Crunchy ‘Nanas

Wa-hoo!

I am always faced with a mental challenge when I go to the gym: run for a couple miles on the treadmill liked I’ve set out to do before heading out to the pool. Usually, I get there and the pool looks so nice and inviting, beckoning me to skip the smelly ‘mill and just go for a swim. I can be easily tempted to divert all attention to its flowing waters. But, today I stayed strong and didn’t give in to temptation. I was good and did the two miles I bargained for. And yes, I am pleased with 2 miles because treadmilling is so-oh-oh snoozin’.

And can I say I am totally diggin’ this chick called Lykke Li? I’ve been intrigued these past few weeks since I read an article, but I didn’t rush to buy the cd. But, then we were at this independent shop in Brighton over the weekend and they were playing the album and the lady was nice enough to point it out when I asked what they were playing and really, if you are in an independent record store and you know you’ll probably buy it eventually anyway, you just do it, you know?

I’m not disappointed with my purchase. The album’s very catchy. You kind of have to get past her little girl-ish voice, but I think I’ve done it. It totally kept me going on the treadmill, all 17 minutes glorious minutes. “I’m Good, I’m Gone” kind makes me think of Feist’s “My Moon, My Man” and Peter Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks” mixed together, kind of funky.

And she swallows her ts (”li’l bit”) like someone else I know.

I was worried about yoga yesterday. But, the live-in masseuse worked his magic Tuesday night, and my muscles were less sore yesterday morning, and yoga was fine. Better than fine, in fact. It was a very fulfilling workout.

My instructor asked us what we wanted before we started and at first, we all just sat there, kind of duh, blank morning stares, where’s my tongue, how does it work? But, then someone said, “something positive” and I just thought yeah, something positive. That would be really nice.

And it was. I still find it amazing how simple movements can stimulate such emotion and release. Going into warrior I, over my usual thoughts of shoulder blades down, little toe rolled into floor, came this flood of positive energy*. In that instant, there was a bit of peace within my body. I just felt good, warm, happy. I hate to admit to being the girl who talks to herself in class (it’s possible I am already the one known to cry- I tell you, it just unlocks emotion, it’s like a good book or movie that way), but I’m fairly sure I whispered “thank you”. I just felt grateful.

Yoga is good for me that way. It helps keep me balanced in mind and spirit (though not always in body, but I think that’s getting better too).

[*It came again when I was able to go from downward-facing dog, to chaturanga, to upward-facing dog without putting my knees to the floor(!!!), but I think that was more pleasure from personal accomplishment than anything else. My arms are not my strong point. I am feeling it today, but yay me!]

The weather here teases and taunts me. I’ve sat huddling, shivering, willing the winter to run its course and warmer months to drop in for a visit. It’s not that I don’t appreciate rain, because I do very much, but we haven’t actually had that much of it. It’s just been cold. I do not like cold. I like to be able to feel my fingers and toes when I run. I like to be able to turn the key in my car after a trip to the beach. Snow on Easter was exciting because it was pretty and novel and different. But now I say, bring on the heat!

The flowers have been out for weeks, but the air temperature has still been bitterly chilly. But yesterday, I felt signs that Mother Nature has started to warm her oven. I got (overly, as it turns out) excited about being able to run in shorts today and shaved my legs. All for nothing. The gash I took out over my Achilles’ tendon? ALL FOR NOTHING! I woke up to rain and it’s cold, cold, cold again. I am a cold-weather wuss, I know, but I am so ready for spring and summer.

I am, however, feeling a bit pertinacious today, so I think I’ll wear them anyway. And freeze. Just like I imagine this man was doing on Easter:

*Note: I have to graciously eat my words. (They are delicious.) After posting this, the sun came out, the temperature rose, and not only did I run in shorts but I shed my warm hat and gloves. It was wonderful.

Then, as if I thought it couldn’t get any better, the temperature hit 17, yes 17!, as we drove into London for Youssou N’Dour.

It is 9 degrees C here today. Woo-hoo! We went out for a beach run at low tide on Saturday and it was so cold. So, incredibly cold. It is hard to run when you can’t feel your feet. Really, really hard. The balls of my feet, the only parts I had any feeling in at all, kept feeling like they were pounding boulders. The day’s saving grace was the bright sunshine. It didn’t warm me, but it did make me feel happy so I didn’t turn around a mile 0.01. By the end of the run, I was hot and bouncing. (I think part of me was really excited about getting into my wellies and going out on the rocks!)

In other good news, I am now an official card-carrying member of the Deal Tri Club. Work it! I’m hoping I will meet people that I can connect with and have fun with. Sometimes I feel like I have all this pent up social energy and nowhere to direct it. I am hopeful.

How fun does this sound? The BBC’s going to attach audio equipment to volunteers to capture the sounds of the race down where the action is taking place.

Mike, over at Complete Running, just posted an article about how chatty the back of the pack is. I wonder if we’ll be able to recognize the differences between the front and the back from this.

This reminds me, I never posted the video I took during the Paris-Versailles 10 mile road race I did back in September. I’d just like you to know I’ve struggled with youtube and cannot get the thing to upload right (really folks, there’s hair all over the floor here), so don’t hold your breath. Sorry. But really, you’re not missing much. It was shaky and horrible. Maybe the next time, I can wrangle a steady-cam out of the ‘beeb!

My gym stole my iPod. And I’m not sad.

