was hoping (as always) that this time would be different. Yeah.
There actually hasn't been a whole lot of difference in how I've felt biking each day this week--it is a specific motion or way of bearing weight that hurts the inside of my knee and it only starts to hurt if I climb a lot on the trainer. I did shorter hills today and now I am going to commit to not doing any (or hardly any--they break up the monotony) tomorrow.
My day went by pretty quickly today, which is a good thing (usually). I went to the gym after work and was amused by a man clearly having his first personal training session. He did not know what he was doing, but he was grunting and moaning like a gym rat. Even his trainer was making comments! It was classic.
After the gym I met a friend for dinner. I hadn't seen him in a few weeks so it was fun to catch up. I can barely keep my eyes open now, though...too much activity for a Thursday night!
Posted by becky at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2008
More of the same
Another day on the bike; another day where I can't walk up stairs normally. I am angry and frustrated so I tried to take it out by working hard on the bike this morning and in the gym this afternoon. But I am tired of thinking about my frustrations so I won't spend a lot of time blogging about them since it's pretty much all been said in the past two years.
Let's see...the biking in the morning seemed to go by quickly although I wasn't that interested in anything I was watching (a certain MTV challenge show and "In Treatment"). I looked through every single movie available for free On Demand and nothing appealed to me, especially not anything in hi-def. If I am stuck on the bike much longer (probable) I'm going to have to up my Netflix plan so I don't have to wait for new DVDs to arrive!
I did not like the sandwich I got for lunch today and only ate half of it and paid for it at the gym. A Balance bar helped but not as much as I would have liked. I generally elliptical or bike before lifting in the evenings and I am really disappointed in the upright bikes at this new gym. I can never get comfortable on them and I always feel like my feet are sliding all over the place. Don't they do any research on these before they buy them?? Ugh. At least I finally got my turn on the lateral pulldown machine, but it wasn't a sure thing. I have definitely noticed the same five guys lifting every night--at Georgetown it didn't seem like people's schedules were as predictable.
Matt is still away so I hope to get a few things done and then go to bed at a reasonable hour. The extra hour or so of sleep last night seemed to really make a difference in the way I felt today.
Posted by becky at 9:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 26, 2008
And so it goes
If I had x-ray vision (or access to a home MRI machine, I guess--and the ability to read its images) I would zoom in on the attachment between my quad and my knee. That's exactly the spot where it flares up and foam rolling my adductor and VMO area show me that something is REALLY tight. I think it does help loosen things up, though, so I'm going to continue to do that, gingerly. But overall I woke up with less stiffness today and biking was more enjoyable. I watched "In Treatment" but I kept zoning out. I think I've either had it with that show or had it with watching such a quiet/cerebral show on the bike. Matt left while I was in the middle of my workout to go to an early meeting, and I gave him a sweaty goodbye because he left for L.A. this afternoon until Saturday.
The gym was quite crowded tonight. I tried many times to get on the lateral pull-down bar and each time it was taken. Eventually I decided just to wait until tomorrow! I am home now and have an exciting night of bill-paying and possibly ironing planned. I was tempted to watch that new show "Quarterlife" that used to be a Web-only show, but I am waiting until "my" shows come back in April to get into anything new. Thankfully I can count on HBO and MTV during this final post-strike stretch for exciting viewing!
Posted by becky at 8:50 PM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2008
Back at it
This is a bad knee week for me. Similar to what happened in the beginning of December, it's kind of swollen (though not so much on the outside; I can just feel it catching and I know all too well what it feels like) and painful in various places--mostly the inside. It's what I call the "going up the stairs" problem--I guess that's when that part of the knee is forced to bear the most weight. It goes without saying that I am frustrated and unhappy. I'll give it a couple of days on the bike and see what happens. It's just that this seems to be an endless cycle.
This morning's biking was okay; I had "House" to entertain me and I was in a rush because I didn't have a lot of time. My knee actually felt all right during that but it was later in the day that I noticed the pain every time I got up from my desk. Yeah, I was in a great mood today--a real peach.
I tried to do a lot of foam rolling at the gym in the evening (along with biking and lifting) and that did seem to loosen things up a little. We'll see how the week goes...
