Ouch

Scheduled: 9 miles
Actual: 9 miles
Time: 1:54:33
Pace: 12:45 minutes/mile

This run was a painful one. The arch on my right foot felt as though someone was stabbing a knife into it. It started only during the walk breaks so at mile 3 and a halfish miles I turned around and decided that I was going to try and run the rest of the way in and see how I felt since running wasn’t bothering my foot as much. Well after about half a mile my foot started to hurt during running too. So I started to walk a little. One of the wonderful CES coaches saw me walking and came over and walked about three quarters of a mile while we discussed my pain and frustrations. I left him and ran it back to the start. I still had 2 miles to get the total mileage so I just ran around the park twice and then around the block and then limped back to my coat.

Hopefully I just need to get some new shoes and this was just a fluckish pain in my foot. I’m running 50 minutes in the morning so we’ll see. If not then I will be heading over to the running store for some new kicks.

Gobble Gobble

Scheduled: Run a Turkey Trot
Actual: Turkey Trot 8K (5.05 miles according to my Garmin)
Time: 56:35 minutes
Pace: 11:12 minutes/mile

Last year I ran the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot with my dad. This year I ran it with the brother. Last year it was FREEZING. This year it was BEAUTIFUL. The problem with it being an absolutely beautiful day was that it was so insanely crowded at the race. Brian pushed me to run faster than I would have run on my own, but there were areas of the course where you could not pass people. There were areas of the course when we were standing still or walking because the turns were so tight. Brian ran with me until the last water stop when we got separated and he pulled ahead. Even though he beat me by 20ish seconds, I am glad that he pushed me to go faster at the beginning.

That being said… my time last year was: 1:02:38. This means that I beat my time from last year by over 6 minutes, and I PR’ed for an 8K by 5 minutes!!! Woot Woot!! My miles splits were as follows:

Mile 1: 11:31 minutes
Mile 2: 11:29 minutes
Mile 3: 11:17 minutes
Mile 4: 11:11 minutes
Mile 5: 11:06 minutes (1.05 miles)

For my final race of 2008 I am glad I finished the season with a good race. I am happy with the number of races I participated in. I completed three half marathons, one 10-miles, three 10K’s, two 8K’s and five 5K’s.

The rest of Turkey day was pretty low key. We went to our cousin’s house for the main meal and it was so fantastically disgustingly cold I thought I was going to barf… BUT it was nice being with my family and we went to some of my favorite people’s house for dessert and that was fun. Overall a nice and relaxing day.

Finally

Scheduled: 8 miles
Actual: 8 miles
Time: 1:36:00
Pace: 12 min/mile

All I can say is FINALLLLLLY!!! This run felt amazing. Two weeks ago my running group ran 7 miles and I thought I was going to die. I stayed with the group for the first 5 miles and the last two they kept pulling further and further ahead. And this is the run/walk group. I was devastated. 7 miles used to be a not so bad run and it really made me want to curl up under the covers and cry. Since I am running with the 12 minute run/walk group (total time including the run and walk equals 12 minute miles) I tried to pick up the pace of my shorter runs this week. Maybe if i got used to the 11:15 miles pace for a full 45-50 minutes without stopping then the long runs will feel easier.

Friday night I was already looking for like a million excuses not to get up to go run with the group on Saturday. Neighbor Tom (yes he is still around :) ), me and a few other friends went to Heaven on Seven (I have no idea what I was thinking eating spicy Cajun food the night before a long run) and it took all I had to not order a second beer. I kept telling Neighbor Tom that I could just sleep in and then I would run the 8 miles on my own (yea right).

Needless to say I got up on Saturday morning. I ran with the group, stayed in the front of the pack the entire time and felt amazing. AMAZING. I have not had a long run that I felt so strong running in god knows how long. Before the run started I was talking to this one girl about mental toughness and how that is something I need to work on and the whole time I kept telling myself that I need to stay strong. I need to keep up the pace. There is no room for slowing down because the second I give in, then there will be no way I will be able to pick it back up. So I didn't. And then it was over. And I am still feeling great about it over 24 hours later. WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!

5k predictor run

Scheduled: 5k
Actual: 5k plus warm-up = 3.85 miles
Time: 36:00
Pace: about 12 minutes/mile

My goal for this run was to finish and not walk. I finished and I didn't walk. Enough said.

Sore as HELL

Scheduled: 40 minutes
Actual: 40 minutes plus a 5 minute cool down
Distance: 3.74 miles
Pace: 12 minutes/mile

This morning i dragged my ass out of bed and jumped on the treadmill and ran my 40 minutes. I had to walk for a little over a minute about half way through but I got it in. And now I am so unbearably sore it is INSANE. Seriously I should have expected this. Not running for a month and then running a little over 9 miles in less then 48 hours hurts. A LOT. But I am not complaining. I am RUNNING!!!

Run to Rosehill

Scheduled: 6 miles
Actual: 4 mile Historical Run and then another 1.5 miles afterwards. (total 5.5 miles)
Time: Forgot my watch
Pace: Please see above

Today was my first day back to running since I had my leg carved and stitched. I signed up for a free run through Fleet Feet. Each month they have a historic run through Chicago. These runs are between 4-6 miles and there a multiple stops along the way where the leader talks about historical things that happened there. This months run told the history of Lincoln Square and Edgewater as well as Rosehill Cemetery. The run itself is very low key, and we stopped 12 times in 4 miles. All I can say is THANK GOD I chose this run to ease back into running because after being sick all week my lungs were BURNING. The good part was my legs felt super fresh which was nice.

After the run Nikki, one of my running buddies, and I decided to run a little more to get as close to 6 miles as we could. She was super nice to go slow for my sick ass, and we finished with around 5.5 miles under our belts. Definitely glad to be out there running again ESPECIALLY with the unbelievably beautiful day we had today.

So I don't have asthma normally, but I was wheezing HARDCORE for the rest of the afternoon. I better start feeling better soon. I don't understand why I if i had the flu shot it was necessary that I still get the flu. Please explain.

OVER IT

I am very over being sick. I am sure you are VERY over reading about me whining about being sick. Here it is 2 in the morning and I am up with a sore throat AGAIN. What the fuck? Yesterday I thought I was maybe getting better because my throat was FINALLY feeling some relief and here it is feeling like it has been rubbed raw with very coarse sandpaper.

Don't you wish you were me?

Home Sick

Being home sick sucks. I mean I enjoy sitting at home and watching TV instead of going to work, but sitting at home and feeling like ASS watching TV instead of going to work is just not as fun.

And when did the Maury show become so trashy? I mean I totally love the shows when the girl goes on and is 105% sure that this guy is her baby's daddy because she has NEVER slept with anyone else and then the test comes back negative. So then the girl crumbles to the ground screaming and crying and Maury asks if there is someone else that could possibly be the father... and of course she then names like 8 other men.

But today the Maury Show was looking for mothers who have want to confess to their daughters that they are sleeping with their boyfriend/husband. Too far Maury... you're turning into Jerry Springer...

first "run" of the new season

Scheduled: 5 miles
Actual: 4.17 miles
Time: 1:02:34 minutes
Pace: 15:01 minutes/mile

CES Winter Warriors started this week and since I still can't run, I decided to cover the distance walking. My throat started feeling sore Saturday but I didn't really think much of it. Sunday it was still feeling sore but overall the rest of me felt fine, so I bundeled up and tried to get my run in before it started to snow. I walked down Addison to the lakfront, around a park and up to Irving Park. Each minute that went by the more sick I started to feel. It started in my chest and by the time I hit Ashland I felt like absolute shit. Around this same time it started to rain. Luckily I only had a few blocks left but as I hit Grace, it started to hail. Yes you heard me correctly... HAIL. WHAT THE FUCK??? So I sprinted to my place and finished short of 5 miles.

After my "run" I could not get warm. I stood next to the open oven to try and get some relief but nothing helped. After dinner I took a Tylonol PM and passed out before 7. Normally I would be out cold for the rest of the night but I have been waking up every 45 minutes or so either sweating or shivering excessively. My throat is killing me and we have no tea or a teapot so I boiled some water in a pot and am drinking that. Being sick SUCKS BALLS. Especially when I had a STUPID FUCKING FLU SHOT!!! What the hell?? Seriously?

Trader Todd's

What does MULTIPLE captain and diets combinded with Proud Mary look like?

no running

On Monday I had a questionable mole removed from my shin. Due to the size and depth and use of a stitch I have been told that I can not run for 1 month. ONE FUCKING MONTH. I am upset, angry, and feeling like a fucking fat sluggish fatty mcfat fat.

Is there a couch?

I will preface this with I am sorry if this entry is all over the place… I have been trying to write it for a while and finally I decided to just write and get it out. So bear with me.

A little while ago I met Neighbor Tom. We have been on a few dates and I am starting to like him. I am having huge issues though. Neighbor Tom is incredibly nice, sweet, good with my friends, willing to do whatever I want, even drank Captain and coke when he hates Captain…

But I am finding myself being a super socially awkward, no filter, bitch around him… even though I like him.

I 100% blame the EX for this. He has jaded all future relationships I am destined to have with nice guys. Part of me is feeling put off by Neighbor Tom being so nice. I know… WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME? I should feel flattered that someone wants to be nice to me and instead I am turning into a freak.

