Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I've run myself stupid and an update.

So-it's a proven fact. Running KILLS brain cells. My husband has been "debating" this with me for 2 years based on some of my actions, but tonight he finally won the debate. He stopped home from work briefly to grab some food out of the fridge and there on the top shelf was a roll of toilet paper. My intention was to bring it to the downstairs bathroom but somehow I got sidetracked in the fridge......

Another week has passed and I'm still not a blogging superstar....For a little bit there I thought I was a running superstar though as I logged over 78 miles last week in my plight to make up for cutting my long run short by 6 miles last weekend. I had this flexibility email discussion with a friend recently. I'm tending to be flexible with doing "more" in training (in terms of miles not pace), but inflexible with doing less at times even if it's in my best interest.

You know, one of these days I will change my blog posts from the bullet format of life and training but for now, it is what works for me. As previously mentioned, I have a shortage of brain cells (I'm willing to trade brain cells for nice legs for the record).

LIFE:

*I have been thoroughly enjoying the past 6 weeks of NOT being bound to a spreadsheet with my kids. They have still been busy but NOTHING like they will be in just a couple of weeks. I've had a relatively easy time fitting in my runs and very little stress trying to make things work. I've also been enjoying 2 days of work and a lot of vacation time which changes as of tomorrow as I'm back full time for awhile.

*Max told me matter of factly that he would sleep better if he had a tempurpedic bed. I laughed out loud.

*Ryan has started preseason volleyball. They have tryouts this week. I'm a little nervous for her. A lot of girls trying out this year.

*My hubby took me on an overnight date last night. Much needed time for some uninterrupted conversation from his work cell phone that never stops ringing our kids. Beautiful night, nice dinner, beach to ourselves, a reminder of how important this is to me to make these little getaways work in our schedule.

*We came home from our little overnight to 2 kids who tested positive for strep AGAIN. UGHHH!! This is like round 47 for the year.

*Ryan is making more money babysitting than I am at my JOB! No lie, she got a somewhat desperate call to babysit the other day from 9am-3:30 pm for 3 kids, 8,6,4. We have no drop in childcare here. She had to drop a few plans to make it work and they paid her $75. Are you kidding me. I'm all for paying good babysitters well but this is seriously outrageous. I'm getting my references together....Looking at a new career here. Only I would NOT be a good babysitter....I only like my own kids-ha!


TRAINING:

*As I mentioned I'm coming off a huge week mileage wise. This may be my highest mileage ever with only one real long run. It was a good week. There were some rough spots and there were some great spots.

*I biked alongside a friend on Saturday while she ran her long run. This friend is totally out of my league here but it was fun to be a part of her run (well, for the first 16 or so until I started to feel slightly annoying lollygagging on my bike...) It was a good experience. Always fun to watch elite caliber athletes just cruise along for an easy 20 right?? Hmmmm??? I think somehow I get under this notion that if I train hard enough at some point it might just become easy....WRONG. If I train hard enough, I will get FASTER but it won't ever become easy....Saw this first hand Saturday. No drop in pace, no drop in form, no stopping, progressing to my 5K pace for extended miles but EASY??? Nope, not the right word. Running hard is tough for anyone, pace is relative as we all know but hard effort is hard effort.

*ran my 22 mile long run on Sunday. I was determined to have a good run. I knew I would have a good run before I laced up my shoes because I wasn't going to allow myself otherwise. Pace wise, it WAS a good run. I kept the first half a little slower and then started to pick up the pace. Made it pretty strong until 19 (do not know what my problem with 19 is these days) and then decided to push through mile 20 and cut myself a break and slow down for the last two. I was really tired, I was fighting some glute pain that became especially bothersome at the end but I finished with a 7:51 overall average which is my fastest LR for a 22 mile (I've run 8 in my lifetime). It was warm, the top of my waterbelt was rubbing and I ended up with a little blood on the thing. I seriously need a body glide spray tan before I run in this heat and I forgot.....


A little sweaty blood there! Just the red though. The pink is Shot Blox that I thought would somehow just sit open in that pouch without melting....more signs that I've lost brain cells. Furthermore, I actually tried one of these shot blox and they are nasty.