Posted by becky at 9:37 PM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2008
Two days in a row=too much to ask
Among the frustrations of the past two years has been the fact that even though I do have a decent run now and then, I can't seem to string together too many of them. Although I was psyched after feeling good during and after yesterday's run, the inside of my knee (a spot that bothers me now and then) started hurting last night. I don't know what sitting on the couch did to it, but at some point last night I stood up and it hurt. This morning it didn't feel too bad and I took a couple of Advil because I hate missing my Sunday runs with Camille. It wasn't too bad during the run (we did our usual course along the Canal) although the back of my knee (hamstring?) has been really stiff ever since I've been back. We were passed on the Capital Crescent Trail both by two women who we used to know from track (they didn't appear to recognize us, making me wonder if it was my hat and sunglasses or my slow pace that threw them off) and then by a woman in a puffy vest toward the very end of the run. Grrrr. Neither one of us is running much now--Camille because of a crazy work schedule and a lot of body building workouts at the gym and me just because I can't seem to handle more than a few runs a week. Someday we will be be back passing those recreational joggers!
The rest of my day was pretty quiet. We had to do an errand at the Kennedy Center (ticket exchange) and then Matt played some football--it was a really nice day. I tried to read when I got home but kept nodding off...so finally I took a nap. I got on the bike to watch the coverage of the USATF Championships and now I (not we--although I think Matt will watch a little) am gearing up for the Oscars!
Posted by becky at 6:52 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2008
No complaints
It was aided by Advil, but I had a pretty good run this morning. I slept in a bit and finally got myself out the door around 9:30am. I ran kind of around the Zoo and then did a little out and back in Rock Creek Park and then made the (gentle) climb out of the Park and came back via the neighborhoods to the west of 16th St. I did about 10 or 12 more minutes of running than I have recently, and for now, it's an improvement. Most of my discomfort was in my quads. I am trying to stop shuffling and pick up my feet more, and that seems to help. I think that my heart/lungs are in better shape than my legs (although you'd think with all the biking that it might be the opposite) so I need to run at a pace that feels slow but is better on my legs, if that makes sense.
It was kind of a dreary and chilly day, but after I cleaned the apartment and took a brief nap on the couch, Matt and I took a walk to a library that is about a mile away. I hadn't been to this branch yet and I was very disappointed. I found a couple of things but nothing too impressive.
We are staying in tonight to watch various sporting events on TV, and maybe the first new "Saturday Night Live" since the writers' strike ended. I wish I could be at Reggie watching the USATF meet!
Posted by becky at 7:43 PM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2008
Ice avoidance
The weather this morning was "treacherous." There was a thin layer of ice on the roads and the sidewalks (although DC schools remained open) and I decided that I have enough problems without adding another injury from slipping or falling and stayed inside on the bike. Plus, my new episodes of "House" arrived yesterday. I woke up feeling more rested but still wished I could have had an extra hour to sleep. I did not get to bike for too long; as usual, I did what I could and made the most of my time. Everything felt fine and I did a fair number of "hills."
The first part of my day flew by today and then it started dragging. I was feeling guilty about not doing a second workout for a SECOND day this week, but I still chose to go get my manicure instead because I just didn't have the energy for anything else. I have a feeling it is going to be an early night for me.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 7:32 PM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2008
Catching up
I am such a wuss when it comes to traveling. I didn't even go far, or away for long, and I was so tired today. I am just glad that it is almost the weekend! I also missed my morning coffee today because I had a dentist appointment first thing, and that didn't help matters. I actually felt okay on the bike, although I didn't have as much time to work out as I planned because I (as usual) got up a little late. I watched a couple of episodes of "In Treatment" because I didn't feel like dealing with fast-forwarding through the commercials of DVR'd shows and my latest "House" DVD hadn't arrived yet. They happened to be two very heavy and kind of depressing episodes, but I do like that show, so watching still helped pass the time and that's the main goal.
My dentist appointment was relatively quick but I made the choice to get numbed up because I couldn't stand the feeling of the dentist poking around to clean off the area where the crown would be placed. The numbness lasted until almost lunchtime and I was starving! We had a monthly staff meeting today and I was wolfing down my food when all of a sudden I had to get up and introduce myself! Typical...
I had a tough time tonight at the gym. I was tired and not really in the mood. I slogged through what I could, did a few errands on the way home and now I am eating dinner and waiting for Matt to get home from New York. Was this really a short week? It doesn't seem so!
