September 30, 2005
Say No to Spaghettios
For some reason lately, I am starving 24/7. It doesn't help when you have no food in the house. I'm not sure why we don't have any food since it's only Friday and we usually don't go shopping until Sunday. I was desperate to eat something after my run tonight, but there wasn't anything I could eat right away. Eventually I found a can of Spaghettios (I'm not sure if that's how to spell it since I'm actually eating the generic brand). I microwaved them because it would have taken too long to cook on the stove. As a matter of fact, I ate them somewhat cold because I was too hungry to wait any longer. Now I feel disgusting. They definitely didn't hit the spot.
Yesterday I ran an easy 4 miles to recover from Wednesday's workout. I was stiff which was probably a result of running the workout too fast. Today I ran 8.5 and felt a little tired. I don't know if I was actually tired or if it was more that I just didn't feel like running. I've had a stressful week and just wanted to be able to lie around doing nothing. Right now my plan is to read for a little, but I'm guessing that will put me right to sleep. I'm excited to be able to sleep in tomorrow and not have too much going on this weekend.
Posted by Caitlin at 09:14 PM | Comments (0)
September 28, 2005
Whoops-a-daisy!
I have been getting to the track earlier and earlier each week, but it keeps getting fairly dark at the end of my workout. So, next week I will shoot for another 10 minutes earlier. I warmed up for 22 minutes doing the same out and back run I do every week. Then I did drills, strides, and stretched briefly. I was a little nervous before my workout. I'm not sure why since it's only a workout. I think it must be the time expectations. I always worry about hitting the times and half the time it's not even remotely a problem. Anyway I was supposed to do five 800's in 3:24 with 2:30 rest (about a 400), but I went a little too fast. I did 3:20, 3:24, 3:18, 3:16, 3:15. Normally I'm a big proponent of doing the workout exactly as written so that the purpose of the workout isn't compromised, but I really couldn't help it. Alison has written before that she went faster because she thinks she's in better shape, so I'm going to use that one too (and hope it's true)! Besides, I think I'm a better workout runner than racer. For most people it's the other way around. I guess I just don't race hard enough. After the 800's, I did four 200's in 43-45 seconds with 90 seconds rest. I only cooled down for 12 minutes because it was getting dark and that's all I felt like doing since I already had more than 8.5 miles.
On a scary note, when I got home to my apartment I noticed my cellar door was open (it wasn't when I left). I was a little hesitant about going in, so I checked with my neighbor to see if she saw anyone. I ended up going in my apartment, but I was scared to death. The neighbor's boyfriend came home soon after, so I made him follow me around the apartment while I checked closets, under the bed, and behind the shower curtain. Of course, we found nothing, but I'm still freaked out. I'm definitely a baby about this stuff, but I can't help it. I haven't written yet about my other fears. One is of bears, but luckily there aren't any out here.
Posted by Caitlin at 08:47 PM | Comments (1)
September 27, 2005
Ouch!
I woke up in the middle of the night with the most intense charley horse ever. I was screaming and grabbing my calf. I couldn't make it go away. It felt like something was trying to tear through my skin. Brad thinks I was dehydrated from my massage. Probably, since all I drank after it was lots of diet soda. All I know is that I'm a little nervous about going to bed tonight because I can't deal with having another one.
Today I ran the usual 70 minutes. I controlled myself from catching someone way ahead of me. Usually I can't control the temptation, but I wanted a nice, relaxing run. Maybe it if it was the end of the run, but it was too early in the run to start chasing someone. Maybe next time.
Posted by Caitlin at 07:48 PM | Comments (3)
September 26, 2005
Silky Smooth
Do I feel good or what? Today was the day I got my free massage (the one I won from a drawing at the bank). It was actually a sugar scrub exfoliation. My skin was exfoliated after hot towels were placed on me. It felt so good. Then I rinsed off the scrub (I got to pick the scent) and got a massage with lotion to moisturize the skin. I'm sorry, but I can't stop touching myself to feel how soft I am. I wish it would last forever... No running today as it is my day off.
Posted by Caitlin at 08:40 PM | Comments (1)
September 25, 2005
Weekend Update
For me the work week goes by quickly, but the weekend goes by even quicker. Yesterday I didn't wake up until 10am. My husband had gotten up at 7am for his practice with his team and said I woke up freaking out that I was late for work. I must have been exhausted because I only vaguely remember that. I did two runs--45 minutes in the morning and 47:30 in the evening with Brad. His morning practice was doing hill repeats on Heartbreak Hill, so he ran easily with me on flat, soft trails. He was running longer than me so he dropped me off back at the car while I started my new book--Midwives. When we got home we ordered chinese food and watched Guess Who. I was so excited watching the previews when I discovered that Rent was made into a movie and coming out this fall. In the preview, the cast is singing Seasons of Love. I kept playing it over and over again. Luckily I can keep the DVD until next Sunday.
Today I ran 13+ miles (10.5 of it with Brad). Brad ran a little ahead of me, but frequently ran back to check on me. He also carried my Gatorade on the hills to give me a break. The best part was that when I got back he had made pancakes. So, does that mean since he's out on an 8 mile run right now, that I should have dinner waiting on the table. Whoops...
