Whoa....that's a lot of snow!!!

My husband's hometown in northern California.....

Um, no thank you.

Long Run Saturday...er... Friday

I'm ahead of all you guys.  I did my long run this morning.  Yup, Friday morning.  I have some a lot of flexibility in my work schedule since this job change fiasco so I took advantage of it and got a 10 miler done.  YAHOO! And you know what?  It was FABULOUS.

I met up with two other gals from the running group, one of which ran the Disney World Marathon in January.  She had a perfect 10 mile route planned for us.  It snowed only about an inch last night so the roads were clear.  The sun was out and it was a comfortable 28 degrees.  We started out and met up with runner #3 at the 2 mile mark since she only had 8 miles planned.  We ran for about 4 miles on an old paved railroad pathway then took to the roads.  We encountered many hills, but we each fed off of each other and conquered those babies.  The miles just flew by.  I like those kind of runs where you are distracted by conversation to the point you don't even know what mile you are at.  10 miles run and done!

I did have a problem with my Garmin though.  I have a Garmin 405CX and right off the bat it was stuck on the heart rate screen, and I could not get it to change to the screen where I could monitor the pace, elapsed time and miles.  I just started the timer anyway and we took off.  Since the other two ladies had Garmins as well, I knew I could get our final time and average pace from them and sync my own Garmin when I got home.  You know how the Garmin will just sync to your computer automatically?  Well, it beeped like it was doing it but then when I went to the Garmin website to see our splits and elevation, etc, nothing new was there.  I tried to" force send" it and the watch screen said transferring data, but still nothing was there.  Boo!  Anyone have any idea what could be wrong?  I really want to see our splits and elevation.

May your long run be as fantastic as mine if you have one planned!

Total miles for this week = 20.      

Laffy Taffy Tuesday

Q: Where does a penguin keep his money?




A: In a snow bank.

Have a Laffy Taffy Tuesday.

Running Thoughts...

I joined a running group, organized by the gym that I am a member of, a few weeks ago.  This is the second year that they have done this.  I did it last year, too.  Plain and simple, I like need to be held accountable.  I don't like the spotlight and I would die of embarrassment if I ever went to a comedy show and the comedian picked on me.  But, I like the fact that if I miss a Long Run Saturday, my running group will call me out.  With that being said, even though I have fleeting thoughts of skipping Long Run Saturday's once in a while, I am too afraid of the wrath from my fellow runners to miss it.

Our running group is split into different sections depending on what you are training for.  We have people training for their first 5K.  We have several people training for a 10K, but the majority of the group is training for a 25K. I am part of the 25Kers and this group is split between advanced and beginners with the only difference between the two being the mileage for the long run (it usually varies by 2 miles).

Today's advanced group was running 9 miles.  I contemplated running the 7 miles the beginners were doing since my legs were so tired from doing a heavy weight session yesterday (note to self: do not do that again, dummy).  Instead of turning off at the marker for 7 miles, I ventured on to the 9 mile course.  I, by no means, consider myself an advanced runner.  Sometimes I just need the push to do something that might make me a little uncomfortable.  7 miles today = comfortable. 9 miles today= uncomfortable.

All of the other runners in the advanced group are faster than me so even though we start off as a group, I end up running solo within the first mile.  I see the gazelles ahead of me, but alas, no one is behind me.  I do not like to listen to music while I run.  I have a phobia of anything being in my ears, plus I don't want to get distracted at the wrong time and become someones hood ornament.  Thus, I have a lot of time to think while I am out there pounding the pavement.


Some of today's thoughts:

• I wonder if my Garmin will last for the duration of this run on 40% battery life
• I wonder who else in blog land is running at this very moment
• Watch your footing -- Michigan weather leads to potholes that can swallow a small child
• I am thankful for the clear roads (by clear I mean free of snow or ice)
• I am not thankful for the WIND, whew! (unless said wind is at my back allowing me to see how it feels to run a 7 minute mile)
• That beautiful red cardinal makes 5 roadkills that I passed today 
• I wonder if animals pre-roadkill are fearful seconds before they become actual roadkill
• Interesting that a package of ground turkey was laying on the side of the road....did someone toss it out the window or did it fall out?  If it fell out how the heck would that happen?  If someone tossed it out why the heck would they do that.
• Why do people litter?
• I wonder what percentage of runners spit?  (I spit when I run because my saliva gets so thick I almost choke trying to swallow it.  I know it is not very pretty, but it is necessary.)
• Why do some drivers get so pissed off when they see a runner they purposely don't move over
• I should invest in a Road ID
• I love my socks
• Hills can bite me
• Jim at 50 after 40 is running the Austin Marathon tomorrow.  Good luck Jim.
• Cold water in cold weather tastes delightful
• Answer to thought #1 is no.  Damn, Garmin just died
• How many more miles?
• I am pleased the sun is shining but my face isn't. (I have terrible melasma above my upper lip and absolutely no sunscreen I have tried helps)
• Thank you God for allowing me to run 9.32 miles today

What do you think about while running?

