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September 30, 2008
Happy with it
Except for the fact that it wasn't the brisk morning I was expecting, my run went well today. I got to wake up a few minutes later because we were heading to Rosh Hashanah services instead of work today, and I appreciated those few minutes. I have realized that I do better when I seek less hilly routes so I did an out-and-back on the Capital Crescent today. There were a lot of bikers going fast (commuting, I suppose) but I just stayed to the right as much as I could. Actually, I was wishing the trail had more of a soft "gutter" lane--it only does in short stretches. I ran a little past the DC/MD line and then turned around. I did start to slow down significantly in the last mile or so (and that happened to be when a guy blew by me) but otherwise I was quite content with how I felt. I had intended to bike when I got back but it was later than I anticipated and I barely had a few minutes to finish "Grey's."
We went to Georgetown's RH services (same as last year) and I ran into several former colleagues, which was nice. The services were fine but I had a hard time keeping my eyes open! That happens when I am tired (I guess I was tired), haven't had enough coffee and am sitting still. I did my best to pretend I was just resting.
Matt went to his office for a couple of hours after services but since I had already taken the day off, I lifted, did an errand, and cooked a nice Jewish meal (roast chicken, potatoes and asparagus). It was weird to have the time to do that on a weekday--not that I'm complaining!
Posted by becky at 8:58 PM | Comments (0)
September 29, 2008
Catching up on my shows
I was sort of looking forward to getting on the bike this morning since it had been a few days and I knew I had a lot of DVR'd shows to catch up on. When I went to bed, I was worried that I'd have a really hard time waking up because of the West Coast time difference, but it really wasn't too bad--just a typical Monday. And I felt pretty energetic on the bike as well. I watched the last few minutes of last week's "House" and then most of the "Grey's Anatomy" premiere while sweating it out on my hill intervals. So far I am not that impressed with "Grey's"--it is a little over the top. It used to be more that the characters' quirkiness drove the show, but now it seems like the writers are gravitating toward overly dramatic storylines. But it was the season premiere. At least TV is new again!
My day at work was busy so it went by quickly. I am taking tomorrow off for Rosh Hashanah so I was trying to get a bunch of stuff out of the way. I was yawning by the time I walked to the gym, but I maintained enough energy to get through a little stationary biking and a decent lift.
Shana Tovah/Happy New Year!
Posted by becky at 9:59 PM | Comments (1)
September 28, 2008
Treadmill with a view
I decided to do my run on the treadmill this morning just to give myself a better chance of feeling good! It ended up being the longest amount of time I've spent on there in awhile. Good thing I had my iPod and a view of the Hollywood Hills...in the distance. The hotel just built a swanky spa and apparently are in the process of renovating the gym but right now it is definitely sub-par. It is tucked away on the side of the hotel and the immediate view is of a bunch of dumpsters, and the equipment is old school (but the treadmills are okay). I just tried to keep my eyes up and focus on the gorgeous homes up in the Hills.
I had a good run and although I was sore afterwards, it is definitely easier for my body to handle that surface. My knees felt good nearly the whole time. I wasn't going faster than I do outside (in fact, maybe slower?) but it is somehow easier for me to focus on my form. I biked a little bit after that but I can never get comfortable on the stationary bikes they have--something is strange about them.
That was pretty much the extent of my day before having a late breakfast and then heading to the airport. We were early, our flight left the gate on time...and then sat on the runway for 45 minutes. I hate when that happens. There's no good way to lose three house when you travel from the West Coast but I was not too psyched that we didn't get back to our house until about 10. I feel pretty awake now but I anticipate a tired week ahead.
Posted by becky at 10:58 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2008
Seeing the sights
The one or two times I was in Hollywood and in shape enough to run up and down Runyon Canyon, it was awesome. I knew doing that this weekend would be a bad idea, so I ran right past all the people trekking up to the Hills and stayed on more of an even keel, at least geographically. I ran out Sunset Blvd. and then back on Santa Monica Blvd. It's never boring because I pass places I read about in US Weekly (like the Chateau Marmont) and there are always people to see along the way. My knee did okay for a few miles and then bothered me on and off. It was a good effort but I was bummed to be sore later--but that seems to be the tradeoff these days.
Matt's company beach outing was in Santa Monica all afternoon so that's where we were. It was one of those rare cloudy days in Southern CA so it was actually quite chilly on the beach--I was wrapped in towels the whole time. When people started heading out and we were sure the sun wasn't going to come out, we drove to the Third Street promendade in the Santa Monica business district. There are always a bunch of characters around and some pretty neat stores too.
Tonight we went with one of Matt's colleagues who lives here in LA to a sushi place in Venice. It was great--West Coast sushi is totally all it's cracked up to be.
I can barely keep my eyes open. It's been a fun weekend and it's back to reality tomorrow...
Posted by becky at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2008
An extra three hours
It's not even seven o'clock yet here on the West Coast, but I definitely feel like it's later. My run this morning seems like it could have occurred days ago. I didn't have too much trouble waking up despite being awakened twice in the middle of the night (sirens and then rain) but it sure was dark out. I chose a neighborhood route that I knew would be well-lit and not too high-traffic. It wasn't raining, but it wasn't chilly like yesterday so I was kind of disappointed. In fact it was quite humid. My knee felt decent, not amazing--I have yet to replicate my Ithaca runs and I'm not sure if that was just because of the soft surface or what. But I was glad to be out there especially knowing that I had a long plane ride ahead of me.