Last night Ash and I very briefly stopped by a party he was throwing. He was super excited to introduce me to my friends, and I became cold and sarcastic. At one point during a weird part of the conversation when no one was talking I blurted out sarcastically “Wow this is an awesome party…” Why would I say that??? What is wrong with me?

The EX… his friends were the biggest douche bags in the whole entire world. They basically ignored me because I wasn’t skinny enough and didn’t wear designer clothes. Like we would all be hanging out and I wouldn’t be spoken to by anyone other than the EX for hours. They would walk into a room and say hi to everyone EXCEPT me. I felt invisible. So I developed a fuck them all exterior. And I can’t seem to shake it.

From the time I was a junior in high school and started date the EX until about a year ago I have almost constantly been in some sort of relationship. For the past year though I have been single and really found myself again. I am scared to death of losing me again. There have been a few times since I have started seeing Neighbor Tom that he has mentioned something that involves me and him together further in the future then the end of the night. This is slightly freaking me out.

So what do I do? Advice would be greatly appreciated…

Smells like...

A conversation between me and Ash...

Me: I am going to smell like midnight pomegranate tonight if that's OK with you.

Ash: I'd rather you smell like midnight pomegranate then daytime pomegranate.

Me: Or Shart.

Duel

Who would win in a duel...

A T-rex or a Bulldozer?

Roomies Runnin'

AIDS Run Walk Chicago
Distance: 5K
Time: 34:12 minutes (although my Garmin said I ran it faster)
Pace: 11:04 minutes/mile

This race was fun because I was able to run it with my roomies and there was lots of entertainment along the race course. My favorite I think was the tent that had the drag queens square dancing, and of course there was also the ROTC that also performs in boystown during the marathon. The course was fast although much of the first mile of treacherous and covered in potholes and my time was fairly decent even though I was on very little sleep. But the best part of the race was the fundraising and great amount of money that was raised for AIDS research and resource

Pencil me in

Today I was reading my newest Runner's World to get me back in the running spirit and I came across an advertisement that interested me. It is a New Balance ad that says:

RUNNING may call before you go to work.
RUNNING may call the moment you get in the door.
RUNNING may call you for a lunch hour date on the trail.
The point is, whenever RUNNING calls,
you never screen it.

There are many times when I totally feel like going for a run but I put it off, or sit down, or decide to do something else and then I never go for that run. Today was the perfect example. The entire train ride home I thought about running when I got home. But when I got home I sat down and got tired and blew it off. I need to make running a priority.

So my alarm is set, I am hitting the hay before 10 and I WILL get up and run before work. No ifs, no ands, and definitely no buts. I am not going to let another run slip away.

And I'm Back in the Game

Yo yo yiggity yo. I am back and although I am guessing I wasn't missed I am super excited.

Since you last heard from me I was super off running. I still kind of am. I mean I love how I feel when I am done running but the actual drag my ass of the couch, stuff my feet into the running shoes and hit the pavement shit that I was pretty off. But now I have been eating shit and hardly exercising for a few weeks and Sunday when I felt like ass after running 2.5 miles, even if it was in 24:42 minutes (yes ma'am... that is under 10 minute miles), I decided I need to get my butt back into gear. That last thing I need is to turn into a beached whale with no friends.

So its been decided. I am going to join my old running group and run through this wonderful Chicago winter in their Winter Warriors training session. If I had over a thousand dollars to spend at my disposal I would run the half marathon in the Bermuda Triangle with the group at the end of training session... but since I make almost negative dollars a week I will just train and pretend to run a half in the end. If anything this will just keep me in better shape then I am in my current beached state.

Wish me luck. I will promise to run every single training run, come wind or snow or sleet or hail. I will get back into shape. And I will try not to carbo load just for shits and giggles. I will also work on core exercises so that maybe I will get some relief from my achin' back. Yes it is still hurting. No I am not doing anything about it. So that's that. Please feel free to write mean hurtful comments if I miss any runs. I mean you won't be able to because I am going to run all of them... but in just in case.

Trial Mini Minified

Yesterday I decided I wanted to see what it would be like to participate in a sprint triathlon. So after work I went to the gym and swam laps for 30 minutes. I am sure I went longer then you would in a sprint but I can only go three or four lengths at a time without pausing so I'm sure it all evens out. Then I got changed and hopped on the stationary bike and biked 12.4 miles. It took frickin FOREVER!!! then I cowboy walked over to the treadmill and ran/walked for 30 minutes (2 miles).

By the time I got to the treadmill my legs felt like lead. But overall I really liked it... and it seems completely doable. I just need to be able to swim without thinking I am dying. But it is getting better.

Human Racin'

Nike Plus Human Race
Distance: 6.32 miles (according to the Garmin)
Time: 1:17:25 minutes
Pace: 12:15 minutes/mile

I had mixed feeling about this race. First in all the emails that were sent out it stated that parking was going to be $10, but when we pulled into the parking lot it was actually $18 and we were told to “take it up with Nike.” Nice.

This race was insanely crowded. As we lined up the race directors were announcing the times to beat from other races around the world. I have to admit that seeing thousands and thousands of people lined up wearing the same red shirt was pretty damn cool. The race started in waves and was a very similar course to the CDC except in was a 10K instead of 13.1 miles. This became a problem since there were more people running this race then the CDC and there was less time to space out. Normally I am the back of the pack and I hardly ever never feel crowded during a race, but through-out the entire race I was dodging and weaving around slower runners (yes I guess there are some out there) and walkers.

Even though this was a night race, the weather still made it difficult to run. It was insanely humid, to the point that I looked as though I had just gotten out of the shower. I was soaked in sweat. I didn’t think it was possible to get so sweaty without the sun beating down on you… but I was wrong. In the finish area there was ice though which was nice, even if thousands of people were sticking their sweaty hands and arms in the ice bins.

The race was supposed to start at 6:30 and Fall Out Boy was supposed to start their performance at 8:22 and play until 9:22. Unfortunately the race didn’t start until 6:45ish and I didn’t cross the start until a few minutes after 7. This meant that by the time I finished the race, met back up with the other people I had come with, and picked up our bags at gear check, Fall Out Boy was already performing. It was cool to walk onto Soldier Field and get as close to the stage as the crowd allowed, but I was walking back to my car by 9:20 and we didn’t leave the concert until the lights came up. I looked on people.com to see if Ashlee Simpson had given birth since that is the only understandable reason that they would not play until the posted time… but I did not see anything. Not cool Pete Wentz.

Overall I would say this race was more about the experience of being part of a race that was also raced in twenty-something other cities all over the world, then the actual race. It was also beautiful seeing the city skyline at night and racing on the lakefront path in the dark.

Swimming, Movies and More

This summer a few people I know competed in Triathlons I never thought I would ever want to participate in anything that involves swimming, biking AND running at the same time. However, after hearing and reading about their experiences I am intrigued. I have always shied away from this sport since I am TERIFIED of the open swim.

Wait… I know what you are thinking… yes I used to be a lifeguard… for many, many years. Ok hear me out before you start to pass judgment and thank the lord you never went to my pool. In a pool I can reach for the side if I need to. In a pool I can see the bottom. In a pool there are no fish. But in an open water tri swim there are tons of people and my fear is being kicked and grabbed and losing my breath and drowning because the water is cloudy and no one sees me go under. And then the fish eat me.

So I have decided to swim throughout the winter and then see how I feel about starting to swim in open water. I have been swimming three times in the last 2 weeks. The first swim I barely could swim one lap without gasping for air. But I forced myself to keep going. And yesterday not only did I swim for twenty minutes and not die (although I still needed to take lots of short breaks) I then went running with my neighbor and ran 2.43 miles in 26:18 minutes. Not bad if I do say so myself.

***********************************************
I have been house/dog/cat sitting up in the burbs since Wednesday. The first morning was rough when I woke up to shit throughout the entire house, but since then it has been a great time had by all. They have every single movie channel imaginable and I have done a ton of sitting on my ass and watching endless hours of TV. In the past 48 hours I have watched the following:

1. Hard Candy – an insanely disturbing movie that I will be scarred for life watching.
2. 10 episodes of season three of Weeds
3. Across the Universe
4. Feel the Noise – I said stop judging me.
5. You, Me and Dupree
6. Knocked Up
7. 2/3rd’s of The Beach - also pretty disturbing
8. Alpha Dog

And the night is still young…

*********************************************
Tomorrow I am running in the Human Race. I am pretty excited to run in it just because I think it is so cool that it will be ran in tons of other cities across the world at the same time. AND there is a Fall Out Boy concert afterwards.

So City

Hot town summer in the city…

This past weekend I was SUCH a city gal. After taking a quick run with Ash and sweating my ass off, I hopped on the “L” and rode down to Michigan Avenue to pick up my race packet for the Human Race. Then I was a sweaty sardine on the ride back along with everyone else and their mother who was going to the Cubs game.

S and I walked 12 blocks to lunch with one of S’ softball friends (Mr. Softball) and then to the park where I was planning on reading my book. But guess what I did instead?? I played Frisbee AND catch. And I wasn’t THAT bad!!!