Do you spit when you run?

Any suggestions regarding the sunscreen issue?  (I am almost tempted to put some masking tape on the affected area while exposed to the sun for any length of time.  Seriously.)

Total miles for this week = 18.32.

I'm No Fool

Dear Mother Nature,

I am writing this note in response to the weather you've delivered us this past week in Michigan.  I have seen your tricks one to many times, and I am no fool.  While I appreciate this hiatus from the bone chilling cold you have unleashed on us this winter, I know all to well what will come in the next few weeks.

I feel you snicker at us runners who are giddy at the thought of running outdoors in 45 degree temps sans coat, gloves, hats or even long sleeves.  You shine the sun on our faces in attempt to trick our minds into thinking it is May while it is in fact the middle of February.  You lead us into false promises of an "early spring."  Your warmer temps cause us to shut off the furnace for the day and throw open the windows to air out the stale air that has been lurking in the house since October.

Please, Mother Nature, after experiencing these feels-like-spring days, can we just be done with winter? In past years you give us these glorious days only to wreak havoc once again with blizzards and power outage worthy freezing rain.  I would really appreciate it if you could allow me to store my cold weather running gear away for the season, and allow me an early bird special view of the spring bulbs I planted last fall.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
tahoegirl

Laffy Taffy Tuesday

Q: How do you spot a dogwood tree?


A: By its bark.


Have a Laffy Taffy Tuesday.

Sweet Sunday Goodness

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Cool Runnings

10 Things Warm Weather Runners may not know about Running in the Cold/Snow:

1. Motivating yourself to run in the cold/snow is a hard obstacle
2. Traction on snow is equivalent to traction on sand.  Not so good.
3. You actually get hot running in 5 degrees
4. Snot and nose hairs freeze
5. Eyelashes can become frosty
6. GU becomes thicker than molasses and jelly beans become jawbreakers
7. Garmins can act wonky at 10 degree temperatures
8. Mesh running shoes in the winter/snow = cold, wet feet
9. Water filled fuel belts freeze and become useless
10. Just because it is cold outside doesn't mean you can forgo the sunscreen!

My training schedule had 8 miles on deck.  I contemplated running with the group that was only doing 6 miles, but one of my fellow runners ran with me for 6.5 miles and chatted the whole way.  It made the time go by so fast.

I tend to not like to run with someone only for the reason that I am NOT a fast runner and I don't want someone to slow their pace for me.    Glad she stuck with me for those 6.5 miles, although the last 1.5 were rough.

My hip was talking to me.  I think I am going to have to get that checked out.

My total miles for this week is 16.  50 after 40 and Run Tall, Walk Tall have got nothing on me!

Off to eat a cupcake.  :o)

Laffy Taffy Tuesday

Q: How do farmers count cows?


A: With a cow-culator.






Have a Laffy Taffy Tuesday!

I Spectated the Surf City Marathon

virtually.

            Why, yes, that is an authentic 2002 Winter Olympics cow bell!

Whether it is spectating a race in person or cheering them on via email, text messages or blog comments, I sincerely want to see my fellow bloggy runner friends do well on race day.

I get so excited for others as they toe the start line, and I am guilty of refreshing the race results page 1001 times to see how my friends are doing.

Congratulations to all Surf City Marathoners!

Who Stinks?

Whew.  Did someone forget to shower?  Seriously, people there is a thing called soap and you use it to wash your body so you don't stink.  Oh, and you need to wash your clothes too.  Soap = not stinky.  Or does it?


Who am I talking about above?  I happen to be talking about myself.   First and foremost, I DO shower.  Daily in fact.  Yup, I also wash my clothes.  Why is it then that my workout clothes STINK!  Not just after an 8 mile run, of course, but even after I wash them.  I swear it has to do with the material.  I think the inventors of this so called "technical clothing material"  or this "moisture wicking capable" mumbo jumbo have a conspiracy against those of us who want to stay cool and dry.  I'm convinced at one time the executives of the companies that sell this type of workout clothing had a conversation that went something like this.
  
Fabric Engineer: "I've invented the next best thing since sliced bread.  Gym buffs with love it.  Bikers with previously chaffed sensitive spots will adore it. Runners will buy it by the truck load.  Cotton farmers will hate us, but that's beside the point."