My travel was blissfully uneventful and we even arrived in LA a half-hour early. Matt, on the other hand, was delayed several hours in Boston because of a good old "mechanical problem." I had plenty to do on my own (and he would have been in the office anyway). I rented a car and a GPS and drove to Beverly Hills to get a bite to eat and get a mani/pedi at a place that is often written up in the trashy mags. No star sightings, but a very good experience. After that I went to Fred Segal in West Hollywood. They were having a huge sale and it was fun to poke around but even more fun was the people-watching. Until I realized that I was twice the size of anyone in there. It was like being at a cross-country meet! I tried on one pair of jeans and of course they were tight on my quads and I skedaddled right on out of there.
Tonight we are going to Lucky Strike for some bowling and socializing. The bowling alley (which is in the complex attached to our hotel) was recently featured on "90210" so of course I am expecting it to be more fun than the last time we went! We'll see.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:45 PM | Comments (0)
September 25, 2008
Chilly Thursday
Even though I didn't run today, I still appreciated the lovely--chilly--Fall day. Of course, on my commute to work, I saw some ridiculously overdressed people (there was no need for a wool scarf today) but what are you going to do?
I was sweating it out on the bike in the basement this morning and watching my shows ("Mad Men" and "House"). I did some longer hill intervals and had a little knee soreness, but otherwise felt pretty good. The one thing that was bothering me is hard to describe--my head just felt kind of stuffy, making me wonder if I am getting a cold. I was very sleepy all day, too, so it's certainly possible. But the weather turned pretty dreary toward the afternoon so that didn't help matters.
Last time I flew with a cold was pretty awful, and I am scheduled to fly to LA in the morning so I hope this is just the sniffles. We shall see.
My time at the gym tonight was uneventful; I used the acceptable elliptical and then lifted. I was definitely rushing around a bit because I know I have a few things to get done tonight for my trip and I need to get up early. I am psyched that the NBC shows (and "Grey's") are back tonight but they will have to wait on the DVR for my return!
Posted by becky at 8:59 PM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2008
Cold nose
Actually, it was my hands that were cold this morning on my run! It was a little chilly out there, and of course I relished every moment. (Except I was reminded that this is the time of year when my sweat level ends up making me less comfortable because I get so cold once I am wet!) Overall it was a decent run much like yesterday's with some knee discomfort that was manageable if I focused on my form. I did get passed by an old(er) woman, but I was able to stick right on her heels for a good mile or so, which I was proud of (and she stopped shortly thereafter anyhow). I ran on the hidden path and then a little out (to the DC/MD line) and back on the Capital Crescent Trail. There are always a lot of bikers on the CCT and I try my best to stay aware as I have recently heard about some pedestrian-biker collisions that scare me.
I had just enough time when I got back from my run to bike/watch "The Hills." We are headed to LA this weekend for Matt's company's annual "summer" beach party so I watched "The Hills" with interest since I will be hanging out in Hollywood while Matt is at the office on Friday.
Matt was up quite early this morning to catch a shuttle to New York, where he had a meeting. Then tomorrow it is off to Boston again for him and we will meet in LA on Friday. I guess I am looking forward to the weekend because today I kept thinking it was already Thursday! We had an interesting lunchtime presentation at work--the non-profit HIV/AIDS outreach group that my company chose to donate to in 2007 came to give us an update on what they've been doing. They use teen outreach workers (and other methods that resonate with young people) to try and get kids in DC educated about how they can protect themselves against HIV. Sadly, DC has the highest new HIV infection rate of any state and it is most pronounced in girls and women. I was really impressed by the presentation and the work this group does--it is way too easy to live in the DC metro area and not see the segment of the population who have the greatest need for social services such as HIV education and testing.
I was back on the spin bike tonight at the gym for a bit and then lifted. I am trying to watch what some of the trainers teach their clients to spice up my routines with some new stuff. Sometimes I feel like a stalker but I think I am pretty discreet about it!
Posted by becky at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)
September 23, 2008
Neighborhood jaunt
I had a couple of bad dreams last night and therefore didn't sleep too well, so waking up was not an easy task. I didn't realize how many times I had pressed the snooze bar until Matt's alarm went off! As is the case this time of year, it is also darker in the mornings, which doesn't make getting up easier. But eventually I got out of bed and put on my running clothes. It was cool out (in the 60s I guess) but kind of humid. After just having run last night, my legs were a little sore but I was also quicker to get into my good (clenched butt) form. I now have a couple of staple runs in both the DC and MD neighborhoods that are a short run away and this morning was the hillier of the two on our side of the border. I could feel my knee from the beginning, but it was manageable if I focused on form. Compared to the last couple of tries, the run went well. I made sure to come back into our neighborhood along the route that Matt takes on his walk to work and sure enough, I "ran" into him.
I had a few minutes to bike when I got back and I finished up the latest "90210" and did some good stretching. My knee was a little sore afterwards, but I haven't yet gotten to the point where that is not the case, so overall I was pretty pleased.
