New brake pads - $10
Tune Up/Labor - $10
Standard U-Lock - $40
Unearthing your childhood mountain bike and tearing around the city in unprecedented neon-pink, orange and purple glory - PRICELESS
I definitely gave the guy at Back Bay Bicycles a good laugh today when I brought my sweet ride in for a look-over and a tune up. And I know that secretly, all the other patrons in the shop who are serious about cycling were wishing that they, too, owned a bike like mine.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Jinxed!
A few weeks ago, I was out to dinner with someone who suggested that maybe my chronic shin splint issues are related to my IT Band. He asked if I'd ever had ITB trouble and I gave a resounding no, then we debated a little over whether something on the top outside of my thigh could actually have an effect on the lower inside of my calf - and why if it was such a possibility, neither Jack nor The Chad had suggested it before. Anyway, after we finished debating, I said "I feel lucky - that's something it seems everyone's had trouble with, but I haven't yet" and then I knocked the table, just to be safe.
Well... seems I didn't knock hard enough. Guess who just had to cut her 11-miler short to 9? I got in a good long stretch afterwards, guzzled a ton of water and had a banana. Ya know, just in case the problem was hydration or potassium related. Then I emailed The Chad to see if he can squeeze me in this week.
Next weekend's 5-miler/13.1-miler combination is looking kind of hairy right now...
Well... seems I didn't knock hard enough. Guess who just had to cut her 11-miler short to 9? I got in a good long stretch afterwards, guzzled a ton of water and had a banana. Ya know, just in case the problem was hydration or potassium related. Then I emailed The Chad to see if he can squeeze me in this week.
Next weekend's 5-miler/13.1-miler combination is looking kind of hairy right now...
Friday, May 29, 2009
Success
Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out Race Recap:
5(ish) miles
40:27 "official" time (It's not chip-timed. Close enough, though.)
8:05 "official" pace
2 tasty pieces of grilled jerk chicken, with some corn and carrots
4 beers
2 cupcakes
Some serious dance moves with the usual suspects. Shifter was in prime form.
Not bad, especially considering the usual slow crowded start. I ran faster than last year's Harpoon 5-miler and also faster than all my river races last year, even though they were a shorter distance (my best pace was 8:16).
Looks like I'm well on my way to getting my December fitness back. Next month, I hope to break 40 minutes.
5(ish) miles
40:27 "official" time (It's not chip-timed. Close enough, though.)
8:05 "official" pace
2 tasty pieces of grilled jerk chicken, with some corn and carrots
4 beers
2 cupcakes
Some serious dance moves with the usual suspects. Shifter was in prime form.
Not bad, especially considering the usual slow crowded start. I ran faster than last year's Harpoon 5-miler and also faster than all my river races last year, even though they were a shorter distance (my best pace was 8:16).
Looks like I'm well on my way to getting my December fitness back. Next month, I hope to break 40 minutes.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Perseverance and a Test
I'm happy to report that while my healthy eating efforts aren't exactly going so well, my training is. I'm feeling completely recovered from the marathon and once again pouring my heart and soul into running and getting faster.
After Monday's "crappy" workout, I went to my first Tuesday Night Track workout in months. 400 meter repeats. 8 of them. As hard as we could go. With a 200 meter rest in between each. It was sort of a comedy of errors, starting off with Mary Ann telling us she wanted to run about 2 minute repeats, then after us saying "Yeah, sounds good. I'll run with you" cranking out a 1:37 first 400and killing us all. We were mid-second 400 when a stray soccer ball came flying at us. Totally killed my flow and concentration and ruined my pace. Then I managed to hit something on my watch and it started beeping at me every 20 seconds. I couldn't make it stop and suffered through two more aggrevating laps before I finally threw it in my bag and ran watch-less. The next four laps I just ran - no watch, no partners, no goal. Just trying to run as hard as I possibly could without collapsing. My last one was so hard that I thought I might throw up. Good workout. No idea what my times were though.