Posted by becky at 9:15 PM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2008
Good scenery, but my legs didn't care
I had to run earlier this morning in order to make an early meeting, and my body was not happy about it. I hit the snooze bar way too many times and then had to rush around from the time I left until the time I got back. I was tempted to run and see Centennial Olympic Park, which wasn't very far from the hotel, but I decided to go in the other direction and hit Piedmont Park, which my cousin (a high school senior and serious runner) said was worth it. He also warned me that it would be totally brown and dusty because of this prolonged drought that Georgia's had, but the sun was barely out when I was there so it didn't matter! I had to go uphill (gradually) for a few miles to get to the park and I could tell this was not going to be a good day. My knees were aching and I just had a hard time finding a rhythm. But I am glad I did go to the park--I think it is probably about 3 or 4 miles around if you hit all the paths, but I just saw a bit of it because 1) it was dark (there were lights though, impressive) and I wasn't sure exactly where I was and 2) I had to get back and really didn't want to push it with the time I was gone. I saw several runners and many dog-walkers. It is neat because it feels very un-urban, yet you are still pretty much "downtown." Despite my aching legs when I returned, I was glad (as always) that I got to see something new.
After my morning meeting, I had to get on a conference call and I decided to do it outside by the hotel pool (which is closed due to the drought and I imagine the season) since it was in the 60s. It was nice just to get some air. The rest of the day was a lot of meeting people and listening to important people speak, including CDC Director Julie Gerberding, who I have kind of a crush on. She actually spoke at our graduation, but I couldn't really pay attention then. Since then I have realized what a great speaker she is, and inspiring in her own kind of quiet way. She does not seem at all like a bureaucrat, which I think is great. My favorite quote from her speech today was, "We move at the speed of the government, not at the speed of the Internet," referring to the public's frustration about how long it has taken the CDC to really make broad changes to get all states more prepared for a disaster.
I took the train to the airport this afternoon so that I could get a chance to walk around a little bit, and I was glad I did. I ended up waiting on a security line for about 45 minutes with my heavy bag on my shoulder and it was so frustrating. Then the crew was late getting to my plane so we were about an hour delayed. Ah, well, at least it all was relatively uneventful and I am home. Matt is in New York until late tomorrow so we just missed each other.
I have been meaning to mention how excited (so psyched!) I am that the 2009 USATF XC Championships are going to be in my backyard in Montgomery County!! It is rare that we get elites here (except during Cherry Blossom) and this is going to be a really great opportunity for the DC/Baltimore area to show how hospitable they can be for hosting high-level running events. Hooray!
Posted by becky at 9:52 PM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2008
Early morning exploring
It turned out that I didn't have to get up super-early this morning because the meeting started later than I thought. I waited until the sun was almost up and then I set out on a little tour of downtown Atlanta. I wanted to do a straightforward route because I knew getting lost would be especially bad, so I used one of the suggested routes on the Atlanta Track Club site and then modified it a bit. It was mostly an out and back and not very exciting, but there were a few hills, a lot of big buildings, and many of the same "upscale" chain restaurants (Panera, etc.) that I am very used to seeing. I also underestimated how many lights I would have to wait at, and I couldn't really go another way because I was trying to stick to a planned route. But all in all it was a decent run--as usual, I was achy at first and then things warmed up--and the weather was ideal for me (mid 40s).
I got back a little later than planned with all the traffic light stops, but I got where I needed to be on time and had a productive morning and afternoon. I learned all about some neat things local health departments are doing to better prepare their communities for disasters but I am too tired to write about them now! The sessions ended at about 4 and I had plenty of time to go to the hotel gym (a good one, for once) to bike and lift before my aunt and uncle picked me up for dinner. I don't see them too often so it was a fun evening and a good end to a busy day.
Posted by becky at 10:59 PM | Comments (1)
February 18, 2008
(Weather) highs and lows
It was already in the mid 60s when I woke up this morning. Today was a biking day for me, but I did open the windows and turn off the heat, so I guess I took some advantage of the February warmth. The projected high today was around 74, which surprisingly is not a record for D.C., but I have yet to check to see if the record was broken. In any case, I sure was hot while biking, as evidenced by the sweat puddles I left behind. Luckily it all stayed on the mat under the bike. I watched two episodes of "House" and although they were both pretty good, I felt my mind wandering a lot. Matt and I both had the day off today (although he has been at work since about 1 pm) and he slept soundly through my workout.
After Matt went to work, I got all ready for my trip to Atlanta. I haven't taken a business trip in a really long time--probably since I went to the 2003 Red Cross convention in Indianapolis. This one shouldn't be too stressful, but traveling always stresses me out a bit, and especially the fact that this job is so new. I'm going to listen and learn (on Tuesday) and to be a media conduit (on Wednesday). Hopefully it'll all go smoothly, and if I can, I am going to try and have dinner with my aunt, uncle and cousin who live down there. I don't know Atlanta well (nor will I have time to see much except for hopefully on foot) but I do have a fondness for it because that's where the Indigo Girls hail from.
