Some lessons I learned from last night’s run.
1. Do not eat a large meal at Chevy's immediately prior to a run
2. Do not start an evening run at 7:30 pm if you are: a) scared of the dark and b) a slow-ass runner
3. If you are hot, sweaty, and tired before you start your run. You condition will NOT improve during or after the run.
On a positive note
I had my WI at JC today and I am down 1.4!! That brings my total weight loss to 18 pounds! Woo Hoo!
Well, school has started. I don’t know if I have ever mentioned this, but I am a high school biology teacher. This summer was the first time I took some time off and, while I still had to take some classes, I was off more than I have ever been. I was really worried about having that much time away from work because I struggle with depression. I was worried I might get myself in trouble. On the contrary, I had a great summer. With the exception of losing Winston I had great time and have started this school year feeling more relaxed and happier than ever.
I want to thank you all for your great support in my training and weight loss. I really enjoy reading everyone’s blogs and hearing their successes. It inspires me to continue this journey.
Anyhoo… after my 16 mile run on Saturday I laid around like a big, fat tuna all day Sunday. On Monday I went to the gym! Yes, you heard me right. Stacey, hater of all things “gym” went to the gym. I wanted to start right away on my goal to remain active throughout the school year and I know I will not go running in the dark and the cold once winter gets rolling. Therefore, I am going to go the gym at 5:30am to run on the treadmill. I went Monday and Wednesday this week and ran 2 miles each day (that is all I had time for since I run so slow
I also started back to my Master’s classes at State. I have remained strong and am only taking classes and teaching classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. I almost caved into my old ways and added “just one class” on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but my run buddy and my hubby reminded my of my goal and I didn’t add the class. Yay me!
I have WI at JC tomorrow and my eating has been excellent except for a Chevy’s dinner tonight. 
Well, I have 5 days of blogs to get caught up on, so I better get reading! Have a great night!
Holy Cow! I ran my first-ever 16 miler today.
We ran on part of the Nike Marathon Course in a convoluted, poorly marked, loop-like thing. Unfortunately, when you run as slowly as I do you often end up running completely alone and on a poorly marked course this can be more than a little frustrating. Somehow I managed to decipher their hieroglyphic markings and didn’t go off course. My run buddy was not so lucky.
All in all the run was OK, not great, but ok. My knees and feet held up pretty well, but my bladder was an issue and my tummy troubles, while kept at bay, were lurking in the background. I ran the whole thing, but had to use the restroom twice. My overall time was 3 hours 35 minutes, which is a 13:23 pace. Considering the two bathroom breaks (Which entailed an extended off course trek to get to the d*mn bathrooms and two failed attempts where I reached locked bathrooms!) I am pleased with my pace.
Again, I finished feeling more apprehensive instead of less about the full marathon. I have figured out some possible sources of my tummy troubles, so I am going to do things a little different for my next long run.
Foodwise, I did very well today. After the run instead of taking the 1797 calories that my GPS says I burned and pigging out, I ate a sensible grilled chicken wrap with no dressing and fruit on the side instead of fries. Then my run buddy and I split a small piece of chocolate cake. The rest of the day was 100% JC except the 3 Gu's I ate on the run.
I want to start by expressing my eternal gratitude to you for your kindness and support through my loss of Winston.
We just got back from Carmel and it was a great get-away. I am really surprised that I actually went. I never do that. I always tell my hubby I am too busy and send him by himself (great wife, huh?) this time I said “yes” and we had a fantastic time. I ate relatively well. I made good choices, but restaurants’ portions are too big and I have no self-control. I try to push some of it off on my husband, but I still eat more than I should. We took my dog to Carmel Beach. They allow dogs off leash there and she LOVES it! She runs until she can barely move.
I did have one realization when we were out. For years I have eaten as much as my husband. Bite for bite, meal for meal. I am not sure why I thought I could routinely eat as much as a 200 lb man and not gain weight! Hmmm…
I had my WI today and I was down 0.4. I would have liked more since I was up 0.4 last week, but I'll take it.
I have to get off to bed because I have this crazy goal to run 16 miles tomorrow! Holy Cow! That is just absurd!
Today I had to put down my oldest cat Winston. He was 15 years old and had cancer. He was diagnosed with small cell lymphoma last August and we started chemotherapy then. I had always vowed that if he didn’t tolerate the chemo or felt sick then I would put him down.
Well, I got a really good extra year from the chemo, but today we lost the battle. Monday he didn’t eat anything except a few treats and licked some juice from his canned food. He walked slowly instead of his usual trot and his meow was weak. He has had a bad day here and there on the chemo, so I decided to give him until this morning to feel better, but inside I knew.