Work was quiet today and then all of a sudden got crazy in the afternoon--gotta love when that happens. I snuck out at 5pm to meet a friend for coffee before she went back to Philly and I went to the gym. You'd think that an Americano would have given me a boost of energy but I was still yawning when I got to the gym! I biked and lifted a little but cut it a little short when I realized I was taking way too long between reps, a sign that I am too hungry/low blood sugar to continue. Another day (almost) down and on to the next.
Posted by becky at 9:43 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2008
I'll take a compliment where I can get it
Ah, another Monday. The weekends just go by too fast! I actually woke up with a headache today and was dreading getting on the bike, but maybe I was just a little dehydrated because I started feeling better pretty quickly. As for my knee, the volume of the inner knee pain has quieted down for now and I was glad that biking was more comfortable. It was neat to watch "Mad Men" after having watched them sweep many of the awards at the Emmys last night! I'm definitely getting into it, although I don't understand why there are only 3 episodes on each Netflix DVD. Anyway, today was one of those workouts that dragged a bit, but otherwise went fine.
I don't have any exciting workday news to report--but I want to share the compliment that I got at the gym tonight. I actually ran two miles on the treadmill before lifting to try and get my form back--I think I haven't been paying enough attention. I thought of it as a "clinic" and it went well. I also noticed I was more comfortably running at a higher level (still ridiculously slow compared to my old pace) since the last time I was on the 'mill. I have a feeling that as I get a little bit faster, I have to re-learn my form--I am hypothesizing this because my knee pain seems to be sort of cyclical.
Back to the compliment. So I was going through my usual lifting routine and this man came up to me and said he didn't want to offend me but wanted me to know that he was impressed that I "keep myself in amazing shape." It wasn't sleazy or anything; he just mentioned that he's seen what I do and it's pretty serious! Since I want to be in great running shape, I don't tend to think too much about any other kind of shape...but I was flattered anyway!
Matt is home for a couple of nights this week before heading off on another East Coast jaunt and tonight "we" are glued to the J-E-T-S on Monday Night Football!
Posted by becky at 9:13 PM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2008
Another bad knee day
My knee was still sore in that spot when I woke up, so I knew I was bound for the bike. It actually bothered me on the bike somewhat--I am really baffled (and frustrated) by this latest setback and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't on my mind a lot today. I got in a longish trainer ride, and the knee wasn't in my way too much, but it somehow didn't leave me with the endorphin rush that comes from a good workout. I did start watching a new show, "Mad Men," which was very good, and am all current with "House" now (except for the last few minutes of the show which got cut off by the DVR. "Mad Men" is set in the 60s at an ad agency in New York, and it is amazing to see how low on the totem pole the women ("girls," aka secretaries) were back then. It's not like it was that long ago--wow.
Aside from the knee troubles, I had a very nice day. Matt's aunt (the one whose N.H. house we visited in August) was in town to see Matt's cousin, so the two of them came over for brunch. I made really good challah French toast and we had a bunch of other goodies--I was full all the way until dinner time. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around Bethesda, reading the paper and napping (me) and doing work (Matt). Tonight I am going to watch the Emmys if they aren't too boring. I have to root for all the shows that have kept me entertained on the bike for the last couple of years!
Posted by becky at 8:45 PM | Comments (1)
September 20, 2008
Like night and day
Grrrr...how come my run last Saturday was so much better than today's?? I won't spend too much time either agonizing over it or complaining about it, but suffice it to say that I had a disappointing workout today. I woke up wondering why my alarm hadn't gone off and it turned out the volume was all the way down. But the sun was bright enough to wake me anyway. I did all the usual stretching, butt exercises, etc. before heading out but after about a mile, that old familiar inner knee pain crept up on me. I am definitely much better at managing it during a run (i.e. it doesn't get worse unless I totally let my form go) but once I feel it, it's there for good, or at least for the rest of the day. And of course that is what I tend to focus on for the rest of the run. I did do a little exploring, though, and was really glad that I found my way out of a development that I didn't know existed. All the streets have names that are copies of streets in the surrounding neighborhood, only they are unofficial signs that look different than the real D.C. ones--it was so strange. I have passed by that development on foot or in the car millions of times but never knew it existed until today.
I had a few minutes to bike when I got home but ended up doing more of that later and finally finishing the previous season of "House." I'm surprised I had the energy to bike after we spent several hours trying to put together an outdoor bench I ordered from L.L. Bean. And I say trying because we are stalled in the middle of the project--neither Matt nor I have an engineering gene in our body and this tends to happen. We will need reinforcements for sure.
Tonight we went to dinner in Bethesda and found ourselves standing around afterwards listening to a decent band--of high school kids! It was hilarious; they had all these groupies and everything! If only I was that cool in high school...
Posted by becky at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2008
A fast Friday??
I really thought today was going to be a struggle when I woke up, but it turned out to be a quick day. I just didn't feel rested when I got up and wasn't even in the mood to work out (but of course I did anyway). My plan was a short run just to keep activating the glutes and then finishing up on the trainer. It was nice and cool again. I headed over to the "hidden" bike path as I like to think of it (it runs sort of parallel to part of the heavily-used Capital Crescent Trail) and tried to do a quick loop but it ended up being mostly uphill for the second half and a little longer than I intended. Oddly, my left knee bothered me more than the right during the run but my usual inside-of-the-right-knee spot has been tender all day. I'll try not to overanalyze.
