Downpours

For the past two days, we've had severe downpours popping up in the day and dumping tons of water from the sky.

Yesterday, my day off from running, I went for a bike ride when the sky cleared. It was actually sunny! I got a good ride going, and was about 12 miles in, when I noticed the sky darkening to the southwest. I figured I could continue around the river and then head home and probably just make it before the (seemingly inevitable) pouring rain started again.

Nope.

About 2.5 miles from home, the first raindrop hit. No big deal, except I had my phone with me and didn't want it to get wet. I stopped under a big tree just as the rain began coming down in buckets. I got my phone into my little pack under my seat, waited and watched the white-out wall of rain, and decided since I was getting soaked under the tree anyway, I'd just head into the monsoon and make my way home.

Soaked. And of course, as soon as I got to my house the rain tapered off.

Today, I decided to push my run to this evening and run with the group run at the store. Instead, while the skies were grey, I headed to the pool. More water! But this time, the water was my friend. I had a really good swim -- 2000yds, pretty much non-stop except for a quick adjustment to my goggles halfway through. Weird that it seems like my swims are always good when it's been a week or so since the last time I was in the pool...

And then, I got home and made lunch and set myself up on the deck with my new book. The sun wasn't out, but it was dry. For about 10 minutes. Then the first raindrop hit, and within 30 seconds it was a downpour. A wall of water streaming from the sky. For hours. Thunder and lightning, too. There's so much water out there, I could go for another swim.

And it hasn't stopped. I have two hours before the group run. I like running in the rain, but the thunder and lightning part makes it not so safe.

C'mon, skies. I wanna get my run done tonight. Just a 90 minute window, please. That's all I need. Then you can release more water if you need to.

Unstructured Summer Days

I like my down time. I like having nothing I *have* to get out of bed for, or nowhere I *have* to be in the day. I like unstructured days. I don't often get them, and truthfully, I'm not good when I have too many in a row, but I had several this first week of July.

After working all weekend at the running store, I dug a super-old running store tank top out of my drawer, grabbed my camera and a six-pack of beer, and headed to meet my friends for the

Summer Beer Mile

It was fun, but it was a much different experience than the Winter Beer Mile. It was a different crew, with some people I was just meeting for the first time. I missed having some of the guys I'm better friends with there, but, alas, lots has changed since then...

My calf felt cranky and tweaked after the first lap, so I decided to just chill out and have fun, rather than run for time. I think I ended my 4 beers and 4 laps (without puking! but admittedly, I'm pretty sure I didn't finish one of the beers) in somewhere between 13 and 14 minutes, and I wasn't last!

The next morning, I got a long run done and headed to the shore. The 4th of July is my oldest nephew's birthday, and so by default we always have a party to attend!

After what felt like a long stretch of busy weeks, I was looking forward to a couple days on the beach. I got a couple runs done, I rode a long (30 mi) bike ride, and I played with my nephews in the ocean for hours. The weather was super hot, but we got a touch of relief right down at the water's edge. It was nice to spend time away from home, in a place that is my home.

I like my unstructured days. I don't want them every day, but I like them when I get them.

Bike shopping

I've wanted a commuter-type bike for a while now. My old kick-around bike is HEAVY and old and the gears slip and the brakes are funky and and and... It's time for a new one. A bike I can ride the mile up the small hill to my sister's. A bike I can ride to work at the running store, or run errands on, or just go for a leisurely ride.

I went to some local shops, but around here the options seem to be "lifestyle" fitness bikes. Lots of gears, which means it's tougher to put a basket on the front or rack on the back, and more parts to care for. I want to be able to get a good ride out of this bike, but I'm not working out on it - it's just for kicking around.

I don't want to go cheap -- I want to get a decent bike that'll last me a while -- and I figured if I spend $600 or under, that's cool.

Both an old friend of mine (who is heavy into cycling these days) and Charisa suggested getting a single-speed bike. None of the shops around here carry them -- it would need to be custom built and that means a lot of $$$. I remembered Charisa talking about and loving her commuter bike, and she directed me to a cool site where you customize your own bike. Although I'm not really sure how I'll do with the single-speed ride, I LOVE the funkiness of these bikes.

This bike is super close to getting ordered. Love the blue handles and chain, the green on the tire rims, the whole look. Fun, funky. I've wavered between a sleek black frame and the stark white one... And I need to decide if a 52cm size is too big for my 5'3" height. The 52 is supposed to be for a 5'5"-5'7" person, although I talked to a girl who is 5'4" and rides the 52 and is fine...

Decisions, decisions. Do I get the funky, original singlespeed bike, or the multi-geared Fuji that the store has? (Give or take, I'd be paying about the same price...) I think I really WANT the fun bike -- and I just hope it fits and it's weight isn't too heavy, since I'll be carrying it up and down the steps to my house...