Yesterday I sooooo badly wanted to skip the gym and go to bed early, but I dragged my sorry ass there for 45 aggressive mins on the ArcTrainer, followed by my usual pushup/plank/abs routine and (as expected) I felt a world better and refreshed when I left.
Tonight is the test I mention: My first race post-marathon. The distance is 5.2 miles, the first of which will be crowded and slow. I've never run a 5.2 mile race before so I don't have a time to beat, but last year's Harpoon 5-miler ended up being 5 and a quarter miles long (if I remember correctly) because of construction and I ran at an 8:26 pace, so that's the pace I'll try to beat tonight. After all, it's been almost exactly a year since last year's Harpoon race, so it should be a fairly accurate test of my current pace and abilities.
After Monday's "crappy" workout, I went to my first Tuesday Night Track workout in months. 400 meter repeats. 8 of them. As hard as we could go. With a 200 meter rest in between each. It was sort of a comedy of errors, starting off with Mary Ann telling us she wanted to run about 2 minute repeats, then after us saying "Yeah, sounds good. I'll run with you" cranking out a 1:37 first 400and killing us all. We were mid-second 400 when a stray soccer ball came flying at us. Totally killed my flow and concentration and ruined my pace. Then I managed to hit something on my watch and it started beeping at me every 20 seconds. I couldn't make it stop and suffered through two more aggrevating laps before I finally threw it in my bag and ran watch-less. The next four laps I just ran - no watch, no partners, no goal. Just trying to run as hard as I possibly could without collapsing. My last one was so hard that I thought I might throw up. Good workout. No idea what my times were though.
Yesterday I sooooo badly wanted to skip the gym and go to bed early, but I dragged my sorry ass there for 45 aggressive mins on the ArcTrainer, followed by my usual pushup/plank/abs routine and (as expected) I felt a world better and refreshed when I left.
Tonight is the test I mention: My first race post-marathon. The distance is 5.2 miles, the first of which will be crowded and slow. I've never run a 5.2 mile race before so I don't have a time to beat, but last year's Harpoon 5-miler ended up being 5 and a quarter miles long (if I remember correctly) because of construction and I ran at an 8:26 pace, so that's the pace I'll try to beat tonight. After all, it's been almost exactly a year since last year's Harpoon race, so it should be a fairly accurate test of my current pace and abilities.
Monday, May 25, 2009
A "Crappy" Workout
This morning's workout: 8:00am - 3 miles and core strength training
Left the house and was met with the most beautiful summer-like morning I'd ever seen. It was still early enough that Comm Ave was shaded and a perfect running temperature. No watch this morning - the goal was to feel good, not go fast. I ran an easy first mile, picked up the pace just a teeny bit on the second mile and held it as I started the first half of my third going over the Mass Ave bridge. There was just enough wind that it was cooling, a crew team out on the Charles and the bridge was dotted with runners here and there. I crossed the bridge, touched my turnaround pole, made an about face and did strides on the way back, lightpole to lightpole. Today I tried to focus on running with my legs, not my arms, and to keep my upper body relaxed. BIG improvement. My legs felt like they were turning over at a speed like cartoon characters do - when their upper bodies are visible, but their legs look like blurry circles. This morning, for whatever reason, it was easy. Cake, I tell you!
I hit my doorstep, got in a little stretch and decided it was just too beautiful outside to do my core workout on a yoga mat in my apartment. So I sauntered over to the grassy area that runs the length of Comm, found a clean little patch of grass in the sun that was just slightly damp with the morning dew and cranked out my workout. 3 sets of:
12 pushups
30 second planks, face down
30 second planks, left and right sides
15 bicycle situps (elbow to opposite knee)
15 leg lifts
This, too, felt easy and the 12 pushups is an improvement. I usually do ten. Each set felt stronger than the one before and, as it turns out, with each set I did I was shifting to the right ever so slightly. I was noticing that the grass was still cold and a little damp, no matter how long I'd been on it. Bonus! Cool, refreshing earthy goodness.