I went to the gym this afternoon to lift. I was surprised at how crowded it was, but then I remembered that everyone had the day off today. I did what I needed to and now I have a good buffer for the next couple of crazy days.
Posted by becky at 5:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2008
An okay run, for a change
I somehow woke up before 7 this morning and noticed that I hadn't set my alarm--very lucky or I probably would have still been sleeping at the time I was supposed to meet Camille in Georgetown. She ended up being a little late herself, and I definitely didn't mind the few extra warm minutes in the car. Actually, it was quite mild today (low 50s) but not in the morning.
We had a lot to catch up on because Camille had gone back to Jamaica (where she was born and lived until high school) last weekend for the first time in eight years. Plus we hadn't debriefed on the Superbowl (she's a big fan) or my new job yet. So the run went by quickly and although I was creaky/stiff the first couple of miles as usual. I actually warmed up pretty well and managed to finish the run feeling decent.
We hung around most of the afternoon until I ventured out to Whole Foods and spent about 20 minutes just sitting in packed parking lot waiting for a spot to open up. You'd think they were giving away food, which is very far from the truth! The crowds inside weren't as bad as I anticipated, but it definitely took longer than it should have.
I went to the gym briefly to lift tonight because my schedule will be a bit disrupted this week with my business trip to Atlanta. I will hopefully be able to get a quick run in before the meetings start on Tues. and Wed. at an ungodly hour but who knows what else. As I did last week, I will try to be an "adult" about it.
Posted by becky at 7:14 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2008
Quiet Saturday
It felt great to sleep in this morning, although I weirdly woke up at 7am on my own (but went back to sleep). I wasn't particularly motivated to get out the door once I did get up, so I took my time, finding things to read online, etc. Eventually I headed out, and it was a good temperature--sunny and chilly, but not too cold. It took me a couple of miles to warm up and then I actually felt pretty good (aside from my usual aches here and there) for most of the run. My quads are still sore, though. Stopping to stretch a couple of times seemed to improve things. I ran for about an hour, which is pretty much my max these days--very depressing. If I felt good for an hour, I would feel confident that I would be able to build that up each week, but I'm not really at that point.
Matt was working on our taxes today and I was just sort of reading and hanging out. I didn't have any errands that couldn't wait until tomorrow so it was a good chance to just relax. I did get on the bike in the afternoon while watching NBC's Ironman World Championship show (several months after the fact) that I had DVR'd. It was a great motivator while on the bike--especially in hi-def!
Posted by becky at 7:12 PM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2008
Glad it's Friday
I had definite TGIF thoughts when I woke up this morning, although this week actually seemed to go by pretty quickly. It's easy to say that at the end of the week, though! This was definitely a week with a lot of biking and I was back doing that again this morning, and watching a couple more episodes of "House." I consciously tried to do fewer hill intervals today, though, and just spin more steadily, because of my perpetual stiffness/soreness. I am doubtful that the biking is really the culprit, but because I do so much of it, it is a possibility that I am exploring.
Matt and I commuted together this morning (we drove) which was quite nice. We've been able to coordinate a few times a week. It was much milder than it has been all week so it would have been a pleasant public transportation commute although it is always nice to sit and drink my coffee instead of trying not to spill it while I am rushing to catch the train!
After lunch, a few of my colleagues and I headed downtown for a meeting in preparation for a quick trip to Atlanta that I am taking next week (late Monday-Wednesday) and then we got to go home from there. Actually, I didn't go home, I walked around and went into a few stores and then went to Georgetown for my Friday manicure. I tried to catch the bus back since it wasn't quite as nice out by then, but it blew right by me before I got to the stop. Eventually I made it back home and have been on the couch ever since!
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 8:12 PM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2008
Windy and cold, but an improvement
Happy Valentine's Day! Today was my first run since Sunday. I was hoping that my legs would feel better and less sore in the quad/ITB area, but I have also ridden the trainer every day this week and I am a bit concerned that this may be the cause of some of that soreness. Once things loosened up for me, I did find that my legs were a little more "normal." Of course, the fact that there was a bitter cold wind howling at me might have distracted me from thinking about my legs, but I think there was a little improvement there. And I wasn't too sore afterwards, either.