I did bike a little when I got home (watching "90210") and all was fine. I still have not watched the season 4 finale of "House" and I can't wait. Once I do, I'm sure I'll be rooting wholeheartedly for Hugh Laurie at the Emmys this weekend.
My tiredness seemed to be better once I had worked out and of course had my coffee. Today was the busiest day of the week by far--usually Fridays are pretty quiet but I really didn't mind. Plus my office-mate and I had a quick but yummy lunch at the sushi place near our office. We've discovered that we can get the most food for our money there--strange, right? A nice Friday treat.
Matt had tickets to the Nats game tonight with some work peeps and I took the opportunity to do some errands. I hit up some great sales at Lord & Taylor--it is great shopping on Friday night. I find that with food shopping too but I didn't have the energy to do both.
I can't sleep too late tomorrow but I am looking forward to a little bit of extra sleep. Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 9:12 PM | Comments (0)
September 18, 2008
Raccoon in the road
I should not have been as tired as I was when my alarm went off this morning! I guess I stayed up too late reading...because it was quite hard to get out of bed and then I didn't have as much time as anticipated to work out. My Achilles (and everything else) felt fine when I woke up so I headed out for a run (I should be more accurate and call them "jogs", but I like to flatter myself). I did my American University Park loop, which has a few uphills and downhills but nothing too major. It was almost chilly out when I first started, and I loved it! As always, fall can't get here soon enough for me.
Nothing bothered me too much during the run but I could tell I was not activating my butt muscles like I needed to be--sometimes that happens on the first run back after a couple of days off. I tried my best but I did develop a little knee discomfort toward the end and I wasn't too surprised. When I was almost home, I nearly ran right into a dead raccoon lying on the sidewalk! I have always been a little freaked out by raccoons ever since one got stuck in our chimney and had babies when I was in high school. Gross! Luckily I had enough wherewithal to jump (well, step) around it.
When I got back I had just enough time to catch up on "The Hills" while riding my trainer before jumping in the shower. Since I have been DVRing these MTV shows and fast-forwarding through the commercials, I have realized how short they are.
Despite an afternoon Starbucks run, I was dragging toward the end of the day at work. I perked up a little while I was reading on the stationary bike, but lifting seemed to last forever. Thankfully tomorrow is Friday--and Matt is due back from his latest trip in less than an hour!
Posted by becky at 9:48 PM | Comments (0)
September 17, 2008
Morning in
Of course I could be found riding my trainer on one of the most beautiful mornings this season...it has happened before and it will happen again! My Achilles and knee both felt fine when I woke up but I had set out biking clothes last night and those are what I put on when I rolled out of bed. Plus, I think it was a good idea to be extra careful. My left calf is pretty tight and although my Achilles isn't painful, it feels a little weird. I'm almost certain this all resulted not from the uphills in Ithaca last weekend, but the downhills. I am more tentative on them and often find myself getting up on my toes because I feel like that lessens the impact on my knee. Now I know why that is not such a great idea!
Anyway--I barely noticed how I felt on the bike this morning (just fine) because I was watching the most awesome episode of "House." It was the second-to-last episode from last season and I had heard that it was great but didn't really expect that much. It was totally riveting and I kept thinking it had gone on for more than an hour since they packed so much in. It was great--and the conclusion is the only ep left on the Netflix and then I will be ready to watch the current season. I followed "House" with some "90210." I can't quite decide what I think of the show, but it's appropriate for watching on the bike, that's for sure.
My work day went by quickly (although I had to talk myself out of going to CVS to pick up some Harvest Mix during a slump) and soon it was gym time. I rode the spin bike while giving Dar's new album a second thorough listen (I like it more) and then lifted. I've been thinking about how weird it is that I see about 10 of the same gym rats 3-5 days a week and none of us acknowledge each other. I'm definitely guilty of zoning out with my iPod, that's for sure...but I should probably make an effort to be friendlier.
Posted by becky at 9:50 PM | Comments (0)
September 16, 2008
So it's like that?
I have a sore Achilles. It was a tiny bit sore at the gym tonight and I think I made it worse by doing heel raises. The only other time I had Achilles problems (spring 2005) it went away when I stopped running but I suffered a lot and had to skip the Boston Marathon while it healed. (Read all about it in my blog archives--this was also the spring that Matt had appendicitis so I am very clear on when it was all going down.) In any case, this did not bother me during my run this morning, nor is it super-painful...but I am worried and I suppose I should cross-train to settle it down. But I'll see how I feel in the morning. I can't help but wonder if this my payback for running an hour on Saturday? It was on cinder!
So back to this morning's run. It was a beautiful morning--nice and cool. I did one of my hillier runs and had a bit of a twinge in my good knee but the other one continued to behave nicely. I am thankful for that, of course. I also got to bike/watch the season finale of "Weeds" when I got back. Not much time for anything more than that. The finale had quite the shocking ending so I may be forced to order Showtime when the next season rolls around!