I felt so city. And it gets even better. What else can two city gals do when they are hot sweaty messes? On the way home S and I stopped for Italian Ice of course.

On a semi complete side note that has nothing to do with being SO city but does have to do with playing catch and Frisbee. I would call myself fit. I can run multiple miles at a time and I don’t mind working out. But I never really think of myself as an athlete. Athletes play sports that involve hand eye coordination; athletes have rock hard bods and sweat… A LOT. Well as I was playing Frisbee and catch and even (should I say it?) batted, I FELT like an athlete. And I kind of liked it.

But I digress…

Saturday night S and I met back up with Mr. Softball and his roommates to see 16 Candles play at the Cubbie Bear. Besides sweating my ass off, AGAIN, we danced and sang and *Ahem* drank a lot. And I had a great time. I also kissed a boy. Mr. Softball’s roommate, Long Island Boy. So S, Mr. Softball, Long Island Boy and I went for pizza at 4 in the morning and then headed back to the apartment. I gave out my number and we will see if I hear anything.

Intervals

Scheduled: 3 miles
Actual: 3 miles
Time: 34:44 minutes
Pace: 11:49 minutes/mile

Ash and I got up early and ran half mile intervals. They were as follows:

1st half mile: 6:30 minutes
2nd half mile: 5:15 minutes
3rd half mile: 6:20 minutes
4th half mile: 5:09 minutes
5th half mile: 6:32 minutes
6th half mile: 4:56 minutes

It was hard… but doable and it was over before 6:30 am. Unfortunately it killed my back. Later at yoga I had to come out of almost all of the poses due to my back. After class the instructor came up and asked me if I was ok and told me that I need to relax my back some more. Hmmm…

barcrawlin'

You know it is a successful bar crawl when…

- 4 bars turns into 7 in the same amount of time
- The first 2 bars serve German beer only
- Pedometers are handed out to all who participate
- Furniture is imitated
- You stumble out of the 3rd bar
- One bar is only for shots
- Birthday balloons are stolen and then chased down and lectured in the middle of the street
- At the final bar you and your friends dance on a miniature dance floor while everyone else watches
- You belly up to the buffet and eat off the platter like it is your own plate
- Laughing a lot
- Pole dancing on other people
- 5 million pictures
- You steal food off of a plate waiting to be served to strangers
- When you steel serving tongs
- Making new friends
- Passing out at 9
- Waking up an hour later and go back out
- Dancing to 90’s rock music
- “tonging” people
- Making out with total strangers (unfortunately not me)
- Seeing a crazy man climb a light post on the walk home
- Drinking for almost 12 hours straight
- Spending a ridiculously fun night with your friends

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment…




and my favorite

Runnin' with the Roomie

Scheduled: Just run.
Actual: 3.46 miles
Time: 41:56 minutes
Pace: 12:08 minutes/mile

Since Ash and I carbo-loaded for life last night we decided to get up this morning and run. We ran down Irving to the lakefront and then back up Addison. It felt ten THOUSAND times better then my last run.

This afternoon we are going on a barcrawl. More on that to come...

Race Pic

I'm in the black hat and greenish tank. Please ignore the time. It took 20 minutes to cross the start line... bastards.



I like it because you can't see the pain... and I think my legs look good.

Step by Step

Scheduled: Anything
Actual: 2 miles
Time: 23:45 minutes
Pace: just under 12 minutes/mile

This run was slightly more painful than I was expecting. AND it wasn't even my knees that were hurting. It was my calves that were screaming.

Maybe it was the not really stretching after the race...

CDC'ing

Chicago Distance Classic Half Marathon
Distance: 13.52 miles (according to my Garmin)
Time: 2:52:50 minutes
Pace: 12:48 minutes/mile

As I’m sure you knew by reading my past few posts I was not excited to run this race. The only reason I was going through with it is because I am cheap and I didn’t want to waste the money. On Friday I took the day off work and went to the expo to hear John Bingham speak. He answered a lot of my questions about the course and the wave start. For example:

Me: Why did you change the course from last year?
Bingham: (not word for word) the city of Chicago wanted the cut off to be 13 minute/mile pace and I wanted it to be a lot slower of a cut off so we changed the course back to the course it was 2 years ago. The city also felt any time a runner had to walk they needed to move to the sidewalk. When I told them that I advocate run walking they said every time I walked I would have to go onto the sidewalk. This doesn’t make any sense.

After he spoke I went up to him and thanked him for giving me money last year to buy Gatorade during the marathon last year. He was so excited that he was able to help and gave me a huge hug. Afterwards I was super excited that the Penguin hugged me… then I thought about it and I must be a runner now if I was excited that the Penguin hugged me.

Sunday I toed the line and had an internal debate whether I would run with the 3 hour pace group and then pick up the pace the second half or try and pace with the 2:45 pace group that was a run 5 minute walk 1 minute group. As my wave crossed the started I decided to try and push myself and go with the 2:45 group.

I felt great. The run pace was around 11:25 minutes/mile and then a little slower overall with the walk breaks. Then around mile 9 I had to go to the bathroom. BAD. I didn’t want to stop because I knew I would lose the pace group but it was a desperate situation and I basically had no choice. So I had a three minute bathroom break and headed back onto the course. Unfortunately I had totally lost my groove and tried to do a run 4 minute walk 1 minute pace for a while. Then around mile 11.5 my knees started to scream. Every step I took felt like someone was smacking the outside of my knees with a baseball bat. My beautiful pace went to shit and all I could do was count the steps to the finish.

As I rounded the corner and came to the last straight-away I tried to pick it up and finish strong. Unfortunately my body felt differently. At about 100 feet from the finish my knee buckled. I stopped with the finish line right there in front and me and I couldn’t move. The Penguin was there right next to me on the microphone and looked me right in the eye and said “The finish line is right there! Keeeeeep going!!!” So I prayed that the next step I took wouldn’t result in me crumbling to the ground and hobbled across the finish line. But I finished.

Here are my mile splits:
Mile 1: 12:12 minutes
Mile 2: 10:56 minutes (caught up to the pace group)
Mile 3: 12:22 minutes
Mile 4: 12:28 minutes
Mile 5: 12:07 minutes
Mile 6: 12:15 minutes
Mile 7: 12:04 minutes
Mile 8: 12:17 minutes
Mile 9: 15:00 minutes (the bathroom break)
Mile 10: 13:11 minutes
Mile 11: 13:12 minutes
Mile 12: 13:38 minutes
Mile 13: 14:09 minutes
Mile 13.1 (which if I didn’t think the course was longer than 13.1 miles would have been my final time) 2:47:32 minutes. This would have been a 10 minute PR. I am pretty skeptical that I wove around people for .42 miles.
Mile 13.52: 2:52:50 minutes.

I PR’ed in this race. I beat my time from last year by about almost exactly 5 minutes. I am excited about this but pissed off at the same time because if I would have trained a little harder I most likely would have done a whole lot better. I am also pissed that I lost the pace group when I went to the bathroom. There are very few things that make me wish I was a guy but the whole being able to whip it out whenever I need to pee thing makes me pretty jealous.

I had been feeling pretty ho hum about the race course but I must admit that there were some super beautiful areas of the southern lakefront path. It was slightly scary to run on lakeshore drive almost on the cars as the line to the porta potty stretched out to the cones and people had to run around them to continue in the race.

So that’s that. I have officially trained and completed 4 half marathons, trained and attempted to finish 1 marathon and ran in a 10 mile race in exactly ONE year. I am feeling burnt out. I want to love running again. So I have decided not to run a winter half marathon. I had been thinking of running a rock and roll half marathon in Arizona in January… but I need a break. Don’t cry. I will continue to run smaller races (such as the Human Race and the Buck Town 5k) but nothing too long for a little while.

Congrats to Lou for finishing a great race and my running buddy Laura for also being super fast!

Slightly uneasy

Sunday is the CDC.

I am grossly underprepared…

But I’m ok with this.

I got a manicure today so when I am sucking it up during the race I can look down and think “Hey at least my nails look pretty…”

Walk-aholic

Since I have moved to the city I have been walking everywhere. I love it. I love the whole difference in mentality between the city and the suburbs. When I lived at home I would jump in the car and drive distances that I don't even think twice about not walking in the city.

Yesterday I think I over did it though...

I walked to and from the train (slightly under 2 miles each way) and then I walked to and from yoga (slightly over 2 miles each way) on top of my 90 minute yoga class.

Today I am exhausted.

confession

Does anyone else watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager??

Soooooooo STUPID but I can't stop watching it!!! Ash and I count down the minutes until it is done DVRing so that we can watch it on Tuesday's uninterrupted by commercials.

We are soo cool.

p.s shout out to my dad... Happy Birthday

100!!!

I would like to start this post out with wishing my blog a Happy 100th Post.

Scheduled: 12 miles
Actual: 11.51 miles
Time: 2:32:34
Pace: 13:16 minutes/mile

I left the house at 6:30 in the morning and it was ALREADY 75 degrees. This run was HOT. I ran 1.5 miles to the lakefront path and then ran south. I hit two of the fleet feet hydration stations and rounded the curve to the stretch of death. Around this time I started noticing a lot of CES pace groups heading back north on the path. Right before I hit 6 miles I ran past one of the men I ran with during the marathon and decided to turn around then so I would have some people to run back with.