I’ll spare you the skimpy details, but I was in the locker room, sitting on the bench, drying my feet and noticed the music was pretty chill, Finley Quaye’s “Even After All”. Not one I usually hear anywhere but my iPod, thanks to the Thicker Than Water soundtrack. I thought hey, that’s cool. It makes a nice change from the Rockwell “Somebody’s Watching Me” I used to get at the other gym. (Kind of funky in the locker room when it’s playing while you ARE in the shower.) Then I heard it. Comb stroke, part to shoulder. Hesitate. I wasn’t sure it could be possible, they keep the level pretty soft in the changing room, but yes indeed-y. The Thievery Corporation remix of Sarah McLachlan’s “Dirty Little Secret”. Yeah baby! It’s cool, seductive and lounge-y. I love it. Maybe somebody IS watching me and knows just what I want to hear. I combed and re-combed my hair, just so I could hear the drum beat drop toward the end. I’m fairly sure I was swaying, but no one was looking at me funny, so I must have contained myself pretty well. All right, I don’t have much shame, but I don’t tend to bust a move in the locker room. Usually.

It was like the time I popped into Somerfield and as soon as I stepped through the double doors “Solsbury Hill” started up. It was as if they saw me coming. Or, iris recognition lasers triggered the music. Hey, now there’s a thought. Big brother me any time if it means no more James Blunt. (Okay, Christa, I just threw that in there to rile you up so you’ll slam me some more country music dedications on Facebook. Yee-haw!*) I grabbed my milk, bounced a little in line (subtly restraining myself from initiating a dance party), and handed over my fiver. As I held myself back from saying as enthusiastically Californian as possible “I luuuuuuhhhhve this song”, Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime” kicked in to the Hill’s fade, and the lady shouted over her shoulder “Could you turn the music down, puh-lease?”. I checked my shimmy, picked my chin off the floor, and slunk out of the store. Don’t let the iPod hit you on the way out, ya know?

While we’re on the subject of music (yeah, yeah I swam and yoga-ed today, check the log if you’re really that interested), who’s excited? Who is EXCITED? U2-3D! I can’t hear you. Yeah okay, not quite as excited as if the boys were to play in my living room. Or, even Wembley Stadium for that matter. But, I’m pretty excited. (And not even too bitter that it’s already out in California.) I can’t wait to see my man up close and personal. Funk it up, dawg!

*For those who don’t know me, not a big fan of the country…

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Now playing: U2 - Mysterious Ways
via FoxyTunes

I drove into the parking lot and there it stood before me: uncovered, lane lines in place, waters smooth as glass. Ladies and gentlemen, the outdoor pool is working again! Whee-hoo!

What’s more, the temperature’s not as warm. I hustled from the door to the water (it’s not raining, but it’s not sunny either), expecting the water temperature to welcome me in, like a soothing bath. It didn’t. Which is actually a good thing because I get too hot if the water’s too warm once I get going. It’s perfect now. The water wrapped around me peacefully as I pushed off from the wall, calmly filling in the spaces my body left behind.

It’s been a bit quiet around the Crunchy household lately, so it was nice to have some time in the water to just glide and flow. It wasn’t a hard core day today. The only thing missing was the pirate swim cap my mom gave to me for Christmas. I completely forgot to toss it in the bag. But, I’ll give it a try next time. When I need to get fired up. I realized from my lap times today that I swim breast stroke just as fast and sometimes faster than free. It’s not a surprise to me. It’s always been my favorite, but I am going to have to work on the freestyle if I actually want to get off my booty and do an Olympic distance triathlon this year. I have no excuses since I weaseled Crunchy husband out of his racing bike. Well, none except my slight trepidation at the large water masses around me. (The two shorter tris I did in the past were in placid little lakes.) But, if I’m honest with myself, I’m just using the unknown as an excuse. I’ve never been afraid of water. Sand, yes. Sand has been known to freak the living daylights out of me. But never water, not as far as I know.

If you haven’t already caught it, the Complete Running Network has launched a brand, spankin’ new site and it’s hot! Lots of people have been stickin’ forks in it (’cuz it’s done). You should too. Mark did a great job in the re-design. So pop on over and check it out. Don’t forget to point your mouse to the top right-hand corner to bookmark it, digg it, del.icio.us it, backflip it, mister wong it, or whatever gets you there. If you must dropjack, please drop him nicely.

If you have a running blog, you might want to (re) join the Running Blog Family Directory (RBF). You can now search for blogs by things like location, favorite race distance, and tags/keywords. Even if you’ve signed up before, submit a new entry so that it will be search-able by these things.

*Bonus* The site now includes author and member profile pages. So, if you got behind in your Science Wednesday reading over the holidays, you can catch up from the links on my profile here.

Conveniently, the Big Sur half marathon in Monterey falls on World Run Day this year. World Run Day is a day to run any distance you desire and donate to your favorite charity or organization. Sounds good.

You can register for the “event” online. But, I didn’t. Enough of my money went to the Big Sur registration, and I rather what was “left” go to my charity/organization of choice. So, I suppose I’m not official. But, I embraced the spirit and gave the good folks at the Thanet Coast Project some much appreciated cash, so I think that’s better. If you are thinking, “hey that’s cool. I should do that tomorrow!”, but you are having a tough time deciding who you’d like to make a donation to, click here. Decision made. I am glad to be so helpful! (Shameless, I know!)