Matt was headed to Boston (lucky!) this afternoon to do some business school recruiting, so he took the car to the office so he wouldn't have to walk with his bag. Amazingly, this was the first day since we moved to our house that I have had to deal without the car. Walking the whole way probably would have taken about 40 minutes and I probably should have just done that. Instead, I walked up to the Metro/bus stop (20 minutes), waited for the bus for 25 minutes, and got dropped off not even that close to my office. It was totally frustrating since we aren't very far; there just isn't a good bus route to get us there! Most of them are focused on getting people downtown.
Tonight was more biking and lifting at the gym. I noticed that I wasn't that sore from a bench press PR yesterday--maybe I'm not working hard enough! Other than that, nothing else to report. Off to ice my Achilles!
Posted by becky at 9:16 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2008
Kickin' off another week
The only problem with going away for the weekend is I end up getting less sleep and am a little tired on Monday. You'd think the fact that I slept for a couple hours in the car yesterday would make a difference...but it didn't. I had a hard time waking up today although I eventually made it out of bed and on to the bike. I caught up on "House" (I am in fact almost current with "House" just in time for the season premiere this month) and did my usual hills. My right knee felt fine although I had a little soreness in the left--I must have tweaked something during my longer runs this weekend. It's not too bad but I don't like any knee issues, as we all know.
Not too much else to report today. It was a typical Monday although my office-mate and I did take a walk during lunch because it was (surprisingly) pretty nice out. I went to the gym after work and rode the spin bike for a bit and lifted. The usual. Matt is home tonight but will be heading out again for work for most of the rest of the week.
Posted by becky at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)
September 14, 2008
Repeat run
As expected, this morning's run in Ithaca was nowhere near as idyllic as yesterday's! I had to get out pretty early because we needed to leave to drive home in order for our friends to be home before the dog sitting place closed. I was sort of groggy when I got outside but I could tell right away that it was even more humid than yesterday. The only relief was some dripping of the trees from last night's rain.
Had I more time, I would have explored and done another "memory run." Since I was pressed for time, I went back to the Six Mile Creek trail. My legs were so sore from yesterday's run and walking around on all the hills. I was just crawling up the one hill in the run. But my right knee did not bother me and the left one was just a little sore. I went out and back for a total of five miles. I thought I might have time to supplement that short workout with a trainer ride when we got back tonight, but between cleaning up and grocery shopping and cooking dinner, it didn't happen.
My legs need a biking day tomorrow and I am almost looking forward to it because I haven't done too much of that lately. I am not thrilled about how hot it is here in D.C. this week but I just have to remember that the end of the humidity is in sight...I hope!
Posted by becky at 9:03 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2008
Run down memory lane
I woke up a few times during the night thinking I heard pouring rain. I'm not sure if it actually was pouring or it was the air conditioning unit in our hotel room that I heard. When I got up, I was surprised to see that it wasn't raining, but it was definitely wet out. And humid--super humid. I expected some nice, cooler weather during our weekend in Ithaca and that is definitely not what we have gotten.
I remembered from my college running days that there was a bike path near here so I headed that way this morning. I found it easily (less than a half-mile [uphill] from the B&B) and was really happy to see that it wasn't a paved trail; it was cinder. I had totally forgotten but my knees were very happy. I knew I wouldn't be able to do any supplemental biking with this workout so I hoped to go a little longer than the 3-4 miles I've been doing lately. I ended up going to the end of the trail and back, about 6 miles total. My pace was ridiculously slow, especially because there is a huge hill that connects one part of the trail to the other, but I was extremely pleased with the run. Who knows what the next one will bring; but this one was a keeper.
As I ran on the path--which is surrounded on both sides by woods and Six Mile Creek gorge at times--I remembered runs and conversations with college teammates Tracy, Becky, Claire, Liz, Beth and others. How could these runs have been 10 years ago when I can still remember the details?? Crazy. I was really thankful to be running and having all of these pleasant memories.
I did get tired and have a few aches and pains, but mostly in my "good" knee. Probably need to focus more on strengthening that side since I've been paying a lot of attention to the right one. But like I said, all in all, a good run.
My legs were very tired when I got back. And they got even more tired when we trekked up to campus an hour later. Then we did more walking at Taughannock Falls later in the afternoon. But we also had awesome sandwiches at Collegetown Bagels for lunch and ice cream at the Cornell Dairy Bar for a treat. We even went to the Cornell Orchard store to pick up a bunch of apples that we will be eating for the next couple of weeks. The weather wasn't great all day, but the rain held off until tonight.
I know that after a good run like this morning's, tomorrow's is bound to be tougher. But I will be out there anyway giving it the old college (ha) try.
Posted by becky at 10:37 PM | Comments (1)
September 12, 2008
In Ithaca
Despite the fact that it rained for about 5 hours of our 6 hour drive to Ithaca today, we're here safe and sound and it was definitely worth it. Since we got here in the late afternoon, we've checked into a very cute bed & breakfast, which happens to be a shortcut away from a street I know well because my track friends used to live there, taken a walk around campus, and had dinner at a fun pizza place in Collegetown. We are with another couple and Matt's sister is in law school here, so it is really fun. I think we all forgot just how hilly this place is, though...it is not easy to walk up the hills and I am hoping to run up some of them tomorrow.