Let me tell you how much better it is to run in the heat with people to talk to. I totally miss training with a group and have already decided to join CES again next summer.

Back to the run... Once I caught up the the group we ran 5 minutes and walked for 1 minute for the next 4.5 miles. When I hit Irving Park road I thanked the group for letting me run with them and then headed back home. I ran out of water and the last mile and a half I ran 2 minutes and walked 1 minute. My run finished slightly short when I got to CVS. Before I had even gotten to the cash register I had already drank more then half of the Gatorade.

All in all the run went good. I didn't stop my watch during 3 of the 4 hydration stations so it my pace was probably under 13 minutes/mile.

Saturday night S, Ash, Adj and I went out on S' uncles boat and watched the fireworks at Venetian Night. Afterwards we went to a Bar in Wriggleyville. Normally I am not a very big fan of this bar but Adj and I started a game where we had to dance up EVERY guy that walked past us. This kept us super busy the rest of the night. I have not had so much fun in sooooo long. In the beginning we got a lot of weird looks when we boxed them in and started dancing around them, but by the end of the night as guys got more desperate and drunk we definitely had to stop dancing.

Lastly S brought the first guy home in our new apartment. Way to go S!

So this was kind of a lame 100th post. I was going to do one of those 100 things about Jaime posts in honor of it but I kept putting it off. I promise I will write a cool post soon.

Finally!!

A decent race photo!!!

I believe they said it best...

I think this race may suck now... Lou and Lindy express it best.

Oy.

Women Runnin'

Fleet feet Sport Women's 10K
Place: 1266/1378
Time: 1:14:34
Pace: 12 minute/mile

I have no idea where my head was on Sunday morning. My alarm went off and I moved as though I was NOT going to an event with a definite start time. I dressed in a non-race friendly shirt and almost forgot to eat my toast... OK who am I kidding I never forget to eat. I walked outside to my car only to find a huge moat at least 5 feet wide from the huge storms Saturday night. I stood at the edge of the moat for about 5 minutes contemplating what to do. Here is a mini re-cap of my inner monologue...

Wow, that's really wide. I wonder if I could leap across it? No there is no way I can leap across. I wonder if it stays this wide further down the road? Should I walk down farther to see if it is more crossable? Nah I better try and take a running leap. I will totally be able to clear it...

Ha. Yea right. So I totally took a flying leap and landed right in the middle of the moat. My shoe and sock were soaked. I was steaming mad at myself as I sloshed down the street only to get more mad when my huge moat turned into a small stream a few feet from my car.

Since I was running late I had to park in the far parking lot and hurry over to get my chip and start. As I toed the line I almost cried when I realized that I had left my Garmin AND music in the car. Suck it up Jaime was all I could think of as the gun went off and I started to run. I decided since it was so humid I was just going to take it slow and just run the whole time. I didn't really care about my time because it wasn't there on my wrist screaming at me to beat my last 10K time. At mile 5 I decided to pick it up since I was feeling really good and I passed 20 people in the last mile. TWENTY people. And guess how many people passed me???

NONE.

Once I got there I loved this race. I loved that it was all women. The course didn't feel too long or boring. We weren't constantly turning a corner or running in the same direction for the whole time. The water stations were perfectly placed and I just had a really good run. I will definitely run this again next year.

Back is Achin'

Tomorrow I will be running the the Women's 10K. I have not run since last Saturday due to my lower back hurting. I hurt it when I was moving and it hasn't really been getting any better.

This can be a positive thing though. I am in the process of finding a doctor to get a breast reduction. I have wanted one for a very long time and as long as I can get insurance to cover it I am going to move forward. There are tons of requirements needed by my insurance in order to be approved so we'll just have to wait and see how this process progresses.

I know I have said this many times lately but I have just been plain unmotivated to run. I'm not 100% sure why this is but I can't seem to get out of it. I have decided that next summer I will for sure join a running group again to train with. Last summer I needed the group support to help me with the mileage and this summer I am finding I need just the "group" support. Something else to help me get my butt out the door. I need to look forward to something. I made some really nice running buddies last summer and I miss that type of support.

Ok I am off to bed and keeping my fingers crossed that it will not be storming in the morning. I am not sure I want to run ANOTHER race in the rain.

I love my new apartment!

Scheduled: 10 miles
Actual: 9.1 miles plus .5 miles of a cool down
Time: 2 hours
Pace: too scary to even compute

After waking up on and off all morning and cursing the heavens until I was blue in the face... it was finally able to hit the streets around 11. I love my new apartment. I walked outside and ran one block to Ashland, a few blocks over to Irving Park and then about 1.1 miles to the lakefront path. I ran the path until I hit North Ave Beacb at about 5 miles and the 1 hour mark. I called my dad to see if he wanted to go to lunch in about an hour. After the confirmation I continuted South towards the museum campus.

Unfortunatley I wasn't really using my head and I hit the dreaded section of the path between North Ave Beach and Ohio Street Beach at NOON. Am I stupid??? By the time I hit the end of the stretch I was exhausted. I downed a ton of water and made my way around Navy Pier and then I had to walk a little. I stopped to use the bathroon and ran to Grant Park and tunred around. The last three-quarters of a mile I mostly walked... I was unbelieveably hot (I was even running in just my sports bra at this point which I have NEVER done) and my stomach was cramping really bad. When I got back to the bathroon there was a little food stand. One of the workers was filling ice into some sort of container and I BEGGED him for some. I sucked down the ice water and walked to meet my dad and step-mom.

Overall the run was alright. The first half went really good and then last half sucked so that averages to alright. I shouldn't have expected much more considering the amount of effort I have been putting into my running lately. But I got out there and I ran and next weekend will be better.

Bastille Day Racin'

Bastille Day 5K
Distance: 3.15 miles (according to my Garmin)
Official time: 33:48
Pace: 10:55 minutes/mile
Overall Place: 2296/2675 (the race had sold out at 5000 runners… only a little more than half ran)

All day long the weather channel had been warning severe thunderstorms were on the way. As my dad and I toed the line we saw some very black skies behind us. The gun went off and I stayed with my dad for the first three quarters of a mile and then I decided to pick it up a little. I walked through the water station and turned a corner and then the rain started. At first it was a steady rain but not anything that made it hard to run…

Then around mile 2 it started to downpour. Huge bolts of lightning and thunder seemed VERY close. I tried to run faster but my clothes were soaked and hanging heavily, not quite moving with my stride the way they had earlier in the run. The worst part was my shoes. Luckily I had decided to wear an old pair but they were squishing and sloshing with every step.

Although I feel like if it hadn’t tsunamie-ed on me my time would have been faster my mile splits weren’t bad:
Mile 1: 10:41 minutes
Mile 2: 11:04 minutes
Mile 3: 10:36 minutes

I also think it is funny that this is the second race this year that I have been drenched with torrential rain…

Rain Rain Go AWAY

I'll make this short and sweet. I have been planning on running 10 miles this morning but it is raining... A LOT.

I am slightly more than really annoyed.

When your dad reminds you that its been awhile...

Since you have blogged...then you know you need to sit your ass down and type.

So what has been going on with me? A LOT!

First… I am now officially living in the city!!! My apartment is so cute and still super messy and tilts slightly to the right.

This past weekend S had friends in from out of town so we all went to Dick’s last resort for dinner and then walked to the fireworks at Navy Pier. We were all sardined (sp?) in with a little flower garden right in front of us and then a parking lot next to us on the other side. As everyone is OOOing and AHHHing this REALLY cute guy and is leading his girlfriend through the crowd and stops right in front of my friend O. Like any closer and they would have been rubbing his butt in our faces. O looks at the guy and is like “Dude we can’t see” and the guy nervously apologies and head back the other way. A few minutes later the fireworks end and we look over to see the girl who was with Mr. I know No Personal Space is crying hysterically. My friends and I look at each other and are like “shit we didn’t mean to be rude…” when we see Mr. IKNPS holding a ring box.

We forced this guy to propose to his girlfriend in the dirty parking lot instead of in front of the pretty flowers!

It was very cute to see someone else get proposed to like this but at the same time super tacky. Hopefully I will not be proposed to in that manner and if I do then I will have to tell him he obviously doesn’t know me… but I digress.

Next… I have hardly been running. This is not really by choice but mostly because I have been super busy and just plain old unmotivated. Tomorrow my dad and I are running in the Bastille Day 5K and then in 2 weeks I have a 10K. In the middle of August I also have a half marathon. What you say? A half marathon in a month and hardly been running? Yes you heard right and I am kind of freaking out. I know I can do the distance but it is a matter of how I feel when it is over. And as of right now I will probably feel like I am going to die. But this weekend I will try and get 10 miles in and we’ll take it from there.

Third… I have been super stressed out lately. I was off of work most of last week due to the holiday and moving and this week work has been OUT OF CONTROL. My list of things to check off is longer than it has ever been in the last 2 years I have worked for the company. Yesterday I got into it with one of my coworkers… but that is a story for another day.