First day of vaca...

The last week or so has been super filled with end of the year stuff at work, getting back into more regular running (calf is NOT 100%, but it's better), and hours at the running store. This morning, my alarm was not set and though I woke up early, I let myself doze and lounge in bed until after 8am. I NEVER do that! It was much needed, though.

So today is day one of summer vacation. My calf is bugging me a bit today, so I'll get out for a bike ride instead of a run, and I'll play in the pool with my nephews and maybe get a swim in, too.

I was blindsided last night at the group run by some new info about the craigslist guy and his fictional stories to other people about our relationship. Stunned, I was. Lies, deception, fiction still happening 3 months after the ad was placed. Ugh. Hit me hard, 'cause C isn't talking to me these days, and as far as I know he moved out of state yesterday. God, how things have changed in the past 5 months.

So, here's my plan for the first day of vacation:

• get out of bed when I want - check
• get car check-up/oil change done at 9am - check
• go for an hour bike ride - (shortly)
• eat less food - (gotta drop these few extra pounds)
• pool time - (with my nephews, probably)
• probably meet up with out of town friends who ROCK and are in Philly for the week+ - (later)

Not a bad day.

I'm looking forward to taking my vacation days as they come. I'll be working at the store a bunch (hopefully!), I'll be getting good workouts done (hopefully! c'mon, calf! cooperate!), I'll be getting to the beach when I can, I'll get in a trip somewhere toward the middle of the summer (after a visit from my Chicago cousin and a mud run with friends). I'll read books that I want to, I'll eat sushi on the deck with my neighbor, and I'll get some house projects done (hopefully!).

I will work to put the negatives behind me, and I'll just take each day as it comes. Hopefully, the blindsiding is done. But who knows. Right now, I've got a bike ride and a sunshiney (though HOT) day to enjoy.

One mile

It may not seem like much, but that's how far my dad walked today. He's still in a brace like this one:

and he will be until August. But today he walked a mile. Considering he was less than half an inch from certain paralysis, this mile is a true milestone. He's still broken, but he's healing -- and though it's frustrating to be in his position, he knows he's lucky.

I also did a mile today -- actually, a little over a mile -- in the pool. Good swim, though my arms were feeling it since I haven't been in the pool in over a week.

Tomorrow I'll do some more miles on the road. I can't wait. Between this calf stuff and my dad's injuries and limited mobility, I am aware of how wonderful it is to be able to run (or walk!) at all. Even if it's just a mile...

The Holistic/Physical Therapist

She hurt me

and left a lot of bruises.

I yelled and I squirmed and I giggled at myself.

But with the compression sleeves
I ran twice this week.

Non-running randoms

• not running sucks
• persistent calf pain sucks
• going to a chiropractor for almost 2 weeks and not having any progress sucks
• Finding a holistic therapy/physical therapist whose daughter is a kick-ass runner so she gets it, and having her take me in the day I called her, and having her work me with that ART stuff and whatever other hurty maneuvers stuff she did, including some little activator/mini jackhammer thing, was AWESOME. (Even though it really hurt.)
• I'm not a good sleeper by nature, and I've been sleeping even less without my running
• I'm biking and swimming like I'm training for an Ironman. I'm not.
• I feel like I might be ready to try the clipless pedals and get rid of my cages. Not that I need to, but I feel like I'm ready to try them.
• I'm also intrigued with the idea of aerobars.
• My summer plans are all in a sort of holding pattern until I'm running pain-free again. Working on some travel plans, some races, etc., but don't want to commit to anything until I know I can run wherever I'm going.
• I want to visit some new places I've never been this summer.
• I want to hopefully visit places where I know someone.
• I really like working at the running store. I wish I felt more comfortable with some of the stuff there, but working so sporadically doesn't allow for that.
• I've gained about 4-5 pounds, give or take, since the marathon because of this stupid non-running. I'm ok with it as long as I don't go over 120lbs. I'm in dangerous territory these days.
• It's fun having a hometown team in the Stanley Cup Finals.
• My dad's still in that brace (and will be until August) but the spine doc seemed pleased with things when he saw him this past week.
• My little nephew conquered some pool fears today. And wanted me to help :)
• I can't seem to want to stay in the lap pool long enough to do more than about 1750-2000 yds in a session. I suppose I don't have a need to do more right now, so it's no big deal.
• I'm not very fast on the bike. I suppose right now this doesn't matter, either.
• Not running sucks.
• But the therapy lady understands this, and is seeing me again Tuesday so I can get back to running sooner. She even suggested I could try a short, super easy run tomorrow. Like, 10 mins, maybe. I'll see if I'm still sore tomorrow, and how my calf feels. But I'm encouraged by what's she's done, and so I can wait until after Tuesday if I need to...