Speaking of running, I did a little of that this morning before we left. It was pretty humid out but aside from that discomfort, I felt all right. A few knee twinges, but nothing too bad. I did my American University Park/Mass. Ave. neighborhood loop and I think it was 2 or 3 minutes faster than last time. I'm not sure though since a couple of turns might have been different. When I was back, I had time to bike through half an episode of "House" and then I had to get ready to get on the road.
Our B&B is also right near a bike path--not the most beautiful Ithaca run, but it has potential since I am limited. I hope my legs remember where to go!
Posted by becky at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2008
Quiet day
I went to sleep a little later than usual last night and boy was it hard to get out of bed. I eventually stopped pressing the snooze bar and ambled downstairs to my bike. I was a bit short on time so I did some longer hill intervals than usual while watching "House" and the new season of the "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" which seems worse than usual. Bad enough that I might not continue watching. Anyway, my knees felt fine; none of the soreness from yesterday was bothering me. So that was good.
As my title suggests, it was a quiet day for me in the office, meaning that I didn't have a whole lot of colleague/client interactions save for a couple of meetings in the morning. It was another non-humid day, not that I spent too much time outside...
Tonight I was tired at the gym. I did some ellipticalling (there's one machine that I can use, not the Precor one that everyone thinks of though) and then a bit of lifting. I could feel myself getting hungry and I was not very into it. Probably an end-of-the-week thing. And it actually is the end of the work week for us because we are heading up to Cornell tomorrow with two of our friends (one also an alum) to visit Matt's sister and just enjoy some nostalgic fun. We haven't done a long drive like that in quite some time--hopefully it is smooth and uneventful.
Posted by becky at 10:00 PM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2008
Feels almost like fall
I was psyched to get outside this morning because I heard on the radio that the weather was "almost like fall" and it was meant to be a beautiful day. My legs were a little sore, more so in the hip/glute area--which means I am running "correctly"--so I wasn't sure how things would go. I started out on a hill and incorporated one other biggie, but otherwise stayed pretty flat on the Capital Crescent Trail and and offshoot of that. My knee held up pretty well, although I was getting a few twinges toward the end. My other knee was a little achy by the time I got back (and continued to be whenever I got up from sitting all day) so I will take that as a sign to just bike tomorrow.
Aside from being a little stiff today, my day went well. I sat outside for a little bit during lunchtime talking to my mom on the phone and it was so beautiful that I didn't want to come back in. No sweating, even while standing in the sun! I guess there will be more days like this to come, and hopefully even some on weekends.
I rode the spin bike before lifting at the gym tonight and listened to the new Dar Williams and Catie Curtis albums that came out yesterday. I like them both but they will take a few more listens before I decide how the compare to each artist's earlier stuff.
All (two) of my readers must think I am being depressing lately, but I recently found out that Jamie Whitmore, a world-champion XTerra triathlete, is battling cancer. I had heard her name before just from being a triathlon/running fan, but I didn't know much about her. She has a pelvic tumor that has wrapped around a lot of nerves and ultimately led to a couple of surgeries, one of which left her without much feeling in one of her feet. Yet in preparation for her second surgery and beginning chemotherapy, she figured out a way to swim and elliptical, shocking her doctors. I am not sure of the prognosis and it doesn't sound great, but I am impressed by her determination and will to get better on her own terms. Read more about her and her support system on her Web site.
Posted by becky at 10:11 PM | Comments (1)
September 9, 2008
Swimming through the humidity
Boy, was it gross out this morning. I started sweating as soon as I stepped out the door, and at one point I thought that it was raining but it was actually just my sweat flying everywhere! But I can't really complain about the weather because my knee held up pretty well for me today. I did a few glute-recruiting exercises before I headed out and just made sure to pay really, really close attention to my form. I was of course going quite slowly, especially since my route included a bunch of hills, but I was chugging along. My entertainment along the way (in addition to my music) consisted of all the middle school kids I saw waiting for the bus. There are some interesting fashion trends out there these days--including knee-high, striped socks. Who knew?
When I got back, I rode my trainer for about 30 minutes, just enough time for another episode of "The Hills." All in all it was a workout that left me feeling positive. But I have so many ups and downs these days that I don't take it for granted.
My workday excitement was leaving my purse at the deli where I grabbed a sandwich and then having to go all the way back during the 10 minutes of the day when it poured. Fun stuff! (But at least my purse was still there.)
Tonight at the gym I rode the stationary bike while starting a new book and then lifted. Nothing too out of the ordinary to report on that front--a decent day in my book.
Posted by becky at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)
September 8, 2008
Mundane Monday
The best way to describe today was...Monday. It just had that beginning-of-the-week quality that everyone in the working world associates with Monday. At least getting up wasn't hard because I had gotten a decent amount of sleep over the weekend. I decided to bike in the morning and hit the treadmill tonight. So it was another episode of "House" and then last night's pre-VMA episode of "The Hills." Lots of drama this season, as always. But no drama with my bike ride; I felt good although time seemed to drag. Another Monday symptom, I think.
Fast-forward to the end of the day. It was supposed to be "comfortable" out today but I found it quite humid walking to the gym and I was sweaty by the time I got there. Continuing on the Monday theme, all but one of the treadmills were taken. I snagged the remaining one that fortuitously was next to a broken one and did a quick run. I actually felt okay once I settled into my pace, but since I had had a few niggles walking around today, I decided to just call it at 20 minutes and then elliptical for a bit, and hopefully I can carry that positive energy into a run tomorrow morning. If I wake up on time, of course.