I also did not get my period this month. I don’t have sex for almost a year and the month I have it… Aunt Flow moves away. Close your mouths and start your hearts again… I have taken a pregnancy test and it was negative (I knew it would be) But it still sucks not having it. I talked to the doctor and she said it was because she switched me to a super low estrogen birth control pill and that my body needs to adapt to it. So I called her back as asked if she could change me back because I would rather have the flow a rushing then have a drought… if you get my drift.

Plus (ok I promise this is the end of me bitching and whining) my feet are super swollen. My dear readers you may or may not know that I have a fat foot. Not wide… but swollen. It has been like this since I was born and every time I get a pedicure they poke it and ask what is wrong with me. But my non fat foot… it is more swollen then my fat foot. I can’t have TWO fat feet. One is eccentric but two is just god damn freakish.

ok more updating later...

Hot Summertime

Scheduled: 9 miles
Actual: 8.75 miles plus some walking for a cool down
Time: 1:54:21
Pace:

Since I am moving on Tuesday I decided to move my long run to this morning so I can concentrate on packing this weekend. I got up at 5 am and was out the door 15 minutes later. It was so amazingly humid outside my entire body became one huge running sweat ball. But i got the miles in. I weighed myself before my run... drank 2 bottles of water during my run... and still lost 3 pounds. I wish it was always that easy.

Another super boring post... but at least I sat down and typed it right?

It's finally raining

So last night we actually did go see a movie... in the theater.

Exactly on time Shady Jay showed up at my house, said hi to my mom and off we went to the movies. On the way to the movie he asked me about my upcoming move and even asked if I needed any help. He also paid for my movie ticket.

After the movie I invited him in and we were in the basement watching TV.

*Warning if you are a member of my family you may want to stop reading now*

One thing led to another and lets just say my almost one year anniversary of becoming a born again may have led me to be slightly more "aggresive" then I normally would be. Its nothing that Shady Jay nor I have not done together before so thats my justification for being slightly slutty.

Today Ash and I were texting about my previous nights activities...

Me: So is it bad that it happened?
Ash: Not at all... Now we can call you Shady Jai-me

I'll believe it when I see it...

So I haven't seen Shady Jay in awhile. We have exchanged a few text messages here and there and 2 weeks ago when The Happening came out I asked him if he wanted to go with me. The timing didn't work out and we never met up. This morning I get a text message from him...

Shady Jay: Did you see The Happening yet?
Me: Not yet.
Shady Jay: 8pm tonight if u want or get smart
Me: Id see either. You picking me up?
Shady Jay: Cool 730
Me: cool

I am still skeptical. After all this is SHADY Jay. But then I get this message a few minutes ago...

Shady Jay: Be there at 745. Movie is at 805

Has Shady Jay turned a non-shady leaf? I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Smooth Sailing

Scheduled: 5 miles
Actual: 5.1 miles
Time: 55 minutes
Pace: 11 minutes/mile

I rocked this run. Finally I had a good run. My legs didn't feel like lead, my stomach didn't give me any problems, I just jumped on the treadmill and ran the shit out of it. Felt really good.

Afterwards I did 8-minute abs (yea the one where they are all wearing unitards) and my abs were burning at the end.

All and all an excellent workout.

Summertiiiiiiiiiime

Scheduled: 5 miles
Actual: 3 miles
Time: 34:50
Pace: 11:39 min/mile

I have been exhausted lately. My runs come and go and I make excuses for not running them, or not completing all the mileage. This morning my alarm went off and after snoozing for 30 minutes I dragged my ass out of bed and got dressed. Since I didn't have enough time to run the whole 5 miles anymore I decided to run slightly faster then I normally would have for a shorter distance. Let me tell you it was WARM out. Even at 6:50 in the a.m. it was very warm. The dog and I tried to keep up the pace but I ended up walking 4 times. 1 minute after mile 1, 1 minute after mile 2 and then twice for 30 seconds during the 3rd mile. Even so my pace was pretty fast...

I dropped the dog off inside and did my post run stretch. When I walked back into the house he is sprawled out on the floor with his front paws straight forward and his back paws straight back with his tongue hanging way out to the side. So cute. He was exhausted.

A funny story to see you off...

Brian (the brother) and I went to get dinner tonight. As we were in the parking lot trying to get into a spot this car pulled down the center of the isle and stopped to let people off. Even though they looked straight at us the two people who got out stood there talking to the people in the car.

Me: Can you believe how rude they are???

Brian: The one on the left... his dad is now his mom. I'm cutting him some slack.

Weekend in Review

This weekend has been all over the place.

Friday night Ash, S and I went to Boystown to meet up with some friends. The three of took down most of a handle of Captain before we left the house. Needless to say the three of us were feeling quite nice. After countless ANTM poses and some booty shaking, we hopped in the cab and headed to the bar.

The bar itself was a fun time. At first we were given some dirty looks, but once we found our friends I enjoyed myself. Unfortunately then the puking started. LUCKILY it was not me puking but for the next 12 hours I saw more puking than I have seen in a while. First there was Amber, Adj’s roommate from college puking in the bathroom of the bar. Then while they took her home, Ash, S and I put back a few more drinks with led to S puking in the bathroom at the bar.

S and I went back to Ash’s apartment and passed out. In the morning Ash vomited… A LOT. My favorite time was while we were driving home I had to pull over onto the shoulder and she puked on the Kennedy for 10 minutes. (Poor Ash). Then she did it again at my house.

Saturday night however, everyone was feeling better and we went to James Taylor at Ravinia. The concert was great and JT played a lot of cover songs as well as his own. The entire time it was lightening and thundering but the rain held off. By the second encore Ash, s and I were dancing all over the place… I brought all my moves.

And finally on a semi sad yet shows you the type of guys I attract note…

At Boystown Ash and I were talking to this guy. I basically only remember a few sentences of the conversation of which I learned he was bisexual and over thirty. Neither of these traits would lead me to give out my phone number but the next day I get a phone call from a number I don’t recognize.

Jaime: Hello?

Bi-Thirtysomething Guy: heyitschrisfromthebarlastnightIwasjustcallingtoseehowtherestofyournightwentandIwantedtoseeifyouwantedtocometoribfestwithmetomorrowitsinmyneighborhoodandIgoeveryyearbutI can’tgotonightbecauseIhavetoworktonightwhichkindasucksbutifyouwanttocomedowntomorrow wecangoanditwillbealotoffuncanyourbelievethiswentone foralmostfiveminutes?

Jaime: Um…hi.

I guess this might be slightly higher on my scale then guy who screams like a five year old girl in the middle of a scary movie, but maybe night quite as high as the the ex yo-yo champ

Sweat Sweet

Scheduled: 7 miles
Actual: 5.25 miles
Time: 1 hour
Pace: 11: 25 minutes/mile

Before I started my workout this morning I decided I would run for an hour and see how I felt. So I ran for an hour, felt really tired and stopped. This has been a long, fun, stressful weekend, so 5.25 miles is fine with me. The weather the past few days has been not only very hot, BUT also very humid. Today I ran at the gym and was STILL sweating my ass off. It is officially summer in Chicago and that means I really need to pick up my long runs and in 3 weeks I will be able to leave my front door and run to the lakefront. SO excited!!!!

belated birthday pic

Ash, Mal, S and Me (wish it had been less smokey)

Again! Again!

Last weekend I did what almost every woman did. I saw Sex and the City. Seeing it made me sad… There will officially never be another episode of Sex and the City.

Tear.

But it got me thinking about television shows that I could watch over and over again and never tire of. So here is my list of top four shows that I wish I owned on DVD so I could watch them until the disk scratched. Shows that I can’t pick a favorite episode of… because every episode is my favorite.

1. Sex and the City. I became hooked on this show my sophomore year of college. It seemed as though every single girl in my sorority house owned the complete series on DVD and I went from never seeing an episode to watching entire seasons in a single day. Unfortunately now it is on cable channels like TBS and WGN and all of the good parts are modified or cut-out. It’s quite sad actually. I will always wish I can have Carrie’s closet and shoe collection. And even though most people hate him, I wouldn’t mind a Mr. Big.

2. The Girls Next Door. I have watched this show from the beginning. My mom used to make fun of me every time it was on, until the day she sat down and watched an episode and now she is just as hooked as I am. Every episode makes me laugh out loud and sometimes we rewind scenes and watch them at least 10 times in a row.

3. Friends. Once again I never saw this show in real time. I actually was anti-Friends until I went to college and Mondays thru Fridays depending on what television station you watched you could see up to 4 straight hours of re-runs in a row. Needless to say I was hooked. There are countless times that episodes can be referenced in real life. For example I plan to make sure I “pivot” when I move my furniture next month, and never count by “Mississippi’s” when I am in a spray tan booth. Sigh. I will never tire of quoting this show.

4. Gilmore Girls. I love this show. I want to live in Stars Hollow and date Jess and laugh at Paris. I want to meet Luke and eat Sookie’s food and be Rory. I was so unbelievably sad when this show ended. I’m not sure what else I can say except I wish it was still on.