Matt was in New York for the day today for work, so we did not celebrate Valentine's Day (our tenth, actually) until tonight. But my office-mate's husband surprised her by dropping by with a bouquet of roses--it was cute! And of course there was a little extra chocolate around in the office today, always a good thing, in my opinion.
I did go to the gym after work before heading home and it was so empty because I'm sure people were out having dinner! When I did finally get home, Matt had candles and a nice present waiting for me. He even helped me make a quick dinner of hamburgers, couscous and sauteed spinach. It might not have been restaurant-quality, but it was still pretty good!
Posted by becky at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2008
Foiled again
Well, I planned to run this morning and see how an extra day or two or "rest" (read: exercise other than running) affected my legs, but the weather had other plans. It was raining pretty hard and that didn't bother me, but I looked out and saw that our front steps were completely iced over. In my past, hard-core days, I would have just gone ahead and crossed my fingers, but these days all I need is another injury from slipping. So I took off my tights and shirts and hopped on the bike (don't worry, I put shorts on). I was kind of bummed but Matt (who was up early for a meeting) pointed out that I should be grateful I had the backup option. And he's right.
The workout was fine, pretty much the same as yesterday--I worked hard and I threw in a bunch of hills while watching more of the HBO psychotherapy show. It's strangely riveting, and I have a little crush on Blair Underwood, who doesn't seem a day older than he was during his "L.A. Law" days. Hey, whatever captures my attention while biking is good enough for me.
The weather stayed pretty crappy all day, and my pants were soaked after walking from the parking lot near Matt's office to mine (about a 10-minute walk). It had cleared up by the time I left in the evening to go to the gym, but the gym was very empty, and I'm assuming people were scared off by the earlier "wintry mix." As I was doing some exercises for my glutes with the Thera-band, a (female) trainer asked me what kind of sport I played. I told her I was an ailing runner and she told me that she was also rehabbing from an Achilles injury. I assured her, from experience, that it would heal quickly if she stopped running for a couple of weeks. That one was a blip on the radar screen compared to my chronic stuff, but I didn't think so when it happened!
Posted by becky at 10:35 PM | Comments (0)
February 12, 2008
Potomac primary day
This was a very important and exciting day for those of us who live in the District of Columbia--our vote actually counted! We don't even have the rights of normal states (although we do have the taxes) but we still were able to pick the Democratic candidate we support. It seems trite, but it was very neat to hear our little "state" mentioned on the news as being part of an Obama sweep. (And I was part of it! Matt, being a registered Independent in the District, was unable to cast his vote.)
Before I voted (in the church literally next door to our apartment), I spent some time on the bike. I thought I had a couple more episodes of "House" to watch, but it turned out my DVD was done. So I watched a couple of episodes of the newish HBO series, "In Treatment." I got on the bike about 15 minutes later than I intended so I worked really hard to try to make up for it. My legs felt okay, just about the same as yesterday, and I am going to do some IT band foam rolling before I go to bed.
I didn't get a chance to lift after work because Matt and I went to see our friends who lost their baby over the weekend. We joined many other friends to just lend our support and add to their growing stockpile of meals and desserts. Their rabbi was there as well to lead us all in a brief but meaningful mourning service. It was really emotional but helpful as well and I hope things get a tiny bit easier for them with each passing day.
Posted by becky at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)
February 11, 2008
Cold out (but I was in)
For the most part, this has been a mild winter (I knew I jinxed myself in early December when I wrote something about hoping that our first snow wouldn't be our last), but there have been some crazy temperature fluctuations. On Saturday, it was 60 degrees, but this morning, it was in the teens. I was nice and warm (hot, actually) on the bike, but last night we could hear the wind howling and walking around in it on my commute was not pleasant. I watched a couple of episodes of "House", one of which former "Felicity" star Scott Foley, who I like. "House" isn't good for my medical paranoia, but I do get absorbed by it when I watch on the bike. My legs felt how they always feel on the bike, which is okay, I guess--no major aches and pains and I had no problem doing some hill climbs.
The cold weather was definitely a topic of conversation at work today--why doesn't anyone want to talk about how hot it is in the summer? (Okay, maybe they do, but not in that recoiling, fearful way people talk about wintertime temps.) Anyway, I was inside for 90 percent of the day so I was just fine. By the time I walked over to the gym after work, it was in the low 30s and the wind had stopped. I had a productive gym session and tried to do a little extra lifting because I don't think I will be able to go tomorrow evening. It is possible, but much more difficult, for me to go to the gym during lunch now that I've changed jobs, so I'm trying to be a grown-up about it. We'll see if I can convince myself!