Other than the busy-ness of the gym tonight, everything else was fine. My sciatica/back issue seems to have resolved itself although I am still being careful not to re-aggravate it. I'm sure it was caused by something I did at the gym, and my next step it to figure it out without injuring myself again!
Posted by becky at 9:43 PM | Comments (0)
September 7, 2008
Fair-weather run
As is often the case on the day following a storm, today was beautiful. Sunny and low humidity. I had high hopes for a good run because my knee hadn't been bothering me at all walking around. Unfortunately, it wasn't too great. I did feel like I was focusing on my form, but that old familiar knee pain came back after about 15 minutes. It didn't get worse, but I knew it would be bothering me the rest of the day. I continued my run and was extra careful. I didn't feel too bad when I got home but I wasn't happy. I rode the bike for yet another episode of "House" and then I was finally done with what wasn't such a long workout, but it sure seemed that way (the bad ones always do).
Matt had a fantasy football draft at noon today and then was ecstatic to find out that the Jets 1pm game was actually on television. While he watched and cheered, I hung out in the backyard, reading and napping. Lately I am not too interested in Runner's World (for obvious reasons) but I did read a really interesting article about a man who had his leg (injured in an accident decades earlier) amputated in the hopes of being able to run more comfortably. He is now learning to run with a prosthetic "running" leg and has been having pretty good success. I'm not at the point of cutting off my leg yet, but I must say I understand where he is coming from.
After a bunch of errands this afternoon, I decided to take a walk. I was still bummed out about my knee and thought a vigorous walk on the trail near our house would make me feel better. It did help, a little. Here's to the start of another week!
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)
September 6, 2008
Those were the days
I woke up at around 8:30 this morning and realized our power had gone out (but had since come back) because of the storm. That's why my alarm didn't go off, in fact. It was still pouring and pretty windy and I remembered all those great long runs I did in the rain (especially this one with Mary)...and then decided to put off my run until tomorrow. Although I really do love running in the rain, I am not nimble these days and worried that I'd have to hurdle a branch or something and would injure myself in some other way. I really hate that I'm not hard core anymore, but I have to do what I need to do to keep myself healthy. So I headed downstairs to the bike and watched several shows (a couple of "House" episodes and "Swingtown") as the rain continued to fall. I felt good, but finishing a trainer ride while it's raining outside is nothing like finishing a run in the rain. What can you do?
Today was Matt's birthday, although we didn't do anything too exciting until tonight when we went to a really cute place for dinner. During the day, I cleaned while Matt relaxed (forgivable on his b-day) and then we did a bunch of errands once it stopped raining. I was still thinking about how I wished I could have run this morning when we got home from our errands, so I hopped on the bike for another little spin. It sort of helped.
I surprised Matt by making a dinner reservation at this small restaurant in Garrett Park, which is a tiny part of Rockville/Bethesda that still has an old-town feel. The restaurant is in the "town center" building, which is basically a big house that has this restaurant and the post office in it. It was really cute and we both enjoyed our entrees and especially the local peach cobbler that we split. Happy birthday Matt!
Posted by becky at 11:06 PM | Comments (0)
September 5, 2008
Long-feeling short week
I am getting ready to leave work and all I've been hearing around the office is how long this week has felt--despite the fact that it was only four days long! I am very much looking forward to the weekend (Matt's birthday weekend) and also to the fact that Matt is coming back from his travels this afternoon. The remnants of Hurrican/TS Hanna are supposed to come our way at some point this weekend, but I am not too worried. I'm sure I can come up with plenty of activities--from biking to shopping--to do indoors.
So this morning I woke up somewhat on time and headed out for a run. My back/butt is more of a soreness than a sharp pain now, but it does restrict my range of motion. I don't have that much need for a huge range of motion with my shuffly stride, but I would have enjoyed the run more had I been less tight. On the other hand, my knee behaved. I did a rather hilly route and I really felt like I was crawling along, and it was quite humid, but all in all not too bad of an outing. I managed to get on the bike for a little while too. I tried to stretch out my back and hips a lot with my rope but sitting all day hasn't been good. Thankfully I will be heading out soon.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 4:53 PM | Comments (0)
September 4, 2008
Rushed morning
I knew I had overslept when I opened one eye and saw how light out it was. Ugh! I occasionally turn my alarm off when I mean to hit the snooze bar and this morning I didn't have Matt's alarm for a backup! I bolted out of bed and knew my plan of running and biking wasn't going to happen. I had just enough time to ride the trainer for an episode of "House" and even that was pushing it, but I am generally on time to work so I figured one slip-up was okay. I worked as hard as I could in the short time I had.
To complicate matters this morning, my butt/back (sciatica?) was killing me. It didn't bother me while biking, but I couldn't really do my sit-ups and it was uncomfortable walking around all day. I think sitting made it worse. I took Advil to no avail and iced as well. I tried stretching. Eventually I took a little walk after a marathon staff meeting and I felt a little better. But I didn't know if I would be able to run at the gym. I foam-rolled and stretched when I got there and gave it a whirl on the treadmill. It was weird thinking about an ailment other than my knee (she was on good behavior). It actually didn't bother me much while I was running but it didn't help matters. I avoided any lifting things that hurt and I am going to search for my heating pad tonight.
