Tuesday, February 27, 2007

wind in my face



...the whole freaking run at the cowtown marathon on saturday. ugh. and the brown dust was everywhere.

i did the 10k in 1:29 and limped across the finish line. lame, i am, seriously. i have hurt my IT band on my left knee.

so that day, north texas had winds gusting to 60 mph. i really thought we'd have everything forecast -- thunderstorms and hail, which usually means chances are good for tornadoes. the morning was really scary, too. it was in the mid-60s and balmy. creepy tornado weather.

thank goodness we didn't have any of that. just the wind...

in my face, the whole freaking way.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

cowtown



The Cowtown Marathon is tomorrow. I had to downgrade to the 10K because I am still sore and I don't want to hurt myself.
That's disappointing because I could have done it had I not been sore still from Austin last week.

The weather isn't going to cooperate, according to the reports.

I don't mind running in the rain, even wind, as long as it's behind me, pushing me along.

The forecast calls for thunderstorms, wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail early in the morning. Actually, right around the time that the race is supposed to start.
What this also could mean is the possibility of tornadoes.

Great.

Now how are we supposed to negotiate that?

Friday, February 23, 2007

sore

ouch.

two days until cowtown and my IT band on my left knee is still hurting, and now the hamstring of my left leg as well.

guess i am going to have to do the 10K afterall.

shit.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Deep in the heart

"...The prairie skies are wide and high (clap, clap, clap, clap), deep in the heart of Texas..."
And so it was for the Austin Marathon. Big, blue Texas sky. Couldn't have asked for a
better day.



No doubt I had a great run today in my second half marathon. But these running events will probably be bittersweet for me because my oldest nephew, Michael, killed himself on Dec. 10, the day I completed the White Rock Half Marathon, my first. I literally found out about it 10 minutes after I crossed the finish line.

He was 34, really like a little brother because I was just nine when he was born.
I wished I could have known why he was so depressed, despondent.
He floated into my mind today while I listened to my iPod during my run. Some of the lyrics to the song "Learn to Fly" by Carbon Leaf made me think of him:

...Hello good bye
Two birds hover inside of a hard factory
Holding onto recovery
Fly away or repaired and preparing to go on your way
And I know I'm on my own
But you make your way
And I'll rise
I will rise if in my mind
But I can see you fly away
I can see the sun upon your face
I can feel your heart and I can hear you cry
And as I fall upon I learn to fly...


It hit me today during the run. I wondered if this was how he was thinking and feeling the moment he decided to end it. Why did he feel isolated? Alone? Without hope?

I cried a little.

Through this song and the race, I saw his face. I also felt a euphoria that I'm not sure was really just the "runners high."



Maybe it was Michael, pushing his Aunt Liz around today, through those gawd-awful hills in Austin.


Perhaps it was his shove that helped me end at 2:59.52, shaving eight and a half minutes from my time at White Rock in Dallas -- Michael's last day on this earth.
I sang along, almost answering him with what I wish I could say/could have said to him:

...And everything that I love you for remains
High above the clouds and the cleansing rains...

Yes, running brings me strength, but it makes me think deeply, all the way down to my heart.

Perhaps Michael ran with me today in spirit. I just wish he could have done it in person.

Without a doubt, I truly believe that in the end, he learned to fly.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

The eve




Well, it's tomorrow, the Austin Marathon!

Austin was beautiful today, in the 60s. Gives me hope that the race tomorrow is going to be pleasant.

My friend Margarita, aka MotownRunnerGirl, flew in last night. Unfortunately, her flight got delayed at D/FW because of East Coast weather, so she was in late. By the time we got settled and ready for sleep, it was 2 or so in the morning. Turns out she's got a bug -- either eating plane food, or it was motion sickness, which I totally understand, being someone who gets motion sickness easily. Anyway, she's had a time, and I feel for her. Comes all this way for a marathon and gets sick. She'll probably do just fine, afterall, this is her fifth marathon.

It's really great that she's here -- I told her it's her fault I enjoy running events now. It's kinda cool we get to do one together.

The city is packed full of people who are very athletic and healthy looking. The streets are crowded with cars and walkers -- and runners! Don't they know they should be tapering?

So this is my second half marathon. I haven't been training as well as I should have been, like I did for the White Rock Half, but I think I'll do OK. Jeez, I just want to finish and not take any longer than I did before. If I can best 3:09.27, I will be happy.

I am just happy my friend who unknowingly inspired this change that I've made in my life is here to do this with me. Here's hoping she fells better and can run without discomfort.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Commit!

OK. So I talked my friend Sammy into blogging. He's very good at it, pictures and everything. (If you stop by, link to What Am I Doing Here?)

Between him and MotownRunnerGirl, I am so busy reading what they are writing that I neglect my own.

Sometimes when I know I have to do something that entails a lot of computer work (like I do all day, everyday), I get the sense it's going to be like typing on this old thing that is now, um, practially a relic.

Reminds me of seventh grade typing class when we practiced on actually newer models of this Royal typewriter. Anyway, remember the exercises -- asdf jkl; -- and the distance between the levels of letters?

That, my friends, is why most of the baby boomers have carpal tunnel syndrome.

Anyway, I resolve to blog more. That's my February resolution.

Speaking of commit, MotownRunnerGirl and I head to Austin this weekend for the Austin Marathon. She's going to run the marathon, I am going to run the half. If you stop by, wish us both luck.

The weather is going to be great. I am sure that MotownRunnerGirl will appreciate it, she's coming from a place where it's been between 5 and 12 degrees right now.

Austin is supposed to have lows in the 40s, highs in the 60s. Yeay!

Friday, February 09, 2007

another year




i had a really good birthday this year.
got birthday wishes from lots of people, thanks to my pal margarita who alerted our friends and hers. lots of hbd's from her blog buddies, who, like me frequent her blog.
went out to eat with my almost niece, cindy. we're exactly 10 years apart, sharing feb. 8 as we do. i'm, um, older.
got a really hip mirror, soaps and some lotion from macarena, a friend at work, and sarah gave me portable speakers for my ipod, with sammy's techno guidance.
i was very happy today. last thing i'll do before i go to bed is open and read my birthday card from my daddy and stepmom.
great, awesome day. but i miss my mom. she always, without fail, would describe to me in detail the day i was born. she did this every year until she died.
i also miss michael, my nephew.
mostly, i am so very grateful to be alive.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Break on thru to the other side



So I've joined a group and have started training to raise money for a good cause and to also keep my fitness. I am terrified of regaining the 30 I've dropped since September-October.

I have also realized that I really don't mind running in the cold. It's really bad when your fingernails ache from the cold, that's never happened to this Texan before! Goes to show you that the weather is really messed up when I wake up and its 15 degrees. In Texas.

I feel I have a ways to go with my running, but I welcome the journey. It kind of reminds me of this really cool picture and wondering what's on the other side of this mountain.

It's up to me to get there.