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.

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!

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!)

Okay, all trolls aside, it’s time for the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey. And I am so stoked! So stoked I spit all over one of my best friends when I was asking her partner how psyched SHE was about it. I’m so glad we’re so close. Or maybe I just have no shame about my social skills. Sometimes, I get very excited!

As my part of the bargain with the troll, I’ve had to re-adjust my expectations for tomorrow. Before my heel started acting up, I really wanted to break 2 hours, or at least 2:00.27 because that’s my best half marathon. But, because my training hasn’t been what I wanted it to be this last month, I’ve had to come to terms that this won’t happen. And I am okay about it. I’m just excited to run and have fun with nice people in a beautiful environment.

My bag is packed, the cooler’s stocked with breakfast goodness for the morning, and I am ALL FIRED UP!

Wee-hoo!

During my run on Thursday, I had a serious discussion with the troll. I laid it all out on the table. Long flights, bright sunshine, pancakes, Cheesecake Factory, friendly faces– none of these would be “his bag”. He sniveled a bit. I assured him he’d be much happier in the winter (ish- what IS going on with the weather?) climes of England. He could keep Crunchy husband company in his deep misery of missing me and have a jolly ol’ time. Plus, I mentioned the practicalities of the matter: he didn’t have his passport ready and it would take way too long to get one processed.

So far, it appears (knock on wood) he did not smuggle himself in my suitcase. I went for a beautiful run through sunny and warm Willow Glen this morning and didn’t feel any pain. I’m sitting here poking the injured area, and that doesn’t feel too hot, so I’ll stop. But, it’s looking good for next Sunday. Yippee!

The little evil troll residing inside the back of my heel is beginning to gnaw harder on my tautened flesh. He announced his presence with a few nips a couple weeks ago. I said hello, now go away and went about my business. Being needy for attention, he persisted. I acknowledged him with a bit of slacking and ibuprofen. Drugs, that ought to satiate the beast. But, he wasn’t happy when I cut off his supply. Nor when I woke him from his slumber with a 5 mile run. And now he’s become more vocal.

There is nothing excruciating about this pain. Yet. It’s just kind of an annoyance. At the moment. I know the ball is in my court. Be good and evict the troll. Or keep pounding and really piss him off. I totally know what I’d do if I weren’t scheduled for a half marathon in two weeks. Set up camp on the couch, make Crunchy husband make dinners, and mix in a few sessions at the pool.

But, I’m really excited about the Monterey race. I’m not willing to chuck it in. I am slowly coming to terms that, having my training cut quite a bit, I’m not going to break any personal records. But, I still really want to do it. I’ve discussed my priorities with the troll and we’ve agreed to a compromise.

We’ll see if he can be trusted.