So in my head this post was much more exciting than it turned out, but I would love to hear your favorite shows…

Roar

United Race for the Zoo 10K
Distance: 6.28 miles (according to my Garmin)
Official time: 1:13:34
Pace: 11:45 minutes/mile

After only sleeping 3 hours the night before I woke up at 5:45, got ready, and went to pick up S. We drove to Adj’s and the three of us plus Adj’s boyfriend Ryan drove down to Lincoln Park Zoo for the race. The 5K started to 8 and we watched the runners pass before toeing the line at 8:20 for the 10K. The weather was beautiful. Warm but not humid, sunny and clear. The first three-quarters of a mile were through the zoo. We ran past the polar bears, warthogs, bears, and lots of birds. Even though our pace for the first mile was just under 11 minutes/mile we were almost the back of the pack. My guess is that the slower runners ran in the 5k?

The race headed out of the zoo and onto my beloved lakefront running path. Online the course map said we would head north until just past the totem pole. Well the online course map was wrong. We ran almost as far north as Montrose and then circled a park to head back South to the zoo. Adj and Ryan zoomed ahead of us from the start but around mile 4, the pace S and I were keeping started to get to me and I needed to slow down. Even though she could have run ahead, S is such a good friend and slowed down so she could stay with me. The last mile included 2 bridges that I walked up, but ran down. Even with walking my pace stayed under 12 minutes/mile and I finished my first 10K. Since it was my first it is officially my PR.

After the race, the four of us walked around the zoo. I have not been to the zoo for many years, but the zoo kinda sucks… Many of the exhibits were missing animals, they don’t have elephants (not sure you can be called a zoo without elephants) and I had to basically climb the fence into the giraffe cage to see the reflection of the giraffe in a window. Ryan tried his giraffe mating call to lure it towards us, unfortunately it didn’t work.

All in all this was an excellent Sunday with racing and friends.

Finishing on the 50 yard Line

I am in the blue... I refuse to post any close up pictures because I look like absolute ass in them.

Day 1

Day One gluten and dairy free...

Today wasn't so bad. 2 hard boiled eggs and a banana for breakfast, salad with plain chicken breast ad vinegar for lunch, apple and peanut butter for a snack and then rice and chicken for dinner.

The mom and I went to Sunset to get some gluten free snacks and bread so I don't have to eat the same exact meal everyday for the next 2 weeks. One of the employees at Sunset was super excited to introduce me to the world of gluten free.

Unfortunately my stomach still hurts... but it is only day one so I will try and stay optimistic.

I feel EXACTLY the same way

you hit the nail on the head

For Your Information

I have tried to stay away from my stomach "issues" on this blog. In short I am pretty sure I have an undiagnosed food allergy. And when I say food allergy I mean I get sick after almost every meal. Sometimes it is worse than other times but recently it has been worse then ever. I have been reluctant get a food allergy screening, but this evening I had the worst experience I have ever had.

So I am pledging right now that for the next 14 days I will be gluten and dairy free. Yes you heard me right. I am giving up my beloved cheese and glorious bread for at least 2 WHOLE weeks. Something needs to be done... I cannot live like this anymore.

I am also pledging that I will blog once a day to keep myself on track and to bitch and moan about being able to eat basically nothing. I apologize ahead of time to my loyal few readers... I will understand if you decide to move on. Then again it might be fun to read about my misery while you sit back and eat your extra cheese, extra bread, extra anything else I can't eat. P.S. you suck.

On an semi-side note, I was googling gluten free foods and came across an interesting food I CAN eat:

fava bean (faba) Legume. Used whole, cooked as a vegetable or ground into flour. Unrelated to celiac disease, favism is an allergic reaction to fava beans that can be life threatening. Favism is most common in those of Mediterranean descent.

Interesting...

Wish me luck.

Recovery Run?

Scheduled: 3 miles
Actual: 7.5 miles
Time: 1:41:36
Pace: 13:31 minutes/mile

So according to my schedule I was supposed to run 3 miles... however S, Adj and I are running a 10K next weekend and S asked me to run 6 miles with her today. So I kind of had an idea of a 6 mile loop we could run, but I didn't double check it. 7.5 miles later we made it back home. There was about half a mile we walked at mile 5 and then the last mile and a half we ran one minute walked one minute. Basically my legs refused to move. If they could talk they would have said, "What the fuck Jaime... we just ran 10 miles the day before yesterday. What the hell are you doing???" So we covered 7.5 miles but it was a crappy run.

After the run S, Adj and I went shopping for the new apartment. I learned the I can't afford any furniture and that my room is going to consist of an air mattress and like 50 pairs of shoes...

Solider Field 10 Miler

Solider Field 10 Miler
Official Time: 2:08:23
Official Distance (based on the Garmin): 10.15 miles
Pace: 12:32 minutes/mile
Place: 5897/6045

I am very excited to say that even though my time could be considered walking... I ran the entire time. This is my first long distance race that I have run the entire time. AND I ran my last mile in 10:24 minutes.

The race itself was very reminiscent of the CDC... running through the parking garage of the McCormick Place, Running on Lake Shore Drive, running back along the lakefront path. It was amazing finishing on the 50 yard line. My name was announced over the loud speaker and my dad took this awesome picture of me finishing on the Jumbo tron... unfortunately after he showed it to me he erased it...

My time was slow but I did go to the bathroom around mile 6.25 which took a few minutes and I was so excited that I was able to haul ass the last mile. I am now super excited to crush my CDC time from last year.

Year in Review

A review of my twenty third year of life:

May: The Ex and I got into a fight because we went to dinner with my family on my actual birthday instead of just the two of us, I decided to run a marathon, drove my brother to the airport so he could go to China, started marathon training with CES, called my grandma on her birthday.

June: Went on a cruise, got so sunburned my legs swelled and I couldn’t wear any pants, met a bunch of really great women through my running group, started my first summer of work where I was not sunbathing as a lifeguard but white as a ghost in a cubical.

July: Ran a 4th of July 5k, ran my first double digit run, celebrated my dad’s 50th birthday, went to my cousin’s wedding, cried because I wasn’t tan and my brother was so tan he looked like he was from a different race.

August: Saw a man have a heart attack on the side of the running path, ran my first half marathon, went to an engagement party for my cousin, saw the EX for the last time, realized that I did not like my job.

September: Broke up with the EX, went to Wisconsin for Labor day and visited the state fair, started going to dinner with the girls, cut 12 inches of my hair and donated it to locks of love, ran 20 miles in one day, got plantar fasciitis, started talking to shady jay again, had my one year anniversary at work, started interviewing for a new position, got a “raise”.

October: Accepted a new position, ran in the bucktown 5k and got great presents, attempted the Chicago Marathon only to have the race cancelled at mile 16.5, cried about the months of training down the drain, visited the brother at school, signed up for the Miami half marathon, went to a Halloween party, threw up from drinking for the second time in my life.

November: Celebrated my brother’s birthday, ran in a thanksgiving day 8k with my dad, wondered when I would get to start my new job, started my blog.

December: Ran outside despite it being DECEMBER, ran 10 miles on the treadmill, went on a 12 bars of Christmas bar crawl, played boggle, went to an ugly sweater Christmas party, walked home from the bar in knee deep snow, met the national yoyo champ from 2005, hung out with Fish, went to a New Year’s Eve concert.

January: Met New Years Eve guy, went on a crappy date, kissed shady jay, smoked, ran the Miami Half Marathon, took a vacation in Boca, saw Aunt Ginger for the last time, ran in the rain.

February: registered for the trail half marathon, didn’t have a valentine, FINALLY started my new job, trained for the hustle up the Hancock, walked up a lot of stairs.

March: tried a personal training session at Bally’s and decided I hated it, de-friended the EX on facebook, got a ridiculously short haircut, cried about my hair for 2 days, made out with a random on the dance floor on St. Patrick’s Day, tried to bring Spring break to corporate America, shoveled a lot of snow multiple times, went on a bar crawl in Highwood, saw the bro in a play, ran in the shamrock shuffle 8k with my girls.

April: fought with my mom about laundry, decided Ash, S and I would move in together, started looking for apartments, joined a gym that has TVs on the treadmills, ran the race to Wrigley with my dad, had a cold, drove to Michigan, ran the Trail half marathon, fell in the bushes and bruised my leg, peed in the woods.

May: neglected my blog, went to a cinco de mayo party, ran in the mother’s day Race to Empower 5K, found an apartment, signed a lease, bought a laptop, had a birthday party. Turned 24.

:)

Today I am 24 :)... birthday post coming soon.

Concerned

A few months back I was out at the bar with S, Mal, and some other fun ladies. We were seeing Sixteen Candles and I was admiring what it was like to be at a bar with lots of tall guys... aka non-jewish. Many drinks later I started chatting with this guy, who bought me lots more drinks and by the end of the night "the Indian" and I were making out all over the bar. He begged for my number and that was that. A few days later I texted him and got a pretty blah response. So I deleted his number.

Fast forward a week and I get a text from an unknown number asking how my weekend was. After the awkward dove "um who is this?" he later called and we chatted for over 30 minutes. That is pretty big considering the only thing I knew about him prior was his lips.

The weeks go by and I find myself starting to develop a slight crush on the Indian. He has potential... he is studying for the MCATS and he sounded like a hard worker. I enjoyed talking to him and the conversation flowed nicely. That is until last week. He called me on Sunday night to fill me in on his birthday celebration. During the conversation he called me "dude" at least 20 times and was excited about how he had headbutted some other guy at the bar...