As I finished my third set of planks and lowered myself down from my left side, I caught a whiff of what smelled like pot. "Whoah, someone's having a little wake and bake VERY early" I thought to myself. I sat up and looked around, trying to see if someone had walked by, or if there was a window open. As I did that the scent became more pronounced. Less like pot. More like... yeah, you know how this story ends.
Turns out when I came out of my last set of left side planks, my left calf landed in a huge square foot of smeared dog diarrhea that wasn't noticeable before then. We've all stepped in dog mess before and been completely disgusted. Just imagine laying in it. Yeah. Good Morning!
I've scrubbed my leg with Dial soap twice now and I STILL feel dirty. And I can assure you, dear reader, this will be the last time I work out on the grass. I hope that dog did the same thing on its owners carpet when it got home.
Left the house and was met with the most beautiful summer-like morning I'd ever seen. It was still early enough that Comm Ave was shaded and a perfect running temperature. No watch this morning - the goal was to feel good, not go fast. I ran an easy first mile, picked up the pace just a teeny bit on the second mile and held it as I started the first half of my third going over the Mass Ave bridge. There was just enough wind that it was cooling, a crew team out on the Charles and the bridge was dotted with runners here and there. I crossed the bridge, touched my turnaround pole, made an about face and did strides on the way back, lightpole to lightpole. Today I tried to focus on running with my legs, not my arms, and to keep my upper body relaxed. BIG improvement. My legs felt like they were turning over at a speed like cartoon characters do - when their upper bodies are visible, but their legs look like blurry circles. This morning, for whatever reason, it was easy. Cake, I tell you!
I hit my doorstep, got in a little stretch and decided it was just too beautiful outside to do my core workout on a yoga mat in my apartment. So I sauntered over to the grassy area that runs the length of Comm, found a clean little patch of grass in the sun that was just slightly damp with the morning dew and cranked out my workout. 3 sets of:
12 pushups
30 second planks, face down
30 second planks, left and right sides
15 bicycle situps (elbow to opposite knee)
15 leg lifts
This, too, felt easy and the 12 pushups is an improvement. I usually do ten. Each set felt stronger than the one before and, as it turns out, with each set I did I was shifting to the right ever so slightly. I was noticing that the grass was still cold and a little damp, no matter how long I'd been on it. Bonus! Cool, refreshing earthy goodness.
As I finished my third set of planks and lowered myself down from my left side, I caught a whiff of what smelled like pot. "Whoah, someone's having a little wake and bake VERY early" I thought to myself. I sat up and looked around, trying to see if someone had walked by, or if there was a window open. As I did that the scent became more pronounced. Less like pot. More like... yeah, you know how this story ends.
Turns out when I came out of my last set of left side planks, my left calf landed in a huge square foot of smeared dog diarrhea that wasn't noticeable before then. We've all stepped in dog mess before and been completely disgusted. Just imagine laying in it. Yeah. Good Morning!
I've scrubbed my leg with Dial soap twice now and I STILL feel dirty. And I can assure you, dear reader, this will be the last time I work out on the grass. I hope that dog did the same thing on its owners carpet when it got home.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Some Updates and a Book Report
Hello, dear reader! Been a while, eh?
The marathon took a glorious toll on my body this year, having me hobbling around the city for a good 3-4 days before I was walking normally again. I relished in it, and even milked it for a donation from a woman who works in my office building. I didn't take much time off from running, though, and was back on the horse in a week. Ok, maybe it was more like taking a pony ride at the zoo than getting back on the horse, but I was at least on the roads doing the right foot-left foot-right foot-left foot thing.
As I previously blogged about, I'm hitting the roads and the gym with a vengeance, on a mission to get my December body back (which, by the way, isn't working that well). What I haven't blogged about yet is that I'm running a half marathon in 2 weeks. Yeah. I know. What was I thinking? When I signed up for it a hundred years ago, the first week in June seemed SOO far removed from April 20. Then suddenly I was three weeks out and trying to decide if I had it in me. And the answer was that I think I do.
