Archive for August, 2009

Just a catch-up for the week so far:

Monday was 8.5 recoveryish w/8 hill sprints (8:48). Tuesday was 9 w/ 8x2min@10k pace. The fast bits came out to 6:44 avg, 8:02 avg for the run. This morning was 12 w/ last 5 miles “moderate”, so 7:43 for the “moderate” miles, 8:13 avg for the run.

Now, a shoutout for an RW forumite I’ve had the pleasure of running into this week and last, Jennrageous. The first time I passed her from behind and thought it might be her because she was dressed like her avatar. The second time I passed from the front and knew it was her because again she was dressed like her avatar (though she swears it’s not the same top).

We exchanged hi’s and have since messaged each other on RW. I was saying it was great she wore her avatar outfit because I’m so bad recognizing people to which she insisted that was a different blue top, she owns more than one running top and to prove it, she’d wear pink this week, lol. I’ve already seen her twice this week in two very cute pink tops, as promised. Funny how I didn’t know her at all and now we’re running into each other almost every day. Gotta love the internet.

Another shout out goes to Mr. 12 Miles, a cute runner I pass about 5 times/week (there are so many regulars on my route). We’d never spoken to each other, only waved, until last week when he said “you going 12 again?” which I think is code for “I’ve seen your blog”. Then he asked me again this Monday if I was going 12, so Hey Mr. 12, I missed you today because I did go 12 and was dying to say “today’s the day!” Oh well, bet I’ll see him tomorrow.

And that’s all I got today from Flo Central. Run well, all.

Yesterday was Vova’s funeral which ended up being a wonderful day-long affair with a luncheon for 40 and a boozy party afterwards.  He would have loved it, the sweetie.

Occasionally I link to music on this blog and while my main favorite genre is Alternative, I’m a sucker for any style so long as there’s a great hook or a beautiful melody.  Nick made a wonderful slideshow of Vova through the decades with a heart-ripping A Capella song as the soundtrack.  It’s by a Ukrainian group called Pikkardiyska Tertsia (translates to Picardy Third, a type of musical chord).  Using this song was insurance that anyone who saw it would cry their eyes out.  I’m moved every time I hear it and the climax just kills me – doesn’t matter that I’ve no idea what they’re singing.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

If my fancy new audio player plugin isn’t showing in your browser (I had to download the newest version of Firefox) here’s a link to the song.

As for running, I had a banner month, reached a new mileage high with 285 and today’s LR finished off a 71 mile week, so things are looking good.  ITBS, I scoff at you (though not too hard in case you come back).

Hudson had a 4-mile time trial listed for Friday, but if there’s one running phrase that makes me stick my fingers in my ears and go LALALALALALALA to drown out the thought, it’d be Time Trial.  I simply don’t do them and I’m at peace with that decision.   Something about running as hard as I can, alone, is comparable to sticking bamboo shoots up fingernails, so it ain’t ever gonna happen.

In its place, I’d planned a 4-mile tempo run, but it was so hot on Friday (dewpoint of 74, Heat Index 87) that I bagged it.  I did want to get something LTish in this week though, so I did a steady-stateish/tempoish progression yesterday before the funeral, middle 4 went 7:15, 7:05, 7:04, 7:00.  7 miles total at 7:45.

Then today, I’d planned 15 and went 16, albeit a slow 16 on Forbidden Drive (local trail) with some rain off and on.  Yesterday I was in high heels all day and had more than my share of wine, so I had no inclination to be anything but a turtle today.  It was so gorgeous with a dark sky (I love ominous-looking rainy days) and all that green on the trail that it turned out to be a slice of heaven.  Ended up with an 8:50 avg.

I’ll leave you with my month in review.  The grey text means it was in the plan but I didn’t do it.  The numbers on the far left are the weeks counting down to the marathon, so week 16 starts tomorrow.  Woohoo!