First let's start with the dude... Does he not know my name??? And headbutting... EW.

I think he may have sensed my disgust for the conversation because I haven't heard from him all week. Tonight he called me to see how I have been... but he was out and it was hard to hear and he said he would call back. Should I answer?

WOOOOOOHOOOOO

Some more very exciting news. I am sitting on my couch, watching a re-run of Seinfeld and typing on my NEW laptop. Technically it is my FIRST laptop… but who’s counting? I am sooooooo excited. The problem is now I’m poor. Between the new computer and the cashiers check I just took out to pay the security deposit my checking account is feeling very empty.

Moving on… this week I started training for the Chicago Distance Classic in August. I decided that I was going to use the same training plan I used for the the Miami Half. It forced me to get 2 longerish runs in a week as well as 2 shorterish runs. Besides my knees hurting from training almost solely on the treadmill and then running the race on concrete, I feel like the Miami Half Marathon was my most successful half marathon thus far. It is also exciting that after I complete the CDC I will have completed 4 half marathons in 3 states in exactly ONE year. Pretty cool.

Scheduled: 2 miles
Actual: 2.9 miles
Time: 33 minutes
Pace: 11:25 minutes/mile

I have a problem with waking up early and only running 2 miles so I ran for 30 minutes plus a few minutes for a cool down. My goal for this half training is to actually stretch after I run. So after my short and sweet run I stretched my little heart out. Hopefully I will keep this up.

almost official

On Thursday I will be signing the lease to an apartment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Race report

Running Fit Trail Half Marathon
Pinkney, Michigan
Scheduled:13.1 miles
Actual: 13.1 miles
Time: 3:34:25
Pace:

Let me start out my saying I knew I was not prepared for this half marathon. I'm not sure if I would have PR even if it was flat road I was running on. I had an idea of the terrain that the race would be on, but it wasn't until I rounded the first corner that I threw all expectations out the window and my only goal became to finish.

The race consisted of both a half marathon and a marathon. The marathon started an hour before the half since they would be running 2 13.1 mile loops, instead of just one. Laura and I waited patiently for the race to start. Finally they started the half marathon. I was in the last wave (aka back of the pack) and I started out strong. The first quarter of a mile was on grass before you hit the trail.

As we rounded the corner and started onto the trail I my goal became to finish. And my stretch goal was to not finish dead last. The trail was pretty narrow and the footing was out of control. I had to watch the ground the entire time I ran as to not trip over a tree root, or a tree... As I passed the first mile marker I felt as though I had already ran at least a 5K. This next picture is at the top of a hill looking back.


I started to fall into some sort of of a groove. I realized that this race was not only physically challenging but it was also mentally challenging, Most parts of the race I was running by myself. I had to force myself to keep running. Come on Jaime, just run up the beginning on the hill. Come on Jaime this is relatively flat, lets pick up the pace a little. Around mile 6 I started getting passed by the elite marathoners on their second lap. Everyone was very nice, but as I was gingerly taking every step (especially on the downhills) they were running as fast as they could... almost every single marathoner who passed me during the race was covered in dirt and blood and who knows what else from wiping out.

At mile 6.5 it happened. I must have stopped paying attention and all of a sudden I was tripping. There was not regaining balance, I just started to fall... and the next thing I knew I was in the bushes. I jumped up as fast as I could, just as this man caught up to me. He said: I know sometimes you have to rest in the ground... but try not to have it happen again. Nice. And then at mile 7.5 I tripped again!!! Luckily this time I was able to catch myself, but it put me into this scared state were I thought I was going to trip every mile.

By the time I hit mile 10 I was being passed constantly by marathoners. They were all so nice. Everyone that passed me said good job, or keep having fun, or you are doing great. Then we came to mile 12. Mile 12 consisted of the biggest hill in southern Michigan. When you thought you finally reached the top you were wrong... there was a slight downhill and then it climbed at least another 200 feet straight up. It was absolutely insane.

Finally I reached the end of the trail and the course opened back up to the grassy path. I saw the finish line and mustered all the energy I had to get to it. I crossed the finish line and they gave me my medal. I finished! I didn't finish dead last!!! Here is a picture of Laura and me with our medals.

This race was hard. This race (as advertised) was definitely not for wimps. But in the end I really enjoyed it. I felt strong after I finished that I was able to complete something so hard and so different from anything I had ever done. And the athletes that were running it were amazing. There were marathon finish times that would have been respectable for a flat marathon and they were putting up that time on THIS course. AND the winner was a female. Very cool.

2 days...

You know that feeling when you walk into class the day of a test and you definitely chose to do something else besides study and now you have that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you are going to fail?

That’s how I feel about this Sunday. I am NOT prepared for this half and I am freaking out. Yes I have gotten all of my long runs in but there were many of shorter runs that I totally blew off. Why you ask? Well that is a very good question. One that I do not have the answer to. It was almost as though I knew I would not be able to train for the terrain so instead of pushing it a little harder during each workout I just said Fuck It.

Not one of my smarter moves…

Oh, and my latest fear is the rain. It is supposed to possibly rain on Saturday and then again on Sunday which will make for a LOT of mud on the course. I keep picturing myself at the bottom of one of the huge inclines on the course and I am unable to make it up the hill because it is muddy and I am weak from not training for hills. Instead of helping me everyone just springs past me climbing the hill like it is nothing… until finally someone stops and they have to push my fat ass up and over the hill. OY.

Now it is the night before I leave for Michigan and I can’t even find a sports bra. This is ridiculous. It is like the sports bra troll came in the middle of the night and took them all. And now he is laughing at me as I clean my room in hopes of finding one. Plus I can’t find the charger for my Garmin. I am hoping, fingers crossed, that it is in my cube and that Laura will be nice enough to swing by the office with me before we hit the road.

Ok. Now that I have bitched about everything…

I still am kind of excited too. Wish me luck!

oy

So my race is in less than 5 days and I am on the verge of being sick. Like actual sick. I have been Zicaming and Nyquilling and I even left work early today to go home and sleep. I was barely able to run 30 minutes on the treadmill Monday without feeling like I was going to die.

Shit. :(

Long Run on a Tuesday...

Scheduled: 10 miles
Actual: 9.85 miles + .15 mile cool down
Time: 2:17:20 minutes
Pace: 13:45 minutes/mile

Laura (my co-worker who is running the Trail ½ with me) and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and do a long run last night after work. Our time was painfully slow, but if you take into account we ran 10 miles after a full day of work AND the 30 mph winds we ran into for the last 3 miles… I am not that upset. Laura is a good sport and ran at my pace even though she is normally WAYYYYY faster. We chatted the whole time and it felt much shorter. Only 11 days until the Trail Half and I am freaking out… every time I think about it I get a slight nauseous feeling and I am thinking this is not a good thing.

Yesterday I also received a text message from Josh, a kid I met and befriended through Shady Jay. He wanted to let me know that this weekend is Shady Jay’s birthday and that he was taking him out and I should meet up with them. I haven’t decided if I will or not. I am definitely not going to go out of my way to meet up but I figure if they are going out near by I might make an appearance. I am just super frustrated with Shady Jay. Last night I get a text message from him asking how I am and what’s up. I respond and then I get this one:

Shady Jay: I’m at the RRI (very close to my house)
Me: ok… are stopping by?
Shady Jay: No, I didn’t drive.

Ok why in the hell do I care where you are then? Besides the fact that the RRI just adds to his shadiness. Why I am attracted to guys that are so LAME?

Racin' to Wrigley

Race To Wrigley
Distance: 5K
Official Time: 33:23 minutes
Pace: 10:46 minutes/mile
Place Overall: 1674/2009

Last Thanksgiving my dad and I ran in the Turkey Trot and it was the first snow of the year. This morning we ran in the Race to Wrigley and HOPEFULLY (fingers crossed) it was in the last snow of the year. The good thing was my dad and I got to run in another race together… the bad part was it was freezing. But the race finished running through Wrigley Field and that was pretty cool. We started the first half-mile or so together and then I decided to pick up the pace a little.

If you recall last time we raced together I stayed with him the whole time and his chip time was a few seconds faster then mine. I needed to even the score… not that I am bitter still…

I finished with a respectable time for me (I have to look it up but this may be my fastest 5K in a while) and after I crossed the line I felt great. Not like I had been kicked in the lungs, which was also great. My dad’s goal was to finish in under 37:00 minutes and he finished in 36:53 (pace: 11:54 minutes/mile and 1871/2009). All in all this was a great race, which I plan on running again next year.

On that note, it is officially race season in Chicago and I plan on getting in a whole bunch more 5, 8 and 10K’s and my goal is to break 32:00 minutes for a 5K. Oh and just a reminder that my next half marathon is in less then 14 days I am feeling grossly unprepared… oy.

Two Treadmill Runs

Scheduled: 50 minutes
Actual: 5.25 miles
Time: 1:01:01
Pace: 11:35 minutes/mile

Tuesday’s run at the gym on the treadmill SUCKED. It was painful… I even had to stop and walk after 3 miles, and then again after 4. There was nothing I could do to make the time go by any faster. Not America’s Next Top Model, Hannah Montana, Not Seinfeld, NOTHING.