Last weekend at the DFMC reunion run, I did about 6.5 miles (no one had a Garmin on and we weren't on a set course), then today I did 9. Next week I'm going to shoot for 10-11 and then hope that the running gods are with me to pull 13.1 out of my ass on June 7. I can do it. I know. It's just a matter of how fast I can do it and how miserable it's going to be. Did I mention I'm also running a 5-miler the day before? And that it's the biggest drinking race of the season? Riiiiight.
So that's the running/training update. Now for a premature book report. After becoming totally obsessed with Kathrine Switzer during marathon weekend (did I mention I met her at a B.A.A. function?), I rushed to Borders and bought her autobiography, Marathon Woman. I'm barely a couple hundred pages into it, but so far I LOVE IT, and I highly recommend it to all of you, even if you don't run. For those who don't know, Kathrine was the first woman to ever run the Boston Marathon with a real number (the race director tried to throw her off the course!) and following that, she became active in working for women's equality in sports and was partially responsible for the women's marathon becoming an Olympic sport. In short, she's a badass runner chick with an awesome life story - AND she's an SU grad! So if you're in the market for a summer read, go check it out.
The marathon took a glorious toll on my body this year, having me hobbling around the city for a good 3-4 days before I was walking normally again. I relished in it, and even milked it for a donation from a woman who works in my office building. I didn't take much time off from running, though, and was back on the horse in a week. Ok, maybe it was more like taking a pony ride at the zoo than getting back on the horse, but I was at least on the roads doing the right foot-left foot-right foot-left foot thing.
As I previously blogged about, I'm hitting the roads and the gym with a vengeance, on a mission to get my December body back (which, by the way, isn't working that well). What I haven't blogged about yet is that I'm running a half marathon in 2 weeks. Yeah. I know. What was I thinking? When I signed up for it a hundred years ago, the first week in June seemed SOO far removed from April 20. Then suddenly I was three weeks out and trying to decide if I had it in me. And the answer was that I think I do.
Last weekend at the DFMC reunion run, I did about 6.5 miles (no one had a Garmin on and we weren't on a set course), then today I did 9. Next week I'm going to shoot for 10-11 and then hope that the running gods are with me to pull 13.1 out of my ass on June 7. I can do it. I know. It's just a matter of how fast I can do it and how miserable it's going to be. Did I mention I'm also running a 5-miler the day before? And that it's the biggest drinking race of the season? Riiiiight.
So that's the running/training update. Now for a premature book report. After becoming totally obsessed with Kathrine Switzer during marathon weekend (did I mention I met her at a B.A.A. function?), I rushed to Borders and bought her autobiography, Marathon Woman. I'm barely a couple hundred pages into it, but so far I LOVE IT, and I highly recommend it to all of you, even if you don't run. For those who don't know, Kathrine was the first woman to ever run the Boston Marathon with a real number (the race director tried to throw her off the course!) and following that, she became active in working for women's equality in sports and was partially responsible for the women's marathon becoming an Olympic sport. In short, she's a badass runner chick with an awesome life story - AND she's an SU grad! So if you're in the market for a summer read, go check it out.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Today Is Also...
Root Canal Appreciation Day! - http://www.mhprofessional.com/category/?cat=3
I'm sure there are several people (including my Mom) who are smirking at the coincidence that I entered the world on this day ;)
I'm sure there are several people (including my Mom) who are smirking at the coincidence that I entered the world on this day ;)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
525,600 Minutes
Tomorrow is my 28th birthday and once again this year, it kind of crept up on me. So tonight, I ran 5 miles sans iPod and took the time to reflect on the year that's only a few hours away from closing. I wondered to myself how I'd blog about it and the song "Seasons of Love" from Rent came to mind.
How DO you measure a year in the life? The song asks, "In daylights? In sunsets? In midnights? In cups of coffee? In inches? In miles? In laughter, in strife?" but of course concludes that we all should measure it in love - both given and received. So how will I measure my 27th year, for which I had such high expectations?