Exec:  Touching a baby soft t-shirt, "Wow, this is great material.  What is it made out of?"

Fabric Engineer:  "100% polyester.  I have a technical name for it -- technical material.  Tech for short.   Unlike cotton which accumulates every drop of sweat until your clothes weigh 5 pounds, this material wicks sweat away from your skin but doesn't absorb it like cotton.  It's like running naked."

Exec:  "Think it would sell?"

Fabric Engineer: "Who wouldn't want to run feeling as if they were naked?  Of course it would sell.  One thing though that I can't solve is while this material doesn't absorb sweat it absorbs stink.  I'm talkin' BO -- body odor.  Even after washing it multiple times, there is a lingering stink to it."

Exec: "Is it noticeable?"

Fabric Engineer: "Not when you first put on a freshly laundered shirt.  It isn't until 5 minutes into your workout that you start to notice that something stinks.  By that time it's too late.  You think it can't be you because you just started your workout and you are wearing a clean shirt.  It must be the guy next to you. You question through your entire workout if it really is you that stinks.  By the end of your workout you DO stink so it doesn't matter anymore."

Exec:  "Are these results reproducible?   Pretty much every time one would wear a "tech shirt" they have 5 minutes before they question if they stink but it is too late to change into a 100% cotton shirt?"

Fabric Engineer:  "Yup, pretty much."

Exec: "Let's go with it.  I'll purchase 1 billion lots.  What the consumer doesn't know, until 5 minutes later anyway, won't hurt them.  HA! Us insiders will just buy stock in laundry detergent as those gym goers will spend oodles of money on detergent trying to launder their stink away."

OK.  Maybe the above situation is a bit far fetched.  But I swear all of my technical clothing does indeed hold on to the stench.  I feel the material microencapsulates the stink only to deliver it into the open air around me in a delayed release fashion.

Charlie you failed me.  But I still love ya.

It isn't practical for me to wash my workout clothes immediately after I wear them.  That would mean I would  be doing laundry everyday with just a few things in the load.  I am not about to do that.  It just isn't good for the budget or the environment.  I use a special order detergent called Charlie's Soap because my husband is sensitive to normal detergent.  I had high hopes for this not-so-wallet friendly soap in terms of ridding the stink, but even Charlie failed.  I'm getting to the point of wanting to buy all new workout gear, but I'm holding out for a better solution.

Am I the only one who has experienced this?

How do you wash your workout clothes?

Any advice?



As  a side note I want to wish all Surf City Marathoners good luck tomorrow.

 Sweet medal!

A special shout out to Surf City Marathon bib number 3117 Muddy Runner who is an absolute inspiration!  If you haven't read his story click HERE.  He will be kicking his 3rd marathon to the curb tomorrow.  Go gettem' Luis!

Dog?

We have been thinking about getting a dog for quite some time.  I have always wanted a dog, but it never seemed like the right time.  Either I was in school and didn't have time to take care of one, or the apartment I was living at wouldn't allow pets.  When we moved into our house, the first thing I thought about was that we would be able to finally get our own dog.  What I didn't think about was my husband was finishing up his degree plus commuted to school 2 hours a day.  I was working full time and was away from the house 10 hours a day.  This did not yield a good environment to raise a dog.

Now that my husband is done with school, and I have more free time in my schedule, we are considering once again getting a dog.  I am not quite sure what kind to get.  We prefer a larger breed, and I love golden retrievers, but my husband claims they are "too standard," whatever that means. 

A chocolate lab would be a good running partner, but we don't have a very large backyard and I am afraid a lab would be a little too rambunctious.




A neighbor of ours has a Bernese Mountain dog.  I LOVE this dog.  There are a few downsides to this type of breed though:  1) they are expensive, costing upwards of $1000, 2) since they are a large breed they are more content with napping than playing, 3) they don't live very long -- average of 8 years.  Thus, a Bernese Mountain dog doesn't look like it would be a good fit for us.



I worry about not being able to go on an impromptu weekend getaway so easily if we had a dog.  (Not that we really do that anyway.)  I also worry messes the dog may make, those type of messes, but also what if the dog we get ends up chewing all of our furniture or worse yet, my running shoes?  What then?

With all of the what ifs running through my mind, I still think a dog would be a good companion for us.

What type of dog do you have?


What do you do with your dog if you are away for an extended period of time?


Do you ever regret getting a dog?

Laffy Taffy Tuesday

I am going to start a weekly post called Laffy Taffy Tuesday.  This will be just a short post consisting of a cute joke to make you smile.



Q: Why don't gingerbread men like to wear shorts?


A: They have crummy legs.



Have a Laffy Taffy Tuesday!