On a non-running-related note, I recently heard the tragic story of folk singer Katie Reider, who died of a rare facial tumor a couple of months ago at the age of 30. (Great New York Times article here.) While she was ailing, her friends and fans started a site to expose people to her music--http://www.500kin365.org (the URL refers to their goal of getting 500 people to download her music in the next year). I hadn't heard of Katie but she opened for many of my favorite artists, including Catie Curtis. I encourage any folk fans to check out the site, learn about all the lives Katie touched, and download her music.
Posted by becky at 9:22 PM | Comments (0)
September 3, 2008
Not a great run
Lately my runs have been very unpredictable. I've hypothesized in the past that I am not butt-clenching during the bad ones, and I think that held true today. It's sort of like I run normally (i.e. my old stride) and it feels good for about 20 minutes and then--that old, familiar ache comes creeping back and I want to unscrew my knee and leave it by the curb. I actually thought to myself today, "I don't feel like I am using my butt and hips and hamstrings" but decided to ignore it. I think it is just frustrating to have to think so much about every step...but that is also why it seems that my runs get better as I string days together.
Alas...I was not in a good mood when I got home from the run and on the bike (my route was my AU Park neighborhood loop from the weekend). At least I had an episode of "The Hills" to watch. That was about all I had time for, and despite leaving for an appointment on time, I was late because the traffic is all different now that "summer's over."
Speaking of summer, it was 95 degrees today. Ironically this is the hottest it has been since July. And I don't mind too much because it is nice in the morning and who am I kidding, I'm inside all day at my desk!
I rode the spin bike tonight at the gym for a bit while catching up on the latest celebrity gossip on TMZ's nightly show (I don't even know what it is called). Highly entertaining. I was also entertained by the gym regulars having a political "debate" (i.e. calling each other stupid because of their political beliefs). It was all in good fun though and I enjoy the banter sometimes, as long as it isn't directed at me.
Matt is still away for a couple more nights and I am doing my usual taking advantage of the quiet and heading to bed early. An extra hour usually makes a difference for me at work the next day and I have several meetings on the agenda tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 9:50 PM | Comments (0)
September 2, 2008
And so it goes
Getting enough sleep this weekend was great because it wasn't that hard to get up when the alarm went off this morning! I was just kind of down because I knew that Matt would be leaving tonight for another few days and I am tired of all his trips. In any case, I was dressed and ready to bike in no time. I watched most of "Definitely, Maybe" and I am even going to finish it tonight. Of course it was cheesy and a chick flick, but those get me every time. I do, however, feel like Abigail Breslin plays the same part in all of her movies: a beyond-her-years, witty ten-year-old (or however old she is). Whatever brings in the (big) bucks, though, right?
Biking felt good although my knee was a little stiff. Sometimes it feels that ironically my knee bothers me more on days I know I don't have to run. Maybe it is psychological or maybe this is because I usually have run several days in a row before taking a non-running day. Maybe it's a little bit of both, huh?
I was glad to have my office mate back today after a week of vacation. We are quite compatible as work buddies because we can both do our own thing but stop at any moment to bounce an idea (work-related or not) off of each other. Otherwise things were pretty quiet around the office; I imagine people are still getting caught up after that final summer vacation.
Everything was status quo at the gym tonight, except it seems that each night I notice the sun setting earlier. I don't really mind when it gets dark earlier; it just makes me think summer is over and it really isn't, at least not in terms of weather. In any case, after lifting, I made sure to foam roll my shoulder/upper back since it has been sore for a few days. I can fall asleep in virtually any position and that often results in neck/shoulder/back cramps--must be more careful when closing my eyes!
Posted by becky at 9:14 PM | Comments (0)
September 1, 2008
Relaxing day
For the third (and final) weekend day, I slept late enough so that I actually felt rested when I woke up. Although I knew it would eat up a chunk of time during the morning, I decided to go to the gym and do my workout plus lifting to get it out of the way. It ended up being a good decision. First I ran for about 40 minutes on the treadmill. It was nice not to have hills to worry about! I felt good, but I think I will make tomorrow a non-running day--I've had four decent runs in a row (three outside) and I don't want to push my luck.
After the run, I switched to the spin bike and got even sweatier. I alternated between watching coverage of Hurricane Gustav and an "America's Next Top Model" marathon. Biking felt fine although I did not stay on too long because I didn't want to run out of energy for lifting. Having a Balance bar helped, too, and I was able to get through most of my normal weekday routine without crashing.
When I got home it was after noon already, and Matt was about to leave to go play some touch football. I ended up sitting outside in the backyard and reading for a few hours; it was a beautiful day in the shade. I also had time for a quick trainer ride while watching "Oprah." (True fact: this is the first time I had ever watched "Oprah" but she had the author of "Eat, Pray, Love" on and I wanted to hear what she had to say!) Tonight we went over to our neighbors' house for dinner and were highly entertained by their one-year-old son. I actually feel like I had a long weekend, and hopefully the beginning of the work week won't be too hectic!
Posted by becky at 8:45 PM | Comments (0)