Hundreds of miles and dozens of races run, including my second Boston Marathon. A few PRs. A wedding, a baby and a half-marathon celebrated with my family in Canada. No bridges burnt and one in the very beginning stages of being repaired. Disappointments. Surprises. A heartbreak. Amazing new friends with whom I've formed tight bonds. A promotion at work. The death of a family friend. $5,100 raised for cancer research and counting. Laughter. Tears. Hugs. Gallons of beer. More than 400 cups of coffee (at least). 525,600 minutes. And above all - LOVE.
I may not have accomplished all I wanted to this year, but if there's one thing I can look back on 27 and say - it's that I was lucky to be so loved by such amazing people.
How DO you measure a year in the life? The song asks, "In daylights? In sunsets? In midnights? In cups of coffee? In inches? In miles? In laughter, in strife?" but of course concludes that we all should measure it in love - both given and received. So how will I measure my 27th year, for which I had such high expectations?
Hundreds of miles and dozens of races run, including my second Boston Marathon. A few PRs. A wedding, a baby and a half-marathon celebrated with my family in Canada. No bridges burnt and one in the very beginning stages of being repaired. Disappointments. Surprises. A heartbreak. Amazing new friends with whom I've formed tight bonds. A promotion at work. The death of a family friend. $5,100 raised for cancer research and counting. Laughter. Tears. Hugs. Gallons of beer. More than 400 cups of coffee (at least). 525,600 minutes. And above all - LOVE.
I may not have accomplished all I wanted to this year, but if there's one thing I can look back on 27 and say - it's that I was lucky to be so loved by such amazing people.
Friday, May 8, 2009
When In Fenway Park...
- Calories don't count
- Doing the wave and clapping counts as a cardio workout
- Double-fisting beer counts as strength training (12-oz curls, anyone?)
- Eating soft pretzels counts as carbo-loading
- Watching other people run counts as running by association
- When the Sox win, all of the above counts for double (in fact, you burn calories when you eat ballpark food and the Sox win)
Thanks again, Barry for a great game! :)
LET'S GO RED SOX (clap, clap, clap clap clap!)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
My Love Affair with the Seven Deadly Sins
Today's post is brought to you by by sin #6: Sloth.
5:00 - Alarm went off
5:05 - Forced myself out of bed
5:10 - Gym clothes are on, sweats pulled on over them.
5:12 - Heard to the rain pounding against my roof. Stared at my galoshes and rain coat, thinking about miserable the walk to the gym would be, how tired I was and how I just left the gym only 7 hours prior.
5:15 - Back under the covers. I'll work out twice tomorrow, instead.
Scientists recently conducted analysis of the prevalence of the Seven Deadly Sins throughout the nation, and created some nifty color-coded maps to show the hot spots for each one. Dear reader, don't be fooled by the Sloth map. Massachusetts may be yellow (average levels), but if you could zoom in to see the Back Bay, I can guarantee a certain block of it would be lit up bright red.
In case you were wondering, my "Eat like Arbeit, train like Goucher" plan is going REALLY well...
5:00 - Alarm went off
5:05 - Forced myself out of bed
5:10 - Gym clothes are on, sweats pulled on over them.
5:12 - Heard to the rain pounding against my roof. Stared at my galoshes and rain coat, thinking about miserable the walk to the gym would be, how tired I was and how I just left the gym only 7 hours prior.
5:15 - Back under the covers. I'll work out twice tomorrow, instead.
Scientists recently conducted analysis of the prevalence of the Seven Deadly Sins throughout the nation, and created some nifty color-coded maps to show the hot spots for each one. Dear reader, don't be fooled by the Sloth map. Massachusetts may be yellow (average levels), but if you could zoom in to see the Back Bay, I can guarantee a certain block of it would be lit up bright red.
In case you were wondering, my "Eat like Arbeit, train like Goucher" plan is going REALLY well...
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