The Continuing Adventures of Toots and Sally: Two Women. One Marathon. A Dream.
Have you guys heard of the 3 Wine Guys? I’ve been downloading their podcasts onto my Ipod and listening to them at work. Coworkers, if you’re reading this and you constantly hear me chuckle, it’s just me trying to contain my laughter…these guys are crazy! They make me want to run out and bring back a few bottles to uncork. You know, the workday would be much more pleasant - if only…. They just crack me up, I’d love to drink a bottle (or two) with them. 
Just sharing…random…I know.
My head might just explode. I want off the non-profit ride. Between being sick and preparing for the spring session, I need a vacation. Thanks to my friend the acupuncturist/herbalist and her “concoction” I am almost well = almost running. I missed the 10 miler due to the dry, wheezing, hacking cough, but I’m planning on coming back strong this week. There’s a trail 25k teasing my brain in April. I can already run 10, so it’s just 5 more, right?
She Runs is supposed to start March 27 and everything is place, we just don’t know if we have GIRLS!!! It’s nerve-racking to me.
Week 7 was good. Ran and completed all my runs on the actual scheduled days. All the runs went pretty well but the heat was a bit of a factor on Wednesday and Thursday…can you believe we’ve already hit the 90’s a couple of times?!?! I think today was the coolest day all week…the temperature didn’t make it past the 70’s…(mini “yeah!”). Well, the first 6 miles miles were fine but I really started to have trouble the next 3 miles, I walked for about a quarter mile then I was fine and finished the final 3 strong. I tried to chilax a little a home but my legs are in some serious pain…I don’t think I stretched enough.
13.1 Mile Trail Run, Reading, PA
Sunday, August 17, 2008 * 9:00 AM * No Entry Limit!
52 times in 2008, large groups of not very bright people will come together to compete with one another. The competitors will pay large sums of money to enter, even though just about every one of them has little chance of winning and they will “bore the heck” out of all of those around them with their claims of prowess and achievement leading up to these events. Afterwards, most of these slugs will sulk back home with their tails between their legs, still convinced that they had a chance of achieving true greatness despite a CLEAR indication that, going in, they must have been delirious from a dangerous “mixing” of semi-illegal drugs, out of control egos and the massive consumption of refined sugar products. 51 of these “gatherings of the dim” fall into a single descriptive category known as “the Presidential Primaries” (no, we did not annex Manitoba as the 51st state when you were asleep; Washington DC has one too). The 52nd event of unfulfilled dreams and moronic behavior is known as the “Half Wit Half” Marathon Trail Run; a 13.1M rustic trail run that attracts daredevils, retired Elvis impersonators, non-working Kids Party Clowns, 1 or 2 paparazzi and a whole buncha weekend athletes that are convinced that doing something that is “not too good” for their health is, somehow, “good” for what little mind they have!!! The Half Wit is a tuff but doable race for those that have more guts than brains and it is to “serious athletic endeavor” what Rap Music Artists are to the “responsible use of handguns for maintaining manageable levels of wildlife”. The HWH is Pretzel City Sport’s second greatest annual challenge; right behind reading the legal waiver printed on most of its apps in size 4 font without the use of the Hubbell telescope. The Half Wit is a nightmare of serious climbs, loose rock descents, trees and runners laying across the trails, flying insects and animals with pepper spray, urban relics that are somehow standing despite the city around them falling apart, poor footing and even poorer spellers, volunteers with “agendas” and a whole gaggle of folks running with you that still have serious aspirations of someday being a “StarFleet Commander!” Only a fool would hold this event and he is encouraged to do so each year by the 400-600 other fools from 8-12 states that continue to “come back” like a fish chimichanga eaten right before bedtime. These underachievers embrace such race oddities as the “128 Steps from Hell”, the unique aide stations that sooth a parched pallet, the shirt that reflects that the entry should never be allowed to operate heavy machinery even before taking certain cold medicines and the knowledge of knowing that despite doing 6-10 stupid things per mile during the event, they will STILL probably not be the dumbest person there. The Half Wit Half! A running adventure for those that, coming out of high school. even the Armed Services rejected and are damn proud of it!! LEGAL-EASE: YOU ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR HEALTH & WELFARE WHILE RACING THE HWH. Dr Martin Luther King once nobly said “I have a dream”. HWH finishers have dreams too but they are not the kind that make you look forward to falling asleep! Despite that, it is “probable” that you won’t get lost or dinged during this race; very few do. If you do, however, it is your responsibility to find your way back or drag your mangled body to a place where we can conveniently retrieve you via “fossil fuel” means. We do not carry you out nor look for you; we reserve our in-race support to “missing you a lot!” Our on-site ambulance feels the same way, except that, as non-runners, they don’t miss you near as bad. As such, we do not allow runners under 18 to do this event. Others discouraged from entering are anyone that knows that Penn, Columbia and Brown are more than just a writing implement, a space shuttle & a color. Others that should stay home are “terminally oversensitive” folks that think that every subsection of people, including Incas, Druids and Metrosexuals, have a right to not have their “leg pulled’ by semi-humorous trailside signs; on the other hand, former owners of any American Motors vehicle (Pacers, Gremlins, etc.), past “Dollywood” visitors and any member of the Jelly of the Month Club are welcome with open arms, legs and sores!