Posted by becky at 9:32 PM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2008
End of the weekend already?
I feel like today went by really quickly, although I really didn't do a whole lot. I set out for another run in the morning and it was much like yesterday's, which is to say not so great. Now I'm starting to think that it is my IT bands that are bothering me. I've had ITB issues in the past, but never in both legs at the same time. I will do some more foam rolling and other things that have helped me before, but since I've been told that both my IT bands are connected at a "bad" angle to my knees, it's probably just more of my usual stuff. Since I didn't run for that long, I biked for a bit when I came home.
My outing today was grocery shopping, and otherwise I was home reading and doing a little more biking (in the late afternoon). It was a little windy when I ran this morning, but it really picked up during the day and it was freezing when I went to the store. I could stand another few winter weeks while it is still February, but I never like the wind.
I'm off to cook dinner for us and our usual guest (Matt's cousin). Here's to the beginning of another week!
Posted by becky at 6:38 PM | Comments (0)
February 9, 2008
A down day
We had a pretty busy day today, but in a good way. While I went running in the morning, Matt rode the trainer and caught up on some shows he had DVR'd. My run went okay, a little better than I expected considering how they've been this week. I did take two Advils before I headed out, so that could have made a difference. It was really nice out, right around 50 degrees, so that was nice. I saw tons of other runners, bikers, walkers, etc. because of the mild weather and because I was in Rock Creek Park a lot of the time. I still had some achiness in my legs and knees, but things did seem to loosen up after a while.
We were just getting ready to head out for the day when we got a phone call with some bad news. A friend of ours has been in the hospital under observation with pregnancy complications. We planned to visit her this afternoon, in fact, but a mutual friend called with the horrible news that they lost the baby today (she was about 8 months along). It is really terrible and obviously we have not been able to really think about anything else today. We are probably going to go to the hospital tomorrow and I don't even know what I am going to say...I hope just being there to offer some support will be helpful to them.
We did end up heading out a couple of hours later to try and get our minds off things. We went to an open house and then walked around for about an hour--it was really nice out, actually. Then we came home and I considered getting on the bike but I am beginning to wonder if all my biking is making my legs even more sore, so I relaxed instead and then accompanied Matt on a walk down to Dupont Circle where he was getting a hair cut. Tonight we are just hanging out and actually watching the Georgetown basketball game on ESPN. Although I am no longer a Hoya, I can still be a fan!
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)
February 8, 2008
A definite TGIF
Despite the fact that this was a short week for me, I am beat and really glad it is Friday. It was a struggle again to get out of bed this morning but I got a run in...my legs still had that stiff and tired feeling, though, so I wouldn't call it quality. I decided to forgo the iPod this morning and just let myself get lost in my thoughts, and it was a nice change. Sometimes I forget that running with music is something relatively new for me! In any case, it was definitely one of those runs that felt better when I was done than during the actual run.
I am getting ready to leave work and am glad that no more exercise is on my schedule today. Instead, I am going to beautify my nails (they really need it this week) and then we are meeting Matt's aunt and uncle for dinner downtown since they are here for the weekend.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 5:17 PM | Comments (0)
February 7, 2008
Low energy day
Boy, was I dragging today. Actually, the beginning of the day wasn't too bad, it just sort of went downhill from there. I got myself out of bed with just enough time to get in a shortish but still quality workout on the bike while watching "House." It was warm enough last night (new record) that we didn't sleep with the heat, so that made the temperature in the apartment a lot more comfortable for exercising.
Matt and I commuted together this morning for the first time. We took the Metro and it was very windy on the walk there, but nice not to sit in traffic. I spent the day at work mostly trying to educate myself about various projects and initiatives that I will be involved in. I took a break at lunch and sat in a cafe where every conversation around me seemed to be about politics, or more precisely, the presidential election. I know I live in Washington, but that was a new one for me (seeing as I have spent barely any time on Capitol Hill).
I was tired leaving work and I knew it wouldn't be a good workout. I was right and I felt like I was moving at half speed. Eventually I just gave up and went home. Some days are like that and I know I need to take the good with the bad, especially as I get older (and busier at work). But I was surprised because I tried to eat well today, and it just seemed like I ran out of calories! Ah well, every day is an experiment!