Posted by Caitlin at 07:00 PM | Comments (2)
September 23, 2005
Visualization
I stayed at work a little longer than usual which meant that I left later for my 8 mile run. The air felt cool and crisp--almost like fall. I know that I'm longing for fall, but it actually made me feel slightly depressed. It made me miss all my fall runs in Western Mass. and feel nostalgic for all my cross-country team experiences. To alleviate my mini-depression, I decided to pretend I was running on the various cross-country courses that I have logged many miles on throughout my high school, college, and post-collegiate runs. I ran on the golf courses at Dartmouth College and Gardner, through the "wilderness" at Franklin Park, up and down Northfield Mountain, through Sunken Meadow and Saratoga State Park, and on the courses at Smith College, Slippery Rock, Bryant, Albany, and Babson to name just a few. I'm sure people were wondering why I had such a big smile on my face. If only they knew...
Posted by Caitlin at 08:32 PM | Comments (1)
September 22, 2005
Luck of the Draw
I can't believe it! I won!! Today is my lucky day. I entered a drawing at the bank tonight for a free hour long massage. There weren't a lot of entries, but I never thought I'd win. I'm so excited! I was just thinking today that I need to find a new massage therapist. Before I moved in July, I used to get regular massages.
Today I ran a nice, easy 4 miles. It's the only day besides my day off that I do less than 8. While I was running I was looking for signs of fall. There really aren't any yet around here. It's truly disappointing as fall is my favorite season. Fall is awesome in Western Mass.(where I was before I moved). In an e-mail to Mary, I mentioned how much I miss running in Northampton in the fall. It has a certain feel and a certain smell. I miss working out on the track at Smith College. The environment is unmatchable. You can warm up on the 3/4 mile cinder track, on the trails, on the roads through campus, or a combination of all of those things. I think part of my problem is that I miss cross-country which I associate with the fall. Now that my sister is in college, this is the first time in a while that I haven't been regularly attending cross-country meets. Luckily my husband is doing some cross-country meets, so I'll be making a couple of trips to Franklin Park. I just want to run through some leaves...
Speaking of Northampton, I just finished Running With Scissors which is a memoir of a boy and the family he lives with in Northampton. It was #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list for over 70 consecutive weeks. Different would be a good word to describe the book. Did anyone else read it? There's a movie version coming out with some pretty big names. I'll be interested to see what this story is going to look like on the big screen.
Posted by Caitlin at 07:38 PM | Comments (3)
September 21, 2005
Cranky Runner
After warming up for 21 minutes, I noticed I had company at the track! It was a man on a bike. I was very disappointed when he left after only a few minutes because my workouts have been very lonely for the past five weeks. I did a few drills and stretched quickly because it was already starting to get dark out. My workout was 7x600 with 2 minutes rest and then 4x200 with 90 seconds rest. The 600's were at 5k race pace (1:42/400) and the 200's were at mile race pace (:47). This is based off of the 21:12 5k I did last weekend. I hit all my times, but did the 200's in 45 seconds. 200's are very easy for me, so it is hard for me to control myself from going too fast. The point of them at the end of my run is to get me running faster when I'm tired as you would need to do in a race. I only cooled down for 10 minutes, which gave me close to 8.5 miles.
By the way, my husband is my coach. I think I'd prefer to call him my advisor since we don't have the typical coach/athlete relationship. As a matter of fact, when I was trying to think of a title for my blog, he suggested I call it Cranky Runner. He was joking, but he's right. I can be a pain.
I got pulled over by the police on my way home from the track. It was my first time. Luckily (or not so luckily) I was pulled over because my headlight was out. I happened to get pulled over almost directly in front of the school I teach at. Hope no one noticed me...
Posted by Caitlin at 09:49 PM | Comments (2)
September 20, 2005
The Little Things
Today we finally got our new washer and dryer after waiting 5 weeks!! You know you're getting old(er) when that constitutes the big excitement for the day.
Tonight was also Taco Night. We've been having tacos on a weekly basis, so we started calling it Taco Night. Preparation is simple and boy do they taste good.
Oh, and I ran the usual 70 minutes tonight. It was actually 71 minutes because I wasn't paying attention. I'm one of those people who runs the exact amount, whether I have to walk back to my apartment or do laps around the apartment until my watch reaches the magical number. I have a track workout tomorrow, so I better check the local high school schedules. They each have an all-weather playing field (sort of like turf)in the middle, so there is always some activity going on that prevents me from using the track. There is one that's never in use, but it's not the nicest track. I'm sure that's where I'll end up going.
Posted by Caitlin at 10:54 PM | Comments (3)
September 19, 2005
Introductions
I didn't realize it was going to be so difficult to come up with a title for my blog or for this entry. The title of my blog is the name of a Yes song. I'm not necessarily a Yes fan, but my husband is. Prior to seeing Dave Matthews this summer, I had only been to two concerts and both of them were Yes concerts. I was also supposed to go to a Spin Doctors concert when I was in high school, but I got grounded (the one and only time).
As for running, today was my day off from running. I need a day off every week to rejuvenate and keep myself motivated. I hardly took days off in college, but I'm not the same runner I was in college, or high school for that matter. Since graduating from college I've run anywhere from 15-35 miles/week due to chronic fatigue issues. Then last October, I decided I wanted to run a marathon. Why you ask? I was sick of everyone asking me if I've ever run a marathon when they found out I was a runner. My husband suggested that I needed to run at least 50 miles/week if I wanted to run a marathon. I absolutely did not see that happening. I've always responded better to quality rather than quantity. Somehow though, I was running at least an hour a day and made it to 50 miles/week. To make a LONG story short, I ran Vermont City in May. I could tell a whole long story about that as well, but let's just say I qualified for Boston (barely). So now that I have done a marathon (just to say I did one), I'm running Boston (just to say I did Boston). It will be on mine and Brad's two year anniversary. Is there such thing as a marathon bug, because if there is I may have caught it?!
Posted by Caitlin at 08:27 PM | Comments (11)