*I took an unscheduled rest day today, not entirely by choice. Got intimate with a tennis ball, a golf ball, a foam roller, a few other things out of the toybox. My body is still working here at rest, so I'm telling myself. It will most likely also be working tomorrow.

HUGE shoutout to Raina from Small Town Runner who totally SMOKED a 10K this last weekend!!! I could not be more happy for this super talented, super determined, super SPEEDY lady! Cheers to you Raina! OK-off to catch up!









25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well that's just great. I run AND I drink beer. My brain doesn't stand a chance...

Ana-Maria RunTriLive said...

I know a thing or 2 about running myself stupid:) Hope your legs feel better. It took 2 easy days for me:) You are a running superstar! 78 miles, and 2 long runs, right (18 and 22)? 7:51 is a kick a$$ pace! Love it Jenn. Yes, as we discussed, same issues with flexibility over here. Now I am super frustrated bc I feel I will have to restrain myself from speed so not to get injured. Grr!

$75 for 6.5 hours of sitting for 3 kids is not much. She would easily get $20/hour over here. Another incentive to move here...just saying!

Do not catch any of that strep, OK?

My water belt gave me a nice rash on my back, and it does not heal bc I keep running with the same belt. Oh, the things we do for running. OK, better go back to my crazy day, hopefully no more cancellations today!

LindseyAnn said...

Hm, maybe I should look in to a side job of babysitting...? Haha, no, that would be a poor choice.
Sounds like your training week went great, aside from melted Shot Blox and belt chafing.
I hope your kids feel better soon, and that tryouts go well for Ryan!

Teamarcia said...

I'd happily sacrifice a brain cell or a thousand for a training week like that, minus the blood though. Hardcore girl!

Johann said...

You are putting in some serious training, well done! I've been running for 30 years now so you can imagine how many cells I've got left upstairs. Keep it going!

Tricia said...

awesome week

ATTrio said...

The way you handle your mileage is truly inspiring. Nice job!!

-Jen

ajh said...

At our house my husband would be the one who would put the tp in the fridge. He still hasn't found a hamburger roll he lost. It's molding away in the house somewhere.

You continue to astound me with what you do with your running.

Britt @ Chicago Runner Girl said...

I baby sat while in college and was making bank, sometimes I wish I never gave it up. Love that your son wants a tempurpedic bed, SO DO I!!! Man those things are expensive! Nice long run, and grease yourself up! Love the insightfulness that running fast is hard for everyone...sometimes it can be difficult to remember this.

Hope you enjoy your last few days of summer.

Raina said...

Ok...for the quick comment first...
max is a SMART kid. I never doubted that. Does he want a King- or is twin OK? :)

The TP...I find my glasses in the strangest places sometimes..

Back for more later!!
Thanks for the shout out! I love you too :)

GoBigGreen said...

I cant wear those belts, they bounce around and annoy the heck out of me. Try the tropical or the margarita shot blox, the raspberry ones taste like cough drops:)
Hope you can get some rest, and remember rest is when we get stronger.
Thanks mom:)

Lindsay said...

maybe you should have their throat glands removed so they quit getting strep? or tell them to stop being scandalous and making out with everyone ... ;)

yeah back in my day babysitting was like $5/hr. none of this "per kid" stuff. i would never leave my kid with a babysitter at today's rates!

Jill said...

Perfect - if you dye that water bottle holder, it can become pink! Me loves pink!!!

Holy cow girlie, you are rocking the miles and I couldn't be happier for you. I'd pay big bucks to run ONE mile at 7:51 right now and not feel like death would be a better alternative. Your marathon is going to be hard, yes, but oh how you are going to be jumping mighty high after you PR THAT SUCKER!! And I am going to TRY not to be so lame and make you a sign. No guarantees...but you are so worth the "try".

My boys are watching my neighbor's house while they are gone taking their daughter to college....$45/day. To bring in the mail and water a few container plants. Are you kidding me? I'm getting my resume together tonight, I'm taking them down and my new job is going to be house watcher. What an awesome career move!

Sorry about the kiddos, that really sucks. I don't think we've ever got the strep thing here...plenty of other stuff so don't go being envious and all, but keep away from that crappy strep, it is not good for a runner so close to her big race!