IF that description is NOT an inspiration to run this damn race…then you are dead to me.
However, I have come up with a few equations that better explain my current situation than mere sentences.
1. bad cough x sneezing = Irritability + insomnia
2. [(cat hair + dog hair) x dust fuzzies] - Benadryl = Runny eyes + runny nose
3. Throat irritation² + achy limbs² = Salonpas²
ta da! Yep, it’s going to be a long day.
Plain and simple. Since it snowed, I knew I had to get out there. Besides, all of the work I planned on doing for She Runs went down the crapper and I did not feel like cleaning. I guess I should get to the point. I am supposed to “pre-puff” before running, which prevents my lungs from closing up, and “en principe” (I have always loved that phrase!) should allow me to take full, complete breaths. These suckers do not do either. I have now been to the doctor to figure out WHAT THE HELL and I have to use Advair, a daily thingamajig, yadda yadda yadda, whine, whine, whine. The point: the new inhalers are more eco-friendly (yes, please!! I love it!), but they don’t frigging work for shit. I was panting like I did the first time I ever ran, today. The new inhalers also run out of juice quickly, but insurance only pays for them in a cycle of a certain amount of days. I’d really like to know if hospitalizations for asthma have gone up with the implementation of the new inhalers. I know if I felt like someone was sitting on my chest, I can only imagine what an unhealthy person must feel after using their new inhaler. Like shit. Like me. Dammit.
*My run was okay. I’m tired of not using my full lung capacity. Dammit.
**The 10 miler is coming up soon. Better get a new inhaler. Dammit.
I’ve had terrible insomnia, more so than normal, lately. I’ll post tomorrow. I don’t work tomorrow. I’m almost as tired as I was after my dad died. Not quite, but it feels almost as bad. Yuck. Ugh. Enough.
So it’s the end of week 5…already?!? It feels like I’ve missed so many runs but all things considered, I really haven’t. At the most, I’ve missed 1 run a week for the last 3 weeks…that’s still ok…isn’t it? This week I missed my midweek 5 miler but I did complete my 10 miler today. I will not dwell too much on the details of it, but it was emotional, hard, overwhelming, and joyful all at the same time with thoughts of my dad dancing around in my head for the entire 10 miles.
I know this seems like an incomplete blog, but I’m tired and that’s really all I have to say. Just random thoughts, I guess….
I went out this morning with the intention of running 6 miles. I am proud to say that I stuck with it and ran all 6 miles, although it took more willpower than I would like to admit. I don’t know how I let myself get this out of shape… I can remember the days when 6 miles was an easy, short, mid-week run. It was not that long ago! But even though my legs were hurting, my breath was coming easy and I spent all 66 minutes (ugh, slow!) being grateful to be outside. It was sunny and crisp and I lost a mile or 2 somewhere along the Lake of the Isles. I have an 8k on tap March 16 and will hopefully get through the lottery for Grandma’s half. I’m shooting for the TC marathon this October. There. I said it, it’s out. I can’t change my mind now. Brother #1 is working on taking the time off to come to Minneapolis and run TC too. I think he’s secretly hoping to BQ. I would just like to spend less than 5 hours running. Maybe if I can eliminate a potty break or 4, it’ll happen. 