Scheduled: 50 minutes
Actual: 5.5 miles
Time: 1:05:00
Pace: 11:45 minutes/mile

Besides the occasional stomach problem this run was not that bad. I was dreading it after my last run but I pushed through it. S showed up during the last 10 minutes and ran next to me, which forced me to pick up the pace. But it’s over and done with so I am happy. Only 2 weeks until I head to Michigan for the next half. I cannot wait until this summer when it will be nice outside and I will be living in the city and I might actually enjoy running again…

Laundry

I HATE when you do your laundry and don't take it out of the washing machine fast enough and someone puts it on top of the DIRTY ASS dryer... basically forcing you to have to re-wash it.

KJSAfklhdgkjnd; fgkldakmf ;aksdgn ;jkeabn vgkl

Shamrock Shufflin'

Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
Distance: 8k (just under 5 miles)
Official Time: 1:01:34
Pace:
Place Overall: 21010/22575

A few months back I decided that it would be really fun for S, Adj, Ash, Megan and me to run the Shamrock Shuffle together. I didn’t care if they didn’t like running, because I thought it would we could all together that didn’t involve eating or drinking. They all signed up, some more nervous than others, and I made them a training schedule so come race day they wouldn’t freak out. I heard some bitching, moaning and freaking out up until race day but everyone was there with me toeing the line (well maybe not quite “the line” since it took almost 30 minutes to cross the start). I really enjoyed the race. We ran on some of the marathon course… which left me kind of bitter… but what can you do? I love running big races and turning a corner or hitting a downhill and all you can see is a sea of people running in front of you. It always amazes me how many runners of all shapes and sizes there are, and it helps make me feel like I fit in more. My time was totally fine with me. I wasn’t really racing; I was enjoying the race. Next year though… watch out. I plan on being smoking fast.

Shamrock Shuffle

Me and Megan after the race!!! (that's me in the green)

Sleep Running

Scheduled: 9 miles
Actual: 9 miles
Time:
Pace: 12:45 minutes/mile

Thursday I took a half-day at work and drove down with my dad and step mom to see my brother performance of “A New Brain”. He rocked as always…but I did not get back to my house until 3 in the morning and then still went into work ON TIME Friday. Work sucked and it too all I could to not pull my chair out and take a nap under my desk. So what do I do instead? I decide it will be smarter to run my scheduled 9 miles after work instead of Saturday morning. Smart right?

After work I threw on my running clothes and ran. Luckily it was nice enough to run outside, however my hands would not warm up and towards the end when I had to re-tie my shoe it felt like my hands belonged to a 97-year-old arthritic woman… not good at all. The run itself was not bad considering my lack of sleep and full day of work. I walked up a hill during mile 7 but other than that my pace stayed slow and steady.

The closer I come to my next half marathon the more I am trying to accept the fact I will have to walk… a lot. There is no good way to practice the hills and the weather has not been nice enough to run the trails up over the border. I still plan on running it the best I can but I’m not sure my time will be all that stellar. But who knows? Maybe trail and hill running is my forte and I just don’t know it. Right…

Also, it needs to be Spring pronto. I am so fucking sick of the cold damp Chicago weather, and the snow needs to go away. Seriously.

An Ode to the Bro

Brian,
You did an amazing job in “A New Brain”. Your comedic timing and stage presence never ceases to impress me and your skinny legs look great in a girdle and tights. I can not wait to see you in your next production. PLUS your new girlfriend is super sweet and cute.

Love,
Jaime

Page Six

Attention Attention... This JUST in...

My very bestest friend in the whole world, who has asked to remain anonymous, "got IT on" with a professional arena football player (MULTIPLE TIMES) this weekend.

Congratulations! We love you!

Whoooooosh

Scheduled: 40 minutes
Actual: 4 miles
Time:46:42
Pace:11:38 minutes/mile

S came and met me after work and we ran outside near my office. Tempature wise it was beautiful outside... BUT it was so windy I felt as though I was going to get blown off the road. S and I couldn't even run in a straight line. As we were running there were birds suspended in air flapping their wings as hard as they could to get to the next tree to no avail. The run itself was good though. Even with the wind we average a good pace per mile (my watch is downstairs so I am not sure of the exact pace right now) and we even did this giant hill three times up and down.

Unfortunately S is allergic to running and broke out in a rash...

Crap Day

Scheduled: 30 minutes
Actual: 3.1 miles
Time: 34:10 minutes
Pace: 11:00 minutes/mile

I am running in a race this Sunday so instead of running my longer weekday run Monday I swapped it for a shorter one. Yes I can do that. This run felt really good. It wasn't too fast, but my pace stayed steady and I wasn't constantly looking at the clock on the wall. It is always refreshing to have a good run after a crappy one... even if the distance is nothing to brag about.

The Treadmill Beat Me

Scheduled: 6 miles
Actual: 5.5 miles
Time: 1:10:50 minutes
Pace: not good

Saturday I decided to sleep in and go to the gym around noon. Well I woke up to about 10 inches of snow on the ground and because I am SUCH a nice daughter I helped my mom shovel. It sucked. It was that super heavy, makes you break your back, heart attack snow. Needless to say I was exhausted when it was all done. But I still got in the car and headed to the gym. I hopped on the treadmill and even though I was watching Ella Enchanted, I just couldn't finish the 6 miles. I was already walking a lot and so I threw in the towel and went home.

Yes I know. I am LAME.

Saturday night Alex was in town so we reverted back to our "summer of sin" and hit the bars in downtown Highwood. We bar crawled down the street and ended up at the same bar as Shady Jay (not on purpose he was just there). We said hey to each other and that was it for the rest of the night. He was dancing with some slutty girl and I was mingling with all the people I knew. But in the back of my mind I was still kind of pissed. I mean I do not care if he is dancing with someone else because I was not nearly drunk enough to feel comfortable to dance in that bar. And he doesn't have to talk to me all night because we aren't seeing each other. But at least give me a little attention. (side note: Shady Jay came over Thursday night and we made out like high schoolers in his car in my driveway...) Anyways, Alex and I left the bar a little before closing and at 2:10 am I get a call from Shady Jay.

Shady Jay: What are you doing?
Me: Are you serious?
Shady Jay: Yes I am serious.
Me: Shady Jay, you basically ignored me the whole time we were at the bar.
Shady Jay: No I didn't

I realize he is pretty smashed and there is no use arguing so I say whatever... there is some static and then he hangs up.

EW.

Run Jaime Run

Scheduled: 50 minutes
Actual: 5 miles
Time: 57:45 minutes
Pace: 11:35 minutes/mile

This was a treadmill run after work on Monday. The good news is that it felt really good and the treadmill was not that bad. The bad news is this is my only run so far this week and it is Friday. And the next half is in less than 35 days...

Can someone please kick my ass into gear?

Here I am

Here's a quick recap of my past twoish weeks since I am not really in the mood to elaborate...

1. New haircut. Very short. How short you ask? So short it will have to grow out for 8 years before I will be able to put it in a ponytail again. No joke.

2. I have been running. I've had a bunch of four milers, a few five milers and then Saturday I ran 8 miles in Lake Forest with my co-worker who will be running my next half with me. We got in some hills which was nice... but our pace was pretty slow due to lots of gossiping.

3. I wore some AMAZING shoes Saturday night. Suede, Peep-toe, Slim Wedge, Green... they are beautiful, but I thought I was going to have to amputate both feet by the end of the night.

4. Shady Jay called me both nights this weekend and even left messages. I have decided to play a little harder to get so I did not meet up. Instead Ash, Adj's sister and I all made out with randoms on the dance floor Saturday night. It was well needed.

5. My brother is currently in Mexico on Spring Break and I have decided to write a proposal at work to bring back Spring Break. I'm guessing it won't be received very well... but fingers crossed.

6. I finished the book I was reading, Water for Elephants, and would recommend it to all.

I am making a pack right now that I will get back into this blogging thing. March has been pretty lame.

Now You See it... Now You Don't

I need to vent.

Since the EX and I have broken up I have not spoken to him. The first time around when we broke up I would drunk dial him, sober dial him, write him emails… I think you get the point… but this time NOTHING. We have exchanged only two emails. The first was me asking for all of my stuff back and him replying that it was already all in a suitcase at his mom’s to pick up as soon as possible. The second one was mid January, when I knew he was starting his final semester, to wish him good luck… to which I never received a response.

No contact since September.

You are not allowed to judge me for what I am about to reveal, because I know you secretly do it too.

I still look at his profile on Facebook… (Hangs head low)

And today I saw he removed himself from any photo that he was in with me. This may not seem like a big deal, but I feel like I have been completely erased. I think it is so fucked up. Why is that necessary?? I just don’t understand. It makes me so angry that this was someone who I loved and he and I had a huge past. We were together for SIX fucking years, and it is almost as though he is not even a partial speck of the person he used to be.

And what upsets me the most is the fact that it upsets me. Why does he still affect me??? Why can’t he just disappear from my memory like I have from his? Why didn’t he call me to see how my marathon went seeing I was with him during my entire training? Why couldn’t he be honest with me about why he wanted to break up? Why can’t I remove his number from my phone even though I know it by heart??? It is just all so fucked up.

But I am taking baby steps…

I removed him as a friend on Facebook.