Ok, rambling on and on...think about you often. Maybe one day I'll even text and say hi :).

Raina said...

Back! :)

The bottle holder. Ouch- that doesn't look comfy. When I ever return to going long enough to need water I really need to get used to a belt, but this does NOT make me want to give it a whirl! And AM's comment makes me think that a person never gets toughened up for that. Ha!

Flexibility is a learned thing....you are learning! I am very PROUD of you for listening to yourself over the glute and taking a URD. It might be the BEST/MOST important missed day in your training. TRY NOT to make it up. Play Sick. :) Your Body will thank you! Also, I am SO looking forward to your race. I should know this , but I am pretty sure you have ran this course before, right??
Have a great week, Jenn!!

Caroline said...

aouch...the belt...I have never had that before...do you wear it with the bottles on the back..I do. and I always wear longer tops..those are HARD to find..Under A. has some, so the belt does not touch my skin..

sorry about the kids being sick. right before school starts...hope they get better in time..they will I am sure with antibiotics..and then it is back to the wonderful POOL OF GERMS: school! already I see kids who should not be at school in class...that drives me nuts!

Amanda@runninghood said...

Oh goody, you posted again! I have not been in blog land much at all...pop in from time to time and comment on maybe one that I see at the top of the list. Glad I googled you just to check...I really need a better method of knowing when you post since you don't post on FB. :) Hoping to steal away and read this on my break from church camp leader today. :)

Katie said...

You mean toilet paper doesn't belong in the fridge? Both my husband and I have been known to do things like that (and he doesn't run). ;)

Great training! 78 miles! Wow!

A Prelude To... said...

Max reminds me of my own Jack. He's constantly telling me I need things he's seen on tv.

Once he tried to convince me that I needed curlier eye lashes and he completely memorized an entire INFOMERCIAL about a purse that could hold everything I own plus the kitchen sink.

I think he's recommended a temperpedic for me as well.

(Why yes...I do believe those commercials are working on my kids).

Amanda@runninghood said...

The toilet paper in the fridge. ha ha! So something I do. ONly I put things away in the pantry that should be in the fridge. :) I think your definitely using a lot of the brain cells on training so it makes sense that you'd do things like this with how much you're running! :) Still jealous of your time with Heidi! What an inspiration there. And the blood...gee wiz girl!! That just says bad ass! ha! Awesome 22 miler!!!

And we pay our babysitter like that too...Waylon is hiring her all day today in fact...so he can get his run in and do some work for his business while I'm gone.

Love ya!

Happy Feet 26.2 said...

I came to blogger tonight specifically to catch up with you. I've been absent much lately. Wow! that's some crazy mileage. I hope to be in the 60-75ish range later this fall.

Love it! Seriously, I think our brains operate the same. I get sidetracked ALL the time. Heading to complete one task and see something else, and then can't remember what I started doing? Is that a running haze? I DID NOT KNOW this.

NEVER give up the bullet points. I totally get it. As I think about blogging, that's how my mind works. It's reader friendly too. Organized thoughts are overrated, IMO.

I have a 5k coming up on Sat. First one since June (this is a long time for me). I'm nervous, but MUST get in the game. I need to see exactly how much speed I've lost over the summer. Typically, this is HIGHLY motivating for me.

Happy weekend Jenn! Nice to catch up with you.

Keri said...

7:51 average for 22 miles. Amazing.

KT80 said...

Which Shot Bloks did you try?

XLMIC said...

I've been so out of it regarding reading…husband away…you know how that goes :P Super impressed with your training :) Hope that glute 'fire' has subsided since you posted this. So much of this post had me chuckling :)

Tina @GottaRunNow said...

That's one fast long run! Too bad about the belt rubbing - I've chafed, but I haven't bled - when I forgot my body-glide. Send me all the shot bloks you don't want - I like them!

Irene said...

I'm still busting up over the toilet paper on the fridge. At least you didn't put it in the fridge... LOL...

Maybe that's why running makes me feel so good. I loose brain cells!

I switched to hand held bottles due to the hydration belt chafe and just wanting to rip it off as soon as I set out to run.

Nice update!