Posted by becky at 9:16 PM | Comments (0)
February 6, 2008
Another exciting day
I am waiting for Matt to get home with some of the ingredients for our dinner and I am a little bit worried that I will fall asleep sitting here on the couch! I have been a bit sleepy all day and I'm not sure why. Probably the combination of not getting enough sleep and continuing to get used to my new job and routine. I did manage to wake up with enough time for a brief run this morning. It was ridiculously warm--about 60 at 6am, and very humid. As you might imagine, I was quite uncomfortable! My legs didn't feel great, but they weren't too bad. I ran downtown toward the Convention Center and then in front of the White House (where cops on foot were directing pedestrians off of Pennsylvania Avenue for some reason) and back via K Street. It definitely took me a few minutes to cool off when I got back. I haven't been checking the weather too closely but I hope it is more normal February temperatures this weekend. This winter has been all ups and downs.
I was downtown all day at an association helping with a training session. It was pretty interesting and the people were all nice. But I never do that well sitting and listening to someone talk most of the day--I get fidgety or sleepy. The association director actually put out a bunch of pipe cleaners on the table for people to play with--I guess that's a tradition during long meetings there--and although I am not one to create things, it was kind of nice to have something to do with my hands while I listened.
The training ended around 4 and we all just headed home from there. I wanted to take a nap but I went to the gym for a little ellipticalling (I really don't like the stationary bikes there) and lifting. Now I am going to try and occupy myself so I don't fall asleep or eat my hand waiting for Matt to come home...
Posted by becky at 7:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 5, 2008
Not a bad first day
Even though I knew I'd be tired at the end of today, I didn't remember how overwhelming the first day at a new job can be. Plus, I had trouble falling asleep last night, which is rare for me. So as I am finishing my dinner, I am almost ready for bed! But Matt is on his way back from New York right now so I will hopefully get a second wind.
I am going to try and be on time to work while I am still new at this job, so I got out for my run pretty early. It was already really warm and I ripped off my long-sleeve shirt after about two miles. I don't know why I even thought I needed it. I ran up toward the Cathedral and then looped back, one of my usual routes. My legs were not as tired as they were the last couple of times I ran, but they certainly weren't full of bounce, either. Still, the run passed by quickly and uneventfully except for the fact that I was passed by two girls (probably college-aged) who were dressed like very non-serious runners, and way too warmly. I just tried to remind myself that they were probably running for half the time I was this morning.
My first day was extremely busy but I enjoyed meeting a lot of new people and learning more about what my day to day work will be. I barely had time for lunch in between meetings and although there are tons of restaurants in Bethesda, I don't know where they all are yet, so I was forced to grab a slice of pizza. Still, it was much better than at Georgetown, where that's not really an option unless you count Pizza Hut (which I don't).
Before I knew it it was the end of the day and I was off to the gym. It was seriously hot in there. I am just hoping that they are working out the kinks in the new HVAC system because it was quite uncomfortable. But I'm enjoying the change of scenery for sure.
Posted by becky at 9:12 PM | Comments (0)
February 4, 2008
Enjoying my final free day
First of all, last night's Super Bowl was one of the most exciting games I've ever seen...and maybe the only one I've ever fully watched! We New Yorkers were quite pleased, although we are related to many New Englanders who clearly were not. Go Giants!
I got to sleep in a bit this morning since I had one more day off between jobs. I woke up when Matt was getting ready for work and said goodbye since he will be in New York until tomorrow evening. Hopefully he'll get home in time to watch some of the Super Tuesday coverage with me because we've both been talking about it for weeks, it seems. Anyway, once he left I got ready to ride the bike. I watched the last few episodes of Season 3 of "The Office" and now I am fully caught up. Season 4 is ongoing, though, so I'm not sure if I will wait until it comes out on DVD or just read the recaps somewhere on line. So the show definitely kept me occupied on the bike and I was working hard enough to have rubbery legs when I got off.
I spent a few hours cleaning up our apartment, doing errands I had avoided on the weekend, and napping before heading up to Bethesda (where my new office is) to check out the Washington Sports Club branch that just opened. It is pretty sweet except for a little HVAC problem that makes it super-hot on the lower level. I imagine they will fix that soon. I got a locker too so now I'm all set.