I have worked in veterinary medicine for almost 15 years now and have had countless clients of older and sick animals ask me “when will I know it is time?” and I always tell them, “You know [your pet] better than anyone. He/she will look at you and you will just know.” And they always tell me when that time comes that I was right and they just “knew”.
Unfortunately, knowing it is the best thing for them and that it is the right time doesn’t make it any easier. My good friend who is a veterinarian that I used to work with was there for me and Winston and I am eternally grateful. It was a very peaceful end, he purred until he was gone.
I know I am so lucky to have had been able to share my life with him, but my heart is just broken. I don’t have human children so my animals are my family. Some people don’t understand this, but I know many do.
Some of Winston’s Nicknames: he was rarely actually called ‘Winston’. Here is a partial list of his many nicknames.
Winstonian: Wiiiiin-STOOOOh-nian! This is how I would call him and he always came running in at his lopsided trot, meowing all the way. He was ALWAYS meowing!
Stoneman
The Stone Ranger
Dirt Cat: He was always filthy. He loved to lie in the dirt and would rarely groom, he just didn’t have time for that sort of thing. It was not uncommon for him to have leaves hanging from his hair. What can I say, he is from the 90’s grunge era.
The Urinator: Like the Terminator, only worse! He adopted us as an intact [read: not neutered] 2 year old cat. Evan after he was neutered, he never got over his bad boy past. If you put something down in his yard for 2 minutes he would mark it, hence The Urinator!
My older cat Ninjin brought Winston home 14 years ago. They were best friends. Ninjin died about a year and a half ago and Winston missed him terribly. This is how I picture them now. together again!
As some of you know I had a rough day yesterday (see last post). Afterwards a friend and I went to lunch since I hadn’t eaten all day. Normally I would have used this as an excuse to eat whatever, but I really didn’t want to. It felt like it would be disrespectful to his memory to do something negative. Likewise with going to track last night. I didn’t want to go, but I also didn’t want to use him as an excuse for doing something bad for me. I don’t know if that makes sense, but that is how I felt.
Track practice was hill repeats up the dam again and I did pretty well. I suppose I should have since I have been running the dam a lot lately! I am running 5 miles tomorrow morning and then my husband is taking me and Lucy (our dog) to Carmel for an overnight get-away. Then on Saturday I have my 16 mile run. We will be running part of the Nike Marathon course so, I am both excited and nervous.
Thank you to everyone for your support and kind words for Winston. He was one of a kind!
Looking up, I see the finish banner and clock. I pick up the pace, releasing the energy I've been saving for the final kick. I am gasping for air; my heart is pounding. I am going to have a PR. I am going to break 30 minutes for 5-K. What?
John Lennon may have been the Walrus, but I am the Penguin. I am the runner you've seen whose legs look as if they are tied together at the knees. I am the runner whose stride is the same as his shoe length. And I am not alone.
Why a penguin? Because metaphors usually used to describe runners—fleet-footed gazelles, cheetahs and winged-footed Mercury—don't have much to do with my running style. I tend to resemble a penguin waddling across the frozen tundra more than a thoroughbred in the homestretch.
If you've seen a penguin run or walk, you know what I mean. Penguins walk as if their feet are killing them. Penguins, waddling and scurrying, are the ultimate expression of will over form. Their feet move as fast as possible, but their bodies are barely propelled forward at all.
Those of you who are gifted runners have seen penguin runners at races. Well, you've seen us at the races where the course is out and back. You rarely see us finish, however. We're the ones who are finishing as you are getting in your cars to go home.
Actually, penguins are easy to spot. We keep moving farther and farther away from the starting line before the race begins. As the really fast and pretty fast runners complete their prerace warm-up and position themselves for the perfect starting spot, we penguins keep getting pushed back. In small races we can still see the staring line, but in bigger races we're so far back we almost need a water station before the starting line.
Once the gun goes off, as the cheetahs and gazelles speed away from us in search of PR's and age-group awards, the penguins settle into the middle of the back of the pack. It's then, when we finally have the course to ourselves, that the real race for the penguins begins—the race with our fears and insecurities. We are not racing anyone but ourselves. In many cases we are not running to anything, but away from everything.
My running shoes have become giant erasers on my feet. Every footstrike rubs away some memory of a previous indiscretion with food or smoke or drink. Every successful mile releases me from the grip of the demons of failure. Every starting line is another chance to prove that my past will not determine my future.
When I am running, in training or in a race, I imagine myself as strong and swift and elegant. When I am running, I imagine myself striding gracefully through life with courage and pride. When I am running, I forget my failures as a child or parent or friend or lover. Through running, I create myself as I have always wanted to be.
Waddle on, friends.
