Friday, November 26, 2010

and things are amovin'

A lot happens in a short time.

I'm moving back to Chicago... signed the lease for a new place a week ago today. I'm really excited about the location. On Friday when I signed the paperwork I wandered around the half mile from the apartment to Clark and back. I hit the Furniture store, Stella Espresso, Urb Animal, and Devon Market.

This reminds me of what I gave up when I thought I wanted things a little quieter. Evanston is a great small suburb if you have a family and most importantly a vehicle. I'll be much more able to get what I need and where I want to go without having to spend so much time en route to get there.

I'll do another update on my running workshop next but things have slowed down but are ramping back up again. I'm cancelling on actually going to Myrtle as airfare is definitely more than I was anticipating and a friend who was planning to run with me hasn't been able to get their training started due to work conflicts. I made a donation to a good cause and will be better able to enjoy a run and a trek somewhere else. I don't regret the initial decision to do it, as its what go the fire going under my butt.



Sunday, November 14, 2010

Trying to keep Busy

It's been day by day lately.

I have to keep fighting the impulse to change things. Something Different. Anything Different.

It might not necessary be an entirely bad urge. But it's one distracting enough that I keep waffling back and forth. I may take a while to make a decision as I weight pros and cons, but this is something different.

I'm not handling things falling through well. I'll keep trying but every time I get more discouraged. Even something as simple as trying to get my phone upgraded FINALLY and they shoot me down. Seriously you'd think that because I'm giving you more money long term, it'd be ok to start taking that from me an extra 60 days forward. But NOOOO. *end rant*

I miss some people that I used to be really close to. We all change and the past has been left behind.. but I take a long time to make friends to begin with so when they go to the wayside its not without leaving a hole where they used to be.

I've added another person to the ames circle today. That makes 4 people across my life that have given me this nickname. I find it kind of funny because none of them know the other people (with 1 sort of exception) and they all start to use it when talking to me of their own volition, and at approximately the same stage in our friendship.

If you've called me ames and lived to tell the story... that means you're a pretty cool folk in my book.

Friday, November 12, 2010

something cute

When I get comfy at night I usually don't always get to the bed right away. Usually dusty will find a place somewhere in the living room and pass out while he waits for me. Apparently for the last week or so, he got tired of waiting. I'd get up to go to bed and he wasn't in the room. I'd get to the bedroom, turn on the light, and find him curled up in my bed. He'd given up on me hours ago. I can't really complain too much because he likes to sleep right in my normal spot, which is now all nice and toasty warm.

Thanks dusty.. I love you too.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

November 9

This is the day I have run my first non stop mile. IN MY LIFE.


It felt so good I walked for 2 minutes, and did another one. Non Stop.

And then I say GO YAY! and did a little dance. After I got off the treadmill. One treadmill face palm is enough to last a lifetime.


It started off as really kind of a crappy day. I got turned down for an apartment I was really trying for and it really bummed me out. At work I was really just kind of blah... First the possible Seattle job going on the window, then the apartment. I thrive on lots of activity and while it's nice to get some time to work on projects that have been sitting for a while, my concentration comes and goes in smaller spurts.

I've dressed up today and yesterday and that's helped a little. Yesterday was one of those radiate confidence and sexy and it helped make the day go by faster. I just feel like I race these dark nights to get home and get the lights on and say you can't come in here and take MY light and my energy. This is when I feel the most lonely.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

My First 5k - a Reflection

So the first official run is done.

I finished in 44:33, with an average pace of 14:21.

Yesterday's experience, taught me that training for the miles is only one part of an actual race.

The other part is dealing with the weather conditions, the route, and the people.

Melanie and I left my house at 5:30 to catch the bus down to Grant Park. It was Cold - temps were reading below 30F. It didn't seem so bad as we were walking to the bus stop, and then walking from the Congress drop to the tents in Grant park, as long as you were moving it was bearable.

Then came the wait. We got there about 6:45, and found Shelly. The start time for the 5k was 7:40. Trying to keep that warmth for an hour did not work. At some point we all had to check whatever we didn't want to carry for the race, so there went the hoodies and the sweats that had help fend off the cold - I did this about 7:10.

FINALLY, the race starts. By that I mean the gun goes off. It takes a full 15 minutes for my pace group (I put myself in with the 13 min mile group) to actually cross the start line.

In the first 4 minutes, the following was going through my head - "WTF, OWW, COLD, Hey don't elbow me, Oh this person stopped gotta move over so I don't plow into them".

It was a zoo. It took the first mile to even warm up my muscles. All thoughts of breathing, form, pace were out the window. I was just trying to stay upright and keep moving forward. With all that said, I cross the 1 mile marker in 13:35, which is not a bad time for me at all.

My other learning experience was navigating the water stations. I lost a couple minutes in this area because I made the newbie mistake of stopping and STANDING in a line to grab a cup, not able to see the other 8 tables that were further down with no people. There were people weaving back and forth, darting, it was a zoo.

About 25 minutes into the run, I hit my groove. It felt great!! Before then, I'd be alternating run/walk with 2-3min run and 1:30 walk. I did from 24:30 to 31:30 all running, and didn't feel winded or forced at all. I had to slow down when I hit a block of people that were having to go around the bend on the outside of the Planetarium walk, and then it was just one huge massive block for the last 3/4 of a mile. It was 2 switchbacks to finally get back to Columbus Dr and the FINISH stretch. More and more my endurance is increasing to do longer stretches. The form is definitely helping, from smaller steps to using smaller elbow movements back to let gravity and physics help sync a little better.

Next up is the 8k Rudolph Ramble in December. Its still going to be cold, more distance, but less people. This is slowly but surely happening...

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

nighttime warm fuzzies

As I've been going to bed every night for the last 3-4 nights, I've been getting the vibrating warm fuzzies.

I get these in different parts of my body over the years depending on who they're correlated with, and have come to learn each person leaves their own "signature". I can count on one hand the people in my life that I've had this close connection to.

I'm not 100% sure who is thinking of me and sending the warm fuzzies every night, and why they started up at this particular time. But you know what, I thank you. It puts a smile on my face and keeps me toasty warm as these evenings start to cool down.
 
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