Time to do a few things and get ready for tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Posted by becky at 8:32 PM | Comments (0)
February 3, 2008
Super blog
I didn't expect too much out of my legs this morning after the way they felt yesterday, and that's pretty much how things went today. I met Camille, who was out of sorts after just getting bad news about the death of a childhood friend's mother back in Jamaica, in Georgetown, but we decided to do a different route than usual. I suggested going on to the trails that were too wet on Friday, just to give my legs some soft ground to run on. The trails were still really muddy though and I wasn't able to react very quickly to the slipping and sliding with my stiff legs...but we made it out without any spills. I sort of made up the route as we went along and unfortunately picked a few too many hills than either of us are used to, but Camille kept me entertained with a story of a trial she argued this week. I was glad to be done knowing that tomorrow will be a biking day for sure.
Matt is feeling better today, so we went to a few open houses in the afternoon. It's been interesting to explore different neighborhoods and get a good idea of what we do and don't like.
We canceled our Super Bowl party tonight since Matt is still not feeling completely back to normal, so it's just us watching the game. And it's more Matt watching the game and me watching the commercials! I have one more day of freedom before I start my new job on Tuesday so tonight is my last "free" night before I go back to the real world.
(I forgot to add "Go Giants!" to this entry, so now I'll say, "Congrats, Giants!")
Posted by becky at 6:38 PM | Comments (0)
February 2, 2008
Achy day
Today was one of those days when I probably should have remembered that I am old and arthritic (sad but true) and wearing shorts when it is below 40 degrees might not be so much fun. But there's the youthful part of me that knew I would be hot in pants and didn't want to wear them, and I definitely erred on the side of youth. I had a hard time getting warmed up and just felt very stiff for a few miles. Then I did start to feel better (coinciding with a nice downhill) but the last couple of miles were tough and my knees continued to ache for a couple of hours afterward. I extended what has become my usual Saturday loop a little further north on 16th Street and then looped back through the Carter Barron parking lot to be able to come back through Rock Creek. So although I didn't feel so great, the second half of it was very scenic.
Matt was camped out on the couch today (he feels a little better) so I headed out to do a little shopping in the afternoon. I drove up to Friendship Heights, a shopping area I like because there are a few small malls but not a traditional (and huge) mall, and browsed around. This is the time of year that stores are starting to show spring clothes. Although I don't like the fact that spring brings warmer weather, I have always liked spring clothes. This is not to say I bought any today, but it's fun to look.
Before going back home to the patient, I went to the gym for a short workout--a little biking and lifting. My knees were still pretty stiff, which is a bummer. If only they could talk and we could come to an agreement about what I could do to make sure they lasted as long as possible...
Posted by becky at 7:52 PM | Comments (0)
February 1, 2008
Down and dirty
It was pouring when I got up this morning and that continued throughout my run. Right as I started, I accidentally stepped into a huge puddle and had cold toes from then on. I decided that since I was going to get muddy on this run, I might as well get onto the trail, which I haven't done in a while. So I ran to a trailhead right near my (old) office in Georgetown, which took about 15 minutes. But when I got on the trail, there was so much water in the little stream that usually requires a little jump that I couldn't cross it without having submerged both my feet in the rushing water. I was bummed, but I turned around and went back from where I came. I did end up going onto another trail very briefly and I was sliding around everywhere, so it was probably better this way. When I was almost home, I looked at my watch and couldn't believe that the run was only going to be 50 minutes or so--it felt so much longer! I think it was just that I was so wet and cold. On the plus side, my knees felt pretty good again today.
I had an appointment today with that rehab/physical medicine guy I see every so often for an adjustment/suggestions. He is really personable and talks to me while he is releasing my psoas and all sorts of fun stuff like that so I barely notice it. He loosened me up some and suggested that I buy a "lazy Susan" thing to do some ankle rotations on (hard to explain but it is a very simple way to train your two hamstring muscles to fire separately. I will look for one this weekend--he claims that Rubbermaid makes them and they are pretty cheap.
After the doctor and lunch with a friend, I went back out into the rain (still pouring and I was on foot today) to get a manicure and pedicure. It was nice to go in the middle of the day when it was less crowded but it still took a while. And I didn't want to put my sneakers back on lest I ruin my pretty toes so I froze in my flip-flops on the walk/bus ride home!
Now I'm back and Matt just came home from work early because he has a cold/flu thing and a little fever. I keep hearing about people having the flu for two weeks so I certainly hope he isn't sick for that long. I sort of want to go to the gym but I haven't really eaten enough today and I also feel way too comfortable on the couch right now. I just wish I didn't feel guilty about relaxing!
Happy Millrose Games weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 5:08 PM | Comments (0)